[IC] Stranger Beetles

[Metronome]

Ryan squawked and fell. He flailed his way out of Lydia's grasp and scampered off a bit.

"You'll regret that!" He spat before slithering off out the door. Turner came over and spoke up awkwardly.

"Hey, so this isn't coming from me, but my manager wants me to ask you guys to leave. I know it's dumb, and I'll talk to him about it when I get a chance."

Nate huffed. "Stupid Ryan. Ruins everything. C'mon guys." He grumbled as he headed for the door.

[Beetlejuice96]

"Better run, chicken shit!" Lydia called after him before heading out with the others as they were kicked out. "If Beej was here, that shithead wouldn't mess with us again." She muttered as she walked with them.

"Your dog?" Zach asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

[Metronome]

"My dog woulda' ate his ankles off," Nate said, referring to his mom's yorkie. "Well, it's getting to be time to head home anyways. If I'm late to dinner again, Mom'll flip." Nate have them a smile and a wave before heading up the street towards his neighborhood.

[Beetlejuice96]

"I gotta head home too. See ya tomorrow, Delia." Zach said before running off as well. Lydia smiled a little before heading home herself. "I'm home!" She called out as she entered the house. "Barbara? Adam? Beej?"

[Metronome]

The house on the outside looked completely normal, however, when Lydia stepped in the front door, she found herself on the ceiling. The entire house looked like someone had taken a photograph and flipped it. Not a book or piece of mail out of place, just all upside down.

It seemed Beetlejuice had done some redecorating.

"Lydia!" Adam ran up to her, almost tripping over the chandelier sticking straight up. "Lydia you have to talk to him! He won't listen to us, and he won't listen to reason!"

He led her back to her bedroom, where Barbara was outside the door, still trying to coax the demon out with little success.

[Beetlejuice96]

Lydia walked over to the door, a worried expression on her face. She had never seen him do something like this before. "Beej? It's me. Come on, put the house back to normal and we can talk, okay?" She said in a calm voice, hoping it would work.

[Metronome]

"Go away!" The demon's voice snapped from within the room. Then, quieter. "Go hang out with you living friends and your living family." There was something bitter in his voice. It was a tone he rarely took with Lydia. Since they were never separated, of course she wouldn't know about his abandonment issues.

[Beetlejuice96]

A stab pierced Lydia's heart at his words. He had never snapped at her before in the time they've been together. "Beetlejuice, what's gotten into you? I came back just like I promised." She said, not understanding why he didn't want to see her.

[Metronome]

The room was quiet for a bit, then, "You just use me like everyone else." The voice that spoke was hardly like the confident, crass demon. It was thin, whimpery, and probably the product of profuse crying.

[Beetlejuice96]

"What?! Beej, where is this coming from? You know that's not true. You're my family. My big brother, remember?" Lydia said, now worried. What had gotten into him to make him this way? "Can I come in so we can talk it out?"

[Metronome]

It was silent again. Then, finally, the door swung open. The room wasn't a bedroom anymore. It was a dark, foggy graveyard. Silhouetted in the distance was a figure sitting on a tombstone, hunched over.

[Beetlejuice96]

Lydia walked in, signaling the Maitlands to stay where they were. She headed over to Beetlejuice, hesitating a little before gently placing a hand on his shoulder. "Talk to me. What's wrong?" She whispered.

[Metronome]

Beetlejuice lifted his head, his hair and complexion a sickly, mournful purple. "You know why I never go to the Netherworld?" He asked, sniffling and wiping his face on his sleeve. "Because everyone there either hates me, or tries to use me for my powers." He paused, "They'll pretend to be my friend, and I'll fall for it like the idiot I am, and then once they get what they want from me, poof, they're gone."

He paused again to wipe his nose. "And now you have other breathers to hang around. Why would you wanna hang out with...with a dead guy?"

He broke into tears again. Clearly he'd stewed on this for a while. Probably the last few days, until it all came to a point. Now the house was upside down and he was afraid he was going to lose his best and only friend."

