Work Text:
Michael groaned as his alarm clock blasted the most recent Top 40 song. He hit the ‘OFF’ button with a sleep-heavy hand before sitting up and rubbing his bleary eyes.
“Okay Michael, you have five appointments today, you need to go grocery shopping and pick up your mail. You can do this, also fucking stop talking to yourself dickhead, only assholes do that.”
Michael got up and took a quick shower before running through his morning routine out of pure memory. By the time he walked outside of his apartment, heading to to his mailbox in the Entry Hall he knew he probably looked like a zombie, and not even a tolerable Garden Warfare zombie, but a full fledged ugly-as-shit State of Decay zombie. Well, maybe he didn't look that bad, but he was tired okay? As he made his way down the only flight of stairs that separated him from the first floor, he thought over the past few days.
Firstly, he had an hour long conversation with the operator who worked at GameStop the other day since they denied him the pre-order of the newest Zelda game he had bought. The fucker refused to acknowledge that he bought it long before the release date despite the charge on Michael’s card that proved him in the right. Hopefully, when he checked his mailbox the game would be there like the operator had promised.
Secondly, his best friend Ray had finally gotten a date with the ‘mysterious, sexy stranger’ he saw every week buying cereal. And don’t get him wrong, Michael was happy for them, Ray had been pining over that guy for months, but shit is that a weird love story.
And lastly, Lindsay, the adorable and badass redhead that lived a few doors down from Michael, had been entering her apartment while Michael was leaving his last night. Now this happens often, and is the source for many a great conversations, but that time she had entered with a tall sandy haired man.
Now, Michael’s comfortable enough with his sexuality that he can admit that guy was attractive, but he was a jealous motherfucker. So, of course, he hated the guts out of the unknown stranger. As Michael opened his mailbox, doing a maybe not-so-subtle fist pump as he picked up his game, he saw Lindsay walk over to open her respective mailbox next to him.
“Hey Michael, ohh new game? Mind if I ask which one?” Lindsay said looking over at the box in his hands.
“Hey Linds, it’s uh, the new Zelda game? Majora’s Mask, I’m fucking pumped to play it, it’s been a long time coming to get it. I pre-ordered it forever ago and they fucked it up so I just got it.” Michael lowered his voice from the shout it had began to climb to. “Sorry, I’m just a big fan, I mean obviously.” Michael said vaguely signaling to the tattoo on his arm.
“Nah, I understand I’d be fucking pissed too. Ha, but I heard it was awesome! I’m probably gonna stop by GameStop later and pick up a copy, but tell me how it is!” She said as she closed her mailbox with a few letters in hand, before turning to head back to her apartment, but Michael was too curious about the other night just to let her leave.
“Oh Lindsay! I forgot, um who was that guy you were with the other night, he uh, he looks really familiar, for some reason.” Michael called, trying, and subsequently failing, hard, to be casual.
“Oh, that was Ryan, he’s a coworker of mine. But he doesn't go out much since he has two kids, I mean unless you recently designed a website?” Lindsay looked back at him, grinning as he stumbled to cover his bases. “Oh, maybe he needed electrical work done, or something. Weird he really did-uh look familiar. Well, I have a lot to do today, so see you later Lindsay!” As Michael walked back to his apartment, his mind replayed the previous ten minute disaster of a conversation.
“Well, way to screw that up, good job Michael.” Michael disposed the game on his counter and grabbed his keys before heading to work, he’d go grocery shopping later with Ray and maybe get some perspective on his idiocy then.
❉❉❉
“Wow, you really fucked that one up didn’t you.” Ray said from the other side of the cart.
“Yup.” Michael said popping the ‘p’. “So, how's your ‘dream turned reality’ with Joel?” Michael looked over at Ray from where he had been picking out Jello from the shelf. Ray looked offended at first by Michael’s joking tone, but soon enough his eyes glossed over as he spoke.
“He's- he's great. Yesterday, we went to see this movie. Michael I couldn’t tell you what it was about if I tried. And like, I fucking hate when people do that, like make out in public. That shit’s nasty, but we didn’t even just kiss. We talked, well whispered, about everything and man, it was the best date I’ve ever been on. Did you know he was in Friends?”
