#Hyll oc

[starrspice]

I've been really busy

Between my birthday my best friends wedding immediately after, and work,I havent had as much time to draw stuff just for me as i would normally like.

So I've been drawing my ocs in what little free time Ive got

And i offer them to this hellsite for everyone's enjoyment and consumption

Im still kind of tweaking and polishing up their designs so they may change in the future

But for now I offer you a chaotic mercinary polycule (AKA the U.F.O.S.)

With some Bonus side character OCs for funsies

[thisfuckingdork]

There's nowhere to hide in the desert, yet simultaneously, there nowhere to be found. Two Funerals. No Bodies.

Finally managed to finish up this piece I started weeks ago, just been so busy and art blocked

[oc-building]

*makes another silly rendition of my ocs and the hotd characters thanks to pixiv.*

I just realised Madera has a type, which is blonds. Messy blonds who keep her on her toes!

In order:

septa Hylle, with her cheeky cheeky smile and cute dimples

septa Madera, with her judgy eyebrows and eyebags, the girl is tirrrred

princess Helaena Targaryen, with her crown of pretty flowers and her cryptic words about fire and blood

prince Aegon Targaryen, with his golden earrings and tunics in honour of Sunfyre and his messy hair.

... this could turn into a threesome you guys,,,

[sabinesybill]

I'm posting some bits from my Aegon x OC doc because while I very much enjoy the dynamics and some of the sentences do slap imo, I feel like there's a long way to go before I settle down on the details, choose where to start it from and if I ever gonna post it at all.

If you're reading these, please let me know if you like it or not, even a thumbs up emoji will do, I'm in that phase where I'm kinda insecure about my writing !

TW: curse words, strong language, light blasphemy, mention of sex work, manipulation, unhealthy power dynamics (guys it's Aegon like,,, what were we expecting?)

OC: it's a septa in service to the Maiden aspect, her name is Madera and some of her closest friends are Hylle and Saerra. I loved the idea of the contrast between Aegon, a debauched prince and a possible relationship with something that's as far from him as possible: a septa.

Probably this choice on Aegon's part reveals all his mommy issues and we love that.

[hoarthsoyriz]

Long die the king~

[goest-and-fuckest-thyself]

Stranger Thing Have Happened

Steve Harrington x OC

Chapter No.2

Summary- Will is back from the upside down and Eleven is still “missing”. With Nancy and Steve being not only on the outs, but calling it quits, Steve is actively mourning the loss of their relationship. Though, when a new set of siblings arrive alongside the Hargroves in Hawkins, Steve can’t help but take an interest in the eldest sister. Even when he’s promised himself he is only interested in her as a friend, Steve finds himself sharing things with her only his closest friends know of his life.

⚠️warning⚠️

Some chapters may contain explicit content, graphic imagery and scenes not suitable for children. Minors DNI. Republication or distribution of my work will result in legal action being taken. I do not own Stranger Things, but all characters inserted into the Stranger Things universe of my own creation are owned by me.

I wracked my brain, pacing room as I thought of what I’d say to her. As much as I’d wanted to in the moment, giving up on Nancy while I was around my friends was easy. Though, when I was alone, she was all I thought about.

Not a single thought consisted of anything less than rekindling the affection we had for one another. At least, I’d hoped she still had some affection left for me. After the events of two days past, I wasn’t sure.

It was now Sunday, and as I finally snapped away from my stupor, I realised it was almost four thirty. I cursed myself before throwing on a jacket and shoes, running down the stairs of my empty house.

Patting my pockets as I walked out the front door, I made sure I still had my wallet, and pulled out my keys; unlocking my maroon BMW. My brain was still slightly fuzzy as I started the engine and pulled into gear, heading into town.

“Flowers,” I told myself, “every girl likes flowers, even Nance.”

The road to downtown was full of traffic, and an anxiety rose within me. Would I make it in time to the florist?

Just as I had realised my last fear I pulled into a spot in front of the small flower shop on Main Street, a familiar head of long blonde ringlets standing in front of the door.

The girl from school in Friday was locking up the shop, stuffing the keys in her bag as I slammed my car door shut.

“Damn, I missed it,” I huffed, stuffing my hands in my jacket pockets as I gazed past the girl and into the now dim flower shop.

“We close at four thirty on Sundays,” the girl offered from behind me. I turned to face her, noticing that she leaned against my car.

“I didn’t know that,” I shot back, only realising my snappy tone when she rolled her eyes and proceeded to swirl her lollipop around her tongue.

“Sorry,” I apologised, going to stand in front of her, “I’m Steve. Steve Harrington.”

