as an ex swiftie, its so refreshing deleting all the taylor swift songs from your playlist and over time, just listening to the ones that speak to you personally
tb to the time that i was at a drama performance with an ensemble (it was a bunch of other ppl i barely knew but i was performing with), and my friend starts singing purple rain out of nowhere. the byler fan i am, i say “girl stop that song brings me physical pain”
and this random girl in front of me does a full slow turn towards me, eyes wide, and she just says “byler endgame?”
atp i’m shook, so all i say is “byler endgame.”
then we proceed to strangle ourselves and that’s the only interaction we’ve ever had
Tags: Black Family Madness (Harry Potter), Gay Regulus Black, Regulus Black Needs a Hug, Gay Sirius Black, Established Sirius Black/Remus Lupin, POV Remus Lupin, Bisexual Remus Lupin, Movie: Ready Or Not (2019), mansionssss, the blacks are legit deranged, title from a Bridget mendler song
Word Count: 8966
Remus Lupin just got married to Sirius Black, officially making him a part of the Black family. But is that really a good thing?
A storm rages outside. It scares Sirius, but of course he would never admit that. Admitting he is scared shows weakness, and Blacks don’t show weakness.
Sirius pants hard, holding Regulus’ hand. “Regulus, this way!” He leads the smaller boy through the candlelit halls.
They had one goal- and that was to find the man. Sirius didn’t know the man’s name, but he had married their aunt, Charis. They played the game, the man picked the Hide and Seek card, so now Sirius and Regulus were trying to find the man.
Sirius tugs harder on Regulus’ small hand. “Hurry!” They skid to a stop in front of a closet. Sirius opens the door, and Regulus’ eyes widen. “Get in and don’t come out.” Sirius says firmly.
Regulus’ voices wavers. “Sirius, I’m scared.”
They were both meant to help, but the only thing that mattered was that Regulus stayed alive. Regulus was the one with the potential.
Regulus climbs into the cupboard, and Sirius slams the door shut. He bends over, hands on his knees, out of breath. Regulus was safe. Finally.
Suddenly, someone places a hand on Sirius’ shoulder, and he swivels around, screaming.
It was the man, hand over a gaping wound on his side, sweat beading on his forehead. The man placed a finger to a frozen Sirius. “Sh.” He breathed. The man squints his eyes in pain. “Sirius, please. They’re trying to kill me.”
Sirius’ eyes flickered down to the man’s wound. He felt sick.
The man dropped to his knees. “Please help me, Sirius. Please.”
Sirius didn’t like the man. The man was scary, and made him feel yucky. So he did what his family would want. “He’s in here!” Shouted the young boy at the top of his lungs.
A tear slipped down the man’s cheek as he scrambled up and tried to run, not even bothering to beg Sirius anymore. Sirius was glad. He didn’t want the man speaking to him.
Sirius’ family enters the study through all doorways, cornering the man. They all wear strange masks, so Sirius can’t tell who is who. Aunt Charis bursts in, tears streaming down her face, still in her wedding gown. “Caspar! Caspar, no!” She screams, more masked figures holding her back.
The man falls hard, another arrow in his chest this time. Sirius’ eyes go wide with fear. Was the man dead? He looked dead.
“No! Caspar!” Aunt Charis screamed.
The people pulled the man away, and Sirius closed his hand around the handle. They couldn’t find Regulus.
The person in front of him pulled off their mask. Sirius felt his stomach twist. It was mummy.
His mother, Walburga’s lips pulled into a tight smile. “Sirius. I’m so proud of you.”
20 YEARS LATER
“To have and to hold.” Remus mutters to his reflection in the grand mirror. “From this day forward. For better, for worse. For richer, for poorer. In sickness, and in health. Till death do us part.” He whispers those last few words before standing. “And even though your family is richer than God, intimidates the hell out of me.” He lights a cigarette. “And your parents definitely hate me, and your alcoholic brother is weird as hell.” He smiles to himself. “I honestly can’t wait to be a part of your moderately screwed-up family.”
“Moderately? That’s pretty generous.”
Remus can hear the signature grin in his fiancé, Sirius’ voice. The grin he loves so much to kiss off his lips. Remus turns to see the man leaning on the doorframe. His suit is shiny black with silvery details, and his long black hair is tied into a princess-style updo. Remus can still see some of his tattoos peeking out from under the low neckline. Remus stands. “Hi.”
Sirius’ eyes flick up and down his body before answering. “Hey.” Sirius licks his lips. “Holy crap. You look so hot.”
Remus laughs and twirls in his suit, pale grey with white detailing. He lifts the cigarette to his lips again.
Sirius steps closer, taking it from his lips, and taking a drag before putting it out on the windowsill. “We should get down there.”
Remus glances out the window, where all Sirius’ family is gathering already. Remus’ family didn’t come, obviously. His father killed himself when Remus was 5, and his mother is AWOL again. Remus spots his future father in law, Orion Black in the crowd. His face is twisted, like it always is. Remus’ stomach drops. “Your dad looks like he’s at a funeral. He hates me.”
Sirius tilts the taller boy’s chin up, running his thumb across the scar on his nose. “My father does not hate you, Remus. He’s just judgemental.”
Remus eyes Sirius. God, he’s pretty. “He thinks I’m after your money.” He states, matter-of-factly.
The corner of Sirius’ lips turn up. “Well, I mean, that’s true.”
Remus hits him on the chest. “Hey!”
Sirius laughs. “You’ve just got to give it time. Okay?”
Remus nods. He trusts Sirius, so he trusts that everything would be fine.
Sirius grabs his hands. “We sprung this on them. They thought I liked girls until I told them about our engagement. I think Regulus was a bit put off that I found the courage to come out and not him. He just got married to a woman, and acts like I didn’t find him kissing Barty at Bella’s wedding.” Sirius smirks.
Remus pretends to crack his neck, bouncing on the balls of his feet. “Okay. Yeah.”
Sirius gets on his tippy toes to kiss Remus on the nose before continuing. “They’re used to a three year courtship. Not a ‘dated since high school and only got engaged 18 months ago’”
Remus laughs. “An 18 month smother-a-thon.”
Sirius raises his thin eyebrows. “We should put that in the vows.”
“I did.” Deadpans Remus.
“Oh, good.” Sirius swallows, and Remus can tell he’s nervous. “Anyways, who cares what they think? They’re horrible people.” The shorter boy starts towards the door.
Remus furrows his brows. “I care whether your family likes me or not. I agree that they’re awful, but I care. And I care because they are the family of the man I love, no matter how…deranged.” Remus searches for that last word.
Sirius goes quiet, and Remus spikes with alert.
“Are you okay, Pads? Nervous?”
Sirius shakes his head, the ringlets around his face twirling. “No, it’s not that. It’s just- without you, I’m-“
Sirius’ rare moment of vulnerability is interrupted by a voice Remus knew too well. “One of us.” Regulus loiters in the doorway, his silver eyes hard. At least he doesn’t have hard liquor in hand yet.
Sirius rolls his eyes before turning. “Hey.”
Regulus eyes Remus, before continuing. “I’ve been sent to fetch you.”
Sirius mimes being dead to Remus, before standing to leave with Regulus.
Regulus pauses at the doorway, facing Remus. “It’s not too late to flee, you know? You don’t belong in this family.”
Remus knew it wasn’t meant to be rude, but his heart dropped anyway. Remus shakes his head firmly.
Regulus nods in surrender. “Okay. Well, if you’re ready to be a Black, then would you please get yourselves outside?”
Regulus almost smiles at Sirius. Almost. “Congratulations, almost-newlywed.”
Sirius hums in amusement. “Thank you, brother.”
Remus lets out a breath he didn’t even know he was holding. Regulus is tense. “I can’t believe that in half an hour, I will be part of the Black publishing…dynasty? Empire?”
Sirius smirks. “Dominion. We prefer dominion.” Sirius hated his family, but he needed the money. All of it is one big joke to him. Sirius’ face hardens. “You know, I can’t believe I’m saying this, but Regulus is right. We could just…leave.”
Remus nods, eyebrows raised. He must be crazy. “Oh, yeah, sure. Thanks for the presents, go screw yourselves.”
Sirius is so close to him now that their noses are almost touching. “No, I’m serious, Moony. Well, I’m Sirius, but, yeah.” Sirius’ signature joke. “I’m giving you an out. Right now.”
Remus knows how insecure Sirius is about his family. “No, thank you. I’m all the way in.”
Their lips meet softly, before Sirius pulls away, grinning. “Are you ready to be my husband? We’re like, bound for life now. Good luck getting rid of me.”
Remus laughs. “Oh, hell no, to the marriage part. But to the bound for life part? I got used to that when we were 17.”
The next hour is spent by Remus awkwardly posing and smiling for photos. Remus always hated photos as a kid, and that didn’t change as a 27 year old.
Orion scowls, glaring at Sirius from across the massive yard. “He could’ve done so much better.”
Regulus needs a drink. “You’re just saying that because he’s marrying a boy.”
Orion scoffs. “Oh please. I’m fine with him marrying a boy. I just wished he’d married a girl. The bloodline depends on it.”
Regulus scoffs.
Orion smiles, arm linked with Sirius’. “Two years is a long time, Sirius. We thought we’d lost you.”
Sirius went on a trip all around Europe with Remus and their friends for two years. Two perfect years. They pose again.
“Where’s your cousin?” Asks Orion.
Everyone knew Bellatrix Black is a drug addict, even her husband, Rodolphus. Everyone ignores it, though. Nothing can dent the Black family reputation.
Sirius just shrugs, wanting to have the least conversation as possible with his father.
Orion sighs. “She married a useless one, Rodolphus. But he’s one of us. Is Remus?”
Sirius pauses, thinking. Remus was going to have the surname Black, but could he be a Black?
Remus and Regulus get a photo taken. That’s awkward, to say the least. Sirius and Regulus’ Aunt Charis eyes him from the corner, and Remus gets shivers down his spine. Charis is…creepy.
Regulus notices Charis watching Remus from the side. “Relax. She’s just trying to figure out if you’re a gold-digger.” Regulus swallows. “Like my wife.” He says the word wife like it’s a curse.
Regulus and his wife, Emmeline, are next for photos. Emmeline forces a smile. “He’s attractive enough. In a gang meetup way. Have you seen those scars?” She poses again. “But he’ll never be one of us.”
Regulus sighs. “Of course not, dear. He has a soul.”
Remus watches the reception from a stone staircase, glass of champagne in hand. He was never a big fan of champagne, but it was alcohol, so it was good enough.
Walburga, his now mother in law, interrupts his silence. “There you are.”
Remus gulps down the champagne. “Hi.”
Walburga’s face is stony as she takes out a cigarette and lights it.
Remus searches his brain for something to say. “Uh, it’s a beautiful case.” He points to the case where Walburga keeps her cigarettes.
Walburga doesn’t thank him. “It’s an heirloom. Do you smoke?”
Remus nods. He wasn’t going to waste a lie on the woman that made Sirius’ life a living hell growing up. Remus wasn’t entirely sure why Sirius stayed, but he respected the decision.
Walburga eyes him up and down, sending a shiver down his spine. “Nervous to be a Black, are we?”
Remus just looks at his feet.
Walburga presses harder on the bruise. “Ah, because your blood isn’t blue enough? They never said that about me. I was already a Black before the wedding.”
Remus doesn’t ask, but he remembers Sirius telling him stuff about incest in the Black family. It disgusted both boys.
Walburga fills the silence. “The only thing that matters is that you bring pride to the Black family.”
Remus and Sirius stumble into their room in the elusive Black mansion, kissing and laughing. Remus’ head feels like it’s buzzing. “Do you remember anything from today?”
Sirius shakes his heads, his ringlets messier now. “It was all a blur. But I’m pretty sure…we got married.”
Remus kisses his jaw. “We got married. I’m your husband.”
Sirius presses a kiss to one of the scars on Remus’ chin. “Holy crap.”
Remus holds up his ring finger, and Sirius clinks the ring on his finger to it. Matching silver wedding bands, Sirius’ engraved with a moon and Remus’ engraved with a star, to show that they would always belong to each other.
Remus bursts out laughing, too much joy to hold in. “You’re my husband!” Remus kisses him hard.
Sirius pulls back. “Moons, I have to tell you something-“
Remus shuts him up with another kiss.
Sirius laughs against his lips. “No, seriously, I have to tell you something.”
Something catches Remus’ eye, and he screams, jumping away from Sirius.
Aunt Charis, lurking in the corner of the room. “Holy crap! Holy crap, someone’s here!”
Sirius scans the room. “What?” He groans when he spots Charis. “Jesus, Aunt Charis! Can you give us a minute?”
“You’ll have to hide better than that.” She says in a dull monotone.
Remus raises an eyebrow. Hide?
Sirius’ jaw tightens. “We’re not bloody hiding, obviously.”
Charis’ face is shadowed. How did she even get in? “Everyone is waiting.” She says.
Sirius shoos her away. “Yeah. We’ll be down in a few minutes. Jesus.”
She leaves the room, and Remus’ heart starts beating again.
Sirius immediately turns to his husband. “Bloody hell, Moony. I’m sorry.”
Remus wants to leave this house forever. “What the hell was that?”
Sirius tucks a lock of raven hair behind his ear. “That was my aunt, Charis. She has…um…boundary issues.”
Remus places a hand to his chest, beneath it a racing heart. His eye follows Sirius to a small, open door in the wall where Charis entered. “Of course there are secret passages in this house.”
Sirius shrugs, shutting it. “It’s a servants corridor. We have them running throughout the house, so that old Kreacher doesn’t have to disrupt anyone.”
Remus remembers his first encounter with Kreacher. Not a nice one. Then, he remembers Charis’ statement from earlier. “I’m sorry, who’s waiting?”
