#hopper with a knife: let’s go

[morganbritton132]

Steve’s like, “Why is everyone saying I had a weird childhood. I had a normal childhood.”

Dustin: Because your childhood was weird. Hope this helps.

Erica: Didn’t your dad hit you with a car?

Steve: That was one time

Robin, while Steve is making the stop talking gesture: You told me it happened twice

Hopper: Twice?

Steve:

Hopper: Twice?!

[dayasfilms]

Chapter Eight - The Battle of Starcourt

Summary: It was the final battle in the mall, but you would have never expected what was going to happen in the end.

Pairing: Steve Harrington x Fem!Reader

Warnings: Mentions of Y/N, angst, fluff, blood, violence, weapons, college, moving away

Word Count: 7k

Note: Last chapter of season three! I’m so excited to write season four, but I think those chapters may or may not take longer to write and get out so expect possible delays in between posting new chapters!

Series Masterlist

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“What is that?!” Erica shouted, eyes wide as she stared at Eleven’s leg. The piece of the Mind Flayer was still writhing beneath her skin, making Eleven scream in agony.

“Keep her talking!” Jonathan yelled, already running off to find something, anything, to help remove the creature. “Keep her awake, okay?”

Your full attention was on Eleven, desperate to distract her from the pain. Mike cradled her in his arms, then looked at you urgently.

“Help me get her on her side!” He said.

You nodded and gently helped roll Eleven onto her side, hoping the shift in position might ease some of her pain.

Robin suddenly began to ramble in a panic. “You know, it’s…it’s not actually that bad. I mean, the goalie on my soccer team, Beth Wildfire, this other girl slid into her leg and the bone came out of her knee–”

You stared at Steve with wide, alarmed eyes, silently pleading for him to make her stop. Steve caught your look and turned to Robin.

“It was like six inches or something, it was insane–”

“Robin,” Steve cut her off.

“Yeah?”

“You’re not helping.”

“I’m sorry,” she winced, turning her gaze back to Eleven.

Jonathan returned with a knife and a wooden spoon, crouching down beside Eleven.

“Okay, El? This is gonna hurt like hell, alright?” He warned, pulling on a pair of gloves.

Eleven, already sobbing, gave a tearful nod. “Okay.”

He handed her the spoon. “Need you to stay real still. You’re gonna want to bite down on this, okay?”

“Jesus Christ,” Dustin muttered, horrified as Jonathan prepared to cut into her skin.

Your heart pounded as you held onto Eleven, offering as much comfort as you could. Jonathan looked at you, silently asking for permission to proceed.

You inhaled shakily, but nodded. “Do it.”

Jonathan gritted his teeth, lowering the knife to her leg. The second the blade pierced her skin, Eleven let out a blood-curdling scream. Everyone turned away, unable to watch. You kept holding her, grounding her through the pain.

He tried to reach inside with his fingers, but the creature squirmed deeper, out of reach.

“Jonathan!” You cried. “It’s not working!”

“Stop talking!” He snapped.

“No!” Eleven screamed, spitting out the spoon. “Stop! Stop!”

Nancy rushed forward and grabbed Jonathan’s shoulder. He stopped instantly, pulling his hand back as Eleven sat up, trembling and sobbing.

“I can do it,” she said, panting. “I can do it.”

Beside you, Steve slid down and sat close. He saw your shallow breathing, the way your hands trembled. Without saying a word, he reached for your hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. You squeezed back without looking, grounding yourself in his presence.

Eleven placed her hand over the wound, her face scrunched in pain. Using every bit of her strength, she used her powers. The creature resisted, writhing violently, but she was stronger. She screamed as she forced it out.

Suddenly, the glass windows of a nearby store exploded, shards raining down. Instinctively, you threw your arms over your head. Steve immediately shielded you with his body, keeping you safe.

The creature hit the floor with a sickening thud and began to crawl away, until a heavy shoe came down, crushing it completely.

You looked up, your breath catching.

Standing there were Yasmin, Joyce, Hopper, and Murray.

You stood beside Nancy and Jonathan as your group explained everything to the others.

“The Mind Flayer built this monster in Hawkins,” Mike said. “To stop El, to kill her, and to pave the way into our world.”

“And it almost did,” Max added. “That was just one tiny piece of it.”

“Wait, so…how big is this thing?” Yasmin asked.

“It’s big,” Jonathan replied. “Thirty feet, at least.”

“Yeah,” Lucas chimed in, glancing apologetically at Hopper. “It, uh…sort of destroyed your cabin. Sorry.”

Hopper just sighed.

“So just to be clear…” Steve started, clearly trying to wrap his head around it. “This big, fleshy spider thing that hurt El, it’s basically some kind of gigantic weapon?”

“Yes,” you answered.

“But instead of, like, screws and metal, the Mind Flayer made its weapon…with melted people?”

“Yes, exactly.”

He looked at you, raising an eyebrow and shrugging slightly. “Yeah, okay. I’m…just making sure.”

“Are we sure it’s still out there?” Joyce asked, skeptical. “Still alive?”

“El beat the shit out of it,” Max said. “But yeah, it’s still alive.”

“But if we close the gate again…” Will began.

“We cut the brain off from the body,” Max said.

“And kill it,” Lucas added. He looked around. “Theoretically.”

You all exchanged looks, everything about the situation sinking in.

“Yoo-hoo!” Murray’s voice echoed from across the mall as he jogged over, waving papers in the air. “Yoo-hoo!”

He slammed blueprints of the Russian base onto the table. Everyone gathered around as he explained what he knew. But Erica and Dustin quickly chimed in, shooting the plan down. They’d been down there for a day and nearly died. They insisted they knew the tunnels better than anyone and had a better chance getting around.

They were adamant about going down into the Russian base with the adults to help close the gate. Hopper shook his head firmly, refusing to let them go. Erica and Dustin groaned in frustration.

Yasmin chuckled at their persistence, then made her way over to you. You smiled, hugging your mom for what felt like the hundredth time since reuniting.

“I knew you and Joyce were acting weird,” you mumbled into her shoulder.

Yasmin chuckled. “Yeah, well…you’d think I’d be a better liar.”

You scoffed. “It’s definitely ironic.”

She rolled her eyes, then pulled back to take a good look at you. “You okay, sweetie? You didn’t get hurt fighting that thing?”

You considered telling her about the back of your head, but decided not to worry her. Not right now. You shook your head. “I’m fine. The Mind Flayer, though? Can’t say the same.”

Eventually, Hopper reconsidered and handed Dustin a walkie. “Hey, heads up. You can navigate, just from someplace safe.”

Dustin explained that he had already set up a radio tower at the highest point in Hawkins. To stay in contact from that distance, they’d need a head start and a car.

Hopper let out a frustrated sigh, then tossed him the keys. “Go.”

You watched as Steve, Robin, Dustin, and Erica grouped together, preparing to leave. Steve caught your eye and gave a small wave. You waved back, wanting to say something, but couldn’t find the words.

Murray, meanwhile, gathered you, Nancy, and Jonathan. He handed over the keys to his house in Illinois and rattled off the combinations to every lock. You all listened closely, trying to absorb every detail. When he was done, Murray placed the keys in Jonathan’s hand and walked off without another word.

You walked over to your mom again and wrapped your arms tightly around her. “Please be safe,” you whispered into her shoulder.

Yasmin let out a soft sigh. “Don’t worry about me, sweetie,” she said, pressing a kiss to your forehead. “I know how to handle myself.”

You let out a small laugh, nodding. “I know you do.”

She smiled, cupping your face in her hands. “Just…stay safe. Far away from all of this. Okay?”

“I will, mom,” you said.

You turned to join Nancy, Jonathan, and the kids. Mike and Max were helping Eleven walk. All of them felt tense. Just as you started to move, you heard your name.

You turned back. Hopper stood there, arms open. “Come here.”

You smiled and wrapped your arms around him. He held you protectively, the way a father would. And that’s what he was to you.

“Be careful,” you murmured.

He pulled back, looking you in the eyes. “Don’t get into trouble.”

You grinned. “You too, dad.”

Hopper’s smile grew wider at the word. He watched you head off, pride in his eyes. Yasmin stepped up beside him, her gaze following the kids as they moved away. She noticed Hopper staring and raised an eyebrow.

“What?” She asked, unsure why he was looking at her like that.

He just shook his head slightly, still smiling, and said nothing.

As you climbed into Nancy’s car with the others, a strange feeling settled in your chest. You couldn’t shake that persistent thought that something was about to go terribly wrong tonight.

Nancy jammed the key into the ignition and turned it, but it didn’t start. She tried again. Still nothing.

“What’s wrong?” You asked.

“I…I don’t know,” Nancy stammered, her panic rising. The engine sputtered but wouldn’t start. “You’ve gotta be kidding me. Come on!” She shouted, slamming the steering wheel.

“Didn’t your mom just buy this car?” Lucas asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Yes. I’m sure it’s fine,” Nancy said, trying to stay calm.

“Did you leave the lights on?” Will questioned.

“No.”

“Do we have gas?” Lucas added.

“Yes!” Nancy snapped. She kept turning the key, but it was useless. “Come on!”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa! Stop!” Jonathan said from the backseat. “Pop the hood.”

The three of you climbed out. Nancy popped the hood while Jonathan leaned over the engine. His face tightened.

“What?” Nancy asked.

“The ignition cable’s gone.”

You frowned. That wasn’t just a malfunction, someone did this.

A car engine revved in the distance. The three of you snapped your heads to see Billy’s Camaro in the far distance, facing towards you.

Your blood ran cold.

You rushed to the car, banging the door open. “Back in the mall! Go!”

The kids scrambled out and sprinted back inside. You followed close behind, hearts pounding.

Inside, Mike grabbed his walkie and tried calling Dustin and the others. “Come on, come on, answer…” But there was nothing. You were trapped in the mall.

Pacing, your eyes landed on Nancy crouching next to one of the Russian guard’s bodies. She picked up a gun, checking it over.

You instinctively reached for your own gun in your holster to make sure it was still there.

“You’re gonna kill him, aren’t you?” Max asked.

“It’s just a precaution, okay?” Nancy said firmly.

Will looked between them. “And not just Billy. If he knows we’re here…so does the Mind Flayer.”

Nancy’s eyes flicked toward the crashed car at the other end of the mall. “No chance that thing’ll drive, right?”

You blinked, the idea hitting you instantly. “Nance! You’re a genius.”

Nancy blinked in confusion, but Jonathan caught on.

“We don’t need it to drive,” he said. “We just need the ignition cable.”

You all ran to the damaged car, trying to tip it, but it was too heavy.

“Let me try,” Eleven said, limping forward.

“El–” Mike started.

“I can do it.”

You all stepped back as Eleven tried. She focused, but nothing happened. Her powers weren’t working. You stepped forward, placing a hand on her shoulder. “It’s okay, El. You rest. I’ve got an idea.”

With your instructions, thanks to junior year physics, you used leverage and teamwork. Using different tools from the mall and pure strength, you pushed until the car rocked, then flipped upright.

“Told you. Physics,” you said, breathless.

Nancy popped the hood. You and Jonathan worked on opening it. He grunted in frustration, so you stepped in and forced it open. Once you managed to open it, you dug through the engine.

Your stomach twisted again, knowing that something wasn’t right. Jonathan finally yanked the ignition cable loose when you heard Mike’s voice shout.

“Nancy!” Mike shouted.

You all looked up. Through the glass ceiling above, the Mind Flayer was stomping on top, ready to fall right through.

“It’s taking too long,” Hopper muttered, pacing restlessly in front of the door. Joyce was checking the adjacent room while they waited for Murray’s signal.

Yasmin let out a breath and rolled her eyes. “It’s not. Stop being so impatient.”

“She could’ve died back there,” Hopper said, the worry thick in his voice. “She almost did.”

Yasmin’s expression softened as she looked at him. “She’s safe now. She’s on her way to Murray’s. That thing won’t find her. Not before we kill it.”

Hopper turned to face her, hands on his hips. “Hey, this isn’t how this is supposed to go, all right?”

Yasmin raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms.

“You’re supposed to say, ‘I told you so. That’s why we needed to go back to the kids,’” Hopper continued.

“Oh, right,” Yasmin said with a smirk, then began to mock him. “Yeah, you’d be like, ‘well, it’s hard to listen to you when you always make everything sound like the end of the world.’”

Hopper blinked, looking slightly offended. “I don’t sound like that.”

She just grinned, shrugging her shoulders.

He shook his head. “You know…despite everything, despite all the arguing…I think we make a pretty good team.”

Yasmin laughed. “Oh, so now I’m not difficult to work with just because I’m a woman, huh?”

Hopper huffed. “Hey, I never said that.”

“But you thought it,” she teased, chuckling at his expression.

He narrowed his eyes at her. “You already know I think you’re good at your job. Way better than I am at mine. Don’t put words in my mouth.”

Her cheeks felt slightly warm at the compliment. She quickly looked away and shrugged. “Hop, I’m kidding. We made it this far, didn’t we?”

“Yeah. We did.” Hopper watched as she sat down on the steps. After a moment, he joined her. “It’s hard to be a team when you don’t live around here anymore, though, Agent.”

The reminder hit Yasmin harder than she expected. California. It had always felt like the right move, far away from this town.

Hopper noticed her hesitation. “You’re still moving, right? That’s the plan?”

She hesitated, gaze flicking to the ground. “I don’t know. We’ll see what happens.”

“‘What happens’? What do you mean by that?” Hopper asked, his brow furrowed.

Yasmin tilted her head slightly. “I mean, if we actually make it out of here alive, I think we deserve a little celebration.”

“Yeah…”

“I hear Enzo’s is nice,” she said, watching him closely. “What do you think? Friday, eight o’clock?”

Hopper blinked, as if trying to process the question. “Uh…El likes to watch Miami Vice on Fridays. It starts at ten, so I…I can’t be out too late.”

She grinned. “Okay, then. How about seven?”

“Seven?” He echoed. Yasmin nodded. “Enzo’s. Friday. I meet you there?”

She shook her head. “Why meet me there? You pick me up instead.”

He nodded slowly, repeating her words like he didn’t want to get anything wrong. “Pick you up. Seven PM. Friday.”

She smiled. “Yeah. It’s a date.”

Hopper stared at her, his heart pounding in his chest. “Just to be clear, I mean, just so there’s no confusion…when you say ‘date,’ you do mean like a real–”

“Yeah, Hop?”

“Yeah?”

“Stop talking, or I’m gonna change my mind.”

He grinned. “Yeah. Okay. Yeah.”

You, Nancy, Jonathan, Will, and Lucas dove behind the car. Max, Mike, and Eleven took cover elsewhere.

The ceiling shattered. The monster crashed to the ground, roaring and stalking the mall. You held your breath, barely daring to move.

Suddenly, Mike’s walkie crackled.

“Guys, do you copy?” Dustin’s voice rang out. The Mind Flayer screeched in rage, snatching the walkie with a tentacle and hurling it. It landed near the car you were hiding behind.

Steve panicked when no one answered. He heard the loud roar of the creature and started to think of the worst case scenarios. The only thing on his mind was you. If anything happened to you, he wouldn’t be able to forgive himself.

He started running towards the car, needing to get them out of the mall. Robin followed him after Dustin gave her an extra walkie, getting into the vehicle with him. He drove back to Starcourt as fast as he possibly could, his heart beating against his chest rapidly. He was thinking of everyone in the mall, especially you.

In the mall, the monster prowled, searching. You risked a glance in the car mirror and saw it. It was roaming around.

You heard a noise from somewhere and the creature roared, its head turning towards the way Max, Eleven, and Mike went. It found them in the Gap, using its tentacle to scope the store.

The monster was way too close to them, but before it could reach them with its tentacles, Lucas grabbed his slingshot and a rock from his pocket, and stood up.

“What are you doing?” You whispered to Lucas.

“Don’t worry,” he whispered back.

He carefully used his slingshot to pop a balloon in the far end of the mall. Lucas quickly sat back down. The Mind Flayer turned and slithered away. You took the chance as its focus was elsewhere.

“Go, go, go!” You quietly shouted.

Everyone ran. The kids piled into the car. You, Nancy, and Jonathan worked fast to install the cable.

Billy’s car engine roared to life again nearby. He was going to charge straight toward you.

You pulled out your gun and stepped in front of Nancy’s car.

“Get the car started!” You yelled. Nancy and Jonathan froze for a second, then bolted into the car.

You aimed and fired, but it was proving to be useless. Billy hit the gas hard, speeding towards you.

You closed your eyes, using your hands to shield you as you braced for impact.

CRASH!

Billy’s car veered off course, slammed into from the side.

You turned to see what happened, shocked to see that Steve had just rammed into Billy. Relief flooded you instantly.

Jonathan finally got the engine going. “Get in!” He shouted at you.

You dove into the back next to Lucas. Jonathan drove up to Steve and Robin, with Nancy calling out to them. They scrambled in, just as the Mind Flayer appeared again. Jonathan hit the gas. The monster chased you all through the darkened streets.

Jonathan kept driving when the walkie-talkie in Robin’s hand suddenly crackled to life. You could hear Dustin’s voice, and then another girl’s voice responding.

“Suzie…” both Steve and Robin said at the same time, realization dawning on them.

“Who’s Suzie?” You asked, glancing over at Lucas.

“Dustin’s girlfriend,” he replied casually.

Your eyes widened. “Girlfriend?!”

But before you could process that any further, the Mind Flayer was still hot on your trail. Its relentless pursuit kept your attention more focused on the ongoing danger than on whatever Dustin was asking Suzie over the radio.

And then, out of nowhere, Dustin and Suzie began to sing.

Everyone in the car went silent.

They were singing. In the middle of a life-or-death chase.

You just sat there, blinking in complete confusion. Were you hallucinating? Was this some kind of joke? You couldn’t believe what you were hearing. And yet, the two of them kept going, performing the full song without hesitation.

When they finally finished, Suzie gave Dustin the number he needed, which was Planck’s Constant.

You raised an eyebrow and looked back at the walkie in Robin’s hand. “Planck’s Constant? Seriously? I could’ve told him that.”

Lucas let out a laugh. “He’s never living that down.”

Right then, the Mind Flayer suddenly slowed and began to turn around.

“It’s turning around!” Steve shouted from the back.

“What?!” Nancy called from the front.

“It’s turning around!” Steve repeated, louder this time.

“Maybe we wore it out?” Lucas suggested.

Jonathan didn’t buy it. He spun the car around, following the creature as it made its way back toward the mall. “I don’t think so.”

Your stomach dropped at the thought of Max, Eleven, and Mike. They were still inside. And if the Mind Flayer was heading back, it meant something was wrong. Maybe Billy had found them.

You arrived at the mall just as the creature slipped back into the building. Everyone jumped out of the car, preparing to rush in, when suddenly, you and Lucas had the same idea.

“The fireworks!” You both shouted.

You grabbed as many as you could carry and ran inside with the others. The scene was chaotic. Eleven lay sprawled on the floor, the Mind Flayer towering over her.

You stood next to Jonathan and Nancy, fireworks in hand, heart pounding. Lucas threw the first one, and it exploded with a loud crack, grabbing the monster’s attention. All of you started throwing fireworks at the Mind Flayer, creating loud noises and light to distract it, while also hurting it.

The creature shrieked in pain, crashing into the walls as the fireworks exploded around it. You kept throwing them, one after another, but you knew the supply wouldn’t last much longer. The gate needed to be closed now.

Through the smoke and chaos, you spotted Billy on the ground, writhing from the impact of the blasts. But your focus snapped back to Eleven as she was trying to crawl away.

Then Billy lunged and grabbed her leg, yanking her back and pinning her down.

Your heart dropped. You wanted nothing more than to rush down there, to help her, to stop him. But you knew it wouldn’t help. Charging in recklessly would only get you caught too, and maybe even killed.

Yasmin, Joyce, and Hopper burst into the control room, boots pounding against the floor as alarms blared and the massive gate pulsed with light behind the glass. Hopper didn’t hesitate. He raised his gun and fired at the ceiling. The Russian scientists scattered, fleeing in terror.

Yasmin stood frozen for a split second, her breath caught in her chest as she stared through the window. The gate roared with unnatural energy. These Russians were opening it.

Her stomach twisted with dread.

Hopper cracked open the briefcase in his hand, revealing three keys. He handed a key to Joyce, then one to Yasmin.

Yasmin took hers quickly, her fingers trembling.

They split, each running to their panel. Hopper looked at them. “On three. One. Two–”

But he didn’t make it to three.

Hopper turned just in time to take a brutal punch to the face. He collapsed to the floor with a groan, the Russian man standing over him. Joyce lunged for the rifle nearby, but the man caught her and threw her aside. Yasmin launched forward, kicking him in the back. He stumbled, but not for long.

Before she could reach her weapon, the man was on her. She blocked his punch and landed one of her own, but he was too strong and too fast. His fist crashed into her side. Pain exploded through her side, and she stumbled back, hitting her head hard against a console.

Everything started to spin.

She gasped, reaching blindly, forcing herself to stay awake. The machines whirred around her. Lights flashed.

She blinked rapidly and saw Joyce lying nearby, unmoving.

“Joyce,” she whispered, dragging herself across the floor. “Joyce, come on.” Her voice cracked with desperation. She shook her friend and felt a flicker of relief when Joyce stirred.

“What happened?” Joyce groaned.

“No time,” Yasmin choked out. “We have to move.”

She helped her up, her own body screaming in protest. Then Yasmin turned her gaze to the window and froze.

Hopper was inside the room fighting the Russian with everything he had.

“No,” she breathed.

The walkie crackled. Dustin’s voice shouted through, telling them to close the gate now.

Joyce’s hand went to the panel on the far right. Yasmin staggered to the left panel, yanking her belt off and looping it over the key. She stretched with her free hand, straining for the center panel.

She grunted, pushed harder, her fingers barely brushing the cold metal.

Then, finally, she felt it. She grasped it quickly.

Yasmin’s eyes darted back to the glass windows just in time to see Hopper hurl the Russian into the machine. The man disintegrated instantly, sparks and ash vanishing into nothing. Hopper turned, shielding his face from the violent energy.

The walkie screamed again. “Close it now!”

Yasmin looked at Hopper. And Hopper…he was already looking at her.

Everything else fell away.

His face was bloodied, bruised. His breathing ragged. But his eyes softened when they found hers. Full of pain. Full of love.

And Yasmin knew.

He wasn’t getting out of there.

Her heart split open. She shook her head slightly, tears spilling from her eyes as her hand hovered over the key. This wasn’t how it was supposed to end. Not when she had finally let herself love after all these years. Not when he had made her believe it was possible.

Through the glass, Hopper smiled through tears, a smile just for her. A soft, sad, crooked smile that told her everything he wanted her to know. He nodded once, telling her it was okay.

Yasmin’s lips trembled. She turned to Joyce, who was already crying, and nodded her head.

Yasmin squeezed her eyes shut, and finally, they turned the keys.

And the gate began to close.

Hopper was gone. Just like that.

But in her heart, he stayed.

You soon ran out of fireworks, and the gate still hadn’t closed. Time was running out. The Mind Flayer’s roars echoed louder through the mall as Billy continued to pin Eleven to the ground.

Then, something happened that made your heart drop. Billy stood up and placed himself between Eleven and the creature. You wanted to scream, to get Eleven out of the way. The Mind Flayer struck, its tentacle lunging forward to finish Eleven.

But Billy stopped it. He held his arms out, shielding her with his own body.

Your mouth parted in shock, eyes widening as the tentacle drove itself into Billy instead. Blood spurted out from the impact, and he let out a scream of agony while the Mind Flayer roared in his face.

You turned your head and looked down the stairs to see Max, watching it all unfold. You could see it in her eyes, that she was about to run to him. And before she could even move, your legs carried you forward, rushing down the stairs just as Max let out a scream and tried to bolt toward her stepbrother. You grabbed her, wrapping your arms around her tightly as she thrashed and sobbed, trying to break free.

Then, the Mind Flayer collapsed.

Its limbs slammed against the floor before dissolving into a sickening pile of mush and bones. That’s when you realized the gate must have finally closed.

