#v: though her mind is not for rent (don’t put her down as arrogant) » stranger things verse.

[graunblida]

an assortment of dialogue prompts // accepting @shezoomer sent: ❛ i don’t think i’ve ever seen you smile. ❜ is max teasing leksa? yes, she is <3

lexa makes a face, complete with the eye roll, when she turns to face the redhead. " i smile all the time. why do you guys always think i'm so grumpy? " to be fair, she has a STOIC resting face. and sometimes her fuse is a little short. details. " you know where you could see me smile a lot? hellfire club. d&d is fun. " lexa goes through a whole plethora of emotions while playing dungeons and dragons, which is one of the reasons the game is so appealing to her. she also enjoys combat statistics, lore and some good ol fashioned improv. she's not truly trying to guilt max into joining the group, she just thinks she'd have fun if she gave tabletop a try.

[graunblida]

lexa chuckled at the mental image of steve in the sailor uniform. she made a mental note to come back another time when he was on shift, because she was sure the real thing was pure GOLD. if the guy was still his old womanizer self, she could imagine how challenging it was to get girls to take him seriously in the company outfit. as dorky as the clothes might have been, they looked good on robin. maybe lexa would have the courage to tell her that some time. " without order, there is chaos, " she agreed with a sigh, as though she too worked a thankless job all day, dealing with the public and mischievous children - well, that part is true, only she wasn't doling out soft-serve. emerald eyes surveyed the empty space around them ( as they were some of the last stragglers leaving for the night ) a part of lexa thought it might be fun to have the run of the mall outside of normal business hours, but she didn't want to risk getting robin in trouble, so she remained on the path they took to the parking lot. " it's hard to say, " lexa pulled open the driver's side door of her barracuda and unlocked the car so robin could enter. " i want to say no, but i guess every town can get boring when you're in a rut, you know? " the engine roared to life and soon they were pulling out of the parking lot and towards the main road. at the mention of lover's lake, a smug look appeared on lexa's face. " you gonna buy me dinner first? " in her head, the quip was amusing, but then worry took over. had she crossed a line? lexa was usually playful with all her friends, but were they close enough to joke like that? had she misinterpreted the 'signs?' "... uh, benny's burgers - that's the place you were talking about, right? "

🌈 : @graunblida continued from here

the powers that be insisted that the metal gate was not closed until exactly nine pm. not a minute before and not a minute later unless there were still lingering customers waiting. usually that didn’t happen often at this time of night - the later it got the slower the food court became. robin followed those rules - just like any other rules laid out by management - right down to the t. work was important, it paid the bills and therefore anything asked of her she did like the little perfectionist she was. she didn’t care about steve’s fussing to challenge the unimportant company policies. if it was in the company handbook, she did it. her smile was bright and her cheeks were flushed the moment she saw lexa. it was hard to believe that she was that much of a drag on the clock just a few minutes prior. she was over eager and she also hard to remind herself to play it cool. no rambling that could lead to word vomit. could she do that? probably not but she was going to try. “oh all the time. and some of them really take advantage of it and then don’t buy anything.” like erica sinclair. that child had to be the worst offender. “and we are only allowed to give one free sample per day. the problem is steve just keeps giving them out and then they expect that i will too. and i won’t. rules are important.” and there she went full on rant and sounding stupid. and probably very boring as well. at least they wouldn’t be walking. “was it more boring than hawkins?” there was absolutely nothing to see or do there. but there was a late night diner if lexa wanted to eat. “there is this diner not far from here that stays open until eleven pm. that’s this towns idea of late. at least we aren’t on a curfew anymore. that really sucked.” robin didn’t have money for food. she’d just say she wasn’t hungry. hopefully this wasn’t a date! if it was would she be expected to pay. suddenly robin felt flustered and worried. she couldn’t afford to pay for anything. “there is also…um…lovers lake…” she offered. “ignore the name. it’s got a nice dock to sit on. the water would feel great on a night like this. and there’s stars…” of course there were stars. “what i mean it’s a nice place to get a good view of all the stars.”

