#Mike 'but its hawkins. Its not the same without you' Wheeler | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

sadieshairbrush · 1 month

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Stranger Things: Clementine

A/N: This is so scary to me as I’ve been working on this for a crazy long time! Unfortunately, I understand that a lot of people aren’t fans of Original characters but I just find the concept of it a lot more inclusive, and I can take more inclusive liberties with my character! No mentions of hair, skin, eye colour etc, just a name. As a Scottish girl imagining myself casually in Hawkins is strange and I usually find it better to envision myself playing a character I can become attached to. I love this character, and I hope she becomes as close to your heart and she is to mine. Steve slow burn.

Summary: Clementine Chase, a classic high school girl in Hawkins is suddenly faced with the mystery surrounding a missing boy.

Chapter 1: The Vanishing of Will Byers

“Thanks again for helping me out here, Clementine. I really appreciate this.”

“I don’t mind,” I smiled, dragging a cloth over the surface of the kitchen counter. “Its all my mess anyways.”

Normally this mess was created while trying to entertain the group of 12 year olds I’ve babysat a couple of times but tonight, they were playing some nerdy board game the last ten hours. They’d begun this far before I’d arrived, so the mess tonight was my own.

I’d attempted to make the boys some sandwiches near 2PM. I’d been there for an hour and not once had any of the kids come up from the basement yet. Serves me right since I didn’t actually need to be there until it got dark.

It was around 6PM when Nancy had walked through the front door, more than surprised to see me. She’d froze half way through the door, and I looked at her with a daring smirk.

“Have fun today, Nancy?”

“Just… a little.”

I knew what that meant. Her tiny grin told me all I needed to know. Steve was in my circle of friends, after all. How could I not know what was going on behind the scenes?

The story had gone that Steve Harrington, King Steve had taken a shine to Perfect Nancy Wheeler. How long would it last, would everyone know if they were to go all the way?

It had been about two weeks. Everyone knew about it. Still, I wasn’t quite sure what the official story was. Is this a silly little thing or are they genuinely interested in one another?

I was only let in on this before the weekend, and had only decided to let my bitterness go so I had a ride to school tomorrow.

Seeing her come home while I was babysitting her brother wasn’t so awkard, not as awkward as it could be anyway. But I could always sense she wasn’t quite as relaxed as I’d like her to be around me. We didn’t generally run in the same circles, but who was I to care?

By 8PM when Mr and Mrs Wheeler came home with Holly, Nancy was clearing her snacks off the kitchen counter we’d been leaning against, unwilling to let her parents into the gossip we’d been sharing.

“I’m going to study before bed, so I’ll see you in school tomorrow, Clementine.”

“She’s got Kaminskys test,” I cleared up as Ted made a bee-line for the TV. Karen nodded, heading out to take Holly to her bed.

When she was back, I’d already had my coat on, clearing the mess I’d made with a damp rag.

The last time I was here ended the same.

Clearing up the days mess while Karen practically pried me away from the cloth with a, “you’ve done enough, I’ll handle the mess.”

Though I’ve not listened yet.

I smile cheekily as the kids loud voices upstairs as they yell tensely from the basement. I meet Karen’s eyes, and . “Those kids will be wanted home about now. I could walk them out before I overstay my welcome.”

She looked down at her own watch, noting the time. It was already reaching eight fifteen.

“Mike! …Mike!” She yelled, coming back to the kitchen area. She waits patiently with a hand on her hip, but the boys voices just get louder as they chat on top of one another.

“Mike!”

She walked towards the basement door, and swings it open without an other seconds thought.

And from there, I can just slightly hear Mikes voice over the others.

“Mom! We’re in the middle of a campaign!”

“You mean the end.” She taps her watch, meaningfully. “Fifteen after.”

Mike runs up the stairs, and catches my eye when he sees me, a look of confusion.

“How long have you been here?”

I could have choked on my own scoff. That basement is playing with his head.

“Uhh, all day? I made you guys your lunch? Ordered pizza and brought it down for you like an hour ago for dinner?”

He shook his head, probably an attempt to clear his already empty brain.

“Mom, just 20 more minutes!”

“It’s a school night, Michael, and I just put Holly to bed. You can finish next weekend.”

“That’ll ruin the flow–

“Michael–

“I’m serious, mom! It took two weeks to plan! How was I supposed to know it’d take ten hours?”

“Oh, no, it’s the end of the world as we know it!” I teased, ignoring his furious look.

“You can continue it later.”

Mike regards us with an ignorant look and rounds the corner to where Ted is attempting to watch the TV, which is still mostly static.

The storm from earlier on really had to have done a number on the electronics.

“Dad, don’t you think that–

“I think you should listen to your mother,” he interrupted, lazily, moving to hit the top of the TV. “Piece of junk…”

I bite back a laugh, and move to ring out the dish towel. I should have called Steve in advance. Though, I should count my blessings; I’d rather take the short walk down a few blocks than sit in a smoke filled car in the company of two of the biggest bullies I’ve ever known, Tommy and Carol, who would invite themselves along again.

“It was great to have you. But you don’t have to stay to clean up after we’re home, you know,” said Karen as I shrug my coat on.

“I know I don’t have to. I just feel a lot better about it. It’s a thousand times better than sitting in my dads house with no one to talk to or nothing to do,” I admit, matching Dustins wide grin as he approaches, pizza box in hand as the kids all fan out into the kitchen.

“Clementine! Want one?” He opens the box to show two decent sized slices of pizza left. “Was sausage and pepperoni your idea?”

“Sure was. And it looks amazing, but have you offered anything to Nancy?”

“I did, but she just shut the door in my face. There’s been something seriously wrong with her ever since she started dating that… douchebag, Steve.” He looked over his shoulder, making sure Mikes parents were out of ear shot, and once he was in the clear, he brought his voice back up. “Plus you’ve been stuck with us all day.”

“Yeah, he can be a douche,” I laugh, taking a slice from the box and taking a huge bite.

“She used to be cool...”

“She’s just a teenager. Trust me, I’d know,” I settled with a firm nod.

Teenagers can be mean to kids, but I’ve seen Nancy in school, as innocent as can be. Like a tiny, smart fish in a big, stupid pond.

We cut the conversation short when the rest of the boys begin to gather around with their jackets and bags, ready to turn in to their own beds.

“Alright, come on.” I nod them along and open the front door, and they race out towards their bikes. “Thanks for having me.”

“Thanks for watching the boys,” says Karen as I close the front door behind us.

It wasn’t the coldest of nights, but there were still small puffs of condensation with every exhale of the November night. I patted Mike on the shoulder as he stood to see all his friends off.

“Get home safe, guys, no detours,” I half-joked.

These kids were good, but they were still kids.

They waved me off as they picked up and adjusted their bikes, and I made my way back home, more than ready to turn in.

I savoured my nights at the Wheelers. Really, I did. Whether I was there to look after Mike (sometimes all his friends too), or just there for dinner as a thank you for doing so.

For my house was just empty.

I mean it was empty all the time. When I wasn’t home I was at Steve’s, but ever since he’d begun to pursue Nancy, I’d always wait until there was a group of us, just out of respect. Same went for calling him up in the morning or at night just to talk about whatever had been going on in life.

So, really my options this morning were to watch TV with breakfast until my ride came, or to rush breakfast and walk.

I sighed, turning off the waffle maker just in time for the phone to ring.

My father had already left, so I picked up the landline in the kitchen, and held the phone between my ear and shoulder as I put my breakfast together.

“Chase residence,” I sing-songed in practiced tones. “Dad has already left for the office, can I take a message for you?”

“Hi, Clementine.”

I quirked my brow the minute I heard the voice. Joyce Byers whose son I had watched over just last night. Except this morning she sounded particularly anxious. “Will didn’t stay with you and your dad last night, did he?”

Why on earth would we have a 12 year old stay the night without letting his mother know? “No… Joyce, he left with the boys last night. He lives pretty close to Dustin, I know they ride the same way. I could call his house?”

“I-I’ll call. Thank you. Really, I think he just left early for school…”

I certainly wasn’t convinced. But I let her go anyway, and continued my morning as normal, not thinking much of the call. I had my fair share of surprise sleepovers at Wills age.

I’d already switched off the TV and washed my dishes by the time I heard the BMWs beeping horn outside.

I rushed out, locking the door behind me.

Tommy, the infamous dick of Hawkins was already yelling out the window towards me, lit cigarette hanging from his lips.

“Move your ass, Clementine!”

“Tommy, put that shit out! I told you a million times that I’m not going to be hotboxed by your smoke.”

If I’ve said it once I’ve said it a thousand times, but it always came back to the same argument.

“Those are the rules,” Steve defended with a shrug as I slid into the back beside Carol who offered me a stick of gum. “She doesn’t like smoke, you can manage the length of a car ride.”

“So prudish, Clementine~”

Carol teased.

I rolled my eyes and adjusted my seatbelt with a huff. “What’s the point on spending some amount of money on perfume just to smell of cigarettes before I’m even in first period?”

“Like money’s an issue,” Carol continued.

Fine, it wasn’t. But I’d still like to smell like the Love’s Baby Soft perfume I’d paid for. “Whatever.”

“Your perfume’s way too sweet anyways. And you’re still alright for coming over tomorrow, right? My old man’s out of town on a conference, and…”

“Yeah, yeah. The beers are on me, don’t worry. I’ve got it covered, you dick.”

“See, you drink but you won’t smoke,” Tommy scoffed. “The hell’s that about?”

I could waste my time bickering or I could simply shut up. But that wouldn’t be fun in the slightest.

“If you want to get sick and die, do it on your own time. You already look sallow and sunken, just don’t inflict that on me.”

“I look what?” He shot back, neck strained to look back at me. “Say that again, Clementine.”

“Oh, I’m just teasing!”

“You know you just piss me off when you start this shit!” He was seething. Best way to piss a guy like him off was to bruise his ego, that much was clear. And not to brag but I had years of practice under my best. It had yet to get old.

“If you don’t like my teasing, why are you moaning so much?”

“Listen to me, you little bitch-“

“Hey!” Steve yelled. “Don’t talk to her like that, alright? How you’re still friends at all is beyond me. Just shut up, and enjoy the ride.” He switched on his radio where Michael Jackson instantly blasted, and suddenly the ride was somewhat enjoyable.

Our daily procedure for the past two weeks was for me to give Steve an out to meet with Nancy. Sometimes that involved guarding the girls bathroom by standing outside, making up excuses.

“I told you, it’s a mess in there! There’s literally a tapeworm climbing up the wall, I swear…”

And of course people knew I was guarding a hookup. Probably even that it was Steves, but everything I knew about Nancy Wheeler told me the last thing she’d want is to be walked in on making out with a boy against the wall of the ladies toilets, even if stories of their dating life was floating around the school.

The other two didn’t quite get it. They couldn’t understand why he’d waste all his time chasing after a complete square who probably doesn’t even put out.

I mean that’s all he’s usually after, and they’ve all been okay with it.

But Steve was a friend. I was just happy he was finally after a girl worth his time. Nancy was nice, smart, and it made for a pleasant change.

Steve has dated tonnes of girls. They never lasted, and he never cared. He was a man of pure sexuality. But something was different about Nancy Wheeler… I could tell.

I knew her well enough what with being at her house every month or so.

What do you think our topic of discussion last week when I was paid to appear twice?

It’s the reason she’d offer a small, secretive smile as she exits the bathroom, and i’d return it with a sly nod.

Just like any normal day.

A normal school day also includes suffering through Steve and Tommy playing basketball until they knackered themselves out. Though, the athletes they are, it took them a while every time, so we would always keep ourselves occupied on the bleachers. It was a routine, one that I was about to invite disruption to as I held open the doors to the gym.

Nancy walked with her books against her chest as she talks with her friend, an almost ethereal floating opposed to stepping as she heads for the buildings exit.

“Hey, Nancy, c’mere!” I yelled out before I stopped to think that I might startle her.

She freezes and finds my eyes, startled as expected. “Hurry! Coming, Barb?”

Barbara was a tall girl. She towered above the rest of us, but she was hardly given a second of notice. I hadn’t paid much attention to her myself until Nancy took this position in the group. At the call of her name she looks shocked. It’s not that I didn’t usually try to involve Barbara, she’s Nancys best friend after all, and since Nancy was invited into the social group it only made sense to include Barbara too.

Except Nancy had always been popular in the subtle kind of way. Her trademarks were being pretty, smart and kind, and everyone wants that even if girls like Carol gave her a hard time. They liked her anyways, at least a little.

“Hurry where?” Nancy gave an unsure smile, still standing what felt like a mile away.

“To watch your boyfriend play basketball, duh!” I teased, pushing the door open as the pair approached. “You can sit with us, we’ll go out to Bennys after?”

The two turn to each other, but whatever Barbara was trying to get across to Nancy wasn’t delivered to me. Nancy then turns to me with an enthused smile.

“Sure! Sounds fun.”

With a grin, I lead them to our spot on the bleachers, trying to stay aware of how different these two were to the girls who watch us approach with weary looks on their faces.

“Are you lost?” Sneers Becky with a cruel laugh. As if I’m unaware that I had two girls trailing behind me.

Carol turns to push her, playfully. “She’s our friend!”

I motion for the pair to sit wherever they felt comfortable, and they sat a little far for my liking, huddled together as though I wouldn’t have their back if someone were to be snide.

“Yeah, be nice, you dick. You know Nancy, Steve’s girlfriend.”

“Girlfriend?” Nancy spoke wearily, but she went ignored. It wasn’t my intention to push her, but Steve generally rolled that way, and I saw it as an inevitability.

“Oh, Nancy! I heard about that. Must be really different for you, huh?” Becky started.

She was one of three of Steve’s exes that were currently present. None of them truly seemed to mind when the boy moved on. They all had their turns and they all had their shot in the limelight.

