* 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧.

[* 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧. @crawledback]

the good news is, I get a big enough
𝙩𝙝𝙪𝙢𝙥 on my head, I can change.
I can 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧. I can c͟r͟a͟w͟l͟ ͟ ͟𝗳͟𝗼͟𝗿͟𝘄͟𝗮͟𝗿͟𝗱͟.͟

written by # amalthea.

[* 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧. @crawledback]

about to narrowly miss the reader with his bat because he thought they were … something else. at least he misses!

[* 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧. @crawledback]

that’s what she thinks.

it’s approximately seven minutes into her movie that the phone starts ringing. and ringing. and ringing.

[‧₊˚ ᝰ 𝓝𝑨𝑵𝑪𝑬 .ᐟ @LlLMISSPERFECT]

⠀
she wants to apologize to steve for being drunk last night but that also admitting she messed a lot of things up.

a movie alone it is.
⠀

[* 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧. @crawledback]

yeah, me too. ( muffled coughing. ) agh … you uh, you stay there. I’m gonna go see if I have anything in the medicine cabinet.

[* 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧. @crawledback]

no! nah, we aren’t —-

( a big cough. ) yeah, okay.

[* 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧. @crawledback]

( still sneezing … making struggled half - sneeze sounds. ) yeah.

[* 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧. @crawledback]

sneezes. sneezes. sneezes.

[‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ 𝖘𝒆𝐞𝐤 ⛧ 𝖉𝒆𝐬𝐭𝓻𝐨𝐲.̲ @HAWKlNSDEVlL]

oh

[* 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧. @crawledback]

https://t.co/3bRlMs377D steve sneezes like a dad

[* 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧. @crawledback]

bless y —- ( sneezes. sneezes. sneezes. ) sorry. bless you.

[* 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧. @crawledback]

sneezes. sneezes. sneezes. sneezes. sneezes. sneezes. sneezes.

[* 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧. @crawledback]

smile never fades.

he takes a sip of his drink. “what’s goin’ on with you, nance?”

[* 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧. @crawledback]

steve drops in a chair across from her. his hand idly swirls the whiskey in his glass. there is a small, calm smile across his face as he regards her.

her words cause him some vague pain, slow and constant like a toothache. but the —

[‧₊˚ ᝰ 𝓝𝑨𝑵𝑪𝑬 .ᐟ @LlLMISSPERFECT]

⠀
she doesn’t fight steve and goes to sit, slender body flopping down into her seat. “you’ve always been so nice to me, steve.” she huffs a pitiful laugh.

silence lingers which leads to her thinking. her memories take her
⠀

[* 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧. @crawledback]

perhaps it’s his soft spot for nancy that makes him worry. or maybe it’s just the memory of the last time she got so drunk, carved into the back of his mind. he masks it with playfulness.

“hey, gotcha a drink? c’mere and have a seat.”

[‧₊˚ ᝰ 𝓝𝑨𝑵𝑪𝑬 .ᐟ @LlLMISSPERFECT]

⠀
history repeats itself. the beer can was cold against her palm, trying to hide it. “shhh. steve don’t worry about it.” the intoxicated grin was a dead give away she had gotten into her dad’s garage fridge.
⠀

[* 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧. @crawledback]

a wry smile forms across his face. at her comment, he pushes the door further open with his hand and uses the other —- still holding the glass —- to usher her in.

“get in here.”

[— 𝑳𝑶𝑽𝑬 𝑩𝑼𝑮 .ᐟ 🐞 @DOOMEDCHEERlSMS]

“hey, christmas came early.” she’s snickering a little at his word choice before tilting her head a bit.

“you can’t open your gifts with full hands, now can you?” another laugh in a teasing manner before she muses. “mind if i come in?”

[* 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧. @crawledback]

sound of a doorbell has him sauntering to the door. it opens with a swing. glass in hand, steve looks confused, and then pleased. “hey, you.”

[— 𝑳𝑶𝑽𝑬 𝑩𝑼𝑮 .ᐟ 🐞 @DOOMEDCHEERlSMS]

hopefully she isn’t interrupting anything * too important by giving the doorbell a ring!

[* 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧. @crawledback]

@DOOMEDCHEERlSMS https://t.co/3bRlMs3EXb thank you thank you it’s good to be home‼️

[* 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧. @crawledback]

https://t.co/3bRlMs377D honey i’m home

[* 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧. @crawledback]

@DOOMEDCHEERlSMS https://t.co/3bRlMs3EXb hi sweetie (:

[* 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧. @crawledback]

head slowly swiveling to get a look at —- oh! oh, goodness. well, ignore the flash of concern on his face. for just a moment.

“nance? hey, whatcha got there?”

[‧₊˚ ᝰ 𝓝𝑨𝑵𝑪𝑬 .ᐟ @LlLMISSPERFECT]

⠀
exactly — harrington knows.

❪ she’s drunk and will deny it in the morning. ❫
⠀

[* 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧. @crawledback]

<—- currently pouring himself a glass of top shelf whiskey, courtesy of mr. harrington and his neglect to lock the cabinet.

[* 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧. @crawledback]

yeah, yeah … have a seat. you know where the living room is.

[‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ 𝖘𝒆𝐞𝐤 ⛧ 𝖉𝒆𝐬𝐭𝓻𝐨𝐲.̲ @HAWKlNSDEVlL]

( shuffling on in ) thanks, man