A/N: I don't think this one was as good as my last one, but I had the idea and had to get it out somehow. Also, I'm trying my hand at a more description heavy story. My comfort zone lies with dialogue usually, so we'll see how this one goes. So I hope you all enjoy.

Shaking the Bed:

Worn out would be an understatement. Stressed, the type that meant headaches and back pain and sore muscles and all around irritation, would be more fitting to describe Mordecai's current state. Working the whole day with Muscle Man was definitely what induced it. With High Five Ghost sick, he had needed somebody to help with the load, but he basically used Mordecai as his whipping boy the entire time. He was always surprised at the amount of work Muscle Man was actually accountable for, but surely it would normally be more reasonably split between him and HFG.

Finally, Mordecai returned to the house for what he considered to be a well deserved rest after much continuous labor and what he was sure constituted as abuse. He came down to the living room with a towel draped over his shoulder, rubbing it against the damp feathers on the back of his neck.

"Did the shower help?" Rigby asked as Mordecai took a seat beside him on the couch.

"A little," Mordecai replied, attempting to massage his sore shoulder blade. His exhaustion was apparent from his slouched posture and bloodshot eyes. "I'm just glad to have it all over with. But, at least I got one good thing out of it."

"Really? What?"

"You're going to like it," Mordecai said with an eager grin.

"What is it? What?"

Mordecai threw his arm up. "Guess who just got another day off?"

Rigby's smile dropped. Hesitantly, he asked, "Who?"

"I did. So now we can take Friday off and go to the premiere of that new lame vampire movie you wanted to see."

"No!" Rigby exclaimed. Mordecai furrowed his brow.

"Oh what? Now you don't wanna go or something?"

"No, I want to," Rigby explained, "I really do, but... But I already took my day off."

Mordecai's brow shot up. "What? When?"

"Today."

"What? Why would you do that?" Mordecai asked angrily. "You didn't even go anywhere."

"But you had to work with Muscle Man. I didn't wanna work by myself. So I took the day off."

"Oh way to go you idiot!" Mordecai yelled, crossing his arms and slumping into the couch. "That's the whole reason I agreed to work with Muscle Man in the first place!"

"Well thanks for telling me you turd!"

"You're the turd!"

Rigby jumped at Mordecai and pummeled his side. Mordecai wrapped his wing around Rigby's head in the process and gave his arm a few good hits. This would have gone on longer, but they were interrupted when Benson threw open the front door.

"Hey!" he yelled, causing the two to separate. "Knock that off! Mordecai, I need you to go with Muscle Man and pick up some things from the warehouse."

"Aw, what?" Mordecai groaned. "Can't he just go himself? I'm exhausted."

"No! You have to go with him. I don't care how exhausted you think you are!"

"But I already took my shower."

"I don't care. Muscle Man's outside waiting. Now get it done!"

With that, Benson walked out, slamming the door behind him. Mordecai let out a rough sigh.

"I'm sorry, man," Rigby frowned, genuinely sympathetic. "I'll wait up on you if you want. When you get back, we can watch a movie. Maybe pop some popcorn or something."

Mordecai agonizingly rose to his feet. "No, it's gonna be so late when I get back anyhow, I'll be too tired to watch a movie. It's fine. I appreciate the offer though."

Both their attentions were taken by Muscle Man's obnoxious yelling outside the window: "Come on, Mordecai! I've got more stuff for you to carry! Let's do this! Whoo!" He stood on top of the cart and rocked it side to side.

A look of disgust wiped across Mordecai's face. "I'm just gonna get this over with." He headed for the door.

"Good luck," Rigby said. Mordecai gave a wave of acknowledgment as he walked out.

After a while of nothing better to do than play video games and die over and over again, Rigby decided it was late enough to head to bed. He thought he would wait for Mordecai, but he and Muscle Man seemed to be taking their sweet time. He worried Mordecai would only end up more strung out, but while he felt bad for his friend, he figured he couldn't really do much for him anyhow and the best course of action would be to go on to sleep, so he did just that. He curled up on his trampoline, covered with his little blanket, a single sock clinging to it, and dozed off. It wasn't a whole lot longer when the door slowly creaked open, and Rigby, being the light sleeper that he was, opened his eyes instantly. He was aware of Mordecai gently stepping into the room and closing the door as quietly as he could despite the rusty hinges, but not having anything to say, Rigby closed his eyes again and turned to face the wall.

