Work Text:
As the DVD slides into the player, Alan stands back up and turns to face the couch. Just as he left them, Alice and Barry sit at either end of the couch, idly bickering about tonight’s choice of movie: The Fellowship of the Ring, chosen by Barry after winning a game of rock-paper-scissors. Alan smirks as he catches the end of their conversation, where Barry seems offended at being called a nerd by Alice. Ignoring them, Alan grabs the DVD remote and flops down between them.
The moment Alan sits down, Barry picks up the large bowl of popcorn and dumps it on Alan’s lap.
“Hey! I’m not a table.”
Barry grins. “You’re sitting in the middle, Al. That makes you the designated popcorn holder.”
Alan looks to Alice for backup, but she smirks and says, “He’s got a point. Someone needs to hold the popcorn.”
“Alice, not you too…” Alan whines, feigning exasperation. He swears that these two are only on the same side when they’re tormenting Alan—his pain is what brings them together, it seems.
Alice chuckles, taking the remote from his hand. After skipping the anti-piracy message, she plays the movie, before setting the remote down again. Immediately, she takes a handful of popcorn from the bowl that lives on Alan’s lap now, munching on the snack.
Almost as soon as the movie begins, Alice smirks at Barry as she says, “So… what’s this movie about again?”
Alan rolls his eyes, waiting for Barry to fall for the bait.
“Oh c’mon, how the fuck don’t you know what it’s about?”
There it is.
“Because I’m not a nerd…”
They continue to bicker for what feels like forever, but Alan doesn’t really care. He just eats popcorn and enjoys what little he can hear of the movie.