#when the wolfsbane blooms and the autumn moon is bright ✇ [v. werewolf]

[thebabysittertm]

@fierceathlete is back and isn't pulling her punches...

ㅤㅤㅤㅤ❝ you’re just a big manbaby who’d rather act tough than show his real feelings. ❞

ㅤShe'd taken him off-guard, admittedly, so the only saving grace in hiding his surprise was the sunglasses and the other distractions associated with the stupid party that he was surprised she was even at. Meg Thomas wasn't actually someone he'd paid much attention to before this year, mostly because she was a jock (track, but nothing he did) who didn't really spend time with any of the jocks. Her house was out basically in the woods and she'd made it pretty clear over the years that she wasn't interested in partying or the usual shit that his idiot friends were into. That he'd been into for so long.

ㅤHe'd started talking to her just a little bit after he'd started dating Nancy, like Nancy was some strange gateway that opened up to allowing him new perspective and potential interaction with people that he wouldn't have talked to before. Some of them, it would have been social suicide to hang out with, but Nancy was just nice, and like Tommy called her, kind of a princess. She could talk to whoever, and it didn't really affect her social standing, like she was above their opinions - not like Steve. He'd never felt that kind of freedom, but maybe he should have started reaching out and broadening his social circles sooner, potential fallout be damned. The problem was that he'd been so lonely for so long that if he was suddenly dropped by the social circle he was used to, then what would he do?

ㅤNow, he didn't really care about that, but he was still trapped in the mess of it anyway. He had to maintain the expectations that had been wrapped around him lest anyone realize that anything too serious had happened to him after Halloween, but the act felt old and stale even without Meg Thomas calling him out to his face - fortunately without much of a crowd to take notice. The music was loud, everyone else was drunk, and he'd made the stupid mistake of brushing Meg off when she'd asked what the fuck was up with him - a few times at gradually increasing frustration levels. It wasn't like he could tell her anything, so he didn't really see what else he could have done, but the dismissive act was gone, at least.

ㅤ"Okay, shithead, what 'real feelings' am I supposed to be showing right here in a hallway surrounded by drunk people that makes me such a manbaby?" he asked, actually torn between annoyance and laughing. He couldn't even say she was wrong about not showing his real feelings, but the fact that she'd noticed was the unexpected part. He'd been phoning it in for awhile and nobody seemed to really care as long as he played the role.

[starsinshadows]

RPC Dev Tea Room ++ Winter Rush

Day 3 :: ice skating in the park when you see a figure sneaking off into the trees

     When Steve had gone from some popular jock kid without a care to being alert, aware of potential dangers in an environment and tired, he wasn't entirely sure, but he was willing to blame part of it on his 'babysitter' status and the rest on the very big change to his lifestyle that had come with the lycanthropy. Whatever it really was, it meant that the idea of the kids playing on the ice around the lake or even skating on it worried him more than he wanted to admit.      Somehow, he'd still agreed to take them and the afternoon had been a good time with no accidents involving children falling through the ice, there were two new snowmen standing guard by the lake edge, everyone had been pretty cold and drenched by the end of the day and there had been no more than 5 ice ball related snowball fight fouls. Steve himself had taken one of those particular hits to the shoulder and he wasn't sure exactly who had thrown it, considering he'd straightened up with a shout to try figuring out the culprit and immediately got hit in the face with another snowball - this time fortunately without the ice. He'd let it go with only a blanket warning to the group. No ice!      Yeah, like that worked. He was pretty sure Max packed one specifically for him right after, but he couldn't prove it and even Eddie had shouted from his spot on the other team when Steve got pelted with the thing. The bruise wouldn't last, but that had definitely been a great reason to call that particular game before someone ended up in the ER. Damn monster hunting kids were too ruthless for play fights.      Steve couldn't pretend that he wasn't worn out by the end and extremely grateful that there were parents picking up their respective kids, if only for the fact that his car was spared all of their wet clothes and the snow crusted boots that would have been dragged through the entire thing worse than they already did all winter. Theoretically, he could drive himself home and get a nice, hot shower before relaxing the rest of the night, and he should have been more tired, but he had about a week and a half before the next moon, so it felt nice to shed some excess energy. He wasn't sure how Eddie felt about it all, considering it sounded like the guy had been dragged into the day's activities by the combined efforts of Dustin, Mike and Lucas and it was probably more concentrated time outside than the guy had endured in at least a year, but he'd seemed to be high energy and spirits all day.      For not quite obvious reasons, Steve had actually been surprised by Eddie's presence. He'd seen the guy in school so he obviously knew Munson could come out during the day, but he hadn't been entirely sure and he still wasn't quite certain if the theory he and Robin had been cooking up had any merit. He knew Munson smelled off, that his body temperature didn't feel warm enough and that there was a scent of blood added onto his already confusing smell often. Vampire, Robin had guessed, and yeah, it seemed totally possible after fighting and being turned by werewolves, but Steve was still cautiously waiting to figure it out.      For that reason among others, he absolutely noticed that Eddie's van was still parked nearby and glanced around after shipping the last child off, apparently just in time to watch a dark figure disappear into the woods alongside the frozen lake that looked suspiciously like Eddie Munson. It was only natural to follow, and even on two legs, he was fast and quieter than was likely expected. It meant that he appeared about ten feet back from Eddie in time to watch a failed grab for a rabbit that darted away like a little furry rocket, and cleared his throat a little more loudly, just to be sure he was noticed before speaking.      "You, uh, need a hand?" he asked, making every effort possible to ignore the fact that Eddie had just taken a face full of more snow than even the kids had managed in the snowball fights that had broken out over the course of the day in a spectacular dive, and he wasn't so sure the bush that had been the rabbit's previous cover would survive any better than Munson's dignity.

@firelightfables​ can Eddie come out to play?

