La Petit Mort

1

"I'm telling you there is something wrong with what's happening up there." 

"Yeah?" 

"I heard a noise last night that can't be good!" 

"Uh huh." 

"It was like 'mmmh' or something. Are you even listening to me?" 

"Mhmm..." 

"I heard Kaveh is going to start a streaming service and start selling photos of himself online." 

"Is that so?" 

Baizhu sighed and shook his head. He grabbed the headphone and pulled it away from Alhaitham long enough to say, "If you're not going to listen to me, why bother asking about it in the first place?" 

"I am listening, I just don't care," Alhaitham shrugged, adjusting his headphones. "I asked because Kaveh told me I should try to get better at small talk. That was my mistake." 

"I don't know why I bother," Baizhu threw his hands into the air. 

"Is it true?" 

"Is what true?" 

"Is Kaveh going to sell photos of himself?" 

"Am I going to do what?" Kaveh's eyebrow twitched. "Why do you think I would do something like that?" 

"Well, university is expensive-" Alhaitham got cut off by Kaveh's hand slapping his head. 

"I would never post anything online that stuff is permanent," Kaveh crossed his arms. 

"But you would consider selling yourself?" Alhaitham asked. 

"That depends..." 

"On what?" 

"How much are you willing to pay?" Kaveh closed one eye and smirked. 

"You two are ridiculous," Baizhu walked down the hallway. "You're already roommates why don't you seal the deal and get married while you're at it?" 

...

Baizhu stared at his screen in the dead of the night trying to figure out his complicated med school homework. He had several tests in the next few days and none of the terms were memorizing themselves. The confusing noises kept coming from upstairs. 

"Should I go up there and ask him to quiet down?" Baizhu looked up at his ceiling. He had only seen the guy once or twice, usually in the elevator. He was pretty attractive. Baizhu ignored him for that very reason. "I think he had someone with him this time though. Does that mean these noises are..." Baizhu's cheeks flushed just thinking about it. 

"It's been so long since I've been in a relationship. Why am I thinking about things like that?" Baizhu shook his head and slapped his cheeks. He went back to studying only for the loud thumping upstairs to continue. 

"No matter how you swing it that seriously isn't normal," Baizhu looked back up at his ceiling. "I think I know why so many people moved out of my space and why the landlord lowered the rent..." 

"I'm going to go up there in the morning!" Baizhu furrowed his brows and punched the air, determined. 

...

"Uhm...." 

"You live on the floor below mine, yes?" 

Baizhu glanced down at his neighbor's exposed chest. He was dripping with water and the towel wrapped around him was clinging for dear life. His body was nice, just like his face, and his smile was stunning. Baizhu almost forgot why he came up here. 

"Could you keep it down?" 

"Oh, sorry about that," he threw his head back a bit and laughed. "I soundproofed my walls but it looks like I forgot all about the floor. I'll get right on it," he smiled, with his pointy teeth. 

"Soundproofed your walls?" Baizhu muttered. Why would he want to do that? Unless he was up to something suspicious? No, no, no it was probably because he was just really popular and liked loud se- Baizhu blushed, shocked once again at his own mind. 

"Oh?" The neighbor leaned up against his doorframe, grinning. "You look a little red there, sweetheart." 

"I must be coming down with a fever," Baizhu adjusted his bangs to cover part of his face. "I'm in med school right now... studying is a bit tasking." 

"We night owls should stick together," he nodded. "I'll try to keep it down until I can fix my floor." 

"Right, uhm, thank you," Baizhu cleared his throat. "My name is Baizhu," he held out his hand. His neighbor shook it. Some of the water made it to Baizhu's fingers. 

"Dottore."