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book-place · 1 year

Text

Where You Lead

Warnings: mentions of fighting, hunting, weapons and violence, drinking, hints of parental abuse and neglect, cursing, injuries and blood, gunshots wounds, mentions of death let me know if I missed any :)

Pairings: Dean Winchester x sister reader, Sam Winchester x sister reader

*not my gif*

Summary: Ever since you first came home from the hospital, you and Dean had an unbreakable bond

A/N: Welcome to book place’s one year event!!

Inspired by: Where You Lead I Will Follow by Carole King

Please don’t plagiarize my work, you may reblog if you like but I’m asking that you don’t steal my hard work

Loving you the way I do

“This is your baby sister, Y/n,” This might be the first time since his mother was alive that Dean had heard his fathers voice be as soft as it was.

“Can I hold her? Please, can I hold her?” Sam begged, bouncing up and down on his toes in anticipation.

“Dean gets to hold her first, Sam,” John scowled slightly, “We talked about this already.”

The- now middle- Winchester sibling stopped jumping immediately and dropped his head slightly, “Sorry,” He mumbled, kicking his shoe slightly against the motel ground.

As gently as humanly possible, nine year old Dean gingerly held you in his arms, supporting your head the way your father had shown him before gazing at you in wonder.

You tossed and turned a little bit in the hospital blanket that was wrapped securely around you, before you blinked your eyes open slightly.

Instead of screaming and crying like he expected you to do, you just stared up at your older brother in the same amazement that he looked over you with; and that amazement soon melted into full adoration on his features.

“Is it my turn yet?” Sam whined, and John finally relented with a small huff.

The hesitation was visible on Dean's face, looking as if it pained him to pass you over to his little brother, something that escaped both Sam and John’s notice.

What John didn’t miss though, was the way his eldest son lingered near you and Sam, looking ready to spring forward at any moment and save you should Sam accidentally drop you.

“She’s fine, Dean, quit hovering.” John told his son gruffly. But for the first time in his life, the boy didn't snap at attention to scramble and do what his father had said. For the first time, he pretended as if he didn’t hear the man as he continued to stare down at you.

I know we’re gonna make it through

“I’ll be back in a couple days, don’t do anything to draw attention to yourselves.” John warned with a small glare before turning on his heel and exiting the motel room, slamming the door shut behind him.

Dean let out a small breath, glancing over his shoulder to where you sat on Sam’s lap on the crammed couch, both of you engrossed in the cartoon before you.

It had been two years since you were born, and Dean was yet to hear his fathers voice grow soft again, even around you. In fact, John began to try and distance himself from you as much as he could.

He had once confessed to Dean when he was almost black out drunk that it was because he had a child with a woman who wasn’t Mary, and while he and Sam could remind him of his late wife, you did no such thing.

It wasn’t your fault of course, and Dean knew that. He knew that it wasn’t fair for your father to distance himself from you for something you couldn’t control, which would inevitably affect you one way or another eventually.

He walked over to the couch before plopping down onto the small cushion beside the two of you and held out his arms, “Giver ‘er here, Sammy.”

The boy did so, and you giggled slightly at being passed around. You looked up at Dean with a wide smile before turning your attention back to the screen.

A small sigh escaped his lips as he watched over his two siblings, both who were completely oblivious to the fact that John had only left a few cans of food in the room and a very limited amount of money without the certainty of when he would return.

He placed a small kiss on the top of your head. He was going to get you all through this, just like he always did.

And I would go to the ends of the earth

“We asked for a parent or guardian of Y/n Winchester.” The principal raised a single eyebrow as he spoke, eyeing the clearly high school level student.

“I’m her older brother,” Dean grunted with narrowed eyes, “Isn’t that good enough if our father can’t make it?”

The older man sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, “Fine, fine. We should get this started, then.” He then beckoned with his hand for you and one of your classmates to come into his office.

You shuffled in, eyes lighting up when you spotted Dean and you hurriedly squealed, rushing over and jumping into his arms, “Hey, sweetheart.” He mumbled, pressing a kiss in your hair.

“What is this about?” The mother of your classmate demanded, shooting daggers at you and your brother from where she sat in a chair a couple feet away.

“I’m afraid we are going to have to suspend the two of them,” The principal spoke.

A look of bewilderment came over Dean's features, “S-suspend? For what? She’s five!”

“Even so, they both must be held accountable for their actions.”

“Which was what, exactly?” He demanded, grip tightening around you protectively.

“The two of them got into a small fight and disrupted the class.” He informed him and the other mom.

“That’s outrageous!” Said mother shrieked, jumping to her feet, “My daughter would never get into a fight!”

“She hit me, I didn’t do anything,” You mumbled into Dean's ear, and he felt his anger begin to boil in his blood.

“Y/n didn’t do anything,” Dean stated, a venomous glint in his eyes as he stared down the mother and the principal.

“Oh?” The woman screeched, whirling around and pointing a finger at him, “And how did you figure that out?” She hissed.

“Because she told me she didn’t,” He said plainly.

She scoffed and rolled her eyes as if he just said the most idiotic thing she’d ever heard, “And how do you know you can believe her?”

Dean stood up immediately, you still clutched to his chest as he glared right back at the older woman, “Because she isn’t lying.” He told her with a dangerous tinge in his tone before simply turning on his heel and striding out of the office.

Your arms wrapped around his neck and you buried your face in his shirt, “Thanks, De.” You whispered.

'Cause, darling, to me that's what you're worth

“What the hell is this?” John snapped with a glare, picking up a doll that had gently been set on the table.

Dean swallowed, eyes flitting over to your sleeping form on the bed beside him, your chest rising and falling steadily.

You hadn’t meant to, and Dean knew that. You were only eight, you hadn’t meant to wander out the store with the doll in your grip as if it was already yours and not something you had just picked up off the shelf.

He had been too preoccupied to even notice until the two of you got home, and he had sighed as he watched your eyes fill with tears and your bottom lip wobble as you stared up at him after telling you that it would have to be taken back.

Reluctantly, he had given in and decided that it wouldn’t even matter if you brought it back now, so he had said he would let you keep it this one time if you never did it again.

Of course, Dean couldn’t tell his father that, then he would be angry at you. And your older brother always did everything in his power to shield you from that side of John.

“I-I took it, sir.” Your older brother cleared his throat, glancing up at his fathers raging form, “I wanted to get her a toy to have.”

The older man let out a loud scoff, rolling his eyes, “Why the hell would you do that?”

“Because sh-she needs toys,” He tried to sound as confident as he could without his voice wavering again. You needed him, he would not give you up like that, “I thought she needed toys.” He was more confident this time.

John dropped the doll carelessly to the ground with a snarl, “Next time,” He seethed, “Next time I catch you pulling any of this shit, there’s gonna be consequences.”

He was talking to Dean as if he weren’t seventeen years old. As if he were still just a child.

But the boy bit his tongue and nodded his head once, visibly relaxing once his father stomped out of the room. He looked back at you and let a small sigh loose, relieved that you hadn’t woken up.

Carefully, he pulled the blankets higher on your body that had slipped down from some tossing and turning.

Where you lead, I will follow

“Dude,” Sam spoke up, glancing away from his homework for a split second to give Dean a look, “She’s fine.”

The man immediately froze, stopped tapping his foot and snapped his head over to his younger brother, “What?”

“Y/n,” The younger boy's head was already facing the textbook again, “She just went out with a couple friends. You can stop stressing out, she's fine.”

Dean hadn’t even realized that he had eagerly been staring out the motel window, awaiting your return with about as much impatience as a toddler.

“I know that,” He shot back defensively, forcing his muscles to relax from his stiff, upright sitting position and relax against the back of the chair.

Sam looked up again, eyebrows raised so high that they disappeared under his hair, “Oh? You’re not staring at the parking lot as if she didn’t just leave five minutes ago?”

“No,” Dean grumbled, sinking down and crossing his arms over his chest.

A sigh left Sam’s lips, “She’s eleven, dude. And she’s just down the road if you need to get to her.”

“Or if she needs to get to me.” He hadn’t even thought as the words slipped through his lips.

There was a pause, “Yeah… yeah, if she needs to get to you, she can easily do it.” He reassured his older brother.

Despite the clear way the words were forced out, Dean still relaxed for real when he heard them, but didn’t move away from the window as he waited for you to return.

Anywhere that you tell me to

You shuffled through the door, head hung low as you dropped your backpack with a small ‘thud’ beside the table. Sam reached out and rubbed your shoulders comfortingly.

Dean looked over his shoulder from where he was preparing dinner, “Hey, sweetheart, hey Sammy-“ He cut himself off when he caught sight of your defeated look and Sam’s pitying one, “What is it?” He immediately rushed out, “What’s wrong?”

You just sniffled slightly and crossed your arms over your chest, kicking at the floor.

“Sam?” He automatically turned his attention to the boy when you didn’t answer, “What’s wrong?” He demanded again.

John had just dropped the two of you off back at the motel after school before rushing off, saying that the hunt was not over even though he thought it had been.

A tear slipped down your cheek, and right as it did so, you took off towards the bathroom, slamming and locking the door behind you, leaving your brothers behind.

“Sam.”

“There’s this father-daughter dance going on for her grade,” He sighed, and it clicked into place right away for Dean.

“Dad couldn’t go?” He asked softly.

“He wouldn’t,” Sam corrected him angrily with a scoff, crossing his arms over his chest, “He told her it was a waste of time.”

All at once, a blinding rage boiled up inside of Dean, one of the only times in his entire life that he was anything but scared of his father. For once, he hated the man.

His thoughts snapped back to the present though when he realized that you were still crying in the bathroom, and he immediately reeled his emotions in. You needed him more than he needed to be angry right now.

With a sigh, he crept over and gently knocked on the door after shooting a swift nod of thanks to Sam’s direction, “N/n?” He called softly, “Sweetheart, it’s me. Can I come in?”

There was a moment of silence before the man heard a slight click of a door being unlocked, and he didn’t hesitate to rush in.

Your cheeks were stained with tears and your eyes were bloodshot in a way that made Dean's heart shatter into a million pieces.

“Oh, n/n,” He cooed, sinking onto the ground beside you and pulling you to his chest, rubbing a hand up and down your back comfortingly as you cried into his shirt.

He kept whispering comforting words in your ear until you were reduced to sniffles and hiccups that were an effect of after-sobbing.

“D-dad doesn’t want to go with me,” You choked out, clutching a handful of your brother's shirt tightly.

Dean sighed, unsure of what to tell you. Of whether or not he should lie and tell you that your father really did want to go, he was just busy. But he realized that you were now old enough to see right through that.

“I’ll go with you,” As soon as the thought popped into his mind, he hadn’t even given himself a second to process it before blurting it out loud.

You reeled back and stared up at him with wide eyes, “Wha-“

“I’ll go to the father-daughter dance with you,” He shrugged, “I know I’m not dad, but at least you’ll have someone to go with.”

Slowly, a large grin broke out onto your face and you threw yourself into his arms again, squeezing tightly as you let out an excited squeal, “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

He laughed, hugging you with the same amount of force, “My pleasure, sweetheart.”

If you need, you need me to be with you

“Y/n?” Dean's eyebrows flew up in shock as the smell of alcohol filled his senses.

“Duh,” You slurred, stumbling slightly to stand upright as you made your way into the motel room, “Who else would I be? Bobby?”

“Are you… drunk?” He had to blink a couple of times to help his brain fully process what he was seeing. You, his baby sister, hardly fifteen years old, drunk out of your mind.

“Noo,” You whined, “God, get off my case.”

“Hey,” He stood up, arm wrapping around your waist automatically as you almost fell over your own feet, “Come on,” Gently, he led you over to sit down on the bed.

With a large sigh of relief, you fell onto your back and cuddled into the sheets, “Thanks, dad.” You mumbled.

Dean's eyes were practically bugging out of his head at this point. He swallowed thickly, “Y-you know I’m not dad, right?”

“Well not biololy-“ You paused with furrowed eyebrows, “Beeolog-“

“Biologically?” He filled in the missing word for you, unsure of where you were trying to go with this as he turned on his heel to get you a glass of water.

You snapped your fingers, pointing a lazy finger at him, “Bingo! You might not be my dad biologically, but you’re more of a father to me than John- John is.” Your head was nuzzling into a pillow by now.

He sputtered, practically dropping the glass before setting it down on the bedside table, “That-that’s not true.” He insisted, “You don’t think that.”

“Sober words are drunk thoughts,” You slurred before opening your eyes and pausing to think, “Wait… that’s not right…”

He sighed, picking up the water and coaxing you to sit up so he could give it to you.

“We’ll talk in the morning,” Dean told you softly, leaning forward to place a kiss on your forehead.

Even after you eventually drifted off to sleep, he couldn’t do so himself. Still trying to wrap his mind around what you said. About if you actually believed your own words.

I will follow where you lead

“Dean.” You reached up to pinch the bridge of your nose, “I’m old enough to go on a date.”

He scowled, sinking further into his chair with his arms crossed, “I disagree,” He grumbled.

“Of course you do,” You sighed before turning back to the bathroom mirror and checking your reflection one last time before stepping out.

“Do you have your gun?” He asked automatically. And if it were anyone else, you would have laughed. But this was your eldest brother, and you knew for a fact that he was dead serious.

“I don’t think I need-“

“Do you have your gun?” He demanded again, glowering from across the room.

“Yes, yes, I have my gun.” You reassured him, lifting up your handbag of where it was resting dramatically to further your point.

Silence rang out between the two of you for a moment, having your own mini stare down, before it was his turn to sigh and stand up before striding across the room to you.

He put his hands on each of your shoulders, looking you in the eye, “I just want what’s best for you.” He told you sincerely.

Your hands went up to gently grasp onto his wrists and squeeze, “I know that, De,” You spoke softly, “But you can’t protect me from everything.”

“I can try,” He replied stubbornly, cracking a smile when you snorted.

Taking your hands off of his, you moved your arms to wrap around his torso and pull him into a tight hug.

He was just about to return it when a knock rang through the room. Your date was at the door.

Slowly, you let go and looked up at your big brother with a smile.

If you're out on the road

“Where’s Sammy when you need him?” You groaned, dropping your head into your arms that rested against the table.

“Shut it,” Dean grumbled, “I can help you just as well as he could.”

You rolled your eyes up to the ceiling, “You’ve failed every math class you’ve ever been in, genius.”

“And who told you that?”

“Sam.” You said in a ‘duh’ tone.

Dean scoffed, “Well, Sammy’s a freaking liar.”

You rose your eyebrows and placed your head in your hand, waiting as his eyes raked up and down the paper.

“Well?” You asked after a few moments.

“Well, this is hard.” He snapped back.

You threw your hands up, “That's why I asked for help!”

He seemed to ponder something for a moment before putting the paper down tentatively, “Math was always stupid anyway. I don’t think it would hurt if you didn’t do this one assignment.”

“So, you’re admitting to not knowing how to do this?”

“…no.”

“Yes.”

“No.”

“Then what are you saying?”

“… fine, I failed every math class I’ve ever taken.”

Feeling lonely, and so cold

“You’re gonna be fine, you’re gonna be fine.” Dean muttered, not knowing if he was trying to reassure you or himself more as he put so much pressure on the gas that his foot had begun to hurt.

“D-Dean-“ You muttered from the passenger seat, lulling your head to the side to try and face him.

Quickly, he shushed you, doing everything in his power not to focus solely on the crumbled up shirt you were holding against your stomach to try and apply pressure to your wound. He knew if he focused on that for longer than a couple of seconds, he would abandon his mission of getting you straight to a hospital and try to take care of it on his own.

He knew his mind would kick into a protective, frenzy overdrive and he wouldn’t allow himself to wait until he arrived at his destination.

Of course, the one day Sam wasn’t feeling well enough to join the two of you on a hunt- one that was supposed to be so simple that Dean finally- begrudgingly- allowed you to come on, you had gotten shot in the stomach.

As soon as that had happened, everything about the hunt immediately flew as far from Deans mind as humanly possible, even letting the shooter get away in his panicked state as his brain switched to autopilot mode and he scooped you up and rushed you to the car.

Nothing was going to happen to you. Nothing was going to happen to you. Nothing was going to happen to you. Nothing was-

A violent cough raked through your body, making your older brother visibly flinch as he pressed down harder on the pedal, even if he was already going as fast as he could.

“You’re gonna be okay, sweetheart,” He muttered, harshly blinking away the tears that began to pool in his eye ducts.

All you have to do is call my name

“Dean?” You whispered into the darkness hesitantly.

“Wh-What? What’s wrong?” His eyes immediately snapped open and he flew out of the bed at your nervous tone.

He gently took ahold of each of your shoulders and blinked the sleep away from his eyes as they scanned your face through the darkness for any sign of distress.

“I-I had a nightmare…” You muttered weakly, feeling heat begin to spread to your cheeks as you averted your eyes from your elder brother.

“Oh,” He breathed out, relaxing only slightly when he realized that you were in no immediate danger, “Oh, it’s okay, sweetheart.” He quickly wrapped his arms around you and brought you to his chest.

Your own arms snaked around him in return, burying your face in his chest and allowing him to rock both of you back and forth slightly as he rubbed your back soothingly.

“Can I stay?” You whispered meekly, refusing to look him in the eyes from the sheer embarrassment of it all.

“Of course,” He answered without hesitation, keeping an arm wrapped around you as he gently led you to the bed.

As soon as you were both lying down and under the sheets, you cuddled into your older brothers chest and let out a little sigh of content, “Thank you, De.” You whispered sleepily.

“I have nightmares all the time too,” He whispered after a few moments of silence, “They got worse after you almost died on that hunt.”

You felt his arms tighten around you as he spoke, and you held on just as tight in return.

“We’re okay,” He spoke comfortingly, kissing the top of your head again, “We’re okay.”

And I'll be there on the next train

“I-I need help,” You spoke shakily into the phone, wrapping your free arm tighter around yourself as you spoke.

“Alright, I’m on my way.” Came Dean's determined reply.

No, ‘I told you so’. No, ‘You made this mess, you can get out of it yourself’. No, ‘You shouldn’t have gone in the first place’. Just your selfless, loving brother who was willing to drop everything he was doing because you had made a mistake. Because you had insisted that you could finally go on a solo hunt despite his protests and pleas. Because he had been so scared of a repeat from the last time he had allowed you to go on a hunt. And even that time you were with him, this time you wouldn’t be.

And now you were in over your head and you needed your older brother to bail you out.

“Dean?” You sniffled slightly into your phone, “I’m sorry.”

“I know, sweetheart, I know.” He spoke soothingly.

In the background, you hear the car start as if he had just been sitting in it waiting for your call.

You wouldn’t be surprised. But you couldn’t find it in yourself to be mad at him.

Where you lead, I will follow

“Sam’s gonna kill us ya’know.” You spoke, shoveling another spoonful of cereal into your mouth.

“What Sammy doesn’t know won’t hurt him,” Dean replied calmly, leaning back against the couch cushions, eyes trained solely on the Scooby-Doo episode.

“We’re supposed to be researching lore about the case,” Even though you said it, you made no effort to turn off the television and go back to work.

“You and I both know that he’ll do all of it anyway,” He reminded you, “Might as well enjoy our time instead of wasting it.”

A chuckle escaped from your lips as you softly shook your head back and forth, folding your legs underneath you and entertaining your brother by watching his favorite show with him.

Anywhere that you tell me to

“How do you mess up making toast?” You yelled over the fire alarm.

“I don’t know! Okay? I don’t know!” Dean's voice boomed back as he wildly jumped around with a towel while trying to fan the smoke out of the room.

Despite his protests, the alarms screeching didn't come to the halt you had hoped for. If anything, it seemed to get even louder.

“I leave you alone for five minutes and this is what happens!” You scolded, “I swear, I feel like I’m the older one sometimes.”

“Just shut it and help me!” He snapped.

You sighed irritatedly, but grabbed a towel anyway and joined in on his efforts of stopping an almost inevitable fire.

It took a while- and a lot more screaming matches- before the alarm finally died down and the only thing that remained from the fire was the ringing in your ears, the faint smell of smoke, and a burnt beyond recognition piece of toast.

“Let’s… let’s not speak of this ever again.” Dean finally huffed out after catching his breath.

A wicked smile made its way onto your face at his words, “In your dreams,” You told him sinisterly.

His face dropped and he looked at you in horror, “Don’t you dare-“

“Oh, Sam,” You sang, practically dancing out of the room.

“Get back here!” The sound of thundering feet coming bounding after you made you squeal and pick up your pace.

If you need, you need me to be with you

“Y/n?” You ferociously wiped away the tears that stained your cheeks when you door was knocked on, “Sweetheart? Are you okay?”

“Y-yeah, I’m fine, Dean.” You silently cursed yourself for the small crack in your voice as you spoke. Though you doubted it would even need to be there for your brother to know that something was wrong.

“I’m coming in,” He announced, waiting only a split second to see if you would protest before opening your door and immediately scanning his eyes over you to see what was the matter.

“Hey, hey,” He murmured gently, dropping down in front of where you sat on your bed once he realized you didn’t appear to be in any physical pain, “What’s wrong?”

You shook your head when you were unable to speak, averting your eyes from his wide, concerned ones.

“Talk to me,” He pleaded softly. He hated when something was the matter that he didn’t know about, it absolutely killed him.

“It’s just-“ You choked out a small sob, “Why?”

His eyebrows furrowed as he unconsciously swiped a piece of hair from your face, “Why, what, sweetheart?”

Again, you shook your head, “I’m being so stupid-“

“Hey,” He gently grabbed your chin and made you look at him, “Anything making you upset is not stupid. Now what’s wrong?”

“Why can’t we just have a normal life?” His heart dropped, “Why did dad have to drag us into this? We’ve lost so many people because of what we do and I just don’t know if I can take it anymore-“

“Hey, hey,” He shushed you softly, immediately wrapping his arms around you, “Shh, it’s okay, I know. Believe me, sweetheart, I know. It’s not fair. I’m so sorry.”

“It’s not your fault, Dean.” You sniffled, pulling away and wiping your face with your sleeve.

“Still,” Tears began to form in his own eyes and he was forced to harshly blink them away, “I wish more than anything that you could have been spared from this. And I am so damn sorry that you weren’t.”

“I don’t want this for you either, Dean.” You told him softly.

He smiled sadly, “I know, sweetheart, I know. But at least we have each other.”

You were finally able to smile slightly at that, “Yeah, we do. Don’t we?”

I will follow

Humming lightly to yourself, you put the finishing touches on the dish before you and stepped back with your hands on your hips, proudly smiling down at it.

“N/n!” Dean's voice echoed through the halls, “I’m home!”

“In the kitchen!” You echoed back, excitedly jumping to hide the plate behind your back just in time for him to enter.

He entered with a wide smile, “Hey, sweetheart, what’s-“ He froze and eyed you suspiciously, “What are you up to?”

Unable to even attempt to hide your eagerness anymore, you leapt to the side and dramatically put your arms out to the side, “Ta da!” You guestered to the plate you had previously been hiding.

A wide grin automatically broke out onto his face as he came scurrying over to the counter with childlike excitement, “Pie?” He practically squealed, “You made me pie?”

You nodded proudly, putting your hands on your hips.

He rushed over and scooped you in a long hug, spinning you around in a way that made you giggle, “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” He gushed while gently setting you down, “Have I ever told you that you’re the best sister ever?” He was already taking a fork and shoveling some of it into his mouth.