[graunblida]

ties all of her weapons together, with a heavy and thick rope.

@zoomingupthathill // madmax hours

lexa gives the mischievous girl her INFAMOUS neutral look of displeasure. " maxine, " she starts, arms crossed over her chest. " why are you like this? "

[graunblida]

@herhaunts sent: ❛ You know how I feel about you. But I can’t think about anyone that way right now. ❜

it hurts, but lexa understands why this news has been broken to her. they're in their final stretch of senior year and the tests, papers, projects, commitments and college applications won't settle down just because they're OVERWHELMED. it's exciting, getting that much closer to adulthood, but also scary. adding emotions into the mix is a recipe for sensory overload.

there's the tiniest bit of relief at the notion her feelings are not unrequited, but it's still unknown what the future will hold for them. the timing...it's always the damn timing of things, isn't it?

lexa gives a slow nod in response to the cheerleader. " i get it, " because she truly does, even if she had still hoped they could make things work. emerald eyes drift away from looking at chrissy directly, a part of her terrified concerned she'll start to get emotional if she maintains eye contact. " i, uh, still have an extra ticket if you wanted to go to the game? " they could still support one another's endeavors like friends do, right?

[graunblida]

@cheersnap​ sent: “ i had to do that… just once. “ :)))

it feels as though lexa has forgotten how to breathe. a lot of bizarre things have happened in their town, but never in a million years did she think the girl she’s been pining over the last semester and a half would reciprocate feelings. the cheerleader’s lips are just as soft as she imagined ( she’d have the occasional daydream in class ) and she wishes she could feel their warmth for longer than a FLEETING moment. 

there are so many things she wants to tell chrissy. how the other is so beautiful and talented, and what a relief it is that she doesn’t hate lexa for being who she is. but they’re on a strict timeline. if any part of the plan falls behind, or if a phase begins too soon, FAILURE will be imminent. the chances of making it out completely unscathed are low, so lexa steps closer, gently cups the side of chrissy’s face, and kisses her back. 

“ when this is all over...i’d like to do that again sometime. ”

[graunblida]

emerald eyes close for a moment as lexa lets out the combination of a small laugh and a sigh. " i swear it's not that complicated. " she doesn't give herself the opportunity to imagine teaching chrissy the ins and outs of softball ( like how to throw a fast pitch ). that would only lead down a rabbit hole of LONGING, which is the last thing she wants to do. she's a little relieved when the cheerleader changes the subject. " definitely this shirt and maybe..." there's a slight pause before lexa grabs a tank top from the rack. " i don't usually wear crop tops but the material is really soft. do you think it's worth trying? "

"i did not get any of that," chrissy admits with a hum as she pushes the sunglasses up to sit on her head. "but anyway, it's not like i'll be leaving the cheer squad any time soon. i'm pretty sure captains aren't allowed to do that or even step down if they wanted to." not that it really mattered what she wanted; captain or no, chrissy wasn't going to be free of the uniform and pompoms until graduation. there would just be too many questions she didn't want to answer if she ever decided to up and leave. "are you trying anything on?"

[graunblida]

this is late but it was too cute not to send:

Name: Robin Age: 19 Do you like to cuddle?: Did you say cuddle? I will cling to you like you are my favorite stuffed animal. Can we make-out?: Hell yes. And then when we are done can we do it again? A night in or dinner out?: a night in is preferred because then we can just be ourselves and I can hold your hand as much as I want to Ice cream or chocolate covered strawberries?: I think this is a typo and should be 'and' and not 'or' What makes you a good Valentine?: I can whisper in your ear in French Would you cook for me?: I don't think you want to let me do that. I could burn down the whole house Would you let me cook for you?: I can always eat, so sure!

