In the Absence of Everything, I Promise To Keep You Warm

by muddywaters

Summary:

Seth is a glaring casualty to James' admiration. Jay stands as an obstacle to this.

Chapter 1: I. Draw a Line Within the Snow

Not for a second would he have truly mistaken Jay for a Johnny. With as frequently as Seth spoke of him, it would’ve been essentially impossible for James to have gone without remembering the kid's name. It was simple, even for someone as vacuous as Franco could be.

It was a common name, really. Undistinguished , James believed, much less eminent than his own. After all, he had a commonality with the Dean himself and therefore, it only felt justified for James to deem himself worthier of a boast, given that he was among the greats: Earl Jones, Cromwell, Cagney… And surely that Madison guy proved to be of some use along the way, too. There were a few books, tucked neatly onto Franco’s shelf (alongside other novellas and narratives that he owned with sole intention to brag about, yet, not dare venture into. The only reading he did nowadays was that of film scripts, arguably much easier to grasp than the content littered with long, unfamiliar words inside those books) that accented the aforementioned politician, whose apparent importance in James’ mind was derived from the fact that such an individual could often be pictured writing with a quill pen. Only the most acclaimed highbrows wrote with feathered pens, and factly, he had gone out and purchased a few for himself. Such peculiarity earned very few second glances when he’d go as far as to sign contracts with the pinion and loose ink because even at the end of the day, that was the quirky, unorthodox behavior anticipated from James Franco, who’d essentially branded himself with zaniness. 

 

When he thought of Jay or was compelled into listening to Seth go on tangents about his childhood friend, James didn’t seem to have any positive associations with the name or the person. Jay was your run of the mill hipster, and this was something that could have been deduced without the help of a particularly judgemental Hermoine.
Jay was the type of person that he’d figure Seth would even go as far as to pick fun at. His insipid taste in clothing was a giant red flag, but no more than his very outspoken distaste for the quotidian L.A. lifestyle. His forthright hatred for all things fun simply bewildered James, who had tried on more than just a single occasion to find some middle-ground with Jay- something that Seth had criticized him for relentlessly, despite his attempts.

But, it was fruitless in just about every area of the matter. Music, hobbies, his unhealthy obsession with gluten... Movies were the sector that most differentiated them.
'I don’t really care for whatever Hollywood’s next materialistic, self-indulgent shlock to please the masses is,' Jay would dismiss in conversation. 'So much propaganda and cheap gags in those things… Really, Seth, buddy , you know I love you but…' And from then on, James would tune him out. He had no attraction towards listening to whatever reasoning that Jay would provide for why he deemed all of Franco’s personal favorites to be pretentious, boring wastes of time, or especially why he didn’t believe Pineapple Express was one of the best films of its decade. Evidently he hadn’t had a single clue how painstaking of a process it was to make as many profound movies as the pair had, and while this approbation went unheeded on Seth’s end, it offended James enough for the both of them. He recognized Seth’s genius, at least. That was one of the many reasons he was so keen on working with him, time and time again. 

Matched with their unquestionable chemistry, above all, Seth and James’ continuous structure with one another was purely undeniable, and he’d fail to recall just how many times he’d caught himself admiring the man’s artistry, both around and out of his presence. Seth had such a likable draw to him, always bringing James to laugh, and rarely were these laughs ever forged, unlike the doctored chuckles he’d duress to keep Danny off of his back. Jay too, but with the way that things were playing out beyond the Franco residence, he felt as though it was time to focus on navigating their way out of this situation as opposed to centralizing his focus on his contempt for Seth’s tag-along. Such disdain he had tried to write off as being justified, annoyed that Seth had landed the group with yet another impossible mouth to feed by beguiling him to the party in the first place, but, this odium for Jay had begun long before he’d been appointed to share his home with him. Perhaps somewhere in himself, he had enough self-vigilance to identify his antipathy for what it was; undying, ceaseless, admiration-driven desire for Seth- or, more likely to be true than this, is that James Franco is an absolutely air-headed, naïve mental case, who prefers to believe his disliking for Jay lies more in the fact that he hadn’t complimented James’ artwork as he’d come through the door the prior evening. 

Alternatively? Perhaps it lies in the fact that he thinks Jay is a total, selfish hog with their sole remaining gallon of water. Thanks to what was an unfortunate medley of Danny’s reckless behavior and James’ lack of preparation for an event like this to have even occurred as abnormally as it had, their situation regarding groceries raised quite a few issues. With the exception of what the guys had kept as mere scraps from the ‘ Danny fucking things up by attempting to prepare a breakfast banquet’ ordeal, they were now down to less than bare essentials. This being... 
That lone, untouched Milky Way, and if James had drawn any conclusion pertaining to the candy bar, it was that Jay wouldn’t be the one to receive it. He was certain that if the household were to entertain some sort of collective vote regarding who had earned the liberty to indulge in the snack, not a single individual would pitch aforesaid vote to Jay. Maybe Seth, if anyone, but that’s something that James is trying to tackle; the taxing responsibility of convincing Seth that Jay isn’t as deserving of his footing here as he’d thought. They’d do good with one less person here after all, and since convincing Danny to leave seems to be continually unavailing, who better else? 

 

He wouldn’t say that he wished death onto Jay; such an assertion was far-stretched and insufferably cruel, and the last thing James needed on his conscience preceding probable demise was someone else’s blood on his hands. He already had blood on his freshly varnished kitchen floor, and that was the extent of carnage that he wished to witness. An authentic severed head wasn’t nearly as cool as they made it look in the industry. It was messier, grotesque and something about knowing the gore leaking from the skull wasn’t a combination of corn syrup and dye didn’t sit well with him in the least bit. He assumes this is a standard reaction, though, maybe the group could have reacted with more civility upon the initial run-in.
While he doesn’t find death is what Jay deserves, James can’t help but wish that Seth would lose some of this apparent absorption he seemed to have with the other. Always at one another’s sides, James felt intimidated by the intimacy of their relationship. Already did it feel as though Jay was at an advantage, given the antiquity of their friendship and how many years they had spent, growing closer with one another but, James was lead to believe that he and Seth had a bond that could transcend time. He didn’t feel obliged to pin a number to the amount of time in which they’d known one another because the mental souvenirs they’d collected along the way, and the certitude they had built up were immensely formidable.

So, all James really wants to do is to fashion tensity. It’s a totally selfish desire with a heedless motive, and the more he muses on the aforementioned, sole purpose, the more that this is brought to light. James loves Seth, and nothing would make him happier than for the two of them to spend their last days together - alone - with whatever that demanded. T o his disadvantage, however, he has absolutely nothing to use against Jay that Seth doesn’t already know of. In what absolutely shouldn't have perturbed James as much as it does, Jay never goes out of his way to dish anything remotely cynical out towards his companion. When he speaks of him, it’s only with regard, so much so that James almost feels bad for trying to come between them; and yet, not bad enough to renounce his attempt in doing so. If all else would come to fail, James could always employ the camcorder as a secondary plan.
Staggeringly, considering his inquisitive nature, he had yet to snoop through the tapes in the hopes to find something of any amusement from the others’ confessionals. It prompts him to at the very least speculate what sort of things that Jay could have potentially said about their friend. Surely, somewhere along the way, he’s gotten irritated enough with his counterpart to feel inclined to vent to the embracing company of James’ camera. James knows that he’s certainly guilty of doing so.

---

By the time the others have scrambled off to their designated areas to rest, James made for the staircase. If it turned out that any of the others had already beaten him to Seth’s company, the conversation would have been set on the backburner, proposed another time to avoid disruption but, as far as he’s concerned, the second-lowest level of the home is near idle. Some inconspicuous lingering around the corner would confirm this, allowing him to find Seth alone.
From this point, James is left to deal with a single matter at hand, this being alluding to an affront that he believes the other will gather as plausible enough, with even a ring of some truth. But again, this is where James is turning up blanks, ordained to recognize that Jay, beyond his ability to pique, was ultimately innocent .
James is hardly a stranger to telling a credible fib, however- at least, he tries to succeed in doing so.

“Jay said you were a pussy,” is what’s blurted out. James’ eyes shift transitorily about their surroundings, but he quickly strives to acquire more confidence in what he’s said. Surety , as opposed to the initial expression of indecision he exhibited. He couldn’t possibly allow Seth to catch on to the fact that James’ fabrication comprises nothing but that; a dumb lie. Both hands sink into the pockets of his ashen cardigan and he rests his hip against the interlining wall of the staircase. “...like, earlier. He was all, like… ‘Man , I don’t think Seth’s handling this whole apocalypse thing very well. I think he needs to man up, and… and do something.’ You know?”

This provoked Seth to raise a perplexed brow. His confusion was rooted more in the notion that Jay would have gone out of his way to speak to James, willingly, instead of bewilderment supervening what he’d supposedly said. He provides him with even more to mull over as he continues.
“And I was like, ‘hey, man… Seth’s handling this better than any of us.’” James’ guise is earnest, giving Seth that quintessential wide-eyed, firm look that would indicate he’s particularly passionate about this ornate untruth. “‘Seth is the strongest dude here. I mean, he’s got guts and perseverance, and the best ideas. We’d probably already be goners without him!’ But yeah, I don’t know, man... Pretty out of line, right?”

The subsequent pause would have strongly denoted that James is waiting for an answer, so Seth tries to think of one; in itself, a struggle.
He’s known for as long as he’d been flying Jay out to LA that he and Franco were anything but on cordial terms. One would think that after a few visits, they’d learn to work out their differences. This inclination for the pair to get along is one of the few driving objectives of squeezing in a visit to Franco’s each time he has Jay staying at his place. However, it’d been one vain outcome after the other. James’ hospitable attitude was doubtlessly just for show, and Jay was much more vocal about his distaste for the other looking past mutual attempts that he had witnessed to come across as mildly affable. Seth knows this can be a demanding labor with James too, and it wasn’t anything that he would act blindly towards. He’s just one of those people whose eccentricity takes time to adjust to, and find a way to work with. Seth had made it work for years and for the sake of their friendship, he would continue to.

