#nban

“I hate them.” You growled as you threw your phone down on the sofa. You were standing in the middle of your trailer, your hand brushing through your hair and across your face constantly, a habit that you had whenever you were frustrated.

Ben had been the one to send you the link to the article, and now you felt like you could scream. You knew that he was sympathetic to what was going on, because he knew if he was seeing someone he really liked, he wouldn’t want these kinds of rumors hanging over his head. Neither one of you knew what to do to stop them, but at this point you were ready to try anything. You didn’t want people ruining something for you that hadn’t even really started yet.

There was a knock on your trailer door as you continued pacing back and forth, and you called for whoever it was to come in. You weren’t surprised to see that it was Ben, but you were surprised to see the person that was with him. Gwilym gave you a small smile as he stepped in behind Ben, and your pacing halted.

“I hope we aren’t intruding.” He said quietly, as him and Ben made their way over to your small sofa. Ben eyed your phone curiously, and then picked it up and set it on the arm of the couch. It was obvious by the look on your face that you were still frazzled, but you tried to reign your frustrations back in.

“What are you guys doing here?”

Ben gave you a warm smile, and Gwilym’s eyes also fell on you. You had a feeling you knew why they were there, but you hoped that you were wrong. You were still too wound up to talk at the moment.

“We’ve come to discuss the recent… situation that has arisen.” Ben replied, crossing his legs and resting his hands on his knee. A tight-lipped smile spread across Gwilym’s face as he nodded. You hated that you were right.

“I don’t know what there is to discuss. They aren’t going to stop. These headlines draw too much attention. They thrive on this kind of stuff.” You huffed, running your hands through your hair and starting your movement across the trailer again.

Out of the corner of your eye, you saw Gwilym and Ben exchange a look, and then Ben’s hand reached out to grab your elbow as you passed by him.

“Could you maybe sit down?”

You knew that he wasn’t really asking, so you sat down on the bench across from them. You hadn’t even had time to really think about the fact that Gwilym was there, in your trailer, until you were looking right at him. The anxiousness you had been feeling started to melt away slightly when his eyes met yours, and you could see that he wasn’t upset like you had feared he would be.

“I’m really sorry this is happening.” He said quietly, seemingly able to see the fear in your eyes. You gave him a small smile, his sentiments a reminder of just how great a guy he actually was.

“I am too. You don’t deserve to be drug through this mess either.” Your shoulders sagged as you spoke, and you felt exhausted. It had become a semi-permanent feeling at this point.

“None of us like the light that is being cast upon us right now,” Ben started, drawing both of your attention back to him. “But you’re right. They aren’t going to stop. Which is why I think that we should use the upcoming press tour to really stress that this stuff the tabloids are saying is wrong.”

You had forgotten all about the press tour. You were just about a week away from wrapping up the movie, and not long after that, you and Ben would be traveling around to promote it before it came out. His idea wasn’t terrible. You were sure that the two of you would get questions regarding your relationship, and that would be the best time to get the truth out there.

“That could work,” you conceded. “But we are going to have to be careful about how we word things, or else I’m sure something will be taken out of context.”

Ben nodded, and then his head turned to Gwilym.

“I don’t want to rush the two of you into announcing anything, but they’re going to ask her about what’s going on. You guys will have to talk about what you want her to say.”

Gwilym’s blue eyes flickered from Ben to you and you felt your chest tighten. Everything had been so casual with you and Gwil, and it was kind of nice. You didn’t feel the pressure that a normal relationship brought along, and you didn’t want to push it because you knew that he had already had some worries about everything already.

“We’ll figure it out.” He said with a smile, and you felt your shoulders relax. Your eyes stayed locked on each other, but out of the corner of your eye you saw Ben stand from his seat.

“Great, well I will leave you two alone. I’ll see you later.”

