Sam’s mother had just come into Sam’s room. Though Hero couldn’t see her, he could hear her as she entered the room and began speaking to Sam. Sam’s hands jolted under the young aspiring hero, who barely stifled a yelp at the jolt he received.

There was a moment – a single moment – where human and Borrower made eye contact and instantly knew what the other was thinking. Hero couldn’t be seen. He asked not to be seen. Sam knew this; but there wasn’t enough time to put him back on top of the bookshelf without his mom seeing.

Sam, in that split second, made his decision – the only one he really could make. Without warning the Borrower in his hands, he dropped his arms down by his side, cupped the small person, and shoved his hands into his hoodie pocket.

Hero suddenly felt the hand jolt beneath him as Sam suddenly dropped his hands down by his side. For a moment, he hoped Sam would set him onto the bed, but the Borrower had no such luck. The fingers closed slightly around him as the hand he was on was suddenly thrust into thick, cotton fabric on all sides.

Hero was suddenly thrust into darkness and warmth – two things that he was usually comfortable with but, given the circumstances, set his entire body shivering with nervousness. He instinctually curled up in the human’s hand, hoping he couldn’t be seen with the protection of Sam’s hand. From under the fabric, he could hear the muffled voices of Sam’s mother and the human that held him.

“Sammy? Sweetie, lunch is ready,” she said, reminding Hero of how his own mother called him.

“Okay mom. I’ll be there in a second,” said Sam. A break! Sam can put me on the bookshelf and—

“No sir,” said Sam’s mother. “It’s ready now. You can save your game and get back to it later. Come on.” Hero’s heart sank as he heard Sam agree, stand with the utmost care to not jostle the small human he was carrying with him, and head out through the door past his mother. “Hands out of your pockets please, and don’t forget to wash your hands.”

Hero felt Sam’s hand instinctually wrap a little tighter around his frame before the massive hand rotated, nestling him into the fabric. The Borrower boy laid as still as possible as he was jostled in Sam’s pocket step after step.

There was the sound of running water before more steps to the kitchen where Hero dared to readjust and sit up, so he wasn’t smothered by the fabric. He looked up at the tent around him. It was like the old forts he used to make seemingly not too long ago.

Sam and his mother talked for a while as they ate, but Hero wasn’t paying much attention to that. Instead, his thoughts were consumed with the notion of being held – handled of all things – and then shoved in a pocket. As terrifying as the entire experience was – still was – Hero had to admit that Sam had been gentle and careful. Another thought occurred to Hero that he found profound and almost alarming.

It almost felt… good… to be held.

It was terrifying and still made his knees weak and his head spin. It also was comforting – like a hug from one of his parents or his siblings. Granted, it was on a much larger scale, but Hero couldn’t help but think it in the back of his spiraling mind.

His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a massive jostling from Sam getting up from the table and walking to the counter. Hero curled to better disguise himself in Sam’s pocket and waited patiently until Sam made his way back into his room. The sound of the door closing was a good thing for Hero as Sam cautiously pulled the side of the pocket open.

“Hey… um… you okay?” asked Sam, holding unbelievably still. Hero nodded, mentally chuckling to himself as he realized Sam couldn’t see him nod, before stabilizing himself with fistfuls of fabric as he made his way to the entrance of the pocket.

“I’m… fine. I’m okay…” called Hero. “Could you put me on the bookshelf? Please?” The Borrower could only see Sam’s nervous smile as the human boy held out a hand in front of Hero, a clear invitation to climb on. The little boy only had to brace himself for a moment as his mind and body surged with adrenaline before stepping onto Sam’s hand. He crouched to stabilize himself.

Sam sheepishly reached up and scratched his neck, avoiding eye contact with the miniscule person in his other hand, as he raised his arm up slightly.

“Hey… I’m sorry… for…”

“It’s okay,” replied Hero with the most comforting smile he could offer his human counterpart. “I… really should be thanking you. I mean… you saved me from falling and you kept me from being seen. You kept my secret.”

The brightest of smiles spread across Sam’s face as he looked at Hero.

“It’s all good. That’s what friends do, right?” asked Sam. The two boys smiled at each other before Hero had to cut it short. He had been gone a long time and needed to get home.

Hero asked Sam kindly to put him back on top of the bookshelf, which Sam agreed to, and said their goodbyes. Sam went back to the kitchen to help his mother while Hero ducked back into the safety of the walls.

His little legs carried him steadily all the way back home, and the notion of the human world suddenly seeming slightly less terrifying – and he couldn’t wait to go back and see his friend.