#Ready for you to announce Season 4 Max!

[bluemango07]

Upcoming Warrior Ep. 3.08

Ok, just saw ep 3.07 & still processing...but good to see some Ah Toy scenes.

Ep. 8 is written by Hoon Lee (who plays Chao) & from this interview (link below) he says this ep might be their most romantic yet.

I hope Ah Toy & Nellie are going to be a part of that. Can't wait to find out either way. I gotta keep myself really busy until then. lol.

[chussyracing]

what has been happening in the world of motorsports lately?

Natalie Robyn will leave the role of CEO of FIA after little over one year in the position after a “mutual agreement”

there is a rumour about Logan’s manager speaking to Haas for the opportunity of American team hiring American driver from next season onwards (reminder that Kevin is likely out of contention, Ollie is the hottest candidate and Guanyu is next in talks with Haas according to the paddock gossip)

the Chicago GP was denied …for now (so at this point you have to consider it being a possibility, potentially rotating circuit?)

Merc apparently offered Carlos a one year contract, since they want to keep their options open (potentially for Max leaving or for Kimi stepping up into the team), Red Bull is keen on keeping Checo (although Marko denied they would give him the 3 years contract extension he would like to get) so that door is closing, Audi reportedly extended the deadline on the decision from Carlos till around Monaco

there will be a special edition of Ferrari Trento on the podium this weekend (I’m adding a picture below) and special awards with names of previous winners including people of Emilia Romagna for the year 2023

Williams posted Lap of Legends with Logan driving against AI programmed legends (Andretti, Hill, Manson, Prost, Button, Villeneuve)

Alex Albon extended his Williams contract on multiple year basis (meaning he will be driving with the team through the new regs, but with Fred and Charles starting a new fashion in F1, we simply don’t know how long exactly that contract is)

Domenicali confirmed 25 races a season is a maximum stated by the Concorde Agreement, but he wants to expand F1 calendar in other ways (rotating circuits, more sprints, some journals even talk about sprints at every race weekend)

Ferrari esports team won the constructor championship

Max is supposed to be joining Team Redline this weekend because apart from Imola he is said to be racing in virtual 24 hours of Nürburgring (but with how their weekend is going so far? who knows)

F3 drivers Alex Dunne and Martinius Stenshorne became members of the McLaren junior academy

speaking of juniors, Nikola Tsolov, Martinius Stenshorne and Arvid Linblad (Alpine, McLaren and Red Bull juniors) broke the sporting code by racing in different series without announcing it (the reports differ about who raced where, if they announced it to their teams or to FIA) – the result is, Tsolov and Stenshorne will get a race ban, one of Spa, one for Silverstone, and Lindblad will only get a fine, because he didn’t race in a full race just took a part in testing/practice before the real race

reminder for people watching Sky Sports, that David Croft won’t be in this weekend, and Harry Benjamin is stepping in his place

FIA is considering a different penalty system for continuous penalties and for the situation where a driver gains advantage by leaving the track (Kevin started a revolution)

Domenicali also spoke about a possible engine change for 2030 regulations as the feedback from fans is that they miss the good old sound of F1 (so possibly more noise)

team principals (and Domenicali) had a shared dinner together in Imola and Andrea Stella didn’t get the memo about the dress code for the night

More than Equal initiative founded by David Coulthard and a Czech businessman Karel Komárek started a driver development programme with first 6 female drivers between 13 and 14 years from across the world including Czechia and Slovakia (and 4 more female drivers under the age of 13 got their backing)

31st world stars charity football match between star team for the children and all stars drivers will be held in Monaco on 21st May (we have yet to get confirmed who will be present)

Adrian Newey said he is ready to join another team after a short holiday and according to Jonathan Mcaboy, he already signed with Ferrari

in the latest interview James Vowles reminded that letting go of Logan in the middle of the season is not planned but he has to be open and say that he is at risk of losing his seat for next season because they are talking to 4-5 other drivers (he also said that their car is about 15 kgs overweight and their new upgrade introduced here is meant to fight that problem)

head aerodynamicist Gioacchino Vino is leaving Mercedes but they will get Simone Resta (strategy) and Enrico Sampo (performance) joining as soon as in October (side note: some reports say Vino was poached by Ferrari but 1: it is one not very reliable source, I highly doubt this is a figure Ferrari would go for and there are also reports it was not his choice to leave the team)

Pierre will run an auction for his tribute helmet for Senna after this weekend and donate the money to his charity

Charles said that Xavi leaving was a team decision, and he was informed after Miami

Valtteri Bottas held talks with James Vowles behind closed doors in Imola

[futfemfantasies]

Reunited At Last - Vicky Losada x Reader

Request: “For vicky losada say reader and vicky were together when they started in Spanish national team and then split up then reader just joins city and has a reuinion with vicky and then they say the missed each other and got back together then kissed”

I hope you enjoy it!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You and Vicky were inseparable. You both met when you joined Barcelona in 2010. You two instantly being joined at the hip and always following the other around like a lost puppy. You were the unofficial couple before you both recognised your feelings after an important game in which you got hurt badly. When you were recovering from surgery Vicky was by your side. She denied playing for the national team (much to your protest) in a few small competitions just so she could be home with you while you recovered from your broken back. Vicky told you that she isn’t starting her national team journey without you. Through the years, you eventually moved in together and got a dog together. You two were the it couple at Barca, the fans decided to call you to the power couple of the team.

After a comfortable win against Real Madrid at home, you and Vicky grabbed your bags and went to your car, ready for a night of movies and cuddles in bed. You opened the trunk and put your bag in before grabbing Vicky’s.

“Thank you mi amor” She says as she kisses your cheek as you hold open the car door.

You get in and buckle your seatbelt when Vicky quickly unbuckles hers.

“I left something in my locker, I’ll be right back okay?” You nod and Vicky pecks your lips quickly.

While you wait, Vicky’s phone buzzes from the centre console and you check it to see it’s from someone named ‘Rose’. You read the text and you cannot believe your eyes.

Rose: You have to tell her Vick. The longer you wait, the longer it’ll hurt her

You look up and see Vicky running towards the car so you put the phone back where you found it. In less than 5 minutes, Vicky got back into the car with red cheeks and breathing heavy.

“Did you win the race babe?” You tease and she sends you a glare.

“I didn’t want to keep you waiting”

When you arrive home, Vicky takes both of your bags inside and you announce you are having a shower, even though you had one at the stadium. You get into the shower and begin to cry. Surely Vicky wouldn’t cheat on you, she wouldn’t have the heart to. You stand under the hot water thinking about what the text could mean when you feel a hand touch your arm.

“Babe, you’ve been in the shower for a while. Are you okay? Is it your back?”

“I’m okay Vick”

“Let’s get you all dry and warm so we can go cuddle”

You get dry and changed into your favourite winter pyjamas and cuddle up to Vicky in bed. You contemplate asking Vicky about the text but you want her to tell you when she’s ready. A few days later, Vicky still hadn’t mentioned anything and it was eating up at you inside so you decided to ask Vicky about it.

¨Hey mi amor, can I ask you something?” You ask as you lean on the bench behind where Vicky is cooking breakfast.

“Sure babe, what’s up?”

“Who’s Rose?” Vicky tenses up and drops the spatula she was holding.

“I can explain, if you’ll let me”

“Go on”

“She’s my agent. I recently got an offer for Manchester City and it’s too good to turn down. I didn’t have a manager before so I had to find one as I don’t know how to do transfers myself”

“Wait, you’re leaving?” You whisper as your eyes brim with tears.

“It’ll only be for a year or two, at the max. You can join me over there if someone leaves” You hug her tightly and silently cry on her shoulder.

“Don’t cry princesa. We’ll call everyday and Skype too okay?” You nod and lift your head to look at her. Vicky wipes your tears and kisses your forehead.

“When do you leave?”

“At the end of the season” You nod as there was only 4 more games in the season left.

The day finally came when Vicky was moving to Manchester. You dreaded this day as anyone would if their partner of 5 years was moving to a different country. You put the last bag in the trunk and close it up, just as Vicky was coming out of the house.

“All set babe?”

“Yeah” Vicky answers as she looks back at the house where you two created so many memories.

Around 40 minutes later, you park the car the entrance of the airport and it all suddenly becomes real. You both get out and get Vicky’s two massive suitcases from the trunk. You both look at each other before kissing each other goodbye and having the longest hug you two have ever shared.

“I love you”

“I love you more princesa”

Eventually after another kiss and long hug, you two part ways and you watch Vicky walk into the airport until you can’t see her in the mix of people. A few hours later, you get a phone call from Vicky saying she’s in the apartment the team helped her find and that it’s freezing cold.

The first few months being away were the hardest. You’d call everyday and Skype every other day but nothing helped. Soon, those daily phone calls turned into every few days and Skype calls were a rare occasion. With you and Alexia being the new faces of Barca, you’ve been super busy with interviews and filming promo videos for different products. You finish filming a Camp Nou kitchen episode with Alexia when you see you have a text from Vicky.

Mi amor ❤️: I’m sorry to do this over text but i think i would cry too much if i told you. I’m breaking up with you y/n. I’m so sorry it has to be this way. I didn’t cheat on you or find someone better, no one will be better than you. It’s just with everything going on here and you and Lex promoting Barca, we just need to focus on our careers right now. I’m sorry Y/N, I’ll always love you. ~ V

You just stare at your phone reading the same six words over again, I’m breaking up with you y/n. You feel a hand on your shoulder and you turn to look up at Alexia with tears threatening to spill. She looked down at your phone and instantly knew what was happening. Alexia guided you to her car and that’s where the dam broke. Alexia comforted you the best she could but she knew she needed reinforcements. You ended up selling Vicky and your house and sending her the rest of her stuff. Alexia asked you to move in with her and you two had the time of your lives. For the next 3 years, you two were the it girls at Barca, both focusing on your club and career and not any relationships or one night stands. That was until you got called into a meeting after training one day. Alexia reassured you that everything was going to be fine but you didn’t know if you believed her.

You walk in and are met by Jonatan who takes you into the meeting room. You also see your agent sitting down so this is never a good sign. They explain to you that Manchester City and them have come to an arrangement that you will be transferred for Lucy Bronze for good. You have no say in this so you listen to them and read the contract before signing. You get told that you need to tell the girls now as the club is to announce it in the coming days. You nod and walk back to the training field, trying to pull yourself together so nothing looks suspicious. You look up and lock eyes with Alexia and motion for her to move to the side so you can tell her privately. After some tears and hugs were shared, you two walk over to the rest of the girls that are curious on what happened.

“I have some news to tell you and just so you know, I had nothing to do with this. I don’t really want to do it but I have to. I’ve been transferred to Manchester City”

You can hear the multiple gasps and looks amongst everyone that it was shocking for them as well. Some of your teammates cry and tell you they’ll support you wherever you go and you say the same.

“When do you leave?” Pina asks the dreaded question on everyone’s mind.

“On Monday”

“Right ladies, group dinner at Y/N’s and mine tonight, 7pm” The girls all accepted and everyone went back to the locker rooms to get their bags before going home.

You and Alexia quickly go to the grocery store to get things for a barbecue before going home and cooking and cleaning. After making the living room and kitchen clean, you two start marinating and cooking some of the meat. You race upstairs to get changed and you hear the doorbell ring. You run downstairs since Alexis is cooking and open it to see all your teammates. You welcome them inside and the immediately go outside where Alexia is. You stay behind in the kitchen to get all the glasses you can find and look out of the window at your teammates being silly nd enjoying themselves. You feel a tear roll down your cheek and you try to blink away the rest. You feel a hand on your shoulder and turn around to see Mapi.

“You don’t want to go?”

“You guys are my family. Without you, I have no one” You say as you tear up again.

“That’s not true and you know it. There’s a few Spanish girls on your new team and Vicky is too” Your eyes widen at your exes name. You completely forgot about the team she was now playing on.

“Shit Maps, I can’t see her again”

“Well you’re going to have to suck it up because you’re on her team now”

You spent the night talking, laughing and sharing fun and stupid memories with your best friends until Mariona remembered most of them have photoshoots to do tomorrow. When the girls left, you and Alexia sat on the floor in the lounge room and figured out a plan to face Vicky. Your dog Milo comes and puts himself in your lap, facing Alexia. Nala comes trotting in and does the same thing with Alexia.

The next few days consists of you and Alexia sorting out what things can be shipped and what things can go with you when you leave tomorrow. Your phone buzzes at a notification that you were tagged in from Manchester City and some women’s sport account about some transfer. You see in your dm’s that you have a lot of girls from Manchester City saying that are excited to be playing with you and can’t wait to meet you. You knew from the messages that you are not going to have a problem fitting in. You text Leila and ask her if it’s okay that she still picks you up from the airport and she assures you it’s okay.

You hear a knock on the door and Alexia pokes her head in asking if you’re ready to go. You look at your room and slowly nod your head. You pick up your backpack and duffel bag before walking out to Alexia’s car that your suitcases are already in. The drive to the airport was silent, but a comfortable silence. You get out of the car and get your bags from the back seat while Alexia gets your two massive suitcases from the trunk. You just know you’ll have to pay extra when checking them in because of their weight. You give your best friend a kiss on the cheek and a tight hug that lasts a few minutes. A car honking behind you makes you both jump and pull away laughing.

“Go and show them what you can do, then come back” Alexia jokes.

“You’ll be fine Al, you have Jenni and the girls here” Alexia nods with a frown on her face.

“I’ll see you in champions league okay?”

“Text me when you land” Alexia pleads.

“Always, see you later Al”

“See you later y/n/n” Alexia says through her tears.

2 hours after leaving your best friend, you finally get on the plane for the nearly 3 hours plane ride to Manchester. After collecting your bags at the terminal you walk through the doors to see Leila and Laia waiting for you. You run as best as you can over to your national teammates and hug them the best you can, with your bags falling everywhere. Laia takes your duffel bag while Leila takes one of your suitcases and you three start walking to the car. The girls were dressed in their Man City kit so you assumed they just finished training.

“Did you just finish training?”

“Nope, just starting. The girls wanted to meet you and see you again for some” Laia whispered at the end but you still heard it anyways.

Around 30 minutes later you arrived at the training ground and it was nicer than you expected. You met all the girls then you see one you’ve been avoiding for 3 years.

“Hey, can we talk?” Vicky asks.

“When everything finishes here we can okay?” She nods and you get your boots out for your first training session.

After the training session, the girls are amazed with your skills and can definitely see you being an important asset to the team, especially at Champions League time. You get most of the girls’ numbers and promise to meet up for coffee tomorrow. You walk out of the locker room when someone grabs your arm. You turn around to see those eyes you’ve been missing for 3 years.

“Can we talk please?” Vicky asks.

You both sit down on the locker room seats and you put you hoodie on since it is cold.

“I don’t know how to start these things but I want to say I’m really sorry mi amor. It was stupid of me and I should’ve talked it through with you instead of breaking up with you. I’m so sorry Y/N” You move closer to Vicky and hold her hands.

“I’m not mad at you because I was partially to blame too. I miss you Vick”

“I miss you too Y/N”

Before you know it, Vicky’s lips are on yours and you melt into the kiss, just like you did 3 years ago. The kiss gets intense quickly and Vicky is pulling you onto her lap. Her hands trail up your back and softly rub your skin. After a while, you both pull away with both your foreheads leaning against each other’s. You look into her eyes and all the love from your relationship floods back and you want nothing more than to be back in her arms for good.

“Be mine again?” Vicky whispers.

“I want nothing more mi amor” You say before kiss her again.

[millie-multifics]

Amongst the Snowflakes

Steve Harrington x Reader

Confessions are made while snowflakes begin to cover the streets of Hawkins.

Warnings: Fluff. Brief mentions of non-existent children and pregnancy. Spoilers to volume 4 through mentions of events and injuries.

Word Count: ~1.6k

Masterlist

x x x

Walking out of work, the first thing you had noticed was over your 8-hour shift there was a change in the air. You took a deep breathe as the newly arrived winter air kissed your cheeks, the chill stinging your lungs held a familiar smell that was unusual for early November: snow. The gray sky was another sign that tonight would be the first snowfall, marking another season passed since the carnage that Hawkins had endured last spring.

Once Hawkins had gained back a sliver of normalcy and Eddie’s name had been cleared by the government coverup, Saturday night was quickly designated their weekly movie night. Working at a grocery store meant you oversaw snacks while Steve and Robin brought the movies- everyone had agreed that only older movies were on the roster as Max’s eyesight had been severally diminished by Vecna and the last thing anyone wanted was for her to feel left out. You lifted the brimming paper bag out of the car and walked the pathway up to Steve’s house.

You had been a long-time friend of Eddie’s at the time of the scandal, devoting your time to keeping the metalhead out of jail when he was accused of murder. You had never been a fan of King Steve when you attended Hawkins High, but the Steve Harrington who risked his life for a group of misfit kids and the unknowing town of Hawkins was somehow much more unintentionally charming. He had become your new best friend and you had become his crutch, stealing his heart as he recovered from yet another interdimensional attack.

You rested the paper bag against your hip as you struggled to untangle the key Steve had presented you on your sixth month anniversary. You had spent most of your nights being wrapped in Steve’s arms so it was only fitting that he gave you a key for his usually empty house.

“Honey, I’m home!” You greeted Steve, dropping your keys into the bowl by the door and kicking off your shoes. He popped his head out of the kitchen with the phone pressed against his ear, confirming the pizza order as he sent you an acknowledging wave and welcoming smile. You emptied the bag of snacks onto the counter, digging through the cupboards to find the large bowls for the potato chips and smaller bowls for the various types of candy. 

 “Pizza is on the way,” Steve announced as he hung the phone on its hook, “the movies are ready to go and everyone should be here any second now.”

“Did you see the sky? It looks like it is going to snow tonight.”

Steve hummed as he wrapped his arms around your waist, burying his face into your neck, “I’ve already called everyone about staying the night, no use sending them home in the middle of the night if the roads are covered in snow.”

“I will dig out the spare blankets and pillows, after I change out of these clothes and into something much comfier.” 

 Steve spun you in his arms, his hands finding your hips as he smirked down at you. “I could come help you with that.”

“You do remember that children are going to be here soon?”

“I was talking about getting the pillows and blankets.” He insisted, feigning innocence at your inappropriate accusation. The tell-tale squeak of Eddie’s breaks on his beaten van announced the arrival of all the younglings just as Steve’s lips met your own in a sweet peck, “And that is my que. You go take a shower and change into something comfortable and I shall entertain our guests.”

“It’s so quiet.” You hummed into Steve’s hair as he rested his head on your chest, your heartbeat nearly lulling him back to sleep.

“It’s always quieter when it snows.”

“Shhh.” Both adults could hear the kids as they lurked outside the bedroom door. There was no doubt that they had discovered the snow upon waking up. “We should let them sleep.”

“But I want to play in the snow!” The familiar whine of impatience made you both chuckle.

You nudged Steve’s shoulders until he was sitting up, rubbing the remaining sleep from his eyes. The chill of the room and loss of warmth from your lover made you pull your robe over your shoulders. Two sets of eyes stared up at you as you pulled open the bedroom door.

“We didn’t mean to wake you up.” Your daughter, the spitting image of you, smiled innocently.

“I want to play in the snow.” Your son whined again, rolling his eyes over his younger sister’s innocent act when she had been the one to wake him up by jumping on his bed with uncontained excitement.

“And what do we say when we want something?” Steve asked, moving to lean against you in the doorway. Your heart banging in your chest with love as you watched Steve interact with your two children.

“Please! Can we please go play in the snow now?”

“Baby, wake up.” You were awoken from your slumber by Steve softly brushing his fingers over your cheek. “The kids want to go play in the snow.”

The light from the television was harsh on your eyes as the credits for the third movie rolled down the screen, your day at work had drained you so you had fallen asleep at the beginning of the second film. You could hear Dustin screeching outside as he dodged snowballs being thrown by Eddie, the sound grounding you into reality after your blissful dream. You sent Steve a tired smile as he pulled you to your feet, helping you get your arms into the sleeves of your jacket and even zipping it up to your chin.

It was always quiet in Hawkins at 1 o’clock in the morning but you were sure it had never been this peaceful, even the squeals of excitement and giggle of happiness around you were muted by the snow. Steve’s bare fingers curled around your gloved hand, pulling you across the now white yard into the chaos that was happening around you.

“Your hands are going to get cold.” You warned as Steve reached into the ice, molding a snowball in his already pink fingers.

“Only have one pair of gloves.” He nodded to the knit ones he had insisted you wear before coming outside. He threw the snowball, hitting Robin in the shoulder. Everyone’s attention turned to Steve when they noticed he had joined their snowball fight, which meant your close position to him was being chalked up to collateral damage. You could not help but giggle as the two of you tried to dodge the powdery ammo, Steve using his body to shield you as he gave up fighting back. Eight against two was an unfair game and there was no way they would be claiming victory.

“Truce! Truce!” Steve shouted, sure that he would wake up with a bruise or two in the morning. The opposing team cheered at their victory before quickly turning on each other. Snow clung to Steve’s clothes, his hands and cheeks red from the cold. You quickly pulled him into your arms, uncaring that the wet from the snow would seep through your clothes and bring you a chill. Steve grinned down at you, his eyes sparkling under the bright moon.

“I love you.” It always sounded so simple and pure coming from his lips, never failing to bring a smile to your face. Your dream was still fresh in your mind and although many would criticize you for thinking this so soon in your relationship with Steve, something in your heart was telling you he was the one.

“I love you too.”

“I’ve been thinking,” Steve looked away nervously, his gaze lingering on the crystal snowflakes as they fell, “Remember when I told you about that dream I had? The one with the RV and the kids and…”

“And Nancy? I remember it.” You squeezed his hand in encouragement, showing him that you were listening and he could tell you anything that plagued him.

“Yeah, that one. Well, I have been having a different one lately,” Steve scratched his head and you knew that if you were not holding his other hand, it would find its natural place on his hip, “I am standing in the kitchen, wearing this silly pink apron. The front door opens and there is this pitter patter of small feet- two kids, a girl and boy, they look like the perfect mixture of me and you.”

As you hang on to his every word, his nerves are slowly overtaken by an uncontrollable grin.

“You walk in and you are beautiful as always, but there is something different about you- you’re glowing and you’ve got a swollen belly, baby number three. Every time I wake up from this dream my chest aches with this feeling that I have never felt before and I know we are just starting out and you might just think I’m crazy but my heart has already decided, I don’t want to live a single day without you…” Steve slipped his hand out of yours, reaching into the pocket of his now soaked sweater, “Marry Me?”

Tears stung your eyes, blurring your vision as you glanced down at the ring Steve held. Your hands shook as they reached for his face, bringing his lips down to meet yours.

Steve reluctantly pulled away, resting his forehead against your own, “Is that yes? Or am I totally crazy?”

“Yes, Steve, I’ll marry you.”

[eddiernunson]

Trapped | Eddie Munson | Part 9

Prev part | Master Post | Next Part

All parts are listed on all other parts. I'm tired.

Pairing: Eddie x Fem!Reader

Word Count: 17.9k

Warning: Cringey writing in which you are now written into the canon of the show. I gotta admit, it was a weird balance to wonder where the character would take a line from someone else, and when to give the character their own. Sorry, no smut. I tried to write one scene but it felt so out of place.

Authors Note: I desperately tried to capture the essence of the scenes. If you're wondering why you would read something you have already watched, that's fair. But if you want to see how she would fit in to the season 4's storyline then stay tuned!

I added one or two of my own scenes but it was only for it fill in those plot holes.

(There's not much Eddie in this part, it only goes up to the end of Dear Billy. Get fuckin ready next part.)

Chapter 9

Chapter One: Hellfire Club

In the middle of the cheerleaders dancing and the crowd’s loud cheering and show of school spirit, somehow Dustin and Mike had managed to get into another argument based on who’s girlfriend is better. Eddie would interject and decidedly win their argument each time, but he wasn’t there to claim you for the title.

“Look, I’m not saying that my girlfriend is better than yours. It’s just that Suzie’s like, a certified genius.” Dustin continues, yelling loudly over the band music.

“You do realize El saved the world twice, right?” Mike retorts, referring to his most used argument, attempting to somewhat pay attention to the cheerleaders.

“And yet you still have a C in Spanish.” Dustin answers, and Mike glares at him annoyed.

“Shut up.” You tell the two of them, done with the argument for the millionth time. “Both your girlfriends are cool. Just watch the pretty cheerleaders like normal people.”

Just in time, the music ends and one of the male cheerleaders ends with a final flip. The announcer comes on the speaker, yelling, “And let’s hear it for your Tigers!”

A group of teenage boys run through the giant banner lead by the ever-resented Jason Carver. You roll your eyes as he charismatically looks around the gym, putting on a show.

Mike and Dustin politely clap, attempting to show some inkling of support for their best friend. Anyone who was watching would be able to tell their hearts weren’t in it. They weren’t; they still didn’t understand why Lucas was on the team in the first place.

“Good morning, Hawkins High!” Jason yells into the microphone placed in front of him. He saunters from the stand, successfully putting all the attention onto him. “First off… hey. First off, I’d like to thank each and every one of you. Without your support, we wouldn’t be here. Give yourselves a big hand.”  He starts. And the crowd is eating it up already. As always, you’re left wondering how no one can see right through him.

You see Lucas waving awkwardly, and watch his eyesight to Max, who decidedly ignores him. Ouch.