“Yeah.” Seth shakes his head. “Right. I mean, ouch , man.” Having risen up from the pallet, Seth plants his weight on either one of his palms, out by his sides. It had to’ve been late, but this is wholly based on feeling, rather than what the landscape outside would have suggested, with blindingly titian, incandescent skies and flames all around, engulfing the trees and all other environmental surroundings. Only the sinkhole in Franco’s front yard preceding the home could be earnestly made out. “- who knows why he would’ve said that… And to think, I was generous enough to bring him all the way out here to your party! To your nice,” Seth looks around and gestures mindlessly with his hands, adding nothing but inconstancy to his attempt at a compliment. “... large… very confusingly constructed house… with your weird stairs, and that massive dick statue that Craig sacrificed. You know, you really should’ve hung onto that thing.”
This subconscious wander from the prior affair that’d driven James downstairs in the first place clearly doesn’t sit right with him, which prompted Seth to clear his throat and give his curls another wobble. “But, yeah, super out of line, dude. You know what, next time you see Jay, you tell him I said that he's, uh… he’s a dickhead. A back-stabbing ,” He begins to point his finger to emphasize his affronts, “ weasley little punk.” 

It seems to breeze directly over James’ head that Seth’s transpiring grin and hearty laugh indicate such insults come only from a place of jest, and that a more rational side of him knows that there’s simply no way Jay would have come to James with such slander unless something inside of the younger decided ass-kissing was very suddenly something that appealed to him. As much as he made his abhor for Seth’s colleague clear, Seth doubts this ever being a possibility.
James’ blind faith, on the other hand, is evinced in a beam of his own; toothy, and nodding as though he was silently promising to Seth that he’d relay a message of that nature to Jay with no hesitation whatsoever. Matter of fact, he probably dreamed of lashing out on the other with hostility but Seth liked to have credence in knowing Jay wouldn’t ever actually believe there was any truth in a statement like the one he had made, playfully directed towards the other. He at the very least hoped so. It was only said to urge James to simmer down.

“Totally, man. I got your back.” Franco would pledge, a hand coming up to rest against his own heartbeat to officiate this vow.

In a moment’s notice, he’s treading forward and Seth takes this as an initiative to scoot over, making some room for his confidante.
The first night that one of the guys had tried to join him in the area he’d professed as his regular arrangement for sleeping, Seth wasn’t so sure how to feel about it. Even as he’d grown up along Jay, the two were never forced into a situation where sharing a bed was expected of them. In the most inconvenient of instances, Seth would take the floor and offer the bed to Jay in an effort to be as hospitable as one could when hosting for a guest but, Jay was stubborn and would customarily follow in his pattern, making a pallet for himself on the opposing side of the ground to refrain from feeling guilty about taking Seth’s bed for himself. But, he sure hadn’t seemed to mind making himself comfortable in Seth’s abode here, nuzzling up to the furthest end of the pillow panoply and keeping himself as distanced from Seth’s body as he could. It was far more comfortable than taking the couch, considering he’d been outnumbered to reach a bed in time.

Jonah, who did contrarily have a bed to sleep in, had also exacted Seth to become accustomed to sharing his billet and wholly due to his trepidations during the night. These were recognized as understandable, rational fears given their current set of circumstances and Seth simply didn’t have it in himself to turn him down when he came toddling down the staircase, a puffy duvet draped around his shoulders. He’d gone from seemingly guiltily looming around the area until Seth flat-out verbalized the offer for him, to effortlessly diving into the makeshift bed along with him, tossing an arm around Seth while he was at it. It was something that he’d learned to find a shred of comfort in over time, and notably much more than Jay, who couldn’t seem to be any less fond of Jonah’s incessant clinginess.
Unlike Jonah, James also has a bed but , one that he had persistently retreated to each night. Huddling downstairs with the rest of the collective was something that just hadn’t seemed to appease him. It’s beyond possible that by the time the evening rolls around, he’s so fed-up with Danny’s antics, Jonah’s low blood sugar and- what was, in James’ eyes, - Jay’s exasperating nature that he wants nothing to do with them until morning when they’re all once again imposed to coexist with each other. This regular nightly absence stuck out to Seth like a sore thumb at this moment, and it’s more peculiar that James has only decided to show up when the others aren’t at hand.

“So, did you come down here to smoke, or…?”

It’s the only thing Seth could’ve presumed to be the case, a proverbial means of passing time together. He even begins to sift through his pocket in order to search for a lighter that isn’t actually required, thanks to James’ shake of his head, denying this idea.
“Nah. I figured you could use the company.” James takes Seth up on the implied proffer, sinking to his knees and nosing his way up beneath the warmth of the multitude of blankets. He looks over to Seth with a flash of a smile and a content sigh, before flopping to lie on his back. “I guessed that you were alone. I didn’t hear any of the guys down here with you, so..”

Seth nods and shrugs it off. “You’ve got a big ass place, man. There’s no telling where they are,” He chuckled warmly, and it induces James’ grin to broaden, “.. all I know is that Danny is definitely in the bathroom, jackin’ it. That much we could bet on.”
The laugh is reciprocated on James’ end but, accompanied by a distasteful grimace. It was imagery that he would have much preferred to go without paying mind.

“Sick… but true.” He confirmed. “Shoulda’ never told him I had those porno mags. Gonna have to burn ‘em all now.”

“Well, with the current state of affairs,” Seth gestured in the direction of what was once a window, now obscured with beams of all varying sizes, and sloppily topped off with loose-hanging strips of duct tape. They made use of what limited resources they had within the home but, the tape ordeal was more or less Seth’s most futile endeavor yet, “... I don’t think you’d have much trouble finding a good spot to do so.”

Fair point, James supposed.
The entirety of his front lawn and outwith it looked as though the population of LA had plummeted right into the center of Heat Wave, and to none of their fortunes, not a single one of them had the competence that Jamie Luner had. All they could do from here forward was bear the circumstances and accept whatever their fate was from that moment forward, be it some outlandish, momentous natural disaster that would find itself blowing over eventually, or the very rare instance that Jay might’ve been correct in his own assumptions; an interesting thing to remit Seth’s way.

“Do you think Jay’s been right this entire time?”

“About me being a pussy?”

James almost catches himself snorting, though the murk of the subject matter keeps him from entirely doing so.
“About…” He too gestures back towards the poorly shielded window, “.. all of this . I mean, he brought up all that stuff from the Bible, ‘n shit. I didn’t wanna believe it at first- I didn't believe it at first, but it just makes you wonder, man. How scary would that be? The more you think about it… especially since we’re still down here, and you know- not up there, like he said.”

Seth gave it a moment of thought before his contemplation was interrupted with another abrupt laugh.
“Does it really surprise you that Danny fucking McBride didn’t make it to Heaven?”, was his attempt at some ill-timed banter. Glancing down to where the other laid, looking right back up at him with atypically sorrowful eyes brought Seth to recognize the insolence in his words however, and he quickly tried to mask his pathetic jest that clearly did not land whatsoever. “Well, yeah, it is scary… I guess that’s why I’ve tried to avoid thinking about it… it seems almost impossible, doesn’t it?” He incited and shook his head. “Not impossible, but, like,  surreal. The type of thing we’ve heard and read about our entire lives, seen in movies and stuff- and to think that it’s happening? I just don’t think I can wrap my head around it.” Seth admits.
He finally eased his way back onto the ground alongside his friend, whom he’s still surpassingly sure to leave plenty of room for. It felt as though there was always some sort of unspoken yet mutual rule between two men sharing a bed with one another to reserve plenty of space in between both aforesaid bodies. James never cared for this rule.

“And, hey… Emma talked about seeing zombies out there. There aren’t any zombies in the Bible... right?” Seth would go on to hinder the idea of their situation being at all comparable to Armageddon. It’s complicated to decipher whether or not this is being done out of sheer disbelief for what Jay had preached to them, or with it only in mind to console James’ worries.
It was weird seeing him like this, similarly. James always had such a customarily carefree nature to his demeanor, blithe in his approach to any conflicts that Seth would have found to be otherwise too foreboding to bear. It’s this buoyancy that Seth doesn’t want to witness retired, almost selfish in his need for someone’s security to stick around. There was no way that they could possibly pull through with an absolute vacancy of hope. A congenial nudge is passed onto James’ shoulder after extending his arm enough for it, and he held his warm leer long enough to meet his mutual gaze, partnered with a candied smile. “ Riiight ?”

This childish essence of Seth’s tonality persuaded a breathy snicker, to which James would escort with a bemused raise of his brow. “Are you asking me if zombies played a role in the Bible? Because something tells me, you’ve definitely never read it… and thus your unknowingness would make sense.”

Seth’s brows shoot up and he elicits a playfully aggrieved scoff.
“What, like you’ve read it? Your moral high ground isn’t any better than mine!” He would rebut, only to earn a smug laugh out of James. This accusation likely couldn’t be accurately confuted, but he would rest at nothing to win a sportive dispute. 

“At least I own a Bible. Where do you think he was getting all of those crazy theories from?” James inquired, head rolling to the side to impart a complacent cock of his own brow, wiggling a bit as if this would emphasize his point. “That fucker got his hands on my stuff... Went through my library. It’s all in there; assumably..”

“I mean… I don’t think it’s the worst piece of fiction he could be preaching from,” Seth averred. “... at least he isn’t getting his ideas from, like, Lord of the Flies , or some shit.”

It was truly a miracle in itself that this scenario hadn’t already come to life. The amount of bickering, and hawkish conduct shared by the guys made for an uncomfortably tense living arrangement and by many of their judgements, in dire need of some proper leadership.
Nothing had yet come from that postulation, however. Carrying through with a unanimous vote as to who would claim ownership of that title - be it in the vein of a Jack or a Ralph - was a severe hindrance, as the shared arrogance rooted into all of them biased their conceptions. Ensuing their confinement indoors, James would have been led to believe that he had an inherent advantage over the others as far as authority would have been concerned. The residence was his own, where he had lived unaided by their company for months prior, and within were all of his belongings. Yet, the reality hadn’t been so overt. None of them had outwardly stated that they were collectively opposed to the idea of pronouncing James in charge, though, none had expressed covet for it, either. It would go without the necessity of being vocalized that many could agree he wasn’t nearly stable enough for supremacy; certainly not with the way he heedlessly swung his pistol around, and initiated seemingly endless quarrels with the others.

