It had been a long time since James and Will had seen each other in person, rather than screen to screen. They were known to have such a strong dynamic according to the fans and comments rushed in video after video, no matter how many jokes that Will would make about the videos doing shitty because of James' appearance in them. Again, that's just what he deemed his northern banter, and it was pretty much the prime of their content as a duo.
But, again, James missed it dearly like it was something to mourn over. He claims it was so he could just interact or hear Will's voice over a Discord call, but it was mainly because he wanted to incorporate the real life environment back, and get Will to remember back to 2018 when they filmed in his own flat in person, laughing, smiling, cracking jokes. It's what he really wanted, and since it wasn't that late out and was just turning midday, he seemed to dig into his pocket and seemed to fish out for his phone.
"Will and Jim's creator.. now let's see if you can be arsed to pick up your phone if you aren't busy editing, or pissing about with Mikey." He humours dryly, while scrolling and tapping on his phone screen for Will's contact, and before long he pressed on the dial icon, and that's when dull vibrations drew out as James now positioned it to his ear. It seemed after the fifth time of a fruitless conversation, that his phone stopped this, and then a scramble could be heard and then a startled Geordie accent chiming after it, "Oh James! How are ya mate?"
"I'm good yeah, just waited an age for you to pick up, I swear your editing has a chokehold on you some days. Does Mikey not bother anymore or what?" He says, laughing with his light jab of remarking toward Will's unorganised scheduling, and it also received a laugh from Will too after a moment.
"Nah, Mikey's fine like, it's just that I have a lot of videos with other guests like Cam I have to get out, and plus he's taking a break from it for a bit, he's been running his arse off for weeks Jim." Will explains, sighing softly with still a hint of laughter in the back of his voice. "Oh yeah, was gonna ask why you called too? Got caught off guard with your starting talk not gonna lie."
To be honest James partially forgot why he even called for a moment, but then as soon as he'd look around his quiet and light silenced flat, and that's when the penny had dropped for what he was planning on asking, and that's when he butt in again a little more lively. "Well, to be fair, I just thought that since we haven't seen each other in person for a good while, that we could meet up? There's a local coffee shop not far from my place we could go to and catch up, if you want to Will?"
Will heard him from his end on the phone, and would smile about the idea, yet the fact that he lived an hour and a half away in London, it made the dream more dead then alive in spirit, so he had to break bad news. "I appreciate it mate, really I do. But, I do live an hour away from you don't forget.. and train tickets are expensive as shit with the cost of living crisis still locked in for the UK." He seemed disappointed, and James even felt his friend's facade dim to a frown like his did too.
"But I'll feel alone if you don't though, and your mood Will, lifts my mood up more any day. And if it comes to it, I'll even pay for your tickets inbound and outbound. Please man, trust me. It'll be fully worth it." James persisted, while again the phone line fell quiet while the other listened to the quite frankly convince of an offer.
"James that's nice of you, really it is. However you haven't gotten paid yet to even try and get your band still up, it's fine honestly. I can try and see how much is in my wallet or maybe ask George to offer some over. Don't waste the money on me for a one time thing."
Will was someone that always felt emotions fuller than what James did, probably because of their differences, and being his so called best friend or in the list, he still wanted to persist with offer for a kind gesture anyway. "Will, for god's sake, please don't make me spend this entire call convincing you for a little meet-up. Trust me, I'm a good friend to you and I wouldn't lie about wanting to see you and pay for it." James again had a light laugh but it seemed forced this time around.
Will knowing that James again was someone who came off blunt, again had some compassions and like he'd told Will himself, he then felt a light pang of guilt hit him in the moments where he declined lightly.
"Well? Would you want me to get you some tickets and message you them to get up to Brighton? I'll wait until you're here and plus I can show you the place I get my good coffees." James still wasn't letting that possibility slip through his fingers, still picking up on parts of his routine to hopefully alter Will's ideology on the whole scenario, before adding some more notice, "Mate, please. Plus, according to that schedule you sent, Will and Jim is meant to go up tomorrow."
