Stan Howard

great scott! (part of ste rp)

[stanthefred]

STANLEY 'STAN' FREDRICK HOWARD

"I believe in time travel, and not just because I watched Back To the Future."

Age: 16 Pronouns: he/him Occupation: None though he's trying to apply for Family Video Stanley “Stan” Howard is the kind of Hawkins kid who seems like he should have it all figured out — extroverted, loyal to a fault, and always ready to help someone else before himself. But with his older siblings gone and the house feeling emptier than ever, he’s slipped into a quiet rebellious streak: slipping grades, bad decisions, and a growing sense that he doesn’t quite fit anywhere. Nerdy enough to get teased, normal enough not to stand out, Stan walks the halls of Hawkins High feeling both seen and invisible, desperate to prove he’s more than the labels people throw at him. Underneath the jokes and bravado, though, is a boy who’s scared everyone secretly hates him, who hides crushes he doesn’t know how to talk about, and who’s deeply unsettled by the strange shadows and Echoes that follow him. Joining Hellfire made him a “freak” by association, but it also gave him a place to belong — even if he’s still figuring out who he is. Sensitive to the Upside Down and wary of the supernatural, Stan tries to follow his sister’s advice and ignore the weirdness… but Hawkins has a way of refusing to be ignored.

ABOUT:

stan howard was born to lindsay serena howard, a homemaker and leonard sean howard, lawyer to the mayor of hawkins. he is the 4th oldest of 6 kids.

stan is a bit of nerd, he loves watching movies, no matter the genre, and has posters of The Godfather, Back to the Future, and Star War: A New Hope. (which he argues is the best one)

his favorite drink is root beer floats and his favorite food is pizza

he is considered a creep through association to his older sister connie but since people think she's a witch and will cast spells on him, they tend to leave him alone

he is going through a rebellious phase, and once smoked weed but caught (his sister was blamed though, and he felt bad, so he bought her a record by abba which she had been saving up for)

he plays dnd as druid or paladin

tba

[abuickandbloodyknuckles-ste]

continued from here @stanthefred

Conrad let out a snort, arching his eyebrow at Stanley, "If you seriously think me yelling at you and calling you dumb like 3 times makes me seem like a nice guy, then I don't think there's too much hope for you, Stan." Conrad said, actually laughing as the younger boy called him a teddybear. "I can and will punt you out of the woods, dude. Don't test me." But the words had a more joking tone to them than actual threat, and Conrad let out a sigh. "Connie has her own shit to deal with, from what I hear and see. She doesn't need me talking to her about my life." Conrad then tensed, upon hearing Oscar would be coming by for summer break. "It's a free country, he can come if he wants to." Conrad muttered, before looking at Stanley like he'd just asked the dumbest question yet. "Stan, buddy- no." Conrad said, enunciating the word as he grabbed his bottle of vodka and moved to stuff it underneath his back seat. "Listen I don't know what shit Oscar has said to you about it, but he and I aren't talking anymore. He's got his life in LA, and I've got my life here until I can get the fuck out. High school is over for us, man- we gotta move past it." Conrad said, sniffing and crossing his arms over his chest.

[stanthefred]

Stan shrugged. "Suit yourself,"

He went to his bike. "Just so you know, Connie is always open to conversation. I personally think she also needs to talk to someone right now, but whatever. You should still come by. I dunno...might be cool...if not to hang out with Oscar, maybe with Connie. Don't tell her I said this, but she totally needs more friends,"

[abuickandbloodyknuckles-ste]

Continued from here @stanthefred

Hearing how Stan got the cast on his arm brought a smile to Conrad's face that was downright fond, as he watched the glowing red tip of his cigarette leave an orange glow against the slowly growing evening gloom. "See, that's what I call an 'adventurous' choice. Being dumb for what seems like a good reason. Sounds a lot better than admitting we're stupid and reckless, right?" Conrad asked, before shrugging. "Well, don't go up to basically a stranger with shitty assumptions, and you'll do a lot better. Easy mistake to make and even easier not to repeat." Conrad said, before wincing as he heard what Stan thought might've caused Connie's reputation. "Oh...oh damn, yeah. That would definitely do it." Conrad said, biting back some more mean words. Ones of disbelief on how anyone could think accusing someone of a decades-old murder was going to earn them anything but scorn. "Looks like making shitty assumptions runs in the family, huh? Still, shitty people are holding it against her even now. I mean, it was majorly bogus to say, but it's not like we haven't all done some stupid shit we wish we could take back." Conrad reasoned, arching an eyebrow at hearing that Oscar had mentioned him. Mentioned him 'a lot', apparently. Interesting, very interesting. "Oh yeah? Well, Oscar and I would hang sometimes. Him being basketball captain, our groups would hang sometimes." He said with a shrug, taking another puff from his cigarette. One that ended in him falling into a proper coughing fit upon Stan finishing his thought. "What the fuck is with you and saying warped shit, dude?!" Conrad asked, face red from a mixture of trying to catch his breath and the blood running to it. Oscar had thought he was- He'd said he would've done- Conrad wasn't religious, but what in god's name was this kid smoking to say that shit?? "What even the fuck brought that up? And why would your brother talk to you about the guys he wanted to...to you know?!" Conrad asked, the prior fondness and amusement in his eyes cooling as he stubbed out his cigarette (he'd hoked on smoke enough for the next week, with how this kid talked.) "Look, you really can't joke like that, Stanley. It's fucked up. People get hurt over that shit." Conrad said, tone more serious than it almost ever was, even though the alcohol induced haziness. Swallowing some nerved, Conrad turned his face away, toying with a piece of grass before talking again. "And I mean...even if it WASN'T a joke, why the fuck do you wanna bring it up to me? Like, what was the plan for me to do with that information?" Conrad asked.

Already, his mind was playing back the times he had talked with Oscar. They'd been cordial with one another, exchanging hellos in the hallway and congratulations when games went well. He'd remembered hear the faintest of whispered rumors, about Oscar maybe not being into girls, or at least not ONLY girls. Conrad had heard the talk but brushed it off. There was no way he'd believe the other swung that way. Fuck, if ANYONE in Hawkin's swung that way, they seemed to make it a point to not advertise it. Which was the smartest thing Conrad could think to of- this wasn't Hollywood or some big city. ...but Oscar had moved to California after graduation, a year before Conrad, when he was 18 and just finishing the seemingly never ending growth spurt that had him feeling like a giraffe. To a place Conrad wanted to get to, where he wouldn't feel so cramped in both body and spirit.

And once or twice, Conrad had felt this...this vibe, when he and Oscar would talk. One he would shove down and ignore, because he knew it was just his own bizarre fucked up head trying to trick him into thinking someone as smart and talented as Oscar would ever... "...oh my fuck. You're serious, aren't you Stanley?"

[stanthefred]

Stan watched silently as the realisation seemed to dawn on COnrad's face. "Why would I joke about that? Even Connie is into girls. She's much more hidden about it though. Only Oscar and I know about it. She told him secretly, and he encouraged her to tell more people she trusts little by little," Stan picked at his cast, which was slightly itchy. "Oscar had a crush on you, he told Connie," he added.

