Chapter Text
You blew smoke out, watching it swirl up and disappear into the blue night sky. The sun had barely begun to touch the horizon and the air was crisp from fall. Everything felt hazy and relaxed, the town of Woodsboro dimmed and tired. You loved it like this - dark enough the sun didn't hurt your eyes yet just bright enough that you could navigate outside without a flashlight. Streetlights had just come on and you smiled at the sight.
He was late.
But leave it to you and Stu to do things backwards. You'd already had sex in the back of his car a few days ago and now the two of you were "taking things slow" in your own way. Tonight, Stu was taking you to see a new horror flick that had just come out and then out for dinner afterwards.
"It'll be like a date." Stu had smiled, tucked into your side as you walked down the school halls. You were skipping P.E together to smoke weed in the bathrooms - a habit you’d gotten from Hollywood and one Stu had gotten from you.
You'd rolled your eyes and pretended to think it over. "I suppose I have time in my very busy schedule for my kind-of-boyfriend."
Because you two weren't officially "dating" yet. Not until you'd been on a date, Stu had insisted.
So here you were: leaning out your bedroom window waiting for your Prince Charming to pull up in his shitty car and take you to see yet another Hellraiser film. You didn't really care about the movie but you were interested in making out with Stu in the back of the theatre.
At least your dad was out for the evening, meaning you didn't have to climb out the window. You didn't really care what he thought, if he even spared you a thought these days. It wouldn't surprise you if he wasn't even aware you were still friends with Stu. Much less dating him.
The sight of a familiar red car pulling into your driveway made you light up brighter than the headlights. You snuffed your cigarette out on the windowsill and hurried down the stairs. You were dressed comfortably for the early evening, a loose white tank top and jeans that were comfortable enough to lounge around in when you inevitably wound up back at his house. Plus, you knew Stu would let you steal whatever coat he was wearing if you decided to complain about the cold.
You swung the door open and there he was. Pretty and dressed in flannel overtop his shirt that always made him look cozy. "Hey beautiful," Stu said, leaning in the doorway and towering over you.
"You're late." You teased him, pulling him down by the front of his shirt to kiss him sweetly.
"Wouldja forgive me if I told you I got you this?" He held up a slushie cup he’d had hidden behind his back, shaking it and smiling when your eyes lit up. "I'll take that as a yes."
You swiped the cup and took a grateful sip. "You're immediately forgiven of any wrongdoings." He slipped his hand into yours and led you to his car. It felt stupidly romantic, so you let him. "So, what's the to-do list tonight?"
Stu opened the car door for you and it stunned you how normal that was. Even before you two were "dating," Stu would just do these sorts of things for you. Bring you treats, hold open doors for you, let you steal his clothes... Dating hadn't changed anything, which you were honestly relieved about.
You'd seen Billy and Sidney cooing over each other at lunch. If you and Stu had to do that, you'd probably puke. It was just too... sappy. You two weren't sappy.
"Sooo first is Hellraiser: Bloodline. The fourth, if you can believe it." Stu said as he pulled out of your driveway.
"Surely it can't be good." You hummed around your straw.
Stu shrugged. "At least it's got Doug Bradley in it." You moaned dramatically and fanned yourself, making him laugh. "Knew you'd be into that, you freak!"
"What can I say, Pinhead is handsome! Sue me." You waved him off, smiling.
Banter between you two hadn't changed. Nothing had changed.
The theatre was relatively empty this time of night, meaning it was pretty easy for you to sneak the rest of your drink in as well as hide out in the back of the theatre. Horror movies were an acquired taste so you didn't have to worry about other couples interrupting.
Halfway through the film, Stu leaned into your ear. "This fucking sucks." He whispered stoically.
You had to cover your mouth to keep yourself from bursting out into giggled. "Yeah, this is so bad."
He looked you up and down slowly. The theatre screen was the only source of light, casting dark shadows on his profile that made you shudder to see. It reminded you of that mask he'd kept in his car, for some reason. Maybe it was because Stu was normally sweet and bubbly with you so seeing him take a darker twist was...
Intoxicating? Terrifying? Both?