Nancy doesn’t seem to understand the workings of this, appearing more shy than usual, eying the tonnes of magazines, packets of gum and cigarettes splayed across the bleachers.

“She’s doing fine,” I said, picking up the Just Seventeen magazine that caught my eye. “Did you catch this? It only launched for the first time last month, look at its first issue!”

I tilted the magazine towards Nancy and Barb, pointing out the ad for Tri-Ac.

“I’m breaking in on my chin something nightmarish, but they say Madonna uses it.”

“No!” Said Nancy, kindly, analysing my face. “No, I don’t see anything.”

“It’s because she’s wearing so much makeup,” Laurie spoke up.

I rolled my eyes, unable to deny this fact.

“Shut up, Laurie,” Carol sighed. “Barb, you’d look so cute in these!” She yelled, pointing out the latest male fashion trends down the side of one page. “It shouldn’t be too far out of your comfort zone.”

I turn to look at the girl in question. She looks at a loss of what to say, and Nancy is no better.

“Go polish your reebok, Carol,” I remarked.

“Go, Steve!” Becky whistled, watching his bare chest rise and fall as he sweats, actually drawing our attention to the game we barely paid much attention to anyways.

“Put that shirt back on!” I yelled.

The game went on for another painful hour, and by the time they were done my stomach had begun to growl.

After a short-lived argument over who won, the boys hopped into the (well needed) showers, and we left.

“I’m going to get the biggest burger you’ve ever seen, I could eat a horse,” I groaned, mouth watering at the very thought.

Bennys hadn’t been much of a tradition, but rather a routine. Steve had made a point that it’d only been him, myself, Carol, Tommy and Nancy. And Barbara as I’d gently remind him. He thought that inviting the likes of the other girls in the group would be disrespectful, and I clapped his back for it.

Usually though, we’d have brought as many of our friends that we could fit over two booths. I think I prefer what we’ve had going in lately if I’m honest.

As we walked towards the parking lot, ready to pile into Steve’s car, Nancys voice cut through all the jeering.

“Hey, you know, my mom will be wanting me home around now. She puts a dinner out every night and-“

“You’re not coming?” Steve interrupts, stalking close towards her.

He ducks his head so his face is closer, and brings his voice down. “Come on, we won’t be there long, promise.”

She looked rather awkward, eyes on Steve’s hand that rested on her arm.

“I shouldn’t.”

“It’s fine, they can join us another time!” Carol smiled, voice dripping with sarcasm.

“Yeah, for now, I think we’ll survive without them,” Tommy adds.

“Not sure that I will,” I muttered. Though I know it’s best that the pair go home. Why should they make themselves uncomfortable? Plus, Carol and Tommy weren’t exactly solid company. “Guys, it’s fine. Seriously, we have plenty of time to hang out. Go on home,” I told.

Nancy watched me, unsure at first, then she looks back to Steve.

“I’m sorry.”

He nods, then pulls her in for a kiss. It was soft, tender.

I wasn’t too sure where they stood, whether they were meant to be a secret or not. This little moment between them cleared that up for me, and I smirked to myself.

Nancy appeared to feel the same, a shocked grin she tried to hide.

“Want us to puke? Come on, Romeo!”

Tommy blanched.

“Shut up, stupid. Let’s go, lover boy,” I butted in just as Nancys embarrassed gaze fell to the ground of the parking lot. “See you guys tomorrow.”

“Wait,” Steve interrupts, pulling Nancys stare back to him with his hands evidently magnetic eyes. “I’ll still see you later tonight, won’t I? Alone?”

I note Barbara’s shocked expression.

Clearly, Nancy didn’t let her in on this little plan. We, on the other hand, heard about their little meet up as soon as we were in Steve’s company.

“Yeah,” she smiled. “To study.”

I truly didn’t know Nancy well enough to understand whether she meant this or not. Knowing Steve, even if she did mean this, he might just try and sway her to do a little more than studying.

“To study,” I echo with a nod. “Let’s move it!”

And with reluctance, the pair were able to part ways.

We could have still had fun at Bennys like we normally did. But my mind slipped into somewhere I hadn’t expected. Something I didn’t remember until about halfway through taking my seat next to Carol.

“We should invite Nancy to yours tomorrow, right?” I asked, still rationing the contents of my burger around the table. Benny once reminded me I could order it without the pickle or the onion but why waste food when I could feed annoying teenage boys?

Steve perks up with a huge sigh of relief.

“Yes, Clementine. Absolutely, we should! And you know why?”

“So you can have sex and find out if she has a vagina?” Tommy remarked, earning a chuckle from Carol followed by an obnoxious wink.

“What, it’s weird for a girl who’s barely 16 to be a virgin now?” Steve challenged, flinging the spare pickles into his burger. “Not everyone’s been banging since they were 12.”

“I know that, douche bag,” Tommy retorts, an embarrassed flush on his cheeks. I’ve come to learn that he’s rather proud of his sex life. So it’s easy to figure that his shamefaced defensiveness was more about Steve shutting him down. “I’m just saying every other girl has at least kissed someone. She’s not kissed anyone besides you. Either she’s a wasteland or… just a tease.”

I shudder annoyingly at the slow grin that pulls at his lips, turning to Carol.

“How do you let him near you with that mouth?”

“That’s for me to know,” she laughs, sending him a wink across the table.

“You guys are disgusting.”

“Okay, little miss perfect. Lost your touch or something? When was the last time you even had a boyfriend?” Carol jabs, eyeing me up with a playful malice.

“Can’t lose your touch if you’ve never been in the game,” I countered, having never actually had a boyfriend. I crossed my arms feeling pleased with myself and hopeful that Carol would be off my back as suddenly as she was on it.

“You dated Reed!”

Steve started, suddenly on me too.

“Yeah, for like two weeks! He wasn’t my boyfriend,” I squeaked. Although being that intimate with someone in the same group wouldn’t be too strange. I mean just look at Steve and his exes.

“But you got with him at my party.”

“You had sex on Carols bed, didn’t you?” Steve smirked.

“Oh, my God!” I groaned, gripping my hair dramatically. “That was Kieran, and there was no bed sex!”

“Nah, come on now, that was actually pretty bad.” Steve attempted to come to my aid, waving off the others as if he didn’t bring it up. “Don’t you remember what he did?”

“No, wait, shut up. I thought you guys dated for a while,” Carol drawled in thought.

“Oh my God!” Tommy laughs so loud that it startles Carol. “That was all fake, to made Kieran jealous. No one told you?”

“No!”

I’d have felt guiltier, but I couldn’t hold back the bubbling giggles even with a hand pressed against my mouth. All this time, and my best friend thought I’d had a whole relationship that never existed.

“Why do you think we’re still friends after he ‘dumped me’ for Laurie? Thanks for that, by the way,” I jabbed, still a little bitter about the situation.

I was so close, he was back in my clutches. But Steve just had to see what Laurie had to offer instead of helping a friend in need. Not only did he not help like he promised, but now it looks like I was dumped for another girl, and that I’m still friends with the dude who did it.

It’s hard to see the situation in a negative light now after all this time. Especially since I lost interest in Kieran a whole while ago.

“I can’t believe you never knew!” Tommy guffawed, shaking Carols arm to tease her. Her face remained stony, showing no interest in making this a laughing matter.

“Well, no one told me!”

“Whatever,” he shrugs with a mouth full of food. “We’ve been here ages, it’s getting dark soon.”

Steve stuffed the last of his fries into his already full mouth.

With a united murmuring (Carols being a little too sharp) we begin to clear our table, all of us picking up the shakes we’d left aside to bring home, a habit we shared between us due to the distraction we caused each other.

Except when we piled into Steve’s car that night, everything was suddenly far from normal, and we hadn’t had a clue.

I was driven home, said goodbye to my friends, and walked into to a quiet house.

Only my dad was there, worrying his hands at his place on the couch. That was until he saw me at the door. He was on his feet in a flash, bee lining his way towards me.

He still wore his dress trousers and a smart purple shirt.

His brief case had been abandoned by the coffee table.

“Dad? Shouldn’t you be at work still?”

I wracked my brain, trying to make sense of his presence, checking my watch, making sure I had the date right.

“Clementine! I came home as soon as I heard, I just wanted to make sure you got home safe, and when I saw you weren’t here, I got worried.”

I’d never seen him in such distress. I’d kept my gaze on him as I dumped my school bag on the floor. “We got some milkshakes after school… but, dad, what are you talking about? You came home as soon as you heard what?”

He froze for a second, his gaze suddenly sympathetic. “I thought you would have heard by now? The Byers kid… he’s missing.”

And just like that, my heart wrenched.

I watched him the night before, he went home alone, and his mother called me only just this morning.

“Missing? He can’t be missing, dad. He didn’t just stay at Dustins?”

I don’t know why it was hard to believe. I’d just never heard of someone I knew disappearing before. Will was always quiet, very rarely said a word to me besides a Please or a Thank you. But I knew him, I knew that little boy.

“Afraid not, sweetie. Nobody knows what’s happened quite yet, but until we do, you’ve to get a lift to school and back, alright, and no detours. Straight home, no adventures, no outings, no grabbing milkshakes.”

“Yeah, yeah, okay, fine,” I nodded.

Tomorrow he’d be back to work the hours he usually was, and wouldn’t care less where I was as long as I was with friends. But I wouldn’t risk bringing it up now.

“That’s my girl. What do you say we put two nice mugs of hot chocolate on? I’m sure we can figure it out.” He whisks himself away to the kitchen and I just blink to myself.

“Yeah! Yeah, should be fun…”

Steve calls the house just as the cops settle into the livingroom that night. They’d come by to question me under my father’s watch.

They waited patiently as I promised I’d be off the phone in two seconds, taking the call in the hallway where they could see me incase I raised any suspicions.

“What do you want?” I said flatly.

I could practically see Steve as he scoffed, hand pulling away from his hair he was probably fixing in the mirror.

“Nice to talk to you too, Jesus.”

“Sorry, but seriously, what do you want?”

He exhaled loudly on the other side of the phone, voice becoming whiny.

“Nancy called. She says she’s under house arrest ‘cause of that missing kid.”

I turn to look over my shoulder towards the room my dad kept the cops company. But I couldn’t bring myself to tell Steve that they were here. Though I wasn’t worried. He didn’t even care enough to ask why I was basically whispering.

“Okay? What do you want me to do?”

“Convince me to do something stupid? I want to see her.”

Shit, that’s sweet.

I screw my eyes shut, knowing I’m about to give some stupid advice, just like he knows I will. I could be more stupid about it, so let’s cut me a break.

“Then see her. You’re not new to sneaking into bedrooms,” I shrugged, as if he could see me doing it. “Just don’t make her uncomfortable.”

“Why would I make her uncomfortable?”

He sounds offended, but he’s now heard exactly what he wanted to hear,

“If she wasn’t planning to have sex with you in the first place tonight, being in her personal space and trying to screw her is even worse.”

“I know, I know! Kaminskys test is coming up for her, I’ll help her study.”

The smile in his voice made my heart flutter. It’s like reading a romantic novel. But I know if I tell him how amazing it is to see him learning about what’s going on in Nancys life he’d take the huff and hang up the phone.

“You’re the devil, Steve Harrington,” I sigh.

“You’re the best, Clementine Chase!”

Then the dial tone.

It takes a good hour to let the cops know everything that went on that night. And then I found I was just repeating myself over and over again.

“I told you everything I know, already.”

It stands to reason I’d be questioned a little more intensely since I was one of the last to see Will. It was all unwinding just a little too quickly for me, and I felt as though I could never settle. Just a few hours ago I was enjoying shakes with my friends, laughing and making jokes about anything and everything.

Now here I was being interrogated in my own living room.

“We just want to make sure you’re not missing anything,” spoke the cop with the moustache. “You were one of the last to see him.”

I sighed, and the other, slightly more competent cop cut in. “I know it’s a little frustrating Miss. Chase. We’d just like to make sure we’ve not missed anything. Did he ever show signs of being unhappy? He fit in okay?”

I stopped to think for a second, feeling the pressure of the two looking down at me from my place on the couch.

Will was the quietest of Mikes friends, mostly timid.

“He’s really close to Mike Wheeler. He looks out for him since his friends are… you know, they always kinda picked on him.”

“They pick on him?” The second cop took to writing in his notes.

“I guess. They’re great kids but the Byers boy is sort of the runt. They kinda comment of his shoes, mimic things he says… he’s a little more… sensitive, you know?”

Thinking back on every interaction with Will, he was definitely the peewee, laughed at and teased. He wasn’t like the other boys. But what these cops were getting at wasn’t sitting right with me.

“But he’d never run away. He trusts them, his family loves him. When it comes down to it, they all have his back.”

He considers this for a moment, eventually nods and closes his note pad.

He folds his arms with a deep breath.

“We haven’t come to a near conclusion yet. Let us know if you remember anything else. Thank you, sir,” he says, nodding towards my dad who stands up to lead the pair out the door.

They need to find that boy in one piece.

He was just so small, a mouse among cats. He’d barely ever spoken a word to me, just always a polite smile, and an excited nod to whatever story the boys were telling me that night.

How could this all happen so fast? I thought, head buried in my hands as my dads weight sank into the couch beside me.

I felt his hand on my back. He was unsure how to break the silence, that much was for sure.

I lift my head to look at him, and he stills, waiting.

“I really hope he’s alive, dad.”

He leans over, planting a kiss on my forehead, grunting when the phone rings again. “If that’s one of your friends, tell them to make it quick. You’re in no headspace to be gossiping.”

I nod, knowing full well I wouldn’t be able to bring myself to chat away as if I wasn’t feeling sick to my stomach anyways.

I pick the phone up, not bothering to take the call in the hallway for privacy. Prepared to hear Carol, maybe even Tina or Steve, I froze at Mike Wheelers voice on the other end.

“What do you think happened to Will?”

What the hell is going on on this night?

