Oneshots and Other Things

Three Nights (M)

So... this has happened.

In a fairly rapid gear shift from the last set of chapters, this one gets quite mature (excuse me while I go and hide under a rock). It's also Dec/Stephen which may not be your thing (which is totally fine). I'm sure we will be back to general angst very soon!

I don't know how this got so long or why it really exists but here we are. If you make it through the whole thing, I hope you enjoy noticing all the places my angsty brain forced there to be complicated feelings involved. Because I cannot for the life of me write anything without there being some sort of emotional turmoil - it's just a thing at this point XD

Anyhow, this is set in 2016 at the SNT final show which was filmed live on a cruise ship and that is literally the only context you need. Now then... back to hiding under my rock.

(*~*)

Dec didn't let his mustered confidence falter when Stephen did little to hide his surprise as he opened his cabin door. He certainly didn't let it waver when the younger man glanced beyond him, clearly looking for Ant. That didn't mean he wanted Ant to be there as well, Dec told himself firmly. It just meant he was noticing the differences between this moment and the vast majority of their interactions which, really, was probably quite helpful.

"Can I help you?" Stephen asked, instantly looking suspicious enough to make Dec grin.

"I'm not here to booby-trap your room," he replied patiently, holding his hands up innocently, unable to wipe the smile off his face. Stephen was far too much fun to wind up. "Promise."

"Where's Ant, then?" Stephen continued his interrogation, although he backed into his room, holding the door in a clear invitation for Dec to follow him. He tried not to let it feel significant as he crossed the threshold, glancing around with unbridled curiosity.

"Having a life that doesn't revolve around me?" Dec guessed, raising an eyebrow. "We're seeing each other practically every second of the day when we're rehearsing the show."

"Yeah, and you're basically twins who were separated at birth so that doesn't normally bother you," Stephen retorted. Dec broke off from his survey of the small cabin to check he was joking - and yes, that was definitely a smirk on his face – before shrugging nonchalantly.

"Thought I'd come and bother you instead," he said lightly, not for the first time wondering how Stephen did this so easily. Being on their own, in the ship's equivalent of a bedroom, he couldn't help but think of those times something had happened. He wondered if Stephen thought the same or if it was just water under the bridge. They'd always been good at just being friends, forgetting what happened behind closed doors.

"Have you looked around the boat?" Stephen asked, not quite suggesting that they did. Maybe he was just making small talk, allowing Dec to bother him as he'd said he was.

"Yeah, got a full tour," Dec replied, still nosey in the unfamiliar space. Stephen's suitcase was overspilling in one corner, the wardrobe half-open but only containing his suit for the show on Saturday to keep it from getting creased. The cabin was largely identical to all of the others, not exactly imbued with the younger man's personality, but there was something about how Dec was feeling that evening which made it seem that way.

"It'll be busy tomorrow," Stephen continued, referring to the solid day of rehearsing they were scheduled to do, followed by a dress run in the evening. Dec nodded, smiling slightly again.

"D'you want an early night, grandpa?" he teased, glad when Stephen smiled easily, letting out a huffed laugh.

"Not particularly," he replied. If Dec ever let himself, he'd have searched for subtext in that response. But Stephen never showed any sign of even thinking about the past, slipping back into the casual friendship he'd always shared with both of them.