"Wanna make out?" He whispered, an impish little smile on his face.
"Fuck yeah." You sighed before climbing into his lap, straddling him comfortably. "Been waitin' for you to ask."
You mirrored his smile and kissed him. Kissing him was so overwhelming in wonderful ways. He was handsy too, grabbing your waist and sliding his hands up under your shirt. You had to bat his hands away when he slid them around your front, tickling your stomach a bit.
Your hands rested comfortably on his shoulders, squeezing them from time to time when he slid his tongue into your mouth. You tasted like cherry and blue raspberry and Stu could die happy. He had you, beautiful and alive, in his lap again. In his life again.
By the time the movie was over, you two were ruffled and giggling, hair and clothes messed up and avoiding eye contact with any of the staff.
When you two were outside, the night wind brushing your clothes and chill against your blushing faces, Stu reached over and grabbed your hand. "C'mere," he said before gesturing to the empty parking lot. The movie theatre shared a parking lot with a supermarket, meaning this time of night gave you two a sea of concrete and streetlights to explore. It felt empty and abandoned and you loved it.
You made up a game of trying to touch as many streetlights as you could, fingers alternating between brushing cold metal and the soft shirt Stu wore as you grabbed at him in futile attempts to slow him down.
Like you'd predicted, he'd given you the flannel overshirt he'd worn. You didn't even have to say anything. He just knew.
Your joint laughter echoed in the empty, dark space. It felt like you were suspended outside time. When Stu finally caught you around the waist under a streetlight, it was like the world narrowed down to your ring of light. Both your cheeks were flushed from running and you kissed him without a care for chapped lips and dry tongues.
You loved him.
This knowledge wasn't new to you but it still rocked your very being. You pulled back and just. Stared at him. The light overhead made it look like he had a halo and you kissed him again, the light burning a ring behind your eyes.
You loved him.
Stu pulled back this time and sighed. "Y'know, I think I get what JD was on about." When you gave him a questioning look, he just grinned. "About Veronica. Y'know, Heathers? How he was gonna blow up the school for her?"
You paused. "I don't think that's what that movie was about."
"Our love is God, baby," he said, stepping back to kiss your hand. "I'd blow up the school if you asked me to."
You felt your cheeks warm at the sentiment, surprising even you. You tried to hide your smile but he definitely noticed. "Didn't they drink slushies in Heathers, or am I crazy?"
Stu laced your fingers together as he led the way back towards the car. "I sure hope you're crazy, baby, or I'm gonna have my work cut out for me."
"You plan on drivin' me crazy, Macher?" You snorted, swinging your joined hands.
"I hope so," he said, eyes wide and impossibly soft, "Can't imagine us bein' any other way."
| | |
“I never said we’d go somewhere fancy.” Stu defended as he perched awkwardly atop the picnic table outside the Burger King.
You punched his shoulder playfully and joined him, stealing a fry from him as you settled. “And I never said I expected that from you.” You rolled your eyes as you chewed. “‘sides, pretty sure the ‘fanciest’ place in Woodsboro is, like, Olive Garden.”
Stu snorted as he bit into his burger. “Sorry there Hollywood, we can’t all be as nice as it is there.”
“Oh don’t even. It’s a dirty, trashy city and I hated it there.” You huffed in frustration. Leaving your mom behind in Hollywood hadn’t been too difficult on you, which her lawyer had been confused by. Emotional attachments like that weren’t something you wanted, much less sought out.
Except Stu. You liked him and basically nobody else. Other people were just filler in your world - things that existed to take up space and serve functions. You’d lost your attachment to your parents not long after you’d turned ten after realizing they would rather have petty fights with each other rather than actually take care of you.
You’d always been alone.
You leant against Stu’s shoulder, staring off into space as you fidgeted with the straw of your soda. Stu was just rambling to you, which was pretty normal. He didn’t really mind if you listened or not, he just needed someone to talk at sometimes.
He was like a firecracker to you - loud and snapping and out of control if left unattended. You usually protest whenever Stu calls himself crazy, depending on how much of an asshole he was being.
“What’s up?” Stu finally asked through a mouthful of food.
