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Michael grumbled as he tossed around angrily in his bed. With an annoyed huff, he yanked the pillow out from underneath his head and attempted to smother his face with it. Despite all of this, he could still hear the humming sound of a guitar being plucked from outside his apartment door. In a fit of anger, he threw his pillow across the room and accepted defeat. Michael blindly slapped his hand around on his nightstand until he found his glasses. As he mumbled a few obscenities, he roughly put them on and took a glance at the digital clock. Green neon numbers stared back at him, letting him know that it was three in the morning.
“Oh, you’ve got to be fucking kidding me!” The time baffled him and he wondered how anyone else was able to sleep through this. Especially since it had been going on for quite a while now. It was absolutely ridiculous and he’s had enough of it. Obviously, ignoring the problem was doing him no good. Maybe it would be better to just go to the source himself.
“Fuck it. I’m gonna go give this guy a piece of my mind.” Michael stated to the empty room. After taking a few minutes to reconsider his brash decision, he concluded that there was no other way around it. He wanted his damn sleep and he was gonna get it by any means necessary. With the flick of a switch, the room was softly illuminated by his lamp which allowed him to scramble out of bed.
Wasting no time, he stomped out of his apartment. He didn’t even bother to change out of his My Little Pony shirt and colorful pajama bottoms. Once in the hallway, he saw no sight of the mystery guitar player, but the sudden increase of volume showed that he was nearby. Michael inferred that the person must be around the corner and set out to find him.
“Oh, this guy is so gonna get it! What an asshole!” He kept repeating to himself quietly as he paced down the hall. Sure enough, as soon as he rounded the corner he found what he had been looking for.
All along the way, Michael had planned what exactly he would do when he found him. He figured he would just shout a little, maybe smash the stupid guitar in, and then move on with his life. What he didn’t plan on was his heart stopping instantly upon seeing the cutest guy he’d ever laid eyes on. No. This wasn’t supposed to happen. Still, Michael couldn’t help the light blush that spread across his cheeks as he gazed down at the man.
Thankfully, this went unnoticed because the other guy was too lost in his music to care. His eyes were shut as he strummed away, playing out a sweet tune. Michael soon became frustrated with himself for reacting like such a school-girl.
Michael, focus. You came down here to shut him up so you could go to sleep. Quit staring.
Awkwardly, Michael cleared his throat to attract the man’s attention. He crossed his arms as he found his anger from before returning. Unfortunately, he couldn’t help but chuckle as the guy jumped in surprise and let out a high-pitched squeal. It was actually really cute and Michael momentarily forgot why he came down in the first place, but he was soon brought back to reality upon seeing the guitar.
“Dude, go to bed already. It’s three am and some of us are trying to sleep.” His voice was still bitter, but he managed to keep himself from yelling. The guy on the floor only blinked up at him in shock. Michael sighed in reply.
“Why are you even out here anyways? Go play the thing in your apartment.” He suggested, tapping his foot impatiently. Was this guy an idiot or what? Finally, he managed to provoke a response from the dude.
“I would if my place wasn’t so shitty. It bums me out just being in there. Hell, I wouldn’t even be playing this damn thing if my cable was set up.” The man said casually while shifting to rest his guitar upon his thigh. Michael merely raised an eyebrow in question.
“I just moved in.” He explained.
“Yeah, I got that. Of course you’re new here because no one else would be dumb enough to keep everyone awake like that.” He watched as the guy blushed and rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.
“If your apartment sucks then why don’t you just go play outside… you know.. and not annoy the hell out of everyone?” Michael asked bluntly.
“Dude, I don’t like the outside. It’s scary.” The grumpy brunette shook his head at the reply. This guy was a total nerd.
“Then go to bed, stupid!” This conversation was going nowhere, but he’d be lying if he said it wasn’t entertaining. Wait, wasn’t he tired just a few minutes ago?
“-but I don’t want to…” He heard the man mumble stubbornly. Michael could not believe this was happening. If he didn’t find this guy so damn adorable, he probably would’ve punched his face in already.
Adorable? Dammit, Michael. Get yourself together! Nothing about this guy is cute. He’s annoying as hell… and his guitar is dumb… and his pouty face is just ridiculous… and totally kissable… fuck.
