𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐇𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐬 ; ᶠᶦⁿⁿᵉʸ ᴮˡᵃᵏᵉ

i

"Jupiter! I got the snacks"

"Thanks!"

Finney Blake and Oliver Jupe, inseparable best friends, both aged fourteen, having a sleepover at the Blake boy's house. Robin Arellano would've been here if he weren't sick with the flu, so it was just the two space nerds for the night.

Finney would often call and refer to Oliver as 'Jupiter' due to his last name being Jupe, half of the word, and again, the two were little astronauts in the making. Oliver, even through the years of friendship the two had together couldn't think of a good nickname, so he mostly called Finney by Finn.

Finney was dressed in his navy blue pajamas, decorated with little neon planets and stars, covered in a blanket as he sat down next to Oliver, dressed in some standard, black pajama pants and a t-shirt with the NASA logo on it. Oliver, for some weird reason never wore actual pajamas to sleep, why was never a question to be answered other than the classic shrug. Finney hands a bit of the blanket to Oliver, covering both kid's shoulders as they sat in front of the TV, awaiting whatever movie to start.

The Amityville Horror.

As the late night program begins, the two boys scooch closer to each other, sitting on the floor and trying to enjoy the movie as Gwen was already in bed, and Terrance, Finney's dad, wasn't home from the bar yet. Hopefully he'd be out late, seeing as it was a Saturday and the man usually stayed out late.

Oliver lays his head on Finney's shoulder, his curls almost tickling the mop-headed brunette's cheek as he holds back a smile. Finney looks down to see Oliver staring at the screen, already intrueged by the movie.

Oliver was the immediately intrueged type, he just needed something to distract him from subconsciously picking at his acne and only making it worse. Music and television always worked, same with books if the curly haired boy had one on him. He just always had to be moving in some way, even if he was tired and just wanted to sleep, he'd be tapping his fingers, doodling, looking around the room to find something new he'd never noticed before, or just think.

He'd always try and stay positive, especially due to his home life, it was the only thing to keep him going. He always hoped for a quiet night where he could sleep in peace instead of being up half the night due to his parents screaming and fighting throughout the house all night long. He'd have to barricade his door shut because he was so scared, he couldn't tell an adult because things would only get worse, he saw what happened to Kevin Shlieb.

So watching TV at Finney Blake's house was better than being at his own home. The boys would probably hide in Oliver's room most the night trying to find a mental escape to the noise outside. Finney never minded, each time he went over to Oliver's, he helped the boy feel like nothing was wrong, he knew what that was like.

Halfway through the movie, Oliver had fallen asleep in Finney's lap, dead asleep because he was so tired and he wasn't feeling his best that day anyways, nauseas, and a headache was bothering him as well. Finney twisted and fidgeting with the boy's curls, just playing with his hair as he continued to watch the movie unfold.

In 1979, Finney would be completely outcasted, judged and hated if he merely asked a few questions about his sexuality and what love felt like. He was just curious, he didn't like anyone, he didn't think so at least, he just wanted to know. He didn't know if it was normal for a boy to get flustered by and blush because of another boy. He just wanted to know if he was normal, like the other boys in school.

He didn't know if he should even feel the way he did for Oliver, he wanted to hold him all day long and just be with him. To have those small, silent moments and play with his curls, watch movies with him all day and share blankets. Finney was confused, he found girls pretty, like Donna Bates and Dawn Fischer, but he found Oliver even more attractive than them.

Finney couldn't talk to Oliver about it, in fear he'd judge him and stop talking to him. He didn't want to lose his best friend, and certainly not over something so dumb. So, as he sat on the floor, watching The Amityville Horror, he play with the brunette's curls, starting to fall asleep himself.

While he could, he turned the TV off, the room still illuminated by the lamp behind them. He stands up, grabbing the bag of chips and candy wrappers left behind, walking to the kitchen to throw the trash away and put the chips back in the pantry. He walks back, grabbing the blanket and throwing it over his shoulder, then picking up Oliver, bridal style, turning the lamp off, and making his way down the hall and into his room.

The blanket drags the floor as Finney enters his room, hearing a car engine outside pull up to the house. It was about a quarter after midnight, and if his father saw him awake at this hour he'd probably get in trouble. As the car pulls into the driveway, and the noise stops, Finney closes his bedroom door, the room lit up by some blue Christmas lights that strung the walls.

The brunette sets Oliver on his bed, laying the blanket overtop of him as he unplugged the lights, letting the glow-in-the-dark stars and planets on the ceiling light up. Finney crawls into bed quickly as he heard his father slam the front door closed behind him. The boy closes his eyes, facing the wall, as was Oliver. He hears Terrance walk through the house, then to the kitchen, and to the living room, his recliner creaking as he sat down, whatever late night television playing quietly.

Finney silently exhales, turning back to his other side, facing the closet on the opposite side of the room. He looks back at the curls laying next to him, covered in the star patterned blanket.

"Night, Jupiter"