The Grand Gesture

part 4

{Is This Love by Whitesnake}

—After the BAFTAS—

Ben, Joe, and Gwil get in a cab after attending the award show. They already had a bit to drink, but they decided to go to a bar to celebrate further. Rami and Lucy decided against coming, so it was just the three of them.

Gwil is a heavy drinker, but champagne doesn't affect him as much as it does the others, so he's still fairly sober. Joe's tipsy right now, but he decided he wasn't going to have any more to drink. Ben, however, was totally shit-faced.

They arrive at the bar and the second they walk in, Ben announces that he has to use the bathroom and goes off on his own to find it.

Joe and Gwil take a seat at the bar. Gwil asks for a beer and two waters from the bartender. When he walks away, Joe speaks up.

"Hey, uh, Gwil. Can I talk to you about something?" he asks shyly.

"Anything, mate. What's going on?"

Joe really wants to tell Gwil the situation at hand and ask for his opinion since he is his best friend, besides Ben.

"Well, I don't really know how to say this but I don't have much time. I kinda have feelings for Ben. And I'm pretty sure he likes me too." He exhales a sign of relief and pauses, giving Gwil a chance to process the information.

"Okay, if this is some prank you guys are pulling on me for instagram or some shit, Joe, I swear-" Gwil has about had it with the jokes. He knows they are all for fun, but he does feel a bit left out sometimes. You know, they're a trio. It kind of stings when it seems like the other two people are closer without you.

"No, no. I mean it. Like, real feelings Gwil. I really don't know what to do."

"Oh, alright. Well then go for it, I guess." Gwil seemed very nonchalant about the whole thing. Not confused, not happy, not angry, which Joe assumed was a good thing.

"Well, yea obviously I want to. But I'm going back to New York. Then what will happen? Long Distance? I don't know if I can go through with a long distance relationship after dating for one day." Gwil understood exactly what he was talking about.

"Well I don't know, then. You don't think you'd want to stay here for a while? Or maybe you could try something while you're here and see if there's a spark. You never know, maybe it is just two horny single guys staying with each other." Joe thought about it and Gwil was right. He knew his feelings were real, but how did he know for sure what Ben felt unless he asked, or tried something.

They heard a door slam and looked up to see Ben strutting out of the bathroom and they both shut up immediately.

He sits at the bar and puts his arm around Joes shoulders, in a friendly drunk guy kind of way. "Hey! What'd I miss?"

Joe looks at Gwil and he just raised his eyebrows and smirked at him.

"Nothing. Nothing at all," Joe answers.

***

A couple hours later Joe was almost carrying Ben into his own front door. He was struggling to keep the heavier man on his feet and trying to fetch his keys out of his pocket simultaneously. When they finally got inside, Joe assisted him to the couch.

Joe went to lock the front door and decided he wanted to change clothes before babysitting. "I'll be right back. Can you survive without me for two minutes?" Ben mumbles something and leans over to grab the remote. He puts on Netflix and begins looking for a good movie to end the night with.

Joe walks into the room and he is attacked by kisses from Frankie, which startles him. He had completely forgot about her and realizes Ben is in no position to care for her right now. He starts taking off his shoes and unbuckling his belt when he hears the beginning of Grease begin playing at way too high of a volume. Luckily it was just the dialogue part so he had a few seconds to finish changing. He ran out into the living room and snatched the remote from Ben, turning the volume down.