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Sitting on the couch in the main room of the hotel. Michael was telling the other guys about this movie he's obsessed with. Talking loudly and gesturing with his hands.
"It's really great guys, totally a 10/10 movie. You should watch it!" Michael was saying. David looked up from where he was setting up the mic.
He scoffed, as if he was annoyed. "Why would anyone listen to you?" Paul, Dwayne, and Marko laughed at what David had said. "I don't want to watch this movie. And I'm 100% sure the others don't give a flying fuck about it."
Michael blinked in confusion, was it something he said? He couldn't have been that annoying, right? He nodded, going silent as he fiddled with his hands. The others went back to what they were doing before. Seemingly not bothered by Michael's silence. He sat there for a few minutes as they continued to set up for practice. All four of them had begun a conversation that did not include him.
That's fine, I won't interrupt the conversation that clearly isn't my concern.
The more time passed, the more Michael got into his head. Eventually he sent himself spiraling.
They didn't mean it. They didn't mean it. It has to be a joke. He wouldn't say that to me, or would he? I haven't really known them all that long, do they hate me? Is this fun for them?
Michael got up and headed for where he hoped a bedroom or empty room would be. The others didn't seem to pay notice to him as he walked past them.
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The room Michael found was dark, someone's bedroom, he didn't know who's it was but it was better than anything else.
He sank onto the bed, pulling his knees to his chest. Michael didn't allow others under his skin, but what David had said hurt him in a way even he couldn't prevent. And the other guys too, not just David.
Michael fell backwards onto the bed, curling into a ball at the corner furthest from the door.
Then, only then when he was truly by himself, did he allow himself to cry.
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"Dude are you not going to go see why he walked away?" Dwayne asked as he plucked his bass.
David scoffed once again, "What's there to say? I have no clue why Michael walked away. I think he's just trying to escape the noise."
Marko picked at a string on the guitar. "You sure boss? He looked pretty upset about something."
"He's fine, I know Michael. He wouldn't let a small joke get the best of him."
"But you don't know that, David. For all we know he went to go cry in a corner and we're standing here like idiots." Paul said.
"He has a point." Marko said.
David huffed angrily as he crossed his arms. "I'll go find him." He walked off in the direction Michael had went earlier.
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The door was slightly ajar, David had found Michael in one of the bedrooms, his bedroom. He was laying on the corner of the bed furthest from the door under the blanket.
David pushed the door open and stepped inside, shutting it behind him.
"Michael."
Michael didn't look up from where he was laying. He pulled the blanket up higher.
David sat on the bed beside Michael. "Dwayne said that I should come see where you went. Well, all of them said that I should actually. Why'd you leave Michael?"
Michael moved away from him. "Leave me alone David."
"Why? I didn't do anything to you? I'm just trying to see why you're acting so distant!"
Michael flinched at his raised voice. "Do I need to give you a reason? Why is it your business anyways? You wouldn't have come looking for me if they hadn't told you too."
David moved closer, laying his hand on Michael's back. "I would have, I just want to know what happened. What's wrong?"
Michael pushed him away and shrugged his shoulders. "Nothings wrong." He curled into himself a bit more.
"Nope, you don't get to hide until you tell me what's wrong." David pulled Michael closer to himself.
"No... Go away David." Michael whined as he was pulled from his cocoon of blanket. He begrudgingly placed his head on David's shoulder and looked up at him.
David noticed the tear stains almost instantly. "Michael."
"What?"
"You've been crying. Why?" He wiped at the tracks gently.
Michael put his head down. "No reason."
"Michael, c'mon, lookit me..." David put his fingers under Michael's chin and lightly lifted his head up. "Tell me bright eyes."
His eyes welled up and he sniffled quietly. "David..."
David tried his best to comfort him. "Michael, hey, it's okay."
"But- You said..."
"What did I say? Is that's what is bothering you?" David questioned, stroking Michael's hair with his other hand.
"You asked why would anyone listen to me, and-and I don't know! I didn't do anything wrong did I?" Michael bit his lip and sniffed again. "I just wanted to tell you about this movie!" He was crying now.
Oh.
Oh.
He'd messed up. Bad. Now Michael's crying and it's his fault.
"Hey, hey... don't cry Michael."
Michael's lip wobbled and he let out small sob.
"Shh... I didn't mean it Michael, I promise you that. I'll always listen to you, it's my fault for thinking that you'd find that funny like the boys do." David said.
"It's f-fine." Michael said quietly.
"No. Michael it's not okay, what I said was rude and inconsiderate. I meant it as a joke and obviously you didn't see it that way, I'm sorry."
Tears streamed down Michael's face now. "But-"
David held his face with both hands, and shook his head. "No buts, I was in the wrong, not you. You didn't do anything. I was just being a bitch."
He pulled Michael closer, allowing him to cry properly.
"I'm sorry David I-" He broke off into a sob.
"Tell me after, I won't go anywhere." David rubbed Michael's back.
Michael's fists gripped onto the back of David's shirt.
They sat there in the dark as Michael's loud sobs slowly turned to quiet sniffles.
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Marko slumped on the couch, twiddling his thumbs. "So should we go check on Michael and David or...?"
"I mean we could, but Michael's crying pretty loud... Even with our improved hearing it's a bit noisy." Paul said.
"You could go to the room and tell Michael to be quieter and face the rath of David." Dwayne added. "Or we could go help?"
"How?" Marko asked.
Paul lightly hit Marko's arm. "Like get him a water or something, I don't know."
They did get Michael a glass of water, eventually.
Marko knocked on the door. "Uhm, we got Michael a glass of water are we allowed to come in?"
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David sighed. He glanced down at Michael who was looking up at him tiredly. "Do you want them to come in?"
"Mmmm... fine." Michael said. He slumped back against David's shoulder and reached out for David's hand.
David took his hand and rubbed his thumb in light circles over it. "You sure?"
"Yes David, I'm sure."
"Boys! Get in here!" David called.
Marko, Paul, and Dwayne filed in single file.
"We brought you water Mikey." Paul said.
All three paused and took in the sight of David and Michael curled up together on the bed.
"Has David gone soft?" Marko teased. The other boys snickered with him.
David growled. "Shut up."
"David... they're just teasing, give me the water. Please?" Came Michael's tired voice.
Marko handed it to David who then gave it to Michael.
After Michael had drank most of the glass he spoke. "Sorry about earlier guys..."
"Mikey don't say sorry, it was all of us who upset you in some way. We're sorry." Dwayne said as Paul and Marko nodded along.
Michael sniffed quietly. "I know now you didn't mean anything by it, thank you anyway."
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It was late, Michael should have been back home by now. Instead, he was asleep holding tightly to David while he slept.
David gently removed himself from Michael's grip, trying not to wake him. But Michael awoke to the feeling of David letting his hand go.
"Daviddd... Don' leave... Please 'm sorry." He mumbled, still half asleep.
"You have to go home Michael."
Michael was confused. "Why? What time is it?"
"11:37"
"Shit. Shit shit shit shit shit!" Michael quickly scrambled to his feet. "I have to get home! Oh mom is going to kill me!"
He ran out of the room and past the others in the living room towards the exit.
David caught up to him and flew him home.