#lily sinclair

[phoebebuggers]

liking a character will have you thinking things like what media would he be consuming if he was a chronically online college student in 2025

[tarraing]

member of the order: mary macdonald

[evviejo]

thirteen's era appreciation: 382/?

[sofrosine]

— WIP WORD TRAIN

i was tagged by my beloved @lilywatt (whom i feel holding a gun to the back of my head) to do something for the first time in like a year like a normal person so everyone say thank you macy.

rules: for each letter of the word you're given, share an excerpt from a wip that starts with that letter. the word i was given is SIGH.

S — Soap helps, but not much. She lathers her hands, scrubs until her skin feels raw and her cuticles start to tear, but Max’s blood lingers in the lines of her palms and deep under her fingernails.

I — It doesn’t have to be like this. Isabel knows that she could cut her losses and run from this man, that she could tell him to stay far, far away from her and that he would do so without question — that he would be relieved by the very suggestion.

But she doesn’t.

Loving him is a decision she makes, a conscious acceptance of everything he offers, both good and bad.

G — Grounding. It wades through the fog in his head and settles gently around the burning edges of his consciousness. It brings him back to the present.

“Olly.”

Hesitantly, he turns to her. Shame pulls at his gut, but for what, he can’t decide. For the drunkenness? For the vulnerability? For the inability to look her in the eyes?

H — He repeats the name in his mind like a mantra, a litany, a prayer, unaware that his scorched throat is choking desperately around the syllables.

Lily. Lily.

YOUR WORD IS: GLOW

tagging: @voidika @chyrstis @cloudofbutterflies92 @confidentandgood @belorage @strangefable @unholymilf @loriane-elmuerto @shellibisshe @cptcassian @delicateweapon @thedeadthree @inafieldofdaisies @d-esmond @sharkyboshaw @firstaidspray @faarkas @risingsh0t @queennymeria @florbelles @shallow-gravy @socially-awkward-skeleton @imogenkol @zakryah and @roofgeese!

[hislittleraincloud]

It just occurred to me that these two have the exact same dynamic that Wenclair does

[shares-a-vest]

Prompt: Mean Girls (Discord Drabble) "i'm on a bit of a writing hiatus" i say as i write something that is definitely not a drabble and want to write more of...

"What in the hell are you two doing?"

Steve and Robin turn in unison to find Erica standing on the other side of the front counter, one hand hovering over the bell, the other holding My Little Pony... Something.

And Robin is smart enough not to attempt to guess which outing in Equestria the younger Sinclair sibling is going to gallivant into this weekend.

"People watching," Robin shrugs.

"But..." Erica begins, giving Family Video a sweeping glance, "The store is full."

Robin tents her fingers, "The store might seem busy, my young friend. But we have entered, Limbo."

She wiggles her fingers in Erica's direction, but the kid swats her away.

"Meaning?" Erica asks.

"The store is filled with people who just got off work on a Friday Night," Robin explains, propping herself up on the counter with her elbows, "Lonely souls. Boys and girls getting ready to impress on Movie Date Night. Sleepovers. R&R time... Sensual adult – "

"Please do not finish that sentence," Erica interrupts, recoiling.

"Boom!" Steve beams, clicking his fingers before jotting a point on their inventory list-turned-scoresheet, "Penny from the Pharmacy just picked up a copy of Friday the 13th."

"Wait!" Robin yelps, rushing to her best friend and crowding him against the computer, "How could you have possibly guessed that?"

"Because she's dating that dickhead from the dry cleaners," Steve states as if it's totally obvious, "And he only rents horror shit. Plus, Friday is..."

He raises a brow expectantly, leaning into her side.

Robin sighs.

"Friday is Date Night."

"And yet, you lose," Steve teases and honestly, Robin wants to donk him on the noggin with their stupid clipboard.

Smug bastard.

"Can I be served!"

Robin snatches back the scoresheet, certain that Steve must be cheating. He cannot possibly have a perfect score!

She turns back to their demanding customer and finds Erica craning her neck to get a look at the clipboard.

"If you won't let me join in, that is," she adds with a challenging pout.

"Sure," Steve says, breathing down Robin's neck now, a grin evident in his voice, "Can't be any worse than Rob, here."

Robin swiftly elbows him in the stomach on her way to pick up the scanning gun.