I risk a glance at my dad to find he’s watching me with worry.

“I’m-“

“Did anything weird happen when you watched him ride off?”

“Umm, no.” I stand up, and walk a little further from my dad’s listening ears. “I’m sorry, I don’t know anything.”

“Meet us in ten.”

“What? Where?”

I should have asked why. Said no. Convinced him not to go anywhere. Why didn’t I?

“Mirkwood”

“What the hell is that?”

“Where Cornwallis meets Kerley!” He stressed, quickly. “Just meet us there!”

“No! Are you stupid?” I argued, not bothering to control my voice in front of my dad.

Who knows what’s out there right now.

“We’re going with or without you, Clementine. So suit yourself.”

Then that was it. He’d slammed the phone down, and left me helpless.

I turned to my dad, weighing my options.

I could tell him, then he’d involve the police and intervene with the kids plans to endanger themselves. Or I could accompany them myself, and have them still like me by the end of it.

I know what I should do.

Why don’t I tell him?

Because I’m feeling stupidly loyal to the group of boys who probably just want someone to talk to after hearing about their best friend disappearing.

“What on earth was that about?”

I don’t move for a long moment, blinking stupidly.

“Just Tommy! Carols birthday is coming up and his gift ideas are just shocking. But It’s his problem, so I’m gunna turn in.”

I yawn loudly and stretch a little more dramatically than I should have, hoping that would be enough

Luckily for me, I was allowed to make it upstairs without him following behind me.

What the hell was I doing?

I pushed all my thoughts from my head as I shrugged on my closest corduroy coat.

This is crazy, Clementine!

I cuss myself out when I open bedroom window, all too familiar. Except tonight I wasn’t climbing out to talk to a boy, or go to a party, or stay at Carols. Tonight I was meeting a bunch of kids in hopes they wouldn’t get themselves lost when I really should be telling someone about the whole situation.

But all they want is to feel like they’re doing something to help find Will…

“Oh, hell.”

By the time I reach the location they’d asked to meet at, all of them had arrived, bikes in tow. The tree line was covered with police tape. I felt my stomach drop as all four kids turned at my approach.

“What’s this all about?” I asked, arms folded lowly on my chest. “You know it’s a bad idea to be out here.”

“Exactly, yet Will is stumbling around here somewhere.”

Jesus Christ. As harsh as it is, there’s not a lot of land in Hawkins. It’s incredibly difficult to try and imagine that he’s not so far away right now.

With a sigh, I lean in close to Mike.

“So you think this is the answer? What if-“

What if he’s not out there? What if he was kidnapped?

But I couldn’t bring myself to say that to them. Mike blinks back, eyes doe-like and innocent. Mismatched with his occasional bite.

“What if nothing, Clementine. All I know is that we have to find him.”

“He’s a vital part of the party!” Lucas chipped in. I half expected Dustin to join, but he hadn’t made a peep. “We can’t let him down.”

“He’d do it for any one of us,” Mike finished.

“But if you don’t want to come, you don’t have to.”

He’s challenging me, I know it.

I hold his gaze, narrowing my eyes. If he’s bluffing about going ahead without me, his expression doesn’t betray him.

“What makes you think I won’t just go to your parents? Or the cops?”

“You’d have done it already!” Told Lucas, waving an arm to make his point.

“And you want to help Will nearly as much as we do.”

Except that’s not the reason. The best way to help Will is by letting the police do their jobs. The real reason is that I just can’t bring myself to let them down.

“Ugh, fine!” I groan, pushing myself to stand upright. “But only this one time. And that goes for all of you.”

Without a nod of confirmation from Mike he turns on his flash light, paying no heed to the on-going storm.

Dustin, on the other hand, speaks for the first time since I arrived.

“Hey, guys. You feel that?”

His head is tilted towards the sky, and he’s soon wiping his cheeks. Sure enough, it’s begun to spit with rain. The last couple of nights had all been the same. So I let myself wonder how I could be stupid enough to have worn a jacket with no hood.

“I think maybe we should go back.”

“No.” Mike told, a demanding tone to his voice. “We’re not going back. Just stay close. Come on!” Then two two were off, leaving Dustin and I behind, staring at the treeline.

I look towards Dustin, who looks nearly frozen in fear.

“Stay on channel six,” Mike instructs. “Don’t do anything stupid.”

“This whole thing is stupid, Mike.” Making a last attempt to appeal, I eventually follow behind the pair, scared they’d wander a little too far away from my sight. When Dustin doesn’t take a step forward, I catch his eyes over my shoulder. “Come on, Dustin, stay close.”

And he scurries forward, dropping his bike among the rest. Then he ducks under the police tape, jogging to catch up.

God in Heaven above, we’re in so much trouble. No, I’m in so much trouble. I’m the oldest, I’m supposed to be the responsible one. But here I am, trailing along as the kids put themselves in harms way.

“You know there’s always time to turn back, don’t you? We could wait ‘til morning,” I tried, looking straight at Mike knowing he’ll answer for everyone.

He usually does.

“He could be hurt by morning!”

Mike marched ahead, flashlight shone in every direction.

I couldn’t argue. If he was safe, which I doubt, leaving it any longer would only increase the chances of him running into danger. Again, I didn’t voice these thoughts. it’s not like they’re stupid, they know as much as I do the possibilities deriving from Wills disappearance.

“And what am i supposed to do if someone jumps out from behind a tree and attacks one of you?” The scenario runs over and over in my head as the rain begins to fall heavier.

A masked kidnapper scooping one of the kids up, a crazed murderer chasing me away.

The heavier the rain became, the less sure I knew what I was hearing around me. The snap of every twig, the kicking of every rock under the kids feet, any of it could be danger in disguise.

I swallowed down the lump in my throat, speaking to Dustin between the shouting of Wills name.

“This is bad, you know. This could go so wrong, so fast.”

But instead of a reply from Dustin, I’m with with a dangerous glare from over Mikes shoulder.

He yells out for Will whose name echoes ominously around us.

“Byers!”

“I’ve got your X-men 134!” Dustin called out, letting out a shaky breath. “Guys, I really think we should turn back.”

Me and him both.

“Seriously, Dustin! You wanna be a baby, then go home already!” Lucas argues, and I don’t like the sound of it.

“Hey, no! If we’re doing something this stupid we’re staying together. We’re not sending each other off alone,” I warned.

“So no one leaves!”

This kid! Their will is greater than mine. I have no choice.

“I’m just trying to be realistic, Lucas!”

“No. You’re just being a big sissy!”

“Shut up!” I yelled above the pair. “I’ve been trying not to scare you, but have you got any idea what are you could be in these woods? And you’re attracting all this attention.”

“Case. In. Point.” Dustin continued, flashlight now beaming from tree to tree. “Did you ever think Will went missing because he ran into something bad?”

Like a bear, or a kidnapper or a murderer. Or a Martian.

“And now we’re following in those footsteps,” I agreed. “With only me to protect your asses!”

“Clementine, shut up!”

I look at Mike with wide eyes. “Wow!”

“Shut up, shut up…” he says now more softly.

He’s listening for something. “Do you guys hear that?”

I freeze, heart suddenly in my throat.

What are the chances it was Will Byers scuttling through the trees towards us, to safety?

The rustling is from our left!

Then our right!

And every flashlight in the group is being shone is every direction with every shake of every leaf.

But then it’s just a little too loud, and a little too close.

Four flashlights illuminate a person, and for a millisecond, I was scared.

But this wasn’t a threat.

This was a kid.

#steve x reader #original character #stranger things rewrite #stranger things #steve harrington #the vanishing of Will Byers #slow burn #like crazy slow #friends to lovers #i really hope you like it #please don’t hate me #bestfriend!steve harrington

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willbyerssupremacist · 2 years

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"not everyone in stranger things is gay"

...

"max, lucas, dustin theyre all great but... its hawkins, its not the same without you"

"its not my fault you dont like girls! (projecting)"

"you're the heart!"

"did I make you? are you real?"

*mike "my gf is mad at me let me eat chips and lay on the couch vs my best friend is mad at me let me bike across town in the rain and beg for forgiveness" wheeler*

*Owen assuming max is a guy (& probably el's partner bc shes so worried)*

*el literally running around trying to find a way to save max all s4*

*EL LITERALLY REVIVING MAX WITH HER LOVE?????*

*mike literally staring at will and his lips every time he's on screen*

*will "gay panic" byers giving veiled love confessions left and right the whole season*

*rovickie/byler parallels every 2 seconds*

*robin and nancy literally holding hands*

*eddie calling steve big boy??????*

be so fucking fr rn, atp it would be more of a surprise if they were straight💀💀

#byler #elmax #rovickie #steddie #gay monster show #ronance

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emblazons · 2 years

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"Its Hawkins. It's not the same without you."

Mike Wheeler in Every Episode - Season IV

bonus, for the culture:

#mike wheeler every episode #mike wheeler #byler #two today—ending one series and starting the next!!#MY SON #he is my little guy. not a single bit ironic either.#--i would like to note that there are 1.5M other shots I wished to include but we went for personality and importance over vibes lol #WILL IS ALSO IN THE BG OF SO MANY OF HIS SHOTS?! AHHHH #mikewheeleredit #thepartysource #stedit #my gifs #the me tag #stranger things #in every episode

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urdreamgirls-dreamgirl · 2 years

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Nancy Wheeler has always considered herself to be a practical kind of person. She keeps to her schedule, she gets her work done, she makes good decisions for her future. That’s why she can’t believe she’s ended up here, stuck at a minimum wage job at the new Starcourt Mall.

If she’s really honest with herself, Nancy can admit that it was a little bit of wishful thinking and a lot of overconfidence that led her here. She’d applied for a really competitive internship out in Indianapolis for the summer and she’d been so sure she was going to get it. Her application was impeccable and she’d thought the interview had gone so well that she’d quit her after school job at the Hawkins Post that same day. All she’d been allowed to do there was order the office lunches and make coffee on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays anyway, so it wasn’t like it was some kind of great loss to her. She’d practically added a line to the resume that was sitting in her desk drawer just waiting to be turned in to college admissions offices in the fall.

And then the call hadn’t come. She’d waited two weeks and then finally given in and called the Indianapolis Star to ask about the status of her application. She’d held the phone in a white knuckle grip as the man on the other end had told her that, while she’d certainly been impressive in her interview, they’d decided to go in a different direction. They’d be sure to keep her in mind for any future positions, he’d assured her. She’d said “thank you” and slammed the phone back into its cradle; she knew exactly what men like that meant when they used the words “different direction.”

So now, Nancy Wheeler was trudging out to the new mall all the way across town everyday, wearing a ridiculous sailor costume and slinging ice cream alongside Eddie Munson, Hawkins High’s resident drug dealer and repeat senior. If anyone asked her--not that they ever would--she’d tell them this was far stranger than watching a demogorgon rip its way through the walls of the Byers house. Stranger by a long shot.

~*~

Eddie Munson’s not sure how he got here. He’d had a good thing going with Reefer Rick. Decent weed, a place to crash when he didn’t feel like sleeping at the trailer, and a pretty great gig that paid the bills.

And then Rick had to go and get himself arrested. Without Rick, Eddie’s supply completely dried up and he had no other real connections in this shitty little town. So what was a guy to do? He couldn’t lay around the trailer all day. He had tapes to buy and gigs to get to. It wasn’t like he could go an entire summer without a cash flow. He’d only really had one option: the new shining temple to the great evils of Capitalism.

That’s how he found himself pulling on the most demeaning sailor uniform in existence every morning and taking his place next to Nancy Wheeler, the princess of Hawkins, behind the counter at Scoops Ahoy, preparing for a summer full of obnoxious tweens and their even more obnoxious mothers. It was going to be a long three months.

~*~

“Where’s Nancy?”

Eddie sighs, but doesn't take his eyes off the Rolling Stone he’s flipping through at the counter. Thank god for whoever’d left it at their table earlier this afternoon.

“Would it hurt you to be polite? What happened to ‘hello’? ‘How are you?’ ‘Could you please tell me where my sister is?’” Eddie says, finally looking up from his magazine to see little Wheeler scowling at him. Mike reaches over to slam his palm against the bell on the counter, something he knows drives Eddie absolutely insane.

“Hi, hello, how are you? Would you be so kind as to tell me where my darling sister is?” Mike responds, tone dripping with sarcasm.

Eddie sighs again, then calls out, “Wheeler, your demon spawn are here.”

Nancy comes shoving through the door to the backroom with clean ice cream scoops in one hand and a box of little pink sample spoons in the other. Her scowl matches Mike’s.

“I’m not letting you use our mall access for another free movie. Grow up, Mike,” she says, before Mike or his friends can even say anything.

“Come on, Nance, please?” Mike whines. “Will wants to see Day of the Dead and you know we can't get tickets for it.”

Eddie’s eyes shift from Mike to Will, who’s making the biggest, sweetest angel eyes over at Nancy. Eddie can’t help but snort; these kids are good.

“Ugh, fine! But this is the last time.” Nancy shoves the ice cream scoops into their slots by the coolers and then slides the box of spoons toward Eddie, who ignores them. Eddie watches as Nancy leads the kids into the back room. He’s flipped through a couple of more pages of his magazine before she’s back.

“You just got played, Wheeler,” he tells her as she opens the spoons Eddie had left untouched.

“Will’s... been through a lot. He deserves to see a damn movie.” Nancy doesn’t seem like she wants to elaborate on what she means by that, so Eddie lets it drop.

“How’d you end up here at Scoops anyway? Doesn’t seem like something Nancy Wheeler of all people would be that in to.”

Nancy sighs. “Thought I was gonna get this perfect internship in Indianapolis, but... I didn’t, obviously. My options were limited by the time school ended.” She works on replacing the spoons for a moment, before she says, “What about you? Red, white, and blue don’t really seem like your colors, no offense.”

