#and i love hopper i feel like his banter would be as easy as it is with writing eddie's

[theskeletoninthegarden]

Every time my brain comes up with a story idea that doesn't involve me doing some serious mental gymnastics to get it to work I have no motivation to bother.

[timelordthirteen]

Killing Time 25/35

Detective Weaver/Belle French, Explicit

Summary: A Woven Beauty Law & Order-ish AU. Written for Writer’s Month 2019.

Chapter Summary: Belle gets contemplative about her future with Weaver.

Notes: For my August Writer's Month prompt #6: Is that my shirt? This is a bit of filler that only vaguely progresses the plot, but it's necessary to setup Belle's frame of mind for what's to come. Also an excuse to write more flirty idiots because how could I not with that prompt?

[AO3]  

The next day, Belle was still riding high on the revelation that Charlie Dunn, the second victim, was also adopted from Nevada.

She woke up early, and was already working and on her second cup of coffee when Weaver finally rolled out of bed around seven. Whatever had been causing her headaches and weird stomach issues, seemed to have left as suddenly as it came, which reinforced her belief that it was a mild bug from something she ate.

It was essential that they obtain the rest of the birth records on the victims as well as the Tremaines’ foster children. She spent most of the morning filling out request forms for the Clark County Clerk’s Office, one for each victim, one for Eloise, and one for her husband. They probably hated her by now, but if things panned out the way she thought they would, she would buy the whole office lunch on her. Her afternoon consisted of making inquiries locally for whatever birth records were available on the other victims. That had yielded little so far, aside from confirming that three more had been born out of state.

Weaver pushed the office door open, and Belle looked up from her laptop.

“We found Eloise Tremaine’s apartment,” he announced, walking over to the desk as he took off his leather jacket.

Belle’s eyebrows lifted. “Where? How?”

He set down a piece of scrap paper with an address on it in Detective Rogers’ handwriting. “Here, and it really helps once you know the victim’s actual name, and the name of the company that actually pays for the apartment.”

She frowned. “What company?”

Weaver dropped down into one of the chairs opposite her. “Robert Tremaine’s. Perrault Developments, Inc.” Belle’s frown deepened, and he continued, “which he inherited from his uncle, James Perrault.”

“Why do I know that name?” she asked, leaning back in her chair.

“I’m told it’s the name of the French guy who wrote Cinderella.”

Her face went through several expressions before she shook her head. “I’m surprised that you know that.”

He laughed. “I don’t. Rogers’s Googled the name and half the results were for Charles Perrault.”

Her lips curled. “So you two fell down a Wikipedia rabbit hole on your way to finding our victim’s residence?”

“Something like that.” He stretched a bit and rolled his shoulders, no doubt stiff from a whole day of driving around the city. “Anyway, the apartment was in the name of the company, and it never came up in any of our inquiries for missing renters, because the rent was still being paid.”

Belle leaned forward and rested her arms on the desk. “By a dead woman?”

“By an offshore account.”

“Of course.” She sighed. “Well, that explains why we couldn’t find any credit history on Eloise if she’s been living off the company money, and paying everything in cash or with the company account.

“Yeah,” he agreed. “We’ve got enough now to get all the information we want on Tremaine’s business. Maybe there’s some other connections to our victims from that.”

She picked up the paper with the address and did a quick search to see what part of the city it was in while he was talking. “Do we have access to the apartment yet?”

“Rogers is working on it. The landlord has already been notified, but he’s being a stickler for having the warrant before he lets us in.”

“Good for him, I guess.” Belle sighed again, and then pushed back from the desk. “I filled all the requests with Clark County, and found almost nothing locally for birth records. Damon, Chelsea, and Melissa, were all born out of state, but I don’t know where yet.”

“That’s something, though,” he said, trying to be encouraging. He knew how much she hated the tedium of paperwork and formal requests. “By next week we should have all of the records back, if not sooner. And tomorrow we get to see how Eloise Gardener lived.”

“I want to go with you.” She met his eyes with a stern look to let him know she was serious and would not be left back at the office while he and Rogers rooted through Eloise’s apartment. “I want to be there.”

He nodded in understanding. “Should have the warrant before lunch.” Then he smiled. “I think that’s enough for now. Ready to call it a day?”

She smiled back, already bending down to pull out her purse. “Yes please.”

He stood and lifted his jacket from the back of the chair. “I was thinking I’d make alfredo tonight.”

Pausing with her purse strap hanging awkwardly from her hand and one arm in her coat, Belle looked at him wide eyed, starting to smile. “That’s my favorite.”

Weaver licked his lips. “I know.”

Belle sighed and closed her eyes as her head fell forward, letting the hot water run down over her neck and shoulders.

It wasn’t an exaggeration to say she loved this shower. The bathroom had been a huge selling point when they first looked at the apartment, though that seemed like a lifetime ago. It had been too easy to settle back into a routine with Weaver, and while there had certainly been solace in the familiar, especially in the aftermath of being attacked in her own home, there was still apprehension. The conversation over the state of their relationship had never really taken place, and both of them seemed loath to rock the boat while so much was happening with the case, but she had been exploring her thoughts on the matter more and more.

Her session with Dr. Hopper had touched on it as well, and Archie had openly asked her if she wanted to reconcile officially with Ian. That was the penultimate question of course, and leave it to Archie to skip any formalities or attempts to ease into the topic. He knew her too well. Still, the idea made her smile.

A few months ago it would have earned a glare or a door slam, and a firm contradiction, so this was, by any standard, a great deal of progress.

Belle finished her shower and exited the bathroom in nothing but a towel. As she padded across the floor to the bedroom, Weaver glanced up from his laptop with a raised eyebrow and let out a low whistle. She threw him a look before she stepped into the bedroom and heard him chuckling as she closed the door.

Her skin felt tingly and warm, and she knew it was from more than just the water. The last couple of weeks she’d found herself almost distracted by her attraction to Weaver, and the pleasing banter and light teasing they had established between them only made it worse. She had to admit that he was different now than he’d been when they were first together, though she was uncertain what it meant. It made her want to stay, to get back together officially, in a way that left no doubt for either of them. But it also made her want to do all manner of naughty things.

Smiling to herself, she pulled on a pair of soft cotton pajama shorts and started digging in one of her bags for a shirt. Most of her work things were back in the closet, but with only one dresser, her casual clothes were relegated to a suitcase and two duffel bags. Frowning as she pulled out everything except what she was looking for, she reached into the inside pocket of the bag and pulled out something unexpected.

A small black box tumbled to the floor, and she hesitated for a long moment before picking it up.

Belle sat on the edge of the bed and swallowed hard, running her thumb back and forth over the soft velvet. She knew what was inside, but she hadn’t looked at it in a long time. With the way she’d been feeling towards Weaver lately, she wasn’t sure she should, fearful that it might bring up the wrong memories. Closing her eyes for a second, she flipped the box open.

The diamond sparkled even in the low light from the lamp on the nightstand.

She plucked it free, turning it this way and that, and making small shapes on the floor when it caught the light just right. Holding the band, she slid the tip of her finger in and out of the ring, feeling the smooth, cool metal. Before, in the weeks and months immediately after their divorce, she would take it out every now and then, and look at it. It usually resulted in her having a good cry and stress eating an entire sleeve of Oreos. She’d only brought it with her from her apartment because it was with her other jewelry, and though she’d known it was packed into one of the bags, it had been put out of her mind.

On impulse, she pushed it over her knuckle and settled it on the appropriate finger. Her hand flexed as she admired it, pleased that it still fit perfectly and didn’t look to be in any need of cleaning. She expected it to feel strange, since she rarely ever wore rings before she was married, and hadn’t on that finger since their separation. Bracelets and rings had always bothered her when she had to type or write, and throughout university and law school she was forever taking them off and putting them in her bag, finding them days later. But this ring had never been a hindrance, and she barely even noticed it as she worked. It wasn’t heavy or gaudy, and it didn't have so many facets and points as to snag her clothes.

Shaking her head, she quickly pulled it off and set it back in the box, and put the box back in the inside pocket where it had been before going back to looking for her nightshirt. Strangely, she kept looking down at her hand as she rummaged through the laundry basket. After being on her finger for only a minute or so, it made no sense that her hand would be missing the ring’s presence.

With a huff, she gave up trying to find the shirt that matched her shorts, and turned around to look for something else to wear, when her eyes landed on something of Weaver’s that had been mixed in with her laundry. She picked up his very faded and well worn Celtic Football Club shirt, and immediately pulled it over her head. The fabric was soft from years of wear and washing. It might have been her imagination, but even though it was clean there was the faintest hint of his scent on it and she pulled it up to her nose and inhaled.

Smiling, she opened the door and stood there, leaning against the doorframe until she was noticed.

“Is that my shirt?” Weaver asked, setting the laptop down on the coffee table.

Belle shrugged one shoulder and sauntered towards him, letting her desire add an extra sway to her hips. “Is it? It was in the laundry basket with my things.”

“Hmm, was it…” he said, leaning back on the sofa as a grin curved his lips. “Maybe that’s because you’re always stealing it.”

Her eyebrows lifted. “Are you accusing me of a crime, Detective?”

His throat bobbed as he swallowed, watching her step around the coffee table to stand in front of him.

“Do you want it back?” she asked, putting one knee on the sofa beside his hip.

“No,” Weaver replied, licking his lips. “Looks better on you than it ever did on me.”

She brought her other knee down and straddled him, holding her body away from his. He held her waist, already bunching the shirt as she leaned over him. “Too bad.”

"Why's that?"

She felt his hands slide down to her backside and then up, lifting the shirt as his palms moved up her back. His hips shifted forward, and she allowed him to pull her down just a little as a low ache settled in her core.

Her lips brushed his, teasing him with the wet heat of her breath. “I was going to tell you to come and take it.”

[linkispink1995]

Tears of a Reunion

Part two of this fic

Feedback is highly appreciated

Warnings: language , brief mentions of throwing up

Please do not plagiarize my work , thanks Meg

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

I awoke to the sound of William fussing , which is how I usually woke up nowadays since I disposed of my alarm clock since I had no use for it since I had William. I pulled him out of his crib before feeding him , after William's morning feeding I alked out of my bedroom to see the kitchen clock and that it was time for El to get up for school. I place William onto my hip before walking down the hall to El's room as I got to her door and quietly knocked William tugged onto the item adoring my neck. His father's necklace that I had worn since the funeral , William was always fascinated by the necklace almost as if he could fell a connection to his father , like somehow he knew that his father was watching over him.

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

It was shortly after my dad had left for work , I told dad I was sick and couldn't go to work when in reality I was comforting Billy after he had a rough night with his dad he appeared at my window a little bit past one thirty in the morning with tears in his eyes. After getting as much sleep as I could since I stayed up with Billy for a couple of hours while we talked about the events of the argument with his father. When I awoke to the sound of Billy's light snores , as I began to snuggle into Billy's side thinking that maybe I could fall asleep I began to fell the remains of dinner last night start to creep up. I quickly peeled myself out of Billy's arms before making my way to bathroom and began to dispose of it , as I began to throw up could feel someone begin to pull my hair back and begin to rub my back. When I lifted my head I flushed the toilet and grabbed a peice of toilet paper to wipe my mouth off before a glass of water was practically shoved in my face. I looked up to take the glass from them to see Billy standing there saying "the little guy's not making it so easy huh". I rolled my eyes before taking a sip out of the water to wash the awful taste of vomit in my mouth before handing the glass back saying "you really want a boy don't you". He shrugged saying "dosen't really matter" he then took the spot next to me before he added "are you okay". I nodded before placing a kiss on his cheek before I snuggled into him as much as I could since we were leaving against the bathtub and couldn't help but trace the necklace around he wore before the curiosity got to me before asking. "Hey baby , you've never told me about this" I then gestured towards the necklace" he sighed saying "I don't really talk about it". I nodded before saying "oh I'm sorry I-" Billy cut me off saying "my mom , my uh mom she used to wear this and I guess I have it to keep myself closer to her". I nodded before he added "she would've loved you Y/n" I nodded again before pecking his lips causing him to say "you might want to uh wash your mouth out" I playfully swatted at his chest before saying "I love you Billy Hargrove" he responded saying "I love you too Y/n Hopper".

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

It was half and hour after El had left for school when I heard knocking on my door , I had scooped William into my arms since after his morning feeding the two of us would usually play on the floor for a while. I assumed who was on the other side of the door was El or Max since sometimes in the hustle and bustle and excitement of the morning they'd forget a page of homework or there lunch bit when I opened the door to see who was standing there I didn't think I'd ever be prepared to see him again. It was the man who raised me , who took in a little girl and gave her a family , a man who sacrificed himself on July 4th , it was my dad. My jaw fell before saying "dad" he didn't respond he simply wrapped me into a hug before looking down at William who seemed to be confused by the interaction. "Who's this" he asked gesturing towards William before I could answer he asked "do you babysit" I shook my head before saying "dad this is um William , he's my uh well dad he's my son". My father's face fell in shock as I added "do you wanna hold him" my dad nodded before I asked "do you wanna come in" he nodded again before saying "do you mind me asking how much Hargrove is involved in this" I responded saying."will you tell me where you were" dad shook his head saying "I'll tell you tonight at dinner with everyone" I responded saying "everyone" he nodded before asking "how's El is she handing school okay" I placed William in my dad's arms saying "watch his head dad , oh yeah she uh loves school she's getting really good grades and she's got Max and the kids looking out for her". Dad nodded rubbing some of William's blonde hair while William on the other hand began to chew on dad's finger and I couldn't help but take in the sight , it was something I didn't think I'd ever get to see though I couldn't help but wish that Billy was there. "Y/n sweetie are you okay" I nodded before he asked "is Billy helping you with him at all" I sighed saying "dad Billy died at the mall on the fourth , he um he knew I was pregnant, god dad he was so excited" dad walked over and took a seat next to me as I began to tear up dad spoke up saying. "Y/n I'm really proud of you taking care of your sister and William , I mean it sweetie I'm really proud of you" I nodded before saying "I learned from the best" dad then asked "how's El with this one" I then responded saying "she's great with him , I think he prefers her over me sometimes" dad chuckled before saying "how old is he" I answered saying "he'll be five months at the end of the week , he's uh big eater" dad nodded saying "he's like his mom" I sighed since I usually would roll my eyes at his comments but after I thought I lost my dad I missed our playfull banter so I let it slide.

When El came home from school her and my dad had more of a tearful reunion than we did and I didn't mind since I knew how much he meant to her. After William's second nap we all went over to the Byers new place to have dinner and everyone was there , the party would take turns holding William but mostly El since that's who he recognized. During dinner Joyce told us that my dad would be staying with her but El could still live with me if she wanted , to my surprise El wanted to stay with William and I since she didn't want me getting lonley. Dad also finally explained everything that happened in Russia since I had William in my lap I only caught small details like something about railroads and demogorgans , but I didn't really care cause I had my dad back. I was glad that William would get to know his grandfather , sure it wasn't his father but it was my father and he gave me the best childhood I could ask for and I knew he'd do the same for William. There was still a part of me that always wished that William would meet his father but I knew he was watching over us I didn't know how but I just new that he was.