You lifted your head to study him, your eyes half lidded as you considered your words. “Sometimes I feel like you and I are the only real people.”
While any normal person would be shocked, maybe even alarmed, Stu was neither of those things. “Hm. Billy says that to me sometimes. ‘bout people not bein’ real, that is.”
You couldn't help but frown. “Billy Loomis?”
“Mmhm!” Stu swallowed and gave you a smile. “I think you two would get along! Lots in common, y’know?”
Billy Loomis was pretty much Mr. Perfect at school. Good grades, attractive, fairly athletic, the works. You’d never been particularly attracted to him, mostly because you’d never run in the same circles. He was friends with Stu, sure, but you mostly ran with the other skater kids or potheads.
Besides, you were still a little bitter with him for stealing your best friend away up until you had to leave.
“I didn’t think he was, uh…” You trailed off, not wanting to admit you had pegged Billy as the town’s cocky heartbreaker.
“Deep?” Stu finished for you with a little nudge. “Yeah, he’s full’a surprises. But don’t tell anyone I toldja that.” His sudden seriousness took you by surprise, so you listened. “He’s got this, like, person suit he wears.”
Person suit? “Like, uh, he’s pretending to be a person?”
Stu’s grin turned wild and sent a chill down your spine. “Bingo.”
Something about that unsettled you. You weren’t an idiot, you could tell Stu was basically confessing that Billy Loomis had mental issues no one else could see. But that meant there had been a reason he’d told Stu at all.
And a reason Stu was telling you.
You began to run possible reasons through your head. Sure, Stu had a weird manic-depressive streak from time to time but you knew that. So likely Billy did too. But why did that matter? Why had that come up in conversation?
“You’re thinkin’ awfully hard there,” Stu’s voice snapped you out of your trance and it struck you how dangerous he sounded.
Lying came easy to you. But you and Stu had always had this uncanny ability to see through each other’s bullshit even if others didn’t. So there wasn’t any point in even trying.
You’d only look suspicious.
“Why’d Billy tell you that?” Your voice sounded far away to your own ears and you watched Stu carefully.
He didn’t flinch nor did he show any sign of… anything at all. It unsettled you. A large part of you now wished you had fought harder to stay.
What had happened to Stu while you were gone?
You ate another fry and tried to ignore how he openly stared at you. Questioning him would only make you look suspicious. Suspicious of what, you weren’t sure. But something inside you screamed that something was very, very wrong.
“‘Cuz he and I are alike. People are fake. Playthings.” Stu’s voice was like ice in your ear as he leaned in closer, as though telling you a secret. You felt frozen in place by his words and the crazed look in his eyes.
“Stu,” you said carefully, “What did you do?”
Something an awful lot like fear flashed in his eyes. “Nothing, promise.”
A lie. You saw it instantly and he knew. “Try again.” You shot back just as cold.
He looked around the empty Burger King outside seating space as though worried someone might eavesdrop. The only company you two had was the chill night breeze and empty wrappers that never made it to the very nearby trash cans. “I-“ He swallowed, suddenly looking back down to earth. “You’re not in on it. I can’t tell you.”
That hurt, surprisingly. Suddenly it was like you were a sophomore again and you had to watch your best friend hang all over Billy Loomis without a second glance back.
“Take me home.” You crumpled up your empty wrapper and tossed it to the cold cement to join the other wrappers blown by the breeze. Tears stung your eyes and you just wanted to go home to let them out. Stu didn’t deserve the satisfaction of seeing how he got to you.
Instead, he looked confused. “What’s wrong?”
You let out a quiet laugh and it was like a dam broke inside you. Hot tears rolled heavy down your cheeks as you laughed hysterically. “This is just like sophomore year, that’s what’s wrong!” You pulled away from him and got up to glare daggers at him. “Once again, I’m shut out because of Billy fucking Loomis! I’m not ‘in on’ your little secret but here you are dangling it in front of me like I should just get it!” Your laughs became more like sobs and you didn’t care anymore. All the pent up loneliness and frustration spilled out into the empty air as you wrapped your arms around yourself.
