☾ ･ life's ruined

gabi listened , humming in thought at the other's words. she knew chloe was right. it just felt like a strange dream and they were just waiting to wake up. no , enough time has passed that it was obviously they weren't waking up back home in los angeles anytime soon. ❝ okay , fine , ❞ she relented. she'd brave this town , but only with her girlfriend by her side. she stared at chloe , a pout now forming on gabi's lips , in response to the apparent joke. ❝ don't jinx something like that , ❞ her tone bordering on a whine. their initial meeting was crazy ; she didn't think their lives could get crazier after that day , but here they were. ❝ let's just hope this place isn't nearly as dangerous as l.a. ❞ she reached out , grabbing the other's hand to give it a squeeze. she tried to smile with a half - hearted effort. ❝ the only highlight being the local news seems pretty boring , in comparison ... though that one reporter looks familiar ... ❞

while   she   still   felt   a   small   sense   of   hesitation,   chloe   knew   that   she   needed   to   get   out   of   the   apartment   the   two   of   them   had   woken   up   in   randomly.   the   days   of   living   in   los   angeles   were   over   for   some   unknown   period   of   time,   and   she   was   learning   to   accept   that,   even   if   her   stubborn   nature   didn't   want   her   to   do   that.   ❝   we'll   be   okay,   ❞   chloe   told   her,   trying   her   best   to   sound   confident.   in   reality,   she   had   no   idea   if   they   would   be,   she   could   only   hope   for   the   best.   somehow,   she   found   comfort   in   joking   about   the   incident   that   brought   the   two   of   them   together   even   if   was   traumatizing   and   made   her   rethink   her   career   choice.   pens   in   cars   were   clearly   a   bad   idea.   ❝   come   on,   gabs   .   .   .   i'm   pretty   sure   it's   statistically   unlikely   to   ever   happen   again,   ❞   she   tried   reassuring   her   girlfriend.   chloe   squeezed   her   hand   gently   in   return,   a   small   smile   spreading   across   her   lips.   ❝   so   far,   it   seems   pretty   uneventful   here.   ❞   which,   given   the   things   that   happened   back   home,   perhaps   that   was   a   good   thing.   ❝   yeah,   taylor   kelly.   she's   covered   hundreds   of   stories   back   home.   ❞

will couldn't help the laugh that escaped his lips. the idea of a movie about their experience seemed so silly. he knew his life wasn't boring ( far from it ). if he was the type to keep a journal , parts would sound more like fiction than fact. however , he lacked the ego to ever think himself interesting enough to be a movie character. he was far from a protagonist. rather , he was just some queer - coded side character that people often forgot about , at best. ❝ you really think so ? ❞ he asked , like he wasn't the one who pitched the idea. ❝ well ... he'd know what he's doing , but i sure as hell don't. ❞ he should probably be more concerned about telling his story ; like it needed to be trusted in the right hands. will wasn't sure he really cared. he was used to letting people merely believe what they wanted to believe. ❝ all good artists are nuts , ❞ he shrugged with a shy smile. even if the story was the truth , it would be best sold as science - fiction ; so maybe they could make crazy work for them. ❝ i'm not sure how much we can mess up the future ... i mean ... it's not like we can erase ourselves from existence , right ??? ❞ it was a theorical , hence his haphazard lack of concern. he was typically a worrier , understandably so , but will found himself playing into the theorical for once. it was harmless ... right ? ❝ oh , the technique is very special , ❞ he exaggerated with a smile. ❝ you'll need an expert to learn. good thing you got me. ❞ raking leaves was a chore , typically , but somehow the idea of doing it with neil was giving him butterflies. ( doing anything with neil gave will butterflies. ) ❝ and i don't need any more stress right now , thank you very much. ❞ his head bounced with a curt nod. ❝ oh , well , uh ... ❞ he nervously rubbed the back of his neck. ❝ maybe we can try it out sometime ? figure it out together ? facetiming , i mean ... ❞ he offered. ❝ and everything else too ! i mean ... so far i think i kinda - sorta started to figure out instagram by myself ... i learned how to find a bunch of artists and how to like stuff ... it's cool. i can show you. ❞