[peachywise]

nullify

an umbrella academy fanfiction // klaus hargreeves x reader 

- part i: the introduction || part ii ⋆ part iii ⋆ part iv ⋆ part v ⋆ part vi ⋆  more parts to be released 

- synopsis: A child and a ghost whisperer walk into a diner. Sounds like the beginning of a bad joke, but really it’s just the start of an odd, slightly painful night. Turns out they need you and your power to do something, and Klaus seems way to thrilled and fascinated by you and what you can do. (takes place after the events of the first season) 

- notes: lmao how long has it been since i wrote a fic?? too long thanks anyways the reader is they/them pronouns and everything is pretty vague description wise for inclusivity and shit!! also even though this is klaus x reader focused ~romance~ wise i’ll be writing a shit ton with the reader interacting with the other guys like this part is deadass just as focused on number five as it is klaus. let me know if you guys want this as a series??? i won’t write more parts if people aren’t down but i left it open-ended so it could be a series but honestly, it’d be fine as a one-off too so read what you will k love you bye. tw for swearing

link on ao3 

________________________________________

“Isn’t that a health code violation?” 

Looking up from your book you'd been reading for the past half hour, you heaved a heavy-handed sigh. Sitting on the back counter of the dead dinner you worked at was the least of this shitty establishments problems. “I’ll be sure to let the rats in the kitchen know of your concerns,” you replied simply. 

Dog-earring the page of your book, you set it down beside you. Hopping off, you stepped forward towards the counter as the kid who just entered sat down on one of the stools, planting himself with a look of clear repugnance as he eyed his surrounding subtly. Resting your elbows on the counter, you propped your head on your hands and gave a friendly grin, “I’m sure they’d be happy to whip up some Mickey Mouse pancakes, special just for you.” 

His face though perfectly deadpanned couldn’t hide the slight tick of annoyance in his eyes. “Just get me a black coffee,” he muttered. 

“Coffee will stunt your growth.” 

“You’ll be stunted if you keep up this horrible customer service.”

“Ouch,” sarcasm dripped from your tone as you raised your hands up in mock defeat, “the kitten’s got a bit of a bite there, doesn’t he?” 

Quite honestly, your day was now veering on to a particularly delightful route you hadn’t expected when you first woke up this morning. You suddenly believed some sort of divine karma was finally rewarding you with some quality entertainment. He could banter— a bit on the aggressive side, but you would take what you could get out of the interaction. You knew it wasn’t going to last long. 

“Look, are you going to give me the coffee or are you just going to stand around all day uselessly taking in the air that could be breathed in by more deserving people?” 

Oh, so he’s got knobby knees and wit to match. 

Letting a slow amused smile cross your face as you gave a lazy curtsy, you casually made your way over to the fresh pot and grabbed one of the porcelain white mugs, giving him a knowing look as you poured a good ‘ol black cup of joe. Setting the pot back down, you sauntered your way back over still holding the smile. The kid rolled his eyes, reaching out a hand as he impatiently said, “thank you,” in a refined and expertly practiced condescending manner. But you didn’t hand it to him. No, instead you casually leaned back against the back counter and took a long sip of the burning hot liquid. 

Well, the little tyke certainly did not like that. 

In what was an actually flash of blue light before your eyes, the kid vanished from his place on the rickety red vinyl stool and was beside you a moment later, ripping the mug from your hand with such force that caused the liquid to spill over the sides, scorching your hand and splashing it on your already grease stained, 50’s themed uniform. So, he was words and action. You could respect that. 

“What, no screaming? Not even another smartass comment?” He half-heartedly asked, his eyebrow quirked slightly as he studied you. It was like he was waiting for some sort of delayed reaction from his little magic trick. While yes, it was a little jarring to see it in the flesh for the first time, the moment he had walked through those glass doors you expected a bit of a ‘powerful’ confrontation.

You knew he was Number Five. You knew he was a part of that Umbrella Academy. 

“You know who I am,” he stated in his all brilliant glory. Well, look at that. Seemed he was a real Sherlock as well as a tiny space hopper.  

Easily taking the cup of coffee back, wincing slightly as the cold air pressed against the new burn you tried to seem unfazed about, you took a sip and mumbled against the rim of the cup, “I’m a bit surprised you’re here and actually alive, but it’s easy to remember a face that hasn’t aged a day." Setting the mug down on the counter, you pressed a hand to your hip and questioned, “how is that exactly? Did you run from home just to make yourself immortal? Found yourself an Edward Cullen to bite you or something?” 

Now, you’ve had people look at you like you were stupid before, but no one with a talent such as him. Even though he was looking up at you, he still mastered that beady squinty little look that read ‘you’re the joke of the earth’. Precious. 

“I don’t know who Edward Cullen is, but I’m not immortal, and I don’t have time to explain the whole story to you in detail. Let’s just say I got stuck in time.” Doing his little magic flash again, he appeared back on the other side of the counter, continuing to speak as he added, “Is anyone else here? I assume you’d rather show me what you can do without anyone else around.” 

Ah, yes. What you could do. So that was why he was here. Part of you wondered if someday it would happen. That’s why you knew who he was when he first walked in after all. You kept tabs on all of them, at least a bit. Yeah, the whole “Umbrella Academy” was famous for a little while when you were a kid, but most people had since forgotten them and the kids in the academy had grown up and had become almost unrecognizable. Well, apart from Five. And maybe Allison, but hell, she was famous for a while different reason now. 

Like the others, you were born October 1st 1989 to a completely unexpecting mother who got the shock of her god damn life. If you were 9 months pregnant in under a minute flat, you’d probably be pretty shocked too. However, you were just stunned that something as odd as that could actually happen and result in you getting powers.

Unlike the others, when your parents were approached by professor evil monopoly Reginald Hargreeves, your mom rejected anything he offered in favor of her miracle baby. She was certain she was the new Virgin Mary despite absolutely not being a virgin and refused to give up that title up. At least at that moment, she didn’t want to anyway.  

“You managed to figure out where I worked, and I assume at this point you know my name,” you started, “so why don’t you just tell me what I can do and let me know why you're here so I can turn you down and get back to my book.” Gesturing your hands around the extremely empty diner, you breathed, “I’m a very busy person as you can see.” 

Five didn’t say anything, instead just giving you an almost thoughtful look. You didn’t trust it one fucking bit. 

Quicker than you would have expected out him, he reached over and picked up one of the plates on the counter and threw it your way with such force you wondered for a second if the reason he'd been missing for so long was because he’d taken up a passionate love affair with baseball. On instinct, damn the treacherous thing, your body chilled as a static feeling pushed out of you, surrounding you in a soft, nearly invisible blue bubble-- your force field. The plate bounced right off and landed on the floor, shattering lamely and loudly. 

It was legal to kill a kid who had been missing for years, right?

“Can’t you play a game of catch with the poor kid?” Came a new drama-dripped voice in the door, the little bell ringing softly as he spoke. “His father was a sociopath who didn't pay him any mind, he’s very stunted as you can see. So desperate for the affection and attention of strangers.” 

Klaus. He’d been harder to track over the years, but from the feather collared jacket and lack of shirt, you could spot the eccentricity of him miles away. 

Taking on a protective stance, you moved from behind the counter and positioned yourself in front of Five, stage whispering to him, “careful, looks like one of the kitchen rats got out. They’re very diseased.”

Klaus tilted his head to the side, his mouth snapping open and his eyebrows rising up in stunned amusement. Pointing at you, he turned his attention towards Five and stated, “I’m wounded! This seems to be going on spectacularly, don’t you think?”

Shaking your head with a slight grin, you started to speak to ream five out for throwing a freakin’ plate, but your words died off on the tip of your tongue when your gross ass boss pushed open the doors to the kitchen, his loud, gritty greased voice shouted, “what did you break out here?” His spine went rigid a bit when he seemed to finally note the presence of two other people, but his eyes quickly glanced at the shattered plate and his face continued to get splotchy and red. “Is that your kid who broke it? Jesus, that’s coming out of your paycheck.”

Wow, that 50 cent shitty plate? How would you ever survive? 

Hands slipped around your neck in a hug as Klaus propped his chin on top of your head, his attention fully on your boss. “I’m so sorry sir, you know how it is with kids, gotta get all those angst and deep-seated feeling out somehow. Yesterday we found out he’s been pretending the family cat was his girlfriend. Had to take him to the hospital to get those scratches on his little friend checked out, if you know what I mean,” he smiled, moving away from you to pat the clearly seething Five on the head. 

Before the kid could say anything or do something that would get you in more shit, you plastered your own happy little smile on and bent down beside him, wrapping your arms around his shoulder as you continue to address your boss. “He was just upset because he found out I told his teacher about his little bed wetting problem.” Five ripped your arm away with incredible force and stepped away from you both. Sighing dramatically, you rested the side of your face on your palm and slightly shook your head, adding, “It’s so hard, I just don’t know where we went wrong!” 

Klaus snickered behind you, while your boss looked properly petrified and regretful about having walked in on the whole ordeal at all. 

“Just uh-- forget about it. Clean it up okay?” 

Giving him a wink and you stood back up, you flicked your wrist in a lazy salute. “You got it, Boss Man.” He couldn’t turn back around and get back to the back room fast enough. 

Turning the face the two once again, Klaus grinned as he said, “brilliant work,” raising his hand for a knowing high five. You happily obliged. 

“Was that really necessary?” Five ground out from between his teeth, as you shot him back an incredulous look. “Was it necessary to throw a plate at me?” you retorted, fully not expecting him to reply with, “Yes. It was the only way I could make sure you had a force field.” 

Smartass.

Running your hand through your hair tiredly to get it out of your face, you crossed your arms again and didn’t bother to argue anymore. “Just tell me what this is about.” At this point, you were tired and really just wanted to get back to your quiet night. Klaus was also giving you a once over every thirty seconds and you weren’t quite sure what he looked so bloody excited and anxious about. 

“I have a theory, and I’d like to test it out,” Five said. Klaus quickly interjected with, “and I’m one of the test subjects,” wiggling his eyebrows as he did. 

Narrowing your gaze, you questioned “one of?” 

“Well, it requires you, but before I explain, to what extent can you use your powers? Have you done anything more than just deflect things off your field?”

You shook your head, confusion still clouding your words. “That’s all. Some guy tries to knife me? He bounces off. Sometimes I get lucky and he stabs himself in the process. It’s a simple thing. 

“How many times has someone tried to knife you?” Klaus asked with a small snort, but Five cut him off with a great little bomb of information. “I’ve done some calculations on how your power works, and I think that if someone like us was in the field with you it might nullify our powers.”Huh.

“And... math makes you think that?” 

Five rolled his eyes. You got the idea he did that a fair bit. “I want to test out to see if that’s true, so if you will,  please conjure up your field around you and Klaus and we’ll see if it works on him.” 

Flashing your eyes to Klaus who almost seemed to jitter with excitement, your eyes got slightly wide when you asked, “wait, there’s a ghost here? Like right now?” You swiveled your head around like you would actually be able to see it.  

Klaus nodded his head. “Ben, meet Y/N, Y/N meet our brother Ben.” Pressing a hand to his heart, he added, “forever in our hearts and forever by my side. I am his saving grace.” Turning his head abruptly, he quickly said, “shut up,” to the air-- or Ben, rather-- slicing his hand in a silencing sound. 

Raising a hand hesitantly, you gave a flick of your wrist in that direction, squeaking out a small, “Hi Ben.” 

“If you two idiots are done,” Five muttered, but you stopped him as you said, “three idiots. It’s rude to dismiss Ben’s presence. You're his brother, be respectful.” Five ignored you. “The sooner we test this, the sooner we can leave.”  

Oh, now he was speaking your language. 

Shaking out your shoulders, you widened your stance and clapped your hands, saying, “alright, let's go.” Klaus gave some excited little claps as he stepped to your side, telling Five, “field trips are always so much fun!” 

Taking in a deep breath, you let the energy seep out of you until that familiar snap surrounded you, this time entrapping not on you, but Klaus as well. 

The smiling man quickly went silent. 

“So,” you started hesitantly, turning to study his face. “Did it work?” 

Multiple emotions seemed to cross his features, and it revealed to you certain hopelessness and vulnerability that was so unfamiliar to you and what you had known about him. It dawned on you at that moment that you had no idea what this meant. To him. To Five. Christ, nerves started to wrack through your body when you realized they could be having you do this just to try and kill you because they see it as some sort of ridiculous threat. Still, that seemed unlikely. No, they needed it somehow. 

And as Klaus turned towards you, looking at you as if you were some wonderous figure and not just some crappy diner waiter working two jobs just to get by, you realized that whatever they had been searching for, they had found. Whatever Klaus had been searching for, he had found. 

“They’re gone.” 

His voice was just a fraction above a whisper, but it sent a chill across your skin as his intense gaze once again studied you with incredible fascination. But as he took a step forward, his hand oh-so-gently reaching for your hand, your focus went away and the force field fell, all the sounds and senses of the real world hitting you all at once. 

Five was staring at you both with an odd look you didn’t quite know what to think of. 

“Alright."

Clearing your throat, you took a small step back as the fog cleared out of your head, stating back a dull, “huh?” 

“We’ll be at your apartment in the morning. Get ready to meet the others.” 

Wait, what the fuck?

“My apartment? You guys haven’t even explained what you guys want from me!” You blurted, moving your head rapidly as you looked back and forth between the two. 

“I’ll explain everything tomorrow,” was all Five said, as both him and Klaus began moving towards to door, clearly content with what they came here to do. Well, that was nice for them. They could sleep soundly as you sat up in bed all night looking up fucking umbrella academy conspiracy theories to try and convince yourself what happened here was actually real. 

“There’s no way in hell you’re getting those Mickey Mouse pancakes now!” You shot back as he exited the door, huffing as you turned around to go clean up the plate.

Then something smacked hard on the back of your head, landing on the ground with a little rattle. 

“Oopsie.”

Spinning around, gripping the back of your head, you were about to yell obscenities at Klaus who’d just thrown a spoon of all things, but he was already halfway out the door calling behind him, “I thought your little bubble would just appear like a party trick, bye!” 

Idiots. Idiots had just taken over your life. 

[ihni]

Can’t wait until season 3 because Steve and Billy won’t have a single interaction and they’ll both be straight af and I can stop seeing your cringe comics in their tag. I mean, you’ll probably keep making them but you’ll have no new content, so that’s cool.

Hello anon,

and thank you for this message. I was honestly delighted to receive it, because I was beginning to feel a bit left out.

You’re right; I will probably continue to make my crappy little comics - because I like making them, and some people that I like and respect seem to get a kick out of them, too. In a way, it’s my humble way to pay back to a fandom that has been nothing but warm, welcome and awesome in every way. I am constantly amazed by the talented and creative people in this fandom, and although I may not have much to offer, these will have to do for now.

That said, it’s never been a wish of mind to subject anyone to them, who don’t like them. If they make you uncomfortable or angry, you can block the tag “ihni doodles”, as that is what I’m using to tag all of them with. If my mere existence is an offence to you, then thankfully it’s easy to remedy: You can block me easily on tumblr (if you don’t know how to, it’s easy to google it, or you can write me again and I’ll tell you how). If that’s not enough, you can write me off anon and request that I block you, too. That way, we’ll both have taken the necessary steps to ensure that you won’t have to see my cringe comics. (This goes for anyone who wants to; I won’t be offended, I promise. I never take it personally when people don’t like my so-called “art”, because art is a subjective thing, and entirely in the eye of the beholder.)

