switched by Desconhecido(a) Page A

You shouldn’t.” Jacob would fuss. Jacob always fussed.
    Walt looked down at his hands. “Oh! Oh, Master doesn’t like me doing that.” The eyes that met his again were stricken, panicked.
    Bastian clucked a little and reached down and took Walt’s hands. “It will be okay. Honest. I promise.”
    Walt squeezed his hands tight. “Do you think so? I need him.”
    “I do. They -- Jacob and Gus? They’ll come.” He helped Walt up, hugged him. “They will.”
    Walt leaned against him and took a great, sobbing breath. “They have to, Sebastian. I can’t... I’ll do the hand thing again. And. And. Things get unclean without Coby. It isn’t good at all.”
    “They will, yeah? I promise. And I’ll help until they do, okay? I will.” He held Walt tight, petted the shaking back. “We can be friends.”
    “I would like that, Sebastian. Thank you.” Walt looked up at him, looking vulnerable with the bald head and tear-drowned eyes. “You aren’t anything like I expected.”
    “No? What did you expect?” He led Walt away from the bleach and the cleansers, towards the bedroom.
    “Someone more... flaky. Coby said you were addicted to cappers and stuff.” Walt flashed him an apologetic look.
    “I used to be. A long time ago. Augie -- my lover? He helped me.” Saved him.
    Walt nodded. “Coby helps me. I would be crazy now if it weren’t for him.”
    “Well, we’ll just have to help each other until Jacob and Augie come, right?” He could do that. Help Walt. Let Walt help him.
    Walt nodded again, holding on tight to his hands. “Do you think... I don’t think I could bear to sleep alone knowing that he’s on the other side of the planet. Especially when his body is right here.”
    “Well, then, let’s cuddle together, yeah? I don’t want to wake up alone, either.”
    Walt gave him a long, scared look, then those eyes closed. “Okay. We need to change the sheets first.”
    The bedroom they walked into was impeccable, the simple double bed mattress fitted with plain sheets that boasted hospital corners. “I sat on it earlier,” Walt told him. “It needs to be redone.”
    Walt ripped the sheets off, throwing them down the laundry chute and taking a new set out of a small cupboard. The sheets were neatly folded and covered in plastic.
    “Do you want my help?” He wasn’t sure if he would upset Walt or not.
    “Coby usually leaves me to it. Maybe, you could dispose of the wrapper?” Walt held out the plastic the sheets had been wrapped in as if offering a very important honor.
    “Okay. I can do that. Is it okay to have some juice? I’m very thirsty.”
    “Oh! Yes, please. Are you hungry? I can make you some supper. I cook for Coby. I’m pretty good at it. I try very hard to make it like the fancy places. He likes that.”
    “I haven’t eaten. I don’t cook much. I get distracted.” He offered Walt a smile. “Do you like to cook?”
    Walt shrugged. “Some things. Some things are good, clean and easy. Some things are very messy. I don’t like cooking them so much.”
    “Well, then. We should only make good, clean and easy.” He winked at Walt.
    Walt gave him a smile, looking more at ease than he had yet. “Let me make the bed and then I’ll make you something to eat, show you where the clean glasses are, the juice.”
    “Okay, thank you.” He disposed of the wrapping, watching Walt work.
    The bed was quickly and efficiently made, Walt smoothing down the edges, turning under the corners sharply. Walt examined it critically before nodding. “Yes. That will do.”
    “It’s very neat.” He nodded, smiled. Their bed at home only got made on laundry day.
    Walt nodded happily and took his hand, leading him back down to the kitchen. “Oh. I haven’t finished cleaning. We could order something?”
    Walt collected the sponges on the counter and opened a cupboard that housed a small machine with the words “Porta-Sterilizer” on the top.
    “Whatever you’d like. I’m really not a picky