#neil in a cap and gown

[aftg-random-fun]

It’s been a bit since I have read the books and don’t recall if Neil spoke about how he came up with the last name Josten, but I have a theory. What if he got last name Josten from seeing fliers for the senior graduation rings at one of his high schools while on the run. There is a pretty big company called Josten’s that does caps+gowns and rings so it would also be a hoot if they had to order their graduation gear from the company at the end of his college years.

[hmmm-shesucks]

Andrew and Neil don't have many pictures in their home, not because they don't have them or want them, but because it doesn't go with the aesthetic, and Andrew is picky. There are pictures, though. Frames spread strategically around the house full of foxes and family. There are old college photos, that first photo of Neil and Andrew in the airport, the baby foxes, pictures of every pro foxes' first games, and any championship wins. But Andrew's favorite picture, and the only picture in the whole house that doesn't match any of the others, is a bright yellow picture frame with a little Fox sitting in the bottom right corner, a tiny bee sat on its nose. The picture inside is still one Andrew can't quite look at for more than a few seconds without breaking. He's in his cap and gown, and standing in front of him is Bee, his tassels gripped tightly in her hands, the smile on her face wide and proud. She'd given it to him right before he boarded a plane to Denver early the following day and hugged him tight. Andrew took it everywhere with him, always wrapped securely and in the bottom of every bag until he and Neil finally found their forever home. Now, it is in the center of their mantle, clashing with everything else and proudly displayed always.

[billdenbrough]

eddie prompted me twinyards after graduation for our 500w/1hr ficlet challenge. this version is the 750w variant but i did get one down to 500w, this one was just closer to the brief lol

There is a world, Andrew knows, where the ceremony ends and Aaron takes off his cap, his gown, and hands them to Nicky. Everything he owns fits into a duffel bag that he slings over his shoulder as he steps out the door. He does not look back.

-

That is not this world.

-

“Eat shit, Neil,” Aaron says, flipping off the man in question with one hand while the other mashes hard on the A button to send shells at him.

Kevin, on the other side of Aaron, winces. It never fails to amuse Andrew, the way Aaron mocked Kevin’s uselessness at gaming enough that he started to develop a modicum of empathy.

“Learn to drive, Aaron,” Neil retorts, his tongue sticking out to the side as he scowls at the screen, concentrating on passing Toadette.

Bowser suddenly shows up out of nowhere, knocking between both their karts. Aaron swears viciously and Neil mumbles something under his breath about Nicky, who cackles. Kevin never looks away from the screen. Andrew doesn’t know what good he thinks it’s going to do.

Neil’s back is a line of heat against Andrew’s shin. Andrew closes his eyes, letting the sound of Aaron taunting Kevin—are you allergic to accelerating? Is this the real reason you made Andrew drive you fucking everywhere? Don’t be a pussy, throw it at me like you mean it—fill his head. His mouth quirks up at the corner.

-

“People are going to think I’m the fun twin if you keep hanging out in carparks,” Aaron says, footsteps crunching gravel.

Andrew drops his cigarette, grinding it beneath his heel. “That should not be the deciding factor.”

Aaron hums. He leans against the car: not-quite-close enough to be touching, but near enough that Andrew can feel his warmth emanating.

The thing about Aaron is that he’s been reaching out to Andrew his whole life. He’s never been good at recognising what it looks like when Andrew is holding on tightly because he doesn’t want to let go, but credit where it’s due: no matter what Andrew throws in his face, Aaron stubbornly stays close enough to reach him, even when it’s like reaching his arm into a burning car.

Aaron’s always been bad at walking away from a car crash. Andrew would know; he had to orchestrate one once just to keep Aaron out of the headlights.

“Have you packed?” he asks eventually.

“Mostly,” Aaron says. “Kevin said he’d give me a ride, which meant he bitched at me to get my shit in his car way earlier than necessary.”

Andrew hums. “I could have given you a ride,” he says.

He can feel Aaron’s gaze. “I didn’t want to interfere with your trip,” he says. “Didn’t know my dates. Kevin said he was just fucking around Wymack’s anyway.”

Andrew does not say, I would have waited, even though it’s true. Neil would have let him. Andrew might have done it regardless.

He says, “Kevin did not.”

Aaron says, “Only because he’s a fucking liar. He said he was helping out.”

“He’s not a helpful person,” Andrew says, not unreasonably. Then, he adds, “Off the court.”

Exercises in honesty.

“See?” Aaron says. “Fucking around.” He sighs, leaning back his head. Andrew watches the line of his throat from the side of his eye, clocking the way a breath rolls through it.

He remembers waking up in the hospital room and seeing Aaron sitting in the chair beside his bed. Hoodie threadbare around the wrists, grey and faded. Everything about Aaron looked faded those days: the colour of his hair, the light in his eyes, the bruises peeking out around his ribs.

Andrew remembers everything. Aaron’s first letter. The tentative twist to the first smile Andrew teased out of him, sixteen and too used to flinching for Andrew to forgive. Are you in for another five years? Aaron’s hair beneath his hands, blood all over them both, everywhere.

“Don’t get a cold in Chicago,” he says instead of any of that.

Aaron scoffs. “Yeah, stellar medical advice,” he says. Then, looking directly at Andrew, “You too.”

“I will not be in Chicago,” Andrew replies.

“Asshole,” Aaron mutters. It’s fonder than it ought to be. “I hope you and Neil get chlamydia.”

Andrew snorts. “The future of America’s medical system,” he says dryly. He thinks he’s smiling.

It’s okay. Aaron is too.

-

In this world, Aaron reaches out – tugs – holds Andrew beside Kevin’s stupid Jeep.

Andrew reaches back – holds on – does not let go.

[jtl-fics]

some tbd please🙏

10/23/24 WIP Wednesday (Closed) | TBD AU

He had already taken off his cap and gown and Neil knew he only had so long before Aaron would be there snarling at him and possibly making Andrew suspicious. “Old habits die hard.” Neil had shrugged.

Andrew had made a non-commital noise.

“Were you looking to grab something while we were gone?” Andrew had asked.

“Just stealing Aaron’s oat milk one last time while I can.” Neil had lied wondering if this was the last conversation he would ever really have with Andrew. The thought of it had his heart race just like it had back in Binghamton years ago.

“Well, go ahead and steal it.” Andrew had waved him on.

“There was one other thing.” Neil walked over to Andrew and it felt wrong…but this really was the only proper goodbye that he could give Andrew.

Andrew blew the smoke into Neil’s face and Neil remembers how he had savored it in that moment.

“Thank you,” he said it again. He couldn’t say all of the things he had been thankful for anymore. There were simply too many to count this far down the line and Andrew would hopefully never figure it out. “You were amazing.” He holds out his hand.

His was the only one that Andrew shook that day and it had to be enough. Andrew left with Aaron and Nicky, Neil spent the summer on Coach’s couch until the dorm opened up. Andrew was safe and alive and Neil had thanked him.

It had to be enough.

[theghostbunnie]

Since you already talked about your Harrison and Nerris hcs (which I love wholeheartedly <3), I wanted to ask if you have any specific Preston hcs?

AAAA SO SORRY I'VE LET MY ASKS IN MY INBOX COLLECT SO MUCH DUST/GEN

Also tysm I'm so happy you enjoyed them 💓

CW: death mentions, mentions of loss.

I was having a conversation with @redheadedratt when I absorbed some of their's and thought of some of these !!

They told me they HC both of Preston's parents are dead, his father before he was old enough to remember him well and his mother years after fell ill but they were deeply in love and she spoke very fondly of him.

I can't explain it but him being raised by his mother and grandma in his formative years makes alot of sense to me he has those vibes.

I was being withheld information/jjj thought this was funny asked 2 share, anyways

When his mother passes death is still an odd thing he's too young to fully grasp so he became infatuated with depictions of not only loss, but romance, reuniting ect based around his grief and love for hisown parents being gone and their love story. It was his way of coping with it all while being too young to understand. Like he had a big love for theater before this but this had an effect on his art.

He has an infatuation with death in what I perceive as almost a strictly artistic way all throughout the show, obviously with his play "Romeo and Juliet 2: Love resurrected" but also in the commercial he makes in the fundraiser episode his immediate go-to for grabbing viewer's attention is to talk about the potential death of children. Yes I know the whole point to begin with was they were trying to guilt trip an audience but he wrote and directed this project himself surrounding death as his personal go-to.

• Not much of a HC as it is an observation but I love how fluid his exspression is, he's had the most drastic and plentiful outfit changes throughout the series from the football gear, to the leather jacket and backwards cap, to the historical looking full makeup and gown.

Which kinda slips me into this next HC • I think he loves history but has no care for historical accuracy like whatsoever as that "stunts his creative flow" but simultaneously would absolutely pick and choose when to call out historical inaccuracies in other people's work. (proofreads Neil's fanfictions without permission probs lol)

I think Max, Neil, Nerris and Preston all have varying control issues but in very different ways and Preston's is more he'll accidentally overstep a boundary without realizing and try advising people, but mostly keeps his perfectism and temper around things not going as he planned to hisown plans. Like, he only has controlling issues with things agreed he had the biggest say in. It ties into his want to be a director and writer and often stuck with peers who are terrible with following said direction and being a child himself he's not gonna handle it with maturity, he's gonna throw a fit.

Again this is really only strictly tied to things he think he should be in charge of and doesn't just extend to his everyday interactions with people too much.

• Can't tell if this is more observation or HC but he'd pick being a screenwriter or director over being an actor and if he ever got an acting role in someone else's play he'd be trying left and right to make suggestions to it and his character and really overstep without realizing it.

• I don't think he can read a room or have a filter on for the life of him not only would he openly talk about any dark or uncomfortable topics it'd be in the form of out of pocket as hell comments in a really dramatic voice too

[blakenation1]

IN MY FEELS!! So, it's graduation season and thinking about like the happy ending to Dead Poets Society where they all get to graduate together is just AGH!!

Thinking about how they would all sit with each other at graduation, despite the rules, thinking about how they would all YAWP with each other as each of them crossed the stage, and after they turned their tassels, thinking about them making their own cords for the Dead Poets Society and wearing them to graduation (leading to people asking what the cord represents), thinking about Meeks doing a speech at graduation (for being a smarty pants), thinking about how they'd all look in their silly caps! And gowns!

Charlie somehow sneaked in an airhorn, Pitts is happy just to graduate (bless his heart).

Thinking about Neil hollering yawping "I JUST GRADUATED!!!!" I could talk about this for hours, just the thought of the Dead Poets graduating together from Welton is so indescribably fun and makes me VERY happy.