"Shite, yeah. No, good thing you said that. But, again I don't think I could make it in time.." Will repeats this time like he'd given up trying to fulfil James' seemingly downed mood now, looking out his London apartment's window while on the phone line, looking out to the Thames in the foreground, barely visible from his far placed flat.
"Then again, we haven't had a Will and Jim in person for a few months, so I guess it'll give the fans something to be excited over. Right, let me just check Basil's got food and get ready, and I'll be there in a few hours if there's still trains running up there, and we'll talk, aight?"
Now that's when James seemed to smile even if Will couldn't see it, the mood that he exuded felt a chasm different between his sadness on Will's previous declines. "Great, well, see you in a bit Will. Text me when you get in the station so I can drop the location of the cafe."
"Alright yeah, will do Jimbo. I'll see ya whenever I'm around. Better get my stuff together, then we should be face to face. Be there soon mate!" Will replies, his tune changed now as James hums in an agreement before then taking his phone from his ear and ending off the call, and a mischievous grin stuck onto his lips for a split second but it quickly dropped again to void suspicions.
"Piece of cake," James chuckles, looking at his now switched off phone and the mirror like interface, viewing his reflection for a few moments before taking his phone back into his pocket and burying it in a crook of his jeans seam so it wouldn't fall out, common sense, before he'd then think about piecing himself up to head to the cafe himself.
It took a while for James to get his things together, since he too had to fix up his cat's Otto's food and water to ensure he had enough resource for when he'd be on his outing, and after the hectic nature of him wandering around in a stressed state, he was eventually out of that pickle and now heading for his flat's front door, and lifting his key to the door and after a few forced twisting motions, was out into crisp Brighton air again, seemingly cheerful. He just couldn't believe that a little coaxing got Will out, and to be fair his northern friend could've done with that weeks back, but James was caught up with touring so he couldn't schedule anything for them.
So, he'd keep that light facade on the entire way to his local coffee spot, checking his phone every so often to see if Will was any closer to arriving into town as well, only to be greeted with the last message he sent being on read from him, around a couple hours before the phone call. "He better get in town soon, after he caved in." He mumbled partly to himself in annoyance as he trudged along the pavements while passing landmarks and the seaside edge.
He'd admire every detail of buildings as it lay in peripheral, still walking to the coffee shop, feeling like it had been an age but then familiars in the surrounds showed themselves, and that's when James was just glad to be able to knock his pace down a few notches and finally embrace the scent of fresh coffee grind and pastries that he was so used to, yet it never grew old or sickening. So, he'd walk towards the place, slipping through the doorway and seeing it mostly filled at table to table inside, to prove that further.
"Jesus, it's busy in here." James would look around still as no one seemed to turn around to acknowledge his light surprise, except the barista behind the counter.
"Haha, yeah, it's quite live this afternoon still. Better claim a seat before they're all taken up mate." He says humorously, while James made his way up to the counter, then looking up the options for drinks on the board. "Can I get a cold brew espresso please? I'll take a medium size if you've got it too, gotta keep energy up." He had a banter filled smile, which the barista again seemed to soak up and take in while he worked the till.
"Aight, that's £2.50 when you're ready."
He went into his pockets to withdraw his wallet, and instead of using his bank card with barely enough to pay a rent, he just fished for change, soon giving up the cash on the front.
"Thanks, it'll be out shortly."
"Cheers brother, good service from this place once again." James credited it, with a beam and a promising nod, about to walk forward to find a seat, yet stopped halfway. "Actually, can I take this to go, and grab a medium latte with that for my mate?"
The same barista seemed to hum and accept the term, placing the new drink in for payment. "That'll be another £2.50."
As before, James again rummaged for his wallet, and took at the last remains of change and placed it out. "Sorry, that's the last of my change."
"Ah, don't sweat it fella. Go get a seat and it'll be out in a bit. If you're outside we'll deliver it out, again it's busy in here so I wouldn't blame you."
James would just wave it off and head for the exit, and in the meantime he felt his phone buzz with a message, lighting his face up again with that same eagerness. The message would be the only lone one, however knowing one thing made him ecstatic. Will Lenney.