#and twins in ugly christmas sweaters because el said so

[fluffyfangirl]

I am very much convinced El LOVES christmas and ugly christmas sweaters

[hellas-himself]

Crack Ship Holidays

Friendsgiving pt. 5 

The day after Thanksgiving is when our Christmas begins. We put up decorations and the tree and then our holiday season ends in the middle of January. I had meant to post this sooner but it’s been hectic lol but y'all already know the deal. 

.

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“I’m so glad you could come with me,” Aelin says and loops her arm around mine. “Elide didn’t believe me when I said the lines wouldn’t be so bad.”

“Mor told me the same thing.”

“And where is she?”

“Hung over. She’ll be doing all her shopping from the comfort of her bed.”

“So smart… But I have no patience for online shipping.”

We put the bags in the trunk of her car.

“You still haven’t gotten anything for Cassian,” she says as we get in the car.

“You haven’t gotten anything for Rowan.”

“Touché, Archeron.”

I roll my eyes and laugh.

“What did you get him last year?”

I hate that I blush but Aelin is busy backing out to notice.

“I wasn’t working last Christmas… But I painted a few pieces for everyone. What did you get Rowan?”

“Two things- One present to open in front of family, and another for when we were alone.”

When I look at her, she’s grinning and wriggling her eye brows.

“Christmas is also when Cas and I started getting… closer. We didn’t actually do anything until New Year’s but that’s beside the point.”

“What do you give a man who has everything?” she muses.

“I-”

My phone vibrates and I pull it out of my pocket. Adela Rodriguez tagged you and Cassian Rodriguez in a post.

“What is it?”

“Cassian’s mom… she posted something on Facebook- and tagged me in it.”

“Well, what is it?”

I tap the notification and watch the screen change from my home screen to a picture of Cassian and I with her. Cassian is standing behind us, trapping us in a bear hug. Adela and I are laughing.

“It’s us… She wrote me something… Mi yerna querida, gracias por amar a mi hijo como el se merece.”

“And she speaks Spanish, too,” Aelin deadpans before giving me a smile.  

I laugh. “Says the musician… But yes. I practically lived in their house, so I learned…”

“What does that mean, though?”

“My beloved daughter in law, thank you for loving my son the way he deserves.”

“Oh, my god. That’s so sweet! How did dinner go with them?”

“It was amazing. I can’t wait to get the Christmas card in the mail. I’m in it this year.”

“That’s adorable.”

“What about you?”

“It was really nice… Aedion and Lys came over with Evangeline. Manon and Dorian stopped by with Elide and Lorcan. Fenris and Connall always spend the holidays with us, they brought the dessert this year.

“Rowan’s parents passed away when he was really young, as did my mine… Rowan isn’t close to his family- Only his cousin Endymion. My uncle Gavriel and cousin Aedion are the only family I have left, well by blood. There are uncles and all that, but they weren’t in my life until I was already an adult.”

Aelin spoke so frankly…

“I’m sorry, Aelin.”

“I- Thank you, Feyre… Holidays aren’t the easiest but in the end, we choose our family and I’m really lucky to have been able to find them.”

“In that I completely understand.”

Aelin pulls into the parking lot of the pet store.

“Where are your parents?” she asks me and I shove my hands in my pockets, the action making me think of Rhys. Of countless times I snuck out of my house to knock on their door.  

“Suburbs… But I don’t speak to them. Neither does Elain- Our older sister, Nesta, she still talks to our mother.”

“I haven’t met Nesta yet.”

I sigh. “You probably won’t.”

Aelin raises a brow as we step into the store.

“Nesta and Cassian dated when he started college. She treated him like shit and she has the nerve to be upset that I’m with him now.”

Aelin whistles.

“Well. My friend Yrene is married to my first boyfriend, Chaol. They’re having a baby. My best friend Dorian was my… something at one point and he’s with Manon, another friend of mine.”

“Cassian and Rhys aren’t brothers by blood… But I kind of dated Rhys, too.”

“You know… that doesn’t surprise me.”

“No?”

“You remind me of Dorian and I. Because of your history, your connection to one another is deeper than anyone else- and it’s obvious.”

“It was fake at first,” I say and Aelin gapes at me. I roll my eyes and walk right to the dog aisles. “His girlfriend dumped him for some college guy so I kissed him in the parking lot to piss her off and then… That was that.”

