#Crissy's back

[devondespresso]

realizing they probably didn't make eddies death bad so they could revive him but because for sone reason they think making deaths really stupid and nonsensical in-universe is the same as a death being sad and gut-punching because they did the same god damn thing to bob

like. bobs death was supposed to make us sad and feel like he was taken from us unfairly because thats the impact it has on joyce. but to do that they decided he should make it through the entire god-damned lab unscathed so he can stand there gawking at joyce like a dumbass just waiting around to get attacked by a demodog. he stands there with the only thing between him and the dogs is one flimsy ass door and he just loiters around taking his sweet time, living it up as a sitting duck.

want people to feel like a character was taken from them suddenly and unfairly? make the death smart. make something happen from the environment or the timing or something completely out if their control that fucking sucks but you know theres no way out. characters making stupid choices for the sole purpose of making the scripted thing happen is the worst possible option.

and its not like they don't know how to write good deaths. barb and chrissys deaths (as much as i miss my girls) were well written. i felt their absence and i missed them with the characters in universe but i never felt like their deaths were cheap. and i still desperately wish chrissy lived because i love her but i still appreciate her death scene because it was really well handled.

[the-flower32]

my dream last night had multiple sections but one of the memorable ones was this snow white section where;

the evil queen was dragging the unconscious snow white outside, realized the kingdom is going to hate her for killing snow, flags down someone on a horse (the prince i think), gets him to get off & runs away with his horse

[sp0o0kylights]

Part One

The drive's short one. 

Steve gets out of his car, opening the passenger door for Chrissy and escorting her up to the house, quietly envisioning what Jason would look like if a real monster got him.

What would he say, staring down the crazy, five-starred head, filled with teeth and drool? Would he turn back? Or run?

(Steve swears he doesn't take great pleasure in imagining Carver getting eaten, but he'll admit to taking a little.)  

"Chrissy do you have any idea--oh." Mrs. Cunningham startles, grasping her robe at the front as she spots Steve standing next to her daughter.  

"Hi Miss Cunningham." He says.

"Hello." She says suspiciously. "And who are you?"

"I'm Steve Harrington, ma'am." He watches as her mother straightens immediately at his name, and sinks right into the ol' Harrington charm, knowing instantly it will work. "I know you were expecting Jason, but I'm afraid he wasn't able to drive Chrissy home." 

"Oh, Steve! It's so late I almost didn't recognize you." She titters, suspicion gone. "Your mother and I are on the same charity board." 

Of course they were.

"I thought you were dating that nice Nancy girl." She says with a squint that mimics Chrissy's, because even in the midst of a crisis he can't escape the gossip that is Hawkins upper echelon. 

"Nance is waiting in the car." Steve lies smoothly. "I just wanted to make sure Chrissy got home safe." 

"What happened?" Chrissy's father appears, ushering them both in while blatantly peering around them, eyes sweeping the street before closing the door.

Steve recognizes the move. He's checking for nosy neighbors. 

"Jason and I broke up." Chrissy admits.

"What?" 

"We..." She falters in front of her parents. 

"What happened to Jason?" Her father asks, tuning back in once they're safely away from peering eyes.

"I'm afraid Jason and some of his friends brought beer to the party." Steve steps in to explain.  

"Oh Chrissy, it's a high school party. That's no reason to break up with him." Her mother fusses, face flushing in embarrassment. Her eyes dart from her daughter to Steve and back, and Steve knows he needs to start damage control. 

If he plays it right he can burn Jason while he's at it. 

"He was horrible, mom. Just awful." Chrissy says, but Steve can tell she's shrinking under her mothers gaze. 

"He drank quite a lot, Miss Cunningham." With a theatrical wince, Steve turns to face Chrissy's dad, lowers his voice and says "I'm going to have to talk to Coach about it." 

He gets the intended response, which is a raised eyebrow. "That bad, huh?" 

Steve nods once, painting a pained smile on his face. "He made a real fool of himself tonight, Sir. The basketball team has a reputation to uphold." 

"Oh." Mrs. Cunningham says, hand fluttering in front of her face. "I never would have thought…"

"He's normally a good guy. I don't know what got into him." Steve has them both eating out of the palm of his hand, attention neatly off Chrissy and onto the story he's feeding them. 

Its worth it to see her shoulders relax. 

"I couldn't let him take Chrissy home in the state he was in Sir, and he got very…" 

Steve pauses. 

Fills his voice with tempered disappointment, channeling his dad. "Belligerent. Said some nasty things."  

"Really?" Mr. Cunningham says, with a low whistle, and Steve knows by his tone alone that he's bought in.

Hook, line, sinker.

Steve nods once. "I have to get back to my girlfriend, but Chrissy'" He turns earnestly here, to let her know he's not faking this next bit. "Let me know if Jason bothers you at school. I'll set him straight again if I have to." 

"Thank you Steve." Mr. Cunningham says, as Chrissy's mom hustles her daughter towards the kitchen. 

Steve shakes his hand, then waves at Crissy as she calls her own thank you over her shoulder, before disappearing out the door and back to his car.

The same one where Nancy very much isn't. 

That's a problem for tomorrow Steve.

xXx

Tomorrow Steve gets into an argument with Nancy. 

She can't recall that Jonathan took her home, or that he's bullshit, their whole relationship, bullshit--

But she also can't tell him she loves him.

So Steve snaps at her. Storms off.

 Play’s more basketball.

It takes less than two hours for him to get mopey and another three for him to spiral into deciding he was wrong somehow.

That's what his mom said all the time anyway, wasn't it? The man's always wrong Steven, and he's the man here so…

He gets flowers, chocolates, and fucking waylaid (by Dustin Henderson with his Grow a Monster) and things go sideways from there.

 Train tracks and a junkyard and demodogs make time speed up. An encounter with Billy and a dinner plate causes Steve's recollection of the evening to be fuzzy. 

He just knows that in the middle of dodging death, he has the realization that Nance wants to break up with him.

That he should let her. 

Even if it hurts, even if he doesn't want to. 

She wants to be let go.

So Steve does. He respects her, and when he has a moment after its all over, he tells her to go with Jonathan.

(At least he permanently gets the squirts out if this. Or at least everyone but Mike.

Even if most of them are shitheads and one of them's Hargrove's step sister.

It's--something.

But when Dustin keeps pestering him, demanding Steve drive him all over Hawkins and then drags him to the movies, well.

It might be the best something Steve's had in his life so far. )

xXx

"Oh shit. Is that from Caver?" Eddie asks, popping up near Steve's car like the clown in a jack in the box. 

"Carver can't hit for shit. This was Hargrove." Steve replies, attempting an eyeroll before remembering that his entire face is a bruise. 

One, giant, never ending bruise. 

"I guess his step sister gave him the slip to come hang out with these kids I watch sometimes. I didn't know she wasn't supposed to be there." Steve shrugs, because it's the technical truth. 

If you turn it sideways and squint anyway. 

"Asshole tried to threaten the kid Max is into by slamming him into a wall and screaming shit, so I stepped in, and--" He waves at his face. 

The same one he's already getting looks for. 

"I was winning." Steve sighs theatrically. "He broke a plate over my head."

The story seemed to freeze Eddie but he recovers with a quick shake of his head. 

"You poor thing." He tuts. "Let me guess--you were more worried about the hair than the wound?" 

Eddie's hands flutter like he's going to touch Steve's head but he seems to contain himself at the last minute.

The hospital threatened to buzz it for stitches." Steve says darkly, playing into the bit. 

(He had not gone to a hospital. 

None of them had.)  

"What would our King be without his crown of hair?" Eddie laments, in a falsetto that was half insult half oddly sincere. It was jarring in that it was hard to get a read on, but the more Steve was around the guy the less it seemed malicious and the more it came off  as just….goofy.

Eddie Munson, Steve decided, was not a freak.

 He was a dorky little weirdo, just like all the other kids Steve now hung out with. 

Just older, and with slightly better hair. 

"Hey Eddie." Another boy calls out, approaching cautiously. 

He's got a leather jacket on, and if Steve thinks hard enough he can sort of conjure up a memory of the guy at Eddie's lunch table, throwing a piece of bread at a pale sophomore decked out in plaid. "You good man?" 

"Yeah Jeff, just checkin' in on the Hair here." Eddie sticks a thumb towards Steve, who raises his hand and waves. 

The falsetto comes back, somehow higher as the older boy swoons over Steves arm. "Soothing his poor soul after that brute Hargrove almost killed him." 

"Has anyone ever told you you're a lot like Bugs Bunny?" Steve asks, the thought leaving his mouth the instant he had it.

(He doesn't care, it's a legitimate question.) 

It has the effect of making Munson look downright chuffed. "I have actually, but only by my Uncle." 

"Why are you checking in?" Jeff interrupts, before seeming to realize he said it out loud. " Ah, I mean--"

"Oh he didn't tell you?" Steve says, as casually as he can muster. "Eddie claimed me and Chrissy at a party last weekend." 

See Munson? Two people could play the weird bit game. 

They've attracted more of Eddie's friends now, two more boys in leather jackets edging closer like frightened deer. 

(One of which is the aforementioned younger man Jeff threw bread at, and Steve vaguely thinks the guy's name starts with a g.) 

"Apparently we're his minions now." Steve tells Jeff in a rather put upon manner. 

"It was just you, the fair maiden chose otherwise." Eddie counters dismissively, voice dropping down low. 

Steve snorts. Hums a sarcastic; "Like you'd let us choose." 

Eddie finally abandons whatever voice that was supposed to be (a villain, Steve thinks, and wonders if it hurts Eddies throat to drop from a false high to a deep low that quickly.)  to say:

 "Mock me all you like, Harrington, but you can't deny the bit worked." 

Steve automatically went for another eye roll, and gets a flash of pain for it. "Who said I was mocking you, you dork? Just stating facts." 

Yet again, Eddie reacts weird to the comment. He looks almost bashful for a second, before he recovers, tugging his hair in front of his face as he plays with it.

The bell rings once in warning, and Steve makes a face towards the doors. 

"I gotta go, Mrs Clicks out to fail me. See you around, Eddie. Jeff." The way his eyes are bruised up he can't quite make out the face Jeff makes at that, but Steve's pretty sure the guys mouth was open. 

"She's a nasty one, my minion, best stay on your toes around her." Eddie calls, and Steve waves a hand in the air to show he heard. 

"What just happened?" Jeff asks, far too loudly for how close Steve still is. 

It makes him chuckle a bit, even as one of the other guys says something in a far quieter voice that has Munson squawking and flapping his arms like a bird. 

The winding little feelings in his chest squeeze his heart, and Steve shakes his head, refusing to be fond of Eddie Munson. 

xXx

College rejection letters come in, one after the another.

Steve could have made it into a few schools he's certain, except he hadn't really applied to any.

Not that any college other than Penn Hurst mattered. His dad wanted him to be a legacy, come hell or high water.

Steve's punishment was hand picked by his parents, and he gets the sailor outfit his new minimum wage job requires is supposed to be a part of it--that his dad made him apply because it was the most embarrassing thing he could think to subject Steve too-- but honestly? 

It's not that bad. 

Not even with Robin, the manager he met yesterday, and who positively, completely and totally, hates Steve’s guts.  

He figures he has time to win her over. 

All the time in the world, now that demons aren't trying to eat his, or any of the kid's, faces. He can focus on the small things. Build himself back up.

Figure out the person he wants to be, now that he's no longer King Steve. 

It’s the thought that kept him from attending any graduation parties. To go felt like backsliding into old habits. 

‘If the kids--if it comes back again--’ 

Getting drunk at night in a random house seemed almost irresponsible.

Particularly not with people Steve has history with, without anyone he really cares about being present. Certainly not Nance and Jonathan, who he wishes he didn’t know are at some end-of-year game night one of Nancy’s friends is hosting. 

(Steve can’t think about that for a number of reasons. 

When he does--because of course he does-- he makes sure to focus on the weirdness that is Jonathan Byers being someone he cares about, instead of the fact he can’t seem to kill his love for Nancy. 

Or that he's horrifically jealous of their relationship. 

That the best sleep he had ever had was between them, two nights after the lab, when they crammed themselves into Jonathan's bed because they all couldn't quite believe it was over.

That night had been so incredibly weird, but grouping together felt safer. Smarter.

Better.

Not in a way Steve wants to put into words. 

Not in a way he wants to confront at all.) 

His parents hadn’t been able to make it home to watch him walk at his graduation--his father landing a last minute meeting with some important person or other. 

Faked apologies were given, money transferred, and Steve, not wanting to sit in his too-huge house, had meandered to Family Video. 

Tried to forget his father’s cold voice in the background of his mother’s call, loudly announcing he’d have made it a priority to see Steve graduate-- if he’d gotten into Penn Hurst. 

Steve just shakes his head. Pushes those thoughts into the back of his head, into the same place all his other weird thoughts live.

The glare he gets from the tall, pimple-ridden guy working the rental counter was expected.

Chrissy Cunningham, was not. 

"I thought you’d be at one of the parties.” He tells her, when he turns down the romance aisle and finds her staring blankly at a shelf. 

She startles, before recognition flits over her face and a warm smile is directed his way. 

“I'm honestly not a fan of parties." She confides in him, hand clutching a tape in her hands."Not those kinds, anyway.” 

"More slumber parties, less keg stands your speed?" Steve guessed, blatantly turning his head sideways in order to read the title.

She awards him with a wider smile. "Exactly." 

"Chrissy Cunningham. Are you renting Jaws?" He teases, leaning in just a touch.

She flushes, but turns and squares up to him. Steve's delighted to see it. 

"Why yes I am. I'll do you one better and even admit it's one of my favorite movies." 

Steve grins at her, and sees the way she lights up on response, eyes bright. 

This is the Chrissy that Carver had tried to kill. The strength and pure fun that radiates off her enhances the beauty she has to something almost otherworldly. 

Steve has seen enough beauty in his life to recognize when it will stay. That Chrissy wil one day be 80 years old, with gray hair and knit sweaters, and she'll still be able to light up a room. 

"Like sharks killing people that much huh?” He teases. And it’s easy, slipping into this part of himself around her. The part he’s been trying to get back. 

The confidence that he walked with, before monsters crawled out of the ground, and Nancy put a hole in his heart.

"I'll let you in on a secret. ." Chrissy leans in, dropping her voice low enough that Steve has to lean in a bit too to hear. "My favorite character is the shark." 

Steve playfully gapes at her, and for the first  time in a long time, feels like things will be okay. 

He’ll be okay.

He won’t be King Steve. He’s not Nancy's Boyfriend Steve either--but someone else. Himself.

A Steve who exists outside of Hawkins High, outside his family name. 

He likes it.

"I told you that was his car. Steve!" A too familiar voice calls and Steve can't mask the despair that hits him as he turns to his (now least) favorite shithead, whose storming through Family Video’s doors. 

"Dustin." He identifies, with an edge to his voice he can only pray Chrissy doesn't pick up on. "Other brats. What are you doing?" 

Mike stands stubbornly at Dustin's right, Lucas nervous at his left. 

Will Byers is situated next to Mike but Steve's not as familiar with him, and has no idea how to interpret the kid. 

If he had to guess based on the face he’s being sent, Will’s more nervous then the rest--but equally determined. 

(This does not make Steve feel better. It in fact, somewhat convinces them they’ve run headfirst back into trouble.) 

"Well we were going to go to Lucas’s, but now, we're bumming a ride from you!" 

"I'm busy." He says flatly. 

"Ste~eeeve!" 

"I didn't know you had a brother." Chrissy says, hand covering her mouth. 

Looking back at her, Steve's pretty sure she's trying to physically hold back laughter. 

If one could shoot lasers with their eyes, Steve would be nailing Dustin for ruining--whatever it was that was happening here. 

"He's a rescue" Steve says flatly. "It’s not working out though. We're planning on returning him to the shelter.” 

"Wow Steve." Dustin returns, offended. "First of all, if anyone's rescuing anyone I rescued you, or did you suddenly forget that you show up to family dinner every Thursday at my house like a sad orpha--mmpphh!" 

‘Mmpphh’ because Steve had taken several long strides across the store to smack his hand over Dustin's mouth. 

"Sorry Chrissy, it would appear the asshole children I am paid to babysit escaped whoever is supposed to be watching them." He shakes Dustins head, in lue of strangling him. “Hit me up later we’ll discuss the shark’s best kills.” 

“Will do.” Chrissy says, as Steve begins the process of shoving his four smaller friends out the door. “Drive safe!” 

“No you don’t, and you’re gonna prove it by swinging through McDonalds for us.” Dustin sing-songs, swinging himself into the passenger side of the Beemer. 

“You assholes owe me, big time.” Steve hisses, as Lucas and Mike instantly begin making kissy faces the second they’re out into the parking lot. "I had plans tonight!"

“Do you have McDonalds money?” Steve asks, only to immediately wince at himself because fuck did he just sound like a soccer mom. 

“I have money I took out of my mom’s wallet.” Mike says as he settles into the car with his friends.

“Fine.” Steve sighs in defeat, starting the car. 

He determinedly does not ask if the idiots walked here, because there is a suspicious lack of bicycles, if only because he hit his mom quota for the day and Steve refuses to say anything else that might edge out his cool persona.

The one he swears he still has.

Supposedly. 

("Does my mom really pay you to watch me?" Dustin asks a while later, when the other brats are distracted. His voice is painfully honest, and softer than it normally is. 

"In food, yes." Steve says, because he’s not that much of an asshole--and maybe, because Dustin is truly his only friend right now.

Steve honestly looks forward to those Thursday dinners, helping Ma Henderson and having her fuss over him in a way his parents never had. 

In a way no one ever had. 

Dustin lands a solid kick to his ankle, making Steve curse. "That's not payment you ass!"

"Ow, God Dustin--" 

"Just admit you're my actual friend, you dick!" 

"Language! I swear your mom stole you from wolves, you animal--" Steve swatted at him. 

Maybe, possibly later, he will go on to admit that yes, Dustin is his friend. 

He will even agree to making up a stupid handshake for it. 

It involves lightsabers and gore at least, which Steve insists is very cool.)

[frankenstein-ate-my-left-shoe]

part two to this little thing 'cause i saw these tags on the last part from @stevesjester and actually kicked my feet and giggled about it

After Pretty Boy kissed him, Eddie walked back to the staff break room in a daze.