He was glad to know Mordecai had made it home and would now be able to fall into his well deserved sleep, but he frowned to hear him tossing about restlessly. It was probably his back, Rigby thought. It had been bothering him anyhow, and the work of the day had probably aggravated it. He heard Mordecai scratch himself and roll around again. It was a little annoying, and Rigby almost wanted to tell him to stop moving and go to sleep, but he really didn't have the right to say anything. Mordecai always tiptoed around to keep from waking Rigby, but if Mordecai were sleeping, Rigby would be tromping about and slamming doors regardless. Then again, Mordecai was a particularly heavy sleeper and almost had to be punched awake at times whereas Rigby seemed to have an almost nocturnal nature that kept him alert to most disruptions in his sleep. Still, the principle was what mattered, so if Mordecai could put up with his racket all the time, he wasn't going to make a deal about this once in a blue moon occurrence.

Again, Mordecai tossed about, Rigby only hearing the rustling of the sheets as his back was to him. He furrowed his brow, hearing Mordecai sniffle and pat his pillow. Really, his movements weren't very loud, but Rigby was tired and couldn't fall back to sleep, so he was more irritable than normal. More tossing and turning ensued before finally, things settled down. Mordecai exhaled deeply, presumably having gotten comfortable. Rigby smiled and nestled into his blanket, expecting to doze off again soon. However, Mordecai seemed to have other plans. Sometimes it is the smallest of abnormalities that are the most amplified amidst the silence.

It wasn't long until Rigby's eyes snapped open in the darkness, an annoyed frown on his face as he listened to the tiny fluffing of cloth. It sounded as though Mordecai were scratching himself through the cover, which would be fine except that he wasn't stopping. Rigby was about ready to shoot up in bed and chuck something at him, but before his muscles succumbed to his instincts, he realized what was going on. His eyes widened in bewilderment. The very light shuffling wasn't the sound of scratching, but rubbing.

The wet smack of an opening mouth followed by a shuddering exhale was all it took to confirm Rigby's suspicions. The shifting continued, and every so often, a spring in the mattress would creak or Mordecai's leg would kick the wall. A blush spread on Rigby's cheeks, his muscles tensing from fear of giving away his consciousness. How could Mordecai be doing that now, he wondered. Surely he could have contained himself until he was somewhere a little more private. Rigby stretched his eyes back as if he could possibly look over his shoulder without moving. Mordecai, in an attempt to keep control, redirected his breathing to his nostrils, an action that had actually increased the volume. Rigby's heart quickened as he listened to all the little discrepancies that gave his roommate away. The whole situation was awkward and embarrassing, but above all else, it was a little exciting.

It wasn't exactly candid – Mordecai was at least trying to be discrete – but he still didn't realize he had been noticed. Even the smallest noise sent flutters through Rigby's stomach. Whether it was a popping joint or breaths sifting through teeth, each hint of motion sparked within Rigby's loins. His face was radiating with heat, but that wasn't the only place his blood was flooding to. The rhythmic bucking and rubbing on Mordecai's side traveled into Rigby's burning ears, and he hadn't noticed it at first, but he was starting to twitch in time with it.

Mordecai swallowed and opened his mouth again, motions only known to Rigby through their sound. The build up of body heat was making Rigby uncomfortable. He wanted to throw the cover off and feel the cool air, but he couldn't bring himself to move. Even the most natural of restful movements seemed unacceptable at the moment. His tiny, almost nonexistent squirming only made him more flustered as his body begged him to follow suit. Mordecai's breathing was becoming more labored, but Rigby was more concerned with himself, surprised to notice the quickening of his own breaths. He knew it wasn't right to be listening so attentively, but that didn't stop him. In fact, he yearned to turn around. To make certain to himself what he was listening to. To see. To watch. It was all a little unfair, but of course Mordecai didn't know what he was doing to Rigby's aching libido.

Now, the shuffling of the sheets and squeaks of the mattress were happening in quicker successions. Rigby ever so carefully began to roll over, weary of the stiff springs all around him. His face was flushed and his pulse was throbbing all over as he nervously readjusted, knowing Mordecai was reaching the apex of his primal act. He had yet to even get on his back when the sound of Mordecai's headboard whacking against the wall startled him. It was uncomfortable being frozen in place, lying somewhere between his back and side, but he was too distracted to think much of it, too busy gawking at the amount of energy Mordecai must have been exerting. His sheets rustled in his writhing, the headboard clacked against the wall, and the whole bed shook. Just what was he doing to be so noisy? Then, all at once, it stopped, his would be guttural moan slipping out as a soft whine that he quickly cut short, having failed to stifle it initially. Rigby almost went light-headed at hearing this. A few more slow fluffs were heard, and then a deep sigh before Mordecai relaxed against his pillow, panting softly.

