#(what I mean: do not come into my house & try to say 'neil said the ox scene isn't sexual.' inaccurate + that's a whole suitcase to unpack)

[charcubed]

I NEEEED people—especially those with unfathomably large platforms???—to start doing just a tiny bit of internal evaluation before they log onto a blue website and say “I don’t want these queer characters to fuck in canon” or “I’d be fine if these characters never kissed again” or whatever.

This is a post about Good Omens and the prospect of Aziraphale and Crowley potentially having sex in season 3. It's a response to a tweet that I'm crossposting, but let it be known the above statement and this topic applies broadly across multiple fandoms too.

But anyway, in regards to Good Omens specifically:

I am seeing this take that essentially boils down to "Canon has now made it clear that these characters want to have sex with each other through subtext (i.e. Aziraphale and the ox), but I don’t want that to reach narrative completion because the idea of them having sex makes me uncomfortable or isn’t my personal preference” and it is, to put it mildly and delicately, A Very Bad Take.

This is rhetorical (and I do not expect or particularly want an answer), but: explain to me how and why queer characters who are unavoidably visibly queer (aka 2 "man-shaped beings") fucking on screen wouldn’t be a net positive, especially when you can indicate how canon has set it up.

Presumably, some people say things like this because ~they want to see them as visibly ace.~ Okay. But by some of these people’s own admission, there IS more evidence in canon now to indicate these characters crave sex with each other (vs arguing otherwise)... yet people would rather that be ignored/erased all for the sake of them feeling comfortable or feeling better about what canon shows or doesn’t show explicitly??

I’m sorry, but—speaking as an ace person, to be clear—your personal preferences for the story shouldn’t / don’t affect anything here. There’s too much in this.

Yeah, I understand on a personal level not having “representation.” I almost never see myself or my unique experiences and identity reflected in stories. And yet, I also understand that that doesn’t change any story or the world in which we live. Things like this are not said in a vacuum.

Any queer characters having sex on screen IS a net positive. It is rare and impactful, and openly calling for or hoping for otherwise when canon points to its potential is a detrimental alliance with purity culture, whether intentionally or accidentally. Because we live in a Goddamn society!

Who knows (other than Neil Gaiman) whether Aziraphale and Crowley ARE going to fuck on international TV. None of us do! But the subtext right now blatantly says they’re starving for it. And you don’t have to like the prospect of that, but honestly? We SHOULD get to see it play out. There’s no truly legitimate reason we shouldn’t ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Whether you "prefer" it or not.

And my ultimate hot take is… if someone balks at the idea of that or doesn’t understand the importance of it, despite even seeing the subtext… then they should perhaps unpack that? Just a thought.

Truly the way fandoms are managing to hit either “subtext doesn’t count :/ ” or “let’s keep it to subtext so it’s ‘open to interpretation’ :) ” nowadays depending on what corner one visits is MADDENING. Whiplash-inducing. Surreal. And so much nonsense you can’t pick where to start.

So! I do genuinely hope I'm not kicking off discourse but I felt this Needed To Be Said (and on more than one site). Because posts like “even if they never kiss again, we’ve won <3 “ make me want to be like…

These characters are YEARNING. Do not doom them and us to it. For once, we can reach for the stars and maybe–against all odds–pull them down. Embrace it!

---

[Update: after more discourse has occurred, I have somewhat elaborated on this further, from the POV of the significance of the queer themes in Good Omens and more specifically how they center illicit pleasure/desire]

[starseneyes]

Heart-Warmed and Teary-Eyed: Kindness Matters

I have a P.O. Box that I check once a week. Right now, I mostly use it for letter correspondence with my friend @always-coffee—a tremendous published poet and beautiful human I met by chance online.

Monday she said she mailed her latest letter. So, I stopped by the Post Office on the way home from dropping the kids at school on the off-chance it made it through USPS faster than normal.

I found no letter inside, but a flyer from the Post Office saying they were holding something for me that wouldn't fit in the box. I wondered if Ali had sent a letter that was too tall (because she has such amazing stationary). I had no idea what was about to happen.

I glimpsed the package as they pulled it from a cabinet and wondered what on earth Ali sent me. That was not a letter.

Then I saw The Golden Notebook Bookstore label and knew it was something @neil-gaiman related.

For those who don't know (normal people who don't follow Neil on social media, for example), that is the local bookstore near Neil's home in New York. He periodically signs books for them that are sold with zero markup.

I am a fan of Neil as a writer, but also as a human. I don't follow many celebrities—a side effect of my set-kid youth—but I did follow Neil last year during the WGA Strike. Been a fan of his for ages, and Neverwhere is my favorite book.

Ali knows all this, and I just knew she had done something sneakily sweet.

I rushed home with a smile on my face, trying desperately not to set off the speed-trap on the road back. Let me tell you, driving speed limit when excited is not easy for me!

When I finally whipped into my driveway and sprinted into my house, I carefully opened the package (more excruciating slowness) and tried not to cry happy tears when I saw what was inside. Wrapped tenderly in bubble-wrap rested... a book.

What You Need to be Warm is a poem Neil wrote that features illustrations from some of the best artists in the industry. That in itself is wonderful. But the mission of this little book is what is so amazing.

See, the sale of every copy supports UNHCR—the UN Refugee Agency. This book literally helps people when you buy it.

I have wanted to buy a copy for ages, but you all know I thrift and buy books secondhand. I didn't want to do that with this book.

I wanted to buy it outright to ensure the maximum amount of money went to support the cause. So, I have been waiting until we were a little more stable so I could buy it full-price, outright.

Thanks to Ali, I have a copy that was purchased outright (so it helps people in need) and it is signed!

Yes, it's a signed copy with pen bleed on the opposite page, and all.

I would never do something like this for myself. You all know I am woefully practical and doing things for myself isn't second-nature. I’m working on it, but it is slow coming reprogramming a lifetime of behavior. So gifts like this... oh, they mean everything.

I am overwhelmed with gratitude that such a kind soul would do something like this for me. Thank you, Ali.

[elliespillowprincess]

casual.

a/n: just wanted to let u guys know this fic is inspired by casual by chappel roan!! i think i did see someone else do this so if it seems like im copying i promise im not!! and comment below who made this idea originally!!

c/w: smut!, ellie’s a little toxic, not rlly a happy ending, super short

why you should not support neil druckmann.

listen to casual while u read!!

✮ ✮ ✮ ✮ ✮ ✮ ✮ ✮ ✮ ✮ ✮ ✮ ✮ ✮ ✮ ✮ ✮ ✮ ✮ ✮

“cmon baby, give it to me, that’s it. that’s my girl.” ellie’s hands are pumping inside you at an animalistic pace whilst she kisses you deeply. you’re in your room, music playing from your phone nearby. ellie had come by to eat takeout and watch a movie with you, and it always ended the same way: her deep in your cunt, guiding you through your orgasm, peppering you with praise and kisses, just to get up and leave right after.

you look over to the vase of flowers she got you the other day after your date at the aquarium. you didn’t really know what you were, just that you were something. in group settings she’d act like you didn’t exist, but would text you after to come over.

“please, y/n, come undone on me fuckkkkk.”

“you’re mine, got it? all fuckin mine.”

after she’d make you finish, she’d just get up and get dressed like nothing happened, like she wasn’t just praising you, getting you off, all for your benefit. if you beg her stay, she’d wait until you fell asleep to sneak out of your house, never being there to hold you through the night.

she acted like the two of you were nothing when you’re with your shared friend group, the two of you not even exchanging glances.

this is how it’s been, she’d treat you like a princess in private, and run away as soon as you finished. you wanted to keep your mouth shut, wanted to act like this didn’t bother you, be the cool girl that holds her tongue and gives her space.

but you weren’t.

because this wasn’t casual, you knew it wasn’t, you knew she knew it wasn’t.

but ellie was scared. she was scared of you, of the two of you actually being something. she liked the easiness, she wasn’t tied down to a relationship, she didn’t have any obligations, it was casual, easy.

she’s knuckle deep in you, praising you as you come undone on her fingers. you try to bring her to your face and kiss her, but she pulls away. “ellie, what- what is this?” you blurt. the sentence lingered in the air like a cloud of smoke, she felt as if she inhaled it and let the truth out everything would go wrong. she stared blankly at you, unsure of what to say back. she gets up, grabbing her things. you can tell she wants to say something but her lips are sealed as though superglue was spread across her lips. “ellie..?” as she’s reaching for the door and beginning to step out, she turns around for a moment.

“it’s casual, right?” she says before closing the door behind her. you were left speechless, naked in your bed and feeling dirty. you text your friends, telling them what just happened.

quinn: dude i’m sorry but you’re a loser

ava: why are you still hanging around her?

you silence your phone, not wanting to hear what they said, even if it was the truth.

you knew it was impossible to be casual with ellie. i mean, your favorite bra was in her dresser. the night she took you to a drive in movie and ice cream after, was the first time you went to her house. the two of you stayed up for hours, her making you finish multiple times. you stayed on the phone with joel for hours when she disappeared for a week, talking him down. how could this possibly be casual?

you let a few days go by, not texting ellie at all. it was giving you anger issues, like she was using you. maybe ellie was right, maybe it was just casual fun.

you open your phone, scrolling to find her contact that previously had hearts around her name, but was replaced by just her name after what she said.

y/n: baby will u get me off again?

els: i’m omw

[sappyspeare]

wymack and kevin hcs post-canon

currently writing a 5+1 of kevin and his dad trying to talk to each other without screaming and crying (mostly on kevin's part). so here are some hcs that i cant fit into it

after Kevin goes pro and Wymack retires and moves in with Abby, there is always obviously room for their foxes, but a small, single room for Kevin. it's unspoken that that is for Wymacks son, Kevin Day. he tells everyone who comes into the house that it's his son's room but they can use it while he's gone. Kevin will always stay there and they never talk about it.

They do eventually talk about Kayleigh. Wymack helps Kevin by telling him stories about his insane girl boss mother and they have a good cry about it.

Wymack Abby and some new foxes are watching a pro game where Kevin is playing and there's a moment where Kevin stands with his hands on his hips and yells at a player and all the foxes are like omg. it's mini wymack and wymack threatens to put them through a marathon

Wymack goes to all of Kevin's games. no matter where it is or when it is, he will be there because he is a proud father first and foremost

There is always a front-row seat kevin keeps for his father

Kevin calls Wymack every week to update him on life and stuff. the new foxes realise that wymack is significantly happier after a 20-minute call in the privacy of his office once a week

Wymack walks Dan down the aisle according to EC but have you considered he does it for Kevin too. because those two are his Kids bro

Wymack loves seeing how close Kevin and Abby are because i said so

Kevin and Abby try very hard to get Wymack to stop smoking and drinking and Abby is nice and patient and Kevin is ofc a bitch about it

anytime its a holiday Kevin Andrew and Neil will always come to see him. the others will come too but those 3 will come first and leave last

when Kevin gets his hall of fame moment he dedicates it to the man who taught him how to love the game and himself aka his dad and lets just say wymack needs a moment

kevin gets more tattoos over the years and also looks more like wymack as he gets older

sometimes when kevins in town wymack lets him run foxes practice and its always fun for the kids to see them standing next to each other, father and son because it just looks so Right until Kevin yells at them to run faster or get off the court

Wymack keeps in touch with all his foxes, but Kevin later learns that he also keeps contact with Jean which makes him. so happy because finally Jean has more good influences in his life

ALSO their first father son heart to heart is after rikos funeral where wymack is like 'so. do you want to get blackout drunk' and kevin obviously agrees

Kevin starts calling wymack Dad or sometimes Father after he graduates . sometimes he refers to him as Coach in interviews or in public but everyone knows who he means

Wymack buys the first racquet for Kevin's daughter (she exists in the EC)

(also i dont like thea. sorry. so smth smth kevin adopts a little baby girl and single-dads so hard that wymack is put to shame)

wymack loves his granddaughter like crazy and spoils the shit out of her

Kevin takes a rough hit during a game and Wymack almost charges into the court to take out the punk who tried to hurt his kid

wymack often gets badgered by media trying to get comments about kevin or the other foxes post-graduating and going pro and if hes in the mood he will give them a line about how proud he is of x kid but in such a cryptic way that only that kid could know what he means

this is especially true for neil and andrew but sometimes kevin calls him the next day like 'did u have to talk about the time i did X when they asked u for a comment on my game' and wymack is like. yes. next question

Wymack and Kevin argue a lot it is their love language

but god forbid you talk shit about David Wymack in front of Kevin or in any public space because not only are you bringing down the wrath of the Foxes on you, Kevin Day is a petty bitch and will ruin your life, your career, and your will to live if you fuck with his dad

and vice versa because who the fuck do you think you are messing with david wymack's kid?

TRAUMA ALERT: in the EC it says neil only cries when he gets the call about wymack. but consider: kevin has to make the call. goodnight

ok im done now i just have a lot of feelings

[your-nanas-house]

𝓦𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝔀𝓮, 𝓲𝓭𝓲𝓸𝓽?

◇ Pairing: Neil Lewis X best friend!Reader

◇ Warnings: fluff, sadness, mean parents, Neil's made up childhood, friends to lovers, kiss, tuna

◇ Summary: Neil has to bring his girlfriend to the Christmas dinner with his family, the problem?... He doesn't have one so he asks his best friend.

◇ Note: Another amazing collaboration with @mrkdvidal1989. First fic of the new "event" 'From love to Love'.

Neil froze hearing his mother's words over the phone. His eyes widened in shock while Y/n walked in front of him, peacefully sorting out movies while humming. Unaware that her best friend was just going through a hurricane of thoughts at the ridiculous demand of his mother.

You take her or don't bother to come, she said, and after not getting any response for a couple seconds, she hung up with a sigh of annoyance. He knew how his mother was but usually… he didn't care too much. Usually the whole family would just pick on him “playfully” because of the fact that he was still single, just running his store for a living. Suddenly breathing got heavier and the humiliation set in, as he sighed moving quickly. Passing by Y/n, he rushed to his office, in need of a moment to deal with his own feelings.

“I can’t” were the first words that left Neil’s mouth since the call ended, it was crazy and dangerous and he was pretty much regretting having picked up the phone that morning, he would have lived better without knowing those annoying news. 

He had to go back “home” for Christmas… back to his childhood house more like, as he never truly felt there like home. After a couple of years now going there just to spend Christmas all together like they used to do. A fucking nightmare. How could he survive, he thought, his hands covering his face in pure desperation, so worried and pissed to go there… he was off age, why couldn’t he do what he wanted?

That’s how his colleague and friend found him, leaned on his desk, at the edge of crying.

”Man, I'm just trying to help.” Jonathan shrugged, after he came quickly to the Gumshoe right after Y/n’s shift ended, passing by her at the door with a smile. Neil huffed with helplessness. He knew that his friends just wanted to help him with the issue, but nevertheless it was.. more than frustrating. Pacing back and forth he stroked the hair at the nape of his neck, thinking intensely. Looking… for a solution that wouldn't require making himself look like a fool in front of his best friend.

“And how the fuck am I supposed to ask her, huh? Not that I intend to.” Neil hissed, gesticulating in desperation “I can’t do that! Especially not to her, I have been stuck celebrating all those awful events, forced by my parents… She would come willingly. That would be—” Jonathan interrupted him quickly, shaking his head “Man, calm down! we don’t even know if she can, I’m just telling you that you should try. You always say that everything is way more fun when she’s around so why not try to fight this by using her..help, huh?” the man suggested, proud of himself as he waited for Neil’s reaction “she even likes to dress up and trust me, bet she would be way happier to come with you there than to participate at another of the events here in the show” he commented quietly.

”How can you know that?” Neil snapped, as he registered only the first part of the sentence, his mind jumping to the conclusion that Jonathan was spending a lot of time with her. Jealousy racing through his veins in a second. 

Seeing it, Jonathan rolled his eyes at the reaction. 

”Yeah, and maybe.. maybe you two could sort that weird… “friendship” out.” He suggested, gesturing in the air as he spoke. ”No need to get snappy, man. She seems to like only one geek, and you already took that spot.” He joked eventually, wanting to ease the atmosphere. It worked, as Neil smiled weakly. 

It was true, they were friends ever since Neil approached her in the third grade asking about the sandwich she had. For her the tuna sandwich was the grossest thing in the world, but little Neil had shiny eyes at the thought of it. She called him gross and he pushed her. That's how their friendship started, ironically. 

She sure was perfect and that way Neil wouldn’t have ruined their every-year plans.. Christmas Eve together and a quick meeting at Christmas, like always. They could spend even more time together if she agreed to go with him.

Huffing, he sat down in the armchair as he ran his hand through his dark hair. Was it really a good idea? he wondered silently, glancing a couple of times towards Jonathan, who was still standing there awkwardly. Even if she wasn’t in the store anymore, he should have called or gone to her apartment but… he couldn’t leave Gumshoe, right? 

He remained lost in his thoughts for a couple of minutes, coming back to reality hearing a soft knock on his office door. His baby blue eyes snapped up as he sat better on his chair, surprised to see Y/n back there, a smile on her face. “Sorry to interrupt the …meeting, I just left my scarf in your office Neil, so I came back to get it. It’s pretty cold outside, I was freezing…” she revealed continuing to ramble while walking to the small sofa in his office, grabbing her scarf before heading back to the door. Neil was forced now to ask her, it looked really like faith. 

“Weenie—” he spoke abruptly, making her stop mid step, and turn around to face him with a raised eyebrow, the nickname catching her attention immediately like every time, just like the way he said it. Instead of the casual, easygoing tone of his, he sounded.. nervous and awkward. The tone that Y/n knew too well, which piqued her interest just as much as the old nickname that they have been using for several years. “What, dink?” she asked with a soft smile on her face. Jonathan just staring at them with wide eyes and toothy grin, seeing how the stare they shared couldn’t be one of just friends.