Aelin cackles and throws an arm around me.

“That is the best thing I’ve ever heard in my life.”

“And Lucien… Well, people used to think we three were a thing.”

“Were you?”

“No… Not physically anyway.”

“Ah. Gotcha.”

I grab an elf’s hat and an antler head band.

“Let’s see what Cas thinks.”

“I like this, too,” Aelin adds, taking what looks like an ugly knitted sweater. It’s adorable.

I pull my phone out of my pocket and send Cassian a text. Elf or Reindeer? Though there’s ugly sweaters I like.

Dressing up for me, bunny?

I roll my eyes. No, dumb ass. Valo’s Christmas picture.

Cassian sends eye roll and thumbs down emojis before giving me a real answer.

Reindeer… But ugly sweater. Get both?

Alright, my love. Thank you. See you soon.

*

Elain is standing outside of my house, leaning against her SUV.

“I was just about to call you,” she says as Aelin and I get out of her car.

“Cas is probably in the shower or something,” I say as I fish for the keys in my pocket.

“No. He left with Az.”

“What?”

“Did you forget what day it is?” Elain is smirking. She hugs Aelin and I before helping bring my bags inside. I don’t hear Val.

“Oh fuck,” I say, which makes Aelin laugh.

“What’s today?”

“Their fucking football game. I completely forgot!”

“And you have to be there,” Elain says. “It’s tradition.”

“Is this where all the boyfriends and girlfriends cheer their men on?” Aelin teases.

I look at Elain who’s smile goes wicked.

“El.”

“Yes, Feyre. Even Lucien is doing it, and he’s playing, too.”

“Okay, I want to know what ‘it’ is,” Aelin says and crosses her arms.

“Let’s hide these in my art room,” I mutter and they follow after me. “Elain, Lucien and Adela have matching jerseys with their respective partner’s name- which is fucking adorable. But then there’s the fucking face paint and the pom poms-”

“Oh, my fucking god. Rowan has a game today- Please tell me Rowan is playing against Cassian.”

“He is, actually,” Elain says.

“I wear my high school cheer outfit every year,” Aelin happily adds. “Sometimes, I prefer it when Rowan’s team loses. The sex is amazing when he’s cranky.”

Elain laughs.

“Same with Az.”

“Wait, I don’t have one. A jersey, I mean.”

“That, baby sister, is where you are wrong.” Elain reaches into her enormous bag and hands me a folded jersey. “Had it made after you told me you were official.”

It’s black and white, with red letters. There are the numbers ‘07’ on the front and Cassian’s name on the back. It is so ridiculous and yet…

*

Aelin is waiting for Elain and I in the parking lot of the park. She has her hair in pig tails and she’s wearing a green and white cheer outfit with long sleeves. She even has pom poms.

“Elide is here already,” she says as she slips her phone into the pocket of her skirt and then she looks at me. “Damn, Feyre, I didn’t know you were hiding all that under those clothes.”

I sigh. I kept my hair down and tied the jersey at my waist, right where my long-sleeved white crop top stops. I paired them with waisted red leggings and the black, red and white sneakers I’ve had forever.

“Cassian isn’t going to be able to focus with all that ass.”

Elain snorts.

“And don’t act like I don’t see you, Elain,” Aelin says playfully. My sister blushes.

Aelin introduces me to her friends, all of them so beautiful I’m left dumbstruck. I introduce them to my sister as well as Adela and Elyse who immediately offered them sandwiches and coquito. There is music playing loudly and Iliana is dancing around her father who is absentmindedly spinning her around as he talks strategy with Lucien. Valo is rolling around in the ground with Aelin’s dog, Fleetfoot- a dog she and Dorian adopted together long before she and Rowan became a thing.

Amren is here as well, to my surprise but I see Varian chatting with Fenris and his twin brother, Connall- he made the boys’ team even. I see Cassian standing next to the tallest man I’d ever seen- brutally handsome with long black hair, tied up in a messy bun just like Cassian has his.

And then he sees me.

Aelin slaps my ass and winks before I walk over towards him. I hear her calling for Rowan in a sing song voice behind me.

“Hello, handsome,” I say as Cassian pulls me in for a kiss.

“I was going to ask you what you got me for Christmas,” he whispers into my ear as his hands wander down to grip my ass. “But it looks like Christmas came early.”

