#dilder

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As Alan waited patiently for their drinks, Dave stretched a little next to him with a grunt and a sigh, rubbing a hand against his neck. "God, they really aren't giving us any peace tonight, are they?"

A soft chuckle escaped from Alan, knowing that Dave was vocalising his own thoughts. When two glasses were placed in front of them Alan wasted no time in taking a sip from his vodka tonic, feeling his shoulders relax at the bitter taste. 

"At least they're gracing us with an open tab," he finally said. "Maybe if we neck enough of these it'll dull me enough to sit through another round of bollocks questions."

"Al!" Dave huffed, smiling wide and nudging his bandmate playfully. "You can't say that, what if one of them overhears you?"

"So? I doubt the average French person knows what 'bollocks' means," Alan replied. "I swear, if one more person brings up the Stripped sample…" To that he tipped back most of his drink, eyebrows knit with displeasure.

"You'll tell 'em the facts and move on," Dave chimed, finally picking up his rum and coke and having a much more reasonable sip. When he seemed to take notice of how fast Alan was getting through his own drink, Dave leaned closer and placed his other hand on Alan's arm. "How are you feeling, by the way?"

Dave's concern was touching, in a way that made Alan's stomach flip with feelings that were certainly not appropriate. Still, he took a final sip from his glass; between his exhaustion and the alcohol buzzing in his system, it was a concentrated effort to stay awake. "I'll be fine. Just knackered, nothing else. The barrage of questions isn't helping," Alan muttered that last part with clear disdain in his voice, earning another chuckle from Dave.

"If y'say so. Any point you feel like you need a break lemme know, yeah? Should be easy enough to slip out unnoticed for five minutes." 

Dave's hand had not moved from its spot on Alan's arm as he continued to talk. Yet Alan found the contact to be grounding and, truthfully, a welcome reassurance. Thoughts of last night's nightmare still lingered in his mind; remembering how for a moment of uncharacteristic vulnerability, Alan had wanted to talk about it. Searching for some kind of comfort from his friend. Dave's total absence in his dream had perhaps been its most troubling aspect.

"Maybe…" Alan slowly spoke, pulling himself from his idle thoughts. A break did sound nice, to be fair. "Maybe I'll take you up on that offer. I need a fag."

"That's the spirit." Dave's hand regrettably moved away from Alan's arm to instead give him a pat on the back. "Come on, let's get you some air."