He hated her bird.

Her stupid bird.

It. Wouldn't. Shut. Up.

Austin didn't know why Ally kept one of those things in her house. It was a greater mystery to how she could stand its constant squawking. It drove Austin crazy when he first stepped into the apartment and still did, hours later.

"Don't complain," Ally had snapped at him when he commented on her freaking annoying bird. "You're the one who wanted to move in here. If you can't accept Owen, then you can go back to your stupid dorm room."

God Austin hated Owen. But he hated his college dorm at MUNY more. Ally's small apartment was considered a mansion compared to his smaller room. So thus Austin had to stay quiet which, unlike Owen, he managed to do successfully.

Ally didn't seem to appreciate his effort though. Austin understood that he wasn't the roommate she was looking for and that the only reason he was even standing on her floor was that she needed someone to help pay the rent. Ally didn't want him there but it worked out. He needed a little extra breathing room and she needed a little extra money.

They made a good team.

Of course, when Austin told her that, Ally had just scoffed, ignored, and directed him across the hallway to his new room. "This," she pushed open the door, "is yours."

"Thank you," Austin said, more so that she could stop glaring at him.

Ally looked surprised, but didn't say a word as he squeezed past her. "Is that all you have?" she asked, gesturing to his suitcase. She didn't mean for it to come out as rude, but it did anyway.

Austin gave her a sideways glance as she tried to decide whether or not she should apologize. "This and my guitar," he corrected, waving up a guitar case, nearly whacking her in the face. "You're not the only one with money problems."

This was news to her. The Music University of New York was full of musicians, singers, and gossipers. Ally's heard stories of Austin Moon being the next teenage Bill Gates or being the son of a huge inheritance. Of course, she never had bothered to speak to him to see if it was true. Until now.

"Oh," was all she managed to say.

Austin smirked, turning his back to her before she could notice. For a few minutes, Ally stood there awkwardly by the doorway, watching him unpack. "You don't have to watch me," Austin said. "I'm not going to steal anything."

A pause. "I never said you were going to."

"What have people been saying about me?"

Ally jerked backwards in surprise. Austin turned around in triumph, gazing at her for a split second before returning back to his work. "C'mon," he encouraged. "I know there are nasty rumors going around."

"You have a reputation," Ally said slowly, not wanting to repeat the words that come out of every MUNY student on a daily basis.

"And yet you still let me into your house." Austin couldn't help but brag to himself about what was still a major accomplishment in his eyes. Out of all the rumors spreading around, there was only one that was genuinely true. Austin liked girls. A lot. So being able to live with a girl? Austin had to pat himself on the back.

Again, he caught her off guard. Ally pursed her lips. "You're lucky Cassidy is your sister," she waved a finger at him, as if taking away any pride he had of earning a female roommate. "If she didn't vouch for you, I would have abandoned you with your overly attached girlfriend."

"Wha- how did you- agh, Cassidy!" Austin cursed his sister who, as always, never kept her mouth shut. "How much did she tell you?"

It was Ally's turn to smirk.

Austin called after her as she turned away. "Brooke isn't my girlfriend," he said as the door clicked behind her. Brooke, the only girl in the entire female population who Austin wouldn't want clinging onto him for dear life.

There was barely a time for him to recollect his thoughts when Owen began his series of harmonizing caw caws again and Austin resisted the urge to throw him out the window. But because of Ally's undivided and ridiculous devotion towards the stupid bird, he really did try to ignore Owen and his squawks of torture.

It was only when he was done unpacking when it was nearly impossible to block it out. "Ally!" Austin had to call out, just a second away from losing his freaking mind. "Can you please shut that thing up?"

"Don't touch Owen!" was the menacing response, not as threatening through the muffled wall that was between them.

Austin smirked, getting up onto his feet.

Ally's room was the door right next to his. "Never come in," she had warned him. It was one of the many rules she had laid at his feet. When Austin had thrown in a suggestive wink in response, she had slapped him over the head and hissed, "You pervert."

And being the pervert that he was, Austin didn't hesitate to walk right into her room. Without knocking (oops).

As soon as Austin's feet hit her carpeted floor, there was a shriek. His head snapped to the side fast enough to barely- curse his slow reflexes- see Ally diving under her bed covers.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN HERE?!" the brunette shrieked again, her eyes barely peering over her blanket.

Austin didn't respond. He was too busy laughing.

Ally let out a noise of disgust, her face turning way too pink for her liking. If anything, her expression made Austin's giggles increase. She glared at him. She was proud of her glares, which has improved greatly throughout the few hours Austin was in her- their- apartment.

"It's not funny!" Ally snapped, her red face turning even darker. It hasn't even been a full day of being official roommates, and yet Austin still had managed to almost see her naked. Austin, who was literally a stranger to her three hours ago. It had to be a new record somewhere in this messed up world.

Curling up under her blanket, Ally yelled a muffled, "Get out!"

Of course, Austin didn't.

"Ally," Austin started, but only to go into another fit of laughter. His mouth opened again, no doubt to make some perverted comment. "I'm- ow! Ally! Ally, stop it! Ow!"

Who knew pillows could hurt so much.

But eventually Ally ran out of pillows to throw and was left with only a blanket as her protection. "Please go away," she whimpered as Austin waved a pillow at her in triumph. "Go or I swear I'll kick you out of this apartment right now."

Of course, Austin didn't know her well enough to tell if she was kidding or not.

It was only until he safely closed the door behind him when he heard Ally come out from her hiding spot. Austin wasn't a complete jerk so he decided against paying her another last minute visit.

Still, even as he gave himself a tour around his new apartment, he couldn't wipe the smile off his face. Being roommates was going to be better than he thought.

Owen chirped in agreement.

A/N: Hey guys! This story prompt has been in my mind for a VERY long time but I didn't want to start anything since I have two more stories that I'm working on. BUT I really, really wanted to write this one out for you guys so seven drafts later, here it is. Please R&R? I'm really, really excited for this one :)

xoxo Alexia