10 Years (Zerkaa/TBJZL) (A Sidemen Story)

Chapter 5 - The Meeting

Tobi was sat outside Nandos scrolling through Twitter, something at least to distract himself until Josh arrived and also to distract him from his ever growing emotions. Then he saw him, his tall bearded friend walk confidently but with a smile etched on his face. Tobi smiled widely, it was time to set their 10 year record straight.

"Hi Tobi!" smiled Josh

"Hi Josh!" replied Tobi happily, "it's been a while", a while being about 4 days when it came to these two not seeing each other.

They walked inside and sat down, ordering their traditional orders which came as natural to them as getting hyper came natural to JJ. The two of them sat their silently for a few minutes, wanting to address the elephant in the room but neither knew where to begin, but Tobi knew this silence had to be broken.

"Josh, I want to address why I may have being acting a little awkwardly lately and why I was sad after your birthday". Josh gave him an attentive look as if to say that he wanted Tobi to take his time and explain himself in a way that was comfortable for him.

"The truth is... you mean everything to me, our friendship means everything to me and when you're not around I can't help but feel kinda lost." Josh just sat there calm and collected as you would expect, he then nodded, urging Tobi to carry on, eager to hear more. "The 10 years that I've known you Josh are among the most cherished I have" Tobi even giggled slightly, prompting a small smile form Josh. "You're everything anyone could want in a friend Josh and I couldn't imagine my life without you in it. 10 brilliant years, 10 hilarious, fun filled years and I can't wait to experience 10 more. I just wanted to lay my feelings on the table." After this outpouring of love, Tobi just froze, waiting for a response from Josh.

Josh couldn't believe what was happening, how much Tobi had touched him with his words and small tears were trickling slowly down his face. Tobi was equally as shocked by Josh getting quite emotional, even in their friendship, he had rarely seen this level of emotion from Josh.

"Well I don't know what to say Tobi. You're an amazing friend and as a mate, I feel the exact way about you. You're funny, you're kind, you'll do anything for anybody if they need something. You've praised me so much but you don't give yourself enough credit. Tobi, I've never met anyone as brilliant as you and I agree, the past 10 years have been amazing and like you, I hope for 10 more, you'll always mean loads to me mate." Tobi started tearing two. Two men crying in Nandos was quite a sight, some onlookers perhaps thinking that someone had tampered with their peri peri sauce. This wasn't some gastronomic mix up however, it was a sign of a loving friendship.

Tobi and Josh then ate and chatted for a while, but Josh still couldn't quite understand what was going on.

"Tobi, I just want to know, is there more to this? I appreciate you're kind words about our friendship but I feel like there's something you're not telling me."

Tobi breathed deeply, waited a while and composed himself.

"Well Josh, I...er...um I think I'm in love with you. Like properly, deeply in love. With you."

Josh sat there completely wide-eyed. He didn't know what to say or how to react, he was just sat there stock still. He didn't know how he felt but he wasn't sure if he felt the same way.

"Well... Tobi... I'm er... I'm flattered, but I'm not sure I'm... er gay, or bisexual for that matter, I don't think that something like that would er... be possible."

Josh hoped that this would have been a way to let down Tobi gently, but it had the opposite effect. Tobi started to cry, head in hands and Josh felt awful, but what could he do? He had tried his best to make the situation as comfortable for the both of them as possible. Tobi then started to turn, and he shouted across the table at Josh, catching Josh completely by surprise:

"PLEASE GIVE ME A CHANCE JOSH, PLEASE!"

Josh didn't know what to do, the whole restaurant had gone silent and the spotlight shone brightly on their table.

"Tobi, I... I can't."

Tobi's sadness then turned into a considerable rage

"WHY THE FUCK NOT? DON'T YOU FUCKING CARE ABOUT ME?"

The shouting had caused one elderly lady to drop her burger she was having right onto her face, hot sauce trickling down it. the situation was getting even more tense.

"Of course I care about you Tobi, I just, I... I... I don't love you, in that way" said Josh sorrowfully, worrying that their 10 years of friendship was under threat and he was right to worry as Tobi exploded like an atomic bomb.

"I POUR MY WHOLE FUCKING HEART OUT TO YOU AND YOU JUST THROW IT AWAY SO FUCKING CASUALLY? HAS THE PAST 10 YEARS BEEN A FUCKING LIE TO YOU?

Josh couldn't believe that his always calm and relaxed friend had gotten so angry, he had never seen Tobi like this, he doubted anyone had. Despite this, Josh decided to retaliate, he had had enough of this and didn't care abut everyone surrounding two of them, who became invisible, like an army of camouflaged chameleons.

"TOBI YOU NEED TO CALM DOWN. JUST RELAX. I KNOW THIS IS NOT EASY FOR YOU TO HEAR, BUT TRUST ME, IT'S NOT EASY FOR ME EITHER."

"WELL BOO FUCKING HOO JOSH, I'M SURE YOU'RE REALLY GOING TO BE REALLY UPSET BY THIS."

"I CAN'T JUST LIKE YOU BACK TOBI THAT'S NOT HOW IT WORKS"

"IT'S NOT FAIR, I'VE DONE LOADS FOR YOU JOSH AND YOU TREAT ME LIKE THIS IN RETURN?"

"WELL GUESS WHAT TOBI, LIFE IS NOT FUCKING FAIR AND AFTER ALL THIS I'M NOT SURE I WOULD WANT TO BE WITH YOU ANYWAY!"

Josh then stormed out the restaurant incensed and Tobi lay crestfallen in the middle of the restaurant hands over his face, not wanting anyone to look at him, the shell of the man he once was. It seemed as if their friendship which had been envied by others had collapsed and the implications for both the two of them and the other sidemen were damning.

A/N: Well that was dramatic wasn't it! I hope you're enjoying this! If the sidemen do anything bad or something in this, it's just for the purpose of the story, we all know they're wonderful guys in reality!Thank you! - Riak64 :)