#nancy and her dads pls

[bitofanupsidedowner]

i feel like i'm alone in this but i am soooo worried about the idea of will ending up possessed again... it just cheapens stuff a little for me to dip too much back into the possession pot, and he's already spent so much time in the series with his autonomy being taken away from him

like, it's true that there is something very touching about mike attaching himself so intensely to will in a season where at any point they all know will could theoretically become a liability, i just. want will to be able to fight back this time.

i want him to outsmart it and break free. i want him to be honest with who he is with the ppl he loves & to be accepted and find strength in that. i want him to find his power in what makes him different and actually be able to save the day.

i don't want there to be any doubt in the GA that will is emotionally & spiritually a good, virtuous, strong person who isn't just the burden he's been made out to be. he's only ever gotten to play the damsel in distress or the outsider and i just want so much more for him. i want both mike and will to get their moments as heroes and then i want them to make it out of it ALIVE

i want mike and will's love, as well as who they are as individuals, to matter to the day being saved!! it cannot just be el holding her hand out and screaming again. every other character's gotten so many moments of getting to prove themselves, i just want one for them now

[jonathanbyersphd]

SORRY I AM THINKING ABOUT NANCY SAYING COPY/PASTE FOR HER AND JONATHAN'S DAUGHTER AGAIN AND IIIII

[roseareeh]

Teenage Dirtbag Part 1 | Steve Harrington x Teen Mom! Reader (x Billy Hargrove)

Notes: I love drama atm, I hope you enjoy :) (Pls don't let this flop)

Warnings: Teenage Pregnancy, big hint as a sex scene, swearing, alcohol, smoking

Words: 4.2k

You hated yourself for this stupid crush. Finally, you had everything together between school, your child and your family life, and then this dumb crush came along. It wouldn't even be that bad if it wasn't on the Steve Harrington, the infamous King Steve who's hardcore-crushing on Nancy Wheeler. While you were happy enough that he even took you into his friend group, considered you were a 16 year old teen mom to a 3-year old, you truly didn't need to see him pin over her whenever she was around. Despite them not being an official couple anymore, he wouldn't stop looking after her like a feral dog.

"You don't happen to be free for that project tonight, do you?", Steve asked while walking next to you. You bit your lip while thinking if you could make it work while fishing your car keys out of your bag. "Maybe. My dad's at work, so he can't look after Prissy.", you told him. "I don't know if a two-year old around is the best homework environment." But Steve just shrugged. "I don't mind her around. Besides, I've been annoying you about meeting her for a while now." After unlocking your car door, you threw your school bag in the passenger seat. "Right. Well, if you come at 7:30 she'll be in bed and we have time to do our assignment. But she'll wake up in between at some point." He nodded at your words. "Alright, I'll see you then."

You drove straight home, where your daughter was already waiting at the door. "Hi, mommy!", she squealed as she jumped into your arms. "Hi, baby.", you replied before giving her a kiss on her cheek. "Did you have fun with paw-paw today?" She nodded her head while you carried her inside. "We were in garden, and we picked our tomatoes, and cucumbers, and carrots." Your father greeted you in the hallway with a kiss on your cheek. "We put them in the kitchen, you can use them for dinner later.", he told you. "How was school?" Prissy wiggled from your arms and ran off to the living room. "Good. We got a group project assigned today, so my partner is coming over when Prissy is in bed." Your father looked a bit concerned. "And they know about Prissy?"

"He's my friend, dad, they all know about Prissy. It's not like I could keep her a secret anyways, I'm out with her all the time." He simply smiled at your words and squeezed your shoulder. "I'm just worried, is all." He walked over to the fridge to grab his dinner for work. "Alright, I'm off. See you tomorrow, don't stay up to late." He kissed your cheek once again before walking into the living room to say goodbye to Prissy. "Bye pumpkin, don't cause too much trouble." Your daughter told him goodbye, you heard the door shut and then the tiny footsteps of Prissy running into the kitchen. "Mommy, can we play teaparty?"

You spend a good hour playing teaparty, princess castle and then house before it was time to make dinner. "What do you want, baby?", you asked your daughter while looking through the fridge. "I can make you veggie sticks from the cucumbers and carrots you picked with Paw-Paw. And some tomato soup, maybe?"

"I love tomato soup!", she exclaimed before trying to pull up a chair for her to stand on. For some odd reason, you got a child who loved fruits and veggies. Not that you'd complain, but it wasn't what you heard from other moms. You helped her to get the chair so she could watch you cook.

After dinner, you got your daughter ready for bed. Not only was she a veggie-lover, but also fell asleep quickly. Despite the unfortunate circumstances of her conception, she made it easy for you. At 7:30, she was already fast asleep when you saw Steve pull into your driveway. "Hey.", you said as you opened the door for him. "She's sleeping, so we can't be too loud. But I have some leftovers from dinner if you're hungry." Both of you went into the living room to do the assignments with some veggie sticks and cans of coke.

"God, I hate history.", Steve said as he sat down on your couch. You plopped down next to him while chuckling. "It's not that bad. I mean, the only thing you really have to do is memorise it."

"I know, that's what makes it so awful." Both of you laughed before opening your history books. "At least we can pick one, that's nice.", you mumbled while skipping through the pages. He did the same, but neither of you found a good topic this quickly. "Well, my dad has some books on saints. Maybe that would be an option. How about Joan D'Arc?", you said after a while. "Who's Joan D'Arc?", he asked with a confused look. His question was met with a questioning look. "She was a martyr and is the patron saint of France. Do you actually don't know who she is?"

"Why would I know about a french martyr?"

"Everyone knows Jean D'Arc, Steve."

"I don't."

You rolled your eyes before getting up and grabbing the books from the shelf in the living room. "Sometimes, I can't believe that you're real." You opened the first book from your father extensive collection to give him a quick rundown. He leaned in closer to you so he could properly read, but it made your heart beat faster. Why did you have to have this stupid crush? And why did he have to smell so good, too?

"I think I can work with that.", he finally said. You grabbed a pen and your notebook to start writing. Two hours into mostly working, with some occasional off-rail gossip, you heard tiny footsteps upstairs. "Mommy?", Prissy said from the top of the stairs. Before you could get up, she caught a glimpse of Steve and ran downstairs. "Who are you?", she asked him while crawling on your lap. Your crush looked at you, then back at Prissy before speaking up. "I'm Steve.", he replied awkwardly. "He's my friend from school.", you added. Your daughter crawled off your lap and closer to Steve. "Boyfriend from school?"

"No, just my friend.", you corrected, despite it pulling at your heartstrings in a bad way. "Baby, we're doing homework so I'll bring you back to bed. Say bye-bye to Steve." She waved at him before walking back upstairs with you. Luckily, it took barely 20 minutes before she was fast asleep again.

"She looks just like you.", Steve said as you sat back down. You smiled at his comment. "Thanks. She got the hair colour from her father, but everything else is my carbon copy." The next question was one you have heard many times before. Honestly, you were really annoyed by it at this point, so you just took it away. "Her father's not in the picture. He robbed a gas station and is in jail, so I have full custody. In case you wondered." Steve looked into your eyes with a concerned look, but he had to admit that he did wonder that. "I'm sorry. That's...unfortunate.", he replied. You shrugged your shoulders and leaned back with a can of coke in your hand. "She's surprisingly easy. Unless I don't feel well, then she just copies my feelings like some kind of mindreader." He laughed a bit and leaned back at well. This felt oddly natural to you, and although you didn't know he had the same feeling. "You know, I always wanted kids. Like, six little Harringtons." You laughed at that statement, until you realised that he was 100% serious. "I didn't think I'd ever meet someone as crazy as me.", you admitted. Prissy was a dream child, and the sole reason why you wanted many more kids. "Really?", Steve asked, a bit surprised. Nobody, not even Nancy, wanted so many kids. "Yeah, I mean, Prissy is honestly a poster child. Six, seven, I'll even take eight." Now Steve was the one laughing a bit. "You're actually insane, (Y/N).", he said while leaning foward to take his can of coke. "Oh, by the way, if you don't have any plans for Halloween with Prissy yet, do you maybe wanna go to a party with me?" He said it so casually that his wording confused you. Why with him, not with us? "Aren't you going with Nancy?", you asked, even though you really didn't want to hear anything about Nancy. "It's...I'm trying, but some stuff happened." You sighted at his words, partially because they weren't what you were hoping to hear. "So you'd rather go with a friend?" This time, he sighted. "A friend, a date, who really knows." Your cheeks went red at his comment. Was he really asking you out? "I'll, uh, I'll ask my dad and tell you tomorrow."

He went home soon after. The assignment was off the table at that point anyways, and your head was too full of Steve basically asking you out. You went to sleep, woke up the next morning with your daughter in bed (who always snuck in during the night) and got ready for school. "Prissy, do you want me to do your hair before I go?", you asked her while she was occupied with her stuffed dolphin. She quickly ran into the bathroom where you were putting on a bit of makeup. "Pigtails!", she said while getting on her stepstool. While you were doing her hair, your father walked into the bathroom with his grouchy morning face. "Mornin'", he mumbled while getting his toothbrush. "Good morning.", you greeted him while finishing the first pigtail. "Can I already ask you a question or are you too sleepy?" Prissy giggled at your question a bit, mostly because she knew her Paw-Paw well enough to know that it was a valid question. "If you make me a coffee. What's the question?"

"Since we always only hand out candy on Halloween, could I maybe go out with my friends so you and Prissy can have some Paw-Paw time?" Your wording was chosen carefully to not upset Prissy too much. She'd follow you anywhere if she could, even school, but she also enjoyed spending time with her grandpa. And your father understood your wording. He also understood that you were a teenager who deserved to go out once in a while. "That can be arranged, as long as you're home before I go to work the next day." A wide grin spread across your face once he agreed. "Thank you, dad.", you said while finishing Prissys hair.

You told Steve the very same day, and you were extra giddy once you got ready for the party. Since you got pregnant so young, there has never been a party you could've attended. Sure, you met up with friends once in a while, but it was never for the whole night and surely not with alcohol or smoking. Plus, your crush insinuated that it would be a date. For once you could be a dumb teenager, even if it was just for the night. Still, you chose a very simple costume; a pink dress that ended just above your knees and a tiara. "Mommy, you so pretty!", your daughter said as she spotted you doing your makeup in the bathroom. She's been running around the house all day in Cinderella costume ever since you helped her get dressed after school. "Thank you, baby.", you said with a smile before finishing your lipstick. "Does the princess wanna put the tiara on mommy's head?" With a toothy grin, Prissy took the hair accessory from your hands to put it on you.

"Pretty!", she said once again. With a smile, you gave her a kiss on the cheek and left a lipstick print. "Come here, princess, you gotta look at your face." You picked her up and had her stand on the bathroom counter. "See, mommys lip print is on your cheek." Prissy giggled when she saw her face and turned around to hug you. "Love you, mommy.", she said while burying her fave into your neck. "I love you, too, Prissy.", you said while carrying her out of the bathroom. She remained cuddled up to you, taking in every second of cuddling she could get while you walked downstairs to your father. A wide grin formed on his face as he saw the two of you. "Look at that, both my girls are beautiful princesses.", he said before looking for his camera. Prissy giggled in your arms, now looking up after getting in her cuddles, and laughed even more when she saw her Paw-Paw look for a camera. "I think he wants to take a picture of us, baby.", you told her with a small smile. Ever since she was born, you kept multiple photo albums of her and this one would definetly go in it.

Your father did take a picture, or multiple, of the two of you before getting you and Prissy in his car to drive you to the party. He knew that it would be a house party with alcohol, smoking and teenagers making out but he actually didn't mind. Considering you had a child at 14, he thought you could be stupid for one night. As long as you don't come home pregnant again, which you had do solemnly promise, he didn't mind. "Have fun, sweetheart.", he told you while you got out of the car. "Bye dad.", you replied with a grin, then opened the back door to say goodbye to your daughter. "Bye Prissy, I'll see you tomorrow." You kissed her face multiple times while she giggled. "I love you, baby." You finished with those words before closing the car door and waving after them while walking up the driveway backwards.

It was a bit overwhelming. You weren't an out-of-controll teenager who got pregnant at a party, this was your very first one. Many people from your grade were there, greeting you with surprised tones, as you made your way inside. Just mere seconds after, you wish you didn't. Steve was standing in a corner with Nancy right next to him. Chatting. Laughing. Looking like a couple. But he didn't see you yet, and confrontation did seem hard right now. Ot felt like a knife was stabbed into your heart, and tears build up. How could be basically ask you out on a date and then bring Nancy? And even if they didn't come together, why would he stand so close to her? Your heart was being ripped open and thrown away. Jesus, how could you be so stupid and get your hopes up?

So you made a beeline to the kitchen, where a bowl of punch stood. Judging by everyone around, it must've been spiked. And you didn't care. From stories, drinking made you forget issues so you took the possibility.