Billy fell too, hitting the ground hard. You let go of Max. She moved slowly toward him, tears streaming down her face, her chest heaving with each sob. She knelt beside him as he weakly opened his eyes and choked out a final, broken, “I’m sorry,” before closing them again forever.

You sank to the floor. Max turned to you and collapsed into your arms, weeping. You held her tightly as she cried into your chest. Glancing toward Eleven, you saw her watching both of you in silence. You reached out a hand, pulling her into the embrace.

“It’s okay,” you whispered. “I’m sorry.”

You knew those words wouldn’t heal anything. Nothing could. Her brother had just died in front of her, and the scars from that would never fade.

Sirens blared outside. Police officers, firefighters, and paramedics flooded into the mall, evacuating everyone. You stood out front, waiting anxiously, your eyes scanning the crowd for your mom and Hopper. Your pulse quickened with each second they didn’t appear.

When you finally saw Joyce and Murray, relief washed over you, until you realized your mom and Hopper weren’t with them.

Then a hand gently touched your arm. You turned to see Steve, who looked at you knowingly. He could tell you were searching for Yasmin and Hopper. Without saying a word, he wrapped his arms around you, holding you close when he noticed the tears in your eyes.

“Hey, they’re here,” he said softly, rubbing your back. “Maybe they’re still insi—”

He stopped mid-sentence, his eyes fixating on something in the distance.

You followed his gaze, breath catching when you finally saw your mom. Yasmin had spotted you too. You instantly pulled away from Steve and ran into her arms, clutching her tightly as tears of relief streamed down your face.

But she didn’t say anything. Not a single word. Just a loud, broken sob.

You froze, furrowing your brows and pulling back slightly to look at her face. Something was wrong. Terribly wrong.

“Where’s Hopper?” You asked.

Yasmin didn’t speak. She just shook her head, more tears spilling down her cheeks. You stared at her in disbelief, your chest tightening. You couldn’t breathe.

“No,” you whispered, shaking your head. “No. You’re wrong.”

She only hugged you tighter.

Your tears of relief turned to grief. A lump rose in your throat.

Eleven stood in the far distance, searching for Hopper, until her eyes met Yasmin’s. And the moment Yasmin shook her head, Eleven’s face crumbled.

You broke from your mother’s embrace and turned around to see Eleven. You ran straight to her and threw your arms around her. The two of you clung to each other, sobbing into each other’s shoulders. Neither of you said anything. You didn’t have to.

Your heart ached at the thought that you’d never get to talk to Hopper again. Never laugh with him. Never hear his voice.

You couldn’t even imagine how your mom was feeling. The heartbreak in her eyes said it all. She had found love again, real love. She was finally letting herself feel it, and now it was gone. Just like that.

It was all over now.

You finished packing your last box, shoving the remaining items into it with a tired sigh. Glancing around your room, now empty and unfamiliar, you couldn’t believe you were actually leaving this place for good.

At the Byers’ house, Dustin, Mike, and Nancy were helping pack up. The U-Haul truck was already there, and once everything was loaded, Joyce would drive it over so you could add the rest of your and your mom’s things.

Max and Lucas were helping you here. It made sense to split everyone into groups since there was still a lot to get done.

Eleven had been staying with you and your mom for the past few months. Your mom had officially decided to sell the house and move to California, and as it turned out, Joyce had the same plan. The two women, being close friends for years, figured it would be a good idea to live together in a big house.

You didn’t mind. You were excited to live with Jonathan and Will, who already felt like your brothers, and of course, Eleven, who had become like a younger sister to you.

And since the new house was close to your university, there was no need to live in a dorm. It was perfect, living with family while attending your dream school.

There was a knock on your bedroom door, and you turned to see your mom step inside, an envelope in her hand.

“Hey, sweetie,” she said softly, walking over. “You doing okay?”

You let out a shaky breath and nodded. “Yeah…I think so.”

“I know it’s hard,” she said with a small, sad smile. “It’s tough leaving your friends behind. But you’ll still get to see them. I can always help everyone with the travel costs.”

You gave her a faint smile. “I know…”

She pulled you into a hug. “I found this letter in one of El’s boxes. It’s for you, from Hopper.”

You blinked in surprise, your heart tightening. You took the envelope and looked down at your name written on the front. “What is it?”

“I don’t know,” she replied. “I didn’t open it.”

“Oh,” you whispered.

“He also left one for El,” she added with a light chuckle. “I don’t think he ever did talk to her and Mike after all.”

That made you laugh. “Of course he didn’t.”

Yasmin gave you one last squeeze before pulling away. “Joyce just got here with the truck. There are still a few boxes left. The kids are helping out, if you want to join.”

You nodded. “Yeah, I’m coming.”

She stepped out, leaving you alone again. You stared at the envelope, then carefully opened it and unfolded the letter.

As you read Hopper’s words, your vision blurred with tears. Your chest ached. He wasn’t here anymore.

You slipped the letter back into the envelope and tucked it gently into your backpack. You’d keep it forever.

Wiping your face, you barely registered another knock. Turning, you saw Nancy standing in the doorway, her eyes already glassy.

“Hey,” she said softly, crossing the room and wrapping her arms around you.

“Hi,” your voice cracked. “Thanks for coming.”

“Are you kidding?” Nancy pulled back slightly, giving you a teary smile. “Of course I came to see my best friend before she leaves.”

You looked down. “I’m going to miss you, Nance. You’re a really good friend.”

Nancy’s tears spilled over. “You’ve always been the best, Y/N. Always. I wish you didn’t have to go.”

“At least we’ll visit each other,” you said, nudging her gently.

“Yeah.” Nancy sniffled. “I can’t believe both my best friend and my boyfriend are moving away. I already feel so alone.”

You placed a hand on her arm. “Hey, you’re not going to be alone. You’ve got Mike, you have other friends at school, and you’ll make more. Before you know it, break will come around and we’ll be back together.”

“I hope it comes fast.”

“I’m sure it will. And hey, you and Jonathan might be in college together next year.”

“Only one year left,” she said with a hopeful smile.

Suddenly, your eyes landed on your car keys, sitting on top of one of the boxes. You walked over, picked them up, and returned to Nancy.

Without a word, you took her hand and placed the keys into it. She frowned, opening her mouth to protest, but you shook your head.

“I don’t need it,” you said. “I’m driving my mom’s car, Jonathan’s taking his, and my mom’s driving the U-Haul. We’re pairing up for the drive because it’s safer that way. Besides, college is close to our new place. If I do ever need to get to campus some days, I’ll just take the bus.”

Nancy shook her head in disbelief. “No, I can’t take your car.”

“I could sell it, sure,” you said with a small laugh. “But what if I come back to Hawkins and want to drive it again? You’re the only person I trust with it. And I don’t mind if you drive around in it. I want you to have it, for now.”

Tears welled in Nancy’s eyes as she let out a shaky laugh, pulling you into a tight hug. “Thank you for trusting me. Seriously.”

You hugged her back just as tightly. “Take good care of her.”

“I will,” she whispered. “Promise.”

You talked a little more before Nancy left to help with the rest of the boxes. You walked over to your window, arms crossed over your chest, and looked out.

The tree beside your window on the second floor came into view. The one Steve used to climb to sneak in.

You weren’t together anymore, but the two of you still talked. Between hanging out with the kids and Dustin’s insistence, Steve was always around. You could never avoid each other. Not that either of you ever wanted to.

You stayed friends, though the feelings never fully went away. You hadn’t seen him much lately. Your internship had kept you busy, and working with your mom was a good distraction.

Still, the kids said he’d been spending more time with Robin, and that stung. You didn’t know if they were together or just close, but the idea of Steve moving on…it hurt. And maybe that hurt confirmed the breakup had been the right decision. You didn’t want to hold him back. Just like he didn’t want to hold you back.

You’d told him you were leaving today. You were sure the kids told him too. You didn’t expect him to come. You weren’t his anymore. But a part of you still hoped he would.

A knock on your door snapped you out of your thoughts.

You turned, expecting one of the kids.

Instead, Steve leaned casually against the doorway, arms crossed, a soft smile playing on his lips.

Your eyes widened. “Steve…”

“Wow,” he teased, walking toward you. “This might be the first time you didn’t notice me standing behind you.”

You swallowed, startled. “I–I didn’t think you’d come.”

He raised an eyebrow, stopping just in front of you. “Why wouldn’t I? The love of my life is moving thousands of miles away, and you think I wouldn’t come just because we broke up?”

Your heart skipped a beat at the comment. “I guess…”

He stepped closer, gently taking your hand in his. “Well,” he murmured. “You’re wrong.”

You stared at him, taking in his face. Those familiar eyes, that gentle smile. “Steve…” you whispered. “This still hurts.”

“I know,” he said softly. “It hurts me too.”

Silence settled between you. You looked down at your joined hands before speaking again.

“You know,” you began, your voice tentative. “Nancy and Jonathan are still together…even though he’s moving. They’re making it work. Long distance, I mean. We could try.”

Steve’s expression didn’t change right away. He just studied your face with those warm, bittersweet eyes that made your heart ache. And then, slowly, he shook his head.

“God, I love you more than anything. But if we tried to stay together right now…I think we’d just end up hurting each other more.”

You felt your heart crack at the sound of his voice. “But we could try.”

“We could,” he admitted. “But it wouldn’t be fair to either of us. You’re starting this whole new chapter. You’re chasing your dreams. And I’m still figuring my own stuff out here. If we’re constantly counting down days, struggling to keep up with time zones and phone calls…I don’t want that kind of love to turn bitter. I don’t want us to become a burden to each other.”

You blinked back tears, nodding slowly.

“I want to be there for you,” Steve continued, squeezing your hand. “Even if it’s not as your boyfriend right now. I’d rather be in your life as your friend than not in it at all. And who knows…maybe one day, you move back. Or maybe I move closer. We’ll see where life takes us.”

You gave a soft, shaky laugh. “So you’re saying there’s still a chance for us?”

Steve smiled, this time with that familiar, dorky sparkle in his eyes. “There will always be a chance for us.”

You leaned your forehead against his, closing your eyes as his hands moved to gently rest on your waist.

“I’m gonna miss you so much,” you whispered.

“I’m gonna miss you more,” he murmured.

When you pulled back, you smiled up at him with tear-filled eyes.

He cupped your cheek. “Hey, you’re going to do amazing things out there. You’re going to become the best damn lawyer this world has ever seen, I know it. You worked so hard for this, so don’t let anything hold you back, okay? Always be the one to lead.”

You nodded, feeling more tears roll down your face.

He pulled back slightly, brushing his thumb across your cheek, wiping away the tears. “You go be incredible. I’ll be cheering for you every step of the way.”

You laughed, your heart full of love but also pain. “Friends?”

He grinned through the sadness. “Always.”

Then he pulled you into a hug, the kind that said everything words couldn’t.

And for now, that was enough.

You finished loading every box into the moving truck. Emotions ran high, with laughter, tears, and bittersweet goodbyes filling the air. No one wanted to let go. You held each of your friends tightly, trying to hold onto every second.

You fought hard not to cry. You weren’t going to break down in front of everyone. You wanted to be strong.

When you hugged Steve one last time, his hands lingered gently at your waist. You held on for a moment longer before pulling away. His eyes met yours, soft and glassy, tears slipping down his cheeks.

You wanted so badly to reach up and wipe them away, but the sob building in your throat threatened to escape. Instead, you gave him one final, lingering look before turning and walking toward your mom’s car, offering one last wave to everyone.

Jonathan and Will climbed into his car. Yasmin and Joyce got into the moving truck. You and Eleven took your seats in your mom’s car.

The truck pulled out first, Jonathan’s car followed, and then you in the back. You waved at your friends one last time as Hawkins faded in the rearview mirror.

The sadness hit you like a wave, but you stayed quiet for El’s sake. From the corner of your eye, you could see her silently crying, her gaze fixed out the window.

You tightened your grip on the wheel as the ‘Leaving Hawkins’ sign came into view. A soft sigh escaped your lips as your eyes locked onto Jonathan’s car ahead.

Your mind drifted to the memories, every friend you made, every joy, every heartbreak, every moment that shaped you.

But now, it was time for something new. A new chapter. New people, new places, new stories.

A new beginning.

[ladykailitha]

Spellbound Part 12

Just two more chapters to go. The climax and the wind down.

Things are really moving along, though to try to sum it up for you it would be easier to say what doesn't happen as there is some much action being packed in a lot of words.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11

~

Robin, Steve, and Eddie stepped out of the front door, high above the ground. Below them, Jason was holding Chrissy hostage with a knife to her throat. He was surrounded by his cronies. Not the Watch. Which considering that when Eddie left the group they had both Callahan and Hopper, but now neither of them were there, was a little disconcerting.

He hoped they were okay.

It was just Wayne. Which meant that Argyle had escaped too. This was starting to look worse and worse.

Andrew and Chase, Jason’s closest friends now that Bav had killed Patrick, were looking up at the three of them.

Steve standing in the middle in glorious golden armor, Eddie to his left in his purple and black garb and even Robin looked more powerful then what she had before.

“Get down here, witch!” Jason snarled. “Or I slit your apprentice’s true love’s throat, spilling her blood and binding my family to land forever.”

“Blood magic?” Steve growled. “You dare to dabble in blood magic? Are you insane? Do you not know the cost? What it does to you?”

“I know full well the cost,” Jason snarled. “The Carvers have been practicers of the art for many generations! An angel came to my forefather Demetrius to teach him the art of using the blood of the Lamb of God to bring the world to his bosom.”

“You think you are bringing people to Christ?” Robin hissed. “Through killing and subjugation? Are you an idiot?”

“I don’t answer to you, witch!” he spat. “You better come down here and submit to your punishment and I might let this whore go.” He yanked on Chrissy’s hair, causing her to gasp in pain.

Robin shook her head and jumped deftly to the ground. “So like a man to resort to insulting a woman’s virtue the moment she displeases you. You know full well that she needs to be a virgin for any kind of sacrifice spell.”

Eddie leapt after her and landed even more neatly than she did.

“You better let her go,” he warned, his face a mask of fury. “Just how much damage do you think we can do before and this is a major if, Jason, you take us out?”

Jason tossed her at Chase and Andrew. “Take her back to my father. We’ll still need her for later.”

Chase nodded and took a strangely compliant Chrissy back into town. But as she walked away something fell from her hand.

Steve’s jaw was in a tight line. “Eddie, Robin, I’m going to need you to back away, please.”

Eddie and Robin looked back up at where he was still standing at the front door, then back at Jason who was standing there smug.

Robin grabbed Eddie’s hand and ran underneath Bav all the way to the backdoor. “We really don’t want to see this!”

“Yeah, once is enough thanks!” Eddie agreed. But as they came out from under the house, he paused and pressed his forehead to Bav’s hind leg.

“Take care of him,” he murmured. “Please.”

Then he let Robin pull him farther away.

He looked up at the house and his eyes went wide. Bav who was once a two storey building with gables and bay windows was now a small hut the size of a carriage and was only five feet in the air.

“Holy shit!” he hissed. He turned to Robin. “Did you know she could do that?”

Just then Max and Billy came running up to them.

“I did!” she said proudly. “But this is not the time to waste it how Bav changes shape! We’ve got bigger problems.”

Eddie and Robin looked back at Steve and Bav fighting Jason and then turned back to her.

“What’s going on?”

“Tommy is leading a lynch mob against Steve and you,” Billy said gruffly. “Pitchforks and torches and they’re coming this way!”

“We can’t let them near Steve and Jason!” Robin hissed. “What do we going to do?”

Billy rubbed his chin and then bit his lip. “We need to lead them away from here.”

“The forest!” Eddie said, snapping his fingers. “The Prince of the Forest would be able to protect us!”

“Who’s that?” Max huffed.

Eddie grabbed her hand and started running for the treeline. “No time to explain!”

Billy and Robin ran on their heels.

“Big white angry deer!” Billy bit out. “It’s a good plan.”

“How is that supposed to help us?” Robin growled. “Gore them to death with his antlers until the rest of the mob makes him dinner?!”

Eddie snorted. “I don’t think they’ll be able to pass the treeline!”

Sure enough the four of the hit the tree line and suddenly the white stag stepped out to face the mob that was coming up on them fast.

Witch Hunter Hagan came to a stop in front of the beast. “I banish you in the name of Jesus Christ!”

The crystal blue eyes turned red.

“Demon!” Witch Hunter Hagan cried.

Then a white hind came out of the forest, its back baring two ethereal beings, glowing in gold.

Lord Eanethreal and Lady Melisande slipped off the beast and Lady Melisande patted the hind’s head gently.

“Protect the young ones, your majesty,” she murmured. “My husband and I will take care of the Witch Hunter.”

Then the stag’s eyes returned to crystal blue as he bowed.

It took Eddie a moment. He put Robin on the stag and Max on the hind. Both beast rose to their feet.

“Billy?” Max asked, her lip quivering. “Why aren’t you coming with?”

Billy shook his head. “Virgins only, brat! I’ll be fine!” He smacked the flank of the hind and both deer turned and broke for the trees.

Witch Hunter Hagan held out a crucifix. “High ranking devils! Stand back! You may have dominion over the beasts of Hell, wench! But you have no power over me!”

Lord Eanethreal growled. “You are the thing fowling this place, I will not let your destruction prevail!”

He pulled out a sword made of pure light and Hagan and the mob pulled out swords.

“Steel,” Hagan said with a smirk, eyeing the fae sidelong. “Made with iron. I wonder if it’s enough to hurt you...”

Lady Melisande pulled out a bow made of yew. Her arrows glowed with the same golden glow as herself. “You would have to reach him to find out, filth! Care you to test it?”

“Fan out!” Witch Hunter Hagan called out. “She can’t stop us all.”

Billy picked up a large stick to use as a club and Eddie did a motion with his hand that he had seen Steve do countless times, the black glow of his magic shoot from his fingers.

The mob roared as vines shot up from the ground.

Lord Eanethreal turned to him and then bowed his head. “Witch it is past time for you to come to your power.”

“Blame the Carvers!” Eddie said with a snarl.

“There you go again!” Hagan growled. “Besmirching the names of good folk! You keep their name out of your mouth!”

Then one of the men cried out, “The vines aren’t real! They seek to deceive you!”

And suddenly the mob surged forward, Lord Eanethreal sighed and then waded into the fray, sword swinging and Billy charged in with him swinging the club at anyone who came near.

While the noble fae fought off the mob, Eddie and Billy struggled against the Witch Hunter. Eddie tried to keep his attention off Billy with his illusions, but before he could stop him Hagan ran Billy through.

Eddie’s heart stopped as the blade pierced Billy’s stomach.

Billy grabbed Hagan by the collar, blood drenching his mouth, covering his teeth. “You should have secured your dagger, imbecile.”

Hagan staggered back, taking the sword with him.

At first Eddie couldn’t understand what had happened until the Witch Hunter turned around and he could see the dagger sticking out of his back.

As both Billy and Witch Hunter Hagan stumbled to the ground, out of the out of the woods, Steve came strolling out.

The Witch Hunter looked up at him in all his combat witch glory. A shining beacon of hope to all those who saw him.

All but one.

Thomas Hagan let out a strangled cry, coughing up his life blood, the dark red vanishing against the black of his uniform.

“You were supposed to be the best of us,” he rasped, struggling to reach out to Steve.

Eddie and the noble fae ran to Billy’s side as Steve knelt by the Witch Hunter’s.

“Oh, Tommy,” Steve mourned. “You always did do what your father told you instead of using your own good sense.”

“A witch let my mother die,” he said around the mouthful of blood.

Steve held up his head and drew it onto his lap. “No, Tommy. Your father refused to let Mother see to her until it was too late. She had come by every night, begging your father to let her use the herbs that would lessen the fever that racked your mother’s body. And each time your father turned her away.”

“He lied?”

“I’m so sorry, Tommy,” Steve murmured.

“I hurt so many people and for what?” he rasped. “But no more.” And with that Thomas Hagan, Witch Hunter breathed his last.

~

Steve knew that Jason wouldn’t give up without a fight. That he would strive against him with every fiber of his being and not stop until he had breathed his last.

He stood in front of his home, now the size she was when they traveled to this town, glamoured to look like a carriage instead of what she was. Long since the days of Baba Yaga, witches have had homes that they could take with them and settle in a new place if the old got too intolerant.

But Steve had no desire to leave. He was happy here and he was determined to fight for that happiness.

“Jason,” he growled, light sword in hand. “What do you hope to gain from this? We just want to live in peace.”

“You witches are a plague on God’s green earth!” Jason shrieked. “And we will wipe out your disease with Heaven’s fire!”

Steve let out a slow breath, it catching in his chest. “We were here before your Christ,” he said with conviction. “And we will remain long after you have returned to the dust of the earth.”

Jason let out a gut wrenching snarl in agony and rage. “Why won’t you just die!” he screamed at Steve. “The old ways are dying! Why can’t you die with it?!”

Steve stepped forward with an air of solemnity. “Because witches are the custodians of the Mother and we speak for the lowly brownies. For the noble fae. And yes, even for the wicked redcaps.”

“You’re insane!” Jason cried. “You allow those vile things to exist!”

“No, Jason,” he continued calmly. “Your family did. All it takes is a blessing from a priest and a crucifix and the beast would have been banished. But when your family came to this town, with your blood magic and its spell you allowed the redcap not only to live, but to thrive.” He waved his arm in the direction of the town. “These people knew to avoid the ruins, but you took that knowledge from them. You opened them up to the dangers of the supernatural world.”

“To save it!” Jason insisted, drawing out his sword and waving it around like a mad man.

“For who?” Steve asked. “For its people? They aren’t happy having chunks of their memories gone. For Chrissy? She’s a puppet on a string. She has no mind of her own.”

“She is supposed to be mine!” Jason snarled, pointing the tip of the sword at Steve. “She wasn’t even supposed to know about soulmates or true loves or whatever you freaks call it! You or that Munson boy must have bewitched her!”

“She’s supposed to be her own person, Jason,” Steve murmured. “Humans aren’t meant to be controlled. Eventually they break free.”

“No!” Jason said, wailing. “You must have done something to her. Something to turn her against me!”

Steve shook his head. “She went to the wrong house, Jason. She had gone to Eddie’s house first. If she had met either of us before then, she would have gone to the right house. But she didn’t. She couldn’t have.”

“Enough!” he cried and ran at him sword swinging wildly.

But before he could get anywhere close to Steve Bav knocked him away with one of her forelegs. His sword went flying and he got to his feet. Blood poured from the corner of his mouth and he wiped it away with a huff.

“If that foul thing won’t let us fight man to man,” he sneered, “then I’m going to have to do this the easy way.” He pulled a gun from a holster on his hip. It was a revolver and he spun the chamber. “Iron is iron, after all. It doesn’t need to be a sword that gets you, Harrington. I’ll just have to put you down like the dog you are.”

Steve flicked his hand and out shot a bright light of gold. Suddenly Jason let out shriek of alarm as the wood paneling in the handle of the gun abruptly sprouted flowers. When it landed on the ground, the flowers grew into a sapling.

Jason stumbled to the ground and his hand felt his sword. He grasped the hilt and leapt to his feet, springing forward to attack Steve.

Every time that Jason felt he was getting the upper hand, Bav would strike and he would be sent scrambling for his footing.

He stood panting for breath and covered in sweat. “Even without the help of the foul demon, you are much stronger than before. You were such a weakling. Passing out from just talking to those two devils and their spawn that the Head Watch dares to call his daughter. Your potions and powders having none of the real potency they deserve. But how? How are you able to best me?”

Steve cocked his head to the side. “Well for starters, dumbass, we are outside of town limits and the spell goes to the gate and no further.”

“But even then!” Jason protested.

“Once every one hundred years,” Steve said, a shield appearing in his left hand, “there are a pair of witches born with the power of the gods to take on such evil the world has never seen. And I think it’s you. You and your family has to be stopped.”

“My family will endure!” Jason screamed. “We will rule this country! In another hundred years and the whole world will be under our control!”