“Hey,” she took my hand, her own petite well manicured fingers being clad in rings, bracelets trailing down her arms, “Andie Hyll.”

‘Andie,’ I thought to myself. An odd name for a girl.

“Isn’t that-“

“A boys’ name?” She asked like she could read my mind.

A bright chuckle came from her throat as she got up from my hood, walking back toward the shop.

“It’s short for Andromeda,” she offered, reaching into her bag and stepping back over the curb. She pulled out her keys and trailed back to the shop.

“Special occasion?” She asked over her shoulder as she unbolted the door.

“It’s kind of a last minute emergency, for uh, a girl,” I rubbed the back of my neck as I explained my predicament.

“Come on, I’ll make you whatever you need. But you owe me one.”

I was slightly confused as to why she was making a special exception for me, but I graciously thanked her and jogged quickly to her side, holding the door open so she could slip in.

Following suit, I let the glass door jingle shut behind me, and I walked to stand before Andie where she was now behind the counter shedding her leather jacket.

Her slim, soft hands pulled papers and strings from beneath the counter, but paused momentarily as she scanned the counter for something unknown to me until she finally reached forward.

Andie then grabbed a pen from the counter, tossed her whole head forward and wrapped her hair into a loose bun, securing it with the pen. I’d never seen a woman use such utensils to fasten their hair up outside of movies. It was quirky.

“So,” her words shook me from the trance I had been in watching her gather herself, “what’s the occasion?”

“Uh,” I cleared my throat, “I’m sorry even though I don’t know what I did?”

I more questioned her than answered, but her eyes went wide before their corners creased in a smile.

Shaking her head, Andie slipped into the back room. After a bit of shuffling and the sound of a refrigerator door shutting, she came back out with an armful of red roses.

“This requires the Queen of all apology flowers,” she began, laying out the flowers and setting to work.

“Even when you don’t know what you did wrong, apologising to a woman is something you should do with class, and tact. Always roses,” Andie offered, clipping stems and plucking leaves to make the blooms perfect in every way.

I couldn’t help but stare yet again as she took up a pair of shears, her ringed fingers so elegant around the tool. She fell quiet now, focusing. My gaze trailed up her hands, over her shoulder and up her beautifully long neck to her face; her brows knitting and a sparkle lighting up her eye.

They were so green, Andie’s eyes. I’d not seen them before, her sunglasses always shielding them from view. But now, as I was able to see her up close, I noticed they were as green as a summer forest, clear and full of intention. Everything about her style, mannerisms, even the sound of her voice projected a tone of seriousness… but her eyes were kind.

The slightest shiver began in the pit of my stomach, and the more it fluttered, the more nauseous I became.

A sudden flash of Nancy went through my mind, and I instantly turned my head away from the girl before me, picking at something on the counter.

“Well, I’ll need all of those things for this one, it was a pretty gnarly fight,” I explained, hoping to put the previous conversation back on track.

“Oh I heard,” The girl chuckled.

My brows knit in confusion, “What?”

“There are two things the girls at school want to talk about right now,” Andie began once again, wrapping the flowers in white paper and tying them with a pretty white ribbon.

“Billy Hargrove, and your break up with the, uh… the-“

“Wheeler,” I offered.

“Yes,” Andie nodded, handed me the bouquet and leaning across the counter. “The Wheeler girl. They’re all saying that you weren’t gonna last anyway…”

My heart sunk at her words, and I looked away from her shyly, fiddling with the ribbon around the beautifully arranged roses.

“But hey,” Andie’s tone picked up a bit as she walked back around the counter toward me, “I think if you’re willing to put this much effort in you’ll be fine.”

A small flash of a smile appeared and went from her face quickly, as she walked to the door and jerked her head in motion for me to follow her once more, slinging her jacket over her shoulders once more.

“Wait, how much do I owe you?” I questioned, reaching into my back pocket.

“Like I said, you owe me one,” Andie smirked, opening the door and holding it for me.

I smiled, a genuine smile, the first one I’d meant in a few days.

“Thanks,” I offered as I slipped out the door behind her, watching her lock up one final time.

In the moment that I turned to face my car, a thought popped into my mind.

I turned back to Andie, who by now was walking slowly away from the shop toward me.

“You seem to know a lot about me but I know nothing about you except your name, and that you work at the florists,” I told her, still gripping the bright red bouquet in my hand.

“What’s your story?”

At my question, Andie shrugged, once again coming to lean against my car, this time on the drivers side next to the wheel well.

“My siblings and I moved last week from Washington. Parents died in a car accident and our Aunt is out here,” she explained nonchalantly, like the horror of her parents dying didn’t bother her anymore.

