Archive of Our Own

Friday, October 23 th . 7:26 p.m.

His palms were sweaty as he neared his destination, and he couldn't help but wonder why the hell he'd thought this was a good idea in the first place. Was it really worth risking total humiliation just to win the company's Halloween costume contest?

Obviously, yes. Kouyou was a fierce competitor and, more importantly, a sore loser. Winning was everything. Why put so much effort into a costume only to lose?

If you're going to do this, do it right. Mediocrity isn't an option.

Which is exactly why he now found himself standing in front of his neighbor’s door—a neighbor whose name he didn’t know, whose face he'd never seen, but had definitely imagined. In his mind, they were probably a grumpy, middle-aged guy with a hoarding problem, a coin collection, and a habit of mowing the lawn every other weekend. And yet, here Kouyou was, about to ask for a... rather unusual favor.

He’d already decided on his costume: a witch. Wow, a witch—could Kouyou be any more original? Out of all the possibilities, he picked the most predictable one?

Well, yes, the costume was obvious. But the way he’d pull it off? Absolutely not. He was going to take the witch costume to a whole new level—expert, professional, over-the-top level.

He had almost everything ready. The dress? Nearly finished, and it was stunning —black and purple, with tulle, trimmings, flowing sleeves, and every detail you could imagine. The hat? In progress, but all the fabrics and materials were already purchased. He even had a magic wand, a broom, and a set of glow-in-the-dark potion bottles in five different neon shades that he’d bought online. Every little piece was falling perfectly into place.

But there was something missing — the highest point of his costume, the pièce de résistance. The one thing that would make his costume unbeatable and leave the other contestants in the dust.

His neighbor's black cat. 

Truth be told, the cat was practically more Kouyou's than the mysterious neighbor's by now. Ever since the neighbor had moved in two months ago, there hadn’t been a single day the cat didn’t show up at Kouyou’s place. All Kouyou had to do was crack open a window, and voilà—the cat would slip in, his sleek black fur glistening, and curl up somewhere: the couch, the bed, on top of a bookshelf, in a sunny patch on the floor, or right in Kouyou’s lap. On days when Kouyou didn’t open the windows, the cat would still appear, scratching at the door like he was asking, no, demanding to be let in. How could anyone not fall in love with him?

Kouyou had grown ridiculously fond of the little guy, even brainstorming names for him—Neko-chan (too obvious), Kuro-chan (still obvious), Mochi-chan, and a few others—all while pretending the cat didn’t already have a name, probably given by his so-called owner. Kouyou had even started making the cat a costume—a little wizard hat and cape, as adorable as it sounds—but his neighbor didn’t need to know that. Not yet.

Now, standing in front of the neighbor’s wooden door, the moment of truth had arrived. Kouyou pressed the doorbell and waited, heart pounding, as he heard footsteps approaching from inside. And then, finally, the door opened.

Wow. 

W-O-W.

A minute of silence for Kouyou to catch his breath. Surely, the oxygen levels in the air had plummeted below 21%, because breathing shouldn’t be this hard, right? 

For a second, he regretted not even considering dressing up a bit. Since he expected a middle-aged grumpy man, he hadn’t given it a second thought. But he should have, because neighbor-san was so. freaking. hot. 

“How can I help you?” Neighbor-san asked, his voice carrying a playful curiosity. That voice matched perfectly with his incredible face, framed by long black hair cascading down to the middle of his back. Kouyou wouldn’t dare comment on those full, pierced lips—oh no, not a single word about that.

Kouyou swallowed hard, his eyes widening slightly at being caught off guard by such a masterful figure. Nervously, he ran his hands through his own hair—roots showing, it had been a while since he last dyed it—trying to tame the strands and look a bit less worn out after a grueling week of work. He hadn’t even showered yet, so the chances of him smelling were high. Great.

“Huh… Hi, I’m Takashima Kouyou, your neighbor,” Kouyou stammered, nodding awkwardly toward his house next door. Whatever little confidence he’d had before the door opened had completely vanished.

Neighbor-san chuckled, clearly amused by something. “Yeah, I’ve seen you around,” he replied with a smirk, leaning casually against the doorframe and crossing his arms. “I’m Yuu. Pleasure to meet you.”

Kouyou was pretty sure he heard ulterior motives in that greeting. He wasn’t crazy, no no no, he wasn’t.

The thing was, Kouyou was painfully shy, especially around handsome men like Yuu. The heat in his cheeks gave him away completely, and Yuu—oh, Yuu seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the situation.

“Likewise,” Kouyou managed to say, adjusting his glasses with a shaky finger. Yuu kept staring, clearly waiting for him to continue. Taking a deep breath, Kouyou hesitantly added, “This might sound strange, but… I’d like to borrow your cat for a night.”

Yuu’s eyebrows shot up, first in surprise, then with a flicker of doubt, though that strange smile stayed firmly on his very distracting lips. Kouyou wasn’t sure if Yuu thought he was out of his mind or just found this whole thing funny.

“Well, that’s... curious,” Yuu replied, his dark eyes glinting with humor. Kouyou was just grateful he wasn’t being kicked out after such an odd request. “Why do you want to borrow Momiji?”

Momiji? So the cat’s real name was Momiji? It was better than Neko-chan, Kouyou thought, but still didn’t beat Kuro-chan or Mochi-chan.

Kouyou cleared his throat, shifting his gaze awkwardly to a random spot behind Yuu as he explained, all shy and flushed, “It’s for my costume at the company’s Halloween party.” Yuu burst out laughing—better than having the door slammed in his face, at least. “I’m going as a witch... and he’d be my black cat. I promise, he already likes me.”

Yuu shrugged, that smirk still playing on his lips. “Oh, I know he likes you. You think I don’t know where he spends all day, every day?”

Kouyou’s eyes widened in shock, and he instinctively took a step back, speechless. He had no idea Yuu knew. Sure, he knew the cat was constantly disappearing, but he didn’t realize Yuu was fully aware that Momiji had been practically living at his house.

“Okay, I’ll lend Momiji to you…” Yuu’s mischievous tone made it clear he wasn’t finished. “…under one condition.”

Kouyou tilted his head, relieved and even grateful that Yuu was on board with his crazy idea. He looked at him curiously, encouraging him to spell out the mysterious condition.

“You need to take care of him every day until the party.”

Oh, right. No big deal. Simple and totally doable. He basically did this every day anyway. With a relaxed smile, Kouyou nodded. “That works perfectly for me.”

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the cat appear behind Yuu, sneaking through the space between Yuu and the door, meowing and purring at the sight of Kouyou. Within seconds, Momiji was rubbing against his legs, the picture of pure feline cuteness. “I can take him with me today, sound good?”

“No, you didn’t get it.” That smirk. Kouyou hated that smirk already. “Momiji isn’t going anywhere.”

Yuu’s expression was so mockingly smug that Kouyou almost turned and left. But no, he needed to stay focused—he had a mission, even if it meant enduring this humiliation.

“So what you’re saying is…” Kouyou started, still unsure if he understood, “I have to come here every day to take care of him?”

Yuu’s eyes glinted with mischief as he uncrossed his arms and took a step closer. “Now you’ve got it!”

Kouyou froze. “I w-work,” he stammered, flustered by how impossibly close Yuu was.

“You work from home.”

Of course Yuu would know that. He knew exactly where Momiji had been spending his days. Huh.

“Most days, yeah.” Kouyou let his shoulders slump in surrender, giving up.

