Chapter Text
The chill of the wind hitting Yesenin’s face as he’s leaving through the doors of his office job was probably his favorite part of the day. After all, his work consisted of monotonously filling out spreadsheets in a cramped cubicle where his desk was far too low for his legs, sitting in a too-small chair that he suspects is the cause of his lower back pain, and constantly craning his neck downwards to see his screen.
It didn’t help that his coworkers wouldn’t interact with him outside of an email. He gets it, really. He’s a lanky 220 cm guy who looks like he belongs in a horror film rather than an office building, but it still pisses him off anyway. They didn’t even try speaking to him before deciding to steer clear of whatever potential danger he might have posed. The breeze socialized with him more than his colleagues did.
As he’s standing in the parking lot, he looks up at the dark sky.
It’s pitch black already. I guess it’s that time of year. Better make sure to readjust the clock, Yesenin muses.
He starts his car and drives away quickly. He wanted to get to his apartment as soon as possible. There was no one waiting for him, but he would rather be alone than in that stuffy office any longer.
-
He enters his apartment building and makes his way to the elevator. He sees a lone person considerably shorter than him (though most everyone was shorter than him) wrapped in thick layers of clothing, hunched over, and shivering. The chattering of teeth becomes stronger as he walks closer.
Brrr… brrr… brrr…
Besides the shivering, no other sound could be heard. It felt like an eternity waiting for the elevator. Yesenin looks over at the coated person. He couldn’t quite make out their facial features with him standing above them, but he could see that they had a bob with side bangs, a round face with some jowls, and freakishly pale—almost blue—skin. He assumes he’s looking at a woman.
Couldn’t hurt to make some small talk with her, right? Women were often more scared of him than men(rightfully so, considering the current state of the world), so he decided to further distance himself before talking.
“Cold night, isn’t it, ma’am?” Yesenin puts on a polite smile, hoping he doesn’t look like a creep.
“M-ma’am?” A boyish, but clearly masculine voice responded, puzzled.
The coated guy(?) turned and looked up at Yesenin. He could see that the shorter had a long, thin nose and prominent eye bags, but his most standout feature were his big, catlike eyes, which looked like giant voids. It unnerved him a little. Only a little, though. Yesenin wasn’t a man who was scared of many things.
“Ah, sorry about that, my good man,” Yesenin begins. “I couldn’t see you that well from up here. My mistake.”
“I-it’s f-fine,” Coat Guy (what Yesenin has dubbed him) turns his head down and blows air into his palms. “Y-you’re not the only t-to make that m-mistake.”
“Doesn’t make it right, though,” Yesenin states matter-of-factly. “Must be—”
Ding! Before he could finish, the elevator came. The two walk in silently.
Yesenin goes up to the elevator buttons before asking Coat Guy, “What floor?”
“T-Twelve, p-please.”
Huh, same as me, Yesenin thought before pushing the button. “What a coincidence. My flat’s on the same floor as yours. I don’t think I’ve seen you around before.” He looks over at Coat Guy. “You new around here?”
Coat Guy looks away. “Y-yes, I moved in a month ago.” He puts his hands into his coat pockets. “B-but I don’t go out very o-often. M-my job, I-I’m a programmer, s-so I w-work from h-home.”
“That so? That’s a shame. It’s better to enjoy life before you feel your body start to degrade with age.” Although his advice was unwarranted, that was how Yesenin truly felt. He was only 35 years old, yet he could already feel how fucked up his body was. The fatigue he lived with was like a ball and chain attached to both his legs. No doubt from stress, overwork, and lack of sleep. Honestly, he already felt jealous of Coat Guy’s lifestyle.
It must be nice with a job like that. If I could-
Coat Guy interrupted his thoughts, “W-well, it’s too cold for me t-to do anything a-anyway,” He held himself tighter. “I-It’s too painful.”
“Do you have a condition where you can’t feel warm or something?”
“S-something like that. I-I can’t explain it, th-though. It-It’s just always been like this.” Coat Guy seemed extremely uncomfortable with the topic.
“Huh.” Now he felt like the number one asshole. When the few people who weren’t scared talk to Yesenin, actually talk to him, more often than not, they are turned away by his shitty personality. It’s moments like these that remind him what a jackass he is.
Ding! The elevator doors slowly opened.
Thank god. Yesenin thought.
He ducks under the elevator door and steps out with the shorter following. “Well then, my good man,” Yesenin points to his left, “I’m headed that way. Have a good night.”
“A-Ah. I-I’m headed in the same d-direction a-as well.” Coat Guy stutters out.
“Well then, let’s continue together for a little longer.”
Coat Guy nodded. “Mhm.”
The walk was dead silent and felt awkward all around. Only the sound of their footsteps and the owls’ whistles could be heard through the pathway. The night sky only added to the indescribable atmosphere.
It would probably be more uncomfortable if Coat Guy were just following behind, though.
Yesenin looks over and sees the shorter trying to keep up with his walking pace. He intentionally slows down his pace. Coat Guy catches on.
“S-Sorry. Y-You don’t h-have to slow down for m-me.” Coat Guy wheezes out. He stops to catch his breath.
Yesenin stops as well. “It’s no problem. Nobody is waiting for me anyway.”
Coat Guy hesitated, “I-If you say s-so.”
-
When Yesenin was near his door, he gestured and began his goodbye. But before he can say anything, Coat Guy cuts him off.
“U-Um, I-I live here s-so this is g-goodbye.” Coat guy points to the door right before Yesenin’s.
There’s no fucking way. Yesenin was dumbfounded at the sheer amount of coincidences he experienced in the last hour, but he made sure to maintain his composure.
“My good man, my door is just after yours. Looks like we’re neighbors.”
“R-Really? W-What a coincidence…” It seemed like Coat Guy was just as shocked as well. “I-I’ll move out of the way.” The shorter man awkwardly shimmied towards the wall so that the taller man could get to his flat.
“Thank you.” Yesenin began to open his door. “Have a good night, neighbor. Sleep well.”
“Y-You t-too,” mumbled Coat Guy before stepping into his apartment.
-
Yesenin ducks underneath his too-small doorframe and enters his apartment, kicking off his shoes without a care. He loosens his tie as he walks towards his fridge for a beer.
A shower can wait. Tomorrow’s the weekend.
He looks in the fridge to see that he only has one 6-pack left. He grabs the entire case and sets it next to him on the couch.
Gotta make sure I buy more tomorrow.
He turns on the TV before starting to down the beer. He usually wouldn’t get drunk with only this many, but tonight he was worn out beyond saving.
As he’s downing the last drops left in the final can, Yesenin thinks to himself,
When was the last time someone outside the bar entertained small talk with him?
before passing out.