#me before this part: I have never heard of the Wheeler family ever in my life
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rebelrian · 1 year ago
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The Chasms We Cross - Spy x Family Twiyor One Shot
Biding my time until Chapter 86 releases on Sunday - we don’t know if Endo will resolve this arc in the next chapter so I’m putting this out here first as my speculation of how Twilight and Yor will reunite!!
Summary:
More than gripes, Twilight fears resentment will grow between him and Yor.
Note:
Picks up from Chapter 85 of the manga. Some characters’ fates are just speculated at and this fic may be completely way off from what Endo has in mind…but we’ll only find out when the chapter drops. More personal notes below the cut, only available to read on Tumblr for now.
Spy x Family manga spoilers ahead. For general audiences. Enjoy reading this fanfic!
The Chasms We Cross
by rebelrian
Between his front porch and the door to his apartment, Twilight felt a chasm had formed. Once he crosses the threshold, he would have no choice but to put on his mask as Loid Forger. To be Loid Forger would be to face Yor and Anya as an upstanding, even-tempered family man; a psychiatrist beloved by his colleagues and patients. After the events of that day, Twilight couldn’t say he deserved to be that man, let alone be welcomed in the space the Forgers called their home.
The bullet wound left by Yuri burned fresh on Twilight’s arm.
Ironically, Twilight had Yuri and Nightfall to thank for his escape from the SSS. Yuri, who would have not hesitated to end him if he was faster, even more resilient; Nightfall, who may never recover from the damage she inflicted on her own body trying to save Twilight.
A flash. A bloodied Yuri. “Yor…I’m so…sorry…”
Nightfall, bones breaking, still standing. “…But I’m not afraid. I believe in that man.”
“It’s what makes me strong.”
Twilight heard it all. Wheeler made sure he knew Nightfall’s words even if he hadn’t. In the eye of his adversary, Twilight tapped on the strengths of Yuri and Nightfall who had fallen before him. People who were unafraid to lean on others and be their support in return. He thought of Bond, leaping into a burning building for a stranger’s dog; Anya saving a drowning boy twice her height; Anya braving a full scale hostage attempt; Anya running into Yor’s arms after. Yor.
Yor chasing after a pickpocket; Yor stroking Anya’s hair, ever generous with her embraces; Yor singing a lullaby to him on a park bench, rustling leaves providing soft accompaniment. An autumn night’s breeze. His mother.
With that, he silenced Wheeler once and for all.
The damage done to WISE and Operation Strix is still unknown. He’ll hear more about it from Handler in time to come, but he’s doubtful the SSS lost all the intel with Wheeler. No matter how he looked at it, WISE is definitely compromised, with more agents down to boot.
So where does that leave him and the Forgers? “Lay low,” said Handler. “Carry on with your daily routines until we can ascertain the damage to our operations in Ostania. We got this far…it would be a pity to retreat at this stage.”
Even in disguise, Handler’s hooded gaze remained the same. Unreadable. “Set your family’s hearts at ease.” Those were her last words to Twilight before dismissing him.
He reached their front door. The man paused, unsure whether to enter. Would anyone be waiting for him at this late hour? Surely Anya would be asleep by now, no doubt dreaming of pandas and penguins. But Yor…would she wait for him like he does for her? Would she have had her dinner yet? Thinking back on how they parted earlier this morning, it’s possible she may not be so considerate of him. Could he blame her? If you can do one thing right today Twilight, it’s to not let Yor down anymore tonight. If she’s behind that door, you owe it to her to finish the morning’s conversation.
The man let go of the breath he didn’t realize he was holding, and regained composure.
The white light of their living room flooded his vision as the door creaked open. Sure enough, Loid’s wife was perched on the sofa, twirling her hair. Pensive.
Ruby eyes widened at the sound of footsteps and darted to the tall figure that was her husband. The first thing Yor noticed was the bandage wrapped around his head. Her hands flew to her mouth.
“Loid! What happened?”
Loid Forger gave an apologetic grimace, like it didn’t hurt at all. “Oh, today’s emergency patient was quite the challenge. But it’s nothing that won’t heal.”
In truth, his whole body was screaming to collapse; he was beaten, starving and thirsty. But this was important. This felt larger than him, or even Operation Strix. He owed it to this pure, beautiful woman to set her heart at ease, knowing he will only continue to hurt her once she finds out she almost lost her only living family today. Twilight mustered the last bits of energy and clarity for the day’s last mission.
Yor wasn’t too sure a blow to the head counted as a minor injury and kept a watchful gaze on her husband. Nevertheless, the tangled tension that wrecked her the whole day slowly unravelled and her body relaxed finally seeing Loid home safe and sound.
“O-oh…I suppose that’s why you’re back so late today.” She tugged at the sleeves of her red sweater nervously. Of course Yuri was wrong. Loid wouldn’t be out cheating on me…why do I always let other people doubt my trust in Loid?
Loid hung his hat and coat by the doorway and closed the distance between them in long strides. “I’m sorry I couldn’t call in the day and left you so abruptly this morning…a lot has happened since we…” Argued. If what happened counted as arguing. Twilight still couldn’t make sense of their morning predicament. Yor remained unusually stoic. In that moment, she almost looked…unfeeling.
He suddenly felt self-conscious and ran a hand through the tuft of hair left exposed on his head.
Yor finally responded. “It’s ok Loid, these things happen,” she said quietly.
A beat. A twin ache. Both lonely figures stood in the middle of their living room, appraising each other.
The lady took the first steps; she was now close enough to rest her hand on the man’s shoulder. He inhaled.
“Welcome home, Loid,” she said, standing on the tip of her toes. Ruby eyes met steel eyes, a question forming in the latter pair. But for the first time, Yor did not waver in front of her handsome, perfect husband.
She closed her eyes and kissed him.
Twilight was stunned. The last thing he expected was to be greeted with warmth. He kept his eyes open to see if it was true; that Yor Forger’s plush and soft lips were on his; that her cheeks were not flushed and her breathing was measured. She was not drunk. She was calm and her sincerity was as clear as day. His heart ached at this intimate gesture and he tentatively kissed her back.
When they pulled apart, Yor’s hand still rested on Loid’s shoulder, her other hand held close to her heart. Loid’s steel eyes softened, one hand hovering over her waist.
“Yor…”
And that one syllable did it. The only thing Twilight could do today was falter and falter. His knees gave way and the only thing that stopped him from hitting the ground was Yor’s iron grip. The last thing he saw was a halo shining above her.
———
Twilight woke up to the waft of tomatoes. He was bundled on the sofa and there on the coffee table, was a serving of Yor’s signature southern stew complete with cute chunks of misshapen potatoes. Strips of stubborn potato skin clung sparsely. A first aid box sat waiting in the wings of the accompanying jug of water and plate of warm loaf bread.
Just as Loid sat up, Yor returned to the living room with their tea and took a seat beside him.
“It’s nothing new and not nearly as good as any of your dishes…but you look like you haven’t eaten the whole day, Loid.” Yor’s brow was furrowed.
“I never get tired of your stew, Yor.” It was the truth.
After the first sip, Loid ate the rest of his meal ravenously. He took a bite of the loaf and groaned appreciatively. Yor giggled in spite of herself. She had never seen her husband so unrestrained. So relaxed.
With his appetite satiated, the man’s senses slowly came back to him. Here he was, enjoying food prepared by Loid Forger’s wife even when he abandoned her without a satisfactory explanation. Despite that, Yor Forger took a courageous leap and kissed him for the first time. Welcomed him home. Not knowing Yuri could have died by his hands if he didn’t stop himself. Twilight was starting to feel sick; he didn’t deserve any of it.
“Yor, we need to talk about what happened this morning.”
Yor’s fists were balled and resting on her knees. She seemed a bit stiff, but prepared.
“I-I’m sorry for confusing you earlier, Loid. The truth is…I was finding gripes with you because the girls said it was normal for couples to have them…”
Yor could feel the heat flush up her neck but she forced herself to continue.
“It was foolish of me picking a fight when you’ve been nothing short of perfect, Loid. I’m…actually the happiest I’ve ever been, married to you.”
She didn’t dare meet his eyes as she finished the sentence, so she couldn’t see the tender gaze Loid had for her with each admission. What she did see was his hand closing over one of her fists, his thumb making deep circles, coaxing her fist to unfurl. She flattened her palm on her thigh and let it be blanketed by his warmth. Slowly, she willed herself to meet his gaze.
“Yor, I’m nowhere near perfect.”
Loid looked unrecognizable to her in that moment. He was still…him, but there was a deep melancholy pushing through the surface. Just as sincere as whenever he told her she was already doing her best as his wife. She couldn’t help but tear. Is that really you, Loid? You look like a man who’s lost everything.
He gave a sad smile. “By gripes, do you mean not spending enough time at home with you, Anya and Bond?”
“Well…it could even be…unsweetened omelettes…” She wished a hole would open up beneath her and swallow her whole.
Loid gave a soft chuckle and brought his other hand to her hair, pushing away locks of hair from her eyes. “Bland omelettes and family time are things that can easily be resolved as long as we’re a team, Yor.”
“But if you ever resented me…I would definitely lose all of you. You…Anya…Bond…this home.” Again, the man rose to the surface.
“I’m not sure I’m prepared for that, Yor.”
When he willed himself to remember, the man was no stranger to discord in families. It was a reality he witnessed everyday in his childhood home. His parents wasted no breath firing ammunition at each other whenever they were together. Their words mentioned school, mollycoddling, awful dinner, but even as a boy, he knew his parents were stoking at a deeper ember. One that would never burn out. In the end, their resentment for each other manifested in chasms between all three of them; as fate would have it, his father was gone first; his mother followed after; the boy left alone, marooned on this damned Earth.
Until now.
Yor clasped both of Loid’s hands and mimicked the way his thumbs caressed hers. Her eyes were a different kind of ember, ones that beckoned and drew him in. Yet, he was afraid to approach her.
She spoke in hushed tones, but she did not stutter.
“Loid, I don’t regret being a Forger.”
“We were complete strangers when we first met…and yet you let me into your home and entrusted Anya with me. I’m sure I must have befuddled you many times before, but you never stopped trying to understand me. I never knew a place where I belonged before you and Anya. Both of you have always accepted me as I am.”
What Yor said next surprised him. “This resentment you speak of…I’m not afraid of it. I don’t believe in it.”
“For as long as I want to protect this peace we have together, I’ll never stop trying to understand you, Loid. Even if it’s selfish…I don’t want to leave the Forger family.”
Twilight let her words steep.
To protect this peace we have together…
”But what if you misjudged me, Yor? What if…I let you and Anya down?”
Yor considered this and something retreated in her; the empty stare teased at the coals of her ruby eyes once again.
“It’s possible you have misjudged me too, Loid.”
Her next words took all the bravery she could muster. “But would that stop you from being with me?”
Twilight looked at the lovely stranger before him. She, who always doubted how normal she passed off as when it was really her unfailing honesty and trust that dulled everyone else in comparison. She, a transparent soul that also hinted at an infinity of trick mirrors.
Perhaps she was like him too.
Perhaps there was hope for them still.
Perhaps the man could be selfish in indulging in Loid Forger’s cast.
Perhaps this doesn’t change the way Twilight can be, anymore than what has already changed in his last months as a Forger.
Loid pulled Yor closer to him until she almost fell into his lap. His eyes shone as clear as day, the fog cleared.
“No. I want to stay with you, Yor Forger. If you’ll let me.”
Their faces were inches apart, their breaths tickling each other. There was no more tentativeness. In that moment, they both saw each other. Yor’s words were a whisper before they were lost in the pull of their lips.
“I do.”
———
Notes:
I could be very wrong but I think Wheeler could be killed off soon. The man is too formidable a foil to Twilight and him surviving is danger on all fronts to all characters!! We still don’t know what info he stole!!!!
For weeks since this arc started getting stressful, I was so worried Loid would spiral after the whole incident and distance himself from his family, or even riddle himself with guilt over Nightfall. But after Chapter 85…I held onto a glimmer of hope that Twilight will be a bit more honest and more willing to change his views on relying on others as a spy.
Will Twilight and Yor kiss?? This fic says yes but my guess is as good as any. I’m not familiar with Endo’s other narratives or approaches to romance, but I doubt it’s as slow burn/ambiguous as Rumiko Takahashi (a personal observation since I’m more familiar with her romantic comedy dynamics in shonen stories). I have a feeling Endo might let Twiyor progress a bit and that Twilight will be more forgiving of the contradictions of his role earlier than expected.
Is Yor’s speech supposed to mirror Donovan Desmond? Yes. Could she be the answer to world peace? Probably (I kid). Though while we’re on the topic, wouldn’t it be wild if Melinda Desmond hires Garden to assassinate her own husband in later arcs? And instead of Twilight meeting the final boss first in the final showdown…it’s Thorn Princess.
I have so many feelings and I just can’t wait for Twilight and Yor to reunite!!!!
Perhaps I’ll get on AO3 once I receive the invitation email.
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harrington-love · 1 year ago
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All The Little Moments (That Brought Me Back To You)
Summary: A piece in which Nancy Wheeler falls back in love with Steve Harrington
Notes:
My first ever (completed) Steve Harrington x Nancy Wheeler piece. Of course, this is dedicated to my wonderful discord pals who have become my own found family. This wouldn't have been possible without their love, encouragement, and support. This story focuses more on Nancy's perspective, thoughts, and feelings in her season four scenes with Steve, with a few of my own made up events that follow the very last episode. As for the actual canon events and dialogue that happened in season four, I do NOT claim those as my own. I also do NOT claim the characters as my own. All the credit, rightfully so, goes to the writers of this fantastic show. This is just a retelling :) This story is for a mature audience, so if you are not 18 years or older, please do NOT read this piece. Lastly, this story also features a bit of Jonathan x Nancy for narrative purposes, but if you're looking for a happy ending for them, you won't find it here. (Most likely you won't find it in the show either. Oops. #TeamStancy)
WC: 10,303
Divider: @saradika (Check out all of their beautiful headers and dividers!!)
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Nancy doesn’t even know how it happened.
One moment, in the dark and quiet of the night on a boat at Lovers’ Lake, eyes twinkling and a faint pink dusting her cheeks, she’d whispered a heartfelt “Be careful” to the boy who, if she was being honest, wasn’t a boy anymore.
Steve.
He was a man, a beautiful man who had taken her by surprise over the last few days they found themselves together. She was amazed at how easily they were able to fall back into laughter, how effortlessly a smile stretched across her lips at one of his corny jokes that she’d heard a million times, but always made her laugh as though she was hearing it for the first.
There was something else though, that accompanied this feeling of amazement. Something deep and warm and fond, that’d been present as she plucked spiderwebs from his perfectly styled hair. She felt it when he had offered…no, insisted on joining her at the library. It was present in her urgency as she leapt from the boat into the deep depth of the water to find him, to save him, just like he’d done for her so many times before.
The next moment, she’s protecting him with a boat oar from interdimensional bats with razor sharp teeth that gnaw at his bloodied flesh. The force behind her swing is enough to kill them, making them pay for causing harm to the man that’s spent his teenage years protecting others from it.
She inspects his wounds when he stands, fingers gently grazing the marks on his arm and shoulder. He makes a joke that he’s never been better despite having a pound of flesh torn off his body, and instead of scolding him for his inability to be serious for one moment, she lets herself breathe. And maybe even smile.
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Hiding in the shadows of the Upside Down’s version of Skull Rock is when Nancy is overcome with a whole different feeling entirely. It’s not a new feeling, however. She felt it in the Hawkins High girl’s bathroom sophomore year, back pressed against the tiled wall as Steve’s lips nipped and licked and kissed at her neck. It was there in the dim light of her bedroom when he’d kissed her slowly with wandering hands. And again in the darkness of Steve’s room, naked and vulnerable, tangled between his bedsheets.
She watches Steve stumble, dizzy and weak from blood loss, and urges him to his knees. With no other option, she kneels in front of him, close enough to feel his breath on her cheeks. The bat bite isn’t infected as far as Nancy can tell, but the wound is completely exposed and she won’t risk him being subjected to more pain.
She rips the bottom part of her sweater clean off. Her eyes ask permission, fabric held between nimble fingers. He grunts his consent, hands cradling the back of his head as the sweater piece grazes the sticky wound. She wants to make sure it’s secure, tying the fabric around his lower back, faltering slightly when the sound that leaves his lips mirrors a noise she’s heard before. He’s in pain, she knows this, but he’s a whimpering mess in front of her and past memories of her hands and tongue exploring his body are at the forefront of her mind.
Nancy makes the mistake of glancing up at his face. Half lidded eyes burn with something dark, and Nancy knows it can only be described as lust because she’s looking at him the same way he’s looking at her. He’s breathing deeply, pink lips parted, and for a moment Nancy thinks what if…
And then a few seconds later the ground shakes and Steve’s pulling her body into his chest, arm a snug shield around her collarbones. Her fingernails dig into his skin and if it hurts he doesn’t say anything, his steady breath next to her ear the only noise she hears. It’s a comforting sound, one that signifies he’s alive, and when the ground stops shaking she holds onto him for just a split second longer. Steve doesn’t mind one bit.
Eddie asks questions about the Upside Down and sometime after he receives his answers, Robin suggests finding grenades and guns to fend off the creatures. Eddie’s brows furrow, disbelief in his voice at the admission that Nancy Wheeler, out of all people, keeps guns locked away in her bedroom. There’s a husky voice behind her that says “You almost shot me with that one,” when she mentions owning a revolver.
Her head tilts slightly, a snicker on her face as she recalls the first time Steve was ever introduced to anything pertaining to the Upside Down. With a bloodied eye and a bruised ego, he’d come to the Byers’ house to apologize to Jonathan, only to force his way inside after one glance at her bandaged hand. He refused to leave until he knew she was okay, but he wasn’t moving quick enough for her and the lights had started to flicker. She couldn’t risk him being involved in the mess. Gun aimed at his chest, she’d said, “I’m doing this for you.”
Nancy chuckles now, a light and airy huff. So much has changed since then, including the two of them. “You almost deserved it,” is her answer, a coy smile on her lips as she gazes back at him. They don’t say anything afterward, basking in the silence and in the heat of each other’s closeness.
The moment is ruined by a denim vest being thrown in Steve’s direction. She and Steve blink, startled, and Eddie mentions something about modesty. Fuck modesty, she thinks.
Steve puts the vest on, much to Nancy’s dismay, but then her eyes trail over his form and she decides he looks good in it. Even if he is battered and bruised, he’s still just as handsome as he was back in high school. Maybe even more now.
And while she watches him flick on the flashlight and lead the way through the forest, she can’t help but be impressed by how much he’s matured over the years. She’s used to taking charge, being the one people follow, that the feeling of letting someone else lead is almost unfathomable.
And yet Nancy finds herself letting Steve guide the way, any and all complaints dying on her tongue. He’s walking into a strange and frightening world with determined eyes, a set jaw, and a confidence she isn’t used to. There’s no protest on his lips or hesitation in the way that he moves, a stark difference to his seventeen year old self. She’s enticed by this version of Steve, the one that sees danger and runs toward it, not from it. The one that has so naturally fallen into the role of a leader, someone that Nancy can trust to keep her safe.
She can’t help the smile that spreads across her cheeks as she follows him into the unknown.
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They’d been able to make contact with Lucas, Dustin, and Erica, and eventually found their way to Eddie’s trailer. It was there they discovered a gate that would lead them back to Hawkins. All they had to do was climb through. Easy enough.
Robin and Eddie had made it up the rope smoothly, landing comfortably on a mattress waiting for them on the other side. Nancy is halfway up the rope, ready to emerge on the other side of the portal, when something in the air shifts and suddenly she’s falling, her back eventually colliding with hard ground. Her eyes open to the horrific sight of a dead Barbara Holland cocooned in tentacles at the bottom of Steve’s empty pool.
Visions of that night replay on a loop. Some are of Barb’s pained screams as she was brutally taken from the world. Others are of herself and Steve, bodies pressed against each other, soft moans filling the quiet of his room and tongues licking into mouths. “You’re so beautiful,” he’d said, right as his hips pressed flush with hers. She’d felt all of him that night, a moment that was sweet and pure, or should have been, overshadowed by unresolved guilt.
Nancy doesn’t like to cry if she can help it, but she sheds tears for her best friend who was taken much too soon. She cries for the girl she used to be before being introduced to a world of horrors, and the childhood innocence that was taken from her all in one night that she’d given into passion.
The rest of Vecna’s visions are just as awful as the next, and Nancy can’t bear to think of a world where Hawkins is destroyed and taken over by monsters. A world where her mom, Holly, and Mike, don’t survive. A world where her friends are beaten down, traumatized, and irreparably broken.
The world that Vecna shows her is Hawkins’ reality in a few days' time, and Nancy’s not sure if he’ll even let her live long enough to see the city crumble. But he sends her off with a message for Eleven, and when the visions subside, her body falls limp. She’s too weak from the crying and the yelling and the pleading to catch herself as she collapses.
But Steve does. Of course he does. He’s gentle when he maneuvers her onto the ground, head on his arm with his hand cradling her cheek, thumb rubbing at stray tears on her lashes. Her breaths are slight gasps and she’s riddled with fear, unable to hear anything over the sound of her own panic.
“It’s okay, I’m here. I’m right here.”
The words aren’t just comforting, they’re a promise. Her eyes don’t leave him when he says it, assuring her over and over that he’s here with her and he isn’t going anywhere. She focuses on mimicking his steady breathing, the concern in his hazel eyes lighting a fire in her chest. Safe, sound, and supported in Steve’s arms is when she comes to realize that he never stopped caring about her.
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The plan for defeating Vecna includes a trip to the War Zone for as much ammunition as they can take without becoming suspicious. Eddie surprises everyone by hot wiring a caravan for the adventure, and Steve shocks the gang by driving it quite well under pressure.
Nancy takes the seat beside him, enjoying the comfortable silence before asking, “How does it handle?” He jokes with a smile, “Pretty well for a house.”
She doesn’t feel pressured to keep up the conversation. Silence is never awkward around Steve. But she watches as his mouth bobs open slightly and turns in her seat, full attention on him. He almost looks sheepish.
He tells her about his dream of a big family, three boys and three girls. Her brows raise at the number, but soften as she remembers for the last two years or so Steve’s been taking care of seven kids just fine. Dustin, Lucas, Erica, Max, Will, El, and Mike truly don’t know how lucky they are.
Even if the number of kids sounds like a bit much, she still listens to his dream. A dream that involves two active parents, happy and in love, traveling the country in a van similar to this one, creating memories with their children every summer. Stops along the way include Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon, and learning how to surf in a small town in California.
She says the dream sounds nice and there’s nothing but truth in her words. His eyes divert from the road, locking with hers, a soft “Yeah?” falling off his lips. Her head bobs forward, a gentle “Yeah,” leaving her mouth with a smile.
He turns back to the road but she can’t. All she can do is stare at him, beautifully bathed in daylight. And a dream that once sounded like a nightmare suddenly doesn’t sound so bad after all.
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Once more in the caravan, the teenagers rehearse the plan to attack Vecna. They only have one shot to do it correctly, and Nancy wants to be thorough. Once she’s satisfied, she leads them across the grass to Eddie’s trailer.
The rope is still dangling, connecting both worlds, and Dustin tells Steve to be careful before he climbs, expertly flipping into the Upside Down. Robin isn’t impressed, but Nancy can’t say the same because she is impressed, evident by the way the corners of her mouth raise endearingly.
Nancy lands on the mattress with a thud, reaching for the outstretched hand presented in front of her. She lets Steve pull her to her feet, but he doesn’t know his own strength and pulls her a hair’s breadth away from his lips. Her eyes burn into his, but for a brief moment they flit to his lips and back again. She’s not subtle, and he notices, but he won’t be the one to pull away first.
Robin, Nancy, and Steve bid goodbye to Dustin and Eddie who are left in charge of distracting the demobats. Nancy watches as Steve takes a long look at Dustin, torn between staying with him or leaving him behind. She comforts him with a hand to his shoulder, assuring him that Dustin’s in good hands with Eddie by his side.
The trek through the woods is cold and dark, and someone as uncoordinated as Robin shouldn’t be running through trees and hopping over logs, but she darts off ahead anyway. Steve makes a comment about her being a “Klutz” but really he can’t poke fun at her too much because he’s had his own share of clumsy moments.
There was a time when baby Steve crawled backwards and ended up falling down a flight of stairs, thumping his head on the way. “That makes so much sense,” Nancy jokes, and she’s not expecting Steve to agree with her.
Steve knows he’s a confident guy, but he has times where he just can’t help but feel like an idiot. The word makes Nancy grimace because he’s anything but. He’s had his fair share of questionable friends, choices, and morals, but idiot is too strong of a word to describe his past self.
Over the last few days, Steve has done nothing but surprise Nancy. But the biggest surprise of all is when he stops in his tracks and looks at her with the most vulnerable look she’s ever seen and thanks her for giving his head “The biggest thump of its life, two years ago.”
Her shoulders deflate as he turns, assuring her he needed that thump on his head. How it changed him for the better, and how he’s able to move forward now, albeit slowly. He wonders what would have happened between the two of them if some other girl had knocked some sense into him.
He thinks they would have made it if they were meeting for the first time now. And Nancy, not one who is usually rendered speechless, cannot find her voice. Because really, is there any right way to respond to your ex-boyfriend laying his heart in the palm of your hands?
Steve asks her if she recalls their conversation in the caravan, the one about his dream of the Winnebago and six kids. Of course she remembers. There was never a moment she’d seen him more honest and so…hopeful. As if they weren’t hours away from their potential death, and the only thing on his mind was a future with his own little family, one filled with laughter, love, and limitless smiles.
And Nancy finds that her eyes begin to water and her throat tickles when he says he forgot to mention the most important part of his dream. Mist clouds his eyes, voice unwavering.
“You’re there. You’ve always been there.”
Steve knocks the breath from her lungs with just six simple words. Six words that she never expected to hear, but are somehow the most beautiful words he’s ever said. After all this time, without even saying the word, she realizes that he loves her. Steve Harrington, the boy she inadvertently hurt two years ago while trying to process shame and guilt and grief, saw a future with her. Steve Harrington, the man baring his soul to her, giving her his heart and expecting nothing in return, still wants her. Needs her. Loves her.
She can’t stand here and say nothing. She wants to say something, but Robin has other ideas as she calls out for them, confirming they were heading in the right direction after all. When Nancy finds the courage to glance at Steve from under wet lashes, she’s met with a sigh and a head nod before he takes off after Robin.
And the feeling comes back again. The one she felt at the Creel house and on the boat at Lovers’ Lake. She doesn’t have a name for it but it grows stronger and burns brighter whenever she’s near him. It feels warm and safe and calm and exciting all in one. She doesn’t remember the last time she’s felt this way, but she thinks she could get used to this feeling.
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They tried. They truly tried with everything in them. But the clock had struck four times and the ground opened up and the city of Hawkins fell before their eyes. The already small city was becoming a ghost town, cars flying down streets to flee from the aftermath. They'd lost Eddie and Max in the process. 
They all felt responsible for what had happened to their once quaint town, and the only way to give back, to try and make things right, was to volunteer their help to the remaining citizens who were injured, hungry, or homeless.
Piling boxes into the back of Steve’s BMW is put on pause at the sound of a pizza van rolling into the Wheelers' driveway. Just when they needed something good, Eleven, Mike, Will, and Jonathan hop out of the vehicle, accompanied by a boy with an incredibly eccentric wardrobe.
Jonathan. The boy she hasn’t heard from or thought about for days, is scooping her into his arms and lifting her off the ground. He promises to tell her everything that’s happened over the last few days, but he kisses her forehead and whispers “I’m glad you're safe” before holding her once more.
Their reunion is short lived, with Jonathan bouncing off to introduce his new friend to the rest of the crew. She feels unproductive standing alone, suddenly realizing that they probably have a few more boxes to stack in Steve’s car. Unfortunately for Nancy, she turns around to the sight of the BMW driving off. A chance to be close to Steve disappearing down the road.
It’s Eleven who asks for someone to take her back to Hopper’s cabin, words pulling Nancy away from the vanishing vehicle. Nancy gently squeezes her hand and promises everyone will accompany her to the cabin. She deserves even a moment of normalcy.
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The realization that the cabin needs a bit of remodeling hits them when they pull up to the vacant home. Eleven, Mike, and Will busy themselves with black trash bags and old garbage. Jonathan proclaims he’s handy with a hammer, so Nancy offers to help him board up the windows even though her mind is elsewhere. There’s tension all around them, if fleeting eyes and tight lipped smiles are any indication.
Nancy tries to distract herself by hammering a nail into the wood, but then Jonathan says, “I’m sorry I wasn’t here,” and the first thing out of her mouth is, “I'm glad you weren’t.” Because someone else was.
Jonathan’s brows furrow and she realizes how that sounds, backtracking to explain she’s glad he was taking care of Mike and Will. He’s always been good at that. She doesn’t know if he says it to be petty, but it’s her turn to look confused when he says, “I’m glad you were here.”
He makes an offhand comment about Steve being in charge if Nancy hadn’t been, and his tone doesn’t sit right with her. She feels the need to defend Steve and she knows Jonathan had expected her to laugh along with him, but his comment isn’t received well and instead he turns away, muttering an uncomfortable, “Yeah, I’m sure.”
They resume hammering, but it’s not long until he asks the dreaded question. “Are we okay?”
And really, how is she supposed to answer that when essentially nothing between them has been okay over the last few weeks? Conversations between them have been flat and plans have been rescheduled more than once or completely ignored. She’d started questioning whether he really wanted to see her. On his list of priorities, where was she?
She lies and answers, “Yeah, totally,” and states how hard it’s been with life throwing wrenches in their big plans. Big plans that include attending Emerson, Nancy studying journalism while Jonathan practices photography. She’s hounded him about it before, so she doesn’t see the harm in asking one last time if he received his application letter in the mail.
Unsurprisingly he says it hasn’t come yet. The disappointment she feels isn’t caused by the missing letter, but more from the thought that she’s being lied to. He hadn’t even looked her in the face when she’d asked, but she still wants to give him the benefit of the doubt.
Something soft lands on the tip of her nose and she gently brushes it off, about to hammer the last of the nails when something else lands on her finger. She glances at Jonathan, who flicks a piece of the substance off his wrist, and their attention is grabbed by Will calling out to them.
They rush over to join Hopper, Eleven, Joyce, Mike, and Will, who’s hand is locked on the back of his own neck. There’s goosebumps on his skin when he whispers, “Something’s wrong,” and whatever is falling from the sky is plummeting faster and more frequently.
Hopper weaves around branches in the forest and they follow him curiously, all pausing once they arrive on the peak of the hill to see Hawkins overcome by thick smoke, illuminated by a bright red sky. Screams and shrieks scatter throughout the burning city, and Nancy, unblinking, swallows when she puts the pieces together.
Hawkins is merging with the Upside Down. The creatures are beginning to take over the city, growling and screeching and tearing apart anything in their path. And she’s two seconds away from gearing up for the fight of her life.
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And this time, they’d won.
Hawkins, Indiana, as Nancy knew it, is destroyed. 37 killed. 14 missing. 65 wounded. Homes, buildings, schools, stores, all demolished or unsalvageable. She estimates it will take at least a year to fix the damage that has been done. But hell, Nancy would take a demolished city over losing her loved ones any day.
Nancy never considered herself fond of hugs, but she is giving them out like candy on Halloween despite everyone being tired and dirty, covered head to toe in blood and ash.
Mike, teary eyed and lips quivering, reciprocates her bone crushing embrace without protest.
Eleven, fully drained and on the verge of collapsing, practically falls into Nancy’s arms. Nancy makes sure to kiss the top of her head, whispering, “I’m so proud of you,” loud enough for only El to hear.
And Jonathan, who struggles to untangle his limbs from Will and Joyce, finally wraps his arms around her.
Steve is already staring at her when their eyes meet. He’s alone, filthy and exhausted, hands on his hips as he sucks in deep breaths, but he finds the strength to lift a palm and give her a shy wave. And suddenly Jonathan's arms feel anything but comforting. He feels cold and distant and awkward, unable to compare to Steve’s warm skin, toned muscles, and tenderness. Nancy decides it’s been too long since she’s felt his embrace, and he looks like he needs one, too.
She doesn’t make it three steps in his direction before a piece of paper crunches beneath her boot. It’s crumpled and covered in soot but she picks it up anyway, unfolding the creases and squinting at the tiny print.
Her heart sinks into her stomach when she realizes she’s holding Jonathan’s acceptance letter to Lenora Community College. She only reads the first two lines before it’s promptly snatched from her fingers.
“What are you doing? Where did you get that?” Jonathan’s voice is frantic as he fails to hide the letter behind his back. His eyes are everywhere but on her, the tips of his ears turning as red as Nancy feels.
Her tongue is sharp and unforgiving, ripping the letter from his grasp and holding it up at eye level, forcing him to confront her. “You lied to me.”
The streets begin to clear except for the firefighters and National Guard, but Nancy stays glued to her spot. This isn’t just about him anymore. She’s supposed to be part of his future. She needs answers. “Tell me why. Start talking.”
And part of her wishes she never asked, because it’s the most honest Jonathan has been in months, brutally so. “Lenora is home,” He says, absentmindedly kicking rubble. “I can’t leave Will and my mom. I can’t do it, Nancy. I won’t do it.”
