#i just love the idea of robin and mike insanity

[dantesceiling]

is it just me or i desperately want Robin's mentoring to be toward Mike.

like i completely understand why Will could receive help from Robin, since he's coming to terms with his sexuality, just like Robin had to do, but he already has an older, mentor-like figure in his life. Jonathon, my beloved!!! sure, Jonathon probably doesn't understand everything about Will's feelings, but Will doesn't need help with understanding himself because i'm pretty sure he knows damn well who he is. he just needs help realising that that doesn't make him a 'mistake'.

Mike, on the other hand, is, in my opinion, pretty fucking clueless. confused, too. i feel like he'd definitely benefit more from some gay mentoring, in order for him to navigate his feelings a little better. because i just don't think he has any idea.. he has always been the 'oblivious' one.

to be honest, i'd be even happier if Robin somehow mentored both. and in no way am i implying this would take over her entire plot for season 5, as i know people get pretty mad about that !!

anyways just a thought let me know what you guys think!!

[xxbottlecapx]

I saw someone make an ASMR au where Eddie and Steve are asmrtists so I wanted to throw out an idea into the void 

Eddie is an up and coming asmrtist who specializes in mainly satirical/crack ASMR. Steve, a beauty asmrtists who does mostly OOTD,  makeup/hair content,  absolutely falls in love with Eddie’s videos due to homesickness. 

Steve and Robin had to move for college and he misses the party (Dustin, Erica, Eleven, Will, Lucas, Jonathan, Nancy, Argyle, Mike) a lot, and we all know that together that is an absolute Force to be reckoned with. 

Steve stumbles upon Eddie’s small YouTube channel and falls in love with how chaotic his videos are. It reminds him of the insanity of home, and the small DND rambles are always the best way to stop Steve from crying. 

I’m just imagining Steve clicking a video and Eddie’s face comes on screen, he has rings on his fingers and he waved to the camera calmly, doesn’t do an intro, and whispers “hey, you look tense. Does your back hurt? Oh, it doesn’t?” And Steve thinks it’s gonna be a normal role play until Eddie pulls out a knife and goes “would you like it to?” And it just devolved into chaos after that where Eddie pretends  to get kidnapped by aliens or something. 

One of Eddie’s most famous videos is of him pretending to be a guy the viewer has a one night stand with and he goes around your house dropping dnd figurines in all your shoes. There’s another one under the one night stand category where Eddie is obviously playing the role of someone you’re trying to seduce into bed but he keeps getting sidetracked and talks about odd conspiracy theories and keeps trying to show you how cool his shrek impersonation is. 

There’s one where Eddie is literally doing ASMR dumpster diving but he only speaks the entire bee movie script.  (Think AngelicaASMR before she entered her trad fem phase.) Eddie has a video where he pretends to be a raccoon trying to overtake the government, and he ends up making it a series and eventually he adds a plot to it. There’s also one where he is having a serious conversation about the struggles of raising children until you realize that the person he’s talking to is a tiny plastic dinosaur.  He also has a mini series where he plays with said tiny plastic dinosaur and pretty much makes a soap opera using a bunch of cheap trinkets. there’s some especially deranged ones where you’re a door and Eddie is trying to rip you off your hinges. There’s one where he runs a cult based off of guitar picks but it gets increasingly harder and more nonsensical to follow as the video continues. 

Every once in a while he’ll break character and laugh into the camera, unable to keep himself together, but he never takes it out. He is NOT taking himself seriously at all and Steve adores it.

[lillie98]

An excerpt from a Fic I wrote a while ago centering on Autistic!Mike. I wrote it from my perspective as a late-diagnosed female who found euphoria and purpose from this one little word. I hope you take the time to read it and understand the life-changing power of diagnosis. Autism is not a tragedy. Rather, it is a difference in the Human Condition that deserves celebration.

"Hey…Will, I almost forgot. I need to tell you something important". Will immediately flinches awake and startles, scanning the room for threats.

"What? Is something wrong? Are you okay?"

"No, nothing's wrong," Mike assures him, running his hand down Will's cheek. Embarrassment and shame course through him. He wishes Will’s nervous system didn’t overreact this way. He speaks quietly and clearly, emphasizing his words. "I'm okay. We’re safe.” Will leans into Mike’s touch and anchors himself in the present. He is safe, Mike is safe, and they are together. His eyes slip closed as he takes a few steadying breaths. He then shifts to his side to see Mike better, turning on the small lamp on the nightstand and propping himself up on his elbow. Mike looks anxious. Tears prick the corners of his eyes as he stares at the ceiling. Will places his hand on his boyfriend’s shoulder.

"Hey, whatever it is, you can tell me, okay?” he reassures Mike. “I won't be mad. We'll work through it together. You know how much I love you.” Will's words ease Mike's anxiety. Here goes nothing.

"I talk to Robin a lot–just like you–but we don't just talk about boyfriends. We…we talk about…other things, too.”

"What kinds of other things?" Will probes. Mike swallows hard.

"We…we talk about…fuck, this is tough….about my…my brain.” He can't believe he said it. Will is even more confused. His brain? What about his brain? The last time he checked, Mike's brain was perfect. Why does this involve Robin? Mike cannot make eye contact. Will eyes stare directly into his soul. If he looks back, he will lose his sanity. His hands white knuckle the sheets–anything to ground himself.

"My brain is…different from most people's.” Mike’s not sure how to explain this without sounding completely insane. “I have difficulty connecting with people and holding on to relationships. I'm blunt and straightforward, and people think I'm rude. That's why making friends is hard for me. People don't understand how to interact with me.” The words are slow and halted, forced out like a reluctant child. Will hangs on every one. He has yet to see the whole picture but will keep listening until he does. Mike continues as bile creeps into his throat.

"I also struggle with change. I need routine and structure; it keeps me safe. When that structure changes, it takes me longer to adjust. Like when you and El moved away, or Max joined our Party.” Words come faster now. He’s held this pain inside for too long. “I don't understand why things change and how everyone moves on while I'm stuck in this perpetual loop. I get scared that everything will change because one thing is changing, and it’s too much to handle. I don't want to be hostile, but my brain tells me to protect myself. Routines also help me not feel overwhelmed by the world. Everything is loud…and bright…and fast. It's terrifying.” Tears spill out, emotions too much to contain. “If I stick to my routine, some of that stuff fades into the background. But as soon as it changes, that all comes rushing back in. My body shuts down, and I can’t stop it. I lose control, and it's scary, Will. It's…It's so scary!"

Mike breaks down and rolls into his boyfriend’s waiting arms. Will is dumbfounded. He had no idea. How has Mike survived this long? He rubs deep circles into Mike’s back, attempting to ground him. He wishes Mike had told him sooner. He would have helped him through it, been there for him when it was all too much. How did he miss it? Something so central to Mike's being unknown to the people he loves most. Will's mind drifts back to their childhoods when Mike would fall apart on the floor. Will would hold and rock him until he calmed down–not dissimilarly to what he did last week at the hospital. Then it clicks. Mike is describing those moments. Nights spent on the kitchen floor crying over a scratchy shirt tag or "wrong foods" touching. He got angry because Will canceled plans they made a week ago, even though his PTSD flared up and he was too weak to go out. His head swirles with examples, and each one makes more sense than the last. He holds Mike's face, wiping tears with his thumbs.

"Mike, I understand. I see how scary those moments are for you. I may not feel what you feel, but I see your pain, and that’s enough. You are not broken, and there is nothing wrong with you. Do you understand me?" Mike tearfully nods. "I love you so much, and I am honored that you feel safe enough to share this part of yourself with me. I will always be here to help you, just like you help me. We need each other, and I am so thankful to have you in my life. I do have a question, though. Is there a name for this, and why do you discuss it with Robin? Isn't that something a doctor tells you?"

Mike laughs at Will's innocent questions. "You should talk about it with a doctor, but most don't know much about it. It's called autism, and I talk about it with Robin because she has it, too. She's the one who saw it in me. The first time she explained it…I cried, Will. I had never heard a word describe me so perfectly.” As he remembers the moment, new tears form, and a smile radiates through his body. “It was like…I had a missing piece, and Robin found it. She unlocked me. I finally have permission to be myself. All of these struggles, all of this pain, it's real. It has a name. I've never felt this way, and I want you to know so you can feel it, too. I love you so much, Will.” Autism. Will rolls the word around in his mind. He's never heard it before, but it makes sense. It explains Mike. His bluntness, his temper, his everything. He pulls Mike close and hugs him tightly, tears mingling in their embrace as they celebrate the moment. It is not sad. Instead, it is euphoric.

[stiles-o-dylan24]

King of My Heart Chapter 24 - The Battle of Starcourt

Author: @stiles-o-dylan24​  Pairing: Steve x Summer Byers Word Count:  10.5k Warnings: canon violence and themes, language, mentions of wounds, blood, descriptions of mind flayer melting people into a monster, mentions of death, bodies, character deaths, fluff A/N: you can blame me or labor day for this being so late, either choice would be acceptable, I love you all SERIES SPOTIFY PLAYLIST

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I kneel next to El and grab her hand while she continues to scream in agony with the pain in her leg.

We can hear a noise coming from her leg and we look over, Erica leaning closer and asking “What is that?”

“There’s definitely something in there” I repeat and we can see something under her skin moving around right below where the initial wound on her shin is.

“Jesus Christ” Dustin says and I scrunch my face up, trying not to gag with how it sounds and looks. I focus on El and I grab her hand more, setting my free hand on her shoulder.

In between El’s continued wails of agony, Jonathan has an idea and he looks at us, ordering “Keep her talking– keep her awake, okay?” before he gets up and runs away from us.

He runs past Scoops and runs across the middle area of the food court, heading to the teriyaki place and hopping over the counter.

“Jesus christ” Dustin mutters again and El grunts, closing her eyes and flinching her head to the side.

“Hey, hey, hey– stay awake, stay awake,“ Mike tells her, looking up at Dustin and I on her other side “Let’s get her on this side, on this side.”

We go to move her while Mike slides to sit behind her, guiding her so she’s laying back on his chest.

“Easy, easy, easy” Steve quickly says, setting his hand on my back as he reaches for her legs and helps us move her.

Steve kneels beside me while Robin starts stammering “It's, uh… you know, it's not actually that bad,” everyone looks over at her and she nods, her eyes not looking away from El’s leg “There was a… the goalie on my soccer team, Beth Wildfire, this other girl slid into her leg, and like the whole bone came out of her knee, six inches or something, it was insane–”

“Robin” Steve says, looking up at her and she finally looks over at us saying “Yeah?” and Steve states simply “You’re not helping.”

“I’m sorry” Robin breathes out genuinely, looking back at El at the same time Jonathan runs back over and slides to a stop at El’s feet.

“Okay– all right, El?” Jonathan says and El looks at him, all of us doing the same and Jonathan nods “This is gonna hurt like hell, okay?”

“Okay” she sobs and I grip onto her hand more, saying “We got you, just squeeze the crap out of my hand okay?”

She looks up at me, just nodding her head as she cries more and my heart is breaking for her that she has to go through this.

“Okay I need you to stay real still” Jonathan instructs, putting on a pair of plastic food service gloves and holding out a wooden spoon to her “And here, you’re gonna want to bite down on this, okay?”

“Jesus christ” Dustin mutters once more while Mike takes the wooden spoon Jonathan is offering and holds it over for El to bite down on. 

Dustin takes her other hand, saying “Holy shit, holy shit” over and over again while Jonathan lifts up the knife and brings it near her leg. He hesitates, looking up at all of us and Mike says “Do it”

“Okay” Jonathan says, taking a moment before he sets the end of the blade against the top area of the wound on her shin. He presses it down and slices the wound open causing El to immediately start screaming even louder. She pushes back into Mike and squeezes my hand even harder while the wound starts oozing blood and something else I’m going to forget I saw from the cut. I try not to look or gag at the noises I’m hearing and Dustin leans further away “Oh, shit.”

Jonathan drops the knife, the blade clattering on the tile floor while El screams and sobs behind the wooden spoon in her teeth. He takes a few seconds before he’s pushing his fingers in through the area he just cut open, causing El to screech in pain even louder.

None of us are able to hold back our reactions and we all gasp or groan in disgust at what we’re seeing happening. El whimpers through a deep guttural scream, her hold on my hand increasing to where I think she could break my hand, however, I ignore it and just set my other hand on hers to let her know we’ve still got her. 

“Jonathan!” Nancy yells over El’s screams and he shouts back “Stop talking!” before he slides his fingers to the side of the wound in El’s leg and she screams even louder.

“Goddamn it!” Jonathan yells and moves to keep trying to find this creature that’s inside her leg, however, El stops him when she shouts “No! Stop it!” She spits out the wooden spoon from her mouth and continues to yell “Stop! Stop!” while Nancy reaches over and hits Jonathan’s shoulder also saying “Stop.”

All that can be heard is all of our collective panting breaths from watching everything happening and El's whimpers as she pushes up from her lean against Mike and croaks heartbreakingly “I can do it– I can do it”

El lets go of mine and Dustin's hands while Mike helps her into a sitting up position with her legs out in front of her. She holds one of her hands above her shin, screaming out in pain when this creature doesn't immediately fly out of her leg. Instead we watch as it seems like the creature that's in her leg is just shaking around even more while it stays latched onto her.

I scrunch my face up in solidarity pain as I watch El continue to scream out while she's trying to force this creature out of her leg, however, all we can see is it moving and shaking under her skin even more while she wails in pain.

With one more echoing scream from El this thing finally breaks the surface of her leg but it's still attached to her. El’s scream increases and her powers raise to an intensity that the front windows of the store we are gathered in front of shatters apart. We all scream and flinch away, Steve covering me as the shattered pieces of the glass fall down around us. 

El’s screaming continues and the creature shrieks as El is finally able to lift it out of her skin. She holds it in the air in front of her screaming even more before she pulls her arm back and launches this creature in the air away from us.

It flops onto the tile floor a few times with a sickening noise and starts to crawl away, however, it doesn’t get far as the next thing we see is a boot covered foot stomp down onto it.

El is panting from the effort that just took from her and we look up, seeing Hop, mom and Murray Bauman standing before us looking worriedly between us all.

Hop's face twists in worry when he takes in El and he doesn't waste a second before he walks quickly over towards us. He bends down to help El stand up and carries her over towards the center area with the benches and a water fountain, sitting with her on the square bench that has tree foliage in the center of it. 

Mom sits down on the bench with them and puts El’s legs in her lap while she wraps her leg with bandages we got from a first aid kit at one of the restaurant's back counters along with a soda for El to drink.

I stand off to the side of them with Max and Steve standing on either side of me while Robin, Will, Lucas and Erica sit down on the side of the fountain facing us and Dustin, Jonathan, Nancy, and Mike stand beside them so we’re in a somewhat circle. 

They all start to tell us about what they’ve been dealing with while we have been underground, starting with Will who explains “The other night at the movie I felt the same feeling on the back of my neck that I felt last year whenever the mind flayer was close and it wasn't until it happened another two times before I told these guys about it. We figured out that even though El closed the gate the part of the mind flayer that was attached to me must have been locked out here with us when the gate was closed.”

“We then figured it must have found a new host which led us to Billy who was acting weird and worked at the pool where Heather had been missing” Max states and I look over at her “Heather Holloway?” I ask and they all nod at me. I cross my arms over my chest and Steve looks at me in his silent question and all I’m able to say is “We went through the lifeguard training together.”

“I’m really glad you quit working at the pool when you did, Summie” Will mutters quietly towards me and Steve steps closer, setting his hand on my back while they continue. Max looks over and explains further “Billy was completely covered while he was sitting in the lifeguard chair like he was trying to stay out of the sun and since we know that the Mind Flayer hates heat we tested Billy in the sauna at the pool."

Mike nods and adds on "We cracked the heat up on that thing when we locked him in the sauna and how he reacted to the heat we saw he was definitely flayed–”

Mom makes a noise and looks around at them all for an explanation “Flayed?”

