Friday 26th June 2020
I've been home for five days now, having spent some quality time with Sophia and Cormac with the first two days, then going back to the flat to spend some time with Cal, whilst also seeing some of the guys, like Chip, GIb, Theo and Reeve. I'm seeing the guys today, filming for a Sidemen Sunday, a Mukbang. Obviously.
I'm looking forward to seeing them, this is the longest time we've spent away from each other since we properly started spending time with eachother. And, even though we have made videos all throughout lockdown and have of course been talking to each other whilst making videos, but it's so different from actually being with them in person. My brothers.
The Mukbang were filming toady is going to be out on mine and Freezy's garden terrace, with plenty of space for us to social distance from one another. Simon and JJ being the only ones to not have to distance as they live together. Can't help but think about them being lucky bastards, not going to lie. But what can you do?
Thankfully it's pretty warm out today, so I don't have to worry about it raining, or needing some warmers out by the garden furniture. I just need to move stuff about once Kon, John, James and Jay arrive, Kon will no doubt tell me where he wants everything so we get the best layout the looks 'asethetically pleasing' to the viewers. God bless Kon and his eye for how to make things look great.
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The garden area has been set up for about an hour now, Kon having set up where he wants certain cameras and whatever new piece of tech he's bought over lockdown. I swear every time we see him, hes showing off whatever new device he's got.
Ethan is first to arrive, he's happy. He's excited. He's extremely talkative, chatting away to Freezy and John. But, the bags under his eyes show just how hard this period of isolation has been for him. I know him well enough to know that today is much bigger for him, he's a very social person, who also prefers his own space, but lockdown has been too much space for him. Not that he'd admit that to just anybody. He doesn't like to look weak, not after what happened a few years back.
I can't see him get to that point again.
Once Ethan finishes his conversation with the lads, I swoop in, holding out a beer.
"Bit early isn't it lad?" He accepts is no the less, his shoulders shaking as he chuckles.
"Five o'clock somewhere." I shrug my shoulders, it's just gone one o'clock, this certainly isn't the earliest we've ever had a drink. "How's it going brother?"
"Oh you know." He pauses for a second, a gloomy look taking over, but it's gone pretty quick, taken over by a cheerful smile. "Pretty shit, mate." He laughs, his typical Ethan laugh, but his eyes tell me everything I need to know.
"Why don't you come with me to Phia's tonight? we'll order in some food, we'll have a laugh, you can stay in the spare room and we'll just have a good night?"
Without even contemplating it, he's already shaking his head no.
"I can't just interupt your time with her lad, you've hardly seen her since March, I don't want to third wheel." I roll my eyes at him before throwing him a 'shut up' look.
"We spent time together for two nights, shut up lad. She will be more than happy to have you over, trust me. I've missed ya lad, and so has Soph and Mac. So you'll be doing me a favour in keeping them happy. Plus, I can tell that you're struggling, so let me take some of the world off your shoulders and we enjoy a night, yeah?" His face softens, his shoulders drop from their defensive stance that appeared whilst I was talking, and a small smile shows.
"Thanks mate, I'd love to come over. Just make sure our Soph's ok with it first." I nod, tipping my beer bottle towards him to cheers against his. Sorted.
"Of course, I'll give her the heads up now. You know what she's like, she'll be thinking of things to cook and what not. She loves hosting you guys." I pull my phone out my shorts pocket, planning on texting her, but decide on calling her instead. "I'll be back in a minute my friend." With a simple nod, he allows me to disapear into my room to call Phia.
Once I press call, it rings for only a few seconds before her voice comes through my phone clearly.
"Hey bub, finished filming already?"
"Pftt, not even started yet, ha. Got a question for you though." I sit on my computer chair, spinning round on it slowly.
"Go for it."
"Are we ok to have Behz over tonight? I can tell he's not doing too well at the mo-" I can't even finish my sentence before she's interupting me, not in a rude way.
"Say no more, they're all welcome here no matter what. Of course he can come over." I smile to myself, I can't believe how understanding she is and how she just knows how to make things seem so much better.
"Thank you bubs, I really appreciate it."
"No need to thank me, I'd be fucked off if you decided not to do anything. So I'm so happy that you're looking out for him bubs." I wouldn't be able to leave him to his own devices, especially after him saying that he's not having a good time. "I'm actually on my way to the shop, so I'll pick up some bits, some beer and snacks. Anything you fancy for tea? Well dinner for you posh boy."
"Posh boy! I-I-I- I'll have you know that I'm not posh in the slightest. I'm-I'm not taking this slander. From my own girlfriend-"
"Oh fuck off you melt. I'll see you later, have a good day. I love you."
