uncool, stanley barber

fs: 1

1st of the filler series -
dinner at the dawson's

it's a few days before homecoming and a few days after the incident of dad catching me and stan high on the school premises.

home life seems to be back to normal. dad's forgiven me and doesn't expect me to mother winnie as much as i did, which makes me feel more normal.

dad's taken the night off of work so we can eat dinner together. he's making his famous mac and cheese which winnie and i both share a love for.

i'm finishing some homework for biology which is impossible yet again. i scribble down another false answer when there's a tap at the window.

i turn to see stan, in a bloodwitch shirt. his hair's wet as his curls stick to his forehead, but it's not raining. i get up from my desk chair and slide open my window.

"to what to i owe the pleasure?" i stand back and give him space to climb in. once he's inside, he's shivering like crazy as his teeth chatter. "what's up?"

"i was taking a shower when the water turned cold" he says as i rub his shoulders for friction. "it's cause my dad's already used up the hot water. but i don't care. how's the biology going?-"

"no, take a shower here" i say. "you're frozen, stan."

"i'm fine" he says, just as my dad knocks on the door before opening it a jar. once he sees stanley, he straightens up a bit as his forehead creases.

"oh-"

"dad, stanley's here" i explain as i stand beside him. "he's going to take a shower, if that's okay?"

stanley tries to say that he doesn't need to as my dad raises a brow before nodding. i smile at stanley and go into my wardrobe to find a towel for him to borrow. i turn back and see that stanley's thanking my dad. i know my dad can't resist manners as he melts.

"why don't you stay for dinner?" he offers "i'm making my famous mac and cheese."

i can't contain my smile as i hope stanley hasn't eaten so he can stay. he looks at me before accepting. "that sounds, nice. thanks, sir-"

"please, call me james" dad nods before smirking and leaving the room. stan and i both look at each other in shock.

"the 'call me james' card? i did not think that would ever be a thing. you know, since the incident" i chuckle.

"we should get into trouble more often," stanley jokes as i hand him the towel. "maybe then, we'd bond over throwing a baseball. like fathers and sons do."

"maybe" i kiss his cheek before leading him to the bathroom. i show him how to control the water but when i turn around, he's topless.

"join me?" he winks.

"stanley barber!" i smack his chest lightly. he giggles and hugs me before kissing my head. i leave laughing and continue my biology work.

i manage to concentrate for 5 minutes before eavesdropping on stanley's singing. hotdog, jumping frog, albuquerque.

once he's finished showering, he comes back into the room in some joggers that dad must've loaned him and the same bloodwitch top.

he shakes his curls at me, getting me soggy before he decides to help me with the homework. "yeah, you've got the right idea. but you'd actually make zinc oxide."

"how?"

"i don't know, it's just science" he kisses my nose before my dad calls us for dinner.

we sit at the table, my dad the head of the table and stanley beside me with winnie opposite us.

"this is amazing, sir-"

"james, please" my dad laughs heartily. i smile at the two most important men in my life.

we make light dinner conversation and steer clear from any mentions of drugs and stanley's dad. winnie finishes her portion and wants more, but dad denies her for now to let her food go down before she adds anymore.

"but i want more now" she pouts and crosses her arms. i sigh as winnie can be such a task.

"no, win" i scowl at my little sister.

"you don't wanna go pop!" stanley says as he makes a popping noise with his tongue. it makes winnie laugh, but not enough for her to be sick.

"again, again!" she asks him to repeat the same noise, to which dad seems to find endearing. he's never one to make people act proper at the dinner table as he props his elbows on the table.

we finish our food and continue to talk about the future. "what do you want to do for a job, stanley?" my dad asks him.

"uh, i have some ideas" his voice cracks slightly. it's a lie, so i decide to make something up for him.

"stan's great at biology. who knows, maybe there's a career out there for you with that?" i smile at him. he nods.

"bloodwitch?" my dad reads his top as i suddenly realise he looks like a punky-kind-of-teenager. it was going so well.

"yes, sir-james" he says proudly, because even if he's trying to impress my dad, he'll always stick up for his favourite band. "they're frowned upon a lot, but i like their music" his voice becomes small as my dad starts to stare at stan and his awkward smile.

"oh, don't worry son. they're awesome."

heyyy!! missed you all
due to popular demand and the ella-stan void that had been created in my heart, i've decided to start a filler series whilst waiting for s2 :^)
i'll take requests if you'd like, i'm just glad to be back writing about my babies 🥺
hope you're all staying safe, here to talk if you need x x