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Soft instruments crackled from the record player, the gentle thumps of the bass vibrating against the floor and up Darry and Tim’s legs as they danced slowly in the dim living room. They embraced each other loosely, warm smiles on their faces, enjoying each other’s company as they stepped to the slow beat of the music. Two wine glasses laid on the coffee table, a bottle of expensive red wine beside them, usually only brought out for special occasions, typically hidden away in a high cabinet so no one could sneak off with it.
Right now it was a special occasion.
“You look real beautiful, doll,” Tim said, pulling him closer by his hips with careful hands, fingers slipped under the belt loops of the other’s worn jeans. Darry snorted, his cheeks gaining a red hue to them as he gave in to the pull.
Usually, Darry would’ve brushed the compliment off with a humored grin, maybe show of a little. But with the wine in his system, he instead murmured a shy-sounding “thank you,” leaning his head against the taller man’s shoulder. Tim only chuckled, brushing hair out of his eyes.
“How many more days ‘til those bills were due?” he hummed, tiptoeing them around in a slow circle.
Darry pursed his lips, making Tim tempted to press a quick kiss to them, but he held back so the man could speak. He would kiss them red later. “Five-- six days?” he replied, unsure, but glad they were done and out of the way. It was always rewarding to get such stressful things done early, giving him some time to relax and get just a bit ahead for next month’s payments. The wine tasted so much sweeter due to the occasion. Almost like candy.
“I’m proud of ya,” Tim whispered, sighing happily before pecking his forehead, right where the skin would wrinkle with stress or worry, but now, it was smooth, the man relaxed where he was. It was a relieving detail. He was glad his boyfriend could relax.
Darry only snorted again, turning his warm face into the cotton of Tim’s shirt, embarrassed from the praise. He loved how sweet he was, but he didn’t deserve such kind words.
“I mean it, babe.”
“I know…”
Soft footsteps tapped into the room moments later, a figure in the doorway of the living room, slumped with sleepiness, the oversized shirt he wore being rumpled from his nap. Two-Bit with a half-lidded gaze watched his boyfriends with a tired smile. The sight was a sweet thing to wake up to.
With a hand scrubbing his right eye, he croaked out, “Hey all.” Heads immediately snapped over to him, excitement showing in each of their eyes at the sight of the man. Finally, he was awake. Two-Bit had come over after school let out and immediately crashed, curling up in Darry’s bed with a pillow tucked under his chin.
Darry wished he could’ve taken a picture for Tim to see later on, but all their old polaroid cameras were probably in the attic and broken in one way or another. His father was never careful with them.
“Mornin’, pumpkin.”
“Hey, hon.”
Two-Bit snickered, eyes momentarily glancing over to the window, seeing darkness behind the closed blinds. For a moment, he actually thought it was morning, having slept past supper. He would’ve been so upset if he had.
His eyes traveled to the wine, then to his embracing boyfriends. Clearly, there was something going on. “Now, what kinda party is goin’ on that I wasn’t invited to?” he asked with a chuckled, hands on his hips with a bit of sass in his look, grinning wide, “I’m almost a little offended you two didn’t invite me. You know I’m the life of the party.”
Darry shook his head. “We jus’ celebratin’, baby.”
“Celebratin’?”
“Yeah… Got bills done early. Nothin’ too big, though.”
“It is big, Dar,” Tim corrected, kissing the man’s temple. Darry only flushed and rolled his eyes, still disagreeing with him, but keeping quiet to not ruin the gentle moment.
Two-Bit gasped-- it was already clear who he sided with just from the reaction-- and he smiled wide, walking over to the two to embrace them both tight. He could hear a pop from one of their backs, but he didn’t loosen his arms until Tim warned that he couldn’t breathe. Yet his arms remained draped around their hips. “That’s real good,” he yawned, nose and brow scrunching up. “Should we bake a cake for the special occasion?”
“I think you’d eat the batter ‘fore the oven was even warmed up,” Tim chuckled, placing a hand in the redhead’s hair, fingers lost in the greased curls.
“That was one time,” he huffed.
“Twice!” Darry said, arm sliding around Two-Bit’s waist. The shorter man gasped, offended, mouth agape like a fish.
“I thought you didn’t remember the second time!” he shouted, laughter booming above him from his boyfriends.
