Work Text:
It was much too stuffy in Ann Arbor during mid-summer nights like this one. Rob’s small open window just barely had air circulating through it, and he couldn’t stand the heavy feeling of the atmosphere in the bedroom.
He carefully opened his door, plotting to go sit outside for a bit before he would officially call it a night.
From the hall, Rob was able to see that all of his bandmates’ doors were shut, meaning they were all sleeping. He cautiously walked down the stairs, so as not to wake anybody or fall.
Once downstairs, Rob walked to the dining room, hoping to go outside through the sliding door that led to the back porch. When he went to open the door, it was unlocked and cracked open ever so slightly, letting a cool breeze into the room.
Rob internally panicked. Presumably, all of his band members were tucked away into their own space, so why was the door unlocked? He was deciding whether or not to wake everybody else in the house when he heard it.
The soft strum of a ukulele could be distinguished, just barely behind the occasional chirp of crickets and the current of air. He figured no burglar would sit on the porch and play an instrument, so he quietly opened the door a tad more to see which one of his bandmates was awake.
I wondered if I could hold it
And fall in love with it too
You told me to buy a pony
But all I wanted was you
Rob’s eyes narrowed a bit to see. Joe was gracefully sitting on the porch ledge, playing like it was the most natural thing to do. What is he doing down here, and why haven’t I heard this song before? Rob thought to himself, still listening to the gentle chord progression.
Rob fully opened the door once Joe finished strumming the last note, sliding the door open much more forcefully than he would’ve liked, alerting Joe, who turned his head around, a bit shocked.
“Rob,” Joe acknowledged, locking eyes with the taller man, “What’re you doing up so late?” he asked, checking his watch for the time. It was 3:16. “It’s really hot upstairs,” Rob complained, stepping closer, “How come you’re not in bed? I saw your bedroom door shut,” Rob said.
Joe sighed, patting the open space on the ledge next to him, signaling for Rob to take a seat. Rob subconsciously took a seat, looking up at the moon and taking a deep breath of fresh air.
“This music, it’s been playing in my head for a couple of months. Tonight felt like the best time to finish what I’ve already got,” Joe said, sneaking a peek over at Rob, who was now looking at his face.
When he spoke, Joe’s breath faintly smelled of weed, but only a hit or two worth of it. “It sounded great, dude. I can’t believe we’ve never thought to add ukulele to a song,” Rob complimented.
Under the glow of the moon, Joe’s cheeks heated up, just enough for Rob to see. “I thought it might sound too slow with the rest of the album so far,” Joe said, trying to stay modest.
“It could tie the whole thing together; the grand finale,” Rob commented, causing Joe to smile at him, while his knee lightly knocked against Rob’s. From the contact, Rob tried not to pay attention to how his heart felt.
“That means a lot to me. Thank you, Rob,” Joe said learning his head onto Rob’s shoulder. Rob visibly tensed up; Joe was normally avoidant of contact with anybody. Why was he all of a sudden so touchy? It couldn’t be the pot, could it?
Rob ran questions through his head as his cheeks burned from the foreign weight on his shoulder and Joe’s hair lightly touching his neck, creating a tickling sensation. Rob relaxed his body, not wanting Joe to notice his stiffness, asking, “Joe?”
Joe picked up his head, turning to look at Rob. “Yeah?” he answered, his warm breath lightly hitting Rob’s face from the lack of space. “Why didn’t you pitch the song to us? It’s great, and you know it,” Rob said, diverting his eyes to different areas, all of which were not Joe’s face.
Joe looked uncomfortable, fidgeting with his thumbs, looking down like a shameful puppy. He took a deep breath in, his lungs filled by the fresh, cold air surrounding the two men.
“It’s about somebody, and I don’t want them to know,” he mumbled. Rob recalled the lyrics, figuring that it was a romance song. “Who’s the lucky lady?” Rob asked, although no humor was in his tone.
Joe stared at Rob longer than you would expect out of a conversation. Behind his eyes, there was serious thought.
“There’s no lady. I like men, Rob,” Joe confessed, staring into his own hands out of regret and shame.
“Joe, that’s fine. I don’t see any problem with you liking who you like,” Rob stammered for words. Joe looked at Rob, tears welling in his eyes, before he started crying.
He wept loudly, burying his head in his hands, thinking that if maybe he couldn’t see Rob, Rob couldn’t see him.
Rob immediately started rubbing smooth, calm circles onto the shorter man’s clothed back, as Joe inhaled air around him, trying to form words in his state of sobbing.
After a few more painful-sounding inhales, Joe looked up, not crying anymore, but stray tears rolled down either side of his solemn face.
“The person from the song is you. I wrote the song for you, but I’ve been too scared to give it to you because you obviously like girls,” Joe blurted, distraught at the possible outcomes of his confession.
“I wouldn’t say all of that about me,” Rob chuckled. Sure, Rob was attracted to plenty of girls in the past. However, none of them fulfilled him; he always felt like something was missing from them. He’d always thought Joe was gorgeous. Maybe this is what he was missing.
Joe looked up, a look of confusion on his face. “D-don’t lie to me about something like that,” he said, looking away. “Who says I’m lying?” Rob said, flicking his gaze onto Joe’s plump, pouty lips. Joe took notice, scooting closer to Rob, allowing their thighs to brush against each other.
Joe pressed his lips onto Rob’s, hoping he had taken the hint correctly. To his joy, the kiss was returned. Rob could feel the previously fallen tears on his own cheeks from the contact of their faces.
The kiss was only for a moment before Joe withdrew his lips. He took an inhale and slowly opened his eyes, met with the sight of Rob smiling bigger than he’d ever seen.
“Can I kiss you again?” Joe whispered so quietly he wasn’t sure if Rob heard. “Go for it,” the taller man replied, although he was the one who leaned in because Joe was too stunned to move.
Their lips connected again, this time more sure. Rob slowly moved his lips against Joe’s, eliciting Joe to wrap his arms around Rob’s shoulders, cradling his head into his hands.
Shortly after, they pulled away again, still not fully sure of each other. “Can I take you on a date?” Joe shyly asked. Rob propped his glasses back to the appropriate height on his nose and nodded eagerly.
“Can you play me the rest of the song?” Rob asked, playfully jabbing Joe’s foot with his own. Joe picked up his ukulele again, this time looking into Rob’s eyes as he sang.