All We Know Is Falling

Sean and Ian were sat in Snoz’s lounge, one on the sofa, one on the armchair. Gavin and Snoz were in the kitchen, trying to avoid going into the lounge for fear of being caught up in the looks across the room. Jamie and Rhys came through the door, looked at Ian and Sean and the looks on their faces, and ran straight through into the kitchen.

“Why do they look so smug?” Jamie asked, frowning. He looked at Ian and Sean, who were simply staring at each other, smiling. Every so often, Sean would break the gaze, looking down at his feet, embarrassed, whilst Ian just looked, smiling, his eyes sparkling.

“Why the fuck do you think, you bloody idiot!” Snoz replied, laughing quietly, “They’ve probably been up all night making up!”

Jamie’s eyes shot open, and he looked back into the living room, suddenly understanding, “Oh…”

“Yeah, oh. That’s why we’re,” Snoz said, pointing to him and Gavin, “in the kitchen, and avoiding their fucking stares. It was really frightenin’…”

Rhys peered into the lounge, “It’s quite scary actually… why aren’t they talking?”

Ian and Sean were sat in silence. They didn’t need to talk in a moment like this. They were both scared they could ruin the simplicity of an amazing night. No words needed to be shared, because everything was said last night, and everything was being said in their smiles, and in their eyes. Their eyes were interlocked, and the glisten said it all.

“Rhys, unless you want to go ask about every single detail from last night, I suggest you do not question anything. Just be content that Sean isn’t spewing his guts up again.”

Rhys nodded in agreement, “Right.”

Snoz walked into the living room after building up the courage to, and being shoved by Gavin. Swearing under his breath, he walked over to Ian, sat down next to him on the sofa, and waved in front of his face slightly to get his attention, “Ian, anyone home?”

Ian snapped out of his trance, and still smiling at Sean, pulled his eyes away, and looked at Snoz, “Hi Snoz…” and with that, he turned back to Sean, who came bounding over, sat next to Ian on the sofa, and rested his head on his shoulder. Ian kissed Sean’s forehead and grabbed his hand, while Snoz tried to not gag at the sickliness of it all.

“What’s up Snozzy Woz?” Sean giggled at his own stupidity, and Ian chuckled too, while Snoz rolled his eyes at Gavin, who was stood watching him from the kitchen, fighting back laughs with a hand over his mouth.

“Oh for fuck sake…” Snoz muttered, inaudibly to Ian and Sean who were instead laughing and cuddling, “Guys, stop playing kissy face for twenty seconds, please. We were wondering if you wanted to go out? We were gunna go down the pub or something, the rest of the guys are going to be there, and Kids too, so Matt said. So, want to come?”

Snoz paused, looking at Ian and Sean. Ian nodded, and said that they would love to, looking at Sean for an answer, “Sean? Are we going?”

Sean kept quiet, mumbling to himself, “18… 19…” and then finally, “20!”

Sean leapt on Ian, covering him in kisses, giggling like a girl.

Snoz virtually leapt over the back of the sofa, screaming like a girl.

“Gareth fucking Lawrence, stop shriekin’! It was a fucking kiss,” Gavin laughed, while Jamie and Rhys were sat on the floor, crying with laughter.

“Nice foreword roll, Snoz!” Rhys stuttered, trying to get the words out, and trying to hold the laughs back for long enough.

“Fine then Gavin, but next time, you can go and speak to them! I am not doing that again. I feel sick…” Snoz wondered off to the bathroom.

Later on that day, the 17 lads were sat around the bar, laughing and getting generally smashed. Sean, Ian and Jamie were the only ones who were staying sober, the others chugging down the beer. Jamie was on a table with Ian, Sean, Rhys and Aled, one of “the Kids” as Snoz called them. The others were on a bigger table just next to theirs, playing a drinking game. Aled and Rhys, after both loosing the game numerous times each, were both extremely drunk, and while Aled had passed out about half an hour ago, Rhys was still trying to strip and give Jamie a lap dance.

“Seriously, Jam, you let him do it, he’ll be happy and go to sleep. He did it to Bob once, ‘sept he had his clothes on,” Sean laughed.

Jamie didn’t.

“There is a big difference here, Smith. He is not giving me a lap dance!” Jamie practically shouted. Lucky for them, the bar was filled with the sounds of every single alcohol drinker in the area celebrating a Friday night: No work tomorrow, lads, let’s get fucking pissed, eh?

“Fucking hell, Rhys, keep your trousers on, lad!” Ian laughed, leaping up to grab Rhys.

“Iaaan… I don’t feel too good…” Ian looked at Rhys in disbelief, but before Ian could register how white his face looked, Rhys threw up down his front.

“Oh you have got to be kidding me!” Ian shouted, dragging Rhys by the arm to the Men’s Room, while Jamie and Sean laughed. Aled woke up briefly, laughed too, then passed out again, making Sean and Jamie laugh even more.

“Seriously; I am starting to regret leaving the house right now. Besides, what is it with Ian and other people’s up-chuck reflexes?”

Ian stormed back into the room, Rhys following him sheepishly, smiling back when Jamie flashed him a grin. He just wanted this evening to be over with. Throwing up over Ian and over the toilet floor had sobered him up a lot. His first reaction was asking where his shirt was, and the second was asking if he had upset Jamie. Ian smiled, putting his arm around Rhys, telling him not to worry: the only thing upsetting Jamie was how excited he had been when Rhys had tried to take off his trousers.

Slipping over Aled, Rhys slid into the seat next to Jamie, grabbing his shirt from the table and flushing pink. He looked around, saw Sean cleaning off Ian’s shirt with a handful of napkins and then locked eyes with Jamie. He pulled his top on quickly, going from pink to crimson, and broke the gaze, looking down at his feet.

Jamie laughed, “Rhysie, don’t be so embarrassed. I’m flattered you were trying to give me a lap dance: really I am!” he said, laughing again.

Rhys sulked, but could sulk when Jamie was laughing, and so laughed himself. He didn’t know what he was laughing at, but when Jamie put his arm around his waist, he knew he had plenty to smile about.

Ian and Sean stood up, saying they were going home, and waving goodbye to anyone. Jamie saw the opportunity, and stood up, pulling Rhys up with him, “I’d better get Rhys home too, I guess… Don’t want him chucking up again…”

“Jamie, I’m fine!” Rhys started to protest, but went silent when Jamie winked at him.

“Guess you want a ride home, then, Rhys?” Jamie asked. The boys all jeered, but went back to their drinking game, laughing as Gavin lost another round, and went back to jeering at Gavin instead. The four men walked out, telling Joel, who was the most sober out of them, to remember that Aled was still passed out. He nodded, but soon forgot anyway.

Ian and Sean walked out, hand in hand, and got into Ian’s car.

Jamie and Rhys followed them out to the car park, Jamie getting into the drivers side of his car, Rhys getting into the passengers side.

“So,” Jamie smiled, with a wink, “Your place or mine?”