Accidentally yours,Roommate

The Great Fridge War

Chapter 4: The Great Fridge War -

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Tobi woke up to a knock.

“Kian, hurry up! I’m going to be late for lecture!”

From the bathroom: “Rule 11: Don’t interrupt my skincare routine.”

“Since when is there a rule 11??” Tobi yelled, balancing on one leg to pull on his jeans.

He’s tall. Like, _really_ tall. Broad shoulders, firm build from playing football in secondary school. His black hair was a mess this morning, curls going everywhere.

The bathroom door opened and Kian stepped out.

Tobi immediately lost his train of thought.

Kian was tall too. But not as tall as Tobi. He had to tilt his head up just a little to meet Kian’s eyes. Kian had soft blonde hair that fell over his forehead, still damp from the shower. And the most unfairly cute face Tobi had ever seen. Small nose, full lips, and eyes that looked too sharp for someone who looked like that.

“Move,” Kian said, brushing past him. He smelled like mint and something clean.

Before Tobi could answer, the door flew open again.

“Morning, boys!”

Derek. Again. With a mop and zero shame.

“Just checking for... leaks. And tension. The tension is very high in here,” Derek announced, looking between Tobi’s wide frame and Kian’s smaller one. “Carry on.”

He left.

Tobi and Kian stared at each other.

“This place is a zoo,” Tobi muttered, running a hand through his black curls.

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Two hours later, the real war started.

Tobi opened the fridge. Everything on the left had blue tape: `KIAN'S`.

On the right: empty.

“Seriously?” Tobi grabbed a yogurt. Blue tape. He ate it anyway.

That evening, Kian came back from class and opened the fridge. He froze.

“My strawberry yogurt is gone.”

Tobi was on his bed, long legs stretched out, scrolling on his phone. “Rule 7: Share the fridge. I’m sharing my air with you.”

Kian’s jaw ticked. He’s slimmer than Tobi, but there was something firm about the way he stood. Like he was always ready. “That wasn’t in the rules.”

“It is now.”

Kian walked to his desk and wrote with neat, sharp handwriting: `Rule 12: Ask before eating my food.`

Tobi sat up. Even sitting, he took up more space. “Fine. Rule 13: Don’t be petty, blonde.”

Kian’s head snapped up. “Blonde?”

“What? You are.” Tobi grinned. “Cute blonde.”

Kian’s ears went pink. He didn’t answer.

They were still arguing when the lights flickered.

“Power cut,” Kian said.

And that’s when Tobi tripped.

He was trying to find his charger in the dark. His foot caught on Kian’s bag. He’s bigger, heavier — he fell forward —

Straight into Kian.

Kian had been walking to the window. He didn’t have time to move.

Thud.

Tobi landed on top of him. On the floor. In the dark.

For a second, neither of them moved.

Tobi could feel Kian under him. Lighter frame, but solid. Kian’s chest was rising and falling fast against his. Kian’s hands had automatically gone to Tobi’s waist to catch him, fingers pressing through Tobi’s shirt.

The only light was from the window. It hit Kian’s face.

Tobi looked down. Kian looked up.

1 second.

2 seconds.

3...

Kian’s blonde hair was messy now, falling into his eyes. He looked younger like this. Softer. His lips were parted and Tobi could see his throat bob as he swallowed.

Neither of them breathed.

4 seconds.

5 seconds.

“Kian?” Tobi whispered. His voice came out lower than he expected.

Kian’s grip on his waist tightened for half a second. Then let go, like he realized what he was doing.

“Get off,” Kian said, voice rough. Quieter than usual.

Tobi scrambled up so fast he hit his knee on the bed. “Sorry! The power— the bag— I didn’t—”

The lights came back on.

Kian was already standing, back to him, fixing his shirt with quick hands. But his ears were red. And his blonde hair was still messy.

Tobi stared at his back. At how Kian was just a little shorter than him. How he could’ve easily pulled him back down if he wanted to.

His own face was burning.

“Rule 14,” Kian said quietly, not turning. “Watch where you’re walking.”

“Rule 15,” Tobi shot back, voice still shaky. “Don’t look so... in the dark.”

He didn’t finish the sentence.

Silence.

Kian didn’t turn around. But Tobi saw his shoulders tense.

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