"My, my, I think I spotted a little princess.", someone behind you said. As you turned, you spotted the new kid you passed in the hall once or twice. He checked you out from head to toe with a smirk playing on his lips. "And who am I spotting?", you asked with a sly smile. He took your hand and gave it a small kiss. "Billy. Billy Hargrove.", he replied. Billy smelled like cigarettes and beer, which was oddly attractive to you. Also, he was clearly tipsy already. "You here by yourself, princess?" You nodded your head at his question before taking another big sip of the punch. As a response, he put his arm around your shoulders and walked with you. "Come on, if I don't take you with me someone else will." Steve was becoming a memory as Billy walked you outside to the keg stand. "What's your name?", he asked you as he pulled you closer to his body while getting out a pack of cigarettes with his free hand. "(Y/N).", you responded with a grin. He lit his cigarette, blew out the smoke and took it between his fingers. "Beautiful name.", Billy said before offering you his lit cigarette. Why not? You took a long drag but started coughing while blowing out the smoke. He laughed at your antics and took it back. "Never smoked before?" You shook your head at his question while still coughing. Someone handed you a beer to wash it down, and it did actually help. "What's a princess like you doing here by herself anyways?", Billy asked you while you watched someone miserably fail at the keg stand. "Someone's asked me out on a date, but now he's here with his ex.", you responded. He raised an eyebrow and looked deeply offended. "Well, he's an asshole. You're mine now." You blushed at his words, but you really didn't mind his proclamation. Although it was a drunken one. It felt good, no matter the circumstances. Again, someone failed the keg stand as you watched. "I wanna try it.", you proclaimed loudly. Two cups of spiked punch and a bit of beer was already getting to your head, most likely because you never drank before. "Alright princess, let me help you up.", he said while getting another guy to help you stand upright. You giggled before someone put the nozzle between your lips. As much as Billy wanted to focus on you chugging, he couldn't help but look at your ass that was fully presented due to your skirt not being able to hide anything anymore. Plus, you felt your tiara slip from your head as soon as you did the handstand. "One, two, three.", people around you started counting loudly as you kept chugging. Ten was the goal in your head, which wouldn't be bad for your first. "Four, Five, Six.", the others continued. While beer wasn't your thing as you realised, it felt good to have no worries for one night. And this was more fun than you've expected. "Seven, eight, nine." You felt your arms get wobbly, which caused you to get down at 11. People around you cheered, Billy put his arm back around you and took a drag from someone elses cigarette before announcing that he'd go for it as well. "This one's for you, princess.", he said while putting the tiara back on your head. You don't know why he chose to dote over you right now, but it's not like you minded. Most likely, he was trying to get lucky at the end of the night. Which you wouldn't mind, either.

Billy lasted until 22 before he got down. "Billy's our new keg king!", someone screamed while others started chanting his name. "C'mere.", he said while putting his arm around your shoulders again and taking you with him. Someone handed him a lit cigarette again, while a girl gave you a red cup that smelled like hard liquor. Billy walked through the house with you, following two guys who kept yelling that they had a new keg king. You were stupidly grinning until both of you were dragged to Steve and Nancy. "We've got ourselves a new keg king, Harrington.", one of the guys yelled. Steve took off his sunglasses to take a look at Billy, before looking over at you with a confused expression. Meanwhile, Nancy walked off into the kitchen. "What are you doing here?", he asked you while noticing Billy's arm around you. It pulled on his heartstrings a bit. "You asked me to come here, as a date.", you reminded him. "But since you'd rather take fancy Nancy, I found someone else." The grin on your face could be described as nothing but shiteating cheeky. "I didn't think you'd come.", he admitted. Billy laughed at that. "Good thing you ditched here, she's mine now.", he said before walking off with you.

Billy stayed with you for the entire party. At some point, both of you were making out outside. Right now, the sting of Steve standing you up was completely gone and for once you felt like you were actually just a 17-year old teenager. "Come on, let's take this party somewhere else.", he said before dragging you to the bathroom. Just as you rounded the corner, Steve came out with a big slam of the door. Both of you rushed by him and went in the bathroom, where you found Nancy. "Get out.", you said to her. She looked over at you, clearly just as drunk as you were, with a death stare. "You're not scary, Nancy. Get the fuck out." After she still didn't move, you grabbed her by the arm and pushed her outside the bathroom before locking the door. "You've got some fire in you.", Billy said before picking you up and setting you down on the dirty bathroom counter. Both of you kept making out with no regards of anyone knocking at the door. Before you knew it, your dress was off. When he went down to get between your legs, Billy noticed the c-section scar running across your lower abdomen. He looked up at you, but you took the question from Billy's mouth. "I had a c-section at 14.", you slurred. You expected many reactions from him, mostly him leaving you in the bathroom, but he just smirked and said: "I always wanted to fuck a mom."

You don't remember how you made it home. But you woke up in your own bed in the morning, not with Prissy next to you, with a pounding headache. As soon as you moved just a bit, you were already running to the bathroom to throw up. Why do people enjoy drinking if this is the outcome? "Hungover?", your dad teased while leaning against the doorframe. "It's gonna be fine. I'll make you fatty food and get you some aspirin." He handed you some toilet paper to whipe your mouth with, which you gladly took. "Where's Prissy?", you asked once you flushed the toilet. "I let her stay up a bit longer than usual, so she's still asleep." You nodded before he left to go downstairs. As you looked at yourself in the mirror, you noticed all of the hickeys on your neck. "Fucking hell.", you mumbled before getting back into your room. Grey sweatpants and a turtleneck sweater seemed like the best option right now. Soon enough, you smelled bacon and walked downstairs. "Did you have fun, at least?", you dad asked while you sat down on the kitchen island. He handed you a glass with some asprin in it. "It was good. I met a new student from my grade, he moved here from California." Your dad looked up from the pan. "Billy? Yeah, he brought you here last night. Seems like a nice kid." Well, that mystery was solved at least. "Yeah, he's cool."

Your father made you bacon, eggs and oatmeal with some orange juice. While he set some aside for Prissy, you ate it up like you haven't eaten in weeks. "Glad you had fun, sweetheart. But you gotta recover until 3, I still have work." You nodded your head at his words. "Is it morally wrong to have a lazy day with your child? I don't think I can go to the playground today." He laughed a bit at your question. "I doubt it. Maybe go in the garden at some point, though." A smile played on your lips at his words. "I can manage that." He turned to leave the kitchen, but not without saying: "And make up a good excuse for Prissy when she sees those hickeys."

It was four and you laid on the couch with Prissy in your arms, watching the Cinderella movie. She was her favourite princess and picked the movie all by herself. You had put some cut up fruit and juice on the table for the two of you to snack on. While Cinderella was trying on the glass shoe, the doorbell rang. "I'll get it, baby.", you said while getting off the couch and slouched to the door. It greatly displeased you once you opened it, because Steve was standing on the other side.

"What?", you asked in an annoyed tone. He was honestly the last person you wanted to see. "(Y/N), I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that, or at least cancelled.", he said with a look of desperation. You scoffed at his half-assed apology. "I'm not going to tell you what I actually think, Steve, because my child is in the next room.", you started. "But you can go fuck yourself. If Nancy broke up with you, because I did see her leave with Jonathan, that doesn't mean you get to jump to the next best girl." He ran a hand through his hair and sighted. "It's not like that, (Y/N), please. I...I do like you." His sudden confession didn't make you as happy as it should've. Sure, you still liked him because otherwise it wouldn't hurt so much but you were too angry at him. "I don't care, Steve. You didn't care about my feelings either."

"Mommy, they gonna kiss!", you toddler shouted from the living room. "Have a good day, Steve.", you said before shutting the door. "What, they're gonna kiss?", you said with a false grin while walking into the living room. "There's no way that they're gonna kiss!" You started tickling her stomach and kissing her face while she laughed underneath you.

After all, that she loved you was all that mattered in the end.

[callhermyname]

you're not going | e.m. x reader - prologue

summary: you and Eddie meet for the first time (a few weeks before the start of s1);

pairing: eddie munson x fem!reader

word count: 2.6k

warnings: MDNI!! mostly fluff, just a tiny bit of angst, reader is Dustin's cousin, mentions of absent father, postpartum depression, parents death, self-esteem issues, bullying (let me know if I missed anything).

a/n: HEY so this is my first fic ever so even if it's absolute garbage pls be nice to me😭 also sorry for any grammar mistakes english is not my first language. this is supposed to be the start of a s4 rewrite series, so if you want more please like this post, reblog and let me know what you think. hope u enjoy it!

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ��

You've been living at aunt Claudia's since you were 14. After your mom died, you had nowhere else to go — you can't even remember the last time your dad was in the picture, so when your aunt took you in, you kinda felt thankful that you got to start over, have a fresh start in another town, away from your old life (that you hated). You were still grieving, but aunt Claudia was always very sweet and caring, and soon after you moved in you started to see Dustin as the little brother you never had. It felt a little weird at first — even though your mother did her best, she never really liked the situation you were both in. She never planned to have kids, at least not before graduating from college, especially if it meant being a single mom at such a young age, so you couldn't really blame her for drowning in postpartum depression after you were born until she passed away. So, when her older sister took you in, you didn't expect for her to be so different from your mom, so caring, so gentle, so loving, such a good mom for Dustin and now to you too. 

When you first got to Hawkins, you didn't really have any friends besides your 11 year old cousin. One of his friends had a sister about your age — Mike's sister, Nancy — but, although she was always nice to you, you never really quite hit it off. She was sweet, but you didn't have a lot in common and her friends could be really mean. Will's brother, Jonathan, was always very shy and quiet, never really made conversation and you were definitely not the kind of person to force social interaction with someone that obviously didn't care for it, so you just kept it to yourself for most of the first year you spent at Hawkins.

A couple of weeks before Will went missing, Nancy was picking Mike up at your place and invited you to a party at her boyfriend's house. Your aunt overheard the conversation and was very excited to see you were making friends, so you decided to go just so she wouldn't worry about you being an absolute loser. You were always quite self-conscious of your appearance so it took some time to pick out an outfit, but you finally settled for something comfy and not that flashy, but flattering: your best Queen shirt under your favorite jeans overalls and a flannel and your only pair of shoes — basic black chuck taylors.

It was late October and the air was chilly, wind blowing through your hair and cutting your face like tiny little blades as you rode your bike to Steve Harrington's house, hoping to god Nancy was already there so you wouldn't be alone and awkward. You could already hear the music from two blocks away, and when you got to the front door, Nancy was waiting for you with her friend Barb. You knew Barb from school, you took English together, but didn't really talk about anything not school related, but she seemed nice. 

"You made it! I was already getting worried you wouldn't show up" Nancy greeted you. "You know Barb, right?"

"Yeah, hey Barb" you agreed and Barb nodded. "Sorry it took me so long to get here, my bike has seen better days…"

"It's fine, don't worry. Let's get in, I'll show you around. You can leave your bike at the back of the garage, outside of the backyard fence."

You left your bike where Nancy told you to and followed her into the house as she showed you where the bathroom was, stumbling over people coming in and out of the house, up and down the stairs. The house was so crowded, it felt like people were coming out of the walls. When she led you to the back of the house, she sat down by the pool and introduced you to her boyfriend and his friends, who were around the pool. 

From the start, you felt out of place. Steve and his friends didn't know you, but you already knew them. It was ridiculous to you how those people had made fun of you more than once at school but did not remember your face when Nancy introduced you as her friend. Maybe because you weren't wearing your big squared glasses, or because you tried something different with your hair? It didn't really matter anyways. At least they were not making fun of you. Poor Barb wasn't so lucky — they gave her a really hard time, and Nancy was just completely powerless over the situation, too afraid to say anything to try and defend her friend. After an hour, Barb got fed up and left, leaving you alone with Nancy and those assholes who were absolutely wasted and wouldn't shut up about playing spin the bottle or truth or dare.

"Come on, what are you, twelve?" Steve protested, "We're not kids man, that's just boring."

"You're absolutely right Harrington. But, we could spice it up, ya know?" Tommy offered, trying to convince Steve to play the game "For every truth or dare you refuse to tell or do, you have to take a shot of tequila. What do you say, Harrington? Wanna get absolutely wasted?"

Next thing you know, you were excusing yourself to go to the bathroom while at least 10 people were gathering around forming a circle on the floor of Steve's backyard. You didn't really need to use the bathroom, you just needed to cool off a little before getting hammered — you were NOT about to tell any truths or do any dares around these people you barely knew. Before you could go back outside, you got yourself a glass of water in the kitchen. As you threw away the red plastic cup, now empty, you heard a conversation through the kitchen window that headed to the backyard.

"So, can we start the game already?"

"Wait, where's Wheeler's  friend?"

"Barb left like, half an hour ago, Carol" you heard Nancy reply.

"No, not the chubby one, the other one, the weird one with the ugly hair."

"I think she needed to use the bathroom…?"

"Oh my god do you think she's like, brushing her teeth or something? Thinking someone's gonna want to kiss her?" Carol laughed.

"We better not wait for her then, I do NOT want to spin the bottle and end up having to kiss that weird ass bitch!" Tommy said, getting a good laugh out of everyone.

Your eyes teared up as you backed away from the window, thinking about what to do. You thought you could just sneak out and go home, cry yourself to sleep, but then you remembered you had left your bike chained up by the backyard fence. There was no way you could get your bike without anyone noticing you sneaking out. Fuck, you knew you should've stayed home reading something or watching TV.

