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getting a new neighbor was probably the most exciting thing to happen to kei tsukishima in a long, long while. life had begun to get disastrously boring and he had practically started begging for something new to occur when, on his way back into his apartment building one thursday afternoon, he noticed that the door to the right of his own apartment’s threshold was propped open and there were boxes stacked outside the doorway.
something strong within the tall blond’s mind compelled him to stop, stock still in the middle of the hallway, bronze eyes hidden behind black frames trained on the apartment that hadn’t been occupied for a number of months. the logical side of him told him to just keep moving, get back in his own little abode, and ignore the stranger moving into the unit next door, but the part of him that had been imploring the powers that be for something new to happen in his life encouraged him to just stall for a moment, see who the person was, meet them, and then be on with his day (he did have some studying that he needed to get done).
there was a beat of silence as a shadow passed over the threshold and then it was like sunshine personified was breaking across the hallway, bright and cheery and laughing so fully . it was like kei’s heart stilled inside of him, slowing down time as a boy stepped into the hall, dark hair disheveled and his cheeks red.
“aw, c’mon, shou… you’re such a wimp all of a sudden!” the stranger called over his shoulder, letting out another rip of laughter turned to melody. “where’s all of that volleyball player strength, huh?”
there was an audible groan from inside the apartment, clearly emanating from this shou character ( whoever that is , kei thought). the boy in the doorway dazzled the hall with another smile, all pearly whites and brightness, before he turned into the hall to reach for another box, stopping short when his gaze caught tsukishima’s, dark eyes boring into golden brown hues tucked behind glasses. a beat of silence as the men sized each other up.
kei’s first and only thought was how soft his potential new neighbor seemed (because it could have been him or whoever shou was, though deep down, kei was wishing for the unnamed character before him). sunshine backlit him, haloing him gorgeously against the interior of his apartment, making him fuzzy at the edges like he was stepping straight out of the sunlight itself.
and he absolutely could have been, what with that singsong laughter and graceful movements and dazzling smile. kei wouldn’t have been surprised in the slightest if he’d been sent by the angels themselves.
and then the mystery boy was stepping past the moving boxes, sauntering right up in front of kei, a welcoming smile on his face like kei was the one moving in next door instead, his voice just as lyrical as his chuckle. “hey! i’m your new neighbor, tadashi yamaguchi!”
kei stared down at the dark haired boy before him, all the bright things that kei was not and had never and probably never would be, all sunshowers and glitter and radiance. whatever idea about what a nuisance a new neighbor could mean for his routine washed away in the tide of realization that this was a person that he absolutely wanted in his life in whatever way, shape, or form, already feeling himself being drawn in by the magnetic vividness of tadashi yamaguchi.
offering up what he could of a smile, kei returned the gesture. “kei tsukishima. apartment two-oh-four.”
“oh! so we’re next door neighbors then!” tadashi exclaimed, his eyes shining magnificently despite the dim of the hall. “i hope i don’t annoy you too much tonight with all my unpacking and organizing. sorry in advance if i do.”
there was something so purely sincere and wholesome about tadashi’s enthusiasm as he apologized for whatever inconveniences he’d be causing later on in the evening, so pure that kei could barely bring himself to care. whatever indifference he usually held was brushed off in favor of a contagious gentleness that he could already tell tadashi carried with him wherever he went, drawing those around him into a distinct serenity.
instead, kei shrugged his shoulders flippantly, tilting his head to the side as he made his response. “no big deal. just try not to make a ton of noise later tonight. i’ve got an exam to study for that i can’t afford to fail.”
the shorter boy’s eyes flickered slightly like a candle flickering in a soft breeze before his demeanor regained control and a bashful smile returned. “yeah, of course. wouldn’t want to mess up your study session.”
the conversation petered out naturally and awkward was the silence that settled over the pair as they looked at each other, still sizing one another up as they stood stock still in the middle of the hallway, picking over their next moves. it was neither kei nor tadashi who broke the quiet, but shou, whose orange hair appeared in the open doorway just steps away from the two of them, annoyance written across childish features, all big brown eyes and ginger hair set aflame by the sunlight streaming into the apartment he’d materialized from.