As much as James would rule in opposition to it, Jay was likely the alternate that the group would come nearest to mutually settling on. He had Jonah wrapped around his finger disturbingly tight and had Danny so far up his ass that he couldn’t see straight. That was kindred to a slap in the face, certainly, considering the hefty history that James and Danny had. He had always been an inferred member of their tight-knit crew, but James supposed teaming up for goddamned Tropic Thunder really erected quite the alliance between the two of them.
James knew that Craig didn’t care much for Jay, surely no more than he himself did, but it was Seth’s theoretical choice that gaged his interest the most.
“I guess now wouldn’t really be the best time for warfare to break out among us.” James pondered aloud, but it does pose interesting states of affairs to mull on; what would be the final straw on either end and who either end would even consist of, in the event of hypothetical partnerships forming. The chances of each of them experiencing an inclination to disperse their own ways felt far less slim, given the abundance of egotism coexisting in the household… but regardless of who would have sided with which of their counterparts, James is unmoved in his belief that he and Seth would remain inseparable. If any couplet had the aptness to brawl with tragedy and come out alive, it had to be them. He doesn’t want to risk the prospect of Seth forgetting this.

 

“We’d stick together though, wouldn’t we?” He would inquire.

It seems as though he’s caught his opposite off guard with such a query, clear in Seth’s expression of perplexity. “What do you mean?”

He’s twice as fazed when James shoots up, suspiring thickly and shifting to sit his weight onto his knees. Seth is spared one of those, ‘ you should know what I’m talking about without demanding an explanation ’ inspections but, he finds himself putting forth a delineation regardless. Anything to certify that the pair were on the same page.
“ You know ,” James extends an arm to bestow a nudge. “.. if something were to... crazily break out between us; a house full of egomaniacal actors. I’m sure one of them has tried to plot some sort of dumbass scheme to overthrow the rest of us by now. Danny? He’s a total fucking tyrant.”

This would appear to be met with gentle dispute on Seth’s behalf, swift to brush off the possibility as though it were instinctive to protect the other guys, and this perturbs James mostly in knowing that they likely wouldn’t have been as quick to do the same. Seth was far too selfless for his own good sometimes.
“Man, you know I was just messing with you. Lord of the Flies, ” He snickered. “There’s no way. Those guys, they’re our friends! You know that. You don’t really think they’d turn against us, do you?”

James' arms raise defensively. “Hey, you don’t always know who you’re really dealing with. Actors, man.” He warned. “It’s our job to put on facades, after all.”

Seth falls silent, and James takes advantage of this to jump in once more. His intent hadn’t initially been to implement fear into his friend pertaining to the others but it isn’t a particularly deficient scheme, either. Distress had a powerful way of driving people, and James was tactless to guarantee he could win him over for good . 
“It’s great to be prepared, is all I’m saying. Some... conflict arises, you’ve gotta know where you stand when things start to fall; and frankly, I’m not so certain you can count on which of these guys’ll actually have your back. They could start switching it up at any time.”

It isn’t a forewarning that Seth believes he should expect but, James might’ve had a point. There was no telling how long this situation was going to drag on, and already had he lost all hope for some sort of rescue mission down the line. He had come to assume that they all had, as speculations between them pertaining to the arrival of a helicopter to fly them to their freedom had died down entirely. The atmosphere was sad; exhausted, and disconsolate. Perhaps it was only a matter of time before someone broke.
Seth would have believed that he could trust each of the guys, though only time would tell now. This matter hadn’t been touched on by any of the others yet. One could find it potentially chary that James had instigated this conversation without provocation but, it was something to bear in mind; perchance he’s just really scared of losing Seth. If this is the case, Seth is almost somewhat softened by his fidelity to their friendship. He wouldn’t have known for a second that James is attempting to convert it into something more; deeper , and more certainty that they’d spend as much of their remaining time with one another as they could.

He thinks back to James’ precedent question and meets him to acknowledge it. He wants his earnesty to come across as much as to reassure the other.
“Of course we’d stick together.” Seth insures. No matter the toil of what was to come, his friendship with James meant upwards of the world to him. “I mean, you said it best, man; we’re brothers,” So, maybe James was a little biased in his sudden discomfort with that particular descriptor but, Hell, he was thankful for any shred of adulation on Seth’s end; he’d take quite literally whatever he could obtain and keep it with him all night. “- brothers for life. I’d hate it if anything came between us… not after we’ve made it this long.”

James smiled, and Seth would continue, conscious of how his words appeared to set his counterpart at ease.
“Besides... We’ve gotta keep this friendship goin’ long enough to make our Pineapple sequel. That first draft was wicked promising.” He expressed, to the older’s delight. This disport was much-needed, and James was content with his confirmation that - little by little - he was well on his way to winning Seth over. Having his best friend all to himself left James sincerely unable to muse a better wake at the end of the world. He didn’t want to spend his final days with another person.

“First draft?” He’d repeat, pushing his weight up from the pallet wholly. Seth counters this with a shrug, watching as James rises to his feet. He would melt into a smile ensuing an austere, wagging finger to the face that would, in itself, silently object to his attest. “Come on. The academy would have eaten that shit up.”

Chapter 2: Between What You Thought, and What You Know

 Bearing the weight of surviving the apocalypse is enough, but James’ deterrent spared the night prior had done little to ease any of Seth’s growing number of anxieties.
One of the few things that Seth had done his best to hold on to was knowing that, at the very least, he had been foisted into and contained to this house amidst such a sequence of events with his friends; possibly too strong of a word to use when pertaining to someone like Danny, who essentially all of them failed to coexist with so blithely... But the others were all guys he had known for such considerable periods each, lifelong friends he’d made on sets and shared projects that, in themselves, would render them tethered by such fond memories of the past, when things were still normal. He had mused to himself numerous times during this shut-in that it was better to have been confined with them as opposed to a vast majority of the other party-goers, wannabe no-names and snotty B-listers alike. Maybe Rihanna would have been tolerable company but, it was for the best that Michael Cera had been impaled when the time came. 

When James had come to him that evening and spilled such alarming, chancy outcomes, however, Seth’s outlook turned bleak very quickly. James’ raised points were humorous to deliberate at first, even doubtful to Seth who had tried to grasp onto maintaining credence in his acquaintances but, once Franco had shuffled back up the stairs and retreated to his own personal headquarters for the night, Seth was given virtually no choice but to mull over what had been shared with him. 
They weren’t by any means easy thoughts to reflect on. It was unchallenging to picture Danny in a position of craving authority so much that he would make an effort to instigate war but, he couldn’t begin to imagine Craig or Jonah endeavoring to raise complete Hell— and more than many, it wasn’t in Jay’s nature. 

Seth had to wonder why such a conversation had begun with Jay in the first place; how James had almost used him as some sort of immediate segue way to discuss potential conflict, as though Jay was the particular subject to keep one’s distrustful eyes on. 
Thinking back, Seth hardly believes he had ever been appointed a reason to lack trust in his friend. He has no knowledge of Jay ever lying to him, and he can’t comprehend the motive, nor the prospect of this happening now. 

Well, okay.
There was that time following Green Hornet’s par for the course box office bomb when Jay devoted a solid week-long period during his bi-monthly visit to Seth’s, attempting to convince him that the film wasn’t as bad as the reviews amassing online would have otherwise grimly suggested. He insisted they rent it long enough to run through it a few times (when they were high enough to do so) and customary to his friend’s ultimate goodwill, Jay magnanimously littered him with appraisals through the entire duration of the film, even if most were uttered through patchy chuckles. He can even flawlessly call to mind how much utter travail was put forth when Jay looked him dead in the eyes and vowed, ‘I swear, it’s my mom’s favorite movie! She’s seen it a billion times already!’

It was an earnest crack at allaying some of Seth’s humility and despite asinine at times, it would behave as yet another instance of Jay evincing pure care for him. It’d soon gone without saying that diving into the cache of cynical reviews with one another proved to be far more entertaining than the unwarranted ass-kissing could ever amount to. Rotten Tomatoes fills in the unspoken blanks, speaking all of the truths that Jay had likely retained in order to preserve Seth’s feelings and when Seth reads ‘Green Hornet is fun in the same way that knocking yourself out for eleven days with a gas gun is fun’ that evening with Jay stuffing his mouth full of Pringles right at his side, it becomes the hit of the night. 

He keeps his eyes on Jay for much longer that night, and not in the way that would insinuate Jay’s attempt to affably fib had crossed him wrongly, nor gave Seth any reason to suspect his falsehoods are a frequent occurrence; there’s instead some knowing fondness in watching him toss his head back and laugh, or how he’d bury his face into Seth’s sofa cushion when he couldn’t seem to cease his humored snorts.

That was the Jay that Seth, to this day, still wholeheartedly believes wouldn’t dare lie to him. Not in a way that would wager with the state of their relationship, at least. 

A night of overthinking and floundering beneath blankets that certainly don’t help palliate the sweltering heat of Franco’s home ascertains for a painfully groggy rise. Seth had gotten the floor to himself for the evening, which for the sake of having so much space to himself was lovely.. But the lack thereof company was of a lesser degree. He’d grown so used to sleeping sandwiched amongst Jonah and Jay that having them absent leaves the room feeling twice as isolated; more than usual. 
He can only assume James was resting in the comfort of his own bedroom, as he typically did, not so lenient on the idea of sharing that enclosure with the rest of the bunch. Seth wasn’t sure what Jonah’s deal had become but he avoided a majority of the group like the plague now, always seeking out a way to acquire solitude. 
When he rises, however, he passes the scattered few along the way. 

Craig’s in Franco’s library and there sits Jonah, at the foot of the guest room’s unmade bed where Seth would be led to assume he’d slept the night prior. 
He doesn’t pause to peek his head inside, or initiate a half-assed conversation when he knows well enough whom he’s on the look for. 

