Catfish and the Bottlemen || Imagines

Jealous Guy - Bondy

As they drove, the stoney silence that echoed throughout the car was almost unbearable. One of those situations where the tension was simmering at a dangerously high rate, building up and up and up again before dissipating entirely and the whole thing started over.

The anger in both of them was threatening to show itself and though they attempted some self restraint, both were betrayed by the look on their faces. The two of them a perfect picture of misery as they sat in silence, an hour long car journey where not even the radio could diffuse the tension between them.

Though his scowl was fixed on the road ahead, she could see the whites of his knuckles as he gripped the steering wheel harshly from time to time, his hands flexing to squeeze at the leather every so often as though he was battling with himself. He was far worse at hiding his emotions than she was, roughly hitting the indicators to the point where she feared they might snap off.

She wanted to laugh at him, surprised he even thought he had the right to be upset with her. To blame her for anything that had happened that night. When he had gone to change gear and nearly stalled the car in the process she'd broken her silence only to hiss at him lowly.

"Oh for christ's sake John," she scowled in a low whisper, equally as angry with him as he seemed to be with her. Choosing only to ignore the grunt he let out in reply, a sound of annoyance as she nagged at him to drive safer.

The atmosphere around them was palpable, a mismatched anger which didn't suit either of them very well. His naturally lethargic personality meant he rarely ever got like this, it was out of the ordinary for him to be acting so odd. Acting with a possessive jealousy which had ruined their weekend and left them in an unbearable silence for the trip back.

"So is this it then," she began, annoyed above all else that after making a show of himself and her, he was the one giving her the silent treatment as if she was in the wrong.
Even more infuriated by the glance he sent in her direction, the look on his as though to ask what she was on about.

"You're just gonna ignore me till we get home and then fuck off to sleep on the couch again?"

She knew she wasn't doing herself any favours provoking him but she couldn't help herself, not after the way he'd been earlier. It was beginning to feel like she'd never get over the mortification that she'd felt when he'd bulldozed in with his accusations ruining the night for everyone. Even Larry's attempts to reassure her over and over that it was fine and nothing had been ruined fell flat.

After it had all kicked off the two of them had returned to their hotel room, bickering and making snide remarks at one another. Harsh, cutting statements that intended to wound the other as badly as possible.

They'd both looked worn out, her mascara smeared around her eyes from tears, hair messy and uneven from pulling at it out of frustration. He'd unbuttoned the top four buttons on his shirt, the tie he'd been wearing dangling down either side of his neck, the jacket that went with his suit nowhere to be seen.

When he'd snapped and raised his voice she'd locked herself in the bathroom, not because she was scared of him but because she was scared of herself. Terrified that she'd say something equally as horrible that she'd regret in the morning.

When she finally let herself out he wasn't in the room but his things were still there so she knew he hadn't left. His missing jacket and ciggys told her all she needed to know and though she was angry at him, she collected a pillow and the throw off the foot of the bed and left them for him on the couch.

The venom which flowed through her veins urged her to go one step further, tempting her to pack her stuff and order a taxi home using his card, leave without a word just to give him a fright. To cause even the slightest amount of panic and doubt in his mind that she would ever actually leave him.

And even though it was tempting she knew that she was only wanting to do it out of anger and it would only make things worse.

Still furious at him she couldn't help but wait up till he got in, just to make sure he was safe because no matter how upset she was with him, he meant the world to her. She couldn't say how long she laid there waiting for him to appear in the doorway, having smoked the majority of his deck out of frustration. The sound of the keycard swiping on the door had alerted her of his arrival, prompting her to still in the darkness and wait.

His feet crossed the floor sounding heavy and exhausted, the same way she felt. Her heart shattering when he'd come to stand at the end of the bed they were supposed to share, whispering to himself through the darkness thinking she was asleep. A regretful sigh escaping his lips when he walked away from her, taking up residence on the couch for the night, ahead of their drive home.

"I don't know what you want me to say," he spoke, eyes firmly fixed on the road ahead fully aware that he was being difficult. Perhaps that was what made it worse, the two of them reduced to childish squabbles because they couldn't communicate. Scoffing at his nonchalance she turned her head towards him, genuinely shocked that he had the nerve to act the innocent party.

"A sorry would be nice John..." she snapped, surprising even herself with her words, "am sorry I accused you of shagging me best mate behind my back... that would do."

And though she knew he was sorry from the moment he'd realised his mistake, she couldn't forget the malicious look that had been in his eyes. His accusations of cheating and the way he'd insinuated it so cruelly.

An awkward exchange in front of the rest of the band while half drunk, he'd been spitefully unsubtle in his indictment of them both. Leaving Van
mortified that he had really thought him capable of doing that to his best mate, ranting incessantly about how they were just friends. Meanwhile she was in floods of tears as she stormed outside for some air, grateful for Larry when he'd come out and offered her his jacket and a shoulder to cry on.

"You know am sorry y/n," he sighed as they pulled into their street, their house standing out vividly. A bright red door waiting for them at the top of the steps they'd often sit on during the summer. It was somewhere she was always happy, the little home they'd built for themselves in their little flat in shields.

It was their own sanctuary filled with her literature classics and his music things. Though now she didn't really want to be there, part of her wishing she could go back in time and change everything that had happened the night before.

While he parked the car she stayed as quiet as she could, ignoring the urge to get out as soon as they came to a stop. Surprised when he turned off the engine yet didn't make a move to leave either. Instead stretching in his seat and sitting back, head turning in her direction with a guilty face.

"I'm just being daft I know," he began, eyes pooling with either guilt or regret though she couldn't quite tell, "you'd never cheat on me, honest i know that..."

She sighed softly, turning more towards him than she had been the whole journey, head resting against her own chair as she glanced at him. Half of her willing to put it behind them she nodded along with his words.

"An i know it's no excuse, but i am sorry like," he apologised sincerely, daring a look at her sympathetic eyes when he'd finished apologising. After a moment she nodded reaching out to grab his hand which lay abandoned on the hand break.

"I love you John. only you." she smiled, a wry little grin on her cheeks as she lifted his hand to his lips. A warmness spreading through her when he grinned too, told her he loved her more than the sun and the moon and all the stars put together.

They were far from perfect, a little rough around the edges. They had their flaws and so did every couple. Arguing was inevitable in a relationship but it was the way they always made up and always were ten times stronger for it too. No matter what came between them they made sure to tackle it together, even if it took them a while to realise it.

(an: summer school uni is fucking me over so much, here's a draft i edited rather than doing my final essay that's due x)