Archive of Our Own

No Hard Feelings

Briefcase in hand, Will briskly crossed the school car park, eyes fixed on the flame-red Nissan Micra in the furthest corner. It was a walk he’d taken dozens of times before. He and Jay often found themselves hiding out in Jay’s car during shared free periods. It was an easy escape from the chaos of the day. A metallic bastion of peace, privacy and freedom to speak freely.

Today, however, it also served as a convenient way of avoiding a certain so-called friend…

Will swung the passenger door open and slid in, returning the grin he was shot with a soft smile.

"Alright?" Jay greeted him. "Thought you'd got lost."

Having tossed his briefcase into the back seat, Will reached into his blazer pocket and produced a Snickers.

"I took a little detour. Braved the sports block vending machines."

As the chocolate bar was offered to him, Jay smirked and reached into the centre console.

"Great minds."

Will glanced down as something was unceremoniously tossed into his lap; a packet of Maltesers. A moment of comfortable silence passed as the two settled in to enjoy their snacks.

"How's your day so far?" Will asked, popping a Malteser into his mouth.

"Yeah, not bad." Jay replied, through a mouthful of chocolate. "Didn't do as badly on that Geography coursework as I thought I had."

"See? I told you it looked good."

Jay's lips twitched at the praise. "Did you collar Ms Daniels about that mistake in your Politics worksheet?"

"Yep. As expected, she didn't appreciate the correction, but facts are facts. Allowing the spread of misinformation is not teacherly behaviour. She didn’t appreciate me pointing that out either."

Jay chuckled. “I bet."

Another silence followed, during which Jay became a little more serious.

"Seen you-know-who this morning?" he asked.

"Just at registration. He avoided eye contact, again."

"So he should. Hope he's fucking ashamed of himself."

Will sighed. "I know he said he needed to think, and it's only been two days, but to be so blatantly avoidant?"

Jay tossed his empty wrapper into the door pocket, slouching further down in his seat. “You said it yourself, that things might be different after we told people. He's a sulky self-absorbed prick at the best of times. We'll hear from him once he puts his dummy back in."

"I just want to know what's going through his head."

"Unless it's a fucking brick, I don't care."

Will’s jaw dropped. "Jay!"

"I'm joking… sort of. I’m just still pissed off about Wednesday."

"Mm, understandably. But I suppose it’s not all bad. At least we've got Neil on side."

"Yeah…” Jay mused, crinkling his nose. “Bit creepy, how keen he is on us being together. Pretty sure he's planning our wedding already."

Will sniggered. "Well, I suppose that's one less thing to think about."

Jay considered this for a moment. "How would you wanna do it?"

"Do what?"

“Wedding. Ours, specifically.”

Will nearly choked on a Malteser.

“Well… I mean, it’s probably a bit early to be talking about-”

“It’s not that serious, babe!” Jay laughed. “I’m just curious about what you’d want. Can’t imagine you being the ‘big church wedding in a big poofy dress’ type.”

“I won’t be wearing any dress, poofy or not, thank you.”

“Oh? Can I then? ‘Cos there’s this gorgeous little strapless number I’ve had my eye on.”

Will arched an amused eyebrow at Jay’s smirking face. “What, and deprive me the pleasure of seeing you in a suit? Certainly not.”

“Flattery will get you nowhere, Briefcase. Answer the question.”

Will obligingly took a moment to think.

“I'm honestly not sure. But yes, no big spectacles. I’d probably go for something understated. Intimate."

Jay considered this. "Sounds good. Registry office’d be a bit boring though."

"Oh, absolutely. Not exactly the pinnacle of romance, is it? Eloping sounds more like it."

"That's where you go off somewhere private together, yeah?"

"Essentially."

"Nice,” Jay decided with an approving nod. “We'd have to take Neil with us though."

"Well, yes. Can't very well leave our wedding planner behind, can we?"

"Would we change our surnames?"

"I think it's pretty popular to keep your own nowadays. Or double-barrelling?"

Jay grimaced. "Nah, that's well poncy. Wouldn't mind taking yours though. Since my dad's a fucking knob an’ all that."

Will nodded sympathetically. "Indeed. However, my dad is also a fucking knob."

"Fair point… We could come up with our own surname, then. Is that a thing?"

"I don't see why not."

Jay stroked his chin theatrically.

"Hmm, Will and Jay Schwarzenegger…"

Will shot him a wry look. "I think maybe it needs a little more workshopping."

