#He's just some guy playing dnd in his basement with his boy best 'friend'

[duncanor]

[check the byler tag]

How are we reinventing Mike Wheeler today

[aww-canon-no]

Projects self all over Deaf Steve: 

He wants to be a writer, but after getting made fun of by his English teacher, he never tells anyone about this.

He was born Hard of Hearing with progressives loss.  By kindergarten he’s profoundly deaf, but crappy parents just stick him in mainstream school and hope for the best.  They live in a small town so resources are terrible and Steve scrapes by with his horrible bulky hearing aids until he just abandons them because being cool is better than sound anyway.

He learns ASL because he’s got one speech therapist who actually learned about the Deaf community, and it sits in his brain so much better, but it makes switching from ASL to English hard and everyone thinks he’s dumb.

His teachers have written him off.

He starts writing out of spite- learning to turn sentences into lyrical, poetic prose that feel like water rushing over smooth stones whenever he reads them.  But he doesn’t show anyone because when he goes over his work he still finds spots where he gets nouns and verbs swapped, and he drops articles and plurals are hard to remember, okay?  They just don’t make any SENSE in English sometimes.

And yeah his teachers were probably right, even if he never lets go of his petty dreams.

He gets a job working for his dad.  It’s all hearing people and it’s hard and the end of the day he’s exhausted in spite of the fact that it’s not hard labor.  He naps a lot.

He’s still close with the kids he used to babysit so on some days he goes to visit Mike’s house and annoy Nancy who pretends like she’s not happy to see him now that they’re just friends.  The kids have been MIA for a while and Steve finds out why.

He goes down to the basement and one of the prettiest men he’s ever laid eyes on is sitting on a makeshift throne with a book propped up in front of him.  Steve can’t see his lips so he can’t make out what he’s saying but whatever it is, he can tell the guy’s really into it by how the boys are really into it.

His name is Eddie and he talks with his whole body.

When he notices Steve, he also starts throwing in some signs which...

Steve will unpack that later.

Later, Dustin explains DnD to him.  It’s story telling, and it makes Steve feel things.  He’ll never admit to being interested.  Ever.

But he shows up more and Eddie invites him to sit and peek at his notes, and Steve starts making quiet suggestions behind the partition on his fingers once he realizes Eddie’s not fluent but at least conversational.  Eddie looks at Steve with big doe-eyes and an expression of wonder.

He personally invites Steve back.

Together they start planning a campaign and when it’s over--it lasts twenty-eight hours played over two weeks--Eddie cups his face and tells him that it was beautiful thanks to Steve.

At some point, they kiss, because they’re both so obviously in love there’s no point in hiding it anymore.

Eddie shows Steve his music, and Steve buys Eddie some really powerful ear plugs so Eddie can experience how Steve listens to it.

One day Steve suddenly feels like he can’t hide anymore so he shows up at Eddie’s house and dumps a thumb drive in his palm and tells him it’s stupid but he just wanted to share something.

Eddie disappears for two days, and Steve thinks yeah.  It was that bad.

Then Eddie appears with spicy chicken sandwiches in a greasy bag and throws Steve onto his bed and kisses the breath out of him before signing to him that his stories were the best things he’s ever read, and the world should probably know.

Steve doesn’t think he’ll ever actually pursue writing.  But he might write more for Eddie.

[origamiplushie]

Dustin's really going through it

Read on AO3. Inspired by this tumblr post.

It is an ordinary Friday like any other. The party is once again gathered in the Wheeler’s basement. They’re just having a normal sleepover not playing DND so even Max has elected to join them. They have a pile of snacks and soft drinks, they’ve picked out some movies to watch later and right now they’ve given in to stereotype and are playing truth or dare.

So far Max has admitted to shoplifting (multiple times) (with very little shame), Will has demonstrated that he can do a handstand but only hold it for about 20 seconds, Lucas has been forced to chug a shaken bottle of coke and spent a tense fifteen minutes doing his best not to throw up and Dustin has confessed that he once destroyed a sweater his mom bought him and blamed it on Mews just so she couldn’t force him to ever wear him to wear it again. 

Dustin spins the bottle and watches it slow down to land on Mike. He dramatically pretends to contemplate his choices for a moment before turning towards Mike and asking with a sly grin: “What is the most embarrassing crush you’ve ever had?”

Mike sputters angrily. 

“None of your business!”

Dustin immediately shoots back with: “Actually we’re playing truth or dare so right now it is very much our business.”

“Shut up, I’m not telling you guys!”

“Come on dude, you forced me to show you pictures of the sweater! Fair’s fair!”

Will tries to goad Mike into telling them.

“Come on, Mike, it can’t be that bad?”

Max snorts and says: “Or at least not worse than Dustin in that puke coloured sweater.”

“Just rip off the bandaid and tell us already!”

“It’s Steve! It’s Steve, alright?” Mike finally exclaims. Immediately after that he slamms his face into his hands.

A moment of shocked silence follows.

And then Max starts laughing.

Seeing as Mike is clearly mortified, El leans over to pat him on his back.

“Steve is very handsome. And he is nice. I do not think he is an embarrassing boy to crush on,” she said.

Lucas decides to also try and reassure his friend.

“I mean, if I wasn’t dating Max and if I liked guys, I would probably also have a crush on Steve. He’s just like the whole package - he's athletic and charismatic and super supportive and a good listener, you know?”

Now Max, still laughing under her breath, adds: “Not just charismatic and nice, he’s hot! Have you seen him shirtless at the pool?”

Will, who so far had been struck speechless, turns entirely red in the face as he shyly nods and says: “I personally like watching when he plays basketball with Lucas.”

Mike looks like he feels a bit better and even dares to peek at the rest of the room through his fingers.

“For real?” 

Lucas nods enthusiastically.

“Yeah dude, Steve’s a nice guy. Half the school probably has a crush on him.” 

Mike isn’t hiding his face anymore but Dustin seems disturbed by the entire conversation.

“Nononono, fucking ew!Steve isn’t… hot. He’s a fucking doofus and a dork!”

They’re all laughing at Dustin’s distressed face now.

“You’re just mad your friends like your “older brother”,” Max chimes up.

Mike is confident enough by now to speak.

“Now you know how I felt when you were crushing on Nancy!”

After that all of Dustin’s protests are ignored as the group trades stories of Steve as well as their other crushes. Meanwhile Dustin tries to smother himself with a pillow and does his best to tune the whole conversation out.

—

Dustin doesn’t even give Eddie the chance to get out of the car and wave before he’s already throwing his bag in the back, sitting in and slamming the door closed.

“Soo… going out on a limb here, I’m guessing the sleepover didn’t go well?” Eddie says backing out of the Wheeler’s driveway.

“No! It didn’t! They all spent the whole evening basically gossiping and talking about some… dumb shit! We never even got to watching “Highlander”! It's new enough that it's still under the two day rental policy! And Steve said he’s not going to waive any more of my late fees! So I guess I’m going to have to drop this off today too. And when Steve asks ‘Oh Dustin, how was the movie? Were the swordfights as awesome as they looked on the box?’ I’m going to have to say ‘Well Steve, I never actually got to find out!’”

Dustin grosses his arms with a huff and glares out the window.

“That sucks dude. Did you tell them you wanted to watch the movie?”

“Yes! But apparently Mrs. Flemings is right when she complains that teens these days have no appreciation for art and culture!”

Eddie glances at Dustin sitting sullenly in the passenger seat and offers with a wink: “How about this? I’ll drive us to Family Video, rent the movie under my account after you’ve returned it and then we can hang out at my pace and watch it together. Then tomorrow you can tell the others how cool it was and what they were all missing out on by ignoring you.”

Dustin immediately brightens up.

“Really? Thanks, Eddie, you’re the best!”

“And hey, if we’re hanging out all day anyway, you might as well pick out another movie to watch as well. I don’t know about you but I don’t have any other plans for today.”

—

Dustin rushes to browse the shelves and pick a second movie while Eddie waits at the counter with the “Highlander” tape. 

He personally prefers sci-fi above all but he knows Eddie likes horror movies, so it might be nice to go with something Eddie liked as a gesture of appreciation. He considers his options for a while. Finally, “Star Trek” is put back on the shelf and Dustin turns towards the counter with the “Shining”. 

And then he stops.

Steve is leaning on his forearms against the counter.

Eddie is leaning forward as well, a strand of hair pulled in front of his face.

The two of them and Christopher Lambert staring up at them from the VHS case form a little triangle. They seem utterly oblivious to the rest of the world.

Eddie is definitely blushing.

Dustin takes a deep breath.

Steve and Eddie are reminded real quick that they are not alone in the universe when he starts yelling.

[whore-mel]

Y'all I'm back into my Michael afton phase. (I keep switching in between fictional crushes) So I'm going to write some head canons for him. Cause people see him as a rockstar fuck boy bully who's a jackass and the most handsome/popular boy in school. Sooo this is how I see him 🥰🥰

Michael afton head canons!!

He's bi. He sees hot punk woman and like: DAYUMMM. Then he sees his best friends and he's like: OHHHHH

He's a nerd. I mean. Come on guys. His dad is a business man. So obviously he was like: "if u fail math. I'm gonna shove a calculator up your ass." And then Michael is like : "😦".

He does play an instrument. Probably guitar and drums. And he is trying to make a band. Usually he and his friends play in Simon and Anissa's basement. (Anissa is chica bro, Simon is just a college student who is her brother)

He's not only a nerd. But a geek or a dork. Idk. He plays DND and he reads marvel comics and he likes math.

He skateboards. Like any time anywhere. Just likes it.

ABSOLUTELY hates dogs. Cause when he was 12. A Chihuahua absolutely ripped his shin and ever since then..he hated them. And is absolutely terrified of them.

He sucks at flirting. But his dorkiness got him two bad bitches. He also doesn't know how.

He started bullying Evan after Elizabeth's demise. Cause he says "it's Evan's fault he should've taken care of Liz". Even though it was Michael's responsibility to take care of his elementary school siblings.

His hair isn't long but isn't short. It's messy and he usually keeps it back by a metal hairband.

His go-to outfit is jean shorts and the grey tank top. 💀💀

He screams like a girl.

He's an artist, and he usually draws people around him.

He nags alot. Like alot.

He's definitely a golden retriever boy. He's all jumpy and smiley.

He smiles with his teeth and he probably has either dimples or freckles. Maybe both

He has tons of scars from dumb accidents or small injuries, usually on his legs.

He absolutely loves winter. Cause he gets to throw snow at his friends and no school. But he loves summer more.

He's the type of person to eat tons of junk food and not gain any weight. So he eats a lot.

He has braces. He says he needs them because he took his father's British teeth.

He prefers his mom's side of the family.

He was named after his grandfather, William's dad.

He's the type of person to text you "I FELL DOQWN THE STAIRS."

He has multiple bracelets and hairbands on him, cause "what if someone needs one!!"

Even though he has a skateboard and prefers a skateboard. He has a bike.

he loves chewing gum and popsicles. But he hates how fast they melt.

If you and him have never spoken and he randomly finds you walking down the street and he's bored. WELL! You're his friend now, whether you like it or not!

He's extremely extroverted, but he's bad at making friends somehow.

He's the type of person to gasp when he thinks of something great. Like "GASP! What if..." Y'know?

He's not the athletic person. He doesn't have abs or anything. But he's lean and his body in good shape because he helps his dad with the heavy metal and fixing the animatronics.

I don't think he ever thinks about sex. Most of the time just "DND..did I do my math homework..oh yeah..yeah I did..did I feed Elizabeth? No. Who cares..she'll feed herself. WAIT....where's my watch..? Oh it's on my wrist..forgot." I think that's what goes on in his brain most of the time

He's definitely a virgin. He stayed a virgin until he reached college. And he stayed a virgin until he died.

I think that's it. Idk tho. But here's my view of Michael afton!!! AHHHHHHH

[munsonsreputation]

How You Get The Girl

eddie munson x fem!reader

word count: [3.4K]

warnings: a tiny bit of angst (miscommunication) but the rest is pure fluff and idiots pining over each other! Taylor Swift inspired, but doesn't have guiding lyrics like "I know Places" and "Hey Steven."

summary: you tell eddie you're going on a date--you don't want to go on it, but eddie does a bad job at explaining why he thinks you shouldn't go. he goes to El and Max for some advice, which finally gives him the courage to get his girl.

_

Eddie felt like the biggest embarrassment in all of Hawkins—way worse than the devil worshipper, in his opinion. He honestly didn’t know why he was standing outside the Wheeler compound waiting for anyone to answer the door so he could get some goddamn advice he so desperately needed in trying times like these. 

“Pizza is—Eddie, what’re you doing here?” 

Two red braids swung as Max whipped the door open. Her best friend hiding behind her not knowing who the strange teen with a bush of hair and oversized leather jacket hanging from his shoulders was. 

His hands found its way deeper into his jean pockets, offering the two girls a smile, “Hey red…brunette.” 

Max turned her head behind her, feeling her friend pinch her side softly, not knowing they could trust the man. 

“He’s cool, El. He plays DnD with Mike and the boys—Eddie, this El, Mike’s girlfriend.” She stepped back, allowing her friend to finally be seen by the Dungeon Master, who smiled and pulled his hands out of his pocket to hold out in front of her. 

“I’m Eddie Munson, nice to meet you, El.” 

“Friendly” El thought to herself, nodding her head with a small smile sprawled on her face as she shook his hand gently. 

“What are you doing here?” Max asked once again, wanting to get down to the bottom of the situation, knowing that the boys would’ve told her and El if they were inviting some of the older kids like Eddie, Robin, and Steve to their little hang out. 

He shuffled from foot to foot, peeking further into the home and not seeing the guys in sight, “…I uh, was hoping to speak with the guys—need some girl's advice.” 

A smirk broke out on the red head’s face as El giggled, hiding her blushing cheeks with the palms of her hands, “Girl, advice!? They can’t help you with that, they absolutely suck at girl advice.” 

Eddie swallowed wide eyed and shook his head, “Well, that can’t be entirely true since Mike and Lucas seem to be great boyfriends to you girls.”

“Cause we got them trained—” Max went to respond before El had cut in. 

“Like dogs.” 

Max and Eddie simultaneously let out a laugh at El’s reply. 

“Look, if you want some solid advice that will actually work, then it’s best you talk to us…come on in.” Max and El made way, watching as Eddie sighed, kicking off his shoes and stepping into the home. 

“El, I’m going to tell the boys that the pizza isn’t here and that you and I want to read some magazines up here, alright?” 

“Sounds good.” El spoke, leading Eddie to the couch while he heard Max’s footstep and voice trailing down to the basement to relay her message that sounded convincing to the boys. 

Eddie and El sat beside each other, silence lingering for a few seconds before she finally mustered up the confidence to say something to the stranger she met a few moments ago. 

“Who is the girl?” 

“Huh?” 

“The girl you like…that’s why you want advice, right?” 

“Oh, yeah…um I don’t know if you’ve met her yet, Max has, so I’m sure you’ve heard about her. She’s good friends with Nancy and Robin…you know them, right?” 

“Yes, of course, they’re nice.” 

“Yea, well she lives across the street from Dustin, that’s how we met, actually. I was dropping him off from Hellfire and she was locked out of her house, so Dustin offered to let her stay at his until her parents got home.” Eddie explained as Max eventually joined the pair, taking a seat between the two. 

“We kinda hit it off that night, just introducing ourselves to one another and talking about shit we both like. Then we’d talk in the halls, invite her over to my trailer, she’d invite me to her house and we’d just talk. For hours. About everything and anything.” 

“She’s your girlfriend?” El proposed

 Eddie shook his head, vicious hands held out as if he was pushing that idea away from him, “Nope, no, not exactly.” 

Max rolled her eyes and crossed her arms across her chest “Not yet, anyways.” 

“Why?”

“They’ve been pining for each other for the past six months like idiots.” 

“Pining? What’s that?”

“It’s when two people act like idiots because none of them want to make the first move.” Max hurriedly explained to El, who seemed to understand and nodded, biting on her thumb as if she was thinking long and hard about something. 

