#jancy x reader

[troubledwordsofatroubledmind]

Stranger things matching pfps!!!

[alexisaflop]

Wait on your Song - Steve Harrington x Henderson! reader

Chapter 11: Trick or Treat, Freak!

Nancy dumps Steve and you give him a ride home.

It's Halloween morning and too early for your mother's excitement about Dustin's costume. "Look at these pearls," he says and makes some weird noise at the back of his throat. You pull a face, "oh no, don't do that." But your mother eats it up; snaps several photos of "Dusty-bun."

At high school, nobody is dressed up. This morning, Nancy is actually in homeroom, and tells you all about Barb and the private investigator and the fact that her parents are having to sell the house. You decide against explaining that Steve had come around last night and told you all of it already. Instead, you let the familiar guilt settle on you, now with the added layer of having been helping Steve last night when it really should have been her. The taste of bile rises in the back of your mouth.

The rest of the day is spent pretty much in silence. You have a shared study period later in the day and the three of you sit there 'working'. You know you've not answered a single question. Steve looks like he's thinking, but whenever you glance over at him, he is doodling in the margins. Glancing over at Nancy, you smile slightly. Tight-lipped a shadow of recognition flickers across her face. She gets the message that you're in this together - even if you're not sure what /this/ is. Her pencil snaps against the page. Wordlessly she stood up and walked away to sharpen it. "Thanks for your help last night, I wouldn't have got my application in without you." Steve can't quite look at you, his eyes shifting from your hands to your face and back down to his margin drawing that appears to be taking over his entire page. You get the feeling that he doesn't know how to act around you by yourself. Last night, he had constantly fidgeted and hadn't been able to decide how close to sit next to you. Now that Nancy was in the same room, you realise that there's a hint of guilt on his face. "You haven't told her you saw me yesterday, then?" you smirk, already knowing the answer. "I don't want to upset her, she might feel bad about not being the one to help me." Looking over at Nancy, you get the impression Steve is projecting very hopefully onto her. She has a far off look in her eyes and sincerely doubt she would remember what it was Steve asked her for help with yesterday. "She's taking a while, isn't she?" you murmur. Steve's eyes flicker between you and her before going to check on her.

They go into a study room and close the door and you fail miserably at pretending to not be watching. Things start to get heated; Nancy squares her shoulders and her eyes squint at Steve. He's trying and failing to keep her calm. Slowly, you start packing away your things, then Nancy's too. You get the feeling she'll want to leave quickly. Steve draws the blinds, obscuring your view into the room. For a second, his eyes meet yours. His expression is hard and set. But, looking at his eyes, you can see that he is fighting to stay afloat. You can see the guilt that he feels for Barb just as clearly as you can see it in Nancy's eyes.

They aren't in the room for long and when they leave, Nancy is back to not speaking. Wordlessly, you pass her her stuff but shoot Steve an inquisitory glance. His defeated face reminds you that he is just as stuck in this as you are. How do you help someone get through something that legally never happened? Nancy is shooting daggers at Steve so you leave the library without him. In effort to get her to talk, you place a protective arm around her shoulders. "He wants us to play pretend as stupid teenagers tonight." "He doesn't need to pretend; he /is/ a stupid teenager," you tease, hoping for at least a smile. Nothing. "Well you have to come, because me and Jonathan already agreed to go." "I just don't care. It's all bullshit," she says sullenly. "Okay," you're not sure what to say, but you want to get her to talk. Properly. "It's like nobody even cares about what happened to Barb." Just like that, the notion of wanting to help her disappears. You were the one who had watched Barb die. You were the one who had talked Nancy out of her guilt and forgiven her straight away for any wrong-doing she felt like she had committed that night. "Seriously?" your voice is just louder than a whisper but it trembles with rage, "you want to talk to me about caring? Where the hell have you been for the past year? You are supposed to be my friend. You've disappeared to only caring about the person you lost and not the ones who actually care about you. Barb was my friend too." "Y/N, I didn't mean it like that. It's different for you, you didn't kill her." "Have you considered it's just the same for me? That I don't hear her screaming every night? Of course you don't because you never talk about it. You're always with Steve! Which is exactly how you were when Barb was still alive. And I've accepted that your boyfriend is more important, really I have. But it sucks for him that you treat him like crap just as much as you did everyone else." She stares at you. "Why didn't you tell me?" her eyes are watering. Crap. "Because of this. I didn't want to make it worse." "Well, it's not like it's got better is it?" her eyes are still wet but her anger is back. The bell rings and you have science class. Neither of you know what to say, so you just walk away.

The rest of the day was a blur. You feel shitty for not helping Nancy more but the rest of you is angry that she can't see that everyone else is going through the same crap as her. The same guilt. The same grief. Your head is spinning as you walk to your car. And that's when you see Billy. Shit. "You'd look prettier if you were smiling." You flip him off and keep walking. Your heart rate raises as you can still feel his eyes on you. But a ginger girl coming from the direction of the middle school catches your eye. She's smiling at you. MadMax. It had to be her. Dustin hadn't shut up about how cool it is that she skates. And she smiled at you when she saw who you were swearing at. You smile back at her before collapsing into your car and going home.

At home you collapse into the sofa, close your eyes and press your hands against your forehead. "Why didn't you tell me?" Nancy's voice echoes in your head. What if you had told her sooner about the nightmares and the guilt? Would she have listened? Or would it just have made her feel more guilty for ditching you and Barb that night?

You sit like that for about ten minutes alone before the Dustin hurricane came home. You're glad for the distraction from the spiralling questions. "Max called me presumptuous today," he said proudly, chucking his bag by the door. You shake your head, "you do know what presumptuous means right?" He doesn't say anything. "What did you say before she said that?" "I was inviting her to come trick-or-treating tonight with the Party." "And you just expected her to come?" "Yeah, we know where to get all the full size candy bars." "Okay, so do you think she'll go with you?" He shrugged, "Lucas doesn't think so." It's when he's walking away to his room that he mentions the Camaro that almost ran the Party over on the way home. "I am going to kill Billy," you promise him, before heading to your room to find an outfit for Tina's stupid party.

You park a few blocks away from Tina's and walk around. If you hadn't promised Jonathan you would be here, you would be at home with a scary movie right now. But the distraction that is drunk teenagers is almost as entertaining. You we wear red trousers and a loose fitting white shirt with a bandana tied through your hair: a very low effort pirate. You didn't expect to find rum here, but then again you had driven so that's probably for the best. Billy's name is echoing around outside. Not that guy again you complain to yourself. Somehow, you manage to walk through the doors right behind them and end up following them across the party. All the way to Steve and Nancy. She gives you a half-hearted glare. Like you brought these idiots here.

"We've got ourselves a new keg king, Harrington," Tommy proclaims. Steve is dressed as Tom Cruise, although he's leaning pretty heavily on the sunglasses to make it work. His jaw is set as he stares back at Billy. Not on the offensive, but getting prepared to defend. Nancy stalks off. Which kind of proves your point from earlier that she just does not care about anyone else. Billy steps towards Steve, and you prepare to step in between them. "I was told not to expect to see you here, Y/N," Billy turns to you. He's learnt your name from somewhere. You hate the way he says it, like now he knows your name, he can get to you. You lift your chin to raise your gaze in line with his, "For someone who tried to run over my brother this afternoon you're awfully friendly." He almost looks surprised, but not as much as you do when he walks away. "He drinks like he drives," you say, turning to Steve, "like an obnoxious idiot. You good, Harrington?" His face is still clenched together. As though it might all fall apart if he dared to relax. "Yeah. Fine." "We should probably find Nancy." "Yeah, because she'll be so happy to see you," he eyes you up wearily, "why did you even come Henderson?" "Because after last time, I'm not leaving any of my friends alone at these stupid parties." His face softens minutely, "I have to take her side." "I know."

You follow him through the crowd and find Nancy near the kitchen turned bar. "Pure fuel! Pure fuel!" exclaims a kid who you were really hoping was dressed as Dionysus next to the punch bowl. You grinned and Steve couldn't help but also look amused. Nancy on the other hand looked incredibly serious as she went in for her drink. "Woah, woah, woah, Nance. Take it easy, alright?" "We're being stupid teenagers for the night, wasn't that the deal?" You couldn't help but smile. Nancy had never really got drunk before and this was certainly going to be entertaining. But Steve just looked concerned. You felt bad for him that he'd be the one who probably had to look after her when this all went wrong. You survey the punch ingredients and make yourself a red solo cup of juice; there's a very strong chance you'll be driving an incredibly drunk Nancy home. Especially seeing as Jonathan is nowhere to be seen. That's when Steve and Nancy start dancing and you groan internally. Jonathan was supposed to suffer through this nightmare with you. You find a space by the wall not too far from the two of them.

You're not sure how long after that Jonathan turns up. You're surprised to see him actually talking to someone. "I thought you ditched me," you complain once he joins you. "No I couldn't miss … this" he gestures around to the general antics of drunken teenagers. "Agreed, us drivers can all have one drink right?" Nancy joins you to the alcohol despite Steve's protestations. You cant help but agree, "Nancy at least have some water first or something." "Screw you," she glares at you with a hate so strong that you take a step back. Steve watches with interest. He doesn't look sad, just resigned to his fate. And apologetic. Meanwhile, Nancy just refills her cup. "Nancy come on put it down," Steve has his hands on her forearm. "Let go," she insists. Steve does, and surprised, Nancy tips the punch onto herself. "What the hell," she hisses as everyone else oohs and aahs. "Nothing to see here guys," you glare as you follow Nancy and Steve away. You're not sure where Jonathan went, and you end up standing outside Tina's bathroom alone. You don't hear all of their conversation, but its enough. It starts with Steve apologising and offering to take her home. "No you wanted this," Nancy insists. "No I didn't, I told you to stop drinking," Steve's voice is soft but firm. You vaguely wonder how many drunk teenagers he's dealt with over time. "Bullshit," Nancy says confidently. "It's not bullshit." "Bullshit." It's silent for a moment. To be fair you wouldn't know what to say either. "You, you're bullshit," Nancy sounds oddly calm for someone saying something seemingly so angry, so final. "What?" Steve's voice is still soft, but you can feel the defensiveness creeping back in. "Pretending everything's okay… like we didn't kill Barb," her voice breaks a little, like she's begging for someone, anyone, to understand.

Your teeth clench around nothing as the guilt from earlier in the day returns. You couldn't lie that in your darker months of the past year you hadn't blamed Nancy and Steve for Barb's fate. But you knew that really, it's not their fault. Like Steve was trying to tell Nancy, you'd all just been stupid teenagers. If Barb hadn't hurt herself, the monster would have just taken on the next bleeding person in Hawkins. But you suppose Nancy hasn't come to that conclusion. Which is fine, but you really hate she'd stop blaming Steve for it too. It's not like he'd forced you and Barb to come to the party that night. What she says next you don't hear all of because Jonathan appears beside you. But you hear Steve whisper "like we're in love?" "Bullshit." "You don't love me?" His voice wavers; all the fighting, all the uncertainty between the two of them you had been seeing all year seemed to suddenly be revealed to him. "Its bullshit," Nancy is unphased in her drunken state. Suddenly the door opens and Steve leaves. He doesn't seem surprised that you're there.

"Jonathan, make sure she gets home okay. I'll take Harrington." Jonathan nods. You knew how much he and Nancy cared about each other - enough to trust him to get her home. Hell, he'd gotten you home enough times before. After listening to the low-voiced break-up of Steve and Nancy, the booming party downstairs is deafening. Steve is easy to sport and easier to catch up with in his dazed state. "Steve, wait up," you call. He turns back to look at you. Shattered. That's how you'd describe him. Exhausted and smashed into pieces. "Leave me alone, Y/N." "No," you say simply. He doesn't say anything else as you walk with him, but he also doesn't send you away. You've reached the front door when Billy reappears. "Y/N, leaving so soon? And with your best friend's boyfriend? Something stinks," he looks at you and it rockets fear down your spine. "Yeah, I'm leaving, so let us through," you glare. "Not gonna help out your girlfriend Steve?" he says tauntingly. Steve straightens besides you, "they're not mine," he says with gritted teeth. "So you're open to offers?" smirked Billy to you. "Not from you, now move," you shove past him and drag Steve with you. You reach the front of Tina's drive, "How did you get here Steve?" "Lift from some guys on the basketball team," he turns to you as he realises his issue. Tina's house is a good half an hour walk from here, and it's pretty cold. "You don't have to help me, you only agreed to be my friend for Nancy's sake, and …" his voice breaks off but he's made his point. You shake your head, "Come on, let's get you home."

You lead him away from the noise of the party to your car. "Why do you park so far away?" "So that my car can get thrown up on? I'm good thanks." He smiles slightly and sinks into your passenger seat. You start up the car and turn on the heating before turning on the radio. Hang On To Yourself fills the car. "Of course it's Bowie." "See we really are friends," you say as you pull away. "You've been here for me more than Nancy," he says as you go back past the party. You spot Jonathan getting Nancy into his car, you give him a discrete nod. You don't think Steve notices. "I could say the same of you," you smile and glance at him. He's collapsed all the way back into his seat and is staring up to the night sky. "I thought it was temporary. I knew Nance needed time, to get over Barb, to feel better. But, I guess that wasn't the problem," he sighs. "You must have known it wasn't going well," you think of all the bickering, the fact they never went to each other for anything. "Thanks, you're really making me feel better," he laughed harshly. "Sorry." "It's fine, you had to get over her too." You aren't sure he had meant Barb until he continues, "I can't believe you bounced back so quickly from watching her die, to helping Jonathan fight me," he chuckles slightly, "I think you handled it so well Nance forgot you were in the same place she was."

You don't know what to say. The two of you sat in silence for a while, with just Bowie's voice between you: "Smiling, and waving, and looking so fine. I don't think you knew you were in the song." The silence isn't awkward, over the last year of seeing Steve at work, of communicating through eyebrow raises over Nancy's head something had changed between the two of you. It was like you'd become allies in surviving high school - something your middle school self would never understand. The song ends as you pull into the Harrington's driveway. The house is weirdly dark for 10.30 on a Saturday. "Your parents out for Halloween? Back home, no-one over the age of 11 is going out to celebrate." The corners of his mouth lift slightly, "no, business trip. If it's a long way, my mom goes with my dad." "Surely if it's a long way, that's more of a reason to stay with you," you say without thinking. "It's fine," he shrugged and it was pretty clear he was barely holding it together. "Okay," you say simply. You might be more comfortable around Steve, but there are lots of parts of him that you still don't understand. "I just, Nance," he glanced at you, almost for permission, "I can't believe after a year it's just over. I don't understand - I was there for her through everything. And now, she's just, she's just gone?" "I know the feeling," you sigh; thinking of Jonathan. At this point he's all she has left and neither of them have been exactly communicative about their issues. "I can't believe she ditched her best friend as well as her boyfriend in one day. I know I haven't been the perfect boyfriend but- but you? You've been here everyday," his voice raises, and he's beginning to sound more angry than hurt.

"Steve. Steve," you take his forearm gently, "hey, you need to calm down okay? You might be able to fix this with her you know? If you wanted." He groans, "I don't know what I want, Y/N." "And that's why," you reached across him, into the glove compartment. "What are you doing?" his eyes widen slightly. You pull out a pen, "you're going to go inside and go to sleep. But, just in case you realise being alone all the time sucks: here's my phone number." "You know, before tonight I really thought you secretly hated me." "Maybe I do, maybe it brings me great joy to watch you suffer." He rolled his eyes. "Seriously, Harrington. My mom and Dustin both answer that phone, so emergencies only. Okay, no prank calls?" "Thanks, Y/N. I owe you." "You owe me twice." "I guess I do. See you around." You wait until he's safely inside until you start heading home. You turn up the radio and allow yourself to relax. You think of Nancy, and can't help but wonder if she thinks you're just /bullshit/ too. After years of friendship and suddenly your allegiance has changed to Steve Harrington? "It ain't easy, it ain't easy, it ain't easy to get to heaven when you're going down," Bowie tells you as you drive. "I must be going down if we're friends now," you mumble to yourself.

A/N Sorry this took fucking forever i'm really busy now that the sun is out and i can go out and do stuff i wouldnt say they're friends yet. they no longer enemies tho, they allies

[skyfallslayer]

Should We Stay or Should We Go? || Chapter Eight

-A ST Rewrite Feat. Steve Harrington x Henderson!OFC-

Main Masterlist || Series Masterlist

🎲Summary: While Dr. Brenner holds Hopper, Joyce and Steve for questioning, the boys wait with Eleven in the gym. Will begs for a second chance, and Nancy and Jonathan prepare for an unforeseen battle.

🎲Pairings: Will x Platonic!OFC; Dustin x Sister!OC; Slow burn! Steve x Henderson!OFC (Ex-bestfriends to Lovers); Slow burn! Byler

🎲Rating: Teen-Mature

🎲Word Count: 12,127

🎲Date: 4/21/25

🎲Warnings: Heavy Angst; Heavy Language & Dialogue; References To Broken Friendship; Mental Strain/Breaking Down; Implied Mental Health Issues; Life Threatening Injuries; Lying; (Child) Death; Murdering; Gun Use; Guilt; Blackmailing/Threats; Brief Torturing; Crying; Corpses; Attempted Drugging; Blood; CPR; A Certain "Curse" Comes Into Play Early; Hopper Being a Great Cop & A Total Mess; Joyce Deserves Mom MVP; Steve's Emotional Damage; Stephanie & Will Deserved All The Love. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK

(And let me know if I missed anything)

🎲A/N: Hello, readers! And welcome to the second to last chapter of S1! I'm so excited I made it this far and hopefully this is fulfilling to you guys. I'll be honest, this isn't my strongest chapter in my opinion. It's very fast pace, and cuts to the chase on a lot of things, but it's the only way I could make it flow. Thanks for sticking around, and enjoy!

|| THE OTHER SIDE ||

He slammed his fist again and again, followed by a couple light shakes. It’s already been a few minutes, but he refuses to give up. He knows he promises her that he’ll live for them both, yet that all seemed to go out the window when the realization finally settled in.

“Come on!” He shouts, striking down again. “Come on! Come on! You can’t leave me!” His voice was becoming strained and raw, tears kept pooling down despite how dehydrated he was, but he still refused to stop. He lets out a choked sobbed as he gets to his feet, his arms underneath her arm pits as he tries to move her. “Come on– Fuck!”

The little boy, Will, slipped to his knees at her dead weight, cradling her head back into his lap as she sobbed again. His blood shot eyes looked around, waiting for any of his rescuers to come as the dam broke again.

“MOM!!!” Will screams, shaking. “Mom! You said you were coming! Please, Mommy! Please, hurry up! Please! PLEASE!”

He knows his mother’s no superhero, but he always thought of her as one growing up. The strong, independent and kind-hearted woman that raised him and his brother after their father walked out. She’s his superhero, his savior, and he needs her more now than ever. 

“M-Mommy, please… please… hurry…” He chokes, hugging Stephanie closer. It was almost like his prayers were soon answered when he heard someone coming. He gasps and looks around frantically. “M-Mom?”

At first he thought he was just all in his mind, until he noticed something in the corner of his eyes. Fearfully looking over and up at the figure, he pales noticeably and shrinks under the intense gaze.

“W-What… what are you?” Was all he could say, just before a lengthy hand hovers over his face, a sudden wave of sleepiness hits him, and knocks him to the ground. Without even realizing what was happening, he and Steph were being dragged away from the lab.

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

Steve had found himself in what he’s assuming is the interrogation room, shaking to core at the coldness he felt. As soon as the guards had snagged the three of them they had lined them all up against a wall, patting them down before stripping them to their undergarments and blasting them a hose full of icy water. Now, mind they might have gone a teensy bit nicer to Joyce and even went a little leadent on himself too, but not Hopper. Poor bastard was getting shredded with the high pressure that made him and Joyce scream for them to stop. They eventually eased up, dragging them all away in different directions, and cuffing him to a table. Before leaving him alone with his thoughts, they had snapped a polaroid of him that surely didn’t show off his good side.

Blackmail, maybe? He’s not sure. But what is sure of is that he’s been in here for some time now. And the more time we waste, the more time we lose trying to get Fia and Will.

His prayers were soon answered when someone finally came through the door. He recognizes that pearly white hair immediately. It was the guy that Eleven seemed so afraid of when they had to take off on their bikes. Who the hell is this dude?

“Steven Harrington, right?” The guy said, sounding more like an answer than a question really, as Steve gave him a cold glare in return. He moved slowly like a hawk, pulling out a chair and throwing something down at the table; He was getting straight to business. “We know you’ve encountered the girl. I saw you on the bikes with those boys.”

“Yeah?” Steve said, going full defense mode. “Well, fuck off. If you’re asking me to give up her location, you’re shit out of luck. I ain’t doing that to her.”

The stranger kept his face emotionless, and asked, “How much do you know?”

“I know enough to know that girl has been very isolated.” The teen chuckled dryly. “I mean, how old is she? Ten? Eleven? Poor thing didn’t even know what ice cream is. A child. But… judging by all of this, you don’t think of her as a child, do you?” There was small silence after he said that, the older man was left rendering his thoughts.

“Have you been in contact with anyone else? Like… the Byers boy or Henderson girl?”

Steve kept his face stern and replied, “No.”

“So you’ve just been in contact with the girl, correct? If you only knew about Eleven, then why are you here–”

“Cut the shit, old man.” Steve says, his glare turning up a notch. “The jig’s up. I know that Stephanie and Will’s disappearances were because of you. I know about the gate, and the monster that came out of it. And me, Joyce, and the Chief need to take a look at the hell hole in your basement, whether you like it or not.”

And then came the silence again, along with the staring contest of pure rage. Eventually, the man broke first, sliding the file closer to the teen and dramatically ripping it open; Steve could see his full name at the top of the paper, along with that really unflattering photo of his half naked self.

“This is you, right?” He said, again with the answering his own question type bullshit. “Steven Grant Harrington. Sixteen years of age, born August 4th, 1967. You come from a… rich background, a generational wealth type shit that’s dated back for a few centuries now. Your parents have seemed to make good use of their money in Hawkins, and uh, from the looks of it–” He starts flipping through a few pages they had on him. “This is probably one of the most clean files I’ve seen. You barely have any medical history besides yearly check ups, grades are fantastic, a star athlete too. It’s such a shame that you’ve gotten yourself caught in all this. I would hate if I have to–”

“Alright, I know what you’re doing, and it’s not going to work.” Steve cuts in, almost rolling his eyes at the whole charade. “You’re not going to scare me into thinking I should let all this go because you could ruin my ‘perfect life’. Frankly, it’s been ruined for a long time, at least it’s been tainted.” The man tries to speak, but he butts in again, finishing the conversation with, “Oh, and if you’re thinking about threatening to kill me, go ahead. My parents won’t even blink an eye if that’s what you’re thinking they won’t do. In fact, they might use this opportunity to win over other people’s hearts, or money, because their only son tragically passed away. So, sorry, man, your threats aren’t going to work.”

Steve desperately wanted what he said to be a lie, but it wasn’t. His parents didn’t care for him in a way that was deemed “parental”. The good grades, the high sportsmanship, the way he dressed, the way he talked, and even the way he was supposed to carry himself was all because they wanted him to. The “perfect” son for them to show off in the world, to present him so their reputations can be held at a high standard. And even though their son could turn up dead the next day, it would cause a few of their next level plans to crumble, but it also opens a gateway of other opportunities. Opportunities that were too many to count on his fingers and toes. And that…

That really hurts. And it’s been hurting since the day he opened his eyes and finally figured that out. Ironically, it was the day he turned eight when–

“Well, you’re a tough nut to crack.” The man’s voice cut through, clearly upset that this wasn’t going the way he planned. 

“Funny…” Steve smirks just a bit. “I’ve been told that a few times.”

The man makes a small grunting sound before standing up, snagging the file. “Fine. I’ll come back to you later.” He opens the door and quietly says while slamming the door, “Little shit.”

Steve couldn’t help but wince at the intensity of the slam. He frowns, head hanging low. “I’ve also been called that too a few times…”

.

.

“Let me out of here!” Joyce screamed at the top of her lungs. She too had been handcuffed and placed inside a room alone. “Somebody, please!” She tries yanking on the cuffs, wondering if she pulled on them enough they’ll break. “Let me out!”

For fuck’s sakes, I need to get to my kid! What felt like an eternity later, someone finally had come inside the room with her. She watches the man, who she quickly recognized was the man she saw in the MK Ultra  newspaper article as Dr. Brenner, who looked rather pissed off about something as he slowly begins pacing around the room in front of her.

“Your son.” He begins, making sure she’s listening. “The Henderson girl. We know you’ve been in contact with them.”

She paled, feeling very uncomfortable right now. “You have to let me–”

“When… and how did you make contact with them?”

“What?”

He hums at her confusion, before adding more on to it by saying, “Seven.”

“What?”

“Seven.” He says, slowly removing his suit jacket and placing it on the back of his chair. “Seven people have been taken this week. This…” He leans against it. “Thing that took your son, the girl, ...we don’t really understand it. But its behavior is predictable. Like all animals…” He slowly takes a seat. “It eats. It will take more sons. More daughters. I want to save them. I want to save those children. But I can’t do that. Not without your help–”

“Stop.” Joyce says, seeing right through his crap just like Steve did earlier. “I know who you are. I know what you’ve done.” She felt her blood start to boil, as the venom started seeping into her words. “You took my boy away from me! You took Stephanie away from her mother! You left them in that place to die! You faked their deaths!” 

Then she felt the lump in her throat return, and her voice lowered in sadness. “We had a funeral. We buried them. And now you’re asking for my help?” She scoffs. “Go to hell.”

.

.

Meanwhile, Hopper didn’t get a visit from the Doctor. Instead, the poor bastard was getting tasered over and over again by two agents.

“Okay, now what do you know?” The male agent asked, as Hopper opened his blood shot eyes.

“I’m sorry.” Hopper pants, and glares. “Did I stutter? I told you. Everything–” He chokes down a scream as he tazed again.

“What do you know?” The female agent asks, as the police Chief threw up the water he was hosed with earlier. 

Hopper spits out a few more drops of water before lazily placing his fuzzy head against the wall, replying with, “I know you do experiments on kidnapped little kids, whose parents’ brains you’ve turned to mush. And I know you went a little too far this time and you messed up in a big way.” He watches as the agents both look away from him. “I mean, you really messed up, didn’t you? Big time. That’s why you’re trying to cover your tracks. You killed Benny Hammond, you faked Will Byers’ and Stephanie Henderson’s deaths. You made it look like that little girl just ran away. See, I told you. I know everything.”

“Alright, who are you working with?” The man snapped, clearly irritated he knew so much.

“Nobody.” He says, and lets a cheeky grin grow on his face. “But I did give all this over to my friend at the Times. He’s gonna blow this thing wide open–”

The taser touches his skin again, lingering on for a few seconds longer before being man handled over to a chair. Hopper notices another agent had appeared and started filling up a syringe with something colorful.

“You’re just a junkie.” The man said, fire on his tongue. “A small town cop who had a really bad week. Took one too many pills this time.”

The female crossed her arms, disappointed at the small town cop. “You made a mistake coming back here.”

“No, I didn’t.” Hopper says, quickly thinking his next words through. He knows what he’s going to say is going to haunt him for the rest of his life, but sometimes you have to play dirty to get things done. “Here’s what’s gonna happen. You’re gonna let me, Steve Harrington, and Joyce Byers go, you’re gonna give us anything we need, and we’re gonna find her son and the teenage girl. And then we’re gonna forget that any of this ever happened.”

“Oh, is that right?”

“Yeah.” His cold hearted stare intensifies. “That’s right.” His words must have struck something in the agents because instead of injecting the syringe in his arm that he knows will kill him, they had simply left the room to go speak with their Boss. The door eventually opens again, and the sleazy ball director arrives, handing over a pack of cigarettes and a lighter that Hopper graciously took (and it mostly to numb the guilt that was growing inside).

Dr. Brenner waited until the Chief had taken a few inhales before calmly asking, “Where’s the girl?”

Hopper felt the wound in his heart grow bigger, and tried to keep the pain off his face. His eyes settled for a crack in the tile, hoping he won’t have to make eye contact anytime soon.