It was only ineluctable that Jay was the center of his fixations, given the dialogue from the night prior. Having James allude to him had succeeded in, he supposed, inducing Seth to emerge an urge to check in with his friend; see what he could have possibly been staying preoccupied with, and in the most general sense, how he was managing mentally. 
Their circumstances certainly weren’t easy but, he had tried to frequent this topic as much as he could; making inquiries here and there about Jay’s health and his sanity.

This morning, he could be found in the kitchen.
It’s still early, he would guess, and all’s generally quiet before James and Danny have risen. Without intentional slander, it’s truthfully the most preferable time of day, untroubled and near noiseless when you’ve taken receipt of the ability to block out whatever audible horrors are sounding from outdoors. That in itself was a tedious task but, countless nights of learning how to sleep through such an ongoing, bothersome accumulation definitely paid off.
It’s also the only time of day that Jay’s able to take advantage of James’ absence for some snooping. 

This is how Seth finds the younger of the pair, entire body being supported by Franco’s kitchen counter and his own weight sat on his knees. The surrounding cupboards were drawn closed with the exception of the one that Jay fixates himself with, curious hands prying around and patting along the interior in search of something to tame his hunger. The options were bare to none and for someone with so much undeniable kitchen space, Franco really hadn’t made much of an effort to keep his cabinets stocked, much less with imperishables. But, at this point in his swelling desperation, Jay would find relief in the crumbs that were littered among the countertops; judging by James’ habits? Likely in need of a good cleaning. At the very least, there existed a greater amount than they had once been lead to believe, with James’ eventual habit of hiding the relative snack or two from the others. If Jay thinks about it, he hadn’t seen that Milky Way in quite some time, either. 

Upon approaching, Seth’s arms fall to his side. For a minute, he raises to his toes, peeking over the other’s frame in order to obtain a glimpse of his own at the bare cabinet, subconsciously wanting to help. He at least had to hand it to Jay, that he had dedication. The others, including himself, had lost a majority of their credence, and hope that anything of substance still remains in this house; anything actually worth searching for this early of a morning. 

“Any luck? I’m starving.”

Hearing a voice of any kind had been enough to jar the younger of the two actors, flinching in a manner that’s quick to elicit some laughter from Seth, who’s quick to raise his hands up in defense, more so when Jay had risen an arm of his own swiftly, clutching only an unused spatula. His weapon of choice likely wouldn’t have done him much good in the case of an actual emergency but, then again, what they had to work with here was limited. James had enough weed and unnecessary movie props to kill a horse and yet, nothing of value to genuinely fend for themselves with the aid of. 

“Shit, man! Jesus.. Right now’s the worst possible time for you to be sneaking up on people.” He prompted, only for Seth to nod acknowledgingly, and expire a gruff chuckle. Frankly Jay doesn’t find much humor in being furnished a fucking heart attack but, as long as his friend had gotten a rise out of it, he supposes it’s an alright reaction.
Jay retreats to his venture at hand, and Seth speaks up again. 

“No, yeah, I.. my bad,” He concurs with a second, quick bow of his head. “- you’re right. I’ll try to,” Seth’s brows knit together in a passing second of muddled thought. “.. enter the room.. louder next time?”
Seth’s sights set on that spatula in Jay’s feeble little grip, and another snicker is pulled from the actor. “Were you gonna spank the intruder to death or something?”

Jay’s lip curls sneeringly. “Considering I sort of expected to see Jonah before I saw you? No thanks.” He renounces the theoretical offer. “He’d definitely get the wrong idea.” 

“Come on,” Seth’s almost coltish tone already indicates to Jay that some wonted taunting is soon to follow, and he’s already refining his quintessential grimace to find it with. Perhaps if Jay wasn’t so outwardly expressive in requital to his friend’s banter, he wouldn’t have persisted on picking fun at him nearly as much as he does. It’s hard to deny, however, that the manner in which his nose cutely scrunches up in detest is another underlying factor. “-- I think it’s cute he’s got this… weird obsession with wanting to bone you. You’d probably make his entire year if you spanked him; and that says something,” Seth’s brows raise.
“- ‘cause I’m not even certain he’s typically that kinky, you know? You’re the only one who can bring it out of him.” 

“I used to think Danny would have been the first of us to end up in Hell, but talking like that, Seth?” Jay began, and at once, Seth was beaming with a lofty smirk. If they weren’t best friends, Jay would have kept hold of a desire to smack it clean off of his lips; if anything, in their particular case, it’s harder to wade off an amused smile of his own. “That’s gonna be your first class ticket, buddy.”

Fleet, shared snickering surfaces and lasts only a matter of seconds; long enough for Seth to confront another moment of visible veneration for Jay in a state much less disconsolate 

“How are you holdin’ up?”

Same eventual route of conversation as always. Jay leers over his shoulder. “You know you really do not have to ask me that every day?” 

As the younger’s fixation travels back to the cabinet before him, Seth would pause to furrow his brows; a meaningless expression of confusion with his friend’s back turned to him. The question feels as though it deserves that obligatory, silent acumen.
“So because the world is ending, I’m supposed to just… stop giving a shit about how you’re doing?” He would counter. Only then would Jay realize his prior comment may have beared with it some unintentional and highly unneeded snarkiness, and to this, the glimpse in the other’s direction with a slight cock of his head is far more permissive. To Seth, it’s a familiar, needed warmth. 

“Right. Sorry.” Jay would lower his eyes and shake his head, in which then tilts in another fashion that better permits Seth what he finds to be an idyllic profile; arrowing nose bridge and svelte cheeks. He looks nice when he chooses to accede to letting his stubble fill out but, anymore, shaving is a luxury that none of them retain. Luck is on Jay’s side in that he’d look wonderful with a beard.
“You know, I could offer some consolation to that and tell you all’s cool and well, but--” 

“But you’d be shitting me?” 

Cut off and faced with an almost austere look proposed by Seth, Jay’s mouth doesn’t even fall open and attempt to formulate a denying rebuttal to that. They were well-beyond making shows of fallacious good spirits, and had come to a point in their confinement where simply telling the truth was more beneficial than useless deceiving. 
Either of them would have appeared to withhold some sort of unspoken inclination to preserve the other’s well-being, burying any sort of defeatism out of sight to keep the air promising; though, dwindling hope and a brutally unfair - seeming -  fate would make this an impossible act to keep up. At the very least, a sense of imperfect and very human solace was restored between them in knowing that they could act as each other’s sanctuary. To be open about their true feelings regarding the situation they were faced with with one another was refreshing, especially in knowing this is something they couldn’t even think to approach the others with. The thought of confiding in Danny McBride with emotional turmoil? Laughable. 

“But, I’d be shitting you. Yeah.” Jay finally yields. A hand moves around to the back of his neck where he scratches it and his eyes drift to the floor, indicating some contrition. “It’s just the same thing everyday… you know? Like, I thought how I was living back in Toronto got repetitive.. Makes me wish we would’ve just stayed back at yours. I tried telling you.”

Seth’s brows gently furrow, but he masks anything close to real argumentative nature with a scoff of a chuckle. He wasn’t all that keen on confrontation, after all. 
“Like it’d be any less repetitive there? You know we’d just sit on our asses all day, smoking me out of all I own.” He theorizes. He’s going off of past experiences, of course. 
“Besides.. I don’t think that place would’ve even remotely held up, man. We really got lucky ending up here. I think.” 

Of course, Jay’s one to argue with that. His brows gently raise, and he’s caught up with Seth’s sights again, by now, a trace of inclemency tangible in his own. A tiny detesting wince leaves him as he resituated himself, sliding down from the counter and landing on his feet. 

“I think it’s a stretch to say I’m lucky to be trapped inside James Franco’s house… with James Franco.” He stated. One could think such a remark was merely a jest between close friends but Seth recognizes better. Though, he could never quite understand why Jay is so hostile towards him. Why was a contrast in lifestyle such a big deal? 
Jay and himself had shared similar upbringings, certainly lacking a silver spoon advantage that many of the A’s, the B’s, even the C-lister’s at Franco’s housewarming party retained. But, regardless of said rearings, Seth was still — he could feel himself internally revolting towards the word — famous. Had a schedule almost as busy as James’, a large circle of acquaintances of all backgrounds, and he liked to believe that his place here in Hollywood had been nice while it lasted. It sure cost an arm and a leg, and aforementioned purchase was just one of many outlandishly wealthy properties that’d taken up presumable residency beneath the ground, where all of Franco’s guests had gone. 

In short, Seth’s lifestyle isn’t all that far off from James’, minus the numerous independent, phonily artsy flops and the occasional gram of coke. Why is Jay so combative towards him? 

“You’re saying you’d really rather be out there right now?” Seth gestures briefly behind himself, in reference to one of the many quite poorly boarded windows. Part of him wants to believe Jay’s just cracking some spiteful joke but, the fact that he listens to the other bicker about their coequals constantly appeared to confirm this deeper dislike in itself. 

“I mean, honestly? Sometimes I think about it. Yeah.” Jay speaks without much real hesitance, or thought for that matter. 
Of course he’d rather be stuck inside of this particular locus than trying to survive by his own means outdoors. He hadn’t seen what was out there, per say, but judging by what he’d seen it,  do, he isn’t so eager to cross paths with it. “.. Danny’s enough to make anyone fucking suicidal, and if I have to listen Jonah try and kiss my ass any more than he’s already–”

“Hey, man,” Seth interjects when their familiar is brought up the following time, head shaking in a disruptive protest. “.. go easy on Jonah, okay? He does actually like you, Jay. He’s always talking about you.” 

Jay would find this with a scoff, and Seth can practically feel Jonah’s heart breaking from the opposite room before the smaller even proceeds. 
“Yeah, I get it. I think he’s sucked my dick enough for a single lifetime in the span that we’ve all been here. Can’t you see through that bullshit?” 