Neil looked at his feet awkwardly, not knowing how to start. 

”Yeah, tell her, Dink.” Jonathan mocked playfully, earning a soft slap on the back of his head from Y/n, who scolded him and reminded him that she was the only one that could call Neil like that and he should have respect for his own boss. One stern glance from Neil was enough to make him lift his hands in surrender.

”Alright, alright. I got the message.” He said, slowly heading to the door. 

Just before the door closed shut, he shot Neil one last look that was basically saying “tell her, idiot!” 

A sigh pushed past the nervous man's lips as he was left alone with his best friend in the office. Neil had no energy and will to play around the topic, so he just took a deep breath approaching her closer. 

”Look… if I had any different choice, I wouldn't… I wouldn't try to pull you into it..” He started off, sitting on the desk in front of her, looking down at his hands, making her quite nervous. But without a second thought she lifted his chin with her hand, making him look in her eyes. 

”You can pull me into anything as long as you follow, you know that— Stop being so nervous, now, I’m starting to fear that it’s something big and concerning” She urged, feeling that something wasn't right… not with how he was trying to avoid eye contact with her. 

”Are you involved with the mafia, Dink?” She held back a giggle, using her best poor Italian accent to try to ease the tension and his mood, successfully as he giggled back. 

“Are you trying to perform as Robert De Niro, now?” he huffed amused “You are still doing it wrong” Neil added, commenting on her performance “Lies, you’re just jealous of my skills. Bet someone could actually mistake me for him, bit of makeup and I look just like him” she joked, her smiles switching slowly into a soft one when Neil spoke softly to deny it “You are beautiful… so shut up” he quickly added the last part to ease the awkward tension. She chuckled as well, sighing as she sat at the chair in front of the desk.

”So.. tell me. What do you need, Neil?” Y/n asked seriously this time, so he mirrored her body language. 

”Okay so… My mother said… well, more like forced me? Obligated me… to bring at the christmas dinner a girlfriend and… and she said that if I don't I.. I shouldn't even come.” He stuttered out nervously again, glancing at Y/n as she kept listening to him while nodding. She didn't say anything, as she knew that it wasn't the end of the story. Neil knew it too. 

”andithoughtthatyoucouldgowithme” he spat out really quickly, breathing deeply just at the end of the sentence, almost passing out. 

Y/n tried not to laugh at that, nodding as if she understood everything he said to her “Now.. I have known you for years, Dink. I know what you said but you know how much I like to see you in such a state, huh. Ask it better” she requested, humming while crossing her legs smugly, waiting for Neil’s next move.

He scoffed at that, of course she wanted that... and he was going to give it to her like every time “Fine! You dick.. Would you come with me… please” he asked, showing her his pleading eyes, earning a chuckle from her “First, I’m not a dick. Second… of course I will, you dork” she answered, leaving a couple of seconds of silence before giving him her final answer, creating suspense between them.

Neil was just nodding sadly, sighing softly as his hand rested on her small shoulder, patting it twice “I know that you would have….wait what—” he raised his voice quickly, his eyes snapping to hers as his mood changed completely “You’re not joking, right?” he asked to make sure he could celebrate his victory. Y/n just rolled her eyes before she got up, kissing his cheek exaggerating the noise. 

”I’m not, but now I need to run if I want to make it to the bus. See you later, send me the details.” She said quickly, running through the door with a smile. 

Neil sat there in silence for a moment before exhaling loudly. Then a slow smile appeared on his lips. 

. *time lapse* .

The snow kept falling down on them as they waited in front of the big mansion, looking at each other every now and then

”You can do it… we can do it. Together.’’ she reminded him as soon as she felt his nervousness, squeezing his hand in her own. 

Neil exhaled, straightening his back as he glanced at her. She nodded, and they went to the door, knocking before they'd change their mind. Here we go, no backing away now. Neil knocked, and they waited a couple seconds before steps approached the door, swinging them open and showing the silhouette of Neil's mother. 

”Oh, Neil… you're here.” She said with a fake smile plastered on her face. Then her gaze fell on Y/n and her eyes shone with respect. Y/n really was a pretty girl, nice features, styled hair and a very pleasant body, she was also all dolled up like Neil asked her, just for that dinner… ready to support her best friend as best she could. ”..and who's that?” the older woman asked, reaching out to Y/n, who shook her hand with a smile. 

”That’s Y/n. My.. girlfriend.” Neil informed his mother, stuttering for a second, glancing at Y/n when the word girlfriend left his mouth. 

His mother just nodded, lifting her chin up higher with a smaller smile.

”Come in.” She said, opening the door wider and closing them behind them.

It will be a long night, Y/n thought seeing the rudeness in his mother's eyes. 

. *couple hours later* .

Y/n clenched her jaw again that night, hearing the two-sided comments towards Neil. He was quiet most of the time.. before he wasn't, as his younger brother threw an insult towards Y/n this time. 

”Watch your fucking mouth.” He barked at him suddenly, surprising everyone by the table. His father's eyes widened, and a little smile appeared on his lips. George gasped in shock, as it never happened before that Neil would actually stand up for himself. He'd either ignore him or just stutter out some insult back. 

”Neil” His mother scolded another time throughout the dinner, and Y/n was fed up. She scooted back, and the chair squeaked, scratching the wooden floor from the sudden movement. 

”Are you serious? This little brat insults him all night and you won't say anything, but when Neil stands up for me, you dare to scold him?” Y/n spoke up in a harsh, stern tone. The icy gaze in her eyes was enough to make everyone go quiet. 

”I… I..” His mother stuttered out, still shocked. 

Neil got up suddenly, heading to the door as he needed some fresh air. That whole “Christmas” dinner was a nightmare. 

Y/n and Mrs. Lewis kept glaring at each other, and as the older woman opened her mouth to continue arguing, her husband's fist slammed at the table, startling her. 

”Enough! Are you happy with ruining our Christmas dinner?” His low voice boomed at her, as he had enough of her backhanded compliments and rude talk. Seeing the situation, Y/n decide to leave as well, grabbing one of the tuna sandwiches from the plate standing on the table, fully knowing that Neil didn't manage to eat anything. Just some baked potatoes but she stole most of them from him. Rushing through the corridor, Y/n noticed that his jacket was gone, so she didn't hesitate to get out of the house. 

Looking around, her heart pounded, not seeing him anywhere. Only as she looked at the other side of the road she noticed him, sitting on the bench despite the cold wind and falling snow. 

He was visibly upset, with red cheeks and nose, tucked into his big jacket to keep some warm, and snowflakes in his dark hair… he looked beautiful. Even more than usual, she thought. 

Even though she was heading to him, he didn't hear her steps or the crunching of snow under the sole of her boots. Only when she stood in front of him, Neil looked up at her face with teary eyes, making her expression soften. 

She didn’t say anything, just moved her arm to show him what she was hiding under her coat, a small smile on her face. Neil looked at her, glancing down at the thing she was offering to him, a smile breaking on his face as well.

“A gross tuna sandwich for the grosser boy I know” she sang, moving the food closer to Neil, her cold flushed cheeks making her look like a kid “Come on… take a bite or do you need me to feed you, huh?” She teased, handing him the sandwich after she moved it in tiny circles in front of his face, so that he could sniff its smell. 

Neil grabbed it, brushing his warm hands against her cold ones before sticking out his tongue like a kid, just like when he was younger.

Y/n watched him take it,  before she sat down on the cold bench next to him. She didn’t talk, just leaned her head on his shoulder, sneaking her hand in his pocket to hold his bigger one in hers.

They stayed like that for some minute, in silence and now in each other’s arms ‘’Don’t listen to them, Dink…’’ she whispered, watching his side profile as he ate his sandwich. Neil was clearly lost in his mind for a while as they just sat there, getting covered with snow. Several minutes passed before Y/n attempted to talk again. 

”I don't regret coming here with you.” She confessed, making him look at her, surprise written all over his face. 

”How come?” He asked, confused. Neil couldn't think of a single reason for why she would actually be happy about coming on the Christmas dinner to his family. It went.. horrible. 

Y/n shrugged, playing with his big long fingers. 

”I mean… I don't know.” She backed off a little, feeling a little ashamed of her confession. Neil could see that she wanted to say something else, but doubt crept up her mind. He grabbed her chin suddenly, surprising her and himself as well, making her look in his baby blue eyes that looked even more charming with the white snow in the background. 

”Tell me.” He asked more like commanded in a quiet voice. Suddenly the atmosphere between them got more.. intimate than fragile like before. His gaze didn't falter for a second, as he boldly starred in her eyes. 

Y/n felt like that moment would pass soon if she didn't take the change.

”I.. I liked.. playing your girlfriend.” She spoke up, matching the volume of his voice. Neil’s eyes shifted down, looking at all the features of her face separately, carefully and taking his time. The intention in his eyes was visible, and made Y/n’s breath deepen as her heart started pounding in her chest. 

”I like it too.” He whispered, subconsciously leaning in, reducing the distance between them with each second. 

Without a second of doubt, Y/n moved closer, tilting her head up so he could reach her lips more easily. 

Even though they both knew it was coming, the sensation that went through their bodies was.. shocking. Knowing each other for years, neither of them would expect to feel… such fireworks while kissing. 

Her soft lips moved against his slowly, sensually without any rush. Neil was completely frozen, not moving at all as he didn't want to ruin the moment. Y/n wasn't as shy, as her hand reached his cheek to keep him closer. In their minds the kiss lasted for hours, yet it was barely a minute before they ran out of oxygen. Parting in need of a breath, Neil leaned his forehead on hers, letting out a shaky breath. Silence between them lasted for a couple minutes.

”Neil…” She started out.

”I know.” He cut her off, earning a chuckle. 

”Neil…” She started again ”If you don't confess that you love me, right now… I'm afraid I'm going to throw up. I feel your tuna in my mouth.” She whispered, making him burst into laughter. 

Shaking his head he grabbed her face in his hands, his eyes shiny and hair a mess, hanging over his forehead. 

”I love you, Y/n.” He said, still smiling so widely, and she giggled out loudly. 

”I love you too, Dinky…. I'm freezing by the way, could we go back inside? Not in the dining room but maybe in your room. I was always curious to see your childhood bedroom” she revealed, a bit too eager to know more about Neil's past.

With that the young woman stood up, offering her now hopefully boyfriend her hand. It took Neil a couple of seconds to take her hand finally, since the priorities came first, aka his tuna sandwich, leading her himself back towards the house and upstairs to his bedroom. 

Nothing had changed much during the years, his little brother George received more useless stuff while her older sister Margaret wasn't living there anymore so her useless stuff was all in her own house.

As soon as they walked in the bedroom, Neil made sure to lock the door, past trauma of people walking in his room without asking just to annoy or piss him off came quickly back. Y/n didn't seem to mind though, her eyes kept wandering around as her hands worked on the buttons of her coat “I have a gift for you by the way” she informed Neil with a smile, her beautiful eyes now stopping back on him “but…I won't give it to you till you go wash your teeth. I don't want to risk getting another tuna kiss” she murmured, shivering at the idea, making Neil laugh and nod as he headed to his own small personal bathroom to do as she said.

Coming out again, his eyes locked with hers— she was now sitting on his bed, leg crossed with a small rectangular present next to her body. A small smile on her face. “Come on, open your gift, Dink” She encouraged him, watching how he walked closer with a childlikeness hidden in his eyes.

Neil carefully took the wrapped object, working on the paper to open it carefully, stealing glances at Y/n who was watching him with his same mood.

“You like it?” The young woman asked softly, studying her best friend's reaction “it's an old noir movie… I heard your discussion about it with Jonathan in the Gumshoe and I managed to find it.” She added anxiously, seeing no clear reaction from him. Her lips parted for the third time, ready to ask for clarification again but she didn't need to, since Neil's lips pressed against hers— his arms wrapping around her smaller frame as his big hand cupped the back of her head to keep her in place. It really looked like one of those kisses characters shared in old movies… so rich of passion and love.

The position was quite uncomfortable though, so they changed it after a couple of seconds, his arms now holding her hips firmly against his body and her arms hugging his neck to keep him closer to her. No tuna this time.

Taglist:

@gabile18 , @mrsfullbuster500 , @rex-ray , @elizamalfoyy, @eovjjj @wife-of-magic-monkeys , @jeremiah-va1eska , @gothamchic16, @rabbiteggz , @dieg0brandos-wife , @rottenecstasy , @lazyexcuse , @teh-vampire-bunny , @lobotomy-lover , @slasher-smasher , @sleepycreativewriter , @mrkdvidal1989

[half-oz-eddie]

One week after being taken in by Joyce and Jim, Billy's found it hard to kick his old habits.

He's found himself rather dependent on drugs and alcohol. So, he does what he usually does to deal with time at home— he gets high and drunk.

He always did it to numb himself, mind and body. So he wouldn't feel the punches. So the screams wouldn't sound so loud. So his body could still feel relaxed in frightening situations. So he could still sleep at night after facing the waking nightmare which was Neil hargrove.

He didn't need to do it anymore, but he still did.

Jim wasn't trying to smother the boy. Eighteen's still an adult, even if he's a kid in Jim's eyes. So he just...waits for Billy to eventually come home, hoping to God he doesn't have to go out looking for him.

10:30 PM...11:42...12:20...1:35...

2:32AM, Billy finally stumbles in the house, quite noisily. His keys hit the floor, he mumbles curses under his breath, he bumps into the coffee table because he's not used to navigating this house in the dark just yet.

He sighs in annoyance and just plops down on the couch. He's already feeling a little uneasy because he made so much noise.

Jim surfaces from his bedroom and sits next to Billy. He shines a flashlight in his face, answered by a groan and the quick reflex of Billy slapping the flashlight away.

"You're wasted, aren't you?" Jim assumes. "Joyce has been worried sick about you. I stayed up all night waiting because she sat by the window waiting to see you park in the driveway."

"Mmh." Billy groans. He's not coherent enough to respond, to apologize.

"How the hell did you drive like this?!" Jim questions.

"I do it all'a time. S'no big deal."

"It's a big deal. Are you crazy? You could've gotten yourself killed!"

"So what?"

"So what?! Billy! How do you think we would feel if something happened to you?"

"I'unno. I just got here. Wouldn't matter."

"It would matter. Jane loves you. Will and Jonathan really like having you here, and Joyce, psh, forget it. You're her baby, just like her other boys. She knows what you went through and all she wants to do is take care of you."

Billy whimpers in response before a soft sniffle can be heard.

Jim places a comforting hand on Billy's shoulder. "Don't cry, alright? Let's sober you up so you can say goodnight to Joyce."

"M'kay." Billy nods.

Jim makes him a cup of coffee and a sandwich.

"Listen. You don't have to check out whenever you come home. Things're different now. It'll be nice if you're present so we can feel like a family."

"You don't need a screw up like me in your family."

"We're all screw ups, Billy. We've all screwed up in one way or another, or been screwed over by life. That's what makes our family so great. We understand each other."

Silence filled the kitchen. The kitchen clock ticked and the lightbulb above them softly buzzed.

"Sorry." Billy finally said. "I'm not used to this."

"I know. You want some cookies and milk?"

"I'm not a kid." Billy rolled his eyes.

"You're my kid. And you can have cookies and milk if you want 'em."

Billy chuckled. "I guess I do want them."

"Atta boy." Jim excitedly opened up a pack of Oreos and poured himself and Billy some milk.

They'd eaten nearly half the package when they heard someone clear their throat.

They both turned to see Joyce standing in the doorway, her arms folded over her robe.

"Having a late night snack, are we?"

"Sorry." Jim apologized. "Did we wake you?"

"No. I was already up. I went to check Billy's room to see if he'd come home and...here he is with you, eating all the snacks."

"I'll replace the oreos." Jim promised.

"I don't care about the oreos, honey. I'm just glad you're home." She said, smiling at Billy. "I was worried you wouldn't come back, then I wouldn't know if you were safe or taking care of yourself."

Billy frowned. "I didn't mean to worry you. I-I swear I won't do it again."

"I hope not." She approached him and kissed his forehead, then snatched the oreo out of his hand and dipped it in his milk, before shoving the whole cookie into her mouth.

Billy laughed as she strutted away, bidding a quiet goodnight before returning to bed.

"I guess I'd better turn in too." Jim said with a stretch as he stood. "What about you?"

"Yeah. I think I'm gonna do the same."

"Goodnight, kid."

"G'night dad."

They looked at each other wide-eyed. Billy didn't mean to call him dad. Not this soon.

"Sorry was that...that was weird, right?"

"Not to me. Whatever makes you feel comfortable."

They smiled at each other before heading to their rooms.

Billy snickered at the pajama set Joyce had laid out for him on his bed. He hadn't worn a pajama set since he was 8 years old, but the red lounge pants and matching cotton shirt were so soft, and the made bed was even softer.

He didn't want to feel numb anymore. He wanted to feel the comfort of his bed, and the warmth of his loving family.

[kiss-me-cill-me]

Cup of Coffee and a VHS | Pt. 2

Start with Pt. 1 HERE!

Pairing: Neil Lewis x Reader Coffee Shop!AU

Word Count: 2k

Warnings: Lucien is a bit of a jerk, but other than him this is all just fluff and Neil being a dork.

Neil returned to your shop a few days later, borrowed scarf in hand and ready to try another one of your concoctions. 

“Surprise me,” he said, hanging up his jacket - which you were glad to see he remembered to wear - on the coat rack by the door. 

“Mmm, you weren’t really a fan of the last thing I surprised you with,” you reminded him.

It had been a busy day at the cafe, but things had quieted down now. You usually closed a few hours after the lunch rush, and you were only planning to be open for about another twenty minutes. Not that you were in any hurry to rush Neil out.