while   the   idea   of   a   movie   was   humorous,   part   of   him   wondered   if   he'd   even   want   to   watch   a   movie   about   his   very   real   experiences.   he   imagined   it'd   feel   so   bizarre   watching   events   he   actually   lived   through   play   out   for   people   in   a   fictitious   manner.   neil   decided   to   not   spend   too   much   time   thinking   about   it,   though.   his   time   could   be   spent   doing   more   interesting   things.   still,   he'd   indulge   will,   because   he   thought   his   excitement   was   endearing,   and   he   wanted   to   continue   to   put   a   smile   on   the   male's   face.   ❝   yeah,   i   do   think   so.   i   mean,   he's   a   pretty   smart   guy.   right   ?   it'd   probably   break   the   box   office,   actually.   only   a   fool   would   turn   down   the   idea,   and   he   doesn't   strike   me   as   a   fool.   ❞   neil   laughed,   though   he   did   agree   with   the   other's   statement.   ❝   you   know   what,   you're   right.   that's   probably   what   makes   them   really   great   artists.   i   don't   think   you   can   make   truly   inspiring   art   without   having   suffered   a   little   bit.   ❞   his   brows   furrowed   as   he   allowed   the   question   to   really   register   in   his   mind,   head   canting   slightly.   ❝   i'm   sure   anything   is   possible   in   the   world   of   time   travel,   but   i   think   it   usually   happens   if   you   go   to   the   past   and   mess   with   your   parents   or   something.   then   again,   this   is   my   first   time   traveling   in   time,   so   i'm   far   from   an   expert,   ❞   he   stated   jokingly.   if   he   thought   about   it   too   much   it   would   only   manage   to   hurt   his   head   at   the   end   of   the   day.   he   wasn't   a   scientific   person,   he   just   appreciated   science   -   fiction.   neil   snorted   in   amusement   as   will   insisted   he'd   need   a   leaf   -   raking   expert   to   assist   him   in   learning   the   technique.   he   sincerely   doubted   it   was   true,   but   he   assumed   it   was   will's   attempt   at   flirting,   and   he   wasn't   going   to   call   him   out   on   that.   ❝   well,   it's   certainly   convenient   i've   got   a   leaf   -   raking   expert   here   with   me,   ❞   he   stated,   grin   tugging   at   his   lips.   ❝   i'm   right   there   with   you   on   that,   will.   stress   is   the   last   thing   i   want   or   need.   i'd   rather   just   try   to   adjust   to   this   new   ...   normal.   ❞   he   felt   his   heartbeat   quicken   in   his   chest   as   will   suggested   they   learn   to   facetime   together,   and   neil   nodded   a   little   eagerly.   ❝   yeah,   i'd   like   to   learn   with   you.   that   sounds   like   a   great   idea   to   me.   all   of   it   sounds   awesome,   actually.   ❞

will didn't hide his growing smile. he didn't expect to be humored , so he hadn't put much further thought into the idea. ❝ i-i don't know. ❞ an awkward laugh escaped his lips. his rubbed the back of his neck as he tried to think. ❝ is steven spielberg too obvious ? ❞ the obvious first person to come to mind. ❝ maybe the guy who did back to the future ? ❞ another time travel movie , he thought. that director would have some useful experience , at least. he nodded his head. ❝ yeah. all things considered , we're handling it pretty well , ❞ he agreed. sure , will felt on the verge of spiraling some days , but this wasn't the worst thing that happened to him. he could get through this , too. at the very least , he had people going through it with him. together , they'd find out what was on the other side of all this. ❝ of course. team work ! ❞ the topic so low impact , almost mindless conversation. it was nice , though. welcome distraction from their situation. plus , maybe it was something to look forward to. ❝ but if you've never jumped in a leaf pile before , then you probably need to learn how to rake leaves too ... there's a lot i may need to teach you. ❞ was this flirting ? will didn't know how to flirt , or if he was being flirted with. he didn't even know if he was trying. ❝ right , yeah ... that's true , that's true ... ❞ he agreed. he wasn't sure he minded helping his mother with things like technology , but surely he'd struggle if he had to teach and learn at the same time in this modern age. he nodded once more , trying not to overthink texting his crush. no big deal. ❝ so much better ! and you can even , like , see them when you call sometimes. um ... facetime ? ❞ his nose crinkled with uncertainty. he was still learning. ❝ i'm still figuring out all those things can do ... so many ... applications ... ❞

