#dustin's been begging me to write something for steve so here we are :')

[scoopstrooptm]

@harringtontm sent a meme: ❝ i have an excellent sense of dramatic timing. & good hair.  ❞ — steve for dustin lol

       “ Uh, yeah, that's... good. That's a good start. ” The D&D player's handbook was laid open on the coffee table between them — though Dustin was the only one pouring over the contents, it had been difficult enough to get Steve this far without throwing this tome of sacred D&D knowledge at him and expecting him to immediately get it. This was also why Dustin was trying to be encouraging, instead of too harshly critical, of the only idea he'd had so far for his character. “ You do realise that as a paladin you'll mostly be wearing a helmet though, right? So nobody will see your hair? ” He had to at least point it out. “ And paladins are holy warriors sworn to uphold their oath and protect the innocent. Vanity is... really not their thing. ”

[ashwhowrites]

Hey, if you hadn't already done something like this, I was wondering if you'll write Eddie x Popular!Henderson!R, where they're sneaking around behind Dustin's back.... 1. Because Dustin looks up to him and they're friends and 2. She's not ready to let everyone know just yet (wanting to live in ignorant bliss just a little while longer before she falls under scrutiny for falling for "the freak").

And so, when one of her friends decides to hook her up on a date, she can't exactly refuse, so she goes along with it to shut her up, without letting Eddie know, of course. And during a game of dnd, Dustin let's it slip where you are for the night, unknowingly sending Eddie into a spiral, thinking she's cheating and that's why she wants to keep them a secret and after having an internal battle, he cuts the campaign short, surprising everyone, and he crashes her date, with hellfire in toe, demanding answers. And then everyone finds out and she explains blah blah and they live happily ever after. Sorry, this was long xx

This was so fun! I hope this is what you wanted and you enjoy it. Thank you for requesting 🫶🏻

Dustin's friend

When Dustin said he found a new friend, that was yet again years older than him, Y/N wasn't too pleased. First, it was Steve, and now a guy named Eddie. But when Y/N met Eddie for the first time, she couldn't care less about the age gap between him and her brother, all that mattered was that he was around her age and single.

Eddie still wasn't sure how he managed to get Dustin's hot popular sister to go out with him. Whatever he did, he thanked god for it because having Y/N on his lap with her tongue down his throat was his heaven.

"Missed you so much," Y/N whined, her hips moving against Eddie's as she yanked off his shirt.

"Fuck, I missed you too." Eddie moaned as Y/N sucked down his chest. She left her marks to travel south until she was just above his boxers.

"MOM WANTS YOU," Dustin screamed as he pounded on Y/N's locked door.

"Damn it," Eddie sighed and hung his head.

"BE RIGHT THERE," Y/N screamed back, she sighed and stood up. She handed Eddie his shirt with a sad smile. "Sorry, Eds."

"Fuckers are giving me blue balls. Are you sure we can't tell him? Maybe he'd stop interrupting as much." Eddie glared towards the door. He stood up and threw on his jeans.

"You know I'm not ready for all of that yet." Y/N sighed.

"Fine, I'll go home and finish the old-fashioned way." Eddie joked, smirking as he walked backward to her window, his eyes on her.

"Maybe I'll come over and join you, later." She winked. She kissed Eddie goodbye and waited for him to leave. Then she went to see what her mom wanted.

~~~

Y/N knew hiding her relationship with Eddie was hard and tiring. And she felt guilty every time she had to act like Eddie wasn't everything to her. But she was scared. She was scared to take away Dustin's friend, worried she overstepped. She was terrified it would ruin their friendship because of the bro code. And selfishly, she was scared of the damage it would do to her social life.

"I'm telling you, he has been begging me for a date with you. You are single and have no reason to say no." Chrissy whined.

"My reason to say no is that I don't want to," Y/N said, rolling her eyes as she slammed her locker shut.

She whined when Chrissy followed.

"Like you have anything going on tomorrow night, anyway?" Chrissy argued, her eyes taunting.

Y/N technically had nothing going on tomorrow, Dustin and Eddie had hellfire so both boys were busy.

"Stop thinking of an excuse and just go. Then if you hate it, I will never set you up again." Chrissy promised.

"Deal," Now Y/N could get Chrissy off her back.

~~~

"We are kicking ass today! I wish Y/N were here to see it." Dustin cheered. Y/N had spent more time watching Hellfire since she had to pick Dustin up anyway.

"Why isn't she?" Eddie asked, he prayed it sounded casual. He read ahead on his notes to look like he didn't care too much.

"On a date." Dustin shrugged, playing his next move. No one had the table had any idea that sentence sent Eddie into a panic. Sweat on his forehead as his leg shook beneath the table.

His girlfriend was on a date, with another guy.

It all made sense, she wanted him to be a secret because she was seeing someone. Dustin knew about the guy, and he couldn't know about Eddie. Because then her secret would be exposed. Like it just was.

"Where?" Eddie snapped, his angry tone had the table looking at him in seconds.

"Enzo's," Dustin said confused.

"Get in the van," Eddie snapped as he grabbed his keys.

~

The rest of hellfire sat confused as Eddie raced to the restaurant. He was silent but gripped the wheel until his knuckles were white. The boys followed as Eddie stormed out of the van and into the restaurant.

Eddie felt a wave of heartache flood in his chest when he saw her with him with his own eyes. She looked beautiful as she talked about something he couldn't hear.

"Why are we here? Why do you care about my sister?" Dustin asked, but Eddie already was moving.

His heavy boots hit the floor hard, and his hand slammed on the table. The couple jumped and fear showed in Y/N's eyes when Eddie leaned down to her level.

Face to face, Eddie's hard breathing smacked Y/N's face. She twiddled her thumbs nervously as she saw hellfire behind him. Her brother watching with confusion.

"Eddie, what are you doing?" She said through clenched teeth, trying to keep the conversation between them.

"Demanding why the fuck my girlfriend is on a date with another guy." Eddie snapped, his eyes dark as he glared at her. She knew he had every right to be mad, but she didn't want a scene.

She stood up, and Eddie straightened up. His eyes haven't left her, not even glancing at the stranger across from her.

"Can I please explain later? In private." She whispered, her eyes looking over Eddie's shoulder as the boys watched.

"No, I'm tired of this private shit. Explain right here, right now. Or we are done." Eddie threatened. He didn't want to break up, he wished on every star above him there was a way to make this relationship work.

"Eddie please." She whispered, her watery eyes pleading for him to back off until they could talk. "Not right now in front of everyone." Eddie tried to ignore her tears, not letting himself get sucked into her guilt trap.

"Fine, forget it. I'll see you around, Henderson." Eddie said coldly as he nodded and backed off. Y/N felt frozen in her spot as Eddie went out the door.

"Y/N?" Dustin spoke up, his hand reaching towards her.

In seconds she was running out the door.

"What is going on?" the random date asked.

"Shh man," Mike said, sliding into the booth next to him. He pointed out the window, a clear view of the couple. The boys followed, all sitting in the big booth as they stared out the window.

~

"I'm sorry! I got scared but please." Y/N cried as she tugged on Eddie's arm.

"Scared because you got caught. I can't believe you could do this to me. What about all that love bullshit? This is what you do when you love someone?" Eddie argued, hot tears in his eyes.

"I do love you! Nothing between us is bullshit. Chrissy was on my back for weeks about going on a date with this guy! I never agreed until she said If I went on it, she'd never do it again! I promise you I was just trying to get her off my back. I was going to tell her I hated it and finally have peace of just being with you."

"You know what else brings peace? Finally admitting to other people that you are in love with me," Eddie said sadly, "I'm tired of being your secret. I can't keep doing it."

Y/N sobbed as she reached forward and held his face in her hands.

"I'm so sorry. I love you so much. I'll tell Dustin and everyone. Please just give me a chance to make this up to you." Y/N begged, Eddie sniffled as he looked into her eyes.

"I love you too," he smiled, and Y/N felt relief in her bones. "You took a chance on me, so I'll take the chance on you."

Y/N smiled and leaned forward, Eddie met her halfway and smashed his lips on hers. His hands wrapped around her waist and pulled her closer.

~

"Oh my god!" The boys all said at once, the random date was long gone.

"Eddie and my sister?"

"Dude! Eddie is banging your sister!" Mike teased

"Is he touching her ass?" Lucas gasped as he moved closer to the window

"Oh, that is so much tongue." Gareth chuckled.

"Our boy is making out with a popular girl!" Jeff cheered, high fives all around the table, except for Dustin who sat in a state of shock.

~

"YOU ARE SCREWING MY SISTER?"

Eddie and Y/N jumped as Dustin screamed.

"DUSTIN!" Y/N screamed as Dustin ran straight into Eddie and took him to the ground.

Tags!

@bmunson86 @mxcheese @ladymunson @michaelfuckinglangdon @z0mbie-blah @biittersweet @mirrorsstuff @somethingvicked @micheledawn1975 @ago-godance @magnificantmermaid @tlclick73 @hargrovesswifee @cityofidek @silky-luxe @lokiofasgard616 @loving-and-dreaming @eddiemunsonsbitch69 @thegemaqua @ashlynnkennedy @strangerthingsstories5255 @harringt8ns @pleasinghellfire @whoscamila @stusdollface93 @gretavankleep37 @bellaisswagger

[fandoms-in-law]

Holiday to Beacon Hills

Summary: The Hawkins Party head off for a holiday and end up in Beacon Hills. Stiles meets Steve and ends up trying to ensure neither the Pack or the Party attack.

Author's Note:This is technically a modern au of stranger things but please assume the show plays out as normal and Hawkins just has like the worst mobile signal ever

I watched the first 2 seasons of Teen Wolf probably a decade ago and a couple months ago decided to reread a fanfic I read at that time. I promised myself not to write fic for it but this idea threw that promise out. I don't care for inaccuracies it's me having fun writing with two chaotic groups.

~

It was a holiday and Steve really hoped he’d get to relax during it, but given Hopper and Joyce had stayed in Hawkins while he was essentially trying to keep track of everyone younger than that, he doubted it. Especially when he noticed the guy further along the street and had to ask, “Hey is carrying a bat around needed here?”

“Sometimes, why? You just moved in?” The man turned, barely moving the bat away from Steve and looking him over as if assessing whether he was a threat.

“On holiday and the shitheads get into-” Steve looked around for Dustin who had been explaining something to him a moment before but had fallen quiet before he stopped the guy with the bat. “Dustin?”

The guy he’d started speaking to groaned and followed when he headed towards the woods, “Why are you heading into the woods? Surely if your friends wandered off they’d be in the shops or not?” The guy wasn’t quiet for long after noticing Dustin stood a bit further into the woods than they were, though still thankfully near the edge, “Your friend is tracking? And a kid? What? Is this really a holiday for you?”

He’d got his phone out and seemed to be texting someone when Steve let out a heavy sigh, turning back to him. “With Dustin around, a holiday is only in intentions.” He explained, before calling to the kid, “And where are the others?”

“With El. I saw these and…” Dustin turned, grinning and clearly excited over whatever it was but Steve was not in the mood, especially with the stranger he’d tried speaking to holding the bat more tightly as if they could be a threat now.

“And we’re on holiday, staying out of whatever you’re about to say!” He cut off.

Dustin rolled his eyes, “But Steve, it’s wolf fur!”

“Even more reason to leave the woods. Come on.” He caught Dustin’s wrist and started tugging them out, noticing a smirk on the face of the man who’d followed them.

“There are no wolves here. None at all. Occasionally we get mountain lions so it’s more likely to be their fur.” The explanation made Steve groan by how practised it was; that was not going to change Dustin’s mind at all.

Predictably Dustin glared at the stranger, holding the fur closer to himself. “It’s wolfs fur. I know it is.”

“Dustin, no.” He pinched his nose, only slightly grateful he’d got them back to the road.

“Would you prefer I ask why he’s got a bat?” He argued, gesturing to the stranger, “Or go to find out if there’s a lab here too? I bet ours wasn’t the only one.”

Steve only just stopped himself from slapping a hand over Dustin’s mouth, wondering if there was anything he could do to steer the conversation away from NDA subjects.

Then of course the man had to ask, “Lab?”

“We’re from Hawkins. Please don’t make me explain.” He was two steps from actually begging and already doing so in his thoughts, “And actually Dustin, sure. Go find the library and search for secret labs.” If he was praying that would actually work as a distraction, that was Steve’s business alone.

Dustin brightened at the agreement, clearly thinking he’d won something. “I’m looking up wolves too!”

“Focus on the labs, Buddy.” The stranger clicked his tongue, and Steve really needed to ask his name, probably while apologising for Dustin. “Sounds like something you’d have better luck with.”

~

With Dustin deposited at the library and Stiles having introduced himself and shown them the way it seemed like the holiday just might be actually relaxing for Steve when Robin came hurrying down the street Stiles had been leading him down.

He was even smiling hearing her yelling, and trying not to laugh at her run. “Steve and who’s this? I just saw the perfect dream!”

“Hey Robs, this is Stiles apparent expert in local wildlife.” He introduced, noticing the curious look at that comment but looking around to hopefully avoid it being questioned more, “Dream where?”

“Well Nance was looking into interesting things about here and we went on a hike. Total blonde bombshell met us. She’s got Nancy asking tons of stuff now, but I couldn’t-” Robin flailed about, expressing how flustered she’d felt. That reaction was enough for Steve to know how hot she thought this woman was but Stiles cleared his throat, looking pretty amused by Robin too.

“She’s called Erica at my guess.” He offered, shrugging at their focus, “You’re lucky Derek didn’t come to chase you off instead.”

Robin grinned, leaning around Steve as if having him between them helped her ask, “Can you introduce me to her properly?”

“Would you be able to talk to her normally if he did?” Steve snarked, snickering when he got elbowed for it.

Stiles nodded but cautioned, “She’s dating Boyd but probably I could. About Nancy though, is there any way to distract her from whatever she’s found interesting?”

“Nope.” The reply was instant for Steve. He wasn’t planning on trying, no matter how much he’d been enjoying getting to know Stiles so far.

Robin paused however, looking at him as she began, “Jonathan might-”

“He can’t. I’ve been him before.” Steve cut her off, shaking his head and explaining a little further for Stiles, “It’s either go along with her or she’ll go it alone unless there’s something else for her to focus on.”

Stiles nodded at the comment, glancing back the way Robin had come from before deciding to lead them away from it. He was clearly hiding something, just as much as they would if someone new to Hawkins asked about the lab but Steve didn’t think they needed to worry about it yet.

~

Since meeting Steve and Robin, Stiles had decided to become their tour guide for Beacon Hills and was trying to get any small details over the things that Dustin kid had mentioned. Since it sounded like the pack had already met some of the other people Steve was on holiday with he was happy to slowly learn about them without calling anyone else.

That didn’t stop them calling him and he wasn’t entirely surprised Derek did it himself. “Hi Derek, what’s-”

“Unknown hunters are in town.” Stiles glanced at Steve, gesturing to his phone and walking away. A greeting like that was always concerning, but right now he was hopeful it was also wrong.

“Who? How do we know?” He asked, watching the pair to try and spot if they could hear the call.

Derek sounded annoyed as he replied, “Some woman called Nancy turned up on the reserve with a gun in her bag.”

“Nancy had a gun?” He asked freezing where he’d wandered a little away from Steve and Robin before turning to call, “Steve!”

“What?” Derek asked as the same time as Steve did, jogging over.

“Guy I met, knows Nancy but doesn’t act like a hunter, just someone trying to have a holiday with very nosey friends, who carry guns?” He explained mostly to Derek but turning the end into a question for Steve.

He sighed in response, explaining, “I told her not to bring them. Our home town got her paranoid. What’s Nancy done?”

Derek must have heard him too as he responded, “I’m coming to you.” only after Steve had finished speaking.

“Derek that’s not-” Stiles tried to stop him but the call was hung up before he finished. “Guess you get to meet Derek soon. Why’d you pick Beacon Hills for your holiday?” He’d wanted to ask that from the moment Steve had said they were on holiday but now it seemed like a vital thing to know. Either to be sure of the excuse they had or to reassure Derek whenever he found them. Glancing around Stiles decided to start directing them to his home, since hopefully the Sherriff’s house was a decent place to meet with potential threats.

“El suggested it.” Steve replied, looking like he might explain more before another kid around Dustin’s age ran up to him, tugging him a few steps away from Stiles.

She glared, raising one had and saying, “Steve! I will keep you safe.”

“El? Safe from what?” He asked, leaning around her before stepping between her and Stiles again, “Cause I doubt I need protecting from Stiles who’s been helping me find my way around.”

He could see more kids coming over, including Dustin who must have left the library at some point since Stiles got him there. Robin moved to talk with them while checking her phone, frowning.

Before Stiles could say anything more, Steve sighed heavily, whistling to get everyone’s attention. “Guys, this is Stiles, my new friend. If you’ve decided there’s something to worry about, can it, and let’s follow him somewhere to calm down and talk.”

~

Whoever Derek was, he only took another five minutes to find them, just long enough that Steve had introduced everyone and convinced El that at least Stiles wasn’t a threat. They were still a few streets away from wherever Stiles was leading them, Steve guessed, and thought Stiles was wishing he’d taken a different route given the look he was directing at the house next to them. He was very frustrated at not having managed more as well as the implication the kids had found something worth El using her powers against.

Given the man that came running up hadn’t looked entirely human and still had glowing red eyes, Steve kind of got the concern, but that was one of Stiles’s friends that El had thrown and was holding against the windows of a house near them. “El! Let him down!”

“What?” Stiles had been listing something since the momentary shock of Derek being thrown wore off but Steve hadn’t been listening, but now he was looking from the man, to Steve, to El and clearly trying to figure out what was going on, before just asking, “What’s happening?”

El glared at him before stating to Steve simply, “He’d hurt you.”

“He’s Stiles’s friend. Put him down!” He insisted still, mostly just hoping that he was right about not getting hurt if Derek was freed.

Her hand remained steady and her nose started to bleed, “No.”

“I will call Hopper and Joyce to cancel this entire holiday. Put him down so we can talk peacefully.” Steve faced her directly, standing just to the side of where she was holding Derek. This was not how he wanted any day of their holiday to go, let alone the first day there.

“But-”

“No. I don’t give a damn what spying you’ve done, what fur Dustin found or what news report Nancy is obsessed with,” He cut off the argument, and threw a glare at the rest of the group for good measure, “If you all can’t give me a peaceful holiday without attacking innocent strangers we’re all going back to Hawkins!”

“Steve?” Nancy and Jonathan came running up, watching Steve warily before looking from El to Derek as their gazes sharpened, settling back on Steve again.

Looking back at where Robin had the rest of the party he huffed, “All of you sit on the curb and wait. Nance, give Stiles your gun or guns. They have every reason not to trust us thanks to you now and I am not letting my holiday become a Starcourt mess cause you can’t keep your noses clean. Why haven’t you set Derek down yet?” He glared at the group, gesturing to the curb, Stiles and Derek when referring to them and ready to push everyone into sitting.

Nancy glared at him, and stepped away when Stiles approached, holding his hands out for the guns, but did give in after meeting Steve’s glare again. She had at least learnt when he was being serious and leading a situation to try and calm it down at some point.

“Sorry Steve.” El said, finally lowering the man down after seeing Nancy follow his instructions, and moving to sit with everyone while Stiles moved to check on Derek.

“Thanks Steve, looks like we definitely need to talk though.” Stiles said a moment later, looking their group over and rolling his eyes when Derek growled.

The door to the house opened then a man looking over all of them calmly. “Talking seems sensible but do you have to here?”

“Sorry Chris.” Stiles quickly stepped forwards before Steve could decide how to approach the newcomer. “Didn’t plan for this. Apparently holiday makers from Hawkins are nosey.”

The man stiffened, frowning now and looking towards Steve with a gaze that felt like it could reveal all his secrets.

Stiles noticed the look too and exchanged a glance with Derek before asking, “What’s up with that look? Do you know something about Hawkins?”

“Rumours,” He replied, opening the door wider and gesturing for everyone to come in. “Everyone said it wasn’t supernatural but wasn’t normal either. Kept resolving itself before any hunters could get there.”

Steve shook his head when the kids started to stand, uncertain whether they should trust Chris. Anybody knowing something about Hawkins and talking as if he’d heard more details than the news reports was not someone he wanted to immediately trust.

“Resolving itself? We sorted it and what good would hunters do anyway? Deer and wildlife were nothing to do with it.” Mike scoffed, not sitting down again but not taking any steps at least.

“Shut it Wheeler.” Steve distractedly chided, still watching the scene closely. He’d noticed Stiles saying he didn’t seem like a hunter earlier and definitely had the impression that neither he nor this Chris meant people hunting normal wildlife.

Chris met his gaze before relaxing a little. “It’s not good to talk about these things on the streets. Would you like to come in?”

That was an argument Steve couldn’t argue against, but he wanted to. He was sure that going in would mean breaking their NDA’s in a major way and he could only hope that nobody in power would learn about it. Nancy had already gone in before he’d decided to go in.

~

“Sooo, small towns in America, not good places to go or live?” Stiles asked, coming into the Argents garden where Steve had retreated during the kids second wave of questions. He really wished that this had happened in front of basically anyone else’s home, just so he could have avoided spending longer here.

Steve glanced over him, sardonic in his amusement. “Doesn’t seem it. Sorry about everyone.”

“Nah, I’d be the same.” He waved the apology off, “Hell, I was. Got Scotty and me into it cause I was reading through reports Dad brought home.”

“The guy who dates a hunters daughter?” He laughed a little at the implication they’d have managed to stay out of it given that detail had been shared, “You sure he wouldn’t have got you involved if you hadn’t beaten him to it?”

Stiles grinned back at him, playfully lowering his voice, “Scotty can be very oblivious even now so I doubt it.” There was an offended yelp from inside the house, only proving the werewolf hearing that had been mentioned while sharing their stories.

Quiet fell between them for a while before Steve decided to ask about something he’d suspected since El threw Derek, “Hey, was it over Dustin or Nancy which made you offer to show me around?” It definitely felt like that offer had been to keep watch over the group rather than an innocent friendly gesture.

“You asked about my bat” Stiles replied easily, shrugging at the confused glance the words got, “And yeah, innocent question really, but the amount of times innocent questions have turned out not to be is high. Those two just seemed like blundering fools, easily dealt with if they ended up a threat.”

Steve got it then. He’d been the one to spot details others dismissed until he proved them before, even if he wasn’t the researcher Stiles seemed to be for his group. “But no one would accept that reasoning without more happening, right?”

“Right, which like, I get things right more than them with their super sniffers and they just ignore me or threaten me to get more info. Rude and so annoying.” The reply was easily given, with a look back to the house as if knowing that would get some reaction they were missing.