Stan looked up from his cast. "You're probably wondering why I'm telling you all this."

He paused, considering whether or not to tell Conrad his assumption. Oscar had confided in him about his theory (as Connie put it) that Conrad might be interested in guys. "He asked about you," Stan slowly said. "Said that he thought you might be also interested in guys. Which is totally cool,"

[abuickandbloodyknuckles-ste]

Conrad could only shake his head, looking at Stanley with the strangest mix of confusion and something like fear.

“You…you really aren’t a smart kid, are you?” Conrad muttered, the words said in a tone lacking malice.

Shockingly, Conrad couldn’t find it in him to be angry at the younger male. No, there wasn’t room for answer. Not just yet.

“Do you actually want you and your sister to be treated like shit? Like, are you in some fucked up contest to see how much random and damning stuff you can say, before you manage to get someone who’s crazy enough to do something drastic to you guys?” Conrad asked. He dug his fingers into the denim of his jeans, and his dark eyes seemed to search Stanley’s for some sign of…he wasn’t even sure.

Self preservation or grasping the severity of the stuff he was saying or just anything that’d let Conrad feel like the kid could know when to stop talking. "Connie keeps it quiet because you're SUPPOSED to keep it quiet. Because people will look at you like you're a fucking walking disease and make your life a living hell!" Conrad said, before getting to his feet, stumbling a bit. "And does Connie know that you're going around jus-jus-just telling people all about that? Is that something she'd fucking cool with, you spreading stuff that could get her hurt to some random alcoholic you found screaming in the woods?" Conrad asked. And he knew he shouldn't be talking like this- Stan was just some kid who didn't know better. But he just couldn't handle it. The whispers and the lack of sleep and the memories and the fact that some guy who he forced himself to believe never looked at him really WAS looking at him. And also apparently told his little brother he wanted to sleep with him and who's little brother was now just going to random screaming weirdos to share the good news. Conrad was unraveling. "Yeah Stanley, I would REALLY fucking appreciate knowing why you're telling me all this." Conrad said, pacing from one tree to the next in some bid to keep himself from completely losing his cool (as it he had much left.) "And it's not enough, for you to go sharing your sibling's shit. No, now you wanna bring me into it. Bring up how Oscar thought I was a fucking queer too." Conrad could feel his eyes getting damp, and he brought his hand up to try and brush the returning moisture away. "If Oscar wanted to know, he should've asked himself. Or better yet, realize that Hawkins isn't a fucking safe place for that shit and never will be. But I guess he forgot, now that he got out. He forgot and now he's got you just going around asking people stuff that you shouldn't." Conrad said. Then, in frustration, he kicked the trunk of a tree. Nothing happened (other than Conrad's foot now hurting) but he at least felt less like grabbing the kid by the collar and giving him a good shake. "...get lost, Stanley. I think I've had enough company for today."

[stanthefred]

Stan shrugged, oddly calm despite Conrad's rage. "I mean..I trust you. I know you won't tell anyone about it. Obviously, I wouldn't tell Steve or like I dunno....my parents about it,"

"Besides," he got more comfortable. "Why care what other people think? Oscar doesn't."

He could tell Conrad was starting to unravel, but Oscar said it was 'internalised homophobia' meaning that people hated themselves for being gay. Which he found stupid.

"Oscar did want to call you, but he said you never answered his calls," Stan said.

He flinched when Conrad kicked the tree, but didn't move. Not even when Conrad told him to get lost.

He opened his arms and hugged him, patting his head.

"It's okay to be angry,"

[abuickandbloodyknuckles-ste]

"You don't fucking KNOW me, Stanley. I'm some guy who you saw in the hallway sometimes." Conrad said, running a hand down his face, feeling mentally exhausted. "Like dude, it's sweet you think I'm trust worthy. But that is SUCH a bad way to go through life. You gotta make people earn your trust. Giving it away is how you get assholes you fuck up your life." Conrad pulled his hands away from his face, arching an eyebrow, "Seriously? You trust a random guy screaming in the middle of the woods before you trust the fucking golden boy of Hawkins?" Conrad asked in a deadpan voice, before shaking his head. "Yeah well, most people give a shit what other people think. Even people who say they don't. That's just what we tell ourselves so we don't go crazy thinking about how much people might hate us." Conrad said, and he glared at the mention of Oscar. "Oscar doesn't live in the real world, Stanley. Sounds like California cooked his fucking brain." "Oscar did want to call you, but he said you never answered his calls,"

Those words caused Conrad to visibly flinch, something like guilt crossing his face. He looked away, staring at the dirt. "It wasn't safe to have Oscar calling. Dad would've picked up the phone and made a whole thing about it. He already didn't like us even talking at school." Conrad explained, before letting out a huff. "And then, the dude leaves. He just up and leaves and goes to California of all the places. Fucker couldn't have gotten far enough away if he wanted to." Oh, there was the hurt. Low and thick in Conrad's voice, like he was trying not to let his voice crack with how much he felt.

"We were friends, and he was just...just gone." Conrad felt arms wrap around him, and his body stiffened. He looked down at Stanley, only seeing the top of a mop of curly brown hair. After a moment, Conrad let out a sigh and deflated, defeat on his face. "You're a real pain in the ass Stan, you get that right." Conrad said. Reaching up to lightly swat away the hand patting his hair, Conrad nevertheless allowed Stan to continue the hug for another couple seconds, before gently pushing the other away. "Good thing it's okay then, because I am angry. Kind of all the time." Conrad said, moving to sit on the Doorene's hood once more and bringing a hand to his eyes. Don't Fear The Reaper was now playing from the cassette player Conrad had sitting in the passenger seat, and the tones of his favorite band and potential favorite song began to sooth Conrad's hurting heart. Just a little bit. "Look, uh...thanks. Like, you still canNOT be just shooting off about your siblings shit like that and you can't be going up to random people and saying 'hey, my brother thought you were gay, are you?' at them...but I appreciate you were just trying to be like...supportive, or whatever." Conrad said, keeping his dark eyes away. He didn't like the aftermath of people seeing him lose his cool, at least not when he ended up having to try and apologize for it.

[stanthefred]

Stan laughed aloud. "Ha, you must think I'm an idiot if I tell people that Oscar is gay. Nope. I only told you cause you seem like a nice guy.

He pointed his finger at him. "Don't try to deny it. I'm sure behind all that assholery, you're a teddy bear,"

Stan slid off the car. "Look, I might be younger than you, but it's always good to talk to someone. Connie's available. Oscar is swinging by for summer break, so you should stop by."