Sirius sighs, and Remus can tell something’s wrong. “That’s what I was trying to tell you earlier, Moonpie. So, at midnight, my family has this dumb tradition where the person who married into the family has to play a game.”
Remus raises his eyebrows. “A game? What game?”
Sirius smiles apologetically, drastically different from his usual grin. “I don’t know. You draw a card. Could be backgammon, checkers, cards for all I know. It’s stupid.”
Remus tilts his head, confused. “It’s a little weird. Why, exactly?”
Sirius grabs his hands, running his fingers over the protruding bones. “I guess it’s because my family made their useless fortune in games, it’s a part of the initiation.”
Remus isn’t competitive. But he could be if it means he could be accepted. “Do I have to win?”
Sirius bites his lip. “No, you just have to play.” Sirius is competitive.
“And then…” Remus inquires.
“And then you are officially part of the richest and most screwed up family in England.” Sirius says with a flourish, throwing his hands up.
Remus grabs his hands, kissing his knuckles. “That’s it?”
Sirius laughs. “That’s it.” He sighs. “I know it’s ridiculous. It’s the weirdest family ritual they have, and that’s saying something. But you only have to do it once.”
Remus nods. He would follow Sirius blindly anywhere. “Okay. Yeah. If it gets your family to be the tiniest bit accepting, I will play the hell out of checkers. I’m really good at it.”
Sirius grins, and Remus kisses it off. “Alright.” Remus says. “Give me five minutes, and I’ll be down.”
Sirius stands, hooking his arm around Remus’ lanky waist. “Alright, love. Meet in the music room.”
Remus wriggles out of Sirius’ grip. “Ah, yes. Because that’s a totally normal room to have in a house.”
Sirius rolls his eyes. “It’s a manor, not a house.” He deadpans, but fails, letting a snicker slip. “Second door on the right. See you in 5, Moony. I’ll time you.” He pretends to set a timer on an invisible watch, and Remus laughs.
Remus runs a hand through his pale brown curls. What is he getting himself into?
Sirius leans on the end of the table in the music room, wishing he had a cigarette.
His father interrupts his sweet serenity. “I thought I’d find you here.”
Sirius wants to scream at him, but he clamps his mouth shut.
Orion nods to the empty throne at the end of the table. “I’m sure Phineas Nigellus Black is here with us today. How much have you told him?” Orion asks, this time talking about Remus, not Phineas.
Sirius hated talking to his father about Remus. Orion was awful growing up, but he was now passive aggressive about Sirius being gay. Sirius shakes his head. “Nothing. And I never will. Tomorrow, we’re gone.” He snaps. Gone meaning back to their apartment in London that is so dingy, but theirs.
Orion grabs his shoulders. “If he pulls that card, are you prepared to do what’s necessary, son?”
Sirius shrinks away, storming off.
Remus makes his way down the snaking halls, until he reaches the elusive music room, still in his suit. As he enters, someone plays Here comes the bride on the piano. Remus wants to laugh. How ironic.
Walburga is on the phone in the corner, but hangs up as Remus enters. “Remus.” Her form of a greeting.
Remus gives her a tight lipped smile in return, trying not to think of the scars she left on the backs of Sirius’ legs.
She leads Remus to a seat at the head of the table. “Your vows. Sirius didn’t tell me you grew up in a boys home.”
Not knowing how to answer, Remus just grabs a glass of champagne off a passing tray.
Regulus is slumped on the couch in the corner, a glass of whisky at his lips.
Remus never had a family growing up, and he had a feeling nothing was going to change. Perfect. He’s not good with change.
Sirius sneaks up on Remus, pressing a kiss to his shoulder.
Remus turns, unable to stop the grin on his lips. “Hey, Padfoot.”
The flecks in Sirius’ grey-blue eyes look silver as he speaks. “Hi, Moony!”
Walburga eyes them, as she was still at Remus’ side. Sirius eyes her back. “Mother. I’m just going to steal Remus for a moment.” He didn’t ask if it was okay.
Walburga nods once, a sour expression on her face.
The line between Sirius’ eyebrows is a dead giveaway that he’s worried. “What did she say to you?” It would sound accusatory if his voice wasn’t so soft.
Remus shrugs. “Just asked about my life at the boys home. Actually, it was more of a statement, I don’t know.”
Sirius squeezes his hand. “Jesus, sorry love. She’s awful.”
Remus couldn’t agree, but couldn’t disagree either, so he just kissed Sirius’ temple, but freezes when he realises how tense the smaller boy is. Remus pulls away. “Are you okay? Did something happen?”
Sirius clears his throat, shaking his head. “Yeah, no. I just don’t feel well.”
Remus scans Sirius in concern. “Do you need to lie down? We can play this stupid game tomorrow.”
Sirius puffs his cheeks out, sighing. “No, it has to be tonight.”
Suddenly, two kids run through the room, one of them wearing a deformed mask. The one in the mask was chasing the other, laughing one, screaming “Kill! Kill! Kill!”
Regulus jumps up from the couch, looking exhausted. “Hey!”
His niece and nephew, Remus guesses.
A pale girl with big, black curls and a tall man enter the room. The girl smiles big. “Heyyyy! Look who made it!”
The man cheers the running kids on.
Regulus pinches his temples. “Delphi, take it off now.”
Delphi looks up at the tall man, presumably her father. “Daddy?”
The man smiles. “You just keep on playing there, Delphi.”
The pale girl throws her arms around Regulus’ shoulders. “You’re so tense, cousin.”
The man points at Remus. “You. Man in white.” He advances towards Remus. “Look at this, you must be Sirius’ husband.”
Remus smiles, shaking his hand. “Hello. I’m Remus.” The man nods, his brown hair not budging under the layers of gel. “Rodolphus Lestrange. Pleasure.”
Rodolphus’ smile turns into a funny smirk when he spots Sirius. “Sirius!”
Sirius plasters on a smile. “Hi, Rodolphus. How are you?”
Rodolphus shoots Remus a look before continuing. “Well done. Sorry we cut it close, we couldn’t get our regular charter out of Wales this morning. And, I cannot fly commercial, alright? It’s the worst, you understand!”
Sirius laughs half heartedly.
Remus’ mind runs a mile a minute. Private jets? Jeez, how rich is this family?
The pale girl screams his name. “Remus! Oh my gosh!”
Remus smiles at the energetic woman. “Hi.”
She shakes his hand over-excitedly. “I’m Bellatrix, Sirius and Regulus’ cousin! Oh my god, your suit is amazing! I’ve been totally stalking Sirius on Instagram to see photos of you, you need to make an account!”
Remus nods slowly. “Oh, really! That’s…” He trails off, unsure what to say.
Bellatrix brushes a curl from her face. “We’re gonna be best friends, alright?” With that, she throws her spindly arms around Sirius. “Hi, Sirius! Long time, no see!”
Everyone falls silent, aside from Bellatrix, who squeals, squeezing Remus’ hand. “This is gonna blow your mind!”
Remus stumbles away with Bellatrix, the rest of the family following suit.
Orion leads, explaining as he walks. “This room is reserved for family members only.” He opens the mahogany doors with a flourish. “After you, Remus.”
Remus takes long strides into the room, wanting to get whatever culty thing this is over with. The room is large, board games on every wall, each marked with the Black family logo. But mostly, there were guns. So many guns. “Holy crap.” Mutters Remus under his breath.
Orion trails the side of the table with his fingertip. “Great Grandfather loved his games.” He sits, as well as every Black in the room.
Remus admires a painting on the wall surrounded by rifles. A man, holding a matching gun. The plaque read “Phineas Nigellus Black”
“Remus?” Orion asks for his attention. “Have a seat.”
Remus takes a seat at the head of the table, Sirius on the corner beside him.
Walburga watches him sit carefully, as if he were breakable. “Do you like to play games?” She asks.
Remus needs a cigarette, “I guess it depends on what we’re playing.”
Orion nods curtly. “We will know in a moment.” He waits a beat. “I gather you’ve noticed our family values tradition. The time has come for you to join us on said traditions.”
Regulus takes a sip from his crystal glass. “Wow, story time.”
Orion shoots him a look before launching into what Remus guessed was an annual spiel. “As you may know, my Great Grandfather, Phineas Nigellus Black, set up a modest printing shop during World War 2, manufacturing playing cards. A generation later, my grandfather expanded into sporting goods and board games. Under my leadership, the Black Family Games acquired 4 professional sports teams, and reached even greater heights. Some may call it luck, yet it is much more than that. It’s as if someone is watching over us. It all began with a very generous benefactor, and this box.” He holds up a small, wooden box. “Originally, great-grandfather was a merchant seaman. It was a hard life. And like many, he wanted more. On one of his many excursions abroad, great-grandfather met a Mr Fig.” Orion starts passing around the box. “He was a passenger aboard the ship, a collector. Purchasing exotic antiquities to sell to rich Englishmen. After discovering a mutual passion for games of chance, they passed a great many hours playing cards.”
The box gets passed to Remus, who runs his fingers over the smooth grain.
Orion continues. “Among Mr Fig’s possessions was that box. And one evening, after indulging in more than a fair ration of rum, Mr Fig proposed a wager. If great-grandfather could solve the mystery of the box before arriving at port, Mr Fig would finance any endeavour of great-grandfather’s choosing. Great-grandfather whiled away long hours at sea studying the box. Until finally…”
The box gets passed to Orion again, and he turns the knobs in a specific order. The box whirs, then pops open.
Remus’ eyes involuntarily widen.
Orion opens the box. “And since that time, whenever the Blacks are presented with a new addition to the family, we place a blank playing card into the box.” He does so. “Our initiate then has the privilege of drawing the card, and Mr Fig will tell us which game to play.” He hands the box to Remus.
Remus wants to laugh in his face. Mr Fig, the dead man, will pick the game? Sure.
Regulus’ wife, Emmeline, gives him a tight smile. “I got chess.”
Rodolphus face twists. “I got Old Maid. Seriously, what the hell is Old Maid?”
Remus shrugs. “So I just take out the card?”
Orion nods. “Please do so quickly.”
Remus takes out the card, suddenly printed, but he laughs before he can think about how it happened.
Charis leans forward in her seat. “What does it say, boy?”
Remus scoffs. “It says ‘Hide and Seek." How stupid. Hide and Seek? That’s a kids game!
A hush falls over the table.
Remus flips the card in his palm. “Everything okay?”
Sirius bites his lip, stalling. “Uh, yeah. Those are the rules. Hide and seek, right father?”
Orion locks eyes with his oldest son. “Yes, son.”
Remus places the card face down on the table, Sirius’ behaviour unsettling him. “Who hides and who seeks?”
Orion frowns. “It’s your initiation. You hide. We seek.”
Remus stands to hide, but Sirius stands with him, grabbing his hands. “This is going to be fun, Moony. Why don’t you come to our room for a second.”
Remus shakes his head, confused. Why was Sirius making him leave? “No. I want to play for real. This is so weird.”
Sirius laughs, kissing his jaw. “It is.”
The champagne is starting to make Remus feel airy. “So, to Mr Fig.”
Everyone raises their glasses, and Remus drains the rest of his drink.
Orion meets Remus outside the music room. “The rules are simple. You can hide anywhere inside the house. We then count to 100 and try to find you.”
Remus grimaces. “Well, don’t you think you have a little bit of an advantage?” He nods to the security camera in the corner of the room.
Orion shakes his head, holding up a hand. “Oh, no. We always play the games as they would’ve been played in great-grandfather’s time.”
Remus shrugs, doubtful. “So, there’s no way for me to win?”
Orion shakes his head. “You stay hidden until dawn, and you win.”
Remus shudders. “No thank you.”
Orion rolls up his sleeves. “We’re gonna start the count just after you leave, okay? Remus. Good luck.”
Remus nods, dread pooling in his stomach. He always hated hide and seek as a child. Yet Remus still leaves the room, to go hide. God, this is childish.
A sound rings through the halls, something about running and hiding. Remus finds it creepy as hell. He trudges upstairs, trying not to make a sound as he enters yet another identical hallway.
In the music room, each Black is handed a weapon.
Remus squeezes his tall frame into a dumbwaiter, shutting the doors tight.
The Blacks line up, all except Sirius, who sits on the couch, blinking back tears. He loves Remus. He can’t let the love of his life die.
Walburga sits beside Sirius, bow in hand. “Sirius. If you are going to do this, you can front us.” She gets up, closing the music room door.
Emmeline is applying lipstick in the hallway mirror.
“Watch the door. Make sure he doesn’t interfere.” Walburga snaps at her daughter in law.
Emmeline nods once, determined to finally make her in-laws like her.
Orion gives her a stony look. “Thank you, Emmeline.”
Remus sits, uncomfortable and cramped in the dumbwaiter. “So, how was your wedding night, Remus?” He asks himself. No one was going to ask it anyway. Remus replies to himself. “Oh. It was just great. Just great. I sat in a dumbwaiter.”
Sirius leaps up from the couch. What is he doing, just sitting around and moping? He needs to save his Moony. He swings open one of the servants doors, and runs through the tunnels, his hair falling out as he runs.
Emmeline swings open the doors to the music room. “Sirius, do you want some company?” She says sing-songy. She loves Regulus, but she always likes to get what she wants, and what she wants is Sirius too. She scans the room, heart dropping as she realises it’s empty. No Sirius. Emmeline pinches her temples. “Oh, screw me.”
Rodolphus fiddles with the crossbow, confused. Walburga strides beside him, her tall frame intimidating. “So, how long does this usually take?” This was his first time, and isn’t his best idea on how to spend a night.
Walburga shoots his fiddling hands a look. “There’s nothing usual about this.”
Rodolphus pinches his finger on the trigger, hissing. “Am I supposed to know how to use this thing?”
