Page 28 of Psync
“It’s the fricking fire alarm.” Jace moaned from the floor. He tried to get up but slipped on an empty Dorito bag and crashed down onto the bed, narrowly missing Eli’s leg.
Stumbling and half asleep, the two of them managed to get down all ten flights of stairs to the meeting place outside the building where various RAs were doing headcounts.
“You have something on your face.” Jace reached out and peeled a Warheads wrapper from Eli’s cheek. And then snatched his hand back. “Shit, sorry man, I wasn’t thinking.”
“It’s okay.” Eli yawned and stretched. “I think my issues are still asleep. Plus, I think you sleeping on top of me for half the night has made me immune.” Though chances were good his defense system would count Jace as an intruder before the end of the day.
Jace’s eye’s flicked to something over Eli’s shoulder, and his eyes widened momentarily. Then his face became cool and watchful.
“Where were you yesterday?” Haruka’s deep voice rumbled behind Eli.
Eli jumped. “Christ! Warn a guy next time.” His hand clutched his chest, trying to keep his heart from escaping.
“You didn’t answer your phone.” Was Haruka annoyed? Or just sleepy? It was hard for Eli to tell.
“I was taking a me-day. No phones.” Eli was incredibly proud of how steady his voice sounded considering the party going on inside his chest.
“With him?” Haruka looked Jace up and down, eyes lingering at his feet. A scowl began to form on his face.
“Well, he’s my roommate, so, yes?” What was up with all the questions?
A gust of wind reminded Eli it was early morning, and that he was only wearing a pair of thin shorts and unfamiliar flip-flops. He shivered and wrapped his arms around himself. Going inside would be wonderful right about now.
Haruka’s eyes narrowed. Then he shrugged off the black hoodie he was wearing and held it out to Eli wordlessly.
“Um . . .”
“Take it. Even without it, I’m still wearing more than you.” Haruka gestured to the tight black T-shirt and sweatpants he was wearing.
Eli looked at Jace, who shrugged. Haruka’s scowl deepened.
Another shiver helped Eli make up his mind. “Okay, then. Thanks. I’ll bring it back to you in class.”
The hoodie was far too big for Eli, but it was warm and soft and smelled amazing.
“I need it back before Friday.”
“Oh.” It made sense. If Haruka lived in Japan, he probably went back and forth a lot, which would mean having a lot of stuff would be a pain. Maybe he only had one hoodie. “I can wash it today and give it back to you this evening.”
“Don’t bother washing it, give it back to me at lunch. I’ll text you where.” Haruka turned and walked away without giving Eli a chance to answer.
Jace whistled. “That guy is intense. Did we do something to piss him off?”
“I honestly have no idea. He always looks a little irritated.”
“Hey, switch back with me. These things are tiny.” Jace pointed at Eli’s sandals on his feet. He grunted as he worked to peel them off. He wasn’t much taller than Eli, but his feet were way bigger.
“That’s because you have giant monster feet.” Eli slipped off the flip-flops and stepped into his own sandals. “I nearly killed myself coming down the stairs in these.”
Eli’s shoulder blades prickled.
“Your friend is giving us the stink-eye right now.”
“Maybe he needs coffee? I know I do. Hey, the RAs are letting people back in. Come on.”
???
After a nice hot shower—on his own floor, thank god—Eli got dressed and made for the nearest coffee cart. Since his laptop told him it would be in the 90s that afternoon, Eli decided to wear Haruka’s hoodie over a long T-shirt, so he didn’t have to lug it and his own hoodie around in his backpack when it got hot.
