open rp post/continuations

[slr]

hit me up for continuations or new stuff!

prompt ideas: insomnia meme | rain meme

Comments

love me mr trust issues

[bestfeature]

[ It's not awkward.

It's totally not awkward with him, Nancy, and Jonathan and everything that's happened in the last— shit, has it been a month now? Winter break's coming up soon which means it has to have been. It feels like only yesterday that he was guarding those shitheads at the junkyard with only a bat in hand and sending Nancy off with Jonathan, knowing it was the period at the end of their sentence.

But it's not awkward. They're cool. He's fine. They even talked after and he's . . . fine. Fine.

Billy Hargrove is staying away, which is a plus. So aside from the occasional low effort jeer from Tommy H — which, who cares, get better material, man — school's kind of okay. Kind of. It's not like he's been actively avoiding Nancy and Jonathan, two of the only people in this hell hole of a high school that he feels like he can talk to, he's just been— busy. With college applications and stuff. Basketball. Things.

So when the final bell rings and students shuffle off to their lockers, Steve lingers around, lurking near where Jonathan's locker is. Somehow, it's slightly less awkward to start with him. Not that it's awkward or anything, because it isn't. Totally. ]

if it was that easy trust issues wouldn't be my name

[slr]

[ It's totally not awkward.

For all the shit that had gone on, one of the few things Jonathan can't believe is that he's dating Nancy. That she chose him over anyone else, let alone... well. It's weird. This is the real Upside Down. Avoiding Steve hadn't been the plan but it wasn't hard, since it seems like they were being avoided too. And even if things were fine, or "fine," he didn't want anyone to feel like he was rubbing this stuff in Steve's face. Jonathan knew first hand what it was like, and whatever the relationship between him and Steve was? The guy didn't deserve it.

Anyway, Nancy's off to the library to work on some homework; Jonathan's debating using the photography club's dark room or going out to take some photos. Mom works late tonight, and Will is supposed to be going to Mike's house for dinner. The hallway to his locker is starting to empty by the time Jonathan gets there... he's not expecting to see Steve nearby, but he chooses not to say anything as he pops the door open. He glances at him, but ultimately keeps his head down and grabs a couple of books from inside. ]

[bestfeature]

[ He knew it would be left up to him to at least start the conversation and probably carry it for a bit, but it was honestly better than the awkward dance that it would have been with Nancy. Not that that would have been awkward, because this isn't awkward at all.

He runs a hand through his hair and steps over, putting on a pleasant face. He'd had many years of practice keeping a carefree grin on. ]

Hey, man. What, I don't even get a "hi" now?

[slr]

[ Okay then. ]

Hey.

[ There you go, Steve. But seriously, Jonathan closes his locker and shoves his book inside his bag, careful not to mess around with the camera he's also carrying. ]

Didn't think you were looking for me.

[ Jonathan knows a lurk when he sees one. ]

[bestfeature]

Why not?

[ He knows damn well "why not," but that's how he rolls — shrugging his shoulders, keeping things cool. ]

Sorry, man. I've been busy with— [ He waves a hand idly. ] Applications and carting Henderson around and stuff.

[slr]

Busy, yeah, That's why. Your car's getting a lot of mileage these days.

[ He knows that's not quite it but Everything is Fine so he doesn't push it. Jonathan knows. He also manages to keep eye contact with Steve even if he feels awkward in this totally not awkward situation. ]

So... what's up?

[bestfeature]

Not much, you know.

[ He rocks back and forth on his feet for a moment. It's not awkward, it's not awkward.

It's awkward. ]

Look, I wanted to— see how you were doing. I guess?

[ It's awkward, but he's powering through it. ]

[slr]

I'm doing okay.

[ No matter how their last conversation had gone it's still a little awkward, but he'll try. He'll keep trying. He's a bit hesitant when he answers though. Habit. A long standing one. ]

What about you?

[ Small talk is so bad. He pauses and then quickly adds: ]

Any plans for the night?

