Isn't She Lovely | Impractical Jokers

4:00

"Can we not do it right here?" Sal said quietly.

Dylan led them to a quiet lounge area on the other side of the arcade. There were brown leather couches and chairs sparsed throughout the room, warmly lit with faux candles. Sal and Dylan chose two chairs diagonal to each other in the corner.

"So..." Dylan said, opening the conversation.

Sal sighed. He knew he couldn't delay the conversation any longer. "I'm...fat and gross," he said quietly. "I'm fat and gross and I don't wanna be like that anymore."

All of the pieces seemed to fit now. Sal being uneasy about eating out, the whole thing yesterday at Red's. Dylan sighed. "You're not gross," They assured.

"You're saying I'm fat though."

Dylan shook their head and put their hand on Sal's knee. "Sal, I'm saying that being fat isn't gross. I'm also saying that in this short amount of time I've known you, I've come to really care about you and I want you to eat healthy."

"But if I eat, I'll stay fat." Sal wiped tears from his eyes.

"There's nothing wrong with that," Dylan sighed. "Sal, have you eaten anything today?"

He shook his head. "I'm not hungry."

"You need to eat. C'mon, the guys are waiting," they said as they stood. Sal looked up at them with sad eyes. "I'll let you order something small and if the guys give you shit for it, I'll shut them up."

Sal took a tissue from a box that sat on a side table and wiped his eyes and runny nose. "Okay," he said quietly and stood.

"I'm really proud of you for telling me, though," Dylan whispered. "I know how hard that can be." Sal nodded at his feet. "Can I hug you?"

With no hesitation, Sal threw his arms around them.

☆

Dylan and Sal walked through the chaos of Dick's to find the others at their table. They'd already ordered and gotten their food.

"We didn't know how long you'd be so we just went ahead," Q gestured to the food with a chicken leg.

Dylan waved it off. "That's fine, we weren't gonna get much anyway." They took their seats next to Murr and Joe. The waiter was close by.

"Finally, you assholes are here!" he shouted over the surrounding noise. "We've been waiting for hours! You better be ready to order." He pointed his pad at Sal who shrank in his seat.

Dylan piped up. "We're just gonna get two buffalo chicken wing appetizers," they shouted.

"Are you kidding me that's all?" The waiters here tended to poke fun at the guests. Dylan saw Sal's face blanche in the corner of their eye. They put their hand on his knee under the table. Sal visibly calmed slightly.

The waiter disappeared for a second and was back.

"Oh, shit. I forgot drinks for you two."

Dylan automatically answered, "Water."

"For both of you?" he asked. Dylan nodded. "Fuckin' losers." And he was gone again.

Joe turned to Sal. "That's all you're getting?"

"I'm not that hungry," Sal shrugged.

Q shook his head. "I haven't seen you eat anything all day, you've gotta be hungry by now."

Sal glanced at Dylan who yelled, "Will you let him do what he wants? He's an adult."

Joe and Q stared for a moment then shrugged and started talking about their next day of shooting. Sal snuck a smile in Dylan's direction and put his hand on top of theirs on his knee.