“None at all taken, Wheeler,” Eddie smirks. “Let’s just say, I’m not that interested in seeing what the inside of a jail cell looks like right now.”

Nancy hums in response but doesn’t ask him to elaborate. Eddie knows his reputation often precedes him. He’s kind of into that, anyway.

Nancy rounds the counter with a rag to start cleaning sticky puddles of melted ice cream off the tables and Eddie returns to his magazine. They work in silence for the remainder of their shift.

~*~

Two days later, Eddie’s back behind the counter with that same Rolling Stone he keeps stashed under the cash register. He’s read the damn thing front and back so many times, he’s practically got it memorized.

“Hey, is Nance here?”

Eddie doesn’t have to look up to know who’s asking, but he does anyway. His eyes snap up to meet Steve Harrington’s gaze and he can feel his own heart racing a mile a minute. Of course the first time Eddie sees Steve Harrington after graduation, he’s wearing these stupid fucking sailor shorts. He feels his cheeks burning red.

“Uh, she’s on break. You need something?” Nancy usually takes her break in the back room, but today she’d apparently forgotten to bring her lunch, so she's gone out to the food court.

“Oh, uh. Yeah, just two scoops of strawberry, please? In a cone,” Steve glances to his left and Eddie becomes aware of the girl standing at his side for the first time. He vaguely recognizes her from school, thinks maybe she plays the trombone or the trumpet or something dorky like that. “You want anything?” Steve nudges the girl with her elbow.

“Can I get the Banana Boat with chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry, please? And extra whipped cream,” the girl says.

“That’s for four people,” Eddie tells her, raising his eyebrows.

The girl just smiles and then Steve says, “You've never seen her eat, man, it’s like a snake unhinging its jaw to swallow a baby whole, seriously.” He pulls out his wallet as he speaks.

Eddie laughs nervously. “I’ll take your word for it. That all?”

Steve smiles, seemingly pleased that Eddie laughed at his joke. “That’s it, man, thanks.”

Eddie tells him the total, takes his money, and then works on the Banana Boat for Robin. He slides it across the counter to her and watches as her eyes light up at the mountain of whipped cream he’d piled on top. Eddie grabs a cone and scoops out some strawberry. And so what if he makes the scoops just a little bigger than he normally would?

Eddie hands the cone to Steve over the counter, their fingertips brushing.

“Thanks,” Steve says, and his pink tongue darts out to catch a piece of ice cream that’s about to fall from the cone. Eddie’s brain short circuits watching him. “Can you tell Nancy we stopped by?”

“Yeah, no problem.” Eddie hopes his voice doesn’t sound as strangled and strained as he thinks it does.

Steve takes another lick from his cone. Eddie’s eyes track the movement hungrily. “Wow, this is great. We’ll definitely be back. See you around?” Steve smiles at him again and Eddie feels like he can’t breathe. He couldn’t speak even if he wanted to, so he just nods and waves, which makes Steve’s smile grow bigger before he’s turning and guiding the girl out of the store and into the busy mall. Eddie watches them go, eyes fixed out the door long after they’ve disappeared from view.

~*~

Nancy sits at the food court and contemplates her life. She’s seventeen years old, working at an ice cream shop, and sneaking her kid brother into R rated movies. How did it all come to this?

She knew her job at the Hawkins Post had been a dead end. She was supposed to be a journalism intern, but they’d treated her like their own personal assistant and didn’t even allow her to sit in on pitch meetings or read any drafts before they were sent to print. She’d encouraged Jonathan to take on the photography internship and he’d had more access to the actual news writing than she ever had.

Nancy didn’t consider herself a particularly bitter person, but that had left a terrible taste in her mouth. She knew it wasn’t Jonathan’s fault, that it was a flaw in the system not in how Jonathan saw her, but she couldn’t stomach it when he defended the way she was treated. He was always telling her they were interns and they were just lucky to be there. He didn’t get it.

That’s why she hadn’t felt too bad about breaking things off when she’d quit the Post, so sure that she was destined for bigger and better things out in Indianapolis. Nancy loved Jonathan, she really, really did, and they’d been through so much together. But Jonathan’s ambitions had never really matched her own and she couldn’t ask him to wait around for her all summer, not when she wasn't sure she even wanted to come back. Besides, she was seventeen. No one met the love of their life at seventeen.

“Hey, Nance!” Nancy hears someone call to her from across the food court. Her neck snaps up from where she’s been staring at the congealed yellow substance masquerading as cheese on her fries to see Steve Harrington and Robin Buckley walking toward her. Steve’s got a dripping pink cone in his hand and Robin’s got a half eaten Banana Boat. Nancy sighs. She doesn’t like it when people she knows see her in this stupid fucking outfit.

“Hey, Steve,” she says, trying her bast to smile. “How’s it going?”

“Ah, you know, doing this stupid fucking job my dad got me for the summer,” Steve tells her. Nancy had heard something about Steve getting hired at the Post not long after she’d quit. She hadn’t really been able to believe it, but Mr. Harrington pulling some strings for his son made a lot of sense. “This is Robin, she’s another intern there. I think you guys are the same year?”

“Yeah, I know Robin,” Nancy smiles at the girl next to Steve, who seems too preoccupied with the half melted concoction in her hands to really pay attention to Nancy and Steve’s conversation.

“We were just stopping in to Scoops to see you,” Steve tells her. “Thought you were still at the Post, but then Jonathan said you’d quit? Dustin mentioned you were here now.”

“Yeah, you know, thought I’d get some real-world experience. Make some money. Develop some people skills.” Nancy doesn’t want to admit that she’d made such a huge mistake, doesn't want anyone to know how sure she’d been, only to be shot down in a single phone call. It’s bad enough that Jonathan and Eddie know just how foolish she’d been and she doesn’t even really care what Eddie thinks of her, which is the whole reason she’d even told him in the first place.

“Right.” Steve gets that little frown line in between his brows that Nancy had once thought was the cutest thing ever, back in another life. “Well, we have to get back so...”

“Yeah, no, me too. Break’s almost over. Can’t leave Munson alone with all that ice cream for too long.” It’s a lame joke. Nancy can relate.

She gathers her half-eaten fast food and heads for the trash can. She tries her hardest not to look back at Steve and Robin as she walks back toward Scoops.

Inspired by this post.

#nancy wheeler #stranger things #stranger things 4 #stranger things 3 #eddie munson #steddie #steddie ficlet #ronance #stranger things fanfiction #stranger things fic #stranger things fanfic #steddie fic #I posted a shorter version of this and it FLOPPED so hopefully people like this? idk #steve harrington #robin buckley #Nancy Eddie friendship when???#steddie blurb #my writing

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bug-fics · 2 years

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Nobility

Pairing: Stable boy! Eddie Munson x Fem! reader

Summery: Eddie was just a mere stable boy who yearned for adventure and a happy ending. Falling in love with a nobleman's daughter was never apart of the plan, nor was stealing her away from the life of luxury she was handed.

AN: This is set up to be a mini series, so depending on how this does ill knock out another part soon. This part is basically all world building, i would have just made it longer to include actual plot but its better this way.

Word count: 5.6k

Living as a stable boy was never a part of Eddie’s life plan. Being the son of a provincial farmer was discouraging enough for the young dreamer, his boyhood was full of work, and no time to be a kid. Generation after generation, the Munson family were victims of the working class. His uncle helped around the quaint farm, helping take care of the small selection of livestock while his father was able to tend to the small plot of land that held an assortment of crops. Farm work wasn't ideal, but at the end of the day, it was honest work. Following his written legacy, Eddie took on the job as a stable boy to provide stability to the small household.

The funds were good, excellent even, seeing as though he worked for the highest noble family in the diminutive village of Hawkins. Nonetheless, while money was generous, Eddie yearned for adventure, and making up stories wasn’t enough for his wandering mind. The young lad was always drawn to fairytales, ones about great wayfarers who got the pleasure of undergoing danger and heroics, and maybe even love if they were fortunate.

But Eddie wasn't a traveler, he's never come close to leaving his small town. The rumors of the edge scared most people from leaving. The woods were filled with trouble, magic, and dangerous beings. Only an idiot would go beyond the edge without proper protection. Hell, Eddie hasn't been to most of the places in his hometown, spending most of his time at the cottage helping around the farm or slaving away in the stables. If he found the time, he would spend his nights at the local pub, his tab growing through the night as he told made-up tales to the locals. Against the barmaid’s pleas, Eddie loved to stand on the long tables, shouting theatrics and acting out sword fights with anyone willing to join in on the fun.

Lucas Sinclair, the baker's son, who had a habit of burning everything he touched was one of the few people who've stuck by Eddie all his life. Mike Wheeler, a sarcastic barkeep who happened to work at the dingy hideout with the rest of his family. The teen did more talking than working, continuously getting told off by his elder sister. Lastly, there was Gareth Emerson, an apprentice for the local blacksmith. His mother was a lovely woman, a lady in waiting who worked alongside Eddie at Cambridge manor. The two had a mutual understanding of life, both families dependent on the only people who seemed to matter in this godforsaken town.

The elders of the village feared the small crowd was supplying the younger residents’ minds with stupidity, a few of them already endeavoring to leave in search of conquest. This never dwindled Eddie’s spirits, in fact, he wished he had the nerve to pull the same stunts, rejecting the cards handed to him for a real taste of freedom.

“I don't know why you won't just leave,” Dustin Henderson was one of Eddie's best friends, he was one of the only people who could keep up with the dramatics that the farmhand lived by. Being one of Eddie’s closest comrades, Dustin also experienced every yearning sigh, every rant of adventure, every sad glance at what could exist in the beyond. “God knows how badly you wish to leave, why force yourself to stick around? Even Wayne has told you to relish in new liberations. Why are you still here?”

“There are things keeping me in this stupid place, I don't know.”

Dustin rolled his eyes at this response, it was no secret that Eddie had eyes for his employer's eldest daughter, “And by things you mean a certain Cambridge who you've barely spoken to, ‘oh Dustin! She looked at me today like really looked at me. Dustin, you won't believe what she said to me today. Her laugh oh her laugh, can you believe I made her laugh’ honestly dude, it's getting kind of embarrassing.”

A deep blush flooded Eddie’s face, I mean yeah he thought you were pretty, and yeah he thought your laugh sounded better than any music he's ever heard. And I mean sure, he thought your eyes were rather fetching, and your hair always looked lovely, and when you wore those tight, tight, riding pants during your lessons near the stables he couldn't help but stare.

But he didn't have a crush on you, Dustin's right, he's barely even spoken to you. It was an unspoken rule that nobles and the working class don’t clash. Your family was likable, but it was social suicide to even consider having a meaningful conversation with the long-haired man.

Shoving the young boy, Eddie fought with his brain to think of a rebuttal. “Listen, it's complicated. I can't just leave, the only thing that would make me leave is if I absolutely had to. Like a life or death situation, or maybe if I was kidnapped.”

Yeah, Eddie adored the fantasy of adventure, but as much as he would love to run away he had a job, responsibilities, and his uncle to take care of. He couldn't abandon all he loved just because he wanted to experience a rush of a crusade. Getting to watch you from afar was just the thing that made his life bearable. So he sat, drank, yelled, and laughed his nights away and in the morning he would suffer a day of hard work. It was his only option, adventure wasn't written in his cards unless an outside force made him have to run.

“You need to get out of here, we need to get out of here. This village is rotting from the inside out. Please, we could leave now it wouldn't be hard.”

“Dustin, we can't. You know we can't. Not now at least.” It was hard to deny the opportunity. If Eddie was a real adventurer he would agree as soon as Dustin asked. He’d run and gather his things and leave before the sun broke through the dark sky. But he wasn't a real adventurer. He was a coward, he was scared of the edge, he was scared of leaving his family, and he was scared of failing.

The night ended soon enough and the group of friends who littered the bar well past closing hours sluggishly swayed home, attempting to get just a little sleep before their day of work began again. This was the routine that was built.

Drink, sleep, work, repeat.

It was a disappointing loop, everyone was living to die. Money was tight, food was scarce, and no one was happy. Yet, Eddie and his crew seemed to be the only ones longing for an out. The poor grew weaker as the rich gained new opportunities.

Dawn broke in the sky bright and early, the roosters waking Eddie up, the natural alarm clock he needed to get on with his day. Dressing in his work linens, he rushed down the old wooden stairs, nearly tripping down the last few into the small kitchen of his dainty hut. Breakfast consisted of three large eggs from the barn, and a warmed slice of stale bread. It was the breakfast of an adventurer, Eddie liked to tell himself. This allowed him to play into his internal fantasy world when in reality, it was the breakfast of an impoverished rural family who could hardly make ends meet.

Eddie was the main source of income for the Munson household. The Cambridge family was a distinguished name in the village of Hawkins. They were the local emissaries for the kingdom of Demo, the family being the only contact people had with the sovereign when they needed resources. Many pleas went unheard, war was looming over the nation and the king believed he had more important duties than making sure his people survived the famish. The Cambridge family could only do so much.

Victor Cambridge was the head of the house. He was wealthy, awarded many luxuries from his position in the noble ranks. He had no time to help care for his lineage, it was no secret that he neglected his family’s needs, preferring to spend every waking hour he had working hard to keep the village from sinking further into filth than it already was. His wife, Virginia, was a kind woman, a lovely lady who had used to be a commoner in her youth. She spent most of her days in charge of the house staff, handing out workloads to the retinue of workers. She was a simple lady, a devotee to her husband and his love.

The couple had three children. The heir, Henry, was a young boy with the weight of the world on his shoulders. He was expected to fill in his father's position as every son for generations has. The stress already fueled the young boy's rage and internal anguish, with no time for play. He was forced to be a man.

The youngest daughter, Alice, was a shy sprite of a girl. She was a mere child, easily influenceable, a small little field mouse who was rarely given the opportunity to flourish. She was tenacious and rotten, often using leverage over the staff to get what she asked for, a behavior often demonstrated by her father.