“I could do with hearing it more often.” You teased.

“You’re the best sister ever!” He cheered, devouring the dessert happily.

Where you lead

The steady rocking of the car did nothing to help your tired state, nor did the music softly drifting out of the speakers and filling the small space effortlessly.

Dean's eyes flitted over to you for a quick second, “You can go to sleep, it’ll be a couple more hours until we get there.” He told you softly.

You shook your head stubbornly despite the yawn you had to bite back, “I wanna stay up with you,” You murmured, unconsciously cuddling up against the seat.

“We had a long day, just get some rest.” He insisted in the same gentle tone.

Finally, you weren’t able to hold back your exhaustion any longer and you practically melted into the cushions, “Fine,” You mumbled, “But only for a few minutes.”

He laughed lightly, reaching over with one hand and ruffling your hair playfully, “Sleep well, sleepyhead.” He teased.

“I love you, De,” You whispered, eyes already drifting shut and your head lulling to rest against the window.

“I love you too, sweetheart.”

Idjits 👟- @ineedmorefanfics2 @roseblue373 @popfishjr @kiyomi-uchiha777

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bloodybobbysawyer · 1 year

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Fun Repo Facts

(Credit to my homeboy @leechwoman on TikTok for some of the Pavi ones - check out her cosplays!)

Fun fact, none of the Largo siblings share the same mother. This was confirmed by Luigi Largo on Twitter.

Luigi-

His favorite singer is Frank Sinatra

He has an ascot color-code (for example, he wears red when he’s going to bang a woman he actually likes, blue for everyday, grey for events.)

He’s a huge neat freak.

Luigi’s favorite desert is Gelato.

He hates green mugs.

Regardless of how Rotti treats him, he adores his father.

He is straight, but has confirmed that he would participate in gay ‘relations’ if he found someone worthy enough.

His official Twitter is @LuigiLargo

He loves “Girligis” - I think this means women who cosplay female Luigi.

He won prom king in high school, but Pavi won prom queen.

Luigi would kill or beat anyone who insults or hurts his sister.

Pavi -

According to his MySpace, Pavi makes 🌽 movies.

One of his heroes is Dorian Gray.

Pavi wears women’s faces because he had a botched surgery on his normal face.

He likes the band Depeche Mode.

Pavi is afraid that his tattoos will wash off in the shower - and his brother confirmed him to be a crybaby.

As most of us know, Pavi uses his accent to cover up a stutter.

Pavi confirmed his bisexuality on his MySpace.

Pavi’s official Twitter is @Pavi_Largo

He has a massive crush on Ongina (the drag queen.)

Pavi’s favorite Christmas carol is “Baby, it’s cold outside.”

Pavi loves cupcakes - with rainbow sprinkles (Twitter confirmed.)

Amber Sweet -

She has multiple puppies, her favorite are Pomeranians.

Amber despises caramel pudding.

Her official Twitter is @officialmssweet

She has a huge thing for the Repo men.

Amber has a psychic!

She actually really likes Shilo, and has asked her to go shopping.

She has never seen a rabbit (until one somehow got into GeneCo tower.)

In the film, her original name before ‘Amber Sweet’ was ‘Carmela Largo’.

Her name in the OG stage play was “Heather” and she was supposed to be Luigi’s daughter (who used to be called Luci).

Until the movie, Heather was intended to be Chinese.

#repo! the genetic opera #amber sweet #blind mag #nathan wallace #pavi largo #rtgo #shilo wallace #zydrate #graverobber #luigi largo #r!tgo

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star1yx · 5 months

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Pretty Girl

Two lovers working during summer break while having their own little fun and helping kids sneaking into the movies

♡Steve Harrington x f.reader ♡Small fluff & super short fic ♡Nicknames are used in this story ♡note: first fic

Summer 1985

If someone told you two years prior that you would be dating Steve “The Hair” Harrington, King Steve, or King of Hawkins High, you would have never believed them without a doubt.

Yet here you are in his embrace as he kept on kissing your neck during your break time. In Scoops Ahoy. It was unbelievable.

Steve wanted you to work with him here during summer break since he would be lonely. And you can’t say no to the man you adore so much. You couldn’t babysit Dustin with him at summer camp anyway. But, Harrington decided to be affectionate with you during the time Robin, a friend of yours, is working at the counter.

Honestly, he changed immensely from how he was with his previous friends Tommy H. and Carol Perkins. He went from a jerk to in your opinion a great babysitter and mother.

He’ll never know you think that of him.

The feeling of his lips on your neck was warm and familiar. It was one of his favorite spots to kiss. If you got a dollar for every time he kissed you, you be pretty rich according to the Party’s definition of ‘rich’.

You wished that the moment would never end. You both have been through a lot in two years. From protecting some kids to being on the verge of death. And yet that’s what created a bond between you two which led to developing feelings and a relationship. You’ve been together for some time now.

“Steve, my break’s about to end…” You said in a low tone so that Robin wouldn’t hear you. It would not be the first time she caught you both red-handed. If your boss ever came to work here, you would have gotten fired alongside him.

“Relax pretty girl, I’ll be done in a second.” Your boyfriend responded with a nickname he gave you. It never failed to make you blush which Steve loved seeing.

Suddenly, the sliding window opened up with the face of Buckley appearing. You both jumped out of each other’s embrace as she let out a small disgusted sound for doing this in here. You still had a few minutes until break was over so Robin shouldn’t be calling you now.

You were flustered and standing behind Steve while he told her “Could’ve warned us first.”

“For your information, I called your names five times Steve, Y/n. Five.” Robin stated unamused which embarrassed you and surprised him for not hearing.

“Anyway, your children are here Dingus and Mrs. Harrington.” She continued teasing you in the last part as you looked at the counter to see Lucas, Max, Mike, and Will. Wheeler rings the bell at the counter continuously waiting for Steve and you to let them in the back.

“Again?” Steve said now his turn to be unamused as he stared at the four teens while leaning onto the counter of the window.

You let out a sigh as you went to the front and welcomed them in as usual. This was a secret between you all to let them get to the movie theater for free. These kids used your job to their advantage. They sure were a lovable pain in the ass.

Your lover went on and opened the back door for them to pass through. He then gave them his usual warning.

“I swear if anyone hears about this-“

“We’re dead.” The members of the Party completed on his behalf which led him to sigh and you chuckling at the interaction.

You and Steve watched as the kids walked away into the mall’s back corridors towards the theater like parents watching their kids leaving the house to go somewhere.

You smiled as you remembered how they looked like 1983 and 1984 compared to now. They grew up fast. To fast. You wished that they had gotten a better childhood. Not one where you had to go defeat some threat to save Hawkins.

This is the least you could do for them.

Steve noticed you in deep thoughts and frowning a bit. He immediately knew what you were thinking about and grabbed your hand reassuring you that everything would be alright.

“There’s no more danger love. We closed the gate. No more Upside Down, Demogorgon, or demo-dog.” He told you as he placed a kiss on your temple making you melt under his touch. This guy never failed to put a smile on your face.

Still charismatic as ever.

Maybe being in grave danger isn’t that bad. After all, you both would have never interacted with each other.

“You think Dustin’s gonna be back soon?” You asked him since you both did miss his presence.

“Maybe,” Steve said while shrugging his shoulders.

“Well, do you think he got a girlfriend during his time in summer camp?” You asked while also expecting a ‘no’. You wouldn’t believe it either anyway. If he did get one, it was probably his imagination.

“Not in a thousand chances,” Steve said also hardly believing the possibility.

You nodded and decided to try something. You planted a small peck on his cheek which caught him off guard. He decided to continue with a kiss on the lips dropping the subject of Dustin while saying “Love you, pretty girl.”

“I love you too Harrington.” You said as you wrapped your arms around his neck.

“Y/n! Break’s over so stop kissing each other and get over here!” Robin yelled out loudly for you to hear leading to a chuckle.

“Coming!” You yelled back as you pulled away from your boyfriend’s kiss and dragged him back inside Scoops Ahoy as he made a sad face making you laugh.

God, you wished that you could stay every minute of your life with the man of your life.

Hello! This is my first fic on Tumblr. It’s a small one so do bear it with me (also feeding my delusional self). I hope you liked it! (Maybe there are a few mistakes here and there, but oh well)

#steve harrington #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington x you #Steve Harrington x y/n #stranger things x reader #fluff #stranger things

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spideyanakin · 2 years

Text

10 Things I Hate About you - Chapter 2

Eddie Munson x Harrington! reader

Synopsis - A new rule strikes the Harrington household: if Steve wishes to date ever again, his sister needs to find a boyfriend first. As Steve becomes desperate and thinks of everything in his power to set her up, only one guy comes to mind that will take up a challenge such as that: Eddie Munson.

warnings - Season 1 Steve 👎 , ft. Eddie the mechanics, underage drinking, and free cookie if you spot the Titanic reference.

word count - 12.5k

proof read by the amazing @inknopewetrust

series masterlist 🌻

the playlist

"He tried again over lunch today," Steve slumped his shoulders, looking up to the sky. This was supposed to be a new day, a new opportunity for Eddie to try and seduce you, but instead, Eddie almost ended up having your yogurt in his hair. And even if the plan was failing, Tommy, who would have paid good money to see The Freak with yogurt stuck in his brown curls, was disappointed you hadn't gone through with it.

"I'm starting to think this is a bad idea."

"You gave him a fifty bucks a date deal, I'm sure he'll try again," Carol said through a mouthful of Steve's Kudos bar - the extra one he had packed for himself, but her sneaky hands had found it anyway.

"He told me he would," Steve climbed down from the hood of his car when he spotted you leaving the school building. "I'll see you guys tomorrow," He sighed, taking a seat behind the wheel.

"Hey, loser." Tommy snickered at you, taking a new puff of his cigarette and almost blowing it in your face.

"Oh my god, Tommy." You squinted your eyes, pretending like the smoke didn't bother you. "Are you losing your hair? You look balder than the last time I saw you up close?" You watched as his face twisted, placing a hand in his hair as if to protect it from your comment.

"Stop bullying my friends!" Steve yelled from the open window.

"Stop bullying my friends" You mimicked his voice as you settled yourself in the passenger side. "I'm Steve and I think that my dumb friends are actually really smart and good company."

"I don't talk like that."

"Yeah, you do. Oh my hair, my precious hair!" You mimicked again, putting a hand in your own hair as you did. "Wait until people find out it's because you use girl's hairspray.”

"And they never will, because you'll never tell them," he sang the words. "Talking about hairspray, I'm running out. I'm going to have to go to the supermarket before I can drop you off."

"Seriously? Can't you go later?"

"Nope. Don't have the time."

"I hate you."

"Look on the bright side, you can go to the comic book store in the meantime." He spoke to you like a toddler, you hated that.

"Right. Because I'm so excited to get the new Iron Man comic."

"Aren't you?"

You were.

But he didn't need to know that.

"You have to stop being so aggressive." Steve noticed as he watched you remove a few coins out of your wallet and hand them to the seller behind the counter.

"I'm not aggressive!" You argued back, side-eying your brother before thanking the elderly man as he neatly placed your comics in a plastic bag and handed them to you over the counter.

"You just fought a 9 year old over Lord of the Rings." Steve eyed the road through the shop's window, the little boy in question had a big frown on his face as he climbed into the back of his mother's car.

"But he was wrong! I don't know what he read, but that's not how the end of the Two Towers played out! And Saruman does die at the end of Return of the King."

"Why do I even bother with you?" He pinched his nose, his other hand on his hip in annoyance. You watched as the white plastic bag with the Farrah Fawcet hair spray bumped with his hip as he moved. He shook his head before putting his sunglasses back on. "Do you know that people around school are starting to call you a ‘heinous bitch’ more and more often?"

"You forget I don't care what people think." You pushed the shop door open, the little bell ringing with it.

"Yes, you do."

"No, I don't," you chuckled, looking at him through his sunglasses. "You don't always have to be who they want you to be, you know?" The words came out of your mouth before you could even think them over.

"I happen to like being the king of Hawkins High, thank you," He gave you a chuckle as if you had just said something stupid. The pang in your chest started stinging even more at seeing the careless, stupid, and even sometimes mean facade your brother had created himself just for popularity becoming clearer and stronger. You knew deep inside he wasn't this way.

"Right." Your word came out stiffer than you wished as you opened the passenger door, Steve following you in from the other side. "You know you're paying for my car repair, right?" You asked as you watched him start the engine.

"Uh, no, I'm not."

"Steve, you're the one who put the wrong fuel in."

"Yeah, but it's your car."

"Mom said you were going to pay!"

"Yeah, and?"

"And, so I'm not going to pay for your mistakes. What is this? Asshole day?"

"Why are you like this? You're making a fuss about everything lately."

"Right yeah, because I'm the one with terrible grades and who bugs his sister like it's her problem. You broke my car, Steve."

"I did, but I don't see how I should pay for it."

"Agh!" You wanted to rip your hair out, a groan of frustration slipping out of you. "Please just drive. I have a car to pick up and the less time I have in here with you, the better. I don't want to argue with you anymore."

The air was so thick for the rest of the ride you could cut it with a knife. The only noise that could be heard was the engine mixed in with Steve's frequent huffs, and the chatter of the streets that would come and go at every red light.

When the bright blue banner of the garage came into view, Steve didn't even bother with parking and stopped right in front of the shop.

"I'll see you at home." He gave you a tight smile you ignored, stepping out and closing the door as loudly as you could.

You mumbled something about how annoying and unfair he was being, the ringing from the little bell at the door making a minimum of your frustration dissipate. John, the owner of the place, sat behind the counter; head stuffed in the day’s newspaper, cigarette dangling from his lips. He barely looked up from his paper as he heard you walk in.

"Afternoon," you greeted, walking towards the counter, sighing your feelings away as your hands rested on the cold surface. "You said my car would be ready by today?"

"Oh yeah," He didn't remove the cigarette from his lips as he spoke, his small eyes still fixed on the paper and smoke coming out between words. "We're a bit late on schedule," He turned a page, "Realized the fuel fucked up the engine more than we thought. Munson's still taking care of it in the back."

"Munson?" The name felt familiar.

"Yeah, Eddie Munson." The lightbulb lit up in your mind. You knew exactly who he was talking about.

"I didn't know he worked here."

"Mostly on weekends. But he's filling in for Rob today. You know him or something?" He lifted his eyes up to gaze at you through his blue square glasses.

"We go to school together."

"Alright. Well if you want to go see your car I'm sure he won't mind." You nodded and took this as your cue. Walking toward the doorway, the actual door was missing and was replaced by strings of blue and red clay beads. Now that you were closer, you could hear Metallica's The Four Horsemen faintly playing in the background.

The beads made a soft sound as you passed through them. The smell of fuel, rubber, and the metallic pungency of tools invaded your senses the second you walked in. The garage looked messy to an outsider–yet it was no different than other shops of the kind. A staple of car repairs in Hawkins, this little shop had seen business from every family and knew them all by name. The garage door was opened, giving out to a parking lot and letting the fresh air merge with the unnatural amount of toxins that emitted from each car, tire, and tank served. A range of different colored cars neatly parked outside, each either waiting for their turn to get repaired or for their owners to return.

Your car was parked in the middle of the room, and indeed–the boy you knew as Eddie Munson, the school's proclaimed freak and trouble maker who had decided to suddenly ask you out, was working on it.

His hair was tied back in a ponytail, head bowed into the hood. His black shirt was tight and hugged his torso perfectly, his jean jacket resting on a chair in the back of the room. The electric blue denim jumpsuit he called a work uniform was tied at his waist by the sleeves. The pants of it were decorated with car grease in large uneven patches on the sides as if he deliberately wiped his hands on them multiple times.

He blew a strand of hair away from his forehead as he leaned back to look at his work from a higher angle. His fingers were stained with black as they toyed with the wrench in his hand. He looked so focused. The crease between his eyebrows was evident as he figured out if his work was good enough.

"Thought you didn't want that date?" His voice brought you back from your staring, shoving away the odd feeling in your chest you hadn't noticed was there. You blinked, your expression changing.

"And I still don't. I came to see my car."

"This is your car?" He asked, eyebrows raised as he pointed to it with the tool in his hand.

"Yep." You patted the roof with pride.

"I didn't take you for a girl to confuse which fuel to put in her car." He smiled to himself, looking up from the car's engine to you.

Now he couldn't deny you looked nice–nicer than in that ugly Hawkins high sports uniform you had been wearing yesterday and at lunch again today. Something about volleyball tryouts.

Eddie had never really taken the time to see you. You had always been just a face in the crowd, but a cute one. His thoughts quickly processed and he remembered his mission. He knew loud and clear that he was just in this for the money, however, it didn't hurt that he found you pretty, and it definitely didn't hurt that you were wearing an Ozzy Osbourne t-shirt.

"Actually, that's my brother's fault."

"Ah, now I understand."

"Probably never going to let him use my car ever again."

"Yeah, he fucked it up pretty bad," he noticed. "It seriously poisoned the engine."

"How much longer do I have to wait?"

"Oh, I just finished!" He gave you his most charming grin before wiping his hands on the bottom half of his already disgusting jumpsuit. You could see the white patch with his name on it poking out from the folded top around his waist as he walked to where you were standing. "I just need to try it, see how it starts."

You took a step back to let him open the door and sit in the driver's seat, you could faintly hear the song fade away and the radio host taking over. Eddie left the door open as he turned the key and started the engine. The sound of the buzzing motor came and fully drowned the radio as it came loud and clear.

"It works!” He said as though it were a miracle. “And no smoke this time!" He seemed so happy it made you smile. "All set, princess." He turned the key and slipped out of the car, making his way back to the front and reaching up to close the hood.

"Thank you. I thought I was going to commit murder after a week of Steve driving me."

"No problem," he chuckled.

"How much do I owe you?"

"Nothing," he shook his head with big movements, making his ponytail sway from side to side. "On the house."

"You know that won't make me say yes to that date?" You put a hand on your hip, making him chuckle.

"I know."

"Don't think that getting me gifts is the way to my heart."

"What is the way to your heart?"

"That, I won't tell you."

"Just thought you shouldn't have to pay for what's your brother's fault."

"That's what I told him!" You pointed out. "No, but seriously how much do I owe you?"

"Nothing, I promise. Just get in the car and go do whatever pretty girls do on Wednesdays after school."

"Will John be happy you're giving away free service?"

"I'm sure good old John won't mind. C'mon! Get in! Get away from this smelly garage!" He waved towards the car when you didn't move.

You shook your head in disbelief before getting in and opening your window. "100% sure I can just leave?"

"Yes! Now go, before I change my mind." He watched with a smile on his face as you turned the car back on, smiling when everything worked perfectly.

"Thank you!" You cheered, waving as you made your way out, Eddie watching you disappeared down the road.

He breathed in heavily, walking to the half-broken sink in the back of the workshop. Once his hands were clean and dry he turned the radio off and reached for his coat which was still laying on the chair next to it. He reached in the pocket to remove his pack of cigarettes and lighter before fumbling with the jean, turning the jacket around to get access to the second pocket, pulling out some of the cash Steve handed him yesterday.

The blue and red beads made the familiar sound as he passed by the front desk.

"Did you let another girl leave without paying?" John looked up from his newspaper. "And I won't take a 'but she was pretty' as an answer this time."

"No," Eddie chuckled. "She gave me the money directly." Eddie put forty of Steve’s cash on the desk.

"Good."

"I'm taking my break." He nodded before stepping outside, cigarette already between his lips.

"Harrington! My new best friend!" Eddie cheered, a skip in his step as he made his way to Steve's locker the next day. Sleep still in Steve's eyes while Eddie's were bright and awake.

"What do you want?" Steve wondered as he stuffed his copy of Romeo and Juliet in his locker, only so he could forget it there and never see it again.

"I need your help."

"I thought you were the one helping me? And,” Steve paused his movements, “why is my sister still single?"

"I'm working on it… It's only been two days. And talking about your sister, if you want this to work, I need you to tell me what she likes."

"Well, she likes that same crappy music you listen to."

"I already knew that, not very helpful. Can't you tell me her interests? Her hobbies? What does she read? What does she do on weekends?"

"Well, I think she might read the same nerd stuff you do, but I don't know."

"You don't know? She's your sister," Eddie crossed his arms as he leaned on the neighboring locker.

"Can't you ask her out without all this information?"

"Nope. You saw what happened, I need to be smart about this," Eddie tapped the side of his head with his finger.

"Fine," Steve sighed, closing his locker. "I'll make a list and give it to you tomorrow."

"Works for me!" Eddie smiled and knocked a fist on the locker behind him before turning around to walk the other way.

"What was that about?" Tommy appeared out of thin air. His eyes fixed on Eddie who was already halfway down the hallway.

"He wants to know more about her. I have to make a list of stuff she likes." He took the hook of his backpack in his hand before he started to walk away.

"And you don't know all of that?"

"No, why would I?"

"Because she's your sister?"

"And?" He shrugged. "Shouldn't be my problem."

"What are you going to tell him?"

"I'll search through her room. See what I can find."

"Doesn't she hang out with that Barb girl? You could probably ask her for some stuff."

"Maybe."

"Plus isn't she like Nancy's best friend? Could make you gain some Nancy points."

"Yeah, that's not a bad idea," Steve nodded along.

As if on cue, you appeared in the hallway with headphones over your ears. Steve looked at you with narrow eyes as you made a stop at your locker. You were wearing a Star Wars t-shirt; that could be useful information.

The lunch bell broke his thoughts and he suddenly remembered it was pasta Thursday. Steve watched the students who were still stuck in class start filing out of classrooms, he would have to leave quickly to get in line before the additional cheese would have to be wrestled for and leave the students last in line with only butter for a minimum of flavor to the over-cooked dish.

Like every Thursday, the cafeteria was crowded. The chatter of students echoed loud and clear through the large room. Food had already been spilled and laughter could be heard. Everyone seemed to be exactly where they were supposed to be.

Steve with his friends, cheese proudly sprinkled on top of the macaroni that cooled just enough to be edible.

Eddie was at his table. The Hellfire club was a full house; each member munching at their food, anticipation and excitement coursing through their veins as they waited for tomorrow to come to continue Eddie's campaign.

"I'm telling you, this is a terrible idea!" Jeff nodded along Oliver's words.

"Why? It's good money," Eddie leaned back from his seat at the table, his eyes landing on you. You were at the table you normally sat at, talking with Eddie's physics partner: Barb.

Were you two friends? He wondered as he watched the interaction. You had a reputation for being a loner, yet you seemed to be smiling. A pretty smile that radiated over your features. Eddie noticed your Star Wars shirt, grinning to himself at the thought of a pretty girl like you being a fan of something he enjoyed too.

He hadn't noticed, but the entire hellfire table was staring at him, throwing looks at each other at the sight of their fearless leader cheesing it over some girl.

"This is bad," Eddie's right-hand man, Olvier, whispered into Jeff's ear. "Really, really bad."

"It might be good money, but don't you think it's, like, a little unethical?" Another boy from the table wondered.

"Unethical?" Eddie blinked at the words. "Since when have we had any ethics to begin with?"

"I don't know," the boy shrugged. "Just, imagine if she actually falls for you, and she finds out it was all a scam just so that her brother could get some?"

