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***
Noel had learned from experience that a throbbing headache was one of the worst ways to wake up. He had no idea how he ended up there, but when he woke up he was in Owen's bed nursing the worst headache he's had since that one time he suspected meningitis. It wasn't the regular hangover which usually subsides after a warm shower and ten minutes of meditation –this one was resilient. Water droplets from the shower banged a crescendo on his head so much that by the time he'd come out, the pain was much worse.
He sat in the kitchen with his forehead in his palm, and all he could think about was going home. He needed a big cup of coffee and a head massage, a hike and a joint, and most of all he needed to be as far away from Owen's room as possible.
"You look like death." David's voice came from behind him, and he could only respond with a hum that sounded so much like a groan.
"Coffee?"
"Please."
They sat in silence as the coffee machine worked its magic, and David waited until Noel had his first sip before he spoke. He should have waited longer, he knew that, but he wanted to address the matter while Owen was still in the shower.
"Uh, Noel, I hate to say this but we'd really appreciate it if you stopped pulling Owen out of band practice."
"His request or yours?" Noel deadpanned.
"Well, mine. And also Carl's."
"In that case, thanks but this is none of your business. If Owen didn't like me doing that, he's got an exquisite pair of lips, I'm sure he can use them."
His eyes were still focused on his drink when he got up and made to leave. He didn't want to be any more impolite than he already was, and he knew that staying in the same room as David any longer would definitely push him to that point. As he was leaving, David stood in his path and stopped him with one hand in his chest. The abrupt cessation of movement had his brain sloshing around in its fluids much like the coffee in his hand.
"Listen here," David's tone was more firm, adding to Noel's aggravation, "I don't give a fuck what you two are up to in your own free time, but practice time is no joke, alright? It's bad enough he's been slacking, we don't want you hanging around and making it worse."
Noel pressed the tips of two fingers to his forehead and exhaled, "Okay, I apologise for being disruptive. It won't happen again. Now, please..."
He tried to leave, but David stopped him again, more sternly this time, forcing him two steps back.
"Please don't put your hands on me." he enunciated.
"Don't you think this has gone on for too long? You may fool him, but I know boys like you. I know what you're up to."
"I'm not up to anything, David."
"Yeah, exactly."
They heard Owen coming out of the shower, so both stopped talking. Noel shot him one last glance and took his coffee to the lounge, leaving Owen persistently asking what was going on.
"What did you tell him?"
"Nothing. Only what you should have told him a long time ago, which is stop interrupting our rehearsal."
"If you'd have waited, I was gonna tell him that."
"Yeah, do you even believe yourself?"
He started looking around the kitchen and in the fridge for something to serve Noel, but all they had were things he wouldn't eat. He took a bottle of juice that had been there for a few weeks, sniffed it and put it back. Another one didn't smell too bad. He poured two glasses.
"Whatever. When did we run out of fruit? I need to give Noel some breakfast and he wouldn't eat any of this stuff because he's vegan."
David shrugged and checked his watch, "Dunno. Carl's still at Target though, text him to buy some. He should be here in a bit."
He took out his phone to text him, and heard David muttering, "Fucking vegan. He just keeps upholding his place as the biggest pain in the ass I've ever met."
"Can't believe I've been replaced."
David smiled, and it made Owen feel slightly better. He mentally ticked 'make David smile' off a list of several things like, call Dad, buy Maddie a present, listen to the new Big Thief album, go to the gym; things he needed to do but was too preoccupied by either being with Noel or waiting for him to say they could spend the day together. He was simply shut out off the real world and living in fantasy exile.
Carl announced his arrival loudly, kicked the door shut and threw a box of strawberries to Owen. He came upon Noel half-lotused on the sofa with both hands cradling his drink, and he winced and whispered, "What's Yoko doing here?"
"He's hungover."
"Can't he be hungover at his place?"
"Can't you be an asshole at yours? What're you doing here, anyway? We're not jamming until six."
"I just finished a twenty four hour long shift, and I'm gonna crash here because I'm beat, and I've got two beautiful ladies who would slit my throat if I drove all the way to Morristown on zero sleep, okay?"
"Fine," Owen put the two glasses, bowl of strawberries, and a pill container full of aspirin on a tray, "I wouldn't suggest you sleep in my bed though."
Carl feigned puking, and Owen laughed. He took the tray to Noel, kissed his forehead and apologised for what David had said earlier. Noel didn't look well. He was burdened by guilt, and the headache was eating away the last bit of patience he had. If he knew Owen wouldn't laugh, he'd tell him that his chakras weren't aligned.
"I'll apologise to David later," he said, "I just really don't have the energy for anything this morning and I shouldn't have been rude to him when he was right about everything." He paused to rub his forehead, "Owen, am I standing in the way of your career?"
