The Keeper

New Environment.

Asahi took his shoes off and looked around. Ignore the smell, ignore the smell, ignore the smell- everything smells like him!!! Asahi's head swirled in sudden excitement.

Surprisingly to him, everything was quite neatly arranged.

They came into the kitchen. It was immediately after the genkan, but it didn't seem out of place. The floor was wooden, smoothly varnished and well-kept. Everything in there seemed to be tucked away in the limited storage space. He keeps things neat, Asahi smiled to himself.

"The kitchen's twice smaller than the one in your cafe, but I can cook a mean English breakfast in here," he turned to the other and smiled.

Nishinoya-san is a really happy person. His smile is so bright, thought Asahi quietly.

They then moved to what seemed to be the living room. It's spacious, Asahi thought to himself. The walls were kept bare on one side while the other had a pegboard design on it. On the pegs hung a penny board, a couple of backpacks, a few ties, a sports bag, a pair of sports shoes hanging by their laces, and some other unrecognizable random items.

"I know what you're thinking. 'This is just like Noya, but it's surprisingly neat and somewhat cool!' Right?" Noya turned to the other and beamed another smile at him.

"W-what? N-no, that's not at all what I was th-thinking. I've never really slept over at anyone's h-house before, and I don't really know you... so I can't s-say... ah- b-but it really is neat and cool! Th-the way you arranged everything makes the place so homey, but it's got a lot of s-style. M-maybe I should learn from you-"

"REALLY? YOU REALLY THINK SO?"

A little surprised at the raise in Noya's voice, Asahi flinched. He looked at how the other was turned to him, wearing an awfully animated facial expression, and he couldn't help but laugh a little. That was cute.

"Yes. Later when I move in, m-maybe I can ask you for some advice-"

"Definitely! You definitely can! I've only ever had one friend over and he's never really complimented me so this is really refreshing. Thanks, Asahi-san," he grinned up at the other.

That was cute.

That was cute.

He heard it the first time, but he was trying to shut it out of his brain. You don't call a man cute, Asahi! He scolded himself. Don't offend him. He's done so much already-

"Asahi-san?"

"Ah- y-yes. N-no, you're welcome. I m-mean it," he stuttered even worse than before.

Ignore it. Point something out. Talk about something else, he mildly panic.

"U-um, I thought you're using a f-futon. This is q-quite the bed you have."

Really, the bed?

"Ah, I forgot about that. It's only been three months since I got it, and I've been sleeping on the couch a lot so... It's queen size, so I think you'll fit just fine. I like bundling up in big blankets so I've got a few that would definitely fit you-"

"W-wait, I-I'm sleeping on the b-bed? What about you, Nishinoya-san?"

"Yeah... I'm kind of comfortable on the couch these days so... you don't have to worry your pretty head, Asahi-san. My couch is bigger than I am so even that feels like a bed."

"N-no, b-but that's-"

"-ah, yeah! I forgot about your change of clothes."

Rushing past the other, Noya crouched beside the bed and pulled on the built-in storage shelf. He quietly rummaged through the contents and almost immediately pulled out a specific brown t-shirt. He held it out, sizing it along Asahi, who was mindlessly standing nearby and nodded in satisfaction.