That’s why he’s been distant, she thinks. He knew this whole time. He knew he wasn’t coming with me.
Jonathan is notoriously pessimistic when it comes to love and relationships, but she never realized just how hopeless he felt when he pictured their future. He rambles on and on about how she would have given up Emerson to be with him in Lenora if she had known the truth. About how they would fall out of love and grow to resent each other, just like his parents did. How their kids would end up hating him. The future he pictures for them is a bleak one, a never ending cycle of hardship and heartache.
It’s not noble. It’s not chivalrous. His confession toes the line of being downright presumptuous. All this time she was so sure of what she wanted, of who she wanted, but now she questions if she truly ever knew Jonathan Byers, and if he ever really knew her.
She hands the letter back to him, nothing but a deep set frown etched into her skin. They don’t move and they don’t speak because his confession had said enough. A life with Nancy Wheeler would be a miserable one. He doesn’t see happiness or joy or hell, even love.
But another man does. And all this time, she could have been with someone who saw a future with her, who wanted a future with her. She glances around for him, coming up blank when he’s nowhere in sight. Dusk is approaching darkness, but she won’t let the lack of light stop her from finding him.
So she begins to walk.
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By the time Nancy finds herself outside of the Harrington household, nighttime has fallen over the city. The sky is dark ink, illuminated by the moon and a few scattered stars. Devoid of gray smoke and red lightning, it’s the prettiest sky Hawkins has seen in days. She’s surrounded by woods, quiet and peaceful, and for the first time all day Nancy feels calm.
There was once a time where Nancy could anticipate what Steve would say in a given situation. She knew him well enough to predict his thoughts and finish his sentences. But years later she’s unsure of how he’ll respond to her showing up on his doorstep, if he’s even home. She thinks about turning around and heading back to her place, but the thought is fleeting. She needs to see him.
She knocks three times and waits, teeth finding her lip as her stomach churns. The lock clicks, and she doesn’t have time to rethink her decision before the door creaks open, revealing one very confused Steve. One look at him has her assuming he must have gotten home not too long ago. Dirt and blood still stain his face, and the warzone outfit is snug on his body. He looks like a hero. She thinks he is one.
“Nance?”
Soft, breathy, tender. Nance. It still warms her heart like it did when she was sixteen years old. He’s the only one who’s ever called her Nance, still the only one. It never would have felt right coming from anyone else.
She answers with a bashful “Hi,” apologizing for disturbing him so late. He says it’s not a bother, that she’s not a bother, and her heart swells. He makes her feel special, even if sometimes she doesn’t feel that way.
Steve moves to the side to let her through, gently closing the door behind her. It’s been years since she’s set foot inside his house, but there’s a certain comfort she feels when she glances around and realizes not much has changed, from the soft yellow lights in the living room to the myriad of family pictures lined perfectly on every wall. She zeroes in on a photo of a young Steve, basketball clutched between fingers and a toothy grin stretched across his cheeks. It’s her favorite one.
Nancy could beam at photos of little Steve for hours but she knows he’s probably waiting for her to say something, to explain why she showed up on his doorstep. He’s patient, wearing the faintest smile so as to not pressure her to speak, but the wheels in his mind are working overtime, ultimately coming up blank with a reason as to why instead of going home, she came searching for him.
Nancy can’t help but reach for him, arms snaking around his middle, head pressed against his chest as she buries herself in him like she’s wanted to for hours. There’s a weight lifted from her shoulders, one that can only disappear in the safe and protective hold that Steve provides.
And he returns her hug without question, because Steve Harrington would be incredibly foolish to fumble the chance at having Nancy Wheeler in his arms again if only for a moment. He hugs her like he used to, arm around the top of her shoulders, chin resting on her head, one hand in her curls.
And they say nothing for a while because they really don’t need to. The embrace says enough for the both of them. Neither one wants to break away first, basking in the feeling of being in each other’s arms, even if they’re sweaty and bloody and covered in remnants of interdimensional monster guts.
His whisper of, “What’s this for?” ruptures the silence, and instead of responding she squeezes him a bit tighter because there’s something about him that is just so damn comforting. The chuckle in his chest vibrates against her cheek, and it’s the sweetest sound she’s heard all day.
“I just missed you.” It’s a quiet and earnest confession, one that hits Steve right in the heart. He recalls so many late nights thinking that he’d never get the chance to have her in his life again. That he’d fucked up one too many times to deserve a woman as incredible as Nancy Wheeler.
But here she is, standing in his house, wrapped in his arms, telling him she missed him. He has half a mind to pinch himself to see if he’s dreaming. He hopes the universe would never be that cruel to him.
“I missed you too, Nance,” He swallows timidly, fingers brushing the back of her head as they did when he’d snuck into her bedroom to hold her for a few hours, escaping through the window when the soft drag of his fingers had eventually lulled her to sleep.
“More than you could ever know.” Steve could stand there and hold Nancy forever, and he wants to, but he heaves a sigh because he doesn’t trust himself not to bend down and kiss her breathless, so he reluctantly pulls away first because he’s trying so hard to be respectful of her relationship with Jonathan.
He clocks the disappointment that swirls in her bright eyes and he excuses himself quickly before he does something he’s not even sure that she wants. He busies himself with the thought that he should clean the days’ old bat bites on his hip that have no doubt reopened, so he tells Nancy to make herself comfortable while he freshens up in the master bathroom.
Steve doesn't realize she’s followed him until he begins to strip off his clothes, tossing them onto the bathroom floor. His jacket is discarded along with his stained shirt, leaving only tattered combat pants on his body.
Only then does he look up and lock eyes with Nancy, who stands in the doorway shuffling her feet. She’s wearing a look that he recognizes all too well. Eyebrows pulled inward, teeth chewing at the corner of her bottom lip. She wants to ask him something, but she can’t find the right words.
He asks if she’s okay and she nods, toeing across the tile until she’s standing in front of him. Her eyes glance over the blood stained bandages around his abdomen, fingertips grazing the skin just above. “Can I help?” She questions finally, eyes pleading. She hopes he accepts her offer. It’s about time someone took care of him. “Please?”
She could ask him to pluck the stars from the sky and he would simply find a way just because she asked. If Steve Harrington knows anything about himself, it’s that he will always be soft for Nancy Wheeler.
He does his best to hop up onto the sink, groaning every now and again as he tries to shimmy into a comfortable position while Nancy moves around the bathroom effortlessly. She looks like she belongs here with him, and his mind does what it does best and wanders to the future. To their house. To them. Together. A dream he wishes wasn’t so far out of reach.
Steve expects her to busy herself with the bites on his hip first, but Nancy’s finger gently lifts his chin until they’re eye level, warm cloth brushing over his skin. He can’t bring himself to peel his eyes away from her face and the way her gaze holds so much concern for him. Not that he wants to look elsewhere anyway. She’s focused on cleaning the grime off his face, but every now and again her eyes flick to his and she gives him one of her tight lipped smiles. He returns them everytime.
And she’s gentle with him. So gentle that his head grows heavy in her small hand and his eyelids begin to flutter, exhausted from a hard day’s work. He has half a mind to let himself doze off in her palm because he knows he’s safe with her, but his eyes are forced open when Nancy murmurs, “Can I ask you something?”
He can’t tell what’s exactly on her mind but he gauges it can’t be that bad since her voice isn’t wavering like it usually does when she’s nervous. He nods, trying to ignore the sudden heat on his cheeks when her fingers delicately run over the fading bruise on his throat and the scar on his jaw. “Did you mean it? I mean– what you said…about me? About us?”
Us. He’s thought about them so many times. About what it would be like to reconcile, start fresh. To talk about the mistakes they’ve made, and to make promises in the dark of the night as they hold each other close, to never hurt each other again. Not purposely, at least.
But there’s a worry in his stomach that his honesty will scare her, especially if she hasn’t thought about him at all. He weighs his options and decides on the truth, because Nancy Wheeler is nothing if not persistent, and she would keep asking until she received the answer she was looking for. When Steve finds his voice, it’s strong and sure. “Of course I did.”
His certainty squeezes Nancy’s heart. There’s many things Steve has been uncertain about in his life. School, career, and aspirations being a few. His feelings for Nancy were never one of them.
The admission turns her shy, pink cheeked, and her head falls to the side away from his burning gaze, and that just won’t do for Steve because he already misses the pretty color of her eyes. His favorite pastime is getting lost in them.
So now it’s his turn to raise her face until she has nowhere else to look but at him, thumb brushing a streak of dirt on her cheek. He swears she leans into his touch, so he cups her cheek more firmly. “I meant every single word, Nance. I hope I didn’t scare you, but I just…I needed you to know.”
There’s not a single part of his dream that made her uneasy. It was unexpected, maybe. But scary? Not a chance. There was something hopeful in the way that he spoke so lovingly about a simple future. And over the last few days when she had gathered herself for bed and settled in for the night, she couldn’t help but wonder what a life with Steve could look like. The more she thought about his vision, the more she was drawn to it.
“Look…I know you’re with Jonathan,” There’s an ache in his chest that’s just as painful as the reminder that Nancy’s heart belongs to someone else. Steve doesn’t want to think about how he’d given another man a chance to love her when it should have been him all along.
But that man was responsible for so many of Nancy’s smiles. She deserves to love and be loved back. Steve can’t truly find it in his heart to be mad. “And I know he makes you happy. I’m so glad he makes you happy. That’s all I’ve ever wanted for you, Nance.”
Her fingers work at disinfecting the wound on his hip, but she’s not even sure if she’s doing it correctly because his words have her in a trance. She can’t tear her gaze from him, raw sincerity swimming in hazel eyes.
Steve’s shoulders deflate with a long overdue exhale, sliding off the sink to be closer to her because she’s entirely too far away. “And maybe telling you about my dream while you’re still with him is a selfish thing to do, but Nance I have to be selfish one more time because I’m not sure if I’ll ever get another chance to say this to you.”
She drops the stained cloth when he cradles her face in his hands and it’s her turn to melt between his fingers. Foreheads touch, noses bump, and lips are just a hair’s breadth apart as Steve says, “You’re the one for me, Nance. There’s not a single person in this world who could compare to you.”
Steve swallows around thick emotion because this woman has had his heart for almost three years and she deserves to know just how much she means to him. “And if there ever comes a time where we can try again…where we can try us again…I promise I will do whatever it takes to make sure you feel loved the way that you need. You are the most important part of my dream. Not kids, not Winnebago summers…you.” A pause, another shy gulp, and one final confession. “And that’s because I love you, Nancy Wheeler. I love you . I love you so damn much and I haven’t stopped and I don’t want to stop because loving you is what I was meant to do. I hope you'll let me."  
She knew it was coming. She knew it was coming and yet she wasn’t prepared for how his words would set her body aflame. How they would light up her heart with the warmest glow. She thinks there’s nothing more enticing than a man who knows exactly what he wants, and he wants her. Steve Harrington, after all this time, after the hurt, the pain, the betrayal, sees Nancy Wheeler as the biggest part of his life.
And for Nancy, everything begins to make sense. The feeling comes rushing back. The one that’s deep and warm and fond and has been present ever since Steve Harrington walked back into her life. It blooms in her chest and pools in her eyes when she gazes at him, the most honest and sincere and beautiful man she’s ever known. And she finally has a word for it.
It’s love. Nancy Wheeler has been falling back in love with Steve Harrington and she’s finally ready to accept it. She’s enchanted by him and the way he’s grown to be confident and driven. Dependable and sensitive. Brave and honest and thoughtful. He’s everything she wants, everything she knew he could be. What a fool she’d be to not leap at the chance to be with him again.
She feels him start to pull away and before he can she circles her hands around his wrists, cementing his hands to her face because even if she’s away from him for one second, it’s a second too long. His eyes are shiny and she knows hers are too because the evidence slides down her cheeks.
She stuns him when she whispers that she’s no longer with Jonathan. As serious as the moment is, she allows herself to breathe a chuckle at his comically wide eyes. And sure, neither she nor Jonathan uttered the words “I’m breaking up with you”, but what kind of relationship could they have going forward with Nancy knowing the only future Jonathan envisioned for them is one that would leave her unsatisfied?
Nancy Wheeler swore to herself that she would never end up like her parents, two people who married for convenience without ever considering that convenience wouldn’t be enough to keep their marriage afloat. Her mom is unhappy, dad emotionally absent. To sustain a marriage you need more than just practicality.
And she loves her parents, she really does, but Nancy wants to do things differently. She wants respect, love, passion, partnership, and so many other qualities that would never be present in Jonathan’s future, but seem to line up perfectly with Steve’s. The choice is easy.
Steve listens as she recalls Jonathan’s future, one where she would be settling in a loveless relationship, and Steve’s hold on her face tightens because he knows he’s capable of giving her so much more than Jonathan could ever imagine, and he plans on showing her.
And then Nancy beams hard when she talks about hope and how his dream gives her some semblance of normalcy after all these years of chaos. How with him, she'll be able to have a career and a beautiful family to come home to. She thinks it’s what they both need.
But one part of his dream may be a bit too chaotic, and with a smirk she asks if they can compromise and settle on two kids and a cat because six kids might prove to be a handful. A puff of air ghosts over her lips as Steve leans in. “Nancy Wheeler, if it was possible I’d carve out a piece of my soul and give it to you.”
He laughs, but Nancy knows he would if he could. His love for her is insurmountable. This is what it feels like to be loved, adored. To have a partner who sees emotional vulnerability as a strength. To be with a man who loves and loves hard. She never wants this feeling to end.
“I know,” She affirms with a nod, hands sliding from his wrists and up his shoulders until her arms wrap around his neck. His palms descend down her sides, resting easy on her hips. “I know you would. But I’ve been waiting days for you to kiss me again. So please, please kiss me Steve. Don’t make me wait any longer.”
Steve Harrington is beautiful all the time, but his beauty shines differently when he’s in love. “I’ll kiss you for the rest of our lives if you let me.”
And he seals that promise when his lips glide over hers for the first time in two years, and Nancy knows it's the best kiss she's ever had. Their mouths mold perfectly against each other, tongues licking ardently as teeth playfully nip on plush pink flesh. Body to body they cling to each other, hot and desperate and wanting. 
They only break away for a moment to rid each other of the rest of their clothes before stumbling into the shower, giggling and touching and melting under the other’s touch. The water is hot but neither one of them mind because now without the weight of the world on their shoulders, they’re able to breathe and relax in the comfort of shared space and warm lips.
Their kisses are fervent, but time spent touching and exploring bodies is slow, unrushed. Fingertips graze over pebbling nipples and pectoral muscles. Hips and a happy trail. Hands knead and rub skin, attempting to coax strings of more and fuck and please from slick lips. Things are different between them now, they’re different, but the way they love on each other is the same.
She breathes a gasp into Steve’s mouth when the hard muscle between his legs brushes up against her, the tip pink and pretty and slick with arousal. His cheeks are flushed from the shower steam and underlying shyness, and his eagerness turns Nancy’s need into a craving. He wants her just as much as she wants him.
Patience is a virtue, but it has never been one Nancy is fond of. There’s no hesitation when she forces him down onto the marble bench in the corner of the shower. He’s taken by surprise at first, eyes round and lips parted, brows slightly pinched.
Her voice is pleading as she says, “I need you," straddling his lap with her thighs on either side of him. She dives in again, connecting their lips in a frenzied passion as she finds a steady rhythm, rocking her hips against him. Her slick coats him and he hisses, hands bruising her skin as she’s pulled flush against his chest.
Steve whispers her name, hoarse and needy, but she’s zeroed in on grinding her hips in a way she hopes will make him fall apart. His tip catches on her clit and she moans, maneuvering her hand to find the hard length of him. Before she can sink down and claim him, he groans her name again, still wrecked, catching her wrist in his palm. “Nance, shit–fuck–baby, wait.”
She’s about to whine like a petulant child because she’s so close to having him the way that she’s been wanting to for days, until she notices the familiar emotion clouding his honey eyes, halting her movement entirely. For the first time all night Steve appears nervous, insecurities breaching his naturally confident aura.
He swallows, mouth upturned timidly. “I need to know that you want me, too.”
She frowns then, ready to counter and call him crazy because how could she not want him, but he shushes her with a light peck to her lips. “I need to know that we’re in this together, Nance. I don’t want you hiding or running away from me, not anymore. I said I want you and I meant it. Every single part of you. The parts you love, the parts you hate. The good, the bad, the ugly, the beautiful. I want them all.”
She’ll never grow tired of him saying it, never get over the way her heart beats for him. She’s well aware of what he’s asking of her, and while communication and trust have been areas she’s struggled in, she knows she can try for him. She doesn’t want to leave him in the dark again, never leave him questioning where they stand.
She leans into his touch when he cradles her face in his hands. “And if we fight, we fix it. We don’t go to sleep mad. We talk. We apologize. We help each other, support each other. Look Nance, you’re all I’ve ever wanted. And at the end of the day, I just need to know you’ll still want me too,” His next words come out low, but she hears them loud and clear. “You’ll want us.”
She pulls back to look at him, inspecting him as she would a delicate painting. The gears in his brain are working overtime, and Nancy knows he’s being plagued with thoughts about their past relationship. Guilt worms its way into her chest at the remembrance of how they’d left things, of how he’d begged her to say just three little words. Nancy needs him to know he’ll never have to beg again.
Her fingers find damp chestnut hair, pushing the wet strands away from his face before settling her palm on his cheek, thumb running over a small smattering of freckles. Her heart soars when he leans into her touch too, gazing at her with nothing but love in his eyes. She knows exactly what he needs to hear. “I love you.”
His mouth parts in protest because he can’t let her say those words unless she means it. His heart broke once when she couldn’t say them before. It doesn’t deserve to break again if she feels like she owes him. “Nance, please don’t-.”
It’s her turn to silence him with a kiss, breathing her love into him between the small part in his pretty lips. “Listen to me. I came back to you because I love you. I want us to work. I know we can. I couldn’t give you the love you deserved back then, but I have the chance to do it now and I’m going to make sure you never question it again. I promise.”
It’s a promise she plans on keeping every day because he’s worth it.
“I thought about you,” She whispers then, free hand settling on his unoccupied cheek. She attempts to blink away the sting in her eyes. “I wondered where you were, what you were doing, if-if some other girl was giving you the love I wish I would have. Because you were good to me, Steve. You were.”
She hopes he hasn’t spent years pondering over his competency to be a good partner. He wasn’t perfect, she never expected him to be, but he was sweet and kind and thoughtful. His flower deliveries were simply ‘just because’. He valued her opinions, even if he disagreed. His dumb jokes made her belly laugh, and his kisses were sugary sweet and dizzying and consuming. She was never left to wonder if he loved her. He showed it in his own way.
“After Barb died, you tried,” There’s a hiccup that passes through her lips, more following when she struggles to catch her breath. Her tears are disguised by water droplets, but Steve knows they’re there because he knows her. His thumb reaches out to catch them.
“You tried to help me the best way you could but it just–wasn’t what I needed back then. Things might have been different if I had just told you…if I had just let you in. Instead I got drunk and I–I called you bullshit.”
It wasn’t one of her finest moments, holding his heart in her hands and dismantling it piece by piece. Blaming them, blaming him, for Barb’s death. She wishes she could take it all back.
“I still remember your face when I said it, and I need you to know that I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. You’re not bullshit. You never were. You cared about me in your own way, and you loved me so much and you still love me even after all of this, and I–.”
“Nance, hey. Baby, breathe,” She’s enveloped in secure arms, Steve’s lips pressing against her forehead as she curls in on him, body shuddering from the overwhelming rush of tears. She doesn’t like crying if she can help it, but she needs this. Needs to tell him everything she couldn’t before. “Baby, we both made mistakes. We both could have been better. I should have been better for you, and I'm so sorry I wasn't. But the reason we can have this conversation now is because we’ve both grown up, yeah? We can’t change anything about the past, even if we want to. So let’s promise to work on our future, okay?”
Our future. It sounds so beautiful when he says it. She can't believe this man is hers. This wholesome, mature, gorgeous man is all hers. 
“Our future. That…sounds nice.” With newfound flirtatiousness, she purrs the same words that were uttered in the caravan. The grin on Steve’s cheeks is bigger than the one that had spread across his face that day.
She doesn’t miss the rasp in his voice or the way his nose skims against her jawbone, lips migrating down to her neck. He plants a kiss there, gentle and teasing, her pulse racing underneath the plush of his lips. “Yeah, baby?”
Baby. It feels so good to be his again, but she thinks it’ll feel even better when she asserts him as her own, core fluttering in anticipation. “Yeah, Steve. It sounds really, really nice.”
And when she finally sinks down on him, there’s nothing on their minds except love. Sheer, reciprocated love. No shame or guilt about past faults. No worries or insecurities about the future. They’re simply Steve and Nancy. Nancy and Steve. Two past-turned-present lovers giving themselves to each other, clinging together to make up for lost time.
They could ravish each other now and goddamn they want to, but it’s Steve who chooses to slow things down a bit first, easing himself into her because her pleasure and comfortability are his top priorities. Steady thrusts help her adjust to his length, and deep thrusts make sure she feels everything, reminding her he’s here and he’s not going anywhere.
She squeaks on a particularly deep thrust, almost missing the sweetness that drips from his words. “You’re all mine,” He assures, breath hot against the column of her throat. He doesn’t know if it’s possible, but he swears he feels his dick grow even harder when she whines, “I’m all yours.”
One thing about sex with Steve that hasn’t changed? He’s a sweet talker and he’s damn good at it. He sings her praises, litanies of, “You’re so good for me,” “You take me so well,” and “That’s it baby, you’re so beautiful,” stealing the breath from her lungs. She’s never felt more desired than when she’s with him, never felt more worshiped. And Steve will never go another day without reminding her that her beauty is simply unparalleled.
He’s touching and loving on her everywhere. It’s what he does best and it’s what she deserves and fuck, her head is dizzy with pleasure. Hot, open mouthed kisses are dotted along her neck and throat. She exhales an airy giggle before it morphs into a moan when teeth drag over her pulse point. He wraps his lips around her skin, sucking and biting while a hand grips her jaw to keep her in place. Steve thinks she’ll look lovely decorated in faint red and purple love marks. Nancy must think so too, head angling to provide him more canvas space for his artwork.
Somewhere in between muttered curses, messy kisses, and multiple tugs on damp hair, the atmosphere shifts. Nancy’s desperate pleas electrify him, especially when her cunt squeezes around him. He’d never dream of denying her anything, not while she begs so sweetly to be filled.
Skilled hands slide down to palm the fat of her ass, spreading her further open so she can take more of him, all of him. He teases her a bit, fingers slowly skimming over her puckered hole, and she reels forward to kiss the smirk off his face, scolding him with a bite to his lower lip. The action is filthy but it’s so Steve, equally sinful as he is passionate.
And Nancy is eager to watch him fall apart beneath her. She rides him the way he’s always loved, grinding and bouncing and squeezing him as she meets each thrust. She’s warm and wet and snug around him, and she knows the damp curls on her pubic bone are driving him wild because his eyes are glued to the place they connect.
Steve groans, deep and husky, as eager fingers alternate from playing with the hair on his chest to scratching the skin of his back. She’s claiming him, branding him as hers, and the thought of forever belonging to Nancy Wheeler has his cock twitching.
He encourages it, a “Go ‘head baby, mark me,” that spurs her on. She’s never been rough with him before, all shy smiles and quiet gasps, and he loves this new side of her. There’s a sting when her nails rake over the muscles in his shoulders particularly hard, most likely payback for his earlier teasing, but he appreciates the mixture of pleasure and pain.
There’s a neediness to her voice when she demands that he tell her that he loves her, hips changing from a quick grind to a slow rock that causes Steve’s eyes to roll in the back of his head. He pants out, “I love you. I love you so much,” and every fiber of her being believes him.
And he wants to hear it too, not because he doesn’t believe it but because he’s still in awe that she does. “Say it,” he pleads, hips hammering upward while blunt nails clamp down on her hip bones. “Need to hear it again, baby. C’mon, tell me you love me.”
She babbles, “I love you, I love you, I love you” bouncing off the shower walls in time with the sharp snap of his thrusts. Her proclamation is loud and true and drives both of them to the edge. “Steve, I’m–shit…”
His teeth sink into his lip to keep him from screaming, nodding as he gruffly moans, “I know, Nance. I know, baby. Let’s do it together, yeah?”
Her whimpered, “Please” is the green light. One hand grips her skin while the other snakes between them, thumb brushing against the one sensitive spot where Steve wishes he had used his tongue first. The noises she makes are always beautiful, but the sounds he can pull when he gives extra attention to her clit are unmatched.
Steve presses against her, flicking his finger back and forth in a practiced manner and Nancy mewls, head bumping against his. Her thighs are weak and she’s practically panting against Steve’s mouth, but it’s the first time they’ve fucked in two years and she needs him to finish with her.
He spills into her the moment she clamps down onto him, riding out their climaxes while clinging to sweaty, fucked out bodies. Nancy finds fun in teasing him, rotating her hips in an agonizingly slow fashion because she knows he’s sensitive and she loves it when he whines. The tips of his fingers assault her ribs with quick tickles, drawing a squeal from her lips before they catch their breaths and kiss each other stupid.
They stay locked in each other’s embrace for as long as they want to, because there’s nowhere they need to go and no place they’d rather be.
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It’s 12:03 a.m., and everything is perfect.
Atop the kitchen counter, Nancy sits comfortably in baggy blue sweatpants and Steve’s slightly worn Hawkins’ High basketball tee, glass of red wine held between her fingers. She sips gingerly, eyes never leaving the beaming boy in front of the stove who stirs a pot of macaroni and cheese, his own wine glass perched beside him.
Steve feels her eyes on him, peeking up from the pot to flash her a wink as she hides her giggles behind another sip of wine. Satisfied with the tenderness of the macaroni, he flicks off the flame, drains the water and mixes the cheese in, adding a splash of milk and a bit of butter to make it extra creamy the way Nancy likes.
A bowl is handed to her and she accepts the late night comfort meal with an enthused squeak before shoveling a spoonful into her mouth. She moans dramatically as it melts on her tongue, rewarding him with a cheesy kiss right on his sweet lips. Nancy loves knowing the blush across his cheeks is from her.
Steve stands between her legs, quietly rotating between gentle chews and quick sips, and just watches her. There’s no frown on her face, no worry lines etched into her forehead as she eats without a care in the world. She looks as at peace as he feels.
They stay in this position even long after they’ve finished eating, Steve between her thighs and Nancy perched on the counter, legs wrapped around his back to lock him in place. They talk and joke and laugh more than they ever have. Healing is easier when you’re surrounded by love.
And they kiss. They kiss long and soft and slow because they can. There’s no danger, no battle or impending doom threatening to keep them apart. Instead, there’s a future filled with sunshine and warmth, hopes and dreams, loving promises and new opportunities to learn and grow and build a beautiful life together.
Because after everything they’ve overcome, they deserve it.
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yikesharringrove · 5 years ago
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Hi!! I was just curious about Nancy and Jonathan’s relationship in your mango series! I was wondering if Nancy was an alpha? If she is, does that mean that Jonathan is a Beta or an Omega? Kids??? I have so many questions and am way too invested in this tiny part of this universe lol Please feel free to make this into a part with Steve and Billy talking to them about pups and bonding if you would like.
Masterlist
Part 29
-
I realized I literally haven’t mentioned the Wheelers this entire time rip to them I guess
Also I’m using this part as background to everything esp how Billy and Steve got together. Also no monster au I guess? tbh this part just made me realize NONE of this series is thought out
I literally never established a timeline, so I’ve decided it makes more sense for Billy to come to Hawkins earlier. You’ll see lmao. (this started as a little nonsense thing so the timeline of the whole Mango series is so whack pls no one try and do the math)
+I had traumatic emergency surgery on my uterus several years ago, so I’ve based all of Steve’s stuff on that
-
Steve dated Nancy Wheeler for about a month.
He was always drawn to fiery alphas, liked when they had sharp tongues, weren’t afraid to speak their mind. He liked ‘em smart.
Nancy seemed perfect to him, but Nancy didn’t like how much work omegas were. They needed constant reassurance of love, so much touching and cuddling, and that’s just not how she operates.
They had been casually dating for about a month early in her sophomore year when he asked her to spend his heat with him. She knew that meant he was serious about her, and let him down as gently as she could.
He didn’t take it too hard, and even invited her to a party he was throwing at his big empty house.
That was the first night she really talked to Jonathan Byers.
Their families had always been close, and they had been uncomfortable acquaintances for a long time, but she found him making a pip out of an apple, sat in the kitchen with him and got stoned for the very first time.
They were sitting close to one another, leaning closer, about to kiss when there was a splash outside, there was screaming.
They rushed out to see Steve Harrington, wet and shaking in the cold November night air, doing CPR on, on Barb.
He yelled at Tommy H., told him to call an ambulance.
Barb looked bad. Her lips were tinged blue, her skin pale.
She sank down next to her. Jonathan gently touching her back.
Most of the kids ran when they heard authorities were coming.
She held Barb’s freezing hand until the paramedics arrived.
Steve hadn’t stopped doing CPR the entire time had heard Barb’s ribs crack and splinter from the force.
The paramedics called it.
Steve was never really the same after that. He had become more withdrawn, had quit the swim team and stopped throwing big parties, he started babysitting Dustin Henderson, ended up babysitting most of the party soon enough.
He was still nice to Nancy, would ask her and Jonathan to hang out sometimes. She always thought he was sweet that he was a big heart. Hell, she sat there while he did CPR on her best friend for twenty minutes, but it was easier with Jon. As a beta, she didn’t have to be someone she wasn’t just to keep him from emotional breakdown.
But then Billy Hargrove rolled into town in the beginning of the summer, was all California golden, a big imposing alpha, and she began seeing less and less of Steve.
She thought it was just a summer fling, Billy didn’t seem like the type to stick around for very long, didn’t seem like the monogamous type.
Steve had a bad habit of trusting alphas too quickly, had been with alphas that just wanted to be able to say they’d fucked a male omega.
They were so uncommon, and usually these alphas were just curious, knew male omegas were the only presentation identifiable at birth due to their genitals, had wanted to see for themselves.
But Billy stuck around, starting hanging around Steve wherever he was, joining him when he spent time with the party, or with Jonathan and Nancy.
Billy was starting to grow on her more, as she watched and realized he loved Steve, that he wanted to be as clingy as Steve needed.
They would go on double dates sometimes, and Billy would pull Steve to sit on his lap just as often as Steve would plop himself on Billy’s lap. So she guesses they’re kind of a match made in heaven.
And then Steve got pregnant.
And she expected Billy to run for the hills, but he didn’t. Got kicked out of his house for Steve, changed his whole world for Steve and their pup, and at this point, they were four years in, had two happy pups and we in the process of moving into their first house.
She and Jon hadn’t even talked marriage yet, let alone bonding, were focusing on getting through school.
They had both gone to New York without even consulting one another, decided they didn’t want each other’s college choices to affect the other, that they should pick the best school for themselves.
When they revealed to one another, Jon showed her his acceptance to NYU, his dream school, while Nancy had handed him her Columbia letter.
She got regular updates from Steve, letters stuffed full with photographs and weekly reports. She contacted a bakery local to him to send him a cake when he called and excitedly told her that he had finally gotten his GED, had dropped out of high school in the February of his senior year when he got kicked out of his house, when he was the talk of the whole damn town.
“Letter from Steve.” Jonathan placed the rest of the mail on the counter, ripping open the envelope. “He put in updated pictures of the girls, look.” Nancy cooed over the photos. There was a gorgeous one of all four of them at the beach, Steve had infant Zara strapped to his chest, Billy was holding Mina. It was so cute. “He said they finished painting the house and should be moving in this week.”
“He mention how he was doing?”
“Of course not, have you met him? The only reason we actually knew he almost fucking died was because Billy called us.”
“I guess you’re right.” She was still flipping through photos. “Oh look at this one!” It was Steve caught mid laugh while Mina was doing him hair behind him. “We should go out to California soon to see them. Especially once they’re in their house.
“I’m gonna write Steve back, maybe we could go for New Year’s, or something.” She smiled up at him, stretching on her toes to kiss his jaw.
“I think that sounds nice.”
-
Mina was currently in the process of showing Jonathan every single toy she owned.
His lap was full of plastic food, blocks, dolls, stuffed animals, books, everything. She was talking excitedly about her little toy Camaro, the one that looked just like Daddy’s!
Nancy was just laughing as Jonathan nodded along patiently. He talked to her like she was an adult, asking her details about each toy in a very serious voice.
Steve slowly set himself on the couch. His abdomen still sore from surgery a few months ago. He was holding Zara, all dressed up in a little onesie that looked hand-knitted.
“How are you doing?” Steve rolled his eyes. Jon and Nancy kept asking.
“Nance, I’m fine. Just sore is all.” He kept dodging her real questions. She knew that the doctor had told Steve there was a chance he wouldn’t be able to be pregnant again, knew it was probably weighing on him. She just looked back and Jon.
“How is Mina doing with Zara? I remember when Mike was born I wanted nothing to do with him.” Steve laughed, bouncing Zara a little.
“She loves her. I swear if she could get me and Billy outta the picture, she would rather raise Zara on her own.” Zara gave a little choked off wail. “Sweet Pea, you are fine.” He put her on his chest, patting her back. “How’s school and everything?”
“It’s good! Jon’s going to end up graduating a semester early, so he’ll be finished by this time next year.”
“Oh, wow. Good for him!”