[abuickandbloodyknuckles-ste]

Continued from here @stanthefred

Hearing how Stan got the cast on his arm brought a smile to Conrad's face that was downright fond, as he watched the glowing red tip of his cigarette leave an orange glow against the slowly growing evening gloom. "See, that's what I call an 'adventurous' choice. Being dumb for what seems like a good reason. Sounds a lot better than admitting we're stupid and reckless, right?" Conrad asked, before shrugging. "Well, don't go up to basically a stranger with shitty assumptions, and you'll do a lot better. Easy mistake to make and even easier not to repeat." Conrad said, before wincing as he heard what Stan thought might've caused Connie's reputation. "Oh...oh damn, yeah. That would definitely do it." Conrad said, biting back some more mean words. Ones of disbelief on how anyone could think accusing someone of a decades-old murder was going to earn them anything but scorn. "Looks like making shitty assumptions runs in the family, huh? Still, shitty people are holding it against her even now. I mean, it was majorly bogus to say, but it's not like we haven't all done some stupid shit we wish we could take back." Conrad reasoned, arching an eyebrow at hearing that Oscar had mentioned him. Mentioned him 'a lot', apparently. Interesting, very interesting. "Oh yeah? Well, Oscar and I would hang sometimes. Him being basketball captain, our groups would hang sometimes." He said with a shrug, taking another puff from his cigarette. One that ended in him falling into a proper coughing fit upon Stan finishing his thought. "What the fuck is with you and saying warped shit, dude?!" Conrad asked, face red from a mixture of trying to catch his breath and the blood running to it. Oscar had thought he was- He'd said he would've done- Conrad wasn't religious, but what in god's name was this kid smoking to say that shit?? "What even the fuck brought that up? And why would your brother talk to you about the guys he wanted to...to you know?!" Conrad asked, the prior fondness and amusement in his eyes cooling as he stubbed out his cigarette (he'd hoked on smoke enough for the next week, with how this kid talked.) "Look, you really can't joke like that, Stanley. It's fucked up. People get hurt over that shit." Conrad said, tone more serious than it almost ever was, even though the alcohol induced haziness. Swallowing some nerved, Conrad turned his face away, toying with a piece of grass before talking again. "And I mean...even if it WASN'T a joke, why the fuck do you wanna bring it up to me? Like, what was the plan for me to do with that information?" Conrad asked.

Already, his mind was playing back the times he had talked with Oscar. They'd been cordial with one another, exchanging hellos in the hallway and congratulations when games went well. He'd remembered hear the faintest of whispered rumors, about Oscar maybe not being into girls, or at least not ONLY girls. Conrad had heard the talk but brushed it off. There was no way he'd believe the other swung that way. Fuck, if ANYONE in Hawkin's swung that way, they seemed to make it a point to not advertise it. Which was the smartest thing Conrad could think to of- this wasn't Hollywood or some big city. ...but Oscar had moved to California after graduation, a year before Conrad, when he was 18 and just finishing the seemingly never ending growth spurt that had him feeling like a giraffe. To a place Conrad wanted to get to, where he wouldn't feel so cramped in both body and spirit.

And once or twice, Conrad had felt this...this vibe, when he and Oscar would talk. One he would shove down and ignore, because he knew it was just his own bizarre fucked up head trying to trick him into thinking someone as smart and talented as Oscar would ever... "...oh my fuck. You're serious, aren't you Stanley?"

[stanthefred]

Stan watched silently as the realisation seemed to dawn on COnrad's face. "Why would I joke about that? Even Connie is into girls. She's much more hidden about it though. Only Oscar and I know about it. She told him secretly, and he encouraged her to tell more people she trusts little by little," Stan picked at his cast, which was slightly itchy. "Oscar had a crush on you, he told Connie," he added.

Stan looked up from his cast. "You're probably wondering why I'm telling you all this."

He paused, considering whether or not to tell Conrad his assumption. Oscar had confided in him about his theory (as Connie put it) that Conrad might be interested in guys. "He asked about you," Stan slowly said. "Said that he thought you might be also interested in guys. Which is totally cool,"

[abuickandbloodyknuckles-ste]

Conrad could only shake his head, looking at Stanley with the strangest mix of confusion and something like fear.

“You…you really aren’t a smart kid, are you?” Conrad muttered, the words said in a tone lacking malice.

Shockingly, Conrad couldn’t find it in him to be angry at the younger male. No, there wasn’t room for answer. Not just yet.

“Do you actually want you and your sister to be treated like shit? Like, are you in some fucked up contest to see how much random and damning stuff you can say, before you manage to get someone who’s crazy enough to do something drastic to you guys?” Conrad asked. He dug his fingers into the denim of his jeans, and his dark eyes seemed to search Stanley’s for some sign of…he wasn’t even sure.

Self preservation or grasping the severity of the stuff he was saying or just anything that’d let Conrad feel like the kid could know when to stop talking. "Connie keeps it quiet because you're SUPPOSED to keep it quiet. Because people will look at you like you're a fucking walking disease and make your life a living hell!" Conrad said, before getting to his feet, stumbling a bit. "And does Connie know that you're going around jus-jus-just telling people all about that? Is that something she'd fucking cool with, you spreading stuff that could get her hurt to some random alcoholic you found screaming in the woods?" Conrad asked. And he knew he shouldn't be talking like this- Stan was just some kid who didn't know better. But he just couldn't handle it. The whispers and the lack of sleep and the memories and the fact that some guy who he forced himself to believe never looked at him really WAS looking at him. And also apparently told his little brother he wanted to sleep with him and who's little brother was now just going to random screaming weirdos to share the good news. Conrad was unraveling. "Yeah Stanley, I would REALLY fucking appreciate knowing why you're telling me all this." Conrad said, pacing from one tree to the next in some bid to keep himself from completely losing his cool (as it he had much left.) "And it's not enough, for you to go sharing your sibling's shit. No, now you wanna bring me into it. Bring up how Oscar thought I was a fucking queer too." Conrad could feel his eyes getting damp, and he brought his hand up to try and brush the returning moisture away. "If Oscar wanted to know, he should've asked himself. Or better yet, realize that Hawkins isn't a fucking safe place for that shit and never will be. But I guess he forgot, now that he got out. He forgot and now he's got you just going around asking people stuff that you shouldn't." Conrad said. Then, in frustration, he kicked the trunk of a tree. Nothing happened (other than Conrad's foot now hurting) but he at least felt less like grabbing the kid by the collar and giving him a good shake. "...get lost, Stanley. I think I've had enough company for today."

[stanthefred]

Stan shrugged, oddly calm despite Conrad's rage. "I mean..I trust you. I know you won't tell anyone about it. Obviously, I wouldn't tell Steve or like I dunno....my parents about it,"

"Besides," he got more comfortable. "Why care what other people think? Oscar doesn't."

He could tell Conrad was starting to unravel, but Oscar said it was 'internalised homophobia' meaning that people hated themselves for being gay. Which he found stupid.

"Oscar did want to call you, but he said you never answered his calls," Stan said.

He flinched when Conrad kicked the tree, but didn't move. Not even when Conrad told him to get lost.

He opened his arms and hugged him, patting his head.