“Stop it!” I laugh and he kisses me again.

He seems to remember that his friend is standing there still. He isn’t smiling, but his eyes are alight with amusement.

“Bunny, this is Lorcan. He works with Rowan. Lor, this is my girlfriend, Feyre.”

I give him a wave.

“Hi.”

“So you’re the girl in the picture,” he says and I look at Cassian expectantly. He laughs and rubs the back of his neck.

“What picture?”

“It’s nothing,” he says and punches Lorcan’s arm. “Let me introduce you to the guys.”

Lorcan smirks but when I hear Elide call his name, he smiles. A real smile. Cassian takes my hand and guides me away.

“What was that all about?”

“He’s an ass.”

“Clearly. But really, what picture?”

Cassian sighs. “I’ll show you later.”

I raise a brow and Cassian kisses me.

“Please?”

“Alright, Rodriguez. I won’t forget.”

“I’m counting on it.”

Fenrys is one of the most beautiful men I’ve ever met in my life. Like Rhys, and Dorian. He is just as flirtatious as Aelin and Cassian are but his twin brother is way more reserved and I am not surprised to see Connall navigate towards Azriel. Aelin’s cousin could pass as her twin brother but he also reminds me of Cassian in a way.

“Evangeline is amazing. I love having her in class,” I say to Lysandra and Aedion who are looking at her fondly. Evangeline is blushing. “I can’t wait to see what you come up with for the art show.”

Rhys and Lucien finally show up, with Helion and Aurelie in tow.

“Sorry we’re late,” Rhys says.

“You went black Friday shopping, didn’t you?” Cas asks and Rhys just shrugs.

“He and Mor were gone all morning,” Lucien replies and Rhys looks at him as though he’s been betrayed. “Hungover my ass.”

“Well, I’m here now!”

Lucien rolls his eyes and ties up his hair.

“I will ask one of Rowan’s friends to switch with me so I can kick your ass,” Lucien snaps at Rhys.

“Do it then.”

“Hey, I know you two like to argue as foreplay but this is Feyre’s first game as Cassian’s girlfriend,” Azriel says in a rather saccharine tone. It’s almost condescending. “Let them have their moment.”

I can’t help but laugh as Rhys and Lucien practically pry me away from Cassian to apologize and hug and kiss me profusely. I can hear Adela scolding Azriel but the tone in her voice is jovial.

Vinny calls for them to separate into teams. Lucien does in fact switch places with Fenrys, who is all too happy to be on ‘the team that Feyre is cheering for’.

I take my seat beside my sister and Adela as everyone takes their place on the muddy field. Vinny is acting as goal keeper. I had always cheered the boys on, though Elain and Adela are always the most vocal. Nothing has changed in the way Cassian smiles when our eyes meet, or the way I jump to my feet to cheer him on as he makes a goal. I just can’t believe I’d never noticed it before. I have been to nearly every one of Cassian’s footballs games, even when he was dating Nesta. I’ve seen him lose some, seen him win but it never gets old.

Aelin is betting Elide that Cassian is going to hand Lorcan his ass while Manon shouts at Rowan’s team- she should have been a coach. They don’t get into a fight, but it is obvious they are not used to actually having to worry about the opposing team. It’s amusing, but I know that someone is going to be bruised and aching later.

When the game is over, I am not surprised that Cassian’s team won but I am caught off guard as Cassian makes his way to me and lifts me off my feet. He kisses me, ignoring Elyse’s sounds of disgust. When we stop to breathe, I smooth his hair away from his face.

“Your football games would have been so much more fun if this was how they ended,” I say teasingly. Cassian laughs. “That was a good game, Cas.”

“I am beat,” he says as he sets me down.

“You guys were showing off.”

“Of course,” he says as he throws an arm around my shoulder. “I have to impress my girlfriend.”

I poke his side. “You don’t have to impress me. Win or lose, I am always proud of you.”

Cas looks at me and smiles.

“Hey, Cas!” Lorcan shouts as Elide hands him a small ice pack. “Rematch next weekend?”

“You’re on Salvaterre!”

Elide and I share the same look of exasperation.

*

“So, bunny, I made a stop or two before Az and I went to the park.”

“Did you?”

I follow him into the garage. He turns the light on and there are several bags and a large box…

“You got a Christmas tree?”