"She won't find out," Eddie cracked open his Mountain Dew, taking a sip from the tin can before continuing to speak. "And she's tough. You all saw what she did to Jeff's nose," the boy in question looked away in embarrassment. "I'm sure it would take her more than a few dates to fall for me."

"Right… Because leading someone on is totally the right thing to do to gain some extra cash," Gareth spoke up. "I still don't know why you've agreed to this. I don't want to be there when she finds out. Don't count on me to buy you flowers and dumb 'get well soon' cards for when she puts you in a coma."

"Don't think he'd even pass by the hospital," Another boy snorted. "He'd directly be put to his death." That made the entire table laugh, apart from Oliver.

The blonde had a serious shine to his eyes, a frown on the verge of forming. That wasn't what he was worried about, but he couldn't voice his worries, not right now.

That evening, Steve knew he had to work fast. He knew he only had an hour to get home from school, sneak into your room, and make a list of everything that could be useful before you'd be back from your hour of babysitting.

The second he swung the door open he was met with a sea of records and posters. Your bed wasn't made and your desk was a mess. Steve started his search with the desk. His eyes first landed on a big poster with four guys which, at second glance, he swore one looked like Eddie. He looked to the side to find another smaller poster of the same guy, smiling with his guitar. His name was written in bold on the side, but Steve didn't bother to fully read it. He shook the thought from his head before opening the main drawer. A collection of chapsticks rolled to the front, while random notes and spare coins sat at the back. He pushed some of the things around only to find concert tickets of events from eons past.

When he wasn't satisfied with the search, he moved to the smaller ones at the foot of the desk. Opening and inspecting each one with meticulous precision. When he opened the third one, his eyes went wide.

"Oh my God!" Steve reached for the blue game boy. His blue game boy he thought he had lost the year prior. He could see your pink one in the back of the drawer, the screen broken. He grabbed his, moving his hand through the different games to take his pick.

He put the console and games on the floor by the desk to reclaim them as his but continued his search. The fourth drawer had a magazine opened to a page showing multiple different electric guitars. You had circled one, Steve marked it down on his little piece of paper.

You liked guitar.

And you wanted an electric one, a specific model in particular.

Steve walked towards your shelf and scanned through your books. He made a face when he saw your small collection of Shakespeare. He wrote that down too. After that, he saw a few books by the same author. He recognized The Lord of the Rings, writing it down on his list. But then when his eyes scanned over the other works by the J.R.R Tolkein guy, he had to squint and reread the word at least 3 times to register it and to check if he had written ‘Silmirillion’ right. You had stacks of Rolling Stone magazines next to it except Steve barely bothered to skim through them.

His eyes landed on the big Star Wars poster next to him and on the spaceship on your shelf. He wrote that down as well.

Once he was satisfied, he grabbed his Gameboy and the selected games from the floor and left as though he had never been inside of it at all.

Steve's socked feet dropping from step to step down the stairs caught your attention. Like every Friday morning, he was wearing his blue shirt - his favorite one Tommy had gotten him for his birthday. His bag hung on one shoulder as settled for breakfast.

However, he wasn't looking at where he was going or making a cheeky comment to piss you off so early in the day.

His eyes were focused on the blue brick in his hand. The noise of the game rang before the realization hit. The familiar opening of a chest echoed through your ears and your eyes went wild.

The goddamn Gameboy.

"Are you playing Zelda?" He didn't own a Zelda game–you did.

"Yes. On my Gameboy that I found in your room! Also, I don't know how you can play this. It's too complicated."

"What were you doing in my room!?" Your hand collided with the table, making your breakfast jump.

"I was searching for it!" He bit back.

"Dad-"

"You shouldn't have taken his in the first place. You have one of your own. Steve, you shouldn't go into your sister's room, that's private. It's settled. End of argument. Can we eat in peace now?"

You grumbled something, melting in your seat before poking at a blueberry.

You were glad your car was repaired because you couldn't take another drive of Steve's whining and him complaining about how Zelda was too hard.

Fridays were the best. Not only because it was the day when you didn't have any classes with Steve, but also because it was a chain of your favorite classes that led right to the weekend.

But, Friday’s also went by faster than lighting because of it.

"Barb! You're sort of friends with my sister, right?" Steve appeared next to her like a child high on sugar.

"Yeah?" She looked up from her textbook and papers.

"I need you to tell me what she likes."

"What she likes? Why?" She placed the stray papers inside the textbook before putting them inside her bag, her gaze going to the classroom door where students were starting to leave. It was Friday. She wanted to run out of there and not spend any more time than she needed to in these horrible halls.

"Is that so bad that I just want to know my sister better?" He poorly defended himself, placing a hand on his hip to try and sound more convincing.

"That’s weird coming from you," she zipped her bag closed.

"Okay,” he brushed it off, “first, what does she like to do on weekends?"

"Steve-"

"Please just answer the question." He pressed on.

"Well, um… She really likes to go to The Hideout."

"That weird bar on the edge of town?" Steve made a disgusted face.

"Yes, she says she loves seeing new bands play and makes fun of them when they're terrible."

"Okay," Steve started writing it on his hand like notes for an upcoming exam.

"Are you really writing this down? Steve-" Barb lamented.

"I want to remember! Can't you just accept the fact that I want to be a better brother?"

"Right."

"Ok, what else?"

"She likes Hard Rock and Metal… She would die for Kirk Hammett and Axl Rose."

"Wh-who?"

Barb rolled her eyes. "Kirk is that guy from Metallica?” It sounded more like a question than an actual statement. “I think he's their guitarist."

"Oh! Is that the guy from the posters in her room? The one that has the same hair as Munson?"

"They all have the same hair as Munson," she pointed out. "But yeah, Kirk kind of looks like him, I guess." Barb blinked as she remembered your room from the little times she'd been there "Axl is the main for Guns ‘n Roses; blonde, blue eyed guy with long hair. Always wears a bandana and eye-liner."

"Mm-hm" He nodded for her to continue, writing keywords on the back of his hand.

"She also really likes the arcade and roller skating. Um, she likes fantasy stuff like those Star Wars movies and those big books…” Barb trailed off to think of the name.

“Lord of the Rings?” Steve filled in for her and she snapped her fingers in recognition.

“Yes! Lord of the Rings. And I think her favorite character is Darth Vader?"

"Is he from Lord of the Rings?” Steve asked and Barb furrowed her eyebrows at him like she couldn’t believe that is what came out of his mouth.

“Are you serious?”

“It’s… not?” Steve faltered and she shook her head.

“Star Wars… Bad guy…?”

"The guy with the helmet?”

“Mhm,” Barb hummed in reply.

"Okay, thank you! I think I'm all set."

"Are you sure you need this information just to be a better brother?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "Thanks!" He beamed before running out of the room. Steve charged down the halls until he recognized the door with the theatre posters all over it.

"Here!" Steve burst into the drama room, earning a questioning gaze from Eddie.

He was alone. Feet on the table that was even messier than the last time he was there. A book in his hand and he was practically one-hundred percent sure he had seen that same cover sitting on the shelves of your room.

"I have ‘the info.’" Steve slammed the note onto the table, in between the figurines and dice, before taking a seat in one of the rickety side chairs.

Eddie looked up from his book with a raised eyebrow and removed his feet from the table before scanning what was written.

"You missed the a," He pointed out and Steve looked at him strangely. "Silmarillion, not Silmirillion," Eddie showed him the cover of the book he was still holding.

"Whatever," Steve dropped his hand on the table. "That's the information I gathered."

"That's not a lot to work from," Eddie pointed to the paper with Steve’s scribbles on it.

"Look it should be enough," Steve huffed as Eddie read through the information. "But I've got more."

"She likes guitar, that's cool. She wants the same model I have."

"Oh yeah! She has a crush on that guy from Metallica, the one with the guitar."

"Which one?"

"I don't man, the one that looks like you."

"You mean Kirk?"

"Yeah! That's his name."

"Alright, good. I can work with that," A smirk rose on Eddie's lips. A sudden burst of confidence rose to his chest. He was your type. "Anything else?"

"I think her other crush's name has something with roses" he looked down at his hand, the writing so sloppy he could barely make it out.

"Axl?"

"Yep, that's the one!" Eddie could work with that. He basically owned half of the same wardrobe.

"She likes to go to The Hideout–you know that dodgy bar? She likes to go and judge the bands that play apparently."

"I'm in a band that plays at The Hideout."

Steve's mouth hung open into an 'O' shape before he spoke again. "Well, that's actually kind of perfect." He noticed, a bit more to himself than to Eddie. "She also likes the arcade and roller skating."

"Okay,” Eddie nodded, “What's her favorite arcade game?"

"I don't know? She stole my Donkey Kong game so she might like that?" It came out as more of a question than anything.

"Steve, what do you know?"

"Are you being sarcastic?" He narrowed his eyes.

"Maybe."

"Also her favorite Star Wars character is the villain."

"Palpatine?" Eddie scrunched up his nose, tilting his head.

"Pala-who? No, no, the other one, the guy with the helmet."

"Darth Vader?"

"Yeah."

"Well, it's arguable that's he's the villain-"

"Please keep that nerd bullshit for my sister," Steve cut him off and Eddie closed his mouth, crossing his arms against his chest, "that's all I have."

"Alright. I'll see what I can do." Eddie nodded before looking back to the table. "You should go," he tapped his watch, "Campaign's about to start."

"I'm home!" Steve yelled as the door closed behind him.

"Steve, can you come help me with the laundry?" Your mom called out from the laundry room. A large basket of folded laundry in her hands.

Steve rolled his eyes before slipping his shoes off and dropping his bag by the entrance. As he did, he noticed a pair of shoes and a bag he didn't recognize sitting by the doorway.

"Why can't Y/n do it?"

"Because she's babysitting. Here," she handed him the basket. "This side is your clothes, and this one your sister's. Just put yours in your room and put the basket with the rest in hers. Is that so hard to do?"

"Babysitting? But her shoes and bag are here?"

"Yeah, they're in the kitchen, baking."

"Ah," he grumbled something else before doing as told.

"So, got any plans for the weekend?" You asked Dustin as you placed the cupcake wrappers in the little molds.

"I'm going to Mike's. We're going to continue his campaign!" The curly-headed boy had a big smile on his face as he mixed the batter with all his might.

"That's nice," you smiled before you dipped your finger into the batter and stole a taste. "Our cupcakes are going to be amazing," you nodded, "high five."

One of his hands removed its grip from the bowl to collide with yours while the other stayed on the whisk.

"Do you need someone to drop you off or pick you up from Mike's?" You questioned as you started washing your hands, speaking a bit louder over the running water.

"No,” Dustin shook his head and his curls went bouncing, “mom said I could go all alone this time!"

"Oh my god," you put a hand to your heart. "Is my ‘lil Dusty growing up?" You faked a sniff, "are you going to fire me?" you wiped a fake tear.

"No!" He giggled at your dramatic sighs. "I still need you. I'm bored when you're not there and I have to spend entire afternoons home alone."

"I hope so," you pointed a finger at him, a small smile playing on your face as you turned back to the cupcake batter. "You still have to teach me how to play D&D, by the way. My half-written character sheet is still somewhere in my room."

"Yes! I promise. Once Mike's campaign is finished, we will do it."

"Deal," you grabbed the bowl and started to pour the mixture in each of the cupcake molds while Dustin washed up.

"What are you doing this weekend?" He wondered as he came back around, watching with big eyes as you skillfully poured just the right amount of dough into each section.

"Homework, probably."

"That's it?" His eyes went wider. Sometimes he thought you never had fun outside of babysitting him.

"No," you giggled. "Might go judge whoever is playing at The Hideout."

"I wish I could come with you," he sighed. "It sounds so much fun."

"Promise when you're a little older. I'll bring you and we can even make a bingo sheet out of it."

"What would we put on the bingo!?" His eyes lit up like a Christmas tree.

"Well, stuff like, ‘did the singer's voice crack’, or ‘did he sing a wrong note’, or ‘did the guitarist mess up his chord?’ Oh! I forgot to tell you, last time I went, a band that came from Arizona was playing and the drummer threw up on his snare."

"Ew!"

"Yeah, it was disgusting. The whole band had to stop playing and the show was canceled."

"I'm surprised that you haven't met anyone there," Dustin sighed as he watched you put the cupcakes in the oven.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you always said that the boys in high school are unwashed miscreants," you giggled at the fact that he remembered your words. "You must have met someone cool at this bar."

"How many times must I tell you that I'm not interested in dating?" You laughed.

"But everyone is! Dating can be fun!"

"Not everyone, Henderson." Steve's voice came from the doorway. "Y/n is a peculiar breed of mean girl. No boy would even be interested in her, they're all terrified of her or either think she's a loser." Steve made an ‘L’ with his index and thumb, bringing it to his forehead as he poked his tongue out to you.

Steve thought you'd be in a better mood after he saw you laugh with Dustin, that you'd joke back like you always did, but when your eyes met his, your gaze became cold again. You were glaring daggers at him when he reached for the orange juice in the fridge.

"That's not true! She's like the coolest person on earth!" Dustin argued and a mocking chuckle came from your brother. Dustin's eyes were wide and angry as he looked at Steve pouring himself a glass and placing the bottle back in the fridge. The younger boy burned a hole in the back of Steve’s head before he disappeared into the living room.

"Don't listen to him," Dustin grumbled. "I would definitely ask you out if I was older!" That made you laugh; the hurt that started forming in your chest dissipated with his words.

"Well, thank you. But I do get asked out." ‘Especially recently,’ you thought. "I'm just not interested," You could see in his eyes he still didn’t take that as an answer. "Alright, my young padawan," you changed the subject and ruffled his hair. "Enough boy talk. Let's finish up your homework while these cupcakes bake."

"Why are you acting like this?" Steve's head poked from over your shoulder.

"Why am I acting like what?"

"You've been in a bad mood ever since Tuesday morning," Steve sat beside you by the kitchen counter. He quickly eyed what you were doing and saw your neatly written paper with all the answers to the history questions Mr. Click had assigned. Steve grabbed it but you quickly snatched it away.

"You're really asking me why I'm acting like this? Steve, you've been bugging me all week because you think I'm the answer to all your problems!" You dropped your pen in frustration. "It's not my fault you didn't do your English homework and it's not my fault you got shitty grades so now you're not allowed to get a girlfriend. And you're certainly not going to copy my history homework. You didn't even want to pay for my car and you were basically bullying me in front of the boy I babysit."

"But I always bully you," he pointed it out as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. Saying it like his words were meaningless sibling banter and not him reinforcing ideas everyone thought. "And you said it yourself, the guy didn't even make you pay for the repair!"

"That's not the point! You have to stop acting like the things you do are my problem; stop asking me to get a fucking boyfriend and to read a book for you! And stop snooping around my work!" You almost screamed.

Steve was glad your parents were away at Enzo's for dinner because he would have gotten a really long lecture about bribing you to get a boyfriend and he didn't need that right now.

"But you won't get a boyfriend so now I'm stuck home on a Friday night."

"Wow, is that so bad?" You mocked before aggressively grabbing all of your pens and shoving them in your pencil case, stacking your papers before taking everything in your arms and walking up to your room.

"No! Don't leave!"

"Then stop annoying me!" You screamed from the top of the staircase. He heard your loud steps stomping the ground before your door closed with a loud thud and the small clicking of your lock.

You dropped your books and homework on your desk, sighing when you turned the lights on. Frustration burning in your veins, you turned your radio on and brought the volume as high as you could.

The start of Rainbow in the Dark started playing.

It was therapy. It was a cool cloth on the back of your neck on a hot day. Most of all, it was the remedy to tune Steve out and the world around you went silent sans the music that raced the airwaves of your room.

Steve could faintly hear it from the living room but chose to ignore it. This time, he will not give you the satisfaction of being annoyed.

You hummed the lyrics to yourself as you went through your bag, cleaning the empty wrappers and menial scraps that had accumulated through the week. You opened your planner and scanned around the homework for Monday.

Math

English

History

Spanish

You made the list as you went through the stack of textbooks on your desk and neatly placed the ones you needed on the side. You were about to turn around and decide which tape you wanted to listen to after this one when a knock came to your window.

You thought that you heard wrong. Maybe it was a chord in the song you hadn't noticed before. But when the sound of a rock hitting the glass struck again, this time you had the visual. It was a surprise you could still hear the soft clink over the loud music, and as you stepped to get closer, another one clashed with the glass.

You pushed the window up, Dio now playing loud and clear in the cool night air. You looked down to be faced with the last person you expected to see.

"Munson?" You raised an eyebrow. "I thought I told you to stop bothering me?"

"You haven't actually said those words," He echoed from down below.

He had a large smile on his face. His hair was loose and going wild while he was wearing a dark blue shirt that was ripped on the side–you knew you had seen the same shirt somewhere. Skinny jeans of matching color with chains dangling everywhere and purple reeboks complete the look.

It was a look. A completely chaotic, mismatched look that he made work because it was uniquely him.

The light from your window spread a glow over his features as he played with an additional pebble in his hand. For a second, you caught yourself thinking he was handsome. You found yourself shoving away the same weird feeling that had popped up after seeing him at the garage beside your car.

"What are you doing here?"

"I want to take you out," he beamed, dropping the pebble and taking a step closer to your window when the chorus of the song echoed louder through the air.

"I have homework to do."

"C'mon, it's Friday night, please?" He pouted, big brown eyes looking at you like a lost puppy. "I'm playing at The Hideout in 30 minutes, please just come. My van is parked a street away. Doesn't have to be a date."

"You never give up don't you?"

"No," he smirked.

You thought for a second. Dustin's words echoed from earlier: ‘dating can be fun.’ Maybe you could allow yourself just one night at the seedy bar where you would lose your shell. Maybe you could give Eddie Munson the chance to show you who he was behind all the rumors and 'scary' facade.

"I'll come with you on one condition," you levied at him and there was a spark of surprise that washed over his eyes.

"That is…?" He could feel the plan working. He could feel you giving in to him.

"Free drinks."

"Alright, yeah," he thought about the rest of Steve's cash stashed in the door of his van. "Deal."

"Give me a second to change, I'll be right back." You closed the window, then curtains before scurrying off to your closet.

Eddie was in it for the cash. That's what he told himself going into the deal, and that's what he had to remind himself when he watched you climb out of your window as Holy Diver played from your stereo and your feet hit the grass. You were wearing white pants. They were ripped almost everywhere and a chain was hooked to the one side, almost matching the way Eddie's wore his own. Black boots and a loose Metallica shirt brought the look together in some fever dream he was immersing himself in.

Eddie bit back a smile, nodding towards your shirt, "you have a great taste in music."

"I know." You looked at him up and down. "Is that Kirk Hammett's shirt from that cover of Rolling Stone they did two months ago?" You had noticed it when you came to your room and your eyes landed on said magazine.

"Maybe," he smirked. "Might have made it myself when the cover came out."

"Well, it's very nice. Suits you." For a second, you almost thought he looked like him. The same hair, eyes, and cheeky grin. Your heart doing a loop in your chest when you were starting to compare them; the guitar, being in a band. You shook the thought away quicker than it came and walked past him, turning back around when he didn't follow. "C'mon, what are you waiting for?"

"Nothing," Eddie smiled, dipping his chin into his chest before shaking his head and catching up to you.

"Are your parents not going to notice you're gone?"

"They're at dinner. They'll probably assume I'm sleeping by the time they're back."

"And your brother?"

"Nah. I turned the lights off, and the music will stop eventually. He'll have just about an hour left of Dio before he can have his peace."

"Sneaky."

You had never really noticed Eddie's van before. White with blue stripes and the smell of weed permanently stuck to its seats. It was oddly clean on the inside–with no stray papers or candy wrappers laying around like in yours. A guitar pick was dangling from the rear mirror and a bobblehead dragon stood on top of a dash like those Hula girls.

"I like the dragon," you noticed, tapping the top of his head with your fingers to see it move.

"Thanks. I won it at the arcade."

"You go to the arcade?"

"Yeah! Like all the time."

"Me too," you smiled to yourself, watching as he fixed his shirt when he settled in his seat.

"What proves to me that you weren't sent by my brother, the devil spawn?" You narrowed your eyes at him as he closed the door. Eddie's heart squeezing in his chest at the question, his hands began to sweat. You were smart. Really, really smart.

"Sweetheart,” the nickname fell from his tongue as if it were second nature, “you really think your brother would even think of talking to me?" That made you laugh. "I'm sure the idea in itself makes him shit his pants."

It did. But that was before Steve realized Eddie wasn't doing ritual sacrifices on the floor of the drama room.

"Yeah, you're right, sorry to assume," you laughed. "Just thought that maybe he would get really desperate and send the only guy in Hawkins who wouldn't be scared of me." Dammit you were smart. And if Eddie hadn't had as much acting practice from playing Dungeons and fucking Dragons he probably would have been busted the second the question left your lips.

"You don't have that much self-confidence do you?" Eddie narrowed his eyes and looked right at you, trying too hard to change the subject. "Look at you! You really think guys don't want to ask you out, just… because?"

You shrugged and played with the dragon's head again, watching it go up and down every time you touched it. "It's not that I don't, it's just… I'm not very approachable. People are usually scared of me and call me a heinous bitch. Steve gracefully reminds me of it every single day. Either that or they want to date me to be friends with 'Mr. King of Hawkins High',”

"Well, I definitely don't want to be friends with him," Eddie shook his head, making a weird face at the thought. "And I'm no picnic myself," his soft laugh echoed across the little space.

"Yeah, we both have a reputation, don't we?" You scrunched up your nose.

"Definitely," he grinned like it was the best badge a person could wear. "And for the record, I don't think you are a heinous bitch," He smiled, a real genuine smile that definitely wasn't an act. "I think you're very cool, Harrington. I don't know how I hadn't noticed you earlier," he meant it.

"You think I'm cool despite the fact that Steve ‘The Hair’ is my brother?" You raised an eyebrow.

"Despite that."

"Well, I think you're pretty cool too," a stare lingered a little bit too long between the two of you, causing Eddie to clear his throat and put his focus on starting the van.

"You know, never in the world did I think that ‘The Hair's’ sister would listen to Black Sabbath and Dio and like Star Wars."

"Why would you think that?" You smiled because to you, the assumption that you didn’t like any of those things was ridiculous. You wore shirts, listened to the music at near full volume through the hallways, and made it no secret that you weren’t afraid of liking the things you did just because some people found them ‘odd.’

"Because you're Steve Harrington's little sister?"

"So, you think I'm like my brother?"

"Oh, Christ, no. But, I thought you might be. Imagined you to be like a cheerleader of something until I realized that the second Harrington was the girl terrorizing everyone she crosses paths with."

"Jesus," You chuckled. "Imagine me dancing with pom poms."

"Now that's a sight I'd love to see."

"No,” you shook your head amused, “I would look ridiculous."

"I'm sure you'd look amazing."

"I would be a laughing stock! Then people wouldn't be scared of me anymore and where's the fun in that?"

"Yeah," Eddie chuckled with you. That was a fair assessment on your behalf. You weren’t the cheerleading type.

When he parked on the familiar grounds of The Hideout, he reached up for the switch, the small ceiling light making your eyes blink as they adjusted to it.

Eddie leaned toward you to open the glove box. Hand over your knees, he popped open the compartment and his hand barely grazed them as he reached into it. As he rummaged through it, he found a spare ring in the process. Eddie didn't hesitate to wear it on his one ring free finger the second his eyes landed on it.