Just as Jay opened his mouth to reply, a sharp knock against the driver's side window made them both jump. Outside the car stood Tara, smiling and waving cheerfully. Before either of them could react, she opened the rear door and climbed into the back seat. Jay observed her with visible disbelief.

"Oh, hop in, why don't you?" he muttered.

"Jay..." Will admonished softly before glancing over his shoulder. "Hi, Tara."

"Sorry!" She sing-songed with a slight wince. "Did I scare you?"

"No!"

Jay's lightning-quick response suggested otherwise.

"If you're looking for Simon, he's not with us, I'm afraid," Will offered.

"Actually, it's you two I wanted to see."

Jay immediately looked suspicious. "Why?"

Tara hesitated.

"Okay, so... don't freak out. But Simon might've told me something he probably shouldn't have."

Will’s eyes widened. "Oh, brilliant..."

"What the fuck is he playing at, telling people?" Jay demanded.

Tara gave a sympathetic nod. "Believe me, I yelled at him for it. And I'm not about to go sticking it on Facebook, so relax. Your secret's safe with me."

No one spoke for a moment. Tara leaned forward, poking her head between the front seats.

"For what it's worth, I'm happy for you both,” she said softly. “You make an adorable couple.”

Jay snorted. "Try telling your boyfriend that."

Tara sighed. "I know Simon can be an idiot, but he does care about you both.”

Neither Will nor Jay looked particularly convinced. Tara chewed on her lip thoughtfully.

"What are you guys doing tonight?"

"We're not looking for a third, cheers."

"Jay!" Will scolded. “Why do you ask, Tara?”

"Fancy hanging out with me and Si?"

Jay barked a laugh. "Fuck that!"

Will’s response was slightly more diplomatic. "I’m not sure that’s appropriate at the moment. Simon's not exactly in our good books. Or us in his, I suppose."

"Look, I get that he didn't handle your news very well-"

"Understatement of the century," Jay cut in. "He was a right fucking knob about it."

"I know. And I've been talking things through with him. I also know how sorry he is. He'll be on his best behaviour. Promise."

Will exchanged a glance with Jay, who looked unmoved.

"We'll think about it and let you know," Will said evenly.

Tara nodded. "Fair enough. Hopefully I’ll see you later."

She gave both lads a friendly pat on the shoulder before hopping back out of the car. The door closed behind her with a gentle thud. The remaining two stayed silent, Will gathering his thoughts while Jay stared daggers at the windscreen.

"What are you thinking?" Will asked after a moment.

"I’m thinking I'd rather have rusty nails rammed through my nutsack than hang out with that tosser right now."

Will snorted a laugh. Jay looked over at him.

“Well, wouldn’t you?” he asked.

Will shrugged. "I mean… he has had a few days to get his head around things. And it sounds like Tara's been fighting our corner. Maybe he's actually in a position to make amends."

"I don't want some half-arsed apology that's been guilted out of him by his fucking girlfriend."

"It might not be like that. I know what he said was hurtful. It hurt me too. But he's one of your oldest friends, Jay. One of your only friends. Mine too. Let's at least give him the opportunity to redeem himself."

Jay said nothing, drumming his fingers against the steering wheel, jaw working. Eventually, he let out a sigh.

"Fine. But if he starts with his bullshit again, I'm walking out."

"And if that's what you feel like doing, I'll walk right out with you."

That simple promise earned a reluctant smile.

Will let out the breath he’d been holding as he stepped down onto solid ground. The last fifteen minutes had been an ordeal, made slightly better by Jay squeezing his hand every so often. The other lad clapped a supportive hand on his shoulder as the bus roared away.

“See? We survived!” Jay chirped. “Told you buses aren’t scary.”

“It’s not the buses, per se,” Will muttered. “It’s more the people who ride them.”

“Oh, quite, old chap!” Jay replied, with theatrical Received Pronunciation. “Why, one simply doesn’t find buses in the Home Counties!”

Will rolled his eyes. “Look, don’t imply that it’s snobbery! That bloke with the eyepatch was genuinely frightening.”

“His Rottweiler was a sweetheart though.”

“Yes, the barbed wire collar made it look especially cuddly.”

“Snob.”

“Am not! If I was that snobby, I wouldn’t have agreed to the bus in the first place.”

“I did offer to drive.”

“You also lamented about how you likely wouldn’t survive the night without a drink. Which was a fair point and the only reason I even entertained enduring the bus in the first place.”

