i think it might be too hopeful to expect them to no one really wants to come to terms with fear, especially something so unfamiliar
with everything that's going on i don't think i was able to spare any ridiculousness the entire year i'm going to have to make up for that, i think.
and if it involves a barter... how much can just my company get me? to spice it up, i could always bring something to snack on. or maybe order a pizza? plus, i think there's at least five different bottles i could roulette that my parents haven't touched in god knows how long.
there was a point where i didn't know when my brother and the boys were all handling it on their own the girl i was then, i don't think she would've wanted to come to terms with it. i can't really say i'm grateful for everything, but it's changed me a lot since it all started. you know?
( and for the sake of not becoming too sentimental, here — they're talking about all of the ridiculousness they've missed out on, after all — she's quick to spin the topic on its axel. )
if i tell you something i've always wanted to do, you can't laugh at me promise?
sort of. it was before anything really happened, at least mike was keeping eleven in our basement for weeks before i found out about it i still think they're braver than i am.
there wasn't a promise there but i'll trust you i've always wanted to break into the school's pool at night doesn't really fit the whole pizza and alcohol thing, but it's the first thing that came to mind i used to joke about it with barb all the time
i’m a little proud of him because mike’s not exactly subtle about anything.
that wasn’t what i was expecting but i’m curious why you think i would laugh over trespassing. it’s kinda badass, wheeler.
lucky for you, i know that the locks to the pool are pretty easy to pick if you don’t feel like doing some climbing. and what’s a little trespassing when you have a looming murder charge?
not that you'd laugh over trespassing, but you asked me for something wild and out of the box i wasn't exactly sure that'd qualify
( it's not like she's been sheltered, but she'd hardly gotten to enjoy the trivialities of high school, and she sort of feels like she's running out of time. )
a highly undeserved, scape-goated, ridiculous murder charge, at that. and you're right. if not for myself, then i should do it for her.
not out of the box but i'll give it a little wild for hawkins. you're right, i guess i could have expected more since you're willing to saw barrels shotguns. what's a little misdemeanor?
yeah... not stopping people from gathering evidence though, is it?
make it 11pm. that's when the real fun starts. [ also less likely anyone's lingering around. ]
eddie, i promise we're going to do something about it. even if it'll take time, we're going to clear the charges. it doesn't matter what it takes. okay? none of us are going to just stand by and watch it happen.
( it's not exactly an easy request, that they try to enjoy the night without the looming horrors around them — both human and non-human alike — but she wouldn't feel right if it wasn't addressed once more before they met. )
i'll take your word for it ( he would know better than her, after all. )
i don't know what it says that i'd almost rather deal with the monsters than the people in hawkins. but i think if we've been able to face demodogs, the mind flayer and put down vecna once, getting the truth out there isn't an impossibility.
( but even when it is, the chance that anyone would believe it enough to clear his name is slim. point is, she won't stop defending his name — no matter how long it takes. )
i'll be there.
( it's almost thrilling, like she's back in her freshman year again sneaking out of her room for the first time while her parents sit in front of the droning tv, dad passed out in his recliner and magazines stacked beside her mom. for a moment, it's almost as if everything were normal, like her biggest worry was getting caught climbing out of her bedroom window or catching a cold if she came home with her hair still wet. if anyone would have told her she'd be breaking into hawkin high's pool at nearly midnight, she wouldn't have believe them — but then again, everything's changed, hasn't it?
she has a bit of time to spare before she has to leave, leaning beyond the railing of the stairs to ensure her parents were still predictably planted before she slips into the dining room to dig through the various bottles in the china cabinet, coming up on one that's nearly full. she hasn't got half an idea what type of liquor it is or what it pairs with, exactly, but it would do the job. she checks the time once more as she finishes bowing her laces, grabbing for her denim jacket and taking one last look into her bedroom — light dimmed enough for sleep, pillows stuffed beneath her blanket — before heading out into the night. )
i need you to know, that i wrote 'master of puppers' bc of that emote
[ it's endearing really and, well, eddie's never really had that many people his corner before. not parents, teachers, or most peers. uncle wayne, sure, and the hellfire club make up a short list of people.
