Ant and Dec One Shots

Left Out

Dec hadn't planned to spend the night in the spare room. He hadn't planned for the awkward, hollow feeling that crept into his chest throughout the day either, making the usually warm dynamic with Ant and Stephen feel... wrong. Yet here he was, lying on the small bed with his arms crossed and his back to the door, staring at the pale shadow of moonlight stretching across the ceiling.

They hadn't even noticed he was gone.

It had started that morning, during what should have been one of their favourite types of days-a brainstorming session for their next big project. Ant and Stephen were electric, bouncing ideas off each other in rapid bursts of energy. Dec loved how their minds worked together, like two halves of a single thought. But as the minutes ticked by, every time he opened his mouth to contribute, they interrupted him. Or worse, they didn't seem to hear him at all.

He'd brushed it off at first. They're just excited. They don't mean anything by it, he thought, sinking a little further back into the couch. But as the day went on, it got harder to ignore. They finished each other's sentences, laughed together, and barely glanced his way.

Am I even here?

By the time dinner rolled around, Dec had resigned himself to the background. He hadn't even been asked what he wanted to eat. Ant had casually rattled off an order for himself and Stephen, and before Dec could even say anything, the decision was made. He plastered on a smile, biting back the sting. "That's fine," he'd mumbled. It wasn't fine.

After they ate-laughing and joking as if nothing were wrong-Dec made an excuse to tidy up. His heart ached as he listened to their laughter echoing from the living room. They don't even notice, he thought bitterly, gripping the edge of the sink.

When the cleaning was done, Dec had slipped upstairs, unnoticed. He hadn't said goodnight. He doubted they would care.

The next morning, Ant stretched lazily in bed, glancing at the clock. Dec's side of the bed was untouched, the duvet still tucked neatly into place. He frowned.

"Dec must've gotten up early," Ant said aloud, though something in his gut twisted uncomfortably.

Stephen rolled over, squinting at the empty bed. "Doesn't feel right without him, does it?"

They made their way downstairs, expecting to find Dec in the kitchen. But the flat was eerily quiet, the kind of silence that prickled the edges of Ant's nerves.

Ant checked the living room, then the kitchen. "He's not here," he said, his voice laced with worry.

Stephen's brow furrowed. "Did we miss something? He seemed... I don't know, quiet yesterday, but-"

Ant suddenly felt the weight of the day before settling over him. The laughter, the jokes, the moments he'd shared with Stephen-all without Dec. His chest tightened. Oh no. Did we do this?

"I'll check the spare room," Ant said, already halfway up the stairs.

When he pushed open the door, his heart sank. Dec was curled up under the duvet, his back to the door, completely still.

"He's in here," Ant called softly over his shoulder.

Stephen appeared behind him, guilt etched across his face. "Oh, Dec..."

Ant hesitated before sitting on the edge of the bed. He reached out and placed a tentative hand on Dec's shoulder. "Dec? What's going on, mate?"

Dec stirred but didn't turn over. His voice was soft, barely audible. "I didn't want to bother you."

Ant felt like he'd been punched in the gut.

Stephen crouched beside the bed, his face a mixture of concern and guilt. "Dec, you could never bother us. What's wrong?"

Dec sighed heavily, sitting up slowly but keeping his eyes fixed on the duvet. His voice trembled as he spoke. "Yesterday... I just felt like I wasn't there. Every time I tried to say something, you talked over me. You didn't even ask what I wanted for dinner. I felt like..." He hesitated, his voice cracking slightly. "Like I didn't belong with you two."

Ant's chest tightened with shame. How could we not have seen this?

"Dec," Ant began, his voice thick with emotion. "We didn't mean to make you feel like that."

Stephen nodded quickly, reaching for Dec's hand. "We were so caught up in everything, we didn't realise. I'm so sorry, Dec. That's the last thing we'd ever want."

Dec finally looked up at them, his blue eyes swimming with hurt. "I know you didn't mean it. But it still hurt. I love you both so much, and I just... I didn't feel loved back yesterday."

Ant felt tears prick at the corners of his eyes as he leaned forward, pulling Dec into a tight embrace. "You're the glue that holds us together, Dec. We'd be lost without you. I'm so sorry we made you feel like this."

Stephen wrapped his arms around both of them, pressing a soft kiss to Dec's temple. "We love you so much, Dec. You're everything to us. Please don't ever doubt that."

Dec's lips trembled as he spoke, his voice barely above a whisper. "I just... I need to feel like I matter to you. Like I'm not just a third wheel."

Ant pulled back just enough to cup Dec's face in his hands, his brown eyes earnest and filled with love. "You're not a third wheel, love. You're the heart of us."

Stephen kissed Dec's knuckles gently, his smile soft and full of affection. "We'll make it up to you, Dec. Starting now."

The rest of the day was all about Dec. Ant and Stephen refused to let him lift a finger, insisting on making his favourite breakfast-perfectly scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, and toast with just the right amount of butter.

Dec couldn't help but laugh as Ant made a mess of the kitchen, dropping the spatula twice and burning the first batch of bacon. Stephen kissed his cheek every time he laughed, grinning like he'd won the lottery.

The three of them spent the afternoon curled up on the sofa, watching Dec's favourite movies. Ant and Stephen took turns holding him close, their hands gently running through his hair or tracing soothing patterns on his back.

"I love you," Dec whispered at one point, his voice soft but sure.

Ant kissed his forehead. "We love you more."

Stephen chuckled, brushing a strand of hair from Dec's face. "Not possible."

As the sun set and the room filled with the warm, golden glow of the evening, Dec found himself between them, their arms wrapped protectively around him. For the first time in days, he felt completely at peace.

"Thank you," he whispered, his head resting against Ant's shoulder. "I needed this."

Stephen kissed his forehead gently. "You'll never feel left out again, Dec. We promise."

Ant tightened his grip, his voice full of love. "You're everything to us, Dec. Always."

Dec smiled, a warm blush rising to his cheeks as he closed his eyes. For the first time in a long while, he felt like he truly belonged.