PSL; [TERRIBLE THINGS WE HAVE DONE]

[vecna]

[It's difficult being the new kid at school, the new kid in town, everyone a stranger, every setting a readjustment, a fresh (and always failed) expectation to fit in hanging over one's head like a knife. It's even harder when your name is Henry Creel; a twelve year-old boy who is a little too lanky, a little too quiet. Who would prefer to keep to himself and not always look someone in the eye, finding more companionship in books and his collection of drawings than any of the kids his age. Who doesn't look like he wants to try to fit in—and struggles with every teacher’s gentle encouragement—even if he’s hardly a rule-breaker. Always punctual, always presentable, good grades, a nice new home to return to at the end of the day.

But his faith in his own integration is low. He had never flourished in his old town — why should he in this new one? As if moving would change how the world is, how he is, but he tries so hard not to linger on these thoughts today. They make him indescribably—

Well, he doesn’t know.

School lets out. The weather’s nice. It’s time to walk home, detaching himself from the excitable crowd of his classmates as swiftly and quietly as he can, his backpack slung over one shoulder and half-unzipped. He tries to stuff a book into it with one hand, paying no attention to where he’s going, and stumbles right into someone in an utterly ungraceful showing.

The book, of course, goes flying and lands splayed open, pages-down. Blue eyes flick up, out comes an automatic:]

Sorry.

Comments

[vecna]

[Henry’s family is the epitome of nuclear. His mother is the stay at home sort, his father works, his responsibilities sometimes stretching into the weekend. She doesn’t spend all her days cooking and cleaning, of course, but his mom is probably the only entity in this household that knows what she’s doing in the kitchen.

Minus Alec now, probably.

Virginia smiles at Alec. My, he’s about as bad with meeting new people as Henry is; somehow, this thought is a comfort. It’s nice that her boy’s finally connected with someone else, even if it took him such a worrying amount of time.]

It’s nice to meet you, Alec. Henry’s told me plenty about you — I’ve never seen him so talkative when he does!

Mom! [oh my GOD]

What? It’s true! That’s nothing to be embarrassed about. I’m just happy for you and Alec both.

[striketwice]

[ Alec goes utterly red at that. It's so weird to know that Henry talks about him? And that he's apparently told his family all about him? And it's all good? ]

Thanks. And... thank you for having me.

[ He reaches over and fumbles for Henry's sleeve. YOUR ROOM NOW MAYBE?? ]

[vecna]

[Don’t worry, Alec. He reads you loud and clear.]

Okay, well… Let us know when the cookies are done. We’ll be back. Bye, mom!

[And with a turn of the heel, hand gripped around Alec’s wrist, Henry leads them out of the kitchen in a rush.]

Wait, boys!

[TOO BAD MRS CREEL, they’re gone.

Out in the hallway, he brings back to the foyer.]

Sorry, you’re getting ambushed by everyone today.

[striketwice]

It's okay. I guess it is my first time here.

[ He rubs the back of his neck a little. ]

Do you really... talk about me?

[vecna]

[Oh. Uhh. Henry looks everywhere but at Alec.

Embarrassing. Thanks, mom.]

I mean... sometimes. They want to know because I never really had friends before, and- We have a lot of fun, don't we? I don't see why they shouldn't know that.

Is that... weird?

[striketwice]

No, it's not weird. I just...

I guess I'm not used to anyone having anything good to say about me. It's kind of nice.

[vecna]

I don't see why not...

[Alec's really nice once you get past all of the bullying. And Henry thinks he realizes, at least as much as a twelve year-old can realize, that it's not the real him. A mask he wears to protect... himself, probably.]

A lot of people just don't understand. I mean, what's really going on, you know?

[It's an inelegant comfort, but the best he can manage.]

[striketwice]

[ By this point, Alec is well aware of how... awkward Henry is, but that's never bothered him. That fumbling attempt to comfort him goes a long way. ]

Yeah. I know.

C'mon, I wanna see your room.

[vecna]

[One day, he’ll be able to put in words, far more eloquently, what he actually means. That day is not today! And it doesn’t seem to really matter, because if it offers some comfort to his friend, then who cares?]

It’s upstairs.

[He leads them to the staircase just nearby and begins to ascend, taking the steps two at a time. But then Henry STOPS suddenly, as though remembering something, turning on his heel.]

Wait! I forgot!

comes back here after a million years

[striketwice]

[ Alec is hot on Henry's heels, and nearly collides with him when he suddenly stops. ]

Whoa! What? What is it?

shh it's fine

[vecna]

I have to show you something I found soon after we moved in. Come on!

[With no further explanation, Alec is getting grasped by the wrist and led right back down the steps.]

[striketwice]

[ Whiplash much? Not that he won't follow, because he will. He does, eagerly. ]

Okay, okay! I'm coming.

[vecna]

[Down, down the steps they go. Back into the main hall, then a left into a quaint room. It looks like a small study, but Henry finally lets go of Alec's wrist and makes a beeline to the corner.

He crouches down, then pries up a floorboard with one hand; it comes up easily, loose and probably wrenched free of its home by Henry more than once.

Turning to look over his shoulder, he waves him over.]

Come here and look.

[striketwice]

[ Alec follows along, peering over Henry curiously as he crouches down. Is it a secret passage? A hidden treasure?? ]

What is it?

[ Crouches to look! ]

[vecna]

[It is...

A black widow's nest. 8)

In the dull light of the room, angled down beneath the floorboards, he'd be able to see the white, gossamer webbing, intermingled with thicker, woven "sacs" where the arachnid keeps her eggs. Though it is not a... conventionally pleasant sight to most, it is, at the very least, interesting to look at. To think that something like this might live just beneath their feet.

The black widow herself is tucked away in a corner of the web, currently unmoving, just a black spot against the ghostly white.]

I think her babies are going to hatch soon.

[striketwice]

[ Of course it's spiders. (Things future Alec will say.)

Alec peers down into the opening, unsure at first what he's supposed to be looking at until he spots the spider in the corner. ]

Is that a black widow? That's awesome!

[ Ah, boys. ]

[vecna]

[Boys.

Henry's eyes brighten.]

It is. Do you want to see her up close? She won't bite.

[striketwice]

Are you sure?

[ Excited!! But also a little unsure. ]

What if I hurt her?

[vecna]

[He shakes his head.]

No, you won't. You just have to keep your hand out, really.

[Though it says a lot about Alec, he thinks, that he's worried more about the spider's safety than being bitten. Most would be afraid. He's sure the rest of his family would, too.]