Eddie sighed, running a hand over his face as he sat back on the couch, “Well, it turns out the pining could’ve been one sided this entire time since she has a date tonight.” 

“What!” 

“Some guy she ran into at the mall asked her out to see a movie tonight…kinda why I came over here because we got into a little fight.” 

“About what?” 

“The date, obviously.” Max replied, shaking her head at Eddie who pouted guilty, “so what bullshit came out of your mouth that pissed her off?” she inquired, watching as Eddie’s face dropped. 

“Told her why she would even bother going on the date if she knew it wasn’t going to work out.” 

God, the look on the girls’ faces. Absolute terror and disappointment. 

“What the hell possessed you to say that?” was Max’s first response, then came El, “You’re totally in the doghouse.” 

Eddie sighed loudly, dropping his hands dramatically into his lap, “I don’t know, alright! We were in her bedroom and she was just rummaging and rambling about how nervous she was over the date and how she really even like the guy and…and I don’t know, I got jealous—jesus christ, I got jealous.” 

“Y’think,” El and Max both mumbled under their breath, trying to figure out what he could possibly do to make the situation better. 

“What happened after you said that?” El asked, looking up at him as Eddie sulked only deeper into the couch. 

_

Eddie sat on the end of your bed watching as you basically tore every piece of clothing off of the hangers, frantically holding them up to your body, trying to figure out what you were going to wear tonight. 

“I just don’t understand why you’re freaking out.” Eddie murmured, resting his elbows on his knees, continuing to watch you. 

You groaned when the red dress you held up didn’t seem to fit your vision and turned back to Eddie, “I haven’t been on a date since forever, Eddie. And…I don’t know, I just don’t want to mess it all up.” 

“Do—do you even like the guy?” 

You halted all movements, slowly settling down on the floor of your closet sitting crisscrossed as your fingers twirled in your lap. Deep down, you really didn’t want to go on this date. For crying out loud, the guy that you wanted to go on a date with was in the room with you. But…Eddie never made a move on you for you to think that he felt the same. And you were too much of a scaredy cat to make a move on him. The last thing you wanted was to lose a friendship with a guy you saw almost every day. 

“I-I don’t know…I mean, I get this gut feeling that it won’t work out, but I might as well give it a shot, right?” 

The flash of a hopeful smile that you shot towards him should’ve comforted him, but it only made his heart rattle. How could you just settle for any other guy when he was sitting right in front of you. He was someone who cared. 

“Do you really think it’s a good idea to go on the date if you know it’s not going to work out anyways?” 

You furrowed your brows, slightly taken aback, “ok…ouch, Eds.” 

“What? I—I mean you did say it yourself-“

“But that doesn’t mean you get to say it.” You retorted a bit harshly than intended as Eddie’s eyes blurred with trouble and annoyance. 

He watched you get up, throwing down the garments that were on your lap as you stressed, cleaned around your room. Doing anything except meet his eyes because you were quite sure if you could face the rejection of the man you admired. Instead, you kept your eyes focused on the mess that littered your room. 

“Are you mad?” Eddie asked ridiculously as you rolled your eyes, fingers picking up the clutter of jewelry on your vanity and putting them back in their respective spot, completely ignoring his question and hoping your silence would answer his question and it did. 

He exhaled, uttering something under his breath that you couldn’t quite catch, but you could feel him getting closer to you. 

“I didn’t mean it like that…you know that—“

Your fingers let go of the stupid silver studs you couldn’t get the backs on and you turned around harshly with a heavy huff, “Then what did you mean Eddie? Am I not good enough to go on a date on my own accord? Am I not pretty enough for him? Or wait… is it because no guy would ever date me?”

That took him aback. 

“W-what? No! Absolutely not! I never said that.” 

“You don’t need to say it, Eddie.” You whispered sadly, brushing past him and heading back into your closet in order to get that mess of clothes and dresses cleaned up next. 

Eddie sighed, following you without missing a beat, “You know that’s not what I meant, I-I just…don’t you think you should go out with someone who you really like? Someone you like spending time with? Someone who enjoys the things you enjoy?” 

He was trying to best to hint, but it flew over your heated conscious completely, “I don’t exactly have guys lining up on my doorstep.” 

“I’m right here,” is what Eddie was dying to say, but he kept silent, shuffling from foot to foot as he watched you hung up your garments before you finally turned to him. Clutching a dress to your chest. 

“You should leave Eds…I have to get ready and he’ll be here in an hour.” 

_

Max and El groaned, throwing themselves back onto the Wheeler couch as Eddie gave them the full rundown of what had happened. 

“You’re a complete and utter idiot, Eddie!” Max rubbed at her temples as El reflected the same actions. 

Eddie knew he was an idiot. He wasn’t denying it. The fact that he left your home without saying anything was mistake #1 and the next was the fact that he didn’t tell you that he was the one—the only one worthy of you. Any other guy was a no go. 

“Hey is the pizza here?! We’ve been waiting for like—Eddie! What are you doing here, man?!” Dustin and the rest of the boys stormed up the steps of the basement and into the living room. Surprised but happy to see their Dungeon Master. 

“Uh…hey, I’m just um—“

A knock sounded on the door, thankfully stealing everyone’s attention from Eddie’s poor explanation, and Max and El stood up, speaking in unison as they made their way to the door with some cash in hand, “We’re helping Eddie with some girl problems!” 

“Oh, come on!” Eddie huffed, throwing his hands down into his lap at being outed, as the boys crowded around him, attempting to get the insights. 

Will, Dustin, Lucas, and Mike sat crisscrossed on the ground, being shoved out of the way by the girls who held two boxes of pizza’s in their hands. Offering Eddie and themselves a pizza slice, and throwing the box down for the boys to help themselves with. 

“Well, tell us! Maybe we can help!” Dustin suggested, with a mouth full of dough, cheese, and tomato sauce. 

“Yea right…you guys suck at giving advice, especially girl advice.” Max rebutted, as Dustin scowled at her. 

El thought a bit to herself, thinking about the times Mike had made her mad at what things could have cheered her up, “Tell her.” 

They all looked up at her strangely, thinking she would elaborate more, but she simply left it at that. 

Eddie shifted his head sideways, “T-tell her what…exactly?” 

“Everything you want to say to her.” El said, shrugging her shoulder and continuing to eat her pizza. 

“That the stupidest thing I’ve ever—“

Lucas stopped Mike with a slap to the back of the head, “Dude! Shut. Up.” 

“No, El’s right! Eddie, you need to go over there and tell her everything you’ve been dying to say.” Max added, dusting her fingers clean of the crumbs and standing up to pace in front of them. 

“I can’t just show up, she’s got a date in less than an hour—“

“You cannot let her go on that date.” Dustin said passionately, with his hands out. 

Eddie just sighed, hopelessly, “If you like her Eddie, then you need to say something…tell her how you feel!” It was Will’s turn to speak, trying to get his friend to gather the courage to go after his girl. 

“How do you guys know what’s going on if he hasn’t even told us?” Mike asked stupidly as everyone opted to ignore the clueless boy. 

“Tell her you want her for worse or for better!” Max said semi sarcastically, but knowing it was romantic and would swoon Eddie’s crush. 

El hopped up next, excitedly adding to the commentary, “You would wait for her, forever and ever!” 

The younger kids groaned all the while Eddie found it amusing, taking mental notes of what he would say to you. 

“Flowers! You need to get her flowers!” Dustin shot up, running out the front door and picking at Mrs. Wheeler’s flowerbed. 

Mike ran out after him, huffing angrily, “Hey! My mom is gonna kill you!” 

Max and El made their way towards Eddie, each laying a hand on his shoulder, “Dude, just speak from your heart. Tell her how much she means to you. There’s no doubt she feels the same.” 

“You sure?” Eddie looked up at them nervously, and they smiled widely, nodding their heads. 

“Go get her, Eddie.” Will moved, patting his back, giving that final boost of confidence to get up. 

Eddie gave each of them a hug, patting them on their heads, “Thanks you little twerps, if it all goes well we’ll get pizza next weekend.” 

“Here! Don’t forget these!” As Eddie exited the home, there was Dustin, thrusting a messy bunch of flowers into his chest, making the older teen laugh, “Looks like it’s about to rain, so you better hurry.” 

He looked up at the sky and sure enough, the sky was getting a bit darker and clouds were starting to form, but he’d stand in the rain for hours if it meant finally confessing his true feelings for you. 

“Gonna go get my girl, see ya!” Eddie jogged to his van, easily starting it up and turning up the music and driving off. 

The kids watching them in the driveway, “Think we can bike to your place in less than 10 minutes?” Max stared down at her watch before looking up at Dustin who cheekily grinned. 

“Let’s go.” 

_

“You got this Eddie…just say everything you need to tell her.” He spoke to himself quietly, placing his van in park as rain began to tumble down onto his windshield. 

The time on his watch reading 4:55, you were supposed to get picked up for your date at 5. 

Eddie wasted no time, hopping out of his seat, not bothering to shield his head from the rainfall and sole focusing on his feet moving quickly against the pavement and his fist baring down on your front door with three knocks. The air was cold, despite his layers of the denim and leather jacket he always sported. He didn’t know if it was the actual weather or the nerves kicking in as he waited for you to answer, but his teeth clatters against one another, gripping the bouquet tightly. 

“Hey—Eddie! Are you insane?!” 

He didn’t have time to prepare as you opened the door. You stood there in a short black dress, hair fallen in its natural state as a look of worry and confusion crossed your face. Yet you still looked gorgeous to him.

“You can’t go on that date.” He said through the coolness, keeping his eyes on you earnestly as you frowned, remembering why you were angry at him, or at least attempting to be. 

“Why?” 

He took a deep, shaky breath and let it all go, “Because I messed up, alright. Remember when you were tearing me a new one earlier?” 

You chuckled lightly and nodded, arms crossed as you listened to him, “I don’t think you should go on that date, not because you’re not pretty enough—gosh, you’re the prettiest girl I’ve ever laid eyes on. Not ‘cause I don’t think you can’t make your own decisions. And definitely not because you’re not good enough for anyone. But because no one is good enough for you.” 

He could see you swallow, and your body language change as your arms untangled themselves from your chest and laid behind your back instead. Fingers toying with one another, away from his view, but he knew it was something you always did when you were nervous. 

“I’ve been too afraid to tell you what I’ve wanted to for the last six months…I must have lost my damn mind to have left earlier without telling you why.” He started, letting his heart and mouth speak without a care in the world with what his brain was telling him. 

“But I like you, like really, really like you. I’ve liked you for a while now, and I would wait forever and ever if it means getting to spend time with you, more than friends—like romantically…I want you for worse and for better, all that romantic crap.” 

Your eyes softened, and your heart fluttered, a small laugh escaping after hearing the last bit as well as watching him slick his now soaking hair back.

His lips forming new words that you would think about every day, “I have these feelings for you that are so profound, I’m not sure if words would be enough to explain it—but the feeling I get when I’m with you…it’s unexplainable.” 

Eddie wants to be able to tell you the things he feels deep down, but it’s so hard to describe. The feeling and words like treasure locked in a chest for only him to experience. 

“I-I like you too Eddie…to be honest, I was hoping you would have told me this earlier, y’know, in my room and all. When you left, I thought you and I wouldn’t speak anymore, like I messed it up or something. My heart broke a little when you walked out.” 

You stepped forward from your doorway, now getting coated in the drops of water, not caring anymore.

He had to make it up to you. 

“Shit…I’m sorry, I’m so so sorry, babe, I’ll put your heart back together, if you give me the chance I’ll—“ 

God, he was everything you wanted and more. 

You shut him up, pulling him by his leather collar, in towards you and pressing your lips against his, the rain now cascading the two of you in kisses, and your lips moved against one another. His fingers letting go of the damn flowers, letting in fall between the two of you, while one of his hands rested on the back of your head, gently, pulling you closer, and the other arm draping around your back to dip you low. 

A giggle escaped from you, making him smile, the rain dripping onto the you two, but neither of you giving a damn as your lips connected in another heated kiss all before getting interrupted by a car horn beeping. 

Your eyes furrowed, watching the guy who was supposed to take you out on a date, look shocked as he mouthed a “what the hell!” 

“Sorry not sorry.” You shrugged, as Eddie laughed, kissing you again, finger flipping off the dude as he raced away. In this moment in time, it was clear that it was always going to be you two.

When you finally pulled away, you both smiled with how ridiculous you each looked, soaking wet hair, and clothes that were absolutely drenched. Skin cold, but insides warm, full of love and sweetness, “Let’s go inside and warm up, yeah?” 

“Yeah.” You nodded shyly, keeping your eyes on the bright colored flowers that withered from the rain. 

Eddie took your hand, making you forget it all, “C’mon, baby.” 

You walked in first, him next, shutting the door behind the two of you, but not before seeing the kids poorly hiding behind the oak tree that sat on Dustin’s front lawn. 

“That’s how you get the girl!” Max and El shouted, making him chuckle, shaking his head lightly as he waved, 

“Thanks dweebs!” 

They all laughed, watching as Eddie shut the door, leaving everything behind them, “Oh my mom is so gonna be pissed about her flowers!”

“No one cares, Mike!” 

A/N: I know this one is short, but I wanted to keep it sweet and to the point! I really hope you guys like it, and feel free to send me some asks/requests!!! All credits to the lovely, Miss Taylor for the lyrics I referenced as well as inspired this whole piece!!!!

[walmarttrashbag]

Love Letters

It was a pretty dull Saturday and you decided to get the mail

Nothing much, but a love letter?

I opened the note carefully, there was ribbon and lace wrapped around it.

Dear y/n,

Okay, this is gonna sound pretty weird, but would you like to join our party? (This is Mike by the way)

Yeah, we'd like you to join because we'd like your help with the bullies since you help us with them anyways (I'm Lucas)

And we can share our food with you! Well, that's if you want and if Dustin agrees (Hi it's Will)

Ugh fine, if you join I'll give you some of my goods, no nougat though! That stuff is all mine! (Mr. Golden Smile)

And we have to be honest... You're quite pretty.

Signed: M.W. L.S. D.H. & W.B.

( p.s. meet at 2350 Maple St. To join :D )

I smiled to myself, a bunch of boys like me, I've never felt as loved. I'll go to the address tomorrow.

*Tomorrow.

I kept walking around the Suburbia's Hawkins until I finally found the right address.

I walked up to the house and knocked on it, I heard the rushing of footsteps and I boy opened it. It was Mike.

His eyes had stars in them and his lips parted.

"Hi Mike!" I said sweetly, Mike's parted lips turned into an open smile and he took me to his basement.

The rest of the boys gawked when they saw me, thinking I wouldn't hang out with some 'losers'.

"Oh my god.." Dustin said with his cute lisp.

"You came..?" Lucas questioned.

"Yes" I smiled, fidgeting with my fingers. The boys stared at me adoringly. I opened my arms and they ran over and hugged me, I embraced all the warmness they gave.

"Thank you! Thank you!" They shouted, I giggled and and shrugged.

"It's really nothing" I smiled "You guys are great huggers"

They smiled and blushed.

I sat down and they introduced me to DnD, I spent 7 hours playing? No, it had to be 8.

I just found my new best friends.

[starsofmilos]

I’m not like them! (Adrian Chase x  plus size reader)

Synopsis: You’ve had feelings for Adrian for the longest, but you’re not his type at least you think you aren’t.

hehe I’ve had this idea for a while and noticed that there is not many plus size reader for our boy!!! And plus size girls deserve the love too! 

Warnings: dry humping,light smut, praise, insecure reader, mentions of sex, mean people,mentions of violence, self doubts, cursing, angst but happy ending

Masterlist

You weren’t Adrian’s type. Well you thought you weren’t considering almost every girl he has hooked up with in the past looks nothing like you. You’d been friends for nine years. It was a year into the friendship your feelings for him bloomed

Eight years.

For eight years, you had been in love with your best friend. It started during junior year of high school. He was the only one who didn’t make fun of you because of the way you looked. You were more curvy than most girls. That’s at least how Adrian described it.