“Yeah, such a sacrifice. Right up there with Nelson Mandela, you.”

“Oh, shut your face.”

Jay sniggered at the playful shove Will gave him as they continued their way through the entertainment complex by Waterside Shopping Centre. The Alley Cat Bowling Lounge was easy to find, its unmistakable neon sign glowing cheerfully against the greying early evening sky.

"It's a retro choice, I'll give her that,” Will remarked.

"Surprised you were up for it. Thought the whole footwear situation would've freaked you out."

"Well, I didn't want to be a killjoy."

Jay eyed him suspiciously. "So, what's the workaround then? You got some of those little blue shoe covers doctors use? Pop 'em over your delicate little tootsies before sticking 'em into those filthy germy bowling shoes?"

"I'm not so neurotic that I carry makeshift foot condoms around with me, Jay."

Jay held his gaze, eyebrows aloft in amusement. A few seconds later, Will cracked with a sigh.

"...I might have doused my socks in antifungal powder though."

"There he is!" Jay cackled fondly, slinging an arm around Will’s shoulder and giving him a quick squeeze. His amusement faded as his attention drifted back towards the bowling lounge.

"Can't say I'm looking forward to this," he muttered.

"On the bright side, I suppose this constitutes another relationship milestone for us,” Will offered cheerily. “Our first social outing - pardon the pun - as an established couple with another established couple."

"Yes, Lieutenant Data,” Jay replied dryly. “Here on Earth, we call that a 'double date'."

"Ah! I appreciate the input, Human!"

Jay shook his head, smiling. "You fucking nerd."

Laughing, they headed towards the entrance. As they stepped through the sliding glass doors, Simon and Tara were nowhere to be seen. Through the lobby, however, Jay spotted something promising: a fully stocked bar. His face brightened considerably.

"Oh, thank fuck they serve booze! Might make this less of a nightmare."

"I'm sure it'll be fine," Will said. “It sounds like Tara has him on a short leash. And if he does start pushing his luck, I can always give him another dressing down."

Jay eyed him with a lascivious smirk. "Oh? Well, then I might have to dress you down."

Will rolled his eyes, though the smile threatening at the corners of his mouth somewhat undermined his disapproval. Before he could respond, Jay leaned in and kissed him. The gesture was brief and familiar. The sort that had quickly become second nature between them.

Unfortunately, the timing of it also happened to coincide with Simon and Tara rounding the corner. Will spotted them first, hastily bringing the kiss to an end.

"Ooh! Good evening!" he squeaked in greeting.

Tara grinned at them playfully. "Hi, guys!"

Simon, meanwhile, looked like he was trying to use sheer willpower to turn himself invisible. He cleared his throat, not knowing where to look.

"...Alright?"

Jay caught Simon’s awkward expression instantly, hackles already rising.

"S’matter?" he asked curtly. "Never seen two blokes kiss before?"

"Twice already this week, thanks," Simon muttered.

"Yeah? Got a problem with it?"

"Did I say that?"

Before the exchange could gather momentum, Will stepped neatly between them.

"Come on now,” he urged, tone pleasant but pointed. "Let's try and have some fun, shall we?"

"Agreed!" Tara said firmly.

Simon looked at Jay uncertainly. Jay glared back, as if wordlessly challenging him. For a moment, Will genuinely thought one of them might say something stupid. Instead, Simon sighed and headed towards the shoe rental counter. With a triumphant smirk, Jay swaggered after him. Will and Tara exchanged weary glances, both silently wondering whether they could get everyone through the evening in one piece.

Will stood in front of the bowling console, shifting uncomfortably as he tried to take his mind off how many sweaty disgusting pairs of feet had tainted the shoes he was currently wearing. Simon and Jay were sat on opposite settees either side of the console, subtly shooting each other death glares. Tara, like the little beacon of hope that she was, bounded over to Will and clapped a hand on his shoulder.

"Right then," she declared. "Will, you're with me against these two losers."

Jay opened his mouth to protest but decided against it. “Fine.”

Simon shrugged. "Whatever."

"Alright,” Will said. “But you might have been better off picking Jay. I'm a terrible bowler."

"Don't worry," Tara replied. "Simon's terrible too. I'm used to carrying him."

"Cheers," Simon piped up flatly.

“Seriously, you’re underestimating how impressively uncoordinated I am at sporting activities,” Will added.

