Brushstrokes (Reddie AU)

Time to Drink

I don't expect to get drunk, I'll just preface by saying that. My mom almost always has alcohol in the house, so I guess it just isn't expected when I find myself at Stan's house and he offers me beer. He knows I'm gay, right? That's a joke.

Obviously.

We arrive there a little after six. Eddie and I walk in holding hands, which I guess could be seen as over the top since we spend most of our time together anyways. But it's nice. Even the smallest amount of contact makes me feel closer to him. After a month, I feel like I know him better than anyone. Maybe even more than Stanley.

Stan is sitting at the kitchen table of his place. "Now stop that!" He teased and points at our hands. "You can be boyfriends any other night of the year. But tonight, you're my two best friends. Understand?"

He walks over to me. "Hi bitch!"

"Asshole!" I chuckle and playfully punch his shoulder. "Why are you acting like this?"

"Like what?"

"Like you just discovered your mom bought you cookies from a little girl?" I tease, a smirk on his face. "Or like you get home from a long day and you sit down for the first time? Or like you found twenty bucks in your pocket randomly? Or like you jacked off thinking about Bill Denbrough?"

At the last comment, he blushes wildly and turns away. "Even if I was gay, which I'm not, he wouldn't be my type."

Eddie giggles but moves on from the conversation as he notices something questionable in the room. Beers. In two six packs. I blink a few times when he points them out to me. I can't believe it at first. Stan?

I look over at my best friend and he smiles shyly. "We don't have to drink, obviously. But I found some in my basement, and my parents are away. Don't act like you haven't gotten drunk before, Rich."

I haven't. Sure, I have smoked enough cigarettes to scare away any sane mother, but no drinking. My mom loves to drink. I don't really want to like anything she likes. "Stan, I haven't," I say honestly. He shrugs it off and opens one of the cans. "We could play truth or dare. And drink. Be normal teenagers for once." He takes a sip. And judging by the face he makes when he drinks it, I know this isn't his first time. I snicker and grab a beer. What the hell? You're only young once.

And then I glance over at Eddie. Jesus, he looks so scared. I put it down but then he shakes his head. "You can drink, Rich. I just don't wanna."

After a bit, we all sit on the kitchen floor. Stan and I drink. At first, the taste is bizarre. It kind of burns on its way down. But then...I don't know, I just keep drinking it. "Richie, truth or dare!" Stan calls.

I had never chosen truth. But I guess alcohol can change people. "Truth!"

He thinks for a long moment. "What's the worst prank you pulled on a teacher?" He asks.

I sigh. I know the answer. "Mr. Reynolds last year. I knew a kid in the yearbook club, so it was easy to get my hands on a picture of him. Once I did, that's where the fun begins. I printed out the same photo...probably a hundred times. Many different sizes. I scattered them all over the room. All over. Every desk, every part of the wall, even his computer desktop. He thought it was fucking hilarious, thank goodness."

Eddie goes into a fit of laughter. It's fucking adorable to watch, Jesus. "Hey Eds, truth or dare?" I ask happily. He looks at me with wide eyes.

"Dare."

I think for a moment. It has to be good. "I dare you to text your mom a picture of me," I say.

His eyes widen in fear or astonishment, probably a mix of both, but I can't tell. I giggle and watch him as he takes his phone out. He snaps a picture of me, I pose like the sexy boy I am. After a moment he exhales and hits send. I look. He sent it to me. "Eds, that's cheating."

"My mom doesn't have a cell phone!" He laughs.

"Then you get a new dare," I shrug.

"No! Fuck you! It's Stan's turn!" He laughs even more and looks at Stan. "Truth or dare," he says.

"Dare."

Eddie thinks for a moment before he speaks. "I dare you to drink an entire can of beer as fast as you can," he shoots out. It's a good dare alright. Stan looks at him with a face of determination and nods. He opens a new can and starts to chug. I can see his face contort slightly as he drinks, and after a while he puts the empty can down. Jesus. It's impressive as hell. He sits there, holding his stomach, before he darts to the bathroom.

Not so impressive anymore.

Eddie looks at me and shakes his head. We wait for Stan to come back...surprisingly, he didn't vomit. He grabbed a glass of water. "Tasted like shit," he explained.

We all laugh, because it's a weird fucking situation when you really think about it. Who keeps a glass of water in the bathroom?

After an hour I am drunk. D r u n k. It's funny! My boyfriend is hot and I am drunk! My mom hates me and I'm drunk! Alcohol is drunk, and Stan is drunk, and Eddie...he's prettyyyy.

"Hey Eddie Spaghetti boy!" I call and only giggles follow after. "I love you my Eddie Spaghetti Boy!"

He rolls his eyes. Awwww. He doesn't love me back? Oooh, but then he smiles! "Love you too, you drunk dickhead."

Now I'm not the smartest boy, but I'm not a dickhead. I'm a boy. He's so silly.