Lastly, there was you. As the family's Eldest daughter, you understood the politics of the town and the detrimental situation of those in the working class. Being a daughter of a nobleman, you were often ignored even when you tried to make your voice heard. Women had no place in the world of war.

Eddie looked up to you, he’s overheard tales from other staff members of instances where you stood up for those who needed a voice; turning a blind eye when a break lasted too long, indulging the staff in royal gossip, and being one of the few members of the family to treat the staff as human. While you were headstrong, speaking out was still against the rules, and in fear of diminishing the Cambridge name, you slipped into the background most days. However, Eddie would never see you as a simple background character. You were the girl of his dreams, a kind spirit, a work of art.

Eddie knew little to nothing about you, but he was head over heels. A small crush that plagued his thoughts and fueled his existence in a silly fantasy he could indulge in while going about his day. He had a sweet image of you fabricated in his creative mind. You were a delicate flower who’d love him eternally, even if he was a simple man who worked for your family.

He was lucky enough to secure a position under the Cambridge family, many wished to work in such a position, and being in the right place at the right time paid off. Eddie could still remember the day he was offered the job, walking past the luxurious manor just as the old stable boy was thrown to the curb. Rumor states he was stealing jewels from the family and was finally caught. When Victor noticed Eddie standing, watching the commotion go down, he was offered a job. Eddie would have been stupid to turn down the offer, and his small history of working on a farm for his family was enough to give him a confidence boost to accept.

Work was far from glamorous, many hours were spent shoveling horse manure and caring for the horses under the hot sun. However, some days Eddie was granted the opportunity to teach the Cambridge children their riding lessons. The family had a professional instructor to aid in classes but with the impending war, it wasn't rare for her to be called away, handing the torch over to the stableboy.

Teaching the younger children was always a low point of his day, but these instances were some of the only opportunities Eddie had to properly speak with you. Mumbling dumb jokes that forced you to stifle a laugh, listening to you softly rant about your morning, and discussing the duties he was forced to partake in for work. However, his favorite moments were those when he could slip in a small compliment in passing. The flustered look you'd shoot his way always made the risk of getting in trouble worth it.

‘My lady, have I ever told you that you are the sunlight through a window in which I stand, warmed and welcoming.’

‘Edward, I don't appreciate flattery.’

‘Nonsense. Venus in her shell was never so lovely, and Diana in the forest never so graceful as you’

‘Shut up’ A soft smile graced your face as you made an attempt to shy away from him. The huge grin Eddie presented went unnoticed

His favorite memory was a recent one. A month or so ago the heel of your boot got caught against the stirrup of the saddle. Your shriek rang through his ears, fear in your voice as the ground rushed towards you, but Eddie was quick, as he managed to catch you in his arms. The smell of your floral perfume clouded his mind as you begged him not to drop you. ‘only a fool would drop a girl like you’. The shy expression that graced your face at his words as you let a soft smile slip through the elegant façade was enough to put Eddie in the best spirit for the rest of the day.

Eddie couldn’t help but think you were the prettiest thing he’s ever laid eyes on. Your passing conversation was enough to leave a smile on his face, he’d envision your laughter while he worked, and the gleam in your eyes would help to make time speed by faster. And most of the time Eddie would imagine what it would be like if you were in one of his stories, one where he was the hero who got to fall in love with the princess. But of course, he was just your average stable boy, none of him worthy of a maiden such as a nobleman’s daughter, especially not one as beautiful as yourself.

Today was no different, when Eddie rode in on his less-than-impressive family steed, you were already seated in the lush garden on an expensive blanket, enjoying your breakfast with a book in hand. The food on the cloth were commodities Eddie couldn't even dream of enjoying. Imported fruits, fresh bread still producing a soft steam from the cool morning air, sweet tarts from the king's baker himself, and small sandwiches that would look ridiculous between his calloused fingers.

The dress that rested against your plush skin was expensive, everything about you and your family was expensive. Your gaze lifted from the crisp pages of your book to glance towards the stable boy as if you felt his lingering gaze taking in every detail of your being.

The breath Eddie was holding was sucked away when you beamed his way with a short wave. Your family was less than kind, a smile like that was rare, but being on the receiving end felt like heaven. You weren't supposed to converse with the commons who littered the grounds of the manor, your siblings had no trouble following that authority, but you were never a stickler for every rule. You were often found gossiping with the gardener, telling stories to the cooks, and being friendly with the cleaners. Eddie was internally grateful when he learned Gareth’s mother worked under your authority, a kind soul, rather than the evil that plagued your family.

That's one of the things Eddie was enamored with. You were beautiful, gorgeous, ethereal even, but your kindness even if rarely directed towards him was admirable. The smile Eddie's way was enough to kick him into gear, sending him straight to the barn with a flush of red gracing his cheeks.

The day was a slow day for the pair, Eddie’s daily chores were already complete and your lessons were cut short due to a small royal emergency. Deciding to make the most of your free time you snuck out around the distant barn to the stables, picnic basket resting in the crook of your elbow as you searched for your favorite boy. Of course, Eddie didn't know you felt that way, you've barely interacted, but he always treated you with such devotion and care without treating you like some princess. It was romantic, even if he was only being friendly.

“Sir Munson, it's awfully warm out today. Care to join me for lunch?”

The sound of your voice was enough to make Eddie jump. This was the most you'd spoken to him in a day, it was rare for your paths to cross. And yet you had put in the effort to seek him out. Your previous attire was replaced with a simple dress, one he’s never seen on someone with such high power. You were wearing a commoner’s dress.

“Oh, I don't think your father or mother would approve of such, don't you think my lady?” The soft words were spoken as Eddie dropped to a small bow, still able to make eye contact. His big puppy eyes stared into your soul as a small smirk graced his lips.

“Maybe I'm done following the rules?”

“All the rules? Lady Y/N, murder is a very serious commitment. Do you wish to be burned at the stake for this outrageous announcement?” A hand was sent to his chest, an exaggerated gasp slipped from his pink lips as he did his best to give you a serious look.

"You know that's not what I mean Sir Munson.”

“Oh no no no, I'm positive I heard you say all the rules. Are you here to convince me to be an accomplice for these heinous crimes you wish to commit? An aristocratic woman like yourself should know better.” As he initially sought to receive, you offer him a soft giggle. It filled Eddie’s mind with sweetness and sunshine.

“Okay, maybe not all the rules. But I think you deserve a lovely meal for all of your hard work, don't you?”

“As you wish.”

With a smile, Eddie swiped his arm in another bow, a silent lead the way hung in the air as he followed you through the wooden gate of the barn, down the grassy hill, towards a huge blooming willow tree. There was a river nearby, adding the soft sound of trickling water to the air. This was a spot many knew well by the staff. It was one of the only places that provided a sense of peace, especially during a hard day of work. The destination was far enough from wandering eyes, but near enough where if called you could rush back to the manor without much worry.

Offering you a soft glance, Eddie took the basket from your arms, opting to be a gentleman, and set out the picnic that you'd brought along. It was the least he could do, you were jeopardizing everything your family stood for by being near him, let alone offering him a small feast for his hard work. Your kindness would be thought about for months, anything you did lived in his mind for ages. A soft conversation lulled between the two of you, today was one of many firsts.

“What's it like working in the stables? I've always wondered what it was like to have a proper job.”

“It's a lot of work if I'm being honest. I've always lived on a farm so caring for horses is nothing new. I think the worst part of the job is the fear of messing up. If I mess up on my farm it's okay, my horses are cheap, if I don't braid their manes or something, everything is fine. But here? Here I feel the impending doom that one mistake will have my head on a spike. Don't get me wrong, your family has never threatened me, but there is always that fear that comes with working. I enjoy it though, it's good money.” Eddie was right, finger sandwiches looked hilarious held between his fingers. “I think you're lucky, god knows I wouldn't wish for a job if I got to live in luxury as you do. Being poor is the only thing the village is known for, a noble like you wouldn't fit in with the working class. Nice dress by the way.”

The silence between you two was deafening. Eddie didn’t mean to overstep, his mouth moving faster than his mind. It was no secret that no matter how kind nobles were to their people, everyone despised the rich. Especially in the villages with high poverty rates.

However, implying you wanted to play dress up as an impoverished maiden wasn't the way to your heart, even if Eddie didn't mean to be crude. God, here you were providing him with a lunch fit for a king, better than the staff typically get, sitting with him under a gorgeous willow tree, asking him about his life, and he goes and blew it.

“I'm so sor-”

With a soft breathy laugh, you interrupt him, “You're right, wishing to be a commoner is ridiculous. I just hate it here so much you know? It's lonely. And I see all of the staff have a found family of sorts while I'm forced to keep to my bubble. I can't remember the last conversation I had with either of my parents. Nannies can only do so much, I'm tired of being prim and proper. I wish things were different, I think that's why I look up to you. You and everyone else in the town are dealt, pardon my French, shitty cards, and yet I've overheard you in the kitchens, talking about your nights in the tavern and it just makes me smile.” You risk a glance towards Eddie, offering a look of awe. There was no hurt behind your eyes, Eddie had not overstepped like he thought he had. You looked up to him.

All his life Eddie had assumed that a life of money provided enough stability to feel content no matter what problems were thrown your way. Nobles and kings didn’t have to work all day to afford a loaf of bread. They didn’t have to worry about cold winter nights harming a loved one when the temperature dropped too low, they should be happy. Yet, here you stood sharing your sorrows with the stable boy. Loneliness was a burden no one should carry. People always say money can’t buy happiness, and now Eddie had living breathing proof that statement was true.

You looked up to him.

“I’ll tell you what. Pick a day, I’ll risk everything to sneak you into the tavern. You can drink to your heart's content, stand on tables, yell and laugh as loud as you want. You can meet new people, I’ll introduce you to my friends, you can have people in your corner for once. It'll help to give you your freedom, you deserve it.”

“Promise?”

“Promise, I'd do anything for you, my lady.”

The conversation took a lighter turn, hope filling the air. Eddie told you all of the stories his friends have gone tired of listening to. He showed you how to sword fight using branches he ripped from the willow and he was able to make you laugh when he let you win, dropping to the ground in a dramatic defeat. The little bubble under the willow was enough to relish in this newfound fantasy. There were no nobles and commoners. No rich and poor, Just you and Eddie being able to enjoy a newfound friendship.

Eddie could still imagine the shocked look that fell onto your face when he made you laugh so hard that let out an unattractive snort. The action was quite unladylike, something that would get you in trouble within the manor walls, which only fueled the fire, making the pair double over in a fit of laughter once more.

You told him of your favorite novels, ones quite similar to the stories Eddie loved to tell. You shared the new gossip that flittered throughout the manor recently. He even told you all about the time that he and his friends had gotten so drunk they barfed all over the floor, leaving the poor Wheeler family to care for the rowdy group in their state of intoxication.

The best part was the moment when you begged Eddie to teach you how to climb a tree for the first time. He showed you how to scale the thick branches of the willow tree, before climbing down to help you do the same. A dark blush erupted across his face when he accidentally got a glance up your dress. In his humble opinion, the memory he will cherish forever was being able to watch you attempt to hang down from a thick branch. Your knees bent, attempting to keep hold while you laughed, begging him to make sure you didn’t fall.

‘Eddie! Please if I fall I'll kill you, I'll do it. I'm gonna die, holy- don't let me fall. Eddie! I’m gonna fall, don't drop me! Please! Please I'm begging’

The shrieking of your words masked by the laughter you slipped out. And as a true gentleman, he gave you the same response he gave you months ago.

‘Relax, only a fool would drop a girl like you.’

The sacred moments were over faster than either of you had hoped, the two of you stood barefoot in the river, splashing water and giggling together. Your hands reach out between you as you grasp tightly onto Eddie's fingertips, eyes disappearing from how wide your smile was. It was the happiest you had felt in a long while until your name was called from a distance. Your disappearance was finally noticed.

Eddie waved you off, offering to clean up so you didn’t get in more trouble for running off than you no doubt were already in. With one last grin, brighter than he's ever been offered before, you ran away leaving Eddie to marvel at the experience he had just lived. Not only did you offer to spend the afternoon with him under the hot sun, but you laughed with him, you talked to him, you showed him a new side of you he's never seen before, and you looked up to him.

He couldn't wait to share this moment with anyone who would listen. A new fantasy to fuel his day of work, one where you fell in love with him, one where you ran away from responsibility and expectations. One where he was your hero, giving you the life you yearned for.

One where it was just you and Eddie.

Being home was never something Eddie enjoyed. It was a reminder of the way the world worked. The doors of the cottage were rotting, mildew sprouted from the walls and the thatch on the roof had microscopic holes that allowed rainwater to dribble in during a storm. It was ugly and smelled awful, but it was home. Dinner had gone and passed, and as Eddie prepped for a night of rest, the thoughts of his afternoon danced through his mind.

The way you looked at him like he was a person, a friend. It was new. Eddie wasn't stupid, today changed nothing, he was still just a mere stable boy, you would marry a wealthy man, a prince if you were lucky, and rule over a village just like Hawkins. It was written in your cards, just as working to survive was in Eddies.

Sleep was short-lived, Eddie barely drifted off into a slumber before the sound of pebbles hitting his window had awoken him. It wasn't rare for one of his friends to wake him in the middle of the night, the dark was the perfect time to do things that aren't acceptable to do during the day, but tonight Eddie wanted a night of rest.

Deciding to ignore the sound, he closed his eyes in an attempt to seek the comfort he desired until the sound of something heavier hit his window. It was clear the perpetrator wasn't going to leave without a fight, and Eddie was forced to drag himself out of the straw mattress he called his bed.

Throwing on a few layers of clothes, enough to hang out if his friends wouldn't take no for an answer, Eddie crept down the stairs, making as little noise as possible. The thought of waking his uncle wasn't something he wished to do.