[eazy-group]

Neon Makeup Looks: How to Recreate This Trend as seen on ‘Bridgerton’ Star Nicola Coughlan

New Post has been published on https://eazybeauty.net/neon-makeup-looks-how-to-recreate-this-trend-as-seen-on-bridgerton-star-nicola-coughlan/

Neon Makeup Looks: How to Recreate This Trend as seen on ‘Bridgerton’ Star Nicola Coughlan

(Photo : @neilyoungbeauty Instagram)

Nicola Coughlan surprised fans with her “Bridgerton�� inspired outfit at the Golden Globes 2021.

The Irish actress, whose claim to fame is her role as Penelope Featherington in the hit Netflix period drama series, appeared on a virtual red carpet donning a gorgeous pastel-yellow tulle gown by British designer Molly Goddard.

Goddard’s “Savannah” dress debuted in her spring/summer 2021 collection, featuring an empire-cut waistline that resembles Coughlan’s outfits in Bridgerton.

She then paired it with a black cropped cardigan by Ply-Knits while capping off the look with De Beers’ diamond jewelry.

Aside from her stunning ball gown, the 34-year-old actress opted for a trendier makeup courtesy of celebrity makeup artist Neil Young.

  READ MORE: Golden Globes 2021: All The Drugstore Beauty Products That Celebrities Used

How to Achieve Nicola Coughlan’s Golden Globe Makeup

Over his Instagram, Young shared the products used for the actress’ modern neon makeup.

As we all know, the ’80s aesthetic is coming back in a full circle alongside the neon eye makeup trend.

Kryolan Aquacolor Liquid UV Color 

(Photo : sephora.com)

The celebrity makeup artist, whose famous clients include Sharon Osbourne and supermodel Meghan Roche, revealed that he used Kryolan’s Aquacolor Liquid UV Color that only retails for $12 (£8.90).

“To create Nicola’s eye look, I started with Kryolan Aqua Colour paint in UV Pink (£8.90) as a base all over the lid from lash line to the crease of the eye, blending away any hard edges towards the brow bone. This is to give the eyeshadow more kick and intensity,” he mentioned as obtained by Glamor UK.

To make the eyeshadow last longer, he advised using an eye shadow primer or concealer to prep the lids.

MAC Neon Pink Pigment

(Photo : MAC Cosmetics website)

Young topped it off with MAC Neon Pink Pigment to intensify the bold neon shade to create a dimension.

“I love MAC Neon Pink Pigment (£17.50) as it builds opacity quickly, but any bright pink shadow will create the same effect.”

In addition to this, the celebrity makeup artist recommends applying the product to the upper lids to make it look modern and instead of the ’80s neon makeup.

Givenchy Beauty Volume Disturbia Mascara

(Photo : Sephora.com)

After mixing the eyeshadow, he followed it with several coats of Volume Disturbia Mascara from Givenchy Beauty to create a dramatic look.

It has a smooth-gliding texture and buildable, clump-free formula that can last up to 24-hours. He applied it along the lash line to redefine the lashes.

Givenchy Beauty Le Rose Perfecto Liquid Balm in 001 Perfect Pink

(Photo : Sephora.com)

As for her lips, he made sure that Nicola Coughlan’s makeup look is balanced; hence he chose a subtle lipstick shade.

Young opted for Givenchy Beauty’s Le Rose Perfecto Liquid Balm in 001 Perfect Pink with a slight hint of pink shade with a high-shine finish.

Cle De Peau Beaute Fluid Foundation

(Photo : Cle De Peau Beaute website)

The makeup artist preferred Cle De Peau Beaute’s Fluid Foundation to create a flawless canvass for the base.

It is formulated with an illuminating complex that promotes radiance and glowy skin.

Becca Cosmetics’ Skin Love Glow Glaze Stick

(Photo : Sephora.com)

Speaking of glowy, he also added Becca Cosmetics’ Skin Love Glow Glaze Stick to highlight the features of her face.

READ MORE: Golden Globes 2021 Top 3 Fashion Hits and Misses (Best and Worst Dressed Ranked)

See Now: 100 Most Beautiful Women In The World

TagsNicola Coughlan, Bridgerton, Neon Makeup Trend

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[thespineoftherighteous]

the fact that Neil is a high schooler in the beginning is absolutely wild to me. man was really in a cap and gown with a bunch of normal high schoolers one second, and the next he was. doing all that shit

[emilythefern]

graduation day

“Todd! Are you ready yet?” Charlie waited impatiently outside Todd’s dorm, already in his cap and gown. “I don’t want to spend a second longer at Hell-ton than I need to.” Charlie’s father had bought his son’s way back into Welton after he was expelled temporarily for punching another student. Charlie had not been particularly thrilled about this. But there was no point complaining about expectations or over privileged fathers who always got their way. They were graduating today, and Charlie was just looking forward to getting the hell out.

“I’m nearly there.” Todd was in fact, already ready. He had been for some time, but he for some reason found it hard to leave the room for the very last time. His stuff had already been packed away neatly into little boxes, but he felt like he hadn’t really packed up the memories he’d made at the school. Happy memories, from his junior year, of secrets flowing like wine and sneaking away into the forest surrounding Welton. Meeting his boyfriend, Neil. Bittersweet memories, like the last time he’d even seen Neil at his play, his adrenaline burning high, but also burning out. Sad memories, like losing Neil. Feeling empty and hollow for weeks, trying to shake it off but feeling crushed under the weight of it. Feeling like he’d been slowly abandoned by all his friends jumping ship before he got ‘bad’. He’d learned to live with the pain, juggling it like extra curricular his father made him take. But leaving Welton was like a new weight had been added to the emotional load he was carrying, like he was leaving Neil behind. His breath started to speed up as he felt his nerves heighten. It wasn’t normal Graduation jitters. It was outright terror. Why did he have to leave Neil behind? Why couldn’t Neil come with them? He would be laughing, smiling adjusting Todd’s cap, maybe giving him a kiss on the cheek. It wasn’t fair. Not for him. Not for Neil.

“Todd, I’m coming in!” Charlie’s voice was upbeat, but Todd could hear the worry in his voice. Charlie had taken it hard after Neil’s death, but primarily spent his time worrying about Todd. The others knew he was the most sensitive, but hadn’t expected him to take it like he did.

Charlie pushed open the door, a little aggressively, almost like he was scared about what would be in the dorm. He took a seat next to Todd on the bed.

“Have a tissue.” Charlie offered Todd a tissue, which he gratefully accepted. He hadn’t even realised he had been crying, but he felt it now.

“Thanks.”

“Is it about-“ Charlie trailed off, not needing to finish his sentence. It was always about Neil.

“I just miss him so much on days like these. Charlie, he had his whole ahead of him. He was going to do amazing things,” Todd was very much aware of the tears streaming down his face now. “He should be here graduating with us. It’s not right that we get to leave and he’s stuck here.”

“Todd.” Charlie had one hand around Todd, like he was scared that if he let go, he would lose him too. “I miss him too. But we can’t tell ourselves that he’s trapped here at Welton. His spirit, ghost, whatever you wanna f#cking call it. He didn’t know that it gets better, and that kills me every day, but you need to enjoy your life too. That’s what he would’ve wanted. Now, you need to hurry up. What’s a graduating class without their National Merit Scholar?”

Todd laughed, drying his eyes with the tissue. As much as he longed to bury himself in Neil’s memory, it wasn’t what Neil would have wanted. He would have wanted Todd to live his life.

Not just for Todd though. For the friend he left behind.

@inahallucination @exilesblack @deadpoetsbythelakes @maisietheweltoncow @make-ur-lives-extraordinary @aaronhoetchner @justarandompjofan

[yikesharringrove]

Oooh spin the usual narrative around and maybe Steve got some really cool tattoos on his back after high school and Billy is just being all sweet on him later and notices them and LOVES them and is all like "ride me and show me" and won't let Steve finish until he describes all his tatts on his back

Smut

-

Billy hadn’t been in Hawkins, Indiana for about three years.

He had fled pretty much as soon as he got that diploma, had packed up his car the night before, tossed his stupid cap and gown in the trunk, and just fucking left.

But here he was, ready to watch Max and the rest of her brats graduate.

He was standing, feeling weird in his best shirt, sweating under the Hawkins sun.

And there was Steve Harrington. Of course he would come for his kids, was probably gonna tear up as they made their way across the stage. He could see Steve’s big hair sitting close to the front, with Henderson’s mom, looking just the same.

He spent the entire ceremony glaring holes in the back of Steve’s head, only looked up when Maxine Elizabeth Mayfield stomped across the stage, rolling her eyes as Susan and Neil made a big to-do somewhere in the crowd.

Then went right back to staring at Harrington.

He looked good.

Like, still looked as hot as he did in high school, but he looked,

he looked like a man.

He had shot stubble along his jaw, and he looked a little more filled out.

He was waiting for Max, standing with her mother off to the side when Steve turned, and noticed Billy.

His eyes went wide, and he began making his way over.

“Jesus, Hargrove. Long time no see.” He pulled Billy into a hug, a tight, sweet good-smelling hug. “You look good, man.” He smiled brightly at Billy.

“Yeah, Harrington. You too.” And he did.

“Hey, uh, all the kids are having a little shindig at The Byers’, I’d love to catch up with you.” He rubbed down Billy’s arm, made him so much fucking hotter than the bright sun.

-

The kids’ party was a nice barbecue in the Byers’ backyard.

They were all running around, getting in food fights and being stupid idiots.

Billy can respect that, the last summer before leaving all your friends.

Billy didn’t really have friends to leave, though. Just kinda, left, one day.

He kept his eyes on Steve the whole time, watched the way he smiled and laughed with the kids, the way his eyes kept flicking back to Billy.

The sun was beginning to set when Steve came over to the stairs Billy was perched on, two beers in hand.

He gave Billy one, settling right next to him.

“So, what have you been up to? Been, what three years?” Billy had left the day he graduated, hopped in his car and didn’t stop ‘till he saw the ocean.

“Moved back home. I’m working at a garage, now.” Steve gave him another nice smile. “Saving up to maybe go to school, or get a house or something.” He shrugged, taking a swig of his beer. “What about you? Got a girlfriend?”

“Ha! No. Not really, dating right now.” A slow grin spread over Billy’s face.

“Just fuckin’?” Steve’s cheeks went red, but he didn’t deny anything. “Yeah, me too, Harrington.”

Steve laughed, pushing at his rolled up shirt sleeve.

It was just under his elbow, and Billy zeroes in on dark black ink winding down to an elegant curl on the side of his elbow.

“Any good stories?” Billy licked over his teeth.

He had stopped pretending in California, didn’t really want to here either.

“Well, I mean, there was this one guy, just absolute maniac. He had this thing about getting caught, so we’d go out to shitty bars, see how long it took before we got kicked out. We got away with a lot at most of ‘em, though.”