“Really though, werewolves?”

“They showed you! Don’t go doubting now.” Stiles turned back to him, grin showing he got the teasing and would return it easily, “And you’re one to talk; secret labs, government conspiracies and superpowered kids?”

Steve waved one hand around them, “It’s an insane life.”

“Definitely.” For a moment Stiles watched, considering but continued without fully knowing what he’d say, “Would a holiday fling make it more or less normal?”

“You offering or trying to set me up with one of the pack?” Steve asked, trying to remember who was dating who in the group they’d met so far.

“Offering.” Stiles was genuine as leant closer to say, “You’re hot as hell and haven’t threatened me even once.”

“Er, okay.” Steve frowned at the addition, before deciding not to immediately comment, “Give me your number and address. I’ll pick you up at 7 tonight and show you that not getting threatened is a bar that’s miles too low.”

~

When they got back to the hotel Steve didn’t hesitate in dragging Robin with him to the room he’d agreed to share with Dustin, yelling at the kids to rearrange room pairings as he needed his best friend. She’d been amused by that until he’d actually explained his plans for the evening.

“You’re what?” She asked, staring at him dumbfounded as he started pulling clothes from his suitcase, putting some in the drawers and wardrobe in the room and leaving others out.

He glanced over at her, holding a pair of jeans against himself, “Taking Stiles on a date, Robin, obviously.”

“And you’re attracted to guys since when?” Robin looked at the jeans and shook her head while asking the question, reaching to pull another pair out for him to consider.

Steve hesitated then, realising that for all the times he’d almost brought the subject up to her he never actually had. Admitting that now was probably not the best way to have done it, but it’s what he had to go with, “Been figuring that out slowly for a while.”

“And I never got told before you got a date?” She looked at him dubiously, before putting one of the tops he’d left out with the jeans she’d suggested and pulling another couple out to compare them.

“His bar is not getting threatened, Robs!” The explanation had been wanting to burst out since Stiles had included that in reasons to ask Steve out. IT was the main reason he needed Robin to talk about his date with, “Someone needs to treat him right and I’m gonna. He’s gorgeous and needs to know it!”

Robin dropped the tops and folded onto the bed they’d left clear before speaking as fast as he’d ever heard her even around her crushes, “People who ask him out threaten him? Or is it people he gets crushes on? Has he been abused? Do we like need to get him somewhere safe? Your first boyfriend can’t be abused, Steve!”

By the time Steve was heading out for the date they’d come up with a few signs to look for in case Stiles had been abused in a relationship before as well as a list of things they could feasibly do to help if he was still getting threatened. He was holding out hope that it wouldn’t be needed though.

~

Stiles sometimes wondered if he should be more upset that it felt like his window was used to enter the house more than the front door. He definitely thought he should be more concerned than he actually was to hear the window opening as he was getting changed.

“Who’s threatened you?” Derek demanded, sounding annoyed though whether that was because he’d been ignored or thought something had happened he hadn’t been told about Stiles wasn’t sure.

“Hi Derek, nice to see you. Can’t chat. I’m getting ready for a date.” He cheerfully replied, carrying on deciding on a top to wear.

A hand on his shoulder turned him to face Derek, voice laced with concern as he added to Stiles’s sentence, “With Steve who’s worried you’ve been threatened by a date before.”

“You listened in on them.” He stated, shaking his head and stepping away, refusing to answer so he couldn’t be caught lying and with Derek asking there was no chance he’d say the truth.

“Who’s threatened you before?” Of course that only got the question repeated again. Sucks that those rules of three people spoke about didn’t work for questions or on people.

“Nobody I’ve dated. Don’t worry about it.” Stiles patted Derek’s in a hopefully soothing way, decided on the top he’d wear now and changing into it, “Steve’s sweet, isn’t he? All worried after knowing me a day. Is he pulling up now? See you, let yourself out.”

~

Steve was hopeful the date would go well, but his phone ringing just as they sat down didn’t seem like a good start. “Hopper? I’m on a date, what now?”

“We’re coming to you. Finally got reports from that place you picked for a holiday and I don’t like it.” He could hear the engine in the background, making it clear that Hopper was literally already on his way.

“Don’t like what?” After the day they’d had Steve could imagine a few things Hopper wouldn’t like but none that he’d expect to be in police records.

Hopper made an annoyed noise, somewhere between a huff and a grunt, “Any case Beacon Hills have released in the last year or so.”

“That’s an abuse of your position. It has to be. Why would you do that?” The comment was made out of frustration, especially given there had been no comment about Hopper doing this before they left or at least none mentioned to him in all Joyce and Hopper’s lectures on making sure the kids stayed safe.

“To look after El.”

Steve let out a frustrated noise, “I’m sending you Chris’s number.”

“What’s happening?” Stiles asked then, having looked amused while listening to the call before that point.

“Hopper apparently looked at your police records. He’s the chief in Hawkins.” Steve frowned apologetically at him, holding the phone to his chest as he answered.

Stiles immediately started writing a number on a napkin to shove at him. “Don’t give him Chris’s number. My dad’s the sheriff.”

“Steve!” The yell made him bring the phone back to his ear.

“I said already I’m on a date,” He stated knowing that if given the chance Hopper would complain about getting ignored too, “With the sheriff’s son no less. You’ll get the sheriff’s number and can bug Nancy if you’re overreacting more.”

As he hung up then Steve barely took a moment to send the number over before turning his phone off completely, ready to enjoy the date without anyone else making him responsible for all his friends or the holiday’s success.

~

The date had been going well so far, and they’d even decided to stay for dessert when Stiles had started asking about other relationships Steve had been in. It felt embarrassing but at least they could both laugh over the stories.

“So who is hot but threatens you?” Steve felt bad for asking but he was curious as well as worried. Plus talking about relationships felt like the right time to ask this, even if Stiles immediately stilled.

He flailed a moment later, looking astounded the question had been asked. “What? Why would there be anyone like that?”

“Cause you said that I’m hot and don’t threaten you. Mentioned it to Robin and she’s currently probably planning ways to get you to safety if you’re being abused. I thought asking about the more innocent scenario was better. Who do you like that threatens you so you won’t ask them out?” The explanation was easily given, and Steve watched as Stiles grew amused.

The answer was calm now and resolute. “Nobody.”

Steve thought for a moment before nodding, smiling back and remembering someone he could call hot but threatens him, “Okay, guess I’m not someone you’d want to talk to about it, but trust me, same. Been through that, but unfortunately couldn’t get the guy to survive beyond that mess.”

“Was it Eddie?” Stiles immediately asked, looking excited to learn more and get to know Steve more at the same time as he rambled, “In all the stuff mentioned about Hawkins only Eddie got most of your group to react when talking of deaths. Like Nancy tried to hide then argue when talking about Barbara, and the Byers both seemed down about that guy, nobody was happy over the three before Eddie either but that wasn’t grief. Eddie’s name got grief. Peter managed to come back from the dead once but I’ve tried avoiding looking into necromancy. Too much temptation there that would likely make things worse if I attempted it. Nope stopping talking, sorry.”

He nodded slowly, reluctant to talk about Eddie too much, “Yes it was Eddie, but after that rant I’d really like an answer to my question.”

“You heard what we said about werewolves, right? Superhearing, poor sense of privacy?” Stiles asked, leaning as far back in his chair as he could without toppling over and looking around the restaurant, “Just cause I haven’t spotted of them deciding to just happen to have a meal where we are does not mean they aren’t. Derek has already been listening in on you and Robin tonight.”

Steve laughed, deciding not to look around himself, even if Stiles was the Sheriff’s son that seemed like it’d make people think they were doing something suspicious. “Point, okay back to first date questions then: What’s your favourite film?”

~

The lights were on when Steve dropped Stiles off at home. His Dad had expected that he’d need to pull a double earlier but apparently decided waiting for him was more important. Steve had said that Hopper would probably have called immediately after he hung up so whatever concerns were had must have led to his dad watching the door for Stiles’s return. “Interesting date, Stiles?”

“It was fun but nothing supernatural. Steve’s great.” He reassured immediately, tempted to head straight to his room but deciding avoiding the conversation wasn’t worth it.

“And told a police chief from another state to call me?” If there was one thing he was working on learning from his dad it was the ability to ask a question without phrasing it as such. Combine that with Derek’s usual lack of inflection and he’d be able to ask everyone anything he liked.

He threw himself onto the sofa, “Did you get told why?”

“Yes but why wasn’t I told that by you earlier? Instead of that you were going on a date with someone here on holiday?” Stiles had thought about doing that, and if he’d known one of the adults Steve had mentioned was in the police force he probably would’ve done but instead bonding over the pair had helped relax them into the date.

“Didn’t think we needed to worry.” Simple answers were always the best, but he couldn’t help adding, “Chris, Scott and Derek all know and weren’t concerned about them after the kid stopped levitating Derek.”

His dad raised an eyebrow, replying, “That kid is the chief’s daughter. He sounded quite overprotective when he called.”

“Do you want like anyone else in this town to complain to? I know what it’s like being your son and from what I’ve heard El can be trusted on her own or with her friends and Steve had it under wraps mostly. About as much as our Pack Alpha ever does.” Stiles could have laughed at the comment on overprotectiveness. He knew full well that his dad would be if he could keep track of Stiles’s thoughts, tangents and impulsive decisions compared to planned deceptions to fight something in the town. It was part of what he reflected back when worrying about his dad’s diet.

~

Robin had been with Max and El, telling them about something when he passed their room and waved to show he was back. She’d gestured broadly until he understood she’d come for details as soon as she could but that still meant their hotel room should be empty.

The figure stood near the window was definitely not welcome, “Who does Stiles need protecting from?”

“Why would I answer someone breaking into my hotel room?” Steve countered, moving to the side of his bed where his bat was stored. He might have told Nancy not to carry her guns around here, but he still understood the need to keep some form of protection close.

When Stiles had mentioned Derek listening in on his conversation with Robin earlier he hadn’t expected that to get followed up by the man glaring at him now, “You care for Stiles.”

“Doesn’t change that you broke in.” Steve pointed out.

“Steve! Tell me everything! Was the date good? Did you bring Stiles back? Wait, should I leave? If you brought him back, I should-” Steve cut off the rambling Robin was yelling through the door by opening it.

“Didn’t bring him back, Robs, but apparently someone else invited himself over.” He gestured to Derek and pointedly looked from him to the door he held open.

Robin looked at him too, also trying to shoo him towards the door even while asking, “Derek? Why are you here? Will you leave so I can hear about Steve’s date?”

“Not until he tells me who’s threatening Stiles?” Derek wasn’t moved by either of them, glaring at Steve as if he’d get an answer just by doing that.

Steve met the glare and crossed his arms, closing the door so none of the kids spotted the werewolf’s presence, “He didn’t say. Mentioned that you’d already been listening in on us earlier and he wasn’t sure if any of your pack would follow us. Is that enough for you?”

“You’ve got a guess.” Robin stated, watching him.

He’d known she’d register that and rolled his eyes when the glare was now attempted to be increased by a slow step toward him. “Yeah, but Derek isn’t exactly two people. Besides Scott, no one else seems so focused on Stiles or likely for him to focus on instead.”

“Lydia-”

“Is his friend and a way he avoided an identity crisis.” Steve cut off whatever was going to be said about her. He’d heard the teasing when the story of Beacon Hills was explained enough to know what might’ve happened there, “Spent enough time letting Robin talk about me to others to recognise that pattern. Glad you asked me before faking that crush to the school even if it makes Dustin a pest when he overhears.”

Derek huffed, looking away finally, “He’s always a pest.”

“But-” Robin said leadingly, hoping there was more that he’d say.

“He trusts you, doesn’t believe the threats much now.” Steve pointed out after a moment of quiet, “We only worried cause he mentioned it when asking me out. If possibly being who he meant upsets you, just stop with the threats. Do that anyway actually, cause while I’m dating him I will react accordingly.”

Derek glared at them before turning and jumping out the window Steve was sure had restrictions on how far it would open earlier.

“Friendly guy. Now come on, details please?” Robin leant out of the window watching for a moment even while gesturing with her hand to get Steve talking about his date.

~

After going over every detail of the date with Robin, and complaining about how Derek had acted over the evening Steve finally decided to text Stiles, “Enjoyed our date, didn’t expect a break in by Derek when I got back though.”

“He does that, sorry. I enjoyed it too. When should we have our next?” came the reply moments later accompanied by a few emojis Steve

After thinking for a moment Steve decided he would enjoy the relationship as if it was serious even if it was just while they were here. “Thursday? I’m dragging everyone on a day trip tomorrow so they can’t spend all their time trying to learn more about werewolves.”

“Good luck on that. Thursday sounds great.”

~

Steve half stepped back when a man he hadn’t met yet opened the door. He hadn’t expected Stiles’s dad to be in uniform while at home and now doubted whether he was right to have brought flowers for their second date, given the amused look being directed at them.

“Flowers? You’re serious about my son, aren’t you?” The sheriff asked, glancing over his shoulder to the stairs.

Steve shook his head quickly, well aware neither of them wanted their friends or family to make the dates more than they were, “No, well, we’ve agreed it’s just a holiday romance, Sir, but Stiles deserves all the romance I can include in that. He’s amazing.”

“I’m glad you think so.” He smiled, turning to call, “Stiles! Your date is here!”

Hearing a yelp from up the stairs and being able to wait in the entry way relaxed Steve, and he hoped that no phone calls would interrupt this date, or any others they went on.

~

So far the holiday had been relaxing since that first day. They’d realised that Beacon Hills didn’t have much that was different to Hawkins but just being somewhere new that they could explore was enough to keep most of them entertained thankfully.

Steve had been enjoying having Stiles around, letting him join him whenever the group was split and he had free time, and was getting ready for their third date when Robin rolled to face him where she’d been reading on her bed.

“Doesn’t this feel like he could Nancy you?” She asked, sounding concerned.

“Nope.” The answer was easily given, because despite both Stiles and Nancy being very intelligent they were utterly different beyond that.

She sat up looking at him closely, before pushing, “Steve, he’s already admitted to liking someone else. I don’t want you hurt.”

“He hasn’t.” Steve commented, certain of that, “He’s only offered a holiday romance. Short term, low commitment and mostly fun so we’ll stay friends after it. Probably a safe thing for him too.”

“What?” Robin looked confused and that made sense; she hadn’t seen Stiles on their dates or around the pack as much to notice some of the interactions Steve had.

“Stiles reminds me of Dustin a little, or you with the rambles and explanations he gives.” He started, trying to explain how cautiously Stiles was treating their relationship, “Only he’s better at understanding people and has danced around messy relationships being somewhere in his groups past a couple times. I think a holiday fling is his way of getting the courage to face that.”

Robin slowly nodded, watching him carefully when she asked, “So he’s not going to do anything until we’re gone?”

“Not without telling me first.” Steve knew that if Derek needed him Stiles would be focused on whatever that need was, but he also knew that making sure they both knew where they stood was something they’d promised to keep clear.

~

“Steve!”

“Yes El, what’s up?” Steve didn’t hesitate to turn from Stiles. They’d just been chatting over lunch since the Party had decided to explore the shops and museums separately for most of the day.

“Why did they do everything after Henry but nothing to wolves?” She asked it urgently as if since the thought had come to her it had distressed her entirely.

Stiles frowned at her before squinting towards the shops where Scott was just coming out of the one El had come from. He didn’t doubt something had been said about the FBI having visited Beacon Hills at some point, likely giving a wrong impression unless there was stuff Stiles hadn’t been told again.

“They shouldn’t have done anything you’ve been put through and well-” Steve was trying to reassure her but clearly didn’t have the answers or desire to lie to her with guesses.

“Werewolves have packs and are harder to manipulate.” Stiles cut in, thankfully cutting his floundering off, “From what you’ve shared everything you’ve been through is illegal and should never have happened. That it did is reprehensible but likely because kids are easier to manipulate and control.”

Stiles watched El head back to where Max and Will were waiting for her, “Why do they do that?” There had been a few incidences of the teens Steve had brought on this holiday seeking him out specifically for comfort or advice and he’d been curious each time. It felt similar to some of the things books mentioned about packs treating the caregivers in packs large enough kids didn’t just rely on their parents.

“Do what? Come to me for support?” Steve checked, leaning back on his hand and waving the other arm as if everything was explained with the reply, “You heard our story already.”

He shook his head, nodding back to where the kids were still in view. “No, actually come to you instead of texting or calling. Surely that’s easier.”

“Hawkins has the worst phone signal ever,” Steve groaned, pulling his phone out as if checking to see if there was still signal for it. “Possibly deliberately since El can boost it and that lab listens in on any calls it can. None of us trust our phones much even with Murray, Dustin and Will securing them.”

Stiles gaped for a second, not doubting for a second that a corrupt government could and would cause that but despising the idea that everything they’d been told had happened in Hawkins had that in the background. He had to ask more, especially given all the times they’d mentioned calling one person or a group easily.

Walkie talkies were not what he was expecting to be told the solution was.

~

Goodbyes often feel like they come too soon, but Steve was ready for this one. They’d known it was coming and had enjoyed the time they’d gotten so far. Plus he knew that they weren’t losing touch, just adjusting to working around Hawkins phone signal for a the future. That was why he smiled while hugging Stiles tightly, not releasing him as they pulled back. “Thanks for a wonderful few weeks Stiles.”

“We’re staying in touch, right?” Stiles checked, tapping his fingers along his sides, “Cause I want too. You’re cool and I can talk to you fully over werewolves and weird shit and-”

Steve laughed softly, “Yes, but as friends now and as your friend, I hope you ask Mr Not-so-threatening-now out. It looks like it’ll be complicated but he’s protective of you more than anyone. Just try. I think you and he could figure complicated out.”

“Thanks Steve, I’ll try.” Stiles smiled waiting until Steve had turned back to putting his bags in the car. “By the way, when’d you guess?”

He smiled, moving to climb in the car as he replied, “When he broke in.”

~

“I’m dating Derek!” Stiles cheered as soon as his call connected. Sure he’d already told Scott, and Lydia, and his Dad, but telling Steve was also very important and had only been put off so long because he hadn’t picked up the first five calls.

Steve let out a cheer too, before saying, “You asked him?”

“He asked me!” That felt unbelievable to say but only made the news better, “Thank you do whatever you said to him. He mentioned that break in when asking me out.”

~

Steve wasn’t particularly concerned so far. Just concerned enough to have accepted that the kids were back trying to get into deadly situations and still hadn’t learnt that asking too many questions caused them.

Then again, Wayne Munson had been the one to actually start everyone noticing something odd was happening by asking Nancy if she would report on a stranger amount of animals drained of blood being left around his trailer. He’d also asked Hopper about it, in case it was more creative threats done by the Hawkins general population to him because he was related to Eddie.

Given Dustin was proclaiming vampires now, and that they’d learnt supernatural creatures existed beyond weird Upside Down creatures, Steve had to call Stiles, hoping to confirm whether making things up from fantasy games was needed this time, “Hawkins mess imitating vampires or actual vampires? How to tell?”

“I’ll email ways to test for actual vamps tonight.” Stiles had let out a thoughtful noise, before replying. It was enough to remind Steve that he hadn’t been able to give much information about how the Upside Down creatures worked beyond seemingly having a hive mind.

He decided to make a little small talk instead, assuming the call couldn’t last long since Stiles was likely just on a lunch break. “Thanks how’s Beacon Hills currently?”

“Quiet since Nancy and Lydia found that cleansing and regrowth ritual for the nemeton.” He sounded relaxed and happy, and very amused to add, “Derek’s suspicious of it.”

At the mentioned of Derek, Steve had to check, “He treating you well?”

“Amazingly.”

Steve didn’t need Stiles’s info in the end. When he got home and saw someone waiting it was clear that this was both caused by the Hawkins mess and possibly not as horrible as he’d been worrying.

~

Robin had been watching Steve through their shift, smiling each time she caught him checking or chuckling at his phone until she had to comment, “Beacon Hills did you good, more than any of us, I think.”

“What makes you say that?” He glanced over curiously, placing his phone back in the tray it was meant to stay in while they were working.

“You got Stiles, a second friend I have to share you with.” She moved to lean on his shoulder, nudging him a little, “It’s relaxed you more to have someone like him to talk to.”

Steve leant against her so they’d stay balanced, thinking about the friendship that was still growing since their holiday, “Thanks Robin, I’m glad I met him too. Hey, you think the pack might help the party with whatever kicks off next?”

“Hope so, cause I know you and me will be heading over if anything happens there.” She snickered, only moving back to the counter when a customer approached it, looking around for them.

~

There were a lot of things Steve expected when answering a knock to his door, but a blonde man, looking back at the street and remarking, “So this is the town we got visitors from? Where’s the secret lab I heard of?” Well that wasn’t something he ever expected to happen.

“Who are you and why are you on my doorstep?” He demanded, eyes narrowed and mentally running through what the party would be doing and only relaxing incrementally when he remembered it was a Hellfire evening.

The man smiled, holding a hand out as he turned round, “Peter Hale and because Stiles wouldn’t tell me anyone else’s names, the stubborn boy.”

“Two moments.” Steve stepped back from the door, not minding that Peter used that to invite himself in. He still had his bat on one hand as he grabbed his phone to call Stiles with the other. “Who’s Peter and why’s he here?”

Stiles groaned, but thankfully didn’t complain over the lack of a greeting. “Derek’s uncle. Give him to the lab if it’s reopened.”

He rolled his eyes, seeing how Peter brightened at the instruction, “It’s not, but I’ll send him there anyway, unless he could copy El?”

“Not easily.” Stiles was decisive in that but sounded thoughtful and curious as he continued, “It’d take at least a few months and you’d notice something’s up sooner than that.”

Steve narrowed his eyes at the innocently offended act Peter was putting on, not even bothering to hide that he was listening to the call. “Great. Call to catch up properly tomorrow?”

“Sure, talk then, Steve. Peter, they can kill you If you cause trouble. Behave.” Both men chuckled at Stiles’s chiding, but Steve waited to see if Peter would say anything first.

Gesturing back to the door Peter said, “Insolent. So about that lab?”

[aloneinthehellfire]

Chapter Two: Safe From Heartbreak

The Pariahs That Saved The World [Masterlist]

Word Count: 6.3k

Warnings: nothing overtly horrible happening, mention of a funeral, mention of Victor Creel's appearance, canon-typical chapter here folks

[A/N: I just want to say a huge thank you to everyone supporting this story and I really hope I don't disappoint everyone. I am restricting myself to one chapter each week mostly because I really need the rest huns, it's been stressful lately x Anyways, enjoy this lengthy chapter of queer adorableness <;3]

Safe From Heartbreak

“You brought her?!”