neil   laughed   softly,   head   shaking   in   response   to   will's   inquiry.   “   no,   i   don't   think   so.   i   mean   …   he's   a   pretty   great   director.   lot's   of   great   movies   were   directed   by   him.   i   bet   he'd   love   to   direct   a   movie   based   off   of   this   very   ….   strange   occurence,   ”   he   stated   confidently.   granted,   he   didn't   know   how   they'd   even   get   the   opportunity   to   pitch   the   idea   to   the   man   himself.   this   was   all   just   an   enjoyable   theoretical   conversation.   “   he   would   at   least   know   what   he's   doing,   ”   neil   agreed   with   a   nod.   “   then   again,   if   we   gave   him   too   much   information   about   what   we've   seen   here,   he'd   either   think   we   were   nuts   or   we'd   risk   the   whole   …   consequences   for   interfering   with   the   future   thing   that   the   time   travel   can   create   if   we   reveal   too   much   information.   ”   he   knew   he   was   geeking   out   a   little   bit,   but   he   felt   comfortable   enough   around   will   to   do   that   in   front   of   him.   he'd   never   once   felt   judged   by   the   other.   “   is   it   a   little   bit   like   sweeping   or   something   ?   or   is   there   a   special   technique   to   raking   leaves   ?   ”   he   queried,   eager   to   hear   will   explain   it   to   him.   he   liked   seeing   the   way   his   eyes   lit   up.   he   enjoyed   observing   his   excitement.   “   you   know,   i   saw   someone   trying   to   teach   a   parent   how   to   use   a   phone   here.   it   seems   like   a   stressful   experience   for   both   parties.   ”   he   was   glad   he   was   younger   and   could   at   least   pick   up   on   how   to   use   technology   relatively   quickly.   he'd   quickly   become   aware   of   all   the   tools   and   tutorials   at   his   disposal   on   such   a   tiny   device.   “   oh,   yeah   …   i   know   what   you   mean.   i   haven't   tried   it   yet,   but   i've   heard   about   it.   it's   so   cool.   right   ?   so   much   more   fun   than   not   being   able   to   see   a   person's   face.   ”   neil   nodded   at   will's   words,   another   smile   tugging   at   his   lips.   “   yeah,   i'm   trying   to   learn,   too.   maybe   we   could   try   learning   together   ?   ”   he   suggested,   hoping   will   didn't   think   the   idea   was   too   weird.

❝ have there been people saying that it doesn't make sense ?? ❞ jake furrowed his brow some. the idea , thus far , didn't sound all that unusual. maybe there was something he wasn't hearing or understanding ; or maybe jake was just on the same wavelength as his friend. ❝ listen , i don't need you running to ames that i ever thought of her like a sister. you don't need that ammo ! ❞ he chuckled along with his friend , shoulders shrugged. ❝ nothing ? ❞ a smirk curled on his lips as buck seemed to insist there was nothing going on with this coworker of his. ❝ isn't it like an essential experience to have a crush on a straight guy at some point or another ? plus , who is even straight anymore ... so old school , ❞ he joked. he didn't know this eddie guy , so he couldn't actually comment on the other side. he just saw the opportunity to tease a friend. jake's head fell to one side at the other's words. okay , this idea was a bit more strange. ❝ if we're not aliens ... ❞ which , yes , wouldn't been his follow up question , if only in jest. ❝ then what's up ? terret's is , well , pretty boring ... ❞ his head swayed from side - to - side. ❝ cover's do like to be boring , to avoid suspicion ... but i'm still not sure i know what you're trying to say ... ❞