I have to tell you that I will probably never run out of new content - inspiration, perhaps, but content? Never. We create the content in this fandom (as well as in many others) - which is honestly why I love fandom so much. The creativity, the productivity, the sheer insanity of it all. As long as I will want to draw Billy, I will have plenty of material to use (and if I don’t, I’ll make it up. I just put him in a skirt dressed as a metalhead!cinderella ffs. There are no limits to what fans can and can’t do).

I personally don’t care much if Billy and Steve share any screentime this season (although I know many who do care, and I sure wouldn’t mind it! It would be awesome!). I care about Billy as a character, period. I’d watch eight episodes of him cleaning the bathroom, or changing the tires of his car, or scratching rude comments into school property with his keys. So I am understandably thrilled for season 3, as it seems I’ll at least get a lot of him. See, he’s my favourite character. And as such, I’ll enjoy it if he simply hangs out with Tommy & Carol. I’ll enjoy it if he yells at kids at the pool. I’ll enjoy it if he banters with Max. I’ll enjoy it if he goes full villain. I’ll enjoy any and all interaction between him and any of the other characters I love (I am overjoyed that it seems he’ll interact with El, and I would kill for a glaring contest between him and Dustin, or for Lucas to confront him about what he did, or for him to have a stilted conversation with Hopper, or for any kind of meeting between him and Joyce - and yes, I would also sell my first born* for scenes with Steve, because I love him too). But most of all - I’ll enjoy all the fanworks that I know will follow. Because I love everybody in this bar :D

I’m sorry this got so long - I got excited! But please know that if you ever feel like writing me again, or to discuss anything about Stranger Things (or other things, really), feel free to do it off anon - I swear that I will always answer privately if I’m asked to do so.

Also, it seems that we have our love for Stranger Things in common - you, like me, can’t wait for Season 3. We’re both looking forward to it (although perhaps for slightly different reasons - but I’ll bet that many reasons are probably the same, too). The end result is the same: two happy people, watching a show they’re invested in, with characters they’ve grown to love. (Just a few days to go now, that is INSANE!! :D )

I wish you the best, and hope that you’ll enjoy the show when it airs. Have a nice day. :)

*=don’t worry, I won’t actually sell a child. There are no kids in my future. Ever

[sulietsexual]

Could you elaborate why you were dissapointed in season 3 of Stranger Things? I haven't seen it yet but feel free to spoil stuff, already saw tons of gifsets on here.

royalweirdonj said:Thoughts on Stranger Things 3?

Okay, so I have some mixed feelings about this season, so I’ll talk about both the good and the bad and why I was ultimately disappointed with this season (at least in part). So we’ll start with …

What I Liked 

First and foremost, I absolutely loved what they did with El’s character development and characterisation this season. El is a character who hasn’t really had the chance to grow or develop because she’s always so isolated and/or going through so much trauma. In Season 1 she was basically just a traumatised child and in Season 2 Hopper kept her very isolated and her weird sojourn to find her mother and her sister didn’t feel authentic to me. But this season finally gave her the opportunity to start to develop her own sense of self and I loved that, especially the medium through which she did so, ie her friendship with Max.

We’ve all wanted this friendship since Season 2 but I don’t think that any of us realised how glorious it would be. El is a reserved and unsure character (when she’s not being pushed to save everyone) and so she really needed someone like Max in her corner, someone who was loud and assertive, who would stand up for her when she couldn’t stand up for herself and who could show her how to be more dominant and make her own boundaries and rules. I loved the shopping montage, particularly the part where Max helped her pick out clothes that felt like her (”Not like Hopper or Mike, but like you.”), as well as their sleepovers, the way they investigated everything together and the bond which formed from them being the only girls in a group of boys who didn’t always understand each other. It was a really sweet and organic friendship and I’m so glad that the Duffers decided to develop it.

And speaking of friendships, I also adored the dynamic between Steve and Robyn, the way the show turned what we all thought would be a romantic relationship on its head and instead turned it into a sweet and snarky friendship between two people who genuinely liked one another. Robyn herself was a great character and her presence on the show greatly improved the overall tone. I loved how smart and quirky and snarky she was and Mia Hawke really made the character feel authentic. And I really loved the subversion of her and Steve’s relationship and her coming out scene. Steve Harrington proved what an absolute cinnamon roll he is with his reaction to her coming out; I loved that his only response was to tell her that she needed better taste in women and I loved that in the Three Months Later sequence they were still besties looking for jobs in the same place so they could stick together. 

Steve Harrington remained the awesome character he’s always been. Loved that his and Dustin’s friendship is still so intact and that they still care about one another so much. Also loved him sneaking the other kids into the movies on a regular basis. And I liked how the series demonstrated that while he isn’t book smart, he’s smart in other ways, such as figuring out where the music on the recording came from or using the vial of green substance to jam the elevator door open. It shows that he knows how to think on his feet and that he pays attention to his surroundings and is street-smart. I love what they’re doing with his character, allowing him to continue to grow into a more kind, smart and compassionate character with every season.

Also, I loved seeing Science Teacher Scott Clarke again! I missed him in Season 2, so seeing his epic reappearance was amazing! Wish he’d been in more than just one episode.

Characters aside (although, I should mention that I love Joyce Beyers more with every season, her “Mom Voicing” the Government was brilliant and I liked that they touched on her grief over Bob’s death) but that aside, the season felt really well-paced. Only having eight episodes meant that the story progressed quickly and there wasn’t a lot of filler, which was good. There was also so much excitement and action going on that it was very easy to binge-watch the whole season. That being said, I feel like the season changed direction mid-way through, which brings me to …

What I Didn’t Like

Following on from the previous paragraph, I feel like Season 3 started as a character-based season and then quickly switched to a plot-driven season (and on an added note, I was kind of annoyed that the plot this season was literally the same as last season ie the Mind Flayer has taken over someone close to one of the party members and they have to close the gate to stop them - again. Also, the subplot with the Russians was kind of lame). 

There was so much characterisation laid down in the first half of the season which was then kind of forgotten about in the second half once the action got underway and then was never resolved. Will spends most of the first three or four episode lamenting his lost childhood and desperately trying to re-connect with his friends. It’s heartbreaking to see how much he craves the days before everything, the days where he felt safe, where his friends were there for him and not concerned with their romantic entanglements. It was actually a really interesting look into Will’s character and how he’s desperately clinging to the old days but once the Mind Flayer comes into play, this is pretty much dropped. Aside from a half-hearted attempt from Lucas to bridge the gap, Will’s disconnect from his friends and the fact that they’re growing up faster than he is and therefore growing apart from him is never addressed again, leaving this particular thread unfinished. 

Hopper’s characterisation and his storyline regarding being a parent to a thirteen-year-old was also left unresolved. Overall, I didn’t love Hopper’s characterisation this season. He seemed overly aggressive and I really didn’t like that he got so drunk when Joyce didn’t turn up for their date. He’s obviously having communication issues with El, and the opportunity to resolve these issues died along with him. His jealousy over any man who even talked to Joyce was irritating and I didn’t like that he essentially threatened a fourteen-year-old kid and seemed pleased with himself when said kid then hurt his daughter (because it meant that he got his way and that’s all that mattered). I understand why he was so alarmed with El and Mike spending so much time together but the fact that this never got resolved in an adult manner irritated me. And his death, well, we’ll talk about that soon because that pissed me off beyond belief.

Billy’s character needed more depth. I did feel a bit sorry for him this season and he definitely felt like a better character than the previous season, but any development he had (including his relationship with Max) happened offscreen, so it was hard to believe that Max would grieve for him so much after everything we saw him do to her in Season 2. Obviously things have gotten better between the two of them and Billy himself is nowhere near as gross as he was (although he’s still a dick) but we never got to see this growth/development, so it was hard to really empathise with his character or feel grief over his passing, even for Max. 

Nancy’s character felt (once again) kind of useless this season and her storyline was (once again) so separate from the main storyline that I really feel that it could have been removed entirely and it wouldn’t have made a lick of difference. Also, I get that we were supposed to feel that she was being treated in a sexist manner by the men at the newspaper but, I mean, she was only an intern. She wasn’t there as a reporter, she was working as a intern and it’s an intern’s job to run menial tasks such as getting coffee, picking up lunch and doing boring tasks like photocopying and filing and the bad treatment she received seemed to be based more off her intern status than her gender. Also, what did she think, that she would become some groundbreaking reporter based off a summer job with zero experience or writing credentials? Lastly, Jonathan barely felt like a character this season, his sole reason to exist seemed to be to prop up Nancy’s storyline and I hated that after Jonathan delivered that epic (and entirely true) speech about how Nancy didn’t understand the lower class and how he needed the job and wasn’t born with the same silver spoon in his mouth that she was, he then turned around and apologised and said that he was wrong (which he totally wasn’t). Yet another example of Nancy treating a boyfriend like crap and getting away with it, but hey, “feminism”!

I also didn’t really like the dynamic they wrote between Joyce and Hop. It was good at first, with him going to her for advice on how to deal with El and Mike. But once she “stood him up” and they developed that weird snarky “banter”, I found myself growing tired of the dynamic. Also, bringing back the creepy conspiracy theorist from Season 2 to tell them they needed to bang (like he did with Nancy and Jonathan) was, again, so annoying. I hate when characters are told that they have feelings for one another, rather than developing naturally. So yeah, never been much of a Jopper shipper and this season made me even less so. Bring back Bob!

Oh, and lastly, Erica Sinclair is the most annoying little snot of a character. I didn’t find her entertaining at all. She was rude, obnoxious and mean, horrible to pretty much every character, took advantage of Scoops tasting policy while acting like an entitled brat and I just honestly could not stand her. I wish they’d left her out of the Steve/Robyn/Dustin dynamic, she was just such an unnecessary addition.

What I Hated

So, characterisation issues and weird bait-and-switches between it and plot aside, there were a couple of aspects to the new season which I truly hated.

First of all, this season was unnecessarily violent. Like, I get that there’s been violence in this show before, but it’s always been stylized violence, usually aimed at bad guys and quite subdued. But this season? Wow. Starting with that horrible imagine spot where Billy envisions bashing Karen Wheeler’s head in, it just never let up. Having grown men savagely beat up teenagers was way more than I needed to see and the violence often seemed really gratuitous and unnecessarily drawn-out. Steve’s torture at the hands of the Russians was really hard to take, especially because it went on for so long. I hated having to watch them punch Robyn in the face. Jonathan’s brutal beat-down from the Flayed Editor of the paper was horrible to watch and, once again, went on for way too long. Also, watching Flayed!Billy literally choke, punch and smack thirteen-year-old El around was horrifying. Also, his taking of Heather (and later on his attempt to take El) was incredibly rape-y, what with him leaning over them while they were incapacitated and telling them “Don’t move/struggle”, “It will be over soon”. Totally uncalled for and incredibly hard to watch. Maybe I’m oversensitive but I honestly don’t think that the show needed to display that level of violence.

The character assassination of Karen Wheeler continued, with her and her creepy middle-aged mom friends sitting poolside to perv on a eighteen-year-old kid. Imagine if the genders were reversed and it was four middle-aged men perving on a young girl? Also, why would she even consider sleeping with a teenage boy? Sigh. Remember when Karen Wheeler was a concerned and caring parent, who was strong enough to yell at government officials when they wouldn’t tell her what was going on and dropped by a grieving friend’s house with food and comfort? At least she and Nancy had that sweet scene in which she was encouraging to her daughter, but the rest of the time she was just useless and didn’t even know where her kids were.

Speaking of which, why did this show separate Joyce and Hop from their kids for so long? And why on earth would Joyce and Hop be willing to be separated from their kids for so long, after everything they went through the previous year? It felt so OOC for them to not even be suspicious that they hadn’t spoken to either of their children for at least three days, just taking the word of other parents that their kids were alright. 

And lastly, the thing which pissed me off the most and actually made both me and my husband instantly switch off from the show and feel like we had just wasted eight hours watching this season, the death of Jim Hopper.

I know, I know, the Stinger maybe hinted that he was still alive. I know we didn’t see a body. I know that there were hints of time travel in future seasons and that Jim Hopper possibly isn’t dead. But you know who doesn’t know this? The characters. And I hate that. I hate that El has now lost her father, less than two years after finally finding one. I hate that she’s now alone, separated from Mike and while, yes, Joyce will take care of her the best she can, it’s never going to be the same. I hate that Joyce now has to suffer through the heartbreak of losing yet another man she had feelings for, less than a year after she lost the first. I hate that she made the decision to move away (even though I understand it) which separated her kids from their relationships and removed El from the one person who still loves her with all his heart. I hate that the season ended on such a downer, with such loss and tragedy and sadness. It really brought down the whole season for me and left me with a horrible, sad and empty feeling and not at all looking forward to more seasons because of all the crap the characters have gone through.

Whew. That got really long. Hope this was coherent! 

[andwejust-ran]

I’m Your Man-Chapter 3

Thanks for all your kind comments and feedback. I’m so glad that you enjoy it! It’s a challenging story to write, but it’s also fun to explore!

Everyone enjoyed the impromptu Barbecue so much, that it quickly became a weekly event. Hopper even purchased a large picnic table set, to make it more official. Each week, dinner grew more and more elaborate as the trailer became a revolving door of teens. On this night, in late June, Nancy, Mike, and Dustin arrived with armfuls of desserts that Mrs. Wheeler had helped them prepare.

Joyce was busy organizing the food in Hopper’s small kitchen, when he stepped in with a plate of raw meat. “I might have to splurge on a new grill soon. This one's on its last legs.”

Joyce kept her focus on a tray of cupcakes. “We’ve got some left at the store.” The blue and red icing was melting off from the summer heat. She was determined to save them. With a frown, she added, “70% off.” Melvald’s was officially closing. By the end of the summer, she would be jobless, and with it, another weight added to her already sagging shoulders.

Hopper mindlessly grabbed a beer out of the fridge. “I’ll have to stop in before this one craps out.” His can popped open with a loud hiss. He wiped the sweat off of his forehead and then rested the can against his face.

Out of the corner of her eye, Joyce noticed Hopper staring at her. “What?” When he didn’t stop staring, she stopped to shoot him a confused look. “What are you looking at?”

Sheepishly, he darted his gaze away. “Nothing.”

“Hopper.”  She pointed an icing covered finger at him. “What is it?”

The kitchen didn’t leave much room for personal space. He tried not to crowd her, but his large frame made it nearly impossible. “Joyce, uh, when are you gonna tell the boys? You know, about the baby?” the last part of his question was almost inaudible.

The pair had spent the last few weeks blatantly ignoring her pregnancy. It was always there, of course, hanging heavy between them, but they never acknowledged it. It was easier to live in denial. His sudden mention of it annoyed her.

“I don’t know.” She went back to her task, but found herself too flustered to concentrate.

“I think, it’s gonna have to be soon.”

With a dramatic sigh, she gave up on the cupcakes and stole a napkin to wipe her hands. “What are you talking about, Hopper?” The longer she waited to tell Will and Jonathan, the harder it became. Inevitably, she had to tell them. She was well aware of that fact, but the thought of explaining the circumstances to them, left her feeling panicked.

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but it’s getting kinda obvious.”

Her movements stilled. Self-consciously, she glanced down at her loose white t-shirt. She had been blessed with a petite frame that hadn’t changed much, even during her first two pregnancies. Her third pregnancy, however, was proving to be the exception. Her old ripped jeans barely fit and she was grateful that most of her shirts weren’t form fitting.

