015 » it's a bit too much too late if i'm honest

[yanatsu]

[it's late at night when he first sees the ad on the college's unofficial student network, and at first he hesitates, thinking it might be too awkward to send a text at one in the morning. but then, he's hard up for a place to stay, and there aren't any hotels in the area, and the post went up only a few hours ago. if he's lucky, no one's responded to it yet. and if he's unlucky, someone will respond to it by the time he wakes up in the morning.

so it can't be helped, atsuro yanagi reasons. he'll just have to ask now, or forever hold his peace. awkwardly, he types in the number, then agonizes over how best to phrase his request. be casual, he tells himself. but not too casual.]

Comments

[yanatsu]

Hey. Did you already get a roommate?

[leadingloser]

[he's in the middle of playing some generic mobile rhythm game when the notification message pops up at the top of his screen and sufficiently ruins his combo. for half a second, souji seriously considers throwing his phone across the room and turning in for the night, but the contents of the text catch his attention at the last minute.]

yeah nope not yet lol you interested?

[yanatsu]

[that's... certainly a way to respond. immediately, atsuro drops all hints of formality, lapsing into typical young-adult text talk without a second thought.]

yeah, i am

um, do you have the apartment to yourself right now?

[leadingloser]

not counting all the skeletons in the closet it's just me and a ghost or two

[thoughtfully, souji casts his gaze upwards, thumbs lingering on the screen before he types out and sends another message]

don't worry they're potty trained lol ᵋ₍⚬ɷ⚬₎ᵌ

[yanatsu]

[this guy is... weird. he also feels strangely familiar, but atsuro pushes that thought aside for now.]

sorry, that probably sounds suspicious

um

basically i got kicked out of my house and i need somewhere to stay for the next two or three months at least

i promise you i'm good on the money, so if it's not weird or anything, i can pay rent up front but i'll show up in like. ten minutes.

[leadingloser]

[he mouths a what the fuck and glances at the time in the corner of his screen. a moment passes, then souji is tumbling off of his air mattress and out of the room, his shoulder banging hard against the door frame. he stops at the foot of the mess of a living room: a broken kotatsu spread out in parts, the numerous beer cans and bottles, and the blotches of blood on the flooring.]

Damn. And that was a perfectly good kotatsu too...

[yanatsu]

[souji's phone, meanwhile, serenely chimes once more.]

uh, you there?

[leadingloser]

[he's scrubbing furiously at the hardwood when he hears his phone, which only encourages him to go at it harder and faster]






[the trash is all bagged and the floor is — well, damp, but clean. there's not much souji can do about the kotatsu, so he just pushes it into one corner and hopes that his prospective roommate doesn't notice. it's been ten minutes, probably more, by the time souji gets to the message]

sorry i got distracted but im here now

are you??

[yanatsu]

[just past the door, atsuro shivers, holding his arms tight against his body and pressing closer to the lining of his jacket. he's been thinking about taking his leave and trying to find emergency lodgings at a nearby hotel, but just as he turns on his heel to trudge down the stairs in defeat, his shitty prepaid phone buzzes in his pocket.]

...i've been waiting outside

[leadingloser]

[in no less than three seconds, the door swings wide open and souji steps aside, gesturing for his visitor to enter]

Hey, sorry about the wait, come in —

[yanatsu]

[except his visitor... doesn't. he just stands there, all thoughts of the cold and the wind gone from his mind as he just kind of gapes at the redhead in the doorway.]

— S-Souji?

[...he bit his tongue on that one. good going, atsuro. he kind of gently gnaws on his injured tongue for a moment, and then tries again:]

Wh... What are you doing here?

[leadingloser]

[who was it? who was the unholy fucker who stacked the cards, rolled the dice, flipped the coin? it's not the worst hand he's ever been dealt, he's just completely unprepared. this is good isn't it? they know each other.

god, do they know each other.]

Atsuro. [he says, as if he's been expecting him all along. he's not sure if atsuro is asking him why he's back in town or why he's there, in the flesh, inhabiting the apartment, so instead souji avoids answering altogether] I guess... we're roommates now.

[yanatsu]

N-No, I —

[atsuro's stammering. more than usual — more than ever, actually, because even when he was a tiny blond thing he never stumbled over his words, never.

he'll blame it on the bitten tongue for now. and even though his tone is one of utter disbelief, atsuro's smiling in spite of himself, smiling one of those stupid shit-eating grins that he just can't wipe off his face.

this can't be happening.]

You... you don't go to this university.

[leadingloser]

Well, I was hoping to surprise everyone all at once, but... I do now.

Look, I know that you're starstruck right now, but get in and I'll tell you about it. [a thought occurs to him as he turns his back to atsuro, leaving the door open behind him] And you'll tell me why I didn't recognize your number. Deal?

[yanatsu]

Oh...

Yeah, please. I'm fucking freezing my ass off. [well, that's really no one's fault but his own, but... with a none-too-subtle shiver, atsuro steps over the threshold and closes the door, immeasurably grateful to be somewhere with proper heating again.]

Okay. God. The fuck.

[and with that wonderful chain of expletives he's just going to start removing his shoes and making himself at home. just like old days when he used to crash at souji's place. no big deal — except this apartment is definitely a lot smaller than either of their houses used to be, but whatever.]

I really didn't think you of all people would be in the market for a roommate...

[leadingloser]

What can I say? I get lonely.

[now that the kotatsu isn't taking up as much, the room feels uncomfortably bare, sans for a crooked tatami rug and a few seating pads. there's a flat-screen tv sitting in the corner, opposite to the sorry heap of splintered wood and blanket. all in all, the inside doesn't seem much like souji's style.]

This is it! A step above shithole. [he spreads his arms and swivels around to face atsuro, grinning uncontrollably] Well? What do you think? I should change my major to Interior Design, right?

[yanatsu]

Is that why you're here? Got sick of the business life?

[he's about to ask more, but then he steps on a damp floorboard and grimaces while he looks at his socks.] Goddamn it, Souji, what the hell did you do here? Why is the floor wet?

[whatever.] Your place is a total shithole, but I'm not gonna be picky right now.

[leadingloser]

[he doesn't answer any of atsuro's questions, instead offering this: a boyish, unrestrained laugh that bubbles out of his mouth like an opened wine bottle.]

I just made myself at home, Atsuro. Chill out. [it isn't untrue] But, yeah, nah, I'm still doing business. It's not so bad. Really boring sometimes, but...

[trails off with a shrug, and then sprawls out on the floor, his face falling into one of the seat cushions.] What about you? What's your story?

[yanatsu]

[atsuro hesitates for a moment, because it's rude, but whatever — he's been friends long enough with souji that the redhead isn't going to take anything personally, and in the end, atsuro takes off his wet sock and crashes headfirst into the sofa.]

I told you, didn't I? [he turns his head, enough so that he can breathe.]

I got kicked out. I mean, my dad kicked me out.