𝒇𝒖𝒄𝒌!

━━━ for every "👤" [ alternatively: "NPC" ] sent to my inbox, i will introduce you to ONE NPC relevant to my muse's lore !

william 'billy' franklin is ten years older than his sister, elizabeth. born and raised in memphis, tennesse, billy had a relaxed childhood compared to his peers. homeschooled, a mother who rarely scolded him, a father who rarely spoke up against his wife, and freedom to do whatever he pleased. he's the apple of his mothers eye. and despite the gap, the highlight of his younger sister elizabeth's day. her bright paintings and singing loud for all to hear from her bedroom may go unnoticed by their mother, but billy found time to compliment his sisters growing talents. cheering her on and always keeping a close eye on her.

for a few years growing up, engrossed in books, billy considers college. somehow, without a high school diploma to his name. both require money. and the idea of being so far from home doesn't sit right with him.

at 16, he moves out of the family home ... not very far. a shabby apartment on monroe avenue but the rent's cheap and he picks up a full-time job as a parking attendant. spends his days visiting his parents for dinner, spends his nights reading or trailing back from dive bars with friends after one too many beers. the streets lit by neon flashing lights and music all around and his younger years feel like they're going to last forever. four years into his job, a woman complains about a ticket. gets real pissed off. enter: diane. a few years later, that ticket turns into a marriage certificate. and when diane bursts in the door of their tiny apartment with news that she's pregnant, twin girls, billy realises his younger years are over. goodbye to his roaring 20s, hello baby bottles. late nights are nothing like they used to be.

billy gets a job at a local mechanic. trains up in an apprenticeship and gets his shit together. better money than his last job and over time, the couple can afford a house. two blocks away from his parents place. intentional. he never could stray too far from home. diane complains, says his mother is overbearing, makes a huge fuss of the kids. she's always visiting, or they're always over at the family home. billy loves it. it's quality time, he says. family, dinner, conversation, what more could he want?? except one member of the family decides to leave. there is a pang of envy, despite his insistence to stay near home, that elizabeth is going to 'see the world.' it's literally just indiana. but he congratulates his sister regardless, hopes her new boyfriend alan treats her well and pulls the guy aside with firm words. alan calls it firm words, it was a genuine threat.

when word comes through on the phone that elizabeth is to be married, she's pregnant, and wants them all to visit hawkins, billy was happy for her. albeit, hesitant - this alan guy, he never did like him all that much from their brief meeting. billy tries to plan the logistics, with diane on board, but when his parents don't budge on how far the trip would be, he caves. agrees their congrats will be reduced to a phone call. again. that's just how it is when someone moves 'way, he'd shrug it off often. he'd call a lot, basically when a free moment arose without his job, a clingy child, his wife, or their parents taking up his time. they write letters too, send photographs. his sisters wedding photo and her kids are framed on billy's wall, next to his own family photos.

when christmas rolls around, billy always calls like clockwork on christmas eve. it was always the siblings' favorite night. they'd share a drink over the phone, despite the cost, and reminisce. these calls would be when he'd spend time talking to his nephew too, eddie. god, billy thought he was great. funny as all hell even as a small kid. elizabeth had to beg for the phone back, to which billy would always dramatically complain.

billy's wife, diane, starts to crack over time. growing snappier and exhausted. he's great with their twins, no doubt about that, he spends every moment he can with the girls ... but his wife?? not so much. and ugh, that mother of his, diane would groan. billy plays ignorant, smiles and waves, seemingly oblivious to the multiple, growing and boiling communication breakdowns in front of his eyes. he knows, he'd just rather not address something 'out of his hands.'

a call comes in, in '72, that elizabeth is sick. that urge to remain close to home finally snaps. disintegrates in an instant when the news drops and the color pales from billy's face. he, and his father, insist: they have to go to hawkins. they have to! diane agrees, though she'd intended to discuss separating for a while that same evening. she puts that on hold.

months later, the trip to hawkins is taken but it's far too late. the regret never leaves billy. it's a knot unable to be untied tears his stomach apart, a cloud resting in his mind over thoughts, a tension in his shoulders he can't shake, a clenched jaw that gnaws at his teeth. he stands directly behind his nephew and niece at the funeral, alongside alan. a few drinks later that evening and alan's walking around hawkins with a black eye. both engulfed in grief. billy drives his parents home the next day in silence. there's a spark lost in him. a loudness and playfulness he'd always bring to a room, it simmers down.

