Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Nockfell, November 1997

              You elevate the balms of your feet to the snow outside the bus exit, it’s practically glimmering. The trees were tall and covered in layer after layer of snow, the rocks were just about the same, and the mountains were all covered in sheets of white. The only thing you’ve ever wanted since you were a kid was to live somewhere where it snowed. You just can’t believe you actually found the means. 

             Nockfell wasn’t exactly your first choice (you can’t imagine that it would be anyone’s) but you’ve heard about its dissolute reputation, lowering the cost of living. You had friends living in Nockfell telling you all about the occult and paranormal business, it was wicked. Long story short, there’d be ice caps in hell before you would even consider moving there by yourself. 

New Jersey, June 1986

             Roughly dating back 11 years ago was the first encounter you ever had with Sal Fisher. It was elementary school and you were 9 years old in fourth grade. A tale as old as time, fates strung together, and souls intertwined… by none other than the buddy system. You were sat on a colorful rug patiently waiting with dread in your stomach as your teacher had explained that each student would be buddied with someone from the grade above. Each student was given a number that corresponded to a student in the fifth grade. Slowly the entrance door to your fourth grade classroom opened with the fifth grade teacher peering behind it, "Hello, everyone please be ready with your numbers and no running or rushing!" She spoke kindly and cautiously. 

             You were very anxious of older kids as you were youngest of 5 and knew very well first hand that they weren't very nice or gentle. Shivering in your seat, your head was rushing with everything that could go wrong. You were sucked into your head when a boy with blue hair and a pink mask approached you slowly, you noticed the paper with a number seven written on it in his hand, then saw you were holding a seven in your own hand as well. He could tell you were very uneasy and spoke while twiddling his paper, "Hello...? I think we're partners... Are you okay?"

             You looked up at the mask that had appeared to be speaking to you, and nodded. He sat down in front of you and placed a rubik's cube to his side, "I’m Sally Face, what's your name?" Sally spoke with a softness in his voice. He hadn't exactly matched the mental description you were expecting but you were still on guard.

             Glancing at the floor, you lock eyes with the rubik's cube instead of making eye contact. You spoke up, "What's your real name..." There was a small sound of amusement behind his mask. The only thing that had been running through your head was wondering when he would break character and show his true colors.

             Sally reached for the six sided cube at his right, "Sal. This is my favorite thing right now, it's a rubik's cube. You try to get all the colors on every side, it's really fun. Wanna see me solve it?" His hand was slightly stretched out to you so you could see the cube up close. You looked into his eyes when he spoke and could see the smile through his eyes. He was nice... and gentle... You nod in response to his previous question. Sal gets up and sits directly next to you so you can get a better view. He starts twisting and turning. A boy had never been so nice or close to you. You could feel the blood rush to your face as you watched him swivel patterns around the multi-colored cube.  

             "My name is y/n.." It was hard to lift your head to face him. Sal had paused his progress in solving the cube and you could feel him looking over at you. You decided to make eye contact. 

             "Nice to meet you y/n" Sal was practically glowing in your vision. Not many people treated you even with bare minimum decency, you couldn't help but feel strange. Part of you was expecting a group of boys to jump out laughing at him for being so nice to you. But there was no group of boys. Sal's intentions were pure and genuine. 

             After that day, Sal, little by little earned your trust and soon enough you two would be hanging out every chance you got and when you weren’t hanging out it was common to find you chatting up the landline. The two of you were something of an inseparable pair, always talking about sci-fi scenarios, video games, and tv and movies mostly. He showed you his favorite things and you showed him yours, the both of you meshed so well with one another, it must have been fate to meet someone who complimented you so well.  

New Jersey, June 1987

             You and Sal had experienced the full changing of seasons together and created core memories that would make your heart ache fondly whenever you looked back on them. Unfortunately the cliche gods were looking down on you and now it was time to move away. Your heart sank with every minute that passed. You and Sal spent the last of your time together crying and then trying not to cry so your family wouldn’t get mad. You made Sal promise to keep in touch or you would beat him up. The last box was lifted into the moving van and you made your way to the car. You’d never see Jersey again.

1987-1997

            Sal kept his promise and you both called each other and when you couldn’t you sent letters and other various forms of mail. You guys still grew up together as best you could while being apart and for the most part it was functional. Yes you still missed each other feeling only half complete but you both knew that it was just a temporary fix until you were adults. Along the way Sal moved to Nockfell and his friends became your friends. 

            After high school you worked for 3 years before you were confident enough to leave your hometown behind. On your 20th birthday you packed your shit without a word and booked it on the next bus headed east. Looking out the window to the night desert you felt your eyes sting and warm tears run. Thank God. 

Chapter Text

CHAPTER 2

You’re not necessarily a stranger to the midwest, you come from a small town outside the city a couple states away. You knew there were bound to be confederate flags in local gas stations and in people’s living rooms, definitely not a car model within the past 3 years, and most certainly a gun in every household.