Steve’s concern was met with Robin’s innocent smile, raising her hands to sheepishly shrug. It wasn’t as if he could do anything about it; you were stood right there with that familiar scowl you reserved just for him.

Robin wasn’t sure how people were going to react when they found out she had gone and begged you to help them. There was a small but vital discussion about it before she decided to break all those rules. But she knew you had to be here.

“What did we say about making her do this? She didn’t wanna come.” Steve whispers at her, but the room was too small for privacy.

“Firstly, she is right here.” You say, folding your arms. “Secondly, Robin didn’t make me do anything. I’m here to help.”

“What made you change your mind?” Nancy speaks up from where she sat beside Lucas. You felt a pang of guilt when you remembered how you spoke to her last time. You had expressed your outright refusal to be a part of this and here you were, contradicting your own words.

“We all have people we need to protect, right?” You say quietly, avoiding her piercing eyes.

Steve runs a hand down his face as he sighs in defeat, relaxing his shoulders. You watch how his eyes dart to the corner and you look over, heart wrenching at the sight of Max staring back at you. She smiles, so you walk over with Robin’s gaze unknowingly fixed on your back.

“I’m gonna grab some drinks.” Nancy sighs, setting down the remnants of your old project folder. “Anyone want anything?”

“Some water?” Lucas asks and she nods, leaving the room in silence.

“Does she seem alright to you?” Steve asks, a soft frown on his face as he looks up the staircase.

“Why are you so worried, Steve?” Dustin speaks up with a mocking tone in his voice. Steve throws him a glare.

“Because we’re dealing with a mind wizard, asshole.” He grumbles and Robin laughs. He sends a pointed look, lowering his voice. “You’re one to joke.”

“Huh?” She questions and he gently pulls her aside, quickly checking that everyone else was occupied. You and Max were deep in whispered conversation while Lucas and Dustin weren’t so quiet, rambling on about Vecna and the possibilities for defeat.

“I know what’s been going on.” Steve reiterates and Robin scrunches her face.

“Well you wanna tell me, or is it a secret?” She jokes and he suppresses a smile. “Come on, what?”

“Y/n.” He says and she raises her eyebrow, automatically looking to where you sat beside Max, smiling at something the girl was saying.

“You like her.”

Her stomach drops, head whipping back to where Steve stood with a shit-eating grin on his face.

“What?” Her eyes widen, looking flustered. She glances back over to you again, watching you laugh. “I- no. No, that’s not what’s happening.”

“Uh-huh.” He waggles his eyebrows, nudging her. “You’re not fooling me. You literally can’t take your eyes off her.”

“That’s not- I’m not.” She huffed, squeezing her eyes shut. “That’s not why I’m watching- wait, when did we move to making fun of my love life?”

“So it is a love life problem.” He points out and she shuts her mouth.

“I’m not talking to you anymore.”

“Thank god.”

Robin attempts to speak, opening and closing her mouth until she huffs in frustrated defeat, storming away.

As Max turns away from you to continue working on her writing, you place a hand on her shoulder in silent goodbye and walk over to Steve, raising your eyebrow.

“I see you haven’t lost your effect on women.” You comment, head nodding to the staircase.

“Ha ha.” Steve rolls his eyes.

When he doesn’t continue speaking, you assume he doesn’t want to talk to you anymore. It made sense. You had ended the idea of friendship between you both horribly, warping his feeling for you into a reason of hatred. It was a long time ago now, but you still regret what you did when you see that look on his face.

As you move away, his soft grip suddenly reaches out and pulls you back, surprising you.

“Are you okay?” He asks. He sounded genuine, throwing you off guard as you blink up at him. With a sigh, he’s running a hand through his hair. He always did that when he was nervous. “You didn’t… you didn’t speak to us before you left last year.”

“I’m…” You start, frowning. You didn’t speak to us before you left last year… Bullshit. “Yeah, I’m fine. Looking forward to getting rid of this Vecna guy, anyway.”

“Yeah.” He sighs, looking over to the corner. “Thanks for helping. I know Max really appreciates it. You guys were always close.”

“I’d do anything for her.” You admit, nodding furiously. Your mouth suddenly feels dry and you look around. “Wasn’t Nancy getting water?”

“Yeah, I’m getting seriously thirsty right now.” Lucas mumbles, groaning when he notices all the information he has to cover on the table in front of him.

“She and Robin are probably chatting about girl stuff.” Dustin shrugs and you tilt your head.

“Girl stuff. Really?”

“I don’t know.” He raises his hands in surrender and you roll your eyes.

“Fine, I’ll go see where they are.”

Part of you was glad you could escape that basement for a moment. In no means did it feel crowded space-wise, but having these people stare at you felt suffocating. You could physically feel them trying to solve you like a jigsaw puzzle, wondering why you came back, why you were truly here. Why you left.

The distinct sound of Robin’s voice radiated from the kitchen, pulling you towards the room before you realised your feet were taking you closer. You poke your head around the corner to see her standing by the kitchen island in conversation with Karen, eyes light as she expresses gratitude for letting them be here.

“Anytime. I like having a full house.” Karen says, smiling and grabbing her purse. “I am just running out, let Nancy know I’ve left.”

“Will do.” Robin salutes, making the older woman laugh.

“Hey, hon.” Karen coos as she walks past you and Robin whips her head to where you’re leant against the door frame, a sad smile plastered across your face.

She feels terrible. Maybe Steve was right; she shouldn’t have dragged you into this. But it was too late now.

“So, Mrs Wheeler seems to like you.” You comment, the sadness breaking into genuine amusement and Robin shrugs.

“I get along with adults more than people my own age. Minus my own parents.” She states, and your face drops. You try to mask it, brushing imaginary dirt from your jeans so you could duck your head. But Robin caught it. “You okay?”

“Yeah.” You sigh, gently closing your eyes for a moment before you walk over to her, leaning over the counter top. “It just feels weird to be back.”

“Sorry I dragged you here.” She says with a small voice and you look up at her, frowning.

“Robin, I meant what I said. You didn’t make me do anything.”

She dismisses it with the flick of her hand, looking unconvinced.

“Seriously.” You chuckle slightly, clasping your hands together for something to look at, leaning toward her as she sat down at a stool and rested her elbow on the surface. “I was gonna leave, like I originally planned. I’m only here for my grandad’s funeral. But… I can’t just leave when something dangerous is happening. I can’t leave Gran alone in Hawkins- I definitely can’t leave Max knowing that I did nothing to try and help.”

“I’m sorry about your grandad.” Robin smiles sympathetically, “Nancy didn’t mention that.”

“No one really knows.” You explain, resting your hand on your chin, matching her stance. “It wasn’t anything supernatural, you know? Just health… we knew it was going to happen for a while. My gran wants to keep it on the down low, have an intimate funeral. People will only bother her if she tells everyone.”

“She sounds like she knows what she’s doing.” She says and you laugh, nodding.

“She’s pretty great. Talks too much for her own good sometimes but I love that about her.”

Robin appears surprised, a hesitant spark in her eyes. “Really?”

“Yeah, absolutely.” You smile, brows furrowed. “I think conversations like that are so much better. It’s… it’s expressive. There aren’t really any rules, we’re not restricting our thoughts because we are too afraid of being a burden. You can learn so much from someone when they talk like that. I really admire it.”

You look up to her flushed cheeks just in time to see her adjust her posture so the fabric of her sleeve hides the pink creeping up. You try and stop a smile, but it was useless. She looked really cute.

Robin was more than a little flustered now. She didn’t know why, but your words hit her like a tank carrying stone, 100mph, no survivors. She’s never had anyone tolerate her habit before let alone admire it. Steve might be right. Not that she’d ever say anything.

“Robin?” Your voice snaps her back into reality, eyes looking back into yours.

“Yeah?”

“I-”

The kitchen door swings open and you both whip your heads to the entrance, watching Nancy take a deep breath.

“Wait, weren’t you getting drinks?” You point between her and the tap, your original thoughts long forgotten now.

“I got distracted.” She states, reaching into the cupboard and pulling out two glasses. “I tried calling Jonathan but- it doesn’t matter. I can’t help thinking Victor Creel has to be connected. Like, really connected. None of those reports were giving any reason as to why Vecna didn’t kill him in the first place. We’re missing something. Something big.”

“Why don’t we just talk to Victor?” Robin suggests and Nancy lets out a breathy laugh, filling up a glass with water before shutting the tap off quickly, spinning around to face her.

“He’s- he’s locked up at Pennhurst, remember? Unless we’re family or some kind of authority, we’re not getting in to see him.”

Robin closes her mouth and thins her lips. “You’re right, that’s stupid.”

“No, it’s not.” You interject, glancing between them. “I know a way we can speak to him.”

“You got his number or something?” Robin quips and you fight a smile.

“I tried asking Pennhurst if I could speak with him last time. I rang them up and they told me I wouldn’t be allowed to see him unless I had permission from the director.” You explain, combing back through your memory. “Of course, they wouldn’t even let me get an appointment because I was just some stupid kid who was probably wasting their time trying to tell ghost stories.”

“What does this have to do with talking to Victor?” Robin redirects your thoughts and you clear your throat.

“When they went to hang up, I asked who the director would actually speak to. I was just trying to keep them talking so I could maybe convince them. They told me he would only take appointments with people serious about their future… and, yeah, they hung up.”

“Serious about their future?” Nancy prompts.

“Psych majors.” You say and her eyes light up. “They definitely won’t let us see Victor right away, but I guarantee we can get an appointment with the director if we were the type of students he’d want to see. Maybe-”

“Maybe we can persuade him to let us study him.” Nancy finishes and you snap your fingers, nodding. The drinks were since abandoned now, her fingers drumming against the kitchen island surface.

“Okay, and how are we meant to convince them we’re psych majors?” Robin asks, frowning. “I doubt they’re gonna let us walk in without some kind of proof, right?”

“We fake it.” Nancy nods enthusiastically. “It’s easy to create false identification these days, and I have the perfect place to do it.”

She’s already headed out into the hallway before Robin shrugs.

“Nancy committing a crime? I gotta see this.” She comments and you smile, following her out with a jolt of excitement in your chest.

You weren’t sure if that excitement was conclusive to the thrill of the investigation, or the eagerness you felt to spend time with the new friend you couldn’t stop thinking about.

“How long does it take you guys get some water?” Steve questions as you all come rushing down the stairs. Lucas frowns when he notices you were holding files instead of glasses.

“Okay, so…” Nancy breathes out with a smile, looking at you both either side of her. “We have a plan.”

“Thanks to Nancy’s newspaper minions, and Y/n’s incredible investigative skills, we are now rock-star psychology students at the University of Notre Dame.” Robin says as everyone flicks through the files you whipped up, a smile creeping onto her lips for mentioning you. You weren’t ever given praise for your help in this group before.

“I’m now Ruth.” Nancy nods, looking at you.

“Elizabeth.” You raise your hand.

“And I’m Rose.” Robin announces.

“Ruth?” Steve raises a brow at Nancy and she shrugs.

“Nice GPA.” Dustin looks up at you with raised brows.

“I do my best.” You reply, earning a smile.

“So, we called Pennhurst Asylum, told them we’d like to speak with Victor Creel for a thesis we’re writing on paranoid schizophrenics-”

“To which they said no. Just like Y/n said they would.” Robin comments, glaring at Steve when he sends her a look.

“But we landed a three o’clock with the director.” You finish, crossing your arms. “We just need to, well, charm him into letting us speak to Victor.”

“And maybe we can rid Max of this curse.” Nancy says, and you nod slowly.

“Yeah, uh, about that.” Steve glances over his shoulder before leaning forward, gesturing to the scattered pieces of paper from your folder. “We’ve been doing our Victor Creel homework, and, uh… we got some questions.”

“Lots of questions.” Lucas agrees.

“So do we.” Nancy states, shaking her head. “Hopefully, Victor has the answers.”

“Wait, wait, wait a second. Uh…” He shuffles through the three folders in his hands, shaking his head. “Where’s mine?”

The three of you share silent looks, Robin’s face twisting with indecision on what expression to make while Nancy struggles to answer.

“It doesn’t exist.” You finally say and he looks at you in shock. “What? We only made three. Unless you wanna be called Elizabeth…”

“What-”

“We should actually be getting ready.” Nancy cuts off his argument, standing up and nodding at you both.

Max turns in her seat and you send her a little salute, her own one sent back in return as you and Robin move to follow Nancy up the stairs. Steve cuts you off, and you see Nancy quicken her steps.

“That’s, uh… that’s not a thing again, is it?” You ask the girl beside you and she scoffs.

“A thing? No. Complete and utter nonsense? Absolutely.” She replies and you sigh, following their footsteps until it led you into Nancy’s bedroom.

“Nancy, you’re outta your mind if you think I’m babysitting again.” Steve whined while you and Robin roll your eyes, smirking at eachother.

“Okay, first of all, they’re not babies anymore.” Nancy says and he scoffs. “And Max is in real danger, she needs people around her.”

“I know, but why does it always have to be me?”

“Maybe because you still act like a child. You fit right in.” You offer with a smile and he squints his eyes.

“I liked it better when you weren’t here.”

“Oh, I’m touched.”

“Oh my god, you have a Tom Cruise poster.” Robin gawks as she enters the pink room, turning back with a suggestive grin. “You have a Tom Cruise poster.”

“That’s… old.” Nancy defends and you smile.

“Didn’t you used to kiss him every nigh-” You start but she cuts you off.

“I was twelve! That was… God, can you please not touch anything?” Nancy begs Robin, but the light brunette ignores her.

“I just- I can’t do anything here, Nance. Maybe I can be helpful with this asylum director dude.” Steve continues his failed attempt at joining your mission.

You perch yourself on the bed, smirking at Robin whenever she turns in awe to show you girly trinkets.

“I don’t know, I could, like, turn on my… my charm.”

“Not the kind of charm we need.” Nancy comments and Steve blinks.

“Ouch.”

“Yeah, last I checked that other charm didn’t work either.” Robin calls out and Steve purses his lips, resting his hands on his hips.

“Okay, double ouch.”

“No, I just…” Nancy sighs, “Look, Y/n and I did a little digging and it turns out this Dr. Hatch…”

As Nancy tries to dig herself out of her hole, Robin points to her dresser and you move with her, slightly intrigued to know what she had found. She starts moving around books and paper until she picks up a small necklace, scanning the desk. You assume she’s looking for some place to store it and you pick up the box closest to you, assuming it was for jewellery. Robin nods and you both widen your eyes when it turns out it’s not a jewellery box, instead letting out a soft melody. You hadn’t seen one of these in years.

“… that, like him, we are true academic scholars.” Nancy ends her argument, focusing back on looking through her closet.

Robin takes the music box from your hands and turns to Steve, whispering. “Holy shit, there’s a little ballerina in here.”

You let out a giggle and Steve turns back to Nancy, unconvinced.

“Academic scholar?” His hand points to you. “They’re giving you an academic scholar vibe? Yeah.”

“No, but… they will.”

You both turn around to see what Nancy was implying to find her holding two of the ugliest outfits you’ve seen, nothing like the comfortable clothes you opt to wear for your daily life.

“Oh, please tell me you’re joking.” Robin cringes and you place a hand on her shoulder, pulling a face.

“I’m gonna be sick.”

Steve laughs, tilting his head at the assortment of pink and baby blue hanging from Nancy’s hands.

“Well, if I’m not going then can I ask for one very important thing?” He prompts and Nancy nods unknowingly.

He glances between you and Robin, smirking. “Take lots of photos.”

Robin reaches across the bed and acquires a pillow, throwing it at Steve’s head who merely ducks his way out the door frame, still laughing.

“Can I not just wear black? Is that not respectable?” You practically beg, holding the outfit she thrust into your arms like it was a ticking time bomb.

“I don’t have black.” Nancy shrugs, “Other than an old funeral outfit.”

Your face falls and you sigh, looking down at it with an intense stare.

“What are you doing?” Robin frowns, refusing to touch her clothes.

“Maybe if I squint hard enough, it’ll look better.” You say and Nancy sounds out a protest.

“Hey, these are my real clothes, remember?”

“And they look good on you.” You say, Robin nodding along with you. “But only you. Not me.”

“Definitely not me.” Robin agrees but Nancy smirks.

“Well, you don’t have a choice.” She says as she walks out of the room. “Be ready in 10!”

She leaves you and Robin stood there holding clothes you hoped never to be seen dead in, disgust etched into your features.

“It’s just, what, an hour? Two at most?” Robin tries to convince herself, comparing the shirt on her body. “God, it even looks uncomfortable.”

“Let’s just get it over with.” You sigh, pulling off your jumper and throwing it on the bed when you realise Robin’s staring at you, that familiar red tint on her cheeks. “What?”

“Nothing.” She looks away, lips tight. Your eyes widen.

“Shit, sorry, I can go change in the bathroom-”

“No, no, it’s fine. I’m not uncomfortable, I-” She takes a deep breath. “Anyone can walk into the bathroom, we’ll just… yeah, we’ll just change here.”

She walks around to the other side of the bed, slipping off her shoes. When she starts to fiddle with her own jumper, you both immediately turn around to face away from eachother for some privacy.

You felt tense as you strip away your clothes to pull on Nancy’s ones, and you weren’t sure if it was a good or a bad feeling. You had only known Robin a little over a day maybe, but you haven’t felt so comfortable around someone for a while, not since… not since Starcourt, the hospital. Maybe…

No, you think to yourself, strapping on the heels that felt just a little too tight, I can’t let myself think that.

Robin was a friend, maybe not even that at the moment. And you don’t actually know her well enough to out yourself as a pariah.

“How are you feeling?” Robin calls out with your backs still turned, fiddling with some buttons. God, she hated this. The outfit, not you. Fuck.

She notices your hesitation, making her straighten up from where she sat perched on the edge of Nancy’s bed.

“About what?” You ask and she frowns.

“I don’t know… in general, I guess?”

“I’m… fine. A little weird that I’m wearing so much pink right now but, other than that, I’m okay.” You respond and she slowly nods, reaching down to slip on shoes. Ugh, heels. “Are you feeling okay?”

“Yeah.” Robin says, standing up and immediately trying to find her balance. She wasn’t sure she could pull this off. “A little bit spooked, I guess, but hey, it’s Hawkins, what else is new?”

You chuckle, shaking your head. “Okay, I’m ready.”

“Turn on the count of three?” Robin suggests and you agree. “One. Two. Three.”

You both spin around and immediately pause, taking in the new looks of the girls who definitely despised their clothes.

“We look ridiculous.” Robin blinks, turning to the mirror and gasping.

“I feel ridiculous.” You mumble, shifting the skirt that dug into your waist. Robin points to her reflection in horror and you shake your head.

“I don’t even want to know what I look like. I like ignorance.” You decide, walking over to the door. “Let’s go find Nancy and get out of here before anyone else-”

You open the door to find Steve, Dustin, and Nancy patiently waiting on the other side, staring back at you. Nancy gives a nod of approval, Dustin twists his face in horror and Steve starts grinning.

“What?” Robin asks as she joins you, eyes widening.

There was a sudden snap and you glare at Steve, the boy lowering his hand and hiding the disposable camera behind him.

“Have fun.” He says before dragging Dustin away with him, the younger boy still staring at you.

“It just feels so wrong.” He mutters and Steve agrees, disappearing down the stairs.

“Well, that makes me feel better.” You groan and Robin shakes her head.

“Nope, not doing it.” She tries to run but Nancy’s grabbing your arms, pulling you with her.

“Come on, you both look great.” She rolls her eyes, smiling. “Let’s go be so smart the director can’t refuse us.”

“He’s going to refuse us.” You comment, watching the way Robin itched to be out of her outfit, your own hands fiddling with the skirt. Nancy’s hand slaps yours away and you gape at her.

“We’ll be fine as long as we play our parts.” She reminds you both and you take a breath.

“Yes, mom.” You mumble and she rolls her eyes.

“Y/n’s right, I can’t breathe in this thing.” Robin complains, struggling with her heels, “And I’m itchy. I’m itching all over.”

“It’s not all about comfort. Okay? We’re academics.” Nancy says and Robin sighs.

“Who are evidently coming from an Easter brunch.” She says and you laugh, snapping your mouth shut when Nancy glares at you. “Also, this bra that you gave me is really pinching my boobs.”

“Yeah, and why do you look good and we look like The Shining twins?” You ask and Robin gasps in acceptance.

“Ooh, good one.”

“Okay, how about you both just let me do the talking?” She asks, looking between you both. “If that’s even possible?”

“It’s not only possible, it’s inevitable.” Robin stresses, pulling at the collar. “Because shortly, I’ll be dead from strangulation!”

Before you could even walk into the building, a man in monochrome stops you all, eyebrows raised.

“We have an appointment with the director.” Nancy smiles and you force your own, hands clasped in front of you. The man simply gives a curt nod, opening the door and jutting his chin.

“Friendly.” You mutter as you pass him, focusing everything on keeping your cool. The last time you went undercover like this was when you went to see Mrs. Driscoll…

As the man continues to what Robin assumed to be the office, she turns around to find you stood there, adjusting the waist band once again. In a sneaky turn, she makes her way back to you, dipping her head to meet your eyes.

“Hey, you okay?”

“Huh?” You look up, blinking. “Yeah. Yeah, I’m… Just got distracted for a moment. Let’s go.”

You both return to Nancy in time for the door to open, a very brief greeting to the director behind the desk until you were all sat in front of him, trying not to sweat. You hated this feeling in your chest, some kind of fluttering darkness.

“3.9 GPAs.” Hatch comments, nodding approvingly as he holds the last folder; yours. “All of you. Impressive.”

“And this is a recommendation from Professor Brantley.” Nancy holds out yet another forged document, the lie rolling off her tongue like it was second nature. There was a bitterness latching onto your throat then, remembering the last time she had looked you dead in the eyes and lied.

“Yeah, I know Larry. Quite well, actually.”

Your heart leaps to your throat. Fuck, you should have known that. You were in charge of the research, why didn’t you check to see-

“Eh, you know what they say.” Hatch says, raising his eyebrows. “Those who can’t do, teach.”

Robin giggles at his joke and you smile, nodding.

“Uh, yes. Yes, that’s actually why we’re here.” Her eyes dart to yours and you sense she’s afraid of messing up.

“We can only learn so much when we’re confined to a classroom.” You speak up and Nancy nods eagerly, smiling with you.

Hatch hums in agreement, “And I’m sympathetic to your struggle, truly. But there is a protocol to visiting a patient like Victor. You have to put in a request, and then you have to undergo a screening process, at which point the board will make a decision.”

He starts to slide the documents back to you and you bite your lip.