He swallows, and says, “You gotta give me your word. Nobody’s ever gonna find out about this. And those other three kids, those boys, you’re gonna leave them alone. And the two teenagers that are currently with them, you’re going to leave them alone too. You’re going to leave all of us alone. Then I’ll tell you. Tell you where your little science experiment is.”

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

In two different rooms both Joyce and Steve were surprised by a turn of events. They were suddenly surrounded by a lot of guards, uncuffed and handed a change of clothes and a towel. They were told to hurry up and follow quietly. Joyce and Steve shared a look once they reunited in the hallway, still shivering a bit as their bare feet traveled across the icy floor. After heading further into the building, Hopper soon joined the mix, who had a very distant but sorrowful expression plastered on.

“I don’t understand.” Joyce said, turning towards him as they walked in unison.

“We came to an agreement.” Hopper admits, surprising them yet again.

“What kind of agreement?” Steve asks, worriedly. 

“Look, everything that’s happened here and everything that’s gonna happen, we don’t talk about. You want them back? This place had nothing to do with it. That’s the deal. You got it?”

Joyce shares another look with the teenager, silently both deciding not to press on. They continued their trek on, soon entering a room filled with hazmat suits. 

“What is this?” Hopper asks, defensively. 

“Protection. The atmosphere is toxic.” One of the scientists explained, his words sending shivers down their spines.

“B-But…” Joyce looks at him with a sickly expression. “There are kids in there. They’re…”

Hopper frowns, and starts grabbing a suit. “Put it on.”

.

.

“I’m telling you, this is a mistake.” The Female Agent expressed as she follows her Boss, along with a heavily arm crew, outside to their military vehicles. 

“It’s done. Isn’t that what you wanted?” Brenner replies, more focus on heading to the school to get Eleven back.

“And if they find the kids?”

“That’s not gonna happen.”

.

.

Hopper was now having a wave of déjà vu. He remembered just two days ago he was here looking for the kids and having no clue what this thing was. Now he was back and had all the knowledge his brain could handle (And he’s not sure that little rescue mission he had to do for Nancy counts as experience). He takes a deep breath along with everyone else before stepping inside; Arm with only flashlights and a gun with one round of ammunition. 

Getting to the other side and seeing it was pretty much identical to their world was trippy as fuck. It was enough for Steve to say ‘Holy Shit’ out loud, before they ventured out of the building. A blue hue was cast over this world, with its version of thunder and lightning erupting above them; There was also something that mimicked snow that fluttered around in the air for their amusement.

So this is what they’ve been living in? Joyce realized. The thought of her son and Steph having to live through this for the past week, something that was deemed toxic to the outside world, was enough to make her skin crawl. She didn’t even realize her breathing was picking up the pace until she felt someone’s hand on hers.

“Hey, you all right?” Hopper asks, as she nods sluggishly. 

“Y-Yeah…”

“I need you to relax, okay? I want you to slow down your breathing, take deep breaths. In and out. Deep breath in... and out. In and out. In and out–”

.

It was so sunny that day. Peaceful too. The Wife said it was a perfect day for the park. 

He chased her around as fast as her little legs could carry her, playfully teasing as she laughed. It was such a perfect day until she started breathing too fast.

“Honey, just breathe. Breathe, breathe, breathe.” 

He held so close, so close that it hurt to even imagine, as his spouse carefully rubbing circles into her back. 

“In and out. Slow, slow, slow. In and out with me. In and out. In and out. In and–”

.

Hopper almost forgot what he was doing for a second. He mentally shakes himself as he turns his attention back towards Joyce. “You okay?”

“Yeah.” She says, finally calm. “Yeah.”

“Good.” He says, only for the only teenager present to throw him through a loop.

“Are you okay?” Steve asks, worriedly, noticing the haunting look on the man’s face.

Hopper stares at him for a split second, before nodding. “Yeah.” He says, face morphing back into all business. “Yeah. Let’s go.”

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

Back at the school, the boys, Eleven, and the teenagers were forced to wait around until the other half of the group returned. And hopefully Steph and Will were with them. The youngest Henderson was on the basketball court, pacing around nervously, anxiously wanting to do something useful.

“This is crazy.” He finally says after a while. “We can’t just wait around!”

“Dustin, in case you forgot, we’re still fugitives. The bad men are still looking for us.” Lucas says, as his friend shakes his head.

“I still think we should stick to the Chief’s plan.” Jonathan replies, a ghost of a frown playing on his thin lips. “Even though, I kind of wish we went, too.” He muttered that last part, but it was not hard to miss since it was so quiet in the empty building.

“I know, I know. I just–” Dustin’s tense shoulders deflate. “I’ve been such an asshole to Steve, and now he goes out and promises to get my sister back to me. I feel like I owe him something.”

Nancy’s face softens as she says, “I understand, Dustin. But if you want to help Steve out, then you need to stay here. Keep El out of sight and keep her safe.” She casts her eyes to the tired girl leaning against her brother. “That’s the most important thing, remember?”

“Yeah.” Lucas agrees with a grin. “And she’s kind of a badass now, so…”

Dustin sighs and stops pacing. “That’s true.” They made good points. He just needs to listen. “Alright. I’ll be right back.”

“Hey, numskull, where are you going?” Lucas asks, as his friend starts marching away. “Did you not just listen?”

“I am listening.” He turns around briefly for them to see he means it. “I’m just gonna go get some chocolate pudding.” He smiles. “I know for a fact that Lunch Lady Phyllis hoards that shit. And I’ll bring back some for El. She needs to be recharged!”

He disappears from their sight, and a couple of them sigh at his antics.

“Is he always this sporadic?” Nancy asks, amused.

“Oh, you haven’t seen nothin’ yet, Nancy.” Mike replies, with a smile.

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

Steve’s heart was pounding already and they barely had started. Even with this helmet on he could tell it was hard to breathe in this place. He can’t imagine the three of them spending more than an hour in this dark place, let alone a week (and that without the monster wandering around that his friend supposedly killed).

Breathe. In and out. In and out. Just keep a steady pace. He needs to relax, to remain calm. Freaking out won’t solve anything, and it surely won’t help them find their family anytime soon. Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, Breathe–

His clammy hand almost dropped the flashlight when he came across something on the ground. “Hey– hey, guys! Come quick!” He shouts, waiting for the adults to come by his side. “Look.”

They found themselves standing next to a drain pipe, but that’s not what he’s pointing at. No, it’s the two hefty backpacks along with a trail of fresh looking blood.

“Those…” Joyce starts lowering herself down to get a better look. “This is Will and Joanthan’s backpacks.”

Hopper frowns, worriedly. “They must have dropped it and ran.”

“Maybe they went through the pipe.”

“I don’t think so.” Steve said, and started using his flashlight to shine on the trail. “When Eleven made contact with them, they said they were going to the lab. I think they almost did, but…” He shifts the light away from the backpacks, away from the direction of the lab where the blood seemed to grow. You could also see indentations in the ground that were two big to be human feet. “Footprints.”

Joyce gasps, standing back up and shouting her son’s name. What could have caused those footprints? The kids told her the monster’s dead. Was there another one that they weren’t aware of? Were they taken by surprise and got hurt or worse?

She continues shouting his name as Steve joins in, meanwhile, Hopper had crouched down to look at the backpack too. His gloved thumb brushes over a pin of the school’s mascot.

.

He made sure to bring her favorite stuffed animal to the hospital. ‘Mr. Stripy’, she called him. It was so soft and fluffy when they gave it to her, but had slowly worn down at her blissful hugs and tea parties in the backyard.

He had his around her, stroking his wife’s hand as he read her favorite book for the twelfth time this week. Her big blue eyes that she got from him trailed for the pages up to him as he forced a huge smile to grow on his young face. 

The final line of the story was read, and he planted a big kiss on her hairless forehead. His wife soon took over the bed, as he had to step out before he lost his head.

.

He mentally smacks himself again, yelling to get hold of himself as he starts joining in on the screaming.

“Will!”

“Stephanie!”

“Kids!!”

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

“GUYS! I found the chocolate pudding!” Dustin’s voice rang out, as everyone else moved liked clock worth to go get. The kids of course were plowing into it (Mike was trying to explain to Eleven what is), all while the teens sat in one of the corners of the cafeteria, observing.  

“Do you think they’re okay?” Jonathan asks, playing with his plastic spoon inside his pudding cup, not taking a bite yet. “My mom and them?”

Nancy looks up at him, giving him a reassuring look. “I’m sure they’re fine. They’re going to get them back. I have faith.” She replies, but it felt like she was telling herself that and not her friend; And he seemed to see through it.

“Do you think Steve meant what he said? About… protecting my mom?”

“Yes.” And that time she meant it. “I mean, look at what he’s done so far. He’s kept the kids safe.” She sighs. “I wish he just told me sooner about what was going on. Mike too. But again…” She shrugs. “If you told me that Steph and Will were kidnapped by a character named after a board game I probably wouldn’t have believed them.”

Jonathan chuckles. “Yeah. I know I didn’t believe my mom at first either. Not until I say the polaroid.”

“Seeing is believing.”

“True.”

Then there was a brief pause to watch again. Lucas and Dustin ran back to the kitchen for more, as El and Mike were sitting at one of the tables just talking. This was probably the most peaceful moment they’ve had so far since this whole thing started.

Jonathan shuffled on his feet, breaking the ice once more. “So, what happened between them? Steve and Stephanie? Or…”

“I don’t know.” Nancy says, truthfully. “I know he said it was his fault and he did it for a good reason, but that’s it. From some pictures I saw of them they kind of remind me of me and…” She swallows the lump in her throat. “Barb. They seemed tied at the hip.”

His heart ached, as guilt stretched across his face for being the cause of this. “Nancy, I’m so sorry about her.”

“It’s okay. I just…” She takes a deep breath. “I don’t know what I’m going to say to her parents.” She breaks eye contact. “Or how we’re even going to explain this to anyone. I just– Oh!”

Her face turns into surprise, as Jonathan follows her gaze to where they were witnessing Mike giving a kiss to El on the lips.

“Oh, my…” Nancy whispers, as she hides her laughter in her palm.

Jonathan copies her before whispering back, “Did they forget we were here?”

“I don’t know. Maybe? It’s–”

The sound of tires screeching to a halt outside broke their first kiss, Mike saying something to her as he went to go check who that was. 

Jonathan threw Nancy a look before saying, “They can’t be back already. Right?” And soon enough his question was answered when Mike came rushing back inside the cafeteria all panicking.

“What is it?” Nancy asks, after huddling all the kids back up.

“They found us.” He says, making them pale.

“Shit.”

And now the teenagers were hurdling them away from the cafeteria and gymnasium. They stayed close together, and tried to move fast but quietly through the halls, hoping to get to an exit that wasn’t guarded.

“How did they find us?” Lucas asked, looking frantically around.

“I don’t know, but they knew we were in the gym.” Mike replies, keeping El close to him.

Of course Dustin doesn’t miss a beat by saying, “Lando.”

“Got ‘em!” Someone shouted a few feet in front of them, Jonathan ushering them down another hallway. Then another, then another, and then another. But everywhere they went someone was there waiting. “Freeze!”

The teenagers stayed on each side of the kids, caging them in as a female and male agent, along with a bunch of soldiers, drew their guns and ready to fire. The party held their breaths, unaware that Eleven had a plan. The moment their flashlights started to flicker around them, blood began pooling from the enemies’ eyes. 

It only took a few seconds until their bodies dropped to the floor.

And another few for El to drop herself too.

“EL!!” They shouted, as she fell into the darkness. 

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

“Watch your step.” Hopper says, warning them to avoid tripping over tree roots as they settle onto asphalt. They kept following the crimson trail all the way out of the woods, soon finding themselves in the downtown area. The older man shuttered at how the trail didn’t seem to be coming to an end. “There’s more blood. Oh, my God…”

Steve frowns, the color in his face draining behind the mask. “As much as I want this to lead to them, I really hope that this doesn’t belong to any of them.” ‘Cause if this blood really belonged to them then he can’t imagine what state they’re in (He almost threw up just thinking about it).

They continued following, and the eeriness of this place seemed even more intense now. They felt the hair on their bodies stick up, their hearts in the pit of their stomachs, the three of them staying shoulder-to-shoulder just in case of a surprise. 

Oh, God, if you’re real, please let them be already. Please let us find them soon. Steve prays, and soon they all slowed down when the blood started to lessen. They soon rolled to a stop, a large puddle forming at the foot of some stairs. Glancing up to see where they were…

It was Hawkins resident library.

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

“Leave her.” A very demanding voice spewed out, causing the group to stand back up. Nancy and Jonathan immediately stepped in front of the kids again, as Dr. Brenner and a few agents stopped a few feet at the end of the hallway; Rage in their eyes and they paid no heed to the lot of corpses on the floor. “Step away from the child.” 

“No!” Mike shouts.

“You want her, you have to kill us first.” Jonathan snaps, fists raised.

“That’s right!” Nancy replies. “So, fuck off while you can!”

But that is easier said than done, because before the party could react, their enemies had gotten the drop on them. Men armed to the hilt managed to grab a hold of the kids before baiting the teenagers not to do anything or they’ll regret it. The kids screamed as soldiers elbowed the teens, knocking them to their knees and putting a barrel to their heads.

“Eleven?” Brenner said, dropping to the ground and roughly taking the girl into his arms. “Eleven, can you hear me? Eleven?”

Her exhausted brown eyes open slowly. “Papa?”

He grins mischievously. “Yes, yes, it’s your Papa.”

“Get off of me.” Mike yells, as he tries to wiggle out; El’s worried gaze lands on her friends.

“I’m here now.”

“Let her go, you bastard!” Jonathan snarls, the barreling pushing deeper into his head. El tries to speak, but her pseudo father cups her face and drags her attention to him.

“Shh, shh, you’re sick.” He insists. “You’re sick, but I’m going to make you better. I’m going to take you back home, where I can make you well again.” He chuckles quietly, clearly delirious to what she wants. “Where we can make all of this better, so no one else gets hurt.”

El stares him down, her features morphing into disgust. “Bad.” She mumbles, her words hitting him where it hurts as she tries getting out of his hold. “Bad.” Her eyes land on her first friend outside the lab. “Mike.” She reaches out for him. “Mike… Mike.”

Brenner angrily tries to get her to look at him again, just before the lights begin to go haywire. The kids and the teens pale when they realize what’s going on. At the end of the hallway the wall starts to crack and rumble, something was clawing its way through. It didn’t take long until the beast poked his head with an ear piercing scream.

“Demogorgon.” Dustin whispers.

“I thought Steph and Will said they killed it?” Jonathan asks, as the agents loosen their holds on all of them.

Nancy’s eyes widened as she took its appearance in. “I don’t think that’s the same one…”

The wall crumbled down, and there stood an adolescent version of the Demogorgon. Despite its smaller size, the fear it created was still there. The agents begin firing their guns, as Brenner moves towards safety. 

“Go, go, go, go, go!” Mike shouts, and Jonathan comes over and scoops Eleven into his arms. “Let’s go! Let’s go!”

And they all broke into a sprint.

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

When the three of them got inside they couldn’t imagine the mess. Those gooey and sticky vines were everywhere, pulsating and engulfing the place in the white dust. They could imagine what this place would smell like -- Probably along the lines of something rotten. Steve stayed next to Joyce as they moved their flashlight around, giving the area light while Hopper was front and center with his gun. When they got to the main area is when things started to take a dark turn. What looked like trees grew around the whole place, branches that oozed out an odd color spurted out in different directions, making them watch where they step. But that wasn’t the worst thing here. 

Steve had to keep Joyce upright when they noticed one of the trees had human-skeletal remains inside. He heard her gasp as he tried to be the strong one and keep his voice steady to stay, “I-It’s okay. It’s not them. It’s not Will. It’s not Steph.”

But the more they dug deeper, the more their hopes lessened. Soon the skeletons were replaced by corpses, some on the verge of being all bone, some had just looked like they had turned. 

Steve felt Joyce give him a squeeze on the arm as he almost puked at the sight. Now he has really started to pray (and he’s not even that religious! Guess you gotta start somewhere).

Meanwhile, Hopper was pulled to yet another stop. His flashlight caught a familiar color of hair; The person’s face seemed to have melted away at this point, but he knew who it was. He was too stunned to move, too afraid to reply when someone called out his name. He really should have not brought the teenager here.

Steve chokes out a gasp beside him, eyes blown wide with fear. “B-Barbara…?” He couldn’t even fathom it. So, Eleven was telling the truth…

Does he dare confirm this with Nancy?

The boys continued to be shell shocked over the girl, only to be pulled free when they heard some magic words. They rushed over to the mother shouting for her son, who was trapped in the stickiness of the tree, and was choking on something that made his eyes start to roll back into his head.

“Will!” Joyce shouted, clawing at whatever was getting inside her son’s mouth. “Will! Will!”

“Jesus, what the fuck is that?!” Steve said, turning up to high gear as he grabs a hold of it too.

“Oh, my God–”

“Hopper!” The teen screams, noticing the Chief was going into some kind of trance again. “HOPPER! SNAP OUT OF IT!!” 

That seemed to do the trick, and the older man takes a fist full on the tentacle-looking thing and yanks it with all his might. As soon as it’s out, the boy coughs up vomit all over the checkered tile.

“What in the fuck–” Hopper mutters, as it wiggles around on the floor. He wastes no time to unload a full round to get it to stop moving.

“Hang on, buddy.” Steve reassures, as he pulls the last part of him free. Once he is, he helps the boy get lowered into his mother’s arm -- Joyce falling to her knees with him. 

Joyce starts tearing up as she cups her child’s face. “Oh, my God… Will. Oh, my God… you’re alive.” 

Will dazedly looks at her, taking a few seconds to register she’s real. “M-Mom?” He whispers, eyes glassing over. “Y-You’re actually h-here?”

“Baby! Oh, honey.” All she wants to do is hug him and never let go, but their work is not over yet. “Honey, W-Where’s Stephanie?”

Will’s face morphed into something she couldn’t explain, as the tears started to fall. “I-I don’t know. I passed out.”

Steve’s eyes widened as the knot in his tightened. He starts frantically waving his flashlight around as he shouts, “STEPHANIE!!”

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

The party enters their chemistry classroom, Jonathan carefully laying the El on the table. “Sorry.” He says. “Just relax. We’re going to figure something out.”

Him and Nancy start looking around the room for something they can use as a weapon, as the kids gather around the girl; Mike taking her hand.

“Just hold on a little longer, okay?” He says, as she starts getting teary eyed. “We’ll be home soon, and my Mom... she’ll get you your own bed. You can eat as many Eggos as you want. And we can go to the Snow Ball.” 

“Promise?” She said, hopeful.

“Promise.”

Suddenly, the gunfire stopped abruptly. The party dreadfully turned their attention to the door.

“Is... Is it dead?” Dustin asks, yet the lights keep flickering. Not even a second later, the locked door was knocked off the hinges. The kids scream as Nancy and Jonathan both grab chairs and step in front of them, waving the objects around, shouting for it to leave. The beast stalks towards them, a low growl in his throat before being pummeled with rocks from Lucas’ wrist rocket.

“Yes!” Nancy says, excitedly. “Nice job, Lucas!”

“Kill it! Kill it! Kill it!” Dustin shouts, bouncing on his feet with elation. But it soon became short lived when their ammo ran short. 

“I’m out!” Lucas yells, fearfully. 

“No, no, no, no, no, no, no–”

“Get back!!” Jonathan screams, jostling the chair towards the beast. “Stay back!!”

The lunging seemed to aggravate the Demogorgon even more, its body seemed to grow as it shrieked; It’s back foot shifted to move–

A round of bullets embedded into its flesh.

Dr. Brenner stood in the doorway, blood pooling down his temple with a sadistic stare. His attack stunned it enough for Eleven to push herself off the table and send the monster into the chalkboard, holding it in place. It shouted in pain, as the older man continued to look at it with glee.

“Look at this.” He says, turning towards his ‘daughter’. “It’s… magnificent. Look at what we achieved.” El locks eyes with him as she stands in front of her friends who shouted at her to stay back. “Look at all the worlds we could reach.” He chuckles. “This is why you have to go back to the lab. Imagine what else we could do with that beautiful mind of yours.”

“Eleven–” Mike says, as El starts heading towards her Papa’s way.

“Come on.” Brenner says, gesturing to the beast. “Finish this thing off, and let’s go home. Come on–” He held his hand out to her, she was just mere inches away. “Come on, and we can–”

Using her other hand she flicked him across the floor and against the chalkboard, neck and neck with the Demogorgon. His eyes blew wide as he muttered her name, his body frozen too. She continues walking towards him, Mike finally having enough.

“Eleven, stop!” He yells, running, but she flicks his body back; Nancy dropping the chair and crushing his fall. The lights began dancing again, this time more intensely as she was toe-to-toe with the two monsters.

The girl turns her head one last time, a sorrowful expression on her face. “Goodbye, Mike.”

Then she poured all she had into her last attack, the monster, Brenner, and her all screaming at the top of their lungs that was enough for the group to cover their ears and close their eyes; Begging for it to be over. They begin to disintegrate and–

The screaming stops.

The lights stopped dancing too.

The group slowly opened their eyes, finding a pile of ash where the girl used to stand.

Nancy quietly gasps while placing a hand over her mouth, while Jonathan just stared in disbelief. Meanwhile the boys started wandering around the room, refusing to believe that she’s gone as they shouted her name.

“El! El, where are you?” Mike yells, tears starting to stream down his face. “Eleven!” He was finding it hard to breathe now. “El, come on. Come back to me… please…”

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

Where the fuck is she?! Steve wanted to scream, but could not find his voice to say it. He could feel Hopper on his tail, Joyce not too far behind with her son in her arms (who may or may not be silently crying). They managed to find one out of two people they’ve been looking for, and they can’t afford to go home without the whole, So where is she?

Fuck, come on! Come on! Where are you, damn– He nearly slipped over something, something the color red that trickled out from a spot a few steps away. His flashlight immediately follows it… 

“Stephanie!!” He yells, lunging forward to her body on the floor. She looked way more pale than Will does, bluish too. But unlike Will there was nothing pinning her down, nor a tentacle thing going down her throat. She was just lying there, covered in a weird substance that looked like glue; Felt like it too.

“What the fuck…” He says, his hands almost sticking to her, but manages to pry them off. He sheds one of his gloves as he senses the adult settling behind him, bringing his shaky hand up to her neck. His heart almost gave out right then and there. “S-She’s not breathing.” He gasps. “She’s not breathing!”

“Sh-She…” Will choked, getting his attention. “S-She stopped breathing a-awhile ago…”

What?! He almost threw up again as he snapped, “Well how long ago is awhile ago?!”

Hopper starts ripping his own gloves off along with his helmet, before yanking on Steve’s arm to get his eyes on him. “Alright, Steve–”

“Ch-Chief, she’s not–” 

“Steve–”

“She’s not–”

“Kid– Kid! Listen to me, listen to me, listen to me.” Hopper begins, taking the teen’s helmet off for him. “I need you to tilt her head back… and lift her chin.”

Steve nods and quickly follows instructions. “O-Okay.”

Hopper starts whispering numbers as he begins the chest compressions; He only breaks counting to explain the next step, “Now when I tell you, you’re gonna pinch her nostrils, and breathe into her mouth... twice.”

“O-Okay.” Steve whispers, (im)patiently waiting. He tries not to cry too as he listens to Will start bawling in the background, Joyce trying to quietly shush him as they helplessly watch. 

“One second... then pause. 22, 23. Then one second.”

“Okay…”

“24, 25, 26, 27, 28... 29, 30. Now! Go!” 

Steve pinches her nose, bringing his lips down to her cold ones, remembering to pause before doing it again. By prayer he hoped just doing that once would get her to stir, but she still laid motionlessly. “Oh, come on, come on.” He begged, the waterworks coming back. “Come on…”

“Come on, kid.” Hopper grits through his teeth. “Come on, kid!”

“Stephanie!” The teen starts rambling like she could hear him, and hoping she does. “Steph, listen to me. It’s me, it’s Steve. You have to come back to us. You have to come back. Everyone loves you. Everyone misses you. Your mom, Dustin, Will, everyone!” His heart clenched as he sobs, “I miss you. We love you. Come back to us! Please! Please–”

Hopper grinds his teeth hard, wondering if this is the moment he’ll finally break for real this time… 

The girl below him faded into someone else…

.

He held his wife as he tried to remain the strong one. He prayed that this isn’t going to be the last time he sees his little girl.

“Blood pressure keeps dropping. Her pulse ox is falling.”

.

“We love you–” Steve continues, tears falling into his lap and sprinkled on her face. This can’t be it, this can’t be it, this can’t be it.

This isn’t how it’s supposed to go. Breaking up their friendship was not supposed to make her end up like this. And there was still so much to tell her too. He can’t believe these next few words came out of his mouth.

“I love you.” He admits, with a face between happiness and sorrow. “I love you so much, and I don’t want to see you like this! So, please, please, please come back to me. Just…”

“Come on, kid!” Hopper screams.

“Please, please wake up! Please breathe. Please, please. Breathe, Fia, please! Come on–”

.

The little green line betrayed his pleas that day…

“Flatlining!”

A huge piece of his heart went away that day.

.

Hopper starts slamming his fist into her chest with all the might he could make.

“Come back to me, Fia, breathe, please!”

Another hit.

“I need you to wake up now.”

And another.

“I need you to breathe.”

And another. 

“Please, breathe!”

And another.

“Stephanie!”

And another.

“Please!”

And another–

Suddenly, a choking sound erupted from the deceased’s throat before blooming into a cough.

Hopper nearly doubles over as Steve gasps with joy while saying, “Oh, my God! Oh, God– that’s it! That’s it. Keep breathing, keep breathing, Fia…”

Stephanie coughs a few more times before the choking sound returns. Steve, quickly understanding what’s happening, turns her to her side. The brunette girl hacks out the last few drops of dark colored blood, before opening her eyes. It takes her a few more seconds to adjust, becoming confused to see who was hovering over her like she was made of glass.

“St-Steve…?” She croaks, still debating if this was a dream. “Am I tripping…?”

He laughs quietly, a laugh she hasn’t heard in a long time. “N-No. I’m real. We got your message and came as fast as we could.”

“W-We…?”

“Yeah. Me, Will’s mom, and the Police Chief.”

“The Police Chief…?”

“Yeah.” Speaking of–

Hopper appeared next to her, holding up an oxygen mask he stripped from his suit. “This will help you breathe a bit easier.” He explains, as Steve helps him put it on, before moving onto the next kid. While he strips off another mask from another suit to give to Will, Stephanie takes long deep breaths of air that was finally not toxic.

Steve watches her carefully, not wanting to have to repeat what they just did (He never, ever wants to do something like that again). “Are you feeling okay?” He asks, and he knows it’s a silly question, but what else could he say in a situation like this?

Her eyes lock onto his, a small smile creeping onto her face. “...I am now.”

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

The scientists stared in shock as the three people they expected NOT to return came back out from the other side. As they approach them, Hopper shifts Will into Joyce’s arm to take front and center; A cold hearted gaze plastered on his face, ready to take no BS.

“Y-You made it.” One of them said.

“We did. Now you’re going to keep your word.” Hopper replies, the small group sharing a look before giving in.

“Fine. Bring the kids up, I’ll have our doctors take a look at them.”

Hopper smacks his lips, shaking his head. “Yeah, that’s not going to happen.”

“What?”

“You heard me. You’re going to call an ambulance for them, and we’re going to a regular hospital. If you want to try to mingle some of your own staff with the hospital, that’s fine with me; But they’re going to a regular hospital.”

Another scientist scoffed, standing next to the other one. “Are you insane? Do you not trust us enough that we will bring no harm to the children?”

“I don’t trust any of you, but that’s not the reason I’m saying no.”

“And…?”

Hopper raises his arm to gesture to Stephanie, who was being carried by Steve. “Her mother, Claudia, she doesn’t know what’s really going on. And I’m not to sit here and put her through any more shit. And I don’t think you’re going to want another person getting involved in this, do you?”

And with another look between the scientists, his words were enough to change their minds. Soon they were standing outside, out of their hazmat suits as the ambulances pulled up in a rush. The paramedics got out with two stretchers and wheel them over. Steve quickly helps to lay Steph down, the paramedic making a comment about the oxygen tank.

