In My Place [Ant x Dec]

x. Perfect

"I'm taking you out tonight," stated Anthony out of the blue. "Clubbing. I'm in the mood for a party."

"No problem, Ant, but may I ask you why?" laughed Declan at his best friend's spontaneity.

"I just feel like we don't go out to party enough. We just keep on working and working, with the occasional holiday here and there; but can you tell me what we've been doing here so far? Golf. We've just been playing golf and ordering room service: Nowt different from our home lives!" ranted Ant, feeling a rush of excitement pass through him.

"Ok, ok, calm down. We'll dress smart and get drunk tonight - at least you will," Dec joked, seeing the enthusiasm plastered across his best friend's face.

The lads were both laying in bed, Dec resting after his unfortunate domestic accident with the damned headboard that took place an hour ago, while Ant was on his phone after having taken a shower. The sun was an hour away from setting and it was already starting to get cold out as somber clouds were now patched here and there in the darkening sky.

Three hours later, it was time to get ready. After Ant had talked to the hotel clerk and told him to rent him a cab, he had gone up again and found Dec getting dressed. "That shirt looks good on ye, haven't seen you wearing it before," Ant complimented.

"Aye, gift from Ali. Wifey's got a lovely taste in clothes," Dec bragged, smiling at the mention of his wife.

Ant did not answer. He felt guilty altogether because of this morning's thinking session, and he was impatient to go back home and talk to Lisa, who had no clue of what was going on in his head. He waited for Dec to get ready while he fixed his hair and applied some cologne for the last time. He wore a coat over his clothes because the temperature outside had gradually gone low and he did not want to catch a cold and bring it back home. He and Dec were leaving the day after, and they would be back to their busy lives.

Stepping out of the hotel's main entrance, Declan shivered. It was horribly cold out compared to the warmth of the room, which was obvious since Ant had had turned the heater on high. By the time they got into their cab and told their driver where to take them, Declan's hands were freezing cold; which did not go unnoticed by Ant.

"Are you cold, Dec? Here," Ant took his best friend's hands in his and put them in his lap. He started gently stroking the back of his hand with both his thumbs, smiling at Declan whose heart was starting to beat faster at the intimate gesture.

Ten minutes later, the boys were dropped off in front of a very cosy-looking pub which was jammed with middle-aged people. They walked in and immediately were greeted with people asking for pictures and autographs. After a few minutes, Ant and Dec found their way to the VIP section where they were welcomed to comfortable-looking couches and bottles of various genres of wine and champagne deposed on a low table in front of them.

"I like this place already," cheered Ant, rubbing his hands together as he looked at the bottles of alcohol in front of him.

"Go easy on yerself, pet, I don't want to be carrying you back to the cab by the time we leave," Dec put his hand on his best friend's back.

"We'll see, I just want wanna have fun and get drunk tonight!" enthusiastically said Ant as the music started to play, the volume a little louder than it was before.

The younger Geordie poured himself glass after glass of wine, ignoring the repetitive comments of his best friend warning him about drinking too much.

"Just let us be, man," slurred Ant as he downed his third glass of champagne. "I want something stronger," he motioned for the waiter to come over to their table, while Dec was slowly sipping on his second glass of rosé wine.