[quinceymorris-southerngentleman]

Quincey P. Morris: American Cowboy, Southern Gentleman, Explorer, Adventurer, Sailor, Vampire Hunter -- and Werewolf, at your service.

“ Your honesty and pluck have made me a friend, and that’s rarer than a lover. It’s more unselfish, anyhow. ” - Quincey P. Morris to Lucy Westenra in Dracula by Bram Stoker

_________________________

Independent Werewolf AU Roleplay and Askblog for Quincy P. Morris from Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula.

Novel-Based; Vampire Hunter; Werewolf AU

Sometimes low-activity

Non-selective and very open

Canon, crossovers, AUs, multi-muse, multiples and OC friendly

Multi-ship, multi-verse; ships with chemistry; no smut, use fade-to-black and mornings after/timeskip

Period and Modern-verses available

Dracula, Pre-Dracula and Post-Dracula eras available

Partially inspired by the Wolf Man

“Even a man who is pure in heart and says his prayers by night, may become a wolf when the wolfsbane blooms and the autumn moon is bright.”

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[thebabysittertm]

@godstrayed just can't help being an asshole...

ㅤㅤㅤㅤwhy don’t you invite me in for a few minutes so we can start over?

ㅤBilly Hargrove was a jackass.

ㅤThis was essentially an undisputed fact within the first week he'd been in Hawkins, and then a month later, it was just accepted by everyone in his orbit or forced to deal with him on a regular basis, Steve included. He had enough shit on his plate, considering like two days after their fight and then facing down a pack of werewolves with the Chief of Police, a psychic powerhouse of a little girl and a pile of kids, he'd realized the very awful truth: he'd been infected. Three days surrounding the full moon found him utterly wrecked with nobody to turn to for help with it, so he did the only thing he thought he could do.

ㅤHe pushed through and pretended everything was fine.

ㅤHis face healed up too quickly, but since he'd taken off basically the whole week between his actual injuries and the panic of that first full moon, it was hard for anyone to tell - except maybe Billy Hargrove himself, who knew what the damage had looked like. Steve had come back to school like nothing had happened, put on the act like he actually gave a shit about the social hierarchy that he'd been loosening his grip on before Nancy dumped him, and buckled down. Everything was fine, it would all be normal and nobody would ever have to suspect.

ㅤThe month passed with his façade firmly in place and he could almost forget that it was real until the week before the next moon, when he was restless and anxious, quick to temper and if that meant he leaned into Billy's competitiveness, what the hell was wrong with that? A lot, actually, because he didn't know how hard Hargrove had been watching him, or why. He also had no way of knowing how the longer nights of winter were probably the absolute worst to start this bullshit on and a hell of a lot of other shit that was honestly pretty vital to his survival, but he was learning quickly. Too bad it was messy.

ㅤIt was messy and he didn't know how, but he was pretty sure that Billy Hargrove knew he was one of the monsters now. The guy had seemed curious, a little amused, when he'd gotten back, but then came the week before the moon and he'd doubled down on his antagonism as Steve snapped back, and Steve was pretty sure it was the three days of the moon that really convinced him. Steve didn't stay home those days because he couldn't risk the school calling his dad, so he ended up in class on essentially no sleep outside of the naps he could score in short bursts - he spent all night running through the woods, chasing rabbits and bounding through the fresh snow that had fallen and frankly? It was nice in the moment. Everything else surrounding it sucked, but he didn't feel like a monster. He was just tired those days, and Hargrove was up his ass, which he just didn't have energy for. The week after, he was in too good of a mood and feeling too relaxed and easy to really take it too personally, though he was pretty sure the bastard was being a dick on purpose.

ㅤThen came the silver, and that was just that. He hid the sudden shock of bright hot pain quickly so that other people wouldn't notice, but Billy had the saint's medallion and he'd been watching. It had been intentional, which meant that they both knew that he was a monster, and they both knew each other knew. The jackassery only increased from there, and frankly? Steve had seen what werewolves were like, had fought for his life against them, so he got it. He didn't know how Billy Hargrove knew about them, but he assumed it wasn't good, so he tried to just give him space. He wasn't relinquishing his hold on the social scene or his act because it was protecting him, but he also wasn't interested in anything to do with Hargrove. That was just dangerous.

ㅤIt made his sudden appearance on the Harrington doorstep even more surprising, and Steve wasn't even sure why he'd opened the door, but he stood there for a moment, staring at him and trying to decide if this was going to end with one or both of them bleeding or dying. His eyes flicked down to the very visible silver medallion hanging against the other's chest with a little internal cringe, but he made eye contact again right after. If he didn't go for this, shit would keep going as it had been, and nothing about it was good, so 'starting over' sounded like a good plan. Could he trust Billy?

ㅤNo, obviously not, nothing suggested he could trust him, but he licked his lips a little nervously, fingers twisting on the doorknob before he released a long breath, nodding and glancing away to move out of the way of the other entering. "Yeah, yeah, okay, let's start over then. Come in."

[thebabysittertm]

@greenscrunchy always looks fabulous but there are concerns...

ㅤFamily Video was unbelievably dead all night, which did not help Steve's case that they should have more than one person on a closing shift (for his sanity, not for the business load), so the store was in surprisingly good shape and all of the returned vhs tapes had already been put together. He had a magazine, but he'd already skimmed through it twice, and even the movie he'd put on in store just wasn't holding his attention. He was better about watching movies with other people, in all fairness, but the point here was that he was bored and the night was dragging on.

ㅤThat wasn't to say that the store was empty, though. Chrissy Cunningham had come in not long ago, completely ignored him when he'd said hello and started towards her, and made a beeline toward the horror section. The interaction had been strange enough that he'd backed off to see what she did, but so far, there hadn't been anything all that exciting. She was just standing in the horror section, staring at the covers on the movies - not even picking them up to look at the backs.

