It was seven in the evening and Michael would never admit that he was waiting for a certain someone to reply to his messages.
He had spent the day with his brother. After a messy divorce and the stress of both nosy family and equally as nosy tabloids, Michael was happy to enjoy time with someone who did not want anything from him but his time.
The only gripe Michael could have with his loving brother Tobias other than his insane knack for business, was his equally as insane appetite. The porty man cared more for food than he did his appearance or a prospective wife, leaving their parents grasping at straws and turning their sights on their other children.
Michael had given in and married at their request. He did the whole husband and father thing and did it well despite being a raging homosexual. He loved his children, he cared for his wife but it couldn't be said that he was happy.
The event that changed his life was a reunion dinner and a chance meeting with an alluring man. With soft, brown wavy hair and beautifully brown eyes, he was tall and masculine in ways that were tantalising. Broad shoulders and nicely fitted pants-clad to taunt thighs. Michael was swift in wanting this one, giving in to the voice of the devil on his shoulder and spent the night with the beautiful man, Joseph.
They had parted ways abruptly. Joseph woke up panicked, gathering his clothing and waving Michael goodbye without so much as a glance back. It hurt, more than he expected. He wanted to tell the man this the next time he saw him if he ever saw him again.
Michael could not go home and pretend anymore so he divorced, it took almost two whole years to file for divorce. But it was only a few hours of searching social media that Michael found Joseph— Joseph Flintt.
His profile was private but Michael recognised the suit he was wearing in his profile picture and the lights in the background. He deluded himself that the other man thought about that night as often as he was.
He casually brought it up with his brother and Tobias knew who he was talking about.
"Flintt family, closely associated with the Sasark family. Joseph Flintt should be Artel Sasark's secretary."
Michael started attending every event that the Sasark family would be in attendance to, hoping to maybe see this Joseph.
Artel was a promising businessman, with a serious demeanour. He was passionate and intelligent, someone Michael would have gotten along with if he wasn't so disappointed he didn't bring his secretary. They exchanged numbers and never spoke again.
The next time that number was used, was almost a year later. A message was sent by Artel to Michael concerning a certain secretary.
Artel: 'You fucked my secretary?'
Michael didn't have to glance at the ID to know who it was. He almost choked at the crass language before sending a crude and quick, 'yes'.
Artel: 'Do you like him?'
Michael's heart stopped and he held his breath. What were they talking about before this message? Were they talking about him?
Michael: 'I'm more in love with him than I think.'
Artel: 'Okay. I'll send you an add from his page. If you fuck around with my friend's heart, I'll bury you under your brother's mattress.'
Michael was appalled both by the creativity of the punishment and the idea of being smothered under his brother's weight. It swiftly morphed into pleasant anticipation as another notification came from his social media of a 'Joseph Flintt' sending him a friend request. It was the same profile he frequently stalked over the last two years and he fought the urge to accept immediately.
He threw his phone at his brother.
"What do I do?" He panicked.
"What? Joseph Flintt? Is this why you asked me who he was?" Tobias glanced at his phone before turning back to his doughnut. "What are you going to do?"
"I— Obviously, I want to date him."
"Well, you can't date him if you don't talk to him."
"I know that! I'm just nervous. I've been thinking about this for a long time. What if he rejects me?"
Tobias looked hard at his younger brother. He had never seen his confident and handsome brother on the verge of melting down. It bloomed something akin to brotherly sadism that made him want to tease the other with no remorse. Still, his brother asked for help.
"There." In swift motions, Tobias accepted the request and sent a quick, 'Hey', before throwing the phone back.
"Wait! Why 'hey'? Why not 'hi' smiley face?"
"Ew, are you a creep? 'Hi :). Let me scam you."
"I-is it creepy?" Michael looked lost. Tobias did not think it was creepy but for the rare times he's gotten under his perfect brother's skin, he played the part, nodding his head.
"Very creepy."
The typing bubble lit the screen and Michael waited with bated breath as it indicated his corresponder was still typing.
Joseph: 'Hey. Thank you for accepting the add :).'
"Tobi! He sent a smiley face, is it a scam?" Michael looked torn and Tobias didn't have the heart to come clean.
"Maybe you should meet and talk in person, at least you'll know who it is, right?" Tobias licked the icing off his fingers, half-heartedly caring about his brother's current dilemma.
"Right!" He then replied to his message with a request to meet sometime soon.
No one replied after a few minutes, despite Joseph being online, and Michael was getting anxious that he was too forward. He sent a series of short texts afterwards then a 'goodnight' with a 'x' kiss and shut his phone down completely.
"ARGH!" Michael screamed into a couch pillow and Tobias watched him, his nose wrinkled in disapproval.
"Can you be more embarrassing? How can you be this way over a crush? You're an adult."
"Well sorry if most of my dating consisted of people I didn't want to be with. This is the only person I have ever wanted bad enough to have forsaken everything."
"Really? Why?"
"I don't know, Tobi. I met a man who was everything I dreamed a partner should be but he was better. His laugh was deep and nice to listen to. He got my jokes and was sarcastically witty. That night had been stuck in my head since it happened."
"That's why you've been tagging along to all the galas! Mother's going to hate this. She thought you were looking for another prospective wife."
"She must be wife hunting for the both of us then."
"No, I already have a wife in mind." Tobias took a sip of tea as his younger brother openly gaped at him.
"You? Does the woman-hater and food worshipper have a girlfriend? I call bullshit."
"No, it's true. We'll marry when Serena graduates."
"Graduates?! Like graduates High school?! I didn't know you were a perve—," Michael was pelted by a doughnut to the face. This was the only time that Tobias felt that wasting food was worth wild.
"COLLEGE YOU BUFFOON!" Tobias frowned hard, something that did not suit his jolly and round face. "Why? How old is Joseph? Why did you assume my girlfriend was a teenager? Ah— You wanted someone who could relate to you? I understand."
Michael spluttered to defend himself and Tobias, who knows exactly who Joseph Flintt was, will never let Michael live down his accusation of perversion.
"I understand. But I must tell the truth, my girlfriend is of age. Luckily you ruined your chances with your prospective lover, after all, you're too old for them."
Tobias hit every one of Michael's buttons and then left him to wallow alone, deciding to call his own beloved and laugh at his brother's misery.
'Serena would probably yell at him then give him advice to pass on to his idiot brother.'
Tobias gave an indulgent smile at the thought and Michael watched his brother leave, knowing he deserved the low blow he was dealt with.
The younger Hudson brother took a deep breath and fell back into the comfort of the sofa before turning his phone back on. He decided not to respond until morning since he already said goodnight, but hoped that the other would respond and he could have something to look forward to.
Joseph: Sorry, I wasn't looking at my phone…'
The preview ended but it was enough that Michael swooned. Metaphorically of course. He was too big and manly to be swooning, even if he did sport a goofy smile and suppress the urge to kick his legs in the air.
'How early should he respond…'
Happened to be very early.
Four in the morning early and Michael finally felt that he had an excuse to send a message.
Michael: 'Good Morning, x. About to work out, I'll call later. We can talk about it then.'
Michael threw his phone away, a habit he had now randomly adopted since his tentative corespondance started with Joseph.