I walk right over to it and turn it to see the picture. It’s pre-lit, which is smart and has little red berries in it.

“If you don’t like the ornaments, I’ll go change them for something else.”

I give him a look before I look through the bags.

“Red and gold is perfect, Cas.”

“You sure?”

I nod. “Can we put it up tonight?”

He smiles. “I was hoping to.”

“Perfect.”

“I want to shower first though…”

I wave him off. “I’ll go preheat the oven for cookies and put a movie on.”

*

I pull a pair of stockings out of a bag and laugh.

“Cas, you didn’t!” They are red knit stockings with our monograms on them in white, there is even one for Val. “I love them so much.”

“Where should we hang them up?”

I look around the living room and my eyes fall on the little accent table he has against the wall where he’s setting up the tree. He keeps the remotes and controllers to his game consoles in there among other things. He has a few picture frames on it but nothing more.

“If you’re not opposed to putting holes in the wall… Maybe we can put a little shelf up there? I can put lights and our Yule log up there and then hang the stockings from it.”

Cassian looks at where I point to and gives a nod.

“Yeah… I think that would be nice. Let me get the tree up and then I’ll go see what I have in the garage.”

Once the tree is up and plugged in, Cassian disappears into the garage. I start putting up the ornaments- red and gold traditional ornaments, glittery birds and butterflies, snowflakes and icicles. I hear hammering and then the loud clang of the hammer falling before the drill goes off. Val and I look towards the garage curiously.

Cassian comes back with a shelf and the drill, as well as the leveler ruler.

“Tell me where,” he says and I set the box of ornaments down to mark the right spot on the wall. Val barks as Cassian drills the nails into the wall but stops when Cas looks back at him. Once the shelf is up, I hand Cassian the Yule log to set in the middle, then the candles decorated with holly and pine before he carefully arranges the white Christmas lights around them. He hides the switch behind one of the candles.

Cassian is grinning after I finish putting up the stockings and I find myself blushing.

“What?”

He shrugs. “I don’t know… It’s nice. Getting to do this with you.”

I slide my arm around his waist.

“It is, isn’t it?” I lean into him. “I’ve never done this with anyone.”

“Neither have I.” He presses a kiss to the top of my hair. “Outside of family, anyway.”

I laugh. “How did you even manage to find a shelf so quickly?”

“Oh… Well, it had been meant for the guest room but I never got around to it so it had been sitting in the garage since I got the house.”

“I’m glad I was able to give it purpose.”

“Yeah… you do have a tendency of doing that.”

I poke his side. “Stop it.”

“Seriously… Anyway, let’s go finish the tree. Rudolph is starting soon and I want to be laying down by then.”

“We have that movie on DVD, Cassian.”

“But you know it isn’t the same.”

I sigh and roll my eyes. But I know he’s right.

*

I come back from the kitchen with a plate of cookies and a mug full of milk. Cassian is sitting on the sofa with his sketchbook on his lap while he flips through the channels.

“Here,” I say and hand him the plate before I pull down the little arm rest of the sofa to set the mug in a cupholder. It’s a perfect excuse to take his sketchbook and sit on his lap. I reach for the blanket and drape it over our legs as he slides an arm around me, holding me against him.

“So, I had free time at work the other day and was just… drawing bullshit. Warming up. Az wants to add to his sleeve but he hasn’t decided how. Anyway, I was sketching some shit out and I got this idea.”

Cassian sets the remote aside and opens his sketchbook. I’m mesmerized by all that I see as he flips through it and then he stops.

“It wasn’t supposed to be you, but when I started drawing her face… I couldn’t help it.”

“This is beautiful, Cassian.”

She’s a faerie of some kind, with wings like a bat rather than butterflies and a crown of moons on her head. Her dress isn’t complete, but I can tell it will be a gown of some sort.

“Lorcan saw it when he and Rowan stopped by to go over our plans for today.”

“I hope you finish it.”

“Yeah?” He kisses my cheek.

“I’ll let you tattoo it on me somewhere.”

“Bunny, don’t tease me like that. You know Rhys has been trying to be the one to give you your first tattoo.”

“He can give me my second one.”

“You serious?”

“I mean… why not? I would wait until Christmas break though-”

Cassian kisses me.

“I’ll make you something better than this. I promise,” he kisses me again. “But first, our movie marathon.”

I laugh. “I love you so much, Cassian.”