"It's okay to be angry,"

[abuickandbloodyknuckles-ste]

Continued from here @stanthefred

Hearing how Stan got the cast on his arm brought a smile to Conrad's face that was downright fond, as he watched the glowing red tip of his cigarette leave an orange glow against the slowly growing evening gloom. "See, that's what I call an 'adventurous' choice. Being dumb for what seems like a good reason. Sounds a lot better than admitting we're stupid and reckless, right?" Conrad asked, before shrugging. "Well, don't go up to basically a stranger with shitty assumptions, and you'll do a lot better. Easy mistake to make and even easier not to repeat." Conrad said, before wincing as he heard what Stan thought might've caused Connie's reputation. "Oh...oh damn, yeah. That would definitely do it." Conrad said, biting back some more mean words. Ones of disbelief on how anyone could think accusing someone of a decades-old murder was going to earn them anything but scorn. "Looks like making shitty assumptions runs in the family, huh? Still, shitty people are holding it against her even now. I mean, it was majorly bogus to say, but it's not like we haven't all done some stupid shit we wish we could take back." Conrad reasoned, arching an eyebrow at hearing that Oscar had mentioned him. Mentioned him 'a lot', apparently. Interesting, very interesting. "Oh yeah? Well, Oscar and I would hang sometimes. Him being basketball captain, our groups would hang sometimes." He said with a shrug, taking another puff from his cigarette. One that ended in him falling into a proper coughing fit upon Stan finishing his thought. "What the fuck is with you and saying warped shit, dude?!" Conrad asked, face red from a mixture of trying to catch his breath and the blood running to it. Oscar had thought he was- He'd said he would've done- Conrad wasn't religious, but what in god's name was this kid smoking to say that shit?? "What even the fuck brought that up? And why would your brother talk to you about the guys he wanted to...to you know?!" Conrad asked, the prior fondness and amusement in his eyes cooling as he stubbed out his cigarette (he'd hoked on smoke enough for the next week, with how this kid talked.) "Look, you really can't joke like that, Stanley. It's fucked up. People get hurt over that shit." Conrad said, tone more serious than it almost ever was, even though the alcohol induced haziness. Swallowing some nerved, Conrad turned his face away, toying with a piece of grass before talking again. "And I mean...even if it WASN'T a joke, why the fuck do you wanna bring it up to me? Like, what was the plan for me to do with that information?" Conrad asked.

Already, his mind was playing back the times he had talked with Oscar. They'd been cordial with one another, exchanging hellos in the hallway and congratulations when games went well. He'd remembered hear the faintest of whispered rumors, about Oscar maybe not being into girls, or at least not ONLY girls. Conrad had heard the talk but brushed it off. There was no way he'd believe the other swung that way. Fuck, if ANYONE in Hawkin's swung that way, they seemed to make it a point to not advertise it. Which was the smartest thing Conrad could think to of- this wasn't Hollywood or some big city. ...but Oscar had moved to California after graduation, a year before Conrad, when he was 18 and just finishing the seemingly never ending growth spurt that had him feeling like a giraffe. To a place Conrad wanted to get to, where he wouldn't feel so cramped in both body and spirit.

And once or twice, Conrad had felt this...this vibe, when he and Oscar would talk. One he would shove down and ignore, because he knew it was just his own bizarre fucked up head trying to trick him into thinking someone as smart and talented as Oscar would ever... "...oh my fuck. You're serious, aren't you Stanley?"

[stanthefred]

Stan watched silently as the realisation seemed to dawn on COnrad's face. "Why would I joke about that? Even Connie is into girls. She's much more hidden about it though. Only Oscar and I know about it. She told him secretly, and he encouraged her to tell more people she trusts little by little," Stan picked at his cast, which was slightly itchy. "Oscar had a crush on you, he told Connie," he added.

Stan looked up from his cast. "You're probably wondering why I'm telling you all this."

He paused, considering whether or not to tell Conrad his assumption. Oscar had confided in him about his theory (as Connie put it) that Conrad might be interested in guys. "He asked about you," Stan slowly said. "Said that he thought you might be also interested in guys. Which is totally cool,"

[abuickandbloodyknuckles-ste]

Conrad's car lay underneath him, his back sprawled out over the hood as he stared up at the sky. Burnin' For You played from his car's speakers as Conrad's copy of 'Fire of Unknown Origin' ran through it's tracks, muffling the start of the evening insect's chorus as the sun started to dip low in the sky and create shadows among the trees. He's come to park his car out here in the woods, taking a dirt road he was sure had to be known even if it looked like the best way to get to a Pet Semetary. Hopefully no undead cats came to get him. Or undead toddlers. Yeah, undead toddlers would definitely be worse. Taking a sip of his drink (a heinous thing Conrad concocted by mixing powered ice tea mix into half a bottle of bottom shelf vodka because he'd not felt like buying better drink making supplies) Conrad looked around the clearing. He'd come to it in hopes of finding some reprieve from the whispers (he probably should just swallow his pride and go to a doctor to see if he had some kind of fucking tumor or brain eating amoeba or some shit.) And while the whispers were quiet for now, other things had taken their place to haunt him. Dark eyes went distant, as memories from what felt like a lifetime ago played inside his head. Doors slamming and the sound of shouting. The glitter of broken beer bottle glass as sun shone through a dusty window. A suitcase and a promise made by a woman with the same eyes as him, one that'd be broken within 2 years. Being 14 and hanging out with a boy who was a friend of a friend, watching him laugh and seeing how his eyes sparkled like actual sapphires in a way that made Conrad feel the strangest mix of excitement and what had been confusion that slowly turned into dread. The feel of a hand on his cheek and a mouth on his with chapped lips that tasted like bubblegum and everything he'd wanted. Seeing the same mouth kissing a girl who's name he never bothered to find out and pretending it didn't feel like betrayal. A montage of papers with D+ written across the tops. The voice of the man he once thought would keep him safe telling him they were leaving behind everything to go somewhere new but the same. No one will ever stay. They all leave. You're the constant problem. Of course it couldn't stay quiet for long. "Fuck off." Conrad hissed, as he hard the whisper. It felt a little different today- less inside his skull and more sitting below his ear, almost like a breath or the faint scratching of fingers in just how close. You can't run from the truth of it Conrad. People are worse with you around. It's not your fault. You were just born wrong. Crooked. "I said fuck off!" No one can blame you for being how you are. Stupid and wrong and empty. Like a pretty vase with nothing inside but curled up spiders. That's why mom left. That's why he hurts you. That's why you should just- "SHUT THE FUCK UP!"

Conrad's voice was nearly a scream, as he scratched at his shoulder. As though maybe he could physically rip away the voice, make it go away. His nails left red lines in his neck and shoulder, not enough to drip blood but enough to leave shallow cuts that stung. The pain was grounding enough to force Conrad to stop before he did something worse, but not enough to make the voices stop. It only seemed to shift, now settling behind Conrad. Not touching, but still unnerving in how close it's invisible presence was. You can't escape. We live inside the vase. You can lie to everyone but us, Conrad. We see you. "Please..." Conrad's voice was shakey, weak and watery and scared. The presence was gone, and Conrad was almost more unnerved by how quickly it left. Conrad looked around, as though trying to find what had caused it to go. When he saw the answer, he felt his blood go cold. He wasn't alone in the clearing. Someone had showed up. Someone real. He quickly scrubs his eyes with the back of his wrist, sniffing hard and plastering a smile on his face. "Hey there. Heh, sorry, I didn't notice anyone else was here." Conrad said, screwing the lid back on his drink and letting it fall to the leaf littered ground as he leaned back on his palms, tilting his head to the side. His hasty scrubbing hadn't stopped the puffiness from forming around his eyes, nor did it take away the small wobble in his tone. Conrad prayed the other wouldn't mention either thing. "Guess I was living in my own head for a sec there. I just was, um, I was..." Conrad's words slowly trailed off, as his smile fell from his lips. "...please don't tell anyone you saw me out here. I just...I needed a break."

open @sterpstarters

[stanthefred]

Stan had been minding his own business. He had decided to take a shorter way home, which cut through the windows, when he had heard the screaming. He quickly biked to the source of the noise and saw some dude absolutely petrified.

