The world, coming down

Halfway Home ~ November 2012

'I told you it would go quickly.'

Dec rolled his eyes, imagining how smug Stephen would sound if he said that in-person. He was just about awake enough to be brainstorming responses when his phone buzzed again, the slight pause making him curious.

'Looking forward to seeing you.'

He smiled again softly, muffling the expression with a hand over his mouth and resting back against the cool glass. He wondered what people would think sometimes, if they somehow got his phone and found out the truth. Not in a paranoid sort of way; although he was certainly paranoid about some things more than others; but it almost amused him, thinking about everyone who knew nothing except what they saw on TV.

Once he knew about what he called Dec's little crush, Ant had claimed he'd caught Dec looking lovesick on a few occasions when they were probably both meant to pretend they hated Stephen for whatever humiliating game he'd come up with. But then again, they'd never really pushed the 'hating Stephen' joke that far, enjoying his company a little too much to be constantly pretending to be irritated. Sometimes it was fun to poke fun at him, but a lot of the time Dec didn't try too hard to act one way or another.

Speaking of Ant, Dec had noticed his usual routine beginning; subtle looks in his direction and smiles in sync with his own. His concern had been palpable for the first few days after Lisa had arrived, fading away slowly until he was convinced seeing that hadn't made Dec feel isolated. They didn't have the same privacy of the car at home so he couldn't always ask about Stephen nor join in with any joking about Dec had the energy for that morning. But his presence was always there, steady as ever.

'I've never looked forward to getting back to the cold before. I'll be a right pain complaining how chilly it is.'

"It's going to be a hot one today," Ant said, tilting his phone towards Dec to show him the forecast. Dec smirked to himself for a moment, not sure whether to be concerned that they were somehow thinking about two very similar things at the same time.

"I hope the trial isn't too long then," he replied, pointing at the bright sun logos filling the couple of hours they were meant to be filming for. Ant nodded in agreement, gaze flickering to the driver for a moment. Dec hadn't noticed their conversation dry up, distracted by his phone, but he spotted the earphones in the driver's ear for the first time and relaxed a little, lowering his voice nevertheless. "You'll be pleased to know Stevie's already planning our torture for the tour."

Ant forced a grimace, pretending to look annoyed. "How much more nonsense can one man come up with?"

"Oh, he's a never-ending supply, trust me," Dec grinned back. "Always got a new oddball idea ticking over in his head."

Ant smiled fondly, letting out a sigh. "I hadn't realised how much more I was seeing of him. It's weird, him not being around."

"Don't tell him that," Dec warned mischievously, simultaneously feeling a buzz of happiness prickle beneath his skin. It was another one of those unnecessary confirmations that Ant was completely happy with what was going on. He didn't know what he'd do if that wasn't true – Ant had pretty much been his definition of home since they'd moved away from the real thing and down to London but he couldn't imagine living without having Stephen there too now. Fortunately, the two of them got on almost too well, so that was one problem he didn't have to contend with.

"You looking forward to having a bit of alone time?" Ant asked, waggling his eyebrows ridiculously. Dec smiled, the tip of his tongue poking out of his mouth as he shook his head.

"Shut up, mate." It was still too early to come up with anything clever, his response only widening the grin on Ant's face. "You're the one staying for a holiday in Australia."

"A well-deserved break from work, thank you, Declan," Ant said, rolling his eyes. "I'm taking advantage of the nice weather. You're taking advantage of not having someone across the road who's too nosey for her own good."

"And they're one and the same, of course," Dec said sarcastically. "I'll be using the time to put up my Christmas decorations actually, whilst there's no one around to tell me it's too early."

"And you'll be roping in an unsuspecting Stevie to help you, I imagine," Ant retorted, "I'll have to warn him what you're like about your tree."

"Just because you haven't realised there is a correct way to decorate for Christmas, it doesn't mean the perfect method doesn't exist," Dec explained, pretending to look disapproving, "If you ever do get round to decorating, that is."

Ant chuckled, shaking his head to himself. "You're so overdramatic. We do decorate. We just don't do it the second we get home like you."

Dec smiled amusedly, thinking fondly of the decorations in his attic that were waiting to be brought out for another year. Even though he'd spend the festive period in Newcastle and he was hardly known for being houseproud, there was something about decorating for Christmas that made him an excitable child all over again.

It was definitely an excuse to have Stephen over as well, if he even needed one. Having someone else to decorate with was another first, one that Dec wasn't going to miss out on.

"There'll be trouble in paradise if he doesn't like Christmas half as much as you," Ant mused with a grin. Dec shrugged, holding his hands up guiltily.

"I have my priorities," he joked, "Stephen might have to go if he doesn't agree to decorate my house with me."

"Poor Stevie," Ant said with mock sympathy, "You'll probably be forcing him to decorate his own house too the second you get back."

"Well, if I'm going to be spending any time there during December then he better be planning on putting a tree up," Dec replied, eyes glittering in the early morning light. Just to make sure, he got his phone out again and sent another message.

'Any Grinch-like opinions of Christmas I should know about?'

Ant huffed out a laugh, no doubt knowing exactly what he was doing and waited patiently for whatever response he would likely read out. Dec toyed with his phone until it buzzed in his hand.

'I don't like sprouts very much?'

A smile curled its way onto his face again, another message popping up.

'Is that a deal breaker?"

"He's anti-sprout," Dec told Ant, his faux seriousness setting the other man off with another laugh. "I suppose I can live with that." He looked back down at his phone to reply.

'Not if you like to decorate at an appropriate time of the month.'

"Anyone with any sense hates sprouts," Ant said, "If anything, that should be a tick in his favour."

"Well, he's passed the test," Dec said approvingly, reading his latest reply, "He thinks there's no point having a tree if you're only going to get it up on Christmas Eve."

Ant raised an eyebrow, nodding sagely. "You're obviously made for each other then." Dec grinned again, watching the temporary structures that served as their set come into view through the front windscreen.

If he hadn't already been looking forward to going home, talk of Christmas had just made the idea of the wintry weather even more tolerable.