he visits hawkins once more. it's difficult, but he visits his nephew and his niece. spends a few days at a local hotel and takes them out for ice cream sundaes, brings them to the park, buys them comics and toys, spends hours listening to them talk because he's just glad they're somewhat okay. he doesn't leave without another word of warning to alan.

he sends letters and calls every so often, with all the free time now that his own kids are grown and his wife - ex wife - moved out. christmas eve, the phone will always ring at eleven p.m. only it's eddie that answers. he's still so damn funny, billy thinks.

a side-eye was spared for her dear friend elizabeth as she pressed the cigarette butt into the amber tray. chapped lips pursed as piercing blue eyes fell on her friend once again. she chewed on the inside of the lip as if she was trying her hardest not to let the actual words she was thinking slip from her tongue. she looked around the trailer, wondering if henry or even judith was around to provide some sort of distraction.

no one was around and she couldn't keep it to herself any longer. another cigarette was pulled from the box and placed between her lips, not lighting it yet.

" when are you gonna stop protectin' that man ? " helena asked, lighting the cigarette and taking the longest drag she could muster. " the kids know what kind of man he is... " a wheezy cough before she continued, her gaze fixated on the worn laminate counter top.

steam from the coffee, held between both hands, mixes with the cigarette smoke drifting from helena at the other side of the counter. elizabeth's smile doesn't falter. if anything, it widens. " could've poured me a wine instead of a coffee. walkin' into an interrogation here. " she chuckles, but the other doesn't, helena's blue-eyed gaze fixed on the countertop because none of this is funny. how many times have they had this conversation?? how many YEARS has this dragged on for?? it always ends the same.

the smile shifts to a frown when the laughter is not reciprocated once a minute passes. faced with the hard facts. " i ain't protecting him, helly. i'm ... " her words trail off, gaze prancing around the kitchen like a logical reasoning for putting up with alan for this long will present itself.

it doesn't. never has.

" i know what he's like. what he is. " they all do, unfortunately. her kids, wayne, helena, henry, their kids, the whole damn town. && ... henry's no ray of sunshine either, but he's present in their lives. a shaky hand reaches across the counter to fish a cigarette from helena's pack, the lighter taking more flicks than times before to finally spark.

an au that is - because her death is very essential to eddie's storyline.

obviously context can be determined by you and your writing partners but wanted to provide a less inherently shippy list!

❝ i've missed hanging out with you. ❞

❝ you needed help so here i am. let me help. ❞

❝ i really value your friendship, you've always been here for me when no one else was. ❞

❝ every time you show up i know i'm about to get a headache. ❞

❝ i'm not sad i'm...i'm smad! ❞

❝ i'd wish you'd call me sometimes when you're not in a relationship crisis. ❞

❝ you're important to me—so if it matters to you it matters to me. ❞

❝ i actually have no idea what you just said but sure. ❞

❝ if you don't eat the last muffin i will. ❞

❝ i'm not really sure what to say to that. ❞

❝ if you really wanted to cheer me up you could buy me a drink. ❞

❝ look you've been running around here with a chip on your shoulder and i've put up with it for long enough without asking questions. ❞

❝ either tell me whats wrong or stop cutting into everyone. ❞

❝ i don't really wanna be around most people but it's okay when its you. ❞

❝ no one else really understands. but i knew you would. ❞

❝ i really hope you stay in my life. makes shit easier having someone like you by my side. ❞

❝ i just really need my friend right now. ❞

❝ come on, it's boring if i go by myself. ❞

❝ stop pouting, i brought something that'll cheer you up. ❞

❝ stay over with me tonight. we can rent a movie, eat shitty food and drink cheap wine. just like we used to. ❞

❝ you don't always have to look out for me. sometimes it's my turn to take care of you. ❞

❝ i know you're going through a lot right now, but those emotions mean you're alive and they are beautiful, even if it hurts. ❞