“I can see you’re disappointed.” He comments, “But I’m more than happy to give you a tour of our facility. Perhaps you can even speak to some patients in our low-security wing.”

The way he spoke down to you had your skin crawling with fury. This wasn’t the first time you’d been talked to like a mindless child.

“And we’d… we would love that.” Nancy tries, smiling again. “It’s just that, um… our thesis is due next month-”

“And you’re out of time.” Hatch cuts her off, raising an eyebrow. “Whose fault is that?”

You purse your lip, looking at your feet.

“Ours. Absolutely.” Nancy continues, hoping to appeal to his good side. You weren’t convinced he even had one. “We just- we wanted-”

“We didn’t drive all the way here to be disrespected.” You suddenly say and Nancy’s eyes widen in shock, looking at you like you were crazy.

“Excuse me?” Hatch blinks, reeling up to spew out more ridicules.

“Sir,” Nancy leans forward, “I do apologise for-”

“Don’t apologise, Ruth. Screw that.” Robin says this time and Nancy is almost staring daggers at you both. “Elizabeth is correct for being upset. The fact of the matter is, we did put in a request months ago and were denied. And then we reapplied and were denied again. And coming here was our last-ditch effort to save our thesis. And I really… I can’t breathe in this thing.”

“Uh, well, Rose, maybe you’d like to go outside and get some air.” Nancy says through gritted teeth.

“Maybe I should, Ruth.” Robin replies and you clear your throat.

“Director Hatch. Dr, I presume?” You look at him and he nods, frowning. “May I ask if anyone has ever had an appointment with you and gotten to speak to a patient of their choice before? Academically speaking, of course.”

“Well-”

“Hm, and how many of them were men?” You continue, Hatch struggling with his words. His hesitancy told you all you needed them to. “Right. All of them.”

“I don’t understand what you are implying, Miss…” He starts rooting back through documents and you scoff, taking him by surprise.

“You can just call me Elizabeth. Seeing as you never asked us originally if we were okay with not being addressed by our professional names, I can assume that you never bothered to learn or even look at what my surname might be.”

“Well, I-” He stutters and you know you have him where you need him to be.

“The thing is, Dr Hatch, I’m not even offended anymore. None of us are. Because if we were men sat in front of you right now, you’d actually be seeing us with the intention of discussing our request to see Victor Creel instead of inviting us here to simply mock us.” You say in a sickly sweet voice laced with venom. You turn your head to Robin. “Isn’t that right, Rose?”

“Yes, it is.” Robin nods, suddenly standing from her chair, “In fact, I’m starting to think this whole thing is a colossal mistake. I’m breaking out in a rash, my boobs hurt. And I’ll tell you the truth, Anthony. May I call you Anthony? These aren’t actually my clothes. I borrowed them because I wanted you to take us seriously. Because nobody takes girls seriously in this field, they just don’t. We don’t look the part or whatever, but can I tell you a story?”

Hatch stares up in confusion and you hide a smirk, fixing the same glare on him as Robin rambled about summer camp, about how she was fascinated with knowing Victor Creel’s mind and you felt that flutter of darkness burst into something else, something a little brighter. You knew words could be a powerful thing, and you knew now that Robin was so much more than you realised.

“I wanted to be you!” Robin emphasises, breathing heavy. “So, forgive me if I’ll now try anything in my power, including wearing this ridiculous outfit, if I might get the chance to speak to the man that ignited my passion, and learn a little more about how his twisted, but let’s face it, totally fascinating mind works.”

She takes a deep breath and you stand up, too, ignoring Nancy’s wide eyes.

“Maybe we don’t have the official paperwork, but don’t tell us that a man like cry-baby Petey wouldn’t have gotten an audience with Victor in a matter of moments if he’d asked politely, because we all know that he would.” You conclude, both you and Robin sharing that same fire in your eyes as you stare down at this man, unwavering.

“So… ten minutes with Victor. That’s all we ask.” Robin suggests, and Hatch glances between all three of you, sighing.

“Follow me.” He finally says, standing from his desk and leading you all to the door, letting his receptionist know he’d be out.

You and Robin sneak a grin to eachother, an amazed Nancy shaking her head in astonishment, leaning close.

“You guys make a great team.” She whispers and Robin smiles, feeling giddy when you reach for her hand and squeeze for a second in victory.

“Y/n?”

“Y/n, are you okay?”

Your head is thumping, trying to force your eyes open. You felt tired and dizzy, taking in as many deep breaths as you can.

“What happened?” You manage to say, clearing your throat. You can just make out Robin’s face leaning over from the passenger seat. You blink. Since when were you back in the car? “What…”

Whatever your question was to be, your mind interrupted you with a sharp memory.

“Did I survive?” Victor says with a low voice, his deformed eyes felt like they were staring into your soul, your heart beating erratically. “No, I assure you…”

His head slowly turns towards the bars, suddenly snapping to where you stood.

“I am still very much in hell.”

“You fainted.” Nancy says from behind the wheel, a crack in her voice. “Hatch found us out, tried to have us arrested. We needed to make a run for it so you distracted them…”

“I think we can beat him.” Nancy whispers to you both as you walk through the courtyard, officers trailing behind you.

“What?” Robin frowns.

“To the car.” She specifies, determination written across her face. You nod in agreement, already seeing the familiar brown of the wagon across the field.

“Okay, I’m warning you right now, I have terrible coordination.” Robin stresses, “It took me six months longer to walk than all the other babies. I’ll just slow you guys down.”

“I’ll distract, you guys run.” You whisper, walking beside the hedge.

“What?” Nancy turns to you, Robin sporting a similar expression of horror.

“I took track for three years, remember?” You remind Nancy and she tilts her head in contemplation. “I can outrun them and give you time to start up the car. I’ll meet you outside the gates.”

“What- is this really a plan right now?!” Robin hisses at you both and Nancy grabs her hand.

Before Robin can protest any further, you quickly swipe at the ground and gather stones, spinning around to launch them at the officers.

“Just follow my lead.” Nancy urges as she pulls Robin into a run and you sprint the other way, glancing back to ensure they were both following you instead of them.

The next thing you can remember is being tackled to the ground, an array of voices shouting after you. It wasn’t an officer, though. It was a patient, her wild eyes screaming at you.

“Curse! Curse!”

She had spewed that over and over until you manage to push her off, scrambling to your feet and cutting through the trees, making out the silhouette of the vehicle just leaving.

“You passed out when you got to us, are you- are you okay?” Robin’s brows are furrowed, looking at you with more concern than you think you ever had for yourself.

“Fine.” You shake your head, slowly sitting up. “I think I accidentally ran into someone and hit my head a little. I must have been dizzy.”

It was a blatant lie and you knew it. But the truth sounded too scary for you to want to focus on.

“What did I miss?”

“Uh…” Robin looks to Nancy and your stomach drops. “Well…”

“Vecna got to Max.” Nancy says for her and you lurch forward.

“What?! Is she okay?”

“She’s okay.” Robin confirms, nodding profusely. “She’s fine. We told them about the music and they managed to pull her out of it before anything truly horrible could happen.”

You sigh in relief, slumping back into your seat. “Thank god.”

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Nancy finds your eyes in the rear-view, frowning.

“I’m alright.” You let out a breathy laugh. “I think I severely overestimated my stamina from five years ago.”

“Good.” She smiles, and you curl your lips in return. “At least we know something now, right? This trip wasn’t a total waste. I say we take a look at the Creel House, see if we can find anything else.”

With everyone in silent agreement, you all try to calm your nerves from the day.

“I wish we knew more.” Robin speaks up after a few more minutes of driving, shifting in her seat so she could see both you and Nancy. “I mean, we still don’t really know how to stop him.”

“And why only one at a time?” You frown and she looks at you questioningly. “Victor’s whole family was taken in a night, one after the other. It’s terrifying to think, but… but what’s stopping him from doing that now?”

“Maybe he got weaker?” Robin suggests and Nancy sighs, shaking her head.

“Let’s just take today as a milestone, get some sleep, and keep working tomorrow.” She suggests and you nod, murmurs of agreement falling from both of your lips.

Your head turns back to the window, sinking further into your seat. Nancy was right, you should be looking to the positives, not digging yourself a hole of disappointment. You were so sure this trip would answer everything, but everything wasn’t as simple as you had hoped. This thing was new and it was bigger than you could ever have imagined. In fact, the more you thought about it, the clearer it became that you still had a chance to walk away from it all. You were one plane ticket away from escaping again, once and for all. In two days you’d be at your grandfather’s funeral, and in two days you will have nothing else holding you here except the responsibility you’ve all put on yourselves.

No, you couldn’t leave. It wouldn’t be right to rub it in Max’s face that you can escape this when she’s bound to it. You owed her this.

She was the only one who actually cared for you when Heather died.

taglist: @kryztalglear / @dejerw / @officerrrfriendly / @a-simpfortessa-lesbriean / @spacedoutdaydreamer / @endurexxsurvive / @em16cor / @gray-cheese / @chaosofmanyfandoms

i try to keep up to date with taglists but if i have missed anyone or if you would like to be added please comment below or let me know via asks! [if i have highlighted your username in pink, it means tumblr isn’t allowing me to tag you so please check visibility settings while i try my best to sort this out!]

[iliaclwrites]

hello!! could you possibly write something where the reader is like a mom to Dustin (the way Steve is) and he catches reader and Eddie making out and he screams "stop kissing my mom!!" or something like that?? Thank youu🤎🤎🤎

You’d babysat Dustin for years, ever since he was old enough for his mother to leave him at home without freaking out. You weren’t exactly the best babysitter in the neighbourhood – too readily bowled over by his endearing smile and begging to really hold any line, and you became fast friends growing up.  

He knew you had a boyfriend, sure. He’d come downstairs when you were babysitting him to hear you on the phone, kicking your feet up like a dumb little schoolgirl before you sprung up to shepherd him back to bed. He just didn’t know who your boyfriend was. You didn’t think it mattered. 

So when you asked Dustin if he wouldn’t mind not ratting on you to his mom tonight when you brought your boyfriend over, you thought it would go without a hitch. He insisted being allowed to eat icecream and two pizzas of his choice, and you acquiesced. You’d do anything for this. You had been so wrapped up in your midterms that you’d had absolutely no time to see your boyfriend at all, and when you realised that you could almost definitely pay off Dustin to let you sneak him in, you leapt at the chance. 

“So, what’s he like?” Dustin asked, scrawling in one of his many notebooks as you checked over his Latin homework. “Your boyfriend?” 

You flushed. “He’s a sweetie,” you mumbled, scratching the back of your neck in embarrassment as you pushed away Dustin’s Latin notes, circling in pencil the verbs he’d messed up. “Genuinely the loveliest guy I’ve ever met. He’s just a gentleman, you know?” 

Dustin hummed. “How’d you guys meet?” 

You smiled softly, looking down at your hands. “He always used to come into the record store where I worked,” you murmured, thinking over the memory. “He was really close with some of the guys older than me in the store, so when we did stock take with a few beers we’d throw a bit of a party, and he’d be there. Drinking beers and dancing.” 

You looked up at Dustin’s ceiling, remembering how the metalhead had swept you into a dance to The Cure’s Lovecats, spinning you under his arm until your can of beer spilled between you and on the floor, and both of you were on your knees howling with laughter as you swiped at it with your sleeves. You kissed like that, pleasantly drunk on Red Stripe and British New Wave, on your hands and knees together. He had grabbed your hair and pulled you down with him, tumbling onto the pile of coats, giggling the whole way as you rubbed your sopping, beer-soaked clothes over each other’s faces. 

“I’ve been wanting to do that for ages,” he’d said, pulling your body into him. He was warm and damp, and you rested your chin on his sternum, blowing his now sticky hair out of his eyes. “Ever since I walked in and saw you trying to convince a kid not to buy the new Duran Duran album.” 

You had snorted, and pressed a kiss to his mouth. “Me too,” you admitted. “Ever since I saw you laughing at how I overcharged the kid.” 

“The very same,” he said, and tapped your mouth, yelping as you bit at it playfully. “Why didn’t we do this sooner, princess?” 

You had snorted. “We’re doing it now, Munson. Now get over here and kiss your girl.” 

“Yes, ma’am.” 

“Ew,” Dustin said. “I didn’t need to know all of that, thanks,” he said, wrinkling his nose and pushing up off of the bed as the doorbell rang. “Oh. That’ll be him, I guess,” he said, gesturing to the door. “I’ll be up here.” 

You grinned at him. “Thanks, Dusty,” you whispered, ruffling his hair. “You’re such a good sport, kiddo.” 

“Yeah, yeah,” he said, swiping at your hair. “Don’t let anyone know. It’d ruin my rep.” 

You raced down the stairs, barrelling through the door and into Eddie’s open arms. “Princess!” Eddie cooed, spinning you around, narrowly avoiding hitting your ankles on the doorframe. “Oof. It’s been a while,” he said, depositing you down to kiss your forehead. “How’s my little lady doing?” 

You grinned up at him. “Not bad,” you said, and gestured upstairs. “The kid’s just getting ready for bed.” 

He grinned at you wolfishly, and crowded you toward the couch. “That means,” he said, tipping you backward over the arm, “I’ve got you all to myself, hmm?” 

You landed with a humph on the pillows, and twisted your head to look away from him, where the TV was playing reruns of College Bowl. “I dunno,” you teased, shooting him a quick glance. “No one here but us chickens. Just me and Dusti–” He cut you off with a firm kiss, and you sighed happily into his mouth, fingers going into his hair. It had been ages since you’d done this, and Eddie started to edge you up the sofa, your hands flying up to grab the opposite arm, your neck straining as he started to kiss down it. You let out a squeak of pain, quickly covered by Eddie’s hand over your mouth as he focused on the skin of your throat. 

“Wait,” he mumbled, pulling away from your neck for a moment. “Did you say Dust–” 

A shoe landed on the back of Eddie’s head, and he shrieked, tumbling off of you and onto the coffee table. You sprung up, staring at the staircase. Dustin was there, one shoe in his hand and primed to throw at the presumed-attacker. 

“Get away from my– Eddie?!”

[putawayurhalo]

Wish You Were Here

Pairing: Steve Harrington x Fem!Reader (use of she/her pronouns)

Word Count: 1.5k

Warnings: ANGST yet again :)

Author’s Note: yeah this sequel took too long to write and it’s super short but spoiler alert: you’re getting a third part, anyways this one is based on a neck deep song this time so enjoy! NOT EDITED BECAUSE I’M LAZY

Main Masterlist | Part One - Emergency Contact

Two months laters

“Steve!” Max shouted as she wheeled down the driveway, “You actually came.” She smiled at the older man, happy that he had taken the letter she sent him seriously.

“Well, you six have grown.” Steve fakes a smile as he pushes his sunglasses up to hide the dark circles - the evidence that he hasn’t been sleeping much - from the younger teens. 

“It’s only been like two months.” Mike scoffed and crossed his arms over his chest.

“We’ve missed you.” El smiled at him.

“We have so much to tell you!” Dustin exclaimed and the six teens started talking over one another Steve not understanding a word any of them were saying.

“Hey! Slow down jellybeans! Let the man have a minute to think… if he can even do that.” Eddie teased Steve, but frowned when Steve just shrugged and didn’t even fight back. “Why don’t you kids go inside, Nancy and Robin probably need help with something.” The kids - minus Max and Will all ran inside, Will offering to help Max up the makeshift ramp Eddie had made for Nancy and Jonathan’s house.

“How was the drive?” Eddie asked Steve as he shoved his hands into his pocket and leaned his left shoulder on his van.

“Fine.” Steve muttered as he grabbed a few wrapped boxes out of his trunk.

“Cut the bullshit, Harrington.” Eddie glared at him as he walked over to help with the boxes. “Your sunglasses might be covering the dark circles, but they aren’t covering the frown on your face or the tear stains on your cheeks so be honest Steve.”

“What, Munson? You want to hear about how I had to pull off to the side of the road after I started driving past the school and Sweet Dreams came on… her favorite song. Last time I actually listened to the song in full was with her in my stupid car and she was shouting the lyrics at people walking along the street without a care in the world.” Steve slammed the trunk door, “I don’t want to reminisce about any of this. I don’t even want to be here, but Max wrote me that letter and begged me to come and told me all the things I was missing… she’s the closest thing I have left to (Y/N), and maybe I should have called more… but I can’t think about her without crying for hours. How am I supposed to go in there with the kids while they talk about her like she’s still around?” Steve was crying again, almost choking on his words. Eddie just looked at Steve with a slight frown, he opened his mouth to say something but the front door swung open.

“DINGUS!” Robin went running to Steve full force jumping on him, almost knocking him onto the ground. “I MISSED YOU!” She shouted as she hugged her best friend and Steve stood there holding Robin, sunglasses falling off his face as he stared into the distance.

“Steve!” (Y/N) shouted from the doorway of one of the class rooms, “I passed!” she ran towards him and jumped on him, hugging him tightly.

“You got your license?” Steve asked her as he hugged her tightly.

“YES! And it’s all thanks to you! Now we both can get out of this town!” She exclaimed as other students pushed past the duo to exit. 

“Where would we even go?” He smiled at her as she leaned back, almost slipping out of Steve’s grip.

“I don’t know, but I do know anywhere’s better than here.” She giggled and it was like music to Steve’s ears.

-

“You know I still remember the first time I let you drive my car.” Steve chuckled to himself as he turned to look over at (Y/N)’s body laying in the hospital bed, machines keeping her alive.

“It had snowed the night before and the road was icy, I really shouldn’t have let you drive but I did and you promised to go slow, but then your favorite song came on the radio, Sweet Dreams, and you accidentally hit the gas and we spun out and you screamed the entire time… It shouldn’t be my favorite memory but it is because after we stopped spinning you looked at me and giggled and then sang ‘Sweet dreams are made of this who am I to disagree’ and I told you that you should sing more.” Steve laughed slightly, “You said you sounded like a Muppet and I had to remind you that you don’t, that Tammy Thompson sounds like one. You laughed for a solid minute after that and missed the ending to the song…speaking off, Max brought a boombox over last time she was here, said music might help you heal or some shit. And Dustin found a copy of Sweet Dreams on cassette… I’ll put it on for you.” Steve got up out of the chair and put the cassette into the boombox, turning the volume up ever so slightly not to disturb any other patients. 

As Steve turned around he heard the flat line noise coming from the heart monitor and nurses rushed into the room, one of them having to physically drag Steve out of the room. 

Steve hadn’t stayed long after that as he lifted to the yelling and shouting coming from the room she had been in. The sounds of Sweet Dreams mixed in there and with that he left, not just the hospital but Hawkins and hadn’t returned until that December after Max’s constant begging once she got an address from Robin to send letters to.

“Earth to Dingus… Hello? STEVEN!” Robin shouted as she slapped Steve.

“Ow! What the fuck was that for?” Steve exclaimed as he pressed a hand to his cheek.

“You went all space cadet on us! Now come on the kids are way too excited that you’re here, even Mike.” Robin grabbed a few of the presents and walked toward the door.

As Steve followed behind her he was greeted by the kids again as he set his sunglasses near the door. El turned toward Max and asked her question; Max just shook her and told her to not do that. Nancy handed Steve a mug full of hot chocolate and smiled softly at him as she gestured toward the living room. Steve nodded and walked into the living room and sat on the couch next to Dustin and sipped his drink, looking around he noticed the tree and the stockings on the mantle - each with their names on it but a spot had been empty.  Erica, El, Will, Dustin, Mike, Lucas, Robin, Nancy, Jonathan, Eddie, and… (Y/N) but his was missing and Dustin took notice of Steve’s curiosity.

“Oh yours is missing beca-” Dustin was cut off by Max throwing a game board piece at his face.

“What Dustin means is yours is missing because Robin lost it and we had to order you a new one! But we have all the stuff that goes in it upstairs, if it doesn’t get here in the next hour or so we’ll just give you the box!”  Max tells him before turning back towards the game and rolling the dice. 

Will looked at Steve and noticed him staring at (Y/N)’s stocking, “It’s tradition…” Will tells him, “Bob still has one at my house and we still fill it with presents.”

El looked up at Steve and touched his arm, “She’s in a better place.” 

Steve clenched his jaw, a better place is right here with him. That’s what he believed but everyone he’s met keeps telling him she’s in a better place. Steve slammed his mug down on the table, “Too bad it’s not what I believe.” Steve muttered before standing up and walking outside, sitting on the porch stairs.

Steve dug into his jacket pocket pulling out his wallet, inside his wallet was a creased Polaroid of him and (Y/N) that Max had taken one night, the two of them laughing at a joke (Y/N) had said but (Y/N) was staring at the camera and Steve was staring right at her like she put the stars, the sun, and the moon up in the sky just for him. “God I wish you were here, angel.” Steve wiped the tears from his eyes, “But you’re not coming back and I have to accept that.” Steve put the picture back in his wallet and threw it, “It should have been me!” Steve shouted, missing the sounds of footsteps coming up towards him, they stopped for a second and then picked up again.

“Steve?” 

Steve’s eyes went wide and he looked up, “(Y/N)?”

Taglist - people who asked about a part 2 - because I feel bad that it took me well over a month to write this: @etherealforever234​ @azydrateanatomy​ @selfdeprecatingnerd​ @phantomxoxo​ @thexplosivegirl​ @bonarvee​

[redrosydiaz]

Steve gets hanahaki, coughs up yellow acacias if he so much as thinks of Eddie too long. He tries not to think of the way his eyes soften when he talks to the kids, or the laugh lines he already has curved in his cheeks where Steve wishes he could put his hands. Ever the self-sacrificing person, Steve doesn't say a word about it even as he hacks up bouquets of it, but Robin and Dustin are the first to know something is wrong, and encourage him to go to the hospital, so he does. The doctors tell him about the surgery, which would remove the roots that are threatening to pierce his lungs, but that he would lose the love he has for the long-haired man. They tell him that many people choose death.

"That's stupid," Steve says, "if I die because of a hopeless crush, my friends will find a way to bring me back to life just to kill me themselves."

He agrees to the surgery, and they let him make a phone call before they get him a room, so he calls Robin and lets her know everything. She sighs but says he's doing the right thing, and Steve gives her permission to tell Dustin as well, since he was worried. While Steve is in the hospital being prepared for surgery, Robin calls Dustin and lets him know the situation, and he's understandably upset that Steve was quiet about it for so long about it, but sighs in relief that he's not the romantic idiot Dustin thought he was. Dustin, not knowing who the flowers were for, accidentally mentions it to the group since it was DnD night, and Eddie jumps from his chair and runs to the phone to call Robin back. The kids hear him pleading with her for an answer, then a huff of disbelief, and a silence, before Eddie inhales deeply and says, "It's okay. If he was able to fall in love with me once, then the capacity for it is there. I just have to... meet him where he is, and we'll go from there together, right? So it's okay. We still-- I still have him. We still have time."

omg so i wanted SOOO badly to do a little volleying back to this and like do a proper little write up of what happens next in response for you, but my brain is just not working with me on it and i am SO upset about that, but this has been sitting in my ask box for a while now and i feel bAD for letting it sit for so long so i am just going to publish it now but.