“I hear you left work, how’s that going?” Steve shrugged.
“They could only offer me one month of leave, and with the surgery and everything, I needed much longer. But you know I don’t mind staying home with these two. I mean, Mina’s in full day preschool now, just Monday to Thursday, but Zara is pretty fussy, so it’s okay. Once she’s not breastfeeding anymore, I’ll probably find a new job.”
“And Billy’s school is going okay?”
“Oh you know him, just overachieving at every stage. He had to cut back on his hours at the garage, he got a really nice internship at a law firm in town, and he’s actually getting paid for it.” Billy had been studying pre-law at UCSD, wanted to go into some kind of prosecution, possibly specialize in domestic cases. His internship was more personal assistant work to one of the partners of the firm, but it was better money than the garage, and something to beef up his resume a bit more.
Steve could hear the garage door beginning to rumble and whine as it slid up.
“Speak of the devil.” He smiled at Billy as he came in, kicking off his shoes. Mina sprinted up to him, wrapping her arms around his waist, standing on his feet as he walked over to everyone.
“You talkin’ ‘bout me, Pretty Boy?” He picked up Mina so he could perch on the armrest next to Steve, giving him a kiss.
“All good things. Kind of.”  Nancy doesn’t think she’s ever seen Billy Hargrove in a suit. He loosened his tie, had take off his jacket to place into the coats closet, was currently rolling up his crisp sleeves. She could see edges of a few tattoos. She knew he and Steve had each gotten each others initials on their shoulder blades, adding the pups initials underneath them both. Apparently Billy was beginning to work on sleeves. “How was work?”
“Eh. Same old.” He shrugged, putting Mina down to go back to “playing” with Jonathan. He lifted Zara from Steve. “How are you doin’, Nancy? How’s the Big Apple?”
She waved a hand non-noncommittally. “Oh, it’s good. Jon’s working for some underground paper, shooting for punk shows.” Billy grinned.
“Well done, Byers. I’m sure your kid brother’s plenty jealous.” Jonathan laughed.
“He’s come up for a few of the shows he’s really wanted to see. Which is to say most of them.” The timer went off from the kitchen. Steve went to stand, only to have Billy push him back down, handing Zara back to him.
“Sit tight, Pretty Boy. I got it.” Steve rolled his eyes, but smiled softly at Billy all the same.
“He was a nightmare when we were moving in, wouldn’t let me lift anything over ten pounds.”
-
After dinner, Steve and Billy tag teamed putting the girls to bed.
It was kind of amazing to watch. Billy got Mina dressed for bed as Steve fed Zara, then they swapped, Steve made sure Mina brushed her teeth while Billy changed Zara, swapping again so that Billy could read a book to Mina and Steve rocked Zara to sleep.
They were so practiced and efficient, both girls were asleep with half an hour.
“You get a lot of practice with the bedtime thing. I mean, it’s every night.” They were sitting on the back porch, on patio furniture that had apparently been a gift from Claudia Henderson.
It was a perfect night, the Southern California air was just chilly enough to warrant a sweater, but perfect for just being in.
“There’s a park a few blocks that way that’s doing fireworks, we should be able to see them from here.” Steve had poured them each some champagne. Steve and Billy were sitting one the chairs across the little coffee table between them.
They chattered through as the clock ticked down, getting closer and closer to 1989.
Ten seconds to midnight, Billy helped Steve stand up. Five seconds to midnight, Jonathan was digging in his pocket.
The fireworks began as Steve pressed his lips to Billy’s. Nancy turned to do the same, choking on a gasp as she saw Jon down on one knee. Steve shrieked, scrambling for a camera.
“I wanted this to be the first thing I did this year.” Billy was grinning like an idiot, Steve was taking picture after picture, his big eyes full of tears. “I know you want to establish our lives before bonding or having pups, and that’s okay, we can just be engaged for a couple years, whatever you want.” Nancy had one hand in front of her mouth, tears dripping down her cheeks. “Whatdya say?”
“Oh my god, absolutely yes!” Billy and Steve cheered as Jon stood up, kissing Nancy before sliding the ring on her finger.
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corroded-hellfire · 2 years ago
Text
Where the Heart Is - Eddie Munson x Reader
Summary: Nancy invites you home to Hawkins for Thanksgiving break after you’ve become best friends at Emerson College. When you spend a “friends-giving” at Steve’s house with all of Nancy’s friends, you make a special connection with a certain metal head.
Note: Huge thanks to @gathered-moss and @munsonquinns for their help when I got stuck!
Warnings: language, mentions of not the best family life, mentions of sex, i think that’s it?
Words: 13.8K
[Part 2 | Where The Heart Is masterlist]
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“I really appreciate this, Nancy. Your family really didn’t have to do this.”
“Will you stop?” Nancy huffs a laugh.
The airport is crowded. Grandparents flying across the country to see their children and grandchildren, lifelong best friends getting to see each other for the first time in years, and kids like you and Nancy, flying back from college for Thanksgiving break.
The Wheelers were kind enough to invite you to their home for the holiday. Karen had heard about you for months now, Nancy having told her all about the best friend she’s made away at Emerson. When she’d heard that you didn’t have family to spend the break with, she didn’t hesitate to invite you to Hawkins.
Nancy had bumped into you in the laundry room on the third floor of the dorm building you both lived in. You had bonded over how you both disliked your roommates as you separated your warm from your cold clothes. You’ve been close friends ever since. A long hall separated your room from Nancy’s, but you’d often use the other’s space to get away from your respective roommates. Nancy’s roommate was a total slob, while yours was just an all-around inconsiderate person to occupy the same space with.
“I can’t wait for you to meet Steve,” Nancy says as you take the escalator down to the baggage claim level.
“He’s seemed great every time I’ve talked to him,” you say.
“You mean when you’ve stolen the phone out of my hand so you guys can talk about me?” she asks with a smirk.
“Well, you wouldn’t give it to me willingly! But I like him. And I know from the pictures in your room how cute he is.”
Nancy adjusts the duffle bag on her shoulder as you both step off the escalator. You follow her in, what you assume, is the right direction since you’d never been to Indiana before, let alone the Indianapolis airport. A pretty blonde woman smiles in your direction and waves her hands.
“Oh, there’s my mom,” Nancy says. She closes the distance, and her mom pulls her into a tight hug. 
“I’ve missed you!” her mother says. “Oh, I’m so glad you’re home. Mrs. Wheeler turns to you and gives you a warm smile. “Hi, dear! I’ve heard so much about you.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Wheeler,” you say as you shake the hand she’s extended to you. “Thank you so much for letting me join your family for Thanksgiving.”
“Please, call me Karen,” she says. “And it’s no trouble at all. We’re glad to have you.”
Luckily, both yours and Nancy’s bags come out quickly on the baggage conveyor belt, and you’re able to get back to the car and on the road for the hour or so journey up to Hawkins. Nancy and her mom chat animatedly in the front seats, bringing you into the conversation every now and then. But you don’t mind just listening to them talk about people and places that you don’t know. Seeing a mother and a daughter get along as well as they do gives you a melancholy feeling. You’re glad Nancy has such a great relationship with her mom, but it makes your heart sink a little that you don’t have that.
“So, who all is going to your thankful friend thing?” Karen asks.
“Friends-giving, Mom,” Nancy says. “It’s all of us.”
“I’m supposed to know who that includes?” Karen says.
“Mike and that gang. Dustin, Will, Lucas, Max, El. Then, Eddie, Robin, and Jonathan,” Nancy says.
“Jonathan?” you can tell by the tone of voice that her mom is surprised that Nancy’s ex is going to an event at her current boyfriend’s house. 
“Yeah, well, it would’ve been weird not to invite him,” Nancy says. “He’s back from college too, and Will and El are coming, so we weren’t going to leave their older brother out.” 
“That was nice of you guys,” Karen says. Though the comment sounds sincere, you can tell Karen wasn’t sure if it was a good idea or not. 
“It’s fine, Mom,” Nancy says, picking up on the same edge in her voice that you did. 
“Okay, okay,” Karen acquiesces. “Now, Steve is having dinner with us tonight, right?”
“Yes. He and I gotta show the out-of-towner around town this afternoon,” she says, looking over her shoulder at you with a smirk. “Then he’s coming back for dinner.”
“Have you talked to Steve before?” Karen asks, looking at you in the rear-view mirror. 
“I have,” you tell her. “He seems great.”
“He is,” Karen agrees as she pulls the car into the driveway of a pretty suburban two story.
You look out the window in awe at the size of the house compared to the small apartment back in New Hampshire that would be called your “home.” Following the Wheeler women out of the car, you pull your suitcase out of the trunk. There’s a high-pitched squeal that comes from behind you and you turn to see a small blonde girl running across the street and flinging herself into Nancy’s arms.
“Holly!” Nancy hugs her little sister so tightly she lifts her off the ground. The girl giggles and squeezes Nancy around the neck until she sets her down. 
“I’m so happy you’re here!” Holly says. Nancy presses a kiss to the top of her head and tugs on one of her two pigtails. 
“Me too,” she tells her. “This is my friend from school I was telling you about. Can you say hi?”
“It’s nice to meet you, Holly,” you tell her.
She smiles shyly at you and hides half of her face behind her big sister’s arm.
“Hi,” she says in her meek voice. 
“You can go back over and play with Dana,” Nancy tells her. Holly nods before she runs back across the street. 
Nancy grabs her suitcase and Karen leads the two of you into the house. 
“Where’s Mike?”
“Oh, the boys are having some dragon dungeon thing today at Lucas’s,” Karen says. 
“Of course they are,” Nancy says. “What a perfectly good waste of a day off school. Come on, my room is upstairs.”
You both lug your suitcases up to the second floor and into Nancy’s room. As you slip your backpack off your back, you take in the dainty atmosphere the bedroom gives off. The light furniture and collages that adorn the walls make the room feel cozy and safe, a place to escape the world at the end of the day. The Tom Cruise poster makes you chuckle and the lemon fresh scent in the space is calm and inviting.
“Just dump it anywhere,” Nancy says, gesturing to your suitcase.
She sets hers down near the foot of her bed and you lay yours in the corner of the room, careful to make sure it isn’t in the way. There are pictures tacked to the wall above your suitcase and your eyes search the photos, smiling at the fun it seems Nancy is having in them. Some show a young Nancy with missing teeth, standing next to other small girls, all draped in costume jewelry. There are some of Nancy older, with a redhead with thick glasses.
“That’s Barb,” Nancy says from behind you. There’s a catch in her voice, like she’s trying to compose herself. “She was my best friend. She, um, died when we were sophomores.”
“Oh, Nancy.” You turn to face her, your own face in a frown. “I’m so sorry.”
She gives you a sad smile and nods her head. 
“That one is Robin right there,” she says, pointing to another picture of two girls in dark green graduation gowns. Their arms are slung around each other and Nancy’s smile is infectious in the shot. The other girl has short dirty blonde hair with blunt bangs, white teeth on full display as she grins at the camera. “You’ll meet her on Friday.”
“It’s really cool that you’ve got such a large group of friends to get together with,” you say. “I can probably think of two people total from high school that I’d visit if I went home.”
“Yeah,” Nancy says with a sigh. “There were a few really rough years here in Hawkins. We all went through a lot together, which I guess brings people together.”
“The earthquake, right?” you ask, turning from the pictures to look back at Nancy. “And before that, there was that fire?”
Nancy nods and walks back towards her bed. “Yep. A lot happened in this little town.”
“Where’s my beautiful girlfriend?”
At the sound of the voice in the hall, Nancy’s mood makes a one-eighty, and her face lights up in delight. A tall, athletic boy swoops in the door and pulls Nancy into his arms. She laughs as he picks her up and spins her around.
“God, I missed you,” he says. He sets her down and cups her face in his large hands, bending down to press his lips to her. She kisses him back for a few moments before she pulls back, remembering you’re in the room as well. Steve follows her gaze to you and smiles in greeting. His smile alone would’ve told you why all the girls at their high school fell for him.
“I’m really hoping you’re Steve,” you say.
“The one and only,” Nancy says.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to make out in front of you,” Steve says. “It’s nice to actually meet you in person.
“No, don’t mind me. I’m third wheeling here. Make out to your heart’s content.” Nancy rolls her eyes playfully at you. You step forward, unsure if you should shake Steve’s hand or if that’s too formal. “Nice to see you too, Steve. Nancy was right. You’re even better looking in person.”
Steve smirks as Nancy blushes. Steve saves you from not being sure how to greet him by wrapping an arm around your shoulders and squeezing you to his side.
“I knew I liked you,” he says.
“Why do I feel like introducing you two was a huge mistake?” Nancy says, her head dropping forward in a dramatic fashion.
“Oh, you haven’t seen anything yet. Wait until she meets the rest of the gang. You know how many stories we have to swap?” Steve asks her.
“Please no,” Nancy pleads.
“As someone who was invited into your house as a guest, I feel like it’s only polite to take your side,” you say, and Nancy gives you a cautiously optimistic look. “But, as a guest in Steve’s house on Friday, wouldn’t it be polite to then take his side?”
“I’m going back to Boston,” Nancy says as she stalks out of the room.
You and Steve laugh as you watch her leave. He removes his arm from around you and goes to follow her out the door but turns to you right before he crosses the threshold.
“Are there any guys I should be worried about up there?” He asks the question as if he’s kidding, but you can tell there’s a bit of true worry under his casual tone.
“Are you kidding?” you respond. “She talks about you to anyone who will listen. For hours on end.”
The smile that lights up Steve’s face is priceless, and you wish Nancy could have seen how full of love and admiration his expression was.
“We better follow her before she really does head back to Boston,” Steve says.
Nancy made it seem like your tour of Hawkins would be the most boring thing you’ve ever done. On the contrary, you found the small town quaint and quiet. It was a nice change from bustling Boston or your sketchy downtown living in your town in New Hampshire. The leaves were in crisp autumn colors, some trees shedding their coats for the impending winter. The streets were mostly empty, but every now and then there was someone bundled up in a coat and scarf walking down the sidewalk.
Steve drove you past places central to his and Nancy’s growing up there. The high school and middle school right across from it, the now-closed-for-the-season community pool, even a large white clinical looking building that made Steve and Nancy share a disconcerting knowing look. You couldn’t imagine what the gates and barbed wire fences were needed for in a town like this.
You’d already heard all about Mike from your month’s long friendship with Nancy, but from the way Steve talked about another younger boy, Dustin, you thought that he was Steve’s brother until Nancy told you otherwise. The adoring way they both spoke of him made you look forward to meeting him, though. Steve warned you that Robin could ramble on, but you assured him that you could keep up with the best of the ramblers. Eddie, who Steve begrudgingly called one of his best friends, came up in passing, as did a girl named Max. The way both Steve and Nancy talked about their friends filled you with a longing for something you never knew you wanted. You hadn’t been worried about meeting Nancy’s friends before, but now hearing how close they all were and what a tight knit group they formed, you were a little worried that you wouldn’t be accepted into their circle. You told Nancy as much that night as the two of you were getting ready for bed.
“Trust me, you really don’t have to worry,” Nancy assures you. “The hardest one to win over will probably be Max, but she’s really only about as half as mean as she pretends to be.”
“I’m not sure how comforting that is,” you say. 
Nancy slides into the covers on one side of the bed, and you slip in on the other. She clicks the lamp off as you pull the covers up to your chin.
“I’ve never once seen you worried about what people will think of you,” Nancy says. “Not even Ben when you had that massive crush on him.”
“I didn’t have enough time to care what he thought of me before I found out he had a girlfriend,” you tell her. 
“I still can’t believe he’s the only guy you’ve even been mildly interested in at school,” Nancy says. “How many others have asked you out? Six? Seven?”
“I didn’t give a shit about any of them,” you say with a laugh. “Most of them were assholes who just wanted to get laid. And the others - which were probably like two of them - I only saw as friends.”
“I mean, I’m not mad about it,” Nancy says. “This way I’m not the only one who isn’t going to the clubs on Fridays and Saturdays.”
“You could still go, you know. Just because you have a boyfriend doesn’t mean you can’t go out dancing with friends.”
“I know that,” Nancy answers. “But it would feel weird. All those guys are looking for are hookups, like you said. It’s like a meat market in there.”
“So, you see why I don’t go,” you say.
“But you don’t have a boyfriend,” she says.
“And I don’t want one who I’ll meet when he starts grinding on me from behind at some sleazy, disgusting club.” 
“Fair enough,” Nancy says with a sigh. 
You turn your head on your pillow so that you’re looking at your friend beside you. 
“Do you really think I’m too mean to these guys?” 
Nancy frowns at the timidity in your voice.
“You haven’t been mean to any of them. I’ve only ever seen you politely decline. Do I think you should give one of them a try every now and then? Yeah. You never know what you could be missing.”
“I know.” You sigh and turn your head back to stare up at the ceiling. “I just haven’t felt anything for any of them. I want to feel something when I look at a guy. Or think about him. But in my mind, the thought of going out with any of them seemed more boring than sitting through ten of Professor Carter’s lectures.”
Nancy chuckles at that. 
“Well,” she says. “Damn Ben for having a girlfriend then.”
Now it’s your turn to laugh as you nod along in agreement.
“Damn him.”
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It almost seemed impossible to you how conventional and simplistic Thanksgiving was at the Wheeler household. The way that Mike and Holly argued over the remote control, Holly wanting to watch the parade, and Mike - just being a typical annoying big brother, you think - wants to hog the remote to watch what he wants. How the baby of the family gets her way and sits in front of the television, watching the large balloons being escorted down the streets of New York City. That Ted Wheeler falls asleep in his chair before the parade ends and bangs and clinks come from the kitchen as Karen preps for the big dinner. This all only happened in movies, as far as you had been concerned.
Thanksgiving growing up consisted of loud drunk neighbors, the smell of burnt cooking exuding from the apartments around you, and possibly a home cooked dinner of spaghetti if your mom felt like it that year. Normal family traditions were something you never got to experience, and just getting to see them firsthand was enough to make you emotional. Of course, Nancy notices, but she would never say anything. She just tries to include you as much as she can with small, mundane tasks like helping Karen in the kitchen or setting the table with Mike.
Dinner itself was a whole new experience. A family all sitting down together, sharing a meal, and talking to one another while doing so. You could count on one hand the times your mom would talk to you as you both ate frozen dinner entrees that had been heated in the microwave. Karen apologizes more than once about her children bickering back and forth, but you enjoy it more than she could understand. It’s all so odd and appealing to you, this dynamic. A nice suburban house with the white picket fence and family dog barking at the children playing in the yard has always seemed like such a faraway thing that would elude you forever. But seeing it up close and personal, you realize how badly you want this.
After dinner is the first time you really get to spend with Mike, both of you sprawled out in the basement after too much turkey, eyes heavy with sleep from feeling so contented and full. Nancy insisted you had helped plenty and could go downstairs while she finished helping her mom clean up. Mike said he’d show you some of his D&D stuff, which Nancy groaned about and said not to bore you with. But you were honestly intrigued and tried to follow along as Mike explained how the game works. Neither of you could keep focus for long though, both wanting to crash on the comfortable furniture down there as the tryptophan from the turkey kicked in.
Mike tells you about life at Hawkins High, about his friends that you’re meeting tomorrow, and how they’re all considered nerds and geeks. You could relate on some level, as you’d been picked on for not having the best clothes or accessories as you didn’t have as much money as the other families of the students. Nancy comes down to join you and puts some Blondie on the stereo - to Mike’s annoyance - as the three of you let the food comas control your bodies for a while.
Homemade pumpkin and apple pies are served for dessert a few hours later, complete with a scoop of ice cream and a generous helping of whipped cream. The family then all gathered in the living room to watch It’s A Wonderful Life, a tradition Karen tells you that happens every year. She calls it the official end of Thanksgiving and beginning of the Christmas season. You’ve never seen the movie before now, and Nancy notices how happy and relaxed you are as you sit next to Holly on the couch and watch the classic black and white film. Her heart aches as she realizes how she’s taken these holidays for granted her whole life, not thinking about how fortunate she really is.
When you and Nancy get ready for bed that night, bellies full of delicious homemade food and hearts all warm and fuzzy from sharing the things you were thankful for at dinner, she takes a moment to give you a big hug, making sure you realize how thankful she is for you. If it makes you tear up slightly before she pulls away, she can easily pretend not to notice.
Friday afternoon is full of messes and giggles as you and Nancy prepare dishes to bring with you to Steve’s house that evening. Most everyone would be bringing leftovers from their family Thanksgivings the day before, but Nancy knew that once Mike got ahold of the food there wouldn’t be much leftover to bring. 
The green bean casserole gets in and out of the oven without issue, but once Mike smells the pumpkin pie you made baking, Nancy has to physically push him out of the kitchen. 
“You’re coming later,” Nancy reminds him. “You can eat it then.”
As the two of you get ready for the dinner, you find yourself fidgeting more than normal. The blue sweater you put on is soft and you find yourself rubbing the material through your fingers over and over. The dainty golden heart necklace you wear becomes something to fiddle with as you prepare your makeup. Nancy must notice your nerves, as she offers to do your hair for you.
“Relax,” she tells you as she gives your hair a finishing puff of hairspray. “We’re really all a weird bunch.”
“So, I’ll fit right in,” you say with a small, nervous smirk. 
“You really will,” she assures you with a smile. 
On the drive to Steve’s house, your nerves somehow dissipate. The ride through the small-town calms you. Seeing children all bundled up and playing with one another in their yards. Neighbors walking their dogs together through the colorful leaves adorning the sidewalks. It’s simple and peaceful, something you’d only ever seen in movies. 
The house you pull up to looks larger than the entirety of your apartment building back home. Granted, it’s a small apartment building, but still. The trees surrounding the two-story home give it a sense of mysticism, yet the dark exterior keeps it modern. 
There are already a few cars parked out front as Nancy pulls in behind one in the driveway. She kills the engine, and you follow her out of the car and up to the front door. You’ve met Steve, and like him, so there’s no anxiety about seeing him. But you know the other people in there are Nancy’s favorite people in the world, so it puts some unintended pressure on. 
Nancy doesn’t bother knocking or ringing the bell, just opens the front door and casually strolls in. It tells a lot about the relationship the two have, and it makes you smile as you follow her over to a small coat closet near the door.
“Hey! Thought I heard your car pulling up.”
Steve smiles as he approaches the two of you. He helps Nancy out of her coat and takes yours as well, maneuvering them onto hangers in the closet. Nancy leans down to unlace her boots, and you bend down to unzip yours. 
Voices can be heard coming from the other room, and it sounds like quite a few people are already there. Steve closes the closet door behind you as you struggle with your zipper. Out of the corner of your eye, you see a shadow enter the entryway as you manage to get the zippers down on both of your boots. 
“Hey,” you hear Nancy greet the new person in the room. 
You stand up straight, ready to kick the unzipped boots off your feet, when you look up and lock eyes with the man standing a few feet in front of you. His dark brown eyes stare right back at you, gazes locked on one another like you’ve both frozen in time. Behind you, Nancy and Steve look at each other from the corner of their eyes, both cracking a smile as you two just continue to stare.
The mysterious boy has a mass of curls that fall to his shoulders, almost as brown as his eyes. He’s wearing a long-sleeved black t-shirt with a denim vest layered over it, covered in colorful patches. He’s tall and slim, and light glints off the silver rings adorning most of his fingers. One side of his mouth tugs up in a smile, the only motion either of you makes. 
“Um,” Steve says once he can’t take it anymore. He steps forward so he’s equidistant between you two. His eyes dart back and forth, not knowing which of you to address first. “Eddie, you remember me telling you about Nancy’s friend?”
Eddie. The name runs through your mind and forces a smile on your lips. It fits him. And suddenly it’s the best name you’ve ever heard. 
“Yeah,” Eddie says, eyes still glued to you. 
���And this is Eddie,” Nancy says as she comes up beside you. She places her hand on your arm and nods her head at the curly haired boy. “One of my friends from high school.” 
“It’s nice to meet you,” you manage to get out. 
“Why don’t we go inside?” Nancy says, tugging on your arm gently. “We can all talk in there.” She notices you haven’t finished taking your shoes off yet and knocks her knee against yours to get your attention. Steve joins in her attempts to help break you and Eddie out of your trance and puts his hand on Eddie’s shoulder, giving him a light shove in the direction of the living room. 
Reluctantly, your eyes break contact with his as you look down to step out of your shoes. Nancy nudges them over alongside hers before guiding you along behind Steve and Eddie. 
The spell that had come over you is broken as loud and rambunctious younger teens shout at one another, some hanging off couches, some sprawled out on the floor, and some moving from place to place. You spot Mike on a couch, arm around who you assume is his girlfriend, as he went to spend time with her earlier in the day. 
Your eyes search for Eddie, but you’re startled by a girl coming up to you and giving you a big, toothy grin.
“Hi! Oh, I’ve heard so much about you, it’s so nice to meet you!”
“Robin,” Nancy says with a laugh. “Don’t scare her.”
“Sorry,” Robin says with an apologetic wince.
“No, it’s okay,” you assure her. “Just a lot of new people.”
“Mike, we forgot the food in the car,” Nancy calls to her brother. “Can you go get it?”
“What? Why me?”
“Oh, come on,” another boy says as he hits Mike on the chest.
“Thank you, Will,” Nancy says pointedly. 
“So that’s Will,” Robin tells you as the boy walks by. He gives you a kind smile and a wave before he ducks out of the room, Mike right behind him. “That’s El, Mike’s girlfriend. She’s sitting next to Jonathan. And the ones arguing over there are Dustin, Lucas, and Max.”
“Who is who?” you ask, looking at the three kids bickering with one another.
“Dustin’s in the hat,” Nancy says.
“Ginger is Max,” Robin adds. 
“Tall one is Lucas,” Nancy finishes. 
“Remember all that?” Robin asks.
“Maybe,” you say with a chuckle. “Guess we’ll find out.”
“How do you like Hawkins?” Robin asks. 
“It’s cute,” you tell her. “Much different than Boston.”
“Oh yeah,” Nancy agrees. 
“Here.” Mike stalks into the room and shoves the container holding the green bean casserole at his sister. 
“Such a gentleman,” Robin says. 
Nancy accepts the dish from him with an eye roll. Will walks in with the pumpkin pie and you take it from him with a thank you. Nancy leads you into the kitchen and balances the casserole in one hand while opening the oven with the other. She slides it in to heat it up, making room for it next to the other dishes inside. 
“You can just put the pie in the fridge,” she tells you. 
The refrigerator is fairly full, but you manage to find a place to fit the tin in. Nancy comes over and yanks a bottle out of a cabinet next to the fridge.
“Want a glass?” She holds up the wine bottle to show you as she grabs two glasses.
“Sure,” you say. 
Nancy pops the cork out with ease and pours a serving for each of you. The red wine flows like life’s blood and you can practically taste the dry fruitiness already. She hands you a glass and you clink them together before taking a swig. 
“Oh,” Nancy says as she lowers the glass from her mouth. “I forgot to ask Steve something. I’ll be right back, okay?”
She sets her glass down as you nod at her. Left alone, you lean back against the counter and take another sip of your wine. It’s a large, white kitchen, decorated in an array of plaid and checkered patterns. There are so many cabinets and shelves you can’t imagine what they all hold. 
“Hey, Nance, where can I - oh.” Eddie stops short in the entryway when he sees you standing there alone. A smile lights up his face and you blush at the sight. “You are not Nancy.”
“I am not,” you concur. 
He slips his hands into the pockets of his dark jeans and sidles up next to you. Arms crossing over his chest, he leans against the counter next to you. 
“Welcome to the circus,” Eddie says, gesturing to the next room where you can still hear a cacophony of young voices going back and forth. 
“It’s cool that you all keep in touch after high school,” you say. “I could tell you where maybe five people are that I went to school with. The rest? I couldn’t give a damn.”
“I feel that way about most of our school,” Eddie says. “These are the few good ones. Course, the kids are still in school. Robin’s going to Hawkins Community College and Steve and I are just working stiffs now.”
“What do you do?” you ask, taking another sip of your wine. 
“Work at a garage downtown,” he tells you. “Nothing fancy, but it pays the bills.”
“I know all about that,” you say. “I work at a coffee shop. I come home smelling like hot chocolate every day.”
“There are worse things to smell like,” Eddie says with a smile. “Once I got gasoline on my shoes and I swear, I smelled like it for a week, no matter how much I showered.”
The image of Eddie in the shower invades your thoughts and you take another gulp of wine to hide the flush on your cheeks. The urge to drop your eyes down to his arms and chest is appealing, but you manage to restrain yourself. 
“You keep drinking that quickly and your blush is only going to get worse.”
The way you choke on your wine makes you fear that some of it is going to shoot out of your nose. With your hand over your mouth and nose, you cough as some of the wine goes down the wrong way. Eddie reaches over to pat your back a few times, only adding to the heat on your face. You notice he’s smiling at you, but it’s not in a mocking or patronizing way. It’s as if he thinks you’re cute and the thought makes your head buzz more than the wine.
“You okay?” he asks. 
“M’good,” you squeak out through a cough. 
“Want some water?”
All you can do is nod in response. Eddie turns to grab a cup from a cabinet next to the sink and fills it up halfway. You take it without looking him in the eye and take a couple of swigs. 
“Better?” he asks.
“Yeah,” you say, throat recovering from the burn. The accursed dirty mind you have makes you think there’s a way I’d like him to make my throat burn. 
“Good,” he says. 
He opens his mouth to speak again when Nancy comes back into the kitchen. Her eyes go from you, to Eddie, back to you again. She raises an eyebrow and you’re unsure if it’s because of your red face, Eddie’s smirk, or if she can feel the tension in the air. 
“Everything okay?” she asks.
“Fine,” Eddie tells her at the same time that you say, “Yep.”
She doesn’t look convinced but doesn’t press any further. 
“Eddie!”
A shorter boy with dark curly hair tucked under a blue and red baseball cap walks into the kitchen, head swiveling to find his friend.
“Right here,” Eddie says.
“There you are,” Dustin, if you recall correctly, says. “Will you come tell Lucas that he’s an idiot?”
“Um, hello,” Eddie says, nodding his head towards you. “Manners, dude.”
“Oh, shit,” Dustin says with a shake of his head. “I’m sorry. Hi, I’m Dustin.” 
“It’s nice to meet you,” you say. “You’re the one who Steve’s adopted, right?”
Dustin’s laughter rings out in the kitchen. 
“Sometimes it feels like the other way around, but yeah,” he says. 
“Steve and Eddie share custody now,” Nancy says. 
“Don’t make me his co-parent,” Eddie says, shaking his head. 
Steve pops his head in the kitchen and rolls his eyes.
“Jesus, you guys.” He walks over and slings his arm over Nancy’s shoulders. “Leave me with them out there.”
“Isn’t Robin out there?” Nancy asks.
“She joined the argument, whatever it’s about!” 
“Lucas is saying that in Star Wars-.”
“Nope,” Steve says, cutting Dustin off. “I don’t want to hear about your little nerd wars.” 
“Come on,” Dustin whines. “You liked Return of the Jedi.”
“No, he liked Leia in the gold bikini,” Nancy corrects. 
“The one with the teddy bear things?” Steve asks.
“Yeah, the Ewoks,” you say. 
All heads turn to you and a grin grows on Dustin’s face. 
“I didn’t know you liked Star Wars,” Nancy says.
“All we ever do is talk, how did this never come up?” you ask with a chuckle. 
“Are you a nerd?” Eddie smirks at you and pokes your arm. 
“A little,” you say with a shrug. 
“Read The Hobbit?” Eddie asks.
“Alright, I’m leaving,” Steve says. He presses a kiss to Nancy’s head and turns to head out of the kitchen. The oven timer dings though, and Steve stops in his tracks.
“Dinner’s ready, Dad,” Dustin says. 
“Shut up. Go tell the others to sit at the table.”
“Wait,” Nancy says, and everyone stares at her. “Um, I mean, Dustin and I will get the others. You guys help Steve get the food out.”
“Okay,” Dustin drawls, narrowing his eyes at Nancy. 
She nudges Dustin out of the kitchen ahead of her as Steve yanks the oven door open, letting the heat and savory scents of the food waft out into the air. It’s a mishmash of dishes as Steve pulls them out one by one, setting them on the counters around him. 
“Okay,” Steve says. He closes the oven and turns it off. Putting his hands on his hips, he spins around and looks at the different foods. “We’ve got vegetables, we’ve got turkey, potatoes, breads.”
“Cranberries?” Eddie asks.
Steve snaps his fingers and nods. “In the fridge.”
“I’ve got it,” you say. 
Steve loads up Eddie’s arms with food before piling himself up. You scoop up the dishes that are left and follow the guys into the dining room. Nancy and Dustin had called everyone in to eat, and most of the seats are already taken. All that’s left are the seat at the head of the table, for Steve, and two seats situated between Nancy and Will. The way Nancy avoids your eyes as you set the food down on the table tells you that the two chairs left for you and Eddie aren't just a coincidence. 
Eddie makes no secret of his happiness that you’re sitting near one another as he grins brightly and pulls out your chair for you. You slip into it and meet Nancy’s too-innocent eyes as Eddie sits down next to you. If Steve’s wise to the setup, he shows no hint of it while he cuts pieces of turkey to be sent around the table. 
“Stuffing?” Eddie offers.
“Yes, please.”
He doles some out on your plate before serving himself, tongue peeking out of his lips the whole time. Bowls are handed across the table, plates passed back and forth from one friend to another, but eventually everyone is settled with their full plate in front of them. 
