𝐚 𝐛𝐚𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧.

Did you seriously bring a Ouija board?

a suspicious expression takes over his face as he studies the unopened sketchbook. “nothing too wild in here, right?” his question is posed with a playful smile before he flips open the cover. “see i'm poorly trained when it comes to listening to other's bullshit, never really listen to anyone shit talking art, gotta think that there is a reason art survives the collapse of kings, emperors, and queens.” he was several pages deep in her sketchbook now, her line work was solid for sure. “my work is stashed in my car, otherwise i'd share, be nice enough and i'll draw you something.”

sharing was a foreign feeling, especially when it came to her sketches, kimberly cleared her throat. " you'll notice my favorite sketches are of a particular old couple. " maybe it was the time she had when working, gazing out the window, seeing the couple like clockwork. his mind was interesting to kimberly, a breath of fresh air--sanguinity. this was something unfamiliar to her; usually, these types of conversations ended in arguments. " nice enough? me offering for you to stay a couple of nights is not nice enough for you? i don't want you to draw me anything at all. " she did, but admitting would be like ripping herself apart. " this is me being nice enough by asking you if you need anything else to be comfortable? "

he smiles at her, genuinely enthused by kimberly's excitement. it had been a while since ryan had spent time with someone who seemed as interested in music technology as he was; he was buzzing with excitement at the prospect of spending the night in the studio with her, teaching her the ropes, if she didn't already know, showing her the ins and outs of recording a great track between transitioning rock songs for the radio. maybe he'd invite her to voice over an ad. ❝ it's cool if you don't pay attention, i hardly do anyway myself, ❞ ryan jokes in return. at her next question, he tilts his head to the side, thinking over the answer, and he shrugs, voicing the first thing that comes to his mind, as he habitually does. ❝ i dunno. maybe it's because my schedule never really allowed for it. i'm pretty busy. i have a band outside of the recording studio, and sometimes we're on the road. sorry if all that sounds like excuses. ❞

kimberly attempted to play down her excitement because it would be strange to show such an emotion to someone with whom she had barely spent time and only greeted him when in the same area. there was only a slight problem; she felt guilty for being such an asshole to him and acting as if he was invisible. " it's not that...alright, you caught me there. i have this horrible habit of ignoring people--maybe it's the drugs. " her tone was a mix between playful and sincere. " doesn't sound like excuses to me? you're busy and i don't have time to mingle. however, you've got my attention now. tell me more about this band? where do you play next? can i get a ticket? "

“Not for lack of my parents trying.” She admitted as she took that in, shrugging her shoulders. Honestly, she knew her parents had wanted more kids and weren't able to, but she figured they didn't have to get deeper into it than her parents wanted more. Instead, she smiles at what Kimberly says about Max. “That's normal for siblings though, isn't it? From what I've heard? You can bring her with you to the Spring performance,” Ally laughs, but she pauses when Kimberly mentions the video store, chewing on her lip. “If you mean Harrington, I'm gonna have to stop you right here...” Not because he wasn't cute, but the man didn't need his ego fluffed anymore than people already fluffed it, and she was still trying to figure out how she felt about him at the end of the day. “He's pretty, don't get me wrong, but trust me when I tell you that he's a right pain in the ass.”

the last hit she exhaled surrounded her lungs, and out came a cloud of smoke paired with a heavy cough. it's been a while since she took time to smoke an entire joint rather than save it for later, but kimberly still reached for another potato chip. " i'm a pretty shitty sister. pretty sure if i ask her to come, she'd tell me to fuck off. i can't blame her for that attitude. " dammit, kimberly tilted her head trying to put two and two together, and of course, the rumors about the cute guy would be him. " am i too high to even realize i see him almost every day? i swear it feels like i'm running more into him now than ever. " any chance spent with max, harrington was always there, and it made her question many things. " do you know what the hell is going on in hawkins? am i the only one oblivious? or is the town just shit? "

struck by the way she ridiculed the only hobby he had that might amount to a decent career for his future, a hand went to his chest. “bad art doesn't make any money,” he corrected quickly. “sure it might not make a person rich but there are plenty or artist who make a living off the work, plus depending on your area of art you can even get into movies. someone has to create the special effects makeup and stuff.” mars shrugs his shoulders. “obviously i'm into art myself, i'm more into drawing space and aliens than sketching unknowing strangers while people watching, though.”

why was his reaction bringing soft laughter? nothing was amusing, but kimberly let out another chuckle. " i didn't mean...i'm trained properly by a lot of people telling me art isn't worth it. " wow, did she feel bad for talking shit about art to another artist? might as well put her in the grave. " here, " she placed herself beside him before squating to pull out her recent sketch book. " this is my apology for discrediting your talent. " the sketch book held quick sketches of tourists and locals. nothing too special, some quick line art, while others included shading. " i would've never guessed, mars. " she couldn't be too friendly, adding a tease brought her a sense of peace.

"She has... she has been isolating herself quite a lot lately." It's true, of course. After Billy's death, Max broke up with Lucas and she stopped haging out with the party most of the time. Maybe that's even the reason why Vecna picked her in the first place, and Mike hates that possibility because he's supposed to be able to protect his friends, he's supposed to make sure they stick together, no matter what. He runs a hand through his hair, not sure of how to explain the rest. "Listen, she needs people who care about her now more than ever. So if you care about Max, please, talk to her. She's at my place right now, with some of our friends, but... I'm not sure that's enough."

questions bounced off each other, but she was still grabbing her keys and then slamming the door shut behind her. face to face with the heroic mess in front of her, it was awkward because kimberly lacked one thing: a car. " fuck, you don't live far, right? i'm saving for a car. alright? i don't want to hear shit from you, which direction? " her fingers pointed left, then right with a determined expression and two legs.

“I call it only child syndrome, really,” Ally laughs a little, but she's not exactly lying when she says that. She was supposed to have a bunch of younger siblings, but medical complications caused her mother to only be able to have her. That left Ally with a bunch of attention and then no attention when her parents pulled back in their own sadness, and so she needed a new outlet: theater gave her that. “Maybe that's why we get along so well? I take attention off of you when you need it, and I don't have anyone to compete with for it if I'm feeling particularly needy one day.” That makes her laugh as she brings the joint back up to her lips and then she looks at Kimberly when she mentions a party and guys. “I mean...there are a couple I'd mess around with, but as far as anything other than that? No. These days, guys annoy the shit outta me.” Besides, her taste in men left much to be desired these days. “What about you?”

" are you really an only child? " kimberly avoided these questions because she thought it was an invasion. besides, it's not like it would change anything, since her memory would erase the fact later. " i wouldn't trade my little sister for anyone. still, i'm sure she feels differently. " mirthful, considering kimberly would take a bullet for max, but she was untrustworthy, and owning it was easy. trying to get max to forgive, well, it was a work in progress. " you can have all the attention. actually, i'll try to be a better friend by attending one of your plays. when is the next one? " might as well try to be a good person until the high wears off; one more hit before passing the last of it towards ally with a cheeky grin. " me? fuck no, they don't approach me unless they want a rumor started about how i got on my knees for them. i have heard a cute guy is working the video store though---nice to stare at. "