The tangent should leave Seth feeling shaken up, perturbed that Jay had such a god-awful attitude towards the other guys. His apropos of Danny was near impractical to deny but Seth couldn’t seem to understand where his hatred towards Jonah had surfaced from. In all honesty, he’d been the most neighborly of the group; always seeking out ways to keep things as fair and reasonable as possible, while remaining nothing but congenial. Towards Jay above anyone else, so much so that Seth himself had even begun to question whether or not there were some deeper, more amorous feelings materializing there. That much made Seth a bit uneasy to think about.

However, there is no outrage that follows Jay’s remonstrance. He’s doing all he can in order to take his best friend’s grumbles with nothing larger than a grain of salt,  feeling as though it was normal for someone in his position to snap as a result of stress. Seth could firsthand understand that; it was becoming increasingly more different day by day to remain composed. 

While Jay would have expected some further contending on Seth’s behalf, seemingly beyond eager to defend the others as best as he was able, Seth’s expression is then crossed with a pout that’s anything but earnest. It’s intent, without inquiry, is abundantly mocking, yet, in a manner that Jay’s able to sanction, more so when Seth prepends it; “Do you need a hug, Jay?” 
Asking Jay to remain overtaken by antagonization and vex after hearing such an unforeseen question is asking a bit too much for the slimmer, who’s then noticeably - unsuccessfully - choking back a laugh. It’s a relief that Seth is the one to ask this. Otherwise, Jay would have punched him straight in the jaw. Jonah probably wishes he could get away with such a bold, appallingly hilarious appeal. 

The older of the pair takes immediate notice of how Jay’s lips begin to tease the idea of cracking a grin, corners slightly upturned and it’s ridiculously adorable, the manner in which his face gets covered by both hands. He rubs over it, and sighs through the cracks of his fingers but, to no avail, it’s accompanied with an airy chuckle; genuine, and maybe one of the few times he had actually heard Jay elicit such an indicator of something other than stress in the time they’d been here. Unashamedly, Seth had missed Jay’s laugh, and on Jay’s behalf, he had missed Seth making him laugh. 

“I really.. really cannot stand you.” Jay whispers back, to Seth’s own widening beam; toothy, and a little too proud of himself for diverting his friend’s focus from his prior agitations. Seth’s arms are already spreading wide open to embrace the other, and it’s as if Jay can sense this happening, because he’s trudging in to find the other’s mien, sinking into his weight as swiftly as he’d come forward. It requires a moment but Jay would eventually uncover his face, instead choosing to bury it against Seth’s shoulder for even a shrivel of comfort, if attainable. His limbs hesitate a bit more to slip beneath Seth’s arms, nearer his ribs to cape his upper back, however, Seth’s apprehend much less. Much less, as he pulls Jay’s compliant weight against him to complement this very impromptu hug.
Jay hadn’t intended on giving in but, his body evidently knows what it craves, and there’s little denying that the embrace allows him to breathe much, much easier, despite knowing this was only temporary relief. 

“You love me.” Seth corrected cheekily. A palm slides up Jay’s spine to locate the back of his head, where fingers instinctively slip into tousled strands, coiling just enough to keep him drawn in close. He’ll permit him to pull away when he’s ready, of course, but can’t say he’s all too watchfully anticipating that. It was safe to say that this household could use some more hugs.. And he could discern that his opposite needs one. “You’d go crazy without me here.”

That declaration is a little too on the nose, evinced by a scoff against Seth’s shoulder.
“Obviously. You’re the only sane one here.” He would opt to remind. 

“Craig is sane, sometimes.” Seth countered. Jay is a little too picky to agree, but bothers little with a verbal objection; only shakes his head, enabling Seth’s fingertips to brush along his scalp with the grip he maintained that Jay can’t say he’s opposed to at all. 

It feels quite nice, actually, and inarguably it’s the most affectionate position he’d found himself tangled in during his stay here. That’s excluding the evening Jonah had forced him and Seth into an awfully uncomfortable, involuntary cuddle. While Seth hadn’t even seemed to mind it, Jay had made an effort to slip out that night, and make a palette of his own beneath the stairs. It wasn’t nearly as homely but, he’d be damned if he allowed himself to actually endure an entire night of non-consensual cuddling with Jonah Hill. It might make for a pretty damn humorous story if they ended up making it out of here alive, at least. Perpetuating a hold on that hope anymore just feels futile, though. 

He does retain a hold onto Seth. As his alleviation grows, so does his confidence in enjoying the hug, and enjoying being held. 
Jay’s eyes fall to close and against Seth’s shoulder, he quietly heaves out a sigh, considerable in length. His counterpart wouldn’t have had a single clue that they’d had the exact same person on their minds.

“You know, this thing- this is kinda funny. I meant to bring it up.. James came downstairs last night, and he--” 

“-- James pushed me, Seth.” 

Either sentence reaches a halt with unmatched, identical timing, but Seth is the only one of the two feeling any real perplexion. In Jay’s mind, there’s little knowing where Seth’s comment was headed, though, he can’t say he cared all that much either. Probably some stupid joke James had cracked with him that Jay had no real interest in hearing. 

“He pushed you? What, like..” Seth attempts to rack his brain for an explanation without sparing Jay much of a chance to do so on his own, though, the younger takes said task upon himself. 

“Remember when everything outside just, sorta.. collapsed? It all caved in, and shit?”

“Yeah,” Seth concurred. “Obviously, yeah.”

“When we were running — all of us, you know, we were all trying to get away from that – that hole,” Either one of them would appear to draw back from each other’s clutch at the unerring same time. “– and everyone just kept getting.. sucked in, I guess we crossed into each other. He ran by, and he just – he pushed me. That’s how I fucking fell in, man. That goddamn hole almost took me with it.” 

Jay would continue to fill in for Seth’s silence.
“He hasn’t even spoken to me since I’ve been here.. I mean, I’m -- it’s not that I  want to talk to him. Obviously I don’t. Guy’s a douchebag,  but I feel like he knows what he did,” he explains. “- and he’s avoiding me because of it.” 

More reticence from Seth sporting a blank expression has Jay regretting confessing altogether, and he had been far less tentative to make that clear. 

“...You think I’m lying don’t you? I knew I shouldn’t have even said anything, I mean, you and him go way back, and-”

“I don’t think you’re lying, Jay.” Seth interposed. More perturbation would eventually pour into him in a manner that his housemate could actually accost, and it’s assuredly more asserting than his lack of an initial reaction had been - and yet, Jay still encountered uncertainty as to whose side Seth would take in this case.
Jay doesn’t like to give James credit of value but, he was by all means a remarkable actor. He wouldn’t have stood a chance attempting to prove any verity in his accusation when Franco can immerse himself into any character he wants, right on the spot. “I don’t. I guess that’s just… I wasn’t expecting that.”

Openly, he hardly found it difficult to believe on his own behalf but Jay understood that he doesn’t share the same bond with James that his pal does. He doesn’t know the James that Seth does, and couldn’t tell a soul how he treats those he must truly care about. Seth, he obviously feels something for. Jay hadn’t even been invited to the initial party. 

There’s a look in Jay’s eyes that would insinuate he’s nervous about whatever retort he’s sure to earn from Seth, if any at all. The more timorous, conquering side of him wouldn’t find it all that baffling had Seth bereaved him of an answer for closure altogether, but he chooses to give his friend the benefit of the doubt, and rightfully so. 

“I mean, you don’t think.. he did it on purpose, do you?” 

Jay shrugs and his arms move to cross over his chest. “I don’t see why he wouldn’t.”

“Because we were— we were all in a rush,” Seth ventures out to do what Jay feels to be accounting for James’ actions. Always. “I just doubt he’d even be thinking of--”

“He doesn’t like me. What are the odds? Why didn’t it happen to anybody else?” 

Seth can’t provide a verifiable answer, and that in itself bothers him. It lies even heavier on Jay to no foreseeable end because it renders to an idea that Seth knows what he’s being told is without deviation, a sincere possibility and yet, he’s subsisting to maintain a bias for James, as liable as he was being made to seem. 
Scraping his brain recurrently leads to nothing, ultimately causing Jay to mislay his fixity for convincing him. If Seth wanted to continue regarding everything James says to him as true, that would remain his own answerability. Sooner or later truer colors would surface, and Jay can only hope this betides before his friend gets screwed over beyond belief; Jay unmistakably already had. 

Frowning lips of Seth’s part, plainly grappling with an attempt at commiseration that just won’t seem to come out, however, Jay had already come to terms with a pining to leave the room from the minute he’d given his piteous defence so there would have been little employment for an apology, or whatever else it was that he for some reason can’t spit out. Jay gave the spatula a stiff cast onto the island behind the other, and steers clear of possibly brushing into him amid his retirement from both the room, and the conversation at hand. 

“I really don’t like how you act when you’re around him, Seth.” 

**

If there’s anything that verifies to James that he’s in love with Seth, it’s his adeptness to sense when his fixation is facing distress. 
Treading on the heels of his argument with Jay, James could discern that something was unsettling him deeply, almost as if there were some sort of tensity in the atmosphere giving it away. Maybe he and Seth’s hearts were somehow bridged, with a tight fetter that could explain how James manages to feel so intensely the pang in Seth’s chest when Jay had left the room. Or, alternatively, maybe it had a bit more to do with the fact that James had been silently monitoring the conversation from where he’d stood, compressed against a doorway within earshot. The latter doesn’t sound as though it could’ve been ripped straight from a best-selling romance novel, and subsequently, James had his bias in belief. 

He had known from the moment he’d met Jay for the first time that he held no positive feelings towards him, and instances such as this only act as confirmation that he hadn’t needed to begin with. James hates to see Seth uneasy from any remote cause but, concurrently won’t argue with a provided opportunity to swoop in and save him, acting as his knight in shining armor when Jay failed to provide. 

The opportunity is perfect; wait out the argument, and come sauntering into the room shortly thereafter Jay exited. 

James employs his prodigious skills in perfecting the most believable performance to insinuate he’s just woken, seconds before roaming into the kitchen where an awfully disheartened Seth is left by the counter. 
The oldest actor gives his hair a good ruffle preparatory to an entrance proclaimed by a loud, imposed yawn, arms outstretched above his own head. 

A reaction to actually finding Seth face to face comes a bit more naturally, because granted, when isn’t he in outright reverence to see his best friend? Lips give into a wide, toothy grin. 

