Heronstairs: A Fluff Collection

Noise Complaints

A tragedy, to be sure -J

On the tube home now -W

Jem didn't bother responding, knowing Will wouldn't look at his phone again until long after Tessa had left. He went back to the kitchen as the kettle started to whistle, making a cup of tea and letting his mind wander. When he heard the telltale scrape of the key in the lock, he hastily made his way to his own room and closed the door.

A few moments later there was an affronted yowl from Church and a lot of swearing from Will.

"Stupid cat," Will muttered. Jem heard Tessa laugh, and resolutely squashed the jealous flip in his stomach.

He was twenty four, thank you very much, and above petty jealousy. Will could do whatever (or whomever) he liked.

When he heard Will's bedroom door close, he laid back on his own bed and listened to the quiet classical music coming from his phone, trying hard not to think.

A few tortuously long moments later, the infamous thumping sound of Will's headboard against the wall and squeaking of the abused mattress springs was audible over the sound of a piano.

Jem sighed. He was going to forcibly rearrange Will's room next time he was out so that the bed didn't touch anything that could make noise.

He could swear that the soft moans and heavy breathing and squeaking of the mattress were speeding up as the music got faster, but that could've been his own traitorous heart.

He was tempted to turn the music up louder.

A loud sigh- definitely a woman's- drifted through the wall. Jem rolled his eyes, but the words that came after surprised him.

"Are you even trying?"

Jem couldn't help himself. He laughed, perhaps harder than he should have.

The squeaking stopped, and a low muttering from Will and the muffled sound of a door opening was all the warning he got before his own door was thrown open to reveal a flustered and very naked Will.

"You," Will said, a blush creeping up his face, "Can fuck off directly."

"Having fun?" Jem asked innocently.

"You are an asshole."

Jem laughed again, shaking his head. "Sorry, is your ego smarting a little?"

"Did you have to laugh?"

"Best friend privilege. And I offered to leave," Jem reminded him. "You're the one that told me to stay even though you knew full well Tessa was coming over for one reason only. Poor girl, sounds like she's having second thoughts."

"I'm going to hit you."

"Swing, then."

"This is what I get for wanting you to stay home and rest?"

Jem snorted. "Show me the man that can rest with the litany of noises coming through that wall."

Will rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Yeah, sorry about the noise."