Opening the door, Eddie came face to face with Dustin, who has a weary smile on his face. Behind him stood the rest of their shared friends. Gareth stared Eddie down with a deep unreadable stare as Mike and Lucas avoided eye contact, like two children being scorned by an angry parent. They all shared a skittish look, one that could only mean trouble. Eddie was used to solving their problems, especially after the many nights the group spent drinking away their sorrows at the hideout.

“What did you do Henderson?” His question was answered by a different voice. Not one he was used to hearing, a soft yet cheerful sound, one he recognized immediately.

“Eddie! Hello, wonderful night isn't it? It seems as though I've been taken for ransom,” There, thrown over the back of a horse, one of your horses, you shot Eddie a wide smile. You were tied by your wrists and ankles, dressed in a long satin slip that was made no doubt for sleep. The look you shot Eddie was one of amusement, as if this was the best thing to ever happen to you. Aggressively rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Eddie did a double take towards where you were draped, just behind a stuffed satchel, no doubt filled with supplies.

“Shush, you're supposed to be a hostage. Really, Eddie, she's been cracking jokes this whole time. I think she's perfect for you. You know, I thought you were crazy. I mean what poor man falls in love with royalty, but now I see why,” The young boy shot Eddie a wide smile before glancing your way.

“I'm sorry, what on earth is going on here? Why Is she tied up? Why are you all here? What the hell is happening?”

“You said you wanted an adventure, now we have one. You're looking at your adventure party!”

“That doesn't mean kidnapping a princess?”

You let out a quip in response even though no one seemed willing to acknowledge you at the moment, ‘for the record, not a princess.’

“You said you would leave this sad excuse for a village if it were life or death… your life is currently on the line. You also said you would leave if you were kidnapped. We kidnapped. This is literally what you asked of me!”

“Dustin, I swear to every higher being... you're insane. I aid if I was kidnapped, not just anyone? This is crazy, you’re all crazy.'' The exasperated look on Eddie's face made you stifle a giggle. In reality, this whole situation should be terrifying, but Eddie was nice. When Dustin appeared in your room that night he had mentioned being a friend of Eddie’s. Your conversation from the afternoon still stuck in your mind, you willingly followed out of the window, only to be tied up.

“Hey, I am doing you a favor, though we need to hurry, time is running out.”

“Time? We need to return her, what are you on about?”

“Well, when we took her we left a note. Well, we didn't really take her, it was easier than I thought. She was very willing when we mentioned your name. Anyways, we left her family a note and they think you, my dear friend, kidnapped her.”

“Me? Henderson I swe-”

“As I said, time is running short, get on her horse, I'll grab one from your barn and we can be on our way. We already have plenty of supplies, food, weapons, first aid, clothes. You don't really have a choice here do you?” The young boy shot Eddie one last smile before jogging towards the farmland behind the cottage.

With a frustrated cry, Eddie took a solemn glance toward his cottage before reflecting on the men standing in front of him. These were his closest friends, and they were jeopardizing everything to give him the one thing he's always yearned for. They were his family, his people. Each one stared back at him with the same look.

‘This is how we get out.’

Call him a fool, but Eddie was handed the perfect opportunity to seek adventure. Granted this wasn't the tale he imagined. He was now the villain, but it was still a chance at freedom. Sighing he hopped on the horse you were draped across. This was it. Eddie wanted an adventure, now he had one. With a final glance towards the three other men that surrounded him, he took a deep breath before commanding the horse to ride towards the dark edge.

Crossing over the threshold would mean no turning back, they would be fugitives for the rest of their lives. With one final glance towards the world, they once knew the party set off.

This was the only chance of newfound freedom.

#eddie munson x reader #eddie munson au #eddie munson #eddie munson x female!reader #eddie munson x female reader #eddie munson x you #stranger things x reader #🪲 my work #stable boy!eddie #Eddie Munson royal au #nobility universe

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voidpacifist · 2 years

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steddie headcanons that are keeping me awake at midnight

steve and eddie never formally met until after chrissy died. they really only knew each other through a culmination of rumors and gossip, so both of them felt like colossal idiots when they got to know one another and just realized, oh, this is actually a really cool guy who i wanna get to know better once all of this is over

which means, of course, that eddie lives after the bat attack. he has to deal with new and unknown prospects like chronic pain and literal battle flashbacks but hey! he has his friend steve harrington who can relate on both fronts

it's how the two of them start hanging out more – both of them wanna make sure the other is being safe and doing self care and shit

eddie's love language isn't just gift giving – its handmade gifts. lots of sewing or homemade enamel pins. he of course makes a bunch for the whole party after vecnas defeat to commemorate in their own special, sacred way that they did it. they won. but he also makes a bunch more for just steve, and steve doest realize how special it is until robin is over one day and is just like

"you have a whole crate of eddies weird patches and pins and shit."

"yeah, so what?"

"steve...literally nobody else has as much as you do."

which then leads to steve exercising his own personal love language on eddie, which to me is quality time. steves an event kind of guy, and even when he pretends it annoys him, he drives eddie everywhere. new appointment for some medication for the nerves in his legs and left arm? no biggie. a cool movie just came out? name the date and time. this band you really love is coming to a town nearby? cool, let's hop to it

it's almost scary how at the drop of a hat, he's at eddies beck and call. it gets to a point where eddie has to remind steve that he has a life outside of driving eddie and the kids to places. he also really just doesn't want his boyfr best friend burnt out

eddies not a terrible cook by a long shot, he's just never had a big kitchen to work with before, so when he sees steves kitchen? he's all hands on deck trying to make the best fucking food he can think of

i adore the headcanon that steve is italian and an incredible chef as much as the next steve truther. but i also love the headcanon that eddie has mexican roots. put that together with him being good at cooking? oooh baby, is steve in for a treat

neither he nor steve are bilingual, but they'd both like to learn the languages of their respective heritages. if/when steves hearing starts going caput, they also start taking asl classes together (I imagine robin and nancy tag along with them to said classes. it's like they're all in school together again minus the drama and ridiculous social expectations)

eddie taking the time to learn more about basketball and hair and "jock" things because he sees how invested steve is in them >>

also steve venturing into new music and style horizons because he loves how confident he feels when he doesn't give a fuck about looking "normal," and eddie melting into a puddle because punk steve is so. fucking. hot. >>

steve putting stickers on eddies mobility aids if he uses any post vecna. also eddie doing the same to steve's hearing aids/glasses case, etc.

decorations during holidays being just simple ribbons and tinsel since the christmas lights are just...nope. eddie and steve buy a huge wreath for steves front door

steve and nancy teaching eddie some self defense with a baseball bat

eddie and nancy teaching steve how to do eyeliner

movie nights galore, and once a month going to see a new musical in indianapolis or chicago or whichever other big city is close enough to them to access without incurring time off of work or a massive dent in their budgets

going to see hawkins high performances too, because mike wheeler became a fucking theater kid

everyone knows theyre dating before they do, or nobody knows and neither do they. there is nothing smooth about how they finally formally label it, they both just kinda realize it one day

it's during truth or dare and everyone's zooted out of their minds and eddie and steve are dared to play seven minutes in heaven. nancy dares them. because if anyone's gonna pick up on it first, it's nancy

steve is actually the one to convince eddie that they need a cat, especially since steve found the little fucker in a ditch off the road sick and malnourished. guess what eddie names it

(it's not a hard guess. the cats name is ozzy)

cat dads. and then fish dads, because eddie is too high maintenance himself to take care of an animal that needs much more than feeding and occasional supervision, so he finds a fish at the pet store and scares the shit out of steve with it when he gets home from a family video shift

one movie steve and eddie both equally adore besides rocky horror is the addams family. eddies gomez to steves morticia

(this is all I can think of for now)

#steddie #eddie munson #steve harrington #steve x eddie #stranger things #steddie headcanon #steddie hcs

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messrsbyler · 1 year

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🔀 and elmax !!!

After dealing with her parents' divorce, Max thought life couldn't get any worse. Then her mom met Neil, and Neil came along with Billy, and she knew she was wrong. Billy was an asshole who loved to scream and break things and break people. But Max learned to live this new life and dodge the bullets that kept firing her way. She learned to hide the shaking of her hands and the mark of Billy's fingers wrapped around her wrist, and once she learned all of this, she thought once more that life couldn't get any worse. The universe or whatever the fuck was watching her sure had a twisted sense of humor and loved to make her the punching line of all of its jokes. At least that's what it felt like when Billy died on his own accord, pushing the speed limit on a highway. Then Neil left them and what used to be a family of three, then a bad joke of four, turned into a broken home of two. Hawkins came with that lesson. No matter how, life could always get worse and the best Max could do is be prepared for it. So, as she became the new girl in town and in school, she made sure of keep her walls up and her eyes down at all times. Only a few tried to make it past her fortress, some kids named Dustin and Lucas, but after a while they grew tired and gave up. That was good. Max didn't mind. That's what she wanted. Things were going right as she had planned. She wasn't bothered at school. Not having friends meant more time to find some way of making money to help her mom out, and no friends no disappointments either so double the win, really. Max was okay. Finally, she was okay. Then El Hopper came around. She quite literally came out of nowhere, dumped into Max's world without a fair warning. And the thing about El is that, unlike the other ones that tried, she never got tired of Max pushing her away. If anything, any time Max shoved her aside, El pushed back ten times harder and somehow, at some point, during the walks back home that El insisted on joining without even being invited and during the group projects in which the both of them always ended up together, somehow El made a crack on Max's walls. Max knows life will always turn for the worse. Max knows what is like to live in misery and pain but maybe... maybe El can make her company in the meantime. Maybe the fuzzy feeling in Max's stomach when El inches closer and when she gets a whiff of El's perfume is enough to deal with every twisted thing she's gone through. Maybe the night El kisses her for the first time, life (also for the first time) turns a bit better instead. or; Max moves to Hawkins after Billy's death and keeps everyone away. Then El shows up and her warmth is strong enough to melt Max's ice walls built around her heart.

to me this song is very mike wheeler coded but since, you know, mike and max are basically same concept different font it really fits her too~

for the send me a 🔀 and a pairing, and i’ll shuffle my playlist and make an au based on the first song that comes up game

#this one was really fun to write #also fuck billy we hate him in this blog #glad he died #oops #anyhow #elmax #my beloved #max mayfield #el hopper #stranger things #ask game #my prompts

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smalltown-babygirl · 8 months

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joyce-centric ficlet. vague post s1-pre s2 time.

jonathan has taken will and mike to the movies. joyce is having a normal time.

being in a school parking lot on a winter weekend is about as happening as it sounds, but it’s been the only place to bring joyce the slightest bit of peace. driving around downtown did nothing, staying at the theater was torture, and staying at the house was not an option. it was hard to be in without her kids to turn it into home.

joyce has been in the empty school parking lot for 20 minutes now, the incessant ticking of her wristwatch marching around her busy mind. the silence of her empty car punctuating every moment she spent thinking about Will.

Specifically, her inability to immediately satisfy the need to check her boy was safe at any moment. Jonathan took him and Mike to see some new movie she couldn't remember the name of, and it was becoming increasingly nerve-wracking to wait all alone for the end of this god-forsaken movie while her boy could be in danger of who-knows-what.

she'd never thought he'd be in danger biking home from the wheeler's after DND that night in November. what made this moment any different? only that she was more aware of potential dangers lurking now more than ever. her illusion of her child's supposed safety had been shattered, and no one around her understood that.

who could possibly understand? how could they possibly understand having a part of you ripped away, with all your love bleeding out all over everybody nearby? the way everyone, like Hopper, had tried to placate her, to calm her, as she clung to any semblance of reassurance that her boy was alive.

"don't get your hopes up" he'd say, if anyone should know about broken hope, it’s Hopper. that didn’t make his words sting any less. as if she’d had any other option but to believe, to yearn for the impossible.

its not like joyce used to being listened to in a place like Hawkins before Will disappeared, but these faces swirling in her mind of repeated sets of eyes conveying all the pain they saw on her face mixed into their disbelief that she had fallen so deeply into erratic grief. feeling so alone where the feeling of home used to be. that was too much to bare.

and now the aftermath has been somehow worse. suddenly, Will's return meant that everyone else could move on. but her Will was not the same. and she was never seen the same, always treated like she had one foot off the ledge. but again, why shouldn't she be? was she meant to ignore the imminent and looming operation involving herself, her child, and anyone unfortunate to be around as she desperately tries to shawdily stitch these pieces of their souls back whole?

but she had to try. how else could she survive such devastation? who would dare look joyce byers in the eyes and claim she’s foolish for believing in herself; when, if she’d listened to anyone but herself her Will would certainly be dead?

