strangerthingsharrington

[strangerthingsharrington]

Can’t Fight This Feeling volume 2

when i’m with you

Title credit to REO Speedwagon and Sheriff GIF credit to owner

Warnings - angst, cursing, and there will be spoilers throughout this story for ST4 volumes 1 & 2

-4-

At one point, I fell asleep. I dreamed I was sitting in Steve’s car reliving him dumping me over and over again. When I finally woke up, my head was pounding, it felt like I could feel it actually pulsating.

I didn’t move. I felt like I couldn’t move. I stayed in my bed, face pressed to the pillow staring at the record player across the room.

My stomach was in knots that just wouldn’t untangle. Tears kept falling sporadically from my eyes unintentionally.

Finally I forced myself up and out of bed, stretching as I went because my muscles felt tight from laying for so long in one position.

I went over to the desk and picked up the photo of Steve and I that was sitting on it, I looked it over as tears welled up in my eyes.

I couldn’t believe it. I just…why would Steve jump the gun like that and not even give us a chance to talk about this.

I put the frame back on my desk for a second before I pushed it over so I couldn’t see the photo anymore. I knew that for the next week I was going to stay locked in the house. There was no way I could venture out into the town. No shot.

I had just laid back down on my bed when the incessant knocking came to my door.

“I’m sleeping!” I called as I stared up at the ceiling.

It kept going.

“Whatever it is, I truly don’t want it!” I yelled as I put the pillow over my face.

“It’s important!” Dustin called back to me.

I ignored him and kept the pillow loosely over my face to drown out the knocks but they just got louder and louder.

I ripped the pillow from my face, “Dustin, enough! Leave me alone!”

“We need you!”

I sat up immediately. Max?

I got off the bed and ran to my door, unlatching the lock and sliding it open quickly, seeing the faces of my brother and Max, hands still in fists up at my door.

“What happened?” I asked quickly.

Dustin scoffed at me, scooting by me to get into my room with Max following with an apologetic smile.

“You’ll open the door for Max but not for your own flesh and blood? Hurtful,” he said, taking a seat on my bed.

I rolled my eyes and sat on my desk chair, “What’s the issue?”

Max took a seat next to Dustin and looked to me slowly, “Chrissy Cunningham was murdered last night.”

I sat up straighter and my eyes went wide, “Sorry, what? Chrissy Cunningham?”

Max nodded silently and Dustin sighed, “How do you know she was murdered?” I asked.

“Because I saw her body,” Max said quietly, looking down at her lap, “she was in Eddie Munson’s trailer. Across from where I live.”

“In Eddie’s trailer?” I asked, surprised, “I mean…we’re not thinking it was Eddie are we?”

“No!” Dustin said immediately.

I looked to Max and saw her roll her eyes slightly, “We don’t know for sure!” she explained looking quickly to Dustin.

He scoffed, “It’s Eddie! He’s not a killer! Right Lou?”

I sighed and decided to side step that question, “Max, did you see Eddie bring her to the trailer, or did you only see her body in there?”

She fidgeted uncomfortably, “I saw them last night…he drove her there���but she was with him, ya know? Like…willingly.”

That made me feel a bit better, I couldn’t really see Eddie…killing someone. For as much as people were going crazy over Dungeons and Dragon’s and calling it satanic…that wasn’t Eddie and it sure as hell wasn’t Hellfire.

“Okay…okay yeah I mean that’s something,” I ran my hands through my hair and slouched down, “did you…did you tell anyone Max? That you saw them together?”

“No,” she said quickly, shaking her head, “it’s Eddie and Chrissy! Someone else had to see them too, right?”

“Maybe, maybe not,” I sighed, “if it was…after Hellfire and the game…I dont know, people were all over the parking lot, people might not have seen them leave together. I didn’t see Eddie, and I always see Eddie after Hellfire,” I explained leaning towards them.

“You don’t think it was him, right Lou?” Dustin asked me, giving a side eye to Max.

I groaned, “I don’t know, Dustin, I don’t think so, but why would she have been there?”

“He’s suspect number one, even without the public knowing yet,” Max interjected, “Eddie’s trailer! His uncle was working! I saw Eddie and Chrissy together go into the trailer and then she’s dead? Almost a no brainer!”

“Max you don’t know him!” Dustin started, “I know him! Lou knows him!”

“I don’t!” I defended, “I don’t know him! He’s your friend! Do I think he’s a killer…probably not! But there’s a dead cheerleader in his trailer!”

Dustin scoffed and got up from the bed, “Eddie was the only one who was nice to Mike and I when we started school this year. Lucas went and made his sports friends…Mike and I were alone and Eddie befriended us!”

“Okay, okay,” I put my hands up, “we’ll try not to jump to conclusions about him. But, Max,” I looked to the red head, “you talked to the cops at least, right?”

She looked to me before averting her eyes away, “No.”

“No?” Dustin questioned, coming to sit next to her again.

She faltered, looking between me and my brother, “Look,” she said rolling her eyes slightly, “there was…something else after I saw them at the trailer. I was watching TV and then…it went staticky.”

I felt a chill go down my spine. Anytime the lights flickered since Starcourt it was an immediate reaction to look over my shoulder. See if something was coming.

“The lights started flickering…and then it just…stopped. All at once. And then I heard him…Eddie screaming,” she whispered, “I looked out the window and he jumped into his van and sped off. Listen,” she tried to rationalize, “it’s not that weird, maybe? Eddie always drives like a maniac and the power always goes out there since I live in a piece of shit. But then I started to think back and the look in his face…his was scared, guys.

“I dunno, maybe he looked scared because he just killed someone. Or maybe…um maybe because…”

“Something else killed her,” Dustin finished for her.

Max looked up to me. I bit my lip, staring back at the kids. Max nodded to me slightly.

“That’s impossible…right, Lou?” she asked.

“I don’t know,” I stated, “eight months ago I would have said it was impossible that Russians were in an underground lair and we were going to fight a monster made of melted people but…”

“There’s only one person who knows what happened last night,” Dustin told us.

I looked to him and nodded once, “We have to find Eddie,” I finished simply.

“I’ll grab the supplies,” Dustin said before leaving Max and I alone.

“Everything else okay, Max?” I asked her.

She stood up and nodded, “Aside from seeing a broken corpse on the floor of Eddie’s trailer, yeah I’m peachy.”

I pursed my lips and titled my head, “You know what I mean, Max.”

“I know, Lou,” she sighed, “I’m…yeah, I mean, as fine as I can be.”

“You guys ready?” Dustin said, coming back into my room.

I nodded and followed behind the two of them as we walked down the hall past our mom as she questioned what we were doing and asking if we had seen the news.

“That’s why I’m going too, mom,” I explained, following the kids through the front door, “keeping them safe.”

“So, what’s next?” I asked, hopping onto my bike.

“Gotta find Eddie,” Dustin said as we started peddling down the driveway, “I know a place where we can start looking.”

“Going off what clue exactly?” I called to him.

“Technically, nothing. But we gotta start somewhere,” he yelled behind him to me.

I rolled my eyes and kept peddling along behind him and Max, “Start where, Dustin?”

“Computers, I need computers and phones!”

I furrowed my brows at his back, “So what the library?”

He looked back to me quickly with a shit eating grin, “Even better. Plus you’ll be happy, Louise. Gotta head to Family Video!”

My feet stopped peddling and I started coasting slowly behind them.

Jesus Christ.

With all the commotion, I almost…it was like I had forgotten everything else going on. And now I was going to have to be face to face with Steve?

I could still turn. I could still peddle back home. I could still run and not face any of this.

Goddamnit. I didn’t have a choice. If something happened to Dustin or Max because I was too chicken shit to just go and face my ex boyfriend…I don’t know what I would do.

So, I leaned over the handlebars and lifted up from my seat and began peddling as hard as I could to catch back up with Dustin and Max.

Inside my heart was exploding and my stomach was completely knotted up. I wanted to hide this from Dustin for a while. I knew he’d be upset, and that was the last thing I wanted to do.

What else was there for me to do? Couldn’t use the fact we weren’t together. This new shit with Eddie and Chrissy took precedence over my bullshit. Had to be cool and just…deal.

We all jumped off our bikes and went into the video store, me walking in slowly after the other two. They went straight to the counter but I stood at the door, half listening to Max and Dustin as I stared at Steve.

And every part of me shattered. My breathing got shallow and my hands started to shake. I never thought after getting together that there would ever be a time again where I was nervous to be around him.

“Someone was murdered,” I heard Steve said to the kids.

“We know, that’s why the three of us are here. How many phones do you have?” Dustin asked him quickly.

“Three? It’s only you and Mayfield,” Steve stated before looking past Dustin and Max and seeing me.

“Lou,” he breathed out.

I stood there awkwardly and shrugged before looking over to Robin who was talking to Dustin and Max.

Dustin was suddenly sliding over the counter much to Robins dismay, Steve still kept his gaze on me as Max entered through the door.

I sighed and followed Max’s way behind the counter as Robin complained about Dustin sliding over the counter.

Dustin sat down at the computer and began typing as Steve complained about the tapes that Dustin had pushed over.

“What are you doing?” Steve whined standing behind Dustin.

“Setting up a base of operations,” Dustin answered simply.

“Base of operations?” Robin questioned.

“Get off of this,” Steve told Dustin.

“No I need it,” Dustin shot back.

“Maybe we should explain things first?” I asked Dustin, “And not just start ransacking the store?”

“Why don’t you go distract Steve in the back room for ten minutes,” he said under his breath.

My face burned and I gritted my teeth at my little brother.

“Knock it off, Dustin,” I whispered back to him.

He looked over to me with a small eye roll, “I’m looking up Eddie’s friends numbers,” he explained looking back to the computer.

Steve scoffed from the other side of Dustin, “Your new best friend you think is cooler because he plays your nerdy game?”

“Yes,” Dustin said lifting his hands before looking shocked, “I never said that!”

I groaned, “Let’s be serious, Dustin!” I said, swatting his shoulder.

“Seriously! You guys, maybe on a Monday you can play around here like toddlers but not on a Saturday! It’s our busiest day!” Robin exclaimed as she picked stuff up and placed them back onto the countertop.

“Okay, listen, Robin, I empathize but this cannot wait,” Dustin tried to rationalize, “it’s an emergency!”

“Sorry calling all of Eddie’s friends is an emergency?” she asked sarcastically.

“Correct!”

Dustin turned and looked at me and Max, “Can you two please fill them in on this?”

“Fill us in on what?” Robin asked, turning to face us again.

I let my eyes flutter over to Steve and saw him watching me, “Are you okay?” he asked, “All-I mean all of you?” he asked looking to the three of us.

I looked over to Max and nodded, “You have to start it, Max,” I told her with a nudge.

She looked up to me and sighed, “It was Chrissy Cunningham…she was the one killed last night.”

“What?” both Robin and Steve said at the same time.

“How do you know?” Robin asked.

Taking a deep breath, Max retold the story she had told to me and Dustin. How she saw Eddie and Chrissy arrive at his trailer and go in. Her going into her house, the TV and lights going crazy, hearing Eddie scream and running out of his trailer and speeding off. Then when she went to his trailer and saw Chrissy’s body on the floor.

“So…Eddie might’ve murdered someone and we’re trying to find him?” Steve asked, confused.

I bit my lip and sighed, “But the lights,” I stressed.

Steve sighed deeply, “Listen…Mayfield I’m not trying to be mean, but…”

“I know,” she acknowledged, “it’s a trailer. I get it. But…it was…I dunno, familiar. The way it just…stopped,” she looked to me quickly, “it was weird. And how freaked out Eddie looked…”

“What? Eddie the freak Munson? He always looks freaked,” Steve said with a chuckle.

“He’s not a freak,” Dustin and I said at the same time.

Steve looked to me, “What? You know him?”

I rolled my eyes at him, “Who picks Dustin up after Hellfire? Of course I know Eddie. Everyone at Hawkins High knows Eddie.”

Steve leaned against the counter, crossing his arms, “What do you like talk to him and shit? Like you’re friends with him?”

I furrowed my brows at him, “What’s it matter now? Yeah, I know him. Yes I’ve spoke to him. Many times.”

He scoffed and looked away, “Is there a problem? What’s it matter now, Steve? Not like we’re, ya know, together or anything?”

In an instant, I regretted saying it out loud. The hurt that crossed Steve’s face, the confusion on Robins, the devestation on Dustin’s, and the surprise on Max’s. I sighed deeply and closed my eyes.

“You’re not together anymore?” Dustin asked.

I opened my eyes and looked over to him, knowing how much he loved the fact that Steve and I were together. I knew this was going to hurt him and that was the last thing I ever wanted.

“Yeah,” I told him awkwardly, “um, yeah, I mean. Steve decided it was for the best.”

Dustin’s eyes flew to Steve who was looking down at the ground, taking in every piece of the grungy carpet under his feet.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Robin asked.

I opened my mouth but nothing came out. Why didn’t I tell her? Or anyone for that matter?

It would have made everything over the last twelve hours real.

“It happened last night,” I said quickly, looking to the other three that didn’t know the story, “so, no chance I guess.”

“You broke up with my sister?” Dustin questioned looking to him.

Steve sighed, running a hand through his hair, “I did it for her own good, Dustin.”

“Her own good?” Dustin asked angrily, more angry than I had seen him in a long time, “How the hell is that her own good?”

“To figure out what she wants! About school and shit, okay, that’s all it was about!” Steve explained, hands waving around wildly.

“About school? She’s staying here you dummy! Maybe you should’ve taken Eddie up on his date offers after all, Lou,” he said looking to me, being spiteful to Steve.

“Whoa,” I said to Dustin, lifting my hand up to get him to stop.

“What?” Steve asked at the same time, turning his attention to me.

I brought both my hands to my face to cover it, groaning.

“Oh my god,” I whined, letting my hands fall to my sides and looking up to the splotchy Family Video tiled ceiling.

“Eddie the freak Munson has asked you on a date?”

“Not that it should really matter now, but yeah,” I said bringing my gaze back over to Steve, “a handful of times. Everytime I turned him down. We were together, Steve. Obviously I turned him down. It turned into…I don’t know! An ongoing joke between us! It was never anything serious!”

“Then why didn’t you tell me?” He questioned.

“Because it was serious? It literally meant nothing,” I exclaimed, before letting out an aggravated sigh, “Why are we discussing this? Yes, okay everyone, Steve broke up with me last night. We can discuss at a later date once we figure out what the hell happened last night with Eddie and Chrissy and why the goddamn lights at Max’s were flashing!”

I looked around the group. Max and Robin still looked shocked about what was happening in front of them. Dustin was staring daggers at Steve. And Steve was watching me with sad, hurt eyes.

“Dustin,” I said, snapping him out of his trance staring at Steve, “let’s do what we came here for, please?” I asked him, silently desperately pleading with him.

He sighed deeply, glancing quickly to Steve again before looking back to me, “Okay,” he stated, “but we’re so far from being done with this shit,” he said before turning back to the computer and typing again.

Robin was at my side in an instant, tugging on my arm and pulling me quickly away from the others to the back room.

“Lou,” she began as she spun around to face me, “are…are you okay? Lou, I swear to God I would’ve annihilated him the moment he picked me up this morning if I knew. You should’ve told me! I could’ve talked some sense into him! He’s a moron-a total dingus!”

“Rob!” I whisper yelled, “Stop, please,” I begged quietly, “I just…it’s been hard enough since last night trying to deal with this, I can’t…I just can’t.”

