By the time their ID cards were ready, the yellow boxes had arrived from Cabi, and their homes for the coming year were ready to move into. Carl and Sarah got settled first, with Carl having paid extra for expedited shipping. But when it came time to move into their own apartment, Tristan started to worry. In the hopes that he wouldn't be seen as a freeloader, he'd paid for their two-week hotel stay; now there was the prospect of rent to think about, the reality of being unemployed and divested of his savings began to hit home. 

"Isn't it a little too big for the two of us..?" he'd asked. "We don't really need a second bedroom..."

Tristan had no family to come and visit, and from what he understood, Jed maintained phone-contact only with his. 

"It's for my computer" his boyfriend had explained, "for days when I need to work from home. You don't need to worry about setting that up. It's better that I'm the only one that touches it. You can handle the TV and the kitchen stuff for now." 

Although he didn't have the nerve to say it, Tristan wondered if Jed would be paying extra for a room all his own. 

"When I have to work nights I can sleep in there too" said Jed, "That way we won't disturb each other." 

That way you won't have to sleep with me... thought Tristan.

Whenever they'd go to meet Carl and Sarah it was much the same; Jed would be more attentive than usual, and be forced to foot the bill at the end of the night. 

"Once you find yourself a job, don't forget to treat us all to dinner!" Sarah had urged. 

With back-rent to pay and the cost of groceries on the island, Tristan wasn't sure where he'd find the money to buy everyone an expensive meal. Every time he'd suggest somewhere cheaper on their nights out, he'd find himself over-ruled in favor of the glittering tourist hotspots. He couldn't just order street food and expect them to be okay with it. 

"He'd have to find something first..." sighed Jed.

The apartment was in order. The ID was in his pocket. There was nothing holding him back but himself. As the new week began, and Jed left early for the office; Tristan ventured out into the streets of Modesh to find himself a job. Having no courage to ask Jed if he could use his computer and print the copies at work, Tristan had gone to the local library the week before and worked on his resume in secret. Applying online had yielded no results, so armed with his information and experience, he was going to try the old fashioned way. 

"Do you speak Modeshi, too?" The woman had asked him regarding the 'RECEPTIONIST WANTED' advertisement he'd seen at the print supply shop. 

Tristan shook his head. 

"Ah" she said, "I know English is our second language, but a lot of the older business owners don't use it... sorry... Maybe you could try a foreign company? They've opened a lot of new branches here lately."

Tristan found there wasn't much out there that didn't require a bilingual applicant. It wasn't that he didn't want to learn the local language, it's just that he was a little slow in picking it up. He couldn't afford lessons, and the limited free-to-use apps would only get him so far. It seemed pointless to try, and yet it was all he could do. He couldn't just sit quietly in the apartment all day, watching what was left of his savings count down to nothing. 

Jed had been looking for where he could buy Sarah's favorite brand of potato chips, and Tristan had seen a place online that might have some in stock. He thought that even if he didn't come back with a job, he'd have made himself useful if he could find them. Abandoning his hopeless job search, he followed the directions to the little foreign supermarket.

He almost cried tears of happiness when he found them. Sure, they were overpriced and well beyond his budget; but it felt like an accomplishment, no matter how small. 

"Wow" said the cashier unloading his basket, "You must really like these chips!"  

"They're for a friend..." Tristan confessed, suddenly feeling guilty about his high-calorie purchase. 

"Must be a good friend at this price!" the cashier replied cheerfully. 

Behind the counter was a sign above the foreign brands of cigarettes. 

"Are you still looking for people..?" Tristan asked him, tentatively clutching a copy of his resume inside his bag, and motioning to the sign. 

The cashier turned round to check. "Oh, that? Hold on, let me ask the manager." 

Standing awkwardly in the store and holding up the increasing line of customers, Tristan waited as the cashier sauntered slowly off to the back office.

The manager came out to greet him as the cashier pushed the potato chips aside and continued checking out the other shoppers. 

"You're looking for a job?" he asked, in a thick Modeshi accent. "You speak English?" 

Tristan nodded and handed him his resume. 

"Ah, it's okay" he said, refusing the paper, "You have ID?" 

Shakingly, his resident's card was handed over. 

"Okay" said the man, "Tibur will train you."

The cashier smiled and gave a knowing nod. 

"Tibur..?" Tristan asked. 

The line gone, Tibur returned to the potato chips. "I'll give you the employee discount then" he said with a laugh. 

"Just like that, I've got the job?" 

Tibur bagged Tristan's groceries and rang them up on the register. "Just like that. We mainly get foreigners in here. If your English is good then it's fine; the work is okay, nothing you can't pick up in a few days. How's your Modeshi..?"

Tristan looked at the floor. "I... I don't speak it yet" he told him shamefully. 

Tibur feigned shock. "Me either" he laughed, "At least not very well. I went to an international school growing up. Born and raised here, yet my English is much better. If there's a customer you're struggling with, just give me a shout and I'll see what I can do." 

Tibur glanced at the clock and shouted something to the back office. After an "Okay, okay!" from the manager, the 'OPEN' sign was flipped to 'CLOSED', and Tibur led Tristan to a small employee staff room. "Here" he said, handing him a form, "Just fill in your information and I'll get you set up on the system."