You and Gwilym bid Ben goodbye, and you moved over to take his spot. Almost instantly, Gwil’s arm moved to drape over your shoulders, and he pulled you into his side. Your heart raced in your chest, and you inhaled deeply, relishing in his warmth and the smell of his cologne.

“It’s annoying being in the public eye. How do these big celebrities deal with it?”

It was more a rhetorical question because you knew the bigger celebrities didn’t pay much attention to what the tabloids were writing about them. You knew there had to be some kind of disconnect between them and the news, and you deeply wished that you could reach that place. Gwilym hummed, but he didn’t respond. You could tell that he wasn’t upset, but you wished that you knew what he was thinking.

Your head lifted from his shoulder so that you could gaze up at his face, and his eyes turned towards you. You were struck with the rich blue-ness of his eyes once again, and butterflies broke out in your stomach. Looking at him now, you could almost forget every other negative thing happening in your life; as long as you could keep looking into those beautiful blue eyes.

Your hand reached up to brush across his cheek, and your fingertips tingled as they made contact with his skin. You swore you saw him inhale sharply at the gesture as his face moved down to yours. You caught his eyes glancing down at your lips just seconds before his made contact with them. Your fingers brushed along his jawline as he kissed you, and you felt him shiver.

His hand that had been resting on your shoulder pulled you closer to him as the kiss deepened, and your hand that had been near his cheek was now firmly on the back of his neck. His body turned slightly so that he was facing you more, and his other free hand reached out to grab your waist to pull your body closer to his. A small moan slipped through your lips against his as he gently laid you back, his body now hovering over yours. Your entire body felt like it was on fire as his hands moved from your waist, up your side, and then back down again.

The two of you remained in that position for a while, your hand occasionally tugging lightly on the back of his hair, earning a satisfied hum from Gwilym. This feeling was something that was completely new to you. You had made out with a few other men in your time, but Gwilym ignited something different inside you. It was something you never wanted to end. Sadly, you didn’t always get what you want, and Gwilym started to pull away. He placed a couple quick kisses to your lips and nose before sitting back up completely.

“We’re supposed to be discussing what we want to say when the press asks us about our relationship,” he said, his eyes still hooded from the moment the two of you had just shared.

“Mmm, I think I like this better.” You replied, leaning up to press a kiss to his cheek and he chuckled.

“Believe me, I’m not complaining. However, I think that we should-“

He was cut off by the sound of your phone vibrating violently from next to your head. You gave him an apologetic look as you reached over to grab it, just in case it was someone on set needing you. You were surprised to see “Mom” pop up on the screen, but you had just missed the call. You were about to set your phone back down when an incoming text popped up.

35 years old?! You’re seeing a man who is 35 years old, and I had to find out about it through an online article?! Call me back.

You rolled your eyes at your mother’s dramatics, but you felt Gwilym’s arms pull away from you quickly, and you knew that he had seen the message. You set your phone back down and turned to him, but he was already halfway out of his seat.

“Where are you going?” You asked sadly, even though you knew the answer to that question.

Gwilym’s biggest problem with allowing himself to get near you had been the large gap in your ages. You had never seen an issue with it, but clearly from the reaction of your mother, he was reminded of it again.

“We can talk later. I think I should go.” His voice was soft and reserved, but you could see the embarrassment on his face. You stood up to stop him, but he was fast and he stepped around you. “I’ll talk to you later. You should call your mom.”

“Gwil…”

But before you could say anything more, he slipped out the door and was gone. Your mood instantly worsened again at how suddenly everything had gone downhill again. You wanted to chase after him, but you knew that he needed some time. He had been forced to face so many different problems today that would have made anything upset. You only hoped that he wasn’t going to give up on what you had because of it.

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“So, are you guys like, a thing now?” Ben asked, as he sat across from you on set that following Monday. You were having a short day, with you and Ben not really needed for any particular scene. You had just shown up in case they needed to do any re-shoots.

