Story [Stranger Things] With Sky To Spare | Kessel Run Challenge 2023

Title: With Sky To Spare
Genre: Various
Timeframe: Various
Characters: Various (but let's be real, 'various' means mostly the same 2 or 3 characters over and over and over again because I'm not that creative)
Notes: My entry for the Kessel Run Challenge, 2023 edition. Many thanks to @ViariSkywalker for creating and hosting this awesome challenge!

I doubt I'll get very far with it this year but I still wanted to try. As Ray Bradbury said, if you write a short story every week for a year you'll have 52 short stories. So, while I can't commit to a full year of weekly writing, I am going to take that advice and attempt to finish all eleven prompts for this challenge using the concept of "finished is better than good".

Thread title is taken from Frederick by Patti Smith. It's got nothing to do with anything, I was just stuck for a title, then I heard this song again and picked one of the lyrics because I like the sound of it. It's a beautiful song, anyway; please give it a listen!

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Index

Week 1: Cool Night (Billy & Max)
Week 2: running down to the riptide (Billy)
Week 3: The Moonlight Motel (Steve/Billy, OC)
Week 4: One on One (Steve/Billy)
Week 5: Juggernaut; Undertaker; Shepherd (Max & Billy; Steve/Billy, Eddie; Steve/Billy, OC)
Week 6: Can't Wait For The Nights With You (Steve/Billy, Max)
Week 7: Somewhere Far Away (Steve, Mr. Harrington)
Week 8: (knows I'm gonna stay) (Hopper, Joyce/Bob)
Week 9: Here (Will, Joyce)
Week 10: You Got Me In Love Again (Steve/Billy)
Long Vignette: Airplanes in the Night Sky (Steve/Billy, OC, Max, Neil, Billy's mom)

 

Week 1

Prompt: Write a story between 100 and 1,000 words that:

• starts with this sentence: “He had not been courageous.”
• uses this picture as inspiration:

Spoiler

Title: Cool Night
Characters: Billy & Max
Notes: Title taken from Cool Night by Paul Davis. This story started off quite differently and changed direction, but I didn't have any other ideas for a title so I stuck with this one.

My usual post-S3 AU garbage because my brain is still not over these characters. It's still rough and I feel like it's missing quite a bit, but I don't have much writing time and if I give up on the first week I know I won't bother trying to write anything else. I'm working on finishing things this year; making them good can come later.

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Cool Night

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He had not been courageous.

He'd thought he was. He'd thought going out into the snowy night was brave, that he was proving something.

He'd screwed up, like always.

"God, Max," he said irritably. "Stop bawling."

"I'm not bawling!" She sniffled and glared at him.

He made a show of tossing the blanket draped over his shoulders onto the floor. "I'm fine, see?"

Without it he started to shiver again but he clenched his jaw to keep his teeth from chattering. Max was half-hysterical when he got home and he didn't want to set her off a second time.

He'd told her it wasn't a big deal, that he'd just gone for a walk.

And he had, but he'd waited until Susan was at work and Max was hanging out with her friends. He'd gone without a coat or a hat or gloves. According to the old thermometer by the door it was twenty-three degrees when he left.

Max thought he hadn't been planning to come back.

"You're not fine," she said now. "You could have died out there, Billy." Her voice cracked. "I can't - not again - "

"I wasn't trying to die."

She flinched like he'd hit her. He forced himself to keep talking.

"I just - " He didn't know if he could explain, if she'd understand. He wrapped his arms around himself as he spoke. "That thing - it liked cold, Max. I thought if I could be out there, in the cold, if nothing happened, I'd...be sure."

She didn't say anything. He couldn't look at her.

"If it ever did come back," she said after a short silence, "El would, like, know. And Will."

She picked up the blanket.

"We'd all fight it. Together."

She held the blanket out and their eyes met. He took it from her without a word, knowing he'd cry if he tried to speak. She sat down next to him as he pulled it tight, letting it warm him up.