The girl named Max sits across from you and she glances up at you between bites of turkey. You give her a smile that she tentatively returns. 
“Well, damn,” Eddie says from next to you. “I knew Red for over a month before I got a smile out of her.”
Max scowls at him as she shoves a forkful of mashed potatoes in her mouth. 
“I have a good sense about people,” she says once she’s swallowed her food. “I like her. I was never sure about you. Still not.”
“Hardy har,” Eddie answers but Max cracks a smile at him. 
“Should we do that thing?” Robin asks the whole table. Everyone turns to her, most brows furrowed in confusion.
“Ah yes, Robin,” Steve says. “That thing.”
“You know,” Robin says. She gesticulates with her hands, crumbs of stuffing flying off her fork in the process. “Where we say what we’re thankful for.”
Mike and Lucas groan in tandem as Dustin drops his head into his hands. 
“We’re not eighty years old, Robin,” Steve says. 
“Oh, come on,” Robin says. She looks pleadingly at everyone, widening her eyes and jutting out her bottom lip. 
“Why not?” El asks.
You notice everyone seems to have a harder time saying no to El than they do Robin, and Steve shrugs in reluctant agreement. 
“I’ll start,” Robin says, unsurprisingly. “I’m thankful that Steve got promoted to manager at Family video.”
“Why are you thankful for that?” Mike asks.
“Because it means Keith doesn’t work there anymore,” Steve says. “And she won’t get in as much trouble if she clocks in late.”
“Still thankful,” Robin says with a shrug. She leans back in her seat and nods at Jonathan next to her.
“Oh, um,” Jonathan says, shifting in his chair. He looks uncomfortable with all the attention on him. “I’m, uh, I guess I’m thankful that we moved back to Hawkins.”
The game goes around the table until it gets to Eddie.
“Shit, there’s a lot I’m thankful for this year,” Eddie says with a chuckle. There are some murmurs of laughter in agreement around the table and you feel like an outsider for the first time tonight, not being in on some joke or knowledge. Eddie quickly takes notice of this and licks his lips. “I think I’ll go with two things, though. One, finally graduating.” Dustin and the other younger boys break into applause at this, which Eddie halts by waving a dismissive hand at them. “Two, I’m thankful Nancy brought this lovely lady over for dinner.”
Eddie turns to look at you, his smirk and statement making you blush yet again. You weren’t someone who blushed easily, and somehow this adorable metal head had managed to make it happen twice within a single hour. 
“Well, you stole my answer,” you tell him with a shy smile. 
“Yeah?” he asks, raising his eyebrows at you. He rests his arm along the back of your chair and leans just slightly into your space. 
“Yeah,” you affirm. 
You miss the way Max’s eyes go to Nancy, who is grinning at the pair of you, then move to Steve, who shrugs at the redhead and rolls his eyes as if saying what’re you gonna do? 
“You’ll just have to give another one then,” Eddie says. 
He watches you as you squint one eye closed and pucker your lips together as you think. With your gaze not solely locked on him, you don’t see the way his eyes dart down to your lips. But Nancy does.
“Can I just say I’m thankful for Nancy in general, then? Because I wouldn’t have been able to stand being at school without her. And she was kind enough to bring me home with her to meet her family and all of you.” 
There’s a collective “aww” around the table as Nancy leans over and wraps an arm around you, leaning her head against yours. 
“Well, I’m thankful you decided to do your laundry in the middle of the night just like I did. Or this might’ve never happened,” Nancy says. “And I’m thankful for being able to make long distance with Steve work so well.”
A smile lights up Steve’s face and you’re struck again with how cute these two are with one another. 
“You’re the last one to go, Stevie,” Robin says. “Lay it on us.”
“Well, I’d be in complete trouble if I didn’t say Nancy, right?” he asks, throwing a wink and smirk her way. “I’m just kidding. Well, not about Nancy, about being in trouble for it. Because I am thankful for Nancy.”
“Anticlimactic,” Robin says with a sigh. 
“Are we done?” Max asks. “Please?”
“Yeah, that only took up the whole dinner,” Mike adds.
“Oh, please,” Nancy calls down the table to her little brother. “Like you actually paid attention to what a single person said.” 
Eddie leans into whisper in your ear. “I’d say we’re not always this crazy, but that’d be a lie.”
“Are you kidding? I would love to have a group of friends like this,” you tell him. “The crazier the better.”
“Oh, well then you’re definitely in the right spot,” he tells you. 
Steve begins to gather empty plates from the table, and Eddie is right behind him, sliding yours on top of his as he stands up. 
Nancy shoos you from the kitchen, saying that you aren’t allowed to help clean because you’re their special guest. So, you find your way back into Steve’s living room, where those who aren’t helping to clean are spread out around the room, either talking or listening to the music that Eddie’s turned on the radio. 
“Queen, hmm?” you say as you walk over to stand near him. 
“Yeah, I figured they’re a band everyone would be happy with,” he says as Killer Queen begins over the speakers. “Wouldn’t be my first choice, but they’re pretty good.”
“And who on earth could you possibly hold in higher regard than Queen?” 
“Metallica, Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden,” Eddie starts, but you cut him off.
“So, basically any metal band?”
“Pretty much,” Eddie says, putting his hands on his hips. “Best type of music, if you ask me. But I do also like Queen.”
“Good,” you say. You plop down on the nearest empty couch and Eddie follows to sit right alongside you. 
“I’m guessing Queen is your favorite?” he asks, tilting his head and raising an eyebrow.
“They are,” you tell him. “Freddie Mercury has one of the greatest voices of all time.”
“I can’t argue with that,” Eddie says. “Who else do you like?”
“A lot, actually. From Queen, to Beatles, to Elvis, to Madonna, to Black Sabbath, to showtunes.”
“Showtunes, huh?” Eddie asks with a smirk.
“I will take no disrespect of Stephen Sondheim,” you warn him. 
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” he says. “Mostly because I have no idea who that is.” 
You laugh and the sound brings a light to Eddie’s eyes. They crinkle in the corners as he looks at you and it’s enough to make your heart stutter in your chest. 
Across the room, unbeknownst to you and Eddie off in your own little world, Nancy and Steve walk back into the living room. 
“Damn, she and Munson are really hitting it off, aren’t they?” Steve asks, making Nancy giddy with happiness. 
“Steve, you don’t get it,” she tells him.
“I know. I never thought I’d see a girl take such a shine to Munson so quickly.”
“No,” Nancy says with a shake of her head. She watches the two of you converse on the couch, him laughing at something you said, before she grabs Steve’s arm and pulls him to the side of the room. 
“There have been like, at least twelve guys who have asked her on dates back at school,” Nancy tells him. “Out of those, she probably agreed to three. And from those three dates, I think she had a second date with one of them. That’s it.”
“I’m gonna need more context clues to get me where you want me to go,” Steve says, shrugging in confusion. 
“I’ve never seen her actually be interested in a guy. Well, one, but he had a girlfriend, so it didn’t last long. She’s told me besides her one boyfriend in high school, she’s never clicked with or had real feelings for anyone before. But this!” She gestures to you and Eddie in your own little bubble on the couch. “It’s huge! You don’t know her like I do, but trust me, this is huge.”
“Okay,” Steve says, getting the hang of it. “And what about Eddie?”
“I’ve never actually seen him have a crush on someone before. Have you?”
Steve shakes his head and holds his arms out to the sides helplessly. 
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen him talk to a girl that’s not in this room,” he says. 
“I think he likes her,” Nancy says with a grin that could only be called devious. 
“Hold on, Yente,” Steve says, startling Nancy.
“Was that really a Fiddler on the Roof reference?” she asks. 
“I manage a video store. Pretty sure I’ve seen every video in there at least twice. So, yeah. But you’ve got to slow your roll on the matchmaking. She’s going back to Boston with you in two days.” 
Nancy sighs and folds her arms over her chest. 
“I know,” she admits sadly. “But they’re so cute.” 
Steve rests his hands on Nancy’s shoulders and gives them a small massage.
“They are,” he agrees. “I don’t think Eddie would mind if you spent the rest of the semester talking him up to her, though.” 
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 It feels like you’ve only been talking to Eddie for ten minutes, but when the whines from Mike and Max come that they’re hungry and want dessert, it shocks you to find out that it’s been hours since you’d all finished dinner. 
Dessert goes much quicker than dinner, and with more efficiency. There was the pumpkin pie that you and Nancy had made, an apple pie that Will and El had baked, some cookies Max made, and cupcakes that Robin says she picked up on clearance on the drive over. Everyone wants to sample a bit of everything, but it’s hard since you’d all had a hardy meal just hours ago. Once you’re one vanilla cupcake and a slice of pumpkin pie deep, Eddie offers to split a piece of apple pie with you. He smothers it in whipped cream and hands you a second fork so the two of you can dig in together. You laugh when Eddie uses his pinky finger to put a dab of a glob of whipped cream on the tip of your nose. You go cross-eyed trying to look at it - which makes Eddie laugh - and try to stretch your tongue up as high as it would go to clean it off. You’re unable to do it though, so settle for wiping it off using your hand with a sigh. 
Though you don’t have the room left, you swipe one of the last of Max’s cookies so you can have officially tried one of everything. After your first delicious bite though, you realize there’s no way you’ll be able to finish it. You slump back in your seat with a groan, the waistband on your pants threatening to suffocate you. Tilting your head to the side, you see Eddie in an almost identical position. He eyes the cookie in your hand and opens his mouth.
“Really?” you ask with a laugh.
He just nods, keeping his mouth open. You feed him the rest of your half-eaten cookie. He licks over his lips as he finishes it, then let’s out a groan to match your previous one. 
No one feels the urge to talk or move from the table as you’ve all been re-stuffed. The music that’s still playing on the stereo in the living room drifts in over the silence of the dining room, and you smile to yourself as one of your favorite Billy Joel songs plays. It’s a comfortable atmosphere, the silence not awkward, just content as everyone basks in their food comas. 
Dustin is the first one to break the silence, which seems to surprise no one.
“We’ve got to do the secret Santa,” he says. 
“Shit, where’s the hat with the names in it?” Steve asks, slumped down in his chair. 
“I think I saw it in the living room,” Will says. He forces his way out of his seat with a strained groan, and shuffles into the other room. He returns holding an upside-down Santa Claus hat that rustles when he shakes it. 
“Oh, um am I..?” you trail off, looking at Nancy.
She nods. “I put your name in there. I figured you could always ship your gift and your gift can get shipped to you if you’re not here for Christmas.”
You haven’t even thought about what your plans would be for Christmas this year. It wasn’t usually a pleasant time of the year for you and college had distracted you from the fact that you’d have to be at home for the holiday. It sounded about as appealing as walking back to Boston from Hawkins, butt naked. 
Will sits down with the hat and places it on the table in front of him.
“Should I start?” he asks. 
“Might as well,” Dustin says. “Remember the rules. You can’t pick your own name. And you can’t pick a sibling because you’ll probably be forced to buy them something anyway. Oh! Also, no couples,” Dustin says, eyeing Steve and Nancy before Max and Lucas. “We all know you’ll be buying each other things too.” 
“We got it, Henderson,” Steve says. He gestures to Will. “Let’s get it going.”
Will draws the first name and smiles to himself. He’s careful not to look at anyone around the table as he slips the small piece of paper in his pocket. He slides the hat over to El, who in turn draws hers. She frowns when she sees the name and replaces it to pick another one. The hat travels along the table, with Mike also having to select a second name, and ends up at Nancy. She selects her rolled up paper and holds it close to her chest so she can read it. She chuckles and holds the paper in her lap as she slides the hat over to you. You reach in and pull out the first scrap of paper your hand touches. Copying Nancy’s movements of holding the paper close, you take a look at who you’ve drawn. “Max” the paper reads. Nodding to yourself, you slide the hat down to Eddie, who has the final pull from the hat. 
“Good thing I don’t have the sibling or girlfriend option here since I’m drawing the last one,” Eddie says as he sticks his hand inside. “As long as it’s not me, we’re good.” He peeks inside the little white paper before folding it up and putting it in his jacket pocket. “Not me. We’re good.”
Dessert is also an easier clean up, so Nancy lets you help this time around. It only takes a few minutes, then you’re strolling back into the living room, where your hand is quickly picked up by someone coming up alongside you.
“Hi,” Eddie says with a smile, as if it’s been a while since the two of you spoke.
“Hi yourself,” you respond as you adjust your hand in Eddie’s grip. His hand is strong and warm, and you can feel the gentle rub of calluses. He leads you over to a different part of the living room than where you were before. There’s a small nook towards the back of the room, where someone could sit and look out of a pale stained-glass window into the backyard. Today was so cold though, that the window was frosted over, giving a romantic feel to the small area. 
Eddie sits down on the cushioned seat and pulls you down right along next to him. You’re sitting hip to hip, knee to knee and he still hasn’t let go of your hand. The colder air closer to the window is all the excuse you need to lean into Eddie’s side. He also takes the chill in the air as an excuse to wrap his arm around you, tucking you even further against him. You let your cheek rest against his shoulder, and it doesn’t take long until Eddie rests his head against your own. The silence is companionable as Eddie rubs his hand up and down your arm. 
After a few minutes of sitting this way together, Eddie dips his head down to press his lips close enough to your ear that you can feel them brush your skin as he whispers to you. 
“Can I tell you a secret?” he asks. 
“Mmm,” you hum in confirmation, eyes staying closed. From his angle he can’t see the smile you’re fighting to keep off your face.
“You’re the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen.” 
Moisture instantly gathers behind your closed eyes at his words. You blink a few times to expel them before you tilt your head up to look at him face to face. 
“Is that so?” you whisper back. 
“Cross my heart,” he replies. 
This time the smile doesn’t stay off your face, no matter how hard you try. 
“You’re an incorrigible flirt, Eddie Munson.”
“How can I not be? Usually, I’d have to take the time to psych myself up to flirt if I had just seen you around town. But no time for that when you’re leaving soon.” 
He pouts adorably at the way his words cause a frown on your face.
“Nancy did tell you that you guys have to go back, right? Or was this really a kidnapping ploy all along?” 
You giggle and it brightens Eddie’s whole face. It also gives him the courage to lean down and press his lips softly against yours. You gasp into the kiss, not expecting it, but quickly compose yourself enough to kiss him back. He pulls away just a little and it gives you the opportunity to sit up straighter, giving the two of you a better angle for your next kiss. He delves in and cradles the back of your head with his hand, the other snaking around your waist. One of your hands cups Eddie’s cheek as you kiss him and the other rests firmly on his chest. 
Eddie’s tongue swipes across your top lip and you don’t hesitate in opening your mouth to him. His arm around your waist pulls you impossibly closer to him until you’re half on his lap, the kiss getting deeper by the moment. In many ways, it’s the best kiss you’ve ever had. Not only is Eddie a talented kisser, but you can feel the emotions behind the kiss as well. Eddie slides his hand from the back of your head to cup your jaw, tilting his head to kiss you at a slightly different angle. There’s longing there, it’s melancholy and addictive. He tastes like the pie you shared mixed with cigarettes and taste that could only be explained as Eddie. 
Your fingers tighten on his shirt, bunching the black material into your hand. The hand that was on his jaw has snaked around to bury itself in the curls at the base of Eddie’s neck. He manages to maneuver both of you so he’s lounging back against the cushions of the seat, and you’re on top of him, chest pressed to chest, and legs tangling together as you let out a soft moan against Eddie’s mouth. 
The sound only encourages him, his kisses becoming more impassioned and messier. Not that you mind. You’d be happy if he spit in your mouth, but you figured that wasn’t something he needed to know on day one. 
Sense of time is all but gone and you’re only reminded that there are other people in the room - albeit on the other side of it, with you two not directly in view of them - until someone, by the sound of it, Robin, starts speaking at a volume way too high for indoors. She starts to babble on and on, voice raising with every statement she makes. Both you and Eddie find it amusing, as you pull away from one another’s mouths with small laughs commingling in your shared breath. 
Eddie reaches up and tucks a piece of hair that’s hanging in your face behind your ear. 
“In case you haven’t realized,” Eddie says softly, keeping you two in your own private moment. “I really like you.” 
“Well,” you say, still trying to catch your breath. “In that case, I hope you’ve noticed that I really like you too.” 
The grin on his face makes your labored breaths even quicker as his eyes gaze into yours. You rest your forehead against his and let your eyes fall closed. 
“Can I see you again before you leave?” Eddie whispers. 
Leaving now sounds like the worst possible thing you could endure. Boston is a great city, and you love almost every aspect of it. The food, the sports, the people, the weather. But it doesn’t have Eddie. 
“Yes,” you answer him. “We leave Sunday afternoon. Steve is taking Nancy and I out for breakfast before he takes us to the airport. Would you maybe want to come?”
“I’d like that.” 
“Me too.”
Loud clapping hands come up behind you and the quiet intimate moment you’ve been having with Eddie dissolves around you. 
“Okay, lovebirds,” Robin says. “Time to get a room. Preferably the guest room at the Wheeler house.”
“We don’t have a guest room,” Nancy says. “She’s bunking with me.”
“Sorry, Eddie,” Robin says. “That means there’s no room for you on that bed.” 
As everyone says goodbye for the night, you stand a little off to the side. Sure, you’d become one of the gang over the course of the evening, but that still couldn’t touch all the history and familiarity that the others had with one another. You get hugs from most everyone, including an unexpectedly tight one from Max. Will tells you repeatedly that it was so nice to meet you and you understand why Nancy was so excited to be with this group of people. They’re all kind, caring, and most obviously of all, they’re all so dedicated and loyal to one another. 
Steve gives you a hug that’s just as tight as he’s given everyone else, and it could bring tears to your eyes how included you feel. You take a deep breath before you give you your final goodbye of the night. Eddie wraps you in his arms and presses a chaste kiss to your lips. His arms feel so secure around you and the warmth that you feel when you nuzzle your head into his neck is enough to make your heart burst. 
“I’ll see you soon, yeah?” he asks.
“Soon,” you confirm. 
He presses another kiss to your lips before reluctantly letting go. 
Mike is crashing at Lucas’s tonight, so it’s just you and Nancy on the drive home. Nancy has barely shut the driver’s side door before she’s turning to you with the look of a cat that’s about to pounce.
“I have never seen you like that!” she gushes at you. 
You shrug, glad for the dark night outside to hide your reddened face. She starts the car and pulls out of Steve’s driveway, but the conversation isn’t over. 
“You guys were so cute,” Nancy says. “You like him?”
Looking out the passenger window at the dark trees that go past, you smile so Nancy can’t see it. 
“I really like him,” you admit. 
Nancy coos over your admission as she pulls out onto the main road in Hawkins. 
“I could tell!” Nancy gloats. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you smile so much.”
“You weren’t very subtle at all, forcing me to sit next to him at dinner,” you tell her. 
“Are you complaining?” she asks.
“No,” you admit bashfully. 
“I didn’t think so.”
“I asked him if he wanted to come with us to breakfast with Steve on Sunday. Is that okay?” you ask.
“Of course,” she assures you. “He’s a great guy, really.”
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 Nancy pulls her car into the driveway and you both enter the house quietly; Holly and her parents having already gone to bed. You gather your pajamas out of your suitcase and tell Nancy you’re going to take a shower when the shrill ringing of the phone on her nightstand makes both of you jump. She quickly grabs the receiver before the noise can wake anyone in the house up. 
“Who the hell,” she mumbles to herself as she looks at the clock, reading almost one in the morning. “Hello?” she asks. There’s a pause and Nancy rolls her eyes as she listens. “Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me.”
You giggle quietly to yourself as you watch her become exasperated. Clothes clutched to your chest, you gesture down the hall to let her know you’re headed to the bathroom. She nods at you as she listens to the person on the other line.
The hot shower invigorates your skin that had grown dry in the cold autumn air. A sigh of relief escapes your lips as you let the warm water run down your skin, relishing in the relaxation and calming aroma of the minty shampoo. As your fingers work through your hair, you recall the feeling of Eddie’s hair in your hands. The soft curls at the base of his neck you toyed with as you kissed. Thoughts begin to churn in your mind of Eddie joining you in the shower, but you don’t want to turn this into a cold shower, so you try not to let your mind wander down that path. 
Using the towel to wring the excess water from your hair, you make your way back to Nancy’s room in your pajamas. The oversized t-shirt and plaid bottoms were so comfortable that you could hardly wait to curl up in bed. But when you walk into her room, Nancy hasn’t pulled the blankets down or even changed into her own pajamas. She’s changed into sweatpants and a sweatshirt, so comfy clothes, but not ones for sleep. 
“What’s going on?” you ask. 
“Guess who was on the phone?”
You’re about to admit that you have no clue, but with the way she raises an eyebrow at you, you think you get the idea.
“He didn’t,” you say with a laugh. 
“Oh, he did. Wanted to know if he could come over,” she tells you.
“What?” you ask, just as there’s a knock on Nancy’s window. It startles you, but Nancy seems to have been expecting it.
“Your Romeo,” Nancy says, her head nodding to the window as she goes over to open it. She slides the glass up and Eddie stumbles in, landing clumsily as he trips over one of his own boots. Nancy shakes her head at him, and he spins around to face you, eyes instantly lighting up and an infectious smile curling his lips. 
“What are you doing?” you ask as you walk over to him. You wrap your arms around his middle, the cold air sticking to his leather jacket making you shiver. 
“Missed you,” he mumbles against your hair as he presses kisses to the top of your head. He quickly sheds the jacket, not wanting to make you cold, then retakes you in his arms, the warmth of his red flannel giving you the intended warm effect. 
“You saw me an hour ago.” Your face is smooshed up against his chest, but he understands you anyway. 
“I know. An hour,” he says. “And you’re leaving soon so I wanted to spend all the time with you I could.” 
“He gave me the same speech,” Nancy says from behind him. “He’s lucky I’m a romantic and caved.”
You peek around Eddie to give her a grateful smile, which she returns with a wink. 
“I’m going to take a shower,” she says. “But I will be back.” She gives a pointed look to Eddie as she heads out the door, closing it behind her.
You hop onto Nancy’s bed and open your arms for him, which he happily falls into. He climbs on the other side of you, kicking his boots off as he goes, and tucks you against his side. 
“I like your pajamas,” he says. “They’re cute.”
Burying your face in his chest, you nuzzle your nose against his sternum.
“Didn’t expect company, so I dressed for warmth,” you say. 
“Cold?” he asks, wrapping his arms tighter around you.
“Not really,” you say. “But keep holding me like that.”
“You don’t have to tell me twice.”
You tilt your neck up, pressing soft kisses along his jaw. His hand rubs up and down your side and your body fills with a warmth that has nothing to do with the temperature. 
“Can I ask you something?” you whisper against his skin.
“Anything,” he answers. 
“What did you mean before?” Your fingers play with the hem of his flannel as you run the tip of your nose up to behind his ear. “At dinner. When you said there’s a lot for you to be thankful for this year.”
His body shifts underneath you and you pull back to look at him. He avoids your eyes as he adjusts his grip around your waist. You rub your hand over his chest, leaning down to press a kiss against his collarbone.
“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to,” you say, sensing his mood change. “I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”
“No, no,” he says, shaking his head. He lets out a sigh and presses his lips against your forehead. “It’s just a long, shitty story.”
“If you want to tell me, I’ll listen,” you assure him. 
This makes him smile and he leans down to capture your lips in a soft kiss.
“Okay,” he whispers against your lips. “I’m going to start off by saying I’m innocent though, okay? Just to preface this fucked up tale.”
You nod even though your brow scrunches up in concern. Not that you don’t believe him, but it hurts to hear that he was wrongly accused of something. 
“There was this girl at school,” he starts. “Her name was Chrissy. She was a cheerleader, queen of the school. One day she asked to talk to me, which was weird in itself.”
The frown on your face is involuntary as you picture - what you can only assume is a pretty - cheerleader all over Eddie. He notices the look and runs his thumb over your pinched forehead as he lets out a soft laugh.
“Aw, are you jealous, baby? Don’t be. It was nothing like that. I mean, in complete honesty I did have a crush on her in middle school, but that was forever ago.” He presses a kiss to your now relaxed forehead before continuing on. “I used to sell drugs at school, and she wanted some pot. So, I told her when and where I’d meet her for the deal. When the time came, she was all jumpy and seemed paranoid. I tried to calm her, and it worked a bit, but she ended up asking if I had anything stronger. I didn’t with me, because I wasn’t stupid to be busted on school grounds with anything harder than weed. There was a basketball game that night and I had a hellfire meeting - you know, the D&D club I told you about after dinner. Anyway, so I told her I’d take her back to my place afterwards and I’d get her something then.” Eddie chuckles as he feels you tense up in his arms at his last statement. He presses soft and sweet kisses down the side of your face. “Can I just say that I love how you’ve only known me for a few hours and are already jealous at the thought of another girl alone with me?” 
You huff playfully and hide your face in his neck. It only causes him to laugh again, and he moves his hand up and down your back reassuringly. He lets out a sigh though, as he goes on to continue his story. 
“This is where it gets weird,” he says.
Nancy pushes open the door then and both of you look up as she enters. She gives you a small smile as she creeps back into the room, shutting the door again behind her. 
“I’m just telling her about Chrissy,” Eddie explains.
“Oh?” Nancy asks, raising her eyebrows so high that they meet her wet bangs. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard you talk about it.”
He shrugs and squeezes you in his arms.
“Just going over the important parts anyway,” he says, and a look is shared between them that escapes your notice. 
Nancy nods and climbs up on the bed, resting back against her footboard and tucking her legs up underneath her. Eddie continues his story, Nancy interjecting in places that Eddie wasn’t present for, like their friends trying to find where Eddie was hiding. She talks about how she spoke with Eddie’s uncle and how after that moment she had no lingering thoughts whatsoever that Eddie could have murdered their classmate. 
“Wait, I’m a little confused,” you say when they’ve finished their story. “So, you guys went to find who the real killer was, Eddie, you got hurt, and Nancy, you knocked the guy out of a window? But he escaped? Then how were you cleared?”
“Um, there wasn’t enough evidence,” Nancy says. She clears her throat before continuing. “They eventually caught the real killer, but we have a friend in the police station. El’s dad, actually. He was able to take a harder look and proved that Eddie couldn’t have done it.” 
“So, I was cleared. And healed, thankfully. If Dustin hadn’t gotten my ass to the hospital so quickly, I wouldn’t have made it.”
You squeeze Eddie in your arms and rest your head on his shoulder. 
“So, you meant that you were thankful you were okay and that you were cleared?” you ask, bringing it all back to your original question. 
“Yeah,” he tells you. “And thankful I had these friends around me to help me out.” 
“That’s so scary,” you say. Eddie and Nancy share a look above your head, knowing you don’t know the half of how scary it all actually was. 
“But it’s over,” Eddie says as he lays his head on top of yours. Your fingers tighten in his shirt and Eddie feels like he could cry from the relief that rushes through him at the gesture. He hadn’t realized how terrified he was that you would think badly of him after the story, or even worse, think he truly was guilty. His body relaxes against yours and you press your lips to his shoulder, leaving him smiling against your hair.
You bring your hand up to your mouth to cover a yawn and Eddie looks at the clock on Nancy’s nightstand. “Shit, I guess I should let you guys get some sleep. The sun’ll be up any minute now.”
He slips out of your arms and off the bed. You follow behind him as he makes his way over to the window.
“Thanks for letting me come over, Nance.”
She nods her head at him as she slips under the covers. “Don’t make a habit of it,” she says with a playful smile. 
He gives her a salute before looking back at you. He takes both of your hands in his and brings them up to his mouth, kissing over your knuckles.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, yeah?” he whispers.
“Yeah,” you agree as you raise up on your toes to press your lips against his. 
Eddie kisses you softly, letting go of your hands so one can cup your cheek while the other pulls your body closer to his. Too soon, he pulls away and opens Nancy’s window. The frigid air blows in and you pick Eddie’s leather jacket up off the floor, handing it back to him. He slips it on and presses one last kiss to your lips before he ducks outside. 
“Bye, beautiful,” he says.
“Bye.” You smile at him as he closes the window behind him and scoots down the slope of the Wheeler’s roof. 
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 Saturday it was planned for the Wheeler family to take a trip a few towns over where there was a big holiday festival happening. The whole town was decked out in red and green, and the chill in the air added to the festive spirit. Mike was initially grumpy about being picked up from hanging out with his friends to spending time with his family, but he ended up happy he came after a video game that he desperately wanted was on sale at the local mall. You and Nancy shopped for some new clothes there as well, and you joined the family for lunch at a cute diner right in the mall’s parking lot. From there, you all visited the outdoor skating rink where you taught Holly how to skate, and she ended up being able to skate faster than either of her older siblings. 
Once the sun went down, you grabbed some hot chocolates to go and headed back to Hawkins for a family movie night tucked up in the house. Holly fell asleep before the end of the second movie, her hand clutched in Nancy’s and her head on your shoulder. Mr. Wheeler carried her to bed and Mike broke out a box of gingerbread cookies that Karen had tried to hide from him in the back of the pantry. 
It was a fun day, but Eddie had been on your mind for the entirety of it. You pictured modeling the clothes that you had bought for him, or him holding your hand as you skated around the rink. When you and Nancy headed up to bed, she joked that there would be no middle of the night visitors tonight, and you both fell asleep quickly. 
Sunday morning you were brimming with excitement to see Eddie, but your heart melted at the tears Karen and Holly shed as they hugged Nancy goodbye. They’d see her in a few weeks for Christmas, but it just showed how much they loved her. Each member of the family hugged you goodbye, even Mike seeming heartfelt as he did so. You’d miss being around this domestic type of setting. The nuclear family wasn’t something you were terribly accustomed to, but you had enjoyed every moment of it. 
The doorbell eventually rings, and Steve is ready and waiting there to help you and Nancy get your bags in the car. You notice a certain someone with a curly mop of hair in the passenger seat and a grin splits your face as Eddie climbs out of the car. He scoops you up in his arms and hugs you tightly before assisting Steve with the bags. The guys take you to a cute quaint restaurant on the way to the airport, and Eddie refuses to let go of your hand the moment you both step out of the car. You look through the menu with one hand, not moving your laced fingers from his grip. It proves hard to eat though, with only one hand, so you begrudgingly let go of each other. 
“What’re you doing for Christmas?” Steve asks you as he swallows a bite of his blueberry pancakes. 
“Probably nothing,” you say with a shrug. “I’ll probably end up driving back to New Hampshire to my mom’s place, but I don’t even know if she’ll be there. Hopefully I’ll get to see my niece, though. She’s my favorite person in the world.” 
“How old is she?” Eddie asks. 
“Almost eight,” you tell him. “Her and my sister live like an hour away from us.”
“I’m sure she’d love to see you,” Nancy says. She knows the shared love you and the little girl have for one another. 
Eddie steals a piece of bacon off your plate and your jaw drops open.
“Excuse you,” you say. “I’m going to need a bite of waffle as repayment, thank you very much.”
Eddie happily obliges and holds up a piece of his waffle speared on his fork to your lips. You bite it off and hum appreciatively as you chew it. 
“You two are disgustingly cute,” Steve says as he watches the pair of you. “It’s almost insane how you just met.”
It doesn’t seem like you had just met, though. The way you clicked with him so instantaneously was something you’ve never experienced before, and you know Eddie hasn’t either. You moved so naturally with one another it was as if you’d grown up together. Fate wasn’t something you particularly subscribed to, but it was hard to think of this thing with Eddie as anything else. How many things needed to line up just right so you would meet him? 
Breakfast doesn’t last long enough, and you feel yourself dragging back to the car when it’s time for the final leg of the journey to the airport. Eddie sits in the backseat with you this time and you rest your backpack in his lap as you rummage through it, looking for a pen. Once you succeed, you pull out a scrap of paper and start scribbling on it.
“Here,” you say, handing it to him. He takes it from you, and you slide the backpack off his lap. “The top one is the number to my dorm room. I have a bitchy roommate, so I apologize in advance if she ever answers when you call. The number underneath it is for my apartment in New Hampshire. I won’t be there until Christmas break, but I wanted to give it to you now anyway.”
Eddie grins as he looks at the paper. He folds it carefully, like it’s a precious artifact and not a scrap from a homework assignment you had earlier in the semester. 
“She hides from her roommate in my room, too,” Nancy adds with a smirk. “So, if she’s not in her room, get the number to mine from Steve. But not at one in the morning!”
Steve raises his eyebrows at the look Nancy gives Eddie over her shoulder.
“Wait, what?” he asks.
“You’re not the only one to scale my house anymore,” she tells him.
“You did what?” Steve looks at Eddie in the rear-view mirror with an incredulous expression. 
Eddie shrugs innocently as he wraps his arm around your shoulders. 
“I had full permission,” he tells Steve.
Steve parks his car along the curb at the airport and none of you are eager to get out. People bustle outside, lugging suitcases here and there, saying tearful goodbyes to loved ones, or rushing to catch a flight they’re running late for. You never thought you’d feel so sad returning to school. You had looked forward to escaping there from home for as long as you could remember that it seemed odd to have a place you’d rather be. 
Nancy’s the first one to break the seal, pushing her door open, the rest of you following her lead. Eddie unloads your bags from the trunk and Nancy slings her duffle bag over her shoulder as you slip on your backpack. Steve hugs you goodbye first, and you thank him for the ride and for having you over the other night. He assures you it was his pleasure, and it doesn’t just seem like a polite response; it seems like he means it. Nancy hugs Eddie goodbye as well, before launching herself in her boyfriend’s arms. 
