Rookie furniture shopping
Title: Rookie furniture shopping (#autograph)
Pairing: Andy Murray/Novak Djokovic
Other characters: Bob and Mike Bryan
Rating: PG-13
Word count: 2,007
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters and this is a fiction.
Summary: In search of a new bed, Andy goes shopping and runs into the twins.
Author’s note: Those who follow Mandy and Bob on twitter might know about them running into each other in a Miami-based furniture store last week. The story was inspired by Nole’s “honest” answer in his pre-doubles interview (check under the cut, if necessary).
Q. What are you going to do in doubles tomorrow to cheer him up?
Novak Djokovic: Well, look, you know, I still haven’t heard from him, so I’ll let him sleep over and see hopefully tomorrow. He’s gonna be fresh and motivated to win doubles. I’m really looking forward to that doubles.
“It’s all about science, really. Thanks to years and years of research and experiments from our dedicated scientists, we now know what’s best for the human body. And this one here happens to be the model that we provide the most to our VVIPs!”
“I see.” Andy nodded as a chatty clerk pointed her manicured finger towards a bed which had an impossible price on its tag.
‘Good lord! Did they make the springs out of diamond or what?’
He had been shown around the large furniture store for almost an hour in search of a new bed for his flat. His old bed was more for a single guy and he felt the need to get a bigger one, given how things had been going with his boyfriend.
‘He keeps winning and winning which means that more people are drooling over him. I’ll need a perfect bed if I want to keep him.’
Noticing how the world-class tennis player had been staring at the price tag, the clerk started to explain - almost an octave higher - all the marvelous functions the new model had to offer. She seemed determined to defend the bed’s name at all cost.
“Please go ahead and try it! No need to worry about getting too hot. The temperature will adjust itself according to the room temperature. We’ve only received excellent reviews on this one. The red clay and elvan will do wonders not just for your body but also for your inner peace!”
After the clerk rambled for another minute or so, Andy told her that he was utterly convinced - so she would drop any other explanations that were ready to be fired his way - and asked her if he could have a few moments to check the bed on his own.
“Certainly, sir. I’ll be around if you need me.”
‘At last!’
Even though the clerk had done a great job of turning him into a well-informed customer, it was nice to have some time alone.
‘Let’s see if this really is an amazing piece of science and a true gift from the skies. Geez, who knew they’d even go for the religious angle these days. Nole might’ve appreciated it though.’
Picturing his boyfriend who wore a cross so sexily, Andy lay down on the huge bed. His eyes closed automatically at the warmth that relaxed the muscles on his back.
‘Ah, this is warm and nice. Very nice.’
Just when he had started reliving last night’s romance with his Serb, a similar set of familiar voices brought him back to reality.
“Hey, isn’t that Andy?”
“Oh, that’s him all right. Can’t miss that pale skin. Andy!”
The Scot slowly got up, wondering what the odds were of running into another tennis player in a furniture store in Miami.
‘Did they really have to buy some piece of furniture today? Is this the only store open in the city? Guh… so much for a secret romance.’
Determined to play it cool, Andy managed to put a small smile on his lips. “Hey, funny seeing you guys here.”
“Tell me about it!” The twins answered in unison.
Andy stood up to greet the Bryans and their girlfriend and wife, hoping that the presence of the ladies will prevent him from having to answer difficult questions.
“Looking for a new bed?” Mike asked.
“Uh huh.”
“All alone?” Bob had a wicked glint in his eyes.
“Yeah, I’m a big boy. I can shop for my own bed.” Andy smiled casually.
“Where’s your bedmate? This is a double bed.” Mike pointed out.
“There’s no bedmate. I just like to have enough space when I sleep. I’m not a gentle sleeper, haha.”
Bob rubbed his chin and took a good look at his fellow player. “Hmm, I would’ve believed you if you had been lying in the middle of the bed. But you were lying on one side of it.”
Andy bit the inside of his mouth. ‘Damn!’
“Sweetheart, perhaps we should let him enjoy his privacy.” Michelle nudged her husband but it had zero effect on the two gossip lovers.
“How come we haven’t met this secret bedmate of yours? I thought we were pretty close!”
“Is it someone we know? Does he play tennis too?”
“Oooh, does it happen to be the same one you were with when we walked in on you last year?”
“Mike, that wasn’t last year. It’s been over a year!” Bob shook his head, only to turn to Andy with hopeful eyes. “But is it him by any chance? I thought you two were cute together!”
As Bob mentioned the locker room incident that had eventually led to some blackmailed rapping, Andy couldn’t help but blush. He clearly remembered the moment when he had gotten caught with love bites all over his back and a spiky head attached to his groin. Nobody was supposed to come back to the locker room.
“Baby, I think he…” Michelle didn’t get a chance to finish her words.
“Oh my god! It’s him!” Bob almost squealed.
“So you’re still seeing him!” Mike actually squealed.
