Knowing When to Quit

Another brief look into the lives of Silinrul and Nihalsi. Sil really needs to learn when to just give it up for the night. Written for the prompt "buzz."

 

     Bzzzzzzzz.

     Silinrul sat up and blinked, bleary-eyed, at the grey, outdated, bulky computer monitor in front of him. He didn't think he had fallen asleep, but a pop-up message on the screen was cheerily informing him that the software installation had completed successfully, that the computer had been restarted and that all was well with the world - all while he had "rested" his head on the desk. He yawned and stretched, then reached over for the mouse, and - where was that inane buzzing sound coming from? His head tilted to the side and his eyes closed as he listened, using his trained hearing to try and locate the source. It wasn't the monitor, certainly. He stood, eyes still closed, and leaned over the tower, which he had just gotten through fixing and reassembling a few hours before. That was closer - his eyes opened and he lifted off the side of the tower's case, looking over the familiar setup of the inside of a computer. But nothing there should be making a noise like that. It wasn't quite an electronic buzz, not the high-pitched squeal of an old CRT monitor, nor the comforting whirr of the computer's cooling fan. And it sounded so familiar, but he just couldn't quite place it....

     Suddenly the noise got louder and Silinrul turned his head to the side to see his brightly-coloured alarm clock, exposed and happily buzzing away on the floor near a pile of discarded clothes.

     "Looking for this?" Nihalsi asked, amused, holding the black shirt that had muffled the alarm's calls and indicating the clock with his foot. "I believe you stuffed it under there the last time you worked until six in the morning. Yesterday, wasn't it?" Then he leaned down and picked up the small clock, turning it off and replacing it on the corner of the computer desk. Silinrul chuckled, then sighed and leaned the computer case cover against the leg of his desk before plopping back into his seat, eyes closed, massaging his temples.

     "Thanks, love," he said, his accented voice rough and weary. "That damn buzzing was driving me nuts." Nihalsi smiled and leaned over to kiss his lover's cheek.

     "I know, hun. It always does."

Reviews

[Gabriella]

Cute story, it really sticks to the prompt. Just curious, which story is your first featuring these characters? I want to learn more.

[KMB]

I really liked this, it was a very simple idea but well carried out.