Finally a helmet appeared over Steve’s features. “You will die here!”

They attacked at the same time, only this time Jason wasn’t just being pushed back, he was being defeated.

Finally Steve got him turned around and with one final push from Bav, Steve ran his sword clean through the other man.

Jason began to twitch and writhe, his body twisting and folding in on itself.

Steve threw up his shield and just in time for Jason’s form to explode into dust.

Steve’s avatar form vanished and he stumbled to the ground. As he panted for breath, he felt something under his hand. Circe landed on his shoulder.

“Where the hell have you been?” he snapped.

She cawed at him. “You are my familiar. You are supposed to protect me and not run off at the first sign of danger. You’re in trouble, Missy.”

He dusted off his new found object. He tilted his head to the side. “What do you make of this?” He held it up for her see.

She made an odd croaking noise.

“That’s what I thought too,” he said getting to his feet as she fed him some of her energy. “But how did a protection charm come to be all the way out here.”

“Chrissy?” Steve asked. “You sure she was wearing this the day she came to the cottage?”

Circe cried again.

“Well, shit.”

~

Part 13 Part 14

Tag List: TWO SLOTS REMAINING

1- @niniel-karenine @watermelonmite @zerokrox-blog @sadisticaltarts @dolphincliffs

2- @gregre369 @cryptid-system @kultiras @kimsnooks @maya-custodios-dionach

3- @goodolefashionedloverboi @val-from-lawrence @carlyv @wonderland-girl143-blog @bookbinderbitch

4- @bookworm0690 @forgottenkanji @dreamercec @blondie1006 @yikes-a-bee

5- @awkwardgravity1 @oopsallgender @fearieshadow @stedestielfrattficlover @dragonmama76

6- @ellietheasexylibrarian @thedragonsaunt @useless-nb-bisexual @disrespectedgoatman @counting-dollars-counting-stars

7- @tinyplanet95 @ravenfrog @swimmingbirdrunningrock @gutterflower77 @just-a-tiny-void

8- @w1ll0wtr33 @beelze-the-bubkiss @wheneverfeasible @micheledawn1975 @gloomysoup

9- @dotdot-wierdlife @tartarusknight @ollyxar @yesdangerpls @two-vampires-kissing

10- @themoonagainstmers @estrellami-1@steddieislife

[citrusandrottefruit]

Diagnosed with Hanahaki, a genetic autoimmune disease, as a child, Steve has learned to live with it. Along the way, he finds a family and falls in love with Eddie. He is never cured, but he lives.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Parte 5 | Parte 6

After a few hours of talking, Steve decided what to do: for the next few days, he would just go to work as usual (after all, he couldn't miss any more) while his body began to adjust to the new medications, and once he felt more settled and at peace with himself, he would go to Eddie, then Hopper and Joyce, and then the kids.

In Robin's opinion, he should come out as soon as possible, but Steve thought it was a much better idea to alert Eddie about his health condition, see how he dealt with it, and only in a few weeks, after he had already gone through all the difficult conversations he knew he would have, talk about his feelings.

“What if he agrees to date me out of pity, Robin? I couldn’t stand it.”

“Eddie has a lot of feelings for you, but pity isn’t one of them. He looks at you like he wants to put that whole ‘eat the rich’ thing into action.”

“Maybe, maybe.” Steve reluctantly agreed, only because he knew Robin had the best intentions, but he didn’t have the same perception he did. They were in the kitchen, Robin having demanded to make a healthy breakfast. “But he only knows me as a high school athlete and a…”

“Fighter in the Upside Down?” Robin offered. She was looking right at him, having abandoned the fruit she was cutting. “A protector? Hero?” She pointed at Steve with the knife, her knuckles white. Steve stared until Robin set the knife down on the counter.

“Yeah. A fighter, a hero, a protector. Whatever. That’s how he knows me.” Steve crossed his arms. “Someone capable. Physically, at least. I’ve never been very smart, we don’t have the same hobbies, I’m not as passionate about music as he is. I can’t even smoke if he wants to spend his time smoking.” He ran a hand through his hair, already feeling his chest tighten, his breath starting to run out. “I can’t even get a job without you to convince someone to hire me.”

“Steve…”

“I’m not saying I’m terrible or anything. I’m not, you know that, but the only thing that’s exceptional about me is this illness and my involvement with the Upside Down. If it happens again, I don’t think I’ll be any use. I won’t be the hero you’re talking about anymore. It would be too much to ask Eddie to want me right after finding out the truth. So I’ll tell him, but only after he understands what it means to have Hanahaki.”

The discussion ended there, with a hug and Robin admitting that he was right and betting that she was right too. Eddie was in love, she was sure of it.

Despite believing that she had everything planned and resolved, a few hours after Robin left, Steve saw his plans being ruined by a hesitant and quiet knock on the door, followed by two loud knocks and another slightly quieter one. Steve opened the door and saw Eddie, who looked strange, rocking on his toes and looking around as if he were being chased by Vecna ​​himself.

As soon as their eyes met, Eddie twisted his hair and asked if he could come in. Steve let him, because he couldn't deny Eddie anything, but he still didn't feel ready to face him.

Steve turned his back and walked to the kitchen, because at least he could pretend to be busy cooking, just so he wouldn't have to face Eddie head on.

At first, Eddie didn't say anything, just watched as Steve put vegetables on the counter.

"Did I do something?"

"Hmm?" Steve hummed without turning around.

"You've been avoiding everyone. Dustin said he talked to you on the phone, you checked on Max a few times, and I know you've been answering all the kids on the walkie-talkie."

"Yes."

“I don’t understand. I thought everything was fine. That we were fine.”

Eddie’s voice was so weak that, against his better judgment, Steve turned to him.

“We’re fine.”

“Are you sure? I don’t…” Suddenly, his face turned as red as a tomato. “Didn’t I do anything to make you uncomfortable?”

And because he was a weak man, Steve leaned closer.

“No, of course not.” Steve smiled, wanting to make Eddie comfortable. “Why would you think that?”

“It’s been almost a month since we last saw each other.”

“I know.” The answer was so low and shaky that Eddie stopped playing with his hair.

“It was right after we left here, me and Wayne.” Eddie says, as if Steve didn’t know that. “I figured you might want some space, at first, because I can be pretty tiresome.”

“Nah, man, I never get tired of you.”

Eddie blushed again and looked pleased.

“Then I thought maybe you were upset about the move.”

“What? No, I know you guys need your own space. It’s not to offend me or anything.”

Eddie blinked owlishly and then laughed.

“Uncomfortable sleeping in the same bed as me.”

“Ah!” Steve felt his face heat up. “Ah.”

With an appraising look, Eddie took a step forward. A huge step, which put the two of them almost chest to chest.

“Eddie…”

“I even thought you might have been hurt that you didn’t help unload our things when we moved, you know?”

“I wouldn’t be upset about something like that.” Steve mumbled, still not having the courage to walk away and wanting to run for the hills.

“Yeah, I know.” Eddie whispered almost inaudibly and Steve was forced to follow his mouth to understand. “That’s why I dismissed the idea.” Then he smiled and Steve had no doubt that he was caught ogling. “I couldn’t sleep well, because every time I woke up in the middle of the night, I remembered you.”

“Hm. Yeah. I… I almost looked for you last night, I guess I still haven’t gotten used to you moving, after all.”

Having regained consciousness, Steve prepared to step out of Eddie's bubble of personal space, but all he had to do was put one foot back and he was pulled back in. Despite the growing tension between them, the last thing he expected was to be kissed.

I warned you, Dingus! A voice sounding suspiciously like Robin resounded in his mind.

When Eddie tried to deepen the kiss, Steve remembered the bitter taste on his tongue, the traces of blood in his mouth, and felt disgusted and embarrassed. This time, it was easy to get some space.

For a few seconds, they didn't say anything, but Eddie looked so pale and scared, ready to run away, that Steve managed to force the words he had been dreading out of his mouth.

“I have Hanahaki.”

“What?” Eddie straightened up. “How? Who? Why?”

Although the questions were vague, Steve understood.

“My mom has it too. I was diagnosed when I was 9, almost 10.”

“10 years?” Eddie sighed. “10?”

Steve leaned against the kitchen counter, because he was tired, but he didn't want to have this conversation sitting down.

“Hanahaki?”

“Yeah.”

“Are you sure?” Steve nodded. Eddie, alarmed, began to pace back and forth, stopping to look at Steve every few steps. “Hanahaki, that disease with roots in the chest? That destroys the lungs? The love sickness?”

“It's not like I described it, but yes, that's it.”

“Who was it, Steve? Was it Nancy?”

“What? No, man.” Steve laughed a broken laugh. “I told you I've had Hanahaki since I was little, I didn't even know Nancy back then.”

“So, who…? Was it your p…?”

“I don't know if you know this, but Hanahaki has genetic factors, as well as environmental ones. It manifested itself in my mother, then in me.”

“Your mother has Hanahaki?!” He seemed increasingly incredulous.

“I’ve been wanting to tell you this for a while now, and I think it needs to be now, before you say or do anything. Listen to everything I’m going to say, please.”

Eddie nodded in stunned silence.

“It’s scary, Eddie.” Steve said quietly, trying to find the right words. It was easier with Robin, maybe because he didn’t feel like he had to impress her, maybe because he already knew she would be by his side, maybe because he had left out so much. “Because I lived practically my entire life with Hanahaki. I don’t remember much of anything before the diagnosis, so I can’t compare it to… You know, a healthy body. I did a lot of things while I was sick, so I guess… I don’t know, I guess I thought I could do this, you know? That I could be strong all the time, that I could always run, be strong, that I… Geez, I said that before, right? Be strong.” Steve laughed humorlessly. “I could be an athlete who goes to the hospital almost every month and needs medication every day… I’ve had Hanahaki for 10 years. I’ve done a lot of things.” Eddie opened his mouth, but Steve held up a hand, so he pressed his lips together and waited. “I guess I didn’t even realize I was in the easy part. I didn’t stop to think about how much worse things would actually get, and I feel like it’s finally caught up with me.”

“Steve, you’re not going to die. You’re going to be okay, we’ll figure it out, anythi—”

“No, please. You have to listen, I’m just trying to think. It’s hard to talk about this. The only person who’s really listened to me is Robin, and we haven’t talked about it that much, so I don’t know what I’m doing. I don’t know how I should say this, so it might take a while. I need to think.”

After a few moments of silence, Steve assessed Eddie. Before Vecna, Eddie had always been so full of life, so loud, so theatrical. Steve had noticed it at school and when he picked up the kids after the Hellfire Club. After the spring, he changed, as they all did. He carried an air of tragedy wherever he was, lost in thoughts of suffering, inspiring infinite sadness at times. But he never looked like this. So still, barely breathing, and yet so alert, so aware of everything. His eyes never stopped moving on Steve, almost as if he was waiting to be able to see Hanahaki.

Steve thought that if he wanted to, he could stay silent and Eddie wouldn’t argue, because people could give in so easily when they thought you were going to die with the slightest disturbance.

“I’m not going to be okay and I don’t want anyone to promise me that. Now I’m going to tell you because it’s scary. I thought a lot about how to tell you this… It’s scary because I’ve known Hanahaki for years, but this disease still surprises me. A few months ago, I was so much more capable than I am now. I’m losing things all the time. Basic, simple, easy things. Things that I once took for granted. That’s what you need to understand before you…”

Steve looked into Eddie's eyes and blushed, because he could hardly admit that there was something between them without being sure that everything was clear. Of course, that was when Hanahaki decided to act and he coughed until he bent over, barely able to breathe. Eddie approached uncertainly and trembling, but Steve just stepped back and took a Hanahaki inhaler. From his pocket, he took a handkerchief and spat out some blood with pieces of the roots half dissolved.

The silence stretched on.

"That's it. That wasn't even bad. But it wasn't normal either, I'm just going through a bad moment, but I'm already treating it, I'll get better, it just won't be the same as it was before Spring." Steve explained embarrassed. "I don't want you to commit to anything without being sure what you're getting into and I have no problem waiting."

Eddie grabbed Steve's hands, not caring about the handkerchief, which got his hands dirty too. His eyes, the first thing Steve noticed romantically, were huge and scared.

“Steve, I won't regret it, you don't have to worry about that.”

Although he appreciated the sentiment, Steve got irritated and pulled his hands away.

“Well, what I need now is to make sure you're sure.”

“Okay, whatever you want. I promise.”

“It's not that I don't trust you, it's just that you don't know what Hanahaki is like. I know what it's like.”

“I'll research it, I'll learn everything. I'll become an expert at this! I swear.” The promise drew a wet laugh from Steve and, as if by magic, Eddie felt infinitely lighter. His eyes lit up and he reached out his hands once more, hovering over Steve's arms. “Can I hug you?”

At Steve's nod, they approached. Very slowly and with uncharacteristic caution, Eddie placed his hands on Steve's back. Steve huffed out a laugh and squeezed Eddie tightly, pulling him even closer.

"I won't break."

After that, the conversation was vague. Steve figured Eddie had a million questions, but he settled for asking if, even though he didn't know much about Hanahaki yet, he could stay and spend the night. As a friend of Steve's and nothing more.

For what seemed like the thousandth time, they lay down on the bed in Eddie's old room. There were no more personal items there, but Steve hadn't even changed the sheets yet, which were messed up on the bed as if they were waiting for Eddie to come back from a trip to the bathroom. He was kind enough not to comment, even though it was obvious he had noticed.

Unlike all the times they had slept together before, this time they cuddled. Maybe it wasn't the best idea for Steve's poor heart, but he was too tired to even think about fighting. To fill the silence, Eddie told him about a book he had been reading lately.

Just as he was almost asleep, Steve felt Eddie murmur something near his ear and asked him to repeat it.

“I asked if you’re going to need a transplant. I read about it once.”

“Probably.”

“Okay.” Eddie tightened his arms around Steve. “I can be your donor, Stevie.” Steve shook with laughter and felt Eddie’s smile on the back of his neck. “What’s wrong? You don’t believe me, Sweetheart?”

“Robin promised the same thing.”

“Oh, then maybe we’ll have to fight for you.”

That night, Steve fell asleep feeling like everything might turn out okay after all.

The next part is the last one. After that, I'll post some thoughts on it, for more context.

Tag list | @estrellami-1 @drips-and-drabbles15

[alwaysmoncheri]

𝐥𝐞𝐭’𝐬 𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡 | 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧

summary: in which best friends, y/n henderson and steve harrington get caught up in their feelings while paranormal activities occur in the small town of hawkins, indiana

cw: fem!reader, I wrote this a long time ago(I apologize for everything cringe), shit writing, first person pov, mentions of death, guns/knifes/weapons in general, mentions of blood/gore, hurt, comfort, angst, 4.1k

<3

The lights start to flicker, as El searches for our missing friends. We all look around the gymnasium in confusion and worry.

"Barbra?" Eleven whispers, as her breathing begins to pick up, faster and faster.

Nancy and I glance at each other worriedly and lean forward over the pool, at the mention of our friend's name.

Eleven gasps before the lights shut off completely.

"What's going on?" Nancy asks, looking up at the lights confused.

"I don't know," Mike responds quietly beside his sister.

"Is Barb okay?" Nancy leans forward even more, trying to ask the girl, "Is she okay?"

"Gone! Gone! Gone!" El cries repeatedly as her body starts to squirm uncontrollably.

Nancy places her hand over her mouth, tears now flooding her eyes as Jonathan pulls her close in comfort. I grab her hand gently, squeezing lightly before letting go, my eyes too, filling with tears.

Barb is dead.

"It's okay, it's okay." Joyce whispers to the girl, "It's okay."

"Gone! Gone!" Eleven continues to cry before Joyce gently grabs her arm comfortingly.

"It's okay, it's okay," She repeats.

"Gone!"

I reach out, gently wrapping my arm around the girl's head, bringing it up to my chest. "Hey. It's okay," I whisper in El's ear, "It's okay, we're right here."

I glance at Joyce.

"We're right here, honey." She says to the panicked girl.

"It's okay, I got you." I repeat as Eleven continues to gasp, "Don't be afraid, I'm right here with you."

The intensity of Eleven's breathing seems to decrease slightly, and I release her, moving back to my spot next to Nancy. She and Jonathan look at me with concerned eyes, I send a reassuring smile back.

"It's okay, it's okay," Joyce repeats after I let go, "It's okay, you're safe. You're okay, honey."

Eleven's breathing finally evens out as she calms down from Joyce's comforting words in the pool before she speaks again.

"Castle Byers."

Joyce whips her head around to Jonathan who looks back with the same look in his eyes. The rest of us glance at each other too.

"Will?" Eleven whispers.

Joyce gasps.

"You tell him... tell him I'm coming." Joyce says desperately, "Mom is coming."

"Hurry." Will whispers weakly from the other end of the walkie-talkie.

We all turn our heads to stare at the radio with shocked expressions. Then switching our faces to a concerned look, we glance back at Joyce and Eleven in front of her as she desperately clings onto the girl.

"Okay. Listen, you tell him... to stay where he is," Joyce stutters panicked, "We're coming. We're coming. We're coming, honey." She adds.

"Will? Will!" We hear El cry through the radio, "Will!"

Joyce and Hopper grip Eleven's trembling hands firmly, trying to provide comfort to the gasping girl. Suddenly, she sits up in the bath, with a sharp breath, yanking off her goggles. All of us are taken aback by the sudden movement as we stare at her in shock.

"Oh! Oh, okay, okay." Joyce holds onto El's body as she breaths heavily, "I've got you."

Eleven starts crying in Joyce's loving arms.

"It's okay. I got you. I got you." Joyce repeats, "I got you, honey. You did so good." She adds reassuringly before kissing El's temple as she continues cry in her arms.

I make eye contact with El as she curls up into a ball. I gently reach out, grabbing her hand and rub reassuringly, telling her that it's going to be alright.

|☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆|

Nancy and I sit together with our backs pressed against the cold, hard wall. I bring my knees up to my chest, while Nancy simply stares at the wall, lost in thought. A solemn look rests on both of our faces as we mourn the loss of one of our best friends.

Barb didn't deserve to die.

Jonathan eventually joins us, sitting himself down on the other side of Nancy. We all sit there in silence until Nancy speaks up.

"We have to go back to the station." She says simply, making Jonathan and I turn towards her.

"What?" Jonathan asks.

"Your mom and Hopper are just walking in there like bait." Nancy stammers slightly, "That thing is still in there. And we can't just sit here and let it get them, too."

"We can't." She finishes.

Jonathan and I glance at each other before he sighs, "You still wanna try it out?" He asks.

"I wanna finish what we started." Nancy confirms, finally looking at the two of us, "I want to kill it."

Jonathan and I nod before I stand, grabbing both of their hands and pulling them up off the ground. I smirk slightly before speaking.

"Then, lets kill this son of a bitch."

|☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆|

Nancy, Jonathan, and I successfully make it back to the Byer's house after going to the police station and collecting our supplies.

With our boxes and bags in hand, we make our way into the house. We set them down and immediately notice the lights that have been hung up on every square inch of the house. Nancy, Jonathan and I glance at each other before getting to work.

After screwing in all the singular light bulbs, I turn my attention to setting up the bear trap, making a mental note not to trigger it in the process. After spreading around the lighter fluid and leading it directly towards the trap, I grab my crowbar taking a few swings to make sure I'm ready to kill that bitch.

I make my way back over to Nancy and Jonathan, who grabs three knives from the kitchen drawer before walking back over to us and handing one to both Nancy and I.

"Remember." Jonathan says.

"Straight into Will's room. And—" Nancy repeats our plan.

"Don't step on the trap." I finish with my knife hovering over my hand.

"Wait for the yo-yo to move." Nancy continues.

"Then..." Jonathan flips his lighter on showing us the flame before putting it back in his pocket, "Alright. You guys ready?" He asks.

"Ready." Nancy and I nod at the same time.

"On three." Jonathan says as we bring our knifes up to our hands, "One... two..." Jonathan sees Nancy's distressed look before continuing.

"You guys don't have to do this—"

"Jonathan, stop talking." Nancy shakes her head at the boy.

"I'm just saying, you don't have to—"

"Three." I cut him off before slicing my hand while the other two teens follow quickly behind. I wince and shake my hand slightly at the pain of the cut, blood dripping from the gash. Clenching my fist to contain the flow of the blood, I stare at the cut on my hand. "Son of a bitch." I hiss before Jonathan gets some bandages to wrap our hands in.

We all sit on the couch, our hands wrapped in bandages, nursing our injuries. With a look of concern, Nancy gently wraps Jonathan's hand. The look on her face belies her love for him, and Jonathan smiles back with an equally caring look. I stare at the two hoping their bond only gets stronger.

Suddenly, there's a noise from outside, causing all of us to jump slightly.

"Did you hear that?" Nancy asks, looking at the front door and then glancing back at the two of us.

"It's just the wind." Jonathan replies, eyes locked on the door before he looks back at Nancy, "Don't worry. My mom, she said the lights speak when it comes."

"Speak?" I ask, unsure how lights can possibly speak.

"Blink." Jonathan replies turning towards me, "Think of them as alarms."

There's a moment of silence as Nancy continues to do Jonathan's bandage.

"Is that too tight?" She asks finally.

"No, it's fine." Jonathan stammers slightly, "Thanks." He adds, staring at the girl.

"Nancy." Jonathan whispers.

"Yeah?" She replies and they stare at each other for a few more moments.

Suddenly, we all jump up at the loud sounds of banging on the door. We gasp and our heads instantly swivel towards the front door, our senses heightened as we wonder who has just arrived.

"Jonathan!?" I hear someone yell from the other side of the door. "Are you there, man? It's... it's Steve!"

The three of us glance at each other confused.

Why the hell is Steve here?

"Listen, I just wanna talk!" Steve continues banging on the door.

I immediately leap up from my spot next to Nancy and Jonathan and quickly head to the front door, unlocking it slowly and only opening it a little crack. As I do so, I'm met with Steve in front of me, his face still bloodied and bruised. He looks at me with desperate eyes, and I freeze in shock for a second before speaking again.

"Steve, listen to me." I say sternly.

"Hey, (Y/n), what—" Steve starts with a confused look on his face.

"You need to leave." I demand and the boy shakes his head slightly.

"I'm not trying to start anything, okay?" Steve replies sadly looking into my eyes.

"I don't care about that." I say quickly, even though I still care, very much, "You need to leave." I place my bandaged hand on his chest ushering him to go.

"No, no, no." Steve says desperately, grabbing my hand and placing it in his, "Listen, I-I-I messed up, okay?" He stammers slightly, "I messed up. I messed up. Okay?"

"Really. Please." I search his eyes for sincerity that I find clear as day, "I just want to make things right." He admits with a sigh.

"Okay? Please. Please..." He continues and my eyes soften as he begs me to let him in.

That's when he finally notices my hand in his.

"Hey, what happened to your hand? Is that blood?" Steve asks softly, stroking my hand in his own.

"Nothing. It was an accident." I yank my hand out of his, placing it back to my side.

"Yeah, what's going on?" Steve asks sincerely concerned for my well-being.

"Nothing." I answer a little too quickly.

Rage fills Steve's eyes and he glances behind me. "Wait a sec. Did he do this to you?" He says referring the Jonathan as he attempts to push his way into the house.

"No." I reply, putting my hand on his chest again.

"(Y/n), let me in." Steve says pushing against me.

"No! No! No, Steve!"  I can't hold him back and he stumbles into the house before freezing.

All three of us stare at him as he looks around the trap-filled home.

"What is... What the..." Steve finally spots Nancy standing next to Jonathan, "Nancy?"

"You need to get out of here." She says to him before Jonathan runs up to Steve attempting to push him back out the door.

"Whoa, what is all—"

"Listen to me. I'm not asking you, I'm telling you, get out of here," Jonathan continues pushing Steve who just pushes back.

"What is that smell?" Steve says frantically, "Is that... is that gasoline?"

"Steve, get out." Nancy says firmly, pointing the gun straight at Steve's head.

"Wait. What?! What is going on?!" Steve yells, glancing at all three of us.