“But Lou…you guys were fine yesterday morning,” she stressed, “what the hell happened?”

I shook my head, “He ended it,” I shrugged looking away from her, “I got accepted to some universities…got a scholarship that I was never going to accept. He thinks he’s not good enough, he wants me to leave Hawkins and go to Perdue,” I rambled, feeling like I couldn’t stop myself now that the gate had opened, “his parents…his parents were horrible at dinner last night to the both of us…he thinks this is for the best…I don’t agree…but he didn’t give me a chance.”

She looked at me dumbfounded, “He’s such an idiot,” she started, “just a giant idiot.”

“Hey.”

I screamed internally as I turned to face Steve, “Lou…could we talk for a second?” he asked.

Robin came up next to me, “Maybe she doesn’t want to talk to you,” she interjected.

Steve glanced to her quickly before looking back to me, “Lou?”

I sighed and rolled my eyes slightly, “Fine. We’ll be right out Robin,” I told her looking to her quickly.

She looked back to Steve and scoffed and him, walking past him quickly.

Steve put in his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his heels.

“So?” I questioned.

“I just wanted…I’m sorry, Lou, really sorry,” he explained, “I just want you to understand-“

I shook my head, “No, we’re not doing this right now, Steve. We’ve got bigger things to deal with. I don’t need…whatever excuse you’re trying to give me.”

The rejection crossed his eyes quickly as he nodded.

“So…Eddie Munson asked you out, huh?”

I rolled my eyes and started walking by him, “Not important.”

He was following behind me, “What? So now my questions aren’t important?”

“When they’re about if Eddie Munson has asked me out, then no,” I replied over my shoulder as I made it back to the side of the counter.

“I’m just curious is all!” he called.

“Jesus Christ, Steve!” I spun around to face his shocked face, “I met him when I picked Dustin, Mike and Lucas up from the first Hellfire meeting at the beginning of the year, okay? Dustin introduced us and we’ve been civil and friendly since then. He asked me out the first time not knowing we were dating, turned him down and it turned into a joke between us,” I explained as his face went redder, “He’d ask me out, I’d say no, and we would laugh. He’d invite me to join Hellfire I’d say no, we’d laugh again. It was nothing. God, you’re acting like I cheated on you. This is the least important thing we could be dealing with! This means absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of things. Just drop it, honestly!” I finished before stepping behind the counter to stand next to Dustin where he gave me a small high five.

“Was just a question,” Steve mumbled as he walked to the front of the store.

I rolled my eyes, “About something so unnecessary,” I retorted.

“Yeah, well while you guys were fighting,” Max said, looking pointedly at Steve, “I got a lead.”

“Seriously?” Dustin asked with a grin.

“Apparently Eddie gets his weed from a guy…Reefer Rick, and sometimes Eddie crashes there,” she explained.

“Sounds promising,” Robin said, encouragingly, “where does Reefer Rick live?”

Max’s eyes widened for a moment, “See that’s the thing. No one really knows. He’s more of a…legend than someone that people actually know.”

“Last name?” I asked hopeful.

“I don’t know that either,” she sighed.

“Bet the cops know the last name,” Steve stated from the front of the store as he organized the tapes.

“What?”

“Cops,” he repeated, before sighing and turning to face us, “I mean, listen…if this Reefer Rick is actually a drug dealer,” he said as he walked up and leaned on the counter, “I gaurantee you he’s been busted at some point. Means he’s in the system,” he shrugged.

“The cops?” Dustin and I said together.

“Really, Steve? That’s your suggestion?” Dustin questioned.

I pushed away from the counter and walked next to Dustin, “That’s exactly what we’re trying to avoid,” I explained, “no cops. Or else we would’ve taken Max there instead of here.”

He looked at me before shifting his eyes down to the counter, “I just…think they should be filled in on what we know, what’s going on.”

Dustin scoffed and crossed his arm, “You think Eddie’s guilty, don’t you?” he accused.

“Whoa!” Steve lifted his hands in surrender, “I believe in innocent until proven guilty, all that constitutional shit,” he said waving his hand around, “I just…don’t think we can rule it out,” he ended awkwardly.

I barely knew Eddie as far as being friendly with him. But…no way in hell he killed Chrissy. He just didn’t have that in him. He was just a guy trying to graduate high school who played some DnD.

“Steve, that’s what we’re trying to do here,” I said slowly.

“Yeah and maybe we’d have a little more luck if you spent less time staring at my sister even though you broke up with her,” he stated loudly taking a step towards the counter, “and more time helping us find Eddie.”

I turned my eyes to Steve as his face instantly went beet red and he started sputtering trying to come up with a sentence.

“I -I, hey that’s not fair,” he started, “I did what I did for her-it’s not about-listen I still love her, you, Lou. This wasn’t to hurt you.”

I rolled my eyes, “Not doing this, Steve. Just…tend to the customers. Go back to organizing.”

“Yeah, well one of us need to look like we’re working,” he said, looking to Robin, “I guess I’ll be the one helping the customers find their random movies while you try and find a possible cheerleader killer.”

I looked to Robin and saw her eyes widen, “Random movies,” she said quietly before turning back to the computer.

“What are you doing?” Max asked as we all went to stand near Robin.

“Maybe we don’t need a last name,” she began as she started typing, we all watched intently and even Steve came to stand with the rest of us.

I took a step away from Steve, closer to Dustin.

“Twelve Ricks have accounts here,” Robin announced.

“That’s a lot of Ricks.”

“So let’s narrow it down,” Robin said as she clicked the first name.

The movies Annie and Dumbo popped up and we knew that Rick wouldn’t be a drug dealer as far as we knew.

It wasn’t until we got to Rick Lipton that we knew. Fast Times, Cheech and Chong’s Next Movie, Cheech and Chong’s Nice Dreams, and Cheech and Chong’s Up In Smoke came up.

“Bingo!” Dustin said with a laugh.

“Lipton?” I questioned with a smile.

Robin grinned, “Like the tea. 2121 Holland road.”

“That’s out by lovers lake,” I observed.

“Middle of nowhere,” Max added.

“The perfect place to hide,” Robin finished.

I smiled and put an arm around Dustin, “So what are we waiting for?”

“Close up shop!” Dustin announced, turning out of my arm and starting to put things into his bag.

“Sorry you want us to close the store? To find Eddie Munson?” Steve asked as we all started filing out from behind the counter.

Furrowing my brows, I turned to look at him, “What did you think we were going to do? Figure out a lead and not take it?”

He stared at me silently for a moment, “Lou…I really am sorry.”

I sighed deeply and shrugged, “I …can’t talk about it right now,” cursing myself for feeling tear well up in my eyes, “not now, Steve.”

“But we have to, Lou,” he whispered, coming closer to me.

“No we don’t,” I responded easily, “you made your choice but didn’t let me have a voice in it,” I explained lowly, “why should I give you the time to break me all over again?”

His eyes widened briefly, “Break you?”

I looked at him, surprised, “Yes break me,” I repeated, “what did you think happened, Steve? Everything was totally fine after what you did? You’ve broken my heart and didn’t let me fight for us,” I stared at him firmly, “you didn’t even fight for us. You wanted to end this because you were scared I would do it first and you didn’t want to be hurt. You didn’t do this for me,” I said quietly before following my brother, Robin and Max out of the store.

“You okay,” Dustin asked as I stopped abruptly next to him.

I crossed my arms and side eyed him, “Nope,” I answered simply, “irritated.”

Steve was the last one out, turning the OPEN sign to CLOSE and locking the door. He hovered around his car as he unlocked the doors for us.

For a split second my hand waited on top of the passenger side door handle about to open it. I looked up and caught Steve watching me over the roof of the car. I frowned slightly and removed my hand, pulling Dustin away from the back passenger door and switching spots with him. I ripped the door open while still watching Steve’s face drop. I got in quickly and not so gracefully and slammed the door shut behind me, with Robin right next to me in the middle.

I stared out the window and felt Robins arm wrap around mine and squeeze gently. I didn’t look up or over to her. I could feel his gaze every time he looked in the mirror, and I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of meeting his eyes. Not now.

[strangerthingsharrington]

I just love him so much 🥹🥹

“It’s all I was listening to for two years. I feel very connected to you guys.”     ⮑ JOSEPH QUINN MEETS METALLICA

[strangerthingsharrington]

Can’t Fight This Feeling volume 2

when i’m with you

Title credit to REO Speedwagon and Sheriff. GIF credit to owner.

Warnings - shitty parents, shitty home life. Cursing. Angst. Again, there will be spoilers throughout this for season 4 volume 1 & 2

Also apologies if there’s spelling of grammar mistakes, I’m writing this all on my phone haha

-3-

The day had dragged by, the anticipation of spring break hung over the school heavily. Everyone was just trying to get through the day, by whatever means necessary.

Once that final bell rang and I went through the main doors to start my walk home all the burn out and school stress faded only to be replaced by the absolute anxiety of knowing I had to tell Steve about my letters.

That was my only thought on the way home. How the hell was I supposed to tell him. He already had it in his head that he believed he was stupid.

Not true, and I would tell him that daily. But it’s hard to undo nineteen years of being told that by your parents and teachers.

I reached my house and saw my moms car wasn’t there yet so at least I didn’t have another lecture waiting for me inside the doors.

I went in and changed into a different outfit and sat at my desk, leafing through the letters laid out.

I read and reread all of them. And, honestly, as much as I desperately wanted Purdue and would have killed for a scholarship opportunity a year ago, I was happy to pass it up. As hard to believe as that was.

But when I looked at the picture frame on my desk of Steve and I at Christmas, arms wrapped around each other, Steve in this ridiculous reindeer wooly sweater and me on a matching one he bought for me, looking at each other smiling. I knew staying in Hawkins was my chance at happiness.

“Lou?”

“In my room!” I called, turning to watch Steve walk into my room with a small grin.

“Hey, babe,” he said walking over to me and leaning down to kiss me quickly.

“Hi, love,” I responded.

“You already doing homework?” he chuckled looking over my desk.

I looked down, feeling the nerves all over my body.

I cleared my throat and looked up at him, “Can you sit down? I need to talk to you about something…pretty important.”

His smile faltered as he stepped back to my bed and sat, “Are you okay?”

I turned my chair to face him, “Yeah-no I’m fine. Everything’s fine. It’s just that, okay- you remember how I told you mom said I should apply to some of the universities?”

He nodded, “Yeah, and you tried to fight her about it?” he smirked.

I breathed out a laugh, “Yeah, yes exactly. So I-huh…I heard back from them,” I explained, watching his eyes begin to shift and his breathing hitched for just a moment, “I got in, Steve. To all three of them.”

His eyes widened slightly and he began nodding his head a bit, “I mean,” he began, rubbing the back of his neck, “that’s amazing, Lou. Yeah, I mean…yeah! Congratulations babe!” he smiled before getting off the bed to hug me tightly.

I buried my face into his chest and he rested his head on top of mine, “Thanks, Steve,” I said, breathing in his cologne.

He let go of me and sat on the edge of the bed, “So…what does it all mean then?” he asked awkwardly.

As much of a brave face he was putting on, I knew Steve. And I could see in his eyes the beginning stages of worry.

I smiled softly at him, “It means that I cannot wait to go to the college with you next year, Steve Harrington.”

The relief that washed over him was instantaneous. I could visibly see his shoulders relax and he let out a breath, the worry evident in his eyes seconds ago replaced by happiness once again.

“Are you sure?” he gushed with a big smile, “I -I don’t want you to go to the college if you wanted to go somewhere else? I want you to do what you want, you know? Not that I want you to leave. Or stay, if you don’t want to…you know?”

I laughed and shook my head, “I’m doing what I want, love. And what I want,” I said as I stood up and closed the distance between us sitting on his lap, looping my arms around his neck, “is to be here with you. I want to be wherever you are.”

He put his hands around my waist holding me to him, “I want you to be happy.”

I kissed him softly, “You make me happy-very happy, Steve. I’m happy here with you.”

He pushed some hair behind my ear, “You’ve made me happier than I’ve ever been,” he whispered, “as long as this is what you want then that’s what will make me happy. I don’t want you to…not do something because of me. Especially if it’s something that you want.”

I cupped his cheek and smiled when he leaned into my touch letting out a small sigh, “This is what I want. Trust me.”

“I do,” he promised, “as long as you’re happy.”

He leaned up to kiss me holding on to my waist tighter I ran my hands through his hair causing him to groan lowly. He deepened the kiss before flipping us around so I was on the bed laying down with him hovering over top of me, never breaking the kiss.

I wrapped my legs around his waist instinctively and pulled him closer to me. I slipped my hands under his shirt and clawed softly at his back.

“You’re gonna kill me,” he whispered, pulling away from the kiss.

I giggled, “We’ve got some time,” I whispered back to him, removing my hands from him and pulling my top off.

He bit his lip and smirked, “You’re so beautiful,” he told me before he started kissing my neck, trailing his lips down towards my chest.

I moaned softly once his lips made contact with my breast, I started reaching down towards the buttons of his jeans when I heard the front door open down the hall.

“Lou? Steve?” I heard my mom call out.

Steve rolled off of me immediately and i reached next to me for my discard top throwing it back onto me. I looked to Steve with a small bashful smile, “You coming out?”

Steve nodded with a small laugh, “Yeah…just need a minute. I’ll be right there. This is why we save this for when my parents are gone,” he said chuckling.

I laughed and nodded before leaving my room.

“Hey, mom,” I said when I got to the kitchen.

She was just turning the oven on, “Do you and Steve have time to eat?” she asked looking to me.

I made a face and looked at the clock, “I have dinner tonight at the Harrington’s, remember?”

She sucked in some air and patted my shoulder, “Right. Well, good luck?”

I snorted and nodded, “Yeah I’ll need it.”

“Hey, Mrs. Henderson,” Steve said easily as he walked into the kitchen, standing next to me.

“Hi, Steve,” she smiled, “remember to pick up Dustin after the game and his club, okay?”

He grinned and nodded, “Yeah, no problem, Mrs. H, all good.”

“Well you kids go have fun,” she told us.

We both said our goodbyes to her and headed out to Steve’s car, “So you really don’t know why they asked me over?” I questioned Steve on the way to his house.

He shook his head, “I swear. No idea. I mean, it’s fine, as much as…I don’t get along with either of them, I appreciate that maybe they’re making an effort to know you, ya know?” he said looking to me quickly, “maybe this’ll be a turning point. Maybe they see that I’m happy and getting my shit together because of you and they want to get more involved.”

I smiled slightly at him before turning to look out the windshield. The optimism he had was admirable. But…something didn’t feel right. I didn’t think they were about to offer their only child an olive branch suddenly.

I had been to Steve’s house countless times in the past eight months. But only a handful of those times were while his parents were home. And definitely not at his parents insistence. When I was there with them, they only wanted to talk about school. How I was doing, my classes, my grades, my assignments.

He pulled into the driveway and parked behind his parents cars. The house was all lit up so from an outsider perspective it looked nice and welcoming and homey. But for me, after having Steve call me many times after fights with his dad or snide comments made by his mom I knew that it wasn’t exactly as picture perfect as Mr & Mrs Harrington might have wanted it to appear.

I went to open the door and Steve reached for my arm, “Wait,” he uttered.

I looked to him and saw the nerves written all over his face. He was bitting his lip, and his eyes were shifting all over the place like they were in my bedroom.

“What’s wrong?” I asked taking his hand in mine.