“Me too. It’s so convenient having a full office at home, right?”

Kouyou immediately went on high alert again, feeling those dark eyes bore into him.

“Wait, I’m not working from your place!” he said, his voice rising a little higher than usual.

Yuu shrugged, taking another step toward Kouyou. When they were only a foot apart, so close Kouyou could practically feel his breath, Yuu bent down and scooped up the cat, returning to his spot near the door with that soft, teasing look back on his face.

“It’ll be more work for you to come here on your breaks to feed him and play with him, but hey, it’s your call.” Cradling the cat in one arm, Yuu sent an exaggerated air kiss in Kouyou’s direction, all too cute. “You start tomorrow. How lucky that tomorrow’s Saturday, huh?” Yuu winked. “Have a good night, Kouyou.”

The door clicked shut in his face, and Kouyou stood there, feeling like he’d just walked into a nightmare. The following week was going to be hell .

Saturday, October 24th. Day 1/8. 12:43 p.m.

Catnip.

Why on earth didn’t anyone warn Kouyou that this was a recipe for disaster? Kouyou had never had a cat before. This was uncharted territory. After mulling over the “rules” he had to follow to borrow the cat, he woke up determined to do his best. How hard could it be? All he had to do was spend a week visiting his hot neighbor’s house – not that he’d ever admit that to him, of course – every day to pamper his beloved cat, dear Momiji-chan. Momiji-sama. So, off he went to the pet store and bought the so-called catnip. It had “cat” in the name, it was a herb — green things were healthy —, it had to be good for cats, right?

And now, here he was, in Yuu’s living room, watching Momiji purr, leap around, and rub himself ecstatically against the holly herb, creating an absolute mess. Kouyou was utterly clueless about how to handle Yuu’s cat’s wild reactions. The worst part – or maybe the best, depending on the point of view – was that Yuu wasn’t home. He’d gone out to grab lunch for them. Yes, neighbor-san had left him alone in his house with the cat. He, the man Yuu had met just the night before. Kouyou wasn’t the only weirdo in this neighborhood, oh no.

A few steps outside and the sound of the latch opening signaled that there was no longer any escape.

Kouyou heard footsteps approaching and soon, two feet clad in cozy knitted socks stopped right between him – kneeling, desperately trying to control the cat – and the cat – who seemed to be having a sensory orgasm with the so-called feline marijuana.

A chuckle, and soon Yuu’s face appeared in his field of vision. “Did you give Momiji catnip?”

A few purrs – not from Kouyou, but from Momiji – were answer enough. Impressively, Yuu didn’t seem angry or irritated, but rather amused by the whole situation.

“I’m so sorry,” Kouyou said, resigned, eyes fixed on his hyperactive costume add-on. “I was just trying to please him, and… Well, I should have asked what this was for before buying it.”

Suddenly, the cat sprang up from the pile of herbs and started zooming around the room, crashing into random items and leaping on and off the furniture.

“Momiji!” Yuu screamed, dashing after the cat to catch him before he either broke something or hurt himself.

Kouyou sighed deeply, letting his body collapse onto the carpet, a few sprigs of catnip getting tangled in his sweater. He closed his eyes, listening to the chaos around him as Yuu chased the stoned cat. There was no way he’d be allowed to borrow Momiji now.

Silence. A few more steps. When he opened his eyes, a hand was extended in front of him. Yuu, carrying a now-calming cat in his other arm, stood there. He was sweaty, hair a little messy, a wide grin on his lips. Cute and hot, Kouyou would say.

“C’mon, you don’t need to blame yourself this much,” Yuu said, his words comforting and seemingly unconcerned about Kouyou’s embarrassment. “Let’s eat.”

Blinking a few times, Kouyou sighed again and accepted the hand extended to him.

It was just the first day.

Sunday, October 25th. Day 2/8. 4:26 p.m.

“Oh, there you are. I’ve missed you two.”

Kouyou snorted, turning his head to face the uninvited guest who had just strolled through the front door. It was open, after all – Kouyou loved leaving it open on beautiful, sunny days like this. The sun’s rays warming the wooden floor made the house feel cozy.

Momiji had made things easier for him today. Early in the morning, the cat did what he loved most – visiting Kouyou. The claw marks on the wooden front door were proof of his persistent begging to be let in. Now, there he was, lounging in the sun next to Kouyou, who was tirelessly working on his costume. The cat was so calm, it was hard to believe he had been zooming and purring around the sacred cat herb just the day before.

Sometimes, Kouyou wondered if Yuu was such a bad cat owner that Momiji preferred his company. Well, if Momiji chose to visit him, there was no reason for Kouyou to go to Yuu’s house to take care of him, right? It was the perfect blend of useful and pleasant. Best-case scenario.

“Make yourself at home,” Kouyou said flatly, his monotone voice betraying the mild annoyance he felt.

The afternoon had been so peaceful. His costume was coming along nicely. Momiji was sunbathing. And now, Yuu was lounging on his couch, curiously eyeing the mess of fabrics, papers, tulle, and random sewing supplies scattered across the carpet.

“Wow, you’re good at this!” Yuu exclaimed, eyes wide with admiration at the witch dress Kouyou had crafted, impeccably mounted on a life-size mannequin. “You’re really taking this competition seriously.”

“My mother was a seamstress,” Kouyou commented casually, adjusting his glasses on the bridge of his nose. His gaze was focused on the intricate details of the flowing sleeves of his dress, where he was sewing small buttons. “I’ve been working at the firm for three years, and I’ve never lost this competition. I don’t do anything lousy.” He stated, visibly proud as he admired his ongoing work.

“Oh, really?” Yuu’s playful and slightly mischievous tone caught Kouyou’s attention. When he turned to face him, Yuu was already less than two steps away, staring at him with a sharp gleam in his eyes. “I wonder what else you know how to use these manual skills for.”

Kouyou had likely never blushed as much as he did at that moment.

“W-what…?”

Had he understood correctly? Was Yuu flirting with him—again—or just joking around?

The playful finger tapping the tip of his nose and that open, mischievous smile on Yuu’s lips didn’t exactly clear things up. The damn cat-owner seemed to be enjoying every moment of Kouyou’s confusion.

It was so frustrating. Kouyou had never known how to handle flirting, and at 29, he was starting to feel like he’d missed the memo. After a five-year relationship that ended almost two years ago, the few random hookups he’d had could be counted on one hand. His dating app account? It had long since become a digital graveyard.

The “I” for introvert in his ISTJ personality type certainly wasn’t helping.

“Need help with this?” Yuu asked, still grinning as he gestured to the dress and the various costume pieces scattered around the room.

“H-huh…” Kouyou was still reeling from the supposed flirtatious comment moments earlier. Blinking a few times, he stammered, “N-not with the dress, it’s not ready yet.” Then, he remembered the little hat he’d made for Momiji and started searching for it through the mess. “Can you help me put this on Momiji?”

“Oh, you made him a hat without even knowing if you can take him to the party?” Yuu crossed his arms, feigning irritation. “How bold.”

Kouyou snorted and turned away, heading towards the cat who was sunbathing on the porch lawn, muttering a couple of swearing words at a volume that Yuu couldn't hear. That man was as annoying as he was hot. Jeez.

The cat barely moved as Kouyou adjusted the small hat on his furry little head. With a smirk on his lips, he realized he’d already won Momiji over ages ago.