“I love you too, bunny.”

[derryhawkins]

The Switch (ch 3)

summary: Mike and Richie, a pair of twins people describe as a loose canon when their together, come up with possibly the worst idea they could ever come up with – switching lives and personalities. Mike lives Richie’s life in Derry, Maine while Richie lives Mike’s life in Hawkins, Indiana. Their idea could either miraculously work out, or burn down in flames. (see moodboard & small snippet here)

a/n: i don’t think I’ve mentioned it but this takes place in the 80s; end of ‘86 start of ‘87.

warnings: [for the entire fic] swearing, idiotic boys, child neglect, accidental heartbreak, teenagers being teenagers, angst at some point. [for this chapter] rich sees a clown doll and almost has a panic attack at the end

chapter 1 chapter 2

ch 3 -- working out the kinks

Making plans to do something or ideas that aren’t so simple, come with bumps and halts and things that cause a bit of trouble along the way. Mike Wheeler and Richie Tozier figured that out quite quickly. Their plan to switch lives, basically, wasn’t as full proof as either had thought. There were multiple things that could cause anyone to instantly take notice it was Richie and not Mike, or vice versa.

They had made a list on what distinguishes themselves from one another. Well, Richie made it after realizing that The Switch (the name of their plan, he doesn’t care if Mike doesn’t like it) was going to be a tougher thing to accomplish than he first thought. It was a rather short list, just eight seven things that could cause anyone of their friends or family members to say, “You’re not Mike/Richie.” After finished it, he handed it to Mike who read over it.

KINKY KINKS IN ‘THE SWITCH’ a list by Richie Tozier ;)) 1. Glasses. 2. Hair. 3. Clothes. 4. Jane El Hopper. 5. Humor/the way we talk. 6. Jobs, maybe? (sorry bro, I work at a movie theater) 7. Our friends.

There was a eighth number, Mike realized as he read over the list. It was scratched out completely; one word right beside the number eight. Mike squinted at it as if it would help him read through the scratched out word, but it was no use. Because not only had Richie scribbled over it, but he had marked through the word with a Sharpie on both sides of the paper. Mike frowned and looked out of the bedroom where Richie had rushed out minutes before. He stood up from the desk in his room and walked out to find his twin, the paper in his hands.

Mike ended up finding Richie in Holly’s room. Richie had squeezed into a pink, tiny plastic chair and had his legs bent between him and the table he was unable to fit them under. A small light blue plate and tea cup sat on his knees while Holly pretended to talk to one of the bears. It was clear the foul mouthed twin had been caught by Holly Wheeler and unable to get away. Before Holly could see him as well and rope him into ‘tea time’ with her stuffed animals and plastic dolls and his twin, Mike dashed back to his room, leaving Richie to suffer alone.

Sure, he was curious about what the seventh thing was on the list -- but not curious enough to get roped into his little sister’s tea time.

Eventually, they figured out how to solved numbers 1-3 once Richie had gotten away from Holly and once they weren’t around anyone else. The party had come over for a short time, and then they all piled into Dustin’s truck and headed to Will’s house to hang out some before more family members came around for the holidays. Joyce Byers was so excited to see Richie, engulfing the boy in a tight hug as she admitted to missing him.

(It was a hug Richie liked to call the Mom Hug. It was warm and comforting and something he was almost unfamiliar with since Maggie Tozier never hugged him, and Karen Wheeler merely gave him loose, short hugs).

At some point they finally got home and finally sorted out that for the first thing on the list, Mike just wouldn’t wear his contacts. They both had shit eyesight. They both had glasses and eye contact prescriptions as well, but Richie almost always wore his glasses and Mike almost always wore his contacts. It was a way for everyone to tell them apart. To make sure they still had the same terrible eye sight, Mike took out the contacts and put on Richie’s awful glasses.

“Unfortunately, we still have the same shitty sight.”

“You’re gonna have to wear those.”

“That’s why I said unfortunately. At least my glasses are decent looking.”

“They’re still fucking huge...”

“If you make a dick joke, I’m disowning you.”

For the their hair, Mike had to not straighten his hair. Yes, Michael Wheeler straightens his hair nearly everyday and has been since seventh grade. It was neater looking and tamer; it was also another way people could tell the twins apart. Richie, on the other hand, had to make an extra effort everyday to straighten his hair. He complained just thinking about it.