“That’s what the Mind Flayer does, he flays people– takes over their minds and once they do that, they basically become him” Lucas explains and lifts his hands up “Billy’s veins got all black and he broke out of the sauna, El fought him and he took off.”

“And at the same time I was at the hospital with Mrs. Dricoll who out of no where was reacting the exact same way as Will was last year when we were at the cabin– yelling almost like a roar and she had black veins all over her skin.”

“Mrs. Dricoll?” Hop asks and Nancy reaches up to scratch the side of her head “She's this older woman who called the paper and wanted us to investigate these rabid rats that ate her fertilizer and when we went to her house we found the rat she had captured and it was definitely acting weird. I called around and other farms reported the same thing about rats or something eating their fertilizer or just other chemicals they had. After the paper wasn’t going to take our story seriously without proof we went back to her house to get the rat, however, it was gone and we instead found her eating fertilizer which is how she went to the hospital.”

Nancy points over to the group and continues “Their sauna test happened at the exact same time Mrs. Driscoll was acting like Will last year. So once we figured out she was flayed along with Billy we had to assume there were more people probably flayed–"

"Which is how Heather was brought up–" Max interjects, nodding her head over towards El and explaining "We were just messing around and trying to spy on Billy the other night, but when she went into that void area to find him she saw him leaning over Heather and whispering something to her– and she was scared. Billy felt El in there with him and he made sure she couldn't see where they were. We spent the next day trying to find Heather which we finally did– she was at home having dinner with her parents and Billy."

"Her dad is Tom, who was our boss at the paper," Nancy continues "And the next morning after their dinner he was acting weird when he fired us after we had gone back to Mrs. Driscoll’s house, almost like he was on drugs.”

Jonathan nods his head with her words, lifting his shoulders up as he explains further “We went to the Holloway’s house and they were all gone but we did find their kitchen torn apart and a bunch of cleaning chemicals were spilled open like they had been eating them.”

“What does chemicals and fertilizer have to do with the Mind Flayer? I mean Will didn’t eat chemicals last year” Steve mutters and Nancy shakes her head saying “No, we’re getting to that” before she looks around at all of us “We couldn’t figure out where the Halloways were but the scene around the house and in the garage suggested they were taken somewhere. I remembered that Mrs. Driscoll kept repeating 'she had to go back' so we thought the flaying was happening somewhere else– somewhere that Billy didn’t want El to see in the void when she had found him in there talking to a scared Heather.”

“Next plan was to go back to the hospital and follow Driscoll to where she wanted to go back to so badly” Will explains and Jonathan scratches behind his head, elaborating further “When we got to the hospital Mrs. Dricoll was already gone but Tom and Bruce were there– flayed, with the black veins all over them and after Nancy and I fought them off their bodies kind of dissolved–”

“I’m sorry, dissolved?” I repeat and Jonathan nods, unfortunately continuing “Dissolved into this fleshy mound of bones and their insides and they oozed across the floor towards each other until they formed this large fleshy monster looking thing.”

“Um, when you say fleshy monster…” I trail off and Nancy makes a face, saying “It was every part of their bodies, even the bones which were also used as teeth. It was disgusting.” 

“How could their bodies do that?” Steve asks and I make a noise looking at him and quickly over at the group, stating “The chemicals– if they were ingesting the chemicals they were essentially obliterating their insides and then they'd–” I stop so I don’t throw up and Mike nods at me “Yeah exactly and the amount of people who were flayed had to be dozens because they all melted their bodies the same way Tom and Bruce did at the hospital and it’s now one big monster. The Mind Flayer– it built this monster in Hawkins, to stop El, to kill her and pave a way into our world–”

“And it almost did,” Max says, looking around as she continues and indicates over to where we just were “That was just one tiny piece of it.” 

“How big is this thing?” Hop asks and Jonathan nods “It’s big– thirty feet, at least.”

“Yeah” Lucas chimes in, looking over at Hop as he fills in “It sorta destroyed your cabin… sorry” he whispers the last word and Hop shakes his head.

Steve makes a noise and says “Okay, so, just to be clear, this… this big fleshy spider thing that hurt El, it's some kind of gigantic... weapon?”

“Yes” Nancy answers quickly and Steve continues “But instead of, like, screws and metal, the Mind Flayer made its weapon… with melted people.”

“Yes, exactly” Nancy shakes her head like it couldn’t have been described better and Steve nods “Yeah, okay. I... yeah, I'm just making sure.”

“Are we sure this thing is still out there, still alive?” Mom asks and Max nods, explaining “El beat the shit out of it, but, yeah, it's still alive.”

“But if we close the gate again…” Will trails off and Max looks over at him, continuing “We cut the brain off from the body–”

“And kill it–” Lucas states familiarly, adding on “Theoretically.”

“Yoo-hoo!” a shouting voice sounds up behind us and I jump before I turn around with everyone else, all of us seeing Murray walking towards us. He’s got papers in each of his hands and he’s rustling them around while he waves his arms about “Yoo-hoo!”

Murray quickly walks over, continuing to wave his arms around until he leads us over to the table and chairs seating area of the food court. Once we’ve gathered over at the tables mom and Hop walk over to the table where Murray is standing and he slaps down the papers in his hands onto the table. He starts pointing around on the papers while he says “Okay, this is what Alexei called ‘the hub’. Now, the hub takes us to the vault room”

“Okay, where's the gate?” Hop asks and Murray points to a certain area on the paper, answering “Right here. I don't know the scale on this, but I think it's fairly close to the vault room, maybe fifty feet or so.”

“More like five hundred” Erica states and walks closer towards him, jabbing “What, you're just gonna waltz in there like it's commie Disneyland or something?”

“I'm sorry, who are you?” Murray asks and she throws him a sarcastic look, throwing back at him “Erica Sinclair. Who are you?”

“Murray… Bauman” Murray answers and Erica lifts her hand up as well as her brows “Listen, Mr. Bunman, I'm not trying to tell you how to do things, but I've been down in that shithole for twenty four hours,” she switches to look around at mom and Hop as she finishes with “And with all due respect, you do what this man tells you, you're all gonna die.”

Murray stands up from his lean on the table and says “I'm sorry, why is this four year old speaking to me?”

“Um, I'm ten, you bald bastard!” she shouts back at him, causing Lucas to shout “Erica!” and she answers with “Just the facts!”

“She’s right” Dustin chimes in, elaborating “You’re all gonna die, but you don’t have to” he walks up to the table and directs his words to Murray while reaching for the paper on the table “Excuse me– sorry, may I?”

“Please” Murray smiles brightly through his frustration and Dustin sits down at the table, sliding the paper towards him and grabs a pencil from his front vest pocket “Okay, see this room here?” he draws a circle around the room “This is a storage facility. There's a hatch in here that feeds into their underground ventilation system. That will lead you to the base of the weapon. It's a bit of a maze down there, but between me and Erica, we can show you the way.”

“You can show us the way?” Hop says slowly and Dustin lifts his hand up, reassuring “Don't worry, you can do all the fighting and the dangerous hero shit, and we'll just be your… navigators.”

“No” Hop says simply, shaking his head and adding a little shoulder shrug “Nope.”

With that Hop gets to work checking the dead bodies of the Russian guards, grabbing their guns and their radios. 

Steve, Robin and I head over to one of the restaurants and start scouring for any snacks and drinks we can find. We find some chips and Steve throws Robin a bag while I put the nozzles on the drinking fountain to get sodas for us to drink.

I hop up onto the counter and sit down next to Steve while we finally get something in our stomachs after not eating for like two days.

Robin stands in front of us and eats her chips, moving her eyes between the pair of us "So... what did you guys talk about when you were all drugged?"

I snort and take a drink, swallowing down the bites of chips "We laughed a lot while we were drugged"

"Hmm" she says, smiling knowingly and saying "You seemed pretty close in the bathroom when we walked in" causing me to glare at her and she silently laughs while Steve talks around his chips "We threw up in the bathroom."

"In the same stall?" Robin asks, failing at hiding how disgusted she is at that thought and I roll my eyes dramatically at her "No not the same stall– we interrogated each other to see if the drugs were still in our systems."

"Oh so you of course needed to be in the same stall to do that" Robin agrees, smirking at us "Were the drugs still in your system?" she asks and I nod while Steve clears his throat "Possibly."

I look over at him, however, his full attention is on getting the last of the chips in his bag and Robin nods, muttering "Interesting"

Quickly I switch to looking at her and she just smiles, and I choose to ignore her now. I need to sleep before I can even attempt to understand all of the revelations that have come to light this evening.

“Hey, heads up” Hop yells, getting Dustin’s attention before he tosses him one of the radios and continues “You can navigate, just from someplace safe.”

“It's not that simple” Dustin starts and Erica says “The signal won't reach.”

Dustin nods and holds up the radio while he elaborates “Not with this. You need something with a high enough frequency band to relay with the Russians' radio tower. But for that to work, you need to have someone who has both seen their comms room and has access to a super powered handcrafted radio tower, one preferably already situated at the highest point in Hawkins. Oh, wait. That's me. If you want us to navigate, you got us, but we need a head start– and a car.”

Hop stays silent, nodding along with everything Dustin listed off before he spins around and looks at me “Summer, c’mere kid– bring the other one with you too.”

Steve jerks his head back, pointing at his chest and looking over at me “Me? Does he mean me?”

“Yup, come on” I laugh and hop off the counter, reaching over to grab Robin’s arm “You’re part of this team too, let’s go.”

Hop digs some keys out of his pocket and holds them up to show Dustin as we come to a stop next to them. 

Dustin smiles and nods before we go over our plan for what we’re all going to be doing next and the groups we are splitting up into to do it.

Mom, Nancy, Jonathan, Will, Lucas, Mike, Max and El are going to head to Murray’s in Illinois so both Will and El will be as far away from the Mind Flayer as possible.

Steve, Robin, Dustin, Erica and I will head to Dustin’s radio tower so that we will also be as far away from the Mind Flayer as possible giving Dustin and Erica the safe place to navigate the directions needed for the air vent tunnels.

Which leaves Hop and Murray who are going to be the only ones staying at the mall to follow through with the plan down in the Russian tunnels to destroy the weapon trying to open the gate.

We also go over the group names for each of our groups along with the call signs for when Dustin will be communicating with Hop and Murray so that the Russians don't catch on if they happen to overhear the conversations.

Once the plans are sorted Hop tosses the keys over towards Steve who catches them against his chest. Hop nods his head towards the direction of the front of the mall, instructing “Car's parked out front–” he points at his face “Drive them safely there.”

“Yes sir” Steve says and we move to take off towards the direction of the front of the mall, however, mom stops me when she quickly runs over and grabs my arm. She makes a noise and hugs me to her "You guys be safe"

I return her hug and say "You guys too," grunting a second later when she increases her hold around me "Um, mom... you're crushing me"

"Sorry" she chuckles and loosens her grip, pulling back from me and setting her hands on my shoulders "I love you"

I smile at her, saying "I love you" before I frown at her, catching onto her weird behavior "What are you doing?"

She smiles sadly, admitting "I need to be apart of destroying this thing" and I widen my eyes slightly as I work through what she's saying "You better destroy this thing and not get hurt in the process."

"I'm going to be fine, sweetie... I just need to know that you and your brothers are going to be as far away from here as possible" mom stresses and I hug her again "We will be." I pull back and connect my eyes with hers while I state "I'll see you soon."

"Yup" mom kisses my cheek and sets her hand on Steve's arm, smiling softly at him and he nods, reassuring her "We'll see you soon."

With that we catch up with Robin, Dustin and Erica and we make our way to the front entrance of the mall. Steve pushes open the front doors, laughing softly and saying “Oh, man, now this…” he tosses the keys up and catches them “This is what I'm talkin' about!”

“Toddfather?” I mutter when I read the front license plate of the white convertible with the top down and Steve scoffs “Oh, screw Todd! Steve's her daddy now” he laughs and sets his hands on the top of the car and the closed door to jump up into the car through the open top.

“Did you just talk about yourself in the third person?” Robin asks as we walk around the other side and I snort asking further “Did he just call himself daddy?”

Steve snaps his eyes in my direction, pointing at me like I need to be quiet and I just laugh, shaking my head at him. Dustin hops into the back seat behind Steve while I open the passenger door and hold the seat forward for Erica to climb into the backseat. Robin rushes past me to sit down next to Erica and I make a noise, seeing her smirk at me. I narrow my eyes at her while Steve asks “All right, where are we going?”

“Weathertop” Dustin says and looks over at me when I'm still standing outside of the car “Come on Summer breeze we gotta go”

Robin smiles brightly at me and I drop the seat back, spinning around to sit in the front seat with Steve who asks Dustin “Weather-what?”

“Just drive” Dustin urges and Steve huffs, turning back around to start the engine “Okay, jesus!”

The engine revs and Steve sets his hand on the back of the seat, his fingers brushing my shoulder when he does, so he can turn around and look behind the car as he reverses away from the front of the mall.

He sets the car in drive and takes off across the parking lot, following the directions from Dustin once we get on the road. 

“Jesus, how far is this place, man?” Steve asks after we've been driving for fifteen minutes and Dustin leans closer to the front seat “Relax, we're almost there.”

“Suzie must be pretty special, huh? I mean, if you built this thing and lugged it all the way to the middle of nowhere just to talk to her?” Robin inquires and Dustin smiles, answering “I mean, nobody's scientifically perfect, but Suzie's about as close to being perfect as any human could possibly be”

“She sound made up to me… she sound made up to you?” Erica asks and I look over my shoulder to see she directed her words towards Steve… who doesn’t answer right away.

That fact doesn’t go unnoticed by Dustin who says incredulously “Why are you hesitating, Steve?”

“I'm... I'm... I'm not! I'm not!” Steve tries to argue “I think she sounds real. You know, totally, absolutely real.”

“Left” Dustin says as an answer, stating more urgently “Turn left”

“There's not a road here” Steve states back and Dustin shouts “Turn left now!”

“Jesus! Hang on!” Steve yells and grabs the wheel, turning the car sharply to the left. We crash through a small fence on the side of the road and we're immediately driving through a field. 

Steve keeps a hold of the wheel and keeps driving straight, yelling over his shoulder “Whoa! Henderson, where are we going?!”

“Up!” Dustin yells back and Steve does as instructed by Dustin and keeps driving the car up the hill we’re coming up on.

The car bounces along as we hit the rough terrain of the hill, Steve shouting “Oh, Jesus!” while I shake my head and grip onto the side of the door, yelling “We’re not gonna make it!”

“Yes, we are. Come on, baby– come on, baby!” Steve answers, hitting the side of the wheel.

We continue up the hill, however, the engine noticeably strains as the wheels come to a stop, spinning in the dirt while they can't gain any traction.

“Come on!” Steve yells, slamming his foot onto the gas pedal “Come on, come on!”

The tires continue to spin without traction as Steve pushes harder on the pedal, however, we are clearly not going to move anywhere and I roll my eyes, looking around “Guess the Toddfather has its limitations."

Steve pants, lifting his foot off of the pedal and throwing his hands up off the wheel. He looks over at me and huffs out through his frustration, shoving the gear shift into park and turning off the engine. We open our doors and I hold the seat back for Robin and Erica before we start walking up the rest of the way to the top of the hill where this super long distance radio is at. 

Erica drops her backpack onto the grass at the top of the hill and Dustin kneels down in front of the radio, switching it to the channel he was told by Hop.

“Bald Eagle, do you copy?” Dustin says into the radio, continuing “Bald Eagle, I repeat, this is Scoops Troop, do you copy?”

“Yes, I copy” Murray answers and we all chuckle in our relief that this worked. Dustin clears his throat and clicks the side button of the radio to say “Call sign?”