“She stopped breathing. We had to give her CPR.” He says, quickly glancing to see Joyce laying her son down on the other one. Surprisingly, Will had desperately reached out for Steph’s hand, one of the paramedics noticing.

“Were they found together?” 

Steve nods, watching them feel their foreheads. They made some comment about how ice cold they were, before they carefully grab Will and place him right next to Stephanie; The boy immediately melts into her hold.

“That’s what I thought.” The paramedic mumbled, as he threw a thermal blanket over them and started wheeling them away. “Do you guys want a ride?”

Well ain’t that a dumb question.

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

It took him a minute to register that he was on something soft and warm. Then it took another for him to crack open his brown orbs and see some familiar faces. 

“Hey.” Joyce said, smiling along with her oldest son. “Hi, sweetheart.”

Will copies her smile, feeling her hands through his hair. “Where... where am I?”

“You’re home.” Jonathan says, tears streaming down his face. “You’re home now. You’re safe.”

“Jonathan.”

“Yeah, it’s me, buddy. We missed you. We really missed you. Oh, hey, uh... We, uh…” He pulls up a box into his lap. “We brought you some stuff…” He shows him some toys, a walkman and some cassettes. “So you don’t get bored in here. So… Uh, I made you a new mixtape.” He holds it up. “There’s some stuff on there I think you really might like.”

“Thanks.” Will says, genuinely. “Um… is… is Stephanie okay?”

“Yeah.” Joyce replies, nodding. “She’s good. She’s still asleep last time I checked.”

“That’s good.”

“Do you want to see your friends?” His brother asks, and Will says ‘yes’. “Okay. Give me a second.” He leaves the room, poking out into the hallway where Lucas and Mike were seated. “Hey, boys.” He gets their attention. “He’s up.”

They boys shoot up to their feet, Mike quickly running to Stephanie’s room and going inside, beckoning Dustin to follow. Soon, the three of them nearly trampled Jonathan to get to their friend.

“Byers!” They shouted, running to tackle him for a hug. 

“Be careful. Be careful with him.” Joyce advises, as they laugh. The boys take a minute to accept that this was real before bombarding him with everything he missed the last few days.

“You won’t believe what happened when you were gone, man. It was mental.”

“You had a funeral.”

“Jennifer Hayes was crying.”

“And Troy peed himself.”

“In front of the whole school!”

“What?” Will said, looking between them like they were crazy.

“Yes!” They reply, making Will laugh at their enthusiasm, before it turns into a coughing fit. They frown, worriedly. “You okay?”

He nods slowly. “It got me. It got us.” He frowns. “The Demogorgon.”

“We know. It’s okay. You and Phanie killed it.” Dustin said, smiling.

“We made a new friend, too.” Mike says, bittersweetly. “She stopped another one that showed up. She saved us. But she’s gone now.”

“Her name’s Eleven.”

“Like the number?” Will asks, confused.

“Well, we call her ‘El’ for short. She’s basically a wizard.” Mike replies.

“She has superpowers.” Luca states

“More like a Yoda.”

“She flipped a van with her mind!” Dustin says, arms flailing in the arm. 

“That’s cool.” Will said, his smile growing with each word, and ready to hear more. “What else happened?”

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

Tick. Tock.

Tick. Tock.

Tick. Tock.

Tick. Tock.

Gears Twirling.

.

.

.

Four Chimes.

.

.

.

Stephanie gasps, blue eyes shooting open as she bolts up in bed. “Will!” She frantically starts looking around for the boy, only to find someone else in his place. “M-Mom?” She croaked, eyes glazing over.

“Stephanie! Baby! Oh, my God…” Claudia said, coming over to the side of the bed. Her hazel orbs move away to look at the other person in the room. “Steve, can you go get her brother?”

“St-Steve?” The girl said, surprised as the teen slipped out of the room. 

“Oh, Stephanie.” Claudia continues, rubbing her daughter’s arm. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”

“M-Mom? Where am I? Where’s Will?”

“Will is okay. He actually just woke up an hour ago.” She smiles. “Joyce says he’s doing great.”

Steph sighs with relief. “That’s great. I was so worried.”

Soon, the door opens, Dustin bolting in and jumping into his sister’s arms (Steve lingering at the door frame). 

“Phanie!!” He holds onto her hard, only loosening when she winces at the soreness. 

“Dusty…” She says, tears now flowing as she runs her bandaged hands through his curls. 

“I can’t believe you’re here. I really thought I’d lost you.”

She frowns a little bit. “I know. I’m sorry, I just–” She subconsciously touches her neck, feeling the bandage where the bite was. The bite that killed her and–

“The doctors said your injuries aren’t too bad.” Claudia says, shocking the teen. “They said you might have scarring, but nothing life threatening.”

“Nothing?” Steph asks, confused. “But I… I had a…” 

I had a hole in my neck. No– Scratch that. I had holes everywhere! How am I even alive? She wants to keep asking these questions, but something told her not to. “W-What happened?” Maybe her mother doesn’t know what she was talking about after all.

Claudia sighs, upset. “Oh, it was horrible. I can’t believe someone would kidnap you and Will like that.”

“Kidnap?” Steph asks, eyes trailing over to her brother for an explanation. He gave her a look that pleaded with her to go along, so she does.

“And that sicko at the morgue! Stuff bodies to throw the police’s trail off. How did the person doing the autopsy not figure that out? I’m going to sue his ass.”

“That’s… crazy, mom. Wow.” I mean what more could she say? 

After a while there was nothing left to say about her supposed ‘kidnapping’. Instead, she just listened to her family rambling about what she’s missed and what they can do together after she’s out (Everything making her smile at their enthusiasm). Mike and Lucas paid her a visit later in the day, hugging and telling her what really happened when her mother left the room for a bit. Eventually they left to go back to Will, Dustin did too, but promised to return quickly. 

The room became quiet again, the only sounds were the machines beeping softly and her mother’s muffled voice outside with the nurse. It took Stephanie awhile to finally turn her attention to the one person that hasn’t left the room at all yet. She’s not really sure how to feel about his presence. I mean, she should be mad, but for some reason it felt really good that he was here. Especially when her brother and his friends explained his involvement in finding her and Will.

I really should thank him, but… As soon as his eyes met hers, she said, “Those clothes are not very ‘Steve Harrington’ of you.”

He snorts, his worried features softening. “Yeah, well, you can blame the lab for not having any taste.” Steve quips. It was the truth though. He hasn’t changed out of the clothes the lab threw at him because he doesn’t want to go home yet (And for various reasons).

A little concern plays on her face. “I’m sure if you ask the Chief for some clothes, I’m sure he’ll let you borrow some.” She says, seeing right through him as usual.

“Nah.” He said, fiddling with his hands in his lap. “I’ll be fine. I’ll go home eventually. Just not now.”

Can she blame the anesthesia for the way her heart flutters? “Steve–”

“I’m not going anywhere.” He replies, nervously, worriedly, as he locks eyes with her again. “Not until I know you’re okay.”

She frowns apologetically. “You know that might be a while.” 

“I know.”

“I have Dustin and my mom, you don’t have to stay here.”

“I know.” He breaks eye contact again. “But what if I want to?”

That made her chuckle. “Well… if you want to.” She says, making them both smile. “Fine sleeping in a chair?”

He nods. “If that’s what I’ll have to do.” He replies, making her hum.

She raises an eyebrow, saying something she didn’t even process before it slips out (yeah, it’s definitely the anesthesia). “Is that a pinky promise?”

“Yeah.” His expression grows, almost surprised she said it (but is quite happy that she did). “Pinky promise.”

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

A few days passed when Will had enough strength to walk on his own two feet. With the IV finally out, and nothing else to hold him back, his mother had suggested going to the cafeteria instead of having them bring food to him.

“You hungry?” Jonathan asks, as they leave the room.

“Starving.” Will admits, taking it slow. “I’m hoping they have something more solid than chicken soup.”

“I’m sure they can make you something.”

The three of them took a couple more steps until a familiar name reached Will’s ears, stopping him in his tracks. The young boy looks back, eyes widening at the sight of a nurse helping the teenager move with her IV.

He gasps. “Stephanie!” And breaks for a sprint on his wobbly legs. “Stephanie!”

The girl looks up from her gaze on the floor. “W-Will!” As soon as he gets closer, she drops to her knees, enveloping him in a big hug. “Oh–” She couldn’t believe it. “Oh, my god. Oh, my god…” She pulls him back to touch his face. “You’re okay. I can’t believe it.”

“I’m sorry. I tried to come see you sooner, but the doctor says I couldn’t move in my condition.” Will says, apologetically as she laughs quietly.

“Don’t be sorry. They said the same thing to me.”

He kept his smile, but then it dropped subtly at a certain sight. His hand reached up to her neck, the deep bite mark that he witnessed was now just a scar that you could barely see unless you’re up close. “Your neck? How are you… healed?”

“I don’t know.” She frowns. “There are a couple things we gotta talk about when it’s just the two of us.” They both took a stand, his family coming up to them. “Hey, Miss Byers. Jonathan.”

“Oh, Stephanie.” Joyce said, before pulling in her for a hug. “I’m so glad you’re okay.” She pulls back and takes her hands. “Thank you for what you did. Taking my son home, protecting him, I… I don’t know how to repay you.”

“Oh, please, Miss Byers. It was really no big deal.” Steph says, stopping her from protesting. “Seriously, it wasn’t. Even though something terrible happened, I wouldn’t hesitate to do it again. For anyone I know.”

Joyce gives her a bittersweet look and gives her hands a squeeze. “Well, let’s hope it doesn’t come to that again.” She says, truthfully. “Are you hungry? We’re going to the cafeteria.”

“Oh, uh, I-I don’t want to intrude.”

“Nonsense. Come on.” 

Jonathan offers his arm to the girl which she graciously takes, and the four of them begin their trek to the other side of the hospital. 

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

It took some convincing, but the hospital staff finally allowed Steph and Will to be in the same room until they’re cleared. Which worked out perfectly for when the boys came for a visit early morning. They had managed to push a table between the two hospital beds, and placed chairs around it before laying out the D&D board. After a few brief explanations to the oldest, they started their campaign, unaware at the time flying by at godspeed.

Mike looked between his friends as they eagerly waited for him to speak. “Something is coming. Something angry. Hungry for your blood. It is almost here…” 

“What is it?” Steph asks, from her spot on the side of her bed. Her eyes trail to her brother who was focusing on the board, dread in his eyes.

“It’s the Thessalhydra, I’m telling you.” He said, shaking his head.

“Thessalhydra?” 

“It’s an eight-headed monster.” Lucas says, nervously.

“Shit…”

“It’s not the Thessalhydra.”

“I’m telling you, it’s the Thessalhydra.” Dustin insists, as Mike takes one last look at everyone before slamming the game piece on the board.

“The Thessalhydra!” Mike boasts, and everyone groans.

“Damn it.” Will mumbles, scooting closer to the edge of his bed, thinking. 

“It roars in anger!” Mike starts animating his words, enthralling his teammates. “The sheer scream was enough to destroy Steph The Courageous’ shield!” Stephanie gasps. “Will The Wise, what is your action?!”

“What should I do?” He rubs his chin. “I... should fireball him?”

“He destroyed my shield!” Steph locks eyes with him. “Fireball the son of a bitch.”

He smirks. “I will.” He reaches down and scoops up the dice. A quick shake before letting them loose.

Mike follows them until they stop. He smiles. “Fourteen!” He replies, and they cheer. “Direct hit. Will the Wise’s fireball hits the Thessalhydra. It makes a painful…” He pretends to screech and falls from his chair to his knees. “And then... it crumbles to the ground. Its clawed hand reaches for you one last time and, and, and... and…” Mike’s body falls to the floor, pretending to be KOed, making them cheer again. “Lucas cuts off its seven heads, and Dustin places them into his bag of holding.” He pops up and animates the movements again. “You carry the heads out of the dungeon, victorious, and you present them to King Tristan. He thanks you for your bravery and service.”

Mike finishes the story with a bow which causes a few heads to turn in disbelief.

“Whoa.” Dustin begins, waving his hands. “Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, that’s not it, is it?”

“No, there’s a medal ceremony…”

“Oh, a medal ceremony? What are you talking about?”

“Well, and…”

“The campaign was way too short.” Lucas adds, as Mike rolls his eyes.

“Yeah!” Will encourages.

“It was six hours!” Mike points out.

“But it doesn’t make any sense.” Dustin replies, getting a look. 

“It makes sense.”

“Uh, no, what about the lost knight?”

“And the proud princess?” Lucas says.

“And those weird flowers in the cave?” Will reminds. 

“The supposed haunted lake?” Steph adds.

Mike looks between them, not sure what to say except, ���I don’t know, it’s–”

The door opens, and Jonathan comes in all bubbly and cracking jokes. “Jeez, what’s that smell? Have you guys been playing games all day, or just farting?”

The kids laugh, as Lucas points his thumb at one of them. “Oh, that’s just Dustin. He farted. Dustin farted.” He blows a raspberry. 

Dustin scoffs, and playfully shoves him in the arm. “Very mature, Lucas.”

“Come on, you guys.” Jonathan said, as they started packing up. 

“Thank you for taking them home, Jonathan.” Stephanie said, smiling.

“Yeah, no worries. I’m hoping you guys can get cleared tomorrow.”

“Yeah, I’m hoping for that, too.”

The set of siblings hug one another, Lucas and Mike bidding them goodbye before leaving. Will starts scooting himself back towards the pillows, while Stephanie kept her gaze on the door. The past few days haven’t been too bad. She was grateful for all the company she was getting, but it still sucked that she had to tiptoe around her mother about what really happened. From what Dustin (and even Steve) explained, the Police Chief came up with a deal and a plan to explain what happened to her and Will to the public that would make sense. I mean…

It’s not everyday that someone comes back from the “dead” and you have a funeral for them, and then it turns out their bodies are actually fake (What is this? A TV show?). And who cares if it all sounded bonkers? Hopper’s elaborate scheme seemed to have fooled everyone. 

Although, I can’t imagine how it’s going to be when we go back to school. She knows it’s going to be awkward as hell when gets back. And Steve briefly mentioned that her locker did get vandalized while she was gone.

She frowns. Steve…

She can’t believe he saved her. I mean, she knows they were friends, but still. He ended their friendship years ago, and then he comes back and does this? Like how was she supposed to feel about all this? Was this supposed to lead to something she doesn’t know about? And why risk helping her when she knows his parents don’t approve? 

Does his parents even know? Stephanie sighs, rubbing her face as she feels Will staring at her.

“You alright?” He asks, as she slumps a bit.

“I’m just thinking.” She replies, realizing they haven’t properly spoken about their experiences yet. Should I bring it up? Or…

Will shifts around to hug his knees. “About?”

She takes a deep breath, looking his way. “I can’t remember anything.”

He tilts his head. “About the Upside Down?”

She shook her head, fumbling with her hands. “Nah, I remember all that. I don’t remember anything after the… the bats.” She sees him look away, the color briefly flushing away from his face. She bites her lower lip. “I vaguely remember Steve, the Police Chief and your Mom saving us, but before that I… I don’t recall.”

She remembers the beginning -- The bites of the bats, the profuse bleeding, her screaming, Will and her tears -- and she remembers the end -- The sudden gasp when air filled her lungs, the sound of people sighing with relief, the sight of Steve sitting over her with red and dry eyes -- But the middle is so… blurry.

Steph swallows, looking at her feet. “I think you know what I mean. I think you know that… CPR shouldn’t have brought me back the way it did. It’s just not possible.”

“No. It’s not.” Will said after a few seconds, frowning. “My mom told me it took them over an hour to find us. But I…” He looks up at her with a hurt expression. “I didn’t tell them that though. I didn’t tell them that you– you, um… you know.”

I mean how does he explain that? Stephanie died trying to get them out, and stayed dead for god knows how long, and then somehow came back. Anyone in their right mind would know that that’s not possible. 

But how did she come back? Was the question they both had and couldn’t answer.

“When it happened–” Steph starts back up, trying to find the right words. “It was just like… like what people tell you, you see a light in the distance. I recall walking towards it, but then… it’s like my brain froze… and before I knew it, Steve and Hopper brought me back. I just…” She bites her lip again, thinking. “I just feel like– like I’m missing something. And every time I try to remember it, I-I can’t. It’s like an invisible wall is put there, and I-I….” 

She only trails off when she notices that her nose is starting to bleed. Will sits up straighter, concern on his young features. “It’s hurting you.”

“Yeah.” She smacks her lips, and wipes her nose with the back of her hand.

Will takes a moment to gather himself, before saying, “Is it like… like when you got trapped in your mind?”

“Yes, and no.” Steph shrugs. “I don’t know. Something brought me back. And… I want to know what, and why, I… I don’t feel bad or anything, but I feel… off.”

I feel so hollow and whole all at once. She knows that doesn’t make any sense, but it’s the only way she can explain something she can’t control. 

Silence fell for a bit, the both of them just staring off into space until someone broke the ice.

“I… I feel a bit off too.” Will finally admits, sounding much smaller than he actually is. Steph gazes at him with worry, her mother-hening side showing once again. “Like… as soon as I arrived in the Upside Down, I felt like someone was always watching me. And I… I feel like…” His hands grip the sheets. “Like something’s whispering in my ear. It’s like having a sixth sense, but… n-not in a good way. It’s…” He swallows. “Making me feel sick.”

Steph felt her lip finally split from her teeth, mentally cursing at the whole situation. “And… you haven’t told anyone about it?” She asks, as he shakes his head. “And about anything we saw or did in there? No one?” Another head shakes and she sighs. “I haven’t told anyone either. I mean, where do I even begin?”

“We can’t.” He says, his response slightly surprising her. “We can’t talk about it. Not with anybody.”

“We won’t.” She says, agreeing. They both looked at each other with the most understanding. “It started with us, and it ends with us. Whatever happened in there stays with us only.”

Will nods, determination with eyes. He soon shifts over to reach over to hold out his pinky. She wastes no time to interlock hers with his, the promise was now tied between them, and locked away…

.

.

.

Forever. 

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

On November 6th, 1983, I drove Will Byers home… but we never made it. On November 12th, we were free from a hellish place. On November 16th, Will and I agreed we would speak of it again. When any of our families asked, or at least tried to ask, what happened, we told them we played hide and seek with a Demogorgon that we eventually killed, and that’s it. We never, ever want to tell anyone what happened to us… especially what happened to me.

.

Both her and Will were eventually sent home just before Thanksgiving. Of course their mother spoiled them both with the cooking (Not that they were complaining). Somehow both Claudia and Joyce convinced their schools to give them some more time, which they both were extremely grateful for -- Dustin, Lucas, and Mike were not happy to be going back before they did, but understood.

.

The holidays are coming up, all our families have grown closer. Me and Will are doing our best to enjoy what we have. But there are still… moments. Moments when we pass by and we see something’s wrong. Sometimes just a look at one another, a reassuring touch on the shoulder, is all we need to feel better. And there are times where we would have to talk, to be each other’s therapist. And we’re okay with that.

.

Her and Will grew closer and closer every day, between looking over their brothers’ school material they missed, to D&D Companions every weekend. They grew so close that they truly felt like family. Speaking of growing closer…

To her shock, her brother and her ex-best friend became tight. Steph could tell that Dustin was trying to keep a secret at first, trying to be respectful towards his sister, but she knew rather quickly that he was talking to Steve when he was hogging the landline. It was strange hearing Dustin talk to Steve about literally anything. And it wasn’t like she felt jealous, or hurt even, she just felt–

Weird.

Even though she wanted to say something, Steve did protect Dustin and the others while she was gone. And she knows Steve would never physically hurt her little brother -- Mentally though, she was still on edge but…

What could she do now? So she chose to ignore it for now, the rest of her life going on as she pretends everything is fine. Because… everything… IS FINE! Totally fine. She just needs to take each day one step at a time.

.

On December 25th, we celebrated Christmas. In the afternoon my family and I invited the Byers over for dinner, and some movies. We both went a whole day without a scare, both drowning our worries with hot cocoa and candy canes. Then… that turned into a few more days. But on December 31st, the nightmares came back. They felt more bitter and full of rage. It was like my mind was upset at me over something. Then on January 1st, 1984, I came to realize that…

.

.

.

.

.

I couldn’t take it any more.

(TBC)

A/N: All we got left is the Epilogue, and we're onto season 2!

-Taglist is Open-

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[dwobbitfromtheshire]

I'd only feel slightly sorry for anyone who hurts Nancy's partner(s). I can see her being the overprotective girlfriend who pulls out the shotgun and hunts them down. . .

*que Nancy kicking down doors, screaming (not Nancy), and a couple of shotgun blasts before. . .

"OH MY GOD! MY KNEES!"

"You're fine," Nancy said. "I just grazed you, just enough to scar you, and when you look at that scar, think of me."

[sheisjoeschateau]

“Oh, so do WE love Steve…” | Part VIII

⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆ SERIES MASTERLIST ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆

Steve Harrington x Bauman!fem!reader enemies to lovers, heavy angst, hurt/comfort, upside down mayhem, S2-S4, post S4 universe hot-take, end-of-the-world / dystopian setting, ugly fights turned smut (...but with hella plot). 18+

CHAPTER VII WARNINGS/NOTES: t.w.'s - strong language, more angst, mentions of death, injuries, Max in a coma, fearful tears, shared sadness, end-of-the-world terror talk, tough conversations and brutal honesty, jealousy and regrets. 18+

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Not a super action packed chapter, but we unpack a lot in this one. Sh*t gets addressed that needs to be addressed. Dr. Owens delivers some hard news. Robin to the rescue, big time, for her platonic soulmate with a capital P. Platonic Stobin in full swing. Eddie still has no chill, but is the zany friend that everyone needed. Eddie & Robin bonding. Argyle becomes a therapist. Nancy faces some hard truth. Jonathan faces harder truth. Jopper being the ever-observant grandparents. Murray being Murray. Steve and Bauman Squared are more in love than ever. And the kids? Little legends.

ANOTHER LONG ONE. AGAIN: PROOFREAD UNTIL MY EYES BLED. IF THERE ARE STILL TYPOS, SORRY BOUT IT. 18+

⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆

“Dislocated the shoulder, but no break.  Popping it back into place isn’t going to be a picnic, but it’s way better than a break.  So we’re off to a great start.  Let’s take a look at your ribs now…”

Dr. Owens had you seated on the edge of the bed in Joyce and Hopper’s room downstairs.  Murray, Steve and Robin all stood nearby, alongside them.  They all watched anxiously.

Argyle and Eddie were on kid/teen duty.  They made sure to keep them out of the room, which they managed to convince them of by going upstairs to sit with Max and read to her out loud. 

You hissed as Dr. Owens made contact with your ribcage, and he frowned.  “Possible fracture there.  Good news is, if they were broken, you’d be on the ground in pure misery.  They might even just be really badly bruised.”

You sighed.  “I’m good with that.

Murray felt both relieved and frustrated at the same time.  God, he hated doctors.  Especially ones who served as double agents for the government.  But Dr. Owen’s had more than proven himself to be trustworthy, so your uncle was putting up with him.  For your sake, especially.  You were basically the only kid he was ever gonna have.

“Best bet is to rest, ice them regularly and let them heal for about six weeks.”

You frowned.  “Not so good with that.”

“Welp, you’re gonna have to be,” your uncle told you.  Steve and Hopper nodded.  You huffed, and Steve was selfishly grateful to know that you would have no choice but to stay home and out of danger. 

“Alright, let’s check that heartbeat, shall we?” Dr. Owens asked with a smile.  He took out his stethoscope, placing the instrument inside of his ears and blowing hot air onto the cold circle that would be placed over your heart.  You brought the collar of your shirt down so that he could place it on your chest, and he listened closely while you waited. 

Dr. Owens' smile slowly faded, and a prominent crease began to form between his brows.  Robin clocked it, along with Steve.  Hopper tried not to react, but Joyce’s fidgeting definitely gave it away.

“W-what’s wrong?” Joyce asked, unable to help herself.

Dr. Owens just held up a finger, politely gesturing for them to wait.  You furrowed your brow, suddenly aware of the fact that something seemed to be the matter.

Steve swallowed, unblinking.  What now…

Murray was not happy at the tension in the air, looking over at Joyce anxiously. 

Dr. Owens eventually cleared his throat, pulling the stethoscope out of his ears with a deep inhale.  He looks at you kindly, eyes solemn.  You stare back, questioning. 

“Well, umm…it’s normal.  Not surprising, given the electric shock, but uh…your heartbeat’s not at its normal steady rhythm.”

Robin heard Steve suck in a breath, placing a hand on his forearm as they all looked at Dr. Owens. 

“Cardiac arrhythmias is normal in these cases,” he tells you. “A heart arrhythmia occurs when the electrical signals that tell the heart to beat don't work properly. The heart may beat too fast or too slow. Or the pattern of the heartbeat may be inconsistent.  A heart arrhythmia may feel like a fluttering, pounding or racing heartbeat. Some heart arrhythmias cases are harmless.  Most, in fact.”

“Well, what about this one?” your uncle asked, voice grave. 

Dr. Owens sighed.  “Too soon to tell,” he said apologetically.  “But it’s important that it remains monitored.”

“What do we do.” …Steve’s question sounded more like a statement, laced with worry and dangerously voice low. 

Dr. Owens looked at him sympathetically.  “I can get a prescription that will help.  An antiarrhythmic medication.  No surgery is needed unless it’s severe.  It might not be.”

“How can you tell?” Joyce asked, worriedly.  “I mean – what are the signs that we need to look for?”

“Fainting, chest pain, dizziness.”  Then, to you, “If you feel like the heart is fluttering, or leaping inside of your chest, definitely make note of it.  Scale it, 1-10, how bad it is.  Be honest with yourself.  Don’t tell yourself you’re more fine than not, and vice-versa.  Don’t let it panic you, but just…stay alert.”

Steve wanted to pull every single one of his perfect hairs out.  How the hell was that supposed to help?  What happens if you wound up passed out on the floor, dead before they would get you proper help?

“Yeah, but what if — w-what if —”

That's all that Steve could mutter.  Robin squeezed his forearm tighter, masking her own fear as she gnawed at her bottom lip relentlessly.  Murray stared at Dr. Owens, visibly upset.  Hopper looked pale, along with Joyce.

“How fast can you get us that medication?” Hopper asked, like a protective papa.

“I’ll get it to you tonight.  Maybe tomorrow morning,” Dr. Owens promised.  “I can bring as much as you may need.  Meantime, I’ll leave the stethoscope so that you can monitor the heartbeat.  Here, let me show you what to look for.”

Dr. Owens instructed Steve and Murray on how to monitor your heartbeat, and you ached as you watched Steve look consumed with dread as he did his best to keep it together and not freak out.  Hopper and Joyce took notes, too.  Everyone listened to your heartbeat, Steve most of all.

You took his hand.  “Remember, it’s still there,” you murmured to him softly.  He nodded, knowing you were right but still not content with the reality of things.  Robin gave you a sympathetic smile, grateful for you and your courage.

Then, you looked at Dr. Owens with gratitude.  “Thank you.  For being here, and…helping out.  I know you’re putting yourself on the line.”

Dr. Owens gave you a deeply appreciative look, along with Hopper.  He wrung his hands.  “Appreciate that, kiddo.  Truly.” 

Everyone went over the plans that would go into effect, given the mandate taking place in just a few short days.  Hopper mentioned that it might be best for Dr. Owens to seek shelter with them, if things went south for him — given his compromised identity as an accomplice to them vs. the government.  The doctor couldn’t argue that, saying he would think about it.  Steve and Robin mentioned to him that Eddie needed looking over as well, which he said he’d do before he left.

While the adults talked, Steve and Robin walked with you out the bedroom door.  You looked outside the living room windows, hating the thick cloud of infected air that had only gotten worse — seemingly overnight.  It was dense, congested with alternate dimension disease. 

“Seriously, hate that I can’t even get some damn fresh air,” you sighed.

“Last thing you need is bad air in your lungs,” Steve told you, his fingers reaching to massage the crown of your head.  You sighed, knowing that he was right. 

The kids heard you all walking out of the room, Mike and Lucas peeking their heads around the doorway leading into Max’s room upstairs.  They made for the stairs, followed by Dustin, Will and El, rushing towards you all.  Eddie and Argyle shouted after them, but they quickly rushed over to you. 