“And of course, of course, I have to give a special shout-out to the best and the prettiest fans of all time, the Tiger Cheer Squad.” Jason continues and creepily makes eye contact with who you supposed was Chrissy. The two have been dating longer than you and Eddie were, but somehow the idea of Jason with someone as sweet as her made you feel nauseous. “Chrissy…” he pats his chest twice, ugh, “Chrissy, I love you, babe.”

Your eyes meet the back of your head and you didn’t realize going to support Lucas would be this painful. Maybe you should’ve gone to Eddie’s house for the morning.

Jason starts backing off away from the Squad and a serious aura radiates off him. Not because he seems sympathetic or genuinely serious, but because he made such a big show of it. “You know…” he starts, looking down, as if seriously considering how to approach whatever bullshit he was about to say. “I think I can speak for all of us when I say it’s been a tough year for Hawkins. So much loss.” The air of the gym becomes heavy with the unspoken in Hawkins. “And sometimes I wonder, ‘How much loss can one community take?’ In dark takes like this, we need something to believe in. So, last night, when we were down by ten points at half to Christian Academy, I looked at my team, and I said, ‘Think of Jack. Think of Melissa. Think of Heather. Think of Billy.’”

Oh, this asshole. You look at Max, and it seems the crowd around you and her had decided the same. You bump into her, letting her know you were right there, and she offers you a fraction of a smile.

“’Think about our heroic police chief, Jim Hopper. Think about every one of our friends who perished in that fire. What did they die for?’” You, Dustin, and Mike were all shooting daggers at him for making light of a fucking tragedy the four of you had to face. “’For us to lose to some crap school? No!’”

Several people around you shout No back to him, all eating this right up. “’For us to return home with our heads hung low in defeat? No!’”

“NO!” More people in the crowd shout back to him.

“’No. Let’s win this game. Let’s win this game for them.’ And that’s exactly what we did!” The crowd goes wild, as if he didn’t just name and use the tragedy of the mall fire to get them going. You sit in stunned silence next to Mike and Dustin, neither of whom had anything to say about it, either. “We embarrassed those candy-asses in their own house, and now tonight, tonight, we’re gonna bring home the championship trophy!”

The crowd roars, and it’s a very successful prep rally, all thanks to Jason’s ability to make a compelling speech.

“Tonight?” Mike asks, leaning into Dustin.

“How is that possible?” Dustin adds, also in dismay.

“They call it a tournament. You win one game, you go on until there’s only one team left.” Max speaks over you, knowing what Dustin was asking but still answering it, nevertheless.

“You really don’t pay attention, do you boys?” You ask, seeing this coming a mile away. “I warned you Lucas would need to find a replacement, but no one listens to the girlfriend.”

Mike watches as Lucas excitedly high-fives his teammates, getting pumped for the nights game. You stretch your neck out next to him, excited to leave the evil clutches of Jason Carver.

-

You made your way from the gym to your classes, being lightly annoyed as the day seemed to crawl on by. Eddie picks you up from your third period, arms crossed and bent at a slight curve against his new favourite locker to wait for you at. You smile at him as the hustle of the crowd engulfs you, the Friday seeming more busier than normal. You wondered if you were imagining the excitement on his face and the energy running through him.

You made your way to the cafeteria, being some of the first students to sit down. As Eddie sits, he pulls out a magazine with “D and D: The Devil’s Game” on the opened page of it. “Doing another dramatic reading?” You ask, hiking your arms bent around his neck from behind him.  

“Oh you know it, sweetheart.” He smiles up at you maniacally, and puckers up for a kiss. You lean down to kiss him, and he pulls away suddenly. “Oh shit, you’ll never guess who asked for a deal after school today. Like, never. In a million years.”

You narrow your eyes at him, wondering how far fetched his new customer could’ve been. “I give up.”

“Chrissy Cunningham.” He states, and your eyes go wide. “I know. I fucking know.”

“Holy shit. Please tell me how it goes. Like I want to know everything.” You ask, knowing Chrissy usually tends to stay away from anything remotely unwholesome.

“Don’t even need to ask, sweetheart.” He comments, starting to dig in the raisins sitting in his tin.

You give him a kiss on the forehead as some band members start to arrive at the table. “I gotta go, baby. I asked for extra help because chemistry is biting my ass this semester.”

“Speaking of biting your ass,” Eddie starts as you pull away, pinching your butt as you walk passed his table, saying hi to the Hellfire members sporting their matching shirts on the way. You roll your eyes at him, mouthing the words I love you, and start to make your way to the chemistry classroom.

As you make your way down the hallway, Dustin and Mike corner you and you blink at them awkwardly. “Make Eddie move Hellfire club.” Dustin starts, his tone not asking but demanding.

“I, hi to you too?” You ask, switching your eyes between the two of them.

“Yeah, whatever. Make him switch the days. We tried to reason with Lucas, but he wouldn’t budge.” Mike complains, attempting to persuade you.

You laugh, purely out of pity. “Oh, you poor things. You really think he’s gonna move the finale he’s been rambling on about to me for months for a basketball game? You know how he loathes literally anything Jason is involved with and that now includes basketball. He won’t budge.”

“Which is why we thought you could do it” Dustin explains unhelpfully.

“Yeah, I got that part.” You whisper, squinting your eyes at them. “I’m not cleaning up your mess. You do it.” You move passed where they’re blocking you off, smirking at their stunned faces. “Besides, I’m going to the game.”

-

After you walk to an empty classroom with your teacher gone to lunch you make your way back to the cafeteria, where you’re greeted by your boyfriend tossing yet even more fruits to the poor soul that had suggested he postponed the Cult of Vecna. Not that you saw it coming from a mile away, but again, no one listens to the girlfriend.

Rather than interrupt them, you watched as he seemingly couldn’t sit still, waddling around the cafeteria and claimed he was gonna flip Principal Higgins off. You rolled your eyes in adoration, knowing the bullshit that Gareth and Josh had called had some truth behind it.

“Yeah, yeah, and I was full of shit. This year’s different. This year is my year. I can feel it. ’86, baby.” He claims, and your breath hitches out of excitement to get the hell out of there with him. Eddie then crouches down next to them, letting them know they were the future of Hellfire. Hell, you knew he was planning on giving the head role to Dustin since October. As he effortlessly manhandles them by their shirts and pushes them to go find a replacement for Lucas, you gulp at the demonstration of his strength.

You finally walk up to him as he watches them stutter their way through a table, the group all denying the invitation off the bat. “You really needed to be that rough with them?” You ask him, watching the two with him.

“No. It certainly got the depth of the situation in their hands, and this way we’ll actually have a replacement for him.” Eddie says quietly, placing his arm around you.

“Always have an answer, don’t you?” You ask, leaning up for a kiss, much to the negative jarring of the members behind you.

“Always.”

-

As the day passes, Dustin and Mike run around like headless chickens asking people from every club if they would join. You meet your boyfriend after school right by your locker to give him a final kiss as you wouldn’t see him until tomorrow. “Hey, call me tomorrow morning, won’t you?” You ask, grabbing his hand as he starts to leave.

He gets tugged back to you, albeit a bit more dramatically than necessary.  “Of course. I’ll come pick you up and spill all the dirt, don’t you worry, love. Now, I am a bit late to meet her and I don’t need her thinking I ditched.” He gives you a kiss, and there’s some finality to it.

“Love you!” You call to him, and he turns around and shouts it back before running out the door to catch Chrissy.

You make your way home to get ready for the big game and you wonder who Dustin and Mike had managed to get, or if they were truly fucked.

Your phone rings as you finish getting ready for the game, starting to get everything you needed together to leave the house. “L/N Residence.” You answer half-heartedly, barely paying attention to your phone call.  

“Hey, sweetheart.” Eddie replies, presumably using the payphone at the school. “She wanted something stronger, and I don’t usually carry Special K at school, ya know? She’ll be stopping by my place after the game tonight.” Great, there goes any hope you had of spending the night over at his place tonight.

“Oh, okay.” You try to hide your jealousy of Chrissy going to your boyfriend’s house, despite knowing there’s a zero percent chance of anything happening. “Wait, why does she want special K?” You ask, wondering for what reasons she could have other than partying after the big game.

“She asked me if I ever felt like I was going crazy. I don’t know what’s going on with this girl, but I think she’s going through something.” Eddie admits, and you can hear the seriousness of his voice.

“Has to be, to date Jason Carver,” you mutter under your breath.

“Be nice.” He tells you, and it feels weird to be on the other side of this statement, something you usually have to tell Eddie.

“I just wanted to be the girl over at your house tonight, is all.” You joke, and he laughs before letting you go with an I love you.

You and a good portion of Hawkins make your way back to the school to cheer on the basketball team in their attempt at the Championship.

You sit by yourself but at a position where you can clearly see both Robin and Steve, something they have chosen to do to give each other side eyes at the games, and you only just joined their escapades, complaining you felt left out as they joked about it at work.

The band’s final song comes to the end, and Mr. Higgins comes to the front of the microphone, saying “Everyone now please rise for our national anthem. Singing us tonight, we have a very special guest. All the way from Nashville, our very own Tammy Thompson!”

As the crowd goes crazy the three of you catch each other’s eyes, incredulous at the random appearance of Robin’s old crush. The crowd goes to silent, and Tammy starts singing into the microphone off-key.

“Told you. Muppet.” You watch Steve mouth to Robin.

Robin switches her glance down to you, and you barely hold your laughter in, your mouth just holding back a smile. You nod in agreement, finally hearing the similarities.

“Okay she does sound like a Muppet.” Robin finally admits.

Little did you know in the drama club Eddie refuses to take Erica as a suitable sub, only accepting her for days they have all their team members. It only takes moments of Erica ripping him to shreds to formally welcome to her into the club as a member, immediately seeing her potential.

The game kicks off and the Tigers are really having a rough time staying on top of the opposing team, Jason yelling at his team to stay on top of them. Finally when one of their members end up falling to the floor injured Lucas is called to play off the bench for the first time since he joined the team and things get exciting from there.

Life imitates art and both Hellfire and the game were in their homestretch, being a matter of every decision counting.

Every one was on edge in the gym watching as the two teams remain neck in neck, neither one of them able to gain a strong enough lead to take a breather. Tigers need a time out.

Lord Vecna in Eddie’s carefully constructed finale is taking out members of Hellfire one by one to where only Erica and Dustin are left over, and they need their own time out.

Eddie offers an out, knowing damn well when given the offer it just puts fuel onto Dustin’s fire of spite. “There’s no shame in running. Don’t try to be heroes. Not today, ‘kay?” His challenge hits the right spot, and they land perfectly into his trap.

As the team takes a time out, you look up at Steve, curious to how his date is going. He solemnly shakes his head, letting you know it was not going well.

The team shoots, and the balls misses, creating the crowd to call for rebound. Lucas grabs the ball, making a three pointer at the last second, and everyone watches in baited breath as the ball hits the rim, the backboard, and finally into the net. The crowd goes wild, and you’re reminded why it’s cool to attend a game every now and again.

Across the school, the members of Hellfire are celebrating their unforeseen success against Eddie’s long awaited finale to a semester long campaign, a natural 20 landing when they needed it the most. You run up to the group, asking all of them how it went. “Dude, Erica slayed him!” Josh exclaims, high fiving her with much more ferocity than he intended.

As the night ends, your mom asking how the game went and asked why you weren’t at Eddie’s like you thought you might’ve been. You tell her you were both too tired to really hang out, and it’s a lame enough excuse but she doesn’t press on.

You go to sleep after a shower, refreshed and ready to see him in the morning before work, wearing one of his t-shirts that still had his strong scent on it.

Across town, Eddie was snapping his fingers at a girl who’s eyes had whitened over, seemingly unaware of her surroundings. Like she was already on something.

As she was lifted into the air, Eddie stared up at her, mind empty in fear of something he couldn’t see.

Her bones snap. Her eyes get pulled, and Eddie can’t get the sound of his head as he runs to his van.

His life would never be the same, and neither will yours.

Chapter 2: Vecna’s Curse

Your alarm snaps you out of a deep sleep, and once you gain your bearings and finally wake up, your mind is clouded in confusion as to why you weren’t woken by your boyfriend calling as he promised. He barely forgets to call, and when he did it was for a good reason. You rub your eyes, stretching from head to toe and you figure you’re just overthinking it and he probably fell asleep, and you prepare yourself to get ready for work.

As you make your way into work, already decently busy due to the Saturday before break, Robin and Steve are in the middle of a squabble which you can feel yourself getting dragged into. You put your hands as if to surrender yourself from the conversation, and it works only momentarily, leaving you to work on the big ass return pile in peace.

Your peace lasted about all of ten minutes. Robin practically skips to where you’re stationed at the counter doing rewinds, asking if you had wanted to hear how Vicki and her finally said more than a simple hello to one another on the bleachers after an agonizing semester of hearing her pluck up the courage.

Steve often called you a hypocrite for making fun of Robin for it, but you had to admit it was so much fun on the other side of it.

“Then Vicki laughed. And it wasn’t like a cheap, fake laugh either. It was like…It was a real, genuine laugh.” She emphasized, barely leaving Steve alone for two minutes as she explained it to the two of you.

“Of course. It’s my Muppet joke. It’s hilarious.” Steve mutters, claiming all the responsibility for their first genuine interaction, as per the norm.

You laugh out loud, causing Robin to shoot a glare back to you and it dies in your mouth as soon as she makes eye contact. She turns back to face Steve, and you suddenly don’t feel like she’s telling you anymore. “My point is that Vicki laughed, and everything was just like…it was just perfect.”

“But?” Steve asks, egging her on.

“But I’m having this problem, where it’s like I should stop talking. I have said everything that I need to say. But then I guess I get nervous, and the words keep spilling out, and it’s like my…my brain is moving faster than my mouth, or…or rather my… my mouth is moving faster than my brain.” Steve positions himself against one of the shelves, witching a look back at you as the two of you watch her unravel. “And I’m digging this hole for myself, and I want to stop digging, I’m trying to stop, but I can’t. And I’m doing it right now, aren’t I?”  

Steve and you share another look, fond and non-judgemental. “Yeah, you are.” He says, gentle.

“Oh, I’m hopeless.” Robin stares, backing up into the light up poster.

“Eh.” Steve shrugs, backing up next to her. “We both are.”

You watch them, leaning on the counter right in front of them, both pitying and emphasizing with them. How was it possible that the two that give you the most advice are the two that are the most lost?

Robin looks over, and you can tell she has a crazy idea. “If only we could just, like, combine.”

“Combine?” You ask for Steve, and they didn’t even realize you had still been listening.

“Yeah!” She and Steve make their way back to the counter. “Think about it. I know exactly what I want. I have found the girl of my dreams but I can’t get the courage to ask her out.” She places a hand on Steve’s shoulder both speaking about him and to him. “Meanwhile, he goes out on a million dates, and he has no idea what he wants.”

“Am I not still right here?” Steve asks to you, shaking his head.

“So if we just combined,” Robin continues, ignoring him, “all our problems would be solved. Because, I mean, alone, let’s face it…”

“We totally suck.” Steve finishes for her, blunt and in acceptance.

“Totally and utterly.” Robin agrees, the same sentiment.

“I mean I wasn’t gonna say it but as long as you two are aware I think that’s a good first step.” You smirk, moving back to your tasks.

“Ooh, I think I know our morning movie.” Robin perks up, going to grab it. “Doctor Zhivago.”

“Ugh. You know I don’t do double VHS.” Steve dismisses it off the bat.

“But it’s about doomed love.” Robin says, holding the tape like a teddy bear.

“Oh well, that’s relatable.” Steve sighs, starting to push the return cart more.

“Precisely.” Robin concludes. “Put ‘er in, there, sweetheart.” She hands the tape to you, and you roll your eyes as they have insisted on using Eddie’s nicknames for you lately. You start to look for the remote and can’t seem to find it. “Also, Julie Christie is b-b-bonkers hot in this. Like, seriously, the most beautiful creature I have seen in my life. Hey. Movie?” Robin asks you, pointing to the screen.

“Remote?” You ask her in the same tone.

“Oh right.” She yanks it out of her pocket, forgetting she had placed it there after misplacing the damn thing all morning.

The tv is turned on and you’re immediately greeted by the morning news broadcast. “We’re in the Forest Hills trailer park in east Roane County.” You were listening to the tv report, reading the back of a  movie you hadn’t heard of yet. You just miss as Eddie’s trailer leaves the background of the news reporter, but your ears perk up at his trailer park.

“Shit, that’s the park where Eddie and Max live.” You comment, moving up next to Robin and Steve.

 “We don’t have a lot of details now, but we can confirm that the body of a Hawkins High student was discovered early this morning. Police have not released the name-”

“Holy shit.” Steve comments, and the reporter continues.

“although we are told they’re currently in the process of notifying the family.”

Your breathing grows shallower, as you take in the crowds at the trailer park and you swear up and down you hope it was one of his neighbours, but it looked. It looked like Eddie’s trailer.

“Fuck.”

-

As you’re internally freaking out, you fall dead silent at work with Robin and Steve barely able to yank out about what’s got your jeans all jangled up, Max is ringing on Dustin’s doorbell, out of breath, and panicked.

“Chrissy Cunningham?” He asks, in disbelief. Eddie was barely seen dealing to the cheerleaders, they seemed to steer away from him. “You sure it was Chrissy?”

“She was in her cheerleader outfit. Same thing she was in when I saw her with Eddie.” Max responds, backing her evidence.

Dustin continues to pace, “Did you tell any of this to the cops?”

“No. No, but I…I can’t be the only one who saw them together. Eddie and Y/N were weird at first, but now they’re just together. These two stood out.”

“Eddie the freak, with Chrissy the cheerleader?” Dustin clarified, still wrapping his head around it.

“Exactly. You know, his name’s not in the news, yet or anything, but I guarantee you Eddie is suspect one now.”  She informs him, trying to make Dustin understand the gravity of the situation.

“That’s crazy. Eddie didn’t do this. No way.” Dustin claims, and he knows for a fact you would’ve fought Max on it. “No. Way.” Dustin repeats when Max gives him a look of disbelief.

“Well, we can’t rule it out.” Max claims, having seen the scene and knowing being the only last witness to see them together doesn’t look good for them.

“Yes, we can.” Dustin interjects.

“Dustin!”

“You don’t know him like I do, Max. Okay? When we got to high school, Lucas made all his sports friends. Mike and me? No one was nice to us. No one except Eddie. Besides, you really think Y/N would willingly date him for months if she thought there was a chance he could murder someone?” Dustin argues, making a case for Eddie.

“Okay. Well, they said the same shit about Ted Bundy. Yeah, he’s a super nice guy, but then he’s murdering women on the weekend. Plus, he had a girlfriend.” Max retaliates, and she’s only pointing out how bad it looks for him.

“So, you’re saying Eddie is like Ted Bundy?”

“No, I’m not saying- I’m saying that we can’t presume anything, okay? But it doesn’t look good for Eddie.”

Dustin sighs, falling onto his bed. He thinks about this for a second, and a thought occurs to him. “Why haven’t you told the cops this?

“I-I don’t know.” Max says, crossing her arms defensively.

“You don’t know?” Dustin asks, egging her on for more answers.

Max sighs, and the final thing she had witnessed that has been haunting her finally has to come out. “After I saw Eddie and Chrissy go into the trailer…something else happened. Nothing that weird or anything. I mean.. Eddie always drives like a maniac and the power goes off at my place all the time. It’s a piece of shit. But..this morning, I started to think back, and… I don’t know. The look on his face. He was scared, Dustin. Really scared. Maybe he was scared because, you know, he had just killed someone, or, maybe he um.. maybe… because… I don’t… I don’t know, maybe…”

“Something else killed her.” Dustin finishes off the sentence she was too afraid to admit out loud.

Max nods to him, confirming what she was hypothesizing. “But that’s impossible. Right?”

“I don’t know.” Dustin admits. “It should be. Only one person knows what actually happened.”

“Eddie.”

“Have you talked to anyone else?” Dustin asks, heading out the door with Max to figure out a plan.

“No. I can’t find Lucas or Nancy and Mike’s in-”

“California, shit, shit, shit.” Dustin’s mom calls for them as they leave, and Dustin shuts the door on her anyway, letting her know they’ll be safe. “Million-dollar question.” Dustin adds as they both grabbed their bikes. “Where is Y/N?”

“Her mom said she was working this morning. I don’t think the police have stopped by her house to ask her questions yet, or even if they have gotten that far. I don’t know if she even knows.” Max answers, holding her bike as they discuss the pros and cons of telling you themselves.

“We need to stop by to see if she might know where he would be hiding, anyways.  If she doesn’t know, we can use their phones to call around and ask.” Dustin figures and they finally figure a plan as they hop on their bikes.

Dustin goes over the scenario in his head. On one hand, if Eddie didn’t do it, it means the Upside Down wasn’t destroyed and they have another war to win. On the other hand, if Eddie did do it, he didn’t think that was any better.

-

As Dustin and Max arrive to Family Video, the news is still running in on the background and you’ve gone dead silent, silently wishing for any sign of Eddie, a phone call, a mid-shift visit, anything that will tell you you’re just losing it.

Robin and Steve have given up on getting you to speak, unsure of what’s got you so unsettled and wondering if they should send you home.

“Hey, guys. Y/N here?”

“You see this?” Steve points to the news, still watching.

“Is she here?”

“Someone was murdered.” Steve interrupts.

“Y/N. Is. She. Here?” Dustin emphasizes, and Robin points down the store to where you’re silently working on restocking the returned movies and fighting an anxiety attack.

“Wait, guys she has been silent since the news broke out you won’t get much out of her, what do you need out of her anyway?” Steve asks, following them to where they have crowded you.

You look up to see Dustin and Max, and you can already tell the gut feeling has been correct. “You saw the trailer the police are at?” Dustin starts tentatively, and you nod your head at him and your stomach plummets into the depths of the earth. “Do you know where he might be?”

Your head shakes no, and Steve feels like he had just heard you speak two languages at once. “Wait, what is going on? Who?”

“How many phones do you have?” Dustin asks, interrupting his questions.

“Two, why?” Steve answers, confused to how this was relevant.

“Technically three, if you count Keith’s.” Robin adds.

“Three works.” Max comments, and Dustin runs back to the front counter, Steve annoyed as he seemingly chases him around the store. Curiously you follow them, still silent but somehow the confirmation making you feel both better and ten times worse.

“What are you doing?” Steve asks, watching as Dustin throws his backpack off and over the counter. “Whoa, what are you-”

“My pile!” Robin yells.

“No, no, no! My tapes! Dude.” Steve yells as Dustin’s maneuver to throw himself over the counter meets some casualties. “What are you doing, man?”

“Setting up base of operations here.” Dustin answers, instantly starting on the computer.

“Base of operations?” Robin asks.

“Get off.” Steve attempts to shoo him.

“I need it.” Dustin claims.

You watch from the counter, not quite understanding what it had to do with Eddie or his trailer yet.

“For what?” Steve demands.

“Eddie’s friends’ phone numbers.” Dustin answers, not actually telling a single lick of his plan. You start to understand, walking around to where he’s sitting and watch him work through the computer.

“Ah, what do you have to get it from here, why can’t you get it from him?”

“Seriously, you guys, maybe on a Monday you can play around, but it’s a Saturday. It’s our busiest day.” Robin answers, cleaning up the mess Dustin tore up on his way into the counter.

“Robin, I emphasize, but this cannot wait.” Dustin drones out, starting to write down numbers of the other club members from Hellfire.

“Oh my god.” Steve mutters, rubbing his hands on his face in stress.

“Calling Eddie’s friends is an emergency?” Robin sarcastically announces, annoyed.

“Correct!” Dustin yells, not having explained anything but still annoyed they haven’t understood yet.

“Want me to strangle him or you want to?” Steve asks Robin, sharing the annoyance.

“We could take turns.” She jokes.

Dustin turns to face Max, body tense and erratic. “Can you fill them in while I do this?”

“Fill us in on what?” Robin asks, still mad confused.

“I think I get it.” You mutter, leaning up against the counter.

“She speaks.” Robin peeps out, and suddenly they’re all facing you.

“You’re looking for him, aren’t you?.” You pipe out, pleading with her by staring directly into her eyes.

You look up to Steve’s eyes and finally tell them what had you dead silent. “It was his trailer they were at. Either Chrissy is the dead student and he’s a person of interest, or worse, much worse, he is.” You look to Max for confirmation, and she neither confirms nor denies.

“Well, more or less.” Max starts and goes into what she had told Dustin not half an hour before.

-

At family video, after hearing Max’s recount of what she had seen the night before, it made you feel both miles better and worse. Underneath the hope that Eddie was just sleeping in for the morning you knew it was unlike him to not at least get a hold of you. Somehow this tiny bit of knowledge whisked you back into shape, realizing it does no one, especially Eddie, any good if you freeze up now.

Three of you were manning the phones while two manned the shop to make sure it still ran smoothly.

“Have you seen or heard from Eddie recently?” Was the most common question being asked, and as you made phone calls to his friends, they were all confused to why you were calling them but were sympathetic when they all answered no.

“Reefer Rick? No. Does this Reefer Rick have a last name? I mean, it’s kind of…” Max is on the phone, and as you over hear the conversation while crossing off another name, you wonder why you didn’t think of it yourself.

Rick was in jail; it was the perfect hiding spot.

“Hey guys, I might have a lead.” Max says, seemingly optimistic.

“Seriously?” Dustin asks, almost ready to give up.

