Title: Date night
Fandom: Eerie, Indiana
Characters: Marshall Teller, Dash X
Author: froodle
Rating: PG
Length: 479 words
Content notes: None
Author notes: Written for Challenge 133 - Date
Summary: Mars and Dash have their third official date

Marshall drools.

It's something Dash discovers on their third official "date", a Midnite Movies Marathon courtesy of the Teller's new cable TV package. Despite the title, the first picture started around 7pm. Marilyn and Edgar have gone out for the evening, leaving saran-wrapped plates of reheatable casserole on the kitchen counter in the full and certain knowledge that Mars' phobia of leftovers hasn't yet extended to Swedish dumplings.

There's dinner and light flirting during the Abominable Dr. Phibes, a full-blown argument followed by a full-blown makeout session throughout Dr. Phibes Rises Again, and a slight mishap with the stove in the middle of the Fall of the House of Usher that means they're both too busy trying to put out the fire to see how the story ends. Dash doesn't remember much past the opening credits of the Pit and the Pendulum, so he figures that was the point where he fell asleep.

He wakes up because there's something cold and wet trickling down the back of his neck, and there's a moment of panic before he hears snoring and realises it's just Teller drooling into his hair and not a monster from outside their reality preparing to eat him. His left arm has gone numb where he's been leaning on it in lieu of a pillow, and the second he notices it, the whole limb lights up with pins and needles as circulation begins to return.

Dash shifts a little on the sofa and rolls onto his back to stare at the ceiling. The door to the kitchen is closed, and there's a light coming from the crack beneath it. He can hear Marilyn and Edgar talking in hushed voices behind it and the TV is showing static. He sits up, and uses Mars' discarded Giants sweatshirt to dry his hair before throwing it at Marshall's dumb sleeping face. Mars swipes it away and rolls over.

"I'm going," says Dash. Marshall doesn't wake up, so he crosses to the front door and begins lacing up his boots. There's a noise from the far end of the room as Marilyn Teller opens the door to the kitchen.

"You're more than welcome to stay the night," she says quietly, so as not to wake Mars.

"In the living room," Edgar adds, putting his head 'round the door, and Dash can feel himself blushing crimson. He mumbles something at the Tellers, and later he can't remember what it was but hopefully it's along the lines of "goodnight" and "thank you for having me" and makes a hasty exit.

The next morning, Marshall's parents grin at him over breakfast and ask him how his night was, and he scowls and flushes and demands to know if they absolutely have to be so embarrassing.

"Yes," says his mother, bending down to kiss his cheek as he sits at the kitchen table with his face in his hands. "It's our duty."

Marshall sighs.