Your body wasn’t the smallest this was a known fact to you, but Adrian...Adrian made you feel normal. Not some fat loser like everyone else did.

Your friendship bloomed from there. It didn’t take long for you to fall for him.  You were there when Chris went to prison and when Adrian first decided to become Vigilante.

His own personal nurse is what he called you. It was so hard not to love Adrian..You spent years having to deal with hearing about the threesomes with Peacemaker. The girls he would be with. 

In your eyes, this was your job. You were his best friend. You both had come so far from the chubby girl who would get picked on. To Adrian who went from the nerdy boy who played dnd in his mom’s basement. 

Adrian and you were together for your worst and best moments in your life. You even became room mates. What you didn’t know is that Adrian felt the exact same way. 

Adrian couldn’t imagine a life without you. He fell for you the day he met you. You were different. Well you looked different sure, but you were different. You didn’t wave him off and even tried your best to learn his interests. 

You took time to learn DND so he would have someone to play with. You learned his favorite foods so you could make them for him. Adrian believed he didn’t have emotions like most people, but with you..He knew he became so weak.

He never let anyone tear you down. He may not have been as strong as he was now in high school, but he still would get into fights for you. It brought a small smile to his face remembering all the lectures you would give him. 

“You can’t be this dumb Adrian! I’m use to people making fun of me! So please stop getting into fights you can’t win for me!” 

“Y/N I will always try to defend you even if I know I can’t win because you don’t deserve to be made fun of! Just because you’re a little bigger than most doesn’t mean You’re ugly like they all say and I will beat it into them so they understand that!”

“You’re the one getting beat though Adrian!!” 

Obviously it wasn’t how it use to be. Adrian later on decided to become Vigilante and from there he matured and grew. You had feelings for him before, but after you admired his bravery for risking his life and fell for him even harder than before. Yeah he killed people, but he never killed anyone who didn’t have it coming. 

Plus you couldn’t help but to check him out when he walked around shirtless in your shared apartment. With his developments though, there came the backlash. Girls started to notice him. As Vigilante and as Adrian. 

It was hard on you.

You had to watch the guy you were so hopelessly in love with get with all these pretty girls. Girls who didn’t look like you. You weren’t slim like them. You couldn’t fit into Adrian’s clothes like they could. You would never be able to be carried around effortlessly like they could.

They were so different compared to you and it hurt. It hurt to be reminded that the girls he chose to sleep with didn’t look like you. 

They didn’t have stretch marks or have to worry about what they wear. They were stared at for different reasons than you. Adrian slept with them. They knew the feelings of his arms and touch. 

You weren’t like them. 

This led to your current predicament. Peacemaker was out of jail and Adrian had been excited for them to hang out. “It’s gonna be just like old times nugget. I’m so excited.”

“Like old times..” You muttered out as Adrian nodded pacing around the apartment looking for his gloves. You reached into his top drawer handing them to him. 

“Oh thanks nugget.” He ruffled your hair walking to the living room. “No problem..” 

Adrian stopped seeing you with a small distant look. “You alright?” You nodded. “Uh yeah I’m good. You have fun okay..” He smiled giving you a quick hug.

“I really do appreciate you nugget.” You nodded hugging him back. “If I get back early let’s watch a movie yeah?” 

“Sure Adrian. Get going now.” You kissed his cheek walking to your room. Adrian grew a bit flustered walking out. “Fucking adorable.” He muttered quietly as he looked back hearing your door shut.

You sighed sitting on the bed feeling a bit sad. Peacemaker was back. That means Adrian would be gone more often and the threesomes would be starting back up. Adrian would probably be bringing girls over again or he just wouldn’t come home at all.

You shouldn’t be upset. It’s not like he was yours. You were just friends...Just friends.

Adrian laughed as Peacemaker and him blew some shit up. “Oh dude this was fun. Look if you’re down for it, I have a date coming by in a bit, wanna come with me like old times?” Adrian hummed in thought as he stood up. 

“Nah I think I’m okay.” 

“Really you usually never pass this up Vig.” Adrian nodded. “Things changed while you were in prison.” 

“Oh..you finally asked out Y/N?” Chris smirked seeing Adrian’s head pop up.

“No! We’re just friends!” Chris hummed as Adrian shook his head.

“Sure just friends. Dude just ask her out. You’ll regret it if you don’t.” Adrian scoffed. “No I’m not asking her out. She doesn’t like me dude.” 

“So you won’t mind if she starts dating.” Adrian shook his head. 

“Nope not at all. I would actually be happy if she did. She would be happy and that would make me happy.” Chris nodded. 

“She is a pretty girl. Yeah she’a bit bigger, but she’s cute.” Adrian laughed at Chris’s word. “Dude you’re joking right?” 

“What?”

“Y/N isn’t cute. She’s fucking adorable and so fucking hot. I love when she wears shorts around the apartment because holy crap her ass is amazing. She always makes sure I’m doing okay. Which reminds me she wanted me to tell you hi. She’s so sweet. I get angry though because she doesn’t look out for herself like she does everyone else.”

“Sounds like love to me dude.” Adrian shook his head.

“It’s not.” Adrian grabbed his bag deciding to take off. “Now I gotta go. You have fun though.” 

“I will shame you’re not joining.” He shrugged. “Sex hasn’t been too appealing lately.” Chris laughed. 

“The person you wanna fuck is right in front of you that’s why.” Adrian shifted on his feet. He wasn’t wrong. Most of his dirty dreams lately were with you. The thought of you moaning as he fucked you deeply.

Would you whine or cry out when he came inside of you?

Adrian shook it off laughing a bit before walking off. “I’m just saying if you don’t ask her out someone else is bound too.” Adrian sighed hearing Chris’s last remark to him.

You sat in the pizza place waiting for your order. Adrian had asked you to pick it up while he went to buy snacks for your surprise movie night. You were excited and kinda relieved he didn’t go fully crazy with Peacemaker.

“Hi.” You looked up in confusion seeing a tall dark haired man sit in front of you. “Hi?...” You said a bit confused and on guard.

“My name is Derek.” You nodded. “Okay and?” 

“What is your name pretty girl?” You choked a bit hearing him. “Uh is this a joke?” You asked a bit unamused.

“What?” 

“Look I saw your buddies pointing at me when you walked in. If they put you up to this, can I just give you a fake number and you can tell them how you got the big girl to actually think you were interested?” Derek sighed looking back at his friends who were staring at them.

“Yeah I’ll take the fake number.” You nodded grabbing a napkin and a pen. “Here now fuck off please.” He nodded.

“Yeah thanks. Sorry you seem like an approachable friendly person, you’re just not my type.” You rolled your eyes as he walked away. You were used to most guys doing this. No one ever truly liked you. You bit your lip trying to hide your emotions as you heard his friends laugh. 

Grabbing the pizza, you walked out trying to ignore the small bitter feeling as his friends pointed once more at you laughing. Fuck them. They didn’t know you for who you were. You’d like to think you were somewhat attractive. 

It was just because you were not the same size as most girls.

Adrian smiled as he set the movie up waiting for you to get home. This is what he’d been craving a night in with his favorite girl. You seemed excited too when he mentioned it and that made him excited.

You walked in tossing the pizza on the counter top. “Hey!” Adrian cheered as you walked straight to the fridge. “Hi.” He stopped after hearing you.

Why did you seem upset?

He stared at you as you grabbed a beer from the fridge using the bottle opener to quite aggressively open the bottle. Adrian couldn’t help but stare at your throat as you took a huge gulp. He shook it off walking to you.

“Dude you alright?” You nodded with a bitter smile. “Just peachy Adrian!” 

“Are you being sarcastic?” You groaned nodding. “Sorry I just had a rough day.” “Oh do you wanna talk about it Y/N?” You sighed shaking your head. “No the last thing I need is you trying to find the person who made me like this.”

“Wait someone upset you? Who?” You looked away as Adrian grabbed your hand. “Hey..talk to me.” 

“I went to get the pizza and while I waited some guy came up to me. He tried to flirt with me.” Adrian’s breath hitched at your words. “What?..” You nodded. 

“He tried to flirt with me. I never get flirted on so I for some odd reason felt flattered until I saw his friends laughing and pointing at me from the back” You scoffed biting back some tears

“They set him up to get my number so I gave him a fake one after telling him I knew what his friends had set him up too....You know what he said, ‘Sorry, you seem like an approachable friendly person, you’re just not my type.’ The nerve of some people.” 

Adrian shut his eyes feeling angry. How the fuck dare those pieces of shit toy with your emotions? Was he kinda happy that this guy didn’t ask you out? Yeah, but that doesn’t mean he wanted you to feel like crap.

You took another sip of your beer grabbing the paper plates. “It’s whatever you know. I’ll get over it.” You opened the box handing him his plate. “Let’s have some fun tonight yeah?” Adrian stood quiet.

“You know that they were idiots right?” You hummed. “I know they were idiots. Doesn’t mean what they said wasn’t true.I think I’m just tired of being the approachable one. I want to be the datable one, but any person I meet..I’m not their type.”

You were Adrian’s type.

You grabbed a slice of pizza heading to the couch. Adrian served himself following you. You sat down propping your feet under you in a criss cross position. 

“You are the datable one.” He told you while grabbing the remote. You snorted a bit. “I know you’re just trying to make me feel better. I appreciate it dude, but I’m kinda not in the mood for the whole you were better than them anyway speech.”

“You are better than them Y/N. To me you are. You’re literally the coolest and nicest person I’ve ever met. No one deserves you. Not even me.” He pressed play to the movie not noticing the small stunned look you gave him.

“Who said you didn’t deserve me?” Adrian glanced at you shrugging. 

“I did. You’ve been my friend for so long, and I don’t deserve you as my friend Y/N. You’re literally so beautiful and cool. You chose to be friends with the loser in high school knowing both of us would be getting bullied-”

“Yeah you did too. You chose to be my friend Adrian. You could’ve joined everyone else and you didn’t. If anything I don’t deserve you as my friend. You..You’re the best thing in my life. I used to think I hated people, but then I met you.” You smiled at him taking a small bite of your pizza.

Adrian stood quiet once more stopping the movie. “Dude you okay-” 

“No I’m not.” Adrian grabbed your plate wanting your full attention. “You listen to me Y/N, right here right now. I never want you to think you don’t deserve me okay? I-I...” Adrian wanted to say what had been on his mind, but as he stared at you. Nothing wanted to come out. 

“I..I think you’ll find the right person eventually. I know it. You’re one of the best things in my life and I will spend every second trying to convince you that you are worth so much.”

Adrian smiled patting your thigh. “Thanks Adrian...” You muttered out feeling slightly disappointed. “Um..I think I’m gonna call it an early night.” You told him standing up. “I think I just wanna lay down for a bit..sorry.” You ruffled his hair walking away.

Once in your room, you slid down your floor feeling tears rise in your eyes. You didn’t understand why you were crying. It felt like a dam you had been holding in finally snapped. 

Adrian was the one you wanted and he just said how you would find someone eventually. He didn’t know that the one person you wanted most was him. You hiccuped a bit wiping your face.

Adrian sat there for a bit before getting up to head to your room. Something was wrong. He could feel it. Adrian was about to knock on your door, but stopped hearing a small sniffle. 

You were crying.

He opted out of knocking instead opening your door. “Y/N-” “Oh shit!” Your yelp cut Adrian off as you jumped. “Sorry you scared me.” You nervously laughed. 

“Why are you crying?” “Oh I wasn’t crying-” “We’ve been friends for close to ten years. I think I know when you’ve been crying.” Adrian moved to sit across from you.

“I’m gonna be honest with you. I don’t know why I’m crying.” You sniffled wiping your face. “You sure you don’t?” Adrian gave you a small look as you crossed your arms feeling vulnerable.

You stood quiet, “Adrian what if I told you a deep dark secret of mine and you didn’t approve of it..would you still stay my friend?” Adrian tilted his head a bit confused.

“I mean I don’t see why not unless you did something really bad-” 

“No I didn’t do anything bad Adrian. I just have been keeping something from you for a good eight years now and I think I have to tell you now..”

“Well what is it?” You grabbed his hand fiddling with his fingers.

“Please don’t hate me...Adrian I..I’ve been..I love you. Not as a friend. More than a friend. I’ve been in love with you for so long. I know I’m not your type. I know I’m not like the girls you usually go for..and I understand if this changes the way you view me..I just needed you to know. I’ve spent years hearing about all the girls you’ve been with knowing I can’t be them..I’m not like them so it’s okay if you don’t feel the same.” You whispered out pulling your hands away to run your fingers through your hair.

Adrian looked stunned staring straight at you. “Fuck me.” He muttered out pulling you to him. You made a small muffled noise as he kissed you. 

“You have no idea just how long I’ve liked you. Holy shit Y/N. You- You- Fuck this is totally not fair you confessed first. I’ve been trying to work up the courage to tell you but I was such a pussy.”

“Are you serious Adrian?” 

“I am so fucking serious. I love you..I love you so fucking much. I can’t think of anyone lately but you. Fuck you’re hot and cool and mine. You’re mine.” 

“I wanna be yours Adrian..If you’ll have me.” Adrian grinned kissing you. “Why did we let so much time fucking pass by? I wanted to kiss you so bad in high school. You were so fucking cute back then and now you’re fucking adorable and pretty. Fuck so pretty.” 

Adrian groaned as he kissed you desperately. You ran your fingers through his hair. He pulled you to him wanting you on his lap.

“Wait! I might be too heavy for you-” “Shut the fuck up and get on me.” Adrian pulled you on him licking your bottom lip. You gasped a bit as he moaned pushing his tongue in.

“Fuck!” You moaned as he pulled back kissing his neck. Adrian whimpered a bit as you ground your hips down. “Sorry!” You apologized a bit self conscious. “No no don’t apologize. Do it again.” 

You nodded eagerly grinding against him. Adrian moaned guiding your hips. “Fuck fuck! You’re so fucking pretty and shit. Looking so fucking cute moaning on my fucking covered cock.” You panted as he stuck his hand under your shirt groping your breast. 

“Is this okay?” You nodded. “Please. It’s been so long..I’ve wanted no one but you.” Adrian groaned helping you speed up. “Fuck me! You’re..Fuck! I don’t know what to say Y/N! I’ve been wanting this for so long!” 

You whined against his mouth as Adrian kept kissing you. You felt your panties grow wet as he sucked a mark on your neck. 

“Fucking mine. You’re fucking mine now. I will kill anyone who fucking hurts you or tries to take you from me.” Adrian grit his teeth as you eagerly moved pulled his hair back kissing his neck. 

“Can I mark you Adrian?” 

“Fucking do it.” You smiled biting his neck before sucking small marks. Adrian grabbed your hips hauling you up with him to throw you on your bed. He pushed your hands down grinding down on you. 

You wrapped your legs around his waist throwing your head back feeling a small coil form in your lower stomach. Adrian kissed down your neck kissing the top of your chest. “Your skin taste so sweet. Fuck thank you thank you..” Adrian muttered as he felt himself on edge.

“You’re so fucking pretty. So soft. Fuck I wanna be inside of you. I wanna be inside of you fucking bad.” 

“Adrian!” You felt the knot growing. “Fuck you’re such a good girl for me. I promise I’m gonna treat you so fucking good. I’m gonna take such good care of you! I-I..Fuck!!” 

You cried out as you came in your pants feeling his cock rub against your clit. “Adrian! Adrian! Fuck please!!” You moaned out as he sped up. Adrian cursed as he came in his pants. 

“Fuck..” You panted out as he kissed your neck leading up to you. “I came in my pants..” You laughed hearing Adrian. “Me too..” 

“You did?” Adrian looked at you in surprise. You nodded. “Yeah I did..My underwear feel wet now.” 

