Wagwan Piffting

Chapter 7: This Took a Turn?

Josh burst through the door to the flat to see Will, head in his hands as if he were suffering from a hangover. The square-headed man glanced up at Josh, who glared at him in return and went straight for George's room, brusquely shoving past Stephen on his way there.

He quietly knocked on the door, then opened it, expecting the worst. What he found was a broken little man, staring emptily at a black monitor. "George?" he asked, quietly, "Y'alright?" George's eyes flicked over to Josh for a second, and when they made eye contact it physically pained him. Carefully, he moved towards George, pulling up a chair next to him. "Hey, buddy, look at me."

Josh reached up a hand, slowly guiding George's cheek over towards him, "look at me," he muttered again, and he could feel George's walls collapse as the man in question practically melted into Josh's arms. Josh gently patted George on the back as he cried. The door was closed, but a sick part of him hoped Will could hear George and wanted him to do something about it.

When it seemed like George had exhausted himself, Josh heaved the poor man off of him. "Go, sit on the bed," he encouraged, "I'll get you a drink, you're probably dehydrated like mad." George obeyed, sloppily yet quietly, still clearly devastated.

Josh exited the room and grit his teeth when he saw Stephen pacing the sitting room like before, and Will sat at the kitchen counter as if he hadn't moved. At leased Will seemed to genuinely regret his actions. Josh reached up to the cabinet, grabbing two glasses. As he filled them with water, Will spoke up, quietly.

"Is he alright?"

"No thanks to you." Josh didn't look at Will, who honestly seemed in just as bad a state as George. Secondhand sadness, he presumed. Perhaps guilt.

"I'm sorry."

"Whatever."

"I am" Will tried again. Stephen stopped his pacing to watch the altercation. Josh didn't know Stephen. He barely knew Will. But they'd wronged his best friend, so the two weren't exactly off to a good first impression.

"Really?" Josh set down the glasses to give Will his full attention, trying to ignore Stephen as he sat down across the counter from them. "Sorry for what?"

"Sorry for..." Will groaned. His face was completely red. Was it from crying or embarrassment? "Being a dick. And an arsehole, and all the other names he's probably called me by now."

"You are completely insufferable." Josh rolled his eyes, grabbing the water and making to leave. "I honestly don't know what he–"

"Tell him my apology?" Will interrupted. "Please?"

"Tell him yourself." Josh shook his head, returning back to George's room. He was here to comfort his friend, not get in the middle of their drama. Yeah, he'd already confronted Will, but it wasn't like he could help it. The guy was just... ugh. Made his blood boil.

George was lying face down in the bed, definitely not screaming into his pillow. If he had been, he'd stopped the instant Josh came back in the room. Josh set down the glasses on the bedside table and gently tapped George's back. "George, come on. Talk to me, please?"

George slowly sat up, eyes red, nose red, cheeks red, and looked up at Josh, who smiled, offering everything. The two sat on the edge of the bed and George tediously recounted the past few days. He talked about the movie, about the refrigerators, about their call the other day, and a couple of texts he had gotten from Alex that he hadn't mentioned in the call, which basically predicted the future. He recounted the shopping trip from this morning and what he saw when he went to get a snack, all the way up to right now. Josh stayed quiet, thinking. When George was done, Josh couldn't help but smile.

"I never did talk to Alex about all this..." George chuckled weakly. "Maybe I should've." He glanced over at Josh and his stupid smile. "What?"

"I knew you'd figure it out on your own."

"Figure what out?" George asked, cocking an eyebrow curiously at his friend.

Was now the time? Josh thought, but his mouth spoke independently of his brain. "That you're gay."

George hardly reacted, just shrugging. "Maybe halfway."

"Alright, bi. At a stretch."

"That's better." George let out a chuckle, and Josh couldn't help but beam, pulling him in for a hug.

"Gotta say after all that crying, I really missed your laugh." Josh's mouth was entirely independent of his brain now, he just continued to talk.

George smiled slightly, hugging Josh back. "Thanks, mate. Sorry you had to come all the way out here just to listen to me whine."

"Please, I'd cross oceans for you, George," Josh muttered.

Suddenly his brain realized what was going on and he quickly, awkwardly, pulled away from his friend. "You- er, probably haven't had something to eat in a while... I'll go grab some crisps or something."

George just looked confused as Josh dashed out of the room.

Josh hid away in the bathroom, hair gripped in his hands. Everything about what just happened was so so wrong. George was in a volatile state of confusion and grief and anger and Josh was not about to take advantage of that. Who cares about how much of a jerk Will was, Josh had promised not to get (too) involved in this crazy drama of theirs.

Speaking of Will...

Will was, indeed, a mess. He was a mess of conflicting emotions and grief and he hated how he could hear George's sobs all the way from the kitchen. If he had known–

That wouldn't have changed anything. George was just a friend. Will couldn't imagine- well, he felt something when he looked at Stephen. He was perfect. Yeah, he liked George. They were best friends. But... Stephen.

And Josh. He barges in, acts like he's the authority on George's well-being and all that. The only thing that kept Will from handling the situation himself was Stephen telling him to stay put, since he'd only 'exacerbate the problem.'