They swarmed you all with questions.  Is your shoulder broken?  What about your ribs?  Are you hungry?

“One at a time, kiddos,” Robin warned. 

“No broken bones,” Steve told them, “But possible fracture.  Ribcage.  So no bear hugs, no tackling, no…rough-housing.”

Mike cocked an eyebrow at him.  “Speak for yourself.”

Lucas smacked him.

“Thank you, Wheeler,” Steve said wryly.  Mike smirked.

“Also, we gotta keep watch over Bauman’s heartbeat,” Robin pointed out. 

El looked worried.  “How come?”

You gave her an assuring head rub before carefully pulling her in for a hug.  “Just a bit of an irregular heartbeat.  You know.  Given the shock and astral-planing and all.”

El held you tight, cautious of your ribs.  

“…guess this means no coffee then, huh?” you asked, depressed at the mere thought. Caffeine was no longer your friend.

“That is correct,” Steve told you with a light kiss pressed to your head, then El’s.  “Alright, kitchen everyone.  Breakfast.  Let’s go.”

“Bauman, we need to pop your shoulder back in place,” Dr. Owens hollered after you, and you dreaded the pain that awaited you.

Eddie made it downstairs with Argyle.  “I’ll fix up a feast, big boy,” he told Harrington, giving him a quick couple pats on the shoulder.  Then he squeezed your cheek.  “Keep that heartbeat in rhythm, sweetheart.  I’ll make you a sweet mixtape for inspiration.”

You chuckled deeply, appreciating his sense of humor deeply.  Even Steve did, shaking his head and grateful for the cooking assistance.  “Don’t kill my toaster, Munson.”

Steve walked back into the bedroom with you, holding your hand while you had your shoulder popped back into place.  It was gnarly.  Plenty of pain medication followed that, one that took your heartbeat into account.  It was bound to knock you out at some point, so Steve and Robin made sure to get you back into the kitchen for some food before you’d need to head back upstairs and knock out asleep.

Hopper and Joyce helped out by adding some pancakes, sausage and eggs to Eddie’s cereal bar.  Murray was already day-drinking.  Dr. Owens stayed behind to join you all, at the invitation of the adults.  Currently, he was going over notes that Hopper had given him in a seat next to Murray.

Argyle saw Jonathan round the corner – looking glum.  “Yooo, bro-cha-cho.  Purple palm tree delight?”

Jonathan blinked, slowly brought out of his trance.  He looked tired, head hung low.  Honestly, he looked like shit.  “Oh, uhh…maybe later.  Yeah.”  He gave Argyle a sad smile before sulking off towards the front door while pulling a bandana over his mouth and nose — leaving the house.

“YO, GIMME SOME.”  Eddie spoke with a mouthful of fruit loops.  “Air’s shit anyway.  Why not fry my lungs s’more?”

“Fry it with what?” El asked innocently.

Eddie swallowed the sweet cereal awkwardly.  “...candy.”

Steve rolled his eyes as he poured everyone a glass of juice, and Robin held back a snort with all the strength that she could muster while divvying out plates.

“Really lame, gross candy,” Hopper threw back over his shoulder while flipping pancakes.  He eyed Munson with a protective dad look on his eyes.

“The weird peanut butter smelling kind,” Murray added, reading a newspaper and gritting at the taste of his straight vodka.

“Thank you, Murray,” Joyce reprimanded him.

You were seated next to El and Mike, not allowed to help given your sharp shoulder pain and the medication beginning to sink in.  Steve placed your food in front of you, along with the kids’. 

“Fresh pot of coffee going on,” Hopper announced while cooking.

You sighed, turning to Steve.  “Baby, do you —”

You stopped, catching yourself.  But so did everyone else.  Too late now.

“...have…decaf…?”

Steve’s heart swelled, his cheeks flushing. 

Lucas and Dustin made eye contact, trying not to laugh or get giddy.  Mike and El did, too, along with Will.  All the kids were in on it now — thanks to last night’s impromptu sleepover in Max’s room, unbeknownst to the rest of the household.  The OG party knew the secret, but they also agreed (thanks to Dustin’s firm warning about Murray’s rampage last night) not to press either you or Steve about it yet.  Big emphasis on yet.

Robin poured syrup in slow motion, and Eddie bit back a shit-eating grin.  Argyle looked unfazed, though, dishing up a plate of food. 

Hopper was grinning down at the pancakes he was serving up, back turned to everyone still.  Joyce unabashedly looked like a very happy mama, as Murray’s eyes peeked over the newspaper gleefully.

“Yeah, baby, I do,” Steve said, shooting you a wink and moving to go get some.  You blushed at Steve’s returning the pet name.  Steve walked towards the large pantry, passing Nancy — who you saw was now standing in the doorway, having heard it too.  She looked tired, similarly to Jonathan.  You gave her a soft smile, which she reluctantly returned. 

Walking towards you, she asked in the smallest of voices —

“How're you feeling?...”

You could tell that something was wrong, wanting to ask but also not.  “Shoulder’s screaming, but not broken thankfully.  Just out of the socket, Dr. Owens’ popped it back into place.  I’ll be alright.  Thanks, Nance.”

She gave you a relieved, tight-lipped smile.  You gave her as soft a look as you could, and Mike chimed in to break the tension.

“Nancy, I swear, Jonathan’s gonna turn into a palm tree if he keeps blazing it up,” he snorts, the joke very ill-timed.  But Dustin’s chuckling, along with Lucas’s, keeps him in a state of oblivion.  Something flickers in Nancy's eyes, and to your surprise she chuckles too — humorlessly.  Darkly.

“Yeah.  You can say that again.”

…so she agrees with her brother’s joke?  Nancy moved to dish herself up a plate, expression bitter and her movements aggressive.   You felt bad and you didn’t even know why.

Mike definitely looked confused, along with his friends.  Will looked concerned, along with Joyce.  Mother and son made eye contact.

Steve returned, ready to make a pot of fresh decaf.  He brought an extra coffee pot with him.  Rich kid perks.

“Morning, Nance,” he acknowledged her, moving to make the coffee. 

Her heart seized, voice tight.  “Hey.”

Hopper made uncomfortable eye contact with Murray, who buried himself deeper into his chair with the newspaper.  He did not account for this sort of awkwardness when going on a rant last night… Hopper shot him a high-raised eyebrow while flipping another pancake.

Steve heated up the pot of decaf, taking a plate that Joyce dished up for him and moving to sit next to you.  Mike made room for him, not even questioning it.  That made Nancy scoop more than enough eggs onto her plate than necessary. 

Hopper clocked it.  “You, uhh…need some cheese, or…?” 

Joyce gave Hopper a disapproving look, old married couple behavior in full swing.  Nancy looked down at her plate, embarrassed.  “Oh…n-no, I’m —”

Nancy awkwardly moved to sit down at the table next to Dustin.  Robin gulped, knowing what this was all about.  Finally, everyone was seated at the table – aside from Steve, who stood to pour you a cup of hot decaf coffee before bringing it over to you.  You sipped it, eyes becoming hooded with exhaustion as the pain medication set in.  Steve scooted his chair closer so that you could lean on him if needed.  Nancy had to peel her eyes away, staring down at her food — playing with it, unable to stomach eating it now.

She couldn’t even be mad.  How could she?  What right did she have to be mad?  And who would she even be mad at?  You?  Steve?  Jonathan?

Herself.  She was mad at herself.

That’s what she realized last night, when she and Jonathan didn’t get a wink of sleep in their room.  They’d stayed up, hashing it out once and for all.  It was a hurricane of sadness, harsh truth and reality – all at once.  Words that had been left unsaid.  Feelings that had never been expressed.  Regrets, empty promises and words of disappointment.  All aired out like dirty laundry.  He had asked how long she’d been falling for Steve again, which she had countered by asking him how long he had been planning to dump her while he was in California.  Jonathan had been stunned into silence, asking how the hell she knew that and if she had spoken to Argyle.  Nancy’s eyes, filled with tears, had stared at him with the look of utmost betrayal.  “It was a hunch.  Until right now.”

Neither of them got closure that night.  Nearly 5 hours of back and forth, and it got them nowhere.  They went to bed angry.  Sad, heartbroken and lost.  But sleep didn’t find either of them.  Instead, they both stared in opposite directions — backs turned to one another in a shared bed.  The morning had re-ignited the argument whenever they heard Dr. Owens arriving, because when Jonathan had moved to get up, Nancy asked him bitterly: “need to go hide your stash?”  That started back up all sorts of hissed, whispered arguing.

“Nancy, where’d Jonathan go?” Joyce’s question, soft and a bit worried, rattled Nancy’s thoughts.

“He just…wanted to get some fresh air.”

Everyone was silent.  Dr. Owen’s looked up from his files.  “It’s really bad out there.  He really shouldn’t be breathing any of that in.”

Nancy grit her teeth, fork scraping across her plate and making Robin cringe at the jarring sound.  

Mike snorted as he ate more pancakes.  “His lungs are already in rough condition as it is.  Probably doesn’t even matter.”

Nancy narrowed her eyes down at her plate of toyed breakfast food, nauseas.  She nodded her head bitterly, speaking through gritted teeth: “Agreed.  What’s it matter?  Likely irreparable anyway.”

No one missed the double meaning behind that as she rose to stand and dump her plate into the trash.  She quickly made her way out of the room, knowing the damage was already done but not having it in her to care.  Nancy couldn’t get away fast enough.

Eddie looked so uncomfortable but also sympathetic.  He knew this was a result of last night, along with Robin.  They shared a quiet, concerned glance.  Mike and the kids were just confused.  What was her deal?

Steve’s brow was furrowed, along with yours — however, you were already feeling the medicine kick in so everything was starting to feel fuzzy.  Your fingers were wrapped around the hot cup of decaf, warming them.  You were wearing a few rings that Eddie had gifted you while in the upside down, and as Steve focused on them now he realized just how hot you looked wearing them.  He took in your slightly hooded eyes, moving to stand.  “Wanna go lie down?”

You nodded, excusing yourself and thanking Dr. Owens again.  He told you that he’d make sure to get the medication later today, then to Eddie — “Hey Munson, let’s go check on how those stitches are holding up, yeah?”

Eddie gulped.  He hated needles and doctor tools.

Robin smirked.  “Let’s go show him my handywork.”  They all moved off to the living room, followed by Hopper.

Joyce looked perplexed still, unsettled by Nancy’s exit.  She turned to Will, speaking softly, “Did Jonathan tell you anything?  Is something wrong?”

But Will shook his head, shrugging, just as confused and concerned.  “Nothing,” he whispered back. “I was gonna ask you that.”

The eldest and youngest Byers looked pensive, thinking.  Wondering.  Worrying.

Mike’s face was quizzical. “What do you mean?  Why would anything be wrong with them?”

An incredulous scoff from behind the newspaper made everyone turn in Murray’s direction.   The grouchy man just sipped on his morning cup of poison, minding his business — even though he stuck his nose in everybody else’s.  

Joyce’s eyes narrowed at the front page of the Hawkins Press.  Of course…

“Hey, Mur?”

Murray cringed at Joyce’s sugary sweet, all-knowing tone… Hesitantly, he lowered the paper by just barely an inch.  He internally winced at the motherly eyes that bore into his soul from the table.

“Wanna go help me start clearing out the basement?”

Oh my god, Joyce Byers is going to murder me in Steve Harrington’s basement.  

That’s all Murray thought while he set down his newspaper, swigged the last of his drink and followed her downstairs.  He began to mentally write his eulogy.

Hopper grunted, setting his fork down.  “Ahhh, geez,” he huffed, standing up to follow them.

The kids all eyed each other, left alone at the table — no adults or older teens in sight.  What the hell just happened?

***

Steve got you upstairs safely, tucking you into bed and making sure you had water at your bedside table along with a walkie so that you could signal for him if you needed anything.  It made you chuckle. 

“What?” he asked you, quizzically. 

You shook your head.  “Still wondering why you’re considered the mom?”

Steve shot you a wry look, no heat in his eyes.  You were already beginning to doze off, the better pain meds doing their thing – thanks to Dr. Owens. 

With a little shake of his head and fighting a smirk, Steve crouched to kiss your forehead, then your neck.

“Careful, Harrington,” you murmured sleepily.  “Don’t wan’g’my heart rate up.”

“Shush, I’m keeping it steady,” his lips murmured into your jaw.  You hummed in approval, feeling yourself beginning to drift off as his breathing tickled your neck.  Steve whispered that he loved you, and you faintly whispered it back as you fell asleep. 

Unable to contain himself, Steve placed his ear to your chest for a moment — listening to your heartbeat.  He frowned to himself, hearing the sporadic beat.  Thump.  Th-thump, thump.  Thump thump.  His throat started to burn, along with his eyes.  But your fingers gently scratching his head, ceasing as you finally fell asleep, kept his emotions at bay.

Steve reluctantly pulled himself a way, pressing a lingering kiss to your hand before making his way out of your bedroom door.

He jogged downstairs to meet with the adults again, checking on Eddie as he was finishing up with Dr. Owens.  The older man smiled at Steve.

“I gotta say, Harrington.  Your friend’s a natural caretaker.  Could be a nurse one day.”

Robin gave a smug grin.  “See?  I’m not just a band nerd.  Turns out, I’m a real geek.  A medical one, at that.”

Steve smirked back at her.  “Yeah well, hope you like blood and needles and guts.”

“Psh.  After the shit we’ve seen?” Robin scoffed.  “Think I can handle it.” 

“Touché,” Steve nodded.

“Speak for yourself,” Eddie grumbled.  “I never wanna see my own blood ever again.  I feel like a voodoo doll.  Vecna can suck my whole hairy ass.”

“Thaaaank you, Munson,” Robin cringed.  “Love that visual.”

“He can honestly suck mine, too.”

Dr. Owens muttering that was ten times more disturbing than Eddie.  The three teens were awkwardly quiet, aside from Eddie finally chuckling out of pity.  The older man didn’t even notice as he packed up his belongings.

“Alrighty then,” Dr. Owens said politely.  “Best be off.   I’ll be back tonight with the prescription for your lady.”

Steve blushed slightly at that, giving the doc a thankful nod.  

“Keep an eye on her,” Dr. Owen’s said kindly.  “She’ll be alright.  She’s a tough one.  Murray’s got one helluva soldier for a niece.”

“She’s bad to the bone,” Eddie reveled.

“Made of steel,” Steve agreed, fondly and voice soft.  But he nibbled at his lip, mind elsewhere.  He was still worried, and the doctor could tell.

“Just make sure she stays horizontal and lets those ribs heal.  That’ll do her heart some good.  And don’t fret.  I’ve seen way worse.”

Dr. Owens’ gave a firm pat and squeeze to Steve’s shoulder, hoping it would give him plenty of assurance. Steve gave him a quick, tight-lipped grin, pretending it helped.  Robin looked at her best friend worriedly. 

With that, Dr. Owen’s made his way out.  Hopper met him at the doorway, walking out with him.

“STEVE, WHERE’S THE PUDDING?”

Dustin’s sudden shouts from the kitchen made everyone jump.

“Jesus H. Christ —” Eddie hissed, clutching his heart.

“Henderson,” Steve exhaled, raking a hand through his hair as he turned to march towards the kitchen.  “I swear to god.”

“Lemme handle it,” Eddie huffs.  “Yo, BUTT MUNCH.  WE JUST HAD BREAKFAST.”

Stepdad of the year.

Steve would normally wave off the offered help, being the assigned mother of the group.  But even as the kids all made noise with Eddie, he found himself just…letting him take care of it.  He needed a break.  Needed to think.

“Steve, Joyce is asking where the keys to the basement breaker are,” Erica was asking him as she rounded the corner.

Steve blinked, nodding and wrapping his head around the request.  But Robin stepped in, sensing his internal overwhelm.

“I’ll get them,” she told Erica, shooting a quick look at Steve.  “Kitchen drawer, yeah?”

He nodded, sighing with relief.  Robin made her way there with Erica, and Steve took that as a chance at escape.  He could feel his chest tightening, breathing constricting a bit.  Yikes, he needed some air.  But that wasn’t an option either.  Best bet was the nearest empty room.  Max’s room was closer than his.  Steve quickly bound the stairs, pinching his nose and slipping into the room quietly — needing a moment, just a moment.

El walked out of the hallway restroom, right after Steve had closed the door.  She made for the stairs, heading down to find Hopper.  When he walked back inside from his chat with Dr. Owens, the two of them made for the basement — telling the kids to follow, while Robin told Lucas she would handle replenishing Max’s feeding tube upstairs.  She knew how to, since Dr. Owens had given strict intrusions to not only the adults but also to her.  She, along with you and Steve, knew how to handle it thoroughly.  Robin found herself oddly keen on helping people with the medical stuff.  It gave her a newfound sense of purpose.  She headed upstairs, pep in her step — who knows?  Maybe she’d found her calling, she wondered to herself.

She opened Max’s door, freezing when she found Steve on the other side of it.  Her heart sank.

Her best friend stood leaning against the wall to the right of the door frame — facing Max’s bed.  His face was scrunched, pained.  

“Steve…” Robin murmured, heartbroken.  She quickly shut the door, locking it and placing a hand on his shoulder.  The sight of a tear-track on his face, glistening in the gloomy natural light of the room, made her frown.

Steve looked at her for all of a millisecond, feeling caught but unable to stop now.  His emotions were definitely catching up with him, and Robin wasn’t surprised — given just how long he’d been keeping shit in.  She’d known for a while now: Steve Harrington needed a good, long fucking cry.  She watched him pinch the bridge of his nose, his pretty face crumpling even more and shoulders shaking as he bit down on his lip hard. 

“Steve, hey, it’s just me,” she whispered kindly, hugging and rubbing his shoulders while resting her chin there.  He kept as much noise trapped inside of his throat as possible, mainly just letting it all come out through a quiet flow of steady tears as he stood tensely.  He gratefully clasped onto one of Robin’s hands — with the one hand he wasn’t holding to the bridge of his nose with, willing the tears to stop.

“You’re really overdue for this,” Robin nudged him gently, squishing her cheek deeper into the curve of his shoulder.  “Seriously, I’ve been wondering when the hell you were gonna let it all out…”

Steve coughed on what seemed to be half a laugh, half a sob.  He was frustrated with himself.  With everything.  Your heart is failing you now and maybe forever.  Max is still in a coma.  His loved ones are all in danger.  His kids can’t catch a break.  His parents left.  Hawkins is basically dead.  And the upside down just gets closer, no matter how many gates they’ve closed over the last 3 years.

SO YEAH.  Robin was right.  Steve needed to fucking cry.

She stood there with him for a little while, letting her presence comfort him and not pushing.  Steve really did hit the jackpot with her in the best friend department.

“Sometimes, I wonder if she’s still there.”

Steve’s voice was thick, low and vibrating the room.  Robin knew who he meant, following his gaze.  Max.

Robin hummed.  “Trust me.  That little firecracker is very much alive and can’t wait to tear into all of us with her redheaded temper and sarcastic wit.”

If Robin had been looking at him, she would have seen the corner of Steve’s lips quirk up briefly in amusement.  She was right, of course.

“Think she knows?” Robin asks softly, still leaning onto Steve.  “About…anything?”

She felt Steve take a deep breath, exhaling deeply as he rubbed his face.  “M’not sure,” he murmurs, thoughts grim.  “Honestly, I hope not.  That’d mean she’s still trapped in there.  Somewhere dark.  Vile, and awful.”

Robin shuddered at that, hating the thought.  She decided to ask something different.  Lighter.

“Think she knew you were head over heels for a girl you swore you couldn’t stand?”  She turned her head on Harrington’s shoulder so that she was looking up at him with teasing eyes and a wiggling brow.  “Vowed to hate, forever and always, cross your heart and hope to die?”

Steve shook his head, beginning to grin.  He looked at Max the whole time while doing so, imagining his little sister/daughter figure giving him hell for falling for you but completely loving it.  Because while he knew that Max loved him — that little shit loved the hell out of you.

Steve’s frown suddenly returned, face crumpling all over again.  It broke Robin’s heart as she watched fresh tears fill his eyes, which he trapped from falling by quickly scrunching his eyes shut again and digging the heels of his palms into them.  It made Robin want to bawl.  But she held it together for Steve’s sake, lifting her head to turn and hug him tight.  She shushed him softly, desperate to calm him.  Comfort him, assure him.

Steve sunk his teeth into his bottom lip, forbidding his cries to make noise.  He couldn’t.  Not right now.  He could scream into a pillow later.  Right now, he just let Robin hold him until he got it together again.

Eventually, Steve pulled back — swiping at his eyes and nose, sniffing hard.  Robin looked at him sadly, rubbing his arms and letting him steady his breathing.

“Jesus, Robin, a heart arrhythmia…”

Robin had a feeling that was what was weighing heavily on Steve’s mind.  You, and your newly failing heart.  It made her upset, too.  Deeply upset.  It worried her sick.  But she couldn’t let Steve sense that.  Not right now.  She needed to be there for him — and by extension, you.

“We’re gonna steady it, Steve,” Robin promised, voice low but fierce.

Steve shuddered a sigh, eyes downcast and mind racing as he carded his fingers through his hair.  “It’s the end of the fucking world and all our heart rates are already on edge as it is —”

“So we keep her here,” Robin interrupted, gently.  “Out of harm’s way, as best we can.  We don’t let her put herself in a position to freak out.”  She paused, thinking.  “Yknow, come to think of it, Bauman’s probably the coolest outta all of us big kids.  Pretty sure that chick has freaked out the least.”

Steve rolled his eyes fondly.  Oh, you.  “Yeah, because she’s a fucking sociopath like her uncle.”

Robin genuinely laughed at that, unable to help it.  Steve smiled, too.  But a few tears met the smile and the breathy laugh he let out.  Robin thumbed them away sweetly.

“She’s great,” Robin told him.  “Really great.  Stupid great.  Maybe my favorite lady I’ve had the pleasure of meeting.  Aside from Vicki.”

Steve sniffed.  “You tryna steal my girl?”

Robin cocked an eyebrow, happy to hear him teasing.  Good, it’s working.  “Oh, so she is your girl now, huh?  Exclusive, off-limits?”

Steve bit back a big, bashful smile — looking at her almost shyly and nudging her foot with his shoe.  He turned to look at Max, nodding in her direction.

“Think she’d approve?”

Robin looked at the sleeping girl, too.  She smiled sadly.  “Depends.  Of you two as a pair?  Yeah.  You’re mom and dad.  As far as she’s concerned, neither one of you has anyone else out there deserving of you both.  So I’d assume she feels you guys deserve each other more than anyone else deserves either of ya.”

Steve actually smiled at that, eyes sparkling as he looked at Max.  He took a minute to take in her still form, thinking back to when he first met her with the kids.  She was a badass.  You’d have thought she’d been fighting monsters all her life.  She actually took better to the whole upside down shit than he had, whenever he went over to Jonathan Byers’ house to apologize then got roped into all the madness.  He had to give it to her: Max was hardcore.

“I really need this shithead to wake up,” Steve chuckled humorlessly.

Robin did, too, squeezing his arm as she shook her head at Max’s sleeping face hooked up to a breathing tube.  “When she does…it’ll be a helluva reunion.”

Steve liked that.  When.

“And whennn your girl gets her strength back,” Robin continued, “along with her ribs back in tact, you know…given you, Byers and Munson took her to pound town…”

Steve made a face.  “Gross.  Don’t say that, no.”

“Damn, Harrington, get your head outta the gutter,” Robin popped her hip into Steve’s side.  “Even when I’m being serious, talking about resuscitation — not sex…you’re still jealous…at a hypothetical.”

Steve gave her a wry look, but then placed his cheek on top of her head as he looked at Max.

“As I was saying…” Robin murmured, a smile in her voice.  “When your girl is back up to speed, she will give you all the heart attacks to make up for it.  You won’t be able to stand her guts but you’ll be so in love with her it won’t matter.  And then Max will wake up…give you two shit for it…then be a mess of joy because the two babysitters turned enemies have suddenly become lovers.”  Robin paused, smiling to herself.  “And I’ll be the happiest, proudest, most sappy-go-lucky best friend in the world.”

Steve breathed a sigh at that, content.  It brought him peace in this moment — the idea of you, perfectly fine and all in one piece.  The idea of his kid waking up, her memory still intact along with her sarcasm and quick wit.  The idea of his best friend being so happy to see him so happy.

He threw an arm around her, and the two best friends just stood there for another several moments to revel in the quiet of it all — allowing themselves to dream.  Allowing themselves to believe.

***

Meanwhile, Eddie definitely did not feel guilty for having eaten the last 3 puddings that Henderson had selfishly stashed for himself.  Little bro’s just gonna have to cope, he thought to himself as he jogged up the stairs.  

He almost broke into song, Master of Puppets rambling on inside his head -- but stopped himself when he heard voices.  Tense voices. 

Eddie’s pace came to a slow, and he became not only more aware of his steps — but the voices, too.  Where they were coming from…to whom they belonged…

"So he was then. He was going to break up with me."

"Listen, I...I realllllllly don't wanna...speak outta term here..."

Only one guy under this roof talked that slowly, and only one lady under this roof spoke with that crisply.

Argyle and Nancy.

"Look, just -- tell me exactly what he said."

"That is what he said, man, I swear..."

Eddie could hear Nancy huffing exasperatedly. For a rich family, Steve's parents' house had some really cheap, thin doors...

He crept closer, still standing a few paces down. Just in case he needed to bolt, should someone catch him listening in -- or in case one of the two speaking on the other side of the door barged out of the room. Eddie listened, his senses on high alert and his curiosity burning.

"Then he was going to break up with me -- God, I knew it. I just knew it!"

Wait, Eddie thought. Jonathan was going to break up with her...? And Argyle knew...? But then...wait, then how did Nancy...?

"Look, Nancy," Argyle was sighing, sounding pretty worried despite his usual lackadaisical tone. "He didn't want to, alright? I'm a bro. I know when a brother's down bad, he was just freaking himself out, you know -- because of where you wanna go to college...where he wants to go to college..."

"Oh, that is so NOT an excuse."

"Which is whyyy I told him to talk to you --"

"Then why didn't he. Huh? Why didn't he??"

Eddie gulped. He could hear the genuine hurt and betrayal in Nancy's voice. Sheez, Byers was in for one helluva fight...

"Honestly, I'm asking myself that too, Nancy," Argyle was huffing this out, matching her energy. Even he sounded exasperated with his best bro. "But I'm also remembering that...like...that creepy Vecna dude kinda threw off everybody's groove. I mean -- I came to pick them up from the house and it was all getting shot up and stuff, liiiike...shit kinda hit the fan...you know...?"

"That's...still, that's not..."

"Annnnd you guys were all caught up in the shit going down back in Hawkins, man...you know? Chrissy, and...that coworker of yours, annnnd...that other random dude who hung out with... shiiiit, what was his name...? Jake...?"

"Jason," Nancy muttered lowly.

"That guy."

"Look -- Argyle." Nancy huffed again, flustered at life but regaining her edge. "Upside down stuff aside, Jonathan still took the time to talk this out with you. Not me, you. For weeks."

There was an awkward pause before Argyle spoke.

"...yeah, that's pretty bad..."

"He could have called. He could have written me. He could've, he could've, he could've. But he didn't."

"Why didn't you tell him that?"

"...what?"

Oh shit, Eddie gulped.

"Whenever we all got back here," Argyle explained. "Back in Hawkins. Why didn't you confront him about it?"

Another awkward silence.

"...I..." Nancy stumbled.

"Why didn't you go up to him, call his ass out, and call him out for not talking to you?" Argyle was suddenly sounding pretty sure of himself. It was out now character for him. Oddly? It suited him.

"I...I..."

Meanwhile, Nancy was uncharacteristically not sounding sure of herself.

Argyle gained speed.

"Think about it! You say you knew something was off...you say he was giving you mixed signals...you say he got back and suddenly acted like everything was fine, but that you sensed things still were not fine...so then why let it go? Why not tell him yourself? You're a loud woman."

"Whoa, what?" Nancy stuttered.

"You are!!! That's a compliment! You're loud and proud. You wear the damn pants. You have a gun collection. You don't hold back, even if you don't say fully what it is that you mean. Your poker face is shit."

"Argyle...!"

"You've been avoiding it too, Nancy," Argyle cut her off.