“Yeah, apparently Eddie gets drugs from a guy named Reefer Rick, and sometimes Eddie crashes there.” You laugh without humour, hearing the musings of someone who didn’t know Eddie at all.

“That sounds promising where does Reefer Rick live?” Robin asks, and their eyes all turn to you, standing off to the side as you watch almost as a bystander.

“Y/N, you know where Reefer Rick lives?” Dustin asks, carefully approaching you.

You shrug, smiling sadly. “No idea. I just know he had a place on Lover’s Lake. Eddie got his supplies from him until he got arrested last month. It would be the perfect place for him to hide.”

“Cool. Does he have a last name?” Dustin asks, seeking a possible solution.

“No one knows.” You say, and Max nods her head in agreement, the same thing Gareth had told her on the phone.

“Bet the cops know the last name.” Steve comments, working with the discount bins and reorganizing them.

“What?” Max asks.

“Cops.” Steve states, still working. The four of you look at him in disbelief to see if Steve was actually suggesting what you had thought he was. “I mean, listen, if this Reefer Rick is actually a drug dealer, and was arrested last month, then he’s in the system.” Steve states, leaning onto the counter.

“The cops?” You ask in disbelief, and sometimes you remember how dense Steve was at times. “Really, Steve? That’s your suggestion?”

“I think they should be filled in on what we know, what’s going on.” Steve admits, and got a fraction of a point. None of you knew it was anything supernatural at this point, but if it were, then going to the cops would be bad news.

“Oh, you think Eddie’s guilty, don’t you?” Dustin asks, and your eyes widen, that doesn’t even occur to you that Steve might be thinking along those lines.

“Whoa. I believe in innocent until proven guilty, all that constitutional shit. I just, you know. Don’t think we can rule it out.” Steve admits as he casually rubs his arms together.

Your jaw locks and you give Steve a hard look. “If you think for a second that he is capable of this then you clearly aren’t as much as I friend to us as I thought you were.” You state, and there’s a guilty flash across Steve’s face. “Ruling it out is precisely what we’re trying to do.”

“And maybe we’d have a little bit more luck if you spent less time trying to find a girlfriend and more time trying to find Eddie.” Dustin adds.

Max looks at you in concern as you continue to grovel in anger at Steve. You shrug half heartedly, but the anger would sit with you for a minute.

“Somebody has to attend to the customers.” Steve obnoxiously states.

“Especially if they’re babes right?” Robin jokes, winking.

“Hey, that’s not fair, alright. I attend to all the customers equally, babes and non-babes alike.” you watch him with raised eyebrows behind him as someone literally walks in the door, unnoticed by him. “We have a very big selection in here.” Steve starts on a rant, and you, Dustin, and Max share a look of disbelief as he bullshits his way through defending himself. “It can be super overwhelming for people.”

This sets off bells in Robin’s head, and you love when she gets the light up in her eyes in a crisis. It’s always a good sing. “Yeah, it can be.”

Robin moves to the computer, taking the lead.

“What are you doing?” Max asks, wanting to know how much of an idea Robin had.

“Maybe we don’t need a last name.” You and Steve both join her at the computer, both aware of how your workplace’s system managed. She types it in and a bell dings as a list of Ricks cross on the computer. “Twelve Ricks have accounts here.”

“Lot of Ricks.” Max deadpans.

“So, let’s narrow it down. Rick Alderman’s latest rentals are Annie and Dumbo. Chances our drug dealer has a family?” She asks, sarcastic.

“Not likely.” Max comments the obvious.

“Alright, Rick Conroy. Sixteen Candles, Teen Wolf, Romancing the Stone.” All of you collectively agree No before she can even finish the list. “Okay, Rick Joiner. Mask, Footloose, and Grease.”

“Nah.” The group groans out, still a definite no.

Robin moves down the list of Ricks. “Rick Kimbrough. The Blue Lagoon and Splash.” You all laugh at it, a hell no.

“Definitely not”

“No way.”

“Okay, Rick Lipton. Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Cheech and Chong’s Next Movie, Cheech and Chong’s Nice Dreams, Cheech and Chong’s Up in Smoke.” The list just got better and better, and you remember Eddie describing Rick’s heroes being Cheech and Chong.

“Bingo” you laugh, and narrowly avoid Steve as he laughs next to you.

“Lipton?” Max confirms.

“Spelled like the tea. 2121 Holland Road.”

“That’s out by Lover’s Lake, right where you said it was.” Dustin comments, making eye contact with you.

“Middle of nowhere.” Max adds.

“It’s a perfect place to hide.” Robin concludes, and you all pack up shop, locking the door behind you, to take off because if you didn’t leave by now, you wouldn’t be there until midnight.

As they all pack into Steve’s car, he catches your arm, and you attempt to angrily get out of his grasp. “Hey. What I said was fucked up.” You blink at him, waiting for him to elaborate. “Of course he didn’t do it. How could I think otherwise.”

“I don’t know.” You answer, still in disbelief. “I already know I’m going to have to defend him from everyone else in town. I didn’t think I would have to defend him from his own friends. Especially you. That’s why it hurt.”

“Are you ok? It’s a lot to process.” Steve replies, seeing the look on your face when Max had told her part of the story.

You sigh, and it’s starting to feel like last summer, or Halloween of 84, or the November of ’83. “When isn’t it? C’mon, we gotta get going. If he’s not there then we’re back at square one.” You get into his car, and hope time goes by much faster.

It was lucky the three of you left out the store when you did, and lucky the phones were busy for the better part of two hours. Police were coming to ask you questions after finding Jason, and they had tried your home address first. Your mom was calling to ask you to come home, as she recognized the trailer and was driven into calling after police came to your door. They had arrived when Steve’s car was long gone, but yours still in the parking lot. It didn’t look good for Eddie or you that his girlfriend had seemingly made herself unavailable to the police.

-

After seemingly hours Steve finally pulls up to the address, and your heart is in your stomach in anxiety. What if he’s not here?

What if he is? How the hell are you supposed to help him?

Dustin rings the bell, and only waits half a second before it escalates into multiple rings in a row followed by loud knocking. “Okay. Well, that’s settled. I guess he’s not here.” Steve opts out, giving up a little too easily.

Dustin continues to loudly knock, shouting. “Eddie! It’s Dustin!”

“Great.” Steve adds when Dustin so loudly calls out the wanted fugitive’s name.

“Look, we just wanna talk, okay? No cops, I swear. We just wanna help.” Dustin knocks again. “Eddie!”

“Shh” Robin shushes him, peering into the house with a flashlight. You peered in with her, and it looked empty, no sign of life.

“Eddie!” Dustin calls, ignoring her. “Rick!” He bangs more, starting to grow increasingly more desperate. “Reefer Rick!”

“Don’t scream that.” Steve chides him, looking around for any curious neighbours.

“He’s not there.” You state, walking back to the front door.

Max starts to wonder around the property, taking a look herself. Dustin is still yelling at the door, Steve attempting to get Dustin to stop yelling out the words “Reefer Rick.”

“Hey guys?” Max yells, catching all your attention. You all peer to where she is looking at, a big metal boat house, a great place to hide.

Your flashlights appear into the windows, first glance to see if any silhouettes pop in. “You go first, Y/N.” Steve whispers, pushing you lightly.

You push back, not wanting to be the first one to walk in a spooky boathouse at night. “What? Why me? Let Robin do it!”

“Oh, you big baby.” Robin chides you, slipping through the big metal door. “Hello?” She calls out, looking around. You follow right after her. “Is anyone home?” No answer, and neither of your flashlights reach anything.

Max, Steve and Dustin make their way into the boathouse, the multiple flashlights eluding creepy shadows on the wall.

“What a dump.” Steve unhelpfully comments, not adding anything to the search.

As the group continues their search for any evidence that Eddie could’ve been there at one point, (you’re hopelessly looking for his jacket), Steve reaches on the wall and grabs an oar, and starts using it against the tarp covering the boat.

“Whoa, what are you doing?” Dustin asks, incredulous.

Steve stabs the boat again, not answering.

“What are you doing?” You ask him, repeating Dustin’s sentiments for emphasis.

Steve continues stabbing with the oar. “He might be in here.”

“So take the tarp off.” You tell him, hesitantly reaching out to rip it off yourself.

“If you guys are so brave, you take the tarp off.” Steve snaps back, continually stabbing at the boat.

You’re still looking around aimlessly as Max points out some wrappers on a table. “Hey, look over here. You peer over as Robin goes to investigate, keeping an ear on the two idiots. “Someone was here.”

“Maybe he heard us.” Robin offers, and you want to cry at that idea. “Got spooked and ran.”

“Don’t worry”, Dustin offers sarcastically. “Steve will get him with his oar.”

“I know you think you’re being funny, but considering everyone in this room has nearly died a hundred times, personally, I don’t find it funny in the slight-” Steve doesn’t get a chance to finish his sentence, the tarp moving up and Eddie popping out of the boat he was prodding, with a broken glass and backing Steve up to the wall armed and afraid.

“Wait! Wait! Wait! Wait! Wait! Wait!” Steve shouts, and Eddie doesn’t even listen, holding the glass up against his jawline in a defense position.

“Whoa, whoa, woah, Eddie! Eddie! Stop!” Dustin calls out, and for some reason you’re frozen in place, stuck watching the man you loved have an expression you’ve never seen before. He places himself in between you, Robin, and Max as they attempt to get the threat disarmed. “Eddie! Eddie! It’s me. It’s Dustin. This is Steve. He’s not gonna hurt you, right Steve?”

“Right, yeah.” Steve whispers, barely given any choice in the matter.  

“Steve, why don’t you drop the oar?” Dustin offers, and Steve complies, but the sound startles Eddie into using the bottle against Steve’s jaw even harder.

Steve groans in pain, the bottle starting to break skin. Somehow the action brings you out of shock, and you’re understanding Eddie is technically a threat to Steve for the moment. You step to Dustin’s side, holding Robin back.

“He’s cool, he’s cool.” Dustin continues attempting to calm him down.

“I’m cool, man. I’m cool.” Steve whispers, using his humour as a coping mechanism to distract from the slight pain at his jawline.

“What are you doing here?” Eddie asks him, interrogating, rather.

“We’re looking for you.” You answer, and it turns his attention onto you, the slight recognition on his face, hiding behind fear.

“We’re here to help.” Robin offers, also having calmed down a bit.

“Eddie, you know us.” Dustin answers, and you’re relieved tension is starting to ease in Eddie’s shoulders.  “Robin, from band.” She plays a pretend instrument to fuse the tension, and you suddenly wonder if Dustin knows they know each other a bit more than that. “This is Max, the one who never wants to play D&D.”

You step a bit further from where Dustin is, unable to help yourself.

“And of course, you know Y/N. Your girlfriend? The only person I have seen roast you and not get dried up grapes thrown at them for it?” Dustin says, and from the look on his face you can tell it’s working. “Eddie. We’re on your side. I swear on my mother. Right, guys?”

“Yes, yes. We swear.” Max agrees.

“On Dustin’s mother.” Robin awkwardly adds.

“Yeah…Dustin’s…Dustin’s mother.” Steve manages out, a last effort to get out of his sticky situation.

Eddie hold his place for about one second longer, before letting Steve go finally, and sinking to the floor. You watch pathetically, the expression on his face distant and afraid. You crouch down next to him, getting him to look you in the eye, and seems to see right passed you, and it scares you to imagine what he saw that affected him this much. You rub his arm comfortingly, not even attempting to take his safety, his weapon away from him.

Dustin lets you have the moment before crouching down in front of him. “Eddie. We just want to talk.” He reaches out to grab the bottle from Eddie so he can’t attempt to use it again, and you shoot daggers at Dustin when Eddie whimpers and grabs it out of reach. “Okay?”

Robin crouches down next to you. “We want to know what happened.”

Eddie sniffs, and it takes everything you can not to instinctively reach out and cradle his face in comfort. “You won’t believe me.” His voice breaks, and he sounds sure of it.

You make eye contact with the friends around you, all afraid of what this sentence implied to the five of you.

“Try us.” Max insists.

Eddie looks at the group in front of him, in disbelief that you were all giving the benefit of the doubt.

-

“Her body just, like, lifted up into the air and uh. And she just, like, hung there. In the air. And her bones. Uh she,” Eddie whimpers, and your grip on his arm tightens, unable to do anything but listen to him struggle through telling his side. “Her bones started to snap. Her eyes, man. It..it was like there was something, like, inside her head, pulling. I..I didn’t know what to do, so I… I ran away. I left her there.” The guilt was plain in his voice, and you’d wish you’d realized something was wrong when you woke up that morning. Maybe he wouldn’t have felt so alone.

His retelling is haunting, and you have to catch his breath after he finally manages to look at his audience. He immediately breaks away, scoffing. “You all think I’m crazy, right?” Eddie leans his forehead into his hand, wondering how he managed to get himself stuck here.

“No. We don’t think you’re crazy.” You answer, still offering affection even when he wasn’t leaning into it.

“Don’t bullshit me, I know how this sounds.” He shouts, and you try not to take his tone too harshly.

“We’re not bullshitting you.” Max says, her voice confident.

“We believe you.” Robin adds.

Eddie exhales, and you weren’t sure if it was in relief or disbelief, but his broken face was enough to keep you on track to try and soothe him as he struggled.

“Look. What I’m about to tell you might be a little… difficult to take.” Eddie makes eye contact with you, and you can almost recognize him.

 He looks up at the rest of them, processing what Dustin had just offered. “Okay…” Eddie says, opting Dustin to continue.

“You know how people say Hawkins is…cursed?” Dustin starts, and one of your nightmares comes to fruition, Eddie finding out about the Upside Down and getting involved. “They’re not, way off. There’s another world. A world hidden beneath Hawkins. Sometimes it bleeds into ours.”

“Like, ghosts and shit?” Eddie asks, wondering if he was being bullshitted.

“There are some things, worse than ghosts.” Max whispers.

“Those monsters, from this other world, we thought they were gone. But they’ve come back before. That’s why we needed to find you.” Dustin explains.

“If they’re back again, we need to know.” Max adds.

“Ahem.” You mention, drawing attention to yourself. “Not to be selfish but that’s not even in my top three reasons to come and find you.”

Eddie lets an inkling of a smile cross his face, connecting his forehead to yours for a second.

Robin interrupts it, but you knew it wasn’t the time nor the place. “That night, did you see anything?”

“Dark particles, maybe?” Max adds, giving an idea to what Eddie might’ve been looking for.

Eddie shakes his head, very confident he didn’t see anything.

“It would almost look like dust, swirling dust.” Dustin describes, giving a pretty good description.

Eddie continues shaking his head, insisting. “No, man, there was nothing you could see, or uh, or touch. You know, I tried to wake her, man. She couldn’t move. It was like she…she was in a trance or something.”

“Or under a spell.” Dustin offers a different word.

Eddie seems more brought down to earth as he understands he is believed and there is now a theory to as what he had seen. “A curse.” He adds, thinking of the creature that uses these same abilities from D&D.

“Vecna’s curse.” Dustin helps, remembering the abilities and how it lined with what Eddie had said.

“Who’s Vecna?” Steve asks speaking for the first time in a long time.

“An undead creature of great power.” Dustin answers, afraid of what the implications could be.

“A spell caster.” Eddie answers, all the hours reading up on lore suddenly useful in real life.

“A dark wizard.” Dustin finishes, and he and Eddie make eye contact as the gravity of the situation hits the entire group.

“Shit.” Steve unhelpfully comments, and the group dissipates, discussing their plans for tomorrow.

As they move into a corner to talk about plans you know you will have to catch up on, you catch his attention, offering a weak smile. “Fuck.”

“Should’ve known something was up when you didn’t call this morning.” You answer, tentatively raising your hand to brush his face. He leans into it, eyes closed and tension seems to leave his body like a deflated balloon.

“I was thinking about it, but I figured the police would be looking for me, and in case you were brought in for questioning I didn’t need you telling them I called you this morning. That looks bad for the both of us. Did they?” He asks, and you can tell his mind is still going at a mile a minute.

“No, but if they went to my house my mom would’ve directed them to the store, and we closed up shop early to come see if you were here.” You answer, and now it hits you that you’re probably being looked for by the police, as well. “Are you okay?” You ask him, knowing the answer but still needing to hear it.

“No, but if they believe me, hell if you believe me I think I’m doing much better than before.” He admits, and squats up to give you a proper hug, tugging you into his arms. “So you knew about this other world?” He asks, making sure you weren’t just along to find him.

“Unfortunately, yes. I tried to keep you from it in hopes I would never have to deal with it again, and you would never have to see it.” You admitted, annoyed and thinking if you had told him maybe he would’ve come to you instead of being alone the entire night.

“Do you have any idea what you are gonna do?” He asks, unsure where you would even go from here.

You laugh, and it feels good to see him break out in a wider smile. “No, but we have Dustin, and I can tell you he already has three or four ideas cooking in that brain of his. He’s a genius.”

“Guess I’m in good hands.” He mutters, watching as the other four make a sizeable plan, and before you know it, you’re tugged away from him and you kiss Eddie for good measure and you’re basically dragged to the car, Robin explaining their plan for tomorrow to you.

The start of something was brewing, and at this point, you were convincing yourself you ready to face the world ending yet again.

Hopefully.  

Chapter 3: The Monster and the Superhero

Neither one of you get a decent night’s sleep. The moment you got home your mom asked if the police got a hold of you, and you shake your head, fighting the tears that threatened to fall. She sighs, informing you that you should go the next morning to keep their benefit of a doubt that you or him were at all innocent.

You peered up at her, meeting her eyes for the first time. “You don’t think he did it?”

“No one is that good at hiding who they are.” She comments, letting you go upstairs, figuring you were just stressed about the whole thing. Who wouldn’t be?

As agreed, the group meets up at the grocery store, grabbing some snacks for Eddie before they give share any updates of news they had. Somehow you and Dustin end up arguing over some ridiculously trivial idea over which cereal he’d prefer, until Steve yells for you to shut up. “Just a pick a damn cereal, time is a-wasting.”

Steve pulls up to Rick’s lake house, and when you burst through the door, Eddie is by the window, prepared again with his broken bottle. “Delivery service.” Dustin announces, and Eddie visibly exhales in relief.

You waste no time running into his arms, inhaling his scent as if to burn it into your memory. He gently kisses the top of your head, and it takes all your self discipline to let go of him. Eddie kisses your temple again, as he walks past you to grab the bags, flinging them haphazardly as he sits down in his makeshift bed to begin eating.

Dustin exchanges a look with the rest of the group, and they all give him the go ahead to start the rundown. “So we got uh, some good news and bad news. How do you prefer it?”

“Bad news first, always.” Eddie replies, mouth full into a swig of pop.

“Alright, bad news. We tapped into the Hawkins PD dispatch with our Cerebro, and they’re definitely looking for you. Also, they’re uh, pretty convinced you killed Chrissy.” You gulp, remembering the helplessness of listening in with them, biting back tears as the police chatter with an unearned amount of conviction about Eddie.

“Like, 100% percent, kind of convinced.” Max adds, and you had to admit now wasn’t the time to sugarcoat it.

Eddie glances to you, and you nod solemnly. “And the good news?” Eddie asks, needing the pick me up.

“Your name hasn’t gone public yet.” You answer, thanking the fates.

“But if we found out about you, it’s a matter of time before others do. And once that gets out, everyone and their shallow-minded mother is gonna be gunning for you.” Robin states, blunt, but true.

Eddie stares off, a bitter disposition that he usually reserved for behind closed doors. “Hunt the freak, right?” You wince at the sentence, gritting your teeth.

“Exactly.” She confirms, and you make eye contact with her as she apologetically shrugs her shoulders. You shrug back, knowing it was only a matter of truth, one you instinctively knew yourself.

“Shit.” Eddie curses.

“So, before that happens, we find Vecna, kill him, and prove your innocence.” Dustin lists off, as if any of your misadventures with the upside down have ever been so easy.

“That’s all, Dustin? That’s all?” Eddie asks, voice hard.

“Yeah, no, that’s pretty much it.” He confirms, voice growing softer at the end of the sentence.

“Listen, Eddie, I know everything Dustin is saying sounds totally delusional, but we’ve actually been through this before. I mean, they have a…a few times,” Eddie looks up for confirmation and you and Steve both casually nod your heads as she rambles, “and..and I have once. Mine was more human-fleshed-based, theirs was more smoke-related, but bottom line is, collectively, I really feel we got this.” You were glad Robin was confident, because you weren’t as sure as she was.

“We usually rely on this girl who has super powers. But uh, those went bye bye, so..” Steve adds, and Eddie side eyes you as to ask why hasn’t heard a single word of knowing someone with superpowers.

El, you mouth to him, and Eddie sits on it for a moment.

As you exchange this information Robin continues, “So, we’re technically in more of the-”

“Kinda..” Steve rolls off it, now thinking out loud.

“Brainstorming phase.” Max says putting the concept into words.

“Brainstorming.” Steve snaps his finger, thanking her for finding the word he needed.

“There’s.. There’s nothing to worry about.” Dustin offers, and doesn’t seem to believe it himself.

Steve scoffs, also not believing it either. You hadn’t even attempted to assure him, knowing he could see right through you, and in turn, your lack of confidence in the group’s lack of plan.

Eddie looks at the group, raises his eyebrow as if to ask if you were all joking. You truly wished you were.

Sirens pass, and Steve curses under his breath as you jerk yourself out of your seat, as if it would do anything, but unable to sit from the mere anxiety the police gave you.

“Tarp. Tarp. Tarp.” Robin repeats, telling him to hide. Eddie gets the message, and he’s hiding in the boat again, mean while you all run to where the sirens are coming from as they increase in proximity.

Multiple police cars pass by, and a fire engine, and an ambulance. It was a dead giveaway that something was off again.

Assuming that the numerous emergency vehicles meant an update to the case, you all hop into Steve’s car, and pull up to another scene surrounding resembling the one on the news from yesterday, this time Nancy speaking to the police officers. As you all pop out, Robin lightly pushes you back in. When you nearly ask why she whispers harshly, “You are still being searched for by them, too. You are technically someone wanted for questioning. Stay out of sight.”

Nancy offers a small wave, her tiny stature frigid with anxiety, and you’re not sure how much of a coincidence it all is.

-

The six of you sit down at the picnic table you at the trailer park, and you station yourself in a way you aren’t forced to see the crime scene tape surrounding Eddie’s trailer. You all tell Nancy what you have learned in the last 24 hours, getting her up to speed.

“You’re saying that this thing that killed Fred and Chrissy, it’s from the Upside Down?” She confirms, and dread fills the air.

“If the shoe fits.” Steve confirms.

“Our working theory is that he attacks with a spell or a curse. Now, whether or not he’s doing the bidding of the Mind Flayer or just loves killing teens, we don’t know.” Dustin says.

“All we know is that this is something different. Something new.” Max says, and there’s no arguing that.

“Doesn’t make sense.” Nancy pipes out, annoyed.

Dustin attempts to negate it. “It’s only a theory.”

Nancy realizes she has to explain herself. “No, Fred and Chrissy don’t make sense. I mean, why them?”

“Maybe they were just in the wrong place.” You had hoped that was wrong, because it was chilling to think how close it was to being Eddie in that case. “They were both at the game.”

“And near the trailer park.” Max points out, both cases surrounding the area.

“We’re at the trailer park.” Steve points out as well, making a decent point. “Uh, should we maybe not be here?” You all look around, spooked by the idea.

“I’d like to leave.” You admit, turning to face the plot that has been haunting you.

Nancy extends a hand to comfort you, adding on what Steve said. “There is something about this place. Fred started acting weird the second we got here.”

“Acting weird as in..?” Robin asks.

“Scared, on edge, upset.” Nancy lists, remembering his scattered brain.

Dustin recalls what Max had told him the day before. “Max said that Chrissy was upset, too.”

“Yeah, but not here. She was crying in the bathroom at school” She says, and it doesn’t seem to be only at the trailer park.

“Eddie said Chrissy wanted something strong. He said it was like she was losing her mind.” You add, voice small as you finished.

“Serial killers stalk their prey before they strike, right? So, maybe Fred and Chrissy saw this Vecman-”

“Vecna,” Dustin interrupts Robin, correcting her.

“Dunno bout you, but I saw some freaky wizard monster, I would mention it to someone.” Steve says, and you’re not sure you would’ve done the same.

“And? Say what? To who? If you don’t know about the Upside Down, like Eddie, chances are you would ignore it and hoped it went away.” You answer Steve, making a good point of Eddie not completely understanding what he saw with Chrissy.

“Well, maybe they did.” Max admits, and Steve give you a ‘see? Told you’ look that you roll your eyes at. “I saw Chrissy leaving Miss. Kelley’s office. If you saw a monster, you…you wouldn’t got to the police. They’d never believe you. But you might go to your-”

“Your shrink.” Robin finishes, and Max nods in agreement.

You all make your way to Steve’s vehicle, manning a plan to somehow get a hold of any information on Chrissy or Fred they might’ve shared with Miss. Kelley. Steve notices Nancy making her way to her own vehicle, and calls for her. “Whoa, whoa. Nance. Nance!” Nancy turns around, still on edge. “Where you going?”

“Oh, there’s just something I wanna check on first.” Nancy attempts to negate from the truth.

“Something you wanna share with the rest of us?” Dustin asks usually wanting the whole picture to solve the problem.