"You have five seconds to get out of here." Nancy says, cocking the gun.

"Okay, is this a joke?" Steve says glancing at me, holding my gaze, "(Y/n)..." He whispers towards me and I give in.

"Nance, put the gun down." I say gently, putting my hand on her shoulder.

"I'm doing this for you." Nancy replies ignoring my request.

"Hold on, hold on." Steve repeats, before the lights above our heads start to flicker uncontrollably.

"Nancy." Jonathan and I whisper, glancing at one another.

"Wait. Is this a... What is this?" Steve continues to question as I grab my crowbar bringing it up to attack position.

"Whoa, (Y/n), what are you doing with that?" Steve asks as I stand next to his defenseless self.

"Protecting your sorry ass," I reply shortly.

"Nancy." Jonathan repeats trying to grab the girl's attention.

"Three. Two." Nancy begins to count down.

"No, no, no! No, no!" Steve yells putting his hands up.

"Nancy!" Jonathan yells again, finally able to grab the girl's attention, "Nancy! The lights."

"It's here." I say quietly as we all stare at the lights.

"Wait, what's here?" Steve asks.

"Where is it?" I ask spinning around with my crowbar in hand.

"Where is what?" Steve asks before having to duck under my crowbar, "Whoa, easy with that!"

Nancy, Jonathan, and I stand back to back as we slowly spin around in a circle, searching for the demogorgon.

"Where is it?" Nancy asks frantically.

"I don't know." Jonathan replies with the same tone.

"I don't see it." I say, glancing at Steve again.

"Where is what?!" Steve asks again, continuing to freak out, "Hello? Will someone please explain to me what the hell is going on—"

Before Steve can finish his sentence the monster starts breaking through the ceiling, causing debris to fall on us.

Nancy raises her gun and begins shooting at the creature as it falls through the ceiling.

"No!" Jonathan yells grabbing Nancy and pulling her towards Will's room, "Go! Go! Run! Go!"

"Get out of here!" Jonathan yells towards Steve.

I stupidly stand my ground.

With my crowbar raised and ready to swing, I see the Demogorgon advancing towards me, and before I can react and defend myself, Steve grabs my waist and pulls me back against his chest with unexpected force. He quickly reaches into my back jean pocket and pulls me into towards Will's room.

"Jump!" Jonathan yells back toward us.

"Oh my god! Oh my god!" Steve repeats placing me in front of him so that I'm further away from the creature.

He keeps his hands securely planted on my hips as we jump over the bear trap and yo-yo string before rushing into Will's room, slamming the door behind us. We all stand breathily heavily, our hearts beating rapidly as our adrenaline pumps through our veins.

"Jesus! Jesus! What the hell was that?!" Steve yells again, frantically whipping his head around to each of us, "What the hell was that?!"

"Steve." I grab his face, making him look at me. "Shut up!" He shuts his mouth immediately, glancing at my lips. I scoff and push is face away from mine, still angry at him.

With my crowbar firmly in hand, I turn towards Nancy and Jonathan, standing behind them. We stay there, in Will's room, with our weapons raised and ready to strike. We wait, nervously, for our plan to work, but nothing seems to be happening. The silence is deafening and we're left to wonder if our plan has failed.

"Do you hear anything?" Nancy asks us as the lights flicker one last time.

"No." Jonathan and I reply as I lower my crowbar and Jonathan closes his lighter.

We are all careful and cautious as we slowly exit Will's room, before Steve takes my hand and gently walks out with me, staying by my side.

As we make our way through the hallway towards the living room, there's nothing but silence. We walk around confused, with our weapons raised. I feel Steve let go of my hand and I turn to see him running a hand through his hair.

"This is crazy..." Steve mutters to himself behind me, "This is actually crazy."

"This is crazy! This is crazy!" He continues, "This is crazy!" Steve rushes towards the phone on the wall, attempting to call the proper authorities. Nancy walks over to Steve and yanks the phone off the wall.

"What are you do—" Steve is cut off by Nancy smashing the phone, preventing the boy from using it, "What are you doing? Are you insane?"

"It's going to come back! So you need to leave!" Nancy yells in Steve's face, "Right now." She demands.

Steve turns towards me and I give him a little nod, confirming that he needs to get out of here. He rummages through his jean pockets for his car keys as be rushes out the front door.

As soon as Steve leaves the lights start flicking again, and I raise my crowbar once more.

"Where is it?" Nancy asks as we continue to spin around while the lights flash causing my vision to go hazy.

"Come on." Jonathan whispers, "You see it?" He asks us.

"No." Nancy replies whimpering slightly.

"Where are you... Come on you son of a bitch." I whisper before the lights shut off completely.

I hear a low growl approaching from behind Jonathan and turn to the origin of the sound, only to come face-to-face with the monster. It's standing there, creeping towards Jonathan while he remains unaware of its presence.

"Jonathan!" Nancy yells, warning the boy before the monster launches at him.

"Holy shit! Jonathan!" I yell as Jonathan drops his weapon, leaving him struggling as the creature crawls on top of him.

Nancy cocks her gun before desperately trying to shoot the creature who's laying on top of Jonathan. It's drool dripping down the boy's face.

"Go to hell you son of a bitch!!" I shout before using all my strength to swing my crowbar at the creature. My crowbar somehow gets stuck in the monster's slimy body, which causes me to stumble backwards in surprise. Leaving me defenseless, I watch in horror as the Demogorgon slowly and deliberately approaches, my eyes locked on its every move as it draws closer to me.

Suddenly, Steve appears out of nowhere, with the bat that Jonathan previously made. It's shiny nails catching the flickering light as he swings towards the monster who's stalking towards me. With a loud thwack and a grunt from Steve, the bat connects with the monster's face, leaving it slightly stunned.

He came back.

"Steve!" I shout worriedly attempting to reach towards him as he continues whacking the creature.

Steve effortlessly spins the bat around his hand a few times before brutally hitting the monster again, sending it stumbling back into the bear trap.

"He's in the trap!" Steve yells, noticing the yo-yo string release, "He's stuck!"

"Jonathan, now!" I yell at the boy with the lighter.

We stand together at the end of the hallway, watching as Jonathan flicks his lighter open, sending the monster up in flames. Its body writhing in pain, the creature's shrieks getting louder and louder while the flames consume it. I feel Steve grab my hand, giving it a gentle squeeze as his bruised fingers lace with mine.

I glance at Steve and catch his eye, feeling a flutter in my stomach and warmth in my heart. I notice Nancy send me a pointed look with causes my cheeks to flush.

He's so infatuated by you and you don't even notice.

I quickly let go of Steve's hand, turning back to the monster with guilt and confusion in my heart. Steve's eyebrows are slightly furrowed, his own expression now filled with confusion as he comprehends my actions and glances back to the creature. I try to ignore the awkwardness of the moment and to focus on the screeching Demogorgon in front of us.

"Get back!" Jonathan yells to us as he grabs the fire extinguisher and puts the fire out in front of us. Not wanting to burn his whole house down.

We all cough as the dust fills the space, our eyes watering before the hallway begins to clear. We start to make our way slowly and carefully down the hallway, our senses heightened as we search for any sign of the monster. However, to our surprise, the creature is gone.

"Where did it go?" I ask, my breathing heavy as I turn towards each of my friends.

"No. It has to be dead." Jonathan pants, "It has to be."

But there's nothing there.

Out of nowhere, the lights above our heads seem to flicker on. Leading us somewhere.

We hesitatingly follow them through the house before Jonathan speaks.

"Mom." He whispers, "Is that you?"

"Mom?"

We follow the flickering lights outside, the street light being our next stop. I stand on the porch between Jonathan and Steve, who is still carrying around the nailed bat for protection.

"Where is it going?" Nancy asks softly.

"I don't think that's the monster." I say just as softly as the three of them glance at me. Jonathan then speaks.

"That's my mom."

|☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆|

We all make it back to the school, where police cars are waiting. Apparently a whole thing with the kids and Eleven went down while we were gone.

When I see Dustin I immediately rush over to him, engulfing him in a giant hug. I stroke his curly hair as I silently cry.

"Hey, I'm okay." Dustin says, trying to comfort me.

After I let go of my brother, he trails behind me, as I search for the others. As I notice everyone being held and comforted by their families, I start to feel like something, someone is missing. The sudden realization hits me like a ton of bricks and I turn to my brother, with panic and grief washing over me.

"Dust, where's El?" I ask, my voice shaking and I already know what might have happened.

"She's... She's gone." My brother whispers, sitting down on the back of the ambulance before grabbing my hand and giving it a tight squeeze.

I instantly let out a broken sob, the tears flowing down my cheeks like a river of grief. My hand shakily reach for them, trying to wipe the tears away, but the relentless stream seems unstoppable. I can't bring myself to sit down, and my knees go weak in agony as I try to process.

Eleven is gone.

Steve approaches me silently with his hands shoved in his pockets, his loving eyes filled with sympathy as they watch me cry. Without a word, he softly reaches out his arms, offering me a hug. Without a second thought, I give in, letting my previous anger fade away as I cling tightly to his back, seeking his comfort and protection. My brother watches with sadness, but all of my attention is focused on Steve as I bury my face in his chest and cry. His strong arms comfort me, holding me closely as I continue to sob, his touch soothing my trembling body.

I slowly pull away from his embrace, silently watching as his gaze rests upon me with sadness. Steve gently brings his hand up towards my cheek, hesitating caressing it with care. I find myself leaning towards his touch, a small smile playing on my lips as our eyes lock. Steve eventually brings his hand back down to his side, leaving my cheek feeling cold without his warmth.

"Do you guys need a ride?" Steve finally speaks, glancing between Dustin and I.

I just nod my head.

|☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆|

The car ride home is silent except for the tapping of Steve's fingers on the steering wheel. I stare out the passenger side window, watching the street lights as we drive by.

Steve pulls into my driveway, putting the car in park, before turning his gaze towards me. Immediately, Dustin hops out of the car, disappearing inside the house. I watch from outside as the lights come on and the silhouettes of my mother and brother come into view, locked in a sweet embrace. I heart fills with a mixture of hope, sadness, and pain as I watch.

"Hey (Y/n), you okay?" Steve asks, grabbing my hand from across the center console.

"Yeah, Steve. I think so." I say glancing at the boy, smiling slightly, and this time I actually mean it.

Steve gently releases my hand, his eyes locked with mine as he gives me a small, loving smile and a nod. I exit his car, looking back at him one last time, sending him a little wave before entering my house, closing the door behind me.

I enter only to be greeted with my sweet mother, who embraces me tightly in a warm and compassionate hug, while apologizing profusely for not being at the school to pick us up. Despite her guilt and sorrow, I reassure her that I'm fine, trying my best to put her at ease and hold myself together. Once I make my escape to my room, I sit down on my bed, trying to process everything that had happened in these past few days. The terror, the hurt, the sadness, the confusion that has been so overwhelming. I finally come to three conclusions.

We found Will.

We lost Eleven.

It’s all over.

<3

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[eternal-sunflowers]

Bring Me Back to You

AO3 | written for @steddiebingo hop into spring mini event | prompt: time travel | rating: t | wc: 3.6k | cw: language, depictions of death | tags: steve POV, s4 canon divergence, steve harrington may or may not have time travel related powers

Steve looks back at past-Dustin and Eddie in what could be the 10th or 20th time at this point and wills his expression not to break as he knows what happens when he walks away. He’s tried to change it. He’s tried every goddamn trip to find a way to stop the inevitable, to stop Eddie from dying at the end of it. 

But then, he’s right back at Eddie’s body, holding him tight as he bleeds out, and Steve is sobbing as yet another Eddie slips away from him. 

It’s like a goddamn knife to the chest every time and Steve is broken. Hollow. Exhausted. 

But, he refuses to give up. He still gets up every goddamn time and tries again. Keeps throwing himself through the fucking winds of time to try his damndest to save Eddie. He’s lost track a bit of what’s his own timeline and what’s another iteration of the same spring break from hell that he’s trying to change.

------

Before Steve started all this, he pulled Dustin aside and had him explain, in excruciating detail, everything he knew about time travel and how it works. Dustin had obstinately refused to discuss anything until Steve told him what the fuck was going on. 

And, well. Steve was too tired to argue, and he trusts the hell out of this kid.

That’s how Steve ended up showing Dustin Henderson one of the Harrington’s best kept secrets. And how Dustin ends up punching the shit out of Steve for the first time. 

Twenty minutes and an ice pack later, Dustin was sitting slack-jawed in the basement of the Harrington home, digesting the fact that, yeah, Steve’s family had kind of invented time travel. 

“The hell do you mean kind of, Steve? You either do or don’t invent time travel. There’s not really an in between state there!”

Steve had adjusted the ice pack on his shoulder, thankful Dustin hadn’t aimed for his face, because fuck he could not handle another head injury. “I meant what I said. We didn’t really invent it, but we’re credited for it? I guess. We helped stabilize it. Made it somewhat safer. I don’t really know how it all, works man. My parents never fucking taught me shit, just told me not to touch this and not to let anyone in the basement. That’s why I need you to explain to me all your nerd shit about time travel.”

Dustin groaned. “You’ve had this the whole time? Do you know what we could have done with this technology, Steve?” He jumped to his feet, raising his voice. “We could have– fuck, man. The amount of shit we could have changed. We could have avoided all the Russian torture, could have stopped Hopper from– hell, we could have stopped Will and Barb–”

“Dustin! Just stop, man.” Steve yelled, surprising the both of them with the amount of power in his voice. He slumped back against the wall, knocked his head back. “Look, don’t you think I know all this already? Don’t you think that I’ve, like, thought about this? Fucking killed myself agonizing over what I could’ve changed?”

Dustin stared at him. “Then why didn’t you?”

“It’s not that easy.”

“Oh, really?” Dustin scoffed. “I thought you didn’t know how it worked. How do you know if it’s not that easy?”

Steve lifted his head back up. “Because – because I know my family and others have used it and it hasn’t always worked out. It–” He stumbled, took a shuddering breath.

“Steve?”

He avoided Dustin’s gaze, focused instead on the simple machine setup across from them. “It sucks the life out of you, or something, man. I don’t really know how it all works, genuinely. But I do know that it takes a hell of a fucking toll on the person using it. Kind of saps them.” He hesitated. “It’s killed people, man.”

“Oh.” 

“Yeah. ‘S not easy.”

Silence took over then, granted them a few moments of reprieve from the hell that had permeated their lives for the last, like, two weeks, but really, if they’re being honest, the last 3 years. 

Dustin broke the silence, stared inquisitively at Steve. “So why now?”

“What?”

“Why do you want to use it now? What could make you want to risk your own life energy particles or whatever the hell this thing takes?”

Steve had swallowed, dragging his gaze to Dustin. Saw the hurt and pain and fear playing across the boy’s face, felt his own heart breaking at all the fucking shit this kid’s been through. Saw the pick necklace resting across his neck. He locked eyes with, essentially, his brother, because that’s what Dustin’s become over the last couple years. 

“Eddie.”

“What?”

Steve sighs. “I want to save Eddie.”

Dustin’s eyes had widened. “Well. Shit.”

—-------

And that’s how Steve ends up where he is, in whatever number journey this is, staring at a past version of Dustin and Eddie, and hoping to whatever fucking good still exists to let this be the one that works. He doesn’t know how many trips he has left in him, and his own timeline Dustin is begging him to stop trying as he watches the toll it takes on Steve’s already shot to hell body. Steve refuses to stop, and tried, and failed, to pin Dustin down the one time he tried to go in Steve’s place. That’s how they learned it doesn’t work if it’s not Steve, or, maybe, not a Harrington? Unclear. Something to investigate later, when Steve fucking saves Eddie’s goddamn life. 

They still don’t really get how he doesn’t collide with past-Steve in these trips. Steve just knows he shows up and no one acts weird about or points him out as some kind of impostor, and he’s never run into any past-Steve. So, he assumes he just kind of…becomes one with past-Steve, or whatever.

Steve’s brain feels a bit foggy on this current trip as he tries to separate present-Dustin from past-Dustin. He knows and loves them both and wants to protect them the same. It’s really fucking hard not to run up to past-Dustin and shake him and ask him how to fix it, right here, right now, as if this version would have any different knowledge to offer. 

Not like Steve didn’t try a few times. No, he definitely took a few trips to try to talk to past-Dustin and the others, or sometimes just past-Dustin when he realized many of the others were freaking out over Steve time travelling too much, some of them bitching at him to stop. And those were the worst moments to hear because these are his kids, his family, and he’s always going to do anything in his power to protect them, to fight for them. 

The worst thing, though, Steve has learned in all these journeys, is that neither he nor present-Dustin quite know the best way to work the machine, so they never quite know where Steve will end up. 

Sometimes, he’s lucky, and the time travel sets him back far enough that he can change certain events, save some injuries and time, get them prepped quicker. Sometimes, he’s a little less lucky and gets thrown into the middle of the Spring Break From Hell and has to hit the ground running, either saving Max at the graveyard, or tracking down Eddie at Skull Rock, or fighting off bats in the dried out version of Lover’s Lake. 

Other times, he’s shit out of luck and gets thrown in what he considers far too late. Sometimes, in front of Vecna in the Creel house, meaning he doesn’t even get a chance to try and stop Eddie’s plan, just has to fucking fight the monster in front of him and hope they kill him quick enough to save Eddie (they never do). Sometimes, he’s thrown right back into holding Eddie’s bleeding body, and it takes everything in him not to just scream in anger then because it’s like the world’s worst double feature, holding the dying body of a man he’s come to really fucking like over the countless trips. 

This time, though, he starts right here, staring at Eddie and past-Dustin as they prepare the trailer for the “most metal concert, ever” in past-Dustin’s words. 

Steve feels a slight sense of hope in his chest after spending the last few hell trips not able to even see Eddie properly. He lets out a relieved breath, earning a concerned look from Nancy.

Ah, shit. Starting here means he gave the most cringeworthy speech of his life to Nancy Wheeler already. 

Well. 

Not like this trip will be any different, the cynical part of his brain bites out. 

He always hopes he can start the trip early enough to avoid some things, like that conversation. It only took a dozen trips or so for Steve to realize he actually really doesn’t want that kind of future with Nancy. He was just running on adrenaline and old comfortability. Forcing himself to relive the same series of days repeatedly gave him some time to reflect. 

He’s only giving himself minimal rests in between trips for present-Dustin to try to help rejuvenate him with fucking IVs, because holy shit this kid taught himself how to set up an IV somewhere in the midst of all this. He probably learned it from Nancy and a handful of textbooks, but Steve doesn’t question it, because the IV and variety of drugs the Harringtons have stocked in their weird little basement, actually kind of make him feel a bit better before he jumps into another trip. 

But, in those moments of rest, Steve has started talking to present-Dustin about all the muddled emotions in his head, just trying to free up space because his body feels so goddamn crowded and heavy after every journey. He’s tried explaining the feeling to present-Dustin, like he’s got cinder blocks pressing against his ribcage and barbed wire wrapped around his brain and an itchiness in his veins.

Neither of them can figure out why, but present-Dustin is getting increasingly worried. Steve assures him that trying to talk as much of it out after every trip helps lessen the feeling. And, it does. Just…not as much as it did the first few times. Each time, the feelings grow more and more intense, and Steve’s worried he’s approaching some sort of critical mass moment, but he refuses to give up.

He shakes his head, waves Nancy off. “Hey, guys, remember to block the vents inside.”

Past-Dustin turns, his eyes lighting up. “Oh shit, yeah, good call, Steve.”

Steve nods at him, then turns to Eddie to give the same speech he’s given too many times to count. Tells them to be safe, to not do anything stupid, to not be goddamn heroes. He stresses that last bit, pleads with his eyes as he stares into Eddie’s. Tries his damndest to make Eddie see, because he doesn’t have fucking time to hash out the why or to help prepare Eddie anymore than he already is right now when the whole party is waiting on cues to get into action. 

Eddie, blessedly, sees something because he cocks his head to the side and squints his eyes. “Yeah, Harrington, I got you. I mean, neither of us are quite heroes. That’s all you guys.”

Steve’s breath hitches, because that’s not what Eddie says here. That’s not the script. Steve has memorized the script of it all in the marrow of his goddamn bones, and Eddie never breaks it, not unless Steve derails them fully first. 

He blinks, eyes widening slightly as Eddie keeps staring at him inquisitively. “Yeah. Yeah, I just, just want to make sure you both know to stay safe. Don’t do anything fucking stupid, okay?” He hardens his own eyes and takes a step toward Eddie. “That means you, Munson. Don’t do anything stupid. Don’t try to–” He stops himself, bites his fucking tongue because he doesn’t have time to talk about time travel right now, my god.

Eddie’s eyes widen as he takes a step forward, his voice dropping an octave. “Don’t try what, Harrington?”

Steve swallows, so many words stuck in his throat, bubbling up in a frenzy to get out and explain to Eddie what’s going on, but he can’t. He can’t tell him that he’s basically being sent off to his 20th or so death in this hellscape. “Just – don’t try anything. Leave when it’s time to leave. Don’t try to buy more time or whatever. We’ll be fine. I promise we’ll be fine. Get pa– get Dustin and yourself out at the second shit hits the fan, okay?”

“Holy shit, you know something, don’t you?” Eddie drops his voice even further, the sound only loud enough to carry between the two of them. He takes another step forward, reaches his hand out and grabs Steve’s arm. “What do you know, Steve?”

Steve blinks back tears at the feeling of Eddie’s hand against his arm, warm even through the layers of his jacket. “We don’t have time, Eds. Just, please. Please don’t try it this time.”

“This time?” Eddie questions. “Stevie, you’ve gotta tell me, because I’m honestly freaking out a little if you’re saying what I think you’re saying.”

Steve shakes his head, whispers out, “I can’t, there’s no time. I gotta–” He takes a deep breath, reaches his arms out, and hugs Eddie as tight as possible. He hears a murmurs around him but he doesn’t fucking care. He just needs to feel more of Eddie’s warmth when he can take it before he’s shuttled off into fuck knows where in another trip, another attempt to stop this from happening.

Eddie only hesitates for a second before wrapping his arms around Steve and squeezing him just as tightly. He takes in a few shuddering breaths against Steve’s chest that mimic Steve’s own, but there’s not time to even process whatever the fuck that’s meant to mean. 

“Dingus, we, uh – we gotta go.”

Steve swallows, schools his voice. “Yeah, alright.” He pulls back, holds Eddie by the shoulders, pretends not to see the redness around Eddie’s eyes. “Please, please be there when we get back. Make it out. Survive this bullshit and then we’ll talk, Eds, I promise.’

Eddie stares back. “Holy shit.”

Steve squeezes Eddie’s shoulders once before dropping his hands and taking a step back. “Don’t do anything stupid. Cover those vents. Make it out.” He hesitates as he takes in the way Eddie looks right now, full of life. All covered in battle armor, sans vest that’s probably laying somewhere in the RV or something. The Hellfire Club shirt peeking out catches Steve’s attention, and all he can think about is how bloody and ripped and destroyed it was what feels like 20 minutes ago. 

“Steve. We have to go. Now. You can do whatever this is later.” Nancy bites out, grabs him by the arm and starts to pull. 

Steve laughs, shakes her off. “Yeah, later.” He steps back up to Eddie and zips up his jacket before patting his chest. “I’d hate to see your shirt get ruined any more than it already has. Dustin told me how hard they are to make.”

Eddie sputters out a confused laugh. “Yeah, they are a bitch, but they’re worth it.”

“So are you, Eddie.” Steve smiles sadly. “Worth every shot I take.”

And with that, Steve turns and walks deeper into hell. 

—----------------

They’ve beaten Vecna. Flamed him to a crisp. Right before Nancy would have shot him out the window, Steve runs forward and tackles the bastard to the ground, straddles his chest, and bashes his fucking head in with his bat. It’s only when Robin grips his arm that he falters, lets himself be pulled off. Watches as she throws the last of her molotovs at Vecna’s body. She lets Steve take her lighter, lets him set Vecna’s body ablaze.

