The two both worked full time and were still struggling to pay their rent as house prices exploded around them as their salaries stayed the same. It was taxing and it was hard to watch them struggle while we couldn't do anything, because they wouldn't accept any of our help. Their apartment was one of the less expensive in the city but still a decent place with just one bedroom, but it was still more than they could afford to pay for the rest of their lives.
Preston and Rob both worked full time too but they had a less expensive apartment further out from the city and although it meant a longer commute in they said it was worth it as their rent was less. Their apartment was two bedrooms and although it was on the less modern side, it was a good place.
It took literally two minutes for us to sink back into the rhythm we had as teenagers and I loved it.
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"Lachlan? Do you want some popcorn?" His head came up from where it was resting but he shook his head. I had thought he was asleep as he hadn't moved in a while but he was just biting at his nail and watching the screen.
"No! Jerome help me out here! Sh-" Preston cut himself off, fiercely wiggling his fingers on the controller as he was mobbed by zombies while trying to collect resources in his mine. "Nooooo! Jerome, why didn't you help me?"
Jerome snorted, his character still running around the screen as he tried to avoid the stream of mobs that was following him.
"Can you go and get my stuff? Pleaseeeeee?"
"No! I'm not going into that hell hole with the army of mobs!?" There was quiet laughter from Vikk, who was camping out in the basic tree house they had built, waiting for the night to fade. He was being smart, waiting out the night and seeing what he could do.
Rob, the only other player on the server, was buried in a dirt hole in the dark having been caught out in the middle of nowhere when night feel and because the server was on hard mode, he would have definitely been killed otherwise.
"Vikkkkkkkk." Rob whined, as it was only halfway through the night. "Can you come and get me please? You can see my nametag, I'm not that far away."
Vikk glared at him past Preston's shoulder, shaking his head.
"I'm not risking my ass because you've got caught out, you can wait." He was giggling through his stern message, dancing up and down in the direction of Rob's nametag just as the sun started to rise. Rob poked his tongue out.
"Well you're a great friend aren't you." I heard Lachlan's soft laugh from underneath the pile of blankets and his hair just appeared in my view. He was basically in a cocoon and I could barely see his eyes because everything was cuddled under a pile of fluff.
"How about we not argue and go and get my stuff please? I had a lot of iron and we kind of need it, especially considering none of us have armour right now." Vikk sighed and punched Preston's character who had spawned next to him but reluctantly agreed.
"Fine but if I die then you're going to get my stuff."
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It took another four hours before we had finally settled into the world with proper amour, tools and equipment so that we could survive without the fear of dying every night.
We had traded the remotes around a few times so everyone got their go and had shared out the food so everyone had also had a fair amount of sugar too. Lachlan and Vikk had both avoided the sugar and also the fizzy drink that we had handed out so they were the only ones who weren't hyped up and overloaded.
During the turn when Vikk and Lachlan were the ones without the remotes I noticed them curling up on each other, Lachlan moving a little to share his blankets with the smaller and legs intertwining. It was only ten minutes after we swapped the remotes that Preston realised that both of them were asleep. I saw him smile.
"They're both asleep." Rob turned around on the beanbag to look up at the two and grinned, nestling himself back against his boyfriends legs.
"That may be our queue to sleep you know, considering it's-" Jerome checked his phone. "11 o'clock."
"That's not that late?" Rob elbowed Preston and shook his head.
"Mate we've got work tomorrow, it kinda is late." Preston scowled and poked his tongue out childishly at his boyfriend, making sure not to move too much in case he knocked the couple curled up next to him. He sighed.
"I suppose." Jerome stood up and then turned off the television, making sure to save the game before doing so. Vikk and Lachlan were already asleep on the couch so we decided to leave them there instead of waking them, and instead just placed a pillow under Vikk's head when Preston moved and placed another blanket on top of them.
Jerome and I moved to our bed which was just beside the television and settled into our normal positions with about 8 blankets and duvets piled on top of us. We slept in the same spot each night, Jerome on his back and me on my stomach with my head on his chest, our arms around each other.
Preston and Rob moved and settled themselves on one of the mattresses, the other one having been ment for Vikk and Lachlan but obviously they weren't on it. They had a similar sleeping position to Jerome and I, Rob flat on his back and Preston on his front of top of him but Preston was up much higher than I was with their heads right next to each other.
I heard Preston giggle from below me on the floor as Rob whispered to him, and then he spoke up.
"Hey Mitch, truth or dare?" Jerome groaned in annoyance below me, silently facepalming.
"No Preston, this is really not the time for that stupid game." I heard his giggle again. I sighed.
"Truth. I can't be bothered getting up." Jerome wrinkled his nose.
"Hmmmm, what's the most embarrassing name that Jerome calls you?" I could feel my face flushing a hot red, already thinking of that one name that he called me. Jerome lit up.
"Ohhhhh I know this one." He was teasing me, knowing exactly what he would say.
"No Jerome!" I whispered yelled, elbowing his stomach.
"Oof! Yes Jerome!" He whisper yelled back, looking over me at Preston.
"Yes! Tell us Jerome!" That was Rob, who was choking on laughter through his speech.
"Don't encourage him Rob!" I pleaded with him, giving him my best puppy eyes over the edge of the mattress.
"But we want to know Mitch! Please? It was a truth after all." I sighed, closing my eyes and praying to whatever god that I could think of that I would be embarrassed for the rest of my life. Jerome was giggling madly behind me.
"I hate you." I moaned, burying my face in my hand.
"I call him Cookie when there's no one else around." Preston burst into a series of giggles and Rob snorted into his hand, making me bury my head even further into my hands.
"Why did I even encourage you to start this stupid game?" I groaned.
"Alright, alright, can we just go to sleep now? We're gonna wake up the sleeping beauties and I would rather not face the music of disturbing them." Rob shrugged, wrapping his arms around Preston and squeezing him tightly.
"Same here, and we've got work."
I nuzzled my way back into my usual sleeping position on top of Jerome and smiled as he wrapped his arms around my waist, his chin coming to rest on the top of my head. He was warm and cuddly, and it wasn't long before I started to drift off.
"Love you Mitch." I hummed.
"Love you too."
The Pack Ships- The Sleepover
Start from the beginning