@wontgodowninhistory Thank you, Robin, Lexa happily accepts your application!

[graunblida]

in her st verse, lexa’s mom invites the hargrove/mayfield’s over for dinner -- at the time, both families are new to hawkins, tris and max hang out together and both their moms get along. lexa recounts it as one of the worst evenings of all time, as she and billy sat across from one another, engaged in passive aggressive digs the entire time. erin and susan are still friends in current timeline. 

[graunblida]

Plotted starter for @hellfire010​

        The first part of the plan sounded simple. Sneak into the gym and deflate twenty to thirty basketballs. Alright. Maybe a little time consuming, but nothing they couldn’t handle. Each had grabbed a ball and using the nifty little inflation needles they had picked up at the store, inserted them into the air valves and waited. .....Aaaaand waited. Minutes had gone by, and Lexa could swear her ball felt no different. There was barely even a hiss! “ You know, I’m starting to think it would be more efficient if we just took all the balls and chucked them in the river. ” Of course, the likelihood of them getting caught with that method was too high.

Whatever the case, they couldn’t back out now. Their scheme had been too sweet to abandon. Especially with all the grief Jason and his cronies had been giving them as of late. Their precious play off season just began and the team would SAUNTER into the gym before their game, which was in a half an hour or so, to find every basketball in the vicinity completely unusable. “ Come on, Van Halen, use those muscles! ” Lexa encouraged, squeezing her own basketball to help the air escape faster. The key had been to ensure the needle was as far in as possible. “ We only got about fifty more to deflate. ” They could make it in time, right? If not they’d have to improvise, because phase two wouldn’t complete itself. 

[graunblida]

a light chuckle responds, " really, it's fine. " at first, she was caught off guard, but then quickly searched for a spare balloon. benjamin might not have been targeting them specifically, but he would get a taste of his own medicine. a little bit of guilt had started to settle in as they took the stairs to chrissy's room. the cheerleader did not seem as willing to enter the CHAOS that had just ensued, but just like lexa, she's a good older sister.

the cool air against her skin isn't the only thing lexa feels when she ditches the wet sweatshirt. being VULNERABLE in such close proximity to someone you admire is a strange sensation indeed. she absentmindedly turns to grab the shirt, forgetting she currently isn't wearing one. there's the slightest bit of hesitation and she keeps her eyes trained on the floor until they're clothed. " this is really cozy, thank you. " lexa feels a little warm and tingly, as if the fabric is actually embracing her. " sorry for getting carried away back there. " she means the water ballon fight. " that was more fun than i've had in a while. "

"i know i've already said it, but i'm really sorry about that." it wasn't unusual for both her and her brother to have friends over, and most of the time, it was a non-issue. chrissy and her friends kept to her room while benjamin and his friends occupied the living room or the backyard. maybe they'd end up in the same space at some point, but it was never for long. that afternoon, however, was one where her brother and his friends decided to have a water balloon fight, and she and lexa just had to get caught in the crossfire as they walked across the driveway.

she's about to say something again when lexa pulls her damp sweatshirt over her head, and she just... pauses. stares at the reflection of her back in the mirror for a moment. it came as no surprise to her that lexa would have a toned body, being and athlete and all. she and her cheermates had one, too. what surprised her was the amount of effort she had to put in to look away. "i uh, lent you one of my comfiest home shirts, though," she says, voice a little muffled as she puts on a dry one herself. "very well loved."

@graunblida : ❦ - changing clothes facing away, showing off their back

[graunblida]

Relationship/ Dynamic Meme   //   Accepting  @hellfire010​​ sent: 💛 !! 

send   💛 for our muses to be friends

Oh h*eck yeah, let’s goooo!

Hc’s:

They officially met Lexa’s junior year, halfway into the first semester. Neither really knew how to feel about the other, especially before Lexa attended Hellfire Club for the first time. She thought Eddie would be an edgy, gatekeeping dude -- the kind who goes “nAmE aLL tHEir aLBumS,” when they suspect someone of being a “fake fan.” He thought Lexa would be stuck up, catty and only there to mock the group for their interests. Both proved each other wrong.