“Shit, I’m going to miss you,” Eddie says. His arms slip around your waist, and he pulls you flush up against him.
“Me too,” you say, placing your hands on his chest. 
“I don’t think I’ll give you much of a chance to miss me,” he says. “You’re going to get sick of me calling.”
“I can guarantee you that won’t happen,” you say with a smile. 
“You underestimate me,” Eddie says, making you laugh. “Fuck, I love your laugh.”
You blush under his gaze, amazed at how he can make it happen so easily. He presses his lips firmly against yours and your arms wind their way around his neck. His hands snake up the back of your coat and it takes all your willpower not to say, “screw school” and get back in the car with him. 
Reluctantly needing air, you both pull back and Eddie rests his forehead against your own.
“I’m really glad I met you,” you tell him quietly.
“So am I,” he says. “Have a safe flight, okay?”
You nod and press one last kiss to his lips. You try to memorize the way they feel against your own and how his callused hands feel over your shirt. The scent of cigarettes is not something you ever would have thought you’d enjoy, but now you never want to be without it surrounding you. 
“Bye, beautiful.”
The pressure behind your eyes starts and you feel silly for getting so emotional over leaving someone you only met two days ago. No one has ever made you feel the way Eddie does though, so you allow yourself the grace to just feel what you’re feeling.
“Bye, handsome.”
Pulling out of his arms, you pick up your suitcase and head towards the building with Nancy. Both of you stop right as you're about to enter and give one last wave to the guys. Steve blows Nancy a kiss and Eddie winks at you as he waves in return. 
With a deep breath, you hike your backpack up higher on your back and follow Nancy into the airport.
5K notes · View notes
notamilfluver · 2 years ago
Text
The Lost Earring - Karen Wheeler smut
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summary: you’ve had a crush on your bestfriends mother, Karen for a while now. She notices she has a small crush on you as well.
Warnings: Age gap, fingering, oral, hidden sexuality, and cheating (on Karen’s part)
(This is a little bit after season four volume one) You and Nancy are college roommates. Nancy invited you to spend some time with her and her family for a week.
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Nancy had just pulled into the Wheeler’s driveway. You was in the passenger seat.
“I don’t know Nance I just don’t think your family likes me!” You panicked.
“y/n it will be completely fine! You worry to much and I mean, my mom seemed to like you! And dad… I don’t really know about dad.” Nancy cackled.
You had finally calmed yourself down. “Okay.. we can go in now.” You and Nancy made it to the door step and Nancy knocked. Karen opened the door with a smile.
“Oh hi y/n!! I’m glad you’ve decided to come see us again! I couldn’t hardly wait!” Karen looked at you with glowing eyes while biting her bottom lip.
“Well, come on in guys! I’m making your favorite Nance!” Karen said as she walked to the kitchen.
You was so speechless you didn’t know what to say, you were so into that revealing dress she was wearing. It was a dark red dress with sheared laces, with shining diamond earrings. It was like a dream. You couldn’t keep your eyes off her as she was walking away.
Nancy whispered “See, she seems happy to see you, I told you don’t worry.” she laughed.
Nancy led you to her room and you both sat there and talked for a hour or so, but she mostly just ranted to you about Steve and Jonathan.
You really didn’t care about Steve or Jonathan you hated talking about boys for some reason. But you never really thought about why you hated that topic. But clearly Nancy was into it.
You’ve dated some guys in the past but it never really turned out well. You would always end up arguing with them or get bored of them.
But there was thoughts about women before, you thought it was normal to think about women. But you knew right then that those thoughts of Karen was more than thoughts.
You knew you had feelings for her. You had finally figured yourself out. But imagine if people found out? They would hate you! You thought what if Karen ever found out? Would she hate you? Would Nance hate you?!
Your mind was filled with so many thoughts you started to panic again. There was one thought you couldn’t get out of your head though. “Is Karen into you?”
I mean you’ve only met her maybe two or three times, but you noticed how every time you’ve seen her she always is so excited to see you. And the fact that she always is looking at you in a certain way and biting her lip.
She’s so perfect. You love her sweet voice and her beautifully styled hair, and of course her full lips with lipstick perfectly applied.
“Y/n?” Nancy said with a peculiar voice.
“Are you okay? You zoned out.”
“Y- yes..” you said mesmerizingly. “Sorry I was just thinking.”
“It’s okay silly.” Nancy said laughing.
You both heard the stove go off, “I guess dinner is done.” Nancy said.
As you and Nancy was walking down the stairs to the kitchen you see Karen standing in front of the stove. She bent down to pick up baked chicken out of the oven.
You tried so hard not to stare at how perfectly her tight dress was showing her nice legs with black high hills on.
You was so into her, you had to stop yourself. “She’s a mother with a husband, You shouldn’t be having these wild thoughts!” you was thinking.
You sat at the table by Nancy. You was a tiny bit nervous. Then Karen noticed somehow and sat right in front of you. You was trying so hard to not panic but she kept locking her eyes with you.
“You alright y/n?” Karen asked concerned. “Yes.. I’m just not used to a lot of people.” You said so anxiously.
Nancy and Mike was arguing about something stupid so you just sat there and looked the whole time. You then looked at Karen and asked “Do they always do this? You chuckled. Karen looked at you with such embarrassment. “Yeah, sorry that you have to hear all of this.”
She then yelled at Mike and Nancy. They stopped and gave each other a bad look. It was so silent until Karen’s sweetened voice asked as she took a sip of wine. “how has your day been y/n?” “My day has been great Mrs. Wheeler, how is yours?” you smiled.
She smiled back. “My day has been wonderful! Thanks for asking.” she said as she moved her leg and rubbed it against your leg slowly. All you could do is smile back.
You was panicking inside you didn’t know how to act. So you tried to look down at your plate the whole time. But some how she would always catch your attention to make you look up the whole time.
Nancy heard the phone ring upstairs, she then jumped up out of her chair. “sorry guys I have to answer that.” as she ran up stairs.
Karen looked at you and asked, “is this about Steve and Jonathan?” Ted looked at Karen and said, “when is it not about them two damn boys?” She carelessly ignored him.
You answered her. “most likely.”
She cackled. “Oh, Nance, she will never choose.”
You smiled at her while picking up your plate. Karen looked at you irritated. “Oh honey you don’t have to pick up your plate! I can get that!”
You stopped and looked at her and said “Oh no it’s fine, I insist.”
She looked at you with a slight smile.
You put the plate in the sink and sat back at the table. Ted had already left the table with holly. It was just you and Karen in the kitchen.
Karen was at the sink washing the dishes. You was admiring the way her fingers worked washing each dish. You couldn’t stop watching her.
You then got up out of the chair and blurted. “is there anything you need done Mrs. Wheeler?” You couldn’t help it you had to ask.
Karen scoffed. “Really? Well, you know there is one thing.” she came up to you closer than usual with intense eye contact.
Her hand brushed against yours as she handed you a damp washcloth. “You can clean the countertop.” she winked at you with a seductive look.
A little smirk came across your face as you walked past her to the counter. Karen added, “You know I..”
Nancy ran down the stairs and interrupted. “y/n I need to tell you something right now!” Ted was pissed. “can you quiet down I’m trying to read the damn newspaper!” Ted shouted.
You don’t want to leave. you love being around Karen, but Nancy would literally drag you up the stairs if you didn’t go with her. You turned around from the countertop and looked at Karen. She then nodded her head for you to go on.
You got to Nancy’s room and she was so excited for some weird reason. “Okay so, Steve just called me and we talked for about an hour and he’s going to call me back in 20 minutes! He told he had something important to tell me!” she squealed loudly.
You didn’t really care about Steve but you wanted your best friend to be happy so you said “that’s good nance!”
After 20 minutes passed by Steve didn’t call back.
You heard Karen call your name down stairs. You sprung up off Nancy’s bed. “I’ll be back nance.”
You was walking downstairs then heard the phone ring upstairs, you heard Nancy squeal it made you giggle.
Karen was in a red velvet robe. You noticed one of her earrings was missing. Your eyes was all over her, you couldn’t keep them off her breast.
“You needed me?” you quietly spoke.
“Oh sorry, yes.” Karen smiled. “lost my earring in the couch and I can’t reach it. I would of called for Ted but he’s asleep.” Karen muttered.
You got on the floor and looked under the couch and there was the earring. You had to reach pretty far to grab it.
You picked up the earring and turned around to give Karen the Earring. When you looked up, there Karen was with her robe untied with only black laced underwear on. You was not expecting that at all. You looked at her with an elated smile.
Karen then got closer to your face. You then grabbed her waist and pulled her in for a kiss. At first everything was nice and slow but Karen began to speed up a bit, you both started to get more sloppy. You got even more excited and slipped of the robe completely.
At that point you pushed her on the couch and begin to kiss her neck slowly down from her breast to her thighs. You then slipped off her underwear that was absolutely drenched. She was so ready and wet for you.
Karen started to moan quietly as you got closer to her inner thighs. You kissed her slit Karen shivered and moaned your name. “Yes, right there darling.” You never thought this would ever happen.
You flattened your tongue and licked her clit. Her clit was so swollen. “Oh honey please don’t tease.” Karen begged.
You then started to flicker your tongue across her clit. She couldn’t control herself anymore and moaned louder. You stuck a finger inside her moving slowly in and out. She let out a big moan “y/n faster..”
You continued to go faster and slipped another finger in as she was bucking her hips in to you as you was torturing her orgasm. “Oh god.. I’m gonna cu- cum!” Karen said so noisily.
She came all over your fingers. You then licked the sweet white cum off of your fingers as you go up to kiss her.
You both heard footsteps down the stairs “Oh shit!”you said quietly. you both moved quickly away from each other and Karen tied her robe back up.
It was holly crawling down the stairs. Karen then looked at you and whispered “I’m not done with you.” And winked at you as she picked up holly. “Oh honey you crawled out of your crib again.” Karen said so sweetly. You adored her.
You went upstairs to Nancy’s room and shut the door quietly. Nancy was still on the phone with Steve. She then pulled the phone away from her face and asked “Where were you?! You took forever!” She looked a little irritated. “Oh sorry, your mom needed help to find something.” You looked at Nancy very funny. “Oh okay well I have so much to tell you.” Nancy added so excitedly.
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It’s a little short! And there may be some mistakes But it took forever there will be more fics though. Thank you so much for reading hope you enjoyed!!!
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applcrumbl · 2 years ago
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Ralphie Eddie
Pairings: Steve Harrington X Reader, Eddie Munson X Reader Warnings: Alcohol, Strong Language, Drug Use (Marijuana), Potential DUI Author’s Note: Based on the song ‘Ralphie’ by Post Animal. Be sure to vote for the next part! Summary: Cause Steve went to the party and he left his pretty baby with Eddie
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It's not the way that you walk that gets me off It's the way that you think It's the way that you talk
The bell rings, signalling the departure of the final customer of the night. Steve rewinds returned movies absentmindedly. Robin straddles the counter, writing down that day's takings from the Cash Register. She writes with a Family Video pen that is running out of ink. She shakes it infuriated. “Hey, Dingus do you have another pen,” She asks. “You hear me? Hello?”
She throws the pen at her co-worker, hitting him square in the side of the face. Steve’s head whips towards her in confusion. Eyes leaving the group of teens that stood outside the window of their small video store. “Pen?” she asks once more.
“Oh uh yeah,” Steve replies, eyes unashamedly wandering back outside, focused on one girl in particular. His hands pat himself down weakly, in a pathetic attempt to hand over his own pen, before giving up and forgetting about the pen entirely.
Robin sighs exasperatedly, rolling her eyes before jumping off the counter and towards the boy. She crouches to his level, following his gaze.
“Will you stop staring at her?” She says, “ I want this shift to be finished so we can go home”
“Yeah, yeah I’m done,” Steve replies, Putting the wound tape back in its case. “And I wasn’t staring”
“yeah, and I didn’t pause Sixteen Candles at that one shower scene” Robin deadpans, returning to her writing with the newly acquired pen she took from Steve’s pocket. “She’s hot, I get it”
The brunet boy strides to the glass door, turning the once open sign to read ‘sorry we’re closed’ with a large cartoon sad face. “It’s not just that, she’s…”
The thought was interrupted as he watched her, laughing with friends. Y/N catches his eye through the window and gives him a quick wave. Steve smiles back. “Different” He finishes
Robin doesn’t reply, Instead shrugging off her green ‘Family Video’ vest, and pulling on her oversized blazer.
“She’s like the smartest person I’ve ever met, but not like just in an academic way. She cares about shit, man. Politics and stuff.”
A strong chuckle from Robin, “God you’re so pussywhipped.”
“Quit it, Robin, we’re just friends”
“Friends don’t picture friends naked.” Throwing his bomber Jacket at him, she swiped the keys from the counter, preparing to leave the store. “Steve is in luuurve” she jests, ruffling his hair as he protests.
“Yeah, yeah.” He says, fixing his hair in the reflection of the sunglasses from his jacket pocket, “I barely even know her”
At that statement Robin turns slowly, A look that screamed ‘ are you dumb’ widely apparent on her face. “Then get to know her. Take her to that party” She states, “She’s right outside!”
“I can't”
“Why not”
“‘Cause then you’ll be by yourself?”
“Oh, my God!” she exasperates “Eddie is gonna be there, Wheeler is gonna be there. Vickie is gonna be there! Now stop making excuses! If you don't, I’ll do it for you.”
And she did.
And when I see something I like you know that I gotta pounce All the things that you say, say, say I can trust every ounce
It wasn’t a shock to Y/N that Steve wanted to take her out. She’d noticed his lingering stares, and heard from her friends the questions he’d asked about her. And yeah, he was cute, but unfortunately for Steve, Y/N thought he would just be a pretentious prick.
What was a shock, however, was how genuine the proposition of going to the party with him was.
He’d gotten Robin to ask her. Which was strange considering she’d never spoken to the girl before, so a mutual friend introduction was off of the cards. And her previous opinion of the cocky, overconfident, self-proclaimed ‘King of Hawkins High’ had her assuming he would have the balls to ask her himself. Nonetheless, she found his nervousness, and reluctance to ask himself, endearing. And she told Robin that he could pick her up at 8 on Friday.
Robin herself was surprised it would work, it felt all too juvenile for her. It was like she was back in grade school and breaking up with her friend’s boyfriends because they couldn’t do it themselves. Or that time in freshman year when she helped ask someone out by passing a note. But alas, Steve was her friend, and she cared about him.
Steve was over the moon when he was told. He’d prepared himself for the worst: who needs their best friend to ask a girl to a party for him? She probably thinks I’m so dumb. So dumb and awkward that I can’t even ask a girl out by myself.
And it's true, Y/N did find it dumb and awkward, but obviously, she didn't mind. He ran out of the store as she waved goodbye to her friends. 
“You’re sure” He panted, out of breath from his very short sprint, “You- you wanna go out with- me?”
“Yeah, Totally” Y/N smiles, ripping a spare leaf of paper from a small notebook in her bag. She scrawls on it quickly. “But next time, just ask me yourself.”
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She walks off and into the backseat of her friends car. Steve lets out a breath he didn’t realise he was holding. Turning on his heel and speeding home to choose his outfit as if he were a teenage girl.
I can't tell this girl what's on my mind And it seems it's getting closer all the time (ooh girl) I said I can't tell this girl what's on my mind (oh no baby) And it seems it's getting closer all the time
Steve counted the minutes until he would pick her up on Friday: 4,212 if you account for the time he needed to psych himself up before ringing her doorbell. 4226 if you accounted for Robin being late. 4208, if not. He laid out 3 possible outfits on his unmade bed. None of which felt good enough. He knew that she was just going to look so effortlessly beautiful (even if she also took hours getting ready) and he knew that he would never compare. He could never compare.
I should make my bed in case she comes back here afterwards. He thought, But he swatted it away. She was too important to take home for a one-and-done. No matter how much he wanted to see her in his bed.
Eventually settling on a navy striped polo shirt (the original choice), he checked himself once over in the mirror. Hands running through brown strands, trying to tame the locks that grew greasier with every pass of his fingers. Just stop touching it, Steve.
He picked Robin up before heading to Monroe, she elected to sit in the back seat, leaving the pride of place -girlfriend spot- in the passenger seat empty for her.
Despite Steve’s protests that she was ‘making it too obvious’, He was secretly glad to have Y/N sit next to him. Eyes on her thighs as she drew circles on the denim of her jeans.
'Cause I went to the party and I left my Pretty baby with Ralphie Eddie, baby and now I'm alone
The party was in full swing when the three got there. They weren’t even sure who’s party it was, but it seemed like nobody else did either. Robin wandered off soon after, leaving the pair alone. It wasn’t awkward, thank god, but Steve still felt glued to the spot. She bopped slightly to the music, Roxanne by the Police.
Old enough that it was her taste in music, but still new enough that it would play at a party like this. Steve caught himself staring. “So,” he trailed off, trying to find a conversation starter “want a drink?”
“Aren’t you driving?” She questioned, eyeing Steve as he swung the keyring of his keys around a finger. A nervous habit.
He hesitates, “Yeah, I don’t drink anymore. But I’ll find you one” 
Eyes scanned the room for someone he knew. Robin talks with Nancy on a nearby sofa. They both have cups of something in their hands, Smiling and giggling, he wonders how they’ve both gotten so drunk so quickly. Jonathan stands near, a gentle hand on his girlfriend’s shoulder.
“Are you sure? I can stay sober with you? Don’t feel like drinking anyways.” Y/N offers, taking Steve by the hand and leading him away from the door. He doesn’t focus on what she said, and instead on the static that succumbs his palm in hers. Steve just stutters in response. “It’s no worry” She adds.
He smiles, wordlessly thanking her for her offer, and hand still in hers the pair of them walk through the house, and out a pair of sliding doors into the backyard. People are jumping from the roof and into the pool below. Others swing unrhythmically, trying to dance. She knows nobody, but some seem to know Steve.
“Harrington, What you doing here?” A voice shouts, approaching the pair and enveloping the boy in a strangely effeminate hug. It was refreshing to see. Someone so unbothered by conformity. “And who’s this?” He asks, turning face to look at her. Untamed hair swaying in the wind. An unlit spliff hanging between his lips. Her eyes lingered on them slightly too long.
“Eddie, This is Y/N. She’s my uh-” Steve thinks for a second, looking into eyes which were not looking back at him “-friend.”
It hit like a pang in his chest to say, but he pushed the feeling down. His grip subconsciously tightened around her fingers. Steve took a deep, but quiet, breath. His hand was still in hers after all. He had nothing to worry about.
Until it wasn’t.
“M’lady,” Eddie Munson bent down on one knee, offering a palm for her to place in. She broke the contact with Steve, allowing Eddie to kiss her knuckles, “Look into my eyes, you will see who I am-” He starts as if reciting Shakespeare on the Globe Stage.
“-My name is Lucifer, please take my hand” Y/N finishes, mimicking his tone. 
Steve stands unsure of what is going on. The static feeling in his left hand was long gone as he watched her giggle a way around her sentence with Eddie. He felt lost.
The messy-haired brunet stands from one knee. “You know Black Sabbath?” He asks, stunned. Taking the joint from his lips and placing it gently behind his ear. 
“Yeah, a little” She smiles, “Who doesn’t”
“I don't” Steve pipes in, trying to worm his way back into the conversation. “I never knew you were into that crap,” He asks, unable to help the slight glance at Eddie when he says so.
The older boy scoffs, offended. “You wound me, sir” 
“It's maybe not my usual scene, but I can admit when music is good, Harrington”
She’d called him that before. But why did it only hurt now once Eddie had said it? He followed Y/N sulkily as Eddie led her to where he was originally sitting. Some loungers someone had dragged into the corner of the lawn. Clearly trying to avoid the hoards of drunken teens.
“You were in our year, weren’t you?” She asked, ‘Class of ‘85”
Eddie smiles cheekily, sitting on the lounger opposite. Steve took it as his opportunity to sit next to her. He held his knee close enough he could feel the warmth of her thighs. “Uh yeah I was, technically should’ve been ‘84”
“Shit, you had to resit?” She almost felt bad for bringing it up, but Eddie never seemed to mind. “I don’t think I could have done 2 years, Think I would have dropped out.”
“3 years actually” he corrects, “I’m still there now”
Steve felt bad for the laugh that came from his throat. He tried to cover it with a cough. He might not know Metal music or play the guitar. But, at least he finished his final year of high school in a one-er. At least he still had that one up on Eddie. 
Steve leaned back slightly, Slinging an arm behind her back. He didn’t touch her, but he did move closer. Almost a sign of dominance over the metal head in front of him. A sort of ‘fuck you, I had her first’ move.
Eddie noticed it, Y/N did not. “Unlucky.” she grimaced at his answer.
“Yeah, it’s shit but I’d rather take my time than end up with some deadbeat job for the rest of my life.” He continues, watching Steve as he spoke. “What about you Harrington? What have you done since you left?”
A harsh jab. Steve didn’t think Eddie would have it in him. They were friends, and Steve never would have said anything against Eddie. Thought it? Definitely. But said it? No.
Luckily, Y/N jumped to his defence, “He works at that Family Video near the highway. You're up for the supervisor promotion, right?” she states, blissfully unaware of the ongoing feud between the eyes of her two suitors. “Big fancy boss man, Steve Harrington”
“Is that right,” Eddie’s voice is deep, testing.
It’s not that she was naive. Y/N knew Steve liked her, and she could tell from the twinkle in Eddie’s eyes that maybe he did also. But, she never realised quite how much. And she definitely didn’t realise the tension between them. And so Y/N struck up a conversation with Eddie again, eager to get to know the boy she seemed to share so much common with.
A small sense of defeat flooded Steve as she chattered away. He wasn’t going to sit there uninvolved in the conversation and let Eddie feel like he’d won. So he took his own initiative and excused himself. Claiming that he was going to check on Robin, for her sake. Absolutely not because he needed advice from his best friend.
Was doing much better when you weren't here And now I'm feeling something And I know she's doing better without me
He’d find the girl standing with a short redhead. She cracks terrible jokes and snorts through her nose. It is possibly one of the least endearing things he could think of, but for some reason, it is completely working for her. And the redhead, who he now recognises as Vickie, is laughing away, smile plastered to her face.
How is it so easy for some people? he thinks, Interrupting their conversation.
“Rob, I need your help” he whispers into the girl’s ear.
“Not now, Steve” She stays through a smile.
He runs his fingers through his hair, “She’s with Eddie, I need to get her alone”
“Oh my god,” she exasperates, breaking from her conversation with Vickie, “I asked her here for you, I think you need to do some of the work yourself. I’m not a fucking lamp you can rub and expect to do your bidding”
Under normal circumstances, he would have maybe laughed. Laughed like Vickie was laughing. But right now his mind was preoccupied. He stole the cup of beer from Robin’s hands.
“Hey, you’re my ride home?” She protests but is met by a widespread hand.
“I’m just having one, for confidence”
It was a lie, of course. But Steve knew he wasn’t going to be able to talk to her sober. And so he drank. And then drank some more.
He drank until 11 pm, when he was in - by far- the worst state of the party. He wandered aimlessly through the halls, before finally plotting himself on the carpet of a quiet hallway on the second floor. Unbeknownst to him, Y/N dragged Eddie through those same halls trying to find him. Flirty banter rife through the air
“He’s probably just gone home” Eddie exhausts, dragging his feet as he walked, “We can smoke just the two of us”
“He wouldn’t just do that,” she counters, “plus, he took me here. It’s only fair”
“If it's a ride you’re worried about, I’ll just take you home.”
She jokes back, “what kind of ride?” and Eddie’s face flushes red. “He’s still here, I know he is.”
Eddie rolls his eyes once more, catching Y/N gently by the arm. He takes the spliff from behind his ear and offers it up to her mouth. “You’re too nice, for your own good” he almost whispered, a frisky tone peeking through his clichéd words, “Harrington can wait”
Y/N could only blush in response, taking the blunt with her fingers. Eddie flips the lid of his colibri. Arguably much too nice of a lighter for him to just have handy. Though the engraved ‘Wayne Munson’ gave away it’s true owner. He holds the flame high as she takes her first drag. “Why have we never spoken before?” She asks, genuine.
“We’re just different kinds of people i guess”
“What makes you think that?”
He just shrugs, “You’re here with Steve Harrington, for starters”
“What’s that mean?” her brows furrow, handing the joint over to Eddie.
He takes a toke, speaking on his exhale “You’re full of questions, Lady Y/N”
“You’re not so full of answers, Master Munson”
“Master,” A sharp inhale, “I like that one”
A sharp -yet soft- tap to the stomach for Eddie as the two giggled at his inappropriate joke. Y/N slides down the wall she was leaning on, knees together and perched tp the side as she sat. A sort of mature class in her mannerisms, yet entirely juvenile at the same time. He couldn't help but watch her as she descended. He couldn’t help but watch her as she did anything.
“Whats your shirt mean?” She asks, patting the floor next to her, urging him to sit. He wore his famed Hellfire-Club Tee.
“Just some club i’m in. It's pretty fun. Dungeons and Dragons. You know, the game?”
“That Satanic worship thing?”
“It's not actually” Eddie defends, “It's just like fantasy, adventure stuff.”
Y/N just nods, taking her penultimate draw of the joint. “I think i’d like it, you should teach me to play”
Eddie finds himself at a loss for words. For the first time in his life, he chokes. “Uh- yeah. Maybe”. His eyes follow the roach on its travels between Y/N’s lips. Never jealous of a piece of card before he doesn’t register that the girl is even still speaking.
“Right, enough chit chat. I need to go find Steve before this kicks in fully” She grunts, pushing herself off the floor. “You can finish this,”
She offers up the end of the joint in one hand, and the other helps pull the boy from the floor. Her hand stays in his as they wander. Eddie finishes his toke.
Baby guess I'll go home Whether that's with or without you.
The final corner in a strangely long line of right angles reveals Steve, drinking from the bottle and murmuring to himself. Y/N call his name as she approaches. He hiccups, looking up at her with big brown eyes.
“I thought you didn't drink?”
“I don’t”
“Then why are you drunk?”
“I'm not”
Eddie rolled his eyes as she tried to pull the boy to his feet. He should have helped her, he wasn’t sure why he didn’t. It wasn’t going to make her like him more if he was being a dick.
“C’mon Stevie” she entreated, walking him down the hall. “Let me take you home. Where are your keys?”
He mumbled a small ‘pocket’ before keeling over, and into Eddie. The long-haired boy caught him, holding him upright as Y/N slid her hands into the front pocket of Steve’s jeans. If Whiskey Dick were not a thing, Steve would have popped at semi right there. 
“You’re gonna drive him?” Eddie asks, to which she only hummed. “Y/N, you’re stoned”
Steve allowed Eddie to take him down the stairs, but as soon as he reached the bottom, Eddie pushed him onto a nearby chair. Not in the most kindly way either. She thanked him regardlessly, mind foggy with the aftermath of the bud.
“Yeah, I’ll probably let him crash on my couch”
Eddie’s eyebrows furrow, she wouldn’t even take him to his own house? “Can’t Robin or someone take him?”
“She doesn't drive” Y/N excuses, picking Steve’s head up as he lulls to the side, “Hey, Harrington, you gotta stay awake for me.” He just groans, “C’mon party animal, you’re missing out”
“Yeah Y/N, I can’t let you do that” Eddie tries, big brown puppy eyes boring into hers. He almost convinces her with the beautiful twinkle in his eye. “C’mon, it’s not safe”
“I am peachy”
“Oh yeah? Bend over and touch your toes”
Confused, but compliant. Y/N folds, fingertips getting as far as her knees before she stumbles forward. “I’m just clumsy,” she tries to excuse.
“Yeah sure. Hey Wheeler!” He calls, catching a couple as they go leave the party together. “Can you do the lovely Y/N here a solid, and take Steve home”
“Not Nancy,” Steve murmurs suddenly, reaching for her Y/N’s hand. He takes her fingers gently, toying with them as Eddie watches. Jealous.
“Yeah, he probably wouldn't appreciate that, I’ll take him” She states, “Look me up in the phonebook, or get my number from someone.” Steve swings an arm around her, ready to leave.
“No, Y/N, stay!” Nancy insists, “He’s on our way anyways. You enjoy your night!”
She takes a second, thinking through her options in their entirety. One side is screaming to stay with Eddie, Have a good night, avoid a DUI. She could get Steve to forgive her in the morning - if he even remembered. Plus, Nancy and Jonathan are leaving anyway, so nobody would be missing out. But the other took one look at Steve and filled her with worry. What's going on with him? If he found out Nancy and Jonathan took him home, that would break him. He’s a sensitive soul. But she was fried out of her mind.
“I’d uh-” Eddie interrupts her thought. “I’d really like it if you’d stay. Y/N”
And so she chooses…
STAY WITH EDDIE or LEAVE WITH STEVE
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somebodytookmyusername · 2 years ago
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Why does it have to be you? pt. 2
word count: 777
part 1
Steve sighed. It's been five months since he last spoken to Y/n. He tossed around the bed and waited for the phone to ring. He hoped, to whomever god can hear his thoughts. Just one call from Y/n and he'll do everything he did before.
He's an asshole, he knows. But even pretty boy assholes get insecure sometimes. He's been always the one who initiates everything when it comes to Y/n. He's the one who calls in the night unannounced, he's the one who shows up for beer every Saturdays unannounced. He can't even rant to anyone other than Y/n.
Not that its a bad thing, but he feels like he's being annoying to her. He's an bully for fuck's sake, of course she'd be scared to say no to him. Its the first time he'd ever feel welcomed to be himself, and that's only around Y/n. But now he's not even sure about it.
Five months ago, he realized how bad he is as a person. He never asked her how she feels, what she's is thinking about, and he doesn't even know her that well. It was always about him and his problems. Now he has to deal with Y/n ignoring him for the rest of the semester.
He hated it. For steve, feels like he failed as a friend. He tried to talk to her, so many times he tried and failed. It would always be "i gotta go, mom's waiting for me" or "me and my friends are going out, excuse me."
He tried to ask if he can come with them but she'll say its either they're all girls or they'll be uncomfortable because he, Steve "The king" - no, Steve "The Bully" Harrington is with them. He played it cool. Trying to not sound hurt everytime. But he feels left out and they're not even his friends.
It feels awful that its like she already replaced him with other people. Is he really that replaceable?
He realized he wasn't important to her as she is to him.
Steve woke up suddenly from the ringing of the telephone on the bedside table. He scratched his head and checked the clock. Its 2 am for fucks sake. If this is Tommy, he swears he'll clock him on the jaw tomorrow, Dark bags are gonna form under his eyes and that's not sexy.
He picked up the phone and groaned. He heard a few giggles on the other side and of someone yelling "come on go for it." He rolled his eyes because this is gonna be one of the stupid prank people do. He's about to put down the telephone when he heard a familiar voices that he missed. He froze, waiting for the same voice to talk.
After a few seconds on the line, it rustled again. As if someone took the phone from someone's hand... He heard her giggle. Not the normal giggle she'd do when someone trips infront of her. Something was off.
"Hey Stevie!" she yelled at the reciever that made him wince but he didn't say anything. Too afraid that his words would betray him and he'll never talk to Y/n again. So he walled for to continue. Yet some how, he heard her sob from the other side.
"Do you know how much it hurted me when you left me? Do you know how many nights I spent waiting for your calls that never came? I spent saturday nights drinking alone, Steve. My dad. He hated you before, you know that. But he's asking about you now. Every single member of my family keeps on asking why you're not here every Saturday. I- I told them you were busy. I'm running out of excuses. It's been 5 months, Steve."
"They're not asking any more. I just missed you. I missed us. I know you have a girlfriend. Ms. Perfect, Nancy Wheeler. Y'all deserve each other. Ms. Perfect and The King of Hawkins High." she was already sniiffing and someone was comforting her based on the background.
"I've been asking myself what I did wrong, what did I do for you to forget me. Maybe you realized I liked you." He froze. She liked him? Like in a romantic way?
"Maybe you did. Maybe you gut weirded out with me. But I will never steal you from your girlfriend. I can never do that. I see you happy with her, I can't be the one to change that. Nancy... Nancy doesn't deserve that." She laughed bitterly." You should definitely avoid me Steve."
And with that she ended the call. A reminder of something they won't have ever again...
hmu is you want to request, you can check who i write for here!
@vivi-wtz
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steve0discusses · 4 years ago
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S5 Ep 3: Apdnarg is Really Hard to Spell
 Yo guys, people are getting vaccinated, the sun is parting through the clouds, and I felt so nice that I even stopped listening to quite so many throwback 00′s BTS mashups (and yet I keep clicking on these dissonant catastrophes thinking “this time it’s got to be better. This time they’ll figure it out.” and like, no. Turns out you can’t match Brittany’s Toxic with BTS’ Black Swan. You can’t do that.)
This must be a sign that things are getting better. If anything, it means my personal tastes are improving. I mean I only clicked on like 3 “Dark Academia” Playlists where I could pretend I’m some sort of spooky witch in an abandoned library with a bad music player and basic taste in classical music (like can we ban Satie from Youtube for a little while?). Hell, I might even do a prompt update to this blog!
Yeah, you heard me, I’m actually going to stay ahead of the update schedule for Yugioh Abridged (maybe. I haven’t actually watched cuz of spoilers, I just noticed the thumbnail pop up on Youtube and was like “Damn it, they came out of hiatus??? I got hurry UP.”)