chrissy could have been, he thinks, but that thought doesn't linger too long.
eddie almost wants to believe that it's possible. that nancy wheeler will find a way. maybe for the night he can, given that he's willing to sneak into the school and risk getting caught. that won't go well either, if he ends behind bars and nancy's considered part of a murder cult.
but eddie's getting claustrophobic in that rv. he's all amped up, with no where to go. his guitar is still at wayne's trailer, there's not much he can do but pace.
he makes his way through the woods toward the school, careful and nervous at any sound. no one's looking for him, he's sure. not human at least, but who knows what's out there. there's a path from the woods, through the field to the bleachers. eddie walked thousands of times to meet up with anyone who wanted a little weed or something stronger from the local drug dealer. he walks it in reverse, a little jog in his step and then finds a spot on the bleachers. first he sits, then lays down and hums 'master of puppets' to himself, pretends to strum along on his guitar as he waits.
that's how nancy will find him before he notices her and sits up. ] You made it. [ he raises a brow and looks proud, grins as if he's impressed and doubted the girl who sawed a barrel off her shotgun to make sure she didn't miss. ]
i need u to know i then hummed that to my dog doing my morn things bc i read this when i woke up ok
( if there's anything that can vouch for her words, prove that it's not just her making a bold statement with any intent to then stand by without living up to it, it's the fact that not once has she considered the risks this little late night rendezvous imposed on her. it's symbolic in a way, of how she's grown — no longer the girl she'd been that first year of high school, quiet and reserved despite those blunt opinions of hers still brimming beneath the surface, now breaking and entering on school property with none other than eddie munson, supposed cult leader and hell raiser extraordinaire.
once she reaches the outskirts of the school, she's laying her bike behind one of the sheds behind the field, eerily empty and silent. it doesn't take her long to spot him — find the one thing that doesn't belong — and the closer she gets the more it's for certain, very much in character using his sternum as the neck of a guitar and mumbling chords to himself.
the way he jolts up as if she were something entirely unexpected almost pulls something snarky out of her, but instead she's raising a brow back, pressing lips together to fight the grin that blooms in response to his beaming pride. )
You didn't think I'd leave you out here all alone, did you? ( and with that, she's slinging the bag over her shoulder around to her side, pulling out the bottle she'd brought along and holding it by its neck, giving it a playful shimmy with a raise of her own brow. )
Wouldn't be much of a barter on your own.
slamming in late but here i am oops sorry for the wait
[ eddie leans forward, elbows on his knees and hands rolled into fists tucked under his chin. he grins, proud still and kind of excited.
in truth, eddie's reputation goes beyond actuality and he's tried not to live up to the reputation the munson name brings. his dad's in prison and the crimes aren't petty, eddie hadn't wanted to waver down that path.
but he does deal drugs to a good amount of the town's teenagers and a college kids a few towns over, so really a little breaking and entering isn't the worst thing on his list of crimes. he doesn't do it often but there's a little thrill to this. a little bit of something familiar. ] Didn't doubt you for a moment. [ he offers a cheekier grin, then stands up.
he wipes off his ribbed jeans before he reaches for the bottle, doesn't swipe if from her hand, but instead waits until he she lets go so he can lift it up closer. he gives it an exaggerated once over before nodding his approval. ] This'll do. I guess I have to hold up my end then and take you for a swim.
( the hum is low and playful from the bed of her throat, as if to say 'sure you didn't', because how many people in hawkins would have never expected her to show up? only those that believed they knew her, is the answer. she lets him have the bottle easily, and while she's not sure what can really be appraised from it she's almost curious as to what his response will be as he surveys the label — to her it's alcohol, and just about anything is strong enough. whether it tastes great or not, well, most of it didn't. )
You guess? Don't tell me you're chickening out now.
