After his class, Aiden raced home to meet up with Damien who promised he’d be out on the corner waiting since he needed to grab something to snack on from the convenience store. He smiled when he saw his new neighbor waving at him with a candy bar in his hand and a canned coffee in the other.

“How did you sleep?” Aiden asked.

“I’m so sorry I took your bed,” Damien replied, completely ignoring the question.

“You’re fine, but you didn’t answer my question.”

“Oh! I slept well, much better than the floor… oops.”

Aiden blinked a few times as he registered what Damien had said. Damien seemingly also realized a tad too late he slipped up.

“Wait, are you sleeping on the floor?” Aiden asked.

“I… yeah?”

“Why?”

“I didn’t have time or money to get a bed.”

“No, no, that won’t do at all. We need to get some better stuff for you, this isn’t just a flashlight situation anymore. Tell me everything you don’t have. Do you have dishes? A trash can? Anything?”

“No… I brought a blanket and some clothes and that’s it.”

“Damien…” Aiden sighed, “okay, we’re going to remedy this. Let’s go shopping.”

“I can’t afford much.”

“We’ll make it work.”

Damien looked at him with embarrassment in his expression. Aiden smiled.

“We’ll make it work, don’t worry. This is your fresh start, and you can’t have a successful fresh start without essentials. There’s no need to be embarrassed, I barely had anything on me when I moved in, either. That’s the hard part about it being an apartment and not a dorm, they’re unfurnished so there’s a lot to consider that you won’t realize until you’re in the moment. Now you’re in the moment, so let’s handle it. Start thinking about what you need to stay healthy while we walk,” Aiden said calmly.

Damien nodded, seemingly understanding he wouldn’t win an argument. They started walking down the street while Aiden pulled up the nearest shop that might have affordable mattresses and home goods. He knew a few of the department stores sold some essentials like inexpensive folding tables and twin-sized mattresses for students. He wasn’t made of money but he didn’t want Damien to suffer, so he didn’t mind helping. It also gave him an excuse to start that steamy doujin side comic to make some extra cash. Drawing smut and getting paid for it? How awful. 

Something told him his new neighbor wouldn’t consider the necessities unless someone pointed them out so he’d probably have to get used to situations like this. Damien was nothing if not a certified himbo, he was sweet but somewhat air-headed—precisely Aiden’s type even if he was now convinced that Damien wasn’t human.

After a short walk through the breezy autumn evening, they arrived at their destination. Aiden grilled Damien about what he’d been pondering during their walk, what he wanted and needed to get. He mentioned a mattress, a warmer blanket, the flashlight and some coffee mugs. Maybe a kettle and some plates.

“A pillow?” Aiden asked.

“Yeah, probably,” Damien replied.

“You’re allowed to need stuff.”

“I know, it just feels weird.”

“That’s okay, it can feel weird, just don’t let the weird take over.”

Damien nodded in understanding.

Aiden grabbed a cart and started meandering through the aisles with Damien close behind. He walked down every aisle slowly, ensuring his neighbor had time to really consider what he was seeing and if it might be something he needed. By the time they finished, they’d gotten a handful of plates and cups, a good mug and a small kettle, some utensils and dish soap. A fluffy pillow and a rolled up mattress that was reasonably priced were added with a lamp and a flashlight with extra batteries. Damien swore he didn’t need anything else, and Aiden believed him. He seemed content with this, so it would do for now. He simply hoped Damien would let him know if that changed.

As they exited the store, Aiden had a sudden thought.

“Oh, oops. We don’t have a car, we’ll have to walk all of this back,” he said.

Damien turned his eyes to the mattress for a second. “That does seem to be a problem.”

“Huh. I guess we could—” Aiden’s thought was cut off by Damien lifting the mattress effortlessly under his arm. “Never mind.”

“Should I not?”

“N-no, it’s just… you’re stronger than you look.”

Damien smiled proudly.

Aiden gathered up the bags and started following the tall man wandering around town with a mattress tucked under his arm like it was made of cotton candy. It only made his suspicions grow deeper that something wasn’t quite normal with Damien. He just wasn’t sure how to bring it up.