"See you later you prick. I love you too." With that she ended the call with a laugh. I can imagine her shaking her head too.
I stand up from the computer chair, and make my way out to the garden area again, shoving my phone into my pocket again. Wonder if any of the other lads have arrived yet. It's only a few seconds before my question is answered, by the sound of laughter floating through the flat.
"There he is! Might have to give you a red card for being late you know" I roll my eyes with a smile, knowing that Simon is just pulling my leg. By the looks of it were still waiting on Vik and Tobi to arrive.
"I live here ya bastard. I was here before any of you fat fucks."
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With filming long over, and sitting in the garden area for another hour and a half, catching up with the lads, we decided to call it a night. Simon and JJ were first to leave as JJ was starting to fall asleep, typical of him after a couple of drinks.
Vik left soon after them, saying that him and Ellie have a little date night planned, cute... Makes me sick. Tobi left shortly after vik, not a word about what he's doing with the rest of his evening, mysterious as usual. Josh left with Tobi, but spoke about getting back to start his stream, something he has got into more over lockdown. Probably playing Fifa or Geoguesser.
Which leaves me with Ethan, who's happily sat sipping the last of his beer and chatting away to James. We've already planned that whilst I get my stuff together to take to Phia's, he will pop home to get a bag sorted with his essentials and fresh clothes. Luckily he only lives a short walk away, so he shouldn't be too long.
"Lad, I'll walk to yours after I've got my stuff together and we can just get an Uber from there?" I take my phone from my pocket seeing that it's nearing half five now. I know Sophia will have dinner ready for half six, especially if Cormac is having food with us, which we try to do more often than not, unless planned in advance. Although, I'm sure Sophia will have him in a much better routine now due to being home all the time in lockdown.
"Yeah, sounds good to me mate. Let me finish this then I'll get going." He raised the bottle in his hand, I reply with a nod, and take a seat where I had been sat earlier. Just scrolling through my phone. After about five minutes Ethan stands up, tapping his pockets checking that he has everything he needs. "Right, give us a text when you're on your way and I'll meet you down at the front."
"Will do, will do. It wont take me too long to pack up here, so I'll clean up a bit here before I leave. See you in a bit lad."
"That you will!" He throws me a smile, one that looks genuine as far as I can tell, before disappearing inside the flat.
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"I don't know what to tell you Phe, other than having a baby is something that will change your life forever. You just do things differently-" I clear my throat to announce Ethan and I's arrival, gaining a small wave from Phia, who's on a video call with her sister. "I know you have Oli, and your life definitely changed when he came into it, but this is different. You will have a new born who will wake you up every few hours. She'll definitely keep you on your toes."
"I'll take you up to the spare room whilst Phia's on the phone, follow me." I whisper so I don't disrupt the call, as it sounds like Phoebe is a bit emotional, and I will not be the one to interrupt a pregnant lady when she's crying.
"No worries, that sounds like something we don't need to be interrupting." I get to the top of the first lot of stairs, the floor where the bathroom and Sophia's bedroom is, before turning back to Ethan.
"That would be correct, my friend." We each let out a little chuckle, then I point towards the bathroom door. "There's the bathroom, help yourself to the shower, in the drawer under the sink there a load of shower stuff that Soph got for me before she realised I don't really use any of it. So take some home with you if you want."
"You're such a fucking tramp sometimes Bog-"
"Ay! I use some of it now, Phia managed to convince me to use proper shampoo, alright!" I continue on up the next set of stairs, Ethan still following behind with his bag over his shoulders. I stop outside Cormac's door, which is open and pop my head inside, seeing him sat on his bed watching something on his tablet.
"Alright mate, look who's here." I gesture behind me with my thumb, within seconds Ethan, pops his head into the doorway, an enthusiastic smile on his face.
"WAAAY! Alright lad! How you doing?" Cormac shoves his tablet to the side, jumping up off the bed.
"Uncle Ethan!" He sprints the short distance of his bedroom towards us, and wraps his arms around Behz's waste. "Hi! What you doing here?"
"I've come to stay for the night, was feeling a little lonely at home by myself, so Harry here invited me to come round." Cormac's face nearly splits with the grin that forms on his face, I guess he's happy with this news.
"Cool beans!" With another tight squeeze, Cormac pulls back. "You can help me and dad on this game! Dad isn't very good at it." My eyebrows raise in mock surprise, pretending to be offended, but in reality I know that I'm rubbish with it. Although, I'm brought out of my thoughts by Ethan's massive bear claw of a hand slamming down on my back making me fall forwards into the door frame a little bit.