ㅤIf that had been all, he might have just wandered over immediately anyway, but he'd caught a weird smell off of her when she'd blasted past him, and while he wasn't some expert nose just because he'd been a werewolf for less than a year without getting himself killed, he'd had a chance to pick up a few things. She smelled like she was scared, and not like her normal self. She wasn't smelly by human standards, but he could tell that she hadn't showered as recently as usual and hadn't bothered with the perfume he knew she liked.

ㅤWhat? They'd been in the same social circle for their entire lives, of course he knew what she smelled like. He still hung out with those people sometimes.

ㅤIt had him worried enough that he wanted to walk up right away, but he waited, watching her and the door - in case whatever had spooked her was still outside or came in after her. He expected a guy, maybe even her boyfriend, but fighting those werewolves and then becoming one had also opened up a lot of possibilities for weird shit. Giving it a few minutes to be sure wasn't ever a bad idea, in his experiences so far.

ㅤNothing happened.

ㅤOkay, well that could still change, but he wasn't waiting. She hadn't really moved and he couldn't see for sure, but he wasn't really convinced that she'd blinked since she started staring. He wandered up as casually as he was capable of, and despite too much time with a bunch of nerdy kids lightening him up, he was still pretty capable of being smooth. stepping up beside her to check out the movies she was looking at - monster flicks, mostly. Not the best sign, if he was the paranoid sort.

ㅤ"Didn't think you were into these kinds of movies, Chris," he observed, glancing sideways at her and the closer look wasn't helping his guesses about the situation. She didn't look great, so something was definitely wrong, and his eyebrows pinched together. "You okay? How long has it been since you slept?"

ㅤAgain, he glanced up towards the door, scanning the huge plate glass windows in case something was lurking around out there, then back to her. Why was she checking out horror movies, though? "Chrissy?"

[thebabysittertm]

ㅤHeather Holloway was in a position that Steve didn't envy, namely her apparently 'undead' status as a vampire after Hargrove had attacked her in an uncontrolled hunger and then turned her in what Steve assumed must have been a panic. She was sort of alive, in the sense that she was present and aware, but Steve was having enough trouble as a werewolf - he didn't need anymore. That said, Heather had insight into who Billy Hargrove really was that Steve didn't have, so Steve didn't understand why she forgave Billy or why she'd defend him so vehemently if there was any sort of threat, be it physical or verbal. All he knew was Hargrove's temper and the way he'd fought with him the night Steve had gone and gotten clipped by a werewolf, and his constant antics both before and after his vampirism. He was lacking a lot of information needed to trust or even particularly like the guy.

ㅤSomehow he was still willing to give him a hand, however, and he wasn't sure why the fuck he should care. Feeding Billy Hargrove was a dumb idea and he knew it, but he also knew that Max had fought damn hard to protect her brother's life and Billy had to eat, and do it discreetly, to survive. There could be no loss of life or Hopper would pull the plug, and they all knew it so he didn't actually have to know how badly Billy felt about hurting Heather or how much he never wanted to hurt anyone else ever again. Steve was about as safe as he could be under Hopper's very simple rules, and he'd keep reminding himself of that; if Hargrove got too violent, he could also defend himself a lot better than a regular human could. It would be fine.

ㅤThere was a fear that Hargrove would figure out his secret, and that wasn't going to go away anytime soon, but he'd hold onto the knowledge that Billy hadn't seen any of the werewolves and if his senses were stronger as vampire, he quite simply didn't know what he was experiencing - maybe Steve's cologne really did cover up enough to throw someone off his scent, literally. He wasn't sure if it was something a vampire could taste in his blood or if blood just tasted like blood, but he'd deal with that when the time came, if it did. Maybe Billy would be so busy being a menace and smug about it that he wouldn't notice anything important. It seemed possible.

ㅤYeah, definitely a smug menace. Steve rolled his eyes so hard that he tilted his head into it when Billy echoed his words to put a spin on them that he hadn't meant with a completely inappropriate full once over that really didn't make Steve anymore inclined to go somewhere quiet with the asshole, and then Hargrove kept talking. "You are not helping your case," he pointed out, tone flat and not hiding the fact that he was having second thoughts, especially as his brows knit. "I didn't say anything about the back seat."

ㅤIt was useless, Hargrove was on the move and clearly not listening to him as the sounds of the party engulfed him. Steve lingered where he was, strongly considering another drink that wouldn't do jack shit for him, but he could hope that if he chugged it fast enough, he might feel something for a minute. He wasn't sure if it would affect a vampire, however, and he didn't need Hargrove drunk on top of everything else. Just because it didn't get Steve drunk didn't necessarily mean it wasn't in his blood, right? If he wasn't keeping it a secret, he'd have asked the little geniuses he babysat what their monster theories said about it so that he didn't have to test it.

ㅤHe also strongly considered changing his mind and just driving home instead, but Hargrove should have been finding a meal in the party and he'd left it because he'd found one, so it would have been a dick move. It was still tempting when he no longer had the vampire in his space, taunting him and somehow simultaneously putting him off and making him feel like he should help him out, but he finally sighed and ran a hand through his hair before stepping back into the rest of the party to be seen after Hargrove had already left.

ㅤHe caught Heather's eye where she was hanging out with some of the basketball team, particularly Jason, and raised his eyebrows at her with a flick of his eyes to Jason and back. She smirked and sipped at her drink before breaking the eye contact to laugh at something stupid that had been said. Steve actually saw the way Jason's attention honed in on her as soon as she had his eyes and damn, was he glad that hadn't worked on him when Billy had tried. She looked far too pleased with herself when she glanced back at him just for a second, but he just shook his head and gave her a wave as he started for the door.

