Jamie looked to the side, actively smiling now. He couldn't remember the last time he felt... normal. And okay. And had a will to go on. The awful sensation of doom was ebbed slightly, though still there, just not as present as it used to be. "I-it's not a hassle!" He promised quickly. "I mean... I'd be glad... it'd be nice... for the company..." He'd never had someone at his apartment before. Harvey wanted to keep him close, so he paid for a penthouse apartment to keep him that way. It was a cozy, warm, well-rounded apartment, but felt cold because Jamie didn't have friends. He was always alone there. But he had a huge, beautiful, fully stocked kitchen that fed his cooking addiction and egged him to be better.

Jamie gasped when he was taken out of his thoughts by Riley's sharp cry, nearly dropping the knife out of shock. "What...!?" He put a hand to his mouth. "Oh my... Oh my, um, hold on..." He leaned over the counter, stretching hard to reach the aloe plant in the window sill, and plucked off one of the thick leaves. "I'm sorry..." His compulsively apologetic side came out at the worst times. Jamie broke the leaf in half and grasped Riley's hand, turning to the red mark and spreading the liquid inside onto his skin.

Riley looked at the blonde in surprise as he felt the liquid on his hand, "U-um, thanks for doing that. You don't need to apologize though, it was my own fault for not paying attention." He let out a nervous laugh, rubbing the back of his head with his free hand. His hand didn't sting nearly as much as it had before the mystery liquid was on it. Riley watched the other male for a moment, 'He didn't even hesitate to help when I hurt myself. I can't say that about most people anymore.' Riley realized he had started staring and quickly looked away.
"Um, if you're sure you don't mind teaching me to cook, that'd be great!" He looked back at the blonde and grinned, "And by the way, what's this stuff you put on my hand?"

Jamie smiled a bit, coloring a little. It seemed like his most-said word was 'sorry'. Sorry for this, or that, or something he couldn't even control. Or didn't even do. He threw the used-up leaf into the trash nearby and returned to the stove instead of Riley lest he burn himself again. "It's aloe." He said, using one hand to scoop each item into the pot. The carrots and potatoes first, and the tiny, diced jalapeno. They would stew down first, slowly. "It helps burns. It eases the pain but doesn't really heal. So you might want to use a band-aid... And could you look in that door and find a white canister? I need some flour for later..." He felt a bit... more at ease. Riley had accepted his help, wasn't quite as bad as Jamie had thought at one point. And now he felt guilty for just assuming everything. Assuming Riley would be a generic tough-guy. Maybe he was in some aspects. Just not this.

'He's kind of cute when he smiles... and when he blushes.' Riley thought to himself, fighting his own urge to blush.
"How'd you know that was an aloe plant there?" Riley asked curiously, looking where he was directed to. He glanced inside and saw the white powder. With a smile he placed the lid back onto the container before setting the container on the counter, 'At least I know what flour looks like!' He thought back to a time when he was younger. He had been trying to help his aunt with some cooking and he accidentally added baking soda instead of flour to their recipe. He learned while cleaning the mess how to tell which powders were which.
Riley made his way to the trash can, pulling a small plastic box from his back pocket. He popped it open and after a moment pulled out an average sized band aid. He placed the box back in his pocket, tearing the paper with his teeth before placing the band aid on the burn.

Jamie was quiet for a time, scooping up bits of the colorful mound he had created and slowly adding each into the pot. "Well... I bought it. It's nice to have some around when you spend so much time around things that can burn you." He glanced sideways, at Riley, taking as much time as he thought was safe to study the man. Not so much the showy, macho tough guy Jamie had taken him for. He felt awful for just assuming, like he always did---it was his own private fear that had him wondering just who thought he liked to dress the way he did for his job. He swallowed hard, finally taking the dirty knife to the sink and allowing the mixture to go on its own for a moment.

"Ah, if..." Jamie faltered, then went back to the stove to open the canister of flour, using his hand to sprinkle some in a little at a time and mix with his other hand. "If you have any... favorite food, I could bring some... tomorrow... if you're still working..." He'd have to make it tonight, when he got home, because he didn't normally have an appetite when he was working. He did have to eat something to make Harvey leave him alone, but only the bare minimum.

"Wow really?" Riley turned to the young man and smiled, "That's really cool you did that! I bet if you ever met Mr. Tanaka you guys would get a long great! He's one of the other boarders in the boarding house I live in. He's always telling me about herbal remedies for things and trying to make me drink different teas when he thinks I'm getting sick."
Riley couldn't help but laugh as he leaned against the counter. There was never a dull moment in the boarding house. Since he had lived with his aunt and uncle since he was a little kid, the boarders had always treated him like he was family. So to him, even though he had his own room in the boarding house, he felt as if he lived with one big family. He couldn't imagine what it must be like to live completely on your own.
"F-for real?" Riley said, giving the blonde a surprised look, "Uh, yea, I think I'm doing something in the yard if I remember right. Umm... I never really thought about it, but I think I'd have to say my favorite food is fried noodles and veggies." Riley felt himself blush when he said that and he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly as he laughed, "I dunno why I feel kinda embarrassed saying that. Maybe it's cause the other boarders tease me so much when they see me eating something like that."

He used a small teacup to scoop out a bit of flour from its canister, switching the spoon to his left hand and the cup to his right, slowly adding a bit in at a time, small sprinklings to gradually thicken the mixture and cook out the raw flour taste. "Maybe we'd get along..." He nodded in agreement. "I... since we could never afford even basic medicine when we got sick my family would look for alternatives... I searched at the library for cheap or natural things and... kind of got in the habit."

He fell silent and reached round, pulling the lid to the pot to him and secure it on the top. Turning the heat down, he stepped back and to the center island, pulling out a chair and hauling himself up to sit. "I can make that." He said, smiling and nodding. "That's really easy to make... And it's not too bad. Simple... I'd make it when..." He recalled, and felt a cold shard present itself in his chest, like a blade that was lodged there and forgotten until it wanted to make its presence known again. He shook his head.

"Wow really?" Riley said as he gave the blonde a curious look, "In a way that's kind of cool though. I mean, how many people can say they know natural remedies for things?"
Riley was never sure what to say in situations like this one, but he had learned it was always best to look at the positive side of things.
"Hm?" Riley gave him a curious look again as he watched the young man shake his head, "Are you okay, Jamie? If making something like that brings up bad memories or something I'd be fine with something else. Well, I'd be fine with anything really. I'm not picky."
Riley's curious look turned to a concerned one as he watched the other male.

Jamie blinked and looked up, making a show of tucking the too-short-to-be-modest skirt tightly around his legs and leaning over them. "N-no, it's fine." He finally said, easing himself out of the recollection and shrugging a little. "It's... just, if I avoid everything that brings back bad memories I'd be dead. Or a hermit with no friends." He laughed and turned his gaze down, speaking below a whisper. "Halfway there anyway..."

Blinking, he shook himself and softened his expression. "Anyway, I'll make it for tomorrow... Maybe I'll make it for lunch tomorrow... At least Harvey isn't picky about his food, so I can... make just about anything." And it would be easier than cooking yet again after he got home and was too exhausted or unmotivated to do so.

'Have things really been that bad for him?' Riley wondered to himself as he watched the blonde. He smiled when he saw the young man's expression soften, "That's great! Thanks for making that, it's really nice of you."
A wide grinned crossed Riley's face as he ran his hand through his brown hair, pushing it out of his different colored eyes, "Oh and your comment about being a hermit with no friends, if you want, I'll be your friend."
Riley had always been the kind of guy to say whatever was on his mind with out thinking about it. He honestly never realized how blunt he could be.