Despite the fact that Kaneki's arrival at the building was stained by a worrisome encounter so quickly, it did give Tsukiyama an excuse to stick close to Kaneki wherever he went. Tsukiyama was even able to tailor his class schedule to allow him to find Kaneki during breaks, as he was a fourth year at the same school, albeit in a different major. Whenever Kaneki objected to the excessive closeness, all he had to do would be to bring up the first yokai attack, and comment how if he had some help fighting he would not have to push himself so far and lost control. A look of guild and a slight pout later and Kaneki would give up on that train of thought.
Tsukiyama sometimes felt guilt for manipulating Kaneki like that, but he squished it down. It was all means to an end, and that end would come all the sooner if he could get Kaneki to trust him. With this in mind, Tsukiyama insisted on 'helping' the younger boy study, though really all that happened was Tsukiyama showing up at Kaneki's apartment with books and then staring at Kaneki shamelessly while Kaneki did work.
Kaneki himself became close to the other tenants of the building quickly, even though his personality was quite introverted. Endearingly so, to Tsukiyama. Touka seemed to be trying to take him under her wing in her own harsh way, even though Kaneki was a year older than her. They spent time drinking coffee, with Kaneki trying to explain the convoluted plots of novels, and Touka telling him about what happened in judo club and how studying for entrance exams was going, and Tsukiyama had no choice not to stay a safe distance away, lest Touka get angry. Young Hinami also took a liking to Kaneki and his novel collection. This led to a number of casual evenings spent reading novels and helping Hinami with kanji that she didn't understand. Tsukiyama liked these better, because he could be with Kaneki, and see his gentle eyes, and hear his soft laughter while he interacted with the younger girl. She seemed to adopt Kaneki as an older brother, and he fell easily into the role. She would fall asleep in the evenings and be carried back to her mother by Kaneki and Tsukiyama.
Kaneki was not necessarily the picture of a healthy, normal college student though. His yokai aspect did affect his daily life, and Tsukiyama was more often than not there to witness it. A sort of darkness would sometimes creep into Kaneki's generally gentle and soft countenance, something that he never seemed to show to any of the other tenants, except Tsukiyama. Despite there being no incidents in the weeks following his arrival, Kaneki trained excessively, something he told Tsukiyama that he had been doing for years. Kaneki would sometimes spend entire days in a room in his apartment, training his muscles and running through different martial arts.
Tsukiyama very much enjoyed watching him work up a sweat, and sometimes Kaneki would abandon his shirt altogether, giving Tsukiyama a warm feeling at the sight of his sweat slicked muscles. His only way to access this sight, though, was to assist Kaneki in his training by serving as a sparring partner, which wasn't particularly fun, given that Kaneki held nothing back and sparred full contact using his yokai abilities. He always kept control though, explaining that he only lost it when particularly exhausted or close to death. Tsukiyama was forced to become inelegantly sweaty and exhausted in front of his little obsession in order to see the rarest and most carnal aspects of him. In the end it was often worth it, though. Kaneki would shower and offer to let Tsukiyama do the same, sometimes neglecting to replace his shirt on particularly warm days, and then the two of them would share coffee.
Instead of getting over his infatuation, Tsukiyama's attraction only grew as the days passed. With each new facet and quirk that Kaneki displayed, Tsukiyama just wanted him more. He wanted to be with Kaneki, to cuddle on cold nights, and drink coffee, and see him panting and red, crying out 'Tsukiyama' like it was the only word he knew, and wake up together, and he wanted to protect Kaneki and to possess him. Tsukiyama wanted Kaneki more than he had ever wanted a person before, and he wanted him more intensely and keenly than he had ever felt for another person. It was almost like a physical need to be around Kaneki all the time, and to Tsukiyama it seemed like if he was feeling this intensely, then Kaneki had to feel the same. If he was so attracted to the other boy, then it must be mutual.
One day, after a study session run long into the night, Tsukiyama decided to make a move on Kaneki, who was rubbing his eyes behind large round (adorable) reading glasses and yawning. He shifted his legs from their folded position and brushed soft, messy bangs from his face, and his eyes were heavy lidded, face slack as he tried to focus on his textbook.
"Why don't you take a break, Kaneki-kun?" Tsukiyama cajoled, intentions anything but pure.
"Hm? Oh... Yeah," he was interrupted by a gaping yawn there," probably a good idea. I might actually be done for tonight." Responded Kaneki, rising and picking up the coffee mugs left around. He headed towards the kitchen, sock covered feet scuffing against the carpet softly, and Tsukiyama followed.
As soon as Kaneki set down his coffee mugs, Tsukiyama caught his wrist, his larger hand basically enveloping the smaller appendage, and maneuvered his body closer to Kaneki. Kaneki stumbled backwards, unsure and clumsy, until his hips bumped the counter and movement stopped. Their bodies were pressed together, sharing warmth, and Kaneki was strung tighter than a guitar string. Tsukiyama took in his face from close up, ignoring the furrowed brows and tense muscles, absolutely sure of himself.
When he actually pressed his lips to Kaneki's, all did not go as planned. Kaneki kept his pressed in a stiff line, unwilling to give in to Tsukiyama's desperate ministrations. After a moment of shock in which all of Kaneki's muscles froze, he seemed to snap out of it, wrenching his face to the side and shoving Tsukiyama away with a hand on his chest.
Tsukiyama stumbled back, taking in Kaneki, who seemed to have walled himself off, back to the cold, closed off boy that he had met the first day in the building. His face was set in stone, grey eyes hard as granite, eyebrows drawn together, creasing the porcelain skin in between. The only signs to his discomfort were the slightly escalated breathing, and a pink flush to his cheeks.
"Tsukiyama-san, you should go now, it's late," Kaneki's eyes were ice, and they refused to meet Tsukiyama's own as he exited the apartment, confused and betrayed.
Kaneki didn't feel the same? Tsukiyama never felt attraction that extreme, never really minded a rejection because there was always a new infatuation, but Kaneki was different. It had seemed like if the attraction was that extreme, they had to be meant to be. Hardly anyone rejected Tsukiyama, ever. His status and looks and charm meant that he could have anyone. Why not Kaneki?
Tsukiyama made his way back to his own apartment, mind and heart in turmoil. He kept seeing those grey eyes, cold and walled off, the only discernible emotion being slight disgust, and it filled his chest with a dull throb, thinking about those eyes.
A/N: lol Tsukiyama has no fuckin idea what he's doing. I'm not sure how much I like this chapter but meh. Anyways, please leave me a comment it would make me very happy! Thank you so much for reading!