The Weekend

Introductions

It was a late Friday afternoon. Checking your phone, you examined the time. You were running a tad late because you had grabbed some snacks before getting to the house for the horror movie marathon you were going to have later that night. Trudging up to the white house you've grown oh so familiar with, you saw a note attached on the door in scrawled writing.

Sorry, we left without saying goodbye!

The key is under the doormat and we left some food in the fridge in case you get hungry, but you can order take-in if you want! Feel free to call if anything happens (we know she can be a handful!)

Thanks again, we'll see you on Sunday!

-Charles and Delia

The Deetz' have been good family friends with your own for a while now. Your dad was long-time work buddies with Charles – recently moving to help with the coverage of this so-called "gated community" as it was basically a hook line and sinker for any young family or old couple who wanted to find peace and solace. It was just a matter of getting some corporate big wig to buy into it. Delia and your mother were good friends too. They bonded over their love of that wellbeing and spiritual mumbo jumbo. And although there was an apparent age difference between you and Lydia, with you being eighteen whereas she was just beginning her teens, you still got along well.

The Deetz' had actually appointed you as essentially a regular babysitter for Lydia when they wanted to go out on their regular dates and outings, too - before they moved to their new home. At first, they were short and you did it for free, but over time they grew into weekend-long trips and you eventually had to accept the money they gave you because they were slipping cash into your belongings when you weren't looking, even when you declined. They were such a sweet couple and Lydia was equally as great, so you felt that being paid was unnecessary.

They did, however, leave extra money this time specifically so that you could order food for you and Lydia at your leisure as those pro-health meals that were packed into the fridge could only be withstood for so long purely from how gross they were. Delia was a bit of a health-nut, but Charles understood that not everyone likes those pre-made meals (which you were thankful for.)

There was another couple who took care of Lydia for some days too. Adam and Barbara. You thought they may have been friends or neighbours, but you've never met them, and this would be the same instance. If the Deetz' could not get Adam and Barbara to take care of Lydia, they would call you up. Apparently, they needed to be out too, so you happily took up the offer to be there.

Entering the house, it was practically empty. Silent. You'd consider it eerie, especially since you've been instilled with this feeling of attentive surveillance when you were alone in this place, but you knew Lydia was somewhere – probably her room.

So, you threw your bags on the couch where you'd usually set up to sleep on, you grabbed your phone and made a b-line up the stairs. As you drew closer to her room you wanted to make your presence to Lydia aware by calling out. You knew she was expecting you to show up at some point, but you also wanted to ask what kind of fast food she wanted tonight so you might as well alert her anyways.

But that's when you heard a sound resonating from her room.

Was that...laughing? It was muffled with the door closed, but you heard a guttural, croaky and startlingly deep voice rumble out of her room. It stopped you in your tracks as a wave of goosebumps fluttered up your arms. That sounded nothing like Lydia and the next sound only confirmed it. You heard Lydia's laughing too. It couldn't be Charles and he never mentioned Adam or just about anyone was going to arrive at the house during your stay so who the hell was in Lydia's room?

You pondered for a moment. Was knocking even required at this point? Should you call Charles? Lydia was a smart girl and you have heavy doubts she'd just invite a random grown man into her room, so you decided to just go in and figure out what the actual fuck is going on.

Upon entering you see Lydia talking to some... male facing away from you. He was relatively taller than yourself with dirty, wild and mottled green and brown hair from the nape of his neck up, like a strange gradient. His clothes were even more confusing. A grungy and tattered black and white striped suit that was equally dirty and frayed at every edge.

And oh god, his stench. Even from the doorway, the smell was strong– was this guy ever introduced to the concept of hygiene?

He definitely had the makings of a wandering hobo or maybe a crazy drug dealer who found his way into the house and was antagonizing Lydia. You should have grabbed something as a weapon before you came in, but it was too late now as Lydia's eyes finally wandered to your form. Her face contorted from shock to fear to concern.

That's when he turned around too. You were expecting to see fewer teeth and maybe scabies but besides from that, he was just deathly pale with a sunken in, gaunt face, dark wily eyes and an unkept greenish-tinted stubble.

"Lydia..." you started slowly and cautiously. She looked down to see you grasping your lit-up phone with the contacts open. "Y-Y/N!" She interrupted "Don't freak out! This is...Lawrence...my cousin-" she looked at him for a quick second before adding "—he's twice removed."

He had been gawking at you the entire time she had said this. It was until Lydia had to nudge him; did he break his unblinking attention from your face to say with a forced enthusiasm "Y-yes! My name is Lawrence and I love to breathe!" He lurched forward awkwardly grasping your hand continuing "Yep, let's shake our living hands because this is a thing that we do." You immediately yanked back in surprise when his calloused hand roughly grabbed yours. It was fucking freezing which had caused you to yelp. You couldn't help but glare at him and he seemed to falter slightly as he moved back to his original spot in response.

You were obviously buying none of what she was saying and turned to leave to call Charles until she called out "Okay! Fine! He's not my cousin! He's actually-" she paused as you faced her again, "a-demon-who-while-is-named-Lawrence-prefers-to-go-by-as-Beetlejuice!" she attempted to say this as fast as possible, but you picked up on enough to retort with an empty laugh "Lydia, while that sounds more believable than him being your cousin – I doubt your parents would be happy that you're letting random drug addicts in your house." The guy gave a look of exaggerated hurt as he clutched a hand to his chest, but Lydia looked plain frustrated as she reaffirmed herself, "Beetlejuice IS a demon! And he can prove it!"

You stood there; arms crossed waiting for... probably nothing. He looked as if he was thinking for a moment before his face lit up, smirking, as he wiggled his fingers towards you like it was some sort of magic gesture. You thought this was stupid but suddenly your mouth opened and started to say in a sickly sweet and flirtatious tone, "Hey Beetle, I know you're probably busy being the ghost with the most, but can you add me to your to-do list?" you immediately pressed your hand over your mouth to stifle your voice as you looked up at Lydia in fear. While she didn't seem pleased with the corny one-liner, she said blankly "He just possessed you...and I told you so."

You glanced over at Beetlejuice to see him wiggling his eyebrows and wolf whistling as he responded in a far gruffer and drawling growl than the voice he was sporting before, "I dunno... I think I can find some space on my list for you, baby~!"

You had so many questions.