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[byrned]

Comments

[cravating]

[Lucy had given Nate ample time to do it on his own. And he still has no idea she said anything. If he knew, he wouldn't be here. He'd be mortified and probably just move back home. Easier than dealing with all of this head on.]

Sure. You can ask me anything. You know that.

[byrned]

Well we haven't set a date yet or anything. And you know we're probably not going to rush into it. But you're my best mate, always will be. So will you be my best man? Stop me being a prick on my wedding day?

[cravating]

[This shouldn't come as a surprise to him but it does. Nate just starred, his mouth partly open. It takes him a good 15 seconds to find his voice.]

I... Well, yeah. Of course. I'd be honored.

[And he is. He really is. But it's also breaking his heart.]

[byrned]

Thanks mate. Couldn't do it without you, you know that.

[ He looks at him a long moment, his gaze lingering. Why doesn't this feel easier? ]

Aoife hated Sal by the way. Littlest sister's getting some attitude, let me tell you. I think you'd have got on. [ He smiles a bit, wry. ] Come on, I know you can't stand Sal.

[cravating]

I don't hate her. I just don't like how she talks to you.

[byrned]

She doesn't mean to. It's just how she is. [ he makes excuses for her, the same sort his ma makes for his da. ]

But she's a good girl, really. And she's exactly what my da always wanted for me.

[cravating]

Yeah. [Nate doesn't want to argue about it, honestly. It doesn't do any good.]

You hungry?

[byrned]

Famished, mate. Ravenous. Pizza?

[cravating]

What else. [It's just their thing. He picks up his phone to make the order.]

Need help unpacking her 700 suitcases?

[byrned]

[ He starts to laugh and shakes his head. ]

Yeah because how you want to spend your night is folding my girlfriends blouses.

[cravating]

[He shrugs]

If I don't help you with it, you'll do it wrong and I'll have to hear about it tomorrow won't I?

[byrned]

What am I going to do when you're not there to clean up my messes, eh? Come on, you get one case, I'll get the other.

[ He taps him on the arm and grabs a bag to take to his bedroom. ]

[cravating]

[He grabs the other suitcase and lingers back, his sad expression harder to hide when he's bringing up the inevitable. Matt will get married and married guys don't live with their best mates, do they? No, this is the beginning of the end for them- at least in this sense.

But he can't linger in that thought, so he just follows after Matt to get Sally's clothes put away before their pizza arrives.]

So when's the big day?

[byrned]

Fuck mate I dunno. I mean not yet. Not until after uni and I've got a job earning decent money. [ theres something in that that says maybe not his dream job, maybe chasing that when he's going to get married is a stupid idea. Still, finish uni, get the degree. At least do that. ]

I'm not rushing to anything.

[cravating]

[It makes him feel slightly better about things, knowing that it's not going to happen any time soon.]

That's good. Just didn't know if I needed to start looking for another flatmate.

[He tries to make it lighthearted but he's sort of bummed about the whole thing.]

[byrned]

[ It's odd but it makes him almost panic. It's hard to imagine not living with Nate, and frankly the thought of someone taking his place makes him feel sick ]

Fuck no. You're not getting rid of me yet. I'd stay here after the wedding if I could but not sure the Mrs would appreciate. [ telling, Matt, very telling ]

[cravating]

Trade in your honeymoon for pizza and crap tv, yeah? Wouldn't be so bad. [But that can't be their life and he knows it. Instead of dwelling on it, he busies himself with putting clothes away.]

[byrned]

Now that's my kind of honeymoon. Just with, you know, lots more sex.

[ He lifts the suitcase onto his bed, hissing a little in the process like the effort somehow hurt. It won't be something he draws attention to. Instead he just opens up the case and starts unpacking Sally's things and putting them in his wardrobe (his own tend to get relegated to the drawer or the back of a chair). ]

[cravating]

[Nate turns and gives Matt an odd look.]

You alright, mate?

[byrned]

What? No I'm fine. Just pulled a muscle.

[ Lies, all lies. The funny thing is, it isn't the first time Matt's come back from Ireland having 'pulled something', only usually it's something to do with his dad. Not this time. But it wasn't like his dad. She didn't mean to, did she? She didn't mean to hurt him, she'd just been emotional. It's fine. It'll be fine. ]

[cravating]

[Nate's brow creases with worry.]

I'll get the ice. [He assumes it was his dad. Even if Matt says the visit was good, it has to have been his dad, right? But Nate knows not to push Matt to tell him the details, but that doesn't mean he won't take care of him.]

[byrned]

Thanks

[ He knows he doesn't have to say anything. He never has to say anything around Nate. He just gets it. He gets him, he always had. He can't imagine Sal ever getting him. It's a thought that almost makes him feel guilty. He shouldn't think like that about Sal. He's going to marry her. He should love her, or at least try. He owes her that.

Waiting for Nate to gets the ice, he lifts his shirt a little, where a gentle bruise is yellowing across his ribs. It's small, but no less significant for it. As soon as he's back he lets go of his shirt, trying to hide it. ]

She didn't mean to. She's just a passionate person.

[cravating]

[Coming back with an ice pack, Nate catches sight of the bruise and shakes his head. But Matt's words make him stop dead in his tracks.]

She? I thought-- Wait, you mean Sally hit you?

[There's anger in his eyes all of a sudden, like he'd rip into her if she were right in front of him. Matt outs up with this shit from his dad and Nate has no say in that, but anyone else? Oh, he won't stand for it.]

[byrned]

She didn't hit me. It wasn't like that. She was just frustrated. She wasn't trying to hurt me. Nate come on, don't give me that look.

[ He reaches out for the ice pack and puts it against himself, over his tshirt. He hadn't meant to out it, but then it's hard not to say things to Nate. ]

She's a wonderful woman, really.

[cravating]

You frustrate the piss out of me on an hourly basis and I'm not the one leaving marks on you, am I?

[No, she does not get a pass. She does not get excused.]