Do I Know You? || James Marriott AU

1: Long Time No See, Friend

It had been a long time since James and Will had seen each other in person, rather than screen to screen. They were known to have such a strong dynamic according to the fans and comments rushed in video after video, no matter how many jokes that Will would make about the videos doing shitty because of James' appearance in them. Again, that's just what he deemed his northern banter, and it was pretty much the prime of their content as a duo.

But, again, James missed it dearly like it was something to mourn over. He claims it was so he could just interact or hear Will's voice over a Discord call, but it was mainly because he wanted to incorporate the real life environment back, and get Will to remember back to 2018 when they filmed in his own flat in person, laughing, smiling, cracking jokes. It's what he really wanted, and since it wasn't that late out and was just turning midday, he seemed to dig into his pocket and seemed to fish out for his phone.

"Will and Jim's creator.. now let's see if you can be arsed to pick up your phone if you aren't busy editing, or pissing about with Mikey." He humours dryly, while scrolling and tapping on his phone screen for Will's contact, and before long he pressed on the dial icon, and that's when dull vibrations drew out as James now positioned it to his ear. It seemed after the fifth time of a fruitless conversation, that his phone stopped this, and then a scramble could be heard and then a startled Geordie accent chiming after it, "Oh James! How are ya mate?"

"I'm good yeah, just waited an age for you to pick up, I swear your editing has a chokehold on you some days. Does Mikey not bother anymore or what?" He says, laughing with his light jab of remarking toward Will's unorganised scheduling, and it also received a laugh from Will too after a moment.

"Nah, Mikey's fine like, it's just that I have a lot of videos with other guests like Cam I have to get out, and plus he's taking a break from it for a bit, he's been running his arse off for weeks Jim." Will explains, sighing softly with still a hint of laughter in the back of his voice. "Oh yeah, was gonna ask why you called too? Got caught off guard with your starting talk not gonna lie."

To be honest James partially forgot why he even called for a moment, but then as soon as he'd look around his quiet and light silenced flat, and that's when the penny had dropped for what he was planning on asking, and that's when he butt in again a little more lively. "Well, to be fair, I just thought that since we haven't seen each other in person for a good while, that we could meet up? There's a local coffee shop not far from my place we could go to and catch up, if you want to Will?"

Will heard him from his end on the phone, and would smile about the idea, yet the fact that he lived an hour and a half away in London, it made the dream more dead then alive in spirit, so he had to break bad news. "I appreciate it mate, really I do. But, I do live an hour away from you don't forget.. and train tickets are expensive as shit with the cost of living crisis still locked in for the UK." He seemed disappointed, and James even felt his friend's facade dim to a frown like his did too.

"But I'll feel alone if you don't though, and your mood Will, lifts my mood up more any day. And if it comes to it, I'll even pay for your tickets inbound and outbound. Please man, trust me. It'll be fully worth it." James persisted, while again the phone line fell quiet while the other listened to the quite frankly convince of an offer.

"James that's nice of you, really it is. However you haven't gotten paid yet to even try and get your band still up, it's fine honestly. I can try and see how much is in my wallet or maybe ask George to offer some over. Don't waste the money on me for a one time thing."

Will was someone that always felt emotions fuller than what James did, probably because of their differences, and being his so called best friend or in the list, he still wanted to persist with offer for a kind gesture anyway. "Will, for god's sake, please don't make me spend this entire call convincing you for a little meet-up. Trust me, I'm a good friend to you and I wouldn't lie about wanting to see you and pay for it." James again had a light laugh but it seemed forced this time around.