Since you couldn't go home without your bike, you decided to wait until everyone was back inside. It couldn't take that long, you thought, it was freezing out there. But you couldn't stay inside either. Not by yourself. So, you walked over to the front door and opened it, feeling the cold air hit your cheeks. You walked out of the house and into the woods beside the house, where you could still see the backyard, but would be out of sight, a little further from the backyard fence and hidden in the dark shadow of the trees that surrounded the Harrington's property. Once you were settled, seated on the ground, you bursted into tears. Hot, salty tears running through your face as you sobbed, hating everything about yourself, hating the fact that, no matter how hard you tried, you couldn't escape the fact that you were always different. Not in an obvious way — you didn't have that much of a fashion sense that was bold enough to earn dirty looks from old ladies —, but sometimes you felt like you didn't feel things the same way other people did. You felt fragile, small, vulnerable, like you were exposed all the time. It made you feel like shit.

You were so quiet, you couldn't help but to jump out when you heard footsteps behind you and then something snapping, like someone had stepped on a branch or something. You turned around wide eyed, heart pounding, just to see a silhouette standing behind you, holding a little metal lunchbox. It was a boy, shaggy curly hair down to right below his earlobes, Iron Maiden shirt, leather jacket and denim vest, dark loose jeans and heavy black boots.

"Dude, what the fuck" you panted, trying to not look as spooked and jumpy as you were "where did you came from?"

"Shit, sorry" he said, trying to hold back his laughter "didn't mean to scare ya, normally i don't run by anyone when i take this shortcut, though it has been a while since i actually used this shortcut — see, i usually drive mostly everywhere, but i ran out of gas money for the month and i thought 'hey, i could actually use a little walk through the woods to cool my head off a little' so i just decided to- whoa, wait, are you crying? I'm so sorry I didn't mean to scare you like that!" he stopped his rambling when he noticed you were drying your tears with the sleeve of your jacket.

"No, it's not- really, i'm fine" you panicked, noticing he seemed a little hurt by your reaction "i was already crying before you- sorry, it wasn't you, i'm fine don't worry"

He walked over to you and sat down beside you, a concerned look on his face.

"I don't wanna be nosy or anything, I know you don't really know me" he started, you now realizing you did recognise him from school, how could you not? He's always drawing attention to himself "but you can talk to me if you want. I'm guessing you were at Harrington's party? Everyone down there sitting at that circle in the backyard is kinda known for being a pain in the ass"

"What gave it away?" you brushed off your tears, slightly smiling at his comment "Just didn't wanna play truth or dare with… you know, those guys. But it seems they were glad I didn't join them, so they wouldn't have to kiss me if someone decided to play spin the bottle" 

"Wait, what?" he seemed surprised "They told you that?"

"Not exactly" you explained "I was at the kitchen and overheard someone saying that outside, so i bailed"

"What are you still doing here then?- Oh, I'm Eddie, by the way." he introduced himself, shaking your hand as you introduced yourself.

You explained the whole situation to him and he offered to keep you company until you could get your bike back and go home. After an hour of nonsense conversation filled with Eddie's dramatic sense of humor, you actually got to know each other a little bit. He told you about his band and how he really liked Lord of the Rings and fantasy RPG.

"I'm not really a huge fan of fantasy books" you shared, causing him to gasp, as he was offended by your comment.

"How dare you? Are you not a huge fan of happiness too? Or maybe you hate puppies and ice cream?" he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "How can you not like the only way to escape this boring non-fictional world we are FORCED to live in?"

"Hey, don't get me wrong, I do like fiction. Just not... fantasy fiction."

"So what do you like then?"

"I really enjoy science fiction."

"What, like androids and shit?"

"No, not that kind of science fiction. I mean science fiction like... Clockwork Orange, or Flowers for Algernon."

"Oh so you're a nerd too!" he teased "I was almost buying all that 'not a nerd' act, but you're into Kubrick? That's so nerdy!"

"You do know Stanley Kubrick didn't write the book right?"

"Shut up, you know what I mean."

Once he started to talk about music, he just couldn't stop talking for a second. He told you about his band, and you felt as if he was the first person to ever understand your passion for music. After another 30 minutes or so of energetic conversation about how much you both liked 70s rock, he ended up telling you he only attended this kind of party to sell some weed and make a quick buck.

"Don't get me wrong, i fucking hate these people" he explained himself "but they ARE in fact my biggest costumers. Guess daddy's money might not be enough for them to feel loved, but it does buy whatever else they need to feel better about themselves. So, they always make sure I'm 'invited' to every party they want me to bring my little lunchbox to."

"Yeah, that makes sense i guess" you agreed, turning your head over to the backyard, people already heading inside due to the cold. You felt your heart sink, even though all you've been wanting was to take your bike and leave. You were actually really enjoying getting to talk to Eddie.

"Well, i guess this is it" he said, noticing as you watched everyone getting into the house "now you can go home and not listen to me and my rambling about whatever it is i was talking about. Hell, even i can't remember what the hell i was talking about most of the time" he laughed. 

"To be honest, it wasn't that bad" you laughed back "it was definitely better than spin the bottle!"

He chuckled, helping you get up and unchain your bike from the fence, giving you a dorky smile as you hopped up on your bike. 

"Well, I better get back to work huh? Got a lot of customers waiting on me" he gestured to the house as you secured your helmet under your chin.

"Yeah, I better get back home too. My aunt refuses to go to sleep until i get home safe, don't wanna keep her waiting"

"So, I guess I'll see you at school, huh?" he shifted at his feet and kicked the ground, stuffing his hands inside the pockets of his vest.

"Yeah, if there's any seats left for another nerd at your table for lunch" you chuckled awkwardly, looking at your feet.

"For a pretty one like you? Always."

You exchanged an awkward look and smiled at each other again, and with that you followed your way back home, feeling hopeful about how the next few weeks would play out. You thought you had finally found someone you could trust and spend time with, someone who got you — a friend.

For the next week or so, you and Eddie hung out a lot. Finally, you had someone you could call a friend, and things seemed to be going not so bad for the first time in months. He would always save you a seat at the table at lunch and walk you to your classes, he would even give you a ride every once in a while, when his van was not running out of gas. It was something you could get used to — at least until a couple of weeks later, when you, Nancy, Jonathan and Steve ended up trauma bonding over setting a demogorgon on fire. After that, your life had (literally) turned upside down and you didn't hang out with Eddie that much anymore. As the years went by, you would hang out more with Steve and Robin once Nancy and Jonathan started dating. You would still talk to Eddie though, just... not like you talked to your other friends. They were the only ones who actually understood what you were going through, and — even though you missed his company — it would be selfish to tell Eddie everything and drag him into that nightmare. Until of course, the nightmare caught up to him.

[reallyromealone]

Ok ok can you PLS do a part 2 of that ‘resilient’ Eddie fic I NEED to know what happens😭 (If your requests are open) -🥮

Title: resilient

Chapter: 2

Fandom: stranger things

Pairing: Eddie Munson x male reader

Warnings: mentions of rape, angst, omegaverse, mpreg, reader goes through it, breakdowns

Notes: this took way longer than expected

🌑🌒🌓🌔🌕🌖🌗🌘🌑🌒🌓🌔🌕🌖🌗🌘🌑

"uncle Steve!" (Sons name) giggled as he was lifted by the older alpha "you ready to hang out today!" Steve said to his god son who nodded "yeah!" The boy said as (name) handed Steve a cute backpack "you be good alright ducky?" (Name) squished his sons face playfully and kissed his forehead "I will!"

(name) was thankful for his dad, Hopp doing anything he could to help his grandkid and used the daycare that came with being the police chief for their kid till he gets to kindergarten.

Though Hopp would have liked if his kid and grandkid moved back with him, (name) would be able to save better.

"(Name) I know you want to be independent but think about saving money, that money can be used for anything (sons name) needs or wants" hopp reasoned with his son and (name) fidgeted with the mug "you really want me back don't you?" He asked quietly, the older man nodding at his pup and (name)s eyes watered "I just want my pup to be safe!" He said and Hopp felt his heart ache at his son and set the mugs down and held him close as (name) sobbed "don't worry (cute childhood nickname) I got you"

"We moving?" (Sons name) asked curiously as he sat in his grandpa's lap, hop letting the little guy take some of his fries, (name) letting his dad buy them dinner "I need some help so you guys will be moving with me, you think you can help me squirt?"

"Yeah!"

Eddie was a mess.

His... His sweet (name)...

"Holy shit dude, are you alright?!" Dustin wanted to gag at the smell of alcohol as Eddie sat on the floor, eyes tear stained "he was raped, he was raped and I just fucking treated him like shit" Eddie said emotionless as he stared off "he was pregnant with my kid, did you know that? No fucking doubt he's mine... He's literally me"

Dustin halted as Eddie let his head fall onto his knees, holding back a sob.

"I need to go to Hawkins..."

(Name) was banned from helping move their belongings, assigned to keeping his pup company and ordering lunch "papa get chicken chunk" (sons name) whispered and (name) smiled "sure baby" he added it to the order along with pizza, wings and drinks (and garlic bread for Robin). (Sons name) was excited to have a bigger room just for him, (name)s childhood room turned into the pups bedroom with a cool (cartoon/game) bedspread from his grandpa and (name) got the guest room, all his trinkets I'm there. "Chicken chunks? Aren't you already my little chicken chunk, half pint?" Hopp teased as the pup stuck his tongue out playfully at his grandpa, the adults smiling at this interaction.

Dinner, bath and bedtime were all it took as (name) sat alone in his bed staring up at his ceiling as the sound of the clock in the kitchen ticked.

Here he was.

Back Home, in his childhood home with his dad and pup.

Sitting up be walked to a small shoe box he brought in himself, opening it to reveal trinkets, photos and letters, picking up a photo of everyone together and happy as teens.

He glared at nancys annoying face, he saw her a few times around Hawkins when she visited family but never interacted with her and she didn't interact with him, she ruined his life and he kind of hoped she would drop dead.

(Name) didn't grocery shop with his son, he didn't need the boy hearing how people talk about him being a single parent, the snide comments and rude remarks as he tried to make himself invisible under the florescents as his sneakers tapped against the older linoleum.

"Did you hear? Eddie "the freak" Munson is back"

"Yeah, he's like super rich, maybe I can get a sugar daddy"

"But spending time with the freak? Is it worth it?"

(Name) froze as he looked at the nutritional values of two cereals, throat closing up at this information he heard.

Eddie was back?

Why?

He tried not to think about the letters, the emails and messages or the letter he had gotten in the mail a few days after the last email he sent from Eddie's lawyer's, threatening legal action if he doesn't stop trying to contact Eddie with the threat of a restraining order, he took that as Eddie's answer to the concept of meeting his son.

Snapped from his thoughts and continued his shopping, trying not to let anxiety flood him.

He was probably visiting his uncle, the uncle who despised (name) with every fiber of his being-- even publically shaming him for his "whorish behavior" when he saw (name) not long after the breakup, solemnly believing that the fetus inside of (name) was the product of his "cheating" thus till the rape investigation came to light and Eddie had long been gone from town everyone thought he was a cheating slut.

Yeah (name) totally toootally moved on from that, the Alpha who treated him like one of his own turning and Screaming at him to the point of (name) nearly drooping.

Totally...

He wonders if the band came with, thinking of how many people he has to avoid... He wonders if Dustin was with him.

His little sisters friend-- well once friend, Jane burning all communication with Dustin after the young beta made his bed.

He should call her sometime... The girl currently at university with his step brother Will, will was crushed that his best friends did that to (name) and just cut ties with the whole group-- save for Steve and Robin.

"(--me)" "(--ame)!"

"(NAME!)" (name) snapped to look around, when did he get home? The Omega was putting away groceries as his dad looked concerned "I take it you heard?"

"I- yeah... I did..." (Name) said meekly as he fiddled with a container of coffee "do you... Do you think you could pick up (sons name)? I need to start dinner" their code for "I really need time to process and don't have the capacity for anything else right now" and the older alpha pat his sons back "I got you bite size" he said as he went to go get his grandkid "you know no matter what, I got your back right? You can depend on your dad"

"Thanks dad..." (Name) said with a soft, sad smile before he was alone in the house to think.

"Maybe I should go on that blind date Robin was talking about"

[biancasaidstfu]

I'm putting odds on Jonathan or Nancy:

Those are the two families that haven't had death losses yet

It would resolve the "triangle" without there having to be a choice

I hesitate on it being Steve only because that would mean Dustin lost all of his older male role models and that sucks

If the do kill one of the kids, I'm thinking Mike (so the group falls apart their separate ways) or Lucas (because for the most part, he's just there)

Johnathan is a good candidate but I feel like Will is gonna go out and I don’t think they’ll leave Joyce with childless.

I think Nancy is too strong of a character but I do think they’ll fuck her up a bit.

I would hate for Steve to die especially after Dustin lost Eddie (who’s dead dead he ain’t comin back Chrissy wake up pls) but he makes me nervous bc he’s grown so much.

I think everything with Max is messing with Lucas but I think they’re both safe. Mike is iffy but idk if they’ll take him out. His dad though? Might not make the cut.

[cacoetheswriting]

pearl: october 1985

pairing: eddie munson x fem!reader word count: 2.3k summary: rebuilding your friendship with eddie was easy. trying to remain just friends is hard, but how do you tell him that?

content warnings: best friends to lovers, slow burn, mutual pining, suggestive & mature themes, adult language, use of pet names, idiots in love, emotional hurt / comfort, self-doubt / insecurities, reader has nightmares - if i missed anything, pls let me know!

pearl masterlist

“Anything you need, you just call me, okay?” You say to the young girl, “No matter the time of day, no matter where you are or if you think you’ll be interrupting me, just call.”