[ Cause that's the stuff you ask people, right? Your "friends." ]

[bestfeature]

[ Plans. He used to have plans all the time, though they mostly involved doing stupid shit around town before coming back and getting drunk by the pool with whatever he could find in his father's "secret" liquor cabinet. The truth is, he hasn't touched it in months. But he also hasn't thrown any of his infamous parties in ages either. Plans lately have been whatever Dustin strongarms him into — or rather, whatever he lets Dustin strongarm him into.

It's almost sad. Almost. ]

Yeah, well, I haven't really decided yet. I've got a lot going on.

[ A whole lot of nothing, but hey. ]

[slr]

Then what are you doing here talking to me?

[ The words are a little harsh but he doesn't say them that way. Doesn't mean them that way, either. A curious, honest question, asked with a touch of humor. One that he wouldn't have had to ask before everything went down, because Jonathan would know what's coming. Things are a bit more complicated now than they ever were before. ]

[bestfeature]

Uh, maybe I like talking with you. Duh.

[ It's a bit on the nose, but he's already tired of the awkward dance. ]

[slr]

I'm such a great conversationalist.

[ He takes a step past Steve, turning around so he can look at him as he takes a step backward down the hall. ]

But if you wanna talk that badly, can we do it outside? I have some stuff I need to do while its still light out.

[bestfeature]

You make it sound like I'm desperate or something.

[ Which, okay, a little over a year ago, he would have said as much. But that was then and this was now.

He raises an eyebrow but moves to follow along. ]

Stuff? Like what. What stuff.

[ what does jonathan even DO. it's a mystery. ]

[slr]

[ The look on Jonathan's face kind of speaks for itself - You're not?? But he doesn't touch that with a ten foot pole. He settles for shaking his head and flipping open his bag and pulling out his camera. ]

Remember this thing?

[bestfeature]

[ There's the briefest look of guilt on his face before he shrugs it off quickly, squinting over at it. There's no need; he knows exactly what it is. ]

Ohhhh, yeah. Yeah, I remember it.

[slr]

Do you know what it does?

[ And again he doesn't wait for an answer, sliding it back in his bag so he can actually get outside like he asked. Doesn't rush though, he's waiting for Steve to follow him to the door. ]

[bestfeature]

[ Steve rolls his eyes, following along. He reaches past Jonathan to pull the door open. ]

It's a camera. It takes pictures.

[slr]

That's the stuff. The stuff I do.

[ He takes the opportunity to get out first, trotting down the steps to the pavement. It's December, so it gets darker earlier, but after school there's still enough light peeking through the trees from the setting sun to get some really nice pictures. ]

Nothing special.

[bestfeature]

Okay . . . ?

[ It occurs to him that he's never really given much thought to Byers and his camera after, well, the incident. No news is good news, sure, but he didn't quite get it either. ]

So you just take pictures?

[slr]

Yeah.

[ He turns to look at Steve, fully expecting that kind of reaction. Because it's not exciting and definitely not what a typical teenager in Hawkins does in the evening and on the weekends. He shrugs. ]

They say more than I do.

[bestfeature]

[ He's more curious than anything. It's not what a typical teenager in Hawkins does in the evening, but what a "typical teenager" does isn't exactly what he's up for anymore. Steve glances between Jonathan and the camera for a moment, contemplating that. ]

That's not hard. [ But it's more teasing than anything else. ] What do you, uh, photograph?

[slr]

Anything. Places, things, people?

[ And it doesn't normally involve stalking. Just that one time. ]

Whatever... speaks to me?

[ Feels awkward telling Steve this stuff. Or maybe it's how he's talking about it, whatever. With his camera back in hand he thumbs the side of the casing, looking away from Steve and down to the lens. ]

[bestfeature]

So, what, is it like just around school or town or wherever?

[ He furrows his brows, glancing over at the camera. It's a dumb question, probably, but he figures Byers will blow him off if he doesn't want him around. ]

[slr]

A little of everything. Not really the school, but some of the houses, or downtown. The forest.

[ Though he now has more reservations about the forest when it gets full on dark. He also used to like the quarry, but it's too tied into when Will disappeared, now. ]

Looks different through here.

[ He taps on the viewfinder with his index finger as he raises the camera between them. ]

[bestfeature]

Do you want me to drive, then?

[ He pulls his keys out of his pocket, twirling them. ]