Adrian groaned, “Please don’t get me hard again.” You kissed him. “Adrian..you were serious about all of this right?..I don’t want you feeling pressured to date me. I..I don’t feel the best some days you know that. People might make fun of you for dating me-” 

“I don’t fucking care what people think. You are so fucking soft and cute and just fuck..I’ve been wanting this for so long. I want you..I wanna prove to you that you are so fucking beautiful.” Adrian stood up as you sat up. 

“Really?..” Adrian laughed as he helped you up.

“Really..I want to date you. You’re mine now. I think you’re gonna regret it though.” 

“I could never regret it. I love you.”

“You say that now, but I want all of you Y/N. I am never going to get enough of you.” Your eyes widened as Adrian pushed his leg between your thighs. You looked in shock. 

“You’re so soft and your hips are so easy to grab. Oh and I know you’d be able to take it so fucking well. Since you have thick thighs you can squish my face a lot more when I eat you out..Fuck..” You moaned as he kissed your jaw. 

“I just want you. I want all of you Y/N.” You nodded. “You can have all of me Adrian.” He grinned pushing you on the bed. You whined as he squished your cheeks together.

“So fucking cute and pretty. Such a pretty girl.” He grabbed some of your pajamas handing them to you. 

“Get changed. I’m gonna heat up the pizza after I clean up and change. We are finishing our movie night.” 

“Okay..” Adrian grinned kissing you before walking out. Adrian loved you. He loved you for all of you. You made him feel loved. He wanted you.

You smiled at the thought of Adrian cuddling with you. He was yours and you were his.

Adrian knew it would still take him a while to convince you that he truly did want you. You’d been hurt too many times, but he was okay with that. He made himself a promise to take as long as it was needed to convince you that you were absolutely perfect. 

He loved you no matter what size you were. The other girls he was with..none of them could ever compare to you. 

[camaro-and-smokes]

August

Chapter 1: Back in Town

Rating: Explicit Warnings: no warnings Characters: Billy Hargrove, Steve Harrington Tags: Fluff, boys kissing, au where everyone lives, no supernatural events. Chapter specific tags in each chapter

Summary: After graduating Steve got into college. After his first year he comes back to Hawkins for the summer to spend some time with his friends. Steve hears that there's a new king in town, and he wants to see what all the talk is about. Who knows, maybe his summer might turn out to be better than he'd hoped...

Author notes: I heard August by Taylor Swift and... yeah. My hand slipped. Oops. 💜

Chapters: Part 1 [PT 2] [PT 3] [PT 4] [PT 5] [PT 6] [PT 7] [PT 8]/ 8

Read on AO3 >>

::::::::::

Steve got into college after he graduated and moved away from Hawkins. When the spring semester ended, he took his old job at the Family Video for the summer so that he could hang out with his friends for one more summer before he would have to start looking for a summer job that would better serve his studies.

On Friday he arrived at the Wheeler house like so many times before. After greeting Nancy, he entered the basement to say hi to the kids on his way out. There was a red-headed girl with El who he didn't know. She introduced herself as Max.

"She's ok, but her brother is an A-class asshole," Eddie commented after his turn in the current DnD tournament they were playing with Dustin, Mike, Will and Lucas.

The comment was agreed upon by everyone.

"Ok, I guess I have to meet this guy, that's quite a credential if you all agree on it," Steve laughed.

Max rolled her eyes. "I honestly don't know why you would want to see Billy for yourself, but he is the lifeguard at the community pool for the summer. You'll catch him there."

"Ok, but I won't be going there alone. You're all coming with me."

Steve's words were greeted by a whine by all six kids - and Eddie, who declined to obey any orders.

"You need the fresh air anyway! Tomorrow, noon. I'll ask Nancy to pick up you girls, I pick up the rest of you."

The following day the kids poured out from the cars at the pool parking lot. Steve and Nancy set their towels on the grass.

"So, how was the winter in Yale?" Steve asked Nancy, trying to desperately to come up with small talk instead of talking about what happened last – failing at it masterfully.

"I really like it there," she answered. After a while she continued. "Steve, we don't have to let everything hang like this between us. I'm ok with it. I know why you wanted to come here. Just...Don't break anyone's heart over the summer, ok? It's a lousy summer memory to have."

Steve looked at her. "Is he that much my type?"

Nancy shrugged. "See for yourself," she nodded towards the pool.

There a lifeguard was telling to a group of boys with a very tight tone of voice how they would be removed from the pool area immediately the next time he caught them pushing or pulling each other under water. He was blond, about the same height as Steve and wearing just red shorts. A fact that left nothing to imagination. None of the guys Steve had hooked up over the winter had been in such a great shape.

"Steve, just remember to clean all that drool from your chin before you go talk to him," Nancy giggled.

"What was his name again?" Steve asked, keeping his gaze at the blonde.

"Billy. Billy Hargrove." Nancy smiled. "Hey, everyone goes to this new bar, The Rusty Stone, on weekends. We're going there with the girls tonight. You're welcome to join us. I'm quite sure Billy is there too."

In the evening Steve gave Nancy and her friends a ride to the bar. He had decided to observe the blonde tonight, if he'd turn up, just so that he didn't go after a player in the wrong team. No one needed that humiliation.

Sure enough, Billy turned up around midnight with a group of friends. He was already drunk, and the loudest of the bunch, drawing all attention on him. Almost instantly ladies started to hover around the group, trying their best to attract Billy's attention. His friends did gather the grapes for it, because while he did give them some attention, he didn't seem that interested in any of them.

After a while Steve decided to go and get himself a beer, because it was obviously going to be a long night. He stood by the bar waiting for his beer, when he heard someone shout "King Steve!" behind his back. He turned to look, and saw the blonde making his way through the crowd, directly towards him.

"I haven't heard anyone call me that in a while," Steve said when Billy was standing right in front of him all cocky and ready to show who was who.

Steve's reaction wasn't what Billy apparently had expected, because he was already almost saying something, and when Steve didn't deliver the line he'd expected, he was left standing his mouth open.

Billy measured Steve from head to toe.

"Like what you see?" Steve asked not missing a beat. He was not going to let some small town bully get on his nerves as the very first thing. Even though the bully did look quite dreamy. "Listen, if you want to continue this discussion later, I'm enjoying my beer right over there by the jukebox," Steve said, pointing at the table where Nancy and her friends were sitting. He left the bar for the table, and could feel Billy's eyes in his back. He didn't see Billy again that night.

Steve was at the evening shift at the Family Video on Wednesday. The night had been like all summer evenings, busy. But the last hour was always silent, so he was shelving the returns on the lowest shelf of the back row when the doorbell dinged.

"I'll be right with you," Steve said.

"No rush. I'm just dropping these off."

Steve recognized the voice and it made him stop. He stood up, and saw Billy standing by the counter.

"Do you need something from me? You know, for the return?" Billy asked showing the two films in his hand.

"Umm, no."

Billy nodded, left the films on the counter, and turned to walk out the door.

"Wait," Steve said before he could hold his tongue.

Billy turned to look at him.

"Uh...I'm sorry that I was an ass at the bar. On Saturday."

"Well, if you were an ass then it's good that I don't remember a thing," Billy said spreading his hands, and turned to walk out.

Billy sat in his Camaro, and closed his eyes, letting out a deep breath. His hands were shaking of all the adrenaline that had shot into his system when Steve had stood up from between the shelves unexpectedly. He had heard stories of King Steve who had left for college. He had supposedly been the meanest thing in town, getting into fights and getting all the ladies. But this Steve didn't seem to fit that description. Especially for saying he was sorry about his behaviour at the bar. Because of course Billy remembered, how could he not. The encounter had left a bitter aftertaste, but at least none of his friends had made fun of him being left speechless. Because that didn't happen often. Though it was not entirely unexpected. He could've drowned into Steve's bambi eyes if he had looked at them any longer. He had thought that Steve had just been visiting for the weekend, which was why he had so boldly gone to face him at the bar. But now he knew that Steve was in town for the summer, at least. Maybe their paths would cross again.

They did, when Steve turned up by the pool one late afternoon.

The sun was about to set and it had anyway been cloudy most of the day and no swimmers had been around for the last hour, so Billy was closing places up bit earlier than normal. He was checking the men's locker room before he would lock up the locker rooms for the night, when he heard a car drive onto the parking lot. He groaned in his mind for he'd have to stick around the whole time someone was by the pool.

"Hey, I'm closing things up. You better be quick," he said as he walked out. He stopped on his heels when he saw that it was Steve.

"Hi," Steve said putting his hands into his pockets and smiling shyly.

"I don't suppose you came for a swim?" Billy asked. "Because I'm so ready to leave."

"No. I, uh..I came to see you."

"Me?" Billy asked. At the same time his insides were screaming wow, ok, didn't see that coming, don't mind it though at all while he tried to keep his exterior cool and nonchalant, even a bit mean. "I usually get visits from pretty ones, sure, but not like you, pretty boy."

Steve let out a small laugh and looked down at his feet bashfully.

For fuck's sake the guy wasn't taking any baits, and that meant that he was playing all the right notes for Billy. He knew that while he did want to play hard to catch, doing it with this one was going to be hard. "Well, you've seen me now. Anything else I can help you with?"

“I really meant what I said at the rental the other day.”

“And that was...?” Billy asked – while he totally knew what Steve meant.

Steve licked his lower lip, that made Billy almost drop the water bottle he was carrying. Fuck. He might as well just jump on the guy for his body was totally failing to help keep his act up.

“I think you do remember at least that,” Steve said. “But hey, no pressure, don't worry about it. I didn't come for that.”

Steve stopped talking, and Billy pulled his pilot sunglasses down on his nose and looked at Steve over them expecting him to continue. When it didn't happen, he asked: “So...you're not here for a swim and you're not here to get me remember something I don't and, honestly, don't even care about. What are you actually here for?”

“I was just wondering, would you like to, you know, go for a drive? Or something? With me?”

“Why would I want to go on drive or something with you?” Billy heard himself say even before he had thought about the offer at all. It came out just out of habit. It wasn't like he could reveal that part of him to just anyone.

Steve's demeanour changed. He clenched his jaw and cleared his throat. “You know, play hard to catch. But just remember, if you play it long enough, the offer won't stand any more.”

Steve turned around, walked to his car and drove away, leaving Billy stand in the middle of the pool area alone and, again, speechless. The motherfucker saw straight through him.

It was Saturday when Billy had built up enough courage to go to the Family Video again. He had Max and El with him for he had promised to rent them a movie for their sleepover – which had made both girls look at each other their mouths gaping open. But they hadn't turned the offer down, so there they were, just a big brother renting a film for his little sister.

And so was Steve.

While the girls were browsing films at the comedic romance section, Billy walked to the counter. “Hi,” he said to get Steve's attention.

Steve was reading something and he looked up from his book at Billy. “Hi,” was his one word reply.

Shit. Steve threw the ball at Billy and it was deliberate. Well, maybe he did deserve a bit of squirming for his act at the pool. “I was wondering... Does the offer still stand?”

Steve's reply was dry. “What, you're interested all of a sudden, Mr. Hard-to-Catch?”

Billy looked around and didn't see anyone else at the place except Max, El, and them. “Ok, it might have been that I was a bit abrasive at the pool.”

Steve let out a laugh. “Bit of an understatement there, but I'll let it pass. For now.”

Billy smiled a shy smile. “So...you didn't answer to my question. Does the offer still stand?”

“Impressive,” Steve taunted him, “your memory seems to have returned to its normal function.”

Billy sighed annoyed. “For fuck's sake, you've made your point, don't make me beg.”

Steve smiled. “Well, you do look cute when you beg.”

Billy felt the tip of his ears burn and it made him a bit too self-conscious. He'd been called many things but no one had ever called him cute before. This guy was good.

“Well,” Steve said and played with the book he had been reading as if he was flipping through a calendar. “I think I have a slot for offers tonight after work. Interested?”

Billy bit his lower lip. “I might be. What did you have in mind?”

“Want to go to the quarry? You know, to talk. I mean, really, just, talk.”

Now Billy felt his face joining the burning. Steve didn't just seem to want to hook up. “Sure. When?”

The girls had selected the film they wanted to see and came to the counter, so Steve didn't reply. When he had given them the film and taken the money from Billy, and the girls were halfway out of the rental he just said: “At eight.”

Billy nodded, and he and the girls left.

Steve smiled as he totally checked Billy out – liking the ass hugging jeans very much – as he walked out of the rental with his sister and El. So far Steve hadn't seen any of the massive asshole behaviour everyone had so much advertised Billy to be capable off. Sure, he had peacocked at the bar and played hard to catch, but that wasn't something new to Steve. Other guys had tried to play him, too, and always ended up losing that game. At least Billy had snapped out of the act before Steve lost interest. It seemed promising. His summer might not be so dull as it had so far seemed to become.

Steve drove to the quarry just before eight. Once he had the guy in the hook he didn't like to play with them. He wasn't mean that way, he wouldn't liked being treated that way either. But it seemed that Mr. Hard-to-Catch was at least trying it when he wasn't there fifteen minutes later. It was almost 8:30 pm when he finally arrived.

Steve was leaning on the beemer when Billy parked his Camaro next to it.

“Took you long enough. I was almost leaving,” Steve said flatly when Billy got out of the car.

Billy was clearly uncomfortable about being late. “Yeah...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to, I mean it. I had...Well, it's not always easy for me to get out of the house, you know. It's my dad...he doesn't always...you know...”

The explanation was detailed enough – and brutally honest for someone their age – for Steve to accept it as what was likely the truth. “Don't sweat it. I'm glad you made it.”

Billy smiled and Steve felt a flutter in his chest. That smile was something else. He would have to be careful if he didn't want this thing to get out of hand.

Billy walked around the Camaro and leaned to the beemer next to Steve, lighting a smoke. “So...” he started but couldn't come up with anything else to say.

“Nice wheels,” Steve said looking at the Camaro.

Billy smiled. This was a subject he wouldn't shut up if someone let him speak freely about it. “Straight 5.7 litre V8. Zero to sixty in eight seconds.”

“Impressive.”

“Yeah. Well, she's not necessarily the fastest there is, but she sure purrs like a kitten.”

“I've heard that you're a menace in the streets with it.”

Billy let out a hearty laugh. “I might have a slight need for speed I guess.”

Billy's laugh made Steve smile. Getting a guy talk about their car was a sure way to relax anyone, and Billy wasn't any different. And Steve liked his laugh, a lot.

Steve saw that being with a guy in this setting made Billy a bit tense, so he let him take the lead. “So, do you want to do something? Go for a drive in that car of yours?” Steve asked.

Billy smiled that gorgeous smile again, and it was good that Steve leaned to the beemer, because the smile made him weak in the knees.

“Sure, get in.”

“So, where are you from?” Steve asked when they had exited the quarry on to the road.

“California. My dad wanted to move here for some fucking reason, and I'm stuck here for at least another year still.”

“You want to go back?”

“Mhmm. I'm leaving the day I graduate.”

“Surf much?”

The question made Billy smile – again making Steve feel all kinds of feelings he hadn't been quite prepared for. “Yeah, I do. Well, I can't do it here, but I have my board.”

“So that's why you're a lifeguard at the pool.”

“Yeah.”

They drove in silence for a while.

“Why are you here in this god forsaken town for the summer? Wouldn't you have way better jobs back where you study?” Billy asked.

“I wanted to come back for one more summer. Just to hang out with friends.”

Billy nodded, and lit another smoke.

Steve watched the perfect act of the smoke moving from Billy's fingers to his lips, how he took a drag, how the smoke was taken away from the lovely plump lips by his fingers, the hand with the smoke leaning out of the open window, and then all of the smoke he'd inhaled to come out masterfully through his nose.

Billy glanced at Steve, and when he saw a stupid grin on his face, a smile tucked the corner of his mouth. “What?”

“Wanna drive back to the quarry?”

“Why? We just got out of there.”

“Pull over then, please,” Steve asked.

Billy did.