“Stay here. Watch and make sure it burns the fuck out.” Steve orders, an iciness to his eyes that neither girl has seen before. He moves to walk down the stairs, get the fuck out of this hellhouse and over to Eddie.

“Wha– Steve, where are you going?” Nancy reaches out and grabs his arm. “What do you mean? You can’t just order us to stay here.”

Steve rips his arm free, his gaze hard and unyielding. “Listen to me. I don’t have fucking time to explain this, okay?” He points to Vecna’s burning body. “Watch that fucker and keep filling him full of lead and fire until there’s not a goddamn shred left of him.”

“Since when do you think you can just boss me – boss us around?”

Steve laughs, venom dripping through it. “What, you mean like how you boss all of us around, Nancy?”

Nancy flinches, takes a step back. “Wha– I don’t boss anyone around.”

“That’s rich. God, Nancy, listen. I really don’t have fucking time for this, so –”

Robin steps forward. “You keep saying that.”

Steve stumbles, voice softening at his best friend. “What?”

“You keep saying you don’t have time for this. Why? What’s happening, Steve?”

He swallows, tries to rip away from her imploring gaze, but can’t. “I think you can figure it out, Robbie. I think you both can, actually.” He takes a deep breath. “Look, I have to go. There’s something I have to check and if I don’t it’s going to eat me alive, so we’ll have this fight later, and I’ll tell you both whatever the fuck you want to know, but please –”

“We’ll make sure there’s not a shred of him left, Steve. Then we’ll meet you at the trailer.”

Steve nods. “Thank you, Robbie.” And he runs out of the house, slips onto a bike, and starts booking it to Forest Hills, hoping to all hell that he’s not going to have his heart broken again.

—------------

This isn’t right. 

Steve slams into the trailer park, throws his bike, and starts running. But, Eddie’s not there. His body isn’t there. 

This is the 20th something trip and Eddie’s body isn’t there. 

Steve refuses to get his hopes up as he runs through the park. There’s no mass of dead bats around where Eddie di– where he usually finds Eddie’s body. There’s a smattering of them around, but not the mass like he’s used to.

He keeps running toward the trailer, trying to squash down the hope that’s bubbling in his stomach. He can’t afford to hope. Not now. Not until he can lay eyes on Eddie’s face again.

What if the bats carried him off the top of the trailer this time? What if Vecna caught on to Steve constantly replaying this week and intervened, took Eddie away for good? 

What if Eddie’s lying broken and bloodied inside trailer this time?

Steve feels tears hot on his cheeks as he makes it to the trailer, bounds up the steps, tries to rip the door open.

It’s locked. 

He laughs. If he wasn’t so fucking nervous right now, he’d be thrilled that past-Dustin and Eddie managed to lock the door against interdimensional bats. 

“Hey, nerds, open the fucking door!” Steve’s voice wobbles as he pounds on the door, tears still steadily streaming. He turns his head down, closes his eyes as he slams his hand into the door over and over and over. “Please – please, guys. Please open this fucking door, I swear to–”

The door swings open. His hand is still hanging in the air, his head still down, and he refuses to look up. He stops breathing, terrified of what he might see, before he’s engulfed in a hug.

In a hug that feels and tastes and smells like cigarette smoke and sweat and leather. 

Steve fucking chokes out a sob, eyes still clamped shut out of fear that this isn’t real, that’s he’s dreaming, or on another journey through time and this is just a different timeline before they fight Vecna. 

It’s not until the person holding him speaks that he loses it completely. 

“You did it, Stevie. You won. You– you saved me.”

Steve shatters, crumples to the ground, bringing Eddie with him. 

“You–you’re here. You’re alive. Oh my go���Eddie, fuck, you–”

“Shh, Stevie. I’m here. I’m alive, man. I made it. You made it. We all made it.” Eddie squeezes him tighter, rubs his hand across his shoulders.

“Steve? What happened? Are you okay? Are the girls–?” Past-Dustin stammers.

“Shit, yeah, Stevie, are the girls okay?”

Steve nods into Eddie’s shoulder. “Yeah, they–they’re fine.” He chokes on another sob, burrows deeper into Eddie’s chest, whispers, “You’re alive.”

“Yeah, sweetheart, I’m still kickin’. Takes more than a demented swarm of bats to take me out.”

Steve whips his head up at that. “You still– you fought the fucking bats?”

Eddie grins. “Sure did. Well, distracted them, more like. And thanks to you, I’m fine.” He pauses for a moment. “The jacket thing really helped. Wish I’d thought of it.” He squeezes Steve’s shoulders, levels him with a hard gaze. 

Steve blinks back a few tears, wipes away the tears and snot from his face. He stares at Eddie for a moment. “You know.”

Eddie nods.

“But–how? I didn’t–”

“That is a question for when we’re not in a hell dimension, my good sir.” Eddie stands, pulls Steve to his feet. 

Past-Dustin pulls Steve into a hug. “I don’t know what the fuck is going on, but I’m glad you’re okay.” He buries his face against Steve’s chest, lowers his voice a bit. “Is it really over this time?”

Steve feels fresh tears brim at his eyes, threatening to spill. “Yeah, Dustin. I think it is.”

tags (open): @sunshine-daydreams0809

divider credit: @saradika-graphics

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[sp0o0kylights]

Still working on the BB fic but have another snippet of that Stobin Timeloop AU. This can be read as stand-alone.

Steve Harrington snaps on a completely random Friday.

Well--not completely random. It's both the day of the Big Sportsball Game as well as Hellfire’s grand finale--but neither of those things should matter to Harrington.

Not that he needs a reason to lose his shit--Eddie’s long used to being threatened, insulted or outright attacked out of the blue. 

It’s the whole reason he built up the persona he had--because the scarier he was, the more people left him alone. 

Unfortunately it would appear that Hawkins fallen king hadn’t gotten the memo, given he seemed hellbent on kicking Eddie’s ass. 

"Come on Harrington, we can talk about this." Eddie says, as he’s shoved back, scrambling for a way out, as the former jock gets up in his face. 

The guy had called out his name the second he pulled into the parking lot (sans Buckley or any of the freshman they shared, which has Eddie's back up instantly) but Eddie had simply ignored him.

It was too early to deal with whatever had Harrington sounding like his ass was on fire.

Pity Steve had charged over instead, a look in his eyes that said whatever happened next was going to hurt.

Eddie carries a switchblade, but hes never had to use it before. 

Had instead made an entire production about having it, including cleaning his nails with the blade or stabbing it into the cheap wood desks when a teacher stepped out of the room. 

Had shouted that he’d pull it even when Harrington had charged him, but the guy didn't even blink.

Thus forcing Eddie to confront the fact that he really doesn’t want to stab someone.

Particularly not someone whose family has the police in their pockets (or did with Chief Hopper, though Eddie doesn’t doubt that the Harrington Hoard won’t immediately grab onto the next pig to get promoted.) 

His panic leaves him flailing but somehow, (and unfairly Eddie may add) Steve seems to expect this. 

Knows how to navigate it.

Eddie's back hits the metal of the van and he winces, expecting the hit, the pain. 

If he can duck, if he can make it so the first punch only grazes him, he can grab his fucking knife and wave it around, see if that gets the asshole off him, except--

Instead of hitting him, Steve reaches past, to yank one of the van’s passenger doors open. 

Herds Eddie inside, slamming the door behind him before snatching a fistful of Eddie's shirt and hauling him forward. 

"What--" Eddie asked, confused, right before Steve smashes their lips together. 

It's a hard kiss, practically a claim. 

Steve kisses him like a drowning man gasps for air and Eddie can only fall into it, stunned. 

(The stunned portion only lasts long enough for Eddie to blink before he's kissing back, hot and heavy.

He's been horny for Harrington since the asshole did a trick shot that showed off his ass and involved flipping Hagan off at the same time, sue him.) 

Thinks as he does, that this is probably a trap.

That even if it isn't, then whatever it is Steve will make him regret it--even if he started it. 

(Not like Eddie can claim he wasn’t enjoying it, either. He’s giving as good as he gets, dick quickly overwhelming any rational thought in his brain. 

He clings to Steve like a lifeline, gasping when the jocks takes his bottom lip between his teeth and lightly drags it out, begging to be let into Eddie's mouth. 

This isn't reality.

 Cannot be reality, must be the start of a wet dream or some…vivid hallucinations because when Eddie grinds himself upwards into Steve, cock chasing friction, Steve presses back.) 

"Fuck." Eddie moans when Steve finally releases him, panting up at the ceiling. 

"Do I have your attention now?" Steve asks, voice raspy and Eddie finds himself able to die happy, because that tone is downright possessive. 

"Yeah big boy, you have me--it." Eddie corrects himself fast, the words practically blending together. 

Steve gives a strangled sort of laugh at that, and instead of getting up, presses his face down onto Munsons shoulder. 

Eddie expects him to spring up at any moment. Declare insanity maybe, or far more likely threaten him about telling anybody.

If past bar hookups were an indicator, he'd  throw a few slurs in for good measure. 

(And those men had been at a gay bar, not Hawkins high school parking lot.) 

It's nothing Eddie can't handle, but Steve…isn't doing any of them.

Instead his breathings gone weird, body trembling--and Eddie can see how Steve is holding himself up.

Like he's worried about Eddie taking his weight.

Slowly, carefully, he raises a hand to the back of Steve's hair.

He presses in slow, waiting to be yelled at, waiting to be rejected but never is. 

"You can lay on me, Harrington, I won't break." Eddie tells him and knows his voice is too sweet when he says it.

Too lovey dovey, too awed. 

Too late, for him to recover into a normal voice but fuck it. Not like Eddie was known for making smart decisions. 

Nothing could have prepared him from the wounded noise Steve makes in return. 

"Hey--hey." Eddie says, in rising panic. "I've got you." 

"I know." Steve raises, and head coming up at last, cheeks red and tear stained but his eyes are clear.

Clear and fucking haunted.

 "I know you do, Eds, but we don't have time. Which is why I need you to listen to me, because I'm not the Steve Harrington you know."  

Utterly reeling from being called "Eds" it takes Eddie a moment to digest what was just said. "What do you mean?"

"I mean," Steve sighs, a blast of frustration, and Eddie finds himself automatically scritching at Steve's head. 

For some reason that seems to help. 

"Your D&D finale’s tonight, right?" 

"Yes." Eddie says slowly, his mind spinning uselessly, every coherent thought derailed by something new. The moles on Steve's neck. The way he shifts, how his leg is tangling with Eddie's, awkwardly because it's cramped as shit back here. 

"I'm way past this. I've lived this. More than once." 

Aha. 

So it's a mental breakdown Steve's having. 

"I'm still waiting for you to make sense, Harrington." Eddie says to buy himself time to think. 

"Steve." The younger man corrects and he's holding Eddie's gaze. "And I'm not making sense because saying it sounds stupid." 

Eddie can't help the little derisive laugh that breaks out of him. "I hear a lot of stupid things, one more won't kill me." 

"I know, you're famous for your rants about them." Steve snarks back, but it's teasing. 

Friendly and familiar, like he's used to bantering. 

Not just that, but bantering with Eddie, specifically.

He doesn't know what to do with that, so he tugs a little on Harrington's too perfect hair. 

Demands an explanation with that little jolt--and somehow, Steve doesn't haul off and punch him for it. Instead a shudder rollers through him, eyes closing just a touch and--Oh.

Oh, Harri-Steve, likes it.

"I'm from the future." Steve says, which does indeed sound stupid. 

Eddie blinks. "What?" 

"Robin and I are stuck in a time loop-- we keep living this week over and over." He continues, only now he's leaning his head against Eddie's arm. 

"Every single time, you take the longest to get on board and buy in, and every single time I fail to get everyone out alive so fuck it. Fuck all of it--I'm speedrunning this part." 

Oh this is beyond breakdown. 

This is 'took something he shouldn't have and then some' and Eddie knows how to trip sit. 

He just…doesn't want to get punched for being the first person Steve released his repressed homosexual urges out on, drugged or not. 

(The fact Steve's still letting Eddie pet him like a cat absolutely does not have anything to do with it, no sir.)

because his mouth bypasses his rational mind most days and today is no exception. 

"Okay." Eddie says. "Let's say you are from the future and not shot up with what I'm assuming you were told was steroids and was very much not."

 Steve rolls his eyes. 

He never bothered to dry his cheeks and Eddie does it now for him, with the hand that's not in Steve's hair.

Steve leans into it, which somehow feels like the craziest part of it all.

"Prove to me that you're from the future." Eddie challenges.

"Oh the kissing wasn't enough? Fine." Steve bitches, before rattling off facts like he's blowing through answers on Jeopardy. 

"You call your guitar sweetheart and apologize for cheating on it anytime you use your other guitar, who is named Arwin. Your favorite mug in Wayne's collection is the Garfield one and you can play Master of Puppets by heart even though the album came out last month."

"And this is coming from the future and not one of the freshmen we somehow share custody over…?"  Eddie says, even while alarm shoots down his spine.

Had he told the kids about his Garfield mug? 

That his acoustic was named Arwin…?

He suddenly couldn't recall but that made the most sense. Had to make sense.

Steve huffs, annoyed.

Its very cute, and Eddie bites his own lip hard to keep himself focused. 

A finger dips under Eddie's collar, wrapping gently around the chain that sits there before he can react.

 "This," Steve emphasizes with a gentle tug, "was your mom's. She gave it to you the morning of the accident." 

Eddie's world stops.

Not the same way it stopped when Steve kissed him, it stopped in a way they felt like ice had been dumped over his head. A flash freeze that squeezed his chest, claws digging into his exposed heart.

The only person who knew about the pick was Wayne. 

No one else, not even his band, his closest friends, knew the origin of it. 

To tell someone that, to say it was not only his mothers but that shed given it to him the morning before some drunk asshole t boned her shitty, shitty car and killed her-- was akin to handing over step by step instructions on how to hurt him. 

Eddie would go to the ends of the earth for that pick, and he had never let anyone know just how important it was to him.

Except Steve Harrington, apparently. 

"Okay." Eddie says, "Okay, you're from the future. You said--" He pauses, swallows. 

Fights down his disbelief even as the dots connect, because why else would he tell anyone about his pick? 

The only reason he can possibly conjure is if he needed someone to give it back to Wayne, because he, for whatever reason, couldn't.

 "You said you're reliving this because you can't get everyone out alive?" Eddie managed to get out, grappling with the knowledge that "everyone" included him. 

"Yeah." 

 "Are you also my boyfriend or something?" 

"If we can make it there, then yes." Steve says, slightly hysterical. "And really? You're finally gonna believe me?" 

"Are you arguing here for me to believe you or not, Steve, you're giving conflicting signals--" 

"No it's--you've fought me on this man. I've tried every method of getting you with us and every time you argue until the bats show up but one kiss and you're all for it?" 

"Give yourself some credit, it was a grand slam of a kiss.” Eddie replies, because it was by far and large the best kiss of his life. 

He’d follow Steve to hell and back if more kisses like that were on the table, mental breakdown or no. 

Steve snorts at him, a half-hysterical sound. “Noted.” He says. 

Then; “You believe me though?”

“Not at all!” Eddie chirps with a wobbly grin that betrays him.  “But on the off chance you’re right the uh…the thing about my pick…” He trails off self consciously. 

“I should have guessed that was what it. You only ever tell me that when you’re dying.” Steve fills in for him, and it’s weird, to know that for two seconds Steve Harrington apparently read his face and correctly guessed what he was thinking about. 

Abruptly decides he doesn’t want to think of his impending doom any longer. 

“So how about we skip the dying part and focus on the boyfriend part?” He says, poking at Steve’s cheek. 

Steve makes a face at him, before grabbing a his hand and pressing a kiss to the back of it. 

“We gotta fix this mess first, Munson.” He tells him gently, looking up at him through his lashes and oh, that is a look Eddie will keep for the rest of his life. 

“Lead on, lassie.” Eddie tells him to hide how dazed he feels. “Let’s go save the world and shit.” 

With one final kiss to the palm of Eddie’s hand, Steve does. 

[layce2015]

Stranger Things (Steve Harrington x Female!Reader)

Chapter 15: The Battle Of Starcourt

Previous Chapter / Next Chapter

Eleven continues to scream and wail in pain and I look down at her leg, which had something moving in her wound. “What is that?” Erica asked, disgusted, as she looks at El’s leg. “There's something in there.” Mike said as the wound seems to get worse. “No!” El screamed. “Jesus Christ.” Dustin said, worried.

“Keep her talking. Keep her awake, okay?” Jonathon said before he runs off somewhere. I look down at El and placed a hand on her forehead. “It’s okay, honey. You’re gonna be okay.” I tried to assure her and she looked like she was about to lose consciousness. “Hey, hey, hey. Stay awake, stay awake.” Mike said to her, keeping her alert. “Let's get her on this side, on this side.” I tell Mike and he, Dustin and I move El. “Easy, easy, easy, easy.” I tell the boys. 

“It's, uh...You know, it's not actually that bad. There was a...The goalie on my soccer team, Beth Wildfire, this other girl slid into her leg, and the bone came out of her knee, six inches or something, it was insane.” Robin rambled and I give her a confused look. “Robin.” Steve said. “Yeah?” She asked. “You're not helping.” Steve tells her. “I'm sorry.” Robin said as we get El situated and Jonathon comes back with a wooden spoon, some bandages and a large knife.

“Okay. All right, El? This is gonna hurt like hell, okay?” Jonathon tells her. “Okay.” She sobs and I hold my right hand out to her. “Here, if you want, you can hold my hand.” I tell her and she takes it as Jonathon starts to put on gloves. “Need you to stay real still.” He said and he hands the wooden spoon towards her. “Here, you're gonna want to bite down on this, okay?” He said and Mike takes it and hands it to El.

“Jesus Christ.” Dustin mutters as El leans her head forward and bites down on the spoon. “Holy shit. Holy shit.” Dustin mutters as I firmly grasp El’s hand. “It’s gonna be okay, it’s gonna be okay.” I whispered to her as Jonathon moves the knife close to her wound 

“Do it.” Mike tells Jonathon, who looked very nervous to do this but he takes a couple of deep breathes. “Okay.” He whispers then starts to cut into the purple bulge and El’s scream was muffled as she bites down hard on the spoon and grips my hand really hard, I was starting to loose the feeling of my fingers but I did my best to hold onto her.

“Oh, shit.” Dustin exclaims as Jonathon slices the wound open then sets the knife inside and, slowly, inserts his finger into the wound, which made El scream even louder. Everyone, including me, all gave an exclaim of disgust as Jonathon keeps digging in the wound. 

“Jonathan!” Nancy yelled. “Stop talking!” Jonathon exclaims as he continues to dig around into the wound, trying to get whatever was in El’s leg. “No! Stop it! Stop! Stop!” El screams as she drops the spoon from her mouth and Jonathon stops. “I can do it. I can do it.” El grunts, tearfully, and she lets go of my hand and Mike and I help her sit up. 

She raises her right hand towards her leg and uses her power to remove it from her leg. Some glass breaks around us as El screams and slowly removed this weird, fleshy looking leech from her leg. “Oh, God!” I grumbled, in disgust, as the leech flies up and El uses her power to throw it far away from us. It looked like it started to scurry away when Hopper, Joyce and some bespectacled, bearded balding man come in and Hopper steps on the fleshy monster.

“The Mind Flayer, it built this monster in Hawkins, to stop El, to kill her and pave a way into our world.” Mike started to explain after we patched up El and the adults asked us what the hell has been going on. “And it almost did. That was just one tiny piece of it.” Nancy said. 

“How big is this thing?” Hopper asked. “It's big. Thirty feet, at least.” Jonathon replied. “Yeah. It sorta destroyed your cabin.” Lucas said to Hopper, who looked a bit upset. “Sorry.” Lucas whispers, apologetically. “Okay, so, just to be clear, this...this big fleshy spider thing that hurt El, it's some kind of gigantic...weapon?” I asked the others. “Yes.” Nancy confirmed.

“But instead of, like, screws and metal, the Mind Flayer made its weapon...with melted people.” Steve said, as if to understand what is going on. “Yes, exactly.” Nancy said. “Yeah, okay. I...Yeah, I'm just making sure.” Steve said and I sighed, giving a side hug to Max as she was standing between me and Steve.

“Are we sure this thing is still out there, still alive?” Joyce asked. “El beat the shit out of it, but, yeah, it's still alive.” Max said. “But if we close the gate again...” Will said. “We cut the brain off from the body.” Max adds. “And kill it. Theoretically.” Lucas finished. “Yoo-hoo! Yoo-hoo!” The balded man said as he walks in, wave some papers in his hands.

“Okay, this is what Alexei called the hub. Now, the hub takes us to the vault room.” The man said as he sets down the papers on a nearby table. And from what I could see it is a map of the Russian bunker. “Okay, where's the gate?” Hopper asked. “Right here. I don't know the scale on this, but I think it's fairly close to the vault room, maybe 50 feet or so.” The man said as he points at a certain part of the map. 

“More like 500. What, you're just gonna waltz in there like it's commie Disneyland or something?” Erica asked as she walks up. “I'm sorry, who are you?” The man asked her. “Erica Sinclair. Who are you?” Erica asked, with an attitude. “Murray...Bauman.” Murray replied. “Listen, Mr. Bunman, I'm not trying to tell you how to do things, but I've been down in that shithole for 24 hours. And with all due respect, you do what this man tells you, you're all gonna die.” Erica said.

“I'm sorry, why is this four-year-old speaking to me?” Murray asked, annoyed. “Um, I'm ten, you bald bastard!” Erica yelled. “Erica!” Lucas shouts. “Just the facts!” Erica yells at him. “She's right. You're all gonna die, but you don't have to. Excuse me.” Dustin said as he walks up to the table. “Sorry, may I?” He asked Murray as he gestures to the map. “Please.” Murray said, sounding a bit annoyed that a couple of children were talking back at him. 

“Okay, see this room here? This is a storage facility. There's a hatch in here that feeds into their underground ventilation system. That will lead you to the base of the weapon. It's a bit of a maze down there, but between me and Erica, we can show you the way.” Dustin said. “You can show us the way?” Hopper asked, confused. “Don't worry, you can do all the fighting and the dangerous hero shit, and we'll just be your...navigators.” Dustin said as Erica nods.

“No.” Hopper said, shaking his head, as Dustin and Erica frowned. “Nope.” Hopper said again.

After thinking it over for a bit, Hopper decided to let Dustin and Erica navigate him, Joyce, and Murray through the bunker. But to be able to communicate from so far away they need a strong frequency for their radios to work.

Dustin gets an idea to use his radio he had built at camp, that’s still out on a hill in the fields. Hopper tosses Steve the keys to his car when he and Robin volunteered to go with Dustin and Erica.

“You coming?” Steve asked, turning to me and I look over at Max. “Um, if it’s okay with you…I’m gonna stay here and be with my sister.” I said, pointing over at Max and Steve frowns slightly which causes me to start panicking.

”N-Not because I-I don’t wanted to hang around y-you or anything, I-i-it’s j-just…” I stammered and Steve chuckles a little, his lips quirking up into a small. “It’s okay, I get it.” He said and I let out a small sigh, slumping my shoulders.

Then without any warning, Steve’s hands slips into my hair at the back of my head and the other going to rest on the lower part of my back as he pulls me into him, leaning his head down for an electrifying kiss.

I let out a surprised gasp when I felt his lips to mine. It took a few seconds for me to recuperate myself and once I did, I closed my eyes and place my hands on his cheeks, kissing him back. We break the kiss and lean our foreheads against each other before I speak up. “Just be careful.” I tell him and he gives a small smile to me. “You too.” He said then he gives me a quick kiss on the lips then walks over to Dustin, Robin and Erica, who all looked shocked and surprised.

”Well, you finally did it, huh?” Max asked and I turned to face her, my cheeks turning warm. “Yeah, I, uh…” I stammered and Max smiles. “Good for you.” She said and I chuckled and we stand there in silence for a few moments.