“I want to go home. Because I’m not playing second place to Billy again. If you like him so much, go date HIM instead!” You choked through your sob and spun on your heel to march back towards the car, wiping your tears as best you could. Anger only burnt you more when you remembered the flannel shirt you wore was Stu’s.
You slumped against the passenger side door and sniffed, staring out at the last pink lights on the horizon, trying to drown in the indigo blues and float away.
You’d rather be anywhere but here. On a date with a guy who tried and succeeded to make you jealous.
When Stu stood in front of you, you just glared bitterly at his crossed arms. “How long have we known each other?” He sounded almost annoyed, which only succeeded in pissing you off more.
“Too long,” you spat back.
“Then you know it’s always been you and me, yeah? I’m not-“ He drummed his fingers nervously and you had half the mind to throw the stupid flannel back at him. “It’s not that I’m not telling you because I’m not supposed to. There’s plenty’a shit I shouldn’t tell ya but still do. Because I love you and don’t want to keep secrets from you-”
Your eyes snapped up to meet his and you felt your breath catch in your throat. He loved you?
“-But it’s because I have to. To keep you safe. And you’re really better off not knowing.” Stu finished. He moved as though going to hug you but froze, waiting for your reaction.
You stepped into his arms and hugged him back. He loved you and that was at least enough for you to shut up for a second and take it in. “I love you too.” You said, voice muffled from where you’d buried into his chest.
“I know,” Stu snorted, laughing when you smacked at him playfully.
Leaning back, you gave him a look. “You can tell me anything, you know that right? I mean, whatever it is can’t be that bad, yeah?" You laced your fingers together with a soft smile. "What, did you, like, kill somebody?” You snorted and raised a curious eyebrow.
You felt the way he tensed and you felt your stomach drop. Everything clicked into place. Why he had a hunting knife and a mask in his car. Maureen Prescott’s death the previous year. Billy’s “person suit” and their secrecy…
“You killed her, didn’t you?” You stared at him with a horrified expression.
Stu swallowed and shook his head. "No, 'course not, jeez babe..."
Lie. You pulled out of his arms and your back hit the car window. "Is this- Jesus, Stu, is THIS why you hung around Billy so much? You were planning a murder?!"
"No!" Truth, you let your shoulders relax. "I mean, we got there eventually but it didn't start like that. Promise." Stu hung his head, like he was guilty. He was. But he looked like a kicked puppy about it. "We met 'cuz we liked horror movies so much. At first, I just, like, wanted to make sure he was chill before introducing you two. But he, uh, started showing me who he really was and I just... I didn't wanna drag you into that."
You didn't move from your spot as you tried to process everything. "So, what, you two decided to make your own horrible snuff film?"
He winced at your words but didn't deny it. "It was just gonna be her, honest. But we've, uh..."
"Stu..." You felt yourself tremble and you wanted to get away, far away, maybe as far as Hollywood just to get out from under Stu Macher's gaze. "What do you mean 'just her'?"
You could tell by the way he froze that he'd slipped up.
He grabbed your arms before you could bolt and you screamed. Stu immediately began shushing you and trying to reassure you. "It's okay, babe, sweetheart, I'm not gonna hurt you, I promise."
Truth. But you didn't feel any better.
You watched him flounder for words before just sighing. "If- If you really wanna know, I can take you to see Billy and we can... talk. If you want me to take you home and never talk again, that's- that's also fine."
His face said otherwise, which got to you a little. There was a certain satisfaction in seeing for yourself how much Stu needed you.
So you played into that desperation. You stepped towards him and ran your hands up his chest slowly, smirking when you felt his breath hitch. "I am so. Unbelievably. Pissed at you." Your words oozed with malice and you could see him shudder. "You kept this from me, pretended everything was normal, had sex with me in the mask you'd used to kill a woman..."
He whimpered when you dug your nails into the soft flesh of his bare arms. "Babe-?"
"I am so. Angry." Your words were barely a whisper now, drowned out as you kissed him. It wasn't a kind or gentle kiss either. You're pretty sure you bit his lip rather harshly and he just relished in it, the freak.