( she knows he isn't — in fact he seems remarkably comfortable, considering the circumstances. the fog almost seems to light up the field, and she doesn't wait for him to lead the way, because she's perfectly capable of doing that herself. as she slowly heads towards the back entry of the pool's building, she's spinning to walk backward, still clutching bag at her shoulder and offering a coy grin of her own, glimmering in the dark. )
Me? [ a hand goes to his chest and eddie leans back a little, brows raised. faux incredulous. ] Haven't you heard, Wheeler, I'm not one for running anymore. [ and isn't that bittersweet to say, even if he's wearing a grin and hiding injuries underneath his clothes.
they all are. no one got out of it unscathed.
he pushes himself up, stands and keeps hold of the bottle for now. it's a bit to big to fit into his pocket so he holds it at his side, stuffs his other hand into his jacket pocked so he can spin one of the rings on his fingers. eddie is nervous but he's also good at putting on a show until he feels that confidence settle in.
it comes quicker, easier in comfortable company. who could have thought it would be nancy wheeler's. he laughs when they approach the pool's gate. eddie pulls out a paperclip from his back pocket and takes a few quick steps to where the lock hangs on the metal gate so he can examine the lock.
same one he's dealt with before. easy pickings. ] I'm pretty committed here to your night of ridiculousness and granting Barb's wishes.
good point. i'll bring whatever remedies i can find
( the flutter of anticipation in her chest had nearly been enough to conquer the gnawing at her belly in protest to the alcohol they'd consumed the night prior, so she settles for a bottle of aspirin and a few of the tea bags her mom's always made her whenever she's come down with something. honestly, the best cure was sleep, but maybe they can worry about that when she gets there. )
( some things grow and change and some things stay the same. in fact the Harringtons are even more absent these days than they used to be, since he's grown and can take care of himself. supposedly. his mom comes home, sometimes, tired of dealing with his dad. she smokes like a chimney and he makes her grilled cheese and she says with quiet astonishment, how did you get so grown up? honestly, Steve doesn't even have a good answer to that question.
but she's not home now. keeping his father honest in Idaho. so he has a big old house to himself, to go with his five flavors of Gatorade, and lingering remnants of a headache. he really must be getting old, if he's this hungover. this would have felt like nothing when he was back in school. )
Just me. And some pickles. If those do it for you.
i've gotten used to only getting a few hours of sleep through exams if i can make it through that, i can handle a few nights of crappy sleep
( she's mulling over whether or not she should gently turn him down here, and she has every excuse to do so, doesn't she? that he shouldn't be going out doing anything strenuous, even if it was to grab a fresh cooked meal, and that it certainly shouldn't be just for her. but he does that thing he's always done — assures her she's not alone, that it's not just her, even if she is. )
okay. but only because it'll help you. eating well to give your body strength and everything. ( right!! because that's the only reason she's going and that totally sounds like something she'd say. )
after that you need to try to get some sleep deal?
this isn't like exams, nance not even close but i won't fight you on it yet
[ the larger part of steve assumes she will turn him down. it's late, neither of them should be out and about, and it's not like he's in the best of states. nancy is the one who makes the right decisions, after all, and this probably isn't smart. definitely isn't smart.
but then that message comes. okay. and steve...doesn't know if he feels relief or excitement or something entirely different. whatever it is, he knows he is looking for his keys. knows he is heading for his car. ]
yeah definitely this is just for me so that i can get my strength back and then after we'll both get some sleep deal?