“Thanks.” Eleven mutters and does her best to offer you a smile.

“You and I, we gotta stick together, El.” You pull her in for a short lived hug. “Only we know what this feels like and we gotta support each other.”

“I’ll call you. I promise,” she assures before walking over to say goodbye to her friends.

By the time the Byers’ house is empty, boxes and bags packed into the car, everyone is crying. There’s some more hugs and you watch them drive off, holding onto Nancy. Once the car is out of sight, Steve asks you both to come over, hang out with him and Robin for a bit. It’s a request you politely decline. Going through a rollercoaster of emotions this afternoon, there was only one place you truly wanted to be.

Things between Eddie and you were pretty much back to normal. Ever since the incident at Starcourt Mall, you two were inseparable. Everywhere you went, there the metalhead followed — as if he was afraid something would happen if you were apart.

Eddie only ever left you alone to sleep, but even then it was only a couple of nights a week. Convincing him to stay with you wasn’t hard, convincing him to share a bed with you was even easier, and having Eddie by your side most nights helped you not only fall asleep but also stay asleep.

The horrible dreams you had earlier this year of the Demodogs, as described to you by the kids, were nothing compared to the nightmares you had been having ever since the events from the start of July. Witnessing the horrors of the Upside Down first hand… no one could have prepared you for that. And now, almost every single night, you woke up panting or actually screaming.

The first time you had a nightmare around Eddie, you borderline gave him a heart attack. The poor boy jumped out of bed, ready to tackle whatever intruder he perceived had broken into your bedroom. What he found instead was you, sitting hunched over in your bed with tears streaming down your face.

To this day, you hadn't told the metalhead what actually happened the night of the 4th of July. You decided along with the rest of the group that it was better he didn’t know the truth. Not only was this your way of protecting him, you figured even if you did try to explain, Eddie probably wouldn’t believe you. 

So you lied and said you’d been having nightmares ever since your dad died and he was kind enough not to press on the matter further.

Life with Eddie was easy, it always had been. Aside from your persistent nightmares, you quickly slipped back into your best friend dynamic and the remainder of the summer was uneventful. Only your feelings for him grew stronger. Past the platonic mark you were hovering over when you left for college; when you first kissed him.

You didn’t know how to tell him or if you should say anything in the first place. After all, you just got your friendship back to what it used to be and you sure as hell weren’t going to be the one to jeopardise that. He had the letters. He read them. There was nothing more to it.

But Eddie Munson never made anything easy for you. With his lingering touches, heartwarming stares. If you didn’t know any better, you’d think he still loved you too.

And you say “still” because, even though the metalhead never admitted it out loud, you’re ninety-nine percent sure he once did — if the kiss you shared was any indication, however contrived it may have been, under the circumstances. 

“Say your goodbyes?” Eddie asks when you appear in his room. He’s sitting on his bed, legs spread out in front of him and a copy of Lord of the Rings in his hands. He sets the book to the side when you plop next to him, head instantly attaching itself to his shoulder like a magnet.

“Yeah,” you exhale, “I hate goodbyes.”

“Me too,” he mutters as he intertwines his fingers with yours. “But this time it’s for the best, you know? The girl needs to get away for a while. Honestly, I didn’t even know Hopper had a kid and then for him to just die in that fire, leaving her all alone—”

Eddie bites his tongue and glances down at you. “Let’s talk about something else,” he offers and you meet his gaze.

“Like what?”

He licks his lips, pondering the question for a moment. You can’t help but to avert your gaze to where his tongue pressed against his pretty mouth. A certain warm feeling settles in your core as you wonder what it would be like to kiss him.

“How about I read to you?”

You raise an eyebrow, but the metalhead doesn’t wait for your protest — not like he would’ve gotten one anyway. He reaches for the novel he previously set aside and opens to the desired page. He clears his throat while you settle your head back on his shoulder, patiently waiting for him to start.

“Beautiful she is, sir! Lovely! Sometimes like a great tree in flower, sometimes like a white daffadowndilly, small and slender like.” Eddie enunciates, the tone of his voice completely intoxicating.

“Hard as di’monds, soft as moonlight. Warm as sunlight, cold as frost in the stars. Proud and far-off as a snow-mountain, and as merry as any lass I ever saw with daisies in her hair in springtime…”

Every word that spills from his lips is like honey and you’re completely hooked.

“It strikes me that folk takes their peril with them into Lorien, and finds it there because they’ve brought it. But perhaps you could call her perilous, because she’s so strong in herself.”

Eddie pauses. You can sense him shift in his position ever so slightly to look at you, so you look up to meet his doe eyes, a smile creeping up on your features.

“Why did you stop? Keep going.”

He licks his lips although doesn’t say what’s on his mind. Instead, he continues with the book like you ask. “You, you could dash yourself to pieces on her, like a ship on a rock; or drownd yourself, like a hobbit in a river.”

And as he reads, you start to zone out. You can feel yourself drift away. The soothing sound of his voice is putting you to sleep, but just as your eyes are about to close, you hear something.

“But neither rock nor river would be to blame—”

You press your index finger to Eddie’s mouth, getting him to stop. He’s clearly puzzled, quickly taking it in his hand, moving it to the side, only so slightly since the sensation of your skin against his lips makes his heart skip a beat. But he doesn’t dwell on the feeling, afraid to ruin things when they’ve just gotten good, instead shooting you a quizzical look.

“Thought you wanted me to keep going, princess.”

You ignore him. “Can you hear that?”

Eddie’s silent for a split second. Then he says, “Oh, that’s just Wayne. He must have the radio on.”

“Yeah, obviously. I’m talking about the song that’s playing.”

The two of you shift your attention to the door separating Eddie’s bedroom from the remainder of the trailer, though still holding onto one another in some way. The physical touch making up for time lost, you tell yourself, but the reason is clearly much different.

Now that you’re both completely quiet, the unmistakable voice of Janis Joplin seeps in through the small crack. ‘From the Kentucky coal mine to the California sun. There Bobby shared the secrets of my soul.’

You look back at each other almost in an instant and Eddie chuckles, your own giggle follows shortly after. Lighthearted and pure. The situation isn’t necessarily funny, but in this moment, you are both so happy to simply be around each other, the laughter engulfs you whole. And as you’re laughing, you’re inclining even closer to one another.

Then the laughter dies down.

Eddie’s cupping your cheek while your fingers wrap around his wrist, holding him in place. His nose slides down the side of yours and his lips are inches away as they part. Yet it’s not until his hot breath sends a shiver down your spine that you realise what’s about to happen, and more importantly, how much you want it. You’re practically aching with anticipation.

Eddie’s got this look in his eyes, dark and needy. His pupils dilate the longer he stares and it makes you think he wants you too, desperately. You inhale softly, mind racing ‘cause this is a line that you only crossed once back in November and ever since then, you’ve been dancing around the topic, unspoken, untouched. Crossing it again had many possible outcomes — all equally terrifying and exhilarating.

His gaze drops to your lips and your heart flutters in your chest.

“Can I kiss you?”

It’s a whisper, but you hear it as loud as screaming. The question rattles through every fibre of your being and you nod, once, twice. Slow and steady, as you open your mouth to give him a verbal answer.

But before you get a chance, there’s a knock on Eddie’s bedroom door and he drops his hand from your face instantly before pulling away. He clears his throat and suddenly you’re hyper-aware of your surroundings ‘cause he slides off the bed completely avoiding eye contact, completely avoiding the question he’s just asked.

“Yeah?” Eddie calls out, getting up on his feet.

Wayne bops his head in, not fully opening the door. He glances between the two of you, a knowing smirk circling his moustache-covered lips, before his eyes settle on his nephew.

“Headin’ out for a little while. Need anythin’?”

Eddie says no, answering for the two of you. Wayne nods his head and following a swift goodbye, telling you both to be good, he disappears just as fast as he made his appearance. Door closing with a gentle thud.

An awkward silence settles in the air once you are alone with the metalhead again. 

Eddie scratches the back of his neck, gaze settling on the hem of your skirt, where the material ends and your bare leg starts. He swallows his breath, Adam’s apple bobbing. You watch your best friend attentively, afraid of being the first one that speaks. Afraid of asking what’s on his mind, if he wants to continue what you both started before you were unexpectedly interrupted.

That’s not to say the metalhead also wasn’t spinning out, ‘cause he most definitely was. His quiet demeanour was specifically to cover up the fact that he didn’t know what to say now that the moment was gone. 'Cause it was gone... right?

Can I kiss you?, his earlier question rattles inside his brain. Eddie thinks you would’ve said yes, after all, you were nodding. But if he asked again now, would you still want to do it? Would you let him kiss you?

Jesus, why was he so bad at this.

“Uhm,” he sighs, leaning against the edge of his desk. “I-I… Fuck, princess, I-I don’t want to do anything to ruin what we just got back.”

He finally looks up to meet your gaze. “I really, really don’t.”

“I don’t either, Eds.” You say to him and hope he can detect the honesty in your voice, knees now pressed to your chest, arms wrapped tightly around them. “We lost a lot of time.”

“That we did,” he agrees.

“I feel guilty about it.”

“Me too.”

He stares at you, brown-eyes full of sorrow. Your heart aches at the sad, puppy-dog face he’s sporting. All you want is to reach for him, but you’re frozen in place. Glued to the bed, holding your own limbs. And it’s moments like these that make you want to take back everything that’s happened this last year. The kiss, the fight, the months of not speaking. Take back the things that have now become topics you haven’t really talked about. Topics that you both brushed over, then brushed under the carpet.

You know it’s bad to hold shit in, but avoidance has been a third-party in your friendship with Eddie pretty much from day one.

“So, what do you wanna do, princess?” Eddie asks, hopeful.

“We can just take it day by day, I guess. I mean, I know how I feel about you,” you answer honestly, “I also know that it’s a scary world out there and I’d rather have you as just a friend than nothing at all.”

A smile breaks through the brunette’s features. He stumbles forward, settling back on the bed next to you with a small bounce. He reaches for your hand, forcing his fingers between your knuckles and squeezing gently. You tilt your head and he matches your movements, pretty eyes meeting yours.

“I know how I feel about you too, princess.”

pearl masterlist

& tagging some cool people that expressed interest in this lil series: @cactusangie , @spenciesprincess , @capitanostella , @ashlynnkennedy , @ms1oftheboys

[gothmikewheeler]

STRANGER THINGS CHARACTERS RANKED BY HOW ANGRY I'D BE IF THEY DIED

from less angry to most

first of all disclaimer: i... like angst. like i'm gonna kind of be giving some hot takes and most of what i'm gonna be doing isn't like "i'll be so sad" it's: narratively that's a stupid move and it diminishes my respect for u as a writer (@ duffers, fic writers do whatever u want)

i'm gonna ignore like. vecna and random villains bc like yeah i'll be happy when u die.

and pls don't bring eddie back, even if my dad would love that. he just likes guitars.

but my first hot take: max mayfield bbg if u don't freaking stay dead i'm gonna lose my MIND. bc i'm still angry they are even hinting at her survival but i've written so much ab this so i'll limit it to: stakes!!! like why does everyone come back!!! it really is cool that they lost and that scene was done SO WELL i was sobbing!!! STOP PLEAASE!!! buuuut i will mention i want her soul whatever to be some guiding force in the upside down and itd be cool n horrific if she "woke up" but it was rlly just the mind flayer and she rlly was gone and they had to kill her!!

murray idc

i'm gonna try not to delve into side characters but i hope ted wheeler is BONES for funsies. like i want the wheelers to be orphaned...

which leads me to karen wheeler my bestie... if anyone has followed me ever u know what she means to me. if we can get the wheeler arc awesome!!! but if she dies, it NEEDS to be as a consequence for not breaking the cycle and staying with ted. PHYSICALLY!!!

steve: im sorry i wouldnt gaf but also we would not hear the FREAKING END OF IT EVERRRR

jonathan: if stancy happens he shld kill himself in front of them changing the trajectories of their lives forever bc wtf. i like him n nancy but also i think if possessed will killed him early on a la jean grey then i would be so happy and be able to say ive called it since like s2. OH AND IVE ALSO ALWAYS SAID THIS JOYCE FOCUSING ON PROTECTING ONE SON SO HARD SHE LOSES THE OTHER <333

do i start the mike paragraph now? bc there are multiple different facets of this take. but i'll keep it simple and i'm happy to elaborate: if he's straight kill him. HAPPY PRIDE MONTH. like give him smth to dooooooo. except u literally won't have earned that so idk but i want smth to happen with him if hes not gay bc he's me and I'LL WANT TO DIE. im actually having a hard time writing ab the possibility of mike being straight bc it's so unfathomable to me LMAO. whatever. i like angst and itd be fun. except i rlly think he's surviving bc of that one leak with hop.

dustin, i also feel like ppl are annoying af ab and infantilize him so let him go thru some shit this is the interdimensional eldritch horrors show.

nancy: i kind of want all the wheelers to die and kind of like be that one family that just. went away. like literally embodiment of forced conformity gone. but as for nancy, i feel like they'd need to write the hell out of it for it to feel right. thats true of anyone tbh.