His slow lumbering gait still managed to scare some folks, though, so that’s a plus.

He opens the door, slowly turns to close it softly, and leans back against it once it is.

“Eddie? You okay?” Comes a voice he’d know anywhere. “Wait, that is you, right? You’re supposed to be Piggy Man tonight?”

Eddie pulls the rubber mask off, making his stomach flip thinking about the last time it was pulled up. You know, ‘cause he’s a sap.

Chrissy takes in his shocked, sweaty face, “Oh my god, you okay? What happened?”

He looks up at his roommate (best friend, sister) in her bloody cheerleader costume, an ironic holdout from their time in high school, and breathes a laugh, “I fell in love.”

“OMG OMG tell me everything right now!!” Chrissy bounces over to him excitedly and pulls him down to the bench of their one (1) break table, a sagging plastic picnic table.

He looks up at her bright happy face and barks out a half hysterical laugh, “I can’t believe you’re this excited about me potentially falling in love with someone I’m literally being paid to scare.”

“Oooh, so they were a runner??”

“Yeah, literally in this case.”

“Start talking, Munson, or I’m going to throw all your guitar picks down the garbage disposal.”

“Okay, okay, Jesus Christ.. Okay, so I did my usual creepy husky voice at him, called him all the usual things,”

“Let me guess, you started with ‘pretty boy’?”

“Yeah. ‘Cause he’s pretty. Duh. Damn was he pretty…”

“Uh huh. And you fell in love with him ‘cause he was pretty?”

“No, no of course not, listen to this:” Eddie sits up straighter in preparation for the story. “I had him backed into a corner, right? The fake gate over in section 2B,”

“Ah yes, of course.”

“Yeah! And when I lunged at him, he caught my arm, and spun me around.”

“Shut. Up.”

“No, never. SO he’s got me backed against the fence, and he–I swear to fucking Jesus H. Christ–lifts my mask up and kisses me.”

Chrissy starts to squeal incoherently. “Eeeeee!!! Shutupshutupshutup!! Holy shit there’s no way this happened!!”

“Look, 100% serious right now; he kissed me stupid, and spun around and booked it again.”

“Pretty Boy distracted you with a kiss to escape!?! I cannot believe this, c’mon..” Crissy grabs ahold of his arm again and pulls him out of the breakroom with her insane unchecked leftover cheer squad strength.

“Whoa, what? Where’re we going?? He’s probably gone by now! I was standing over in 2B like an idiot for a while after he left!!”

“Not that, we gotta go see Argyle.”

“Argyle why—ohhh shit. Oh my god, you think they caught it on camera?” Eddie’s actively following her now.

The two burst into the warehouses’ security office, where they’re met with the backs of two ‘zombie’ guards (and the leftover smell of weed).

“Argyle, Jonathan, you need to look at something for us,”

“Is it the footage of Eddie’s makeout sesh in 2B? ‘Cause we’re waaayy ahead of you pompom.”

“Ah!! Holy shit he was telling the truth?!” Chrissy bodies between the two, sending Argyle rolling away on his chair, and Jonathan staggering back a step.

“Dude, that’s so cool of your boyfriend to come to the haunt, keepin’ us in business.” Argyle directs at Eddie, though still spinning slowly in his chair.

“He’s not my–you thought he was my boyfriend?”

“Yeah man, why else would you look at him like that.” Jonathan points down at the screen. 

Chrissy re-winds it again and Eddie watches himself charge forward at Pretty Boy (damn, he’s still pretty though this grainy footage too, how the fuck is that possible??), get spun and–oh shit, they’re right.

“Oh Jesus Christ.” he hangs his head into his hands, falling down into Jonathan’s previously abandoned chair.

“Sooo…he’s not your boyfriend..?”

Chrissy re-winds the footage again. Squeals happily.

“Nope. Just met him tonight.”

“Wow dude, that’s like, love at first sight if I ever saw it.”

She re-winds it again, squeals.

“Yeah I know, it’s embarrassing as shit, alright?” Eddie’s still talking into his palms.

Chrissy snorts at that, “Not for you! Well..kinda..but him too, did you not see that pause?”

“...What pause?”

His question goes unanswered as Jon and Argyle move back in over Chrissy’s shoulders and after a few seconds both “Ohh…” in sync.

“The fuck’re you talking about?”

“Look,” She re-winds the tape once again and points, “Watch after he lifts your mask.”

So he does, and..okay, there was a pause.

“...So?”

“He totally fell in love with you at the same time you did him. Fell with him. With each other?”

“You both fell in love at the same time.” Chrissy says what Jonathan was trying to. “We have GOT to find this guy somehow.”

Chrissy records the footage on the screen with her phone, intending to post it online to find the guy, but Argyle’s positive he’s gonna show back up tonight.

“Give him a chance, pompom, he’s totally in love too, remember?”

“Fine, but if he doesn’t come back today, I’m posting this. Maybe it’ll get us some more business too.”

“Do I get a say in this?” Eddie asks, already knowing the answer.

“No.” Yep, there it is.

So, he rolls his eyes, puts his mask back on, and finishes out the night like everything is normal and he didn’t just fall head over fuckin’ heels for a random (hot) stranger earlier.

He’s done for the night before Chrissy since she’s got a lot of that fake blood to try and wash off, so he grabs up his stuff and heads out the front, intending to wave bye to Gareth at the front counter before braving the frigid late fall wind to warm up his car (and move it closer to the entrance so Chrissy doesn't have to walk in the cold). 

“See ya Ed,” Gareth calls, and he waves over his shoulder at him as he passes, his attention pulled to a blonde with a choppy bob looking in through the glass of the door, partially silhouetted by the bright ass headlights of a shiny Tesla parked behind her.

He can see the shadow of someone in the driver seat too, as he gets closer and opens the door for her, their face only partially lit up through the tinted glass by the glow of a phone screen.

She starts rambling off immediately after the door is open. “Oh my god, I thought we were too late and you were closed and I completely didn’t even realize I’d left something here when we were here earlier an–”

“Nope, no worries, ma’am, just go talk to Gareth at the front counter and he can tell you if someone turned in…whatever it is you left here.”

She says her thanks and scoots past him, and he spins quickly towards the side lot where his old Neon is parked.

He glances back when he hears the bell chime over the door, a bit delayed (probably the wind holding it open), and sees that the Tesla’s stopped beaming their headlights into the front door, that’s nice of them.

He unlocks his car and gets in, turning the engine over and cranking the heat as high as it’ll go. Once the engine stops it’s signature ‘I’m cold as fuck rn, don’t even try to move me’ rattle, he drives to the front door to wait for Chrissy, pulling in next to the burgundy Tesla.

He scrolls down TikTok for a couple minutes before a banner pops up on his screen

Chris C.: oh my holy fucking shit eddie, get your ass back inside!

Panicking, he races back in through the door, not even bothering to shut off his engine (or close his car door for that matter), thinking shiny Telsa duo is like, robbing the place or something, but as soon as he gets back in, he’s stopped dead in his tracks.

His heart’s still beating a mile a minute, but now with nerves.

Because standing infront of the counter are Chrissy (who’s actually vibrating with excitement), choppy blonde, and…

Oh fuck.

No way.

“H–hi, hi. I’m Steve, you’re Eddie right?”

He can’t help the grin that splits across his face. “Hey, pretty boy.”

thanks to @henderdads for rightfully pointing out that modern day rich boy steve would probably have a tesla <3

tagging everyone i saw in the tags of the last post that seemed interested in more/wanted to see the aftermath lmao: @bangarangdarling, @tartarusknight, @kas-eddie-munson, @wormdebut (AMAZING url btw), @vecnuthy, @perseus-notjackson, @homosexual-having-tea, @matchingbatbites, @scarcrossdlvrs, @anzelsilver, @auroraplume, @kkpwnall, @wildwildsoul, @bennys-burgers, @steveharringtonssluttywaist

[teambyler]

CONFIRMED: Will will be tormented and central to the story again in s5

From the new s5 video, Will walking toward the camera is an explicit callback to s2. This isn't just some tingling in the neck: he is being DRAWN IN by something ONLY HE SEES. Just like Crissy and Fred in s4. We can safely say Will is going to be a target of Vecna or the Upside Down in s5:

And we now have a specific shot of what looks like Will ARRIVING in the Upside Down from s1. This is the biggest clue we'll get flashbacks to his time in the Upside Down. His time there WILL be central to s5's story: just like El's memories of the lab were key to unraveling the mysteries of s4, Will's memories might unravel the origins of the Upside Down (remember that time in the UD froze to the day Will was abducted!)

And in this shot it looks like Will's holding a pointer. He and Joyce are probably making a presentation about their experience in s1 using the overhead projector, with Jonathan's help (oh and more of the Byers Family working together YAY!):

GIF credit to @mikesbasementbeets

So it's shaping up to be a Will-centric season! They have said they will return to s1 themes. Will being in danger was central to s1 and it's coming back.

Aaaand the Painting Lie hasn't been resolved. Mike will have to come to terms with that revelation. And Will's "emotional arc" will be central to the season:

Aaand Mike and Will are joined together at the hip this season:

I'm so excited!

-teambyler

[sevasey51]

Scott and Chris always scare each other… what about Chris accidentally scares his little toddler reader who just got up from a nap?

Maybe only Scott can calm her down after this🥺 ???

Scare games gone wrong

Paring: Brother Chris & Scott x toddler! Reader

Summary; in the height of the lockdowns for the pandemic we all remember the scare games. Let’s just see one of those times it goes wrong.

Of course the whole point of war for the other not to know when it was going to happen but add their baby sister into the mix one afternoon.

All hell breaks loose.

Scott had put y/n down for a nap and was just chilling in the kitchen. Chris no where to be seen. He knew that probably meant a scare was being schemed, but Chris wouldn’t do that whilst she was napping right? He thought.

Time went by, he was just catching up on work, reading new scripts and replying to emails whilst listening out for if y/n woke up.

Most of the time she’d just climb out of bed because she had toddler bed with a rail just for her comfort and the brothers piece of mind.

Chris went to go scare Scott running round the corner into the kitchen, he soon found out he didn’t run into to him or dodger it was a sleepy y/n with her messy bed head, dummy hanging off her sleep suit and blankie tailing behind.

“Rawr!!! Scott I got you!!!” Chris screamed.

Tears lines her eyes, conflicted at why chrissy just did that, loud cries engulfed the entire room, echoing into the living room where Scott was currently going through emails on the couch.

“Chris what the hell is going on!” He asks as he walks into the kitchen, y/n running to him away from Chris. “Come here bubbas, you’re okay, it’s okay.” He tries to console a sleepy little y/n who’s basically having a meltdown.

Chris was sheepishly stood by the fridge, trying to make y/n a bottle as a little “I’m sorry”

It took a while for Scott to calm her down, before she would even let Chris anywhere near her or even let him try and get a word in without crying again.

“Bubs, come here sweet girl I’ve got something for you” He says as he shakes the bottle up for it to be ready to present to his little love.

“Mhmh Crissy” she mumbles from behind her dummie snuggling more into Scott before fully giving Chris another chance.

“I’m sorry sunshine, Chrissy is sorry baby” he sits in her room on the nursing seat that his sister insisted upon for her room at his house.

He rocks her as he tells her how much he loves her and how sorry he is, looking down at a sleepy milk drunk bubba lull herself back into her sleepy slumber he interrupted.

He knows next time, scare games can go wrong.

And let’s just say Scott wasn’t happy with him for the rest of the day…

Thank you guys so much for being patient and understanding with my massive absence on here. I just appreciate you all so much and that you guys still want me to write your requests.

I hope you guys enjoy, and I hope you guys could show it love and reblog it 🫶🏻

taglist! Send an ask if you want to be added!

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[crissiebaby]

Codi's Trick

DISCLAIMER: This story contains diaper usage, diaper filling, masturbation/diaper sex, slime transformation, humiliation, and other ABDL themes. I hope you enjoy!

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“This is never going to work!”

“Shhhhh! Try to be optimistic.”

“We’re too old for this!”

“I keep telling you, no, we’re not! And I triple-checked. This neighborhood is Little friendly. We have nothing to worry about.”

*DING DONG*

Lifting her finger off of the doorbell, Crissie stepped back with a giddy expression on her face. Dressed up as a non-specific, non-mouse house princess, she quickly cozied up next to her partner in crime, Codi, huddling close for warmth on the chilly October night. She tugged at her short skirt which did nothing to hide her bulky diaper as a gust of wind moved between her thighs. “I really should’ve worn stockings,” she said, forcing a heavy exhale and watching the white cloud of steamy breath form mid-air.

“I told you!” said Codi, rolling her eyes and shrugging Crissie off of her. Per Crissie’s orders, she was wearing a fancy prince costume that she’d pilfered a few years prior. At least she had something on that covered all of her body on such a cold evening. She’d never been one to retain heat well. That being said, she wasn’t thrilled about the massive diaper bulge she was rocking thanks to the tight pants she had on. 

After waiting for a few seconds, Crissie and Codi could hear footsteps moving closer to the door. Readying a big smile, Crissie was excited to tell her first knock-knock joke of the night. She’d been preparing for over a month with a book she bought online, much to Codi’s dismay. Codi, on the other hand, took the time to quickly check the hem of her pants, making sure that the diaper she had on wasn’t poking out. She didn’t need to make her padded status any more pronounced.

The door swung open and a kindly-looking woman who had to be pushing 50 years old stepped out with a bowl of candy in hand. “Trick or treat!” shouted Crissie before elbowing Codi to repeat the phrase.

“T-trick or treat,” muttered Codi, avoiding eye contact with the middle-aged woman as she held her empty candy bag forward, “Sorry if we’re a bit too old for this. It’s my first time so I don’t really know the rules very well.”

Patting Codi gently on the head, the older woman giggled at her apology. “Oh, deary, there’s no need for that. Everyone deserves the chance to do some candy begging. No matter how old you get, it’s what's in here that matters, and I can tell you have a youthful spirit,” she said, pointing to Codi’s heart, “Now, as a first-timer, you should know that the cost of a piece of candy is your finest joke.”

“Ooh! I’m so ready for this!” said Crissie, clearing her throat an excessive amount, “Why is Cinderella so bad at sports?”

Suppressing a chuckle, the older woman asked simply, “Why?”

“Because her coach is a pumpkin!” yelled Crissie, leaping into the air on the punchline thanks to her child-like energy going off the charts. She held her decretive, princess-themed candy basket forward, watching with hungry eyes as the woman dropped a small handful of miniature candies into her basket. 

Having completed her trick-or-treat joke, all eyes turned to Codi, filling her heart with anxiety. With her eyes trained on the older woman’s dark brown flats, she mumbled, “W-What kind of medicine do witches use on their warts?” Internally, she cringed at the joke she had picked out. It wasn’t extremely funny but it was the only one to get a chuckle out of her when Crissie was reading that dumb joke book non-stop.

Before the older woman could ask for the answer, Codi blurted it out nervously, too on edge to play along with human joke conventions, “I don’t know, but whatever it is isn’t working.” She laughed under her breath after finishing the joke, trying to fill the void of awkward silence that followed.

“Haha! That’s hilarious! Best joke I’ve heard all night,” said the woman, cackling generously. While to many, it would be obvious that she was laughing along for Codi’s sake, Codi was still new to the way Earth people talked and took her words at face value. She curled her lips inward and produced a soft smile, happy to receive such glowing praise.

“But! But! What about the Cinderella joke?!” shouted Crissie, bouncing on the tips of her feet with a pouty expression, “That was the best one too, right?!”

The older woman giggled at Crissie’s immaturity, finding her bratty behavior adorable. “Of course, you two are both hilarious,” she said, giving Crissie the same headpat treatment that Codi was getting, “In fact, since you both are so funny, why don’t I give you an extra special treat? I have a sheet of cookies cooling on my stovetop. Would you two like one?”

“Um, is that even a question?” said Crissie, her excitement doubling at the sound of munching on her favorite dessert. It was only their first house and they were off to a fantastic start. If this kept up, this was bound to be the best trick-or-treat night ever!

Walking back into her house, the older woman called back, “Wait right there. I’ll grab you each one.”

While waiting for the cookies to arrive, Crissie looked down at her candy basket, checking to see what delectable treats she had been given. “Ooh! A pixie stick and some Twix minis. What did you get?” she asked, leaning over to sneak a peek into Codi’s bag.

“I-I don’t know,” said Codi, peering into her bag at the candies she had been given, all of which were completely foreign to her, “Are you sure it’s a good idea we keep going after this? I’m not so certain everyone will be as open as this lady is.”

“Relax, you big worry wort! House number one and we’re getting fresh-baked cookies as a bonus treat. If that’s a sign of how our night’s gonna go, everything’s going to be A-OK!” said Crissie, letting Codi’s concerns bounce off of her. 

Before Codi could raise another protest, the older woman returned, carrying two cookies individually wrapped in a paper towel. “Be careful, they're still a bit hot,” she said, handing off the first cookie to Crissie and the second one to Codi.

As Codi graciously accepted the pastry, she could’ve sworn she saw the older woman wink at her. However, the moment was too quick for her to be certain. She quickly pushed the idea out of her head and chalked it up to her being overly paranoid.

“Yay! Snickerdoodles are the best!” shouted Crissie as she instantly went to work devouring the cinnamon-covered cookie. With a mouthful of moist dough, she added, “Fankoo, owd wady!” not considering how insulting her words were.

Not wanting to be rude, Codi meekly took a tiny bite of her cookie, before stuttering, “I-It’s very yummy. Thank you.” Part of her didn’t know why “yummy” was the first descriptor that came to mind. It definitely felt like something Crissie would say instead of her. Perhaps the childishness of the night’s events was finally rubbing off on her.

Scarfing down the last bite of her cookie, Crissie licked the cinnamon sugar off of her fingertips, savoring the last of the scrumptious confection. Without saying another word, the impatient Little ran off, ready to beg for candy at the next house.

“Crissie, wait up!” yelled Codi, rushing off to join her friend. She took one look back at the middle-aged woman and said, “Have a good night!” before turning around and sprinting to catch up.

Leaning against her door frame, the older woman snickered, her eyes glowing around her irises. “You too, baby girl. You too.”

Running up to the next house, which was painted bright pink with multi-colored, pastel shutters to help its exterior pop, Crissie eagerly pressed the doorbell before turning back and waving to Codi. “Come on, slowpoke!” she shouted, snickering as she watched Codi waddle up to the porch.