“Bald Eagle” Murray answers and Dustin doesn't hesitate to say “Please repeat”

“Bad Eagle” Murray stresses with absolutely zero patience in his voice “This is Bald Eagle!”

“Copy that. Good to hear your voice, Bald Eagle. What's your twenty?” Dustin asks and Murray clips out his status “We reached the vent. I'll contact you when I need you. Until then, silence.”

I chuckle and Dustin smiles into the radio answering back “Roger that, Bald Eagle. This is Scoops Troop, going radio silent. Ten ten, over.”

Dustin smiles up at us and Steve reaches over to pat Dustin on the shoulder.

Murray comes back over the radio and asks for directions, which Dustin and Erica guide him through until we're silent again. I set my hands on my hips and slowly walk around the top of the hill, looking up at the night sky and seeing all the stars shining above us.

“Scoops Troop, this is… Hm. Bald Eagle. I've reached another junction.” Murray's voice comes over the radio and Dustin looks down as he tries to remember “This is what?” he asks and Erica fills in “The fourth junction.”

“All right, so if memory serves, this is right after the My Little Pony thesis” Dustin says and I make a face, looking over at Steve who mouths ‘My Little pony’ at the same time that Erica explains “We went left, so he has to go–” 

“Right” they say at the same time and Dustin picks up the radio to direct Murray “Fly right, Bald Eagle– fly right.”

“Roger that, flying right” Murray says, his voice dripping in sarcasm and I laugh, shaking my head as I spin back around and look out over the city in the distance.

“What’s the My Little Pony thesis?” Robin asks and Erica grumbles “Don’t get him started” before Robin continues “Don’t get him started just tell–”

I tune them out, however, as Steve turns around with me and I see a flash of the lights at the mall, causing me to make a noise and point over in that direction “Did you just see–”

“Yeah– yeah I did” Steve says and steps closer towards my side while we watch the city lights around the mall start flashing like the lights do when we encounter anything from the upside down.

“Hey guys–” Steve trails off, causing Dustin, Erica and Robin to run over towards us. We hear an echoing pounding noise as the lights at the mall continue to flash over and over. Dustin looks up at us and we all make the collective decision to take off running back towards the radio. 

Dustin grabs the radio and shouts into it “Griswold Family, this is Scoops Troop! Do you copy? Over!”

“Griswold Family, I repeat, this is Scoops Troop. Do you copy?” Dustin repeats and the only answer over the radio we get is the sound of some kind of monster shrieking.

“Griswold Family, do you copy? Do you copy?!” Dustin yells and the next sound we hear is a bone chilling roar over the radio.

I widen my eyes and look up from the radio in Dustin’s hand, sharing a terrified look with Steve who sets his hand on my back, offering quickly “What if they’re not at the mall?”

“Do you think they would have left their radio?” I ask and Dustin shakes his head “Griswold Family, this is Scoops Troop. Please confirm your safety!”

When we don’t get an answer Dustin just continues to shout into his radio “Griswold Family, this is Scoops Troop! Please confirm your safety! Are you en route to Bald Eagle's nest? Please confirm your safety!”

My heart is pounding and I'm really starting to get scared they were prevented from leaving the mall somehow which means we need to figure out how to get them out of there.

“Someone, please just answer. Is anyone there? Just answer! Anyone, please…” Dustin pauses, switching to just repeating “Griswold Family, do you copy? Griswold Family, do you copy?”

We can hear another snarling sound on the radio and Steve shares a look with me while Dustin shouts again “Griswold Family, do you copy? Do you copy?!”

Steve grabs my hand and has me stand up with him, silently asking me to be on board with his plan and I nod towards him, squeezing his hand. Erica looks up at us when she notices we step away from them and she asks “Where are you going?”

“To get them the hell outta there!” Steve announces and pulls me along with him as he orders “You three stay here, contact the others!”

“Wait, Summer!” Dustin says and I stop my feet, looking back at him as he motions to throw me a radio. I let go of Steve’s hand to catch it and Dustin nods towards me “Stay in touch.”

“Got it” I reply, holding the radio up before I turn back around and Steve and I run back towards the Toddfather.

I set my hands on the top of the door and hop over it, landing in the seat at the same time Steve does. He starts the engine and shifts the car into reverse, luckily the tires getting enough traction that we’re able to go backwards down the hill.

Once we’re driving across the field and heading back towards the fence Steve crashed through, Steve looks over at me “Hang on, okay?”

I nod and grip onto the top of the car and we drive through the fence again, Steve swerving the car to the right as we turn back onto the road. He slams his foot on the gas pedal and the car takes off down the road back towards the mall.

We get to the mall in no time and when we pull into the parking lot we see the Wheeler’s station wagon and Nancy standing in front of the driver’s side door. She's got her arms raised and she's firing shots at this black car that is speeding and heading straight for her.

“Steve” I say and he nods, rushing out “Yeah I see her– hold on!”

Steve slams on the gas pedal again and right as Nancy ducks down I close my eyes and we crash right into the passenger side of the car, sliding across the road in circles until we come to a stop. I’m thrown into Steve’s side and I grunt from the action of the abrupt stop of the car. Steve immediately lets go of the wheel, turning to face me and gently grabbing the sides of my face “Hey, are you okay?”

I make a noise, attempting to nod my head a few times with the hold he’s got on me “How about you ask me that tomorrow?”

Steve chuckles, moving his thumbs over my cheeks “Yeah okay, I can add that to the list of things I will be talking with you tomorrow–”

His words are cut off when we hear the bone chilling snarl of the monster and we look over at the front entrance of the mall. I gasp and we flinch back when we see this massive monster crawling on top of the mall. Steve and I set our hands on the top of the car, lifting ourselves to stand up through the open top of the car as we look on at this monster “Holy shit!”

It looks exactly as they described it and identical to the shadow monster’s spider shape that Will drew last year. It snarls and growls as its six legs walk across the top of the mall towards the front where we’re at.

It roars down at us at the same time the station wagon’s horn blares and the car skids to halt beside us, Nancy leaning out the passenger window to yell at us “Get in!”

Steve sets his hand on my back before I hop over the passenger door of our car and run to the back of the station wagon with Steve quickly following me.

“Go, go, go, go!” Lucas shouts at the same time the monster roars again and I quickly climb into the very back of the station wagon. 

I sit down and Steve climbs in after me, grabbing the handle to close the door behind us, shouting “Go, go, go!” at the same time he sits beside me.

Jonathan slams his foot onto the gas pedal and the tires screech as we take off across the parking lot. Steve and I lean closer towards the back window when we see the monster climb off of the Starcourt Mall front entrance area sign and it starts clamoring after us with loud echoing thuds of its feet pounding into the asphalt.

Jonathan continues to speed down the road, this creature right on our tail while he does, and I try to breathe through the adrenaline coursing through my body. Having to be in the very backseat area with a front row seat to the terror that is chasing us is not helping to keep my breathing from being anything but quick, terrified pants. Steve reaches over and grabs my hand again, his eyes focused on the creature chasing us as well as he threads his fingers in between mine. I squeeze his hand, grateful he's trying to reassure me that I'm not alone right now.

“Dusty-bun, you copy?” I hear over the radio in my other hand and I slowly lift it up between us when we hear “I copy, Suzie-poo– it sounds much better now, thanks.”

I smile over at Steve and we both say in our shocked wonderment “Suzie.” 

“Okay, so, listen, do you know Planck's constant?” Dustin asks and she’s quick with her reply “Do you know the Earth orbits the sun?”

I chuckle with that and Steve shakes his head as he looks down at the radio as Dustin's voice comes back over “Okay, so I know it starts with two sixes, and then a… w–what is it?” he asks and Suzie doesn’t hesitate to counter with “Okay, let me just be clear on this. I haven't heard from you in a week, and now you want a mathematical equation that you should know so you can... save the world?”

Dustin is quick as he tries to reassure “Suzie-poo, I promise, I will make it up to you as soon as possible.”

“You can make it up to me now” she retorts and Dustin replies “What?”

Steve looks over at me when Suzie says “I want to hear it.”

“Not right now” Dustin replies immediately and she urges “Yes, now, Dusty-bun.”

“Suzie-poo, this is urgent” Dustin tries to get her to reconsider, however, she proves she doesn't care “Yes, yes, you're saving the world, I heard you the first time, but Ged is also saving Earthsea and he's about to confront the shadow, so this is Suzie, signing off.”

“Wait, wait, wait! Okay. Okay. Okay” Dustin quickly rushes out and he pauses before his voice comes back over the radio… however, he is singing 

♪ Turn around look at what you see In her face the mirror of your dreams ♪

Dustin continues to sing and Steve and I share a confused look, I scrunch my brows together while he frowns at the radio and turns in his seat so he can look in the back seat at Lucas and Will.

♪ Make believe I'm everywhere given in the light Written on the pages is The answer to a never-ending story ♪

I open my mouth to say something, however, I'm not even sure what to say and my words die in my throat as I watch the monster continue to chase us and they continue to sing together now

♪ Reach the stars fly a fantasy Dream a dream and what you see will be ♪

Steve grabs the radio from me shrugging towards the front when Jonathan and Nancy look back as well, however, the singing continues and Will looks back at us incredulously before he faces forward again as well.  

♪ Rhymes that keep their secrets will unfold behind the clouds And there upon a rainbow is the answer to a never-ending story ♪

They harmonize as they stop signing the last ‘story’ until finally Suzie says “Planck's constant is 6.62607004”

“You just saved the world” Dustin replies, the smile evident in his voice and Suzie replies “Gosh, I miss you, Dusty-bun” causing Dustin to say “And I miss you more, Suzie-poo.”

“I miss you more, multiplied by all the stars in our galaxy” Suzie counters and Dustin starts to say “No, I miss you…” before his voice is cut off and the radio is silent again.

“Did that just fucking happen?” Steve asks and I snort, leaning back against the seat “Yeah”

I look over at him and can see he’s trying not to laugh and I shake my head at him, warning him not to start otherwise I will follow him in a laughing attack and now is definitely not the time to let my sleep deprived self do that. 

All humor dies from my face though when I see the monster stop its pursuit of us and it begins to turn around. The monster starts taking off back the way we came and I yell towards the front “It’s turning around!”

“What?” Nancy turns back to face us and Steve repeats “It's turning around!”

“Maybe we wore it out” Lucas offers and Jonathan shakes his head, gripping onto the wheel more “I don’t think so– hold on!” he shouts just before he spins the car to the right. For the second time tonight I’m thrown to the side with the spin, once again landing on Steve and he grips onto me while the car spins to a stop. 

Jonathan gets the car facing the correct direction and he heads back towards the mall. Steve lets go and I’m able to sit beside him comfortably again, leaning my head on his shoulder “Let me know when we get there”

Steve chuckles and lays his head on mine “You got it, Sums.”

Once we get back to the mall Jonathan screeches the tires to a stop and we climb out of the back. Nancy walks around to the back with us and we grab the boxes of fireworks that they apparently picked up from a grocery store earlier when they were trying to treat the wound on El’s leg.

After dividing them up between us we grab our boxes full of fireworks and run back into the mall. We head to the second floor and the six of us split into groups of two and get set up along the railing looking down onto the food court area. We find Billy leaning over El, whispering something to her while the creature finishes climbing down from the ceiling skylights and stops in front of them. The creature opens its mouth and another creature that’s more of a snake like tendril comes out of the monster’s mouth and screeches at El.

Before it's able to attack her Will throws a firework and the creature wails with the explosion against its face. 

“Flay this, you ugly piece of shit!” Lucas shouts before he throws another firework and it lands in the monster's mouth as it roars back at Lucas. The firework explodes and the monster screeches as it flinches back and we all take turns lighting the fireworks and tossing them down at the creature relentlessly. 

We don’t let up as we continue to light the fireworks and toss them down onto the creature who screeches and roars in response to each firework explosion against it.

“Hey, asshole! Over here!” Steve shouts and tosses a firework that I lit the fuse and handed over to him, hitting the creature right in the mouth.

I light another fuse and toss my own firework at it, smiling triumphantly when it explodes against the side of its head.

We all continue to throw fireworks from every direction of the second floor we’re all standing on and the creature continues to wail and screech from the blasts.

“We’re almost out!” Will shouts at Lucas a little way from where Steve and I are standing and I can hear Lucas shout “I know” before Steve reaches down and grabs the walkie from inside our almost empty basket, yelling into it “Dustin! We’re out of time!”

All of us throw the last of the fireworks that we have, and look down over the railing. Now that the fireworks have stopped being thrown at it, the creature roars and moves closer towards El and Billy who is once again leaning over her.

Billy looks up at the monster, standing up and facing it as it snarls and growls at the both of them. It roars even louder before it opens its mouth and the snake like tendril shoots out like it's going to attach itself to El, however, Billy yells and throws his arms up to stop it from coming closer. He screams “No!” and holds the snake like tendril back with his hands, pushing back against it and keeping it away from El.

Billy screams again while the creature screeches even louder and we watch as a handful more of the snake like tendrils grow off of the main creature’s body and glide through the air towards Billy. One of the growing tendrils attaches itself into Billy’s side and he screams in pain, the sound dying in his throat when another claw tendril attaches itself into Billy’s other side.

The other four snake like tendrils all impale themselves into Billy’s torso and he screams in agony with each one, his head falling back.

Billy’s knees give out and he is lowered onto his knees with the creature's tendrils still attached to his torso, bringing it’s face even closer towards Billy’s as it roars in his face.

Billy just bellows one final scream right back in the monster's face, all of us watching in horror as the monster opens its mouth and the inside snake like tendril closes its claw up to form a fist. There’s one final scream before it plunges itself straight into the center of Billy’s chest.

“Billy!” Max shrieks from somewhere below us and Billy grunts as the arm that was plunged into his chest quickly removes itself followed by the other six detaching themselves from his torso . His body crumbles onto the floor and falls onto his back, looking up at the ceiling.

The creature all of a sudden screeches even louder than before, and it starts to flail its body around and smash into everything on the ground floor as well as the second floor railing "They're closing the gate" I say and Steve nods.

It moves closer towards where Steve and I are standing, lifting its arm up to smash into the railing in front of us and I scream as we turn away. Steve grabs me around my middle and pulls me back with him, both of us falling on the floor and taking cover with our arms over our heads.

The creature stumbles around a few more times before it ultimately crashes onto the ground and it's silent around us. 

Steve and I quickly get up and move to look over the railing, seeing the monster not moving anymore from where it crumbled onto the floor. We notice a fire has started around the monster in a somewhat circle and I know we’ve gotta get out of here.

"Come on, we gotta get the others" I say and tap Steve on the chest. He nods and sets his hand on my lower back as we follow the railing and gather Will, Lucas, Nancy and Jonathan.

Mike, El and Max meet us at the escalators and we hurry outside, all of us coughing through the smoke as we do. Once we're outside I notice all of the fire trucks and the military soldiers walking around and making a plan of action to get inside.

Firefighters walk up and wrap each of us in blankets, telling us we need to get checked out and separating us into different ambulances to do so.

The only ones who don't get cleared quickly are El, Mike and Max who each got knocked out by Billy and have their own cuts and bruises that need to be tended to.

I'm standing next to the ambulance that Max is getting checked out in, with Steve and Will standing next to me. We look over and mom appears through the crowd of soldiers as she desperately searches for us. She runs up to us and grabs Will, hugging him tightly before she grabs me and does the same.

"Are you okay?" she asks and we all nod and she breathes out shakily, increasing her hold on us. She pulls back and I notice the tears in her eyes, the look of despair on her face and I make a noise, looking around at the crowd "Where's Hop?" I ask and she presses her lips together, her chin wobbling with my question.

"No" I whisper, tears welling in my own eyes as I'm punched in the gut with the realization he's gone.

✦⋆⋇⋆⋇⋆✦⋆⋇⋆⋇⋆✦⋆⋇⋆⋇⋆✦⋆⋇⋆⋇⋆✦⋆⋇⋆⋇⋆✦⋆⋇⋆⋇⋆✦⋆⋇⋆⋇⋆✦

It’s been a week since the fourth of July and it’s been an adjustment period not just for us but the whole of Hawkins.