im kinda in to killing the kids just bc like woo horror show and stakes whatevs but erica is not dying.

robin is like not dying, neither is vickie.

i'd be pissed if hopper died only bc he alr had the fake out death. which SUCK ANYWAY.

if lucas dies im OUT WTF DID HE EVER DO TO ANY OF U

will and honestly it's bc of the fake out death but MORE SO bc it would undermine ALL the stakes of every season bc what do u mean bob died and will still dies. what do u mean hop gave up el for will and he just dies later. lameeeeeee. give the boy some peace.

im putting joyce higher than will and some of u will crucify me for that but tell me u think they would kill her for her own character/narrative/arc reasons and not to further the development of a man (hopper, will, etc). like she STARTED this show.

if el dies i think that would make me more mad than byler not being canon genuinely, FUCK OFF. the idea of her dying started this whole post bc i saw a tiktok of mbb reacting to el's "ending" and i'm HOPING she was just mad bc mlvn is over. PLEASE (like esp if byler is canon bc WDYM SHE WOULD DIE AFTER HER AND HER BF BREAK DIEEEEE)

[livwritesstuff]

Okay so, do you headcannon any of the girls as also being LGBTQ? If so which one (s)

yeah i've put a normal amount of thought into this? hopefully?

mostly because, as an lgbtq person who was surrounded entirely by straight adults, I sometimes wonder how being raised by queer people affects your perception of being queer yourself. if any of y’all were raised by lgbtq people, pls weigh in because i’d truly love your input, but i have to imagine that at a minimum, you might have a totally different view of sexuality in general. it might not be a whole thing or whatever for them to date girls as well as or instead of boys because not only are they being raised by two dads, but they're also close with their aunts Robin and Nancy, and practically half of their other aunts and uncles are queer in some capacity too, so being lgbt was never "out of the norm" for them.

i also think that “psychology guy”-steve took a “psych of gender” class in college (it actually would probably have been called something like “women’s psych” at the time but the coursework would be the same-ish) that changed his entire life, and he made sure that he and eddie weren’t raising their daughters to fall into those gender role traps. The girls played with toy trains and cars as much as they played with their pretend kitchen, didn’t get scolded for roughhousing unless someone was getting injured for real, and were always allowed to explore whatever interests they wanted without any regard for whether or not it was a "girl thing".

All in all, I think the girls just go through life liking who they like and not making the who part of it a big deal.

Anyway, to answer your actual question –

Moe is gay. 100%. Also – anyone who read this and caught a vibe between her and Gray. Y’all are spot on. I don’t think they’d date in high school though; it’d be more like the situation in this tiktok.

I feel like Robbie is the kid who tried on different labels like hats in high school, but once she hit her college years and mellowed out a little bit, she landed on ol’ reliable queer and stuck with it. She does date cis men, and could probably label herself pansexual if she wanted to, but she’s also pretty much the physical embodiment of this tiktok trend, so it’s rare for her to find a guy she can tolerate dating longer than a month (much to Steve and Eddie’s relief).

Also, if any of them experience any kind of gender fuckery, it's probably Robbie, but again, her dads never made gender a big deal growing up so she kind of just rides the wave of it as it comes (and plays around with her gender expression quite a bit – Frankie from Better Things vibes perhaps?)

I’m on the fence about Hazel. She could def give femme lesbian energy, but I also v much enjoy the idea of Steve and Eddie sweating over finding out she has a boyfriend. Bisexual maybe? idk idk i’ll keep you updated

[spicysix]

anywhere u go

Argyle had no idea the living nightmare he was getting himself into when he first decided to follow Jonathan Byers. Well, he'd do it again in a heartbeat anyway.

rating: T

warnings: this fic includes weed, the teeniest hint of ptsd, questionable informations about the united states' AND the canadian's geography from a brazilian writer (so, probably, mistakes. look past them pls), also questionable english by a brazilian writer not beta-read, weather as a metaphor, and subtle pining.

word count: 5.6k

author's note: title from the song of the same name by Tove Lo. written for Lex's Spicy Six Summer Fanwork Challenge, for the dialogue prompt “I’m really glad we did this”. thanks for hosting this amazing event @thefreakandthehair ♡

↳ read on ao3

If someone asked him, Argyle wasn’t sure he’d be able to retell the whole thing.

And, sure, maybe you could blame the weed a little bit. He might have partaken in it a few times here or there during the whole thing. It was right there in the van! How could he say no? Not at any of the big moments, though, of course not. He’s a stoner, not an idiot. He only smoked twice on the road when Jonathan was the one driving, that hotbox he did with Eden, beautiful goth goddess of his dreams, and once to prepare the pizza during the whole freezer piggyback thing (he likes being high when working in the kitchen okay, don’t go away judging). When they got to Hawkins, he only collected mushrooms, didn’t do them. He didn’t even have the time.

It wasn’t any kind of substance that made the next few weeks go by hazily.

It was just too much.

Chaos was installed when they arrived in Hawkins. Earthquakes had ripped open wounds into the soil of the small town — living, squeamish, bleeding wounds. Argyle learned later they were portals to the dimension under their own, where all the problems surrounding his friend’s family came from in the first place.

People were missing and hurt, some even died with the way the gates tore through houses and buildings, and the mood around Hawkins as they drove through it was rightfully sour.

Jonathan drove to his girlfriend’s house, some other people were already there and it was a beautiful reunion, it really was, but Argyle felt out of place. They parted ways after, and the ones that had been there already headed to the High School to drop some donations — except for Nancy, who went inside the van and into the passenger seat as if she owned it.

It had been Argyle’s.

But it was okay, he stayed in the back with the kiddos.

They went to the hospital, one of them — the one Supergirl had mentally piggybacked on — was hurt and in a coma. Argyle waited in the van as the rest of them went in to see her — he didn’t know her, didn’t want to invade their space.

After the visit they headed to an old cabin in the woods, abandoned, destroyed, pieces of its ceiling missing. Jonathan said Supergirl used to live there with her dad, the dead cop, and while they all reconnected and cleaned up the place, Argyle found those mushrooms that he didn’t use.

Didn’t even have the time to, because suddenly it was snowing ashes and he found his friend and his friend’s family — including his mom and a tall skinny bald guy, where did they come from? — looking over the city from the hill and the open field, and the flowers were dead and there was smoke coming from the place where all the portals met downtown.

Too much happening at the same time, and suddenly Jonathan was grabbing Argyle’s wrist and pulling him back to the van, “let’s go get the others, oh and by the way the tall skinny bald guy is the dead cop, oh and by the way my mom went to the Soviet Union to rescue him, oh and by the way the world is ending.”

So they went back to the hospital, to warn the siblings that were keeping watch over the comatose redhead, but they didn’t wanna join them back. Told Jonathan to reach through the walkies if he needed them.

So they went to the school, found the pretty guy and the cute girl that looked and acted like siblings plus the small curly one, pretty guy told them all they could go to his house cause it was big and clean and empty and they could use it as headquarters. Nancy shivered at the suggestion, her jaw tensed and Jonathan looked at her with caution, but they all agreed anyway.

So they went to pretty guy’s house, it really was big and clean and empty — all sadly so. The ones coming from California took their much needed showers, un-dead cop called a friend of his and told him to come meet them, the kids reached out to the siblings in the hospital to let them know where they all were.

It was too much.

Argyle set the water of his shower to the coldest temperature he could bare to try and shock some sense into himself. Looked at his reflection in the mirror and if it wasn’t him, he wouldn’t know all the shit that guy went through that last week. Government agents dying in his work van that he ended up stealing, a superpowered girl he helped rescue, an evil dimension with an evil wizard, people in comas and people coming back from the dead, gates to the underworld burning through a small town — and how he got roped into all of that by following a friend across the country.

He’d say he was a pretty good friend at that point.

He waited in the living room with the others as everyone went through rotations of showers, and cute girl made him a sandwich and it was nice of her, Little Byers sat by his side cause he was one of the only people who knew Argyle, and it was nice of him. When Jonathan arrived all cleaned up and smelling soapy, he sat by Argyle’s other side and Argyle felt himself relax if only a little.

They waited until un-dead cop’s friend showed up, and for some reason he showed up with two other Russian guys and a government lady and oh boy was Argyle even more confused.

Everyone took their turns retelling their own stories and gluing all the pieces together, and it was a somber story, it was bad as a horror movie and Argyle kind of wanted to throw himself out the window and get in the first bus back to California but he had no one there and in here he at least had the Byers. They were a good family, the closest to one Argyle had. So he stuck around through the puzzle.

Once in a while they referenced something that had happened in the years before and Argyle didn’t get the references because he hadn’t been there but he was sure Jonathan could fill him in later. Or he wouldn’t, and Argyle wouldn’t mind that either because it would at least save him from nightmares.

There had been losses, some friend of theirs in Hawkins — small curly one seemed to be the most affected by it, and Supergirl’s boyfriend was also really upset when he learned the news. Besides him, other three teenagers were victims of the evil wizard, plus their friend who survived but was in a coma.

On their side, a doctor dead and a doctor missing — apparently captured by the side of the government that was trying to kill Supergirl, that government lady said. Not her side trying to kill Supergirl. Another side. But apparently the doctors could help and it was relevant to know about their situation. The parents didn’t seem to agree a lot, and neither did Supergirl.

Un-dead cop’s friend made a joke about how at least on their side only bad commies had died, but the joke didn’t land. They weren’t in a nice mood for jokes.

It was too much, everyone talking about terrible things happening and talking over each other and Argyle’s head was about to explode in pain so at some point when they were all going through the timeline for the third time, he escaped and headed outside through the front door.

Jonathan found him after a couple of minutes.

“Is this too much?” he asked, and Argyle nodded. “I’m sorry. Wish we could smoke right now,” he said.

Argyle hummed, “It’s gonna look real unprofessional of us if we do, though, right?”

“It really will.” Jonathan chuckled, but it was dry and humorless.

They just stood there in silence for a few minutes, and Argyle’s fingers were trembling a little and maybe it was abstinence, probably was, but the clouds were fucking red and the smoke still made ashes rain down and it was terrifying.

“We should go inside,” Jonathan said after a while.

Argyle sighed and followed him in.

Over the next week they all hung out almost exclusively in pretty boy’s house (pretty boy’s name was Steve, Argyle learned. He dated Nancy before Jonathan did. They had a weird thing going on) and planned for the next step they’d take into, hopefully for the last time, saving the world. Well, it was Argyle’s first, but it still counted right. The kids called their parents and they all seemed to trust the old teens to be good babysitters even during the apocalypse, plus Ms. Byers and the un-dead cop were of course to be trusted.

Argyle was mostly tuned out of everything, but that was okay, firstly because he was the last one to join the mess and didn’t know the details as well as the rest of them, and it wasn’t a good use of their time to explain it to Argyle time and time again when they could be plotting strategies. So Argyle took over pretty boy Steve’s kitchen and kept his battalion fed and strong for battle.

The other reason he kept tuned out was, of course, so he wouldn’t freak the fuck out.

Keeping himself entertained with cooking — and, not going to lie, a little weed here and there when they found it — was the only thing still keeping him from that original plan of throwing himself out the window and catching the first bus back to California.

Sometimes the rest of the Party — as they called themselves, what a weird bunch — would help or at least keep him company. Un-dead cop’s friend (un-dead cop was Hopper, friend was Murray) was a great cook as Argyle already knew from that risotto, but he was also really weird and gave Argyle the creeps. Ms. Byers kept telling him to call her Joyce, tried her best in the kitchen and her food wasn’t bad, but it also wasn’t good. He liked talking to her, though. Cute girl — pretty boy Steve’s platonic soulmate, Robin — was real funny and a delight to talk to, but a fire hazard personified and not allowed near the stove. Steve could bake some mean breakfast and he was also really cool, Argyle didn’t know why Jonathan was so adamant about keeping a grudge.

“You’d like Eddie, he was a dealer,” Steve said one night as they sat in the backyard staring at the pool and smoking what was left of Argyle’s purple palm tree delight. “And he for sure would like you, and this.” Steve waved the joint around before handing it back to Argyle. Steve’s smile was sad, and Argyle hadn’t known the guy so he didn’t know how to feel or what to say. So they just kept smoking.

Nancy was how Argyle found out about the whole story between her, Jonathan and Steve — and Argyle understood partly why Jonathan held a grudge. Steve was a nice guy now though, Nancy said and Argyle knew it was true because they talked and smoked a lot late at nights, but it wasn’t his place to tell Jonathan how to feel about his girlfriend’s ex who called him slurs, physically fought him and then saved his life more than once. It was a tough spot, alright.

The kids were something else. He barely saw the siblings — Lucas Erica, the ones at comatose redhead’s, Max, bedside. They were, all three of them, constantly brought up, though, and it almost made it seem like they were there all the time. The small curly one, Dustin, seemed to think he was touched by god’s wisdom at all times, and it could be funny but it could also be a little annoying. He was pretty Steve’s favorite, though. That was interesting. Little Byers (Will) and Mike — Supergirl’s now ex-boyfriend — had something going on but Argyle wasn’t sure if he wanted to know what. Jonathan went grumpy anytime they were together, and his older brother protective act was amusing.

