“Leave me alone, I said.”
“Goodnight, Mr. Jones. Mano Jones, have a lovely night. Goodnight to you, Sir Mano Jones—”
“GOODNIGHT!” Mano threw the sheet off and yelled.
Ody burst out laughing and closed the door behind him.
Mano exhaled, pulling the sheet up again. But in his frustration, the smallest smile sneaked out.
Ody turned on the TV, flipping through channels until he found a movie. It was already past 1:30 a.m. He’d talked to Anna earlier to explain Mano’s injuries and that he’d be staying overnight.
Anna: Are you still up babe?
He answered quickly, and they went back and forth for a while. She kept pressing him about Mano, asking who had hurt him and why he was involved with someone like that. Ody defended him, insisting she didn’t know the real Mano, that he was solid, that he’d been through a lot. She told him to be careful. When Ody finally ended the conversation with a simple “Goodnight Anna”, she sent an annoyed reply. He gave her the softer response she wanted and her tone eased instantly. Ody set his phone aside with a quiet sigh and let the room fall back into silence.
At 2:30 a.m., he grabbed a pill and a glass of water and went to the bedroom. Mano was asleep.
“Mano... take your pill.” He set the glass on the nightstand. “Mano…” He nudged him gently, but he groaned. “Come on. Take the pill and go back to sleep.”
“Mmm.”
Ody handed him the water. Mano swallowed the pill with his eyes half-closed and lay back down. Ody eased off the bed, glancing at him once more before stepping out.
The next morning, Ody was in the kitchen making breakfast when he heard Mano calling him. “Good morning,” he said as he walked in.
Mano was lying back in bed. “Good morning.”
“Is something wrong?” Ody asked, surprised Mano actually returned the greeting.
“No. I just need help getting up.”
“How’d you sleep?”
“Alright.”
“Did it hurt during the night?”
“A bit. When I turned over.”
“Good thing I gave you the painkiller. Come on.” He helped Mano sit up, and they walked out together.
“What’s that smell?” Mano asked as a warm aroma filled the hallway.
“Breakfast. Are you hungry?” Ody smiled, looking into his eyes.
Mano stopped, staring back at him.
“What?” Ody asked.
“You… made breakfast?”
“Yes…?” Ody frowned, confused.
“For…” Mano blinked. “For me too?”
“Of course for you too. What do you mean?” Ody chuckled, and Mano’s expression softened, something gentle flickering in his eyes.
“Come on. I’m starving.” He took him by the arm and led him toward the kitchen.