“   no,   nobody's   said   that,   but   you   know   how   people   can   be,   ”   he   pointed   out.   “   i've   only   talked   to   a   couple   of   people   about   this,   and   you're   obviously   one   of   them.   ”   buck   didn't   want   to   deal   with   people   looking   at   him   like   he'd   grown   a   second   head   or   had   entirely   lost   his   mind.   buck   stared   at   jake   perplexed,   head   shaking   slightly   as   a   low   laugh   escaped   his   lips.   “   trust   me,   i   would   not   be   approaching   amy   to   say   …   any   of   that   to   her,   ”   he   assured   jake.   he   wasn't   the   type   to   go   around   telling   other   people   things   that   were   told   to   him   in   confidence,   but   he   also   just   knew   jake   didn't   once   think   of   his   wife   as   a   sister.   “   nothing,   ”   buck   maintained   his   stance.   he   rolled   his   eyes   at   jake's   words,   arms   folding   across   his   chest.   “   it   doesn't   matter   anyways.   i'm   certain   it'll   pass   in   no   time,   ”   buck   told   him.   he   shrugged   in   response.   “   i   dunno.   i'm   pretty   sure   plenty   of   people   are   straight,   ”   he   told   him   with   a   laugh.   trying   to   explain   where   his   head   was   at   when   it   came   to   his   feelings   about   terret's   cove.   unfortunately,   he   didn't   have   any   scones   to   provide   a   visual   representation   like   he   did   with   chimney.   “   look,   i   know   it   sounds   …   really   crazy,   but   i   think   this   town   is   …   off.   almost   like   …   it's   fake.   like   …   like   i'm   not   from   here.   insane,   right   ?   i   know.   it's   just   this   feeling   i've   had   for   awhile   now   and   i   haven't   been   able   to   shake   it.   ”

❝ yeah , ❞ eddie said as arms crossed over his chest. he could usually be seen as the type to mind his business , but something made him want to stir this particular pot. ❝ i mean , you're a dead ringer for her ex. ❞ a smirk pulled on his lips. ❝ then she brings you around his entire friend group , not once , but twice ?? ❞ his brow furrowed , as if considering the conundrum. the whole situation was messy , and maybe eddie should keep his mouth shut especially since buck didn't actually remember dating taylor. ❝ i just find it fascinating is all , ❞ he shrugged. ❝ and why would i turn down free entertainment ? ❞

tristan   didn't   know   exactly   what   it   was   about   the   firefighter   that   pissed   him   off,   but   he   suspected   it   had   to   do   with   the   way   he   seemed   to   have   issues   with   taylor.   he   clenched   his   jaw   before   he   exhaled,   an   annoyed   sigh   escaping   his   lips.   “   and   what   ?   you're   jealous   or   something   ?   ”   tristan   challenged,   arching   a   brow.   “   you   know,   the   ex   in   question   …   he   doesn't   seem   to   have   an   issue   with   me,   ”   he   pointed   out.   granted,   tristan   hadn't   exactly   spent   a   great   deal   of   time   talking   to   buck.   he   was   just   able   to   deduce   that   he   was   the   guy   in   question   even   if   taylor   never   mentioned   dating   him.   however,   he   was   beginning   to   suspect   that   the   buck   guy   was   one   of   those   people   who   didn't   exactly   know   who   he   actually   was.   “   i   think   you   should   spend   more   time   reevaluating   your   idea   of   fascinating,   ”   tristan   told   him.   “   why   would   i   turn   it   down   either   ?   ”   he   shot   back.   “   i   mean   …   you   really   put   on   quite   the   performance   the   first   time   around.   ”