ㅤThat got a sudden frown from her, like he could almost see the wheels turning as she put it together - she had to know that Billy had just left, but did she know that Hargrove was going to make a pass at him? The way her own eyebrows rose immediately after suggested maybe she had, and he was definitely going to give Billy shit for targeting him on purpose if he got the chance. He wasn't about to interrupt Heather's hunt, especially if she wanted to take Jason Carver down a few pegs, so he slipped out the door to his car. He'd be a few minutes late getting there, but he pulled in and parked beside Hargrove behind the building so that his car wouldn't be as visible from the street, and then couldn't help stalling for a few seconds longer than was strictly necessary before sighing and climbing out of the BMW to peek inside the Camaro.

ㅤThe fucking back seat, of course. Would it be more comfortable? Yes, which was why the back seat had the reputation that it did, but Steve didn't plan on giving Billy more than his wrist, so the comfort angle wouldn't be that important, would it? He pulled the door open and leaned over to look inside, mostly so that Hargrove could see exactly how unimpressed he was with the choice. "Don't get any ideas back here. You get enough to take the edge off, got it?" he asked, even though some voice in the back of his head wanted to remind him that he knew better - Hargrove already had the ideas, and Steve could expect that he was giving him a decent meal, not just a taste, regardless of what control he tried to exert on this situation. Against his better judgment, he slid into the car and shut the door behind him, a little awkward about offering up his arm, but he wasn't really sure how someone did this intentionally. He just knew what the attacks looked like when they weren't.

　IF HE PUT MUCH THOUGHT INTO IT  things got rapidly darker. There was a sense of regret with Heather. He hadn’t meant to harm her. But Heather had attempted to help him and in a moment of not fully understanding his actions, being compelled so strongly by the aching hunger and his self-resolve crumbling he had done something he could never take back. To make matters worse Heather treated him with such understanding it could only make him feel sick at times. The loathing, shame and pitiful sadness would make the best of cocktails ‘cause it threatened to empty his already hollow stomach. She was a reminder he couldn’t lose that type of control again and harm someone beyond comprehension. ‘Cause things seemed fine now but the world hadn’t changed from what they knew, there were still people alive that they could recognize and know—how might they feel many decades from now when they remained unchanged and everything around them was unrecognizable from the world they were born into?

It was one thing to be damned to an eternity alone. It would have made sense to Billy after everything. Some type of consolation for all the bad things he had done. For those he had harmed before the change and those he had harmed afterwards. It was a different brand of torture to know he had brought this upon someone else and someone he was actually quite fond of. 

But selfishly, there was comfort in it too. He knew Heather wouldn’t leave or abandon him. Not now, not ever. And although it made his self-hatred stronger, he doubted she even fully blamed him for his actions. She had a way of resolving the worst things about him. It was something he despised ‘cause he knew he deserved far worse, anger at the least; and he was unlikely to ever shake that off. If he couldn’t be good for himself he could certainly try for her and attempt to make as little mistakes as humanly possible.

None of this Billy was willing to indulge with Steve. It was the type of information that had to be observed or pried from him in a moment of uncharacteristic weakness. He wasn’t thinking of baring his soul to Steve. Rather he was single-mindedly focused on the distraction of this all.But it did mean one thing… the threat Billy posed to Steve was very little all things considered. Even though he was too foolish to observe the differences within Steve, if he would have taken the time to see past the facade the other was putting up perhaps he would have known. But Billy has never seen the world with an outward perspective—he’s only observed it internally, caving into himself and his mind; desperate to make sense of all the unraveling threads in his own mind to pay attention to the details of the outside world.. so Steve’s secret was safe for now.

It was a very, very bad idea. To be fair, Billy had never been a person who was exceptionally keen on taking the easiest, wisest routes in life. It was part of the reason he had ended up like this even to his own disbelief. It turned out not believing in monsters didn’t stop you from becoming one when push came to shove.

Of course, he’s pleased with himself. How can he not be? Steve hadn’t seemed too interested in letting Billy close to him and with their tumultuous history, he probably shouldn’t. But Billy wasn’t going to ponder too deeply on those things.In truth, finding a meal like this meant things would be easier until the next time he needed to feed. He didn’t have the luxury of turning down a willing participant. It made it easier and in a lot of ways, safer too. For himself and for others. And then came the fact, he did want to bite Steve. The flirting had been to mess with him but there was a tinge of seriousness to every word. Billy wasn’t just talking out of his ass completely. Mixing that lust with the yearning for the other man’s blood could and probably would be a powerful combination making it all the more enjoyable for Billy.

His eyes roll though ‘cause of course Steve has to make this all the more difficult. He doesn’t want to be seen with Billy. In the back of his mind, he understood. And in a lot of ways, it would always make it safer for Billy too so they could never be associated together if anyone took notice of a healing bite mark on Steve’s body. Rumors? Billy had no concern over any trivial Hawkins gossip anymore. In the past, he would have been concerned for word getting back to Neil but the best part of his newfound strength and abilities was that his ‘father’ was no longer a looming demon or fear in the back of his mind. It gave whole new agency to Billy and that was something he would never cease to be amazed by. His head cocks to the side and a small shit-eating grin spreads across his face as he shakes his head in a silent scoff. “Fuck it indeed,” Billy said with a wistful once over of Steve ‘cause if allowed he certainly devour the other, “If you wanted to get me all alone in my backseat all you had to do was say something.” He really cannot help himself as jerks his head towards the door back inside, “I will be waiting for you, Harrington.” And without much further adieu, Billy is heading back into the party to make one more appearance before he slips off to meet Steve, mind preoccupied with how starkly contrasted the veins against Steve’s skin would probably appear.

[thebabysittertm]

@ripcreel is a little too intuitive...