She looks down sheepishly, “I don’t wanna waste your time. It’s a real shot in the dark.”

“Yeah, okay. Are you out of your mind? Flying solo with Vecna on the loose? No, it’s too dangerous. You need… You need someone to…” Steve stutters through his sentence, and you’re confused to what the energy has been brought to them. “Here. I’ll stick with Nance.” Steve offers, tossing the car keys to Robin. “Take the car, check out the shrink.”

“I don’t think you want me driving your car.” Robin yells.

“Why?”

“I don’t have a license.” Robin barks out.

“Why don’t you have a license?” Steve asks, annoyed.

“Because I’m poor.” Robin deadpans, and it’s dropped.

“I can drive.” Max offers, half joking.

“No, no! Never again. Please. Here, you drive.” Steve hands you the keys, and you stare at them as he shoves them into your hands before glancing up at him in disbelief.

“Yeah, I’m not driving.” You say, shoving them back to him.

“What? Why not?” Steve asks, his frustration loud in the eerily quiet park.

“The police are looking for me, too. They have been driving around town all day. If they see me driving your car, something they wouldn’t know if I had permission to use, I’m toast, and so is Eddie. Not happening.”

Dustin makes a face, offering to drive, and Steve shuts it down.

“All right. Okay. This is stupid. Us ladies will stick together.” Robin takes charge, grabbing one of the long range walkies and tugging you to where Nancy was. “Unless you think we need you to protect us.” Robin jokes, and it’s decided.

“Be careful.” Steve yells, watching the three of you walk to the station wagon. Robin holds out a peace sign, both humorous and condescending.

Dustin watches Steve, amused. “Just gonna stand there and gawk?”

“Shut up.” Steve whines.

“Why don’t we go, okay?” Dustin offers, sweet talking him.

“Just get in the car.” Steve barks, unamused. “Wipe your feet.” Dustin does, on the fabric of the inside of the car, intentionally showing Steve. “On the outside, not the inside. Always the babysitter. Always the goddamn babysitter!”

The two different vehicles take off, and you’re feeing fortunate to drive away from Eddie’s place for once, the place now giving you the creeps.

-

You, Nancy, and Robin walk up the steps of the public library after she quickly explains her shot in the dark. The bells ring, indicating another hour passing by and creating a feeling of unease in the pit of your stomach. You glare at the clock as Robin gets the story straight, time isn’t your friend. “Help me get this straight.” She is continuing, still confused. “Eddie’s uncle, Wayne, thinks that Victor Creel escaped from Pennhurst Asylum and that he’s the one running around committing these murders?”  

As you’re walking fast paced Nancy shoots a glare to the two of you, signifying she knows she sounds crazy. “Pretty much.”

“But Victor committed the eyeball murders, like, way back in the ‘50s.” Robin points out.

“Well, ’59.” Nancy corrects her.

“So that means these murders predate Eleven in the Upside Down by about 30 years?” Robin continues.

“Yeah.”

You enter the library and make your way up to the front desk, and while you didn’t think it was a lead that would help the case in anyway, you had reason to trust Wayne. “Which makes spooky Victor Creel like 70 years old.”

“Yep.” Nancy agrees through gritted teeth, dinging the bell when the librarian wasn’t anywhere to be found.

“So he’s a grandpa murderer who can turn invisible and lift people into the air.” Robin concludes sarcastically, resting onto the front desk.

“It doesn’t make sense. I know. That’s why I said it was a shot in the dark.” Nancy explains, a little annoyed.

“Y/N, no concerns?” Robin asks you, looking passed you to where you’re stood on the other side of Nancy.

You shrug, absentmindedly looking at the pattern on the adjacent wall. “I trust Wayne. I also trust her gut.” You elbow Nancy lightly, and Nancy gives you a thankful look as she dings the bell again.

“Look, I know you trust her, it’s just that I thought by ‘shot in the dark’, you were being modest or hiding something super solid up your sleeve that you were gonna wow us with later.” As Robin continues on her tangent, Nancy starts dinging the bell repeatedly, seemingly done with her theory torn up. “But this is really, truly a shot in the dark. Like, we are snipers with blindfolds on who’ve been spun around fifty times.”

Nancy dings the bell more rapidly.

Robin stares at the bell, wondering what it could’ve possibly done to offend Nancy so much.

“Coming!” the librarian finally calls, holding a stack of books on her hip with a bright smile on her face.

“Hi. Sorry, we’re in a bit of a rush.” Nancy sheepishly says, turning on her good student tone. “Could we get the keys to the basement archives?”

“Of course! Give me one sec.” she answers, and you knew this was Eddie’s favourite librarian.

“Did I come off mean or condescending?” Robin asks abruptly, and you look at her inquisitively.

“No.” Nancy answers, and you’re not sure it’s all that true.

“Right. Sorry. It’s just, you seem annoyed. You don’t know me well.” After the many afternoons they have spent teasing you collectively you weren’t sure that was true, either. Although, Robin may be talking in terms of crisis. “I don’t really have a filter or a strong grasp of social cues.” That was true.

“Okay.” Nancy comments, clearly uncomfortable.

“If I say something that upsets you, just know that I know it’s a flaw. Believe me, my mother reminds me daily.” You think o the times you have guided Robin in a conversation where the lack of a grasp on social cues were clear and saved her from herself.

“Got it.”

“All right, ladies.” The librarian comes back holding the key. “Here you go. Have fun.”

“Thanks.” You take the key, the girls still ravelling after an awkward conversation. “We’ll try. C’mon.” You lug the two girls after you, unsure of the conversation that occurred and for the first time in a while you wonder if there’s some unresolved issues with those two.

-

Two of you sit in front of screens, scrolling through the archives as you continue to grab articles containing Victor Creel for the two of them. The tension is suddenly rough, and you wished you had also been a babysitter for today.

Robin interrupts the silent air, asking, “Anything…juicy over there?”

“Nothing new.” Nancy answers, her voice overly polite.

“Yep. Same here. Victor seemed like a normal guy. Dead family, missing eyes, took a plea deal, sent to Pennhurst. Blah, blah, blah, blah.” Nancy rolls her eyes deep into her head as Robin continues, and you wonder off to see if you could find any more articles to get you out of here.

Suddenly, as you’re moving through the archives, Nancy comes down the stairs to the drawer next to you, purposefully searching for something you’re not even sure she knows. “You know that Steve and I are like, totally not a thing, right?” Robin asks suddenly, and you jerk your head, wide eyed, wondering how this came up.

Robin shrugs, and gestures vaguely. That helps you understand nothing.

“What?” Nancy asks, turning to face her as well, and you share the same sentiments.

Robin moves around to the files, talking animatedly. “So, I figure you and Jonathan are still going on strong ‘cause you guys are going to college together. You’re one of those unstoppable power couples, but I..I just…I just wanted to make sure that Steve and I are just friends.” Robin moves to where you’re standing, and you decidedly move over a couple of slots. “Like platonic with a capital P.” Somehow this whole adventure just gotten more awkward as Nancy has no idea how to respond to either of this, and you’re almost ready to admit maybe they were right and you should’ve stayed behind with Eddie. “Just in case that’s adding any tension between us.”

“It wasn’t” Nancy answers, and she’s convincing as a fifteen year old with a fake ID.

“You look down to where you’re skimming, and your eyes catch a familiar magazine. “Holy shit.” You mutter. “The Weekly Watcher. Can’t believe they have this.”

“Didn’t they write about, like Bigfoot and UFOs?” Nancy asks, skeptical.

“First of all, UFOs are absolutely real.” Robin interjects, moving next you to look through the drawer as well. “Bigfoot, I’m still on the fence.” Holy shit, you think. She would get along with the members of Hellfire more than you’d realized.

“We are looking for information about dark wizards.” You add, considering what Robin has been saying.

“Exactly!” Robin says. “If someone’s gonna write about that, it’s gonna be these weirdos.”

“Those weirdos have kept Hellfire entertained for lunches on lunches.” You comment, now missing how mundane that feels in comparison.

“Case in point.”

Nancy glances down at the film and suddenly realizes you two may have a point.

You all gather around the screen, scrolling slowly passed each article, each one more ludicrous than the last. “Ah. Elvis Cloned by Aliens.” Nancy reads, and suddenly all hope is lost.

“You never know.” Robin lightly offers, and continues scrolling through the articles as she walks off.

She only goes past two more articles before landing on the exact one the three of you were looking for. “Holy shit.” You mutter under your breath.

“Victor Creel claims vengeful demon killed family.” Robin declares dramatically, and you stifle in laughter. “The murder that shocked a small community.”

“Ha, ha. That’s very funny.” Nancy sarcastically answers, apparently thinking it’s a cruel joke.

“She’s not kidding.” You answer for Robin.

“Get over here.” Robin calls her, and Nancy joins in-between the two of you. “According to several insiders, Victor believed his house was haunted by an ancient demon. Victor allegedly hired a priest to exorcise the demon from his home. Pretty novel for the ‘50s, Exorcist wasn’t even out yet.”

You shudder at the title, the film by the same name when Robin turned it on one night, you only lasting the first half of the film before you begged for it to be shut off.

“Keep..keep going.” Nancy urges, and the look on her face gives you a small sense of relief that this might’ve been successful.

“So, Victor clamed this exorcism failed but it angered the demon, which then murdered his family, removing their eyes. Victor believed he was spared as a punishment.” You continue reading the article for them, not that Robin needed it, just attempting to help.

“That’s pretty convenient for Victor.” Nancy comments.

“Yeah, or super inconvenient.” Robin bites back lightly. “Victor was declared legally insane by the court, right? What if this is why? It sounds insane. Just didn’t go public because—”

“The plea bargain. The records were sealed.” Nancy finishes.

“What if demon did invade Victor’s home?” You ask, and you’re almost sure you’re on the same track as the two of them, having not read the articles with them. “It’s just. This demon wasn’t any old demon.”

“It was Vecna.”

The three of you head out the library, daylight now gone and a sense of urgency filled the air. “Dustin, do you copy?” You ask on the walkie, following behind as Robin and Nancy go down the steps.

“Yeah, I copy.” Dustin answers.

“As always, Nancy is a genius. Venca’s first victims date back all the way to 1959. Her shot in the dark was a bull’s eye.” You answer, the three of you arriving to the Station Wagon.

“Okay, that’s totally bonkers, but I can’t really talk right now.” Dustin answers, sounding out of breath.

“What are you doing?” You ask, afraid to know.

“Breaking and entering school to retrieve confidential and extremely personal files.” Dustin answers, matter of fact.

“Can you repeat that?” You ask, wondering if you heard him correctly.

“Just get your ass over here, stat. We’ll explain everything.” He answers very vaguely.

“I thought they were talking to Ms. Kelley.” Complains Nancy.

“We leave them alone for two hours.” Robin sighs, and the three of you get into Nancy’s car to head over to the school.

 -

Chapter 4: Dear Billy

Nancy drove with more urgency and less care than normal, pulling up to the parking lot of the high school with an abrupt screech of her brakes. The three of you burst through the double doors of the school, flashlights shining every which way as you run through the hallway to meet the rest of the group.

It leads to Max leading the group down the hall, the flashlights shining Max’s silhouette on the wall as she stares blankly. “It was here. Right here.”

“A grandfather clock?” Nancy asks, and Max shakily nods her head.

“It was so real. And then when I got closer, suddenly I just…I woke up.” Max says, her voice thick.

She sounded scared.

Real scared.

“It was like she was in a trance or something. Exactly what Eddie said happened to Chrissy.” Dustin comments, and you can’t help but notice the look you get as his name is mentioned from Steve.

You ignore it, observing as Max’s breathing grew shallower. She turns around, her eyes wide. “That’s not even the bad part.”

When asked to elaborate, she emphasizes that it would be easier to demonstrate by showing you, and the five of you follow her back into Ms. Kelley’s office. “Fred and Chrissy, they both came to Ms. Kelley for help. Uh, they were both having headaches, bad headaches that wouldn’t go away. And then… then the nightmares. Trouble sleeping. They’d wake up in a cold sweat. Then they started seeing things. Bad things. From their pasts. These visions, they just they kept on getting worse and worse, until eventually… everything ended.”

“Vecna’s curse.” Robin diagnoses.

“Chrissy’s headache started a week ago. Fred’s, six days ago.” You glance around the office, staring at the writings of Miss.Kelley’s notes on both Fred and Chrissy. “I’ve been having them for five days.” The admission makes your eyes shot up to hers, and the serious threat of Max’s life is now an added stake in the case.

How fucking inconvenient.

“I don’t know how long I have. All I know is that,” Max gulps, “for Fred and Chrissy, they both died less than 24 hours after their first vision. And I just saw that goddamn clock, so” Max exhales shakily, “looks like I’m gonna die tomorrow.” She admits, and her tone is shaky.

As her heavy words hang in the air, a distant sound in the hallways catches all your attention, each of you whipping your heads towards it in sync.

Steve turns his head to face the group, makes eye contact with each person and makes a quick albeit impulsive decision. “Stay here.” His sneaker squeaks as he stumbles, and he pauses by the door to glance back for something. He finds it, grabbing an adjacent lamp and continues to make his way to the hallway.

The four of you remaining glance at one another, exchanging a look and sharing the same thought. Dustin says it out loud, “We just gonna let him…” Without another moment’s hesitation, you all saunter to the hallway behind him, deciding you weren’t gonna let him face it alone.

Another bang down the hall, and you all hold your breath as the sound of quick paced footsteps echo in the hallway, coming at an unprecedented rate, the sound growing faster.

As you prepare yourselves, you holding your breath, Steve preparing to swing, Robin scrunching her face up, Lucas comes wildly around the corner, resulting in a screaming bursting out of most of you.

After nearly colliding it takes a moment to understand who is standing in front of you, the group backing off instinctively once realizing their ‘intruder’ is no longer a threat. “It’s me!” Lucas shouts, his face illuminated by flashlights.

“Lucas?” Nancy asks, still catching her breath.

“It’s me.” Screaming, now bending over to catch his own.

“Jesus, what is wrong with you?” Steve yells at him, on edge.

“I’m sorry.”

“I could’ve taken you out with this lamp.”

“Sorry guys. Sorry.” Lucas pants, still completely winded. “I was.. I was biking for eight miles.” Lucas walks around in circles, holding a finger to indicate he still needed a minute. You glance at one another as he does, knowing there was some news you had to drop onto him. “We’ve got a code red.” Lucas says, finally seeming to caught his breath.

“What?” Steve asks, hands on his hips, the lamp somewhat forgotten.

Lucas walks passed Steve right to Dustin. “Dustin. I’ve been with Jason, Patrick, and Andy, and they’ve gone totally off the rails.”

At the mention of this Steve glances to you, knowing something about Jason you still haven’t told Nancy or Robin. Jason added to the equation was an unwanted and unwelcome extra.

��Wait, Jason?” You ask, needing to know what he meant by it.

“Uh yeah,” Lucas says, now talking to the both of you. “They’re trying to capture Eddie and they think you know where he is.” Lucas says the last part mainly to Dustin, but you had a feeling they were also on the lookout for you as well. “You’re in terrible danger.”

The feeling of dread from being sought out by him only came second to the feeling of how your heart sunk to the words ‘they’re trying to capture Eddie’. Jason knew Eddie was the person of interest and of course, he didn’t doubt it for a second.

“All right. Yeah, that definitely sucks, but we’ve got bigger problems than Jason right now.” Dustin answers him, and glances back towards Max. You glance with them and you feel humbled as you gain some perspective.

Right. Max might die. Jason isn’t even on the top five right now.

But fuck, Eddie didn’t know and you still fucking worried for him.

-

You, Nancy, and Robin spend the next morning coming up with a plan, and it took all the fighting in the world to convince them you shouldn’t have been involved. As Nancy was on the phone with one of her newspaper workers, letting them know the final details the two of you hashed it out and Robin finally interrupts it. “C’mon just give us one good reason why.”

“Cause my boyfriend is wanted for fucking murder and I don’t have it in me to go undercover and play pretend for some lunatic. I’m sorry, but I just can’t.” You admit to them finally, and Nancy uncovers her phone’s receiver as she answers the numerous calls to where she had gone on the other end, confirming they only needed two fake files.

“Do you need to talk about it?” Robin asks hesitantly as Nancy hangs up and grabs her keys to drive to pick them up.

You sigh, following them and gulping as you can feel her watching you, you leant up against the Wheeler’s kitchen counter. “I mean it sucks, but I feel like being in either of their position would suck more. I feel selfish when I want to whine about it.”

“I mean, it does suck.” Robin tells you, and you follow Nancy to her car. “There’s no doubt about that. You’re allowed to think it sucks. Don’t you think it would be nice to pretend your biggest problem is talking to a loony bin doctor about his patients?” Robin gives it one last try to convince you to go with them, and you glance up at her and shake your head silently.

Robin seems to accept it, and you feel Nancy’s eyes on you as the corner of your head bounces against her back window of her car and you let it go.

Nancy’s worker was ridiculously fast with a typewriter. All papers were ready by the time we got there. She gleamed at the papers, and glances up her lackey. “Aren’t you curious to why we want these papers?” Nancy asks, a light mischievous smile dancing on her face.

“No. I’m on spring break. I’ll ask questions later.” The girl admits, and she shuts the door in your faces before Nancy could even thank her. Cool. You had everything you needed and they seemingly had a plan in place.

You got back to the house, making your way down the steps to the Wheeler’s basement. Dustin, Steve and Lucas all on the couch while Max is still at the desk writing, just as she two hours ago when you had left.

“Okay so…” Nancy starts, and you’re all out of breath. “we have a plan.”

“Thanks to Nancy’s minions, we are now rock-star psychology students at the University of Notre Dame.” Robin explains to them as they go through the indoctrinated files.

“There’s only two.” Dustin comments.

“Uh, she’s sitting this one out.” Robin says, a finger casually pointing towards you yet still resting on her knee.

Steve glances up curiously at you, and you sigh. “I can’t. I’d rather stick with you guys.” You stop there, refusing to sound any more trivial in comparison to what Max is facing.

“Anyway.” Nancy says, and you silently thank her for bringing the attention off you. “I’m now Ruth.”

“And I’m Rose.” Said Robin.

“Ruth?” Steve asks, somewhat teasing, and you glance at the exchange he has with Nancy, eyebrow raised.

Whatever, you ignore it for the sake of your sanity.

“Nice GPA.” Dustin compliments, admiring the handiwork of the fake files.

“Thanks” Nancy takes it, and you glare at her, it was fake.

“So we called Pennhurst Asylum and told them we’d like to speak with Creel for a thesis we’re co-writing on paranoid schizophrenics—”

“To which they outright denied.” You commented, cross legged on the carpet, picking at a loose thread.

“But we landed a three o’clock with the director.” Nancy adds, adding some good news.

“Now all we have to do is charm him and convince him to let us talk to Victor.” Robin finishes.

“Then maybe we can rid Max of this curse.” Nancy says.

“Yeah, about that.” Steve says, glancing back to her. “We’ve been doing our Victor Creel homework, and uh…we got some questions.”

“Lots of questions.” Lucas says, emphasizing.

“So do we. Hopefully, Victor has the answers.” Nancy says dismissively.

“Wait…wait…wait a second uh…where’s mine?” Steve asks, and Nancy glances up at you, scoffing. Did he just miss where Dustin did the math? How there were only two? And that was assuming you were going with them. Nancy looks at him, smiling tightly.

-

Steve angrily follows Nancy up the stairs, asking questions that are all going unanswered. As you sat picking at the carpet, Nancy goes back halfway down, calling for you. “C’mon.” She says, and you reluctantly follow them.

Nancy pushes passed Steve waiting outside her room and straight to her closet. “Nancy, you’re outta your mind if you think I’m babysitting again.” Steve complains.

“First, they’re not babies anymore.” Nancy answers, and you walk over to her bed, lying on it. “And Max is in real danger. She needs people around her.”

“I know. But why me. If Y/N is staying behind, then why can’t she do it? Why can’t I go?” Steve gestures to where you are lying there, and you lift your chin up, raising one eyebrow at him.

“We already have the papers!” Nancy half snaps, and Robin bursts into Nancy’s room.

“Oh my God, you have a Tom Cruise poster.” She glances back at her, smug. “You have a Tom Cruise poster.”

“Shit, you haven’t been in Nance’s room?” You ask, absentmindedly as Nancy goes through her closet.

“Nope.” Robin says, squatting as she unashamedly checks out Nancy’s cassette tapes on her bedside table.

“Can you please not touch anything?” Nancy asks, and Robin ignores her altogether, and you choose not to intervene, it’s far too entertaining.

“I can’t do anything here, Nance. Maybe I can be helpful with this asylum director dude.” Steve still attempts to make his case. “I don’t know. I could turn on my” Steve pops his lips animatedly, “my charm.”

“Not the charm we need.” Nancy shuts him down, incredibly smug about it.

“Ouch.” Steve says, and turns away from her.

Robin continues to dig through her room, you’re sat up watching her like a monkey in a zoo.

“No, it’s just. I did a little digging last night, and it turns out that his Dr. Hatch is a distinguished fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and a Harvard visiting scholar, okay? This is a lifelong student of the world. If we’re gonna win him over, we’re gonna have to convince him that we are too,” As Nancy explains this to a defensive Steve, Robin gleefully opens Nancy’s music box, all too excited about the knickknacks she is finding, “academic scholars.”

As if on her cue, Robin whispers, “Holy shit. There’s a little ballerina in here,” holding up the music box.

Steve nods bitterly, wondering how he lost to Robin. “Academic scholar? She’s giving you an academic scholar vibe? Yeah.”

Robin rolls her eyes, offended at the mere suggestion of her low intelligence.

You sit cross legged on Nancy’s bed, watching it all go down. It was entertaining, and it proved to be distracting. “No, but…” Nancy pulls out an outfit from behind the closet, holding it up to Robin. You have to bite back laughter at the ruffles and wait for Robin to turn around. “she will.”

Robin’s jaw drops, and she forgets all about mocking Nancy through snooping through her things. “Oh, please, tell me you’re joking.”

Nancy smiles, holding it up for her, and you are suddenly very glad you opted out of the undercover student plan.

-

You and Steve make your way back down the stairs after the two girls leave, Robin pulling on her neck level blouse, and wearing makeup for the first time since you’ve met her. Max stays quiet in her corner, writing and sealing envelopes.

You, Dustin, Lucas and Steve attempt to make quiet conversation but it eventually leads to looking after her, concerned no matter how hard you try.

“I know you guys are staring at me.” Max says, not even looking back.

You all move into action, as if she had pressed play and you grab at the nearest item to make you look busy.

“What sorry?” Steve.

“You said you needed something?” Lucas.

“Just hanging out.” Dustin.

“They really should be dusting down here.” You.

“How do you think your eyes boring into the back of my head is protecting me from Vecna, I don’t know.” Max says. She gathers her things and walks up to face you, but you’re all anxiously avoiding looking at her.

“You can look at me now.” She says, and you all instantly relax into it, putting your activities aside and mumbling your sorry’s to her. Max sighs, jerkily handing out an envelope to Dustin. “For you.” She does the same for Steve, Lucas, and surprisingly, you. “Oh, and um, give these to Mike, El, and Will.” She says, handing three envelopes to Lucas. “If you can ever get a hold of them again.”

You peer into your envelope, wondering what might be on it. “What are you doing? No, don’t. That’s not for now. Don’t open it now.” She rambles.

“Don’t…Okay.” Dustin stutters, staring blankly at his envelope. “I’m sorry. What is this?”

“It’s um… it’s a fail-safe. For after. If things don’t work out.” Max admits, and the air grows heavy and thick with tension.

“Wait, whoa. Max, things are going to work out.” Lucas says, reassuring both himself and her.

“No. No, I don’t need you to reassure me and tell me it’s all gonna work out. People have been telling me that me entire life and it’s almost never true.” You make eye contact with Steve and Dustin, and you feel eyes glossing over as you listen to her. “It’s never true. I mean, of course this asshole curses me. Should’ve seen that one coming.” Max admits, and you’re watching someone too young trying to grapple with the idea that her life is over. She exhales shakily, glancing around the room. “Where’s a walkie?” She asks, and you hold it for her.

When Dustin gives you a questioning look, you mouth ‘Eddie’ to him, having talked to him last night when you managed a minute alone. It was only a minute, and you barely managed to continue talking after the sound of his ragged voice tugged a tear out from you, but it counted, and you held onto the walkie in case he would reach out again.

“If we go to East Hawkins, will this reach Pennhurst?” She asks, holding up the walkie.

“Of course, yeah.” Dustin nods, knowing it could reach California if he had really wanted it to.

“Why are we talking about East Hawkins?” Steve asks, and he knows the answer before she even says it. “No. No. No!”

Max doesn’t even pay him any mind, grabbing her bag and booking it to the outside, and you all struggle to grab your things and follow her. “Max, Max. Seriously.” Steve yells, finally catching up to her. “Seriously, I’m not joking. I’m not driving you anywhere.”

“If you think I’m going to spend what is likely the last day of my life in the armpit that is Mike Wheeler’s basement, you’re out of your mind. Either take me where I need to go or tie me down, which is technically kidnapping of a minor. And if I live to see another day, Steve, I swear to God, I will prosecute.” Max ends her threat with a failed attempt to open his car, and they have a stand off. “Open the door.”

“Uh, no.” Steve dismisses her.

“I know a good lawyer.” She threatens him. Again.

