𝕽𝖔𝖘𝖊𝖘

"And make myself a bigger target for whatever heart throb decides he can take me down? Nuh uh, not happening. Sorry Caro, I appreciate your faith in me, but you'll have to accept me for me for who I am: a guy who's like...maybe the 12 hottest guy in Hawkins, Indiana. Nice and safe at the bottom of the dozen." Conrad said, watching as Carolina moved to her attached bathroom, unable to stop from thinking how nice it would be to have one of those. To not have to share a bathroom with his father. Or have to hope there was enough hot water left to shower with before school, or to have to keep track of if dad made sure to pay for the utilities, or- Conrad's thoughts were interrupted by Carolina's mention of not being a saint. Conrad's lip quirked, but he moved to take a seat on the floor, one leg stretched out while the other folded in half a lotus position, leaning back on one hand to continue watching Carolina as she returned with towels and a box. The clarification actually got a proper laugh from Conrad, one loud enough that he quickly tried to stifle it by covering his mouth, "Oh fuck, don't make me laugh like that Caro, it makes my head throb." Conrad said, wincing but still grinning. "I mean, sheesh, talk about mix messages. You don't want me on your bed but you want my shirt off? If you aren't careful, I'll start thinking I've been brought here for untoward intentions." Conrad said, before looking up at Carolina with eyes twinkling with mirth. "Which, personally? All for it, very happy with untoward. But maybe we should grab dinner first. Keep it classy, you know?" Conrad said, voice light and jovial as he made to unzip his hoodie. This was fun. Conrad hoped maybe they could talk like this later, when he wasn't a blood soaked mess. Conrad shed his hoodie, setting it beside him on the floor and making sure to tuck the bloody sleeve inside so it wouldn't leave traces behind. Conrad's chest was solid with muscle, pale scars dotting around his biceps and a pink appendectomy scar low on his torso. And across Conrad's ribs, were several bruises. Yellowish green and clearly rather old, but large enough to suggest whatever hits he took were rather significant back when they were new. But Conrad didn't bother addressing them, instead reaching up to push his hair more out of the wound, "You have a clip or bobby pin or something? You know, to keep my hair out of your way?" Conrad asked, now able to properly look Carolina in the eyes for the first time since she'd helped him up, grimacing as he saw the bottles of disinfectant. "Ugh, I hate that shit." Conrad muttered, the way more disinfectants smelled making him feel ill. In all the years he'd needed to use it or had it used on him for the various injuries he'd gotten- whether from sports, fights or the instability of his own homelife- Conrad couldn't get past the way it smelled, from right out of the bottle to when it was fizzing away on his cuts. "Can we revisit the duct tape option again? I'd be chill with that if it meant we could skip all that." Conrad said, even as he was mentally preparing to deal with the smell and sting of the damnable disinfectants.

"Keep it a mystery, and you'll be the new picture next to the definition of tall, dark, and handsome," Conrad could feel the heat grow in his cheeks at the compliment. Conrad knew he was handsome- he had heard it before, and he never really didn't believe it when people told him so. Sure, he felt his height could make him a little too visible at times, but in general, he knew he had looks to fall back on. At times, it felt like they were all he had to fall back on. But still, he never got tired of hearing it from people. To know he had something to offer, even something as shallow as his looks? Well, it was probably a little pathetic, but it made something light up in him. And all the more, coming from Carolina. Which was why her words were met with a grin, more pleased than pompous. "Really? I mean, I knew I was a contender but the definition? I am gonna have so many dudes after me now- you've damned me to a life of running for my tall dark and handsome ass, Carolina!" Conrad said, giving her a look of obviously mock fear, which faded into something more thoughtful as the silence returned. This time, it felt more understanding. Carolina's wink was met with a chuckle, and Conrad shook his head, "Heh, what are you talking about? If anything, you're the sweet one. You're helping me out and playing candy striper before the sun's even up. Not a lot of people would do that, Caro." Conrad said, and he kind of hated how true it was. Hawkins...Hawkins wasn't the warm and fuzzy small town you saw in cheesy movies. The people here could be cut throat, quick to turn on you if you stepped out of line. Or even if they thought you stepped out of line. It had been something that had bothered Conrad all through his time there. Had kept him quiet while his team members bullied others. Sure, he didn't typically join in on the cruelty, but he also didn't step up to stop it. All for fear of being a new target. Ugh, it felt so stupid now. Conrad shook his head to clear the thoughts that bothered him (wincing a bit as he quickly realized that doing so in this moment of injury was in fact a bad idea) and looked up as Carolina's home drew closer, arching a brow at the thought of sleeping through a thunderstorm. "Lucky him." Feeling the tissue against his face, Conrad leaned down a bit to assist Carolina's work, face still a touch sticky from the dried blood but now no longer in danger of making a mess in her home. Following behind his former schoolmate (making sure to wipe his feet well on the mat first) Conrad followed Carolina up to her room, glancing around while trying not to make his curiosity too well known. "Okay, so should I sit on the bed while you work? Or would the floor maybe be better- It's been a minute since I had someone else fixing me up."