As soon as Billy stopped the car, Steve leaned to kiss him, and he wasn't subtle. The kiss was messy, their tongues playing with each other, Steve holding Billy's face in his hands to keep him in the kiss until he was ready to let go. Billy tasted like smoke and tobacco, but there was a hint of the gum he'd been chewing earlier still lingering on his tongue. To Steve's own surprise he liked the taste. But what he really liked was the way Billy smelled. He was wearing a musky cologne, but underneath it was hiding a sweet scent that had to be his base scent. The scent that was unique to everyone. Billy smelled faintly of something related to candy, and it touched something deep in Steve. He didn't want to let go of Billy, he just wanted to inhale that sweet scent for forever.

When Steve finally let go and leaned his forehead to Billy's, Billy felt dizzy. That was a kiss he wouldn't forget anytime soon, for he had never been kissed like that before. “Wow,” he heard himself say out loud, and blushed immediately.

“Regret playing Mr. Hard-to-Catch now?” Steve whispered.

“Well, if I'd known this I wouldn't have done that at all,” Billy said honestly, feeling like yello in Steve's hands. Everything else was wiped from his mind, all he wanted was to have another kiss just to make sure it was real. And as soon as he leaned forward, he got what he wanted.

[cncuwau]

the script is finally out and i have a lot of thoughts. god.. first of all, i think it’s very byler-coded (“his face can light up a room” like BRUH, and also like iiiiih, lmao no i’m not fangirling idk what you’re talking about). we don’t get very much of mike’s perspective (kinda sus imo 👀), but what we do get, i think is very very interesting..

SO, “what are you, like 12-years-old still, dude?”.

i don’t know why (i do know why) this line screams internalized homophobia to me.. but it sure does! i don’t necessarily think this is mike’s exact train of thought, but i do think it is from his perspective. but just because it’s something that may have popped up in his head, it doesn’t mean that’s how he’s actually feeling. i think that line absolutely is a call-back to mike and will’s fight in s3. in that fight and throughout the whole of s3 mike’s train of thought usually comes back to the fact that he feels he needs to grow up. to him, that mainly means letting go of the feelings he has towards will, and getting a girlfriend. focusing on what boys at his age “should” be interested in and care about. and that’s certainly not his very-non-platonic feelings for his guy best friend. i am wholeheartedly sticking to the theory that mike has always had feelings for will, he’s ALWAYS been in love with him, but has never realized the extent of his feelings because in s1 and s2, when he was younger, he felt those feelings were normal. they were kids and will was special to him because he was his best friend, and nothing mOoOore??? he didn’t have to take it one step further than that. mike can’t tell the difference between platonic love and romantic love to save his fucking life man. i.e. why he’s together with el. BUT, as he got older and the feelings for will didn’t go away, and maybe were even stronger than the feelings he was supposed to have for el, he had to find an excuse for that. he couldn’t accept that fact. accepting that fact would mean accepting something he didn’t believe himself to be. mike doesn’t at this point know that he’s gay (or queer). he doesn’t want to be different, he wants to fit in, at least in s3. so he comes to the conclusion that feeling this way is childish behavior and how will feels is childish too. they HAVE to grow up at some point. and to mike that meant leaving those feelings behind, even though he realistically can’t, he isn’t able to. queue repression and projecting onto will.

in their s3 fight, after will gets upset, mike impulsively tells him “it’s not my fault you don’t like girls”. guys, the first sign of projection. it’s beautiful :’) and really fucking sad, but anyway.. he also says “we’re not kids anymore”. here he’s not referring to the dnd campaign, we know mike loves dnd and in s4 he’s gone back to pursuing the things he likes, unapologetically. but he’s talking about him and will, their relationship. he’s basically saying “we can’t go on like this, we can’t act on these feelings. we’re supposed to grow up and do grown-up things and that does not include spending every minute of every day with each other. it’s not normal anymore, that’s something we did, and could ONLY do, when we were KIDS”. he doubles down on this way of thinking when he then says “i mean what did you think, really? that we were never gonna get girlfriends? that we’re just gonna sit in my basement all day and play games for the rest of our lives?” and will responds with “yeah. i guess i did.. i really did.”. OUCH. the first time i watched that scene i thought will was overreacting and i didn’t understand the extent of why he was SO upset. yeah, mike was being a dick but it felt like i was missing something, and what i was missing was that this conversation really wasn’t about dnd at all. the subtext is really fucking strong in this one, and on second watch, i realized it’s not even subtext. when i first heard mike say “i mean what did you think, really? that we were never gonna get girlfriends?” i assumed he was talking about the whole party. like did you not expect me, OR lucas OR dustin to get girlfriends and for our dynamic to change? BUT, what i realized is, he’s not talking about the whole party. he’s talking about just him and will. we know will’s not had any issues with lucas or dustin getting girlfriends. it’s actually been the complete opposite, he’s been supportive and happy for them. the only relationship he’s had a problem with is mike and el. it’s the only relationship that’s caused him pain and he even blames SOLELY mike for their party falling apart in this very fight. NOT lucas. NOT dustin. MIKE. “YOU’RE ruining our party [...] YOU’RE destroying EVERYTHING, and for WHAT? so YOU can swap spit with some STUPID GIRL?”. if this fight was about the whole party, lucas and dustin would be there. but this is NOT about them. it’s about mike and will, JUST mike and will. and again, mike’s response confirms that take on things. “el’s not stupid!” and “it’s not MY fault you don’t like girls”. mike is aware that will is having trouble with MIKE AND EL’S relationship SPECIFICALLY. that’s what he’s alluding to when he then says “did you really think that WE were never gonna get girlfriends?”. he’s literally saying:

haven’t you realized that YOU AND I would HAVE TO get GIRLFRIENDS at some point?

and i have to say that realization BROKE ME. because that little shift in narrative changed the tone of the scene SO MUCH for me. it hit so hard. FUCK. like mike’s basically saying “did you never think you and i would have to move on for each other and conform to what society expects from us?”. ow ow ow ow. it really hurts to think that mike has convinced himself of that, and will’s response just solidifies that theory while also making it so much worse, because he says “yeah. i guess i did.. i REALLY did.”. will’s saying he doesn’t care about the expectations others have of them, he doesn’t care that he’s also terrified of the prejudice, of how hostile society is towards gay people, of how he’s feeling towards mike and what that means for both of their lives. because before el, he thought that mike felt the same. that they were on the same page in all of this. s2 mike would surely make you think so. and now he feels like mike has rejected him, but even then he still wants mike to know how much he values him and their relationship. saying that none of that other stuff matters to him if they’re together. because how much he loves mike surpasses all of that. will thought their bond was so special that nothing would change that fact, ever. well, until now.. i reiterate, ow ow ow ow.

so how does this relate to the s4 script? well, the “what are you, like 12-years-old still, dude?” i think is s3 mike rearing his head. throughout s4 mike’s feelings for will have been brought to his attention again. been more pressing, because mike’s starting to realize things about himself, like having issues telling el he loves her, and how much he really misses and loves will since he moved across the country etc. but i still think, i mean we still know, that mike has trouble accepting these feelings. so he doesn’t know how to act around will, and i think he gets impulses like “it’s not my fault you don’t like girls” even now, but maybe he can at least keep those feelings in his head at this point. which is why we get a glimpse of mike’s confusion when a thought like “what are you, like 12-years-old still, dude?” pops up. and that “still” reaaaaaally emphasizes and confirms that this is truly just a call-back to s3, to their fight. this is something mike’s had an issue with before. mike’s internalized homophobia, the devil on his shoulder if you will, is trying to convince him saying “how can will STILL think like that? you know that’s not realistic”. and i think it’s also really telling how will reads this behavior as mike worrying about el, when he’s really not. like william “i hate who i am” byers wouldn’t be able to tell that mike’s in love with him even if mike fucking told him so lmao (i’m laughing through the pain).

we know mike’s actually the one who’s been trying to reach out to will since the end of s3. not will, but mike. he’s trying to go back to behaving like he did pre-s3, which is his unfiltered, usual, protective-over-will-self. he wants to go back to being super close with his best bud and soulmate and future bf will. and he tries, but he doesn't feel like will reciprocates that. mike even acknowledges that in their fight at the roller rink, and later on when they have their heart to heart at home. will could have reached out more. but instead mike feels like will’s been pushing him away, like he’s “losing” him, which will also confirms in the van scene by explaining that he’s tried to “rip off the band-aid so he doesn’t get more hurt”. they are doing it in an incredibly roundabout way, but THEY ARE trying to tell each other that they actually want to be with one another. they don’t want their relationship to be like this. they both want more. and i can’t fucking stop thinking about the theory that mike’s been trying to call will all of the frickity frockity time since he moved away. because we get dustin saying “joyce has this telemarketing job. always on the phone. mike wont stop whining about it”. and we know mike can’t call el because it would put her at risk, that wouldn’t make any sense. so who the fuck is he calling but can’t get through to because the line is busy all of the time because joyce is on the phone constantly but he gets frustrated because he really wants to talk to this person and has trouble writing to them probably because his girlfriend would see the letters too and like it’s complicated and maybe would be seen as romantic and aaaaahhhhhh i don’t know what to do with all of these emotions???? IT HAS TO BE WILL. like there’s literally no other explanation. and it would kinda make a lot of foking sense why mike’s behaving the way he is in s4 because of that, and why a thought like will “being childish” would come up now that they’re finally seeing each other again and spending time together aaaand talking just them over and over and over, with their billion heart to hearts. because now, mike’s more exposed to and forced to face BOTH his romantic feelings towards will AND the destructive feelings holding him back from him. like bruh. i can’t with this. byler is endgame

[steveusesfaberge]

Better Parent (pt. ii)

Pairing: Steve Harrington x Henderson!Reader

Summary: The kids have their loving mother and...uhh...other mother...take them to the Wheelers’ house; an advice filled car ride later - and some quality time with his favorite girl.... and it ends with a shifty scheme crafted by only the best intentions, and two teens not doing the babysitting they were assigned to do...wonderful. Sounds just like another day for Harrington!

Type/Style: Imagine, female pronouns

Warning(s): Fluff~, momma Steve, heed all warnings… Oh, and a bit of cursing! >.<

Word Count: +4,100

a/n: The is part two to Better Parent and with that being said, I hope you all enjoy!

Part 1 - Part 2 (you are here) - Part 3

Please send requests! I’m excited to write for you all! <3

━━━━━━༻❁༺━━━━━━

“Hey--”

“Move over, your ass is in my lap!”

“Hello?”

“What?! You're practically in my seat!”

“Is anyone even listening to--”

“Stop it guys - don’t push!”

“Hey! Dickheads! Would you all quit it? Goddamn, why didn’t one of you go with Y/N like she suggested?” Steve growled while trying not to crash the car. The boys had all decided they’d tumble into his car...leaving a party of three merrily skipping to the other teenager’s car...it wasn’t like there was anything wrong with it! - Y/N’s car was actually quite nice; she took care of it and even had a better radio than Steve...

“Because then we’d be alone with all that estrogen...not happening, Harrington,” Lucas spoke up while giving Mike a hard shove to his side. Will was groaning in annoyance as his friends jostled him to be pressed harshly to the car door. While Dustin happily was messing with the stereo (when he’d called shotgun - and Steve allowed it, Y/N had claimed it was ‘favoritism amongst their six babies who she, as the better parent, loved equally. Thus, no one would be sitting passenger in her car. Steve figured that’s why none of the boys wanted to go, being squeezed between El and Max might not be ideal...though Harrington knew better. Y/N liked playing her own music, and with a grubby hand like Dustin’s all over the radio - her rule had been set long before she became a mom).

“Mhm, sure,” Steve grumbled while rubbing his temple, already regretting agreeing to this. It wasn’t like it was a long ride back to Mike’s house - but goddamn did these knuckleheads make it feel like it... “Tell me that again when you’re not off sucking faces with Max,” the older boy was praised with ohs and ahs as he snapped the remark at Sinclair.

“At least I have a girlfriend,” Lucas defended, earning his own audience of noise.

“A-hahhhh, and what the hell is that supposed to mean, asshole?” Steve jabbed while resting his elbow on the rim of his window, it had been rolled down because all the movement in the car had it feel like a damn sauna. Dustin was still messing with his radio, flipping channels and making the music louder when Steve had specifically told him to turn it down. He slapped the said boy’s hand away and scolded him briefly,” Hands off, Henderson - how many times do I have to say it? It’s distracting me - do you want to die?” He exhaled slowly, trying not to pull the car over and kick each out to the side of the road. Either having to walk the rest of the way or ask Y/N.

“I mean - I have the balls to even kiss a girl - or are you and girly Henderson dating without us knowing?” Lucas drilled, earning a head nod from Mike, and an eye-roll from Will who just wanted to get to the house (he was more interested in DnD than how poorly Steve’s love life was going).

Steve abruptly stopped the car. He heard Y/N slamming on the breaks, a honk of her horn and the muffled sound of her cursing him off for such a dangerous stunt. He ignored it though, deciding to deal with the consequences later. Luckily, there wasn’t anyone behind Y/N to backend her (he wasn’t dumb enough to do such a thing with precious cargo...).

“What? You know how many girls I’ve kissed? How many I’ve made out with? Huh? Do you forget who I am?” He wiped his chin and shook his head with a defensive blush finding his face. He took a breath in and exhaled with a more composed manner. He tried to ignore the way the boys in the back held their laughter in, and definitely, decided to ignore the way Dustin watched them all in confusion (dumbass didn’t even see the way Steve looked at his sister).

“Me and Y/N...are not a thing. We’re not together, we’re not a couple, we’re not an item,” he drawled while shaking his head. After a few moments of silence, the boys clearly conflicted on to continue laughing or feel bad for the way Steve’s tone dropped off at the end of his sentence.

He started down the road again, both hands gripping the wheel tightly; his eyes never leaving the windshield. His ears painted pink.

“You...you guys know this,” he mumbled while shaking his head once more, flipping Y/N off in his rearview mirror.

“I know but--,” Mike was cut off with a soft sigh from Harrington.

“I-I can’t. Okay? Is that what you wanna hear from me? That...that I know I’m not good enough for her? That...I’m scared if I told her, she’d swallow me whole and I’d never be able to look her in the eyes?” The desperate drag of his tone was obvious (maybe Y/N was right; he’d stooped to King Steve level of desperation...not for other girls...but...to just get a chance with her...anything...anything...he’d do anything).

The rest of the ride was filled with the boys in the back, coming up with love advice for Steve. Ask her out, just do it - be confident! Write her a letter. Tell her she looks nice. Ask her if she wants a boyfriend. Tell her she’s hot. Oh, what about showing her-- they’d reached the Wheeler estate and as they began unbuckling and getting ready to leave the car (thank the Lord, he wasn’t sure how much more he could take), and Dustin - who had been silent the majority of the ride finally spoke.

“What. The. Actual. Fuck.” He sputtered while his eyebrows furrowed in utter shock and confusion.

Steve rolled his eyes, and pushed his door open, calling over his shoulder,” I like your sister, dude. We’ve established this like....thirty-six times. Catch up, dipshit.” All embarrassment he had earlier had washed away, being replaced with a bubbling feeling of nerves and doubt. The boys were trying to be nice, do their best...but...they were all awkward preteens...their advice was as good as Steve consulting a Magic 8-Ball.

Inside the house, before trucking to Mike’s basement - Dustin dragged Steve to the kitchen, his mind still trying to figure out what had been revealed (or more so, finally brought up as Steve’s feelings for Y/N had always been the weird, pink-polka-dotted elephant in the room).

“What’re you doing? - They’ll start without you--,” Steve was hushed as Dustin slapped his hand to his mouth.

“My sister?” Dustin whisper-shouted. Steve rolled his eyes for the nth time and tugged Henderson’s grip from his face.

“Yeah, dingus - we’ve been over this--,”

“But my sister...Steve...why?” Dustin wasn’t sure how he felt about it clearly, and it only made Steve more nervous. That feeling that sunk into his bones, not a good one. Of course, if he were going to date Y/N...he’d need his best friend’s (and favorite child’s) permission.