Steve looks at her in disbelief, glancing up at you, sitting at the other side of your car with your hand on the roof. “Gotta be honest, Steve. I don’t really want to sit around all day waiting for something to happen, either.”

He looks back down at Max, who is staring him down, and reaches into his pocket, scoffing. “Henderson, that super walkie of yours better reach Pennhurst.” He threatens and the five of you finally crawl into his car. “Henderson, back seat. The adults sit in the front,” he says, wondering why you were sitting in the back.

“Cops.” You say to Steve, and he rolls eyes.

You sit on the other side of Lucas, and Max hesitates before climbing in. Hallucination? Hesitation?

Or just fucking scared? Cause even if was just the latter you wouldn’t have blamed her, regardless.

-

Even with the police on your tail, listening in on their radio hearing the reports of retrying your house and keeping an eye out for you to bring you in for questioning you wished you had sat in the front. Max slouches in her seat while Lucas does his best not to watch her, but fails miserably. It was far more awkward with you stuffed in with them.

You slouch your head back as well, catching Eddie’s trailer as you look out the window, and it feels as if your breath is caught in your throat. Steve pulls into Max’s parking lot, the dust settling around the car.

Steve puts the car into park with gusto. “This better be fast, Mayfield.”

“Twenty seconds.” Max promises, and the door is shut hard before you can even register she left the car.

You are left to wait for her, and Steve’s brow furrows. “That thing’s got batteries in it, right?” He asks, gesturing to the walkie in Dustin’s hands.

Dustin tilts his head to face forward, shaking it as he sighs. “I’m not even answering that question.” Steve grimaces, looking confused until Dustin responds, exasperated, “Yes, it has batteries.”

“Yeah, I got it.” Steve barks, and your eyes roll to back of your head as you let it heat the leather softly, closing your eyes.

If you had a nap right now, would shit be normal when you woke up?

You wake up to Steve yelling “Hey, that was longer than twenty seconds” at Max as she gets back to the car, in a hurried pace and worried disposition. Steve notices it, attempting to cut her off. “Hey. Whoa, whoa. You all right?”

Your eyes open to see all three boys now stood outside the car, no wonder since it was fucking blazing hot inside it. “I’m fine, just drive.” Max says dismissively, waiting for Lucas to get back to the middle seat before slamming the door shut behind her.

“Did something happen?” Dustin asks, his voice worried.

“Can we please just go?” Max asks, and avoids eye contact with every one of you.

-

Max lets Steve where-else she would like to go, and the car ride is dead silent. You can’t help but notice as Steve’s brown eyes look into his rear view every minute or so, and you know it’s not because he’s being a careful driver. He’s concerned.

The car radiates with concern for her from all of you, and she rejects it outright. She didn’t want it.

“Turn here.” The only things coming out of Max’s mouth has been directions, and this was the first one in over five minutes.

Dustin assesses their location to where she’s requesting, and it’s surprising, to say the least. “Here?”

Max says nothing, just nodding her head so lightly it was like she barely did it.

You, Dustin, and Steve share a look as you pull in the cemetery, and Lucas has barely stopped watching Max the entire ride. The car pulls into a long windy road and Max tells them to stop at the newer tombstones, leaving the car without a word and with conviction.

“Shit.” Lucas mutters, and he’s out of the car, he couldn’t stop himself another minute. “Max?” He calls for her, running to catch her.

You scooch forward in your seat, reaching across the centre console to Steve, “Hey, roll the windows down.”

“Already on it.” Steve mutters, the window already on it’s way, and you work on the back.

“Lucas, please, just wait in the car.” She pleads him, continuing her tread.

“Max, just wait. Max, please.” He continues anyway.

“Lucas, just wait—”

“Max. Just listen to me. Just, please.” Lucas begs, and she reluctantly stops in front of him. “I know something happened back there with your mother. Was it Vecna?”

“I told you, I’m fine.” Max insists, with a smile that doesn’t reach her eyes. “Okay?” Max sighs, adding, “I mean as fine as someone who’s hurtling towards a gruesome death can be.” Her voice drips in sarcasm, and it’s a coping mechanism, but it’s not helping her case in anyway. She loses her nerve, breaking her eye contact with Lucas as his face shows the genuine concern he’s feeling for her.

“Max…you know you can talk to me. Right?” Lucas starts, not believing her smile for a second.

Max takes in the expression, and it’s full of care for her enough where she feels uncomfortable. “Yeah, I know that,” she smiles awkwardly.

“Okay, then why do you keep pushing me away? Okay, look, I don’t need a letter. I don’t want a letter. Just talk to me. To your friends. We’re right here. I’m right here.” It was what Max needed, someone to take her and the situation seriously. She jerks her head towards the car, and back to Lucas, taking him in. “Okay?” He asks her, soft. “I’m here.”

Breaking up with him in January was the start of her closing herself off, and if this was the first conversation they’ve been able to genuinely have since then, then it was a long time coming. “Wait in the car. This won’t be long.” Max dismisses him, walking fast paced to the headstone in question.

You all watch her, worried and anxious.

-

Max sits crossed legged in front of Billy’s grave for a for a bit, and not much is said as she’s so far away. “Hey, Dust, that thing is on like all the time, yeah?” you ask, not hearing much of a peep from anyone for a while.

“24/7.” Dustin answers, staring after her, standing at the passenger side door.

You don’t answer back, anxious due to Eddie not reaching out all day.

Steve has been checking his watch frequently, his fingers anxiously tapping the window ledge of his car. When you were about to tell him to cut it out, Steve gets out. “All right, it’s been long enough.” He comments.

“Steve, just give her some time.” Lucas argues, now sitting on the hood of Steve’s car.

“I have, all right, Sinclair? I’m calling it. She wants to get a lawyer, she can.” Steve says with finality, running off to where Max is still sitting.

You get out of the car, relaxing onto the roof next to Dustin. Lucas glances back anxiously at the two of you, mostly at Dustin, and exhales sharply.

Steve is talking to her in the distance, and suddenly he bends down to face her. As he starts clapping, the three of you still waiting by his car realize she was back in a trance, your bodies tensing up as Steve yells at her to wake with no avail. “Max! Wake up!” He calls, voice carrying across the cemetery.

“Oh, something’s wrong.” Lucas mutters, and the three of you slowly start to make your way off the car.

“Guys!” Steve calls to you, and it pushes you into running straight toward her. While Dustin and Lucas don’t hesitate, your first instinct is to grab the walkie, something telling you that you would need it, and follow them as fast as your feet could carry you.

You spend an uncomfortably long time surrounding Max, calling to her, begging her to wake up. You stared at her, eyes white, not even flinching at you yelling at her face and wondered if this was how Chrissy had looked.

Steve pauses his yelling to direct it at Dustin. “Call Nancy and Robin! Go get ‘em! Call Nancy and Robin! Go!” Steve releases his hold, and Dustin makes a run for it.

“Dust!” You call, running after him. “Dustin!”

“What?” He asks, gesturing to you to let you know now was clearly not the time.

You toss him the walkie, and Dustin’s face lights up in understanding. “Oh, shit. Ok.” He starts calling for them, repeating the code red with the occasional use of curses in between.

It takes minutes of Dustin begging in the background, pacing back and forth on the grassy path as he keeps repeating the code red signal, until it’s met with Robin’s answer, “Dustin, it’s Robin, we copy.”

“Holy shit. Finally!” Dustin yells, and there’s nothing you can do but continue to beg for her to wake up. “Please, please tell us you guys have this figured out.” Dustin begs, and his voice isn’t just desperate, it’s borderlining on hopeless.

Dustin takes a sudden run off to the car as Robin is explaining, and makes a quick return holding a bunch of tapes and Max’s Walkman. He trips into the circle where you’re still attempting to wake her up, the tapes all clumsily landing onto the grass. “What, what is this?” Lucas yells, voice hurried.

“Her song! What’s her favourite song?” Dustin yells.

The question is understandably met with confusion, both you and Steve giving Dustin a weird look. “Wh-why?” Lucas asks, exasperated.

“Robin said if she listens…it’s too much to explain now. Whats. Her favourite. Song?” Dustin stumbles through, and suddenly it’s the most important thing in the world right now.

Four pairs of hands fumble over the tapes, fingers shaking as you all ask the same question. What was Max’s favourite song? Lucas holds a tape, fingers gripping against it desperately. “It’s right here! Got it!” Lucas yells, and it’s put into the Walkman and pressed play, you place her headphones on her, telling whoever had the Walkman to press play now. The matter of who did what was unimportant, as long as Max didn’t suffer the same fate.

Your shouts to wake her up continue, calling after her. You were running out of patience, but it didn’t matter. This was working. It had to be.

As you were clinging onto this thought, you find yourself falling stuttering backwards onto your ass as Max starts to levitate. She rises higher, and you are finding it harder to breathe as you stared at her in horror and heartbroken disbelief. Max finally stops rising at nearly twenty feet, and all of you can do nothing but shout after her and hope Kate Bush was working.

It felt as if you were yelling for forever, jumping up and down, calling for her, your arms bent as your hands hold your heads in a mutual incredulity of what you were seeing.

The desperation.

Her name was being repeated like a mantra, over and over when her eyes open, she gasps out sharply as she drops to the ground. You all crowd around her as she sits up, her voice shaking and sobbing, and you can’t make anything of what she’s attempting to say but thank god she was okay.

Lucas holds an arm around her, and she clings onto him just as much as he attempts to calm her hyperventilating. You reach out for them, comforting in any way you can, and you can’t explain the need to reach out for them like you did but it was all anyone could do.

“I thought we lost you.” Lucas croaks out, his voice cracking yet didn’t hold a candle to how desperate he felt.

The sentiment is echoed by all of you, and you look up from where you zoned out onto the back of Lucas’ jacket to see both Steve and Dustin clutching onto them as well, a sign of solidarity and unity. The relief you had felt was over whelming, and there was nothing any of you could do but sit there.

“I’m still here.” Max says, and it’s both for him and her, as Max nearly lost her life. She was telling herself this as well.

She was still here.

[scalamore]

Updates

Finally finished uploading Chaper 1 of the YM novel on the site. Plan is to continue with daily updates around 2pm PST/ 1am UAE / 7am Australia until chapter 30, then will probably cut down to 2 chapters a week (to be determined)

it took me forever but I finally added previous/next links. I'm not a computer science person. I tried there was a lot of trial and error ;_; Manhwa

I don't think the studios (in this case, DAON) will post an announcement when the series will go on break. I've been noticing a trend that they'll announce it the week of when a series ends... not much for an announcement :I

I think for chapter 106 the first half will be the last bits of RupeLali cuteness, and maybe the second half is very condensed with Countess Lemille's conniving and sneaky faces + Aunt Amelia daring to show her face + ending with the start of Rupert's Emperor coronation which I am not ready for omg

Chapter 106 on Aug 4th, and a regularly scheduled break Aug 11th.. and then pain.

I'm sorry if I'm overhyping things for you guys so disclaimer, please have appropriate expectations ^^; What is pain and suffering for me + max delicious drama might not be the same for you.

But yeah, I think chapter 106 is the last bits of RupeLali cuteness we will get in a ridiculously long time.... either chapter 118ish, or Season 4 whichever comes sooner ;_____;

[qnewsau]

US Drag Race superstar cheers on Down Under's Mandy Moobs

New Post has been published on https://qnews.com.au/us-drag-race-star-team-mandy-moobs-drag-race-down-under-season-4/

US Drag Race superstar cheers on Down Under's Mandy Moobs

Drag Race Down Under season four doesn’t start for a few weeks but Brisbane drag star Mandy Moobs already has RuPaul’s Drag Race season 15 queen Loosey LaDuca in her corner.

Last week, Mandy was finally confirmed for the lineup of season four of the newly retitled and revamped Drag Race Down Under.

After the announcement, US Drag Race superstar Loosey LaDuca declared she’s proudly “TEAM MOOBS!!” and explained why in a lovely post on X.

“When I did a comedy tour in Australia last year, the airline lost my bags,” Loosey explained.

“Mandy heard through the grapevine, invited me to her home, and insisted I take several looks she made herself.

“[Mandy] wouldn’t accept anything more than a ‘thank you’. She is a queen’s queen. TEAM MOOBS!!”

When I did a comedy tour in Australia last year, the airline lost my bags. Mandy heard through the grapevine, invited me to her home, and insisted I take several looks she made herself and wouldn’t accept anything more than a “thank you”. She is a queen’s queen. TEAM MOOBS!! ❤️❤️ https://t.co/eBlwNYdf1Y

— Loosey LaDuca (@LooseyLaDuca) October 10, 2024

As well as being one of Brisbane’s top drag performers, Mandy Moobs is also a talented seamstress, making gowns for all the dolls through her dressmaking business The Hemmingbird.

On X, UK vs The World winner Blu Hydrangea also jumped into the thread to add, “Met her briefly on tour there and she is one of those queens you just remember forever.”

Absolutely. She’s a girl’s girl.

— Loosey LaDuca (@LooseyLaDuca) October 10, 2024

  People were really feeling the queen-on-queen love.

This is honestly what Australian drag is all about. We don’t get any tips so before we start getting paid a flat rate, you do it for free and help each other out

— Frogpond56565 (@frogpond56565) October 10, 2024

Mandy Moobs is without a doubt one of the most phenomenal players in the game. She is mother.

— bastard dog (@giveitarest__) October 11, 2024

I’m so ready to support her I am HERE for the ladies who keep the community a COMMUNITY

— cal-function (@smalredboy) October 10, 2024

Might have to start watching this season and root for this diva omg

— harry #TeamNehellenia (@fkaharrison) October 11, 2024

Drag Race Down Under returns November 1

Mandy Moobs is on season four of Drag Race Down Under with her Brisbane sister Freya Armani, as well as Aussies Brenda Bressed, Karna Ford, Lazy Susan, Max Drag Queen, Nikita Iman, Vybe and Kiwi queens Lucina Innocence and Olivia Dreams.

Drag Race Down Under season four streams in Australia on Stan on November 1. Watch Mandy’s Meet the Queens video below:

Read more:

Meet the new cast of Drag Race Down Under season 4

Rhys Nicholson is not ‘the new Michelle’ on Drag Race Down Under

Yes, Michelle Visage wears trackies under the Drag Race desk

Rhys shares the ‘grim’ Drag Race Down Under we almost saw

For the latest LGBTIQA+ Sister Girl and Brother Boy news, entertainment, community stories in Australia, visit qnews.com.au. Check out our latest magazines or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

[thetoxicgamer]

Diablo 4 season journey bug will be fixed “in a few days”

Blizzard CEO Mike Ybarra reveals via Twitter that a Diablo 4 season journey glitch that prevents you from receiving awards in the RPG game will be fixed soon as he declares that he has completed the series of seasonal challenges in Diablo 4. Your problems with a task that, despite being completed in-game, won't advance appropriately keeping you from finishing Diablo 4 Season 1 should soon come to an end. Completing the season journey is a nice way to earn extra rewards as you progress through the seasonal questline and level up your new characters. Each tier you finish awards you a gear cache along with some favor that can be spent in the premium cosmetic shop (albeit quite a paltry sum), and perhaps most crucially access to new Diablo 4 Aspects in your codex. Some of these can make crafting the best Diablo 4 builds dramatically easier – the ability to grab the elusive Shockwave Aspect for my Pulverize Druid build got it online much faster than I could have done in the base game, and meant I was crushing my way through the levels at an incredible pace when combined with one of the best Diablo 4 Malignant Hearts, which sucks all nearby enemies into a nice pile ready for smashing. Diablo 4 Season Journey - Menu showing the challenges that must be completed to progress.Unfortunately, some players are finding themselves stuck in the journey’s fifth tier, ‘Slayer,’ unable to complete it because the quest ‘A Boon in the Tide,’ for opening a Tortured Gift Helltide chest, won’t register even when you actually do exactly that. While completion of a tier doesn’t technically require all of the objectives to be fulfilled, some of the alternatives require players to engage in PvP, which can be a tough ask for certain builds, even if Elon Musk says Diablo 4 doesn’t need skill. Blizzard president Mike Ybarra announced recently via Twitter that he had just completed the full season journey, not long after bringing his character to the Diablo 4 max level cap. In response, one player links to a thread on the Diablo 4 forums about the seasonal bug, noting, “Unfortunately some of us cannot do this.” In response, Ybarra confirms, “It’s being fixed in a few days, I think the goal is August 15.” That means it won’t be part of the massive Diablo 4 patch 1.1.1 that arrives Tuesday, August 8, which sees some huge buffs to the Sorcerer and Barbarian along with a welcome ramping up of monster density in the aforementioned Helltides and Diablo 4 Nightmare Dungeons. However, if your progress has been stunted then know that it’ll soon be unlocked – and your accomplishments towards later tiers should be registered even if you achieve them prior to reaching those tiers. Community manager Adam ‘PezRadar’ Fletcher also confirms that the team has hotfixed an exploit allowing players to transfer non-seasonal items onto seasonal characters, and notes that Blizzard has “actioned on select accounts related to this incident.” It seems this was judged on a case-by-case basis, but it’s a welcome reminder that the developers can and will take action if you choose to make use of unintended tricks to get ahead. Blizzard also confirms that Diablo 4 mods can result in a ban, so you’ll want to avoid those too. Fortunately, we’ve got tips and tricks to make the most of all Diablo 4 classes, so you’ll be able to maximize your gains whatever you play. Read the full article

[the-active-news]

Stranger Things Season 5 Release Date: Unlock the Mysteries of the Upside-Down

It has been a long wait, but the day when Stranger Things Season 5 will finally be available to stream online has finally arrived. Get ready to go back to the upside-down because it's almost here! The return of Eleven and the rest of the group is something that fans of the hit supernatural series eagerly expect. With the promise of even more spine-tingling thrills and nostalgic 80s vibes, this is one release that you won't want to miss out on.

Stranger Things Season 5 Release Date

There has been no announcement regarding a premiere date for Stranger Things Season 5. Nonetheless, hints have been dropped in conversations with the show's stars about when the season would begin and a potential release window. According to Noah Schnapp, production could start as early as May 2023. Next, Finn Wolfhard suggested that Stranger Things Season 5 could premiere in early 2024,as per the reports. The lengthy post-production time required for Season 4 means there will be a significant lag between the filming of Season 5 and the actual release. Whether or whether Stranger Things season 5 will be broken into two parts, like season 4, is also up in the air. That wasn't done maliciously, even if the decision was met with criticism (especially after the first section concluded).

Given the unusual length of the season, the Duffer Brothers have admitted the binge format has been introduced in order "to get it to you as fast as possible." It's unlikely that Netflix's flagship show's final season will be shorter than the previous one. Thus, the finale may be stretched out over a more extended period.

Stranger Things Season 5 Expected Cast

While there have been no confirmed cast updates for Stranger Things Season 5, fans can be assured that their favorite characters will return. Season 5 of Stranger Things should continue that trend of not including polarizing casting changes. Characters that have died or may have perished, such as Sadie Sink's Max, whose fate was left unknown in the season 4 conclusion, are likely to return as well. The following actors and actresses are confirmed to return for Season 5 of Stranger Things: - Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven) - Finn Wolfhard (Mike) - Noah Schnapp (Will) - Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas) - Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin) - David Harbour (Jim Hopper) - Winona Ryder (Joyce) - Joe Keery (Steve) - Maya Hawke (Robin) - Natalia Dyer (Nancy) - Charlie Heaton (Jonathan) - Eduardo Franco (Argyle) - Bret Gelman (Murray) In the fourth season of Stranger Things, they introduced several memorable supporting characters who may return for the series conclusion. Amybeth McNulty, Tom Wlaschiha (Dmitri), and Eduardo Franco (Argyle) are all part of this ensemble (Vickie). Jamie Campbell Bower's portrayal of Vecna, the show's new primary antagonist, was the most anticipated addition. There were other stories about the release of a completely different series. - Killers of the Flower Moon Release Date: The Countdown Begins! - MHA Season 7 Release Date: Time to Start Counting Down Interestingly, Bower has already hinted that he may return: Let me put it this way: I know about season five. Infer what you will from that. ...according to The Hollywood Reporter. The characters killed off in the second half of Season 4 of Stranger Things are not expected to return. Eddie Munson, played by Joseph Quinn, died in the Upside Down, while Jason Carver, played by Mason Dye, was a secondary adversary. Until the afterlife takes a turn powered by Vecna, considering that Jim Hopper lived through being evaporated, anything seems feasible. Furthermore, it looks unlikely that Dr. Brenner will return for season 5 despite Matthew Modine's recent proposal. When to expect Stranger Things and related details. Stay tuned to our website, theactivenews.com, for updates as they become available if you want to learn more about this series. Read the full article

[katberk]

Fanfic Ideas #2

So I like the little dividers in the post so I’m just gonna give 11 ideas on each and make a new one every time :3

I’m also a very big person on fluff and hurt to comfort so the majority or all will probably just be that lol

x = Romantic

& = Platonic

🌸 = Someone wrote/read story

Previous one right here

Next one right here

If you find any of these/write them please tag me 🥰

———————————————————————

~12th one~

Billy Hargrove x reader, (Max Mayfield & reader)

Reader’s been spending a lot of time with Max lately and Billy’s not happy! Why is reader hanging out more with Max exactly? Their love for Kate Bush that’s why (and because Max is just awesome!)

“But… Billy, it’s Kate Bush! Kate fucking Bush!!!”

~13th one~

Steve Harrington x Chef reader

Having a S/O who visits you at work is great, having a S/O who brings you food everyday for your lunch break is amazing, having a S/O who cooks and is an AMAZING cook is “you’re too good for me wtf!” Lucky Steve gets home cooked meals every lunch ❤️ (and Robin we can’t forget Robin :3) The party? They’re pretty jealous though. (Family Video)

“Oh fuck yeah! My favorite!”

~14th one~

Eddie Munson x Fallen Angel reader

Eddie Munson the man who’s known as the “Freak” of Hawkins, who’s supposedly in a cult and has Satan hanging over him finds love… with an actual angel?! Yes you heard me right Eddie “the freak” Munson finds love with a fallen angel who sees him for him.

“Eddie Munson correct? It’s a pleasure to finally meet you” 🥰

~15th one~

Steve Harrington x reader

When the ding of the door indicates a new person wanting a sweet treat Steve gets ready to flirt his poor sad heart to the new beauty. Until he realizes it’s reader in a sailor outfit?! Yep! We got a new employee working at Scoops Ahoy and Steve can’t be more happy but also embarrassed. Will he get another tally on the “YOU SUCK” side or finally get a tally on the “YOU RULE” side?!

“Hey Dingus! Your sweetheart is here!”

~16th one~

Joseph Quinn x Costar/Wife reader 🌸

In an interview Joseph talks about how his wife who also plays his love interest taught him how to play Master of Puppets for season 4

“We have a video of Y/N teaching you Master of Puppets here”

~17th one~

Joseph Quinn x reader

When Noah tells reader about the Doja Cat drama reader becomes jealous and when they’re jealous they become a mess. Can Joseph calm the reader down before they do anything drastic?

“What do you mean?! He’s my man!”

~18th one~

Billy Hargrove x reader

Billy Hargrove is known for a lot of things. From a ladies man to sex on legs. There’s only one person who can make him rethink his actions. That person is his S/O who when jealous can kill him where he stands.

“I swear to god Billy Hargrove if I see that woman near you one more time I’ll chop off your god damn balls!”

~19th one~

Bat Eddie Munson x bat reader

Two vampires/bats doing their thing! Just so much love for each other

(Anything bat Eddie tbh)

~20th one~

Either

Eddie Munson x reader or Steve Harrington x reader

Reader overhears the boys talking and teasing Eddie (Steve) about his crush on you. Excited the reader is about to announce their presence until said male starts to denial any and all feeling and start to make up lies just to hide his emotions. Upset and hurt reader decides to try and change for no needed reason

“What?! I don’t like Y/N! I have no idea what you guys are talking about, I could never see myself with them… Right?!”

~21st one~

Eddie Munson x Singer reader

Eddie catches the reader singing Barracuda by Heart in the band room after hours and he just can’t look away. Little does he know that she’s also in a band… a band that he’s really fond of too!

“Oh yeah! My bands called Supreme Angels!” :)

[0aurelion-sol0]

"There's no place like gnome."

Stranger Things 3: The Game.

Gnomes 1-10. 🧙‍♂️

IT'S FINALLY HERE!

It's no secret that the Duffers take a lot of inspirations from Pop Culture. From the most well known movies to the more obscure comics, they are always able to sneak a reference somewhere everytime. And they are also able to make it connected to the story.

I've bragged about how the Stranger Things expanded universe in media is one of the best out there compared to many others. I think that the Duffers, the writers or people in the highest places of the marketing are really paying attention to what comes out of the ST franchise because there is no way to have such content with so many details without someone looking into them.

And ST3: The Game is a very good example of that.

So let's start! The first 10 Gnomes out of 50 that you have to find in the game.

BE AWARE THAT THERE ARE SPOILERS BELOW!

"There's elements that could please those who makes metas/analyzes or theories. Especially things related to possible future plot points, easter eggs, references in previous seasons mainly season 3 like unsolved mysteries or unanswered questions and for future seasons such as season 4 like foreshadowing or teasers, trailers or as of lately the sneak peek."

If you have anything you'd like to add, might think I have missed or think it might be referencing something else don't hesitate to share it by commenting or reblogging.

(Say thanks to @hawkinsschoolcounselor for having helped me with some of them. )

_____________________________

Gnome #1: Johnny

"He's here... with an axe."

