Brightside | ✓

57 | giddy up

"Please tell me that we can make Shirley temples in this house," Axel said. As he walked into Brendon and Stevie's house.

Eddie would've been lying if she said he hadn't been talking about Shirley temples all fucking day for whatever reason. She had stopped trying to understand Axel's psyche; it rarely made sense to him most days. And after he won two Grammys, she really didn't want to spoil his moment.

"Also. Hello, everyone," Eddie said for both of them. "Thank you for hosting, Bash."

"I've been told to tell you there's..." Brendon frowned. "Hot dog tonic?"

Axel made a face and pulled out the bottle of wine that Eddie made him go to the liquor store for. "'Kay. Here's your wine. I'm getting shittered."

Shittered on Shirleys, title of his memoir.

"Crazy that you don't think I always keep my kitchen locked and loaded for Shirley temples," Stevie said, joining them. Her pink hair dye still shone as bright as the day she'd done it.

"I knew I liked you," Axel said like he and Stevie hadn't been in cahoots for his next album already.

"Likes everyone but the gay man, of course," Mick complained. Likes lasted a little long on his tongue, already slurred.

"I don't—Why would I dislike—" Axel looked like he'd been approached by a reporter claiming he was homophobic and didn't know how to deny he was without sounding more homophobic. "Pardon?"

"He's already drunk." Moxie made her way to the living room. "Don't bother."

"I will... make us Shirley temples. If that helps," Axel tried.

"Everything is set up outside," Stevie said. "Brendon didn't trust Axel not to spill something into one of his plants."

Given that the boyfriend in question had fully tripped up the stairs on the biggest stage he'd ever stood on, that assumption from Brendon was extremely valid.

"That's so mean," Axel said despite the justification. "Come on, I thought we had something."

Axel looked like he'd been proposed to. "I'm taking this as a win, actually."

"Ahem." Stevie could've kicked him and Eddie wouldn't have blamed her. "Shirley temples, please."

Axel was on it. Couldn't keep the man away from his alcohol. Eddie had already had the conversation with him that she was fine with it if he drank, and she had made peace with the fact that she was likely the only one staying sober. It was interesting to realize that she was alright with it—that she didn't feel the incessant need to maybe have one just to fit in. That felt like growth.

Eddie really should've been expecting it, but she couldn't stop the short bubble of shocked laughter that came out of her when she got to the backyard and saw that it had been plastered with posters of Brendon and Maverick's kiss, as well as Stevie and Everleigh's. She had the feeling the reason for them was also going to send Everleigh and Maverick home with copies despite any protest they might or might not have.

"What in the fuck—" she couldn't stop herself from saying.

"Homey," Axel managed. Despite his ultimate audacity for doing so, he poked her in the side to get her to shut up.

Eddie buried herself into his shoulder until she could contain any laughter; the maturity of a teenager. Embarrassing. She pulled herself together quickly.