Bob’s heart filled up with pride. “I bet it’s our song that made you guys an item! I told you that music is all about opening your heart and connecting with your loved ones!”
“That’s so awesome! And people say that we live in an era where there’s no true love!” Mike was getting teary.
Andy looked around to see if his chatty helper could save him by outchatting the twins, but while she was very much needed, she was nowhere to be seen.
“Hey, I have this amazing mix CD that works great for a romantic mood. If you ever need it, all you have to do is ask! We apparently share the same music taste!” Bob giggled one last time at Andy’s flushed face before being dragged away by his wife.
‘Oh boy, I’m screwed.’
Andy suddenly felt very tired and worried. Not in the mood to shop anymore, he paid for the amazing piece of science and left the store in a hurry.
“I’m back.” The Scot announced in a flat voice as he spotted his bedmate’s head resting on the armrest of the couch.
“What’s wrong? You couldn’t find a good bed?” Novak rubbed his eyes and sat up.
“I did find a good bed, but we might need to rap again.” Andy threw his wallet on the coffee table and took the empty place on the couch.
“Again? I even went live on American national TV on U.S Open kids’ day! What more can I do?”
“You might have to arrange a small concert for them in Belgrade Square after all. You said you could make it happen.”
“Well, yeah, if I really have to. But what exactly happened out there?”
As Novak held his hand to offer him some mental support, Andy told him all about the alarming incident at the furniture store.
“Oh, so they didn’t have time to blackmail you because they were with the girls.”
“Exactly. I’m sure we’ll get texted soon with details though.”
“But they don’t have a new song yet. Plus, Bob told me the other day that he wasn’t inspired at all.”
“That’s terrific!” Andy was thrilled. But then, he realized that he knew the twins a little too well to feel relieved just yet. “What if they make us do worse things than rapping? The Monte Carlo players’ party’s just around the corner!”
“Hey, if they want us to perform, I’ll do it for both of us. Don’t worry. You know I wouldn’t mind it.”
Novak had always been one of the most eager participants of the private players’ party. He had been Jessica Simpson, Michael Jackson, and many others on stage.
“In that case, they’d want to blackmail us separately. I just know it.” Andy knew that he should have acted better in the furniture store.
“Aww, come here.” Novak gently tugged at the hand that he had been holding and pulled his boyfriend into his arms.
“You know, we could always strike first. Go for a preemptive attack.” The Serb murmured in the pale ears.
“Urgh, we shouldn’t have been caught in the first place! Then none of this would’ve happened.” Andy groaned into Novak’s neck and pulled back, narrowing his eyes at him.
“Hey, don’t look at me like that. You were the one who said you had trouble warming down.”
Andy sighed. Novak was right. He had needed help to wind down after the match, and it was no use regretting something that had happened over a year ago.
“So you were saying? A preemptive attack?” The Scot rested his head on back of the couch, still holding Novak’s hand for life support.
“Yes. Remember Bob tweeting about how he had needed hours to assemble that Lego Buzz Lightyear?”
“Oh yeah, the ‘Toy Story’ character for his nephew.”
“Yeah. And just yesterday, he told me that he had to assemble the whole ‘Toy Story’ family.”
Andy’s head left the back of the couch and sprang into the air. “Hey, I could do that for him!”
“Exactly! You have very able hands.”
Andy smiled, finally able to relax. He could text the twins with an offer before they came up with something nasty.
“This is a great idea. Thanks, Nole.”
His boyfriend seemed to have all the right solutions to his everyday problems. He felt very lucky to have him around. Just when he was about to say something embarrassingly romantic, the doorbell came to his rescue.
Ding-dong.
“Who can it be?” Novak got up, ready to hide in the closet. It was Andy’s flat after all.
“It might be the bed. They told me they’d deliver it fast enough so that I could nap on it.”
When Novak was safely hidden in the gateway to Narnia, Andy opened the door.
After the delivery men assembled the bed and wished him a very pleasant afternoon, the Scot locked the door and headed back to the bedroom.
“They’re gone, Nole. Come out here so we can test it.” Andy hoped that his voice didn’t carry too much excitement. He was a well-raised man who was aware that there were many other exciting things in life other than hours of messy sex.
“Oh Nole…”
But when his bedmate appeared without a single stitch on his tanned body, he decided not to care about those other exciting things.
“You said the bed heats up, right? No need for clothes then.” Novak smiled.
“But it doesn’t heat up immediately…” Andy answered, his mind already busy fantasizing about all the obscene things they could do.
“You could let me share your body heat then.”
Andy tried hard not to smile too obviously as he followed every single movement of his boyfriend climbing on the bed.
‘Perhaps it really is the perfect bed.’ He thought, enjoying the sight of his Serb nicely spread on it.
‘Perhaps it was worth all that trouble.’
As Novak invited him with a wet finger and a dazzling smile, Andy gladly let go of the last strand of his sanity and jumped on the bed.