Chapter Text
"One day we will have to officially admit that what we have named reality is an even greater illusion than the world of dreams."
Salvador Dali
♥♦♣♠
Dear Diary,
some time ago I finally found a roommate for the student apartment. His name is Vanitas. Unusual, isn't it? I wonder how his parents came up with it, but he doesn't like to talk about his parents.
In fact, he only ever talks about the online game we met through. It's called "Vampires of Astermite". In this game you must kill dangerous vampires, but I didn't like the violence in it very much. That's why I want to focus more on city tours in my streams again. That way I'll get to know Paris much better.
Vanitas also streams on Y-tube and is very successful. He even earns some money with it. People seem to like it when he plays all kinds of online games and gets mad. It's just that he's not very good at otome games.
Vanitas is 18, so he's a year younger than me, but he's already in his first semester of medical school. He must be very smart and –
"NOÉ!" a familiar voice barked at the apartment door, followed by a low rumble.
"How many times do I have to tell you not to leave your backpack behind the door?!"
The one addressed folded his diary shut. "I'm sorry, Vanitas." The diary disappeared into a pile of other books on the desk as Vanitas finally stood in the doorway to Noé's room, looking at him slightly annoyed. "You're late today, aren't you?" remarked Noé.
Vanitas, still looking annoyed, replied in a snippy tone, "Some people have to go to work for their money, you know."
The young medical student always seemed a little offended that Noé's adoptive father was financing his studies and apartment. Noé couldn't quite figure out why exactly that was. After all, Vanitas only had to pay a much smaller portion of the rent this way and didn't really need to take on another job besides streaming. Noé had only been looking for a roommate to have company. He didn't care about the money.
Admittedly, with such a good offer, it had been difficult to find a roommate who was also trustworthy. But even though at first glance Vanitas came across as a rude guy who liked to manipulate people, Noé had sensed a feeling of familiarity from him. Something that told him Vanitas wouldn't take advantage of his kindness.
The black-haired young man truly fascinated Noé. He always seemed to have a fixed goal in mind, worked hard for his studies, job and online career, and it was a mystery to Noé when he actually slept. Usually Vanitas was up before him in the morning and later asleep in the evening, and though he complained constantly, he cooked for Noé and even helped him find his way home once he got lost in Paris again.
A thing that was almost a running joke for Noé's online viewers.
He had many skills and at the same time knew how to distract from his weaknesses. In general, it seemed like Vanitas was hiding a lot. Things that were painful. When they first met in real life, it seemed to Noé as if he absolutely had to look after him. Similar to the way Domi always looked after Noé.
"...é ...oé."
Suddenly he felt a hard piece of paper hit his head.
"Earth to Noé!"
Puzzled, Noé looked up at Vanitas, who was now standing right in front of him, and had hit him on the head with a magazine.
"You've got your head in the clouds again," Vanitas snorted.
"I'm sorry, what did you say?"
Vanitas rolled his eyes. Somehow, he couldn't stay mad at Noé for long. Exactly why it was like this, he didn't know. Normally, he couldn't stand most people. Especially not when they were carefree and turned a blind eye to reality. But Noé was so naive that one simply had nothing to fear if one got involved with him.
When Vanitas agreed to this amazing apartment offer of some online player, he had expected everything, even sexual harassment, but certainly not to find a young man of the same age who really just didn't want to live alone and certainly not that he would be accepted as a roommate. After all, he knew all too well himself that he was not the most relaxed of fellows.
"I brought us food from the bistro. So come on into the kitchen, I have to stream today."
Noé shook his head slightly, but immediately followed Vanitas into the kitchen where the dining table was. How could anyone be such a workaholic? But maybe gaming provided him with a good balance. After all, Vanitas didn't have many contacts either. That's when he remembered...
"Did you talk to that older student at work again? Jeanne?" asked Noé as he sat down at the table.
Vanitas began to grin. "Is someone being nosy?"
"No, absolutely not," Noé replied bluntly. "But it crossed my mind that I know her. She watches Domi's cousin Luca sometimes."
"Uh-huh! So you want to matchmake us!" blurted out Vanitas as he half-bent over the table and grinned mischievously at Noé.
"In your dreams." puffed Noé as he unpacked his food. "No, I just don't think Domi will like it at all that you're hitting on her friends. What do you even like about Jeanne? You barely know her. You've only had two shifts together at the coffee shop."
Vanitas leaned back in the chair and seemed to consider. "Isn't it obvious? She has a pretty face. She's strong, caring, and has a huge bossom... Plus, it's cute that she can be teased so easily," Vanitas continued.
Noé blushed a little at Vanitas' description, but looked at him rather irritated. "But she's not going to fall in love with you if all you do is tease her all the time, is she?"
"She doesn't have to. Just because I like her doesn't mean she has to like me back," Vanitas looked out the window thoughtfully. "Because I have no interest in a person who would fall for someone like me."
A clink.
Noé stared at the fork on the floor that had just fallen out of his hand. Why were Vanitas' words suddenly disturbing him so much? He had heard them somewhere before... Was this déjà vu?
Vanitas turned his head in confusion to Noé, who still hadn't picked up his fork. "Are you all right?"
Noé could only nod as he picked the fork back up and cleaned it before slowly began to eat.
He always experienced this feeling of needing to remember something important when he was around Vanitas. As if he had forgotten something important. But what? Doesn't everyone at some point have the feeling that an event repeats itself? Possibly someone had said that phrase in a movie before? He couldn't remember and somehow thinking about it gave him a headache. So he tried to distract himself.
"Tomorrow I'm going for another tour around the city," Noé said between bites, and before he even looked up, he could feel Vanitas rolling his eyes. He was obviously getting ready to look for Noé again.
The white-haired history student's sense of direction was really bad. It had to be that way somehow. Because even though many corners and buildings in Paris seemed strangely familiar to Noé, he kept getting lost all the time.
"Do it after my lecture, please," Vanitas grumbled.
Now it was Noé who had to grin widely. Vanitas was not obligated to go looking for Noé if necessary, but he prepared himself for it anyways. He was a person whose actions spoke louder than words. In his own quirky way, Vanitas was a good guy and Noé liked that about him.
Maybe their apartment-sharing arrangement could grow into a close friendship after all.
"I'm in my room now for the stream. Don't bother me," Vanitas said as he got up and carried his plates to the sink. "Oh yeah," he added with a nasty grin. "It's your turn to do the dishes."
With a pouty expression, Noé watched Vanitas, who disappeared giggling into his room, before he started to clean the dishes.
Before turning on the water, he stroked both of his hands. Where did he learn this habit? He wasn't even wearing gloves.