When Walburga doesn’t answer, Rodolphus gets an idea. He points to the door. “Hey, I’m just gonna make a quick pit stop. I’ve got a nervous stomach.”
Walburga gives him a look of pure disgust. “You know I’ve never liked you, right?”
After 10 more minutes, Remus scoffs. “That’s it.” This dumbwaiter is way too cramped for a 6’5 individual like him. Sirius is short, Sirius would be fine with this. He opens the doors, scanning the halls before stepping out. But something stops him. His blazer gets caught in the door and rips. “Blast.” He whispers. He tugs it out, a large rip appearing in the side. And with that, he starts down the hallway.
Diane, one of the servants, hears a noise. Footsteps, not belonging to any of the Blacks, that she’s memorised. Remus. “Damn.”
Remus watches Diane pass, laughing silently. Idiot. Can’t even see him. That’s when a hand cups over his mouth, pulling him into the darkness. He screams, but it comes out quiet and muffled against the hand. Terror pools in his stomach, as well as nausea. But he recognises the person’s grip. Sirius.
They end up in their room, and Sirius lets go of Remus, turning him around. Remus hits him on the shoulder. “Jesus!”
Sirius gets on his tippy toes to his Remus’ forehead. “Sorry, love.” He presses a finger to his lips, and Remus quiets down his protesting. “Remus, you need to listen to me right now.”
Diane’s voice echoes through the hallways again. “Delphi!”
Sirius pulls him away, swearing. Remus protests in a whisper as Sirius pulls them behind the bed, his wrist in a death grip. “Get down, Moony. Get down.” He whispers.
“Okay, Jesus.” Remus scowls. Why is Sirius taking this so seriously? It’s just a game!
Footsteps enter the room. Heels. Remus holds his breath, and Sirius goes pale. “Delphi. Delphi, I know you’re in here.” It’s the servant, Diane. She’s about to round the corner that Sirius and Remus are hiding behind, when there’s a clatter from outside. She turns, her ponytail flicking.
Remus and Sirius peek over the bed, as she makes her way to the door. “Delph-“
Then there’s a gunshot, and Diane falls back. Hard.
Remus’ heart skips about 5 beats.
“I did it! I found him! I found him!” Screams Bellatrix from outside.
Remus peeks around the bed. There’s a bloody, gaping hole in Diane’s face. Remus has to clamp a hand over his mouth to stop himself from screaming.
Bellatrix runs into the room, screaming when she sees what she did to Diane. “Oh, god, oh no! No, no, no!”
“Oh, Jesus Christ.” Orion’s voice. Remus can’t bear to look anymore. “This is Diane, Bellatrix.”
Regulus enters. “Does she look like a man, Bellatrix?” He shouts.
Rodolphus. “Why’d you shoot her in the face, sweetheart?”
There’s a slap, and silence. “You’re supposed to maim him. He needs to be alive for the ritual.” Orion again.
“I don’t know!” Bellatrix cries.
More heeled feet run in. “I heard a shot-oh.” Her voice is a monotone.
There are tears running down Remus’ cheeks. Ritual? Maim? What the hell?
Regulus sighs. “We killed her. Does that count?”
“Of course it does not count. It must be the bride. Or in this case, husband.” Charis says that last word with so much distaste it makes Remus sick to the stomach.
“Well, what do we do now?” Regulus asks.
“I’m thinking.” Orion snaps.
There’s a clack of heels. “Diane…hey.” Bellatrix says to a surprisingly still alive Diane. “It’s gonna be okay.”
Diane gurgles at her, choking on thick blood.
Walburga groans. “Regulus. Could you?”
“I’m taking a walk.” Regulus ignores his mother, surprisingly. Regulus always gave Remus mamas boy vibes.
Bellatrix sniffles. “She’s gonna die, guys.”
Heels clack and Remus assumes Regulus leads his cousin out of the room. “Let’s take a walk, Bella.”
Orion makes a noise of disgust after they leave. “What do we do with her?”
Walburga claps. “Move her! We can’t have Remus see. Give me the god damn lanterns.”
A coin clinks. Orion and Rodolphus drag Diane’s body out of the room.
Remus gets flooded with blind fear. Hply crap. They are gonna kill him.
When they leave, Sirius lays a hand on his arm. “Stay here. Don’t move.” Sirius darts out, closing the bedroom door lightly.
Remus discovers he can’t move. How strange.
Sirius chokes out a sob. “Love, we have to get you out of here, okay? We gotta get you out right now.” He stands his numb husband up. “Okay, stand up. Here we go.” Sirius paces the room, crying. “Grab your phone, grab your keys. We gotta go.” When Sirius’ discovers Remus’ phone his gone, he cries out in outrage. “Dad must’ve taken the phone.”
Remus finally gets himself to work again. “Sirius. What the hell?”
Sirius cups his cheek. “You’re gonna have to run, okay? Hide and seek. You pulled the one bad card. They think…they think they have to kill you before sunrise.”
Remus feels himself go numb again. “What the hell?”
Sirius pulls him up off the bed. “Follow me.” He pulls his husband through the secret door, into the servants corridor.
“Wait! I forgot my gun” Shouts Bellatrix, running back into the bedroom. Bellatrix stares at her pale reflection in the mirror. “Okay, girl. No more screwups. You’re a winner. You got that?” She takes a tiny bottle of vodka out of her purse, downing it in one sip. She grabs her gun, squealing and running out of the room.
Sirius pulls Remus blindly through the tunnels. “Okay, Moons. Do you have your shoes?”
“Sirius.”
“Love, I need you to put on your shoes.”
Remus stops suddenly, halting in front of Sirius. “Sirius! What the hell is going on?”
Tears fall steadily from Sirius’ eyes. “I need you to put your shoes on, okay?”
With shaking hands, Remus throws his cramped wedding shoes into the tunnel, replacing them with his brown Doc Martens.
Sirius kisses him, hard. “Okay. They think that if they don’t kill you, something very bad will happen to the family. I had to play along so that I could get you out. The house is on lock down right now, so it’s gonna be really tricky."
Remus catches his breath, overcoming a panic attack. “You…you knew what would happen if I pulled that card.”
Sirius cried harder. “I didn’t think they would go through with it!”
Remus hits him. “You god damn knew!”
Sirius shakes his head hard. “No! No one ever pulls that! It never god damn happens!”
Remus’ blood boils. “But you knew about it!”
Sirius puts his head in his hands.
Rodolphus looks up from his How to use a crossbow video when he hears voices upstairs. He immediately knew it was Remus and Sirius.
“Crap. I really thought it was safe.” Sirius whispers. “But if I didn’t pull that card at all, then…”
Remus cries. “Then your crazy family wouldn’t be trying to kill me!”
Sirius shakes his head, as if he were trying to shake the thoughts away. “No. Then we’d both be dead.”
Remus freezes. What the hell.
Sirius takes a deep breath. “When you marry into this family, you have to play a game. And if you don’t, you die. I know that sounds crazy, but believe me, it’s real. It happened to my great uncle. He got married, he didn’t play a game, next morning, he died. His wife too. Same thing happened to my cousin Andromeda. Same thing happened to a bunch of people I’ve never even met before. You just-“ He takes a shaky breath. “You have to play.”
Remus feels cold all over. “You said your family was messed up, but you didn’t say psycho killers.”
Sirius runs a hand through his hair. “I know, I know.”
Remus shakes his head. “No. You brought me here! You didn’t warn me!”
Sirius pinches his temples. “You wanted to get married.”
Remus pushes him. “So it’s my god damn fault?”
Sirius flinches away, shaking. “No. I’m sorry.”
Remus’ eyes flare with rage. “We could’ve eloped! We could’ve-“ S
irius catches Remus flying hands. “No, no, no! There are rules! You can’t just elope! You-you have to have the wedding here, and you have to play the god damn game.”
Remus wrenches his hands away. “You didn’t even talk to me. You could’ve told me. We could’ve…”
“If I told you, you would’ve left me.” Sirius’ voice is suddenly quiet. Sirius is never quiet, never vulnerable. An uncomfortable silence passes. “And if I didn’t propose, you would’ve left.” He holds the other boy’s shoulders. “You’re everything to me, and I promise you, I’m gonna get you out of here, okay?” He stands Remus up again. “Listen to me. You just need to go straight down this hallway until you get to the service kitchen, and I’ll get to the security room. I’m gonna unlock all the doors.”
Remus shakes his head, crying again. “No. Don’t you dare leave me, Pads.”
Sirius continues. “Then you run. I have to, love. I have to if you want to live.” Sirius sucks in a shaky breath. “Just-just stay inside the walls until you get to the kitchen.”
Remus feels nausea bubble in his stomach, his balance growing off kilter.
Sirius grabs his shoulders, steadying him. “Hey, hey. Where are you going?”
Remus makes the gesture shakily with his hand. “Straight. Then to the kitchen.”
Sirius kisses him hard. “You’re gonna make it. It’s gonna be okay, Moony.”
“I love you, my star.”
“I love you, my moon.”
Sirius stumbles out of the corridors, leaving Remus completely and utterly alone. He steadies himself on the wall. “Okay. It’s okay.” He forces his lead-like feet to go one step in front of the other. Right. Left. Right. Left. Good.
A white door materialises in front of him. The kitchen. Remus turns, face to face with another white door. Or is that the kitchen? “Damn.”
Regulus holds back a scream as he carries Diane’s head side, Orion at her feet. Aunt Charis appears at their side.
“Any sign of him?” Asks Orion.
“No. He could be anywhere.” She snaps back.
Suddenly, a door opens behind them.
They turn, face to face with none other than Remus.
The tall boy freezes in fear, eyes wide and tear marks down his tan face.
“Found him.” Regulus deadpans.
They drop Diane, and just as Remus turns to run, Bellatrix turns the corner.
She screams, holding her gun up and shooting twice, missing both times.
Infuriatingly, he runs in the moment of distress when Bellatrix was shooting aimlessly, endangering Regulus, Orion and Charis’ lives.
“God damn it!” Screams Orion. “Bellatrix! Aim for the centre of gravity!”
Bellatrix cries, dropping her gun. “I don’t know what I’m doing!”
Remus sprints away, adrenaline running through his blood. He’s in a room with a pool table. Another game room? He jiggles the handles on all the windows, but he stifles a cry when they don’t budge. There’s a phone in the corner. With shaking hands, he dials 999, but there’s just an empty dial tone. In a burst of outrage, he picks up a chair to throw at the window, but freezes when he realises what he’s doing. If he throws this at the window, everyone will hear him. Then he’ll be dead. Dead. Remus realises with an internal scream that he might die tonight. He backs himself against the mahogany walls, trying to steady his breathing.
That’s when a door opens.
Remus watches in terror as Regulus Black saunters through the door right next to him, barely giving him a second glance.
Regulus sighs as if Remus’ mere presence was tiresome. “I just came to get a drink.”
Remus remains frozen in fear as Regulus takes a swig out of a whiskey bottle on the pool table. “I have to call the others.” Regulus mutters.
Remus swallows, tears springing to his eyes. “No you don’t. No. You can help me. Please.”
Regulus sighs hard again. “This doesn’t end well for you. I just don’t want to be the one to serve you up.”
Remus would drop to his hands and knees right know if he could. “Regulus. I’m begging you.”
A wince crosses Regulus’ sharp features. “I’m really sorry about all of this. It’s true what they say; the rich really are different.” He pauses, taking another swig. “I’ll give you a ten second head start.”
Remus grits his teeth. “Regulus.” And with that, he runs.
Regulus sits in one of the annoyingly comfortable chairs, placing the bottle to his lips again. “One one-thousandth. Two one-thousandths…”
Remus sprints the labyrinthine halls, Regulus’ voice echoing through the pipes. “He’s in the study!” He shouts. Remus can imagine everyone running to the empty study, and he feels a small flicker of warmth in his heart for Sirius’ baby brother.
Emmeline enters the study, where Regulus sits, drunk. “You lost him?” She snaps.
Regulus only allows himself to wish he married a man when he is drunk. This is one of those times. “Indeed.”
“You’re pathetic.”
“Indeed.”
She takes the bottle from Regulus, shattering it on the hardwood floors. “Could you at least pretend to care?”
Flickers of a boy with dark skin, dark curls and glasses flash through his vision like they always do when he’s intoxicated. “Oh, I’m sure you’ll find him and kill him with or without my help.” He would honestly love to tell Emmeline he hates her face. “You know, one thing did occur to me though. Sirius may have been wrong to keep Remus in the dark, but do you remember how you reacted when I told you about this?” Regulus takes a step towards his wife “You didn’t even blink. I mean, you couldn’t wait to sign your soul away”
Emmeline’s eyes are glassy. “You know where I came from, and what my life was like before.” She lowers her voice to a whisper. “I’d rather be dead than lose all of this.”
Regulus hums. “Well, your lips.”
Orion and Charis storm in, weapons in hand. “Where is he?” Orion asks.
Regulus shrugs. “I’m afraid you just missed him.”
Emmeline places a hand on Orion’s arm. “Orion, Sirius got out. I’m so sorry.”
Orion flinches. “Goddamnit!”
Regulus wants to laugh. “Who’s the screwup now, huh?” Silence. “Still me?”
Rodolphus and Bellatrix run in next. Did you find him? Is it over?” Rodolphus asks in a hurry.
Orion sneers. “No, it’s not over. And now he knows what’s going on!”
Regulus barks out a laugh. “Oh, but Bellatrix shot Diane in the face, so she’s dead. That’s just a side note.”
“Diane’s dead?” Hisses Rodolphus. “She was my favourite.”
“Damn! I forgot my gun!” Bellatrix groans. Her eyes well up. “I forgot my gun! I suck!”