ㅤㅤㅤ❛  i know you feel like giving up right now, but it's not gonna solve any of your problems.   ❜

ㅤThe high school didn't butt up right against the woods, but it was close enough that someone who was leaving the building alone (for a change, and a fantastic one, he thought) could stop and appreciate a little peace if they took the door opposite the parking lot and walked around the building. He'd promised out a few rides after extra-curricular activities, so he didn't really have anywhere to go and why shouldn't he take a minute to himself?

ㅤThe breeze coming out of the woods felt like a soothing balm on the constant irritation that was his life most days lately, and he knew part of that was because there was a full moon on the way and that apparently always made him anxious and restless, but that wasn't all of it and he knew it. The social hierarchy was exhausting here with its requirements on his time and attention, all just to make sure nobody noticed that King Steve suddenly didn't give a shit about everything in his life anymore and wonder why that was. He was holding the line and keeping the act going, even if it was wearing on him, to an extent that even his parents might have been impressed if they could have ever understood what he was dealing with - a fact that didn't help how he felt about it, either. He no longer ever wanted to impress either of them, and the childish part of himself that still wished he could earn their love just made him angry and sad.

ㅤAll of these were human concerns, though. Human, complicated and unfortunately necessary as he stood at the edge of the school staring into the trees and breathing in what felt like freedom to him. It would have been so easy to just walk out into the forest, shed everything that bogged him down and just disappear.

ㅤIt wasn't the first time the thought and bone-deep desire had struck him, and not even the first time it had happened in school-related company, but it was certainly the first time that he was somehow so deeply sunk into the draw of the trees that he hadn't heard someone coming up on him. His ears and nose were so much better than they'd been before, so it was a lot harder to accomplish - he didn't necessarily flinch at the unexpected voice, but he straightened a bit, tension strumming through him with a wash of a chill as it hit him what had been said. He glanced back over his shoulder before turning full-body to put his back to the woods, like that might dismiss the notion altogether, a laugh escaping his throat like it could dismiss the relevance of what Henry had just said.

ㅤ"No, pretty sure that's the kind of thing that would just make problems worse," he admitted, giving a casual shrug like it was nothing, putting the crown back on and flicking the switch for the charm once more. It was foolish to have slipped so badly, not that he could have guessed that someone who also wasn't 'normal' would have been the one to come upon him there. He'd very casually kept his distance from both Henry and Eleven since the wolves for this very reason. Henry knowing about the things they'd seen made it easier to put more effort, and a little more truth even if it was twisted, into the facade. "Not volunteering to run into anything that lives in those woods, anyway. You know you're really quiet? Like, give a guy a heart attack quiet. How've you been since uh, everything?"

[thebabysittertm]

tag dump

✇

[starsinshadows]

@greenscrunchy​ gets a starter cause I said so...

     The early December weather in Indiana should have made the idea of an outdoor party unacceptable, but with a bonfire going and enough alcohol, most of the teenagers present had only bothered with sweatshirts and body heat to supplement despite the snow on the ground outside of the fire’s heat. Steve had given up his coat to the “flavor of the week” – a pretty girl named Becky that he would actually probably date for a month or so, possibly through Christmas if she continued to not ask questions and stayed content to just be casual and have fun. She was currently laughing with some of her friends on the other side of the fire, beers in hand, and probably gossiping about their boyfriends or some poor kid that wasn’t popular and didn’t deserve the bullshit.      He leaned back on the lawn chair someone had brought out, looking sprawled and comfortable as he sipped at his beer like the King he was supposed to be, and he put on the smiles, shot back insults and sharp jokes as was required of him whenever the attention landed on him. Becky had come over fifteen minutes before to sit across his lap and make out, probably to show off to someone, but she’d gone back to her friends for the time being. He was her ride, so she’d make her way back to him before the end of the night, and she’d make sure she had a story to tell them all in the morning, he was sure.      He didn’t care. At least, that was what he told himself, and it was mostly true even if not in the way that he wanted it to be. He didn’t care about any of this, and it showed in brief, quiet moments when he stared at the fire and the exhaustion that he tried to keep hidden eased out at the edges of his being and the strange little streaks of gray that were appearing in his hair caught the firelight. Few people dared mention it, not willing to have Tommy H, Carol or half a dozen other people turn on them, but the kids had also noticed and Nancy had asked if he was sleeping at all. Only Robin knew and she’d passed on this particular gathering – not that he could blame her. He was ‘holding court’, so to speak, but he wasn’t interested in any of it and hadn’t been for awhile. Part of him wished he could just wander off into the woods and leave the circus behind, but that was the whole point of the charade to begin with; he had to hide the fact that he didn’t belong here anymore.

[starsinshadows]

@greenscrunchy​ should know that the feels are basically the jugular here and that’s kind of bad manners...            ❝ we’ve all had bad days. but we learn. and we stick together. ❞ ( steve! )

     He wasn’t quite sure where that came from other than Chrissy breaking what had seemed like a heavy, but almost comfortable silence. He’d assumed she was just tipsy and zoning out, which was fair and he’d had his share of evenings like that before the wolf mess. Now, there wasn’t much a high school party could offer to really get to him, not so far, but he wasn’t letting that on to anyone. It was why the comment took him so off-guard. She was looking at him from the passenger seat, and he flicked his glance over to her before back to the road. “You believe that? Not sure I think any of those assholes back there would give half a fuck if one of us died. They’re in it for the good days, not the bad ones. It’s all bullshit.”

[thebabysittertm]

Day Nine: a quiet night, the only sound being the call of coyotes/wolves in the woods

ㅤㅤㅤㅤsummoned especially for @nancewheelr

ㅤHawkins on a full moon was a lot more dangerous than most of its residents seemed to understand, but those that did took it very seriously in that 'if you know, you know' kind of way that was even more secretive than the typical small town bullshit. Chief Hopper knew, Joyce Byers knew, a pile of kids and a few teenagers, but that was it unless Steve believed the stories about some lab that Hop and Mrs. Byers said were running experiments on monsters, possibly even creating them. To hear the kids talk about all the 'old legends', Steve was pretty sure that the lab wasn't inventing anything new, but given his own condition lately, it was in his best interest to take the rumors as seriously as the rest of it.