“He looks kinda cute,” Yuu said excitedly from behind, watching Momiji. The cat seemed oblivious to the new adornment, looking calm and relaxed. “No kidding, you’re really great at this.”

No kidding, huh? So, Yuu was just messing with him before, not flirting. Fine. That was expected. Not like Kouyou wanted anything to do with him, of course—not at all. Kouyou was a realist above all else. Yuu? Way out of his league.

Kouyou continued working on his costume while Yuu just stayed there, playing with Momiji, checking out the house decorations, making small talk, and offering to help now and then. He ended up being useful, especially when Kouyou started working on his own witch hat and used Yuu’s head as a model. Their heads seemed to be about the same size.

Control your pervy thoughts, you nasty soul.

It was dark by the time Kouyou decided he’d done enough for one day. Almost everything was ready, and the final adjustments and costume try-on would happen sometime during the week.

And his lower back hurt, damn it. The thirties were knocking on the door, but his spine already felt like it was 60 years old and counting. Consequences of working every day in front of a computer, with a posture that would make a yoga teacher scream in despair and an orthopedist quit their job for good. He fished a cigarette out of his pocket and headed to the porch, lighting it as he stared at the starry sky and the cat, who was now sprawled out on one of the porch chairs.

“You look tired,” Yuu stated the obvious, pulling out a cigarette to join him.

“Yeah,” Kouyou replied vaguely, until he remembered something. The day before, he had lunch at Yuu’s house, who had happily bought food for both of them. It was only polite to return the favor, and as much as he hated to admit it, the last few hours in Yuu’s company hadn’t been that bad. “Are you hungry? I think I have something pre-made.”

Yuu smiled, winking at Kouyou. “I was just waiting for you to invite me.”

Kouyou snorted, but he wasn’t really angry, so he let out a low laugh, surrendering. When they both finished smoking, they went inside and closed the door behind them, with Momiji following closely.

Fifteen minutes in the microwave and the frozen lasagna would be ready. Kouyou spotted a bottle of wine somewhere in the kitchen and turned to face Yuu. “Would you like some wine?”

“Sure,” Yuu replied nonchalantly, already seated at the dining table, the hum of the microwave and low music from the living room TV serving as background noise. “Dry red, great choice for a first date.”

Kouyou took a deep, loud breath, reaching for the crystal glasses and feeling his cheeks heat up again.

Day two. It was only day two.

Monday, October 26th. Day 3/8. 7:35 a.m.

Yuu looking sleepy was, to say the least… adorable. His baggy eyes, messy hair, and pajamas – yes, he wore pajamas, and they were stamped with cute little animals – turned him into an ordinary guy, perhaps even a little more attainable.

No, you perv. It’s not what you’re thinking. They didn’t drink wine until they dropped the night before, had wild, savage sex, and woke up together, Yuu extremely satisfied and Kouyou, utterly regretful. That’s not what happened.

It was Monday – already day three, Kouyou reminded himself, the Momiji saga was inching closer to its end day by day – which meant workday. Kouyou had promised to go to Yuu’s house and feed Momiji before starting to work, and return at the end of his shift to give the cat dinner. He’d even ordered snacks – this time, he’d researched beforehand to avoid accidentally drugging the cat again – to surprise Momiji at night. The cat had been such a polite little furball, wearing his Halloween hat without even complaining… Oh, Kouyou would soon be asking for joint custody of the adorable creature.

“Good morning!” he exclaimed, his mood a little better than he himself expected. Yuu rubbed his eyes, and Kouyou realized he had literally dragged him out of bed. Huh, finally the tables were turned, and Yuu’s rules for lending Momiji to Kouyou were backfiring. Internally, Kouyou laughed cruelly, extremely pleased.

“It’s still dawn,” Yuu complained, making room for Kouyou to enter. Momiji was nowhere to be found, so Kouyou just poured the food into his little bowl in the corner of the kitchen and filled the other one, placed next to it, with water.

“What time do you start work?”

“At 8, like any salaried worker,” Kouyou replied nonchalantly, the caffeine he’d taken earlier in the morning already making him one hundred percent awake.

“Good thing I’m not one of you, ugh.”

Yuu was not a morning person. Kouyou actually wondered what this man did for a living besides contributing to the statistics of people who met society’s beauty standards and being the owner of the cutest cat in the world.

He was about to head out the door to go back to his house and start his shift when he felt gentle fingers brush against the sleeve of his shirt.

“Last night was fun, you know,” Yuu commented, his voice, still a little slurred from sleep, sounding kind.

Quick flashes of shared smiles and small talk over a frozen lasagna of questionable origin and glasses of wine flickered through Kouyou’s mind. The truth was, after a bit of alcohol, the atmosphere between them had turned surprisingly friendly and fun. Kouyou had even learned they shared a common passion: playing guitar in their free time. Meanwhile, Momiji moved between their laps, content no matter who it was.

“Yeah, you’re not that bad,” Kouyou joked with a smile, opening up a little to Yuu, though the color in his cheeks betrayed his intrinsic shyness.

Yuu’s grin widened, and his sleep-swollen eyes seemed to light up a little.

“You can work from here if you want,” he suggested, nodding towards a half-open door that was probably his office. “I have all the structure, and it will be easier for you to take care of Momiji.”

“Not if he comes to my place, as he usually does,” Kouyou teased, ready to leave.

“Oh, c’mon,” Yuu’s voice was insistent, and he blinked his stray-puppy eyes repeatedly. “Give me the pleasure of your company today.”

Kouyou paused for a moment, weighing his options before finally giving in. Yuu had turned out to be less insufferable than Kouyou had initially thought the night before, and if he really did have the setup he claimed, working from there might not be so bad. Plus, Kouyou couldn’t deny that he was curious to learn more about Yuu—what he did, who he was.

“I’ll go grab my computer.”

16:48 p.m. 

“He likes me way more than he likes you,” Kouyou joked, his eyes fixed on the computer screen through his glasses, referring to the cat practically passed out in his lap.

Yuu, working at the table against the opposite wall, craned his head above his screen to observe the scene. “Okay, you won the cat over, indeed,” he conceded, though the smirk on his face and the sly gleam in his eyes prepared Kouyou for the rest. “Now you need to win over his owner,” he finished, winking provocatively.

Rolling his eyes at the cheap comment and exercising his constitutional right to remain silent, Kouyou returned to his screen, occasionally stroking Momiji’s fur. He couldn’t quite tell if Yuu was just joking or actually flirting, and this fact was extremely irritating.

As his shift neared its end, Kouyou remembered something. “I need to work on-site at the company tomorrow,” he informed Yuu, turning off his computer and rummaging through his backpack for the snacks he’d bought for Momiji. “I have to leave at seven to get there on time, so I’ll come earlier to feed Momiji and play with him.”

The flare of indignation in Yuu’s eyes was priceless. 

“Are you insane? Is there any normal human being who even minimally functions before 7 a.m.?” Yuu asked in alarm, shaking his head repeatedly, earning a genuine laugh from Kouyou. “No way I’m waking up that early. You can come here after you get back from work.”

Kouyou smiled with satisfaction as he headed to the kitchen, Momiji trailing behind, already aware of the snack waiting for him.

At least this time, Kouyou knew he had won.

Tuesday, October 27th. Day 4/8. 8:03 p.m.

“You look terrible.”