The fire at Starcourt Mall was so destructive that Owens was able to cover up the thirty people who were actually the victims of the Mind Flayer’s flesh monster and say they were victims of the fire instead. Hop’s death was also linked to the fire, stating he died in the line of duty trying to get everyone out, instead of that he was killed by the Russian’s laser machine exploding next to him.

Mom didn’t even hesitate to bring El into our family and move her into our home. We welcomed her with open arms, mom and I taking her shopping for all the essentials she needs and new clothes– you know the works. My college fund took a bit of a hit but that’s fine because in my opinion, El needed it more.

Today Steve, Robin and I are going to scour the newspaper and try to find a new place for us to apply to work and while it’s probably unlikely we’re also hoping we’ll be able to all work together again. Once we’ve put in the research work today then we’re going to have a movie night at Steve’s and I can’t even stress how very much needed it is.

There’s a knock on the front door and I get up from the couch to answer it, smiling when I see who’s on my porch “Hey”

Steve returns with a smile of his own and nervously moves his keys around in his hands “Hey, you ready?”

“Yup” I answer quickly and reach over to grab my bag, throwing the strap over my shoulder and closing the door behind me after I step out onto the porch. 

We get in the car and head into town, picking up a couple of newspapers before we head to Family Video to rent a few movies for tonight. 

We also stop to pick up some snacks and drinks and we head back to Steve’s house. All during our errands I tried to ignore his weird behavior, however, it was getting difficult to keep ignoring it when he was acting completely different. 

He was quiet– the kind of quiet where it was obvious he had something on his mind and he only would seem like he was present with me when I would ask him something about the movies we were picking for tonight or the snacks and drinks we were picking up.

Noticing his weird behavior still hasn’t left when we get back to his house, I figure we’re at the stage where I can just ask– so I do “Stevie?”

“Yeah, Sums?” he asks and spins around to face me, setting his hands on his hips and I smile softly at him that even with whatever is bothering him he still uses my nickname “I was just curious… is there something going on with you today?”

“Um,” he trails off, smiling nervously and reaching up to scratch the back of his head “Well…” he clears his throat and I raise my brows expectantly at him, explaining “Yeah, see… I ask because it seems like you have something on your mind.”

He drops his arm back down and looks at me silently, breathing out a deep breath “I, uh, do you remember what we talked about in the bathroom?”

“Yes– you were supposed to forget all about it though” I grumble and he laughs, shaking his head as he looks down to the floor between us “I wasn’t talking about that which I definitely forgot about.”

“Good” I mutter and he chuckles silently, looking back up at me while he continues “I actually meant about what I told you.”

“Oh” I breathe, slowly nodding my head that I do remember and he nods with me “Right, see what I remember is how I didn’t explain myself well that night and how I definitely need to”

I lick my lips quickly, saying quietly “You think so?”

“Yup” Steve says, taking a step closer towards me as he rushes out “All day I’ve been trying to figure out the best time and way to explain it better, however, I’ve just– well I keep coming up short because none of the ways seem perfect enough.”

“Who’s to say there’s a perfect enough way for you to say what you need to say?” I ask and he snorts, shaking his head as he grumbles to the floor “Because it’s what you deserve, Sum.”

“Okay” I squeak and Steve smiles, raising his brows at me “So you already know what I’m going to say?”

“I have an idea what it might be regarding” I answer and Steve nods, making a hmm noise as he walks closer towards me. He stops in front of me and says “And you’re going to allow it?”

I make a contemplative little face, tilting my head to the side “Perhaps”

Steve smiles with my words, shaking his head softly at me and I shrug while I continue “I told you once that you should know I’m great at fighting for what I want” I say and Steve smiles even more, agreeing “Yes, I remember.”

“And what I want–” I pause, breathing out a calming breath before I admit “What I want is you, so–” I trail off and Steve widens his eyes, repeating “Wait what? You want me?”

“Yes” I breathe through my nerves, continuing “It has shocked me to my core, Harrington, but you have succeeded in becoming my favorite person and I kind of like you, a lot, so if wanting me is something you could possibly want too then you should know I’m prepared to show you how much you’ve made me fallen for you–”

“Shut up” he says and sets his hands on the sides of my face. He smiles like he can’t believe this is actually happening, shaking his head softly until the next thing I know he kisses me.

He presses his soft and warm lips on mine, and already this kiss is a million times better than the one that shall not be mentioned at a time like this. No, a kiss like this deserves to be the only thing that is talked about right now. He holds me to him, cradling my face in his hands and I set my hands on his chest, linking the smell of my strawberry chapstick to this moment that I will remember forever.

Just needing a little more clarification to what this means I try to say something and he makes a noise, breaking the kiss just far enough that his lips still brush against mine while he says “I said shut up, you don’t have to fight for me– I’m already yours, Byers.”

With that he kisses me again, keeping one hand on my face still while he wraps his other arm around my lower back and pulls me against his chest. I slide my hands up his chest and wrap my arms behind his neck, holding him just as close to me as he’s holding me. He moves his lips over mine, pulling me closer like it’s some kind of dance and I’m really glad he’s holding me up because Harrington can kiss.

He presses his lips against mine a little more, breathing in deeply through his nose while he holds me to him for a few more seconds before he pulls back. He rests his forehead on mine while our panting breaths mix together and I slowly open my eyes. Steve is already looking at me when I do and he smiles at me, moving his head against mine as he mutters quietly “So you fell for me huh?”

“I didn’t fall,” I grumble, glaring playfully at him as I reply just as quietly “You fucking tripped me”

He throws me a look, like of course he did, and I try to fight off my smile, looking up at him through my lashes and admitting “But yes I might be completely in love with you.”

Steve closes his eyes with my words, breathing in deeply like he’s trying to savor the words and I finally let the smile spread across my face. I tighten my arms around him and keep talking “You are the love that came without warning, Harrington” I say and he opens his eyes again, smiling even wider while I continue “I didn’t even get the chance to think or process it. I just woke up one morning and you were the first person I wanted to see that day– the only person at school I wanted to talk to. Then you danced with me and you took me to prom and that’s when I knew that I lost my heart to you. You had my heart even before I truly realized it.”

Steve moves his hands to my hips, gripping my sides as he pulls me against him and kisses me again and I could quite literally dreamily sigh with how amazing it actually feels to be held by him like this while he kisses me. 

He offers a series of a few quick kisses before he looks at me and I think the smile could break his face in two with how big it is. He moves his eyes around my face, shaking his head softly “It is you,” he says simply, continuing “It is fucking you, Sums. I tried to describe it to you the other night but I cannot describe it anymore, it’s just you. You are the only one that I will ever want fully,” he shrugs like it’s simple and increases his hold on my sides. I hug him a little more as it’s my turn to smile with his words and he keeps going “You didn’t even have to do anything to make me fall for you– you were unapologetically yourself. I fell for your beautiful soul and your big heart and the way you never let me get away with anything. I fell for you when you wouldn’t let anyone see how upset you were except for me. I fell for you when you wouldn’t open a christmas present and when you tried to save me from a demogorgon. I fell for you when you fought to save Will and when you stood up to me when I tried to hurt Jonathan and Nancy. I knew I was in love with you when you gave Dustin advice and when you taught him how to dance and when you actually agreed to go to prom with me. I am in love with you, Byers, and I have never been more scared to lose you than when I was strapped to you while we were in chairs and laying on the floor of a Russian bunker as you told me I was the King of your heart. Which is fitting since you are the Queen of mine,” Steve licks his lips quickly and rests his forehead against mine again “I am head over heels in love with you, Summer Byers– you walked into my life and made me fall in love with a girl with freckles more beautiful than the stars.”

I am absolutely speechless with everything he said and I move my eyes between his a few times. I slowly move my head against his, whispering “Dammit, Harrington” before I set my hands on the sides of his face and kiss him, feeling him smile against my lips when I do.

|| << PREV ||  MASTERLIST  || NEXT >> ||

A/N: Thanks so much for reading! As always let me know what you thought– comments & reblogs give me life!

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Please do not copy and paste my writing anywhere without my consent.  This work is property of @stiles-o-dylan24​ on here and wattpad and stilesodylan24 on AO3.    Stranger Things and its characters aren’t mine, however, Summer and this fanfcition is.  These works contain material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited.      No part of these works may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from the author/publisher.

Posted: 5 September 2023

[kiirotoao]

I keep getting asked what I’d like to see / theories for s5, so I’m listing them here!

(In blurb form because I have too many lol)

MORE. WILLEL. OR. DEATH. I’d particularly love some parallels from s1, maybe Will talking to El in the void or something? Because

Will has powers!! I’d love to see him have some kind of time/energy/electrical/celestial powers to mirror his Will the Wise persona

JOPPER WEDDING OR DEATH ALSO THIS IS A NON NEGOTIABLE DUFFERS

Robin being a BAMF and impressing Vickie or vice versa (I’m currently more sold on Robin being the BAMF because if switched that’s just Ronance. Which also. Ronance endgame please and thank you???)

Stonathan endgame or at least bonding. Can you tell that the CGI snippets made me insane

Flickergate duh

Pocketgate!!! And specifically Mike confessing to Will, Will thinking it’s too good to be true, then Mike pulling out the letter to prove it in dear desperation

Based on the “6 little nuggets” anecdote, I think Steve might unfortunately be toast because he has his dream with The Party, y’know

There will be a dragon of some sort based on Will’s painting? Maybe like Vecna, the Mind Flayer, and the demogorgons will combine into one big ugly creature to defeat? Dramatic but I have no idea

The spores might also be more lethal and infect people? Or maybe cause widespread hallucinations? They were everywhere in that finale and that cannot be healthy. Yes I know that Hopper and Dustin didn’t suffer any side effects of them in s2 but Vecna’s still alive so I think maybe they could become a new force

I believe in the Kas theory! But not for Eddie. I’m between Kas being Will, El, or Mike

I hope that Nancy doesn’t end up with anyone or it’s implied that she, Steve, and Jonathan, are happy being single for that time until they completely understand themselves and what they want

Vecna appearing in nightmares!! I’d love to see the subconscious come into play and it would serve to flesh out our main cast even more than they already are (especially Mike Wheeler and his internal gay crisis)

Jonathan, Mike, Lucas, Erica, and Murray in the Upside Down please!! They have never been that’s why, and no, I don’t count the tunnels in s2 because they didn’t flip upside down to enter those so I don’t think it was quite the Upside Down

Full and integrated Hopper-Byers family scene at the end of the season. Like them playing Monopoly or something or just existing together in the same house. Being happy. Please dear God.

Will coming out to his mom or Jonathan or Dustin or Lucas or anyone, really

EVERYBODY WANT TO RULE THE WORLD BY TEARS FOR FEARS preferably in the ending scene but anywhere would suffice and I’m not saying this just because I love this song but the lyrics literally fit so well I don’t think I’ll recover if his song isn’t in s5

A gate may exist at the library - it’s in the center of the earthquake and it’s where Will was taken in s1. I think Henry may want to destroy it because it contains so much information

I’d love a s2 parallel where Lucas talks to his dad again. Maybe about Max, maybe about all the stress, something. More sweet parent moments

Based off of the Byler fights in episodes 3 (s3) and 2 (s4), I think maybe they’ll fight again in s5e1?

And then resolve by s5e5

Wherein Heros (Bowie’s og version) will play when Mike and Will kiss

I just really really want Dustin being the lord of the demodogs. Like d’Art returns and recognizes Dustin and they help to fight against Vecna like fighting fire with fire it’d be so epic you see the vision right?

I’d love to see a return of Kali!! Either as a friend or villain recruited/controlled by Vecna it’d be pretty cool either way

Max lives. Period

[thestobingirlie]

Hi! I hope you don’t mind non-anonymous asks.

Firstly, I wanted to say thank you for being one of the loudest voices of reason of this godforsaken fandom.

Secondly… Can I also share my complains? I feel like I’ll die if I won’t talk about it.

I feel like you probably talked about it before, but still these whole “Eddie being the only person in entire group who understands him” trop started a new era of fics where Steve is almost literally hated by Dustin & the party, no one (from Dustin to Hopper) supports him (except for Eddie, of course. Look at out knight in shining armor) and even Robin (EVEN ROBIN GODDAMNIT) abandons him.

And I don’t know where is this desperate desire to isolate Steve from his found family comes from (well, actually, I have a couple ideas)…

These trop also might seem one of the reasons why shovel talks trop became so popular. And again, in this kind of things, everyone in the group suspects the worst about Steve. But… I mean, in my head, the only person who will receive shovel talks from literally everyone would be Eddie. I imagine that even Mike will show up just to say something “y’know dude, you’re cool and I admire you, but if you hurt Steve I smash your head with your guitar). God, there so much potential for Steve & the party dynamics. So much potential for Steve’s and Mike’s dynamic to explore, but no. Of course, we’ll chose the most toxic, abusive and horrendous relationship dynamic to ever exist.

These “Hellfire club feat. Eddie acting like disrespectful pigs while being guests at Steve’s”… And Steve being a helpless damsel in distress who locks up in his room and cries instead of kicking these assholes out… Lord, give me strength.

This top/bottom, dom/sub shit… Look, I actually headcanon Steve as bi. And. I think that he most likely prefer to be bottom. (Not because he’s weak helpless cry baby who can’t stand up for himself), but because he takes care about everyone so much, that he will probably want for once be the person who receives care from his partner. However, this shit with feminisation and infantilisation of Steve went too far. I mean, you want to ship Eddie with someone fragile, feminine, gentle and someone who will actually cry when people being mean to them? Chrissy Cunningham is right there. There’s nothing wrong with shipping f/m ships. I’m telling ya, your taste hasn’t “upgrade” just because you started shipping mlm.

It’s one thing when people recognise that they’re writing toxic, even abusive relationship. But the way some harringrove fics recently started looked better in comparison with some (actually most) steddie fics is just sending me… Yeah, steddies be like “harringrove is this”, “stancy is that” and then write most horrific, toxic and unhealthy shit ever.

Don’t even get me started on this “Robin starts to care less about Steve/stops caring about Steve at all because of Nancy, or other shitty idea for the plot of another shitty fic”… Just fuck ya’ll. Seriously.

Again, thank you very much.

And honestly, the way that rockie is (most of the time) in the love triangle fics in which ronance is endgame…

I mean, the most popular fic with rockie is actually a Steve-centered fic (and it’s good, cause it captures Steve’s dynamic with the party) with rockie being a background ship.

And the second most popular rockie fic is actually a ronance fic with vickie being abuser & manipulator. Ronance shippers stop making Vickie gross and rockie as a whole about ronance challenge. Level impossible.

And this is my villain origin.

hi! i totally don’t mind non-anon asks, send away!

i love being called a voice of reason lmao. so thank you very much.

it’s honestly insane the extent that people feel they have to go to to make eddie seem… more important to steve? they have to totally isolate steve from 90% of his friendships. make characters prefer eddie, and say horrible shit to steve, all to make eddie seem like a good option. the only person that treats steve well. that doesn’t spit on him and treat him like shit. and even then that’s often accompanied by eddie’s friends treating steve like shit and eddie going along with it. it’s just ridiculous (and screams of abusive dynamics, but that’s by the by).

shovel talks my beloathed. they suck a lot anyway because people aren’t always great at writing them lmao. but literally the character within steddie that would be receiving shovel talks… eddie!

i mean. these shovel talks also typically happen in a universe where steve saves eddie’s fucking life. and people still feel the need to write all of steve’s friends and families as warning him against hurting eddie. like. wtf lmao.

the way steve and the party dynamics have been left out to die… take me back to a post s2 world!!!!!!!

don’t get me started on the hellfire fics. got steve acting pathetic when my baby boy is a BITCH!!!!

it’s actually so crazy how reactive steddies got about hellcheer and then went to such efforts to deconstruct steve’s character and turn him into chrissy. just fucking ship hellcheer!!!

all that drama about steddies finally being a “good” steve ship, and trying to write the most fics. all to create a toxic and abuse dynamic that rivals harringrove… alright. okay.

so many dynamics suffer at the hands of people prioritising romance and prioritising eddie and it’s literally depressing lol.

rockie was never even given a chance!!! from day one other shippers have done all they can to vilify vickie and for what? because she’s a cute bisexual that loves robin???? let my girl fucking live!!!

