The Monsters Inside and Out (Scott Howl x Depressed Reader)

27. Real Talk

You wake up to the sound of your phone going off. It's Leonard. He says 'I'll be there in an hour'. You shake Scott awake and ask him to take you home. "Why?" "I have to see Leonard. Please.." Scott gets up and changes his clothes. You go out into the living room. Scott stops you. He puts up a finger, signaling for you to wait. He lightly knocks on the door of the room he came out of last night. You hear his grandma say, "Come in." He enters the room and shuts the door. You hear them talking inside, but you can't tell what they're saying. After another minute, he comes back out and says, "Okay, let's be quick." You get in his car and he drives you home. He drives a little faster than normal. You look at him and you can't read his face at all. He looks off. Like he's worried about something. You ask him what's wrong. "Is.. Something the matter, Scott?" His hands tighten on the steering wheel. "No.. I'm fine." "Are you sure? You're acting different.." "I'm okay. Everything's fine." "You're speeding. You never do that." "I just want to make sure you get home." "There's no rush. I've still got time." "Yeah well.. You never know what could happen. Anything could happen and I don't want anyone to get hurt." "What are you talking about? Scott, slow down." "No." "Then tell me what's wrong." "No!" "Seriously, Scott!" "No!!" "Why can't you tell me?!" "Dammit, (Y/N), it's because... Because..." Scott pulls over. He stops the car. He puts his hands to his face, and starts crying. You slowly start rubbing his back. In between sobs, he says, "I'm sorry, (Y/N)... I shouldn't have yelled.." "Don't apologize.. I shouldn't have pushed you." After taking a moment to calm down, Scott begins driving again. You listen to music on the rest of the way there.

When he finally pulls into your driveway, he lets you get out and you wait on the front steps for Leonard. After another minute, he stops the car and gets out too. He sits down next to you and casually grabs your hand. "I'm scared Mawmaw's gonna get hurt." You look at him in confusion. He continues, "That's what's wrong. Why I was speeding. I'm scared she's going to need me, and I won't be there to help her. If she gets hurt dies while I'm gone, it's my fault." "I'm sorry.. I didn't know you were scared of that.. I don't know what it's like to care for your family." "Yes you do." You again look at him with confusion. He smiles and blushes. "You're part of my family. And Vera's, and Polly's, and Amira's, and Zoe's, and everyone's. We all care about and love you. And you love us, right?" You squeeze his hand. "Yeah.. I love all of you." A few more minutes pass by in a comfortable silence. As you sit there, you think to yourself about everything that's happened recently. All the good and the bad. And as you sit there, you realize it's time you're honest with the bad. "At the party, I was really drunk, and I said some really mean things about you guys. Things I would never say out loud. Leonard recorded it, and now he's blackmailing me. He's threatening to show everyone what I said so they'll get mad at me and hate me. I'm doing his homework, and being nice to him, and doing things with him so he doesn't show anyone the video. I also said some really bad things about Damien and my mom, and I know one of them will kill me if they see it." He puts his arm around you. "So.. That's why you're spending so much time with him?" You nod your head. "Does that mean you haven't really been having those bad dreams?" You nod your head again, this time saying no. He puts his hand on your cheek and turns your head so you're looking at him. "Will you tell me?" You put your hand on his to hold it there. "I've been having weird dreams of the past.. I've been reliving events from long ago. Seeing things that have been done to me, that have been said to me. My mom, my dad.. And my brother..." Scott's eyes widen. "You have a brother?!" Holding his hand tighter, you say, "I had one. I don't remember him though. We apparently seemed to have gotten along well though." "What.. Happened to him?" "He was murdered by my father. My father killed and ate him.. It was part of his religion or something..." "I'm so sorry." "Don't be. I didn't know him, we were very young, we left my father soon after. I don't care about what happened before. I just.. Want to focus on the now." You both look into eachother's eyes. You suddenly feel at ease. All your troubles melt away. You and Scott slowly lean toward eachother and... Hoooooooonk. Leonard's here. You quickly move away from Scott and make your way to Leonard's car. You get into the passenger side and he holds out his hand. "Phone. Give it." You reluctantly hand him your phone and he puts it in his pocket. "I don't want you to get distracted by that bonehead while we're out." As he begins driving away you turn to wave to Scott. He makes a heart with his hands and you do the same.

You and Leonard go to multiple places. You go shopping for clothes, games, and porno magazines. He makes you pay for all of it. You have money from years of chores piled up in your wallet, and you're using it all on pokeman cards and wall decals and posters of girls with cat ears wearing maid costumes. He also brought a laptop so every time you got in the car you could work on his project more. After a long Sunday wasted, he takes you to his house so you can put up his posters. You carry about 15 bags inside his house while he carries nothing. When the two of you walk into his living room, you see his mom on the couch with a nervous look. She's sharing some tea with... Vera? Vera takes a long sip and says, "Leonard, (Y/N). So nice of you to join us."