"Mate, stop swipin' and get up. You're on the clock and this needs latching," came a raised voice above. "Pass me my tools."
Benji had been on Grinder, attempting to find someone he hadn't slept with since having his heartbroken over a year ago. He wasn't wanting to date them, but unfortunately, the pool was drying up. The closest person to him this past year was Adam, his best mate and fellow roofer, the voice who had just been yelling at him. If Adam wasn't in Benji's life, he didn't know what he'd do.
"Yeah, coming," Benji responded, shoving his phone in his pocket.
"Hope not," Adam laughed.
Once Benji climbed up the ladder, they fell into a perfect rhythm together, each working on their own component and passing each other tools between quick snippets of discussions. It was the tiles on most of the rooves around this area that had been slipping as of lately. Of course, none of houses' residents had done about them earily, not until it became a large issue; wintertime. When the wind picked up and the cold weather played havoc with the roof. It was only yesterday the pair discovered that there was a roof that had been leaking for almost six months, and the landlord didn't know until Adam told him. What it needed, what every roof needed, was to be completely redone rather than just a quick patch up here and there.
Beep Beep. "Yer gonna haveta shut down that phone of yours," Adam continued, pulling out another tool, "the notifications are ridiculous. Just make it plain on your bio that one night means one night."
"Can't blame me for being amazing in bed," Benji laughed back, though glancing at his phone. The point of the hooks-ups were purely sex anyway, too many times with the same person and then he'd have to actually try with some semblance of a relationship, even if they never neared being acquaintances. One night would have to be the limit, maybe two if the person in particular was attractive enough. Benji could count on one hand how many people fell into that category and they all looked like his ex.
Beep Beep. "Benji," Adam scowled.
"Alright, alright," was the response as Benji got up to grab his device. All the notifications falling into follow up requests or just new people commenting on his profile, the same as every day.
"I'm serious," Adam tried, "I've seen how you look at Kate and I, go find someone of yer own. As yer ex-flatmate, colleguge,-"
"Boss," he intertupted.
But Adam only continued, ignoring the corretion. "-And friend, I've gotta care. Can't have you moping all over the place."
Benji grabbed his phone that was balancing on a yet to be set roof tile, turned it off and crawled back over to Adam. “Right, there we go. To answer your question about finding a partner, I’ve told you time and time again. I’m not ready for that. I’m too worried that things will end up like last time if I commit. You remember how Chloe broke me. I was a mess for weeks. I just don’t want to go through that again.”
"Yeah, I remember, mate," Adam responded. "And since then you've had a string of only male, if not for a better word, fuck-buddies. Do you think that maybe you should actually think about getting into a homosexual relationship instead?"
There was a silence that passed over them as Benji climbed back down the ladder to the roof. He put a couple of the tools back in the van.
Benji returned to the roof shrugging. “You know what? I think I’ll take your advice. Maybe I should message that guy I found on Grindr. We were having a nice conversation before you interrupted... Here’s hoping I don’t get murdered,” he half joked.
Adam scoffed, "I'm sure you've already messaged him and he'll be there waiting for you when yer finished work." He suddenly looked at Benji's empty hands disappointedly. "Did you bring my tools up mate?"
"Oh Shoot! I forgot to grab them!", Benji exclaimed when he looked at his hands and back up to Adam.
Adam rubbed the back of his neck as he sighed heavily again. "Benji, what am I gonna do with you? Go back down to the van and get my tools, mate!"
Benji lowered his down as he apologised to Adam while climbing back down to go get the tools. Adam cursed to himself, "Dang it, I was too hard on him." He shook his head as he started to look at his surroundings while sitting up on the roof.
Adam slapped his hand to his face dramatically even though no one was around and muttered, "What am I going to do with him?" He pulled his hand down slowly from his face, with some force, almost as if he were pulling off a mask. "Apologise, that's what. Maybe I can..." Quickly he pulled out his phone and dialled his wife's number. It rang twice before being picked up. "Hi Sweetie, I was wondering if we could have Benji round tonight, perhaps even set him up with someone?"
A sharp sigh came from the phone, the volume was always on super high on his phone since he was usually working outside, making all kinds of loud noises. Adam held the reciever an inch away from his ear. 'What did you say this time to him?" she clipped at him.
Adam shuffled around on the roof for a second before he told her, "I snapped at him, forgetting my tools, you know how forgetful he is. I didn't mean to say it as I did."
She only laughed at him to his shock. "Oh please, he can handle himself more than you think he can. Yes, he can come to dinner," she lightly crooned. Then she became more serious, "Now, finding him someone is going to take some deliberation! Perhaps we could see if Mitchell is free. You remebmer the cute and friendly guy in my office?" He started cackling at how she was speaking. "Feel better now? she asked Adam, who then breathily said yes to her, to both questions she had asked. "Good! Now, apologise and let him know about dinner. Since Benji is coming over, we'll have chicken spaghetti. It's his favourite meal, which should cheer him up tonight. See you after work, sweetie!"
"Right, we'll see you tonight then. Love you." He responded lightly before ending the phone call
Adam then took a deep breath. He thought he heard footsteps below, an indication Benji was returning. He turned back to the top of the ladder that was perched against the roof.
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