"Yeah, sure, man. But are you ok? I mean, you sounded pretty terrified. I thought you saw like a monster or something?"

[abuickandbloodyknuckles-ste]

Seeing the boy looking at him from his spot next to his bike, Conrad felt his heart squeeze with guilt. Fuck, he probably freaked the kid out with his screaming. Sniffing, Conrad offered a single, sharp nod, "Yeah Stan, I'm fine. I just...just got spooked by something. Overreacted, you know?" Conrad said, letting out a soft scoff at the idea of a monster. "I thought your sister was the horror junkie. Nah dude, there's no monsters. Not here anyways." Conrad said, before his eyes softened. "But uh, I didn't mean to scare you. I mean, I didn't mean to get scared period, but I especially didn't want to like, scare anyone else with my noise." Conrad said, before letting out a groan and bringing a hand to rub his eyes. "Fuck, I shouldn't have drank that shit." Conrad groaned, moving to sit on the ground, his back resting against his front bumper as he rubbed a hand along his neck and shoulder. Damn, those scratches really did sting. What the fuck had he gone and done that for?

[stanthefred]

"Connie? Yeah, that's my sister. Witch Bitch Howard," Stan said, narrowing his eyes. "And watch what you say about her. At least she's not an alcoholic who screams at unknown things,"

He watched Conrad move to the ground, his expression slightly. He went to sit next to him. After a moment of silence, he turned to him. "You know, my older brother Oscar, you probably knew him, he was captain of the basketball team before graduating in '84, anyway, he always said that people shouldn't keep things all bottled up. Or else one day they'll explode and harm themselves or others." Stan paused before adding. "He's studying psychology,"

[abuickandbloodyknuckles-ste]

"Yeeeah, because horror junkie is definitely worse than 'Witch Bitch'" Conrad said, voice oozing thick sarcasm as he arched an eyebrow at the younger boy. "And nah. Your big sis isn't an alcoholic. She just smokes weed in parking lots with alcoholics, which is so much healthier. Get off your high horse Stan, before you get bucked off." Conrad said. His voice didn't sound too angry though, more like exhausted. He had NOT gotten enough sleep to deal with this kid at all. Conrad shifted his eyes to the kid, letting out a hum, "Yeah, I knew Oscar." Conrad confirmed, listening as the other went on his spiel about his brother's knowledge on psychology. It was sweet. But it was also not what Conrad felt like he needed to hear, which led him to frown at the kid as he took a cigarette from the pack he kept in his pocket. "Look, I appreciate whatever you're trying to do here Sam. And Oscar's probably not wrong, especially if he was smart enough to get into shrink school. But let me make something clear." Conrad took a drag, letting it out slowly and taking a deep breath of fresh air afterwards before looking back at the teen. "This thing, what you're doing right now? It's gross. I know you're trying to be helpful, but it's not coming across like you want it to. And if you tried this with me like 2 years ago, I probably would've tried to kick your ass, good intentions or not." Conrad said, the words not unkind even as he could feel the frustration trying to roll off him like waves off the shore. "You gotta learn how to talk to people dude. It's not just your message, but how you give it. And let me tell you, I don't think coming at someone calling them a screaming alcoholic has helped almost anyone want to do anything. Other than make them scream at the person saying it and then drink more, I mean."

[stanthefred]

Stan frowned at him. "Well, you're an asshole," he replied. "But I like living in danger, and I'm also really bored. Tell me about yourself. How do you know my sister anyway?"

[abuickandbloodyknuckles-ste]

Conrad let out a laugh, "Oh, I am absolutely an asshole. But most people wouldn't say that, because I usually know how to talk to people. You're just seeing me at a rare low point." Conrad said, looking out at the tree line. "I see her around when I go for movies at Family Video. I actually gotta go get A Nightmare on Elm Street here tomorrow or the day after that, before she tries bogarting it again." Conrad answered easily, shrugging his shoulders, "But I heard of her before. People at school would talk about her. Say the same shit you just did, that whole 'Witch Bitch' thing." Conrad said, rolling his eyes. "Guess I got some comfort, knowing shitty smalltown gossip exists everywhere you go. Really made transitioning here easy." Conrad said with a derisive snort that ended up on his coughing on his own smoke, reaching over to take another sip of his drink and hissing as the vodka burnt on the way down. "That...is fucking awful." Conrad said, putting the cap on and rolling the bottle away from them both, before looking at the shorter boy curiously. "...you know liking danger is probably a good way to get yourself killed, right?" Conrad asked after a moment, bringing a hand up to scratch the back of his head, finding a leaf that had fallen into it and flicking it away. "Not that I should talk, since I was totally doing the same shit. But still- doesn't mean it was smart."

[stanthefred]

Stan stared at him before holding up his arm, which was in a cast. "I don't do smart things. I fell off my roof trying to save the cat."

He lowered his arm. "I only called her Witch Bitch cause I thought you wanted to make fun of her. Everyone does it. I dunno why though. Probably cause when we first moved, she got really into true crime and accused the butcher of being the Black Dahlia murderer,"

"My brother Oscar mentioned you a lot, too," he said, looking at Conrad for a second. "Mentioned you were cute..and that he'd totally do you,"

Stan waited for his reaction. His older brother, Oscar, had always been more open-minded than most. Stan had met his boyfriend when his parents sent him and Connie to LA for the break.

[abuickandbloodyknuckles-ste]

