#they/them pronouns for paislie because im insane 🙏

[canonically-a-genloser]

"straight out of a novella"

i hate writing titles i hate writing

Paislie slowly opened the door, cursing the way it creaked. Not that it mattered terribly, none of the Showfall escapees still living in the house were light sleepers except for-

"Hey."

-Randy.

"Hi," Paislie said, shuffling to the couch to shed their platform boots. "How were the kids?"

The brunette let out a chuckle at the recollection of Paislie's four siblings. "About as easy to handle as you."

"Oh."

"Nah. They're good," he assured Paislie. "You have a good time?"

Paislie blushed as a smile grew, realizing he'd noticed their mussed dress, undone hair and flushed cheeks- not to mention the lipstick stain on their cheek that still remained.

"Oh, a really good time."

"Shh," Paislie laughed, leaning back on the couch.

"It's alright," Randy grinned in reply. "I worked at a bar, that's the only reason I know. I get it."

He leaned forward, folding his hands in his lap. "So tell me about her, come on."

A high-pitched giggle came from Paislie.

"She bought us a couple rounds, I bought us a couple more. We danced for a bit, and holy French pressed fuck, she knows how to dance. She's so beautiful," Paislie said, a faraway look planting itself in their eyes as they daydreamed in the direction of the carpet.

"How many drinks did you have?"

"Dunno. Five? Maybe."

Randy sighed, though the smile on his face didn't leave. Paislie's friends had probably had them mix drinks as a joke too, knowing he would be fine in the end.

"You don't do anything by halves, do ya."

" 'S okay. Not my first time," Paislie slurred out, and the older of the two nodded.

"I know. Still." He picked up the empty plastic trash can in the room that nobody used anyway. "Need this?"

Paislie laughed, pushing his hand down. "No."

Randy couldn't be bothered hiding a gentle scoff. "Yeah, you do." He put it beside Paislie as a compromise. "I'm glad you had fun."

"Got her number, too," Paislie smiled, laying down on the couch. "Dunno how. She's awesome." They said a few more things Randy couldn't understand, and he shook his head.

Drunk Paislie was decidedly similar to a cat with catnip, he mused.

"Alright, c'mon, tiger. Still up to walking?"

"Nuh uh."

Randy paused. "You alright there until the morning, then?"

"I'm gonna take a nap here," Paislie informed him after a second of thinking, flopping onto their stomach and cuddling into the pillow beside the armrest.

"Okay," he surrendered. "I'll find you a blanket, then."

"M'kay."

He'd barely made it down the hall when the sound of a harsh and very productive cough finally fulfilled his expectations.

Returning with the previously sought blanket and a few towels just in case, he found Paislie somehow more limply draped over the couch. The now-vomit-filled trash bin fortunately managed to contain the contents of whatever drinks Paislie had probably thrown back without a second thought.

"Fuck. Yeah, I did needa throw up," they murmured.

Randy couldn't help the quiet laugh that escaped him. "I told you, kid, I've seen this a million times over. Go ahead and sleep."

Paislie's eyes were predictably closed before he'd finished his sentence.

Which meant the only thing left for Randy to do was find a landfill or perhaps a large forest to dispose of the trash bin at.

Maria wouldn't miss it, seeing as how she'd left it at his and Henrik's house.

Probably.