”Sooo, Billy…” I said, changing subject, and Max nods. “Yeah, it’s crazy.” She said. I still couldn’t believe that this monster was controlling Billy. “Why didn’t you tell me?” I asked her. “I didn’t want you to worry. You already had enough on your plate.” Max said and I frowned. “It’s my job to worry, especially about you. You could’ve gotten hurt!” I said. “But I didn’t!” Max said, defensively. “I can see that. But if something were to happen to you, I would never be able to forgive myself.” I shoot back at her.

Max’s eyes soften at this then she looks down and I place a hand on her shoulder. She looks back at me. “You’re my little sister and I love you very much. And I’m always gonna be worried about you, even when we’re both old and gray.” I said and Max scoffs out a laugh. 

Then Mike comes up to us. “You guys ready?” He asked us and we nodded. Mike goes over to Hopper and El then said. “We should probably go.” He and Max go over to El and go on either side of her and start to carry her off. “Mike?” Hopper said and Mike turns to him. “Be careful.” He tells him and Mike nods and he and Max continue to carry El while Nancy, Jonathon, Will and I follow them out.

“El, you're bleeding.” Max said as we walked outside of the mall and towards Nancy’s car. “Are you okay?” Mike asked El. “Yeah.” She replied, still wincing a bit, then I go to the back of the minivan and open the back hatch. “Here.” I said and I help Max and Mike get Eleven into the car.

“Lay down.” I tell El as we get her in the car and she winces in pain again while Nancy starts the car but the engine sputters. “What's wrong?” Jonathon asked as Nancy tries to start the car again but it still sputters as Mike, Max and I get into the car. “I don't...I don't know.” Nancy said, confused, as she continues to get the car started.

“You can't be serious. Come on!” Nancy growls as she tries to start the car but still nothing. “Didn't your mom just buy this car?” Lucas asked her. “Yes. I'm sure it's fine.” Nancy said, frustrated. “Did you leave the lights on?” Will asked her. “No.” Nancy replied. “Do we have gas?” Lucas asked. “Yes!” Nancy yells, angrily, as she tries to start the car but still it sputters.

“Come on!” Nancy growls as she turns the keys again, aggressively. “Whoa, whoa, whoa! Just stop, stop!” Jonathon said and she stops and looks at him. “Pop the hood.” He tells her as he gets out and she does that then I get out and walk over to the hood of the car as does Nancy.

Jonathon opens the hood and looks in it. “What the hell?” He said, confused. “What?” Nancy and I asked. “The ignition cable's gone.” Jonathon said. “How the hell..?” I started to ask but then the familiar sound of a car engine reeves up. We all look to our right and see several feet away, Billy’s car. My heart sank at this as the car continues to rev up its engine, seeming to get ready to hit us.

Nancy runs to the back passenger side and I head to the back of the car and open the hatch. “Back in the mall! Back in the mall!” Nancy shouts and Lucas and Will get out while I opened the hatch and Max and Mike get out and try to get El out. “Here, let me.” I said and I start to carry El, bridal style, and she places her arms around my neck. “You got her?” Mike asked. “Yes. Just go! Go, go, go!” I said and we all run back into the Mall.

“Go! Go! Go, go, go!” Nancy and Jonathon yelled as we run back into the mall.

“Scoops Troop, do you copy? Scoops Troop, do you copy? Scoops Troop, do you copy? Scoops Troop, I repeat, do you copy?” Mike asked into his radio but nothing after we got settled into the mall. “We're trapped in the mall and in need of emergency transportation. Scoops Troop, do you copy? Billy has found us. He has disabled our car and we are trapped in the mall. Repeat: Billy has disabled our car and we are trapped in the mall.” Mike repeated over and over again as Nancy was loading a pistol and Lucas was preparing his sling shot.

“You're gonna kill him, aren't you?” Max asked Nancy. “This is just a precaution, okay?” Nancy said. “And not just against Billy. If he knows we're here, so does the Mind Flayer.” Will tells Max then her and I share a look of worry. “This is so fucked up.” I muttered as I place my hands on my head.

”Scoops Troop, I repeat, we are in need of emergency transportation. Do you copy? Scoops Troop, do you copy?” Mike, continuously, said into his radio but still no response from Dustin. Nancy looks over at the car El used to take out the Russians.

“No chance that thing'll drive, right?” She asked, sarcastically. “We don't need it to drive. We just need the ignition cable.” Jonathon said and we all look at the car.

Minutes later, Nancy, Max, Lucas, Mike, Jonathon and I push up the car as best as we could so that Jonathon could get to the hood of the car and get the cable. “Push!” He grunts and all of us strain as we push up but then we let it slip and it crashes. “Shit!” Lucas exclaims, annoyed. “Let me try.” El said as she hobbles over to us, Will standing next to her. 

“El...” Mike pants and El steps a couple of steps forward. “I can do it.” She said, firmly, and we all move out of her way. Then she raises her hand at the car and concentrates on trying to move it but nothing. She looks down, in defeat, and I go and place my hand on her shoulders. “You did your best.” I assured her but she still looked sullen.

Later, we found some pole stands and start to use it on the car to flip it over. “Push!” Jonathon ordered and we push, making the car move a bit. “All right, great. All right, now, all the way. Ready?” Jonathon asked and we place the poles up against the car. “Three, two, one...Push!” Jonathon said and we all push the car and it flips over on its wheels.

“Told you. Physics.” Mike said and Nancy and Jonathon go to the hood but couldn’t get it open. “How do we get it open?” Nancy asked and I go over to the car. “Uh, there should be a latch.” Jonathon said as I get to the driver’s side. “Checking under the wheel.” I said and I look under the wheel and found it and push the latch. “Got it.” I said and the hood pops open.

“Do you see it?” Nancy asked Jonathon as he looks inside. “I don't know. It should be right here.” Jonathon said as he looks around. “Distributor, distributor...” he mutters and I look over and noticed Will shivers a bit then places his hand on the back of his neck.

”Will? You okay?” I asked him. Before he could reply, we hear rumbling and pounding no footsteps. I look up on the roof and noticed the glass roof shakes as whatever was coming was getting closer. “Guys.” I muttered as the cracking of glass sounds out and Max, Mike and El looks up in fear.

“Got it.” Jonathon said and I look over to see he got the cable. “Nancy!” Mike shouts and she looks over and I point up. She looks up as the cracking of the glass continues and the rumbling gets closer. I run over to Mike, Max and El and turn to El. “Can you run?” I asked El, she shrugs and shakes her head slightly. “Okay, I’m gonna carry you again.” I said and I pick her up and carry her like I did earlier and turn to Mike and Max. 

“Come on!” I shout and we begin to run as I hear a loud crash behind us. I look over my shoulder and see this giant fleshy looking spider monster as it lands on the floor and roars. I noticed Jonathon, Lucas, Will and Nancy go and hide before I turn my head forward and Max, Mike, El and I go behind the escalators, I hold El close to me in case I have to carry her again when we make a run for it.

All of us sit in silence as we hear it move around then we hear the radio go off and Dustin’s voice speaks through it. “Griswold Family, this is Scoops Troop! Do you copy? Over! Griswold Family, I repeat, this is Scoops Troop. Do you...” then I hear the roar of the monster again and I gasp then I hear it throw the radio but I could still hear Dustin’s voice shouting for us.

”Griswold Family, do you copy? Do you copy?! Griswold Family, this is Scoops Troop. Please confirm your safety! Griswold Family, this is Scoops Troop! Please confirm your safety! Are you en route to Bald Eagle's nest? Please confirm your safety! Someone, please just answer. Is anyone there? Just answer! Anyone, please...Griswold Family, do you copy? Griswold Family, do you copy? Griswold Family, do you copy?Do you copy?!” Dustin voice keeps asking and I bite my lips, like that would hold back my fear, as the monster moves around.

I look over at Max and she looks back at me, a look of fear etched over her face. I then reached out, with my free hand, to her right hand, which was next to me, and grab onto it and hold it tight. She squeezes my hand back as we look back into each other’s eyes, having a silent conversation between the two of us.

The monster continues move around, trying to find us, as he head if stomping around and throwing a few things. Mike stands up alittle to look out then shrinks back down. “It's turned away. If we go up the stairs now, we'll make it.” Mike said. “No way, not with El’s leg; even with (y/n) carrying her…” Max starts to argue. “We have to try.” Mike said. “There's another way...to get out. Through the Gap.” El said and Mike stands back up and looks over.

Then he gets back down and looks over at us. “Okay.” He whispers and I let go of Max’s hands and hook it under Eleven’s legs. “Hang on, sweetie.” I whisper and El nods as she wraps her arms around my neck. “Now.” I said to the kids and we get up and start to run over to a clothing store and we enter in but El’s leg hits one of the clothing racks, which made a loud clanging sounds.

”Shit.” I growled under my breath and we run behind some shelves as we hear the monster come to us. Then we heard it grab something then it roared and throws something, which turned out to be a mannequin. We continued to sit and hide as we hear it moving around then a long slimy tentacle comes up to the side and I try my best to not puke.

It looked like it was about to reach for us until we heard a loud pop from a balloon. The monster then moved away from us and we get up, me carrying El again, and run out of the store as the creature was distracted.

We get around to the back area of the mall then run through the back hallways before we get to one of the doors that lead to the side of the mall. We go to the gates and go through it, leading to the front of the mall, but then we all stop and see Billy standing some feet away from us, his car was on fire. “Shit!” Max and I said and we turned away and run back into the mall. “Go, go, go, go, go, go!” Mike shouts and we run back to where we came then Max pushes the button to shut the gate as we run back in.

The lights flickered as we run as fast as we could down the hall. “Hang on, El. Hang on.” I whispered to her. “In here. In here.” Mike said as he gestures over to a corner snd we go over to it to see an elevator.

”Okay. Come on, come on, come on...” Mike said, frantically, as he presses the elevator call button several times and I set El on her feet for a moment to rest my arms. But then we hear a door open and Max walks around the corner. “Billy. Billy, you don't have to do this.” Max pleads as we hear footsteps. “Billy. Your name's Billy, Billy Hargrove. You live on 4819 Cherry Lane. Billy, please, I'm Max, I'm your...” Max said but then Billy comes up to her and slaps her across the face, knocking her down.

”Max!” I screamed and Mike runs over to Billy to attack him but Billy grabs him and shoves him against a pipe. “Billy, stop!” I shouted as he turns to me and comes up to me, obviously eyeing El who I pushed behind me. “Whatever’s wrong with you, you need to fight…” I started to plead but then he grabs me and throws me across the room and I black out.

*3rd Person POV*

After knocking (y/n) out, Eleven tries to use her powers but Billy grabbed her hand then flings her against the wall, rendering her unconscious. He goes over to Eleven and carries her out of the back hallways and back into the middle of the mall.

Once he makes it back to the mall, he sets Eleven down in the ground then leans into her ear. “Don't be afraid. It'll be over soon. Just try and stay...very still.” He whispers to her as she wakes up and they hear the growls of the Mind Flayer. The Mind Flayer climbs back down into the mall and El looks up at it in fear as it gets closer to her. It opens its mouth and the small extra mouth sticks out towards her until a loud explosion and lights hit the monster in the head, making it look where the distraction came from.

It was Lucas, on the second floor, with a firework that he and the kids had grabbed from the grocery story, back when they tried to treat El’s leg wound. “Flay this, you ugly piece of shit!” Lucas shouts and throws another firework at the Mind Flayer in the mouth. The monster stumbles back as on another side of the of the second floor Nancy and Will throw some more fireworks at it. It roars and growls as the fireworks hit him and it stumbles around. 

“Hey, asshole! Over here!” Steve shouts as he and Jonathon throw more fireworks at it. El then noticed that any time the monster got hit with the colorful explosions, Billy was in pain too as if he too was affected by it. She decided to take this opportunity to get away but it wasn’t long before Billy grabbed her leg and dragged her back towards the Mind Flayer.

Then Billy stops dragging her, gets on top of her and places his hands on her neck. “We’re almost out!” Will shouts at Lucas. “I know.” Lucas said then Steve uses the extra radio Robin got from Dustin and contacts Dustin. “Dustin! We’re out of time!” Steve shouts and Dustin, who was still upon the hill with Erica. Dustin then contacts Joyce, Hopper and Murray’s radio. “Hurry! Close it now! Close it!” Dustin shouts at them.

*(y/n)’s POV*

“(Y/n)…(y/n)…(y/n)…” I hear a voice say but it sounded so far away as I start to come back to consciousness. “(Y/n), please wake up!” I hear the voice plead much clearer and I realized it  was Max. I open my eyes and see Max and Mike were kneeling over me. I sit up and Max places a hand on my shoulder.

“You okay?” She asked me. “Besides a splitting headache, I’m fine.” I said then I look around to see El was gone. “Oh no…” I whispered and Max and Mike help me up to my feet and we run back into the mall.

We get back into the mall and hear some explosions and roars and we run to the middle of the mall and see The Mind Flayer surrounded by smoke. It roars then I noticed Billy was standing before the monster, Eleven was laying down by his feet.

Max, Mike and I came to a stop as the Mind Flayer shots its tentacle mouth towards Billy, who held out his hands to catch it and stops the monstrosity from attacking El. He lets out a strenuous scream as he fights against the Mind Flayer. Max and I gasp at this, amazed by his strength to fight back against such a large and dangerous opponent.

Then several more tentacles came out of the Mind Flayer, one impaling itself into Billy’s stomach and Billy goes quiet. Another tentacle goes into his waist and Billy’s head droops down. 

More tentacles impale themselves into Billy’s back, holding him up so he’s looking directly at the Mind Flayer. I stood there, my legs feeling as if they’re frozen sold and my heart running a mile a minute, watching this monster kill my stepbrother.

The monster roars down at him and Billy lets out a furious and anguish yell before another tentacle hits him in the chest. “BILLY!” Max and I screamed as the monster removes its tentacles from Billy’s body and he falls to the floor.

Then the monster screeches and squirms around like it was in pain before it falls to the ground, dead. All of us stare at this, unsure if it’s safe to approach yet. But then Mike runs out to El, dropping down to his knees to hug her.

Max and I slowly walk over to Billy, seeing him bleeding way too much from too many places, so much so that blood was pouring out of his mouth. I knew in this moment that any hope of him surviving were nonexistent.

”Billy.” Max and I said as he looks up at us, utter fear in his eyes as he gasps for air. “Billy, Billy, get up, please. Billy, get up, please, please.” Max pleads to him as I kneeled down and place my hands on his chest, trying to stop the bleeding. 

“Just hang on, Billy. W-W-We’ll g-get you an ambulance a-and they’ll fix you right up.” I said in denial, not really wanting to accept the reality of the situation. I know Billy and I never got along, if anything we downright hated each other but I never wished death upon him.

“I'm sorry.” Billy whispers, his voice sounding weak and raspy. Then he exhales sharply before his body goes still and his eyes loses all light in them.

“Billy...Billy. Billy.” Max and I said, trying get him to respond but received nothing, he was gone. Max breaks down in tears while I sat there, too stunned by everything to even register what emotion I should be feeling. I couldn’t believe it, Billy was gone and his last act was protecting El at the cost of his life.

Max drops down next to me and press her head into my chest, seeking comfort and I instinctively wrap my arms around her to hold her. But even with Max sobbing into my shirt, no tears came to me. No feeling of sadness or lost or pain came over me, I just felt…nothing.

El comes over to us, kneeling down and throwing her arms around me to hug Max from behind, crying along with her best friend.

Sometime later, the ambulances, firefighters and the army arrived and ushered everyone outside to get us out of the army’s way and check us for injuries.

Max and I stood by an ambulance as we were being checked over when Steve came over to make sure we were okay. I told him I was fine but I honestly didn’t feel fine, I was so confused on how to feel about all of this. 

Steve didn’t say anything and just pull me into hug and like a dam being burst open, the tears I thought weren’t going to shed for Billy streamed down my face.

I buried my head into his chest, sobbing so hard I was start to have trouble breathing and had to make the annoying hiccup sound. Steve held onto to me tight, running his hand up and down my back to soothe me and I felt Max throw her small arms around me too and begin crying again into my arm.

After what felt like an eternity, I felt myself begin to calm down. Max pulls away to dry her eyes while Steve kept an arm around my shoulder as Robin comes up to us, seeing if we were okay. 

I spotted Joyce coming out and Will runs over to hug her, then I saw Eleven walking around, looking for Hopper. Joyce looked over at El and she looked very upset as if she’s telling El she’s sorry. 

And then it hit me that Hopper didn’t make it. “Oh God.” I muttered as I see El starting to cry. I pull away from Steve and made my way over to El to give her a comforting hug. She press her face into my shoulder as she sobs and I did my best to whisper comforting words to her while I try not to cry again myself.

Three Months Later

I drive up to Will’s house to see the large moving truck and Joyce’s car. Max, who was in the passenger seat, looks out the window and sighs. “Sucks that they’re moving.” She mutters. “Yeah, but I guess I understand why.” I said and Max nods. Joyce, Jonathon and Will had decided they were gonna move to California, taking Eleven with them. 

Hopper didn’t make it back at the Russian bunker so Joyce took Eleven in and she’s been staying with them since then. I parked the car and Max unbuckles her seatbelt then looks over at me. “You coming in?” She asked me and I nodded. “Can’t stay too long, got a job interview to go to.” I tell her and I start to unbuckle my seatbelt and we get out. 

“It’s just not fair. El and I just started hanging out and now she’s leaving.” Max said, frustrated, as we walked towards the house. “I know. But you can still write to her and we can visit her someday. I have been wanting to go back to California.” I tell her as I knock on the door. It opens and we 

After saying my goodbyes to Joyce, Jonathon and Will, I go down a hall and into one of the rooms to see Eleven standing there as she packs up her things. I knock on the doorway and she looks over at me. “Hey, sweetie.” I greeted her and she gives a small smile then I go over to her and we hug.

”Unfortunately, I can’t stay long but…I’m gonna miss you.” I tell her. El goes quiet as I pull back from the hug and look down at her and begin to speak. “You’ll love California. It’s so much more sunny there. And there’s so much to do.” I tell her and she looks down and I frown at this

”I’m scared.” She whispers. “Of what? The move?” I asked her and she nods. “I don’t like being alone.” She mutters and I give her a sad smile. “You won’t be, El. You’ll have Will and Jonathon with you. And you’ll make new friends.” I said and El still looked unsure. “Hey, if anything, you can always write me or Max a letter.” I tell her and she looks up at me, hopeful.

“Really?” She asked me and I nodded. She goes to hug me again and I hug her back, chuckling alittle. I tilt up her chin and said. “Hey, chin up okay? Everything’s gonna be fine.” I tell her and Eleven smiles and nods.

After saying goodbye, I made my way to the rental store and pulled up to the parking lot. I dig into my bag and pull out my application and read it over. Since the mall was practically destroyed, Robin, Steve and I lost our jobs and the past few months we had been trying to find another job.

But like I said, the mall got destroyed and lots of people lost their jobs. So finding a new job was like finding a needle in a haystack.

After checking over my application, I hear a car pull up next to me and I look over to see it was Steve and Robin. I smiled and get out of my car as do they. “You put your mom down as a reference?” Robin asked Steve. “Yeah. Why not? She's, like, super well-respected.” Steve replied, defensively, and I chuckled as I walk up to them 

“You're such a dingus.” I remarked as I go and kiss his cheek. “Wha...” he stammers and I chuckled. “You guys ready?” I asked them and they turn to me. “Yeah..” Robin said as we head to the main door of Family Video.

“Uh, just to be clear, we weren't fired, you know. The mall burned down and, like, killed a bunch of people.” Robin tells Keith, who is now the manager of Family Video instead of the arcade. “Thanks for sharing. Didn't know.” Keith said as he sets out applications down then he points to Robin. 

“Three favorite movies. Go.” He said. “Uh...The Apartment, Hidden Fortress, Children of Paradise.” Robin replied then Keith points to me. “You, go.” He demanded and I think real quick. “Ghostsbusters, Sixteen Candles and National Lampoons Vacation.” I replied then Keith points to Steve. 

“You. Go.” He said and Steve looked taken aback. “Favorite movies?” He asked, confused. “Did I stutter?” Keith asked and Steve goes to think. “Uh...Animal House, for sure. Um...” Steve said as he looks away then Keith snaps his fingers and points towards himself. “Eyes on me, Harrington.” He said and Steve looks back at him. 

“Yeah. Uh...Star Wars.” Steve said. “A New Hope?” Keith asked. “A new what-now?” Steve said, confused, and I run my hand over my face. “Which Star Wars?” Keith asked, clearly getting annoyed. “The one with the teddy bears. Duh.” Steve replied then he mimics the sound of Ewoks before he looks over at me and Robin, who lowers her head and I shake my head. 

“No? Uh...Oh, the one that just came out. The movie that just came out. The one with the DeLorean and Alex P. Keaton, and he's trying to bang his mom. The time…” Steve chuckles. “Babe, stop…” I whispered to him then he clears his throat. “Yeah, those are my top three. Classics.” Steve said.

Keith looked beyond offended before he turns to me and Robin. “You two start Monday.” He said then he turns to Steve. “You start never.” He said and Steve looks down, obviously upset. Robin then leans into us.

“Will you just, um...Will you give us a minute?” Robin asked me and Steve. “Why?” Steve asked, annoyed and disappointed, and I place a hand on his shoulder. “Steve.” I said then I grab his arm as he, aggressively, yanks his resume while Keith makes a face at him. Steve and I walk away while Robin talks to Keith.

”What the hell is she gonna do? Clearly he doesn’t want to hire me.” Steve grumbles. “Robin has a way with words, I think she’ll figure it out.” I assure him and Steve hums, unimpressed. “Mmmhmm, yeah we’ll see.” He said. “Hey, don’t be such a downer, it’s not a good look on you.” I tell him and he looks over at me and scoffs before he crashes into a cardboard cut out.

He curses as I go and help fix the cut out, which was of a scantily clad dressed woman that was promoting the movie Fast Times In Ridgemont High. “How the hell…” Steve grumbles as we fumble with the cutout then I get it to stand up again and Steve seemed to noticed the movie it was promoting.

“Fast Times. Fast Times. Ever heard of it? Top three for me, Keith.” Steve calls out to Keith, who looks at me and Steve then back to Robin as if to ask do I have to? But whatever Robin said to him, it worked and now the three of us are back working together again at the Family Video Store.

Later that day, after spending some time with Steve, I make my way back home and start to head to my room before I glance over at Billy’s room and my heart sank alittle. After his death, mom and Neil were devastated and they had tried to act like they were okay after several weeks but I could tell something was up. Neil was gone more often than usual and mom drank more and that had been fighting a lot as well, I’m starting to think that they might break up soon.

I sighed and shake my head as I head to my room but then I noticed Max was sitting in her room. “Hey…” I said and she looks up at me and she looked alittle sad. I frown then go over to her and hug her, comforting her since her friend was now gone. “I’m sorry, Max. But…maybe, one day we can go and visit her.” I suggested and Max nods alittle and we sit there in silence.

”How did the interview go?” Max asked me. “Well, you’re looking at the new employee of Family Video!” I said and Max smiled. “Congratulations!” She said then I dig into my purse. “Also, I got you something.” I said then I pull out a cassette tape and hand it to her. “Kate Bush?” Max said, confused.

”Hey, I listened to this at the store and I thought she had great music but there is one song I really like.” I said then I go over to Billy’s old boombox and I insert the tape inside. Synthetic music start to play for a bit and then Kate’s voice comes through the speakers.

It didn't hurt me (yeah, yeah, yo)

Do you wanna feel how it feels? (Yeah, yeah, yo)

Do you wanna know, know that it doesn't hurt me? (Yeah, yeah, yo)

Do you wanna hear about the deal that I'm making? (Yeah, yeah, yo)

You

It's you and me

And if I only could

I'd make a deal with God

And I'd get Him to swap our places

Be runnin' up that road

Be runnin' up that hill

Be runnin' up that building

Say, if I only could, oh

Max and I sit and listen to the song and I bob my head to the music as we listen to the rest of the song. Although I couldn’t help but think of Billy as I listened to this song. 