You loved him. God fucking damnit, you were in love with a murderer.
When you shoved him back, he looked at you like you'd hung all the stars in the sky. Like he'd kill anyone for you - and he very well may. "You're so pretty," he said breathlessly. God he was swooning over you with a bloody lip you'd given him and scratches down his arms from your nails that threatened to pierce skin. He was a freak and that set something alight in you. "I know you're a guy 'n all but... God you're stunning." His babbling was sweet and it had you kissing him again chastely before pulling back as quick as you came.
"Shut the fuck up." You huffed, grabbing his arm and hauling him towards his car. "You're taking us to Loomis's place. We need to talk shit over."
| | |
Billy had been sleeping when Stu started tossing pebbles up at his window.
Normally, Stu showing up was a good thing. It meant horror movie marathon at his house or, even better, planning their homemade slasher film.
But waking him up for either of those things was always a very bad idea for Stu.
By the sixth pebble, he was up and rolling out of bed to pull sweatpants on. At the eighth pebble, he swung his bedroom window open to glare daggers at his friend. You being there, leaning against his car with all the forced casualty in the world, did not abate his anger. "What. The fuck. Are you doing?!" He hissed down at Stu, careful to mind his tone to avoid waking his dad.
Stu gave him a sheepish grin and revealed the mask he'd had hidden behind his back. Billy was suddenly wide awake and staring at you.
"Uh, can we go back to my place?" Stu asked, aware of the building tension as you two glared each other down. "They, uh, wanna talk with ya, Billy."
You crossed your arms over your chest and waited. When Billy retreated back into his room, it reminded you of a predator retreating back to it's den. Now knowing what you knew about Billy Loomis, it wasn't unfitting.
After a few minutes, Billy met the two of you outside. He'd pulled warmer clothes on and, while he still looked pissed at Stu for dragging him outside, he climbed into the backseat of the car without much hassle. Which you were relieved about.
The drive to Stu's house was tense and dangerous. You kept yourself practically tucked against the door in hopes that if Billy lunged at you, you'd at least get a second to throw the door open. But he did no such thing.
Stu pulled up in the driveway and you all piled out. The house was dark and you hoped that meant everyone was still asleep. The three of you wordlessly climbed up the stairs to the attic that Stu had renovated to be his bedroom a couple years ago. It was spacious and very obviously Stu. Stickers littered about the room in various spots, the large queen sized bed was unmade, and the room itself was in a state of unorganized chaos.
You made a mental note to help him clean later. It wouldn't be the first time, you knew how his brain got sometimes. Things just didn't seem as important when he was having his episodes - manic or depressive - and you'd often lend a hand during the aftermath.
For now, you all managed to get to the bed and sit without tripping over too many stray shirts and soda cans. "I gave you one rule: don't. Tell. Anyone." Billy started, rubbing his eyes in equal parts exhaustion and frustration. "And you went ahead and told him anyways."
"I asked." You were quick to defend Stu as you and Billy went back to glaring at each other. "Stu didn't want to tell me, I just see him too well."
Billy snorted and you wanted to kick him.
"Point is, he know now." Stu sighed, chewing anxiously on a fingernail. "Whaddya think, Billy? Should we just... tell him what's goin' on?"
"What, and have him spoil it more?" The other boy scoffed and rolled his eyes at you.
You snorted. "Oh, sorry Princess, I didn't know I was spoiling your fun." Taunting Billy was probably not a good move but you were tired and annoyed and just wanted to know what your boyfriend was doing when you weren't around.
Billy's eye twitched and Stu cut in again. "He knows 'bout Maureen. But, uh, that's it." He paused before sighing. "And he knows we plan to do it again."
"I ain't tellin' you shit." Billy hissed at you like a feral animal. "
It was pure vindictiveness talking when you sat up straight. “Well, you have to. Because I want in.”
Billy only looked more angry and both of you pretended not to see how excited Stu looked at the prospect. “Fuck no. You don’t have the guts.”
