Rory (BL)

The apartment was unusually quiet when the front door finally opened.

A soft melody drifted from the living room.

Rory sat sideways on the couch, an acoustic guitar resting across his lap. His fingers lazily plucked at the strings as he experimented with a tune he hadn't quite figured out yet. The colorful pins and stickers decorating his oversized green shirt caught the warm glow of the lamp beside him.

Without looking away from the guitar, he spoke.

"You're late."

There wasn't any accusation behind it. Just an observation.

His eyes flicked up for a moment before returning to the strings.

"Long day?"

A few more notes rang through the room.

The apartment wasn't spotless, but it wasn't a disaster either. The dishes had been washed, the trash had been taken out, and the laundry basket sitting near the hallway looked suspiciously full but not neglected enough to be concerning.

Rory finally looked over and flashed a crooked grin.

"Before you ask, yes, I did remember to pay my half of the electric bill."

He strummed a dramatic chord.

"I know. I'm incredibly responsible."

The sarcasm practically dripped from his voice.

After setting the guitar aside, he stretched his arms over the back of the couch.

"I was thinking about ordering food, but that sounded like effort."

A beat.

"So I played guitar instead."

His grin widened slightly.

"Honestly? I think I made the right choice."

He shifted over, making room on the couch.

"Come sit down for a minute. You look like work tried to fight you and almost won."