“I’m sorry,” the words came tumbling out like they always did when I had to apologise for something that wasn’t my fault; like it was an obligatory response that I didn’t even know I had.

The girl shook her head and waved me off with what I could only see as a deflection.

“It’s alright. We weren’t close,” she said. “But yeah, that’s about it. Oh, I guess my uncle is the Mayor.”

“Oh, yeah I did hear that! That’s… cool?” My mind came to a screeching halt when Andie looked at me with a raised brow, and cocked head, like I had offended her.

Just as I started to panic, she began laughing. A bright, loud laugh with a funny little snort at the end of it, one that made my own lips curl into a wide grin.

“It’s alright, I don’t like him either,” she chuckled, her laughter dying down as she composed herself.

Our eyes locked, and I felt like I had when I first saw her, like we were in slow motion. It was almost as if we had been staring at each other for a hundred hours.

Quicker than I’d like to admit, Andie broke the gaze, and lifted herself from my hood once again.

“Anyway, I’ve gotta walk home,” she said with a sigh, “I don’t wanna be out too late, I’ve heard bad things happen in the spooky dark out here.”

She comically waved her finger at me and smiled again, letting me return a chuckle.

“How far is your walk?” I asked in kind.

“We live on maple,” she said with a nod, stuffing her hands in her pockets.

I perked with excitement, knowing I could now pay her back.

“That’s right where I’m headed actually, you need a ride?” I asked.

“That’d be nice actually,” she said.

[riverbirchindex]

OC LIST 2.0

This is the current compiled list of all my oc’s that I’ve managed to get to on 4/7/2022. This list includes ALL OF MY ADOPTED OC’s, ALL OF THE OC’S I HAD ON MY OLD LIST, and some of the new ones added ontop. 

[] ALL OF THE [newer] OC’S I OWN HAVE YET TO BE ADDED YET [] ALL OF THE IMPS ARENT ADDED ON HERE YET

– The Men:

·        Aedei Osum – Tulip Desert Rose Plantoid

·        Aksle Graham – Fahrenheit Incubus

·        Aurian Jay: Orca Dragon

·        Barjecht Baffomeht – Baffmo Demon

·        Blyoo Ummi – Blue Raspberry Gummy Slime Boy

·        Boojum Baffomeht – Baffmo Demon

·        Caleb Otto – Scylla

·        Calivera Rojo – Old Cardinal Ghost

·        Cesar Isandro Chavez – Cactus Soccer Player

·        Clyde Carnicke – Bull Shark Cop

·        Cinnamin Ruul – Burner Salamander

·        Chase Briar – Crocodile

·        Devin Pascal – Oscar’s Rival / Best Friend

·        Edward Celsur – Yellowjacket Nobleman

·        Emilie Onblooms – Rose Plantoid Flauna

·        Fiful Nifelheim – Skunk Plague Doctor

·        Frederico “Freddy” Santasar - Human

·        Harue Ochi – Snake Demon Prince

·        Jacopo Tato – Red White Tarantula

·        Jicama – Insomniac Shadow Person

·        Julius Flor – Dandelion Plantoid

·        Karlos Astor – Human [Likes Redmond]

·        Mihail Sholes – Botanic Dancer

·        Monatana Ackermann – Shotgun Mercenary Robot

·        “Nasta” – Lich Necromancer

·        Oreo - Rollie Pollie

·        Oscar “Soutman” Browhn – Swing Singer

·        Owen Renfield - Human

·        Parys Beau – “Beauty” Model Demon

·        Popella Hominim – Brazier Hellion

·        Poppycock – Poppy Bastard of Druidic and Incubus dealings

·        Pyrite I– Manmade Idol Angel

·        Rook Bowlin – Mafioso Jerk

·        Rorsch - Ink Blotchy

·        Sebastian Yo – Devils Cigar Mushroom

·        Sicily Rosa - Blue Rose Plantoid

·        Strave Kilos - Alien Sand Skater

·        Sundae Mums – Ice Cream Fairy

·        Toy Bunny – Toy Bunny

·        Walter Briggs – Persistent Coffin System [Human Deceased]

·        Waryn Sallet – Blacksmith Daedra

·        Willow Bunyin – Barn Owl Harpy

·        Zorblo Zathurn – Green Alien

– The Ladies:

·        Aalaya Leare – Black Jaguar Demon

·        Adranuch “Phuri” Shephar – Sheep Ranchhand

·        Afra Azad – Persian Justicar

·        Alouette Cross – Wolf Spider Arachpire

·        Anj’I Vyrss – Kobillianoid Mechanic

·        Arbor Buckle – Goblin Blacksmith

·        Ark’xa Mor – Blue Skinned Orc

·        Aro Anois - Scorpion Lady

·        Anne Gale – Garden Spider

·        Ayiqua Unalii – Thunderbird

·        Ayo – Shade Child

·        Azalea Brightsap – Azalea Bush Plantoid

·        Baisu – Stitch Witch

·        Bayleigh Kells – Maron Unicorn

·        Bii Plum – Bee

·        Boo Bee – Ghost Bee

·        Cassidy Miles – Desert Long-eared Bat

·        Catalina Chavez – Lil Barrel Cactus

·        Celosia Strega – Human turned Flame Elemental

·        Cindii – Fire Bee

·        Colette Myr – Oni Lass

·        Coralynn Tato – Cobalt Blue Tarantula

·        CRT – TV headed Robot

·        Cybia "Mia" Pscillo - Mushroom Witch

·        Cushion – Bed Golem

·        Delilah Carnicke – Nurse Shark

·        Elise Vermillion – Astronomer Student

·        Fawn Hylls – Bear Demon

·        Fifai Foe - Firefly

·        Fuba Chichi – Firefly Squid

·        Gazelle – Revenant Skeleton

·        Gretchen Saoire – Werewolf Queen/Mom

·        Hiji Phrydum – Hunter Class Robot

·        Ivie Myill – Indigo Milk Mushroom

·        Illiyad III – Pugilist Robot

·        Ineruiko Ari – Black Inari Fox

·        Ira Jiya – Venus Flytrap

·        Joey – Eldritch Femme Fatale

·        June Indigo Holiday – Mythical Werewolf [Queen] PI

·        Katherine Ryme – Yuki-Onna

·        Kram Bustonthrooh – Oni Girl

·        Kiki Ketsup – Goliath Tomato Plant

·        Lyio Quill – Dandelion Plantoid

·        Lola Friday – Turkey

·        Matilda Rake - The Country Bumpkin Scarecrow

·        Marie Green – Cow Centaur

·        Mascara Rake – The Cast Scarecrow

·        Melody Rake – The Clubbing Scarecrow

·        Meridia Ile – Drow Alchemist

·        Mikola Tescin – Roadie Skeleton

·        Minx Wehr – Harlequin Mime

·        Mirabelle Pumpernickel [Sourdough] – Scottish Fold Cat

·        Mother Magnet – Maid Robot [Malfunctioning]

·        Ms Badger – Plush Badger

·        Mu – Tall Fungal Finder

·        Myca Dime – Bunny Monster Gal

·        Myra Foil – Mantis Robot

·        Nimune - Swamp Monster Lass

·        Nu – Shortstack Fungal Finder

·        Paka Pita – Snail

·        Pamela Grisgill – Infected Human [Vegan Chupacabra]

·        Pebble Cove – Shoebill lady

·        Porridge – Fluffy Pidgeon

·        Portia Bella – Portobello Mushroom

·        Raynae Papria – Dragonfruit Druid Human

·        Rahmiel Valhm – Fallen Angel of Mercy and Love

·        Rhys Lykcit – Ferret Cursed Witch

·        Sara Indippdi – Christmas Crab

·        Sew Bahr – Undead Ghoul Boar

·        Sii Cookie – Mythical Bee

·        Somnia Munel – Shade

·        Valerie Duccat – Honest Gambling Skeleton

·        Vina Erma – Cornucopia Tree

·        Vulcan Oll – Zippo Bounty Hunter

·        Wimona “Wyrm” Zobe - Zombie Girl

·        Ysabell Asor - Blue Rose Noble Plantoid

·        ZugZug Blubba – Trash Golem

·        Zyl Phynx – Plum Vine Plantoid

– Neither / Gender Fluid:

·        Amadrya Cimmerro – Mandeadrake Nymph

·        Charolette Springs – Spider Animatronic

·        Cygnus – Blackhole Effigy

·        Eridanus – Voidling

·        Fui Bya – Wingless Silverspun Moth

·        Gmooh – [Ether] Voidling

·        Halceyon Tide – Ship AI Navigator

·        Kokolo Flor – Long Flower Plantoid

·        Kris[tine] Shio – Pistachio Plantoid.