He watched Steve carefully, didn’t even see a twitch.

And then,

“Oh, I was kinda seeing a guy like that.” Billy’s brain shorted out. “There’s a gay bar down the block from my place in Chicago, and he’d take me out on the dance floor, and this one night, we just about fucked before someone noticed what we were doin’. It was kinda fun.”

Billy’s mind was racing, pictured pulling Steve onto a crowded dance floor, pushing his hands down his pants, fingering him, letting him rut against his thigh until he cums in his pants.

“So you, you’re gay?”

“Bi, actually. Figured that one out right away after movin’.”

“Yeah? Let your queer little flag fly?”

“It’s been fun.” Steve shrugged. Billy licked his lips, had an idea.

“Y’know, you coulda been havin’ fun way before you moved.” He leaned into Steve’s space, looking at him through his lashes.

Steve’s cheeks went red.

“It’s not too late, is it?” Billy stood up, tugging his keys out of his jeans pocket.

“I got a shitty motel room bed with your name on it, Pretty Boy.” Steve scrambled behind him, tossing himself into the passenger seat of his car.

He grinned at Billy.

-

Billy drove like a bat outta Hell, getting Steve to his motel room as fast as possible.

He led him inside, slamming Steve against the door the minute they got in.

He kissed Steve roughly, licking inside his mouth.

Steve moaned into his mouth, fumbling with the buttons on Billy’s shirt.

Billy pulled him, shoving him onto the bed, taking Steve’s shirt off in turn.

And there was the ink.

It curled down both of Steve’s arms, leading from his back.

“Holy shit.” Billy traced on of the curling tendrils. “Never begged you for a tattoo type.” Steve shrugged, his eyes flicking down to trail over Billy’s body.

“I like it.”

“Can I see?” Steve pushed on him gently, but then he got an idea. “Wait,” he grinned at Steve. “Ride me and let me see them.” Steve smiled devilishly back up at him.

He pushed Billy, swapped their positions.

He was straddling his waist, could feel how hard Billy was underneath him.

“Only if you get me all ready.”

Billy undid Steve’s belt, tearing his khakis open.

Steve sat up, awkwardly wiggling out of them to sit back down, completely naked on Billy’s lap. He took Billy’s hand, kept direct eye contact as he sucked on Billy’s fingers.

He was like a fucking pornstar, his eyes going all dark and sultry as he licked over Billy’s fingers, sucked them into his mouth.

“Jesus, Stevie. You’re so fuckin’ hot.” Steve smirked at him, pulling his fingers out of his mouth with a pop, guiding Billy’s hand around his hips, leaning forward over Billy.

“Go ahead.” Billy jostled him a little closer, rubbing his spit slick fingers over his hole.

He pushed one inside.

Steve’s eyes fluttered closed, and he moaned, so loud and pretty.

“God, wished we had done this years ago.” Billy was now pumping his finger in and out of Steve.

“I was pretty repressed back then. Don’t know if I would’ve done this.” Billy eased in another finger. Steve took him so well.

“Then, glad I got here just in time.”

“Welcome to my slutty phase.” He grinned at Billy, grinding his hips back and forth on his fingers.

Billy spread his fingers, scissoring them open and closed, getting him open. Steve squirmed a little.

“Just like,” he took Billy’s wrist, shoving his fingers in deeper. Billy curled his fingers. “Oh, yeah.” He started tossing his ass back, fucking himself on Billy’s fingers. “Fuck.”

He collapsed forward, burying his face in Billy’s neck.

Billy tried to get a look at the dark ink covering him from neck to upper ass cheek.

“I’m I’m ready.” Steve bat Billy’s hand away, turning around.

He lined up Billy’s cock, sinking down on it.

Billy’s eyes fluttered closed.

“Jesus Christ,” Billy groaned. Steve felt like Heaven.

He looked over his shoulder, tossing him a wry smile. Billy clung to his hips.

“Like what you see?”

The tattoo was beautiful.

It was an intricate monster, tall and skeletal, a face like a flower, opened up with rows and rows of horrible teeth. There appeared to be black smoke coming from behind the monster, delicate furls of something, maybe vines? They climber up Steve’s shoulders, wrapped around his arms.

It shouldn’t have been sexy, staring at this thing while Steve bounced on his cock, but it was Steve bouncing on his cock, tossing his head back and moaning.

“What do you think?”

“I think, you don’t get to cum until I tell you all my thoughts on this art.” Steve moaned loudly. “This fuckin’, fuckin’ monster. Black ink looks real pretty on you, Baby.”

Steve turned again to look over his shoulder.

“Tell me about it.”

“I mean, I shouldn’t be turned on, lookin’ at this thing. It’s like, it’s like it’s screaming at me.” Steve shuddered. Billy didn’t know if it was a good shudder or a bad one. “I can, I can see the saliva in it’s mouth.”

And then Steve stopped, panting heavily.

He pulled off of Billy, turning to face him again.

“Sorry, that’s just, you know, not the best dirty talk material.” Billy grinned at him.

In one swift motion he rolled on top of Steve, slamming his way back inside of him.

“You want good material? You want me to tell you about how often I jerked off to you in high school? Pictured how pretty your lips would look around my cock? Thought about how tight your little hole would be?”

That was apparently the stuff.

Steve’s eyes were wide, his hair wild on the pillow behind him. He was panting shallowly, just accepting what Billy was giving him.

“Thought about taking you all kindsa ways. Thought about bendin’ you over in the showers after P.E. and just fucking you right there, in front of everyone.”

Steve’s back arched beautifully, and his thighs trembled against Billy’s sides as he came, thick white spunk sticking their stomachs together.

“Yeah? That get you going? The idea of people watching, of being made my bitch?”

“Jesus, Billy, I already finished.” His cock gave a flimsy little kick as if proving his point.

“Yeah, now I’m getting myself off.” Steve laughed at him, shifting his hips to let Billy drive in deeper.

“That what get you there? Pining me down? Making me your bitch?” Billy moved a little faster, a little rougher. “Now’s your chance, Tiger. Gimme your cum, ruin me.”

Billy bit down on Steve’s neck, made him yelp as he bucked his hips, cumming inside of him.

He breathed for a minute, rolling off of Steve.

Steve stretched like a cat, wincing slightly.

“Lemme see your art again. Was a little distracted with the sight of my dick in your ass.” Steve laughed, rolling over onto his stomach.

Billy traced the monster’s mouth with light fingers.

“It’s cool.”

“Will Byers drew it. Kind of reminds me to, you know, put the past behind me. I know it’s cheesy but,” he shrugged, trailing off.

“Sometimes cheesy works.” Steve’s cheek was smushed against the pillow as he studied Billy.

“What’s it like being back in Hawkins? Must be weird coming back after being gone.”

“Nah. Nothing’s really changed. Weirder coming in blind that first time.” He traced one of the black vines. “I thought you were in Chicago?”

“I am. Only moved out there about six months ago. Didn’t get into college or anything, so I’ve been working shitty jobs, saving up some money. Thinking about running away some more. Get further away.”

“You’re always welcome in California. I got a pull out couch.” He licked over his teeth. “Or you could share my bed.”

“Are you asking me to give you sex in exchange for a place to stay?”

“You did say you’re in your slutty phase.” Steve laughed, burying his face in the pillow.

“We’ll see if I get desperate enough to get outta here to take you up on that offer.”

“You could drive back with me. Stay for awhile, fly back. See if you like it.”

High school Billy would be creaming in his pants right about now, asking Steve Harrington to run away to California with him.

Steve looked at him, his face unreadable.

“I could go for a little adventure.”

[dastardlydandelion]

casus belli

ao3 link

obligatory irl inspo link

content warnings: referenced violence, implied abuse

Max strokes her mother’s hair as softly as she can, gingerly guiding her fingertips around the goose egg where Neil whacked her with the wrench, gash no less grisly to Max’s eyes even now sutured up. It’s been hours but Max still feels rattled even though she won’t cry, can’t cry because she needs to be strong and calm for Mom. Being this close to Mom helps marginally at least. Close enough to touch and feel and watch her breathe, know she is alive even though she’d been so terribly still on the floor, hadn’t let out any sound nor even twitched after the gun went off and Neil collapsed atop her.

Max’s eyes dart toward sudden movement in her peripheral. She expects a nurse or maybe another cop but it’s Billy in the doorway, denim jacket buttoned, hands stuffed in the pockets of his blue jeans. He gives a nod, gaze flickering to her mother in the hospital bed. Max exhales softly as she draws her hand from Mom’s head and trots across the eggshell tile. She tried to call earlier but he didn’t answer. She deduces the authorities must’ve contacted him about Neil.

Max isn’t normally the hugging type but today has been an exceptionally scary day and in all truth, part of her wasn’t sure she’d ever see Billy again at all. Leaving Neil meant leaving so many things behind, her school, her friends, Hawkins. Billy too. She throws her arms around his middle and squeezes tight, tight, tight as a tourniquet.

Billy grunts, caught off guard, but then he breathes out and winds an arm around her.

“Hey, shitbird…”

Max thinks his voice sounds weird. She swallows and lets go, tugging at the drawstrings of her hoodie as she takes a step back.

“Hey,” she returns and it is the least of things there are to say. “The cops tell you everything?”

“I don’t know about everything.” Billy looks pale as his eyes dart between Max and her mother. “How’s Susan?”

“In and out. She might be in and out for awhile. Neil busted her head open and she’s still all doped up…I don’t think she remembers coming in or getting x-rays, or anything.”

Max uncertainly wiggles her hand as she glances back over her shoulder. Mom is dozing again, looks so fragile in the bed, legs swaddled so thick in their splints, toes just barely peeking out, chest tube as big around as a highlighter emerging from the slit in her gown and going into the drainage unit on the floor.

“My dad really did a number on her…”

“No shit, Billy, he was trying to kill her. He was yelling about how he wouldn’t let her run away again. ‘No more running!’ That’s what he was yelling that when I pulled the trigger.” Max rubs her forearms, swears in her soul she can still feel the recoil riddle thorough her bones.

She only fired once and Neil folded like a fancy dinner napkin right on top of Mom. Then Max couldn’t tell whose blood was whose.

“I’m sorry,” Billy grates out, grave and low.

“She’ll be fine. I’ll take good care of her,” Max declares, soft but determined. “I have practice and Mom’s bound to be a way easier patient than you were, anyway.”

She’d had to help Mom out with Billy after the Mind Flayer. Neil was weirdly gentle with Billy for a little bit in the beginning, when it looked like he might die. But when he started getting stronger and turned around for the better, Neil could barely be bothered to lift a finger. Didn’t contribute much to her brother’s recovery beyond complaining about medical bills and making a bunch of negotiations over the phone with the insurance company.  

