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It's later in the night.
Everyone else is huddled in the living room, playing some kind of board game. EJ showed up but in all honesty he just… wasn't in a partying mood. Which was ironic in it's own right - the captain of the polo team turning down a party. Jared, one of the guys on the team, joked at the soup kitchen that the world was ending. Ashlyn's house has always been a second home to him, so EJ made himself comfortable.
He settled into his bedroom. It was his bedroom, because after he spent a month living with Ashlyn to escape his own parents hers refurbished their entire house so he would have a place to go. EJ stood in the center of the room, looking at all the things inside it. This room was his room, not the one at his house - house because the building he lived in wasn't a home. EJ's room was decorated with theater memorabilia, Ashlyn's parents had taken to framing show posters for all the shows he's done. They did the same in Ashlyn's room. They let him pick the color of his walls - red of course - and let him help paint the room over.
Anyways here EJ was, standing in the middle of his room with the sound of the theater kid's laughter floating up through the floor. He didn't even really know why he was in the room to be honest. EJ just… needed a break. He shrugged his ugly sweater off and pulled on this old costume from halloween a few years ago.
A Wildcats jersey with the number 14 on it.
EJ sighed deeply, inhaling the welcoming scent of freshly washed pillow cases. Ashlyn's parents change the sheets in all bedrooms every Friday, so they had that fresh and chilling kind of feel. "EJ?" Someone asked, knocking lightly on the door. It creaked open and a mop of curls poked it's head in.
Oh yeah, Ricky Bowen was at the party too. EJ was not about to spend anymore time with his annoying smile and his stupid hair and those stupid pretty eyes.
"Hmm?" EJ asked, turning on his side to face the door. He grabs Sir Chad, a soft teddy bear Ashlyn gave him to congratulate him on performing at the show. Even if he did only do it for two scenes. "What do you want?" He wondered, rolling onto his back and sitting up. Sir Chad rested in his lap, his fingers playing with the teddy bear's arms. Ricky shrugged then stepped fully into the room, holding a plate of pizza.
"Ashlyn said you didn't have anything to eat yet today so…" Ricky held it out to EJ, a peace offering. EJ's stomach betrayed him, grumbling audibly at the smell of fresh pizza. "EJ just take the damn plate," Ricky ordered and EJ reached out to take it. He took a bite and sighed with satisfaction. Ashlyn was always right - honestly EJ was getting tired of it.
That's a lie. EJ would never get tired of his cousin trying to care for him. Sometimes it was like Ashlyn was the only person who cared enough to keep him alive.
"Thanks," EJ said quietly. His eyes flickered up to Ricky and his cheeks flushed pink when he realized how close they were to each other. "How's the party?" He asked with a small smile. "Ash loves hosting stuff, wants to major in Hospitality, run a hotel or something. Or be a party organizer?" He shrugs and the corners of his lips pull into a light smile. "She always changes her major." Ricky gestured to the bed next to EJ and EJ nodded, giving him permission to sit.
"The part's great! Would be better if you were down there…" Ricky looked down at his hands, fidgeting with his fingers. "Nini said she's moving. To Denver." EJ's heart stopped beating for half a second.
"What?" He asked, snapping his head to the side, looking at Ricky. His eyes were wide open in shock. "And here I thought taking myself out of running for the beast was the biggest news of the night," EJ joked, falling backwards onto the bed. Ricky fell with him, curling onto his side so they were facing each other.
"What do you mean?" Ricky asked, his eyes searching EJ's face, shining in concern. "You're the only real chance we have at winning that competition." EJ hummed and closed his eyes. He wasn't sleeping just resting.
"The season we have planned for polo is intense," EJ admitted quietly. He opened his eyes again, staring directly into Ricky's. "I dropped the ball during HSM too. I have to focus more on school if I want to get into Duke." He swallows thickly, knowing the words he spoke weren't his own. It was the lie his parents had woven into his soul long ago. Ricky looked at EJ sadly, but stayed silent. He snuggled closer to the jock, wrapping a protective arm around him. EJ's eyes fluttered, suddenly feeling a hell of a lot more safe than he ever did before.
"EJ you love performing," Ricky said, his thumb rubbing EJ's arm in a soothing way. "I'm not stupid, I know there's more to it than grades." He leans forward to rest their foreheads together and EJ's heart explodes. Some annoying voice goes cuteboycuteboycuteboycuteboy on a loop in the back of his mind. "How was the soup kitchen?" Ricky asked, surprising EJ. EJ blinked in surprise, his brain trying to catch up to the question.
"You mean you actually wanna know about the water polo guys?" He asked, trying to hide how surprised he sounded. Sometimes EJ could swear the theater kids think he made up the whole team since they never ask about it. Ricky looked at EJ like he was an idiot, his fingers reaching up to curl in EJ's hair.
"I wouldn't have asked if I didn't want to," Ricky pointed out. He looked down and smirked when he saw the Troy jJersey. "You know you really look good in that," he pinches the fabric on EJ's shoulder and EJ chuckles.
"The guys were good tonight," EJ says with a soft smile on his face. "Whole team was there. The soup kitchen's kind of like our give back to the community. Most of our funds are private donations so," he shrugs like it's no big deal. Ricky just watches him with a smile on his face and those pretty little sparkles in his eyes. "The team isn't all bad once you get to know them," he promised and Ricky snorts. "No I'm serious! Jared and Kyle are just softies. Everyone else just vibes."
Ricky's giggle sounded through the air and EJ's butterflies pounded in his chest. "Sounds like they're a fun time," he assured EJ. Ricky's fingers never stopped combing through his hair. Distantly he wondered if Ashlyn told Ricky hair playing was his only weakness. "So why're you up here when the party's down there?" Ricky asked and as if on cue a soft piano melody floats through EJ's bedroom door.
"I'm just exhausted to be honest," EJ admitted. Ricky froze, his eyes glistening with something almost like hope. EJ lets out a yawn, nuzzling closer to Ricky.
"I can leave if you want me -"
"No!" EJ cut Ricky's rambling off, his voice squeaking an octave higher than usual. "I mean I just…" EJ sighed, trying to ignore his ears heating up. "Sometimes I like being alone more than being with people. Parties just get really… loud…" he finished lamely.
Ricky hummed softly, the melody of Start of Something New filling the air. It was a nice comfort, familiar. EJ could close his eyes and focus on it. "We can be alone together then," Ricky decided with that boyish smile and charm of his.
"Ricky go enjoy the -"
"EJ," Ricky said pointedly. EJ fell silent, . "I get to pick who I spend my time with, and I want to spend it with you right now okay? Downstairs is just…" he shuddered. "Tense." EJ nodded, his arm automatically wrapped around Ricky protectively. Ricky froze for half a second then relaxed and snuggled into EJ's chest.
EJ woke up to Ricky giving him a wet willie twenty minutes later.