She waves it around for a moment, carefully searching for the perfect candidate and soon settles for Scott Clarke.

"Mr Clarke..." she declares, slowly raising the scanner with an Ellen Ripley level of accuracy.

"Easy," Erica shrugs, "Mr Clarke is a boring nerd. I bet he watches documentaries in his spare time, on a Friday night, like a boring nerd."

They watch as Mr Clarke does, indeed, meander to the store's (very small) Documentary Feature section.

"Wait!" Steve panics, yanking back the clipboard, "I didn't have that."

"Oof..." Robin hums, pointing the scanner at her best friend and making a kapow noise.

[nikiscooler]

p r e s e n t i n g . . .

GILDED LILY

production made by nikiscooler

“but with my double vision, how was i supposed to see the way?”

cults, gilded lily

━━ : ̗̀➛ ━━ : ̗̀➛ ━━ : ̗̀➛ ━━ : ̗̀➛

STRANGER THINGS FANFICTION

━━ : ̗̀➛ ━━ : ̗̀➛ ━━ : ̗̀➛ ━━ : ̗̀➛

: ̗̀➛ S U M M A R Y !

JOSIE AINSWORTH WAS AFRAID.

Strange things have been occurring recently in the small midwestern town of Hawkins, Indiana. It all started with the disappearance of Will Byers, a young boy who went missing while biking home from a friend's house late at night. But that wasn't the only reason Josie was afraid, her home life scared her too, she needed to get her sister out of that hellhole before it was too late.

Josie felt guilty. She hadn't wanted to go home that night, so she was biking around town after being at her friend Barbara’s house when she saw Will on his way home. She didn't say anything, if she had said something, he would still be here now. Everything was piling up on her already burdened shoulders, she felt like she was going to crack, like a porcelain doll.

Josie and Nancy Wheeler had been friends at the beginning of high school, but they had drifted apart since Nancy started dating that douchebag Steve Harrington. They now only talked through their mutual friend Barbara Holland. So, when Josie walked out of a party that would end in disaster, she felt the guilt suffocating her. None of this was supposed to happen, she was just angry at fucking Carol.

The Ainsworth family was well known in the community as being a story of unexpected downfall. Before the car accident, Josie’s parents Nathan and Eleanor were well-respected, they hosted parties and were church-goers. The family got into a terrible car accident, and the hospital bills cost them basically all they had to their name, it essentially bankrupted the family. Eleanor left, just walked out on her two young daughters and Nathan began to drink heavily. He was fired from his job because he kept showing up to work drunk. They lost their home because they couldn't pay for it since Nathan wasn't working. They had to move to the trailer park. Now, people refuse to speak to the Ainsworths, most of them are scared of Nathan, who has grown violent over the years.

Her friends are the only bit of comfort she has left in her life. Though, after what happened to Will, talking to Jonathan has gotten harder and harder.

At school, she sinks her brain into her work, keeping her mind off everything else going on. She doesn't let anyone see what she is dealing with and no one seems to notice either. She is invisible to the world around her.

With Nancy and Steve's relationship growing distant, and Nancy and Jonathan growing closer, a friendship blossoms between Nancy and Josie. And when Nancy and Jonathan start dating, Josie is happy for them.

But that wasn't true, was it?

━━ : ̗̀➛ ━━ : ̗̀➛ ━━ : ̗̀➛ ━━ : ̗̀➛

⋆ nikiscooler, 2025 ♡

N. Wheeler x OC

━━ : ̗̀➛ ━━ : ̗̀➛ ━━ : ̗̀➛ ━━ : ̗̀➛

🎸⋆⭒˚｡⋆ I N T R O D U C I N G ,, : ̗̀➛ THE CAST -^-

JOSEPHINE “JOSIE” AINSWORTH ⋆ Hailee Steinfeld

( xv, lesbian, she/her, sagittarius )

#You're On Your Own, Kid / The Punching Bag.

NANCY WHEELER ⋆ Natalia Dyer

( xv, closeted bisexual, she/her, scorpio )

#What Was I Made For? / The Sharp-Witted.