“Whaddya want me to say! She’s like...the only girl I hang out with that’s my age, besides Robin, that I don’t mind,” Steve paused,” Might I remind you - Robin’s not into dudes.” It was almost sad how his social life had crumbled along with his desire to capture anyone else’s attention but Y/N’s (and of course, he’d tried to push those feelings aside for the sake of your friendship...but...it never worked).

Dustin was quiet; longer than Steve would’ve liked, as sitting in the soft silence was nervewracking. The curly-haired sibling stood, arms crossed, eyes clouded with thought as he rubbed his chin. Steve tapped his foot, leaning on the kitchen countertop as he waited, pinching the bridge of his nose. God, this kid’s such a headache...

“Dusty - Will told me, to tell you, that if you don’t go down now, you’ll be left out,” Y/N was just turning the corner when she spotted the pair in the kitchen, seeming as if they were in quite the predicament. 

“Is this a private moment...or?” she spoke slowly, a tease to her words.

“N-No! I was...just...telling Steve that...um...,” his attention now on the older boy who had a hand ruffling through his hair for any imperfections (though who was he kidding? Harrington had the best head of hair in Hawkins).

“I was telling him if he doesn’t do it...I’ll...be disappointed...guy stuff,” Dustin gave Harrington a sincere half-grin and there was obviously a conversation to be held later (but Y/N’s appearance lead Dustin to keep his mouth shut for now).

“Really?” Steve asked, his brows raised as he took the boy’s words in.

“Yeah...yeah...just...don’t do something weird in front of me,” Dustin lowered his voice as he spoke the last bit.

“Alright, enough bro-talk, Dusty - get going and leave the adults to talk.” Y/N rolled her eyes; ruffling his hair as he passed by.

It was just the two of them, and Steve was trying not to do something stupid. Walking forward, he felt his body involuntarily tense up as she moved to stand a few feet from him - though a few feet was more than enough to render his mind as blank as all hell. His body completely useless now...

Don’t do something stupid. Don’t do something stupid. Don’t do something stupid. Don’t do something stupid. Don’t do something stupid....

“Did you want to do something while they messed around? Like catch a movie or--,” Y/N was interrupted by the blubbering fool before her.

“Your letter - uh, looks nice -- I mean, it looks hot! No - wait...that...that didn’t come out right.” Steve’s outburst granted an unsure look from her. Please just kill me now...did...did I say that? Well...all logic had found its way out the nearest fucking window...

“What?” Was all Y/N said while waiting for Steve with furrowed brows.

He covered his eyes, his free hand waving around for a dazed second as he tried to get the proper words out. Breathe...be natural...be confident....don’t fuck it up like that again, Harrington.

“I meant to say - you look nice,” he paused,” And to answer your question, why don’t we just go down and um...finally settle the score?” That...was...better.

Y/N shrugged, nodding as she reached for his hand. At that moment, Steve’s heart flatlined and he was sure he was now staring at an angel as she dragged him across the house, to the basement. “Sounds good - be prepared because momma ain’t leavin’ without her babies’ approval,” Steve could only nod to the back of her head as she spoke such fighting words.

If you asked Steve Harrington at the beginning of high school - what he thought about spending his free-time with six underaged dweebs who all were too smart-assy for their own good, and got themselves in trouble with hell (literally)...he’d have laughed and told you, you were as delusional as Byers.

If you asked the Steve Harrington the same question now - he’d look around at the six underaged dweebs shouting and arguing around a table laid out with character sheets, figurines, and dice... He’d laugh at their quick remarks and their tendency to use foul language, and he’d smile. Steve would’ve congratulated Byers’ brother for being the best Dungeon Master, the world had to offer.

If you told him, roughly five years after high school - he’d be seated on a busted sofa, in his ex’s basement, coke loosely held in one hand, the other pushing a pretty girl’s head away from him in a teasing manner...he’d...well..he’d not believe you. Because you’d describe the girl as someone so...amazing, so incomparable, that he’d think you’d made her up. You’d say that she was so breathtaking, that if you were in the same space as her for too long - you’d die from a lack of oxygen. That she had the most stunning y/c/e eyes he’d ever have the perquisite of seeing, and they’d have him chasing her for ages...having him choke on his own spit when she looked at him. Not to mention, the heartstopping laugh she’d have...the kind of laugh that had any guy (not just dorky Harrington) fall harder than he thought possible. Finding himself in an endless fall that put even Alice’s rabbit hole tumble to shame. She’d have a melody that had him trip over his words and stumble to find his footing. Yeah...Steve would not have believed you.

And yet, here he was...watching six dweebs play Dungeons and Dragons; with a girl he was madly in love with - more perfect than words could offer, sitting on a busted sofa, in his ex’s basement, no more than a foot between them...

“I’m tellin’ you, Steves - I’m the better parent, because the girls love me, and the boys worship me,” Y/N explained while pulling an L up to her forehead. Steve scoffed and waved her off.

“Actually - I don’t worship you, I worship Steve for giving me his hair secre--,”

Steve began snapping with his left hand, shaking his head and glaring. “Hey, hey, hey! Shithead - you swore on your life, you’d never say jackshit about that!” Dustin threw his hands out in silent defense.

“Sorry, I was just standing up for y--,” Steve shook his head once more, blowing him off with a puff of his cheeks. “Remember what I said? One peep - and your ass, yeah the one you’re sitting on now, is grass, Henderson. Grass.”

The gang began laughing at Steve’s overprotective outburst of his “best feature”. The brunette only tsked, mumbling obscenities.

“That wasn’t very better parent material, Steve,” Max snickered while El whispered something in her ear.

“Aye! No whispering under my watch - if you have a secret, you can say it aloud in front of the family,” he stressed with fake authority.

“But you just told Dustin--,” “Eleven - I don’t need a smartass.” Steve pursed his lips.

The kids eventually settled back down, getting sucked into their fantasy world once more without a second glance to the pair on the sofa. Y/N was clamping a hand to her mouth, trying not to let the amusement slip from her lips. She loved seeing Steve with the kids - he was so....dorky and sweet in his own way...saying so, she could almost admit she loved h--

“What’re you laughing at, Ms. Not-the-best-parent-because-you-suck-and-don’t-have-great-ass-hair?” Steve hissed in a low tone. His eyes watching the way Y/N’s flickered with happiness and one emotion he couldn’t quite place.

“You’re wrong for two reasons, Harrington,” she mused.

“Enlighten me,” he replied, leaning to have only a few inches between the two of you. It had been on a fleeting moment of confidence, leaving Y/N with a bright red glow - and Steve with a dumb grin. He wasn’t sure if he was proud of it, or extremely embarrassed...he settled to let her finish instead.

“Well, one: you’re not the better parent. I am,” Y/N pinched his cheek, to which he tried to back out of, but she only squeezed harder, leaving Steve to let out a grievance of annoyance as she tugged him back to listen.

“And two: your hair isn’t that great. I mean--” Steve gasped in a dramatic hurt. Falling from her grip and bending over her lap like a speared body. “Stop! Right there, don’t finish that sentence...you’ll ruin everything I’ve worked for.” he pleaded. His tongue sticking out his mouth as if he’d ‘died’.

Y/N giggled watching his childish act and rolling her eyes, a good-natured smile on her lips. She brushed a hand through his hair and spoke in an exaggerated tone,” I’m so sorry, Steves, please forgive--,” in the time of her talking, Steve had lifted a hand and silenced her with the odd hand-motion that looked like a duck, then grabbed her wrist and removed her hand from his scalp.

“You don’t get the privilege to touch my great ass hair, even if I’m dead.” He mumbled, stifled by her lap. Even though in actuality, he loved the feeling and knew if she didn’t stop he’d fall asleep.

“Oh, get over yourself,” Y/N proclaimed while attempting to shove the limp body of Steve Harrington from her own. “Nuhu,” he murmured.

Watching the two teenagers fall all over one another, the six children held back their gags.

“It’s so sad,” Max mumbled.

“Yeah, so sad I can’t focus on this raid,” Lucas agreed while knocking his head against the table.

“It’s like watching two blind...like very blind bats try, and make love.” Mike spewed.

“Thanks for the visual,” Will snorted.

“I think it’s sweet.” Everyone looked to El as she shrugged with a sheepish look.

“What? Steve...he likes her. Why is that bad?” She grabbed Mike’s hand. “I like Mike. Mike likes me - why is Steve and Y/N any different?”

The idea hit them like a ton of bricks...or, maybe it was the obnoxious laughter of their favorite Henderson (to Dustin’s protest) being tickled by Harrington, that snapped them into realization.

Steve was basically, on top of her. His hands running down her sides as she squirmed, refusing to apologize for saying she was better than him, and that his hair wasn’t anything special... While it was cringe-worthy on every level (according to a sulking brother), it was...sweet.

Y/N had a smile on her lips that they’d never really seen before - save for when Harrington entered the room. It was like he said the funniest thing without really having to say anything at all...like Steve brought out the best in her without having to lift a finger. Stomach in knots when he called her name...it was that kind of smile that Steve was able to bring out.

As for Harrington himself? His smile remained even after she left. Having spent a whole day with her - the party would catch him grinning to himself like a madman while helping them put away their game set-up. They’d catch him repeating things he’d said that happened to make Y/N smile the way he loved... It was the kind of look that you couldn’t replicate, even if you tried...only if you knew the feeling - could you do so.

Realizing this, Dustin yelled and groaned silently in his head (half disgust and half reluctant understanding). Steve, you owe me big time for this...

“Fine,” he whispered, catching everyone’s gaze but the two still messing bout on the sofa. “What’s the plan?”

“You’re s-such a l-loserrrr!” Y/N slurred while trying to struggle free of the handsome boy before her. Steve knew she had a soft spot for being so sensitive - he’d figured it out one time when she almost knocked him out on accident...(it ended with a lot of apologizing on your part, while also laughing as he held a bag of frozen peas to his face to avoid any swelling...)

“Admit it, and I’ll stop,” Steve tried to sound as serious as possible, failing utterly as Y/N’s y/c/h was splayed out like a crooked halo. Truly an angel...if anything, he wasn’t sure what he’d done in his (not so great) lifetime to earn the graces of such a human as you...good God...

Catching his gaze, Y/N shook her head (her halo only following her as any good angels’ would). “I-I...haha...will...n-never...a-admit...a-a lie!”

Steve only clicked his tongue. Sighing with a shake of his head. “I guess you’ll suffer until the end of time then, huh?”

After a few more minutes of torture (which Steve called, making sure Y/N had gotten her daily dose of laughter - as it was the best medicine and he didn’t need her falling ill any time soon, because...well...he didn’t have any apples on deck), he stopped, finally allowing her a breath of stability. He scooted down so he could cross his arms over her stomach, half his face buried there as he watched her collect herself.

It was moments like these that Steve truly cherished the most...he wondered if Y/N had the same mindset.

Because he’d honestly, never felt so good with anyone - not even with Nancy, who admittedly, was someone he’d actually held some feelings for (of course, the emotions Y/N threw at him had always overshadowed them, but Wheeler breaking his heart didn’t hurt any less). Steve had never wanted to give someone the world - mainly because it was impossible - but he knew that if Y/N simply suggested that such an action would, make her even smile for a few seconds...he’d figure out a way to do it within the next twenty-four hours.

You know, you’re like really pretty. Do you know what you do to me, Y/N? Is what Steve so hopelessly wanted to say, but he didn’t, instead, settling for a much simpler version.

“You wouldn’t be able to pull off this hair like I do...which is why...if you really wanted me to, I’d teach you my ways,” it came out as a harsh whisper of sorts - his jaw not having much movement as it was pressed to the crook of his elbow, both arms still rested on Y/N’s abdomen.

She laughed, and it sent a vibration through his body as he was rested atop her - only resulting in a chuckle of his own. The same wave taking ahold of Y/N, as Harrington’s chest rose and fell with each quick, shortened breath.

It was like they were in their own little world...too bad Dustin throwing a pillow at Steve’s head had to ruin it.

“So, we’ve come to a conclusion...,” Dustin explained, watching Harrington awkwardly try and sit up off his sister - Steve’s face burning up. Though, Y/N was in no better condition...her hands found her neck and her cheeks were a lovely shade of sunset.

“Oh, yeah?” Steve hummed while glancing at a nearby digital clock. “It better not be something crazy - ‘cause it’s almost ten o’clock and I think some of you need to get home.” Y/N nodded in agreement, leaning over and using her hand as a terrible shield,” Nice one...trying to act all momma bear like...I think they’ll definitely say you’re the better parent now.” “Har, har. Your sarcasm wasn’t necessary, Henderson,” Steve noted while flicking her forehead.

“We all need to go upstairs,” El suddenly directed. A hand raising to point, as if proving her sentence true.

Steve froze, unsure of where this was exactly going...but seeing as El usually had only good things to say...and a good intention...he nodded, words slow as he spoke,” Okay...okay...we’ll go upstairs then.”

They all marched up, like eight odd ants in a line - and when Mike suggested they watch a movie before Steve and Y/N drove them all home; it was quickly unanimous (which was a hard deal, as both teenagers knew getting six hardheaded children to agree on something was worse than trying to get Billy Hargrove to turn down a pretty face and a tight dress).

“Uh, ‘kay then...I guess we’re watching...a movie now,” Steve mumbled, trying to figure out the sudden change in pace. He was sure they hadn’t even finished their round, or match...or whatever they called it (he had only tried to play DnD once and...well...that’s a story for another time).

“I’ll see if there are any blankets, Mike, would you mind seeing if there’s any popcor--,” “Oh....you’re not watching the movie...did you think you’d be watching it with us?” Was Wheeler’s response.

Six shit-eating grins and twelve hands shoving a Scoops Ahoy employee and a caring older sister out the front door later...and Steve found himself standing on the porch of Mike Wheeler���s house - the kids he and Y/N were supposed to be watching having locked them out, without their wallets or keys...or even a hint at what they were doing outside in the, now cool summer night...

“Great going Steve,” was all she said while staring at the closed door.

He whipped around on her and glared while crossing his arms.

“Wha-- me?! I don’t remember you helping with, I dunno...six dipshits shoving us out the damn house!”

“I didn’t think I needed to...Mr. Better Than Me...I was clearly wrong.” Y/N smirked.

Steve couldn’t even be fake mad for long. It ended with the pair laughing and shaking their heads, clutching their stomachs and asking for the kids to let them back in. Without an answer...Steve questioned what this was all about; remembering the boys giving him (crappy) advice on how to ask Y/N out. I mean...this is one way to force a guy between a rock and a hard place...

“Screw it, screw them, screw babysitting - screw this,” Harrington lamented. “No cars, but we got legs...wanna just go for a walk until our meddling kids decide to let their old folk back in?” He was going out on a limb, but...he couldn’t help it. Her presence was just so damn addicting...he wanted as much as he could get without having to pay the price of embarrassment just yet.

“Sure, Steve, sure.” with a gentle smile and a giggle...that was all the hype he needed to take her hand and pull her from the stoop.

“Well, m’lady - then let me lead the way.”

---

Hm...I can’t help but want more to this....partttttt 3 anyone? >.<

[tibby]

best lekws of the party?

after a long six months, here it is: a ranking of my top five favourite outfits from each member of the party. hope it was worth the wait.

mike:

5. snow ball

i went to three formal events in all thirteen years of schooling and all five educational institutions i attended so middle schoolers having a random winter dance is VERY funny and weird to me. i don't think anyone i knew at thirteen would have had a good outfit for this kind of event but mike wheeler continues to be ahead of us all.

4. denim vest

people will say to me, "but how can you think mike is a lesbian?" and i will remind them of the time she wore a denim vest and bullied a twunk into giving her what she wanted. and that will close the case without a second thought.

3. pastel polo

thinking about the text i got from a friend that just said "okay yeah this shirt is kind of a lesbian look"

2. yellow button up

i have made many jokes at the expense of stranger things and will continue to do so as long as i am alive but i must say. the talent the wardrobe team has whenever they put any character in yellow...maybe the smartest people on the crew. anyway. here's another shirt that i wish that i owned.