Kouyou snorted, stomping his feet as he entered Yuu’s house, barely glancing at him. Yes, he knew he looked awful—tired, disheveled, utterly exhausted after a whole day of dealing with his boss’s nonsense at the firm, solving problems that weren’t even his responsibility. He not only looked that way, he felt that way. He didn’t need Yuu pointing it out.

Day four had started off on the wrong foot.

He was in a terrible mood. His head throbbed, his eyes pulsed behind his glasses, and his good mood from the day before had evaporated as quickly as boiling water. He just wanted to feed Momiji, play with him a little, talk to exactly nobody, go home, and sleep for sixteen hours straight.

“Hey,” Yuu intervened gently this time, patting his right shoulder as Kouyou clumsily poured cat food into Momiji’s bowl, spilling half of it due to his vision being more sensitive than usual from the headache. “I’m sorry for joking at the wrong moment. Are you feeling okay?”

Kouyou, who had been crouching, stood up too quickly, feeling his vision blur and his head spin. Damn migraines—why today, and why here? It was all his boss’s fault. He hated when the CEO—didn’t that title just scream "disgusting coach vibes"?—showed up at the firm. The man appeared sporadically at the company’s headquarters, only to stir up chaos and leave destruction in his wake.

“I’m fine,” he said, his irritable and clearly stressed voice betraying him. “It’s a migraine episode. I’m used to them. The day was too stressful.”

“Come here, I’ll help,” Yuu took his arm and gently guided him to the living room couch. Kouyou was so dizzy he couldn’t resist, feeling his body grow heavier with each step, the throbbing in his head syncing with the creaks of the wooden floor. He lay down and closed his extremely photosensitive eyes. When he opened them again, the room was darker, bathed only in a dim, orangish glow from a corner lamp. Yuu stood over him, visibly concerned. “Do you have any migraine medicine with you? I only have regular painkillers. I’m not sure they’ll help.”

“Yes,” Kouyou whispered, “in my backpack.”

Seconds later, Yuu returned with a glass of water and a pill. He helped Kouyou lift his head just enough to take the medicine.

“I’ll make you some tea. Hold on a sec,” Yuu said before hurrying off to the kitchen. Kouyou shut his eyes again, feeling every pulse of his brain. A low meow echoed at the foot of the couch, and soon, Momiji was curling up on his belly, stretching out comfortably. The cat licked his hand gently with his rough tongue. Kouyou could swear Momiji knew he wasn’t okay.

A few minutes later, Yuu was back, holding a cup of tea and a cold compress.

“I read online that putting something cold on your forehead helps,” he said, gently helping Kouyou sip the tea. Kouyou propped himself up on one elbow and drank without protest. Before he knew it, his head was resting in Yuu’s lap, the cold compress on his forehead.

Yuu’s worried face was the last thing Kouyou saw before blacking out right there.

Wednesday, October 28th. Day 5/8. 7:25 a.m.

The ceiling in Yuu’s room was not what Kouyou expected to see when he opened his eyes that morning, after being abruptly woken up by his alarm clock blaring that ridiculously loud Death Note metalcore ending. What was the name of the band again? Maximum the Hormone? Yeah, that was it. Not that it mattered right now.

Even less did he expect to have Momiji on his lap and a tray with coffee, scrambled eggs, and fruits waiting on the coffee table.

“Good morning, sleeping beauty.”

Yuu was up before 8. That was, let’s say, impressive. Yuu, awake at dawn , as he liked to call it?

Then Kouyou remembered the migraine from the day before. He had slept there. Had he slept on Yuu’s lap? The last thing he recalled seemed to suggest so. Oh boy. He’d crossed the line of humiliation more times than he cared to count.

“Morning,” he mumbled, propping himself up on his elbows. Momiji shifted in his lap, making himself comfortable again. His lower back ached—the couch definitely wasn’t made for sleeping—but at least his head felt normal now. No more throbbing, no more light sensitivity, just a lingering trace of sleep crust in his eyes. He glanced at Yuu, embarrassed by the whole situation. “I’m sorry about last night. The plan wasn’t exactly to, uh… get sick and crash here.”

Yuu smiled, his expression kind and relaxed as he sat next to him, pouring coffee into two mugs.

“Don’t worry about it.” He handed Kouyou one of the mugs, which Kouyou accepted gratefully. The morning dose of caffeine was sacred to him, the only thing that could transform him into a semi-functional human being. “Are you feeling better?”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Kouyou replied, taking a sip of the coffee and reaching for the scrambled eggs carefully arranged on the plate. “I get migraines a lot. They’re usually tied to stress, and yesterday was… not an easy day.”

Kouyou felt a wave of embarrassment wash over him as he recalled the events of the previous night, and Yuu seemed to pick up on it immediately. With a mischievous glint in his eyes, he grabbed a fork and cheekily stole some eggs from Kouyou’s plate, even though he had a plate full of eggs all to himself. Kouyou’s mock indignation, paired with an embarrassed smile, was exactly the reaction Yuu had hoped for.

“You can vent to me if you want, I’m all ears,” Yuu said kindly, giving Kouyou’s shoulder a reassuring pat.

Kouyou sighed, contemplating for a moment. He was starting to feel an unexpected sense of comfort around Yuu. Turning slightly to face him, Kouyou offered a half-awkward, half-crooked smile and shyly said, “Thank you for… taking care of me last night. And for waking up early to make breakfast.”

“My pleasure,” Yuu replied, his eyes twinkling with a mix of gentleness and mischief. A smirk played on his lips as he added, “You look quite handsome when you’re sleeping, even though you snored a little.”

“Hey!” Kouyou exclaimed, genuinely indignant. “I don’t snore. Stop lying!”

“How would you know?” Yuu teased.

That was a good question, one Kouyou had no answer for. He shook his head in mock disapproval, a slight smile on his face. He had to admit, Yuu had a knack for breaking any ice or tension between them.

“Working from here today?” Yuu asked, gathering the dishes and heading to the kitchen.

Well, why not? He was already there, and his computer was conveniently in his backpack, which was also already there. He convinced himself that the only reason to stay was the convenience, not because he was actually enjoying Yuu’s company.

Rising from the couch, he stretched and made his way to Yuu’s office. Day five was just beginning.

5:00 p.m.

“I’ve been wondering… what do you do for a living?” Kouyou asked, curiosity lacing his voice as he closed his laptop and wrapped up his day.

Unlike Kouyou, who was chained to a desk every day from 8 AM to 5 PM, Yuu didn’t seem to have a fixed schedule. Kouyou had noticed it both on Monday and today. He also hadn’t participated in any online meetings, unlike Kouyou, who’d endured more than a few, many of them as useful as a fishnet condom. There wasn’t much in Yuu’s office, or in the rooms of the house Kouyou had seen, that hinted at what his profession was.

Yuu, who had been focused on the computer screen, finally glanced up at him.

“I’m a writer,” he said, nodding toward a shelf crammed with books. At first, Kouyou had thought they were just random books. “I write novels.”

Raising his eyebrows, Kouyou approached the shelf, which must have had at least thirty books. By paying attention to the details, he realized that the vast majority of them had the name “Aoi” as their author.

“Are you Aoi?” he asked, impressed by the number of books and the beautiful covers. Kouyou ran his fingers over the books’ spines, skimming the titles.

“Yep, I am.” Yuu smiled, looking satisfied with the curiosity in Kouyou’s eyes.

And he was indeed curious. A specific book, with a black and purple spine and whose title was “Midnight Chronicles” caught his attention since it seemed to be about horror stories.

“Do you mind if I borrow this one?”