“No, Max, I’m apologizing because this is my fault,” Billy bows his head, eyes glued to the floor as his shoulders tense. “It’s my fault he found you, I’m sorry.”

A cold feeling creeps beneath her skin.

“What?”

“It was stupid, I was stupid,” he says, voice seeping shame. “I got you a new skateboard since I broke your other one. Decided I’d mail it to you, so I got it packaged up and all that, hid it under my bed. My dad trashed my room looking for some shit he thought I stole and he found that instead. With the address.”

Max clenches her teeth. In the recesses of her mind, she realizes it was an accident. Of course it was an accident. But. The way Mom screamed. Gunpowder scorching Max’s nostrils. Whose blood is whose. Mom not moving. Safety wasn’t safety even in Springwood, Ohio with different names and plate numbers, wasn’t safe in a million years because of the way Mom screamed and Max, who hadn’t been going by Max in public in Ohio, knew precisely who and what was ripping their new life to pieces in the way Mom screamed.

It was an accident but Max can still feel the recoil, Max is the recoil and Mom was one missed shot away from a coffin. Neil swung the wrench and Mom’s lung popped like a happy birthday balloon before Max’s hands could go steady enough to pop a cap. Mom’s courage has been rewarded with broken bones and blood and confusion, but well. It was an accident.

“I tried to stop him, Max.”

“Go away.”

“I tried to stop him, I swear—“

“Go away!” Max snaps, louder. “Get away from me! Get away from my mom!”

“Who’s fighting?” her mother groggily asks as she stirs behind her.

Billy relents under Max’s dark glare, shuffling a few steps back and turning away.

“Max?”

“I’m here, Mom.” Max retreats back to her mother’s bedside and smiles gently in assurance, placing a chary hand on her forearm.

“Was that Billy?” Mom blinks up at her, nose twitching as she gives a little sniff. “You smell like Billy.”

“Uh, yeah. Billy’s here. Neil’s here too but he can’t hurt us. Do you remember that?”

“Mhm.” Mom gives the slightest of nods and covers Max’s hand with her own. “Max?”

“Yeah?”

“Can you bring Billy back? I wanna fight with him too.”

“What?” Max gasps, bemused.

“I have a bone to pick with that boy,” Mom says, muzzy eyes half-lidded as she vaguely jabs a finger in the air. “He gave my sixteen year old a loaded gun and didn’t even tell me.”

“Uh, okay, I fully understand why that would bother you. And I also didn’t tell you because I didn’t want to freak you out—“

“You should’ve told me too,” her mother declares, almost petulant as her lips purse sternly.

“—but you realize I saved us both because I shot Neil, right?”

“It’s the principle of the matter, Maxine,” Mom insists. “Neither of you asked me for permission, neither of you said a word. Billy got a loaded gun from the safe and gave it to you, so I’m upset…and I need to yell at him. Bring him back.”

Max splutters, dumbfounded. Her mother is definitely as high as a kite. Her voice is so weak Max doesn’t know how she expects to yell at all. But she can’t refuse her request when she’s somehow striking that tone of maternal authority Max suddenly feels compelled to obey, even as hurt and dopey as she is.

“Okay, Mom. I’ll go find him.”

“Thank you.”

Max tenderly brushes a kiss over her mother’s temple. When she gets to the doorway she hesitates for a few heartbeats, gaze lingering on Mom. She isn’t particularly keen on letting Mom out of her sight right now. Her stomach flip-flops the way it did a few hours ago, when they took her down for x-rays without Max in attendance.

She reminds herself it’s fine. The only person who wanted to hurt Mom is Neil. Neil is paralyzed from the waist down and handcuffed to his own hospital bed. He’s not lurking around the corner or hiding in the shadows. He's not belly-crawling the corridors like some vengeful serpent.

Neil’s room is eventually where Max locates Billy. The door is shut. The blinds are drawn. Max cannot see inside but it is Neil’s room nonetheless, an officer standing guard and munching on a sprinkled, pink frosted doughnut with such gusto it’s like he’s intentionally trying to be a cliché. Billy is a few lengths away, gnawing at his fingernails, one shoulder leaned against the wall.

“Found you,” Max greets.

Billy bites the corner of his thumbnail and stiffly lowers his hand to his side. “Found me? You’re the one who told me to fuck off.”

“Yeah, well…” Max crosses her arms as she leans against next to him, idly kicking her heel against the wall. “If you knew he was coming, why didn’t you call the cops?”

“I tried to stop him, Max. We got into it. He choked me out and locked me in the hall closet.”

“Holy shit. You got out?”

“With some splinters in my knuckles,” Billy huffs bitterly. “Yeah, wish I would’ve thought to feel up on the top shelf sooner. My old Little League bat was up there. That helped.”

“Damn…look, I’m sorry i jumped down your throat earlier, okay?” Max uncrosses her arms and glances down to Billy’s hand at his side, exhales through her nose as she notes the bloodied knuckles. “It’s been a fucking awful day and I’m trying to be brave and calm for Mom, but…”

“Don’t. I deserve it. It’s my fault.”

“You’re not the one who broke into our house with a goddamn wrench like some horror movie villain.”

Billy just shakes his head.

“Anyway, we’d better get a move on. Because my mom wants to see you but I don’t know how long she’s going to be awake.”

Billy blinks rapidly, squinting his eyes. “She wants to see me?”

“Yeah, come on.” Max grabs him by the arm and starts to pull, only to let go when his face crumples into discomfort. “Oh. Hey, how bad, um…are you okay?”

“I’m fine. Just kinda stiff, long drive didn’t help.”

Max nods and leads him back to Mom’s room without any more grabbing. Billy plods beside her and now that she’s paying attention, she realizes how purposeful his steps are. He doesn’t do any of those restless little movements typical of him, no finger drumming or collar adjusting. He’s moving no more or less than he has to. Definitely sore.

Max pulls up the chair for him when they get to Mom’s room, right beside her bed so neither have to strain to reach for the other.

“There you are,” her mother announces, twirling her index finger at Billy.

“Here I am,” Billy agrees, flashes a sad smile as he slowly lowers into the seat. “Hey, Susan. How you feeling?”

“Upset,” she says decisively, narrowing her eyes as Max pointedly mouths ‘painkillers’ to Billy. “You and I need to have a talk, mister. What you did was very irresponsible and I am sorry to say I’m disappointed in you. I--"

"I'm sorry," Billy blurts, interrupting as he abruptly bows so low, like he would to dodge whenever Neil would throw shit at him. "I'm sorry, Susan. I'm so, so sorry."

Mom blinks rapidly, confused as Billy starts blubbering. His denim clad shoulders tremble as sobs quibble out of him one after the next. He keeps apologizing between them, grief stricken and fraught with guilt. She hasn't seen him cry like this since the sauna test.

"Oh my...I'm upset, yes, b-but not that upset, Billy..." Anxiety tweaks her mother's features, her fingers warily fluttering over the guardrail that separates them.

Max lays a hand on his back and leans in.

"Listen," she murmurs, gentle but firm. "If you need a minute, you need a minute but don't scare my mom."

"I'm sorry," Billy repeats, this time to Max as he visibly struggles to pull it together. "But it's my fault."

"Oh, it's not all your fault," Mom insists. "Maxine had ample opportunity to come to me about Neil's...Astral Tyrannosaur?"

"Astra Terminator," Max corrects.

"Mm, that then." Mom's lashes flutter sleepily.

"The gun," Billy echoes. "We're talking about the gun?"

"It really wasn't right to keep it from me," her mother says, adamant and perhaps a little sulky. "But I suppose I came on a little too strong. Max, could you pass me those tissues?"

"Sure." Max grabs the paperboard box on the beside table and passes it to her.

Mom pulls a few from the box and reaches up, dabbing at Billy's blotchy face. He doesn't say anything. He goes quiet, snuffling softly only a bit.

"There, there," Mom soothes. "We're all here. That's what matters most."

Max shifts her weight from foot to foot and takes the tissue box back.

"I'm okay," Mom says, sudden and hasty like she's not entirely confident. "You shouldn't worry so much...either of you."

"No one is worried, Mom," Max promises. She winds around to the opposite side of the bed and pulls up her own chair, warmly pressing her lips to her mother's cheek. "We know you're okay. Just a little banged up."

And that's an understatement, but at the very least, Mom will get better. And Neil won't. They're free.

Her mother leans in and briefly nuzzles Max's cheek in return until her face is nestled into the pillows again. Having said her piece and with Billy calmed down, she seems relaxed again. She curls toward Max as much as her upper body will allow and with a little more hair stroking, nods off again.

Billy gets up to leave. Max catches his eye and shakes her head. His mouth quirks at the corner and he resumes his seat.

[neilnothingjosten]

what if neil got his last name from Jostens, aka the company that sells the graduation gowns and what not to highschoolers. like this man was enrolling himself into the highschool at millport and was like “shit i need a last name” and just looked over to the forms for graduation caps and fucking went with it.

[tabloidtoc]

Star, March 8

You can buy a copy of this issue for your very own at my eBay store: https://www.ebay.com/str/bradentonbooks

Cover: George Clooney vs. Brad Pitt -- the fight that ended their friendship

Page 1: Scott Disick's mid-life makeover -- some guys buy a convertible but Scott already has a garage full of fancy rides, so what else to do when you're edging close to 40, split from the mom of your three kids and are already dating a 19-year-old model? Well, bleach your hair platinum, of course!