Act One, 1983 / STRANGE HAPPENINGS IN HAWKINS

Lucas Sinclair ☆ CALEB MCLAUGHLIN

Dustin Henderson ☆ GATEN MATARAZOO

Mike Wheeler ☆ FINN WOLFHARD

Jane ‘El’ Hopper ☆ MILLIE BOBBY BROWN

Will Byers ☆ JAEDEN MARTELL

Jonathan Byers ☆ CHARLIE HEATON

Steve Harrington ☆ JOE KEERY

Jim Hopper ☆ DAVID HARBOUR

Joyce Byers ☆ WINONA RYDER

Karen Wheeler ☆ CARA BUONO

Ted Wheeler ☆ JOE CHREST

Holly Wheeler ☆ ANNISTON & TINSLEY PRICE

Nathan Ainsworth ☆ GARY WEEKS

Jude Ainsworth ☆ PIPER RUBIO

Act Two, 1984 / SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH WILL

Maxine ‘Max’ Mayfield ☆ SADIE SINK

Murray Bauman ☆ PEDRO PASCAL

Billy Hargrove ☆ DACRE MONTGOMERY

Eleanor Ainsworth ☆ MELANIE LYNSKEY

WARNINGS

This is a Stranger Things fanfiction, so anything included in Stranger Things will happen in this book, those things include; child abuse, violence, gore, death, mommy issues, daddy issues, etc. This fanfiction will also include period typical transphobia, racism, misogyny, and homophobia.

DISCLAIMERS

I don't own the Stranger Things characters or their storylines, all rights are reserved to the Duffer Brothers and Netflix. I did however, make my original character Josie Ainsworth and her whole story.

[drawing-way-outside-the-lines]

Christmas Fair 💖 pt 3.

[stxr-bxy]

hear me out

elmax are a regulily variant

el = lily

max = regulus

i guess this means lumax =jegulus and elumax = jegulily

works well if you headcanon max and/or regulus as some form of trans (i hc max as genderfluid and reg as transmasc)

[gravehags]

natalie sinclair’s birthplace and home: carmel-by-the-sea, california

[emotionalwarmth]

[evviejo]

thirteen's era appreciation: 461/?

[sofrosine]

— LAST LINE TAG

tagged by @rhettsabbott @a-treides @cloudofbutterflies92 and @imogenkol to post the last line i wrote! thanks lovelies!

tagging (opt in/out here!) @risingsh0t @adelaidedrubman @firstaidspray @faarkas @queennymeria @florbelles @shallow-gravy @socially-awkward-skeleton @henbased @roofgeese @belorage @strangefable @unholymilf @loriane-elmuerto @shellibisshe @cptcassian @delicateweapon @tommyarashikage @thedeadthree @inafieldofdaisies and @confidentandgood

more than a line, but. context relevant.

Experimentally, he turns his head to face Lily. She’s looking at her feet, at the way the freshly-dewed grass fans over the edge of her cheap flip-flops and touches her toes. Oliver can’t quite make out her expression — it’s pained, he thinks, but why wouldn’t it be? Why shouldn’t it be?

“I’m just sorry it happened. And I’m sorry it happened to you. And if you do wanna talk about it, y’know…I’m here.”

[galadrail]

I'm so gay for any one of my favorite character in any of my hyperfixation, when they get a fem au !

[shares-a-vest]

Prompt: Tied up (Discord Drabble) *cracks knuckles. i warned the stwg i'd turn a potential spicy prompt into something silly.

"More slack!" Robin calls over her shoulder, barely moving so she can stay in place while jumping on the spot.

It elicits a huff from Max, but she follows the instruction, taking a step forward as she continues twirling the jump rope stretching across the Harrington's ample driveway.

"This isn't going to work," she says in sing-song.

"Yeah, it is," Steve says, rubbing his hands together.

He positions himself like he's about to run a sprint, watching the rhythm of Robin jumping, the rope swirling around her and skidding the pavement as she jumps once more.

"Count down from five!" Lucas says, looking Robin up and down with apprehension.

"Five!" Robin beams.

"Four," Max chimes sarcastically.

"Three," Steve says to himself.

"Two," Lucas grimaces.

"You got this, Steve," Dustin says, voice much closer to Steve's ear than it should be.

He claps a rousing hand on his back as Robin yells, "One!" and he falters, missing the count.

"Goddamn it, Dustin!" Lucas whines.

"Wait, wait!" Steve says, gesticulating to shush everyone.

He's closer to the rope now, rocking backwards with each swing. He counts in his head now, five... four... three.. two.

One.