You don't wanna hurt me (yeah, yeah, yo)

But see how deep the bullet lies (yeah, yeah, yo)

Unaware I'm tearin' you asunder (yeah, yeah, yo)

Oh, there is thunder in our hearts (yeah, yeah, yo)

Is there so much hate for the ones we love? (Yeah, yeah, yo)

Oh, tell me, we both matter, don't we? (Yeah, yeah, yo)

You

It's you and me

It's you and me

Won't be unhappy

And if I only could

I'd make a deal with God

And I'd get Him to swap our places

Be runnin' up that road

Be runnin' up that hill

Be runnin' up that building (yo)

Say, if I only could, oh

Once it was over, Max turns to me. “Okay, that was a good song.” She said and I chuckled. “You’re welcome.” I said and we share another hug.

[notacaligirlsoimforgetable]

MORE STRANGER THINGS AS THINGS MY FAMILY HAS SAID (p.t. 3)

Chrissy: Hitting kids with cars are hereditary.

Angela: I'm gonna hit my second child with a car.

Argyle: There's a convenience store inside the homeless shelter so you can smoke weed.

Murray: The Biden administration and the trans illegal immigrants are stealing my oreos.

Lucas: Look, it's bad luck bowl cut!

Mike: Neither, I'm injecting it in my anus

Alexei: She only has so many friends ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Hopper: I was so angry, I ate a rolling pin.

Will: ✨We're so good at speaking!

Max: I have so much hate in my heart, I just hate.

Vickie: You HAVE to love women.

Carol: Dude that's bologna... I hate bologna.

Nancy: Why did you wife get my husband pregnant?

Tommy: Her name was bologna, and she was a showgirl for lactose intolerant people.

Billy: Sex, sex, and validation.

Eddie: I love my schools meth lab.

Dr. Brenner: I'm part of the door kissing community.

Ted: My technique is putting a knife in a toaster.

Jason: Black people didn't exist in the 80s.

Dustin: Yeah, a penis goes there.

Kali/08: Let's go to the list of ethnic slurs.

Barb: I don't think your family will be ejaculating into your pool.

El: Because we're not Greek, we're barbarians.

Robin: I'm paper. Scissor me.

Erica: Yeah there are two sexs. The one I have with your mom and the one with your dad.

Jonathan: I'm gay. This is gay. Everything is gay!

Steve: If the song title was "The Climax of a Gay Man Having Sex With a Donkey" and it was the most beautiful thing I've ever heard, I don't fucking care about the title.

Joyce: My toaster gets more action than you.

[thefixations-ofmine]

Kinktober 2024 - Masterlist

🕸 AO3 Series link 🕸

A/N: I decided not to participate in someone's challenge so that I can make it a lot more reasonable on myself. I did go through past challenges to get an idea, and that's how I came up with a sort of weekly theme with subgenres. They can be posted at random, according to my inspiration. Hopefully I can get a good amount done, and even if I have different ships, the new 911 season might bring some inspiration! I do not currently have an active tag list, let me know if you want to be tagged in my work (please specify which pairing(s)/shows you are interested in). Disclaimer: this is a kink challenge, therefore every link below the line has 18+ fiction varying on intensity. Additional kinks to the prompt will be tagged in each fic. You are responsible for the media you consume. * Other than completed work or wip, pairings are subject to changing along the way.

Acts 🎃

Dry humping - Preserum Stucky

Cock warming - BuckTommy

Choking & Marking combined - BuckTommy

Watersports - Eddie Munson (ST) solo

Objects 🎃

Camera - BuckTommy

Ropes (wip) - Eddie Diaz x incognito

Lingerie (part 1 of makeup)(wip) - BuckTommy

Makeup (part 2 of lingerie)(wip) - BuckTommy

Food - Jim Hopper x f!reader

Knife - Javier Peña x f!reader

Mask - Lucifer (TV) x f!reader

Locations 🎃

Alleyway - SalTommy

Workplace - BobbyBuck

Gloryhole - Tommy Kinard x incognito

Hotel (wip) - SalTommy

Car/Plane - FirstPrince

Strip club - BuckTommy

Non-bed surface (wip) - EddieJosh

Feelings 🎃

Praise kink - BuckTommy

Touch-starved - BuddieTommy

Jealous sex - Eddie Munson x f!reader

Pent-up anger - BuckTommy

CNC - EddieJosh

Humiliation - Jim Hopper x f!reader

High sex - Ryan Guzman rpf x f!reader

AU pairing 🎃

Teacher - BobbyBuck

Dad's best friend - Javier Peña

Team mate - SalTommy

Bodyguard - Bucky Barnes

Halloween party (orgy)

[munsonsprincess11111]

What now.

Eddie munson x reader

Summary: your Jim hoppers daughter and Eddie gets arrested by him. So you go down to the station to see him when hopper tells u. Keeping Eddie company while you wait for Wayne to bail him out.

You wake up Saturday morning going to the kitchen to make breakfast. Your dad comes walking out already dressed for work. "How was work-" You go to ask but get sut off by him taking your piece of toast and speaking.

"Munson boy was arrested by me at 10pm last night for speeding n having alcohol on him would've let him go if I didn't have Powell with me. He's at the station still you coming down or what." HE says eating while buttoning his chief shirt.

You stand there staring at your dad in shock. "Um yeah lemme get dressed." You say dropping the butter knife running to your bedroom. You hated when this happend. The thought of Eddie being sat cold n on his own.

You put on a pair of Eddie's grey sweats he left at yours once and a baggy tee then grabby a change of clothes for Eddie. For some reason the bot would give you his clothes cause he "loves you and wants you to have something so you feel safe when he's not around."

You get into the passenger side of your dad's vehicle and off he drives to the station. When you arrive Powells stood in the main bit and sees you. "NO. Nope. She can't be here." HE says trying to get hopper to make you leave.

"1) she's my kid. 2) I'm chief of police not you. 3) I Dont seem to give a fuck. 4) wheres the boy?" HE says looking Powell in the eyes. He then signals to the cells. Hop grabs the keys and leads you there. You arrive at a cell and see Eddie asleep in jeans and his keatger jacket on the uncomfortable bed. Hopper bangs his walkie against the bar which Eddie started awake to

"Rinse and shine dickhead you've got a visitor." Hop says smirking at Eddie when he falls off the bed.

"Thought people didn't get visitors when they were here. Unless it's Wayne here to kill me. If it is tell him I'm already dead?" Eddie says tryna sound cock not realising your stood behind your dad. You roll your eyes even though neither of the boys can see.

"OK fine common visitor let's get you in your way." Hop says walking off hand on your back. Then Eddie sees you.

"Fuck. Y/n hey babe. How are you?" HE says knowing your probably pissed.

"The fuck was you thinking speeding with beer in the van. N then getting cock to my fucking dad. Eddie you absolutely prick." You say looks frustrated. Eddie hold the bars putting his face in-between two and his arms through two other gaps. Putting his hands on your face.

"I wasn't drunk I did a beer run. N I didn't mean to speed. And I was bored." Eddie says running his thumb up the side of your face.

"As amusing as this is Eddie get off the bars n ill let her in." Hopper says approaching the lock. Eddie playfully throws himself to the back wall crossing his arms smirking. You enter and hopper locks the door behind you. "Don't do anything stupid I'm sat over there." HE said pointing a finger at Eddie before walking off.

Eddie walks over to you putting his arms around you pulling you in for a hug. You hug him back.

"Bought you change of clothes can't imagine Jens are comfy." You say golfing out sweats and a top for him. "Thanks princess." HE says kissing you sweetly. "Is anyone looking?" HE askes.

You giggle looking over your shoulder. "NO Eddie be quick." You say

The boy quickly drops his jeans kicking them behind him pulling the sweats up his legs. He notices you starring but doesn't say anything. He will tease you later. The he strips of his jackets and tee shirt. Sniffing the tee smirking and throwing it st your face. He laughs putting the fresh top as you throw the dirty one back at him.

"You stink." You say Pulling a face of disgust.

"I know you do but what do I?" HE says smugly. "Come sit on the floor." Eddie says dropping on the floor. You roll your eyes and ait next to him. His arm going around your shoulders and your head on his shoulder. "Thank you." HE mumbles kissing your head.

"For what?" You ask looking him in the eyes.

"Bringing me clean clothes. Sitting in here with me. Just everything. I love you." HE says kissing you softly. "I love you too." You mumble kissing him back.

Wayne soon arrives paying Eddie bail eith Eddie's stash of cash for moments like these.

"Alright munson your outta here." Hopper says unlocking the cell.

"Sweet." HE says standing up grabbing your hand snd pulling you up. You both walk out the cell holding hands. And Eddie holding his other clothes in his other hand. "Munson. Stop speeding when you onow you've got stuff your not allowed in the van for Christ's sake and y/n you can stay at Eddie tonight home by lunch time." Hopper says waving you both over to Wayne.

"Really Eddie." Wayne says looking annoyed.

"Whoops?" Eddie says but more like a question.

-one hour later-

"M telling ya if I knew he was out I wouldn't of swear baby." Eddie says walking into his bedroom holding his popcorn trying to defend himself about his situation.

"It's over now just be more careful." You say flopping on Eddie's bed crawling up to thr pillows. Eddie sets his popcorn on the bedside table jumping on you fo you kissing you passionately. The kiss escalates quick and sliding your (his) sweat pants down your legs when

BANG BANG BANG. on his bedroom door.

"DONT EVEN THINK ABOUT IT YOU 2 OR HOPPER WILL BE IN HERE ARRESTING YOU FOR WHAT YOUR ABOUT TO DO." Wayne shouts from the over side of the door.

"Kay." Eddie say not moving hearing his uncle foot steps get further away as he continues stripping you. "You still down?" HE askes kissing your neck. You nod and let out a quiet moan and he smirks into your neck.

"Good cause its gonna be a long night" he says grinding himself into your pussy that's covered by nothing as you wore no underwear that day. Eddie slides his trousers down his legs then his boxers leaving them around his thighs just incase. He puts the tip of his cock at your soppy hole.

"Ready?" HE askes as you nod. He slides in slow and you throw your head back. Eddie kisses you to stop you moaning loud. He starts to thrust in and out of you slowly. Your hands in his hair as he kisses you stopping both your moans.

His hands on your hips helping his thrusts so they wasn't to erratic. One of his hands goes under your shirt to your boob and he plays with your nipple between his thick fingers.

His thrusts are slow but deep hitting all the good spots. He slides his hand between your bodies slowing playing with your clit. You stangke a moan as he works his thrusts to playing with your clit making you feel like you was in heaven.

His mouth moves to your neck sucking and biting leaving dark marks. Then kissing the places he sucked and bite lightly. He removes jis hands from you propping himself on his forearms looking into your eyes.

"My pretty girl. Look so pretty like this hun. My cock deep inside you. Fuck I love you." HE says lowly. You clench around him ad your orgasm approaches. Eddie knows your body well enough to know when your gonna cum. "That's it baby let go cum for me." You bite own on his shoulder at his words and cum all over his cock.

Eddie thrusts slightly faster as you tighten from your orgams and cums after you dropping his head to your shoulder.

After coming down he looks you in the eyes and smiles hugging you. "I love you." HE says kissing you on the lips sweetly. "I love you too." You smile back into the kiss

"OH and by the way next time I'm gonna fuck you until you forget your name and only remember mine." HE says smirking so you knew you'd be getting it rough.

You slap his back playfully and he laughs. "Fucking freak" You giggle eing the only person who can call him that and him love it.

"Your fucking freak."

[xiaq]

Steddie Time Travel Fix-it: Pt.9

Ao3 Pt. 1 Pt. 2 Pt. 3 Pt. 4 Pt. 5 Pt. 6 Pt. 7 Pt. 8

It’s 2am and Eddie is sitting alone on the front steps, knife still in one hand, when Hopper’s truck turns into the cul-de-sac. Steve is leaning out the window, grinning. He’s got one hand pressed to the side of the cab, his hair a riot in the wind, and it feels like Eddie can catch a full breath for the first time in hours.

The truck has hardly stopped and Eddie has hardly managed to push himself to his feet before Steve is shoving open the passenger door and stumbling across the lawn to––‘hug’ seems like a woefully ineffective way to describe the way that Steve slams into him. The way that he pulls them together, desperate and aching, like he wants to merge them into a singular entity. It’s a collision of a gesture. Chest to chest. Steve’s arms are tight and undeniable and a little bit violent around him. His hands are fisted in the fabric of Eddie’s shirt. His face is in Eddie’s neck.

“You’re ok,” he says, and Eddie is reminded of that first, baffling, meeting in the bathroom, when Steve couldn’t seem to stop himself from touching, from reassuring himself that Eddie was real and whole.

“I’m good, man, but I’m really fucking confused.” He tries to pull away. Steve doesn’t let him. Eddie isn’t going to fight him about it. “Are you ok?” he asks, mostly into Steve’s hair.

“I’m fine. We won. And we’re alive. And we’re all—everything is going to be fine, now.”

“That is great news, but I still need an explanation and, whoa, hey.”

There’s a wetness smearing on his chin and Eddie realizes that despite Steve’s claims of being fine, he’s definitely reopened the line of stitches on his temple and one of his arms is seriously jacked up.

“You’re getting blood on me,” Eddie points out.

Steve lets go.

“Sorry,” he says, reaching up to try and wipe it away. His fingers are just as gory as his face, though, maybe even worse, and he looks a little panicked at whatever he’s done to Eddie’s jaw. “Sorry,” he repeats. “Oh jeez—here, let me––”

“Steve,” Hopper says, slamming the driver’s side door of the truck. “Can you have your touching reunion inside?”

There’s a kid Eddie hadn’t noticed before with a shaved head, blood all down her lips beneath her nose, getting out of the back seat. A bearded man and Joyce Beyers follow her, and there’s another car pulling up to park behind Hopper’s truck. Nancy is in the driver’s seat, and Robin and Jonathan and a couple other people he doesn’t recognize are piling out, bloodied and weary-looking, but all smiling. When a third and fourth car, both black, government-y vehicles arrive, Eddie looks to Steve who still has one disgusting hand wrapped around Eddie’s wrist, like he’s afraid to let go of him.

“Inside,” he says.

Eddie agrees that’s probably best.

Steve is met in the foyer like a conquering hero. The kids fling themselves at him with hugs and questions and shouts of dismay over the state of his bloodied face and his mangled arm, which under the entryway lights looks far worse than it did in the yard––like something had been chewing on it. Something big. Steve and the others spend a solid five minutes just repeating that they won, it’s over, they won, it’s over, while Eddie and Barb and Chrissy stand on the fringes and share confused looks.

When it becomes clear that no one else is in any hurry to take care of Steve’s injuries, Eddie grabs him by the arm that doesn’t look like it’s been stuck down a garbage disposal and drags him down the hall to the bathroom. He knows where the first aid kit is, now.

“Sit,” he tells him, nodding to the toilet.

Steve sits.

And then he’s looking up at Eddie, all wide-eyed and appreciative like some kind of triumphant but humble gladiator awaiting his reward for a battle well-fought. Eddie wants to punch a wall or something because he should not be endeared by this. He should not.

And yet.

“Take off your shirt,” Eddie says brusquely. “Or do you need help?”

“My ribs are still pretty fucked up from before,” Steve murmurs, “so I won’t lie, lifting my arms above my head isn’t great.”

Eddie benevolently does not point out that haring off to fight interdimensional creatures, or whatever the hell Steve was doing, probably hasn’t helped with the broken ribs situation.

“So, help?” Eddie says.

“Yeah, please.”

And he should have seen that coming. He offered, after all, but Eddie is stymied for a moment before he moves forward, leaning over Steve’s back to get to the hem of his shirt so he can pull it forward over his head and off without making him lift his arms. 

It forces them close again. Eddie can smell him: sweat and blood and whatever nameless viscera is smeared on his clothes. It’s disgusting.

And yet.

“New plan,” Eddie says, tossing the shirt onto the floor and then kicking it further away for good measure. “Shower first, and then we’ll patch you up without worrying about secondary infections.”

“I don’t have any other clothes,” Steve says.

“Well, I’ve got a bag full of clothes in the car and you’re not that much bigger than me. Also, at some point you’re going to start explaining things. Feel free to start now.”

“Well,” Steve glances at the closed bathroom door. “The others are probably filling in Barb and Chrissy right now, if you want to join them.”

Eddie drops to his knees to unlace Steve’s boots. “No,” he says, slapping at Steve’s hands when he tries to do it himself, wincing. “I don’t want the others to tell me, I want you to tell me. I want you to explain why your personality has done a 180 and you’re suddenly best friends with Buckley and Nancy,” he cups one hand around the back of Steve’s knee so he can pull off his boot with the other, “and why you’re basically parenting a dozen middle-schoolers and why you’re afraid of DnD monsters and have a trunk full of weapons and lose your mind when lights flicker and why there’s some sort of portal in my living room ceiling and why you keep looking at me.”

“I—I don’t look at you,” Steve says, fucking looking at him. “How do I look at you?”

“Like that,” Eddie shouts, gesturing at Steve’s face with his own dirty sock. “Jesus.”

He pulls off the second boot, the second sock, even dirtier than the first, and tosses them aside. 

“I’m sorry,” Steve exhales. “I don’t mean to. And I don’t know where to start. I’m not—none of any of this sounds believable.”

“Well, I was thinking time travel at first but now I’m leaning toward alternate dimensions, so I feel like I’m good with whatever you want to throw at me, here.”

“Alright,” Steve says. He leans forward, gritting his teeth around a grimace, to brace his elbows on his knees. “Honestly, it’s a little of column A, and a lot of column B.”

“Fuck. Okay. Give me the like, two minute version.”

“So there’s an…alternate dimension of Hawkins,” Steve starts. “Like, it’s still Hawkins, just. Wrong. We’ve been calling it the Upside-Down. And there are places where the dividing line between between our reality and the Upside-Down is weak. And those places can turn into gates where people or things can move back and forth between the two. There was one in your ceiling.”

“And Lover’s Lake,” Eddie says. “There was one there? And your…pool?”

“Yeah.”

“Following you so far. You said ‘things’ can move back and forth. What uh, dare I ask what populates this Upside Down version of Hawkins?”

“Monsters, mostly,” Steve says.

“Figured.”

 “The kids named the monsters we’ve been fighting after D&D characters. Which is why I get weird about shit like demogorgons and mind flayers and stuff.”

“Okay, alright, so much is making sense right now. So there aren’t any people there?”

“Not really. There was one guy, an evil guy, I guess. Vecna. Who was responsible for the Upside Down going bad. He lived there. Sort of.”

Steve ducks his head and scrubs a hand through his hair with his still-operational arm. “I feel like I’m not doing a good job explaining this, you should really let one of the others––“

“You’re doing great,” Eddie interrupts. “We’ve got an alternate reality tenuously separated from real life, inhabited by an evil villain and his monsters. What else?”

“El, the girl with the shaved head? She came from a lab—the Hawkins lab––where they were doing experiments on kids. Giving them superpowers. And also finding out how to make gates to the Upside Down. The bad guy in the Upside Down was also one of the kids from the lab, a long time ago. They can both open and close gates.”

“Okay,” Eddie says slowly. “So El is the heroine and he’s her villainous foil in the story.”

“It’s not a story,”

“No, I know, I’m just, this is how I’m contextualizing, sorry. How did all the kids get involved?”

“By accident, mostly. Will––the nice one with the bowl cut and enormous eyes?––he ended up trapped there for a while. There was a gate in his shed. But he made it back, obviously.”

Eddie tries to place him but struggles. There are a lot of kids running around.

“The others are all friends with him,” Steve continues. “And also they found El in the woods when she escaped from the lab. They’re all pretty great, honestly. Even if they’re annoying as hell.”

“Where does the time travel bit come in?”

Steve’s attention drops immediately to his hands. His nail-beds are black. It’s going to take forever to get him clean and apparently Eddie has signed himself up for that task. He should probably be dreading it.

And yet.

“In our timeline,” Steve says, “it’s 1987. Or it was when we left. Things went really bad with Vecna and people died. A lot of people. Hawkins was pretty much destroyed. And we didn’t think we’d be able to stop him at all, his reach was just going to expand and get worse and worse until one of the people from the lab came to talk to El. Told her she could basically open up a portal in the Upside Down and go back in time. And prevent all the shit that happened from ever happening. So she did and we all went through with her. Except the first couple times we tried we only went back a few months and it wasn’t enough. Vecna still won every time no matter what we changed or how we tried to fix things. So this time we went back years instead. To stop him at the beginning. When he was unprepared.”

“Wait,” Eddie says. “Why don’t I remember this then? You all act like you know me, so I must have been involved in this shit at least a little, right?”

“Right,” Steve says. “No, you were. But it was only the people there in 1987 who went through the portal that remember.”

“Only the people there. What does that even mean? Where did I go?”

He might be a little bit of a coward, but there’s no way he would have abandoned a bunch of kids and Steve Harrington to fight monsters alone. He doesn’t think.

Steve’s attention is so forcefully on his hands, fingers now curled tight and painful-looking around his knees, that Eddie reaches up to stop him before he hurts himself.

Oh, he realizes, thumbs tucked between Steve's palms and his knees.

Oh, no.

“I fucking died, didn’t I?” Eddie asks.

“Yeah,” Steve says.

Well. That’s…sobering.

“So,” Eddie says, rocking back onto his heels, feeling winded. “Time travel. Parallel worlds. Bad dude. Monsters. Kids with superpowers. My untimely demise.”

“That’s about the shape of it.”

“And this Vecna guy. You said—when you first got back tonight you said it was over. Is it, though? Like, over over.”

“I think so. We won this time. And El thinks he’s gone for good and she’s closed all the gates but one. We’ll do a couple of patrols over the next few months to make sure, before we close the final gate permanently. But we’re pretty sure it’s over. Finally.”

Steve’s eyes are dark and wet and huge in his dirty face when he finally meets Eddie’s gaze.

“Well,” Eddie says. His hands are still wrapped around Steve’s. “I guess I should thank you for saving my life, then.”

Steve huffs out a laugh, then winces. “Yeah, no problem.”

“Sounds like it was a little bit of a problem. Just a smidge.”

“Worth it,” Steve says. 

He shouldn’t be attractive like this–smeared in dirt and grime and his own blood. Leaning a little to one side to take pressure off broken ribs.

And yet.

Eddie clears his throat. “You really need to take a shower so we can patch you up.”

Steve is still looking at him. 

The same way he’s been looking at him.

Eddie is starting to understand the depth behind it. He’s starting to have questions about the depth of it. Questions that are probably more wishfull thinking than anything else but also––

“I’ll need help,” Steve says evenly. “With showering. Because of my arm.”

“Right,” Eddie says. “Well, I’m…here.”

“You’re here,” Steve agrees.

It sounds like he means something else. Something more.

Eddie swallows.

He lets go of Steve’s hands.

He slides back the shower curtain and turns on the faucet.

Pt. 10

[ladykailitha]

Well Met By Moonlight Part 3

Hi!! So I can't link to part 2 (well I can, but that whole section remains lost) at the moment because the damn post is broke and can't be edited and according the belabored staff it was an issue for a lot of people that posted during that seven hour window when the tags were down last Thursday. So they have a shit ton of help tickets to wade through, though they have assured me they are looking into it.

But as soon as they have it figured out I will link back to the original post, until then I'll link the fixed reposted version for now and apologize profusely for the fuck up.

I have the whole back story plotted out for what happened and why, I'm just not sure where the story is going to go to get to those reveals. However this means you get enjoy the ride with me.

So without further ado, Steve gets his man vampire.

Part 1 Part 2

***

Steve turned to Robin. “Telling you to leave, too isn’t going to work, is it?” he asked with a sigh.

She grinned at him. “Nope!”

He turned to Eddie who had been watching the whole interaction with a curious tilt to his head. Steve thought he looked like a puppy like that. Big brown eyes, adorable head tilt, the hair being a stand-in for floppy ears...

Puppy.

He was also one hundred percent sure that Eddie would have been offended by the comparison.

“What’s got you smiling like that, sweetheart?” Eddie asked.

“You,” Steve replied truthfully.

