The Housemate (Ethan Nestor x Reader)

Setting up.

I'd finally gotten to Marks studio and fumbled around with my keys trying to find his spare one I'd attached to mine. Finally finding it I unlock the door and make my way in, turning on all the lights and shutting the door behind me. Thankfully I was smart enough to bring a bunch of the stuff to decorate here with after Amy and I went shopping so I could 'hide' it from Ethan.

I wasn't very good at keeping surprises but I've been trying my hardest to keep this one, I knew how much he loved being surrounded by friends so I wanted to make this birthday special, with all the friends I could think of to be here with him tonight.

I began grabbing all the bags of decorations and pulling each item out and placing on the table that was already set up at the back of the room, putting things into a pile for each area to be done. The mini bar we were creating, the snack table, the dance floor and the entrance.

I began setting up a tall table to be our mini bar, setting out straight spirits on the table with plastic cups and shot glasses for everyone to help themselves. Next to it was a mini fridge that Mark had here already which I began filling with soft drinks and mixers. I'd hung some streamers across the front of the table to jazz it up a bit more attaching it to the black table cloth I'd put on the table at the start.

As I was about to begin blowing up some balloons, Amy and Mark both came in with the final items I needed to set up.
"Hey guys!" I called out while tying up a balloon.
"Hey!!" They said in unison.
"What do you need us to do?" Mark asked while putting down the bags he'd brought in.
"Mark would you be able to grab some chairs and a table and set it up over there for me please?! I've got a cover for the table too!" I pointed toward the corner near the back opposite the mini bar and handed him the table cover. "Amy, I need you to help me with these balloons!" I laughed.
"On it!" She came over and started blowing up balloons with me.
"So where's Ethan today?" Amy asked.
"I organised for Brian to come along and keep him busy for the afternoon." I smiled.
"Aw that's so sweet! It's been a while since he's seen Brian!" Amy said excitedly.
"Yeah that and I had to figure out some way to get out the house without telling him what I'm doing." I laughed scratching my head.
"You really are the worst with secrets aren't you?" She laughed back.
"Yeeeeah." I giggled.

We'd finally finished blowing up the balloons and I began putting a big garland together to drape over the snack table. Amy was now helping Mark set up another table with chairs and then began on setting up the snack table. There were chips, dips, chocolates, lollies, literally anything you can think of. I may have gone a bit overboard with the snacks.

Once the garland was done I'd asked Mark to help me hang it above the table and we then wrapped some small fairly lights through it to make it look extra pretty!

"Can we stop for a food break?" Mark whined. My stomached growled as he said it.
"Yeah that sounds good to me, I just remembered I didn't get to eat breakfast." I grumbled.
"Why didn't you eat?!" Amy questioned.
"Well you see, Ethan finished the milk and the bread this morning so both cereal and toast were out of the question and Brian showed up so I had to come here." I frowned rubbing my tummy.
"Okay food it is, I'll go pick something up okay? You want anything specific?" Mark offered.
"Literally anything will do right now!" My stomach rumbled again. Mark grabbed his keys and walked out leaving me and Amy to set up the last few things.

"Amy help me bring these speakers over!" I called out. We took some large PA speakers and set them out on the left wall where we were going to have a dance floor. We placed a table between them and a laptop on it which was connected to both speakers.
"Should we test it?" Amy asked excited.
"I don't see why not?" I shrugged.

Amy opened Spotify on the laptop and clicked the first song she saw, what we didn't realise was the volume was up all the way and nearly deafened us. We both covered our ears with our hands as she fumbled to stop the music.
"Jesus Amy, did you check the volume at all?!" I asked cringing.
"I guess I thought it wouldn't be up all the way." She laughed.
She turned the volume down and tried again, this time at an acceptable volume. The music filled the room and bounced off the walls perfectly. I connected a small fog machine under the table and set it to let out some fog every few minutes or so.

When Mark got back the room was filled with fog and Amy and I were dancing in the middle of the room completely oblivious to him walking in until he paused the music.
"Hello, earth to you two, lunch is here!!" Mark waved at us and held up a bag. We walked over to one of the tables we had set up and began eating the cheeseburgers and fries that Mark pulled out the bag for us all.

"You reckon I could come get ready at yours? I'm gonna get Brian to bring Ethan straight here." I asked with my mouth full.
"Yes oh my gosh!" Amy clapped.
"How did I know you'd be excited?" I laughed.
"So are we thinking fancy? Ballroom? Costume?" She began listing.
"I mean I was thinking more of a neat casual vibe, but you do you, I'm not going to stop you!" I laughed.
"Okay so neat casual it is, sweet." Mark nodded.

Once we'd eaten, Mark helped Amy and I hang some party lights around the room and then we left to go get ourselves ready.

A/N: we're gonna pretend that this is a covid free world so they can actually have a party for eef bc I feel bad that he didn't have one this year. 😅