 

A great scene with intense dialogue and care-giving by Billy

 

I am not at all familiar with "Stranger Things", but this was a petite sweet.

 

@earlybird-obi-wan Thank you so much for reading and for your lovely comments! It always makes my day.

@Mira_Jade

I'm so happy it's back! The 'race' aspect helps me get out of my head and actually write, and that in itself is a big thing for me after these past couple of years.

Yeah, there's definitely some stuff missing. I wanted to kind of set the scene more but I couldn't get it down how I wanted, and I don't have much writing time right now so I just went with what I did have.

I wouldn't go out there like that and I'm Canadian!

They deserve it! Thank goodness for fan creators.

Thank you so much for reading and for your kind comments, it means a lot!

@Nehru_Amidala Don't worry, this ficlet doesn't follow Stranger Things canon at all so you're not missing anything. Thank you so much for reading and for your sweet comment, I really appreciate it!

 

Week 2

Prompt: Write a story between 400 and 800 words using second-person POV in which a character is lost.

Title: running down to the riptide
Characters: Billy
Timeframe: Season 3
Notes: This won't make sense if you haven't watched Season 3.

Title is taken from Riptide by Vance Joy. This was heavily inspired by the following S3 scenes: Billy kidnapping Heather, El seeing his memories, and Starcourt. I also took some of the dialogue from the show, specifically:

Spoiler

"Are you hurt? What's going on? I heard screaming, should I call an ambulance?" (Heather)
Build what you see. (The Mind Flayer)
"Stay perfectly still. It will all be over soon." (Billy)
"You told her the wave was seven feet. You were happy." (El)

It's my first time writing in 2nd-person POV, and this was the first thing that popped into my head so I ran with it. Once again, there's a lot more I could have added or went deeper into, and I know I don't have the skills to pull off the wave/drowning metaphors properly. I thought about spending more time on it, trying to turn it into a proper fic and getting a beta reader and everything, but I decided just to go with what I have for two reasons.

One, I'm going for "finished not good" and just trying to write again, and I don't want to get stuck on a single week. Two, this subject matter is still really upsetting to me and I just don't want to spend too much time with it. I'm not delusional or anything; I know none of it is real and it's all a made-up story with fictional characters. But I'm still dealing with a lot of RL stuff and I don't need to make myself sad over a fictional story at this point in time.

All that said, if you choose to read, thank you! I'm gonna go read some mushy fluffy fics now.

*

running down to the riptide

*

A wave pulled you under once.

Your board dipped and you fell. You were disoriented, confused. You tried to find your board, anything, to grab, to hold on to, but your fingers only slid through the water. You were tossed around until you were dizzy, until you couldn't tell which way was up.

You took a breath and the salt water burned your lungs.

You choked and sputtered and kicked. You wanted to go home.

Arms reached for you and brought you up into the fresh air. Into the sunlight. You clung to your mother, and she clung to you, and you thought you were safe.

*

You learn that safety is only an illusion.

And this time when you're drowning there is no one to save you.

*

She stands in front of you, telling you to take her to him. It's her voice but not her words.

"Are you hurt?" she asks. "What's going on? I heard screaming, should I call an ambulance?

No, you want to say, save yourself.

Sounds are muffled underwater. All you hear is his voice in your head.

Build what you see.

It's an order you have to obey. You've always been punished for disobedience.

You watch your hands close around her neck and choke off her screams.

You lay her on the cold concrete, where you laid, and do the only thing you can do for her.

"Stay perfectly still," you say. "It will all be over soon."

Drowning is easier if you surrender to the water.

*

The wave closes over your head. You eat and walk and drive and smile, like you're supposed to. Like you did before.

You bring others, like you brought her.

And you sink deeper into the abyss, where the pressure crushes your lungs and the sunlight never reaches.

*

"You told her the wave was seven feet."

You close your eyes and feel the pressure ease.

