I do not own The Mighty Boosh. It belongs to the talented Julian Barratt and Noel Fielding.
-The Distance Between Us-
"Alright Howard?" Vince yawned as he stepped out of his room.
"Yeah, fine." Howard replied, a little distant. "Cuppa tea?" He asked trying to hide the distance in his tone. Vince nodded, smiling then flopping onto the sofa.
"Sleep well?" Howard asked watching Vince from the kitchen. Vince just stared at him, dark rings under his eyes. Howard brought Vince his tea.
"Ow, shit!" Vince dropped the cup, spilling the hot tea on him and the floor. Howard grabbed some paper towel from the kitchen and wiped up the tea on the floor.
"What did you do that for, you berk?" Howard asked.
"I didn't think it was gonna be so hot, did I?" Vince said defensively.
"Well, of course it was. Oh look you've spilt it on yourself." Howard started to dab at the tea spilt on Vince's pyjamas. Vince, only just noticing that he'd spilt it on himself, yelped in pain.
"Howard it's hot!" he cried out. Howard tried to calm him and make him stand still, but Vince was moving around too much.
"Hold still so I can take your top off!" Howard exclaimed, getting frustrated with Vince. Vince couldn't stand still, he wriggled like a worm on a fish hook. When Vince's shirt was finally off Howard couldn't help staring at his well fit body.
"You should go have a cool shower so that it doesn't burn," Howard told Vince, swallowing deeply after being entrapped in staring at his body. Vince went to the bathroom and turned on the shower.
"Howard…" He called from the bathroom.
Howard ran to the bathroom to see what was wrong, an overreaction he was sure.
"What's the mat…," Howard's thoughts were interrupted when he saw Vince standing there in only a towel.
"Well, I was wondering if you would keep me company. You see I had this dream, last night, and I don't wanna be away from yo…people at the moment."
Howard swallowed hard, trying to collect his thoughts. "Uhh…Sure thing little man." Howard sat on the bathroom floor while Vince hopped in the cool shower.
"Howard?"
"Yeah?"
"Do you think we'll be together forever? As friends I mean." Vince chuckled nervously, hoping Howard hadn't taken it the wrong way.
"Of course." Howard said a little too excited. "Why do you ask anyway? Is it because of that dream you had last night?"
Vince went silent for a moment.
After a while he replied "Oh, I was just wondering."
--o--
"Howard!" Vince yelled, desperately searching for his best friend. "Howard, where are you?" He cried.
In the distance he saw a figure.
"Howard!" He yelled. "Howard, wait for me!"
But every step Vince took closer to Howard the further away Howard seemed to get. Vince picked up his pace and started jogging but it was no use. He started running towards the figure of his best friend moving away from him with every step he took until it disappeared. His friend was gone but he kept running, though he knew it was hopeless, until he was too tired and he just fell to his knees and burst into tears.
"I love you!" Vince called into the abyss that was becoming his dream, all he heard were his echoes mocking him.
"I love, I love, love, you, you." Until they faded out.
--o--
"Vince!" he heard his name. "Hello, Vince, are you awake in there?"
Vince's eyes were open but he only just realised where he was.
"Oh!" Vince was fully alert now.
"Vince, you've been in the shower for an hour, I think you should get out now. I'll just step out so you can get dressed."
Vince turned the taps of the shower off and stepped on the bathroom floor, soaking wet. Where had the time gone? He was sure he hadn't dosed off, it couldn't have been an hour, could it?
When Vince was dressed he went and sat on the sofa right next to Howard. What had the dream meant? Vince wondered to himself. He just sat, staring at the TV but not really taking in what he was looking at. Howard looked at Vince's expression and tried to break the silence.
"Since when does Vince Noir watch 'Top 20 Jazz Musicians of the 1950's'?"
"Huh? Oh! Urgh, I hate jazz!" He took the remote and changed the channel.
"Much better," he said and went back to staring at the pictures moving on the screen.
"Uh… Vince, are sure you're okay? You just changed it to '20 Most Rare Birds in Leeds'?"
"…Well, anything is better then jazz, in'it?" Howard nodded, a little disgusted at himself for putting down his precious jazz, but Vince's mood was really worrying him.
"Is there something you want to talk about Vince?" Howard asked.
"Well, not really. I just didn't really get a good sleep."
"Oh, okay."
And then there was silence. The silence made Howard uncomfortable so he got up to go to his room.
"Where are you going?" Vince asked a little worried.
"I can't take the silence, so I'm going to my room."
"Please don't leave." Vince whispered. Howard was taken aback a bit by Vince's reaction.
"Okay little man." Howard took the spot next to Vince again and put his feet up on the table. Vince cautiously snuggled up to him.
"What are you doing?" The shock in Howard's voice was not hidden. Vince was saddened slightly by Howard's reaction, but he held him tightly, not wanting him to leave.
Howard gave up trying to struggle against Vince and eventually just ran his hand over Vince's hair. Vince was going to say something but he was completely happy here, with Howard.