“Some waves come out anyway, why fucking bother?!”

“Richie, I swear to God, if you want this to work you gotta use the damn straightener.”

Their clothing was something much simpler and took little to no effort to change -- they just had to switch wardrobes. Which meant, Richie would stay at the Wheeler house in Hawkins while Mike left for Derry with Maggie Tozier and a suitcase of ugly Hawaiian shirts and graphic tees. Neither were really complaining. It wasn’t like either of their style was horrible. Well, Richie’s choice of shirts could be sometimes, but so could the sweaters Mike wears on the occasion.

Richie really wanted to be a hater of Mike’s ugly Christmas sweaters, but he was actually rather jealous. The sweaters were ugly as hell, and he wanted them all. Mike didn’t really mind his brother’s hideous Hawaiian shirts and sometimes crude t-shirts, either. Most of them were comfortable to wear. 

(No, they don’t already have a small stash of each other’s clothes because of that).

(...that’s a lie).

“So, about Miss Jane El Hopper,” Richie spoke as he entered the nearly empty kitchen. Nancy was out with her boyfriend, Jonathan Byers, while their dad went to work and Karen went to the park with Holly; Maggie was doing some last minute shopping. So, they were home alone and free to talk about their plan up until one of the Party members comes over -- if not all. They had all been informed that no one but the twins were currently home.

Mike didn’t even look up from making his lunch as he said, “You’re not kissing my girlfriend, Tozier.”

“But if I don’t it’ll blow our cover! A major kink in The Switch, Wheeler,” he said. As his brother turned around to put up the sandwich ingredients, Richie reached over the counter and grabbed the cheese and ham sandwich. He quickly took a bite of it before laying it back on the plate, and acted as if he did nothing wrong as Mike turned back around.

“Make your own damn sandwich, asshole,” Mike quickly said and snatched the plate off of the counter. He inspected the rather large bite Richie had taken as he said, “Let’s get her in on the plan.”

“Can she keep secrets?”

“She’s a girl with secret abilities that Hawkins has no idea about.”

Richie hummed and nodded. “Touché.”

“What about your crush?” Mike asked after a second of silence.

Richie’s eyes slightly narrowed as he stood straight. “What about my crush?” He asked, moving away from the counter to fridge. As Mike spoke again, he searched for something to eat.

“Pretty sure you probably flirt with her if you genuinely like her. So... Who is it? I mean, if I don’t flirt as you to your crush, then it’ll be a give away, too. Or show that you’re not interested.”

He picked up a pudding cup from one of the shelves but quickly set it back down. Richie’s fingers tapped against his thighs as he stood there, just looking into the refrigerator. “Um... It’s no one,” he quickly said. He then spotted a pomegranate in the back of the middle shelf and grinned to himself before reaching in and grabbing it.

Mike scoffed at the answer. “Okay, yeah, that’s a lie.”

Shutting the door with his foot, Richie went and grabbed a sharp knife. He instantly busied himself with the fruit as he said, “My crush wasn’t on the list, so, really, it doesn’t matter.”

“Do you not want me to know who it is or something?” Mike asked, before taking a large bite from his sandwich. Uncharacteristically, Richie stayed quiet and focused all his attention on the pomegranate as he cut it open. Mike sighed right as the front door opened.

“Dustin farted! Dustin farted!”

“That was Max!”

“Don’t bring me into this, Noodles!”

“Hey! That is Richie’s name for me!”

“Dustin farted and he has a guy crush on Rich!”

“Oh, not you too!”

“Well, who can resist the Richie Tozier?” The younger twin smirked as the group of friends entered the kitchen; Lucas, Max, Dustin, and Will. As he made eye contact with Max, he winked at her. The redhead just scoffed and rolled her eyes as she went over to Mike and stole his sandwich. She took a bite before handing it back to him.

“I can,” she said.

Lucas chuckled and let an arm go around her shoulders as they stood beside each other. “Don’t wink at my girlfriend, Richie,” he said.

“Rather me wink at you?”

“Beep beep, Richie!” Mike laughed out at seeing Lucas’ face. It was a saying he heard Richie’s own friends use, so Mike started using it, too. It was limited to him and who Richie called the Losers. No one else really used the ‘beep beep’ other than them; occasionally Will would say it, or Nancy if needed, but that was all. Never did Max, Lucas, Dustin, or Eleven say it.