“I dont know why they’re having you over,” he began, “I just…don’t want them to scare you or try to…change this.”

“Steve,” I said gently, “please look at me,” I coaxed, he finally met my gaze, “nothing they do or say would change how I feel about you. I promise, love.”

He sighed and nodded, “Okay, okay,” he whispered before leaving over and kissing me quickly, “I love you,” he told me passionately.

“I love you,” I said squeezing his hand, “come on, let’s not keep them waiting.”

We left the car and headed inside, fingers interlocked tightly together. Steve hesitated at the front door with his hand on the knob, where he sighed before opening the door to what sounded like the vinyl player playing some old jazz music.

We walked into the living room where his dad was sitting reading over files with his briefcase opened on the floor next to him.

“You almost made the two of you late, Steve,” he said not looking up at us.

I looked to Steve and saw him falter, his mouth opening and closing.

“I’m so sorry,” I interjected looking back to Mr. Harrington, “I was late from school and then had to change. So that’s on me.”

He looked up at me for a moment before nodding, he put his file back into his briefcase and closed it before standing up. He walked over to us and put his hand out for me to shake.

“Staying at school even on the last day before spring break. You have an aptitude for education, it’s very admirable,” he told me as we shook hands.

“Thanks,” I said quietly.

He let go of my hand, “Well let’s go to the dining room, my wife should be about done,”

He left us and started to the dining room, “Not even through the door for two seconds,” Steve muttered to me.

“It’s okay,” I reminded him as he lead me to the dining room.

His mom was just putting the last plate of food onto the table, “Hi mom,” Steve said to her.

She looked up and smiled to him, “Hi Steve. Hi Louise, thank you for coming,” she said as she came around the table to offered me a small hug which I returned awkwardly, looking over to Steve how had his eyebrows furrowed.

She let me go without a second glance and took a seat at one end of the table while Mr. Harrington was already seated at the other.

“Sit down,” his mom told us with a stern edge.

Steve and I sat next to each other waiting until his parents started serving themselves before we did.

“So,” his dad began, “we wanted to check in on the future, college and university applications all of that. You’ve applied, right, Louise?”

I nodded, “Yeah, I’ve applied to a few different schools. We’re just waiting to hear back about Steve’s application to Hawkins Community,” I said, smiling over to Steve and smiled back at me gently.

He hummed and took a sip of wine, “Have you heard back?” he questioned.

“I did, yeah, I got my letter about a week ago now,” I explained.

“Have you…committed yet to the school, Louise?” he put his attention onto me, I looked and saw Mrs. Harrington looking at me as well.

Steve put his hand on my leg, I took a small breath and looked back to his dad, “Yes, unofficially but I’m going to be headed to Hawkins Community this year!”

He didn’t bat an eye at me, “You didn’t get accepted any where else?”

I felt my persona start to crack a bit, did they invite me over to ask me about if I’ve been accepted? Why?

“Well I mean I did, but the college is where I’m planning on going,” I started to explain.

“Where else did you get accepted?” his mom asked me.

I hesitated and looked to Steve who nodded at me with a small smile, “Well…Purdue, Indiana State, Norte Dame, and Hawkins Community, obviously,” I told them, “but like I said, even though I haven’t sent it my like, formal acceptance I’m committed to the college. It’s close to home, and in the Henderson family budget,” I said with a small laugh trying to break the tension in the room.

His dad leaned forward towards Steve and I, “I’m sorry- let me get this straight, you got accepted to three universities. And you’re going to the community college instead?”

I smiled slightly, “Yeah, I mean, I really want to stay close to home for my mom and brother. And Steve too of course. It’s the same courses that I would be getting at the universities. So it was an easy decision to me.”

Mr. Harrington scoffed, “But, you have to understand this, Louise, employers are going to look and see Purdue or ISU or Notre Dame and want you immediately. No matter what. They’re gonna look and see Hawkins Community College, and all you’re gonna get is either the Family Video or Scoops Ahoy whenever that gets rebuilt. My son will become the prime expample of that.”

“I mean,” I stuttered awkwardly, “I have total confidence that I’ll be able to get a good job-a job I really want by being in the college. They’ll look at my grades and work ethic, and me. I’m going to be my own selling point when I do interviews for jobs. Steve too! We’re just waiting on his letter too and everything will be okay,” I explained breathily looking from his dad to his mom then to Steve who was watching me intently.

“Louise. Listen,” he started, putting his fork down and resting his arms on the table, “I’m going to offer you something, and it’s because my wife and I are very fond of you. You’ve got a good head on your shoulders, you’re smart. If a university is what you want, we can give you the money. Not a loan. A gift from us to you. While our son didn’t take the direction we were hoping he would as far as going to a good school goes, you have that chance. Steve doesn’t, unfortunately. Not from lack of trying from my wife and I. Listen, we have money that would have gone to Steve’s tuition. It’s a hefty sum, and would cover university several times over. So if you want to go to one of the other schools, but can’t afford it, we’d want to help you get there. We want to see at least someone succeed.”

I could feel Steve go rigid from next to me. I felt myself frozen in place too. I wasn’t considering their offer at all. Not even a little bit. If I wanted Purdue I had the scholarship. But I wanted Steve more than that. I wanted to stay here.

“That’s…a very generous offer, Mr and Mrs Harrington. And I’m so appreciative of that. But, I truly want to stay in Hawkins. That’s my goal, to be here,” I started, I looked to Steve and saw him looking to me with sad eyes, “But I dont think it’s fair for you to say that stuff about Steve. Steve is smart, really smart. He’s…he’s the best person I’ve ever known. Steve will be incredibly successful after college, I know it,” I said before looking to Steve and offering him a small smile.

I looked back to his dad and saw him looking to his son then back to me, “The offer will continue to stand, Louise. I appreciate this young love you have with our son here, but there’s a big world outside of Hawkins, Indiana. You shouldn’t keep yourself planted here for a boy who a year ago wasn’t attached to your hip trying to get you to stay here selfishly. And if my son had any sense, he’d be trying to get you to do what’s best for you, not him.”

My jaw fell open at his words, “Steve isn’t trying to get me to stay here this is my-“

“My husband is right,” Mrs. Harrington said cutting me off, “if Steve felt any sort of devotion to you, he would be pushing you to challenge yourself outside of here. Outside of a community college. A four year university is something people dream of but never get the chance to do. You have that chance three times over. Steve doesn’t. Why waste your intellectual abilities at the college when you could be exploring them and moulding them into something more?”

A scoff slipped past my lips before I could stop it, “Like I said, I know that I’m smart and that will be an obvious benefit at the college. I’ll be able to start my career sooner and we can start building our life together sooner. I’m going to get into the nitty gritty of the courses I want quicker at the college. I’m okay with going there,” I knew I shouldn’t have even been trying to justify myself or explain myself. I didn’t need to. But I wanted to fight on Steve’s behalf, and let them know that Steve wasn’t talking me into anything.

“You shouldn’t be,” his dad said calmly, “you should be pushing yourself to do more. More than just a community college. You’re willing to throw away this huge opportunity.”

“I don’t believe I’m throwing it away,” I disagreed firmly, “my happiness is just as important as where I go to school. And if I can go to a good school and still be happy then I’m going to do it.”

“Louise, don’t let Steve bring you down with him. Don’t feel like you have to…dumb yourself down to make him feel happy,” he said, effectively blowing off what I had just told him, “you could make yourself happy at one of the universities. You don’t need Steve stuck to your side at the community college to be happy.”

“That not okay to say!” I exclaimed, trying my hardest not to shout, “Steve is very smart and it’s not fair for you guys to say that stuff about your own son! He’s been working his ass off the last few months trying to get ready to apply. And I know he’s going to get in! Maybe it’s not a good enough school in your opinion, but it is what’s going to work for us.”

His dad stared at me for a moment before snapping his gaze over to his son, I looked to Steve and saw him sitting motionless staring down at his water glass, “Steve, maybe you should stand up and act like a man and tell Louise that she shouldn’t chase after a happy ending with you, when you used to pick on her in school! You don’t think your mother and I would’ve looked into Louise when you started dating her?” he put his glare back to me, “We know he was an asshole to you. And you’re willing to throw away a higher, better education for someone who didn’t even know your name until July?”

The tears pricked my eyes before I could try and stop them.

“The Steve from high school and the Steve sitting here are two completely different people,” I said quietly averting my gaze to the wall behind Mr. Harrington, “We’ve both-we’ve acknowledged everything that happened during school. Neither of us like it, but we’ve moved on. So that’s really not fair to throw back into his face,” I told him, trying to rationalize everything.

“Steve, you’ve been quiet as per usual. Anything you’d like to add? Are you in support of Louise throwing everything she’s worked for, for the last four years because of you?” his dad said, adjusting himself so he was fully facing Steve.

I looked to Steve and saw his face was red and he was staring down at the plate in front of him.

“Steve,” I whispered, silently begging him to stand up for our choices.

He looked to me quickly before looking back to his plate.

“I want Lou to be happy,” he said quietly.

His dad pushed his chair back hastily, “Well unfortunately, son, it appears her happiness is dependant on you. The boy who grew up with everything handed to him. The boy who felt the need to torment his peers to make himself feel better. The boy who after graduation went to work at Scoops Ahoy. The boy…who didn’t even know Louise’s name until eight months ago,” he was staring at Steve with such contempt and disappointment, my jaw was hanging open at the words spilling out of his dads mouth, “Look in the mirror son, and see if you’re the man that’s going to make her happy. See if you’re the man who will be able to build a happy life with her working at Family Video. Because you haven’t even gotten accepted yet. And then what? You get rejected? What will happen to your little fantasy then? You’re willing to let her throw away a university education because you can’t be alone? Man up, Steve,” he said before leaving us at the table.

His mom tutted and sighed, “I’m disappointed in you, Steve. You can’t bring people down with you. Your father and I tried to give you the best of everything, so maybe this is partially our fault. But you never put any effort into anything about school until Louise came around. And thank goodness she did, or you’d still be moping around here about Nancy Wheeler and not caring about your future. Louise is the one that has put that fire under you, so your father and I are very appreciative of that. And Louise, like my husband said, that offer will still stand. We like you very much and appreciate what you’ve tried to do for him. But you can only lead a horse to water,” and with that, his mom pushed away from the table as well and left the room.

Steve and I sat there in silence. I had my hands on either side of my dinner plate and was staring at the china cabinet that was across from us.

I couldn’t believe everything that had just happened. How they were undermining my decision when I wasn’t even their kid. And worse, the way they were talking to their own kid.

My tears had already fallen and were a steady stream down my cheeks.

It was like they used this ruse of a dinner to go after Steve in front of me. To get one of us to back down on this.

I turned my head slightly to look at Steve and saw him slumped in his chair with his hands on his face.

“Steve,” I coaxed turning in my chair to face him, “please look at me.”

He put his hands down and looked over to me with his hair falling in his face. His face was red and blotchy and had tears stains all down his cheeks. His nose was running and his eyes were bloodshot already.

“It’s okay,” I told him gently, placing a hand on his, “don’t listen to them,” I whispered.

“Can we please go?” he asked, looking away from me.

I nodded and stood up quickly, “Yeah. Yes, of course, love,” I told him.

He got up and went right for the front door, not bothering to wait or walk out with me. I followed after him and closed the door behind me. Steve was already in the car when I got there.

“I’m so sorry,” I let out as soon as my door was closed, “you didn’t deserve any of that.”

“Is that what people will think?” he asked quietly.

“What?”

He sniffled and stared down at his lap, “Will people think that I’m keeping you here?”

I grabbed his hand and held it tightly, “No, Steve. I know I’m not thinking that, that’s all that matters to me. You’re not keeping me here, I’m staying here there’s a difference.”

“I want you to have a shot, Lou. I don’t want you to feel trapped or anything,” he said, looking over to me finally.

I sighed and took his hand in mine, “I’m not trapped here. If I wanted to go, I would. But I don’t want to, Steve. Don’t worry about your parents or any of that shit. It’s us. Always, right?”

He sent me a sad smile but nodded once, “Always,” he agreed.

Smiling slightly, I pushed his hair away from his face, “Come on, let’s get to this basketball game and get it over with. Sooner today is over, sooner we can spend tomorrow together, just us.”

“Okay,” he said quietly, kissing the back of my hand.

He started the car and kept my hand held tightly in his lap.

We didn’t speak on the way to the school. I could still feel the uneasiness and sadness rolling off of Steve in waves. I knew he was trying compose himself so that no one would see him upset when we got there. I was doing the same. I wanted to forget everything that his parents said to us.

It wasn’t fair that they said all of that about Steve, and it wasn’t fair that they didn’t understand what we wanted. It wasn’t like I wasn’t going to school, Steve and I just wanted to give ourselves a fighting chance to make this work. We knew it would work. We wanted it to work.

Once we were at school and parked, Steve met me on the passenger side of his car.

“I dont want to talk about it anymore tonight,” he said quietly, “I just want to watch this game, pick up Dustin and be done with today. We can talk about it tomorrow when the shit storm has settled.”

I put my arms around his neck and he rested his hands on my waist, “Whatever you want, love,” I began, “but I want you to talk to me. Tomorrow or when you’re ready or whatever. I don’t want this to…bottle up inside you. I know you used to have to just keep what your parents have said to you and how they made you feel inside, but you don’t have to anymore. You can say anything you need to, to me. Okay?”

Without answering me he leaned down and kissed me softly, lips just grazing mine, “I love you, Lou,” he whispered.

“I love you too, Steve,” I repeated back.

We let go of each other and made our way into the noisy gym, hands locked together trying to put on brave faces, not letting anyone in on the fact that we just had the worst dinner party ever.

Once we found seats my mind wouldn’t stop reeling. I felt like I was in shock about what had transpired. I could understand to a very small extent that they were trying to help me, but I’m trying to help and give their advice, they were being so mean to Steve. And throwing his past back at him was uncalled for. That was something between the two of us. No one else.

Once Tammy Thompson was done the anthem and the game had started, I would look up to Steve and see him engrossed in the game, but the sadness was still evident in his eyes. Every little while I’d turn and look at him, most times he was watching the game, a few times gnawing at his lip, and only once he was looking back at me. I offered him a small smile, and he barely returned it.

I could almost see the gears turning in his head. He was so far away from right next to me.

The only time he showed some real emotion was when Lucas scored the game winning basket causing all of us in the crowd to go crazy along with the guys on the court. Steve and I were both cheering and jumping once the ball sank through the basket.

We went down and met him on the court, Steve patted his shoulder proudly, I pulled him into a hug and told him how proud I was of him.

Lucas looked around me then back to me, “The others?”

I sighed and shook my head, “I’m sorry, Lucas. But…Steve and I ….we’re so happy for you.”

He smiled sadly back to me and nodded uttering a small thanks before going back with his teammates.

I shook my head and looked up to Steve, “I can’t believe those two missed this,” I told him.

He shrugged limply, “At least we were here.”

He turned and started leaving the gym, with me following behind him heading outside towards the main school doors where we knew the club would be leaving from.

Again we didn’t speak, just walked next to each other in a stifling silence. There was definitely an awkwardly feeling between us now and I hated it. He was so worried about his parents making me change how I felt about Steve but he should have been reassuring himself.

“Louise!”

We both stopped and looked behind us, among the hoards of people I could see the school councillor Ms. Kelly smiling and waving to me.

“Hey, Ms. Kelly,” I smiled as she made it to Steve and I.

“Louise! I think some congratulations are in order! I heard you got into the universities you applied to! And a full ride scholarship to Purdue! That’s fantastic!”