Hopper hesitated. Discussing a woman’s weight was never wise, so he opted to tread carefully. “I can see it in your face.”

Her hands went immediately to her cheeks. Then, she shot him a glare. “Don’t say that.”

Hopper shrugged “Sorry.” He wasn’t all that sorry, though. To him, she had always been beautiful, but now, he noticed it even more. “Pregnancy looks good on you, if it makes you feel better.”

Joyce ignored his compliment as anxiety built up inside of her. It was always like this. She would have moments of complete peace, where she was calm and content, and then, like a sudden bolt of lightning, it would be ruined by some glaring reminder of impending doom. If pregnancy was doing wonders for her appearance, it certainly wasn’t doing wonders for her battle with anxiety.

“I can’t tell them,” she insisted, while pulling the corner of her bottom lip with her teeth.

Hopper heaved a deep chuckle. “They’re a little old to believe that Santa left a baby under the tree, Joyce.”

Joyce swatted his bare arm, and then fanned her flushed face. The hottest part of the day was done. The sinking sun provided some relief, but their bodies acted like a furnace in the confined space. “They’re not gonna wanna hear that their mom got knocked up by some guy in a bar.”

Hopper nodded in agreement, but then smirked. “It’ll be hard to have those condom talks with them after this, that’s for sure.”

Even in the worst of times, their banter was like a comfort blanket. They slipped in and out of seriousness with skilled precision. Their shared history, once considered a weakness before the events of the past two years, now worked in their favor.

“I’m screwed.”

Hopper crossed his arms. Dryly, he said, “Just tell them it’s mine. Everyone will be thinking it anyway.” His joke was met with her disapproving frown and he was instantly confused. “What’s the face for?”

To the tiny part of her that wished that the baby was his, the joke felt like a slap in the face. Instantly, her walls went up to protect herself. “That’s the last thing I need.”

Straightening up, Hopper’s features turned tense. He was offended, but wasn’t sure why. “So telling them that I’m the father would be worse than the truth?”

Refusing to get into an argument over something that could never be, Joyce rolled her eyes. “It doesn’t even matter, Hop. John’s the father and I’ll have to tell them that, and then die of embarrassment.”

“John?” bristled Hopper. “I thought you didn���t know his name?”

“I don’t know his last name.”

Hopper crossed his arms. His entire demeanor grew dark as jealousy raced through him. “Right.” Up until now, the man was a ghost. A nobody. It was easy to pretend that he didn’t exist at all. But now, he had a name, and it wouldn’t be long before his mind started inventing a face to add to it.

Joyce noticed the obvious change in him, but didn’t want to think too much about it. Thinking too much would only lead to trouble. Instead, she glanced out the window where six teens of various ages were playing Frisbee. The air around them was tense and she was eager to end the conversation. Luckily, the smoking grill gave her an out. “I think the grill’s ready. Or it’s on fire.”

Hopper followed her gaze out the window and then cursed under his breath. Brooding in silence, he grabbed the plate of meat and let the door slam shut on his way out.

***

   Dinner with 8 people crammed around a picnic table was chaos, but it was the good kind of chaos. The kind of chaos that one misses years down the road when things are entirely too quiet and too mundane. Despite their earlier tension, Joyce and Hopper were fine together once they were distracted by the conversations around them.

During a lull, Jonathan pointed to his mother as she finished her third pickle. “Since when do you eat pickles?” He looked to Will who was seated beside him. “Have you ever seen her eat a pickle?”

From across the table, Will watched as Joyce licked the tangy juice off her lips. As if he were the parent and she were the child, he suspiciously said, “You hate pickles.”

Joyce played off her craving with an indifferent shrug. “They’re not so bad.”

Beside her, Hopper held up the pickle jar to examine it. “I’d say so. They’re almost gone.”

Surrounded by her kids, their friends, and Hopper, Joyce was in good spirits, so she didn’t take their teasing seriously. “This coming from the guy who invented the ‘Ego-Extravaganza’.”

Hopper’s mouth curved up into a guilty grin. “Touché.”

Neither adult noticed Jane’s perplexed expression. Sandwiched in between Mike and Will, she studied Joyce with hawk like focus. Then, out of the blue, Jane’s flat toned comment stunned the table into silence. “Pregnant.”

Hopper, who had just taken a sip of water, started to choke. The commotion diverted the attention away from Joyce’s blanched face. “Jesus,” he blurted, once he recovered. “What are you talking about?”

Jane didn’t understand what the big deal was. “Erica’s pregnant. She loves pickles.”

Hopper’s heavy brows furrowed. “Erica?”

It was Nancy who explained, “Yeah. Erica Kane, from All My Children.” She smiled down the table at Jane. She herself, indulged in the guilty pleasure from time to time.

“We’re talking about TV?” Hopper let out a disgruntled sigh.

“Hey, it’s a good show!” exclaimed Nancy.

Jonathan nudged her gently in the side. “None of that stuff’s real, you know. It’s not like my mom’s pregnant just because she likes pickles.” His eyes were bright with playfulness and he had a smile on his face, until he looked at his mother’s panicked expression. His face fell as he asked, “Right, mom?” Joyce looked away, but her gaze fell on Hopper, and Jonathan watched in horror as they exchanged a furtive glance.

The table was so quiet, that you could hear a pin drop. Hoping to save Joyce from humiliation, Hopper spoke up. “TV rots your brain.”

Jonathan spoke right over him. “Mom?” He got her attention by asking, “Are you pregnant?”

Without making a sound, Joyce’s mouth opened and closed. Shamefully, she kept her gaze on her son as she nodded in confirmation. She wanted to reassure him. She wanted to be the mother he needed, but in that moment, she was frozen in fear. Her vision tunneled, so that only his angry expression was visible to her.

Jonathan’s cheeks turned red. “You’re pregnant.” It was a statement, not a question. He looked away from her to stare accusingly at Hopper. “She’s pregnant?”

Hopper immediately held up his hands. “Hey, don’t look at me. I’ve got nothing to do with this.” The words sounded light hearted in his head, but didn’t come out that way. Helplessly, he looked to Joyce, only to find a hurt look on her face. Hopper tried to apologize, but their attention was soon stolen by Jonathan.

“If it’s not him, then…then who?” His body was tense with the emotions that he was bottling up. “Do you have some boyfriend lurking around?”

Everyone was waiting for an answer. Under their heavy stares, Joyce’s anxiety grew. She looked to Will and his wide brown eyes rendered her speechless. When she finally could speak, her mouth was painfully dry. “Let’s talk at home.”

Jonathan was up and standing before she had even finished speaking. Incredulously, he spat, “At home?” His mind raced, as he tried to put all the pieces together. “You’re having a baby and you wanna talk at home?”

“Jonathan,” Joyce begged.

Instead of listening, he crossed his arms and glared back at her. “I don’t wanna talk at home. I don’t wanna talk, at all.” As his emotions took over, his voice rose to a yell. He completely forgot his surroundings and the fact that they had an audience. “I don’t understand you, mom! I don’t understand what the hell you’re doing.”

It was Hopper who gruffly responded, before Joyce could. “Calm down, kid.”

Jonathan snorted and shook his head. An anti-authoritative remark was on the tip of his tongue, but he didn’t say it. He didn’t look at anyone before storming away, towards the lake.

Hesitantly, Nancy stood up. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Byers.” She looked to Joyce and then towards her boyfriend’s fleeing form. “I’ll go talk to him.” Nancy turned away, but then stopped, as if she had forgotten something. With a sheepish smile, she turned back around and addressed Joyce again. “Um, congratulations…on the baby.” With an awkward nod towards Hopper, she went after Jonathan.

Everyone at the table was quiet for so long that the silence grew painful. Dustin and Mike shared puzzled looks while Will played with his food. Jane glanced between the adults, desperately trying to comprehend what was going on around her.

Out of the blue, Joyce closed her eyes and put a trembling hand to her mouth. “I’ll be back.” Her morning sickness, that had been getting better, was now back with a vengeance. She darted away from the table and into the trailer before anyone could say anything.

Lips pursed in concern, Hopper watched her go, and then pinched the bridge of his nose. He thought about following her, but then he noticed Will and Jane’s fearful expressions and stayed put. “She’ll be okay.”

“I’m sorry,” insisted Jane. “I hurt her.”

Hopper was confused. “She’s not upset, she’s just been getting sick sometimes.”

As if Hopper knew nothing about women, Dustin advised, “Um, she’s definitely upset.”

Mike, who was sitting beside Dustin, shoved his friend in the side. “Mrs. Byers isn’t upset at her, though.” He then turned his attention to Jane. “It’s not your fault, El.” Mike and Jane’s hands were already joined, so he squeezed it for reassurance.

The girl eventually believed him, though it didn’t make her thoughts any clearer. Her brown eyes shifted to Hopper. “Joyce is having a baby. Not you?”

Hopper’s face was hidden in his hands. Dustin chuckled at her statement, but Hopper understood exactly what she meant. This wasn’t the type of discussion he wanted to have ever, let alone at the dinner table. He removed his hands and swiftly nodded. “Yeah.”

Jane’s face grew determined, in the way it always did when she was on a mission for answers. “You’ll be the dad, though?”

Her question threw him through a loop again. “No, Jane...the baby isn’t mine. I’m not the dad.”

“You will be.”

He tried not to lose his patience, but it wasn’t easy. His back ached from the picnic table bench and his mind kept wandering to Joyce. “That’s not how it works.” Off in the distance, he could just make out Jonathan and Nancy’s silhouettes as they walked towards his car. “We can talk about it more, later. Okay?” He was eager to end the discussion, once and for all. He wasn’t the father. That fact couldn’t be changed, and Joyce seemed fine with that. Her earlier words were still running through his mind.

Jane shot him an incredulous glare. “But you knew she was having a baby.”

Hopper finally lost his patience and with it, his voice rose. “Yeah kid, I knew. Alright? So what?  We’re friends. You and I will talk about it later.” In reality, he hoped that the subject would never come up again, but he knew that was next to impossible.

“Why later?” came Dustin’s outraged question. Hopper stared him down with a deathly still stare, but Dustin wasn’t intimidated. “What? It’s not like she’s gonna be any less pregnant later.”

Mike made a disgusted face. “It sounds weird when you say it like that.”

Dustin rolled his eyes. “It’s Biology. Look it up.”

“Ew. Gross. What the hell, Dustin. I’m not looking it up.”

“Mrs. Byers is pregnant.” Dustin motioned to his stomach with his arms. “As in, having a baby…as in, Will’s gonna have a baby around the house, soon. Why is no one getting this?”

In frustration, Mike threw a hamburger bun at his friend. Dustin caught it in one hand and lobbed it back at him. They kept up their antics until Hopper’s stern tone told them to quit it. His tense features kept them from continuing. His face softened however, when he noticed that Will had remained quiet for far too long.

“You okay, buddy?” Hopper’s annoyance evaporated as Will helplessly shrugged. “Hey, I know it’s a shock.”

Though he was a teenager, Will’s eyes were filled with childlike innocence. “My mom has a new boyfriend? I didn’t know that.”

“Oh.” Hopper couldn’t help him there. “Uh, well, you’ll have to talk to her about that.” He couldn’t be the one to explain things to him, and he felt bad about that.

“I thought maybe…” Will’s cheeks colored as his words trailed off. Shyly, he ducked his head down. He was too embarrassed to finish his sentence.

Jane, however, wasn’t embarrassed. She took right over where Will left off. “We thought you were her boyfriend.”

Hopper’s brows arched in surprise. “What?”

“You’re always together.”

“That doesn’t mean I’m her boyfriend,” he insisted. With a groan, he looked to the trailer and was relieved to see Joyce making her way back. He could deal with monsters, mayors, and mayhem, but when it came to four teenagers with too many questions, he had to throw in the towel. Hopper got up and met Joyce halfway.

She answered his question before he had a chance to ask. “I’m okay.”

Her face was pale and clammy. He shook his head in disbelief. “I can hold down the fort, if you wanna go sit down inside.” His eyes darted back to the table before refocusing on her. He had done a terrible job of holding things together while she was inside before, but he would try it again, for her.

“Thanks, but I should go home.” Frantically, she looked around his tall frame until she saw her son. “Will, honey, let’s go.” She had lost all control over the situation and was desperate to regain some. Hopper moved to put his hands on her shoulders, but she stepped back before he could. In a no nonsense tone, she snapped, “I’m fine, Hop.”

Looming over her, he stared her down intensely before finally giving up. Seconds later, Will was at their side. “Jonathan left with Nancy.”

Joyce let out a dejected sigh. “Okay.”

Hopper squeezed Will’s shoulder, but spoke only to her. “Call me if you need to talk later.” At her sour look, he spoke even louder, “I mean it. Call me.” She didn’t respond, but, he wasn’t surprised at that. Silently, he watched her walk away. Around him, the crickets chirped and at the table, the three remaining teens spoke in hushed whispers. Hopper stood there until the sun sank beneath the horizon and the lightning bugs began to blink.

***

        Joyce’s hands gripped the steering wheel tight on the way home. Will hadn’t looked at her, not once. Driving didn’t stop her from constantly glancing his way, though. The silence was too much. It was worse than an awkward conversation.

Finally, she had enough. “Baby, talk to me. Please.” As a family, they had been through worse. She wasn’t going to let this destroy them.

Will’s response was soft. “I don’t know what to say.” He wasn’t angry, like his brother, but he wasn’t happy, either. His unhappiness radiated off of him in invisible waves.

Joyce let out a relieved breath. At least he said something. In that moment, she would take anything. “Okay, how about how you’re feeling?”

“I don’t know. I guess I’d be cool…to have a baby around.” His words were optimistic, but his tone lacked the excitement needed to pull it off. The idea of a younger sibling didn’t scare him, like the Shadow Monster or the Upside Down, but it felt off in a way that he couldn’t put into words.

She hadn’t practiced what to say, but luckily, her many years of parental experience took over. “It’ll be an adjustment. For all of us…I know. It’s taking me a long time to process it all, too, but it’ll be okay. We’ll figure it all out, as a family. Like always. I promise.”

Will met her eyes and managed a weak smile. The idea of his mother being pregnant embarrassed him. He didn’t want to think about any of it, but he had questions, ones that his mind wouldn’t allow to go unanswered. “Who’s your new boyfriend?”

This time, Joyce kept her eyes on the road. She allowed silence to drift between them for a bit as she thought about the best thing to say. Honesty had always been her policy when it came to being a single parent. She let it guide her. “I don’t have one.” At a stop sign, she finally glanced towards Will again and her face fell at his confused expression. “The babies father...he um, well. He’s not from around here. So he won’t be involved in this.” A horn behind them honked loudly and she let out a sigh when she was forced to move her eyes back to the road in order to drive.

It took Will some time to understand the meaning of her words. His cheeks turned red when the pieces finally fell into place. “So, it, I mean, the baby, won’t have a dad?” His question was laced with disappointment. He knew what it was like to grow up pretty much without one. His throat burned with emotion knowing that his sibling would suffer the same fate.

“No.” When she stopped the car at the top of their long driveway, Joyce turned towards him and reached for his hand. “I’m sorry, honey. This is a mess, I know. It’s gonna be okay, though. I promise. And you can talk to me, like always. That’s not gonna change.”

Staring into her tearful eyes, Will didn’t have the heart to make her more upset by voicing his feelings. He was never good at hiding things from her, but with a fake smile, he tried to anyway. “It’s okay, mom. I know it’ll work out.” She pulled him into a hug then, and Will was relieved that he could let his smile fall against her shoulder.