gabi crinkled her nose slightly. maybe they should care , a little bit , like chloe said ; but she thought they were in a strange enough situation that it shouldn't matter. ❝ do we have to ?? ❞ her tone like a playful whine. if her girlfriend cared , then she would try to care too. ❝ never know when we'll need an extra cup of sugar , i guess , ❞ she mused. getting familiar with their neighbors wasn't the worst idea , but she was getting used to their little bubble. ❝ i mean , same ! it's weird ... do you think everyone knows everyone ? is that really a thing ?? is it just as weird to them that we just ... showed up here ? ❞

chloe   didn't   exactly   know   what   to   expect   from   the   people   in   small   towns,   and   she'd   rather   remain   cautious   than   oblivious.   plus,   this   wasn't   just   any   average   small   town.   neither   of   them   knew   how   they'd   gotten   there   in   the   first   place.   she   kind   of   wanted   to   try   and   figure   that   out   at   some   point.   the   not   knowing   was   agonizing.   “   unfortunately,   we   kind   of   do   have   to,   ”   she   told   gabi,   a   small   pout   forming   on   her   features.   they'd   had   a   blissful   period   together,   but   it   was   to   get   out   there   and   start   searching   for   answers.   she   laughed   softly   at   her   girlfriend's   words   before   humming   in   agreement.   chloe   shrugged,   a   low   sigh   passing   through   her   lips.   “   y'know,   i   don't   really   know.   i   guess   we'll   have   to   try   and   figure   that   out   while   we're   out   there.   this   place   is   kinda   crazy.   so   i'm   not   really   sure   what   to   expect.   though   i   can't   imagine   it's   worse   than   having   my   lung   punctured   by   my   own   pen,   ”   she   stated   in   jest. 

silas just barely stifled a laugh at his brother's reaction. he didn't put it past the other if as much was assumed ; he was vaguely certain he'd already been accused of such curing one of their brief interactions prior. ❝ you break my heart , scott. ❞ he dramatically grabbed at his own chest , hand covering his heart. he feigned pain , though his demeanor was anything but serious. ❝ nothing ? ❞ he arched a brow. ❝ maybe you're right. mom and dad raised us so completely different. ❞ the sarcasm obvious. ❝ how could anyone think we're related ? hardly even a family resemblance ... ❞

“   sarcasm's   not   a   good   look   on   you,   silas,   ”   he   muttered,   barely   sparing   his   brother   a   glance.   scott   wondered   what   he'd   done   specifically   to   deserve   this.   which   shitty   action   had   it   been   that   set   the   town   over   the   edge   ?   why   had   he   been   punished   with   the   return   of   the   eldest   hynes   sibling   ?   he   wanted   to   avoid   it   in   the   future   to   risk   any   more   unexpected   returns.   if   his   parents   showed   up,   he'd   certainly   be   set   over   the   edge.   “   have   you   ever   considered   taking   a   vow   of   silence   ?   ”   he   deadpanned,   finishing   off   the   contents   of   his   drink.   “   i   think   it'd   suit   you   a   lot   better.   ”

jake bit his cheek , trying to decide how to proceed. buck's situation sounded interesting , but if he thought about it , it didn't sound completely foreign. he thought a lot of cheesy things , but he thought it was because he watched a lot of rom - coms and listened to taylor swift. buck wasn't exactly that type , per se. he was clearly ... panicking ? something was off , and jake's natural detective skills wanted to help find some answers. ❝ yeah , no , yeah ... makes total sense , ❞ he assured. a loose laugh escaped his lips. ❝ i still felt the need to clarify , okay ? ❞ he raised a brow at his friend's reaction and insistence. ❝ i'm not judging , dude , ❞ he raised his hands , as if innocent. he wasn't trying to make it a big deal. ❝ plenty of people find love at work. totally normal. way better than the apps , i'm sure. ❞ if anything , it was quite the love story. cute , if told right. who wouldn't love two firefighters in love ? it'd sell better than two cops. ❝ perfect. now dish. ❞ his posture shifted , more serious , bordering professional. ❝ what's the conspiracy ? what we thinking ? better not the earth is flat. i think katy perry's space mission already disproved that one ... ❞