Richie merely grinned as Lucas shot him the middle.

“Hey, where’s El?” Mike asked.

“Oh! She told me to tell you that she’s having a father-daughter day with Hopper,” Will said. “And tonight she’s doing something with Mom, but said she’d call you in the morning.”

“That’s good,” Mike said sincerely. Jim and El haven’t gotten to have some father-daughter time because of school and his job recently, so Mike was happy they were spending time together. And Joyce Byers and El had a thing on certain nights where the woman taught the girl different things like knitting, or just watched soap operas. “That’s good,” he repeated, but quieter.

For a few minutes, the group just stood in the kitchen as everyone helped themselves to different snacks before they all made their way downstairs to the basement. Richie was still working on the pomegranate, though, so he put the fruit in a bowl and grabbed some napkins, and slouched on the couch with Max as the other boys sat at the table. Though, at some point, Richie spotted one of Holly’s clown dolls sticking out of the blanket fort against the wall. He nearly shit his pants at seeing face of the clown, also letting out a short yell before realizing it was fucking doll.

It wasn’t alive.

Max looked up at Richie, bewildered. “The hell, man?” She asked.

Mike whipped his head around to look at his brother, and the three others did the same. “Dude, what...” The question died on his lips, though, as he notice the clown doll. He instantly remembered what had happened that one summer with Richie and his friends; Richie had called him after it happened and just cried to him. Mike instantly jumped out of his seat and grabbed the doll from the fort; Holly shouldn’t have been in there in the first place.

“It’s just a doll,” Lucas said.

“Hey, clowns are creepy,” Dustin stated as Mike rushed up the stairs to put the doll back in Holly’s room. “The makeup is...”

Richie blocked out their conversation as he tried to ignore the memories of that one awful summer. He couldn’t, unfortunately, and it soon started to get too much, so he gave the bowl of pomegranate to Max and raced up the stairs as well. He ran into his brother at the top, who instantly saw the panicked look and slightly shallowed breathing. Richie felt himself be pulled into a loose but comforting hug.

“It was just a doll, Rich,” Mike whispered.

“You’re real, right?” Richie asked in return. “You’re not gonna turn into some fucking werewolf or...you know?”

“No. I’m very real. I’m very much Mike Wheeler, okay? I’m with you and always will be, Richie.”

Richie numbly nodded and hugged his brother back. He was quiet for some time before he asked, “Who the hell gave Holly that fucking doll?”

“One of our aunts, I think, on her birthday.”

“I wanna burn it.”

“Honestly, she hates it. She might let you.”

“Good.”

“You okay now?” Mike asked pulled away from the hug some time later -- a few minutes at least. He watched as Richie ran his hands over his face, glasses on his head, and nodded. “Alright,” he whispered. “I’m going back down, but call Bill or one of them if you need to.”

After fixing his glasses, Richie nodded and gave a small smile. “Think I might. Thanks,” he said.

“Hey, not a problem,” Mike shrugged and started down the stairs. “Come back down when you’re ready.”

“Yeah, I will.”

Richie found the nearest phone and dialed the familiar number of Mike Hanlon. It turned out that the Losers had gathered at his place, all together once again, so Richie took turns talking to all of them about different things until he remembered his pomegranate with Max. Shortly after that, he finished his conversation with Stan Uris, hung up the phone, and raced down stairs back to his fruit.

TAG LIST: @irredecent @vimra @jinglejamie

[tidsoptlmist]

Tag, you’re it!

I was tagged by my beautiful friend @mintdolans ! 

Rules:

1. Post the rules. 2. Answer the questions given by the tagger. 3. Write 11 questions of your own. 4. Tag 11 people.

1. What is your favorite feature about yourself and why?

I really hated answering this question lol. I think I like my eyes?¿ They are a cool color; a mixture between green, blue and grey (almost turquoise). And they have a very thick dark blue edge around the iris. Also, my friends always tell me I’m one of those people who are very easy to read because my eyes always show exactly how feel..

2. One thing you regret (you don’t have to explain if too personal)

When I was about 12 I was really depressed. I regret not telling anyone about how I felt. I regret not realizing sooner that talking about your feelings helps a lot. I think that if I’d told someone how sad and unhappy I really was back then, I’d have been better, earlier.

