#📼 —— 𝒹𝒾𝑒 𝒶𝓃𝓎𝓌𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝑒𝓁𝓈𝑒┊(verse — nitw.)

[sunderedhearts]

@mirageformed | steve & billy at the bonfire party 🍂

     Parties in the woods were nothing new; kids had been drinking and getting up to no good for generations, and the forest kept things nice and private. The town was well aware of what was going on, but it didn’t seem as anyone even cared anymore. With what seemed like everything suddenly on the decline and the population falling under a blanket of despair, was there even any point into breaking up these get togethers? So a bunch of kids decided to get drunk and high and mess around--who cared? Theft and destruction was hardly even looked into; a little party wasn’t going to even make a blip on the police’s radar.

     When Steve had first heard about the party he had had his share of misgivings; the last party he went to had ended in disaster. Nancy had gotten drunk and broken his heart, giving way to weeks of awkwardness and pain until Steve realized she had actually gone as far as to cheat on him with Byers of all people. Since then everything had changed, and Steve had withdrawn, his life slowly spiraling into nothingness. But Billy was back in town and everyone seemed interested in the bonfire--how could Steve say no?

     Unfortunately things had soured almost immediately. It hadn’t taken long for Steve to realize Nancy had also shown up, causing hot anxiety to prickle across his skin. His love life had been non-existent since the break up, and while he had told Robin that he was over his ex, seeing her smiling by the soft glow of the fire made him realize what a lie that had been. She was always going to be a part of his life, his first love, the girl that stole his heart and crushed it between her fingers. A large part of him knew better than to try and even talk to her, but after several beers Steve could no longer differentiate between a good idea and a bad one. Talking to Nancy suddenly seemed like the best idea there was.

     Four beers might not have seemed like a lot, but Steve’s tolerance was nothing spectacular, never really had been. Since that fateful Halloween party, Steve had more or less quit drinking, only looking into it when he couldn’t sleep--or just couldn’t stand to think anymore. These days two drinks left him feeling buzzed. Three put him on a log by the fire, and four brought him to Nancy, his dark eyes attempting to focus on her slightly blurry form. Somewhere in the back of his mind he knew better, but the words were already tumbling out before he could stop himself. 

    Before long the party effectively came to a halt, quieting and drawing in close to see what the argument was about. Normally Steve would have cared, would have been mortified, but the alcohol had turned his mind fuzzy, switched off his better judgement. If the onlookers wanted a show, then Steve would make sure to give them one.

     “Steve, that’s enough, stop--”

     “Why? Why should I stop? Just because you’re not having fun?” Steve made a derisive noise and gave a roll of his eyes. “Jesus, you must be real fun at parties. Oh, wait--no you’re not. And here I was thinking you’d want the truth since you’re the mature adult here...”

     “The truth? Steve, you’re drunk--”

     “Oh, that’s familiar.” Biting laughter tore out of him, dark and humorless. “Because--because I remember when you got drunk and told me I was bullshit. That you didn’t love me and that you were just using me until someone else came along. And guess what? That was all true, Nance! Guess I am bullshit! But I don’t run off and cheat with the first guy who looks at me!”

     Several of the party-goers broke out into chatter, some seeming to stand behind Steve, most in support of Nancy. Overall it just seemed the majority of the onlookers were enjoying the drama unfolding, like some bizarre soap opera. Robin’s voice called out from somewhere behind him, but Steve ignored her, focusing instead on the angry look on Nancy’s perfect, prim little face.

     “Oh, wait--sorry. Sorry. I forgot; I’m not allowed to be the one who’s a mess. I don’t get to break apart and be the one falling down drunk. That’s your job. What’s wrong, Nance? You don’t like being the one to get shit-faced anymore? Did going off to college make you even more perfect and popular? God, whatever. You’re the one that’s bullshit. I’m getting another beer--maybe if I drink enough I can bring myself down to your level and forget I ever loved you, too.”

[sunderedhearts]

@mirageformed billy and steve investigate a haunted house 👻

     Every day felt like an odd dream, worse even than the nightmares Steve had each and every night. Originally he had figured it was just stress, the usual source of his bad dreams, but now he couldn’t be so sure. Halloween night had seen someone get abducted by a spectral form, vanishing into the fog somewhere near the woods. Steve was certain he had seen it, positive someone had gone missing, and while he couldn’t explain it away he knew he needed answers. He was just grateful people were actually humoring him, though he had the feeling Billy helped a lot with that. Without him on board, everyone he knew would just tell him he was being stupid, and ultimately Steve would believe it. 

     He wasn’t being stupid though--not really. Old newspaper clippings had given them the lead to check out the historical society, and while breaking in might be considered pretty idiotic, Steve didn’t care. They weren’t there to steal anything or cause any damage, they were just there to find out whatever they could. Any new information would be worth the trip.

     Dead leaves crunched underfoot as they walked, the frail beam from Steve’s flashlight illuminating only the slightest bit of ground ahead of them. Orange light filtered through the trees, cold, dying rays from the rapidly fading autumn sun. By the time they actually reached the house it would be full dark and uncomfortably cold, but Steve didn’t care. His thin jacket wasn’t nearly enough to combat the November chill, but even in the midst of a crisis it seemed he was ever a slave to fashion trends. Form over function, especially now that Billy was back in the picture. Had to leave an impression, after all.

     Patchy fog began to obscure the woods as the light died down, the recent rain likely to blame for the evening’s weather. Though it wasn’t dense, it added to the creepy ambience, and without thinking Steve took a step closer to Billy. He wasn’t entirely sure what good he’d be against an actual ghost, but the closeness made him feel better all the same.

     “I hope we find something here. I don’t even care what it is at this point. My head hurts and I just want something I can focus on.” Anything to stop the buzzing anxiety swirling around inside of him. “My dad used to talk about how important this place was, how like it told the whole story of our town and its legacy. But my family goes way back, so...pretty sure that’s what he really cares about. His name, preserved for the ages...”

     A sigh slipped past his lips, misting in the cold evening air. The ground beneath their feet began to slope downward, and Steve was extra mindful of where he stepped, hardly wanting to trip over a tree root or something equally as embarrassing and go tumbling down hill. Ahead of them the old house loomed up like some ancient beast in the darkness, the classic silhouette of every haunted house from every movie ever made. Steve believed he could practically hear it beckoning to its latest, unsuspecting victims, lulling them into its dark depths.

     “So, I probably should have thought of this sooner, but...how exactly are we getting in? It’s not like we can just walk in through the front door, and we’re not gonna be lucky enough to find an open window...”