You kick towards the surface until the water brightens. Until you hear the waves murmur and the seagulls cry.

"You were happy."

You break through into the fresh air. Into the sunlight.

*

The wave was at least seven feet high. Maybe more. You turn your board to shore and paddle, your strokes strong and sure. You can't stop grinning.

Your mother's waiting on the beach, smiling, her long white dress billowing in the breeze. She's proud of you. So proud. You can't wait to tell her all about it.

You pick up your board and splash through the surf. Your steps quicken as you reach land.

You run into her arms, and you're safe.

 

I can't believe I missed this in week 1!

I'm unfamiliar with Stranger Things, but... a monster out in the cold? Kinda X-Files-ish, the show? I like it, whatever it is. And he was brave to try and take it out all by himself.

Second story hit close to home for me, as I nearly drowned in the ocean when I was 15 or so. One of the perils of growing up in South Florida. The undertow took me way down under and if I would have panicked, I wouldn't be writing this reply to your great story.

You did really well with Second Person and the subject matter was quite intense. Well done!

 

Aww such a real description of the waves and what you feel. I am swimming just about every day in the sea and experiencing waves. Excellent response

 

Scary! Riptides are no joke!

 

Yay, more Stranger Things AUs! Poor Billy, feeling so frightened... it's good that Max is there to remind him that he has friends and they look after each other.

Week two is like a disturbing waking dream, and it will make an excellent longer fic when RL permits you to invest into making it a standalone. It's a great use of second person POV. I'm excited to read more!

 

Yay, more reads ...

That's a deep, deep cold to be out in ... *wants to bring them hand warmers*

They are sharing strength, good good good.

I'm glad to read this.

Lovely end image with great and wistful feels.

 

Thank you all for reading, especially those of you who are not familiar with the fandom! It means a lot that you would give these a try anyway.

@Vek Talis

Kind of! The first season especially has some X-Files vibes.

Yikes! That sounds terrifying and I'm glad you made it out!

Thank you so much for reading and commenting.

@earlybird-obi-wan I'm so glad the descriptions sounded real! I love the ocean but I don't get to be near it and experience it as often as I would like. Thank you so much for reading and for your lovely comments!

@Nehru_Amidala Riptides are absolutely no joke! Thank you so much for reading and commenting, I really appreciate it.

@UltramassiveUbersue

That's literally all I write anymore, I think it broke my brain or something (okay, real life these past few years was what actually broke my brain, but still).

Yay, that's exactly the vibe I was going for! I won't be expanding it but I'm glad to hear it worked for you.

Thank you so much for reading and for your comments.

@pronker

These kids can use all the hand warmers and soft blankets and warm fuzzy things!

Thank you so much for reading and for your wonderful comments!

Thank you again, all!

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Week 4

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Prompt: Write a story between 100 and 1,000 words that is predominantly action. You can have as many characters interacting as you want, and you can include introspection as long as it doesn't outweigh the action.

Characters: Steve/Billy
Notes: I took Week 3 as my bye week because I was away, so here is Week 4!

I cannot write action, I never have been able to, and I also don't have much writing time, so I just went with the first thing that popped into my head. *chants just write and finished not good*

Title and inspiration taken from One on One by Hall & Oates, and the flirting basketball scenes in Season 2. This is yet another happy AU with no connection to canon.

If you choose to read, thank you and I hope you enjoy!

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One on One

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Steve dribbles the ball, his feet moving quickly, almost dancing as he dodges Billy's arm. Billy's right there, heat and fire against Steve's back as he taunts, "That all you got, Harrington?"

"I'll show you what I got, Hargrove," Steve says, and pivots on his left foot, twisting away from Billy.

Billy turns, too, but Steve's already throwing the ball. It hits the backboard then falls through the net.

Steve punches his fist in the air and whoops. "Yeah!"

"Nice." Billy presses against Steve again, this time with his arms around him, trailing soft kisses along Steve's neck. "Another round?"

