𝐢 𝐜𝐚𝐧'𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐦𝐲𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟

ii. STAY THE NIGHT.

IN THE car, Icarus mostly drove with some music playing when he remembered he could go see Chris, so he headed to the new Mayfield home. Apart from what was going on with everyone else, Dustin and the other kids joining Hellfire, Nancy becoming a big part of the school newspaper club, and other stuff, he also talks about his new house. A trailer, because Neil had left them after Billy's death.

Chris doesn't really talk about it, but briefly mentioned it in one of the letters with a picture of him and Max. She had smiled and posed for it which made Chris happy, but neither of the Mayfield kids were doing okay and Icarus can kind of sense that in a way.

When he arrived, he could hear a tv inside and some music from one of the bedrooms so he gently knocks. The door swung open not long after by Max Mayfield. "Icarus! Wh--what are you doing here?" She asked with a wide eyed gaze and he just smiled. "Visiting... gonna let me in?" He asked her and she quickly nods, opening the door wider.

"I was just in the middle of cooking." She said as she now rushed around, picking up beer cans and Icarus notices the passed out Susan on the couch with a blanket over her. Max shoves a piece of her hair behind her ear, tossing the empties into a garbage bin now. "Sorry... we weren't expecting company." She says and he just smiles faintly at her.

"All good... where's Chris?" He asked and she pointed. "Probably in his room... wallowing. Or something." She shrugged and he nods, heading off down the hall. He approached the door with a stop sign on it. He touched the metal plate to find out it was real, so he quickly knocks. "Max? Is supper ready?" Came from the other side and there was a bit of rummaging around, sort of rushed.

"Not Max." He said and then the door swung open. "Rus!" Christopher Mayfield laughed and threw his arms around his neck. Icarus hugged back tightly, pulling them inside the room and Chris kicked the door closed. "Oh, shit." The Blood pulled back and looked around the room. Chris still had the same posters, of Mötley Crüe, of some women and movies. His room looked the same, just in a different size and home. Icarus turned back around.

"What... were you doing? Before I came in, I mean..." He said and Chris grins widely. "I don't think you wanna know." He says and Icarus rolls his eyes, looking over at the record player. "What were you listening to?" He pointed and Chris came to stand behind him, putting one of his arms around his neck.

"Your favourite album." He said and sure enough when he pressed play, Icarus' favourite song, Flight of Icarus by Iron Maiden played. Of course it's his favourite, why wouldn't it be? It's his favourite band and a song with his name in it. The Blood grins as the Mayfield glanced at him in the corner of his eye.

"When did you get in?" He stepped back, pulling his arm away to lay onto his bed and Icarus turns around. "Uh... 4:30. Or so." He shrugged and Chris nods, playing with the hem of his duvet before nodding. "Come sit with me. I don't bite." He says, chuckling. "Unless you want me to." He added and Icarus rolls his eyes, laying onto the bed next to him.

"What's with this? I thought you were growing out your hair." Chris reached up and touched the man's short hair. Icarus originally did plan to, he told Steve that and he did grow it out those three months before moving away, it reached up to his chin, and then past when he was in New York for a month, but when he saw the letter from Chris telling him Steve had moved on and was going on dates, he cut it.

He cut it so short, nearly a buzzcut. Icarus looks at him, "that was the old me..." Was all he says and Chris' eyes are so intense on him, it made him feel nervous. "Am I the first you came to see?" He asked quietly and Icarus glanced away. "Not exactly... I went to see Robin and Steve showed up." He says and Chris nods, still playing with Icarus' hair.