“Yeah, well I do.” He huffed and crossed his arms. Michael watched as the guy dropped his gaze and let his guitar fall to his side. Instantly, he felt regret for acting like such a tool. A knot formed in his throat as the man sighed and shook his head.
“You’re right. I’m sorry for being such an idiot. I’m no good at this thing anyway.” He chuckled lightly, but his tone was sad. He slowly began to lift himself off the ground, but Michael was suddenly crouched down next to him.
What are you doing? Just go to bed! Don’t be a moron.
“Wait, no! I’m sorry for being such an asshole.The name’s Michael, by the way.” He offered along with a warm grin. It was obvious that the man was confused by this sudden change in behavior, but he also seemed pleased.
“Uh, Ray. I-I’m Ray.” Michael nodded and stretched his legs out, allowing himself to get comfortable. Ray, on the other hand, was completely stiff and out of place.
Way to go, you’ve freaked him out. First you make him feel like shit, then you make him feel awkward. Just leave him alone already.
Despite Michael’s mind telling him otherwise, he simply couldn’t just get up and leave. For some reason, he felt compelled to stay. Maybe it was the guilt of being a total jerk that caused him to take a seat… or maybe it was the way Ray’s cheeks flushed pink whenever their eyes met. Either way, he was here so he might as well do something.
“So…” He trailed off, staring pointedly at Ray’s guitar. Unfortunately, the other was oblivious to what he was hinting at. Michael wasn’t one to play games though, so he decided to take a more direct approach.
“Well, play me something, idiot! I didn’t drag my ass out of bed for nothing.” The brunette demanded, but grinned goofily to show he was only messing around. This seemed to open Ray up. In an instant, his guitar was placed gently in his lap and he was strumming a soothing tune. Michael leaned over to get a closer look at the magic that was happening. He admired the way Ray plucked the chords so delicately. It was clear he was no professional, but it was still very impressive none the less.
“You’re pretty good,” Michael said quietly, “I bet you get all the ladies with this gig.”
Wow, smooth one. Let’s see if he takes the bait.
“Definitely not.” Ray snorted, continuing to play without fumbling. “Don’t let this disguise fool you, I’m actually just a big gamer geek.” Michael’s eyes lit up upon hearing that. Apparently, they had something in common. “Plus, ladies aren’t really my thing anyways… because… well, you know.”
SCORE! Michael Vincent Jones, you just hit the jackpot! Don’t fuck this up.
“Well, that’s two things we have in common.” He replied casually, waiting to see if Ray would get the hint.
“Oh, yeah? Cool. Maybe we could play together sometime?” Ray returned with a smirk and a raised brow. Michael felt a giddy feeling flow through him. All the anger from before had vanished and now he was thankful that he had such a short temper. If he hadn’t gotten so fed up with such a simple thing, he wouldn’t be here right now, talking to Ray. The lack of sleep definitely seemed worth it.
“Hell yes! Anytime you want, I’m down for whatever.” Michael shot back quickly, without realizing what he had said. Ray laughed in response. After that, the talking died down until the conversation stopped completely. The silence was anything but awkward though. In a way, it was comforting.
Michael leaned his head back against the wall and his eyelids drifted shut, letting the sound of Ray’s guitar overcome him. He stifled a yawn and shifted to get into a better position. Unfortunately, the action caused his shoulder to brush against Ray’s. He didn’t seem to mind though, so Michael decided to just go with it and leaned on him completely.
Things continued on like this for a while. Ray continued to play while Michael dozed off at his side. It was as if they were in their own little world. Michael knew it was crazy to be in this situation with someone he just met, but he blamed it on his sleep-deprived mind. It definitely had nothing to do with his attraction for the other male. Not at all.
Suddenly, a shift at his side had Michael tumbling downwards. He nearly landed in the other man’s lap, but thank god for his quick reflexes. He blinked dumbly in shock of what happened and soon embarrassment washed over him. It took him a moment to realize that he had fallen asleep on Ray. Quickly, he sat up and scooted away to put space between them.
“S-Shit, I’m sorry. Man, I’m such a moron.” Nervously, he rubbed his hands along his thighs and chewed his lip. Ray only chuckled at his reaction.
