Coffee Conversations

10- Understudy

I groan painfully at the constant buzz of my phone on my nightstand.

What now?

I reach out, grabbing it and peering at the screen. Everett's picture is gleaming at me, his call incessant. I grumble, flipping open my phone and pressing it to my ear.

"Hey Rett." I mumble, unable to sound enthusiastic at his call.

"Grey? Are you alright?" He asks and I sigh.

"I'm fine, you just woke me up." I say, heaving myself up.

"Really? It's gone 10am." He says, surprise colouring his tone.

I glance at my clock, surprised to find that he's right. I never sleep this late, both Everett and I near incapable of lying in.

"I must have been tired. What do you need?" I ask, not wanting to get into my heartache. Not with Everett.

He sighs down the phone and I steel myself.

"I need a favour, Grey. And it's a big one." He says, sounding uncomfortable already.

"Anything." I say immediately.

"I need you to help me find a flat." He breathes and I frown.

That doesn't sound particularly hard, and the more I think about it, I think that it'll be an excellent distraction. I love stuff like this.

"No problem." I say easily, leaning over to grab a notebook.

"What are you looking for?" I ask, pen at the ready as I lean my phone against my shoulder.

"Well, it needs to be big enough for you guys to come and stay, and to house all of Ledger's art stuff." He says and I freeze.

"Ledger?" I question, my voice hoarse.

"Yeah, we're moving in together." Everett says, his voice euphoric, as though he can't quite believe his luck. My lips turn downward, my pen freezing against the page. I can't quite believe mine either.

"Congratulations." I say softly and he laughs.

"Thank you, Grey. For everything." He says and I purse my lips.

"If you're moving in with Ledger, why do you need my help?" I ask, but almost immediately I regret it. I envisage Ledger looking at properties alone, distractible, completely out of touch and comparing them to his current flat which is simultaneously a fire hazard and virtually unliveable.

"Never mind." I mumble.

"Yeah, but I don't just need your level head." Everett says, his amusement short-lived.

I frown.

"He thinks I'm leaving him again, he thinks I won't come back. I told him it's fucking ridiculous, but I know he doesn't believe me. He needs a friend right now, Grey. To take his mind off me leaving and to stop him spiralling. This is a good distraction, and hopefully it'll show him how serious I am." He says.

My heart breaks a little at Ledger's vulnerability. Everett's leaving him did more damage than any of us had first realised, and my heart aches for him, despite everything.

"Will you do it, Grey? He needs you. To be honest, we both do." He says and I sigh, relenting.

"Of course I will." I say, jotting down a lit of things that I know will be non-negotiable.

Everett and I chat for a few more minutes, creating a comprehensive list of things he's looking for in his future dwelling and the sort of budget that I should be looking at. I secretly disregard the last part, knowing Ledger has a fair share of disposable income that can raise the figure substantially.

I hang up after promising Everett that I'll take care of everything, and he sounds relieved. Had I been any of our other brothers, I don't think he'd be nearly convinced. But it's me, and this is what I do best.

The unexpected structure of my day provides a comforting calm in me, and I quickly set to work. Everett had just left to go to the station, so I get showered and dressed before noting down the numbers of a few estate agents.

I place my calls on the way to Ledger's flat, arranging viewings for a few listings that had met various points of Everett's criteria. I'm confident that Ledger will have his own criteria to meet, which will not only be odd but almost certainly impossible to meet as well. But until I meet him, and discuss it, I'll never know.

I'm looking forward to seeing him, to having something to talk about and a task at hand.

I feel useful once again and as I sit on his front doorstep, I find I'm buzzing in anticipation. As I wait, I note down several more listings, booking appointments for viewings into the week.

It's fortunate that I have a few more days off, and I intend to use them to my advantage. Dress rehearsals will eat up the entirety of my time next week, and then I'll be doing it for real. My stomach churns in excitement at the thought, my leg bouncing up and down as I wait for Ledger.

When Ledger appears on the stairs, I smile softly at his melancholic expression. He truly thinks that Everett won't come back. I can see it there, in the hunch of his shoulders and the pace of his walk. Defeat.

He freezes in place when he spots me and I smile.

"Heathcliff! There you are!" I say, snapping my phone closed. Once again I am struck by just how apt that nickname is for him. Our very own historical tragedy.

"I've got three flat viewings booked for tomorrow and two this afternoon, so we better hustle." I say efficiently, not allowing any room in my tone for nonsense.

He stares at me vacantly and for a moment I worry for his sanity.

"Are you moving?" He asks blankly and I purse my lips, despairing just a little.

"No, you are. Everett told me what he's looking for, and I have excellent taste, so I'll serve as an adequate replacement while he sorts out things back home." I say.

Replacement. I try not to dwell on that word, or how apt it is to describe my place in his life.

He stares at me for what feels like another eternity before coming up with something to say.

"What?"

I sigh heavily.

"We're viewing flats, for you and Everett? He asked me to handle it while he's away." I explain in short, Ledger-friendly sentences.

Ledger's face transforms as the information finally sinks in. A painfully happy smile spreads across his lips, and I can't bring myself to resent the sight.

"Really?" He asks, his voice giddy.

I smile, nodding indulgently.

"Come on. We're ten minutes behind schedule, so I hope you have your walking boots on." I say, glancing at my watch impatiently. His expression freezes before suddenly sinking into something akin to horror.

"I change my mind." He says frantically and I laugh, grabbing his hand.

"Nope. No take-backsies!" I taunt, smiling as he groans again.

He doesn't resist my hold however, and when we emerge from the stuffy staircase and into the weak sunshine, I find that I am so happy to have my friend by my side. Everything else, I decide, doesn't matter. It'll continue to hurt, I'm sure of it, but I can live with that.

But to have him anywhere but by my side? That would be intolerable.