“Yeah, but I still kind of like surprises,” Neil insisted. “They can’t all be winners, but that’s all part of the experience.”

“Oh, so you’re saying my coffee is bad?” you teased.

“I’m saying that all coffee is bad,” Neil replied, making a face. “Yours was actually the most tolerable I’ve ever tried.”

You laughed. You were quickly learning that Neil, sweet as he was, was far from being a smooth talker. He seemed to dig himself into a hole more often than not.

“Wow, ‘tolerable,’” you echoed. “That’s one of the best reviews I’ve ever gotten.”

“I don’t- I didn’t mean it like that,” Neil sputtered. 

“Relax,” you laughed. “I’m just giving you a hard time. One non-coffee, coming up.”

You set about filling a kettle and putting it on the hot plate to boil. You were going to try tea for Neil’s next drink, thinking that maybe he’d like that better. You glanced over at the flavored syrups you had in stock, wondering if he would enjoy any of them. Or maybe it would be better to go with plain sugar, or maybe honey, and let the tea speak for itself.

“My buddy Lucien is a total coffee snob, and he really likes your Americanos,” Neil offered.

You remembered Lucien. He had been in the shop a few times. Become somewhat of a regular, actually, with the fairly odd habit of insisting on writing his own name on all his to-go cups. He struck you as snobby, but harmless enough. You figured he was probably just sick of baristas misspelling a name that hadn’t been given to anyone since the eighteenth century. 

“Well, I’m glad someone around here appreciates me,” you joked, setting a steaming mug down in front of Neil. He had taken his usual seat at the counter.

“I appreciate a warm drink, too,” Neil said. “But! I am paying you for this one.”

You waved your hand as Neil took his first sip, his shoulders instantly relaxing as he swallowed the warm liquid. You had settled on adding just a dash of vanilla syrup.

“On the house,” you insisted.

“I’m not trying to run you out of business,” Neil began.

“But, you didn’t like your last drink, so that one doesn’t really count,” you pressed. “Hot water and a bag of tea costs, like, twenty cents. I’m not gonna sell it to you at a two hundred percent markup. Now, Lucien on the other hand…”

Neil laughed, and you had to bite your cheek to keep from smiling too broadly. You were wary of laying it on too thick, but Neil was too fun to flirt with for you to abstain entirely. And it really wasn’t hurting you to give him a couple of free drinks…

“Still, I don’t want to take advantage of your generosity,” Neil said.

“Well, what if we did a little exchange?” you suggested. Neil leaned forward in his seat. “I don’t know much about movies, but I’m guessing you do.” 

Neil shrugged, mimicking modesty while giving you a knowing look. His side-eye made you swoon, a little more than you should have.

“I’ve been known to dabble,” he admitted.

“So how about you suggest me a movie as payment for the drink?” you offered.

Neil considered it as he took another sip of his tea.

“Hmmm, that is a tall order,” he joked, sitting on his hands as he rocked back a bit.

“Think you’re up for it?”

“I think it could be arranged,” he relented. “But, you’d have to stop by Gumshoe to pick it up.”

“Deal,” you agreed.

Neil took another sip of tea.

“Better than the coffee?” you asked, motioning to his cup.

“Better, but… I’m not sure I’m really a tea person, either,” Neil admitted.

“Next time you should tell me what you actually like,” you laughed. 

Neil made a face.

“But where’s the fun in that?”

“The fun is that you get to drink something that doesn’t make you gag when you think I’m not looking,” you teased. Then added, “you’re not very subtle, Neil.”

It was so easy to make Neil blush that you almost felt bad doing it. Almost. He tried to hide his pink face by taking another sip from the mug, loudly slurping in some kind of effort to pull the attention away from his embarrassment. 

“Well,” Neil said, setting his empty mug down. “I should get going, but feel free to stop by whenever. We’re open late.”

“Three-in-the-morning-late?” you joked.

“Not that late,” Neil laughed, rolling his eyes. 

“Maybe I’ll stop by tomorrow?”

“Sounds good,” agreed Neil.

He tapped the counter as he stood up, and made his way over to the door. As was becoming your habit, you came out from behind the counter to send him off. 

“Oh! I almost forgot.” Neil looked down at the scarf he was still clutching in his hand. “Don’t want you to go without your scarf for another day.”

Neil unfolded the scarf and wrapped it around you, just like you had done for him a few days ago. He held onto the ends, pulling it snug, and stayed like that for a moment longer than was necessary.

“Thank you again for letting me borrow this,” Neil muttered, letting the ends of the scarf fall from his hands. “And I’m serious about paying you back; you’d better stop by.”

“I will,” you promised. “Tomorrow.”

Neil smiled and gave you a short wave as he exited the cafe again. You realized after he left that your heart was beating wildly; so fast that you could feel it inside your chest. You wrapped the scarf a little tighter, and hurried to close up shop for the day, your steps feeling just a little more airy.

The following afternoon, bundled in your cold-weather gear, you made the trek down the street to Gumshoe Video after closing up your shop. The air was biting against your cheeks, and you were grateful that Neil had returned your scarf. You buried into it a little deeper, and caught a whiff of an unfamiliar cologne. 

You smiled. It was woodsy but also sweet. The bell above the door rang as you let yourself into Neil’s store.

“Hey - coffee girl,” a familiar voice called as you entered the store. Not Neil’s.

You looked up to see Lucien, standing behind the counter. You wondered briefly if the “coffee girl” nickname was a spur-of-the-moment thing, or if he and Neil ever talked about you, but you quickly shook away the thought.

“Lucien, you work here?” you asked.

You stepped farther into the store, briefly scanning the endless shelves of VHS tapes. So many movies. You stopped at the counter and rested your elbows on the glass top.

“Unfortunately,” droned Lucien. He lowered his voice, whispering. “My boss is kind of a dick.”

“I think I’m, uh… actually here to see your boss.”

“Oh. That’s right.” Before you had a chance to ask what that meant, Lucien called out, shouting toward the back of the store. “Neil! Coffee girl here to see you!”

Okay, you weren’t loving that nickname. But before you had a chance to say anything else, Neil appeared from a back room, smiling broadly and holding his arms out to greet you.

“Heyyyy!” Neil came over to your side of the counter, standing beside you and leaning on one elbow. “Glad you could make it. Lucien, don’t give rude nicknames to the customers.” “But you’re the one who-”

“It’s nice to see you,” Neil cut Lucien off, turning his attention to you. “Welcome to Gumshoe.”

“Thanks,” you replied. “It’s nice to finally visit. You have a ton of movies; wow.”

A whispering voice to your left hissed out: “Neil, is that the girl?” 

You hadn’t noticed, but there was a third man in the room, lounging on one of the couches in front of a TV set that was playing a black-and-white movie. He was looking up expectantly at Neil, who whirled around to glare at him.

“Jonathan,” Neil hissed.

“Sorry. Is that… a… girl?” Jonathan corrected. 

Neil turned back around, raking an exasperated hand through his hair. You stifled a giggle.

“Sorry,” Lucien said sardonically. “We’re all a little out of sorts since Neil broke up with his girlfriend.”

“Lucien,” Neil whispered, practically begging the other man to shut up. “You are not helping!”

Privately, your heart skipped a beat. The news that Neil was single excited you more than you knew it should have. You suddenly felt grateful for Lucien’s horrid social skills.

“Suddenly,” Neil said, glaring at both of his friends, “I just remembered I need both of you to run inventory. In my office.”

“But there’s nothing to-”

“Inventory!” Neil barked, pointing in the direction of the back room.

Jonathan and Lucien slunk off, both throwing not-so-subtle looks in your and Neil’s direction. Neil tried to compose himself, and turned back to face you.

“Sorry about them,” he apologized. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair again.

“Sorry to hear about you and your girlfriend,” you offered, even as your heart was still pounding from the excitement.

“Oh, don’t be.” Neil waved his hand. “Like I said, it was kind of a long time coming, and… It’s really fine.”

“I can come back another time…”

“No!” Neil said, a little too sharply. “No, no - this is perfect. I actually have your movie right here.”

He disappeared behind the counter for a moment, leaning down to fetch the VHS he had picked out for you. He handed it over, and you looked down at the cover.

“Ooh, The Shining,” you mused. “I’ve never seen it.”

“You’re in for a treat, then,” Neil beamed. “Classic horror. Stanley Kubrick. And perfect to watch during the snowstorm this weekend.”

You knew enough about the film’s plot to know that he was correct. You wondered if Neil had taken such a minor detail as the weather into consideration when picking out this movie. It seemed like the kind of thing he would do.

“I’m excited to watch it,” you smiled. “Thank you for your ‘payment.’”

Neil smiled back, and swung around the counter to join you once again on the other side. He stood a little closer to you than he had before, and you felt your heart beat loudly, thundering against your ribs.

“I hope this doesn’t mean you’ll stop coming to the cafe so I can test out drinks on you, though,” you told him. “Just because this makes us even. I still need to find something you actually like.”

“Of course not,” Neil agreed. “I can always pay you in more movie recommendations.”

You tucked the VHS tape Neil had given you into your bag, taking the few seconds that your face was turned away from him as an opportunity to smile like an idiot. You looked back up, trying to relax and put on a more neutral expression, with questionable levels of success.

“Before I go,” you started. “Will you please give me some kind of clue about what you like? I don’t want to keep making you drinks that you hate.”

Neil shrugged. 

“I dunno; I like sweet stuff, I guess,” he replied. “The more sugar, the better.”

Somewhere from deeper in the store, either Jonathan or Lucien let out a wolf whistle. Clearly they hadn’t made it all the way into Neil’s office. You couldn’t help laughing as Neil rolled his eyes.

“Something sweet, huh? I think that can be arranged,” you said.

You and Neil exchanged goodbyes as you left the store, bell ringing again on your way out. Outside, you could barely feel the cold air on your cheeks, for the way they burned red-hot after being around Neil.

Read Pt. 3 HERE!

[justmeinadaze]

We're A Family Part 8 (Steddie X You)

A/N: This chapter is kind of more Eddie based than Steddie but both are still present and cute with Aurora and Dylan. I know in past chapters Eddie has always been very good with Dylan and kind of comes off more as like the fun dad so I wanted to write a chapter that explores more of the protective side of him when it comes to the reader's son. He's shown it of course with the reader and Aurora when he found out she was pregnant so :)

Warnings: This is more of an angsty chapter with fluff and some smut. There is mediation again between the reader and Charlie with lawyers and he degrades her (calls her a slut/whore). He does something extremely stupid when it comes to Dylan (Hopper has to get involved) so her son calls Eddie to help him. Eddie alludes to certain details when it comes to life before Wayne.

Word Count: 3261

“Are you kidding me?! She’s fucking two men, changed her name like that makes her fantasy scenario real, and she got pregnant! I haven’t even gotten remarried and yet she’s the better influence on my son?!”

“I think it’s convenient that you left out how you were fucking other women WHILE we were married.”

You and Charlie glare at each other across the mediation table. You really did have every intention of giving visitation back to your ex but right now he wasn’t make a great case for himself. You weren’t going to allow Dylan to be alone with him if he was going to continue to act like this and, honestly, your son still hadn’t expressed any interest to visit with his dad. 

“Last time I spent time with my son was almost a year ago. I think it’s been more than enough time to revisit visitation!”

Glancing at your lawyer you allowed her to speak for you. “We absolutely can but that’s not what this is. I mean you’re claiming that her environment is unfit but all you want is visitation?”

“My son needs a good influence in his life.”

“Yeah and he has three in the house.”

He starts to speak but his lawyer shooshes him. “Lidia, we can talk about visitation at least and go from there.”

“We can talk about it but the fact of the matter is, Dylan doesn’t seem to want to go over and Y/N doesn’t feel comfortable with him being alone in his care. Apparently, we tried that 10 months ago and it didn’t work out so well.”

“Just because I found out she was a whore and having my son call other men ‘daddy’.”

“Ok, we’re done here. If that’s how he wants to be then we’ll see you in court.”

#################

“He said what?!”

“Eddie, calm down.”

“Baby, DON’T…don’t tell me to calm down.”, he sighed as he leaned back in his chair. “He has no right to talk to you that way.”

“There’s nothing I can do.”, you shrug. Steve’s eyes shift between you both as he bounces Aurora in his arms. “I mean everyone else is calling me that.”

“That doesn’t make it ok and thankfully no one has had the balls to say it around us including your ex because they know we’ll beat the shit out of them.”

“Oh really, freak?” You playfully wink as he makes a face at you. 

Dylan slides into the kitchen and climbs on to a chair at the table as he places his homework in front of you. “Mom, I need help.”

“Good thing you came to me because I don’t think these two can handle eight-year-old math.”

“Did you hear that, Ro? Mommy thinks she’s so funny. Yes, she does.” The baby coos and smiles at Steve as he mocks you.

Later that night as Eddie put Dylan to bed, you and Steve sat together in your room playing with Aurora.

“Dada. Can you say Dada?”, he grins up at her as she leans back against his knees. Steve cranes his neck to try and look at you as you lay on your back beside him. “What was Dylan’s first word?”

“Mama.”, you smile as you reach out to pinch her cheeks. “Mama? Do you think we should give you both your own name?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean Neil Patrick Harris’s kids call their dads ‘Dad and Papa’. Should we do something like that?”

“I think it would be more confusing for her. I mean Dylan says ‘Dad’ to us both. It’s already going to be interesting enough explaining why he calls us ‘Eddie and Steve’.”

“Yeah…THAT will be the interesting part.”, you giggle. “I told him I changed my name and he said that was cool.”

“Good. I’m glad he likes that. Yeah? You like that to, honey?” His grin grows with Aurora’s. “Mommy’s last name is the same as yours.”

“What did mommy do now?” Eddie sighs as he jumps into bed beside Steve, leaning in to give the baby sloppy kisses on her cheek as she laughs and reaches for him. He places her on his stomach, laying her back against his knees. 

“Dylan also mentioned something to me but you can’t tell him I told you. I think he should talk to you himself but I think you guys should be prepared.” You sit up and cross your legs as you face them. “He said…he’s been wanting to call you dad full time…as in no more ‘Eddie and Steve’. He’s just nervous because of everything with Charlie and he knows it will make his dad angry.”

“What did you say to that?”

“I told him it was his choice. If he feels comfortable then he should be able to.” Your eyes flick between them. “What are we thinking?”

“Can I ask you something?” Eddie continues when you nod. “If he wanted to call Vivian ‘mom’, would you be ok with it?”

“I…would be ok with it in the sense of…that’s how he feels and what he wants. It would still hurt a bit that he would be saying it to the woman Charlie hurt me with me but…” Steve reached out to run his thumb along your face. “I told Dylan whenever he was ready, he should talk with you both so you can tell him how you feel.”

###########

“Hawkins Auto Repair. This is Eddie.”

“Eddie?”

“Dylan? What’s going on, kid?” The metalhead glances at the caller id, noticing it’s not the elementary schools or your cell phone number. “Are you ok?”

“My dad picked me up from school. I told him I needed to call mom to let her know but he said I shouldn’t. Eddie, I want to go home.”

Eddie’s cell phone starting buzzing in his pocket, realizing he had a few missed calls from you and Steve. 

“Ok, kid. Sit tight. I’m on my way.”

****

Eddie’s van skidded down the street just as he pulled up to Charlie’s house. 

He quickly got out, banging on the front door until it swung open and to his surprise Vivian was standing on the other side.

“I told him this was a bad idea.”

“Where’s Dylan?”

She points towards the back of the house but as the metalhead walks down the hallway, Charlie exits a room, meeting him halfway. 

“You’re not taking my son. He’s safer with me than with you freaks.”

“Said the man who just basically kidnapped him. How fucking stupid are you? Do you really think Y/N’s going to ever let you see him now?”

“I don’t care what that slut thinks or does—”

Eddie stepped forward till he was right in Charlie’s face. Both men were about the same height but Eddie’s fury made him seem so much taller.

“Watch your fucking mouth. The only reason I haven’t hit you yet is because Dylan is around somewhere and is scared enough but if you insult his mother one more fucking time…I swear to God, Charlie.”

“My son isn’t scared.”

“Oh yeah? Then why did he call me begging for me to come pick him up?”

“Dad?”

Dylan’s head poked out of a room with his backpack on his shoulders. 

“Dil, keep playing your video games and I’ll be right there…”

Both men watched as your son carefully slid around Charlie’s angry, intimidating frame into Eddie’s arms who immediately picked him up and held him protectively.

“Dad, I want to go home.”

Your ex exhaled, closing his eyes as he realized his son wasn’t referring to him but the man holding him. Eddie took the opportunity, turning around and heading out the front door with his son in his embrace.

#################

You were pacing in the living room as Steve spoke with Chief Hopper in the kitchen. As soon as the front door swung open, Dylan ran through searching for you. 

He tackled your body and you picked him up into your arms, not caring that he was much heavier and harder to lift now that he was older. 

“Are you ok?! Where were you?! What happened?!”

“Charlie picked him from school and took him back to his house.” 

Both you and Steve looked at Eddie, your eyes filled with more fury than they had ever seen. “I’m gonna fucking kill him.” As you started to head for the door, the chief cut you off and pulled you back into the kitchen.

“Ah, no. No killing. At least hatch your plan when a police officer isn’t here. What…what do you want to do now, Y/N? Do you want us to go get him and bring him in?”

You glanced at Dylan who was still hugging your waist as you ran your fingers through his hair. You looked over at Eddie, who’s arms were folded as his concerned eyes kept scanning over your son. 

“We never had a mom who cared about us the way you do with your son…”

“Yeah…let’s, um, let’s do that.”