It seemed like a good idea to read a horror book around Halloween, right? Yuu’s smirk proved that he agreed. “So, the IT guy is borrowing my cat and now wants my books too? Well, the rules are the same.”

Kouyou raised an eyebrow in question, the book already in his hands. “Will I have to take care of the book as well? Feed the book, play with the book, pat the book?” he asked sarcastically, a mirrored smirk on his own lips.

Yuu winked playfully. “You’re only allowed to read in my house.”

Kouyou snorted, not the least bit surprised. Fine, he’d take it. He could stay there a bit longer, reading that book after giving Momiji some attention. It wasn’t exactly a Herculean task. Besides, if the book was well-written, it might even spark some inspiration for his costume contest performance on Saturday.

“Are you going to work until late today?” he asked, hovering at the office door.

“Just a little more,” Yuu replied, eyes glued to his laptop screen. “Someone gave me the inspiration to work on a romance novel today.”

The last sentence was delivered so nonchalantly that Kouyou’s only response was to bolt out of there at 100 km/h, making even Usain Bolt look like a tortoise.

Sprawled on the living room couch after dedicating a solid half-hour to Momiji, Kouyou realized the obvious. Yuu was flirting with him. He’d been doing it since day one, and Kouyou was now absolutely certain of it. The problem? He had no clue how to act on it. His introspective nature and limited experience with one-night stands meant his only reaction to any form of flirting was to blush, stutter, and do absolutely nothing. Nada . 

God, it was too much to process, and his brain was already fried from wrestling with that damn JavaScript code the whole afternoon. Reading Yuu’s – Aoi’s, hm – horror book seemed like the perfect way to clear his head.

9:43 p.m.

“I was t—”

Yuu was abruptly cut off by a loud scream from Kouyou, who practically leaped off the couch, heart racing and eyes wide.

“SHIT, YUU, YOU SCARED THE HELL OUT OF ME!”

Kouyou struggled to regain his breath, clutching his chest and dropping the book onto the couch. Who on Planet Earth would do such a thing? Sneaking in while he was completely engrossed in a HORROR STORY? That was just plain rude. How inconsiderate.

Yuu laughed heartily, clearly enjoying the whole scene.

“I guess I just got your approval as a writer, huh. Enjoying the book?”

Kouyou shot him a suspicious look, settling back onto the couch, soon joined by Yuu.

“I’m actually afraid of you. Are you a psycho or something? This,” Kouyou pointed to the book, “is definitely creepy. Horrifying.”

“Nah, I’m just your harmless neighbor,” Yuu replied nonchalantly, giving Kouyou a wink. “I was saying… I think we should wear couple costumes at Saturday’s party.”

Kouyou tilted his head, barely believing what he'd just heard.

“I didn’t even invite you to the party!” he exclaimed indignantly, crossing his arms over his chest, cheeks flushing as he added, “And we are not a couple.”

Those were exactly the words Yuu wanted to hear – Kouyou could see it in the shift in his gaze. It seemed Yuu had orchestrated the entire thing just to get him to say that, and he fell for it like a little duckling.

A second later, Yuu’s face was a mere ten centimeters from his, so close that Kouyou could feel their breaths mingling.

“We should resolve this soon.”

Yuu’s gaze was intense, scanning Kouyou’s face, stopping on his lips for a while before returning to his eyes with a mixture of anticipation and…  lust? Was that it?

Kouyou froze, feeling the strength escape from his muscles, and the atmosphere of the room change.  Yuu's scent was so close, so alluring, and my goodness , did he smell good. His heart raced, and he found it impossible to look away from Yuu's lips—they were so full, so seductive, partially parted, practically asking Kouyou a kiss.

No, Yuu’s lips were indeed asking him to kiss him.

Literally.

“Kiss me.” 

And he did. 

Thursday, October 29 th . Day 6/8. 7:48 p.m.

“You didn’t show up today.”

Kouyou cursed under his breath. He had left the door open. Oh, Kouyou, you absolute genius. Of course Yuu would come looking for him after last night. He’d practically bolted, face flushed and heart racing, after the kiss—or rather, the kisses, since there had been quite a few. Yuu certainly knew how to kiss someone. Kouyou could still feel the ghost of Yuu’s lips on his own.

The thing was, Momiji had come to him early this morning. He was too embarrassed to even think about seeing Yuu—embarrassed both by the kiss and by the way he’d vanished right afterward, leaving only a lame, stuttered excuse behind. And now, here was Yuu, leaning against the doorframe, watching him with that amused, intrigued look, while Kouyou scrambled to finish the last touches on his costume.

“H-huh,” Kouyou stuttered, already feeling his cheeks flushing, no exactly convincing or plausible excuses coming to his head. He would try anyway, “Momiji came here this morning and I had too much work to do. He’s well-fed and entertained, as you can see,” he nodded towards the cat sprawled on his couch licking himself, oblivious to everything and everyone.

Yuu smirked, the gleam in his eyes saying he knew this was all utter bullshit.

“So,” he began slyly, slipping into the house and closing the door behind him, “you not showing up had nothing to do with last night?”

Why was Yuu asking that if he already knew the damn answer? It seemed Yuu was thoroughly entertained by the sight of Kouyou, all flustered, looking like a 16-year-old teenager who had just kissed his high-school crush.

Kouyou glanced at him sideways before looking away, unable to muster a response. Why bother when Yuu would know he was lying? Not worth the effort.

A chuckle, footsteps approaching, and soon Yuu was sitting on the couch next to Momiji. The cat didn’t give a damn about him and continued doing exactly what he was doing before.

“Do you need any help with the costume?” Yuu asked, eyeing the enormous dress displayed on the mannequin. On the coffee table lay Kouyou’s witch hat, Momiji’s tiny wizard hat, a magic wand, and five glass jars filled with neon-colored magic potions—orange, purple, black, green, and blue. Somewhere in the house, the magic broom was ready too.

Kouyou wondered how he would manage to take all that stuff to the party. Well, that was a problem for future Kouyou to deal with.

“I just need to finish a few details and everything will be ready,” Kouyou replied, still not looking at Yuu, carefully threading laces over the top of the dress to form the corset. “Later, I’ll try it on to see if any adjustments are needed.”

“Oh, I can definitely help you with that,” Yuu said, a mischievous wink accompanying his words.

Kouyou rolled his eyes so hard he was half convinced they were going to get stuck.

“If you really want to help,” Kouyou began, pointing to the glass jars on the coffee table. Next to them was a sheet of stickers that Yuu hadn’t noticed until now. “You could stick the labels on the potion bottles.”

Yuu knelt in front of the table, inspecting the stickers with the names of the magic potions. Next to them was a document explaining each potion’s effects. Excited, Yuu picked up the paper and started reading.

“Uhh, interesting,” Yuu murmured after a few minutes. “Forget-me-not Potion. Have you already put that spell on me?” Kouyou knew exactly what Yuu would say next, the cheesy, cliché line that was about to spill from his lips. “Because I can’t—”

“—stop thinking about you,” Kouyou interrupted, rolling his eyes and snorting. He even tried to mimic Yuu’s voice, but his version was nowhere near as convincing.

Yuu burst into laughter, slapping the sticker onto the potion bottle. “Maybe you should change the Confidence Potion formula,” he said nonchalantly, picking up the next label. “You had the confidence to kiss me last night, but it didn’t last long enough.” A smirk spread across Yuu’s face as he affixed the sticker.