Page 2: Contents, Leighton Meester and Adam Brody celebrated their sixth wedding anniversary with a couple's surf session

Page 3: Star Shots -- John Legend wore an eye-catching sweater to a photoshoot in West Hollywood, Anya Taylor-Joy stunned in a crimson gown on the set of an untitled David O. Russell-directed period film, Jason Sudeikis grabbed a bite during a break from filming Ted Lasso's second season in London

Page 4: After hosting countless rose ceremonies over nearly two decades of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, Chris Harrison is now in the hot seat himself and facing backlash for defending current Bachelor frontrunner Rachael Kirkconnell who's been accused of racist behavior -- the next day, Chris apologized and said he was stepping aside as host of the dating reality series but the damage was done as Rachel Lindsay who is the first Black lead in the franchise's history revealed she won't renew her Bachelor contract and current Bachelor Matt James supported her -- as for Chris, the fallout continues as Crest are considering pulling down ads featuring him but with critics calling for his ouster Chris wants his job back and no one at ABC wants to see him replaced but those conversations are happening

Page 5: Miley Cyrus has an idea how to help Britney Spears in her legal battle to replace dad Jamie Spears as her conservator -- Miley is hoping she and Britney can record a classic song together like an anthem like Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves or Enough Is Enough and she's hoping to get Britney on board but that may be a challenge with the legal restrictions in place

* Mom-of-eight Kate Gosselin didn't get what she was asking for on her house in Pennsylvania -- it's upsetting that she got less than she paid for it but her hand was forced; it costs a lot to keep up a house like that on 20-plus acres and with years of roughhousing, it needs a lot of work -- with twins Mady and Cara already in college and the sextuplets growing up, Kate hopes to jump-start her career and she's dying to leave Pennsylvania and head to Hollywood

* Paris Hilton's boyfriend of just over a year Carter Reum dropped to one knee on a gorgeous private beach and offered Paris his heart and a sparkler from Cartier and she said yes -- close family was on hand to celebrate the couple who have been friends for 15 years and the party went on well into the evening -- now Paris is already making wedding plans for something simple and elegant with a gorgeous dinner and the couple is ready to start a family sooner rather than later and she's hinted she's already started IVF and if she gets pregnant they'll just push up the wedding

Page 6: Ryan Gosling needed some time off after 2018's moon-landing biopic First Man because he really became Neil Armstrong during the six months of shooting and he was absolutely drained after finishing it and he spent the next two years with wife Eva Mendes being a full-time dad to their two young kids -- now he's back and with three movies lined up, he's looking at a $75 million paycheck this year -- in addition to The Gray Man, he's gearing up for a Wolfman update and another space adventure called Project Hail Mary -- he wants to be a popcorn-movie star and he's going full-blown buff-and-shirtless action hero

* Allen v. Farrow is a new investigation into 1992 allegations about Woody Allen by his adopted daughter Dylan Farrow and her mother Mia Farrow that digs up damning new evidence against the director -- one harrowing home video shows the then-7-year-old Dylan saying her dad touched her privates and later a doorman and a building manager and a maid at Allen's NYC residence raise questions about when Woody began his shocking relationship with Mia's teen daughter Soon-Yi -- Mia also expresses fear in the doc, saying she worries that when the documentary comes out he'll be on the attack again and he'll do whatever he has to do to save himself

* Star Spots the Stars -- Julia Roberts, Joe Jonas, Luann de Lesseps, Christina Aguilera, Kaia Gerber, Tarek El Moussa and Heather Rae Young

Page 8: Star Shots -- With balloons and a box of chocolate in hand lifestyle expert Gretta Monahan arrived at The View, Melissa Gorga snacked on a huge box of sweets between Zoom interviews to promote the 11 season of The Real Housewives of New Jersey, Vanessa Lachey prepared to host a Galentine's Day celebration with macarons and wine

Page 10: Jenna Dewan making a plant-based meal, Selling Sunset's Christine Quinn and her husband Christian Richard sipped juice bar drinks while running errands in Beverly Hills, Hugh Grant stopped to tend to his laces while out for a walk in Chelsea in West London, Carrie Underwood prepped for her daily workout session in pieces from her Calia fitness apparel line

Page 12: After a stop at the Kidding Around children's store Bradley Cooper had his hands full walking with his daughter Lea in NYC, Sofia Vergara chic in a blowout and patterned top in Beverly Hills, Justin Bieber looked comfy in a message tee and pajama bottoms in L.A.

Page 13: Thandie Newton looked tense while Chris Pine hit the ground running as the two filmed the spy thriller All the Old Knives in London, Jon Bernthal braved the frigid water while Gretchen Mol bundled up on the set of American Gigolo in L.A.

Page 14: Think Pink -- Jennifer Lopez hoisted an oversized customized bubble-gum hued Coach satchel in a promo shot in NYC, Cardi B slipped on neon sneakers from her Reebok collaboration to shop on Rodeo Drive in L.A., Hilary Duff showing off a peek of her growing baby bump on the set of Younger in NYC

Page 16: In town to film The Hills: New Beginnings with their castmates Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag played in the snow with their son Gunner in Lake Tahoe

Page 17: Mandy Moore and husband Taylor Goldsmith celebrated their last Valentine's Day before parenthood with a romantic stroll in Pasadena, Michelle Obama on her new children's show Waffles + Mochi

Page 18: Chris Meloni and Mariska Hargitay in NYC, hiding her locks in a cute newsboy cap Brooke Burke grabbed dinner at Nobu in Malibu, Krysten Ritter brought her son Bruce to meet some farm animals at the Gentle Barn in Santa Clarita

Page 20: Normal or Not? Farrah Abraham suffered a serious wardrobe malfunction while hitting the sand in Malibu -- not normal, Nikki Reed gushing over her therapy chicken -- normal, Property Brothers' Drew Scott booty bumpin' with wife Linda Phan -- not normal, Lucy Hale lovingly held onto her new dog Ethel while fueling up her ride in L.A. -- normal

Page 22: Fashion -- stars in pastel frocks -- Heidi Klum, Sophia Bush, Chrissy Teigen

Page 23: Rihanna, Kirsten Dunst

Page 26: Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker are having sexy slumber parties at Kourtney's $8.5 million Calabasas pad and they are spending so much time together and she loves having him sleep over and he'll stay the whole weekend -- Travis who has lived nearby in the gated community for years is already making himself at home and not only has he moved a bunch of stuff into Kourtney's property but she leaves him to chill out and enjoy his space if she has to run errands -- even if it seems the couple is moving and moving in fast, their respective broods are on board with the new arrangement and Kourtney's kids Mason, Penelope and Reign love having Travis around and meanwhile the door is always open for Travis' kids Alabama and Landon, and Travis and Kourtney do a lot of fun stuff with their kids together -- there's already speculation that the move-in will be permanent because Kourtney knows a good thing when she sees it and Travis checks all the boxes

Page 27: Meeting the in-laws might be a little complicated for newly engaged Shailene Woodley and Aaron Rodgers because the Green Bay Packers QB is famously estranged from his Chico, California-based family -- in 2016 Aaron's younger brother Jordan Rodgers exposed the rift while competing on The Bachelorette and at the time, fans blamed Aaron's then-girlfriend Olivia Munn for turning him Hollywood but the trouble continued after their 2017 split -- now that he's with Shailene, Aaron doesn't want to bring her into that toxic atmosphere but Shailene who once called her own folks super f**ked up is not deterred and she is encouraging Aaron to let bygones be bygones but he's not ready

* Melissa and Joe Gorga's marriage troubles will play out on the new season of The Real Housewives of New Jersey but their issues are even worse behind the scenes and they've been butting heads as Melissa's career continues to skyrocket so she's distracted with work and doesn't have time for Joe and he feels neglected and he isn't one to hold back -- it doesn't help that the Envy boutique owner was rumored to be getting close to another man -- the couple is trying to work out their issues for the sake of their three kids but Melissa may be done

Page 28: Cover Story -- George Clooney and Brad Pitt: The Breaking Point -- fights, jealousy and other women -- the former besties had a major falling out and now mutual friend Sandra Bullock is desperate to reunite them -- George and Brad have barely spoken in eight years and they've definitely gone their separate ways and Brad's ex-wife Angelina Jolie played a big part in the demise of their friendship because Angie felt George took Brad away from her and their kids -- Amal Clooney found Angie unbearable and that was kind of the point of no return for Brad and George -- George is struggling to regain his luster as a director while Brad is out there winning Oscars

Page 32: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: Interview Shockers -- as they prep for baby number two, Harry and Meghan announce a no-holds-barred interview, leaving the palace on edge

Page 34: Celebs in Wheel Trouble -- don't drink (or drug) and drive; these stars got caught making some very bad decisions -- Bruce Springsteen, mug shots of Justin Bieber

Page 35: Reese Witherspoon, Vince Vaughn, Lindsay Lohan, Michael Phelps, Khloe Kardashian, Henry Thomas, Heather Locklear, Jesse Luken, Mel Gibson

Page 36: Beauty -- curl care -- strengthen every type of wave and coil with cool new miracle workers

Page 48: Parting Shot -- Bill Murray teamed up with NFL player Larry Fitzgerald for the AT&T Every Shot Counts Charity Challenge in Pebble Beach -- despite landing in third place, Bill and Larry made a great pair, earning an impressive $209,000 for local charities

[nekojitachan]

AFTG fic - Medicine

This is for @sig66, another owed fic from the @aftgremix fic challenge where she guessed correctly which one was mine. She asked for a Clouds fic, so here you go! I hope you like it.

Hmm, think this is pretty safe here, other than the usual Hatford warnings?

*******

Andrew stood still while Neil fussed with the collar of his shirt. “I don’t know why it won’t – ah, there it is.” He smiled as he smoothed his hands over Andrew’s shoulders then stepped back. “You look great.” There was a slight roughness to his voice, a lingering to his gaze as he looked Andrew up and down, and if Nicky and Erik weren’t out in the living room….

Telling his damn hormones to calm down, Andrew clicked his tongue as he reached for his black gown with the fancy sleeves and purple hood, while Neil grabbed the black cap; he wouldn’t put it on until he had to, and wore black slacks with a black dress shirt for his graduation ceremony. Neil was dressed up for once, too, in dark grey slacks with a silvery-grey dress shirt (which Andrew had picked out). They left the small bedroom made even smaller with all the boxes, to enter the living room also crammed with boxes.

Right after graduation, they were moving in together, into a larger apartment in the same building. Andrew looked forward to an office where he could study for his Master’s degree, and a decent sized bathroom.

“There you are! Excited to graduate?” Nicky asked as he jumped to his feet with a big grin on his face; he’d gone back to the US for Aaron’s graduation two months ago, and shouldn’t be so excited to sit through another boring ceremony that summer.

“What, where I sit on my ass listening to a bunch of old people talk way too much until they call my name?” Andrew huffed as he tugged on the cuffs of his shirt. “Only going because Bren promised me decent drinks afterward.”

“But it’s a major life milestone!” Nicky insisted while gazing at Neil. “Aren’t you looking forward to graduating next year?”

Neil shrugged as he leaned down to pet Pita, who rubbed against his shins. “They don’t really do anything for those of us who take classes online. I’ll probably just keep taking classes until I get bored, anyway.”

“But… but… I’d be happy if I were you,” Nicky sniffed, which made Erik give him a big one-armed hug. “It’s a big deal.”

It was just a piece of paper, in Andrew’s opinion. What mattered to him was what happened afterward – the fellowship he’d received which allowed him to continue studying at the university, and the new lease which had both his and Neil’s name on it.

He had a future in front of him, one he’d earned on his own and one where an impossible pipedream wanted to wake up next to him each morning.

“Fine, you go in my place,” Andrew offered as he held out his gown to his cousin. At first Nicky gaped at him and then laughed.

