The Fic Where Stephen Realizes He's Gay From a Picnic

Day 38 Part 2

Apparently, Joe didn't tell Daniel just how many people would be at this party. In fact, Stephen isn't sure if Dan knew, but this party is at a real big house. A lot bigger than their own, but Stephen isn't sure if he wants to classify it as a mansion. They had to park the car a little more down the street so if Stephen has to carry or drag a couple of drunk friends to the car, he'd have quite a bit of difficulty. Stephen feels small looking at the groupings of people who were outside, wondering just how many people would be inside. "Did Joe tell you that the entire population of Canada would be right here at this house?" Daniel and Jay laugh loudly, and if Hosuh laughed he probably didn't hear it. "No, he didn't, but think about it this way! We're a colony of penguins huddling together—" Jay interrupts Dan's analogy, "'We' as in including strangers or not including strangers?" "Originally including strangers, but if you all want to huddle together I wouldn't mind!" Stephen and Jay both say in unison 'ew' and Dan just laughs more.

When they neared the house music was starting to be heard, and Hosuh latched onto Stephen and Dan's arms, probably worried about losing sight of his friends. Stephen understands, because he is gonna have to keep his eyes on at least Dan and Hosuh. Dan takes charge and drags them all in, grabbing onto Jay as well, meaning Stephen was the furthest behind. There were a lot of people inside too, but like the amount of people you'd see if you had a really really big family and you all had Thanksgiving at your aunt's very large house that year. That being said, there were people everywhere and they all probably drank maybe the slightest bit of alcohol. Dan's legs seem to have a mind of it's own when he enters the living room and seeing a table set up with way too many alcoholic beverages that Stephen can only imagine how much bad all of that alcohol can do to someone's liver. Chances are they'd die of alcohol poisoning first, but.

Jay was about to approach the table excitedly when someone with a weird vertically long mask of a creature on their head comes up to them, "Oh hey guys," the person takes off the mask as he speaks, and it's no surprise it's Joe, "Nice costumes, you just got here?" Dan nods enthusiastically, and Stephen says, pointing at the mask in Joe's hands, "Yeah, what the hell is that?" Joe holds it up for him and gives a chuckle, "It's JoCrap, and this..." he begins, pulling out a blue giraffe with a face just as puppet-like as the mask, out of his pocket "...Is Joraffe." Stephen bursts out laughing at the name as Jay just stares in awe at the two puppet things. Stephen still doesn't quite get it. When Stephen glances over to his friends Dan is happily indulging himself in alcohol and Hosuh is hesitantly doing the same. The timer starts now. It's only hell from here. Instead of the dead and very-vaguely-remembered-in-his-head show 'My Babysitter's a Vampire', it's 'I'm Babysitting a Vampire (and a Clown)'.

"Stephen," Dan approaches him with a cup of whatever alcoholic beverage he chose, "At least drink a bit, I can feel your aura of dread just resonating into my soul," Daniel sets a hand on his shoulder and holds the cup towards him, Stephen cringes a little from how Daniel is definitely on the brink of going ape mode, "No, I really don't need it," Dan sighs and taps his foot irritatedly, "Okay, so be it," he leaves back over to the table, so Stephen surveys the room. There was probably someone in every corner of this room and Jay and Joe were gone. Stephen can't believe that Jay would abandon him here with a chaos ensuer and a chaos influencer. Jay's a chaos loser so whatever. He doesn't need his help. Hosuh was sat on a chair taking little sips from the cup in his hands, so Stephen took a chair over and sat besides him, which got his attention.

He can feel Hosuh's stare on him as Stephen tries to keep track of Dan and the room in general. When Stephen looks back to Hosuh, he's still staring, "Stephen, why are you so... Attractive?" Stephen awkwardly laughs as he avoids meeting Hosuh's gaze again, "I don't know, Stephen is just the best overall," Stephen watches as Daniel walks into the kitchen, Hosuh decides to keep talking though, "Yeah, you're great. You're nice, and you give nice hugs—" "Stephen!" Daniel cuts off Hosuh as he comes back, placing a cup in front of him, "It's a Shirley Temple, you like those, and it's not alcoholic!" Stephen squints at Daniel as he gestures to the cup with his now free hand. "...How do I know you're not lying?" Stephen hesitantly touches the cup as Daniel continues, "Just taste it, it's exactly the same," Stephen pauses, looking at Dan with suspicion then back to the cup, he picks up the cup, and yeah. Same exact reddish-pink color, smells exactly the same... He hesitantly sips it and, well. That just tastes like a Shirley Temple. "Alright, I'm convinced,"