Page 43 of Spoonful

Hiro opened his mouth, then closed it, nodded and left the room.

Jaylin set his backpack down at the foot of the bed and looked around, uncertain about what he was waiting for. The room was pretty. It had walls that were a cream color with a very pale blue trim, hung with abstract art in greens and blues and yellows. The bed wasbig,easily a queen, and looked comfortable, made up with crisp, off-white sheets.

The room didn’t look lived in in the way the rest of Hiro’s house did, but it still looked cozy and inviting.

It felt too good for someone like Jaylin.

A knock on the door startled him. “Um, come in?”

Hiro poked his head inside the room. “Hey,” he said, smiling. “Sorry, I won’t keep you up any longer. I just wanted to give you a couple things.”

“You didn’t have to knock,” Jaylin said.

Hiro frowned. “Of course I did.”Of course.“It’s your space.”

Jaylin’s throat felt tight. “But… but it’s your house.”

“It might be my house,” Hiro said after a second. “But as long as you’re here, this isyour space.That means I knock. And if you don’t want to let me in, if you need time to yourself, want privacy, or are just tired of people, I don’t come in.”

Jaylin opened his mouth, but no sound could come out.

“Here,” Hiro said gently. “These are for you. Just to try to give you a more comfortable night.” He held out a toothbrushfresh in its packaging, as well as one of those tiny toothpastes dentist offices gave out.

“Thank you,” Jaylin said, taking them.

“And, uh…” Hiro suddenly looked uncertain, as he held out a shiny square of folded gray fabric. “This too. If you, uh, wanted to use it.”

“What is it for?” Jaylin asked, taking it because how could he not? Hiro was giving it to him. It was incredibly soft and smooth to the touch.

“It’s a silk pillowcase,” Hiro said. Was Jaylin imagining the added flush of color to Hiro’s cheeks? “I, well, I read a while back that silk was good for textured hair? And so I figured… there was no harm in having one ready. Just in case.”

Jaylin stared down at the pillowcase in his hand. It felt… it felt like such a momentous gift. The concrete evidence that Hiro went out of his way to think of him, to think of things that might make his life easier or more comfortable. Without ever expecting anything for it.

“Thank you,” Jaylin said hoarsely, after the silence had stretched too long.

Hiro lightly touched his shoulder, and Jaylin dragged his eyes up to meet Hiro’s.

“Of course,” Hiro said softly. “Now try to get some rest. I’ll see you in the morning.”

Jaylin nodded. “Sleep well,” he managed.

Hiro smiled at him. “You too.”

Once Hiro had left the room, Jaylin went over to the bed. He picked up one of the pillows and pulled off the cotton pillowcase, before slipping the silk pillowcase on instead. He smoothed his hand over the cool surface for several long moments before he took a breath and left the room.

He brushed his teeth and washed his face in the hall bathroom, then headed back to the guest bedroom, where heshimmied out of his clothes and climbed into the bed. The sheets were soft and cool and laying his head down on the silk pillowcase felt incredibly luxurious.

His breath hitched as he closed his eyes, as it sunk in deeper just what Hiro was doing for him. What the man was offering to him,keptoffering to him, just because he cared.

The plan was to get Jaylin fully out of his apartment before Saturday morning. And regardless of how daunting it felt to think about, Jaylin knew it was doable. It was. Even if no one else ended up showing up to help–which he fully expected and wouldn't blame anyone for–there wasn'ttoomuch to do. Jaylin didn't own all that much stuff, really. It was just a matter of throwing everything into boxes and figuring out what to do with his furniture.

Even if he left all the furniture at the apartment, it wasn't like it’d be his problem after the fact. It wasn’t his name on the lease, after all.

God, Brent was going to be sopissed.Jaylin’s stomach hurt just thinking about it. But that was what this whole endeavor was for. So Jaylin never had to deal with that anger directed at him ever again. Never had to deal withBrentever again.

He and Hiro had talked it out, and Jaylin had maybe shaken so hard that it felt as though it was only Hiro’s arms around him that were holding him together, but Hiro’s points had sunk home. Jaylin couldn't lose his current classes, because they were already paid for. He was qualified for more than a dozen scholarships to help cover the rest of the classes and expenses for his degree. He had a job and even some savings, which would help make up the difference.

Plus, he also had some fancy clothes and accessories and stuff that he planned to sell off as soon as he possibly could.

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