***

“Joyce, listen to me, it’s Jonathan. Alright? He’s not gonna do anything stupid.”

Through the phone, Hopper’s voice offered little comfort. Joyce had the long phone cord wrapped around her hands as she spoke in hushed tones. “It’s after Midnight Hop, and he’s not home. He’s never done this before. He usually calls.”

“He’s probably just blowing off steam. He’s a teenager.”

Frustrated that her concerns weren’t being taken seriously, Joyce shook her head. “And what if he’s not? Hopper, Karen said Nancy came home two hours ago. Jonathan was headed home and now he’s not here. So where the hell’s my son?” Will was asleep, so she tried to keep her tone low, but it was a difficult task.

Hopper’s disgruntled sigh was loud in her ear. Despite all they had been through, it was clear that he wasn’t concerned. Still, he offered, “Do you want me to go out looking?”

Joyce almost said yes, but instead she took some deep breaths and tried to calm her nerves. This wasn’t like before. This wasn’t a crisis. This was just typical teenage parenting. She ran those thoughts over and over in her mind, hoping that it would help stall the panic attack that was slowly building up.

“Joyce, you there?”

The front door suddenly opened and closed. Overcome with relief, she peered into the living room to see Jonathan. “He’s here. He’s home.” She didn’t say goodbye before hanging up. Nervously running her hands down her sides, she locked eyes with her son for several long seconds before she rushed towards him and wrapped her arms around him. “Dammit, Jonathan. You scared me.”

With stiff limbs, he let her embrace him, but made no move to return the hug. “I’m sorry, mom.” His apology was sincere, but guarded.

“Don’t do that to me.” Joyce pulled her body away, but kept her hands on his shoulders. “Where’ve  you been? Nancy came home hours ago.”

Jonathan lowered his head in shame. “I just needed some time.”

Joyce’s tone took on a shrill quality as it rose. “Jesus Jonathan, you need to call me. You can’t just disappear.”

He finally lifted his head, letting her see the storm brewing inside his eyes. “I’m sorry, I am, but you...you can’t just drop a bombshell on us like that and expect everything to be fine. It’s not fine, mom.”

Seeing the turmoil on her son’s face broke her heart. “I know, I know it’s not fine. But I need you to talk to me. Tell me what you’re thinking.”

“I don’t wanna talk about it right now.” He shrugged off her hands and stepped away. Time and space had not given him any sort of clarity. Their family, the three of them, they had barely survived at times. How was a baby going to make things easier?

Jonathan tried to move past her, but her small frame blocked his path down the hall. Desperately she begged, “Please, honey. Talk to me.”

“What are we supposed to talk about?” All night he had been holding in his emotions. His frustration and anger had slowly built up until an explosion was inevitable. His hands went into the air as his voice rose. “I know it’s been hard since Bob. I know things haven’t been easy, but you go and decide to have a baby? What the hell, mom?”

His words stung, more than she had imagined they would. Still, she was determined to make things right. Her shaky hands reached for his arms. “It was an accident, and I know it’s a lot to take in. Believe me, I know, but we need to talk about it.”

With an angry sigh, Jonathan shook his head. “I just don’t understand what’s going on with you. This is crazy.”

Joyce bit her lip. “I know…”

“Do you?” He pulled away from her again and this time he backed well out of her reach. “Because back at dinner, you and Hopper, you were just acting like this is all so freaking normal. I didn’t even know you were dating again.”

Her own frustration was growing at the fact that he wouldn’t listen to her. “I wasn’t. I’m not!” With a glare, Jonathan stormed towards his room, but she was quick on his heels, following him. He paused when he made it to his room and she used it as an opportunity to explain herself. “It was a one time thing.” Discussing the specifics with her teenage son was the last thing she wanted to do, but she owed him some honesty. “He’s not in the picture, he doesn’t even live around here. It was a mistake...one that I would take back if I could, but I can’t and I’m sorry.”

The implication of her words made his chest burn with fury. All those awkward talks, all those safe sex talks that made him want to crawl into a hole and die, and now she was the one who messed up. The hypocrisy made his blood boil. There were so many things that he wanted to say. He opened his door and shook off her hand again as it tried to reach for him. Instead of screaming at her, like he wanted to, he refused to meet her eyes and lowered his tone. “Well, the baby can have my room once I leave for school next year,” he seethed. “I’ll be gone. I won’t be needing it anymore.” Before she could object, he slammed the door shut.

Stunned, Joyce stared at the barrier separating her and her son with her mouth open. She held her hand there, touching each grain of wood as tears slipped out of her eyes and rolled down her cheeks.

[el-borealis]

The Jump

A Mileven AU meet-cute. 

Read on A03 or FF.net. 

Wherein El Hopper, secret telekinetic skydiving instructor meets Mike Wheeler, a terrified 25th birthday boy on his first skydiving jump.

Also known as a mega random meet-cute no one ever asked for!

--

She had finally convinced her father to let her give it a try on her sixteenth birthday. From that day on, it had become her main unflinching obsession.

Skydiving was unlike anything else on Earth.

It allowed her to fly.

No. Really.

Fly.

Crashing through the sky alone was the only time she was able to use her powers without hesitation, bending the molecules in the air around her to do with them anything she wanted. It was a freedom she couldn't experience anywhere else in life. It was the one place where she could fully embrace her secret with the unbridled intensity she desired.

Life had fallen into place like a stack of Dominos after that first jump, and almost ten years later she found herself at the helm, jumping almost every day with endless tandem newbies strapped to her chest.

It wasn't a common profession for a girl of 5' 3". But, then again, she wasn't exactly a common girl.

So, that's where she found herself on a early May morning. On a quick detour on her way to the airfield, just like every other Saturday, preparing to lead yet another introductory jump.

El honked her car horn for the fourth time, desperately hoping Max would finally respond. They were running very close to late.

El sighed in relief as Max's red pony tailed whipped into view from behind her apartment door.

"I am so hungover, I hope I don't wretch on my tandem," Max groaned as she flung her body into the passenger seat of El's car. "Why do I keep drinking Jager?"

"Because you keep not listening to me." El quipped as she rolled her eyes. "Here, I got you breakfast." She handed the beat up girl beside her a croissant sandwich and a cup of coffee.

Max sighed "What would I do without you?"

"You'd probably be dead, to be honest," El replied with a laugh as she pulled out of the driveway and took the regular route to the airfield.

"So, what kind of assholes are we jumping today?" Max asked, her mouth full of breakfast sandwich.

"I swear, I don't know how you got a job dealing with people," El teased.

"Honestly, me either. But then again you hired me so I guess you're the one that will have to answer to that," Max replied sarcastically. "I hope it's cute boys. That always makes the day go faster"

"You always hope it's cute boys."

"Of course I do."

"Well, I took a look at the reservation this morning. It's four guys in their mid twenties so maybe you'll get lucky," El supplied, side eyeing her coworker with a smirk.

"Score, I hope they're girly screamers. That's my favorite."

El laughed. "You are a sadist."

"Guilty as charged," Max said with a serious nod.

El pulled up to the gate and flashed the guard her access pass, pulling them through to the prep area. Prep took a little extra time that morning, what with Max dragging ass, and they were only just ready to go as the car carrying their customers for the morning jump pulled up.

A handsome dark skinned man was in the driver's seat, next to a curly haired guy who was talking animatedly, his hands bouncing through the air as he explained something she couldn't hear. In the back were two more men, one blond, one brunette. El's eyed stayed on the brunette as she realized he was blind folded.

She groaned.

Surprised sky divers were the worst. She really needed to add a clause in the contract discouraging it. The last time she jumped with a surprise party birthday girl she was pretty sure she ruined birthdays for the girl for the rest of her life. The girl had cried the entire time and run away the second she had released her from the harness.

The men exited the car as she pulled on her most friendly professional face and waved. The curly haired man held his finger to his lips in her direction before turning to the blindfolded one.

"Ok, Mike. Are you ready?" he chimed.

"I swear to god this is so unnecessary. I hate surprises. You know I hate surprises," the guy she now knew as Mike grumbled.

"You'll love this one," the man from the driver's seat encouraged. "Will, take off the blindfold."

The shorter man, Will reached up and took off Mike's blindfold as she encouragingly said, "No really, you're going to love it."

Mike's eyes opened, falling directly on El.

He didn't speak for a moment as he stared at her.

Neither did she.

She wasn't sure she knew how anymore.

Something about his deep dark eyes locked onto hers had rendered her voice utterly useless.

"Um..." he stuttered.

"Dude. She's not your surprise. Look around you," the curly haired one said as he shook his head and the boys all laughed directly at Mike.

Mike blinked, breaking the eye contact she had just been lost in, and looked around for the first time. Then, he blanched.

"No. No no no no no. I told you guys I didn't want to do this." he protested as he tried to get back into car.

"No you don't!" The man from the driver's seat countered. "You've always wanted to do this."

The curly haired one then jumped to the task before Mike could protest any further. "Hi, I'm Dustin. It's Mike's 25th birthday. As you can see, he's difficult. You're our instructor?"

"Yeah, that's me," El said, highly embarrassed to find her voice still struggling to work. She resolutely tried to keep her eyes on Dustin and did not let them drift behind him.

"Lucas," the dark skinned man said as he held out his hand. "And this is Will and our birthday boy, Mike."

El shook each of their hands, stopping on Mike last.

"Happy Birthday," she said as she neared him and held out her hand in greeting.

"Thank you," he replied, his grip firm and lingering.

"I can guarantee you it's not as scary as you think it is," she said, pushing herself to sound as professionally kind as she could muster. "Plus, you'll be strapped to me and I've jumped out of a plane hundreds of times without dying."

"I'll be strapped to you?" He asked, his voice raising an octave.

"Unless you'd rather go tandem with Max," she said, pointing over her shoulder to the red head sorting equipment.

"No, no. You're fine," he stuttered.

A peal of laughter echoed behind her from the boys, coupled with Dustin hiding his face in his hand and muttering, "Oh my god, Mike," under his breath, but still loud enough to hear her.

Keep is professional, Hopper.

"Okay," she said as she clapped her hands together and surveyed the group, pulling their attention. "Ready to skydive?"

"Yes!"

"Yeah!"

"Let's go!"

"Yes...?"

El turned on her heel and waved them to follow her. Max looked up as they approached and waved. "Hi, I'm Max. Everybody pick up a gear bag and meet me by that plane over there," she said as she hoisted two into her arms and headed for small silver plane off to the left.

"Oh god, that plane has propellers," a shaky voice grimaced behind her. She turned around to find Mike, pale, as he looked at the tiny plane. El held up her hand for him to slow down while she let the others follow Max.

"Afraid of flying?" She asked.

Mike avoided her eyes, a blush rising to his cheeks. "I feel like a huge baby admitting this to a professional sky diver, but yes."

"Mike," she said, causing his eyes to dart directly to hers as she said his name. "I understand. It's okay. You don't have to do this, but I can guarantee you that plane is safe, and you're in good hands. Tandem is easy. Really, all you have to do is trust me and I'll do the rest. I promise."

Mike was quiet for a moment as he looked at her. The fear radiating in his eyes just a second earlier began to simmer and was replaced with the disarming gaze he had bestowed upon her when he blindfold had come off.

"You promise?" he said quietly.

"Yes. I promise," she replied with a nod.

"Okay," he said after a second. "I trust you."

"Smart man," El said with a smirk as she turned back around and led the way to the plane, happy for a moment to let the blush wear off of her cheeks.

Smart man?!  What the hell kind of a thing to say was that? What was happening?

She shook it off as they reached the plane. El scaled the steps and crawled into the hull.

She greeted her pilot and her other two tandem instructors as she straightened up and pointed for Mike to take a seat. He was tall enough that he had to hunch slightly to do so.

"Okay, everybody strap in and let's begin."

El quickly fell into her daily routine, walking the guys through her safety and procedure schpeel as the pilot began to start the plane. The mood was extra jovial, filled with jokes and banter, all unique to the group of friends that seemed to know each other insanely well.

Despite her attempts, her eyes kept gravitating back to Mike. He had calmed down considerably, and was even joining in with his friends on the jokes and light hearted banter.

God he had the best smile.

After walking them through the safety procedures, she and the other trainers paired off with their tandems to strap everyone up and get the flight off of the ground.

"So, how does this work?" Mike asked as she held the vest open for him to slip it on.

"Basically, you wear this, and then I will hook onto these back here," she said, pulling on the apparatus. "So, I'll be strapped to your back and I'll be in charge of anything. Your only jobs are to let yourself fall and not accidentally punch me in the face."

"I think I can manage that," he replied with a smile as he turned back around and zipped up the vest. She checked each of his restraints, right up close to his body while she did so. A heady sensation came over her that made it hard for her to do her safety check properly.

"You've done hundreds of jumps?" He asked as she continued to test the harnesses on his vest.

"Mhmm" she replied as she kept her eyes on her work. "Passed about 900 a couple months ago. I've been jumping for almost 10 years."

"Oh wow, that's bitchin," he said quietly.

El laughed, "you think so?"

"I've never even so much as jumped from a rooftop let alone a plane. So, this is a big leap for me..."

"...No pun intended - ."

"- No pun intended?"

They caught each other's eye on the jinx, each of them looking away quickly as she stepped back.

"Okay, take a seat and strap in, we'll take off in a minute."

Mike nodded and did as she asked. She suited herself up quickly, testing her equipment in a practiced fashion before signaling to the pilot that everyone was ready to go.

Max was sitting beside her tandem, Lucas, cracking jokes with him in way that seemed like they knew each other. El smiled as she took the seat on the bench next to Mike and strapped in.

"Okay everyone, a quick flight up and then a quicker flight down!" She called.

The hull erupted in cheers, with the exception of one subtle groan to her right.

She looked over to find Mike once again looking pale." It's going to be fine. It'll be over before you know it."

The flight up was smooth and uneventful as she talked the group through what to expect, final considerations, and a brief pep talk, all the while distractingly aware of the raven haired man who's knee was touching hers.

What was she paying so much attention to that, an 8th grader?

Finally, they were there, in the sky, at altitude, ready to fly.

The trainers began to stand and work their straps to connect to the group of men in tandem.

"Okay, you ready?" El asked softly into his ear, bringing him back from a far off look as he jumped in surprise. His eyes shot in her direction and she fought back a gasp. They were desperately close.

"I'm as ready as you can make me" he said quietly; his voice hoarse.

One by one the boys fell from the plane until it was just El and Mike alone in the hull. With each drop of his friends she could feel his tension edging to a new plateau. She must have lost her mind because at that moment she reached around and took his hand quickly, squeezing it before she dropped. "Alright. It's our turn. If it gets to be too much just squeeze my hand and close your eyes, okay?"

"Okay..."

El connected their safety harnesses with surprisingly shaky fingers.

"Okay," she said, almost laughing at their now obvious height difference as her job became cumbersome. "You okay?"

"Um..."

"I promised you you could trust me," she said, "So trust me."

"I trust you. I don't really trust myself right now," he replied as she peered out of the open door, the wind lapping his hair dangerously.

"Well luckily you don't have to," she said as she pulled him back against her, ready to jump. "I've got you."

"Oh...kay."

"Alright. Here we go."

He grabbed her hand instantly, making her jump; the contact feeling so wholly intimate in a way no other dive ever had, and they hadn't even jumped yet. She tightened her hand around his.