 

And you said you couldn't write action? I wouldn't believe it. That's a good scene, @amidalachick If you keep it up, you'll be an action writer before you know it.

And Steve got the score before the score, apparently.

 

But this is ACTION in a very good scene

 

Verbs dodge, pivot, twist, turn, throw = action! Nice movements!

 

@Vek Talis @earlybird-obi-wan @pronker

Thank you all so much for reading and commenting! I'm sorry, I don't have enough spoons to do individual replies right now but I truly do appreciate all of you.

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Week 5

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Prompt: Write a set of 3 double drabbles with the following prompts: juggernaut, shepherd, undertaker

Characters: 1. Max & Billy; 2. Steve/Billy, Eddie; 3. Steve/Billy, OC
Notes: My original ideas for these were based on a Springsteen song and rather dark and angsty but I was struggling to get them down how I wanted and I'm really short on time this week. So I went with my usual stupid fluffy AUs. They're trash but they're done and I'm posting them without having a full-blown anxiety attack, so I consider that progress.

Although these aren't set in the same 'verse, I switched the order of the prompts up to put them in chronological order because it was bothering me to have "Shepherd" stuck in the middle when it takes place approximately 30 years after the other two. I figured making one small concession to my perfectionism was okay.

Finally, the italicized opening line in "Undertaker" is from For Whom The Bell Tolls by Metallica.

If you choose to read, thank you and I hope you enjoy.

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Juggernaut

"El's never been on a roller coaster."

Since they hadn't been talking about roller coasters, or El, or anything, Billy looked up from his essay with a frown. "Okay?"

Max didn't elaborate, just looked at him like he was dense.

"Well, that's sad," he said, and started writing again.

Max held her pencil between her thumbs and forefingers like a business executive. "We should take her."

"We?" Billy set down his own pencil. "As in, you and me?"

She shrugged. "Mike will want to go since El's going, and Lucas wouldn't mind."

"And the rest of the nerds won't want to miss out."

Max met his gaze with a cool, unflinching stare. "Exactly."

"Do I get a say on when, or do you have that all arranged too?"

"We were thinking next Saturday. Steve's off and he already agreed to drive since we won't all fit in your car."

Billy leaned back in his chair, pretending to consider the idea. Max didn't know that Steve had told him and he'd also already agreed to drive. She didn't need to know that sort of information.

"I'm not riding with Henderson," he said, finally.

Max smirked, like she thought she'd won. "Deal."

Undertaker

"...for whom the bell tolls!"

Billy shouts whoo, yeah! as the next song begins. Steve joins him in an air guitar solo.

He loves seeing his boyfriend so happy. And it gives him an idea for Billy's upcoming birthday.

*

Steve knows Eddie Munson by reputation but they've never spoken.

"Hey," he calls. "Eddie, right?"

"Yeah." Eddie squints. "And you're...Harrington, isn't it? From the basketball team?"

"Yeah." Steve brushes his hair back. "Listen, you got a second?"

Suspicion flits across Eddie's face, but all he says is, "Sure."

"I'm, uh, looking for help with something," Steve says.

"Ah." Eddie grins suddenly. "I see. Having a party, just want to relax, what kind of help are we looking for?"

"Not drugs," Steve says quickly. "It's, uh...I want to learn to play guitar. Like, Metallica and those guys."

Eddie stares at him for about thirty seconds before bursting into laughter.

"Do you even know who Metallica is?" he finally chokes out.

"Yes," Steve says. "So, will you teach me? One song?"

Eddie's quiet, as if he's thinking, then he shrugs.

"One Metallica song? What the hell, I'll try. When do you want to start?"

"I'm free right now."

"Alright. Let's get you rockin'!"

Shepherd

Billy drops Steve's hand as they approach the door. It's an old habit, almost an instinct. Steve glances at him, but doesn't say anything, and Billy knows he understands.