At this point, Eddie was frozen as he listened. Damn. When did Argyle become a therapist?

Clearly, Nancy was asking herself the same thing. Because it was quiet. Severely quiet.

Eddie started tracing shapes into the carpet with his mind while he stared at the ground, waiting to hear more dialogue. But it was crickets.

Finally, he heard Argyle sighing deeply. "Maybe if you both just...I dunno, man...listened to each other. Like...heard one another. You both just keep using whatever it is that you ask each other to like...one up each other...and it doesn't get either of you anywhere, man... Just hear each other out."

A tap on Eddie's shoulder made him flinch back, nearly jumping out of his skin. He whipped around to see Robin, staring at him with wide eyes. She held a finger to her lips.

Eddie couldn't believe that he managed to keep the scream trapped inside of him. He sagged with relief, heart pounding and silently pantomiming strangling her. Don't scare me like that. Her head bobbed back and forth as he shook her by the shoulders, and together they realized that they were both in on the secret:

Nancy and Jonathan are not alright.

Together, they softly crept down the hallway into Steve's bedroom. As Robin closed the door, Eddie whirled around to speak in a hissed whisper.

"Holy shit, what the fuck, this is like a soap opera --"

"Shhhhh," Robin hissed back, swatting at him to keep quiet.

"I'm literally whispering."

"And spitting."

"Sorry."

They continued whispering through gritted teeth, relieved to have each other to confide in. Eddie and Robin were beginning to feel like the zany aunt and uncle of the group who knew too much about everything going on around the house. It bonded them for sure. They knew about you and Steve, which also became a topic of whispered conversation right now as they sat cross-legged on the floor of Steve's bedroom.

"Sorry, but can we talk about how off we were trying to push Wheeler back on Harrington?" Eddie's eyebrows were raised practically to the top of his hairline.

Robin scoffed at themselves, shaking her head. "I'll say..."

"It was right there under our noses and we just..." Eddie moved his hand in a straight line, "...breeeeezed onnnnn past it."

"Yeah, but honestly?" Robin whispered eagerly. "I thought Bauman hit a sore spot that could never be repaired. Steve seriously was in love with Nancy. Like, really in love."

Eddie chuckled lowly, shaking his head. "Trust me. I said the same thing. To his face directly, while we were in the upside down. Told him that what Wheeler did -- diving into the lake after him -- was the most unambiguous sign of true love I'd ever seen in my life." He paused, thinking. "But what I failed to realize was that...it was Bauman who freaking lunged for him first on the boat. And the way he clung to her hand, despite also looking mad at her for doing that --"

Eddie was reliving the memory, realizing something. Robin was, too.

"He was mad that she put her life on the line," Robin nodded along, slowly stitching together his thoughts.

"But it was just so fast," Eddie pointed out as he agreed. "Literally, one moment Harrington's back to the surface, getting ready to hop back on the boat. Next, he's being tugged down by that -- that thing... And Bauman just -- lunged for him. And he grabbed her hand, but the look he shot her?... It was so...conflicted..."

Robbin nodded, swallowing hard. "Like he grabbed her hand back gratefully, but also hated what she'd just done to herself by putting her life on the line."

"Which is whyyyy," Eddie continued, figuring it all out. "Whenever she got dragged underneath with him, and the two of them went at it -- bickering like crazy when we all got down there with 'em and fought off the bats...he was so mad at her. And she was mad that he was mad."

Robin scoffed a laugh, pace palming. "And all we saw was Nancy diving in after him --"

"After Bauman already beat her to it," Eddie muffled into his palms. “Duuuuude, they’re so in love. Been love. Unambiguously in love.”

"We are idiots," Robin giggled, face palming.

"Not as big as they are, though," Eddie corrected, snorting. They both snickered like big kids into their hands, trying to keep quiet.

Eddie finally sighed, thinking fondly. "Those two are actually stupid fucking adorable."

Robin smiled wistfully. "Yeah. Yeah, they are." She bit her lip, thinking. "Honestly, I've...I've never seen Steve this torn up."

She told Eddie how worried she was for her best friend. How worried she was for you. How desperately she wished that all of this would go away. How she prayed that Max would wake up, and that Vecna would choke on his own guts and that the upside down would cease to exist.

Eddie nodded, eyes solemn as he gnawed on his cheek. "I wish I could've known Chrissy better."

Robin's brows pinched together. She could see the genuine remorse -- maybe even regret -- in Eddie's eyes. Had there been...feelings there...?

"Wish that I'd..." Eddie mumbled, eyes on the ground searching for the words. "That I'd just...I don't know. Tried to notice, or care about something other than living in my own world all the time."

Robin gave his hand a squeeze, shooting him a synaptic tight-lipped smile. Eddie squeezed her hand back, gratefully.

"You're doing that now," Robin reminded him softly. "Chrissy sees that."

Eddie looked at her, his eyes going glassy. He looked like a sweet puppy when he got emotional. Robin noted just how wholesome that was as she placed her other hand on top of theirs.

"We seriously need to kill this son of a bitch," Eddie whispered, angered anguish briefly flashing in his dark eyes.

Robin nodded fiercely. "We will."

They took a few moments to just be in silence, letting it all land.

A light knock at the door broke through the tranquility of the silence, concluding the tender moment. Eddie and Robin looked at Steve's bedroom door, taking a second before Robin rose to answer it. Eddie figured that was best, given she is the platonic soulmate of the room's owner.

Neither of them were sure what to expect exactly, as far as who was on the other side of the door. Robin half expected it to be Steve himself. Eddie's expectations looked a lot like one of the kids.

So when they saw Jonathan standing on the other side, that made them all go stiff.

He still looked awful. Eyes rimmed red from exhaustion, a little bloodshot. His hair was messy, not sure how to sit on his head. These days, Jonathan looked haggard. While he was never the pretty-boy type, Jonathan was always good looking in a moody, brooding sort of way. The unconventionally attractive type. Lately? He just looked worn down, tired and a little bit like a bum. Definitely not the type of guy you would expect Nancy Wheeler to be going steady with, given how polished and precise she is. Opposites attract, but at this rate the two of them were becoming contrasts of one another.

"Hey," Jonathan said softly, timidly. He looked caught, but so did Robin and Eddie as he looked at both of them.

"Hey," they awkwardly repeated.

After a long, awkward, pregnant pause, Jonathan finally cleared his throat and gave his legs a little pat -- as if that might help break the tension.

"Is uhh, is Steve here?"

Robin shook her head. "No, he's with Bauman. I told him to go take a nap, since Dr. Owens got her so early and I know he's not sleeping."

Jonathan's eyes softened, looking sympathetic and giving her a light nod. He scratched his neck. Eddie clocked some weird sort of guilty glint in his eye. Like something was really on his mind and he needed to get it off his chest. There was almost an anxious twitch to him.

Eddie began to realize that he knew what this was about. About why Jonathan was looking for Steve, and why he looked so glum. So anxious.

Because Eddie was there that day. When you fell. When you died. When Jonathan tried to step in and bring you back, before Steve was finally able to step in. Eddie was there, watching it all happen. He watched Steve fall apart, fraying at the seams. He watched Jonathan exhaust himself with the attempted CPR. He watched how it completely exerted him, no doubt thanks to the lack of decent nutrition and lung damage that was due to the purple palm tree delight. That had to have to have set Jonathan's lungs on fire, as he desperately tried pumping air back into your lungs. Eddie had watched Jonathan lean back, only for Steve to verbally tear into him.

DON'T YOU DARE FUCKING STOP.

IT'S NOT WORKING, IT'S TOO LATE.

NONE OF US GAVE UP ON YOUR BROTHER. FUCK YOU, BYERS. FUCK YOU.

The storm of words between Harrington and Byers was no doubt long overdue. That was evident with every single word that Steve spat at Jonathan, and every word that Jonathan bitterly wept. Both men had shrieked at each other, shrill and angry and hurt.

Eddie had watched as they both went at it, Steve lashing out and Jonathan feebly fighting back. He might not have been close with them in high school. He might have run in completely different circles than them. He might not have known anything about the two of them, or what sort of crucial role they played in each other's lives, or how the upside down not only existed but also forced them to merge worlds. But fast forward to yesterday, when you were dead at everyone's feet and no one knew if they would save you -- Eddie saw 3 years of unspoken words go flying between Steve and Jonathan. He watched it all unfold, ugly and loud and anguished.

Because while Steve might have found some sort of silent (albeit avoidant) peace that he inwardly had made with Jonathan Byers, his bitterness was still there. Festering, festering, festering...never truly unloading itself whenever he projected onto you.

Because you hadn't taken Nancy away. Jonathan had.

Maybe that's partly why Steve got so livid with Jonathan. Because he could now. Now that you were gone, or so they'd thought, he had no choice but to scream at Jonathan. To finally let him have it.

FUCK YOU BYERS. FUCK YOU.

Steve had screamed that in Jonathan's face, voice wrecked from angry tears and shrieks of pure fear. It was fucking personal.

And Jonathan had taken it. Like he deserved it. Because maybe a part of him did. Maybe, just maybe, a big part of him did. Not because he wasn't a decent guy. Hell no, Byers was a great dude. He had just...lost his way. And that was fine. But really, he wasn't as present as usual -- given his more frequently ~high~ state, and his newfound friendship with Argyle. That wasn't a bad thing. It just...changed things.

Eddie had watched Byers go from the super observant, introverted wallflower to a nonchalant, low-key absent-minded, slightly lazy guy. Not nearly as driven as before. Not that he was ever this super academic, wildly driven type to begin with. Still, there had been something more to Byers prior to now. Something alive. Lately? Byers looked like he was simply surviving. Doing just a bit more than the bare minimum to get by.

Meanwhile, Steve had grown exponentially. He'd gone from being an entitled, snobbish rich kid who made C's and D's to a street-smart hero who knew how to protect and care for both kids and his friends, along with being trusted by the adults involved in all of these terrifying circumstances. He wasn't the teacher's pet growing up, but he certainly was the favorite now. He was Steve Harrington: bad boy turned supermom/superboy. He wasn't quite superman. He'd lost the girl, because Lois Lane had chosen Bruce Wayne over him. But along the way, he'd unexpectedly fallen for Gotham City's badass princess who floated under the radar until she found her way into the circle of Hawkins Heroes -- the upside down underdogs. Steve was strong, he was loyal and he was true.

So that afternoon next to the electric fence, those two men were having a 3-year standoff without even truly acknowledging it. It was bound to blow up in their faces at some point. And you had been the catalyst.

Eddie took all of that in by looking at Jonathan Byers as he stood in Steve Harrington's doorway, looking into the eyes of the former jock's best friend and his new unexpected friend of a metalhead.

"When he's up...I need to speak with him."

Jonathan's voice shook a bit, nervously. But he made eye contact with both Robin and Eddie. His eyes were sincere, remorseful and eager. "Please."

***

:) thank u all for reading. thoughts on this chapter? guesses as to what might go down? TAGLIST: @xprloki @erastourvip  @get0ut0fmyr00m @Eddiemuns0nl0ver @marrowfrog00  @poppet05 @wiltedflowersundertowers  Originalthingparadise Pleuviors pumpkinonice Ihaveproblemsihaveproblems Brinleighsstuff Definitelynotherr sucker-4-angst notlilyyyy

[roanofarcc]

PROJECT SUNSHINE

the complete masterlist or read on Ao3

stranger things season 1-5. a steve harrington x hawkins lab!oc

when another product of Hawkins National Laboratory finds herself fleeing from a long survived nightmare, she crashes into the life of one unsuspecting teenage boy. together, they are dragged into the dark mysteries that begin to consume the small town of Hawkins, Indiana.

SEASON ONE. the lost children of Hawkins, Indiana

ONE. - TWO. - THREE. - FOUR. - FIVE.

SIX. - SEVEN. - EIGHT. - NINE. - TEN.

ELEVEN. - TWELVE. - THIRTEEN. - FOURTEEN.

FIFTEEN. - SIXTEEN. - SEVENTEEN.

SEASON TWO. the return

EIGHTEEN. - NINETEEN. - TWENTY.

TWENTY-ONE. TWENTY-TWO. - TWENTY-THREE.

TWENTY-FOUR. - TWENTY-FIVE. - TWENTY-SIX.

TWENTY-SEVEN. - TWENTY-EIGHT. - TWENTY-NINE.

THIRTY. - THIRTY-ONE. - THIRTY-TWO.

THIRTY-THREE. - THIRTY-FOUR. - THIRTY-FIVE.

THIRTY-SIX. - THIRTY-SEVEN.

SEASON THREE. the cruel summer

THIRTY-EIGHT. - THIRTY-NINE. - FORTY.

FORTY-ONE. - FORTY-TWO. - FORTY-THREE.

FORTY-FOUR. - FORTY-FIVE. - FORTY-SIX.

FORTY-SEVEN. - FORTY-EIGHT. - FORTY-NINE.

FIFTY. - FIFTY-ONE. - FIFTY-TWO.

FIFTY-THREE. - FIFTY-FOUR. - FIFTY-FIVE.

FIFTY-SIX. - FIFTY-SEVEN. - FIFTY-EIGHT. - FIFTY-NINE.

SEASON FOUR. the deal with god

SIXTY. - SIXTY-ONE. - SIXTY-TWO.

SIXTY-THREE. - SIXTY-FOUR - SIXTY-FIVE

SIXTY-SIX - SIXTY-SEVEN - SIXTY-EIGHT

SEASON FIVE. the end

coming soon...

[troubledwordsofatroubledmind]

[alexisaflop]

Wait On Your Song - Steve Harrington x Henderson! reader

Chapter 10: Mad Max

Welcome to Season 2! You and Dustin meet the new kids in town and Steve owes you a favour.

Warnings: mild harrassment (Billy is an ass), use of Y/N

MASTERLIST

It's the week of Halloween. You're settled on the sofa with Mews watching Rocky Horror Picture Show. The smell of your rocky road is wafting over from the oven. "Son of a bitch!" Dustin bursts in. "Dude, shut up," you gesture at the TV. He starts scrounging around for coins to take to the arcade. You roll your eyes but ignore him until he makes you move from your spot. "Seriously?" "Please?" "Fine," you grumble and let him dig around the cushions. "Jackpot!" "Thank you," you swipe some coins from his hand and smirk. "Hey!" "I give you enough lifts to the arcade, plus you made me move." He glares at you, but is clearly in too much of a hurry to argue. He yells goodbye before slamming the door behind him. The rest of your evening is chocolatey marshmallow goodness and Mews snuggled in your lap. When Dustin gets home, you're about to start going to bed. "Have fun?" you ask. Dustin was frowning, "someone beat my DigDug high score." "DigDug? Wow that must sting. Who was it?" "Someone called MadMax. None of us know a Max." "Me neither."

The next day at school you keep an ear out for a new person called Max. But you forget about that pretty quickly when Nancy doesn't show up for homeroom. You know it's not a lesson, but it is the most boring twenty minutes of your day which Nancy had begun skipping pretty often. Luckily for you, Robin still turned up. Unluckily for you she did enjoy pointing out how you had told her over the summer that Steve and Nancy wouldn't last. And now they were ditching class to spend time together. Steve skipping, sure whatever. But Nancy Wheeler skiving? - "she must really love him," Robin had said in a frustrating sing-song voice.

You don't meet anyone new called Max but there is a new guy. Billy. And it wouldn't surprise you if he wanted to be called MadMax based on his stupid driving and obvious anger management issues. On your way out of first period, someone does't hold the door open for him. He gives them a sickly-sweet smile which clashes with the burning in his eyes. He leans down and whispers something to the guy. Whatever it is, it can't be nice. His eyes eat into your skin as he walks past you. Your skin crawls.

On your way outside from getting lunch, you get the misfortune of seeing him again. You're alone. Nancy isn't here (journalism club) and you don't want to go deaf in the lunch hall. You hold the door open for him, and his eyes linger horribly on you. They drift from your face to your chest, to your legs and then back up again. You head defiantly to the benches you'd been planning on sitting at. He's still behind you, not too close. But definitely not far away enough. He had been going the other way through the door, but he'd obviously changed his mind to follow you. Your heart pounds. "What's your name, sweetheart?" You stop at the benches but don't choose one to sit at. "At least be a gentleman and tell me yours first." He looks surprised that you responded, but continues walking closer. Instantly, you regret saying anything. He smells like sweat, "The names Billy, but what do I call you." You hate that you take a step back. He closes the gap. He's bigger than you and you're only armed with lunch. "Hey, I was hoping to find you, what are you doing out here it's freezing?" a familiar hand rests on your shoulder. Steve. "Yeah actually, I changed my mind, let's go inside," you agree. You lead the way into one of the smaller classroom blocks, "pleasure to meet you, Billy," you say over your shoulder. "Thank God you turned up, I was getting ready to throw my water bottle at him."

Once you're out of Billy's earshot you ask, "so, were you really looking for me?" "Yeah, I need to ask you a favour." "Well, you just did me one. So I'm happy to return it. What's up?" "It's my college essay. Nancy took a look at it earlier, she told me what was wrong with it, but…" "But not how to fix it?" you ask, before mumbling, "Sounds like her at the moment." Steve frowns, "she's doing her best Y/N." "Whatever, just show me the essay." To be fair to Nancy, the whole thing needs a rewrite, but, "when do you need this done by?" "Early admission is tomorrow." And there's the catch. The ideas behind the essay were there, but the structure was terrible. It was like he'd done an excellent brainstorm, but then just let the storm do its own thing and tornado around the page. When you told Steve this he says, "and why do you think I've come to you? You just described my failed attempt with a metaphor." You think about it for a minute, then you flip the piece of paper over, "Okay, well the sports metaphor at the start is a good idea. So keep that as your opener, with the basketball. Then use that to spring off into other sports you've done; other responsibilities too like lifeguarding and swim coaching and so on." "So saving the world last year?" "If you're thinking about studying at the prestigious Mental College then yeah. Anyway, then you can round it off with your pride in your work which you've inherited from your grandad who fought in the war and your dad who is very successful. Don't go on about your grandad and dad do too much, okay? The point is that you want to be like them when you grow up. That you have matured into someone intelligent and hardworking during your school years and you want to bring that to whatever college you're going to." He scribbles down what you've said around the margins, "thank you. Now I just have to write this and make it perfect overnight." He ran a hand through his hair, then folded and pocketed the paper. "Steve, just get it written by tonight, then come round mine and I'll make it perfect." "You don't have to do that." "It was my stupid-self that talked you into this sports application so now I better see it through." "Thanks for helping me whilst Nance is too busy." You shrug. You almost pity him. His dad is pressuring him to go to college but either can't or won't help him with the application. Nancy needs him around for support at Barb's tonight but won't help him finish it either? "It's fine." "To be honest, we kind of fought about it," he's looking at you uncertainly. You realise he doesn't have anyone else to talk about this with, "I know she thinks I'm dumb. Sometimes I don't know what she sees in me. I offered to stay here next year so I could be around for her senior year. I'm not sure she even cared." You aren't sure what to say. Ever since she started dating Steve, Nancy was like a different person. It had been pretty clear from day one that her romantic relationship meant more to her than your friendship. Over the past year, you had mostly accepted that. But now, Steve, the one who was being prioritised admits that she might not even care about him. You were starting to run out of energy for second-guessing her, and Steve, and Jonathan's, and, well, anyone's true intentions. But Steve is standing right there with his imploring eyes, and you can't help but feel bad for him. "I'm sure she cared, it's just. It's your future, you know? She probably doesn't want to influence you too much one way or the other." "Thanks Y/N. Some days I don't know what I'm thinking," you both know he's not convinced. "Love historically has connections with madness," you say, trying to joke and failing miserably. "Gee, thanks," he says but he smiles at you as he walks away.

You finally see Nancy on your way out of your penultimate class. You and Jonathan are continuing the discussion of the English Literature class when she crashes into you both, "you two are coming to this." You'd not seen her this excited or authoritative in ages. She must be feeling better - I wonder if it's because of dear Jonathan here? "Get sheet faced," said Jonathan incredulously. "Who's Tina?" you whisper in case she's nearby. "Come on, it'll be fun." You thought of the last time she'd insisted on taking you to a party. Dammit. The thought of that failed party meant you couldn't abandon her to go alone. Not that you were much help for Barb said the annoying voice in the back of your head. "I missed you," Steve's voice cuts through your thoughts. You and Jonathan share a perturbed look, "it's been like an hour." "Tell me about it," he's grinning but his eyes are blocked out by sunglasses. You wonder vaguely what he's been doing for the last hour, if he's thought about what you said. Then the two of them start making out. This was a more recent development from the start of the school year. What had previously been incessant bickering, had developed into make-out sessions so they couldn't piss the other one off too much. You don't think Nancy really thought of it as odd, in fact, she seemed to see it as a viable solution. Especially with someone like Steve who goes with whatever she wanted. But, Steve, he's not as stupid as he looks. You can tell he knows that her heart isn't in it. Nancy still isn't acting herself, and, after your lunchtim conversation, you're wondering how long he's going to wait for her to start taking him seriously again. You rolled your eyes and walked off with Jonathan. "I'm not going to this," Jonathan waves the flyer. "So you're gonna ditch me with the two of them? Please do not do that to me, man." "Only if you don't get sheet-faced." "Deal."

"Dude! You were spying? On a girl? Who you don't know?" it's been a while since you have been this pissed off with your brother. It reminds you of Billy earlier that day. Dustin complains he didn't do anything wrong. All it does is make you wonder if Billy thought what he did earlier was okay. "Just don't be like that. I'm glad this Max had the courage to stand up for herself against you guys watching her." "I just want to be her friend." "Then talk to her like a normal person. Ask her about DigDug, she'd probably be happy to know who's high score she's beaten." Dustin groans, "okay, you're right, I'm sorry." There's a knock at the door, "That's Lucas we're going to the arcade." "Just be nice, I taught you better than that!" you call after him.

You spend the next few hours enjoying having the house to yourself. You play your music, make snacks, and play with Mews. A knock at the door interrupts you. "Were you singing?" it's Steve. You can't help but blush slightly and attempt to change the subject, "how was your date?" "I think you sounded nice." There's a slightly awkward pause. Okay, very awkward pause. You invite him in, and feel remarkably like an adult and over serious. What happened to having friends round who ran in, kicked their shoes off, and off you go to hang out? "So seriously, how did it go? I always feel awful skipping those dinners, but I just can't. I think Nancy thinks I was working tonight. Really, I should…" your rambling trails off at Steve's face. Something's wrong. "They're selling the house." "Well, I'm not surprised, there must be so many memories there," you wait for the bad part. "That's not why. They're, uh, hiring an investigator, to find Barb." You think you might throw up, "shit." "I know," Steve says, "and there's not really a way we can tell them, y'know." The tired way he says it gives you the feeling he has already had to convince Nancy of this. So, you nod, "it still sucks. We started the dinners so we could be there for the Hollands whilst they accept that Barb's dead. I guess we never thought they'd think she was alive for so long." Your voice cracks as you finish your sentence. Would you give up on your kid? You shake the thoughts from your head, "Okay Harrington, let's turn your essay into perfection." He joins you at the table. Its odd having him here. You can feel him sneaking glances at the house. The half eaten rocky road straight from the tray, the VHS you haven't put away yet. Mews eyes him uncertainly from the back of the sofa. A car pulls up at the end of your drive. "That'll be my mom," you say, "she won't bother us if we're working." True to your word, when your mom walks in and sees you're working on something school related she just tells you to keep it down and that she's going to bed. You wonder if she notices that the two of you are sitting awkwardly apart from one another, both having to lean in to reach the single page on the table. "Thanks Ms Henderson," you'd never heard Steve's voice so polite. It's not clear what he changes. His ability to switch between personas like that makes you nervous. You raise an eyebrow, more to yourself than him, and say, "okay let's get going, I want to sleep too." The essay actually reads pretty well now that Steve's been writing following your plan, or indeed any plan. You're about half way through the essay already with no major qualms besides some pedantic grammar stuff.

Despite being very proud of my grandfather's courage, and my father's intellect, it's not them I take my inspiration from. It's my friends. They've taught me the different values of hard work, forgiveness, and courage to do the right thing. The only reason I am writing this application is because my friend believed in me enough. From my family, I know how to be brave, but I want to choose to be kind, and to learn more skills from the relationships I will make at your school.

Your pen hovers over that paragraph. You change some sentences to help with the wordcount. Steve's eyes are burning into the side of your face. You remember your thought from earlier. Steve doesn't really have any other friends that aren't you or Nancy right now. The rest of the essay is finished in shock. When you look up at Steve, his eyes keep flickering between you and the page. "What the hell was that?" you didn't expect your voice to come out as a whisper. "You don't like it?" "I just. I guess I just didn't know … how much our friendship meant to you." "I mean it, Y/N, I've not even known you a year, and I you've made me so much stronger a person." I've known you for much longer than a year. I know how to listen out for you in hallways, the sound of your voice. How to hide quickly from you. I've had to learn your fake laughter from your real happiness and sometimes I still don't know where to draw the line. And you still haven't apologised. So how can I have taught you about forgiveness? It's not like he has many other friends to be learning it from. "Yeah, well, you're welcome," you're not sure of what else to say. He stares at you before clearing his throat and looking through your notes again. Mews senses your discomfort and has come to settle on your lap whilst you work. With your spare hand you stroke him whilst, making quick edits, mostly spelling and some grammar. You add some bullshit to his friendship paragraph about learning more soft skills at the school he ends up at. You aren't sure if it cheapens it or not. But eventually, you get to a point where you're both happy. "I owe you big time," Steve's saying as he gets up. "I'll let you know when I want to cash in a favour." He pauses, "you don't believe me do you?" "About what?" "Being real friends." You think about how you met. Why you agreed to be so-called friends in the first place. He still hasn't apologised insists the voice at the back of your head. "It's just," your voice falters, the fake friendship with Steve has been easy to maintain. Not to mention convienient at school. Are you really about to make your life potentially more awkward. He's still looking at you, with what seems like genuine concern. Your voice is quiet and uneven, "It's just you never -" "Steve?" It's Dustin. Crap. "Is just leaving, we just finished our project," you hear your voice switch to a harder, disconnected tone. Steve makes a flourish of the scribbled paper before sliding it into his pocket. "Riiight," Dustin eyes you both suspisciously. "How was the arcade?" "We weren't creepy," he says defensively. Steve shoots you a confused look but you shake your head slightly in response. You walk with him to the door. "Good luck with your application," you hope the message in your voice is clear. Please don't try and talk about it again now. "See you tomorrow, Y/N."

When you turn back to the kitchen, Dustin has a million questions. "Why is Steve here without Nancy?" "I thought you hated him." "What project are you working on?" "Are you friends with him now?" "Does Mom know he was here?" "Did he steal my brownies again?" "Dustin, for the last time, I baked those brownies and hadn't even given them to you yet, so they were mine to give away." "So you admit he had them!" "Good night Dustin."

a/n what is a homeroom no idea but I imagine it like in high school musical (that's how old I am) anyway in the UK we have form time which is the most pointless 20 minutes of school (my school actually doubled it to take up half your lunch too (I guess that tells you enough about my school haha). please let me know if you think the dynamic is working! i am so out of it at the moment with some personal shit and ive kindof forgotten how relationships are supposed to work.

[skyfallslayer]

Should We Stay or Should We Go? || Masterlist

-A ST Rewrite Feat. Steve Harrington x Henderson!OFC-

Main Masterlist || OC Fan Art || Spotify Playlist

🎲Summary: On the night of November 6th, 1983, Stephanie Henderson decided to take her little brother’s friend, Will, back home. However… they never arrive. Now, Dustin, Mike and Lucas, and soon the exception of the girl’s ex-best friend, Steve, must band together to find out what happened. Meanwhile, Steph and Will must fight for their survival in this nightmarish version of Hawkins, Indiana.

🎲Pairings: Will x Platonic!OFC; Dustin x Sister!OC; Slow burn! Steve x Henderson!OFC (Ex-bestfriends to Lovers); Slow burn! Byler

🎲Rating: Teen-Mature

🎲Warnings: At the beginning of each chapter.