ㅤIt was in his interest because as of last November, Steve was one of the bloodthirsty monsters, though maybe he was light on the 'bloodthirsty' part unless you asked the local rabbits. He was hell on rabbits, and that was not a source of pride, but there were a lot of them, they were fast enough to be a fun chase and they were both big enough to be a good snack for a wolf while being small enough to go unnoticed. Hunters, and more specifically Hopper and the 'Monster Squad' of kids who had somehow figured out werewolves and other monsters previously, would notice if deer were being brought down by a lone animal and only partially eaten, and Steve didn't need that. He also hated the idea of killing a deer that he couldn't possibly eat, though the actual killing was something he tried not to think about much to begin with.

ㅤIf there was one thing that he'd learned from his parents about coping with stressful situations, it was to do his best to maintain appearances and keep moving forward, which didn't exactly give him a lot of time to process what was happening in the moment, but at least it made him efficient. He could freak out about coming back to himself with blood on his skin and in his hair or fur in his teeth when he had time for it, which he could admit had happened a few times over the last few months, but he was falling into a rhythm with the whole thing finally. It wasn't a good time and he felt totally out of touch with himself as a wolf - or maybe just finally able to let go of the unnecessary clutter of being human, which was a thought that was intruding more and more often, but he was growing more confident that if given any option at all, he'd run rather than hurt a person. That was important.

ㅤThat was also what made it alarming coming back to his home through the underbrush of the woods behind his house to the smell of a human, specifically one that had been outside, by the pool house. He'd left the door ajar when he'd gone in there to change shapes earlier the night before, so it was no issue for a wolf to nose his way back into the building for a little bit of cover as the first threat of dawn started on the edge of the horizon and his muscles quivered under the thick fur he wore, but the scent was stronger inside the little building. He froze, golden amber eyes locking on the human girl staring wide-eyed at him from the other side of the room near where he'd left a pile of clothes and an anticipatory shiver running through him with that edge of pain that said the shift was coming whether he liked it or not, but he couldn't stay. This was dangerous.

ㅤThe problem was that he didn't have time to go, either. Dawn was there, the moon fleeing before the sun's light, and he moved to dart for the door again in a last ditch effort to escape her view, but he was struck with agony like a lightning bolt through him and his front feet went out from under him. Conscious thought was not something he kept a good hold on as muscles tore and bones twisted screams from his throat that changed in sound from animal to human, but there was one thing he heard on repeat and probably would hold in his mind for a long time after.

ㅤ"No, no, no, no, no."

ㅤHer voice, her eyes locked on him, and it was only as he neared humanity again that the name returned to him with the full weight of the horror - Nancy. He suffered for only a few moments before he'd shed the wildness of forest and fur for the boy she'd known, but he wasn't sure that his eyes were entirely his when he first looked up at her, terrified and pleading with her not to freak out, even if silently. The amber faded back into the warm hazel brown she knew so well, and the only signs that anything had happened at all were the lack of clothes, the sweat, dirt and a bit of blood.

ㅤ"Nancy, wait, I can explain," he started quickly, voice rough from the experience he'd just endured, but undeniably his.

[thebabysittertm]

@knowseverythingaboutyou is extra rude today...

❝i know it comes easy, but try not to play dumb with me.❞

ㅤOkay, so she was pissed.

ㅤThat much was pretty clear because while Maria had no problem roasting him just like most of the people in his life for his intelligence and the fact that he was surrounded by geniuses all the time, she didn't usually do it when shit was hitting the fan. Maybe he was misreading this situation, but he was dirty, bloody and picking his way through the woods when he ran into her, and he was pretty sure that counted as some kind of shit hitting a fan. Question was, how did he proceed, if 'playing dumb' wasn't working?

ㅤ"Is there an answer you're looking for?" he asked more carefully, watching her for a reaction and hoping he came off more 'exhausted teen' and less 'cautious animal' because both of them were in his brain and he knew damn well that one was safer than the other. "Cause I'm tired, I'm lost and I'm pretty sure there are monsters in these woods like right now, so I kind of want to leave. If that's okay."

ㅤNevermind that he wasn't lost and he was technically one of the monsters in the woods, even if he meant nobody any harm and he was more likely to run away from people whenever he could. This was that other wolf's fault and he was fairly certain the other had run off or he wouldn't be here like this, but he'd honestly hoped to get home before he ran into anyone. At least he was dressed, or there'd have been absolutely nothing he could say to Maria right then.

[starsinshadows]

firelightfables​:

The fire crackled as she watched, gaze wary but also amused. Half ready to dive away from teeth that seemed suspiciously stained with something she didn’t really want to ask about. Yet Steve’s gold eyes seemed just as wary as her and she was careful to keep her movements measured, slow, and steady, as she lifted her own metal camping mug to her lips. The coffee was acidic and way too bitter for her taste. But it was hot and though the fire was giving off a fair amount of heat it had been a hike out here.

Worth it, though, when Steve’s nose darted in for a sniff. Half wishing she could take a photo to show the guy when he eventually came out of it. Shaggy fur and big ears were certainly tempting, and if Steve thought his hair as a human was luscious it only transferred over to wolf form. Long grey-brown fur thick and certainly far warmer than the sweats she had in the bag for him. She could understand the appeal of roaming the woods in such a form. The kind of freedom it brought, and she certainly remembered the sound of just that in Steve’s voice after the first few times. Voice admiring, tone awed, as vague memories were recounted over hot chocolate.