“Ugh! At least tell me before you run off next time,” said Codi, leaning over and placing her hands on her knees as she recovered from the run. Being a shut-in artist, she didn’t have a whole lot of stamina to speak of, unlike Crissie who seemingly had an endless supply of energy. Part of her wished she could know what it felt like to be so loose and carefree all the time. However, that wish never made it past the concept phase thanks to watching Crissie make a fool of herself countless times. Looking back, she noticed a sign on the side of the house that read The Pretty Palace Daycare Center. “Crissie, I don’t think anyone’s here. It’s daycare so they’re probably closed for the-”

Before Codi could finish her sentence, the door opened and a young man who looked as though he was young enough to still be in college stepped out with a bowl of candy in hand. He was dressed up as a vampire, albeit a lame one that was more than likely thrown together last minute.

“Trick or treat!” said Crissie and Codi with a flourish of enthusiasm. Crissie’s head whipped toward Codi in response, beyond surprised to see her getting into the festivities. Brushing it off as nothing more than her getting over her nerves, she turned back to the young man and held her bag forward. “I love your daycare, by the way! It looks like a fun place to play!” Getting another eyeful of her surroundings and the young man at its center, she could feel a new story idea brewing in her head.

“Thanks! It’s not mine, though. I’m just the one who got left holding the candy bowl while everyone else is out trick-or-treating,” said the man, dropping his performative smile and acting more casually due to the fact that he was dealing with adults and not children, “Judging from those diaper bulges, I take it you both are Littles. Well, the fee is the same for kids and adult kids. One joke equals one piece of candy.”

Giggling at being called out for the thickness of her diaper, Crissie was prepared to launch into her next joke. However, before she could say anything, Codi blurted out gleefully, “Why do you put a baby in a diaper?”

Crissie’s head once again snapped in Codi’s direction. What had gotten into her bestie? First, she joined in saying “trick or treat” without any hesitation. Now, she was delivering a joke confidently like she’d been doing so for years. Not to mention that the joke she was telling had to be original. If there had been a diaper joke in that book, Crissie would’ve been using it non-stop.

“To tie up loose ends!” said Codi without giving the young man any chance to respond. She then burst into hysterics, doubling over in a fit of uproarious laughter. Then, without warning, she lunged forward for the candy bowl, grabbing a handful of candy before toddling off into the night.

Still in a state of shock, Crissie looked back and forth between the young man and her friend who was shrinking into the distance. “Um…she’s not usually so…whatever that was. Sorry about that,” she said as she turned around and prepared to chase after Codi. Before running off the porch, though, she reached back and took her own handful of candy from the bowl, shoving it into her basket and rushing in Codi’s direction, “Codi, wait up!”

Hanging a sharp right at the end of the block, Codi paid little mind to the words of her padded pal. Instead, she proudly rushed up to the next house and banged her fist on the door, shouting, “Trick or treat! Trick or treat! Trick or treat!” over and over again. 

Crissie reached the same doorstep just in time to see a middle-aged man open the door. He looked a tad shocked to see a pair of adults out trick or treating, letting the full-time bab know that this was probably not someone to be overly Little in front of.

Codi, on the other hand, had no restraint. “Hey, mister! What are the two reasons I wear diapers?!” she shouted before turning around, pulling down her waistband, and presenting her padded rump for the unsuspecting man. Scrunching up her face, she grunted and let out a small load into the seat of her pampers, causing it to sag dramatically. An all too familiar hiss of urine hitting her diaper soon followed as she proudly stated the answer to her joke, “Number one and number two!”

Needless to say, Crissie’s jaw hit the pavement, stupefied by the outrageous display that her dear roommate was putting on. “C-Codi? Are you…feeling alright?” asked Crissie, inching closer and patting Codi on the back.

“You betcha, Pissy Crissie!” responded Codi, causing Crissie’s face to flush intensely over being called such a dorky nickname, “Especially now that my tummy isn’t so full!” She rubbed her belly with one hand and reached down to smoosh her messy diaper with the other, giggling all the while. Then, with her candy bag in hand, she held it open for the man to drop a piece of candy inside.

Nervously, the middle-aged man placed a mini-candy bar in Codi’s bag and backed away. “Um…d-do you want some candy too?” he said to Crissie, refusing to make eye contact with either girl.

Unable to turn down such an offer even in the face of unbelievable circumstances, Crissie shrugged and reached out to accept the candy offering. “It’s uh…her first time trick-or-treating. I think she’s just a tad too excited,” she said, starkly contrasting the attitude she had only two houses prior. She quickly bent down to grab Codi by the shoulder and stand her back up.

Unfortunately, Codi wasn’t interested in standing at the moment. She was far more enamored with the idea of squishing. Allowing her legs to go limp, she fell back onto her butt and began to bounce up and down, giggling all the while.

“Here, just take as much as you want so long as you please leave,” said the man, setting the candy bowl on the pavement by his door and retreating back inside.

As concerned as Crissie was for her friend's sudden shift in personality, free candy was too good to pass up. Kneeling down next to the candy bowl, she began shoveling the bite-size pieces into her basket. 

*Crinkle!*

“Eeeep!” screamed Crissie as she felt a wandering hand grab the underside of her diaper. One quick look back revealed what she already knew.

Stationed directly behind Crissie was Codi, who was wearing a mischievous smile as she felt up Crissie’s partially used nappy. “Only soggy? And here I thought you were CrissieBABY,” she said, bringing her hand dangerously close to Crissie’s kitten. 

Unsure of what to do, Crissie knew that the display they were putting on whilst standing on some random dude's porch was probably not the best idea. On the other hand, she’d been trying to get Codi to come on to her for quite some time. She may have been too nervous to say anything, but Codi was totally her type. “C-Codi, we can’t do this here!” whisper-yelled Crissie, covering her mouth as her nursery mate continued to tease her with the idea of naughty diaper fun. She frantically looked around, both thankful and nervous that no one was around to stop them.

“Sure, we can. If I can fill my diaper right here and now, so can you,” said Codi, snickering as she circled around Crissie like a lioness in heat, keeping Crissie tucked beneath her claws all the while. That’s when a cheeky, idle thought entered her brain, one that made her horny beyond belief, “Tell you what. Why don’t I fill your diaper for you?” She moved her hand to the front of Crissie’s waistband, pulling it open slightly.

Confused, Crissie was about to ask what Codi meant by that. Did she expect her to remove her diaper in public? She wasn’t sure she liked the sound of that. However, just as she was about to tell Codi no, she looked back to see the most unbelievable sight.

Holding her other hand up for Crissie to see, Codi’s unnaturally pale hand turned fully translucent, taking on a lilac hue. Forming a fist with her fingers, she merged her digits into a single, slimy appendage. “You know, I can’t believe you never asked what kind of being I was. Pretty neat trick, huh?” she said, licking her lips as she plunged her moldable slime tentacle into Crissie’s diaper.

Crissie moaned passionately as Codi’s lukewarm, purple slime moved to occupy as much space in her diaper as possible. Frozen in place from the sheer inconceivability of what was happening, she watched as her diaper swelled in all directions, quickly taking on the same color as Codi’s body. All the while, her hand remained firmly pressed to her mouth and blushy cheeks, preventing her moans from getting any louder. “Y-You’re a slime girl? Why have you never-”

“Because I was too nervous to tell you. I don’t know what’s come over me but I feel so confident tonight…and silly. Hehehe!” she said, finally removing her hand now that Crissie’s diaper was filled to the brim with her ooze, “And for the record, we prefer the term goo-people. I hope it’s not a problem.”

Before Crissie could inquire further about Codi’s personhood…or goo-hood in this instance, she felt her diaper start to shift and rub up against her, as if dozens of tiny hands were mooshing her padding around all at once. “W-wha…wha awe chu…” she sputtered out, unable to form a single sentence thanks to the unreal pleasure she was experiencing.

“Whether or not my goo is attached to me, I can still control it. Makes for quite the diaper filling, doesn’t it?” teased Codi, using her reformed hand to squish the near-overflowing diaper and causing Crissie to let out yet another adorable moan. Taking Crissie by the hand, she led the shaky-legged Little away from the house and back toward the sidewalk. “Come on, the night is young and there’s still plenty of candy to collect, little sis. Or are you too horny to keep going?”

Blushing deep crimson, Crissie allowed Codi to drag her forward, too embarrassed to admit how unfathomably aroused she was. Of course, she wanted to go back to the nursery where it was certain that sexy diaper time was bound to happen. At the same time, though, she didn’t want to rob Codi of her first chance at trick-or-treating. Plus, it wasn’t like the nursery was going anywhere. With the goo in her diaper refusing to let up, she shuffled behind her new crush, ready for a fun night of yummy candy and even yummier diaper play.

Meanwhile, sitting on her porch out in front of her house with her bowl of candy in hand, the woman from the first house they visited reclined in her seat with a warm blanket over her lap, enjoying the chilly nighttime air. By now, she knew that the spell she placed on those cookies had to have fully taken effect. “Nothing like a little personality swapping to add some excitement to the night,” she said to herself, sipping from her mug of hot cocoa with a devious smile, “Happy Halloween to all and to all a spooky night.”

THE END.

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To read and see more of Crissie and Codi's adventures, check out The Crissie Canon gallery on DeviantArt! (https://www.deviantart.com/crissiebaby/gallery/80803633/the-crissie-canon)

Artwork By CodiBaby 💜 Story By CrissieBaby 💕

Patreon: patreon.com/crissiebaby DeviantArt: deviantart.com/crissiebaby Pixiv: pixiv.net/en/users/27465644

[mvltixcc]

Girls Like Girls - Robin Buckley X Cheerleader!Reader

Summary: Robin has a crush on the new girl in town. Y/N is also a new member of the cheer squad, which means Robin sees her all the time at games and other school events. Unfortunately, Robin is put in a tough situation. She's scared to talk to her because the cheerleaders have a reputation of being mean girls and she fears that Y/N may not feel the same. Little does Robin know that Y/N does not appear as she seems. Y/N becomes best friends with Eddie, which seems unlikely at the surface due to different social circles. This leads to rumors of course and word spreads like wildfire here at Hawkins, which then makes Robin's feelings even more confusing. After hanging out with Steve and the gang, Robin starts to see a different side to Y/N. Will they end up together or will they just remain friends?

Word Count: 4.4k

Pinterest board for inspiration

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Things had been a little peaceful at school since the night of prom. Chrissy and everyone else involved in the paint prank got suspended for some time. Eddie was the happiest about this as the ones that were suspended picked on him more than anyone. When they were finally able to come back, they had to issue an apology to you and Robin, anyone that was hit with the paint, and the janitors as well. Their parents also had to pay for the banners to be replaced as some were splattered with paint. Everyone dreaded the day they were coming back to school. No one knew how things were going to be once they came back. Would things go back to the way things were? Would things change for the better? No one knows and that thought alone scared a lot of people. 

You knew that people could be cruel just for the fun of it or because they could be. But for Chrissy, you knew it was deep rooted. You never excused her behavior because she still treated people horribly and you always stuck up for those she picked on. Chrissy picked on people because she wanted others to feel just as miserable as she was at home. You knew of this secret, but never told a soul. While you were on the cheer squad, everyone thought you were like her and the other girls that followed in her footsteps. But the difference between the two of you, is that you would have never stooped to the level that Chrissy did by using a secret against her. While she should be punished for her awful behavior to others, it wouldn’t be by your hands. Her karma would come and that day came sooner rather than later.

A few weeks had passed before the big day that no one looked forward to. You and Robin had walked into school and were immediately met by Principal Higgins. 

“Good morning to you both, I need you to follow me into my office please.” He said sternly. You and Robin followed hesitantly. 

“Here we are.” Higgins said as he held open his office door. “Please take a seat.” You entered and saw Chrissy sitting there. You sat down and Robin followed.

“I think you both know why I’ve called you in here.” He stated looking at the three of you sitting before him. You all nod in response. “The floor is yours Ms. Cunningham.”

Chrissy let out a sigh. “I’m sorry for potentially harming you and trying to ruin your prom night by dumping a bucket of paint on you Carrie style. It was immature of me to do and it will never happen again.”

“Now that wasn’t so hard was it?” Higgins asked.

“Is that all you needed us for?” You asked. You didn’t want to hear anything from Chrissy and Robin sure as hell didn’t care either.

“Uh yes, that’s all.” He said taken a back.

“Okay then, well we better get to class. Our exams are coming up and I don’t wanna miss anything.” You say standing up. Robin followed after you as well as Chrissy. “Hey, I’ll meet you there.” You told Robin, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek.

“What are you-” Robin began to ask but then soon caught on as she saw Crissy at her locker. “I’ll see you in class, just be careful.” Robin gave your hand a gentle squeeze. You nodded and parted ways.

“Cunningham, wait up.” You said making your way over to the girl.

“What do you need?” She asked softly.

“I need you to do me a favor.” You stated. She nodded for you to continue. “Chrissy, I know you have shit going on in your life, but it’s no excuse to treat people the way that you do. Maybe this will teach you to be kinder to people. Now, I want you and your friends to also apologize to Eddie for they way you’ve treated him and leave him alone for good.”

“Yeah I can do that. I’m sorry once again.” She said with sincerity in her voice.

“Oh and one last thing.” You said, moving closer so that only she could hear you. “Stay the hell away from my girlfriend or else we’re gonna have some serious problems.” She nods to you and you make your way to class.

“Everything okay?” Robin asked as you walked into class. 

“It should be now.” You say giving her a small smile.

“What does that even mean?” She asked with concern. 

“Good morning class! Today we will be doing more study packs to prepare you for your final exam! This time you can pair up in a group, just make sure you are actually studying this time!! The final exams are a big portion of your grades!” The teacher stated. 

“Yeah Eds!” You joked to him. 

“Hey!” He laughed. 

You, Robin, and Eddie grouped up and started to work on the packet for the rest of class.

“Hold on, why the hell does Greg have so many damn apples?” Eddie asked jokingly. 

“Really Munson, THAT'S what you’re worried about?! Not even finding the root of X to find out how many apples he ate?” Robin laughed.

“Oh I‘m sorry, are you telling me that if someone had THIS many apples you wouldn’t question it?!” He replied.

“No you goof, maybe they really like apples. Did you ever think about that hmm?” Robin teased back. The two of them continued to banter back and forth the rest of the period.

“So are we still on for Hellfire tonight?” Dustin asked Eddie. 

“Of cour-” Eddie started to say.

“No!” You interrupted. “You have to study Edward!” 

Eddie let out a large groan. “Can’t I just wing the test like I do every year?” 

“Look how far that got you dude.” Jeff said.

“Ugh fine, I’ll study.” Eddie sighed. 

“Perfect! It’ll be you, Nancy, Robin, and myself. We’ll meet at my place after school. Just make sure you bring your books this time. Oh, and snacks too!” You say. 

“Yeah yeah yeah, I’ll bring the snacks. Don’t I always?” Eddie joked. The rest of you continued to eat your lunch until the bell rang. 

Normally you would have gym right now, but since it was still a mess from the paint they granted everyone a free period. You went to the quiet little spot that Eddie showed you when the two of you became friends. It was in the woods just outside of the school grounds and it had a little picnic table. How it got there you still aren't sure. You knew Eddie used it for his deals, but you used it to be by yourself and clear your head. Before you made your way there, you stopped by your car to grab your Walkman and your headphones. You laid on the seat just listening to your music and staring up at the trees, just thinking and enjoying the nature around you. Those thoughts were soon interrupted by a thud. 

“There you are, peach!” Eddie exclaimed as he stood above you. 

You turned off your music and began to sit up. “Here I am!” You giggled. 

“What are you doing out here all by yourself?” He questioned as he sat next to you.

You moved closer to him and set your head on his shoulder. “Just thinking.”

“Thinking about?” He asked.

“Life and how crazy it’s been.” You chuckled.

You both sat together like this until your watch alarm went off. “Well we better go, don’t wanna be late for class.” You stated standing up from your seat.

“Yeah I guess you're right.” Eddie said following you back to the school.

 For the next month, You, Robin, Nancy, and yes even Eddie studied your asses off everyday after school until it was time to take the final exams. 

“Y/N, what if I fail again?” Eddie would often ask you. To say he was nervous about taking the exams would be an understatement. 

“You won’t fail them Eds, you can do this! I know that all of this is really scary, but you’ve been doing well with the practice tests that Nancy printed up for us. I believe in you.” You always tried to reassure him. Despite what people thought of Eddie, he was actually really smart when he set his mind to it.

“I’m just scared I’ll fail again.” He said with a frown.

“Eddie, I’ll be here to support you no matter what. I’m always here for you.” You said giving him a smile to cheer him up.

Once it was finally test week, you all decided that once all the exams were done and you had gotten your grades back, you’d have a big get together of some kind. You would still have your usual traditions with Robin which helped the both of you relax during this time as well. The four of you were confident you would pass, well Eddie not as much, but he was still confident nonetheless. 

“How do you feel, Eddie?” Nancy asked as Eddie approached your group. You all had just finished the last exam.

“Relieved to be done with it.” Eddie said as he let out a sigh.

You were sitting on the hood of your car with your arms wrapped around Robin. “Well what do we do now?” You asked.

“I guess we just relax and wait to get our grades.” Nancy shrugged her shoulders. 

You wouldn’t find out about your grades until next Friday when they sent the results in the mail. Just another week, that wouldn’t kill you right? Well maybe not you, but for Eddie it would eat him alive. All he wanted to do was walk across the stage with his best friends and make those he cared for proud of him. He wanted to feel accomplished, he wanted to show those that doubted him that he COULD do it. 

“Well why don't we meet up on Friday and we can look at our grades together?” You asked. Everyone nodded and agreed to the plan. 

“Well on that note, I’m off to take my girlfriend to lunch! I’ll see you guys on Friday!” You stated hopping off the hood and jumping in the car with Robin. 

“Where are we going for lunch?” Robin asked as you drove.

“Mm I was thinking maybe I could pick up a pizza and we could just hang at my place, how does that sound?” You asked, grabbing her hand gently. 

“That sounds perfect to me.” She said, squeezing your hand and flashing you a smile.

“I do have to make a quick stop before I grab the food though.” You had pulled into the parking lot of the video store. 

“What are we doing here?” Robin questioned.