“Hey, buddy.” James looks from side to side, an intuitive glance to assure Jay hadn’t intended on barging back in to get another last-word in. “What’re you getting into, down here? — By yourself.”

Seth hunted down a smile to give James in return but, it’s deafeningly weak. “Ah.. Nothing, man. You know, just,” Either of his ams gesture to their flatly lit surroundings. Everything in Franco’s possession had this dingy tincture of a flame to it; an unsavory orange hue. “- scoping out the kitchen. Got kinda hungry.” 

His opposite’s concern shines through with a sympathetic pout. Even with it in mind that this is likely a ruse, the thought of Seth going without a meal is still one that objects to the notion of sitting right with him.
“You should’ve told me, Seth.. Wake me up next time, I woulda made you something- brought it up to you on a little tray,” James imparted. Unlike Jay, he hadn’t made an effort to fight shy of giving his forearm a sportive nudge as he passed him, partnered with a sweet peek over his shoulder. He draws open a cabinet that Jay hadn’t troubled himself with. “..like you’re staying at a little B&B. Casa De Franco.”  

James’ lively attitude was such a personable change, in striking opposition to Jay’s conduct. Seth wonders fleetingly if possession of any sort of conflict with him is something that’s even in the slightest bit attainable for James. 
Even when it appertained to creative differences -- one of the easiest and most senseless ways to lose a friend in Hollywood -- the pair would come out, unbothered. A dispute of corporeal concern was never enacted. 

With more attest than the one prior, Seth recompensed him a clement beam. 
“I know you would’ve.” He acknowledges without doubt, “-and I appreciate it.” 

“Least I could do.”
Soon enough, James has rewarded himself the task that Jay had yet to finish; a treasure hunt, yanking open kitchen drawers and flipping open cabinets. The space occupying each individual nook and cranny is void of life, but more concerningly, void of any sign of perishables. James would save the both of them the accustomed slander of Danny for his responsibility in part to the lack of food, and spins on his heel to find his temporarily unrequited lovers’ face. 
A pout crosses his own.

“Starting to look a little malnourished, buddy.. Look at those cheeks..” James ponders aloud in his venture to where Seth stands; a victim to a gentle flinch when Franco extends a hand to cup one of his cheeks to stroke the sector . Touchiness isn’t out of his quirky ordinary, and neither are the backhanded remarks that Seth’s brain has learned to comprehend with less pensiveness, and instead, an odd charm. This very strange charm is precisely what causes Seth’s lips to curl up into a shaky smile, and an airy laugh to escape him when Franco goes on, “.. where’d they go?” 

Seth’s head shakes dismissively, and James finds solace in his best friend’s lack of a retreat. He swears solemnly that Seth pressed into the touch, a silent beckon for more - but James would maturely decide only to draw the warmth of his palm away.
“I’m sure I’ve got some packs of emergency bacon in the basement freezer.. I’ll just have to break them out of their, ‘in case of apocalypse’ glass case.” He snorts, and Seth nods with hearty snickering.

“Yeah.. Yeah, bacon would be nice. Thanks, dude.”

James reciprocated a small bob of his head before leaving Seth with a pat on the shoulder.
“Don’t worry about waking the others up.. I’ll take care of that.”

Before James exits the room, Seth is mightily tempted to shed some light on his previous interaction with Jay. Not so much to confront James, of course, but the odds  of their conversation last night having almost foreshadowed the encounter from just minutes ago left Seth feeling uneasy.
James had mentioned that Jay had been acting peculiar, and up until the scene he’d made for Seth earlier, Seth had failed to see just what Franco was getting at. It made the younger of the pair contemplate whether or not discussing his behavior was a good idea; maybe James had spoken to Jay earlier that morning, and picked up on Jay’s atypical manner.
Alas, Seth bites his tongue. As much as he wanted to confirm that Jay was alright, both with his present living situation amongst the guys, and his state mentally, James was likely the last person Seth needed to consult. Perhaps it was a matter best left untouched, or at the very least, to be discussed with Craig, who was just about the only one here with his head on straight.

“Oh, yeah.. And those cheeks?,” James’ voice is now heard from the stairway, lifting Seth’s head from the floor. An eyebrow perks up, before the silence is once again filled. “- no less kissable!” 

Seth couldn’t help but grin. 
How nothing could dampen James’ spirit was beyond him. 

Notes:

I love evil James.

/ twinleska on tumblr.

Chapter 3: Don't Call Me At All

“How many times do I have to tell you, Jay? You’re gonna do fine!”

Narrowed, chocolate eyes shoot a razor-sharp glare in the direction of the driver’s seat, where Seth sits; one hand keeping a firm grip on the wheel, and his opposing forearm resting all too casually against the door. The body language of the pair reads so diversely that it’s almost laughable but, now is no time for Jay to do any snickering… as aware as he might have been, to how humorous his apprehension and silly anxiety happened to be.
It’s as though he was a small child all over again, fretful about his first day at a new school wherein he knew not a single soul, and was left to his own devices as to how he was going to manage. Does he keep to himself? Or dare he attempt to mold himself into something disparate from the reality of his excessively awkward, shy demeanor in an effort to meet the satisfaction of others? 

“It’s only a stupid house party. Nothing crazy.”

Only a stupid house party, Jay inwardly recites, lacking far more conviction than Seth’s assumed belief of what this event was actually going to be like.
Fighting the urge to roll his eyes proves futile, and the brunette’s gaze travels to the passenger side window instead, using it as an armrest in a way that mirrored his friend. “Oh, right, right.. My bad, for not deeming a party at an A-list celebrity ’s house as some kind of- quaint get-together .” He shakes his head, the point of his chin falling atop of his wrist for support. “Yeah, I’ll really try to keep myself in-check for when Steve Jobs and fucking Jennifer Lopez arrive.”

Seth interrupts with a scolding noise before Jay can scoff at his own comment.

“Hey man, c’mon.. Dude hasn’t even been dead a week, and you’re already cracking jokes about it? Steve Jobs was one badass motherfucker. Did you know he invented Apple out of his own garage?”

“Everyone and their mother knows that, Seth.”

“And J-Lo will definitely not be in attendance. I mean, I can’t say I’m not disappointed about that”, Seth carries on, “-- but I don’t think Mr. ‘ 27 Hours’ is quite on a first-name basis with her, yet.” 

“127 Hours.” Jay corrects under his breath, only for Seth to outright ignore this rectification altogether.
“Look, it’s not gonna be nearly as crazy as you think.. I mean, sure , there’ll be a few ‘big hotshots’ there but, they’re all just people at the end of the day, man. People like us. Y’know, people who just like hanging out, and cracking jokes, and getting blackout drunk. You love those things!” Seth yapped. And while it was true that Jay did enjoy partaking in such careless activity, he typically only favored these pastimes when it was shared between himself and his actual acquaintances; something more intimate than a crowded room, full of haughty individuals who considered him a nobody. 

Jay can’t help but to feel a bit pompous himself within his thinking. He felt as though he had justification for holding a disliking towards these aforementioned Hollywood mavens and their lush culture. Surely he wasn’t the only one who felt like he could see through all the facades, the big parties and extravagance — but on that same note, it prompts him to wonder. 

Growing up, he was always informed that he was the issue. The issue in question being the case of Jay struggling to make friends, and hold true, lasting bonds with those around him. The elders in his life at the time, parents and teachers alike, always insisted this lack of acclaim from his peers was rooted from his very own impersonal nature. He was a shy child, an even more withdrawn teenager with strange interests and off-putting satire that no one else around him seemed to understand. Some days, not a soul would blink an eye to him at all, and others – if he was lucky enough to be rewarded with any kind of outside acknowledgment of his own presence – he’d earn the alien look, or two.

More days than few, that’s precisely what Jay felt as though he was : an alien.
Between his helplessness in overt publicity and his peculiar nature in unwarranted conversations, the ongoing yet impossible strive to secure friends of any kind, his inclination to incessantly compare himself to others.. 

“I love those things when I do them with you.” 

 

Somehow, Seth made him feel human .
In the midst of the vast sea of copied-and-pasted characters, celebutantes who only desire your time if it means their own subsequent gain and titular ‘friends’ with an end goal of nothing more than stabbing you in the back, Jay had managed to find the sole cove to whom he had immediately flocked to; for once, without lingering leeriness of such a decision failing him viciously. Factly, everything about his relationship with Seth made him feel strangely anchored. The two had a unique way of balancing one another out, which coursed delightfully in most other instances.
In Jay’s eyes, this does not include an instance in which Seth persuades him to hang out with James Franco.

He has beckoned himself with the burning question before, echoing Seth’s own curiosity pertaining to why Jay has this abiding distaste for the actor. Only briefly had it been chewed over among the two friends in the past and thankfully, at that, considering Jay isn’t even so certain that he can answer that inquiry. Not in a manner that would read as feasible to Seth, at least.
It wouldn’t appear to aid in Jay’s spiteful case either, the simple fact that the two men hadn’t even met in person yet. A wayfarer in earshot would have heard such a thing and immediately shot Jay’s feelings down for appearing so unfounded and Hell, maybe they were. Maybe Seth, as deeply ingrained in his own beliefs as he was, knew the real James Franco. The one that was much softer than the daunting face he throws on for the media. Maybe there was a rawer side to James that displayed true, human emotion, that could sympathize with others and enjoy what life had to offer beyond the money he acquired from the big screen. Maybe that side he only chose to share with those more intimate in life; his friends, his loved ones. Maybe Seth had been the only individual to touch that part of him. Unbeknownst to Jay, his brows furrow upon the thought but, incidentally, as do Seth’s.

“What, you think I’m just gonna up and ditch you when we get there?” Seth foolishly chuckles, and shakes his head. “No! No, man, I’m by your side. The whole night.” He continues. “I’m serious.”