❝ lets go get something to eat and then we can talk about it. ❞

❝ i needed you! i needed my friend and you weren't there. ❞

❝ you've been a shit friend lately. you really hurt me. ❞

❝ why can't you ever just say you're sorry? ❞

❝ you know how sometimes it's about your thing and sometimes it's about my thing? this is a 'it's about me' moment. ❞

❝ i know you didn't call me at three am to talk about the moon. what happened? ❞

❝ i'll always forgive you. we've known each other for too long for anything else. ❞

❝ cheer up. it only gets worse from here. ❞

❝ i'm sorry i wasn't there when i should have been. ❞

❝ i didn't realize how bad it'd gotten. ❞

❝ i can't help you unless you tell me you need help. ❞

❝ i guess you've already seen me at my worst, huh? ❞

❝ you're an asshole but you're my asshole so. ❞

❝ don't be such a dick and come help me out, will you? ❞

❝ you're kind of bitch. it's why we get along so well. ❞

❝ ha. i knew there was a reason i kept you around. ❞

❝ you are so not driving. ❞

❝ okay lets beat the dead horse into a pulp, what happened? ❞

❝ i have thee juciest gossip. ❞

❝ you said you had something i'd wanna hear? ❞

[ 1 ] for our muses to cook dinner together.

[ 2 ] for one muse to rescue the other from a bad date.

[ 3 ] for our muses to go on a roadtrip together that goes wrong.

[ 4 ] for one muse to take care of the other who is sick or injured.

[ 5 ] for one muse to call the other in a time of need.

[ 6 ] for one muse to show up at the other's house with ice cream after a bad day.

[ 7 ] for one muse to give the other a gift.

[ 8 ] for one muse to help the other get ready for a night out.

[ 9 ] for our muses to go shopping together.

[ 10 ] for our muses to give each other tarot/rune readings.

[ 11 ] one muse accompanies the other to visit the graveside of a loved one.

[ 12 ] one muse is upset and will only let the other near them.

[ 13 ] for our muses to make a blood oath.

[ 14 ] receiver reveals a secret to sender.

crying actually bc this really just sums up alan and elizabeth

❝ what's your favorite color and why? ❞

❝ can i come with you? ❞

❝ you have a nice smile, has anyone ever told you that before? ❞

❝ how do you take your coffee? ❞

❝ sorry, what was your name again? ❞

❝ it just occurred to me i never asked you what your last name is. ❞

❝ actually we've met before. ❞

❝ i've heard a few things about you. ❞

❝ care to join me? ❞

❝ i'm not really sure why i trust you. ❞

❝ i don't usually talk this much, it just feels easy to say stuff when you're listening. ❞

❝ i know we don't know each other that well but if you wanna talk about it... ❞

❝ could you help me with something? ❞

❝ do you like it here? ❞

❝ are you new around here? ❞

❝ you can ask me anything you want. i promise i'll answer truthfully except the things i feel like lying about. ❞

❝ i don't mean to be too forward, you just seem like you could use a friend right now. ❞

❝ you can come with me. i mean if you don't have anyone waiting for you. ❞

❝ we're friends now. you can ask me for help. ❞

❝ do you like this music? i can change it. ❞

❝ what are your favorite snacks? ❞

❝ really? i wouldn't have guessed that about you. ❞

❝ do you mind if i ask about it? ❞

ACTIONS:

VISIT: for sender to go to receiver's home for the first time

VISITED: for receiver to go to sender's home for the first time

CRYING: for sender to see receiver cry for the first time

CRIED: for receiver to see sender cry for the first time

BEGIN: sender and receiver are on their first date together

TRIP: our muses go on a group trip but end up stuck together, away from the rest of their friends.

SITUATION: our muses are acquainted because one of them is their friend's roommate. muse a shows up when their friend isn't there and ends up hanging out with muse b one on one.

GO: our muses go to a zoo or theme park together and get lost.

INVITE: sender cooks for receiver for the first time

INVITED: receiver cooks for sender for the first time

TOGETHER: our muses spend the night for the first time

TRY: our muses hooked up and are hanging out the next day

COMFORT: sender is going through a break up and receiver offers to cheer them up

COMFORTED: receiver is going through a break up and sender offers to cheer them up

OFFER: sender gives receiver a ride to the airport/picks them up

OFERED: receiver gives sender a ride to the airport/picks them up

AID: sender helps receiver redecorate