Kouyou rolled his eyes again. Yuu could never take the Confidence Potion. He already had an abundance of confidence, probably enough to fill an entire potion factory. If Kouyou could somehow bottle Yuu’s self-esteem and sell it, he’d make a fortune.

“Stop,” Kouyou muttered, a deep sigh escaping his lips as he caught Yuu’s gaze. “Just stop being silly and help me finish everything.”

Yuu complied. Within two hours, everything was done—Kouyou’s costume and Momiji’s too. The cat now sported a small wizard cape adorned with stars and a cute little purple hat. The cutest feline wizard ever, no contest.

As they cleaned up the remnants of fabric, paper, and various materials scattered around the room, Kouyou glanced around. A shy smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

“We look like an old couple who’ve been married for 30 years.”

A nanosecond later, Kouyou realized that what was supposed to be just a thought stored in his head had unconsciously been uttered loud and clear.

Holy shit. Kouyou, you continue to surpass yourself more every day.

A wide-open, dirty smile spread across Yuu’s face upon hearing that. Kouyou had just handed Yuu a golden opportunity to shine with his cheap lines. 

“The difference is that old couples have had lots of sex already, and we haven’t even done anything yet.”

Yet . Kouyou noticed the evident emphasis on “yet”; his brain could hardly believe what he had just heard.

Yuu, he was beyond bald-faced and brimming with self-esteem. The difficulty Kouyou had in trying to initiate anything with anyone, whether it was a sexual or romantic relationship, seemed to simply not exist in Yuu. He was fully aware of how hot he was, and had already chosen who he wanted.

That person was Kouyou, even though he couldn’t fathom what about him had caught Yuu’s attention.

Kouyou wanted to kiss Yuu again, maybe even go further and finally have sex with him. But he didn’t know how to say it, how to make a move, or—more importantly—what would happen afterward. They were neighbors, after all. If things became awkward between them, Kouyou wasn’t sure how he’d handle it.

Maybe the dream of shared custody of Momiji would die right there, on his own bed. And, yes, he knew he was being a bit of a drama queen.

Yuu’s laugh broke the silence, pulling Kouyou out of his melodramatic spiral. He realized he’d been holding his breath for far too long. A soft hand stroked his hair, and only then did he notice the thin layer of sweat on his forehead. 

“Go ahead and try on your costume. We need to see how it looks on you,” Yuu prompted, amusement dancing in his eyes.

Kouyou didn’t need to be told twice. Desperate to escape the awkwardness, he snatched the dress from the mannequin and bolted to his bedroom.

And, of course, he wouldn’t be able to zip up the back himself. 

Classic Kouyou. Why on earth would somebody sew the zipper at the back instead of the side? Genius move.

“Yuu,” Kouyou called out, his voice tinged with embarrassment as he peeked through the crack in the door, feeling like the world’s biggest idiot. Within seconds, Yuu appeared in his field of vision. “I need some help here.”

Yuu entered the room with a beaming smile, finding Kouyou in a dress with the zipper only halfway up, leaving his shoulder blades partially exposed. As Yuu’s fingers brushed against the bare skin of his back, a shiver ran through him, raising goosebumps all over his body. His back was a sensitive, erogenous area, and being touched there by a person he clearly desired felt good, so good . How long had it been since Kouyou had been touched by another man?

Ages. 

Before pulling the zipper up, Yuu played a little with the exposed skin, drawing lines with his fingers and immediately sensing Kouyou's body respond.

"So, you like to be touched here."

"Just close that zipper already," Kouyou complained, wincing as Yuu's fingernails teasingly scratched his bare skin.

With the dress on, Kouyou hurried to the living room to complete the ensemble – witch hat, boots, magic wand, broom, and the bag of potions. With Yuu’s help, they adorned Momiji with the cape and the hat. The cat didn’t protest, not even when he was picked up and carried to the nearest mirror.

Kouyou stared at their reflection, the cat in his arms, costume perfectly in place. This was pure perfection. He and Momiji were destined to win that competition, no doubt about it.

“Oh, don’t you two look adorable?” Yuu exclaimed, appearing beside them in the mirror’s reflection.

“Adorable?” Kouyou retorted, voice filled with indignation. “This is supposed to be creepy!”

Yuu chuckled, giving Kouyou a once-over. “Maybe after you do your makeup?” he suggested playfully, a mischievous smirk on his face, hands raised in mock surrender.

Kouyou snorted, leaving the mirror with Momiji in tow. He would nail the perfect makeup to look as scary as possible. Adorable was definitely not the goal. That was likely just Yuu’s biased opinion, though, and he shouldn’t care that much about it after all.

Yuu followed him into the bedroom, already anticipating the request to unzip the costume. Kouyou turned his back, lifting his hair as he felt the zipper slowly come down, Yuu’s warm breath brushing the back of his neck.

Yuu lowered the zipper halfway, stopping precisely where Kouyou could finish unzipping and removing the dress on his own.

But the thing was, Yuu's breath against his neck was warm. His soft fingers brushing the back of his neck and then his upper back made him shiver in such a pleasant way. 

Oh, screw it. 

Without looking at Yuu—knowing that if he did, he might lose the nerve to act on the wild impulse pushing him forward—Kouyou made what could only be described as one of the boldest moves of his life.

Almost inaudibly, his voice hoarse from the arousal that was beginning to grow inside of him, he murmured, “You can finish unzipping it if you want to.”

And Yuu did. 

Friday, October 30th. Day 7/8. 7:19 a.m.

Yuu looking sleepy was, to say the least... adorable. His baggy eyes, messy hair, and... Oh, we’ve been here before. 

Yes, you perv. This time, it’s exactly what you’re thinking.

Yuu wasn't wearing pajamas this time. In fact, neither he nor Kouyou were wearing any clothing at all. Kouyou had brief memories of being spooned during the night after the intense sex session they shared. 

Oh lordy. 

When Yuu opened his eyes and met Kouyou's, he smiled openly. The man was so sensual that he didn't even have morning breath. Kouyou couldn't say the same about himself, though.

“Good morn—”

A feline cough followed by the unmistakable sound of Momiji regurgitating echoed from outside the room. It was impossible to tell who moved faster to get up and open the door.

In the hallway stood Momiji, surrounded by a pool of vomit, and both Kouyou and Yuu—naked and clearly concerned.

Without a moment for awkwardness or second thoughts, Kouyou exchanged a worried glance with Yuu, whose eyes mirrored his own concern.

“We should take him to the vet right now,” Kouyou said, hurrying to his room to get dressed. Yuu followed him, searching for his own clothes scattered across the floor.

“I’ll take him,” Yuu insisted. “You need to work.”

“No way,” Kouyou replied, already pulling on his underwear and sweatpants. “I’m coming with you. I’ll make up those work hours another day.”

Within minutes, the three of them were in Kouyou’s car—him at the wheel, Yuu in the passenger seat with a drooping Momiji sprawled across his lap. The drive to the vet was wrapped in silence, concern etched clearly on both their faces. Kouyou felt a little embarrassed about the events of the previous night and what had happened between them, but at that moment, his focus was solely on the cat and his well-being. Everything else could be sorted later.

11:35 a.m. 

“Well, it looks like our little Momiji ate something funky and ended up with a mild case of food intoxication, but it's nothing serious. The tests didn't show any major poisoning. You can rest assured,” the veterinarian said, typing away on his computer while his assistant handed Yuu the carrier with a slightly groggy Momiji inside.