Rodolphus hands her the crossbow. “Here, hon. Just use mine.”
Another servant, Katie runs in. “Mr Black! Mr Black! I just saw her running-“
She’s abruptly cut off by an arrow to the mouth. She falls back, eyes open and mouth locked in a silent scream.
“Oh my god!” Shouts Rodolphus.
Bellatrix drops the crossbow, crying. “Why does this always happen to me! Come on!”
Rodolphus pats her hair. “Calm down. Let’s go honey.” She sniffles. “Don’t be mad.”
Rodolphus shoots a nervous look to Walburga and Orion. “Let’s go take a walk. Maybe we’ll find the one that’s still alive to clean that up.”
They leave, and Emmeline scoffs. “Okay, wait. Does the help count?”
Charis yells in outrage. “No! Why does everyone keep asking that! We must-“
Katie groans from her place on the ground.
So Charis does what she does best. She brings her axe down hard, decapitating Katie.
“Oh, what the hell!” Cries Regulus.
Charis continues her speech. “We must kill him by dawn!”
Orion pinches his temples. “We’re screwed. I mean, we are so screwed.”
Walburga’s voice is like a cold shower, unpleasant and unneeded. “Shut up. Work the problem.” She takes a moment to think. “We should use the security cameras.”
“You have no respect for tradition.” Snarls Charis.
Orion nods. “No, she’s right. Don’t you think Great Grandfather would’ve used the security cameras if he had them? I mean, It’s not tradition that he was born before cameras.”
Emmeline nods too. “Exactly. Times change. Speaking of which, may I please use a weapon made this century? I have a gun in my purse.”
“You do?” Regulus says, more disbelief in his voice than in a normal question.
Orion holds up a hand between them. “No. We use Great Grandfather’s weapons. It’s tradition.”
Charis snarls again. “You pick and choose! Pick and choose!”
Regulus scoffs. “At least you’re not making us wear those god damn masks.”
Orion shakes his head. “Oh, no. That was Father’s idea. It was the 80s.”
Charis stamps her axe on the ground. “Our reverence must not wane!”
“Goddamnit, sister!” Bursts Orion. “If we don’t find her and perform the ritual by dawn, we’re all dead!”
Walburga claps. “Orion. Take Regulus and turn on the cameras. Everyone else, fan out, and somebody find Sirius.”
Remus sprints through the halls, skidding to a stop in front of a pair of massive doors. The Black Family games room. The Black Family games room that holds all the weapons. Remus’ blood boils. He’s done playing scared. He rips a rifle off the wall, filling it with bullets like his father taught him to before he killed himself. As he leaves, he catches his reflection in the mirror. Untied Doc Martens, ripped suit, messy hair, you name it. “Jesus.” He whispers.
Sirius sneaks into the room with the camera controls, locking the door behind him. The screens are blank. Sirius tries pressing a key, but nothing happens. “Damn.” He mutters, checking the wires behind the monitors. He has to find Remus. He would rather die than let Remus die.
The kitchen door is locked. Remus rattles the hand again and again, but nothing can change the blinking key card pad. His eyes flicker to the security camera. Still off. “Come on, Sirius.” He mutters. He can do this. He aims his gun, cocking it, pressing the trigger and-
Nothing. He presses the trigger again and again. Still nothing.
Suddenly, he hears someone whistling. Crap. No, no, no! He’s so close! Remus ducks behind the kitchen island, gun still in his arms.
“Monitors, monitors…” Sirius reads through the hundreds of switch labels, growing restless.
The man’s footsteps enter the room, still whistling.
Remus holds his breath. As he turns the corner, Remus can tell it’s a housekeeper. Remus crawls slowly, carefully towards the door.
Sirius wants to shout with joy as the monitors finally turn on. “Okay!” But his good mood is extinguished as he sees Remus’ situation in the kitchen. “Damn.”
Orion strides faster than Regulus. Always has, always will. “Your aunt always gets lost in the details.” He mutters to his youngest son. “Who gives a damn how we find him?”
Regulus nods slowly. “Oh, I agree completely.” The only right answer around his father. “Looks like we’re not the only ones.” He points a lean finger to the now red-blinking cameras.
“What?”
“Someone turned on the cameras.”
Orion’s blood boils. “Sirius!”
Sirius tugs on the lever. “Open doors! Open freaking doors!”
Remus slowly grabs a bullet from the sash on his shoulder, and clicks open the neck of the gun. His heart stops as the whistling ceases.
The man turns, walking around the counter, only to be met with an empty patch of tile. Normal.
With shaking hands, Remus tries to silently put a bullet into the neck.
That’s when the man starts singing loudly. A classical song.
Remus wants to laugh, yet cry at the same time. What the hell? He clicks the gun back shut, and the man stops singing.
Remus’ heart stops again.
After a brief pause, the man continues his singing, a teapot whistling in the background.
Suddenly, there’s a beep, and the door makes an unlocking noise. The man stops singing, and Remus knows he needs to run. Now.
The man goes to the door, and Remus stands, gun pointed at his back. “Move.” Remus says.
The man spins slowly. “I’m afraid I can’t do that.”
Remus steps closer, so that the gun is almost touching the man’s throat. He clicks the trigger and-
Nothing.
“The ammunition is display only.” The man says smugly.
Remus’ stomach drops to his bladder.
The man grabs hold of the gun, taking steps closer to Remus and forcing him back. “Now, did you really think I would be stupid enough to-“
Remus cuts him off by smashing the teapot over his head.
The man screams, grabbing a knife and swiping blindly.
Remus takes that chance to sprint from the kitchen, panting hard, eyes scanning for anywhere to go.
Sirius runs a hand through his hair as his father screams, voice carrying through the cracks in the wooden door. Remus is the priority. Remus. He grabs a fire extinguisher, slamming it on the controls again, and again, and again.
Suddenly, Orion bursts through the door, hands immediately around Sirius’ neck. “If you’re not going to help us, get the hell out!”
Sirius writhes from his grip, closing his hand around his father’s neck. “You leave him alone! You understand me? That’s my husband!” Sirius kicks Orion to the floor just as Regulus runs in.
“Sirius!” He yells. He places a hand on Sirius’ shoulder as Orion’s face starts to turn a shade of purple. “Sirius. You don’t have to do this.” Regulus says slowly and quietly.
Sirius finally lets go, tears in his eyes. Regulus takes a step closer, but Sirius holds up a hand. “Y-you gotta help me. He’s everything to me.” Sirius’ voice wavers.
Regulus nods quickly. “I know. I know. We’ll get him out.”
All of a sudden, there’s a blinding pain in Sirius’ head, and everything goes black.
Orion drops the fire extinguisher with a bang, eyeing his son’s unconscious body on the ground. His other son stumbles away. “Whose side are you on?” Orion demands.
Regulus shrugs. “I distracted him, didn’t I?”
Orion flips a coin. “Call it.”
Regulus scoffs. “Oh, who god damn cares?”
Orion breathes hard. “Tails. You take the head.”
Regulus groans, taking his brother’s shoulders, when Orion pauses. “Wait. I gotta get my gun.”
Regulus rolls his eyes. “Can’t you come back for it?”
Orion ignores him, but leaves anyway, both men shuffling out of the room.
Remus sprints until his legs feel gelatinous. Then he keeps sprinting. Yet, he skids to a stop when he hears voices. His ears recognise them immediately as his stomach fills with terror. Orion and Regulus. Willing himself to move his feet, he stumbles backward, the way he came, when he comes across the dumbwaiter from earlier. Perfect. He slides open the doors, when his heart jumps out of his chest.
The same seems to happen to the housekeeper, her gasp deafening. “I don’t understand what’s going on.” He cries silently, wheezing the words out.
Remus holds up a hand. “Okay. I need you to be quiet, alright?”
She cries harder. “Look, I’m not even a maid! Mr Black, he just likes the way I dance!”
Remus needs her to shut up. “Let’s swap places, okay? Cause they’re looking for me, they’re not looking for you, so come on.”
The maid’s eyes widen. “He’s over here!” She screams.
Remus’ stomach drops. His hands fumble, his stomach dropping lower has he accidentally presses the button for the dumbwaiter. The woman screams, and within seconds, her skull is crushed.
Remus wants to throw up. He just killed someone. There’s blood on his hands. Oh my god. Remus swears under his breath as he hears footsteps, and runs off in the other way, tears in his eyes.
Tags: my ocs!!!, this is like a next gen reboot type thing for lemonade mouth, but gay, Canon Non-Binary Character, Band Fic, Useless Lesbians, but make that singular, cuz there's only one useless lesbian, PLS READ IT GUYS THESE ARE MY CHILDREN
Word Count: 1522
Poets. Geniuses. Revolutionaries. The 2011 band Lemonade Mouth was called all of these things.
So was the 2026 band, Lemon.
But the real story here isn’t about Lemonade mouth. It’s about how Lemon came to be, 15 years and a detention later.
Poets.
Geniuses.
Revolutionaries.
The 2011 band Lemonade Mouth was called all of these things.
So was the 2026 band, Lemon.
But the real story here isn’t about Lemonade mouth. It’s about how Lemon came to be, 15 years and a detention later.
Picture this: A detention room.
The girl with brown curly hair and heavy makeup was Mellie Velásquez, lead singer and guitarist.
The girl with the clearest skin known to man and intricately twisted braids was rhythm guitarist, Katerina Roworth.
The boy with dark hair that stuck up and a septum piercing was Calloway Edgar, keyboardist for Lemon.
The person with the curly mullet and dark nail polish was Micah Waters, Lemon’s drummer.
And finally, the girl with blonde waves and an aura that screamed popular was Ruby Tanner, the bassist.
But how did they all get into detention?
That’s the question.
Katerina jumped as she heard a knock at her door, quickly wiping the tears away from under her eyes. “Uh.” She started, trying to stop her voice from shaking. “Who is it?”
There was a sigh on the other side of the door. “It’s your mother. Remember me? Breakfast is ready.”
Katerina put on a fake smile. “Yep! I’ll be down in a moment.”
She picked up her phone, and nearly shouted when she saw the time! “Mom!” She screamed. “We’re gonna be late!”
She ran downstairs where her mother was hurriedly putting on her coat. “I know. Your brothers set the clock back again!
” Ignoring her rumbling stomach, she grabbed her coat too and ran out the door, dress flapping around her knees.
“Perfect.” She thought as her mother parked just as the bell rang. “I’m late and my mom is driving me.” She immediately felt guilty for the thought. There was nothing wrong with her mom, but having a parent drive you to school at this age? Embarrassing! “Bye, Mom.” She mumbled, fumbling with the door handle.
“Katerina, wait.” She grabbed Kat’s arm, stopping her.
Kat’s face went red. Now everyone was definitely staring. “Mom, I’m already late.”
Her mother sighs. “Just- just have a good day, okay? Talk to people.”
Kat gave her a small smile before jumping out of the car. Talk to people? Yeah right. Kat couldn’t think of anything more intimidating than talking to the snobby students of Mesa High School that think they’re so good because they attend the school that Lemonade Mouth was formed at.
Kat frowned to herself. They aren’t even that good!
Calloway pulled his sputtery car into the school parking lot, art project literally strapped into the seat beside him.
He admired it for a moment. The way the spikes reflected off the sunlight was borderline heavenly. It was a metaphorical piece representing anarchism, the spikes being people breaking away from societal and governmental norms.
Surely, none of the dimwits of Mesa High would get that, but who cares?
Suddenly, there’s a pounding on the window of his car.
A girl. No, not just a girl. Grace Higgins. Calloway stifled a sigh as he got out of the car, and Grace threw her arms around him, kissing him hard.
He choked against her lips. What the hell? I mean, it was nice. He kisses her back for a few moments before pulling away. “Hey, Grace.” He says, voice strained.
Grace gave him a sly look. “Hey handsome. You look hot today.”
He rubs the back of his neck insecurely. “Uh, I do?”
Grace tiptoes her fingers up his chest. “Yeah.” They stop on his neck. “Yesterday was great.” Her voice is almost at a whisper.
His heart drops at the mention of yesterday. “Sure, yeah it was. Great. It was great.”
“We should do that again sometime.” She shrugs.
Again? No way. Calloway laughs nervously. “Yeah. Again. Sure.”
To his enjoyment, the bell rings. “Well, that’s the bell.” He says awkwardly. “See you Grace.”
“Calloway, wait-“ Grace starts, but Calloway is already halfway across the carpark.
Micah grunts as their lighter went out yet again. “Why won’t this damn thing work?” They mumble to themselves, the cigarette almost falling from their lips.
After many more tries, they give up. “Screw me. Just what I need this morning.”
They shrug it off, deciding to get their spare lighter from their locker before first period.
They straighten up, getting out of the footwell of their car where they were hiding to have a smoke. If a teacher saw them smoking, jeez it’ll be bad.
They check their phone.
Message from Tyler, reading “Did you get the thing?”
Micah scoffs, not having the foggiest idea what “The Thing” is.
But in bold numbers is the time. Micah groans. “Why must school start in five minutes?” They whine to themself.
“Because it does.” Says a voice.
Micah looks up to see Bree at the open window. “Bree. Hi. I thought you broke up with me?”
Bree rolls her eyes. “I did. I’m just here to get my sweater, it’s cold.”
Micah does a mental scan of their messy car. “You see Bree, I would give you your sweater but it’s actually not here.”
“Why isn’t it here?” Bree pinches her temples.
Micah smirks. “I kinda sold it.”
Bree’s face is pure outrage for a moment, before she flips Micah off and leaves.
The bell rings, and Micah sighs, forcing themself out of their car.
Ruby’s mother reapplies her lipstick in the car mirror. “Do you have your spare mascara? You never know when you’ll need one.”
Ruby smiles sweetly. “Yes, mother. I do.” She kisses her on the cheek. “Bye!”