BUT.

I LOVE THIS I LOVE THIS I LOVE THISSSS OMG. it's so funny too bc i have never really cared much for the hanahaki trope before, like i knew it existed but i never really read it or looked for it or anything, i was pretty indifferent to it, but there have been a couple ive seen for this fandom and for steddie specifically and HOHOHOHO oh my god i eat that shit UP its so fucking GOOD it just works so damn well for them and i LOVE IT.

and this THISSSSS is so good omg.

"if he was able to fall in love with me once, then the capacity for it is there" SCREAM SCREAM SCREAAAAM!!!! eddie thinking he's going to be too late, but that's okay because if it happened once it can happen again and this time it'll be different!! this time he wont let it get to this point!!!

except EXCEPT!!! he rushes to the hospital and he makes it there RIGHT as steve is about to be wheeled back for the surgery and he's breathless from sprinting and his heart is hammering in his chest because what if he tells steve the feelings are returned but he doesnt believe him?? what if he still tries to go through with the surgery anyways? or what if hes doing this because he doesnt want those feelings?? but eddie doesn't care, he's got a chance here and he's going to take it. so he pleads with the doctors, begs them to give him a minute to talk to steve, and they look to steve and he gives his permission. and so they leave the room, leave steve and eddie together. alone.

and eddie tells steve, he confesses everything that he's been holding back too, he tells him that he loves him. and when he's done he holds his breath, he hopes he wasnt too late, wishes that this does the trick to convince steve otherwise, he wonders he wonders he wonders.

and then steve coughs. and eddie's breath catches in his throat, everything on the verge of crashing down around him because oh fuck it didnt?

but when steve pulls his hand away from his mouth, it's empty. there's no flowers, no leaves, no blood. no nothing. his hand is empty.

he looks up at eddie with huge eyes, back down at his hand, then back up at eddie. he clears his throat, coughs again, still nothing.

and then his whole face lights up. and its magic, it's fucking magic. the sick pallor of steve's face clears as the color returns, the rattle of his breaths quiets until it's gone, until he inhales deep and blows it out in a smooth, easy breath.

"eddie," he says, and he grabs onto eddie's hand. "i love you." he says, like it's suddenly the easiest thing.

eddie laughs, he laughs so bright, and he doesn't even care as he practically throws himself at steve, catching his face between his hands and pulling him in for a kiss.

he almost lost him, but he didn't. he didn't.

"i love you, steve, i love you so much."

it's that easy.

[leadpoisioning]

Lunch Date

Steve Harrington x Fem!Reader

SMUT! (18+ ONLY) ((teasing, orgasm denial, doggy style, missionary, praise, begging))

Word Count: 1,231

You learn canceling on Steve to get high leaves him feeling pretty jealous, and you have to make it up to him.

Sorry this one took so long to get out!! I live in the middle of buttfuck nowhere Florida and my WiFi is always cracking out. Anyway Robin or Nancy coming up next!! Feel free to leave any ideas in my inbox :)

You and Eddie snicker, laughing about old high school memories while passing a blunt between the two of you. He’d called you early this morning, wanting you to meet him over at Reefer Ricks because he didn’t want to be alone. You dropped your lunch date with Steve just this once to hang with Eddie- he just sounded so vulnerable and quite frankly scared when you answered the phone. You felt like you needed to be there for him. He appreciated it greatly, and even more that you didn’t berate him with questions.

Meanwhile, Steve was annoyed he wouldn’t be seeing you for lunch today. Robin teased him all day after complaining when he walked in and it’s been going downhill ever since. Especially when Dustin and Max come running in needing their help locating someone.

“There’s like ten Ricks here, how’re we supposed to know which ones the right one?” Steve scoffs, stepping back.

“Well, you can tell a lot about a person based on the movies they watch.” Robin smirks, quickly typing in the code to reveal the logs for the different accounts. Dead end after dead end appear- until they find one with multiple classic pot movies. “Bingo.” She pumps her fist in the air and writes down the address.

“Alright. Lets go find this freak.” He rolls his eyes, closing the store.

“Dude shut it!” Eddie’s eyes widen and he throws his hand over your mouth, muffling your giggles. “I’m serious (Y/N)- I haven’t been honest with you but you seriously need to be quiet.” He hushes you, sobering you up a little in the process. You nod your head and he retreats to the window, seeing an unfamiliar car pull up.

“Eddie what’s wrong?” You crawl towards where he’s crouched.

“There’s some people after me, they think I did something that I didn’t do.”

“Then hide! Here get under the tarp on the boat and I’ll cover for you.” You offer, motioning to the boat.

“What’re you gonna do?” You shrug, not seriously thinking about consequences at the moment. “Get in with me, they won’t think to look here.”

You can vaguely hear the door slam open and feel the shake of people walking in, but the boat and tarp mask the voices and what the people are saying. The movements get closer, and you jolt a little when something hits your side. Once again, you feel Eddie’s rings press to your mouth- until something jabs him in the leg. You look up at him, seeing him motion about jumping out and scaring the intruders off. You can’t give any criticism before the tarp folds over, revealing himself with a war cry and a broken beer bottle. Now, you can hear the voices a little better and you recognize Steve try to bargain with Eddie.

The tarp swings off of you as you quickly sit up and stumble out of the boat. Steve’s eyes move to you and his heart drops.

“(Y/N)?” His voice waivers, partly due to the glass poking his neck, other part betrayal.

“Eddie!” You hiss, grabbing his wrist holding the beer bottle, causing him to drop it. “It’s just Steve and them! They’re nice I promise.” You defend, going to hold onto Steve’s arm- until he swerves back. “Steve?” Your grin falters upon seeing his mildly disgusted face.

“You canceled our lunch date to screw around with Munson?” He asks in disbelief. The rest of your highness subsides and suddenly you can understand how this looks to him.

“No Steve! That’s not it at all!” You wave your hands, trying to get him to come back after he promptly turned and stomped out.

“Really (Y/N)! Because you flake on me right when I wake up, and now I find you here getting friendly in a boat with Eddie Munson!” He shouts, quickly drying his eyes.

“No dude that’s not what was happening I swear!” Eddie agrees, running over. “I called (Y/N) this morning because I didn’t want to be alone after last night.”

“Last night?” Steve scoffs.

“What happened with Chrissy last night?” Max asks, taking over the questioning.

You and Steve sit quietly in the car after dropping everyone off at one place or another.

“I’m sorry I canceled on you and hung out with Munson instead, he just sounded really shaken up and needed someone there for him. He doesn’t have many people, Steve.” You plead with Steve, telling him your side of the story.

“I know, I believe you. I’m just hurt you didn’t tell me.” He sighs. You think for a moment.

“Let me make it up to you.” You murmur, his eyes meeting yours, surprised. The light from the moon seeps in, allowing you to see his cheeks redden. He nods and puts the car in drive, heading to his house.

Once in his room, he stops you, putting his hand on your cheek.

“If I go too far just tell me to stop, alright?” As soon as you agree his lips are on yours, hands roughly pulling you against him. He pulls away, your head moving to kiss him more before he stops you, lightly holding your chin. “Whose are you?” He questions, watching you intently.

“I’m yours Steve.” You whine, seeing him mildly amused by your response.

“That’s right.” He smugly agrees, laying you down on his comforter, kissing you roughly again.

“Steve-“ you sob, face pushed down into a pillow. He’d spent the last twenty minutes teasing you, and getting you all riled up only to let your hopes to release die down.

“Yeah baby?” He mocks, squeezing your thighs.

“Please,” you sigh, moving your ass back to push against his cock.

“Ah, that’s right.” He sighs. “Whose cock are you begging for right now?” He leans over you to whisper in your ear.

“Yours Steve, oh my god- only yours.” Your whining is music to his ears, and the confidence boost he wanted.

“That’s right baby,” he praises.

“Need you so bad-“ you start, before your voice is reduced to a quiet moan as he pushes into you. He slides in with ease due to your soaked cunt and builds up a rough pace. He slams into you a few times before he flips you onto your back, now getting a better view. You’re thankful for the fresh air and sloppily gasp for it in the midst of your moans. Steve watches his cock disappear inside of you, creating a small bulge he presses down on. Immediately you react, fluttering around him and squeezing him nicely. He throws his head back, getting lost in the feeling of your walls encasing him deliciously. His half lidded eyes gaze down at you when your moans start to get shorter and more frequent.

“You want me to come in you?” He asks, watching as your head nods happily. He leans down to kiss you as he reaches his own high, hips stuttering against your own as you feel him release deep inside of you. You choke out a moan at the feeling of his cock leaving your cunt, feeling empty because you didn’t get to finish. You whine and press your legs together after he gets up. “That’s what you get for canceling on me for Munson.” He shrugs, going to his bathroom to run a bath for the two of you.

[classickook]

hi!!! heard you're writing for steve ☆ i've been thinking about steve and reader pining for each other and everyone is so tired of it so dustin (who's basically steve's kid) and max (who thinks of reader as an older sibling) make a plan to finally get them to confess. something like locking them up somewhere or saying they're all going somewhere together and canceling last minute so it's just the two of them.

sorry if this doesn't make sense, english isn't my mother language anyway thank you for your beautiful fics ♡

what a great idea! this takes place during season three <3

max had been harassing you all morning, begging you to take her to starcourt cinemas to watch the new horror movie that had recently released, popping up around corners and following you everywhere until you finally gave in.

the two of you exited your car and walked up to the entrance, muted chatter along with the overwhelming scent of buttery popcorn and fried foods hitting your senses once you approached the ticket counter. the main room was illuminated in shiny movie posters and flashing neon lights that reflected off max’s freckled face as she stood in line next to you.

after acquiring your tickets, you turned to ask her what snacks she wanted to get when your question died in your throat at the person standing behind you.

“harrington—hi,” you said, trying to hide your surprise as he approached you with dustin in tow. “funny bumping into you here.”

“yeah,” steve replied as he towered over you while sporting a charming grin despite his confusion at seeing you. “ditto.”

you hadn’t seen him since graduation, but he hadn’t changed a bit - still handsome and charming as ever. you took in his appearance: the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and flashing the veins along his forearms as they hung lazily at his sides, the dark sunglasses tucked into the collar of his shirt, the characteristically messy yet artfully styled hair flopping into his eyes as they poured over your figure - a warm caramel color that always seemed to shine brighter whenever you were around.

you scuffed the toe of your sneaker on the old tile beneath your feet, not sure whether you should continue conversing with steve or if you should finish getting snacks with max before the movie started.

you started to turn toward her when you noticed that she was no longer standing beside you. startled, you quickly scanned the room for her until a flash of red hair entered your peripheral from the arcade at the opposite side of the room - alongside dustin.

a snort broke through the pause in conversation and your head jerked up to find steve laughing at the two young teens as their interest was suddenly directed elsewhere.

you tucked your hair behind your ear. “max—”

“dustin—” steve said at the same time.

the two of you burst into laughter. “looks like we were both set up,” he mused.

“yeah, interesting considering max has been begging me to take her to this movie all day.”

“dustin too,” he said, lips twitching as realization washed over the both of you.

you bit your lip as you considered your options of what to do next when steve stepped closer and lightly bumped your shoulder.

“it just so happens that i have some snacks in my bag,” he said, shrugging his shoulder and indicating the small backpack hanging there that you hadn’t noticed a few moments ago.

you played along, picking up his meaning as you waved the thin slips of paper between your fingers. “and i happen to have two tickets for the movie right here.”

“looks like we’re the perfect pair,” he observed aloud.

“looks like it,” you agreed, a slow grin stretching across your lips as you peered up at him.

“what do you say you and i ditch the kids and watch this movie without them since they’re both clearly preoccupied at the moment?”

“sounds like a plan to me, harrington.”

he draped his arm around your shoulders and led you over to the theater, leaving max and dustin behind as they high-fived each other over their accomplishment at getting the two of you together.

[satelliteddie]

as it was - s.h.

pairing: steve harrington x fem!reader

summary: while looking through your old yearbooks you and steve reminisce on the times before monsters when your biggest problems were your high school crushes

content warnings: none — this flashes back and forth a little bit, but in the flashbacks we see some of the kiddos <3

word count: 3.2k

author’s notes: I also was gonna write this a bit sadder and about Steve’s parents, but I’m already gonna do that for matilda (it’s Steve’s song, argue with the WALL) so here’s some happy-lovey Steve instead :)

Holdin' me back

Gravity's holdin' me back

I want you to hold out the palm of your hand

Why don't we leave it at that?

Nothin' to say

When everything gets in the way

Seems you cannot be replaced

And I'm the one who will stay

Your fingers run over the edges of the Hawkins High 1985 yearbook, flipping the book open as you search for your photo. Finding yourself amongst all your classmates, you smile at the naive girl in the senior photo. She was absolutely clueless. You laugh to yourself comparing the photo to your reflection now in the mirror. Sitting on your bed, you tilt your head, squishing your cheeks and glancing up and down at the yearbook. Who even was that? You logically know you have not changed much, but the last two years have affected you and your friends more than you let on. Whether it’s the small scars on your arms, bat bites on Steve’s ribs, broken noses, busted eardrums, or all of the mental wounds, you all have gone through traumas most people just don’t understand. In high school you barely talked to Steve or Nancy, they were way too cool to be associated with you; you only began to make slight conversation with them when your neighbor, Mrs. Henderson begged you to watch Dustin when she was away. Steve would always show up looking for Dustin claiming it was super important. You were almost always positive it was a lie, but Dustin insisted on coming home on time so you let him go. One time turned into two, which turned into four, which led to ten. Eventually you found yourself making small talk with Steve, cracking away at his King of Hawkins exterior. He seemed introverted during most of your conversations, which you tried not to take offense to. Curiosity got the better of you during one of these “super important” hangouts and you followed Dustin and Steve to the edges of a junkyard. You simply couldn’t believe your eyes as you watched Steve fight off these slimy creatures with a nail-studded baseball bat. Steve still gives you a hard time for following them and will never let you forget that you, quote: “could have died” if Steve wasn’t there. From then on you were an honorary member of their Party and were informed of all things supernatural. On days like today, looking back at your high school years you can’t help but think about what your lives would have been like had you not decided to help out Mrs. Henderson, or if Steve and Dustin were better liars.

“What are you thinking about, pretty?” Steve asks from your bedroom doorway. He kicks off his shoes and plops down next to you, his head resting on his hand. “Old yearbooks?”

“Yeah, I-” you frown down at your photo, unsure where to begin. “I was just thinking about how we met.”

“Ah yes,” Steve opens a can of pringles and pops one into his mouth. “That romantic story. We’ll have to come up with something better to tell the grandkids.” He sarcastically rolls his eyes while talking with his mouth full. It took a while for you and Steve to become civil, let alone admit you two had feelings for one another. However, thanks to one too many drinks at Eddie’s trailer and Robin’s lack of filter, she called out the two of you and your tension. Your eyes are still fixed on the yearbook in your lap, you turn the pages over until you find the H-section and zero in on Steve Harrington. Steve sits up straighter in your bed, bringing his legs up next to yours. “There’s the handsome devil,” he grins at his own photo.

“Do you ever miss when you were a completely clueless douchebag?” You ask with a devilish grin.

“Such a charmer, my girl. You know that?” Steve lets his face fall with a laugh, “most girlfriends compliment their boyfriends, not mine.” He plants a kiss on your jaw.

“No, no,” you say in between giggles. “I just meant, do you miss the old us? You were King Douche and I was a  naive nerd. We had no idea all of this existed. It was just, I don’t know,” you play with your hands. “I don’t know, easier?”

“Honestly,” Steve falters. “I’m not sure. Do I wish I was back before the times of alternate universes, disgusting monsters and everything else that’s constantly trying to kill us? Yeah, sure.” He runs his fingers through the ends of your hair. “Do I wish I was back before we were together? God no.”

In this world, it's just us

You know it's not the same as it was

In this world, it's just us

You know it's not the same as it was

As it was, as it was

You know it's not the same

✩✩  2 years ago ✩✩

The doorbell rings frantacticly throughout your house, as you reluctantly stand from the couch. “Jesus, I’m coming.” You pause your movie, placing the popcorn down and move to open the front door. You are convinced your eyes are deceiving you as the King of Hawkins High, Steve Harrington stands on your doorstep; he has his back to you as he leans against the doorframe, staring out into the street. You know it’s him purely based on the hair. “Sorry, can I help you?” You tilt your head trying to get a better look at him.

“Hi,” Steve spins around to face you. A cocky grin pulls at his mouth as he continues to lean on the door. Is he always leaning on something? “Is, huh Henderson here?”

“Considering this is my house? No. He told me he was with you,” you say, raising an eyebrow.

“Little shit!” Steve kicks his feet out and starts pacing your front steps. “Okay so if he’s not home, not here–”

“Look Steve, I don’t know why he lied, but Dustin’s a smart kid, I’m sure he’s fine.” You try to break the ice with him. You knew Dustin stuck out when you watched him on random nights that Mrs. Henderson needed a babysitter, but he wasn’t a kid anymore. Dustin always came back in one piece, usually with Steve in tow and you never mentioned it to his mom. He was a teenager for Christ’s Sake. He could be doing a lot worse than hanging out with his friends outside his own house. Which is why Dustin practically begged you to be his “official babysitter” when his Mom insisted he get one. However, today you had only seen him briefly when he ran like a maniac through your house, grabbing snacks on his way out.

“No, you don’t understand. Y'know what, never mind.” Steve stammers. “Thanks for your time,” Steve trails off, seeming to forget your name.

“Y/N,” you offer with a smile. Steve returns it with a quick nod before turning to go down the steps. Your mind starts to race thinking about where Dustin could have gone. “Wait, Steve!” Steve turns to you, waiting on your every word. “If he lied to both of us, he’s doing something we both wouldn’t want him to do.”

Steve nods, “So what would that be?”

“Did you check the Wheeler’s?”

Steve almost looks ashamed as he shakes his head, turning quickly on his heels towards his car. You call out for him to wait again as you run back inside, grabbing your house keys and shoes. Running across the lawn you meet Steve at his car and pile inside without any more conversation. Steve pulls away from your house with his knuckles growing white on the steering wheel.

“Steve,” you whisper. “I’m sure he’s fine. He’s just a kid.” For some reason your attempt at calming him only seems to make things worse for Steve. His grip on the wheel grows even tighter as he flies down the suburban streets.

“He is just a kid,” he growls. “A kid that you were supposed to watch.”

“Sorry? Did I ask for babysitting advice from you?” You wait for a response, but nothing follows. “Right, that’s what I thought.” Silence grows in the air between the two of you, the tension building with it. Moments pass by as Steve continues to drive, his eyes fixed on the road directly ahead. “For the record,” your words cut through the quiet. “I only let him go because he told me he was with you. He always comes home safe after he’s with you. Even though this is the first time we’ve,” you hesitate as you try to find your words. “Hang out, I still trust you because Dustin does.”

“I’m sorry I was such a douche,” Steve swallows hard like he can’t believe his own words. “I know you trust him and care for him. Which is why I trust you, too,”

“Sorry, could you say that again?” You joke while cutting him off. Steve groans your name, but continues:

“I just love that little shit and I would banish myself for all eternity if something happened to him. So I just get defensive, but I’m sorry.”

“I get it, he’s Dustin…if he got hurt, I’d banish myself for all of eternity, too.” This earns a smile from Steve as he reaches to the center console to turn up the radio.

Answer the phone

"[Steve], you're no good alone

Why are you sittin' at home on the floor?

What kind of pills are you on?"

Ringin' the bell

And nobody's comin' to help

Your daddy’s lives by himself

He just wants to know that you're well, oh

Steve’s car pulls into the Wheeler’s driveway in record time; Steve is halfway across the lawn before you even open the car door. You catch up to him as he rapidly knocks on the back door that leads to the basement. “Steve, Christ does the door owe you money?” He rolls his eyes at you and continues to pound his fist against the wooden door. “Steve,” you try to tug at his sleeve. Steve shrugs you off, but you keep talking to him anyways. “They're not here, look. There’s no bikes.” You wave your arms around the yard. Steve sighs in defeat, “Fine. Where else?”

“So now you wanna talk to me?” You cross your arms, “how about the school? Doesn’t he have that AC Club or whatever?”

“A.V.— but yeah, yeah that could work.” He runs a frantic hand through his hair. “C’mon.” Steve crosses the grass again and you follow closely behind. The silence and tension grows again in the car as Steve drives to Hawkins High.

“So how are you and Nancy?”

“We broke up,” Steve bluntly responds.

“Shit, I’m sorry. I’ll stop talking, I clearly can’t get it right with you,” you laugh out of embarrassment. Resting your head back on the seat, you stare out the window watching the houses pass by.

“It’s okay,” Steve breaks the silence. “It was all bullshit anyways.” He says as if it has double meaning, but you don’t push him.

“Well either way I’m sorry,” you offer a soft smile. “Nancy didn’t know what she had.”

“What does that mean?” Steve asks in a laugh.

Mortified, you cover your face in your hands, “I don’t know? Isn’t that what people say?”

Steve continues to laugh, but cuts you a break by changing subjects: “so what’s it like to babysit Henderson?”

“Like you don’t know! He’s practically attached to you,” you smirk at him and Steve tries to pretend it doesn’t make his heart swell.

“Yeah well,” Steve’s hazel eyes come off the road, just for a second to meet yours. “At least you get paid.”

“That is true, maybe I should split my check with you,” you offer.

“Yeah!” Steve sarcastically smacks the steering wheel, “you should!”

You shrug as you look at him, “maybe someday.”

The rest of the ride to the high school is filled with small talk about Steve’s old friend group and how different your friend group was. You could have sworn Steve had no clue who you were, yet he seemed to remember friend’s names and even some of the classes you took. Eventually, Steve turns into the empty high school parking lot as you spot several discarded bikes on the grass. “They’re here! See I told you there was nothing to worry about,” you smack Steve’s shoulder. “Now let’s go.”

“No, no,” Steve parks the car and immediately hops out. “We have to go check. He unlocks his trunk and pulls out a baseball bat covered in nails. Nails. You look at him in complete bewilderment, “Steve, what the hell is that?”

“A weapon,” he responds, not even giving you a second more before heading towards the school.

