Michael Guy Chislett, Handful of Things He Calls Excuses

Michael wandered around with one hand in his hair, looking a little lost.

"Hey," Sisky looked up from where he was watching television all alone and patted the couch next to him as an invitation.

"Hey," Michael sat and stared at the screen for a few moments before turning to the small young man next to him. "Where's the Butcher? I thought you were inseperable."

Sisky shrugged. "He got bored."

"Oh," Michael turned back to the screen, wondering if his assumptions about the two were wrong. "What are you watching?"

"Man Versus Wild!" Sisky grinned happily. "It's ending, but that Bear Grylls dude is the coolest guy ever. I love how he's always so happy no matter what."

Michael refrained from saying 'Sounds Kind of Like You' to watch the man on television take off his pants for use as a flotation device. He watched as the show ended and another one about medical emergencies came up.

"Makes you think doesn't it?" Sisky pulled his knees up to his chest thoughfully. "You never know when you're gonna end up needing to know stuff like that."

"You're right," Michael watched as the woman on screen demonstrated some simple skills that could save someone's life in an emergency and listened to her stress the importance of calling the paramedics as soon as possible. He made a mental note to remember everything just in case...

Michael pulled the blanket over himself using the movement to hide the fact that he was blushing in shame, "This isn't why you wanted me is it?"

"No," Mike smiled at him. "You are one of the best guitarists I've ever met."

Michael wasn't so sure, but he let Mike cuddle with him all the same, their naked, sweaty bodies pressed against each other. He was tired of being used, but he didn't have a choice. He couldn't stop it before because he didn't have his own place to live, and now he couldn't because he needed this job. He liked the Academy Is boys. They made good music together so far.

It was just weird feeling like a second choice, a substitute. Even now Michael knew Mike had been thinking about someone else when they where having sex. Hopefully Carden was thinking about him now at least for this moment. He owed Michael that.

Michael had had enough of hiding because despite everything he really wasn't as shy as he'd been acting and liked the Academy Is guys from what he'd seen so far. It was just a little awkward for him, them being there, so he stayed out of the way for the most part.

Michael leaned back against the wall in the corner of the room to watch the younger guys play. William's voice was pretty as his face, and that crazy looking Siska kid was pretty good too although Michael couldn't see how those skinny arms could lift a bass. Andy wasn't anything like Michael expected him to be based on the tattoos and the beard and the half-nakedness. He was a sweet guy. That Mike guy he talked about guitars with for a few moments seemed nice, but he wasn't the one Michael was staring at.

It was the other guitarist, Tom. There was something about him that Michael couldn't quite put his finger on. He wanted to talk to him and figure out what it was but he didn't know if he could bring himself to do it. He just kept watching in silence, and left for another room just as quietly.

Despite Michael's previous impression, Mike Carden was a professional. He was serious about the music he made, and Michael found that to be a blessing. There were no awkward advances or mentions of the previous night when they went over the guitar parts for the new song. Mike barely even looked anywhere but his guitar.

"That's wrong," Mike said suddenly.

"What?"

"Wrong chord," Mike reached out and moved Michael's fingers, causing the Australian to doubt his impression of the other guitarist.

"Are you sure?" He strummed it.

"You were right. I'm sorry," Mike seemed to retreat into his mind.

"Is everything okay...?"

"No," Mike sobbed, putting his guitar on the floor and his face into his hands. "You don't know what I did to William and now I fucking broke my own rule. I was right about the music wasn't I? We're good right? You work well with us."

Michael had no idea what Carden was rambing on about but he took the distraught man into his arms and held him, mumbling soothing words. "Hey. I'm sure Bill forgives you."

"I was right wasn't I? Fuck, I wish I wasn't," Mike cried into the other similarly named man's shoulder.