🎲Word Count: 127, 137 (So far)

🎲Start Date: 3/6/24

🎲 End Date: N/A

🎲 A/N: No Idea what possessed me to write this, but i saw everyone else doing something similar and I said to myself... "Hey, why not?".

|| INDEX ||

Season One: Complete

TITLE TEASER: HERE

Prologue: The Pinky Promise

Chapter 1: The Vanishing of Will Byers & Stephanie Henderson

Chapter 2: The Weirdo On Maple Street

Chapter 3: Holly, Jolly Shotgun

Chapter 4: The Bodies

Chapter 5: The Flea & The Acrobat - Part 2

Chapter 6: The Monster

Chapter 7: The Bathtub & The Sacrifice

Chapter 8: The Upside Down

Epilogue 1: The Ending...?

Season Two:

TITLE TEASER: HERE

Summary: One Year after the strange disappearance of Will & Stephanie, all their hard work to contain their sanity starts to unravel when something from the Upside Down comes looking for them. Not sure what to do, they turn to their love ones, hoping that they can put a stop to the evil that's spreading and destroying their town once again. Because in the Fall of 1984... everything changes once again.

Chapter 9: MADMAX

Chapter 10: Trick or Treat, Freaks

Chapter 11: The Pollywog

Chapter 12: Will & Steph

Chapter 13: Dig Dug

Chapter 14: The Spy & The Spied

Chapter 15: The King & Queen

Chapter 16: The Mind Flayer's Helper

Chapter 17: The Gate Escape

Epilogue 2: The Do-Over

-Taglist is Open-

@ladygrey03 @poppet05 @tooearlyforthis @lovesfics @lordzzz

@mirkwoodshewolf @sadbitchfangirl @olivewisp

@emsownuniverse @unspecifiedvisitor @smaryamsstuff @kitty49646 @jinxeee @bookkeeperlove @prozacgooble @goth-baby98 @aainr @luca-random-stuff @catradorapotter @bailees-post @dearabby1990 @savage-aespa @aainr @madaboutjoe

[maxnrobin]

Dream & Dread: Entangled with Max

(Max x OFC)

Chapter 1: Scattered Omens

Olivia Vanderbilt had always been the kind of person who stood out. Born into a wealthy East Coast family, she was expected to be the perfect daughter—polished, poised, and obedient. But Olivia had never been drawn to the luxurious life her parents cherished. The elaborate parties, designer clothes, and country club gatherings felt suffocating, like a script she had no interest in following. Olivia had always rejected the expectations placed upon her. She gravitated toward ripped jeans, band tees, and underground music. Her parents disapproved, but she never cared.

Her father, a high-profile investor, had been embroiled in a financial controversy that sent shockwaves through their social circles. The accusations, though never proven, were enough to stain the family name. The scrutiny became unbearable —tabloids ran with speculation, whispers followed them wherever they went. To escape the relentless media attention and avoid complete social ruin, the Vanderbilts quietly relocated to Hawkins in 1979— a town so inconsequential that no one from their old life would think to look for them there. It was meant to be a temporary reprieve, just until the scandal faded, but nothing ever goes as planned. Hawkins, with its quiet streets and working-class families, was the opposite of everything Olivia had known. But in a way, it was a relief. She had never felt at home in the world of penthouses and privilege, and Hawkins, for all its small-town simplicity, offered a kind of freedom she had never experienced before.

Instead of enrolling in an elite private school like she always had, Olivia found herself blending in with the children of factory workers and shop owners. For the first time in her life, she didn’t feel suffocated by expectations. Unlike the world she had left behind, Hawkins didn’t demand perfection. It allowed her to be rough around the edges, to exist without the pressure of maintaining an image. Here, she wasn’t a Vanderbilt heiress—she was just Olivia. And that, more than anything, was what made her feel comfortable. She didn’t have to prove anything to anyone, nor did she have to pretend to be someone she wasn’t. Hawkins felt more like home than any mansion or private school ever had.

Olivia liked to express herself through art, filling sketchbooks with dark, chaotic imagery that remained hers alone. Hawkins, with its weathered buildings and imperfect streets, became an unexpected muse. She found beauty in the worn-out surfaces, in the way the town felt lived-in rather than staged. The flickering neon of the local diner, the rusted-out cars on forgotten roads—these details seeped into her work, raw and unfiltered, a reflection of the unpolished world around her. Unlike the sterile perfection of her old world, it gave her the space to create without pretense. Here, she could embrace imperfection rather than hide from it.

Her love for punk rock wasn’t just about the music—it was about defiance, about creating a space where she could exist unapologetically. The energy of the music resonated with her own restless spirit, a way to channel frustration and embrace her new environment. She was also unapologetically a lesbian. She had known since she was a little girl and it was something she had never tried to hide, even if it made her an easy target in a place like Hawkins. She met the whispers and sideways glances with indifference, refusing to be anything but herself. She refused to shrink herself to fit expectations, embracing boldness as both armor and identity. Confidence wasn’t just a trait; it was a survival skill she had honed over years of refusing to be sidelined. 

With her undeniable presence, Olivia quickly became one of the most recognizable students at Hawkins. Beneath the rebellion and boldness was an intellect that thrived on observation, a mind quick to piece together the unseen details others overlooked. Academics came naturally to her, but she let others believe what they wanted—playing into the image of the effortlessly rebellious rich girl rather than advertising how much she truly understood. Her mind was always at work, dissecting patterns, questioning norms, and seeking out the hidden structures that shaped the world around her. She had a knack for solving problems, for seeing connections where others saw chaos, but she also had a habit of doodling elaborate sketches in her notebook when she should have been taking notes. 

Maxine had caught Olivia’s eye early when she arrived in Hawkins. The first thing Olivia noticed was Max’s striking red hair, a color so vivid it seemed to glow under the sun. Then, there were her piercing blue eyes—sharp, focused, full of something Olivia couldn’t quite name. It wasn’t just that she was beautiful, though no one could deny that part. There was something else, something in the way Max carried herself—tough but distant, guarded yet undeniably magnetic. They were just kids then—thirteen, barely teenagers, but Olivia remembered the moment vividly. She had wanted to talk to her, to befriend her, but Max was hard to pin down, always on her skateboard, looking like she had somewhere better to be.

At first, Olivia tried. She would drop casual remarks, throw a joke Max’s way, even sit near her in class, but Max never gave her much to work with. It wasn’t that she was rude—just uninterested, as if she had already decided Olivia wasn’t someone she needed in her life. Maybe it was Olivia’s loudness, her tendency to take up space. Maybe it was her reputation. Maybe it was something else entirely. Whatever the reason, Olivia eventually stopped trying. When Max started dating Lucas, that was the final sign. Olivia backed off, figuring it was pointless. But she never stopped noticing her. 

Then, the nightmares started.

They were about Max—her headaches, the way she winced in pain when she thought no one was looking. Olivia saw her clutching at her temples, blood trickling from her nose, her breaths coming faster, more labored. Olivia didn’t understand what she was seeing at first, but the fear, the confusion—it all felt too real to ignore. Somehow, she caught glimpses of Max’s conversations with her school counselor, as if she were standing in the room unseen. She heard Max’s hesitant words, the way her voice wavered when she talked. She could see her taking pills, her hands trembling slightly as she swallowed them down.

Then they worsened. Olivia wasn’t just seeing Max’s symptoms anymore—she was seeing what came after. She saw the exact moment Max realized she was going to be Vecna's next victim—the way she hesitated when she stole the keys to the counselor’s office, the way her expression shifted from denial to horror as she flipped through the records, confirming her worst fear.

Olivia also saw the clock. It loomed over Max, massive and ancient, embedded into the decaying walls of a place that shouldn’t exist. The hands ticked forward, slow and deliberate, yet each movement sent a tremor through the air. The chime rang out, hollow and inescapable, reverberating through Olivia’s bones. Max stared at it, frozen in place, her breath coming in short, panicked bursts.

Then, she heard it—Max’s voice, distant yet crystal clear, a whisper slipping through the cracks of the vision.

"They both came to Miss Kelly for help. They both were having headaches. Bad headaches that just wouldn’t go away. And then—then the nightmares, trouble sleeping, they’d wake up in a cold sweat, and they started seeing things. These visions—they kept on getting worse and worse until eventually everything ended. Chrissy’s headaches started a week ago. Fred’s six days ago. I’ve been having them for five days."

The words hung heavy in the air. Olivia watched the scene unfold, saw Max's hands clenching into fists at her sides as the weight of the truth pressed down on her. Her pulse quickened, her breathing sharp and uneven.

The room in the vision was silent, too silent—as if even the air itself was holding its breath.

Max’s voice came again, this time quieter, yet somehow heavier, more final.

"They both died less than twenty-four hours after their first vision… and I just saw a goddamn clock. So… looks like I’m gonna die tomorrow."

The people around her—Nancy, Steve, Robin, Dustin—stiffened. No one breathed. But Max… Max just stood there, unmoving, staring ahead at nothing. Her arms wrapped around herself, her fingers digging into her skin. She didn’t cry, didn’t lash out. She simply accepted it.

Olivia’s visions had not stayed confined to her sleep. They had begun slipping into her waking moments, invading her reality when she least expected them. She’d be in the middle of a conversation and feel the ghost of Max’s panic, like an echo reverberating through time.  

She was terrified. She had tried to convince herself that it was just her mind playing tricks, that stress and exhaustion of her family situation were distorting her perception, but the details were too precise. She could feel the weight of Max’s dread as if it were her own, hear the distant chime of the clock even in waking hours. The fear was suffocating, and no matter how much she tried to dismiss it, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something bigger was at play. The fear was too intense, too vivid to ignore. 

She didn’t know who to talk to—Max’s friends weren’t her friends, and she never felt like she belonged in their circle. Adding to that, it was spring break, and everything felt even more distant. People were scattered, lost in their own plans or consumed by the fear that had gripped Hawkins. The murders had turned the town into a boiling pot of chaos, and she wasn’t close enough to any of them to just show up at their houses, asking for help. Even if she wanted to, she had no idea where to start.  They always seemed busy, wrapped up in the chaos surrounding Eddie Munson and everything else happening. 

She considered approaching them, but what would she even say? That she was dreaming about Max’s pain? That she could feel something lurking in the darkness, waiting to pull her under? They barely acknowledged her presence on a normal day; she doubted they would believe her now. She thought about telling Dustin —the only one she had talked to more—, but he was already obsessed with uncovering the truth about the murders. She was utterly alone in this. She felt isolated, drowning in a reality she didn’t understand.

It wasn’t until Steve and Robin found her one day, shaking in the back room of Family Video, that she finally got answers. She had gone there to clear her mind, hoping that browsing the movie section might distract her. Her fingers skimmed across the VHS cases, pausing on Raiders of the Lost Ark. As she reached for it, a strange sensation crept over her—her hands felt clammy, and a bead of sweat rolled down her temple. Her pulse hammered in her ears, the fluorescent lights overhead suddenly feeling oppressively bright. She wiped her palms against her jeans, swallowing hard as a wave of dizziness hit her. It was happening again. The panic hit her out of nowhere—her breathing shallow, hands gripping the shelves as another vision surfaced. Steve noticed first; his usual cocky demeanor replaced by concern as he gently guided her to sit down. Robin hovered nearby, uncharacteristically quiet, sensing that whatever was happening wasn’t normal. 

They saw the panic in her eyes, the way her hands shook in her lap, as if she were bracing herself against an unseen force. A strangled sob escaped her lips before she could stop it. She had kept it all in for too long, convinced that no one would believe her, but now, with Steve and Robin looking at her with genuine concern, the dam finally broke. Tears spilled down her cheeks as she gasped for breath, her words tumbling out between ragged sobs. Her chest rose and fell in rapid succession, her mind trapped between the present and the horrifying visions that refused to leave her alone. 

She was unraveling, and she knew it. She told them everything—about the nightmares, the visions, how she had seen Max suffer before anyone else even realized something was wrong. Steve and Robin exchanged a look, their own fear evident, but they didn't doubt her. They had found out today that Max had her time limited. With quiet urgency, they told her everything—the truth about the Upside Down, Vecna, and what had been happening to Max. Olivia listened, barely breathing, as the puzzle pieces clicked into place. It wasn’t just her imagination; it wasn’t a coincidence. She had somehow been pulled into the nightmare that had taken hold of Max, connected to something bigger than she could comprehend. For the first time, Olivia realized she wasn’t losing her mind. The creeping paranoia, the lingering dread, the nightmares that bled into reality—it was all real. All of it. And worse, it wasn’t over yet.

"Okay, so how do I even do this?" Olivia asked, still shaken but determined. She leaned against the counter at Family Video, arms crossed tightly over her chest. "I can’t just walk up to Max and say, ‘Hey, I’ve been watching you in my nightmares and, oh yeah, I know about Vecna.' She’ll think I’m insane."

Steve exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah… That might not go over well."

"Understatement of the year," Robin muttered. "But honestly, I don’t think you have a choice. If she’s still in danger and you’re connected to this somehow, she needs to know."

"But how?" Olivia pressed. "Max barely looks at me. We’re not exactly friends."

Steve tapped his fingers on the counter, thinking. "You need to find a way to get her alone, somewhere she won’t feel trapped. The last thing you want is to freak her out in front of people."

Robin perked up. "The library. She goes there to be alone sometimes. I’ve seen her pretend to do homework while actually listening to her Walkman. If you’re subtle, maybe you can ease into a conversation."

Olivia frowned. "And then what? ‘Hey, Max, cool mixtape. By the way, we’re psychically linked, and I think a nightmare monster is hunting you’?"

"Look," Steve said, leaning toward her, "I know this is weird. But you have an in that the rest of us don’t. If you tell her something only she would know—something you’ve seen in your nightmares that she hasn’t told anyone—she has to listen."

Olivia swallowed hard, nerves twisting in her stomach. "That’s a big gamble."

Robin shrugged. "Yeah, but it’s better than saying nothing. If you wait too long, it might be too late. Actually—why not bring her here?" She gestured around the store. "If you get her to come to Family Video, we can all talk to her together. It might be easier if she hears it from more than just you."

Olivia hesitated. "You think she’d even agree to that?"

Robin smirked. "Well, right now she’s with Lucas, but after 3 PM, he is heading home. If we can catch her then, maybe we can convince her. At least she won’t be alone."

Steve nodded. "Yeah, plus, if she sees all of us here backing you up, she might take it more seriously."

Olivia exhaled slowly, considering their words. "Alright. I’ll try. But if this goes sideways, I’m blaming both of you."

Robin grinned. "Fair enough."

Olivia nodded, the weight of their words settling over her. This wasn’t just about her anymore. It never had been.

[queenimmadolla]

I haven’t mentioned it yet but Jonathan and Nancy have their first born (a girl, Laurie) just before Maple is born and i can’t stop imagining the cute little baby photoshoots Jonathan has for them—whenever Reader and Eddie take the kids back to Indiana—in their poofy little dresses, frilly baby socks with big bows on their heads as the babies fumble around and interact with each other.

It’s the first time Maple is encountering another baby and it’s so obvious they like each other, even though Laurie has to be stopped numerous times when it looks like she’s trying to eat Maple’s face (she’s got no teeth, so it’s harmless), and Maple likes to pull at Laurie’s hair because it’s her new interest, along with anything shiny things (it’s NOT harmless, Laurie wails, you try to stop Maple every time while she’s all :D and Eddie sympathizes with Laurie because he’s had Maple yank enough hair off his head to make a wig with).

[strangerthingskinktober]

whilst we fine-tune a couple last things on our end before the prompts drop... what pairings is everyone most excited to write about for stranger things kinktober? a popular ship? a rarepair? a crossover crackship you're dying to introduce the world to? an original character or 'x reader' pair?

tell us in our ask! we're excited and we wanna hear it.

ps. we're on bsky now.

[troubledwordsofatroubledmind]

Summer with Jonathan 🌱

[alexisaflop]

Wait on Your song - Steve Harrington x Henderson! reader

Chapter 7: The Bathtub

Bit of a longer one? Maybe. You tease Nancy about her blatant crush on Jonathan.

Warnings: use of Y/N, canon typical violence/gore.

MASTERLIST

You find Jonathan and Nancy at the police station. One of Nancy's hands holds ice to his head, fingers idely playing with his hair. Her other hand is clasped in one of Jonathan's. As soon as they see you, they let go of each other. You decide not to mention it.

"Why did you go with Steve?" asked Nancy. She doesn't sound angry, but you feel as though you'd crossed a line.

"To tell him he deserved it, and that he needs better friends," you say, "Especially if he is going to keep dating my best friend," you add, even though you hadn't said that. That moment in the alleyway had just felt so odd, so close, that you needed to give a respectable reason for being there.

You aren't sure whether to say more, when Hopper calls you all away to his office. And Nancy explains her theory.

"So, you're saying blood draws this thing," clarifies Hopper, he doesn't sound convinced.

"She's right," you can see Barb's blood in the water. You don't even realise you've spoken until Hopper turns to you.

"And you would know this how?"

"When I was with Barb, the monster knew she was the one who was injured. I don't think it even intended for me to come with them -"

"So you've been there, where Will is?" Hopper cuts you off.

"I've been somewhere but its not like we know where Will is, right?" Your face reddens, "Sorry Joyce," you add.

"He said it was cold, like home but cold."

You think of the Wheeler's empty house; the festering trees of Mirkwood. Pretty astute description.

"Then, yes. And, I agree with Nancy, I think blood draws it. I think it comes here to hunt. That's probably why it went for the deer over me, it smelt weakness and an easy kill. And I think it liked playing with its human food."

Shouting from the next room draws Hopper away. Joyce takes the opportunity to drag Jonathan from the room and give him a good talking to.

I'm glad my mum doesn't know about all this, you can't help but think. Imagining telling your mum about all of it, makes you feel weak at the knees and you aren't even standing up.

Nancy sits beside you, picking at her fingers. The aura of her guilt is mixed with yours.

"I'm sorry I couldn't save Barb," you say finally, "I couldn't admit it to myself yet, last night I mean, that it was my fault. But I should have got us both out of there alive."

"It's not your fault, Y/N. I've spent the last few days blaming myself. If I had gone home with her, or come with you guys to the bathroom, or made a different change, the monster might not even had found Barb."

You sit in silence for a minute. It felt good to hear her say it. Thinking that she wasn't willing to take responsibility just because she wanted to hang out with some boy had been grating on you. Especially as really you knew it wasn't her fault.

"So what I'm saying is," she continues, "I'm sorry too."

You don't know how to continue, so you take a swing at changing the subject. Her hand now wrapped in yours, you ask in a low voice, "so this King Steve, was he any good?"

She laughs bitterly.

"What about Jonathan, then?" you ask, only half-joking. You'd seen how they held onto each other after the fight as they ran from the cops; how they held hands.

She blushed slightly, "it's different with him … he's different."

She's cut off by Hopper bursting back into the room. It sounds like he found out about Eleven. And based on the slightly wild look on his face, you decide not to mention you already knew about her. He might kill you.

The scene when you arrive at the Wheeler's house is chaos. There are Hawkins Power and Light vans outside and a flurry of workers rushing inside and out; taking the Wheeler's belongings. For a horrible moment you wonder if this is the beginning of that lifeless house in the Upside Down.

"My mother and father are in there. Let me go!" Nancy shouts at Hopper.

"Hey! Listen to me, listen to me. The last thing we need is you mixed up in all this."

"Mike is over there-"

"They haven't found him," Hopper insists, gesturing to the helicopter patrolling the sky.

"We need to find them before they do, you got any idea where they might have gone?"

Nancy and Jonathan both shake their heads. You think of the fight Dustin told you about last night.

"The junkyard," you say confidently, until you falter, realising, "I don't know where it is."

"I know how to ask," Jonathan says. He begins to suggest going home and getting Will's radio.

You pull out your Walkie from your bag.

"Dustin, Dustin do you copy?"

Silence.

"Dustin, come on man, you know what we talked about last night? There's been a whole day of that here," you think of the fight, the bewildered and bloodied face of Steve Harrington pops to the front of your mind, "I just, really need to talk to you."

The silence continues.

"Okay, so I've been to the Wheeler's house. I guess the bad men heard about El, yeah? And now you're hiding. And you guys are good at it too because they're still looking. I want to find you first, little brother."

You glance at Nancy as the silence continues. She shrugs and shakes her head. Hopper is trying to stop himself going ballistic. You had been helping some kids hold a captive child. Impressionable children he can forgive but you're practically an adult.

You ignore his reddening face and carry on.

"Okay, if I was you, I'd want proof that it's really me talking, that I'm alone? So I will swear it to you on something sacred. How about, the Mewvies on Saturday night? You remember the first one? I'd just moved here and was kinda a horrible person, but you were sad and begged me to hang out for a bit. Mews chose the VHS's by knocking them on the floor.

"I just wanted to help you then. And that's what I want now. You guys had a fight at the junkyard right? Are you back there now, how do we get there? Or are you someplace else?"

You sit in silence for a bit. You offer Hopper the Walkie. Before he can take it from your hand Dustin's voice comes through.

"Yes, I copy, I'm here, we're all here."

You heave a sigh of relief.

Hopper insists on you all holding back whilst he collects the kids from the Junkyard. You bite your tongue just because it will give you the opportunity to sit down for a bit. This day kept getting longer and your headache kept getting stronger.

When Hopper gets back from the junkyard, you grab Dustin, "never take that long to answer me again."

You turn to El, "and you!" your voice softens, "I heard what you did with Troy, nice work."

She smiled weakly.

Inside, Mike explains about the gate.

"This gate, is it underground?" asks Hopper.

"Yes," Eleven's voice is quiet.

"Near a large water tank?"

"Yes."

You lay a protective hand on El's shoulder. Hopper continues to stare at her. You know he's just trying to help Will. But you know El has had to deal with enough. And you can tell her doesn't trust her. You can understand why, but she's just a kid, and she needs someone on her side just for once.

"Do you think you could talk to Will?" asks Joyce.

She nods.

So Mike and Joyce set her up at the kitchen table. As she closes her eyes, a rush of static fills the room. The lights flicker and your loaned walkie talkie crackles and pops. A heavy silence descends upon the room.

"I'm sorry," whispers El, she sits perfectly still, as if one of you might pounce, "I can't find him."

You rest a hand on her shoulder, "it's okay. You did your best. Do you need a minute? You've had a long day."

You show her to the bathroom and lean on the wall outside. Everyone is talking about her like she's not a person, like she's some kind of machine. Like all she needs is new batteries. You frown and hope that she gets to live a somewhat normal life someday.

"The bath," she says when she re-emerges, you follow her back into the kitchen, "I can find them in the bath."

You and Nancy share a dumbfounded look, but Hopper seems to understand. It's slightly concerning how he so readily knows about all this.

Dustin phones Mr Clarke, "he is very stubborn after all," you had agreed.

Dustin rolled his eyes, "you're welcome."

The group falls silent as Dustin dials Mr Clarke. It crosses the back of your mind how silly a group you must seem. Three nerdy boys with a girl who has superpowers which are consolidated by a bath. A small town cop, a distraught mother, and three unpopular teenagers.

"I have a science question … Do you know anything about sensory deprivation tanks?" you wince, imagining all the mandatory reporting questions going through Mr Clarke's head.

"Fun," Dustin says simply. He is clearly denied as he starts talking about "curiosity doors."

You raise an eyebrow at Lucas, who just whispers, "I don't know, he's your brother."

But Dustin's stubbornness seems to win out as he starts taking down ingredients and measurements to build this thing.

"Dude, you could at least have said thank you," you reprimand him after he abruptly hangs up.

"Yeah, sorry," he says, looking only slightly remorseful, "You still have that kiddie pool we used to bob for apples in?" He asks turning to Joyce.

And so a plan is born. Building a sensory deprivation tank. At a middle school. Well, it's certainly one way to spend a Saturday night.

You're with Nancy and Mike getting hoses, to be honest, you're not much help. Your leg has got more and more inflamed all day, and the adrenaline from earlier is wearing off. You lean against the wall as Nancy breaks down the door. You check out for a bit as she and Mike have a sibling moment, they promise to stop keeping things from each other.

"Okay, do you like Jonathan now?" Mike's voice is tentative, but there's the tone of intuitive teasing that all younger siblings are capable of.

You can't help it, you dissolve into giggles.

"What? No! Y/N stop it, you're not helping. It's not like that, we're just friends."

Mike doesn't seem to buy it, and to be fair, your giggles probably weren't helping. But you can't help it, the laughter distracts you from your leg that is twinging with every step.

"Well do you like Eleven?" Nancy counters.

"What, ew no gross!"

Great job guys, you think as Mike walks off ahead. You can't help but giggle again. Nancy glares at you.

"I don't know what to say Nance, even your brother knows. And he is clearly clueless."

Nancy smiles, but just says, "How can he know when I don't even know? I like Steve, he can just be difficult sometimes. But he cares so much. I know you don't buy it but he's trying. He thinks I'm special, for real. And Jonathan, he just gets me. I don't need to think about it with him, we just work. I think I need some time after all this is done," she says gesturing vaguely around you both.

"I know, I'm just saying I'm here for you, if you need me."

You vaguely think about how her describing her love for Jonathan sounds a lot like how Steve loves her. How both she and Jonathan are special and different. This is going to get messy in the future. If you get one. Your fingers tighten around the hoses you carry.

- - - -

As Eleven floats, the temperature raises again. There's the same strange humidity as in the Upside Down. You think for a minute how her power seems to make it warm but the Upside Down as a whole is cold.

"Castle Byers," she breathes. Your own breathing falters.

"Will?"

Joyce gasps, "tell him we're coming okay, tell him Mom is coming."

"Hurry," his voice is hoarse through the crackly speaker of the walkie.

Joyce says more things to tell him, but something is wrong. El thrashes in the water, screaming.

"Will!" screams Eleven before sitting up.

Joyce wraps her arms around her, you hold her hand. After a few minutes, you guide her to the changing rooms and help her get dry. Then you sit with her on the bleachers. She's silent the whole time. You're glad to sit down as your leg continues to throb dully. When this is all sorted out, I will get myself fixed you promise yourself silently. Right now, Will is more important.

Guilt stabs at you again. Will had survived nearly a week in that place, and you couldn't keep Barb alive down there for longer than fifteen minutes. It doesn't help that if you had just gone home with Will then he probably wouldn't even be there. You sigh, your head spinning. If you're feeling like this, you can't imagine how Nancy is feeling. She still blames herself for what happens at Steve's. Where is she?

"Okay, Dustin, I'm putting you in charge," your leg groans as you stand up.

"Favouritism," snipes Lucas.

"Look after Eleven, find some food, I'll be back, I'm just going to find Nancy."

You manage to walk out without limping too much. Thankfully the boys are too enraptured by the thought of stealing food from the school cafeteria to notice.

Or so you think, until Dustin runs up to you and says, "later, I want to know what happened to your leg."

"See this is why I put you in charge. Astute observation, Mr Holmes," he smiles smugly, you raise your voice for the rest of the group, "Look after each other."

You receive three mock salutes from the boys, which El looks to Mike to understand.

Out in the hallway, Nancy is crying on Jonathan's shoulder when you find them, "I want to kill it," she says determinedly.

You offer her a hand up, "let's do it."

- - - -

A/N can't believe we've almost finished Season 1!!

I find it so funny that mrs wheeler is on the phone to steves mom/dad at the strt of the ep to see if nancy is there. like we never see steve's parents ever and the call is never referenced by steve later (i dont think). We never find out if they're upset/happy that Steve potentially has a girlfriend even though we know steve and nancy spend a lot of time together. I would love to know how accurate the complete asshole dad that fanon has made is. obviously steve calls him that, but for all we know hes compleetely normal and gets angry at steve for being irresponsible/hanging out with assholes. anyway

[skyfallslayer]

Should We Stay or Should We Go? || Chapter 9

-A ST Rewrite Feat. Steve Harrington x Henderson!OFC-

Main Masterlist || Series Masterlist

🎲Season 2 Summary: One Year after the strange disappearance of Will & Stephanie, all their hard work to contain their sanity starts to unravel when something from the Upside Down comes looking for them. Not sure what to do, they turn to their loved ones, hoping that they can put a stop to the evil that's spreading and destroying their town once again. Because in the Fall of 1984... everything changes once again.

🎲Chapter Summary: As the town preps for Halloween, a high-scoring rival shakes things up in the arcade. Meanwhile, Will starts seeing things that aren’t there, Steph starts going downhill when she finally starts to feel better, and a skeptical Hopper inspects a field of rotting pumpkins.