"Ah-ha!" He smiled when he found what he was searching for. A long thin black tube was between his fingers that made your eyebrows raise high.

"Eyeliner?"

"What? Every rock star wears it." You laughed at the idea of Eddie putting on eyeliner, but it died on your lips when you realized he was being serious and started applying it around his eyes. "Don't look at me like that! Axl Rose wears eyeliner all the time!"

"Yeah, you're right. Axl Rose does wear eyeliner," you smiled at Eddie's comparison to him. Watching his movements as he looked at his eyes through the rear mirror. He definitely wasn't an eye-liner expert; the start of his lines were messy and he was making everything uneven.

For a long minute, he looked like a panda and had to rub some off the black with his fingers. It was far from perfect, but he seemed happy with it.

"How do I look?" He gave an award winning, teeth baring grin when he fully turned to face you.

Now, if you from Monday asked yourself what you thought you would be doing on Friday night, the last thing that would have crossed your mind would have been sitting in the parking of The Hideout with Eddie Munson, gaping at him like a fish as he turned to you with the most adorable grin you had ever seen, wearing eyeliner and comparing himself to your two favorite musicians, and every word dying in the back of your throat as the same unknown feeling that had now crossed you twice upon gazing at him came back.

"Good," you attempted but your words came out in a mumble, blinking the shock away. "You look good. A real rock star." In all truths, he looked really really good. So good you wondered how you had never noticed it before, especially from all your past trips to The Hideout.

Surely you would have noticed someone you went to school with or someone who looked like that.

"Great," he smiled even wider, grabbing the pick necklace from his rearview mirror. "Can't forget the lucky charm,” he winked before opening the door of his van and jumping out.

The Hideout was familiar.

Always the same people flocking to the little joint apart from a few new faces that changed every weekend. The same dark ambiance and washed-out lighting, the same pool table with the same five drunks playing every weekend and sometimes on Thursdays after the monster truck race outside of town.

It wasn't crowded. It never was. But on Fridays, there were always enough people to consider it a crowd, causing a cheerful spirit to hang in the air. Even Madame Bijoux seemed happier on Friday nights. Maybe it was the only day of the week she and the people of Hawkins forgot she was a French woman that came to the bar every day at six, drinking whiskey while wearing all of the jewels she owned and claiming she was waiting for her long-lost love to come back.

It was some Shakespearean tale playing out before your eyes each week.

She was a treasure, practically a ghost from another world but she sat drinking her whiskey with a mystical whimsy about her. Those jewels, the long-lost love… it was all too good to be true most days.

The same stage stood in the back, a banner with Corroded Coffin written in black doubled with red, hung on the side. One of the boys you knew to be in advanced English was still working on setting up his drum set.

But you didn't know why this time everything felt different.

Maybe it was because this time you hadn't gone alone. This time you were accompanied by the leader of its band who played there three times a month. Or that you had suddenly found him handsome and your mind became a mess of thoughts and your body was vibrating with unknown feelings. It certainly didn't help that his eyes wouldn't leave you as you made your way through the small crowd to reach the stage.

"That's Gareth," Eddie pointed at his friend once you were close enough to see. "He's a Freshman and a smartass."

"Is that why he's the only Freshman in advanced English?"

"Exactly why,” He nodded. "Joined Corroded Coffin last year when our drummer graduated."

"Question, why are you in advanced English?"

"They said that it would gain me more points. That I'd have a better chance of graduating if I took it."

"How’s that working out for you?"

"Horribly," Eddie chuckled, waving hello to someone behind your shoulder before continuing. "Definitely quitting at the end of the year. They can shove their extra points up their asses."

"Awww, and I won't get to stare at your empty seat for hours every week? What. A. Shame." Your words brought a fighting smile to Eddie's lips.

"Yeah, sadly. My sincerest apologies," he smirked, "but the year isn't over. Maybe I can think of showing up so you can stare at something more interesting than an empty chair."

"You would do that for me?" You gasped. "I'm impressed."

"You should be."

"This is bad," Oliver leaned his chin in the palm of his hand, his fingers covering his mouth as he sighed.

"You realize you say this every time you see them talk or we mention her?" Jeff side-eyed his friend before looking back to the two of you from their spot. They were standing in the back of the room, right near the stage–a place perfect for spying the crowd.

"Yeah," Oliver nodded, "but I'm saying it because it's true."

"You know the worst that can come out of this is Eddie having to take a trip to the emergency room?"

"No," he shook his head, blonde hair moving with him. "It's his heart I'm worried about."

"His heart?"

"Think about it. Y/n has always been described the same way people have always described Eddie. It's a mystery they weren't friends before this," Oliver crossed his arms. "Eddie asked Steve to gather up some info on her–I read it and Eddie doesn't see it, but they're practically soulmates."

"Oh."

"And her celebrity crush is Kirk Hammett"

"Oh."

"Yeah!"

"This is bad."

"It's very, very bad. I know Eddie. He wears his heart on his sleeve and cares too much. He's going to end up falling for her, I can already see it happening! Her too, and then when she finds out her brother paid him it's going to be like an atomic bomb going off. She's never going to forgive him and we’re all going to burn along with him."

Jeff didn't have the words to reply. He continued watching the two of you from a distance; Eddie had just made a joke, his face sparkling with joy. You were laughing loudly, the sound barely audible in between the chatter, and Eddie was definitely blushing.

Oliver watched, almost angry at the situation when Eddie placed the hand that wasn't holding the guitar strapped on his back in place on your back to escort you through a cluster of people.

Both your laughters became audible when you were just a step away.

"Hey guys!" Eddie turned his head to face his friends. His features lit with something more than usual–Oliver didn't like one bit of it.

"Hey," you greeted them with a shy wave.

"Guys, this is Y/n," Eddie pointed to you, both of them giving small waves in return. "This is Oliver, he's on second guitar," Oliver stiffly nodded. You could feel the cold in his eyes upon eye contact, as if he didn't want you here. It made you awkwardly look away towards Jeff, but that didn't help the awkwardness you were feeling.

"Um, that's Jeff," Eddie's voice became low as he said it, knowing your past interaction with the boy. You gave another awkward wave but he just glared at you. Great, you definitely did not feel welcomed by his friends.

"I'll have to leave you here," Eddie turned back to you, gloriously saving the moment from turning into an awkward silence. "Need to get ready with the band."

"That's alright. I'll go find a seat and get something to drink," you smiled, a warm smile that warmed Eddie's heart. His gaze followed you until you were lost in the sea of people.

"You should flirt less," Oliver said before looking back to his guitar, fixing the strap before placing it around his shoulders.

"Huh?" His words took Eddie by surprise.

"You should: Flirt. Less." He repeated, accentuating the words with each syllable. "Can’t have her really think this is going to lead to a real relationship," Eddie blinked at his friend's words.

"Have you seen the way she is around me?" Eddie pointed to the crowd as if pointing to you. "I don't think she's even close to thinking about actually dating," Eddie scoffed and brushed the words off his shoulder.

"Are you blind?" Oliver’s eyes went wide. Did he not just see the way he was laughing with you? Or acting around you? The way he touched you and blushed and made your own person radiate an energy Oliver only associated with the magical powers of flirtation and charm.

"What?"

"Nevermind," Oliver had enough. If Eddie wanted to put himself in this situation, then he would let him.

"What’s that supposed to mean?" Eddie raised his voice as Oliver walked towards the stage and away from him.

"Nothing. You should set up your guitar and mic. We play in five."

You had seen Corroded Coffin play a hundred times. And each and everyone of these times you knew they were getting better. Each new song they wrote dripped of a new skill, stronger lyrics, and more passionate skillful music. As the band got older, the songs got better. They were all goddamn talented and from the hundreds of other bands you had seen play in this shitty bar, you knew that they had a better chance than anyone else who stepped on the bumpy wooden planks of this stage to become big.

But when the lights went out and everyone started cheering, it felt like you had never seen them before.

The first chords of Eddie's guitar rang through the darkness like a ship finding its port in your soul. You recognized their most recent title: 'Walking in the Dark' . The song started with a guitar solo, almost slow, melancholic, until the whole song was flipped upside down and it became worthy to be featured in a Metallica album.

When the second chord started after a beat, the spotlight set on Eddie. And maybe it was the sip of beer you had just taken, but chills climbed up your shoulders as he started to play. He looked so focused, more than he could ever look while fixing cars just for extra cash. Your eyes lit up as you watched him play the most difficult part of the riff. His hair was going crazy, crazier than ten minutes earlier when you were still by his side and a small smile crossed your cheeks when he shook his head in a poor attempt to move strands of hair away from his face.

People cheered when the rest of the band started to play, and the lights came back in on rhythm with the music. When Eddie started singing, a few drunks joined in like they were singing along to their favorite song. Corroded Coffin having become a staple of the joint, the most fidel clientele had started to know most of the lyrics by heart–you included.

And you hadn’t even realized that this Eddie had been one you admired from afar every time they played, three times a month.

The whole place lit up like fire. The crowd was chaotic–as chaotic as a crowd of drunk Hawkins residents and travelers who had stopped at a motel for the weekend could be. People were raising their drinks with the music, and you felt yourself enjoying the show more than you had in a very long time.You never wanted it to stop.

But everything good had to come to an end. As your beer decreased in its glass, Corroded Coffin’s setlist came to an end. The crowd of singers became smaller, and the alcohol in their veins augmented with time. A fight that had broken out over a spilt drink was taken outside, and the wood on Gareth's drumsticks was periodically chipping away, threatening to split in half with every hard beat.

The last notes rang through the bar and the seven lonely drunks left on the makeshift dance floor attempted to clap, accompanied by the few tables that were finishing up their drinks or food that was left over from their dinner's, the waiters and of course; you.

The entire band was catching their breath, smiling at each other and sharing 'we did well' looks. You watched from your spot at the bar as Eddie shook his head and wiped the sweat of his forehead with the back of his hand. He had the brightest smile and you couldn't help but mimic the sight when his eyes met yours from across the room.

Five minutes later, he was standing right next to you, ordering beers for the entire band and another for you.

"So, you like it?"

"Better than other times. You guys are getting better," you smiled, your hand fiddling with your empty glass.

"That's because this time I knew you were in the crowd," he winked, his smile burning even brighter than before. He dropped a ten dollar bill on the cold surface as the women behind the counter handed him the five glasses.

"On the house," she smiled and Eddie was glad you hadn't noticed the way he flinched when he had to repocket the bill he was trying to get rid off.

"Thanks," he nodded, trying his best for his smile not to look fake before turning to you. "Will you help me? The rest are sitting at that booth over there," he pointed with his head, already grabbing two beers and holding the third one by the tip of his fingers in between the two others.

You grabbed the last two before following him.

"You sure you don't want to be alone for your date?" Oliver stated a bit too dryly when you carefully placed the beers on the table.

"Oh this isn't a date" you smiled, your tone directly opposite from his.

"It isn't?"

"No, I refuse to date in high school," you sat down, Eddie sliding into the booth next to you.

"Then what are you doing here?" He narrowed his eyes.

"First of all, I'm not new to The Hideout. I come here all the time. I was there when you fainted on stage two months ago," you pointed to Oliver with your drink before taking a sip.

"Holy shit! I remember that! It was so embarrassing," Gareth chuckled in between beer sips.

"Secondly, I came here with him so he would stop bugging me," you nudged Eddie's shoulder.

"Is that so? Is it not because you find me incredibly handsome?" He put on a fake offended look, placing a hand to his heart.

"No," you giggled. "Sorry to bruise your ego"

"My ego is very bruised"

"You'll recover"

"I don't think I can."

Oliver looked away, his look just getting colder. Eddie seemed to notice, looking at him inexplicably before glancing back at Gareth. Oliver and Jeff might have been giving you the cold shoulder, but conversation flowed naturally with the youngest member of the band.

Around an hour into the conversation, Jeff left. ‘Curfew at 1 am’ were his words before he walked out without even giving you a proper goodbye. But Oliver stuck around, despite the bad feeling that rested at the pit of his stomach when seeing how much you and Eddie got along.

"Wait! So you actually kicked Kevin in the balls?" Gareth held his stomach to try and stop from laughing.

"YEAH!" You laughed with him. "He was being rude to Barb and I think that he hasn’t removed his jock strap since."

"You’re a menace!"

"Kids, as much as I love hearing your laughter and enjoy seeing people have a good time, we're closing up,” the waitress you knew as Clara pointed to the clock on the wall. 3:30 am.

Your eyes went wide, you had never spent that long at The Hideout before. You all looked at each other, Gareth's eyes went to his drum set with a desperate sigh.

"I'll help you put it in your trunk," Oliver said as he finished off the rest of his glass.

"We can help too!" You proposed but Gareth shook his head no.

"No, go home. Don’t worry about it."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

"It would go faster if we helped."

“Don’t worry about it,” Oliver’s stiff words snatched the smile right off of your lips and Eddie placed a hand on your shoulder.

“They’ll be fine,” he turned to you with a tired smile. "C’mon, “I’ll go grab my guitar and I'll bring you home."

"You better because you're the one who drove me here," you joked, making him smile a bit wider.

It was so easy to keep smiling without remembering every second was based on a bet.

Eddie kept the grin on his face as he walked towards the stage, removing his instrument from its stand before shouldering it.

Your gaze fell back to Oliver and Gareth who were still planted in front of you. Oliver was still glaring icy daggers at you while Gareth just smiled. A sweet smile that made Oliver’s gaze less terrifying.

“I’ll see you guys tomorrow?” Eddie asked as he came back towards you.

“Yep, bye!” Oliver waved you both off before running off towards the stage.

“What’s up with him?” Eddie asked Gareth who gave him his best shrug of the shoulders.

“I don’t know.” That was a lie, and he was glad Eddie was preoccupied with you or else he would have seen right through it.

“Weird,” he looked at his friend who was battling with a screw from the drum set. “Shall we?” He turned back to you.

“Yep.”

“Bye!”

“Bye Y/n!” Gareth’s smile warmed the cold of Oliver’s goodbye.

Eddie’s hand didn’t leave the small of your back until he had to push the big two doors open. A breeze came rushing in, making you instantly shiver.

"Fuck, I should have taken a sweater," you had somehow forgotten you were barely at the start of spring and that the air was still cold and called for layers.

"I think I have one in the van," Eddie said as he watched you rub your shoulders with both your palms.

"No, it's alright-"

Before you could protest, he opened the back and carefully strapped his guitar to the side before rummaging through a big green bag he always kept there. Eddie fished a balled up sweatshirt from it.

"Here," there was a sincerity in his words that you couldn’t protest. As the cool spring air passed you by once more, a new shiver was sent tumbling down your spine.

"Thanks," you took the black washed out fabric in your hands before placing one arm in each and hooking it over your head. The end of the sleeves were ripped, and small holes were at the edges of the neck, but you didn't mind. It smelt so much like him it almost made you swoon. And you weren’t a swooner. Weed and cigarettes mixed in with his cologne that smelt like wood and cinnamon. You even put the cuff of the sleeve up to your nose when he wasn't looking. But you weren't going to admit that.

The ride was peacefully quiet. Eddie hummed something you didn’t recognize. You thought it may have been a new song he was working on. The dragon’s head on the dashboard was going up and down almost in rhythm to his music as the van made its way in the direction of your house. Everything felt so perfect you had to do your best to stop from dozing off from pure contentment that washed over you as the dark, early morning streetlights fluttering in and out every second his van sped down the road.

Everything was peaceful, relaxing, and absolute against your better judgment. You weren’t used to feeling this way, let alone willing yourself to reflect on the emotions that surged through your veins every moment spent in his presence.

“I’m sure he’ll come around,” You blinked the sleep away as the words fell out of his mouth. You looked at him, questions as to who was written all over your features. “Oliver. I don’t know why he was so cold.”

“It’s alright,” You looked at the trees passing by. “You know I’m used to people being that way around me.”

“Hmm,” He didn’t sound convinced. Something in his eyes telling you he wasn’t happy with how his friend treated you so poorly. Jeff had a reason, but Oliver didn’t. Even Jeff had acted more civil than Oliver.

The ride came to a stop faster than Eddie wished; parking himself in the same spot he had hours before when he picked you up.

“Thank you for the ride,” You gave him a small smile as you reached to open the door.

“You don’t think I’m going to let you walk back alone at this hour?” He raised an eyebrow and every reply was stolen from your lips. He chuckled when he saw your dumbfounded expression. “C’mon! Let’s go!”

You stepped out of the van, the air getting colder again. Eddie’s sweatshirt suddenly felt like your best friend when another rush of wind blew.

The forest road felt so quiet. High trees surrounding a crumbling strip of pavement Hawkins liked to call a road. A cat stood up on the gates of your neighbor’s home, glaring at you with his big eyes. Halloween was still months away. You started walking through the little gravel road that separated your parents' property with the others, Eddie ducked when some branches almost collided with his face.

"What are you doing?" You stopped as you watched him crouch next to the big rose bushes of your neighbor's home. Quickly, he stood back up, a brightness washing over him in the night as he waddled back towards you, a pink rose in his hand. Not wilted, perfectly formed.

"I just wanted to show this rose how incredibly beautiful you are," he pointed it to you with a wide grin. He was pulling from a playbook you never heard from.

For a golden second, you let the feeling invade you. That vulnerability of being loved, feeling appreciated. But it never lasted long with you. The years of people calling you mean and unapproachable, those words and this identity that you wore as a shield always came back. The bricks of a wall willing to crumble given the chance were fortified again, building higher and higher until you couldn’t see who was on the other side. Before the heat could be felt in your face, where it couldn’t stay for too long, you grabbed the rose and rolled your eyes.

If you couldn’t enjoy the romance of it, you could jest the humorous aspect of it.

"Holy hell, that's the cheesiest thing someone has ever said to me."

"Well, you're welcome. I guess?" Eddie chuckled, pocketing his hands as he walked beside you. He wasn’t embarrassed. Eddie took that statement with pride because now he had a one up on the rest of the guys who tried to hit on you with textbook lines that made no impact at all. He would gladly take ‘cheesy.’

"This is my stop," You smiled. "I should probably give this back," You made a move to remove the sweatshirt from your body but Eddie shook his head.

"No, no. Keep it," You were glad it was dark because you felt the blowback of his words strike you with surprise. It was all over your face, and it was all at the thought of keeping his sweater.

"Thanks," a light wind blew once more and you brought it a bit closer to your body. Boldness coursing through your veins, you leaned in and kissed his cheek as you prepared to depart. "I'll see you on Monday." You gave him a soft smile that brought butterflies to his stomach. He watched as you skillfully jumped over the barely three-foot high fence.

"Does that mean I can finally take you out on a real date?"

"Maybe!" You turned around to answer him. Winking before disappearing in between the trees of the mini forest surrounding your house.

Eddie could still spot you by the bright white of your pants, a dopey smile on his face as butterflies fluttered inside his stomach.

And maybe he wasn’t in this just for the money.

But the aspect that he was… well, that turned everything upside down.

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almostgenerallyalways · 1 year

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where the wild things are

Pt 1/3 Pairing: Bradley ‘Rooster’ Bradshaw x fem reader Category: angst / light smut (>18!) / eventual happiness Word count: 3,4k (sorry if you saw this posted before - i got in my head and wanted to take it in a different direction) CW: language, grief

Two years ago, your sister’s death left a smoking crater in your life, leaving you to take care of your niece. Bradley has lived with loss his whole life, and is in a bad spot on the anniversary of his mother’s death.

Or: there is a crack in everything / that is how the light gets in

Carol Bradshaw used to read to Bradley from Where the Wild Things Are, and Bradley used to picture it: sailing to an island inhabited by monsters, and reigning as their King. She made him a felt crown, once, which he’d wear to school, and which she’d hang from the wooden post of his twin bed at night, before she tucked him in.

It’s Goose who always looms largest in his mind, sticking to him like a shadow, the long-buried legend everyone compares him to. Sometimes, in the morning, Bradley looks in the mirror and sees his father’s ghost reflected back at him, and he thinks, as he ages into his mid-thirties: Dad never got these crinkly lines next to his eyes. He never got a chance to frown at the stubbornly multiplying white hairs at his temples.

As he got a little older, Where the Wild Things Are was relegated to the back of a shelf. It’s strange, he thinks: One day you read your favorite childhood story for the last time. One day your mother kisses you on the crown of your head for the last time, and you don’t even realize it.

When he got too old for picture books, Carol used to tell him stories about Goose, until he could recite them by heart. The places he’d gone. The adventures he’d lived. The way he’d proposed to her, down on one knee in the sand still warm from the fading sun. The way she’d jumped into his arms, sending him flying back into the surf, knocking off his sunglasses to be carried away on a wave.

She did such a wonderful job keeping Goose’s memory alive, was so dedicated to making sure Bradley would know his father (the way he’d grin at Carol from behind the keys of the piano. The way he’d burn pancakes every time, but still insisted on making them every weekend he spent with his wife and son), that adult Bradley sometimes thinks: I hope she knew.

I hope she knew she wasn’t just Goose’s widow, there to carry on his spirit for his son, for Mav, for everyone.

Bradley knows his father was larger than life – and hopes his mother didn’t feel crushed under the weight of him, of the specter of the husband she lost at barely thirty: Mav crying into her shoulder and Bradley acting out at school, the Navy sending her a medal in a polished mahogany box.

He never asked her. At nineteen, faced with losing the only parent he remembered outside of the bedtime stories, outside of the pictures tacked up in Mav’s apartment, it was all he could do to keep showing up for her – for the hands that kept growing thinner, until the veins stood out starkly, for the clumps of hair he’d pluck off her pillow before she could notice she’d lost them.

He wonders, too, after he’s done staring at his father’s ghost in the mirror, why she never remarried, back when she’d (theoretically, cruelly) had her whole life ahead of her. He recalls, vaguely, men being interested over the years: family friends or colleagues who’d drop by the house on the weekends, throwing a ball around with Bradley. But they were always kept at arm’s length, if not by Mav’s harsh gaze (and was that right, Bradley reflects now, was that fair?), then by Carol herself.

She’d been so young, he thinks, rubbing a hand over his temple, trying to smooth out a permanent crease that seems to have appeared overnight. Did she feel like she couldn’t? Or like she shouldn’t?

And who is keeping Carol’s memory alive, now? Only him.

Only him to remember how she’d read to him, every night, without fail. How she’d make him the Sunday pancakes, although she wouldn’t torch them like Goose had. How she’d park him on the chair outside his elementary school principal’s office and storm in there, a determined look on her face, and when she’d come out he’d suddenly be unsuspended, Principal Spacek looking uncharacteristically cowed.

How she’d let Mav crash on their couch for months on end, and drive Bradley to hockey in the winters and baseball in the summers, and always, always, hug him and tell him she loved him before he left the house, even the morning after they’d had a monstrous argument about him smoking weed in the high school parking lot.

He's the only one left to carry on that torch. And he’s got no one to hand it to.

So forgive Bradley if he, on the fifteenth anniversary of his mother’s death, wants to get shitfaced drunk.

* * *

You suck on the straw of your drink, only to find there’s nothing but ice and the tangy pulp of crushed lime left at the bottom of your glass. Music pounds in your ears, and though you’ve barely had two, you feel a little giddy – you’re a lightweight, now, out of practice.

Not since Sierra has lived with you have you been in a place like this, packed with bodies and possibilities, people dancing and laughter ringing out, a sharp vibration of potential in the air.