"Suck! It! Max!" Robin, each word punctuated with a jump, "Told you Steve and I were in sync enough to Double Dutch!"

"Shit," Steve shrieks, dipping his head when the rope brushes his hair on the next upswing, "Swing the rope higher!"

He isn't sure who moves. Someone steps in too far. Or he trips... Or Robin moves her arms...

Whatever it is, the rope twists around them and Robin begins to fall.

She screams and Steve dives for her, managing to twist around at the last second to break her fall. It all sends him crunching shoulder-first onto the driveway.

"Ow!" he hisses, the rope pulling tight around his legs as if one of the kids is pulling on it.

He attempts to move his arms but they are stuck in place too, holding Robin tight. Her eyes are squeezed shut as she pants away, winded and panicked.

"Guys..." she breathes, lifting her head, "A little help? We're kinda all tied up here."

[nikiscooler]

# Gilded Lily

( ⋆ )

Stranger Things Fanfiction

☆ nikiscooler, 2025 ⋆

| CIRCA NOVEMBER 6-7TH, 1983

Stranger Things S1

I. The Disappearing Kid

THIRTY MINUTES BEFORE Josephine’s alarm clock was supposed to go off for school, she was woken by the wall-mounted phone blaring in the kitchen. Her eyes strained against the morning light that flowed in through the window. She pushed up with her elbows, throwing her legs over the edge of the bed. She didn’t want to get up, the warmth of the blankets was almost like a magnet, pulling her back into the comfort. She defied it, lazily standing up, her arms hanging loosely by her side. She grasped the bedspread and pulled it up to wrap it around her shoulders. She heaved it tighter around herself as she trudged out of the bedroom, her feet dragging beneath her. Once she crossed the threshold of her room, the ringing seemed to get louder. Her footsteps thumped against the newly mopped linoleum floors. Other than the floors, the house was in complete disarray. The counters were covered in beer bottles and old Chinese take-out containers. Once Josie reached the phone, she rested her hand against the cold plastic for a moment. Then, she pulled it off the switchhook and put it up to her ear. “Hello, Josie Ainsworth speaking..” She stated, she has always felt the need to be more formal when answering calls.

Josie heard breathing on the other side for a moment, “Hello, Josie,” The woman began, Josie immediately recognized the voice. “This is Joyce, I was wondering if you saw Will at any time last night?” The night was a bit blurry in her mind, she sucked a breath in through her teeth as she thought back to the night before.

Josie had been hanging out with her friend Barbara Holland all day, studying and whatnot, and now she was biking home because it was getting dark. Though she didn’t want to get home, didn’t want to face her father’s rage at her being out so late. So, she kept circling the neighborhoods closest to the trailer park, stalling as long as possible. The street lights flickered as she drove underneath them. The crickets were particularly loud tonight, perhaps they knew something she didn’t.

As she continued riding, the lights seemed to be acting increasingly more sporadically. As she turned the corner of Cornwallis and Kerley, the lights went entirely dark. It only lasted a few seconds but it felt like an eternity in which she spent in the blackness. Josie heard the click, then the humming as the lights started back up again. She sat there for a second, one foot on a pedal and the other planted on the ground to stop herself from rolling. She was trying to gather her thoughts. She heard the sound of a wheel spinning and when she jerked her head toward the sound, she saw a boy also rounding the corner on his bike. She knew who the boy was, it was Will Byers.

She smiled politely as he rode past, waving. Will looked away from his strict eye contact with the road in front of him to wave back, then he disappeared again as he turned the corner in the direction of his house. Josie straightened herself back out on her bike and started off again.

Josie felt her heart sink in her chest, had something happened to Will last night? She saw him, she could have helped! She could have done something! Her mouth opened but no words came out, just a stuttered breath. She closed her eyes to recompose herself, then she finally spoke. “I saw him last night, while riding my bike through town.” She admitted.

Joyce gasped, the relief evident in the sound. “Where did you see him exactly?” Josie could hear shuffling on the other side of the phone.

“Where Cornwallis and Kerley meet,” Josie stated, “Or, uh, it might have been the corner between Cornwallis and Randolph.” She really couldn’t remember the exact location, so she just said the two to cover all her bases. “All I know for sure is that it was close to your house.”