🎲Pairings: Will x Platonic!OFC; Dustin x Sister!OC; Slow burn! Steve x Henderson!OFC (Ex-bestfriends to Lovers); Slow burn! Byler

🎲Rating: Teen-Mature

🎲Word Count: 10,074

🎲Date: 6/5/25

🎲Warnings: Angst; Heavy Language & Dialogue; Implied Bullying; Heavy Guilt; Mental Strain/Breaking Down; Implied Mental Health Issues; Mentioning of Dying/Being Killed; Smoking; Mention of Life Threatening Injuries; Scars; Blood; Nightmares; Implied Child Abuse; Slight Stalking. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK

(And let me know if I missed anything)

🎲A/N: Hello, everyone! Welcome to Season 2! I'm so excited to be back and ready to give you guys more. This chapter, I'll admit, is a little all over the place since it's introducing a lot of storylines right off the bat. But I promise you that the next chapter won't be as messy. There's also a few things I'm going to point out for S2.

1) Dr. Owens isn't showing up just yet. Because Will & Steph were taken to a regular hospital last chapter rather than the Lab's one, he won't be in this for a while.

2) The "Lost Sister" episode is going to be MIA. Since that's an El-Centric episode, it won't matter to this plot. Instead, and with good news, that episode will reveal Steve & Steph's pasts (Yay!). I'm super excited to write that one.

And finally, 3) This whole season will be dealing with some heavy topics with certain characters. Obviously I'll warn you beforehand, but just be prepared when reading forward. Alrighty! Enough of my rambling. Enjoy the chapter!

On a cool Autumn night, Dustin Henderson nearly collided with his older sister in the hallway. The youngster hit the brakes, mere inches away from slamming into her shoulder as she rushed out her bedroom with a hand over her mouth. 

“‘Scuse me–” She mutters, as she slips past him for another room.

“Sorry!” He replies, heading into the living room and overturning every couch cushion for some quarters. “Son of a bitch! Son of a bitch!” He takes the coin into his hands and throws it harshly. “Another stupid penny!”

His mother flinches as the coin nearly hits her and her companion. “Dusty, watch it! You almost hit Mews.”

Dustin sighs, before bringing out the pleading eyes. “Can I please check under your cushions?” He asks, which sounded like a whine.

“Dusty…”

“Mom, please? It’s an emergency!” And who couldn’t say no to that face? He wastes no time to flip over the cushions, soon finding a few quarters that put a smile on his face. “Love you, Mom.” He says, and rushes towards the bathroom. “Phanie! You ready?” His face falls slightly as he sees his sister sitting on the floor near the toilet. “Whoa, you okay?”

Steph nods her head. “Y-Yeah… yeah. I’m fine.” She says, forcing herself to look hopeful. “I think dinner didn’t sit well with me.”

“You okay to drive still?”

“Yeah, yeah. I’ll be fine. Go call your friends to see if they’re ready.”

“Okay.” He says, and starts to leave, but notices something.

She sends him a look. “What?”

“You’re still wearing that t-shirt?” Dustin asks, slight annoyance, as he points to the article of clothing. Ever since she made a friend at the beginning of the year, she’s been constantly wearing his custom made shirt for their club. He’s starting to wonder if she’s prioritizing that over her band tees (And those were the pride and joy of her existence).

“Yeah.” She sits up straighter with a smirk. “I am.” 

“For someone who wasn’t that into D&D, you sure love wearing that.”

Steph scoffs playfully. “You’re just jealous because my high school has a D&D club… and you’re not invited.” Her and Dustin stick their tongues out at each other, before he departs. “If you’re nice to me, I’ll give you some of my quarters!”

“I’ll be nice!” He shouts back, and runs into his room, hands already reaching for his walkie. “Lucas, you copy? I’ve got four quarters. What’s your haul?”

[ ‘Take your puny haul and multiply it by five.’ ]

Dustin’s eyes widened in shock. “How?”

[ ‘While you were scrounging around like a homeless bum, I mowed Old Man Humphrey’s lawn.’ ]

“Old Man Humphrey’s got that kinda cash?” Shit, maybe he needs to start mowing people’s lawns. “Just call Mike already.”

[ ‘You call Mike. I have to go take a shower from doing real work, like a man. Over and out.’ ]

He groans as their connection disconnects. Why do I always have to do all the work?

He changes the station a few times until he gets a signal. “Mike, do you copy? ---- Mike, do you copy?”

[ ‘Yeah– Yeah, I copy.’ ]

“What are you doing on this channel?” Dustin asks, curiously. 

[ ‘N-Nothing.’ ]

Nothing, he says? He wants to pry, but they have bigger things to worry about right now. “Lucas and I have six bucks total. What’s your haul?”

There was a long pause, until…

[ ‘Shit!!! I don’t know yet.’ ]

“What do you mean you don’t know yet?”

[ ‘Hold on. Call Will.’ ]

Now, I gotta call Will now, too? Come on, guys! He inhales in frustration, changing the channel again just as his sister comes into his room.

“Did you call them?” She asks, sitting on his bed beside him.

“I got one more call.” He tells her, turning the dial until it chirps. “Got it. Will, do you copy? ---- Will–”

[ ‘I’m here! I copy.’ ]

“Mike’s still counting his cash, but between me and Lucas, we have six bucks.”

[ ‘Six?! How?’ ]

“Lucas has apparently been mowing Old Man Humphrey’s lawns.”

[ ‘That’s awesome.’ ]

“Yeah. It is.” He smiles. “So, like I said, we got six.”

“Eleven.” Steph butts in, getting another look.

“What?”

“I got five bucks. So you have eleven dollars in total.”

His expression grows as he replies to his friend with, “Phanie said she has five, so we have eleven dollars total now.” 

[ ‘Well, I got about three dollars. So that’s… fourteen now.’ ]

“That’s perfect!” Dustin pumps his fist. “Tonight's going to be sick.”

Stephanie taps his shoulder. “Hey, ask him if he needs a ride.”

“Oh, yeah. Hey, Phanie’s asking if you need a ride?”

[ ‘Oh, I’m good. My mom’s taking me already.’ ]

“Okay. See you soon. Over and out.” 

“So?”

“He says he’s good. His mom’s taking him.” 

“Alrighty, then.” Steph says, sliding off the bed. “Let’s get going.” She follows her boisterous brother practically skip the whole way to the front door with his haul, and hers, inside a little baggie. 

“Bye, Mom!” Dustin yells, as he slips on his coat while he is already one step out the door.

“Dusty, slow down.” She warns, grabbing her purse -- but her action must have been too slow because her little brother grabbed a hold of her arm and tugs her down the path. “Hey!”

“Oh, you kids be careful, okay? Call me if something happens.” Claudia urges from the doorway. 

“We will.” 

“So what are you going to do while we’re there?” Dustin asks, as he slips inside her car.

“Hmm, I might play some games myself. I want to see if anyone’s beaten my Centipede record yet.” She replies, looking over her shoulder as she slowly backs out. “Or, I might try to read the last few chapters of the Hobbit. I haven’t decided yet.”

“I can’t believe all it took was your friend Eddie to convince you to start reading that. I’ve been trying to get you to read that for years.”

“People change, you know?”

“That’s bullshit.” He says, shifting in his seat to look at her better. “Are you sure he’s not trying to get into your pants?”

“Ew. No.” Steph says, nose scrunching up in disgust. “He doesn’t see me that way, and I don’t see him that way. We both established that early on.”

“What about the others?” He asks, his tone fully dousing in overprotectiveness. 

“Two of them have girlfriends. Or at least Gareth claims he has a girlfriend. None of us have actually seen her…” She whispers that last part like it was a joke he was supposed to understand, but it went way over her brother’s head (For obvious reasons of course).

“And the other one?”

“Grant doesn’t lean that way.”

He blinks. “What does that mean?”

“It’s…” She shakes her head, deciding against it. “Never mind. You’ll understand eventually.”

He let his confused gaze linger on her for a hot moment to see if she’ll slip up about what that meant, but he was met with her long, hardcore silence. He soon shrugs, and decides to move the conversation forward. “But what about the one that gave you that hunting knife? Jeff?”

“Jeff’s father owns the general store in town, and gets free shit all the time. He gave it to me out of the goodness of his heart, and a reassurance that his female friend is protected.” Steph explains with a smile on her face, as she pulls the car in front of Lucas’ house. 

“That’s too much information.”

“Well, you ask too many questions, Dusty. Besides…” She pauses briefly to honk the horn a few times, before smirking at her brother. “You have to admit, it’s a pretty badass knife.”

Dustin chuckles. “It is.”

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

Joyce pulled the car right at the front of the entrance, her son was anxiously waiting to get out. “Okay, so, I’ll pick you up in two hours. That’s nine o’clock on the dot, okay?”

“Okay.” Will replies, nodding along and opening the door.

“If anything happens, if you need to come home, just ask them to use their phone and call home. Okay? Don’t... Don’t walk home.”

“I know.” 

“Okay. But, sweetie–”

“Mom, I have to go.” He whines, and twitches in the seat like it’s made of lava. 

“Okay, okay.” She waves for him to go. “Have fun.”

“Thanks.” He says, getting out. His happiness spikes up when he’s met with his group of friends. “Hey, guys.”

“Hey, Will.” Steph says, ruffling his hair as she passes him for his car door. She peeks inside. “Hi, Ms. Byers. I’ll keep an eye on them.”

“Thank you.” Joyce says, respectfully. “Take care.”

“You, too.” She closes the car door, ushering the group of boys inside. “So, Byers, what are you playing first?”

“Hmm… I think…” He grins. “I think I’ll try to beat your Centipede record.”

She gasps. “Oh, no you’re not! The student will not become the master in this situation!”

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

“No. No. No! No! No! No!” Dustin smacks the side of the machine as the game flashes that he failed the quest. “I hate this overpriced bullshit!” He groans. “Son of a bitch! Piece of shit!”

Lucas touches his shoulder, and smirks. “You’re not nimble enough. But you’ll get there one day. But until then, Princess Daphne is still mine.”

Dustin rolls his eyes. “Whatever. I’m still top place on Dig Dug.”

“You sure about that?” One of the coworkers, named Keith, says as he comes to stand next them. He watches the kids become confused while he gnaws on some Cheetos. 

“Sure about what?” It wasn’t a second later until he realized what he was implying. “You’re kidding me.” His face drops as he takes off for the Dig Dug machine. “No, no, no. Move! Move! No, no, no, no, no.” He pushes past the last kid, hands tapping the button to bring up the high score that no longer was his. “No! NO!!!”

“751,300 points!” Will said, in shock. 

Mike shakes his head in disbelief. “That’s impossible.”

“Who is ‘Mad Max’?” Dustin asks, in a demanding tone.

Keith snickers as he shoves more cheese puffs into his mouth. “Better than you.” He bites back, earning the middle finger.

“Is it you?” Will asks, as the older teenager shakes his head.

“You know I despise Dig Dug.”

“Then who is it?” Lucas asks, also demanding.

“Yeah, spill it, Keith.” Dustin pushes, as a mischievous grin blossoms on Keith’s face.

“You want information, then I need something in return.” His reply made everyone’s attention turn towards Mike who immediately picks up what’s happening.

“No, no, no.” Mike said, waving them off. “No way. You’re not getting a date with her.”

“Mike, come on. Just get him the date.” Lucas pleads, with the other party members agreeing.

“I’m not prostituting my sister!”

“But it’s for a good cause.”

“No way!”

“Fine!” Lucas dramatically says, and shifts his attention to someone else. “What about Dustin’s sister?”

Dustin’s eyes widened. “Hey!”

“Hmm, I don’t know.” Keith says, making a face. “She looked pretty sick when I saw her come in.”

The Henderson gasps, and gets defensive. “Hey, just because my sister’s sick doesn’t mean she’s not pretty, Dickhead!”

“Hey–”

“And, no, you don’t get the date with Nancy. Know why? ‘Cause he’s gonna spread his nasty-ass rash to your whole family.”

Keith’s jaw tightens. “Acne isn’t a rash and it isn’t contagious, you prepubescent wastoid.”

“Oh, I’m a wastoid? She wouldn’t go on a date with you. You make, like, what? Two-fifty an hour?”

“Nice perm.”

“Oh, now you’re gonna make fun of my hair?”

“You insult me, I’ll insult you.”

“Keith, I swear, I’m gonna–”

.

Then the lights went out.

Will suddenly looks around in uncertainty, just as everything slowly powers back on… in a completely different way.

Will soon found himself some place he didn’t want to be back, a place where all his friends were gone, and everything looked horrifying….

He found himself back in the Upside Down.

.

.

.

.

Meanwhile, Steph comes out of the bathroom stall, reliving what just happened back at home.

I am never eating Enzo’s again. She tells herself as uses the open sink to wash her hands. But it’s strange though, I don’t feel bad.

So what could her problem be?

She cups her hands under the water, bringing it to her lips to swirl around to get the bad taste out. She nearly choked on the liquid when someone spoke to her unexpectedly.

.

// FIND HIM //

.

She jerks her head next to her, noticing that the other occupant inside the bathroom had already left. She spits the water out, looking around fully. “Hello? … Anyone?”

Who the heck is talking to–

.

// FIND HIM //

.

She whips around again. “Find who? Who is this?”

And that’s when the lights went out, and she found herself alone in the other world.

Her blue eyes widened with fear. “Will…”

She takes off in a sprint, the video game machines flickered on and off as she rushes by, thunder roaring around the building, as a strong gust of wind hits her in the face. She calls out his name as she fights against the wind to get outside, shutter in the freezing temperatures as she makes her way to the park lot. She quickly finds Will staring off at something in the distance, a dark cloud that flashed colors of fire, with something ominous swirling inside.

It sends chills down her spine, and memories of last year hitting her like a truck. But there was no point in freezing up when they’re in this together.

“Will!” She shouts, running over and engulfing him in an embrace. She feels him shake in her hold as she closes her eyes. “It’s okay. It’s okay. Don’t look. It’s not real. We’re not there anymore. We’re okay. We’re okay. Shhhh…”

The thunder roared again, the storm coming closer and closer, aching to take a hold of them and…

.

.

.

“Will! Steph!”

The two of them jolted, eyes snapping open to find everything had returned normal and Mike coming over to check on them.

 “Are you guys okay?” He asks, worriedly. 

“Um…” Steph looks at Will who came to the same conclusion. “Y-yeah. We’re okay.”

“We just... needed some air.” Will adds, and she nods.

“Right.”

“Well, okay, then.” Mike waves them inside. “Come back in. You’re up on Dig Dug, Will. Let’s take that top score back.”

Will looks at her one last time as she gestures for him to go before her. He does, and she hopes that this was the only ‘episode’ they have tonight.

Weird. I wonder what triggered this. She thought, just as her nose began to bleed. She wipes it quickly with her hand, looking at the ooze before staring at where the storm cloud was. She frowns. Oh, not this again.

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

On the morning of October 30th, Chief Jim Hopper was met with an unpleasant surprise. He wasn’t even out of his police truck yet when someone came rushing towards him. He pretends to not even notice as he tries to get inside, but the very persistent Private Investigator Murray Bauman stays right on his tail.

“Good morning, Jim.” He attempts once he manages to get neck and neck with him; But the police chief was quicker. “Jim. Hold on a second. We need to talk.”

“Get away from me.” Hopper says, with just the right amount of bite as they enter the station.

“Okay, no... I think you really wanna hear this.”

“Get away from me.”

“Trust me. I only want five minutes!”

“Yeah, I want a date with Bo Derek.” Hopper says, smirking as Flo comes over and takes the cigarette out of his mouth. “We all want things.”

Murray frowns. “This isn’t a laughing matter, Jim. This is serious, okay? I really got something here. I’m telling you!”

Hopper hides his eye roll as he shifts around him for the coffee station. “Hey, everyone.”

“Mornin’, Chief. Mornin’, Murray.” Powell said, from his spot at his desk.

“Got any proof on your butt-probin’ aliens yet, Murray?” Callahan teases, making his partner laugh. Hopper laughs too while grabbing a donut that was quickly taken away by Flo again and replaced with a granny smith apple (He sends her a small look of betrayal).

“I believe there was, and may still be, a Russian spy presence in Hawkins.” Murray fights back, earning another laugh.

“Russian spies!” Hopper chuckles.

“Are the spies in cahoots with the aliens? Or how do they fit in here? I’m confused.” Callahan asks, getting a glare from the PI.

“I’m talking multiple reports now. Multiple reports, okay? Of a Russian child in Hawkins.” Murray stated.

“A child?” Hopper’s heart sank for a sec, and tries to hide his worries. “What are you talking about?”

“A girl who may have psionic abilities.”

“‘Psionic’?”

“Psychic.”

“What about that girl that made that kid pee himself last year?” Powell points out. 

“A prank.” Hopper clarifies forcibly, but Murray was already latching onto this tiny piece of info.

“What girl?” He asks, as the other officers start to tell the story but their boss cuts in before they unravel everything he’s tried to keep buried.

“Nah, nah, nah.” Hopper guides Murray to his office. “You got five minutes. Not a second more.”

Once they both sat down, Murray started his claim. “I talked to a Big Buy ex-employee who said some little girl shattered the door with her mind.”

“I heard that story.” Hopper replies, taking a bite of the apple, which he soon tossed away because of the bitterness. “Did you hear the one about the fat man with the beard who climbs down chimneys?”

Murray ignores him, and continues, “Then last month, a co-worker of Ted Wheeler’s claims some Russian girl with a shaved head was hiding in his basement. Ted now denies this.”

“Oh, wow. That’s a surprise.” 

“But it connects.”

“Enlighten me.”

“This girl, she’s some kind of a Russian weapon, right? Barbara sees this girl, tries to help her, perhaps. But before she can, the Russians find them, take them–”

“Wait.” Hopper sits up straighter to light another cigarette. “You’re telling me Barbara Holland was kidnapped by Russian spies?”

Murray shrugs. “Kidnapped. Killed.”

“Killed?” Hopper says, blowing smoke and then proceeds to drum his fingers on his desk -- the more he can annoy this guy, the better. 

“Don’t you get it, Jim?” Murray snaps, his tone becoming frustrating (His plan was working).

“No.”

“This has potentially international implications. I’m talking a full-on Russian invasion right here in Hawkins.”

Hopper drums his fingers louder. “Do you have any proof of this girl? I mean, has anybody seen her recently?”

“No! Because these are separate–” He was cut off by the phone ringing, a wave of relief crashed over Hopper (Thank god for Flo helping him out!)

“Excuse me. Sorry.” He takes the phone off the receiver before Murray could protest before Murray could protest. “Hello?”

[ ‘Merrill called, wants you to check out his pumpkins. Says they’ve been contaminated by his vengeful neighbor, Eugene. You’re welcome.’ ]

He hangs up the phone, and puts on his most apologetic looking face he could muster. “I’m really sorry. I really hate to do this, but I gotta run. It’s an emergency.”

“You gave me five minutes.” Murray replies, irritated. 

“Yeah, listen, you know what? I liked your alien theory a lot better.” Hopper says, sliding his coat and hat back on. “And you want my advice? Why don’t you stop bleeding those people dry and go home? Alright?”

“I am not bleeding anyone…” His face falls. “Dry.”

Well that’s bullshit. Hopper shakes his head. “Listen to me. Go home, and stop pestering me.” And he takes his leave.

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

“It’s crap, I know.” Steve says to his girlfriend, whom both are sitting in his car in the school’s parking lot. They both had some time to kill before class began, and Steve desperately needed some help with his homework.

Nancy shakes her head, as she carefully reads it over. “No, it’s not crap.” She reassures him, but he wasn’t buying it.

“It’s not good.”

“It’s going to be. Just... It needs some reorganizing. Can I mark on it?”

He nods. “Yeah, I guess.”

“So, in the first paragraph, you used the basketball game versus Northern as a metaphor for your life, which is great. But then, around here–” She circles a part on his paper. “You start talking about your Granddad’s experiences in the war. And I... I don’t see how they’re connected.”

“It connects because... because, you know, we both won.” He replies, and her face once again tells him everything. “Do you think I should start from scratch?”

“No. I mean... When’s the deadline?”

“It’s tomorrow for early application.” Steve sighs, and rubs his eyes. “I know it doesn’t look good. I’ve just been so tired lately–”

“You’ve been tired a lot lately. I’d say off and on these last few months.” Nancy points out, concern flooding in. “What’s going on?”

The subtle shift in his emotion didn’t go unnoticed as he says, “It’s… nothing.”

“You keep saying that, Steve.”

“I know, I know, I just…” He waves his hand like he’s sending that part of the conversation away, and steers it back to, “Can we meet up so you can help me tonight?”

“We have our dinner tonight, remember?”

“Oh, shit!”

“We already canceled last week.” She says, frowning. “You don’t have to go. Just work on this. 

“No, no, no. What’s the point?” He says, taking his papers back and tossing it behind him in frustration. 

“Hey–” She touches his shoulder. “Calm down.”

“I’m calm. I am calm. I’m just being honest.” He replies, running a hand through his hair like a nervous tick. “You know, I mean... I don’t know what I’m going to do after I graduate. I literally have no freaking goals when it comes to the job field.”

“You haven’t been thinking about it lately?”

“Nah. Not really my priority nowadays.”

She bites her lip a thought, and starts shredding the metaphorical waters carefully. “Is it… is it your parents? Are they putting pressure on you for something?”

“No, it’s just I–” He holds his tongue as soon as something almost slips out, and quickly diverts the conversation once again. “Maybe I can just get an internship somewhere in town. You know, so I could be around for your senior year. Maybe we can think of something together.”

“Steve…” 

“Just to look after you a little bit. Make sure you don’t forget about this pretty face.” He says, making her laugh. “Nance, I’m serious.” And he leans in for a quick kiss, and words that didn’t feel completely whole just yet. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.” She says, without missing a beat. And speaking of not missing, no one on campus was safe from the sound of a Camaro’s revving engine that shook the whole place. “What the heck was that?!”

.

.

.

.

Meanwhile, not too far away, Stephanie had slipped out of Eddie’s van and joined him on the sidewalk, as she tried not to laugh at how depressed he was looking. -- Of course it was just him being overly dramatic. She’s not that much of a monster.

“Quit your whining. You’ll be fine.” She says, trying to get his hopes up that had been quickly shot this morning. “This is your chance to graduate with this extra credit. ‘84, baby. You got this.”

He groans, trying to keep his head up in a metaphorical sense and a literal sense. “I’m glad you can stay so positive.”

She chuckles. “Someone has to.”

“Yeah.” Eddie mumbles, flashing a smile that quickly fades. “Hang on.”

“What?” She said, as he pulled her to a stop. 

“You’re bleeding again.” He replies, as starts digging around his pockets.

“Am I?”

“Yeah. Hang on.” He eventually hangs her a clean cloth, and thanks him. He waits a couple seconds to ask, “Are you sure you’re not anemic?”

She shakes her head. “The doctor already checked me for that, and I was in the clear.”

“Any other reason why?”

“Not sure.” Steph says, half-truthfully. After last night it seems her episodes might be connected to her nose bleeds. Or it could just be a coincidence. She’s not a hundred percent sure yet. “You don’t have to keep looking at me like that, Eddie. I’m fine.”

Eddie adverts his distressful eyes. “You say that, and I believe you, but… you know, my mom said that a lot, and she, uh… yeah.” He says, kicking a small rock away. “So, I’m sorry for worrying. You know?”

“Eddie.” She begins, softly. “Thanks for worrying, but I’m fine. Really. Nothing’s going to happen to me. I promise. Besides–” She smiles and nudges him. “My gut’s telling me this is going to be over soon.”

“If you say so. ‘Cause if not…” He shows off his signature goofy grin. “I’m going to kick your ass.”

“I’m sure you will, Eds– AH!!”

The two of them nearly jumped out of their shoes when a muffler backfires, followed by a loud engine purring as it bolts into the school’s parking lot. The duo watches as a ‘79 deep blue Camaro whips around and into a parking space. A little red headed girl gets out with her skateboard, wasting no time to use it to get to her middle school on the other side of the lot. Soon afterwards a tall, Caucasian, blond and blue eyed teenager gets out, sliding off his shades with a cigarette between his teeth. He surveyed the area for a few minutes, before heading down the pathway for the high school.

“Who’s the bad boy?” Eddie says, breaking the ice first.

“I don’t know. But he’s kind of cute.” Steph replies, getting a look. “Oh, come on. I can say that. Besides, I saw you checking out one of the cheerleader’s asses yesterday.”

He gasps dramatically. “That’s not true.”

“Maybe buy the girl dinner first, Munson.” Steph says, as she starts walking away.

Eddie shakes his head with a scoff. “I could say the same thing about you to Mr. Mullet over there.”

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

Will was not having a good start to school today. He could hardly listen to Mr. Clarke speaking about all the wonders of the human brain without thinking about what happened earlier (And Mr. Clarke’s classes were his favorite!). As soon as he opened his locker this morning he found yet another article of him with his eyes scratched and words painted on to spell out ‘Zombie Boy’. He’s lost count how many newspaper clippings he’s thrown away this school semester alone that repeated those two-words. And each time they cut a little bit deeper into his skin. 

When will this ever stop? He wonders, almost completely zoning out if it wasn’t for the door opening aggressively. 

Mr. Clarke’s face lights up. “Ah, this must be our new student.”

“Indeed.” The principal says, with a smile. “All yours.”

“Alright.” Mr. Clarke stops the student from slipping by. “Hold up. You don’t get away that easy. Come on up. Don’t be shy. Dustin, drum roll.” His student complies, and he begins, “Class, please welcome, all the way from sunny California, the latest passenger to join us on our curiosity voyage, Maxine.”

“It’s Max.” The girl clarifies immediately. 

He blinks. “Sorry?”

“Nobody calls me Maxine.” She says, honestly. “It’s Max.”

The boys’ eyes widened in shock, as Lucas whispered, “Mad Max.”

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

Hopper finds himself standing in a field filled with rotten pumpkins that stretched over miles long. He’s happy for once in his life that it isn’t Summertime. He can only imagine how bad the smell truly is if it was hotter. “You’re saying this was fine yesterday?”

Farmer Merrill scoffs. “Fine? These were prize winners, Chief. You should’ve seen ‘em. For the life of me, I couldn’t figure out what happened. And then I remembered... Eugene.”

“What about him?”

“He’s been complaining about me to just about anyone who’ll listen.”

“Why’s that?”

“Well, he started this ‘Pick Your Pumpkin’ thing. Acted like it was trademarked. I said, ‘Hire yourself a damn lawyer. See how far that gets you’.”

Hopper raises an eyebrow over his shades. “You’re telling me that nice old Eugene came out here after dark and doused your field with poison?”

Merrill shakes his head. “Not Eugene himself. I’m thinkin’ one of his field hands.”

“Uh-huh.” Hopper crouches down and pokes the fly infested pumpkin with his pencil. 

“Listen, Chief, I don’t go throwing around accusations lightly. You know me. But this happening the day before Halloween, when sales are peaking? That’s a hell of a coincidence. Hell of a coincidence!”

He’s not wrong about that. However, even if it was true, he couldn’t imagine a sweet elderly neighbour like Eugene actually doing this. But if it wasn’t him…

.

.

.

Then who or what was causing all this?

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

“You’re coming to this.” Nancy says, once her and Jonathan got out of their classroom.

The oldest Byers grabs the orange flier, reading it over and laughing. “‘Come and get sheet faced’. No, I’m not.” He replies, trying to hand it back to her but she refuses to take it.

“I can’t let you sit all alone on Halloween. That’s just not acceptable.”

“Well, you can relax. I’m not gonna be alone. I’m going trick-or-treating with Will and his friends.” 

“All night?” She asks, skeptically. 

“Yeah.” He says, but he knows by now that Nancy can read him like a book.

“No, no way.” She waves him off. “You’re gonna be home by 8:00, listening to the Talking Heads and reading Vonnegut or something.”

He ponders on that for a moment before nodding. “Sounds like a nice night.” 

“Jonathan, just come. I mean, who knows, you might even, like, meet someone–” Her words were cut off when Steve came up from behind and picked her up, causing her to shriek. “Oh, my God!”

“Sorry, Nance.” Steve laughs, and sets her down. 