You used to love this, before: dressing up and linking arms with your friends, letting the night carry you wherever it may. Tumbling in the back of Lyfts on the promise of another bar being open later, a friend of a friend’s after-party where you could dangle your feet in the pool, kiss a stranger.

Right now, though, you can’t get yourself to relax fully. Your mind keeps drifting to Sierra, long asleep by now, at your parents’ house – in a few hours she’ll be rolling into their bedroom, demanding waffles for breakfast.

Not being with her generates a constant low-grade buzz of anxiety, bouncing between your heart and stomach, and you keep checking your phone even though it’s been ages since your mother texted you a picture of her, safely tucked into her makeshift bed on the pull-out couch in their living room.

You remind yourself once again that this is Callie’s night, and that Sierra is safe, and that you should try to actually enjoy a Saturday night where you’re not, for once, desperately trying to catch up on work and/or scrubbing purple Crayola off the baseboards of your rented apartment and/or falling asleep on the couch at 8:30 pm, every bit as exhausted as the four-year-old cradled in your arms.

As if on cue, Callie floats by, a ridiculous plastic tiara askew atop her wild mass of curls, and grins at you like the Cheshire Cat: “Babe. Stop making a face like you left the stove on, and come dance with Priya and me.”

Your heart melts a little bit, and you reach out affectionately to straighten out her crown. “Alright, bridezilla. Let me go get you a fresh drink first.”

A minute later, you’ve weaved your way through the pulsing crowd to claim a spot at the heavy oak bar – the gleaming wood looks like it’d be more suited to a saloon than a place like this. Pushing yourself up on your tiptoes, you search the menu for something Callie might enjoy – she’s got drain water tastes on a champagne budget.

The beleaguered bartender signals that it’s your turn.

“A paloma,” you say, still frowning at the menu. “and a Coors Light, please.”

“Paloma.” Someone next to you repeats, as if a little surprised.

You turn slightly to look at the stranger, a dismissive remark at the ready, but it dies on your tongue.

Because he’s very striking, this man, sitting on a barstool in faded jeans and an absolute eyesore of a shirt: tall and handsome with an incongruous moustache, suntanned skin and the dawn of a smile at the corner of his mouth not quite matched by the deep circles under his eyes.

“Sorry,” he says, sounding a little hoarse. “That was my mom’s drink. With Fresca, of course.”

You cock your head slightly. He’s holding what looks like a scotch on the rocks, glass already almost empty before the ice has had a chance to melt, and you know that feeling. Have spent a good few nights chasing answers at the bottom of a glass, never getting anywhere.

“I don’t think they make Fresca anymore,” You say, “But it’s still good.”

“I haven’t thought about that in forever.” He smiles slightly, looking back down into his glass, and you can’t help but be charmed. He glances at you. “Can I buy you a drink? This one, I mean.”

There’s something in your gut that tells you to say yes, so you say: “Yeah, why not?”

* * *

Bradley, as it turns out his name is, is the sort of good-looking that intimidates you a little. At first, you feel like you can’t look directly at him for too long – it’s a bit like staring into the sun.

But there’s something else about him, too, that makes you forget about all that. The slight hunch of his shoulders, the way his smile looks a little out of practice. Somehow, over the din of the bar, his voice draws you in until you realize you’ve told him half your life story over the course of three quarters of a drink.

“So you’re a San Diego girl through and through, then, huh?” He inquires, propping his chin up with his hand, elbow resting on the gleaming bar.

You raise your almost-empty glass. “Born and raised, went to college here, the works. The only time I was ever away was when I worked in Boston for two years, but then-” You look down at your bare knees, coming up short for a second. “But then I requested a transfer.”

But then my sister died, and my life fell apart is not conversation for handsome strangers you meet in bars, and right here, right now, you don’t want to be that girl, anyway.

Bradley smiles, taking your abrupt silence for the evasion it is. “I don’t blame you. Too cold up in New England. I was stationed in Rhode Island for a little while, wasn’t my favorite.”

You return his smile gratefully. He’s a gentleman, you think – he doesn’t pry. He smells good, too – Top shelf whiskey and sun and aged oak. It’s messing with your head a little.

Callie finally finds you when her beer’s already past lukewarm, forgotten where it sits on the bar. She throws her arms around you from behind: “There you are, we thought you bailed on us.”

She catches sight of your companion, and your apprehension rises when you see the metaphorical bulb light up above her head. “Oh, hello. Didn’t realize you’d made a friend.”

You manage to keep yourself from rolling your eyes. Just last week she fruitlessly tried to tell you to take more time for yourself, make some effort, meet someone, so she must be loving this. “Callie, this is Bradley. Bradley, this is the bride.”

She holds out her hand, allows him to take it. “One of, at least. My future better half is holding her cousin’s hair back in the ladies’ room.”

“Congratulations,” Bradley grins, apparently not in the least phased by this, “on your impending nuptials.”

You swoon a little bit. Callie, of course, notices, and has an expression on her face like it’s Christmas morning.

“Listen, babe,” she says, looking down at you, her gleaming metallic heels (her favorite pair, you remember picking them out with her for graduation, though they were not at all appropriate for the occasion) giving her a height advantage. “Priya wants to go downtown, to that place with the two DJ’s in the basement. Are you coming?”

She looks between the man opposite and you. “Unless…”

Unless. You know you should, it’s her bachelorette, and it’s been so long since you’ve been able to give her your undivided attention: Between Sierra, and work, and crying heaving panic attacks about the state of your life following crippling, devastating grief, you’ve always had her support, and you owe her (maybe, quite literally) your life.

Bradley cuts in, tentative over the change in music to a slower, deeper sound: “Unless you want to stay here a little bit longer?” (It shouldn’t be possible, you think, for him to look this fucking sincere.) “I would really like that. I could drop you off there later…?”

He turns to Callie: “You could text me the address?”

Callie went to law school with you, and while you went into the safe, comparatively sane world of corporate finance, she is a public prosecutor through and through. She narrows her eyes at Bradley, clearly torn between deep-seated, hard-learned suspicion of strange men, and budding, unadulterated joy at seeing you take an interest in anyone who’s not your niece or a client.

“Alright, Bradley,” She levels, sizing him up judiciously, the effect only slightly diminished by the plastic crown still clinging to the side of her head, “I’ll need your phone and driver’s license.”

To his credit, he hands both over without a word, and Callie makes quick work of texting herself his contact details and a photo of his license. “Great,” she looks up, grinning: “You kids have fun. I’m gonna drag my future wife out of the bathroom and blow this joint.”

To her credit, she refrains from miming I’m watching you at Bradley, but you suppose it’s implied.

* * *

When you step outside into the chill of the San Diego night air ahead of him, it hits Bradley that this night is going nothing like he expected. From the moment you appeared next to him, out of thin air, he’s felt off-kilter.

Like he got tipped into your orbit, and now he’s fated to spin circles around you.

“Paloma.” He says, and you turn slightly, a smile on your lips. He steps in closer, nudging you out of the way of the flow of people making their way into the bar.

Your eyes flash up to his when the broad flat of his palm makes contact with the curve of your side, your skin feeling hot through the thin, slippy fabric of your dress – the color brings to mind the backyard of his old house in Tierrasanta, overrun with California sage: he spent a lot of time there as a kid, alone with his thoughts. He presses his thumb to the fabric, the force of the memory almost bringing back the earthy, crisp smell of that place.

You don’t say anything, holding his gaze as he trails his palm down your side, but he swears your eyes darken almost imperceptibly, and your breath hitches. It emboldens him, and his free hand finds the curve of your jaw, your skin feeling impossibly soft under his fingertips and then he’s kissing you, and the rest of the world (the passing cars, the faint pounding of music from inside, the buzzing of a streetlamp nearing the end of its life overhead) retreats.

You taste like tequila and lime and grapefruit and something else he can’t quite put his finger on. Your hands come up to curve around his shoulders, fingertips grazing the nape of his neck, and he pulls you a little closer. You let out a little sigh in response, and it goes straight to his head, heart hammering in his throat when you cup his jaw, deepen the kiss even more.

He pulls away after a moment, dazed, and sees the wild look he’s sure he must have in his eyes reflected in yours. It sends a jolt of heat right through him, and he swallows heavily.

“Bradley.” You state, and he opens his eyes to find you looking up at him, a little smirk on your face like you know exactly what just went through his head. He almost laughs, feeling suddenly out of breath, but then you slowly run your thumb up the line of his jaw, and all thoughts leave him.

“Tell me to take you to your friends.” He says, sounding a little hoarse to his own ears.

He feels you shiver under his palm for a moment, and your eyes close. He can’t help but feel gratified (and he’s aware of the way he looks, women like him, he knows this – but right now, he particularly wants you to like him, to approve, to see past the glaring cracks in his foundation), and a heady warmth floods him when you open your eyes, that little smirk returning to your face, and you say:

“Take me home with you.”

* * *

You’re nervous, you can’t lie to yourself – going home with someone seems like something out of a past life to you at this point, let alone someone you just met – but Bradley has a way of looking at you that makes you forget your nerves, your self-consciousness. He’s barely taken his eyes off you since he first asked your name, and something about him (maybe it’s that quiet confidence he exudes: not showy, not cocky, just steady and certain) puts you at ease.

He's so eager, and you feel like it makes you glow. You laugh when he bumps his head in his haste to pick you up, press you up against the door – he looks sheepish, for a second, until he smiles wide and kisses you again, and heat floods through you.

You haven’t really felt beautiful, or desired, in two years – the first year after Mel died was a fog of grief and sorrow, a mess of bureaucracy and lawyers, where it was all you could do to keep treading water, keep Sierra fed and cared for, shield her from the worst of the flying shrapnel the grenade of your sister’s death sent careening into your family’s lives. The second year, you pulled yourself together because there was no other option – working long hours to secure Sierra’s future, helping your parents where you could, spending every waking minute worrying for this little life you’d become responsible for.

Bradley doesn’t hide his desire, on the contrary – hitching your legs around his waist, burying his face in your neck (the straps of your pale green dress slipping down your shoulder) – he keeps telling you how beautiful you are, into the skin of your throat, your collarbone, the tops of your breasts.

You’re still half-dressed when he makes you come on his fingers, and for the first time in ages your mind is pleasantly blank, free of worry, the only thoughts being more and Bradley’s warm skin between your thighs as you nudge him down onto the bed, lightly running your fingernails down his torso until he can’t take it anymore and flips you onto your back, his body reassuringly solid above you.

* * *

Hours later, Bradley’s asleep, face pressed heavily into your shoulder, and for a mad, half second you consider just letting yourself drift off right here, with his arm slung across your waist. On the nightstand sits a picture, the glossy, slightly out-of-focus quality of disposable Kodak, of two people and their baby. You reach for it, next to a couple of Jodi Picoult novels and a very worn copy of something called the F-14D NATOPS Flight Manual, and trace your finger down the side of the frame.

Bradley shifts and nestles his face into your neck a little closer, and your stomach sinks. You know you have to go; can’t face waking up here tomorrow and trying to explain, seeing those eyes that looked at you so reverently as he kept repeating your name grow cold.

Just for a moment, as you run your fingers through the coarse waves of his hair, you allow yourself to imagine you could have this: Someone to fall asleep next to, to take care of you, to tell you things will be okay.

But that’s a dangerous thought, and you’ve discarded it by the time you softly shut the door behind you.

masterlist

part 2

#rooster x reader #bradley 'rooster' bradshaw x reader #rooster x you #bradley 'rooster' bradshaw x you #bradley bradshaw x reader #bradley bradshaw x you

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randymarshiszaddy · 5 days

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Ermm since it’s the month when being gay is ok in coprate culture here’s my trolls fruity headcanons cause te hee I’m spreading the woke agenda

Branch ( they are currently trying different pronouns because buddy had 20 years of paranoia and did not have a moment to think “dam maybe I’m not a boy” anyway poppy is accepting and finds new punny names to use instead of boyfriend . Also I feel like Branch would not care what gender you are all they care about is being accepted. Also maybe cause I’m sick of the pansexual stereotype that we are all out going and bubbly but let’s move on . ( I’m pan)

Poppy She/Her . She’s got a whole lotta love to share . She would run the parades she will be there helping out any lgbtq member be accepted.

Barb ( aka my favorite) They/she. Yeah this is a butch is you ever tell me no your wrong. They definitely had a fling with Carol the cheddar whiz troll. She would absolutely hate coprate pride merch from big time companies and bully the hell out of them . They would make everyone know that pride was a riot

Alright Mr WOOPS let my older brother projection spilt up my family . John Dory is an obnoxious ally and will wear those “ I’m proud of my gay brother” but hey you know with him being a 40 year old guy show a bit of gratitude to him. Wouldn’t really actually care for singing about sex and wanting to hold girls so he and Bruce made an agreement that Bruce would be the headliner hot one for Brozone.

Clay . He transitioned before brozone started and really wanted to be seen as the fun one so his whole sad book club thing wouldn’t be seen as weak and reminded people that he was afab( he was in his Kalvin Garrah era of internalized misgony and gender roles ) but viva definitely knocked some sense in to him. He definitely is a big ally making sure the put put trolls still had pride events in hiding

BRUCE . Yeah bi icon right here . Although John Dory at the time of brozone was like “ we already have a gay member you have to be in that closet “ yeah but after the toxicity of brozone Bruce went on a journey of self love and realized that he was finally able to be the sufur chill guy he was always destined to be . Holds the biggest drag show at his bar we’re any drag queen/ king royalty can sign up and perform

Floyd . Yeah he’s gay that’s it everyone and their mother knew with that one earring . Surprisenly John Dory was fine for him being gay as it gave the band brownie points for being inclusive .( who said that 🫢

Viva . Yeah she’s transfem fight me . Also pan cause you know what she can be . I feel like she would not care about gender of the person she’s dating . She just can’t wait to have all the sister experiences she misses out on

HONARY MENTION

Basically canonically accurate . Had a baby plus that baby was a clone of himself so self love king who doesn’t need to settle down for anyone.

#trolls #lgbtq #broppy #brozone #kind of related to a fic #branch #poppy #i’m so silly #trolls john dory #floyd #trolls bruce #trolls clay #trolls viva

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viviennevermillion · 7 months

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Consider: Elven Prince Bernard and Elven Knight Bethina / Betty (they're hard to sketch so excuse the oopsies).

I think after Disney didn't even manage to successfully nostalgia-bait me (and I'm someone who likes the Star Wars sequels and Season 5-8 of Winx Club so this really says something), we should have a medieval fantasy AU as a treat!

Ideas for what I might draw next / brainrot about:

Witch Sandra — like with a pointy hat and everything! Perhaps with Befana giving her advice but I don't think my skills are good enough to pull that off help

Alternative idea: Disney Princess Sandra who attracts little woodland creatures when she sings (her singing is awful for comic relief purposes and it still makes the finches flock to her)

Court Jester Cal "Do you think Riley will like me in this outfit?" Calvin

Noblewoman Riley

Court Jester Noel — in solidarity with Court Jester Cal

Royal Advisor Edie

Curtis as whatever the male version of a handmaiden is + handbook

Roy Enchantix! — like with big ass fae wings

Snow King Jack. Like, Elsa but shadier.

Mother Nature (we really need to give her a proper name. come on, this fandom is like 10 people, we can make it happen!) as a gorgeous nature spirit! Or maybe as a goddess? Both would work 🤔

What do we do with Scott? Do we just make him the king because the previous king died in his front yard? Can you imagine that?

I think Charlie would work as a knight

I know this isn't medieval but we can slap a Victorian dress onto Carol and have her beat someone up with a high heel but I'm not sure I can draw that 😂

Laura and Neil as regular citizens from some backwater village who don't believe in magic until Elven Prince Bernard plunders their fridge

Magnus Antas as like,,,, Tom Bombadil. A very evil, slightly more feral Tom Bombadil.

#tsc #bernard #bernard the elf #tsc betty #the santa clauses #the santa clause #scott calvin #tsc fanart #the santa clause bernard #charlie calvin #jack frost #the santa clause jack #tsc jack

41 notes · View notes

ishouldbepushindaisies · 4 months

Text

thank you, i look just like my mommy

first time - hozier/gilmore girls/class of 2013 - mitski/mother - nivya/barbie, 2023/rupi kaur/slipping through my fingers - abba/mother - kacey musgraves/percy jackson and the olympians, tv series/writer in the dark - lorde/unknown/mama mia, 2008/where you lead i will follow - carole king/milk and honey - rupi kaur/barbie, 2023

30 notes · View notes

disneyanddisneyships · 6 months

Text

@gyubby99

TPOIF

The next morning Alistar walked into the dining hall, everyone turning to stare at him. He stood awkwardly before sitting down at the seat near the corner of the room. "You should eat, dear," Carol stated as she pushed her plate toward him gently. "I'm not hungry, mom. I promise. I'm fine," He smiled. "You need to eat too," "Alistar I eat all the time. You have problems with eating I want you to eat," Carol muttered. "Mom, i-" Alistar was interrupted when Elias placed a big plate of food in front of Alistar. "You're skinnier than a sword. You won't be able to wield one if you don't eat. You might need more energy to stab me again," Eli stated. "I.. I'm not gonna stab you again.. i-" "Just eat it," Eli stated, looking away uncomfortably and sitting down by his kids. Alistar glanced at Ella's family. And then the food. Carol Gave an encouraging smile before Alistar took a bite of the food, almost crying at how good it was. There was a knock on the dining hall door. "Hello. I'm here for the king and queen's family portrait?" A woman stated, standing awkwardly in the door. "Ah yes! Im.. afraid were in a bit of a luckle as of late. We're about to uh.. defend our kingdom... can you come back another day?" Ella asked as she stood up. "Oh.. uh... actually im... here for a month and the boat doesn't arrive until then... so i...." the girl stated with an awkward smile. "Oh no worries! How about you stay in the castle? You may have breakfast with us if you'd like," Ella stated. "I.. really?" The woman asked. "Dios mio..... I'd love to!" She stated. "Wonderful! And your name is?" Ella asked. "Rosalyn. But you can call me Rosa," the woman, now known as Rosa, stated. "Well, I'm Ella, that's my family. My sister, my kids, my husband, my father and mother and a few of my old friends," Ella stated, introducing everyone. Rosa waved. "And this is alistar," Ella stated awkwardly. Alistar looked up, his plate of food completely finished before glancing at Rosalyn, his eyes widening. Rosa looked at him the same way. Alistar swallowed the last of his food before giving a small smile. Rosalyn blushed. Carol looked between them excitedly. "I... uh... I'm Rosa," she stated, holding out her hand for alistar to shake. Alistar stood up immediately, taking her hand and kissing her knuckles. "Im.. Alistar.. its.. nice to meet you," He stated with a blush plastered on his face. Eli rolled his eyes and cleared his throat, causing the two to step away from each other, Alistar sitting back down. Only to stand up again to pull out a chair for Rosalyn.

...... After breakfast, Alistar gave the rundown of his father's castle. Hiding places, crawl areas, and even secret rooms. "Oh so that's how you snuck extra cookies when you were six," Carol smirked. "That was eons ago, mother of mine! I haven't had a cookie in 30 years!" Alistar stated confidently. Ella chuckled. "I remember you brought me some one visit. I thought you said your dad knew," Ella stated. "He did not. When he found out, I was in a world of trouble. He burned off one of my fingerprints," Alistar stated with a clueless smile. Ella's smile fell. "Anyways, so if we go in through the dungeons, we can get through and go to this secret room over here which leads us right into his study. He usually spends most of his time in there anyways," Alistar explained. "But he probably knows you've escaped by now. And he grew up in that castle.. won't he expect us?" Clarissa asked. "That's why I'm gonna go in alone first. He expects me to stay away. Not to join in on battle," Alistar replied. "I don't know if I trust that," Eli muttered with a glare. Alistar shrugged. "Trust me or don't. It's the only chance we get," Alistar muttered. "Everyone gets a second chance. I mean. You and Rosalyn seemed pretty cozy at breakfast," Mia stated with a smirk. Alistar blushed. "What? No we werent!" He argued, his voice going up an octave. The entire group stared at him with raised eyebrows. "Oh cmon guys. Im.... I'm dead. Shes...... I'm gonna be gone after tomorrow when you figure this out, I have no shot. Besides... i...." Alistar trailed off, glancing at ella. "I don't deserve love after what I did," "Exactly," Elias stated. "Doesn't matter. Right now, we need to work on getting into that castle. We've already wasted half the day," Alruna muttered. "Shes right. If we don't leave now, John could strike. We need to get into the castle. The plan has to happen now," Clarissa stated. "Then we leave in 20," Ella replied.