Still, everything good came with a price. Robin couldn’t help but turn her head, wincing, at the sound of bone cracking, sinew breaking, and skin shifting and morphing. Pained wheezes punctuated, and she’d certainly heard that sound before, but not of this scale and magnitude. Steve did his best to hide it, she knew this. But it still seeped in, no matter how hard he tried to muffle it for her sake, and no matter how many times she insisted he didn’t need to Steve still did his best to keep it to himself. As Steve did with so many things. It made her feel even more guilty for the wince she did her best to hide. How was she supposed to feel, though, hearing that and knowing who it belonged to?

Eventually, however, the gasps were gone and when she glanced over she tugged the blanket Steve had found up around his shoulder. Ignoring the fact they both knew he wasn’t wearing underwear or socks just yet. She was already handing over her barely sipped mug, other hand reaching into the bag to dig out the ugly wool socks she knew Steve didn’t bitch about only because of how warm they were. “Tell me something I don’t know, Harrington.”

But she was grinning, pushing the socks into his chest. “Please tell me you didn’t eat rabbit again when I brought you only the finest two-year-old concessions from work. Don’t give me that look, you know they just toss them!” Why would anyone waste perfectly good Skittles like that, she didn’t know. Her tone was light, but her eyes swept Steve nonetheless. Not able to stop her eyes from lingering on the grey. “I still think we should build a shed. A Steve Shed. With heating.”

    It was strange to imagine Robin being ready to dive away from teeth when it was him that was ready to dive back into the brush at the first sign of some kind of threat, but they both remembered werewolves that had been a lot nastier and more willing to hurt than he was. He wasn't sure why there was such a difference, if it was just because it was Robin or if he'd be as wary and willing to run if it were other humans rather than trying to hurt, but he wasn't willing to take that chance. Better to stay in the woods with the rabbits and deer to keep him occupied.     They'd been at this for awhile, and though he didn't really have a lot of solid reasoning in the furry form, he'd been warming up to the idea of Robin more and more as she'd been around at the end of his nights, getting closer every time. The first few, he'd walked shivering through the woods naked and in bare feet to find her campfire, so getting close enough to get a good sniff of her was definitely improvement. Maybe someday she'd get her chance to get a photo or feel for herself if that fur was as soft as it looked, but not quite yet.     The blanket was appreciated, though it made him laugh just a little that she shoved the ugly wool socks at him before underwear or even just a pair of sweats - another sign that they'd been doing this awhile, that she didn't really think about or care that her best friend was naked before her, even if he was wrapping himself up in the blanket immediately. He needed a few minutes to adjust before he'd be of any use to her conversationally, like the wolf lingered just a little too close to the forefront of his being, still ready to keep him safe while he was vulnerable. It would pass and he'd start feeling less awkward in the skin he'd lived twenty years in before all this.     He took the mug gratefully, wincing at the taste of the coffee despite the fact that he had zero room to make faces what with the taste currently in his mouth and the dried blood he scrubbed at with the edge of the old blanket when she asked him to tell him he didn't eat rabbit again. It wasn't nearly as subtle as he would have liked, though her mention of the two year old concessions definitely got exactly the look she'd been expecting. "Then I'll tell you I didn't eat rabbit again," he offered, though they'd both know the lie instantly. Rabbits were just the right size to be snacked on in an evening alone without drawing any attention to the fact that a wolf was in the woods around Hawkins, which he was afraid Hopper would notice because he knew the chief was watching for that, and they were fun to chase and catch. Robin knew damn well that he was singlehandedly managing the rabbit population in those woods three days a month, though he'd gotten a deer once. It had been great until Hopper had caught them all a week later to say that some hunters had found the remnants of it and to be alert for trouble. It got him thinking about hunting, though, and he faltered in sipping at the coffee, socks held in his other hand while he worked up to putting them on, and frowned.     "Yeah, you're right about the shed," he admitted, not telling her that he'd already started building one for her not far from here because he wanted to surprise her with it when it was done, which it would be in time for next month. He already had a kerosene heater in his garage waiting to go into the shed. He also hoped it would supply her some shelter for safety, which was what he was starting to worry about. "Don't take this the wrong way, but maybe you should stay home tomorrow morning."     Voice rough, but getting a little more even as he went, he set the coffee down and ran his hand through his hair - a sure sign of something bothering him, though honestly, there was a reason his hair was starting to show little bits of gray. He had a lot of stress, certainly three days a month when his body endured the shapechanging twice a day and the keeping a secret, lying to people about why he couldn't do things and the agitation leading up to the full moon, all restless energy and nerves, but there was something else. "There was a deer tonight, leftover from last night. Not mine. Smelled something else around it, definitely wolf. I don't know if you should come out tomorrow, just in case. I can manage alone," he offered, trying for a lighter tone on the reassurance at the end, even if he didn't want to. Having Robin there felt like a hand held out to pull him back into himself, something soft and comfortable to help him adjust, and god, he didn't want to be alone, but risking her safety? It wasn't worth it.

[starsinshadows]

Steve Harrington

⭐ 

[thebabysittertm]

ㅤBilly was absolutely right about exactly what question Steve was asking - did he need more to be safe for others? The thing was that right then, Steve also wouldn't have been upset if Billy had answered that he wanted more, and that was part of the danger of the bite for him. He fell into that comfort and relaxation, the pleasure of it, far too easily, especially now that he'd gotten used to it and just let it happen. He probably should have made it a point to fight Billy on it more, but his own lycanthropy was teaching him to let go when it was a losing battle and enduring would be the least painful route.

ㅤWould he have been pissed if Billy had kept going just because he wanted to? Debatable, and certainly dependent on how far Billy had gone. If it had felt like taking advantage, he'd have something to say about it, but it was all foggy enough that as long as Billy didn't go overboard and was kind to him in the process, he'd have waved it off. Having the excuse of the bite making everything feel warm and floaty and good made it easier to just lean into what felt nice.