[Beetlejuice96]

"Beej...you know that isn't who I am. Have I ever said I hate you or used you just to get what I wanted? You've been my only friend since my parents died and you'll always will be. Just because I have the Maitlands and some new friends doesn't mean I've forgotten or abandoned you. Family doesn't end in blood. I swear if you ever forget any of that, I will make the Netherworld seem like a nice place because I'll give you hell." She said, gently lifting his head up so he could see how serious she was about her threat.

She gave him a little smile before hugging him, giving him the love that he had been denied for a long time. "You're my family, Beej. Always and forever."

[Metronome]

He steadily shrunk under her verbal lashing. Beetlejuice cringed when she went to hug him, but upon seeing that she didn't intend to hurt him, relaxed and hugged her back. He sniffed again, fresh tears starting to fall.

"You're the best, Lyds," He squeaked. "I'm sorry I made a mess of the house. I just...I'm afraid of being alone. I know it's messed up, kid, but I'm messed up."

[Beetlejuice96]

"We both are." Lydia whispered as she held him, rubbing his back to comfort him. "But at least we're messed up together, right?"

She chuckled a little before looking up at him. "Oh, by the way, totally mad an asshole run away just by jumping on him. Zach and Nate helped too, but it got us kicked out. The guy was a total douch."

[Metronome]

Beetlejuice smiled a little, and ruffled her hair. "I'm proud of you, Lyds. A chip off the ol' tombstone." He looked around. "I guess I should put everything back, huh?"

A second later, the graveyard disappeared and they were back in Lydia's bedroom, BJ sat on the footboard of her bed. The Maitlands let out a yelp as the house suddenly switched back, the ceiling below them becoming floor again.

Over the next few days, Beetlejuice tried to actually talk about his feelings, rather than bottle them up and let them explode. He told Lydia what he'd told the Maitlands, about his mom and his life in the Netherworld. These were things he'd hinted at, but never really confessed. Talking about feelings was hard.

Luckily, the Maitlands were unnaturally understanding, and didn't try to kick BJ out for turning their house upside down. Nate, Zach, and Lydia started hanging out after school more, sometimes with BJ tagging along in dog form. He was still worried about Lydia being seen.

The next week at school, Nate was late coming in from a dentist appointment. He checked in with the office before heading to class, hoping Mr. Dulley wouldn't give him hell for it.

[Beetlejuice96]

"Nice of you to finally join us, Mr. Matthews. Care to share with the rest of the class why you're interrupting my lesson?" Mr. Dulley said as Nate entered, a few classmates snickering at him.

Lydia looked up from her work upon seeing Nate. She wanted to defend him, but she knew that it would get her into trouble the way she'd word it. Icicles ran down her back, causing her to look around. She knew this feeling and didn't like it at all. Someone or something from the Netherworld had just crossed over into the living world.

[Metronome]

Nate ignored the teacher's comment. He gave Lydia a little wave, and sat in his usual chair next to Zach. He, of course, noticed nothing amiss. He took out his books and glance at Zach's page before turning to the same one.

[Beetlejuice96]

Lydia didn't listen as Mr. Dulley lectured on, her focus more on what slipped through and if she should call Beetlejuice. If I do, they might find us. But if I don't, people could get hurt or worse. She thought to herself. She was brought out of it as an ear piercing, horror movie style scream of absolute terror rang out from the hallway.

Students jumped at the sound before scrambling to see what happened, some leaving the classroom, Lydia included. Her heart sank at the sight before her. It wasn't human, yet it had some parts of one; a lone eye, an ear, two arms and different pieces of flesh all sewn together. Students screamed as they ran away, some pushing others just to escape the thing. Lydia cried out as she fell from the panic, seeing Zach and Nate also get caught in the panic.

"Guys! Run!" She exclaimed, getting up and running over to them just as the creature let out a screech from no visible mouth, staring at the trio.