Brushstrokes (Reddie AU)

Four Boys and a Pizza

I've never actually met this Bill guy in my entire life. I mean, I've seen him in the hallways and shit, but that doesn't mean a thing! I don't know who he is, what he likes, how to impress him...and he'll be at my house in a half-hour.

Eddie has been helping me set up for this double date. Since none of us have the desire to go to a restaurant, the four gay boys are meeting at my house for the double date. It feels like a competition, on who's the better couple, and it feels like undoubtedly Eddie and I are going to smash it.

I dress in a button-up shirt that I've never actually worn all the way buttoned up before. To match, I have khaki pants that make me look fat too ridiculous. And, to finish off... sneakers. How fucking original.

I almost tried to comb my hair, but I still want to look somewhat like myself.

And then there is the dining situation. Our dining table hasn't been used too often, but it still has the functionality that it requires. It can be eaten off of...done!

And then I sit on my ass and wait impatiently for everyone to arrive. Eddie is upstairs, frantically worrying about every little unnecessary thing. He'll pop downstairs to ask me where things are as if I have an organized system of living here. I'm just trying my best, never promised perfection.

He finally comes downstairs and he's in a polo shirt and dark jeans, but he's really pulling it off. He looks like he's someone nephew interviewing for a job he knows he's going to get. And it's adorable. I immediately stand up and make my way towards him. He knows I'm into this new look because he just snickers at me.

There's a knock on the door suddenly that catches me off guard. I walk over and open it.

Stan looks like a completely different person. He clearly tried to look sexy, but the final image is a lot different than that. But Bill doesn't seem to be any less attracted to him. They're holding hands on my front step, and Bill is the first one to speak up. "Hello there Richie," he says shyly. "You're the graffiti guy, right?"

I nod and let them in with a huge grin. "Oh, baby! Yessiree, that is me! Come into my humble abode, why don't you? We've got everything your little minds can dream of! A TV, a couch, a bed, some sinks!" I cackle loudly. Maybe I get a little over the top when I'm nervous. When I was younger I wouldn't shut up. I was desperate for attention and I made up for it with horrible jokes. And now I seem to be returning to that state of being. Oh well. Fuck it.

"Hey Rich, calm the fuck down," Stan teases as he makes his way inside. "It's supposed to be a chill evening, you know."

Eddie grins. "There's never a chill evening with Richie, you know that."

Stan laughs once, or more accurately blows air from his nose, and then makes his way to the kitchen. "There's no pizza here, guys," he observes.

"It hasn't delivered. We ordered an hour ago!" Eddie explained rather dramatically. But I giggle at his frustration, as a good boyfriend does.

The four of us go to the living room to wait for the pizza to deliver. Since Stan and Bill are our guests, I allow them to choose the movie we watch. But Eddie isn't such a huge fan of this, since the entire time they're looking through my options he is suggesting that we all watch Aladdin. 

"No one wants to watch Aladdin," I whisper in his ear and he rolls his eyes. 

Bill stands up and looks like he has a great idea. He's holding one of my DVDs. I see what it is and shrug. It's not a bad movie. The Hangover.  It was like, the first comedy movie my mom actually sat down to watch with me. I put it in and we start watching. Eddie and I cuddle, but Stan and Bill do not. It seems as though they haven't reached that part in their relationship yet. It's kind of hilarious, but I'm not going to say anything. 

"They're so awkward," Eddie whispers in my ear. 

I kiss him to get him to shut up. And luckily, it works!

A half-hour into the movie, after the characters finally get drunk, there's an annoyingly loud knock at the door. It's like no one has the decency to ring the doorbell, even though that's what it's there for. 

"Give me money," I demand. Everyone hands over a five or a ten. Stan gives me a quarter, and I throw it at his head. I have to use a twenty just to pay for it all. Thanks a lot, Stanley fucking Urine. 

The pizza guy is one of those teenagers with so much acne he could be in a commercial. I tip him twenty percent and bring the pizza back in with me. The movie has been paused and we all grab a slice. 

"We should all get drunk," Stan suggests.

"Because that worked really  well last time," Eddie retorts. 

It's weird. I swear, if Stan ends up becoming an alcoholic, I will murder his ass for sure. "There's some stuff in my mom's room. You can get it if you want but it tastes like shit. I'm just going to have some pop and that's all." 

Stan shakes his head and takes a can of pop as well. And we all go back to the couch to continue the movie. Eddie is practically glued to my side, while Stan and Bill are sitting a good foot apart from each other. Eddie and I were like that once. And now I can't even live without him. I love Eddie Kaspbrak, and nothing on earth can stop us now. 

... hopefully.