Joyce made a small, almost inaudible noise, “Thank you, thank you so much for telling me.” She doesn’t give Josie any time to say anything back before she hangs up the phone. Josie sighed deeply to herself, running a hand through her disheveled hair, she put the phone back on the switchhook before returning back to her bedroom to get ready for school.

JOSIE’S ARM WAS rested against the window sill as she turned the wheel and pulled into the high school parking lot. Her blue 1979 Hatchback stalled a bit as it struggled to get over a small speed bump. She wanted to park close to the school, but it was just her luck that there were no spots open. She guessed that is what happened when you have to drive all the way across town to take your little sister to the elementary school.

She ended up having to park a good ways away from the building, she pushed open the door and stepped out into the lukewarm November air. She reached over to the passenger side to grab her backpack, her fingers grazed the metal pins that lined the stitching. She stood up straight and slung it over her shoulder. She closed the door noisily and started toward the entrance.

Once Josie arrived at the door, she leaned forward and grasped the handle. She stumbled with the weight of it. She used her foot to hold the door open and she slipped inside through the small crack. The clammer of students drowned out her footsteps as she walked through the hallway toward her locker, she was interrupted by Jonathan, he looked distressed, and Josie could understand why. “Hey Josie.” He greeted, looking at her, concern riddling his features.

“Hey Jon,” Josie said, “I heard what happened with your brother.” She kept her hands on the straps of her backpack as she turned toward him, “How are you doing?”

Jonathan winced a bit at the thought, “Yeah, my mom’s been freaking out,” He chewed on his lip momentarily. Josie unlocked her locker as she listened, taking off her backpack and stuffing it in there. She unzipped it to get the books she needed for the day out. “I’ve been feeling pretty bad about it too, I was supposed to take him home last night.” He stated just as she slammed the locker door shut.

The brunette girl nodded in understanding, she reached her hand out to comfortingly squeeze Jonathan’s shoulder. “Just don’t blame yourself for what happened,” She started, “It’s not your fault.”

“I’ll try..” Jonathan’s facial expression revealed what he didn’t say, he was definitely going to blame himself, and they both knew it but Josie didn’t push anymore. They fell into a comfortable silence as they continued to walk through the hallways. The duo reached Jonathan’s homeroom, “I’m gonna split off here.” He stated, thrusting his thumb back toward the door. Josie nodded and waved as she began her walk down the hallway again. She makes it only a little way down when she sees Nancy Wheeler and Steve “The Hair” Harrington, the king of this school, making out next to someone’s locker. Josie grimaced, turning away, disgust rising in her chest. Nancy and Josie had been friends in freshman year, but since she started dating that douchebag, they had become distant. She tried her best to avoid them, walking over to Barbara Holland, who stood only a few feet away, back against her locker. Josie grasped Barbara’s hand, pulling her away from the lovebirds.

“Let’s leave them,” She let go of her hand once they were halfway down the hallway, they shared the same homeroom, so they were headed to the same place anyway. “Have you heard what’s going on with Will Byers?” Josie asked.

“Like Jonathan’s brother?” Josie nodded. Barbara thought for a second before tilting her head. Her face was laced in confusion, “No, what’s going on?” She queried. A curl from her short auburn hair fell into her face, she quickly moved it back.

Josie didn’t want to tell her the whole story, especially the part about her seeing Will the night before so she just resorted to saying, “Apparently he disappeared last night.”

Barbara took a deep breath, shaking her head slightly. “Oh, that’s terrible,” She began and Josie nodded solemnly, “I hope he is found safe.” She stated, but before they could expand any further on the topic, they reached their first period. They stepped into the room and said their goodbyes as they headed toward their assigned seats at opposite ends of the classroom.

THE REST OF the day went off without a hitch, it was just the usual monotony of school that always left Josie struggling to come back the next day. She picked up her younger sister from the elementary school, as they rode down the winding roads they listened to a mixtape Josie had made, it consists exclusively of children’s songs for car rides like this with Jude.

As the compact blue car pulled into the trailer park, Josie could already sense a feeling of dread looming over the area. She gripped the steering wheel, turning it aggressively to the left to pull up to the Ainsworth family trailer. She scanned the front, the door was closed; which is uncommon for her father, but the door looked like it had been closed so forcefully, it had almost fallen off its hinges. It was slightly crooked as far as Josie could tell from her view in the car. She whispered a little reassurance to herself as she opened the door and stepped out, slamming it behind her. She walked around to the other side to help Jude out as well. She grabbed ahold of her hand and guided her toward the front door. She reached out to touch the plastic button-latch door handle on the glass screen door, she pulled it open and walked inside.