"Damn, is it really that bad?" Conrad asked, pulling his sleeve away and looking at it, before silently replacing it over his forehead. Yep, judging from the amount of dark red on his sleeve, it was indeed that bad. "Be honest with me- you think the scar will look fine, or will I look like some kind of wannabe Bond villain?" Conrad questions, knowing that either way he wasn't going to want to get stitches, "I always planned to skate by on my looks, so it's kind of an important thing to consider." He said. He was only half joking. The mention of Carolina's brother brought a silence between them. Not uncomfortable, but the sort where it's clear nothing needs to be said. Everyone had heard about the other's brother. About how he went missing around their sophomore year. And how there seemed to be little chance he was still alive, after how long he'd been gone. He'd heard them say he was dead, but there had never been a body to bury. So how did they really know? Well. Conrad wasn't about to ask Carolina these questions. "The town gets loud at night. Different than how it is during the day. Which is kind of better, kind of worse." Conrad mused, looking ahead of them for a moment. He didn't know what he was trying to get at- whether it was to comfort, commiserate, or just to fill the silence. Carolina had a better method though-certainly a less heavy one-and Conrad let out a laugh, the sound bright in the dark, "You'd make a cute candy cane." Conrad said, not thinking too hard about it. He was a flirt- always had been, even when he never really planned to do much about it- and Carolina had always been pretty. Pulling his hood up over his head, his mess of dark brown hair partially concealed and his ears covered from the cold, Conrad looked at his companion. "You think your folks might freak out, you coming home with some bloody dude?"

Connie rolled her eyes before crouching to stub the joint on the ground. She stood up and folded her arms. "Yeah, right, and get hit with sorry Connie, but I don't feel the same way, I'm still in love with my ex girlfriend who dumped me for the creep of Hawkins High, I still want my dignity,"

"Can't blame her. He was kind of a dick in high school—but he seems different these days." She shrugged. "Either way, probably best not to, since you guys do work together, but it's a shame. You'd be cute."

Connie turned red. "No," she said a little too loudly. "I mean...we don't get along..I mean, we did hook up sophomore year, but that's all,"

An excited grin quickly formed on her lips. "Oh. My. God!" She tugged on her friend's jacket sleeve. "That is not all. You should totally ask him out."

Conrad took the offered hands without question, using whatever strength he could from his legs to aid in getting upright (even as his head seemed to scream in protest that the ground was a much nicer home.) "Thanks. Can't believe they still haven't fixed the roads around here." Conrad said, bringing a hand up to touch his forehead, only to groan as it came away wet with blood. Carolina's words didn't do anything to help, as he looked at her with a wince. "Don't say that, Caro. If you say it then it's probably true, so maybe if you keep quiet the universe will give me a fuckin' pass." Conrad said. Conrad had an...unfortunate habit, of managing to get hurt. Between getting into stupid fights and just being reckless (or as he'd call it, adventurous) he ended up with a fair share of cuts and scrapes and a fair amount of trips needed to the local hospital. And anyone who'd known him even vaguely in his time at Hawkins had likely seen him wish some kind of bandage or stitches, always just intact enough to keep playing football without needing to take a break. Pressing the sleeve of his hoodie to his forehead, he peered at her with one eye, the other covered by his arm's placement, "So, other than watching me kiss the pavement, what are you doing up so early?" Conrad asked, before bringing his other hand up to quickly yawn into the inside of his elbow. "If I could actually sleep, I sure as shit wouldn't be awake right now."

Connie became very interested in the loose thread from her jacket. "I guess. Do you have any ideas?" she asked casually, before bringing the joint to her lips again.

Caro hummed, noticing the shift, but made no comment as she thought over her answer. "He needs someone that's totally unlike him. Wheeler was cool, but obviously that ship sailed. Has he ever asked you out?" She asked innocently, figuring Harrington wouldn't be able to resist since they worked together.

"Well, it's doing great. Keith gave us raise, because hordes of girls started coming to see Steve. When Robin brought it up, I thought she was exaggerating. Turns out he is still relevant."

"Seriously?" She couldn't help but laugh. "I didn't think Harrington still had it. He should just get a new girl already so everyone can get over it."

Connie laughed. "Wish I could. But I got an early shift tomorrow, and Robin has school, and Harrington is going to be late as usual. Keith comes in at 9, so it's up to me to open the store," she brought the joint to her lips and breathed. "God...I have no fucking clue where Munson gets this shit, but I got to have a lifetime supply,"

"Bummer, but I get it." She chuckled. "Oh yeah, he's the best. Busier these days, but he still comes through in a pinch. How's the video store doing?"

Connie shrugged. "Well...it is almost 3am," she said, glancing at her watch. She held out the joint. "Want some?"

"Well, a girl shouldn't smoke alone at such a late hour," she mused, happily taking the joint and bringing it to her lips. "I have a bitchin' bottle of aged whiskey in my trunk." Letting a cloud of smoke pass her lips, she passed the joint back. "At this hour, we should do something fun."

Caro grinned as she spotted the other girl. "I'm no snitch—unless you're not sharing," she teased, giving her friend an expectant look. She was always good at returning the favor. "It's pretty dead outside today," she assured, having seen no one nearby in a while.