“I’m tempted just to see the looks on their faces,” he hiccupped as he wiped at his left eye. “That’s okay, I’ll be busy keeping your sweetie company.”

Andrew narrowed his eyes at the moron for the ‘sweetie’ comment, but that was mild for Nicky and he couldn’t exactly argue that nothing was between him and Neil when several of the boxes around them bore his name.

“Uhm, we need to leave,” Neil said in a rush as he motioned to the door. “If we want to be on time.”

“Yes, I imagine there’ll be some traffic,” Erik agreed, a proud smile on his face as he held out his arm for Nicky to take; both men were dressed in suits as if attending a formal affair.

They finally left the apartment and went down to the car which Erik and Nicky had rented for their visit. On the way to campus, Andrew’s phone pinged with a text from Aaron – a short message to congratulate him and remind him to call when everything calmed down.

Andrew hadn’t been able to attend his twin’s ceremony since he was busy with classes at the time, but he’d gone back over Easter break to tie up some loose ends (sell the GS, box up whatever he wanted to keep to either bring back with him or mail to the UK, and get rid of the rest) and have it out with Aaron one last time. To his surprise, it had gone better than he’d expected; he doubted that his brother had ever thought he’d just ‘walk away’, would leave Aaron and the States for good, so they managed a sort of ‘détente’.

Distance seemed to work well for them.

Campus was a mess with all of the visitors there to see their family and friends graduating, even if they had split up the classes as much as possible. After they’d parked and gotten to where the ceremony was held, Andrew (barely) allowed Nicky to give him a quick hug and Neil a longer one before he went off to join his fellow graduates, including Prasad. He exchanged a fist-bump with his now former roommate, who updated him on his job search (a couple of promising leads) and once again congratulated him on the fellowship before they split up to go to their seats.

After that, it was as boring as he’d expected, save for Neil sending him texts during the droning speeches; asking him if he was certain that he was related to Nicky (had there ever been a blood test? Neil knew people who could do genetic testing on the sly if Andrew wanted it done, just saying), future menu items at the café (now that was just mean), possible vacation spots for them, and yes/no on accessories for the new ‘flat’ (no on the cat-themed pillows, yes on the new duvet). When it was Andrew’s time to go up for his diploma, he was hard-pressed not to flash the middle finger at the crowd with the way that Nicky and Erik acted like immature morons, yelling out his name and clapping so loud.

When it was all said and done, he was grateful to make his way back to where Neil waited for him; he had to endure a congratulatory pat or two on the shoulder from a couple of professors along the way. As soon as Neil spotted him, he smiled at Andrew and leaned in for a quick kiss once close enough, which somehow made the whole ridiculous ceremony worthwhile.

“Let’s go,” Andrew insisted when they broke apart, and ignored Nicky’s protests about him posing for pictures.

The man really should know better by then.

They waded through the crowd and managed to get back on the road after a short (not short enough) wait, then drove to the Bolthole, which was closed for a ‘private’ party. Andrew would be honored by the event, if he didn’t know how little money the café made on a regular basis and how much some of its ‘regulars’ enjoyed drinking.

Along the way, Nicky babbled on about Andrew and Neil visiting Germany before their classes resumed, maybe the four of them meeting up in Berlin like they’d talked about around New Year’s. It was a possibility, especially after Andrew bought a car so he and Neil could plan out some road-trips.

There were times when it still didn’t seem real, the fact that he’d left the US behind to live in the UK, that he’d be looking for a job here after he graduated with his Master’s, that he’d cosigned a lease and had a student visa (and been told by Bren that it wouldn’t be any problem to get a more permanent one once he graduated).

That he was planning a future with Neil and a spoiled as hell cat.

Okay, he’d never plan on including the spoiled as hell cat. Or the annoying, cloying as fuck family members like Stuart and Will.

Especially Stuart.

That wasn’t even including Ally.

The one thing he’d finally accepted was that Neil was real and wasn’t going away. Not with that signed lease, not with all those boxes waiting to be moved into the new apartment (flat – what the hell was a ‘flat’?), not with all the exchanged texts about what they should buy for their new home (home, what a concept), not with the casual mentions of how they’d get a townhouse (‘terraced house’) when they graduated and figured out where they wanted to live (where they got jobs – probably London but maybe Glasgow or Edinburgh since Andrew liked those cities, too).

Neil cared about finding a place to live where Andrew liked, where Andrew wanted to live.

After all those years of tearing himself into pieces for others… Andrew had found an improbable idiot who worried about making sure that Andrew was happy.

(Well, Andrew and a spoiled furball.)

(Andrew could put up with a spoiled furball who was placated by a full dish of food and a soft blanket to sleep upon, as long as he got Neil most of the time.)

Neil had just told Nicky to send him some ideas of where to stay in Berlin when they finally reached the Bolthole (or at least where they had to park), and everyone got out of the car. Neil smiled at Andrew and held out his hand a little in a gesture that meant he’d like to hold hands but it was up to Andrew, which made Andrew click his tongue and entwine their fingers together.

Such an idiot.

They only had to walk half a block to reach the café, and ignored the signs posted on the door about it being closed for a private party; Andrew actually blinked in surprise to find more than Bren and a glowering Stuart inside, but a smiling Jamie, Henry, Ally (okay, he could do without that cousin), Will, Miriam and a few of the family’s bodyguards and errand runners as well.

They made an obvious sign of brandishing crackers in the air before setting them off (Neil still flinched a little at the noise), before closing in to wish Andrew ‘congratulations’. “How does it feel to be an educated man?” Henry asked as he handed Andrew what looked to be a glass of champagne (it better not be anything cheap).

“Hungry. Where’s the cake?” he asked as he rocked up on his toes to look beyond the wall of Hatfords, which made most of the people laugh.

“It’s over there,” Henry remarked as he waved to a table laden with appetizers and what had to be an entire sheet cake despite the fact that there was less than twenty people in the place; like the rest of his family, he was dressed up for the event (why?) in nice clothes (suits and dresses – but then they dressed up to ‘deal’ with people so no big deal). “So, are you happy with the new flat?”

Despite being drawn to the cake (an entire sheet cake, embellished with his name and lots of buttercream roses), Andrew paused to consider the question and the man asking it. Henry might appear like some mild-mannered twenty-something with his friendly smile, pale grey eyes and blond hair, but Andrew had yet to see the young man without at least three weapons on him (knives in his ankle boots and gun holstered in the small of his back), had heard enough stories from Neil and Bren to know that the Hatford’s heir wasn’t one to ignore. Yet Henry strove to put him at ease, to ‘chat him up’ each time they met… after ensuring that he was serious about Neil.

Hadn’t that been a ‘fun’ conversation.

Yet Henry (and Jamie and Miriam) seemed to believe that Andrew was serious (he was) about Neil and so treated him with respect (what a concept), while Stuart and Will were still a bit standoffish (considering what he’d heard about their sister and her relationship with Neil’s father… well, he’d accept ‘standoffish’).

“I can shave in the damn shower without knocking my elbows into the walls, so ‘yes’,” Andrew remarked after a sip of the champagne (it wasn’t the cheap stuff).

“Well, you know Neil,” Henry remarked with a slight smile as he gazed over at his cousin, who was being hugged by Jamie. “He insisted on the smallest flat in the building, so Dad was rather happy on giving him an upgrade this time around.”

Which worked out for Andrew, didn’t it? “For future reference, tell him ‘no’,” he insisted. “At the least, it’s animal cruelty.”

“Not to mention boyfriend cruelty, no?” Henry laughed as he held up his own glass as if in a toast. “Don’t worry, I believe it won’t be a problem anymore.” He gave Andrew a knowing smile as he walked away, only to be replaced by Miriam who offered her own congratulations and wanted to know if he needed anything for the new apartment (she didn’t seem to trust Neil’s ‘we’re fine’ – the woman wasn’t an idiot by any means).

After spending ten minutes or so going over some vital necessities (Andrew had no issues hitting up Neil’s wealthy relatives for stuff when they were eager to provide them) while snacking on the appetizers since he hadn’t eaten in hours (the croquettes were delicious, as were the mini chicken pies and the Welsh rarebits, among others). He figured any guilt Neil felt over the purchases would be assuaged by how happy his aunt was over making them, so it would work out in the end.

Bren and Davis came over with a few pints to ‘toast’ his graduation, and then he was able to escape to find Neil, who was chatting with Stuart and Jamie. “-seriously, we can put you to work in some side businesses once you graduate,” Stuart was telling Neil, whose body was stiff with tension.

“I appreciate that,” Neil said in a flat manner as he stared at his uncle with a bottle of water clutched in his right hand. “But there’s a lot I can do with the degree, maybe I’ll get a Master’s like Andrew and… I don’t know, see what happens after that. Mathematics and language intersect at some point, which opens up a lot of options for me.”

Stuart frowned as he jabbed his right forefinger at his nephew. “I don’t see how-“

“Neil’s right, there’s potential there,” Jamie was quick to jump in while Andrew rubbed his right hand along his boyfriend’s nape. “Something with security and code breaking, if I’m guessing right, which could be valuable to us… or if he wants to strike out on his own.”

“Exactly,” Neil said in a quiet voice as he slumped against Andrew. “Could set up my own business but still help out the family.”

Stuart eyed him for a couple of seconds before he nodded. “You know you’re free to do whatever you want and we’ll support you, but… but yeah, tell me and Will about this some night, okay?” He smiled, the expression blatantly proud, as he reached out to ruffle Neil’s hair. “Obviously you got all the smarts intended for Ally.”

Jamie laughed at the comment while Neil managed a slight grin, and Andrew felt the tension leave his lover’s lean body; no matter how much Neil struggled to stand on his own, his uncles’ opinion mattered to him. “That’s a classic example of damning with faint praise,” Jamie claimed as she gave her cousin a fond look. “You two are coming to London for a week or two, right? Maybe in another month?”

Neil fidgeted with the left of his shirt while he gave a curt nod. “We need to get everything set up in the new flat and then figure out where we’re all going during the summer break, but we planned on stopping there.”

“Still need to get the car first,” Andrew added as he glanced around for Bren, who was over by the impromptu bar talking to Davis and a couple other Hatford ‘employees’. They’d discussed options for an affordable used car (something not too boring with low miles), but the man had been awfully quiet on the matter the last few days.

“Yeah, right.” For some reason, Stuart gave Andrew an indecipherable look while Jamie smiled, and then the topic switched to how Andrew and Neil better not stay at any cheap hostels again on their getaways (it had been one time, when their hotel had ended up overbooked, and while Andrew hadn’t been happy about it, at least they had a room to themselves and the place had been clean). While an indignant Neil argued with his overprotective uncle (good luck – usually Andrew would put his money on his lover, but not that time), he wandered off to fetch a drink.