Conrad's car lay underneath him, his back sprawled out over the hood as he stared up at the sky. Burnin' For You played from his car's speakers as Conrad's copy of 'Fire of Unknown Origin' ran through it's tracks, muffling the start of the evening insect's chorus as the sun started to dip low in the sky and create shadows among the trees. He's come to park his car out here in the woods, taking a dirt road he was sure had to be known even if it looked like the best way to get to a Pet Semetary. Hopefully no undead cats came to get him. Or undead toddlers. Yeah, undead toddlers would definitely be worse. Taking a sip of his drink (a heinous thing Conrad concocted by mixing powered ice tea mix into half a bottle of bottom shelf vodka because he'd not felt like buying better drink making supplies) Conrad looked around the clearing. He'd come to it in hopes of finding some reprieve from the whispers (he probably should just swallow his pride and go to a doctor to see if he had some kind of fucking tumor or brain eating amoeba or some shit.) And while the whispers were quiet for now, other things had taken their place to haunt him. Dark eyes went distant, as memories from what felt like a lifetime ago played inside his head. Doors slamming and the sound of shouting. The glitter of broken beer bottle glass as sun shone through a dusty window. A suitcase and a promise made by a woman with the same eyes as him, one that'd be broken within 2 years. Being 14 and hanging out with a boy who was a friend of a friend, watching him laugh and seeing how his eyes sparkled like actual sapphires in a way that made Conrad feel the strangest mix of excitement and what had been confusion that slowly turned into dread. The feel of a hand on his cheek and a mouth on his with chapped lips that tasted like bubblegum and everything he'd wanted. Seeing the same mouth kissing a girl who's name he never bothered to find out and pretending it didn't feel like betrayal. A montage of papers with D+ written across the tops. The voice of the man he once thought would keep him safe telling him they were leaving behind everything to go somewhere new but the same. No one will ever stay. They all leave. You're the constant problem. Of course it couldn't stay quiet for long. "Fuck off." Conrad hissed, as he hard the whisper. It felt a little different today- less inside his skull and more sitting below his ear, almost like a breath or the faint scratching of fingers in just how close. You can't run from the truth of it Conrad. People are worse with you around. It's not your fault. You were just born wrong. Crooked. "I said fuck off!" No one can blame you for being how you are. Stupid and wrong and empty. Like a pretty vase with nothing inside but curled up spiders. That's why mom left. That's why he hurts you. That's why you should just- "SHUT THE FUCK UP!"

Conrad's voice was nearly a scream, as he scratched at his shoulder. As though maybe he could physically rip away the voice, make it go away. His nails left red lines in his neck and shoulder, not enough to drip blood but enough to leave shallow cuts that stung. The pain was grounding enough to force Conrad to stop before he did something worse, but not enough to make the voices stop. It only seemed to shift, now settling behind Conrad. Not touching, but still unnerving in how close it's invisible presence was. You can't escape. We live inside the vase. You can lie to everyone but us, Conrad. We see you. "Please..." Conrad's voice was shakey, weak and watery and scared. The presence was gone, and Conrad was almost more unnerved by how quickly it left. Conrad looked around, as though trying to find what had caused it to go. When he saw the answer, he felt his blood go cold. He wasn't alone in the clearing. Someone had showed up. Someone real. He quickly scrubs his eyes with the back of his wrist, sniffing hard and plastering a smile on his face. "Hey there. Heh, sorry, I didn't notice anyone else was here." Conrad said, screwing the lid back on his drink and letting it fall to the leaf littered ground as he leaned back on his palms, tilting his head to the side. His hasty scrubbing hadn't stopped the puffiness from forming around his eyes, nor did it take away the small wobble in his tone. Conrad prayed the other wouldn't mention either thing. "Guess I was living in my own head for a sec there. I just was, um, I was..." Conrad's words slowly trailed off, as his smile fell from his lips. "...please don't tell anyone you saw me out here. I just...I needed a break."

open @sterpstarters

[stanthefred]

Stan had been minding his own business. He had decided to take a shorter way home, which cut through the windows, when he had heard the screaming. He quickly biked to the source of the noise and saw some dude absolutely petrified.

"Yeah, sure, man. But are you ok? I mean, you sounded pretty terrified. I thought you saw like a monster or something?"

[abuickandbloodyknuckles-ste]

Seeing the boy looking at him from his spot next to his bike, Conrad felt his heart squeeze with guilt. Fuck, he probably freaked the kid out with his screaming. Sniffing, Conrad offered a single, sharp nod, "Yeah Stan, I'm fine. I just...just got spooked by something. Overreacted, you know?" Conrad said, letting out a soft scoff at the idea of a monster. "I thought your sister was the horror junkie. Nah dude, there's no monsters. Not here anyways." Conrad said, before his eyes softened. "But uh, I didn't mean to scare you. I mean, I didn't mean to get scared period, but I especially didn't want to like, scare anyone else with my noise." Conrad said, before letting out a groan and bringing a hand to rub his eyes. "Fuck, I shouldn't have drank that shit." Conrad groaned, moving to sit on the ground, his back resting against his front bumper as he rubbed a hand along his neck and shoulder. Damn, those scratches really did sting. What the fuck had he gone and done that for?

[stanthefred]

"Connie? Yeah, that's my sister. Witch Bitch Howard," Stan said, narrowing his eyes. "And watch what you say about her. At least she's not an alcoholic who screams at unknown things,"

He watched Conrad move to the ground, his expression slightly. He went to sit next to him. After a moment of silence, he turned to him. "You know, my older brother Oscar, you probably knew him, he was captain of the basketball team before graduating in '84, anyway, he always said that people shouldn't keep things all bottled up. Or else one day they'll explode and harm themselves or others." Stan paused before adding. "He's studying psychology,"

[abuickandbloodyknuckles-ste]

"Yeeeah, because horror junkie is definitely worse than 'Witch Bitch'" Conrad said, voice oozing thick sarcasm as he arched an eyebrow at the younger boy. "And nah. Your big sis isn't an alcoholic. She just smokes weed in parking lots with alcoholics, which is so much healthier. Get off your high horse Stan, before you get bucked off." Conrad said. His voice didn't sound too angry though, more like exhausted. He had NOT gotten enough sleep to deal with this kid at all. Conrad shifted his eyes to the kid, letting out a hum, "Yeah, I knew Oscar." Conrad confirmed, listening as the other went on his spiel about his brother's knowledge on psychology. It was sweet. But it was also not what Conrad felt like he needed to hear, which led him to frown at the kid as he took a cigarette from the pack he kept in his pocket. "Look, I appreciate whatever you're trying to do here Sam. And Oscar's probably not wrong, especially if he was smart enough to get into shrink school. But let me make something clear." Conrad took a drag, letting it out slowly and taking a deep breath of fresh air afterwards before looking back at the teen. "This thing, what you're doing right now? It's gross. I know you're trying to be helpful, but it's not coming across like you want it to. And if you tried this with me like 2 years ago, I probably would've tried to kick your ass, good intentions or not." Conrad said, the words not unkind even as he could feel the frustration trying to roll off him like waves off the shore. "You gotta learn how to talk to people dude. It's not just your message, but how you give it. And let me tell you, I don't think coming at someone calling them a screaming alcoholic has helped almost anyone want to do anything. Other than make them scream at the person saying it and then drink more, I mean."

[stanthefred]

Stan frowned at him. "Well, you're an asshole," he replied. "But I like living in danger, and I'm also really bored. Tell me about yourself. How do you know my sister anyway?"