#################

“Hey, princess.” Eddie slid down next to you on the steps leading into the backyard, lighting a cigarette before offering you one that you gladly accept. “What’s running through your mind, baby?”

“Was he scared? When you picked Dylan up, did he seem terrified?”

“I wouldn’t say scared. Confused. He didn’t understand why he couldn’t call you and tell you where he was.”

“I’m glad he was able to reach you…”

Eddie blows a cloud of smoke from his lips as he wraps his arm around your shoulders. “Hey. He’s ok. He’s a smart kid and knew exactly what to do. You did the right thing to by telling Hop to arrest him. This wasn’t ok, sweetheart. He needs to understand that he can’t do things like this.”

“I didn’t want this for my son. I… I don’t want him to go through what you went through.”

Eddie took the cigarette out of your hand, squishing it with his in the ashtray, and promptly tugged you into his chest as he held you to him. 

“Y/N, he won’t. He has so many people that love him and are there for him including the man that was there for me. He’s going to be alright, baby.” You pulled back and gently kissed his lips. “I think it’s worth noting… Vivian is on his side to. She’s the one who let me in and said she tried to talk Charlie into bringing Dylan back to you.”

You nod as you wipe your eyes and head back into the house. Steve was on the floor scrolling through his phone as Dylan laid next to Aurora as she played. As you sat next to him, Steve flashed you his phone showing you text messages from Hopper. He had arrested Charlie, processed him, and whenever you, Eddie, and Dylan were ready to come down and fill out some forms. 

You leaned against the man’s shoulder as he kissed your forehead. 

“Eddie? Steve?”, Dylan called their names without looking in their direction as he reached out to tickle his sister who cooed. 

“Sup, little man.”

“Can I call you dad now like Ro will? All the time?” He was still looking away from them, almost as if he was afraid of their answer.

“Of course, kid.”, Eddie smiled.

“Of course. As long as you’re comfortable.”, Steve follows.

“Cool… and you’ll call me your son?”

“We already do.”

His little face finally looked up to meet the three of yours, grinning. As he began to stand to head upstairs, Steve reached for his shirt and pulled him back to give him a hug. Dylan let him go to hug Eddie before giving you a kiss on the cheek and running up the stairs. 

#############

You had so much trouble sleeping that night, thinking about the day’s events and everything that happened. You thought about little Eddie seeing his dad arrested and behind bars, picturing him feeling so confused and alone. You imagined that’s why he knew what to do and kicked into protective dad mode to get his son back where he knew he was safe. 

Then, you couldn’t help but think about Charlie. When you met him, you knew he had problems with his stepdad. He always told you he would never do anything to hurt Dylan or make him feel like he was unloved. Retracing the memories of your marriage, you wondered how he got from there to here. He probably felt like this was the best option to getting his son back after feeling like he was slowly slipping away. Charlie was desperate. What he went through didn’t excuse the behavior but you couldn’t help but sympathize with him. 

Your hand reached out caress Eddie’s cheek when you saw him sigh in his sleep. Scooting closer to him, you pressed your forehead to his as you wrapped your arms around his neck. His palm slid down your lower back, pulling your hips to his as you wrapped your leg around his waist. 

You marveled at the impulse; the fact that for him that was an automatic reaction as he still slept soundly. 

“Eddie?” You gently pecked at his lips as you whispered his name. “Eddie.” 

He softly exhaled before slowly reciprocating your kisses. “Hm… what’s going on, babe?”, he grumbled in a sleepy tone. 

“Nothing. I just…can you make love to me?” 

Without hesitation, Eddie rolled you on to your back, kissing your cheek and neck, down your body until his head disappeared under the covers. On the other side of you, you felt a warm chest press against your side as Steve’s hand grazed your stomach. His eyes were still closed as his breath warmed your ear. 

“Do you just need Eddie, honey?”

You moaned when you felt the metalhead’s tongue play with your clit. “Please…I always need you both. Fuck.”

One of your hands reached down to rub the bulge in Steve’s boxers as your other pressed Eddie closer to you. Steve’s own palm ran over your smooth skin and along your breasts as he delicately kissed your neck. 

Eddie always had a way of knowing what you needed when it came his lips between your legs. His mouth and tongue devoured you in all the right ways until you felt your legs shake and you came, him licking you clean before tenderly kissing your thighs.

After gradually climbing back up your body, you opened your legs and wrapped them around his waist as he guided himself into your entrance. You both moaned as his head fell into the nook of your neck, thrusting his hips at a steady pace as your fingers tangled in his hair. 

“Thank you, Eddie. Mmm—not just for today but—mmm—for everything. I love you both so much.”

The metalhead’s movements stopped as he lifted his head to look down at your face, his eyes much more coherent. “What’s wrong, sweetheart?”

“Nothing—”

“No, not nothing.”

Your eyes turn towards Steve who also seems more awake as he waits for your answer. 

“You don’t talk about your life in detail before Wayne. I understand that and you know I would never push you.” Your palm reaches up to caress his cheek. “I just…after today and everything you did for him…I keep picturing little Eddie being alone and scared…”

Eddie gently smiles as he begins thrusting into you again, leaning down to kiss your lips. “Sweetheart, little Edward Munson went through some shit. That’s why you four —mmm—are safe with me. I get it and like—mmm—Steve said Aurora and Dylan are going to have a better life.”

You whimper as he pumps into you faster, hitting those spots that make your toes curl. “I love you, baby. Cum for me, princess.”

As his forehead falls on yours, you pant soft moans against his lips as you cum, your pussy clinging to him as he follows after, spilling his seed inside you. 

While Eddie places tiny pecks down your neck, you glance at Steve as he curls into his frame, stroking his cock as he cums. 

“Steve…I could have—”

“No. You and Eddie needed this. I’m fine, baby, trust me.” He rises from the bed, heading for the bathroom to get a rag as Eddie pulls himself out of you and rolls to his side. 

“Unlike my dad, Y/N, I genuinely believe… Charlie wasn’t being malicious. I think he felt trapped. It’s no excuse though. For Dylan’s sake, hopefully, he’ll really shape up now.”

Steve returned quickly taking care of you before bouncing back into bed and pressing himself to your side. A breathy laugh escapes his chest as the baby monitor lights up, Aurora’s gentle cries filling the room. 

“I got her. You two try and get some more sleep. You have an interesting day ahead of you.”

############

Eddie sat with Dylan in Hopper’s office as they filled out their statements of the events that had unfolded. You had already completed yours since there wasn’t much to tell besides what your court order states and the panic you felt when you went to pick up your son and he wasn’t there. 

As you sat just outside waiting for them, a tiny figure took a seat beside you on the bench you were sitting at. Vivian’s sympathetic eyes met yours as she turned to give you here full attention. 

“I’m sorry for what he did. I had no idea he was even planning to do that. When he came home with Dylan, I thought…I thought you had said it was okay. But then he asked to call you and Charlie said no and…”, she exhales as she tries to form her next words. “I know… you hate me and you have every right to but I hope you know that I love your son very much. I want Charlie to be in his life but he needs to do this the right way and this”, Vivian gestures absently around the police station. “This wasn’t it.”

You nod as she speaks, absorbing her words. It comforted you to know that she cared for your son that way and should he ever go back to that house in the future she had his best interest at heart. Just like with Eddie and Steve, Dylan was safe with her. 

“I don’t hate you. Not anymore anyway.” You flash he a tiny smile. “I hate that—”

“No, no, Y/N. You don’t have to… I get it.”, she cut you off. 

“Hey, Vivi.”, Dylan grinned as he walked over to give her a hug. 

“Everything ok?”, Eddie asked.

“Yeah. We were just talking.” You smile reassuringly as you rise to your feet. 

“You made the payment, Vivian?” She nods at Hopper’s question. “Alright, let me make a quick call and they’ll bring him down here. Y/N, I’ll finish typing all this up and send it to you later to get to Lidia.”

It’s your turn to look at Vivian with sympathy as she shrugs. “My father owns that hardware store in town. He took out another mortgage so we could bail him out.”

Eddie sat beside her and without warning yanked her into his arms. Dylan watched them with wide eyes trying to understand. You on the other hand, understood exactly what was happening and the metalhead affirmed it as he pulled away.

“My mother did this dance a lot. So many times in fact that we lost our house and she lost her job. Make sure he understands, Vivian, you’re only going to do it once.” ################ @adequate-superstar @kalinaselennespeaks @luna-munson83

@notasimp4joey @manda-panda-monium @decadentwombatmiracle

@katie-tibo @marsupiooo @local-stoner-bitch @steamystrangerfics

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@micheledawn1975 @eddie86baby

@justmeandmymeanderingthoughts @3rriberri @sashaphantomhive

@chelebelletx @big-ope-vibes @munsonzzgf

[thegreencanary]

Hi friend! Would it be okay if I requested something with Billy Hargrove x reader (his girlfriend) where she shows up at his house but for whatever reason he isn't home yet so Neil invites her in and starts pressuring her to drink with him? Billy comes back at some point and sees her passed out there. Hella angsty pls :')

Okay I love this and I may have gotten a little carried away. It’s pretty intense …. Sorrrrryyyyy but not really

A/N: This is my work and I don’t give anyone the permission to post it anywhere claiming to be someone else’s. I worked hard on this, if you enjoy it please interact. Requests are open.

TW: Abuse, Alcohol abuse, forcing someone to drink, cursing, assault

MINORS DNI this is some wild stuff. Don’t spoil your preciousness or I’ll tell Steve.

You’re Safe with Me

“Leave it to my son to date a bitchy prude.”

Neil Hargrove had been making comments like that to you for the last thirty minutes. You’d gone over to visit your boyfriend and surprise him with the good news that you got a new car. Neil answered the door and drunkenly explained that Billy was out picking Max up from El’s house (Neil wasn’t nearly that polite about it but you figured out what he was saying.) You insisted on coming back later but Neil scared the shit out of you and he was aggressively telling you to stay and wait for Billy at the house. Now, you found yourself trying to not piss off Billy’s abusive father while he offered you drink, after drink, after drink, after drink. The last comment got under your skin, you never thought of yourself as a bitch or a prude and you huffed in response. That was not the right thing to do around Neil.

“You have something to say bitch? No? Then drink the fuck up. Now!”

Neil punched the wall next to you HARD, hard enough to make you jump and shrink into yourself. Knowing he had no issues with throwing Billy around you got scared and took a drink. A twisted smile worked its way onto Neils face and you sat in silence. He was droning on about Susan and Max and how great his new life was with those two in it. You hated Susan for letting everything go on in the house, she never protected her kids. Billy fell in love with you because you did, you protected him from the depression, the bad thoughts and the hurtful things he would do to self destruct. You looked at Max like your own little sister; she spent a lot of nights at your house just to get away from Neil. You were pulled from your thoughts when the bastard re filled your drink. Just straight Jack Daniels and Neil had his eyes glued on you.

“I’m not going to drink it all at once so you can fucking calm down.”

You were already feeling the effects of the first heavy ass drink. Billy never really liked when you drank because of how little it would take to get you drunk. Steve’s parties always ended super early for you and you’d be passed out in his car before he even got to start drinking. Neil smacked you, almost as hard as he punched the wall. A yelp left your lips and as you straightened up his face was right in yours.

“You watch your mouth whore. Just because you think you can boss my sorry excuse for a son around doesn’t mean you get to come at me you dumb bitch. Now, Drink.”

———————————-

Billy was fucking pissed, Max was supposed to be at Hoppers house but she wasn’t there. Hopper said El and her went to fucking Hendersons which probably meant they all went to Wheelers and then to the Byers. Now Billy was driving all over Hawkins looking for Max just to avoid getting the shit beat out of him at home. Pulling up to the school he saw the hellfire coming out and sure enough Max was linked arm in arm with Sinclair…both of them. Lucas and his sister were laughing about something when Max saw Billy. Her face fell and Billy silently cursed at himself. He’d done a lot better at working on their relationship but he hated that she still would be worried about him when he came to get her.

She said her goodbyes and ran to the car, and Billy spoke up before she could apologize.

“It’s a fucking Saturday and you’re at school. I knew you were a nerd but Jesus Christ Max. I thought you weren’t part of the Hellfire club.”

She relaxed and laughed a little, which eased some of Billy’s tension. She was safe, and that’s all that really mattered. Unfortunately he had to take her home where both of them never felt safe. Max told him all bout Lucas’s stuff and Billy didn’t pay attention but he let her talk. She would listen to him talk about you and surprisingly she gave good advice. Maybe it was because you two were so close, and Billy loved that. HIs girl and his sister were the only two people he truly cared about.

Pulling in Billy tensed at the unknown Camaro in the driveway. He was the only one in town with a blue one, so why was there another one in the drive? Max jumped out, knowing it was you and ran inside. Billy was slow to follow just in case he needed to remember the plate if it was one of Neil’s shit friends.

“Y/N?? Wake up!!”

Billy froze. He was at the door but Max’s voice came from the living room. Why were you here? Why did Max sound worried. What the HELL was going on?? Finding his feet Billy turned the corner to see Neil asleep on the couch and you passed out on the floor. Max was over you gently shaking you and Billy started to freak out.

“No no no no no….”

Billy ran to you and checked for a pulse, you were still breathing and your pulse was there so he calmed an iota but you reeked of alcohol. Neil woke up will all the noise and smirked at Billy.

“I tried to break her in, pretty disappointing but shes dating you so I’m not surprised. Get her dumb ass off the floor.”

Billy noticed Max tense up and he gently shook his head at her. Neil definitely roughed you up and he didn’t want Max to get hurt too. Scooping you up he took you into his room, Max followed like a hurt puppy.

“I’ve got this Max. Just lock yourself in your room okay? I’ll let you know if she wakes up.”

It was hushed tones but Max agreed and did what she was told. Billy shuffled around and found some Advil and a glass for water. Really all he could do was wait…but he was stewing in anger. Fucking Neil.

“Fucking…Neil…”

—————————————

Pain, grogginess and a migraine rocked you awake. You felt a heavy presence behind you and panic set in before you took in your surroundings. Trying to jump out of whatever you were in, you fell to the floor with a thud.

“Jesus Christ babe. Are you trying to break your whole body?”

Billy. It was Billy thank god, you were in his room, in his bed and safe.

“Oh God my head…do you have any-“

Before you could finish, your baywatch boyfriend had a glass of water and painkillers out for you. God you loved him. His eyes locked onto yours and you noticed all the fresh bruises on his face.

“Oh God was it my fault? I swear to God I want to kill him.”

You pushed past the nasty hangover and the burning feeling on your cheek to inspect his wounds. He stopped you.

“Why the fuck did you drink? With HIM? Why the fuck are you even here?”

You were shocked. He was mad at you?

“Well it wasn’t my plan but i wanted to surprise you. If i would have known I wouldn’t have fucking come over!”

“Surprise me with what? A fucking drunk you passed out on my floor? Can’t say thats my favorite surprise you’ve given me.” It was clear that he was trying to cover how worried and upset his was with just anger. Good days he could talk though his anger with you but bad days, like today, he would go back to the old Billy.

“It’s not like I wanted to drink! He kept fucking saying shit about you and me and then he hit me and practically forced me!”

Billy stood up and punched the wall, it was the same thing Neil did but when Billy did it you flinched because you knew he hurt his hand. You worried for him, he never scared you. You knew he’d NEVER hurt you.

“You shouldn’t have come over. You know how he is.”

The door jiggled, and fear rocked the both of you.

“Boy if you don’t open this god damn door you’re gonna be sorry!”

Your eyes pleaded with Billy to not do it, you two could jump out the window and get to your cars and just go…but neither of you would want to leave Max. Billy unlocked the door and Neil barged in, shoving Billy against the wall.

“What in the blue fuck were you saying before I came in? You want to say it to me or are you still to much of a pussy?”

You winced cried quietly for your boyfriend. He didn’t say a word and let Neil berate him. You knew it was because you were there. Some days he’d try to fight back and of those times he’d sometimes get Neil off his back but not while you were there.

“Huh? Nothing to say? Maybe I should ask your whore.”

That got to Billy. Neil didn’t get how strong his son really was, because he’d never been on the full receiving end of a punch, until now. Neil stumbled backward and blood fell from his nose.

“You’re going to die.”

Father charged at son and you knew you had to do something. Grabbing one of the free weights from the floor you threw it at Neil’s head and he hit the floor like a bag of bricks. You and Billy stood, stunned for a few moments before checking on him. He was alive but you still needed to call an ambulance. He wouldn’t say anything when he woke up because the bruises and wounds on you and Billy both were more than enough for self defense claims.

The silence between the two of you was damning. Billy wanted to say something but he was still pissed. You wanted to run and hug him but you were still pissed.

“You could’ve gotten seriously hurt.”

“Are you fucking kidding me Billy he was going to kill you I had to do something I couldn’t just sit there and let him beat the shit out of y—“

You were engulfed in a fully body hug as Billy swept you up before you could finish. He was crying. You sighed softly and just let him hold you for however long he needed. Eventually he let you go enough to give you a kiss.

“Don’t ever do anything that dumb again. I can’t lose you.”

You wanted to argue that it wasn’t your fault but a part of you knew that he knew that. You just nodded and sighed.

“So did you see my new car?”

Billy laughed and kissed you again.

“Yeah I get it you’re obsessed with me. Have to have the same car too. It’s kinda gross how much you like me.”

You snorted and lightly shoved him only for him to pull you close again.

“Yeah I love you too Billy.”

“I love you Y/N”

“You better. We have matching cars now.”

[dragonflylady77]

This is one of the first fics I wrote and it's been gathering dust in my GDocs, waiting for me to write more.