Bren gave him a pat on the shoulder while the others wished him ‘congrats’ and handed over at least a double of a very nice whiskey; he was toasted first to a successful Master’s and then a ‘happy life’ in the new apartment (flat). He tried a few times to bring up the car, but kept being interrupted by Davis or Quentin before Bren could say more than a couple of words.

Then Bren pointed out that Ally had challenged Nicky to some ridiculous drinking contest, and Andrew had to go put a stop to it before Stuart and Will decided they didn’t want someone related to such a blithering moron anywhere near their precious nephew.

By then, Neil seemed to reach the limit of his uncles’ fussing and all but glued himself to Andrew’s side, which wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. They sat down at a table to eat (more meat pies, not that Andrew was complaining at all, along with mashed potatoes); Neil nursed a cider while Andrew had a pleasant buzz from the whiskey and looked forward to the cake for dessert. Jamie and Teddy (Wednesday pick-up) sat across from them and talked to Neil about possible places to see in Portugal while Andrew exchanged a few texts with Aaron and did his best to ignore Nicky’s hints about how he needed to make things with Neil ‘permanent’.

Right, he’d just sold most of his belongings (the GS) and moved across the ocean to live full-time with another person (whose family could very easily make him ‘disappear’ if they wanted) and a cat – all on a whim.

Maybe if he asked Stuart very nicely, the man would make Nicky disappear.

(It was a nice daydream.)

At the moment, what annoyed him the most about Aaron was that his twin was thousands of miles away from Nicky. “You need to go spend the summer with Aaron,” he told his cousin.

“Huh? But I just saw him a few weeks ago, that and I can’t take that much time off at once,” Nicky complained as he frowned at the platter of pies before he picked one at random. “Besides, I need to save a week in case, you know.” His left eye did some weird spasm thing, which Andrew took to be a pathetic attempt at winking. “Something important happens with you and Neil.”

“Time to cut him off,” he told Erik, who was already handing a glass of water to his inebriated husband.

Neil leaned against Andrew after he had a sip of his drink. “Can we just go somewhere far away when I graduate? I mean, this isn’t too bad but….” He gave a significant look to the family gathered around them.

Andrew nudged him in the side while pointing to the half-eaten chicken and mushroom pie on his plate before he answered (in German as well). “Not a bad idea.”

His boyfriend smiled and resumed eating while Jamie rattled off all the family events in the second half of the year that they were clearly expected to attend; Andrew inwardly sighed and wondered if he could walk off with whatever bottles of alcohol were left over at the end of the party as Neil’s smile faltered.

He was about to tell Neil to create a distraction while he grabbed the cake and then they ran like hell (well, more Neil than him) when Will stood up and cleared his throat as if preparing to speak. “I want to thank everyone for coming tonight. It’s not a grand occasion, but it’s still an important one.” He nodded to where Andrew sat, a slight smile on his face; Will wasn’t the most jovial of people, but he’d always treated Andrew with respect and politeness even while he made it clear that Andrew wouldn’t live long enough to regret harming his nephew. “Someone we’ve all come to know has reached an important milestone, and so we’re here to recognize that achievement. With that in mind, Stuart and I have a gift for him.” He motioned to Andrew. “If you would, Andrew.”

“If I’m about to be shot, I’ll be very upset,” Andrew murmured to Neil, who’d gone perfectly still during the speech. The look his boyfriend gave him indicated that Neil didn’t appreciate the joke (well, semi-joke), but there was little he could do since Andrew had stood up and went to approach the mob boss (crime lord, whatever).

Stuart stood as well, his expression blank, but Andrew caught the way that Miriam smiled, along with Henry and Davis (who were seated near the men) so assumed that he wasn’t about to bleed in the next few minutes (assumed). Still, he had to force himself to not go for one of his knives and heard Neil mutter in Russian when Will reached into the pocket of his black pants for something, which he held out to Andrew. “A present for you. We heard you might like it.”

“Something better than that used Japanese shite you had Bren looking into,” Stuart muttered; upon seeing the ‘Jaguar’ logo on what was apparently a key fob, Andrew almost remarked what did it matter when the company was now foreign-owned, too… and then he realized that it was a new key fob for an F-type.

Yeah, he supposed it was a bit better than something used that he could afford with the money from selling his GS….

“Are you serious?” he asked as he rubbed his right thumb over the logo; he’d gotten some gift cards (mostly Amazon and one for IKEA from Nicky and Erik) for graduation, while Neil had surprised him with a new laptop. But this? This was….

Andrew didn’t know what to do with this.

He was ready to throw it back at Will when Neil appeared at his side. “You didn’t have to,” he told his uncles with faint reproach.

“We wanted to,” Will explained as he smiled at his nephew. “This way we know that the two of you are driving around all over the place in something reliable.”

While Neil frowned at their usual protectiveness, Andrew clicked his tongue and slid the fob into his pocket, suddenly all right with the extravagant present – it was more of the usual Hatford ‘must coddle Neil’ BS. “It better not be some lame color, like white.”

Stuart’s face grew flushed as he jabbed his forefinger in Andrew’s direction. “Listen, you little shit! You don’t-“

“It’s grey, nothing too flashy,” Will said with a knowing smile as he reached out to tousle Neil’s dark hair. “And the insurance is taken care of, too. Just don’t wreck it.”

“I won’t let Neil behind the wheel,” Andrew promised, only to give his lover a bland look. “What? You think speed limits should be doubled, at a minimum. And you switch lanes at will.” The one time he’d let the idiot drive a rental car was also the last.

“It’s just… what I’m used to is… oh never mind,” Neil grumbled as he rubbed at his eyes. “Cake now?”

Considering how little Neil liked desserts, Andrew knew it was a diversionary tactic yet accepted it, because he wanted the damn cake (and then to go find his new car and drive it home).

(Go home and spend the rest of the night alone with his boyfriend.)

Several other people spoke up in agreement that yes, definitely time for cake, so Miriam and Neil went over to cut the damn thing at last (Neil made sure that Andrew got a huge end piece, and the rest of his own after he choked down a couple of bites). There were more presents, mostly along the way of gift cards (Andrew didn’t complain), though Henry did give him a very nice set of knives and Bren a pair of Doc Martins with skulls on them.

“Just think about it,” Nicky mostly whispered after he sidled up to Andrew after Andrew went back for seconds on the cake. “If they give you a car now, imagine what your wedding present would be.”

The moron made a good point for once. Andrew had a bite of dessert (chocolate layers with the rich buttercream he liked) while he watched Neil make Ally take a piece from a center of the cake – the ends were reserved for Andrew, apparently - and felt a familiar warmth fill his chest.

The moron made a good point, but there was no reason to tell him that, to say that there wasn’t a need to rush things. First, he and Neil had to settle into their new home and then still had to finish their university degrees. Maybe after they graduated and found steady jobs, they’d consider it… or maybe not. After all the changes in the past year or so, the one thing that Andrew had grown certain of was the life he’d found with an improbable pipedream.

Neil looked over at him and smiled, the expression turning into a grimace as he licked a bit of icing off his fingers without thinking.

“I’m just saying,” Nicky continued to harp, “guys like Neil don’t come along every day. Put a ring on it, will you?”

Oh, Andrew knew how rare Neil was, but judging from the smile that returned as Neil walked over to him… for once he believed it would be all right. “Enough,” he warned his cousin before he said something to upset Neil.

“I’m just trying to help you out,” Nicky said with an offended sniff before he returned to Erik’s side, his husband busy chatting with Davis about something.

Probably, but Nicky never knew when to quit. Hopefully he got it all out of his system tonight and wouldn’t bring it up when they visited later in the summer.

Hmm, maybe the Hatfords could do something about that as a future present, Andrew mused as Neil sidled up to him - full of cake and good whiskey, a new car waiting for him, and content to have his boyfriend at his side once more.

*******

So, one more owed fic - I may post the next Ghost in You chapter next week and then I’ll have to see what happens next, fic-wise. Especially since I’ll be out of town the first weekend of December.

[wayward-wayfinder]

“Can you wait for me?”

Prompt number: 27

Fandom: All For The Game / The Foxhole

Rating: G

Warnings/Tags: N/A

Now on AO3!

Andrew shed his gown and cap, and fell backwards onto his bed.

Neil looked at him from the top bunk, chin resting on his folded hands, while Kevin breathed out a huff. “So, you’re done.” Neil was careful to keep his voice even. It would do no good to admit how the situation was making his stomach twist into knots, how he didn’t want to think about how Andrew and Kevin were set to clear out of Fox Tower within the week.

“Seems like it,” Andrew replied, voice uncaring as he flipped open the white diploma cover, staring at the curly script that announced that he had finally earned his degree in criminal justice. He tossed it to the side.

Kevin gave him a look before gathering it up, setting both of their degrees on the desk. “Be more careful,” he said, without any heat. “Are you even packed yet, Andrew? Have you even started?”

He fell silent under the look that Andrew gave him, shutting his mouth with an audible ‘click’ and turning to grab his laptop from his desk, collapsing into a pile on his own bed.

Neil frowned at Kevin, rubbing at his chin. He and Andrew had signed into the pros under the same team, the Boston Terriers, and Kevin had already picked an apartment for them in the city. Neil had seen pictures; Andrew had left them on his open computer while he had gone to the kitchen from ice cream, taking an abnormally long time while Neil looked them over. It was cute, three bedrooms, and had lots of windows.

Andrew was watching Neil now, eyes giving away nothing. “Out with it, Josten.”

Neil shook his head, and Kevin looked up at the silence, eyes darting between the two of them before finally settling on Josten, trying to decipher something in his face. Neil hated when they did that, ganged up on him and made him seem like the unreasonable one; it was not unreasonable to feel… He wouldn’t use the word scared. Apprehensive, maybe, that both Kevin and Andrew were leaving. That soon Neil would be the only one left from the Foxes that he had joined. That he wasn’t sure that they would both move to Boston and then forget about him, all the way in South Carolina.

It was a ridiculous thought, but it made Neil’s face twist up in disgust anyway.

Kevin reacted first, shutting his laptop and putting it to the side. “You’re acting weird,” he said, awkwardly standing up before shoving his hands into his pockets. “There’s something wrong.”

“No shit, Day.” Andrew got up as well and climbed up onto Neil’s bed, shoving him over to make more room. “Spit it out, Josten. We haven’t got all day.”

Kevin looked irritated, climbing up into Neil’s bed as well, making sure not to crowd the other two. “You have no tact, Andrew.”

Neil watched them dissolve into snips and bickering. Andrew was just trying to egg Kevin on, waving his hand flippantly while Kevin became incensed over Andrew’s small jabs.