As she leaves, Ruby’s mother shouts “Don’t say bye! You sound like a boy!”
Ruby runs to meet up with her friends, Emmeline and Lily. “Hey, girls.”
“Hey Rubes.” Emmeline says, posture perfect as always. Emmeline’s weekend job is modelling. Literally.
“Hi Ruby. How’d you sleep?” Lily is also drop dead gorgeous, but she’s more of an academic.
The thing that they have in common is that they both are friends with Ruby Tanner.
“I slept alright. Recurring dreams though.” Ruby wrinkles her nose.
Emmeline sighs. “Don’t wrinkle your nose, it’ll crease your makeup.”
Ruby smiles. What would she do without her girls? “God, thank you Em. You’re a lifesaver. I can’t imagine what I would do if Daniel saw me with creased makeup.”
Lily puts her arm around Ruby. “He probably wouldn’t give a damn because you’re gorgeous anyway, and totally gonna be his date to Hoco!”
“You really think so?” She feels herself go red.
Emmeline’s dark hair slaps her neck as she turns to face Ruby. “Oh my god, yes! Daniel would be clinically insane to not ask you to Hoco. You’re so modest, Ruby.”
“And you’re so honest, Emmeline.” Ruby laughs.
Lily puts her arm out, stopping the girls from walking as the bell goes. “Kat in the hat alert! Ew, look at her dress! What is that, Forever 21?”
Ruby bites her lip. Kat in the hat is a stupid nickname, but Katerina does look stupid in that dress of hers. “Yeah! What does she think it is, 2015?”
Emmeline faux gags. “So bad.” Suddenly, her eyebrows raise. “Hey, Rubes. Can you help me with something before 1st period? It’ll be quick.”
Ruby shrugs, nodding. “Sure, why not?”
Mellie sighed happily in her car. Honestly, she was so proud of her outfit today. An embroidered sweatshirt with a pale pink tank top underneath (that would get her dress-coded, but she won’t take the sweater off so who cares?) and flared jeans that she made herself.
But that luck ends as soon as she opens her car door. Mellie’s bag tumbles out, contents falling all across the parking lot.
She feels her face go hot as students around her snicker. “Great start to the day, Mellie.” She mumbles to herself, cursing.
“Do you need help with that?”
Mellie looks up to see Daniel Whitman, this super popular jock. “Yeah, that’d be great thanks.” She smiles.
Daniel gets down, helping her pick up the contents of her bag. “What’s your name?”
Mellie wants to roll her eyes. She’s been in school with him since kindergarten, and he doesn’t know her name? “Mellie.” She says quickly. “Mellie Velásquez.”
Daniel grins at her, and there’s a small gap between his top front teeth. “Mellie. Cool name. It sounds like a name an American Girl doll would have.”
“No actually, there’s one named Nellie but not Mellie.” She says without looking up.
Damn. Now she sounds like a nerd.
She meets Daniel’s eyes, and he’s smiling. “Sorry.” She mumbles. “I used to be obsessed with them.”
Daniel raises an eyebrows as he places her toiletries bag back in her backpack. “Obsessed how?”
She laughs. “Obsessed in the way that I had 15.”
Daniel grimaces. “Jeez. That is obsessed!”
They both laugh, but then Mellie realises there’s nothing else on the floor. “Thanks for the help, Daniel.”
Daniel stands, brushing off his blue jeans. “Anytime, Mellie.” He starts towards the school before stopping and turning toward her. “Also, I love your jeans.”
Mellie’s grin lasts until the evil bell rings a moment later.
Tags: Sickfic, Fluff, Cute Ending, gahhhh i love them, MY SONS, I literally adopted them, they survived boom, phil malkin is french because his actor is jack molloy legault and legault is of french origin so now phil is french, no beta we die like pennywise, Title From a Wolf Alice Song
Word Count: 482
malris sickfic!!!!!!
Teddy’s eyes flicker open, adjusting to his surroundings. The armchair next to the bed, the bathroom door, the sun peeking through the window.
And the best part. Phil, lying beside him, hair messy on the pillow.
Teddy sighs happily. Living with Phil makes him so, so happy. Just seeing his face every morning adds some cement to the hole in his heart that was left when his father and mother kicked him out.
Phil opens his eyes as well, and Teddy immediately notices something off.
He’s paler than usual, and his lips are chapped. His eyebrows are scrunched.
“Are you okay, Phil?” Teddy raises an eyebrow in concern.
Phil groans. “I feel awful. Think I’m sick.” He sits up suddenly, coughing hard.
Teddy sucks in a breath through his teeth. “Gosh, you are sick.” He places the back of his palm on his boyfriend’s forehead. It’s burning up. “I think you have a fever, love.” Teddy says gently.
Phil flops back down onto the mattress. “Noooooooooooooooo.” He pouts. “I never get sick. It’s like, my thing.”
Teddy smiles at his boyfriend. “Well, you’ll have to find a new thing. Do you want some tea for your throat?”
Phil nods sadly.
Teddy gets up and goes to the kitchen, making Phil a cup of tea. Phil’s right, he never gets sick. Not once in the time that Teddy’s known him. And they’ve known each other a while.
Phil was there on Teddy’s first day of kindergarten, talking to him about aliens while Teddy cried silently the whole time.
He was there in the third grade, when Teddy broke his arm on the playground and he had to carry Teds to the ambulance.
He was there in the seventh grade, when Pennywise had kidnapped them both and left that scar on Teddy’s head and they almost-
No.
Teddy shakes the thought out of his head. Don’t think about the clown.
Once the tea is made, Teddy walks back into the room where Phil is asleep. Or at least lying down with his eyes shut tight.
“I have your tea, Malkin.”
Phil sits up with a goofy smile on his lips. “Malkin, huh? One day I’ll get to call you that.” His voice is slurred, like he’s been drinking.
Teddy bites his lip to hold back a smile. “You’re delirious. Drink your tea, okay?”
Phil shoots Teddy a wobbly thumbs up, before taking a sip of his tea.
Teddy flops into the armchair by the bed, watching Phil sip his tea.
“Mmm.” Phil hums. “Mon Teddy?”
Phil looks up. Sometimes when Phil’s really really tired, he’ll slip into French, the language he spoke growing up at home. Teddy knew some of it. “Yeah, Phil?”
“Je t'aime tellement. Je suis complètement hors de moi, mais je voulais que tu le saches.” Phil hums, voice raspy.
Teddy smiles to himself, heart warming. “I love you too, idiot.”
Characters: Mike Wheeler, Will Byers, Troy Walsh (Stranger Things)
Tags: MIWIIIII, Fluff, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Hurt No Comfort, realisationssssss, Mike Wheeler Is Bad At Feelings, Mike Wheeler is A Mess, Bullying, Sad, Pre Stranger Things Season 1, babiesssssss, they are legit so small, only 6, 3 apples tall, no beta we die like mike's happiness
Word Count: 1076
Nancy gives mike an "important" lesson
Mike grab’s Will’s small hand in his, swinging his arm in the air. “Will!” Mike says, grinning. “Wanna come to mine and play DnD after school? My mommy can drop you off!” There’s a gap in his teeth making him speak funny, a slight lisp.
Will giggles, swinging Mike’s arm higher as they walk across the concrete, stride’s in sync. “Yeah! I’ll have to ask my mommy though. She might be at work, or taking care of Jonathan.” Will wrinkles his nose. “He’s sick.”
Mike looks at him with wide, scared eyes. He’s terrified of getting sick. “Are you sick, Will?”
Will wants to cry. He made Mike scared! “I’m not sick. Promise.”
Mike nods slowly, fear leaving his eyes. “Okay!”
Suddenly, there’s a rough push on Will’s back, and he falls back, Mike letting go of his hand just in time. The pavement rips through his jeans, scraping his knee.
Troy sneers as Will starts crying. His knee really, really hurts, and there’s a lot of blood. Will doesn’t like blood. It scares him.
“What were you two lovebird freaks doing?” Troy kicks Will in the shin, making him cry harder.
Mike stands in front of Will’s crumpled body, straightening to his full height which still isn’t as tall as Troy. “Leave him alone, Troy.” Mike growls, fists clenching.
Troy and his goons laugh. “Or what? You guys are gonna hold hands again and use your love powers to make me go away?”
Dang it! Mike can’t punch him, he hates hurting people, and he doesn’t want to scare Will. Also the fact that his punch would do virtually nothing to Troy. Suddenly, he gets an idea.
Mike discreetly gets a pen out of the side pocket of his schoolbag, snapping it between his fingers without Troy noticing.
“Shut up, Troy!” Mike shouts, then he throws the broken pen at Troy’s face.
Troy screams as ink splatters across his face, getting in his eyes, his mouth, his hair. “My eyes!” He shrieks, rubbing blue across his face.
The home bell rings, and Mike grabs Will and runs before Troy can chase them.
Will cries as he limps with Mike, and they run until they get to the steps behind Hawkins Town Library. Will sniffles when he sits down, and Mike grimaces at the scene of his knee.
“I’ll fix you up, okay Will?”
Will nods, wiping his teary eyes with a balled up fist. “M’kay. Please don’t make it hurt.”
Mike gets a first aid bag his mom made him pack out of his schoolbag. “I’ll try, Will. I’ll try.”
As soon as Mike wipes away the blood with an antiseptic wipe, tears spring back to Will’s eyes and he exclaims in pain. “Ow! Mike, it really hurts!”
Mike frowns, upset that he’s making Will sad. “I’m sorry. That was all the hurty stuff. Now we just put on a Band-Aid.”
Mike pulls out a green dinosaur Band-Aid, and Will smiles. “Dinosaurs! I love dinosaurs.”
Mike smiles back, talking softly. “Me too!”
When Will’s all patched up, Mike stands, helping Will to his feet. “You okay?” He asks the smaller boy.
Will nods, grabbing Mike’s hand as they make their way to Mike’s house.
On the way they hold hands, swinging and jumping over cracks and laughing at jokes they give each other and getting scared of the old Creel house. That house is scary. Will buries his head into Mike’s jacket when they pass it, and Mike turns his head away, heart speeding.
Probably from fear.
When they reach Mike’s place, they walk inside. Mike still has to unpack his schoolbag, so he tells Will to meet him downstairs in the basement.
“Okay!” Will grins, getting on his tippy-toes to kiss Mike on the cheek. He runs down the stairs, and just as the door closes, Mike hears a throat clearing.
His older sister Nancy, sitting at the dining table, magazine in hand. “Mike. Why did Will just kiss you? And why were you holding hands?”
Mike rolls his eyes. Nancy is so annoying! “Hello to you too, Nance.”
Nancy sits up straighter, growing visibly angry. “Answer me!”
Mike piles his lunchbox onto the kitchen island, shrugging. “I don’t know. Why not?”
She sighs, walking over to Mike and standing next to him. “Mike, you can’t just do stuff like that?”
“Stuff like what?” Nancy sure can be cryptic sometimes.
Nancy pinches her temples. “Kissing and holding hands with Will. With a boy.”
“Why can’t I do that? Will’s my friend. I love him.” He shrugs.
Nancy shakes her head rapidly, curls circling her face. “No, Mike! You can’t say things like that! The people in this town, they-” She sighs. “-they won’t react well to two boys acting like that. A boy and a girl, sure. But two boys…” She wiggles her hands.
Oh. Mike gets it.
Oh.
What people always call Will. What Lonnie always calls Will.
Fear blossoms in his chest. Does he like Will like that? He doesn’t know. He just knows that he really loves Will, and always wants to be near him. Like holding his hand, and kissing him on the cheek. “We aren’t…” Mike pauses, realising he doesn’t know the proper word. He just knows the mean one.
Nancy nods. “Okay. You have to stop that though. People will talk. You’ll get bullied.”
Mike wants to laugh in her face. They already get bullied. Heaps. And it obviously affects Will, so Mike acts like he’s fine every single time, when really, it hurts him. So much.
When Troy sneers at him, it hurts.
When Troy sneers at Will, it hurts.
Everything hurts.
“Okay. I’m sorry, Nancy.”
Nancy sighs. “Don’t apologise. Just stop.” She sounds like their mother.
He nods wordlessly, scared, confused, hurt by Nancy’s words and the possibility of others.
Would people really say that about him?
He walks down to the basement, plastering on a fake smile before swinging the door open. “Hi, Will!”
Will swings his legs on the couch. “Hello, Mike! Do you wanna play Star Wars?”
And so the boys play Star Wars, making whooshing sounds with their mouths, pushing around spaceships and tiny figures, laughing and talking until Will has to go home.
But in bed that night, that feeling stays.
That scared, confused and hurt feeling.
And 10 years later, when he’s lying in bed, he feels the same thing.
Tags: First Kiss, Love Confessions, teddy and phil survived pennywise, Angst, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Hurt No Comfort, no beta we die like canon malris, pls i need a beta reader, Title From a Dove Cameron Song, Title From a Disney Song, gang the song is true love listen to it
Word Count: 1068
Malris first kiss fic!
Nothing feels right anymore.
Not a single thing, is what Teddy thinks as he pours milk into his cereal, watching the colours from the Fruit Loops swirl around in the bowl like a rainbow tornado. Nothing has felt right since…since It. Teddy shakes the thought out of his head, curls brushing his cheeks. No. That’s impossible. They killed him, he saw Pennywise disappear. But now, why does it still feel like something bad’s gonna happen?
“So stupid…” Teddy mutters to himself, taking a bite of his cereal. His father always said that Fruit Loops were childish, but he loves them.
Suddenly, there’s a knock on the door. Three simple raps.
Teddy groans, dropping his spoon into his bowl and standing, shuffling to the door. It’s probably just one of those door to door sellers again, they’re like pests lately.