I'm not sure I will, so in the meantime, you get to read it.

~~~☆☆☆~~~

Stop flirting and get in the house

A 'that night at the Byers house' ficlet for @lovebillyhargrove because she's the sweetest and i love her to bits. ❤️

Read on Ao3

“Am I dreaming or is that you Harrington?” Billy says, cigarette dangling from his lips as he takes off his leather jacket and throws it in the car through the open driver window.

The other teen sighs, hands on his hips. “Yeah it's me, don't cream your pants.”

Billy mutters, “Wouldn't be the first time…”

“What?” Shock in Harrington’s eyes and something else… Billy can't tell for sure because it's dark and he might be willing it to be there. Just a little bit. He also realises he said it out loud.

Fuck.

“What?” he says, trying to derail this exchange they're having.

Smooth…

“Oh, now, come on, I wanna hear you say it.”

“Fuck off, Harrington, I'm just here for my sister.”

“See, I wish I could believe that.” Cocky asshole. Acting like he's still that King Steve Tommy keeps yammering on about.

The way he’s standing shows he really wants Billy to get back in his car and fuck off.

Too bad.

Billy doesn't have time for the posturing, not when he's already met Neil's fists once tonight and knows he will meet them again if he comes home without the red-headed pain in his ass.

“I don't give a fuck what you believe, pretty boy. Now hand over my sister. I don't know what bullshit you and the weird kids get up to, but I know it's not worth me paying for it.”

The look on Harrington's face goes from cocky to worried in the space of a breath. “What do you mean, paying for it?”

Billy realises he's said too much. “Fuck this shit.”

He takes a few steps closer to the house, still a distance away from Harrington. Can see the kids in the window, a flash of red. Bellows, “MAXINE!!! TIME TO GO, shitbird.”

“Now wait a minute, there, Hargrove.” Steve moves to stand in his way, hand up, just shy of touching him. “You can't just—”

“You don't wanna test me right now,” Billy bites out, teeth on edge. “Move, pretty boy.”

“Make me.”

That's the moment Max chooses to come storming outside.

“Oh my god Billy, would you stop flirting in front of the children.”

Billy glares at Max before his eyes focus on Harrington again and the way his brown eyes are glued to Billy's chest. He feels his heart skip a beat then.

Maxine pushes past Harrington who's still staring. “Billy, I can't go home, there's serious shit going down.” She stops, waits until he sets his eyes on hers and he can see her make a decision. “We could use your help.”

Billy can't believe his ears. “Oh now you want my help?”

That snaps Harrington out of his trance. “What? Max, we can't—”

“Steve, listen. I know he's an asshole, but he's my brother and I think his anger issues could come in handy.” She turns to Billy. “No offence.”

Billy shrugs and lights a smoke. He knows he’s an asshole with anger issues.

“MAX!”

Does Harrington have to shriek this loud?

“What? I'm sure he'll enjoy smashing those demodogs just as much as you do.”

“I'm not giving him a weapon!”

Billy grunts. “He is standing right there.” He sighs. He’s tired, he’s sore and he’s reaching his limit with all the fucking posturing. “Max, what the fuck is going on?”

“Come inside and I'll explain”

“I don't think that's a good idea,” Steve pipes up.

Max rolls her eyes at Steve and walks back into the house.

Billy steps past King Steve with a smug smirk and follows Max, partly because he’s curious to find out what’s going on and also because it’s pissing Harrington off.

He hears Harrington groan behind him and can feel him following close.

When he enters the lounge, Max is in a huddle with the weird kids and they’ve having a hushed argument about him.

He stops and feels Harrington crash into him. The feel of the other teen’s warm body behind him creates a shudder he has no time to stop.

He moves away a bit to lean on the doorframe and crosses his arms in front of him while he waits for the children to decide he’s worthy of knowing what the fuck has them all in a tizzy. Like he fucking cares.

“Max, no…”

“Just do it Dustin.”

“Ugh. Fine”

Billy feels pride bloom in his chest for the way Max takes no shit from those teenage boys.

Billy watches the curly-haired one walk into the kitchen and stop in front of the fridge. The kid looks at Billy then at Max who nods. With a sigh, the boy opens the fridge door and something tumbles out of it.

The silence in the kitchen is eerie as Billy takes in the… creature… that fell out. It’s dark grey, half wrapped in a sheet or something, roughly the size of a big dog, but its head—there’s something wrong with its head, it’s like a freaking flower with teeth.

Billy guesses it’s one of those demodog things Max mentioned outside. He’ll definitely need a weapon if that’s the kind of shit Max and her gaggle of boys are up against.

He pulls out a cigarette and lights it, ignoring the dark look Harrington sends his way. He’s never met Mrs. Byers, but her house is a mess right now, and there’s some dead flower-headed monster in her fridge, so he doubts she’ll mind much if he smokes in her kitchen.

Billy straightens up and sets his eyes on Harrington. “Alright, I’m in.”

The weird kids all start shouting again and Max runs to him, wrapping her arms around his waist in a rare hug that has Billy floundering.

He awkwardly pats her on the shoulder, turning his head to breathe out smoke away from her, because he’s a considerate brother like that.

“Fine,” Harrington says, coming into the kitchen to stand in front of Billy and Billy wants to laugh because King Steve is clearly not the one in charge here.

[jtl-fics]

Pfft that old lovers au is hilarious. I love time travel for andreil bc they seriously deserve to get more time with each other and to have the automatic leg up against the mafia that future knowledge is. And imagine everyone watching old-married-couple!andreil is a delight. Like this isn’t a normal on-and-off again, these two are so clearly meant for each other it’s disturbing. Do the Foxes try to “help”? Nicky definitely does, he’s thrilled at how much happier Andrew clearly is with Neil around. I bet Aaron sees the same thing but lands on the other side of “This guy is why Andrew was the way he was after juvie and now he’s back” Like clearly Josten broke his brother’s heart! And now he’s fucking around with Andrew again! This is serious, Nicky! Aaron’s just as protective of Andrew as Andrew is of him, he’s just shown it very rarely. It’s odd to see Aaron respond to Neil the way Andrew responds to Katelyn but the Foxes mostly go “oh now we see the twin thing”

Honestly them passing away so old and waking back up in their teens? I could see a moment where they're alone up on the roof and Andrew's been irritable due to a combination of coming off his meds and he hasn't been able to sleep properly because of the whole 'WHERE'S NEIL' subconscious panic when he tries to sleep alone. (they really didn't DO time apart. It's been over 20 years since the last time Neil and Andrew weren't sleeping in the same bed / right next to one another while the other slept (time in hospital due to health, injury, etc.) Maybe Andrew said something about being tired of Neil when they were doing their whole bit. Andre regrets it because Neil looked actually hurt.

Neil comes up and is quiet and sits a good 2 feet further away from Andrew than what Andrew wants. Which is to say he sits 2 feet away. Neil won't look at him, "Y'know...we were together for 70 years...if...if you want you could-"

Andrew doesn't even let him finish putting such an awful thought. "No." And that's all Andrew says because it's all he needs to say. Neil scoots closer by three feet and Andrew wraps his arms around him as Neil sits in his lap.

"Ok, good, I was going to call you a cradle robber." Neil jokes and Andrew flicks his ear.

The Foxes ABSOLUTELY try to help. Aaron is under the impression that Neil broke his brother's heart and is spitting mad about it until one of their 'fights' makes him realize that maybe his brother left Neil behind?

"You left first!" Neil argues and Andrew blinks, "I woke up and you were...you were gone. I followed you as soon as I could but you left first." Neil says voice shaking.

Andrew is by Neil's side in an instant, "We were supposed to go together." He says.

"I know, I know you didn't mean to but...I felt awful in that moment. You were gone." Neil says.

They all think it's about Juvie and that Andrew left without telling Neil but really Andrew just passed away a few hours before Neil did and Neil woke up just long enough to realize Andrew had passed. It was only a few hours but Neil lived in a world with no Andrew Minyard and it was terrible.

Andrew apologizes and maybe that's when the two of them just continue to pay lip service to their dispute but everything they do is very much 'old married couple' They went ANTIQUING for fucks sake. (They take Kevin as an enrichment opportunity because he loves talking about the history and Andrew and Neil are dying at how the Columbia house is decorated because it is VERY 3 college boys own this place)

Andrew absolutely revises his deal with Aaron and Aaron is just like "OMG he was just fucking heart broken and that's why he was making my life miserable. >:( WHY'D YOU LEAVE HIM MR. I DON'T DO REGRETS. CHRIST."

Nicky keeps trying to find a way to 'assist' in the beautiful baby gay romance but like...it's Andreil who have been together for like 70 years? They're so good at being together to the point that Nicky is calling up Erik like "Why don't WE have a breakfast in bed rotation?! Neil and Andrew bring one another breakfast in bed every weekend!" and Erik is just like "My love, you are in the US and I am in Germany." Nicky utterly serious, "How are we less cute and gay than my REPRESSED cousin? I'm about to SPIRAL."

If I can push my Neil and Aaron friendship agenda (and I will) but once they get past the whole "You broke my brother's heart and that resulted in him being a dick to ME." thing?

They have actually a great friendship.

Neil is the only one who both gets why Aaron loved his mom even though she was abusive but can also talk to him about that abuse in a way that has Aaron actually processing it properly. (Born from Aaron and Neil's long road to friendship in the original timeline and Neil's own eventual understanding of what his own mom had done to him.)

Also I mentioned this with @the-inner-musings-of-a-worm but Andrew did move away from knives in his latter years but Neil bought him a sword cane for his birthday and he fucking LOVED it and now he's like back in a knife ready body but like Sword Cane.....mmmm..

[xtrafluffyteddy]

Home for wayward souls

Pairings: Eddie munson x reader,

Steve harrington x reader , Billy Hargrove x reader

Mentions: cursing, mentions of past abuse, neglect, most of this is platonic

Somehow you always end up with a poor unfortunate soul at your door

You sighed as you climbed out of bed rubbing your eyes. The incessant knocking on your door is what woke you up from your relatively peaceful sleep. “Stupid son of a-“ you grumbled as you walked down the hall towards your living room “comin to my house damn near 3am” you kept grumbling “IM COMIN JESUS STOP KNOCKING CHRIST” you unlock your deadbolt swinging open the door to see none other than Billy Hargrove soaking wet from the rain standing on your doorstep “billy Jesus what’re you doin here” you rub your eyes as you usher him inside pushing him towards your couch while you went to grab a blanket and a towel “I didn’t know where else to go” he rasps you figured he had been yelling or crying or both. You just shake your head as you wrap him up in the towel “let me get a look at yah billy” you gently took his face into your hands assessing the damage Neil did to him this time taking in the busted lip, swollen eye, and bruised cheek. “What’d you do this time billy” you start cleaning up his busted lip telling him to stop being a weenie when you had to disinfect it “said I was goin out when apparently I was suppose to be babysitting Max but no one told me that somehow I was suppose to just know” he rambles as you clean up the rest of his wounds sighing “what a grade a dick weasel” you stand up brushing off your pajama shorts “alright billy at this point you might as well just move in I mean have of your crap is already here” you sigh but smile “could I?” He asks seriously looking up at you with no trace of his usual hot head self “I mean-“ you begin thinking on it “why not billy as long as you pay rent and help with the bills and don’t bring any random women over Im cool with it”. That weekend Billy was fully moved into your guest room feeling safer than he had ever before.

Then came Steve Harrington who atleast came knocking on your door in the day time only problem was it was while you were working. You huffed as you got up rushing to the door “I’m comin I’m comin hold your horses” you swing open the door taking in the sight of a disheveled Steve standing on your doorstep “ah Jesus cmon I’m Steve” you push him towards the couch sighing wondering when the hell you back a house of wayward dudes. “What happened to you Steve” you look him over not seeing any marks or bruises “My father kicked me out said I’m a freeloading, good for nothing piece of shit for a son” you sigh as you sit next to him rubbing small circles on his back “now Steve you know that’s not true your dad has no right to call you that when he’s not even around” he just nods pitifully leaning against you “now all my shit is in the back of my car and I have no where to go” you sigh and shake your head “you can come live with me and Billy then and before you say anything Billy knows the no fighting rule in my house and that applies to you to and you have to pay rent and help with bills” you say as you stand up “hey Billy” you call and in comes the familiar blonde who had just finished working out “what’s up…” he stops and sees Steve sitting on the couch “what’s he doin here” he questions you crossing his arms over his chest “he’s moving in go help him bring in his shit please he can have the room across from mine and try to keep it down I’m in a meeting” with that you ruffle both of their heads warn them to play nice and disappear into your office.

Finally came Eddie Munson who came just before you were winding down to go to bed having already done your nightly routine. “Jesus Christ” you grumble as you trudge down the hall ignoring the snores of Steve and Billy coming from their rooms “morherfuckers always comin at a bad time” you huff and make your way into the living room flicking on the porch light before swinging open the door. There stood Eddie hair a mess eyes watery face bruised “what is it with y’all always comin here hurt” you usher eddie inside going to grab the first aid kit and some water from your kitchen before making your way back to Eddie who was sitting on the couch. “What happened to you Ed’s” man wasn’t that some deja vu. You kneel in front of him taking his face into your hands cleaning him up as gentle as possible “Jason and his little lackeys vandalized Wayne’s trailer I tried to fight back but well-“ he trailed off as you rolled your eyes not at him but at the action of those dumb jocks you had a few run ins with them trying to bully their way into your house to get at Billy or Steve but you threatened to shoot ‘em dead if they ever came on your property again. “Alrighty then come live with me if your worried about Wayne’s trailer bein wrecked, Jason and his little shitheads know to stay away from my house” you laugh a bit as Eddie smiles “really you’d do that for me?” He questions “of course as long as you don’t mind living with Harrington and Hargrove” you finish cleaning him up cleaning up the mess of bandaids and alcohol wipes “you gotta play nice that’s the rules if you wanna live here, oh and you have to help pay rent and bills” you say “you can sleep here for tonight and tomorrow I’ll send Billy and Steve with you to grab your stuff from Wayne’s you can stay in the room next to my office” and with that you gave Eddie some old dudes clothes you had thrifted and a warm blanket tucking him on the couch smiling when he whispers a tired thank you before he dozes off.

Yeah it was annoying having people showing up at all hours of the damn day like you were a wayward home for lost souls but you were just grateful they were happy, safe, away from anything that could cause them pain as you crawled into bed drifting off to sleep.

[mooncakesofpan]

2,229 Miles

Billy Hargrove x Male!Reader

Summary: the Hargrove-Mayfield house hold maybe wasn't moving just to start over away from Max’s dad.

Warnings: Angst, strong language, Slurs, Reader gets manhandled (not by Billy), Neil's terrible and abusive parenting, Friends to lovers, He/Him pronouns, Violence, homophobia  

Word Count: 1.3K

Stranger things Masterlist | Main Masterlist 

DO NOT STEAL MY WORK

No one batted an eye at the close friendship that's been alive since 2nd grade when you decided you decided that a juice box and some cheese Tid Bit’s your mom packed for you. Of course, a lot of people had stopped being friends by the time 6th grade came around and Billy was beating the ass of anyone who looked at him the wrong way. Yet there you were being the friend having to reel him in. 

That day would always be fresh in your mind the first time Billy beat the shit out of a kid at school. Billy's fist had continued to pound into the face of Mike Campbell as everyone had tried to get Billy to stop punching the brunette on the floor who had commented on Billy’s mom leaving. No one could get him to stop while they were out on the school’s black top, except for you who with no fear tackles Billy off of Mike knowing he would be in more trouble if he had done any more damage than the black eye mike was sporting and the bloody nose that didn't seem to be broken. you could never forget the tears in Billy's eyes as he roughly wiped his eyes,

“He said, I'm probably the reason my mom left,” the 11-year-old said voice shaky,

“He shouldn't have said that to you,” your voice filled with sympathy.

Your family has been very close to Billy’s mom and your family offered her support when she needed it but she never told them where she was going but that she’d be back for Billy. that last part turned out to be a lie. Eventually, both of you were picked up Billy's dad was mad and yours was more confused about why they had to bring their son home even though he wasn't technically a part of the fight.

Billy acting out only ever got worse with the things going on at home, but you knew your friend was suffering and there wasn't much you could do for him, other than being there for you. When freshmen year hit, you and billy ended up in classes together still determined not to be split up. and for the most part, you didn't the only issue for you was you had fallen for Billy you fell back in 8th grade for your best friend, the boy who was in your life because of a cheese cracker. When the middle of freshmen year came and the truth came spilling out your mouth during a conversation about some of the girls in your class talking to Billy and throwing themselves at Him. You were jealous but you weren't gonna say anything till Billy asked why you were so quiet recently, while the two of you were in your room working changing your wheels on your skateboard.

“Because I'm fucking in love with you and constantly have these girls coming up to me all the time trying to be my friend to get close to you in hopes that you will fuck them,” you ramble.

 You were panicking about the fact you just confessed to your best friend not knowing how he would react. but before you knew could continue to ramble on with an apology Billy's lips were against yours. 

”Billy you know we can't tell anyone, especially your dad,” you said pulling away.

“I know it can be a secret,” he says leaning back in.

And that's what it was for a good few years then Neil married Susan and her and her daughter Max moved into the house, meaning much more sneaking around for the both of you. The first time you met Max you were leaving the house after you and Billy could have a bit of alone time again.

You walked down the stairs shrugging on the leather jacket you wore and almost ran into the young girl “uh hi,” she says surprised to see me in her house.

“hi I'm Y/n Billy’s friend,” you say shaking her hand.