1. s2 sweater

could it be anything else? the sweater that immediately went to the top of every lesbian's "Fashion I Need" list. mike wheeler was NOT going to let her trauma and fear and confusion from being far more fashionable than i ever was in 7th grade.

eleven:

5. bitchin’

she said it best herself

4. denim overalls and grey sweater

i kind of completely forgot about this until i was making this list and like, how the fuck did i manage that? i would wear this outfit now. i may not be a fan of jim hopper or his wardrobe but he really was doing some good parenting when he bought his daughter this outfit

3. paint splatter shirt

oh to be a fourteen year old psychic in 1985 hanging out with my lesbian best friend at the mall and stealing some really amazing pieces of clothing like this shirt and the fun romper and hat it can be paired with.

2. yellow shirt and black pants with suspenders

see above re: my comments on yellow shirts. did you know that a store was selling this outfit for FAR too much money but i still considered buying it? kinda upset that a 14 year old has my dream wardrobe

1. colourful romper

there is a reason i've seen about 50 people in their twenties wearing the knockoffs that target and hot topic made of this: because it's GREAT. probably my favourite piece in a season full of a consistently good wardrobe. el has been wearing stuff that isn't flannel for all of one hour and still has a better eye for fashion than i do. also the fact she probably stole this is a plus.

max:

5. intro outfit

max arrived in hawkins and was like. time to prove i am the superior sibling in my family when it comes to personality, skateboarding skills, and outfits.

4. halloween costume

not only did she outshine the party when it came to halloween scares, but she also kind of outshined them when it came to outfits. how were their matching ghostbusters outfits ever going to compare?

3. braids

at fourteen, max mayfield has managed to work out something that some people spend their whole lives not knowing: when you go to deal with a demon that has possessed your shitty older stepbrother, you need to wear a memorable outfit. and where can you go wrong with purple and blue stripes on a shirt and fun little braids?

2. yellow shirt

they’re all rocking great outfits honestly, but max still wins because she’s got that great shirt and those fun denim shorts. the boys never stood a chance.

1. rainbow shirt

as someone who has been a fourteen year old lesbian with messy red hair, i can confidently say i never had the ability to rock an outfit like this. godspeed, maxine.

will: 

5. dnd wizard

will byers said You Guys Are Going To Ignore My Campaign So I Am Going To Force You To Care By Wearing The Most Theatrical Outfit Possible And Yelling At You To Wake Up. and was he wrong for that? no!

4. s2 flannel

imagine mike wheeler showing up in the best sweater of all time and everyone else at your school is like Holy Shit, Cannot Compare To That Outfit. and they would be right but my GOD did will put a valiant effort in. LOVING the colours here truly.

3. girls don’t play video games

will byers is allowed to be a misogynist because he will wear a great outfit while doing it

2. s1 outfit

i think we've established that i'm a fan of vests. but really, if you're going to be trapped in another dimension for a week, you'd want to have an awesome outfit while doing it.

1. mindflayer (0) vs a great outfit (1)

the shorts are fun! the shirt has nice colours! this is probably the least his hair has looked like he's a beatles reject! i know everyone was busy being "traumatised" or "dying" but that's no excuse for nobody complimenting him on this absolute look

lucas:

5. final s3 outfit

lucas went to say goodbye to the byers family in this great shirt to make sure they’d never forget him. and who could, in a green like that?

4. blue stripes

there’s so many stripes on this list, but none of them hold a candle to this shirt, if i’m honest. blue is my favourite colour, so i’m a little biased, but it’s a nice range of shades paired with a great jacket. 10/10. the only reason it’s not higher is because he just has consistently has a great wardrobe.

3. red turtleneck, hidden by even cooler clothes

do you know how hard it is to wear three layers and make every piece count? apparently not hard at all for mr sinclair. he always has such a coordinated outfit and i think he might be the true fashion icon of this show for that...the colours here are perfect and every piece is just nice on its own. get lucas on project runway and he'd WIN.

2. summertime style

my notes for this look just say "fun hat" which i think is all that needs to be said

1. camo bandana

he looked up Outfits To Bully Jocks In and honestly? he was successful on both fronts.

dustin:

5. three great items to create a masterpiece

cards on the table, i forgot about this outfit until now. but i never will again. we’ve established i like yellow shirts, but combined with his iconic hat and the fun jacket i talk about later? he made his point. i’m sorry dustin.

4. vest

another vest! like, if it works, it works, and this definitely does. also, i appreciate his ability to keep his hat on despite being trapped in a secret underground russian basement, for like, three days. he knew it completed the outfit. he was NOT letting that go.

3. purple hoodie

steve, how does it feel to have an outfit that doesn’t measure up to the looks of not one, but two middle schoolers?

2. spy outfit

i’m kind of annoyed we didn’t get a good look at this outfit. both of the shirts are such fun and the kind of thing that i would probably wear today. it was good of steve to wear the scoops outfit and allow dustin to have his moment. although, really, what could top those patterns?

1. snow ball

like, i’m a 22 year old lesbian, i’m not going to fight a bunch of middle schoolers for not appreciating this outfit. but c’mon. i’ve been through 8th grade. this is absolutely a step up from what the guys i knew would wear. he manages to make it work without the blazer and with steve’s ridiculous hair tips. give a king a little more respect.

[barbarasbae]

Just a Taste-The Aftermath

Part 2 of Just a Taste 

Word Count: 1.4k

Warning: blood mention, threats/blackmail, implied smut, threats of violence against women/teenage girls (small scene but I don’t want people to be thrown into it and be uncomfortable) 

Notes: Y/n is cousins with the Byers and that is simply because the Party’s and Hopper’s involvement are pretty crucial to the plot of this series towards the climax so far. The vampire information from Dustin in this chapter are all almost just copied and pasted from the vampire DnD wiki page. I have italicized the text I am referring to. Also, this is about to be the most used gif:

Y/n woke up that morning with a special kind of pain permeating through her brain. With a groan, she trudged out of bed and pulled on her favorite sweatshirt and jeans. Due to the hangover, she was already running late and was forced to down a muffin and banana in the car. It didn’t help that she was also battling against the movement-restricting puffy coat her mom always made her wear. School was uneventful, boring as always. By lunch, Y/n had convinced herself that she had just dreamt having sex with Billy Hargrove, as well as him most likely being a vampire. That is until he threw his arm around her shoulders as she left the building. “I need to talk to you.“

“Okay?” He pulled her behind the school building, looking around like he was trying to make sure no one saw them. “So last night was...good.” He said, lighting a cigarette. She saw the fangs. Oh. She hadn’t made that up. Well,  fuck. “You’re cousins with the weird kid right? Zombie boy?” 

“Don’t call him that.” He flicked the bud of his cigarette to the ground before advancing towards her until her back hit the cinderblock wall. “He’s one of my step-sisters little nerd friends.” They were so close she could feel that he wasn’t really breathing like he should. It was like he forgot to inhale every third or fourth breath. “Do not tell anyone about what happened, got it?” He said, fangs looking much more prominent. “This is why all those girls are scared of you aren’t they?” She murmured, his gaze too intense on her face for her to keep eye contact. “Wait...really?” His brows furrowed. “Yeah. Girls start acting different after going out with you.” He twisted one of his rings, looking like he was thinking. The moment was over as soon as it started, him looking back into her eyes. “Good.” Y/n found it easy to say this was one of the scariest moments of her life. “I know where you live, princess. If Max finds out, I can and will drain your body in two minutes.” The tip of his nose brushed hers. She wanted to cry. “Got it?” He snarled quietly. She nodded, biting her lip. He walked off, leaving Y/n to deal with her pounding heartbeat and weak legs. 

Once she was able to form a cognitive thought again, she immediately went to the public library. It just didn’t sit well with her that such a creature was free-roaming Hawkins. She checked out some classics: Dracula, The Vampyre,  Interview with the Vampire, Survival Skills for boys (you never know), and Varney the Vampire. She spent the night completely ignoring her homework, pouring over the books and writing notes in order to help her understand what the hell was going on. And maybe help her get rid of him. She felt a little queasy at the thought of going against him; everyone knew how Billy had almost hospitalized Chris Nickleson his second week in Hawkins. Despite feeling like she was walking on eggshells, Y/n didn’t actually see Billy for the entire day. Which could be a good thing. Or really bad. As soon as the final bell rang, Y/n beelined to the middle school, cornering Will and his friends as they came down the front steps. “Hey, you guys gonna play Dungeons and Dragons today?”

“Yeah.We’re gonna meet up at Mikes house.” Will answered. “When?” She pulled out a pen.

“Four.” Y/n marked it down on her hand.

“Ok. I need to ask you guys about something. I’ll see you then.” She said, trying to keep her wits about her and make sure no curly haired blond heard her discussion. The kids looked perplexed, but went along. They thought Y/n was pretty cool. Maybe cooler than Steve. (A big maybe). 

After returning her books (getting rid of the evidence), she went to the Wheeler’s house with her notes in hand and was greeted by Mr. Wheeler. “Hi Mr. Wheeler, is my cousin here?” He didn’t look like he knew who she was talking about. “Will Byers?” 

“Oh yeah. They’re in the basement.” She thanked him and scooted into the door, almost running to the basement. “Hi Mrs. Wheeler!” She called as she ran to the steps. “Hey Y/n!” The boys looked at the out-of-breath teenager as she threw her notes on the table. She tossed her coat, sitting down at their little table, getting her pen and paper out. “So, let’s say theoretically, if there was a vampire in Hawkins, how would I kill it?” They looked at her like she had a third eye. “Or even turn it back into a human?” 

“Is there something happening?” Mike asked, looking for his walkie talkie. 

“It’s for a...book I’m writing.” She fibbed, Dustin grabbing the manual and looking it up. “A vampire can be of any evil alignment, and if its alignment was not evil in life it becomes so in undeath.” He scanned for some more stats a little farther down. “It retains all the abilities it had in life, plus it gains the ability to drain blood and life energy, and to dominate other creatures with its gaze...it can also command rats, bats and wolves or take the form of them. They are superhumanly strong and regenerate/heal quickly from injuries. They can also turn into a gaseous form.” He finished, looking up to see Y/n furiously writing down more notes. “How do I get rid of it?”

“You stab it through the heart with a wooden stake. You can also deter it from attacking you by wearing a cross and throwing holy water at it.” Will supplied, looking over Dustin’s shoulder. “Okay. Thanks guys. Have fun with your game.” She went home and spent the evening organizing all the information she had gathered, writing a plan of sorts down. Then there was a knock on her window that scared her half to death. She looked up, the blood draining from her face. Billy. She collected her stuff and hid it the best she could in her closet. She walked over to the window, his eyes dark. She cracked the window as little as she could so she could hear him. “What do you want?”

“Food. You smell so good. Could smell you from the street.” Okay, creepy. He kept his eyes trained on her, watching her leave the room and return with towels. After laying them on the bed, she walked to the window and begrudgingly opened it all the way. “You’ve got to invite me in.”

“What?”

“Just say to me ‘you can come in’.” 

“Okay. You can come in.” He came in and kissed her, hands greedily seeking the warmth her skin held from laying in bed. She leaned over and closed the window, him breaking for a moment. But then he just kissed her deeper. She kissed back, but he could tell it was different. “You know I wont drain you, right? I was just saying that stuff to scare you.” He was suddenly a teenage boy again,not a monster, rubbing his thumb into her waist. A faint blush was painting his cheeks, which she didn’t think was possible. “Well it worked.” She said softly, hands going to his biceps. “Sorry,” he sounded sheepish, like he was genuinely embarrassed by his decision to threaten her. He stopped touching her, walking over to her bed and sitting. She sat next to him cautiously, feeling more and more anxious as he kept his eyes trained on her bandaged neck (now decorated with a Batman bandaid).

“Were transformers not good enough for you?” 

“I needed to change it because it was an open wound that hadn’t been cleaned.” She retorted with an eye roll and a little smile. His hand ghosted over hers that was resting in between them. He gently kissed the wounded spot, then trailed his lips up to her cheek. She winced, clutching her fist as an especially painful cramp throbbed in her lower belly. “Can I help? Please?”  He begged, hand gripping her upper thigh. His fangs had grown longer, Billy ready to eat. “Y/n, I won’t bite again. I promise!” The look in his eyes was very innocent compared to what he had just asked her to let him do. She nodded. A smile grew on his face. She was on her back, hungry lips against hers before she could blink. 

[stranglyy]

Bond ( Mike Wheeler x Reader)

prompt; basically the reader’s dad owns an auto repair shop, and she stole one of the cars to help the party out with El and ends up getting grounded. To apologize, after being ignored on the walkie talkies all day, Mike climbs into her room late at night to fix things.

(plus the party comes to help.)

-

“You’re grounded.”

All at once, emotions you didn’t believe could mix without contradicting fueled in your gut as you laid on your bed with a scowl while writing in your journal, constantly pausing to wipe at your eyes as you refused to let any satisfaction come to whoever bestowed this future upon you.

Grounded. You, A’s and B’s, always behaving in school, never a single detentions, suspension or expulsion, nothing. Grounded, grounded, grounded!

“Ugh! This is so.. unbelievably fair!” You shouted to yourself as you rolled off your bed and sat at your desk, staring at the computer with a glare. Normally you’d be playing mine sweeper or even trying to see how many times you could make the calculator hit a dead end with an error by dividing by zero or spamming the numbers.

Hell you wouldn’t even be locked up in your home/auto-mechanic shot if you hadn’t stolen that car from the shop. You wouldn’t be here if you hadn’t met Will in third grade, and you decinetely wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for-

“[Name]?? [Name], it’s me-“

Mike.

“Mike..” You mumbled bitterely glancing to the Walkie-talkie placed on the shelf above your desk, listening to the static ring now in the channel. Maybe he’d given up-

“[Name]! I know you’re on this channel, I just wanted to check in. Please answer me.”

“Just leave..” You mumbled as though he could hear you, standing and grabbing the talkie before sitting on your bed. You sat and picked at the spine of your notebook, the spiral untangled and poking out easily scraping your arm inbetween classes and even in the class itself.

“[Name] I’m not leaving until you answer.”

You let out a grumble as you continued to listen to his pleading as you fiddled with useless objects, listening to him chant your name over and over. Finally did you pull out the long antenna and press the red button did you speak to the curly haired boy.

“[Name], [Name],[Name]-“

“Mike, shut up. I’m not in the mood for more of your bullshit.”

He interjected before you could even disconnect from the channel.

“[Name], please! I’m worried, you didn’t come to school today, and.. I saw how mad your dad was at you last night and just- I’m sorry.”

“Mike sorry doesn’t remove me from my house. I’m grounded for two weeks because of your- dumb shenanigans with Eleven!”

“They’re not dumb-“

“I dont care what you think they are! I’m done being around just for your convenience, goodbye, Michael.”

And with that you switched to a blank channel and lowered the antenna with a frown. You felt tired, angry, sad. You needed to just let these feelings out. You slammed your head onto the biggest pillow you had and let out a throat-tearing scream as you felt the tears make marks on your pillow. You probably just ruined everything between you and Mike and the party..

“You just insulted the guy you like, idiot..and lost one of your best friends most likely..” You mumbled to yourself rolling onto your side before closing your eyes trying to fall asleep.

-

“Guys.. what do I do?” Mike panicked with two hands pulling through his curly hair as he paced between his friends in his basement with wide eyes.

“Mike, chill! [Name] can’t be that mad at you!” Lucas said brushing the issue off before turning to grab another slice of pizza.

“She called me Michael.” Mike deadpanned with a sad glare as he collapsed onto a bean bag, draping an arm over his eyes.

“It’s hopeless... she’ll never forgive me.”

“Mike.. don’t give up.” A soft voice came from across the room, causing Mike to shoot up and stare at El with as much shock as everyone else in his basement.

“She likes you, alot Mike.. You need to do this in person, not behind a speaker..” Eleven said softly, offering him a small smile.

“El’s right, Mike. Go see your damsel in distress, we’ll cover for you.” Lucas added with a grin, getting a nod of agreement of some form from everyone.