[abuickandbloodyknuckles-ste]

Conrad's car lay underneath him, his back sprawled out over the hood as he stared up at the sky. Burnin' For You played from his car's speakers as Conrad's copy of 'Fire of Unknown Origin' ran through it's tracks, muffling the start of the evening insect's chorus as the sun started to dip low in the sky and create shadows among the trees. He's come to park his car out here in the woods, taking a dirt road he was sure had to be known even if it looked like the best way to get to a Pet Semetary. Hopefully no undead cats came to get him. Or undead toddlers. Yeah, undead toddlers would definitely be worse. Taking a sip of his drink (a heinous thing Conrad concocted by mixing powered ice tea mix into half a bottle of bottom shelf vodka because he'd not felt like buying better drink making supplies) Conrad looked around the clearing. He'd come to it in hopes of finding some reprieve from the whispers (he probably should just swallow his pride and go to a doctor to see if he had some kind of fucking tumor or brain eating amoeba or some shit.) And while the whispers were quiet for now, other things had taken their place to haunt him. Dark eyes went distant, as memories from what felt like a lifetime ago played inside his head. Doors slamming and the sound of shouting. The glitter of broken beer bottle glass as sun shone through a dusty window. A suitcase and a promise made by a woman with the same eyes as him, one that'd be broken within 2 years. Being 14 and hanging out with a boy who was a friend of a friend, watching him laugh and seeing how his eyes sparkled like actual sapphires in a way that made Conrad feel the strangest mix of excitement and what had been confusion that slowly turned into dread. The feel of a hand on his cheek and a mouth on his with chapped lips that tasted like bubblegum and everything he'd wanted. Seeing the same mouth kissing a girl who's name he never bothered to find out and pretending it didn't feel like betrayal. A montage of papers with D+ written across the tops. The voice of the man he once thought would keep him safe telling him they were leaving behind everything to go somewhere new but the same. No one will ever stay. They all leave. You're the constant problem. Of course it couldn't stay quiet for long. "Fuck off." Conrad hissed, as he hard the whisper. It felt a little different today- less inside his skull and more sitting below his ear, almost like a breath or the faint scratching of fingers in just how close. You can't run from the truth of it Conrad. People are worse with you around. It's not your fault. You were just born wrong. Crooked. "I said fuck off!" No one can blame you for being how you are. Stupid and wrong and empty. Like a pretty vase with nothing inside but curled up spiders. That's why mom left. That's why he hurts you. That's why you should just- "SHUT THE FUCK UP!"

Conrad's voice was nearly a scream, as he scratched at his shoulder. As though maybe he could physically rip away the voice, make it go away. His nails left red lines in his neck and shoulder, not enough to drip blood but enough to leave shallow cuts that stung. The pain was grounding enough to force Conrad to stop before he did something worse, but not enough to make the voices stop. It only seemed to shift, now settling behind Conrad. Not touching, but still unnerving in how close it's invisible presence was. You can't escape. We live inside the vase. You can lie to everyone but us, Conrad. We see you. "Please..." Conrad's voice was shakey, weak and watery and scared. The presence was gone, and Conrad was almost more unnerved by how quickly it left. Conrad looked around, as though trying to find what had caused it to go. When he saw the answer, he felt his blood go cold. He wasn't alone in the clearing. Someone had showed up. Someone real. He quickly scrubs his eyes with the back of his wrist, sniffing hard and plastering a smile on his face. "Hey there. Heh, sorry, I didn't notice anyone else was here." Conrad said, screwing the lid back on his drink and letting it fall to the leaf littered ground as he leaned back on his palms, tilting his head to the side. His hasty scrubbing hadn't stopped the puffiness from forming around his eyes, nor did it take away the small wobble in his tone. Conrad prayed the other wouldn't mention either thing. "Guess I was living in my own head for a sec there. I just was, um, I was..." Conrad's words slowly trailed off, as his smile fell from his lips. "...please don't tell anyone you saw me out here. I just...I needed a break."

open @sterpstarters

[stanthefred]

Stan had been minding his own business. He had decided to take a shorter way home, which cut through the windows, when he had heard the screaming. He quickly biked to the source of the noise and saw some dude absolutely petrified.

"Yeah, sure, man. But are you ok? I mean, you sounded pretty terrified. I thought you saw like a monster or something?"

[abuickandbloodyknuckles-ste]

Seeing the boy looking at him from his spot next to his bike, Conrad felt his heart squeeze with guilt. Fuck, he probably freaked the kid out with his screaming. Sniffing, Conrad offered a single, sharp nod, "Yeah Stan, I'm fine. I just...just got spooked by something. Overreacted, you know?" Conrad said, letting out a soft scoff at the idea of a monster. "I thought your sister was the horror junkie. Nah dude, there's no monsters. Not here anyways." Conrad said, before his eyes softened. "But uh, I didn't mean to scare you. I mean, I didn't mean to get scared period, but I especially didn't want to like, scare anyone else with my noise." Conrad said, before letting out a groan and bringing a hand to rub his eyes. "Fuck, I shouldn't have drank that shit." Conrad groaned, moving to sit on the ground, his back resting against his front bumper as he rubbed a hand along his neck and shoulder. Damn, those scratches really did sting. What the fuck had he gone and done that for?

[stanthefred]

"Connie? Yeah, that's my sister. Witch Bitch Howard," Stan said, narrowing his eyes. "And watch what you say about her. At least she's not an alcoholic who screams at unknown things,"

He watched Conrad move to the ground, his expression slightly. He went to sit next to him. After a moment of silence, he turned to him. "You know, my older brother Oscar, you probably knew him, he was captain of the basketball team before graduating in '84, anyway, he always said that people shouldn't keep things all bottled up. Or else one day they'll explode and harm themselves or others." Stan paused before adding. "He's studying psychology,"

[abuickandbloodyknuckles-ste]

Conrad's car lay underneath him, his back sprawled out over the hood as he stared up at the sky. Burnin' For You played from his car's speakers as Conrad's copy of 'Fire of Unknown Origin' ran through it's tracks, muffling the start of the evening insect's chorus as the sun started to dip low in the sky and create shadows among the trees. He's come to park his car out here in the woods, taking a dirt road he was sure had to be known even if it looked like the best way to get to a Pet Semetary. Hopefully no undead cats came to get him. Or undead toddlers. Yeah, undead toddlers would definitely be worse. Taking a sip of his drink (a heinous thing Conrad concocted by mixing powered ice tea mix into half a bottle of bottom shelf vodka because he'd not felt like buying better drink making supplies) Conrad looked around the clearing. He'd come to it in hopes of finding some reprieve from the whispers (he probably should just swallow his pride and go to a doctor to see if he had some kind of fucking tumor or brain eating amoeba or some shit.) And while the whispers were quiet for now, other things had taken their place to haunt him. Dark eyes went distant, as memories from what felt like a lifetime ago played inside his head. Doors slamming and the sound of shouting. The glitter of broken beer bottle glass as sun shone through a dusty window. A suitcase and a promise made by a woman with the same eyes as him, one that'd be broken within 2 years. Being 14 and hanging out with a boy who was a friend of a friend, watching him laugh and seeing how his eyes sparkled like actual sapphires in a way that made Conrad feel the strangest mix of excitement and what had been confusion that slowly turned into dread. The feel of a hand on his cheek and a mouth on his with chapped lips that tasted like bubblegum and everything he'd wanted. Seeing the same mouth kissing a girl who's name he never bothered to find out and pretending it didn't feel like betrayal. A montage of papers with D+ written across the tops. The voice of the man he once thought would keep him safe telling him they were leaving behind everything to go somewhere new but the same. No one will ever stay. They all leave. You're the constant problem. Of course it couldn't stay quiet for long. "Fuck off." Conrad hissed, as he hard the whisper. It felt a little different today- less inside his skull and more sitting below his ear, almost like a breath or the faint scratching of fingers in just how close. You can't run from the truth of it Conrad. People are worse with you around. It's not your fault. You were just born wrong. Crooked. "I said fuck off!" No one can blame you for being how you are. Stupid and wrong and empty. Like a pretty vase with nothing inside but curled up spiders. That's why mom left. That's why he hurts you. That's why you should just- "SHUT THE FUCK UP!"