The atmosphere immediately shifted, Nathan, Josie’s father, sat on the couch, a beer bottle in hand. Josie had been around him long enough to know that he was angry, the way his other hand was balled into a fist beside him, the way he clenched his jaw as soon as he saw his two daughters stumble into the old, muted trailer. Josie’s thumb rubbed a comforting circle onto Jude’s knuckles as she tried to walk past him to their rooms, but she was stopped by a loud, thundering voice next to her. She almost jumped out of her skin, she turned toward Nathan slowly, closing her eyes tight and taking a deep breath. She was already preparing for the beration she was about to endure. “Where were you?” He questioned, eyes narrowed as he stared at her.

Before Josie answered, she pushed her sister away, toward her bedroom, whispering, “Go, go into your room Jude.” Jude didn't say anything, she just listened to her sister’s instruction, entering her room and closing the door behind her. Josie turned back to her father, “At school, dad.” She said, twirling her necklace with her thumb and index fingers anxiously.

“Don’t be a smartass,” Nathan commented, “I meant last night.” He was calm, so calm in fact that it was terrifying.

Josie had hoped he hadn’t noticed her absence last night, but of course the one time he is sober enough to think about her is when she is gone. “I was at a friend’s house.” She stated, not wanting to elaborate any further.

The blond man looked from his gaze at the television over at Josie, “Who told you that you could be out so late?” The volume of his voice was rising rapidly, the hand holding the beer bottle shaking. His eyebrows were furrowed.

Josie continued to fidget with the heart locket, she stammered for a few seconds, trying to figure out the best thing to say. “You weren’t home.” She finally remarked.

Nathan grumbled under his breath, Josie could see the gears turning in his brain. “Don’t ever do that again,” He had chosen mercy, for once. “Now, go fetch me another beer!” He exclaimed, holding up the beer bottle threateningly. Josie listened, jogging into the kitchen. She opened the fridge, leaning down to grab another thing of booze. She silently walked the beer back over to him, she held it out to the man. “Open it for me.” He demanded. Josie took a deep breath and shook her head, she wasn’t going to open his drink for him, he was a grown man. She knew he was going to get angry at that, so she sat the bottle down on the coffee table and started immediately toward her room. “Don’t you dare say no to me!” He yelled, standing up drunkenly and tossing the empty glass beer bottle at Josie’s head. It smashed into the wall behind her, shattering into pieces. She finally reached her bedroom door, she opened it and stepped inside, closing and locking it behind her. She turned around, resting her head against the smooth wood, taking deep breaths, she closed her eyes in exasperation. She doesn’t cry, she has gotten so used to living with this man that she doesn’t cry about these things anymore.

Josie took a deep breath to collect herself, then pushed herself off the door and strolled over to her desk. She sat down, running a hand through her hair tiredly. She already had the books laid out from yesterday, so she just dragged them over to infront of her and began to study for her upcoming geometry test.

JOSIE LOOKED AT her alarm clock upon hearing the front door slam shut, it had been a little over an hour since she started studying. She placed the papers in the book, so she wouldn’t lose her page then closed the book gently. She leaned back in her chair, lost in thought. Will, that little boy who was always so sweet to her didn’t deserve any of this, she wished there was a way she could help them find him.

That is when an idea sprang into her mind, she would go help the Byers in their search for him. She used her arms to throw herself up, circling the chair and walking out of her bedroom. She took large steps on her way into the kitchen, she worked fast, making a quick ham and cheese sandwich. She placed it on a plate and carried it over to Jude’s bedroom. She knocked gently, “Jude, I have some food for you.” She said softly.

Jude opened the door, “Jo-Jo!” She squealed in excitement, grabbing the plate from her with one hand and holding onto her doll tightly with the other.

“I am heading over to my friend's house; just stay in your room, eat the sandwich, and stay quiet.” Josie commanded, “Even if dad comes home, okay?” She asked, tilting her head. Jude nodded a bit and closed the door. Josie heard her drop the doll onto the floor before she walked away.