Not this. Not now.

I glanced up to Steve and saw him looking at me wide eyed and his lips parted.

“What?” he asked quietly.

I stuttered trying to think of something, anything, “Steve,” was all that came out.

He looked so hurt and betrayed and I knew this was on me. I should’ve told him.

“I’m gonna wait for Dustin,” he said lowly before turning and walking away from me.

“Sorry, Lou. I thought he would’ve known by now,” Ms. Kelly explained.

I looked back to her and put a small fake smile on my face, “It’s okay! And yeah-yes, thanks so much, it was a um…surprise to say the least.”

“I’m assuming that’s where you’re going to commit to?” she questioned with a smile.

“No,” I began, looking behind me seeing Dustin standing with Steve about five feet from me, speaking to him and Steve had his eyes locked on where I was standing, “I’m staying local and going to Hawkins Community,” I said as I turned to face her again.

Her eyebrows went up in surprise, “Oh? This time last year you basically had your bags packed for Purdue,” she chuckled.

“Yeah, no, plans have changed so I’m really happy that I’m staying close to home!” I told her, trying to feign happiness.

“Well…if that’s what you want. But doesn’t hurt to think about it a little longer. You still have time to accept if you want,” she encouraged, putting a hand on my shoulder, “just do what makes you happy,” she said simply before turning and walking back into the throng of people.

I took a deep breath and turned, seeing Steve and Dustin both standing there looking at me. Dustin looking confused and Steve looked absolutely distraught. I walked towards them but Steve walked ahead of me, leaving my brother and I in his wake.

“How was the campaign? Did you finish?” I asked, trying to not draw attention to anything.

“Yeah. What’s going on with you and Steve? He never just…I dunno, doesn’t walk with you? Usually you two have at least some body part touching,” he said as we walked slowly towards the parking lot.

“We had dinner with his parents. Didn’t go great,” I sighed, crossing my arms watching Steve unlock his car and get into it, slamming the door behind him, “and some other stuff.”

“Other stuff?” he proded.

I rolled my eyes, “I got into a few universities. And a scholarship.”

“What?” he gasped, “Lou that’s…Lou thats great honestly. Congratulations.”

I smiled down at him, “Thanks, Dusty,” I told him, “I don’t think everyone is super stoked about it though.”

He sighed, “Don’t take it personal, I mean, it’s Steve. He’ll get over it.”

“But I don’t know if he’s mad at me or his parents? I just…need to talk to him,” I explained as we reached the car and got in.

Steve took off as soon as the doors were closed with the uncomfy tension continuing. So Dustin began prattling on about the campaign Eddie had put together and how they pulled Erica into it and they ended up winning on the last roll.

I engaged him a bit, telling him now Lucas had won the game for the team which he was happy for, but still happier that he went to Hellfire.

We pulled up to the house and Dustin got out quickly, leaving Steve and I alone.

“Are you okay?” I asked after taking off my seatbelt, turning to face him as best as I could.

“No,” he said quietly, “I -I’m not okay, Lou.”

My heart dropped. He was never really ever short with me. My heart began beating faster and my hands were beginning to sweat.

“Talk to me,” I begged, “however you’re feeling, we’ll fix it, Steve.”

“You didn’t tell me about the full ride, Lou,” he started, “why?”

I furrowed by brows and stared at him, he continued to look at me expectantly, “I - Steve I only found out about the universities and scholarship yesterday. I didn’t think the scholarship mattered because, like I told you this afternoon, those school didn’t matter because I’m staying here.”

“And what if you change your mind?” he wondered, gripping the steering wheel tightly, avoiding eye contact with me, “What if you accept and we go there and you hate it? What if-what if you’re absolutely miserable?” he let of the wheel and turned to me, “What if you regret saying no to Purdue to Indiana State or Notre Dame?”

“I’m not going to, Steve. I would never regret staying here with you and my family,” I rushed.

“But we wouldn’t know for sure until it happened,” he groaned, “I don’t want to hold you back!”

“You’re not!”

“I am! My folks were right! You’ve been dumbing yourself down to be with me! Spending your time helping me, trying to get me ready to go to a college. Helping me apply and helping with my essay-rewriting my essay. Filling out forms, just-God!” he shouted running a hand through his hair, looking away from me, “you’re the one that’s gotten me this and we don’t even know if I’ve gotten accepted. What if I get rejected, Lou?” he looked back to me.

“You’ll get in,” I said softly, “I’m not worried about that.”

“I am!” he exclaimed, “I’m absolutely terrified of not getting in! You got your letter a week ago, Lou,” he cried, “where’s mine? Why would they take me? I -I’m a total shitshow, Lou!

“And that’s not fair to you! You shouldn’t put all your shit you wanted to do on hold to see if your moron boyfriend gets into community college!“

“Steve! Stop!” I demanded, “You’re not a moron or a shitshow and I’m not putting anything on hold!”

He hesitated and looked to me again as his eyes filled with tears, “I just think…listen this isn’t about not loving you or-or not caring about you, Lou. It’s the opposite. You’re the only person for me…there’s no one else out there better than you.But there’s probably someone out there better for you other than me. Everyone is right, Lou. I’m not going anywhere. I’m destined to live and die in Hawkins and-“

“There’s nothing wrong with staying in Hawkins, Steve,” I urged.

“Yes there is, Lou, when you have the opportunity to get out of here! I don’t want you dealing with demogorgon and demodogs and the upside down and all that shit. You deserve to get out of Hawkins and be with someone who is literally going somewhere!” he shouted emotionally. His voice had cracked and I could hear the sadness in his voice.

“Isn’t it enough that I just want to be with you? Why doesn’t that count for something?” I asked, reaching for his hand.

He moved his hand back to the steering wheel, “I want you to have a shot! I want you to go to Purdue or Norte Dame or Indiana State! You’re too good for me and for fuckin Hawkins Community College!”

“But that shit doesn’t matter to me, Steve!”

“It matters to me, Louise! I want you to go to a school that you want to go to, that’s going yo be the best place for you! Not somewhere that you’re only going to because of me! That’s not fair to you!” he stated, avoiding my gaze.

“What you’re doing right now isn’t fair to me, Steve! That’s what’s not fair! You’re trying to act like a martyr acting like this is all for me without letting me have any input!” I shouted, “If it made sense then we coul discuss it, but this doesn’t make sense to me!”

“I’m sorry, Lou. This is what i want to do…I’m sorry. I just want you to have the space you need to make the best choice for you,” he stated quietly, his hands fidgeting on the wheel.

“So what? Are you-you’re breaking up with me? Forcing me out of this relationship-out of this town so I can go to a different school? The last thing I want from you is space, Steve!“ I told him as the tears spilled over my eyes.

He kept his eyes downcast, “Please look at me Steve. If you’re gonna do this, please look at me.”

He sighed deeply and looked at me, eyes full of tears ready to fall and a quivering bottom lip, “I’m sorry,” he said before the tears spilled over.

I wiped my cheeks, “So that’s it? We can’t even talk about it? This isn’t fair Steve.”

“But it’s right,” he told me, “you deserve so much better. You deserve someone who’ll actually do something with their life. It’s not fair to you.”

A small sob broke through as his tears spilled over, “You doing this isn’t fair. We can talk about this, Steve.”

“No,” he croaked as he hastily wiped his eyes, “because if we talk you’ll try to change my mind…this is for the best, Lou. Please.”

I leaned my head back against the head rest and openly sobbed as Steve sniffled from next to me. I finally pulled myself together to open the door to his car and get out, slamming it shut behind me. I stormed into my house and went straight to my room, sliding the door shut behind me and engaging the lock.

I collapsed into my bed and sobbed into my pillow, unsure if my mom or Dustin could hear me.

How could he do this? I couldn’t understand how he thought he was the only one that could make decisions like this in our relationship. That my feelings didn’t matter at all in this.

I understood why he was upset, after the things his parents said earlier in the evening I got it. But it really didn’t matter to me. Maybe hearing Ms. Kelly pushed him over the edge, but again…we could’ve talked through it. He didn’t have to end it like that.

We could’ve talked, we could’ve done something else besides breaking up.

Not we. Steve. Steve could’ve done something else besides breaking up with me.

My head was throbbing from the heavy sobbing in such a short period of time. I couldn’t believe it was over. I couldn’t believe he let outside opinions cloud his head, after eight months together and planning life in Hawkins together…I just couldn’t understand how he could do this without trying to talk about it first.

I couldn’t believe Steve Harrington broke my heart.

[strangerthingsharrington]

Can’t Fight This Feeling volume 2

when i’m with you

Title credits to REO Speedwagon and Sheriff and gif credit to owner

Warnings - this whole story is going to be major spoilers for Season 4 volumes 1 & 2

-2-

Once I was showered and dressed I walked down the hall and heard my mom and Steve chatting in the kitchen. A sound not unusual in the Henderson house at any point during the day.

But I wouldn’t say that I wasn’t nervous about what she was talking to him about. Obviously I hadn’t told Steve about the acceptance letters and the worst thing would be him hearing it from my mom instead of me.

I stepped into the kitchen and they both looked over to me smiling, “Morning LuLu,” my mom said brightly.

I smiled to the two of them and took a seat next to Steve, who leaned over and kissed my cheek, “Morning, baby,” he whispered before sitting back into his chair, draping his arm around the back of my chair.

We fell into easy conversation until Steve and I decided it was time to go. I picked up my backpack from the front hall way and went out to Steve’s car with him.

“I can’t wait to get today over with,” I told him as we pulled out of my driveway.

He laughed and looked over to me quickly, starting the familiar route to Robins, “Yeah?” he questioned.

I hummed and nodded, looking over to him, “I’m so burnt out, I need the week to recoup.”

He grinned but kept his eyes on the road, “Well, I’ve got lots of plans for us for the week,” he explained.

I quirked an eyebrow at him, “Plans? What plans?”

He took my hand in his and kissed the top of it, “It’s a surprise,”

I laughed and shook my head, typical Steve, “Well I’m excited to see how these plans live up to your previous ones.”

He shook his head with a small smile, “Trust me, they will,” he said as we pulled up to Robins house where she was waiting for us at the end of the driveway with her band uniform laying at her feet and trumpet case in hand.

She was staring at us wide eyed when we got out to help her out her stuff into the car, “You good, Rob?” Steve asked, putting her uniform into the back seat.

She nodded lightly before passing me the trumpet case which I put into the back gently.

“Yeah I just feel like my head is going to explode,” she said airily before getting into the back.

Steve and I got back into the car, “Why?” I asked, looking back to her.

She let her head fall onto the back seats head rest, “Because I was up most of the night thinking!”

“Thinking about what?” Steve asked her as we started driving to the school.

“Everything! I was stressing about this pep rally! And then all of a sudden it’s seven in the morning, we have to go to the stupid pep rally in question,” she started ranting as she came up between mine and Steve’s heads in the front, “and I woke up looking like a total corpse!” she groaned and pulled at her face.

“You’re worried about the pep rally?” I questioned, “Robin, you’ve done a million pep rallies, why are you afraid of this one?”

“It’s…a big rally,” she moaned, flopping her head onto my shoulder, I rested my head on hers and patted the top of her head.

“You expect us to believe that?” Steve asked her, causing her to pop her head back up.

“Yeah?” she questioned looking to him.

“Yeah? We both know what this is about! I’m not buying that bullshit about the pep rally this is about Vickie!” he exclaimed.

My eyebrows shot up and I looked to her, only for her to slink back to the back seat with a red face.

“A Vickie update that I’m not aware of?” I questioned.

“No!”

“Yes!”

I giggled and shook my head. Robin had let Steve in on the fact that she liked girls about a month after Starcourt. They had severely bonded over the time they had worked at Starcourt before Hawkins went to shit, and the underground lair only solidified their bond. She told me Steve and I were on the same level of trust, so she knew she could tell him.

“Yes there is a Vickie update, babe. And you know what else?” Steve said, looking over to me.

“Don’t listen to him, Louise,” Robin chided from the backseat.

Steve scoffed and looked at Robin through the rear view mirror, “No, you listen Robin. You gotta stop pretending to be someone else when you’re around her! Just be you!”

Robins head popped back up in between us, “You’re just quoting me to me, dingus.”

“Hey, Steve’s right!” I agreed, “You gotta take your own advice, Rob!”

“It’s different!” she insisted.

“Not really,” Steve squinted, “just take the advice you give and flip it around to you, ya clutz.”

“Hey, it is different! You asked Lou out, if she said no, whatever no one bats an eye you loose a couple cool points, not that you had many to begin with-sorry-but if she said no you just move on. If I ask out the wrong girl, boom! I’m the town pariah.”

I looked over at her and saw her frown, and I felt devastated for her. She was, unfortunately, right. Some people were…very closed minded in small town Indiana. And it sucked because…people who didn’t know Robin would base their feelings about her solely based on who she liked. And Robin was one of the most selfless, kindest people out there.

Steve signed, “Robin, I’d buy that…except Vickie is definitely the right girl! Hence, Lou,” he turned his head quick to look to me, “the new development.”

“But we don’t know, Steve!” Robin called from the back.

“She returned Fast Times paused at fifty three minutes five seconds! And who pauses Fast Times at fifty three minutes and five seconds?” he asked.

I frowned and looked to him, he had wild eyes as he watched the road in front of us. My frown turned into a smile as I watched him. I could tell that whatever he was going to say was his way of trying to help. And I always loved him for trying to do what he could to help.

“People who like boobies, Robin!” he exclaimed.

I looked down at my lap as my silent laugh came out just as I heard a small, ‘ew!’ from behind me. Again, he always tried to help…in his own Steve Harrington kind of way.

“Don’t say boobies!” Robin begged.

I looked behind me to her as she threw her head back.

“Boobies!” Steve shouted, “Its no big deal! I like boobies, you like boobies! Vickie likes boobies! Definitely!”

I slapped his chest lightly, “Okay, now I’m team Robin! No more boobie talk!”

He looked to me and winked quickly making me giggle and roll my eyes.

“I’ve never been so relieved to be at school,” Robin muttered as Steve drove down the small hill to the high school jumping out the second Steve had the car stopped, “I’ll see you in there Lou!” she told me as she hopped out of the car trying to balance her uniform and trumpet case in her arms.

I sighed and looked to my boyfriend who was watching me a small grin, “Come here,” he said quietly leaning across the middle console.

I smiled and met him halfway, our lips met and he immediately deepened the kiss. I put my hand on the back of his neck and pulled him closer to him, he had his hand on my leg trailing it up.

“Whoa,” I laughed as I pulled away from him, “we’re in the car with a bunch of people around us,” I reminded him softly.

He smirked and shrugged, “You’re the only one I care about here, they’d all just be jealous anyways.”

I leaned in closer and kissed him quickly, “I gotta go,” I whispered.

He groaned, “Just blow off today, it’s the last day before spring break,” he suggested.

Shaking my head I pulled my bag onto my lap and smiled at him, “I love you,” I said quietly.

“I love you too,” he smiled, “I’ll pick you up at home.”

I nodded, “Bye, love,” I said, opening up the car door and getting out.

“Bye, baby,” he said before I shut the door and started walking towards the gym where we were all being ushered into.

I spotted my brother and Mike standing together with Max. I climbed up the bleachers, waving at Robin when we locked eyes, her eyebrows disappearing into her hair and side eying Vickie who was next to her. I shot her a subtle thumbs up before arriving at the row with my brother.