"Well, fortunately for you, I’m a great coach,” Tara countered. “I'll even share my secret techniques with you. Not even Simon knows them."

"Just as well,” Jay chipped in sneeringly. “Since we all know what Si's like when it comes to keeping secrets."

Simon threw up his hands in exasperation. "Look, I'm sorry I told Tara! I just needed someone to vent to. I wouldn't have told anyone else!"

"Only because she gave you a bollocking for it!" Jay shot back.

Clearing her throat pointedly, Tara gestured towards their lane.

"Can we just bowl, please?"

That, at least, seemed achievable. For the first few frames, conversation remained somewhat strained. Will proved exactly as terrible as advertised, his first handful of attempts all drifting neatly into the gutter.

"Aww, you sure you don't want the bumpers, babe?" Jay called out playfully.

Simon raised an eyebrow.

“‘Babe'?” he muttered. “Really?"

Tara's elbow connected sharply with his ribs, effectively silencing him. As Will lined up his second roll, Tara stood and started coaching from the side lines as promised.

“Aim for the pocket, Will!”

“What does that even mean?” he called back.

"It’s the… never mind! Just keep your arm straight."

"Shall do."

“And keep your eyes on the arrows.”

“Okay.”

"And try not to overthink.”

"That last instruction directly contradicts my entire personality!"

Jay sniggered. "Don't waste your breath, Tara. I tried teaching him pool once. Nothing I did helped."

Will cast a withering look over his shoulder. "That might be because the extent of your tuition involved bending me over the table."

Jay smirked. "Didn't hear you complainin’."

With a sharp exhale, Simon suddenly sat up a little straighter. His foot bounced rhythmically against the hard wood floor, fingers toying with the cord of his hoody. Will didn’t notice.

Unfortunately, Jay did.

A few turns later, Tara excused herself to the facilities; presumably to scream into a toilet roll in despair over her teammate’s piss-poor performance. Will flopped down next to Jay, failure taking its toll on him. Simon eyed him sympathetically.

“God, you weren’t kidding,” he remarked. “You actually are worse than me.”

"I did warn her,” Will replied. “I just can't seem to get a proper handle on the balls."

"Funny,” Jay murmured. “You don't usually have that problem."

Will shot a look at Jay’s grinning face. Then at Simon, who stared fixedly at the scoreboard while visibly squirming in his seat. Realisation dawned. Leaning closer to Jay, Will lowered his voice.

"Behave."

Jay responded by pressing a quick innocent peck to his lips. Simon let out a pained grunt.

From there, Jay entertained himself by taking every chance he had to toss a compliment or double-entendre Will’s way. He gleefully relished every sigh, every fidget, every uncomfortable facial expression Simon gave in response. And Will, quite frankly, was happy to allow it. After the way Simon had spoken on Wednesday, Jay deserved some form of reparation.

Besides, Will would be lying if he said he wasn’t enjoying the attention just a little bit.

Before long though, Jay’s one-man mission to destroy Simon’s sense of reality started to backfire. With both of them so distracted, their participation in the game suffered. And by turn eight, Tara and Will were somehow ahead. Jay eyed the scoreboard in disbelief.

"Nope!” he declared. “Sorry, but this isn’t happening. I’m not losing to you two!"

"You are, though," Tara said teasingly.

"No fucking way!"

And just like that, something shifted. The irritation Jay had spent the evening directing towards Simon suddenly found a much more salient target; defeat.

"Right, enough fucking about,” he barked, pointing at Simon dramatically. "We can't just stand here and let our better halves show us up like this!"

Simon blinked cluelessly. "Our what?"

"You heard me!” Jay grabbed a bowling ball. "We can still make a comeback, so pull your fucking finger out!"

With that, Jay was officially locked in, bowling like his life depended on it. And to everyone’s surprise, he actually started playing cheerleader for his teammate, hyping Simon up before his turns and giving tips on how to improve his form. Unfortunately, his enthusiasm seemed to fall on deaf ears for the most part. After another terrible shot from Simon, Jay sighed irritably.

“Tara’s right; you’re shit at this,” he ranted to Simon. “Even when it’s all on the line, that’s your best effort?”

“It’s not the FA Cup final,” Simon replied. “It’s a friendly game in a rundown dump that sells overpriced chicken nuggets.”

“Still, no reason to half-arse it. Take a bit of fucking pride in what you do, man!”