“‘dashi, if you aren’t gonna help me, i’m just gonna go home. yachi wants to study tonight and i can’t afford to miss a study session with her,” the boy complained loudly, practically whining without any shame.
tadashi startled at his friend’s voice, embarrassment etched in the worry lines that crinkled at the corners of his eyes, crows feet looking so at home on his skin. “just a second, shouyou! i’m meeting my new neighbor.”
the newly named shouyou rolled his brilliant brown eyes with a scoff, turning away with a whatever, just hurry up before he was disappearing back into the apartment.
“sorry about him,” tadashi crooned, exasperation lacing his words as he let out a breath and turned his full attention back to kei. “that’s my cue to leave, though, i suppose. it was nice meeting you, kei.”
“likewise.”
as tadashi turned his back on the blond, arms reaching to pick up the closest box to him, something tugged harshly on kei’s heart, an uncomfortable, incessant plucking that made him narrow his eyes as he watched his new neighbor settled a moving box in his grasp.
what? he’s gotta unpack and i have to make… dinner, he thought to himself, gaze still settled on the brown haired boy still standing before him. all at once, things were clicking into place in his mind like the solution to what he was going through was the most obvious thing in the entire galaxy.
like an invisible golden thread was leading him on some star decided path, kei took a jarring step towards tadashi, his lips parted in a silent plea as he searched his usually analytic mind for the right words to say. he’d never been this speechless before, too starstruck for his own good in the heat of the moment. he was choking out tadashi’s name before he could even think coherently and the trainwreck of his thought process worsened even further when the boy in question stopped and turned to look at him over his shoulder, confusion flitting across his gaze.
“yeah, kei?”
fuck, fuck, what am i supposed to say? i’ve never done something like this before . kei was panicking, especially now with tadashi’s unwavering gaze trained on him the way that it was. damn him for having such a tantalizing stare.
“uh,” the blond started, trying to keep the neighbor’s attention just long enough for him to formulate a coherent sentence. with a deep breath and the idea to turn his gaze away, he ordered his thoughts as best he could, wanting to come off as stable as possible. “if you wanted, you could come over for dinner tonight. it’s just… you probably wouldn’t want to cook since you’ve been moving all day and this is one of the busiest nights for delivery places.”
fuck, was that okay? should i add onto it? have i weirded him out? what the hell-
a chuckle bubbled up in tadashi’s throat and spilled harmoniously across the corridor like an entire song . “sure, kei, why not? i’d really appreciate it.”
kei nearly froze, turning his own gaze back towards the boy standing halfway in his apartment. he was back to looking like he’d just appeared out of the flaxen clouds just beyond his balcony window and paired with the softness of his chuckle and the beautiful smile dancing wistfully across his features, tadashi really could have been an angel.
“it’s no problem really,” kei insisted, tucking his hands helplessly into his jacket pockets, trying his best to come off as unbothered. “just some neighborly hospitality.”
tadashi’s shoulders shook with the effort laughter once more, though this time, the chuckle was much more subdued ( endearment, i hope , kei thought to himself).
“yeah, of course,” the brunette responded, even his voice sounded like he was smiling. “what time?”
“does seven work for you?”
“seven works perfectly. i’ll see you then, kei.”
and with that, tadashi melted into the sunshine of his apartment, carrying with him a box and a piece of kei’s heart that kei didn’t know he’d ever even be able to give away. just like that, his brand new neighbor had come in and stole it all in one fell swoop with a smile and a laugh and a way of paying such rapt attention to people that it made them feel like they were the most special person to walk the very earth.
as the blond shook himself from his haze and stepped towards his own apartment door, he found himself waiting in anticipation for seven when tadashi would come knocking on his door, kei’s heart tucked into his back pocket without even knowing he had it.