Anyway, speaking of the sky parting.
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I’ll have you know my bro said this is actually more like a circumcision and it was one of the worst thing I have ever heard.
We get a chance to take in this lineup of confusing and varied character designs, and Joey. who is...still Joey.
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The animators probably had to hold a strike in order for them to put Yugi in the audience, lets be real. There are TOO MANY PEOPLE in this shot and one is wearing a turban where you draw every single wrap. I hope those artists charged by the line.
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Tea has a subplot where she’s just very frustrated with everyone she knows. They have been traveling together for like many weeks and got trapped in a foreign country so I get it. But at the same time, it’s kind of hard to picture Tea with female friends.
Because right now you got this 12 year old child, the other duelist who does not care about anything besides cards, and Kaiba’s 3 dragon cards that we’ve all collectively decided are female.
Hell it’s almost like the writers are asking themselves why Tea is here. Maybe they forgot. There’s no more ghosts to bus, no more people to knock out with her ass with random Olympic feats. Tea’s just sidelining.
(read more under the cut)
Mokuba is a itty bit bit taller this season, and so I guess that means he can legally climb on top of the cherry picker in order to give a riveting speech.
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Really says a lot about Mokuba that he is so unphased about talking to, I dunno...an entire planet of people. Kind of a shame we never see this courage from Mokuba used for anything other than talking really, really big and giving everyone around him a really hard time.
Mokuba takes a moment to dunk on Yugi Muto, as is Kaiba tradition.
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And then introduce the first pair of duelists, which obviously must be between the few people in this tournament that we actually know and care about.
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Thankfully, in between last episode and this episode, Yugi has figured out who his own Grandpa is. This is a relief, because Yugi is such a mess, that I was fully convinced it would take over half a season for him to recognize it. I mean how long did it take him to figure out he shares a body with a ghost? Like half a season?
Instead Yugi recovered gracefully from not recognizing his grandpa, but it’s not like he bothered to tell anyone else, so the rest of our cast is just gonna be like “Is he my hairdresser? The guy who delivers my mail? Who is this guy who made absolutely no significant changes to his outfit or voice?”
Like sometimes this show goes full Spongebob silly kid’s show and you never know when to take it seriously or not. They might be sacrificing the entire cast next episode. I really don’t know. But for now their big concern is who is grandpa??? Like an innocent card version of “Are you my Mother?”
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Faced with public speaking, Yugi decides to have a melt down.
We have seen him face monsters, we’ve seen him on TV dozens of times, he’s been in multiple competitions...but give a speech? Of course he can’t do that. The kid doesn’t attend enough school to know how to do that. Them’s learning skills.
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And that was when a newly assembled wife-jet spliced through the sky like a souped up razer scooter and deposited 1 fully equipped Seto Kaiba in a Buzz Lightyear jetsuit.
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THE RECOVERY.
Seto always watching over his Brother, ready to save this awkward party if it kills him (and it really should, that suit is held together by two seat-belts), making sure to get on that platform before Yugi starts going off about how he’s half an Ancient Egyptian. (Ah, life before social media. You could just be hella famous and also half a dead dude and people would just not know. I kinda miss the time before I knew literally everything about everyone.)
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Please admire how close those flames are to setting Mokuba’s heavily hairsprayed mane completely alight. It would be an unforgettable spectacle.
These were absolutely just random ass jet packs that Gozaburo Kaiba made to kill hell tons of people, right? Like Seto found it in the family cabin, clutched to the heart of some crispy fried corpse and was like “neat! Mokuba! I found a cool toy!” and just plucked that thing out of that skeleton’s clutches and has been flying around for months?
Like this is Seto Kaiba’s Butter Glider, right?
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Seriously what type of vehicle license do you need for one of these things? RIP My ‘Seto only has a scooter license’ headcanon.
Which I’m only even thinking about because I’ve had to try and make an appt with the DMV for days to get a freakin REAL ID. I went to sleep in 2019 and I could fly on a plane. I woke up in 2021 and it’s like “Want one last screw you?” and just...can 2020 please stop screwing me over? It’s March.
Anyway, the Jet is removed soon after, so no, this is not part of his new outfit. He goes right back to his Post-S4-Trauma-Normcore.
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After wrestling this competition out of his brother’s hands and confusing everyone in the audience, Roland must have gotten the memo to cut the microphone before Seto got too excited and we were quickly ushered on to the next stage of the tournament.
One sec...the BTS Mashup playlist I just clicked on did a Black Swan X 7 rings mashup and it’s the worst thing my ears have ever heard.
Holy crap. I had to actually turn down my volume. Like...Ariana Grande already has music that has way too many overlapping singing parts on it--and then lets just stick a 52-person boy band on top? That’ll fix it. Yeah. Go ahead.
Wow. Even I had to change the song and you know how much I enjoy pop culture mistakes.
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Spot the Mickey but like a million times easier because it’s a Massive Dick Shaped Dragon.
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Yep. That’s my grocery shopping outfit. Except maybe not a lab coat and a duel disk. Wish I had a duel disk, that would make social distancing just a hell ton earlier. Just a “Yo, only one person in checkout, please” and then bap them on the head with a propelled discuss/hologram.
Anyway, Grocery shopping/Doctor man dueled the Purple Hair Boy, and considering that Purple Hair got screen time and shook Yugi’s hand once--I think that Doctor man doesn’t stand a freakin chance.
Good. I hate him.
Also, every time he breathes he’s gonna fog up his glasses. I have experience in this area. He can’t read his own cards in the same way I can’t read my phone if I’m in the refrigerated aisle.
So the way this tournament works, is everyone has to sit in the stadium to watch the show. Kinda like showing up to a football stadium just to watch a recorded TV monitor...but then again...that is how it feels to watch a football game at a football stadium when it’s live (at least with the tickets I usually get.)
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And as we watch Grandpa waiting for his competitor, we find out that his competitor (Joey) is too busy eating snacks to give him the time of day.
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Why do cartoon hot dogs always have lettuce? Is that seriously supposed to be relish? Or is there a place in the world where you put lettuce on your hot dog?
Sorry, bro has just informed of his favorite hot dog order, which is absolutely terrible so I will share it with you: a Five Guys hot dog with ketchup, mustard, pickle relish, onions, mushrooms, pickled peppers, and you guessed it--topped with freakin lettuce.
My own kin. How am I over 30 and just finding out that my baby brother thinks it’s normal to walk into a restaurant with normal god-fearing law-abiding people and order lettuce and mushrooms on a hot dog?
I have fully failed him.
The rest of this episode is watching both Joey Wheeler and Mokuba have a shared panic attack while Seto does freakin nothing.
Please remember that Seto has both a jetpack and a dragon wife plane and could have easily solved this problem. But nah.
Then again, Seto Kaiba has given this crew so MANY rides, that maybe he’s tired of being the Soccer Mom for the team?
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Like they don’t actually say this episode, but Seto was the one in charge of like...this entire place, do you think he made the 2 for 1 special just to get Joey where it hurts the most? Or does it actually not take any subterfuge to screw Joey Wheeler because he’s just naturally this way?
Like Mokuba wasn’t there when Joey was told “stay right here, and then we will all go together to fight Dartz” and Joey was like “I’mma save Mai from herself although she told me not to!” and then he Hella Died. But, Mokuba did see the result, AKA, Joey’s dead body being carried on the back of Tristan. Maybe Mokuba never realized that Joey died because he went out of his way to be late?
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Lets do a tally of every time I can recall with my dodgy memory that Joey was threatened to be DQ’d/pretty much was DQ’d either by his own fault or no fault of his own
-When he wasn’t allowed to go on the boat to Murder Island because he was a stupid nobody kid who did not have a dueling glove
-When he wasn’t actually supposed to be in Pegasus’ tourney and was, in fact, secretly using half of Yugi’s entrance ticket the entire time
-when Bandit Keith stole the ticket that Joey got from Yugi so then Joey had to borrow Mai’s ticket although she had just used it so it really shouldn't have counted. Because, really anyone could have just piggy backed off of each other’s ticket until the whole boat went through that castle.
-When his account was hacked to get entered into Kaiba’s tourney when Kaiba very clearly told him he could not apply solely because he was Joey Wheeler.
-When he was late to his sister’s eye surgery because he got mugged by Marik’s Rare Hunters, so she almost refused to do the surgery.
-When Joey got possessed by Marik, and as Marik, threatened to murder everyone else in the tournament including both of the Kaiba brother’s who’s tournament it was, and then chained himself to Yugi Muto to throw both of them to the bottom of the ocean.
-I think there was a point when he threatened to attack Kaiba in Kaiba’s own tourney while not possessed? Like several times?
-when he got struck by Lightning and almost did not stand up fast enough after being struck by lightning, which is apparently a type of DQ in Duel Monsters.
-When he tried to save Mai from getting hit by a fireball, but then Yugi did it instead, and then so many people were standing on the dueling platform that Kaiba couldn’t possibly DQ them all.
-When he entered the restricted area of the blimp in order to hassle Kaiba into landing the Blimp, which Kaiba did not do.
-When Marik killed Joey before Joey could press the “go” button on his duel disk to play the card that should have won Joey the match.
-When he was dueling a lawyer in a digital universe but then the dice was like...weighted? So Noah had to walk over and be like “The hell is this weighted dice? This is my perfect digital world? How did you even do that?” and then Joey won because the match was no longer legit.
-When Joey yelled at Noah too much and so Noah turned Joey to stone for being a rude ass spectator
-When Mai was like “Wheeler and Valon, listen closely: do NOT murder each other” and then Joey did a murder on Valon so she was like “I guess I have no choice, I was very clear” and killed Joey straight up.
-When Joey decided to block Seto’s fireballs while Joey Wheeler WAS a playing card, somehow disrespecting both Dartz and Seto Kaiba at the same time.
-When Joey was playing cards but then got absorbed into a giant Leviathan and basically couldn’t play anymore after that.
-There’s probably hell ton of S0 stuff I just haven’t seen yet.
-This episode
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And Joey runs fast for a montage of wacky things that really have no business being in a theme park. Things like this:
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(remember when Bakura almost died from a rock that ended up being a balloon? It comes full circle.)
The stuff that the Kaiba brother’s think is normal and fun.
Anyway Joey fights off a bunch of hologram snakes and bats and everyone is like “Should we tell him it’s just holograms???” And it’s like wow, guys, how many times have these ‘holograms’ straight up murdered Joey Wheeler and everyone else on this cast? Too many? Because I have a google doc with so many deaths on it. 7,805,844,048, to be exact.
Anyway, he gets there with five seconds to spare and Mokuba’s like “well at least you were still entertaining while we filmed you in front of a live audience being a total spaz for 15 minutes straight, so I’ll let you go.”
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Grandpa and Joey start playing, Joey completely oblivious that this is just an older Muto, while Hawkins walks up awkwardly and is like “hey guys. I’m so sorry about this.”
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(welcome to my font choices, for those new here, I have to make weird font color choices to make sure it’s legible for the colorblind and also for the non-colorblind. This one is not much contrast, so I may change it up in the future, but for now, this is Grandpa Muto’s new font. I apologize to every graphic designer reading this. Please don’t tell anyone who has ever hired me for graphic design about this blog.)
What’s funny about this exchange is that after they find out that Yugi’s Grandpa is Apdnarg (HOLY my brain cannot get around the spelling for that, and I will not change it in the caps. I cannot do a ‘pdn’ ever again), they don’t stand on his side of the field or anything. Hawkins is legit Solomon Muto’s only fan during this exchange and like...damn. Way not to back your Grandpa, Yugi.
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Yugi immediately strides up to Mokuba to non-confrontation-ally inform him that he has stepped over a line and Mokuba is like “what are these things you say called ‘lines?’”
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According to Mokuba, Solomon Muto begged him to be in the competition so he could relive his glory days (glory days making no sense here, because the game has only been released for the past 15 years, so glory days is like...the before times that can only be referring to disgraced archeologists and Pegasus ((who is, in his own way...a disgraced archeologist, too))) and Mokuba was like
“You trained Yugi Muto, right? Hey that’s good enough for me. This drama is gold. People will eat it up. Hell yes. Don’t be afraid to abduct him a little bit. Maybe trap a couple people in a digital hellscape for a little while? Now we go by Pegasus house rules here, so fire as many lasers as you want, but just make sure not to hit anyone in the face. Oh man, we are going to be swimming in cash. Love it, Muto Sr, love it.”
But I dunno, I feel like Grandpa won’t make it past next episode. It is Joey. We kinda need him to make it past Ep 4 of the arc. If Grandpa Muto becomes the new Joey Wheeler, that will be a weird transition for this show to make.
But that’s all for today, as always, here is the link to read these in chrono order becuase there’s SO MANY that you don’t need to read backwards--don’t do it--just use the chrono tag (and I don’t know if you can add compound tags, but I did separate the Season from the Episode, so if you write S4, it should only pop up stuff from S4. I didn't’ do that to seasons 1-3 though because I just...didn’t.)
https://steve0discusses.tumblr.com/tagged/yugioh/chrono
And because I brought it up: here it is, the best BTS Mashup that I found on my deep dive. Like legit--this one isn’t a mess:
youtube
Most of other ones are horrible in a fascinating way. Like I’m not even a BTS fan, I think I sort of age out of that metric, I’m just bored and quarantined. And lets be real, we all appreciate a good bop when we hear it.
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troop-scoop · 4 years ago
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Youth VII
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Chapter Seven -  Upside
Word count: 1.5k
Series Summary: On a family trip to your dad’s home town of Hawkins, Indiana, you make a series of decisions that result in you ending up in the year 1983 with more questions than there are answers presently available.
Pairing: Steve Harrington x Female Reader ( slow burn )
Chapter Summary: After the day in the woods, you tell Jonathan the truth. 
⟛⟛
It was dark. Yet another day spent doing something you’d never be able to explain to people in the coming days. Wandering the woods surrounding Hawkins in search of a creature that you were familiar with. A thing you used to hide from for an unknown amount of time that you were sure was a dream just a day ago.
“What, are you tired?” Jonathan asked, making you stop and turn, seeing Jonathan looking at Nancy who was the furthest behind in the group.
“Shut up.”
“Oh, still fighting,” you mumbled to yourself, shining your flashlight onto your watch. 8:30 pm on a Friday. You should be in bed at the motel, doing your homework while the Tv was on.
“What?” Jonathan asked in response to Nancy.
“I heard something.” Nancy’s voice was low, but you could hear it, even from how far away from her you were. The three of you kept quiet for a second, just long enough to hear a distant whimper, like an injured animal
Jonathan turned to look in the direction it came from, and Nancy took the lead, with you and Jonathan following.
What the three of you came to find made your stomach churn. You didn’t know deer could whine like that. You didn’t know they could make any sound. The doe was on the ground, bleeding from her neck
“It’s been hit by a car.” Nancy kneeled down, gently touching the dying animal, avoiding the wounds she’d acquired. “We can’t just leave it.” She spoke, pulling her hand away.
“She’s right.” You agreed. It was inhumane to let someone or something die in such a painful way. You’d dwell on it if you did leave the poor thing like this. No one deserved a painful death.
Nancy looked at her gun, hesitating. “I’ll do it.” Jonathan offered, reaching out to take the firearm.
“I thought you said -”
“I’m not nine anymore,” Jonathan responded, taking the gun. The two stood up, and Nancy stepped back to stand next to you. Sighing you shifted what was in your hands to hold both your knife and flashlight in one hand, and reached down to grab Nancy’s in your own.
Nancy squeezed your hand, and as Jonathan raised the gun, aiming at the deer, both you and Nancy turned your heads away, trying not to look. Before the sound of the gun could go off, you heard a loud growl and looked up seeing the deer be pulled away into the dark by something. The three of you jumped back, and your grip on Nancy’s hand got tighter.
“What was that?”
“Follow the blood.” You spoke, nodding to the blood left on the leaves. shining your flashlight on it. Nancy nodded hesitantly, still holding onto your hand as she began following the trail. Only moments later you were finding parts. First, the spine of the doe, covered in blood, but the meat completely peeled away.
“Where did it go?”
“I don’t know,” Jonathan mumbled. “Do you two see any more blood?”
You shook your head, looking around in the dark, using your light to see. Jonathan stepped away, continuing to look, and you went with Nancy, your grips on each other’s hands tighter than before.
“Y/n,” Nancy mumbled, grabbing your attention. Looking over at her you saw where she was pointing her flashlight. There was a hole in the trunk of a tree. Blood at the front of it. It was dripping with a clear goo that almost reminded you of snot.
Nancy let go of your hand, walking over and kneeling down in front of it. Your stomach was in a bad state, making you feel light-headed almost. If what you’d thought had been a dream, wasn’t, then you knew exactly what was on the other side of that hole. A place cold, and empty, a place like Hawkins, but not quite.
“Jonathan!” Nancy called. No answer. “Do we. . . do we go in?” She asked, looking at you.
You gave a hesitant nod, slipping your bag off and setting it on the ground by the tree. “Be careful.” Your own voice was quiet, fear radiating from your bones. “Follow my lead, okay?” Nancy nodded, scooting back and taking her own bag off, letting you go first. You were gonna regret it.
⟛⟛
“Oh, my God, you’re such a bitch!” You yelled, shaking your head and turning away from Torrey. Olivia groaned, grabbing your arm to keep you from walking off.
“It’s me that’s the bitch? Okay, sure.” Torrey scoffed, pointing her phone at you, as you turned to look at her again, practically blinding you for a second with her flashlight. “For someone who’s never afraid of anything, you’re sure being a coward right now!”
Howard mumbled something under his breath, sitting down on the leave covered ground with his other sister, Sarah. The two were annoyed with the bickering between you and Torrey, the entire time since you all left the motel, it had been like this, a back and forth even though everyone else was fine and calm  
James shook his head, grabbing Daniel’s shoulder, pulling him away from the two of you, watching as you tried to step towards Torrey.
“I’m not a coward, Wheeler, I just know where the boundaries are!”
“Who cares?” Torrey shouted. Derek and Issac trying to help her calm down. The Sinclair children all split up among the group, Olivia with you, James with Daniel. Derek and Issac with Torrey. “In case you’re forgetting, this town used to be our parent’s home! We’ve known where my grandparents lived since I was born! They’ve always been in that cul-de-sac! We’ve always known where their grandparents live! They’ve been in the same house since 69!’”  You shook your head, ready to go back to the motel. “We’ve never known where your dad used to live! I finally got it out of my mom and dad, and you don’t wanna go?”
“People live there, Torrey! It’s not my dad’s home anymore! It hasn’t been since he was like our age!” You screamed. “It’s the middle of the night, we all agreed to go to the liquor store, not the middle of the woods!”
“Clearly it’s not the middle, because I can see the house!”
“Just drop it!”
⟛⟛
“Are you okay?”
“Hm?” You were snapped out of your own thoughts. The memory playing back in your head in the absence of noise. The last thing you’d ever said to your cousin, and it was an argument, in the middle of the woods.
“Are you okay?” Jonathan repeated. There wasn’t one clear answer you could give. Physically, you were a bit shaken up. But mentally? You felt like everything was crumbling around you like you were close to having a breakdown. But emotionally, you felt. . . angry. Numb in a way.
“I’ll be fine.” You responded, pulling on the jacket Jonathan had handed you. It was his own, and it was warm enough to keep you from freezing.
You could remember it. One second you were arguing with Torrey, the next you were alone, none of your cousins with you, and in the middle of the woods. You’d gone to find them, and when you took one step in a certain direction you fell into that place. You couldn’t remember how long you’d been there. And you couldn’t remember much, just that you had to have crawled out of something similar to what you and Nancy had crawled into. But you remembered waking up in the woods, with the sun shining and you had been starving.
That’s when you walked into town, and bought a bottle of water from a convenience store and saw the date on the newspaper. ‘1983’
He nodded and looked away. Nancy had gotten into the shower a few moments ago, and you could hear the water running, the distinct humming in the walls from the water running through the pipes.
“How did you recognize it? How do you. . . How do you know Will’s alive?”
Sighing, you looked down at the floor, before looking to your bag that had been dropped by the door of Nancy’s bedroom. Walking over you kneeled down and opened it, pulling out your wallet, like you had done with Joyce, pulling the photo of you with your dad and uncle out.
Looking back at Jonathan you saw him staring at you.
Standing back up you grabbed your bag, holding the photo out to him. He looked between you and the photo, hesitant, but once given another second he took the photo from you.
“I know he’s alive because he’s my dad.” You answered. “That’s him, to my right. To the left, that’s you. . . Our common interest is that you want him alive and home. I need him alive and home. And clearly, he will be. Because I’m here. I’m alive, I’m breathing. I haven’t disappeared yet.” You joked a bit.
You were trying your best, but the longer this was happening, the more stressed you became. “I should go.”
⟛⟛
Add yourself to the taglist!
@stonersteve​ @ilovebucketbarnes​ @stevexscoops​ @leximills666​ @disneyprincessbuffyannesummers​ @snow-morning​ @himbos-are-my-lifeblood​ @80strashbag​ @supred12 
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thatsgay-writes · 4 years ago
Note
Could I request a part 2 to the Nora x fem reader? Maybe like the reader opens up and tells everyone the trauma she’s went through because of family and what’s messed up is she’s never felt safer till she got stuck on this island
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Smoke filled your lungs as you finally became conscious. You looked around slowly, ignoring the pain in your neck, as you tried to remember what happened. You had been driving with Zeke, Zeke was the on driving, to meet up with your parents in the next city over. Your parents were in the next city for a business meeting and thought it would be a good chance to take a break from all the stress that came with midterms. “This is my favorite song!” You squeal as you turn the music up and belt out the lyrics. Your brother rolls his eyes at you before joining in and being way more animated than you. “That is such as good song.” You say with a smile as Zeke stops at an intersection. “I mean, it’s alright I guess.” Zeke responds nonchalantly and you roll your eyes. ‘Yeah sure like you weren’t---” Your sentence got cut off by a large impact against the driver side of the car. You feel terror rip through you as the car flips over multiple times before you pass out.
Smoke filled your lungs as you finally became conscious. You looked around slowly, ignoring the pain, as you tried to get your bearings. You could feel gravity pushing down on you as you hung upside down. You looked to your right, trying to see if Zeke was okay or conscious and the sight almost makes you throw up. Straight through Zeke and many other parts of the car, even through your seat, were 5 inch thick poles. You had been lucky, you didn’t call it luck other people did, to have been missed by any poles by a near inch. “Zeke...” You rasp out as you reach an hand out to him to touch him, maybe he was still alive somehow. You barely touch his body before his head turns and your eyes meet his cold dead ones. “Zeke!” You yell out in pure anguish as you finally let tears fall from your eyes. “No, no, no, please...” You beg, to who you don’t know. Panic was starting to set in now, you didn’t want to be in this car anymore, you didn’t want to be sitting next to your dead brother, you didn’t want his dead eyes burning a hole into your head, you wanted out. 
“Help me please! Get me out!” You yell, hurting your throat with how dry it was. “Help is on the way! Please try and stay calm!” You hear a random person yell but you’re already to far gone. You try to calm your breathing, using the exercises you had learned. But it was all too much, the sounds of cars, people yelling, the cold stare from your brother... It was all just too much. You felt yourself panicking and not being able to catch your breath. The last thing you remember hearing was the loud sounds of the city.
---
You sit up fast, accidentally knocking Nora off of you as you wake up suddenly, you hadn’t dreamed about that day since you’ve been on the island. Fortunately for you, no one was awake yet to see you wake so suddenly. Nora did, however, wake up when you sat up. “Y/n?” She mumbled as she tried to rub the sleep out of her eyes. You lay back down, pulling her back on top of you. “Shh, sorry I didn’t mean to wake you...” You trail off as you rub her back, easing her back to sleep. You stay awake for the rest of the night, why were these dreams happening now? Why were you being forced to remember?
---
You sat in your wheelchair as the priest blessed your brother’s casket before finally lowering it into the ground. Your dad wheeling you away as the funeral finished. No one spoke on the way home. It had been an 18 wheel that hit your brother’s car, the driver had suffered a heart attack at the wheel and had also died on scene. 2 deaths, 4 injured. But the other injuries were minor compared to yours, seeing as your brothers car had acted like a speed bump and slowed down the 18 wheeler before it a few other cars. It was quiet when you arrived home, the usual goofiness of your brother leaving a void in the house that couldn’t be filled. “Go to your room y/n.” Your dad said as he sat down on the couch after grabbing a beer out of the fridge. “What? Why---” “I said go to your room!” Your father bellowed as his fist tightened around the beer bottle. You shrinked back in fear and silently let your mother help you up the the stairs.
You wish that was the last time your father had turned to the bottle to ease his pain but it wasn’t. It became a weekly thing and soon after a daily thing. It got so bad that your mother officially divorced him 2 years after your brothers death and you were now living between homes. You preferred staying with your mom and her new boyfriend, who treated you both way better than your dad had been. But your father still got you on weekends and those were weekends you definitely wanted to forget. Of course, nothing good lasts forever.
---
You sat up suddenly again, for the 7th day in a row, as you tried to catch your breath. This time it was way past the usual wake up time but the girls had let you sleep because Nora told them about how you would wake up in the middle of the night. The girls looked at you worriedly, not knowing what to do as you were panicking. Nora calmly sat beside you and pulled you into a hug as you caught your breath and calmed down. When you finally calmed down, you noticed the group of girls looking at you in concern and blush in embarrassment. “I guess I should explain some things.” You state as you wring your hands nervously. “Y/n you don’t have---” Nora denies, not wanting to make you feel uncomfortable. You cut Nora off by giving her a small smile, “No it’s only fair since I wake you up every night.” You say before pulling her over to the group of girls who were still watching you. “I guess I should explain...” No one objects. “Well let me start from the beginning...”
---
“That’s how I got this scar.” You say as you lift your shorts and show 5 small circles that had been burned into your skin. “Do you know what the most fucked up thing about all this is?” You ask as everyone stares at you in concern and pity after having heard your back story. “That even though I’m stuck on this godforsaken island with people I’ve only known for how ever long we’ve been stuck here... I’ve never felt safer.” You state as you grab Nora’s hand and give her a small smile. “There isn’t any 18 wheeler that will come out of nowhere, there isn’t the loud sound of the city that reminds me of that day, I’m nowhere near home where my dad is probably waiting to beat me up or worse... There isn’t a murder on the loose who use to make me and my mother feel safe before he killed her... For the first time, I feel like I can breath.”
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sweatergirlsposts · 4 years ago
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Imagine Nancy Trying To Find You After The Events at The Star Court Mall
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Title: My Savior
Pairing: Nancy Wheeler x Fem Plus-Size!Reader
Request By: @soggy-enchilada​
Warning: Mention of Blood and little angst
Worry is all that flooded Nancy’s mind. 
The disappearance of so many people, due to the events at Start Court Mall, made the town distraught as they tried to find their loved ones. So many were consumed and flayed to make the body mass of the mindflayer. Nancy knew that everyone in her family was safe as they went back home after the event of that night but there was one person she was fretting over. You.
You, her axe wielding outdoorsy rescuer who she secretly was smitten for. When Johnathan and Nancy went out looking for Barb and Will, you had been in the area. You were collecting wood for your hidden cottage when you felt yourself being watched. Dropping the forgotten kindling on the forest floor, you held you axe in hand to protect you from whatever unknown that was in the forest.   
“NANCY!”
“JOHNATHAN!”
You heard screams coming from not too far away. 
‘What the hell are people doing out so late in the forest?!’ you thought. At least you knew the forest like the back of your hand, unlike the locals who were out here with you. Still being cautious about whatever was watching, you followed the sound of the screams holding your axe ready to attack. 
You found the boy first. Slightly lanky in posture, bowl cut hair, adorned in a  black jean jacket and flashlight in hand. A foul smell lingered in the air of similar odor to decaying animal flesh. You noted the smell earlier when you first ventured into the woods that night but never thought to go investigate. The smell was the strongest here. 
“Nancy?” the boy called out getting on all fours in front of a tree. You observed from behind a tree close by, wondering why he was talking to the stump part of the tree. Not to seconds later you could see a hand emerge from the stump, making the boy jump backwards. From your view from behind a substantial tree, it scared you half to death to see a slimy small human hand emerge from the tree. You crouch down in the wilderness, slowly making your way closer to what’s happening. You wanted to be close enough if you had to step in but far enough to be able to run away.  
“JOHNATHAN!” a voice screamed coming from the tree. Johnathan, you assumed, responded immediately after being startled by the hand before calling out to the voice. 
“Nancy!?” Johnathan scrambled to reach for the hand popping out of tree and started pulling like he was in a game of tug-o-war. Pulling with all his might, he dragged her out from the slimy abyss in the tree, and she landed on top of his form.
Thinking that she was free, Nancy let out a long held frightened sigh at what just happened to her. Where did she go? What was that thing?!  Flooded her shaken mind. All that mattered was that she was out of there and was now safe.......or so she thought.
Gone without notice to the locals, except you, materialized an appendage of some sort that reached through the flesh veiled cavity. What looked to be a clawed hand unfurled from the form of a fist  and seized the teenage girl by the foot. 
‘It’s got me,’ is the only singular thought that popped into Nancy’s brain as she felt her heart drop to the bottom of her toes where the creature had a grasp on her and tugged. Nancy let out a yelp as she felt herself being tugged backwards towards the hole, startling Johnathan. It took him a couple of seconds to realize until he felt Nancy being pulled off of him.
“Hold on Nance!” Johnathan clambered back onto his feet before grabbing under her arms and tugged back. The creature was strong and Johnathan could feel his feet starting to give out beneath him.
“Don’t let me go!”
“I won’t!”
It was now or never you thought. You let the creature get to the locals or you help out. You chose the latter. You ran from behind your new hiding spot behind a fallen tree, axe glistening in the moonlight, ready to help the locals. 
Too focused on the monster grabbing Nancy’s leg, neither Johnathan and Nancy noticed your incoming approach. Johnathan gave one massive tug, exposing  the arm further out from the decaying hole. 
You wound up for the swing, axe coming from directly behind your head down onto the creatures extremity.  Clean cut to the bone off came whatever limb that tried to grab the poor girls leg. Thank god you had sharpened your axe that morning.
The creature let out a haunting shriek feeling the detachment of it’s limb to it’s body and retreated the rest of the limb back to through the flesh veil. 
You looked at where the girl was pulled out of. It was some type of fleshly decaying hole that was closing as to be no longer used and revert back into the bark and wood it originally was. 
The detached hand laid limp on the ground. You bring the axe down one more time to make sure that it wouldn’t suddenly start moving. You had seen John Carpenter’s ‘The Thing’ too many times to know to always make sure it was really dead. You could feel small splotches of blood from the creature on your round cheeks as if they were supposed to be freckles. 
You took a couple of breaths trying to calm down from the sudden adrenaline rush before turning to the two horrified teenagers still on the ground.
You dropped the axe to the side to make yourself less intimidating to them and spoke, “What the hell are you guys doing out here?”
“We could ask you the same,” spoke Johnathan.
“I live out here,” you stopped before offering each of them a hand. They looked at each other and then decided to take your hand. Johnathan got up with your help fine, but Nancy stumbled into your stocky form.
“Woah there, you’re probably feeling some effects of shock...” you trailed off trying to get a name from the girl
“Nancy, and this is Johnathan,” she motioned to Johnathan behind her as she moved back from you regaining her footing, “How did you find us?”
“Well when your screaming bloody murder it’s not that hard to find someone. You guys had let the whole forest know you’re out here. You guys should come with me if you want to survive the night out here,” you warned them. 
Nancy could feel the genuineness in your words, after all you just saved her from that thing. Nancy was about to take a step forward to follow you, but Johnathan held out an arm to stop her.
“Wait. Why should we go with you?” Johnathan sized you up, trying to tell if you had other intentions. You didn’t like when people would give you once overs, especially after you save their life.
“Do I need to remind you that I just saved you and your friend here,” you scoffed, “besides I know the forest like the back of my hand. I can show you back wherever you came from in the morning, it’s too dangerous to go now. I have a cottage that’s a five minute walk from here, but it’s fine by me if you get lost. I was just trying to help,” you picked up your axe and rotated to the walking direction of your cabin. 
“Wait we’re coming,” Nancy spoke up gathering her bearings and grabbing Johnathan by the arm and dragging him along. 
Nancy was thankful that she followed back to your cottage instead of getting lost that night in the woods. Over the next two years, Nancy would visit once a week. Being saved from a monster can really bond two people together. 
A lot of the time she would help tend to the greenery placed in your cottage. You had an affinity for growing plants, flowers, and natural herbs in your house. In addition to your indoor plants, you kept a small self built green house in the back where you held all your vegetables and fruits. In the spring and summer, elegant colourful flowers would surround your property like it had came straight out of a fairy-tale.  
Being around you was very calming, Nancy thought in comparison to the monster hunting life, it was peaceful almost. She could see why you liked living here in the woods. 
You told her that your parents had home schooled you in the cabin up until last year when they had their ‘car accident’. There was two reasons why you stayed out of suburban Hawkins and lived in the forest you told her. You stayed because it’s your parents house and it was the only thing you had let of them and you don’t think that Hawkins would be very accepting of you per say. 
