Work Text:
The first sign that someone new had moved into the building was the sound of furniture scraping across the floor at seven in the morning.
Second, the sounds of cardboard boxes being moved around.
Third, knocking on doors.
One door
Two doors
Three doors
..And so on, continuously.
In his own flat, Norman Jayden sips his morning coffee, he already figured out what’s happening. A new tenant, trying to be friendly. Truthfully, he’d been hoping that this new person wouldn’t come knocking on his door.
Not because he’s some loser who dislikes people.
But to him, new people equals remembering names, small talk, expectations.
And he couldn’t bear them. Sure he’s a reliable agent to track down criminals, but actual, casual, conversation outside of work is not exactly his biggest forte. However, he can, and will tolerate it if must.
Norman pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling softly as he put down his coffee on the table, the soft hum of the TV he wasn’t paying attention to playing in the room. It has been two years since he’s back at Washington, the whole origami killer mess has long been solved. The case changed him as a person, he finally put his life back together.
A year.
A year of clean from Triptocaine and ARI.
He still remembers the day he handed ARI over, since then, he stuck with the traditional way of investigating. Using papers, computers, coffee. It wasn’t an easy journey at all. He sought help to get rid of his dependency, after all those years.
Fortunately for him, his thoughts got interrupted by the sound of his doorbell ringing.
Mm, great, the universe isn’t on his side today. With a sigh and a little reluctance, he stood up from his seat and slowly approached the door, again, reluctantly.
He opened the door, and there stood a stranger, the new tenant presumably, standing outside with a gift bag that certainly looked full in her hands.
For a second, neither of them spoke.
Silence fills the air.
The person standing in front of him briefly opened her mouth as if to speak, then shortly after, she closed it again. It looked like she practiced the conversation they were supposed to have, but the second she saw him? It all went in vain.
Norman waited, still looking at her, whilst she averted her gaze away. He held himself back to not scratch the back of his neck, nor clasp his hands together. Usually, those are his attempts to hide his awkwardness, but doing it now would seem to make the outcome quite the opposite.
The stranger finally faced him again.
“Hi.”
“..Hi.”
Another silence, Norman waited. She looked like she’s thinking hard about what to say.
“So uh, I just moved here and… This is for you.” She said as she held out the gift bag to him. He looked at the bag, then back at her, then back at the bag.
Yikes, why did that feel a little weird.
As if sensing his suspicion (in which he doesn’t have for her) she immediately clarified, eyes wide, hands waving. “No! It’s not dangerous, really! Totally safe–”
“Thank you.” He cut her off, that made her stop spiraling.
A beat passed, she let out a small, relieved sigh then nodded, smiling a little at him.
“...I’ve been going door to door, meeting new neighbors and handing those gift bags, and… you’re my last door.”
The man nodded at her revelations, one hand coming up to rest on his chin, it wouldn’t hurt to humor her just a little. Now that he knew how much trouble she went through earlier.
“Well? Were they all welcoming?” His question made her expression change to a more of a sour one, she averted her gaze and tilted her head to the side, lips pursed together.
“Well… if I can be honest, not all of them were… welcoming, some just took the gift and nodded, but there were also some who chitchat with me earlier.”
A beat passed.
“Though one guy answered shirtless while holding a drill.”
That got him a little off guard.
“But I guess it’s whatever, we can't just expect people to be nice.”
“...Agreed.”
The two nodded and looked away, then silence stretched once more. Neither of them seems to be qualified for this social interaction. Then it slipped, Norman rubbed the back of his neck as he looked down, trying to peek through the gift bag.
“What’s inside?”
“Tea bags, and some cookies.”
“Homemade?”
“Let’s.. Not get ambitious.”
That one earned a laugh from him, a brief, but genuine laugh. Slipped out before he could stop it. She smiled in return, the sight made her weirdly happy, as if she was relieved he laughed.
Her eyes widened, “Oh! Right, I’m (y/n), I’m a university student.. And I live next door. Nice to meet you…?”
“Jayden, Norman Jayden.”
“Right, Jayden, Mr Jayden.”
“...No need to call me Mr..”
That earned him a laugh out of her, the one that briefly echoed throughout the hallway.
“It’s fine, it gives you personality.” Norman rolled his eyes, but he found himself smiling. Then, she remembered that she was standing in front of a stranger’s apartment.
That shut her up real fast.
He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t amused, raised an eyebrow as he leaned against the doorframe, one hand still holding the giftbag.
“You look like you rehearsed your conversation.”
“You noticed?!”
“Well…”
Wrong approach. The last thing he wanted is her getting too self conscious, maybe he’s too perceptive because of his job… Instead of elaborating further, Norman gestured vaguely with his hands, hoping she’d get the memo.
The woman covered her mouth quickly from embarrassment, the tip of her ears went a little red, a small awkward laugh slipped. “Oh uh… well… haha…”
He found himself smiling just a little.
“It’s fine, you delivered your goods either way.” He said, pushing himself off the doorframe.
Then he added, “...Nice meeting you too.”
The woman nodded, the embarrassment slowly melting away as she took a step back, hands behind her back. Smiled at him in return.
“Great, um… enjoy the gift! I’ll be… going now.”
She waved at him, earning her a nod in return. Norman watched as she went back inside her flat, then he returned to his own. Closing the door. The TV kept playing in the background.
He made his way to the kitchen and placed the gift bag on the counter. He took out what’s inside one by one.
Tea.
Cookies…
With a sticky note attached on the package.
Curious, he took the note off, the handwriting is a bit crooked, as if she was in a hurry to write it.
I hope moving here isn’t terrible for either of us :)
Enjoy.
The cookies and tea sat on his kitchen counter for the rest of the day.
Sometimes he caught himself looking at it. Not because of the things itself.
But the thought of someone had gone door to door, risking awkward conversations with strangers, all because she wanted to be nice.
If he had to be honest, it was an odd, small thing someone can do.
Weirdly enough, he couldn’t stop thinking about it.
Amusing.