“Hey,” I called to them over the noise of band and cheering.

The boys barely acknowledged me but Max waved me over to stand with her, I pushed past Dustin and Mike and stood next to her.

“You okay?” I asked.

She shrugged and watched the cheer performance in front of us, “Never better,” she said sarcastically.

I sighed and put an arm around her shoulder, “You can talk to me, Max. I’m always around to listen.”

She looked down and nodded, “I know,” she responded looking up to me, “I’ve just…I can’t stop thinking about it. Even when I’m sleeping it’s all there is.”

“I thought you said the nightmares weren’t happening as often?” I questioned looking down at her.

She readjusted her headphones on her neck, not meeting my gaze.

“Max,” I said, leaning down to be able to speak more privately to her, “you can talk to me. To any of us,” I reminded her.

They started announcing the basketball team and Max turned her attention to them, turning her head slightly towards me, “I know, Lou,” she said before shifting her gaze to the team.

I squeezed her before letting my arm drop, turning to watch Lucas run out into the gym in his basketball uniform. I cheered and clapped for him, waving once he looked towards us.

Jason started talking and hyping up the team, and giving a shoutout to his girlfriend Chrissy aka head cheerleader and queen of Hawkins High.

“You know…I think I can speak for all of us when I say, it’s been a tough year for Hawkins,” he began solemnly, “so much loss. And sometimes I wonder ‘how much loss can one community take?’”

I looked over to Mike and my brother both rolling their eyes.

“In dark days like this we need something to believe in,” he continued, “so last night, when we were down be ten points at half to Christian Academy. I looked at my team!”

“Oh God, is he turning the fire at Starcourt into a motivational basketball moment?” I asked.

“And I said, ‘Think of Jack! Think of Melissa! Think of Heather! Think of Billy!’” Jason went on.

I felt Max stiffen from next to me, I put my arm back around her shoulder and squeezed, “It’s okay,” I whispered.

“Think about our heroic police chief, Jim Hopper! Think about every one of our friends that perished in that fire. What did they die for? For us to lose to some crap school?”

“What an idiot,” I whispered.

“For us to return home with our heads hung low in defeat?”

“No!” the crowd chanted back to Jason.

“No,” Jason repeated, “let’s win this game. Let’s win this game for them. And that’s exactly what we did!”

The crowd began cheering like maniacs. I looked around them, amazed that they were eating up everything Jason was feeding them. What did they die for, for us to lose to some crap school? What kind of bullshit was he spewing.

“We embarrassed those candy asses in their own house. And now tonight-tonight we’re going to bring home the championship trophy! Let’s go!” Jason yelled into the microphone as the room exploded with cheers and screams.

“Tonight?” Mike yelled.

I looked over to him and Dustin, both with a confused look on their faces.

“How is that possible?” Dustin asked.

“It’s a tournament,” Max told them, “you win one game and go on until there’s only one team left.”

“That’s how sports work, guys,” I chuckled as I let go of Max’s shoulder.

“But it has to be tonight?” Dustin whined.

“What’s wrong with tonight?” I asked as we started slowly moving out of the bleachers.

“Hellfire!” they both shouted with their backs to me.

I rolled my eyes, “I think Eddie will be okay with changing it so Lucas can be there.”

Dustin spun to face me, “You know Eddie as well as any of us,” he commented.

“No I dont?” I responded.

He scoffed and shook his head, “Yeah whatever. Eddie will not be happy about this.”

I threw my hands on the air once we reached the gym floor and walked out, “I dont know then, Dusty. Talk to Lucas. See if coach will tell him if he’ll be in the game or sitting tonight. Or talk to Eddie. Whatever floats your boat,” I explained, “I gotta get to class. I’ll see you guys later. Max, find me if you need anything,” I told the group before going to my locker.

I went through my morning as normal, each teacher giving us our homework for spring break and reading assignments.

I finally walked into the cafeteria with my lunch tray in my hands, trying to find Robin. I didn’t see her at first, but I did witness Eddie Munson jump onto the Hellfire club table.

“But as long as you’re into band, or science or parties,” he was staring at different tables as he was walking along the Hellfire table, “Or a game where you throw balls into laundry baskets!” he shouted to the basketball teams table.

I saw Jason stand up and say something to Eddie, but Eddie responded by using his fingers as devil horns and sticking his tongue out.

I grinned and walked in along the wall behind the tables just as Eddie leaped off the table and scared a student.

“You’re not making a good impression, Eddie,” I laughed walking past him.

He gasped dramatically putting an arm around me, “Lady Henderson, pleasure as always.”

I grinned and rolled my eyes slightly, “Hi Eddie.”

“What do you mean a bad impression. Me? Of all people?” he questioned me jokingly.

“You scared the poor girl!” I reminded him.

“There’s many more things in the world scarier than me,” he argued.

I laughed and nodded, “That’s fair.”

“So, have you given anymore thought to my proposal?” he wondered.

I chuckled and shook my head, looking into his eyes, “About what? A date?” he nodded his head quickly with a small grin, “Eddie, I’m with Steve,” I reminded him, “I tell you every time.”

He chuckled and lifted his hands in mock surrender, “Okay, okay. You got me, sweetheart. See you after Hellfire tonight?”

Sighing I looked to him, “I’ll be picking him up, yes. See you around Eddie,” I said with a small smile before finishing my walk through the cafeteria keeping my eyes open for Robin. Who I evetyally found alone at the end of the table staring at her tray in dismay.

“What’s wrong now? The mystery meat finally come alive and eat your fork?” I questioned sitting down next to her.

She looked over to me and groaned, “I just don’t know what to do about the whole Vickie situation! Is Steve right, is Steve wrong? And if he’s wrong then I’m going to be even more of social outcast. Or worse, if he’s right then for one, I’ll have to listen to him gloat and second then I’ll have to move onto the stage that comes after hopelessly crushing on someone. Which I don’t even know what that stage would be. And-“

“Robin!” I cut her off, “You need to breathe! Remember! You can’t be a walking run on sentence!”

She breathed out deeply, “You’re right. You’re right! Okay, I’m breathing and going to chill.”

“Or your own version of chill,” I chuckled, picking at the sandwich on my tray.

“Hey, my version of chill and everyone’s else’s is all the same just different perspectives,” she noted, “you’re coming tonight, right?”

I smiled and looked to her worried face and pinched her cheek gently, “Of course we’ll be there tonight. Steve and I wouldnt miss it! I would, however, love to miss dinner with his parents.”

Her eyes widened and she turned to fully face me in her chair, “Excuse me? Dinner at his parents?”

I hummed and nodded, “My reaction exactly.”

“Why? It’s not Steve’s birthday…not a holiday…why are they going to be gracing either of you with their presence?”

I shrugged, “I-I truly have no clue. Steve’s nervous about it, I can tell. He doesn’t like his routine of not seeing his parents messed with too often.”

“You’ll fill me in, right?” she hinted with a smile.

“Of course!” I giggled, just as Dustin ran up to us.

“Do either of you want to play in Hellfire tonight?”

I felt my face scrunch up, “Pardon?”

“I talked to Eddie like you recommended,” he said shooting me a dirty look, “and he’s pissed. He’s not moving the campaign and said we needed to find someone to sub in for Lucas!”

“So you’re not coming to the game? To support Lucas, your best friend?” I sat up straighter and stared at him irritated.

“He’s going to sit on the bench again, Lou!”

“It doesn’t matter!” I told him, “He wants you there to show your support! Benched or not, he’s one of your best friends!”

“Just tell me yes or no! I don’t want a lecture!” he exclaimed throwing his arms out next to him.

“No! I told Lucas we’d watch his game and I meant it, Steve and I are going!” I stated.

He scoffed and looked to Robin, “Rob?” he questioned.

She shook her head immediately, “Band,” she said simply.

Dustin groaned loudly and stormed off.

“What a dingus,” I complained.

Robin laughed and nodded, “Forget that. You have bigger things to worry about today.”

I let out a fake cry and pushed my tray away from in front of me, “Don’t remind me.”

[strangerthingsharrington]

hands. face. all of it.

IM LOSING MY MIND. SEND HELP.

[strangerthingsharrington]

Can’t Fight This Feeling volume 2

when i’m with you

A/N - and we’re back with Steve Harrington and Louise Henderson following along for the events of season 4. Thanks for the support on volume one of can’t fight this feeling. Y’all are simply the best 💞💞

Warnings - cursing & there will be major spoilers for ST season 4 volume 1 & 2

Title credits to REO Speedwagon & Sheriff (when I’m with you - a certified bop) and GIF credit to owner.

-1-

I didn’t think Hawkins would ever go back to being my boring little town. But for the most part, in the eight months since the battle at Starcourt, my life had become pretty routine. Wake up, get ready, Steve would be at my house within hour of when I normally got up, we’d sit with my mom, then he’d drive to Robins, pick her up, and drive us to school.

Everything really seemed…okay.

I mean, except for the Byers and Eleven shipping off to California, Hopper being dead, Lucas distancing himself from my brother and Mike, Max severely distancing herself from the party…but still coming to talk to me on a few different occasions.

As for Steve and I, everything had been about as great as it could be. I really don’t think we had spent a day apart since Starcourt. Not that I minded, I loved him more than anything so spending time with him was all I really wanted. Being with him in Hawkins was all I wanted.

Which was why reading over my acceptance letters to Purdue, Indiana State and Notre Dame was a bit overwhelming to say the least. Especially when I got into the nitty gritty of the acceptance letter to Purdue where they offered me a full ride academic scholarship.

I groaned and flopped back onto my bed, the letters having been delivered while my mom was still at work, thankfully.

“Shit. Shit shit shit shit,” I repeated holding the letter in my clenched fist.

I had already gotten my acceptance letter for Hawkins Community College. We were waiting to see when Steve was going to get his and then we were both going to accept the offers and we’d be good. That was our plan.

I could hear the front door opening, “Lou?” my mom called from the front hallway.

I sat up and pushed the three new acceptance letters into my pillowcase and walked calmly out of my room.

“Mom?” I called back.

“How was school?” she asked when I made it to the kitchen where she was carrying pizza.

I nodded, “Yeah, same old. Just getting the last bit over before Spring Break starts.”

“Has Steve gotten his acceptance letter yet for the community college?” she asked hopefully.

I shook my head, “Not yet, but probably within the next week or so.”

“Are you excited?” she smiled.

I breathed out deeply and smiled back to her, “Yeah, I can’t wait actually,” I told her honestly. For the first time in my life, I was excited to stay in Hawkins.

“Did you hear from the other schools though? It’d be nice to see what they say too, so you can keep your options open, if you wanted to,” she stated gently.

“No,” I said shaking my head, “it doesn’t matter to me if they accepted me or not, I’m staying here. With you guys and Steve. That’s what I want.”

My mom was the one who insisted on me applying to more schools other than just the community college. She always reminded me about how my main goal even just a year earlier was getting out of Hawkins and going to Purdue. She always told me about how that was my dream. And it was.

Until it wasn’t anymore.

“LuLu, I’m just saying you’ve worked so hard during high school and you really wanted Purdue last year. I understand you have Steve now, but he’d be happy for you if you got in there and wanted to go,” she tried explaining, “he’d wait for you!”

I pursed my lips, “It doesn’t matter about Purdue, mom. This is what I want. I just…wanna stay home.”

“I’m just saying,” she began once again, “that Steve is a good guy, and he would understand, Louise. He wouldn’t want you to put a dream you’ve had for years on hold. If he knew…Lou you are going to tell him right?”

“Yes, mom,” I sighed, “yes I’m going to tell him. But I’m happy with my choice. Plans change and I’m happy to go to the college.”

She sighed and shrugged, not bothering to get into this discussion any more than we already had.

“Well,” she announced, “I’m going to grab the laundry from yours and Dusty’s rooms. Can you set the table? Dustin should be home soon.”

I nodded and went to the cabinets, opening the cabinet and taking the plates out setting them on the table for the three of us. I grabbed some glasses and out those down as well. I went back down the hall to see if she needed help with the laundry gathering. I saw Dustin’s hamper in the hallway so I went to my room where I saw mom sitting on my bed with her hand over her mouth. With my bedding on the ground. She was holding papers with my pillow on her lap.

Shit.

“Mom, what are you doing?” I questioned.

She looked up at me with tears in her eyes, “You got in?” she asked dabbing at her eyes.

I sighed and ran my hands through my hair, “Yeah…I mean…yeah,” I said lamely, leaning against the doorframe.

More tears spilled over from her eyes as she got up, my pillow falling to the ground, and rushing over to hug me, “Oh Louise, I’m so proud of you, baby,” she cooed as she squeezed me.

I hugged her back limply, “Thanks mom, but it’s not a big deal. My mind is made up. That’s what I want.”

She pulled back from me, still holding onto one of the letters tightly in her hand, just as I had, “But Lou…this is Purdue. And Indiana State and Notre Dame. You have your choice of whatever you want! And a scholarship, Lou, that’s amazing! Why didn’t you tell me? We just talked about it?”

I grinned lightly and shrugged my shoulders, “It doesn’t matter. My mind is made already. And I was going to tell you…it’s just…it didn’t matter now.”

“But, Lou, if you let Steve know…if you talk it out with him-“

“Mom,” I cut her off, stepping back from her, “stop. Please. I love Steve. And I’ll eventually tell him. But I’m not taking any of these offers. I’m staying here and going to Hawkins Community. They have all the courses that I need to get a job…I don’t need some fancy university. It’s all gonna be fine.”

“But you wanted Purdue, so badly. I know you love Steve, but he’ll be happy for you, you’re going to tell him right?” she questioned.

I nodded without hesitation. I would tell him. Eventually.

—

“And then Keith told me I was on the brink, basically of getting fired,” Steve complained on the phone to me later on that evening after his shift at the Family Video was done.

“He can’t do that, he just doesn’t like you, he’s bluffing,” I told him.

He huffed on the other line, “I know!” he exclaimed dramatically, “Its just annoying. Like, I was late from my break by…maybe three minutes.”

I grinned, “Was it actually three minutes or like, an extra fifteen?” I questioned playfully.

He gasped on the other end making me laugh, answering that question, “Hey, you’re my girlfriend, you’re supposed to be on my side here!”

My laughter trickled off, “I am, love. I’m always on your side,” I said easily.

“You’re lucky you’re cute,” he told me quietly.

“You’re not so bad yourself, Harrington,” I told him with a small giggle.

I sighed deeply figuring that I might as well get the university news over with, “Listen, Steve, there’s something I need to tell you,” I began.

“Oh! Wait! Sorry, but I forgot to tell you,” he started, effectively cutting me off, “surprise, surprise, my parents are out of town this weekend. So I was thinking…me, you, my bed, our song…” he trailed off suggestively.

I felt my face heat up and my brain went blank, “We can definitely manage that, love,” I whispered.

He chuckled lowly on the other end, “Okay, perfect. What did you need to tell me?”

I cleared my throat not wanting to dampen this mood, “I’ll-we’ll talk about it tomorrow. When you pick me up.”

“Okay, babe,” he sighed, “and don’t forget, my parents wanted you to come for dinner tomorrow.”

I grimaced, “Don’t worry, I remember,” I mumbled, “what was with this sudden invitation? I haven’t been there since Christmas Day.”

He groaned, “I have no idea…I’ve barely seen them since Christmas,” he reminded me seeing as how he pretty much was only at his house to sleep.

“Well I’ll be there,” I smiled, “and then we’ll go support Robin at the pep rally,” I giggled.