“oh uh, I'm Max,”

“nice to meet you Max, Billy’s in his room if your curious,” and with that, you were out the door.

Max grew to like you the most out of Billy's you were nice, not as disturbing as the dirty blonde as you came around the house she realized how much you brought out the best in Billy and you tell him off for being mean to Max. and for the most part he would ease up on her.

Until Everything came crashing down.

you and Billy knew that you'd have to be careful and you two had been for a good 4 years but it was a spring day and you thought Neil and Susan were out and they weren't supposed to be home till later that night.

you and Billy were in his room in his bed his hand on your cheek and kissing you deeply the sounds of Metallica blasting in the background but you missed the sound of the door opening downstairs and Neil coming to Billy’s door the both of you two absorbed with each other to hear Neil pounding on the door suddenly slammed open, Leaving the both of you to jump apart.

 “I knew I couldn't trust you, and your little faggot ass,” Neil said grabbing you by the collar of your leather jacket 

”I Should have thrown you out of my house when the rumors first started should have kept you from my son” Neil kept yelling dragging you down the stairs you were struggling to fight against the Professional security guard.

He pulled you up so you were more standing at his front door “if I see you back here, I will kill you got it” you glared at him ”Got. it.” he repeated,

you got saliva collected in your mouth and with Neil being so close you spat in his face causing him to let you go

 “You. Little.- Get back here,” you were already running down the street your boots hitting the concrete. you and Billy spent more time in secret spots. Him saying he would hang out with his other friends and he would so they could give him an alibi but the day that broke you was the day Billy told you his dad decided they were moving almost immediately after Billy and You had been found in his room.

“Y/n we gotta talk,” Billy says

You were sitting on the beach it was the place you two would go during the summer to chill it was relatively peaceful.

You look at him eyes filled with fear maybe he was breaking up with you.

“My dads moving us to Indiana, something about a fresh start,” Billy said pushing around the sand. the sadness evident in your eyes you were the one person he felt like actually loved him.

“I'm sorry, this probably wouldn't have been happening if I had listened harder” ”don't blame yourself please,” Billy says running his hand there his hair. ” I plan to come back after I graduate, I can't expect you to wait for me but ill be back,” he said looking out to the water.

”that what 2000 and something miles,”

“2,229…” he said with a sigh.  ”Maybe I can visit we can do it in secret or- maybe we can, ” The words and ideas came spewing out your mouth in incoherence, as tears started down your face.

“hey it's okay ill write, call, even drive back down here and everything” of course you knew him driving wasn't gonna be an option Neil would have your head on a pike if billy drove down here. but the day before he left he showed up on your doorsteps. The knock on your door was rushed and the curly mullet pushed you back in your house slightly his lips quickly connecting with yours.

“we're gonna make it that 2229 miles alright, baby,” he said pretty blue eyes looking at you with adoration hands cupping your face. you nod tears rolling down your face.

[thissortofsorcery]

Harringrove, 2k words. Established relationship, light angst, fluff.

------

Billy doesn’t even remember what Steve said that pushed him over the edge. Between one moment and the next, Billy was yelling,

"Goddamnit, Harrington, if I wanted someone to hold my fucking hand, I wouldn't go to you!"

Steve just sat there, gaping at him, both hands still on the steering wheel. Billy thanked god they were in Steve's car and already parked, because he couldn't take the hurt look that came over Steve's eyes, so he just climbed out of the car and slammed the door before stalking off.

The half hour it took to walk back to his house and shut himself in his room had calmed him down enough for him to see he'd overreacted.

Billy had lost it on Steve again. He'd been trying so fucking hard, these pasts few months, to be someone better, to be someone Steve could like, but he was still just a piece of shit. He could pretend all he liked, could work his charm on Steve until he was melting in his hands, but in the end Billy would always let him down. He couldn't get rid of this thing in him, this- This anger. It stained his insides like tar, it clung to everything he did, made everything too sharp, too toxic.

Just the thought of it is enough to make it rise in the back of his throat again, and he sends a can of hairspray flying with a slap. It hits the wall with a bang and falls, joining the broken mixtapes on the floor. The ones Neil broke, as a lesson. The reason he was in such a foul mood in the first place.

Steve could be an asshole, but he's not the kind of asshole Billy is.

This is just an example of why this thing between them was doomed to fail. Billy was always going to screw it up. And from the look on Steve's face, he's not going to forgive Billy for this. Whatever they had was too new, too fragile.

And now it was over.

The next day is Saturday, and Billy starts his afternoon by chainsmoking at the quarry.

He couldn't stand staying at the house, with everyone else out and the silence closing up on him. Thinking that he should be out too.

He's supposed to be at Steve's.

So he'd just grabbed his keys and driven to the first place that came to mind. Billy and Steve never really came here to hang out, so it's not like anything here is making him think of Steve. But Steve's always on his mind, anyway.

Steve's dumb preppy hair, his pastel polos, the width of his shoulders, the way they feel under his hands. His ass in gym shorts. That one mole on the side of his tit that drives Billy insane. How his smile pulls a little to the left when he means it.

There's the rumble of a car approaching, and Billy pushes off the Camaro, assumes it's a cop. He tosses his cigarette to the ground and grinds it under his boot. He's halfway to snarking something about how he didn't know it was illegal to smoke there, when a voice interrupts him:

"Thought you were gonna come over today, man."

Steve's standing beside his Beamer, hands in his jacket pockets. Billy's mouth closes with a clack, and he stares. He sure as hell didn't expect Steve to show up here.

"I was looking all over town for you. I drove past your house and your car wasn't there," Steve keeps his distance, but he's looking at Billy so intensely he might as well be right up against him.

"I've just been here," is all Billy can say.

"Yeah," Steve agrees, but his tone isn't mocking. "Why didn't you come over?"

Billy doesn't know what to say. Can't say the truth, can't say thought you wouldn't want me to.

"What do you want, man?" Is what he says instead. Billy breathes in clean air and wishes it was smoke.

"What do I- Billy," Steve takes a couple steps closer. Stops.

Billy’s body wants to sway closer to him, wants to close what’s left of the distance between them. But Steve’s frowning with that little dimple in the middle of his forehead, the one that means he’s sad, and Billy’s the one that put it there.

He leans back on the hood of the Camaro, back to Steve, and lights another cigarette.

“You’re just not gonna say anything?” Steve asks, and his voice is finally rising above a dejected mumble.

“Don’t know what you want me to say,” Billy doesn’t look at Steve. He takes a drag of his cigarette, pretends his hand isn’t shaking.

“I want-” Billy hears Steve release a shaky breath, and he just knows he’s running a hand through his hair. “Would you just look at me!”

When Steve’s voice breaks, Billy does too. Steve’s hair is ruffled, like he thought, and the dimple in his forehead is gone. He’s just plain pissed now.

“Where did you go yesterday?” The calm in Steve’s voice doesn’t match his frown. Billy doesn’t trust it.

“I went home,” Billy answers, wary. Suddenly, he feels chilled in only his jean jacket.

“You walked home.”

Why the fuck is Steve just repeating what he’s saying.

“Yeah, Steve, I just walked home. What is it to you?” Billy snaps. He’s starting to feel it, the burning in his chest, in his throat.

“I don’t know, Billy!” Steve snaps right back. He’s the one that closes the distance. From the corner of his eyes, Billy tracks Steve’s hands moving as he speaks. “You just went off on me yesterday and ditched me, and you didn’t show up today, what am I supposed to think?!”

There’s a sound in his mind like a crack, a log giving in to fireplace flame, a burst of sparks, and Billy imagines smoke coming out of his mouth like he just inhaled an entire cigarette.

“How will I know what you think, Steve? I'm not a fucking mind reader!” Billy snaps.

“Maybe if we talked to each other once in a while!” Steve yells back. “I try to get you to talk to me and I might as well be trying to pull out your teeth!”

“Doesn’t that tell you something? Why don’t you back the fuck off?!” Billy’s voice rises above Steve’s, hoarser, meaner. Just a little more desperate.

“Because you never tell me anything about how you feel, and it drives me up the fucking wall!”

“If you’re so pissed, then why the fuck did you even come here?” Billy’s voice echoes in the absence of Steve’s answer. He blinks at Billy, face blank.

They stare at each other for what feels like the entire afternoon, breathing hard. When Steve speaks, Billy jolts at the thought that the quarry is just as bright as it’s been the last fifteen minutes.

“Fuck. Fuck- I’m sorry,” Steve says, voice shaking, and rubs both hands over his face. “I didn’t mean to pick a fight. I’m not pissed at you. I’m sorry.”

It’s enough to make Billy take a full step back. The roaring fire in his chest goes out in a single gust of wind, leaving him chilled.

“Why are you apologizing,” His voice comes out flat. This isn't on Steve.

“I lost my shit at you, and that’s not-” Steve takes another deep, shaky breath, reaches a hand out to Billy, painfully slowly. “I’m not pissed at you, I was worried.”

“Worried about what.”

Steve’s hand finally touches Billy’s. His fingers are warm around Billy’s palm, they always are, and Steve just. Holds his hand.

“You were acting weird yesterday, when I picked you up,” Steve steps closer, bends their heads together so they only need low voices to hear each other. “At the diner, too. Then you snapped in the car, and I thought- something happened, right? With your dad?”

Billy can’t look at Steve, so he just stares at their hands, together. Nods.

“He didn’t- He just broke a bunch of my tapes. Got the ones you gave me, so.” It wasn’t that bad, considering. Billy’d had a lot worse. He should have just been happy he’s been able to still get out of the house. But the sight of Steve’s mixtapes in pieces on the floor had made his stomach turn.

When Steve sighs, his breath is warm on Billy’s face. He doesn’t say he’s sorry, doesn’t say he’ll make Billy new ones. He knows that’s not the point. He squeezes Billy’s hand instead.

Sometimes it feels like Billy’s living in a world of fog and Steve’s the only solid thing he’s got to hold on to.

He looks up, “I didn’t mean what I said yesterday. In the car.”

He has to say that, at least. If there’s anyone in the world Billy would trust with his shit, it’s Steve, even if he doesn’t deserve it.

“I know that,” Steve says, like he never doubted it. “I know you.”

Billy’s breath hitches, and his eyes burn. His other hand reaches for Steve, grasps at his hip, pulls him close.

“Billy,” Steve starts, “you thought I was pissed at you.”

Billy gives him a look, “You were yelling at me.”

“Yeah,” Steve huffs out that self deprecating laugh Billy hates. “But you said, ‘why did I even come here’. You thought I got pissed yesterday? Is that why you didn’t come over?”

Billy hesitates, chews on the inside of his lip. Looks down at their hands again.

“I lost it at you in the car.”

“And I lost it at you just now,” Steve shoots back.

“Yeah, but I keep doing it. I can’t stop.” Billy grinds out, voice rising again. Steve doesn’t understand. It’s not the same. Steve apologized but he wasn't the one at fault.

He makes to step back from Steve, and Steve lets him go, but not far.

“I keep- I just get so-” Billy can’t come up with the words, so his breath leaves him shakily, between his teeth. “And one day you won’t-”

Billy’s voice cracks, and he shakes his hand free to cover his face, but Steve’s hands get there first, wiping his thumbs over his cheeks, taking away the wetness he didn’t realize was there. Billy clings to his bony wrists, instead.

“Billy,” Steve says, barely a whisper. “You’re not gonna lose me because you get angry sometimes. Okay?”

Steve knocks his forehead against Billy’s, gently. Rests it there.

Billy gives a barely there nod.

“I’m serious,” Steve says. “You’re allowed to get angry, especially if I’m being a dick. You’re not doing anything wrong,” He insists. “I just blew up at you and you forgave me just like that.”

Billy shakes his head, “It’s not the same thing.”

“Kind of is, though, man,” Steve insists. “I told you, I know you. You’re an asshole, but you’re not cruel,” He laughs softly, smile lopsided. “I should know, I’m an asshole too.”

Steve’s eyes are bright in the afternoon sun. There’s nothing clouding them, no frown. No dimple on his forehead. Then he says,

“I’m not just gonna give up on you,” and Billy has to close his eyes.

Steve’s nose nudges his own and they just. Breathe together.

Billy feels his way to Steve’s mouth by sucking tiny kisses from his cheek, to the corner of his mouth, to Steve’s smiling lips, and Steve kisses back with his entire body, settling into Billy from chest to thighs, the toes of his sneakers bumping into Billy’s boots.

Billy digs his fingers into Steve’s hips, sighs into his mouth when Steve cradles his jaw into his large hands, buries his fingers into the hair curling behind Billy’s ears. A tingle goes down Billy’s spine, and he bites at Steve's lips until he can press in, in, like he can crawl inside and make a home there. His fingers find his way under Steve’s shirt, feeling around for skin until they splay over his lower back, pulling him impossibly closer.

Steve is warm everywhere, where their hips and their chests touch, where his fingers dig into Billy’s scalp, where Steve’s lips wrap around Billy’s bottom one and suck, on his tongue when Billy licks into his mouth in return, on his breath when theirs mingle together for the hundredth time.

They trade soft, slow kisses in the sunlight, lips parting just to come together again until they’re just resting against each other, breathing together again. Steve’s thumb strokes the hollow of Billy’s cheek, back and forth.

In a minute, they’ll drive separate cars to Steve’s house, only to settle together on the living room couch and while away the afternoon with pizza and beer. In a minute, Billy’s going to slap Steve’s ass when he turns to get into the Beamer and make a dirty joke that he’ll follow through with later that night. In a minute, they’ll let go of each other.

For now, Billy buries his nose in the hair that curls behind Steve’s ear and closes his eyes, breathes in. Thinks back to the drive over from California, how he was sure every mile was a shovel of dirt piled over his grave, and any chance of happiness was left behind there with the warmth of the sun. Thinks he was wrong.

It was bringing him to this instead.

[momolady]

Vintage Misery: Part One

This has been a patreon exclusive for a year now, and I've been just dying to share it. This story takes place in the 90s, set in a southern college town that has secrets hidden to keep the genteel atmosphere. The kindly locals almost seem to smile too much, and anyone from outside is looked at with odd glances. (Features horror elements.)

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I’ve learned a few things from car salesmen, televangelists, and other hawkers - how to razzle-dazzle to sell something that many don’t believe exists. For most, what I sell is a form of entertainment - movie franchises, late-night television hosted by busty goths. But it's all too real for me, having inherited my family’s knowledge and a touch of my mother’s gifts.

Much like a traveling salesman, I try to hit up well-to-do neighborhoods. But college towns are also a boon for my business, especially when sororities and fraternities are involved. They usually reside in old houses, children of old money. Old money means new money for me. But it's the old houses that usually hook me - the older the better, and the more columns on the porch, the better. Especially in the south. I love taking business to the old south.

The houses are usually remnants of plantations, and there’s enough history to build off of to scare some idiot kids into making their parents pay for my expertise. Pretending to be a fortune teller and medium and performing for parties is how I started. After that, I would usually have repeat customers come asking for more. And then, bit by bit, the hauntings started.

One party I went to recently was supposed to be a bg break. One of the girls in the sorority was the daughter of a notoriously superstitious beauty tycoon, known to do business deals under the strict guidance of her horoscope and the placement of celestial bodies. She used crystals, tea readings, and all sorts of new-age bullshit to run her business and family. And her daughter was within my grasp.

I pretended to read the young woman as her sisters watched expectantly, with big eyes surrounded by too much eyeshadow. I sometimes think how I could have been one of them, had my parents not dragged me across the globe. But that was me being bitter. “And you, young lady,” I said to one of the girls, “you are currently dealing with unrequited love.”

The girl looked scared, and then near tears. “How did…”

I tilted my head as a cool breeze stirred my hair. “It’s for one of the professors.”

“I knew it,” another girl said as smugly as possible.

The lovestruck girl shook her head at me. “Can I make it work?”

I feel the cold breeze against my ear. “No. He’s your fucking professor, and he’s either gonna use you and lose you, or keep you on the side until he loses everything in the ensuing scandal. Get over it. Besides, there’s a boy in Delta house who has your picture in his wallet.”

The girl, through tears, sniffled and looked at me hopefully. “Who?”

The breeze went through my hair. “Something Buchanen.”

“Max?” The smug girl said.

I checked my wristwatch. “Oh, dear, look at the time ladies.” I tapped my watch face. “Time’s up for me.” I stood and blew out the candles, then turned on the lights.

Smug girl jumped up. “Wait! What did you say about Max having her picture?”

“It’s in your room,” I scoff. “Go and look for yourself if you don’t believe me. Now if you want me to stay longer, you’re going to have to pay more.” A chill ran down my spine. “And buy me some burritos for dinner.”

Smug girl ran to her room to search for the wallet. I left with my money, and descended the front stairs of the old place. It was dark already, and the streetlamps were casting shadows.

“You should have stayed!” The cold wind hit the back of my head.

“What for?” I snapped. “I can get you burritos, Neil. There was a Mexican joint down the block from here.”

“But that one girl had a stash!” The wind materialized beside me, looking like a wrung-out stoner.

“You’re dead. You can’t get high anymore.”

“But I can remember,” Niel whined. “Just by the smell, the smoke…”

I shook my head. “You died stoned. Of course you remember.” Neil was my best friend. I met him ages ago during one of my parents' many paranormal studies, the victim of a ritualistic sacrifice, lured into a trap with food, pot, and a promise for his poetry to be published. His ghost had haunted the site for ages looking for his promised gifts. I promised him everything except the publishing, which by then he had given up on.

“Whoa.” Neil grabbed my arm. “What is that?”

A troop of girls passed by us - beautiful, almost too beautiful, with creamy pale skin, impeccable clothes, radiant hair. As they walked by, another chill ran up my spine. Behind them trailed another girl on forearm crutches. She was just as beautiful as the rest, even more so with her wounded bird atmosphere.

