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"Dean, I gotta tell you something." Benny said into the phone as he prepared his dinner.
"What is it?"
"I think I'm in love with my next door neighbor." He confided.
"Wait. Do you even know your neighbor's name?"
"No. But I think I love him."
"Why?" Dean sounded incredulous.
"'Cause, he's great. From what I've heard and put together, he's a type of doctor, he owns a dog, he likes reading, he's good at art, and he volunteers a lot."
"How have you heard all that?"
"The walls between our apartments are thin."
"Then why are you talking to me, if the walls are so thin?"
"He's at work."
"Oh, because that makes perfect sense."
"I know it sounds kinda creepy-"
"Kinda? You're spying on him!"
"No. I just happen to hear what's going on in his life." Benny sat down to eat his dinner.
"Oh, yeah, those things are totally different. You gonna work up the stones to ask him out?"
"Goodbye, Dean." Benny hung up.
It was true, the skinny guy next door had somehow won Benny's heart. Benny had only seen him in person in the hallways and getting his mail, and he didn't exactly try to keep people from falling for him. With his stupid cute smile, and his stupid weird fashion sense.
Anyone listening would've mistaken Benny's thoughts for a teenager's. That was certainly annoying to him, a grown man.
The skinny guy (after two weeks of hearing him, Benny still hadn't gotten a name) would be home in about an hour. Which is exactly when Benny would be leaving for work. It would be such an odd happenstance if they ran into each other in the hall. So odd. Not at all something planned. Not at all.
Benny had gotten ready for work a half hour early. When he heard the skinny guy in the hallway, he left his apartment. He was expecting just to exchange a smile or a nod, not to physically run into the skinny guy. The other man was obviously unfocused.
"Sorry, sorry." The skinny guy mumbled. "I'm usually paying more attention than that." The guy flashed him a grin and Benny had to remind himself how to speak English.
"No, it's my fault, really." The guy looked at him, puzzled. Benny realized he hadn't been speaking English. He reverted to French when he was nervous. "Sorry." He said, in English. "I get them mixed up sometimes." This was half-true. He decided to leave out the bit about nerves.
"You speak French?" The guy asked. Benny smiled.
"Yeah. Born and raised in Louisiana." Benny said as explanation. The guy seemed to understand what he was trying to say.
"I'm Garth." Garth. The name fit perfectly.
"Benny." Benny shook Garth's hand and smiled again. He was certain he was beginning look either mildly insane, or incredibly creepy. It was amazing how often those two things went together.
There was an awkward pause before Benny remembered he actually did have to go to work. He said goodbye to Garth with a happy feeling in his stomach.
Benny was awoken the next day far too early by a knock at the door. He stumbled towards the door and opened it, instantly straightening his posture when he saw Garth.
"Garth. Hey, what's going on?" He asked, still shaking the sleep out of his voice. Garth opened and closed his mouth for a minute, resembling a fish, before remembering himself.
"I have a confession to make." Garth rushed out. Benny raised an eyebrow. "This is gonna sound really creepy and stalker-y, but I swear it's not like that. I…I sometimes hear you through the wall our apartments share. Or, maybe I sometimes…intentionally listen?" It came out as a question. It took Benny a moment to absorb and process this information, but when he did, he started laughing. Garth was between reactions, judging by the look on his face. Benny composed himself.
"You wouldn't believe this. I do the same thing." Benny divulged. Garth broke out in a grin.
"Really?" Then his face suddenly fell. "You've heard me singing."
"Hey, now, I like your voice." Benny comforted. Garth turned red and Benny realized what he'd said. But he didn't take it back. It was the truth.
"Um, thanks. Also, I really like you. Okay, bye." Garth started walking away but Benny grabbed his wrist.
"You like me?"
"Yeah." Benny grinned like an idiot.
"I like you, too."
"Why are we talking through the wall instead of face-to-face?" Benny asked.
It had been three months since he actually learned Garth's name, and Benny became more smitten by the day. Even though this new exchange was odd, he found it charming because it seemed like a very Garth thing to do.
"Because, I have to get up early tomorrow." Garth's voice was barely muffled by the wall.
"And that explains it, how?"
"I can't control myself if I see you. You're my kryptonite, Lafitte."
"Still don't see how the two things relate."
"I have to get up early in the morning, and if I see you, I'll stay up too late, if you catch my meaning.” Garth called. Benny grinned. "Make sense?"
"Perfectly. I'd do the same, if I were you." He could practically see the smile on Garth's face.
"You would, wouldn't you?"
"I would." There was a pause as Benny pictured Garth leaning against the wall in the same fashion he was.
"I love you." Came through the wall. Benny's heart sped up. He'd been thinking it for a long time, and hearing Garth say it…Benny smiled and said what he'd been waiting to say for weeks.
"Darlin', I've loved you since day one." There was another pause.
"Screw it." Benny heard Garth leave his apartment, so he wasn't surprised when Garth barged in and began kissing him passionately. When Garth pulled back, he leaned into Benny and started kissing his face all over, saying "I love you" in between kisses. Benny just held him close, savoring the attention.
"You don't mind staying here late?"
"Hell no."
Benny was suddenly glad he was the last person in the hall, otherwise there would've been several noise complaints.