·        Ookli Ohkapi – Super Space Alien Scout

·        Othello – Caretaker Paper Spirit

·        Perseus – Star Voidling

·        Rubeka – Watermelon Doggo Slime person

·        Septerra – Anu Guardian

·        Stinky – Pile of Grass Plantoid

·        Vivia Paars – Sock Unicorn Puppet

– The Transistioned:

·        Andi Oli – Toxic Salamander

·        Fain Mail – Piloted Assassin

·        Jake Carnickie - Tomboy Shark

– The Imps:

·        Azucar – Sugar Skull Imp

·        Cinder – Ash [Chimney Sweeper] Imp

·        Dandara – Heart Imp

·        Gymnyst – Geode Imp

·        Jiji – Diamond Card Imp

·        Khal – Club Card Imp

·        Kryll – Sea Angel Imp

·        Michio – Mint Chocolate Chip Imp

·        Qux Huulak – Spade Card Imp

– The Fandoms:

·        Blue Heaven – Morning Glory Floran

·        Chip – Furret Pokemon

·        Clenoa “Clover” Donahue – Celtic Earth Pony

·        Hydrani Gea – Deku Scrub Librarian

·        Lilian Seafoam – Gardevoir Pokemon

·        Ludica Trebble – Gijinka Parasect

·        Mio Cir Loto – Seedrian

·        Pip Mozette – French Earth Pony

·        Raspberry Nebula – Mismagius Pokemon

·        Sapphire Tear – Unicorn Pony

·        Stubborn - Ram

·        Rawr – Tiger Pony

·        Tundra Mist [May Rebirth] – Bat Lantern Pony

– Groups / Creature Species:

·        Dragoil Thatchers – Dragon Rustler Desert Protectors

·        Hydroqua – Aquadile

·        Teil – Rainbow Parrot

[rhetoricalrogue]

OC meme ask! Mixtape for Marle. 😁

Thanks for the ask! 🧡

mixtape: 5 songs that describe your OC(s) or songs they themselves would like.

House by the Sea - Moddi

Crystal - Stevie Nicks

Sky Full of Song - Florence + the Machine

Lilie - Lisa Hannigan

Linger - HYLLS

Or, in a nutshell, just blast the Practical Magic soundtrack on repeat. 😉

OC Ask Meme

[starrspice]

Hey hey I redesigned them kinda (except Zai)

Silly OCs my beloved

I've been really busy

Between my birthday my best friends wedding immediately after, and work,I havent had as much time to draw stuff just for me as i would normally like.

So I've been drawing my ocs in what little free time Ive got

And i offer them to this hellsite for everyone's enjoyment and consumption

Im still kind of tweaking and polishing up their designs so they may change in the future

But for now I offer you a chaotic mercinary polycule (AKA the U.F.O.S.)

With some Bonus side character OCs for funsies

[thisfuckingdork]

Time changes people

Some OC art because I haven't done that in a *while* and I really like my little fellas

Bonus Sketches of me work-shopping the characters:

[oc-building]

| I have loved my freedom too dearly to let someone steal it from me. They have hurt me and thought me broken for it, but I have risen and danced again and one day I will dance on their very graves |

A fair maiden with a wicked heart.

Hylle is sharp, witty, beautiful, loves gossip and music and dancing and hates being told what she can or can't do. She is Madera's first friend in her novice years and well, later more than that. What are two girls sworn to the Maiden supposed to do, love men?

[oc-building]

Piccrew version of the ocs that sprang up around the future fic I am writing for Aegon and OC.

Top left: septa Madera, our main girl and love interest of resident alcoholic racoon prince Aegon. They do not have the healthiest of relationship.

Top right: septa Hylle, very dear friend to septa Madera. They met as young novices and forged a bond because of shared loneliness. She likes various blends of teas but most of all the gossip blend.

Bottom left: septa Saerra, one of the most beautiful and striking girls of the nunnery. She grew up in a convent because of war and poverty and never left. Loosely inspired by a story told by one of my cousins.

Bottom right: mother Junie, the head septa of all the girlies mentioned above. She's originally from the Riverlands and she cares about the girls in her care. Currently debating how much backstory and story I will give her.

They grew on me I swear.

[goest-and-fuckest-thyself]

Stranger Things Have Happened

Steve Harrington x OC

Chapter No.7

⚠️warning⚠️

Some chapters may contain explicit content, graphic imagery and scenes not suitable for children. Minors DNI. Republication or distribution of my work will result in legal action being taken. I do not own Stranger Things, but all characters inserted into the Stranger Things universe of my own creation are owned by me

Summary: Eleven is still “missing”. With Nancy and Steve being not only on the outs, but calling it quits, Steve is actively mourning the loss of their relationship. Though, when a new set of siblings arrive alongside the Hargroves in Hawkins, Steve can’t help but take an interest in the eldest sister. Even when he’s promised himself he is only interested in her as a friend, Steve finds himself sharing things with her only his closest friends know of his life.

“No, no no,” I heard Andie call from behind me as I ran through the woods. We’d broken off from the train tracks when we heard the howling of the pack of Demodogs.

