CATALYST

TRAVIS

"I could have resisted. I almost did.

I'd come here knowing it would be a struggle. I wasn't afraid of it. And I didn't want David to think I couldn't handle myself. Didn't want him to feel like my problems were his problems. Didn't want him to see me as someone who needed to be rescued, because I didn't.

But hell if I didn't follow him out of that apartment anyway. I justified it by telling myself only a fool would let his pride keep him trapped in that filthy place, but deep down, I knew better.

The truth was, I liked David . I liked the way he took control of a situation. I liked the sharp edges of his gravelly voice. I liked the look in his eye when he wanted something done his way, the one that said don't fuck with me. And when I looked at his life, I saw someone who had done things right. He'd decided what he wanted, and he'd gone after it. I knew I could learn from him.

He was just outside the stairwell door when I caught up with him. "Hey," I said. "You don't have to do this."

"I know I don't." He slipped his sunglasses on again. "What did you pay for that piece of shit mattress?"

"Four hundred dollars."

"Get it back. For half that, I'll rent you my guest room for two weeks." He started walking toward the parking lot, and I followed.

"I'll pay the full four hundred." Accepting his generosity was one thing, but I wanted to do my part. My pride demanded it.

"You can't afford it right now, Trav. Trust me. I know what decent apartments cost here."

"Then I'll pay it back eventually," I argued, only slightly distracted that he'd shortened my name. It suggested familiarity, closeness even. I liked it.

"We reached the car and got in. "How much is in your savings?" he asked.

"About two thousand dollars."

He looked at me. Blinked. "We need to find you a job."

"Of course. I was planning on it."

"You didn't say that when I asked about a plan before." His brow furrowed.

"Because if I did," I admitted, "I might cause it not to happen."

His expression grew even more puzzled, and then suspicious. "Is this a Japanese thing?"

I almost smiled. "Yes."

"Exhaling, he turned on the engine. "At the risk of causing you bad juju or whatever, I'll see if I can help you find something. Sowon might even have some work for you at the bar."

"I'd love to work for Sowon. And I have some experience working at a bar."

"Great," he said, pulling into traffic. "Although you know how Sowon is. She claims to hire people based on their auras, not their resumes. How's your aura?"

I laughed. "Pretty good, I think? Although I'm not really sure what an aura is, exactly."

"Me neither." He shook his head. "But somehow it's worked out for her so far. The bar does well."