Chapter Text
Every morning, Hoshina Soshiro went for a run. It was part of his precious morning routine, which he practiced every day of the year, rain or shine. His feet were hitting the pavement in an ideal manner, not wasting an ounce of energy, and his body was propelled forward because of the force he exerted. It was precise and perfect. After all, his father instilled discipline in him, and Soshiro would practice it.
However, his new neighbor disrupted his daily routine—a man whose name Soshiro still didn’t know, despite their apartments sharing a bedroom wall. That was also the problem, however… the sharing a wall part, Soshiro meant.
Every day, every night, Soshiro heard sounds. Gross sounds. Sounds that would make the average person blush so violently that it would look like their face was on fire. Soshiro wasn’t a prude, but the noises were so frequent and loud that it drove him insane.
How could one guy beat off so much? Wasn’t his dick chafing? Was he doing something else? Soshiro was almost getting to the point where he would knock and ask, “What’s your secret, pervy neighbor?”
But he didn’t. Soshiro had a lick of sense not to pry about such things. Instead, he would side-eye the man as he exited his apartment at the same time Soshiro did every morning, and they’d jog in silence. They took the same route each time—around the surrounding blocks, through the nearby park, down, then up the steep hill that led back to their apartment complex.
However, today, Soshiro was running out of patience. He’d been kept up all night by the moans and groans of the man, and today, his lips twitched with the urge to give him a tongue lashing. Soshiro tried to hold it back and succeeded until…
The white and black-haired man spoke as he tucked one earbud in with one hand and pushed his hair out of his face with the other.
“So, do you think you could manage heading the other way for once, stalker?”
Soshiro’s eyes widened. He scoffed in disbelief before regaining his composure and firing back, “You’re the new guy. I’d argue you’re stalkin’ me.”
His neighbor looked him up and down. “Yeah. Sure. Is that a yes or a no?”
Soshiro blinked.
The gall of this guy!
“What’s your name?” Soshiro asked, adjusting his posture and crossing his arms.
The man gave it up easily. “Narumi Gen.”
“Hm,” Soshiro hummed. “Do you think you could quiet down?”
“I’m not speaking loudly.”
“I’m talking about when you’re beatin’ off,” Soshiro said, voice low. “Some of us need sleep.”
A pause. The man stiffened as he leaned down to adjust his socks in his sneakers.
Narumi finally turned to Soshiro and asked, “You could hear me?”
“Jerking off, yeah.”
“Well, why the hell were you listening?” Narumi asked. “Put in some earplugs, you lech.”
“Oh, I’m the problem?” Soshiro said, laughing. He pushed a finger against the man’s surprisingly sturdy chest. “Maybe have some decorum and cover your mouth with a pillow.”
“Why?” Narumi asked, raising an eyebrow. “Is that what you do when you touch yourself?”
Soshiro froze. Then, he gave the man an icy smile. “Why, yes, I do. Now, will you keep askin’ me questions in that vein, or are we done here?”
“I’m not jogging in the other direction, just so we’re clear.”
“Neither am I,” Soshiro sang back, but his voice had an edge, likely due to exhaustion. “Close that big mouth of yours and listen to your music.”
“Yeah, yeah…” Narumi grumbled, then they were off, jogging next to each other like they had every morning since Gen Narumi moved in.
Gen hadn’t known, okay? He was not aware that his hot neighbor heard him jacking off. He didn’t realize the pretty fox-eyed man could listen to him through the wall. Gen was used to living alone on the lower level of a rented house, not an apartment complex. He didn’t even think about the shared walls and how thin they must be.
However, that didn’t mean that he’d take shit from the guy. He could’ve knocked at any time in the past two weeks, and Gen would’ve gotten the message. Instead, he let him go on and on and listened the whole time. So, who was the perv now, huh?!
After their conversation, jogging next to the guy felt weird, but he wasn’t about to lose to some beefed-up twink. So, he kept pace, occasionally pulling ahead, until both were pushing their limits. Their feet beat the pavement faster and faster until Gen lunged for the gate that led to the complex, ending the route a mere five steps ahead of the other.
Gen yelled, “I won!”
The fox-eyed man nodded. Gen was surprised. He thought he’d argue, say it wasn’t a competition… but no, he took defeat gracefully.
“I’ll win next time,” the man said.
Gen licked his lips. “What’s your name?”
The man brushed past Gen without answering. Gen reached out and caught his arm.
“Hey! I won, answer me.”
“My name is,” the man paused, “none of your business, wanker.”
“Oh, come on!” Gen whined. He let go of the guy’s arm but followed him inside, sticking close. “Tell me, tell me, tell me.”
“Be quiet.”
“You’re just mad you lost,” Gen accused. “What a sore loser.”
“Oh, no, my ego is so bruised,” the man said sarcastically. He held up his hands in mock fright. “Whatever will I do?”
“Look,” Gen bargained, “I’ll buy soundproofing if you tell me your name. I’ll even let you watch me order it on my phone.”
“I don’t need to watch, I just need to hear—or not hear—the results,” the man grumbled. “But fine. Hoshina Soshiro.”
“Hoshina Soshiro,” Gen tried out on his tongue. He hummed. “Well, I look forward to our next race! I’ll beat your ass again next time.”
“Will you, now?” Hoshina smiled, but an aspect of his expression made it feel more like a threat. “I’m simply lookin’ forward to finally gettin’ a good night’s rest.”
“Well, the soundproofing panels will probably take a few days, so…”
Hoshina’s eyes caught Gen’s. They were an entrancing shade of purple.
“Then simply don’t.”
“Huh?”