You shrugged at Ben’s question, your eyes completely focused on the phone in your hand. Even after everything that had happened that weekend, the news was still focusing on your night out with Ben on Friday. There were pictures of you entering the restaurant, and pictures of you leaving. There had been a few articles about the fact that Joe, Gwilym, and Allen had joined you, but it mostly focused on your imaginary love affair. It felt a little weird reading these articles now, when you knew what had happened after these pictures are taken.

“I wouldn’t say we’re a ‘thing’. We’re just testing the waters.” You replied, closing the tabloid article on your phone and placing it in your lap. You couldn’t help the sinking feeling in your stomach at the reminder that you and Gwilym hadn’t come up with any actual answers on what you were. You knew that he liked you, and he knew that you liked him, but it hadn’t progressed any farther than that. His concern about what other people would say still made you worry.

Your phone buzzed in your lap, and you picked it up again just as Ben started to ask you another question. Your heart leapt when you saw that it was a text from Gwilym, and all your attention was stolen once again.

Figured I’d stop by for lunch? I hope you don’t have any plans.

You quickly typed back that you were free, and a bright smile formed on your face.

“That was him, wasn’t it?” Ben asked cheekily, leaning forward in his chair so that he was closer to you. You looked up at your friend and nodded, attempting to keep yourself from looking too giddy. Gwilym had been busy most of the weekend, and this was going to be the first time you had seen him since the night at the lounge.

“What a lovestruck pair you two make,” Ben mused. “And he doesn’t have a problem with your supposed romance with me or the age difference between the two of you?”

Judging by the question, you couldn’t tell if Ben had actually had a conversation with Gwilym about this before now. Otherwise, why would he have brought up the age thing? Or maybe, you had just been so smitten that it never even crossed your mind.

“He knows that you and I are just friends. If it bothers him, he hasn’t really said anything about it. As for the age thing… I don’t think he has a problem with it as much as he’s afraid that others will.”

Ben nodded as a thoughtful look crossed his face. It quickly disappeared and he leaned back into his chair once again.

“Hey, if Rami and Lucy can do it, so can you.”

You knew he was teasing, but the pit in your stomach was still there. You tried to convince yourself that it really wasn’t a big deal, because it wasn’t. Right?

x.x.x

All your previous worries instantly disappeared the moment you stepped out into the parking lot and saw Gwilym waiting for you next to his car. His face seemed to light up when he saw you, and you felt your heart skip in your chest. He was wearing casual clothes this time, but he still looked just as handsome.

“Hello, sweetheart.” He greeted, leaning down to press a kiss to your cheek. “You look lovely.”

You couldn’t help but glance down at your outfit, which consisted of a pair of black leggings and an oversized shirt. It was nothing extravagant but the fact that he felt the need to compliment you made your body tingle.

“Thank you. I could say the same for you.” You smiled back up at him, and his blue eyes seemed to twinkle in the sunlight. Like the gentleman that he was, he walked around and opened the car door for you, which you thanked him for as you slid into the passenger seat. He hadn’t told you where he was taking you for lunch, but you were just along for the ride.

“So, how’s Ben? I read all about your steamy date this past weekend.” Gwilym teased, his eyes leaving the road for a second to glance over at you.

At the mention of the story, you felt your stomach twist, but the tension was quickly alleviated when his hand reached over to wrap around yours. There was something about the motion that made you falter, and your eyes fell between you. It was a gesture so innocent, and yet so caring. It made your heart flutter.

“He’s good. Cheeky as ever. But if you ask anyone else, hopelessly in love with me.”

It felt a little weird, joking about this topic with the man that you were actually romantically interested in, but judging by the easy smile still on his face, he really didn’t mind. He looked so relaxed, and as his thumb gently brushed against the side of your hand, you felt like you could explode. You had never felt such a strong emotion from such a small gesture before.

