Heronstairs: A Fluff Collection

Noise Complaints

A/N: Surprise!! Here's another chapter while I finish the big one. Also, a new fandom is ruining my life so there might be some upcoming fic for that too, haven't decided yet. Enjoy!

Hey :P are you at home?? -W.

Jem glanced at his phone, rolling his eyes.

Yeah, not feeling well enough to venture into the rain today. Why? Do you need something? -J

I'm bringing a girl home... -W

Tessa? -J

Yeah -W

Do you want me to leave? I can go to Alec's or something -J

I don't want to kick you out of your own apartment if you're sick -W

I'm always sick, that's hardly a basis for changing what you ask for at this point -J

Nah, stay home. We won't bother you. But do you want to be a dear and help me out before we get there??? -W

Your room's a mess isn't it -J

..... -W

I'll tidy up a bit so your own messiness doesn't impede your plan to get laid but you're doing the dishes for a week -J

YOU ARE THE BEST AND I LOVE YOU -W

I know -J

Jem tossed his phone to the side and stood, stretching a little. His joints protested far too much, considering he was barely twenty, but he ignored them as usual. Outside, it was grey and wet- typical weather for this time. Jem missed the sun. He stood in front of the window in his room, looking outside and sighing a little. He ran his fingers through his hair, trying to look at least slightly presentable.

Tessa would likely be preoccupied with his stupidly attractive flatmate, but still. There would be somebody else in his apartment. Bedhead wasn't a good look for company.

When he was satisfied he didn't look like he'd planned to spend the whole day in bed (even if he was planning to do that), he put the kettle on. Fed the cat. Set all of Will's books upright on the shelves and corralled his sheet music into its folders.

He ventured into Will's room with an ease born of familiarity, shaking his head at the clutter everywhere. Neither he nor Will were overly neat, which sometimes made living together mildly disastrous. Jem was just better at tidying up at the end of the week so that his room never crossed the line from "charmingly cluttered" to "tornado wreckage site."

He set books (more books, Will really needed to invest in one of those e-readers for the sake of their shelves) on the nightstand, straightening the pile of notes and textbooks on his desk into something resembling an organized university student's desk. Laundry was tossed into the hamper and the closet was set to rights... mostly. He looked around the room, straightening the duvet on Will's bed and trying very hard not to think about what that poor bed was about to witness shortly.

He sent Will a picture of the room.

Acceptable? -J

YOU ARE A SAINT AND A GIFT FROM GOD -W

What would you do without me? -J

Probably die in an avalanche of my own books -W

Jem laughed aloud, smiling fondly.