Finley Cai Aies Hall April 24th, 20XX

I woke up to a delicious smell that wafted around the house, the TV’s slightly muted buzz and the sounds of pots and pans (of which I didn't have) that echoed from the kitchen.

I walked out, still half asleep towards the kitchen and walked past the living room where a miniature Jake and another similar but slightly older little girl sat mesmerized by the bright colors on the screen and half acknowledged them with a nod before making my way to the kitchen.

I’d made my way was halfway there before I quickly backtracked and saw them again. The infants were totally absorbed in the show and barely noticed me as I passed. The older of the two, the girl quickly stood and performed a formal greeting and forced her younger brother to do the same before returning to the couch as if they owned it.

I considered actually coming to terms with it but instead chose to keep walking towards the kitchen where the smell of a delicious meal beckoned. It felt like I hadn't eaten in days and unlike in the fairy world, there wasn't enough magic in the air to erase the need for sustenance.

"No, I feel like you should really question that."

Aies’s annoying voice filtered through my mind as I walked.

Shut up man, who asked you to comment?

“Well since I don't even get time to play outside of your mind this is all I can do to prevent myself from self-imploding from boredom.”

“So you say, but you certainly had fun yesterday, didn't you?”

Cai interjected. I vaguely wondered what had happened yesterday but dismissed the thought and figured if anything big happened I’d read it in the newspaper.

A nagging memory threatened to surface and a sinking feeling began to form but as quickly as it appeared it left.

When I finally arrived in the kitchen I was faced with a sight so out of place it was downright comical. Jake, who was a star athlete had wrapped a frilly red apron he’d probably borrowed off a cleaning staff and a matching hair bandana. He also had thick bright orange gloves and a matching face mask to deal with the dust.

He’d borrowed some of my looser clothes from my closet but because his build was so different from mine, even my loose clothes looked like tightly fitted work out gear on him.

Ah, the world can really be unfair sometimes.

I couldn't help but lament. I worked out so much with Theodulus and even on my own time but I could somehow never ditch the delicate look I had apparently been born with.

Jake had an unreasonably focused glint in his eye as he scrubbed the walls, Which I can admit hadn't been touched since the day I moved in here and kept half an eye on the stove. I’d probably stood there for a few minutes when he finally noticed me and frowned at me.

He was clearly worried about something and looked me over once or twice but instead of addressing whatever it was he just pointed at the table which had been set.

“ Hurry up and take a seat. Lunch will be done in a minute.”

I followed his instructions and watched him whirl around the kitchen with expertise with awe...but then I got bored and started to joke around.

“Jake, Is it normal to have random hallucinations of children? Does this signify a hidden desire to have some of my ow-”

He scowled and threw the sponge at my head which I barely dodged…. only to take a towel right to the face.

“Those are my siblings. Frona and Luca”

Ah. I vaguely remembered him saying something about having to pick them up after we were done shopping...speaking of which,

“ What happened? Last I remember we were leaving the first store and you mentioned having to go home soon…...and I don't remember anything else.”

He stood up with a tired expression and turned the stove off while explaining what had happened.

“ After we left that last store, you suddenly passed out from malnourishment and had to be taken to the hospital...You really don’t remember anything?.”

I quickly began to apologize. I’d gotten used to not really needing sustenance in the fairy world and had been so busy that I forgot to eat.

“ Sorry man, how much was the bill I'll pay you back.”

I brought out my wallet with the intention of immediately paying him back but he quickly waved me off with a cool look,

“ It’s fine just take better care of yourself, would you? You live alone?”

I nodded but was confused as to why he asked.

“ Yeah. You see anyone else in here?”

I suddenly got worried that someone else had broken in. at one point a hopeful applicant from the company had decided to take things into their own hands and had tracked down my location.

I had moved and had refused to list my address within the company after that but it was quite a terrifying thing to find someone else in your home.

Especially after arriving from another world.

He quickly shook his head, although he did look at me oddly as he reassured me.

“ No, nothing like that.”

He scratched the back of his head with an annoyed and concerned expression that even I as a fellow male had to admit was heartwarming. Now if only it were a nice older sister type of-

I stopped myself there and tuned back into what Jake was saying.

“They said this was probably because you haven't eaten anything for the past week and had been sub existing on energy drinks. As well your dietary habits weren't great before that either.”

He suddenly ditched the worrying part and just went on to straight annoyed.

“Why don't you eat?! Even if you’re busy, you should still have time to order in or something. and what about cleanliness, They offer a WHOLE cleaning service here and you live what can only be described as a pig sty. And don't they offer a catering service here?”

Ah, Jake. Your old house wife side is showing.

I couldn't help but laugh at the thought as I combated the nagging. He had mentioned that he needed to help out his stepmom a lot with raising his step-siblings.

“ It's a condo complex, not a hotel why would they?”

He scowled at my ridiculing tone,

“ They offer a cleaning service, don't they? it's not that far of a jump to think they would offer a catering service as well. And once again, if they do offer a cleaning service, why don't you use it?”

“This...is a bit difficult to answer.how about we eat first?”

He gave me a curious look but let it go when he saw my reluctance to speak about it.

In truth, the first was that letting strangers into my house meant I ran the risk of getting caught when I went to and came from the fairy and goblin world and the other was...uncomfortable to think about.

I helped set the table while he took his siblings to the washroom to wash up and finally began to eat. The two children kept looking at me with curious expressions, making it difficult to eat well but I forced myself to ignore their gaze and dig into the first properly cooked meal I'd had for over a month.

As cool as the food in the fairy world was, it was clear that the residents didn't see food as anything but entertainment.

“ How long was I out? it doesn't feel like long but I'm starving as if I haven't eaten anything for the past three days”

Jake replied while replacing all the not so discreetly hidden stalks of vegetables on the little girl’s plate. Yet even as she was fed her eyes never peeled off my face.

Perhaps she was paranoid around strangers.

“ You slept through yesterday once we left the hospital and it's 10 now, so probably only been 20 hours or so.”

“So it's only ten……..only ten...It's ten?”

I scarfed down the rest of the food and ran out of the kitchen to get dressed.

After all, if I didn't hurry I’d be late for work and considering I’d been absent for a week I don't think Will would be impressed.

“ You got somewhere to be?”

I tied the tie and made sure my hair was at least moderately presentable and opened the door.

“ Yeah. I won't be back till rather late so just lock up behind you…… You can keep the keys by the way so feel free to drop by whenever just call first.”

As I left the little girl stood out of her chair and waved vigorously,

“ Bye!”

I quickly waved back and close the door behind me but then remembered something and ran back in.

I grabbed the keys to the motorcycle off the rack and tossed the car keys to Jake.

“ Use the car to drop the kids off and just return the keys at school tomorrow.”