( it's meant playfully, but there's a hum of truth beneath it. especially given the fact that she's stubborn enough not to let it go — he's gotten her to agree this far, hasn't he? so maybe she's tired of being the one that always makes the right decisions, who doesn't indulge something because it's reckless, questionable at best.
like we're stupid teenagers. )
i'm holding you to that don't think i won't.
let me know when you're close and i'll wait out front
[ but no, she’s right, he has gotten her to agree so far, and he’ll take that as a win. because it might be a little reckless, it might not be the smartest idea, but it’s also not the dumbest either. and it’s not dangerous, which is a whole separate issue - that decisions they make and things they do are either dangerous or not and that’s the only real gauge .
but steve will take what he can get. and right now - this is what he can get. ]
i know i know but remember YOU have to sleep too
and will do
[ which he does - about ten minutes later, saying he’ll be there in five. just so she has enough time to walk out. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
— flatteryworks.
i think it might be too hopeful to expect them to
no one really wants to come to terms with fear, especially something so unfamiliar
with everything that's going on i don't think i was able to spare any ridiculousness the entire year
i'm going to have to make up for that, i think.
and if it involves a barter... how much can just my company get me?
to spice it up, i could always bring something to snack on. or maybe order a pizza? plus, i think there's at least five different bottles i could roulette that my parents haven't touched in god knows how long.
no subject
running’s easier.
alright! well, what would your first ridiculous move be? what does nancy wheeler consider wild and out of the box?
pizza and alcohol? that’ll take you places. company would too but no take backs now what you’ve thrown your offer in the pot.
no subject
when my brother and the boys were all handling it on their own
the girl i was then, i don't think she would've wanted to come to terms with it.
i can't really say i'm grateful for everything, but it's changed me a lot since it all started. you know?
( and for the sake of not becoming too sentimental, here — they're talking about all of the ridiculousness they've missed out on, after all — she's quick to spin the topic on its axel. )
if i tell you something i've always wanted to do, you can't laugh at me
promise?
no subject
hit me with it. i won’t laugh.
no subject
mike was keeping eleven in our basement for weeks before i found out about it
i still think they're braver than i am.
there wasn't a promise there but i'll trust you
i've always wanted to break into the school's pool at night
doesn't really fit the whole pizza and alcohol thing, but it's the first thing that came to mind
i used to joke about it with barb all the time
no subject
that wasn’t what i was expecting but i’m curious why you think i would laugh over trespassing. it’s kinda badass, wheeler.
lucky for you, i know that the locks to the pool are pretty easy to pick if you don’t feel like doing some climbing. and what’s a little trespassing when you have a looming murder charge?
well, now you have to do it.
no subject
i wasn't exactly sure that'd qualify
( it's not like she's been sheltered, but she'd hardly gotten to enjoy the trivialities of high school, and she sort of feels like she's running out of time. )
a highly undeserved, scape-goated, ridiculous murder charge, at that.
and you're right. if not for myself, then i should do it for her.
so...
10 pm?
no subject
yeah... not stopping people from gathering evidence though, is it?
make it 11pm. that's when the real fun starts. [ also less likely anyone's lingering around. ]
excuse my tag bombing you oops
( it's not exactly an easy request, that they try to enjoy the night without the looming horrors around them — both human and non-human alike — but she wouldn't feel right if it wasn't addressed once more before they met. )
i'll take your word for it ( he would know better than her, after all. )
11 it is. i'll meet you there?
i love it and them so!
yeah. meet me by the bleachers? we’ll go from there.
ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ
( but even when it is, the chance that anyone would believe it enough to clear his name is slim. point is, she won't stop defending his name — no matter how long it takes. )
i'll be there.
( it's almost thrilling, like she's back in her freshman year again sneaking out of her room for the first time while her parents sit in front of the droning tv, dad passed out in his recliner and magazines stacked beside her mom. for a moment, it's almost as if everything were normal, like her biggest worry was getting caught climbing out of her bedroom window or catching a cold if she came home with her hair still wet. if anyone would have told her she'd be breaking into hawkin high's pool at nearly midnight, she wouldn't have believe them — but then again, everything's changed, hasn't it?