He chucked on the other end, “And watch Sinclair,” he added.

I nodded, “It’s a big game,” I acknowledged.

He sighed, “We should go to bed…I’ll be to your place in the morning, okay?”

I smirked and nodded, “Yeah, no problem.”

“I love you,” he said quietly, sweetly.

“I love you too, baby,“ I replied.

We hung our phones up and I got settled into my bed. My nerves were growing because of these acceptance letters. I was grateful, obviously. But…I knew that when I told Steve about them he’d try to talk me into it. Especially when I told him about the scholarship. He would tell them there wasn’t a reason in the world good enough for me not to take Perdue.

But he was the reason I wouldn’t. I didn’t want to do long distance with him, I didn’t want to only see him once a month if that. Or worse just on holidays.

He would try and talk me into it. But there was no way in hell it would work.

[strangerthingsharrington]

Late Night Talking pt. 2

Forever Yours, Faithfully

A/N - yalllll i didnt expect Late Night Talking to blow up!!!! You guys are the best. This was requested a few times. And I just love Eddie so, I had to give you guys the date 🥹🥹

Title credits to Harry Styles (late night talking) and Journey.

Summary - Eddie and y/n go on their date 💕💕

Warnings - none? I don’t think anyways. No ST spoilers.

Once you woke up you couldn’t wipe the smile from your face. You showered, dried your hair and got dressed unable to contain the excitement that was bursting out of you.

You were going out on a date with Eddie Munson. A week ago that thought never would have entered your brain. Neither of you having acknowledged the existence of the other until you dialed his number accidentally and began talking through the night about nothing and everything.

Once three in the afternoon rolled around and you had tidied up your room out of boredom, you realized you weren’t sure when you were supposed to be meeting him at the high school. You sat awkwardly at your desk, looking at your phone, willing it to ring so you didn’t have to make the call.

What if he was asleep? What if he changed his mind? You couldn’t imagine the embarrassment that would radiate off of you for the rest of your life if you called him just to have him laugh and tell you to forget about it.

You groaned and tipped your head back, unsure of what to do. You sat like that for a few more minutes before summoning the courage to just get it over with and call him and see what time you were meeting.

With a deep breath, you gripped the receiver and put it to your ear and began dialing.

“Huh, hello? Uncle Wayne?”

“Eddie?” you questioned.

“Y/N?”

“Huh,” you laughed, “I know for sure that I didn’t finish dialing out?”

“I was calling you,” Eddie said with a small laugh, “I think it barely rang when you started dialing.”

You smiled and shook your head. “Great minds, Eddie.”

“Great minds,” he agreed happily, “I was calling to see when you wanted to meet up? I would’ve called earlier but didn’t want to bother you…”

“That is-yeah that’s why I was calling too,” you giggled.

“Wow, we’re really on the same wave length,” he said in awe.

You breathed out a small laugh, “I’m not mad about that to be honest,” you told him, “and I’m good whenever you are.”

“Okay. Okay! Perfect,” he began with excitement in his voice making your heart swell, “I’m ready too! We can start heading over there now, if you want?”

“Yes!” you responded quickly, “Yeah, absolutely. I’ll meet you there, near the front doors?”

“I’ll be there soon! See ya!” he said in a sing song voice before you both hung up making you laugh, shaking your head.

You jumped up from your seat and rushed downstairs shoving your feet into a black pair of boots to keep you warm during the brisk November afternoon.

You left your house and walked quickly to the school, never having been that excited to get to Hawkins High. You arrived at the top of the hill where the middle school was and looked down at the front doors of Hawkins High, you saw his van parked right in front of the doors, and saw Eddie leaning against the wall next to the front doors. His hands were absentmindedly drumming against his legs nervously. He would look around every few seconds in anticipation trying to spot you.

You had started making your way down the paved hill just as he looked over your way. Even from where you were you could see the smile break out across his face. He ran over towards you and met you just as you hit the bottom of the hill, without thinking he put his arms around your waist and picked you up, swinging you around a couple times as you had your hands around his neck giggling as he did so.

He finally put you down and looked at you, “Hi, darlin,” he said quietly.

“Hi, Eddie,” you smiled.

“I’m sorry about that,” he said, face turning red but making no moves to remove his arms from around you, “I just…really wanted to hug you,” he said softly.

You beamed up at him, “Trust me, I’m not complaining.”

He breathed out a small sigh as his eyes shined, “So,” he said, releasing you, “what do you want to do?”

You let your arms fall from around his neck a bit reluctantly, “I don’t know!” you told him honestly, “it’s Hawkins, it’s a pretty boring place.”

He hummed in agreement and put his arm around your shoulder, “That is very true, Y/N,” he said quietly, leading the two of you back towards the front of the school.

He gasped suddenly and jumped in front of you stopping you in your tracks causing you to begin laughing uncontrollably. His eyes were wide and shining, his smile was so wide and full of excitement, “I’ve got it,” he said simply.

“Care to fill me in on this idea?” you wondered, matching his smile.

He smirked and put a finger to his chin, taping it a few times, “Hmmm, should I let you know of my brilliant plan? Or should I let the criminal mastermind lead his protege blindly?” he questioned adding an evil laugh to finish it off making you cover your mouth with your hand stifling the loud laugh that was threatening to fall out of your mouth.

“Hey,” Eddie said softly, bringing his hand up to move your off of your mouth, “don’t try to hide you laugh. I meant it when I said it…I could listen to your laugh all the time,” he murmured, letting his hand drop slowly from yours.

You let a soft laugh fall from your lips as you looked up into Eddie’s bright brown eyes. You brought the hand that had been on your lips and laced your fingers with Eddie’s.

You leaned in closer to him, his eyes going wide with surprise before glancing down from your eyes to your lips then back up again. His eyes going from surprise to hooded in an instant.

Your eyes shifted as well, from his eyes to his lips and back again. You grinned softly as you both leaned in even closer, “Blindly,” you said lowly with a tiny grin, sidestepping him with his hand still in yours.

You pulled him towards his van you looked over your shoulder at him and saw him with a red face but with a huge grin laughing as you led him by the hand.

“Hey, I’m supposed to be leading you blindly, not the other way around!” he chided playfully, before spinning the two of you around so he was the one leading you to his van.

You laughed as you walked behind him, hands clasped together tightly. Eddie opened the passenger door to his van, letting go of your hand to stand next to the door and take a deep bow.

“Lady Y/L/N,” he declared dramatically.

You laughed and hopped into the front seat, kicking away the food wrappers, pop and beer can, and cigarette butts. But even that couldn’t dampen your spirits.

Eddie closed the door behind you and ran around the front, jumping into the drivers seat.

“So, are you going to tell me?” you teased looking to him.

He started up the van as Metallica began playing, “I told ya, sweetheart,” he began, “blindly,” he reminded you, putting the van into reverse and taking off.

—

“I love this one,” you said, turning your head slightly towards Eddie.

He pulled you closer to his side and rubbed your shoulder, “Well you, my dear, have very good taste,” he said with a smile.

You smiled and tightened your hold on his waist looking up at the glossy black electric guitar hanging on the wall of the music shop Eddie drove the two of you to.

Both of you continued walking around the store looking at the different guitars and drums until Eddie led you towards the back, “But this is what I really wanted you to see,” he confessed as you entered the area with at least ten different piano’s.

“Wow,” you said in awe, letting go of Eddie and walking towards the baby grands that were there, ghosting your fingers along the keys of an all white one.

“Play something,” he encouraged placing his hand on the small of your back.

You smiled and looked up at him, “I haven’t touched a piano in…almost a year…I’d be so rusty.”

“No way,” he said shaking his head, “it’s like riding a bike. You’ll sound amazing.”

You looked back down at the piano and felt the overwhelming urge to play, so you sat on the bench with Eddie sitting right next to you.

You cleared your throat and sat up straight, adjusting so you could reach the pedals with your feet and got your arms in place, your fingers touching the keys gracefully.

You looked over to Eddie and grinned before turning back to the piano and allowing yourself to play. It had been so long since you heard a piano and it almost made you emotional. It was something you used to love but weren’t able to partake in anymore.

Eddie continued to watch you, unable to take his eyes off you. Within the first few strokes of the keys he knew you were playing Journeys Faithfully.

He took you in, you with your eyes closed and a smile ghosting over your lips. You were a natural. It was like you were made to play. To Eddie, you were the most beautiful person he had ever seen, and the fact you were out in public on a date with Eddie the Freak Munson…he didn’t understand it.

While you were thinking you were invisible to the world and a nobody at Hawkins High, Eddie knew you. Or at least, wanted to know you. You were beautiful and smart and kind. And even though it had only been a few days that you two had actually known each other, it felt like a lifetime to him. Eddie was falling. Hard. And he didn’t care because it felt right. Whatever…force had made you dial his number that night he knew it was a moment that had changed the direction of his life forever.

You played the last few notes and let your hands fall into your lap. You kept your eyes closed appreciating the final notes still hanging in the air. You took a deep breath and let it out, opening your eyes and turning to look at Eddie.

“Did it sound okay?” you asked quietly.

Without hesitation, he put his hand into your hair resting it on the back of your head, bringing your face close to his, resting your foreheads together. You stared up and him and watched his eyes darken and he held eye contact with you.

“You’re amazing,” he whispered, his lips grazed over yours.

You were the one who brought your lips against his. His chapped lips meeting your smooth ones, he moved his free hand against your cheek and you brought your hands up to hold onto the front of his leather jacket pulling him closer to you.

Both your hearts were beating so fast and hard both of you were sure the other could feel it.

Finally you broke the kiss but your foreheads were still leaning against each other. Eddie’s smile was the biggest you had seen yet and you were sure yours matched.

“Thank you for calling me,” he whispered, placing a small kiss to the side of your mouth.

You bit your lip and brushed some of his fallen hair from his face, “Thank you for picking up,” you whispered back.

He breathed out a small laugh, rubbing his thumb along your cheek, before leaning back down to kiss you once more.

—-

Tags - thanks for replying and requesting a part 2 🥹🥹

@k1llerdolls

@lovelyladymayyy

@hellobinayxo

@lili-pond

@weird-flute

@forsaken-letters

@thegirlbeyondtheuniverse

@renaroo123

@blog-of-a-multitude-of-fandoms

[strangerthingsharrington]

Huuuuh truly wasn’t expecting the response I’ve gotten for Late Night Talking 🥹🥹 thanks so much. It was a little passion project as I dealt with my volume 2 blues. People have been requesting a part 2 that I truly wasn’t expecting but I’m totally down to work on that along with my second part to my Steve Harrington story. But I’ll start plotting some stuff out for that, and i love yall 🖤🖤

[strangerthingsharrington]

Late Night Talking

A/N - listen, I have been struggling with volume 2. I get it but I hate it. I just needed some damn Eddie Munson fluffy shit in my life ASAP.

Inspired loosely from the Harry Styles song Late Night Talking. GIF credit to owner.

Summary- you dial the wrong number and get the freak of Hawkins on the other end.

Warnings - mentions shitty parents and less than stellar home lives. No ST spoilers.

The first time was by accident. A major, very avoidable, accident. You had gotten paired up with Samantha Adams in your history class to do a presentation about Pompeii, since you two weren’t friends, you wrote her number down on a spare piece of paper and told her you would call her that night to make arrangements to work on it.

So that night, you pulled the paper from your pencil case and went to your room to use your phone to call. You had your textbook laid out with a blank sheet of paper on your desk as you made the call.

It rang. And rang. And rang. You huffed just as you heard the click of someone answering the phone on the other end.

The other person cleared their throat before acknowledging, “Hello?” a deep voice said coming through.

Must be her brother, you thought.

“Hi, is Samantha home?”

“Samantha?” the other voice questioned, “there’s no Samantha here?”

You furrowed your brow, looking at the paper once again, “I dialed the number that she gave me? Samantha Adams gave it to me?”

“Okay?” the guy one the other end sassed to you, “It was wrong.”

You scoffed, “The number I dialed was 555-7898.”

“Well the number you actually dialed was 555-9878,” he told you, albeit a big smugly.

You pulled the phone away from your face and looked at it, not that it mattered since you couldn’t see the number that you dialed there, you brought the receiver back to your ear, “Are you sure?” you questioned.

A small chuckle from the other line, “Am I sure that you dialed my number instead of prissy cheerleader Samatha Adams? I’m pretty positive.”

“Okay, sorry,” you responded quietly, feeling your stomach knot up because of the mistake. You felt embarrassed and a bit like an idiot.

The voice sighed, “Yeah, it’s fine. Who is this by the way?”

You scanned your eyes around your room, questioning if you should give any sort of information about you to the stranger on the other line, “No one that called for you. Night and sorry,” you said before hanging up.

You sighed deeply, running a hand through your hair, your actions stilling once you heard the typical evening fight between your parents start amping up.

You hastily called the right number for Samantha and made plans to speak during lunch the next day to figure out who’s house you would go to the next night to work. You knew you would push to go to her house, since it never mattered who you had at your place, the fighting never went a day without occurring.

The second time was that same night, twenty minutes after talking to Samantha. The phone rang and you picked it up quickly.

“Hello?”

“Hi is Samantha there?”

Your eyebrows shot up, “There’s no Samantha here?”

“See? Now we’re even.”

You hesitated, words unable to be formed as you had your mouth hanging open in surprise.

Was this for real? The guy called you back to say that?

Before you could speak he broke out into a laugh that caught you off guard because of how infectious it was. So infectious, that your own laugh bubbled past your lips before you could stop yourself.

“You’ve gotta be kidding me,” you said through your laugh, “you called back just to do that?”

His laugh started fading out, “Hey, I was just looking for someone. Must have dialed it wrong.”

You smiled and shook your head, “That’s…yeah that’s pretty good. But in my defence, mine was a legitimate accident.”

“Mine too!” he argued playfully as you laughed, “I accidently called the operator to get the number that last called here. Accidentally wrote it down, accidentally dialed the number.”

“What a strange list of accidentals,” you chuckled before hearing glass smash right outside of your bedroom door and the screaming followed loudly. So loudly you knew the person on the other end heard it too.

“You okay?” he asked worriedly.

You stuttered with the phone pressed to your face as you turned to look at the closed door. Your parents were right outside of it, hurling insults to one another, letting each other know how much they hated the other.

“I have to go,” you said urgently.

“Wait, are you okay? If you need help you can tell me,” he reiterated, so genuinely that you almost told him everything.

“I’m sorry, I have to go,” you repeated.

“If you need me, call me!” you heard him say before slamming the phone down onto the receiver.

You pushed yourself away from your desk and walked quickly to the light switch, flipping it down to darken your room before rushing to your bed and throwing the covers over your entire body.

You knew better than to get involved. You knew that by the morning the glass would be cleaned up and mom and dad would act like nothing happened.

You squeezed your eyes shut until you finally fell asleep.

—

The third time was after you got home from Samantha’s house. You walked into the brightly lit house and your parents were both in the living room, bottle of beer in dads hand and a martini glass on the table next to mom.

“Y/N,” your mom called, “someone called for you but didn’t leave a number. Said you had it.”

You hadn’t been expecting a call. You didn’t really have…friends. Acquaintances, sure. Semi friends with Robin Buckley.

“They-they didn’t say who it was?” you questioned quietly, shifting as you stood in the entry way to the living room.

Your moms eyes darkened, “What did I just say? Someone. Someone called for you.”

“Don’t make your mother repeat herself,” you dad said without looking away from the TV.

