𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐞

052. real life.

BIRDIE SIGHED quietly, rubbing his face as he stepped out of the bathroom, nearly bumping into steve. "woah, hey," the harrington chuckled, adjusting his hair as he stepped back. "hey..." birdie said quietly, glancing around. "you good?" the taller asked worriedly, tilting his head to the side to meet birdie's eyes.

"yeah. just... too wrapped up in my own head these days." he chuckled and steve nods, looking down. his hands fiddled with the hem of his shirt nervously. "we're still good friends, yeah? you can talk to me..." he murmured and birdie nods quickly. "yeah, no, of course. i know that." the shorter smiles at him. "okay." steve breathes out a sigh of relief before hugging him. birdie hugs back tightly, his hands balled up in fists over steve's upper back.

"are you sure i don't ruin everything?" birdie murmured into steve's shoulder and the harrington nodded his head softly, while gently rubbing his back. "very sure." he whispers comfortingly and birdie just hugs back tighter, closing his eyes. "you give nice hugs." he mumbled and steve chuckles softly. "so do you." he whispers back to him.

"birdie! argyle is here!" robin's voice bellows through the home, snapping the two back to reality as birdie completely stepped away, glancing towards the stairs. "oh, yay, argy's here!" then he is rushing down the steps with steve following closely behind.

"hi!" birdie embraced his boyfriend who hugged back right away, glancing at steve over him as the harrington finally got to the bottom of the stairs, sending him a smile before heading into the livingroom where everyone else is.

birdie pulls back a bit just enough so he can lean up and give argyle a little kiss. the long haired man hums into it, rubbing his waist before pulling away. "are you okay?" he raised his hand up to either sides of birdie's head and the shorter nods. "i am now." he leaned up again, pressing another kiss to his lips.

after hanging out with their friends for maybe two hours, robin and vickie had left at some point with the buckley offering to walk her girlfriend home. and then nancy and jonathan off to jonathan's for the night. then it was quiet and eddie was fidgeting with a little container in his hand which he then held up. "wanna smoke some weed?" he asked them.

they smoked in the backyard by the pool, a bit of a mist coming from a pool birdie caught himself staring at. "steven?" he glanced over and the boy hums, glancing up from eddie on his lap to see birdie grinning faintly at him. "yes?" steve says, his eyes intent on the cohen now who pointed. "is your pool heated?" he asked and steve glanced at it. "oh, yeah, i think so." he said and birdie giggled quietly, standing up. "bird. what are you doing?" argyle asked and then birdie jumped right in.

steve whooped, jumping in after them and eddie groans, laying onto the ground by the pool. "i'm too lazy to move." he said but then steve grabbed him by the waist and pulled him in. "steve!" he screeched last and argyle stayed seated, finishing off the joint since it was last passed to him by birdie. "argy," his boyfriend swims to the edge of the pool, pushing back his hair. "come on, jump in."

"oh, i don't know..." argyle felt uncomfortable to do so because he is only in a white shirt and a button up. it'd be too revealing if it got wet. "i don't really like swimming." he says and birdie frowns, tilting his head slightly. "okay, then, suit yourself." he turned around and swam around with steve and eddie, one of the two sitting up onto the edge of the pool, pushing his hair back. "i will murder you, steve. i know where to hide a body and make it look like an accident." the munson says and steve raised his hands. "sorry! sorry!" he quickly apologized and birdie giggled at the couple.

"steve, let's play a game." birdie said and steve turns to him. "yeah? what kind?" he asked and birdie raised his brows. "who's able to hold his breath the longest." he says and steve laughs. "okay, i was swim team's co-captain since sophomore year and i've been a lifeguard for the past two years. you're on!" he said and birdie laughed. "one, two, three, go!" eddie and argyle watch their boyfriends then disappear under the brightly shining pool.