buck   knew   that   a   few   people   would   be   absolutely   certain   he   was   crazy.   not   everyone   would   feel   the   same   way   that   he   did   about   the   town.   most   people   were   comfortable   with   their   lives   from   what   he'd   seen,   and   something   like   this   would   disrupt   the   flow   of   everything.   people   didn't   want   their   lives   to   drastically   change   over   night.   unfortunately,   buck   couldn't   control   the   fact   that   his   did.   meeting   eddie   and   maddie   changed   everything   for   him.   he   still   hadn't   gotten   any   answers,   but   buck   was   resilient.   he   would   not   give   up.   “   well,   i'm   glad   it   makes   sense   to   someone,   ”   he   said   with   a   laugh.   he   knew   sometimes   his   rambling   was   a   little   difficult   to   follow   along   with.   “   come   on,   man   .   .   .   it   definitely   wasn't   necessary   to   add   it   on,   ”   he   told   him,   chuckling.   buck   huffed,   head   shaking   in   protest.   “   except   that   there's   nothing   there,   ”   he   insisted.   “   he's   straight.   ”   buck   wondered   how   many   times   he'd   said   that   to   people   in   recent   weeks.   the   male   took   a   deep   breath,   cheeks   puffing   out   as   he   exhaled.   great.   now   was   the   part   where   he   really   sounded   like   a   lunatic.   “   well   ..   ”   he   began,   averting   his   gaze   for   a   moment.   “   i   um   .   .   .   i   don't   think   we're   .   ..   from   here.   and,   before   you   ask   .   .   .   no,   i   don't   think   we're   aliens,   jake.   i   just   think   .   .   .   this   town   isn't   as   normal   as   it   seems.   ”

gabi hummed as she listened to her girlfriend. ❝ do we really care what the neighbors think ? maybe we're just home - bodies ! introverts ! ❞ she pouted her bottom lip. was she going a little stir crazy ? maybe , but she was still adjusting to whatever the hell this place was. ❝ but ... i guess i haven't taken advantage of the fresher air ... ❞ she was so used to big cities ; she wasn't quite sure how to live in a small town.

though   she   didn't   like   to   admit   it,   she   did   have   the   tendency   to   care   about   people's   perceptions   of   her.   “   i   mean   .   .   .   i   think   we   should   kind   of   care   a   little   bit,   ”   she   stated,   trying   to   reason   with   gabi.   even   if   she   wasn't   the   most   neighborly   person   out   there,   she'd   always   made   sure   she   at   least   knew   her   neighbors.   “   we   should   introduce   ourselves.   what   if   we   need   something   one   day   ?   ”   given   the   way   they   woke   up   there,   she   wouldn't   be   surprised   if   they   did   end   up   needing   something.   “   this   is   my   first   time   in   a   small   town.   i'm   not   sure   how   to   feel   about   it.   ”

eddie should be indifferent , but something just robbed him wrong about the guy. maybe it was just his poor history with doppelgangers of his loved ones. ❝ hm , no. just find it interesting , ❞ he admitted with a shrug. ❝ given her ... history. ❞ eddie had no reason to care who taylor kelly was hanging around with ; but given she was buck's ex and she was now hanging around his near clone ? the whole thing was weird. ❝ yeah , your deal. taylor dragging you around or ... ? you curious about first responders karaoke choices ? ❞

tristan   knew   he   could've   easily   just   walked   the   other   way   instead   of   engaging   with   eddie.   it   wasn't   like   it'd   be   all   that   strange.   he   didn't   attend   karaoke   nights   for   him.   “   her   history   ?   ”   tristan   queried,   squinting.   what   the   hell   was   that   supposed   to   mean   ?   who   was   this   guy   to   be   bringing   up   her   history   ?   he   didn't   like   it,   but   he   maintained   his   composure.   why   would   he   visibly   react   ?   he   wouldn't   give   anyone   that   type   of   satisfaction.    “   why   are   you   so   interested   in   my   life   and   what   i'm   doing   with   taylor   ?   don't   you   have   your   own   to   worry   about   ?   ”