“You’ll see, stay here beautiful I’ll be right back.” You say giving her a quick kiss. Robin sat and waited in the car upon your return. 

You arrived after a few minutes with a brown bag in your hand. “Alright, you ready to eat?” You asked starting the car again. Robin, still confused as ever, just stared at the item in your lap. You noticed her looking puzzled at your lap and handed her the bag. "Take a look. It’s a gift for Steve.” 

Robin looked in the bag and let out a snort. “Oh he’s gonna hate you for this.”

It was finally the next Friday and you were on the way to the Wheeler’s residence with Robin to open the letters that held your grades. You pulled in the driveway to see Eddie had already arrived. You parked the car and the pair of you made your way to the door. Nancy was already standing there waiting for you both. “Come on, let’s go!” She exclaimed.

“Well someones impatient.” Robin remarked. 

“You haven’t seen Eddie for the past 10 minutes, he’s been pacing back and forth waiting. He’s kind of a mess right now!” Nancy continued as she led the two of you to the basement where Eddie was in fact pacing.

“Oh thank god, let’s get this over with!” Eddie said.

You all stood in a small circle and opened your letters at the same time. It was silent for what felt like forever, even though it was probably just a few seconds. 

“Yes!” Nancy cheered, she had obviously passed.

“Oh thank god!” Robin sighed in relief. She had passed as well.

You had also passed the exams. Now all that was left was Eddie’s results. He just stood there with a blank expression on his face which worried you. “Eds, what is it?” You asked him.

“I- I um.” He spoke softly.

“Well did you pass or what?” Nancy asked. 

“I passed.” Eddie said in disbelief. 

Nancy and Robin looked at him with wide eyes while you pulled him in for a hug. “I knew you could do it, Eds, I’m so beyond proud of you!” You hugged him so tight. 

He hugged you back. You could hear him sniffle and shake a bit. All he ever wanted was to make someone proud of him and feel like he did something good. And the fact that it was coming from his best friend made him feel special. You both pulled away from one another and you wiped away his tears.

“Congrats Munson!” Robin praised, giving him a high five.

“I guess this calls for a celebration!” Nancy exclaimed. 

There was a big party planned at Steve’s house later that night. After all the hard months that you all had put into studying, you all deserved this. Music was going, people were laughing, the energy was good. Everything was perfect. “Oh I almost forgot something, I’ll be right back.” You announced. You made your way to your car and grabbed the gift you had gotten Steve last week. You made your way back to the party and everyone looked at you with a puzzled expression. 

“What the hell is that?” Sam asked.

“It’s for Steve, go ahead and open it!” You say handing him the bag.

“Aww you shouldn’t have, that’s so sweet of-” He smiled as he opened his gift, that smile soon faded. “Alright, I take it back. Screw you Y/N!” He joked.

“What is it?!” Everyone asked with anticipation.

Steve pulled it out of the bag to show everyone, Eddie let out a snort and his drink shot out of his nose. It was a copy of Carrie on VHS. 

“Now why the hell would you get me this Y/N?!” Steve asked jokingly of course.

“What? You said you had never seen it before!” You laughed. Eddie couldn’t stop laughing, he found it truly hilarious. 

While everyone was inside, you pulled Robin outside to have a moment alone with her. You sat at the edge of the pool, the very same spot that you two had confessed your feelings for one another. “Hey pretty lady.” You say, giving her a small kiss on her nose. 

“Hi there, beautiful.” She giggled. “You having a good time tonight?” She asked.

“I’m having an even better time now that I get to sit here with you.” You laid your head on her shoulder. You both had your feet in the pool and just sat and talked.

Robin started to go on about a movie that she had seen the other day and you couldn’t help but just stare at her and smile. She looked beautiful with the moonlight beaming on her. You were thinking about her cute freckles and how you could kiss them for hours on end, how her eyes sparkled when she was talking about the things she was passionate about, and how when she wears her hair up like she was tonight, there was always hair in front of her face and you’d have to move it out of the way for her. She was just perfect to you and was everything you had ever dreamed of. 

She noticed you staring at her and stopped talking about the movie. “What? Oh god, is there something on my face?” She asked frantically, wiping her face. 

You moved her hands out of her face and just held them in yours. “No no, there’s nothing on your face my love.” You giggled. “I just- I just love you so so much. More than anything in this world. You’re my everything Robin.” 

“I love you too, so damn much.” She smiled and kissed your forehead. You both sat there in silence, just enjoying each other’s company in the cool night.

“And with that, congratulations class of ‘86!” Principal Higgins announced. You and the rest of your classmates threw your caps in the air in celebration. The auditorium was roaring with cheers and clapping from all the loved ones that had attended. Everyone had piled out into the parking lot and soon you met with your grandparents.

“We’re so proud of you darling!” Said your nana as she gave you a hug and a kiss, your papa following soon after. You thanked them and looked around for your friends and Robin.

 “And there he is!” Your nana exclaimed as Eddie and his uncle Wayne approached you. She pulled him in for a big hug. Your grandparents loved Eddie as if he was a part of your family. 

“We’re so proud of you Eddie!” Eddie could barely talk, he was fighting back tears all day. He just nodded in response, they knew what a big day this was for not just you, but for Eddie as well. Wayne had the biggest smile on his face all day. He loved and adored Eddie as if he were his son. He couldn’t be more proud of him. 

Before you and Eddie met up with the rest of your friends to celebrate your achievements, you pulled him aside to have a moment with him. 

“Eddie, I’m so beyond proud of you and how far you’ve come. You deserve great things in life, truly you do and I hope you know that. I’m so incredibly grateful to have met you and to have you as not only my best friend, but as someone that I consider family. You mean so much to me, I love you so much Eds.” You say to him. 

He couldn’t hold his tears back anymore. He began to sob and you pulled him in for a hug. You don’t know where you’d be without Eddie. Yes, Robin was your girlfriend, but Eddie was your person. Just like Steve was to Robin. 

“Okay, I think I'm good now.” Eddie said, pulling away from the hug. You handed him a tissue to wipe his eyes and blow his nose.. He didn’t want people to see him be vulnerable, that was a private moment for him and only a few people got to see him like this. You were one of them. Eddie trusted you more than anyone and he knew that you would never judge him or pick on him for the way that he was. He gained his composure and you both made your way to the rest of your friends to continue the celebration.

You and Robin sat in your usual spot in the field at the park having a picnic. It was her turn to pack the lunch and whenever it was her turn, she ALWAYS made sure to pack your favorites. You both had finished eating and were currently laying your head on Robin’s stomach while painting her nails. You giggled to yourself as you saw the tanlines where her rings were. 

“Can I tell you something?” She asked.

“Of course you can my love!” You say looking up at her. 

“I uh, this is gonna sound so stupid. Promise me you won't laugh at me okay?” She said with nervousness.

“I would never laugh at you baby.” You reassured her.

“Well before all of this-” She said, waving her hands around, indicating that she meant everything before you. “I used to think- oh god, I used to think that you were mean and scary.” 

You sat up from your spot and looked at her. “Me?”

She looked down, like she was embarrassed. “Yeah…”

“Now why would you think that you goose?” You chuckled.

“You said you wouldn’t laugh!” She chuckled a bit.

“I’m not laughing at you, I promise! You’re just silly is all! Was it because I was a cheerleader?” You asked.

Robin nodded.

“Well am I still mean and scary now?” You ask as you tickle her. You both fell over and you continued to tickle her. 

“I surrender! I surrender!” She laughed. You both chuckled together for a bit before just laying there. You moved a piece of hair out of her face and pulled her in for a kiss. Robin smiled into the kiss, she was truly happy. The kiss lasted for a bit longer until Robin pulled away. “I have something for you.” She said softly to you. She sat up and pulled a gift she had packed out of the basket. 

“For me?” You ask sitting up. She handed you the gift and you kindly took it from her. You opened it and gasped at what was revealed. “No way!! You didn’t!” You exclaimed quickly unwrapping the rest of the present. Robin giggled. She had gotten you the entire Lord of the Rings book collection, including The Hobbit. 

“This is perfect, thank you my sweet angel!” You thanked and gave her another kiss. 

“You’re very welcome, I wanted to get you something special for graduation. I know you’ve been wanting to read all the books and now you don’t have to borrow Eddie’s beat up copies anymore.” She chuckled. It was true, Eddie’s copies had been through the ringer, he’s read them so much.

“I may have also gotten you a gift.” You say turning to your bag and grabbing a box with a bow on it. 

“What is it?” She asked with a confused look on her face.

“Well open it and find out silly!” You chuckled.

She opened the box and her face lit up. “You remembered!” She said with awe. 

“Of course I did, I was there when it broke, remember silly?” You had gotten her a new chain since her last one broke while at a cookout at Eddie’s. 

“Thank you baby, I love it!” She thanked.

“Here let me help.” You had her turn around so you could help her put it on. “There, it’s perfect.” You say as she turns back to face you. You both stayed there for a while before it was time to meet everyone at the new ice cream shop. 

“What took you guys so long?” Sam asked as she pulled you in for a hug. 

“Yeah?! What were you two doing hmm?” Eddie teased. 

“Okay calm down, we were at the park!” Robin laughed.

You all stood in line and waited to order your ice cream. There was a good amount of people there already waiting or eating their frozen treat. “Is this place even any good?” You asked. 

“Yes!” The younger ones exclaimed in unison.

“How do you know? I thought this place was brand new?” You questioned.

“It was actually a shop in the mall before it had burned down.” Steve stated. You nodded your head to show you understood. “You know-”

“Oh hey would you look at that, we’re up next!” Robin interrupted. You looked at her with suspicion. 

Once everyone had their ice cream, you found a table and sat down. “Hey guys-” Dustin started as he motioned toward Steve and Robin. “Do you remember when you used to work at Scoops Ahoy?” 

You almost spit out your ice cream. “I’m sorry, what?!” You exclaimed.

“That’s what I was trying to say earlier before SOMEBODY interrupted me!” Steve stated looking to Robin. 

“Is this true?” You asked, turning to your girlfriend, who had embarrassment written all over her face. 

“Oh yeah! They had to wear uniforms and everything, the same as the ones they’re wearing I’m pretty sure!” Lucas said as he pointed to the workers behind the counter.

“Oh please tell me you still have that uniform!” You gasp and say to Robin.

“I may or may not still have it…” She said softly to you. “But what I DO have are photos of King Steve in his uniform!” Robin chuckled.

“Oh now that I absolutely HAVE to see!” Eddie proclaimed. 

The entire group started laughing. You all were joking around with each other and having a good time. You lay into Robin as you all watch the sunset. You couldn’t help but start to think about the year you’ve had. Moving to Hawkins, meeting Eddie and the rest of the Hellfire gang, all the drama with Chrissy, and most importantly, meeting and falling in love with Robin. You began to get emotional just thinking about everything. 

“Hey, you okay? What’s the matter love bug?” Robin asked as she noticed you getting teary eyed. She pulled you closer to her to comfort you.

You sniffled and shook your head. “Nothing’s wrong, everything is just- perfect. You’re perfect.” You say interlocking your fingers with hers. You never wanted this moment to end. There you were with the people you cared about more than anything. Life felt amazing, despite the ups and downs you faced this year. You wouldn’t have changed a thing.

“I love you so much.” Robin said, giving you a gentle kiss on your forehead. 

You looked up at her and smiled. “I love you too.”

The End ♡

[awakefor48hours]

"You always thought you were better than me!" "I AM better than you." "Then WHY were you so easy to curse!"

That's some of my favorite dialogue from TOH. Absolutely bone chilling. And the fight between Eda and Lilith was incredible too

And Eda telling Luz she's going away and doesn't think she can bounce back, and to take care of King, and thanking Luz for being in her life... sob, so sad and beautiful

That whole scene was TOP TIER. It quickly became my favorite scene when I saw TOH for the first time. It’s a relatable scene in the sense of jealousy for the sibling that always got more attention than you and did better than you. Also Crissy Jones knocked it out of the park with her “THEN WHY WERE YOU SO EASY TO CURSE?!” line that it still gives me goosebumps.

Equally, Eda fighting until her heart gave out is such is a great way to show just how much she loves Luz. In the end, Eda chose to die in order to keep Luz safe. It was such a great episode and I will never get tired of it.

[d-criss-news]

Darren Criss' San Francisco Spots

Darren Criss loves sharing music and places with a sentimental meaning. The award-winning actor and singer takes a trip down memory lane and shares all of his favorite places in his hometown, plus he curated some spots he's loving right now.

Amoeba Music I’m probably the last generation of people growing up going to record stores and buying albums. Amoeba was such a fun place to go to. It was like an exclamation point on my hang-out day in the Haight. I loved going there, checking out albums, and listening to as many as possible. You could scan the bar codes and check out the music. There were always a lot of great artists coming through. It was a cool place to hang out, being around music and record people."

Wasteland "Haight-Ashbury has all these great vintage stores. I really got into vintage clothing when I was a teenager. I remember I bought some bell bottoms here that I thought were really cool. I used to wear those at school, and I was like, 'Man, I'm so hip.' I love Wasteland."

The Alembic "This spot opened after I left San Francisco, but when I go back to the Haight, I love to stop by here. As a cocktail bar owner, I’m pretty choosy about cocktail menus, but they have a great one. I pay a visit every time I’m in town."

Golden Gate Park "Golden Gate Park is very dear to me. I’ve enjoyed going there recently as Outside Lands is now a fixture of the city. I loved going to the park for runs. I had soccer games and practice there, too. I’ve just had a lot of fun here walking around all times of the year. I love when it’s foggy and cold, and you have to dress up warm for a walk. I have a Pavlovian reaction when I smell the eucalyptus trees in the park. I have a very strong connection to the place."

Japanese Tea Garden "One place in particular that I’ve always loved in Golden Gate Park is the Japanese Tea Garden. My wife and I are big Japanese culture fans. We taught ourselves to read, write, and speak Japanese during the pandemic, so it’s a big part of our life. I’m a fan of Japanese gardens, and I’m a big tea drinker, so it checks all the boxes for me. It’s a beautifully curated, traditional Japanese garden. It’s a peaceful place to have a contemplative moment in the park."

Marina Green "When I was younger, we lived in the Marina, and I spent a lot of time with my parents at Marina Green—going for runs and doing stuff with my dad. My dad was a big runner. He always loved it there."

Crissy Field Center "Crissy Field is a special place to me. I used to ride my bike here. In fact, it’s where I learned how to ride a bike. This park was fun for us because, obviously, our last name is Criss. So it became ‘Hey, this is our field,’ where we could ride our bikes. It’s an old abandoned landing strip for planes. They’ve transformed it into this really beautiful nature reserve in the past twenty years. A lot of the natural wildlife is coming back to the area, and it has completely been revitalized."

Bourbon & Branch "I recently did the Hedwig and The Angry Inch musical on Broadway, and then I did its tour. I first got into the musical when I was growing up in San Francisco, so I would be remiss not to do it in my hometown. We were stationed at the Golden Gate Theatre in the Tenderloin, and there’s a cocktail bar close by that I’m particularly fond of. You can have a quiet drink there. It’s especially nice after a show when I don’t want to use my voice too much. It’s my idea of the perfect cocktail club."

CreoLa "CREOLA is another newer spot I’m very fond of. It’s a great cajun, New Orleans–style seafood restaurant. My wife and I got married in New Orleans, and we love that city. I just stumbled onto this place when I went here for Sunday brunch. They had a lovely dixie jazz combo playing, which was such a nice treat. I had a delicious crab benedict here—one of the best I’ve ever had."

The Music Store "My brother and I grew up getting a lot of music from The Music Store. We were really into bluegrass. My brother is a banjo player, and we’d go see a lot of local folk and bluegrass bands there. Shelby was the guy that ran the store, and I was always fond of him. You know, even at that point, I realized that having a mom-and-pop record store was special. I hope it can live on forever."

Great American Music Hall "Every Sunday, I’d check the datebook in the SF Chronicle and look for great shows to go to when I was growing up. I saw one of my first concerts at the Great American Music Hall. I saw Phantom Planet open for American Hi-Fi there. I must have been 14 or 15 years old. Phantom Planet is a band that I've continued to love throughout my life. I even ended up playing with them, so the Great American Music Hall has a special place in my heart."

Stonestown Galleria "I spent a lot of time here, particularly during the holidays because that's where I did all my last-minute Christmas shopping. I went to Good Guys for electronics, cool walkmans, portable CD players, and Tower Records to look at records and buy cool stuff there. The mall was a one-stop-shop for my brother and me during the holidays. And, we'd go to the food court, get a hot dog on a stick, and go see a movie."

Seniore's Pizza "San Francisco is not a party city. It can be hard to find late-night eats. The only place that you can get a pizza after a night out somewhere is Seniore’s Pizza. It’s a place where you can find a bunch of young kids trying to squeeze in a pizza right before the whole city closes. It’s definitely a fixture for local San Francisco kids."

Submarine Center "Submarine Center is hallowed, sacred ground. It’s in the ‘last meal’ kind of category for me. The sheer ecstasy that I have going into that little room and having one of the best sandwiches in the world is something that I do wish upon everybody in the world. Whatever sandwich you pick from the menu, it's going to be delicious. Submarine Center is a big leading player in the show of my life."

Philosophers Club "If you want to live like a West Portal or Sunset kid, you hit up this dive bar next to Submarine Center. But if you’re one of the homies, you’d call it the Philly Club. So if you ever want to get a sandwich and hit the Philly club, tell 'em Darren sent you!"

[noxturnallyevermore]

Just establishing the timeline here, ignore me.

Season 1 takes place in Fall-Winter 1983, making it the 83-84 school year.

Season 2 takes place in Fall 1984, making it the 84-85 school year.

Season 3 takes place during Summer Break of 1985, making it between the 84-85 and 85-86 school years.

Season 4 takes place in Spring of 1986, making it the 85-86 school year and also Spring Break 1986.

Steve is a grade higher than Nancy, Robin, Jonathan, Barb, Crissy, Jason, and Billy. He graduated in 1985, making his senior year the 84-85 school year. He was a Junior in in 83-84 school year and the rest were Sophomores. Tommy and Carol, along with her friends, are presumably in the same grade as him. Barb is presumably in the same grade as Nancy. Billy is implied to have been a grade below Steve. Given that Chrissy is presumably a senior in the 85-86 school year, she would have also been a Sophomore in Season 1. We can assume that Jason (at the very least) is in her grade as well.