But nothing can prepare Teddy for who he sees when he swings open the front door.
Phil Malkin, hands awkwardly in his pockets, blue eyes wide. “Teddy. Hi.” He says.
Teddy feels himself go red, self-consciously flattening his curls. “What are you doing here, Phil? I thought you left.” Phil leaving had torn Teddy in a million pieces, and seeing him again didn’t make him happy. It made him mad.
“Surprise.” Phil waves his hands at shoulder height.
“That’s not an answer.” Teddy mutters.
Phil cranes his neck, staring into the empty living room of the Uris household. “So…can I come in?”
Teddy purses his lips. Letting Phil come in would open the floodgates of those unwelcome thoughts again. The one’s that made him feel gross. But, not letting him in would also open those floodgates, because Phil would be on his mind.
In the end, Teddy decides on being the bigger person and letting Phil in.
Phil plonks down on his usual spot on the couch, as if nothing had changed. As if he hadn’t been gone for a year.
“You never told me why you’re here.” Teddy mutters.
Phil sighs, puffing out his cheeks. “Well, I never left.”
He. Never. Left? Teddy feels himself go red again, with rage this time. “You never left? What the hell? I missed you!”
Phil holds up his hands in surrender. “I’m sorry, okay Teds?” That nickname. “I just…I just needed time.”
“It wasn’t just you who fought It! It wasn’t just you who got kidnapped! It wasn’t just you who almost got murdered!” Teddy’s voice breaks. “You leaving…it hurt me, Malkin.”
A tear slips down Phil’s cheek. Phil never cries. Only once, when he fell off his bike and screwed up his knee so bad he needed stitches. But never once when he was yelled at. Never once when he was legitimately sad. “I know.”
Teddy’s emotions flare, not done yet. “You know? Then why did you cut me off for a whole year? What about our 14th birthday plans? The one where we were gonna go to the arcade for 10 hours straight? Why didn’t you come?” Teddy flexes his hands. “It is dead. You know that. And I know you were distancing yourself from me because of the trauma, but that is just insanely selfish!”
“It’s not because of It.” Whispers Phil.
Teddy has never seen Phil whisper in his life. It’s always yelling, shouting, hollering, grinning, anything but whispering.
Teddy blinks back tears. “Then what is it?”
Phil sucks in a shaky breath. “Teds. You have to promise not to freak out at me, okay? You gotta promise me.”
Teddy’s eyes study Phil’s crestfallen face. “Yeah. I promise.” Unless he did something really bad. Then Teddy can’t be responsible for his actions.
Another tera down Phil’s face. “It’s not because of It at all. It’s because of…of you.”
“What did I do?” Teddy snaps.
Phil’s eyes widen at the implication. “Oh, no sorry! You didn’t do anything.” He looks at his feet. “I have a secret. And it’s really bad. And I could- I could get killed for it. But I have to tell you. I have to tell you because us almost dying was terrifying, and I can’t have you die without you knowing.”
Teddy’s knee bounces. “Phil. You’re scaring me.”
Phil takes a deep shaky breath. “Do you remember that time when we were at the tower, and I asked you if you liked anyone?”
“Yeah.” Teddy confirms. He remembers sweating as he was thinking “I do like someone, idiot. I like you.”.
“And I said no?” Phil bites his lip. “That was a…that was a lie.”
Teddy tilts his head, confused. “What, you like Lilly or something? Margie? Ronnie?” Maybe that’s why he seems so worked up. It would be so weird if he liked Lilly, Margie or Ronnie. They’re like sisters to the two boys.
Phil shakes his head slowly. “Not Lilly or Margie or Ronnie.”
Teddy sighs. He hates guessing games. “Who then?”
Phil bites his lip. “You promised, right? No freaking out?”
Teddy nods, annoyed. “Yes, Phil. I promised.”
Phil is fully crying now. “Teds. I-I like you. Like like.” He puts his head in his hands, shoulders shaking. “I’m sorry, I just needed to tell you.”
Teddy’s head feels light. Phil…likes him? “Phil.” Teddy says softly. “You have a crush on me?” He finds himself asking, not believing Phil.
Phil groans. “You can tell me to leave if you want. You can cut me off. I’m so sorry, Teds.”
Teddy musters up all his courage, grabbing Phil’s hand. “Phil. I like you too. I like you in the way I’m supposed to like girls.”
Phil lifts his head, eyes wide. “What?”
Teddy grins, happy, so happy. “Yeah.”
And surprisingly, Phil laughs, running a hand through his hair. “Wow, uh.” He freezes, biting his lip. “Teds. Can I…”
Teddy nods, knowing what he’s saying. “Yes.”
And with that Phil kisses him softly. It’s both boy’s first kisses, and it’s all they could ever ask for.
Phil pulls away, tears on his cheeks. “I liked kissing you.”
Teddy giggles, embarrassingly girlishly. “I liked kissing you too.”
Teddy’s heart leaps as he gets an idea. “Phil. Will you uh-will you be my boyfriend?”
Phil grins giddily. “Yeah! Yeah, I’ll be your boyfriend!”
The boys kiss again, and at the same time, things have changed beyond repair and things have gone back to normal.
Fandom: Stranger Things (TV 2016), Scream (Movies)
Relationship: Will Byers/Mike Wheeler, Eleven | Jane Hopper/Mike Wheeler, Will Byers/Maxine "Max" Mayfield, Suzie Bingham/Dustin Henderson, Jonathan Byers/Nancy Wheeler
Characters: Will Byers, Mike Wheeler, Eleven | Jane Hopper, Maxine "Max" Mayfield, Lucas Sinclair, Dustin Henderson, Suzie Bingham, Nancy Wheeler, Jonathan Byers, Martin Brenner, Jim "Chief" Hopper
Tags: Inspired By Scream (Movies), Horror, Slasher, Alternate Universe- 1990s, Blood and Violence, Mild Gore, Ghostface Mask (Scream), No Beta We Die Like Ghostface, Kissing
Word Count: 1876
The gang find out about Suzie and Dustin's deaths.
Max types at her laptop, word after word, one step closer to her homework being done. Finally.
Thunder rumbles outside, and she sighs as if to tell the thunder to stop. It is very annoying.
Suddenly, there’s a scraping noise outside her window, and she stands, flattening her nightgown to go inspect it. What the hell?
All of a sudden, a head pops through her window, and she screams.
The figure lays a hand on her arm. “It’s just me.”
Max rolls her eyes. It’s her boyfriend, Will Byers. “Will, what are you doing here?” She whispers so her father won’t hear.
Will pulls himelf through her window, his light brown hair catching the moonlight. “Sorry. Don’t hate me.” He looks her up and down, furrowing his brows. “You sleep in that?”
Max crosses her arms over her chest, annoyed with her boyfriend. “Yes, I sleep in this.” She pinches her temples. “My dad is in the other room!”
Will shrugs. “I’ll just stay a sec.”
There’s a loud knock on her door and she freezes, holding Will still. “Go, go, go!” Max sprints to the door, and her father opens it in the way that it gets stuck on her open closet door, leaving it the slightest bit ajar.
Her father squints suspiciously. He hates Will, despite him being the sweetest boy ever. “What’s going on in there?”
“Can you knock?” Max asks.
“I heard screaming.” His voice is gruff.
“No you didn’t.” Max lies.
“No?” He forces his hand through the small gap, swinging closed the closet door and fully opening Max’s door.
She prepares herself for being yelled at when she realises…it’s empty.
“Oh well.” He sighs. “I’m hitting the sack. My flight leaves tomorrow morning.” He leans on the doorframe. “The expo runs all weekend, I won’t be back till Sunday. There’s cash on the table, and I’m staying at-“
“The Hilton.” Max finishes, having heard this speech a million times.
He nods, smiling. “Okay, kid. Call if-“
“I need anything. Got it.”
“I could’ve sworn I heard screaming.” He questions yet again.
Max shrugs before kissing him on his cheek. “Have good trip, okay?”
He squeezes her shoulder. “Sleep tight, kid.”
As soon as he closes the door, a plushie pops up from beside her bed. “Oh! Close call!” It says in a squeaky voice.
Max sighs as Will stands, brushing off his jeans. “Will, what are you doing here?”
Will places the plushie on her bed, sitting. “Well, it occurred to me that I’ve never snuck through your bedroom window like they do in cheesy movies.”
Max places a finger over her lips, reminding hip to keep it down. “Right, and now that you’ve got it out of your system…”
“I was home watching television. The Exorcist was on.” He continues like nothing happened. “It got me thinking of you.”
Max scoffs, watching him poke around her room. “It did?”
He stays turned to her shelf. “Yeah. It was edited for TV, you know? All the good stuff was cut out, and it got me thinking of us.” He turns to her, green eyes nervous and hands wringing. “You know, two years ago we started off hot and heavy, nice solid R rating on our way to an NC-17. But now, things have changed and lately it just feels like we’ve been edited for television.”
He steps closer to her, towering over her. Max smiles. “Oh, so you thought you would climb through my window and we’d have a little raw footage?”
He laughs awkwardly, running a hand through his light hair. “No, no. I wouldn’t dare break your rules.” He lowers his voice. “I just thought we could do some more, you know, top of the clothes stuff.”
Max grins. “Ok.”
Will raises his eyebrows as if he didn’t expect Max to say yes. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.” Max brushes a curl away from in front of his eye.
And his lips are on hers, moving in a rhythm only known to them. Max creeps her hand up to his neck, deepening the kiss.
Will carefully lays her down on her back, kissing her softly, making sure not to overstep any boundaries. He pulls away slightly, smiling. “Hey.” He says awkwardly.
"Hey.” Max whispers.
Will kisses her again, grabbing her hand softly between them.
Max laughs against his lips, pushing him away by his scrawny chest. “Okay, okay. Time’s up, stud bucket.” She snickers.
They sit up and Will sighs, smiling goofily. “You see what you do to me?”
Max laughs, running a hand through her hair. “You know what my dad will do to you?”
Will grimaces. “Yeah.” He takes steps backwards toward the window, eyes fixed on Max. “I’m going.”
“Ok.” Max manages through a grin.
Will sneaks one more kiss before one of his legs is out the window.
Max stops him. “I appreciate the romantic gesture.”
Will smiles, sweetly. “About the uh, only kissing stuff, I’m not trying to rush you at all. I was only half serious.”
Max laughs. “Ok.” She places a hand on his shoulder, and leans down for one last kiss.
And with that, Will climbs down and out the window, back into the night.
Max bites her lip when he leaves. Gosh, what is she gonna do with him?
A police radio blares outside Hawkins High School, news reporters flooding there like ants to a fallen popsicle.
As Max walks by, a reporter talk to the camera about how all students are high and involved in the occult. She scoffs. Likely story, but if a reporter says it, it’ll sell.
Max stops when she sees popular reporter, Nancy Wheeler. “Two young teenagers were found brutally murdered. Authorities have yet to issue a statement, but our sources tell us that no arrest has been made.”
“Do you believe this crap?”
Max jumps at the voice behind her, but she relaxes when she realises it’s just her best friend, El Hopper. “El! What is going on?” Max doesn’t bother to hide the confusion from her voice.
“You don’t know?” El leans closer.
“No!” She shakes her head.
As they walk, El lowers her voice. “Suzie Bingham and Dustin Henderson were killed last night.”
Max scoffs, unbelieving. “What? No way!”
El nods, raising her eyebrows. “And we’re not just talking killed, we’re talking splatter movie killed. Ripped open from end to end.”
Max’s mind races. Killed? “Suzie sits next to me in English.”
El shrugs. “Not anymore. It’s so sad, her mom and dad found her hanging from a tree, her insides on the outside.”
Max rubs the back of her neck, stunned. “Oh my god. Do they know who did it?”
El throws her hands up as they ascend the steps into school. “Freaking clueless! They’re interrogating the entire school, teachers, students, janitors.”
“They think it’s school related?” Max asks.
“They don’t know.” She sighs. “Jonathan’s saying this is the worst crime in years, even worse than-“ She catches herself quickly. “It’s bad.”
The bell rings, and the girls walk into the building and to class.
In English, everyone is eyeing the empty seat beside Max. Suzie’s seat.
Suddenly, Max hears her name. “Max.” Mr Clarke says. “It appears to be your turn.” Max piles her books in her bag, sneaking one more look at Suzie’s chair before leaving.
“Who’s up next?” Asks Principal Higgins.
Jonathan Byers reads the sheet. “Max Mayfield.”
Principal Higgins freezes. “She was daughter of, um-“ Before he can finish, Max enters the office. She sits, greeting the officers. “Sheriff Callahan. Jonathan.”
Jonathan crosses his arms. “That’s Deputy Byers today, Max.”
“How is everything?” Asks Callahan.
Max nods quickly. “Good.”
“And your dad? How’s he doing?”
Max smiles, saying. “We’re fine. Thanks.”
Principal Higgins clears his throat. “We’re going to keep this very brief, Max. The police just have some questions. You ok?”
Max’s stomach twists. “Mhm.”
Then the questions start.
“Max, were you very close to Suzie Bingham?” Asks Callahan.
Over the PA, Principal Higgins recites something or other about “Staying Safe!” And “Your principal loves you!”. It’s cheesy as hell, but the cheerleaders and jocks eat it up.
Will, Max, El, Mike and Lucas sit on the bench outside the fountain. “They asked me if I knew Casey.” El states.
Mike cranes his neck over El’s shoulder. “Did they ask you if you like to hunt?”
Will sighs. “Yeah.”
El furrows her brows. “Hunting? Why would they ask you if you like hunting?”
Lucas shrugs. “Cause their bodies were gutted.”
Will shudders. “Thank you, Lucas.”
“They didn’t ask me if I liked to hunt?” Says El, confused.