silas exhaled a breathy laugh. ❝ i'm not stalking you , if that's your fear , ❞ he assured. he wasn't consciously following his brother around. rather , the town was small , and the brothers were more alike than they'd care to admit ; thus , they seemed to find themselves at the same place at the same time. ❝ great minds think alike , i guess. ❞

eyes   rolled   dramatically   as   his   brother   insisted   that   he   wasn't   stalking   him,   as   if   that   was   high   up   on   scott's   list   of   concerns.   he   wasn't   an   idiot.   he   knew   that   if   silas   wanted   to   find   him   at   any   point,   he   most   certainly   possessed   the   skill   set   to   do   so.   the   unfortunate   advantages   of   growing   up   in   the   family   that   they   did.   “   as   if   i   spend   any   of   my   time   thinking   about   you.   ”   that   was   a   lie.   he   spent   a   great   deal   of   it   thinking   about   silas,   but   he'd   never   admit   it.   “   we're   nothing   alike.   this   is   just   a   freak   coincidence.   ”

❝ maybe we should work on the script , ❞ will playfully suggested. he was certain his life story would make for some solid entertainment for anyone who wasn't living it ; he just wished he knew how it ended. ❝ y'know , and then pitch it when we get back maybe , ❞ he laughed before it faded off. he didn't know when they'd get home , if they'd get home ... or what going back really meant. would he be back in indiana while neil returned to california ? would he be thrust back into the vecna fiasco ? would they even remember all this ? suddenly , he wasn't so sure what was his ideal scenario. ❝ yeah , me too , ❞ he nodded , trying to get out of his own head but failing. ❝ it's a lot , i know. ❞ will didn't have any answers. he wanted to give neil something , but he had nothing. it's not like he could easily draw parallels to his experiences in hawkins. he perked up slightly , the subject matter more light. ❝ oh , it's a real satisfying crunch if you land just right. we'd probably need a bigger pile than when i was a kid but ... ❞ he actually couldn't remember the last time he jumped into a leaf pile ; yet he was suddenly fantasizing doing so , holding hands with neil and just ... will shook his head. stupid. ❝ kinda embarrassing to have your mother ahead of the curve. ❞ his lips curved with a shy smile. ❝ oh ? me text you ? of course. yeah. i can ... i can do that. yeah. ❞ the pink hue painting his features even more obvious now. ❝ oh , yeah. me neither. it's been like ... forty years ? ❞ a bad attempt at a joke , but he hoped his nervous smile helped to sell it anyways.