“Alright! Bloody hell, you sound just like-”

Simon stopped short, his eyes instinctively drifting towards Will, who was awkwardly accepting a jubilant high-five from Tara. Jay caught the implication and smiled to himself, shoving a bowling ball into Simon’s hands.

“I’ll take that as a compliment. Now, once more, with feeling!”

By the time the game was over, the atmosphere had improved considerably. Not completely, of course. The awkwardness lingering between Simon and Jay was obvious, though it had softened. Winning had helped. Nothing brought people together quite like a shared victory.

Even if Jay was being an insufferable prick about it.

"No need to thank me," he crowed as they gathered around a table with some well-earned drinks. "You’re all very welcome for that tactical masterclass I just put on out there."

"You got three gutter balls in a row," Will muttered.

Jay shrugged. "All part of the plan."

"It really wasn't."

"Shows what you know."

“And falling behind spectacularly in the first half? Was that part of the plan too?”

“Lulled you into a false sense of security, didn’t it?”

Will rolled his eyes fondly while Tara laughed. Once everyone had settled, she leaned forward.

"So... how did it happen?”

Jay shrugged. “I’m clearly the superior bowler. Simples.”

“Not that. I mean this.”

She gestured between Will and Jay. The two exchanged glances. Part of Will hadn't quite considered that being open about their relationship also meant fielding questions about it. He was usually a pretty private person, so he was stuck for words. Jay, however, didn’t seem to have any such reservations.

"Well, Briefcase came onto me, obvs."

Will shot him a deadpan look. Ignoring it, Jay continued.

"We were just hanging out in the library one day when his lust for me suddenly overwhelmed him. He dragged me behind a bookcase and snogged my face off. Rest is history."

Seeing Tara’s amused expression and Simon looking oddly curious inspired Will to chip in.

"That's not quite how it happened,” he said patiently. “We were in the library, where I was trying to work. Jay was annoying me, so in a last-ditch effort to make him stop, I kissed him."

"Sounds more like it," Simon remarked.

Will smiled wistfully. "Turned out to be one of the most irrational yet wonderful split-second decisions I've ever made."

Jay mirrored his contented smile, then leaned towards their companions and lowered his voice.

"Like I said; he came onto me."

“I was actually prepared to chalk it up to a moment of madness,” Will countered. “Until you kissed me back, that is.”

Jay shrugged. “You enticed me.”

“You didn’t take much enticing.”

“Yeah? And who followed who home that afternoon?”

“You extended the invitation.”

“You practically bit my hand off.”

“Hardly.”

“Ooh, is that why you made a beeline for my bed the second we got there?”

"Ooh, you mean the bed you’d been stashing photos of me under?"

"...I'm gonna fucking kill Neil."

Tara giggled. "Aww! It’s too cute, the way you bicker like an old married couple!”

“It’s been pretty standard behaviour for them for a while now, to be fair,” Simon commented.

“Still cute though,” Tara cooed. “Oh, and Si said that you’re actually postponing going to uni, Will?”

“I have done, yes.”

“Wow, so you guys must be pretty serious then? Have you told your parents yet?"

The mood shifted slightly. Will shook his head.

"Absolutely not.”

"Yeah, my old man's about as homophobic as they come,” Jay elaborated. “Total no-go."

Tara's expression softened. "Ouch."

"And the more I think about telling my mum, the more I'm going off the idea," Will admitted.

"Don't be daft, babe,” Jay said. “You could burn the fucking school down and she'd still be telling everyone what a perfect little angel you are."

That drew a snort from Simon.

"Well, that's good, right?” Tara said. “Any idea where she might stand? Like, on LGBT stuff?"

"I don't really know what her views are on most things, to be honest,” Will said. “She tends to remain frustratingly neutral on everything. But even if she was okay with it, I'm still not convinced that she would provide the type of support that I need."

Jay leaned towards Tara.

"Helicopter parent,” he stage-whispered.

Will scowled lightly but didn’t disagree.

"She can be pretty pushy. And interfering."

"Yeah, but she always means well," Simon offered.

"People can mean well all they want and still end up getting it wrong," Jay countered.

"Fair point."

Tara glanced between Will and Jay. "Well, since neither of you feel like you can rely on family, it's probably super important that you have support from your friends, right?"

The pointed look she shot Simon was impossible to miss. He shifted awkwardly in his seat before clearing his throat.

"Right. So, um... what do you two actually like about each other?"

Jay narrowed his eyes. "Don't start again."

Simon held up his hands defensively. "It's a genuine question! I'm curious about how this actually works for you both. I'm just trying to understand. I want to see this as normal."