They pass a stained-glass window depicting Jesus cradling a lamb in his arms and smiling. It's a tender, peaceful image. Not what Billy remembers from the churches Neil dragged him to.

Those churches had a bloody Jesus hanging on a cross. A stern Jesus shaking his fist at a crowd. An old man at the pulpit, shouting about sinners and eternal flames.

Pastor Abbott liked Neil. Said he was a good, traditional family man upholding the values of hard work and discipline. Said Billy should be more like his dad.

He's still thinking about Pastor Abbott and the smiling Jesus when they reach the office. A woman's at her desk. She stands, smiles, and holds out her hand.

"Hello, welcome," she says. "I'm Reverend Angela Johnson. You can call me Angela."

Over coffee she asks about vows, special requests, if they want their kids to participate in the ceremony. She's warm and friendly, nothing like Pastor Abbott.

And when the meeting ends and they're ready to leave, Billy takes Steve's hand.

 

So when do you get to the roller coaster and the Metallica lessons?!?!

Excellent double drabbles, @amidalachick - and I much prefer the Jesus with the lamb, too. So they're getting married? How old are these characters? I'd imagined them as teenager, but I guess they're older than that? Not trying to sound judgy, just wondering what age range these characters are.

Ah I just answered my own question by going back up and reading your notes. Shepherd is 30 years later. Cool. After 30 years, it's getting toward Fade to Black time, isn't it?

And I don't think "they're trash". Keep up the good work.

 

Nice discussion about going to a rollercoaster. Metallica; I love that and he should learn to play that music. And Jesus and the lamb is sweet. Great work with these double drabbles. Waiting for the next week's prompt

 

Eminently reasonable.

Now this is the sort of guy to know! I enjoyed these greatly.

 

@Vek Talis

I just come up with ideas, I can't write them anymore. I would actually love to make the Metallica one an actual fic, but I know nothing about the one character (Eddie), guitar (playing it or teaching it), and not much about Metallica (just a few popular songs and little bits of trivia and stuff I've picked up from sibling who is a big fan). So yeah, no roller coasters or Metallica lessons here.

First, I'm always open to concrit so if something's really bad and confusing, feel free to let me know!

Second, I tend to jump around with timelines, especially in drabbles and ficlets like these, so it can definitely get confusing. In canon, yes, those two are teenagers (18/19), and most of the time I do write them canon-age or a little bit older (19-21ish).

Thank you so much for reading and commenting!

@earlybird-obi-wan I'd like to see him learn to play Metallica, too! Thank you so much for reading and for your comments!

@pronker

I haven't actually watched the season he's in, but he does seem like a pretty cool guy. Even Metallica themselves think so!

Thank you so much for reading and commenting!

Thank you all again.

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Week 6

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Prompt: Write a story of at least 500 words in which one of your favorite protagonists/heroic characters is the antagonist/villain. This can be an AU, but it doesn't necessarily have to be.

Characters: Steve/Billy, Max
Notes: This is the kind of fic I wrote when I was, like, 12 and discovering the world of fanfiction for the first time. It's pure OOC trope-y trash and trust me, it's not worth wasting your time to read. I'm only posting it because I'm trying to finish the challenge.

I'm hoping to do a better job with next week's prompt, but I hope for a lot of things that don't happen, so we'll see.

Finally, the title for this is taken from No One Like You by Scorpions, which is an awesome song and absolutely worth taking the time to listen to!

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Can't Wait For The Nights With You

*

Billy had never been into Valentine's Day.

Not until he got together with Steve, who was very much into Valentine's Day and everything cheesy and romantic.

They didn't get much time alone, so when Neil and Susan said they were going away for a Valentine's weekend of their own, he invited Steve over. Steve deserved a perfect Valentine's, and Billy intended to make sure he got it.

With their parents away, he had to watch Max, but that wasn't a problem. She was going to the school dance and a sleepover at the Byers' house after.

