dps one shots

all the faces

set in 2024

you were spending your summer evening on your grandparents front porch. it was a yearly tradition for you to spend a month in their vermont home. despite popular belief, it was your favorite part of summer. the time away from busy chicago was the largest sigh of relief you could've ever asked for.

you were sitting on their porch swing with a book in hand. you were only using it as a coverup for people watching, which was a trick you learned from your grandma ages ago. in that moment she joined you on the porch with two glasses of lemonade in hand.

"hi sweet pea." she said with a smile as she sat next to you on the swing.

"hi nana." you took one of the glasses as the two of you began to people watch together.

it was your own tradition within the tradition. you two loved to create little stories for the people walking past. you were fine at it, but she was amazing at it. she could create intricate stories just from the style of someone's sunglasses.

"divorced, two kids," she paused, "definitely his fault." she said as a middle-aged man with a large stroller walked past.

"single, gay," you thought about it, "my type." you giggled along with your grandma.

just as the two of you guess the social standings of a group of teenage girls, the sun reflecting off of curly blonde hair caught your eye. he was walking down your block in the most unsuspecting manner. he had on black headphones, just like the pair sitting on the table next to you. despite the warm weather, he was wearing a navy crewneck and a pair of jean shorts. he had on a pair of black converse as well. you never studied anyone this hard, but you couldn't help to stare.

"is that one your type?" your grandma leaned over.

"no doubt about it." you blurted out.

that sentence proved to be your doom as your grandma immediately shot up. you tried to get her to stop as she walked off the front porch to say hi to the unsuspecting boy. you could feel your face turning red as he took off his headphones. she pointed right at you and all you could do was muster up a small wave in his direction. you wanted so badly to hide behind your book, but it could do nothing to defend against the strength of your grandmas determination. she waved you over just as you considered what to kill yourself with.

"sweet pea! come say hello!" she put on her kind old lady voice. usually, she just used it for discounts at retail stores. today she was using it for matchmaking.

you took a deep breath and walked off the porch. the six foot walk now felt like six miles. you could sense how red your face was, and the boy's face was no different. he avoided eye contact with you as he shook your hand.

"manners," your grandma whispered into your ear, "i like that in a boy."

you ignored it, "hey, i'm y/n!"

"steven meeks, pleasure to meet you." he said with a charming smile.

you looked at your grandma with daggers in your eyes. she took that as her queue to leave before things turned ugly.

"i'm gonna go make some more lemonade! you could use some on a hot day like today." she smiled and trodded off back inside. you could feel her staring at you through the window.

"i'm sorry about her. subtly has never been her strong suit." you told steven.

"oh," he laughed, "my grandmother was the same way. subtly was a gift she was never given."

"maybe it's the age difference, or maybe she's just sick of having me in her house all the time."

he laughed. you were captivated by the chorus. he had the kind of smile that lit up a room, and the kind of charm your grandma clearly adored.

"do you live with them?"

"only during the summer, but in a week or so i'll head back to chicago. i wish i lived out here but my parents would lose it."

his smile dropped a bit. not to the point of worry, but to a point of subtly. he seemed disappointed by your not living in vermont.

"how about you?" you asked him, "do you live out here?"

"my parents live a few blocks over. i spent most of my time at welton, though."

you winced at the thought. around two years ago your parents were holding the threat of welton over your older brother's head. he was unruly to say the least. you loved him, though, despite his unwillingness to cooperate. your parents never went through with it, but your brother never got over it. there was a reason he moved to california the moment he graduated high school. he decided on ucla which was a shock to everyone. he was never the college type, but he was willing to do what it took in order to become a teacher.

"i'm assuming you've heard of it?"

"yeah," you laughed, "not many good things."

"my friends and i were probably the root of those rumors," he smiled wide, "although, does it count as rumors if they're true?"

"hmmm, i think you'll need to tell me a story or two so i can answer your question."

he giggled. it was cute how boyish he was in his behavior. shy and sweet, but willing to make fun of something awful. you led him up your porch steps. you could practically hear your grandmother squealing from inside. the two of you laughed it off as you sat on the porch swing.

"well, the worst of it is never towards me. my friend charlie, though? absolute target on his back."

he spent the next fifteen minutes telling you the most absurd story you have truly ever heard. his friend charlie took it upon himself to answer a phone call in the middle of church. a call from god who asked to have girls at welton. it ended in a startling, cruel way. you felt bad for charlie but were reassured by meeks that he bounced back quick.

"and that's not even the worst of it." meeks sighed.

"well," you scooted closer to him on the swing, "let's talk about the best of it."

he then spent the next thirty minutes explaining the best of welton. it wasn't the school, or most of the teachers in it, but rather his friends. his friend  neil seemed to be a voice of reason among the rest of them. todd was quiet, cameron was stuck up, charlie was a troublemaker. you recognized knox's name as the neighbor, chris, told you about him over the fence a few weeks ago. you two were friends since you were little, and when you weren't spending time in vermont you'd text nearly everyday.

"and then there's pitts, my best friend."

"pitts? what an unfortunate name."

"hey," he laughed, "our english teacher said the same thing!"

steven never spoke of himself throughout these conversations. he held his friends in the highest regard, even if they made some dumb decisions. he could call them out on their behavior, but it was an unconditional love for all of them. you admired that about him. you may have only known him for an hour, but it felt like forever.

"you love your friends a lot. i admire that."

"you admire decency?" he smirked.

"well, i don't get a ton of it these days."

"tell me more."

you smiled. nobody ever told you "tell me more" and especially no guys ever told you that. you appreciated such a small sentiment, and it seemed that steven noticed. you felt comfortable the moment he scooted in closer to you to signify that he was there. this stranger, who you'd normally avoid, was showing you that he was there.

you almost immediately essentially let loose on the stupid stories of your past. the night you won homecoming queen, and forced yourself on the stage after drinking a little too much punch. the drive you took to vermont ages ago where you decided to see what a cigarette lighter would feel on your thumb. it was some of your most embarrassing moments, but you felt comfortable enough to share with the former stranger sitting next to you.

after a few minutes of rambling you stopped yourself, "i'm sorry if i'm talking too much. i get a little overzealous sometimes."

"don't apologize. i think listening to you is my new found hobby."

"can we add hanging out with me to your hobby list?"

"already on it."