“The TV show?” Michael said, now giving his full attention to the man beside him.
“Yeah, I mean, he was only in the back for a second, but how cool is that? And he has this one story, where he met a jaguar, it’ll be funnier if he tells it-hey wait, you guys should hang out! Or we could double date or something.” Ray stopped to reach over and pick up a pack of water bottles as Michael sighed.
“Yeah too bad double dates require an actual date, and with the way I embarrassed myself this morning, I hardly doubt that’s ever gonna happen.”
“Why don’t you just talk to her, that’s what you always told me to do when I pinned over Joel, and look where I am now.” He stopped the cart and looked at Michael. “Nothing going to happen unless you do something, and I mean at least you’ll know if she’s not interested. Worst case scenario she thinks you’re disgusting and never speaks to you again.” Michael glared from the back of the cart as Ray continued. “Most probable scenario, you guys fall in love instantly and fuck like bunnies.”
“Firstly, fuck you. Secondly, Ray, this isn’t some stupid highschool crush! I really like her and we live right next to each other, if it is the worst case scenario, everything will be awkward and I don’t want that!”
“So, who cares! If it’s awkward, it’s awkward. If it’s not you’ll be happier than you have been since you started this mopey, broody, lovey-dovey bullshit. Just go for it and if it doesn’t work out you can crash at my place until you feel like you’ve wallowed in shame for a respectable amount of time.”
“You know what Ray? I will, I’m gonna knock on her door and ask her out!” Ray reached out and held onto Michaels arm as he turned, pumped up and ready to be courageous.
“Michael? You should probably finish your shopping before hand.” Michael looked back at Ray and sighed. “Yeah that would probably be a smart thing to do, come on help me find the k-cups for my coffee machine.”
❉❉❉
Michael finished unpacking all of his groceries after dropping off Ray with his respective bags. In his head, he ran through his next move. He was going to ask out Lindsay, he was finally going to stop acting like a child and toughen up. Michael headed into the hallway and went over what he was going to say.
Lindsay, I’ve liked you for a while, and I was thinking, since we talk so often and get along well, maybe you’d like to see a movie sometime?
Michael, now in front of her door, took a deep breath before knocking. “One second!” Lindsay called from inside before the door was flung open. She was covered in flour and once she saw him she gave him a knowing smirk.
“You smelt me baking didnt you? Fine, you can have some cookies but only if you help me finish them!” Lindsay said, turning and heading back into her apartment. Michael followed her to the kitchen and watched as she made tiny balls of dough and set them onto the baking sheet.
“Actually Linds, I wanted to ask you something.” Michael grew nervous as Lindsay continues to prepare her cookies. “Hmm, and what was that?” She said, placing the sheet into the oven.
“Could you look at me? It’s kind of important.” As Michael finished talking, Lindsay stopped what she was doing, with a concerned look on her face.
“Is everything okay Michael? You look like you’re gonna be sick.” He laughed and shook his head, taking a step towards her.
“Lindsay, I’ve liked you for a while, and I was thinking, since we talk so often and-”
“Yes.”
“-get along- wait what?” Michael stopped, mid-speech to stare at the girl in front of him.
“Yes, I’d love to go out with you.” Lindsay stepped forward, now only a foot away from him. “I’ve liked you for a while too, after I take these out of the oven, we could go get dinner? Or if you’re busy we could go Friday?” Both of them were now smiling like school children as Michael laughed.
“Yeah, yes! I would love to, tonight that is. We could go to the Alamo? Or where ever honestly.” Michael said, cursing himself for taking so long to do this as Lindsay finished putting all of her baking supplies away. “Okay, why don’t we play some Xbox while we wait, do you like Castle Crashers?” Lindsay lead Michael into her living room as the cookies baked.
“Of course, but I call blue!” Michael sat down next to Lindsay and quickly shot a text to Ray before he picked up his controller.
‘So, we still on for that double date?’