You waited a year of knowing Nancy, before you officially told her of your liking towards the same sex. Instead of revolting away in disgust or showing if she uncomfortable, she sat there shocked, not in a bad way but just in surprise. You told that she wouldn’t have to worry about you liking her or any of the sort, you told her that you just wanted to get it off your chest.      
 It might have stopped your crush from ever growing bigger than it already was on Nancy but it didn’t stop hers. Yes she might have went out with Steve and Johnathan, and liked being with them, but that didn’t stop from hiding her curiosity towards you.   
Nancy was worried when she hadn't heard from you in the days leading up to the battle of Star Court, but she was so caught up in everything that she didn’t have time to make a trip out to you in the forest. When she learned that Brimborn Steel Works, the breeding ground for the mind-flayer was near your property, she hopped into her mom’s station wagon and sped to your property, giving no regard for the speed limit on the road.  
Pulling up onto the dirt road path that lead up to your house, she spotted your red Chevy LUV pickup at the side of the cottage in it’s usual spot. That meant one of two things to Nancy. You were either inside live and well tending to your plants or not inside at all and had been taken by Billy Hargrove to be used by-
Nancy didn’t even want to think of the possibility of you being dead.
Nancy pulled on the sleeves of the sweater she wore. It was actually your sweater. You gave her the sweater that night as something temporary to use for clothing instead of wearing the mucus-caked one’s she had on. It was a bit big on her petite form but kept her warm nonetheless. She never really gave it back, but you didn’t mind her wearing it. It looked better on her, you’d believe as you’d try to suppress a smile. 
Nancy got out of the and took notice that the flowers had been wilting while some had died and looked to be rotted.....just like the pumpkins on the Wright farm pumpkin patch last year. 
Nance could feel the spike of fear stabbing her heart and rushed over to your front door banging on it to see if you were home.
“(Y/N)! (Y/N)” Nancy shouted still pounding of the door.
No use. Nance went to the side window where your bedroom was. Everything looked still and untouched in your bedroom. On the inside window sill sat the small fern plant that Nancy had bought you for your birthday a couple months ago. The fern was no longer a bright and lively green but now shriveled and looking ready to turn to dust.
Nancy went back to your front door and tried banging again. No answer. You would have answered though. The only people that visited you were her and Johnathan.
‘No answer, wilted flowers, dead fern, untouched room, no answer, rotten flowers, dead fern, untouched room’
Nancy collapsed to the ground knowing the worst happened. 
It got you.
Quiet sobs racked her form as she felt her heart rip string by string. She lost her savior.
You had just finished cutting down logs for the day in the forest. Wheelbarrowing them back  to the cottage, you noticed Nancy��s mom’s station wagon on your dirt path. You put the wheelbarrow down and jogged down the path to your cottage.
You were so worried about Nancy(more than anyone) and everyone especially since the steel works was on your way to town and you knew that that thing was there. You didn’t want to risk going into town if it meant risking your life against that abomination. You guess that they took care of it if that meant Nancy is here. 
You looked at your porch as you jogged to your cottage and notice a petite form, one that you could recognize anywhere, curled in a ball on it. 
“NANCY!” you shouted still jogging over, “NANCY!”
She heard her name and lifted her head. There you were, coming over like a dream that she made up in her head to console her about your death. But you were too real for her to be imagining right then. She wiped the tear tracks from her face and then clambered to get up and run to you. 
Nancy ran into you not wasting any second longer to be consoled by you in your comforting soft arms. 
“I thought you were dead!” Nancy cried into strong shoulder, hugging you, “Please don’t ever scare me like that (Y/N)! I can’t loose you”
“Hey, hey it’s alright Nancy Drew. I’m here, I’m alive” you pressed a comforting kiss against her forehead. 
“But but the flowers! You didn’t answer, I thought they took you,” Nancy whimpered still in slight hysterics. 
“Nance everything is okay, well maybe not the flowers, but I’m fine. I was just out chopping wood. I had to make some of the flowers wilt in case anyone came around and thought I was here and take me. But hey, I’m not going anywhere,” you leaned your forehead against hers
“Promise?”
“What kind of savior would I be?”.
MASTERLIST 
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got-to-love-a-badboy · 4 years ago
Text
The Interview
Pairing - Dacre Montgomery x Reader
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
You are part of the cast of stranger things season 3, your character is Anna Harrington, twin sister of Steve Harrington/Billy's love interest.
You, Joe Keery and Dacre Montgomery we're being interviewed just after season 3 aired.
The three of you were sitting on chairs in a room waiting for the interviewer to come in, you were making so much noise because you were messing around and being silly, Joe was doing impressions of Dacre.
Joe - I'm Dacre ... Montgomery I'm from Australia.
Y/N - Oh god that is so much like you.
you burst out laughing
Dacre - It sounds nothing like me!
He laughed
Dacre - I'm glad you find it funny though, ok let's do y/n, Dacre! Dacre can you grab me a Fanta, I couldn't possibly move!
He said in a high pitched voice.
Joe - You do have him running errands for you y/n, good impression man
Joe laughed as he patted Dacre on the back
The interviewer walked in as Joe and Dacre were laughing.
Interviewer - Hey guys nice to meet you, I see you are enjoying your time here.
He said motioning towards the three of you laughing
Dacre - Yeah man it's good.
Y/N - Be even better if I was alone, I'm been victimised ... again, picking on a small defenceless woman, the pair of you should be ashamed!
You covered your face and pretended to cry
Joe - God you are so dramatic!"
Joe laughed over at you, earning a middle finger from you
Dacre - Oh poor baby
Dacre pulled you over to him and placed a kiss on the top of your head as Joe and the interviewer raised their eyebrows at each other. After a moment you sat back up and smiled at Dacre, but gave Joe an evil stare.
Y/N - See, Dacre knows how to be nice! Thank you Dacre.
Dacre - Anytime
he winked at you.
Interviewer - Ok!, let's get this interview under way. I have some questions here sent it by fans, So Dacre, what can you tell me about Billy in this series I've heard he has a huge character change.
Dacre - yeah, he becomes victim to the mindflayer, it takes control of him and makes him do horrible things, he isn't the nicest person to start with so I don't feel he is much different in that sense but he is definitely not himself.
Interviewer - wow another victim in Hawkins, I bet that has a huge effect on the relationships in his life, with his father and Max and then with yourself Y/N, and your character Anna.
Dacre nodded his head towards you to take this one.
Y/N - yeah I mean Anna and Billy have an up and down relationship anyway because of how Billy is, but this will definitely be the test for them, I feel Anna is a kind and caring person, so she will naturally be there for Billy no matter what, but with his own demons and then the Mindflayer taking over him, we will have to see if he lets her in.
Dacre smiled at you, fascinated by how you answered the question.
Dacre - yeah I agree with what Y/N was saying he is a tough guy and can't deal with most things so, he probably won't let anyone in, especially his dad and Max but Anna may have more chance.
Interviewer - Joe your character, Steve, hated Billy dating his sister last season does that change this season?.
Joe - um maybe, but Steve hates Billy and Billy hates Steve, I think that is something that will never change, but how is with his sister is a different story.
Interviewer - it must be hard changing from hating someone on set to how you are now, because you guys seem so close, I mean, I heard you before I came in here, the room was filled with laughter.
Joe - we have amazing relationships with the whole cast but it's very rare you see one of us three alone.
All three of you laughed.
Y/N - yeah we are like one big family, I couldn't imagine been with out these guys, they are total nerds but they're my nerds.
Dacre - you know you love us Y/N!
Joe looks at you and raised his eyebrows, you narrowed yours at him as though to say 'do not do it!' But he did!
Joe - yeah some more than others.
You rolled your eyes at him and Dacre just looked straight forward at the interviewer.
Interviewer - what is life like off set for you guys?
Dacre - it's nice because we spend so much time at each others places, like Joe said you rarely see one of us alone, it's usually me and Y/N because everyone else has some family visiting, but with us been from Australia and the UK ours can't be here.
Y/N - yeah like lastnight Joes sister came over so you went out with her didn't you Joe.
He nodded in response
Y/N - so me and Dacre had a movie night at his place, it was nice.
Interviewer ok I'm going to ask this guys so please don't be offended, they are from fans, Dacre and Y/N, fans have seen you spending so much time together but as you say neither of you have family around often, is that the only reason?.
Neither of you answered straight away, you looked at Dacre with big eyes, he decided to speak up assuming you didn't want to.
Dacre - I mean we are like best friends would people find it weird you spending time with your best friend? I think it's because Y/N is the opposite sex, but that doesn't have to mean you are sleeping together.
He looked over at you wanting approval he said the right thing, you smiled at him and nodded.
You had always loved Dacre, the minute he walked on set you couldn't believe how handsome he was and when you got to know him and how kind he was you fell in love with him, you never told him because you didn't want to ruin the amazing friendship you two had, plus you always thought he could do better than you.
When the interviewer was about to ask another question when your assistant waved to Dacre informing him he had a call.
Dacre - sorry I have to take this
He got up from his seat touching your leg on the way past.
Joe looked at you waiting for you to speak.
Y/N - what?
Joe - lets address the elephant in the room shall we? because I'm going to explode.
Y/N - I don't know what you mean
Joe - in the words of Nancy Wheeler, thats bullshit Y/N, when are you and Dacre going to just admit your feelings?
Y/N - JOE!
Joe -oh come on Y/N, Dacre has told me how he feels about you but because you haven't said anything he doesn't want to make the move and ruin your friendship, all you need to do is say how you feel!
Y/N - damn it Joe! Yes I love him ok! But I don't know how to tell him.
Joe - just say what is in your head, don't even think about it, here practice on me, tell me what you like about Dacre.
You covered your face and laughed.
Y/N - god this is embarrassing but ok here goes.
Out of the corner of his eye Joe saw Dacre walking back into the room, luckily so did your assistant, she put her arm out stopping Dacre from entering and pointed over to the 3 of you then put her finger on her lip, telling Dacre to be quiet.
Y/N - I would love to tell Dacre that I love how caring he is, how he will do anything for me without even been asked, I love that I don't need to tell him I have had a bad day, he just knows, and then shows up at my place with my favourite snacks and a movie for us to watch.
My favourite time with him was last summer when he invited me to Australia and I spent a whole 5 weeks with him and his family, he planned everything, he took me places he though I would like, not him, he does all of this without asking for anything in return.
And then there is him as a person, god his ambition and determination is mind blowing, Dacre the most talented person I have ever met, I didn't know this until after, but last month he missed an audition because he was helping me prepare for my own!, who does that!....Joe, I'm so in love with him it scares me.
Before he could answer you Dacre walked back on set and sat right next to you, you turned to face him and he just smiled at you.
Y/N - you didn't!
Dacre - I did, Y/N you want to know why I do all that?
You simply nodded at him.
Dacre - because I'm in love with you Y/N, the minute I saw you I knew you were going to be a huge part of my life and you are. You are the first thing I think about on a morning and the last thing on a night, the amount of messages I get from my family daily asking if I have asked you on a date yet is a joke, so Y/N can I take you on a date tonight?
Y/N - 100% yes
Dacre smiled the biggest smile you have ever seen on his face, his hand found your face and he caressed your cheek, you leaned closer to him and whispered
Y/N - kiss me idiot
Dacre - yes ma'am
Before you knew it his lips were on yours, the kiss soon became much more romantic than it started.
The whole room erupted into clapping and cheering, when Dacre pulled away you stared into each others eyes before been interrupted by the interviewer.
Interviewer - possibly the best interview of all time!
Joe - oh my god I need to message Nat!
Joe pulled out his phone and you all started laughing, you smiled as Dacre grabbed your hand.
——————————————
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anotherhargrovebitch · 5 years ago
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i’m not your baby anymore : b.h
part three of don’t call him baby mini series! thanks for all the love and support - i hope this does justice (2.2k) 
oh and shout out to @belledawnidk who asked to be tagged!
o n e //  t w o //  t h r e e 
* stranger things writing *
bold/italics - past events 
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“Come to think of it, there’s a good pool at er, Motel Six. It’s very quiet, very private.” Billy focuses on Karen’s lips, watching as nerves rise in her expression as she darts her eyes from his growing smirk. “Shall we say tonight, eight o clock?” He chews his gum, meeting her doe eyes. 
Karen shifts her weight from one foot to the other, fiddling with her towel as she averts her gaze. “I’m sorry, I can’t.” She states calmly, ignoring her heart rate increasing as Billy raises an eyebrow, his face still in close proximity to hers. 
“Can’t have fun?” Billy chuckles, and the two continue to flirt ignoring everyone else around them. 
As Karen Wheeler walks away, Billy can feel that familiar pit in his stomach returning, knowing he’s got one more thing to do before he can put everything aside for the night.
*
Taking a deep breath, Billy pulled up down the street. It was a spot he had gotten used to, even if your neighbours opened their curtains and stared at him. Sometimes he’d have the courage to wave and force a smile, but other times he ignored them in the hope they’d allow him some privacy. 
This was the last chance he told himself. One more time of giving himself the opportunity to talk to you, rather than watch you from a safe distance.
“Come on, dick.” Billy mutters under his breath as he lights a cigarette, inhaling deeply before exhaling, filling the car with smoke. 
It was becoming harder to ignore you as Summer was progressing. He felt like he could no longer avoid you like he once did in the corridors of the school. Billy saw you everywhere, small details or things you had mentioned. Every time it happens, Max finds out. 
Seeing Billy so lovesick isn’t something Max ever anticipated witnessing. She knew Billy as a bit of a dick to girls, a womaniser or something slightly perverted. But when you came along, everything seemingly changed for the better and now, now everything has come to a halt in his life. 
“You know, she asks about you sometimes,” Max rests against Billy’s door, keeping her eyes trained to the pieces of ash buried in his carpet. 
She knew she was edging close to dangerous waters, unsure whether to take the leap or let the currents rise. 
Billy shuffles, taking his fingers away from the locket he still wears. “She does?” He questions, forcing himself to sit upright as he faces Max. Biting his lower lip, he tries to stop his heartbeat racing inside of his chest. “What, what does she ask?” He stumbles over his words, something Max smiles at. 
“She, she asks if you’re doing alright. Like, with the lifeguard job and if you’re seeing anyone.” Max says quietly, listening to Billy huff as his whole demeanour changes from something soft to more aggressive.
Clenching his bedding tightly, Billy refuses to meet Max’s eyes. “Dumb bitch.” He mutters forcefully as he rises to his feet, looking down as Max’s face is filled with fear. “Move, Maxine.” He spits and she complies, rising to her feet and leaving the room. 
“Billy, don’t do something you’ll regret!” She yells after him as he grabs his keys and jacket, slamming the front door behind him. “Shit.” She whispers as she runs down the stairs and opens the door, only to see Billy already speeding off down the street with his music blaring. 
He shouldn’t be angry at you, but he can’t help it. 
You got to move on, you had the chance to restart but he couldn’t. Billy didn’t want to. Yet, despite it being over a year, you still ask about him? 
Slamming his car door, Billy throws his cigarette butt to the ground as he grinds on it with his boot. He locks the door, taking one last look at his reflection in the side mirror. 
Licking his lips, Billy runs his fingers through his curls before shrugging his jacket and walking down the path he could follow in his sleep. He takes a look up to see only your bedroom light illuminated inside of the house, and no sign of Harrington’s car. 
“Now or never.” Billy tells himself as he nears your house, this having been the closest to you he’s been in months. 
Looking down at his feet, Billy stands on the welcome mat. It’s Thursday evening, and some things never change about you or your family. He can still hear the wind charm blowing, the sweet notes it produces from the side of the porch whilst your dog barks at the sound of Billy’s movements. 
He raises his fist, forcing himself to knock as he turns around, wondering if it’s too late to make a run for it. 
“I’m coming!” You cheerfully yell from the other side of the door, oblivious to whom you’re about to be faced with. 
Billy tenses as he listens to the locks turning, all three being unbolted as you open it with a bright smile, only to have it falter as Billy stands in front of you. “Hi.” He manages to breathe out, his mind clouding over as you hide most of yourself behind the door, barely looking him in the eye. 
“Billy, what’re you doing here?” You question coldly as Billy blinks rapidly, hearing his name being muttered in sorrow as opposed to joy.
“I was just passing,” He looks back over his shoulder, feeling all of your neighbour's eyes watching him closely.
In his head, he imagines they’ve all heard the stories about him, that your Mom would’ve gossiped about how he broke your heart by cheating. He didn’t have your Mom down as a bad person, but she definitely would be the sort to twist facts like your breakup. 
You raise an eyebrow to him, your smile remaining dormant from his view. “You were just passing through this part of town, where nothing is?” You respond, crossing your arms as you open the door a slither more. “What’re you really doing here, Billy?” You reiterate your former question, knowing he can’t avoid the truth forever. 
Billy exhales loudly, burying his hands deeper into the pockets of his leather jacket. “I wanted to talk to you, Y/n.” He admits, the pet name so close to rolling from his tongue but he bites it back. “I know it’s been a long time, but can we just talk about some things?” He asks you calmly, hiding his pent up anger as he grips the cigarette box in his left pocket. 
Glancing over your shoulder, you focus on the time. You know there’s enough time for you to both talk, for you to scream and cry and him to leave before Steve comes. But you want to be selfish and say no. 
“Come in, Billy.” You lower your head as you step back, pulling the door toward you as he walks in. 
His eyes roam around, noticing small changes decorating the hallway. 
“You changed it up in here.” He comments, looking back as you nod softly before walking into the living room.
Billy remains on his feet as you take a seat in the armchair, watching as he seems unsure of himself for the first time. “You can sit down, Billy.” You tell him, and as soon as you state that he obliges. “So, what’d you wanna tell me then?” You get straight to the point, not wanting to dance around the topic. 
Shuffling in the seat, Billy sits on the edge of the three-seater sofa. He focuses on his shaking knee, unaware of you watching intently at the small details that have changed about him.
Your eyes roam over his face, picking up the freckles that always reappear in the summertime. How that slit in his eyebrow as scarred from one of Neil’s punches. There are fewer cuts and bruises for once, but you know that they must be concealed beneath the layers of his clothing. 
“I wanted to apologise to you, Y/n.” He starts, still unable to look you directly in the eyes. “As I never did properly, I mean, I tried but understandably, you didn’t wanna talk.” He states, glancing up to see you nod in response. “And, and Max says you ask about me sometimes?” 
Billy looks over, seeing your hand grip the arm of the chair as he mentions his stepsister. “I, I just wanted to know if you’re doing okay.” You shrug your shoulder, playing it down from what it really is. “Just, I see you around Hawkins but I never know if you’re putting up a facade.” You comment, and Billy swallows the yell in his throat. 
“That all you ask her?” He toys with you, dangling it in front of your face. 
A loud huff leaves your lips as you mirror his body language. “What’re you asking me, Billy?” The words leave your lips with venom. You never liked the games he played, especially when it came to your emotions. 
“Do you still care about me? Ask about if I’m seeing anyone?” His voice rises as you rub your temples. “Seriously, Y/n?” He scoffs as he stands up, pacing around the room. “After all this time, you still care about me? After all I did, I’ve sulked over losing you, only to see you all over Harrington of all people! And yet, you still have the audacity to ask about me!” He yells, unaware of you standing in front of him with glossy eyes. 
“No, Billy.” You state coldly, trying to keep yourself composed. “I was a mess when you broke my heart. Steve, Steve is my best friend. He’ll always be my best friend, even if we’re dating- which is none of your business anymore by the way. You, you lost the privilege to be apart of my life when you slept with another girl.” You spit at him, feeling those old wounds being reopened. 
“So why ask about me then?” He retorts, moving closer toward you. 
“I ask because I still care, Billy!” You yell. “I’ll always care about you deep down, no matter how much shit you do or how much you hurt me. I’ll always fucking care you piece of shit.” Your yells mix with tears as you hit his chest repeatedly, only for him to take a hold of your wrists. 
“Hey,” His voice lowers, close to whispering as you cry. “don’t.” He says, only for you to look up at him as tears stream down your cheeks. 
“You ruined me, Billy.” You whisper, forcing your wrists from his grip as you take a step back. “And yet, I still care.” You laugh to yourself as you wipe your eyes. “How that works I do not know.” 
“Y/n,” He mutters your name, reaching out as you collapse down to the ground. “I’m so sorry, for everything.” His voice is soft, the delicate tone you once heard in the middle of the night when he couldn’t sleep. He would’ve curled up into you, his lips against your ear as he’d whisper sweet nothings. 
“You should be.” You look up, focusing on those blue eyes you once got lost in. 
“Do, do you still love me?” His eyes search yours, desperation oozing from his lips as you shuffle away from him. 
“Billy, don’t.” You ask him quietly, shaking your head. 
But Billy can’t help it. He moves closer as your back hits the armchair. “Do you love him like you love me?” His eyes remain fixated on yours as the tears continue to glide down your cheeks as you blink, knowing the answer will break his heart.
“I, I’ll always love you, Billy.” You lift your hand, resting it against his cheek.
Naturally, Billy leans into your soft touch, missing your delicate hand against his rough skin. 
“But,” You continue, breaking Billy from his dream, bursting the bubble of what he hoped to be the end of that sentence. “you were and always will be my first love. I, I’ve moved on.” You explain quietly, watching as he pulls away from you, your hand dropping from his face. “You need to move on, Billy. You, you’ll always have a place in my heart, but I’m still healing.” Your hand rests over your chest, and Billy simply nods. 
“I, I should go.” He mutters as he stands up, looking at you briefly. “I’m sorry, Y/n.” He says, knowing you understand that he truly means it. “I, I’ll leave you to it.” He heads toward the front door, knowing you won’t follow him. 
Deep down, you wish you could. That part of you will always wonder what would happen if you ran after him. 
Instead, you listen as the door closes quietly, leaving you in solitude as you cry into your chest over the boy who broke your heart, and whose heart you broke in return. 
Billy sits in his car, glancing down to see the time as he wipes his face. It is seven O’clock. He pulls away, knowing the exact route to Motel Six from your house, having spent many nights there with you but tonight and like every night from now on, he won’t spend it with you. 
Deep down, Billy knows he’ll willingly spend it with anyone just in hope that the hole in his chest might heal up someday. That the heart you broke will heal, and he’ll have another chance at finding someone else.
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flowerpowell · 4 years ago
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The Dream Life of Ellie Wheeler (Colt x MC // Logan x MC)
PART TWO
<series moodboard coming hopefully soon>
A/N: unedited and not proofread but I just didnt have any time for that and wanted to post it before I’d overthink it and not post it after all. I’ll post it on Ao3 as well and reblog this post with the link to it. Please, let me know if you want me to keep you tagged or take you off the taglist. And if you prefer reading it here or on Ao3. 
Series summary: Ellie lives with a very strict father who doesn’t let her leave the house even for one night. When he forbids her to go to her dream college, Ellie decides to take matters into her hands and create her dream life. Since the only way to move out of the family house is to get married, Ellie needs to find a guy she can fake marry immediately. And who’s better than a young criminal that Ellie can easily blackmail? Unfortunately, not everything is as easy as Ellie hopes.
Rating: PG
Colt tags: @delightfullypinkglitter @mskaneko @desireepow-1986 @lovehugsandcandy @badchoicesposts @kingliam2019 @client-327 @walkerduchess 
Ellie woke up and her face immediately lit up. Today was the day she would finally take matters into her own hands and take a risk to make her biggest dream come true. Was it stupid? Yes, probably, but Ellie was determined. She wanted to go to Langston. She wanted to finally try living on her own. Besides, she wanted to try everything before giving up. And there was still at least—she looked at the phone—twelve hours before she had to send her answer whether she’d be attending the university or not. Twelve hours to execute her plan. At the end of the day she’d either gain nothing, go to college or be dead, if Colt Kaneko turned out to be dangerous. Either way, she wanted to try.
~~~~
She never took a day off. Her father would know if she did, besides, she needed money. Today was different and Alice promised she’d cover for her.
Ellie was sneaking up into the garage, hoping to meet Colt.
Colt and Colt only, she thought to herself. If that weirdo is with him I’m not sure I’d be able to say anything.
She was lucky. Colt was sleeping on the mattress, on the floor and there was no sight of Moana, or whatever her name was. Ellie took a deep breath and entered the garage.
Through the window.
Somehow, it felt inappropriate to use the main entrance, considering she was sneaking up. And on top of that, Ellie hoped it’d make a better impression on Colt since he was a criminal. In her head it made a lot of sense, the reality was slightly different, though.
What Ellie didn’t predict, was that she, in fact, wasn’t the tallest person, the window was pretty high and there wasn’t any dumpster on the other side of the window so she could climb down. As a result, instead of being sneaky, she fell down and made so much noise that all neighbors could hear.
“Ahhhhhhh!” she cried out when her body met with the floor and many toolboxes that she accidentally knocked over.
“The police are coming, abort mission!” she heard Colt yelling, before he rolled out of the mattress and started running away.
“No! No police, it’s just me!” So much for the good impression, Ellie. “I’m sorry, I didn’t want to knock on the door so I wouldn’t wake you up.”
“Well, you did a great job, then,” Colt snarled as he massaged his neck. He looked at her again as if only now registering that she wasn’t supposed to be here.
“What… What on Earth are you doing here? Who are you?”
“I’m the barista from yesterday, remember?”
“Geez.” Colt rolled his eyes. “Don’t tell me you came here because I didn’t thank you for the coffee or something. And may I ask, how did you even find me?!”
“Actually, you forgot your change,” Ellie joked but Colt looked as if she went crazy. Which, to be fair, she did. “I’m joking.”
“Funny,” he replied, with the most serious expression she ever saw. Ellie wanted to run. But first, she had a mission.
“Listen, what I’m about to say may sound crazy but I need you to listen to me—”
“Umm, can we go back to why you’re here and how you found me?”
“That’s what I was about to say before you interrupted me!” Ellie looked at him reproachingly.
“Amuse me.”
“I followed you yesterday. Just wanted to know the reason why I had to stay extra time at work. I… umm… overheard a thing or two. Listen,” Ellie took a deep breath deciding it was time to cut to the chase. “I know what you and Moana are doing…”
“Mona.”
“Same thing.” Ellie shrugged. “I know it’s illegal and I know now what your father was doing as well. And I also know what you’re about to do tonight. And I also happen to have a police officer for a father and he’d be very grateful for the information I have. But the thing is, I don’t what to give it to him, get it? I think I would benefit more if I didn’t tell anyone.”
“Wait, wait. I don’t understand what you’re saying. What is your point? You want to sell me out but … you don’t want to sell me out?”
“Ugh, I’m trying to blackmail you! I won’t tell anyone about the car deal tonight if you marry me today and take me with you to Oklahoma,” she finished and looked at Colt expectantly. For someone who has just been blackmailed, he seemed very calm.
“I’m sorry but…” Colt shook his head. “I think I’m still sleeping. It’s been a while since I had a vivid dream but here we are. You can disappear now and I need to wake up.”
Ellie sighed and walked up to Colt. She took his hand and pinched him hard, until she could see her nail marks on his skin. He hissed and took his arm away from her.
“Oh no.” That was all he said.
“Look, I know it’s not ideal but I really need to go to college and I can’t and—”
“IDEAL? You just asked me to marry you. Knowing too well I’m a criminal and you’re a daughter of a cop.”
“My father doesn’t allow me to go to college outside our city, unless I’m married. There’s no other way out. I’m helping you, you’re helping me. You’re not helping me, I’m not helping you.”
“I’m sorry to say that but I think you’re in the wrong place, sweetheart. Find someone else you can marry, I have a job to do.”
“Okay then. Good luck with your job. Me and a few other cops will come and look at your success tonight.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Colt murmured. “You know I could kill you right now? You know I’m a criminal and you’re not even scared of what I might do to you.”
“So? If I can’t go to college, what’s the point?”
“Geez, you’re such a nerd.” Colt rolled his eyes. He looked at Ellie and then at the car, covered with black cloth. “This is unfair. My job is only for one night. And I’ll have to stay married to you for more than one night.”
“Not really. I need to be married to leave the house. Obviously, after tonight, we both will go to Oklahoma. I don’t have a place to stay so I’ll stay with you until I find a dorm or something. We’ll be married only on paper and divorce as soon as I’ll settle into Langston.”
“I can’t marry into a family of cops!”
“Fake-marry,” Ellie corrected him.
“Same thing. What if your father does some research on me? A criminal marrying into a cop family.”
“Relax! I’ll handle it. He’s not gonna do anything when we’re still married. Trust me.”
“That’s… no. I can’t! I’ve done many stupid things in my life but this… This is the worst.”
“Would you rather… risk yours and Moana’s freedom?”
“Mona! And no! Of course not. I’ve got things to do…” Colt sighed. “How can I know you’re not lying? That you won’t say something to your father later?”
“Because I need your house? And be married to you? Without you, I’d have to stay here.”
Colt ran his hand though his hair. This was an important job. The last one before he would finish his father’s business and start his own. He couldn’t risk it. And that girl was clearly mad. Besides, she said it herself. That marriage would be only on paper. Was this a punishment for his sins? Was everything his did so bad that this was the only way to redeem himself? Was it—
“Can you make up your mind faster? I need to give my answer in less than ten hours.”
“Okay, fine. But if you do anything, you’ll regret it, I promise you!”
“Mhmm, yaay! Okay, we need to get married asap and send my answer! Hurry up, I still need to pack before my father comes home. Call Moana, we need a marriage witness or whatever. Hurry up!!”
~~~~
In the past five hours, Colt questioned his sanity more times than ever in his life. First, when he agreed to Ellie’s plan. He didn’t even know her but agreed to marry her. Later, he questioned his sanity when he asked Mona to be his best woman. Mona questioned his sanity, too. Then, he questioned it many more times during the ceremony and finally, when he said I do. By the end of the day, he was certain that it was only a bad dream. He couldn’t possibly marry Ellie. She was the weirdest person he’d ever met. And he, most certainly, met a great amount of weird people in his life.
Marriage certificate in his hand, he wondered when he’d wake up from this nightmare and what awaited him next.
 -----
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thephantomofthe-internet · 6 years ago
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Afternoons at the Hawkins Community Pool
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Billy Hargrove x Reader
Word Count: 5,056
Warnings: Drowning, blood, hints at abuse, drug use, swearing
Author’s Note: GUESS WHO’S BACK, BACK AGAIN? MADDIE’S BACK, TELL A FRIEND! First fic finished in literal months hello yes I still write! I’m not washed up! Is this any good? I don’t know. Is this even a romance? No clue. Will anyone read it? PLEASE DO LMAO
Tags: This is my old list, if you want to be added or removed, shoot me an ask! @hotstuffhargrove @casaharrington @thechickvic @alex--awesome--22 @lilmissperfectlyimperfect @so-not-hotmess @hipsmcgee @carolimedanvers
“It’s show time, ladies.”
Judging by the switch in the squad of middle aged women who made the west deck their pride rock, Billy Hargrove’s shift had begun.
You only had two hours left of your shift now. Once Billy got on deck, you could finally take a break. Fucking Heather always took an hour instead of the allotted thirty minute break, claiming to be easily susceptible to heat stroke.
As if you weren’t.
Still, now that her shift was over, everything would calm down.
Most people were either enraptured or absolutely terrified by Billy. He was…difficult to deal with.
Sure, he was sweet to the adults of the pool; the people who didn’t get in the way were always a favourite of the staffers, but to the kids? He was a menace. You didn’t understand why he’d take a job where he’d have to prioritize the safety of children.
As if on cue, Billy began his stupid strut to the south chair. You always took the north side, where the sun didn’t hit so hard. This gave Billy ample opportunity to strut around the deck like a peacock, smirking at the moms in heat, drooling over him.
“Afternoon ladies,” he crooned as he passed and you swore that at least three of them passed out from the sheer excitement of it all. He nodded to Mrs. Wheeler. Here came the cincher, the line that would make the group’s dreams come true and fuel their fantasies for weeks.
“Dig the new suit, Mrs. Wheeler.” He gave her a nod, chewing on something. If you had to guess, it was probably cinnamon gum. His breath always stunk of the stuff after shifts.
You averted your gaze after that; you knew exactly what would happen next. Billy would climb up onto his post and the ladies would check out his ass, giggling to themselves and high fiving Mrs. Wheeler for earning his attention for the day.
The image of Mrs. Wheeler’s sharply manicured hand gripping the top of her deckchair, mouth half open in utter lust, red lipstick smeared over the lines of her lips and eyes half closed as she stared at him climbing into the chair was something that would stick in your mind for the rest of the shift.
And then there was you on the other end of the pool, watching them like a creep.
Maybe you were the problem.
You had taken the job at the Hawkins Community Pool purely because it was tradition. You took the job every year, strapping into the bright red one piece with your hair pulled tight into a ponytail at the top of your head. You liked the job: the smell of chlorine and the sounds of happy kids splashing in the cold water. It was a relaxing job-most days nothing bad happened. The kids in town all took swim lessons in the winters one town over. Carmel had a heated indoor pool and a great deal on group swim lessons on weekends. You hadn’t seen a kid have a problem in the pool in three summers.
Today, someone had a problem.
You had just climbed out of your chair to head for your break. You were more than ready to step into the lush air conditioning of the office. Your back had only been turned for a second, Billy was supposed to be watching the pool anyway. But when you turned back you heard a scream.
Some weird kid had fallen into the deep end without a lifejacket. He couldn’t have been older than five. You quickly looked up to Billy.
That little fucking bitch.
He was flirting with Mrs. Wheeler.
