Reuben Orville

Reuben Orville

“Orville!” A young man yelled in a slight northern accent as he stooped through a nondescript doorway and into his apartment, “Orville!”

A copper haired man swung round a slightly cracked doorway.

“What the hell?!” Reuben yanked off his scarf and hung it haphazardly on an oddly untouched coat stand.

Orville raised an eyebrow and began to swing back into his room.

“Orville I'm not done with you!” He looked down at the piles of crumpled pieces of paper surrounding his wonkily laced, canvas shoes, “And what the hell is all this?! I have had it with you! I swear to go-”
“Reuben. Darling what is it that I have done so horribly wrong?” Orville emerged from the shadowy interior of his room, pulling a long, grey, poorly fitted coat around his wiry frame.

Reuben blinked blankly at Orville's eerily attractive features, “Don't. Call me darling.” He turned on his heel and headed towards the cluttered kitchen, scattering a few paper balls as he went, “And you know perfectly well what you've done.” The kettle bubbled as he claimed a mug.

Orville slipped onto the counter across from him and folded his arms across his chest.

“It was twenty minuets ago Orville!” The mug interrupted him as it clattered onto the counter top, “And you know she's utterly insane!”
“You seemed to happy together, I didn't want to interrupt.” Orville stated, a small smirk slipping into his expression.

“She stabbed me in the hand!”

“Will you stop harking on about the past. Live in the moment my darling.” Orville began rooting around in the draw directly between his legs.

“Stop with the darlings. Please.” Reuben began to pour the boiling water into his mug, “Plus!” He span around erratically causing boiling droplets of water to scatter their way around the small room, “Plus! That was only two days ago.” He held up his left hand which was partially hidden with a slightly bloodied bandage.

“That's beside the point.” Orville replied, smoothly emerging with a half opened packet of sherbet lemons, “Besides I feel your relationship is stronger for it.”
“What relationship!” The older man shook his head, “Actually. No. No. You know what. It's fine. I just-” He sighed, “I just need some sleep.”

Orville grinned, “That's the spirit.” He held out the bag, “Sherbet lemon?”
Reuben shook his head and returned to his tea, “What is all this anyway?”
“I'm afraid you're going to have to be more specific their pal.” Orville hopped down off of the counter, kicked a couple of paper balls out of his path and leapt over the back of the sofa. Reuben followed, “The paper.”

Orville clicked on the television, “Oh.” He smiled, “Don't worry about them, I was thinking about something.”
“And..you felt the need to cover the apartment in that something?” The taller man settled beside him, flicking his shoes into a corner before tucking his feet up under his thighs.

“Yes.” Orville stared directly ahead, seemingly enthralled in the advertisements for a seemingly unending stream of women’s hygiene products. Reuben sipped his tea for a second, and upon deciding conversation was futile, settled into a comfortable silence.