Eddie has repeated Senior year twice, meaning he's in his third Senior year during the 85-86 school year. That means his second Senior year (and first repeat) was in the 84-85 school year, and his first Senior year was in 83-84. So, he was in his first senior year in Season 1. He's a grade higher than Steve and two higher than Chrissy.

Eddie participated in a middle school talent show, which Chrissy also participated in, obviously meaning they both were in middle school at the same time during this talent show. That would put this talent show in the 79-80 school year, when he was in 8th grade and Chrissy (as well as all the others in her grade) was in 6th. Steve would've been in 7th grade.

Assuming that Gareth is a Junior, that would make him a Freshman during the 83-84 school year. That also puts him in 5th grade when Eddie is in 8th. Unnamed and Jeff are likely somewhere between.

This is all also assuming the only one to ever get held back was Eddie, and only just the twice that he was held back as a Senior, nothing more and in no other grades.

The younger kids are all presumed to have been in 7th grade during the 83-84 school year, none of which were ever held back. Erica is likely to have been in 6th grade during the 85-86 school year, putting her in 4th grade in Season 1.

Anyways, it was food for thought. Also helps me remember. This is also the most likely timeline that I can think of. Let me know if i missed/forgot something.

[morganski-19]

I Don't Know Which Way's Home

Chapter 17: Repair

ao3 link, Part 1, Part 16

March 1986

The news has been replaying the same story all day. It should be shocking, sort of is, but Julie’s kind of numb to it at this point. Each year, like clockwork, something big happens. Something this small town hasn’t faced in decades. A kid missing, turned up dead, just to be found alive again. A government laboratory had a gas leak that caused the death of many more people. The mall catches on fire causing a mass casualty. Now this.

She was awoken by sirens this morning. Ruined what was supposed to be a day where she slept till noon. It was spring break; she was allowed to be lazy. But instead, the spring break was wrapped up by police tape. The cause of a whole new type of stress.

Beloved student of Hawkins High School, Crissy Cunningham, found dead in the Munson’s trailer. Eddie Munson, the prime suspect, still at large. The body, found by Wayne Munson, a hard-working man of the community, is disfigured beyond belief. The police don’t have enough evidence to make a statement. But are advising the public to be aware and alert the police of any suspicious behavior.

Julie doesn’t know Eddie that well. They’ve only been neighbors, acquaintances. Sure, he drove her to school a few times. Made sure that she got there safely and was an ear when she needed to rant. But that didn’t make them friends. That didn’t make them close.

It didn’t take an idiot to see that Eddie wasn’t as big as scary as he was chalked up to see. Unfortunately, this town was full of idiots. Ready to point their fingers to the person the papers blame. Since they were already so influenced that metal music was from the devil and all dungeons and dragon’s players were Satan worshippers. It only took one headline for them to believe that. What’s stopping them from believing it now?

The evidence is damning. Wayne worked last night so it can’t be him. Multiple witnesses saw Chrissy leave with Eddie after the game last night. He is a known drug dealer, which most people would say is a step away from murder. His van was heard by the entire trailer park at both their entrance and his exit.

But there was one thing that Julie’s not sure anyone really heard. His screams.

Trailer parks are a hive for nosy neighbors fueled by the powers of thin walls. Lots of open air for noise to travel. It was nice outside last night, so Julie sat out on their little porch with a book. Peacefully reading.

Until Eddie pulled up with music blaring out the windows. Slamming on the breaks before he crashes straight into his own trailer. Right before the queen herself gets out of the car and walks right through his front door.

Julie says she’s better than gossip, but this she just had to know. Had to witness. Two people who never interact, going into an empty trailer. A recipe for disaster.

And disaster it was. Not long after, Julie can hear some yelling from the trailer. Something about waking up. Chrissy not being able to hear Eddie. It just increasing in volume until it devolves into a terrified scream. Then Eddie runs out of his trailer, gets into his van, and speeds away.

Julie doesn’t know a lot about how murderers act, but she can guess they don’t normally scream while killing their victims. That’s a pretty obvious sign that something’s wrong. But the police just brush her off when she tells them. The arrest has already written itself.

. . .

Present Day, April 1987

It’s been almost two full weeks since Steve and Julie moved into the new house, and Steve still feels off about it all. About taking the next step in the case. Passing the point of no return.

Steve doesn’t know what to do. It’s like he’s being backing into a corner. On the one hand, he could drop this and make himself a fool to his parents, to his friends, probably a good bit of the town. Or he can go through with it just to drag up his baggage all over again. Feel like shit all over again.

He doesn’t know what to do.

Then there’s all the other stuff. The looming piles of bills in his future, the fact that they still don’t have a couch. That Steve still doesn’t have a proper mattress. And the fridge is getting kind of empty, so he needs to go shopping soon.

These are new worries for him. Making a strict budget and making sure it’s enforced. Saying no to the kids when they want something, forcing Robin and Eddie to pay their share of the meals when they go out. Even though it was really always him ensuring he was alright paying the bill. Making small stacks of coupons and waiting deals to show up in the paper. It’s a lot.

Steve’s never been poor before. Not to say that he is now. Well, he kind of is. He has a good bit of debt because of this loan and lost a large chunk, most, of his savings to buying this house and the initial furniture. Paychecks are split between bills, food, Julie, savings, and then him. He’s the last on his list of priorities.

It’s all bringing up more issues, as if it already wasn’t enough. He’s always been the friend that picks up everyone’s tab. Pays for the check, the parties, the supplies, the fancy gifts. It’s all been from his money. His dad’s money. Which he doesn’t have anymore.

He knows it’s stupid to think that the friends he has now would care about that. Just because his old friends definitely would have. But these guys, they care more about the money. About the name. What Steve can give them.

Sometimes, it just doesn’t feel like it.

Steve’s always been a giver. It felt wrong to keep what he had just to himself. He never took, just gave. What would he be when there was nothing left to give?

Julie shuts the door just a hair away from a slam when she gets home. Giving her bedroom door a harsher treatment. It squeaks all the way shut. He’s been meaning to fix that, hasn’t gotten around to it yet.

She’s been like this ever since they moved. Her demeanor shifting almost immediately. At first, he chalked it up to the stress, having a new place that didn’t feel right. The change uncomfortably itching beneath the skin.

But after a week went by and it was the same thing every day, he knew something was up.

He walks over to her door, knocking lightly.

“What,” Julie yells through the door.

Steve’s taken aback. “How was school?” he asks calmly. 

She whips the door open. “Fine,” she huffs. “That all?”

“You ok?” he asks as if the question didn’t answer itself already.

“Yeah,” Julie rolls her eyes. “I’m fine.”

Steve crosses his arms. “You sure? Cause to me it seems like you’re upset about something. You know you can talk to me about this stuff.”

“Whatever.” Julie slams the door in his face.

It takes all Steve has to not rip the door open and give a whole lecture on how rude that was. To restrain himself from stepping into old shoes. To react differently than his father would have. Come back when the moment dies down and the anger stops bubbling. To be better. To be him.

Whatever he is at the moment.   

. . .

Julie tears another piece of paper out of her notebook. Crumpling it in her hands and throwing it across the room, watching it miss the trashcan. Landing next to the other balls of paper. Each one being more wrong than the last.

She should be doing homework. There’s an essay due for her English class in a few days and she hasn’t gotten around to writing it. Too busy with the move, then the adjusting. Now this. The same thoughts over and over again in her mind. All of them screaming that this can’t be happening right now.

Every time Julie thinks she can have any sort of break, another thing comes along just to punch her down again. Her mom died, then she moved, then she moved again, then she started getting better but that’s this whole other thing, then she gets kicked out, moves again. Now she has a crush on one of her best friends. What a great fucking life this is.

Julie tugs at the roots of her hair, pushing her fingers under the tightness of her braid. Hoping if she squeezes long enough, the unwanted thoughts will just leave. She’ll be able to think of a theme in the Catcher in the Rye that speaks to her enough to get five pages out of. Be able to write enough in her stupid notebook that makes sense. Get her grades back to where they were before and her life back together again.

Falling apart is a tune run dry and Julie’s tired of playing it. All she wants to do is go back to being normal. Like she was a year ago. Happy, kinda pissed at the world in different ways, but happy. Where there was something that didn’t quite make sense with the way she felt about girls, but it was easy to brush it all off. And her mom came home smelling like syrup and bacon grease instead of alcohol. Her knew sobriety chip kept proudly in the pocket of her apron. Constantly reminding her what the tips really needed to be spent on.

Life was good. It was normal. It was everything. Julie misses everything.

She misses the way the house always smelled a little stale and like mildew. The flowery candle her mom burned doing nothing to cover it up. She misses the way she would trip on the pile of shoes by the door. And how the singular hook on the wall would always drop her coat so much she started to throw it over a chair. How the kitchen would always be a little bit messy, and there would be dishes in the sink and pots on the stove. The couch that had it’s built in divot made by someone else with cushions that were squished beyond compare. Doors that fell off hinges every year or so and the sounds of the radio flowing through the walls.

All of it aches in her heart the more she moves on. The more she grows away from the place she called home. Having to keep retracing it all in her mind so she won’t forget it. Hold her mom’s sweatshirt close to her nose and pray to smell her cheap perfume again. But all that’s there is Julie. All there is left is Julie.

Julie is the only thing left of her mom other than the picture sitting on her desk. Which sucks for so many reasons she can’t find the words to explain. Mainly because looking in the mirror gets harder. Each time looking a little less like herself than the day before. Not quite knowing who she is anymore.

Reflections almost heighten to the imperfections on Julie’s face. The darkness underneath her eyes, the red dots forming on her chin and forehead. The fakeness of her smile, the way it can’t seem to reach her eyes quite right. Growing into a face that lost its childhood. Fighting to keep all she can of what’s left.

Growing up was always going to be hard. Slowly seeing herself morph away from childhood dreams and expectations. Having them crushed by the cruel realities of the world. Having memories trapped in confines of the mind that can’t seem to be open again. Becoming someone is hard in a normal life, let alone one with as many hurdles as Julie’s.

Julie can’t even begin to fathom what she would say to herself half a year ago, five years ago. How could she crush that little girl’s dreams right before her eyes. Witnessing the pain from the outside rather than the in. Tell her that there would be no princess wedding, or even one at all. That her mom wouldn’t even be there if she could. Gone far too soon. She left Julie far too soon.

Childhood isn’t missed until it’s stripped away. Until it can never return. For what its worst, Julie’s mom made sure she had it for as long as possible. Before the inevitable kicked in and took it away for her.

Now Julie’s filled with hate again. At herself. At Steve for trying. At him for not being who she wants on the other side of the door. A constant reminder that this good thing could only come once her mom was gone. Finally, a house, but without the mother to make it a home.

It’s not fair to blame him, she knows that. Can hear the upcoming words of her therapist as she relays this all to him in the next session. How she’s placing Steve in a box that he was never meant to fill. Just because the emptiness was too crushing to face in whole.

Giving up on the homework, Julie lies on her bed. The new mattress smell still seeping through the covers. She takes her Walkman and presses play on whatever’s in there. Noise blasting through her ears, loud enough to hopefully cover these thoughts. She grabs a pillow, wanting to squeeze something close to her chest. All of her childhood stuffed animals gone with the first move. Another piece of her that is forever lost.

The tears start to form, and Julie lets them fall.

. . .

The next day doesn’t seem to be any better. She insists on biking to school today. Doesn’t really make it a choice as she hoes straight from her room to the door. Without saying as much as a goodbye.

Steve doesn’t push. Thinks it would be best after the outburst yesterday.

The last time Julie acted like this was her mom’s birthday. Where she was hurting so bad that she decided to hit at the closest target. If that’s what she needs to do again, he’d be happy to take it all. Hold some of the hurt so she didn’t have too anymore. Distract him from his own hurt at the moment.

It’s so bad that she forgets her lunch on the counter. Even though it would probably have ended in the garbage. Like how last night’s dinner landed right into a container to be revisited later. Still sitting in the fridge when Steve went to make breakfast this morning.

He’s not quite sure the last time she’s eaten more than half her plate. Too busy with his own stuff to notice her dip back in her progress. Kicking himself that he didn’t see it all sooner. That it took for her slamming a door in his face to understand how bad it had really gotten. Not like he could have stopped it. But it might have helped.

“That conversation you had with Julie while me and Eddie were out getting the pizza,” Steve says while explaining the situation to Robin. “Was that about her mom? About the move?”

Robin takes a second to think. Physically stopping and starting her movements a few times before speaking. “No, it was about something else.”

Something else. Steve didn’t know about a something else. “Was it because of me?”

“No, no. It was just something really private that she wanted to talk to me about. I would tell you but it’s really not my place to.”

Steve ignores the alarm bell ringing in his head. She’ll tell him about it, whatever it is, when she’s ready. “But you would if you thought it had anything to do with the way she’s acting.”

Robin shrugs. “It depends. If I thought, it would help. But honestly,” she takes a deep breath. “I think telling you about it might make it a million times worse.”

“Make what a million times worse?” Eddie asks after walking in. Sliding into his designated spot at Steve’s side and placing a kiss to the side of his head.

Robin rolls her eyes. “You guys can’t be this happy while Nancy’s away at school.”

“Oh boohoo.” Eddie sticks out his tongue.

“I thought you had work today?” Steve asks Eddie.

He shrugs. “I’m sick.”

“You’re going to be jobless if you keep calling out for no damn reason,” Robin chastises.

“Well clearly, I was needed elsewhere because there is a situation that needs dealing with. Make what worse? By a million times?”

Robin rolls her eyes again, gesturing Steve to fill Eddie in on the situation.

“Julie’s hitting a low point again, she slammed a door in my face yesterday.”

“Do you think it’s about her mom?” Eddie gets a soda out of the fridge and sits on the countertop.

It could be. One of the first things Julie said when she saw the house was how it reminded her or her mom. How a place like this was all her mom ever wanted for the two of them. That had to drag up some feelings. Especially since they were now living here.

Steve shrugs. “It could be. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was.”

But there was something else. Either the thing she talked about with Robin or him pushing yesterday. Something going on in school. Anything.

There were so many places to mess up. For Steve to fuck up something that didn’t just involve him. He’s bad at dealing with things. Pretending his problems don’t exist so he doesn’t have to think about them. Or lashing out just to feel more powerful than them.

Steve just didn’t want Julie to feel like she had to keep it in. That she had to keep the war in her mind because no one cared enough to listen. Or that she would burden him just for talking to him about it. He wanted her to be better than himself. Maybe that was too high of an expectation to have.

“Just talk to her about it,” Robin says softly. “She’s always come around to telling you how she feels. She just needed to blow off a little steam, that’s all.”

“Yeah, maybe.”

Maybe was a lot of things right now. None of them made Steve feel any better.

“Hey,” Eddie kicks Steve gently. “What’s really going on? Other than the Julie thing?”

“It’d be easier to say what isn’t going on than what is?” Steve pulls out one of the metal folding chairs from their makeshift kitchen/dining table and sits down. It squeaks under his weight, proving his point for him. “Maybe I bit off more than I can chew.”

Robin pulls out the chair next to him. “You did what you had to. It just happened to be very overwhelming.”

“I’m not talking about that. Well, I am but not really. It’s just,” Steve takes a deep breath. “This case. If I’m still going through with it. It’s just adding more to the pile and I’m now realizing I didn’t really think it through as much as I should’ve.”

“What do you mean,” Eddie interrupts. “You seemed liked you thought it over a lot, actually. Had evidence all laid out, contacted people, got witness statements. People to testify. Had multiple people who know their shit tell you that this was a good case. You checked off all the boxes.”

“Yeah, sure. But I don’t think I’d realized at the time that I might be going to court twice in a short amount of time.”

Steve asked Sarah a few weeks ago what it would take to make him the permanent guardian for Julie. Maybe even adopting her. If that’s what she wanted, he hasn’t brought that specifically up yet. Sarah mentioned something about permanent guardianship, since Julie’s only a year away from becoming an adult.

But no matter what, it probably leads to presenting his case before a judge. Having them make the final decision. With all the things that have happened in the past few weeks, and Sarah pulling some strings she shouldn’t have, the risk of relocation raised a bit. Making this permanent would get rid of the risk. Neither of them would have to worry about this anymore.

“Wait, twice,” Robin questions.

“Yeah, once for this case against my parents, twice to get permanent custody of Julie.”

“Is that something you guys have talked about?”

Steve shrugs. “A bit. She definitely wants to stay with me long term, and I said I’d start asking about the options. I just haven’t talked to her about which one she would prefer, since she’s got less than a year before she turns eighteen. Most of them involve at least going in front of a judge to prove that I have the means to care for her until she’s an adult.”

“And if this case falls through, it might look bad on you,” Eddie connects the dots.

“Exactly. And I’ll have to pay all the legal fees out of my own pocket where I would have gotten that back from the money I won.”

Then there was the reason for doing this all in the first place, getting them to understand what they did to him. How he was affected because of their neglect. Would they even listen? Would this change anything? Would this all just become another story to tell their friends?

They would go around telling their friends how much of a disappointment he is. How he is ungrateful of everything they’ve done for him. How he wouldn’t even be here without them. As if that makes up for the fact that they were never around.

Creating someone doesn’t immediately garner respect. It still has to be earned. Each time he was left, his respect, his love for his parents shrunk. Now all that is left is a sliver so small, yet it still feels like a mountain. Still crushing him.

He doesn’t want to be crushed by it anymore.

Steve gets up, goes to his room and pulls out all of the evidence he’s built. The entire case against his parents laid in a binder. Copies of bank and credit card statements. Highlighted lines of hotel stays and flights books. Lined up with dates that Steve could recall they missed. Birthdays and holidays lost. Memories begged to be made. Years gone.

Statements of the many nannies that he had. Each confirming their own payments, the lengths of their stays. Empty cards filled with not even the signature of their names. Cursive congratulations and happy birthdays printed instead. Hospital records that show his own signature on the discharge form. Mrs. Henderson’s name on the contact form since his parents couldn’t care to show up.

It was enough, it had to be.

He brings it out to the kitchen, laying it all out on the table. Asking Robin and Eddie to go through it. Tell him if they think it would be enough.

Witnesses, one of them asks. Steve could think of a few. One of the nannies had offered when he asked. She would still do it. Hopper said he would not only be a character witness, but also get the records for that one house party he broke up where Steve was caught underage drinking. How he had to drive him home, his parents nowhere to be seen. Nancy probably would too. She could tell the courts how she knew his parents were never home, even if he was seventeen.