THEN, JOSIE WAS off, it wasn’t a very long drive to the Byers house, only a few minutes. When Josie pulled up, she noticed the high amount of movement going on inside the house. She parked beside Joyce’s car and stepped out, she slammed the door behind her and jogged up to the door, knocking firmly. She waited a few seconds, hearing rushed footsteps behind the door. Then, finally, a disheveled and panicked Joyce answered. Her brown hair was up in a messy ponytail and she looked as if she had been hyperventilating. “Josie, hey, what are you doing here?” She asked, almost breathlessly.

“I want to help you search for Will.” Josie stated and Joyce’s face softened. She stepped aside so that Josie could step inside. She had been to the Byers house before, but under very different circumstances, last time it had been for a sleepover between Jonathan and Josie.

Joyce leaned back a bit to yell for Jonathan, “Josie is here to help us search!”

Just as she said that, Jonathan turned the corner, coming out of the kitchen, he speed-walked over to the brunette girl and hugged her close. “Thank you for helping.” He said, “We were just about to head out to the woods, near Castle Byers to search for him.” Jonathan held Josie by the shoulders, “You can join us out there.”

THE TRIO HAD spent almost two whole hours combing through the woods, yelling out Will’s name, searching every little nook and cranny that they possibly could but they came up empty handed. Josie could feel the desperation rising in the others as they entered the house again. She let out a deep breath, her neck craned up a bit, she was just hoping they would find the boy soon. Josie followed Jonathan into the living room, where a whole art station had been sat up. There were markers, photographs, and large pieces of paper. Jonathan leaned over, “We are making some posters, you’re welcome to stay and help.” Josie, of course, stayed and made several posters. Joyce was on the phone with people, trying to get a hold of anyone who might know where her son is.

She looked toward the two, who sat criss-crossed on the ground, making these posters. “I’m going to try and call Lonnie.” She explained as she dialed a number. Josie had never met Lonnie, she had met the family after Joyce and him had divorced. But she had heard stories from Jonathan about how bad of a man he was. Joyce held the phone up to her ear. Someone answered and Josie tuned out the conversation as best as she could, wanting to use all her focus to work on the things in front of her. She was startled by Joyce slamming the phone back on the receiver and yelling, “Bitch!”

Suddenly, a car door slamming could be heard and Joyce ran to the windows, looking outside. “It’s the police.” She stated and unlocked the door. A knock rang throughout the house, Joyce opened it and Chief Jim Hopper stepped inside.

“We found the bike.” He stated, Joyce looked over at Jonathan. “It was down the road from here, so we thought the best decision would be to search the property.” He stated.

“What, you think I didn’t search my own house?” Joyce snapped, but Jonathan rested a hand on her shoulder to try to get her to calm down. Everyone knew she was stressed and worried, so no one held her reactions against her. So, the cops sprawled out, searching everywhere; the house, the shed, the woods. Josie, Jonathan and Joyce could just stand there and wait. The police didn’t end up finding anything.

JOSIE PULLED UP beside her father’s car, it looked like he had hit one of their garden gnomes in the front yard, a white painted fluff of hair was underneath his front left wheel. She opened the door and stepped out, closing it gentler, so as to not bother her father who was inside. The front door was open, it seemed Nathan had forgotten to close it when he got home, he always does that. She walked into the trailer, closing the door behind her. She spotted her father passed out in the living room, one arm slung over the top of the couch, the other over his chest and both legs hanging off the side. Josie sneaked past her father’s slumbering form over to Jude’s room. She cracked the door open a smidge to peek inside, her sister was also fast asleep but she had eaten the food she was given so Josie took the plate and placed it into the sink in the kitchen. With that, she sneaked back into her own room, sighing in relief at the sight of her untidy bed. She trudged over to it and flopped down onto it, her arms splayed out around her, one leg hanging off the side. It was like the weight of the day finally hit her like a truck and she was out like a light. Dozed off into a deep sleep.

AUTHOR'S NOTE

words: 3365 !! i hope you enjoy this first chapter, i enjoyed writing it a lot! but you can probably tell i was rushing near the end 😓 i love josie and jonathan’s friendship so much. this chapter was kinda short bc i just wanted to use this to introduce everyone. this chapter covers the first episode because each chapter will cover one episode each!

next chapter will include more backstory and the party at steve's house! i’m so excited to write more of josie's relationships with steve, nancy and barb. i hope you are excited as well!