Conrad's voice was nearly a scream, as he scratched at his shoulder. As though maybe he could physically rip away the voice, make it go away. His nails left red lines in his neck and shoulder, not enough to drip blood but enough to leave shallow cuts that stung. The pain was grounding enough to force Conrad to stop before he did something worse, but not enough to make the voices stop. It only seemed to shift, now settling behind Conrad. Not touching, but still unnerving in how close it's invisible presence was. You can't escape. We live inside the vase. You can lie to everyone but us, Conrad. We see you. "Please..." Conrad's voice was shakey, weak and watery and scared. The presence was gone, and Conrad was almost more unnerved by how quickly it left. Conrad looked around, as though trying to find what had caused it to go. When he saw the answer, he felt his blood go cold. He wasn't alone in the clearing. Someone had showed up. Someone real. He quickly scrubs his eyes with the back of his wrist, sniffing hard and plastering a smile on his face. "Hey there. Heh, sorry, I didn't notice anyone else was here." Conrad said, screwing the lid back on his drink and letting it fall to the leaf littered ground as he leaned back on his palms, tilting his head to the side. His hasty scrubbing hadn't stopped the puffiness from forming around his eyes, nor did it take away the small wobble in his tone. Conrad prayed the other wouldn't mention either thing. "Guess I was living in my own head for a sec there. I just was, um, I was..." Conrad's words slowly trailed off, as his smile fell from his lips. "...please don't tell anyone you saw me out here. I just...I needed a break."

open @sterpstarters

[stanthefred]

Stan had been minding his own business. He had decided to take a shorter way home, which cut through the windows, when he had heard the screaming. He quickly biked to the source of the noise and saw some dude absolutely petrified.

"Yeah, sure, man. But are you ok? I mean, you sounded pretty terrified. I thought you saw like a monster or something?"

[stanthefred]

Stan shrugged. "Got bored. I didn't want to sit through another English class....same as you. I didn't want to see people asking if I'm ok," he showed his arm, which was covered in a cast. "Ever since I fell off my roof, people have finally started paying attention to me. Probably, since they thought I tried to kill myself. Which isn't true. I was getting the cat from the roof,"

[mikewheeler-ste]

Mike’s whole expression shifted, not pity, not shock, just this immediate, instinctive understanding. He glanced at the cast, then back at Stan, and something in his posture eased, like he’d just been handed a truth he knew how to hold. “Yeah,” he said quietly, nudging Stan’s sneaker with his own. “People get weird when they think something bad happened. Suddenly they remember you exist.” He huffed a breath, not quite a laugh, not quite a sigh. “I believe you about the cat. You don’t… you don’t have that look. The ‘I did something on purpose’ look.” His eyes flicked to the cast again, softer now. “You’ve got the ‘I tried to help and gravity betrayed me’ look.”

[stanthefred]

Stan laughed. "Thanks, Mike! That cat hates me. I swear sometimes it's out to get me but unfortunately for me, my younger sister absoutely loves it," He shifted on the swing a little. "I've been meaning to ask. How is El?" hetried to sound casual, aware that his ears turned bright red.

[stanthefred]

"...thanks. by the way, i do like your music. its the greatest thing, you cud be the next Freddie Mercury,"

[willowmvrs]

"nah, i'm aiming even higher, but thanks, man."

[stanthefred]

"higher then freddie, damn.."

[stanthefred]

"hey, when she breaks up, its a big event. also...this was an attempt for you to feel bad and ask her out. who told u i like el?"

[willowmvrs]

"me? huh, i'll think about. i didn't say a name, you did. don't worry, i'm an excellent secret keeper."

[stanthefred]

"...thanks. by the way, i do like your music. its the greatest thing, you cud be the next Freddie Mercury,"

[stanthefred]

"oh...i think kyle was an exception. She did date that one guy from harvard last year, right before she met kyle,"

[willowmvrs]

"you know way too much about your sister's love life. you with anyone, romeo?"

[stanthefred]

"hey, when she breaks up, its a big event. also...this was an attempt for you to feel bad and ask her out. who told u i like el?"

[stanthefred]

"thats what i keep telling her but he's making a reappearance and trying to get her to come back with him, its actually kinda sad but also hilarious. but at the same time, i think she might go back to him,"

[willowmvrs]

"really? you should totally sabotage that. i'd introduce her to one of my bandmates, but they're all over the country right now."

[stanthefred]

"oh...i think kyle was an exception. She did date that one guy from harvard last year, right before she met kyle,"

[stanthefred]

"I don't, that's the problem, like I said, Connie is never home, either at someone's house (usually her stupid boyfriends) or at work," Stan said, frustrated. "I can't talk to anyone,"

[harryharvelle]

"Yes, I can understand that. I have to ask, since I'm not actually a counselor, how would you feel talking to one on a regular basis?" He had a feeling the boy wanted something less clinical, but he had to recommend a starting place.

[stanthefred]

"I would stress too much about it," Stan said, standing up. "I don't need a shrink. I'm not crazy. My parents have been married for a while, things happen," he shoved his hands in his pockets. "Thanks for listening, though."

[stanthefred]

Stan sighed and covered his face. "I dunno," he said after a while. "I mean. I don't know. Before I didn't. But ever since my dad started bringing up points. Like that, Carrie looks nothing like him or her. He keeps insisting that she cheated on him with a Dr. Brenner, who was like her obstetrician for all of us." Then he removed his hands from his face. "But he can't really judge. My dad is always having affairs," he added. "But Mom's been acting really weird, and Carrie mentioned Ollie looked freaked at the grocery store when she saw Mom the other day,"

[harryharvelle]

Harry recognized the names involved, but he was more worried about the state of the young man in front of him. "Well, I know it's not great when we find out our parents aren't perfect, but... I want to make sure that you have someone you can talk to, Stan. It sounds like whatever is going on with your family is very confusing," he admitted, not wanting to confirm or deny the boy's suspicions.

[stanthefred]

"I don't, that's the problem, like I said, Connie is never home, either at someone's house (usually her stupid boyfriends) or at work," Stan said, frustrated. "I can't talk to anyone,"

[stanthefred]

"my sister has a problem with guys in bands. probably cuz her ex kyle rourke dumped her for a groupie,"

[willowmvrs]

"groupies can be persistent, but... never mind. your sister is better off. most guys in the scene aren't exactly stable."

[stanthefred]

"thats what i keep telling her but he's making a reappearance and trying to get her to come back with him, its actually kinda sad but also hilarious. but at the same time, i think she might go back to him,"