Knots: A Fab Moretti Fanfiction

Alone, Together

1998- A FEW WEEKS LATER

"You don't have a phone?!" Albert shouted to Ana, who was sitting in his lap, her arm slung around his neck. Julian and Nikolai were seated across from them, beers in their hands, which they occasionally took a sip of throughout the conversation (the conversation, which had eventually led to Albert asking Ana for her phone number-- because they were friends, now-- and her being unable to give it to him, because it didn't exist; She didn't have a phone).

"No," Ana chuckled, clearly amused by his reaction.

Julian butted in, "Why not?"

"Can't afford it," she shrugged, "and it's not like I need one: I don't really have any friends except for Fab, and I'm around him constantly."

"No friends?" Julian raised his eyebrows, "So the four of us, what would you call us?"

She thought for a second, then smiled mischievously, "Mmm... Entertainment."

"Entertainment?" He repeated, "I'll show you entertainment!" And swiftly rose from his seat, picked Ana up, and, wrapping his arms around her stomach, began swinging her around playfully. Nikolai and Albert watched in amusement, grinning and laughing along with them.

"Put me down!" Ana giggled.

"Only if you take it back!" Julian shouted in a fake-angry voice.

"Never!" She bellowed through her uncontrollable giggling. Fab and Nick watched from across the room, where they had just been engaged in an arm wrestling competition (which Fab lost, of course).

"Get a room, am I right?" Nick laughed before he took a sip of beer, but Fab didn't respond, watching Ana with a longing expression on his face. Nick looked over at him and furrowed his brows.

"Hey, what's wrong with you, man?" He slapped Fab's arm to get his attention.

"Huh? Nothing," Fab replied, coming back into reality.

"... Holy shit, you're in love with her!" Nick said-- a bit too loudly-- in a moment of realization, his mouth agape in surprise. Luckily for Fab, Ana had been laughing too loud to hear anything.

"What? No, I'm not, man. She's my best friend," Fab laughed, as if Nick had just suggested something as utterly ridiculous and impossible as the existence of something like ghosts, or aliens. Nick could tell Fab was lying, though, from the way his body had tensed up when he accused him of having feelings for Ana, and the way he squirmed in his seat as he spoke.

"Bullshit," Nick laughed, "Who ever said you couldn't fall in love with your best friend? Is there some all-powerful rule-book that says that? Because if so, I'd like to read it."

"Dude, I told you, I'm not in love with her," Fab shrugged defensively, forcing a smile to appear more convincing, "She's like my sister, okay? I've known her since we were in pre-school."

"Whatever you say, man. But you should've seen the way you looked at her just now. You're in deep."

Fab ignored him and turned his attention back over at Ana-- who was still in Julian's arms, laughing like a little kid-- and realized he was beginning to lose her to Julian. He sighed and took a huge swig of his beer.

_________________

SEVERAL DAYS LATER

Julian stood at Ana's front door after ringing the doorbell. A few seconds later, Ana's mother opened the door, "Can I help you?"

"Uh, yeah, I'm here to see Ana," Julian responded in his usual mumbly voice. Ana's mother examined him skeptically, scanning him from head to toe with a disapproving look on her face before she called for her daughter.