“What on earth were those?” Neil whispered.

“They’re called women, Neil,” I scoffed and continued walking along. The chill from those girls wasn’t new. I was alway anxious around pretty people, but for some reason I couldn’t shake the feeling even as we walked away.

I took Neil to the Mexican place and ordered him the burrito of his dreams. As long as I supplied him with his favorite food, he stuck to our deal. I suppose I scared the waitress when I recited Neil’s order to her. The burrito he craved would have been monstrous even for the likes of bigfoot or a tyrannosaurus rex. When I first met Neil, I equated him with my favorite teddy bear - short, husky, hairy, and wearing a denim jacket. He was all too happy to leave the site of his death, and it was lucky for him I had a droplet of my mother’s abilities so I could free him.

The takeout order was extremely heavy, most of it from the weight from Neil’s burrito. As we went back to the motel I was staying at, we passed a phone booth. “Wait a second.” I told Neil. “I should call home.”

“Oh, come on! Can’t you call at the motel?” Neil whined.

I entered the phone booth, slid in the quarters and dialed. The phone rang four times before the answering machine kicked in, and I heard my dad’s voice before the beep. “Hey, it’s me. Just giving my weekly update that I’m alive,” I sighed. “Guess you’re still out, or at the museum. Anyways, it’s me. Your daughter. Alive.” I hung up the phone, and as I stepped out of the booth I saw giant globs of beans, beef, lettuce, sour cream spill out onto the sidewalk. “For the love of God, Neil!” I snapped.

He was holding the burrito, practically unhinging his jaw to bite into it even as it went right through him to splatter on the ground. “You’re just wasting it!” I snatched the bag from the ground, not realizing he’d taken it from the shelf in the phone booth while I wasn’t watching. “That was a fucking twenty-dollar burrito!”

The last bit of burrito hit the ground, sending sour cream and beef juice to splatter over my feet and ankles. I glared at Niel, and he just licked his fingers. I rolled my eyes and moved along. No sense in arguing about it now.

The motel smelled like cigarette smoke and bleach, but it wasn’t the worst one I had ever stayed in. The yellow walls, orange bedding and brown carpet made me feel like I was in a sepia-toned picture. “When should I go back?” Neil asked.

“In a couple of days,” I huffed. I sat down at the sticky little table by the window so I could eat my food. “Let them stew for a few days and get comfortable again. Then you can go back and do your business.”

Neil sat down on the bed. “I feel so bad picking on girls, though. I much prefer scaring guys.”

I opened my takeout box. “Well, one of those girls can get us good connections with her very rich, very superstitious mother. We might be able to stop this nonsense and live the high life.” I stopped mid-bite when I grasped my own wording. “No, you won’t be able to get high.”

Neil pouted, then floated away through the wall. After I ate, I climbed into bed and lay staring at the ceiling. There was a huge water stain there. How long had it been there? Was it a sign of pipe damage? A shoddy roof? I thought about these things until I fell asleep, to keep other thoughts from invading my mind.

I woke to the sound of someone pounding on the door. I sat up and caught a glimpse of Niel’s ass before he pulled himself back through the door. “It’s the cops!”

I huffed and got up to answer the door. “What are you doing?” Neil snapped.

“What are you afraid of? We don’t have anything.” I opened the door, but kept the chain latched. “Do you know what time it is?”

“Ma’am, were you at Alpha Sigma Alpha house last night?” the cop outside asked me.

“Good morning to you, too,” I grumbled. “What is this pertaining to, officer?”

The officer was stone-faced, and obviously not in the mood for anything other than being obeyed. “Please answer the question, ma’am.”

“Yes, I was. Now what is this about?”

“Please step outside, ma’am.”

I looked back at Neil, who had hidden under the bed, and rolled my eyes. There went my chance for explaining myself with a haunting. “Not until you tell me why I should.”

“We need to take you in for questioning,” the officer replied, stony as ever.

I furrowed my brow. “Questioning? For what?”

“So we can get your testimony of last night’s events.”

A chill went down my spine. This wasn’t good. Either those sorority girls turned on each other, or I somehow passed by a murderer on the way to the restaurant and didn’t know it. “Can I get changed at least? Maybe a coffee?” I huffed.

“I’ll be waiting here.”

I closed the door and started getting dressed. “Come out, Neil. You have to go with me.”

“I ain’t going nowhere in no cop car.”

“You’re dead, Neil,” I snapped at him. “Besides, you owe me for wasting that burrito last night.”

“You can’t use that against me.”

I threw on my jacket and glared at him. “You know I will, so don’t fight it!” I opened the door and stepped outside. “Okay, I’m ready.”

The cop looked over my shoulder into the room. “Are you in there with someone? I thought I heard a male voice.”

“It’s next door.” I closed the door behind me. “The guy in there has been pacing and mumbling all night.” Crap, this cop might be sensitive. He heard Neil, but I didn’t think he could see him.

The cop looked me over. His badge read Mercy. “What’s your name?”

“I’ll tell you when I’m questioned, Officer Mercy.” I followed him to his car. It wasn’t my first ride in a cop car. I leaned close to the cage that separated the front from the back. “Am I allowed to request a coffee, Officer Mercy? You did wake me up rather rudely.”

“We have coffee at the station,” he said sternly.

“You play the part really well. Let me guess, it’s a family thing. Father a cop? Brother a cop?” I waited for Neil to climb into the front seat. “Your mother’s a cop, too. But she retired, right? To raise a house full of boys.”

Mercy twitched and looked at me in the rearview mirror. “What are you talking about?”

“She ran the house like a bootcamp, right? Is that why you have trouble with constipation? You’re still stressed about it?”

At the stop sign he braked hard and turned around in his seat to look at me. “What are you talking about?”

There was a bottle of constipation pills in the glove compartment, along with a note from a doctor suggesting he take time off for stress. There were also a lot of pictures in Officer Mercy’s wallet. Sentimental, despite the bitterness of his upbringing.

“Coffee first? Or do you not understand what your last name means, Mercy?”

Officer Mercy gave me the eye before turning back around in his seat. “You really are psychic,” he muttered.

“Oh, so you do get it?” I leaned back in the seat while Neil came back to join me. “What happened last night? Did someone die?”

Mercy was quiet, but in the mirror I saw his tense brow and the look of fear in his young eyes. I knew that look, unfortunately.

“How bad was it, Mercy?”

“Ma’am, I won’t talk about it here. You’re being brought in for questioning.”

“That bad, huh?” I murmured. “Was it your first time seeing…”

“Ma’am!” he snapped.

I stopped, knowing I might be making his stress-induced constipation worse. I sighed, crossing my arms against my chest. Once we arrived at the station, I was led to a room where I saw some of the girls from last night. They looked awful, frightened, and I felt for them, whatever they had to witness last night. I was taken to the back and made to sit in a very cold, dimly-lit box with a two-way mirror.

“How do you take your coffee?” Mercy asked.

“With enough cream to make it beige,” I answered.

Mercy furrowed his brow at me.

“It’s not the worst thing you’re going to deal with today, Officer,” I scoffed. “I’ll behave, promise.” He left and I sat, knowing I’d be kept waiting a while. I learned that from my parents, who’d done it before during their studies.

Another cop came in, bigger and more like a pitbull than baby-faced Mercy with his thin mustache coming in. “You are Alice Young, correct?” he said in a chain-smoker wheeze.

“I prefer Al, but yeah. Can you tell me why I’m here? Officer Mercy was chintzy on the details, as well as the coffee he promised me.” I leaned back in my chair, waiting for Neil to return.

Officer Pitbull tossed some pictures onto the table. I recognized them as Smug Girl and Hot-For-Teacher Girl. “Did you speak to these young ladies last night?”

“Yes. This one hired me.” I pointed to Hot-For-Teacher.

The officer placed his elbows on the table and one of his chins on his knuckles. “Can you explain why?”

I looked away from the picture, still waiting for Neil. I hoped I could hesitate long enough. “What were you told?”

Office Pitbull was obviously there to intimidate me, but I had seen much worse than him. “It doesn’t matter. I need to know what you were doing at that house last night.”

“I was hired for a job. The girls were having a party and I was brought in to perform as a medium for entertainment. I performed, then I left and got food at Habanero.” I met his gaze. “Why am I here, officer?”

The door opened and Mercy came in with my coffee. He looked white as a sheet, but he quietly placed my coffee before me on the table. I took a drink as Neil whispered to me, having followed Mercy in. “Thank you, Mercy. This is perfect.” I sat the cup down. “The girls were killed? I’m sorry.”

“You told her?” Pitbull snapped at Mercy.

I shook my head. “They were found in their beds, doors locked, windows open.” I looked directly into Pitbull’s eyes. “No blood, but…”

He slammed his palms down on the table. “You stop your voodoo priestess horseshit this instant! I won’t have it in my building!”

“It’s real…” Mercy started but quieted himself and went back to his uptight stony demeanor from before.

“They said you were hired as a psychic,” Pitbull spat.

I nodded. “I was.”

Pitbull thought he had me there. “And yet you couldn’t predict they were going to be murdered? Or did you not warn them?”

I glared at him. “What do you think?”

He slammed both palms down. “You could be an accessory!”

“I was there, yes, I admit it. But all I did was tell them things they already knew. I can only tell things about people when I’m near them. I can’t tell the future. My abilities lie elsewhere.”

“Yes, I saw your card.” The officer slid it out from the same folder he took the pictures from. “Exorcisms and ghost removal. What sort of bullshit are you trying to sell?”

“Is this about me, or are you going to do anything about those poor girls?” I pressed my finger into the picture. “I’m not at fault here, officer. I’ll tell you what I saw last night, but I had nothing to do with this. I was just in the house as a guest, a party act.”

Office Pitbull glared at me with his lip curled.

“I passed a group of young women as I walked down the street. One had forearm crutches. It was late and dark, and I didn’t really see many people out and about. Even the restaurant I went to was empty aside from a few drunks at the bar.”

“Those girls must be the Harvey sisters,” Mercy said.

Officer Pitbull glared at him. “You’ll have to give me a full statement of what happened last night. Everything from the moment you arrived to the time you left.”

This guy wasn’t going to let me off easy. He probably thought I committed the murders, just because I was a stranger claiming I had powers. He probably thought I was crazy, and for him that was enough to label anyone guilty. I gave my statement from top to bottom as best I could. Then I was allowed to leave, but since Officer Mercy brought me here I had to walk myself back to the hotel.

“This is bad, Al,” Neil shivered.

“We did nothing wrong. What’s bad about this?” I huffed.

“No,” he shook his head. “Those girls, how they died… It’s bad, Al. Really bad.”

I stopped to look him in the eye. “What happened? You only said the bare minimum in the police station.”

Neil’s eyes were bloodshot and dilated. That was usual for him, but there was something new to them, a fresh look of fear. “They were ripped apart.”

“But you said there was no blood,” I huffed.

“There wasn’t!” Neil shook his head wildly. “It was like they’d been… partially eaten.”

A stone sank heavily into my gut. “Oh.”

Neil looked distressed. “I’ve seen some things, but I ain’t ever seen anything like that, Al. Those pictures… those poor girls.”

“Well, there goes my big payday,” I scoffed.

“Is that all you care about?” Neil snapped.

“Look, we’re lucky this is all that this has to do with us. We’ll get out of here and that’ll be the end of it. I’m sorry you had to see that, but there was nothing we could have done. Nothing we can do now. These aren't ghosts, obviously.” I huffed and shoved my hands into my pockets, continuing the walk back to the motel.

Once there I began packing, which wasn’t hard. The bus wasn’t leaving until that evening, so I stayed in the motel the rest of the day. Then, just as I stepped out of the motel office, I saw the girl with forearm crutches outside. She was very petite and lovely. Her long hair was tied back into a sleek braid, and she was wearing a plaid skirt with a matching jacket. She reminded me of a doll. “I’m glad I caught you!” she said breathlessly. “You’re the psychic from the Alpha Sigma Alpha house, right?”

“Not anymore,” I huffed. This girl was so pretty it was almost criminal. My hands were getting sweaty just looking at her.

“Please, I need your help.” She came closer to me. “It’s about what happened last night at the house.”

I walked away from her. “I’m sorry, but I don’t…”

“I saw something last night, and no one will believe me! Please, you have to help. If anyone will believe me, it's you.”

I stopped in my tracks, but only because Neil had grabbed hold of me.

“My name is Beth,” the girl said softly. “I can pay you for your help.”

Neil forced me to turn around. “What did you see?”

“It climbed up through the window last night. I saw it when I was coming back from class,” she said. “It looked like a demon.”

“Last night?” I frowned. “You had classes that late?”

“There are night courses I have to take,” Beth replied. “I even drew what I saw.” She took a piece of paper from her jacket and handed it to me. I unfolded the paper and inside I saw a contorted, long-limbed figure. The mouth was opened, stretched wide and filled with jagged long teeth.

“It reminded me of that movie, the old one,” Beth said, breathless. “The tall man with the hunched shoulders, bald head and pointed ears and teeth.”

“Nosferatu,” I grimaced. “Vampires aren’t real.”

“But I saw it!” Beth argued. “Please, you have to believe me. You’re the only one who can possibly help us.”

I looked back at the picture. “This won’t be cheap.”

Beth shook her head. “I don’t care. I need you.”

I folded the picture and stuck it into my own pocket. “Let’s talk, then.”

--------------------

I just wanted to get out of this town. If Officer Pitbull had any say in the matter, I was the primary suspect in a double homicide, and this held the possibility of him unearthing a slurry of unsavory facts about my family. Facts he could use to connect me to the murder of these two girls, or at least provide character evidence indicating my likely guilt.

Beth took me to a twenty-four hour diner so we could talk. It was quiet, filled with exhausted university students, a few truck drivers, and the two waitresses on shift. I ordered coffee and waffles, but only because Beth was paying. My bus had already left, I would have to wait another day to leave.

“There’s not much on her I can read,” Neil sat beside Beth at the booth, going through her pockets and small bag. “Just some loose cash and a student ID.”

I was looking at my coffee while he spoke. Beth could see the creature going into the window last night, but not Neil. It seemed strange.

“I know who you are,” Beth finally said. Her songbird voice was warbly and timid. “I’ve read the books your parents have written.”

I swallowed hard, pressing my tongue against my teeth. “Is that why I’m here, then? You’re a fan of my parents?”

Beth shook her head. “No, I’m genuinely asking for your help. This isn’t the first time I’ve seen this creature around campus. And you might know something about it. Your parents have been all over. The Wakefield house, the Seamstress murders…”

I set down the coffee mug a bit too hard on the table. “I know what my parents have done. That was them. Not me.”

Beth’s eyes widened. “But your card says you perform exorcisms and paranormal investigations, just like they do.”

“Go back to what you said before,” I said. “You’ve seen the creature around campus before? Why have you not told anyone?”

“I’ve tried, but my sisters call me crazy. But your parents’ books claim that all sorts of phenomena can occur. I suspect this could be some sort of demon, or even a poltergeist.”

I shake my head. “Demons aren’t so subtle, and poltergeists don’t let themselves get seen. Is this the only strange thing you’ve ever seen? Or has this happened to you before?”

Beth shook her head. “Not that I could recall. Have you seen anything like this?”

I was seven years old when I experienced my first real paranormal phenomenon. My parents were good about keeping me away from their work, and the museum they kept close to the house. My mom talked about a lockbox or something too, but I never knew what that was. Fed up with my parents’ constant reticence and absence, I snuck into their museum, where I was never allowed to go, a treasure trove of artifacts and trophies from their past jobs. I was clutching my teddy bear, the one that I would later equate Neil with. Next thing I knew my dad was dragging me out, my mom was screaming inside, and I didn’t see that teddy bear again until years later, when I discovered it locked into a glass box like a fire extinguisher. I didn’t remember what transpired in the museum, but afterwards it became apparent to my parents I had a gift - I was able to attract ghosts in a way they hadn’t seen before.

I sighed, pushing my plate aside as Neil looked at it hungrily. “I missed my bus for this. I need something more concrete to go off of. Your friends were murdered, and I know you’re shaken. But I don’t deal with murder in the present tense. I deal with the aftereffects, the residual anger so powerful it lingers for centuries. I’m not quite sure what you’re asking me to do, or even to look for.”

Beth stared at me, frustrated almost to tears. “But what about this creature?”

“Call animal control. Wrap yourselves in garlic, hang crosses over every opening in the house. Call a priest, but don’t call me.”

I tried to stand up, but Beth used one of her crutches to hit me in the leg. “Could you tell if something was there if you went to the house?” she asked.

“Maybe, but it’s a crime scene. And the top dog in charge already resents me. I don’t exactly want to give him ammo.” I had already been inside that house, and there was nothing there. I didn’t need to go back to know that.

“I can get you in. No one will be there tonight. There wasn’t even anyone there when I came to get you.” Beth sounded so hopeful. Perhaps if I gave in and went with her, I could convince her there was nothing and leave it at that. Whatever got to those girls wasn’t a ghost, because I’d never heard of a ghost rending flesh like that.

“Fine,” I sighed. “But this will cost you extra.”

Beth nodded, so determined to see this to the end. “That’s fine with me.”

She took me back to the campus, which had been partially closed down. The girls in the sorority house had all gone home by now, and the area around the sorority itself had been cordoned off with police tape. Leading the way on her crutches, Beth guided me to the back of the house. All the doors should have been locked, but the back door opened with relative ease. “I’ll stay here and keep watch,” Beth said. “Be safe, okay?”

I nodded and went inside. As Beth closed the door behind me, I waited for Neil to materialize. “There’s nothing,” he said.

“Nothing at all?” I asked. “Did you check their rooms?”

Neil shook his head. “I wouldn’t dare go in there.”

“You’re a ghost, Neil,” I scoffed. I stepped from the kitchen into the foyer. I had been here before, but everything felt so different. I took a deep breath, smelling the air for any sort of changes. I was starting up the stairs when Neil grabbed me and held me back. I huffed. “What are you doing?”