“This is ridiculous, you can’t go into a school with that.” You emphasize. Steve completely ignores you and opens the main doors, strolling through the hallways like he owns them. You know you’re definitely missing a piece of this puzzle, but continue to follow closely behind Steve. Why does he have this bat at the ready? Does he always have that? Why does he think he’ll need it to help Dustin? Your mind races as you watch Steve inspect several classrooms before laughter bellows through the hallways. “This way,” Steve whispers and continues towards the noise. You keep your eyes fixed on Steve as he walks down the hallway practically hunched over with his bat gripped in his hands. You want to laugh at the absurdity of it all, but his seriousness also scares you. Finally turning down one last hall, Dustin’s laughter echoes throughout the empty school. Steve turns to you with an eyebrow raised as he approaches the door. The two of you stand side by side as you peer into the classroom. Inside sits Will, Lucas, Dustin, Mike and some red-haired girl you’ve never seen before. The three of them are staring into what looks like a prop from Ghostbusters.

“See, they’re fine,” you whisper to Steve. He immediately throws up a finger to his mouth and shushes you. He continues to carefully watch the group from the window before shaking his head and suppressing a laugh. Steve stands up from his crouching position and moves quickly down the hall. Your eyes are still fixed on the kids inside the classroom when Steve pulls your wrist and forces you away. “You wanted to see him so bad, why don’t you go check on him?”

“I just needed to make sure he was alive, alright? Let’s go,” his grip still remains on your hand, but you let him hold it until you're back at the car. You prop open the passenger door at the same time Steve does on his side.

“Are you ever going to tell me why you were so worried?” You ask over the top of his car. Steve rests his arm on the top of the door and shrugs, “maybe someday.”

✩✩✩✩

In this world, it's just us

You know it's not the same as it was

In this world, it's just us

You know it's not the same as it was

As it was, as it was

You know it's not the same

“You definitely hated me back then,” you sigh as you trace your fingers over Steve’s yearbook photo.

“I never hated you. Ever.” Steve emphasized with a kiss on your shoulder. You turn to look at him as he takes the yearbook from your hands. He takes one look at his old-self before tossing it onto the floor next to him.

“Fine,” you smirk. “But you definitely thought I was annoying.”

“Oh, yeah one-hundred percent.” Steve smiles back while leaning in to kiss you. His lips press against yours, his hands moving into your hair. Steve hums against your mouth as he leans both of you back onto your bed. “So. Annoyingly. Beautiful,” he places a kiss on your face after each word. Even after being with him for over a year, you still find yourself blushing after his compliments. “But yes, also annoying.” Steve smirks when you smack him in the chest. He’s hovering over you now with his hands next to your head, his perfect hair flopped over his forehead. Reaching up you run your hands through his hair, stopping at his neck and pulling him back to your mouth. Steve collapses into you, his mouth opening just enough to brush his tongue against your lips. He drops to the bed, breaking the kiss but leaving small kisses down your neck. “Do you miss the old us?” Steve asks, repeating your earlier question. You avert your eyes away from him as he now lays on his side facing you. 

You hesitate before answering him, “I don’t know. Sometimes I do, and other times I can’t believe I was ever that person. I lived so blindly, it’s just…” you trail off, staring at the ceiling. Steve takes your two hands into one of his, stroking his thumb over them. “It’s just not the same as it was. I think about everything I know now and it scares me sometimes. I just wish I could be that naive and live in a world where my biggest problem was my dumb crush on the King of Hawkins High.” Steve chuckles and continues to play with your hands. “Sometimes all of this just feels so isolating, like who do we talk to about this?” You ask him truly feeling hopeless.

“Hey, hey,” he sits up, pulling you with him. You keep your eyes fixed on your intertwined hands. “We talk to each other. In this world, this crazy fucked up world, it’s just us.” Steve uses his other hand to bring your chin up, “We have each other. I know it’s not the same as it was, and shit it’s more terrifying now, but I’ve never felt more love in my life either.” He smiles at you, his hazel eyes tracing over every feature on your face. “I’m glad you had that dumb crush on me and I’m glad I had that idiotic crush on Dustin’s babysitter,” you smirk at his words. “Cause otherwise I truly don’t think I would have made it through half of this.”

“Steve,” you look at him with awe.

“It’s true,” he looks at you as if you’re the only thing that matters at this moment. You inch closer to him on the bed as he continues, “when I say it’s you and me, I mean it. We always have each other, no matter what happens…at the end of the day, it’s just us. Just those two love-sick teenagers who gross their friends out with how much they love each other. No matter what happens, I promise. We always have us.”

✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩

I LOVE this man and I HAVE to have him! I hope y'all are enjoying this series so far bc its truly feeding my harry and ST addictions :))))

next in the series: “daylight” - e.m. x reader

✭ masterlist ✭ requests

[rogue-durin-16]

MY STUPID, STUPID HERO

Summary: when the fate of the world and the lives of his loved ones are at stake, Eddie Munson decides to stop running away. Thankfully, he's not alone.

Pairing: Eddie Munson x Henderson!Reader

Genre: fix-it fic (angst w/ happy ending)

Tags:

Eddie Munson: @kozumewhore here's my not so little fix-it fic

Permanent taglist: @elia-the-bibliophile @randomparanoid @karlthecat15722 @thebutchersdaughtersblog @amourtentiaa @just-here-to-escape-from-reality @comfort-reads

Warnings: blood, depiction of wounds, language, violence, fire, st vol 2 spoilers

A/N: I love canon but I love rigging the plot in favor of Eddie's safety much more. I'm also working on a little Eddie x Chrissy fix-it bc a girl has to cope. Idk what else to write here, I'm just traumatized. Enjoy <3

Rogue-durin-16 masterlist

Eddie's deafeningly loud guitar did not muffle the violent stammering of my heart; if anything, it was the other way around.

It was a bad plan— a horrible plan made in a couple of hours by a bunch of shaken-to-the-core teens who were taking their last shot at defeating something they barely understood.

I shouldn't even be there; when those things happened, I was usually the one to cover up for the lot while they were missing, but something about this time was it different —darker.

I guess that's why they didn't oppose when I halfheartedly volunteered to be the ninth member.

It wasn't like I wanted to, either —I wasn't exactly a fighter—, but what was I supposed to do when my fourteen year old brother was about to enter the Upside Down and fight an otherworldly evil? Let him go by himself? Fuck no.

Plus, Eddie was going in, too.

Maybe it had happened over one of those chilly winter afternoons I had spent tutoring him because Dustin had begged me to do so. Or maybe it had been that time he had nonchalantly quoted an entire 'Lord Of The Rings' paragraph without batting an eyelash.

Eddie. In which exact point I had fallen for the endearing mess of a person Eddie Munson was, I didn't know.

Maybe, just maybe, that one time he had fallen asleep on my shoulder after pulling an all-nighter was to blame. Or the oddly specific compliments he threw at me across the cafeteria. Or the hug he had engulfed me in after we had found them at Reefer Rick's boathouse.

Maybe it had been all of the above, or maybe it was none; it didn't really matter. The point was that they were walking straight into their death, and I couldn't just sit still and watch.

So there I was, gripping the trailer's door with one hand, and the metallic mesh drilled to the vehicle in the other, holding both open as if my life depended on it —and it did—, feeling them juddering to Eddie's cover of 'Master Of Puppets'.

I didn't hear Dustin's T-minuses, but I did see the demobats in the horizon getting dangerously close. They were too close, and Dustin and Eddie were still on the fucking roof.

'Stick to the plan', Steve had ordered, but it was difficult when I believed the plan to be an absolute fuckup.

Just as I was about to cross the camper's threshold, a series of thundering hits from above made me come to a halt.

Thud. Please let it be them. Thud. Bang. Cling.

Boom.

Dustin's form dropped in front of me. Fast as lightning, I took a hold of his attire and, stepping aside, I impelled him into our barricade.

"C'MON C'MON C'MON!" An adrenaline ridden Eddie who had been shoving my younger brother, clutched the sleeve of my jacket, yanking it for me to enter with him as soon as the mesh was locked.

A high-pitched scream tore from my throat when two— three— five demobats viciously collided with our fence while my digits were still securing it, making me stumble backwards. Lucky me, Eddie was still behind me, so instead of tripping, I was briefly lifted from the floor, leather-covered arms quick to snake around my middle and pull me deeper into our safe haven.

"Holy SHIT! that was a close one." He breathed, shutting the trailer's front door and putting the latch on it, one of his hands never letting go of my jacket. "Y/n, did you hear that?!" Eddie exhaled a relieved laugh.

"Dude! Most. Metal. EVER!" Dustin jumped excitedly, staring at Eddie in adoration.

"Are you two mad?!" I chided them, giving the older boy a not so gentle shove, something that put a concerned frown on his face. "The hell took you so long?!"

"Uhhh Eddie's riff?!" Dustin puffed with an proud beam, drawing my attention to him.

"Eddie's r— you could've DIED!" I shrieked, smacking the back of his neck.

"Hey, we're safe and sound here!" The long-haired senior piped up with no hostility whatsoever, only raising his voice due to the demobats battering against the boarded up windows. "Don't take it out on the kid, I got carried away!"

"You can't get 'carried away'!" I rebuked him. I felt myself getting riled up, and I was almost certain that it had little to do with Eddie losing himself to his guitar solo and a lot to do with being pinned down by interdimensional monsters.

"Y/n! I get you're stressed but—"

"No!" I warned my younger brother with a menacing index finger. "You're the kid and he's the adult." I turned to Eddie, whose hands were already raised in surrender at my angry demeanor. "You call the shots, Eddie! You can't just..." his eyes flickered with something similar to... guilt, which made me instinctively tone down the reprimand. "I'm—"

THUMP!

Silence.

I shared a taken aback look with Eddie, argument forgotten in favor of listening closely to the sudden peace outside the Munson's house.

"Hey dipshits!" I jumped at Dustin's shout, throwing daggers at the boy. "You give up that easy, huh?!"

"SHHH!" I hushed him.

"Was that really necessary?" Eddie bitterly added, worry being read in his face.

"What's—" I pointed the spear at a small circle nearly above my head. "what's that?"

The peace was soon disturbed by claw-like steps over our heads.

"They're on the roof." Eddie announced in a low tone, cueing the three of us moved in sync back-to-back, shields slightly tilted in the ceiling's direction and spears ready for an imminent attack.

"A vent." Eddie response was accompanied by his forearm gently pushing me to walk back.

"They can't get through that," Dustin whispered from behind us. "can they?"

No sooner said than done.

I mentally gave myself a pat on the back for having such a quick reaction time; as soon as the coverage of the vent came off, my spear impaled a demobat.

Dustin's was just as good; between horrified screams and gibbered curses, we kept them at bay until Eddie situated himself between us and the aperture. I didn't have time to verbally question his actions, since, in the blink of an eye, his shield was being nailed into the ceiling by sheer force.

"Damn." I breathed out exhausted. My widened, impressed eyes found his. "Good call."

"Thanks." He probably didn't even notice the way his face briefly lit up at my words, but neither did I acknowledge the small smile dancing in my parted lips.

"Do you have more vents?" Dustin's ominous inquiry made Eddie's cheerful visage fall, his shoulders tensing up. His reaction was certainly a response— just... Not the one we hoped for.

"Fuck." He muttered, walking backwards with a sorry look on his face. "Fuckfuckfuckfuck." He repeated, stretching his arms out to me just as I threw him my shield and doing a 180 as soon as he had it secured on his hand.

"Climb up right now!" I ordered the youngest of us, vaguely gesturing at the tied sheets hanging between worlds before following Eddie's lead.

"But—"

"DUSTIN, CLIMB!"

Even though we raced to the room, we were clearly not fast enough; a heavy 'clonk' was heard on the other side of the door.

Knowing the risk was higher than the possibility of success, I tried to pull Eddie back, but the boy was quicker and more resolved than me.

The air got caught up in my throat at the nightmarish sight. If Pandora's box was real, it would look like that room.

"FALL BACK!" I tried once more, this time successfully since Eddie himself seemed to realize there was no use on trying to cover the vent instead of fleeing.

"To the gate!" He urged me, shutting the door and staggering back, shield high, facing the place where we were coming from until the very last second, in which we found ourselves having to follow Dustin into our world.

"C'MON, GUYS!" The freshman vociferated, seeing us right under the gate.

"You first." Eddie gestured at me to move closer to him, letting his weapons fall to the floor in order to help me up.

I gave my friend a fearful look while he got down on one knee, finders interlaced for me to plant my shoe on them. "You better hurry." I warned him, voice trembly from the adrenaline.

"I'm right behind you." He reassured me. With a grunt, he propelled me up far enough for me to go through the gate without much effort.

With a muffled thud, I was back in Hawkins —our Hawkins— lying on my back, eyes fixed on an upturned Eddie who... Had stopped climbing.

"The hell's he doing?" I mumbled at Dustin, who was kneeled down beside my head, focused on the exact same thing as me.

"I... I don't know." the younger kid rised to his feet. "Eddie, c'mon!" Our friend looked at some unknown point at his left. "What are you doing?!"

His left. Propping myself up with my palms, I let my head mirror Eddie's movement, searching for what was stopping him from joining us.

But I saw nothing, apart from... the room's door.

"Oh no." It was a soft, dreadful whisper, the one that accompanied my realization.

Dustin's yells for Eddie to climb couldn't quite reach my ears, as the only thing I could hear was that damn conversation Eddie and I had not even an hour earlier.

"Here." I stood on my tiptoes half way through the ladder, arm stretched at a crouched Dustin, who stood on the trailer's rooftop, passing him the buddle of leads for him to connect to the amplifiers. "Eddie said this one" I wiggled the red wire in one of my hands.

"Is for the big one, yeah." Dustin finished, taking a hold of them. "I'm not a child, Y/n, I know where to plug each lead." He explained in a brazen tone.

"You're a smartass, that's what you are." I retaliated, shoving his head back and consequently making him fall on his ass, which earned me a whine and a couple of insults.

"He's got an attitude." I commented, noticing as I climbed down Eddie's amused smile at the bottom of the ladder.

"Seems like it runs in the family." He teased, his grin growing wider at my vexed expression.

"Excuse you?"

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding." He laughed, letting go of the ladder's base once I had hopped off it.

"You better be." I exhorted him, wiping my hands on my pants with a quirked brow. " 'Cause I'm, y'know, armed," I pointed at the bowie hanging on the side of my belt. "so you wanna be nice to me."

"Oh, your benevolent majesty," he kneeled before me, taking my hands in his —something that, unbeknownst to him, made my skin tingle and heart skip a bit—, "spare my life, I beg you."

"Alright, your life's been spared." I chuckled, giving his hands a gentle tug. "On your feet, my brave hero." His face, carefree and jovial mere seconds before, dropped into a distant frown which he quickly attempted to hide. "What was that?"

"What was what?" He feigned confusion as he got up, a laugh that left his lips parted aiding his lie.

I tried not to lose eye contact while I crouched to grab the ends of the leads I had just handed to Dustin, but Eddie could be very elusive when it came down to these topics, so his eyes were averted as soon as he had the chance to look away.

I furrowed my brows, backtracking to my latter sentence in order to decipher what had bothered him. "Is it because of what Steve said?" He shrugged, ambling around, gaze casted down. "He said that because—"

"He doesn't want us to take any risks, I know." Eddie finished my sentence, toying with the pick around his neck. "I just—" he sighed, throwing hus head back. "I dunno, it be nice to be a hero at some point, I guess." He cleared his throat, muttering the next words for me not to get them. "Or at least not a coward."

"Eddie, c'mon." He gifted me a forced smile and, taking the leads from my hands, entered the trailer.

"EDDIE!!" Dustin's broken scream brought me back to reality.

"I'm buying more time." He resolved with a nod.

Time seemed to mock us during the following few seconds, elongating them and therefore making the course of action much more frustrating.

My body had shot up, hands clawing the knotted sheets in order to start climbing, just for my back to hit the mattress a second after, when the metalhead's spear slashed the fabric with a scream. Mouthing a 'sorry' to us, he took back his shield and disappeared from our line of vision.

"WE HAVE TO GO BACK— W-WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING!" Dustin's pitch was desperate while he ran around the trailer, searching in vain for something that might help us save Eddie.

My buzzing mind was working just as hard as my younger brother's. Lucky me, I found a solution sitting right in front of my eyes.

My body was most likely in autopilot while I got up to put the remainders of gasoline Steve and Robin had left unused in a single container before throwing it up the gate.

"What are you doing." Dustin halted, coming to me while I dragged a chair to stand below the gate, the part of the makeshift rope that remained in our reality in my hand.

"Rolling the dice." I stated, sparing the teary eyed boy a resigned glance whilst climbing onto the chair, tossing the clothing as an aid to go back without breaking a bone. "Wait here."

"Y/N NO— WAIT!"

THUD!

It took me a hot second of groaning to rise up and get to work; a hot second in which Dustin decided to follow me into a certain death. I should have seen that coming.

"DUSTIN!" I helped my brother up, momentarily forgetting we were in a rush after hearing him wince.

"I'm okay." He lied, eyes shut in pain. "What's the plan?"

I opened my mouth, about to scold him and assure him there was no plan, about to beg him not to get involved, but we knew each other too well for him not to know what I was about to say.

"If you tell me to stay back, I'll flip out."

"I..." I cursed myself, fighting the urge to curl up in a ball and cry because how was I supposed to attempt this with my brother nearby? With a sigh, I took a step back, grabbing the gasoline from the floor. "Count to ten. Then go get Eddie and hide."

"Where are you going?!"

"To the roof!" I trotted to the entrance, only looking back once my hand was gripping the knob. "Hey, smartass! I love you, okay?"

It took him a silent instant to connect the dots, and, even though he didn't comment on it, I knew he knew, and that pained me so much.

"Y/n—"

"Go get him!" I cut him off, sprinting out, down the stairs and to the ladder.

Once I got to the top of the trailer, I spotted the demobats flying in circles around something, as well as Dustin limping towards that same place, which made me feel sick to my stomach.

Get down to business for fuck's sake, I thought, uncoiling the fuel container.

Pricking up the ears, I caught faint screams that simultaneously made my blood boil and my heart sink, wondering if it might be too late.

No, don't think that.

"Please, let this be worth it," I muttered, my shaky hands pouring the fuel leftovers all over the vines slithering on the rooftop. "Let this be fucking worth it."

After tossing the empty tin away, I dug on my back pocket for the lighter Eddie had gifted me on Christmas.

"I know you don't smoke much," He began, folding his arms over his chest, shifting his weight from one leg to the other. "but, uhh, you said you really liked the design and— well, I got more lighters so you can keep that one."

Breathe in. Light it. Breathe out.

Throw it.

As soon as the vines caught fire like dry straw, an ear-piercing screech echoed on the upside down; just as expected, the dark cloud of bats found me much more interesting.

The momentary happiness from my success was rapidly eclipsed by a terrifying truth; the price of that little stunt was going to be my life.

EDDIE'S P. O. V.

I was going to die.

I was going to die a slow, gruesome death, and I would be alone.

You're so stupid, you're so so so stupid.

It kind of sounded like Y/n's voice, like something she would tell me —and Jesus H Christ, I wanted her to tell me I was stupid. I wanted her to scold me and to stop talking to me for a couple of days because I gave her a heart attack, do I ever think, like, at all? And I wanted Dustin to sneak me into their home on the third day to apologize, to tell her that I was, in fact, stupid, that I didn't think ever, that she was always right, and that I loved her.

But that wouldn't happen because I was going to die. At least that's what I thought, until something surreal happened.

The bats that had been restlessly whirling around me, holding me down, suffocating me, digging into my skin with their teeth and claws, shrieked and contorted for a moment before flying away, allowing me to retract my limbs and roll to the side with a gasp.

"EDDIE!!!" Was I hallucinating? Because that was Dustin Henderson's voice yelling my name... While he trotted in my direction. "Eddie!"

Oh, no. It really was him.

"Holy shit..." His voice was shaky when he kneeled by my side, hands moving my vest and leather jacket out of the way to check the bites and gashes —and goddamnit did that hurt. "Can you breathe?" I nodded at the boy, biting the inside of my cheek to prevent the tears from spilling.

He came back for me? Y/n would murder me.

Y/n.

I tried to prop myself up, but the affliction didn't let me do much before wanting to curl up and cry. "W—where's your sister?" I asked in a soar whimper, my heart sinking at Dustin's distressed expression. "Henderson."

His lower lip quivered as he took a quick peek over his shoulder. With a tilt of my head, I too could see the flock of bats fiercely winging its way to my trailer which was... On fire? And—

"Y/n." I choked out, seeing the girl's figure running on the rooftop. My terrified eyes shifted back to Dustin and found him trying to hold back a sob.

This couldn't be happening.

When I saw the monsters start to revolve around Y/n, I used all my willpower to sit up and bring Dustin to my chest, wrapping my arms around him while guilt weighed on my stomach, heavy enough to make me want to throw up.

The sound of a bat slamming atop the trailer made us flinch. Then another one, and another one, and then it felt like it was hailing rocks.

I loosened my arms around the kid for him to witness a miracle if I had ever seen one; the bats were sprawled all around the trailer, and either Y/n was running towards us or I was delusional.

"DUSTIN! Fuck..." Y/n threw herself to the ground, breathless, much like her younger sibling had done. She scrambled to situate herself behind me, gently moving me to lean on her chest. "Help me take of his jacket!"

"W-What happened?" The boy asked, speechless yet compliant at his sister's words.

"They— they just dropped dead." She explained, her fingertips stripping me from my vest with some struggle and a few grunts from me. "Lift his shirt."

"It's... It looks like Steve's."

"Shit— Alright, swap places with me." The boy limited himself to take on the spot of his sister while I did my best to stay upright.

"You're... Not gonna stab me, are you?" I didn't quite know if I meant it as a joke or not, since she was pulling out her machete.

Ignoring my question, Y/n discarded her jacket, tossing it aside; her knitted sweater followed lead, and, to our surprise, she proceeded to remove her shirt, which left her in her bra.

"Woah."

"What the—"

"Shut up, both of you." Y/n demanded, her welled irises flickered at me, using the blade to tear the tee's fabric to create several bandages. "Hold this."

With Y/n's skillful hands, Dustin's help and a series of hisses falling from my lips every time pressure was put on my wounds, I was patched up in no time.

"Okay," Y/n threw her sweater and jacket back on and circled my body, kneeling right besides me. "let's go—" without warning, she tried to pull me up, only to fall back down with Dustin's taken aback yells and a distressed gasp that accompanied my body stiffening.

"Are you out of your mind?!" Dustin scolded her. "You think we can carry him?!"

