Brightside

05 | barbie girl

"He's definitely both. Nobody is more into both than Maverick," Eddie said. "Have you spoken to him?"

"Apparently not at length," Bo said.

"I have," Donny corrected.

Bo stared at him. Like he was about to unlock the answers to the universe.

"Kind of," Donny corrected.

"Carry on."

"You can't be mad at me for this."

"Did you date him?" Eddie asked.

"I flirted with him," Donny said. Almost like it confused him. "I didn't know it was him."

"You..." Bo frowned. "Babe, what?"

"Throuple?" Eddie offered.

"Okay, I've never dated Maverick." Donny considered his next words carefully. Which was strange, considering it wasn't like Eddie or Bo knew the story. He could've told them a lie and they'd be none the wiser. "Technically, I never dated anyone."

"So..."

Donny cleared his throat. "I may have slept with someone. Multiple times. Well. Quite a few times, actually."

"Don—" Bo tried.

"The number doesn't matter."

"Hey, buddy," Eddie said.

"What?"

"Nobody said the number mattered."

Donny cleared his throat. "I'm assuming you can put together the rest."

Bo and Eddie exchanged looks. It probably didn't help Donny's case they'd both been on injured reserve in the last couple of years due to concussions. Eddie twice in the last five years.

"Oh," Bo said. "Everleigh knew your name."

"Bi rights," Eddie said. For whatever fucking reason. The awkward fist pound that followed was worse.

"Barbenheimer," Donny said as he tapped their knuckles together, "Or whatever the fuck."

"Can we go get drunk?" Bo asked.

"Yes," Eddie said.

"Please," Donny said.

*

Maybe it was a bad idea to say Donny could take body shots off her in the middle of a gay club, but Bo cheered him on and that seemed okay.

Eddie cheered when Mr. Brightside started playing as Donny finished his shot, as did the rest of the sweaty crowd. Even Bo humoured her. His shirt had been tucked into his boyfriend's back pocket ages before and was promptly used to wipe boozy dribbles off Donny's chin, Eddie had dropped her jacket at coat check the moment they had walked in.

"I love this fucking song!" Eddie yelled, raising her arms in the air. Waved them around. Like there wasn't a single thing in the world except her and her friends listening to a silly song in their mom's basement and feeling like life was good.

"Never would have guessed!" Bo yelled. Laughed. Drunkenly shoved his nose into his boyfriend's cheek.

"Eddie," Donny said, "maybe you should consider that cup of water you were offered."