Overall plot:

"The film's central character is Jack Torrance, an aspiring writer and recovering alcoholic who accepts a position as the off-season caretaker of the isolated historic Overlook Hotel in the Colorado Rockies. Wintering over with Jack are his wife, Wendy Torrance, and young son, Danny Torrance. Danny is gifted with "the shining", psychic abilities that enable him to see into the hotel's horrific past. The hotel cook, Dick Hallorann, also has this ability and is able to communicate with Danny telepathically. The hotel had a previous winter caretaker who went insane and killed his family and himself. After a winter storm leaves the Torrances snowbound, Jack's sanity deteriorates due to the influence of the supernatural forces that inhabit the hotel, placing his wife and son in danger."

So I assume a lot of you know The Shining by Stanley Kubrick. A movie which was adapted from the novel of the same name by Stephen King in 1977.

There's a lot of things that could have served as an inspiration for ST.

A boy/child who has psychic abilities = Eleven has psychic abilities such as telekinesis. Will has his True Sight which consist in seeing what the MF was seeing and feeling.

Now there's also the theme of family and parenthood that is also a big theme in Stranger Things. Especially abusive parenthood such as Brenner, Lonnie and even Hopper to a smaller degree.

In Shining, Jack tries to kill his family with an axe due to supernatural forces that are in the hotel but there's a difference between King and Kubrick. While King specifically said that Jack was heavily influenced by the Hotel, Kubrick shows that Jack always had that sinister violence in him even before they arrived at the hotel.

It's interesting to draw a parallel to Billy and Will, both characters called William who tried to kill their families and other people while being possessed. But Billy compared to Will was shown to have been abusive even before that. Dacre Montgomery also said that he was inspired by Jack Nicholson's performance in the Shining for his character Billy.

Joyce and Jonathan were shown to get ready to fight the monsters by taking an axe.

It's also interesting to note that Jack dies in the snow while a blizzard is happening outside the hotel. Much like the storm of the Mindflayer who is in the Upside Down, the same Mindflayer who "likes it cold". While in the book, the Overlook explodes and burn.

(Cold vs Fire much like everything Upside Down related not liking Fire.)

Also "Johnny" = "Jonathan", it's kind of similar and Jonathan did wield an axe before. Maybe this is teasing parts of Jonathan storyline next seasons ?

The gnome was also found in Mike's basement, Mike who wants to be a writer when he's older just like Jack.

Let's just hope that Jonathan and Mike don't get the same fate as Jack.

_____________________________

Gnome #2: Christine

"Two bright, beaming lights for eyes."

Overall plot:

"Written by Bill Phillips and based on Stephen King's 1983 novel of the same title, the movie follows the changes in the lives of Arnie Cunningham, an awkward and unpopular teenager, his friends, his family, and his teenage enemies in Rockbridge, California after Arnie buys a classic red and white 1958 Plymouth Fury named Christine, licence number CQB 241, a car that seems to have a jealous, possessive personality – and a mind of its own, which has a bad influence on Arnie. After working on a car in a junkyard owned by Will Darnell, Arnie drops his glasses, starts dressing like a 1950's greaser and develops an arrogant and paranoid personality. He than decides to invite and date the most beautiful girl in highschool, Leigh, who will soon become the next victim of Christine."

I was actually quite surprised by how this story parallels Stranger Things a lot.

First off, Christine is very much like The Mindflayer, a dangerous supernatural being set out to destroy anyone who is in her way, the people who tries to take the things that she thinks belongs to her or threatens her. This is very much relevant to The Mindflayer who after being hurt by the Fire created by the Hawkins Lab was upset and attacked everyone he could. Or as Will putted "Not me, everyone else."

This is very much like Christine who tried to kill Leigh because she was taking her place in the life of Arnie. Christine also tried to kill the bullies of Arnie who after a conflit with him, tried to destroy the car which angered Christine heavily.

The Mindflayer has been described someone who views himself as superior to other species and wants to conquer them, even if it's not his real "goal", the description fits anyone who is possessive and paranoid.

Both the MF and Christine are associated with the color red. Red storm = red color of the car.

Arnie ressembles Will and Billy alot. Will is an awkward and unpopular teenager who after being possessed by the Mindflayer became very different and more violent. Billy was shown to be paranoid, jealous, violent and his look even ressembles the one Arnie takes after repairing Christine.

Both of these boys have the same name as Will Darnell, the owner of a junkyard. Just like the boys in Season 1 who takes shelter in a junkyard, or in season 2 where they fight the Demodogs.

Billy dies, killed by the Mindflayer just like Arnie who was completely possessed by Christine who tried to kill Leigh and Dennis, his best friend after they tried to destroy the car when they realised the supernatural nature of it.

Billy's car ressembles a lot Christine with those lights on. Especially with shots like in the Void or at Starcourt during the night.

Chrissy, a new character that will be in season 4, the most popular girl in Hawkins High like Leigh, has a name that is the diminutive of Christine. It is said that under the perfect surface lies a dark secret. Much like the car Christine, while a beauty is actually a dangerous supernatural being. We'll see if the both of them actually connects in the show.

Also it is set in California where Billy and Max come from and has been rumored by many people due to set leaks (The Surfer Boy Pizza Van.) that it is where the Byers went. I won't get into it in this post but this could be a tease or hint of that IF the set leaks ARE true and not fake to mess with people and the fandom.

Arnie also dies in a car crash having been completely possessed by the evil powers of Christine which is something we see in the sneak peek of ST4. It also reminds of Carrie who has a bully named Chris who she kills in a car crash with her boyfriend Billy aka William.

So will someone die from that car crash ? Who is it ? Chrissy, Joyce, Lonnie ? We can only speculate.

The gnome is also found outside the Wheeler's house where Karen lives near the community pool where Billy works and where the car of Billy is located during the first few chapters of the game. Again, a "bad boy" hitting on the beautiful girl in town. (with a lot of creepy subtext all over it.)

_____________________________

Gnome #3: Doc

"Always mumbling something about being late."

Overall plot:

"Set in 1985, in the town of Hill Valley, California, the story follows Marty McFly, a teenager accidentally sent back to 1955 in a time-traveling DeLorean automobile built by his eccentric scientist friend Doctor Emmett "Doc" Brown. Trapped in the past, Marty inadvertently prevents his future parents' meeting—threatening his very existence—and is forced to reconcile the pair and somehow get back to the future."

So I don't think I need to explain why this is here given how much it has been shown and mentioned in season 3. But few things are interesting here, the fact that California is mentioned is a big deal for me again. I know you are aware of the set leaks just as I am aware, if we can trust them than this could be a hint of that location.

Next, we have the theme of Time. Now ever since ST4 was announced, clocks and times have been a key feature in the promotion. Who know what this might mean but again, we're not going to develop that in the post.

There is also the whole funny scenes of Robin realising that indeed Marty's mother had tried to "bang" her own son. Now given the nature of the shown, certain images in the show during certain events and certain stories, you know to what it connects and to which theories it connects. Won't develop further on it but it can be used as an element that can go into those theories.

The gnome is also found outside of Starcourt Mall where Robin and Steve talk about "Back to the Future". It is also where Billy has his "Back to te Future" moment with his car going extremely fast just like the DeLorean.

_____________________________

Gnome #4: Indiana

"Master of Adventure."

Overall plot:

"After arriving in India, Indiana Jones is asked by desperate villagers to find a mystical stone and rescue their children from a Thuggee cult practicing child slavery, black magic, and ritualistic human sacrifice in honor of the goddess, Kali."

Fun fact, on Twitter for ST3 promo, a parody poster of this same movie has been posted here of the official ST account.

Jim is obviously Indiana Jones, the look speaks for itself and when he is in the Tunnels in season 2, there's a lot of Indiana Jones imagery.

And of course Kali as 008, a Hindu goddess but as we will see here, it parallels more the Mindflayer.

In 1935, Indiana Jones survives a murder attempt by Lao Che, a crime boss in Shanghai who has hired him to retrieve the remains of Emperor Nurhaci. With his young orphaned Chinese sidekick, Short Round, and the nightclub singer, Willie Scott, in tow, Indy flees Shanghai on a cargo aircraft. While the three of them are asleep, the pilots (employed by Lao Che) dump the fuel and escape via parachute, leaving the plane to crash over the Himalayas. The three narrowly manage to survive by jumping out of the plane on an inflatable raft.

(I wonder if this could be something we see in season 4 with Hopper where he tries to escape on a plane and ends up crashing somewhere or is betrayed by someone who he asked the help of. Now it's a trio and in season 3, Jim, Joyce, Alexei and Murray are the main group that fits this trio. Jim for all the fighting and crazy shit, Joyce and Alexei are kind of like Short Round, they are the sidekicks of Hopper. Murray the role of Willie Scott since she speaks Chinese and him Russian and that Jim just like Indy finds annoying sometimes. Alexei is also kind of like Willie since he kinda goes along with them.

But if we also look at season 2, El is alot like Short Round since she is kind of an orphan too and has a father figure later on. It could also be Will since Hopper is with him a lot of times through season 2. Also Willie did felt out of her element like Alexei because of course he is Russian. Willie in itself doesn't have a lot in common with Joyce but still it's another connection to Will since she has a name close to the one of her sons. Something that does fit a bit more is Jim and Hopper both escaping death, of course Hopper at the end of season 3 but also during season 3 at the farm where he's being shot at by Gregori and than the car doesn't work and explodes and they have to make their way through the forest.

Willie Scott could also be referenced when El disguise herself as this pretty blonde girl in season 1.

Now however, Scoop Troops does fit certain parts of these trio. All the fighting with Steve like Indiana Jones but Robin got his brain because she cracked the code. Dustin and Erica are kinda like short round (especially Dustin who has kind of the same hat as short round.) and are referenced with all the others as children by Robin. Steve doesn't feel in his element like Willie with the three of them who are nerds just like Erica who also doesn't want to accept it. And Robin just like Willie speaks some languages.)

They ride down the mountain slopes and fall into a raging river, eventually arriving at the village of Mayapore in northern India. The villagers plead for their aid in retrieving the sacred stone (shivalinga) stolen from their shrine, along with their missing children, by evil forces in the nearby Pankot Palace. Indy agrees to do so, hypothesizing that the stone is one of the five Sankara stones given by the gods to help humanity fight evil. (It's kinda like Alexei who turns his back on the Russians, for his life of course and agrees to help Hopper close the gate to save Hawkins and their kids before monsters start to appear or may attack one of their kids. Now the stone could be something similar to the promethium or the two keys who opens the gate and is a highly valuable ressource. It also may be the Flayed who are needed to create the monster for the Mindflayer.)

The trio receive a warm welcome at Pankot Palace and are allowed to stay for the night as guests, attending a lavish, but revolting, banquet hosted by the young Maharajah. The officials rebuff Indy's theory that the Thuggee cult is responsible for their troubles. Later that night, Indy is attacked by an assassin. After Indy kills him, he discovers a series of tunnels hidden behind a statue and sets out to explore them, overcoming a number of booby-traps.

(This could be like when Hopper, Joyce and Murray disguised themselves as Russian soldiers but was than discovered by Grigori who attacks them.

The tunnels could be both groups discovering that there is a secret russian base underground and a gate which explains why there are monsters again in Hawkins but it also be the Source, Brimborn Steel Works, where the Mindflayer is lurking underground where he has cult-like followers who makes sacrifices for him to grow bigger and bigger.

It's also like the Tunnels in season 2 who explains why the soil of Hawkins seemed to literally rot. )

The trio reach an underground temple where the Thuggees worship Kali with human sacrifice. They discover that the Thuggees now possess three of the Sankara stones and have enslaved the children to search for the last two, hidden in the palace catacombs. As Indy tries to retrieve the stones, he, Willie, and Shorty are captured. Thuggee high priest Mola Ram forces Indy to drink a potion that puts him into a trance-like state in which he mindlessly serves the cult. (It's very much like Robin and Steve who after discovering the gate are catched by the Russians and than drugged to answer their questions. But also like the Flayed who drinks the chemicals and serves the Mindflayer like a mindless cult.)

Willie is prepared for sacrifice, while Shorty is put to work in the mines with the other children. Shorty escapes and returns to the temple, where he first frees Indy and, later, the Maharajah from the effects of the potion. Indy saves Willie and retrieves the stones. After freeing the children, Indy fights a hulking overseer and leaves him to be killed by a rock crusher. (Basically Dustin saves Steve and Robin. Willie being prepared for sacrifice is kind of like El prepared for sacrifice by Billy in 3x08 but also frees Billy from the effects of the Mindflayer by making him remember his mother, a pretty blonde woman like Willie and sacrifices himself. And Hopper fights Gregori, a "hulking overseer" and kills him.)

The trio escape from the temple, pursued by Thuggees, and barely escape Mola Ram's attempt to flood them out. They are again ambushed by Mola Ram and his henchmen on a rope bridge above a crocodile-infested river. Indy cuts the bridge, causing several of the henchmen to fall to the crocodiles and leaving the survivors to hang on for their lives. As Mola Ram and Indy struggle, Indy invokes the name of Shiva, causing the stones to glow red-hot and burn through Indy's satchel. Two of them fall out; Mola Ram tries to catch the third, but burns his hand and falls from the bridge and into the river, where he, too, is eaten by the crocodiles. (This can be connected to all the kids fighting in Hawkins with the Spider Monster. But the bridge could also fit for the key in the secret base where Hopper and Gregori fights. The gruesome death of Mola Ram is similar to the gruesome death that Gregori has.)

Indy catches the stone safely and climbs up just as a company of British Indian Army riflemen, sent by the Maharajah, arrive and open fire against the Thuggees to drive them away; the surviving Thuggees are soon cornered and arrested by more soldiers. Indy, Willie, and Shorty return safely to Mayapore with the stone and the missing children. (While it may end well in the movie, we know Billy and multiple people die, the Thuggees unlike the Russians have been captured while the Russians where all able to flee before the US Army arrives and Hopper is presumed dead. Only the children in both stories are alive but are probably traumatized for life.)

All in all we can see that this movie might have had a big influence on the plot of season 3 through many characters and more. It may have some hints about possible events for Hopper in season 4 or even beyond but that's about it for. It's a nice package of comparaisons and references though.

The gnome is found in the Hawkins Community Pool where Billy is. The same Billy who obeys mindlessly the Mindflayer and sacrifices people to it. Just like the Thuggees with Kali.

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Gnome #5: Chunk

"Posed in some odd dance maneuver."

Overall plot:

"In the film, a band of kids who live in the "Goon Docks" neighborhood of Astoria, Oregon, attempt to save their homes from foreclosure and, in doing so, they discover an old treasure map that takes them on an adventure to unearth the long-lost fortune of One-Eyed Willy, a legendary 17th-century pirate. During the adventure, they are chased by a family of criminals who want the treasure for themselves."

So first, let's get this out of the way, Sean Astin who play Bob Newby, our beloved who plays a character named Mikey.

The Goonies is a 1985 American adventure comedy film co-produced and directed by Richard Donner from a screenplay by Chris Columbus, based on a story by executive producer Steven Spielberg. In the film, kids who live in the "Goon Docks" neighborhood of Astoria, Oregon, attempt to save their homes from foreclosure and, in doing so, they discover an old treasure map that takes them on an adventure to unearth the long-lost fortune of One-Eyed Willy, a legendary 17th-century pirate. During the adventure, they are chased by a family of criminals who want the treasure for themselves.

I wonder if this might hint at some Season 4 plot right here. The Hawkins gang faces the threat of Hawkins becoming a literal ghost down and might need to find something to save it. Also Willy like William, again Will is still there.

The Goonies include optimist lead Goonie Mikey Walsh, his older brother Brandon, the inventive Data, the talkative Mouth, and the overweight klutz Chunk.

Rummaging through the Walshes' attic, they come across a 1632 doubloon and an old treasure map purporting to lead to the treasure of legendary pirate "One-Eyed Willy", believed to be located somewhere nearby. Mikey considers One-Eyed Willy to be the original Goonie. (It kinda reminds me of Mike who got mad at Max in season 2 and told her they didn't need another party member. And he mentionned Will first right after him.)

The kids overpower and bind Brandon and make their way to an abandoned restaurant on the coast that coincides with the map; Brandon soon follows alongside Andy, a cheerleader with a crush on him ( there has been cheerleaders that have been reported in season 4 such as Chrissy.); and Stef, Andy's friend. The group quickly discovers the derelict restaurant is a hideout of the Fratelli crime family: Francis, Jake, and their mother. (Maybe it is both a reference to the Russians in season 3 who have a hideout under the mall who have many restaurants. Or the Lab who OBVIOUSLY does a lot of illegal activities. )

The Goonies find a tunnel in the basement and follow it (like the tunnels made by the Mindflayer in season 2), but when Chunk flags down a motorist to go to the sheriff’s station, he gets abducted by the assailants and imprisoned with their hulking, deformed, younger brother Sloth. (This is obviously like Dustin who befriends Dart in season 2, a literal Demogorgon in the making.)

The Fratellis interrogate Chunk until he reveals where the Goonies have gone, and begin pursuit. Chunk is left behind with Sloth, but befriends him. After Sloth frees both of them, Chunk calls the sheriff, and both follow the trail of the Fratellis. (This is very reminiscent of Hopper in season 1 who gets interrogated by Lab agents or Steve and Robin by the Russians.)

The Goonies evade several deadly booby traps along the tunnels, while staying ahead of the Fratellis. Finally, they reach the grotto where Willy's pirate ship, the Inferno, is anchored. (Will also has a ship, the rainbow ship he drew for Joyce, also Inferno literally means Hell just like what Hawkins has been called.)

The group discovers the ship is filled with treasure, and they start filling their pockets, but Mikey warns them not to take any on a set of scales in front of Willy, considering that to be their tribute to him. As they leave the ship, the assailants appear and strip them of their loot. They start to bind the Goonies and make them walk the plank, until Chunk arrives with Sloth and distracts the assailants long enough for the Goonies to jump overboard and swim to safety. (It's the opposite of the season 2 finale, where Dustin has to distract Dart so that the other could pass through the tunnels.)

The Fratellis proceed to grab all the treasure they can, including those on Willy's scales; this triggers another booby trap that causes the grotto to cave in. With Sloth's help, the Goonies and Fratellis barely escape.

The two groups emerge on Astoria's beach, where they reunite with the Goonies' families and the police. The Fratellis are arrested, but Chunk prevents Sloth from also being taken; he invites Sloth to live with him, which Sloth accepts. ("Unfortunately", Dart compared to Sloth probably died.)

As the kids describe their adventure to their parents, the Walshes' housekeeper, Rosalita, discovers that Mikey's marble bag is filled with gems he took from the ship and had not been seized by the Fratellis. Mikey's father triumphantly rips up the foreclosure papers, declaring they have enough money to negate the foreclosure. As the Goonies celebrate, they see the Inferno, having broken free of the grotto, sailing off on its own in the distance. (Could it be hinting at a possible happy ending for Stranger Things ?)

So Fratellis, is similar to fratello which means "brother, fellow, neighbor" which perhaps could be a reference to the Mindflayer who is kind of our neighbor since he is basically in the same places but in the Upside Down. The Mindflayer also has been paralleled to Billy and other abusive father figures. Billy who is the brother of Max. He has also been paralleled to Kali through his anger and him attacking people who hurted him or might hurt him. Could in itself The Mindflayer should be taken or seen as some sort of family figure ? Maybe him being always associated with Will The Wise especially in 2x04 or someone who has the name Will like Billy is a connection. The same Billy who also parallels Russians who just like the Fratellis have secret hideouts.

Though the Fratellis are more motivated by greed which fits Brenner, Lonnie (who tried to use his son's death to gain money.) or Russians most.

Now Willy, Willy is a captain. Maybe it could be hinting at the fact that Will has more importance to the story than we think. There's also Inferno, "Hell" which is Hawkins but also the name of the ship. And Will has a rainbow ship... Could Hawkins be the ship of Will where his adventures are taking place ?

As for the dance... well as you've seen upper in the post: it's the "Truffle Shuffle Dance". It's something that Chunk has to do before entering Mikey's house. It's similar to what Dustin do at the beginning of season 1 to the bullies when he makes his bones crack due to his medical condition, cleidocranial dysplasia.

As for where this gnome is located, it's in Weathertop where Cerebro is located which is fitting since Dustin has a lot of Goonies as inspiration for his character.

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Gnome #6: Elvis

"He's not dead!"

"Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), also known simply as Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural icons of the 20th century. His energized interpretations of songs and sexually provocative performance style, combined with a singularly potent mix of influences across color lines during a transformative era in race relations, led him to both great success and initial controversy." - Wikipedia.

It is a lot known that people in the 80's thought that Elvis Presley was still alive due to his status and the aura he had as a celebrity. However, no matter how appealing this myth may be, he died of an excessive usage of prescription drugs which reminds me of Nancy who said she thought Tom was on drugs when he fired her and Jonathan while he an the Flayed were drinking chemicals. He also died in 1977, the same year "Heroes" by David Bowie came out which is a song that was used two times when we thought a character died when he was actually alive which are Will and Hopper. Will and Hopper both have a lot of rock in their Spotify playlist.

Also, I personally think that Steve has kind of an Elvis Presley aura to him especially in season 1. After all, Steve has a nickname "King Steve" and Elvis Presley is often nicknamed "The King" and both were popular with girls.

Fun fact: Dacre Montgomery who plays Billy who literally becomes the new "King" of Hawkins will play in the biographical music drama "Elvis" about Elvis Presley where he will play a character called "Steve Binder".

Also actor David Harbour also got married with singer Lily Allen by Elvis in Las Vegas.

It's also found hidden behind bushes near the Public Library. Maybe indicating that Elvis is still out there in the world and hiding.

Which also may be a reference to Brenner who has a similar haircut but also about the novel "Suspicious Minds", a prequel of ST taking place in the Lab when Brenner was doing his sinister experiments which is the same title as one of the songs of Elvis. Like Elvis, Brenner is still out there, hiding in Hawkins.

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Gnome #7: Jack

"All work and no play makes Jack a dull gnome."

Again another reference to Shining. So what you are seeing here is a proverb, it means:  "It means that without time off from work, a person becomes both bored and boring."

In Shining, it represents Jack's slow descent into madness. But it could be a reference to Joyce, Jonathan and Nancy who all work their asses off and don't take a lot of time for themselves and so don't have the time to explore anything else than work which also cause for them not to be there when Will got kidnapped. It may also represent Jonathan's words to Nancy in season 1 where he "called out" the boring life she will have and that she will live like her parents so in this case the proverb becomes about societal norms.

Mike just like Jack is an aspiring writer, Mike just like other members of his family falls into these societal norms that are expected like work and overworking in this instance which makes them boring in the eyes of people like Jonathan. "No play" may also reference D&D which Mike started to ignore in season 3 and worried more pointless and superficial things.

Again, hope it doesn't foreshadow anything for these two characters.

This gnome is found in the Library which is fitting considering Jack wants to be a writer.

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Gnome #8: Flynn (Flynn Rider from "Tangled" (2010))

"Looks like he rides well."

Overall plot of Tangled (2010):

"The film tells the story of Rapunzel, a lost, young princess with magical long blonde hair who yearns to leave her secluded tower. Against her abusive foster mother's wishes who kidnappee her when she was young, she accepts the aid of an intruder to take her out into the world which she has never seen."

This story is literally what the boys was arguing about at the end of season 1.

1)The lost knight...

Flynn Rider is actually the son of a king and queen that were from a kingdom that got destroyed by a powerful opal. He was evacuated and placed in an orphanage. He made his reputation as thief.

So Mike and El both parallels this guy, well Mike is a palladin in D&D and he is the son of a wealthy family so he is basically a night. El however also lost her parents like him and has more attributes of a knight in season 1 than Mike.

Flynn is arrogant, which Mike can be a bit sometimes but the both of them can be extremely courageous and care a lot about the people they care about though they are not very strong, nor athletic. Maybe Flynn a bit more.

Also fun coincidence Flynn = Finn, the name of the actor who plays Mike. (almost the same name).

Both him and El run into each other in the woods. Just like Flynn who discover Rapunzel while trying to enter Rapunzel's tower but is knocked out by her who is none other than the...

2)The proud princess...

Well first Rapunzel = Eleven. Both of these girls have magical powers and are used by an abusive and evil parental figure who needs them for their own interest, Mother Gothel used the powers of Rapunzel to stay young forever (like an addiction, a drug) and Martin Brenner aka "Papa". They are both locked away somewhere. El in the lab and Rapunzel in the tower which they both seeked to escape out of. Both believed that these parental figures loved them while it was not true. El also has long blond hair in season 1 like Rapunzel. And both quickly form a relationship with a boy they just met. Both don't know who their real parents are and wants to find them. While Rapunzel has long blonde hair, El had a shaved head.

Also in season 2, El is locked in a cabin in the woods because of Hopper because he believe it is not safe out there which is exactly what Mother Gothel tells Rapunzel. Just like her El disobeys and seeks to discover who her true parents are.

Rapunzel seeks to know what are those floating lights that always appear on her birthday, it is actually her parents who are the king and queen of a kingdom not so far away that do that every year hoping one day she will come back to her. She is a "lost princess". It is very similar to Terry Ives who was communicating through the lights to El.

Rapunzel's power comes out of something that is also connected to something famous in ST.

3) Weird flowers in the cave...