ㅤThe honesty wasn't unexpected, but it wasn't exactly expected, either, because open communication hadn't ever really been how they operated, especially Billy, who always seemed to be holding his cards close lest someone else get an upper hand. If Steve had been in his right mind, he might not have known what to do with the honesty, like it might actually be a trick somehow, or blow up in his face, but Steve was in his wrong mind (as Billy had put it), and that made it surprisingly easy to to just go right along with the simple request.

ㅤReally, staying a little right where he was didn't seem like a big deal. He was warm and Billy was a little warmer (with Steve's blood), and it made sense that Billy would want to share in some warmth and the sense of Steve being alive right there. What Billy hadn't put together yet and Steve (again) thought he must have noticed was that Steve was warmer than other humans because he wasn't human anymore and werewolves apparently ran hot. If Billy wanted body heat, Steve had it to offer.

ㅤHe adjusted for comfort as Billy tugged him in closer without waiting for him to actually agree, not that he was putting up a fuss, either, and they ended up pretty wrapped up in each other by the time they'd both finished slotting in against bodies that had been at war a year before and wrapping arms up where they fit best to hold on. "Yeah, I'll stay," he agreed softly, not that there had been a question right then. All that seemed appropriate in the moment was a nice nap, curled up nice and warm and not alone, for once. The siren song of companionship had slid into the back of his mind without him realizing it as Billy didn't bully-flirt with him this time.

ㅤMaybe there was something to that 'nice and sweet' thing, after all.

　Does he need more? No. Billy would be able to suffice just fine with what he had and his normal hunting of easy-to-catch animals around. He would be no risk to anyone around him. Does he want more? Yes. It's so easy to cross that line of greed and selfishness but this was a rare and unique opportunity that was rewarding in its own way. He cannot piss Steve off 'cause he maybe took further liberties when Steve wasn't able to fully fight him off 'cause his mind was so cloudy with what Billy was doing to him. Tempting to bite him again but he already knows what Steve is like in his right mind. He also really likes Steve in his wrong mind too.

He would like to keep Steve there. And he's already formulating any plan to convince the other to not go just yet. If only charming him worked like it did with everyone else. The consequences of being caught would probably diminish any trust they might have built 'cause Billy hasn't killed him yet and besides being overbearing and pushy, he's been relatively good mannered all things considered.

"I don't need any more." He says, "But I want to convince you to stay a little. You're warm." As if that was the only reason. There were many. None of which Billy wished to divulge to Steve. He's regretting not taking his time. Something he would ensure he did later on to draw this out a little longer so Steve would be there longer, the euphoria the other offered prolonged minutes more.

"Warm, soft, and alive," Billy adds to the list. He might add he smells good too but he wasn't sure that would be taken as a compliment. Aside from that, he's pretty too. Far-fetched and had a different vibe from when Billy had been obsessed as a human to giving Steve a hard time 'cause he had no other way to interact with him. Billy still opted to metaphorically tug Steve's pigtails here and there. He was probably morally obligated to be a lot nicer to Steve after sharing his blood with Billy, right? "Stay right here." And he tugs him closer not quite waiting on his answer, leaving little room for refusal, and closing his own arms around Steve's body with a small sigh. He'd like to blame it on the endorphins but it was probably more to do with Billy than any chemical response to having Steve close.

[thebabysittertm]

ㅤIt was either lucky for him or really unlucky that no other animals had gone for the food in the backyard, and part of that might have been because they could smell him on the area - werewolves were a pretty territorial bunch, generally. Probably because humans were also assholes.

ㅤIn Steve's case, he might get the chance to become territorial about the woods around and throughout Hawkins if he lived that long, but he was also much more skittish than any werewolf really had any right to be, and that manifested as the back door opened and he darted away instantly, head dipped low to watch Meg come outside and sit at the bottom of the stairs as he decided if he needed to take off or if it was safe to linger.

ㅤShe sat, unmoving, talking to him. That seemed as good a sign as any for the moment, so he went back to the chicken a little slower, watching her in little glances as he ate and glad in a distant sort of way that it didn't occur to her that about three and a half weeks had passed or what the moon cycle was and what that might mean. It was a slightly less distant way that 'doggy' hit and if he could have rolled his eyes, he would have. He was very clearly not a dog, and yet she kept insisting. Free food out of the deal was nice, but feeding a raccoon didn't make it a cat, and the same was true of a wolf and a pet dog. He thought so, anyway.

ㅤHe was also not the bloodthirsty wild animal he seemed to think he was, however, hanging out in her yard with her only a short distance away talking to him and clearly in no danger whatsoever. The chicken disappeared quickly and he licked the plate clean, then nudged the edge of it towards her slightly with his nose and backed up a few steps, watching to see what she'd do now that he was done. He probably should have left, but it wasn't like he'd shown up just for food. He just wasn't sure what he was actually there for.

After she'd set the chicken outside, Meg had gotten distracted with other things. There was always something to do in the Thomas house. Sometimes she was changing the color of her bedroom walls for the third month in a row or rearranging her furniture. Other days, she was cleaning a cabin that was unreasonably large for a family of two. At least she was never bored.

When she finally remembered that the back porch light was still on, it was because she'd noticed it was a bit too bright outside. It'd been a few hours since she'd put food outside. The athlete hadn't even realized the dog had shown back up until she opened the back door.

She'd only stepped outside to grab the plate since she'd assumed it must've been cleaned off by now. If not by the dog, there was tons of other wildlife that would take free food. Meg closed the back door behind her and made her way down the porch stairs. Once at the bottom, she took a seat on the step and made herself comfortable.

It was closer than the last time the stray had shown up. If Meg would get closer than she would, however, it was best to close the distance over time. She'd already thought he'd gotten spooked off since he hadn't shown up for a few days.

"Hey there, doggy. Nice of you to stop by again."