#mine #joyce byers #st ficlet #some contemplations on post “category 5 woman moment” joyce byers #this came to me on the bus and i’ve been hoarding it but it’ll finally be free now. enjoy #gonna be so ffr idk if i used that semicolon right but it feels right yk? anything to save a run-on sentence #also this is the first time i’m not over editing and letting my writing be weird and dramatic #sobs as i press post the creative process necessitates releasing the art you create to complete the process so you can do it again #this is 1/12 lfgg

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demadogs · 1 year

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would love to hear more about your S5 Mike arc take

HELL YES!!! happy to share!!!! so some of these are genuine predictions with evidence from what ive seen in the show, but some of it is more of a fanficy kinda vibe of scenarios that are plausible but not influenced by genuine predictions i have. for those that i am confident in, i will link my posts explaining the evidence that supports my prediction. the first few parts are more genuine predictions and the later parts are just my brain making shit up.

also this isnt gonna be one of my “why i think this will happen” posts, im just going to write out mikes entire s5 story arc the way i see it in my head.

how it starts

so s5 starts out where we left off. mike and el still together but a little distant. theyre not fighting or anything but theyre not anything like s3 when they were constantly ditching their friends to makeout. people around them dont see an issue in their relationship but they both know its not what either of them want. (if youve read carry on i see them as how agatha and simon were portrayed at the beginning of the book).

the byers need housing back in hawkins and el wants to stay with hopper in his trailer while they work to fix up the cabin. the rest of the byers stay at the wheelers. jonathans sleeping in nancys room and will is sleeping in mikes.

mike and will have a couple more moments like we saw in s4 that could make it obvious that something might be up with both of them. maybe a conversation similar to the “hawkins isnt the same without you” scene. a scene of them both getting ready for bed talking about what they think is gonna happen next with vecna and everything. not the first night, but eventually maybe mike tells him to sleep in bed with him if will has a nightmare or something. little things like that.

the supernatural plot escalates and will and vecna have a deeper connection than anyone else. vecna is going to torture will in some way so im thinking maybe one of vecna’s methods of torturing will is to torture mike. vecna and will would have different interactions and conflict but mike would be vecna’d in the same style that max was.

how the audience and el learn mike is gay:

(this ones a genuine prediction. heres a post talking about why i think so but read it after you read this)

so now mike is cursed. no one knows including mike. everyones so caught up on protecting will because they all believe he is in the most danger so no one is looking after mike. then mike falls into that trance. (this is maybe 4 episodes in.) the whole partys there when it happens. el immediately puts on a blindfold and static noise and tries to piggyback into mikes mind to fight vecna the way she did with max.

mike doesnt know el is there while hes tranced. he doesnt see el the way max did. maybe el tries to touch him and mike feels a weird phantom feeling on his arm and he looks at it in confusion but he doesnt see el at all.

mike is in the mind lair and hes calling for will. he hears vecnas voice saying his full name. then he sees vecna and he starts saying shit about “friends dont lie” hes asking what happened to that motto and wasnt he the one who insisted that friends dont lie in the first place? “but youve been lying to everyone havent you michael”.

mike is shaking his head and vecna has him cornered and hes denying it but obviously terrified and he says he doesnt know what hes talking about and vecna says “you know exactly what im talking about. its not my fault you dont like girls”. and THATS the line that reveals to the audience that hes gay.

then maybe mike is able to run away but then he starts seeing shit. he ends up in his own basement and sees will and believes hes out of the trance and hugs will but he shrugs him off and tells him “dont touch me”. his eyes are all wrong and hes realizing hes not awake yet. vecna will starts calling him out on his feelings, telling him he would never love him back, that he doesnt even wanna be friends anymore. mike runs away and he just keeps seeing visions like this of everyone he loves. his family not accepting him. his friends not accepting him. el being mad at him for lying.

we are seeing els reactions to all of this too. shes been trying to use her powers to stop vecna this whole time. eventually in her pov everything goes completely black and shes in that weird void thing meaning that mike must be out of the trance. she hears mike panting and crying and takes off her blindfold and sees him awake with will holding his hand or shoulder and him looking at the ground.

eventually he looks up and sees el and at first his face doesnt change but then he sees her holding the blindfold and a pile of tissues with blood on them next to her and he connects the dots and starts to panic. will tries to reassuringly tell him that el was piggybacking trying to save him not realizing thats why hes freaking out. el says his name and tries to calm him down but he just gets up and locks himself alone in a room.

little pause for a second… listen. MIKE IS OVERDUE FOR A FULL ON PANIC ATTACK OK!!!!! we see will express his emotions every single season!! the last time we saw mike completely break down was in s2 when he was yelling at hopper. ever since then hes been trying so hard to bury his feelings and be someone hes not and make sure NO ONE finds out about him and now hes been outed to his girlfriend. he would completely break down. like full on sobbing, maybe throwing up. I WANT HIM TO EXPRESS EMOTIONS EVEN IF THEYRE TERRIBLE ONES!!!!!

el and mikes final breakup/ mikes first coming out:

mike is having a full on panic attack. hes on the floor crying and el is outside of it. he locked the door but el needs to see him so she tells him shes coming in and she uses her powers and opens the door. she closes it and sits next to mike on the floor. at this point hes silently crying and his hands are shaking but hes not as bad he was a few minutes ago. theyre both silent for a bit. mike speaks first and he whispers “did you see all of it?” el says yes.

mike starts to cry more and just starts apologizing profusely and el stops him by just pulling him into tight hug and he hugs her back for a long time. he starts telling her that he never wanted to hurt her. el tries to tell him shes not hurt right now but mike argues and tells her that hes hurt her so much in the past. he tells her that he made her feel like she was unlovable and that she was the issue when he knew deep down that it was him. that there was something fundamentally wrong with him. el tries to tell him theres nothing wrong with him but he insists that there is.

then el admits that she doesnt think she ever was truly in love with him either. she tells him that they both were just trying to do what everyone expected them to do. she didnt know any better because she had just left the lab and was still figuring out how to be a person, let alone a girlfriend. and people expected mike to like her just because she was a girl so he just went with it even after he realized he didnt feel that way. neither of them have ever been true to themselves for as long as theyve known each other. she tells him that he taught her what a friend was. and she missed her friend mike and wants to go back to that. mike tells her he wants that too and they hug again. (i want this scene to be the sweetest most wholesome breakup ever).

theyd also have a conversation of el being confused on whats wrong with him liking a boy. i think it would be really beneficial for mike to hear from someone who was never taught to hate people like him. it would give him so much relief to see potentially the number one person he never wanted to know just be absolutely baffled on why its a bad thing.

while theyre still hugging el says “for what its worth i think he likes you back” mike denies it and el insists that the way he looks at him says everything but mike wont even listen hes convinced he could never love him back.

then mike remembers something and asks a question. “what about the painting?”. els confused. she asks what hes talking about he tells her that will said she commissioned him a painting for her. “if you really didnt love me then whyd you have will paint me that?” she tells him she never told will to paint anything. mike is confused and telling her everything will said in the van. that he gives her the courage to fight on and he needs her. he asks what all that was about if she didnt feel that way and shes just confused. “he wouldnt even show me what he was working on. i told you i thought it was for someone he likes.”

“but it was for me.” el smiles and mike is still not convinced but hes kinda going crazy.

so now mike and el are broken up in the most wholesome way ever and theyre on better terms than theyve ever been but everyone thinks theyre still together. and mike for the first time thinks theres a chance will loves him back and he doesnt know how to act or ask him about it.

mike and will in the upside down:

(the only thing that led me to believe mike and will would be stuck in the upside down together was the upside down couch they sat on in the cabin. other than that this is entirely just what my brain came up with, not an actual prediction)

so skipping ahead, the vecna/upside down plot is getting spicier. shits going down. honestly im WAY better at imagining/predicting gay plots than scifi plots so i have no fucking clue whats going on with vecna and shit its just wild rn thats all you need to know.

i imagine almost all of them having to be in the upside down for some reason. then theres a scenario with some kinda monster like a demodog where they have to sprint to the gate back to real hawkins to be safe but the gate is closing back up. it would look like max’s running up that hill scene. theyre all getting closer and closer but then mike falls (classic) and will sees and goes back to him. the gate is closing more. he helps him up and they both start sprinting again but they dont make it. the whole gate closes up right when they get there and now theyre completely separated from all the friends and family and are alone in the upside down.

theyre able to defeat whatever was after them (will with a gun 👀) but now theyre stuck. maybe they get in a little argument where mike says “i told you to go on without me!!” and wills like “you think i would just leave you here!!!???” they both sit down against the wall the gate was on (like a brick wall or something). they try to come up with a plan and will brings up that maybe el help them some way and he mentions her being mikes girlfriend and mike tells him they broke up. wills very surprised about this. he asks if hes ok and mike tells him its better this way and he means it. (its now been a couple days since they broke up). they hear distant sounds of a monster and tells mike they shouldnt be here. theyre too exposed. (keep in mind mike is being kinda awkward because hes still thinking about the painting and what will said in the van that day and wondering if el was right and that will does love him back but he hasnt brought it up to him yet.)

they get up and make their way to the upside down wheelers house. they enter through the basement and its the same that it looked the day will went missing. the table is set up with the dnd campaign they were playing on november 6th 1983. mike tries to get comfortable on the couch but will just cant stop looking at the table. then he sees the dice on the floor with a 7 pointed up and they flashback to s1 of will telling mike it was a 7.

mike says his name and will remembers hes there and kinda startles and mike asks if hes okay and he just tells him that its just weird seeing everything from that day again. mike agrees. they get more quiet and tense thinking about that night will went missing.

mike brings up that they never finished the campaign. that he was begging his mom for the him and lucas and dustin to stay for 20 more minutes. he tells will he wonders if everything wouldve been different if he had stay. if vecna wouldve grabbed some other kid and they wouldve never known about this other world beneath them.

theyre thinking about that first night will went missing and mike asks if wills ok being back here again. he tells him its not as bad this time around because hes not alone. mike starts to get emotional thinking about when will was missing and he opens up to will about it. he tells him about how they all were there at the quarry when they found his “body”. will didnt know they were all there. he tells him that it was the worst night of his life because he thought he lost him forever. then he goes into talking about when the mindflayer had him and he thought he was losing him again, and then how will moved away. hes starting to cry because he has a deep fear of losing will for good and hes at a huge risk with vecna right now and hes so scared something will happen to him. will reassures him and tells him “im right here” and mike is silently crying and will just pulls him into a hug and they stay hugging for a long time. will tells him “im not going anywhere” while still hugging him.

they separate from the hug but still have their arms around each other and dont let go. its kinda awkward. mike is the one making it awkward. he looks like he wants to say something but isnt and is looking wills lips a lot and theyre so close to each other. will thinks he knows what hes thinking but doesnt dare say anything to ruin it so he just lightly nods his head as if to give mike permission if whats hes thinking is true. and then mike leans in and kisses him.

(IT HAS TO BE A SOFT TENDER KISS I DONT LIKE ALL THE MAKEOUT SESSION HEADCANONS I JUST WANT IT TO BE SWEET!!!!)

mike pulls back and at first he looks like hes about to panic but wills just looking at him with the biggest smile and it immediately puts him at ease. mike says “the painting was from you” and will doesnt know what hes talking about at first so mike continues “you said it was from el but it was from you” will confirms that it was. “and everything you said after…” “yes it was all from me” and mike kisses him again. (i also am imagining this as like the second to last episode)

(another more dramatic first kiss i have in mind is during a huge supernatural conflict and its just them and they completely believe theres no way theyre making it out alive and will is telling him that this is it and mike just kisses him right before all hell breaks loose)

post kiss byler

but of course we cant have nice things right away so theres a bit more angst before theyre a completely established couple. they fall asleep on the couch together in the upside down and in the morning they wake up and something chaotic upsidedown related is happening. again, i truly cannot even begin to guess/predict any of the actual scifi plot of the show so dont ask me what this is but its SOMETHING OK.

they dont even have time to acknowledge the kiss the night before or the fact that they woke up in each others arms. they have to fight whatever the conflict is in the upside down.

eventually they are able to escape the upside down and reunite with everyone. once theyre back with all their friends and family but mikes acting a little different again. hes shutting will out again and will is so confused.

(this is loosely inspired by the show the wilds. shelby whos very closeted and comes from an extremely homophobic family is on a deserted island with a bunch of girls and she falls for one of them whos out and she basically tells her “youre FREE here you dont have all that family trauma youre literally on a deserted island” so she kisses her. then later she sees a boat in the distance and she hesitates to make a signal with the fire because shes so scared to go back to her normal life with her homophobic family. mike is kinda experiencing that here. hes back in the “normal” world and is going back to trying to be who they want him to be, not who he just was with will.)

mike is kind of ignoring will when theyre around everyone. he deliberately doesnt sit next to him, he only talks to him when will talks first, hes basically scared that everyone can tell what they did. then will finally finds him alone and talks to him. at first hes hopeful and trying to be kinda flirty and make him laugh and mike barely has a reaction and then will confronts him.

“did that kiss mean nothing to you” mike immediately looks up from what hes doing and makes sure no one else is in the room and will notices. “what?” will tells him hes been different since they got back and hes acting like nothing happened and hes barely acting like theyre friends let alone anything more. and theyre both silent and will says “are we anything more?” and mike thinks before he speaks and then tells him that he did that in a world where there were no other humans. no laws, no expectations, no people to say that what they did was wrong. “thats not the case here.” and will gets mad at this and says something like “so what are you just gonna drop everything and be what everyone else says you should be?” mike doesnt answer and then will asks again “did it mean nothing to you?” and then theyre interrupted before mike could answer.

then later maybe the same day, mike is going somewhere to tell one of the older kids something or to get something related to what their big battle plan is and he sees robin and vickie through a window in a different room kissing and being super happy and flirty with each other. he stops in his tracks and just watches them and hes in total shock because he felt like there was no one like him his whole life and people like him couldnt be as happy as what hes seeing right now. he just continues watching them laugh while holding each other. i also think it would be great if steve was also there and he sees this former asshole douche being supportive of his best friend and letting them just be themselves so freely. he starts to tear up watching them. (this ones inspired by the book i’ll give you the sun this exact scene happens at a party).

that night mike and will are getting ready to go to bed in mikes room again not talking. will gets ready to sleep on the floor, a set back from when they were sleeping in the same bed. the lights are off and wills pretending to try to fall asleep and then mike whispers “it didnt mean nothing.” will turns and face mikes bed and then mike asks him to come up and will hesitantly joins him and mike sits up and faces him.

then this is potentially mikes most venerable scene in the whole show. he tells will absolutely everything. that when he and el moved he realized he was missing him the way he shouldve been missing el and it gave him the worst panic attack of his life when he figured out why. he stopped caring about himself and everything and everyone. he hated who he was. he didnt have the energy to hang out with his friends, to do his hw, to clean his room, to shower, to eat, and he stopped calling will. he just stopped doing everything. but what he continued to do was keep his relationship with el, and the more he did it the more guilty he felt. he didnt want to break up through a letter but he also didnt have the guts to do it in california and then when el confronted him about never saying he loves her he felt so much worse. he wanted nothing more than to actually love her. he hated that he loved will instead.

he tells will that he remembers how his dad would act when he went to wills house as a kid. how they overheard lonnie talking to joyce about them being “too close” one time and neither of them quite knew what he meant by that until later. he has so many little moments like this in his life of people letting him know that its wrong. that he is wrong. and he never ever thought will would be the same way and he never thought any boy could feel that way about him. mike whispers “i just want to be normal” and will says “since when are our lives normal?” and mike kinda laughs but hes also crying. wills holding his hands and tells him “mike, youve been through so much worse than being in love.” and then mike kisses him again!!! yes they have to kiss at least twice this is my mike arc and i make the rules. i could be more detailed in this whole scene but this has been in my drafts for weeks and i need to finally post it.

established byler/mike coming out:

then i really want mike to have a coming out scene with nancy or his mom but honestly id prefer nancy. i just think theres such a lack of wheeler sibling content and id really love if there was a scene like will and jonathan but for mike and nancy. i imagine them both being in the car on their way to somewhere related to the scifi plot and mike tells her that he and el broke up and they talk about that for a bit. and nancy asks if hes happy and mike says yes. and then mike starts to tell her why hes happy and eventually comes out to her but hes still terrified as hes doing it nancy pulls over just to hug him and its very emotional and sweet.

i also really want a scene of them coming out to the party but honestly im not sure if they will just because now there will have to be like 3 coming out scenes already. they might do the party instead of nancy or karen which id be ok with but they also might skip ahead and have them both already be out.

during the epilogue-ish scene they usually have at the end of a season after the supernatural plot has died i want another sweet byler scene. i love the concept of them going to prom with the whole party as a group but just mike and will find their own room to dance in and be themselves and feel safe. i need some fluff before the season ends.