If she ever got her ass moving. He checked the clock and scowled, and went to see if she was ready yet.

She wasn't in her room, but the bathroom door was shut.

He rapped on it. "Hey! You alive in there?"

"Go away!" she hollered.

"Get a move on," he hollered back.

He ducked into his room and quickly checked himself out in the mirror. Max was still in the bathroom when he returned.

"Max! What are you doing?"

"Nothing," she called.

"Then let's go!"

She didn't reply. She didn't come out, either.

"Maxine!" When she didn't even complain about him using her full name, he got worried. "Are you okay?"

"Fine." She didn't sound fine. She sounded hoarse, like she'd been crying.

Max wasn't a whiner. It took a lot to make her cry. Billy pushed away the uncomfortable memories that rose up suddenly at the thought of the last time Max had cried, and tried to stay calm.

"Then come out here."

"No." She sniffled.

"Let me in." Billy jiggled the handle, then smacked his palm against the door. "Max! I'm gonna break this door down if you don't start talking."

She unlocked the door and opened it a crack. Her eyes were red-rimmed, but from what he could see, she looked unharmed.

"What's wrong?"

She stared at the ground. "I...I'm out of stuff."

It took him a few seconds to understand what she meant.

"Doesn't your mom have some in there?"

"There's nothing." Max wouldn't look at him. "I guess she forgot to buy more. I didn't know."

Billy looked towards the front door, bit on his thumbnail, and looked back at her. "Well, let's go get it, then."

"I can't," Max said. "There's kind of a mess."

Billy didn't want to know the details, and he was running out of time anyway. Steve would be showing up soon.

"Alright." He exhaled noisily. "I'll run to the store."

"Okay." Max's voice was small and shaky, without any of her usual sass.

As he drove, Billy debated where to go. If Mrs. Byers was working, he'd head straight to Melvald's. But he knew she was off tonight, having her own Valentine's date with Chief Hopper before they picked the kids up for their sleepover.

He settled on Bradley's Big Buy. It wasn't too busy, and ten minutes later, he'd checked out and was driving back home.

Max was still in the bathroom, but this time she opened the door at his knock. He tossed her the box.

"Here. Now hurry up and get ready."

She turned the box in her hands, then said, "I don't really feel like going now."

Before he could ask why not, or tell her off, or say he didn't care, she was leaving the house tonight, someone knocked at the front door.

Steve stood there, holding a big, shiny red gift bag. As soon as Billy shut the door behind them, Steve kissed his cheek and handed him the bag.

"Hi. Happy Valentine's Day."

"Happy Valentine's Day," Billy echoed, and rifled through the bag. "Mm, chocolate, wine - oh, what's this?"

"That one's for both of us," Steve said, putting his arms around Billy with a playful smile.

Billy set the bag down so he could return Steve's hug properly, and kissed him. He forgot about Max until he heard a door slam. Both of them jumped.

"Damn it," Billy groaned. "Max is, uh, not feeling good. She's not going tonight." He stepped back to put some distance between himself and Steve. "So you might as well go home, since we can't - "

"Billy." Steve touched his arm. "I'm not gonna leave just because we're not having sex tonight. I'd love to hang out with you and Max." His face brightened. "If she's up for it, I can go pick up some movies and stuff." He leaned in and lowered his voice, as if sharing a secret, a goofy grin crossing his face. "I'll use my employee discount and get some extra snacks."

"I think she'd like that," Billy said, then, before he could stop himself, "Steve? I love you."

Steve beamed at that. "I love you."

They kissed, quick but sweet, then Steve left for Family Video and Billy went to talk to Max.

When she opened her bedroom door, she was wearing Lucas' old Hawkins Middle School sweatshirt and pajama pants, her hair hanging loose down her back. She looked smaller, younger, than her fifteen years.

"Hey," she said. "I'm sorry I ruined your Valentine's."