Rapunzel's power come from a flower called "Sundrop flower". = Sunflower which is said by Terry Ives.

This flower can pretty much heal anything including mortal wounds. The Queen got pregnant with Rapunzel but was also terribly sick so she took this flower to heal herself and while doing so, Rapunzel got this ability.

This is very reminiscent of Terry Ives who was pregnant with El and took part in the MKUltra experiences that gave her these powers including certain drugs. She is also "ill" in a way as she is now stuck in a loop. At least from what we saw.

But Rapunzel also parallels another character.

Will Byers. Will could communicate through lights to his mother, just like the parents of Rapunzel and Terry Ives.

The weird flowers could be referencing the sort of vines that entered inside of him in the Upside Down which gave him his "now-memories".

Both had abusive parental figure that would lock them somewhere for whatever reason. (Lonnie with Will in his trunk.)

(Also Hopper may have tried to separate Mike and El but he wasn't like what a Lonnie or Brenner would have been. This is why yes, the situation in season 2 parallels but Hopper truly wished good for El while Brenner and Mother Gothel didn't care for any of these two.)

Same is for Lonnie, he doesn't care about Will.

Since Will is a cleric, both him and Rapunzel have the same time of power. Powers that El doesn't have:

To heal the sick and injured

To revive the dead

To work as a shield

Given this story, it may hint at the fact that Brenner and Lonnie may try to take El and Will for their own greed and purposes.

Since Rapunzel parallels both Will and El, you know what that means for Flynn who parallels Mike.

Flynn in the movie is stabbed by Mother Gothel and dies before cutting the hair of Rapunzel killing Mother Gothel in the process. Rapunzel mourns him and one of his tears heal him.

If Flynn parallels Mike, than something bad could happen to him. If Will does have powers and has feelings for Mike, a supposed death may reveal his powers.

And if he has the same powers as his cleric role, than he could heal those who get hurt or even bring the dead back to life.

If Lonnie sees Mike around Will, given he is homophobic. He may try to hurt him so that he doesn't go near Will again which could lead to him being in grave danger.

Of course all of that is just speculation.

This gnome was found on the parking lot of Starcourt where El decided to break up with Mike and we saw Will smiling in the background.

Also I don't know but... "Looks like he rides well", I mean there's certain undertones to that which are... I don't know how to process that but from what you've just read, Mike apparently rides well. I mean I have nothing against gay sex jokes but still...

Even if it's unintentional, it's how it'll sound on the internet.

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Gnome #9: David

"At 399, he's the oldest gnome around."

So this gnome was already in the first ST official mobile game. And this reminds me a lot of The Lord Of The Rings and The Hobbit but also and of course; Dungeons & Dragons.

The World of David the Gnome, originally titled David, el Gnomo (also known as David, the Gnome), is a Spanish animated television series based on the children's book The Secret Book of Gnomes, by the Dutch author Wil Huygen and illustrator Rien Poortvliet. The series was originally created in Spain by BRB Internacional (who were also responsible for the Dogtanian and the Three Muskehounds franchise (Like Dart in season 2 and Mike, Lucas and Dustin where very much like the Three Musketeers in season 1.) and other cartoons such as Bobobobs and Around the World with Willy Fog)

The series presents the gnomes as a kind species, of 15 centimetres (6 inches) of height, and between 250 and 300 grams (8 and 10 ounces) of weight depending on gnome body mass. According to their habitat, different types of gnomes are distinguished: the ones of the forest, the ones of the garden, the ones of the farm, the ones of the house, the ones of the dunes, those of Siberia (David = David Harbour = Hopper = Hopper is in Russia), and nomadic "gypsy" gnomes (commonly looked down upon by other gnomes). A gnome's lifespan is usually 400 years, though there is one example of a couple in the Balkans living 550 years.

Gnomes such as the main characters live in pairs in comfortable caves or holes under trees [kinda like Hobbits] (in their case in the company of a pair of mice and a cricket). Their diet is mostly vegetarian. They are helped by the animals of the forest (kinda like Radagast who is the password to Castle Byers who is located in the woods) when travelling long distances or when they need to arrive quickly at a specific location. Gnomes work in various ways to repair the damage inevitably caused by humans. They also have the power of telepathy and mind control. (kinda like El or the Mindflayer, or even Galadriel in The Lord Of The Rings.)

Their main enemies are the trolls, malevolent and clumsy creatures who always make trouble for the other inhabitants of the forest, as well as gnome poachers. They have supernatural powers that are really strong but they have a weakness, if the sunlight gets on them, they turn to stone.(could be referencing all the Upside Down creatures who don't like sunlight and everything hot.) [Also very much like the Hobbit.] Also one of the trolls was voiced by someone who had the name Henderson, like Dustin Henderson. I also think it references a comic where some bullies attack Will and Mike calls them trolls.

Here are the most important characters:

David is a gnome of the forest. David is 399 years old, making him the oldest gnome around (since gnomes live no more than 400 years exactly, except Franklin, the gnome from the west, who lived 550 years), although he possesses exceptional constitution. David is a doctor, and he uses his knowledge of many fields, such as hypnosis and acupuncture, to heal his patients, usually animals, such as his faithful friend Swift the fox, or other gnomes. David also befriends a bird that, when he whistles, immediately arrives to quickly transport him to wherever necessary. For longer trips, he sometimes travels in a basket attached to the neck of the bird. (It may be a reference to clerics who are known to heal their allies and travelling with birds reminds me of Gandald who sometimes has the help of Eagles in some stories.)

Paul is David's twin brother. Not only does Paul have a normal moustache in contrast to David's handlebar moustache but his jumper is a darker shade of blue, he has a bigger nose, his gnome hat is dark blue whereas David's is red, and his trousers and boots are an inverse of David's: David's trousers are brown and his boots are beige, while Paul wears beige trousers and dark boots. (Of course this is a reference to Will and El who have been compared a lot of times throughout the show and who a lot of people in the fandom consider them siblings and twins, Will has a lot of Red in his wardrobe while El has a lot of blue.)

This gnome was found in a secret Russian base underground in Weathertop where Dustin discovers the Russian transmission coming from their main base located under the mall like a cave (like where gnome lives.). There are also gnomes in Siberia and having the name David, the name of Hopper's actor creates a connection since right now Hopper is in Russia. It may also be a nod to the group of kids who are all little gnomes running around the forest with their magical powers.

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Gnome #10: Baskin

"Robin's favorite gnome."

Now this is a funny one.

This is a reference to the famous Baskin-Robbins which is a chain of ice cream restaurants that did special ice creams for Season 3 because of Scoops Ahoy. It is Robin's favorite gnome because they literally share the same name.

Baskin could also be a reference to the film of the same name where Five police officers, Remzi, Arda, Yavuz, Apo, and Seyfi, are dining at a restaurant, during which they have a discussion. Their meal is interrupted when they receive a distress call from Inceagac, a town known for being the focus of strange rumors. During the trip Seyfi has a terrifying vision of a bloody figure and accidentally drives their van into the water. Stranded, the officers eventually make their way to Inceagac, where they find themselves in an abandoned building (back in the Ottoman days, this used to be a police station), captured by cult members and are subjected to a number of increasingly bizarre and surreal scenarios. In the end, they realize they have all inadvertently wandered into Hell.

It has alot of similiraties with stories like Silent Hills or Hellraiser, two stories that inspired Stranger Things especially Hellraiser for Stranger Things 4. And it fully embraces the satanic imagery and themes which is something we are going to see with the satanic panic and also has the theme of time, dreams and visions.

We'll see how much season 4 decides to use those sort of elements in the show.

Well this gnome is easy to find. It's in the Scoops Ahoy parlor next to Robin. USS Butterscotch seems to be very popular there

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Gnomes 11 - 20 coming soon.

[lightsovermonaco]

His Good Sweater: Chapter 4

Masterlist

Thank you as always to my best friend and Beta reader @acollectionofficsandshit​ for putting up with me and my ramblings ♥

Word Count: 3.8k

Recommended song: "ily (I love you baby)" by Surf Mesa and Emilee

You'd never been more thankful that you kept a change of clothes in your car than you were after the race at Silverstone. You'd showered again, changing back into the sweaty tee and leggings. The clean emergency hoodie and jeans were a blessing, and casual enough for a night on the town.

Most of the crew had left, only a few poor souls pouring over race data or packing up essentials. James let you into the trailer yard this time without hesitation. "We really should just get you a key," He teases, "Sure would make my life easier."

Rolling your eyes, you give the tower of muscle a pitiful shove. He doesn't move an inch. "Thanks James. I'll ask Pierre to look into it."

A sudden wave of tiredness washes over you when you make it back to the trailer. You flip through the channels on the tiny television, settling on an analysis of the day’s race.

“And a brilliant drive from young Pierre Gasly, wasn’t it John?”

“I completely agree Martin. Gasly took advantage of every slip up by Mercedes and Red Bull and he has to be commended for that. Max made some rare mistakes and…”

You smile to yourself, their praise washing over you. Yawning, you curl up on Pierre's bed, the familiar smell of cedar lulling you into a light sleep in minutes.

**********

A gentle touch to your cheek wakes you some hours later. You crack your eyes open, greeted by a smile brighter than the stars in the night sky. You taste eternal sunshine on his lips when you kiss him, your soul sparking in response to his light.

"Good morning," He murmurs, thumb rubbing along your jaw. "Sleep well?"

You snuggle closer to him, eyes closing once more as you soak up the warmth. "Is it time to go out already?"

"It is. But we can stay here if you want to." He brushes a stray hair off your face. The gesture is so tender, if you didn’t know any better you’d never guess he could turn into the seasoned, take-no-shit racer you’d seen hours before. 

You shake your head. You couldn't let him miss out on celebrating his victory with his closest friends. Besides, you hadn't seen any of them for a span of time longer than a few minutes in months, and truth be told, you missed them all. 

Those boys had a knack for turning the simplest of outings into unforgettable adventures. You had been sworn to secrecy on numerous occasions after Pierre recounted drunken escapades that usually ended with Max sleeping somewhere preposterous, like a claw-footed bathtub in a fancy suite.

“Where are we going?” You ask sleepily. “Somewhere nearby?”

Pierre tugs you up until you’re sitting. He pulls you back against his chest, arms wrapping around you as he sets his chin on your shoulder. “Yeah. Maybe ten minutes away.”

You lean your full weight against him, admiring how perfectly your bodies slot together. “Can I leave my car here?”

“As long as you’re okay with it staying here until tomorrow, that’s fine.” He coaxes you to stand and presses a kiss to your temple as a reward. Your limbs are still heavy and uncooperative. Pierre winds an arm around your waist, supporting you and assuming the position of your rock as he always did.

"You don't sleep here," You state simply, looking at him for confirmation. He shakes his head.

"Wouldn't be enough room for two anyway." He gestures to the tiny twin sized bed and shrugs.

Your brow furrows. “Am I staying with you tonight?” You honestly had not considered it. The jet usually left early and you had assumed he would want to get as much rest as possible. But now that you had experienced waking up next to him, you realize how much you want his face to be the first thing you see when you open your eyes each morning.

“Of course you’re staying with me. I’m taking every second of your time that I can get.”

You bite your lip and lay your head on his shoulder. The idea of falling asleep in his arms was enough to shake any lingering sleepiness. “Okay.” Confident that you could hold yourself up, you step out of his grasp. “Ready.”

The few mechanics roaming about the grounds are enough to keep you cautious. You walk through the paddock a hair's breadth apart, although every nerve screams for you to touch him. Every time your arm grazes his, electricity ripples across your skin. All you want to do is hold his hand, but there’s enough prying eyes that you restrain the impulse.

You can tell he feels it too by the way his fingers curl and uncurl at his sides. And he's biting his cheek, you notice. A nervous habit of his and a clear indicator that he'd retreated inside his own head, likely contemplating if he'd truly deserved to win today or not.

Every few months his doubts crept in, the devil on his shoulder reminding him that Horner hadn't deemed him good enough to keep his seat at Red Bull after only a handful of races.

You'll never be as talented as them, is what you'd imagined it whispered. They're only here because they pity you. What makes you think you deserve a seat?

It couldn't be farther from the truth. Deep down, Pierre knew that. Driving in Formula 1 meant being under constant scrutiny from the public and sportscasters. Making an error meant debates about whether you were good enough and rumors about seat security.

There were no such errors today. You'd heard the commentary after the race; everyone was raving about his performance. Not one person had dared say he didn't deserve it.

Not wanting him to suffer alone, you subtly wrap your pinky finger around his. "You're okay," You say softly, his head whipping to you. "You deserved that trophy today. It was some of the best driving I've ever seen, everyone agrees. You deserve a trophy every time you get in that car. You'll always be my champion, even if the world tells you otherwise."

It takes a moment for it to sink in, but he nods and releases your pinkie. "You're my grounding rod," He says, lips curling in a knowing smile, and you can't hold back your laugh.

"Leave it to you to turn a romantic moment into a cheesy one." Instead of saying you're my rock like any normal person, he had to bring up the time you'd embarrassed yourself at the bar a year or so ago. He'd let you prattle on to poor Dan about building grounding rods of all things, and how you'd thought your professor's way of designing such a system was flawed. Pierre would never let you live that down, it seemed.

Max spots the two of you first, waving from where the boys had gathered outside Red Bull. “About time you showed up! We’ve been waiting for ten minutes!”

“She fell asleep,” Pierre says simply, his confidence back. “Takes her awhile to wake up.”

“Whatever, I’m just glad you’re here,” Daniel says, throwing an arm around your shoulders and tucking you tight to his side. You couldn’t help the broad smile creeping onto your face, twin to the aussie’s as you hug him back. 

“We missed you,” Charles says, falling into step beside you. “I never hear from you anymore!”

You grimace. It was true, while the three boys had texted you quite frequently the past few months, you had barely responded to them. You felt guilty about it, knowing they were taking time out of their packed schedules to catch up. But uni had been kicking your ass and the only one you’d found time for was Pierre. Looking back, you were glad he had been the exception.

“Yeah, sorry about that,” You say. “Lots of projects.”

“And that new internship,” Max points out. Your eyebrows flick up, gaze flicking to Pierre. You had been awarded an internship a month or so ago at a local engineering firm in London. It was only part time work, a few hours a week, but it was enough. The only one you had told was Pierre.

Pierre grins, the gesture a silent apology. “I may have spilled the beans.” 

You cut him a glare, the others laughing at your attempt at being intimidating. But you couldn’t turn away from him, not when he was looking at you with the same pride you had felt when he’d won earlier that day. 

“Uber’s here,” Charles announces, checking his phone.

“Where?” Daniel asks, and Charles indicates a black SUV parked at the curb. Daniel and Max exchange a look, shouting “Shotgun!” at the same time. Both boys break into a full sprint, feet pounding on the pavement. Daniel wins - barely, leaving Max and Charles to squeeze into the back seat.

Pierre follows you into the third row of seats, his hand immediately engulfing yours. Your stomach flips, glancing up to find a reassuring smile on his face. You could barely focus on what was said for the first half of the ride, hyperaware of the callouses rubbing your skin. The world around you erupts into color at the touch, completing the part of you that you’d never realized was missing. 

The remainder of the drive is filled with laughter, jokes, and plenty of selfies with the driver. It wasn’t every day one could brag about having four world class drivers in your car; you couldn’t blame the man for being excited.

By the time you arrive at the bar, your sides are already splitting with laughter. “First round is on you, Ricciardo,” Charles says, wagging a finger at him. “Punishment for bringing up the Abu Dhabi incident again!”

“Jokes on you, I was already planning on it!” He glances at you and winks. “Gotta congratulate the winner somehow, right?” Little did the Australian know, you had already congratulated Pierre a few hours ago, and you doubted that a few shots would outshine that performance. You hope the pink tinge that rises to your cheeks with the memory isn't obvious and you duck your head just in case.

A blast of air conditioning hits you as you all stumble into the bar. All eyes fell to you and the ragtag group of drivers when you entered, silence blanketing the patrons. The bartender slams a fist on the wooden bartop, rattling glasses and making you flinch.

“Been wonderin’ when you lot were gonna show your ugly mugs!”

Daniel, Max and Charles erupt into friendly laughter, shaking the man’s hand and making small talk. You look to Pierre for an explanation.

“Tradition,” He murmurs. The noise returned to a normal level around you, though you could feel the glances thrown your way. “We come here every year, but only if one of us wins at Silverstone. Been awhile since that happened.”

"Ah," You say, nodding dramatically. "Yes, very long time." Pierre grins, shaking his head.

"Who won this year?" The man - William, Pierre informs you- asks. He towered over you when you sat on the sticky bar stool, tall and lanky but well muscled and certainly not someone you would expect patrons to try disrespecting. He was already pouring five shots of a fine Irish Whiskey, waving Daniel off when he tried to start a tab. “My treat.”

Max claps a hand on Pierre's shoulder. "This one claimed the crown, for once!"

"Wey hey!" William says, passing out the shots. "Everyone else crash out or what?"

"You should watch the replay," You say, knocking Pierre's shoulder with your own. "It was amazing. The move he used to get past Max-" you bring your pinched fingers to your lips in a chef's kiss. "Gorgeous."

"Much to Max's despair," Charles adds, raising his shot. "To the underdog!"

You all echo the sentiment, the boys knocking back the strong alcohol with practiced ease. It didn't go down as smooth for you, burning your throat and making you wince.

Daniel laughs. "Not used to drinking with us anymore, huh?"

"Must have lost my edge," You say, the woody taste lingering in your mouth. "I'm sure it'll hit me hard in a half hour or so, too."

**********

Well, you weren't wrong about the alcohol hitting you like a punch to the gut. Two shots later and you were swaying like a sailor on his first excursion out to sea, Pierre's shoulder the only thing keeping you from toppling off the bar stool. 

Pierre's eyes were bright as the others poked fun at him, William joining in with a witty remark now and then. His laugh wrapped around you like a warm blanket, keeping you content and grounded.

"Hey Pierre," Daniel says at one point, "Don't look now but that table of girls has been obsessed with you all night."

Pierre, blitzed as he was, pays no attention to Dan's warning and turns around. A loopy grin was plastered on his face, turning back and shaking his head.

You may not have been able to think straight, but your stomach lurches. Instantly sobering slightly, you follow Dan's gaze to the indicated table to your left. Three beautiful women sat there, whispering behind their hands and clearly speaking about Pierre. One bit her lip and caught your eye, giggling. Her looks were universally attractive enough that she would be anyone’s type, Pierre included. The possessiveness in the gaze she raked over his body set your blood boiling. 

This… was not a scenario you wanted to play out. You didn't know if Pierre was ready to tell his friends about your relationship yet. You knew he wouldn't let any of those girls have the light of day, but he might let them fawn over him a little, just to protect your secret. And it would kill you, but you would have no choice but to let it happen.

"I'm good," Pierre says, sipping the beer he had been nursing all night.

"Come on mate," Max pushes, a wicked grin on his flushed face, "That blonde is so your type."

No she isn't.

You’re already staring up at Pierre when he turns to you. You have always worn your emotions on your sleeve for anyone to see, and it only got worse when mixed with alcohol. Pierre smiles softly, taking mercy on you. Slowly, he takes your hand and threads your fingers together before turning back to the boys.

"One of you can tell them I’m not interested. I already have my girl." 

Heart beating wildly, you scan your friends faces. They were all wide eyed and slack jawed, staring at your joined hands. Pierre gives your hand a gentle squeeze, reminding you to breathe. He read you like an open book, offering reassurance when you needed it most.

"It's about fucking time!" Daniel roars, breaking the tense silence. Your shoulders relax, grinning along with the others. Pierre beams at you, knocking your shoulder to say I told you so. 

"Does this mean I get a break from listening to you obsess over her every weekend?" Max asks, giving you a meaningful look. 

"Likely not," Pierre answers. "I'm still just as obsessed as before. Maybe more." Max pretends to gag, earning him a playful punch from Charles. God, it was so freeing for your relationship to be more open, even if it was just between your closest friends. 

"I'd just like to point out that I told you two this would happen years ago," Charles says matter of factly, pointing at Max and Dan. "Should've taken you up on that bet."

Your mouth hung open. "You were going to bet on us being a couple?"

"Oh come on," Max says, rolling his eyes. "We all knew it was coming eventually. We just didn't know when!"

Pink stains your cheeks, but Pierre laughs and leans in to kiss you. Remembering the girls behind you, you press a little closer to him. Under the guise of placing a kiss to his cheek, you meet the blonde's eyes and smile sweetly.

The woman preens, mouth twisting. Good. Pierre was yours, and now that he'd admitted it, you could let those girls know it. His hand slips to your thigh, squeezing hard. A clear warning that you were venturing into dangerous territory. You didn't care.

The alcohol in your veins makes you bold, and you want to drive your point home. They could look all they wanted, but he was coming home with you. You push the boundary farther and bite the soft skin of his neck just hard enough to leave a mark. Pierre's hiss finally makes you pull back and look up at him innocently.

"Get a room," Daniel teases with a wink. You smile at him, mumbling an insincere apology. Your point had been made. The arrogant smirk had been wiped from the woman’s face, replaced with a grimace. 

"I think it is time for us to get going," Pierre says, annoyance flashing across his face. Oh, you had stoked the fire and now you would have to face the consequences. 

"We're just getting started," Charles complains. Pierre slaps a few bills on the counter and gets up without responding. 

"Bye guys!" You call over your shoulder as Pierre drags you towards the door. They all wave back, Max's lower lip jutting out in a pout. Your eyes slid one more time to the blonde, who had her arms crossed over her chest. You give her a wicked, taunting grin and return her earlier wink.

Pierre halts so quickly that you run into him. “Why are we leaving?”

“You know why,” He growls, flagging down a cab. “You didn't like how she was looking at me, so you did something about it. You might not have noticed, but every man in that bar had their eyes on you. So I’m following your example and doing something about it.”

Your brow furrows. Pierre won’t meet your gaze, and your eyes fall to the purple mark on his neck. You didn’t like his tone; it bordered dangerously on anger. “Are you… Are you mad that I did that?”

Tears threaten to spill when he finally looks at you. God, you were a blubbering drunk.  When your lip wobbles, his anger fades and he sighs. “I’m not mad. I just… I didn’t think you’d want me flaunting our relationship yet. When you did this-” He gestures to his neck- “I could barely keep my hands off you. Not when I saw the guy walking up to you.”

You sniff, trying to conjure the image of the bar. “I didn’t notice anyone.”

“Yeah, cause I dragged you out here before he could say anything.” Pierre pulls his hood up and sighs. “Trying to catch a cab here is harder than overtaking Hamilton.”

You laugh harder than you should at the off-hand remark, following after him as he trudges down the sidewalk. “Why are you not drunk? I feel like you should be drunk. You won a race. They were feeding you shots one after another.”

“One of us had to be responsible and make sure we got home okay.” He smiles over his shoulder at you. “And I knew as soon as you had that first shot it would have to be me. Didn’t you notice me handing the shots to the other guys?”

“No,” You say, rubbing your eyes. “What about the boys? How are they gonna get home?” Pierre stops, forcing you to do the same. He tugs your hood up, makes sure his is secure enough to hide his face, and grabs your hand.

“I already told Seb to come round them up in an hour or so. They’ll be fine.”

You don’t respond, too busy trying to put one foot in front of the other and not fall on your face. It doesn’t help that your vision is a tad blurry. Finally you give up and whine, “How much further?”

“It’s right there,” He says, pointing at a towering glass building just across the street. “In five minutes, you can be tucked into a cozy, fluffy suite and you can rest all you want, my love.”

You hum at the words, warmth flooding your veins from more than the liquor. “I like that.”

“What, the building?” He asks, amused. He helps you cross the empty street, making sure you’re paying attention to where you’re going.

“Noooo, what you said,” You clarify, leaning on him as you try to navigate the handful of steps leading to the hotel.

He’s quiet until you reach the elevator. “My love,” He murmurs, and you grin up at him.

“Mon… mon coeur,” You manage to say, somehow pulling the French phrase out of the dregs of your memory. The words are slurred and you know that you absolutely botch the pronunciation, but the intent is clear. You may have lived in France since you were 18, but learning the language wasn’t a requirement when almost everyone knew english as well. But the two of you had spent many hours watching Pierre’s favorite french films over the years; some of it must have unintentionally rubbed off on you.

A disbelieving smile tugs at his lips. “How do you even know what that means?”

You shrug. “Just do.” The elevator doors open and you step out, Pierre following. You halt, not knowing which hall to take. You glance up at your companion for help, only to find him staring back at you. “What?”

He shakes his head and leads you down the corridor to his room. It's a spacious corner suite, with huge windows facing Silverstone that give him a perfect view of the track. You make for the window but Pierre’s hand on your wrist stops you.

“I don’t think so, it’s time for you to sleep.”

“But I just wanna see,” You protest weakly.

“Nice try. I know you. You’ll sit in front of that window for hours if I let you.”

You give in only because he was right. Cityscapes of any kind drew your attention like a moth to a flame. You pouted anyway, but let him take you to the bedroom. Gentle pressure on your shoulders had you sinking into the plush mattress, groaning at the luxurious softness. Pierre laughs as he helps you out of your shoes and jeans, leaving the hoodie.

Eyelids drooping, you climb under the covers Pierre had pulled back for you. He tucks you in and kisses your temple. You grab for him, tugging on his shirt until he stoops down and gives you a proper kiss. When he steps out of your grasp, you panic.