neil   chuckled   at   the   joke,   head   shaking   in   amusement.   he   knew   science   fiction   and   theories   like   time   travel   sold   pretty   well,   so   it   wasn't   like   they   couldn't   make   a   killing   off   of   their   experiences,   but   he   was   quite   certain   it'd   be   a   little   bizarre   if   they   truly   did   write   about   it   and   saw   their   very   real   lives   played   out   as   entertainment   for   an   unsuspecting   audience.   “   yeah   ?   ”   he   queried,   deciding   to   humor   him.   “   who   do   you   think   would   be   the   best   director   for   that   cinematic   masterpiece   ?   ”   the   eighties   had   a   lot   of   great   directors,   it   was   difficult   to   narrow   down   that   list.   “   it   is   a   lot   …   but   i   think   we're   doing   a   pretty   good   job   of   handling   it,   ”   neil   told   him,   smiling   softly.   at   least,   as   great   of   a   job   as   they   could   given   the   insane   circumstances.   it   wasn't   like   this   was   a   normal   experience.   he   chose   to   force   himself   to   think   of   other   things,   knowing   that   investing   too   many   of   his   thoughts   into   what   was   going   on   was   not   going   to   do   him   any   justice.    if   will   wanted   to   talk   about   leaves   as   a   distraction,   that   was   just   fine   by   him.   he   listened,   genuinely   interested   in   hearing   what   the   other   had   to   say.   “   well   i'm   sure   that   won't   be   a   problem.   i   think   with   two   of   us   working   to   build   it,   a   big   enough   leaf   pile   will   be   pretty   easy   to   make.   ”   he   laughed   again,   head   canting   slightly.   “   well,   i'm   sure   it's   at   least   a   little   better   than   having   to   teach   her   how   to   keep   up   with   all   of   it   …   right   ?   ”   he   imagined   that   would   be   more   tiring.   “   okay,   yeah,   great,   ”   he   replied   awkwardly.   how   was   he   so   bad   at   this   ?   it   was   horribly   embarrassing   for   him.   he   hoped   will   didn't   think   he   was   some   kind   of   freak.   he   smiled   at   will's   words,   nodding   along.   “   well,   these   things   are   a   lot   better.   no   static   or   anything,   ”   he   said,   holding   up   his   phone.   “   and   you   can   do   so   much   with   the   one   device.   it's   still   so   weird   to   me.   ”

❝ to each their own , ❞ jake mumbled under his breath. if he squinted , he could maybe see his friend in the glamour of los angeles. then again , he never tried to imagine himself or his friends anywhere else besides terret's cove ; like the idea never occurred to him until now. strange. he listened to buck , nodding and humming in acknowledgement the entire time. arms folded over his chest as he fought any urge to interrupt or ask for clarification. the concept wasn't making complete sense , sure , but this wasn't the first weird occurrence he'd try to solve. ❝ was there ever this , like , sense of deja vu ??? ❞ he finally asked when there was a momentarily lull. ❝ or maybe like it was fate or something ? i mean , i sorta feel that way with amy a bunch ... ❞ he admitted. ❝ the stars aligning , not the sister thing. gross. but you may be in love with your coworker , by the way , ❞ he quickly added like a passing comment , not lingering on the latter idea too long. ❝ if you think something's up , yeah dude ! mac's at daycare , and amy's picking him up anyways ... and according to her binder , i'm not likely to miss any major milestones this week. ❞

“   to   each   their   own,   ”   buck   agreed,   nodding.   he   wasn't   the   type   to   yuck   someone's   yum   in   most   scenarios.   he   didn't   have   anything   against   new   york,   it   just   wasn't   the   city   he   saw   himself   in,   and   he   thought   that   was   perfectly   fine.   he   felt   comfortable   unloading   on   jake,   because   the   guy   never   once   made   buck   feel   like   he   was   being   judged.   he   listened,   and   he   gave   the   best   advice   that   he   could.   buck   was   appreciative   of   that.   he   blinked   at   the   other's   query   before   giving   him   a   slight   nod   of   the   head.   “   yeah,   actually.   i   guess   it   was   sort   of   something   like   that,   ”   he   told   him.   it   was   like   they   weren't   truly   meeting   for   the   first   time,   and   he'd   yet   to   figure   out   why   that   was   the   case.   “   maybe   it    was   a   mix   of   deja   vu   and   fate.   does   that   make   sense   ?   ”   buck's   nose   scrunched   slightly   as   he   fixed   jake   with   a   perplexed   expression.   “   dude   …   i   don't   think   you   needed   to   clarify   that.   it'd   be   a   little   weird   if   she   felt   like   a   sister   and   you   still   married   her,   ”   he   stated,   baffled.   he   scoffed,   cheeks   suddenly   feeling   quite   heated.   “   i   am   not   in   love   with   eddie,   ”   he   insisted,   though   he   wasn't   sure   how   convincing   his   tone   was.   “   okay,   great,   ”   he   said,   clapping   his   hands   together.   “   i'll   make   sure   you're   home   for   dinner.   promise.   ”