1 // CONFIDENTIAL // JEDDY

// fourty three //

"fred?" teddy asked, opening the door. he'd knocked, and jamie hadn't been arsed to get up to answer it. he wasn't exactly in the best state to answer it either.

it had been weeks, maybe even months since fred had last been here. teddy had lost track of time in between helping jamie and trying to accept this awful uncovered truth that was entrapping him.

though, the knocking from fred was strange, he'd usually barge straight in their flat, and apologise later. the dynamic between these friends had been thrown off completely. and teddy didn't know if it'd ever be the same again.

"hi, yeah, is jamie in?" fred asked, looking nervous. teddy felt as if fred didn't want to be here. but it wasn't a matter of want, it was one of need.

"yeah he's just in the living room," teddy replied. "come in."

"thanks, mate."

and teddy fully opened the door, welcoming fred into their flat. once fred had taken his shoes and coat off, teddy stopped him before he could get to jamie. "before you go speak to jamie, how are you doing? i know i've not been the best of friend towards you right now and i-"

his feelings of guilt had made him restless, but he hoped fred understood the situation he was in. and if fred didn't, he sure would soon.

"teddy, it's cool. i understand how you feel towards jamie. and hey, you're closer with him than you are with me. and i've had support from rox and louis. don't worry."

and fred did understand. anyone with two eyes could recognise that teddy loved jamie. and those same two eyes could see how painful it was for teddy to go through this, as well as jamie and fred. it wasn't easy knowing the guy you're practically in love with was having sex with your old best friend from university (who really fucked you over), who also happened to be his cousin's (ex)boyfriend. to say things were complicated was the least.

"thank you, freddy. jamie is on the sofa." teddy replied, and gestured for fred to go in.

"thanks teds."

and fred walked into the living room, to see it in a state of, well, jamie. he didn't think he could describe it any other way. everything almost perfect, just little things were off. like how the pictures on the windowsill had moved to the side table. or how the lights around the back of the sofa had disappeared. something was wrong, something more than this.

it was more than just jamie sleeping with dylan. but that wasn't what fred was here for now.

"hey, freddy." jamie spoke from his position slouched on the sofa. "how come you're around? i thought you hated me."

the casualness of jamie's sentence was rather hurtful for fred to bear. it could've been them just taking as they usually did, but fred and jamie knew that something had changed between them.

jamie watched as fred took a seat next to him. he knew he shouldn't have been so blunt with fred. but he needed for things to be over. he needed to go back to normal.

"i just want to understand, jamie." he began. with that being the first thing he said, jamie figured the direction this conversation was going in wouldn't be a good one. "why would you even sleep with dylan in the first place? and why would you even carry on? like, how did it even start? i have too many questions and i just- i love you jamie, you're more like a brother to me than a cousin and i hate feeling like this towards you but i can't help it because you fucking slept with my now ex-boyfriend. and i just need to know."