Supergirl — Jane, El — was Argyle’s favorite though, and there was no competition there. She was weird and tiny and badass and adorable and a huge menace, not only in the way that she could literally blow things up with her mind, but because she could be a little troublemaker kid in the best way a kid should be a troublemaker in. She was sweet and delicate and just so fucking little, and her shoulders were too tiny to hold all the weight they carried, so Argyle did his best to bake her the frozen waffles she loved, told her funny exaggerated stories so she’d laugh, gave her tight hugs whenever she needed them. It was sad that she needed them a lot. But she always thanked him and told him his hugs were the best hugs ever, so he’d hug her once again before letting her go. He liked that she smiled a lot near him. The world owed her more smiles, and he was glad to take that task.

Jonathan did his best to make Argyle feel like he was part of it all. Argyle wasn’t so sure if he even wanted to be a part of it all in the first place, but since he was dragged to it without any other option, he was glad he at least had Jonathan by his side. He chose to pair up with Argyle when they were assigned guest bedrooms in Steve’s big house so Argyle wouldn’t be alone, even if he could be with Nancy. He never scolded Argyle for smoking because he knew Argyle did it to cope, to calm down, to get less stressed and anxious — and he knew the situation was stressing and anxiety-inducing as hell. He never complained if Argyle didn’t participate in their planning sessions because he knew Argyle’s lack of previous knowledge would probably just slow them down, and once during the night he said he’d do anything to leave Argyle as out of it as he could, that he felt guilty for bringing Argyle into all of it in the first place.

Argyle blamed him, it really was kind of Jonathan’s fault, but he also forgave him.

He forgave him the second after it all happened.

He would probably follow Jonathan anyway even if he knew beforehand where he was headed to.

He followed Jonathan into the final battle against that slimy, evil, twisted, disgusting son of a bitch. He followed Jonathan with homemade armor and homemade weapons, and a courage he didn’t really have. He followed Jonathan, El, Will, and Joyce — and all the rest of their weird, codependent, brought together by disasters, wrecked and beautiful found family. He was stuck with them now forever, he knew it. He wasn’t complaining. They were his family now, too.

But that specific day, that was the one that was the most blurred out. Maybe it was a coping mechanism that his fucked up brain came up with to give him a rest, or maybe it was his brain too fucked up from all the weed usage, but he was glad either way. If someone asked him, Argyle was sure he wouldn’t be able to retell the whole thing.

It was way too much. He was glad he didn’t remember.

They were all alive and sore and bruised and hurt after it, and they all still stayed in Steve’s big house — to make sure they were all together if it wasn’t really over, and because they healed better as a pack. The government lady had found her lost doctor sometime in the middle of it all, and the whole Party got some good deals out of everything. Argyle wasn’t even going to be sued by Surfer Boy Pizza for stealing a company van. He actually got to keep it, and he took out the surfboard from the roof, took out all the company stickers, cleaned it up real good and it ended up looking like a regular beautiful yellow van where no man had ever died inside.

El seemed to have lost her powers for good this time, but she was relieved. Will was never haunted by the creepy chills in the back of his neck again. Max woke up, and she was blind and would probably never walk again, but she was so grateful. Argyle cooked her favorite food — information provided by El — when she was released from the hospital, and of course she was led straight to Steve’s house. She didn’t know Argyle before the apocalypse almost took her away, but she thanked him with a beautiful crooked smile of a girl who defeated death, and everyone surrounded her with love and warmth and everything was almost perfect. They were acting like the kids they were. They were allowed to, now. The only thing they’d have to worry about from now on was school and homework, the occasional regular teenage problems. No more evil scientists, no more evil wizards, no more evil dimensions. Just, a bad grade in Latin, or having an unrequited crush, a pimple in the middle of their foreheads. Argyle was so happy for them.

Jonathan and the rest of the older ones also got to go back to normal. Steve and Robin’s only worry was finding a new job. Nancy and Jonathan finally talked it out and resolved their issues — by breaking up. Nancy would go to Emerson, Boston, as she wished, and Jonathan didn’t want to and it was fine. They had grown too much, apart from each other in the few months they were away. They didn’t need to be each other’s grounding points anymore, because they could find other people and find themselves and worry about regular young adult stuff like a bad grade in Journalism 101 or the fact they were out of weed or photographic film.

Jonathan wanted to go to New York.

Argyle could get on the first bus back to California, but he had no one there and that was okay, because here he had Jonathan. Jonathan, who Argyle crossed the country for, who Argyle walked into Hell for, who Argyle would probably follow anywhere.

So Jonathan decided to go to New York, and Argyle decided to follow him.

They took the renewed regular yellow van where no man had ever died, belts buckled in for the first time ever because they valued their lives a whole lot now. They took an atlas from Robin’s collection, a few pre-rolled joints Steve bought from god knows who, a bunch of snacks the kids gathered for them, clothes they borrowed because they ran away from California with no bags, and a tight hug from each and every one of their weird, codependent, brought together by disasters, wrecked and beautiful found family.

They took the I-69 to Indy, the I-70 to Pittsburgh, the I-76 to Philadelphia, and the I-95 to New York. Twenty hours on the road was nothing considering it took them three days to get from middle-of-bumfuck-nowhere (Nevada) to middle-of-bumfuck-nowhere (Indiana). They took turns driving, stopped for gas and lunch and dinner and a smoke session, slept in the back of the van in a parking lot until they weren’t high anymore, arrived in New York as the sky was pouring down on the city.

“The rain is nice,” Jonathan commented as he looked through the window in the passenger seat.

It hadn’t rained in Hawkins ever since the world almost ended. No matter how many times they showered, bathed, scrubbed all the grime and dirt and blood away, sometimes it still felt like they weren’t clean. The town was definitely still dirty.

“The rain is nice,” Argyle agreed.

They kept driving around, they got trapped in traffic, they got screamed and horned at, they laughed back because it felt nonsensical to be mad about cars in streets. They stopped at a diner, ate a bunch of eggs sunny side up, to counter the weather, watched the regulars and the waitresses and the cook in their routines, and they smiled at each other because it was so nice to see normal things for once. People living their normal lives. Not a single one of them aware that the two weird kids in the corner booth almost died so they could be spilling coffee on the counter and getting their mouths dirty with grease.

They asked for a cheap recommendation on a place they could rest, drove a little more, got a little more trapped in traffic, got a little more yelled and horned at, until they found the shitty motel that the waitress promised was decently cleaned no matter how fucked up it looked on the outside. But their expectations bar wasn’t high, anyway. They had two beds, separated by a tiny nightstand table, and they fell asleep turned to face each other, curtains open and bathroom lights on because the darkness couldn’t be trusted.

Next day emerged with the clouds all gone, the weirdest of contrasts, and a chilly wind kept throwing Argyle’s hair to all sides and Jonathan kept looking at him with a soft smile whenever it whipped his pale skin. They left the van in the motel and walked and walked and walked until their feet hurt, had no idea where they were going and no exact place to go to, a joint shared and their fingers touched and their mouths wrapped around the same paper. It was nothing, and it was everything.

They watched people passing by, everyone in such a hurry, people scowling and people smiling and people somehow with their expressions completely neutral. People living their normal lives, not a single one of them aware that the two weird kids walking shoulder to shoulder almost died so they could be running to catch the subway or signing for a cab to stop.

They managed to get back to the motel, took their showers, scrubbed scrubbed scrubbed and still felt unclean, collapsed on their separate beds again, turned to face each other, curtains open, bathroom lights left on.

Jonathan wanted to go to NYU.

Ever since he was six years old, he told Argyle. The Tisch Photography program was a big one, his dream ever since he had a bowl cut worst than Will’s, when his father was still home and his mom wasn’t overprotective because none of them knew monsters existed just under their feet.

Jonathan’s eyes gleamed as he spoke about the university, so Argyle offered and Jonathan agreed, and the next day Jonathan hopped on a subway train and Argyle followed him.

The subway was too much, Argyle noticed. He shared a look with Jonathan over someone else’s shoulder and knew they were thinking the same.

They went south south south to Greenwich Village with its pretty brownstones and its artsy students roaming around, so many of them, and Jonathan stopped across the street looking at the Tisch building for a long time, inconveniently in the middle of the sidewalk, his fellow hipsters having to walk around him. Argyle looked at Jonathan the whole time, saw it firsthand as his gears turned, as the gleam in his eyes faded, as the wrinkle in his forehead deepened.

“Too much?” he asked.

Jonathan nodded. “For now, at least.”

Argyle just started walking and Jonathan followed, and they just walked across Greenwich Village until they were at the pier and they looked at New Jersey from afar, all the ferries crossing the Hudson, people still in a hurry all the goddamn time and Argyle’s fingers tapped against the railing that was there to stop him from falling into the water. He kinda wanted to do it just to see what it would feel like. He lost track of time staring at the water, and the boats, and the people on the boats living their normal lives, not a single one of them aware of the two weird kids on the pier that almost died so they could cross the river on a daily basis; and he felt Jonathan staring at him and maybe it should’ve been the other way around.

“Wanna try again?” he asked after, maybe, hours, and Jonathan nodded.

They walked back, Jonathan stopped inconveniently in the middle of the sidewalk across the street, stared at the Tisch building for what wasn’t longer than a minute and a half.

“Too much,” he decided.

They took the subway back north north north to the motel, took their showers, scrubbed scrubbed scrubbed and still felt unclean, collapsed on their separate beds again, curtains open, bathroom lights left on. Jonathan turned away and slept looking at the wall. Argyle slept looking at Jonathan’s back.

Sun was still out bright the next day.

They went out silently for breakfast at a café a few blocks down, heard the weirdest fucking story told by the people sitting at the table next to them. One look at each other and they were back at the motel, into the van, across the bridge, east east east into Long Island and clouds started to appear the more further east they went.

Montauk sure had that creepy energy hanging in the air, as if everyone was constantly waiting for the shoe to drop, but it somehow didn’t feel as world-ending as Hawkins did. Jonathan whispered that if Will was there, he’d probably be scratching his neck by now.  They kept heading east, into the State Park, to the lookout, out of the van. Stared at the ocean. All that amount of water, the vast nothingness of the view and the wide greatness it contained, and it should’ve been too much but Argyle let out a long sigh and breathed in deeply, a single drop of rain touched his forehead and it felt good.

They went back to the van, back to Manhattan, back to the motel, took their showers, scrubbed a little less, collapsed on their separate beds, curtains closed, bathroom lights left on, turned to face each other again. They said nothing. There was a constant hum from somewhere outside the motel, in the neighborhood, that lulled them to sleep. Argyle thought he heard Jonathan call for him but when he opened his eyes again Jonathan was snoring lightly. Argyle smiled at the view and fell back to unconsciousness.

Clouds were back the next day.

They checked out of the motel, Jonathan took the seat behind the wheel, headed back to I-95 again and hit the pedal hard. They drove for about half the time as they did from Hawkins to New York, never leaving the I-95, looking through the windows as they drove past New Haven, Providence, Boston, plus some stupidly small and completely forgettable towns in Maine.

They only left the I-95 when they passed the border, when the Highway didn’t exist anymore.

“Will they know we have weed?” Argyle asked as they were growing closer to the customs. They only had a single joint left, but it was worrying anyway.

“Don’t think they’ll check,” Jonathan answered, and he didn’t seem bothered at all.

Argyle doubted they would be able to cross, he didn’t even have a passport, but Jonathan was thankfully right. The guard asked for their drivers’ licenses only, where they were headed and what they were doing —  Jonathan said they were on a roadtrip. When the guard asked how long they were planning on staying, Jonathan said “enough days to see a bit of the three east provinces”, and that’s when Argyle was sure the guard would tell them to turn around and get the fuck out, back to bumfuck-nowhere, Indiana. But he just nodded as he inspected the photos on their documents, and when he handed them back along with a pocket-sized canadian atlas he said: “Have fun.”

And that was it.

Argyle’s shoulders dropped from where they had situated above his ears as Jonathan waited until the customs couldn’t be seen from the windows anymore so he could hit the pedal hard again, this time on what they called the Trans-Canada Highway (information provided by the pocket-size atlas gifted to them by a random and kind government employee).

Jonathan drove for about an hour and a half after they crossed, and Argyle’s sudden drop of adrenaline made him doze off for a while before he woke up as Jonathan was parking at a motel. He looked around, saw some signs, picked up the pocket-size atlas from where it had fallen off to the floor of the van.

“You wanna stay in…” he checked the atlas, “Fredericton, New Brunswick? This was your destination all along?” he asked with a grin.

Jonathan chuckled. “I’m just tired for today. But I wanna keep going, actually. If that’s okay?” his eyes were suddenly filled with doubt, and oh no, Argyle couldn’t have that.

“Absolutely, my man. Point where and I’m headed right behind ‘ya,” he was smiling, and his tone was light-hearted, but he was being the most honest he ever was.

Jonathan seemed to get it, because he was looking back at him with that reserved soft smile of his and Argyle’s brain went a little fuzzy, but it was probably from the nap he took.

They went inside the motel, finally, got their bedroom with two beds, separated by nothing but a few inches, and Argyle’s first instinct was to actually bring them together so they’d be just one big bed, but he restrained. They took showers, didn’t really scrub a lot, collapsed on their barely separate beds, curtains closed, bathroom light left off, turned to face each other. Argyle fell asleep with a smile on his face, and if he didn’t dream it, Jonathan had one of his own on his lips.

