we would never come to

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.

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. ❞

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. 

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 ... ❞

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.   ”

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 ? ❞

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.   ”

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 ... ❞

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   ?   ”

❝ 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 ? ❞

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.   ”

❝ 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 ... ❞

“   okay,   so   .   .   .   i   know   this   place   is   really   weird   and   all,   but   if   we   don't   go   out   and   do   something   .   .   .   i'm   pretty   sure   our   neighbors   are   going   to   think   we're   freaks   or   something.   we   should   probably   do   at   least   a   little   exploring.   plus,   we   can't   keep   just   ordering   food.   what   do   you   say   about   going   out   and   at   least   getting   some   groceries   so   we   can   cook   a   proper   meal,   hmm   ?   ”

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.

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.   ”

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 ... ❞

“   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.   ”

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 ... ❞

he   didn't   have   a   reason   to   dislike   the   guy,   but   he   also   didn't   have   a   reason   to   like   him,   either.   tristan   felt   nothing   but   indifference   towards   eddie,   and   he   didn't   doubt   the   firefighter   felt   the   same   way   towards   him.   “   so   what   if   we   are   ?   you   got   a   problem   with   that   ?   ”   tristan   asked,   head   canting   slightly.   he   didn't   see   an   issue   with   it,   but   he   wasn't   entirely   aware   of   taylor's   history   with   the   people   from   karaoke   night.   “   my   deal   ?   ”   he   asked,   arms   folding   across   his   chest.   “   i   don't   know   what   you're   talking   about.   ”

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 ? ❞

“   what   do   you   want,   silas   ?   ”   he   asked,   not   bothering   with   putting   any   effort   into   concealing   his   levels   of   annoyance.   an   exaggerated   sigh   passed   through   scott's   lips   as   he   adjusted   in   his   seat.   “   first,   we   couldn't   get   you   to   stay.   now,   it's   like   you'red   always   around.   what's   with   that   ?   ”

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. ❞

“   you,   ”   tristan   stated,   not   really   officially   greeting   the   guy.   “   you're   one   of   those   people   that   taylor   knows.   ”   he   wasn't   asking,   he   was   making   a   statement.   he   still   didn't   know   how   he   felt   about   any   of   the   people   he'd   briefly   met   when   attending   karaoke.   “   what   do   you   want   ?   are   you   looking   for   your   boyfriend   or   something   ?   ”

eddie blinked at the lack of greeting before eying the guy from head - to - toe. ❝ yeah , i know taylor ... and you two seem well acquainted , last i saw ... ❞ this dude may look near identical to his best friend ( down to the birthmark ) , but he couldn't be more different than buck. even the way he held himself was just off. ❝ no , ❞ he scoffed at the questions , eyes rolling. ❝ just wondering what your deal is. ❞

for   the   most   part,   buck   had   been   content   with   his   life   in   terret's   cove.   he'd   had   miniscule   doubts   here   and   there,   but   nothing   to   the   degree   he'd   had   lately.   it   wasn't   until   he   met   eddie   and   maddie   that   those   questions   truly   began   to   get   more   challenging   to   disregard.   they   were   always   there   in   his   mind,   like   mosquito   bites   just   begging   to   be   itched   for   a   few   blissful   seconds   of   relief.   “   yeah,   los   angeles,   ”   he   reaffirmed,   nodding   as   he   spoke.   he   didn't   miss   the   way   jake   seemed   somewhat   put   off   by   the   idea,   but   he   chose   to   ignore   it.   certain   places   weren't   for   everyone,   and   he   accepted   that.   of   course   he'd   follow   up   with   that   query.   why   wouldn't   he   ?   it   was   the   most   logical   next   step.   “   i   .   .   .   well   .   .   .   my   coworker,   eddie   .   .   .   i   met   him   and   it   was   like   .   .   .   ”   buck   began,   brows   furrowing   as   he   tried   to   form   a   coherent   sentence.   “   it   was   like   the   stars   and   planets   aligned   or   something,   jake.   he   made   sense   to   me.   then,   i   met   this   girl   maddie   .   .   .   and   it   was   a   similar   feeling.   only   .   .   .   with   her,   it's   like   she's   the   sister   i   never   had.   i   can't   even   begin   to   explain   it,   ”   he   rambled,   hands   gesturing   wildly   as   he   spoke.   “   uh   .   ..   yeah.   kind   of.   i   definitely   think   there's   something   going   on.   you   got   the   time   to   hear   me   out   ?   ”