"You got a better idea?" Though Y/n's question appeared to be rhetorical, Dustin's expression shifted as he pondered our options.

"Guys, leave me here."

"Shut up!" The both of them shouted back in unison.

"Okay I think I got it." The youngest Henderson whispered to himself before getting up with difficulty. "I'll be right back." He declared, tossing my vest and jacket in Y/n's direction.

"Wait!" The girl reached for her weapon and handed it to the freshman, who gave her a puzzled frown. "There's a literal pile of demobats."

"They're dead, genius." He reasoned in a condescending tone.

"We don't know that." She countered as if she was talking to the dumbest person in the world. "Just take it and shut up." With a huff, Dustin obeyed and took off as fast as he could towards the trailer park. "You're a fucking idiot, you know that?" She grumbled, accommodating my upper body against her chest as carefully as possible.

"Me?" I pointed my index finger at myself, tilting my chin up to meet her gaze while she reached for my jacket to throw it on top of me. "Weren't you the one commiting arson on my rooftop?"

"And whose fault is that?" The light banter I was attempting in order to cheer her up banished, leaving room for yet more guilt. "I didn't mean it like that." She explained, regret staining her face. "It's not on you, I'm sorry." Her forearms wrapped tenderly around my shoulders before she leaned forward to bury her face on the crook of my neck. "You're right, I was the stupid one this time." She mumbled, shattering my heart a little when I felt a tear fall on my uncovered skin.

"You saved my life." I pointed out, my ring clad hands traveling up to give her forearms a reassuring squeeze. "My hero." Looking to the side, I was able to meet her watery gaze, as she lifted her face from the safety of my shoulder. "My stupid, stuuupid hero." I added with a toothy grin, which only grew brighter when a soft, bittersweet laugh escaped Y/n's lips.

"Look who's talking." She quipped. "Mister 'I'm buying more time'." She parroted my words, making a bad impression of me. "Fucking Idiot."

"You love this idiot." I teased, making her look away, a reddish hue staining her cheeks. "And this idiot loves you." I finished in a tone serious enough for the embarrassment to leave her face and be substituted by a content gleam. "He really does."

"Even if I lost his lighter?" She sheepishly questioned, motioning at the still burning rooftop with a tilt of her head. She clearly felt repentant about it, but I could only beam at her in surprise.

"You had the lighter on you?"

"Duh! I loved that lighter." She noted, her eyes staring straight into my soul with such fondness that it alleviated the splitting pain of my wounds. "You were very brave, by the way, but don't that ever again."

"I can't promise anything." I joked, making her sigh exasperated, her forehead falling onto my shoulder, one of her hands slipping down to squeeze my bicep.

"This should do!" Dustin spoke, breathing heavily while rushing in our direction, driving a wide wheelbarrow full of bedsheets and cushions. "We'll move you here and then push. And I was thinking" He began, stopping by me to help Y/n get me up. "trying to get you through the gate's gonna be hell, so," He paused, using all his strength to move me; I didn't my best to help, taking laboured breaths to mitigate the pain I was under. "we can carry him to the place where Fred died."

"That's" Y/n huffed, relocating my weight against her to walk me to the makeshift stretcher. "actually very smart."

"Don't sound so surprised, the kid's a genius." I spoke, letting myself fall into the fluffy vehicle with a grunt. "Hey Dustin? I love you, man."

"I... love you too Eddie." The siblings shared a bemused smile. "What's gotten into him?"

"He's in a sappy mood." Y/n whispered in a teasing tone, giving my shoulder a pat. "Might be the loss of blood." She added, taking on the task of pushing the wheelbarrow. "How's your ankle?"

"It's alright."

"You know? This butthead" Y/n leaned forward for me to see her point at Dustin. "threw himself through the fucking gate."

"You did the exact same!"

"Uh no? I didn't fuck up my foot."

"It's not my foot, Miss smarty pants."

My attention jumped from one siblings to the other, finding their bickering as entertaining as any other day. No one would have guessed we had just gone through a near death experience.

Hearing them laugh and periodically check on me, making sure I was doing alright, had me thinking about how smart I had been taking Dustin under my wing, and how lucky I was to have entered Y/n's heart.

God, I really loved them.

[littlewinter1917]

Holiday Healing

Santa Claus is robbing this town

My blog is 18+ only. Minors DNI. 🔞 Don’t repost my work anywhere.

Series Masterlist

Words: 3.4k

Pairing: Billy Hargrove x Fem!Reader

Chapter Summary: Your little coffee date with Robin gets interrupted when Max and Dustin suddenly show up, and the news they bare make you worry about Billy.

Warnings: Minor hurt/comfort. A little angst and a lot of fluff. Brief mentions of an injury and a robbery.

A/N: Even though Christmas is already over, I think I will continue writing this series. I'm really sorry for not updating this sooner. If you decide to read this, I hope you enjoy!

Also, both Billy and the Reader are obviously over the age of 18 here!

Previous Chapter

“So, I drove past your house yesterday, and it seems like you’ve managed to get Billy to hang up the Christmas lights.” Robin observes, before taking another sip from her hot cocoa; her eyes lingering expectantly on you as your face lights up in excitement at the memory.

“Yeah. He was surprisingly up for it. I worried for nothing it seems. He ended up taking care of the whole front porch without much complain, well some complains but-”

“It’s Billy, Hawkins number one drama queen,” Robin finishes with a teasing smile, making you chuckle.

“Don’t let him hear that. He’ll be really offended.”

“Like I said, drama queen.”

You both laugh, and your eyes soften at the sight of your best friend enjoying herself.

“Wait,” you exclaim suddenly, “Did you just say that you drove by our house, but you didn’t barge in? That’s new.” You try to look offended, but the playful tone of your voice gives you away and Robin rolls her eyes.

“I had somewhere else to be, and just passed by.”

“Another date with Molly?”

“Maybe.”

“Oh, Come on! Don’t spare me the details now.” you preen, and a faint red tint adorns Robins cheeks.

“Well, she’s really cute and funny.”

“Funnier than Steve?” you joke, and Robin gives you an unamused look.

“That dingus is not funny!”

“Right. I beg to differ, but let’s move on. So, Molly is funnier than Steve. Noted.”

“Everyone is funnier than Popeye-incarnate.”

“You’re a meanie.”

Robin huffs in fake offense. “Me? Ye old me?”

You smile, nodding your head before your eyes wander to the door of the small cafe you’re currently seated in. There are two strange men in suits just walking in, making their way to the counter, and your eyes can’t help but linger on their tall frames for a moment.

Noticing the confused frown on your face, Robin turns in her seat, trying to follow your distracted gaze. Once she spots them, too, she mirrors your concerned expression.

“They look like feds,” you observe with a whisper, and Robin nods her head in agreement.

“Yeah, but what are feds doing in Hawkins?”

“I don’t know. But I doubt they’re here to enjoy lovers lake or the culinary offerings of star court mall.”

Your eyes linger once more on the two bulky men.

“Weird,” you mumble, before deciding to turn your attention back to the cup of tea in front of you, grabbing the spoon to stir the steaming liquid.

“So, Molly,” you try to get back to the previous topic, but your mind is still occupied by the two strange men. Their presence leaves you feeling uneasy, yet you can’t quite put your finger on why.

“Yeah well, we met up again at her place, and-” Robin begins telling you, but another chime from the front door garners your attention as a small redheaded girl rushes in, followed by a curly-haired boy.

“Max? Dustin? What are you two doing here?!” You exclaim surprised when you recognize the two kids who have come to a sudden halt at your table.

“Yeah, aren’t you two supposed to be in school or something?” Robin questions with a raised eyebrow.

“It’s-”

“No, we-”

They both talk over each other and the confusion on your face only deepens.

“It’s Billy!” Max blurs out, “There’s been a robbery at the garage.”

Your eyes widen in shook, as the teaspoon slips out of your hand, but you barely notice the sound of it hitting the ground.

“Is this some prank?” you ask, silently hoping it is.

“What? No! Of course not,” Max promises, and the seriousness written all over her face tells you that she’s telling the truth.

“Is he okay?” you ask, panic lacing your voice.

“I’m not sure. The police blocked the whole street, but there was at least one ambulance.”

You didn’t know that your heart could sink any further, yet it does at the revelation.

“Wait, how do you guys even know about this?” Robin asks, and the kids fall silent, suddenly strangely occupied with observing their own shoes.

But at this moment, you don’t really care if the kids skipped school again. All that’s on your mind right now is getting to Billy and making sure that he’s alright.

In a hurry, you pay and leave, while Robin promises to take care of the kids. The car repair shop that Billy works at is just a few roads down, and without really thinking, your feet carry you there as quickly as they possibly can.

Which turns out to be surprisingly quick.

Max was right when she said that the whole road was blocked, but you don’t care. Ignoring the police tape, you hear voices calling after you as you continue running, but the words don’t reach your brain; it’s just noise. Noise that you can block out.

You only come to a halt once you reach the storefront of the shop. With a heaving chest you quickly look around before turning your attention to the shop, in search of Billy.

A quick glance inside lets you know that some sort of a fight or altercation must have happened. There are tools lying seemingly everywhere and your heart suddenly stops when you see some weird liquid forming a puddle on the floor in the back of the room.

Please don’t be blood. Please don’t be blood. Your thoughts are only interrupted by a hand on your shoulder.

“Ma’am you can’t be here,” a man’s voice tells you, but you just shake the hand off without even turning around. In the corner of your eye, you spot an ambulance; probably the one Max had seen, and sitting on the edge of the trunk is…

“Billy!” you exclaim, not caring about the attention you’re garnering. You’re running again, and with a few quick strides you reach your destination as you come to a sudden stop right in-front of your boyfriend, who’s looking at you wide-eyed and surprised.

“Y/N, what are you doing here?” He questions in disbelief, but before anything else is said you engulf him in a big hug, clinging to him like your life’s depending on it.

“You’re alive,” you mumble into his chest, voice full of relief, and Billy’s eyebrows shoot up.

“Of course, I’m alive.”

But it’s like you didn’t hear him, because your previous words tumble from your lips in a repeated soft whisper like a mantra, “You’re alive.”

There are small shakes tearing through your body, your shoulders trembling, and a soft sob makes its way past your lips. Billy’s eyes widen once he realizes that you’re crying from relief – because you were that worried about him.

Your apparent display of affection and love tugs at his heartstrings as he keeps his strong arms wrapped around you, ignoring the pain in his left hand while drawing comforting circles on your back.

“Shh, I got you, Angel,” he whispers, before adding, “I’m okay. I’m okay, Sweetheart.”

You’re not sure how long exactly you two stay like this, but Billy’s words full of reassurance never falter, and he actually manages to calm you down after a bit.

When your quiet sobs subside, he gently lifts your head, making you look up at him. His heart breaks a little at the sight of your tear-stained face, and he’s careful to wipe away the remains of the last ones.

“You really wanted me to die that bad, huh?” He softly jokes, and you look at him, bewildered.

“Billy!”

“I know, I know. You’re crying from relief not from disappointment – I hope.”

You gently punch his side, while mumbling a small “Asshole,” under your breath, making Billy laugh.

“Hey, where’s your jacket?” Your boyfriend observes suddenly, noticing the small shivers that run down your only sweatshirt-clad body. Your eyes widen at the realization that you must have left it at the café when you ran out earlier in a haste. Now that it’s been pointed out, you do feel a little cold, especially as the adrenaline slowly wears off.

Billy offers you his jacket, but you refuse.

“Just hold me really close,” you mumble into Billy’s chest, hiding away in his big frame.

While your current display of stubbornness would normally annoy him - especially since it tends to conflict with his own stubborn behavior, this time he just smiles.

“Of course, Angel,” he promises, before wrapping his arms even tighter around your frame.

You two stay like that as you quickly summarize what happened in the café earlier. How you got here running instantly after hearing the news, and Billy’s eyes soften as his heart does little joyful flips in his chest.

There’s a warm revelation in your admission. A proof that you really unconditionally love him.

Not that he needed that, of course, but a deep adoration seems to be the only plausible explanation after you abandoned both your favorite fruit tea and that expensive winter jacket at the café, just to run through actual police tape in order to get to him.

“You really worried about me that much?” Billy whispers in wonder, and you look at him as if he just asked you the silliest question in the world.

In a way he has.

You even manage to look almost offended, before stating, “Of course I worry about you that much. The fear of losing you earlier has probably been the most terrifying thing I’ve ever experienced. If something bad ever happened to you, it would completely break me, I’m sure of that now.”

Your voice is sincere and emotional, and Billy wraps you up in his arms even tighter, ignoring the pain that soars through his left hand once more.

Those little admissions leaving your lips have him feeling all types of ways. Lovely ways, and above all the realization sinks in that he truly matters - at least to you, and to him right now that’s everything.

He can feel his eyes get glossy, and he quickly shuts them tight, scared to let any tears fall. Not here, not in public, and certainly not after everything that happened.

It’s like you can read his mind, though, as the next words that leave your lips are a concerned “What even happened exactly?”

“A robbery,” Billy mumbles, “The guy came in with a fucking gun, threatening Martha at the register. I was in the garage first, but I heard the shouting and well-”

“Decided to join the commotion,” a gravelly voice finishes, and you turn around in surprise.

“Hopper!” you state at the sight of your favorite almost-uncle. While not related by blood, he’s certainly considered family to you. One of the few good ones.

He nods, tapping his hat. “My men tell me you showed quite the determination to make your way through to your… boyfriend.”

“Oh, uh..” you mumble, embarrassed, “I’m sorry. You know I don’t usually ignore orders or anything like this but I just…” your eyes drift to Billy, who regards you with a big smile.

“I’m turning you into a bit of a delinquent, it seems.” Billy observes, and a huff leaves Hoppers lips.

“You better get that proudness out of your voice, son.”

“Sorry, Sir.” Billy states playfully without sounding sorry at all, and you have to bite your lip to hide a smile. Even though you’ve been dating Billy for a few years now, Hopper and him still have somewhat of a rocky relationship, although it’s a lot more tongue and cheek now.

“So, what happened then?” You ask once more, looking from Hopper to Billy, hoping that one of them will fill you in on the events of the day.

“Well apparently, your boyfriend decided to sneak up on the robber and-” Hopper mimics a punch, and you gasp.

“No! Billy don’t tell me you punched an armed man?!”

“Sorry Angel, but I’m afraid I did.”

“Yes, and I still I don’t know if it was really brave or really stupid,” Hopper wonders.

“Probably s mixture of both, Sir.” Billy states and once again you try to suppress your smile.

You don’t know how Billy manages to make the word ‘Sir’ sound so much like a word of disrespect, but when it falls from his lips it sounds almost like an insult.

Hopper just huffs once more, giving your boyfriend a disapproving look before continuing his story.

“Afterwards there was a bit of a fight happening, while Martha managed to call the police but-”

“Then a woman with a kid walked in, wanting to pick up her car and in a moment of distraction, the guy managed to flee.” Billy finishes and you look at him in shock.

“You don’t really look like you were in a fight,” you mumble relieved, while scanning him over once more. “But you could’ve gotten seriously hurt, punching an armed man, in possession of a gun-”

“Well, it must have been quite the punch, given the injury,” Hopper observes, and you flinch.

“Injury? What injury Billy?” You question, voice slightly raised in concern.

“Relax, I‘m fine Angel. Just a small sprain.” Billy lifts his left hand nonchalantly, and you can’t help but let a small gasp slip at the revelation.

“Why didn’t you tell me? You said you were fine.”

“I am fine. It’s just a minor inconvenience.”

You sigh at his stubbornness, before looking at Billy’s injured hand warily.

“How hard did you even punch that guy?” You wonder quietly and, to your shame, at least a little bit impressed.

“Nobody threatens lovely old Martha.” Billy simply states with a tinge of proudness in his voice.

“Not on your watch it seems. But what happened after the guy flew?”

“The police arrived, and now here we are.” Hopper states dryly.

“And did you manage to find the man yet? What did he even look like?” Your questioning eyes wander from Hopper to Billy and back once more.

“Well, apparently, and I’m quoting a witness here, the man in question was dressed as Santa Claus. Isn’t that right, Billy?”

“What?” you exclaim bewildered, confusion clear in your voice.

“Yes, I too wouldn’t have believed it, if it wasn’t for the four eyewitness reports,” Hopper mumbles.

“A guy dressed as Santa Claus tried to rob a car repair shop? Who even does such a thing?”

“Believe it or not, but that’s exactly what we’re trying to figure out.”

You give Hopper a feign look of annoyance. “Well, a guy dressed as Santa shouldn’t be that hard to find. That kind of an outfit certainly stands out.”

“Except we doubt that he’s still dressed as such. As far as we know he could be dressed in anything now. Hawaiian Shirt, ugly Christmas sweaters, suit and tie…”

The mention of the last fashion items has your eyes light up, as you suddenly remember the weird men from the cafe.

“Is that why the feds are here?” you ponder, and Hopper looks at you confused.

“What are you talking about? There are no feds here.”

“Huh, weird. It’s just that there were these odd men in the cafe, and I was kind of sure that they were from the FBI.”

“What made you think that?”

“Well, for one they were dressed like ones. All fancy suits and high and mighty attitudes. But if their appearance didn’t gave it away, their little batches certainly did, which I got a peak of before running out of the café.”

“That is indeed weird.” Hopper observes, “Because I have not been informed about any visits or investigations.”

“Maybe they’re just passing through and decided to get a Frappuccino before… oh, there they are!” Your gaze lingers on a group of men near one of the police tapes, the two men in suits sticking out like sore thumbs.

“You’ve got to be shitting me,” Hopper mumbles annoyed, “If you’d excuse me. I’ll have to take care of that...them.”

He seemingly makes his way over before suddenly turning around once more.

“You!” He exclaims, pointing at Billy, and the both of you turn in his direction, slightly startled by his booming voice.

“You’ll need to come in, to the police station to give your official report.”

“Does this have to be today?” Billy complains, and Hopper just furrows his brows.

“Of course, today! Tomorrow you’ll have half of it forgotten and replaced by whatever it is you do in your free time.”

Billy smirks, about to reply with a cheeky answer, judging by the mischievous look on his face, but you step in, quickly, intervening.

“We’ll be there! I’ll drive Billy to the station after we had lunch.” You promise, before grabbing your boyfriend’s uninjured hand, dragging him away while waving one last time to Hopper.

“Love you Uncle Jim!” you call out teasingly, and said man just grumbles something, but a small smile plays on his lips, before his face turns to stone again as he regards the intruding FBI Agents.

Once you’re home, you try to call Max, but you’re unsuccessful until you reach Joyce’s place, and Jonathan answers the phone.

“Greetings, Jo.” you state playfully, after hearing his slightly tired voice.

“Y/N?” He asks surprised, and the call of your name seems to alert everyone else in the room he’s in, because suddenly there’s a massive pile of questions audible in the background, and you can barely make out Jonathan’s voice.

“Kids calm down, I cannot hear a thing Y/N is saying!” Jonathan exclaims exasperated, and the previous loud voices turn into slightly muted mumbles.

“Now, where were we?” He questions quietly, more to himself then to you, trying to gather his thoughts again, after the verbal onslaught by the children.

“I think we were just trying to talk about the weather actually,” you joke, and Jonathan huffs.

“Right. So, we heard the news about Billy-”

“Yeah, he’s fine. Just a sprained hand, apparently.”

“Oh, thank God!” Jonathan mumbles and in the background you can hear Mike exclaim, “Is he dead?!” His words are instantly followed by a loud smack and a small groan.

“Mikey that’s not funny at all!”

“Yeah have some compassion, Y/N would probably be really sad-”

“Lucas!”

Suddenly there’s some altercation and instead of Jonathan you hear Max on the other side of the line.

“Ignore the idiots. Is he really okay? can I talk to him?”

“Sure!” you promise, before calling your boyfriend over.

Billy is quick to sit down next to you on the couch, answering all of his little sisters questions, and reassuring her repeatedly that he’s fine.

After listening to their conversation for a bit, you decide to make your way into the kitchen. There’s a lunch to be made after all, and a visit to the sheriff’s department.

At least for a moment, you have some time to get your thoughts in order as you start to prepare some simple sandwiches.

The events of the day still have you feeling shaken up a bit, and you make a mental note to call Robin and maybe Steve later, once you and Billy return from the police station.

As you make the finishing touches on your little sandwiches, you eyes drift back into the living room. You can’t help but watch Billy from where you’re currently standing in the kitchen.

He’s still sitting there on the couch, your shared couch, as he animatedly talks to his little sister. Despite the events of the day, he looks somewhat relaxed, and you smile.

Max must have said something funny, because he’s throwing his head back in amusement, and faint fragments of his warm laughter get carried into the kitchen.

The way he looks right now is the way he should always look. At peace, comfortable and safe.

Suddenly Billy decides to turn his head towards you, his eyes seemingly catching your lingering gaze, and he smiles brightly at you before giving you a small wink, that has your mind spinning.

It’s crazy to you how after all this time he still manages to make you feel just as flustered as on your first date.

You decide to watch him just a little longer, but somehow there is a small uneasy feeling creeping up inside of you.

You’re relieved, of course, about Billy being okay, and things turning out fine, but for some reason you cannot shake the feeling that today was just the beginning, and there might be a lot more things to come this December.

Oh, how right you were going to be.

[wintersxani]

𝙒𝙚𝙡𝙡, 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙙 𝙝𝙚𝙧 | Steve Harrington x fem!reader

Warning(s): fluff, language, PDA

Word Count: 1341

Characters: Steve Harrington, Dustin Henderson, Lucas Sinclair, Will Byers, Mike Wheeler, Eleven, Max Mayfield, Robin Buckley, mention of Nancy Wheeler and Jonathan Byers

Summary: You, Steve, and Robin all decide to go to the fair on the fourth of July, bringing the kids with you guys. Steve and you split from the group, and Steve asks you to be his girlfriend on the Ferris Wheel.

A/N: I wanted to do something for the 4th of July, so I'm deciding to write a ST fic since season 3 came out basically 2 years ago now, so i'm doing a Steve Harrington fic on here for y'all. Enjoy <3

"We got everything we need?" You asked the kids who were rushing around outside the Star Court mall, loading their personal bags into the trunk. Originally, it was just supposed to be you, Robin, and Steve, but after being begged on repeat by the kids to have y'all bring them, you caved in.

"Yes!" They all said in unison as Robin rolled her eyes. "Then let's go! Get your asses in the car!" Robin demanded with the clap of her hands. Everyone filed into Nancy's car, which she let you borrow for the night after you informed her of the kids joining you.

Her and Jonathan were out doing who knows what, even though you had offered for them to join, they both rambled about 'plans' they had. So, here you were, crammed between Steve and Robin in the front since the back was basically as full.