Tristan's heart started to pound. What if he couldn't do it? What if he was just as bad working here as he'd been in Carl's office..? 

"Do you want some water?" asked Tibur, "You haven't been out in the heat all morning, have you? It's deceptive when it's cloudy. You don't look too well..." 

Tristan said he was fine, but Tibur brought him a bottle anyway. 

"There's a reason we take a break at lunchtime" he said, "It gets too hot, especially if you're not used to it. It takes a while to adjust; just like how I can't stand the cold." 

The unexpected kindness was very much appreciated, and the water even more so. With his nerves steadied, Tristan filled in the form with his Modeshi address and telephone number. 

"Tristan" Tibur read; "Well, I hope we get along like two T's in a pod! Did I use that right..?" he asked, when Tristan didn't laugh.

Tristan's smile appeased his concerns. "Don't forget to fill in the emergency contact..." 

Tristan had left it blank. Would Jed really want to be bothered if something happened to him? 

"Did you come to Modesh alone?" 

Tristan shook his head. "No" he said, "With my... 'husband ' I guess..." 

Tibur nodded. "Ah, it's okay" he told him, "I'm pretty forward thinking. Some of the foreign guys at my university have boyfriends. It's more common here now than when I was a kid. Or I guess, more out in the open at least."

Tristan had checked the box marked 'spouse' but couldn't bring himself to write in Jed's information. "My husband is waiting for his new phone" he lied, "Can I write the number later..?"

Tibur shrugged. "Sure" he said, "Just avoid any emergencies until then! Come on, let me show you around the store, and be sure to walk very carefully. If a box falls, you only have me to rely on!" 

There were a lot of home brands that Tristan could recognize, from toothpaste to candies. The biggest surprise were the tins of soup his dad would often buy when money was tight. 

"You know this one?" Tibur asked. Tristan had never thought a tin of tomato soup would make him so emotional. 

"Dad's favorite..." he said. 

"It's expensive with the import fees, but at least your dad can buy it here if he comes to visit."

Tristan wiped his eyes. "He passed a couple of years ago" he told him. 

Tibur took a can from the shelf and put it into Tristan's hands. 

"Here" he said, "For you. Heat it up and remember the better times. My parents loved meat but I don't really eat it myself... whenever I pass by the barbecue restaurants, the smell reminds me of their cooking."

"I'm sorry..." said Tristan. 

Tibur smiled and raised his chin. 

"My Grandma lives on the north side of the island" he said, "it's not so bad." 

The two men chatted until it was time to reopen. 

"Can you start tomorrow?" Tibur asked him. 

Tristan could have started then and there, but he wanted to get home and tell Jed the good news as soon as possible. "Tomorrow is fine!" 

With his can of soup and shopping bag loaded with chips, Tristan found his way back to the apartment. It was a twenty-five minute walk up a few hills, but perfectly doable without having to spend his money on the little buses that ferried people around the island. By the time he'd showered, Jed had already arrived home from work.

"What's with the groceries?" he asked, spotting the unexplained bag on the kitchen island. Tristan was beaming for the first time in a long time, and chose to ignore the irritated tone of his boyfriend. 

"I got a job!" he announced with pride. 

Jed slid his messenger bag off his shoulder and stepped a little closer. 

"Really?!" he asked, "Which company? What's your position? What kind of benefits are they offering..? Are they willing to sponsor your stay?" 

Tristan's smile frayed at the edges. 

"It's just... working in a foreign supermarket for now" he told him; "It's all I could find but the hours are good. I'll still have time to help out at home when I get back." 

Jed hung his keys by the door and set his bag down on the side table. 

"You wouldn't need to help out at home if we could afford a cleaner" he said. "Still, I guess it's better than nothing at all."

Tristan nodded sadly. What else should he have expected? It's not like it was some big exciting news he had to share. 

"And why did you buy so much?" his boyfriend asked, motioning to the snacks on the counter. 

"They're for Sarah..." he told him, "I was looking for them when I found the job." 

Jed huffed and inspected the contents of the bag. "She only likes the plain ones from this brand" he said, "Nobody eats these weird flavors." 

Tristan felt frozen to the floor. Jed sighed and took pity on him. "I'll see if anyone at work will take them."

As his boyfriend took a shower, Tristan padded over to the unwanted chips and fished the can of tomato soup from the bottom of the bag. He read the label before closing his eyes and thinking of his dad. Silently, he tucked it away in the back of the cupboard. 'You found a job, that's great, kiddo! Who said finding work was easy..? I'm proud of you..!  Tristan smiled sadly as he caught his reflection in the window. He looked away before reality could face him. He'd found a job, that was the main thing. 

When Jed came out of the shower, Tristan had pulled himself together. 

"Do you want the mixed rice again?" Jed asked him, scrolling through the delivery app on his phone. 

"Sure" said Tristan, "and should we open a bottle of wine..?" 

Jed's finger paused on the screen. They had an unspoken understanding of what wine with dinner meant in terms of the evening's direction. 

"Just open the cheap one" he said, earmarking the others for Sarah and Carl's next houseparty. 

Since Jed was off work the following day, and it had been some time, he was feeling generous. Tonight, they'd have sex.