Loud sighs of relief echoed through the clinic, coming from both the cat's owner and the one hoping for joint custody. They had endured an excruciating three-hour wait for Momiji's test results while his blood was poked and analyzed by the lab technicians, and the poor cat was hooked up to IV fluids. Knowing he was going to be okay was the best news they could have hoped for.

“He's been medicated and hydrated with all the nutrients he needs. Now, he just needs to rest for the next few days, drink plenty of water, and stick to this special food,” the vet continued, handing a package of food to Kouyou. “No treats or any other food for now. Bring him back on Monday, so I can check him again.”

“Thank you so much, doc,” Yuu said, bowing his head slightly as he cradled the carrier with Momiji. “We’ll make sure he gets plenty of rest.”

“Thanks a lot,” Kouyou added, following Yuu out of the vet's office. Through the carrier's grate, he could see Momiji sleeping peacefully, looking as though he hadn't just upchucked on Kouyou's carpet, had blood drawn, and been pumped full of fluids.

At the first red light on the drive home, Kouyou let his shoulders relax and his hands drop from the steering wheel for a moment. “Ahh, I'm so relieved he's okay,” he blurted out, resting his forehead on the wheel. “That cat scared the crap out of me.”

"I'm relieved he's fine too. Honestly, with Momiji eating everything like a vacuum cleaner, it's kind of impressive this didn't happen sooner," Yuu said with a soft chuckle, fingers threading through the gaps in the carrier box to pet the furball inside. "But what about your costume now? I mean, you know he’s officially out of the running for ‘Cutest Costume Add-on,’ right?"

Kouyou whipped around, eyes wide, nodding as if he'd never even entertained the absurd thought of taking a sick Momiji to the party. What kind of person would do that? Obviously not him. No, no, the costume competition was important, sure, but nothing could trump the well-being of his—cough, cough—future son-in-law. 

Yes, son-in-law. Not because he had sex with Yuu last night — and that topic was still locked away in the vault of Kouyou's mind for the sake of his own fragile sanity —, but because Momiji, the little feline prince, had chosen him. And when a cat claims you, well, resistance is futile.

“Yeah, no way he's going anywhere except straight to bed. Doctor’s orders,” Kouyou said with firmness, his foot pressing the accelerator as the light turned green. "No worries, though. I’ll figure it out. Maybe I can grab a stuffed black cat or something, as a... stand-in."

The sigh Kouyou let out was more resigned than frustrated, though a tiny cloud of disappointment hung over him. Not that he was upset about the cat. Oh, heavens no. Momiji was perfect—his majestic whiskers, his paws of divine grace. If anything, the poor cat was just the victim of some horribly bad timing. No, what was eating at Kouyou was the dashed hopes of the flawless costume duo he’d imagined, a result of his own expectations. He’d become so close to Momiji and... Yuu that week, that he hadn't even considered the possibility that the cat wouldn't be able to go to the party with him. 

“Hmmm, you know,” Yuu's voice slid in, smooth and teasing, pulling Kouyou back from his little spiral. Kouyou glanced over to see Yuu’s lips curling into a smirk, “I think I’ve got a much better idea.”

Saturday, October 31 th . Day 8/8. 11:36 p.m.

“Congrats on winning first place, Kouyou and...?”

“Yuu. Nice to meet you,” Yuu chimed in smoothly, giving a slight bow toward Takanori, who stood there — for the third year in a row, let’s not forget — holding second place like it was his personal curse.

Kouyou couldn’t help the smug grin spreading across his face, eyes practically glowing with satisfaction. Three years, and Takanori still couldn’t topple the reigning champion. Not even his elaborate mummy getup — gauze wrapped so tightly that only his eyes and mouth peeked through — had managed to do it. Well, there was always next year... and the year after that. Poor guy.

Kouyou was undefeated. The crown of Halloween costumes belonged to none other than the legendary Takashima Kouyou, and it wasn’t going anywhere. Good luck, Takanori. Maybe 2025 would be kinder. Or not.

“You really went all out this time, Kouyou,” Takanori said, clapping a hand on Kouyou’s shoulder. Despite Kouyou’s rabidly competitive streak — the one that emerged every Halloween like a werewolf under a full moon — Takanori was, in fact, one of his best friends. “Bringing your neighbor dressed as a black cat? Genius. I respect you.”

With a theatrical flourish, Takanori bowed twice, exaggeratedly low, his eyes darting between Kouyou and Yuu with far too much interest. His smirk was full of mischief, and as his gaze flickered back and forth between them — once, twice, three times — his grin grew wider, more knowing. “Well, I’ll leave you two champions to celebrate your big win,” he said, raising an eyebrow with all the subtlety of a neon sign. “Gonna go find Akira. See ya.”

And like that, Takanori vanished into the sea of costumed bodies and party lights.

Kouyou barely had time to register Takanori’s exit before he felt a light nudge at his waist. Glancing to his side, he found Yuu standing there, still in his black cat costume, grinning up at him. The fake mustache curled upward, only adding to the playful glint in Yuu’s eyes.

Kouyou’s gaze lingered on Yuu, and he had to admit, the makeup he’d done on him was a masterpiece. Yuu looked like some kind of adorable wizard-kitten hybrid, complete with perfectly glued fake whiskers and black eyeliner that somehow made his eyes even more striking. Kouyou felt a sudden, absurd urge to pinch those painted cheeks — but no. He wouldn’t give Yuu that satisfaction. 

“I didn’t want to say it, but…” Yuu started with a playful lilt, stepping right in front of Kouyou, his cat ears twitching. One ear flopped forward, making the whole scene comically cute. “... my idea totally clinched your victory tonight. You’re welcome.”

Kouyou snorted, rolling his eyes at Yuu’s smug tone, but he couldn’t help the grin that spread across his purple-painted lips. Sure, Yuu was full of himself, but the truth was, Kouyou wouldn’t be holding that first-place trophy without him.

“Thank you, Yuu,” Kouyou said with a small smile, his voice genuinely warm despite the teasing.

Yuu’s eyes gleamed with mischief as he took a step closer. “Sorry, what was that? I didn’t hear it.”

The music thumped around them, making it genuinely hard to hear. And, okay, maybe Kouyou’s voice was a little too low to cut through the noise. Kouyou sighed dramatically. “THANK YOU, YUU,” he said, louder this time, but Yuu wasn’t done messing with him.

Yuu stepped in again, their bodies touching. “Still can’t hear you,” he teased, his breath warm against Kouyou’s neck, both hands now grabbing Kouyou’s waist through the corset of his dress.

Kouyou’s heart did a little flip, and he fought the urge to take a step back. Yuu’s face was so close now, he could see the smudge of makeup along his jawline, the faint curve of his fake whiskers. Kouyou swallowed, the warmth of Yuu’s body making his body slightly shiver.

“You heard me,” Kouyou mumbled, but this time his voice barely made it past his lips.

Suddenly, the memories of the intimate moment they’d shared —the one they hadn’t spoken about since—came flooding back. Now, standing this close, it was impossible not to think about it.

“You can thank me with a kiss. Sound good?” Yuu’s voice was low, teasing, but there was something undeniably genuine in the way he said it.

Not only did it sound good—it would feel good. After all, Kouyou had been there before. His pulse quickened at the thought, his heart betraying him. Of course, he wanted Yuu. He wanted him again, and not just once. He wanted him over and over, in every possible way. Who was he trying to fool?

