At first, Hizashi doesn't notice the knocking on the door, because it's quiet under the pounding beat of his music.
But it doesn't quite sync up, a nagging intrusion on his groove, and so he frowns and reaches out to turn the music down--slightly.
But it doesn't quite sync up, a nagging intrusion on his groove, and so he frowns and reaches out to turn the music down--slightly.
Then he frowns at himself in the mirror. His hair is half-up, and he's wearing just his tight white undershirt and boxers. He glances at the leather pants on his bed, but decides it's too much trouble. The knocking comes again, insistent.
"Just hang on a sec, yo!" he calls, loud enough that whoever's on the other side of the door can hear him over the music.
He gives his hair one more look with pursed lips before putting on a grin and swanning through his apartment, throwing open the door.
He gives his hair one more look with pursed lips before putting on a grin and swanning through his apartment, throwing open the door.
His grin falters, but doesn't fall, at the dour look on the man's face. He looks...distinctly unfriendly, and like he hasn't slept (or showered) in days.
"Hey!" Hizashi says, trying to be friendly enough for both of them. "What's shakin'?"
"Hey!" Hizashi says, trying to be friendly enough for both of them. "What's shakin'?"
"I'm your neighbor," the man says after a pause, like that explains everything. Oh, he has a nice voice. Even if it sounds completely unimpressed with everything Hizashi is.
"Oh, yeah!! I think I've seen you around before! What's up? Need to borrow a cup of sugar?"
"Oh, yeah!! I think I've seen you around before! What's up? Need to borrow a cup of sugar?"
The tired man doesn't soften at Hizashi's winning smile. He starts to say something, then stops, eyes widening, gaze fixed on something behind Hizashi.
When Hizashi looks, he winces, moving to the side and shutting the door halfway. But the man already saw his cat.
When Hizashi looks, he winces, moving to the side and shutting the door halfway. But the man already saw his cat.
"This apartment doesn't allow pets," the man says, and Hizashi's smile turns nervous.
"I know! She's just, uh, my sister's, I'm just watching her while she moves or uh has a baby? She doesn't like live here?" But his lies sound silly and flimsy even to himself.
"I know! She's just, uh, my sister's, I'm just watching her while she moves or uh has a baby? She doesn't like live here?" But his lies sound silly and flimsy even to himself.
Hizashi sighs, smile finally leaving his face. "Listen--"
But the man is holding up a hand. "I won't report you--on two conditions."
The smile is back, but tentative. "Uh, what?"
"First, turn down your music. I work nights and I was trying to sleep." He looks like he needs it.
But the man is holding up a hand. "I won't report you--on two conditions."
The smile is back, but tentative. "Uh, what?"
"First, turn down your music. I work nights and I was trying to sleep." He looks like he needs it.
"Oh! Yeah, sure, I can do that! But um--what's the other condition?"
The man's dark eyes seem to stare into his soul, serious and unreadable. There's something arresting about his eyes, too, something intense. Hizashi gets lost for a moment, and almost startles when he says,
The man's dark eyes seem to stare into his soul, serious and unreadable. There's something arresting about his eyes, too, something intense. Hizashi gets lost for a moment, and almost startles when he says,
"Let me pet your cat."
