festival of lights : stozier

13

"so what were you saying about smoking?" richie said once stanley was making himself coffee, standing next to him in the kitchen. michael's head snapped up from the counter and richie turned to him, "not weed, go back to being a screenager." michael looked back down at his phone.

"oh. um, it's just a matter of... i dunno, i guess i've just been really nervous about making a good impression. and i was about the whole..." stanley glanced over to michael and tyler, who seemed interested in their own things, "not completely admitting love? you know. but it's better now, i think. anyway, i'm out of them, so i might be a little annoying for the next couple days."

richie watched as stanley used such a gentle hand as he reached for two mugs. richie furrowed his eyebrows a little, as he'd actually told stan already that he didn't want coffee. but he didn't say anything at first, watching as stanley turned back to the press.

"if it's really bad, i know the guys at the gas station down the road. we can go get you some shitty smokes to help you wean off them better," richie offered, placing a hand on of the small of stanley's back. a look of relief washed over stanley's face, followed by gratitude.

he leaned over to kiss richie, "thank you."

"by the way, i said i didn't want coffee," richie began, as stanley started pouring into the second cup. stanley looked up at him, eyebrows furrowed in mocking humour.

"this isn't for you," he said simply, picking the mug up and leaving richie stranded in the kitchen, walking down the room to hand it to wentworth, who thanked stanley lightly before continuing his conversation with his brothers.

"wooooow, you've got me and now you're shooting for my dad? is that all this is? a way to get to him?" richie clutched his hand over his heart, stanley laughing as he took his own mug in his hands. he took a sip of what must have been still steaming hot black coffee, and shook his head.

"shut up."

richie leaned against stanley, letting his head rest against stanley's shoulder comfortably, the way it had for days without admitting it. stanley let an arm slip around richie's waist, his other hand holding the mug tightly.

"we'll go after lunch," richie said, his voice hardly a whisper as he shut his eyes.

"my boys, i need to get to the pans," maggie interrupted richie's sweet serenity, and he stuck his tongue out at her as stanley left his side to stand somewhere else. maggie, in return, stuck her tongue back out at him.

as richie wandered to join stanley, he watched as stanley looked sadly at the counter, in his own little world.

"what's up?" richie asked, stanley's gaze flickering up for just a moment before settling back on what looked like the counter.

"it's just so simple. it's so... easy." stanley's reply made no sense to richie, and he really wasn't awake enough to ask further, so he hummed.

-

"you ready?" richie asked, watching stanley dig through his bag by the bedside table. stanley gave him a hand, telling him to wait a minute. richie would've done it either way, so richie sat down on the chair in the bedroom corner.

"here," stanley got up from his bent position, holding out a twenty dollar bill to richie. richie scoffed, shaking his head, but stanley in turn shook the money at him, "take it. i'm not wasting your money on my problem."

"looking out for my bank account, are you?" richie laughed, rolling his eyes as he took the bill, putting it in his back pocket. he stood up, and he watched stanley grab a jacket before they left for the front entryway. "that's okay, i'll spend it on you anyway," richie said when stanley didn't respond, watching worriedly as stanley shoved his hands in his pockets.

"oh god, i'm going to feel so guilty," stanley murmured, and richie snuck his arm around stanley's. he pulled stan until they got to the front, richie pulling his keys out. the two left the house, richie turning (turning stanley with him) to lock the door.

"don't. it's how i show i caaaaaare, staniel. let me love you, yeah?" richie felt the cold turn his nose red and he was thankful for it, as it hid his blushing cheeks under the guise of the cold. smooth, richie, just go ahead and admit you love him a day into the relationship!

stanley stayed quiet, letting richie pull him through the snow. he stared down at the ground. he sighed through his nose, "i'm sorry."

"for what?"

"everything. for being like this, when this morning was so good." stanley was again in his own world, and richie wanted to rip the curtain from whatever stanley was trying to hide. it made richie nervous, but he tried not to show it.

"don't be. what happened, anyway?" richie looked over to stanley, letting his instincts guide him down the street. stanley looked back to richie, his face contorted to an emotion richie could only think of as miserable.

he's miserable. why is he miserable? does he regret it?

"nothing, i just... i'm being stupid. i just have to... grow up a little, i dunno." stanley was mumbling under his breath, hardly making any steam in the air as he spoke. richie could see his own normal breathing, and he wondered how little air intake stanley was getting. was that a normal thing to worry about? was richie being paranoid?

"you miss your family?" richie felt like he'd put the pieces together.

"um, no not really. i don't really want to talk about it, if that's okay." okay, so maybe he hadn't fit them together perfectly, but at least they were pieces of the same puzzle. that was a start.

"yeah, o' course," richie grasped the handle of the gas station door, kicking off the snow on his boots. he'd let go of stanley, and stanley was scuffing his boots on the carpet in front of the door.