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Adam wakes up the way he usually does, to noise coming from next door. He tries to figure out what the repeated thudding sounds might be but gives up quickly. Whatever it is, it isn't likely to stop anytime soon.
His bed is comfortable and nice, but he stretches and sits up, swinging his legs over the side and onto the floor. There's light streaming in through the blinds - it's another beautiful day outside, and it makes him smile.
The thudding continues while Adam makes his bed, but by the time he's made himself a nice cup of tea, his neighbor has gone quiet, which is somehow even more unnerving than the noise. Adam's never actually met his neighbor, just saw him once, an angry flounce of a dark leather jacket disappearing into the apartment next door, but he worries about him. Adam swears the vibe he gets from that directions seems kind of dark and he wishes he could help out somehow.
He meditates on the problem for a while, but then has to stop because his neighbor abandoned the menacing silence for screaming, and that seriously messes with Adam's zen. He taps on the wall a little bit, using Morse code for H I, but only gets a hoarse "FUCK OFF!" screamed back.
That was kind of unnecessary, Adam thinks, but maybe his neighbor doesn't know Morse code. A lot of people only know the SOS one. Adam shrugs, sends a little mental light and love his neighbor's way before he puts on headphones and dances around his apartment like no one's watching.
Later, when he emerges from his lovely, happy cocoon of music, it's quiet next door again, and Adam picks up a book to read for a while. He's only just started reading it, but he likes it a lot. In fact, he usually likes everything he reads. Regardless, fifteen minutes later he notices that he's still reading the same paragraph he was when he picked up the book. His thoughts keep drifting to his neighbor and it occurs to Adam that maybe they could both do with some company.
Adam's a pretty content guy, but he doesn't have a lot of friends. Or any, really. He tries to befriend people a lot, at the library or grocery store or wherever, and it works to an extent. Eventually they all seem to get annoyed with him, though, just because he likes to think positively. One of his latest efforts at friendship ended with them storming out while yelling, "Show a fucking emotion sometime, Adam!" Adam still doesn't quite get it. What's so wrong with being positive?
His neighbor sounds like he could do with a good bit of positivity, so with renewed determination Adam goes over to the wall to knock again - maybe he'd like to come over for a game of chess or something - but that's when the fire alarms start going.
And then there is just so much smoke.
***
Adam comes to outside when someone is trying to shake him awake. He coughs and squints against the sunlight before he focuses on the intense amber eyes.
"I started the fire," his neighbor says, almost challenging. "I didn't- I got you out, though. I didn't wanna kill anyone. Not really."
Adam laughs between coughing. This guy really is a huge jerk. It's kind of refreshing. "You asshole," he says, smiling.
His neighbor looks surprised, and then grins hesitantly, like he's forgotten how, which muscles to use. "Yeah. But you can call me Adam."