[roobylavender]

i love ur critiques. what are 1 or 2 things per bat character (whether irt their fans, character, or comics) that you dont like?

(or if not every bat then just those u want <33)

thank you for the compliment! i'll do fan criticisms since that's always more fun

bruce

idk if it's an outright dislike but i feel like bruce fans who get up in arms about him killing simply do not take the time to understand his moral code across the span of his narrative.. bruce should never intentionally attempt to murder unless driven to absolute extremes and the few issues in which this idea was explored by mike w. barr the ultimate outcome was meant to demonstrate why bruce should never intentionally attempt to murder (e.g., in son of the demon his murder of qayin effectively amounts to nothing and leaves him bereft of talia's companionship and the start of their family together; in batman: full circle if he went through with the murder of the reaper another child would be left orphaned and that is not a reality bruce wants to facilitate). they are character studies and should be treated as such! however alternatively i do not think bruce has as concrete feelings about unintentional murder. if he's in a chaotic situation and he has to choose between saving a civilian and saving a supervillain, he will choose the civilian, and that's okay! sometimes you have to prioritize! and dick and cass are there to feel guilty for not being able to save everyone lol

dick

i am constantly confused with dick fans' simultaneous frustration over his permanent removal to batman editorial (valid, correct, etc.) and their desire to frame him as the omnipresent big brother figure to everyone in the bat family. like.. are these not contradictory to each other lmao. i've discussed it before but it feels like many of them want to combat the idea that he's a bad big brother even though he was realistically under no obligation to do anything for bruce's other wards/adoptees like mans had already left the house! he did not have a relationship with those kids and he doesn't have to. it doesn't make me think lesser of him at all

every dick fan should be required to read up on wally and garth outside of teen titans comics before even daring to speak on either of them idgaf

jason

i'm gna skip him because i feel like 70% of my account is dedicated to discussing what i don't like about most jason fans

tim

admittedly i have less context to clarify this confusion because my reading stops abruptly in like 2002 but i'm very confused with tim fans' simultaneous positioning of him as this boy scout representation of why batman will always need a robin! and their complete indulgence in his emo boy era. i still haven't read said emo era because again [see above] but i feel like a lonely place of dying can very clearly be read as the start to a tragedy because it's insane for any thirteen year old to think he has to be the one to make sure gotham's vigilante apparatus remains functioning. reading robin (1993) is jarring in the most effective way possible because it's these moments of tim trying to lead a normal, trivial, everyday life juxtaposed against moments where he's in an outright terror zone or seconds away from beating a man to death or throwing a temper tantrum because bruce didn't respect his privacy even though it was in the interest of reassuring stephanie that tim was okay. tim unfortunately comes from a place of privilege and is not in any sense emotionally equipped to deal with what he gets into and i don't know how people think that starts with jack's death in identity crisis and not years prior with the beginning of his stint

to the above end, i truly don't care about the debate over tim's various secret identities and out of all of the bat kids i think he is the one most desperately in need of permanent retirement. let him indulge his stalker tendencies and photography talents per some other means (investigative journalism) before he goes insane

stephanie

i'm sure batgirl (2009) is a cute book or whatever (aside from its characterization of damian..) but i'm never going to read it and the idea that the spoiler identity wasn't sufficient to explore stephanie as a character is just.. eternally stupid to me. like obv most people acknowledge that the decision to make her into robin was one intended to set her up for failure but i also don't know why she ever needed to become batgirl later on. spoiler is not an identity adjacent to the red hood wherein stephanie is using it as a crutch to deter herself from achieving closure with her trauma and the only reason editorial made her ditch it is because they hate anyone not fitting into the robin-batgirl dichotomy

do steph fans like timst*ph? idk. i'm anti romantic timst*ph but i like the idea of them remaining besties provided tim works through his plethora of issues and biases

damian

in the tim vs. damian debate i am squarely on tim's side lol.. if i was a fifteen year old who witnessed my dad, best friend, and girlfriend violently die within the span of like a year and then saw the one thing to which i had clung for the past three years of my life like a psychological lifeline ripped away from me for the sake of a random kid with severe attitude issues i too would develop into the most caustic teenager known to man. obv editorial racism has its part to play in this but i'm annoyed that people constantly opt to dogpile on tim and not the writers because frankly tim's reaction to the circumstances is completely predicated

i'm not interested in dialoguing with damian fans who want to maintain any part of talia's (and by extension bruce's) abusive parenting in canon. i don't care how crucial it is to his character origins and development. that's not my concern and new 52 should have wiped him out of existence or rebooted his character entirely from scratch if they wanted me to care

alfred

does this man even have fans

barbara

i'm never going to understand dickb*bs like not even from a ship war or dick is an asshole perspective i just genuinely don't think barbara would ever have given him the time of day in that regard. he was a kid she knew once who maybe had a crush on her at one point before he moved away to another city and developed his own life there. why should she care about that. as if she doesn't have her own life! i know barbara has not been afforded many options in terms of romance and that dick has been the overarching love interest she's portrayed alongside but idk i don't think we have to make concessions merely because something is canon. canon can suck and we can reject it because it sucks even if it's omnipresent

the brub*bs versus dickb*bs situation is kind of funny to me because like yes the execution of these relationships in the timmverse is obv horrid and gag inducing but also as i recall in the comics barbara originally did have a crush on the batman or she was at least fascinated by him lol.. like i don't support it obv and her crush on him was as much fleeting and childish as was dick's crush on her and i faaaaar prefer bruce and barbara's bestieship. but it's funny to me that people would ship one and condemn the other like pot meet kettle lol

standard disclaimer that i can't do cass and duke bc idk enough about either of them 😔

[justmeinadaze]

Playing the Game Part 8 (Steve X Plus Size Reader)

A/N: Can I just run my fingers through his hair please? This idea came to me and just took over. It is a bit longer than my other stories but for some reason it felt right for these two. I hope you guys had a happy Thanksgiving :)

Warnings: Dom/Daddy Steve and all that that implies ( I regret nothing!) Cute Steve with the reader's family. Mentions of the color system here. Since the last time, they've definitely had more conversations about stuff like this. Oh! Mentions of bullying from readers high school days.

Word count: 5991 Clapping erupted from the table near the back of your store as the boys played their weekly D &D game. You watched them from your perch at your counter with an amused smile.

“Time check, Gentlemen! I’m closing in an hour.”

“Oh, come on!”, Dustin pouts. “Eddie can lock up.”

“Henderson, if you think I’m leaving Eddie, you, and Mike ALONE in my closed store you are insane. I would come back the next morning to zero inventory.”

“Okaaaay… why don’t you just close but hang out with us?”

“Pfft. Five buck’s Princess has a date with Harrington tonight.”, Eddie giggles from behind his makeshift wall.

You glance at your watch, making a face. “Ok, see, you just wasted 3 minutes of your playtime arguing with me.”

Dustin scrunches his face. “Ugh, playtime. We’re not babies, you know!”

The bell above the door dings as Steve scurries in quickly. “Fuck! It’s cold out there. Hey baby.” He heads straight for the counter giving you a sweet peck on the lips. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah, just babysitting.” You lift an eyebrow in Dustin’s direction.

Eddie swats his arm lightly. “Told you.”

“55 minutes!” You tap at your watch, chuckling as you turn your attention back to Steve. He looked so adorable bundled up in his winter wear. He pulled off his hat and scarf, placing them on the counter. A grin spread across his face when he noticed you smiling at him while he was fixing his hair.

“What?”

“Nothing. I just love you.” You reached over grabbing his collar to pull him down for another kiss. He came around to your side, wrapping you up in his arms. Leaning your head on his chest you could smell the mixture of his cologne and the cool winter Indiana air. “I wanted to ask you something.”

Steve takes a seat in the stool next to your own. “Ask away.”

“We haven’t really talked about it but what are you doing for Thanksgiving? Were you spending it with your family?”

“Oh shit.” He sighed, running his hand along the back of his neck nervously. You reached out talking it in yours as you interlocked your fingers with his. “I hadn’t thought about it, honestly. I can’t remember the last time we actually had a Thanksgiving dinner. Probably because it would be awkward as hell.” He flashed his teeth as he smiled over at you. “I don’t think they’re doing anything and even if they were I probably wouldn’t go. My dad wouldn’t want me to bring you and that would be out of the question.”

“Steve…”

“Why do you ask? Did you want to do something together?”

“So, I kind of finally told my parents I was seeing someone and they kind of told me to ask you to come eat with us.” You cringe playfully making him laugh. “I mean, you don’t have to if you don’t want to. It wouldn’t just be like my parents. It would be my grandparents and aunts and uncles and I’m realizing that I am rambling like Robin so I’m going to stop.”

Steve’s grin grew as you were talking and now he was caught up in fit of giggles, grabbing his stomach as he tried to calm down. “Whew! God, Baby Girl, I love watching you get all flustered and nervous like this.”

You roll your eyes and his fingers reach out to grab your chin, turning you look at him. “None of that.” He smiles softly as his thumb traces your lips. “I’d love to meet your family. But I only want to go if you want me to. Do you want me to go?”

You lightly kiss the pad of his finger as you lean your face further into his palm. “Yes.”

“Yes what?”

Your eyes flick to the boys playing around behind him who are completely distracted with their game. Steve’s amber eyes shimmer as he waits. “Yes Daddy. I want you to go.”

He pulls your lips to his and doesn’t let you go until he hears beeping coming from your wrist. You giggle at him as you graze your nose against his. “Are you ready? You get to hear my mom voice.”

Steve smiles as he leans back out of your way. “Hey! It is now 8pm. Hellfire club must come to a close and all of you beautiful nerds must get the fuck out.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” The grumble as they start to gather their things.

“Can’t be to upset. If I had a hot date like Harrington waiting for me, I’d kick everyone out to.”, Eddie says as he slides on his leather jacket.

“Oh sure. It’s my fault and not because, oh I don’t know, the store closes at eight o’clock!”

You head over to the table they were playing on but before you can get there Steve runs ahead of you grabbing one end while Eddie lifts the other and places it in the back room. You flick off the light, shaking your head.

“Steve! I can lift things.”

“No, I know, baby. You’re strong.”

You narrow your eyes jokingly at his mocking tone. He reaches for your jacket, holding it open so you can slide your arms in. Eddie coughs to get Steve’s attention, holding up his hat.

“Excuse me, Harrington. Can you be a gentleman and help me put this on?”

Steve scrunches his face in annoyance as you laugh. “Eddie, leave him alone. It’s refreshing. I like it.” You beam up at him, resisting all urges to end that sentence with his title. “As a matter of fact, Steve?” You hold your arms up and out of the way. “Can you help me button this?”

Eddie huffs out a chuckle as Steve pushes his arm. “It would be my pleasure.”

You stick out your tongue at the metalhead. “Oh my god. Ok, I’m getting out of here before I throw up. I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon when I clock in, Princess.”

“Bye Munson. Be careful on the road with the snow!”

He waves his hand at you as he heads out the door. Steve gets to your last button and playfully shoves your ski cap over your hair, blocking your eyes. You fix it with a smile as you reach for his hand. “Thank you, Daddy.”

##############

“Anything I should know?” Steve looked over you at your house.

“My brother and father may threaten you at least once but other than that,” you smile at him. “Honestly, if you can handle Robin, you can handle my family.”

He gets out of the car, jogging to your side to open the door for you. “Yeah, but this would be like ten Robins in one room.”

“That sounds kind of sexy actually.”

You both laugh as you walk up the stairs. He watches you with wide eyes as you fumble with a set of keys. “You still have a key to your parent’s house?”

“Yeah, of course. You don’t?” He shakes his head and you exhale a frustrated sigh about his family.

As soon as the door opens, you two are met with the loud chaos of the home. You wave to family members on the sofa watching football as you start removing your winter wear. Out of habit, Steve still holds your jacket as you wiggle out of it. A kid skids into view and tackles your lower body.

“Oh my god.” You lift her up into your arms. “Lily this is Steve. Steve, meet my heavy niece, Lily.” He flashes his charming smile at her and she giggles as she blushes. You carry her towards the kitchen with Steve trailing behind.

“This belongs to someone.” You point at Lily as your sister-in-law laughs, taking her from your grasp. “Hey mama.”

Your mom turns from the pot she’s been focus on, reaching over to embrace you. “Y/N, I’m so glad you’re here. Now where is he? Did you bring him?”

Steve enters the kitchen, extending his hand as he introduces himself. Instead of shaking it, your mom immediately pulls him in for a hug. “We hug in this family, Steve. I’m so happy to meet you.”

He grins down at her as he rolls up his sleeves. “Can I help with anything?”

Your mom looks over at you making a cute, amused face. “Oh, Y/N and he’s polite to! No, baby. I’m good for right now. Marcus may need something though.”

He looks over at you as you mouth the words “My dad.”

You reach for his hand, guiding him towards the back of the house. “You look like her. Your mom, I mean.”

“Thank you.” You turn around and grin at him.

“Can I ask you something?” You hum in approval pausing next to a set of double doors. “Did you ever bring your ex here? This doesn’t—”

“Seem like his scene? Yeah, nope. You’re the first boy I’ve brought home.” Steve grins widely at your confession. You start to turn the knob in front of you but stop glancing back to him. “Um, so my family doesn’t know the real reason Ben and I broke up. If that could stay between us, I’d appreciate that.”

He leans down to kiss your forehead before you finally open the door in front of you that leads into an indoor back patio. An older gentleman quickly got up from his chair, placing his half-finished cigar on to the ashtray.

You wrap your arms around him as he pulls you into a big bear hug. He eyes Steve up and down. “Hello there. I’m Marcus, Y/N’s father.” He extends his hand as Steve reaches out to shake it. He gestures to the other boy at the table. “This is my son Jack. Jackson, get up and say hello!” Your brother rises and shakes Steve’s hand as well.

“Mom said you might need help with something.”

“She lied.”, he laughs. “She knows I need to vet your new boyfriend here.” You glance apologetically at Steve who returns it with a smile and a wink. You start to take a seat but your brother stops.

“No, no. Can’t have you here defending him.”

“There’s nothing to defend.”, you say sarcastically as you glare at him playfully.

He waves his hand at you towards the house. As you start to whine your dad gives you both a stern look. “Stop being mean to your sister. You, go on.”

Steve watches the interaction with utter delight. He was seeing a totally new side of you that, to him, explained more of who you were making you more beautiful. More questions started to build up in his mind but that would have to wait for later. Right now, he needed to show your family that he was worthy of you.

################

After Thanksgiving lunch, you helped your mom do the dishes while Steve sat with your dad, brother, and grandparents watching football. One of your uncles was passed out in a chair while your aunts stayed around the dinner table to gossip. Your cousins were strewn out on the floor in different place on their own devices. Your mom poked you with her elbow and gestured toward Steve with her head.

You both watched as your niece waddled over and whispered something to him. He smiled, nodding his head, sitting down on the floor with her as she opened her coloring book and handed him a drawing to color in.

“I like him a lot.”, your mom whispered.

“Me to.”

“You said you guys went to school together? I don’t remember seeing him.” You told her the basics about how popular he was and how you both moved in different social circles. Your brother had already graduated by the time you and Steve became freshman at Hawkins. You mention his family and sigh heavily.