You nodded slowly, tucking your hair behind your ears, “Okay, yeah, sorry.”

You turned and walked up the stairs straight to your room, shutting the door softly behind you.

You dropped your backpack on the floor and went to your desk where your phone was stationed. You tapped the phone trying to think of who would’ve called you. Not Samantha you had just came from her house. More than likely not Robin, you guys only really spoke during school.

You stopped tapping as a small grin crossed you face. You picked up the receiver and dialed the number.

“Hello?” the voice questioned.

Your grin grew, “Oh hi! I seemed to have a missed call!”

He laughed on the other end, instantly you felt yourself relax into your chair as his infectious laugh caught you again making you laugh.

“Well I’m glad you got the message,” he told you.

“I did…I have to admit though…this is kinda…” you said drifting off, watching the sun set.

“Weird?” he offered.

You smirked, “Weird,” you agreed.

He breathed out, “I’m sorry,” he started, “I don’t want you to think that I’m…weird.”

You hummed, leaning back into your chair, “I’d feel better if I knew who you were?”

You could feel the hesitation seeping through the phone. You felt a bit more uncomfortable now, you were sure he wasn’t some random old man. He didn’t sound like it. But…you liked the sound of his voice. It was calming even though you had only spoken to him for about five minutes.

“I’m worried you’d hang up right away if you knew who I was,” he said quietly.

You tucked your legs under you, “Why would I?” you questioned.

“Because I’m a freak,” he said simply, matter of factly, “these what? Five minutes we’ve talked have been the most anyone has talked to me…nicely. Aside from the guys in my Hellfire Club…” he said, letting the comment hang in the air.

With that you knew immediately who it was. Freak. Hellfire Club. You didn’t have to think twice.

“Eddie Munson?” you questioned.

He let out a soft chuckle on the other end, “Present,” he said jokingly.

Of course you knew Eddie Munson. Everyone at Hawkins High knew Eddie Munson. Like he said, the so-called freak of the school.

You didn’t think of him like that, though. You had seen Eddie all throughout your four years at school, even sharing a couple classes with him during your current senior year and his third.

He walked around the school always ready to say something to the popular kids that would inevitably say something to him. He stuck out like a sore thumb in the small town of Hawkins. His long frizzy curly hair, leather jacket denim vest combo, constant skull adorned Hellfire shirt and heavy boots, with a bandana in his pocket.

He was…different, obviously more so then the rest of the student body and, honestly, the whole population of Hawkins. But you respected that about him. You always had silent admiration for him. While you chose to sit on the sidelines and never draw attention to yourself. Eddie was kinda the opposite. He was just…himself. Not someone else.

“Well…it’s nice to officially meet you. I’m Y/N Y/L/N,” you said shyly, knowing immediately he wouldn’t know you.

“Y/N,” he repeating your name softly, making you smile at the way he said it, “you sat three seats in front of me and over one during English, and you currently sit right in front of me during second period math. Right?”

You breathed out a surprised laugh, “Very observant,” you said, in the background of your house you could hear the faint yelling begin. You knew they’d be on their way up in a few minutes.

“You-you don’t want to hang up? Or still deciding?” he questioned awkwardly.

You sucked in air sharply as you heard the footsteps on the stairs just outside your room, “Um, no, not at all. Not for that reason,” you started, cringing at the curses coming from both parents in the hallway, “I should go, though.”

“Oh, yeah, okay,” he stuttered.

“You stupid fucker. I hate you! I absolutely hate you!”

You cringed and lowered your head, knowing with absolute certainty there was no way Eddie didn’t hear that. The neighbours down the street probably heard your mom scream that at the top of her lungs.

“Whoa, hey, are you okay?” he asked worriedly, “Do you need anything?”

My lower lip trembled, “Huh, no no. I’m okay. It’s nothing.”

“Hey…for what it’s worth I live in a trailer with my uncle because my parents are pieces of shit. Not saying yours are!” he added quickly, “I’m just saying that I get it. If you need anything I can help.”

You squeezed your eyes shut and nodded, “Thanks, Eddie. Um…please don’t tell anyone. I know I’m not the only one with a…less than ideal home life but doesn’t mean I need it blared around the school.”

“I promise,” he agreed immediately, “without question. Like I said, I can help if you need me for something.”

“Can we just talk?” you asked, biting at the skin around your thumbnail.

“Sure! Yeah! Absolutely. Umm…what do you want to talk about?” he asked sheepishly.

You grinned and looked down at the ground under your chair, “Anything… tell me about Hellfire!”

And he did. Eddie told you all about the campaigns he’d worked on during his high school career, how much work he puts in each campaign.

“That’s why I am the dungeon master after all,” he quipped making you giggle.

“I -wow, that’s a pretty impressive title, Eddie,” you smiled, “I’m impressed. So you just roll the dice and go from there?”

“Oh, Lady Y/L/N, let me explain the dice,” he said putting on a fake British accent making you laugh loudly, clamping a hand over your mouth.

“You have a nice laugh,” Eddie complimented softly.

You grinned, bashfully, “Yours is pretty nice too, Eddie,” you told him boldly.

He laughed softly on the other end before he went into the explanation of the dice and gave more information about Dungeons and Dragans.

Hearing him talk with so much passion about his campaigns and his club made your heart feeling like it was glowing.

Finally you looked over to the clock on your bedside table, it was shining 2:12AM on it. You honestly hadn’t noticed the time flying like it had. You hadn’t even realized that your parents must have been quiet for hours, passed out in their bed either from exhaustion or being drunk.

“It’s two in the morning,” you told Eddie with a surprised edge to your voice.

“You’re lying!” Eddie whisper shouted, “Oh shit, yeah…wow. Sorry for keeping you.”

You beamed, “Are you kidding me? This has been…it’s really been great, Eddie. But we should go to bed. I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“Of course,” he said automatically, “night, Y/N.”

“Night, Eddie,” you said softly before hanging up the phone.

You moved from you desk chair, where you had been sitting exclusively for almost six and a half hours. You got changed and settled into bed.

Eddie had gone extensively through the different rules of DnD with the different characters and levels and powers and campaigns that he had done for the club. He answered any questions that you had and went over things that confused you. He was gracious with his explanations, simplifying things he was saying after your first ‘huh?’ that came up. He laughed and said he would put into Y/N language which made you and him laugh.

The next morning you felt a bit like a zombie since you only had about four hours of sleep. But you got up and got ready like normal. Except it wasn’t normal. Because you felt a few stabs of excitement in your gut about seeing Eddie. It was a weird feeling. You had known of Eddie for a long time. Seen him from afar. Never interacted until you dialed the wrong number.

You walked through the halls keeping a subtle eye out for the long haired dungeon master. You didn’t see him as you made your way to your locker, opening it and putting your after lunch books away, grabbing history and math before making your way down to class.

History was a breeze, thankfully. You had been sitting anxiously awaiting the bell to send you to math.

You grabbed your backpack and shoved your textbook and notebook inside, rushing out the door.

“M’lady,” you heard from behind you after you walked out of the room.

You grinned instantly and turned, seeing Eddie in his usual outfit with his hands in his pockets smiling at you.

“Hi, Eddie,” you smiled.

He pushed off the wall of lockers and walked towards you, wide smile on his face.

“Can I walk you to class?” he asked, leaning down towards you.

“Of course,” you told him with a nod.

His eyes were shining as he smiled wider if at all possible, you fell into step with each other taking the familiar path through the halls to math.

“How was your sleep?” he asked.

You signed, “Short,” you answered honestly, “you?”

You looked up at him and saw him smiling still, his eye crinkling at the corner, “Short,” he agreed.

You laughed looking back in front of you. You caught out of the corner of your eye people staring at the two of you. Eddie the freak and Y/N the nobody.

You two made it to class and took your seats, you pulled your bag onto your lap and took out you books and pencil.

You felt the tap on your shoulder and turned your head with a playful expression, “Yes?” you asked, putting your elbow on the back of your chair and resting your head on palm of your hand.

Eddie followed suit, putting his elbow on his desk and resting his hand on his open palm.

“Do you-if you wanted to,” he began shyly breathing out a small laugh, “wasn’t sure if you’d be interested in sitting with me- I mean us-Hellfire- at lunch?” he finished with a flushed face.

“Oh!” you said, surprised, “I’d-I’d love to, Eddie. But Samatha and I were going to work some more on our presentation during lunch so we didn’t have to get together this weekend,” you told him quietly.

He put his unoccupied hand over his heart and let out a deep sigh. He looked back at you with a playful smile and small shrug, “That’s okay,” he answered simply.

You heard the teacher start writing on the board so you gave Eddie one last smile before turning back around in your seat and starting to take the notes.

Once class ended, Eddie waited for you to pack your bag, “Well, if we don’t see each other before the end of the day…”he trailed off, “can I call you tonight?” he asked looking away from you.

You laughed softly and nodded, “Of course.”

He looked back at you and smiled with a nod, “Okay,” he confirmed, “tonight it’s your turn to talk for six hours though,” he said with a small wink.

You laughed once more and he joined in, “I’ll make some notes,” you joked, “I’ll talk to you later.”

Eddie smiled softly at you, “Talk to you soon,” he said before heading towards the classroom door. He stopped in the doorway and looked back at you, sending you a small wave.

You bit your lip and waved back at him. He ducked his head down and looked up at you through his wild untamed hair with a small smile before turning and walking away.

—-

The fourth time was that evening as promised. Eight in the evening rolled around and the phone rang, you jumped on it before it was done the first ring.

“Hello?” You asked with a smile.

He chuckled quietly on the other end, “You barely gave me the time to figure out what my greeting was going to be!”

You laughed along with him and shook your head, “I’m sorry! I didnt want one of my parents to pick up the line.”

“That’s fair, that’s fair,” he conceded, “so did you think of your talking points for this evenings meeting?”

You bit your lip, nodding, relishing in the fact he was making jokes with you.

“Did you bring the snacks?” you joked back to him.

“Oh yeah!” he laughed, “got a whole assortment. Anything you need, I’ve got.”

You parents came up the stairs, yelling, but at least not stopping in front of your door this time, they went right to their room where they’d fight for hours again, thinking that being behind closed doors made everyone believe the fighting wasn’t going on.

Eddie cleared his throat, “Do they always do that?” he asked quietly.

You sighed, sinking down into your desk chair, “Yeah, pretty much every night, I guess. It’s to the point that if I don’t hear them fighting I just assume one of them killed the other.”

“I’m sorry,” he said genuinely, “parents…parents suck sometimes.”

You shrugged, “Yeah, that’s true. They didn’t always, you know, suck but…it’s gone downhill after the last few years.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” he questioned.

You grinned but shook your head, “I would never want to…put that on someone else.”

“Hey, I meant it when I said that if you needed anything I could help? I know people need other people to vent to, sweetheart. I put a lot of my venting and frustration into my campaigns, but you can vent to me about anything and everything to me. Anytime.”

And that opened the flood gates for the two. Both talking about their home lives. You telling him details about the straw that broke the camels back for your parents which was the affair that your mom had, and Eddie talking about being made to live with his uncle and his dad teaching him to hot wire cars in his youth.

“Yeah, I mean, I guess some people just weren’t meant to be parents,” he said easily.

You sighed and moved the receiver to you other ear for…you weren’t sure how many times you had done that during the conversation that night.

“That’s so true,” you said quietly before looking to clock on your night stand again, feeling surprised when you read 2:43AM.

“Wow, we beat our old record,” you said with a small grin.

“A whole extra half an hour. Someone call the world record book!” Eddie chuckled.

You laughed along with him, “At least it’s the weekend now,” you mused as your laughter subsided.

“Yeah…you got any plans?” he asked, trying to be nonchalant.

“Nothing that comes to mind. Might try and get onto the piano in the living room. But I say that every weekend,” you sighed deeply, missing when you felt comfortable enough in your own home to play the musical instrument your parents insisted on you learning but then barely tolerated it being used as you got older.

“You play piano?” he asked, an air of surprise in his voice.

You grinned, “I do! Whenever I can, I try to play the one downstairs but my parents aren’t crazy about the noise anymore.”

“Well, I don’t know how to break this to you, Y/N, but I play the guitar and I think we just started a band,” he told you playfully.

You tossed your head back and laughed, “Wow, Eddie, I’m so honoured to be a founding member with you.”

He laughed a bit on his end, “I think I could listen to you laugh all the time,” he whispered.

Your laughter began to die out and you bit you lip and smiled, unable to deny the fact that the boy on the other end of the phone was having an effect on you. You really liked him in a very short amount of time. But you didn’t care how short the time had been. It was the truth.

“I think I could too, Eddie,” you replied back quietly.

“I was wondering, Y/N, since we wouldn’t see each other until Monday…if maybe you wanted to hang out later on today? After we, you know, sleep and stuff?” he asked you with a smile in his voice.

You felt your face redden and you looked down at your desktop, “I would really like that, Eddie,” you breathed.

He sighed out a small laugh, “Okay, yeah, awesome. So it’s…a date?”

You closed your eyes, grinning, “It’s a date,” you confirmed.

“Okay…I huh…do you want to meet at the school?” he questioned.

“Sure, that sounds good,” you smiled.

“Great, okay, yeah, amazing,” he began babbling making you giggle slightly, “I um, I can’t wait.”

“Me either,” you breathed out, “I’ll see you later, Eddie.”

“Bye, Y/N,” he replied bashfully before you both hung up.

Whatever caused you to dial the wrong number that night, you would be thankful for a long, long time.

[strangerthingsharrington]

EDDIE MUNSON and DUSTIN HENDERSON

S04E08 | CHAPTER EIGHT: PAPA

[strangerthingsharrington]

hi I’m not okay, but thanks for asking!!!

[strangerthingsharrington]

Screaming, crying, throwing up i dont know how I’m going to survive v2 but bitch I’m gonna figure it out

[strangerthingsharrington]

I’ve been trying to mentally prepare myself for Volume 2 since Volume 1 came out and yeah, I’m not going to be ready. If something happens to Steve or Eddie I’ll truly sue the Duffer bros/Netflix/everyone for emotional distress and my therapy bills.

[strangerthingsharrington]

All facts.

steve loving too hard and showing so much affection because he never got enough love growing up. dustin being extremely attached to steve and eddie because he never had that paternal figure in his life. eddie making sure mike lucas and dustin felt welcome in hellfire club because he was always left out and called a freak growing up. robin apologizing and rambling to explain her actions because she was always criticized by her mother for her personality. max putting up walls to guard herself because she’s afraid that anyone she lets in is going to hurt her like so many people in her life have. nancy having to be in control of everything because she is terrified of ending up living the fake american dream like her mother. lucas expecting nothing in return from anyone around him because he’s been let down so many times —

[strangerthingsharrington]

Can’t Fight This Feeling

This is the last one! Like I mention I have many outlines for about 7-10 chapters that would follow S4, but I gotta see the conclusion on July 1st! But from what I’ve written…it’s emotional 🥺🥺

-26-

October 1985

Driving through the streets of Hawkins three months after the events of Starcourt, everything about the town seemed different. Seeing people relaxed and smiling, enjoying the simplicity of a small town seemed unnerving to me. Me and the rest of the party knew about the dark secrets of Hawkins. The things that had happened in my once notably boring town. Everything looked different. I couldn’t get away from how different things were, the nightmares reminded me every night.

The sadness that I still felt was overwhelming some days. Sometimes I woke up in a cold sweat, having watched Billy die, or because I remembered how it felt to be tied back to back with Steve and feeling him get beat up the fear that he was going to die. The fear that Dustin was going to die.