Three pairs of eyes stared at him incredulously.

"No, I don't mean it like that!" he spluttered. "Gays are normal, obviously! I meant normal for me! The idea of you two together is just… new. It's not clicking in my head yet. But I want it to! Really!"

A brief silence fell over the table.

Will soon broke it.

"The main thing I like about Jay…”

Everyone looked at him expectantly.

"Something I've always liked, really, is how witty he is. We can banter for hours but it ends up feeling like minutes. And it's never boring. He acts like he's oblivious, but he's remarkably insightful. He has a straightforward worldview, which I used to dismiss as gross oversimplification, but… When your mind gets as messy as mine can, it’s important to have someone who can cut through all the madness for you."

Jay's ears had started to redden. Will clocked it and smiled.

"He's also very kind and thoughtful, although I'm not allowed to make a big deal about that or else he gets embarrassed."

That only made Jay duck his head and flush deeper.

"Admittedly, we're pretty different on the surface of things,” Will continued. “But I think we see eye-to-eye on the things that really matter.”

"Yeah…" Jay said eventually. "I guess we sort of balance each other out, don't we? Like that... kung pao thing."

Will frowned. "'Kung pao thing'?"

"Yeah, ya know; Chinese symbol? Black and white circle, squiggly line through it?"

A look of dawning comprehension crossed Will's face. "Do you mean ‘yin-yang’?"

"...oh, yeah. That might be it..."

Will couldn’t help sniggering.

"'Kung pao'?"

"Well, I dunno! I don't fucking speak Chinese, do I?"

"Ooh, the ancient philosophy of kung pao!"

"Shut it!"

"Interconnecting forces of sweet and spicy! What a cosmically delicious concept!"

"Shut up, you dick!"

Despite himself, Jay had started laughing too. Across the table, Simon watched them over the rim of his glass in silent contemplation. Tara drained the last of her drink and glanced between the three of them.

"Right, I'm empty. So why don't you two pop to the bar and get us some more drinks? Me and Will are gonna stay here and have some girl talk."

Will looked appalled. “'Girl talk'?"

"It's just a turn of phrase, Will."

"I'm aware of that. I just object to the implication that I'm the girl in the relationship."

"Well, you are shorter than me, babe." Jay chipped in.

Will raised an eyebrow. "You've got the girlier voice."

"I have not!"

The indignant squeaking immediately proved Will's point. Tara burst out laughing.

"Just for that," Jay said in mock annoyance, pointing at Will, "I'm getting you an alcopop."

"Urgh! You’d better not!"

Playfully flipping Will off as he went, Jay trailed Simon to the bar. They didn’t need to stand in awkward silence long as the queue was mercifully short.

"What you having?" Simon asked.

"Pint of Peroni, and a vodka and cranberry."

Simon nodded, relaying the order to the bartender.

"And two pints of Carlsberg, please," he added.

The bartender winced apologetically. "Carlsberg barrel needs changing. Might be a few minutes, if that's okay?"

"Sure. Take your time, mate."

The staff member disappeared, leaving the pair in silence again. Jay’s fingers drummed against the bar as Simon became unduly fascinated by the bottles on the wall bracket.

"So... vodka-cranberry?” Simon said finally. “I thought Will only drank wine?"

Jay snorted. "Yeah, but he won't like the cheap muck they serve here. He'll just say it tastes like vinegar. I mean, they all taste like vinegar to me, but he reckons there's a difference."

Simon smiled faintly. He hesitated before asking;

"You never answered my question. What do you like about him?"

"What, other than the obvious? That he's funny, clever? Loyal? Passionate?"

"Mad as a box of frogs?" Simon offered.

Jay grinned. "That just keeps things interesting."

He glanced back towards the seating area. Will was talking animatedly about something. Tara looked thoroughly entertained. Jay found himself smiling.

"Nah, it's the little stuff, really. Every time he does something quirky, something that's just so totally him, it gives me, like... a little lift inside. Even when he's being a pretentious pain in the arse, all I can do is look at him and think how lucky I am to have him."

Simon stared. "Wow…"

"What?"

"Just… not used to you being so open, I guess."

Jay shrugged. "Realised honesty's important. Especially when it comes to people you care about. That's why we wanted to tell you and Neil about, well... you know."

Simon did know, and he openly cringed at the memory.