“Can you wait for me?”

Andrew and Kevin both turned to him in a comical show of pin-point mimicry. Kevin was once again the first to recover, opening his mouth while Andrew smoothed his expression blank. “What do you mean, ‘wait for you’?”

Neil wished he had shut his mouth before the words had a chance to slip past his teeth. “It’s nothing.”

“It,” Andrew said, “was not nothing. What do you mean.”

Neil wished that the bed covers would turn into a monster and just swallow him whole. “It was nothing.”

Kevin was looking at him still, eyebrows drawn together while he traced the chess piece on his cheek absent-mindedly. “Of course we’ll wait for you,” he said, matter-of-fact like there had never been any alternative. “You gave your game to me. I haven’t given it back yet.”

Andrew looked first at Kevin and then at Neil before rolling his eyes in a show, declaring himself done with the conversation by shutting his eyes and leaning back onto Neil’s comforter. “Junkies.”

[areyouactuallystupid]

10 Words/Phrases Game

Rules: list 10 words/phrases that have something to do with your work(s) in progress and then tag 10 people to do the same.

Both @missroserose and @imneithernor tagged me on this one, and it’s long past due I gave some updates, anyway. I don’t care about rules, so I’m gonna share some excerpts that I like a lot, rather than just words or phrases. And it may not quite be ten. 

Buckle in, kids!

1.)  Steve thinks they kiss in the dark for an eternity before he pulls back. “What do you think this is?” 

“Hell if I know, Harrington.”

Steve doesn’t say, I’ve got a plan for us. Steve doesn’t say, you’re my ticket outta here. He doesn’t say, I’ve been watching you. 

No. That last part, Billy says for him, a smoky baritone: “But I know you’ve been watching me. Coming to all these parties like you weren’t too good for them two months ago. Licking your lips every time a girl rubs her pussy on my thigh.” 

----

2.) She pins Steve with her eyes, nails him right to his own cross. He’s been here so many times, but there’s never been such obvious evidence against him. Billy wears Steve’s handiwork like a walking billboard for delinquency. He opens his mouth to do the thing he never does: confess.

“It was my fault, ma’am,” Billy blurts, no trace of that demon’s smirk on his face now. No, now he’s all blue eyes and soft curls, all deference and regret. “We were just horsing around and it got out of hand. I’m really sorry. But,” and he brightens here, posture straightening, leaning in. He nudges Steve’s knee, a silent ‘play along.’ “Stevie and I worked it out. Didn’t we, Stevie?” 

Steve looks at him, at the steady fire behind Billy’s eyes, and thinks Billy knows. He knows why Steve left the party so quickly and he knows what Steve confessed all those months ago and he knows what Steve did. He knows. The heat that flashes in Steve’s gut has to be fear. But even if Billy isn’t giving Steve an olive branch, he’s giving him an out, and Steve isn’t stupid enough to turn it down. So he licks his lips, dredges up a smile, and aims it at Miss Peters.

----

3) Steve is the one with bites oozing blood down his forearm, but somehow Billy is the one who looks pained, squinting into the fluorescent lighting of his own clinic like he’s wondering who allowed it to be installed in the first place. “You’re bleeding all over my floor,” Billy says, stepping into the room and closing the door behind him even though they’re the only two people in the entire building. He shoves Steve - like, actually shoves him - onto the examination table, paper cover crinkling as Steve falls onto it.

With a grin, Steve says, “Someone interrupt your nap, Sleeping Beauty?”

“Nap?” Billy says, slamming a cupboard door open hard enough to make some of the tools on the little counter rattle in their trays. “It’s three in the goddamned morning.” He doesn’t even look at Steve, just starts pulling things out and practically hurling them into place.

----

4) “You know,” Tommy says, waving the joint in front of his own face, creating his own smokescreen. On the tv across from them, the hero in the movie is kissing the girl he just saved. Something explodes in the background. Tommy doesn’t look at him. “You know, I fucked Billy Hargrove.”

----

5) It’s Wheeler, of all goddamned people, who tries to convince Billy to go. 

“You’re smart, Billy,” she says, waving the essay she had to peer review for English in his face like it’s proof. 

Billy shrugs, tipping his chair back onto two legs even though the teacher politely asks him not to every single day. He’s waiting for the day she snaps. “Not interested.”

“Why not?” Wheeler plows on. And Billy doesn’t know when she started giving a shit. She knows he’s with Harrington now, knows that he actually has something to stick around for, and now she’s suddenly gung-ho for Billy to fuck off to college. She slaps the paper down on his desk, only one suggestion tucked into the margin in neat cursive. Actually, if he squints, Billy thinks it reads: What the fuck, Hargrove? 

Billy slams the chair back onto all four legs, startling everyone in the class except Wheeler. Girl’s got a spine of iron, he’ll grant that. “Not your business, sweetpea.” 

But even in the face of his most unnerving grin, Wheeler doesn’t falter. “Let me guess. You’re going to become a mechanic or something, be decent at it but never really great, work for fifty years in a hot and filthy garage until you get lung cancer and can’t afford treatment, then die a slow, painful death with nobody remembering a single thing about you. Sound about right?”

“Jesus, Wheeler.” At some point Billy had started tapping his pencil. Now he stops. Chews on what she’s said. It’s not far off what he’d been intending for after school, really. What he’s most shocked at is the sheer volume of words, though; she barely speaks to Billy on a good day. Not that they hate each other with the fervor they used to, but Steve is their sole mutual interest and also the one thing neither of them wants to open up about to each other. Therefore, no hablan mucho.

----

6) The “Welcome to Hawkins” sign flashes in Billy’s headlights. Merry fucking Christmas, Billy thinks, ignoring the churning in his gut, the chill up his spine. There’s always been something wrong with this town, something in the air or the dirt or the water, he’s sure, but he hasn’t had to think about for years. He’d left this hellhole before the ink had dried on his diploma, walked across that stage and right out the fucking door, keys in hand. Threw the cap and gown in the trashcan on his way, hung the tassel on his rearview mirror, tossed the diploma on top of the Chicago University acceptance letter, and peeled out of the parking lot with a squeal so sharp he hopes it interrupted the principal still droning alphabetically through the “H”s. 

He hadn’t necessarily wanted to become a lawyer, but he’d wanted to prove something, and he couldn’t think of anything more prestigious than law. He’d considered medical school, but even doctors need lawyers, right?

So he’d gone to school, scraped and clawed his way to the top, pushed until he saw “Hargrove Law” in gleaming, gold letters on a brick background. “Brick,” Neil used to say, “is classic. Never goes out of style. Lasts forever if you take care of it.” There was something funny about Neil talking about taking care of anything, and maybe the irony made it stick. 

Billy cranks the window down, lets the cool humidity of a summer night flood the cab, the taste of cow shit and dirt along with it. Fucking Indiana. Cornfield after cornfield, hour after hour, made Billy impatient to get here, but now he fights not to turn the car around and drive all the way back to his exposed-brick and glass apartment. 

----

7) His hand grips Billy’s chin, forces him to look in Steve’s eyes. Smiling, Steve leans forward, lips brushing Billy’s ear. “I wanna fucking tear you apart.”

 The shudder rips through Billy so hard it rattles Steve’s teeth, the goosebumps spreading down his chest like a cascade. When Steve leans back, he sees the moment that Billy realizes it’s not a euphemism, not an exaggeration: eyes widening, throat working on a swallow, chest stuttering with breath.  And then Billy fights. He fought, before Steve got him here, but not like this. That was business, surprise and hesitation and clean hits. One unclean hit to take him down. This is different. Desperation. Nails and teeth and thrashing and, “Get off, get off, fuck you, get off!” A crescendo that breaks at the end. 

Steve feels the hits, the gouges, but they don’t hurt him. He waits, holds Billy by his hair until he either wears himself out or realizes it’s not working. It’s not going to work, no matter how stained his nailbeds, black with the poison under Steve’s skin. 

“Please, Harrington. Steve, please,” he says, one hand clenched over Steve’s. 

 “It’s good, when you say his name,” Steve’s mouth says. “He feels it, that way.”

----

8) Silence. But Billy can hear them all looking at each other, so he continues: “Do you know how much blood you have to lose to pass out? Thirty percent. You know how much you can lose before you go into a coma and die? Like forty percent. And he passed out ten minutes ago. So which one of you dipshits know how to do a blood transfusion?” He’s maybe fudging the numbers a little bit, but he’s not making it up entirely. He knows passing out, in terms of injuries, is no bueno, and not taking Steve to the hospital is probably the same as killing him at this point.

More silence. Billy bears down on the gas pedal. 

Solemnly, Mike says, “He knew the risks,” and then makes to lunge for the wheel again. With a hand on his face, Billy shoves him back, hard. He also just happens to glance into the rearview mirror in time to catch Dustin’s expression: horror, betrayal, sickness. Everyone knows that he’s Steve’s little duckling, but Billy didn’t know it ran so deep, that he and Steve were --what?-- actually friends? Billy’s not about to ask, but he doesn’t need to because Little Byers pipes up: “Steve wouldn’t’ve had to risk anything if we hadn’t gone to the lab in the first place.”

He might not have the full story, but Billy knows enough --knows Maxine well enough-- to know that the kids had gone somewhere they shouldn’t have and caused a whole lot of trouble for everyone. That’s their modus operandi, it seems, and Billy’s just happy that he’s not the only one having a real shitty time because of it.

----

9) Steve learns three things about Billy in about five seconds, or the time it takes for them to exchange the ball twice: 1. Billy has a hell of an arm. His throws come in with bruising force, even when Steve can tell Billy’s not trying to be an asshole by taking his hand off. He has the aptitude of an outfielder, capable of getting the ball from the fence to the cutoff or farther. It’s ridiculous, but maybe not that surprising. Steve knows how hard Billy can pass a basketball, after all. 2. Billy’s reflexes are nuts. He’s maybe shorter than most of the guys their age Steve knows in Hawkins, but he’s quick, blue eyes tracking and alert and body in perfect tune with what Billy tells it to do. Honestly, Billy drops the ball a lot, but he’s always there, squared up to it perfectly, glove in the right spot. 3. Billy is capable of shutting his damn mouth for several minutes at a time. With his concentration on the ball, he hardly says anything, and Steve feels like he’s made some kind of major scientific breakthrough, like he should write it down, put it in a book called “So You’ve Met Billy Hargrove: Ten Tips and Tricks for Survival.”

That’s all, folks! Sorry for the long post!

I tag: @desert-dino @eternalgoldfish @junipertreehouse @thehowlingalpha and anyone else who wants to participate! (It’s lots of fun to go through older wips and reread, honestly)