By now, Jay’s eyes had probably ricocheted between Seth’s profile and the fleeting images from beyond his window a million times. He didn’t want to dither in his fixation on Seth for too long, far too concerned that this might lead the other to mull over it being a sign that he was right , and that Jay’s straggling sights were indications of himself pondering such. But, he couldn’t quite repudiate the idea all at once, either.
Jay failed to recall a single instance in the past in which Seth had let him down. Throughout every event in their time of knowing one another, he always had his friend’s back. Every movie premiere, interview or local showing of some subterranean short that Jay had managed to snag a feature in for just a couple of bucks in return , you could bet that Seth would be the first one to plop his bottom into a chair and support Jay’s blooming career. Every successful project, every celebration, every lonely birthday… Seth was there for him. How could this possibly change within a single night? 

 

The swarming nightlife of downtown Los Angeles is absurd, Jay notes, as he attempts to count each head he sees, strolling down the boulevard. It would have been impossible to note each and every one of them. As high of a status as Franco has in this scene, it wouldn’t surprise him if a few of these unrecognizable individuals had the same destination in mind as the two in the vehicle; Franco’s assumed mansion, for a chance at stepping into the limelight for a single night.
Jay can’t help but snicker at the thought.

“Thanks, Seth.” Jay finally conjures up a response. It’s short but he's earnest about this moment of gratitude. “I really appreciate that.”

And trust Jay, Seth did. It hadn’t felt necessary for the male behind the wheel to respond in any kind of verbal nature. There’s a residual jiff of peace in the silence that falls upon the car, the only clamor surrounding them being that of the vehicles that speed past them as Seth flicks on his turn signal and eases into the antecedent lane with a mousy grin painting his lips.
Promptly, Jay’s fixation travels to a comfortably familiar resemblance. Just to their left, seated conveniently at the corner of their unhurried traffic light, Jay’s met face to face with a prodigious yellow figure; a glowing star, adorned with the happiest of mellow smiles. And with the successive text ensuing the bold shape reading none other than ‘ Carl’s Jr’, Jay knew they had stopped at the right place at the right time.

—-

Bacon has to be one of the most identifiable scents to ever grace the human nose.
Perhaps it’s one of those collective, shared childhood experiences; that of arising early in the morning on a summer day when the bright beams from the sun are so liberally shining through one’s adolescent curtains. Jay believes he and Seth had opted to give bacon on their burgers a shot that evening during their impromptu, pre-party decision to pig out before arriving at Franco’s for the first time, just a little under two years prior to their present imprisonment. It was truthfully much better than the burgers they’d shared during this go-round.
Maybe that wasn’t necessarily at fault of the burger, or the joint itself. A good bacon cheeseburger is, well.. always a good bacon cheeseburger and Jay would have been quite alright with his last meal having been from the best fast food chain. But, on that inceptive occasion, Jay’s disquietude had stemmed from bubbling worries of those in attendance not enjoying his company. On this second and what would inevitably be their final trip to Franco’s, however, his agitation had brewed in knowing that his company was not going to be favored. At least the feeling had been mutual, this time.

The aroma of the sizzling pork that had traveled both low and high to smother the air of Franco’s apartment had come from the kitchen, where James resided in front of the stovetop. Seth stands not too far by, his lower back resting against the counter’s protruding edge, tossing an unopened Milky Way bar repeatedly and catching it each time, as if he were playing ball. Occasionally, James’ head turns to find his direction; it’s undecided whether or not this is simply to admire Seth, or just to ascertain that his beloved candy bar doesn’t meet the ground. Regardless, the sight is more entertaining than a popping skillet.

“Are you ever even gonna eat this thing?”

James’ brows instantly furrow, and he swaps the spatula to his submissive hand in order to reach out and snatch the candy bar from Seth’s.
“ Yes, actually, I am!” He retorts but Seth can discern there’s no true hostility there. It causes him to snicker, and he cocks a brow.

“Oh, yeah? You sure you aren’t just keeping it to yourself so that Jonah can’t have it?”

This accusation brings a much softer laugh out of James, who shakes his head, tucking the candy bar into the pocket of his sleep pants and returning to the skillet. He nudges the tip of the spatula beneath a few crisp slices, and gives them a flip. “Come on, that would be such a dick move. You know, I’m not as mean as everyone seems to think I am.” James retaliates.
This defense causes Seth to inevitably dwell on what Jay had spoken to him about just that morning prior, and his own face dimly contorts into an expression a bit less fond, and a bit more grave.

Seth couldn’t say that he had ever thought of James as some kind of villainous individual. Perhaps he had done some questionable things in the past that Seth hadn’t exactly appreciated, nor upheld him for. Sometimes his own stardom shot straight to his head, and there was no denying that the fellow actor’s ego was as large as the fiery landscape that had continued to bloom right outside of his own home. But, nothing of this sort had been exactly synonymous with mean . If anything, James was just a tad too ignorant at times. Unaware, even, of how he made those around him feel. This is where Seth attempts to make sense of how Jay perceived the other, and moreover, pondered the legitimacy of his aforestated claim.
In the heat of that very frantic moment, anything seemed as though it could have been possible. Hundreds of celebrities unfamiliar with a tragedy of that scale all rushing outdoors at once, obtuse cracks that turned into deep craters painting the grass and swallowing bodies whole. With as many people as there had been in Franco’s front yard trying to salvage safety for themselves, it was only inevitable that a few may have been bumped into, tripped, or in Jay’s case, shoved. The urgency in his voice as he had told Seth the story, however, made it sound much different.

He tries to imagine James doing such a thing with such malicious intent, but he struggles. Not a day had gone by that James hadn’t been there for him, and he was certain that if Jay would just open up and give James a chance instead of constantly judging and berating him, the pair probably would have become unlikely friends, too.
“I don’t think you’re mean.” Seth counteracts. His tonality compliments his face, still quite dour. “I don’t think I ever have.”

James shrugs. “Well, I’m pleasantly surprised to hear that.. Considering the amount of people that would disagree with you. I’m sure you’ve had to’ve heard it at least once or twice; someone telling some kind of ‘bizarre lie’,” James uses his index fingers for extra annotation, “about me to try and convince you to turn against me.”

Seth’s nose scrunches.
It was almost as if James had overheard the conversation he and Jay had shared just moments earlier. Still, he shakes his head. “No.” He fibs and crosses his arms over his chest. “I’ve always heard, like.. Pretty good things about you, actually. I mean, you’re like the ultimate peoples’ person. People like being around you.”

“I know.” James states with laughable confidence, and accompanies this with a sigh.
“I know I’m like, a really chill guy and everything. I’m so nice to everyone, and I- I let people into my home, and stuff. Not a lot of people would do something so generous.” James shrugs, as Seth gives him a gentle shrug, silently encouraging him to go forth with what he had been tip-toeing around.
“But, sometimes it’s like, really easy to tell that someone doesn’t like you; you know? And then you’re just stuck there wondering why, after you’ve been nothing but nice to them.”

It starts to add up, little by little.

“Would you by chance be referring to Jay?”

James looks away from the skillet and back over to Seth. Easily could he have attempted to lie, and assert it to be nothing more than a sheer coincidence but, he concurrently thinks it might be a good idea to just be honest– about certain factors, that is.

“I mean, yeah.” His shoulders upraise momentarily, and his brows slightly elevate. “Well, he’s like, a good example of what I’m talking about anyways..”

James continues, a tad rushed. “Look, I heard you and him talking earlier and I just– I don’t get why he’s so out to get me, Seth, or why he’d be telling lies like that about me. And why you’d side with him about anything, after seeing the way he treats other people.. Not just me, but you know, Jonah ‘n stuff too. And you!” James adds. “Like calling you a pussy, and talking about how you weren’t handling yourself well in the middle of all of this. So uncool, man.”

“So uncool.” Seth quietly repeated under his breath, somewhat indulged by that amusing conclusion yet dumbfounded on the same note. The apocalypse truly hadn’t brought the best side out of Jay, who had spent a lot of his time here in L.A in general sulking and offending Seth’s other friends. He couldn’t even be upset at James for eavesdropping on the former conversation.

“All I’m saying is, he just seems like kind of a big jerk. He was alright that first time I met him, you know, at that party I threw back at my old place?”

“The one that you got J-Lo to show up to?”

“Yeah.” James nods and awards that memory with a brief, reminiscent smile. “Had me trending on Twitter for almost a week . Good times.”
Almost cartoonishly, James’ cocky beam deforms and he’s back to commiserating himself. “He seemed like a really cool guy back then. Quiet, yeah , pretty weird, kinda awkward.. and sure, watching him try and talk to chicks was harder to watch than an owner putting their pet down by shooting it point blank–”

“Are you sure ‘cool’ was really the word you were looking for?”

“I just don’t understand why you don’t let him go now, Seth.”

Through the air that was muddled with pork-scented smoke, Seth frowns. No matter how hard he tried, he just couldn’t seem to make any of the other four understand why Jay was such an important figure to him. It’s hard to let go of someone you’ve known for what felt like your entire life; someone you essentially grew up with, and evolved alongside. James was his best friend, but Jay was the one whom Seth constantly joked about being soulmates with. Their relationship was just… different.
In opposition, Seth exhales and brings a hand up to nudge his glasses up on the bridge of his nose and his head falls to the floor.

“I basically ruined that night for him.” He confesses. “I promised him that I wouldn’t abandon him because I knew he wouldn’t feel right being left alone in a crowd like that.. And that’s exactly what I did. Not just that time but, this time, too. I guess I just.. Always get so eager to see everybody and have a good time that I kinda forget he’s with me, you know, and that he doesn’t want to go off and talk to everybody else.”

“So you’re okay with just having to babysit him everywhere you two go?”


Yes.
Seth’s mind answers this question before his lips can.
Or had it been his heart?

It had never felt like babysitting. In fact, it had never felt like any kind of supposedly rotten, tiring work. Accommodating to Jay’s reticent nature had never appeared as a chore to Seth, even when it had meant sacrificing his own potential of having fun. Of course he had hoped for Jay to grow out of this shell he’d built around himself and open up to the idea of socializing but, yearning to see him bloom was not the equivalent of longing for him to change as a person.
Jay’s comfortability was not a burden to him. Yet, Seth knew he had likely made the mistake of causing the other to believe that by deserting him. Their outcome probably wouldn’t have been favorable to them had they stayed back at Seth’s place architecturally speaking but, maybe Jay wouldn’t have been so upset with him, then. Maybe he wouldn’t have essentially cost his most important friendship, just because he chose to ignore his friend’s pleas.