“Take those stupid things off.” She says, pulling off his sunglasses.

“Okay, okay.” He happily smiles. “I missed you.”

“It’s been like an hour.”

“Tell me about it.” His gaze shifts to the other party member. “Hey, Jonathan. You going to come to Tina’s party?”

“I’m actually trying to convince him right now.” Nancy says, shifting around to face him.

But Jonathan’s expressions were becoming unreadable as he bows his head, and says, “I’ll think about it.”, then disappears down the hallway.

“What’s his deal?” Steve asks, as his girl watches him worriedly.

“I…” What was that reaction just now? “I’m not really sure.”

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

“There’s no way that’s Mad Max.” Mike says, as he and his friends stare at the girl riding around on the playground with her skateboard, occasionally doing a few neat tricks she’s fully mastered. “And even if she is, you can’t get 750,000 points on Dig Dug. It’s impossible.”

“She had to find some kind of cheat code, right?” Will suggests. In his eyes, that could be the only way. Right?

“Totally.”

“But her name is Max.” Lucas points out.

“So what?” Mike asks, as Lucas looks at him like he’s crazy.

“So, how many Maxes do you know?”

“I don’t know.”

“Zero. That’s how many.”

“She shows up at school the day after someone with her same name breaks our top score. I mean, you kidding me?” Dustin says, stating the obvious as well.

“Exactly!” Lucas says, ecstatically. “So she’s gotta be Mad Max. She’s gotta be.”

“And plus she skateboards, so she’s pretty awesome.”

“Awesome?” Mike says, in disbelief. “You haven’t even spoken a word to her.”

Dustin shrugs. “I don’t have to. I mean, look at her–” His face falls when he notices she’s gone. “Shit. I’ve lost the target.”

“No, no, no! Look!” Will shouts and points to Max throwing something in a trash bin before heading inside. The boys of course wasted no time rushing over and retrieving what she tossed, in hopes that it’ll give them some other clue.

Dustin unfolds the crumpled piece of paper, showing it off as they all read a loud: “‘Stop spying on me, creeps’.”

The Henderson exhales in defeat. “Well, shit.”

“We’re officially the worst spies ever.” Lucas says, grabbing the paper and tossing it away.

“Agreed. So, what’s next?”

“Well, we could try–”

“Hey.” Will butts in, his attention elsewhere. “You guys keep talking. I gotta do something real quick.” And he leaves before anyone could question or object.

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

“What’s his name again?” Gareth asks, as he and the others sit around the picnic table. It was recess (or PE in their case) for them as well, and they spent it by going for a nice “jog”. But since the coaches were hardly ever outside, it was easy for students to just hang out in the grass and gossip. 

And that’s exactly what they were doing. 

“William Hargrove. He goes by Billy, though.” Jeff says, as everyone takes this information in.

“What’s he like?” Grant asks, which was the question that was on everyone’s mind.

“He’s from Cali and had just moved here. He’s really charming with the ladies, but the other hand, with the guys, he’s a little… testy.”

“Testy, huh?”

“Awe, don’t tell Stephanie that now.” Eddie teases, and nudges her.

“Hey, I said he was ‘cute’, doesn’t mean I was going to date him.” Steph defends, with her hands up. “And Jeff, how long did you talk to this guy?”

“None. I’ve just observed.” He replies.

“Well, maybe don’t judge a book by its cover. We can’t just assume.” 

“True.”

“But–” She emphasizes hard. “If he is a douche, we just stay away from him with a ten-foot pole. Capish?”

They all nodded in agreement, Grant even chuckling and saying, “I’m starting to think she’s a better leader than you, Eddie.”

Eddie immediately clenches his chest with his hand, his body slacking his seat like he’s been struck. “Grant, the light of my life, you wound me.”

Stephanie snorts, rolling her eyes. “Oh, stop with the theatrics. Nobody can ever replace Munson, or he might die of heartbreak before he’s twenty.” That earns a few more laughs, Eddie even pinching her side that makes her squeal.

“I swear, you’re just as bad as them, Henderson.”

“Shut up, Eds.” She laughs, eye soon catching familiar movement in the distance. “Uh, I’ll be right back, boys.” She excuses herself before beelining towards the chain link fence that divides the two schools. She watches the boy with worry as he starts climbing over. “Please, be careful.”

“You know I’ve been through worse.” Will states, all tongue-and-cheek.

“That is true. But still. I can worry.”

“I know you will. Wait…” He pauses at the top of the fence. “You’re free to talk, right?”

She smiles. “For you, any time.” He returns the expression and hops to the ground to begin their walk together. “How you feeling?”

“Alright.” He sighs. “Kids are mean.”

Her eyes flashed with anger for a split second, but it was not towards him. “Another note?”

“Yeah.”

“I got one of those last week. Stuck it right on my windshield.”

“Assholes…”

She snickers at his language (He’s the one that rarely cusses in the group). “Careful with that word, Byers, or you’re going to turn into your friends. Or worst… you’re going to be Dustin 2.0.”

That got him to go back to smiling. “Yeah. I probably will. Have you written anything else down in your journal lately?”

“Eh, there’s really nothing for me to write. My mind’s been pretty quiet for the last few months now.”

“Except yesterday?”

“Yeah.” She nods. “I had one the other day, but it barely lasted a minute.”

He tilts his head curiously at her, as they start slowly down. “When was that?”

“Hmm… I think it was Wednesday.”

“That’s when I had mine.”

“Interesting.” She scratches her head at that statement. “I’ve been having nose bleeds off and on all week. I can’t figure out if it’s connected to my episodes, or if it’s something else. Have you had any?”

Will shakes his head. “No. I’ve just been extra tired lately.”

“Have you heard any voices?”

“Hmm, not really. I’ve just been getting these… feelings, I guess you would call it? But I can’t really figure out what it’s telling me. It’s… annoying me.”

“That’s strange. And new.” She shifts her weight around as they come to a stop. “I thought I heard a voice yesterday before the Upside Down appeared, but I couldn’t pinpoint if it was something my conscience was making up, or I was remembering something.”

He looks at her worriedly. “Do you think you’re remembering something from after you died?”

She shrugs. “I don’t know.” And she really wishes she had more of an answer. It’s been almost a full year now since the incident and she still hasn’t put the whole puzzle pieces together. It’s been very frustrating. “Well, besides all that, I did read this thing called: ‘The Anniversary Effect’. It’s basically the anniversary of a tragic event that brings back traumatic memories. Sort of opens up the neurological floodgates, so to speak. I know soldiers tend to have this.”

“Well that would make sense. I mean, November 6th is right around the corner.”

“Yeah.” It was just a few days away and it was already making them both feel uncomfortable. “Have you mentioned your episodes to anyone?”

“Um, I kind of told my mom. But nothing in detail. I’ll have to mention that ‘Anniversary Effect’ to her. Give her some peace of mind.” Will answers truthfully. “You?”

“Same. My mom suspected I wasn’t sleeping again, so I told her about what I found. Not a lot of details just because she doesn’t know the whole truth. And I’m also sure that Dustin is catching on, too. I know he’s going to hound me for answers when it’s just the two of us.”

“So, what do we do? Ride it out?”

“I… guess so.” Steph frowns. “To be honest, I don’t really know. I mean, we can come clean and talk about it with everybody, but I doubt it’s going to stop what’s going on with us. I think we just need to remind everyone to be patient until the 6th passes. Then, I think we’ll be okay.”

“I hope so.” He says, hugging himself. “I hate feeling like this.”

“Me too, kid.” She says, ruffling his hair. “But you gotta understand, we went through a lot a shit in seven days.” 

“Yeah…” He looks at his feet with glassy eyes. “But you had it worse.”

His little voice tugged on her heart strings as she got down on his level. “Yeah, but you saw all those things happen to me. No kid your age should have seen those things. Do you understand?” 

He nods slowly, and whispers, “...Yeah.”

“Okay. Look at me.” She takes his face into her hands. “If you ever want to talk to me, just pick up the phone and I’ll be right over, or you can come over to my place. And if you don’t want to talk to me, then talk to your mom. Your mom will understand. Okay?” He nods again. “Okay. Do not let your bottle of emotions explode. Take that from someone who has experience. Got it?”

“Will…” He sniffles. “Will s-she… understand?”

Her face softens. “Of course she will. She’s your mom. And may I remind you that your mom was one of the people that got us out of that place. I guarantee she’ll understand. Talk to me, or talk to her. Alright?”

“Alright. But who are you going to talk to? I know you’re not going to talk to Dustin.”

“I don’t know yet, buddy. But don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.” She replies, and he throws his arms around her for a hug. “We’re going to get through this. I promise.”

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

Hours later after school, Lucas and Dustin were standing in the parking lot where the Arcade was, snooping around to see if Mad Max would make their appearance (And they hoped Mad Max was indeed the person they think they are). -- Mike went home a while ago claiming there was “No point in waiting this long”, which sucks for him though. In Dustin and Lucas’ minds, with Mike out of their way they have a better shot at making their move on her.

“Still no sign?” Dustin asked after a while.

“Jack shit.” Lucas replies, still holding onto the binoculars.

Dustin sighs and checks his watch for the millionth time in the last hour. “Damn it. My mom’s gonna murder me if I don’t leave soon.”

“So go home.” Lucas says, trying to be all slick. “I’ll radio if she comes.”

“Oh, yeah, nice try. You just want me out of here so you can make your move.”

“Oh, ‘cause you’re such a threat.”

“That’s right. She will not be able to resist these pearls.” Dustin says, and purrs, making his friend roll his eyes. And Dustin was about to take offense to that when he spotted the pot of gold. “Ten o’clock. Ten o’clock!”

The two of them watch as a car comes speeding into the parking lot, abruptly stopping as Max gets out in a huff. She and the person driving started exchanging some heated words that they couldn’t quite hear.

“Whoa! They’re arguing. They’re arguing!” Lucas says, pointing out the obvious.

Dustin groans. “Oh, my God. I see that. I don’t even know why you need those. God, you’re so stupid.”

Eventually, the car speeds off with the door still half open, and Max flips it off immediately. So that’s when the duo took it as a sign and decided to move in. They don’t know how long they were watching her play Dig Dug, but it was enough for them to be completely smitten by her. They both slid to the floor against the wall, giant grins on their faces that’ll never come off. 

“She’s incredible.” Lucas says, bubbly. 

“She’s…” Dustin begins, locking eyes with him.

“Mad Max.” They said, happily.

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

Nancy and Steve arrive at the Holland’s residence late at night, all nicely dressed and plastered with fake smiles. For the sake of Barbara’s parents, they must keep up the act. I mean, who’s going to believe that an interdimensional creature kidnapped and killed their daughter over a year ago?

“I’m so sorry I didn’t get to cook.” Marsha said, as she placed the silverware and plates down. “I was gonna make that baked ziti you guys like so much, but I just forgot about the time, and before you know it, ‘Oh, my God, it’s five o’clock’.” 

“It’s fine. It’s great.” Nancy says, (overly) boisterously. 

“Yeah. I love KFC.” Steve replies, as they start helping themselves. They let the silence fill the air for a few minutes, before asking, “So, I noticed a ‘For Sale’ sign out in your yard. Is that the neighbors’, or…”

“You wanna tell them, George?” Marsha asks her husband.

“Go ahead.”

“We hired a man named Murray Bauman. Have either of you heard of him?”

“No.” Nancy says, looking at her boyfriend who shook his head. “No, I don’t think so.”

“He was an investigative journalist for the Chicago Sun-Times.”

“He’s pretty well known.” George states, as his wife agrees. 

“Anyway, he’s freelance now, and he agreed to take the case.” Marsha adds, making the teenagers’ stomachs turn horribly. 

“That’s... That’s great.” Steve forces out, trying to hide the guilt on his face. He can still see his classmate’s decomposing body sometimes in his nightmares dreams. “That’s really... great. Right, Nancy?”

“Uh, y-yeah. It is. Um, what exactly does that mean?” Nancy asks, worriedly. 

George grips his silverware tighter, his face full of bitterness as he spats, “Means he’s gonna do what that lazy son of a bitch Jim Hopper–” His wife touches his arm, cooling him off immediately. “Sorry.” He sighs. “What the Hawkins police haven’t been capable of doing.” His words made the teenagers look at their plates, slowly starting to lose their appetites. “Means we have a real detective on the case.”

“It means…” Marsha begins, getting choked up. “We’re going to find our Barb.”

“If anyone can find her, it’s this man. He already has leads. By God, he’s worth every last penny.”

“I-Is that why you’re selling the house?” Nancy asks, her trembling hands falling in her lap and out of eyesight.

“Don’t worry about us, sweetie.” The woman reassures. “We’re fine. More than fine. For the first time in a long time, we’re hopeful.”

And that was the last straw for Nancy. “Excuse me.” She chokes out, and gets up from her chair. “I’ll be right back.”

Martha watches her disappear for the bathroom, both her and her husband oblivious about what their words were doing to the teenagers. Her gentle face falls slightly though as she notices Steve had stopped eating. “Are you okay, honey? Is it not good?”

Steve nearly flinches when he realizes he slipped up. He quickly forces another smile, and replies, “No, no, it’s great. I just, uh… I have a lot on my mind today. Sorry.” 

“Oh, it’s okay. I get it.” Her happy expression comes back at full speed. “When Barb returns, we have to all celebrate together. Wouldn’t that be nice?”

“Yeah. It will be.” His chest tightens at the lie. He has to be the strong one here. It’ll be too suspicious if he decides to step out of the room to take a breather like his girlfriend. He picks up his fork again and forces himself to eat. “I can’t wait for you guys to find her.”

He was left to keep the hopeful conversation up while Nancy stayed in the bathroom for a while to silently cry.

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

Meanwhile, in another neighbourhood, just like Clockwork, Mike Wheeler sat under the makeshift fort he put up last year, changing to a certain station on his walkie to begin his conversation for this night.

“El, are you there? El?” He called out, but as usual he was greeted by static. “It’s me. It’s Mike. It’s day 352, 7:40 p.m. I’m still here. If you’re out there, say something. Or give me a sign. I won’t even say anything to anyone if you’re worried about that. Just…” He pauses as he starts to get teary eyed. “I wanna know if you’re okay.”

He hated how broken up he sounded, and he wonders what the others would think if they would see him like this?

He waited a full minute before tossing the walkie to the side. 

“I’m so stupid.”

I mean all he’s doing is giving himself this false hope. He knows that there’s a very high probability that she is really gone after all. I mean, he and all his friends, his sister and Jonathan included, saw her turn to ash along with that miniature Demogorgon and that deranged doctor. She may be a psychic, but there’s no way she’s immortal or has a crazy healing factor like an X-Men.

His hands grip his pant legs, trying not to cry for real. “...I am really stupid.”

He was about to call it quits for tonight when a signal started to come in. 

[ ‘Mike? ---- Mike? ]

Mike snags it back up as fast as he could. “Hello, is that you?” He asks, a hundred percent expecting Eleven, and total not expecting–

[ ‘Yeah, it’s me, Dustin. What’re you doing on this channel again? I’ve been trying to reach you all day. We were right. Max is Mad Max.’ ]

Mike scoffs in annoyance. “Yeah, I’m busy.”

[ ‘But–’ ] 

He pushes the antenna down, ultimately cutting himself off from his friends. He throws it off to the side again, a little harsher this time as he starts stomping up the stairs. “This is all so fucking stupid.”

.

.

.

Lucas looks over at his friend as they continue to ride their bikes back to their place. They were actually not completely surprised by their friend’s snappy attitude (He’s been like this since school ended). “What do we do now?”

“We stick to the plan.” Dustin says, getting a wary look.

“Mike’s not gonna like it.”

“Last time I checked, our party is not a dictatorship. It’s a democracy.”

“What if Max says no?”

“How can Max say no to these?” He purrs again which causes Lucas to cringe.

“I told you to stop that.” Lucas says, just before he pulls into his driveway. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Later.” 

They were going to get Max into their group whether Mike likes it or not! The only thing that was going to be tricky for them was convincing the girl to give them the time of day. 

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

And down the street from the two of them, right off the road of Mirkwood, a family was prepping for movie night. Joyce was in the kitchen making stovetop popcorn when she had to do a double take. But she couldn’t help but smile at her Boyfriend’s shenanigans. 

“Stop.” She says, playfully as he circles around her with his camera. “Stop!”

“What?” Bob said, teasing back. “Come on, you gotta get used to it. This is the future.”

“Well, put the future down and get me a clean bowl. And, Jonathan?” She calls out to her eldest in the living room. “Can you go get your brother?”

“Okay.” Jonathan heads for his brother’s room with a stack full of VHS tapes, knocking a few times before entering. “Hey, bud. I didn’t know what you’d like, so I got a variety. Take your pick.”

“Whatever you want.” Will replies, harshly (Which actually stuns Jonathan for a few seconds).

“Alright…” Jonathan takes a seat at the end of the bed. He then decides to be nosy and look at what Will was drawing. “What are you working on? Zombie Boy? Who’s Zombie Boy?”

Will looks at him for a second before quietly muttering, “Me.”

“Did someone call you that?” Jonathan asks, going in defensive mode. But his brother said nothing in return, so he softened his approach. “Hey. You can talk to me. You know that, right? Whatever happened.” He touches his arm. “Will, come on, talk to me.”

He jerks his hand away. “Stop treating me like that.”

“What? Like what?”

“Like everyone else does. Like there’s something wrong with me.”

“What are you talking about?” Jonathan pushes.

Will uses his fingers to count. “Mom, Dustin, Lucas– Everyone! They all treat me like I’m gonna break. Like I’m a baby. Like I can’t handle things on my own. It doesn’t help.” His voice starts to tremble, which punches Jonathan in the gut as he helplessly listens to every word. “It just makes me feel like more of a freak. The only person who isn’t treating me like that is Stephanie, and it’s probably because she’s going through what I’m going through.”

Jonathan’s heart breaks a little bit more. “Will–”

“And she’s…” Will starts to teary eyed. “She’s so strong. At least she tries to be for me. And it… it sucks because she’s always there for me, and I-I don’t know how to be there for her.” He sniffles. “Her friends tell her that… that ‘Freaks stick together’, but it doesn’t help when we’re constantly being reminded of it everyday for something that we didn’t have control over.”

He breaks eye contact again, and continues to draw, hoping his brother would just go away and leave him be. But Jonathan wasn’t. He wasn’t going to let his baby brother wallow over something like this when he’s clearly calling out for help.

“You know what?” Jonathan begins, moving to sit crisscrossed and give his full attention. “You’re right. You are a freak.”

Will snaps his gaze back at him, both confused and angry. “What?”

“No, I’m serious. You’re a freak. But what?” Jonathan shrugs. “Do you wanna be normal? Do you wanna be just like everyone else? Being a freak is the best. I’m a freak. You’re a freak. Stephanie’s a freak. And guess what? She’s right. We freaks have to stick together.”

“Is that why you’re always hanging out with me?” Will asks, still staring with a puzzled look.

Jonathan chuckles. “Yeah, of course, bud. You’re my best friend, alright? And I would rather be best friends with Zombie Boy than with a boring nobody. You know what I mean?” But his brother still didn’t seem to grasp what he was saying yet. So Jonathan tries something else. “Okay, look... Who would you rather be friends with? Bowie or Kenny Rogers?”

Will scrunches up his nose. “Ugh.”

“Exactly. It’s no contest. The thing is, nobody normal ever accomplished anything meaningful in this world. You got it?”

“Well... some people like Kenny Rogers.”

“Kenny Rogers.” Bob says while popping through the doorway. “I love Kenny Rogers.” And his response got the two brothers to laugh, which stirred confusion. “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing.” Will replies, grinning.

Bob was about to comment until he saw the stack of VHS tapes. “Oooh, ‘Mr. Mom’.” He grins like a kid in a candy store. “Perfect!”

And he grabs them and leaves the room, humming something that makes them belly laugh again. It was a much needed belly laugh for the both of them.

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

Stephanie stepped out of the steaming shower, quickly grabbing her towel to fight off the cool air. She dries her body off first before working on her dark locks; They had grown quite a bit this year, and she wonders if being friends with the ‘Hellfire Club’ has something to do with it. Everyone, except for Jeff, had their hair long in some kind of way. Between Grant’s mullet, Gareth’s baby version of that, and Eddie’s copying Van Halen, she’s somewhere in that mix. 

I’m starting to think our goal is to braid each other’s hair. She chuckles, staring at herself in the mirror as the steam starts to disappear. Even in her house’s crappy lighting, even after all the special cream and a whole year passing, all her scars were still so noticeable.

Her expression fades into pain as she brushes the delicate skin on her neck. Sometimes she could still feel that bats teeth sinking in… and that wasn’t the only spot. They had gotten her pretty good everywhere. There were a few spots on her thighs and calves, a few on her stomach, and arms. But those didn’t bother her as much as the one on her neck.

Luckily for her she’s always been big on wearing baggy clothes, but this time her ensemble included more turtlenecks and scarves off all sorts. Both her mother and brother stopped asking her about them after three months, and Eddie and the other haven’t even got the chance to see any of them, and she liked to keep it that way (Unless they were the tiny marks on her hands, but those were barely there anymore).

She inhales sharply, trying to guide herself away from all the negatives and get dressed. But her attempts weren’t that great because she didn’t notice the lights dimming and the room growing colder and darker. It wasn’t until her chest felt tight and a shiver ran down her spine she finally took note.

She felt a presence behind her, one that she couldn’t dare make herself look at, as she remained frozen to the tiled floor. She felt a pressure in her head, and something slithering around her wrists.

She forces herself to look down, a weird set of red strings twisting around her wrists and hands like we were some sort of puppet. Scaredly she whispers, “What the…?” as someone whispers back,

.

// FIND HIM //

.

She flinches and screams. Her eyes shooting wide open to find herself back in the shower with the hot water still pooling off her body. She gasps like she’s out of breath, frantically looking around that made her come to the conclusion that she never actually got out in the first place.

“W-What the fuck…” She mutters, heart racing in her ears. It then sky rocketed again when someone came pounding on the door. 

“Hey, Phanie, you done yet?” Dustin’s voice called out. And in a strange way it grounded her back to reality more.

“Y-Yeah.” She calls out, loudly. “I’m almost done. Give me five minutes.”

“Okay. Just don’t waste all the hot water, please.”

“I won’t…” She listens to him disappear back down the hallway, almost wishing he’d stayed there until she was done. Her baby brother she’ll admit was everything to her, and as much as it’s easy to talk to him about anything, as much as she wants to talk about what happened in the Upside Down with him, she doesn’t want him to be plagued with this nightmare she’s living every day.

Stephanie sobbed quietly, leaning her head against the wall, and used the last five minutes she had to cry a rainfall.

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

After a long, long day of work, Hopper had finally arrived at his hiding spot in the woods just as someone else pulled up beside him. He gets out with his big flashlight, not turning it on just yet since he already knows who it is.

“How was work?” Steve asks, getting out himself with something in his arms. 

“Oh, you know. Same shit, different day.” Hopper replies, annoyance in his words. “How about you? How was the dinner?”

“It was… interesting. I’ll have to fill you in.” Steve frowns. “Mr. Holland called you a SOB a lot tonight.”

“Oh, I can imagine.” And he probably deserves it since he’s “blowing off” the case in the Hollands’ eyes (But Hopper stopped feeling guilty a while ago since he has bigger things to take care of). He was about to start walking when he finally noticed what the teenager was carrying. “Did you bring KFC home?”

“What? I didn’t really eat much to begin with. And besides, she hasn’t tried it yet. Who doesn’t like fried chicken?”

Hopper says nothing else, used to the teen’s roguishness, and begins his trek further into the woods with Steve in tow. They stayed silent the whole way, being mindful of the traps they laid around the place, including a tripwire they both inspected and carefully walked over. Hopper then knocks the secret code, the door soon opening and letting them inside the poorly lit cabin.

“Hey, kiddo, I got us dinner.” Steve announces, placing it on the table.

Hopper sets his hat and coat aside, along with his belt as he notices something on the kitchen counter: A plate full of Eggos and a mound full of syrup. “Hey, what’d we talk about?” He semi-scolds, as a voice comes from one of the back rooms.

“No signal.”

“What?”

“No signal. It’s 8-1-5. You’re late.”

Hopper frowns apologetically. “Yeah, I lost track of time.”

“We both did. Sorry.” Steve says, just as she entered the room. Her curly hair had grown in a pixie, and she was dressed in clothes he had found in a thrift store (She may have had a tiny growth spurt between New Years and this Halloween).

“I’ll signal next time, alright?” Hopper says, as they all sit down at the table. “Uh, and it’s 8:15. It’s not 8-1-5. Eight-fifteen.”

“Eight-fifteen.” El repeats.

“Good.” He says, proudly before pointing to the waffles on the counter. “Now, what did we talk about?”

“Dinner first, then dessert.”

“Always. That’s a rule. Yeah?”

“Yes.”

“Alright. Dig in.”

“What is this?”

“It’s fried chicken. Then this is mashed potatoes with gravy, and these are biscuits.” Steve explains, with a smile. “The biscuits are the best part.”

“I think I’d have to agree on that.” Hopper replies.

“But the chicken here has bones, so all you have to do is bite into the meat, and pull it off. Try it.” Steve watches her pick up the drumstick and follow his instructions. Her face lights up after a couple of bites. “Good?”

She nods eagerly. “Really good.”

“Good. Glad to hear. Did you study today?”

“Yeah.”

“What did you study today?”

So she tells him and Hopper everything she has done since this morning, not sparing any details, or questions she may have, as they happily listened to every word.

Oh, and you’re probably wondering… ‘What an interesting group of people’, or, ‘How’d they all end up together?’. And I’ll tell you why…

Although, that’s a story for next time.

(TBC)

-Taglist is Open-

@ladygrey03 @poppet05 @tooearlyforthis @lovesfics @lordzzz

@mirkwoodshewolf @sadbitchfangirl @olivewisp

@emsownuniverse @unspecifiedvisitor @smaryamsstuff @kitty49646 @jinxeee @bookkeeperlove @prozacgooble @goth-baby98 @aainr @luca-random-stuff @catradorapotter @bailees-post @dearabby1990 @savage-aespa @aainr @madaboutjoe

[strangerthings-writer]

Welcome To My Page!

• My name is Eddie, and I’m a 20 y/o trans man who just likes to write little fanfictions… and I’m an english major!

• This is a place for Stranger Things fans to come and submit drabble and one-shot requests of their favourite characters and/or ships that they want fan fiction of!

• This page has NSFW writings, so please keep that in mind when browsing this page!

• MASTERLIST

• Request Application

What will I write?

• I write both NSFW and SFW drabbles and one-shots

• I do “x readers” and ships

• I write fluff, sometimes angst, romance (ofc)… just ask!

• I write for MxM, WxW, MxW, t4t… anything you desire

• I can interpret your headcanons into my writings! If you headcanon Steve as a trans girl? Perfect! I can write that. Just let me know in your ask!

What won’t I write?

• Any ships that involve a minor with an adult

• Major character death (just uncomfortable to write for me) or extreme angst

• I will not write for kinks that are considered too extreme or gross (kinks I won’t write for are: scat, vomit, raceplay, ageplay, anything illegal). If you’re not sure if I’ll write for something send me a dm and ask me and I’ll let you know :) *I always content warning NSFW works*

What characters/ships do I write for?

• characters marked with * are characters I do NOT write NSFW for

Mike Wheeler*

Dustin Henderson*

Lucas Sinclair*

Max Mayfield*

Steve Harrington

Nancy Wheeler

Jonathan Beyers

Billy Hargrove

Eddie Munson

Chrissy Cunningham

Robin Buckley

Gareth*

Argyle

• ships marked with * are ships I do NOT write NSFW for

Stancy (Steve x Nancy)

Stommy (Steve x Tommy)

Jancy (Jonathan x Nancy)

Ronance (Nancy x Robin)

Buckingham (Robin x Chrissy)

Jargyle (Jonathan x Argyle)

Steddie (Steve x Eddie)

Harringrove (Steve x Billy)

Mungrove (Eddie x Billy)

Hellcheer (Eddie x Chrissy)

Calicheer (Chrissy x Billy)

Lumax (Lucas x Max)*

Byler (Will x Mike)*

Henclair (Dustin x Lucas)*

More to add soon…

text divider credit goes to cafekitsune