The rain pitter-patters on the windows, unassuming and gentle in the quiet early morning. The house is soundless in a way only old houses can beโit must be. Nezumi knows because he has laid in the silence of Raumโs home countless times. He also knows his urgent knockingโbangingโon Raumโs door must echo angrily through the cold, dim spaces.
โWhat took you so long!?โ Nezumi growls when Raum finally opens the door. He stands with both hands pressed demandingly into the doorframe, dripping water and glaring. His eyes are simmering with something between rage and desperation.
Nezumi invites himself in. He marches past Raum and tugs irritably at his scarf. The soaked fabric gets caught and Nezumi growls and yanks it harder.
From the corner of his eye he catches Raumโs hand. Perhaps, Raum wants to help. Or he wants to kick Nezumi out. Either way, Nezumi wants none of it.
โDonโtโ!โ He snaps, whips around and grabs Raumโs hand. He intended to slap it away but his fingers latch onto Raumโs wrist instead, holding tight like a drowning man grips a branch.
Their eyes meet, and Nezumiโs fingers tighten. His breath shakes from the effort, and his body follows suit.
โWhy are you even up?โ Nezumi gripes accusingly. He moves closer. His other hand goes for Raumโs lapel. โโand why do you never turn the fucking heating on? Itโs cold like hell in here.โ
In contrast with the stone cold of the house, Nezumi is practically sizzling. His eyes glance at Raumโs mouth, then catch Raumโs gaze again. His upper lips twitches as Nezumi fights back a sneer. Heโs teetering on the edge of somethingโhot hunger burns in his eyes. All he needs is an excuse.
He knows the minute Nezumi passes the garden gate.
Raum listens to the rain patter on his windowpanes. He is in the sitting room, but his eyes are closed. If anyone were to see him, he could be mistaken for having fallen asleep in the armchair โ but heโs perfectly alert.
A crow perched on an overgrown tree in his garden watches Nezumi hastily ascend the path, soaked but not shivering. His movements are stiff, and as he almost trips over a stray nettle plant, Raum tilts his head and the crow follows suit. He listens more deeply. He attunes himself with Nezumiโs core, hearing the dim melody inside him thump with suppressed rage.
He knows, vaguely, what might happen when Nezumi crosses the threshold, and feels a little sprig of excitement when he hears the doorframe rattle, a fist pounding against the thick, old wood.
Raum rises calmly, taking his time to lock Solomon in the adjacent room before moving to answer the door.
The approaching storm is a few hours away yet, but Nezumi drags it inside the house with him, wild and abundant, as he invites himself in. It seems as if he couldnโt help himself from coming โ inevitably blowing in Raumโs direction like a weathervane.
โWould you prefer I hadnโt answered?โ He asks curtly in return, despite his body going through the practiced motions of politeness, reaching for Nezumiโs coat, his scarf.
Heโs expecting to be batted away โ Nezumiโs annoyance tends to ward off others like a forcefield โ but finds himself in a wet grip instead. They pause in that same breath, a barely perceptible tremor. The silent, anticipatory gap between thunder and lightning.
Nezumi speaks and his questions bounce against the tiled walls in the hallway, unanswered. Why? Why? . . . Itโs all a meaningless babble compared to the way he looks at Raum โ all tense, big-eyed, like an animal. The cold open door behind him. Water dripping below him. Bait. Itโs bait.
Raum tuts at him, peels Nezumiโs fingers away from his lapel like one might a clingy child. He has to fight a smirk as he does it, seeing Nezumi sneer openly in response. He enjoys this part. He really does.
His palm presses rudely over Nezumiโs mouth.
โAre you quite done having this tantrum?โ Raum demands, doing exactly as he originally intended, as if Nezumi hadnโt interrupted him at all. He untangles Nezumiโs damp scarf with one hand, the one that still had him locked around it like a handcuff.
He looks up when Nezumi says mm-mmmpf! and bites him โ not gently, either. Still, it doesnโt hurt. Just a low hint of a laugh escapes under Raumโs breath. Quickly, now.
โAlright, alright.โ His fingers squeeze Nezumiโs jaw, hand twisting around the scarf to yank him properly inside, up to his expectant arms, lips โ harsh, affectionate. โCome here.โ
The door slams shut behind them.