❝ 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. ❞

he   tried   to   make   the   best   of   a   rather   unfortunate   situation.   at   least   he   had   friends   there.   it   was   better   than   california   and   being   in   a   home   devoid   of   any   love.   “   exactly,   ”   neil   readily   agreed,   hand   gesturing   out   towards   will   as   he   nodded.   “   i   bet   it'd   be   a   movie   a   lot   of   people   would   love   to   go   and   see,   ”   he   stated,   laughing   lightly.   living   it,   however   ?   it   was   not   so   pleasant.   he   couldn't   believe   what   his   life   had   become   in   a   few   short   months.   “   i   guess   you're   right.   i'm   still   having   a   hard   time   wrapping   my   head   around   all   of   it,   ”   he   admitted,   brows   furrowing   slightly.   “   like   .   .   .   i   know   i'm   stuck   here   and   stuff,   but   i   still   don't   get   how   it   happened   in   the   first   place.   i   doubt   we're   ever   going   to   get   answers.   ”   he   was   just   grateful   for   the   fact   that   he   was   picking   up   on   how   to   use   the   advanced   technology,   even   if   it   still   left   him   dumfounded   most   of   the   time.   time   travel   was   something   he   believed   to   be   impossible   until   he   woke   up   in   terret's   cove.   he   couldn't   help   but   wonder   if   there   was   anything   out   there   that   was   truly   impossible.   he   laughed   at   will's   words,   a   hand   moving   to   run   through   his   hair.   “   i   always   did   wonder   what   it   was   like   to   do   that.   i   bet   it's   pretty   fun.   ”   he   noticed   the   newfound   tint   to   will's   cheeks,   but   he   chose   to   keep   that   to   himself.   “   oh,   yeah,   definitely.   it'd   be   super   weird.   we're   supposed   to   be   teaching   them   how   to   use   technology   …   not   the   othe   way   around,   ”   he   mentioned   with   a   laugh.   “   you   can   always   text   me   too,   ”   he   stated,   perhaps   a   little   more   eagerly   than   intended.   he   liked   will,   he   just   couldn't   help   himself.   “   walkie   talkies   ?   oh   .   .   .   wow.   i   haven't   used   one   of   those   in   so   long.   i   can't   remember   the   last   time   i   did,   actually.   these   cell   phones   are   definitely   a   lot   easier.   ”

❝ 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.

even   if   he   wasn't   out   there   verbally   acknowledging   the   bizarre   nature   of   the   town,   he   was   almost   always   thinking   about   it.   one   day   he   was   in   california,   comfortably   living   his   life   in   the   eighties   and   thinking   about   what   he   wanted   for   his   future.   the   next,   he   woke   up   in   a   bed   he   hadn't   been   in   before   and   in   a   state   he'd   never   been   to.   how   did   he   get   from   california   all   the   way   to   maine   in   a   mere   eight   -   ish   hours   ?   he   didn't   understand.   if   he   tried   thinking   about   it   too   much,   it   became   overwhelming.   hence,   his   decision   to   bury   those   thoughts.   he   did   whatever   he   could   to   drown   them   out   and   try   to   get   adjusted   to   his   new   normal.   “   it   is   kind   of   crazy,   ”   he   agreed,   nodding.   “   i   never   expected   anything   like   this   to   ever   be   a   possibility.   ”   he   thought   it   was   all   rather   impressive,   but   it   was   definitely   not   easy   to   adjust   to.   he   was   realistic,   he   didn't   see   an   escape   from   the   town   in   sight,   so   he   tried   to   find   little   things   to   look   forward   to.   “   i   think   it'll   be   so   much   different   than   autumn   in   california.   ”   he'd   missed   it   last   time,   but   he   was   sure   he'd   see   it   this   time   around.   neil   smiled   fondly   as   he   listened   to   will   speak,   nodding   along   to   his   words.   he   figured   will's   mother   was   in   town,   and   he   was   happy   for   him.   he   didn't   know   what   it   was   like   to   have   a   mother   to   be   close   to,   but   he   wasn't   envious   of   that.   “   i   think   it's   sweet   that   she   worries.   y'know   ?   and   it's   pretty   cool   that   she   learned   how   to   text.   i   learned   that,   too.   it's   still   pretty   …   weird,   but   it's   a   nice   way   to   be   able   to   communicate   with   people.   ”