It is enough.

Eddie grabs Steve’s hand. “You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to.”

Robin grabs his other hand. “If this would be too much, no one would blame you for walking away.”

Here in this small kitchen with old cabinets with squeaky hinges and tile that he absolutely hates. In a house that he bought on his own, for the family that he made, it’s finally starting to feel like a home.

The walls were never what made it empty. The unopened rooms and unused furniture. It was the energy that never flowed through the doors that made it devoid of all life. Sucking what it could from the person in it to make up for the loss. Now, as people come and go, as Steve and Julie live here, the house feels full.

With these people by his side that showed up by surprise. Chose him for whatever reason that he might never understand. But circumstances led them to each other, and they don’t leave. Even when he tried. Gave them the opportunity to. Yet, they stayed. Every. Single. Time. They helped him learn what home should feel like.

Steve is enough. He always was.

“I want to do this,” Steve says without a doubt in his voice. “Even if they still won’t believe it, or be pissed at me for the rest of their life. I want to show up to the court with rows of people behind me, while their side is empty. Show them the real thing they lost was me.”

. . .

When Julie gets home, she goes right to her room. Ignoring the happy mood Steve is in. Ignores the fact that she saw Eddie’s van drive down the street as she was biking home from school. Ignores the slight rumbles in her stomach and the ache in her legs. Lets her body fall limp onto her bed after her bag slips off her shoulder. Filled with work that won’t get done. Marked with a big red “F” when she turns them in blank.

Just adding on to how Julie is already feeling.

What would her mom say to her? Her daughter’s grade dipping. Another new home. Not eating. Slamming doors in the face of the one person who was beside her during all of this.

Liking girls.

She would pull some of her mom wisdom out of her ass for some of it. Not really helping or making much sense, but it worked out in the end. Julie always ended up figuring out something. Got better after some time and picked herself up again. Kept moving.

Time just keeps moving. It’s endless and doesn’t stop. Forcing all to move along with it. Whether they want to or not. Even when life gets in the way and forces them to stop. To become stuck. Julie feels stuck again. Did for a long time. It was easy to become stuck when there was security blanketed around her.

Julie doesn’t really feel like time moved as fast as it did. How it was six months, almost seven since her mom died. And Julie still feels like it was yesterday sometimes. Especially right now. Transported back to the day the police officers knocked on her door. Took her away. When she was frozen, but kept moving. Had to keep moving.

She doesn’t have to keep moving anymore. There’s no goal anymore. No checkmark in her progress or hurdle she has to jump over. Just a pile of tasks that are too overwhelming to acknowledge or unpack. So she lets them pile up. They aren’t important right now.

Julie winces when she tugs off a scab on her thumb. Starting the bleeding all over again. With a deep breath, she forces herself off the bed and to the bathroom. Digging for the first aid kit under the sink for another band aid. Ignoring her reflection in the mirror. The greasy strands of hair pulled back into a French braid. The dark circles around her eyes. That person isn’t her anymore.

Julie isn’t Julie right now. She’s something else. Unrecognizable. To herself. To her mom. To anyone.

“Hey, Julie,” Steve says before she can escape back to her room.

She takes another deep breath, ready to push him away again. Not ready for a talk. “What?” she asks, too tired to even sound pissed.

Steve holds out the phone. “Phone for you.”

Julie presses her lips together, taking the phone and holding it closer to her ear. Curling around herself. “Hello.”

“Julie, it is me, El.”

Great. “Hey, El. What’s up?” Julie tries to feign excitement. Terrified at the brief flutter of her heart that spawned by the sound of El’s voice.

“I realized I never got around to asking you this at lunch, but are you free next Friday?”

“Uh, I think so. I’ll have to double check.” No, she won’t. She doesn’t have anything going on, just wants to seem like she does.

“Would you like to come over for a sleepover? I know we just kind of had one, but I want a better one. And then Max can be there too.”

Julie doesn’t want a sleepover. Well, she does, but not one with Max. Because it would be Max and El on the bed. Because why would they make the girl in the wheelchair with chronic pain sleep on the air mattress on the floor. That’s rude and stupid. And it’s El’s room, so she would also be in the bed.

Meaning that Julie would be alone on the floor while her two friends share a bed. Which normally wouldn’t be a problem. Normally she wouldn’t care. But now she does. Because she knows what it’s like to sleep in the same bed as El and the midnight talks that are kind of really serious but also really nice. The nervousness that creeps under her skin every time El’s eyes meet hers. The pounding of her heart as she tries to get a singular word out.

But she can’t say no. Can’t see the disappointment in El’s face or hear it in her voice. Would rather be there, suffering in silence, than miss out on time with her friends. Which she would enjoy for a majority of it, and could kind of need right now.

“Sure,” Julie says. “If I’m free and everything.”

She wishes she sounded more excited, but she can’t.

“Yay. Let me know as soon as possible if you are free. I will see you at school tomorrow.”

Julie’s slight smile drops. “Yeah, tomorrow. Talk to you later.”

The phone clicks onto the receiver as tears start to spring to Julie’s eyes. For reasons she doesn’t really know why but feels deep inside her chest. A pain she’s never felt. Crushing. Terrifying. A tear rolls down her cheek as she runs to her room, wiping it away quickly so Steve doesn’t see.

But he sees.

“Hey, are you ok?” he asks as Julie crosses into her bedroom.

“Just leave me alone,” she yells with a sob, slamming her door. Right in his worried face.

She can’t even make it to her bed before she falls. Slamming her back into the door and pulling her knees close to her chest. Wet patches forming on her knees. Breathing in stutter breaths just to let them out as broken sobs. Trying to pull herself together. Trying to keep it quiet. Knowing Steve is right behind the door, wondering what he can do.

What Julie’s feeling can’t be fixed. No matter what she tries. No matter how hard she tries. She can’t be normal anymore.

A slip of paper gets slid under the door next to her. After the sobs start to slow and Julie can see things again. She picks it up, unfolding it.

When you’re ready to talk about it, I’m here.

All it does is start Julie’s sobs again. How could she have been so lucky to have someone so understanding waiting for her outside the door? When her life went to shit. When things just keep going to shit. He’s still there. Even when she slams doors in his face and uprooted his entire life.

Without even blinking, he’s still there.

“Steve,” she says to her empty room when the tears slow. Hoping he can hear.

“Yeah,” the answer comes from the other side of the door.

Julie lets out a wet laugh. “When you said you were waiting, I didn’t think it’d be right outside the door.”

“Well, technically, it’s right next to your door. Only since I slid the note, though. I gave you space for a bit.”

Her knees fall to the ground, hands falling in her lap. Resuming the picking of her unbandaged thumb. “I appreciate that.”

A beat of silence. “You’re talking to me again. Does that mean you want to talk about it?”

“Maybe, I’m not sure.” She takes a shaky breath. “I’m not sure how to talk about it.”

“That’s ok. Do you want to wait to talk about it, see if you can find the words later?”

Her head gently bangs against the door. Mind racing to find the words. To say something so he can find the solution for her and the pain can go away. But it all leads to a question so unfathomable that she can’t even bear to ask it. Gets mad at herself for even thinking about it.

She does though. Over and over again. Her mind finding answers she doesn’t like. Doesn’t want to believe were a possibility. Truth is, she will never have an answer to that question. No matter how hard she searches for one. The one person who can give it isn’t here anymore. Leaving an uncertainty that would weigh over her head forever.

“I’m sorry,” Julie says instead. Apologizing for the things she can instead of searching for what she can’t. “For slamming the door in your face.”

“You can slam the door in my face as many times as you need to. Just as long as you agree to talk to me about it, when you’re ready to. I may not always follow my own rules, but it’s better to talk about things before they start to build up.”

Julie wipes away the stray tear rolling down her cheek. Moving to pick at the strands of her jeans so she doesn’t need another band aid. “I think this has been building up for a while now. I just didn’t know it was there.”

There’s silence across the door for a minute or two.

“You know what I kind of really want right now, chocolate chip cookies,” Steve says suddenly.

It’s so random that is makes Julie laugh. “What?”

“Yeah, you know, freshly made, warm chocolate chip cookies. Doesn’t that sound nice?”

Julie smiles. “That actually does sound kind of nice.”

“Great. I’m going to go make some, you can join me if you want.”

She does kind of want to. After taking a deep breath, Julie picks herself off the floor. Wincing at the soreness of her legs from sitting on rough carpet for so long. Opens the door and heads to the kitchen. Steve is pulling out one of the many cookbooks he stole from his parents and turning to a recipe. Starting to grab the different ingredients.

He smiles when Julie searches their cabinets, searching for the mixing bowl they also stole from his parents. Probably thinking he’s had some sort of victory over this. Maybe he has. She’s out of the room, and probably about to eat something. It’s a small victory for the both of them.

The oven takes an eternity to preheat. Leaving the rolled-out cookies on the stovetop. Some of them mysteriously gone missing. Well, not mysteriously, she had a few more than she should. But so did Steve, so it was fine.

When the cookies are finally baked, Steve waits a few minutes before placing some on a plate and bringing them over to the blanket pile that is still acting as a couch. But instead, some of the chairs hold up the blankets, making a small fort.

It reminds her of the ones her mom and her made during thunderstorms. When the trailer would shake with each boom, but not the fort. With soft pillows and flashlight shadow puppet stories. Falling asleep when the thunder was far enough away that it became calming. Paired with the patter of rain on the roof. They were always safe in the fort.

Julie was safe in the fort.

She breaks the cookie in her hand, the warm chocolate smearing across her fingertips. Melting in her mouth as soon as they hit. Giving her the energy to say what she needs to say. What she wants to say.

“You know it was El that called, right.” Julie breaks the cookie again. “Well, of course you know. You’re the one who gave me the phone.”

Steve sits straighter, giving Julie his full attention. “Yeah, I know.”

“She was asking if I was free next Friday, for a sleepover.” Her heart starts racing as the words still stay unsaid. Trapped in her throat, even though she knows he wouldn’t care about them.

“That sounds fun. Did you want to go?”

Julie continues to stare at her hands, unable to look up. “Yeah, I do. It’s just. It’s harder now. Because I think, no, I know that I.” She takes a deep breath. She can do this. “I have a crush. On El.”

Steve takes a second to respond. Keeping the moment tense. Julie can only hear the sound of her own heart beating.

“That would make it harder,” he finally says.

“Yeah,” Julie chokes as the tears start to form again. “Yeah, it really does.”

Steve moves the plate of cookies out from in between them before scooting closer. Reaching out to place a hand on Julie’s shoulder. “Hey, it’s ok.”

“No, it’s not,” Julie stops him before he can try to comfort her. “I hate that I’m like this. It’s terrifying. I don’t want like this to be but I am. And I’m going to screw everything up.”

She pulls her legs up to her chest again, the tears retracing their tracks down her cheeks. Even when she thought the wells had dried, it keeps flowing.

“I know exactly how you feel,” Steve exhales. “I felt the same way when I figured out I liked guys. So much so, that I pushed it down and forgot it for years. Kept pretending that this part of me wasn’t a part of me. Hated myself for it. Pushed that hatred outward toward people who didn’t deserve it. Just because I was so angry with myself that I couldn’t be normal.”

Julie clenches her eyes shut, trying to force the tears to stop flowing. Wanting this hurt to stop.

“There were a lot of factors that made me want to hide who I was, I think. My parents, mostly. My reputation. I was the kid that threw parties and had all the nicknames. Hawkins High School’s poster boy. A Harrington. Any wrong move and I was done for. I didn’t need that wrong move to be dangerous.”

She pulls herself more inward. Wondering if she becomes small enough, the problems will just go away. No longer hunting the prey hiding in the bushes.

“It took a lot for me to realize that I wasn’t-. That I wasn’t broken.” Steve takes a deep breath, clears his throat. “That this part of me was normal. Is normal. Just doesn’t always feel like it in a small town. It took meeting other people like me to realize that this was something I could be and still be happy. And believe me, there’s so much happiness waiting for you.”

“Doesn’t feel like it,” Julie mutters into her knees. “It feels like everything keeps breaking apart over and over again.”

“Yeah, yeah it does.”

Julie lifts her head up, finally turning to look at Steve. “I just don’t want to mess up one of the first friendships I’ve had in years because I can’t stop acting weird around her. I can hate myself all I want, I can’t make her hate me too.”

Steve takes a deep breath, turning himself so he’s facing Julie completely. “And you won’t. El is one of the most loving and forgiving people I have ever met. Well, when she cares about someone. She can be pretty brutal to the people who she doesn’t like, but that’s not the point. El cares about you, she won’t judge you for this.”

“I can get not judging me for the liking girls bit. But liking her?” Julie doesn’t know how that could ever work out in her favor.

“Ok, so this next part doesn’t directly apply to your problem. And I’m not sure if any of this is even helping, but it just feels like it needs to be said and I know he won’t care if I share this for him.” He takes another breath. “But Eddie and I were kind of going through this same problem with each other. Only difference is I knew he was gay, and he didn’t know I was.”

“And the only difference between that situation and this one is that yours was a success story,” Julie says before he can continue. Shocking him. “You two aren’t as good as hiding it as you think you are. I picked it up a while ago.”

Steve snorts. “Yeah, kinda figured. I’m more just trying to say that this thing you’re going through isn’t unique. Hell, half of the people in our group have had that feeling some way or another. And we’re still friends. You’re going to be just fine, trust me.”

Just fine doesn’t exactly sound like anything she wants to be. She’s been just fine for months. It’s kind of shitty. Not feeling like anything important, knowing she should be feeling more but can’t. Moving without really moving through life. Just going from one day to the next, them all blending together. Right up until fine becomes a lie again.

Until something unearths itself in the mind and can no longer be ignored. Brings all of its own problems and piles on top of all the others. Dragging up old baggage with it, only adding to the problem.

Leaving Julie with one more question she’s too afraid to ask.

So much in her life has changed. So much is different now. She’s a new person, one her mom wouldn’t recognize. Overwhelmed by grief. Brought into this large group of people, a giant family. Surrounded by people who are like her. Who show her that this is a life she could have. If she just put enough trust in herself.

If she put enough trust in her mom. And stopped wondering if she would still love Julie the same knowing that she will never marry a man. An answer Julie will never actually get.

Steve reaches out and pulls Julie into a hug. Comforts her the way a brother can, but it doesn’t bring the same comfort that Julie craves.

It’s things like this that makes Julie’s heart ache the most. How she will go through these big life events and never hear the same words of comfort again. Never have her mother’s weight sit on the foot of her bed, telling her it will all be ok. That no matter what, she will always love Julie. Never will stop as long as she lives. And even then, the love will transcend death and continue for infinity.

Nothing can stop infinity. Julie hopes that means nothing will stop her mother’s love either. Even this.

“Sorry for taking your coming out moment away from you,” Julie says after she calmed down. “I know you were waiting to tell me about it.”

Steve shrugs it off. “That’s ok. I was really dragging my feet with telling you, I’ve been ready for a while now, just didn’t know how to bring it up.”

“For what it’s worth, it kind of helped. Made me feel a little better knowing that I’m not alone in this.”

“You’re not alone in anything, Julie. No matter what, there will be people behind you. Whether that’s me, your friends, anyone else lucky enough to meet you.”

She rolls her eyes. “Yeah, whatever. Thanks, though.”

“It’s what I’m here for.”

. . .

The notice from the courthouse comes a week later. Alerting Steve that it’s time to approve the court date. One’s been selected for him, but can be pushed back if he needs it to. But it’s there. It’s real. This is actually happening.

He goes over the evidence again, confirms with Hopper that he can actually witness. Get the files all ready on his end. Then contacts his old nanny and gets talked into coming over for brunch. To catch up and see how he’s doing. Make sure she is what he needs for this case. Which she is. She was the longest one he ever had and was extremely meticulous. Most likely still has her pay stubs after all these years.

The last person he has to call is Nancy. Who doesn’t even know that he’s moved yet. Or that his parents are home.

It’s been a while since he’s called her, obviously, and he’s been avoiding it. Not wanting an earful of her again. But he needs to know when she’s back and if she’ll testify for him. She he dials her number.

“Nancy speaking.”

“Hey, Nance, it’s Steve. I have some things to catch you up on.”

She sighs. “Oh, I know. Robin refused to tell me anything about whatever’s going on. I think it was to force you to call me.”

“Yeah probably.”

After a long conversation and a lecture from Nancy on the importance of phone calls, she agrees to testify on his behalf. As both a character witness and also to back up some of the evidence he has.

Everything’s starting to get put together. Now all there is to do is wait.

Tag list(let me know if you want to be added or removed): @homoerotictangerine, @mugloversonly, @thesuninyaface, @imyelenasexual, @anaibis,

@ilovecupcakesandtea, @brainsteddielyrotted, @jackiemonroe5512, @eddie-munsons-missing-nipple, @goodolefashionedloverboi,

@cinnamon-mushroomabomination, @lolawonsstuff, @writingandmushroomdragons, @stevesbipanic, @sierra-violet,

@steddie-as-they-go, @dauntlessdiva, @mousedetective, @the-daydreamer-in-the-corner, @zombiethingy,

@connected-dots-st-reblogger, @that-agender-from-pluto, @allyricas, @cheddartreets, @devondespresso,

@crypticcorvidinacottage, @queenie-ofthe-void @chronicpainstevetruther, @melonmochi

[crimsonbastard]

"Whore of Dragonstone"

Careful there Crissy Honey. Stop Manifesting Daemon Targaryen. Go back to using the Spider Analogy.

[forced-sissy-daughter]

Mother Turns Son Into Daughter

Chris has misbehaved and talked back to his Mommy one too many times.

So Mommy has decided that her son will live the rest of his life as a girl.

After two years of forced estrogen injections, testosterone blockers, breast implants, plastic surgery, corset training, and lip fillers, Chris has been forcefully feminized into Crissy.

Crissy’s physical transformation is now complete.  But her training and conditioning in the ways of a female are just beginning.

Crissy still struggles each morning to properly clasp her large, full-figured, foundational underwire bra over her still-growing 38 DD breasts.

She is still learning how to toss her hair, purse her lips, and arch her back to signal to prospective males her interest and her willingness to be entered.