“Don’t—” Hoshina made a jerk-off motion, “—do that.”
Gen scoffed. “I can hold out for a few days. No problem. That’s what I was planning, anyway.”
“Right.”
“You sound like you don’t believe me,” Gen grumbled.
Hoshina just smiled. “I don’t.”
“I’ll show you,” Gen swore, “I—”
“Keep it in your pants, big boy,” Hoshina said, his tone disinterested. Looking at his nails, he plucked a speck of dirt out from under one before opening the door to the stairwell. His fingers were long and weathered, attached to strong forearms, and… he was just so compact.
God, he’s so hot.
Hoshina added, “I don’t need to be shown anything.”
He scaled the steps, leaving Gen behind him, but he wasn’t complaining. The guy had a fantastic ass, just like his, well, everything else. From top to bottom, Hoshina Soshiro was fine. Of course, Gen already knew that—he’d been running next to him for a good while now—but it was the first time he really took notice. It didn’t help that he had a witty personality. That just made it better.
Gen was already regretting swearing not to touch himself until the paneling came in—the paneling which he’d yet even to order.
Snapping out of his stupor, he ran up to his apartment, blasting past Hoshina, and went into his room to sit at his computer and order the best sound panels he could afford on his budget. And, yes, he paid for expedited shipping.
Soshiro worked at a gym, teaching people of all ages about sword arts. Luckily, he didn’t run into Narumi there, at least, because it seemed like the man worked out at the apartment complex gym or inside his apartment instead. Therefore, it remained Soshiro’s favorite time of day because he felt at peace when he demonstrated sword forms and joy when he had time to let loose and spar with other experts at the end of the day… though they were never as good as him.
After finishing work, Soshiro returned to his apartment and walked the route since the weather was good. Sometimes, he took the bus or biked, but he usually walked, given the right conditions.
Walking into the apartment complex, he ascended the stairs to his floor and walked down the hall towards his room. Then, he heard a sound while jingling his keys to unlock the door.
Moaning.
“Again?!” Soshiro exclaimed to himself.
He looked at Narumi’s front door and contemplated knocking. Recalling that online deliveries regularly showed up outside Narumi’s door at all times, day and night, Soshiro decided that he’d pretend to be a courier.
Walking over, he knocked on the gross man’s door and called out in a lower-pitch voice, “Delivery for Gen Narumi! I’ll need your signature for this package.”
The moaning stopped abruptly. Soshiro laughed behind his fist as he heard the man scurry around inside, probably looking for pants. However, he stopped laughing when the man opened the door, revealing his shirtless torso.
Whoa.
He’s a lot more fit than I expected.
But then Soshiro caught a glimpse of what was behind Narumi. It was a massive, disgusting mess that included food that looked like it was creating new lifeforms and cups of liquid that Soshiro couldn’t identify. Wrappers, boxes, packing peanuts, and video game cases were strewn about, with a big TV screen mounted on the wall. The couch and coffee table were barely visible under the wreck.
“Bitch,” was the first word out of Narumi’s mouth. “How’d you know I was waiting on a package?”
“I didn’t,” Soshiro answered, “but someone has libido issues. Can’t keep it in your pants for longer than 12 hours?”
He tilted his head, eyes curved up as he gave him a mocking, closed-mouth smile.
Narumi’s eye twitched. “And what are you, a eunuch?”
Soshiro laughed before straightening his expression. “Not all of us are horndogs.”
“Well, you seem celibate.”
“Hm, well, I assumed that you’re a borderline shut-in and porn-addicted virgin who only knows the touch of his right hand,” Soshiro said calmly back. “Looks like we both came to our own conclusions.”
“I’m not a virgin,” Narumi huffed. “And my apartment isn’t that messy.”
“Messy is an understatement.”
“Let me guess—you’re a clean freak,” Narumi said as he leaned against the door frame. Soshiro fought the urge to let his eyes drop to that ripped abdomen.
“Not really,” Soshiro said, nonchalant. “I find a bit of a mess is just fine.”
“Yeah?” Narumi responded, voice low and threatening. “Want me to make a mess out of you?”
Soshiro blinked.
Sexually or physically?
“Why ask for consent,” Soshiro said carefully, “if you just want to beat me up?”
Narumi’s eyes widened. His cheeks flushed red. “That’s not—!”
Soshiro could sense his weakness. He smiled.
Stepping forward and leaning into Narumi’s space, the fox-eyed man glimpsed up at the blushing fool and purred, “We’ll see who makes a mess out of who.”
Narumi swallowed and pushed Soshiro backward abruptly. Soshiro took a few graceful steps back and didn’t stumble. He crossed his arms behind his back as the other man addressed him.
“Just because you’re pretty doesn’t mean you’re all that.”
Soshiro let out a sharp, boisterous laugh. “God, you’re stupid! You just admitted some sensitive information.”
“I don’t—!”
“Tsk tsk tsk, too late,” Soshiro said with his clever tongue. “Don’t worry. You’re not so bad yourself, despite—” he gestured behind Narumi at the mess, “—all that.”
“Fuck you,” Narumi grumbled, his ears red from blushing.
Soshiro cackled. “No, thanks. And keep it down, would you? I’m not the only neighbor you have.”
Narumi reached behind him and grabbed a cardboard box off the floor, chucking it at Soshiro with unprecedented speed.
“You should be a baseball player,” Soshiro teased. “That’s your right arm, right?”
“Shut up!”
“Inside voice,” Soshiro hushed, opening the door to his apartment. “See you tomorrow for our race.”
Narumi visibly deflated. Then, Soshiro disappeared inside, leaving the guy behind.