Chapter Text
Isagi had first met Rin on the bench overlooking the beach.
He was the new arrival in the town; he was there for college. He had just moved into his dorm, hauling boxes up the stairs to the fourth floor. He was tired, and honestly, he couldn't handle meeting new people (like his new roommate) right then. So he walked back down the flights of stairs and settled himself on a bench overlooking the sea. He slipped his feet out of his slip-on sandals and ground his toes into the sand below them, grounding himself. He closed his eyes, feeling the breeze hit his face and hearing the seagulls caw and the waves splash.
The bench shifts with a slight creak in the old wooden boards that made him look up. Someone else had sat beside him. He was tall, with long eyelashes decorating his face. The guy turns his head, eyes dragging over Isagi, judging mentally.
"What?"
Isagi shrugs.
"It's just bold of you to sit directly beside someone."
The guy scoffs.
"It's my bench."
Isagi nods.
"Right"
He closes his eyes again, too worn out to be annoyed.
They sit in silence until the sun goes down and the other boy stands up, grabbing his bag off the sand. Isagi stands as well, walking towards the dorms. After a few minutes of walking in silence, the guy stops.
"Stop following me."
"I'm not, I live in the dorms."
A click of the tongue.
"Figures, let's not see each other again."
He takes a left onto another road, leaving Isagi and his thoughts to walk back to the dorms alone.
When he pushes the door open, he's met with a loud "HEY ROOMIE!"
Oh Lord.
He's yellow. Yellow sweatsuit, yellow half of the room, and yellow hair for goodness' sake.
"What's your name? I'm Meguru Bachira."
Bachira hurriedly gets off his bed from where he was bluetacking a bee poster to the wall.
He holds his hand out, waiting for Isagi to take it.
Isagi winces at the strong grip, shaking his hand to get circulation back.
"Yoichi Isagi"
"I hope we can be friends, partner!"
Bachira smiles wide, looking at a spot behind Isagi.
Weird, but whatever.
"I could help you unpack if you want."
Bachira gestures toward the boxes set on the desk under the loft bed.
"Uh... yeah, thanks.
Bachira grabs a pair of scissors, handing them to Isagi to slit the tape.
After unpacking the few boxes of clothes, necessities and stationery. Isagi changed into his PJs, climbing into his bed, clutching his pillow to his chest.
"Do you live in town?"
Bachira chirps from where he's lying in bed opposite Isagi's.
"No, I came from Saitama."
"Cool, I'm from Chiba."
Isagi rolls over to face him.
"What are you studying?"
Bachira's eyes reflect the light coming from the top of the curtains, in the distance Isagi can hear crickets and the faint sound of waves crashing on the beach.
"Art, I love oil paintings."
Isagi yawns.
"What about it do you love?"
"The brush can't run away from me. What are you doing here?"
"I'm a psychology major."
Bachira nods.
"Yeah, I can see your monster liking that."
"Monster?"
"Mhm, you have a monster... I think we'll get along. Night, Isagi."
And with that, Bachira rolled over to face the wall.
Isagi makes a face. The fuck?
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Isagi walks up to hair tickling his cheek. Bachira is leaning over him.
"Hey, Isagi, wake up~ Let's go get breakfast together!"
"BACHIRA! Personal space!"
Isagi yelps, scrambling back on the bed.
Bachira giggles.
"Oops, well, you're awake now. Let's go out."
Isagi groans, dragging a hand over his face.
"Fine. At least let me have a shower first."
Isagi gathers clothes, a towel and body wash, bundling them into his arms, opening the door and unlocking his phone to check the school map for where the communal showers were.
Bachira follows behind him carrying similar equipment.
"Showers are this way."
Bachira nudges Isagi down one of the halls with his hip since his hands were busy.
Isagi turns too sharply, stumbling over his feet and crashing into a man, stuff flying.
The guy scowls.
"Looking for troble?"
"I'm so so sorry"
He looks up at him, tall, long lashes and a black eye.
"Oh, it's you."
"Hi, rude bench guy"
The guy sneers, stepping around him.
"Tepid"
Isagi grumbles as Bachira bends down to help pick up his stuff.
"That's Rin. I draw with him sometimes. I think he's in a bad mood."
"You think?"
"Its probably the black eye, those give wicked migrains"
"wonder who picked a fight with him"
Bachira helps Isagi up after they get all his stuff back and more securely in his arms.
"Noooo idea. Anyway, about that breakfast date!"
Bachira walks briskly through the hall, almost skipping, and pulling a slightly stumbling Isagi after him.
"Yeah, I could do with breakfast. Where were you thinking?"
"There's this place in town; apparently it's popular."
After they showered, Isagi was feeling better; his mood had picked up, and he was starving.
Bachira grabbed his arm as soon as Isagi had pulled his pants on.
"Come on, come!"
"Wait, let me get on my shirt!"
Isagi playfully shoves him away.
"I'm hungry, dude."
Bachira rocks back and forth on his heels, grinning.
They dumped their stuff on their beds to deal with later. Something about Bachira had made him feel rowdy, but he wasn't hating it.
The doorbell rang as Bachira pushed it open, dragging Isagi inside.
"Ooh, I want a crowsant."
"A croissant?"
"Yeah, one of those bread thingies."
Bachira points to the chalkboard menu above the counter.
"Yeah I'll probably get the same with sandwich filling"
"I want chocolate."
"In the middle of the day?"
Isagi went up to order for them while Bachira went to find them a window seat (requested by Isagi since window seats were supireor)
Out of the corner of his eye as he waited for their food, he saw Bachira dump his bag on the table and walk back over; he went directly up to the guy waiting next to Isagi.
"Whoa, did you fight someone?"
Isagi turned to see Bachira talking to the guy beside him who had wild blond hair with pink tips gelled to stand up; he had bruises up his arms and one on his jaw.
"Oh yeah, I totally beat this guy, but he had it coming."
He gloats.
"Order for Shidou!"
Shidou grabs his drink (which is bright pink and no doubt has way too much sugar), fist-bumping Bachira on the way out.
"You make friends easily, huh?"
"I'm just as surprised as you. But don't worry, I won't abandon you, Isagi."
Bachira laughs, snatching his croissant and biting into it before the attendant had even put their food on the counter.