Next day was more than cloudy, it was pouring rain again.

Jonathan sat behind the steering wheel once more, hit the pedal and they headed east east east, so far east that Argyle feared for a second that they were going to reach the border of the world or something. They crossed New Brunswick and almost reached Nova Scotia, but then Jonathan took a sharp turn north.

“An island, man?” Argyle asked as they crossed the bridge to Prince Edward. Jonathan just shrugged, but he was smiling wider than Argyle had ever seen him smile before. Not bothered at all. It was a good sight to see.

The capital city was on the southeast, but Jonathan kept going north again. It seemed like they were almost at the end of the island before he finally stopped, at some stupidly small and completely forgettable town.

“This place has probably half of the citizens of Hawkins,” Argyle noted.

“I need a phone,” Jonathan said.

His smile didn’t falter.

They found the single Bed & Breakfast the town had to offer, asked for a bedroom — it only had one bed, they didn’t mind and neither did the young lady in charge —, they asked to use their phone, “How much is a phone call to Indiana, you think?” Jonathan asked Argyle, smile turning into a wicked grin and Argyle had definitely never seen that, so the only answer he could come up with was a loud laugh.

Jonathan dialed.

Argyle saw the lady had a bong on her table, so he lit up their final joint.

They waited for the phone to be answered.

Jonathan’s eyes never left Argyle’s, and their wide smiles were like mirrors of each other. Argyle had no idea what Jonathan was up to, clearly no good, but Argyle was down to it anyway. He’d follow Jonathan in whatever disturbed plan he had, to whatever edge of the world he wanted to go to.

And, finally:

“Hop, hey, it’s Jon. I’m in Canada. Yeah, you heard it right, Canada. Do you think Owens’ FBI friends can do us a final favor?”

⟿

Argyle looks out the window.

In the reflex, he sees Jonathan, his head on Argyle’s shoulder, and he’s also looking out the window. It’s been like this for a few months now, just the two of them, in tandem, doing the same things. Synchronized. It feels good, the best he ever felt. Jonathan’s skin is warm against Argyle where their arms touch, and he smiles without even thinking about it. It’s been like this for a few months now, smiling around just at the thought or sight of Jonathan. It feels good. The best he ever felt about someone.

“I’m really glad we did this,” Jonathan mumbles against Argyle’s shoulder.

This: a trip along the coast to a different country? This: bribing the government for a new beginning in a town so small and forgettable that no monster, human or not, could find them again? This: getting a house of their own, a fucking boat and a fishing license, a truck they could drive down to Charlottetown on good days?

This: falling in love in the process?

Argyle’s not sure what Jonathan is referring to. He’s really glad too, either way.

Argyle looks at their small world out the window.

It’s Sunday morning, commerce is all closed, streets are empty. The sun is covered by clouds, a summer thunderstorm approaching, and he can see the sea from here. There’s no one at the beach. The waves look nice. All that amount of water, the vast nothingness of the view and the wide greatness it contains.

It’s not too much. It’s nothing at all, actually, and it’s everything.

And it’s perfect that way.

[stevie-petey]

DARE I SAY THE BEST CHAPTER EVER!! (alongside w dear billy) oh my god oh my god oh my god stug in the upside down, the “im dust!” moment, slightly jealous steve, robin and bug cuteness, and my wife nancy being the best group captain?? i might just explode into tiny little bits m 😭😭😭 

i was gonna talk about this at the end but it CANNOT WAIT. bug’s visions were so bad it makes me want to throw up VECNA WHEN I CATCH U WHENNN I FUCKING CATCH YOU WITH THESE HANDS. him using her dad against her was so cruel and using her fear of losing steve was FUCKED the stancy vision scene made me feel sick. to. my. stomach. 

anyways! 😇 i love how eddie and bug’s conversation about dustin lead them to open up to eachother about how neither one of them truly dislike each other and that they were just envious of eachother cause who wouldn’t be? dustin’s the best kid ever 🥲 i know bug really needed to hear about dusty’s conversation with eddie about how much he appreciates her and adores her and how sad dustin will be when she leaves, bc bug was so sure that dustin has grown up to hate her and resent her which is so sad and so untrue :( so eddie assuring her that dustin talks so much about her with adoration made my heart melt 😭 such a sweet moment <33

steve’s little jealous moment made me giggle YES HE IS SO BOYFRIEND!!!!!!

(“Here, let me just–” He comes next to you and throws your arm over his shoulders before either you or Steve can protest. Immediately the pressure on your injured leg lessens. You sigh in content, and Eddie smirks. “There ya go, princess.” “Don’t call her that.” Steve snaps, but even he has to admit that Eddie’s help is needed.) 

calm down stevie they’re platonic besties.. (yes the 3 annoying siblings trope is very much canon in my head..and i can’t decide which ones the middle child bug or eddie)

i can’t even pretend to be mad at u for that cliffhanger it had to be done..

also how does one write such sweet tooth rotting moments only to make you feel violently ill the next second??? making direct eye contact with u cutie m..

I LOVED THE CHAPTER!!! pls pay for my therapy x

this chapter truly had everything ur so right LMAO.

and YES the im dust scene !!!! cutest siblings alive god i love them :( i was happy to finally shed some insight into dustin n bug like i promise guys im not just making dustin a dick for no reason (unlike the duffer bros ???)

and bugs vision was just a cultivation of all her deepest, biggest insecurities and fears weve seen over the last 4 seasons and i feel like its such a new insight into her character. will being her deepest regret, her father being her deepest hurt, and steve/nancy being her deepest insecurity like UGH !!!! my poor baby :(

the steve/eddie/bug scene made me giggle to write like eddie and bug are finally begrudging besties and steves just like ???? and eddie would def be the middle child, bug the oldest, steve the youngest. 100%

[orchidsangel]

My twt tl is begging for a transfer (to abc) for most of the characters I mentioned, Nancy can come but she needs to be a girl kisser (preferably w Marjan but I’m not picky) Mateo can stay w his pseudo daddy Owen, and TK needs to be recast but yeah he can come too I suppose (the actors a huuuuge Zionist and also just generally problematic from what I’ve seen, and) if it weren’t for the fact that everybody’s stories get overshadowed by Owen, he prob could stay too but I get so sick and tired of him and his white man lizard skin and that fuck ass hairdo that’s his entire personality because I WANNA KNOW MORE AB MARJAN!! GIVE ME MORE PAUL PLS!!! I WANT TO SEE MORE OF GRACE HER STORY WITH HER DAD IS ACTUALLY PRETTY INTERESTING AND I NEED MORE OF BABY CHARLIE AND JUDD NEEDS TO LOVE ON HIS WIFE ON MAIN WAAAAY WAY MORE THAN HE DOES I NEED IT FOR PERSONAL REASONS!!!! Having Gina Torres on your show and underutilizing her for the sake of a white mans story is a crime!! SHE SHOULD BE YOUR ANGELA BASSETT. I think I covered everybody, yes I do hate Nancy and Mateo🙄he was fine at first but then the actor started getting a lil bit ridiculous and his face became very punchable during the watches so Nancy deserves way better- 💌

i had no idea a month passed since you sent this but that means i have like 4 episodes to catch up on since i don't think i've watched since this convo was started?? i thought the show was transferred to abc, like wasn't that the whole point? that it was transferred to abc and buck immediately got a boyfriend?? idk, i'm not deep in the fandom, i just enjoy the show.

oh wait, i just looked it up?? 911 is on abc but lone star is still on fox??? how the hell does that work 

i didn't know that the actor who plays tk is a zionist, ughhhhhhhh. i don't like his character THAT much. he needs to get the boot, but i doubt that'll happen, which is incredibly unfortunate

this is probs gonna sound so awful but my biggest gripe with both shows is that i know too much about their personal lives. i actually dgaf about what they're doing outside of work, it's my fatal flaw when it comes to situational shows. idgaf what they're doing outside of the situations. it's why i've skipped over most of the origin episodes of 911 with the exception of athena, i just don't care. 

it's actually so bad bc it doesn't apply to every show. it's the opposite in some cases, like with miraculous ladybug i'm BEGGING for character growth and real ships, but they're giving me nothing!! (i also haven't watched the past one or two seasons, so i could be totally wrong)

anyway, back to 911. more than anything, i care about the team dynamics, i don't really care for romantic aspects, but i hold the platonic ships very close to me. so ig that's why i don't care much about their lives outside of the job, bc their personal plots are often heavily centered around romance.

[birdybirdnerd]

10 or 12 for all your parable actors pls!

YIPPEE lets do this under the cut

WEIRDLY SPECIFIC BUT HELPFUL CHARACTER BUILDING QUESTIONS

10: What fact do they excitedly tell people about at every opportunity?

god. raph likes infodumping about practical stage effects and just practical effects in general (dont get her STARTED on the little shop of horrors animatronic/puppet (dont get ME started on it))

spencer wont excitedly talk about it but if youre curious hes happy to talk about the chemical interactions of different alcohols and how the brewing and aging changes the taste, how its served, all those little 'pretentious' details that actually have basis in real shit ('did you know if you took a bottom shelf vodka and ran it through a brita filter a handful of times its damn near indistinguishable from some higher shelf shit? and if you take a decent one and do the same you can pass it off to any schmuck for double the price and theyll be none the wiser')

nancy, narrator he is, would happily talk your ear off about themes and motifs in stories, the nature of choice and free will in a CYOA game where every ending is accounted for and chosen for you before youve even had a chance to hit 'new game', the annoyance of a players need to squeeze every drop of content out of a story before demanding even more, yadda yadda yadda. you know, narrator stuff. but i think after his backpacking trip and stint on a tallship, he also learns a lot about shipbuilding and the history of sailing superstitions, the meanings of traditional sailors tattoos, stories of shanties and the themes that seem to wind through a lot of them. no i am not projecting who are you a cop

ive got nothing for perry. honestly it could probably rival a narrator for how annoying it could maybe be about story shit like i said for nancy above

12: What's something that makes them laugh every single time? Be specific!

spencer: puns. puns puns puns. wordplay, dad jokes, the lamer the better

nancy: similar to spencer but the kind of jokes that take a minute to tell- we call them shaggy dog stories, theyre like you start telling a story and it seems at first its gonna be a real one, not a joke, and you keep spinning it and spinning it and adding more detail and going on and on and then you hit the punchline and its the WORST PUN EVER and everyone wants to kill you but theyre laughing too hard, nancy included. you KNOW as a narrator hes perfect at spinning the damn tale and getting you sucked in and forget its gonna end in a joke that makes you wanna throw him overboard

raph: animals doing dumb shit. all i can think of rn is that video of a dog being told 'dont woof' and then immediately doing the most eloquent 'woof'. cracks her up every time. or that one of a cat looking at a fish tank and gearing up to pounce on the fish only to immediately THUNK into the glass in the most cartoony fashion and then pretend nothing happened

perry: minorly inconveniencing someone in a really annoying fashion. butthead. oh my GOD he would do the wasabi gum trick i hate this

[voidsteffy]

You Came Back To Me - A Nace AU

Part 1

A|N : So this is my first time writing an AU here, so feedback is appreciated!

Nancy Drew was a disaster when it came to family. She never let anyone in but when she did, she was always faced with some problem or another.

That's precisely why she felt a pit in her stomach as she reached the end of Myrtle Hudson's letter to her. Carson and Ryan were engrossed in getting the dish-soap lather right among bickering while she sat alone on the couch with a feeling she couldn't shake. Suddenly she didn't feel like she was comfortable at home.

The lights flickered on and off in her house. Nancy did not like it at all. The Wraith was out of her, the town was quiet for once in a long time and Nancy wished it would stay that way.

Caron's baseball tapes played on the TV, throwing ribbons of light across Nancy's eyes but it was all a blur. Her thoughts kept going back to Myrtle. Although she was a gruff lady with a hell of a scowl, she did give in at the end. No one would be that nice to their newly found extended family, would they?

Nancy almost snorted at herself: she freaked out for days when she was told that there was an inkling of Hudson blood in her - that she was Ryan Hudson's teenage mistake of a daughter.

God knew Nancy wasn't the right person to answer the questions she herself had.

"Hey Nancy, would you look at this mess!" Carson chuckled from the kitchen.

Ryan Hudson — millionaire with puppy eyes — her biological father who had just given up his right to parent Nancy for her safety, was arms were elbow deep in clean dishwater with a goofy smile on his face.

She couldn't help but crack a smile herself at the scene. It was refreshing to see that at least someone, if not herself, was finding the normal in their messed up lives.

"I wish I could be that happy to do some dishes," she chuckled.

Her fathers — oh god that would need practice to get used to — hooted in mockery while she pushed herself up on the far dry counter. It was a domestic gesture, making her feel strong enough to ignore the goosebumps all over her arms.

"Speaking of happy," Carson hummed, "What happened when you went to Ace's? I mean, we love cookies as much as the next guy but..."

"But nothing." Nancy shrugged. Her cheeks flamed up like a rally torch, and she tried to ignore the knowing look that Carson and Ryan exchanged.

Nancy was never one for the heart. She thought with her mind, worked with her mind and felt with her mind. But the one time she actually decided to listen to her heart, was the most humiliating moment in her teen life.