Mike laughs. “Cause there’s no way a girl could’ve killed them.”
El scoffs at her boyfriend. “That is so sexist. The killer could be female. Basic Instinct.” She lists off.
Lucas pops a grape in his mouth. “That was an icepick. Not the same thing.”
“Suzie and Dustin were completely hollowed out.” Mike states. He kisses El on the cheek before continuing. “It takes a man to do something like that.”
“Or a man’s mentality.” El counters.
“How do you…gut someone?” Max asks, voice quavering.
For a moment, no one speaks. “You take a knife.” Mike finally says. “And you slit them from groin to sternum.”
Max flinches, and Will shoots Mike a look. “Hey, it’s called tact, you idiot.”
“Hey Mike, didn’t you use to date Suzie?” Max changes the subject before the boys start arguing.
Mike shrugs. “Yeah, for like 2 seconds.”
Lucas leans in, grinning. “Before she dumped him for Dustin.”
El folds her arms over her chest. “I thought you dumped her for me?”
Mike glares at Lucas. “I did, Lucas is full of lies.”
Lucas raises his eyebrows, leaning back. “And are the police aware that you dated the victim?”
Mike puts his arm around El, snickering. “What are you saying, that I killed her?”
“It would certainly improve your high school Q.”
El laughs. “Mike was with me last night, okay?”
Mike nods, confirming. “Yeah, I was.”
Lucas tilts his head to the side. “Is that before of after he sliced and diced?”
“Screw you, Lucas.” El growls playfully. “Where were you last night?”
“Working, thank you.” He says, sitting up straighter.
El scoffs. “Oh, at the video store? I thought they fired you.”
“Twice.” Lucas says proudly.
Mike sighs, squinting against the sun. “I didn’t kill anybody.”
“Nobody said you did.” Snaps Will.
Mike and Will never snap at each other.
Mike beams at Will. “Thanks, buddy.”
“Besides.” Says Lucas in a stupid surfer-boy voice. “It takes a man to do something like that.”
Mike rolls his eyes. “I’m gonna gut you in a second, kid.”
Lucas makes his voice go high and tinny, like a little girl’s. “Tell me! Did you really put her liver in the mailbox? Cause I heard they found her liver in the mailbox, with her spleen and her pancreas.”
El slaps him on the knee as he stands. “Lucas, you idiot, I’m trying to eat!”
Mike nods loosely. “She’s getting mad, Lucas. You better liver alone!” He snickers at his own joke. “Liver alone!”
Max kisses Will quickly, before standing up and leaving.
Will his Mike on the chest. “What?” Mike says. “Liver alone? It was a joke.”
Fandom: Stranger Things (TV 2016), Scream (Movies)
Relationship: Will Byers/Mike Wheeler, Eleven | Jane Hopper/Mike Wheeler, Will Byers/Maxine "Max" Mayfield, Suzie Bingham/Dustin Henderson, Jonathan Byers/Nancy Wheeler
Characters: Will Byers, Mike Wheeler, Eleven | Jane Hopper, Maxine "Max" Mayfield, Lucas Sinclair, Dustin Henderson, Suzie Bingham, Nancy Wheeler, Jonathan Byers, Martin Brenner, Jim "Chief" Hopper
Tags: Inspired By Scream (Movies), Horror, Slasher, Alternate Universe- 1990s, Blood and Violence, Mild Gore, Ghostface Mask (Scream), No Beta We Die Like Ghostface, Kissing
Word Count: 2984
In Hawkins, Indiana, there's a killer going around, murdering high school students. But the catch is, they wear a mask. A Ghostface mask.
The phone rings loudly, its regular annoying metallic tone. Suzie sighs, picking it up and placing the receiver to her ear. “Hello?” She asks.
A deep-voiced man on the other side replies. “Hello?”
Suzie furrows her brows, confused. “Yes?”
“Who is this?” The man asks, sounding confused.
Suzie smiles. Probably dialled a wrong number. “Who are you trying to reach?”
The man waits a beat, before asking “What number is this?”
Suzie fidgets with the cord, growing annoyed. “What number are you trying to reach?”
“I don’t know.” The man replies.
“Well, I think you have the wrong number.” Suzie sighs.
“Do I?”
Suzie shrugs as if the man can see her. “It happens. Take it easy.” She places the phone back down, and doesn’t even get three steps before it’s ringing obnoxiously again. She groans, picking it up. “Hello?”
“I’m sorry, I guess I dialled the wrong number.” The same man says chillingly.
Suzie scoffs. “So why’d you dial it again?” She’s too smart to deal with this man’s games.
“To apologise.” The man says.
Suzie squints in confusion. What is he playing at? “You’re forgiven. Bye now.”
Just as she’s about to hang up, the man stops her. “Wait, wait. Don’t hang up.” He says.
“What?” Suzie asks more to herself than anyone else.
“I want to talk to you for a second.”
She shakes her head in disbelief. “They’ve got 900 numbers for that. See ya.” And with that, she hangs up, sighing.
Suzie walks to the kitchen, very clear plan for the night laid out in front of her. She’s gonna make popcorn, watch a scary movie, maybe invite Dustin around. She turns on the stove, placing the Jiffy Pop package over the flame and taking off the wrapping. She sighs happily. Her favourite food of all time is popcorn, whether it be gourmet or Jiffy Pop. Just as she tears it off, the phone rings.
Reluctant and annoyed, she picks it up. “Hello.” She says for the third time that night, snappier than usual.
“Why don’t you want to talk to me?” It’s none other than the man. The man who won’t quit harassing her!
She grabs salt off the counter to sprinkle on the popcorn. “Who is this?”
“Tell me your name and I’ll tell you mine.” He snarls cryptically.
She rolls her eyes. This dude is such an idiot. “I don’t think so.”
“What’s that noise?” He asks as she shakes the Jiffy Pop pan.
“Popcorn.” She replies.
“You’re making popcorn?” He asks, almost in disbelief.
“Uh huh.”
“I only eat popcorn in the movies.”
She’s tempted to reply with “Who asked?”, but she holds the snark in. “I’m getting ready to watch a video.”
“Really? What?” He asks, seemingly intrigued.
“Oh, just some scary movie.” She says lightly, making her way over to the kitchen island and fiddling with a knife in the block.
“You like scary movies?” He asks.
She smiles. Maybe he wasn’t all bad to talk to. “Uh huh!”
“What’s your favourite scary movie?” He drawls.
“Uh, I dunno.” She says, thinking. When you watch this many scary movies, you begin to lose track of your favourite.
“You have to have a favourite.” He demands. “What comes to mind?”
She thinks, picking a random one off the top of her head. “Um…Halloween. You know, the one with the guy in the white mask who walks around and stalks babysitters.”
“Oh yeah.” He says it more as a statement than a question.
“What’s yours?” Suzie asks.
“Guess.”
Suzie rounds the corner of the counter, grabbing her videos from the tabletop. “Nightmare on Elm Street?”
“Is that the one where the guy had knives for fingers?” The man inquires.
Suzie walks down the hallway, aimlessly. “Yeah, Freddy Krueger.”
“Freddy. That’s right.” The man says as if recalling an old memory. “I liked that movie. It was scary.”
Suzie tests the locks on the doors, making sure they’re working. “Well, the first one was, but the rest suck.”
“So, you got a boyfriend?” He asks, completely changing the subject.
Suzie decides not to tell him about Dustin. She doesn’t know why she does that, but it feels right. “Why, you wanna ask me out on a date?”
“Maybe. Do you have a boyfriend?”
“No.”
“You never told me your name.” What is it with this guy and changing the subject?
“Why do you want to know?” Suzie says, walking through the living room and placing the videos on top of her TV.
“So I know who I’m looking at.”
Suzie freezes, blood running cold. Looking at? “What did you say?” She forces out, voice barely a whisper, fear stealing all her volume.
A dog barks in the distance as he answers. “I want to know who I’m talking to.” He puts emphasis on the word “talking”.
“That’s not what you said.” Suzie says firmly, trying to disguise her fear as suspicion.
“What do you think I said?” The man asks playfully.
Suzie turns on the backyard light, squinting her eyes against the glare. Empty.
“What?” The guy asks again when she doesn’t answer. “Hello?”
Suzie scoffs. This guy is just bluffing, but her heart still feels like it’s being hit with a defibrillator. “Look, I gotta go.”
“Wait. But I thought we were going to go out?” The man demands.
“Well, no. I don’t think so.” Her voice shakes as she locks the back door.
Suddenly, the man shouts. “Don’t hang up on me!”
But Suzie does just that, pressing the button to end the call.
She walks into the dining room, trying to steady her breathing, when the unthinkable happens.
The phone rings. “Damn.” She whispers to herself, fear climbing up her chest. “Yes?” She asks, praying it isn’t the man.
“I told you not to hang up on me.” He growls.
She blinks back tears, sighing. “What do you want?”
“To talk.”
“Well, dial someone else, okay?” She hangs up, walking to the kitchen to get her popcorn while wiping away tears. The phone rings and she freezes, heart skipping a beat. “Listen, idiot-“ She yells into the receiver.
“No, you listen! You hang up on me again I’ll gut you like a fish, understand?” He yells back aggressively. He laughs maniacally.
Suzie wipes away another tear, the fear creeping further and further, almost at her throat in a scream. “Is this some kind of joke?”
“More of a game, really.” He growls. “Can you handle that…four eyes?”
The fear bursts then, and she screams. How does he know she wears glasses! Slipping in her socks, she sprints from door to door, locking and relocking, locking and relocking, tears smearing her makeup.
When she gets to the front door, the man speaks again. “Can you see me?”
Her eyes, blurry with tears, scan the front porch from the window. Nothing. “Listen!” She yells, voice shaking. “I am two seconds away from calling the police!”
“They’d never make it in time.” He sneers. “We’re out in the middle of nowhere.”
She hates that he’s right. The nearest police station is 20 minutes away. “What do you want?” She cries.
“To see what your insides look like.”She doubles over, crying loudly, screaming. With shaking hands, she hangs up.
But not even a second later, the doorbell rings, and she screams. “W-who’s there?”
No answer.
“Who’s there!” She asks again. “I’m calling the police!” She yells.
But before she can dial 911, the phone rings again, and she screams, voice raw. She answers, putting the phone to her ear.
“You should never say who’s there. Don’t you watch scary movies? It’s a death wish.” The man. “You might as well come out here to investigate a strange noise or something.”
“Look.” She says between cries. “You’ve had your fun now so I think you’d better just leave or else!”
“Or else what?” The playful tone to his voice is beyond terrifying.
“Or else my boyfriend will be here any second, and he’ll be mad when he finds out!” She squeezes her eyes shut.
“I thought you didn’t have a boyfriend?”
“I lied!” She shrieks. “I do have a boyfriend and he’ll be here any second so you better be gone!”
“Sure.” He says, unbelieving.
“I swear!” She cries out. “HE GETS IN FIGHTS AT SCHOOL AND HE WINS AND HE’LL BEAT THE HELL OUT OF YOU!”
“I’m getting scared!” He snarls sarcastically. “I’m shaking in my boots.”
“So you’d better just leave…” She whispers weakly, crying too hard to speak.
The man laughs. “His name wouldn’t be…Dustin, would it?”
Suzie freezes, heart dropping, palms growing sweaty. “H-how do you know his name?”
“Turn on the patio lights…again.”
She doubles over, crying, screaming, praying for the man to leave her alone. But too scared to disobey, she turns on the light.
And there is Dustin, bound to a chair, duct tape over his mouth, bleeding from multiple different wounds. His Hellfire club shirt is dark red and his curls are matted with blood. “Oh god!” She screams, unlocking the door.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you!” Warns the man, and she immediately locks the door back up, fear getting the better of her.
“Where are you! Where are you!” She screams, pounding on the glass door.
“Guess!” The man says playfully.
“P-Please don’t hurt him…”
“That all depends on you.”
“Why are you doing this?” She cries, fiddling with her brown curls.
He answers immediately. “I want to play a game.”
“No!” She shakes her head roughly.
He shouts, “Then he dies right now!”
She pounds on the glass again, heart hurting. “No! No!”
“Which is it?” He snaps.
Dustin’s eyes are full of fear. Pure, raw fear.
She makes up her mind, shaking. “Well, what kind of game?”
“Turn off the light. You’ll see what kind of game.”
There’s nothing she wants to do less than turn off the lights, but it’s either do that or Dustin dies.
“Just do it!” He screams at her.
Dustin screams muffled protests at her, but what else can she do. She doesn’t want to die! And in a quick, life changing movement, the lights are flicked off.
“Here’s how we play.” The voice starts.
Suzie slides down the wall on her back, crying too hard to think straight.
“I ask a question. If you get it right, Dustin lives.” He continues calmly.
She unplugs a cord, the lamp behind her going out. “Please don’t do this…”
“Come on, it’ll be fun.”
“P-please…”
“It’s an easy category.”
“Please!” Suzie pleads again.
“Movie trivia.” He reveals. I’ll even give you a warm up question.”
“Don’t do this, I can’t!” Suzie blubbers. The fear has climbed all over her body, jumping and pounding and colouring outside the lines.
“Name the killer in Halloween.” He demands, ignoring Suzie’s protests.
“No!” Screams Suzie, too scared to answer.
“Come on! It’s your favourite scary movie, remember?” He reminds her. “He had a white mask, he stalked the babysitters…”
“I don’t know!”
“Come on, yes you do!”
“No, please!” Somewhere in the back of Suzie’s mind, she knows that pleading won’t work, but she’s too scared to admit that reality.
“What’s his name?”
Steadying her breath is an impossible feat by now.
“Dustin’s counting on you.” He threatens.
“Michael!” She cries out. “Michael Myers!”
“Yes! Very good.” He praises. “Now for the real question.”