So you paused. Did you have the guts to kill like these two clearly did? Could you, if it were the right person? Stu and Billy had begun to argue but you couldn’t focus on that. You wracked your brain to remember what Stu told you about Billy. He’d given you all the pieces for a reason. He wanted you to join him and Billy in this.
You didn’t know why. But if Stu was trying, that made you inclined to roll with it. Maybe it’d make sense later.
“I want to join in because I want to help make your horror movie.” You watched Billy carefully, your faces illuminated only by the single lamp Stu had clicked on when you’d all settled. Shadows danced around the room like they were excited by the morbid conversation.
That confused Billy. “What do you mean?”
“I mean,” you tried to seem casual and unbothered, “Stu told me you like horror films. That’s what this is, right? Your own slasher film.”
Billy glanced at Stu, almost bewildered. “This is our sequel. Introducing new, unplanned characters would be a hassle.”
The grin that soread across your face was nothing short of menacing. “The audience would love me though. A fan favorite, if you will.”
“How so?” Billy said, slumping forward on his hands to stare at you better.
It felt like the two of you had developed some weird synergy in that moment. The maniacal smiles you shared felt charged, though with what you weren’t exactly sure. “I have a good motive,” you said, drumming your fingers nervously on the bedspread as you hoped you were saying all the right words. “My mom’s a drug addict washed out in Hollywood, my dad’s a neglectful piece of shit, and I don’t have any friends.”
Billy nodded, intrigued. “But what would push you to kill. ‘s not enough to just have a tragic backstory.”
You tilted your head, very much so a callback to Michael Myers. “I don’t attach to people emotionally. Never have, not even to my own parents.” You and Billy’s faces were practically touching at this point, both your eyes mirroring the excitement you felt. “People take up space and I’m tired of hearing them judge me when they’re not even real.”
The silence that followed was deafening.
Billy sat back with a smug look on his face. “Stu told me I’d like you,” he said after a beat.
Stu let out a little cheer and both your heads whipped around to stare at him, as though just remembering he was there. “Alright, so, we’ll have to redo the blood pact.” He said with obvious excitement. When you gave him a quizzical look, he turned his hand over to let you see a faint scar in the center of his palm. “We made a pact ‘bout a year ago to stick together on this shit.”
Billy let out a tired yawn and flopped down onto the bed without any grace whatsoever. And this was the guy who half your year was swooning for, you scoffed internally. “Whatever,” he grumbled as he turned his back to you both. “Go to sleep. ‘m fuckin’ tired.”
“Aww are we gonna cuddle?” Stu teased, happily kicking his shoes and jeans to the floor.
“Fuck off.” Billy grumbled.
You still had questions and Stu seemed to notice. “What’s up?” He asked, keeping his voice low so as not to disturb Billy too much.
“You said someone else is up next? On your kill list?” You were terribly curious and your conversation had only gotten you wound up with a nervous, aggressive energy.
Stu hummed before kissing your forehead and laying down on the bed beside Billy, serving as a barrier between you and Billy. “Casey Becker. And her shitty boyfriend too.”
Your eyes widened in surprise as you shed some of your own clothes as well. “How’re you gonna manage that? I mean, won’t they connect the murder back to you guys?”
He just shrugged. “Who doesn’t love a brutal revenge killing though!” He looked you up and down as you paused your descent to the bed in order to lean over him. “‘sides! We got you now. Extra secure alibis.”
“Shut the fuck up and go to sleep.” Billy grumbled, making you chuckle. You got the feeling this wasn’t the first time he’d shared a bed with Stu and you weren’t sure what emotion that made you feel.
Once you were all settled in, Stu let you cuddle closer. “Hi.” He said with a shy giggle.
“Hi yourself,” you hummed, your eyes already feeling heavy. “I’m in now, yeah? We’ll talk about your plans in the morning?”
Billy sighed in exasperation, rolling over to smack Stu’s arm since you were out of reach. “Yes, fuck, you’re in, now shut up and go to bed.”
You and Stu giggled impishly but did quiet down afterwards. Scooting closer to Stu, you slid your arms around his middle and tucked your face into his neck, smiling when you felt him hold you back.
For better or for worse, you were in now. Here’s hoping you wouldn’t regret it.