Having Steve by my side everyday since that had been a saving grace. Everyday my broken heart felt like it was getting put back together slowly, piece by piece.

But now we were driving through Hawkins in Steve’s car. The car he let me use to help us get into the underground Russian lair. The car that we drove to our first date in. The car we had out first kiss in. The car where he asked me to be his girlfriend a week after our first date. Our hands were intertwined as always.

We were taking the familiar route to the Byers house to see them off. The Byers were leaving Hawkins. My oldest friend was leaving. After everything they had been through lately, Mrs. Byers decided she needed to keep her family safe and get them out of this town.

I respected that. But it didn’t make it easier.

I wasn’t sure what I was going to do without them in the town. Jonathan had always been a constant in my life. Especially after dad left.

“You okay?” Steve asked me.

I looked away from the window and over to him, “I’m okay. Just…I don’t know, sad, obviously.”

He nodded while looking at the road, leading us to the Byers house.

“I know,” he said looking to me quickly with a sad smile, “maybe…maybe they’ll come back. If nothing happens here for a little while, maybe they’ll feel safer,” he offered.

I grinned and leaned my head against the head rest, admiring his optimism, “Maybe,” I allowed with a small nod.

He smiled and lifted our hands up to kiss the top of mine without taking his eyes off the road.

We pulled up to the Byers house a couple minutes later, with Steve parking next to Jonathan’s car. I got out of the car and went to Steve’s side, where he was just getting out and instantly grabbed my hand. I led him into the house where Max, Lucas and Dustin were sitting in the living room next to some half packed boxes, but Max and Lucas were singing Never Ending Story to Dustin who was holding up his middle finger at the duo. I smiled at them as I led Steve down the familiar hallway to Jonathan’s room.

“Hey,” I said as I walked in the room where Nancy and Jonathan were standing.

Jonathan looked to me and frowned slightly, “Now I’m really gonna start bawling,” he said with a small chuckle.

“No! Please don’t because then I’ll start!” I told him, letting go of Steve’s hand and going to hug Jonathan.

“This really sucks,” he told me quietly.

I pulled away from him and put my hands on each side of his face, “Your mom is doing what she feels is right,” I told him, “I mean…it sucks but, your mom is smart, she knows what she’s doing.”

I let my hands fall as Jonathan sighed, “I know,” he relented, he looked from me to Nancy and smiled slightly at her, “just wish I could stay.”

“We all do,” Nancy told him with a grin.

I smiled and took a couple steps back towards Steve, “It’s not gonna be the same without you, Byers,” I said, as Steve put his arm around my shoulders.

Jonathan looked to me and nodded before looking quickly to Nancy and Steve next to me, “Can I have just, like, two minutes with Lou?”

Nancy nodded once, “Of course,” she said quietly before leaving the room, sending me a small smile.

I looked up to Steve and saw the hesitation in his eyes. I still got the feeling, sometimes, he still had a hard time with Jonathan given the past with Nancy and the fact that we dated for five seconds years prior.

Steve cleared his throat and nodded, “No problem,” he said before leaning down and kissing the top of my head, “I’ll be in the living room,” he said before sending me a small smile and leaving the room.

I looked over to Jonathan and saw his eyes had filled with tears.

“Don’t do it,” I playfully warned, feeling the tears fill my eyes too.

He chuckled and shook his head, “Sorry,” he told me, “I just…I’m really gonna miss you, Lou. And I didnt want to get this weepy in front of everyone when we leave,” he looked down at the ground and shrugged, “I mean…you’re my best friend, Louise,” he told me softly, “and you’ve been there for me…through the worst shit. And this…I hate this,” he said with a shrug, “I hate that I have to leave Nancy and you and everyone else. And you know as much as anyone, I hated Hawkins. Hated it. We both did. But the last few years have gotten better, with the exception of the upside down,” he said with a low laugh.

“What I’m saying is…as much as I always wanted out, I never…wanted out,” he explained scrunching his nose, “Hawkins is home and you guys are all here…I’m never going to find people like you guys out there,” he told me quietly, moving some of the hair from his face.

“I get it,” I shrugged, “it’s like…we’ve felt like we’ve been suffocating in this town forever. And dreaming about wanting out of here. But then when we have the chance…we don’t want it and want to be here. Thing change, you know?” I shrugged as he nodded, “I think you and I…are finally happier here. And now the fact that you and Will and El and your mom are leaving…I don’t know it’s sinking in and it’s weird,” I chuckled, “but this will always be home, Jonathan,” I explained, taking a couple steps towards him and putting my hands on his shoulders as he grinned down at me, “This is home and don’t ever forget that. You can always come back. Whenever you want. You’ll always be wanted here. You’ll always have a spot here. You and the rest of the Byers clan. I can’t imagine Hawkins without you,” I said as the tears spilled down my cheeks with Jonathan’s following seconds later, “but we’ll all be okay. We’ll call and-and write and visit when we can. And it’ll all be okay.”

“I love you, Lou,” he told me as he wiped his face.

I grinned dropping my hands from his shoulders, “I love you too, Jonathan,” I replied, wiping my eyes as well.

He pulled me into a tight hug that I returned letting the tears flow freely as I stood on my tiptoes with my head barely reaching his shoulder.

“Jonathan?” his mom called from outside the room, “Oh sorry,” I heard her say from behind me.

We let go of each other and I turned to look at Mrs. Byers who also was getting teary eyed.

“Sorry kids,” she said sadly, “I know it’s hard, but I just…” she drifted off, looking to the side.

“It’s okay, mom,” Jonathan told her.

I nodded, “We get it, Mrs. Byers. You’re doing this to keep you guys all safe. We all respect that .”

She looked back and smiled at me softly, nodding, “I um, just came by to say that we’re loading the last few things and we’re going to be hitting the road,” she sighed softly looking around the empty room before leaving.

I turned back to look at Jonathan, who was looking around the room with a frown on his face.

“Come on,” I said, gently wrapping my arm around his, “times run out,” I said lightly.

He sighed deeply, bringing his other hand up to cover mine that was wrapped around his arm, “I know,” he admitted softly.

We walked into the now empty living room where Steve was standing, looking over at us once we entered.

Steve cleared his throat, “Nancy went outside to help.”

I looked up to Jonathan as he nodded, “Thanks, man,” he said before looking down at me, “should probably help too,” he told me, as I dropped my arm from his.

He took a few steps backwards, looking around at the house. He nodded a couple times before he ducked his head down.

“I’m gonna miss this,” he said, staring at the ground, “I’m really gonna miss…home,” he said before looking up to me briefly then walking out of the house.

I sighed and looked to Steve who was watching me with a small smile.

“What?” I grinned, walking towards him.

He shrugged nonchalant, “Nothing,” he said, wrapping an arm around me once I reached him, “I just really like you.”

I laughed, putting my arm around his waist, “Well, I really like you too, Steve,” I told him as he beamed at me, “Come on, we gotta say bye,” I told him, leading him to the front door, closing it behind us when we got to the porch.

Outside everyone was gathered giving hugs to everyone. Tears free flowing from everyone.

Mrs. Byers looked to me as I walked out, “Oh, Lou,” she said when I got to her.

I let go of Steve and hugged her tightly.

“Thank you for being such an amazing friend to my Jonathan. And all the help with Will over the years,” she told me, squeezing tighter.

I smiled and pulled away from her, “I’m going to miss you guys.”

“We’ll miss you too,” she said gently, putting her hand on my cheek and giving me a reassuring smile.

She looked over to Steve who was next to me and smiled, moving over to him.

I took a step over to Will, at which point the tears began to fall for both of us.

“I’m gonna miss you,” Will told me through tears, before latching himself to me.

I held onto him, I had watched him grow up with my brother. He had been through so much in the last couple of years. I understood Mrs. Byers thought process. But it didn’t make it easier.

I smiled, “I’ll miss you too,” I told him, breaking the hug and wiping my face as he did the same with a small laugh.

“Hey, Steve,” Will said as Steve came back to stand next to me.

I felt like we were in a goodbye assembly line. One right after the other.

I walked to Jonathan and Nancy, he pulled me into a hug instantly and I held onto him tightly. My oldest friend, even longer than Robin.

“I’m gonna miss you,” he told me quietly.

I pulled away and wiped at my face to rid myself of the tears, “I’ll miss you too. Please come and visit and call still.”

“You too,” he said with a small smile.

We hugged once more before Steve was at my side again. Jonathan let me go and looked to Steve. I looked up to my boyfriend and I could see the gears turning in his head, he stuck his hand out to Jonathan.

“It’s been…great fighting monsters with you,” he said with a small grin.

Jonathan let out a small laugh and nodded, taking his hand and shaking it. Jonathan pulled Steve closer to him and leaned towards him, putting his face close to Steve’s ear away from me. Steve was nodding and looked to me quickly with a small wink. I giggled and felt my face heat up at gesture.

Jonathan moved back and they let go of their hands.

“Thanks, man,” Steve said with a small nod, “and yeah, yeah of course,” he said easily with a side eye to me.

Jonathan grinned and stuck his hands in his pockets, “No problem. And I’ll hold you to everything,” he noted pointedly.

“Louise?”

I looked over and saw El looking up to me. I smiled softly at her and turned to face her.

“Hey, El.”

She cleared her throat, “Thank you. For all the help,” she told me, “thank you for being a…friend. I will miss you.”

My smile widened, “I’m going to miss you too, El. Thank you for saving us and protecting the party over and over. Remember…this is home, El. You’re welcome to come back anytime. We’ll always have a spot for you.”

She wiped a stray tear that had fallen and nodded before turning and going back to Mike’s side.

“Babe?”

I turned to face Steve who looked to me sadly, “I have to go and get Robin, we’re going to Family Video, remember?”

I nodded, “Yeah, of course,” I replied.

He extended his hand out to me and I took it without a second thought.

“We have to go, everyone,” I announced to the group.

Everyone said their goodbyes to us and us back to them. Tears continued to stream down my face as Steve waved and said a small goodbye to Eleven who waved shyly at him.

Steve and I walked back to his car and we got in, once I was buckled in I put my face in my hands and let out a few more sobs as we drove away from the Byers former home.

“Hey,” Steve said softly, taking my hand away from my face and kissing the back of it, “it’s okay,” he cooed, “this doesn’t change anything. Just because they’re gone doesn’t mean you stop loving them or being friends with them.”

I lifted my head up and looked to him, “I know,” I explained sadly, “I just wish it was different. I just…he’s my best friend. Change sucks.”

He smiled and nodded, taking his eyes off the road momentarily to look at me quickly, “I know, baby. We’ll plan something to go out to visit them. Our own little vacation. Maybe in the summer after graduation?” he suggested, “Or spring break? We’ll figure it out.”

A small laugh bubbled past my lips as I nodded, “Okay,” I agreed.

Steve dropped me off shortly afterwards at my house, with the promise that he would come back to my house right after dropping off his and Robins resumes at the video store. Hopefully hearing good news.

My house was empty when I entered it. Still the same as it was in the morning when Steve and I left after having a morning coffee with my mom which had become a bit of a tradition since everything had happened. Hell, this was Steve’s second home. I had only met his parents a small handful of times. This was our base for the most part, unless the Harringtons were out of town, which was more often then not. But Steve always wanted to come back to my house, he always told me it was because of how…warm it was. How much of a home it was. He always said his house was cold, with or without his parents home.

I sat on the couch and turned the TV on, not caring what was on. Too lost in my thoughts about losing the Byers family. Too lost in my thoughts about Steve.

My heart had been simultaneously broken and repaired in the span of the last eight months. Broken over the loss of Hopper and Billy and the struggles that had come from that for Eleven and Max. Broken over losing my best friend and a family that had been there for mine in the darkest times. Repaired because…I had Steve. Steve was a saving grace to me. He wasn’t that King Steve from high school. He wasn’t Steve the hair Harrington. He was just…Steve.

The Steve who loved my brother like his own, who respected my mom. Who really cared for me the way I cared for him. I never wanted it to end. I wanted this. I wanted him.

My mom came home and we chatted a bit before she went to start dinner. Finally, Steve came through the door without knocking since my mom had told him several times he could just walk in.

“Lou!” he called, I looked over from the couch as he closed the door quickly behind him, “We got the job!”

“Hey! That’s amazing!” I said happily when he came and pulled me up into a hug making me laugh, “Congratulations!”

“Thanks!” he said through another laugh.

“We should celebrate!” I said as I pulled out of his arms, “Do you wanna go out to dinner? My treat?”

He smiled, “Let’s just hang around here, we can grab some junk food and watch movies. I just wanna spend the day with you.”

“We can manage that!”

—-

We were walking the candy aisle at the convenience store, Steve had his arms filled with chips candy and pop.

“What else could we possible need?” he asked me with a little laugh.

I smiled and looked back to him, “I’m looking for something!” I told him playfully before turning back to the bags and boxes of colourful candy.

I spotted the bag and grabbed two of them, holding them in my hand before turning back to Steve with a big smile.

“See?” I asked showing off the candy bags.

He squinted, “Sour patch kids...you hate those.”

I shrugged, “So? They’re your favourite,” I explained. He bought a bag at the movies a month or so prior and I had a couple and hated how sour they were but Steve went through them like a madman.

He smiled at me, “I love you,” he said simply.

I felt my eyes go wide but his face remained the same, smiling. No trace of regret on it.

“Really?” I asked him.

“Of course,” he stated, “this isn’t exactly where I wanted to tell you...you deserve more of a...I dont know...big moment...but I couldn’t hold it in anymore,” he explained as his face reddened.

I smiled and went to him, placing a hand on the back of his neck and bringing his face down to mine to kiss him quickly.

I pulled away and looked up at him, “I love you too,” I said softly.

He smiled widely at me, “Okay let’s go to the counter so I can put this stuff down and actually hug you properly,” he said happily.

I laughed and nodded following behind him where we put everything on the counter and waited to pay, I paid quickly and Steve took the bags and we walked out of the store, only to have Steve put them down on the ground immediately and pull me into a hug.

He had his arms wrapped securely around my waist and mine were hooked around his neck. He bent down a bit and picked me up, straighten himself up again. He buried his face into my neck.

“I love you, Lou. So much,” he mumbled in my neck.

I moved my head so my chin was resting on his shoulder, “I love you too, Steve.”

He put me back down on the ground and kissed me deeply.

“I love you,” he whispered against my lips.

Smiling, I pulled my head back slightly, “I love you, too,” looking into his eyes that seemed to be sparkling more than ever in the afternoon sunlight.

He grinned and let out a small laugh, “I could listen to that forever.”

“Well, I’ll say it as much as you want,” I whispered.

He pulled me closer to him, “I’ll always want to hear it. I’ll never get over that it’s you saying it to me, you’re absolutely perfect,” he murmured.

In that moment, I felt like, for the first time in the past few months, that everything was really going to be okay. That maybe the dark cloud hanging over Hawkins was finally going to have the sun start breaking through it. That…I don’t know…maybe my town could go back to being boring old Hawkins where nothing interesting seemed to happen.

—

Title credit to REO Speedwagon and gif credit to owner!

[strangerthingsharrington]

I have written outlines for about 7-10 chapters following S4 but I gotta wait till July 1st to see the outcome before I can complete it. Y’all, it’s angsty

[strangerthingsharrington]

I’m fuckin dead i love this man goodbye 💕💕

IM HE HISNA DHAJ I AUDIBLY GASPED IM NSVABWKQ