Deliver Us {Stranger Things 1 }

Movie Night

"Sorry, sorry! You just remind me of a scared little rabbit, never took you the cowardly type." Steve snickered, sitting in his usual spot next to Carlian. He never apologized for what Tommy called him. Or for insulting his dreamcatcher later on. That was more than alright for Carlian, leave the past behind you right?

"I mentioned the new movie that's coming out, you know, Pet Sematary?" Barb clarified.

"Oh yeah, I saw trailers for that...what do you say, Carli? Up for it?" Steve asked, grinning his way.

"No...I have plans." Carlian put on a fake apologetic smile.

"Come on, it's just a movie!"

"I don't think Tommy'll want me around."

Conversations had ceased once Mrs. Dracula entered the room. A woman from the Romanian countryside, in her late thirties never one to wear make up or style her hair other than in its usual bun with two bangs on either side of her face. Steve leaned over to whisper in Carlian's ear. "She could bite me any day..."

Carlian shushed him but Mrs. Dracula could well hear. "A tempting offer, Mr. Harrington. I have been feeling rather parched of late." She smiled, dark brown eyes glinting when he laughed sheepishly. It was always different when one got caught.

Her class was a bit on the dull side, but it helped she had a good sense of humor. "Steve, I think that's too much-."

"Ah, you're over reacting Delsoa. Wait...is it supposed to bubble like that?"

Curses were uttered. Steve pushed Carlian forward as a human shield, Carlian vice versa with Steve before both ended up taking cover beneath their desk along with other students and a very displeased Mrs. Dracula.

Steve turned out to be okay. He made Carlian laugh a few times, proclaiming this was not the dumbest thing ever done. Somehow not surprising Carlian. One time Steve thought he could do a back flip off a dumpster only to break not only his but Tommy's leg included, having fallen into him.

"Dad wasn't too pleased about that mishap," Steve said, laughing as they finished cleaning. Finger tips rough and calloused. "Leg wasn't the only thing that broke."

"Hang on....he beats you, then?" Carlian asked. Having remembered what Billy told him through their chats.

"Sometimes. Once, I borrowed five bucks and he got his belt out."

"Jesus," Carlian breathed out. His eyes slight parting.

Steve gave him a shake of his head, keeping an eye out for Tommy, Carol, Nancy and Barb outside the school. "Yeah. He can be a hardass. I guess I deserve it..."

"No one deserves that, Harrington. Are you sure you don't want to come over for a bit?"

"Nah, I'm fine. Your mom's a cop, right?"

"Yeah..."

That was more than enough. She would know. Like with Billy. "You know. I think I will give it a try, my mom says I need to face my fears once in a while."

Steve's face brightened along with a grin. "Then it's settled. I'll pick you up at seven?"

"Yeah...sounds good."

  Kateri and Catori were home before getting out at three pm versus his three-thirty. Kicking off his shoes, he grinned finding Kateri reading a guide to Dungeons and Dragons on the living room floor. "Well, looks like someone's made some friends huh?"

"I did actually," she replied in a cocky manner. "Mike gave the okay for me to join their group at his house. In his basement." Catori and Carlian 'oooed' in childish nature, while she stuck her tongue out. A thoughtful look crossing over. "Does that make me a slut?"

Sipping off some ginger ale for his slight nausea, Carlian coughed grimacing when it bubbled up to his nose. "Where'd you learn that, Kat?" he asked, clearing his throat once. They never talked like that around her or Catori.

"Some girl called me that when she saw me with them....and, then Catori punched her nose."

Catori grinned with pride behind her book, feeling her big brother's stern look. "You decked someone over a word?"

"It's no different than when that Cody guy back home called you a fag and Harker got him in the face. It's also an unwritten code of law, that only a sibling can pick on their sibling." Catori added. Earning once again shocked looks from her siblings, deadpanning their way. "Yeah. I actually am reading...very funny."

"Mom's not gonna like that..." he sighed. Running a hand through his hair. "I mean, she'll like you defended Kat but that's not the way, to go about your problems using your fists."

Catori shook her head muttering 'wimp' under her breath. Carlian gave up, knowing you could argue with her until you were blue in the face. "As for you, Kat, you're not...that word, because you have guys as friends. Remember what dad told us?"

Kateri gave him a small smile, nodding along with Catori. Repeating the phrase mom reminded him to say.

Kissing them both atop their heads, he made to shower in preparation for his movie.

~********~

Fond memories began to emerge, as he arrived at The Hawkins Theatre at about six fourty pm. He pulled his coat tight around his body, nervous seen clear in his eyes for drunks still tended to lurk about at these hours.

"Carlian!"

Steve's shout caught his attention. Raising his arm to acknowledge them, he jogged over ignoring Tommy and Carol's annoyed 'hey's'. Wrapping his arm around Nancy, Steve paid for their tickets. The back rows were apparently their chosen seats, no doubt used to conceal themselves.

Barbara sat opposite of Carlian, as Steve did on his left. The lights dimmed, growing dark. Opening credits begin.

The beginning already creeped him out, the old pet cemetery. The children singing. "Gripping that arm a little tight." Steve whispered, snickering when Carlian muttered 'shut up', a small grin of his own forming.

He fiddled with the talisman around his neck, finding it did provide some comfort. Nancy let out a soft squeak when Victor Pascow came to life for a moment, to warn Louis Creed of going beyond the pet cemetery's grounds. That they had soured. Repeating Jud Crandall's words...

"The soil of a man's heart...is stonier...."

And that grin.

Carlian covered his mouth, Barbara hid her face behind her hands peeking out like a child. Steve bit the inside of his cheek, while Tommy and Carol snickered at their behaviors. "I've seen way scarier...actually, nothing scares me." Carol sniffed.

Nancy rolled her eyes, mouthing to Carlian 'she's totally lying'. Earning a snicker to escape. An hour more in and they were on to Gage's tragic death. A grieving family. Steve scoffed, though his leg shook with nerves gripping his knee.

"C'mon, seriously? The old man warned you, dude."

"Gripping your knee a little tight there, Harrington?" Carlian whispered, earning a light laugh from Barbara.

Steve gave him the finger in return, huffing.

Gage was not the same when he came back. He was a monster of his old self. Louis apparently did not learn after his son's second death, taking his dead wife to that very same location wrapped in a white sheet ignoring Victor's warning. Soon as the credits roll, Steve gave an obnoxious stretch of his arms.

"Well, that wasn't so scary at all. Not one bit." He ignored Nancy's elbow against his side.

"Please, you were white knuckling it." Tommy cackled, slinging an arm around Carol. "I saw you, Carlian looked like he was gonna piss himself any minute."

Carlian's ears burn balling his hand in a fist in his jean pockets. "Actually, the plot interested me more than anything. A man desperate to have his family back willing to revive them from the dead."

"So..." Barbara drawled, glancing at him with curiosity. "Question is, would you do it? I mean not that I believe in that stuff." She laughed sheepishly.

"My honest answer? No. To quote Jud Crandall...dead is better."