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- 11/12/2014
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Stories posted in this category are works of fiction. Names, places, characters, events, and incidents are created by the authors' imaginations or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual persons (living or dead), organizations, companies, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you.
Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you.
Snow - 3. Settling In
After he showered and got dressed, Louis came out into the main area of the apartment again and found Snow sitting on the couch. He looked nervous, like he expected Louis to yell at him or something. Maybe he thought this was the point where he would get thrown out. Louis sighed and ran a hand through his hair as he walked over and sat on the other end of the couch.
Snow kept his eyes down, fidgeting with the hem of his shirt. “I’m sorry,” he said quietly.
Louis shook his head, “Forget about earlier. You made an amazing breakfast, and I’m grateful.” He looked up at Snow, “I don’t know what you were out there for, last night. You certainly don’t look homeless beyond the clothes. Whatever happened, it’s sort of none of my business. So whether you remember or not, I won’t press you to tell me anything.”
“Okay. . .” Snow showed a hint of relief when he was told this. It looked like a weight was lifted off of his shoulders.
“With that being said,” Louis went on, “You don’t seem like much of a trouble-maker, and you cleaned up after yourself without hesitation. I’d consider those qualities of an ideal roommate.” He paused briefly, “There’s a spare bedroom down the hall full of boxes. I could get it cleaned out and let you stay here. If you get a job, you can help out with rent, and that means you’ll have a place to stay. If that doesn’t appeal to you, I can take you somewhere and drop you off. You can be on your way.”
Snow looked up at him with his icy eyes wide and full of shock. He just stared for a long moment, not even breathing, before he threw himself at Louis and wrapped him in a tight hug. “Thank you so much!” He was crying. No one had ever bothered to show him such kindness. “I won’t be a burden, I promise! I’ll cook and clean, and I’ll try to find a job and help with the rent! You won’t regret this!”
The rush of emotions in his reaction threw Louis for a loop, and he could do little more than pat the other man’s back as he jabbered on about helping out and not being a burden. When he rehearsed this in his head in the bathroom, he had never anticipated that Snow would react so strongly. Still, it was kind of a good feeling. He was helping someone, and that someone was showing gratitude. That was nowhere near what he was used to. He was used to helping people and then regretting it because it left his wallet empty and his life a wreck. He was used to being taken for granted, not being appreciated.
Finally, Snow calmed down and pulled back. He wiped his eyes and grimaced, becoming embarrassed to have let loose like that. “I’m sorry,” he told him, “I just. . . I’ve never had someone do something like this for me. It means a lot, really. . . .” He managed a small smile. That slight imperfection in his teeth really just added to his appearance somehow. If he was too perfect, Louis would probably have found it intimidating.
“It’s fine,” Louis smiled back, “You should go get a shower. I’ll lend you some clothes, and get started on that bedroom. Later, we can go get our own groceries for you to cook with. Sound good?”
Snow nodded vigorously. He was really happy, and he radiated that joy. He gave Louis another hug and even a peck on the cheek before he stood and headed for the bathroom. Louis blushed as he watched him leaving, rubbing his cheek where he could still feel Snow’s soft, pale lips against his skin.
He shook it off and went to his room, grabbing some clothes for Snow and leaving them on the bathroom sink. He got started on cleaning out the bedroom, taking some boxes down to a storage unit in the basement. He didn’t use the stuff in them anyway, otherwise they’d probably be unpacked by now, in the year he’d lived in that apartment.
The rest of the day was spent getting Snow settled in. The man was more than happy to help out, and he really never stopped saying ‘thank you’ until the seventh time Louis asked him to stop. They made a trip to the grocery store where Louis let Snow pick out an assortment of foods and spices that he could cook with.
He actually seemed mesmerized by the world outside of Louis’s apartment. Cars startled him at first, and he stuck close to Louis when strangers came near. Louis wanted to ask about it, but he didn’t want to upset Snow. He took on the mindset that it was none of his business, and shrugged off any strange behavior from that point on. He didn’t realize it, but Snow was grateful that he didn’t push or try to invade his privacy.
That evening, Snow seemed excited to have a larger selection of food and spices to work with. He started to prepare stir fry, and danced around the kitchen with more energy than that morning. Louis sat at the bar on his laptop, searching for jobs. It was kind of hard to find something, because Snow didn’t have any I.D. whatsoever. When Louis offered to get that looked into, Snow had refused.
“We can just keep an eye out for missing person’s reports, so if my picture shows up, maybe we’ll find out who I am,” Snow told him. Louis had tried pushing the matter, but it was Snow’s life. So he agreed.
Finding a job that didn’t require him to have an I.D. or even a social security number was a somewhat difficult task. He emailed a co-worker and there was a place right down the street from his apartment pointed out to him. It was a small, local, family-owned diner. He decided to go check it out that weekend when he wasn’t working.
He shut his laptop as Snow was putting their food on plates. The white-haired beauty looked over at him with a smile, “Find anything?”
“Yeah,” Louis told him, “There’s a diner down the street. They might be willing to hire you. I’ll check it out this weekend.”
“Or I could check it out tomorrow,” Snow pointed out, “I’m not helpless, although I appreciate the help.”
Louis shrugged, “I didn’t mean to act like you couldn’t do it yourself, just it’s reflex to do it myself, I guess.” He looked down at the plate Snow set before him and chuckled faintly, “Where did you learn to be such a great cook?”
“A friend taught me when we were young.” That answer was probably one of the first real glimpses into Snow’s past that Louis had gotten.
He became intrigued, “Oh really? How old were you when you started learning?”
Snow shrugged and started to clam up a little. He wasn’t so comfortable talking about that, and he sat next to Louis without answering. Louis reluctantly let it go, and for the rest of the night, they didn’t really talk about anything.
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Stories posted in this category are works of fiction. Names, places, characters, events, and incidents are created by the authors' imaginations or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual persons (living or dead), organizations, companies, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you.
Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you.
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