“I know his mother.” You drop the dish in your hand and turn to look at her. “Not personally but Hawkins is a small town and the ladies and I talk. There are rumors about how she doesn’t trust her husband. I hear so much about their marriage; I didn’t even realize they had a son.”

You reach for a towel as you try your hands. “Honestly, I don’t think they do either. I hate the way they treat him. Like he’s a bad investment or something.”

Your mother gently rubs your arm. “Well, he’s always welcome here.”

A few hours go by and most of your family have headed back home. Your niece asked you if she could call your boyfriend uncle Steve which made you giggle. Your brother gave you big hug before they headed to their car. “I like him. Definitely an upgrade from some of the other douchebags you dated.”

You smiled, waving, before running back inside to the warmth. When you looked around, you noticed Steve had disappeared. You mom gestures her head down the hallway. As you go looking for him, you hear his aggravated tone in the guest bedroom.

“I think it’s hilarious that your upset with me but don’t think to call me until five in the afternoon. Let alone before the actual holiday. She invited me to meet her family two weeks ago.”

You stand outside the door and listen in.

“No. No! Dad, I can’t do this right now… I’ll ask her but I’m not just leaving… Because that’s what couples do! Plus, I’m not just leaving her here and leaving her family after they’ve been so good to me today.” There’s a long pause before he huffs and you hear heavy footsteps as the he swings the open, coming face to face with you.

“You know, it’s not polite to eavesdrop, little one.” His shoulders visibly deflate as he meets your sympathetic eyes. “My, uh, dad says happy Thanksgiving.”

“What else did he say?”

“He said that him and my mom ordered catering. That dinner would be at seven if I wanted to come…alone.”

“You should go.” His eyebrows furrow in your direction. “Steve, we’ve been here all day. It’s fine. My parents will understand. I understand.”

“Baby girl, what did I say to you when you asked me if I was doing anything with them before inviting me here?” He pulled you closer to him wrapping his arms around your waist. “What did I say?”

“Even if your parents were doing something, you wouldn’t go without me.” He affirms your answer with a nod. “But Steve, I’m telling you it’s ok.”

“And I’m telling you it’s not.” His tone vaguely dipped into that authoritative territory that made your knees weak.

Your eyes suddenly lit up as you looked up at him. “Let me show you something.” You unhook his hands from around you and tug him down the hallway before opening another door, pulling him in.

“Since I invaded your childhood bedroom…”

Steve smiles as he looks around your room. His soft eyes glide along your John Hughes movie posters as he points at “The Breakfast Club” one across from your bed. “I’ve actually seen this movie.”

“Oooo… Look at you, Steve Harrington.”, you say sarcastically, grinning over at him. “I was in love with John Bender.” You see that cute, confused expression cross his face before you move towards him and point to Judd Nelson in the back with his leather glove and jean jacket.

“I was more this guy.”, Steve points to Emilio Estevez in his letterman jacket. He gestures towards Ally Sheedy. “You were her, I bet.”

You bite your bottom lip, trying to keep your grin from growing. “I was. You know those two got together in the end?”

Steve fingers reach out to caress your cheek as he continues moving around your room. An excited noise escapes his lips as he reaches for a picture frame on your dresser. “Please, PLEASE, tell me that this is you AND Robin.” He shows you the photo of you next to Robin during a pep rally. She has on all of her band gear, holding her instrument high in the air. Your arm is wrapped around her as you mimic her with your other arm. You were wearing black jeans with the Hellfire shirt he has seen Eddie in many times. Your hair was much longer than it is now as your bangs at the time hung in front of your face. A spike studded belt wrapped around with waist as you adorned green neon wrist bands with matching shoes.

He exhaled shakily as he stared down at high school you. “That would indeed be me and Robin.” Your eyes scanned his face, unable to read his expression. “Ok, I get it. I looked like a dork.” You giggled as you tried to take the frame but he immediately pulled it out of your reach.

“Are you kidding me? You were so gorgeous. God, I wish I hadn’t been so stupid back then.” Steve’s smiling face meets yours. “I mean there are some things I’m glad are different. These bangs are blocking those beautiful eyes.”

You blush, trying to hide your cheeks. “Do you want to see more?” Steve followed you down to the floor as you reached into a bookshelf, pulling out a photo album. You passed it to him but before he could open it, he felt you gently push headphones over his ears. Smiling, you put on your own set and pushed play on the stereo. You positioned your body so you were flat on your stomach and he followed your lead as the music began to play.

“Moving forwards, using all my breath Making love to you was never second best I saw the world thrashing all around your face Never really knowing it was always mesh and lace”

A soft grin remained on his face as he looked through your photos. Occasionally he would pause at a high school photo of you and you would watch his expression as he seemed to time travel to the moment. Where was he at that time? What was he doing while you here? You couldn’t help but wonder how different things would have been…

“I'll stop the world and melt with you You've seen the difference and it's getting better all the time There's nothing you and I won't do I'll stop the world and melt with you”

You envisioned an alternate reality where Steve was behind the camera taking that picture of you with the Hellfire gang. He’s the one pushing that prom corsage on your wrist. His arms are wrapped around you as you pose with your friends at graduation.

“Dream of better lives the kind which never hate (You should see why) Trapped in the state of imaginary grace (You should know better)”

Steve closed the album as he pulled off the headphones and you followed suit.

“Thank you.”, his voice came out soft and low. “Thank you for…everything.”

You rolled on to your back, scooting closer to him as he lifted his arm and placed it across your chest. He craned his neck to kiss your lips as you reached up to hold him closer to you. As your tongue invaded him mouth you heard your mom call your name. You whined as you cleared your throat.

“Yes?!”

“Hey! Don’t just ‘yes’ your mother! Get your butt out here!” You and Steve laugh at your dad’s comment. He rises to his feet and reaches for you to help you up. You both hear him continue to grumble as you head down the hall towards the kitchen. “I swear, honey. They grow up but nothing changes.”

“Ay ok! I’m here! Yes, mommy?” You turn towards her giving her a big cheesy smile making Steve roll his eyes as he chuckles.

Your dad comes up behind him patting him on the back. “You see that, son? She gets that from her mother. Don’t let that smile fool you!” You stick your tongue out at your dad but you immediately pull it back in when you glance at Steve and see that look in his eyes. He raises his eyebrows as if to remind you to be respectful before delivering you that Harrington wink you have come to know and love.

Your dad sighs letting go the stress of the day which in turn makes your mother laugh. She gestures towards Steve as she starts putting containers in a bag for you both. “Get ready, sweetheart. Here comes big, tough man.”

Marcus makes a face at her before turning to face him. “This is what happens when you’ve been married for so long. Any face or sound you make; they can read it without you saying anything.”

“I love you to, baby.” Your parents smile at each other.

“Now Steve… do you prefer Steve or Steven?”

“He likes Steve, dad.”

Your dad flashes you a playful shocked expression. “I wasn’t askin’ you.” He turns back to Steve and the boy nods affirming your answer.

“Alright, Steve. I’m going to tell you up front. I like you and so does the family. You seem like a good man unlike your father.” Steve eyes widen in surprise. “It’s a small town. Everyone knows Bill Harrington.” Your father turns to face you. “I’ve heard some things about Bill and you, young lady.”

“Pfft. I didn’t do anything to the man.”

“Ok, you do know I’m your father, correct? Known you since birth?”

Your mom chuckles beside you. “Now, THAT she gets from you. Didn’t you get in trouble with Hopper for hitting Kevin Berman?”

“That man was spreading rumors about my child. I regret nothing.” Steve’s eyes shifted towards you and he took note how that name made you quiet. “If I can finish talking to this gentleman here!?” You and your mother giggle at his joking tone. “Steve, we like you and I trust you with my daughter but I swear to the good lord above if you ever hurt her, I will kill you.”

“Yes sir. All though, just so you know, apparently Robin has first dibs on that so you may have to get in line behind her.” Your dad smiles as he nods, shaking Steve’s hand again.

“I love her. Tough as nails that girl is.”

Your mom places a bag on the counter which Steve grabs before you can, carrying it towards the front door. You hug your parents as you both start getting ready to leave.

“Steve, honey, you are welcome here anytime.” She reaches for his face and kisses his cheek.

#############

“Ok, I have some questions.” Steve strides towards where you were sitting in front of his fireplace, handing you glass of whiskey before throwing himself on the ground beside you. You offer him some of the blanket wrapped around you but he declines. “Berman? Why does that name sound familiar?”

“Probably because you punched the shit out of his son.”

He nods as he comes to the realization. “Kevin and Rachel Berman.”

“Yeah, all though it’s news to me his dad is gossiping. My parents didn’t mention Ben or anything about what happened. I imagine though it adds to the growing hatred your dad has for me.” You glance at him and then back to your glass before you speak. “My mom said she knows yours. Well, not KNOWS. Apparently, your mom is a town gossip as well when it comes to her relationship with your father.”

He takes a swig from his own glass. “Sounds about right. She’s never trusted him but she’s afraid to leave him. The money is too alluring.”

You place the glass you were holding on the coffee table and lay on your back looking up at him. He reaches for his pillow on his couch and places it under your head. “Why didn’t you tell them what happened with Ben?”

Your chuckle comes out more like a sigh. “You just spent time with my dad and brother. They would have killed him.” Steve makes an odd face before taking another sip from his drink. “Ew. What was that?” You point at him, laughing at bit harder.

He smiles down at you as fingers drift over to trace your cheek. “Why did you lie right now?” “I didn’t lie.”

“Maybe not entirely but I can tell when you’re hiding something.”

You roll your eyes, huffing through your nose. His fingers grip your cheeks turning you to face him. You try to grab his wrist but his other hand comes to hold it to your side. You don’t even bother lifting your other arm. He’s too strong. He doesn’t say anything but his eyes are burning into your own.

“I was embarrassed.” Steve releases his hold on you face as he waits for you to continue. “I’m not the best at choosing relationships. Either they suck because they are unbearably boring or they suck because they are assholes. When I first met Ben, he wasn’t either. We had fun, he was good in bed…kinda—”

“Yeah, we aren’t going to gloss over that.”, he laughs and you again roll your eyes. His sudden rough tone startles you. “Hey! Stop. Doing. That.”

“I’m sorry, Daddy.” He bends down to place a kiss on your lips. “It all ties in together I promise. He was good guy at first but the longer we were together… Ben stopped spending time with me and when he did it was at those preppy parties. After a few months, I tried to explain to him what I liked sexually and he just,” you sigh as a growl comes up from your throat. “Fuck, whatever, he made me feel bad. He said it was weird. After that the back handed comments followed about my job, my weight, my friends.”

It was Steve’s turn to growl. You shrug, meeting his eyes. “I was embarrassed. Did I miss something in the beginning? Why did I stay for so long? I should have known better…”

“Baby…”

“How do I go to my family and say ‘Yeah so remember that really wonderful guy I told you I was dating? Well, he told me I was trash and then smacked me in the street outside of his house where his new thin much younger girlfriend was waiting.’”

“I know I just met these people but the impression I got was that they love and care about you. No judgement or conditions. If anything, they would judge him for being a dick.”

“Yeah…look, you asked me a question and I answered it. Do you have anymore?” You sat up, pulling your knees under your chin as you stared into the fire.

Steve’s voice carried from behind you. “You know what I’m going to say right?” You didn’t answer but he noticed your posture stiffen. “After everything I’m even more curious now. Where did your hatred of ‘Little Girl’ come from? When you sassed your dad, I kept expecting him to say it. Sounds like Ben never said it.”

“Does it matter?”, you snap at him. There’s a part of you that regrets the words as soon as they leave your mouth but you know where Steve is going with this. He’s trying to distract you from your pain and stubbornness but does he have to do it this way?

“It does because I asked. When I ask a question, you know I expect an answer.”

Abruptly you feel yourself being pulled back flat on the floor by your arm. Steve’s eyes are angry but his tone comes out soft. “Color?”

A small smile stretches across your lips at his question. When you two had discussed safe words, you had mentioned the color system. You guys hadn’t really done anything aggressive yet he wanted to check in to make sure you were okay especially after everything you had just told him.

“Green.”

“Answer me.” Steve watches as your jaw tightens. “You know what, that’s fine. Don’t tell me, Little Girl.” It never ceases to amaze him how quick your eyes fill with fury at the name. “No, no. You wanted to play this game. That’s fine. You don’t have to answer me but you insist on acting like a little girl, that’s what I’m going to call you until you tell me.”

Your fists ball up at your sides as you pout your lips and roll your eyes. Steve’s big hand grabs your cheeks, holding them tighter than before. “I said stop doing that, little girl.”

Your hands reach out to hit against his chest. He grabs both your wrists, pinning them above your head. His fingers reach down to unbutton your pants and pull your jeans down your legs. You jump when he turns your waist towards him and his palm comes down hard against your ass. Steve looks up at you calmly as if he’s waiting for you next move.

You glare up at the ceiling and he spanks you again. “God, I love watching those wheels turn in your head.” He chuckles as he reaches for the waistband of your panties, pulling them off and exposing your soft skin. You try and fight against him as he pries open your legs. Steve grabs both your knees, twisting you towards him, holding them down with his arm as he spanks you again.

He pushes your legs open and runs his long fingers through your glistening folds. “For someone who’s angry, you seem to be really enjoying yourself, Little Girl.” At the name, you try to close your thighs on his hand and this time he doesn’t try and stop you. When his eyes meet yours, your stomach does little flip flops as you exhale. He doesn’t even need to say anything.

“I’m sorry.” You open your legs as his hand comes down roughly between them.

“I’m sorry what?”

“I’m sorry, Daddy.”

Steve licks the taste of you from his fingers. “You know what, Little Girl. I think you are enjoying this too much.” He releases his hold on you, sitting up to unbuckle his belt and pull down his pants with his boxers. Beckoning you over to him, you get up on your hands and knees, crawling closer to him.

You take his cock in your hands, wrapping your lips around him. Steve grabs your hair and forcefully pushes your head further down. He moans as you gag feeling him hit the back of your throat. While you’re sucking him, he randomly pushes your head further down causing trails of spit to drool from your mouth.

He tugs your hair, bringing you up to face him. Steve sees that defiant look still glowing in your eyes but he asks anyway. “Are you ready to tell me, Little Girl?”

He laughs at you as you shake your head, shoving you back on to his cock. “I know you’re being a fucking brat but damn do you look so fucking beautiful like this. Taking my dick in your mouth like a good girl. But you’re not a good girl, are you? Good girls answer questions when they are asked.” He stops moving when he feels your tiny hand tap his arm, pulling you back to meet his eyes that are now filled with concern.

“No, no Daddy. Green. Green.” You pant as you wipe your mouth with the back of your hand. “I want to be a good girl.” You pause for a minute, leaning back on your calves. “I don’t know if Robin ever told you but we got bullied from time to time especially me. One boy in particular was upset that I kept telling him no when he asked me out. He would make fun of me and when I got upset, he would call me that.” Your gaze shifted to the floor.

“He was on the basketball team. Ryan—”

“Grimes.” Steve finishes your sentence as he throws his head back, closing his eyes. He remembered Ryan. Ryan was a complete jackass who would constantly talk about girls he was going on dates with or girls he hit on.

“I swear guys. This fucking disgusting fat nerd keeps asking me out and I’m like ‘Listen, little girl. No means no so stop asking! I’m never going to say yes.”

The guys on the team had laughed…including Steve. When his eyes met yours again, he knew you knew. That’s why you didn’t want to tell him.

Your hands fly out, bringing his lips to yours as you climb on top of him. You lift his shirt over his head as he falls to the floor on his back. Reaching between you, you take his cock in your hands.

“Can I?” Steve doesn’t answer, instead grabbing your face to bring your neck down to his mouth as he tenderly sucks at the flesh making you groan in pleasure. Your shirt falls in his face and quickly removes off your body. “Please, Daddy. Please. I want to feel you inside of me.”

“Yeah, baby. Please.”

