Chapter Text
Todd closes the door to his apartment, tired.
It hadn’t been a bad day, quite the contrary.
He had gone off to work as usual, leaving his roommate to do god knows what. Once at his job he messed around on the computer, playing a couple of rounds of solitaire then moved on to play Tetris. You know, job things. He spent the whole day doing this, Vic’s Video Palace (the place where he worked) wasn’t exactly brimming with life. Near closing time, one of the store’s only customers (“a damn good customer”, he could quote himself saying at one point) came in. Ben Katz, he was one of Todd’s friends. Or acquaintance, depending on how you looked at it.
Once there Ben had asked Todd to hang out, a strange occurrence, but not rare. Todd agreed and they left after Todd had closed up shop for the day.
They went to what was once Pullman Square, and now a newly renovated plaza full of stores and restaurants. They did what normal friends do when they hung out, they checked out the stores and ate.
At some point Todd started complaining about how cold it had gotten. Ben had rolled his eyes and made a remark about “I can’t control the weather you know.” Then took off his own blue blazer, draping it over Todd’s shoulders. Sure it was a little weird between two guys but it couldn’t be helped, after all Todd was only wearing a short sleeved t shirt in 60 degree weather. They continued on and a while later parted ways.
As Todd recounted their fun while looking in the pantry for something to eat, he realized he was still wearing Ben’s blazer. He’d have to give it back when he saw Ben again, or maybe drop it off at his house.
Upon taking off the blazer, Todd noticed an iPod in the inner pocket. Todd raised an eyebrow as he set the blazer on the recliner.
He unlocked the iPod and started swiping through his apps, not at all feeling guilty. Knowing Ben, he probably would’ve done the same.
Nothing was really out of place, he had the usual apps and some games. It was almost boring.
He nearly powered off the phone when the music app caught his eye.
Now that was telling.
He felt himself smile as he took a seat on the recliner (the only piece of furniture they owned), getting comfortable for snooping through Ben’s music.
Once in the app Todd felt himself smile upon seeing a few of his own recommendations he had given to Ben overtime. He felt pleased that Ben took his advice. As he scrolled through his music library he saw some familiar titles and others he didn’t know. Nothing too embarrassing, like cheesy pop songs. Most of it was Electronic/Dance music, which he had originally thought was odd but as he got to know Ben it made more sense. He was a pretty upbeat fun guy. He never let anything get him down for more than a couple of hours it seemed. Todd admired that about him.
Once he had scrolled through all of Ben’s library he decided he’d check out his playlists.
There weren’t too any playlists, just a couple which kind of mapped out his routine. The typical ‘shower’ and ‘sleep’ playlist. Although one title stuck out to him like a sore thumb among the other playlists’ titles.
‘Todd’
Todd felt his heart speed up, almost embarrassingly. A playlist for him? What could be in it? Todd tried to rationalize it before clicking on it, maybe it was just a playlist full of his recommendations. That would make sense. His music taste was more indie rock than dance electronic and maybe Ben didn’t want to mix the two up. There wasn’t anything more to foresee.
Except there was.
Almost immediately after tapping the playlist named after him, Todd was met with songs that were almost comically romantic.
Every Breath You Take, The Police
Time After Time, Cyndi Lauper
True, Spandau Ballet
Jessie’s Girl, Rick Springfield
Todd found himself confused.
This had to have been a mistake.
Maybe this playlist was meant for Ben’s Dad’s receptionist that he claimed he was madly in love with.
That must’ve been it, but if that was the case why wasn’t there another playlist titled Laura?
Maybe he just hadn’t seen it.
Todd double checked through Ben’s playlists, hell, he triple checked ultimately proving his own theory wrong.
Did Ben like him? ... Romantically?
He thought about Ben listening to the songs on the playlist, with him in mind. It was unbelievably embarrassing.
Sure it was embarrassing but he wasn’t weirded out by it.
Should he have been weirded out?
Todd put the iPod down, not before starting the playlist so he could listen while he thought.
He laid on the recliner, listening to the lyrics of each song.
If Ben was the type of intricate guy Todd thought he was, each of these songs must be on the playlist not only because they were romantic but because the lyrics held some sort of reminder of Todd for Ben.
Todd found himself smiling uncontrollably while listening, he almost felt giddy.
“Ben you sly dog.” He felt himself whisper.
—
He most of dozed off like that, on the la-Z-boy listening to Ben’s playlist for him, because his roommate slamming the front door had just woken him up.
“Todd, I’m home. What’s up with the ambient romance?” His roommate, Matt, asked as he walked to where Todd was on the couch.
“Trying to get me in the sack? You’ve already got me. We sleep on the same mattress.”
Todd let out a sound of protest, a little embarrassed that the playlist was still going.
“Do you see any other bed in here?” He mumbled, sitting up and pausing the playlist.
“What’s up with the iPod? Don’t you have like, a blackberry or something?”
“I do, this is a friend’s. I was listening to a playlist....,” Todd paused, and Matt waited automatically assuming it was for dramatic effect.
“That they made.. with my name on it.” Todd finished by whispering.
Matt rolled his eyes as he went back into the kitchen.
“Sounds like they really like you.” Matt said cracking open a box of Chinese food.
“Yeah.”