Doorman

A Change in Perspective (For Masculine Readers)

AUTHOR'S NOTE:
I decided to write three different chapters from Michael's perspective. They are all the same chapter, except one has (he/him) pronouns for the reader, one with gender neutral pronouns (they/them) and the other has (she/her) pronouns for the reader. Just thought I'd give a heads up!

I also added the music that Michael plays in the chapter. Why that song? Because I like it and I was listening to it while writing.

**

As I start up my computer, I hear the knock on my door. I can't believe I invited him to practically do nothing at my dorm. I mean, obviously I want to, you know, "work" on my Doorman project, but all I really want to do is talk to him.

When he helped me with my lock... it was so... stupid. There was no reason for him to pick the lock, but he did. And it was... amazing. And he was, I can't believe I'm saying this, cute. He was slightly taller than me, and usually I hate that, and he had such soft eyes, so full of emotion. I feel so weird for feeling like this, I don't normally feel like this.

I suppose I should answer the door.

Greeting me is the same shy smile I saw only a little while back.

God damn it. He's cute.

"Hey, come on in," I let him in, "I was going to talk to you in the cafe, but I decided that would be weird."

Oh my god he's definitely going to know I was staring at him.

He blushes slightly, "Oh, you saw me?"

"Yeah..."

There is an awkward silence for a few minutes.

"So... tell me more about this... Doorman thing you're working on," he smiles, gesturing toward my computer.

"Well, it's a magnetic door lock, so it's fail-safe. You can control it using an app on your phone," I open up the code I'm working on, "When you choose to unlock it, the magnets open, and you can open the door."

His lips turn, in what could be described as a smirk, "That sounds cool... what do you need me for?"

I freeze, not entirely knowing what to say. This is embarrassing, I don't know what I wanted him to do.

"Maybe you could help me design the physical part of the lock?" I shrug in apprehension, and turn on some music.

"Okay, what did you have in mind?"

🕰🕰

It's now around 6:38, and despite our initial enthusiasm about the lock, things are starting to spiral out of control. At this point we're just taking turns coming with shitty robot ideas, and I am having the time of my life. My brain is becoming fried due to the amount of caffeine I was ingesting, and the fact I hadn't slept in two days is not helping.

He is so beautiful sitting there, laughing. He seems so happy, and he is with me. Time seems to move in slow motion. I can hear the blood rushing through my ears. I've never felt like this before. I've never felt this happy before. I reach out to grab his hand-

Silence. He stops laughing. All I can hear in the background is the music we have playing. This feels wrong, but I don't let go of his hand. I don't look at him.

"Michael?" He breathes my name.

I start to look up at him, my heart beating faster. Our eyes meet and I see in his eyes a kind of emotion I don't recognize.

"I'm sorry..." I begin to apologize for being so... weird, but I'm cut off by the press of his lips against mine.

He bounces back, his eyes wide in confusion and fear, "I'm so sorry, I don't know what I'm doing, I need to go." He gets up to leave and in the heat of the moment, I'm frozen. So I let him go.

And I'm in love.