“I don’t think you should go up there. It could be dangerous.” Neil’s bloodshot eyes stared into me. “Please.”

“There are no ghosts here.” I yanked my arm back and continued to walk up. “So stop acting like a…” The stair under me opened up. I can’t say exactly how it happened, but it almost felt like it was pulled out from under my feet. I grabbed hold just before I plummeted, and dangled there in the darkness before my grip completely failed me. I plunged through the darkness before I fell into water.

“Al!” Neil screamed from above.

I panicked. Unable to find anything solid, I splashed and kicked wildly. I screamed for help, hoping Beth could hear me. My voice echoed off something, so there must have been walls nearby, at least. “Neil!” I cried out.

His hand clasped around mine, pulling me above water and guiding me to something solid. I heaved myself out of the water, gasping for breath and shuddering all over. I reached into my pocket, praying that my lighter still worked. “Are you okay?” Neil asked.

The lighter sparked and squeaked as I tried to get it to light. “No, I’m not fucking okay.” It sparked to life, and the tiny flame cast a small circle of light around me. I stood up on a patch of bare earth. “What the fuck is this?”

“The basement?” Neil chirped.

I shook my head. “There’s no way. A cistern under an old house? Does that make sense?”

“It’s cold down here,” Neil whispered.

“How would you…” A chill cut through my body, and I wished it was because I was soaking wet. I stretched out my arm, moving closer to the edge of the water. I could see things on the surface, floating near the bank. “Are those…” Something clung to the small patch of land that I was on. The water lapped against it, rocking it gently against the dirt. It looked like tattered clothes and rope.

“This isn’t good, Al,” Neil whimpered. “We need to find a way out.”

“Yeah, no shit.” I moved back again. “I need something to light. I can’t keep this lit forever.” I felt across the dirt. “You start looking for a way out.”

“Are you sure you want to be left alone?” Neil asked.

“What else do I have going for me? Just go.” I kept looking, hoping to find something to illuminate better than a solitary lighter. Eventually I found what looked like an old flashlight, and by some miracle it still worked. I turned it on, shining the light over the water. That’s when I saw it. I switched the light off and held my breath.

“Al, I think I found something!”

“Show me.” My voice cracked.

“It’s over this way.” Neil touched me. “Did you find a flashlight?”

“Neil,” I swallowed hard. “It’s bad. It’s really bad.”

“Well, sure. That’s a given.”

I shook my head. “No. It’s worse than that.” I closed my eyes, turned on the flashlight, and shone it out over the lake. Neil screamed, and I turned it off again. I didn’t need to open my eyes to see the skeletons, the bodies, draped over the patches of earth against the stone walls.

“What the fuck is that? What the fuck? What is…” Niel was beginning to panic. After all, this looked vaguely similar to the mass grave he was left in.

I grabbed him. “The exit, Neil! We need to get out!”

“It’s a murder house! What is happening?” Neil was still babbling as he tried to come to grips with what he saw.

“That’s why we need to go!” I yanked Niel hard, hopefully snapping him back into his senses. He ran, pulling me along behind him. I had to move through the water, stepping on things that felt like bones, but we eventually made it to a door. There was a grate covering it, but the grate buckled easily when force was applied. I stepped out onto the marshy wetlands behind the campus, under an overpass where I could hear cars driving by.

I took deep breaths as I looked around, shaking all over. “Okay.” I breathed. “Okay.”

“Okay?” Neil snapped. “What was that in there?”

“I don’t know.” I started walking around with my fists clenched. “But we’re leaving, that’s for damn sure. I don’t care if Beth begs me to stay. I’m not going back.”

“Are you not going to tell anyone?” Neil quickly ran up beside me.

“No, of course not! I’m not telling anybody about a mass grave! Not until I’m a thousand miles away and can leave an anonymous tip at some phone booth in New York.” I trudged through the sludge until we reached dry land, and it took me a moment to realize we’d wound up in someone’s backyard. “I just want to get out of here.” I started walking across the lawn, hoping it was too late in the evening for anyone to notice me. “Get my fucking things and go.”

The back door of the nearby house opened. Light flooded my vision, and the sound of a gun cocking deafened me. “Don’t move!”

I stood still, quickly throwing my arms up into the air.

“Ms. Young?”

I squinted through the light until I could focus. There was a young man on the porch wearing a shirt and boxer shorts. “Mercy?”

He lowered his gun and stared at me in confusion. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“That’s my question.”

“You’re soaked.” He lowered his gun to his side and waved at me. “Come in.”

I shook my head. “No. I really should go. I need to go.” I turned to continue making my getaway when I tripped over a hose hidden in the grass and fell face-first into a rock.

Needless to say, I was pulled inside by Officer Mercy, who gave me ice for my black eye and even offered me dry clothes. Then he sat down at the table across from me. “I’m sorry about what happened at the station today. I didn’t think Gradings would go off like that on you.”

Seeing him like this, he didn't seem like a police officer, just some baby-faced guy. “I’m sure he’s perfectly nice when coeds haven’t been brutally murdered.”

Mercy shook his head. “No.”

I sighed. “I see.”

“Tell him,” Neil hissed.

I shooed him away like I was swatting a fly. “Is this the first murder around here?” I asked. “I mean, like… gruesome as it is.”

“We’ve dealt with a lot of missing persons reports,” Mercy said. “But nothing like this.” His eyes drifted away into nothing as he rubbed his hand over his jaw and mouth.

I furrowed my brow. “Missing persons?”

“It’s a college town. Kids run away, join cults, bands, lovers, you name it. Most of them turn up, or we’re told they got home.” He shrugged. “I mean, I heard stories that before the college was built here, there were some shady businesses around. But that’s just rumors.”

I lifted the ice bag away from my face. “What kind of shady business?”

“Oh man, that looks bad.” Mercy stood up and approached me. “You’ll probably have a shiner in the morning. I’ll get you some aspirin.”

I scowled. “I’m not going to stay. I really should be going.”

Mercy made me hold the ice back over my eye. “Look, the buses don't run again until the morning, so you might as well stay the night. Whatever you were doing out there, it can wait too, can’t it?”

“Some cop,” I huffed.

“I don’t think you’re guilty. I felt bad even waking you up this morning, but Gradings was dead-set on it. Especially when he found your card on one of the… the girls.” He couldn’t even bring himself to say ‘corpses’.

“You’ve probably had a bad day too,” I muttered. “You saw right?”

Mercy’s skin grew pale and clammy.

“Look, take it from an old hat, there was nothing you could have done. But you can work hard to see that it doesn’t happen again.” I took the ice away from my eye again. “I’ll sleep on your couch.”

“Why don’t you tell him?” Neil snapped at me.

Mercy gave me a curious look. “Old hat?”

I stood up from the kitchen table. “I deal with ghosts, remember? I see death in a different way, but it’s still death.”

That seemed to be enough for Mercy. “Oh, right.” He led me into the living room. “If you need another blanket, just ask.”

I saw an open book on the recliner, along with half a beer. “Can’t sleep?”

Mercy avoided the question by pretending he didn’t hear me. He turned off the light then the one in the kitchen. “You need to tell him,” Neil snapped at me.

“How the fuck do I tell him?” I scoffed. “I told you, I’ll give an anonymous tip once I’m out of here. There’s no sense in putting myself into this drama.”

“You were literally dumped into the middle of it, Al!” Neil hissed. “Something is going on! Those poor girls could be part of it. You could have been, too! The stair didn’t just give way for no reason.”

I put an old throw pillow over my face to try and drown Niel out. “This has nothing to do with ghosts!” I snapped.

Neil threw the pillow across the room. “You’re an idiot,” he snarled into my ear.

I lay there, staring out into the shadows. Everytime I closed my eyes, I saw the bodies in the flashlight beam. I had to stay awake to keep that image out of my head.

I got up as soon as there was light out, and when I did I noticed Mercy sitting in his kitchen, already in uniform and with my dry clothes laid out on the table. “You’re awake.” he said simply.

“So are you.” I took my clothes. “I’ll go change and get out of your hair.”

“How’s your eye?” he asked.

I touched my face. “Sore. How does it look?”

A slight smile appeared on Mercy’s lips, and he looked almost handsome. “Not as bad as I thought it was going to be. Did you use my phone last night?”

I clenched my fist around my clothes. Mercy had done this at the hotel, too. “No. Why do you ask?”

“Because I thought I heard you talking to someone last night.” He shrugged. “Sorry. Must have been a figment of my imagination.”

“Yeah, there wasn’t any talking.” I went and changed, folding up the things I’d slept in and laying them aside. I looked back into the mirror and saw Neil standing behind me. “You really almost got me in trouble.”

“I did?” He laughed. “You and I must remember yesterday very differently.”

“Shut up,” I hissed. I left the bathroom quickly, exited the house, crossed the street and kept going. I could see signs for the campus in the distance. Once I got there, I’d be able to find my way back to the bus station, but that Beth girl had my stuff. I needed to find her first.

I turned back around to see Mercy getting into his patrol car, and I went back across the street and leaned over into his window. “Those Harvey girls,” I started. “Do you know where they are?”

“The Harvey girls?” Mercy asked, taking off his sunglasses. “I think they said they were staying somewhere off campus. But they’ve probably left with everyone else.”

“Just tell me where they are, please.”

Mercy motioned to the car door, a slight smile on his face. “Get in and I can take you there.”

I sighed and hopped in. He drove in silence for a while, seeming to want to say something. “How did you know…” Mercy hesitated.

“About your… medical condition?” I shrugged. “I don’t know. Just did.”

Neil scoffed from the back seat.

“It’s pretty amazing. Being able to see things like that about people.” Mercy said. “I wish I knew stuff like that sometimes, without having to speak.” I noticed the way he was rubbing his fingers along the steering wheel, like he was trying to comfort himself.

“It’s not amazing,” I sighed. “It’s a problem.”

He nodded. “I see.” He started slowing down. “This should be it.”

The house was old, and looked like it should have been part of the campus. I stepped out of the car and looked up at the windows, which were all closed and shuttered.

“Do you want me to wait for you?” Mercy asked.

Then I saw my bag, sitting on a chair on the porch. I went up and grabbed it, putting it over my shoulder, then noticed there was a note and a key under the bag. “I don’t know what happened to you last night. But if you come inside you can wait until your bus has to leave. I can take you to the station and pay you for the trouble. - Beth”.

I wanted to leave and wait at the station. But I felt I owed an explanation to Beth, or at least to let her know I was alive. I shook my head at Mercy. “No, just go. Get to work.”

I used the key to open the front door, finding the house  dark and quiet. “At least it’s not a death lake,” Neil whispered.

“Shut up. Everyone must still be asleep.” I walked inside, hearing the click-clack of the grandfather clock by the stairs.  There was a sitting room just to the right of the entrance, and I sank into a chair, feeling drowsy.

“Should I go and look around?” Neil asked.

“No. Just stay put,” I grumbled. I went through my bag to make sure everything was there. Luckily, it all was. I stood up just to look outside and make sure Officer Mercy had driven off.

“Oh, good, you’re here.” I turned around, and there was Beth standing there.

I stepped away from the windows. “I didn’t wake you, did I?”

“I was actually just making my way to bed,” she chuckled. “I was up a bit too late doing schoolwork, and then I thought I heard you come in.”

“Go to sleep,” I said. “I can rest here on the sofa.”

Beth then tilted her head. “You look awful. What happened to you last night?” She approached me and stood very close, and one hand left her crutch and took hold of mine.

“I was…” My voice cracked. “It’s hard to explain. I was trying to find your creature, and I got a bit sidetracked.”

“Liar,” Neil grumbled.

She smiled at me. “Why don’t you take a shower, and then you can get some rest before you have to go. I’ll even get a bed made up for you.”

I felt drowsier than before, and I let her lead me away. As I walked down the hallway, I saw one of the other girls through an open door. She was standing by her bed, but when I walked by her head turned. It seemed to twist much farther than it should be able, and her eyes looked red. But I was exhausted. I probably wasn’t thinking right.

[dracwife]

🎲 for summerisle. in honor of summerisle saturday.

ship: a love immeasurable -> summerisle/heidi word count: 1170 summary: howie takes issue with the nature of heidi and lord summerisle's relationship. i didn't mean for this to become a full fic.

41. a kiss out of spite.

“Surely, a man of your status and self-respect wouldn’t…” Howie lets out a nervous laugh.

“Wouldn’t…?” Summerisle prods him. Though it was little more than a question, between the two they both knew well it was a challenge, a dare even. Go on, he’s saying to Neil Howie, say it.

“Oh, come on now. You are subject to a Christian nation, as you well know. And -- and you may be teaching this heathen religion of yours to these poor, unfulfilled youth and…Well, I can allow that, because they may still see the err of their ways when they mature and get a little common sense, but you cannot run around, no matter private property or not, and spew this absolute perversion! Everywhere I look, it gets worse, but I draw the line here, I do!”

Summerisle tilts his head curiously, an amused grin tugging at his cheeks with rather disinterested eyes. The gathers his thoughts for a moment, exhaling audibly, that forced, friendly smile not for a second faltering as he stands tall, much taller than Sergeant Howie, and looks down at him as he begins.

“I fail to see what you refer to, Sergeant. I believe in the fluidity of life, its many facets altogether, in my opinion, are ever open for change. Do the flowers not bloom in spring, and wither in the autumn? Does the tide not ride high one day, and run low but hours later? The moon, even, runs in cycles, never stagnant, and that’s not even to reference the rest of our earth. The caterpillar metamorphoses into a butterfly, the egg hatches into a chick. The leaves change color through the seasons, and birds will migrate in the winter. Nature adapts to what best suits its needs, and I do believe we humans try to do the same. Who is to say what the ‘correct’ way is for us to find content in our own cycle of life? Perhaps you, Sergeant, find comfort in the routine of your own normalcy. Personally, I would much rather experience as much of what this great earth offers to me as possible. What you may call deviance, I would call the culmination of what has been offered to me. You are engaged, are you not? From what you’ve said, you worship regularly, too? As do I, dear Howie, though under different conditions I can only presume. The desire for companionship is felt all the same in either case, yours or mine, I’d imagine.”

“An outstanding misinterpretation of devotion!”

"I suspect we differ in definition, then," Summerisle rounds the den to seat himself comfortably in one of the many chairs.

Howie follows as obedient as any dog, "It is completely unnatural." 

"But it is so very human to fall in love, isn't it?"

"Not in this way. Were the investigation of Rowan Morrison not taking precedence in my visit, I would have half a mind to arrest you both now -- I will certainly be reporting this to the proper department once I reach the mainland I assure you."

"Kindly, Sergeant, I believe you might have quite the case to make -- In almost all respects besides social representation, Heidi is female, and comfortable in admitting so."

This only flabbergasted Howie further, a sputtering mess of fury and disgust, "Sexual deviance at its finest! And with all the other indecent practices I have witnessed on the island!"

"There is nothing sexual about it, quite the opposite in fact," Summerisle tuts, which pauses Howie's rant for but a moment.

"And maybe, if you kept it in the privacy of your own home, I could look past it, but --"

"Need I remind you, Sergeant, that you are in my house. And I would expect that a man of your manner would, if nothing else, respect the dignity of his hosts. I understand that perhaps you are not so accustomed to the things that you may see here, but," Summerisle, standing now, and voice raised just ever so slightly, causing an already very small-feeling Howie to shrink even more; He realized then the impossibly imposing nature of Lord Summerisle, "You would have the decency to not speak ill of my family, lest not in my own home."

Though his inflection tipped upwards, phrasing it as though it were some sort of question, it was indubitably a command, one that Howie simply conceded to as he smoothed his lapel. A terrible blow to his ego aside, he sheepishly meets the eyes of His Lordship again, whose undoubtedly alarming anger had already melted away, back into that friendly, approachable smile Howie had been invited into his manor in the first place with, "But of course, I would never think it to come to that brutish sort of insult. Heathens as you may think of us, we are still civil."

It almost frightened Howie -- seeing Summerisle swap between the two temperaments so quickly, his brows furrowed more the longer he stood thinking, if he had so easily hidden his anger, what ever else could the island be concealing?

In that moment, a third joins them in the den, carrying a small platter. They offer it first to Howie, who simply shakes his head, turns and gazes out of the window again. He feels too ill even to meet their eyes. 

Heidi, however, shrugs it off and simply wanders coolly over to Summerisle, who with a small thanks takes one of the mugs of tea.

Heidi mumbles something about being nearly out of milk, and as Howie steals a glance towards the couple he looks over just in time to see him, half bent over, Summerisle's hand resting gently against the other's cheek as he presses their lips together in a relaxed, but delicate kiss. He watches as they part slowly, in both their eyes that same look, a word he could only -- and it pained him so to even admit such a thing -- describe as reverence, with the kind of sincerity and passion that he could only otherwise ascribe to the way a servant may worship it's master. He dare not call it love, not after he argued so violently against it, but the thought prodded at him still that it may well have been the same way he looked at his own Mary, and for a second he considered that he had been too harsh. 

Heidi clears his throat though, and pulls Howie from his reflection, and murmurs about needing to visit the market -- Howie thinks he even hears an affectionate name alongside the "Murdoch" he refers to the man as, Howie makes a note of his lordship's first name finally, befitting to the rest of him -- surely referencing the mainland. He bids a quick, soft goodbye through a warm smile, bowing his head again to Howie as he exits the room, tea tray still in hand, leaving Summerisle and the policeman alone once more. The pagan watches Howie carefully, eyes sparkling with the sweet sense of spiteful victory alongside taunting curiosity, at what Howie's next move may be. 

He merely sighs, "I hope you will forgive me of my rash transgressions. It was rude of me."

"I never held it against you for a moment, my devout friend. I simply hope you may learn a thing or two during your stay."