“No, why’re we running toward the bad noises?” She grumbled as we came upon the bluff.

“Do you see them?” Dustin asked me.

“No,” I shook my head in response.

Lucas lifted his binoculars to his face, scanning the area. Another howl came from the south east, and we all snapped our heads toward the sound.

“It’s the lab,” he shuddered. “They we’re going home.”

We were all silent as the realisation slowly overcame us all. Even Max, Andie, and Artemis had to have known what this meant. We’d told them everything in such great detail that they’d chosen to follow us into battle.

“What do we do,” Andie’s voice rocked us all from our stupor, every one of us coming to stare at her.

“Boy, you really don’t like to sit still for five seconds do you?” Dustin poked at Andie.

“She never has, if she’s not doing something, she’ll explode,” Artie chimed in with a chuckle.

“She’s right though,” Lucas joined the conversation, “we gotta do something.”

Suddenly, just as everyone had looked to me before, all eyes were back on me. Why was I the defacto leader?

“Andie, can I talk to you for a second?” I asked, jerking my head toward the tree line. The girl nodded and followed me as I walked to hide in the shadows of the forest.

“What do you wanna do,” I asked in a whisper, pulling Andie in gently by her forearm.

“Why’re your asking me?” She hissed, yanking her arm from my grasp, “you’re ‘King Steve’.”

I rolled my eyes and slapped my arms across my chest in defence. She didn’t know me enough to use that awful nickname.

“Don’t call me that, for one,” I quickly glanced at the kids, each of their eyes expectantly seeing into my soul. I turned Andie to face to woods, and continued our conversation.

“Two, I’m asking you because you’re the only other adult here, Hyll,” I told her, “and like you said, I’m dangerous and reckless sometimes. If we need to turn around and take these kids home, just say the word, and we will go.”

Her green eyes pierced my own as she stared up at me, her lips thinning into a tight frown and an exhale puffing past her nostrils.

“You gotta stop that,” I chuckled, looking away from her for a split second to compose myself.

“Stop what?” She snarled.

“The eyes,” I teased her, “it’s like they get bigger and shinier when you pout, it’s distracting!”

“Can you stop looking at my eyeballs then and focus?! There are demons roaming Hawkins, Harrington, and we’re trying to figure out what to do!” She hissed at me, slapping my arm harshly.

“Alright, sorry, fuck,” I said, rubbing my arm and trying to do as she asked.

“Like I said, you wanna go home?” I questioned.

Once again, Andie sighed and shuffled in her feet. She finally ran a hand through her hair, the other in her hip. She then shrugged with one arm and frowned sarcastically.

“Fuck it,” she shook her head, “get to the cars kids, we gotta go warn the people at the lab!”

The kids all high fived and gave resounding cheers as they ran past us back into the woods. Andie’s accusatory stare caught me as they ran between us, back toward the tracks.

“What?” I threw my hands up in a defensive stance and she pointed at me.

“You’re a bad influence on me,” she said finally before taking off after our gaggle of children.