You both moan as you slide him into your entrance. His palm suddenly comes down to smack your ass and you take that as your cue as you start bouncing on top of him. You lean your upper body closer to his and Steve takes the opportunity to crane his neck, bringing your nipple into his mouth.

The feeling of his tongue twirling around the erect bud causes your pussy to tighten around him. Steve groans as his large hands push against your ass, guiding you to move faster.

His head falls back down to the floor as he looks up at you with both lust and admiration.

“You are so beautiful. I love you so much, Baby Girl. You’re such a good girl. You’re my good girl.” Steve continued whispering praises up at you, begging you to cum for him. When he saw that look in your eyes, he sat up, bringing his lips to your neck as you buried your face in his shoulder, grinding on him until the coil snapped and your body trembled against his.

Steve quickly positioned your legs around his waist as he wrapped his arms around you, holding you to him as his thrust up into you chasing his own release. You ran your fingers through his hair, gently trailing kisses along his neck and shoulders. He grunted in your ear as you felt his hands grip your waist, holding you steady as he came.

You pulled his head back placing a soft kiss on his forehead.

“I’m sorry.” Your eyebrows furrowed, totally taken aback. “I’ll never call you that again. I shouldn’t have anyway. You don’t call me Steven.”

“Steve, I don’t call you Steven because for you its more than just angering for you. Your family doesn’t care. People seem to only call you that to piss you off. I don’t want to do that. I like, in moments like this, getting a rise out of you,” you giggle as he smiles. “But I don’t want to hurt you. Yeah, being called ‘little girl’ upsets me but… not the same way Steven upsets you.”

He reaches up to brush your hair behind you ear. “I just didn’t want to see that look in your eyes again when I tell you where that hatred came from.” Steve’s hands gently lift you off him and back down to the carpet, your head resting on the pillow. “I don’t know if this helps but my brother beat Rick up his junior year.”

“Grimes! Where have you been?!”

Rick wipes the blood from under his nose. “Sorry, Coach.” “Dude are you alright?”, Steve pats him on the back.

“I’m fine! Fuck man. Just back off!”

Steve smiled down at you as he continued tracing his fingers along your body. He wanted to do something nice for you. Something that really showed you how much he loved you. As your eyes slowly drifted closed, he stared up into the void, making plans of his own.

#############

@eddiethesexy @sammy-is-not-smiley

@spungen-tirxie

[sterlingarcher23]

Give him... - Her. - Give her the medicine.

Him... Her.

I need to rethink that post I'm working on once again because I had an epiphany. Not in regards to content but how to structure the damn thing because of this tiny bit of dialog we overlooked. But before that I wanted to revisit the heart connection that's been made. (Hope to get that out before Christmas or around that time. Most of the time I'm working on my phone not on my chromebook which would be the more intelligent thing to do. 😅)

The way they use dialogs is insane, switching pronouns, making references you don't see right away.

They said it straight into our faces: Owens calls El the cure, the medicine, what Max needs and Lucas is speaking to (We gonna get you help, okay?). He's referring to her inability to see and feel, not her dying - that comes after that.

- Does anyone know what kind of candy Lucas is throwing and Max catches perfectly? -

"He" takes everything....

Everything they are and everything they ever will be...their memories... their abilities

Like taking abilities and bestowing abilities/removing blindness:

He blinds all the kids, "Eleven" (the Zoomer actually?) too but she/El removes blindness.

"He"...her just has to take the medicine - oh, and in regards to Max's dialog before that, El treated Max like garbage, remember?

Those dialogs that seem to refer to Mike (this one, the "I love her and I can't lose her again", the heart talk by the end of Season 3)...it was never really or just about him. Like when El sees Max and Mike. It wasn't about him. "I wanted her to look at me..."(Robin's coming out as a proxy, a retrospective description of El seeing Max for the first time.)

The main post is more text-heavy but I assume some already have an idea where this is heading to. Nothing new but I like to go over these things, put everything into a better light because you don't get everything corr6 the first time or you just overlooked an important piece.

[heavencasteel420]

Jancy-Byler Con Artist/Medium AU Idea

Jonathan, Will, and El are siblings in the 1920s-1930s who travel across middle America doing a mentalist/medium act, along with other scams when needed.

Jonathan is probably just observant and smart, but Will and El have undeniably supernatural powers. Will is a medium and El is telekinetic.

Jonathan is in his early twenties; Will and El are in their late teens.

Jonathan and Will are siblings by blood. Joyce was committed to an insane asylum when they were sixteen and twelve, more so due to Lonnie's maneuverings and her own misunderstood psychic powers than any legit mental health issue she may have had. Jonathan and Will either ran away or were forced to go on the road due to Lonnie's subsequent abandonment. They've been trying to find their mother, but haven't been able to track her down at any hospital.

Shortly after they ran away, Will was separated from Jonathan and forced into a grim orphanage/hospital that was a front for exploiting psychic kids (an equivalent to the lab). This is where he met El. They managed to bust out with Jonathan's help, and El became as much their sibling as they were to each other, but they were all traumatized by the experience.

They all have varying feelings about their way of life. Jonathan feels kind of ashamed of it (Lonnie also ran scams) and really wants the younger kids to be in school, but he doesn't know what else to do with himself. Will doesn't mind the actual work, but hates the instability and wants nothing more than to be rich (and therefore secure). El is delighted with any new experience after her institutional childhood, but she longs for more "normal" things sometimes.

A confluence of factors--a lead about Joyce, threats from the "orphanage," a simple need for money--make it clear that the place to be is a big society wedding in small-town Indiana: between Steve Harrington and Nancy Wheeler.

I'm murky on the details of the scheme, but I think it revolves around convincing the denizens of Hawkins that the town is extremely haunted and that there is somehow money to be made off of this.

Jonathan poses as a photographer from a newspaper, while Will and El blend into the the considerable staff specifically hired for the wedding.

Jonathan gets to know Nancy and picks up on the fact that she's not happy with the life her family has picked out for her. She's educated and ambitious, and she's frustrated that she's supposed to channel everything into being a proper society wife. Steve, while more sanguine about the marriage, is also starting to feel uneasy with the extent to which his parents have stage-managed his life.

Mike, Nancy's college-bound younger brother, has a brief romance with El; feeling stifled himself, he's charmed by her fresh perspective and enthusiasm, and she enjoys her brush with his more privileged world. However, it turns out that it's really Will he connects with the most, and that El wants to move on to other things.

Robin is a glamorously zany lesbian who's close friends with both Steve and Nancy. She's constantly hinting that they should break up. She's also way into the ghost shit.

Both love triangles are resolved with a little bit of angst along the way--not much--and all's well that ends well.

[buck-yyyy]

Mike’s Pocket - AKA, Theo losing his goddamn mind over FUCKING fabric

Okay, so I’ve talked about this before, you’ve definitely read about this before, everyone knows about Pocketgate by now—so, instead of reiterating old points, I’m gonna summarize my opinions (and therefore what I’m drawing from for this whole thing) the stuff that we’ve all been over and then I can talk about fun stuff >:D

1. Finn Wolfhard said that the pocket was sideways!

Okay, yes he did say that, but I also need everyone to look at the pocket closely for a second.

See that thick shadow and creasing at the top? The pocket opens from the top, meaning that it can’t open from the side (underneath the triangle) because it needs to be attached by at least three sides—otherwise, it would be hanging off. There is no way for the pocket to open from the side, because it wouldn’t be structurally sound—additionally, we would see the fabric creasing to accommodate that opening, whether or not there’s a cover over it. That triangle opens (we can see that the metal circle is the same kind of snap closure that’s at his neckline), but it’s purely decorative.

2. The triangle points to Will all the time!

HELL YEAH! GONNA GET INTO THAT!

3. There’s a letter in the pocket! Hm. See, this is where I’m torn, because I love the idea, but also, I don’t think it… makes sense? Even folded up notebook paper (because it would have to be folded to fit) would be noticeably bulging (hate that word for…chronically online reasons) against the fabric and noticeably pushing it out. This anon I got a while back makes a good point, but I’m not a huge fan. I just feel that we would see the letter in the pocket, because even if (like the anon said) they’re planning on him having a letter, he wouldn’t have had it in that pocket because changes of clothes do exist, and after several sweat, dirt, blood and grime filled days in the same clothes, no matter how much of a teenager Mike is, he would one HUNDRED percent change out of that thing as soon as he had the chance. No point in keeping it around.

4. Triangle imagery = queercoding!

FUCK yes. The woman in charge of costume design literally said that she purposely incorporated triangle patterns and organization into Robin’s clothing, there’s absolutely zero reason to believe that she wouldn’t do that for other characters that are intended to be queer.

FUN PART NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just finished my fourth or fifth rewatch of season 4 today, and I noticed something kinda neat—it almost seems like there’s… two jackets?

I’ve talked before about my theory that they used interfacing in the pocket (because we know that it’s handmade) to draw our attention to it, and I stand by that based on the way that it moves—in certain scenes.

A fabric that’s reinforced with interfacing will bend, but it will NOT bend the normal way fabric does. It doesn’t quite follow the shape of your body—I mean, it will follow the curve roughly, but it’ll kinda make its own shape. I wish I had an example, but I don’t own any clothes with interfacing, aaand my mom already looked at me like I was insane when I ran in to bend the collar of my dad’s shirt to hopefully get an example, so. You’re just gonna have to take my word for it. 

For example- interfacing in the collar of his shirt to keep it stiff!

NOW, FOR A REFERENCE!

Alright. Here’s a shirt made out of what I’d wager is a pretty similar fabric, although I think it’s slightly more flexible than what Mike is wearing. (If I see any of y’all insulting my fashion taste I Will End You)

When the fabric around it is scrunched, it keeps its shape, yes—but the fabric of the pocket creases slightly in places where it already had wrinkles. And what about when it’s actually on?

I hope you all know I bound my chest (at almost 11pm) so I could make this as accurate as possible without it getting in the way. 

Anyways, see how when my arm is close to it, it bends? Mike’s only does this, like, half the time.

This is a terribly blurry image, but you can see that the pocket is facing Argyle, and is bending perfectly naturally with his arm pressed up against the side of the shirt. It matches the shape of his pose, and it doesn’t look like there’s anything in there. Regular pocket! No interfacing!

Points to Jonathan, and it’s a little stiff, sure, but it's creasing pretty normal. Likely just a stiff jacket.

This one is,,, tricky. It looks pretty stiff, I’d agree. 

But look closely! The black lines are where it creases and wrinkles with the shape of the rest of the fabric, and the white traces how the shape of the pocket follows the shape of the edge of his shirt.

And oh, my favorite ever example (and the reason I’m looking into this to begin with) <3 that pocket is moving NORMALLY and it’s facing EL!!!!! RIGHT AS HE’S SUPPOSEDLY ABOUT TO SAY ILY!!!!!!!!

But let’s look at some examples where it IS facing Will. 

NOW THAT’S AN INTERFACED BEND! JUST A LITTLE BIT TOO PERFECTLY CURVED! Notice the difference between how it’s bending in this versus when he’s with El in the last example! (of course, the difference in pose should also be accounted for, but still. That is HEAVILY drastic.)

FUCKKKKKKK YEAH BAYBEE

STIFF! ASS! POCKET! I mean, it’s nearly straight (heh), whereas Will’s is way more curved. They’re both slouching and facing the same direction. 

(Tracing isn’t perfect but my point still stands.) 

Anyways, I fully believe that there’s two copies of this jacket—one for scenes with Will on Mike’s left, in order to draw attention to the triangle/arrow; and one for scenes without him. Thoughts?

[bookinit02]

HAVEN OH MY GOSH THE NEW EPISODE!!!!!! I SCREAMED. I made a bunch of very insane notes and I thought I'd gift them to you. as a treat:

fucking COLD

BABY WILL AND MIKE GOT ME SOBBINGGG

So curious as to what's going on with Will and Vecna, also Will tell your boyfriend!!! Come on!!! crazy together!!! (also MIKE tell your boyfriend actually. y'all need to talk about the messed up Vecna stuff!!! that's the whole idea!!!)

OH FUCK OH NO MAX AND LUCAS. OH NO. OH NO I AM SO SAD. OH NO. I AM CRYING. WHYYYYY

NANCY ROBIN ERICA TEAM UP!!! Erica gets friends and mentors as she SHOULD and I love her

WINGWOMAN NANCY!! Hasn't even been come out to yet and is already the wingwoman of all time. We love to see it. I love her.

RONANCE CRUMBS???????

THAT JANCY BREAKUP WAS THE MOST HEARTBREAKING THING I HAVE EVER EXPERIENCED. WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT TO ME. I AM CRYING. SOBBING. BUT IT WAS SO GOOD

What does Karen Wheeler KNOW

Mike and Holly are the cutest little sibling babies and I love them so much. They are my favourite and Holly is adorable and deserves the world.

NANCY AND MIKE ARE ALSO THE CUTEST SIBLINGS. QUALITY WHEELER FAMILY CONTENT RIGHT HERE. I LOVE THEM ALL SO MUCH.

OHHH MIKE JUST CAME OUT. OH HONEY. NANCY YOU ARE THE BEST BIG SISTER I LOVE YOU SO MUCH.

THE JONATHAN AND WILL MIKE AND NANCY PARALLELS IM-

THE MIKE AND NANCY SCENE AS A WHOLE. THAT IS LITERALLY MY FAVOURITE SCENE SO FAR. THAT WAS SO GOOD. READING THAT IN THE FIC IS GOING TO BREAK MY HEART EVEN MORE. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Oh Mike. I love you so much. you and will need to TELL EACH OTHER THINGS. PLEASE.

All in all amazing episode, I loved it and it was sad and happy and funny and destroyed me like six times but it's WORTH IT!!!! I'm excited for the chapters of the fic!!!

ok i hope it’s ok that i waited a few days to answer this—i didn’t want to spoil it for anyone!!

first of all YES i was so fucking proud of myself for that line😭 such a banger . i literally left it there for like 2 days without writing anything else bc i was like how tf do i follow that😭😭

MIWIIII💗💗💗😭 BABY MIWIIIIII💗🫶🏻😭

yes!! i am also super excited to develop the will & vecna storyline. and listen they’ve been miscommunicating for like 2 seasons now, ofc they’re gonna keep going (for a little bit at least😉)

yeah honestly i cried writing that scene☹️ they make me so . So.

yes!!! i need some sort of girl power moment in s5 so badly (but Not in that cringy forced way that shows do sometimes if u know what i mean😭)

nancy is The wingwoman of all time actually. she treats it as a matter of life and death. it is a one-woman competition and she is NOT losing.

ronance crumbs… perhaps… hehe :)

yeah listen it broke My heart too and i was SO split on whether to do it or not . but i think it’s the most realistic option and they definitely have things they need to work out!! i’m honestly very very interested to see what the writers do with the love triangle storyline bc this has definitely been the most challenging plot to write so far. but i am enjoying the challenge :)

as for what karen knows… we’ll have to find out👀

I AGREE😭😭💗 HOLLY IS SO UNDERRATED WE NEED MORE OF HER SO BADLY!!!

nancy and mike as well. just more wheeler family dynamics all across the board bc i am Obsessed with them!!

yeah that scene was very emotional to write😭😭 he’s come so far and i’m so proud of him!! (is the one actively writing his character arc)

love me a good parallel🫡🫡

THANK YOU THAT’S ONE OF MY FAVORITE SCENES AS WELL💗💗💗 and yes i’m so excited to write the fic version!!

i’m so glad you liked this episode, thank you SO much for this comment! i don’t get as many comments on my scripts (understandably) as i do on my fic, but i really appreciate when people give me feedback :) i’m so happy that you’re enjoying them!

[ronanceautistic]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers (except me because obvs I have done it). Spread the self-love ❤

Why thank you!

THIS WAS SO HARD mainly because in my head I have two types of fics: ridiculously long and complicated multi chapters and one-shots I wrote at 5am because I was sad and it feels difficult to compare the two.