And she doesn’t quite understand why Mommy has scheduled an appointment tomorrow for Crissy to have a tramp stamp tattooed onto her lower back.

And an appointment this weekend for Crissy to have her belly and tongue pierced.

But Mommy is determined to have a good and proper slut for a daughter.

And with the high volume of estrogen continually surging through her body, Crissy has become more yielding and passive, and is now powerless to resist her mother.

So shortly Crissy will be suitably marked for all the world to see as the filthy bitch-in-heat she has become.

Here is a picture of Crissy in Mommy’s car on the way to the tattoo parlor to be permanently stamped as an open and available harlot.

By this time next week, Crissy will begin her mother’s lessons in the fine art of pleasing her father’s cock with her mouth.

Crissy doesn’t know it yet but before her lessons are finished, she will become completely infatuated with Daddy’s penis, addicted to the look, smell, and feel of his organ.

Then Crissy girl will begin each day of the rest of her life begging her father to enter one of her holes.

And the mother’s making of the daughter will be complete...

#sissy #sissy daughter #forced sissy daughter #daddy daughter #sissy daddy #sissy mommy #forced feminization #male to female #boy to girl #sissy slut #sissy bride #sissy wife #sissy cock slave #sissy chastity #sissy clitty

[katyawriteswhump]

Power of love, part 18

Sorry it’s been a while... possibly should be longer :P I hate leaving a story unfinished, tho'… so I’ll do my best ;)

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 Part 14 Part 15 Part 16 Part 17

...

Eddie POV

“Eddie! Wake up! I can’t lose you again! I can’t!”

Dustin’s pleas bleed into Eddie’s consciousness. He gasps himself awake. Dustin kneels beside him and suddenly screams: “Eddieeee! Thank God!”

Eddie snatches another shuddering breath. “Dustin? Wh-what the—“

“Holy Shit!” Dustin buries his fingers in his hair, unsettling his baseball cap. “We were trying to break into the Starcourt base and get to you—rescue mission 2.0—then there was this epic boss-monster roar. We figured it was another Vecna-induced quake, then I picked up police chatter about a flood and… We just stumbled across you two! How did you wind up here?”

Um, pass? Eddie’s shivery and damp—damper than can be justified by the fat tear dripping from Dustin’s nose. Other than that, he’s plain confused. Why is he sprawled among scrubby bushes near the banks of Lover’s Lake?

Oh. Shit.

An avalanche—nope, a tsunami—of memories gush through him, dumping a shitload of unsettling debris in their wake. He was captured by O’Sullivan’s goons, and then…

“Steve!” Eddie sits bolt upright.

Steve lies a couple of feet away, slumped on his side. Robin is with him. She rolls him onto his back and grimaces at Dustin and Eddie, who’s so still processing.

“I can’t wake him,” she says. “Shit, shit, shit. What do we do?”

“Is he breathing?” Dustin shuffles over on his knees. 

“Yes… No. I don’t know.” Robin fluffs her hair. “He’s all limp and, uh, impressively clean. Not that that matters. I guess I’m so used to seeing him all messed up. How messed up is that? Oh God! Steve! Steve?”

She jostles him frantically. Eddie levels at her side. Steve looks peaceful in a bad way—eyes closed, creepily doll-like, his face waxy and wet hair plastered flat. And, yup, cleaner than he was. Though that was a pretty low standard to beat.

“Nancy should be here any minute,” Dustin says. “We have to get him to a hospital.”

Robin fumbles at Steve’s wrist. “I can’t find a pulse! I can’t… It’s not… He isn’t…”

She and Dustin share a terrible look, sending a shudder through Eddie’s veins. O’Sullivan murdered Steve. Granted, the subsequent supernatural tidal wave—and the arrival of an equally supernatural Steve to save Eddie from drowning with a kiss—was both cool and inappropriately hot. How Steve apparently opened a gate to another dimension and flushed the bad guys down that drain was mega MEGA cool.

Doesn’t mean that Steve is unmurdered.

Eddie’s brain starts racing madly, tho’ he isn’t flipping out. He should be. And yet… What was it Steve said? Each time he died, he came back a bit different.

You know what, Babe? Eddie presses tightly balled fists to his eyes. If I drowned last night, I reckon I’m different this time too.

Or maybe he’s simply himself again. More than he’s been since Crissy died. He’s the Dungeon Master. The dude who cackled demonically at the entire realm of forced conformity. Now HIS realm—the realm of fantasy and magic he conducts like a maestro—is real.

He squeezes himself between Robin and Steve, which is easier than it should be. She’s drowning in sobs. He slips a hand beneath Steve’s stupidly-heavy head. Steve no longer looks bruised from being hit, and there’s no sign of bleeding.

“What are you doing?” Dustin wrings at Eddie’s soggy shirt.

Robin paws him, too. “Stop it! You don’t know CPR. You make him sick.”

“Not any more.” He wiggles himself free. “Steve said I was part of this now—in healing me, I reckon he’s been passing on his magic juju. Or whatever. Last time we kissed, it went fiiiine, and I got a super-radical hunch I can bring him back.”

Robin was right about one thing, tho’. As Eddie closes in, it’s clear Steve isn’t breathing. 

You got this, Munson.

“C’mon Sleeping Beauty. Wakey, wakey.”

He steals a gentle kiss. Steve’s soft lips are not quite cool, which is reassuring. Eddie, meanwhile, feels his own heart beating in his mouth. He’s never been as thirsty in all his life as he is to have Steve kiss him back.

Stevie, I love you so, so much.

His lips begin to tingle. Then a crazy-ass electric spark throws him back an inch. Steve’s lashes seem to flutter. Or is he imagining it?

He huddles Steve against him: “Dammit, wake up! You’re not ditching me again, Harrington.” 

…

Steve POV

Steve would know Eddie’s kiss anywhere. It instantly wrenches him from…

…Where the heck am I, anyhow?

Might’ve been heaven, for all he knows. He’d been warm and safe and loved.  Now, he is stuck in that shitty in-between place again and he wants OUT.

He can’t see Eddie. All he can fathom is wet fog. Worse, Eddie’s kiss is frustratingly like being kissed in a dream—however hard he strains to feel, it’s toe-curlingly unsatisfying. It makes him bat-shit crazy-desperate to get back into his body, if just to thrust his tongue toward Eddie’s tonsils and do that curly-thingy that makes Eddie growl like a ravenous grizzly. Which in turn makes Steve totally hard and—

“You can stay with me now, Steve. You passed my gifts to you on to him. He has a warrior’s heart and can help her fight the darkness. They can protect our town together. Your work is done.”

“No way!” yells Steve, madder than ever. Freaky-ass fairy-water-god-spirit is a swirl in the mists, into which he kicks a spectral foot. “I need to go back, and I need MY powers, and I want to learn to control them and to be a ton more badass, and I need Eddie to have powers too, because… You listening, asshat?”

He doesn’t yell the next bit—We never even fucked! He’s damn sure his spirit-come-stalker hears it anyway. It’s kinda embarrassing, but not like he can stop himself thinking it.

“I love him!” fumes Steve. “He said he loved me too, and I genuinely don’t think he was shitting me. Do you realise how long I waited for this? Christ, and have you MET Vecna? O’Sullivan and his stormtroopers were My Little Ponies compared to that cuckoo son-of-bitch. Eleven is gonna need us BOTH!”

…

Eddie POV

“He’s breathing, right?” Robin whispers, as if saying it too loud might chase Steve away again. “Tell me I’m not imagining it.”

“Nooooo, you’re not imagining it.” Eddie’s cuddling Steve pretty tight, so he should know. Colour seeps back into Steve’s cheeks and his lips, too, which suddenly hitch into an unlikely sneer. Steve begins muttering restlessly.

“Babe? You awake? You hear me?” Eddie trembles with relief. “I’m here, Stevie. I’m right here.”

“Jesus,” murmurs Steve, “you’re worse than my father! I need to be there for Eddie, for Robin, for all of them. Like, hours ago! I can’t just quit looking out for them. I mean, not saying I’m Schwarzenegger or anything, and Eleven’s pretty handy when she’s got her powers. Nance has a decent aim with her sawn-off shotgun, but most of those numpties? They’re kinda helpless without me.”

“What’s he saying?” demands Dustin.

“Uuuuh… Not sure he’s talking to us.” Only about us. Eddie cuddles Steve closer than ever. He recalls that disembodied voice at the height of the flood. “GET OUT OF MY TOWN AND STAY AWAY FROM MY KIDS!” Meanwhile, Steve keeps muttering:

“This is such a bunch of bull! I mean, I know I’m technically an adult, but I say this is kidnap. My Dad might be a dick, but I bet he’ll sue your watery butt.”

Okay, so if Steve’s bitching at his water-fairy-guardian, is he back with Eddie or not?

“What’s going on? “ Nancy Wheeler’s unexpected voice breaks Eddie’s complete focus on Steve. “Oh my God! Is he..?”

“Chill.” Eddie conjures a goofy grin he doesn’t quite feel. All the same, the real Eddie Munson is back in business, totally metal, and flipping the bird in the face of goddamn death: “He’s gonna be fine, Nancy. He’s gonna be just fine.”

...

tags: @estrellami-1 @kal-ology @finntheehumaneater If anybody else would like to be tagged on this fic or any of my writing, please let me know :)

(also part of my steve whump fic series on AO3)

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 Part 14 Part 15 Part 16 Part 17

[olderjustneverwiser]

Baby, Tell Me Why (Eddie Munson)

6.3K. Fem Reader. Childhood best friends, shared trauma, so much pining it hurts. Based on Apocalypse by Cigarettes After Sex.

Warnings: angst, probable PTSD, a handsy creep (which leads nowhere), and I know literally nothing about D&D I'm sorry.

Masterlist

This felt wrong.

You were unable to pinpoint exactly what about this unfortunate encounter was throwing you off; whether it was the hands inching up your shirt or the fact that the man currently kissing you tasted like scotch instead of the beer that he liked to drink, but everything about this was just wrong.

This uneasy feeling shouldn't have surprised you, and if you allowed yourself to think about it, it didn't surprise you. Not really. The feeling had settled deep in your chest and stayed since Spring; ever since Eddie told you all about what he'd witnessed. Since Eddie Munson, your best and oldest friend, watched Crissy Cunningham die an awful death and had been named a suspect in her murder. You'd known something was wrong even then, but a few days later you had the honor of actually seeing it for yourself; stepping into that awful place and watching helplessly as monsters bit chunks out of him while he screamed. After that, well, you knew the feeling was here to stay.

This felt wrong for a different reason, though, and it wasn't because of an interdimensional threat at the moment. It was because the lips you were kissing weren't his this time.

“Hey, I need to stop,” you mumbled, trying to push this man away, only succeeding in backing yourself more into the bartop that the two of you were currently leaning against. The unforgiving wood of the bar dug into your spine, but it was nothing compared to the way his hands felt on your heated skin. These hands were too soft and demanding, all at the same time. They were grabbing at you instead of holding you; missing the obnoxious rings and guitar string scars.

They weren't Eddie's. 

This guy- you couldn’t even remember his fucking name- blatantly ignored your request, “We haven’t even started anything, baby,” He breathed your name as he leaned in to place a greedy kiss onto your exposed collarbone and you couldn’t help but recoil at how it sounded on his tongue; like it wasn’t supposed to be there. It was too deep and harsh and so unlike his. 

It never sounded like that when Eddie said it. 

With your hands balled into fists, you pushed again, harder, into his chest. “Seriously, get the fuck off,” you grunted, "Get the fuck away from me."

He seemed to finally get the hint, backing up and giving you a look you guessed was supposed to be intimidating. “Fine, you crazy bitch. Enjoy the drinks I bought you.”

Blood rushed to your cheeks and you hated that you felt embarrassed and silly. You ignored the stares from the other patrons as you quickly exited the bar into the humid, summer night. The buzz you were chasing when you first went to the bar was quickly dissipating; you could still taste cheap scotch on your tongue and it made your stomach turn. You had gone to the bar to clear your head, to drink away images of otherworldly monsters ripping your friends open. Instead all you got was a horrible feeling in your gut and an ache in your heart. 

You almost felt bad for blue-balling the guy that bought you drinks all night. Almost. 

The truth was, you didn't really care because you knew he sure as shit didn't care about you. You had both wanted the same thing from the other; just a warm body and an excuse to not have to sleep alone for a night. To forget about your lives for just one night.

You couldn't do it, though. Thoughts of Eddie filled your mind the second the guy from the bar kissed you (although, thoughts of Eddie never seemed to really leave your mind in the first place these days) and you realized that a tumble in a random guy's bed wouldn't make you feel any better, so you left. It might have been the first good decision you'd made in months.

The only downside was that it left you sad and alone, stranded at a bar on the other side of Hawkins and with no means to get home. 

Trudging to the payphone on the side of the bar, you weighed your options. You did not want to walk all the way home at this time of night, and calling a cab just seemed sad. You could call Steve since he had a car, but were the two of you even that close yet?

Probably not.

Which left only one option.

Fuck.

Letting out a huff, you shoved a few coins into the payphone and dialed the number you knew so well. A small part of you hoped he wouldn't answer; it was only just after midnight but maybe he was sleeping. He could be playing D&D or hell, he could even have a date.

You hated how the mere thought of that sat in your stomach. It felt like unease or fear; a sort of jealousy you had no right to feel. You'd been the one to initiate the distance between the two of you, anyway. 

It still hurt your heart, though.

But before you could think about that any longer, the ringing stopped, and you heard his voice, raspy and heavy with sleep.

"Who the fuck is calling this late on a work night-"

"Eddie," you interrupted, cringing at the fact that you woke him up, "Eddie, it's me."

The other line was quiet, and you knew that he was wondering why you were calling him. You had been growing ever distant from him over the past few months, ever since the dive upside down. Honestly, you wouldn't have been surprised if he would have hung up in your face. But then you'd heard him sigh, breathe out your name and ask if you were okay, and fuck if that didn't make this that much harder. The fact that he was still being so nice, that even after what had happened between you, his first thought was to ask if you were alright. Even while your friendship was going through…whatever the hell this was, he was still your best friend. 

You didn't deserve how nice he was.

You were in this now, though. You'd made the decision to reach out to him and he answered. To not follow through at this point would be a total bitch move.

"I'm fine, I just wondered if you could pick me up? From The Keg on Creek Road?" You finally found the courage to ask.

Silence. And then, "You're calling me at twelve in the morning to give you a ride? Why the hell are you over there anyway?"

You'd been expecting this question, but it still didn't make answering it any easier. The Keg was the complete opposite of where you and Eddie would normally hang out. It was full of pop music and overly sweet drinks, and frequented by former classmates that made you and Eddie's lives hell while you were in school. You didn't want to tell Eddie that that was precisely why you chose this place; that The Hideout reminded you too much of Eddie. The smells, the loud rock and roll music, too many memories to count. It was too much, and tonight you needed something that was the total opposite of that.

Or, so you thought. 

You couldn't tell Eddie that, though. Your nerves were getting to you and you could feel the guilt bubbling in your chest and you cursed yourself for being stupid enough to call him. "Look, I can just walk, I'm sorry I woke you up-"

"Hey, shut it." You could hear sheets rustling in the background, his bed squeaking as he sat up. "Just wait there, okay? Be there in ten."

-

The drive was tense. 

It had only taken him a few minutes to pull up to the bar, eyebrows raising high when you jumped into the van and he got a look at your outfit; short skirt and too-heavy eye make-up. He didn't comment on it, and you were thankful. Eddie didn't even say a word until you were halfway to your apartment on the other side of Hawkins. He didn't have to ask if he was driving you to your place or his. He'd learned these past few months. It didn't make him any less sad, though. 

"So, why were you at that dump anyway?" He asked, breaking the silence that had been stewing ever since you'd climbed into his van. 

"It's not like The Hideout is any better, Eddie."

"Yeah, I know. Just wondering 'cause The Hideout is kinda our place." He tried to mask the hurt in his voice, but you caught it. 

That's what a decade of friendship does to you. You catch every tell, every waiver of each other's voice and expression that flickers on their face. It was both a blessing and a curse.

You shrugged, played with the hem of your skirt to avoid his gaze. "I don't know, I just wanted something different I guess."

He was quiet for a beat, until he took another look at the skirt currently riding up your thighs and you swore you could hear the gears turning in his head until they finally clicked into place. 

"Oh, I get it now. You wanted something different from me, right? Thought you'd put on a short skirt, fuck some dickhead guy, and forget everything?" He took another moment to look at you, "Guess it didn't work out, huh?"

"Fuck you," you retorted, but it sounded weak. In this moment, you almost hated how he could read you like a book. It was a skill that he'd always had; he's always been able to figure you out. You'd always loved it; how he would just know what you needed when you needed it, how he could almost decipher your thoughts and how the two of you could have silent conversations across crowded rooms. But right now? Right now, you fucking hated how he could see through you. "It did work, actually. I just changed my mind."

"I wonder why that is."

You groaned, but you knew you deserved this. "Eddie-"

"No, I wanna forget parts of that night, too. I guess-" He paused, took a breath and let the words die before he let them out "Y'know what, never mind. It's not important."

You looked at him, really looked at him for the first time since you got into the van and saw how tired he looked. Not just because he had rolled out of bed minutes prior; curls wild around his face and a threadbare Metallica tee thrown on. No, he looked bone deep, sick-of-the-world-and-the-cards-he'd-been-dealt tired and it broke your heart. 

Eddie had changed a lot since that night in the Upside Down. He had finally gotten his diploma a month after the dive, found a decent job paying a living wage a week after that. He was a man, now; no longer stuck in the hell that was Hawkins High. All good things, but he still had pain from his injuries, still had nightmares. Still couldn't play guitar quite right due to a nasty scar on his left middle finger from those fucking bats. Although he had been exonerated for Crissy's murder, some of the small-minded people of this town still called him a freak, a Satan lover, still berated him when they saw him on the street. And then, of course, there was whatever was going on with the two of you at the moment. 

You knew it had all been taking a toll on him. The hurt was written all over his face whenever he'd hear another insult thrown his way. When you wouldn't sit as close to him as you used to or wouldn't spend the night with him like you always had before. You hated how it broke him, but it was something that had to be done. You had to keep Eddie safe, at least until Vecna came back and that El girl could fight him, once and for all. 

After that…well, you could cross that bridge when you got to it. 

