timing : stozier

60

january 24/25

"happy new year!" beverly cried, toasting her wine glass upwards. the rest cheered with her, patty whooping extra loud as she bumped her hip against beverly's. beverly took a big sip of her wine, bill drinking almost the entirety of a beer bottle. even mike took a drink, having begged his manager for a day off work (and somehow getting it). beverly coming back to visit them was persuasion enough for mike, and now he was here. 

"happy new year, guys," mike said lovingly, the six of them drinking from their assorted glasses. bill sighed happily, and stanley sat back down. patty sat down next to him, leaning her head onto his shoulder and kicking her feet onto the arm of the couch. 

"where am i supposed to sit, pats?" beverly joked, most of the seats taken. bill sat with eddie on a chair, with stanley, mike, and patty sprawled amongst the couch. patty slapped her own legs, and beverly laughed gently. she faked a curtsy and sat down on patty's straightened legs, patty shooting up and the two ending up stuck together in a one person-seat on the couch. they both giggled wholly, stanley looking over and shaking his head endearingly. 

when the two had calmed down, beverly peeked her head out from behind patty, looking to bill and stanley. "i know i've complained about this, and i love you guys, but i'm so fucking pissed richie can't be here." bev groaned, mike nodding solemnly while taking a sip of the beer in his hand. stanley looked towards the ground, and eddie leaned further into bill.

"we asked, i promise, but he's spending the night with axel, apparently." bill said in mourning, as if richie had died by not spending the night with them.

"i honest to god cannot believe richie is engaged, i am sorry! i simply can't!" beverly replied, the rest laughing a little. mike pointed at beverly in collaboration.

"that's what i said! that's exactly what i said, it's insane..." mike exclaimed, beverly throwing her hands up. stanley sunk a little into the couch, acutely aware of his phone in his back pocket. he could text richie happy new year, but was it really worth it? maybe he should leave it alone. maybe he should leave it all alone.

stanley found his glass of water empty, and he decided to get some more. he stood up and patty and beverly fell apart, bev sprawling onto the couch next to mike. mike smiled at her goofily and she snickered. 

"stan! can you get me some more beer, please? a-and eddie," bill asked politely, or, as politely as he could for being absolutely piss-drunk. eddie nodded drowsily, and stanley laughed gently. he nodded, and patty reached a hand above the back of the couch, smacking it onto the top of the couch.

"me too!" she exclaimed, stanley nodding again despite the fact he knew she couldn't see her. 

he wandered into the kitchen, wondering how he was going to hold all of the glasses in his hands. he put his single glass down on the counter and absentmindedly put his phone there too. he opened the fridge first, grabbing a couple bottles of beer, them clinking in his hands. as he put them on the counter, he was reflecting. before he had more time to reflect, his phone buzzed. once, and then twice. he turned his head towards it, expecting a new years text from his mother, or something of the sort. turns out he had gotten one of those, too, but that was not the worry at hand.

rich: STAN

so much for leaving it alone, stanley decided, picking up his phone.

stanley: happy new year, richie

rich: oh yhes that too eh hehe uh happy new yearr

stanley: what?

rich: can i hhang out with you guys still

rich: yk, wanna seebev nad mike

stanley: yeah for sure, what's going on?

rich: uhhhhhh

rich: turns out axel had to work tonight (so sad) and so i've been alone contemmplatingg whether to t e xt you or not

strange. was that sarcasm?

stanley: alright

stanley: do you need me to pick you up ? i can bring mike with or smth

rich: yeah lest do that fi thats ok!

stanley: okay ! see u soon man

stanley stood still, his phone back on the counter. picking up the beers with one hand and his phone with the other (the water glass forgotten), he walked back into the living room. he must have looked perturbed, because bill raised an eyebrow. 

"mike, can i talk to you?" stanley said quietly as he gave patty his beer. beverly quirked her head, and stanley handed the other bottles to eddie and bill, mike nodding and standing up. the two of them wandered back into the kitchen, and mike leaned against the wall while stanley stood next to the fridge. 

stanley stood in a couple second of silence, and then looked up to mike. "wanna go get richie with me? he just told me he's free and wants to see you guys, and he doesn't have a car," stanley started, mike aware of the fact that stan was holding something back.

"absolutely! why... why did we have to come here though?" mike asked hesitantly, stanley gulping. stanley ran a hand through his hair and let it sit lazily at the back of his head.

"uh... i think richie's drunk," stan said. mike tilted his head, as if to say and? 

"and he's a recovering alcoholic." stanley sighed finally. 

"oh," mike muttered quietly. "yeah, let's go."

the two walked back to the living room and stanley waved his hands broadly, getting everyone's (except patty) attention. "mike and i are going on an adventure! we will be back!" stanley proclaimed, patty sticking her head above the top of the couch. she saw stanley and lied back down, her head in beverly's lap. 

"where are you going?" eddie piped up, bill turning his head to look at him. eddie looked back at bill and giggled quietly, incredibly intoxicated. 

mike glanced to stanley, who answered, "it's a surprise." stanley then went to put his shoes on, and mike struggled for a moment to shuffle into his shoes. stanley waved, and was surprised as they just let them go, apparently comfortable in how sober stanley was to let him go driving. stanley hadn't drank the entire night, and it was now that he was thanking the world that he hadn't.