I shook my head in return, only sighing and heading off after them.

~~~

“I told you it’d be quicker to walk down the hill, there it is!” Artie pointed towards the edge of the woods, the lights coming from Hawkins lab leading toward our goal.

My heart almost leapt from my chest when I felt an arm sank around my own. When I looked down, I saw Andie walking with her arm linked in mine, head resting on my shoulder.

“I wanna do normal new best friend things after this,” she offered, out of the blue.

“The only thing we’ve done since we met is babysit and fight for our lives.”

I nodded, her words stinging a bit. Friends. Yeah. Though, I’d take what I could get at this moment.

“We can do that,” I said in return, “go roller skating or bowling.”

“I wanted to get that new movie, Footloose? I heard Kevin Bacon moves like a salsa dancer,” she laughed.

A chuckle came deep from within my chest and I squeezed her arm a little tighter.

“Then we can rent footloose,” I nodded.

Just as I was about to say more, a familiar voice echoed through the clearing.

“Hello? Who’s there?!”

I pushed to the front of the group,gripping my bat in one hand, shining my flashlight toward the voice as I broke the tree line.

My anxiety dropped when I saw that it was Nancy and Johnathan Beyers that made their way toward us up the grass.

“Steve?” They called in unison.

“Nancy?” The shock was evident in my voice as I broke into a jog down the hill.

“Johnathan,” Dustin stated as he followed.

“What’re you all doing here?” Nancy questioned in concern.

“What’re you doing here?” I asked.

“We were looking for Mike and Will,” she offered, closing more space between us.

“They’re not in there, are they?” Artie asked, standing close to Dustin.

“We’re not sure,” Johnathan gives us a skeptic so look, “why?”

Another bone curdling roar came from the lab, and our heads turned in unison.

I once again felt Andie grab my jacket from behind me, though when I turned to face her, she stared bravely toward the lab.

“Alright we need a plan,” Lucas voiced.

“Wait there are new ones,” Johnathan quizzically looked over the group of kids that had crowded around us, then looking to Andie, “you told new ones?”

Andie and I both threw our hand up this time, Artemis following suit.

“Blame them,” Andie pointed toward the kids, “they told us.”

“Did you tell them about Will?” Beyers hissed at the kids.

“Woah,” I stepped forward, my hands shooting out to shield the children behind me, “whether you like it or not, Beyers, they’ve been a huge help.”

“Not if they’ve been running around causing trouble with his friends they aren’t,” Johnathan snapped.

“We haven’t seen Will in days, man,” Dustin defended himself.

Soon, all the kids were mentioning the lack of their friend this last week, his apparent sickness being known to the whole group.

“Guys,” I heard from over the commotion. Andie tugged my sleeve and pointed to Nancy.

“The power’s back on,” she commented, pointing to the lab.

The whole group followed suit as Johnathan and Nancy ran back toward their car at the gate. Though, as Beyers tried to let us in, the gate did not budge.

“Lemme try,” Dustin pushed his way into the security booth. He was met by protest from Beyers, who slapped his hands away from the buttons. I almost lurched forward when Andie stopped me.

“Let me try, Johnathan!!!” Henderson snapped before pushing the button multiple times. Still nothing happened.

“Son of a bitch, you know what?!” Henderson slammed his hand into the switch box. Finally the gate slid open.

“Great, let’s go,” Nancy took initiative and slid into Beyers’ front seat.

My eyes locked with hers as she looked out the windshield at me, and I caught a glimpse of something sad in her eyes. She quickly looked away, and I stepped out of the way of the car.

“We’ll be right back,” Beyers assured us as he sped of toward the lab.

Our group went quiet again, gathering next to the security booth as we waited. Andie slipped inside, her head down, an angry look plastered on her face. I followed her.

“What’s up?” I asked her, leaning against the threshold of the booth, watching her fiddle with the pens and papers strewn about.

“So that’s Wheeler, huh?” Andie asked quietly, not bothering to make eye contact, “she’s pretty.”

“Yeah I-I guess,” I stammered. “But her and-“

“Beyers…” she finished my sentence, finally bringing her eye line to meet mine, “I’m sorry about that.”

I shrugged. “Shit happens.”

In all honesty, it didn’t even bother me that she was with Beyers this whole time. What bothered me was the look of guilt in her eyes; like she’d been seeing him all along.

“You’re not pissed?” Andie scoffed, plopping herself into the roller chair beneath her.

I shook my head, “I guess not. I just want to move on, ya know?”

“Well,” she sucked her teeth, twirling a pen between her index fingers and thumbs, “then I’ll be pissed for you.”

My chuckle was cut short by the screeching of tyres and the roar of engines. Andie snapped to attention, causing me to exit the booth, seeing Johnathan’s car come careening out of the lab parking lot, toward us.

“Move!” I shouted to the kids, who all thankfully, listened. As Beyers sped past us, not bothering to stop for us, I began to panic.

“Fuck, there’s gotta be something wrong,” Andie said, as if she read my mind. My voice halted as I noticed Chief Hopper’s SUV speeding toward us as well honking.

“Let’s go!” He screamed at us, his SUV ticking to a halt to let us in.

I opened the front door, sliding the seat back and piling in. By the time we were all in, Andie was placed firmly between my thighs, Max shoved between Lucas and Artemis, who elbowed me every time there was a bump in the road. Henderson was the only one not sharing a seat, his rear nice and comfortable up front with the chief.

Everyone was silent on the way to back to the Beyers house. And when we all finally climbed out of the SUV my mind was numb. I was on the couch, leg bouncing wildly before Hopper’s voice shook me from my state.

“We stay here,and we wait for help,” he growled at little Wheeler, leaving the room.

None of the kids said a word. Each one was placed in a different spot around the paper covered room. Soon, little wheeler rose from his spot at the kitchen table, going to pluck a small blue box from the coffee table a room over.

“You guys know Bob was the original founder of Hawkins AV?” He offered outright.

“Really?” Lucas inquired back.

“Yeah. Petitioned the school board and everything. Then he had a fundraiser trot equipment,” he said, “Mr Clarke learned everything from him. Awesome right?”

The room was filled with resounding ‘yes’s’ and ‘pretty cools.’

“We can’t let him die in vain,” he said in finality.

“Well what do you wanna do, Mike?” Dustin snapped, “the chief’s right on this. We can’t stop the demodogs on our own.”

“Demodogs?” Artemis mirrored in question.

Andie rolled her eyes at her little sister.

“Ya know, Demogorgon, dogs. Demodogs,” Andie gestures to Henderson as he spoke, like he was god telling the gospel and she knew he was right. I couldn’t help but scoff at her.

“It’s like a compound. It’s like a play on words?”

“Okay!” Artie said exasperatedly.

“I mean, when it was just Dart, maybe,” Dustin continued.

“But there’s an army now,” Lucas interjected.

“Precisely.”

“His army,” Mike popped his head up.

“What do you mean?” I asked, standing form the couch and leaning against the desk to my right.

“HIS army!” Mike said more forcefully this time, looking around at us all, “maybe if we stop him, we can stop his army as well!”

His friends looked at him, dumbfounded, and Andie and I shared the same lost look between one another. What?

Little wheeler then rushed back into the living room before coming back with a paper scrawled with crude crayon drawings.

“The shadow monster?” Max asked.

“It got Will that day in the field,” Mike nodded.

“The Doctor said it infected him, like a virus.”

“So this virus, it’s connecting him,” Artie spoke with her hands frantically, “to the tunnels?”

“To the tunnels, monsters, the upside down, everything,” Mike clarified.

“Slow down,” Andie stopped the kids, “slow down.”

“Okay so, the shadow monster is inside of him, and if the vibes feel something like pain, then so does Will.”

“And so does Dart,” Lucas nodded.

“Yeah, like Mister Clarke taught us, the hive mind,” Artie added.

“Hive mind?” I asked shyly.

“A collective consciousness. It’s a super organism,” Dustin explained.

Wheeler pointed back to the page of crayon scribbles.

“This is the thing that’s controlling everything,” he went on, “the brain.”

Not even a beat skips before Dustin is filling in more gaps. “These kids are amazing,” Andie whispered from beside me.

“Like the mind flayer,” Henderson stated at Will’s drawing with knowing eyes.

Lucas snapped his fingers and a question came from Andie and I.

In unison, “What?”

The boys scrambled to pull a giant book from Henderson’s bag, flipping through pages to find whatever it was they were looking for.

“Is that the new DM’s guide?” Andie’s mood instantly perked up as she joined the circle at the table, each of the boys staring at her in awe.

“You okay?” Mike asked excitedly.

“Yeah there’s a group I played with in Washington, I’ve been trying to find a party here!” She chimed. I had no clue what she was referring to, but as the kids shared one final look of ecstatic joy, they reverted back to their serious conversation.