"Ace wasn't there to get the work done." she smoothly lied, or at least she thought so. As far as they knew, Nancy was visiting Ace for some mystery work. "Rebecca said he went on a trip with Amanda Bobbsey and won't know when he'll-"

Knocks broke the rest of her words.

There was something in the sudden sound that startled Nancy. The front door of her house shook under someone thumping it from the outside. The knocks seemed weak, panicked and urgent.

Carson rushed to peep through the hole, all the while the knocks grew louder. Nancy struggle to get a view, but Carson froze beside her.

He threw the door open. Nancy frowned when she saw the last person she expected on her doorstep.

A gasping Ace Hardy stood at her threshold, bruised and bloody.

He leaned against the wooden door, his eyes drooping. His usually pale cheeks were caked with mud, his stance wobbling. He was cradling his right arm in left. Before Nancy could say anything else, he fainted right into her arms.

And Nancy fell with him.

Stay tuned for part 2 soon

[livwritesstuff]

Follow up to the last one (it felt like it could be its own thing), is there something that the girls share that’s just for two of them? Like inside jokes or activities that Moe and Hazel or Robbie and Moe, etc will do? And is there something all three of them consider sacred amongst themselves that not even their dads can participate in (without an extreme amount of reluctance ofc)?

so sorry for the delay in answering these. I used to do all my writing at work bc they weren't giving me enough tasks to fill the day but then my boss got fired last week and everything blew up and now they're actually giving me work to do so there's gonna be an overall pls hold on the writing front

Anyhoo there isn’t really much overlap in Moe, Robbie, and Hazel's major hobbies/interests (which Steve & Eddie are extremely grateful for because they’re competitive enough as is). Like, Moe is way sportier than the other two, Robbie is the musically-inclined one, Hazel does ballet all the way through high school and also has the whole animal sciences thing.

I honestly think Robbie and Moe go through a pretty long phase of not spending a whole ton of “quality time” together. Hanging out for them looks like sitting on their phones on opposite ends of the couch occasionally tagging each other in memes and saying "you lol". They definitely break out their ancient Wii every now and then to play all the old games, and I also think they’d be fully involved in each other’s drama. If Robbie’s friend group is at war with each other (we’ve all been there), Moe is just as glued to Robbie’s phone as Robbie is herself, watching the group chat fall apart and telling her how to respond.

I also think Moe and Robbie would be concert buddies when they're older, and as for activities they bar their dads from -- I 100% think that Robbie and Moe give each other stick-and-pokes in high school, and Moe definitely assists in the (multiple) ear-piercings that Robbie gives herself.

If Hazel needs a sister to rope into filming TikToks, she’s definitely going to Moe first, but Robbie’s the one she’ll ask to go shopping with.

Robbie probably ropes Hazel into all her artsy stuff like, “I’m gonna make Aunt Nancy teach me how to crochet. Wanna come?” (and then they’ll come out the other side with completely different end products).

I'm not sure if there's anything super super sacred between them (though I did read The Penderwicks growing up and this made me think of the MOPS - Meeting of Penderwick Sisters) so they might have little movie nights where they all pile into Moe's bed with snacks and a laptop balanced on their knees, and Steve and Eddie are like...hello???

[jadeylovesmarvelxo]

The Trouble With Love

Part One 🌸❤️

Based on an idea I had a couple of days ago ❤️🌸

Steve Harrington x Reader fic where he's married to Nancy but the fantasy he had in his head many years ago doesn't transpire and he's deeply unhappy as is she.

Both are too stubborn to admit anything is wrong. He's fine Dustin stop being a butthead okay?

Jonathan is around all the time and so are you... His next-door neighbour and his goddaughter's (Robin and Vickie's kid) preschool teacher who he can't stop running into, arguing with or thinking about.

Steve is 33, reader is in her 20's

Warnings; Angst, trouble in paradise, a bucket load of sexual tension.

Part one, possible series ☺️💕

Lmk if you want to be tagged x

I don't give anyone permission to copy, repost my work.

If you enjoyed this pls consider liking or reblogging.

💕

It was quiet this morning, too quiet, Steve didn't like when it got too quiet because the thoughts he so easily pushed aside came rushing to the surface.

Thoughts about Nancy and their marriage and the hopeless sense of despair he had been feeling for months maybe even longer now.

After a few years away from Hawkins with Nancy becoming a well-known journalist and Steve staying in Hawkins with Robin to help rebuild the town after its destruction by Vecna and The Upside Down's defeat, he and Nancy met again and took a second chance at dating.

This time things worked out at least for the first few years. Nancy's ambition grew bigger and bigger while Steve did his best to support her even though his dreams of discussing starting a family were out on hold again.

He had that fantasy, the perfect fantasy of him and Nancy with six lil nuggets in the summertime, on a road trip in a Winnebago.

He told Nancy that years ago and he was still hopeful that could happen. He was thirty-three and they had time to do it.

Well, maybe not six lil nuggets but even a few would be nice because Steve had always envisioned a big family for himself.

It's just he wished Nancy took his dreams seriously such as he did for her.

He grew up as an only child with a mother and father who thought throwing money his way for several years constituted as them being attentive.

The truth was he spent more time with nanny's and his grandmother than his parents and he knew that when he had kids he wanted to make sure they knew how loved and treasured they were.

He never wanted them to feel lonely as he did, in truth the only decent thing his father did for him now was get him a great job in his company, flex hours, benefits, amazing pay.

When a child did finally come along then he would be able to stay at home as much as he possibly could.

The thoughts of how he was going to broach the subject again to Nancy was fully in his mind once more but the phone ringing caught his attention.

It was Robin "Hey dingus, can you pick up Anna for me? Have to take Vickie to an emergency dentist appointment and she's fteaking out incase we're late to pick Anna up"

This brightens his mood considerably, he adored his goddaughter.

"Yeah, sure Rob, I'll pick her up" Robin briefs a sigh of relief.

"Thanks, Steve, I owe you one" With a click she's gone and he heads to Hawkins Preschool to pick up Anna.

His good mood lasts until he sees you, Anna's teacher and his next-door neighbour who drove him crazy.

Anna adored you and called you Miss Smiley because you were always happy, smiling and saccharine sweet to everyone in Steve's opinion.

It irritated Steve to no end because you weren't sweet as pie to him, you called him out on his bullshit all the time, and he had never known anyone to get under his skin quite like you did.

He reaches the preschool with time to spare and finds you and Anna waiting outside, she's holding your hand and babbling excitedly to you, there's a big grin on your face as you listen to Anna indulgently.

"Good afternoon, Mr Harrington," you say sweetly and he scowls because being called Mr Harrington makes him feel like his dad or some shit.

"It's Steve" he reminds you for the umpteenth time and you look all innocent and sweet but he's sure you're doing it to annoy him.

"Uncle Steve" Anna beams giving him a toothy smile and hugging his legs, his heart melts and the ache for a child of his own grows even more.

"Hi, Anna Banana, how's my best girl?" she shows him the drawing he did. A picture of him, Robin and Robin.

"See Mama, mama, and you" She beams and he picks her up and hugs her close, all his stress melting away for a second due to the picture.

It's all squiggles mostly but there are two figures holding hands, Robin and Vickie and then there's Steve, he identifies himself through the vast amount of hair that Anna has drawn.

"I love it, sweetheart" he assures her and he catches your eye surprised to see you smiling at him, genuinely.

"She got a gold star today for that drawing, well all the kids did but Anna's was a personal favourite" he cocks his eyebrow curious.

"Oh yeah?" you nod and gesture to the picture.

"Captured your hair and pose perfectly" pose?

"Mama!" Anna squeals and he sees Robin coming out of her car. She beams at him gratefully and takes Anna from him.

"Vickie said to catch up with you and invite you to dinner tomorrow. It's pizza night" That goes down well with Anna who claps excitedly.

"Yay! Pizza" He nods confirming this with Robin then turns back to you annoyed.

"What pose? I don't pose" you chuckle and Robin watches the both of you amused as Vickie comes to get Anna to take her to the car.

"Oh you know it's kinda like a scolding dad, hands-on-hips, I'm so over this shit look" His eyes widen and he hears Robin stifle her laughter.

"I do not... He realises he's doing the very same pose she was talking about and rolls his eyes. Great.

Robin realising that the two of them could argue for hours wisely decides to head to the car and go home.

She will hear all about it from Steve later, she always does.

Can you believe that yn said this? She's such a brat? Do you all believe this Miss Smiley shit? I can't stand her.

Lather rinse repeat. Blah blah blah. For someone he couldn't stand, he talked about you enough.

It did take his mind off him and Nancy though and while Nancy was her friend Steve was her platonic soulmate and she knew that his and Nancy's marriage wasn't as perfect as they tried to portray.

There were too stubborn to admit any problems and it didn't help that Jonathan was back in Hawkins again.

Dustin had tried to get through to Steve as well but Steve would insist nothing was wrong.

"I'm fine Dustin don't be a butthead" is all he would say, she wishes she could help but until Steve admitted there was a problem what could she do?

💕

"You need to relax a little you know Mr Harrington, stress isn't good for you, plus the kids pick up on it" you tell him.

He looks at you like you've grown two heads and counts to three to tame his irritation but it doesn't work.

"I am relaxed. It's you that drives me crazy, just cut the shithead antics yeah?" You're quiet and he turns away then you speak again.

"Yes, sir" It's a little taunt, teasing and he freezes at the sir. Freezes because the sir goes straight to his cock and he feels a wave of guilt wash over him.

What was this? You were irritating and nosey and he couldn't stand you and he had Nancy! He storms away from you and vows to stay far away from your annoying sweet smile.

💕💕

Nancy is back once he gets in from work, also Jonathan Byers's car is parked in their driveway and he puts a smile on his face not wanting to fight.

Jonathan is showing Nancy some of his photos of his various trips around America, and the two of them are laughing and drinking wine.

Jonathan gets up and picks up his jacket giving him a small smile.

"I better go, I'll see you later" Nancy nods and see him out, when she comes back inside she gives him a quick kiss.

"I've got some papers to write. Do you want takeout for dinner?" he nods and pulls off his jacket.

"Just spent some time with Anna, she drew the cutest picture, Nance" Nancy smiles at this and he feels his heart thump nervously as he broaches the subject of kids.

It's been a long time since they talked about it.

"Hey, Nance? It would be nice if we could think about having a little nugget huh?" she sighs and runs her hand through her hair.

"Not now Steve, I'm getting really far with this new story and I don't have any time to take off for maternity or even think about the amount of childcare we would need to think of" his heart sinks because it's the same thing she said almost a year ago.

"Right okay" He nods and she rolls her eyes.

"Don't do that okay, don't make me feel bad about it okay? I don't need you pressuring me" he gapes.

"Pressure you? We talked about it last year Nance! I barely bring it up because you get like this. You know having kids is a big dream of mine, you've always known that.

"I support every dream of yours 110% but mine? You just dismiss them." she shakes her head.

"You know what? This is bullshit. You're bullshit and I don't have time for this" she picks up her jacket and storms out.

"Nance wait!" she's gone before he can apologise or say anything to stop her.

💕

He heads into the garden just to take a minute, the argument with Nancy firmly in his mind.

The pain he's feeling is intense and he's so tired of the arguments, he massages his head feeling sick to his stomach.

"Are you okay?" he looks up and finds you standing near his fence. Your eyes are full of concern and he nods.

"I'm fine" He pinches the bridge of his nose to stop the tears from coming, a minute or so later he hears his gate open.

When he looks up you're beside him, and the alarm is written all over your face, you gently place an arm on his shoulder.

"Steve" your voice is kind and he's startled that you've called his name and not Mr Harrington.

"It's uh, just Nance and I have been arguing a lot, it's nothing" but that wasn't true when they were getting to the point that they argued frequently, that something was breaking between them.

"I'm sorry, really I am," you tell him sincerely and he is grateful. It's nice to have someone with him, it's nice not to feel this crushing heartache alone.

It feels like his whole life is falling apart and he doesn't know what to do. He would never ask Nancy to give up her dreams but would she want him to give up his?

Why couldn't they find some compromise?

"I want kids and Nancy is really focused on work which is amazing, I'm so proud of her it's just... She knows how I feel about having a family and yet when I bring it up she shuts down like there's no hope of a compromise or anything"

You don't say anything you just stay with him and after a minute or so passes you gently tug on his shirt.

"You look like you could use a hug and I've been known to give good ones" you suggest and Steve thinks that sounds pretty great, he could use a friend right now.

Your arms wrap around him and he finds comfort in your embrace for a moment, there's a weird tension in the air though and it makes him nervous and he pulls away giving you a soft smile.

"Thanks" He squeezes your shoulder and he heads back inside confusion racing through his mind.

💕💕

When you head inside your house your heartbeat is just returning to normal.

This couldn't happen you couldn't focus on these feelings for Steve. It was so stupid and reckless and for goodness sake, he was married!!

Nothing could happen between the two of you, you really needed to get over this stupid crush.

It wasn't like he liked you anyway. Even if he wasn't married he found you annoying, he said so himself.

Why did you have to be attracted to someone who was completely unavailable? It made you feel like an idiot and just very low.

It was imperative that you needed to get over this crush before you ended up very hurt.

💕💕