3. Favorite season?

WINTER!!!!! I love everything about the winter and let me tell you why:

hot beverages

big sweaters

pretty skies!!!!

chRISTMAS

when it’s like really cold outside and you’re breath becomes a little cloud and you’re like a dragon

the smell of bonfires

long ass hugs to keep each other warm!!!

red noses and cold ears!!!

minttens

warm socks

UGLY CHRISTMAS SWEATERS

sweat pants

decorrating the christmas tree

coziness

diD I MENTION SNOW?!!?!!!!!!!

no mosquitos! 

snow angeles!!!!!

I could go on for a while..... ahahaha

4. One thing you love about the twins (each!)

Grayson

One thing i really love about Grayson is how thoughtful is he. He’s constantly thinking about others: ‘how are they doing?’ ‘how are they feelings?’ ‘is everyone ok?’ and I just think that’s a wonderful quality to have. It makes people feel worth it and feeling valuable is one of the most important things to feel like!! 

Ethan

What I really love about Ethan is how he puts other people’s need above his own. I think it’s a very wonderful quality to have, although it might not be his best. Because sometimes you have to choose yourself above someone els. If you’re not happy, how can you make someone els happy?!!? But the fact that he wants to put other people’s need above his own is something i truly admire.

5. Marriage? Kids?

I do want to get married some day. But it’s not a necessary. If my future boyfriend doesn’t want to get married for God knows what reason I guess I’m fine with it?? I just like the ‘celebration of our love’-vibe weddings have. It’s a very pure thing in my eyes (:

I do want to get kids but not until I’ve got my life figured out. I firstly want to have a steady and fun job and be able to support myself. I think i’d also want my men to be happy with his job before I want a kid. I want to provide my future kids with everything they need!! 

6. Dog or cat person?

I love them both soososos much!!! I’m a real animal-loving human! But I guess if i really have to choose I’d go for cats! I’m like a 49% dog person and a 51% cat person... Dogs are awesome but they take a lot of time (like kids lol) and they sometimes smell. Cats can kinda care for themselves in a way and they don’t smell as much! But again: i love them both sosososoososos much!!!! 

7. Favorite song atm?

I don’t really have a favorite song rn... I’m OBSESSED by Khalid’s album ‘American Teen’ and I think one of my favorite song on there is ‘8TEEN’ and I really like ‘Lost’ by Frank Ocean. 

8. Do you believe in second chances?

I think it completely depends on the situation. But I do think people can change. The human brain is such a wonderful thing and our identity, idea’s and believes can changes (very quickly). I’m not the same person I was yesterday, and definitely not the same person I was 5 years ago. So I guess I do think people can change and thereby deserve a second change. But it completely deepens on the situation!

9. 5 things you cannot live without

Omg this was like the hardest thing to answer ever!! my dad always said to me “you have to make sure, that you never have to be fully dependent on someone or something” and these are words I live by ahahah but I here’s the list I came up with:

laughter

friends & family

traveling

(Italian!!!) ice-cream

music

basic i know lol

10. Do you think hate is a strong word?

No I don't. I think you can hate something or someone. I just think it shouldn't have any influence in your life. Just move on; don't interact with the person you hate or/and dont do the thing you hate and live your life!! (:

11. One dead celebrity you would wished to meet?

I’d love to meet Roald Dah (1916 - 1990). He’s an British writer and in my opinion one of the best writer eVER!!! I used to read his story was a kid and I still enjoy them! His adult stories are crazy but amazing and I’d just love to have a conversation with him. He seems like such a wise men and I’d love to hear his opinion on some matters!!!

Now it’s time for my own questions!!!

If you could be world leader for a day, what universal rule would you create?

Do you have any tattoo? if so; you what are they? If not; do you want one and why (not)?

What would you risks anything for?

If you could change one thing that happend to you in the past, would you? And if so; what would you change? (you don’t have to explain it into detail if you’re not comfortable with it!!)

are you right of left handed?

What’s your biggest strength and your biggest weakness?

thee or coffee? why?

Where would you go if you could go there with the twins?

thoughts on astrology?

Do you bite into you ice-cream and what are your thoughts about biting into ice-cream? 

Showers or baths? why?

i’m tagging: @mintdolans @radwriting @profanitydolan @smoresdolan @introvert-dolan @anondt @dolan-baby @dolangram @majesticdolans @tuesdaygirl8055 @navylukes