"I know I behaved like an arsehole the other night,” he said softly. “And I'm sorry. It was all just a bit shocking, you know? It was the last thing I expected to hear. Especially since I'm so used to hearing you going on about tits and gash all the time.”

"Well, didn't think you'd appreciate me talking about cock,” Jay quipped, before sobering. "Seriously though, I think I get it. Took me long enough to get my head round it, to be fair. There's nothing more jarring than eyeing up a bird one minute, then realising you've been staring at some bloke's arse the next. Took a while for me to figure out I wasn't, ya know... either-or.”

"When did you figure it out?"

"'Bout four years ago. Didn't start accepting it 'til about two years after that though."

Simon nodded slowly. "For what it's worth, you did a good job hiding it."

"Will said he knew from the day he met me."

"Like a ‘takes-one-to-know-one’ sort of thing?"

"Nah," Jay laughed. "Said the overcompensating gave it away. Like, 'ooh, tits and gash, look how very fucking straight I am!'"

Simon actually chuckled. "Well, Will’s always been able to see things differently to the rest of us."

"He's definitely always been able to see through me,” Jay admitted. “Never let me get away with anything. Used to hate that about him. But now... I think it's one of the things I like most."

Another silence. This time, it was thoughtful rather than uncomfortable. Then Jay spoke again.

"That shit you said, about me not being good enough for Will?"

Simon grimaced. "Mate, I should never have-"

"It's fine. I've thought it myself. And Will knows it. That's why he tore a strip off you at Neil's…" Jay hesitated, staring down at the bar. "I know he's this well-read perfectionist, and I'm the embodiment of 'yeah, that'll do'. But for some reason, he still chooses me. Still loves me, despite what a knobhead I can be. And I know he keeps downplaying it, but the fact that he's willing to basically put his life on hold for a year just 'cause he can’t bear to lose what we’ve got... "

He swallowed thickly, finally meeting Simon’s eyes.

"You've no idea how grateful I am for that. I know he'd do anything for me. And I'd do the same for him. I love him, Si. I really, really do."

Simon looked at him for a long moment.

"Yeah. I believe you."

Before either of them could say anything else, the bartender returned.

"Sorry about that,” he said, slightly breathless. “I'll have your drinks ready in just a tick."

"No problem, thanks," Simon replied.

The interruption was oddly welcome. The conversation had become more serious than either of them had probably expected. Simon decided to lighten things up a little.

"So... what do you and Will actually do together?"

Jay cocked a mischievous eyebrow. "Well, you see, Si; when a boy and a boy love each other very much-"

"No, not that! I meant generally, like when you spend time together. I assume you aren’t just snogging and... whatever else the entire time.”

"Well, no. We do loads together. Like, we’ll hang out and watch TV. He’s into documentaries, ‘cause… it’s Will, so ‘course he is. I wasn’t keen to begin with, but he’s not into stuff about like, wars and history and boring shit like that. He likes weird stuff, like about subcultures and fringe groups; that Louis Theroux bloke has seen some proper mad shit! And he’s well into true crime, which can be a bit grim, but also really interesting. We saw this one about the death penalty the other day, and-”

Jay stopped abruptly when he caught sight of Simon’s face. Staring, grinning like an idiot.

"What?" Jay asked.

Simon shook his head. "Nothing. Just something Neil said."

Jay looked concerned. "Do I wanna know?"

"He said you and Will both seem really happy. I hadn't noticed. But he's right."

Simon glanced back towards the table. Will was laughing at something Tara had said. Completely relaxed. Completely comfortable. The same as Jay.

"I mean, all you're doing is sitting here talking about what you watch on TV together and your whole face is lit up like a Christmas tree."

Jay looked away, suddenly a little self-conscious. Simon just grinned wider.

"I don't know how I didn't notice it before," he admitted.

"It's 'cause you're self-centred, mate," Jay said with a teasing smirk. "But don't worry. We accept you for it."

Simon chuckled. "Well, I'll work on it. Seriously though, you and Will do both seem different now. Good different. And... I think I'm happy for you."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. I mean, it's still weird. You're my mates, after all. But that's exactly why I'm gonna get used to it. I'm not losing two of my best mates just because I can’t pull my head out my arse."

Jay held Simon's gaze for a moment. Whatever retort had been poised on his tongue seemed to disappear. He simply nodded, somewhat gratefully, as the bartender returned carrying a tray laden with drinks.

"Sorry about the wait," he said, setting them down on the bar. "All sorted now."

