Chapter 10 #2
“I did it,” Jaylin mumbled, crawling back onto the couch. “I don’t know if anyone will show up but… but I asked.”
“I know that was really hard,” Hiro said quietly, reaching over to touch Jaylin’s shoulder.
Hiro had been giving Jaylin gentle little touches all evening, including another hug that Jaylin had sunk into with a bitten-off whimper.
He didn’t know what he’d suddenly done to deserve the gift, but Jaylin was drinking in every moment of contact. “I’m really proud of you.”
“Thanks,” Jaylin said, curling his arms around himself.
“And I just finished pulling up all the forms you’re going to need to fill out,” Hiro said. “We could work on them now, if you’d like. Unless you’d like to head back to your place and start packing.”
“No,” Jaylin said in a rush. “I’ll–I’ll feel better if those are done. And it, um, it’d be easier if you helped me. If that’s okay.”
“Of course it’s okay,” Hiro said. “Why don’t we start with the application for your school’s honor student scholarship, since that’s the easiest? We’ll get it out of the way and then we could work on the others.”
“Okay,” Jaylin said, scooting closer to Hiro so that he could get a better view of the laptop screen.
Hiro had looked into it, and it turned out that Jaylin’s college actually provided a whole variety of scholarships to “qualified students in good standing” and Jaylin qualified for nearly all of them.
He was within the income threshold and had the required 3.
5 minimum GPA most wanted, and it didn't take long at all for Hiro to help him submit for the honor student scholarship. From there they moved on to working their way through the foundation scholarship list, and got most of their way through Jaylin’s FAFSA application before Jaylin noticed Hiro trying to cover his yawns.
Jaylin was feeling pretty tired himself in all honesty, and he checked the time on his phone, eyes widening in horror as he realized it was almost midnight. “Shit! Shit, I’m so sorry, it’s so late–”
“It’s okay,” Hiro said. “Seriously, it’s no big deal. I’m a lawyer. You think I’m a stranger to working late?”
Not for Jaylin. Jaylin wasn't worth losing sleep. Especially since he did know exactly how hard Hiro worked. “Still–”
“I want to do this,” Hiro said firmly. “I want to help you however I can. But you’re right–it’s late. Let me drive you home?”
“That’s okay,” Jaylin said quickly, not wanting to put Hiro out even more. “Seriously, that’s—I can just get a ride.”
“There’s also the guest bedroom,” Hiro offered quietly. “If you wanted to stay tonight.”
Jaylin licked his lips and dared to consider it. Regardless of what they planned on tomorrow, if he stayed tonight it wouldn’t just be out of necessity. He could very easily go back to his own place for one last sleep. “I…”
“No pressure,” Hiro said, and his smile looked sad. “Just wanted to give you the option. You can spend the night and then we can head over to your place bright and early to start packing up, or you can go home now and I can just meet you tomorrow.”
“I… I guess I could stay,” Jaylin found himself saying. “If it isn’t any trouble.” If you hadn’t planned to lose your space yet.
“You’re never trouble,” Hiro said easily, closing his laptop. “C’mon, let’s get you settled. You’ve got a busy day ahead of you.”
Jaylin’s nerves came back full force as he followed Hiro up the stairs, where he’d never yet ventured before, but he tried to swallow them down. He wasn’t going to make anything weird. Couldn’t.
“My room’s just at the end of the hall,” Hiro said, pointing out a closed door. “If you need anything, just grab me, okay? I won’t mind.”
“Okay,” Jaylin said weakly, absolutely certain there was nothing that could happen short of a house fire that would cause him to rouse Hiro from bed.
“Bathroom’s right here,” Hiro said as they passed another door. “And here’s the guest bedroom.”
He opened the door to a very nicely-sized room, flicking on the lights and showing Jaylin inside. “Make yourself comfortable, okay?” Hiro said. “I’ll be right back.”
“Okay,” Jaylin said, biting his lip. “Thank you.”
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 was big, 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 is your 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 toothbrush fresh 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 he shimmied 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, kept offering 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't too much 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 so pissed. 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 with Brent ever 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.
As for a place to stay…
Hiro had all too generously offered up Jaylin his guestroom to crash in, to store his few possessions while Jaylin looked for housing. It was what they had argued most about, because Jaylin struggled to think about taking something like that from Hiro.
But Hiro had all but begged Jaylin to stay.
“Please,” Hiro had said. “Please Jaylin, I just–I need you to be away from him. I need you to be safe. So stay with me for a little bit while we look for a more permanent solution for you. It’s nothing to me, okay? I just want you safe.”
Jaylin hadn’t been able to hold out long in the face of that. Forget that he didn’t have a place to go, he… he wanted to stay with Hiro. He wanted the comfort Hiro always gave him, always provided freely.
Jaylin wanted to feel safe too. He knew with all of himself that Hiro would give him that. So he’d managed thank yous and apologies and assurances that it would only be for a week or two while Jaylin scoured roommate wanted ads. Hiro had shrugged it all off and thanked Jaylin for agreeing to stay.
Jaylin couldn't deny that it was so fucking unbelievably nice to have someone who genuinely wanted to take care of him.
This is all really happening. Jaylin tucked himself up into a ball under the covers. This is happening. Tomorrow he was going to have an intense, stress-filled day packing up his whole life and getting the hell out of dodge.
Saturday would be just as scary and stress-filled, because he was going to contact his phone company to get his cell number changed.
Until that went through, he wasn’t going to jump every time Brent’s phone chime rang out because he was going to block his number, and it wouldn't matter that he did, because even if Brent went to Jaylin’s old apartment, Jaylin wouldn't be there for him to find.
It took a long time for Jaylin to fall asleep, but when he did, he didn't dream.