             The bus door closes behind you, you crouch down to meet the snow beneath you and begin carving patterns into the frozen fluff. It was so pretty. Now as fun as staring at the ground in admiration was, you decided to get up before anyone could get any weird impressions on your first 15 minutes there, “Hey there! Your eyes seem to be pretty glued to the floor down there haha!” You perk your gaze up to the woman standing in front of you. She’s got tan skin with olive undertones, long wavy brown hair, captivating lashes and a stoic nose. You’d be lying if you said she wasn’t gorgeous, it was a shame she was clothed in such a ragged janitor body suit. You smiled, “We don’t get any snow in my hometown, I can’t help but revel in it.” Sticking your hands in your pocket you watched her expression change from delighted, to slightly blurred, to back to delighted as if a lightbulb appeared over her head. “Oh! You must be the kid’s new roommate! I’d better tell my son, Larry, to help you out hehe. My name is Lisa if you didn’t catch it, I work here in the Addison Apartments. Just holler if you need anything.” 

“My, Mrs. Johnson I must say I never imagined you to be so lovely in person, likewise, please let me know if you’re ever having any trouble or just need a cup of sugar.” You battered your eyes with a vibrant smile. Moving days aren’t particularly known for being pleasant but you genuinely felt as though the universe was smiling down on you letting you know this was a good choice. 

“Hehe you’re so polite! I’ll be right back with my son!” She had left a bucket of cleaning supplies on the floor and made her way into the apartments from the back door. You exhale and walk back to your bags, waiting for Lisa to come back with Larry. 

God. You were finally gonna meet him face to face along with all the others. The butterflies in your stomach were almost violent. You took a deep breath and tried to soothe your nerves, though as hard as you tried, your anxiety smile kept shining through. You stood there with your knees shaking and your grin being pulled from each side. You felt like throwing up and contemplated hiding behind a tree until you were ready to come out. That wasn’t realistic, you knew this was a good thing, if only you could get your body to believe you. Now you were frustrated and felt your tear ducts fill.

“Hey, kid, you look like you’re about to blow chunks.” Larry stood there, hands in his pockets, wearing a red hoodie and black jeans. You were pulled from your bubble and smiled with gratitude, “Larry!” With eyes widened it felt as if someone had lit up a sparkler inside you, you took off and bounced over to Larry to hug him. He let out a low laugh, “You good?” 

“Larry, come help Y/N with her bags!” Lisa called over and you both started walking back towards the bus stop. Now your smile was genuine, “Sorry I was kinda anxious but thanks for getting me out of my head.” You rested your eyes and exhaled. Larry looked over to you, “I didn’t do anything. You looked like you were gonna cry, I thought something bad happened.” He bent over to pick up your two briefcases and hauled them in the backseat of a faded red toyota minivan. Embarrassed you avoided eye contact, “Ah… Yeah sorry I’m fine now. I have an anxiety problem, Sal didn’t mention it?”

“Y/N!” Startled, you look to your right to where the voice had come from. You knew it was Sal’s. Your stomach drops and you see him running towards you along the roadside. He’s wearing gray ear muffs, navy blue and black striped sweater, and black jeans. The tears are back. They don’t hold back. Your body feels desperate and begins to ache, it doesn’t know what to do first. Sal catches up, “Sal.” All your body can manage is a strangled squeak of his name and you start crying. His arms engulf you and you cling to his sweater. In attempts to hide yourself you bury your face in his chest, “Y/n.” You can feel him exhale on top of your head. Suddenly you remember you’re in public and Larry and Lisa are still waiting. You catch your breath and back up, flustered. You look at Sal with a smile but don’t ask him to take off his mask out of fear of not being able to hold yourself back from pouncing on him. You looked him up and down and resisting the urge to kiss him had become increasingly harder, “Thanks for waitin on me, stud. I missed you.” You wipe your face with your sleeve and chuckle. 

Sal slings his arm around your shoulder, “We have so much to catch up on.” you both make your way to the red minivan, “Larry can we get some tissues.” Sal let out a soft laugh and unclasped his mask. He started glowing in the same way he did in your 4th grade classroom. Larry opened the passenger seat, “That was a fuckin beautiful reuinion man. Straight from a flick.” He reached into the glove compartment and pulled out a handful of loose tissues and passed them to Sal who passed some to you, “Yea we had the whole thing scripted actually, to really get into the role we separated for 10 years. For extra flare of course.” You blew your nose. Sal grinned and Lisa laughed, “Okay kids I didn’t bring my camera for nothin, get in front of the city welcome sign!” You three waddled over to the sign and Sal draped himself over your back and Larry side hugged you both and with his free hand he held up a rock sign. Lisa’s camera flashed, “Y’all are adorable hehe. Now go on and get Y/n’s stuff situated.”

You were given shotgun while Larry drove and Sal sat in the back. A Sanitys Fall’s disk started playing once Larry turned the ignition on. You let out a big exhale and the car started moving.