She sarcastically called him “Van Halen,” a few times, because of his name and overall aesthetic, and the nickname eventually stuck. Sometime later, he retaliated with “Lex Luthor,” and those are just a few of the many titles they have given each other. 

They bond over heavy metal, vinyl, hating authority and of course, fantasy and tabletop. 

[graunblida]

if there was a midnight premiere for aliens in 1986. lexa would have been there.

[graunblida]

in her str.anger th.ings verse, lexa’s parents met through the music scene. her mom played in a punk band before her career took off, and her dad dabbled with playing and attending local shows. they kept their old equipment in case their daughters became interested. 

in high school, lexa has a metal band called ‘devourer,’ ( a nod to one of her favorite comic book villains, galactus ). the group takes influence from genres like death and black metal as well as crust punk. she’s a drummer at her core, but is well versed in all standard rock band instruments. 

[graunblida]

the more she thought about it, the embrace was...really nice. warmer than most hugs she had given and received as of late. she didn't want to read too much into it, or allow herself to ruminate on what that could possibly mean, so lexa let the idea fall into the far reaches of her mind. " ah, retail. the crown jewel of the twentieth century. " people's attitudes were surprisingly powerful enough to make or break one's shift. the only thing one can really do in corporate settings like that is smile and nod while being verbally BERATED by a disgruntled elder. " i'm sorry, that sucks...you know i can visit when i have time. " not that the mall was really her scene, but she'd make the trip for robin. she enjoyed hanging out with the other and making fun of all the normies around them. a small smile tugged at the corner of lexa's lips at the other's admission. she started to feel all tingly again but did her best not to acknowledge the sensation. " pizza sounds good to me. wanna come over to my place? we can order when we get there, maybe watch a movie? "

「 🌈 : @graunblida​​​​ 」- continued from here

affection wasn't something that came easily to robin either. it was something she'd experienced very little of in her life so she felt awkward with just the simplest display. this was lexa though. she liked her enough to step out of her comfort zone. she just tried to enjoy the extended embrace and the comfort the closeness provided. robin didn't realize how much she really did need it until that moment. "i know…but it's nothing. just asshole customers. lots of homework." and the monster that she lived with called her father - she left that part out. she wasn't ready to tell lexa about her home life just yet. it took a lot for her to be that open with anyone. "dinner sounds nice…" she murmured. robin could definitely eat since she did so little of that most of the time. "what if we just…order a pizza…" she wanted more alone time. at least there they could be themselves opposed to pretending in public. that was another thing robin craved. she wouldn't disagree if lexa did insist on going out. "i like it when it's just us."

[graunblida]

@octeiva​​ smashed the heart! 

       “ it’s supposedly been abandoned for years... ” lexa’s voice cuts through the silence like a knife. she doesn’t mean to startle the other, it’s just that the street is awfully quiet, and the girl has been lingering quite close to the property, as if waiting for something. the lot had probably been breathtaking decades ago when the house was first built. now the white and blue are dirtied from years of NEGLECT, with vines crawling up the sides. “ you know, kid, you’re kind of freaking me out with this whole ‘shinning’ vibe you got going on. ”  lexa feels a tingle which makes her arm hairs stand on end. could the house actually be haunted? it sure looks spooky enough to be. 

[graunblida]

steve: guys, it’s happening! where the hell’s the cassette player? dustin: [frantically inserts ‘ride the lightning’] i’ve got it, i’ve got it!  the gang: [holding their breath as ‘fade to black’ plays] lucas: this...is her favorite song? dustin: holy shit, that’s depressing. steve: FOCUS! lexa: [ in the mind realm hellscape, giving vecna the ‘ol razzle dazzle while her friends debate her mental well being ]