Anyways in no particular order:

the stars, the moon (they have all been blown out) - I've spoken about this one recently. But yeah, it was my first time writing in present tense and I think it works well with the vibes. I like the sense of Nancy being kinda detached from reality and the majority of the writing being her own thoughts rather than what's going on. I think I had a specific idea for how I wanted this one to feel and it turned out really well!

and I just want to live in the moment (that's all) - again very similar fic which I've talked about recently. another present tense one. I like a lot of the lines in this one, I don't really do poetic-ish descriptions a lot and I definitely leaned into it more with this one. I was going it through it that night I guess, I don't really remember writing it LMAO. Also, as I said in a separate post, I like the un-acknowledged implication that Nancy was maybe about to khs.

and the bells were ringing out (for christmas day) - OH MAN my underrated baddie I love this one so much. Writing from Mike's POV is always a delight, and I loved exploring the idea of him protecting / caring for Nancy, even when he feels out of his depth. Please give this one a read I need more appreciation for it. I promise it's not all that Christmassy, it's fine to read in July!

trapped between two lungs - Every now and then I ask myself 'was it that good or was it just overplanned' and maybe I'm being cocky, but no, I think it was that good. Over-planned? Yes. But I loved it. TBTL Nancy is so special to me, her character was so interesting to explore. It was especially so much fun having S1 go a different way for her and getting to build my own Nancy angst based on what I wrote for her, rather than my usual Nancy angst which is built from the show itself. I loved where her, Robin, and Mike's stories ended up and it was just so much fun to write a plot-heavy Stranger Things fic, especially planning out my own Season 5. It was a lot of fun writing this fic, and I will never ever do it again because it took nine months and I can't be arsed. That's how long babies take to grow.

Float - This is probably subject to change. It's my most recent fic, so at first I was like 'eh maybe I should let it sit a little before putting it on this list' but I had a really hard time picking one of my older ones and honestly? I really like this one. I rarely explore future-Nancy, mainly because the idea of writing a functioning adult terrifies me. But good news! Nancy is not functioning in this fic at all! So it works out great! I love the idea that should everything go well for her, Nancy gets so caught up in the past that she kinda floats through life (hence the title). I also love the fact that when Robin first shows up she seems really well-adjusted compared to Nancy and then not long later you realise that she's fucking insane, too. Also Nancy not knowing how to feel about Holly idolising her is so :C. I also find the idea of Hawkins becoming a tourist attraction deeply funny and didn't plan for that to happen when I started writing.

I am too anxious to tag people personally so if you're a writer YOU'RE TAGGED.

[themarginalthinker]

so berd and I were tossing ideas back and forth and our fixations combined to form a vtm/stranger things au lmao

Steve: Ventrue; feeding restriction is people who can play instruments (which was a pain to figure out...) constantly trying to coral the idiots and kids that he loves has been forced to make his coterie away from getting themselves killed. The bad side of this is his Beast, which he calls 'The King', a tyrannical, spiteful thing that wants people do just. Fucking. Do as he says.

Robin: Gangrel; her main animal form is a racoon, for, as she puts it, 'little people hands for committing people crimes'. She will use her ability to call every animal within a half mile radius to do her bidding, which is mostly to annoy Steve and freak out the kids. Still cries when she has to hurt animals for feeding but has the easiest adjustment from being Embraced of most of them.

Nancy and Jonathan: unfortunately for them, Nosferatu; well, mostly for Nancy at the on-set. Jonathan is technically her Childe, who chose to join her in the underground of the night. Now armed with the ability to move completely silently and totally unseen, the two are an unstoppable information gathering duo.

Eddie: Toreador; his obsession is not actually music as you might think, though he deffinitely uses his Awe abilities to really draw in the crowds. No, rather, what causes the supernatural fixation in his mind is his DnD campaigns. They must be perfect, the storyline seamless, the gameplay and roleplay slick as a duck on water. Playing with him is a gamble, because as much as he can give out praise when your play feeds his Toreador obsession, he can just as easily want to rip you apart for a rulebreak or misplaced joke that ends immersion.

Now the kids lmao, they don't get out of this unfortunately

Will: Unfortunately part two, Will has that sad, Malkavian rizz. Whenever he gets out his crayons and colored pencils or just any writing utensil and the nearest piece of paper (or surface, including walls and floorspace..) it's time to pay attention. My boy is haunted by visions.

Mike: Tremere; and he's so fucking bad at Thaumaturgy and blood sorcery. He tries so hard. The most he's been able to do is goop his own blood around into weird shapes on the table. Keep trying, Mike.

Dustin: Banu Haquim, OR Lasombra: we couldn't decide which was funnier, turning Dustin's need to be correct (and usually BEING correct) into a pathological need to exact justice when he is which leads to him getting the lovely trait of wanting to eat other vampires in a bloodrage, OR, having the curse of being unable to see onesself in a mirror and technology any more complex than an electrical light switch just not work for you. Ever. This would include his radio setup.

Max: Brujah; you look at that girl and tell me she'd be able to opporate on any level not at least two steps away from frenzying. She, like Steve, nicknames her beast, into, what else, Mad Max.

Lucas: Lucas gets to remain human, thankfully, and is Max's human touchstone, and one of the few people actually safe from her when she experiences that Clan of the Rebel rage.

El: A mash of every clan combined because Brennar is an insane dickhead. Sorry El :<

Bonus Henry: Tzimisce. :D terrifying!!!

[unhappycylinder]

Hellfire’s Newest Member (Eddie Munson x Fem!Reader) Pt. 4

Warnings: none really, i took this straight from the show lol, but its all Eddie & Dustin POV 

Masterlist

----At lunch----Eddie's POV----

"Dungeons and dragons...at first regarded as a harmless game of make believe, now has both parents and psychologists concerned. Studies have linked violent behavior to the game, saying it promotes satanic worship, sacrifice, sodomy, suicide, and even," you pulled the magazine down from your face, looking at the Hellfire club around you, "murderrrr"

The boys all responded with their ooohs and aaahhhhs, laughing at the ridiculous article. Amidst your conversation, Dustin and Mike sat down at the table, looking a little more nervous than usual.

"Exactly, we're the freaks because we like to play a fantasty game," you said, slapping the table. Now you were really revved up, tired of being the outcast both in school and in society. Next thing you knew, you were on the table, sauntering across it past all the boys lunches while you gave your speech

"As long as you're into band, or science, or partieees, or a GAME WHERE YOU TOSS BALLS INTO LAUNDRY BASKETS" you yelled at the basketball team, catching y/n's glance in the process. She blushed at you while Jason, the captain of the basketball team, yelled something back at you. Unsure of what he said, you pulled your gaze away from y/n and stuck your tongue out at Jason while flashing devil horns with your hands. You turned your attention back to y/n, who was sitting at a table with Robin and Nancy Wheeler. She was still staring at you, smiling this time. God that smile, it drove you absolutely insane. Knowing you could make her smile like that made your heart almost beat out of your chest...but you knew her first day wasn't exactly the time to confess your love for her while you were standing on a table while everyone was watching you. It'd definitely scare her off...right?

You gave her a wink before turning around and sitting back down with the club, continuing your rant in the process.

"So uhhh, speaking of monsters," Dustin began, bringing you back to the real world, "um, Lucas has to do his 'balls in laundry baskets game,' so uhh he's not gonna make it to Hellfire tonight."

You glared at him, even more hatred of the basketball team growing under your skin as you listened to his sorry excuse of an explanation.

"I know there's no way we can beat your sadistic campaign without him...so me and Mike...we were talking...shootin' the shit...and we were thinking maybe we might..."

"Postpone!" Mike interjected, stopping Dustin from fumbling over his words any longer.

The table erupted in anger, each snapping a snarky comment at the boys over their idiotic request.

"Shut up!" You yelled in a shrill voice, throwing a pretzel at the freshmen. You looked over to y/n's table....she definitely heard your outburst since her and the other girls were giggling while looking over at you.

You gave Dustin and Mike a chance to explain themselves, kinda, before grabbing them by their collars and forcing them up from the table, telling them to find you a substitute for Lucas...or else. If there was one thing you weren't letting the basketball team take from you, it was your DnD campaign, and you sure as hell were gonna make sure those boys understood that.

----Dustin's POV----

At this point you were certain you had asked every person in school if they wanted to be Lucas' sub. Everyone in your classes, so basically all of the freshmen, said no. Everyone in the library said no. Everyone in the courtyard said no. Steve said no. Robin said no. Nancy said no.

By the time you met up with Mike after your free period after lunch, you both realized you were shit outta luck.

"So, Dusty Bun, any bright ideas" Mike asked playfully

"Don't call me that...and no...my thinking cap doesn't seem to be working today," you said, removing your hat and adjusting your hair.

Just then the bell rang, signaling the end of your free period and the start of the last period of the day. You both sighed as you got up and walked towards the doors. Just as you reached for the handle, the door swung open, and there she was...your last hope.

"Y/n!" you shouted, startling her

"Jesus christ Dustin! You gave me a heart attack!" She held her chest as she walked out of the door to meet you guys outside.

"Y/n we need to ask you something very important, and you kinda need to say yes..." Mike started

"Mike you do realize how creepy that sounds don't you?" She asked

"Nevermind that," you said, pulling her aside towards the wall by the door, "have you ever played Dungeons and Dragons?"

Y/n's eyes widened and the biggest smile spread across her face.

"Are you kidding me right now?? Only like every day for the past decade!" Y/n practically yelled at you

"You've got to be shitting me," you said, resting your hands on your head while laughing. Mike let out a huge sigh and reclined against the wall behind him.

"By the way you two are acting I feel like I just saved the world or something," y/n said

"Y/n, you saved our world," you said

"Yeah, now Eddie won't murder us" Mike said, punching you in the arm

"Wait...Eddie? What does Eddie have to do with it?" y/n asked before her eyes lit up again, finally putting two and two together, "Oh my god...Hellfire! That's why you're all in those stupid shirts." She covered her face with her hands and tilted her head back.

"Stupid?" you asked

"Eddie was wearing one when he took me to school today, and you guys were wearing them at the pep rally. And...and last night when I told you to shut up you were talking about how Eddie was gonna kill you cause someone was gonna miss Hellfire!" She sounded like she had just solved a Scooby Doo mystery.

"Wait a minute, Eddie drove you to school?" you asked, wondering if there was something going on between the two of them.

"Yeah, uh, he picked me up when I was walking. Which, in hindsight, probably wasn't the best idea to get in a stranger's van...but he was very convincing" y/n explained.

"Okay whatever, that's beside the point...will you be our substitute for Hellfire tonight?" Mike asked, rushing you to get to class before the next bell rang.

"Uhhhh duh! Of course!" Y/n squealed before you and Mike ran inside to class, unbelievably relieved that Eddie wouldn't be murdering you later. In fact, you couldn't help but wonder if there was something else going on between the two of them.

----Eddie's POV----

You were walking out of class when you felt someone grab your arm and pull you into the men's restroom.

"Hey, keep your hands to yourself man!" You yelled before looking up and seeing Jason in front of you

"What the hell is your problem?" You asked him

"I saw you making eyes at the new girl today...you think you can make her a freak like you don't you?" Jason asked, stepping closer

"Listen man, I don't want any trouble, and I sure as hell don't know what you're talking about." You said, backing into the wall behind you

"Oh sure you don't freak...pretty new girl walks in here, oblivious to you and your sadistic cult...and you think you can just imprint on her like its nothing?" He grabbed the collar of your shirt, "not on my watch, Munson," he said as he slammed you into the tile on the bathroom wall.

"Jason, dude, I barely know her okay, she's just in some of my classes" you tried to explain, for both yours and y/n's sake

"Stay away from her man...don't go corrupting more innocent people in this town," He slammed you against the wall again before the door burst open to reveal your math teacher.

"Munson! Jason! Out of here right now!" He grabbed you both by the collar and walked you down to the principal's office.

In the distance you could see y/n and Robin talking at her locker.

Shit. You were gonna meet y/n during your free period. That was your chance man...and Jason blew it for you.

She looked up at you, "oh my god, Eddie," you heard her say under her breath.

"Rain check?" You mouthed to her, trying not to get Jason's attention.

She nodded and let out a fake smile before turning back to Robin.

----In the principals office----

"Detention, both of you. Eddie, you're on your final straw, and Jason, I expect better from you. You have an example to set for all of those boys on your team. Now I know the championship game is tonight, so I'll let you both off easy, you can serve your detention in the library for the rest of this period," he said checking his watch.

Jason huffed as he reluctantly got up and walked beside your math teacher, you on your teacher's other side, as you walked to the library.

The entire time all you could think about was y/n and how you had essentially just stood her up. Any chance she liked you was probably gone now. This was gonna be your chance to know her, to take her to your special bench in the woods, or take her to skull rock. You wanted to be the person to show her around Hawkins on her first day, be her first friend, her first more than friend, but now you had to spend forty minutes stacking books with Jason, the very prick who got you into this mess.

Your blood was boiling, you had to bottle this energy up for Hellfire tonight. There, you could unleash your wrath through your ruthless campaign, ruining Dustin, Mike, and whatever sub they found in the process.

----

Part 5

Taglist: @definitelynotecho @sadbitchfangirl @lfaewrites  @tlclick73

[piastrinorris]

can i ask why you ship steve and chrissy? /gen just because there's nothing to suggest they'd ever be into each other?

that's all the fun of a crackship, friend! i've spent my entire life-in-fandom crackshipping either within a fandom or as crossovers, it's just fun to use your imaginations! none of it is real so why not play around with it?

that being said, since they are pretty much my fave crackship at this point, i will take any and all excuse to ramble about them hahahaha

so first, the similarities to their home life vs school career balance. both chrissy and steve face insane amounts of pressure from their parents setting impossible standards, and try to maintain a top social standing at school (whether this has a direct influence from their family, it's not canonically confirmed). they could have easily run in similar social circles even while both in school.

both also show that they find it easy to be their more authentic selves around people who don't fit those social circles (steve with dustin, chrissy with eddie), which if you take into consideration how chrissy doesn't tell jason about her interaction with eddie, it can be argued that chrissy could benefit from watching the example of steve's "loserification" (i.e. how he's found more genuine connections with the party + robin once he stopped trying to win societal approval) because she's not being honest/authentic with jason. (to me, her and jason's relationship appears way more performative, jason seems to care more about acting out to play the hero/vigilante rather than actually grieving the loss of his girlfriend. that's total interpretation, though)

i think they would just be a really lovey-dovey couple. like, when i first heard about them as a concept my first thought was literally "cheerful golden retriever meets clueless golden retriever". they both have a lot of love to give (i'll get into that) and they deserve to receive that same amount of affection and outward love.

more specifically, if you think back to steve's "six little nuggets" line. i've always said that the only acceptable reason he'd say that is because he went from being someone who constantly sought his peers' and parents' approval, to someone who was able to give and receive genuine love from the party. his six little nuggets. the only way that i'll interpret him saying that in canon is because with the kids growing up (and him having no idea where or in what condition mike, will and el are), he's scared he's going to lose that kind of love. based on how quickly we can see that chrissy falls back into not only remembering the fact that she and eddie were friends in middle school, she remembers specifics. she's got a big ol' heart, as does steve.

the MULTIPLE ways you can include eddie here. maybe he plays wingman. maybe he sets them up blindly. maybe he has no idea because they sneak around him. maybe he has no idea because "we're all just best friends hanging out! and sometimes those two make out! best friends!!! :D" every trope is good.

similarly, robin. especially as a comfort to chrissy that even though robin is a Band Kid and chrissy is a Cheerleader, that has no actual effect on who either of them are fundamentally as people, and i'm sure robin would love her for who she is right off the bat. and that'd help with the whole unlearning thing. i also really like the idea of lucas being glad that she's found someone better than jason once chrissy meets the party.

i mean. they're hot and i'm bi so. there's that too lol