Christopher David Navin begged a friend to keep him company a month after he allegedly murdered Nicholas Sofer-Schreiber, saying he had been "going nuts".
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Mr Sofer-Schreiber was found dead by friends on the floor of his Lyneham home on the afternoon of December 28, 2013.
His former housemate, Navin, 29, is alleged to have stabbed the avid punk rock fan, affectionately known as the Ginger Ninja, to death late on Boxing Day.
Mr Sofer-Schrieber suffered 73 stab wounds, with three to the neck causing death.
Navin was charged with his murder in February 2014 and is on trial in the ACT Supreme Court.
The men had flatted together earlier that year, but the relationship soured and Navin moved out.
Soon after, Navin paid Mr Sofer-Schreiber $60 after Mr Sofer-Schreiber filed civil action for the cost of damage to a garage wall.
Crown prosecutor Margaret Jones alleges Navin harboured animosity towards Mr Sofer-Schreiber and killed him as revenge because he believed the deceased had cut him off from their friends.
Navin's barrister, Stuart Littlemore, QC, it was common ground that his client had caused Mr Sofer-Schreiber's death.
But Navin has pleaded not guilty to murder by way of mental impairment.
On day four of the trial, the court heard a number of phone calls the accused made in the weeks after Mr Sofer-Schreiber's death.
Navin made two calls to a close friend of Mr Sofer-Schreiber's in early January, asking if the police knew who did it.
The accused also mentioned he had been brought in for questioning.
The man told Navin that he only knew what had been reported in the media.
The court also heard a series of calls Navin made to a childhood friend about meeting for a meal and drink.
Navin had been casual at first, but became more desperate, asking his friend to skip a training commitment and meet him that night.
In a series of three calls on February 3, 2014, Navin told the man that he needed to keep busy and get out of the house because everything had been getting "intense".
When asked if he was OK, Navin replied that he had been "going nuts at home".
"I know it sounds a bit selfish of me but you wouldn't be able to do tonight? I'm keen to have something to do" Navin said.
"I need company and stuff. You'd be doing me a solid.
"You'd be doing me a lot of good if you'd do me this exception."
The man repeatedly refused and Navin said: "You are killing me man."
The friend, from the witness stand on Thursday, told the court that Navin had been quiet and needed coaxing in conversation when they met at a Civic pub in January 2014.
Earlier, the court heard from a man who classified Navin as "freaky", and described him as sarcastic with a dry sense of humour.
The man said he had seen Navin at the George Harcourt Inn for Christmas Eve drinks.
When he greeted Navin, the accused replied: "I'm not dying."