"On three. 1 - 2 - Happy Birthday, Mike!"

She pushed them out of the hull.

She was pretty sure he broke her hand as he squeezed, their bodies together in a free fall through the sky.

"HOLY SHIT HOLY FUCK OH MY GOD"

"You're okay! It's almost over already, just relax!"

And shockingly, he listened.

What followed was one of the best jumps of her life. Over the course of 30 seconds he went from a terror to pure exhilaration.

"THIS IS AMAZING!"

"RIGHT?! I TOLD YOU!"

Despite the shift in his fear, he had not let go of her hand. His fingers had interlaced with hers, pressing down in a way that trapped her in his grasp. She pulled his hand out away from them so he could fully feel the free fall.

His hair was whipping against her face, raven black strands chopping up the scenery in her view.

"YOU GOOD?"

"I'M AWESOME!" he replied, pumping her hand in reply.

Her heart swooped, completely without the assistance of the gravity pulling them down.

Gravity.

At that moment she was assaulted by sudden dangerous urge. One that came out of nowhere. One that had never once triggered on any of the hundreds of tandems she had jumped.

Don't do it.

Don't do it.

"Want to try something?" She yelled across his ear, cursing herself as her rational mind lost to her impulsive emotion.

"Anything!" He called back.

She swallowed hard, her blood boiling in nervousness... as she cut out the gravity.

"What the fuck?!" He yelled as they shot upward.

"I know right?! Just gotta know how to maneuver it!" She lied.

There's no way he would ever know, right?

She took Mike on a mini version of her solo flight.

She had never shared this sensation with another soul. She'd never even told anyone about it.

She had no idea why she wanted to do it with him.

It was glorious.

And from the tone clear in his yelling voice, he absolutely loved it.

She cut it off quicker than she would have liked in order to avoid suspicion, and instead, pulled the parachute.

They buoyed in the air, and she felt him let out a breath he'd seemed to have been holding, his words a jumble of adrenalin.

"That was fucking amazing! This is fucking amazing! You're fucking amazing!"

El's breath caught at his final words as their fall took the air of the parachute, making them glide.

"So you like skydiving?!" She cried, noticing her hand still pinned in his.

"This is the best Birthday of my life!"

El's vision landed on the back of his head, calling to her as their slow fall became more controlled with the parachute. She didn't know what the hell she was doing, and she felt like a major creep, but that didn't seem to stop her from dropping her forehead to lie down momentarily against the nape of his neck.

He leaned back into her.

"Okay," she said into his ear, no need to yell too loud as her lips were almost touching his ear. "We're going to hit the ground soon. So make like you're running and we'll have a smooth landing."

"You got it!" He cried back.

And that was just what he did, but the landing was anything but smooth. His lanky frame plus their height differences made for a hard rolling land into the dirt.

El's laughter echoed through her ears as she splayed half on her back on the ground, the wind knocked out of her lungs, connected awkwardly to Mike who was pushing her deeper into the ground. She worked quickly to release him from the harness and attempted and failed to catch her breath as she laid back into the dirt.

"Holy shit that was amazing!" He said, breathless and panting, as he rolled onto his stomach and placed his face to the ground.

"Good first jump?" She asked through heavy breaths as she worked her way up onto her elbow and leaned toward him.

He looked up at her, his body less than an inch away from hers, glee shooting through all of his features as he nodded vigorously.

And then she froze as Mike did the least expected thing she'd ever experienced.

With a swiftness that made her miss his movements, he leaned in against her suddenly and searingly kissed her full on the mouth.

El melted without warning into the grass below, her body giving way to him on instinct as if something deep inside of her knew she needed his kiss. His lips, dry from the wind, shot shocked sparks throughout every corner of her body as he leaned over her on the ground.

He pulled away after a moment, his eyes glazed two inches from her face. He exhaled in an overwhelmed huff, rustling her hair against her cheek.

"Wha-" she breathed as she stared at him blankly in astonishment.

Mike blinked. When his eyes opened back up they were filled with an instant and real terror. He jarringly jumped to his feet.

"Oh my god I'm so sorry I'm just so hopped up adrenaline and you're so pretty and that was so amazing and like, how did you do that in the air, how did we fly up?! I'm im so sorry. Stuff like that has to happen all the time right? Like, I'm not the first adrenaline addled person to kiss their trainer in thank you am I? Oh my god." He buried his head in his hands.

"Um... You might be the first..." she said, breathless, her eyes wide, her body still on the ground, the feeling of his lips still coursing through her veins with more delicious intensity than she had felt in the jump through the sky.

"Fuck, I am so sorry," he grimaced as he turned away.

"It's okay...I... I liked it."

I liked it?!

What kind of crazy alternate reality El had taken over her fucking mouth?

"Oh..." was all he said in reply as he shifted back around quickly and looked at her in complete surprise.

El felt her face flush scarlet as she forced herself roughly to break  eye contact and scrambled to her feet to collect the parachute. "Okay. Umm... let's get back to the others," she stuttered, not looking at him as she began to cross the field.

Mike followed her wordlessly as they left the field and quickly joined the others in a pickup location.

"Dude that was awesome!" Will called to Mike as he arrived. "You survived!"

"I uh..." Mike stumbled over his words. "I better than survived. That was the best five minutes of my life."

"Yeah, man!" Dustin called from behind them, running to join them.

They waited for a long moment before a rustling occurred to their left and Lucas and Max came out from behind a large pile of brush. Lucas looked like his dog had died.

"I don't want to talk about this ever again," he barked as he joined the others. Max's smirk told El that she couldn't wait to tell her that story.

El went through the rest of the motions in a daze, so much so that Max ended up leading the trip back to the airfield and their car. El just couldn't get her mind off what had just happened. His eyes. His smile. The fact that she still found him so engaging though he had been the worst kind of scaredy cat. Whatever had possessed her to actually fly with him. That fucking kiss...

"Well, I hope you had a good time, guys. Especially you, Lucas," Max said with a tease as they reached the end point and began to say their goodbyes.

Lucas grimaced and nodded curtly in return as he bee lined for the car, making the other guys laugh out loud.

Mike sheepishly crossed to El as Will and Dustin spoke to their instructors.

"Thank you," he said sheepishly. "I know I was probably the weirdest tandem you've ever done so thank you for dealing with me."

"You definitely were but... it was fun," she replied quietly, her professional voice completely checked out and nowhere to be found.

"Uh...okay."

"Okay..."

"Well," she stuttered. "Happy Birthday. And if you ever want to jump again you know where to find me."

Mike nodded, a glint in his eye. "I'll do that."

He looked at her one last time, and in that moment she attempted to send him a signal, any signal to keep talking, to stay, to... anything. A desperate calling shooting from somewhere within her that she couldn't explain. But instead, he just waved, turned around to the car and crawled in the back seat with this friends.

El let out a breath, her heart falling to a shocking degree as she watched the guys drive away.

"What. The fuck. Was that?" Max questioned, her tone laced with her intent to dig for gossip.

El simply sighed. "He kissed me after we landed."

"Oh my GOD!" Max exclaimed. "That's a new one."

"I know."

"Did you like it?" she asked, leaning into their new secret.

El looked over to her friend, certain that her eyes would betray her if she tried to lie. So instead, she chose truth.

"I loved it."

"Ellie!" Max squealed. "Did you get his number?"

"...Nope. I left that up to him. Didn't happen." she replied, trying to keep the dejection out of her voice.

"Oh," Max replied. She was silent for a moment before she changed the subject, for which El was grateful. "That Lucas guy screamed like a little girl the whole way down. I thought he was going to die."

El laughed. "So, you're favorite kind of jump, huh?"

"Oh, absolutely. It was fucking hilarious. I think I made it worse for him because I couldn't keep in my laughter."

"There goes our Yelp rating. Thanks, Max"

Max rolled her eyes, "Did you -"

But at that moment a car, one that she had just seen leave, reappeared around the bend, driving fast until it stopped abruptly at the curb.

Mike jumped out, his lanky body making hard work of the small back door.

El's heart jumped.

"Did you forget something?" She asked.

"Yeah," he stated breathlessly, his eyes nervous. "I forgot to get your number."

"Oh, Smooooooth" Max breathed quietly beside her in admiration.

"That is..." he continued as he scratched the nape of his neck, "If you'd be willing to give -"

"Yes." El interjected immediately as she hurriedly fished for her card from her jacket pocket. She handed him her business card and pointed to the last number. "This is my cell. Use that."

"Okay," he said as he sucked on his bottom lip and looked at the card in his hand. "I'll um... I'll call you Uh... El Hopper, Head Skydiving Instructor."

"Okay," she replied without hesitation, a traitorous smile tugging against her lips.

Mike was silent for a moment before he looked back up, his deep dark eyes on hers one last time, completely rendering her speechless. He finally found the words he wanted to say.

"Thank you again for the best five minutes of my life."

"Right back at ya," she breathed in instant reply

Mike blinked, obviously unsure what she meant by that.

Did she know what she meant by that?

She did.

Holy shit wow… She absolutely did know what she meant by that.

"Bye Mike," she said shakily.

"Yeah... bye..." he replied, bewitched as she backed up the car and crawled back in. "I'll... I'll call you."

She let out a tiny wave as he slammed the door to the the car and it left the curb.

"Damn that is the slickest shit I have ever seen," Max exclaimed through a boasting laugh that had been building up in her throughout the entire time she'd watched the interaction. "That is the most love at first sight shit I have ever watched. And I watch way too many romance movies."

"That is the most love at first sight shit I've ever felt." El replied without thought, her filter long since gone.

"Ooh Hopper, you are a goner."

“Yeah, I think I am.” 

[gracieheartspedro]

Stuck With Me (Steve Harrington x Reader) PART 1

HEY! So I guess I’m writing this series now. It’s gonna be great! I will try to update it as much as possible. It’s going to probably be about 4-5 parts. So, enjoy PART 1!

WORDS: 2455

WARNINGS: none?

I’M TAKING REQUESTS!! Ask me, private message, whatever. I write for all the stranger things cast (smut for the older people) and marvel. 

PART 2 He walked down the hall like a god. The girls fawned over him, giggling to each other as he strolled by. But instead of doing that, I looked him up and down and rolled my eyes. The word on the street (from what I learned from my only friend in this town so far), Billy Hargrove was bad news and I should stay very very far away.

So I stayed in my lane, grabbing a notebook and some pencils and headed to my first period. Luckily, that only friend, Jonathan Byers, was sitting in there with a girl who I could only assume was his girlfriend. She was standing in front of his desk, swinging his hands.

I met him two days before, when my uncle forced me to meet him and his younger brother, Will, and their mom Joyce. We ate dinner together and he and I bonded over music. He liked the Talking Heads and Pink Floyd which immediately won me over.

“Y/N Hopper has made her debut!” Jonathan says with a smile as I head in his direction. The small girl in front of him smiles genuinely, extending her hand. I drop my bag in the chair in front of them, and shake her hand.

“I’m Nancy Wheeler. Nice to meet you.”

“Wheeler? Are you Mike’s sister?” I question, thinking back to Jane’s boyfriend. Or crush. Or the guy she was obsessed with. Whatever he was, he was all she would talk about.

“I am. Guess Jane told you about him already?” Nancy giggles, twiddling her pencil in between her fingers. She was pretty, very pretty. Her hair short to her shoulders and curled slightly. Her shirt tight to her small frame, and of course, high waisted pants. An odd pick for Jonathan.

I laugh, “He’s a hot topic around the Hopper home.”

The teacher walks in as soon as the bell rang and everyone in the room started to get settled. That was until Billy Hargrove walks in with his small gang. I glance back at Jonathan who looks at Nancy, and we all in sync, roll our eyes. His tight blue jeans and grey shirt clinged to his frame like no other. I don’t know what it was about this boy, but he ignited a fire in me that I couldn’t control. His very appearance made me angry. So when he walks over to me and leans down to meet my eyes, I wanted to vomit on his shoes.

“You’re in my seat sweetheart.” He says smoothly, a curl dropping over his forehead. All his friends smacking their gum and raising hell, giggle behind him. I decide to play along. I glance at the back of the chair and around the desk, looking lost.

“Hm, I don’t see your name anywhere, so I think you’re just making shit up to get on my nerves.” I snap. I hear Nancy gasp a little, and everyone gets quiet. The teacher, at this point, doesn’t even care and is just waiting for someone to start throw fists.

Billy stands over me with a smirk, “Feisty little one. What’s your name?”

“Y/N Hopper.”

“You that Chief Hopper’s other love child?” He asks smartly. Everyone laughs.

“Nah, just his orphaned niece who is annoyed with you already. You should go sit down so I don’t have to smell your cheap Opium and cigarette smoke. It’s flooding my airways.”

I was usually this quick. Letting things slip from my lips was always something I had to be careful with. I didn’t need to be taken in and have my uncle tear me a new ass. Which had yet to happen. Yet.

Billy leaned down, our faces inches apart. I stare into his intense eyes, not flinching.

“You’re lucky you’re hot.”

With that he sat down in the back with his wolfpack, and I could settle my heart rate. No boy had ever called me hot to my face and I instantly felt gross.

Class started and ended quicker than I expected. I didn’t stand up until Jonathan and Nancy got up. Luckily we avoided the Hargrove Gang and exited the room. They both stopped with me at my locker, which is where I was picking up my math book.

“You really got him worked up…” Jonathan mumbled, before Nancy jumped in.

“And it was badass! If that banter continues, I will be excited for English every morning.”

I giggle, grabbing my belongings.

“Yeah, can’t wait to be harassed by him everyday now.” I turn away from my locker, leaving it propped open for a moment, as I adjust the strap on my bag.

Before I could say anything, Nancy and Jonathan turn quickly, their eyes widened by something behind me. I could fucking smell him.

The locker slammed shut and I turn to face him.

“You friends with those losers, baby girl?”

His face was so punchable in that moment, but instead I just pressed myself against the lockers. I pop up my tights-covered leg and cling onto my bag strap.

“Yeah, connected through family and friends.” I say, not making eye contact with him.

“Interesting.” Out of the corner of my eye, I watch him stare at me like meat, “You’re not like other girls at this school.”

“Fascinating.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a girl wear a Ratt shirt with mini skirt to school before.” I looked down at my outfit, suddenly feeling self conscious. He wasn’t wrong, most of the girls in Hawkins wore jeans and sweaters or rarely, a crop top, and here I was, wearing a jean jacket with an outfit a city girl at a club would wear.

“Well, I’m glad I could excite you Hawkins boys for the day.” I mumble, pushing my hair to the side and out of my face. I adjust my stance so now I’m standing in front of him, my arms crossed.

“Oh yeah, I bet.” He licks his lips before leaning closer to my face, making me step back a little, “You should watch what you wear. My friends chase after girls like you.”

“Well they should watch where they’re running, because I’ll send them falling on their asses if they come within 10 feet of me.”

“There’s that se-”

“Is he bothering you?” A voice behind me asks. I glance back and see a boy with fluffy hair and soft eyes looking at me.

“Yeah, has been all day.” I mumble, turning back to Billy’s now emotionless face.

“Leave us alone, Harrington. We don’t need to repeat what happened last time we were at odds with each other.” Billy spats, inching closer to me, to get closer to the guy.

“Oh, when your younger sister kicked your ass and I ended up saving the day? Please, let’s repeat that in front of the whole school.” The boy said with an exhausted voice. Billy growled a little, his adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed hard. His chest was close to my face, and I couldn’t lie, boy was toned.

