Stephen turned his attention away from the list of films on the TV screen as he heard the doorbell ring, halfway to getting up from the sofa when Dec's footsteps approached the front door. He listened for a moment, grinning wryly to himself when Dec skipped any formalities and instead said, "He's been trying to choose a film for hours."
Resigned to having defend himself, especially when he heard Emma's mischievous laugh, he quickly made his way into the hall. He'd still been oddly nervous about Emma coming over, even if she'd known about him and Dec separately and apparently had her suspicions about them being together. He thought she might have known more than he imagined, although sometimes she was just good at reading people.
"You're just a bit of a perfectionist, aren't you?" she said fondly, her cheerful smile batting away any of those doubts, "Even when it comes to picking out a film."
"And you look far too pleased to get a night off parenting duties," Stephen retorted. Emma's smirk did nothing to argue her case, although his jibe also didn't seem to put her off making any more of her own.
"Has he started judging you for what you have and haven't seen despite the fact he's not watched some of the most famous films?" she asked Dec, raising an eyebrow in Stephen's direction.
"I don't do that," he complained half-heartedly.
"You do a bit," Dec grinned.
Stephen shook his head, leaning in the living room doorframe and tilting his head to one side. "When were you leaving again?"
"Kicking me out of my own house?" Dec pretended to look incredulous for a moment but then checked his phone, instantly turning slightly guilty. "Five minutes ago, I think."
"You do know I'm the one who gets texts from Ant now when you're late, right?" Stephen said, "As if I'm going to have any effect on you."
"You do pretty much live here by now," Emma pointed out, looking gleefully content with her front row seat to their conversation, "So if anyone's going to teach him to be on time..."
"Ant hasn't managed it in twenty years so I'm cutting myself some slack," Stephen replied, although he simultaneously considered resorting to manhandling Dec out of the front door. "Have a good night, Decs."
"That means 'get out'," Dec said surreptitiously to Emma, raising an eyebrow when she laughed. He turned back to Stephen, teasing smile mellowing out. "I might see you later. And if I don't, I will try my best not to wake you up."
"If you're drinking, I'm not holding out much hope," Stephen retorted, his arm lifting naturally when Dec gravitated back to him and tilted into his side briefly. He dropped his chin onto the other man's head, leaving behind a kiss against his hair. "See you later."
Dec moved back to the front door, patting his pockets one last time to check he had everything and then waving back over his shoulder unnecessarily. "Have a good night. Bye Emma!"
As soon as the front door closed, Stephen prepared himself for Emma's reaction, pleasantly surprised when she kept the teenage squealing to a minimum.
"It's exactly how I imagined," she said, a familiarly wicked grin on her face. Stephen rolled his eyes and nodded his head towards the living room to invite her in. She let herself get ahead of him before continuing. "You are so in love with him."
Stephen laughed, partly sheepish but mostly just amused. And yes, she wasn't wrong but he didn't want to give her the satisfaction of hearing it out loud just yet. He followed her instead to the sofa, facing her from the opposite end and trying not to encourage her expectant expression.
YOU ARE READING
As we fall apart
Fanfiction"Maybe it would be best if..." "What's that supposed to mean?" "I don't think I can do this anymore." It felt like it came out of nowhere. They'd had a lot to contend with for a long time but still, after it all, they'd had each other. Until they di...