The two of you finally pulled up to your apartment building, the old van idling loud enough to wake the whole block. "Are you waiting for me to open your door or something?" He asked when you'd hesitated; still looking at him and trying to find something to say that would make this any better. You couldn't think of anything that could possibly make this whole shitty situation better, so you settled on a simple 'I'm sorry,' because God, you were. Sorry for waking him up, for what happened before the fight, what came after. For Crissy and how strained things were between the two of you right now. You wished he could understand, but then again, it's not like you had given him much to go off of.

Eddie took a look at you, his usually expressive face was eerily blank as he took your simple confession in. He hadn't said anything yet, so you took that as your queue to leave. After you had opened the door and stepped out into the night air, he spoke.

"You don't gotta be sorry, sweetheart. Just can't expect me to keep running after you if you keep pushing me away."

-

It had been months, and that night was still haunting you. Both the good and the bad memories would flood your subconscious and invade your dreams, leaving you shaking in your bed alone, hot tears pouring out while you tried to ground yourself once you woke. Always just as vivid and horrifying as they were that night. 

They'd start out the same way every time. Out in that field with everyone; new friends as well as Eddie, as you all prepared yourselves for the night to come. Everyone had been prepping all day, sawing off shotguns and making shields out of trash can lids. Blasting Kate Bush and Billy Joel through a tiny speaker. Having play fights in the grass and pointedly not saying goodbye because you all had to come out of this alive, right? 

You and Eddie had separated yourselves from the group to put together the makeshift shields, savoring these last few moments with your best friend before all hell broke loose. The two of you were determined to fight alongside everyone and do your part, but you needed this alone time with Eddie and you think he needed it, too.

"You ready to jump into the great unknown?” Eddie had asked you once the weapons were made and the gang was preparing to leave. 

You snorted, "Oh yeah, I was born ready to go up against a monster from another dimension. Easy peasy."

"You don't have to come with us, y'know. It's not your fight."

"Then who would protect you and the kids?" Your tone was teasing, but you suddenly got serious "I'm not leaving you,  Eddie. We're in this now. Together, just like it's always been."

It was true, it had always been like this. The two of you, joined at the hip through scraped knees on the playground, the awkward stages puberty brings, high school parties, and everything in between. Through failed study sessions and mocking comments from classmates about living in a trailer park. Through first heartbreaks and late night drives to being wanted for fucking murder. You'd been there through it all, loved him through it all so you'd be damned if you’d leave him now, when he needed you most.

Eddie nodded, blushing at your words in a way that was so not Eddie. He looked at you with a curious look in his eye; like he was trying to see through the brave face you put on. Trying to decide how far he should push, if he could muster up just a little more courage to do something he's wanted to do for too long. 

"Hey," he started, clearing his throat and looking so uncharacteristically nervous, "Do you wanna go and get food after this or something?"

You cocked your head, cocked a brow because you didn't know where this was coming from. "Eddie, we hang out literally every day."

He rolled his eyes, grinning a bit "Yeah, but I mean, after the dust settles and everything, can I take you somewhere? Y'know, like a date?"

You couldn't help but smile at his question because despite what was happening, despite where the two of you were going in just a few moments, Eddie was asking you on a date. The whole situation was almost absurd; the fact that this is what Eddie was thinking about at a time like this, but at the same time, it was so perfectly Eddie. It made you forget about the Upside Down and Vecna for just a few seconds. 

The impending fight had your heart feeling like lead, but this made your heart feel lighter than it ever had before. The fact that Eddie liked you, hell, maybe even loved you back? It made your heart pound and your cheeks feel hot and you were smiling wider than you had in weeks. But he must have mistook your silence as rejection, so he did something he did only with you. He backtracked, self-deprecated in case you said no. 

"I know you probably don't want a three time high school senior so we can forget about it-" and you didn't let him finish that thought; didn't let him continue thinking that you didn't want him because you had wanted him for so long. And learning that he wanted you back? Well, it almost made this little suicide mission seem worth it. So you closed the small gap between you, grabbing his leather jacket in both hands and pushing yourself onto your tiptoes to press your lips to his. 

If Eddie was surprised he didn't show it; you both knew that it was literally now or never so he brought both hands to cup your face, and you swore you heard a little sigh of content come out of him. You didn't care that you most definitely had an audience, didn't mind when his boar ring got caught in your hair because you were kissing your best friend. It had never felt like this before; kisses with past lovers and quick hook-ups were always fine, always doing what they were meant to do but this? This felt like something else entirely; a fucking meteor strike and you never wanted to live without it again.

You don't know who whistled and yelled at the two of you to break apart, but eventually you did, knowing that it was time to fight. Eddie had a new kind of fire in his eyes now, like he had something else to fight for. Not just revenge or his innocence. 

"Why don't we finish this conversation later?" He asked, and you hummed your agreement, foreheads pressed together and savoring that little moment of bliss.

But then, the scene in your dream would change. The blues and greens from the field would morph into black, red, and indigo and you were all in the Upside Down. You and Eddie were together, everyone else in their own factions doing their part. The two of you weren't fairing well, and you could see that the other groups weren't doing much better. Both of you were tired and scared and completely at a loss of what to do next. Then Eddie had his brilliant idea to distract the bats, so he found his guitar in his trailer and put on a fucking concert; ultimately using himself as bait.

It was a good idea, in theory, and it worked to get them off of everyone else's trail. But it also caused them to fly straight for Eddie. Eddie didn't stop playing, though, just screamed for you to get away and get safe and the next thing you knew, they were attacking him.

They were all around him, at least a hundred swarming him and suddenly they were mauling him. The only sounds you could hear were the tearing of flesh and his screams of absolute agony. You don't know who was holding you back while the bats picked at Eddie, bit chunks out of him but you tried with everything you had to get free and run to Eddie. Eddie, who you were watching die an awful, painful death. Eddie, your best friend, the best fucking part of your life was dying and all you could do was scream helplessly for him.

Then, the horrible dream would end and you'd wake with a start, fresh tears on your face because you had remembered what it felt like to be in that place again. 

Tonight was no different, and you'd awoken just moments prior, throat raw and heart threatening to beat right out of your chest. You forced yourself to breathe, in and out, until it evened and your brain realized that you weren't in that place anymore, that you were safe and Eddie was alive. 

He wasn't with you, but he was okay.

You wished he was here, though. You wished he could be laying in bed next to you like he did that night. 

Steve had dropped you both off at Eddie's trailer after the fight. Eddie was still wanted for Crissy's murder so he couldn't exactly waltz into a hospital just yet, and there was no way in hell that you were leaving his side after what had happened, so it was really no question. You carefully washed the blood and ash out of Eddie's hair, cleaned him up as best as you could and disinfected his wounds, never leaving his side for more than a second because you almost lost him just hours earlier. When you were done, your bones protested and you didn't want to be alone but Eddie gently guided you to his shower, left fresh clothes for you while you washed the grime down the drain. It didn't make you feel better like Eddie promised it would; you still felt dirty and defeated; your hands still shook as you dried yourself. Only when you slipped on one of Eddie's old tee-shirts and fell into his bed next to him did any semblance of peace find you.

And as you both laid in his bed that night, clinging to each other like a lifeline, you felt Eddie press a kiss to your forehead, heard him whisper something you couldn't quite make out before succumbing to your exhaustion. 

You slept peacefully that night; partially from the adrenaline wearing off but mostly because Eddie was next to you, your legs tangled with his and his arm never wavering from its place around your waist. You woke before Eddie the following day, deciding to just watch him for a few moments and while you did, wondering what was next for the both of you, something in your brain shifted.

You don't know what prompted it, whether it was the gashes and bruises that littered Eddie's face, chest, and arms, or the pained grunts that left him when he'd shifted in his sleep, but you were reminded of how he sounded when he yelled in pain. How he screamed at you to get safe while he was being attacked. 

How he came so incredibly close to dying, mere hours after you'd kissed him for the first time. 

Was that supposed to be some sort of sign? Some kind of warning from God to leave things the way they'd always been? It sure seemed that way since your world very nearly ended that night in the Upside Down. So, you heeded the warning. Untangled your limbs from Eddie's and kept your distance. Cleaned his wounds again when he woke up and then left, made some excuse and pretended like you didn't notice the hurt etched on his face. Ignored the way your heart broke and forcing yourself not to think about his heart breaking. Convinced yourself that this was the right choice. For the weeks that followed, you didn't mention the kiss and cut Eddie off when he tried to bring it up. Made a point to not hang out with him one-on-one as much. 

It hurt you, and you know it hurt Eddie but it was better this way. Act like you’d always had, maintain your place as Eddie Munson's best friend and nothing more. Ignore the way your heart fluttered when you were with him until it didn't flutter anymore. Pretend like you weren't breaking his heart in the process. 

It was better this way.

It had to be.

-

You'd always loved D&D nights.

Not for the game specifically; Eddie had tried teaching you the ins and outs of his beloved game multiple times throughout your friendship but had failed every time. The storylines didn't captivate you like they did Eddie, and the intricacies seemed to go over your head each time he explained something to you. It wasn't for a lack of trying on your part; you really did try to learn the game, but it was almost impossible to focus when Eddie was right there, a hand over yours, showing you a figurine, a trick in one of the thousand books.

No, you'd loved D&D nights simply because you loved watching Eddie in his element. It had always captivated you; how he'd become so enraptured by the story he wove together, his silly little dungeon master voice, how happy he was when he was surrounded by his friends every other Friday night. You'd happily sit and watch the game for hours, which you had done more Fridays than you could count at this point.

If you thought about it, you were sure that this is where you fell for Eddie over the years. Watching his eyes light up; being completely free and totally himself without any worry or judgment from people that didn't even know him. It had long become one of your favorite pastimes; lounging in the background or pretending to study while you listened to Eddie ramble on about fake monsters. 

That was, until the ground opened up and you learned those monsters were real.

That knowledge hadn't deterred the kids, though. Hellfire nights continued, on most Friday nights, only now held at Eddie's place instead of Hawkins High since he'd graduated months ago. You'd skipped the last few, for obvious reasons, but Robin and Steve had practically begged you to come when they showed up at your door, unannounced, a gaggle of teenagers in the backseat. They wore you down and you reluctantly agreed to join them, if only to sit on the couch and shit talk with Robin and Steve. 

Well, also because you really fucking missed Eddie. 

It had only been a few weeks since you had called him to give you a ride home, and you had seen each other here and there since then, but it wasn't like it was before. You knew that was entirely your fault; you chose to put this distance between you, but you missed his voice and his laugh. Missed just being with your best friend.

So, you found yourself nestled into Eddie's couch next to Robin and Steve, watching Eddie and the kids from the sidelines. You had to admit, it felt nice, normal, even with these kids you now called friends. Dustin yelling over Mike, little Erica yelling over both of them, Will Byers taking every morsel of advice Eddie gave about being a good DM. And Eddie, God, he looked better than he had in months. Eyes wide, smile even wider. Even his scars looked infinitely better. He had pulled his hair up and opted for a Hellfire shirt with the sleeves cut off due to the late summer heat, allowing you to see that the angry red marks had finally turned into little pink and white clusters along his arms, neck, and jaw. You only hoped that he was sleeping better these days, not having quite as many nightmares as you still were.

“You’re staring, y’know,” Robin muttered into your ear, quiet enough to only be heard by you and Steve, thanks to the shouting going on at the game table.

You forced your eyes away from Eddie, meeting her gaze and the smirk on her face, “What? No I’m not, shut up.”

“Yeah, you’re not convincing anyone.” Steve replied with a laugh. You didn’t have anything to say to that, so you opted for grabbing a popcorn kernel from the bag and throwing it at his head, which he caught instantly, popping it in his mouth. He was truly infuriating sometimes. 

Robin didn’t relent. “Seriously, after that huge make-out session before we dove Upside Down-”

“It was not a huge make-out-”

“I thought you and Eddie would have professed your undying love for one another or something.”

For a split second you were tempted to shut her down, bite back and say that she didn't know what the hell she was talking about, if only to save face. That desire died when you looked at her face and didn't see any malice, or mischief, or judgment. Just a friend asking about another friend. 

"It's complicated." Was the response you settled for.

"Really? 'Cause from where I was standing, it looked like you two were totally in love with each other."

"Geez Robin, were you watching us or something?"

"She totally was," Steve said with a mouthful of popcorn.

"It was kinda hard not to, with the lovebirds making out everywhere."

"We were not making out!" Your words came out as a harsh whisper to not alert the table.

Robin sighed, "Look, I'm just asking 'cause you looked way happier right before the fight than you have in months, and I think it's because of what happened before the fight."

And shit, there was really nothing you could say to that because she was right, of course. That night was the last night you'd really been content, funnily enough. Because everything had gone to absolute shit after. Most of it was your fault; this self-isolation, once seeming like the only choice that made sense.

But now, you were lonely, and sad, and you weren't so sure of the brilliant idea you'd had to leave Eddie alone that morning. 

Robin opened her mouth to speak again, but she was cut off by multiple voices screaming No! and boisterous laughter, coming from the Dungeon Master himself.

"Funny that you all thought you could pull one over on me. Better luck next time, ya suckers." Eddie's smile was downright villainous, enjoying the kids' scowls and muttered curses way too much. Before they could wallow in sorrow for much longer, Steve was grumbling about the time, and having to get the kids home as quickly as possible, Robin practically shoving kid after kid towards the front door.

"Are you guys really not picking up this mess?" You asked, eyeing the food wrappers and crumpled up papers that littered the floor. "How the fuck am I gonna get home if you leave?"

Dustin turned at your question, trying (and failing) to morph his features into a look of innocence. "Oh, you'll help him, won't you? I'm sure Eddie would be more than happy to escort you home later. Besides, we all gotta get home soon or our parents will kill us. Bye!"

One by one they hurried out the door, and you realized that your friends had meddled, trying to play matchmaker. By the look on Eddie's face, he was just as caught off guard as you. But Dustin was right, you weren't going to make Eddie clean up his own place after the gang made a mess of it, so you offered to stay and help, Eddie throwing you an appreciative smile as you did so.

"Thanks for helping me clean this up."

"I don't mind. Besides, it's not like I had much choice since our so-called 'friends' ditched."

"They're not very subtle, are they?" Eddie joked. It was quiet after that; the comfortable kind of quiet that you had grown used to over the years. Eddie collected his notes, folded up the game table while you picked up Pepsi cans and half empty chip bags. Everything felt almost normal until Eddie spoke up minutes later, his voice hesitant.

"Can I ask you a question?"

You stilled, because you knew what was coming. How could you not, when the same question had been eating you up inside, wondering if the decision you made was really for the best?

Eddie continued when you didn't respond; nerves apparent, the confidence he faked wavering. "Why did you leave that morning? You know, we were good- great, even, before everything, and even after, but then it was like everything changed outta nowhere. Did I do something, or say something to make you leave?"

"Eddie…" your voice trailed off, hating how unsure of himself he sounded. "You didn't do anything wrong, I promise."

"Then what happened? And don't fucking blow me off like you have been for months because I know something happened." He took a seat on the sofa when you did, close enough that his right knee touched your left and his voice was soft when he spoke next. "Come on, we've shared all our secrets with each other since we were kids. Can you just tell me what happened?"

You don't know where the tears came from, why your emotions were hitting you so hard but your eyes burned at that. Maybe it was the way he was looking at you; big, brown eyes as dark as molasses with a look that was just as sweet. Or the simple fact that you had missed him, missed just talking and being with him. 

Maybe it was because you had been kidding yourself for months. Playing pretend and kidding yourself into thinking that any amount of distance could ever sever the bond you and Eddie had.  Because you loved Eddie. Loved all of him; even the parts he hated about himself. Loved him as a friend, but so much more, too. And it had been so incredibly foolish to think that you could live without your best fucking friend.

You didn't realize that your tears had fallen until Eddie gave your knee a squeeze and you wiped your face with your fingertips, fought the lump in your throat to get the words out. "I guess I just got scared. Like, I kiss you, and then you're bleeding out an hour later. It just seemed like an omen or something." You sniffed, paused your rambling when you noticed the confused look on Eddie's face. 

“This is why you've been avoiding me and  acting all weird? You know you didn’t make me get hurt, right?” 

“I know I didn’t, like, hold you down, but it was just an awfully big coincidence.” Your face felt hot as you looked at Eddie; there was something like mirth in his eyes, lips pursed together like he was trying to hold in a laugh. “It's silly, I know, but I felt like you got hurt because of me!”

Eddie was nice enough to not laugh at that, opting to take your hands in his instead. “Look, all the kids were down there, and everyone else was in the house, so it was just me and you, right? And I wasn’t about to let the kids - or you get hurt, so I tried to fight. And if I got hurt, then too bad, ‘cause I wanted to make sure you and the kids were okay. I’d do anything to keep you safe. I’d decided that long before you laid one on me in that field.”

“Seriously?”

“Hell yeah! You’ve always been my girl; wasn’t gonna let anything happen to you.” his voice got softer; his hands squeezed yours a little tighter and you could feel all of the worry and guilt and heartache that you'd been feeling leave your body. "Can we please stop this whole 'avoiding each other' thing and go back to how things were before? 'Cause I gotta be honest, I missed you like crazy."

"Missed you too. I'm sorry I made you feel like I didn't," You told him, but it didn't seem like enough. If these past few months had taught you anything, it was that Eddie Munson made your life better just by being in it, and after all that you both had been through, he deserved to hear it. To know how much you cared for him, how much he meant to you. He deserved to hear that you loved him because, fuck, you really did. 

"You know I love you, right?" You whispered, like it was some secret. Like you both didn’t already know how the other felt. 

Eddie just smiled, a big, genuine smile and nodded. "'Course, I love you too."

"No, I really love you, Eddie."

"I know, and I really love you, back." Eddie said, elongating the 'really' until it made you laugh; a short, sweet sound that he had missed more than he'd like to admit.

He released your hands, only to wrap an arm around your shoulders and pull you close to him, and you felt him relax when you curled into his side. "So, you wanna stay over, get breakfast in the morning?"

You couldn't contain the warmth that bloomed inside your chest, the wide smile that mirrored his own as you turned your head and looked up at him, "What, like a date?"

"Yeah, like a date. If you don't have anywhere to be." His tone was teasing, not mean in any way but you still felt the need to make it right. Make sure he knew that you weren't leaving this time.

“I’ll stay as long as you'll have me, Munson.”