Billy thought of Steve, of forgiveness and love, of his generosity and kind heart.

He thought of the hours Max had spent at his bedside in the hospital and during his rehab. How she took time away from her boyfriend, and her friends, to sit with him and read with him, to do homework and watch sitcoms and complain about how if the government could afford to explore other dimensions surely they could afford a TV with better reception.

He thought of all the second chances she'd given him, how she never stopped believing he was capable of being her big brother.

"You didn't ruin anything, ****bird," he said. "Steve's bringing back some movies and snacks and all that. You want to watch with us?"

Max scrunched up her nose. "Not if you're going to make out the whole time."

Billy grinned. "Not the whole time."

She grinned back.

It wasn't the Valentine's celebration he'd planned, but it had still turned out perfect.

 

I'm a little confused and worried that Max is on some kind of cocaine you can get legally at the corner store?!?!

They won't make out the 'whole' time. Nice line.

Sounds like a pretty good Valentine's all around, between family and friends. Good work @amidalachick

 

It sure is a very good response to this week's challenge writing about Steve, Billy and Max celebrating valentines day

 

For no other reason, this alone could spark a relationship! Nicely done view into the couple's kindness and generosity, as well as big-brotherhood brownie points. I was hoping for a St. Valentine's Day tale on the Run and received a nice story.

 

@Vek Talis

Haha, no, just girl problems.

Thank you for reading and commenting!

@earlybird-obi-wan Valentine's Day stories are one of my guilty pleasures. Thank you for reading and for your lovely comments!

@pronker

Very true! Thank you for reading and for your sweet comments.

I really didn't expect anyone to read this drivel, but thank you all. I hope it gave you a smile or something at least.

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Week 7

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Prompt: Write a story between 100 and 1,000 words from the perspective of a child. (For our purposes, a child is anyone 12 years old or younger – or whatever the developmental equivalent for your non-human characters happens to be.)

Characters: Steve, Mr. Harrington
Notes: I always try to check the prompt while I'm at work so I can start thinking about what to write. I was thinking of a few different things, but this was the one that stuck with me, and I wrote it down as soon as I got home.

I had so many child characters to pick from (Mike, El, and Will were 12 in Season 1, IIRC, then there's Sara and Holly and Erica; and that's without even going into AUs, OCs, or pre-series/post-series timeframes) but instead I went with pre-S1 Steve. Yes, I am obsessed with these particular characters.

I'm imagining Steve as, like, 6 or 7 in this, so that would be about 10 years before Season 1. But I don't spend very much time around kids so I have no idea what 6-year-olds actually sound like. Concrit is always welcome!

Finally, I could fuss over this all week and try to come up with something better, but I want to try and finish my Week 3 entry this week, I have ideas for both the long vignette and the OTP Bingo challenge that I want to write down while I have some scraps of motivation left, and DRL is hitting pretty hard on top of that. So I'm saying **** it and posting.

If you choose to read, thank you.

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Somewhere Far Away

*

His dad's picking him up from school today. He came home from somewhere far away, Steve can't remember where, and they're getting ice cream. He told Tommy all about it at recess.

He slides into the car, and he's so excited, he shuts the door a tiny bit too hard. His dad looks at him.

"Steven," he says, "how many times have I told you? Don't slam the door."

"Sorry," Steve says, but he's too excited to care about the door. He holds up his paper. "I drew this! Mrs. Lowell gave me a sticker!"

His dad doesn't even look at the paper. "Did you do your homework like we talked about?"

"Yeah." Steve doesn't care about homework right now, either. "Dad, look!"

"I'm driving, Steven. Show me when we get home."

But when they get home his dad doesn't ask to see his drawing. They didn't stop for ice cream either.

His mom kisses his cheek and says they're going out, and they'll be back in the morning, and to be good for Mrs. Hernandez.

He doesn't watch them leave. He goes up to his room and gets out his toy cars, and wishes they weren't somewhere far away.