Mile nodded with a small smile and ran up the steps and out the door, his heart sounding in his ears as he ran to his garage and snatched his bike off the ground before pedalling down the street with a determined stare as he saw your house upcoming. You two didn’t live too far but no matter where you were, if you weren’t together, you’d seem like you were never here. You were somewhere miles and miles away, beyond oceans.

With heavy breaths he threw his bike down into your yard and bent down to pick up rocks, collecting them in his pockets, he began throwing them at your window with a wide stare. Eventually he ran out and as he searched around, he stiffened at the bump against his head as he loked to your window to see you peeking out and watching him on your lawn.

“[Name]-!”

“I thought I made myself clear, Michael.” You said with a glare.

“[Name].. I understand, and I’m sorry...I was being a douche and an idiot thinking we’d get off scott free because we made you steal one of your dad’s cars.. I understand why you’re mad, but talking this out in person rather than over a talkie or even avoiding eachother won’t resolve this.. so please let me in? I want to fix this..” He said genuinely, giving you a sweet smile.

“Fine.” You huffed with a hesitant stare of your own appearing before you disappeared and came back throwing out the foldable ladder to Mike, waiting on the edge of your bed for him to climb into your room.

He noticed your conflicted expression and sat beside you, placing a hand on your shoulder calmly, “[Name].. can I say something..?”

“You just did, but go ahead.” You chuckled bitterly.

“[Name], since we met in third grade.. I.. I had the best time in life. You got me into DND and you even inspire me with how couragous and bold you are against people who bother us at school, hell even with the demodogs, you beat their ass! I.. I realized how much you meant to me so long ago, and with all this extra conflict I just wanted to make this easy and sit down and tell you. [Name], you changed my life so much, for the better of course, you make me truly happy.. and I was wondering if you wanted to uhm.. go out with me? Because I like.. you.. a lot.” His face flushed red and you smile before grabbing his hands in your own, staring into his brown eyes as he desperately searched yours for an answer.

With a chuckle you pressed your lips to his forming a small chaste kiss, pulling back to reveal a pink tint of your own. Mike swore his heart was about to come out of his throat and explode just then, but he tried to keep his composure.

“Is that a yes..?”

“Yes, Mike.” You said softly, moving a hand through his curls with calm eyes. He smiled now, his grin growing as soon as you called him Mike again.

“Great! Well I was thinking after you get ungrounded, you could uh maybe.. like uhm.. go to this drive-in theater? It’s down near the school and we could bike there together! Unless we have to drive.. but I promise no cars can be involved if they don’t have to be.. uhm..That could be our first-“

“Date..” you finished with a smile hugging him slowly, him taking no hesitation in holding you as well.

“I’d love to Mike, as long as it’s with you, I’m more than happy to..”

“Then if you’re happy? Maybe I can get a few more kisses?” He offered pulling back with a shit wating grin, getting a laugh from you in return.

“[Name] [MiddleName] [Surname]! Why in the world is there a random bike in our lawn?!” Your father shouted, his booming footsteps echoing in the stairwell.

“ShiT-“

[dczzle]

╰ ☆ . WE’RE NOT OKAY: VERSE INFORMATION

           it’s september, 1995. the start of a new school year. for thomas, scott, alex, mikey, and ollie, it’s their last, and for jesse, it’s the last he has with his friends. the six boys have been attending the carl m. pencey catholic prepatory academy (affectionately known as pencey prep by the boys) and its sibling elementary school, our lady of sorrows catholic school, for what feels like their whole lives. living in a small town, the banding together of the six seemed natural as they sought out peers with similar culture and interests as their own. 

            as teens, even generally well-behaved ones, do, the boys got into their fair share of trouble throughout high school. sneaking out, drinking, and experimenting with drug was mixed in with late nights playing dnd and gawking over cheap porno magazines that they stole from mikey’s older brothers. they’d begged countless times for their parents to cart the six of them to the movies, to comic-con, and to concert after concert (though they were denied permission to even go because jesse was too young, the night they snuck out to see green day was the best night of their lives). 

          things haven’t always been great, though. even when you’re living the dream, things never are.  ( tw; death of all kinds, drug abuse & addiction, obsession, mental illness, abuse)

thomas zhang has, as far as he knows, always lived with his grandparents. he has asked, from time to time, about what happened to his parents, but they refuse to talk to him about it. kids from down the block told him that his parents were probably crack addicts and, after a while, thomas started to believe them. in early 1990, his grandmother was diagnosed with an aggressive form of bone cancer. she passed away before the end of the year, when thomas was only thirteen years old, leaving him in the care of his grandfather who, while a kind and gentle old man, wasn’t emotionally equipped to take care of a teenage boy. 

scott yang is one of those kids that’s so well adjusted you just know there’s something going on deep down. and in his case you’d be one-hundred-percent correct. pencey prep’s freshman english teacher, mrs. ser, had always been scott’s favorite teacher. he did well in her class and she, as with all her other students, was always kind and encouraging to him. naturally, scott thought he was in lov with her, but mrs. ser was a mrs and her mr was highly abusive. scott used to dream of the day that he’d turn 18 and convince her to leave her husband so they could run away together. but halfway through his sophomore year, mrs. ser comitted suicide. her death changed scott, and he went as far as to change the way he walked home from school so he could stop by the cemetery and visit her grave. he often would- and still does- leave flowers and love letters on her grave. 

alexander kim is that friend. you know, the one who always goes to you for advice and never fucking listens. who claims to be deep but doesn’t understand a fucking word he’s staying. that’s alexander. alexander who believes that his problems are the worst anyone has ever faced ever and is so dramatic about it that sometimes you think he’ll actually die as many times as he says he will. despite his dramatics, alexander has a perfectly fucking normal life. sure, his ex was an asshole for spreading those pictures of him, but that’s not a real problem.

michael lee has rich parents. rich parents who give their rich son a hefty allowance to spend however he wants. however he wants usually translates to one thing: coke. michael thought he was so fucking cool the first time he showed up to movie night with that little plastic bag. most of the guys thought he was too. the first time. it was less cool when he started showing up high all the time. it was way less cool when, after last year’s end of the school year bash, the boys found michael passed out and unresponsive on their friend’s front lawn. he promised after that that he’d get clean, but michael lies.

oliver lau has had night terrors almost his entire life. and if anyone asked him why, he’d tell them. obviously it was because the house he lived in was haunted. it was an older house with a very creepy basement that they rented out to a weird graduate student, and believably haunted. there were ghosts everywhere in the house, and they wanted to hurt him. it’s why he’d wake up covered in scratch marks and bruises. the ghosts were trying to kill him. why would it have been anything else? oliver believed that the ghosts of a family that used to own the house were tormenting him- but mostly the son ghost. for some reason he could picture the young man perfectly, even though oliver had never seen him before. because of course it was a ghost tormenting him, and not his subconscious telling him that there was something wrong with the way their house guest looked at him across the dinner table.

jesse min has spent most of his life in quite a precarious family situation. his father has been in and out of his life since he was a baby, and jesse’s mother can never seem to find luck with keeping a job or a sugar daddy. for several instances in his life, jesse was moved out to live with his father (or, more often, his father’s friends) while his mother was trying to get back on her feet. then he’d go back to his mother so his father could get back on his feet, and vice versa. his being enrolled in private school was a means to keep him from having to change schools every time he changed addresses, and there were stretches of time throughout middle and high school that jesse ended up staying with mikey or oliver instead for a month or two while his parents were transient. he always goes back to them, though, because jesse knows how much they love him and how hard they work to give him a life they think he deserves. 

[fanfic-writing-addic]

I sit here on the couch as I write some song lyrics for the hundred time “no I died” will screams I put down my notebook and jump up pretending to be whatever dnd character that killed him and pick him up from behind

“Ahh I got you now” I then rub my nuckles hard in his head before setting him down we all start laughing

“Guys you need to go home” mikes mother yells down at us the boys groan I smile

“Come on Dustin” i say putting an arm around him guiding him up the steps with my notebook and pincle in my other hand I get on my bike and tuck them in my jeans when we get home I go straight to bed I turn the lights off and go to sleep the next day we find out wills missing

So I start to write a song during my classes to cheer up Dustin and the others ‘Remember when we would play dnd with your friends there was five of us then now there’s four it looks hopeless now but we will find him we always do this isn’t the end this is just a new adventure a one in which he will be apart of if we can help it now if you don’t believe any of that then just know you can lean on each other because that’s what best friends do’ it short and not the best but I hope it helps them some

I looked up a few times and would catch Steve looking at me he would quickly look away when he saw that I saw him I rolled my eyes at him at the end of the day I go home and grab my gatar and walk to mikes house I go down in the basement and see them quite

So I started playing and singing “remember when we would play dnd with your friends there was five of us then now there’s four it looks hopeless now but we will find him we always do this isn’t the end this is just a new adventure a one in which he will be apart of if we can help it now if you don’t believe any of that then just know you can lean on each other because that’s what best friends do” they clap “thank you but we all know that it sucked”

Dustin nods in agreement I get up and hit him in the arm nacey walks in “Kathy do you want to go to party tonight with me and barb” she asks we arnt friends it’s nothing against her she’s nice she really is it’s just that I don’t get along well with people my age all my friends are middle schoolers for a reason we’ll besides Jonathan we’re not friends but we talk sometimes

“No I’m going to help look for will tonight just be careful alright” I say to her I want her to be safe with everything that’s going on

“Ok I’ll try to be” she then walks out

“Can we come” Dustin asks

“No it’s going to be late and you three have school tomorrow and need your sleep” they groan

Then start talking amongst them selves I open my notebook to a clean page and begin to write ‘I grew up overshadowed by laughter

Where the photos spoke wisdom

Scenes of wild kids running fearlessly

Oh how I wish it where a borrowed heart

Got myself together and built a dream

In good nights I worked the clouds

But come the story teller the woods called me

Down the long road how I wish I was free

Since a friend left me I got no place to say hello

No one in the back seat no one misunderstood

There’s a whisper in the Montana down town

Grey clouds build where the wind screams

Sun in the morning shade starlight in insanity

Nothing matters nothing left to do

The brook is dangerous how the water runs brave

And the birds no longer fly the sky full of cries

The stars shine for others when my sky is dark

A hole formed in my mind but no damage was visible

Since a friend left me got no place to say hello

No one in the back seat no one misunderstood’ I decide to label it alone I look at the kids and relize there planning a search party and there going soon “I’m going with you” I say to them

“Alright fine” mike says we step outside and begin looking when we see a girl with a shaved head Lucas goes to aproch her but I stop him

“Do you need help” I ask she nods “since you’re out here I can assume bad people are looking for you” i ask she nods “alright I’m sure mike will let you stay in his basement what your name”

“Eleven” she says we take her down and she finds my notebook and flips throw it

“There songs do you want me to play one” I ask her she nods then points to the one labeled the world has changed I pick up my gatuair and begin “the world has changed

We’ll never stay the same

And if I never say I want that

There’s gonna be no place left for me

Don’t want to be a long distance traveler if I had tried

I’d be happy to just let you

Find out what im gonna say

What’s coming through this week

Do you want me to wait

do you want me to believe

I can save you from this

Hell in time

Let me find my way

What if I didn’t fell like talking to you

When you said you loved me

What would it take to make you go away

I’d know it if I tried” she gives me a confused look then a small smile

“We’ll I have to go home so I can help with the search it starts at 8 and don’t come I’ll bring food tomorrow and Dustin be home by 9” I say to the group as I zip up my gatuer and swing it over my back I tuck my notebook under one arm and hold my pincle in the other and leave

I drop the stuff off in my room before I leave I run my hand through my hair my fingers getting caught in my curls i then walk to the Byers house I walk in the back to see Jonathan he looks terrible “do you need anything” I ask him even though I know I won’t be able to help him

“Yeah my brother back” he says

“We’re going to find him” I say to him we search for hours and nothing I get home and collaps on my bed I fell something under my sheets and turn on the light to see it’s Dustin some times he sleeps with me when he has nightmares or can’t sleep I turn the lights off and climb under the cover carful not to desrurbe him

[hairringtonsteve]

Steve headcanon where you're moving into a house together and the boys / eleven and Max come and help? x

a/n: okay, so i was totally going to add this to the list and do it later since it’s thanksgiving, however (this is a bit personal so you can skip and go straight to the headcanon), one of my friends who is my age and getting married next week (which is a whole other story that’s just aldkjfalskdjfalksdjf asdkfjlsadkfjlaskdjf) decided to lay it on me that he’s planning on having kids in like a year or so and i’m weirded out and just llike nope so i figured i’d distract myself with this. 

tl;dr: fluffy steve headcanon with the party is distracting and nice.

it had been a long time coming

like, a loooooong time coming 

you and steve had been dating for years when he’d brought up getting a house 

you’d told him that you’d at least better be engaged before that happened

and he was just like, “no shit y/n. i thought that was a given.” 

so it takes awhile but the idiot proposes to you 

the whole party was involved in keeping you busy the day of so you’d have no idea what was going on 

(you said yes, of course)

and the day after the two of you got engaged, steve cornered you with the local newspaper and had circled seven different listings with a red marker 

this boy was ready 

you hadn’t thought that you’d be particular about getting a house, but you ended up being particular as hell, but when you found it? 

you found it 

(well, dustin had been the one to find it, but still)

everything had gone smoothly

one day you were freaking out because you were trying to buy a house and this was adulting and what were you doing this is insane 

and the next day the two of you were homeowners 

like, actual fucking homeowners

which of course brought along the next course of action 

moving 

you’d thought that it’d be hard to entice the party to help you move 

but it turns out steve had already enticed them into helping by saying that they could use your basement any time for DnD (which was still going on strong, even years later)

(steve still doesn’t know how to play, but he plays with enthusiasm)

so they were  r e a d y

mike had suggested that el just use her powers to get all the boxes into the moving van 

that was met with a resounding no 

“moving brings people together, mike. c’mon,” you’d said, grinning at him 

mike just gave you the finger 

it took all morning just to get everything into the van 

(you’d been smart and had loaded up the stuff from your parents’ house the night before)

(steve had said that he didn’t have that much stuff and they could do it the day of)

(he’d lied)

dustin and lucas would bicker about where the boxes needed to go 

max and will took to organizing all of the furniture in the van

(will kept saying that it was like tetris)

el was helping you finish up the last of the packing while mike was fluttering between the lot of you, helping wherever he could 

steve was trying to label every single box, but somewhere along the way, he got some boxes mixed up, so he just wrote fuck it on the rest of them 

it was well after noon by the time the van was loaded up

so steve, dustin, and will had piled into the moving van while the rest got into your car

when you got to the house, you decided that it’d be easier to just get the boxes inside and then the furniture later 

which worked well enough

until it turned out that the couch was just slightly bigger than the doorway

(it’s like that scene from friends, except steve was the one screaming “pivot” over and over again, until dustin screamed at him to “fuck off”)

you were just silently thanking god that the neighbors weren’t around 

it took literally all day, but by 7:42pm on saturday, september 17, 1988, it was done 

the moving van was empty 

the furniture was all in place

the boxes were starting to get unpacked, but everyone knew it’d take at least a year for everything to be officially put away 

dustin offered to take your car to go pick up some pizza

steve called him a shithead and said that he shouldn’t be driving because he doesn’t care what the law or his driver’s license is, there’s no way in hell he should be allowed to drive

that started off a whole other argument when the boys came to dustin’s defense and then steve called them all shitheads and said that they were all babies still 

you, max, and el left to go get the pizza 

by the time you got back, it had been decided that steve was the shittiest driver out of all of them, and that max was the best 

by the time that the pizza had been doled out, you were all littered around your brand new living room

the entire party was somehow shoved onto the couch together

shoulders smushed together as they all ate their pizza 

you and steve were sat on the floor, backs up against the couch as you just grinned at each other 

“y’know, mom and dad, this isn’t that bad. it’s kinda nice,” lucas said, laughing 

“yeah, you guys got room for one more?” 

“or like, six more?”

you looked at steve and grinned

he was grinning right back

“yeah, we got room.”