she has a bit of time to spare before she has to leave, leaning beyond the railing of the stairs to ensure her parents were still predictably planted before she slips into the dining room to dig through the various bottles in the china cabinet, coming up on one that's nearly full. she hasn't got half an idea what type of liquor it is or what it pairs with, exactly, but it would do the job. she checks the time once more as she finishes bowing her laces, grabbing for her denim jacket and taking one last look into her bedroom — light dimmed enough for sleep, pillows stuffed beneath her blanket — before heading out into the night. )
i need you to know, that i wrote 'master of puppers' bc of that emote
chrissy could have been, he thinks, but that thought doesn't linger too long.
eddie almost wants to believe that it's possible. that nancy wheeler will find a way. maybe for the night he can, given that he's willing to sneak into the school and risk getting caught. that won't go well either, if he ends behind bars and nancy's considered part of a murder cult.
but eddie's getting claustrophobic in that rv. he's all amped up, with no where to go. his guitar is still at wayne's trailer, there's not much he can do but pace.
he makes his way through the woods toward the school, careful and nervous at any sound. no one's looking for him, he's sure. not human at least, but who knows what's out there. there's a path from the woods, through the field to the bleachers. eddie walked thousands of times to meet up with anyone who wanted a little weed or something stronger from the local drug dealer. he walks it in reverse, a little jog in his step and then finds a spot on the bleachers. first he sits, then lays down and hums 'master of puppets' to himself, pretends to strum along on his guitar as he waits.
that's how nancy will find him before he notices her and sits up. ] You made it. [ he raises a brow and looks proud, grins as if he's impressed and doubted the girl who sawed a barrel off her shotgun to make sure she didn't miss. ]
i need u to know i then hummed that to my dog doing my morn things bc i read this when i woke up ok
once she reaches the outskirts of the school, she's laying her bike behind one of the sheds behind the field, eerily empty and silent. it doesn't take her long to spot him — find the one thing that doesn't belong — and the closer she gets the more it's for certain, very much in character using his sternum as the neck of a guitar and mumbling chords to himself.
the way he jolts up as if she were something entirely unexpected almost pulls something snarky out of her, but instead she's raising a brow back, pressing lips together to fight the grin that blooms in response to his beaming pride. )
You didn't think I'd leave you out here all alone, did you? ( and with that, she's slinging the bag over her shoulder around to her side, pulling out the bottle she'd brought along and holding it by its neck, giving it a playful shimmy with a raise of her own brow. )
Wouldn't be much of a barter on your own.
slamming in late but here i am oops sorry for the wait
in truth, eddie's reputation goes beyond actuality and he's tried not to live up to the reputation the munson name brings. his dad's in prison and the crimes aren't petty, eddie hadn't wanted to waver down that path.
but he does deal drugs to a good amount of the town's teenagers and a college kids a few towns over, so really a little breaking and entering isn't the worst thing on his list of crimes. he doesn't do it often but there's a little thrill to this. a little bit of something familiar. ] Didn't doubt you for a moment. [ he offers a cheekier grin, then stands up.
he wipes off his ribbed jeans before he reaches for the bottle, doesn't swipe if from her hand, but instead waits until he she lets go so he can lift it up closer. he gives it an exaggerated once over before nodding his approval. ] This'll do. I guess I have to hold up my end then and take you for a swim.
also shows up late but with all the love for them
( the hum is low and playful from the bed of her throat, as if to say 'sure you didn't', because how many people in hawkins would have never expected her to show up? only those that believed they knew her, is the answer. she lets him have the bottle easily, and while she's not sure what can really be appraised from it she's almost curious as to what his response will be as he surveys the label — to her it's alcohol, and just about anything is strong enough. whether it tastes great or not, well, most of it didn't. )
You guess? Don't tell me you're chickening out now.