Rigby eased back onto his side, releasing a long yet silent breath of his own. He felt ridiculous with his heart pounding against his chest, his face still heated, and his overall body tingling. He heard the swiping sound of what he deduced to be the pulling of tissue from a box. He decided to try to roll over again, just enough to peek over his shoulder. He watched as Mordecai rose up and tossed a paper wad into the trash at the foot of his bed. Then, he lay back, covers thrown off and an arm over his head as he caught his breath. His eyes fluttered closed as he easily drifted off. Finally, Rigby could roll over, and he did, just watching Mordecai's heaving chest and slumbering body. He had to sleep now, too, but his frustration was almost too much to bear. The situation had left him wanting. He would have to wait though. Even if Mordecai were most definitely out, he couldn't take the chance. He could only hope that Mordecai wouldn't make a habit of this. Rigby couldn't base this on fact, but he figured it would be bad for his health if he were forced to suppress himself again.

The next morning came too soon for Rigby, but Mordecai was up and ready with his alarm clock at nine o'clock. "Come on, dude," he said, all too energetic for so early in the morning. "It's time for work."

Rigby pried his tired eyes open. After all the excitement, he had had a very difficult time falling asleep, something he knew definitely wasn't fair. After all, it was Mordecai who caused him such restlessness.

"Come on, Rigby," Mordecai said, yanking Rigby's blanket off of him. "You got more sleep than I did. You can get up. Come on. Let's get some breakfast." He headed for the door and Rigby followed groggily behind. He clambered into his chair at the kitchen table and watched Mordecai fill their two bowls.

"So," Rigby started, narrowing his eyes a bit. "Sleep well last night?"

"Actually yeah," Mordecai laughed. "Yesterday sucked, but I slept pretty well. What about you? You seem like you didn't get much sleep. Have a bad dream or something?" He scooped up some cereal and put it in his mouth.

"Nah. Nothing like that. It's just... Do you ever have one of those nights where every little noise wakes you up?" Rigby asked, taking a spoonful of cereal.

Mordecai stopped chewing for a moment, then continued for a bit before saying, "Sometimes." He chewed a bit more and swallowed. "Not too often though. I'm usually pretty out of it, so..." He took another bite.

Rigby nodded. He thought of just ending it there. Just a friendly little warning to Mordecai to watch himself. No need to make it awkward.

"You should be the exhausted one. You know, after working so hard, and staying up so late." Rigby stated, taking another bite. "You know," he went on, drawing the words out tauntingly, "shaking the bed."

Mordecai choked, coughing for a bit before bringing the food back up and swallowing it properly. "Huh?" he squeaked.

Rigby bit back his laughter. "Oh nothing," he said, looking off to the side and putting another spoonful in his mouth. "It was just a little loud is all."

Mordecai blushed and dropped his hands on the table. "I... I had a rough day! Okay? You try working twelve hours with Muscle Man!"

"You don't have to explain it," Rigby grinned, picking up his bowl and pouring the contents into his mouth. He wiped his face and stood to take the dish to the sink. "I don't see why you didn't just do that in the shower or something though."

"W-well... I," he stammered, "I had already taken a shower, and..." he put his hand over his face, "and it was really late, and..."

Rigby headed for the door. "Whatever man. I said you didn't have to explain anything. I just don't see how you were making so much noise is all. I mean, that was actually kind of impressive. I couldn't work a mattress like that. I mean, I sleep on a trampoline and I wouldn't have been that obvious. Not that I would ever do something like that with someone else in the room. That's just gross."

Mordecai slammed his fists on the table. "Stop talking!" His face was burning, and he couldn't move his eyes from the ground. "I was stressed! It was a long day!"

"I said you don't have to explain anything."

With that, Rigby left the room, a triumphant smile on his face. Mordecai sat at the table with his hands covering his face. Rigby felt good about how that went. It was about time Mordecai was at the butt of a situation and not the other way around. He figured he had the right to be cocky this time. At any rate, the day was just starting, and before anything else, and while the recent events were still fresh in his mind, he still needed to take a shower himself.