~~~

I walked from the shed after it was all set up, every wall and discerning feature covered in tarp or painting paper.

As I scanned the yard, I found no sign of Andie or her sister. She’d been awfully scarce since the plan to interrogate Will was thought up and agreed to. I was worried she wasn’t okay with it.

Looking toward the house, I saw her through the window. I strode forward, my long legs making the walk very quick. As I opened the door the kitchen, Andie’s head whipped from the sink to my form.

She was cleaning her axe, her little sister sat boredly at the table.

“Can I talk to you for a second?” I asked her. The blonde simply nodded and left her weapon in the sink, wiping her now clean hands in a nearby towel and following me toward the back of the house.

Artie eyed me boldly as I I placed a hand to the small of Andie’s back to lead her from the kitchen. I rolled my eyes and continued walking away. We finally reached the bathroom leaving the door open as we entered.

Andie hopped up on the sink, leaning back toward the mirror until her back pressed against it.

“You’re too quiet,” I opted to start as non-confrontationally as possible, “what’s going through your mind?”

“What, three days into knowing me and you know when I’m TOO quiet? I’m quiet all the time,” she deflected, not bothering to look my way until her voice cracked at the end.

Finally, for the first time, I’d seen Andie upset.

“They’re gonna torture that kid,” she huffed, wrapping her arms around her form, “it sounds like he’s already been through so much, and-“

“Hey,” I rushed forward, seeing her candy apple green eyes well with tears, wrapping my arms around her.

“It’s alright, he’s gonna be okay,” I assured her, rubbing a hand over her back. During her time inside she’d taken off her leather jacket, leaving her in a soft white sweater, baggy sleeves puffing out as they wrapped around my waist.

“I’m sorry for being emotional,” she sniffled into my chest. I chuckled.

“Emotional? If this is you emotional I’d hate to see you throw a fit,” I offered facetiously.

A small, pathetic giggle came from Andie’s throat and she lifted herself off of me, wiping her tears with a small smile.

“You’re a good friend, Harrington… Thank you.”