Chapter Text
Wanted: Roommate. Rent: 350. 3rd floor flat/shared bathroom. Sebastian scanned what had to be the shortest craigslist ad he’d ever seen. There weren’t even pictures. Still, he had one week to find housing before school started, and not only was the address close to the college, but the rent was startlingly cheap to boot. He picked up the phone.
“This about the room?” there was no hello, who is this?, just a perfunctory question spoken in a thready, accented voice.
Sebastian stutters, caught off-guard. “Uh, yeah--is that still up for grabs? I can swing by tonight after work to check it out if that works--”
“I get home after six. See you then.” The line goes dead. Oo-kayyy then. Little bit of a weirdo, but Seb and his recently decimated bank account are willing to put up with that. He makes a mental note to see if student services had any employment assistance.
He finishes out his last day of work at the Red Bull Pub, just after the lunch rush, promising to come back and visit during the break. He hugs Christian and Hanna and the rest of the guys, before hopping into his Volkswagen van. It’s a boring four hour drive from his small hometown to the city, and as he watches the odometer roll, he hopes that this roommate deal will work out.
He’d had an arrangement to live with his cousin, but that had fallen through at the last moment, and he was quickly running out of time. His van was spacious, but he didn’t fancy living in it. Once he hits the city limits, it’s only a matter of finding which of the closely set houses-weird, old historic buildings that had been converted to apartments long ago--is the right one. It turns out to be a looming brick house, the door of which is painted a bright, flaking red. He presses the button marked #3, and steps back to wait, looking around. A potted plant sits on the railing, the brown remains of some type of grassy plant poking up through the dry soil. In the driveway, an old ford escort sits on blocks, hood propped up with a length of 2x4, clearly in the process of being worked on. After a considerable wait, the door in front of him opens, revealing a tired-looking guy. He scrapes his fingers through his longish blond hair. “Mm, you’re here about the room, yeah?” At Sebastian’s nod, the guy opens the door wider, stepping back to let Sebastian enter. He steps into the dim hallway, and follows the blond upstairs.
Kimi has many reservations about letting his extra room out. One, namely, was that he valued his privacy. What if his roommate was nosey? Or uptight? Not uptight enough? Or liked annoying music? Where would he put his toothbrush? Did roommates share a toothbrush mug? The lanky kid on his doorstep looked innocuous enough, and the extra 350 a month would mean the escort got done this year, but was it worth the trouble? He exchanges names with the kid, points out the apartment’s main features, tells a few white lies about the quality of the building’s landlord, and asks to see proof of employment. The kid’s face falls.
“I can pay a few months’ rent in advance,” he says hopefully, wincing. “But I left my job back home--my last day was today. I promise I'll find something soon, though.”
Without his brain’s permission, Kimi finds himself agreeing to that. Something about hangdog blue eyes and disarming smile. He grumbles out an acquiesce, and finds himself the recipient of a very enthusiastic hug.
“Thank you so much!” Sebastian gushes, pulling back to give Kimi a blinding smile. “I promise you won't regret this!”
They work out a lease agreement that night, and Seb shows up three days later, van filled to the windows with boxes.
It’s going to be an exercise in personal growth for the both of them.