“Stay,” You mumble, fear bubbling in your chest. He had to stay, he couldn’t leave, not when you only had this one night left-

“I’m just taking off my shoes,” He assures you, his weight sliding in behind you to settle against your back. You sigh, moulding yourself to him as best you could. Being in his arms was somehow familiar, even if he’d never held you like this. It felt like home.

“Pierre?”

“Hmm?”

“I love you.”

Pillowy soft lips press to the nape of your neck. “I love you too, mon coeur.”

Tagging: @flashcal

[spaceorphan18]

I'm new to fandom - what are the better boyfriend olympics? I've heard that phrase being used a lot to talk about Klaine but I'm not really sure what's going on.

Hi Nonny! Welcome to fandom :) Pull up a chair as I give you a history of the BBO and how it started.  I actually think it’s kind of fascinating now that I’m not living through it, lol. 

Okay, so let’s go back to 2010 when there wasn’t a Klaine fandom, there was a Kurt fandom.  A lot of the BBO stemmed out of the Kurt’s Boyfriend Shipping wars of 2010.  

Back then, there was just a Kurt fandom, and a lot of opinions about who he should date.  Believe it or not, Kurt was shipped a lot with the other guys on the show, there was a healthy dose of Kurt/Finn, but Kurt/Puck was huge, and there was a smattering of Kurt/Mike (I never really did see much Kurt/Artie now that I think of it, which is kind of funny in retrospect, but I’m sure it’s out there.)  Anyway - when the show announced Kurt was getting a boyfriend -- well, things began to get heated up.  

Three big ships emerged

Kurt/Sam - because the rumor was that Sam was originally supposed to be Kurt’s bf (probably not, but that rumor was big at the time).  Btw, they were the canoe ship (I have no idea why) and was also known as Kum (rolls-eyes).  This ship’s fanbase was so huge and lasted so long, that the show felt the need to address it head on in Season Two’s Rumours (not a joke).   

Kurt/Karofsky - Also known as Kurtofsky, they were also called themselves the Pirate ship (god, Idk why, shipping wars are weird, yo).  These people were also really passionate, mostly about Dave, but liked the whole idea that Kurt would save Dave and they would have this weird - enemies to loves love affair or something.  I don’t know, I could never get past the squicky assault aspect, but whatever. 

Kurt/Blaine - which. at the time, was... the biggest possibility? It’s funny cause the other two ships were just as big as the Klaine ship, and really the fighting became over who was going to be the best option for Kurt.  

And that’s the thing.  Fans of Kurt were so passionate about who was best for Kurt, because everyone had seen him go through hell and back on the show, so his boyfriend needed to be perfect for him.  And you know who was perfect (at first) -- Blaine.  More on that in a second... 

However, Blaine brought his own bit of baggage -- namely fans of Darren Criss (and/or Starkid fans).  Unlike Chord Overstreet or Max Adler, people knew who Darren was before he was on Glee.  So his own fandom joined in on the Klaine of it all.  At first it was all fine -- as the shipping wars continued, it was less about Kurt vs Blaine and more about Klaine vs the other shippers.  Well, that was going to change.... 

Original Song happened and Kurt and Blaine got together ending the question of who would ultimately be Kurt’s boyfriend.  And things were nice and cozy headed into season 3.  You’d think the Kurt/Sam and Kurt/Karofsky ships would die out, but not really, they stuck around for a long time, and kinda morphed into something else.  

See, The First Time happened.  And for the first time Blaine wasn’t the perfect prince that he was in season 2 -- he had more of a developed personality, and more flaws.  And... some people didn’t like it.  (Also added to the mix was Sebastian -- and the Seblaine and Kurtbastian ships were born, but those kinda go off on their own thing and I’m not really going to bring them up much here.)  Anyway, what really got fandom split was Dance With Somebody. 

You had two sides of an argument, people who saw Kurt’s POV and people who saw Blaine’s POV -- and guess what happened.  The two sides began to fight with each other over who was “right” in the argument.  (My god...) And thus started what fandom started referring to as The Better Boyfriend Olympics. 

See - for reasons I don’t fully understand - instead of seeing that each of the boys have a fault and each were wrong in the episode, each side wanted to say that their side, and their POV was the correct way -- that one boyfriend was more oppressed and the other was not as good a partner.  

On the Kurt side, though, you had a lot of the old Kurt fans and ships who didn’t like Blaine (and/or didn’t want Blaine as his partner) so they vehemently decided that unless Blaine was the perfect boyfriend again, he didn’t deserve to be with Kurt.  Meanwhile, you had the Blaine fans, many of them Darren fans who wanted Blaine to have more depth to him than just being Kurt’s boyfriend, and not being Kurt fans first (or originally) they were going to push back at the Kurt fans who were lashing out at Blaine. 

Compounding this was the fact that during season 3, there were so many cast members and characters that unless you were Finchel, you were begging for scraps and your featured episode to come along.  Meanwhile - Kurt got a ton of screen time, but didn’t sing much, while Blaine sang a lot more, but didn’t get much story.  The Kurt fans resented that Blaine was always singing.  The Blaine fans were annoyed that the Kurt fans resented it, and tried to remind the Kurt fans that Blaine barely got any development.  

Either way, a war had begun.  And then The Break Up happened.  

Now Kurt fans had a specific reason to point at -- Blaine being a terrible boyfriend.  He cheated.  He’s terrible.  The end. 

The fandom was not firmly split into sides - you were either a Kurt fan - a lot of them who HATED Blaine - partly because he was getting more attention at the time, partly cause he did sing more, partly because they were made up of Kurt ships that didn’t work out, and partly cause they saw so much of themselves in Kurt that they projected onto him their own feelings, and loving Blaine was not a part of that projection.  Or you were a Blaine fan - who spent a lot of time defending Blaine to the point of exhaustion, and became so resentful of Kurt that they wished Blaine could be with anyone else because Kurt (fans) didn’t understand Blaine and should just stop trying. 

Weren’t there any Klainers you ask? Ha, well.... Klainers, people actually liked Kurt AND Blaine were stereotyped into two categories.  Category A) the really really loud fanbase (usually on Twitter) that harassed the creators, RM, Chris, Darren, various crew about Klaine every second that they got -- to the point that it started to feel embarrassing (that’s probably my own projection).   Category B) People who thought (think) that Chris and Darren were (are) in a secret relationship.  (Spoiler alert they aren’t, never have been, and never will be.)  The two of these categories overlapped A LOT, and many of the fans of one boy or the other just disassociated completely.  

You could still be a fan of the Klaine relationship, but you had a preference to which boy you were actually a fan of -- you couldn’t like both, or else you were a Klainer, and that was not cool.  (I spent a long time NOT identifying as anything, and trying to make sure everything I did and said was equal -- a) cause I was new to fandom and b) cause I hated that either one or the other of these characters were villainized so frequently.) 

Anyway - Season 4 continued.  Adam showed up, and Kurt fans got all excited, but the problem was that a lot of them saw him as the perfect boyfriend again -- not a real character but a prop that could make Kurt look good and be everything for Kurt.  Look, I liked Adam, I did, but he was underdeveloped, and this weird idea that your boyfriend needs to be perfect in order to be a functioning relationship is just unrealistic.  I digress.  Meanwhile, we didn’t get a lot of Kurt POV, which didn’t help things, and meant even more projection over his character. 

Meanwhile, the Blaine fans had formed their own community, which became viciously defensive of him.  I think the whole fandom was toxic during this time for a lot of reasons, and I really wanted to quit it.  Many people did -- the show wasn’t being fun anymore. 

Season 5 came along, the boys got back together, tempers simmered, but the whole idea of the Better Boyfriend Olympics came back every time a conflict happened.  Arguments about who was the better boyfriend ensued, gatekeeping as to why their pick was best and why your opinion sucked still ran through the fandom.  Not helping was the fact that Cory had died, and the creators, actors, and crew -- as well as media -- was tired of Glee.  

The one nice thing, though was that a lot of the old crowd had moved on by then, and there was an influx of newer people coming in during season 5 (and season 6) -- they weren’t here for the season 3 droughts and season 4 wars, and brought in a newer and fresher perspective.  

But still - we had the end of season 5 and the summer of spoilers and season 6 to get through.  At this point, the Kurt and Blaine camps had moved to their parts of the internet and really not speaking much to each other if they could help it.  When an argument happened on the show, the same kind of Better Boyfriend Olympics came up again -- one boyfriend was worse than the other, and unless they changed xyz they were not good enough for the other.  But at this point, it was incredibly tiring.  I know that I was just ready for the show to be done with. 

I should say, as an aside, not helping things were the rise of some rather vocal BNF-ish fans, who dug their heels in about their own opinions.  The refusal to even acknowledge that one side or the other might be right, or have valid points was not helping anything.  A lot of people on both sides refused to even listen to the points on the other side -- and instead of being frustrated at the show, the creators, or whatever, they took it against each other, which wasn’t fun to watch either.

Season 6 happened - Blainofsky happened, and that killed enthusiasm for the season on both sides, most people just kind of wanted it to be over.  And then the ending came quickly, and I think a lot of people who were just plain unhappy about everything left for good.  

The Better Boyfriend Olympics, or this weird competition that always pitted the boys and their fandoms against each other in the name of one being better than the other, leveled off after this.  I won’t give myself /that/ much credit - but one reason I created @todaydreambelievers was to give fans of both Kurt and Blaine a safe place where we could enjoy and discuss both boys without the BBO rearing its head.  And you know what -- it did mend a few hearts.  

For the most part, it’s been pretty quiet since.  Fandom is quieter, but I think the people who have come into it after the show has ended are a lot less judgmental and argumentative.  (I suppose it helps if you know how the story is going to end.)  And the cool thing, for me, is finding a group of people who enjoy Kurt and Blaine equally (or respectfully) -- and reclaiming the name Klainer as a good thing.  

I’ll end by saying this -- it’s been relatively peaceful, even with the influx of new people throughout the years, but I have been seeing shades of BBO pop up again.  Look, you don’t have to like Klaine to be a fan of one or the other of them.  But there are a lot of terrible things going on in the world, a lot of things to be angry and get indignant about.  How a fictional couple was written ten years ago is not one of them.  Be respectful of people, and know that maybe the side you understand better isn’t the only side worth listening to.  ;) 

[bananaofswifts]

4 STARTS 

(Republic) UK release date: by Chloe Johnson

Taylor Swift wasn’t lying when she said she would never give us peace. After announcing the re-recording of her masters, nobody expected that the new music we would be hearing from Swift would be so, well, new. July’s release Folklore went on to create magical worlds of whimsical stories which earned her many a Grammy nod. And it appears that the singer-songwriter didn’t want to come out of the woods just yet, as she surprise-releases sister album Evermore a mere five months later.

Willow begins the album with a haunting outlook, featuring captivating such lyrics as “life was a willow/and it bent right to your wind” which follow Swift’s signature clever progression, lilting vocals and incantation-like acoustics consisting of violin and glockenspiel. Nods to her previous tracks can be found as if she, herself, has become folklore – crafty. It’s a pretty track, with less of the hard-hitting pain that was to be found on Folklore’s lead single Cardigan, but with tracks like Tolerate It and Coney Island coming up, you’re glad to be eased into the depths.

It’s clear with evermore that although Swift wanted to travel further into the Folklore-ian woods of indie-folk, she also wanted to push the sonic playfulness further. Whilst folklore was very stylistically controlled in genre, tracks like Closure are fittingly awkward and off-beat in production and No body, No Crime features not only the Haim sisters – the first-ever female collaboration for Swift – but is a full-blown country revenge novel masquerading as a song.

There are instant parallels to sister album Folklore, a clearly intended choice. This whole concept of a sister album is unusual for Swift, who tends to leap to deny and oppose her previous album with her latest one. Happiness is My Tear’s Ricochet nuanced to the max, whilst there are even notes of Swift’s 1989 in Gold Rush, a track decorated with ’80s synth-pop we thought we’d never hear again, as well as having an Antonoff pop-spin reminiscent of August. Swift has also once again favoured sumptuous poetical narratives rather than stadium-ready hooks, but unlike Folklore – which feels intimate and cosy – this record leans into the nuances of restlessness both lyrically and sonically. This may not appeal to everybody, but it sure is fitting.

Full of melancholy figures and tumbling piano, it lacks the neatness of Folklore which kept us snug in the first half of the year. The storytelling is harder to follow and the melodies harder to catch, flying away on fingerpicked acoustic guitar. Tracks such as Happiness and ‘Tis The Damn Season are so aggressively experimental they’re hard to unpack immediately, whilst Ivy and Dorothea (which Cleverly flips a country cliche to the same degree No Body, No Crime leans into one) are instantly listenable and fun.

If Folklore felt like coming home for Swift, whose storytelling has been a part of her armour for so long, then Evermore is the process of coming home to realise that you’ve changed, the childhood house looks smaller now, and everything isn’t quite as it was; it’s somehow both magical and sobering. Evermore is Folklore’s wiser, potentially more chaotic, sister. Tracks like Marjorie and title track instantly show that perhaps this journey of change can be just as memorable as the destination. The former is a raw and guilt-ridden depiction of grief with a touching backstory, whilst the latter is a ray of hope we were yet to see on Folklore’s closer.

In all aspects has Swift built upon her work on Folklore, creating a vast soundscape of poetical stories, and it is only at the end of this album you realise that Folklore did leave you wanting. Evermore also does this, not because it doesn’t reach up to the pedestal of folklore – in contrast, it covers the more complex ground – but because it is the human condition to hope, want and dream. And if this human paradox is what Taylor Swift wants to explore evermore, perhaps we should let her.

[nwslwiki]

nwsl college draft 2020

what is the draft? the draft is where nwsl teams get to select former college players to play for their team in the following season.

when is it? the draft itself will take place on january 16th, 2020, at 11am et in baltimore, maryland. the list of eligible players should be finalized by/on january 15th because that is the last day players can declare for the draft.

will it be streamed? yes! streaming information has not been made available yet, but in previous years it was done through the league’s youtube page. 

if i live in the area, can i attend? if you’d like, sure. the draft is open to the public and the media. if you want more information about location, go here. 

how does it work? the nwsl college draft operates in a series of 4 rounds, with 9 “picks” per round (1 for each team).

how is order established? order is determined by the standings from the previous season. the last place team gets the first pick, second last place gets second, and so on. this order is repeated exactly for each round. ex. orlando was last place in the 2019 season and gets the first pick of each round for the 2020 draft. ncc was first place, so they get the last pick.

why doesn’t it look like that in the actual draft order? teams have traded their picks over the last few seasons. picks are traded by round before you know where they fall, referred to as a “natural pick”. natural in this case simply means wherever the pick ends up being based on that team’s standing in the season before. once the standings have been determined, you can know where the picks will be exactly and make more specific trades (ex. trade the “fifth pick in the draft” as opposed to just trading by round) ex. chicago recently traded their 2021 “second round natural pick” to utah in exchange for the rights to makenzy doniak. we don’t know where in the round that will be yet because we don’t know the results of the 2020 season. 

so teams can have more than one pick per round? yes, if they traded for it then they could have more than one pick per round.

actual draft order (as of now, january 5th, 2019) is this:

can this order still change? yes! teams are allowed to continue trading picks up until and even through the draft itself. 

what does the process look like? each round is composed of 9 picks. with each pick, the team gets a set amount of time to discuss at their table who they want to select as well as discuss possible trades they would like to make. the first round, each team gets 5 minutes for their pick and in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th round the teams get 3 minutes for each pick. note:  this is how it was in the 2019 draft. i have not seen anything saying that this year will be any different, so unless it is announced, it is safe to assume it will be the same.

who is eligible to be selected in the draft? the list of people who have registered for the draft (so far, as of the list made public on december 30th, 2019) can be found here. 

who can register for the draft? for details about who can register for the draft and how to do it, go here. 

what happens if a player is not selected in the draft? players who registered but were not selected in the 2020 draft will qualify to be selected as a discovery player by a team throughout the 2020 season, meaning that a team can add them to their discovery list to eventually add them to their roster.

if a player registers for the draft then isn’t selected, can they then go back to college and play? no. when a player registers for the nwsl draft, they forego any college eligibility.

what if a player does not register for the draft? players who do not register for the draft and don’t otherwise qualify as a discovery player will not be eligible to play for any nwsl team until the 2020 season concludes.

***if there is interest, i can make a post explaining more about what a discovery player is and what that process is. let me know here if you would like me to cover this topic.***

if a player is selected by a team, does that mean they will play in the upcoming season? not necessarily. once selected, a player’s rights are owned by that team. the player does not have to be played by the team or be put on contract if the team does not believe they’re ready to play with the full team. nwsl teams can only have 20-22 players on their roster throughout the season under contract and can have a supplemental roster of an additional 4 players. most teams have players that practice with the team that aren’t included in this (max) 26 players either due to injury or they are trying to work their way towards the full roster. ex. hailey harbison was not under contract with ncc last season but still trained and practiced with the team as she rehabbed from a torn acl in preseason. also, adelaide gay is a goalkeeper who trained with ncc all season long but was only signed to the full roster during the world cup, when labbé was away for international duties. 

what happens if a player is selected by a team they don’t want, do they have to go there? if they want to play in the nwsl, yes. their rights are owned by the team that selected them and unless they are traded to different team, they have to play for the team that selected them. however, if they want to leave the nwsl to play in a different league, they can do that no matter who owns their rights. ex. hailie mace of ucla was selected by sky blue but chose to go fc rosengård instead of play for sky blue. if hailie mace comes back to the nwsl, her rights will still be owned by sky blue unless they trade the rights away. 

if you have any questions about the nwsl college draft or anything else nwsl (or woso in general) related, feel free to send me an ask here!

[veronicamarsconfessions]

When Hulu announced it was reviving the cult favorite Veronica Mars for an eight-episode fourth season, the new episodes were initially referred to as a limited series. But in the year 2019, the phrase "limited series" also holds no meaning. If a show is successful enough, a network or streaming service will find a way to bring it back. Veronica Mars creator Rob Thomas has been vocal about his desire to continue Veronica's story beyond this new season, which Hulu refers to as Season 4, while series star Kristen Bell would be happy to play the show's eponymous sleuth until "until everyone in Neptune is dead." And for most of Season 4, that felt like a real possibility.

Although the show may never again reach the exciting highs of that first season, for a little while, simply being in Veronica's orbit again was enough to keep viewers happy and entertained. However, in the wake of the shocking, and frankly unnecessary, death of Logan Echolls (Jason Dohring), whom Veronica married in the finale and who was a key part of the show's enduring legacy, it's difficult to see how the show can continue with the same level of fan support that twice brought it back from the dead. And yet, Thomas is still hoping it will.

"The hope we have going into these eight episodes is that we get to do more of them. And my belief is that those will be better with Veronica Mars as the lead of a noir detective series who does not have a boyfriend or a husband," Thomas explained to TV Guide. "In order for us to keep doing these, I think it needs to become a detective show — a noir, mystery, detective show — and those elements of teenage soap need to be behind us. I sort of viewed these eight episodes as a bridge to what Veronica Mars might be moving forward."

Thomas said he wants to continue Veronica Mars as a Sherlock-esque series, one that can hopefully return with new seasons whenever Thomas and Bell can make their schedules align. This hypothetical version of the series would find Veronica solving different cases around the country, and a significant other for the show's heroine apparently doesn't fit into that plan. But the power of the Logan-Veronica relationship and what it meant to fans of the show should not be underestimated. To assume that viewers would even be interested in a Logan-less Veronica Mars almost feels like a fundamental misreading of the fandom.

Of course, this isn't meant to suggest that Veronica Mars cannot exist without Logan — that would be to belittle Veronica and her many achievements; although Logan clearly left an indelible mark on her, Veronica has accomplished plenty on her own without him, and she will no doubt find similar success in the future, especially if she stays in therapy and learns healthy methods of coping with her trauma. But at the same time, Logan is still a major character who was both deeply loved by Veronica and greatly beloved by a number of the show's fans. His sudden death and the reasoning behind it feels like a betrayal that becomes even more painful when you consider Logan's secretive military career would have been an easy way of writing him out of future installments without piercing the hearts of fans everywhere.

Further explaining the difficult decision to kill off Logan, Thomas revealed he worries that whenever a show reaches a romantic conclusion — like, say, a wedding — it also reaches a finale of sorts, and he's not ready for Veronica Mars to be over. This argument not only feels a bit dated, but it also feels a little misguided when a show like Friday Night Lights has already proven that a happy couple in a lasting, loving relationship can make for compelling television, or when series like Bones, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and Parks and Recreation have shown us that will-they, won't-they couples can get together without signaling the end of the road.

Knowing this, Logan's death feels needlessly cruel like it was a narrative decision seemingly meant only to further torment Veronica and leave her cold and isolated. While you can argue it serves to once again show just how resilient Veronica is in the face of adversity, how she always gets back up after the world has knocked her down, how much pain and heartache does Veronica have to go through before saying enough is enough? It's honestly exhausting. So, if fans are tired of seeing Veronica constantly having to endure a painful existence to somehow prove she's a great heroine and they choose to no longer watch the show because of this latest development, it's perfectly reasonable. And if fans are angry that Logan is dead and choose to no longer watch Veronica Mars because of this, it is pretty understandable too. However, even if fans can somehow stomach the idea of a Veronica Mars without Logan Echolls, Thomas' vision for the show's future raises more issues. Mainly, new seasons would find Veronica alone, separated from the town she knows and the people who call it home, and this would mean erasing yet another fundamental part of the show.

For four seasons (and a movie), Neptune and its inhabitants have added depth to its rich and rewarding story. Creators love to describe the location of a series as if it's a character in the story, and this is most often a frustrating sentiment that has lost all meaning through overuse, but Neptune is truly an example of a location that has played a major role in shaping not only the show's characters but also its ongoing narrative. Although the town is no longer the same as it once was — the class war and accompanying social commentary that dominated the series from the start is over after these eight episodes, as the town's wealthy elite have succeeded in pushing the working class out — that doesn't necessarily mean the best course of action is for Veronica to skip town and solve cases around the country. Like many shows before it, Veronica Mars is the story of a specific place, and if the show is to continue beyond these eight new episodes, it probably should remain committed to telling the stories of Neptune — at the very least Southern California — if for no other reason than the fact the show owes a lot to the exceptional supporting cast that calls it home and has brought its story to life since 2004.

After all, if Veronica leaves Neptune, where does that leave her father, Keith (Enrico Colantoni)? Thomas said the character may not make an appearance in hypothetical future seasons of the show, and that almost feels incomprehensible. Veronica's relationship with her father is the bedrock upon which the series has rested since the pilot. Even when the show was at its most uneven you could count on Veronica and Keith's powerful family dynamic to ground the story emotionally. And although Veronica is now an adult in her 30s, their relationship is the single most important relationship in her life in the wake of Logan's untimely death. To remove him from the equation entirely threatens to disrupt far more than the status quo, which is what Thomas's intention is by taking Veronica on the road. A Veronica Mars without Keith's stabilizing presence would make for a shell of a series, one that would only be further harmed if Veronica's chosen family — Wallace (Percy Daggs III), Mac (Tina Majorino), and Weevil (Francis Capra) — were to suddenly disappear from her life as well.

Now, the show hopes to minimize this instability by essentially skipping over Veronica's grieving period. As Thomas said, one of the reasons the season includes a flash-forward is so the series doesn't have to spend time actually depicting Veronica's grief. "Our bread and butter is being quick and funny, and I'm not sure it'd be to our benefit to living a year in Veronica's grief on our show," Thomas said, noting that by the end of the season Veronica is actually getting her feet back under her.

But even if Veronica has recovered from her latest trauma, Logan's death is still raw for viewers, and it's painful enough without having to consider that every familiar source of comfort could be ripped away at once in the potential next season. Even beyond the show's core supporting cast, Veronica Mars is home to a memorable motley crew who have brought Neptune to life, and their presence in future installments, no matter how small, would be a cool balm on fresh wounds. Plus, what does the show look like without them? Ryan Hansen's self-centered party king Dick Casablancas, Max Greenfield's charming Leo D'Amato, Ken Marino's skeezy private detective Vinnie Van Lowe, and Daran Norris' reliable public defender Cliff McCormack have all become fan favorites. They each play a necessary role in the show's ecosystem, much like the Fighting Fitzpatricks or the PCHers have done over the years.

Veronica Mars has excelled at building out its little corner of the world by populating it with unique but believable characters, and it's not to suggest that a version of the show that exists outside the world of Neptune won't be able to successfully reach the same depths or recreate that magic in the same way, but it will have to work a lot harder to do it, especially if future seasons once again have a limited episode count. Furthermore, even if new seasons turn out to be good, the truth is that a Veronica Mars outside of Neptune, one without any familiar faces in sight, would feel like a very different show, one that threatens to not feel like Veronica Mars at all.

Veronica Mars helped to usher in the tidal wave of revivals and reboots that is still washing over Hollywood some five years after the fan-funded feature film hit theaters, and when this second revival was first announced last year, I wrote that the show should also be the series that puts an end to that trend too. It was a plea in favor of originality at a time when original ideas felt about as impossible as a unicorn. I still believe this should be the end of the revival trend, but now it's because this is a classic case of the writers thinking so much about whether or not they could do something that they didn't stop to consider if they should. In the end, we got eight more episodes of Veronica Mars, but it came at a deadly cost, and now we live in a world where Logan Echolls is dead and Veronica Mars is leaving Neptune. Was it really worth it?