The bell rang and I turned away as Billy made his way down the hall in the opposite direction. The boy still stood in front of me, smiling.

“Sorry, I’m Steve. Heard your Hopper’s niece and wanted to introduce myself.” He says, gesturing to walk beside him.

“Yeah, Hopper is quite well known ain’t he? I didn’t know he would be the hero of the town. He was always my embarrassing uncle who sent me $40 for my birthday.” I stutter a little, my palms getting sweaty. Cool it Y/N, he’s just a boy.

“I’m Y/N.”

“Nice to meet you. and yeah, he’s a pretty cool dude.”

“Uh, yeah, he is.” I mutter awkwardly as we arrive to my classroom.

“Oh sweet, we have the same class!” Steve says excitedly as we both walk into the small classroom. There were less than 10 people in the room all with dazed looks on their faces. I could tell half of them had hit one before class and they were all coming down from highs.

Steve pulled a seat close to his in the back and we chatted until the teacher started talking fractions and we knew we have to pay attention.

“I have an 85% in this class right now so I think it’s pretty easy. I don’t know how bad you are at math though.” Steve whispers, as the teacher, who looked like an old fat Rob Lowe, droned on and on about shit that had nothing to do with the lesson. Eventually, he shut up and let us work on random classwork.

“I am pretty bad at math, but excellent at English,” I explain, watching Steve scribble down numbers. I literally just wanted to watch him. He bit his lip, trying to think of ways to solve one problem and I casually glanced at him, trying not to weird him out.

“We should help each other then. I suck at English but decent at Math.”

“We can be a team!” I exclaim in a purposefully annoying voice, giggling as the rest of the class was quiet.

“I do have an essay due Friday, if you can help me after school?” He asked, looking up at me with his big brown eyes.

“You’ll have to come to my place because I have to be home for Jane. My uncle works until 8 tonight.”

He smiles, “Alright. I’ll give you a ride then.”

Hell yeah you are, Harrington.

-

The day flew by, which was good because I had constant anxiety I’d run into Billy and he’d say some weird shit to me and I’d feel like I would need to shower.

The dismissal bell rang and I headed to the parking lot. Steve said he’d be one of the last ones out because he had gym last period and he always got caught up, but I could wait outside for him and he’d find me.

Jonathan and Nancy came out holding hands, laughing at something. I smile and wave to them, and they walk in my direction.

“Hey, who’s taking you home?” Jonathan asks, pulling his keys out of his backpack.

“Uh, a friend I made today. He needed help with English an-”

“What’s his name?” Nancy asked a little too quickly.

“Steve.”

“Harrington?”

“That’d be me!” His appearance made me jump and I instantly wanted to curl up and die. He knew we were talking about him.

Jonathan instantly got awkward, dropping Nancy’s hand and balling up his hands. And well, Nancy got quiet.

“Am I missing something?” I whispered, so only they could hear me.

Steve cleared his throat, “Yeah, me and Nance used to date. But it’s cool, she’s with Johnny Boy and I am okay.” He places his hand on Jonathan’s shoulder, patting it. Jonathan did nothing to deflect the gesture, just stood there looking at the ground.

“St-”

“It’s okay, Nancy. It’s been months, we are fine.” Steve says politely, smiling down at her.

Please, put a bullet through me, God.

After that, Nancy and Jonathan waved us a goodbye and ran to their car. Most of the other students had already left their spaces, and we were the last to leave. Except for one blue Camaro that sat fairly close to Steve’s BMW. Outside of it, was the none and other, Billy Hargrove with a girl on his hip. She was basically sucking in all his cigarette smoke as he whispered things in her ear. He didn’t see me at first, but when he did he yelled.

“Little Miss Hopper off with the Former King Harrington! Have fun you two! Use protection!”

I wanted to puke, but that surge of confidence ran through my veins, once again.

“Bye Little Willy Billy! Think about my cute outfit during your awful rendezvous tonight!”

I quickly got in Steve’s car and slammed the door, gesturing him to hurry up. He threw his bag in the back and we peeled out of the parking lot.

“You got a lot of balls, Hopper.”

“Bigger than his.”

“Jesus.”

“Little Willy Billy was pretty good, admit it.” I giggle, turning to face Steve as he drove towards town. He laughed a little, before glancing towards me.

“It was, I give you that. It’s even better when you say it. Your accent is cute.”

Cute.

“Us New Yorkers have weird accents. We emphasize things more than you mid-westerners.”

“New York, huh? You near the city?”

“Oh yeah. Bout 15 minutes without traffic. Me and my friends used to go to clubs in the city and tear up the town. Real fun stuff.”

“Really?” His interest was cute.

“No.” I laugh, “I was bout 2 hours from the city and rarely went. My mom hated it.”

“You’re an asshole.”

“I am? It’s not like I don’t come from a long line of smart asses.”

Steve chuckled, “That’s very true.”

“You know me so well already.”

“A day with you is enough to get to know all of you.”

“Well,” I almost stop myself from saying it, but it slips, “Not all of me.”

His laugh was loud and he squinted his eyes when he smiled, “My goodness, I haven’t taken you on a date yet. We shouldn’t be talking about that yet.”

“I have no idea what you’re even talking about, Harrington.”

“Oo, nicknames now?”

“Yeah, you called me Hopper already I needed to call you by your last name, too.”

Steve looked confused, “I called you that?”

“Yeah, you did.”

“I didn’t even realize. It just slipped so easily.” He turned to look at me, a single piece of hair falling over his forehead.

I smile, getting closer to him. I push the piece of hair back, taking notice of two small freckles on his cheek. He is getting red, which only made me smile bigger. I turn around to his back seat to explore and calm his nerves a little. In the seat, I see a pair of Ray Bans.

“Rich boy!” I say grabbing them, nudging Steve’s side. I slip them on, before looking at myself in the mirror.

“My parents are rich, I’m not. And I got those for Christmas,” He watches me through the mirror, “And they look better on you!”

“It’s the outfit. I look like one of those girls in a Motley Crue music video.” I push myself up onto my leg and begin to pose a little, shrugging my jacket off and dancing to the hum of the song on the radio.

“A video girl in my car. I did not plan my Monday to be like this.”

“Well take it all in, Harrington. Your new friend is the hottest girl in Hawkins now!” I joke, tilting the frames down to meet his eyes.

“You’re not wrong.”

[we-want-mini-mini]

Not to highjack OP’s post but I’d love to see a fic where Jason and Tim from a parallel universe where they did become Robin somehow end up in a universe where they never become Robin.

The opening scene for this Dimension Crossing fic would start with them somehow ending up in said parallel universe. Maybe some Rogue hit them with magic or Other Bullshit. So now, here they are, in a completely different reality.

I think, Tim would be Red Robin and Jason would be Red Hood and their relationship at this point is rocky, with shit left to be said but steadily getting better. But anyways, the one thing I’d love for them too see is how each of them turned out without being Robin.

I think Jason would be happy when he finds out there was only one Robin in this universe (that Robin being Dick of course). But when more info comes to light about what happens to him, he’d both angry, disappointed and worst of all—it would maybe confirm this fear in him that without Robin he was destined for this type of ending. I think there would be a heated argument between Tim and Jason over this that ends up resolved because Tim gets through to Jason. Maybe. But they definitely have an argument because Jason is definitely stewing in his Feelings™️.

Tim learns that he also never became Robin (without Jason dying, then Bruce subsequently spiraling, Alternate Tim really had no reason to become Robin). It’s pretty easy to find out that Alternate Tim took over Drake Enterprise’s and has been working to elevate it high, like what OP said. I wonder how Tim would feel…

Maybe he would have similar sentiments to Jason—never becoming Robin means that he’d become the next head of DI. But maybe he thinks this worlds Tim Drake doesn’t have to go through the trauma of being a vigilante. Though, that doesn’t mean Tim can’t help but have a gut feeling that his Tim isn’t satisfied with his life. Not in the least bit.

I think in this hypothetical fic, Alternate Jason may have already been dead at this point. Another punch to the gut for Jason, if he already didn’t know. And especially because of how he died. In this world, Jason was never Robin. Jason was never Bruce’s son.

He was just another face, and person taken ahold by Gotham, another causality in Batman’s crusade. Honestly it’s… depressing for Jason and definitely gives him some things to think about. Tim would hopefully, help him comes fo term with it all. After all, this is only one ending in terms of literal infinite endings. The multiverse and all that jazz.

Now, after that: there’s definitely going to be some sort of meeting between Alternate Batman and Nightwing. Jason and Tim are definitely not going to bench themselves for the duration of their stay, and plus, it would be useful to have an alternate Batman’s help. However they meet, definitely would be fun to both read and write. Maybe some cheeky banter and with an odd sense of: “Wait this Red Robin kid… seems so familiar. But from where?”

Obviously they would de-mask and reveal themselves to be from an alternate universe. I think Bruce would be really surprised that Red Robin is Tim Drake but for Red Hood… I’m not so sure tbh. Maybe he vaguely recognize’s the face. Maybe he doesn’t.

Either way, he has two new vigilantes to send back home. And with any good Dimension Hopping fic, there’s always a subplot about the people who cross helping the alternate universe with some sort of Rogue. Usually ties back to how the Dimension hoppers ended up in the alternate universe in the first place.

Maybe Tim meets alternate Tim and gives him some advice? I’d love a happy ending for them at least.

Oh and, they of course tell Batman about the other Bat’s that have joined the fold. Alternate Batman has to now track down Cassandra Cain and a biological son.

Either way, when Jason and Tim return to their respective world, I think they’ve grown from the experience and helped the alternate world in some way or form.

Hey, I'm doing a fanfic universe where neither Tim nor Jason get involved with the Batfamily what lives do you think that their lives would have turned into without getting involved with Bruce?

oh my fucking god i wrote an entire thing for this and then tumblr fucking DELETED IT and i’m pissed as hell and rewrote it. forgive me if i left anything out.

but anyway. hey babe. if tim or jason never got involved with the batfam?? hmm. interesting question

so for jason, i see either one of two things happening

a) jason’s a smart kid. clever, wily, quick. that’s what the librarian and the auto smuggler and the working girls say. they’ll give jason whatever change they can spare, and jason uses it wisely. along with that, he’s got quicksilver fingers. stealing the tires off the batmobile??? one hell of a confidence boost, and he starts taking theft a little more serious. 

he refuses to be part of a gang. they want him bad: he’s slippery and smart and rough and fast. but he’s seen the way the older gang boys act. he’s seen the way they laugh like lunatics and get high off whatever they can find, beating up little kids and taking what they want from women just for the fun of it. and jason will do whatever it takes to never become one of them.

so he steals. he jacks car parts and smuggles other things, harmless things, till he knows his way around mechanics pretty well. the guy that paid for all of jason’s goods died early, and gave jason his shop. he tries his best to run an honest business. granted, he’s still a thief and a liar, but kids know that he won’t throw them out if they come in there looking for a warm place to sleep, and girls know that he’ll slam the door behind them, locking the door tight and getting out his gun if any motherfucker has them shaking and scared. 

he scrapes together enough money every month to pay for a shitty little apartment. it’s crumbling and cold, but it’s his. maybe he stays in that little auto dealer for the rest of his life. maybe he starts visiting the library again, learning everything he couldn’t when he was a kid. either way, he survives. sure, his isn’t all that impressive or meaningful, but gotham never meant for him to make it past fifteen in the first place, so jason’s alive and breathing and has a few things he calls his own. that’s good enough for him.

2) he tries to stay away from the gangs. he tries so hard. becoming like them is one of his biggest nightmares. they’re jagged and cruel, they take what they want and laugh at what they leave behind. but he doesn’t have a choice. he’s starving and cold, and carjacking isn’t cutting it. 

just for the money, he tells himself. just for the money, and nothing else. he’s never going to become like those boys, never. that promise doesn’t last very long. they give him a gun, and for the first time in his life, jason knows what it’s like to get drunk off power. he can shoot whoever he wants. the guys that leave women in the alleyway sobbing, the guys that kick innocent animals just cause they can, the guys that used to try and hurt him. he can get revenge for everything. he starts using, too. it’s better than he ever thought, letting himself go for a little bit, untouched by the weights dragging him to the ground every day of his life. he shoves all thoughts of his mom away, and lets himself forget life.

he ignores the stares of the librarian and the auto smuggler and the working girls, shaking their heads in pity and fear, wondering what happened to him, what happened to the boy they used to love? that boy was weak, jason thinks, and he won’t ever be week again. 

soon enough, he starts working for the big names. penguin and scarecrow and even black mask. it’s with black mask that his story ends. batman busts in on an operation, and it’s chaos. jason gets shot somewhere between black mask using his goons as human shields and everyone shooting blindly through the smoke bombs, trying and failing to get a shot on the vigilante. jason falls to the ground, riddled with bullet holes and regrets. batman doesn’t bother to even learn his name.

now, for tim? i really only see one outcome. 

tim’s been obsessed with batman and robin for as long as he can remember. robin’s nightwing now, but he and batman still work together. less dynamic duo and more experienced and knowing colleagues, but they’re still together. he follows them for the rest of his life, his childhood dream leaving the barest mark on the rest of his life, but puts away the hopes and dreams of ever meeting them, of them seeing something special in him. then, he turns his focus to what his father wants.

he doesn’t really have much of a choice. his parents have already slated him as the new head of drake industries. and they’ve been grooming him to be the perfect heir ever since he was a kid, forcing him to go to galas and network, form future connections that he calls upon now. he remembered trying to work up the courage to go say hi to bruce wayne. he never once did it, and it’s far too late now: bruce thinks of him as an opponent, an enemy.

he’s worthy of it. there’s a voice in his head that’s kind of hysterical, telling him that he’s worthy of being someone batman treats as a threat. the opposite of what he always wanted, but he’ll take it. he’s cutting and brilliant, exactly what his parents wanted him to be. 

he leads drake industries higher and higher until it’s the a competitor on the same scale as wayne enterprises, as lexcorp. at board meetings, bruce looks lazy and bored, but tim always notices the way the other man looks at him with a cold, calculating gaze. 

for the rest of his life, he tries to work up the courage to tell bruce wayne that tim knows he’s batman. he tries to work up the courage to say he’s known since he was 9, but he’s only ever kept their secret, sometimes even helping in what small, discreet ways he could. he never does, and he takes the secret to his grave.

anyway yea that’s just my take on it. i wish you good luck with your fic!

[juniperhillpatient]

Summary: The kids go to a haunted house. Will struggles with feelings for Mike that don’t quite fit in the “friendship” category. An unexpected ally is able to help out. Trigger warnings: Internalized homophobia, panic attack description

***

A kid screamed and Will jumped. 

Without thinking, he grabbed Mike's hand. Mike glanced at him, and for a moment Will thought he saw a question there, but the look was gone quickly and Mike squeezed Will's hand. He didn't let go. 

Dustin and Lucas were having an odd sort of standoff with a man dressed as a clown about five feet in front of them. They were sneaking up close to him, but when they got close enough he'd sort of lunge towards them and they would yell and stumble backwards only to repeat the process again. Max was watching this exchange with a mixture of annoyance and amusement. 

To Mike's cries of disappointment, Hopper had decided against letting Jane go along, even if she wore a costume - saying that it was too risky and besides, she would probably hate it and end up knocking a spook out with her powers and causing a panic. So, it was just the boys and Max in the line to the haunted house. 