Darry sucked in a quick breath, laughs still tumbling from his lips. “You got sick and were cuddling with the salad bowl for the entire day. Don’t get how I could forget ,” he reminded, voice shaky, trying to quiet himself while Tim was still howling, the sound deep and vibrating deep in their bones. It was a beautiful sound to them, but to others frightening. It was because they were dating the man.
“Good lord, man,” he wheezed, dragging Two-Bit’s head to his chest in some sort of hug. He was so stupid, but it was something to love and grow fond of the longer he dated him.
The air stilled once the laughter left, the record still spinning on the player, but the music had quieted, moving to the next song. Suddenly, a chorus of women sang their way out of the disk, light guitar and taps of drums backing them. Darry immediately smiled at the sound and pulled his boyfriends close, squishing Two-Bit between both him and Tim, an arm looped around each of them.
“Forgot my parents had this song,” he muttered, his chin on top of Two-Bit’s head, eyes warmly staring at Tim. “Granted, I haven’t played these records in months.”
Arms looped around his waist, squeezing him comfortingly. He appreciated it, keeping him from thinking too hard about his parents. Tim kissed his forehead, and Darry smiled more, a hint of white peeking out from between his lips.
Put your head on my shoulder
Hold me in your arms, baby
Squeeze me oh-so-tight
Show me that you love me too
“Don’t think I’ve heard this song before,” Two-Bit muttered to himself, already moving with his boyfriends as they began swaying again, letting them guide his two left feet.
Put your lips next to mine, dear
Won't you kiss me once, baby?
Just a kiss goodnight, maybe
You and I will fall in love (you and I will fall in love)
Tim scoffed, eyebrows raised amusedly. Darry chuckled at the look. “You must be deaf, Two,” Tim said, grinning in good-nature, a relieving sight for such a comment. From his tone alone, it would’ve been hard to tell if he was joking or insulting, yet the smile immediately let all know he wasn’t doing anything malicious. “Can’t believe you don’t know.”
“Still fell in love with me.”
“He got you there, Tim.”
The song continued, guiding the men in the same slow circle as before, the almost suspenseful tune of the bridge making them all huddle together all the more, the air warm and affectionate. The music seemed so much better to their ears from the state of the environment, allowing them all to relax and enjoy the moment before the song had to end in the next minute or so.
Put your head on my shoulder
Whisper in my ear, baby
Words I want to hear
Tell me, tell me that you love me too (tell me that you love me too)
Put your head on my shoulder
Whisper in my ear, baby
Words I want to hear, baby
Put your head on my shoulder
The ending notes of the guitar led the room into silence, drums tapping to signify the end, the embrace did not loosen. It remained as tight as always.
“What’s the time, Timmy?” Darry mumbled into Two-Bit’s hair, eyes closed in peace.
A deep hum entered the air, “‘Round eight.”
“That late? God,” Darry sighed, arms slipping away from Tim and Two-Bit, making the two whine. Both of them kept their hold on him, though, not letting him get away that easily. “C’mon, y’all.”
“One more dance, please?” Two-Bit asked with those puppy dog eyes that he knew how to use expertly. God damn it. Darry couldn’t deny him such a simple thing, especially when he pouted his lips. That pleading look always got him.
He sighed and let a grin form on his face. “Fine, fine. Just one,” he murmured, hugging Two-Bit tight. He then picked up the shorter man, a surprised cuss forcing from his throat, and he was held between Darry and Tim.
“Finally got your growth spurt, huh?” Tim snickered, chin resting on his shoulder, face tucked into the warm skin of his neck. Two-Bit immediately snorted and swatted at his head, an eye roll making Darry grin.
“Timmy, c’mon. He’s all cute short,” he murmured to him, earning himself a swat too, snorting at the weak touch to his face, knowing Two-Bit didn’t mean anything behind the action. “Sorry, Keith.”
Two-Bit only laughed, legs secure around the man holding him. “Yeah, sure you are. Alls ya are the same bein’ taller than me,” he grumbled, squeezing Darry closer, hooking an arm around Tim’s head, keeping him close as well. There were more apologies, and Two-Bit grinned, making the others grin as well, both humored and relieved.
“Love you two.”
“We love you too.”
The new song kept playing in the background with the familiar crackles, feet and mind being led once more by the slow, loving beat.