AND THATS IT I DID IT IM SORRY THIS TOOK SO FUCKING LONG!!!!!

#this is whats been living in my brain for months #this whole thing #i love taking inspo from other shows and books and making it byler #byler #stranger things #mike wheeler #eden answers #byler predictions

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orangeaurora · 2 years

Text

Scarlet | Chapter 6

masterlist

pairing: Steve Harrington x reader!

Summary: after a falling out with her childhood best friend Nancy Wheeler due to her hatred for Steve Harrington, Y/N goes on a journey of discovering she has powers and that the goosebumps she gets around Steve Harrington aren’t actually from hatred. Though these new found powers are difficult to deal with, nothing is harder than dealing with the creatures of the upside down.

SLOW BURN AF

TW: cussing, mentions of using powers, I think that’s it for this one :)

word count: 2536

A/N: THIS CHAPTER TOOK FOREVER BUT ITS MY FAVORITE ONE 💞💞 if you would like to be a part of the tag list, lemme know! happy reading! <3

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Steve was nice enough to walk me back to my car once I was calmed down to drive. He was so… gentle with me. The walk was silent, but not uncomfortable. It was similar to the silence I have with Eddie at times. It’s just peaceful. When we got back to my car, Steve grabbed my arm. I flinched a little bit, I wasn’t used to his touch. “You’re gonna be alright, yeah? The kids are hanging out at the school. Dustin says they have AV club every day, so I’m counting on them being there,” I nodded, “I’ll be fine, Steve. The school is not too far. I’ll honk at you if there is a problem.” He gave me a soft nod before letting go of my arm. “Okay, I’ll see you soon. Follow close behind!” He said while walking away towards his car. “You act like I don’t know where the school is!” I yell out to him, but all he did was wave his hand at me signaling a “yeah yeah” without even turning around. I sighed as I entered my car. I sat there for a minute, allowing myself to zone out and just think for the first time since I ran out of the locker room. I felt as if life wasn’t real. I remember feeling this way the night that I got my dreadful scar, and somehow the feeling was stronger. I wanted more time to gather my thoughts but Steve started honking his horn, indicating he was getting impatient with me. I blinked rapidly to come back to reality, let out a heavy sigh, and put my car into drive.

As I drove to school, following the tail of Steve’s lover (his car), I thought about what these kids that Steve was bringing me to had to do with any of this. I knew that Will Byers went missing last year, he was the talk of the town, you had to be living under a rock to not know that he was gone. But somehow, he has even more people talking about him now that he was found alive and well. I remember the headlines in the newspaper: “The body of missing child Will Byers found in the local quarry” were plastered everywhere. And then, last year on the night that we battled the demogorgan, he was found. The town didn’t know how to explain it and let’s just say Hawkins isn’t the nicest to outcasts. I hear the words “zombie boy” being thrown around every day to describe the young boy, and it breaks my heart. I’ve talked to him a few times. There were many days that I would be hanging out with Nancy and hear her younger brother Mike and his friends down in the basement of their house. It was a comforting sound. The laughter of a group of friends who were like brothers. It was nice.

I missed the days that Mike would hug me goodbye when I would leave the Wheeler’s home. He would pull my arm down so my ear was at his level and whisper “I wish you were my sister too,” and it always tugged at my heart. I grew up without siblings, so seeing those boys meant everything to me. I hadn’t seen them for over a year and couldn’t stop thinking about how awkward this conversation at the school might become. Like, “Hey Mike, how are you? Hope all is well, oh this scar? Super cool, huh? Oh, also I have powers now!” Yep, sounds like it's going to be a great conversation.

All of these thoughts allowed my drive back to the school to go quickly, and I was parking next to Steve’s car in no time. As I turned off my car and got out, Steve followed and did the same.

“See Stevie, I made it here with no scratches,” I said in a sarcastic tone, mocking how worried he was about me driving only a few moments ago.

“Hm, no new scars either?” Steve said as he looked over my face and body. My face dropped as I rolled my eyes, “Don’t push it, Harrington,” I said as I closed my car door and began walking towards the school and Steve followed my lead. “Hey you know I’m only joking Y/N,” he looked at me with sympathy behind his eyes, “Mmhmm,” was all I could mutter out before Steve interrupted me.

“By the way, I do remember you taking me home last night,” my head shot up to look at him as I stopped in my tracks thinking that earlier he was lying just to get a reaction out of me, Steve could tell I looked offended, “bu-but only in pieces. I started remembering when I was driving into the woods. It’s all…really blurry but I remember you giving me a blanket? Did you do that?” I nodded. “Okay, yeah, so I do remember. Just…not a lot,” he seemed almost ashamed for not knowing what happened last night but I couldn’t blame him. I knew this would happen, and yet I still got upset. Part of me wanted him to know every detail of what happened last night to see if what he was saying was true, and so, like word vomit I said “You called me beautiful,” his eyes widened, “oh” he whispered under his breath. Ew. I hated this. I wasn’t trying to have a sentimental moment with him, I had enough of those with Steve Harrington for one day, but I needed him to know. I needed to lighten up the mood. I started walking again, letting him know everything was fine, “Yeah you started crying like a lil’ baby, said sorry multiple times about calling me scar face at the party, and uh told me I was beautiful,” Steve started laughing, “yeah that uh, sounds like intoxicated me for sure,” I started laughing with him, “let’s just say even though it wasn’t for you, it was quite the memorable night for me,”

“Oh yeah I bet! Not every girl gets the luxury of a night alone with the one and only. AND I called you a term of endearment? Phew, Nance better not find out,” he said in his cheeky little voice that he did as he put his hands up in surrender. I was about to come back with something snarky when I saw a young girl with beautiful auburn hair sitting outside the AV club room. She stood up super fast when she saw us approaching the door, “Do you know them? Those stupid boys?!” She asked us frantically. Steve and I looked at each other, eyebrows furrowed, then back at the girl, “If you mean Dustin and the other dummies then yeah, we are here to talk to them,” Steve said to the girl. She looked irritated and sighed, “Well good luck, they won’t let me in and if they let you in I swear,” Steve scoffed and knocked on the door and the boys voices behind the door fell silent until a “WHAT MAX?” Came out of one of their mouths. Mike. I could recognize that voice anywhere.

“What? No. Look, it’s Steve. I have Y/N with me, we need to talk to you guys,” Steve was yelling through the door to ensure the boys could hear him. “Y/N? As in Y/F/N Y/L/N?” I heard Mike question through the door before all three of us outside could hear the boy’s panicked fidgeting, and within a few seconds the door flew open and revealed an anxious looking Dustin as he fanned us all into the room and was muttering lots of “quick”s and “hurry”s. After we all scurried into the room, Dustin slammed the door behind us, and locked it as quickly as he could. Steve walked in first and went around the table that was in the middle of the room. He was standing across from me, along with Mike and Will. We all stood in a circle around the table, but Dustin was standing behind me in order to guard the door.

“Amazing timing, douchebag. Just so you know, we only opened that door for Y/N, not you, Harrington.” Mike spit out at Steve. Steve made a face to indicate that he was offended as he took a step back, “Ouch Wheeler, so much pent up anger in such a little body.” Mike squinted his eyes and put a fake smile on his face to mock Steve as I stepped in “We aren’t here to fight,” I looked at Steve and then back at Mike who now looked like a dog with its tail between their legs, “Look, something is happening and Steve thinks that you guys are the only ones that can help me.” They all looked at me, Dustin and Will looked concerned as Mike looked at all of his friends before saying “W-well what is it?” I looked at Steve, he could feel how nervous I was from across the table that was between us, he nodded his head at me, indicating an ‘it’s okay’. I took a long beat before looking back at Mike and saying “We think I have powers…” Steve scoffed at my lousy confession “THINK? No, no. This girl almost just killed me with that shit. We know she has powers.” He said as he looked at me and pointed at my hands. Lucas was the first one to speak up as he rolled his eyes, “Oh, come on. Y/N you have nothing to do with any of this. And, if you did have powers, where were you last year when we all needed help?” Mike looked upset that Lucas would question me and he hit Lucas on the arm and said, “She wouldn’t just lie, Lucas. Give her a chance to explain herself. Maybe she could show us?” Mike’s sentence ended as if he was asking me to show them at this very moment.

“NO,” Steve and I both yelled at the same time, “I-I mean… no I can’t. I quickly tried to calm my voice, “I can’t risk hurting you kids, plus I don’t even know how to use them. The feeling only comes at certain times. I-I don’t know how to control it.” I admitted while looking back and forth at all the eyes on me in the room. Will looked at me with soft eyes filled with sympathy and said, “Well, there’s gotta be something that triggers them, right? What does it feel like when you feel them coming?” This made me think for a minute until my eyes shot up to look at Steve, and then back at the kids. Steve looked confused at my sudden eye contact with him. “It’s always when I’m around um, Steve.” I didn’t want to say it, but it was the truth. My powers were only triggered when I was around, or thinking about Steve Harrington. “That’s disgusting.” I heard Dustin say from behind me. “No, no not in that way, gross. It’s when he pisses me off. Look, the first time I ever felt like that was last night. I’ve felt tingles in my fingertips before but nothing more. I took Steve home last night because he was drunk, so drunk in fact that he called me Nancy and that’s when I felt the tingles for the first time. But, they went away quick enough for me to not think anything of it,” I went on to tell them all the other times that Steve riled me up enough to trigger a reaction like that, and then told them about what happened in the woods. “Red? Just like, exploded out of you?” The auburn haired girl questioned, “Like-Like the Scarlet Witch in X-Men?” Dustin said with so much amusement in his voice that I couldn’t tell if he was excited or mocking me. Lucas scoffed. “No way, the Scarlet Witch isn’t real, and she is way too powerful to exist.”

I looked over at Mike to see if he had anything else to say. “El was powerful too, ya know? We didn’t believe her at first, we can’t make the same mistake with Y/N.” All of his friends looked at him, at Steve, and then at me. Everyone was staring at me until the weird box that the boys had on the table started moving. “Oh, shit” Dustin said as he went to grab it but Lucas smacked his hand and shook his head aggressively at him. Steve stepped forward, “Whatcha boys hiding in there, huh?”

“No-nothing!” They all said in unison as the girl holding her skateboard rolled her eyes. Mike picked up the microphone on the table and held it up like a weapon as the box fell on its side. “Don’t hurt him!” Dustin said. Him? “Only if he attacks.” Mike responded. “Guys, what is in that box?” I questioned as Steve came from around the table to stand by my side. “Just open it already!” Lucas yelled. “You idiots, what is in there?!” Steve asked affirmatively, demanding an answer. Dustin rolled his eyes, grabbed a little remote from the table, and opened the box to reveal a slimy, tiny looking creature. “Holy…shit.” Lucas, Steve, and I all said in unison. The creature started to crawl towards Dustin and in front of the 7 pairs of eyes in the room, sprouted an extra set of legs. “Oh, shit!” Lucas screamed as Mike went to hit the tiny monster with the microphone. But, he missed and the creature started running towards the closed door. I don’t know what came over me, it wasn’t Steve this time but suddenly all the kids' attention left the creature, as they all looked at me. Steve grabbed my shoulders and stepped in front of me to hide me from the kids.

“Y/N, your eyes, stop.” I started to blink rapidly to try and get it to go away but that thing was still in the room with us and I was terrified. It was like my arm had a mind of its own as it flew upwards towards the door, and the same red glowing ball of energy that hit the tree in the woods earlier, came out of my palms and caused the door to the AV club to fling open, allowing the creature to escape. “Y/N, snap out of it, look at me.” Steve shook me a little bit as I blinked one last time, looked at him, then at the kids in the room with me and just whispered “I’m so sorry…” but the boys had already started running towards the creature before I finished getting my words out. “What was that?” Steve asked, still holding onto my shoulders. “Dart!” Mike yelled, annoyed. “And because you brought her here, he escaped.” Mike was never hostile towards me, it was a terrible feeling to see him upset with me. “Well, why did you attack him?!” Dusting argued with Mike. Mike ignored his question as he yelled a quick, “Come on!” to his friends and we watched them all split up to look for…Dart.

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