29 notes · View notes

comfort-clubhouse · 8 months

Text

NEW Comfort Characters List

💮 - villain

🎵 - YouTuber

🌟 - celebrity

Oggy (Oggy & The Cockroaches)

Olivia (Oggy & The Cockroaches)

Little Miss Sunshine, Little Miss Shy, Little Miss Tiny, Little Miss Splendid, Little Miss Dotty, Little Miss Hug (Little Miss)

Mr Happy, Mr Nonsense, Mr Impossible (Mr Men)

Mr Quiet (Mr Men Show)

Mr Scatterbrain (Mr Men Show)

Mr Funny (Mr Men Show)

Little Miss Giggles (Mr Men Show)

Hello Kitty, Cinnamoroll, Keroppi, Chococat, Gudetama, Fifi, Mimmy White, Mama White, Papa White, Grandma White, Grandpa White (Sanrio)

My Melody (Sanrio/Onegai My Melody)

Kuromi (Sanrio/Onegai My Melody)

My Sweet Piano (Sanrio/Onegai My Melody)

Pusheen The Cat

Shirousa, Kurousa, Strawberryusa, Blueberryusa, Momousa, Vanilla, Aousa, Pandausa, Balletusa, Primausa (Sugarbunnies)

Miffy

ENA (Season 1/Dream BBQ)

Moony (ENA)

Hourglass Dogs (ENA)

Shepherd (ENA)

Humf

Uncle Hairy (Humf)

Flora (Humf)

Humf's Parents (Humf)

SCP-049 (SCP)

SCP-999 (SCP)

SCP-053 (SCP)

SCP-131 (SCP)

Boyfriend (FNF)

Girlfriend (FNF)

Tabi (FNF)

Carol (FNF)

Sunday (FNF)

Hex (FNF)

QT (FNF)

Nikusa (FNF)

Solazar (FNF)

Annie (FNF)

Garcello (FNF)

Rascal (FNF)

Chris (FNF)

Sarvente (FNF)

Ruv (FNF)

Selever (FNF)

Rasazy (FNF)

Pom Pom (FNF)

Ash (FNF)

Boy and Girl (FNF)

Cassette Girl (FNF)

Dr Springheel (FNF)

Nikku (FNF)

Tankman (Tankmen Series)

Soft BF (FNF: Soft)

Soft Mouse (FNF: Soft)

Shinto (FNF: Lullaby)

Skid (Spooky Month)

Pump (Spooky Month)

Lila (Spooky Month)

Jaune (Spooky Month)

John (Spooky Month)

Robert (Spooky Month)

Streber (Spooky Month)

Bob Velseb (Spooky Month)💮

Hat Kid (Hat In Time)

Snatcher (Hat In Time)💮

Taki (Friday Night Fever)💮

Charlie (Smiling Friends)

Pim (Smiling Friends)

Lazlo (Camp Lazlo)

Edward (Camp Lazlo)

Gretchen (Camp Lazlo)

SpongeBob SquarePants

Patrick Star (SpongeBob)

Sandy Cheeks (SpongeBob)

Gary (SpongeBob)

Karen (SpongeBob)

Plankton (SpongeBob)💮

Mindy (SpongeBob)

Mr Krabs (SpongeBob)

Mario (Mario/DIC Cartoons)

Luigi (Mario/DIC Cartoons/Movie)

Yoshi (Mario/DIC Cartoons)

Peach (Mario)

Daisy (Mario)

Wario (Mario)

Toad (Mario)

Bowser (Mario/Movie)💮

Bowser Jr (Mario)💮

Boo (Mario)

King Boo (Mario)💮

Rosalina (Mario)

Lumas (Mario)

Count Bleck (Mario)

Tippi (Mario)

Lumalee (Mario Movie)

Giuseppe (Mario Movie)

Bow, Watt, Koops (Paper Mario)

Polterpup (Luigi's Mansion)

Rabbid Rosalina (Mario + Rabbids)

King Koopa (Mario DIC Cartoons)💮

Oogtar (Mario DIC Cartoons)

Sonic (Sonic/AOSTH/Movie)

Tails (Sonic/AOSTH/Movie)

Amy Rose (Sonic)

Dr Eggman (Sonic)💮

Cream (Sonic)

Chao (Sonic)

Vanilla (Sonic)

Chip (Sonic)

Vector (Sonic)

Orbot (Sonic)

Cubot (Sonic)

Sage (Sonic)

Zazz (Sonic)💮

Zavok (Sonic)💮

Tails Doll (Sonic)

Knuckles, Tom Wachowski, Maddie Wachowski, Dr Robotnik💮 (Sonic Movie)

Wes Weasley (Adventures Of Sonic The Hedgehog)

Po, Laa-Laa (Teletubbies)

Snorky, Fleegle (Banana Splits)

Rilakkuma

Donutella

Captain N, Simon Belmont (Captain N Series)

Rayman (Rayman/Animated Series/Captain Laserhawk)

Globox, Grand Minimus, Ales Mansay (Rayman)

Betina, Flips (Rayman The Animated Series)

Red Guy (DHMIS)

Duck Guy (DHMIS)

Colin The Computer (DHMIS)

Sketchbook (DHMIS)

Electracey (DHMIS)

Lesley (DHMIS)💮

Bread Mother (DHMIS)

Postman Pat, Jess (Postman Pat)

Fifi (Fifi and the Flowertots)

Spud (Bob The Builder)

Numbuh 3 (Kids Next Door)

Numbuh 5 (Kids Next Door)

Mushi Sanban (Kids Next Door)💮

Maurice (Kids Next Door)

Monty Uno (Kids Next Door)

Father (Kids Next Door)💮

Delightful Children From Down The Lane (Kids Next Door)💮

Interesting Twins From Beneath The Mountain (Kids Next Door)💮

Bambi (Bambi)

Thumper (Bambi)

Faline (Bambi)

505 (Villainous)

White Hat (Villainous)

Demencia (Villainous)💮

Black Hat (Villainous)💮

Goliath (Gargoyles)

Chudd Chudders (Skatoony)

The Earl (Skatoony)

T-Bone (Skatoony)

DangerGrid Of Doom (Skatoony)💮

Kirby

Meta Knight (Kirby)

Tootie, Plex (Yo Gabba Gabba)

Mio Mao

Luz Noceda (Owl House)

Eda Clawthorne (Owl House)

Willow (Owl House)

King (Owl House)

Raine Whispers (Owl House)

Collector (Owl House)

Emperor Belos (Owl House)💮

Lilith Clawthorne (Owl House)

Anne Boonchuy (Amphibia)

Marcy Wu (Amphibia)

Sasha Waybright (Amphibia)

Sprig Plantar (Amphibia)

King Andrias (Amphibia)💮

Olivia (Amphibia)

Hop Pop Plantar (Amphibia)

Grim Reaper (Grim Adventures Of Billy and Mandy)

Jack O Lantern (Grim Adventures Of Billy and Mandy)💮

Mickey Mouse (Disney)

Minnie Mouse (Disney)

Daisy Duck (Disney)

Goofy (Disney)

Pluto (Disney)

Oswald The Lucky Rabbit (Disney)

Ortensia The Cat (Disney)

Mugman (Cuphead Show)

Devil (Cuphead Show)💮

Baroness Von Bon Bon (Cuphead Show)

Sally Stageplay (Cuphead Show)

Ms Chalice (Cuphead Show)

MX (Mario.EXE)💮

GB (Mario.EXE)💮

Lucas (Mario 85)

Mario.EXE💮 Coronation Day Peach💮 (Mario.EXE/Mario's Madness)

Pac-Man

Inky (Pac-Man)

Gingy (Shrek)

Matt (Eddsworld)

Tord (Eddsworld)💮

Matilda (Ellsworld)

Eduardo (Eddsworld)💮

Zanta Claws (Eddsworld)💮

Ringo (Eddsworld)

Edd (Eddsworld)

Tom (Eddsworld)

Pocoyo

Nina (Pocoyo)

Lord X (Sonic.EXE)💮

Curse (Sonic.EXE)

Hog (Sonic.EXE)

NormalCD (Sonic.EXE)💮

Majin Sonic

Mao Mao (Mao Mao: HOPH)

Adorabat (Mao Mao: HOPH)

Badgerclops (Mao Mao: HOPH)

Shin Mao (Mao Mao: HOPH)

Eugene (Mao Mao: HOPH)

Edd/Double D, Nazz (Ed, Edd N Eddy)

Dawko🎵 CookieSwirlC🎵 Jaiden Animations🎵 RRcherrypie🎵 RME Music Channel🎵 Kristers Viļums🎵 Janet HQ🎵 Zer0_Gacha/FrozenPhantom🎵 Blazeplayz/All mighty hobo🎵 king of creepypasta🎵 DylantheSpiderWolf🎵 NashiroThePenguin🎵 ❤️..POKE_Tv..🖤🎵 []Kiara cutie❤️[]🎵 Fluffle Puff🎵 Añćä🎵 SMG4🎵 GLITCH🎵 Xx_Amanda_xX🎵 SSGSS Marioftw🎵 WiiLikeToPlay🎵 Kitty Ashley🎵 Marciplier🎵 .anormalhuman🎵 Jay productions🎵 °•[PDC_FOREVER]•°🎵 °Just_an_autistic_idiot°🎵 DAGAMES🎵 CG5🎵 CK9C🎵 PR!NC3 P!lLL🎵 VanossGaming🎵 Markiplier🎵 Jacksepticeye🎵 jacknjellify🎵 AnimationEpic🎵 Katie Ryan🎵 Welp I'm Spooky🎵 Rosanna Pansino🎵 Or30🎵 Vivziepop🎵 WolfyChu🎵 SweetoToons🎵 atsuover🎵 Nicky Tate🎵 Sr Pelo🎵 VanillaHamHam🎵 PedramDoesStuff🎵 mashed🎵 Ashley Nichols Art🎵 Emirichu🎵 GinjaNinjaOwO🎵 ☆ShadowsFluffyChestFur☆🎵 So Yummy🎵 ThAt1!FnFfan🎵 .ImSea🎵 Knight🎵 Hedgehog Friend🎵 king_dice3245 the hedgehog🎵 (YouTubers)

Mikar Rvif and Vi (Discord friends)

Robert Englund🌟 Charles Martinet🌟 Wendie Malick🌟 Frank Welker🌟 Keith David🌟 Makiko Ohmoto🌟 Kevin Michael Richardson🌟 Clancy Brown🌟 Jeffrey Combs🌟 Tara Strong🌟 Grey DeLisle🌟 Michael Rosen🌟 Marty Grabstein🌟 Jason Alexander🌟 Mark Hamill🌟 Greg Eagles🌟 Mel Winkler🌟 Tom Kenny🌟 Joey D'Auria🌟 Richard Horvitz🌟 Lex Lang🌟 Elsie Lovelock🌟 Harry Hill🌟 Susan Sheridan🌟 Awkwafina🌟 Paul Schoeffler🌟 Bill Nye🌟 Justin Fletcher🌟 Michael Jackson🌟 Daft Punk🌟 Marc Thompson🌟 Brandon Rogers🌟 Jonathan Freeman🌟 (Celebrities)

Wanda, Dark Laser (Fairly Oddparents)

Penny Ling (Littlest Pet Shop)

Sayori (DDLC)

Monika (DDLC)

Gabriel (Ultrakill)

Raiden (Metal Gear)

Garfield, Odie (Garfield)

Sam & Max

Spot The Dog

Woolly & Tig

Raiden, Sub Zero, Scorpion (Mortal Kombat)

Francis (Felidae)

Doofenshmirtz (Phineas & Ferb)

Katz (Courage The Cowardly Dog)💮

Courage (Courage The Cowardly Dog)

Le Quack (Courage The Cowardly Dog)💮

Freaky Fred (Courage The Cowardly Dog)

Bunny and Kitty (Courage The Cowardly Dog)

Muriel Bagge (Courage The Cowardly Dog)

Computer (Courage The Cowardly Dog)

Black Puddle Queen (Courage The Cowardly Dog)💮

Bubbles (Powerpuff Girls)

HIM (Powerpuff Girls)💮

Share Bear (Care Bears)

Wish Bear (Care Bears)

Rick (Rick and Morty)

Zim (Invader Zim)

Komi Shouko (Komi Can't Communicate)

Najimi Osana (Komi Can't Communicate)

Komi Shuuko (Komi Can't Communicate)

Tadano Hitohito (Komi Can't Communicate)

Emily (Thomas The Tank Engine(Model)

Percy (Thomas The Tank Engine(Model)

Sunflower (Plants Vs Zombies)

Slappy (Goosebumps)💮

Lost Silver, Strangled Red (Poképasta)

Misfortune (Little Misfortune)

Hypno (Pokémon/Poképasta)

Jigglypuff, Pikachu, Darkrai, Mew, Buneary, Iris, Alice, Alicia, Celebi, Jirachi, Riolu, Lucario, Manaphy, Latios, Latias, Piplup, Dwebble, Diancie, Wynaut, Togepi, Zorua, Minccino, Cinccino, Pawmi, Axew, Emolga, Chikorita, Torchic, Cosmog, Pachirisu, Komala, Bianca, Ralts, Mudkip, Eevee, Sylveon, Altaria, Swablu, Quaxly, Misdreavus, Gengar, Audino (Pokémon)

Wall-E, EVE (Wall-E)

Six (Little Nightmares)

Maleficent (Disney's Sleeping Beauty)💮

Jaq and Gus (Disney's Cinderella)

Pomni, Ragatha, Gangle, Jax, Caine (Amazing Digital Circus)

The Cat (Coraline)

Optimus Prime (Transformers)

N, Cyn (Murder Drones)

Gizmo (Gremlins)

Charlie Morningstar, Angel Dust, Alastor, Nifty, Lucifer, Rosie, Fat Nuggets, Husk, Keekee, Emily, Zestial, Velvette💮 (Hazbin Hotel)

Blitzø, Moxxie, Millie, Stolas, Asmodeus, Fizzarolli, Paimon💮 Collin, Queen Bee-Zlebub, Vortex, Octavia, Oliver, Loona (Helluva Boss)

Frost Queen Cookie (Cookie Run: Kingdom)

Clover Cookie (Cookie Run: Kingdom)

Onion Cookie (Cookie Run: Kingdom)

Squid Ink Cookie (Cookie Run: Kingdom)

Cream Puff Cookie (Cookie Run: Kingdom)

Parfait Cookie (Cookie Run: Kingdom)

Strawberry Crepe Cookie (Cookie Run: Kingdom)

Cherry Blossom Cookie (Cookie Run: Kingdom)

Espresso Cookie (Cookie Run: Kingdom)

Scar, Lex Woods (Alien Vs Predator)

Giulia, Luca (Luca)

Tanjiro Kamado (Demon Slayer)

Nezuko Kamado (Demon Slayer)

Zenitsu (Demon Slayer)

XR (Buzz Lightyear Of Star Command)

NOS-4-A2 (Buzz Lightyear Of Star Command)💮

Zurg (Buzz Lightyear Of Star Command)💮

Woody (Toy Story)

Buzz Lightyear (Toy Story)

Jessie (Toy Story)

Mr Potato Head (Toy Story)

Mrs Potato Head (Toy Story)

Slinky (Toy Story)

Buttercup (Toy Story)

Trixie (Toy Story)

Bonnie (Toy Story)

Little Green Men (Toy Story)

Dolly (Toy Story)

Bunny and Ducky (Toy Story)

Peep (Peep and The Big Wide World)

Totoro (My Neighbour Totoro)

Goku (Dragon Ball Z)

Chichi (Dragon Ball Z)

Vegeta (Dragon Ball Z)

Krillin (Dragon Ball Z)

Master Crane, Lord Shen (Kung Fu Panda)

Scarecrow (DC/Arkhamverse/TNBA/BTAS/Nolanverse/Fear State/Brave and The Bold/Injustice 2/Happy Halloween Scooby Doo/Harley Quinn Series/Tomorrowverse)💮

Mad Hatter (DC/BTAS)💮

Baby Doll (DC/BTAS)💮

Ventriloquist & Scarface (DC/BTAS)💮

Alice (DC/BTAS)

Joker (DC/BTAS/The Batman Series)💮

Ragdoll (DC/The Batman Series)💮

Catwoman (DC/The Batman Series)

Penguin (DC/The Batman Series)💮

Riddler (DC/The Batman Series)💮

Harley Quinn (DC/Harley Quinn Series/Injustice 2/MultiVersus)

Ghoul (DC/Batman Beyond)💮

Question (DC)

Huntress (DC/Justice League Unlimited)

Scream Queen (DC/Batman: Brave and The Bold)💮

Red Hood (DC/Injustice 2)

Green Arrow (DC/Injustice 2)

Starfire (DC/Teen Titans)

King Shark (DC/Harley Quinn Series)

Jake, Mee Mow💮 Princess Bubblegum (Adventure Time)

Chikn Nuggit, Cheezborger, Slushi, Bezel, Cofi (Chikn Nuggit)

Drakken (Kim Possible)💮

Elvira Mistress Of The Dark

Narrator (Stanley Parable)

Medic, Sniper (Team Fortress 2)

Rick (Rick & Morty)

Wheatley (Portal)

Peppino (Pizza Tower)

Vigilante (Pizza Tower)

Noise (Pizza Tower)

Fake Peppino (Pizza Tower)

Rarity (My Little Pony)

Fluttershy (My Little Pony)

Pinkie Pie (My Little Pony)

Rainbow Dash (My Little Pony)

Flurry Heart (My Little Pony)

Princess Celestia (My Little Pony)

Apple Bloom (My Little Pony)

Granny Smith (My Little Pony)

Discord (My Little Pony)

Thorax (My Little Pony)

Ocellus (My Little Pony)

Silverstream (My Little Pony)

Apple Blossom (Shopkins)

Strawberry Kiss (Shopkins)

Kooky Cookie (Shopkins)

Spilt Milk (Shopkins)

Milk Bud (Shopkins)

Dum Mee Mee (Shopkins)

Sippy Sips (Shopkins)

Choc and Chip (Shopkins)

Buncho Bananas (Shopkins)

Jessicake (Shopkins)

Donatina (Shopkins)

Peppa Mint (Shopkins)

Mr Stitchy, Clowny (PIGGY)

Screech, Seek (DOORS)

Orange (RAINBOW FRIENDS)

Agatha (Dark Deception)

Lambie (Doc McStuffins)

Fink, Shannon, Darrell, Professor Venomous💮 Boxman💮 Red Action (O.K KO)

Pipsqueak (The Lorax)

Grammy Norma (The Lorax)

Freddy Krueger (Nightmare On Elm Street)💮

Jason Voorhess (Friday The 13th)💮

Pamela Voorhess (Friday The 13th)💮

Michael Myers (Halloween)💮

Leatherface (Texas Chainsaw Massacre)💮

Chop Top Sawyer (Texas Chainsaw Massacre)💮

Needlem0use💮 Luther, Sarah Henderson💮 (Needlem0use)

Anton (ANTONBLAST)

Filburt, Rocko, Spunky (Rocko's Modern Life)

Pops (Regular Show)

Eileen (Regular Show)

Hi Five Ghost (Regular Show)

Mirabel Madrigal (Encanto)

Pepa Madrigal (Encanto)

Antonio Madrigal (Encanto)

Bruno Madrigal (Encanto)

Meilin Lee (Turning Red)

Abby Park (Turning Red)

Bluey (Bluey)

Bingo (Bluey)

Chilli (Bluey)

Bandit (Bluey)

Muffin (Bluey)

Socks (Bluey)

Brandy (Bluey)

Radley (Bluey)

Frisky (Bluey)

Calypso (Bluey)

Rusty (Bluey)

Lila (Bluey)

Pom Pom (Bluey)

Lilo (Lilo and Stitch)

Stitch (Lilo and Stitch)

Angel (Lilo and Stitch)

Pleakley (Lilo and Stitch)

Rebecca Rabbit, Zuzu and Zaza, Emily Elephant, Edmond Elephant (Peppa Pig)

Brandy and Mr Whiskers

Big and Small

Holly, Nanny Plum (Ben & Holly's Little Kingdom)

Mort, Gia, Melman, Stefano, Alex, Skipper, Kowalski, Rico, Private, Corporal (Madagascar)

Scratch, Molly McGee (Ghost and Molly McGee)

Spawn (Image Comics)

Cyan Fitzgerald (Image Comics/Todd McFarlane's Spawn Series)

Hades (Disney's Hercules)💮

Jafar (Disney's Aladdin)💮

Iago (Disney's Aladdin)

Genie (Disney's Aladdin)

Horned King (The Black Cauldron)💮

Kissy Missy (Poppy Playtime)

Boogie Bot (Poppy Playtime)

Bunzo Bunny (Poppy Playtime)💮

Candy Cat (Poppy Playtime)

Hoppy Hopscotch, Dogday (Smiling Critters)

Moon Knight, Mr Knight (Marvel/Moon Knight)

Peni Parker (Marvel/Spider Verse)

Doc Ock (Marvel/Spectacular Spider Man)💮

Vulture (Marvel/Spectacular Spider Man)💮

Electro (Marvel/Spectacular Spider Man)💮

Shocker (Marvel/Spectacular Spider Man)💮

Tinkerer (Marvel/Spectacular Spider Man)💮

Aunt May (Marvel/Spectacular Spider Man)

Eddie Brock/Venom (Marvel/Venom Movie)

Baby Groot (MCU)

Rocket Raccoon (MCU)

Jeffrey the Land Shark (Marvel/It's Jeff Comics)

Karen McCormick (South Park)

Butters Scotch (South Park)

Penny Proud (Proud Family)

Oscar Proud (Proud Family)

Suga Mama (Proud Family)

Mike/Svetlana/Manitoba Smith/Mal💮 (Total Drama)

Zoey (Total Drama)

Izzy (Total Drama)

Cameron (Total Drama)

Jasmine (Total Drama)

Chris McLean (Total Drama)💮

Garnet (Steven Universe)

Amethyst (Steven Universe)

Pearl (Steven Universe)

Peridot (Steven Universe)

Rainbow Quartz (Steven Universe)

Greg (Steven Universe)

Lapis Lazuli (Steven Universe)

Chiaki Nanami (Danganronpa)

Korekiyo Shinguji (Danganronpa)

Monokuma (Danganronpa)💮

Monomi/Usami (Danganronpa)

Sailor Moon

Sailor Mercury (Sailor Moon)

Artemis (Sailor Moon)

Luna (Sailor Moon)

Diana (Sailor Moon)

Secret History Tails💮 Secret History Mario💮 (Mashed)

Roy (ROY Series)

Loid (Spy X Family)

Anya (Spy X Family)

Yor (Spy X Family)

Bond (Spy X Family)

Pixie (Pixie and Brutus)

Brutus (Pixie and Brutus)

Lola (Pixie and Brutus)

Hugo (Pixie and Brutus)

Felix (Wreck It Ralph)

King Candy (Wreck It Ralph)

Isabelle (Animal Crossing)

Timmy and Tommy Nook (Animal Crossing)

Rover (Animal Crossing)

Gidget (Secret Life Of Pets)

Daisy (Secret Life Of Pets)

Chloe (Secret Life Of Pets)

Ember (Elemental)

Daycare Attendant/Sun/Moon (FNAF)

Foxy (FNAF)

Funtime Freddy (FNAF)

Circus Baby (FNAF)

Bill Cipher (Gravity Falls)💮

Mabel (Gravity Falls)

Wendy (Gravity Falls)

Eric Duckman (Duckman Series)

Slender Man (Creepypasta)

Splendor Man (Creepypasta)

Jeff The Killer (Creepypasta)

Laughing Jack (Creepypasta)

Sally (Creepypasta)

Lulu (Creepypasta)

Elmo (Sesame Street)

Cookie Monster (Sesame Street)

Big Bird (Sesame Street)

Julia (Sesame Street)

Ms Piggy, Swedish Chef (Muppets)

Bubble, Ice Cube (BFDI)

4 (BFB)

X (BFB)

Cake (BFB)

Lollipop (BFB)

Winner, Price Tag (BFB/TPOT)

Lightbulb (Inanimate Insanity)

Paintbrush (Inanimate Insanity)

MePad (Inanimate Insanity)

Bow/Bot (Inanimate Insanity)

Paper (Inanimate Insanity)

Test Tube (Inanimate Insanity)

Silver Spoon (Inanimate Insanity)

Clover (Inanimate Insanity)

Goo (Inanimate Insanity)

Candle (Inanimate Insanity)

Tune (Object Mayhem)

Shelly (Brawl Of The Objects)

Brownie (Battle For Isle Of Sleep)

Orbulon (Warioware)

Ashley (Warioware)

Kat & Ana (Warioware)

9-Volt (Warioware)

Penny (Warioware)

Wallace (Wallace and Gromit)

Gromit (Wallace and Gromit)

Wendolene Ramsbottom (Wallace and Gromit)

Lady Tottington (Wallace and Gromit)

Hutch (Wallace and Gromit)

Feathers McGraw (Wallace and Gromit)💮

Penny (TAWOG)

Sans (Undertale)

Papyrus (Undertale)

Toriel (Undertale)

Mettaton (Undertale)

Napstablook (Undertale)

Asriel (Undertale)

Alphys (Undertale)

Ralsei (Deltarune)

Jevil (Deltarune)

Grizzly Bear (We Bare/Baby Bears)

Panda (We Bare/Baby Bears)

Ice Bear (We Bare/Baby Bears)

Chloe (We Bare Bears)

Agent Trout (We Bare Bears)💮

Jared (We Baby Bears)

Flaky (Happy Tree Friends)

Sniffles (Happy Tree Friends)

Lammy (Happy Tree Friends)

Cub (Happy Tree Friends)

Neo Cortex (Crash Bandicoot)💮

Aku Aku (Crash Bandicoot)

Dingodile (Crash Bandicoot)

Pasadena O'Possum (Crash Bandicoot)

N-Gin (Crash Bandicoot)💮

Lani-Loli (Crash Bandicoot)

Kapuna-Wa (Crash Bandicoot)