"Oh tell me about it Pal, your dad is rubbish with video games. I'll help you with it, don't you worry mate." He side eyes me, with a 'WTF' look. I'm sure I'll get an earful about what ever it is in a few minutes. "Anyways mate, why don't I get myself sorted, we'll have some dinner, then I'll help you with your game, yeah?" With an enthusiastic nod from Cormac and a fist bump between the two, Ethan pulls back into the hallway, gesturing for me to continue on to the spare room.
I point to the door at the end of the hallway, "That's the office slash games room." Then i point to the door to our left. "And this..." I open the door, allowing Ethan to step through. "This is your room for the night." We take a step inside, the white walls looking bright with the sunlight coming through the window, fresh bedding and what looks to be new cushions have been put on the bed and a new addition that is a wooden tray with some snacks, and toiletries on it.
"Fucking hell, Soph's gone all out hasn't she!" He turns to look at me, a small genuine smile on his face. "I swear Bog, if you break up with this girl, I'll murder you, alright?" I laugh, but only because I know he's being serious.
"I don't plan on it."
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Sophia's P.O.V
It's nice to have the house filled with sound again, to hear Cormac laughing with Harry and Ethan is a blessing, especially after months of him having no one but me to play with. Apparently I'm not good at the games he wants to play, so he slowly stopped asking me to play them. It's sad, but I'm happy when he's happy.
The four of us sat around the table for tea was a nice difference too. It always is when we have guests though.
"Hey, I've come to give you a hand with the washing up. Cor's getting ready for bed." The dishes Ethan speaks of are in the washing up bowl, with some still scattered near the oven.
"Thank you, you don't need to do that."
"I do. You cooked, so I'll help clean. Where do you want me?" I raises his hand, showing that he's ready to get stuck in.
"If you wash, I'll dry and put away?" With that, he's already making his way towards the sink, and turning on the hot water tap. "How you doing? Harry said he was a little worried about you."
"I'm doing ok, not great, but ok. I think now that we can see everyone again, I'll be ok." My heart breaks for him in this second, as I know how much he's struggled in the past.
"No matter what, my door is always open okay. If we need to do another lockdown and you need to be around people, my door will always be open. I don't care about the consequences, okay." I grew up with an open door policy. My dad always let Phe and I know that if our friends ever needed a safe space, our home would be just that. And I want that for my friends and Cormac's friends. My home will always be a safe space.
"Thank you Soph, that means a lot."
"Any time Eth, any time." I smile at his as I continue drying the plates he's just washed, piling them up on the kitchen island ready to put away. "How's everything else going then? Talking to anyone new?"
"Not really, I did use tinder a bit, spoke to some girls you know, but nothing worth much more than that."
"Oh I do not miss tinder. Are girls as bad as guys on there? Because some chat up lines I used to receive were just... Ughh. They sucked." We chuckled together, Ethan's being the usual loud volume.
"Oh they're fucking shit aren't they! Not to shag my own arse but most girls on there recognise me, so they're always just shitty lines about the lads or about me being hilarious in whatever vid. It's just looong you know."
"Oh that is pretty shit. Definitely just the wrong girls on there then, well wrong for you." He shoots me a look that just screams 'amen sister'. Which just makes me laugh in response.
"To be honest, I don't think I'm ready for a relationship just yet, but at the same time, I want one. I would kind of like to have what you lot have."
"Well, when that day comes, I just know you'll treat them as your world." We pause on the washing up for a second, a thoughtful smile on his face.
"You two are a pair of soppy shits, you know that?" I spin round to look at Harry, where he's stood leaning against the wall with his hands in his shorts pockets.
"Oh piss off you heartless prick." In response all we get from him is the toothy grin where his tongue is poking out slightly. Cocky bastard.
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"Oh fuck." The whisper comes from Harry, who's already lay in bed, the balnket nestled under his armpits, topless and his hair a mess.
"What?" I take a bobble off the nightstand to my right, and throw my hair up into a loose bun.
"Did you really need to put on THOSE shorts? Fuck me." I mean, I don't see anything wrong with what I'm wearing, they're just pyjamas.
With a glint in his eye, it was only then that I knew what he was playing at. "You perv." I can feel the slight blush on my face as the thoughts run through my mind. "Alright, but you've got to be quiet this time Harry, Ethan is upstairs!" He rolls his eyes, but opens his arms to me none the less with a cheeky grin.
This guy!
Word count - 3030
Happy new year everyone! Hope it's treating you well so far. Hope you all enjoy this chapter, I've enjoyed writing it. Apologies for how long it took, I completely changed it up from what I already had written from before Christmas.
Thank you for all the votes and comments, there's been a lot of new readers over this Christmas period, who've been voting a lot. We love to see it ❤️