Dustin wouldn't stop talking about his 'girlfriend' from camp who was the hottest chic he'd ever seen, while Lucas and Max would bicker back and forth; Will would remain quiet as Eleven and Mike would be all romantic and flirty. The car was loud, but it was entertaining to hear the several different topics the kids were going on about.

It was dusk when you'd arrived there, quickly filing out and getting everything together before rushing in to the fair. You begged Steve with Robin to go into the scare house, to which he finally caved in. Most kids stayed behind, but some followed in after you guys.

There were times that you found yourself clutching onto Steve out of genuine fear, not knowing what was going to be around the corner. "And you'd think you guys were dating or some shit." Robin laughed from beside the two of you, pointing to your hand laced within Steve's.

You didn't fail to notice the glare Steve shot over to her, and the laugh that she sent back. Throughout the night, you guys went through various rides, and you mostly sat with Steve or Robin. Your favorite had been the twister since you were able to sit between both of your friends while all three of you would laugh your asses off continually for no reason, finding the smallest things funny as you'd be thrown around, laughter loud and tears forming in your eyes as your stomach's hurt from laughing so much.

As you all stood around eating cotton candy, Steve would fidget in his place, looking from the Ferris Wheel to you and Robin, running his fingers through his fluffy hair. "Go dingus!" Robin whisper yelled to Steve, motioning her hand slightly to you. Your eyes widened in confusion, wondering what the two that remained in their Scoops Ahoy uniforms due to leaving for the fair straight after their shifts were going on about.

"Do you need a pep talk or something? I mean Dustin, help me out here." Robin laughed, looking to the Henderson boy for some help. "Is this about-" Dustin tried to say before Steve covered his mouth with one of his hands, sending you a smile. "Ew- Dude! Come on? Licking my hand?" Steve frantically said, quickly removing his hand from Dustin's mouth, and wiping the saliva onto Dustin's vest, before hitting him on the head.

"Y/n, Steve was wanting to know if you would like to ride the Ferris Wheel with him." Dustin said, slapping Steve back. You looked between the boys with a confused smile on your face. "I- Yeah would you like to ride the Ferris Wheel?" Steve stammered as the group all watched the interaction between you guys.

"And him." Max said under her breath, receiving snickers from the other kids. "Hey! Guys come on." Steve said, pointing his fingers at the kids. "Uh- yeah, I'd love to... Steve- The Ferris Wheel." You giggled, cheeks blushing.

Steve took a minute looking bewildered and excited, then looking to Robin for some help. "I can look after them, it's not like they're 10 years old. Go dingus!" Robin laughed, shoving the both of you forward.

"Right. Okay, you ready?" He asked you, walking towards the ride. "Yes, Dingus." You laughed, linking your arm with his. He seemed to be startled by your sudden gesture, but he quickly linked his arm back. As the two of you climbed into the seat, getting the bar pushed down by the ride attender, your arms remained linked as your shoulders and legs touched.

Slowly, the ride made it's way up to the top, stopping along the way for people to get on and off in the process. Steve and you joked back and forth after you had made fun of his adorable sailor outfit that you secretly loved so much.

"No, come on. What about Robins! Her's is worse." He laughed, looking down at Robin and the group who had been staring at the two of you, waiting for something you were unaware of. "No- She's got the stripes." You argued back, pulling at his collar. "Right. The sailor hat is what makes it bad, isn't it? It hides my best feature!" He joked, motioning to his hair.

"But it's cute on you!" You laughed, looking from him to your surroundings as you made your way to the top. "Oh? Is that so?" He asked, pulling his sailor hat out of his pocket, straightening it out, and plopping it onto his head. You laughed at this before being startled by the sudden fireworks that began to go off.

You had reached the top, and got lucky as you stopped at the very top, getting the best view in the house for fireworks. You looked in awe at the bursts of light in the sky above, seeing Steve looking at you from the corner of your eye, a wide, dorky smile on his face.

"What?" You laughed, looking to the boy. "It's nothing.. actually, it's a really, really big thing." He rambled, looking from you to the fireworks above. "Go on Dingus." You urged, eagerly wanting to know what this big thing was. "I have a big question... and you don't have to say yes. I'd really like if you did- but I'm not going to pressure you or-"

"Oh gosh just ask it already!" You laughed, un-linking your arm with his to smack his arm. He nodded his head, and turned his body to face you. "Y/n." He smiled.

"Steve..?" You asked, smiling back. "I've liked you for a really long time now... and with getting to spend all this time with you and getting to know you.. I just haven't not thought about you for one second. I know I'm a huge dork and I was a grade A asshole to you and Robin back in the day.. but I was wondering if just this once, you could give me a second chance, but like... as my girlfriend?" He stammered, unable to look at you for too long out of anxiousness.

"Are you asking me out Harrington?" You teased, turning to face him as well. "No, I'm asking you to jump off the Ferris Wheel. Yes I'm asking you out y/l/n." He stated with a chuckle, throwing his hands around as he spoke. You bit your lip to hold back a laugh at his sarcasm, knowing your answer to his question.

You've known the answer for so long, hoping and dreaming of him asking you this. "Yeah." You smiled, nodding frantically. "Yes?" He asked back, face looking confused. "Yes!" You laughed, gaining a huge smile from him in return.

He threw a thumbs up to the others behind you, gaining cheers from all of them. "Kiss already!" Robin shouted, making both yours and Steve's cheeks go red, smiles spreading across your faces. "Well, you heard her." You said as he looked from your eyes to your lips.

His hand met your cheek, pulling you into him before intertwining his lips with yours. The motion was quick but passionate, a smile spreading on his lips, followed by yours.

-

➺ Masterlist | 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭

[hadesismybaby]

I’m still angry.

Noah’s video made me think about Eddie’s death again. 🙃 And I’ll use this medium as a therapy session.

I’m not going to say how daddy Hopper could’ve cleared his name or How Eddie was already a hero. 

No, today I want to talk about the writing of that scene. One of the things that pissed me off was how lazily it was written. Almost felt like they said: “Yeah, he can die now. IDC” 

Why Eddie ran outside again? To get them more time. More time for what? My beautiful baby didn’t know what was happening in the house.

Some people also use the excuse it was because the demobats would get through the portal. I’m sorry what? When was established that? Dustin didn’t seem to think so when he cried and begged Eddie to go through the portal. You guys want to know more than Dusty-bun? Be real. Even if that was true, they could throw a molotov inside the upside down trailer. 

Oh but what about that badass scene with Eddie fighting then? That was cool. Yeah that was cool, and we could have the same moment without his death. Same way Nancy, Robin and Steve got saved by Murray torching the Demogorgons in Russia, Eddie could have been saved as well… Same bullshit reason he ran outside, but this time Murray torched the assholes when Eddie was fighting them. Boom Eddie lives. 

I’ll even give in and tell one idea of how my precious boy could’ve died, without much of a rewrite. Let’s use Billy’s death as an example.

Billy really died defending something and someone, he was um between Eleven and the Mind Flayer. That was a true hero’s death, even after all the shit he did (and said).

So same situation, demobats invade the trailer via vent. 

This time only a few of them enter via the other vent (maybe 3 or 4), but they don’t have the time to use the rope and escape.

Eddie pushes Dustin out of the way and fight them alone, protecting the kid from any attack, they notice more are using the vent, and he won’t be able to fight all of them there. 

The throws the mattress on top of Dustin, tells him to don’t get out until he says so, he’ll tell when it's safe. Dustin protests but agree after Eddie uses the same tone as he used before on the cafeteria. 

Eddie fights a few more of them before opening the door and running, getting their attention, leaving Dustin alone in the trailer. 

From here on, the same happen… Eddie fights them outside, Dustin goes after Eddie… bla bla bla we all cry. 

It is not perfect, but I’m also not a professional writer. It just pisses me off how a person with zero writing experience can come up with scenarios where his death is at least understandable. 

[akire-echo]

It’s Simply a Henderson Thing, Season 2 Chapter 2

(Here we go! Another week, another chapter. I’ve been busy rewatching and writing along. Definitely having more fun writing this season)

“Y/N! Check it out!” Dustin jumped from his door, posing in the hallway in his Ghostbusters costume. The ghostbusters overalls were absolutely adorable on him.

You smiled widely at the kid. “Wow Dustin, you look great!”

You remembered taking him to see Ghostbusters in the summer, he and the boys had begged you to go because they needed a chaperone. Your mom thought it would be too scary but after all of you had been through, a movie wasn’t going to freak them out. It hadn’t. The boys had loved it, quoted it all the rest of the summer and for a while afterwards. You thought you’d get annoyed at the constant quotes and re-enactments but it was nice to see them actually having fun again.

“You’re a perfect Stantz!” You praised. “Absolutely perfect.”

He did a turn around. “I even have a proton pack and a ghost trap!”

“That you do. Come on, mom will want to see the completed look before you head to school.”

“You coming trick or treating with us later?”

“I would, kid, but I’ve got a party to head to tonight. But I guarantee to get you some discount Halloween candy tomorrow.”

“I’ll hold you to it.”

He smiled and the both of you headed to the living room where your mom waited with a camera.

“Pictures! Pictures!” She exclaimed. “Y/N? Where is your costumes?”

You raised a brow at her. “Yeah, unless you want me half naked dressed as Ripley, I am good in this.”

She couldn’t say much to that, you were the smart but difficult one while Dustin was the excitable and slightly unruly one.

But she was enthusiastically snapping pictures of Dustin in the next moment, eager to get as much out of the camera film as possible.

He, of course, was loving it.

“Ma, he’s gonna be late.” You chided her.

“Just a few more, Y/N.” The camera went off repeatedly.

“Well, I’m headed off. Later Dusty.”

“Later!” He called after you.

———————————————————————

You adjusted your vest and fake blaster as you got to Tina’s house. The party was in full swing by the time you got there, with rowdy teens in costumes drinking whatever they could get their hands on. You off-handedly wondered if Hawkins high resident drug dealer would be in attendance but shook the thought off.

Making your way through the throngs of already inebriated partygoers, you tried to spot Nancy. You hadn’t seen her all day and were desperate to find out how the dinner went the the night before. She hadn’t even returned your phone call.

Instead of Nancy, however, you found the new kid. The damn new kid who immediately rubbed you the wrong way.

“Hey sweetness, who are you supposed to be?” He smirked, clearly already buzzed.

“Take one guess you scruffy looking nerf herder.” You put one hand on your waist.

He looked confused.

“I’m Han Solo.” You sighed.

“Not Leia, Princess?” He asked in reply, rather incredulously too.

You rolled your eyes. “Nah, not really feeling like wearing a white dress and braids. Listen, have you seen Nancy?”

“Nancy?”

“Yeah, she is supposed to be here with Steve.”

“You mean that Steve?” He thumbed over his shoulder.

You followed his motion to see a very angry Steve storming out of the house.

“Shit.” You rushed after him.”Steve! Steve stop-”

“Piss off.” He didn’t even turn to look at you.

“Steve, wait, Jesus Christ!” You caught up to him, tugging on his wrist.

He snapped the grip away.

“What’s wrong?” You asked.

“Why don’t you ask your best friend, she clearly tells you more than me.”

You furrowed your brows in confusion.

“Steve, I haven’t even seen Nancy all day. Did something happen with the Holland’s last night?”

“They’re hiring a private investigator and leaving Hawkins.”

“What!?”

“I don’t have time for this, Y/N.” He shook his head and walked away from you.

You were even more confused.

Seeing as how Nancy was probably still in the house, you went back in to try and find her.

The house was still sufficiently packed, so it was rather difficult to move between sweaty dancing bodies and those too inebriated to stand properly.

You did run into Chrissy. She was there with her basketball playing boyfriend, Jason.

She had asked if you wanted to join them but you declined, instead asking her if she’d seen Nancy. Neither of them had so you politely excused yourself, telling them to have fun.

After unsuccessfully trying to find her for half an hour, you decided it would be best to leave. You could’ve stayed, it wasn’t like you didn’t have people to hang out with but you were looking forward to actually spending time with your best friend. Since she was nowhere to be found, you didn’t much feel like sticking around.

You made a stealthy escape, or so you had thought.

The new kid caught you by the door, hand around your forearm.

“Can’t stay away from me, can you?” He smirked, alcohol on his breath.

You groaned internally, not wanting to deal with him at that moment. That’s when you spotted Tommy.

“Find yourself a new best friend here, Tommy boy?” You asked.

The boy sneered. “Billy is cool, unlike some former friends I’ve had.”

“Billy, is it?” You turned back to the guy manhandling you.

“Yeah, and I know you’re Y/N, or do you preferred being called princess?”

You could have gagged. Sure, he was decent looking but his attitude was absolutely abhorrent to you.

“What I would prefer is if you let me go.“

Tommy scoffed a little, coming up to stand by Billy.

“Don’t even bother with her, Billy. No one is good enough for her.”

Billy’s grip tightened on your arm. “See now that just sounds like a challenge.”

You ripped your arm away from him.

“I am going to give you the benefit of the doubt here, seeing as you, one: don't know me, and two: are not quite sober. But I am not interested.” You said as politely as you could.

His smirk faded, instead his jaw clenched. "Told you." Tommy clapped his new friend on the shoulder. "Let's go back inside and find Munson, he's got the good stuff."

Billy said nothing but walked past you into the house.

Seeing your window of opportunity, you got onto your bike and headed out of there, determined to find out what exactly was going on with your best friend.

[mediocre--writing]

after starcourt billy and el get closer, and he introduces her to the things that make him happy (rock music, basketball, etc, etc)

and el isn’t quite sure what to give back. billy has shown her so much new stuff about the world, she wants something to give to him.

she finds his mom. she goes into her little trance and finds the blonde woman she’s seen in billy’s memories. she’s living alone, has a cat or two, and is in a small apartment... in new york.

so she talks to steve. he recons they can find her in the phone book, but when asked for a name, el blanks. she doesn’t have a name to put with the face.

so she goes back into her head, waiting for someone to say it or something, then something catches her eye.

piles and piles and piles of papers on the dining table and all the chairs but one. there are even some discarded on the floor.

el walked to them, reading the best she could (she’s gotten pretty decent at it over the months she was at hoppers cabin and billy has been helping her, too)

‘Custody Agreement,’ one reads. a californian address is in the middle of a few letters, addressed to a ‘Neil Hargrove.’ a half written letter reads:

‘Sorry, ma’am, but we’ve just bought this house and don’t know a Neil, but we’re sorry for your situation.’

there’s bills and payments overdue to the apartment complex, as well as an attorney. letters dating back to 1978 that are worn and read over and over.

there’s pictures in one binder, opened to approximately the middle, showing a boy and the woman—billy and his mother— on a beach eating ice cream. it’s dated 1976.

there’s another picture of billy—cowboy hat on and a funny sheriff pin on his shirt—dancing around a small, but homey, living room.

the final picture on the page, blurry and sideways, shows the woman smiling, a cut on her cheek that was still bruised, but the caption (written in a sloppy, childish font) read: ‘taken by w.t.h. 1975’

the woman is sleeping on the couch, a journal open on her stomach and pen still in her hand, breathing slowly.

the journal is open to a page, one of the last in the book, and has a scribbly font to match the other writings in the kitchen.

they’re addressed to billy, and signed with a heart. there’s ink smeared in some spots, presumably from tears, and el thinks that this is one of the saddest things she’s ever had to see.

but she looks to the woman once more, eyes trailing along the diner costume she has on, a hideous blue/green color (that faintly resembles billy’s eyes) and sees a name tag.

she has a name for steve.

Carrie

she’s not positive of a last name, but she assumes hargrove is a good bet, and, low and behold, there she is.

Carrie Hargrove and her phone number are listed right there in the phone book, and as lucky as that is, el doesn’t know what to say.

this doesn’t feel like a quick-phone call situation. this is a big deal.

carrie has been looking for billy for years, since the week she left, it looks like, and she’s been writing to him, the billy she remembers, and tells him about things in the city he would love. little thinks people she waits on say that remind her of him. how she imagines he looks and acts now. how she wants to murder a son of a bitch named neil hargrove.

(oh, don’t we all)

the hard part starts now, though, because how do you tell a broken mother over the phone that you know her son and, somehow, know her phone number?

you can’t. it’s just not right.

so steve does it. he takes a short, weekend trip out to new york. tells the party he’s going to see his parents since they’re in nyc for the week and he’s gone.

el doesn’t know what happens between the friday steve leaves and the sunday he gets back, but he returns no different than how he left.

el hasn’t been able to ask him about it yet, she hasn’t seen him and she can’t exactly pull him to the side during party outings because that would be a little strange to to without questions.

plus, billy and max are always around. like always.

but it seems that el won’t have to ask steve any questions, she finds the next weekend, when the party rides their bikes over to steve’s house and see a car, ratty and old, sitting in the driveway.

it’s a familiar shade of blue and has a new york license plate hung on the back.

the kids assess the car but el makes her way to a window, peaking in to see steve quietly talking to a woman, the beautiful woman who is still wearing that atrocious diner costume with her hair a mess, and they seem to be arguing quietly.

not long after el peeks in, the boys come around her to look through the window, and that’s when steve sees them. they try to duck but they’re caught.

the boys are asking steve who this lady is and all other million questions they have and the woman—carrie—is still sitting at the dining table, looking ready to bolt back to her car and drive all the way back to new york.

their conversation (interrogation) is interrupted by the roar of an engine—max and billy are here.

billy is here.

max comes through the (open) door first.

“who’s car is in the drive way? steve, i thought your parents were rich?”

but she stills in the doorway when she sees steve looking more guilty than usual, the boys irritated at their lack of answers, and el, standing near a woman, who max remembers from photos—albeit a few years younger.

“woah, that’s—“

billy’s footsteps are heard before he’s seen, and he bumps into max, still standing in the door, while he’s trying to put his cigarettes in his jacket pocket.

“the fuck,” he murmurs as he grabs max’s shoulders to keep her upright

“steve won’t tell us who the lady is!” dustin yells, because of course dustin had to open his big mouth.

“lady?” billy asks before looking around the room, analyzing steve’s face (guilty), the boys (irritated and confused), then els face (hopeful and worried).

his eyes move to behind el, to the dining room, where a mop of blonde hair, not dissimilar to his own, is sitting there, staring at him.

the same eyes connect across the room and both their hearts drop to the floor.

billy takes a small step foreward. stands still for another moment, then walks quickly towards her.

she’s scrambling to get out of the chair and, for a second, this looks like a threatening scene, but then they’re going towards each other and embracing so tightly you couldn’t tell where one started and the other ended.

her name tag was poking into billy’s chest and his boot was partially over her foot, but they had their eyes closed as they breathed in and out, simultaneously calling down and getting excited from the others presence.

el didn’t realize before, when she’d seen carrie in the void, but they had all the same features. their curly, dirty blond hair, their bright blue eyes surrounded by darkness, their hands that kept readjusting and grabbing tighter onto the things they didn’t want to lose.

the way they both had their noses scrunched up while trying not to cry, the way they both didn’t move much as if that would break the trance they got drawn into.

“so who is she?” dustin asked, not so quietly.

“why don’t all you brats go outside for a few minutes?” they didn’t look happy with that idea, but followed steve outside like little ducklings, leaving carrie and billy alone.

they still didn’t break from the hug, not even when the sliding door slammed and the kids’ voices were muffled.

as carrie started moving her arm, rubbing gently across billy’s back, he finally let go of the tears that had welled in his eyes.

“i missed you, my boy,” she croaked out, leaving billy to choke out a sob, holding her tighter—if that was possible.

“missed you too, momma,” billy mumbled into her shoulder, feeling her hug him back tighter as well.

they pulled away, only when billy’s back was beginning to ache from bending down a bit just to feel small in her arms. and maybe it was because he was a kid, but he always thought he remembered her taller.

“i’m so, so sorry, it—“

“why did you leave?”

“i didn’t. no—i mean, i did, but you were gonna come with me, billy. i moved our stuff, in small amounts, to my sister’s place, maggie, you remember her? right?” billy nodded “i was gonna slowly get us out of there, but neil realized, he knew what i was doing and i—i couldn’t stand it and i—“

her throat was burning with anguish as she tried to explain, to the best of her ability, how she could have done something so despicable.

“i didn’t leave for long, i didn’t know he knew, but i was moving some stuff to maggie’s, was gonna stay the weekend, it was after that one big fight, and it was the last load of stuff i had to bring, but i came back sunday night and everything, the whole house, it was empty, i—“

billy remembered that weekend. he noticed how things around the house had been moved or were missing, then how his mom left for two days, his dad told him she wasn’t coming back.

billy didn’t believe him. didn’t want to believe him. neil promised that everything would be ok, that they would stay with grandma and grandpa for a week or two, just to get back on their feet, since they wouldn’t be able to afford the house with only one income.

billy believed his dad. believed the lies he was fed about how his mom didn’t care, left him for crap, got out while she could, stole from his dad just to get out.

in the back of his head, he always knew neil was lying, but if that were true, why did she never come back for him?

he remembers one night, while they were sitting outside, billy and neil and his grandparents, the phone rang, and billy offered to answer it.

and the voice on the other line was his mom, and he begged her to come get him and cried for her to love him again, not realizing that she’d never stopped.

neil had heard the tail end of the conversation. they moved out of billy’s grandparents within the week.

billy wanted his mom back, knew that someone had made a mistake when she’d left, that someone as pure and amazing and loving as she was couldn’t just leave a kid like that.

it all made sense now. why they moved so much. why neil was always angry and going over papers from lawyers or shredding letters that never got opened.

why they moved so far away, all the way to hicktown, indiana (among other reasons).

“neil is a piece of shit,”

carrie choked out a laugh at the off handed comment that came from billy—her boy. she nodded, though.

“that he is,”

they were both a little uncomfortable, but held an underlying relief of seeing one another.

“you know,” billy’s head turned to her, “my apartment, in new york, is filled with pictures of you and i. i was going to bring them, but i couldn’t take all of them and i wasn’t sure which ones were my favorite. but—“

she walked back over to where she had been sitting at the table, reaching into her satchel and pulling out a worn leather book, handing it to billy.

“i thought you should have this.” billy opened the book, the spin cracking with movement, and noted how every single page was filled to the brim with words. “i wrote to you, at least once a week. things that made me think of you, on your birthday and holidays, other occasions. times when i missed you a lot and times when i knew you might need me.”

billy, both listening to her words and reading the first page, was dissolving into a mixed state of joy and sadness.

his mother had thought of him just as he’d thought of her. every day and holiday and situation was filled with thoughts of the other. she didn’t leave him in the dust and start a new family.

she was still searching for the one that was taken from her.