Crash Bandicoot

Ochaco Uraraka, Momo Yaoyorozu, Eijirou Kirishima, Tsuyu Asui, Hawks, Mirio Togata, Present Mic, Shota Aizawa, Ms Joke, Eri, Kota Izumi, Tomura Shigaraki💮, Toga Himiko💮 Dabi💮 Inko Midoriya, Ordinary Woman, Spinner💮 Tenya Ida (MHA)

Claire Foley (Prof Layton)

Sam (Trick R Treat)

Hanazuki

Kiyoshi (Hanazuki)

Yellow Hemka (Hanazuki)

Pink Hemka (Hanazuki)

Light Blue Hemka (Hanazuki)

Blue Hemka (Hanazuki)

Raspberry Hemka (Hanazuki)

Bugs Bunny (Looney Tunes)

Tweety Bird (Looney Tunes)

Marvin The Martian (Looney Tunes)

Zardy (Zardy's Maze)

Flapjack (Misadventures Of Flapjack)

Charles Calvin (Henry Stickmin)

Right Hand Man (Henry Stickmin)

Reginald Copperbottom (Henry Stickmin)

Dmitri Petrov (Henry Stickmin)💮

Ellie Rose (Henry Stickmin)

Mr Shark (The Bad Guys)

Mrs Tarantula (The Bad Guys)

Diane Foxington (The Bad Guys)

Wolf (The Bad Guys)

Miraitowa (Tokyo 2020 Mascot)

Someity (Tokyo 2020 Mascot)

Bing Dwen Dwen (Beijing 2022 Mascot)

Shuey Rhon Rhon (Beijing 2022 Mascot)

Meggy, Tari, Melony, Karen, Axol (SMG4)

Blackie (Nightmare Cafe)

Dr Nefarious (Ratchet and Clank)💮

EteleD, Corrupt Mii (Wii Deleted You)

Connor, Hank Anderson (Detroit: Become Human)

Poppet (Moshi Monsters)

Luvli (Moshi Monsters)

Jeepers (Moshi Monsters)

Shishi (Moshi Monsters)

Sleepypaws (Moshi Monsters)

Baby Rox (Moshi Monsters)

Roxy (Moshi Monsters)

Holga (Moshi Monsters)

Suey (Moshi Monsters)

Tomba (Moshi Monsters)

Kissy (Moshi Monsters)

Fifi (Moshi Monsters)

Dr Strangeglove (Moshi Monsters)💮

PukeyHurlC (Grossery Gang)

Mama (Cooking Mama)

Nastasia (Cooking Mama)

Ichigo (Cooking Mama)

Yuto (Cooking Mama)

Moomintroll (Moomin)

Moominmamma (Moomin)

Moominpappa (Moomin)

Snorkmaiden (Moomin)

Snork (Moomin)

Snufkin (Moomin)

Joxter (Moomin)

Mrs Fillyjonk (Moomin)

Komasan (Yo-Kai Watch)

Komajiro (Yo-Kai Watch)

Whisper (Yo-Kai Watch)

Hatsune Miku (Vocaloid)

Kasane Teto (Vocaloid)

Kagamine Rin (Vocaloid)

Tuffy (Tom and Jerry)

Tyke (Tom and Jerry)

Misty (Tom and Jerry)

Shaggy (Scooby Doo)

Scooby Doo

Fred (Scooby Doo)

Madelyn Dinkley (Scooby Doo)

F, Y, P (Alphabet Lore)

Sammy Lawrence (BATIM)💮

Boris (BATIM)

Tom (BATIM)

Allison Angel (BATIM)

Bendy (BATDR)

Sulley (Monsters Inc)

Mike Wazowski (Monsters Inc)

Boo (Monsters Inc)

Puss In Boots

Kitty Softpaws (Puss In Boots)

Perrito (Puss In Boots)

Three Diablos (Puss In Boots)

Jack Horner (Puss In Boots)💮

Death (Puss In Boots)💮

Toothless (HTTYD)

Astrid (HTTYD)

Ruffnut and Tuffnut (HTTYD)

Valka (HTTYD)

Cloudjumper (HTTYD)

Gobber (HTTYD)

Hiccup (HTTYD)

Bender (Futurama)

Wednesday Addams, Enid Sinclair (Wednesday Series)

Molly, Milly, Chloe (Milly, Molly)

Major Dr Ghastly and General Skarr (Evil Con Carne)

Unikitty, Puppycorn (Unikitty Series)

Viridi (Kid Icarus)

Scrooge McDuck (Ducktales)

Della Duck (Ducktales – 2017)

Dewey Duck (Ducktales – 2017)

Lena Sabrewing (Ducktales - 2017)

Manny The Gargoyle (Ducktales - 2017)

David Jones (Criminal Case)

Zoe Kusama (Criminal Case)

Cathy King (Criminal Case)

Samuel King (Criminal Case)

Eduardo Ramirez (Criminal Case)

Amy Young (Criminal Case)

Maddie O'Malley (Criminal Case)

Charles Dupont (Criminal Case)

Sunny (Criminal Case)

Margaret Littlewood (Criminal Case)

Tutter (Bear In The Big Blue House)

Chowder (Chowder Series)

Mung Daal (Chowder Series)

Shaun The Sheep

Timmy (Shaun The Sheep/Timmy Time)

Mittens (Timmy Time)

Otus (Timmy Time)

Apricot (Timmy Time)

Jack Skellington (Nightmare Before Christmas)

Sally (Nightmare Before Christmas)

Zero (Nightmare Before Christmas)

Oogie Boogie (Nightmare Before Christmas)💮

Jack Sparrow (POTC)

Hector Barbossa (POTC)

Davy Jones (POTC)💮

Hank J Wimbleton (Madness Combat)

Tricky (Madness Combat)💮

Sanford (Madness Combat)

Deimos (Madness Combat)

Jebus (Madness Combat)

Happiness Hank (Madness Combat/Happiness Apotheosis)

Kedamono, Popee (Popee The Perfomer)

Imelda (Coco)

Frankie Stein (Monster High)

Catty Noir (Monster High)

Abbey Bominable (Monster High)

Dracalaura (Monster High)

Twyla (Monster High)

Madeline Hatter (Ever After High)

Kitty Cheshire (Ever After High)

Crystal Winter (Ever After High)

Bunny Blanc (Ever After High)

Lizzie Hearts (Ever After High)

Tessa (Skylanders)

Mags (Skylanders)

Eye Brawl (Skylanders)

Dr Krankcase (Skylanders)

Flynn (Skylanders)

Hugo (Skylanders)

Bart (Simpsons)

Maggie (Simpsons)

June Bellamy (Simpsons)

Krusty The Clown (Simpsons)

Groundskeeper Willie (Simpsons)

Sideshow Bob (Simpsons)💮

Sebastian (Little Mermaid)

Melody (Little Mermaid)

Ursula (Little Mermaid)💮

Cruella De Vil💮 Lucky (101 Dalmatians)

Mrs Brown (Mrs Brown's Boys)

Joe Swanson, Jasper, Brian Griffin (Family Guy)

Cleveland Brown (Family Guy/Cleveland Show)

Tunip (Octonauts)

Chuck (Angry Birds)

Matilda (Angry Birds)

Leonard Mudbeard (Angry Birds)

Courtney (Angry Birds)

Zeta (Angry Birds)

Debbie (Angry Birds)

Garry (Angry Birds)

Nikki (Camp Camp)

Nerris (Camp Camp)

Ered (Camp Camp)

Max (Camp Camp)

Gwen (Camp Camp)

Victor Creel (Stranger Things)

Mike Wheeler (Stranger Things)

Skeletor (He-Man)💮

Orko (He-Man)

Margaret, Felix (Andy's Apple Farm)

Mushu (Mulan)

Iroh (ATLA)

Suki (ATLA)

Momo (ATLA)

Toph (ATLA)

Marinette Dupain-Cheng (Miraculous Ladybug)

Alya (Miraculous Ladybug)

Gabriel Agreste (Miraculous Ladybug)

Nathalie (Miraculous Ladybug)

Hermione (Harry Potter)

Evil Queen💮 Dopey, Snow White (Snow White & Seven Dwarfs)

Bjorn, Splork, Kat Tut (Peggle)

Nigel (Wild Thornberrys)

Quasimodo (Hunchback Of Notre Dame(Disney)

Esmeralda (Hunchback Of Notre Dame(Disney)

Claude Frollo (Disney's Hunchback Of Notre Dame)💮

Clopin Trouillefou (Hunchback Of Notre Dame(Disney)

Hugo, Victor and Laverne (Hunchback Of Notre Dame(Disney)

Lumiere (Beauty & The Beast)

Chip (Beauty & The Beast)

Fifi (Beauty & The Beast)

Klaus (American Dad)

Pinocchio (Pinocchio – 1940)

Figaro (Pinocchio – 1940)

Honest John and Gideon (Pinocchio – 1940)💮

Geppetto (Pinocchio – 1940)

Winnie The Pooh, Tigger, Piglet, Eeyore (Winnie The Pooh)

Mog, Owl (Meg & Mog)

Captain Hook💮 Smee💮 (Disney's Peter Pan)

Kronk (Emperor's New Groove)

Yzma (Emperor's New Groove)💮

Kuzco (Emperor's New Groove)

Trixie & Captain Cuddlepuss (Creature Comforts)

Wally Darling (Welcome Home)

Julie Joyful (Welcome Home)

Barnaby B Beagle (Welcome Home)

Rocky (Chicken Run)

Babs (Chicken Run)

Mrs Tweedy (Chicken Run)💮

Konata Izumi (Lucky Star)

Lucy Loud (Loud House)

Lynn Loud (Loud House)

Luan Loud (Loud House)

Rita (Flushed Away)

Spike (Flushed Away)💮

Cindy Lou Who (The Grinch(2017)

Nugget (Super Meat Boy)

Om Nom, Om Nelle, Nibble Nom (Cut The Rope/Om Nom Stories)

Swampy, Allie (Where's My Water/Swampy's Underground Adventures)

Linus (Peanuts)

Woodstock (Peanuts)

Dory, Deb (Finding Nemo)

Destiny (Finding Dory)

Billy Bear, Bonnie Bear, Mr Pumpkin (Butlins)

Grogu (The Mandalorian)

Mandalorian

Wally (Where's Wally(1991 Series)

Mr Tumble, Granddad Tumble (Something Special)

Sackboy (Little Big Planet)

Vex (Sackboy's Big Adventure)💮

Parappa, Sunny (Parappa The Rapper)

Danger Mouse, Penfold (Danger Mouse)

Baymax (Big Hero 6)

Otto, Antauri, Circus Of Ooze Crew (SRMTHG)

Sid (Ice Age)

Manny (Ice Age)

Granny (Ice Age)

Peaches (Ice Age)

Arnold (Hey Arnold)

Yumeko Jabami (Kakegurui)

Lucas The Spider

Marisa Kirisame (Touhou)

Noddy, Fuse, Naughticorns, Pat Pat, Dinah Doll (Noddy)

Toto (Dr Panda)

Wander (Wander Over Yonder)

Alice, Tilly, Cricket, Bill (Big City Greens)

Ty The Tasmanian Tiger, Maurie (Ty The Tasmanian Tiger)

Larry (Veggitales)

Lady Dimitrescu💮 Karl Heisenberg💮 (Resident Evil: Village)

Norrie, Peggee (Hey Duggee)

Kratos (God Of War)

Tiana, Charlotte, Dr Facilier💮 (Princess and The Frog)

Berry, Dreamy, Ms Featherbon, Lily, Petite, Daisy (Palace Pets)

Simon, Fionna (Fionna and Cake)

Gordi, Maria (Unicorn Wars)

Zippy, Bungle (Rainbow Series)

Dougal (Magic Roundabout – 1970)

Benrey, Dr Coomer, Tommy (Half Life)

Shellsea (Fish Hooks)

Jude (6teen)

Susie, Kimi (Rugrats – 1991)

Jenny Wakeman (My Life As A Teenage Robot)

Skulker💮 and Walker💮 (Danny Phantom)

Zippy (TUFF Puppy)

Rango, Beans (Rango)

Freckles, Mordecai Heller💮 (Lackadaisy)

Dee Dee (Dexter's Laboratory)

Master Shake (Aqua Teen Hunger Force)

Pugsley (Dead End: Paranormal Park)

Stocking Anarchy (Panty and Stocking)

#comfort characters list #comfort characters #comfort character #comfort character list #friday night funkin #dc

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withlovewriting · 9 months

Text

All I Ever Knew, Only You 5: Bad Men

Chapter Five.

I saw the part of you that only when you're older, You will see too, you will see too, I held the better cards, But every stroke of luck has gotta bleed through, It's gotta bleed through, You held the balance of the time, That only blindly I could read you, but I could read you, It's like you told me, 'Go forward slowly, it's not a race to the end,' Well you look like yourself, but you're somebody else, Only it ain't on the surface, Well, you talk like yourself, no, I hear someone else though, Now you're making me nervous

Summary: Hawkins was your typical quaint, mid-western town where nothing ever happened. People were born here, lived their entire lives within the town limits, and eventually died here, peacefully in their sleep. But one cold November evening in 1983 would change everything.

Despite a child with psychokinetic abilities and ravenous monsters that lacked faces, stranger things had definitely happened in the small town in Indiana. One of them being your reluctant and slightly imposed friendship with Hawkins High’s own King Bee, Steve Harrington.

Characters: Steve Harrington x Non-descriptive F!Reader (eventual)

Words: 6,832

Chapter Warnings: Conversations alluding to physical abuse, explicit language, Jonathan beating Steve's ass, slut shaming, canon-type violence (which may or may not end in un-aliving someone), Carol and Tommy at this point are their own warnings, mentions of the death of a child/children.

Series Warnings: Strong language, mentions of underage drinking, mentions of drug use, canon-typical violence, mentions of alcohol abuse, mentions of possible mental health disorders, child abuse, slow burn, kinda enemies-to-friends-to-lovers, I like to call it ‘two idiots who begrudgingly befriend each other only to realize… ‘wait a damn minute…’, eventual sexual content, canon-typical time-period bullshit. 18+. Minors DNI.

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Chapter Five: Bad Men

Despite Nancy’s persistence, you declined the offer to stay at hers that night. Sure, none of you felt particularly safe, but you needed the comfort of your own bed that evening. Plus, you weren’t exactly willing to let Nancy or Jonathan see you cry.

All the lights were off when you arrived home, your mother’s car gone from the driveway, most likely in the town over where she could drink in peace after work. At least it meant she was far away from whatever was lurking in the shadows of the woods.

You’d crawled into bed after checking and rechecking the lock on the door, only slightly more worried about the creature than you were about your mother’s wrath of being locked out. Despite the presumption that sleep would manage to evade you, you’d fallen into a restless sleep eventually.

The only thing that seemed to rouse you from your fitful sleep was the incessant ringing of the phone, but thankfully a pillow over your head was enough to drown it out.

When the pounding on the door started, however, your body jerked upright, moving on its own accord. Your heart pounded rapidly against your chest as you crept towards the door and it was only when you heard Nancy’s voice calling out to you that your stomach returned to its rightful place in your body. Your annoyance, however, grew tenfold.

“Why are you banging on my door so loudly, and so early?” You asked, swinging the door open and almost knocking yourself out, “Do you know how lucky you are my Mom isn’t home?”

“We need to talk. It’s about last night.”

Nancy and Jonathan perched on your sofa, thighs lightly grazing and the former’s eyes taking in the mess in front of her. Broken coffee table, pieces of what she presumed was either a glass or — from the smell of the house — an ashtray littering the worn carpet.

“Should we say something?”

Turning, Jonathan’s own concerned expression met hers, but the boy shook his head, “No. It’s best if we just drop it.”

Nancy wanted to protest, but the sound of your bedroom door creaking open was enough of a distraction. Still, the girl couldn’t pull her ocean-blue eyes from the cut on your cheekbone as you rejoined them.

“Please tell me you’re not going back in there,” you sighed, sitting on the small armchair as you watched the two closely.

“No. Not exactly, anyway.”

Releasing a deep sigh, you grabbed the packet of cigarettes from the side table, lit one up, and settled back into the seat, continuing only once the thick smoke had burned your lungs, “I don’t like the sound of that. What do you plan on doing? Wait for it to climb back through your wall?”

Nancy shuffled slightly, her cheeks tinted a dusty rose as her thigh nudged Jonathan’s, “The night Barb went missing… She had a cut on her hand. She tried to shotgun a beer and slipped.”

Your brows pulled together as you watched the girl silently. If she had a point, she needed to get to it.

“You never told me that.”

“It didn’t seem important at the time,” Nancy’s eyes dipped to her knees when she saw the annoyance cross your face but forced herself to continue, “but after last night… That thing didn’t have a face but it still chased us. It still knew where we were. It hunted us.”

Rubbing your hand over your face you winced slightly as your fingertips grazed over the small gash on your cheekbone, “Yeah, I was there, Nance. I don’t need a reminder.”

“No, I mean… It couldn’t see us. I know it heard us but… It was tracking us. Tracking you.”

Releasing a sigh, you stubbed out the cigarette straight onto the end table and sat forward resting your face in your hands, “Nancy, please. Just spit it out.”

“You have a cut on your face, your hands… There was a reason it went after you and not me, and I don’t just mean your name-calling.”

Jonathan’s eyebrows furrowed as he looked between you both, unaware of what fully happened on your trip to the Upside Down.

“You think it what... smells blood? Hunts like a shark?”

Remaining quiet, Nancy simply nodded causing the slightly condescending smile that had tugged at your mouth to drop, “Shit. I mean, I guess that makes sense.”

“We’re going to kill it.”

Nancy’s voice — however soft — was full of determination, and that might’ve been the only reason you didn’t laugh at her absolutely ludicrous idea. When neither of the two continued to speak, merely glancing at you like two puppy dogs, you let out a long sigh,

“You don’t even know if you can kill it, let alone how.”

“It has to have a weakness-”

“This isn’t some kind of fairy tale villain, Byers. You don’t have a clue what this thing even is.”

“We were hoping that maybe you’d help-”

Pushing yourself from the small chair, you couldn’t hold in the frenetic laugh that bubbled up from your chest as you shook your head, looking anywhere but the two delusional teens who were perched ramrod straight on your couch,

“You’re both out of your minds. I’m not tagging along on this suicide mission-”

Jonathan’s voice trembled, but his dark eyes remained steady on you, “We know the stakes. We know that this thing, whatever it is… It’s dangerous. Deadly. But this is about my brother. This is about Will. And I’m doing this for him, even if it kills me.”

Your pacing had halted the moment the boy spoke with such conviction, feet suddenly cemented to the ground as he stood and made his way toward the door, Nancy dubiously following him.

“I get that you’re scared. And I totally understand if you don’t wanna do this. But we thought that you should know.”

Sending you a sad smile — one that told you no matter your decision, Jonathan wouldn’t hold it against you — the boy pulled open the door, beginning to make his way outside, only for your words to halt him,

“How the hell are we gonna kill this thing?”

Two sets of eyes turned back toward you, brightened with the hope that they wouldn’t have to do this alone. Nancy took a few steps toward you, ignoring the cracking of already broken glass under her boot, a small gracious smile pulling at the edges of her lips,

“We have a few ideas.”

“This feels beyond illegal,” you huffed, following Jonathan around the Hawkins Hunting and Camping store, and the fact that you were now here to fight some kind of faceless monster that had already planned on making you its next meal almost made you laugh outwardly.

Jonathan — not quite able to muster the same amount of tact you had — snorted quietly, causing you to peel your eyes away from the wall of rifles and send him a sharp glare instead, “Since when were you concerned with breaking the law?”

Grabbing a gas canister from the shelf in front of you, you didn’t bother to lessen your stare, “Since my Mom got called to the school by the cops, maybe?”

Jonathan took the canister from your hands, sad eyes boring into the small cuts on your palm. Suddenly much too aware of the unspoken question that was on the tip of his tongue, you squirmed on the spot, shuffling your weight between each foot as you crossed your arms over your chest.

Palms now blocked from his view, he bypassed the mark on your face completely and instead sent you an eye-roll, hoping to defuse the uneasy tension that had quickly built between you, “Please, as if Hopper would let anything happen to you.”

Hearing just the man’s name forced your brow to pull into a frown. Grabbing the gas back from the boy’s grip, you turned on the spot and marched toward Nancy, who was silently browsing the different types of animal traps.

Piling all of your wares into the trunk of Jonathan’s car, a red car cruised by honking, and a — somehow, even more annoying — familiar face peered out of his wound-down window. Reed Jackson.

You barely caught the derogatory comment he howled towards your small group, and it took you a moment to realize that it wasn’t actually aimed at you.

Breaking into a power walk, you stalked after Nancy as she made her way down the street, halting so quickly in front of The Hawk that you almost barreled right into her. Peering up towards where Nancy was staring — her crestfallen expression tugging at your heartstrings — you cursed under your breath as you took in the painted red words,

ALL THE RIGHT MOVES STARRING NANCY THE SLUT WHEELER

You were confused at first. Nancy was well-liked among your peers at school — even if she was a little prissy — and you wracked your brain to try and work out who would’ve written something like that about her. If anything, you were sure Nancy’s reputation leaned a little closer to prude than anything else, and if you weren’t — unfortunately — privy to the fact she’d had a tryst with Harrington, you might’ve assumed the same.

And then you heard them.

Nancy was already moving, and you and Jonathan chanced a glance at each other before following her, hot on her heels as she turned down the alleyway and came face-to-face with the man himself.

Tommy ceased his new artwork — naming Jonathan as his next victim — as you all watched with bated breath as Nancy and Steve stood in a silent showdown.

It was a slap that could be heard around the world. Harrington’s head shot to the side by the sheer force of impact alone as his friends all let out a shocked gasp. If you were being honest, you didn’t know Nancy had it in her.

“What is wrong with you?” She asked, and you couldn’t help but feel impressed that she hadn’t allowed her voice to crack. It was obvious she was hurt, but you couldn’t work out why Steve was so upset with her.

Steve’s darkened eyes peered down at the girl, the only part of his face that didn’t remain stoic, “What’s wrong with me? What’s wrong with you. I was worried about you.”

Nancy’s mouth opened, but Steve didn’t let her question him, “I can’t believe that I was actually worried about you.”

You couldn’t help but watch the two, your eyes darting between them as you watched their verbal tennis match and it wasn’t until Tommy interrupted his girlfriend's attempt to involve herself in the couple’s business that you realized his attention had been turned to Jonathan instead, and it all seemed to click in place for Nancy.

All but rolling her eyes, she watched as Jonathan timidly approached, his dark eyes darting between Nancy and Steve.

“You came by last night.”

“Ding! Ding! Ding! Does she get a prize?”

“Shut up, Carol.”

You ignored her pointed side-eye as Tommy wrapped his arm around her shoulders, cigarette dangling from his mouth.

“Look, I don’t know what you think you saw, but it wasn’t like that.”

“What, you just let him into your room to… study?”

The realization that Jonathan had stayed over at Nancy’s last night caused you to bite down on your bottom lip. If Steve had come over and seen them, then sure… It probably looked bad. But he should’ve trusted Nancy. If anyone had a reputation, it was him.

The guilt hit you just as quickly, knowing that if you had taken up Nancy’s offer and stayed, maybe Steve would’ve been a little more understanding, and she wouldn’t be slut shamed on the front of The Hawk’s marquee.