“It’s no problem, really.” He replied, but his guitar playing ceased. “I’m not gonna lie, I kinda liked it.” Michael couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Plus, you’re pretty cute when you’re not being such a dickhead.” A toothy-grin was flashed his way and instantly he felt calmer.
“Excuse me, motherfucker!? I am not cute. I am a man.” Michael huffed and crossed his arms, but a smirk was present on his face. Ray rolled his eyes as he shook his head. At once, the hallway was filled with giggles from both men. When they finally managed to contain themselves, Michael spoke up.
“Well anyways, this was real fun and all, but if we keep this up, I’m probably gonna pass out or something.” He admitted reluctantly, not wanting the moment to end.
“Oh, alright. It was nice meeting you though, even if the circumstances were a bit shitty. Nice shirt, by the way… Applejack is the best though.” Ray said with a wink.
“You wanna say that again, asshole? Rainbow Dash is way cooler than you’ll EVER be!” Michael exclaimed defensively, glaring daggers at his new friend.
“Whoa! Calm down, Michael! I was just stating my opinion.” Ray was now doubled over with laughter, which only fueled Michael’s rage.
“Yeah? Your opinion sucks!” He retorted and was about to continue until the sound of a door opening alerted them.
“Bloody hell! Keep it down, will ya? Some people are trying to sleep, you doughnuts!” They turned to see a scruffy-looking man peeking his head out of his room. His hair was tousled messily and his accent was thick. Michael and Ray exchanged startled glances with each other before shrugging.
“Uh, sorry…” Ray said quietly, but only received a sigh and an eyeroll in response.
“Hey, what’s your name?” Michael asked, taking a step towards the man. He was extremely irritated at the fact that this guy interrupted his moment with Ray. How dare he.
“It’s Gavin.” The brit replied confusedly, not quite understanding what was going on. Ray mirrored his expression.
“Yeah? Well, go fuck yourself, Gavin.” Michael spat angrily, but wore a smug grin. Gavin scoffed and squawked at this but silently retreated back into his apartment. Once he was out of sight, Ray erupted into giggles once again. Michael joined him until a drawn-out yawn escaped his lips.
“I think I’m gonna head off now.” He said as he stood up and offered Ray his hand. After helping him up, Michael gave him a sleepy grin.
“Hey, if you want… maybe you can come over tomorrow and we can play some games?” It seemed like a stupid suggestion, but Ray’s eyes lit up upon hearing it.
“Absolutely! I can’t wait to kick your ass.” He said cockily, but Michael only laughed in reply.
“Pfft, whatever… In your dreams, asshole.” Michael teased.
“Dickhead.” Ray retorted.
“Moron.”
“Loser.”
They continued back and forth until Michael finally caved in and planted a quick kiss on Ray’s cheek. He brought his hand up to cup Ray’s face and was surprised to feel it heat up under his touch. The fuzzy facial hair tickled his lips and left him smiling like an idiot. A shiver ghosted down his spine as he realized how risky this was. Ray could possibly hate him after this, but he couldn’t resist. Michael had wanted to do this from the second he saw him and he wasn’t one to beat around the bush.
A second ticked by before he noticed that Ray was frozen in place, obviously uncomfortable with the affection. Michael pulled away quickly to see a look of uncertainty on the other’s face. Regret hit him full force for the second time that night. He could hardly stutter out an apology before abruptly turning on his heels to make a hasty exit. He almost made a getaway and was nearly out of sight before hearing a soft voice that stopped him dead in his tracks.
“Hey, Michael?” Ray called out after him. He spun around slowly, fearing the worst.
“Yeah?”
“I still think you’re an asshole.”
------------------------
Michael let out a deep sigh as he crawled into bed once again. He rolled onto his side and snuggled into his pillow, humming softly in comfort. The alarm clock flashed at him, showing that it was now four in the morning, but he didn’t care.
In one swift motion, his glasses were placed carefully on his nightstand and his light was switched off. As he settled in, his mind drifted to the eventful night that he just had. He definitely wasn’t expecting anything like this to happen, but he sure as hell wasn’t complaining.
Although his body ached from being so tired, sleep continued to evade him. However, this time it wasn’t because his brain was being rattled by the annoying sound of a guitar.
Michael laughed quietly to himself as he realized the irony of it all.
Now he didn’t even want to sleep… all he wanted to do was see Ray’s smiling face again.