You blew hard into your whistle, letting out a loud blast before taking off in a full sprint towards the deep end. You dove quickly into the pool and swam up to the kid before grabbing him under the armpits and swimming him into the shallow end, lifting him onto the deck and letting him cough and sputter.
“Do you need assistance? Can you breathe?” you asked quickly, catching your own breath. You had to ensure the victim was actually in need of medical assistance before you performed any life saving manoeuvres on them. The kid nodded quickly as an older man rushed up, bending down to rub his back. The kid immediately broke into tears, gripping tightly onto the man’s legs.
“Thank you.” The man said quickly, picking up the boy, who hugged him like his life depended on it. You assumed he was the parent and didn’t ask any more questions. Usually, you lay in with questions, but the kid couldn’t be more shook up. You watched to see where they’d go, letting out a relieved sigh when the group returned to the Wilson family, all examining the boy. He must be a cousin of theirs, in town for the weekend or something. You could go on your break with the knowledge that you hadn’t let a strange kid go off with an even stranger man who he didn’t know.
You blew your whistle again and pool activities resumed, although more cautiously. Now, you could start your break. But first, a quick pit stop.
You marched your way over to Billy and Mrs. Wheeler. It was as though they lived in their own bubble that sound couldn’t penetrate. Neither of them seemed to notice the commotion or hear the whistle blow. Mrs. Wheeler just kept laughing at whatever Billy was saying. She reached out to bat his arm and her fingers grazed there just a bit too longer, although neither of them noticed.
It was utterly disgusting.
You tapped Billy hard on his shoulder. He didn’t turn around. You tried again. Same response. You let out a loud, annoyed cough. Mrs. Wheeler didn’t even bat an eye at you and she could see you just over his shoulder. You finally blew a hard, short tweet into the whistle, effectively taking out Billy’s eardrum.
He turned fast, his face pulled into a sneer that you could only smile at. “What?” he snapped bitterly, fists clenched at his sides.
“Just wanted to make sure you could still hear. Since you missed the two other times I blew my whistle.” You replied, your fake smile turning sarcastic as you held his gaze.
“Sorry, I must have been distracting him, I’m sure he heard.” Mrs. Wheeler cut in, placing a manicured hand on his shoulder. She looked too proud of that fact, her lustful gaze unhealthy looking.
“That’s alright Mrs. Wheeler.” You looked over her shoulders briefly, catching sight of her group packing up to leave. Your smile turned to a malicious smirk “Oh, your friends seem to be leaving. If you don’t have your locker key, you should go grab it before they leave, don’t want to have your purse get stuck again.”
The last three times she’d come to the pool, she’d given her key to Mrs. Carol Simpson, whose son Billy had threatened to ban upon entering the deck. Mrs. Wheeler ended up stranded without her key, her bag locked in the locked with no way of getting it out. She had to have the janitor of the pool open her locker with the master key and then, to make matters worse, she had to prove that the stuff was hers. All of her things were dumped on the deck as she tried to prove that her granny panties and tampons were hers based on the shrill cries that there was a Minnie Mouse keychain on her purse. She got her stuff back, at the expense of her humility.
“I gave my key to the front desk, won’t lose it again.” Mrs. Wheeler chuckled proudly, an embarrassed flush creeping up her neck and ears.
“Oh, then you should ensure that they still have it. Mara is not the brightest bulb in the bunch, she’d lose her head if it wasn’t screwed on.” You replied, matching her laugh. Mrs. Wheeler’s smile dropped and she rushed off without another word.
You turned your attention back to Billy, your smile dropping away. “I’m going on my break, can you actually do your job while I’m gone.” You snapped bitterly.
“I was. Customer satisfaction is a key part of our job.” He made a big deal out leering at Mrs. Wheeler’s ass as she bent over to grab her things off the chair.
You scoffed “Watch the fucking pool, Hargrove, Mrs. Wheeler and her saggy ass will be back tomorrow.” You turned dramatically on your heel and stomped off.
You could scream. That boy was so…so…fucking frustrating! He was a nuisance and a pervert and a showboater and god, just a pig! All year he’d done nothing but screw anything in a skirt, just whoring around all year and making a mockery of some very nice girls. And now, now he decides to be a one woman man. And the woman is a married mother of three. What the fucking fuck??? How nasty! And she was into it? God who knew Karen Wheeler was a creep? Lock up your sons, mothers of Hawkins, Mrs. Wheeler is on the prowl for jailbait! It made you sick just thinking about it.
Even stepping into the cool office didn’t alleviate the feeling of heat stroke on your skin. You decided that you’d take a cold shower before eating. You couldn’t eat much, you had to go back out to the pool and potentially swim after eating. Usually, you’d take forty-five minutes instead of thirty since nobody was watching anyway, but Billy was distracted today and you didn’t want to risk him fucking up because you were being selfish with your break.
You plopped into the wheeling desk chair, sprawling your limbs and taking in the cold air blasting in the room. You let out a satisfied sigh, letting your head fall back and your eyes flutter shut. You could die happy in the air conditioning.
Billy Hargrove was such an ass. You’d never allow yourself to sleep with him. Not that he’d ever want to, you weren’t exactly his type. You were his lab partner that year and you had heard him on more than one occasion telling Tommy about how ‘shrill’ and ‘annoying’ you were. It wasn’t your fault that you weren’t going to sit around and do all the work for the both of you. And it benefited him! His highest grade that year was in fucking science! He thanked you at the end of the semester! Sure, it was a forced and uncomfortable thank you, and you didn’t need to know that it was his highest grade that year, but still! You two should be good! You should be fine! But instead, you were the shrill bitch who tells him what to do at work. God, you didn’t want to be the awful co-worker, the ‘shrill bitch’ that everyone gossiped about and made fun of, but somebody had to take the job seriously! And not seriously like Billy did, who got out his aggression by yelling at kids and threatening to ban them for the most minor infractions, even though the pool didn’t have a banning system period. No, you had to be the boring, mean one who saved lives and got shit done.
Everybody else got to have fun, you just had to work.
You let your head lull towards the window, peaking out at the pool from the half closed blinds. There was a pack of girls around your age surrounding the lifeguard chair, trying to engage Billy in conversation. God, that’s such a safety hazard, how the hell was he supposed to get down quickly in the event of an emergency? He should tell them to move back away from the ladder. Not that he was even paying attention to them; his eyes were on the pool, watching someone swim across the pool with a half smile. He was ignoring the girls, which was expected, but you were glad to see that…wait.
That’s Mrs. Wheeler.
Jesus Christ this guy!
You groaned, pushing yourself up off the chair and heading into the locker rooms, turning on a shower and blasting cold water over yourself. The initial shiver and burn of the freezing water faded fast and soon Billy Hargrove and his stupid thing face were far from your mind. Every one of your senses was heightened by the icy water that was soaking into your skin. You felt utterly refreshed and calm again. He was far from your mind and so was work in general. As your muscles began to slowly unfurl and release tension, your mind led you to the wonderfully comfortable world of the novel you’d left behind.
You were Anne Shirley on that bridge, waiting glumly for her Gilbert to arrive. And there he was-in his silly bloomers and flat cap, white shirt half buttoned and that smarmy look and that stupid mullet and-fuck. Your eyes shot open. God you couldn’t escape him! Billy fucking Hargrove was intruding on your comfortable dreams in rural 1910s Canada. God, it was weird enough that you were fantasizing about rural 1910s Canada, you didn’t dumbass Billy with his ugly ass tattoo creeping in to make it worse.
You turned off the water, checking the numberless clock over the doors leading out into the pool. Your break was just about over anyway. With a heavy sigh, you headed back out into the blinding sun, tightening your ponytail and climbing back into your chair.
You heard a loud blast from the whistle across the pool. “Hey! No running!” Billy barked from across the pool. Most of the people at the pool turned to look at him, except the pudgy kid who’d started running again. The kid didn’t stop this time, his mother gone now, and he barrelled over a little girl. She went down hard. You grabbed the first aid kit off the back of your chair, walking calmly over to the little girl.
“Hi there, are you alright?” you asked, kneeling down next to her. There was blood running down her tiny leg and cheek, two large scraps from the rough deck that made her skin ragged.
The little girl shook her head, sniffling loudly. She was holding back her tears, trying to be brave. It was very cute. “Can I help you?” you asked, offering her a small smile.
“I’m not supposed to talk to strangers…” the little girl muttered, shaking her head with a quivering lip.
“Well, I’m Y/N, I’m a lifeguard here. What’s your name?”
“Sylvia…” she muttered again, wiping her eyes hard with the back of her tiny hand.
“It’s nice to meet you Sylvia. Can I take a look at those cuts?” you asked. The little girl nodded and you opened the kit. You hadn’t noticed that Billy was looming over you, casting a shadow over you.
“You…okay here?” he asked awkwardly, earning your attention briefly.
“Yeah, we’re okay. You wanna go handle that kid? Ban him or something?” you replied, turning your gaze back to the alcohol swab in hand. “Now, this is gonna sting a little, okay? If it hurts too much you can squeeze my hand.” You offered her your spare hand as you wiped the wound gently.
Billy stood there longer than he should have. He knew he looked weird. He knew he should be tearing that fucking kid a new one. But there you were, smiling at some snot nosed kid, letting her squeeze your hand with her grubby little fingers, putting Barbie Band-Aids on her cuts and checking her head for bumps. You looked so…pretty. You had this look on your face; he’d seen it before when you were reading in class, the world tuned out except for the words on the page. Your eyes crinkled in the corners and lit up bright, your lips curled into a smile that creased your cheeks and scrunched your nose. You pulled a lollipop from the kit, and he knew that you had added those yourself, his didn’t have those. You sent the kid on her way, standing up again and brushing the gravel off your knees.
“You get that kid?” you asked, clicking the kit closed.
Billy swallowed “Nah, he wasn’t worth it.” he said smoothly, trying not to cringe. Since when does he give mercy to kids?
You rolled your eyes “The one time I want you to raise hell, you let a kid slide? You’re losing your touch, Hargrove…” you smirked, walking back to your chair. No faster than you turned away, Billy rushed off to kick that kid’s ass.
He never did what anyone told him. He didn’t know why this time it mattered.
The last hour and a half of your shift surprisingly flew by. And when it was time for Billy’s break, you didn’t even mind staying behind to watch the pool. You pulled the lines across the pool by yourself, preparing for the switch to the adult swim. Mike Wheeler and his grubby friends burst in while you were working.
“The pool area is closed right now. Please wait in the change rooms.” You said, not bothering to look over at the group.
“Is my mom still here?” Mike asked with an annoyed sigh.
“She left about an hour ago.” You replied.
“She said she was gonna drive us home!”
“Is Billy here?” a redheaded girl stepped directly into your view. You recognized her vaguely as Billy’s stepsister, you thought her name was Max but you weren’t sure.
“Yeah, he’s still on the clock for another two hours.”
“Fine, we’ll wait.” She snapped.
You finally looked up at the group, all milling around in their street clothes. You sighed “Okay, you can’t be on the deck in your street shoes. And you can’t be here during adult swim. You’re not adults.” You explained boredly. You turned back towards the office, catching sight of Billy spinning around in the desk chair, banging his head to whatever he was playing through his headphones.
“Follow me.” You said, heading towards the office. You didn’t bother to knock on the door, throwing it open without caution or fear. Not that Billy noticed, he was flailing along to what sounded like, through the muffled sound of his headphones, We Are Not Alone from the Breakfast Club movie. It certainly wasn’t the heavy metal that he associated himself with.
“Hargrove.” You got no response; he did another spin and a dramatic kick. You held back a laugh. He looked so silly. Dare you say…cute? That was something you didn’t think you’d ever say.
“Hargrove!” you cried. He pulled off his headphones quickly, practically jumping out of the chair. You swore there was a light blush on his face, although he could plausibly say it was a sunburn.
“What?!?” He snapped.
“You’re um…you’re stepsister is here…she’s looking for a ride home. What do you want me to tell her?” you asked awkwardly, your hand subconsciously coming to your left arm, rubbing your upper arm awkwardly.
Billy’s scowl dropped away, his face draining of colour “Oh shit um…shit it’s like seven, right?” you nodded awkwardly “Fuck…I gotta get her home…shit. Um, I might be late coming back can you just watch for like ten minutes, I’ll be back I just I gotta-”
You cut him off “I can handle the close for tonight, if you wanna just stay there.” You offered against your better judgement. Usually, you’d never offer to take a close. Closing a pool sucks ass. But…he just looked so utterly freaked out. He looked scared.
“You sure? I can come back, gimme like twenty minutes I can-”
“Nah, I can do two more hours. It’s adult swim, nothing happens anyway.” You replied with a shrug. Billy nodded, rushing out of the room and grabbing the nosy redhead, pushing her out.
He didn’t even say thank you.
Fucking dick.
You rolled your eyes. It wouldn’t be that bad. You finished putting out the lines and took your seat at the furthest end of the pool. As always, the usual old people came in and did their laps. The two hours went by incredibly slow and you wished you’d just offered to drive the brats home. But the hours were great and, luckily, the crowd finished their swim thirty minutes before the pool closed and nobody else came in. You closed off the pool and locked the gates, taking your sweet time to milk the extra minutes out of your shift. You left the pool with damp, clean hair and dried out skin.
You came home to an empty house, your mother promising to be home by ten. There were leftovers in the fridge. You were ready to settle in to a night at home. You slicked your skin in lotion and changed into dry, warm clothes. You piled up your dirty clothes and started a load of swimsuits. You wanted to watch a movie, but you hadn’t gone to the video store before work so all you had were your parent’s crappy recordings of movies from their era, which you had no interest in.
You had an empty house and nothing to do. Then it hit you.
You had a joint in your vent. You cousin Casey finally came in clutch. But you couldn’t smoke it in the house. The smell lingered too long, you’d get caught. You grabbed your keys, your purse, and the joint, scribbling at the bottom of your mother’s note that you’d be back by curfew.
You could hide out anywhere. You always chose the same spot though, out by the quarry where death haunted the weak of heart. The rumour was that the dead body found out there two years prior was actually Will Byers and he’d been replaced by a doppelganger. Either way, the area is supposed to be haunted by the dead little boy found there. You weren’t scared of ghosts which meant that you were always the only person out there. It became your little spot.
The drive there was short and sweet, you’d barely made it through the first song on your driving playlist. You parked close to the water’s edge, turning up your stereo and taking a seat on the hood of your car. You always chose the furthest edge of the quarry, where no one would bother you.
A car pulled up too close to you. You could’ve screamed.
And then you recognized the driver.
��Kill me now…”
Billy stumbled out of the car. His knuckles were bleeding. He had a cut under his eye. He looked…fucking pissed.
“Am-scra, freak.” He snapped, not looking over to see who actually was there.
“You scram, asshole, I was here first.” You snapped back, digging through your purse for a lighter, joint held firmly between your teeth.
Billy didn’t move. He took his seat on the hood of his own car, wrapping gauze tightly around his knuckles, knotting it roughly behind his fingers.
You sighed. You didn’t have a lighter. Hargrove did. You scowled turning to him as he struggled with the wrapping around a Band-Aid, losing it into the quarry.
You pulled one from your bag, holding it out to him “I’ll trade you for a light.” He turned to you with a scowl, looking over the scene. He nodded gruffly, pulling his steel lighter from his back pocket and flicking it open. You leaned over, letting the flame burn the end and start off the joint. You passed him the Band-Aid, which he immediately lost into the dirt.
You pulled another from your bag, letting out a puff from the joint before reaching into your bag. You pulled out your last Band-Aid, jumping off the hood.
“This is my last one. Let me do it.” you replied, pulling open the paper and stepping closer. Billy leaned away defiantly. You sighed, pulling the joint from your lips. “Relax, smoke this, I’m not gonna frisk you or anything.” You said, handing him the joint. He took it without another word, not complaining about free drugs.
You carefully pealed back the Band-Aid, sticking it to the delicate skin of his under eye, covering the cut. You smiled at your work, pulling your hands away from his face quickly. You took the joint back, returning to your seat.
Billy stared at you for a beat too long and you noticed. You caught his eye, raising an eyebrow at him. “What’s your problem?” you asked.
“None of your damn business.” He snapped back angrily, defensively.
You scoffed, rolling your eyes “Geez, chill out man. You were the one staring at me…”
Billy turned away dramatically, crossing his arms over his chest. You noticed for the first time that evening that he was still in his work clothes. You averted your gaze quickly, not wanting to get caught.
Billy spoke first. He didn’t have to, but he did. “Why are you so fucking nice to everyone?” he asked, almost whispering.
“What’d you mean?” you asked, keeping your eyes trained on the smooth, still water pooled just a foot from your feet.
“You helped some kid with a scraped knee, you saved the dumb kid who fell in, you helped me twice, you helped Karen Wheeler-” he listed off bitterly.
“Okay, one: helping those kids is literally our job. And helping you…well, you needed the help and watching you try to open a Band-Aid with your messed up hand was kind of pathetic.” You replied with a laugh. Billy rolled his eyes, turning away from you slightly.
“And…I didn’t exactly help Mrs. Wheeler. I needed her to go away so I could yell at you. She could report me and get me fired if she saw me being pissy with her favourite lifeguard.” You added, looking away.
“Karen wouldn’t do that.” He replied, looking over to you again “You gonna bogart that?” he asked, reaching out for the joint.
“Didn’t think I was sharing.” You passed it to him nonetheless.
“You can’t finish it on your own. I’m helping you.” He took a long drag, coughing on the end as the smoke filled his lungs. “This is shit.”
“It’s better than what Tommy buys.” You replied with a shrug.
“Tommy has shit taste.” He passed it back to you.
You took a long drag, finding courage in the cloudy feeling in your brain to ask a question burning in the back of your mind.
“So what the fuck is up with you and Mrs. Wheeler? Are you actually screwing her or is she just making a scene everyday for no reason?”
Billy chuckled “I’m not telling you.”
You made a face “That’s so fucking gross…she’s your stepsister’s friend’s mom, man. She’s got like three kids.”
Billy’s cocky look slipped away “I know, Y/N.”
“And you still want to screw her? Dude, that’s nasty.”
“I never said I wanted to screw her.”
You gasped loudly “Billy, do I need to call the cops?”
“No! Jesus, Y/N…” he groaned, slapping the hood of his car with a frustrated look “Look, I’m not fucking screwing her.”
“Ohhhh….”
“You tell anyone that and I’ll fucking kill you.” He warned, leaning over to get in your face. You hadn’t realized how close you two were until that moment. You’d both subconsciously moved as close as you could to one another, each of your spare legs hanging off the side, close enough to kick each other but far enough to not have to awkwardly touch.
“Got it, dude. Not like anyone would believe me. You’ve proved yourself to be believed on that front.” You muttered, silently puffing away.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” he asked. He sounded sadder than you expected him to ever sound.
“I mean…everyone in school knows that you’re this…this macho man, de-virginator or some shit,” Billy burst out laughing and you blushed crimson, turning away. “I’m serious! Everyone knows that you get whoever you want.”
“I’ve never gotten you.” He said with a shrug.
“Yeah well I’m a ‘shrill bitch’, remember? Not exactly worth much bragging rights wise.” You countered. Billy didn’t reply, he looked out at the quarry silently.
“Nobody said that.”
“Nobody had to, Hargrove, I hear what you and your friends say. You don’t have to pretend that I’m some prize.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I’ve literally heard you and Tommy laugh about annoying I am, how I’m shrill and shit. Don’t play stupid.”
Billy didn’t reply immediately, pulling his knees up to his chest.
“I don’t think you’re shrill. You’re a bitch sometimes, but you’re not shrill.” He said quietly.
“Thanks?”
“I mean…you’re cool. You’re good at your job and you’re nice to everyone and you’re hot and you’re smart and shit. You’re chill. Fuck Heather and her friends if they say shit.” He said to the quarry instead of you.
You smiled softly “Thanks, Hargrove…you’re not too terrible either.”
Billy chuckled “Thanks…”
You were both silent for a moment, staring out at the lake. Billy spoke first. “If I don’t tell anyone about it, can I kiss you?”
You furrowed your brow “Why would you want to?” you asked incredulously.
“Why wouldn’t I?” he shot back. You didn’t have an answer to that question. You dropped off the hood of your car, walking up in between his knees, wrapping your hands around his neck.
“You tell anyone about this and I’ll tell everyone about you and Wheeler.” You said, unable to hide the little twinge of nerves in your voice.
He smiled cockily “Deal.” He pulled you down to him by your neck, pressing his mouth to your demandingly, pressing himself up against you and wrapping a free hand around your lower back, fingertips inching towards your ass. Every inch of him was made of fire and it was catching every one of your nerves, igniting them. Your fingers dug into his curls and your nails scraped his scalp. You let out a whimper as his teeth dug into your lower lip and you tugged on his curls.
You broke the kiss first, pressing your palms into his chest and taking a deep, slow breath. He smirked up at you and you found yourself smiling back.
“Friends?” he asked cockily, pressing the joint into your half open mouth.
“Sure…” you breathed out, taking a long drag off the joint.
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whydoyouwantmyname · 4 years ago
Text
Imagine not telling the boys something important (Part 2)
Part one
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“Tell me something Ailsa?” Eve asked, her voice echoed through the walls of the motel room your mind had manifested as you laid on the queen bed, the static now replaced by the projection of the world that Eve was seeing, it looked like a truck stop.
“Why do you keep calling me that.” You groaned
“I think it is cute.”
“Of course you do, alright Eve, what is your question.”
“Out of everyone I didn’t think a 207 year old cambion would be a virgin, care to enlighten me?”
“I figured you already creeped around in my memories and found it.” You answered as you sat up, and made your way to the mini bar, which instantly restocked itself, as she replied, “Nah, I didn’t feel like digging too deep.”
“Just deep enough to figure out my whole life story?”
“Exactly.”
“Well if you must know, it is so much easier to avoid feeling, and the annoying humanity I have if I just don’t let people in romantically.”
“Which is why you never made an attempt on dating Dean, even though you two are obviously meant for each other.”
“Exactly, and honestly if you do see them, please don’t tell them, I would rather..”
“I understand, I swear not a word.”
“Thanks Eve, if you weren’t investing people with your spawns, and possessing me, I would say you were pretty cool.”
“You have no idea what Crowley is up to, do you?” She asked, her voice soft as you opened your fifth miniature and downed it with no issue.
“Not a clue, but knowing the king of hell, I am sure it is something designed to get him into a position of greater power.”
“Well he is seeking to open the doors to Purgatory, for what I am not aware, but he is killing my supernatural children’s souls and imprisoning them. Rumor has it, he is not working alone, he has an angel on his side.”
You stopped mid sip, your whole body frozen as you thought, slowly lowering your arm you asked, “An angel.”
“Do you know him?”
“I fear I might.” You whispered, reflecting on your memory as a previous conversation played in your head.
You were standing alone in the living room, a lore book in hand as you paced the room, it was a rare moment where both Winchester’s were outside, leaving you alone in a blissful silence, which was soon to be interrupted by the sounds of angel wings.
“How they ever allowed you in this house is still a foreign concept to me.” He formulated the statement as you lifted your head towards him, his blue eyes piercing your figure as you raised an eyebrow, “I haven’t the slightest idea what you mean Castiel?”
“How have you managed to hid the sins you drag around with you, suppress the screams of the souls your precious hounds have torn to shred, how do you manage not to shiver in the nippy air of earth, when the flames of hell flicker at your flesh?”
“Cas, what are you implying?”
“You are a liar, and a…”
“I would choose your next sentence extremely carefully, unless you want an angel blade driven through your chest.” You warned, his face grim as he growled, “The trap will reveal who you really are, don’t worry.”
“Oh you mean that one?” You stated, pointing to the ceiling, where a classic Singer masterpiece decorated the ceiling, the book slamming shut in your single hand before being placed on the desk, as Cas smiled, almost pleased that you were caught, until you approached him slowly, his eyes filling with confusion as you got right up in his face,”Looks like you should do your homework Castiel, before you make threats to the woman who has been traveling with the Winchester’s for three years now.” Your once filled hand extends quickly, seizing his throat in your digits before using your strength to push him into the wall, leaning in you got right up in his ear, “Unless you want to see what these red eyes can really do.”
It wasn’t until you saved his ass that he truly learned who you were as a hunter, all negative feelings drifting further away with time, until he was finally comfortable enough to call you a nickname, Angel.
“So your father is working with the man who calls you Angel?” Eve replied, almost forgetting she could also see your thoughts.
“He must, Cas is the only angel I could imagine him trusting.”
“Well you’re a smart cookie, any idea…”
“Not a clue.” You answered, glancing at the TV screen as you noticed the tv screen, her eyes set on a trucker before she pushed off the wall. As she started towards the 18 wheeler, you couldn’t help but notice that Eve glanced over at the wall, the corner of your mouth lifting.
“What are you smirking about?” Eve questioned
“Nothing at all.” You replied, before a pie magically appeared.
“Like I said fellas, I remember pulling into the truck stop, and next thing I knew I was at work. I have no idea how I ended up there, or anything that happened after I pulled in.” He stated, looking to Sam and I, my head somewhere else as he spoke.
“And where do you work?” Sam asked
“Starlight Canney. After I came to, I called home, hoping my family was there. I didn’t think anything of it when she didn’t pick up, that was…” a small sob escaped his lips as Dean looked to the other officer, “mind if I have a look at the security cameras footage?”
“Not at all, let me just pull ‘em up.” The officer answered as Dean left Sam and Bobby to question Rick.
As the other officer set Dean up, all his mind could do but wander back to a memory where she was.
“Jesse.” You pleaded, the small boy's eyes flickered towards you as you remained frozen in between Sam and Dean, neither of them could see you, but the demon possessing Julia could, and Jesse.
However Sam and Dean remember it much differently then what truly happened, they remember Sam stopping Jesse, and Julia’s demon, before driving off to the next motel. However you knew it went differently
“Don’t listen to her son, you are going to do great…” As the demon talked, you lowered your own head, as Sam and Dean’s heads suddenly fell forward as the demon laughed, “So you do still know how to use your powers.”
Looking up your eyes were completely crimson red, and glued to the demon, “I can’t wait to tell my father about what you are doing, and I hope I have the pleasure of…”
“You haven’t stepped foot in hell for over 20 years, what makes you think…”
“Do you even know who my father is?” You screamed, suddenly whatever held your body stiff slowly melted away, as your arms lowered, “You’re just like me?”
Looking from the black eyed demon to Jesse, you slowly stepped forward and crouched in front of the small boy, “Yeah, my dad is a demon just like yours.”
“Jesse, don’t listen to her.” She started forward, however she suddenly became mute, and frozen, Jesse looking towards her as it happened before turning back to you, “Did they tell you lies too?”
“No, they actually don’t know, but I know that they wanted to tell you this to protect you, because it is really scary at first to learn that you are part evil.”
“Does that mean I am going to do what she said, am I going to end the world?” You could hear the small boy’s voice quicken in fear, as you put a hand on his arm and smiled, “No, all it means is that you are going to be able to do things other kids can’t, cause even though you are different, you are still human, and that means you have good in you. Listen Jesse, I am 206 years old, and have had a lot of opportunities to do some wicked stuff, and instead of doing that, I am helping people just like you.”
“You aren’t evil.” He whispered, almost as a reassurance to himself, as you responded, “And neither are you.”
“How do I beat this?”
“Well, you are going to have to run away, here.” You reaches into your bag and pulled out a notebook you had been filling with all things to do with the life since 1981, the pages worn and the book spine was well used, and with a smile you stated, “This has everything in it that I have learned over the years, it will help protect you from both angels and demons.”
“I need protection from angels?”
“Yes darling. See the angels don’t understand that we aren’t all bad, they just see the demon side of us.”
“They’re narrow minded.” He replied as you smiled, “They are just scared. You will have to move around a lot but just lay low, here you can also use this.” You pulled out a 100 dollar bill, and handed it to him, “Do you understand?”
“What will happen to my parents?” He asked
“Well they will stay here, it is too dangerous to bring them, just because the demons and angels might try to hurt them if they know where you are.”
“Have they ever done that to you?” Your face lifted to Julia, a wicked smile on your face as you thought of all the shit the demons did to Dean while in hell, and what Ruby did to Sam. “Yeah, but the Winchesters are the two strongest men I know, and no punk ass, black eyed scumbag is going to break them, not as long as I’m around to stop it.”
Looking towards you Jesse whispered, “How do I run away?”
“Just think of yourself going to a place, and just like that…” you looked down to see him gone and heard a slight thud behind you, a smile on your face as you slowly rose and looked at Julia,who went to move but remained frozen, and mute, “I like you better as a mute statue.”
As you approached her, you monologued, “Everything I said about the Winchesters is true, and I hope you all figure it out soon that nothing you do will ever make them stop hunting the bad guys. So just drop your little obsession with these two, because you got what you wanted, Lucy is running all around creation, trying to end the world. I just hope for your sake he doesn’t turn on you like he did God.”
With a single lift of your palm you sent her back to hell, her scream echoing the empty space as you watched the black goo melt into the floor from her eyes, once she was gone you turned to see Sam and Dean had fallen to the floor, the invisible force holding them still disappearing with Jesse. You walked over to the two of them and placed your hands on their heads, filling it with false memories as you mentally called out to your father.
“I was busy.” He snapped as you lifted your head to see Crowley standing before you, his eyes lifting from you to Julia’s body, “Have I ever mentioned I love it when you get feisty with your own kind?”
“All the time, yet you only allowed me to file your paperwork. Now help me get these two idiots in the Impala.”
“Here ya go, this is the footage from that night. Not really anything exciting.” The officer told Dean, snapping him from the false memory you had planted in his head. Taking a seat in the Rollie chair he muttered a thanks and started fast forwarding through the tape, until he saw something that made him stop, looking at the camera was a pair of glowing eyes, and upon rewinding and going frame by frame he saw the way the face distorted, and the eyes clearer, along with something he was not expecting to see.
“[Y/N].” He whispered, backing up the frames to before your face distorted, a slight smile was on your face, your hair was down, and you were dressed in a tank top and skinny jeans. He couldn’t take his eyes off of your face, the way your lips smeriked up as though you were taunting the camera, like you knew they would find out you were the one doing this. With the frame still pulled up he quickly rose, the chair pushing back so quickly it hit the wall, alerting Sam and Bobby to his distress, before he stormed out of the office. Frustration filling his body as his mind stated over and over that he had failed you.
When Sam and Bobby finally came out they found Dean sitting on the hood of the impala, his eyes just staring into a void above as they approached him, “Dean?” Bobby asked
“It’s her.” His eyes never leaving the sky as his voice was gruff and soft, “whatever we are hunting is inside her head.”
“We will figure it out.” Sam whispered as Dean finally lowered his head, his eyes red rimmed, bloodshot and puffy.
“Will we?” He replied.
About an hour later Dean and Sam were sitting in the motel, milling over notebooks trying to find anything on what could be possessing [y/n], “I mean it could be a shapeshifter.” Sam offered as a possible answer as Dean knitted his fingers into his greasy hair.
“Sam you saw her face distorted on the security footage, no shapeshifter has done that before.” He sighed out as Sam lowered the book.
“Are you sure you are okay dude?” Sam asked, the sound of his own question making him feel like it was a dumb thing to say, anyone with two eyes could have been able to tell that Dean was falling apart every second, especially now that he knew that something had possessed you. Dean’s index and thumb moved from his hair to the bridge of his nose, the two digits squeezed the flesh between his eyes as he let out a sigh, “This is why hunters can never fall in love.”
“Dean..”
“Sammy, please don’t feed me your positive outcome bullshit right now, we have no leads, no information of what is possessing her, we have nothing. As far as we know there could be no cure, it is possible that we could try everything and that thing will still be in her head.”
“And we will, don’t forget Dean, she wasn’t just your friend. She was mine and Bobby’s too, and we will save her.”
Before Dean could respond his burner was ringing, his response turned into him flipping it open and muttering, “Whatcha got Bobby?”
“I need you and Sam to get your asses down to Starlight Canney, Rufus and I will meet ya outside.”
“Rufus is with…” Dean started but he was cut off by Bobby’s like going dead, Dean looked at Sam and promptly stated, “Bobby found something, I think.”
While the boys drove to the canney, Cas was opening the doors to an abandoned warehouse, a glowing light seeped out from under it as he revealed the grey lab space that he and Crowley had built. Crowley was seated at the table, a sheet of paper before him as his hand scribbled across the page with a pen. Cas looked over the railing at him, as he stated, “Stop staring at me like you do the Winchester boy.”
“I have news.”
“Did you find me more souls?” Crowley’s head still did not lift as he spoke, it wasn’t until Cas replied that he finally became alert, “No, it is about [Y/N].”
“What about her?”
“She has been possessed, the boys are trying to track her down, but whatever is inside of her is ancient.”
“Eve.” Crowley hissed
“Why would Eve be…”
“She knows we are trying to open purgatory, and wants to stop us. Is she creating an army?”
“I won’t call it an army, but she is creating hybrids.”
“And she has my little girl on like a meat suit.” He stated more than asked, frustration clear in his brow as he slammed the pen down, “I thought the Winchesters…”
“They are looking for her right now. I can’t see her though, so I was wondering…”
“Eve will make her go dark to everyone who could have been able to find her, I can have my spies on the lookout for her, but Castiel….” He started before pausing, the reality of his next statement taking a toll on his still beating heart, “[Y/N] will die if you remove Eve.”
“Not all of her.” Cas replied before leaving, as Crowley leaned back in his chair, his heart breaking for his little girl.
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