“We were just…”

“You were just what? Finish the sentence,” When Nancy didn’t respond, Steve stepped in closer, peering down at the girl with nothing less than disgust, “Finish the sentence.”

Your eyes darted toward Jonathan, the boy’s own were wide and unsure. They hadn’t been doing anything, you knew that. But you couldn’t explain the reasoning to Steve.

Scoffing, Steve began his retreat, “Go to hell, Nancy.”

“Come on, Nancy, let’s just leave,” Jonathan tried to pull at her arm, but Steve stopped, turning quickly for one last stab.

“You know what, Byers? I’m actually kind of impressed. I always took you for a queer but I guess you’re just a little screw-up like you’re father.”

Steve continued to push the boy as you all tried to walk away, but his anger was bubbling under the surface, his words purposeful and full of indignation, wanting nothing more than to hurt Jonathan the same way he was hurting.

Jonathan froze at the mention of his father, and you knew why. Lonnie Byers was an absolute piece of shit who walked in and out of the Byers’ boy’s lives constantly throughout their childhood before wandering back in as if nothing had happened. He was cruel and selfish, and Jonathan had felt it was his duty towards his mother and brother to protect them from the violent man's wrath.

Jonathan was nothing like Lonnie.

But Steve saw a chink in Jonathan’s normally stoic armor and continued to pick.

“Ignore him, Jonathan. He’s not-”

“Yeah, that house is full of screw-ups. You know, I guess I shouldn’t really be surprised. A bunch of screw-ups in your family. I mean, you’re Mom-”

“Harrington, just stop.”

“I’m not even surprised what happened to your brother. I’m sorry I have to be the one to tell you, but the Byers? Their family is a disgrace to the entire-”

Steve didn’t get a chance to finish his sentence as Jonathan’s fist flew through the air, connecting with the former’s jaw, knocking him sideways.

The silence was piercing and seemed ever-lasting as everyone froze, waiting to see what would happen next. Steve — who wasn’t really one to physically bully anyone at school — versus Jonathan, who’d only ever been on the receiving end of a fist.

Steve rushed the boy, tackling him to the hood of a parked car before using his body weight to throw him to the floor.

Nancy stood trying to get the boys to break it up, whilst you stood wide-eyed doing your best impression of a fish. Despite the fists that were thrown, you couldn’t help but picture two hairy cats scrapping in a yard.

But Steve had pushed Jonathan. After everything that had happened, Steve’s comment was the straw that broke the camel’s back and as far as you were concerned, the boy deserved every hit that Byers got in.

Tommy shoved his way between the two, but Steve beckoned him off as the two began to brawl again. At least Harrington had one redeeming trait and kept the fight fair.

The next thing you knew, Steve was dragged up by his friends before running off in one direction, and Jonathan was being restrained by Powell after Jonathan had elbowed Callahan accidentally after one incredibly painful right hook to Steve’s cheek.

You stood with Nancy in shock watching the boy as the adrenaline finally wore off, his body becoming lax against the hood of the same sky blue Ford he was not too long ago thrown onto, his breath coming out in pants as Powell handcuffed him and led him into his own vehicle.

“I’m just saying, Florence, that I don’t know why I have to be here. I wasn’t even the one fighting.”

The older lady peered at you from under her glasses before she made her way to the small freezer, you quick on her heels, “And I’m just saying, young lady, that you have to be here to give a statement. And whilst I’m glad you’ve — for once — kept your hands to yourself, I won’t if you continue to follow me around this office like a pesky little gnat. Now take a seat. The Chief will be back any time now.”

Sending a sarcastic smile her way as you mock saluted, you made your way back to where Jonathan was handcuffed to Powell’s desk. You’d known Flo for a long time, and her comment was more so a promise, than a threat. You’d been on the receiving end of her swatting hands more than enough times to know she didn’t fuck around with empty threats.

Nancy stood, making her way toward Flo to request some ice for the boy, whilst you watched her from a safe distance. Even Nancy Wheeler wasn’t safe from the older woman's annoyed whacks.

“I’m not one to condone fighting-”

Jonathan huffed out a small puff of laughter through his nose, dark eyes staring up at you as you perched on the desk. Raising your brows, you crossed your arms over your chest and hoped to keep the mischievous grin your from lips long enough,

“As I was saying… Whilst I do not condone violence of any kind… You totally kicked Harrington’s ass back there.”

A languid smile graced his features, but couldn’t quite meet his eyes.

“I mean, really. You totally had him. If the cops hadn’t broken it up, he’d probably be lying unconscious in that alley still. What the hell got into you?”

Jonathan’s brow furrowed slightly, his eyes full of confusion as your expression turned serious, “I thought you didn’t care about Harrington-”

“I don’t,” you reiterated, placing a hand over his own, “I care about you, Jonathan. And this isn’t like you. I’ve never seen you hit back in a fight, let alone throw the first punch-”

“I’m not proud of it,” he told you somberly, his eyes peering down at the metal around his wrists, “But what he was saying, about my Mom, and Will… about Lonnie. I just… I couldn’t stand it.”

“And nobody blames you for that. I’m sure Hopper will understand, and it isn’t like Callahan’s going to press charges. That’s way too much paperwork. This is just… just mandatory.”

Sighing, Jonathan’s shoulders hunched even further as his hands moved, testing the strength of the cuffs, “How can you be so sure? God, this is the last thing my Mom needs right now-”

“Last year, I was at a party at Mike Lewinski’s house, and one of his neighbors called the cops to break it up. Callahan got hold of me when I was running, and when I tried shoving him off, I accidentally headbutted him. Broke his nose and even heard the bone crack. And yet, here I am to tell the tale. I mean, sure... I had to scrub the floors here every day after school for a week, but no juvie.”

“I found some ice.”

Removing your hand quickly from Jonathan’s you turned to send Nancy a small smile, “And now she’s back, I’m gonna head out.”

“Didn’t Mrs Larkin tell you to stay here until Hopper arrives?” Nancy questioned, her blue eyes darting between you and Jonathan as if she was trying to unravel something that she couldn’t quite make out.

Sending her a sardonic smirk, you pushed yourself from the edge of the desk, eyes settling on the secretary who was now tapping away on her computer, the repetitive clack, clack, clacking already grating on you,

“Me and Flo are on a first-name basis. Plus, Hopper is kinda the reason I want to leave.” Placing a hand onto the girl's arm, this time you smiled at her warmly, “He’ll be fine. And if you’re still up for our monster-hunting session later, let me know and I’ll be there. Until then, I’m gonna go find my bike.”

Waiting until Flo turned in her chair to rifle through some files, you began your descent to the door, almost breaking out into a jog. You heard the woman’s annoyed call of your name and could bet a hundred dollars that she hadn’t even turned around.

Barely squeezing through the small gap of the door — sneaking as if the woman hadn’t already spotted you — you left her with your parting words, “If he needs a statement so bad, then Hopper knows where I live.”

You really didn’t want to head back to the woods alone, you thought to yourself before letting out a long, annoyed sigh.

Hands burrowed deep in your jacket pockets — a futile attempt to keep them warm — you continued your long walk. After grabbing your bike, you’d head back, tidy up the mess from the previous evening, and hope that Hopper didn’t make a home visit. Then, you’d wait for Nancy’s call before heading out to what felt like your inevitable death.

Plucking a cigarette out of your crumpled pack, you shook your lighter a few times, cursing under your breath when the damn thing wouldn’t light.

Grumbling, you made a slight detour and headed to Fair Mart, only to stop abruptly when an irksomely familiar head of hair caught your eye.

Perched on the hood of his BMW sat a bruised and bloody Steve Harrington.

“It suits you, you know?” You told him as you approached, his head jerking up in your direction.

“What does?”

“Getting your ass handed to you. Maybe someone should do it more often.”

He tried to roll his eyes, but you caught the slight flinch, brows pinching together in pain, “Look, I’m really not in the mood-”

“Where do you get off on treating people like shit? The stuff you said about Byers? Not ok. And the shit about Nancy? What is wrong with you, Harrington?”

“What’s wrong with me? Jonathan and Nancy were-”

“You have no idea, do you? Jonathan has just lost his brother. He’s still grieving. And Nancy? With your reputation, I wouldn’t exactly be throwing stones in a glass house.”

“Come to fight your boyfriend's battles for him?” Carol asked before popping her gum, glaring at you as she made her way back towards Steve, her boyfriend’s arm in its usual place over her shoulder.

Leering at you, a haughty smirk pulled at the edges of Tommy’s lips, “Yeah I mean, how does that work now? Are you and the Princess gonna have allocated days, or just, you know… Share? Together.”

“Ew, Tommy, shut up. There’s not enough bleach in the world to get that image out of my head.” Carol glared, elbowing her boyfriend in the ribs and causing his arm to drop from her.

“Do you two ever shut the fuck up? Seriously, you’re insufferable.”

Popping her gum a little too loudly, Carol’s icy blue eyes set on you in a cold stare, “You wanna go for another little trip, freak? Or did your Mommy already beat me to it?”

“You don’t know shit about shit, Carol.”

“Really? Are you sure about that?” Carol let out an insolent cackle, stepping closer to you, “Because we all know how much your Mommy likes to pour liquor down her throat after your dad left. I mean, I’d probably go crazy too, if one of my kids died because the other one was a useless, pathetic-”

“-That’s enough, Carol.”

Huffing out a surprised laugh from her nose, Carol turned toward Steve, who had pushed himself from the hood of his car, his body slightly shielding you from her.

“Are you kidding me, Steve? Please, it’s no wonder her only friend is Byers. They both have something in common. Fratricide, right?”

“Don’t forget that loser, Bridgette or Brenda, or whatever-”

“Oh god, her. Yeah, gotta admit though, I’d rather be dead than stuck with you, too-”

“Her name was Barbara, you stupid son of a bitch-”

Leaping toward the girl and fully prepared to have a fight of your own, you were quickly blocked by Steve’s chest as he swiveled, the boy using his body to hold you back as Carol cackled out loud, despite the quick back step she took, hiding slightly behind her boyfriend who didn’t bother to move.

“Get off of me, Harrington-”

“You’re gonna end up doing something you regret, trust me-”

“Oh my god, you really are a psycho. Runs in the family, I guess.”

Carol’s words only egged you on further, the annoyance you felt toward Steve suddenly hidden under a blanket of rage toward Carol, and a need to smash her stupid face into the sidewalk.

“Carol, shut up-”

“Everything okay out here?”

Turning your head, you saw Earl from the gas station exit the store, squinting in your direction before looking around at the group. Finally managing to shake Steve’s grip from your biceps, you took a step away from the group, eyes flitting toward the older man,

“Everything’s fine, Earl.”

“You sure? I can call Hopper if-”

“-No. It’s fine. I was leaving anyway.”

Earl remained still for a moment longer, uncertain as to whether or not he should leave, but when you sent him a stiff nod, he slowly made his way back toward his car, lingering for just a moment before getting in.

“Remind me again, is the chief your mom’s boyfriend, or yours?”

The catty remark went over your head — just — as you turned your attention back to Steve, the boy at least having the decency to look abashed, “You know… For weeks I had to listen to Nancy go on and on, defending you to Barb, telling her that she didn’t really know you and that you were actually a decent person, and for just a minute there, I thought maybe you were.”

Steve’s brows pulled together, disgrace and pain etched across his features as clear as day as he waited for you to continue, his brown puppy dog eyes staring into your soul, “But maybe Barb was right. We might be freaks and losers… But you guys are assholes. You’re an asshole, Harrington.”

Ignoring the need for a new lighter and instead stomping off towards the woods in an attempt to locate your bike, you could hear Carol’s high-pitched voice, mocking your words as you left.

“You say blood draws this thing?” Hopper asked, eyes locked on the beast in the photo Joyce had handed to him.

“We don’t know…”

“It’s just a theory.”

Hopper raised a brow toward the teens, waiting for one of them to clarify. Unsettled under his stoic observation, Nancy broke first, explaining about Barb’s cut on her hand, about how the monster seemed to hunt you down as if it could smell the clotted blood on your cheek.

“Wait a damn second… You’re telling me she’s gone back to the place where this… thing tried to attack her?”

“She’s looking for her bike,” Jonathan shrugged, face pinched as he realized the danger you’d put yourself in, “but we’ve only seen this thing at night.”

His reassurance fell on deaf ears when Nancy piped up, explaining how she was certain she’d seen it stalking around the woods at the back of the Harrington house. A curse fell from Hopper’s mouth as he rubbed a hand over his beard,

“The other day she… She was running from something. She told me… shit. She told me about it and didn’t think I believed her. But she saw it. You all saw it?”

Nancy and Jonathan looked toward each other before nodding.

“Right. Ok. Shit. I’ll be back.”

—

“How long ago did she leave, Flo?”

“What am I? Her personal timekeeper?” Flo sighed, continuing to type on her computer until Hopper slammed a hand on his desk, making the other officers around the station jump, but Flo was immune to Hopper and his sudden outbursts, “About an hour and a half ago.”

“And you just let her go?”

He knew that directing his irritation toward his secretary wasn’t right, but Flo was more than aware that it wasn’t just irritation coursing through Hopper’s body. Right now, he was worried.

“I have about as much luck keeping her in this station as I do getting you to complete your paperwork.”

And as always, Flo had a point.

Spinning on the spot, you were certain this was where you’d left your bike the night prior. You could still see the track marks where you’d almost barreled into Nancy. Your heart was pounding as you stood with your hands on your hips, teeth clamping down on your bottom lip.

Taking one last look around and preparing to return home empty-handed, you spotted what looked like drag marks. Inhaling deeply, you forced your feet forward and ignored the lump that began to creep its way up your throat, threatening to suffocate you.

Pushing back the bush, your eyes widened as your hand found its way to your mouth to stop the loud scream that was bound to erupt from you. You’d found your bike, but it wasn’t exactly… ridable.

The metal frame was bent out of shape along the down tube and completely torn apart at the top tube. One wheel was flat and torn as if something had bitten into it and decided that rubber tiers were of a selective palate, and you were missing an entire pedal, crank arm included.

Blood stained the side of it, and you could only presume that the monster had been stalking about after eating the deer it had allegedly dragged into… wherever you found it.

Nose scrunched up in disgust, you pulled the bike through the bush as quietly as you could, an annoyed huff falling from your lips as you fully took in the irreparable damage, “Well shit…”

—

Your legs ached as you trekked through the woods — following the train tracks that would lead you back to civilization — but you didn’t stop until you reached the junkyard, the fear of the woods still at the forefront of your mind no matter how much you tried to compartmentalize it.

“When do you feel good about anything?!”

Your brain forced your body to halt mid-step and kick a metal pipe that was on the floor, profanities falling from your mouth as you hobbled about on one foot, your hands grabbing the metal pole, ready to launch it across the yard. The voice was muffled, but loud enough to be close. Looking around, you could hear a commotion, hushed voices bickering somewhere in the distance, and it wasn’t until you turned toward the old, broken-down school bus that you saw four pairs of eyes staring at you, heads quickly darting down when they realized you’d noticed them.

“You know, a junkyard really isn’t the kind of place you wanna be hanging out. There’s rats and all kinda shit here. Literally.”

You could hear mumbled conversations before a lone head popped up, eyes widening when the person was quickly yanked back down.

Raising a single brow, you began to walk toward the bus once you realized you recognized the owner of the big, brown eyes and most likely the owners of the bikes that were not-so-well hidden under the vehicle, “Lucas? Is that you?”

More mumbling, before a singular voice caught you off guard, “I can deal with her.”

Unable to control the small huff of laughter at being threatened by a preteen, you knocked on the bus door, watching as the same four pairs of eyes peered around the bus seats,

“Sinclair? What the hell are you doing out here?”

“Are you sure we can trust her? What if she’s with them?”

Lucas shoved off the vice-like grip from his jacket before sending his curly-haired friend a deadpan look, “She’s my babysitter. I really don’t think the bad men would’ve bothered with her.”

More grumbles and hushed whispers continued as the boy made his way toward the barely closed door, pulling it open fully and letting you in.

Once inside, he quickly shut the door as best he could behind you, eyes widened when he saw the broken metal pole still in your grip.

“Why are you holding that?” Nancy’s little brother questioned, eyes brimming with suspicion as he stood in front of a small girl.

Looking down toward the object that in all honesty you’d forgotten that you were even holding, you placed it on a front seat before making your way toward the group slowly, the little girl's eyes never leaving you, “Why are you guys hiding in a broken down bus?”

“Have you seen them?”

“Seen who?” you asked, turning to watch the curly-haired boy, Dustin, peering out of the window.

“A bunch of bad guys in repair trucks. They’re after us-”

Unable to hold in your snort, you settled onto a seat in front of Lucas, “Why? Did you steal their hammer wrenches or something?”

“This is serious, alright? They’re really, really dangerous and if they find us, they’ll kill us all. You included!”

Finally taking him seriously, you turned back toward Dustin as he settled in his seat and let out an exasperated sigh, “Wait… You guys are being for real? Why would a bunch of repairmen-”

“They’re not repairmen! They’re from Hawkins lab, and they’re after us because we have her!”

Your eyes turned toward the small girl, her brows furrowed slightly as her dark eyes watched you with a type of fear you’d never seen before. They were being serious.

Sitting up straighter, you shook your head, “I haven’t seen any guys in any trucks, but I came through the woods. Have you told Hopper? He could-”

“Lando Calrissian!” Dustin bellowed, a finger pointing at Lucas.

“The dude from ‘Star Wars’?” You questioned, forehead creasing in confusion at the boy's sudden outburst.

Dustin’s eyes somehow widened as his mouth fell open, “We finally meet a chick who’s into science and ‘Star Wars’, and we’re gonna die! How is this fair? How is this just?”

“Ok, first of all, Curly, don’t call me a chick. You’re like, what? Ten?”

“-I’m twelve-”

“-I don’t care. And second of all, Hopper isn’t going to betray you. If you’ve contacted him and he knows about these… bad men, he’ll keep you safe.”

The sound of approaching cars caused all of you to turn and look out of the window, Lucas’s hand grabbing your jacket to tug you down with the rest of them when they’d realized it wasn’t, in fact, Hopper.

“What was that you were saying about him keeping us safe?” Dustin asked, hiding behind a half-broken seat.

“Are you sure these guys are the bad men?”

The little girl nodded, her coffee-colored eyes felt like they were penetrating your soul as she spoke softly, voice barely above a whisper, “Bad men.”

You nodded before inhaling slowly, moving into a crouch as you crept toward the front of the bus, hands wrapping around the discarded pipe,

“What the hell are you doing?” Mike whispered, eyes wide as he watched you.

The little girl’s clear trepidation caused a field of goosebumps to burst through your skin, and despite barely knowing these kids, with the exception of Lucas, you believed them.

“Your bikes are under the bus, they’ll know you’re here. Just… Hold out until Hopper gets here. You can trust him, I promise.”

You held up your finger in a silent attempt to hush them as you crept a little more forward, taking up a crouched position at the front of the bus, peering out of the window before quickly ducking back down.

They had found the bikes.

As the broken door creaked open, you tightened your sweaty grip around the pipe, chest heaving as you watched the man appear in front of you. His eyes narrowed slightly, definitely not expecting to see you there right before the loud thunk of metal echoed around the small bus, the man dropping to the floor as blood began to pour from his temple, staining the dirt. The same blood that had splattered down the sleeve of your jacket.

Sharp gasps fell from the boys' mouths, whispered curses only stopping when a commotion could be heard from outside as you pulled the door together before raising the pipe behind you once more.

The door creaked open, and you swung. Your breath caught in your throat as a large hand gripped the now bloodied pipe, blue eyes wide as the man flinched away from you,

“What the hell, kid?”

The car ride was silent as everyone's eyes flittered around, unsure glances between friends as they sat ramrod straight, crushed together in the back of Hopper’s cruiser.

Your eyes, however, remained unfocused on the road ahead as darkness quickly swept across the town, your body finally rid of adrenaline, the events of the junkyard playing dangerously over and over in your mind, causing your hands to shake.

“What the hell were you doing out there, kid?”

Blinking a few times, you tried your hardest to stop any tears from falling, “I was looking for my bike.”

“Yeah, I found it,” he huffed in annoyance, rubbing a hand over his face to scratch his beard, “I saw it all mangled and thought… I thought that thing had got you.”

You felt like you were trying to swallow down a lump of barbed wire, leaving your throat sore, and tight and scratchy, “It was deer blood. Last night… Nancy said she saw a dying dear.”

Releasing a deep sigh, Hopper tipped the brim of his hat back a little, eyes darting to his mirror where he watched the group of kids sit silently in the backseat before he turned off toward the Byers house.

“What’s wrong, kid? Normally by now you’d of cursed me out at least three times and threatened to roll out of the car.” Hopper tried to joke, but his tone still felt too heavy. He still felt too guilty.

You were silent for a moment, watching the headlights illuminate the driveway,

“Did I kill him?”

Now it was Hopper’s turn to remain silent as he processed your question, unsure of how to mollify you, or if he even could. The silence continued as the house came into view, and you barely took note of the door opening, Joyce, Jonathan, and Nancy all dashing out onto the porch.

Killing the engine, Hopper placed an arm over the back of your seat, turning toward the kids, “Go see Joyce. We’ll be out in a minute.”

You felt the group's eyes on you as they were all ushered out, and whether their expressions were filled with pity or fear, you really couldn’t tell at that moment. You watched as Nancy embraced her brother awkwardly, the rest of the group hanging around for yourself and Hopper to vacate the vehicle.

Unbuckling his seat belt, Hopper finally turned to you, and the look in his eyes alone told you all you needed to know.

“He was going to kill all of you. He was gonna kill a bunch of innocent kids. So if you ask me, you did the world a favor-”

Turning toward the man, he finally saw your eyes, red and brimming with tears that were threatening to fall, “did I kill him, Hopper? Yes or no.”

“Kid-”

“Hopper…”

“He was a bad guy, alright? He-”

“Please, Hopper. Please.”

The crack in your voice halted any more of his attempts to comfort you. If he didn’t say it, maybe you wouldn’t believe it. Maybe you’d never know, and then maybe you’d be okay. But staring into your crest-fallen eyes as you practically begged him for the truth, hands shaking in your lap as your fingers tugged at the sleeves of your jacket, he knew he couldn’t lie to you. You already knew the answer.

Gripping the steering wheel so tight that the skin stretching over his knuckles paled and the rubber underneath them creaked, threatening to break, he finally answered,

“Yes.”

You were unable to hold in the sob as it forced its way past your lips, chin wobbling as the dam finally broke and tears began to almost pour down your cheeks.

“But listen, kid, and I know that’s not your forte, but listen, alright?” Hopper unbuckled your belt and turned you, his large hands settling at the top of your shoulders and squeezing reassuringly, an attempt to ground you, to pull you back and realize that you weren’t alone. He was here,

“That guy was a dead man walking. Because if you hadn’t done what you did, he’d have killed those kids out there, and yourself. And then I would’ve killed him.”

Your eyes darted towards the group of children that Joyce had begun to usher into the house, a protective arm around them as only a mother would. You caught the little girl’s eyes once more, wide and worried but fixed on you.

Your attention was pulled back toward Hopper as he continued, “You killed a bad guy. And only the good guys, kill bad guys, alright? By doing what you did… You saved five lives. And that is what is important. That is what you need to focus on because right now… I need your help to save one more.”

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