The line to enter the haunted house had moved much faster than Will had anticipated. How long had they been standing there? Thirty minutes? Twenty? It felt much shorter. 

Finally, it was their turn to go in and Will felt his stomach tighten up. He heard his breath hitch and hoped no one else did, but he saw Mike's worried glance. 

"Will," Mike said. Mike had offered to stay in and do something else about a million times so that Will didn't have to endure the jump scares and Jane could spend the evening with them, but both Will and Jane had insisted Mike go to the haunted house. 

"Mike," he said. "I'm fine. I promise." How often had he told that lie over the past year? 

He'd lied so often he almost believed it sometimes. I'm fine. It was the sort of thing you got into the habit of saying all the time when you were decidedly not fine. 

Dustin, Lucas, and Max hurried in with no hesitation, excitedly yelling and laughing as they went. Will wished he could join them. He wished he could but his heart was pounding painfully in his chest and his lungs felt tight. 

They went in and a goon jumped at them. Will gripped Mike's hand so hard he heard Mike gasp in pain, but Mike didn't let go. They kept going and a girl with fake blood popped out of the wall, howling at them. Will felt his eyes fill with tears, which he tried to force back and ignore. 

It was the animatronic monster that got him. The thing lunged and thoughts of the monsters from the Upside Down flooded his mind, thoughts of being a monster (hurting his friends) and controlling all those monsters overpowered him, and he lost it. He couldn't breathe, couldn't think, couldn't function. His heart was pounding and his lungs were constricted, and he fell to the ground. He was vaguely aware of Mike shaking him and yanking on his arm. 

A blur of movement later Will found himself sitting outside in the grass. He could hear the muffled screams from inside, but it was quiet other than that. Mike's hands were on his shoulders. 

"You okay?" Mike asked, his voice thick with worry. 

"Yeah, what-" 

"I took you outside through the emergency exit," Mike said. 

Looking at Mike's worried face, Will burst into tears and fell forward onto Mike's shoulder. Mike wrapped his arms around Will and squeezed. 

"Hey," Mike said. "Hey, it's okay. You're alright." 

Will didn't want to ever be let go of. He felt incredibly safe and warm and he wished the hug would never end. Inevitably, it did as the others hurried around from the other side of the building to meet them and the boys broke apart like there was an electric shock between them. 

"What happened?" 

"Nothing," Mike said in a hurried voice. "We just got through faster than any of you slowpokes." 

***

November first, all the candy was on sale, and Dustin had pretty much bought up the store and taken it to the home of the one person who loved candy as much as him - Jane. Mike, of course, was also with them, but less because of the candy and more as an opportunity to spend time with Jane. Lucas was racing his bike against Max's skateboard, which Will had watched for a while before getting bored of their banter and leaving. 

He was walking the streets of Hawkins, kicking a stick across the pavement and watching the autumn leaves fall when a car pulled up beside him. and parked. He looked up, at first alarmed, but relaxing when he recognized the one person with hair better than Farah Fawcett, and one of few people he was okay with running into when he was feeling as crappy as he did. Steve Harrington. 

"Hi Steve," he said. 

"Hey kid," Steve replied. "How was the haunted house last night?" 

"It was...fun," Will said. He continued walking. Not to his surprise, Steve fell into step beside him. 

"Sure," Steve said. "I can tell by the enthusiasm in your voice." 

Will kicked the stick he had been kicking down the street a little too hard and it went the wrong direction and into the middle of the road. He sighed and sat down on the edge of the sidewalk. Steve sat down beside him. 

"So what happened?" 

"Nothing happened," Will insisted, without looking at Steve. 

"You know how Nancy is dating Jonathan now?" Steve asked. 

"Yeah." Will wasn't sure what this had to do with anything but he knew it was a matter that weight on Steve's mind so he decided to let the older boy talk about it if he wanted to. 

"It hurts." He looked at Will like he was trying to get Will to understand some great concept. "It hurts a hell of a lot. And you know what? It hasn't gotten better. But I've just had to suck it up and deal with it. They're happy together. They really do love each other like she never did, never could love me." 

"Yeah," Will said again, unsure what to say. 

"But I still hang out with them both, don't I?" 

"Yeah, you do," Will said. "Jonathan helps you with your homework." 

"That's right. Because he's a good friend. And he knows how I feel about Nancy too." 

"He does?" Will asked. 

"Of course. It's not like we talk about it, but he knows. How could he not? I was in love with her. It's common knowledge." 

"Why are you telling me this?" Will asked, finally. 

"Because..." Steve hesitated. "I think you could be honest with your friends, and they'd still accept you. That's what I'm trying to say. Maybe it wouldn't be easy, and maybe it would still hurt, but I think you could. But hey you know, what do I know?" 

Will let that idea sit with him for a few moments. Part of him was shocked that Steve had any idea about his feelings, but then again, Steve was over a couple times a week to hang out with Jonathan, and he had gotten to know Will pretty well during that time. Did Jonathan know? Did everyone know? 

"Who else-" 

"I don't think anyone else knows," Steve said, already guessing Will's question. "I just know the look you give someone you're supposed to be just friends with when you're in love with them." 

"Right," Will said. 

Steve got up and headed to his car. "Look," Steve said. "Even if you don't want to talk to your friends if you ever need...." he trailed off. "I know Jonathan is there too. But, he's not the only one." 

"Thanks, Steve," Will said, watching Steve climb into his car and start the engine. 

He watched Steve's car driving away, thinking. He had been left with plenty to consider. 

A swirl of autumn leaves blew past, and he could hear Lucas and Max laughing in the distance. What would they think? He tried to imagine what it would be like if he were honest with them, how things would change. What would his mom think? What would Jonathan think? 

The thing was, he knew what they would think. Lucas, Dustin, and Max wouldn't care at all. Jonathan and his mom would probably be proud of him for being honest. The real question he had was about what Jane would think and, most importantly, what Mike would think. 

He didn't know what to do, but as he stood up and began the familiar route to the Wheeler home, hoping Mike would be home by now, he couldn't help but remember the feeling of Mike squeezing his hand in the haunted house and wonder if he would ever feel that again. 

*********

A/N: I wrote this based on my experiences as a person with PTSD and panic attacks, and as a member of the LGBT community who came out as a teen. I just felt like I should include this as a disclaimer to make it clear the panic attack and internalized homophobia weren't meant as cheap plot devices but instead as a way to relate to the characters and hopefully tell a story with some emotional depth. 

If you read, thank you so much! Feedback is much appreciated! I really hope this turned out alright and that you enjoyed it if you read <3 

[sincerelydayyy]

for the jancy prompt: maybe womething with their matching scars hidden into their palms? a reminder of the pecular bond they have :)

[I’ve been thinking about this one a lot lately so I just wrote it without thinking much. I hope you enjoy it.

also me finding the new jancy stills really helped my drive for this. I am living this ship once more, BLESS.]

Also on ao3/ff.net

It hadn’t been easy to let the things that had happened that year in Hawkins disappear. The scar on her hand was a firm reminder that something had occurred and there was no way of going back from this. Nancy had thought about it a few handful of times; whether she could move on? If she really wanted to.

It had felt so good to be the person to not run away scared (not completely) when it came to the things that went bumping in the night out of the corner of your eye. The monsters that as a kid parents used a figurative metaphor to get their children to behave were real. She had fought one. The first one.

She had assumed that that would be the end of it. As much as it hurt her to think that her brother’s first love was lost on the other side of it, she didn’t wish to revisit the trauma of losing her best friend. It didn’t mean she had forgotten. It took a lot of her to even move towards the pool behind Steve’s backyard during the first few months knowing that’s where it had all gone wrong.

There wasn’t anyone she felt comfortable with discussing it with. The boys were dealing with it in their own ways. Steve rarely discussed it, although he could see that she wanted to. She imagined it was because it would remind him that he was another asshole for that amount of time. So she kept it to herself.

The small moments when it didn’t feel so terrible was when she would see Jonathan. It was small moments where they would pass each other in the halls. They wouldn‘t draw much attention to it - to them - they’d just smile at each other, each of their hands curling up into a ball as if the other could feel the touch. 

It moved on from there to actually touching. She found him in the corner during the prom that she and Steve had coerced him into attending although it really wasn’t his scene. He was more of an observer. He felt uncomfortable. Especially when him mother had made such a big deal about him going.

“It doesn’t matter who you go with. You’ll want these memories Jonathan. This is your time to make a few outside of this house. Will and I will be fine.” She told him as she straightened his tie for the sixth time each time not liking how it was just a bit off center.

“Okay.” Was the only thing he could reply to that before she took his camera and took a few shots of him. Before he could reach out for it she was handing it off to Will to go hide until he came back.

Jonathan grumbled but promised to not be out too late even as Joyce told him that he could.

He did feel out of place. The stares he got were enough for him to wish he was a smoking type of person so that he could duck out of the gym and go sit outside despite the fact that it was a chilly night.

Nancy saved him from the cold, and the lingering stares of their peers. She grabbed his hand and pulled him to his feet. “Nancy, wha-oh you look pretty.” He fumbled as he admired her face, the pearls she had in each ear and the dress that was giving him flashbacks to Christmas when he had received the new camera from her.

Nancy’s mom had gone all out for the big dance. Taking her out of state to find something fit for a princess. “I’m still adjusting. My mom really went for it, ya know.” She paused, realizing she was still holding his hand she quickly dropped it. “But, thanks. You clean up nice too. I didn’t know you owned a tux.”

He grimaced. “I didn’t. You’ve met my mom.” He rubbed the back of his neck.

She laughed. “Of course. She’s great.” She paused. “I’m glad you came.” She stated after a minute. “I haven’t been great about keeping in touch.”

He shrugged. “Don’t worry about it. You’re busy.”

“Sometimes I wish I wasn’t. Gives me more time to hang around the boys.” Gives me an excuse to see you. She muttered silently to herself. “How about a dance?” She said suddenly, she was aware it was going to take him off guard. Jonathan fully expected her to leave him at some point and go back to Steve and his group of friends.

Steve knew that Jonathan was someone Nancy cared for, if he got jealous that was more of his problem than hers. She hadn’t done anything to make it seem like she wasn’t still happy with her boyfriend. This was the first step towards something new. She just wanted to see what it was like. To be with Jonathan for a single moment that didn’t involve talk of monsters and hunting.

Besides they hadn’t properly spoke in weeks. Joyce had been the one to pick up Will, always citing that Jonathan was busy. It had made Nancy wonder if he was avoiding her. So when the idea of prom rolled around she came over to ask him directly. It’ll be fun. one last hurrah before college. I dunno, Nancy. It’s not really a welcoming crowd. Weren’t you the one who didn’t care about that before? He hadn’t known what to say. His mom had all but accepted it for him when she noticed him struggling to not say no to the girl that she was fully aware her eldest was in love with. He’ll be there.

Nancy had been so happy that she hugged him before leaving the Byers home.

“Dance? With you?” He pondered aloud.

“Yes. Who else would I be talking about?”

He sighed. “Alright. Just one. I’m not good at this kind of thing.”

“I know. You’re more The Clash, than slow dances.” She quipped as she reached for his hand, the scarred one.

He drew in a deep breath as he felt her squeeze it, purposefully.

The dance with Nancy wasn’t terrible he admitted as they took up the proper position of one of his hands around her waist and the other holding one of her own. She kept her eyes fixed on him the entire time. He made a smile tug onto his usually broody face.

Nancy thought the smile made him look handsome, if the way his hair was pushed back didn’t already bring out his charm the smile certainly did the trick.

When the dance inevitably came to a close he dropped his hand from around her waist. “Now that wasn’t so bad, eh?” She laughed.

“It was good.” He mumbled as he stowed his hands into his pocket. He spotted Steve before she did.

“You aren’t stealing my girl, are you?” Steve joked.

Jonathan rolled his eyes. “It was not my plan.” He replied in a very deadpan sort of way. It made Steve laugh which made Nancy feel better since she hadn’t been sure where the two boys stood at this point.

They were pretty amicable. She was glad. 

“I had to get a smile out of him or the night wouldn’t be quite as good as I hoped.” Nancy told Steve who stood on her other side as the three walked off the dance floor and towards the refreshment table. 

Jonathan passed them each a pre-filled plastic cup before grabbing one for himself. He was quiet as the couple threw banter back and forth. He didn’t hate being around them. Nancy had a point. The dance had leveled him out a bit.

He wasn’t surprised when the two were crowned King and Queen. He just nodded in acceptance of the normality of it all. Things were meant to be this way. Or so he assumed.

Jonathan was thrown when Nancy was waiting for him after graduation, alone. He expected her to be with her family or Steve and his. His dad had made an appearance (however brief it was), his mom was chatting with Hopper as she often did now that the two were something akin to dating - he hadn’t asked questions - and Will and his friends were running around the field acting like children which they were.

He was making a last walk down the hall when she barreled into him. “Hey.” He caught her by the shoulders.

“Hey, yourself.” She beamed.

He didn’t know what to say next. He was still processing her presence so close to him. Turns out he didn’t have to say anything, she just reached down for the hand and flipped his hand over. “It’s almost invisible now.”

“Yeah.” He nodded. “It’s been almost a year.”

“Is it weird that I kinda miss it?”

Jonathan wasn’t sure how to answer that. He wouldn’t want to go back to not having his little brother around. He was already going to miss him when he was in college - by some miracle he obtained a scholarship and was headed to New York - if he had to do it all over again he’d only be willing to change one thing.

“Not Will missing, but the opportunity that we did something awesome that no one knows about but us.” She traced the pattern in his palm. He instinctively started to pull away even though his heart was beating fast in his chest.

Nancy held a firm grip. “That’s what makes it memorable. We’re still here is enough.”

“I try to think that way but then I remember what else happened...Barb and Eleven. I don’t know if I’m okay with that.”

“You’re not.” He told her. He had noticed the uncertainty in her eyes. It wasn’t just today. In passing he noticed it.

He opted to switching their positions. He took his hand away and grabbed her scarred one. “I think it’s okay to not be okay. It means you’re not who I assumed you were when we started all of this. You feel things. That’s good. But we can’t want to be in that place again. It wasn’t warmth, it was terror.”

“You feels things. What do you suspect that might be?”

“Sadness. Wanderlust. Guilt.”

She had almost forgotten how sharp his tongue could be when he got frustrated. She didn’t jerk away from him though. She had started them on this path. They’d continue down it until things were settled.

“What do you feel?” She asked him instead of responding to his description.

“You tell me.” He smiled.

“Worry. Sadness. Hope.” She said, curling her fingers around his that were poised in the center of her palm. “Hold on to the hope for the both of us.” She whispered.

He said nothing. He never knew how to take her words. Words could mean anything, or nothing at all. It didn’t mean she couldn’t strike him either.

Hope for what? He wanted to ask. Instead he bent down pressed his mouth to her cheek. He only lingered for at least ten seconds but to Nancy it felt like at least a minute.

When he raised his head he looked determined. “Hope, I can do that. What about you?”

She swallowed, looking at him in the same way she did when they sat side by side in her bedroom the previous year.

“Yeah. Okay.”

The following Halloween everything changed. They gravitated towards one another as their world turned on it’s head. Nancy visited that moment in the hallway during this second year of hell. It was her hope, as was the set of scars that she shared with the determined man she had come to accept as her better half.