The conversation steered away from Ben, and the two of you talked about what else you had done that weekend. Even though you had been texting pretty much nonstop, you lived for his stories, which always sounded so much better in person. His voice had a soothing tone about it, and you felt like you could listen to him talk forever.

“Well, here we are.” He said proudly, as he pulled into the parking lot of one of the local parks. Your face scrunched up in confusion, and Gwilym laughed at your reaction. He dropped your hand and stepped out of the car, moving around to the trunk and opening it. You quickly climbed out after him, and when you saw the picnic basket in his hands, you beamed.

“A picnic?” You asked, feeling butterflies erupt in your stomach all over again. He smiled and nodded, also grabbing a blanket out of the trunk and draping it across his arm.

“I thought it would be a nice change from those stuffy restaurants. Besides, it’s a beautiful day.” He gestured around him, and you knew that he was right. The sun was shining, which was abnormal this time of year for England, and the temperature was even bearable.

You happily followed him across the field, and he chose a spot right under one of the biggest trees to set everything down under. There were people walking about, either too wrapped up in each other or their own thoughts to notice the two of you. It was kind of nice being out and not seeing any paparazzi.

“Who knew you were so romantic?” You mused, as you took the seat next to him on the blanket as he started pulling various foods out of it. He gave you a sidelong glance, the tiniest of smirks playing on the corner of his lips.

“There’s a lot you don’t know about me. Yet.” He replied, causing a shiver to run down your spine.

He had brought sandwiches and various fruits, and you were surprised at the variety he had thought to bring. It was your typical picnic food, but somehow, he even made that seem extravagant. The meal consisted of small talk, as the two of you made various observations around the park and just enjoying each other’s company.

You loved how intellectual he was, and how the way he spoke just screamed class. He was so much different from the guys that you usually fell for, and he was so unapologetically himself it made your heart warm. While he was so well composed, he was also a total dork, and that made you fall for him even more. There didn’t seem to be a side of him that you didn’t like.

“Well, I guess I should probably get you back.” Gwilym said sadly, as he slowly started putting everything back in the basket. You glanced at your phone and saw that it had already been over two hours since you had left the set, and you already had a couple missed texts from Ben asking where you were.

Even though you were disappointed that your lunch date had to end, it had been completely perfect. Any time you got to spend with Gwilym was good enough for you. You followed him back to his car, and you smiled at him as he went to open your door for you again.

“Such a gentleman.” You murmured, as your hand reached out to squeeze his before you slid into your seat.

You were happy that his hand found yours again once he started driving, and you felt completely content. The two of you still hadn’t discussed what you were exactly, but as long as you got days like this, you would be fine with waiting.

You pulled back up to the set much too soon, and you found it hard to say goodbye. The two of you sat in comfortable silence for a moment as you hesitated to reach for the door handle.

“Thank you for a lovely lunch,” you said, turning in your seat so that you could face him. Gwilym smiled, his hand squeezing yours again.

“It was my pleasure.”

His blue eyes caught the light just right, and your breath caught in your throat. You made a mental note that the color was now your all-time favorite, and you would spend forever looking at it if you could. You realized that his hand was still holding yours when you felt the familiar swipe of his thumb against your skin that set your nerves on fire. His other hand reached out to brush your hair back, and he cupped your cheek as his eyes flickered to your lips.

This time there was no hesitation on his part as he lowered his head to bring his lips to meet yours. You smiled into the kiss, your free hand lifting to cover his on your cheek. When he pulled away, there was a soft look on his face that made you lean forward even more and press another kiss to his cheek. His facial hair tickled your lips but in the best way.

“I’ll call you.” He said quietly, the moment seeming so fragile that if either one of you spoke too loud or moved too quickly, it would come crashing down around you.

“I look forward to it.” You replied, your hands lowering from your face and turning to open the car door. You gave him one last smile and wave as he drove away, and you could still feel your heart pounding in your chest. You felt good, and not even Ben’s teasing once you made it back inside could ruin it for you.

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