 

“That bacon is burnt as shit.”

Startled, both men by the stove jerk their heads around, bodies practically leaping from the floor in response to the unexpected visitor.
“Jesus Christ, Danny!” James yelps, his spatula falling to the ground and sputtering a bit. “Way to give someone a heart attack. Why don’t you let someone know when you’re listening in on their very private conversation?” He crouches momentarily to retrieve the cooking utensil, wipes the flat end of it on his shirt before returning it to the skillet. He must have missed the involuntary grimace that Seth made but, considering the bacon was in fact expertly charcoaled, he supposed it didn’t matter much anyways.

“What, the conversation where you’re obviously trying to tear those two apart so you can have Seth all to yourself? Yeah, I was listening. Total snooze fest, though.”

As Danny saunters over to the cupboard to begin his own pursuit in hopes of finding something to satisfy his cravings, James cuts the stove and turns to look his way, defensively planting both hands on his hips.
“I’ll have you know, I am just fine sharing Seth with somebody else,” James began, earning a similar, curious look out of the noiseless pair; though, with Danny’s attention much more fleetingly returning to his digging. “-- I just think here lately, you know… Jay’s been a little bitchy. And I don’t think that kind of attitude should fly in my home.”

This earned an eye roll from Danny. “Be honest, Franco. You’re just all pissy because you know deep down, Seth likes Jay more than you. You probably cry yourself to sleep every night thinking about all the times they probably boned back when they were both living their shitty poor lives together in Canada.”

As quickly as Seth’s face becomes delineated with genuine perplexity and his neck snaps to look in Danny’s direction, James interjects before he can make out a single word to preach his own rebuttal.
“Fuck you, McBride! Jay isn’t even Seth’s type!”

“Yeah, right.” Danny laughs, slamming the cabinet door closed. In his hand, he totes a jar of Nutella from the remainder of their dwindling stash and screws the lid off, only to toss it onto the island in the center of the kitchen.
“I’m pretty sure we already came to the conclusion that when we all go Jack Torrance crazy from being locked up inside this shithole together and start butt-fucking one another, Jay’s gonna be the first victim on everyone’s list.” A finger is driven into the chocolate spread, and soon popped into his mouth. “No one wants to fuck Harry Osborn when the option of a wannabe Jonas Brother is right in front of them.”

 

Seth begins to think he’s held a permanent, disgusted frown for so long that his face might actually end up freezing in said expression.

Before James can interpolate some pitiful attempt at discourse with what’s been stated, Seth shakes his head. “Guys, I’m.. just gonna head back upstairs.” He announces, exiting the room to do just that. In earshot, the two can still be heard bickering back and forth about who within the household was ‘most likely to endure butt-fucking in these times of desperation’ , so, Seth worried little about his impromptu departure having any kind of lasting impression on either of them.

 

As much as Seth hungers to clear his mind, forget about the guilt he continues to feel about casting aside Jay at the party and the discomfiture that James had begun to make him feel in regards to the situation as a whole, he still wants to prioritize making amends with Jay above all of that. Their last conversation hadn’t ended pleasantly, with Jay having stormed out as soon as he’d come to realize that Seth didn’t believe the allegations made against James. Even as he makes his way up the staircase trudgingly, he can’t determine whether or not it’s an indictment that he can convince himself of packing any kind of verity.
On one hand, there was a possibility that Danny could have been accurate about his assumption that James is attempting to pry them apart. It’s hard to imagine anyone wanting to do something so pathetically selfish, especially an acquaintance whom Seth felt as if he could trust deeply but, his own disbelief does nothing to discredit the feasibility. The talk they shared the night prior certainly had caught Seth off guard, given the manner in which it had soon spiraled into a discussion about sticking together in instances where — coincidentally — relationships would fall apart. 

 

On the contrary, when had Danny ever been right about anything? It’s just as within high probability that he himself had a goal of stirring the pot, conjuring up more chaos than warranted for the well-being of the household. 

 

Jesus. Seth had more to think about than he could bear, and now was quite possibly the worst timing in the world. Who had the convenience of unhurried deliberation when the end of the world was upon them? It appeared as though the group within Franco’s barricaded home were the only individuals yet untouched by the monstrosities that vacated the outside world.
The surrounding forests were aflame, massive infernos staining the skyline with a deep, coppery orange and clouding the once busy atmosphere with heavy smoke, an unpleasant visitor to the nose with its hints of burning wood and plastic. The air was littered with debris, all floating past and lifted by what little wind continued to carry through the humidity. Not a soul could be seen, none still alive anyway, and the cavernous hole continues to preoccupy what can be seen of Franco’s once perfectly mowed front lawn. Seth’s stomach is endlessly growling, still forlorn at the thought of finding a bite to eat. Before he’d left the kitchen, he should have snagged a few pieces of James’ charred bacon, as appalling as the taste might have been but, with Danny’s presence having been made clear, the last thing Seth felt like doing was rerouting, and putting up with whatever horrid quarrel the two had moved onto.

There wasn’t any sign of Jay around yet but, Seth continued to brush through the upstairs hallway, keeping an eye out for a clue as to where he could have run off to. Usually, he could be found in James’ library. As an avid reader, it only made sense that the room adorned with books and novels galore was the area that Jay chose to spend a majority of his time, as opposed to conversing with the others. However, as Seth passes, the wide open door is indication enough that Jay wouldn’t be found here. He wasn’t usually too keen on the others barging in on him.

A hand falls onto the belly of his shirt as another unsettled rumble can be heard, and Seth frowns in disagreement with his intensifying cravings but, persists nonetheless.

Finally, Seth reaches the guest bedroom.
The door is in fact drawn open but just enough so that a sliver of a crack separates it from the frame. In an attempt to verify this is where Jay had ran off to, Seth leans in close, closing one eye and pressing the other to the conservative aperture, attempting to seek out Jay’s possible whereabouts.
He presumes that he’s been caught by Jay after some brief seconds tick by, and the door eventually swings open. He’s prepared to spill his guts and apologize relentlessly about the conversation they’d indulged in earlier that morning, and – though undoubtedly belated – about the circumstances that had led them here but, instead of Jay entering his field of vision, it’s Jonah . Behind the hindrance of the shorter actor’s shoulder, there lay Jay, sound asleep in bed. This is where Seth’s eyes dwell until Jonah redirects them to himself.

“ Oh . Hello, Seth.” His timbre insinuates surprise to see his friend, and there’s an inkling of venom in there, too, on top of a rather strange formality. Seth tries to brush this off as one of Jonah’s typical quirks.

“Uh, hey. Sorry, I was..” The palm once comforting his abdomen flies to the back of his neck, rubbing it cautiously. “..just coming to, uh.. talk to Jay, actually. Is he-”

“Asleep.” Jonah swiftly chimed in, before stepping out of the room and soundlessly drawing the door closed behind himself. It’s such a hasty alteration that Seth is forced to step back in order to give Jonah some room, even stumbling a bit in the process before regaining his posture. “Yeah, he actually just knocked out a little bit ago.. Seemed pretty beat.” Jonah continues, offering Seth a minuscule shrug while sliding both of his hands into his pockets.

The strange delivery doesn’t find Seth unnoticed but he attempts to grace Jonah with the benefit of the doubt.
“Oh. Okay. Well, I guess, I can just.. Wait around until he wakes up?”

“That won’t be necessary, Seth. I think it would probably be best for Jay if you would.. Give him a little time alone.” Jonah contended with a shake of his head. In contrast to words that surface as a bit confrontational to Seth’s perception, he offered the bewildered male a sympathetic smile, notably feigned. “He tells me he’s had kind of a rough day, and well, you know how he is.” 

 

‘And you do?’, Seth nearly catches himself blurting out.
It’s evident from a nimble glance alone that this rejoinder doesn’t sit well with Seth and his already agitated stomach. Lips falter into a displeased lour and his brows mirror, gawking at Jonah in a second of silence. As much as he’s inclined to aver Jonah’s suggestion to leave Jay be, he supposes there isn’t much use in doing so now. With Jay already flustered, chances were he’d only feel grumpier if awoken from his rest. After countless sleepless nights here, sleep was likely just what he needed.

For Jay’s own welfare, Seth chose to heed. “ Yeah. Yeah, okay, I’ll just..” A breath escapes his lips and he begins to turn on his heel, finding the task of completing his sentence rather fruitless. There’s a strong unlikelihood that he’s getting through to Jonah, with that dumb, phony look on his face and frankly, Seth was feeling less than energized himself.

“Thanks, Seth. I’ll let him know you stopped by,” is the conclusive thing Seth hears as he begins to make his way further down the hall in hopes to find another unoccupied room to employ himself. It was doubtful that he would be able to attain the satisfaction of a nap after what he had just been subjected to.
In not a single universe that Seth could visualize would Jay ever have chosen to be around Jonah. All he had ever spouted to Seth pertaining to the other actor were negative comments and constant criticisms about his character. To see the two voluntarily cooped up in a private room with one another was almost like watching a terribly unfunny prank take place, one that leaves the knowing audience with stupefied looks instead of providing a laugh track.

Hopefully Jay could provide Seth with some kind of explanation the next time he sees him; if talking to Seth is even of any interest to him.

Anymore, all Seth can really think to himself is : “ what the fuck is going on?”

 

Notes:

I feel like I'm yelling "Hello?" into an empty well, posting this after two years of inactivity.
Thanks to everyone who continued to show this fic love by offering kudos/comments/general appreciation, however. These little bits of motivation are why I choose to continue posting.

Tell me I suck on Tumblr : Twinleska
Fandom roleplay? : heisenpink.

Notes:

Comedian slash fandom, rise from your 2014 demise!

In all seriousness, sorry, Jay.

 

Come befriend me, or tell me I suck on tumblr : twinleska | muddierwaters
Want to roleplay? Find me on Discord : Char#5883