“No!” Suzie screams out, in a ball on the floor.
The man tuts. “But you’re doing so well? You can’t stop now.”
Suzie chokes a sob out. “Just leave us alone!”
“Then answer the question.” His voice is rough. “Same category.”
“Please stop.” She sobs.
“Name the killer in Friday the 13th.” He demands.
Suzie’s eyes widen. She knows this! “Jason!” She screams at the receiver. “Jason! Jason!”
He clicks his tongue. “I’m sorry. That’s the wrong answer.”
Her heart sinks to her stomach. “No it’s not! No it’s not, it was Jason!”
“Afraid not! No way.”
She stands and grits her teeth, fear mixing with rage. “Listen, it was Jason! I saw that movie 20 god-damn times!”
“Then you should know Jason’s mother, Mrs Voorhees, was the original killer! Jason didn’t show up until the sequel. I’m afraid that was a wrong answer.”
Suzie drops back down to her knees. “You tricked me.”
“Lucky for you, there’s a bonus round.” He says happily. “But poor Dustin, I’m afraid he’s out!”
When the patio lights come back on, there’s Dustin.
Stomach slit open, insides pouring out.
Suzie screams pounding on the door.
The man laughs over the phone. “Hey. We aren’t finished yet.”She puts the phone back to her ear shakily.
“Final question.” He states. “Are you ready?”
“Please…” She whispers, losing hope. “Please leave me alone.”
“Answer the question and I will.” He says simply. “What door am I at?”
She bites her tongue to hold back a cry. “What?”
“There are two main doors to your house.” He explains. “A front door and the patio doors. If you answer correctly, you’ll live. Very simple.”
Suzie grabs an envelope blade off the nearby desk, white-knuckling the handle. “Don’t do this! I can’t! I won’t!”
“Your call.” He says slowly.
Suddenly, a patio chair flies through the doors, glass smashing over Suzie. She screams, running as fast as she can, socked feet getting cut on broken glass. She stops when she gets to the kitchen, grabbing a knife from the knife block, and barely noticing the on-fire Jiffy Pop.
She backs away from the counter silently, trying to get a good look at the hallway.
And when she does, she sees a cloaked figure sprinting through her house.
Her breath catches, and she holds back a scream. She’s gonna live. She’s determined.
Silently, she tilts the handle on the kitchen door, closing herself outside the house, praying the cloaked man doesn’t hear the door click shut.
After catching whatever breath she can, she slowly, carefully, peers around to look through the door.
And there’s the man. In a black cloak, a ghost face mask, running through the kitchen. A tear slips down her cheek.
There’s lights in the distance. Headlights, she notices with a start. She wouldn’t dare yell out to the car, so she prays silently that they’ll swerve onto her lot, that they’ll be her saviour.
She peers back through the doors, and the man runs by. She holds her breath, before rushing past the door and dropping to her hands and knees, crawling beneath the windows. Slowly, slowly, she stands.
And becomes face to face with the man.
She screams holding the knife up, and he grabs her wrist, pulling her inside. But before he can, she smashes him in the face with the phone, breaking free and sprinting across her back lawn to the car. To safety.
She pauses by Dustin’s body, choking out another sob, her terrified eyes meeting his wide, staring ones.
She keeps running, but before she can get to the car, there’s a force on her body, pushing her to the ground.
The man jumps out the window, tackling her.
She screams, getting up, running as fast as she can away from the cloaked man.
Then there’s a hand around her mouth.
And she screams against his gloved palm as the knife sinks into her chest, cutting through flesh like it’s a slice of cake.
He twists the knife before pulling it out, dropping Suzie to the ground.
She cries, harder than she’s ever cried, the blood gushing out from her chest to her collarbone to her neck with every pump of her heart. Her still beating heart.
As he goes to bring the knife down again, Suzie screams, hitting it out of his hand and across the lawn.
The car is parked now, but she doesn’t have much time to think about it before the man’s hands are around her neck, her vision going spotty. She chokes out cries and breaths, and somehow, she musters up the strength to kick the man off her body.
Her parents get out of the car, walking up the steps, talking about something or other.
Suzie’s eyes widen, as she flips over onto her chest, standing up and running across the grass. “Mom!” She tries to scream, but it comes out faint, tortured.
There’s a hand on her back and she falls to the deck, the Ghost-masked man looming over her, the loss of blood making her feel woozy.
As he raises the knife, she places a hand to his mask, tugging it off.
And the knife comes down.
“Suzie?” Her father asks, inside the destroyed house. Fire in the kitchen, broken windows, door ajar.
Her mother runs into the kitchen in her heels, trying to extinguish the fire. “God, oh god!” She throws the Jiffy Pop in the sink. “Suzie!” She screams. “Suzie!” She runs out of the kitchen, almost colliding with her husband who grabs her shoulders. “Where is she?” She demands as if he has the answers.
“Call the police.” He says frantically.
“What?” Sobs Suzie’s mother. She picks up the phone, dialling 911, but it doesn’t ring.
The phone’s already in use.
“Suzie, baby?” Her mother asks the phone.
Her father runs upstairs, screaming “Suzie! Suzie are you up here? Suzie!”
A groan sounds from the phone, and her mother screams. “She’s here! Suzie’s here!”
When her father puts it to his ear, it cuts out. But he believes her. “Get in the car.” He says, voice shaking. “Drive down to the Mackenzies.”
She shakes her head in disbelief. “No…not my daughter…”
“Just go!”
“Not my daughter!” She sobs.
He opens the door for her with shaking hands. “Call the police.”
But as soon as she gets outside, the world shatter and she screams.
Hanging from a tree, is Suzie. Gutted, Insides dragging on the floor beneath her, neck broken, blood pooling, eyes wide and staring.
Tags: They/Them Pronouns for Macroburst (Incredibles), POV First Person, POV Alternating, Supers (Incredibles), NSA | National Supers Agency (Incredibles)
Word Count: 1503
Stratogale saves Municberg from an armed robber!
“Have you seen Jessica?” Mallory hisses.
I shrug. “I don’t know. Have I?”
Mallory rolls her eyes. “Skirt rolled to her thighs? Full face of makeup? Hickeys on her neck?” She crosses her arms, leaning her full weight on her locker. Which probably isn’t a lot, this girl goes on diets every second week.
The image of Jessica pops into my mind. “Right. Her. What about her?”
Mallory scoffs. “Other than the fact that she’s dressed like a complete minx?”
I spy her across the hall, talking to her dreamboat boyfriend, Scott. “Yeah, I guess she does look pretty minxy. But your point being?”
“Yesterday she looked like every prim and proper schoolgirl our mommies want us to be. Today, she looks like that. What changed?”
I shrug. “I don’t know. Can we not gossip about her? She’s nice.”
She narrows her eyes. “Scott did that to her. I can feel it.”
“Mallory!” I grab her shoulders, facing her toward me. “Stop it, okay? Whatever Jessica did or didn’t do isn’t our business, so just drop it!” I bite my tongue as soon as I stop. I didn’t for that mean to come out so harsh.
Mallory’s green eyes are wide for a second before she sighs. “Sorry. Whatever.” Suddenly, she gasps, slamming her locker shut.
“Jeez, Mallory! What?”
She lowers her voice. “Celeste, don’t look now, but Dennis is totally checking you out!”
My cheeks burn. “Yeah, I think all hope of him not noticing we’re staring died when you slammed your locker.”
I turn and wave to a staring Dennis.
He comes over to us.
Just to be clear, I don’t like Dennis. Mallory thinks I do, but Mallory also thinks Gamma Jack blew her a kiss once. She’s delusional with a capital D.
“Hey, Celeste. Mallory.” He’s tall, muscular from playing football and has an impeccably styled head of brown hair. Dating him would be my ticket to popularity, but the thing is, I don’t want popularity.
“Hi Dennis. How are you?” I grit my teeth to stop myself from screaming at Mallory to stop poking me in the back.
“Oh, you know. And you?”
I know? What do I know? “I’m swell.”
He quirks his eyebrows. Gosh, he needs to stop trying so hard. “So. Celeste Brooks.”
His habit of calling me by my full name is an annoying one. “Yes?”
He takes a step closer, and I can smell his cologne. My temple pinches, a headache brewing from the smell. “How would you feel if I took you to a movie?”
Not even asking. Gosh, guys like these take 10 rejections and still think a girl wants them. Well, about to be 11. “No thanks.”
His smile drops. “No?” I take a step out of the vicinity of his cologne.
“No. Sorry.”
He furrows his brows, muttering something under his breath before stalking away.
Mallory hits me hard with her book. “Why’d you say no? He’s a total dreamboat!”
I groan. “I wish he’d leave me alone. He’s not a dreamboat, he’s totally square.”
She shrugs, taking my arm as we walk to lunch. “Y’know, maybe square is a good thing for you. You need to get out more! Go to parties, go on dates, kiss.”
I hiss. “Shut up! I’d rather the whole school didn’t know I’ve never kissed anyone, thanks.”
Mallory isn’t a cheerleader, but she still does all sorts of social stuff. She dresses trendy, today she’s wearing a pale yellow blouse with a plaid skirt down to her shins and white sneakers. She goes to parties, and she’s been kissed. More. Than. Once.
Sure, social norms disgust me, but it wouldn’t be a bad thing to be, I don’t know, wanted.
She sticks her tongue out at me. “You could be kissed if you went out with Dennis. And I’m sure he’s great at it too.”
I crinkled my nose. “I’d rather kiss a guy who’s never kissed anyone before, it feels gross to touch someone’s lips that have already been touched by someone else’s lips.”
She cocks her head, blonde curls tickling my shoulder. “Honey, that ship has sailed. Everyone’s had some backseat bingo.”
“If you say it like that it just sounds outright gross.”
She grins. “It’s not! Who doesn’t wanna be made out with while South Pacific plays on a vandalised screen in the background?”
I raise a hand. “Me. It’s me. I don’t want that.”
She unlinks her arm from mine, closing her hand around the doorknob of a nearby classroom. “Well, that’s the best you’re gonna get in Municiberg. Bye, I have student council.”
I pout. Mallory is the queen of extracurriculars, which is cool, but can be annoying when I just want to talk. “Boo.”
She waves goodbye. “Bye, hon.”
I raise a hand as a goodbye, and just as she leaves, my bracelet buzzes.
Oh no. Oh gosh, oh no! I quickly slip into the girls bathroom.
There’s a girl applying makeup at the basin, and as soon as she leaves, I lock myself in a stall and place the bracelet to my ear. “Crime in the town square. Thief. He’s armed.”
I run a hand through my hair. “What the hell am I gonna do?” I whisper to myself. I can’t just walk out of this bathroom as Stratogale, everyone’ll know that straight A student Celeste Brooks is a Super!
My eyes float up to the small window at the top of the bathroom wall. It’s small, but it’ll have to do.
I pull off my sweater, shirt and skirt, supersuit already underneath. I unzip my bag, getting out my (perfectly compact) boots and gloves, pulling them on. Finally, I snap on my mask, and I’m Stratogale. Flight, super strength and the ability to talk to birds, which has surprisingly come in handy once or twice.
I pull the window off its hinges, thanking the lord that I’m slim as I shuffle through the gap.
When I jump, I don’t hit the ground, I levitate. That took a while to get used to when my powers first surfaced, but I love it now. If I could fly anywhere, I could.
I learnt the geography of Municiberg long ago, you kinda need that skill if you’re a super. It’s not like my bracelet comes with GPS. Although, I’m sure Edna Mode could incorporate one if she wanted. That would be awesome.
As I approach the park, I can hear shouts and gunshots. I flinch. I may be super, but gunshot wounds can still kill me.
A familiar figure floats up beside me. “Hey, ankle biter.” Gamma Jack flies carelessly, smirking at me.
“Shut up. I’m 17, not 6.” Mallory’s obsessed with him, the swoop blonde hair, the blue eyes, the 6 pack, but in reality, he’s annoying as hell.
Gamma Jack shrugs. “Whatever. You can’t drink, so you’re an ankle biter.”
“I hardly think that’s a reliable measure on what is and isn’t an ankle biter.” I roll my eyes.
He yawns. “A what?”
I raise my eyebrows. “Go back to high school.”
He smirks irritatingly again. “What if we’re in the same classes? That would really suck.”
I give him the finger, before speeding off toward the crime. Something good about my powers is that I can fly up to 250 miles per hour- faster than Gamma Jack.
I observe from above for a few moments, before dropping down to the grass, right in front of the man.
He points his gun at me. “Don’t make another move, girlie. Or you’ll be sorry.”
I click my tongue. “I think I should be saying that to you.” And before he can press the trigger, I punch him as hard as I can and he goes flying back into a tree.
There’s blood on the tree, and a track of crimson running from his temple to his eyebrow. His eyes are closed.
Another super’s shadow crosses his body. Elastigirl. Short and curvy, Elastigirl can become super stretchy, reaching things that are super far away. “Is he out?”
I nod. “Cold.”
Hypershock strides over, looking drunk. As usual. “The cops are on their way. Make sure he doesn’t run.” He slurs.
Elastgirl and I share a look. “Drunk.” We say at the same time.
She laughs, and I do the same. As the youngest super in the NSA, there aren’t really a lot of people who want to deal with “the kid”. But with Elastigirl, it seems like she actually enjoys spending time with me, despite our age gap.
The cops come after a few minutes, slapping the criminal to wake him up, taking his gun and shoving him in a squad car.
One of them, a balding man, shakes Elastigirl’s hand. “Thank you so much, Elastigirl.”
Elastigirl shakes her head. “No, it wasn’t me. You should be thanking Stratogale here.” I
smile and wave. The officer looks stunned for a moment, before shaking my hand. “Thank you so much, Stratogale. You saved Municiberg.”