As the bartender began tapping figures into the till, Jay reached for his wallet. Simon held up a hand to stop him, fishing into his own pocket.

"I'll get these."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. Consider it part of a well-deserved apology."

Jay gave a small nod. "Cheers, mate."

The relief that flickered across Simon's face lasted only seconds before he turned back towards the card machine, but Jay clocked it anyway. They headed back to the table, Jay clearing a path as Simon carried the tray. Will and Tara were laughing between themselves as they approached.

"Alright?" Simon asked. "What's so funny?"

Will exchanged a glance with Tara and smiled sheepishly.

"Just... ‘girl talk’."

"Knew it," Jay said, slinging an arm around Will’s shoulder. "You've been gossiping about me, ain’t ya?"

"Oh, almost exclusively," Will replied impishly.

Simon set the tray of drinks down on the table. Before anyone could reach for a glass, he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

"Can I just say something? I mean, I've sort of already said it to Jay, but not properly."

The table fell quiet. Simon looked directly at Will.

"I'm sorry. For Wednesday. I think I was just shocked. I knew you two had gotten close. I just didn't think for one minute that..." He trailed off, searching for the words. "It just caught me off guard. But that doesn't excuse how I acted. Which was like a dick."

Tara snorted into her drink. Simon shot her a look, before concluding;

"I'm really sorry, is what I’m saying."

Will studied him for a moment. A few days ago, he might have been tempted to make him squirm a little longer. Now, though, the awkward sincerity written all over Simon's face made that feel unnecessarily cruel.

"Thank you," he said. "I appreciate it."

Beside him, Jay gave a small nod. The tension that had lingered all evening finally seemed to ease.

"And I hope the invitation you gave Neil to visit you in Bristol extends to me too,” Simon added.

"Of course it does."

Jay smirked. "Ooh, Bristol? So, you don't reckon we're doomed to fail after all then?"

Simon shook his head. "I still haven't totally got my head around it. But if you say you're all in with each other, that's enough for me."

Tara happily clapped her hands together. "Aww, that’s more like it! Talking through your emotions like grown-ups." She gestured between Will and Jay. "You know, you two really bring out the best in each other."

Will visibly brightened. "You think so?"

"Yeah! You're both actually quite likeable now."

Will and Jay exchanged matching wry glances.

"...Thanks?" they chorused.

Later that evening, Will and Jay walked home in comfortable silence. Simon’s dad had given them a ride back to the area, saving Will the trauma of a second bus journey.

"Well, that was a sizeable improvement from Wednesday," Will remarked.

"Yeah, it was good. Feels normal again, sort of."

Will nodded. It did. Not perfect or exactly the same as before, but close enough.

"Thanks for giving him a chance."

Jay shrugged. "Turns out he wasn't completely full of shit."

For a few moments they walked on. Then Jay nudged Will lightly with his shoulder.

"So, come on. What did you and Tara actually talk about? Comparing notes about who has the best boyfriend? Which is you, obviously."

"We mostly talked about my mum. And why I'm so apprehensive about telling her."

“And?”

Will sighed. Talking to Tara had helped. So had seeing Simon come around. And, rather irritatingly, so had Jay's throwaway comment earlier about his mother loving him no matter what.

Regardless…

“I’m still not entirely sure what to do. But I can’t help wondering whether I’ve just been overthinking it. Assuming the worst."

"You definitely do that."

"Thank you."

“Any time.”

"What do you think? Should I just… go for it and tell her?"

Jay was quiet for a moment.

"I think… that it's your mum."

"That's not an answer."

"It's the only honest one I've got."

Will huffed a laugh. "Very helpful.”

Jay shrugged. "Look, she might break out the pride flags, or she might call a fucking exorcist."

"Comforting."

"Not trying to comfort you. Just trying to be realistic."

Will couldn't really argue with that. So, he stayed silent.

"I really dunno what she’ll do, babe. But what I do know is that keeping it to yourself is clearly doing your head in."

Will opened his mouth to protest. Then closed it again. Because, unfortunately, Jay was right. Again.

"Whatever happens, though," Jay continued, "you won’t be dealing with the upshot on your own. You've got me. Neil. Si too, now. And Tara, apparently. Worst-case scenario, we’re all here for you. Especially me."

Will smiled faintly, slipping his hand into Jay's. Jay squeezed it once before lacing their fingers together.

Maybe he did have more support than he'd been willing to admit.

And maybe it was finally time to stop putting it off.