*Trigger warning for homophobia, toxic religious beliefs*
It always made Billy’s anxiety spike when his dad started being nice to him, like waiting on a rubber band to snap back on you. Billy had been doing his homework at the kitchen table when his dad sat down next to him and started helping. Billy didn't need the help, but he let his dad feel like he was fulfilling his duties as a father. Billy’s jaw nearly dropped when Neil patted Billy’s shoulder and praised him on his excellent work.
“I didn't know you liked chemistry so much.” Neil commented looking over Billy’s assignment.
“It's pretty easy, just follow the formulas.” Billy shrugged.
“My boys a genius.” Neil huffed out in a laugh.
Looking up in surprise Billy watched his dad’s face carefully, there was no sarcasm or bitterness, no hate or disgust. Neil’s face seemed to light up, his eyes shining with pride or joy or something like that. It had been years since Billy had seen his father look that happy when thinking about him and for one fleeting moment Billy felt good enough.
“I got a 100 on my last test actually. Really messed up the grading curve for the other kids.” Billy shrugged.
Neil beamed, he got to his feet and grabbed two beers from the fridge popping the tops off before sitting back down and handing Billy a bottle. They drank and talked about school and science. Neil talked about the moon landing and how he knew Billy was going to be a smart kid because he watched the landing at least a dozen times. Anytime they played it on TV Billy would sit and watch the whole thing. Which Neil had been so proud of since Billy had only been two at the time.
“Your mom used to make you little costumes. You wore the astronaut one just about everyday for a year.” Neil smiled softly, his eyes seeing something Billy couldn't. “I always kind of thought you’d grow up and become an astronaut, or maybe work down in Houston.”
Taking a slow swig of his beer Billy tried to remember, he tried to think back to his obsession with space and the stars but he couldn't remember. Frowning, he picked at his homework on the table and tried not to think about the constellation like freckles on Steve’s chest and back.
“I don't remember that.”
“You were just a small thing back then. All smiles and laughter.” Neil swallowed hard, his face turning down as he again saw something Billy didn't. “We took you to see NASA once, your mom must have taken a dozen polaroid picture boxes. She took pictures of everything, said she wanted you to be able to visit NASA any time you wanted.”
Neil laughed, he shook his head and looked over at Billy. “Damn woman used every single picture. We had boxes of them.” Neil shook his head. “ But she lost them. All those pictures and the only one that made it home was the one we asked someone to take of all of us because I put it in my jacket pocket.”
Billy smiled softly, thinking back to the picture his dad was talking about. His mom had framed it and put it on Billy bedside table, he’d kept it there till his mom left. After that Neil had taken it away with all the other pictures of his mom. Looking down at the beer in his hand Billy chewed at the inside of his cheek.
“No wonder it was all scuffed up.” Billy muttered, not sure if he should mention the picture at all.
“I,” Neil started then stopped, he seemed to mull something over. “I really liked that picture.”
“Way better than the one of us with that guy dressed up like Elvis.” Billy chuckled.
Neil’s face dropped at the mention and Billy’s chest tightened, his body going rigid at his father’s sour look and he glared across the table at Billy.
“I burned that fucking picture. Your harlot of a mother should never have allowed that devil music into our house! That man was a fucking disgrace, he should have been ashamed of his heathen ways.”
Billy didn't flinch when his dad got to his feet and threw his chair across the room, but his father noticed the fear anyway. Neil sighed and scrubbed his hand over his face, he looked down at Billy’s homework again and put a hand on the paper.
“You were such a happy kid, Billy. I-” Neil sighed. “I wish things were different. I wish you were never introduced to that filth.”
Neil let his fingers drag across the table as he turned to leave. Trembling Billy let out a breath he didn't know he’d been holding, slow, burning tears slid down Billy’s face. ‘I wish you were different’ is what Neil had wanted to say and it cut so fucking deep.
(I just really wanted to hurt myself. SO I chose ‘What if Neil had fatherly moments with Billy’ Its part of a bigger story with lots of little interactions with Neil and Billy.)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/22658002
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“What do you think it’ll be like when we stop being soul reapers?” The time would come, eventually. And honestly, she had questions. “We’ll stay together, won’t we?”
@yahchiru
"...why would we stop?"
"i mean, if you wanna stop, that's fine. you do whatever you want. but fer me, this is all i'm gonna do forever."
she trusted it to me, and i can't let her down.
"did you think i'd do somethin' else? like what?"
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So I’ve got Covid right? My symptoms haven’t been that bad so far just kinda sore throat, headache, and runny nose
But this morning, I wake up and it’s like someone just beat the shit outta my entire face. I am in so much pain
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