all things considered , terret's cove may not have been the strangest place will had woken up. that easily went to the upside down. at least he didn't have monsters chasing after him currently. still , this was a new sort of torture ; to have his closest friends within his reach but had no memories of him , wanted nothing to do with him. ❝ like something out of a movie ... ❞ a gentle laugh escaped. while will preferred fantasy , he was no stranger to science fiction. the modern era wasn't exactly like the future envisioned during his childhood , but it was fascinating nonetheless. ❝ maybe we shouldn't be so surprised by much , given we're victims to traveling across time and space. ❞ will thought himself a quick study , adjusting fairly fast. he was no tech wiz , as much as he wished he could be , but he was learning how to blend in best he could. still , he stuck out. he stuck out in the eighties , he stuck out now. once a freak , always a freak. ❝ oh , yeah. just wait until you see the leaves change colors. i'll even teach you how to jump into a leaf pile. ❞ he smiled. it might've sounded childish , wanting to play in the leaves , but will grew up too fast anyways. he should be allowed to be a little kid from time to time. ❝ sweet. yeah , ❞ he nodded as a slight blush painted his cheeks. he knew he shouldn't be embarrassed of having such an attentive mother. he'd never take her for granted. he was lucky , extremely so. ❝ i learned how to text too. obviously. it'd be weird if my mom learned , and i didn't. but ya know ! you can always text me. if you want. ❞ he blinked , his face heating up even more. why was he like this ? ❝ anyways , uh ... it's nice. super quick and easy. way better than , like , walkie talkies. ❞

“   oh,   definitely,   ”   he   quickly   agreed.   “   i   mean   .   .   .   this   whole   town   in   itself   as   a   new   experience   for   both   of   us,   ”   neil   mentioned,   glancing   around   at   their   surroundings   before   refocusing   his   attention   on   will.   will   and   el   were   the   only   people   he'd   known   there,   and   he   had   quickly   realized   that   el   had   no   idea   who   he   was.   so,   really,   he   only   knew   will.   he   was   glad   he   wasn't   alone.   at   least   there   was   someone   there   who   knew   him,   who   understood   how   overwhelming   all   of   this   truly   was.   the   weather   was   genuinely   the   least   of   his   concerns.   he   could   adapt   to   that   relatively   easily.   it   was   everything   else   he   was   uncertain   about.   “   yeah.   the   whole   …   advanced   technology   thing   is   pretty   complicated,   ”   neil   stated,   shaking   his   head.   “   it   is   cool   …   but   not   as   cool   as   some   of   the   people   there   make   it   out   to   be,   ”   he   told   will,   offering   him   a   slight   smile.   “   i'm   excited   to   see   what   this   place   looks   like   in   the   fall.   i   bet   it's   pretty   neat.   ”   he   listened   fondly   as   will   spoke,   the   smile   never   quite   leaving   his   lips.   “   your   mom   seems   like   she's   pretty   great.   ”   he   wasn't   going   to   sour   the   mood   by   bringing   up   his   absent   parents. 

❝ yeah , ❞ will breathed out the word as a hesitant smile grew. terret's cove , to an outsider , probably seemed like almost any other small town in america. however , it clearly held some sort of secret given the occurrence of people just appearing ; some apparently forgetting their entire lives in lieu of believing they have lived a whole other life here in town. his very own adopted sister being one of the latter , painfully so. will had the luxury of other loved ones , ones who remembered , which he was fairly certain neil did not. strange , to be the sole friend to the same boy he had an embarrassing crush on in high school. ( will was far from complaining , even if the whole thing made his chest hurt. ) ❝ the technology is crazy ... the internet ? you can just look up anything now. don't even need the library anymore. ❞ complicated didn't even begin to cover it. he was still adjusting , trying to comprehend how much was at his finger tips. ❝ no , right. right. ❞ he nodded along , simply agreeing. ❝ the fall , yeah ... ❞ he hummed , as if realizing how much longer they could be here. they likely would see the autumn , all the seasons. no way home in sight. he didn't linger on the idea. ❝ she's great. she's here. i , uh ... ❞ was that obvious ? was that weird that his mother was here ? ❝ obviously , i'm an adult. i don't live with her , anymore , but , uh , she has learned how to text. as have i. so she still , uh , worries. ❞