Maybe, just maybe, it was time to start taking risks.

But not yet. Not without a little more teasing first.

Yuu’s breath mingled with his, but instead of leaning in, Kouyou let out a low chuckle, his lips curling into a mischievous smile. “You’d better take off those fake whiskers first. They itch. I’ll wait for you outside.”

It took about ten minutes for Yuu to join him outside. Kouyou was sitting on one of the benches, a cigarette lazily balanced between his fingers. Yuu had taken the whiskers and cat ears off, now wearing just the black furry outfit—an outfit Kouyou had thrown together last minute to save the day. Somehow, even in the makeshift costume, Yuu looked effortlessly good.

Yuu sat down beside him, a soft smile tugging at his lips. “My sister just texted. Momiji’s doing fine. We’ve got nothing to worry about.”

Kouyou let out a breath. “Good. That’s a relief,” he said, taking a slow drag from his cigarette. He hadn’t been able to fully relax knowing the cat was still a little sick back home, not after all that had happened the day before. Yuu had left Momiji in the care of his sister for the night, though, and now Kouyou felt a wave of calm wash over him. He turned his head slightly, catching Yuu’s bright, cheerful eyes fixed on him.

“Tonight was fun,” Yuu said casually, stretching his arms behind his head with a grin. “Even though this outfit feels like I’m wrapped in a furnace.”

Kouyou exhaled a slow stream of smoke, a soft laugh escaping him as he gazed at the dark horizon ahead, the serene night air cooling his thoughts. “I had a lot of fun too,” he admitted, turning to catch Yuu’s eye. “Thanks for... you know, going along with this crazy idea. For the cat costume. And for not telling me to piss off when I showed up at your door asking to borrow your actual cat.”

Yuu burst into laughter, shifting closer on the bench until their thighs brushed together. “I won’t lie, that was really weird,” Yuu said with a playful grin. “If it had been anyone else, I’d have slammed the door in their face, and bye-bye.”

“Oh, yeah?” Kouyou raised an eyebrow, watching Yuu’s smile. “So why didn’t you do that to me, then?”

“Because I’ve wanted you since the day I moved in next door and saw you for the first time,” Yuu said casually, but there was a spark in his eyes, a playful yet excited gleam as his hand moved to find Kouyou’s resting on his thigh. “And I surprised myself this week when I realized you’re not just a pretty face. You’re actually a very interesting man, IT-nerd Kouyou.”

Kouyou felt the heat rise in his cheeks at Yuu’s words, but he was tired of blushing and flushing and acting like a teenager with a pitiful self-esteem all the time. It wasn’t like they hadn’t already crossed that line—he’d had a great time with Yuu all week. They’d kissed, they’d slept together, and every moment had felt electric. The chemistry between them was undeniable, and Yuu’s presence at the party had only made the night better.

And, well... there was Momiji, too. Yuu having the perfect cat was just the cherry on top.

If he wasn’t happy with his current love life, maybe it was time to do something about it. Kouyou had spent enough time holding back, and this felt like the right moment to start changing things.

Without overthinking it, Kouyou’s free hand found its way to the back of Yuu’s neck, pulling him closer in one smooth motion and kissing him.

Unlike the heated, rushed kisses they’d shared during their intimate moments two days before, this one was slower, more tender. They took their time, exploring each other’s mouths, savoring the taste, while their hands traced gentle paths along each other’s necks and waists. There was affection there, a connection that had been building over the week, culminating in this moment. Both of them could feel it.

When they finally pulled apart, they exchanged a silent look, smiles reflecting in each other’s eyes.

Yuu was the first to break the quiet, chuckling softly. “So, is this like Cinderella? Midnight hits, the spell breaks, and we go back to being just those two random neighbors who barely know each other?”

Kouyou smiled, fingers still intertwined with Yuu’s as he absentmindedly played with them. “I hope not,” he admitted, feeling a mix of embarrassment and a surge of boldness he hadn’t felt in a long time.

“Oh? You hope not? Tell me more,” Yuu teased, clearly enjoying Kouyou’s reactions.

Kouyou let out a huff, pretending to be annoyed, but his eyes betrayed him. He was having fun—just like he had all week, just like he was now, with Yuu. “I’ve had a lot of fun this past week with you and Momiji,” he said, struggling to maintain eye contact with Yuu, whose gaze was unwavering, that irritatingly charming smile permanently plastered on his face. “And, well... we didn’t really talk about it, but... I really enjoyed our... huh... time together last Thursday.”

Stumbling through to externalize that he’d enjoyed having sex with Yuu was a little embarrassing, true. He could already feel Yuu gearing up for another teasing remark, ready to poke fun at his awkwardness. But instead, Yuu surprised him.

Without a word, Yuu leaned in, stealing a quick kiss before pulling back with a wink. “We had a good time, indeed.” he said, voice playful but warm. “I don’t want things to end here. I’d like to see where this goes... beyond Halloween.”

Kouyou let a shy smile tug at his lips at Yuu’s words, spoken with such certainty. It felt like the joy he’d experienced throughout the week with Yuu had been mutual after all. His stomach fluttered, a swarm of butterflies reminding him of that adrenaline rush when you start to feel something for someone new. It had been a while—too long—since he’d felt this way.

He took a steadying breath before responding, his voice carrying a hint of nerves, but his eyes never leaving Yuu’s. “I’d love that.”

Yuu’s smile widened, clearly satisfied with Kouyou’s answer. “Momiji will love that too,” he teased, his hand finding its way to Kouyou’s thigh through the dress. “Honestly, I’m relieved. If it came down to a choice, I’m pretty sure Momiji would pick you over me. Good thing he won’t have to now that we’re together, huh?”

Together. They were together now. How good did that sound?  To Kouyou’s ears, amazingly good.

They kissed again, but this time when they pulled apart, a mischievous smirk curled on Yuu’s lips. “You look so hot dressed like a witch,” he whispered, leaning in closer to tease Kouyou’s ear with his next words. “I want to have sex with you all dressed up like this. Especially knowing you’ve got that garter belt and lace stockings under there.”

Kouyou felt the familiar heat flood his cheeks, his face burning at yet another of Yuu’s cheeky comments. But instead of shying away, he laughed—open, spontaneous, full of ease.

“I’d rather have you without the cat costume, please,” Kouyou shot back, grinning as their laughter blended together.

With that, they got to their feet, ready to head back inside to say goodbye to Kouyou’s colleagues. There were far more interesting things waiting for them at home—things that involved witch costumes, Confidence Potions, smeared cat makeup, and a newfound fetish for garter belts.

On the drive home, Kouyou let his thoughts wander, glancing out the window with a content smile. Who would have thought that his ridiculous idea of borrowing his neighbor’s cat would lead to this? He glanced over at Yuu, a quiet sense of gratitude swelling in his chest. Grateful that he’d decided to knock on Yuu’s door.

“To be honest,” he began, something new popping into his mind, “bringing Momiji to a party wasn’t exactly my best idea. Pretty sure he wouldn’t have survived Lady Gaga at full blast.”

Yuu only laughed, shaking his head in amusement as he leaned over to kiss Kouyou’s cheek. 

Bringing a cat to a party might not have been his smartest idea, but it had brought them together, and that was more than worth it. Kouyou was glad he’d come up with it.

Day eight had come to an end—successfully, no less. And now, with the timer set back to zero, it was time to start counting again.

Sunday, November 1st . 12:01 a.m. Day 1/?