( she knows he isn't — in fact he seems remarkably comfortable, considering the circumstances. the fog almost seems to light up the field, and she doesn't wait for him to lead the way, because she's perfectly capable of doing that herself. as she slowly heads towards the back entry of the pool's building, she's spinning to walk backward, still clutching bag at her shoulder and offering a coy grin of her own, glimmering in the dark. )
Take your time to think about it, if you need to.
no subject
they all are. no one got out of it unscathed.
he pushes himself up, stands and keeps hold of the bottle for now. it's a bit to big to fit into his pocket so he holds it at his side, stuffs his other hand into his jacket pocked so he can spin one of the rings on his fingers. eddie is nervous but he's also good at putting on a show until he feels that confidence settle in.
it comes quicker, easier in comfortable company. who could have thought it would be nancy wheeler's. he laughs when they approach the pool's gate. eddie pulls out a paperclip from his back pocket and takes a few quick steps to where the lock hangs on the metal gate so he can examine the lock.
same one he's dealt with before. easy pickings. ] I'm pretty committed here to your night of ridiculousness and granting Barb's wishes.
— babysitters.
good point. i'll bring whatever remedies i can find
( the flutter of anticipation in her chest had nearly been enough to conquer the gnawing at her belly in protest to the alcohol they'd consumed the night prior, so she settles for a bottle of aspirin and a few of the tea bags her mom's always made her whenever she's come down with something. honestly, the best cure was sleep, but maybe they can worry about that when she gets there. )
i'm heading out.
are your parents home?
no subject
( some things grow and change and some things stay the same. in fact the Harringtons are even more absent these days than they used to be, since he's grown and can take care of himself. supposedly. his mom comes home, sometimes, tired of dealing with his dad. she smokes like a chimney and he makes her grilled cheese and she says with quiet astonishment, how did you get so grown up? honestly, Steve doesn't even have a good answer to that question.
but she's not home now. keeping his father honest in Idaho. so he has a big old house to himself, to go with his five flavors of Gatorade, and lingering remnants of a headache. he really must be getting old, if he's this hungover. this would have felt like nothing when he was back in school. )
Just me.
And some pickles. If those do it for you.
— hairington.
i've gotten used to only getting a few hours of sleep through exams
if i can make it through that, i can handle a few nights of crappy sleep
( she's mulling over whether or not she should gently turn him down here, and she has every excuse to do so, doesn't she? that he shouldn't be going out doing anything strenuous, even if it was to grab a fresh cooked meal, and that it certainly shouldn't be just for her. but he does that thing he's always done — assures her she's not alone, that it's not just her, even if she is. )
okay.
but only because it'll help you. eating well to give your body strength and everything. ( right!! because that's the only reason she's going and that totally sounds like something she'd say. )
after that you need to try to get some sleep
deal?
no subject
not even close
but i won't fight you on it
yet
[ the larger part of steve assumes she will turn him down. it's late, neither of them should be out and about, and it's not like he's in the best of states. nancy is the one who makes the right decisions, after all, and this probably isn't smart. definitely isn't smart.
but then that message comes. okay. and steve...doesn't know if he feels relief or excitement or something entirely different. whatever it is, he knows he is looking for his keys. knows he is heading for his car. ]
yeah
definitely
this is just for me so that i can get my strength back
and then after we'll both get some sleep
deal?
no subject
( it's meant playfully, but there's a hum of truth beneath it. especially given the fact that she's stubborn enough not to let it go — he's gotten her to agree this far, hasn't he? so maybe she's tired of being the one that always makes the right decisions, who doesn't indulge something because it's reckless, questionable at best.
like we're stupid teenagers. )
i'm holding you to that
don't think i won't.
let me know when you're close and i'll wait out front
no subject
[ but no, she’s right, he has gotten her to agree so far, and he’ll take that as a win. because it might be a little reckless, it might not be the smartest idea, but it’s also not the dumbest either. and it’s not dangerous, which is a whole separate issue - that decisions they make and things they do are either dangerous or not and that’s the only real gauge .
but steve will take what he can get. and right now - this is what he can get. ]
i know i know
but remember
YOU have to sleep too
and will do
[ which he does - about ten minutes later, saying he’ll be there in five. just so she has enough time to walk out. ]