Robin faked retching. “Oh my god, I’m going to gag on the absolute sap oozing off the both of you.”

Steve blushed, but Eddie wagged his eyebrows suggestively.

“That’s it,” Robin said, throwing her arms in the air. “I’m out of here. Steve, don’t die. Eddie, you hurt my best friend and not even all the vampires in the coven and all the wolves in this pack would be able to stop me from ripping you to pieces, do you understand?”

Eddie smiled with just his lips, his eyes crinkling with mirth. “I read you loud and clear.”

Robin nodded and then marched back into the trees.

Suddenly Steve could feel the importance of it just being the two of them.

He cleared his throat and scratched his cheek nervously. “I wanted to thank you for the rescue. I was so sure I was going to die that night.”

Eddie grinned, shoving his hands into the pockets of his leather jacket. “I’m glad Uncle Wayne sent me.”

Steve felt his insides turn cold. “Oh. You only came to my rescue because Wayne sent you?”

Eddie cocked his head to the side thoughtfully as he took in the question. “Sweetheart, I think you misunderstand something. Rescuing you was an obligation to the pack leader, loyalty to my uncle and maker, and a sign of my love and devotion for you. I don’t need to have a single reason. I’m allowed multiple reasons for doing something.” He wagged his eyebrows suggestively. “For doing you.”

Steve snorted, but the ice was beginning to melt in his gut. Eddie took a step closer and then another when Steve didn’t flinch or take a step back. Soon they were inches from each other.

“I am worried,” Eddie murmured gently. “What kind of trouble a turned vampire and a werewolf alpha would cause in a town that is already balanced on the edge of a knife.”

Steve nodded, carefully taking Eddie’s face into his hands. “I’m worried too. But I think we’re going to need band together not just turned vampires like you and your uncle and my pack, but the coven, too. What happened to me was just the tip of the iceberg and the new sheriff seems shockingly anti-supernatural.”

Eddie pursed his lips and nodded. “God, do you know how much I’ve wanted to stand here with you like this? To have you see me?”

Steve brought their foreheads together. “I did see you, Eds. I did. But I wasn’t the alpha then and you were a mere mortal.”

Eddie squeezed his eyes shut and let out a shuddering breath. “It’s why I asked Wayne to change me, you know. Because if Hopper was afraid of him then made if he made me, Hopper would have to let me near you.”

“Oh, darling...” Steve murmured. “I wish you didn’t have to do that, but I don’t think your uncle would have appreciated me turning you into a werewolf, so...”

Eddie threw back his head a laugh. “Oh god! The look on his face would have been priceless. I almost wish I had waited until I was twenty-one to ask, just for that reason.”

Steve smiled. “Yes, but then it would have been Wayne that rescued me and I wouldn’t gotten to see how sexy you are when you chase your prey.”

Eddie’s face transformed under the feral grin that spread over his features. “You get a little hot and bothered watching me defend you, baby?”

Steve bit his bottom lip and shook his head.

“No?” Eddie asked tilting his head to side, still grinning from ear to ear.

“Yeah...” Steve said, dragging the word out slowly. “To say I was a little hot and bothered would be a little like calling a tornado a gentle breeze.”

Eddie laughed and turned his head away, pulling gently out of Steve’s hands. He looked back at Steve who now shared his dopey grin. “And people in this town call me the menace.”

Steve laughed too. “I just get to hide my weirdness under the guise of being a werewolf.”

“I’d really like to kiss you now,” Eddie murmured.

Steve stepped into his space, their chests nearly touching. “I was wondering when you were going ask.”

Eddie chuckled and tangled his hands into Steve’s hair, drawing their faces close. Their lips were a literal breath away when Eddie stopped, just taking in the mingling of their air as they were already panting.

Steve closed the remaining distance and finally, finally they were kissing. It lit every nerve ending in Steve’s body up like a firework. He never knew kissing could feel like this. He gripped the back of Eddie’s leather jacket and held on for dear life.

“Wow.” Eddie felt like he had been forced to run the mile in gym. He couldn’t breath, his heart was beating erratically, and every muscle burned. It was amazing. He dived back in and kissed Steve again. He couldn’t get enough.

Steve had never felt like this in his life. It was deep and sensual and everything he had been told growing up that love should be. And now he was standing on the edge of precipice waiting for that last gust of wind to knock him over the cliff and into Eddie’s strong arms.

“Fuck, Eds,” he breathed when they stopped for breath. “You smell, taste, and feel amazing. God, I don’t want to stop.”

Eddie let out a growl, deep from his throat. “I know, baby. I know. But if we don’t your entire pack is going to get an eyeful.”

Steve chuckled. “Nudity isn’t a problem with packs. All the shifting makes it hard on clothes.”

Eddie’s growl turned into groan. “You can’t just say shit like that when my dick is that hard. It’s gone soft thinking about seeing Murray or Hopper naked.”

Steve laugh startled out of him. “Yeah, I could see that having an effect. I do know a place we could be alone if you wanted.”

Eddie smiled. “I like the way you think, sweetheart.”

Steve let out an ear piercing whistle and a large black, shaggy wolf came running up through the tree line. The wolf sat down and wagged its tail happily.

Steve laughed. “I figured it would be you. You’re on sentry duty until I get back at dawn. I’m going to Skull Rock.”

“You got it, alpha,” the black wolf said his voice thick with a barely contained giggle.

Steve knelt down and they hugged each other with their necks, allowing their scents to mingle.

“I’m glad you’re still the alpha,” the wolf whispered.

Steve stood up. “I will protect this pack with everything in my power. I promise you that.”

The wolf nodded solemnly.

Steve turned to Eddie. “Come on. I’ll race you to Skull Rock.”

Eddie raised an eyebrow, but before he retort, Steve had shifted and was sprinting in the direction of the local landmark.

The wolf let out a breathy laugh that only wolves could make. “You better start flapping those wings, lover boy. Otherwise Steve will beat you.”

Eddie shook his head and took flight, transforming as he leapt into the air.

*

Eddie managed to barely pull out a win by tackling Steve right before the rock out cropping and rolled to the finish line.

Steve ended up on top of the vampire fully human with bright laugh bubbling from his lips. “You cheated.”

Eddie grinned. “Of course I did. It’s the only way to win, babe.”

“It’s a good thing you’re so cute.”

Eddie hummed, his hands roaming over Steve’s bare skin, calloused fingers catching on the smooth expanse.

“Feels good,” Steve murmured, nosing Eddie’s throat.

Eddie’s hands continued their trek down his back, to cup his ass. “You feel amazing, sweetheart. How did I get so lucky?”

Steve gasped, grinding down into Eddie’s hips. “I’m the lucky one. I never thought I would find someone who gets me the way you do.”

Eddie huffed out a laugh. “You werewolves go fast, don’t you?”

“We have to,” Steve murmured. “We might live longer than humans, but we don’t live nearly as long as you vampires do. If we don’t move fast we might lose a chance to breed and that would hurt the pack in the long run.”

Eddie’s expression softened. “I’m sorry, babe. I wasn’t thinking when I said that. Are you going to have to breed with someone as the alpha?”

Steve buried his head deeper into Eddie’s neck. “I don’t want to. I want the Harrington line to die with me. But as the alpha I might have to.”

Eddie’s hands went back to roaming over Steve’s skin, this time to comfort. “What made you decide to go for the alpha position after Hopper was declared dead?”

Steve raised his head. “Because I looked at the other options and knew that if I didn’t, the pack would be stuck in the old ways and people like Carver would kill us all.” He gave Eddie a peck on the lips. “Would you want to be in a pack under Ted Wheeler or Murray Bauman?”

“Wait,” Eddie said raising both eyebrows in surprise, “those were your two options ultra-conservative Ted Wheeler or super conspiracy nut Murray Bauman?”

Steve nodded. “Yeah. It was insane.”

“What about Derek Sinclair or oh...” Eddie’s brain finally caught up to his mouth. “Oh shit. It was literally you or the old guard, wasn’t it?”

“Yeah,” Steve said. “And then when Joyce got supplanted by Nancy as alpha female, her and Murray conspired to bring Hopper back so that things could go back to the way things were before.”

“That’s messed up,” Eddie said. “Could you banish them for that?”

Steve sighed, rolling off Eddie to lie next to him on the ground. “I’ve thought about it a lot, I won’t lie. But I worry how Jonathan and Will are going to react to their own mother getting banished. Would I end up having to banish them too? Could I split up a family like that? Would they willingly go with her?”

“That’s a lot to think about,” Eddie agreed, rolling over on his side and propping his head up by his elbow. “Especially for someone so young.”

“I’m not a fan of Billy Hargrove, the racist, homophobic asshole that he is,” Steve said, “but he is the reason I tried for the alpha role in the first place. If he could take over the coven at the young age of eighteen, then I could take over the pack at the tender age of nineteen.”

“Wayne told me that the amount of supe on supe violence has gone down since you took over,” Eddie said. “The coven respects the pack and the pack respects the coven.”

Steve nodded. “I still wouldn’t mind having outside voices from the pack. The echo chamber has gotten so loud that we get bullshit like the pack tearing apart a vampire that wandered into the encampment instead of helping him or accepting his help, in the case of you rescuing me.”

Eddie nodded. “It’s that suspicion that breeds contempt and allows people like Jason Carver to stir up the town against its supernatural founders.”

Steve sighed. “I worry about the undercurrent of distrust that’s been building for god knows how long.”

“Let me help you forget about it for awhile, baby,” Eddie murmured.

A shiver ran down Steve’s spine in anticipation. “Yes, please.”

Eddie leaned for a kiss and then pulled Steve back over on him.

***

Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 Part 14 Part 15 Part 16 Part 17 Part 18 Part 19 Part 20

Yes, everyone, Billy is in this and while he still is all the things that made him repugnant, Steve still respects him. But we'll get more into that at later date.

Tag List: @spectrum-spectre @estrellami-1 @zerokrox-blog @artiststarme @swimmingbirdrunningrock @gregre369 @pyrohonk @renaissan-vvitch @goodolefashionedloverboi @chaoticlovingdreamer @maya-custodios-dionach @messrs-weasley @val-from-lawrence @a-little-unsteddie @i-must-potato @danili666 @carlyv @rozzieroos @wonderland-girl143-blog @itsall-taken @justforthedead89 @emly03 @bookworm0690 @bookbinderbitch @littlewildflowerkitten @vecnuthy @redfreckledwolf @scheodingers-muppet @mira-jadeamethyst @just-a-tiny-void @potato-of-the-lord @goosesister

[thewritersofdeceased]

ཧᜰ꙰ꦿ➢ʜᴀᴘᴘʏ ʙɪʀᴛʜᴅᴀʏ.. ʙʏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴀʏ..༒

NOT AN X READER!! BUT JUST AN IDEA!! 

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU.." A tired voice sang out.  Tears fell down who seemed to be the toughest kid in all of Denver. The kid no one dared to mess with. But here sat Vance Hopper.  The blonde sat alone in the basement of The Grabber, the man who had already taken two boys before him. Griffin Stagg, the boy who was invisible the whole time he was alive.  And Billy Showalter. Paperboy. As Vance remembered him as. He took a shaky breath in ,tears continuing to fall down the boy's bloodied face. 

 "HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU.."  He continued to sing, his knees close to his chest. He wanted to go home. Even if he was a delinquent, all Vance wanted to do was go home and act like everything was fine.  He knew he wasn't going home. Not when The Grabber had made that perfectly clear.  The constant "I almost let you out" he heard from the masked man shattered his heart completely. He knew he wasn't leaving anytime soon. So in his eyes, it was just pathetic to hear that, or even think he was leaving. He learnt that lesson last time he tried to leave. 

The feeling of a stupid belt.. That shit hurt so much, he felt like he couldn't move for weeks. When he had his nose broken, god he cried like a bitch. His eyes watered. It felt like it was getting pierced. But ten times worse. His tears continued to fall, as he softly continued to sing that stupid birthday song. He knew it was his birthday. He just knew. His eyes continued to fill to the brim with tears, before he rolled to lay on his side, himself basically curling into a ball. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU.."

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR VANCE.." He cried out, slowly starting to hiccup on his words. He could feel himself stuttering and crying. Everything hurt. From his bloody nose, to all the welts on his back from the feeling of a belt.. The only thought on his mind was his family. For once. Not even pinball crossed his mind. Well, maybe once or twice. But his main goal was going home. Home, praying his parents would be glad he was okay. Well.  At least him mom. His dad and him had a rocky relationship.. Mainly with his dad being a cop... Long story. He usually was the one to always be called to the scene Vance caused. Just recently. At least he thought recently, it was the Grab N'Go..  That's another story for another day.

His eyes tightly closed, his body curled on himself, Vance could feel approaching him, and slowly but surely, it was The Grabber's. His head lifted slightly, before dropping right back onto the mattress he laid on. The Grabber held what seemed to be a knife tightly in his hand, but Vance didn't even notice at first glance. His eyes just closed. /The/Vance Hopper, had given up. After months of eating, he'd given up. Finally.  

As he felt his heart beat begin to quicken, but he didn't dare lift his head. Seconds later, there was nothing. The Grabber had done. it. The third victim. He smiled under the mask, staring at the bloodied mess he'd done.  No longer did Vance look so awake. The blood from the boys neck dripped down onto the once white shirt. The Grabber said nothing, just let out small laughs. Talk about crazy..

[dwobbitfromtheshire]

To Change

A/N: Wayne and Ted friendship, but it also could be read as something more. I don't know much about Ted's background in TFS, just the hedgehog thing. Here ya go!

Ted Wheeler wasn't a perfect father. He knew, but he figured he was a thousand times better than his own abusive father had been. Maybe he had tried too hard not to show his anger that he inadvertently put up the distance between him and his children. In his own stupid way, he thought he was protecting them. Maybe if he didn't get upset or show anger. . .maybe Karen would stay, that they would stay. He hadn't understood, though, just like with most social interactions, that they needed more from him. He didn't understand how to let them know that there were some things that he might not be able to give them. He didn't know how to talk to them but he had to start somewhere. He had caught Mike crying in the bathroom and trying to cut his hair.

"Here, let me help," Ted had said softly.

Mike didn't say anything. He just handed Ted the scissors. It was quiet between them as Ted cut his hair. He noticed how tall Mike had gotten. When did that happen? Pretty soon, Mike was going to be tall like him. In this moment, Ted was proud of his boy but also sad and angry for him. He shouldn't have had to go through something like this. None of them should have. Ted gently brushed the hair off the back of his neck.

"Thanks," Mike said stiffly.

"Mike," Ted said softly. "I'm so sorry about your friend. I lost a friend myself at that age, and I know how - "

"Bullshit!" Mike yelled.

"Michael!" Ted exclaimed.

"I don't believe you! I don't believe anything you have to say. You don't give a shit about anything! You just sit there in your chair, and you do nothing! You care about nothing!" Mike screamed. "It should have been you!"

Mike stormed out of the room, leaving Ted standing in the bathroom amongst his hair. He slid to the floor and let out a sob. How did he fuck up this badly? Ted gripped his arms. He began rocking back and forth as every noise in the house suddenly became overwhelming to him, even the sound of his own beating heart, which he wished he could rip out. He wished he couldn't feel anything because nothing hurt more than hearing your son wish you were dead. He knew Mike was hurting, but the words that spilled from his son's mouth still cut him like a knife to the heart. After crying for a while, Ted stood up and wiped his eyes before cleaning up the hair.

It was later that afternoon that Ted had invited the rest of the party into his house to talk about what their next plan of attack was. He didn't know what to do or to say. He really was useless. The awkwardness he was feeling made him feel uncomfortable in his very skin, and listening to them talk about what all the kids went through made it even more so. Now, the other parents were yelling at Hopper and Joyce for keeping them in the dark for so long. He didn't blame them for being angry, but the noise was too much for him to bear. Ted pulled himself out of the dining room and into the kitchen, trying to practice the breathing techniques his mother taught him to do when he was younger.

"Yeah, the noise overwhelms me too," a voice spoke, and he jumped. "Sorry."

Wayne Munson had followed him into the kitchen.

"It's fine. . .I just don't know what to say in there," Ted said.

"You're telling me," Wayne scoffed. "I don't, either."

"You want a beer?" Ted asked.

"I think the situation calls for it," Wayne sighed and Ted snorted.

He pulled out a couple of beers for himself and Wayne. They drank in comfortable silence for a while. The only sound was the parents chewing out Joyce and Hopper, but it was more muffled now that they were in the kitchen.

"I feel like my head is spinning," Ted said.

"Yeah, mine too. . .you had no clue at all that it might have been something like this?" Wayne asked.

"I can't even tell when someone is being sarcastic with me," Ted said. "How was I supposed to guess?"

"Yeah, I can't tell when people do that either. It made it easier for my brother to manipulate me," Wayne said. "Even with all the stuff I believed, I never would have guessed. . ."

"I don't know what I can possibly do with all of this or to say, and I know how it looks to people. . .like I just don't care," Ted said, sipping his beer.

"Yeah, some people think cause I don't talk much that I don't care neither," Wayne would tell him. "Like I have always told Eddie, people will see what they want to see. If all they see you as are the people in their lives who hurt them, that's all they'll see unless they decide otherwise. People won't change their minds unless they want to. Can't do it for 'em."

"I thought you don't talk much," Ted said.

"Asshole," Wayne smirked.

"Sorry about Eddie," Ted said. "Mike says he's a good man. I didn't know him. I wasn't sure what to think of him at first. . ."

"You change your mind?" Wayne asked.

"Yeah."

"You're better than most."

"I caught Mike crying in the mirror and cutting his hair. I helped him fix it. I told him how sorry I was. He yelled at me that he didn't believe me and that I didn't give two shits," Ted sighed.

"It breaks your heart, doesn't it? When they think you don't give a damn?" Wayne asked.

"Every damn day," he whispered.

"We're going to save this town even if they went after my boy. I'm gonna prove them all wrong," Wayne said.

"I'll help," Ted said. "I'll figure it out somehow. I can't let my boy think I'm completely useless. I can't let anything happen to him or my girls."

"Ain't no one going to stop you from trying to prove yourself?" He asked.

"No."

"Well, I guess someone is going to have to look after your stupid ass," Wayne replied.

"I'll do the same," Ted said. "Someone should look after you, too."

"The next person who says you don't care, I'll give 'em what for," Wayne said.

"To change," Ted muttered softly and held out his beer, tapping it with Wayne's.

"To change."

Ted came through for his kids and for his wife, summoning all of his courage to do it. He remembered that time Mike tried going to camp for the first time. He hadn't liked it and called him immediately. He remembered driving all through the night, through bad weather, to go and get him. Then there was that time that Nancy had gotten sick with the chicken pox. He had driven all over trying to find the brand of juice she liked. . .just trying to do whatever it took to make her feel better. He didn't know how to give them the comfort they deserved. He wasn't good at the whole hugging thing, and he didn't know how to talk about his feelings, but he could do things for them. Even when they wanted to go to a fair and everything overwhelmed his senses. He'd do it for them. He also remembered when Holly was born and she nearly died. When Ted wasn't by Karen's side, he was by Holly's. There was one moment when he wasn't by either, and he had gone down to the chapel to pray. Ted wasn't all that religious, but he was willing to do whatever it took to make sure his family was okay.

"Please, don't take my baby. Don't take any of them. I'll do whatever you ask of me. . .just don't take her," Ted had pleaded. "Take me instead."

Wayne had kept his vow and attempted to protect Ted's stupid ass from danger over the last few months as he also tried to prove to the town that his family wasn't anything to be afraid of. Holly had been in danger once again as well as his wife. He couldn't let anything happen to them; he couldn't let that fucker take his little girl. The Demogorgon had come for both of them, and he threw himself at it, his glasses getting knocked off of his face in the process. He heard the sound of them breaking underneath the creature's feet and then Ted felt the claws sinking into his own flesh as though it were butter. He let out an inhuman shriek of pain as fire exploded overhead and lit the creature up. It ran off, hollering and then he heard Mike.

"Dad! I'm sorry. . .I'm sorry, shit!" Mike cursed as he fell to his knees, crying. "I know, I've said a lot of things, and I know how hard you've been trying. I know you care; I know you care. Please, I don't want you to die."

"I'm proud of you," Ted whispered and closed his eyes.

"DAD!"

Ted saw nothing but darkness, and he thought for sure that he was dead at first, but then he opened his eyes for a moment. He was looking up at the dim lights of the hospital. Shit, what the fuck? He lived? He was moving quickly as though people were pushing him. He briefly saw Mike out of the corner of his eye, trying to run after him. A nurse stopped him as he couldn't follow them after that point. Wayne grabbed him from behind, trying to hold him, and he struggled in his grasp. A look of understanding passed between them as Nancy caught up with them. Wayne had his boy, and Nancy had Holly in her arms. He could sleep now.

"Dad!"

When Ted woke up, he was lying in a bed with annoying beeping sounds filling his ears. God, couldn't they turn it off? It probably wouldn't be a very good idea, he realized.

"Ted," a familiar voice spoke to him.

Ted turned his head to find Karen looking at him from the other hospital bed. The last time that he had seen her, she had looked dead. He sighed in relief and tried to get out of bed but was pulled back by the pain in his sides as well as his IV. He laid back in his bed.

"I thought you were dead," Ted sobbed.

"I thought I was too for a minute there," Karen chuckled weakly. "The nurse came in a while ago. Everyone's sleeping in the waiting room. We won, Ted."

"Shit. . .we did?" he asked.

"Our family is safe," she whispered.

"I can't believe that our kids have been dealing with this all this time," Ted said and cursed. "I know I should be feeling happy that we won and that our kids are safe. . .but all I feel is anger that we could have done something about all this. . .that they could have had you to help them through it. I've never been good at the emotional stuff but you were."

"I haven't seen you this angry in a long time, Teddy," Karen said.

"I don't like being this angry," he replied, and he went silent.

"Oh, Teddy. . .is that what you've been worried about? Even at your angriest, you aren't even close to being like your father. It's alright to be a little passionate about things, especially things that other people don't understand. They don't have to," Karen said. "I can't believe you've been worried about this all this time."

"I don't know how to get the words out or where to find them but even when I do. . . they seem to get stuck in my throat," he said.

"I think we both have a communication problem," she said. "I should have been honest with you about what I've been wanting in my life. I want something more, Teddy, something that you can't give me and almost dying made me realize that. It's such a shitty time. . . "

"You want a divorce?" Ted asked.

"I'm sorry," she sobbed.

"Don't be, Karen," he said. "I shouldn't feel relieved. . .right? Is that a bad thing? I mean, I feel sad. . .maybe I've been wanting something more. . .I just don't know what that is."

"I think it's a good thing, Teddy," she said. "I don't know what I want either."

"It's been a while since you called me that," he realized.

"I love you, I always will. . .but we were friends first. I know that not many people know that. I want to get back to that," she said. "You gave me a really good life and I still want you to be a part of that."

"I want that too," Ted said. "I love you."

There was a long silence after that Ted had used to drift off to sleep. The next time he had woken up, he woke up to the sound of voices in their room. Ted opened his eyes to find that Nancy was leaning over him, her eyes red from crying.

"Hi, daddy," Nancy said.

"Hi, pumpkin," Ted said.

"It's been a long time since you called me that," Nancy sniffled.

"It's been a long time since you called me Daddy," Ted said. "I think the last time you did, you were still rolling your ds."

"What?" Nancy asked.

"You probably don't remember, but you had this speech thing when you were little. Doctors made us take you to this speech therapist who you did not like. Told us and you that you would always have trouble speaking," Ted said.

"You definitely didn't like that," Karen laughed.

"I have never seen a more determined look on such a little girl," Ted said, and Karen laughed.

"It was cute, though," she said.

"It was. You've always been so headstrong," Ted said. "I'm so proud of you. Of all of you."

"I'm glad you're still here," Nancy said, her bottom lip trembling, squeezing his hand.

Mike shuffled forward to stand on his other side.

"I'm really sorry," Mike whispered.

"I heard you, son," Ted said. "And I know you didn't mean it. You've all been through so much, and even as strong as you are, I know all that hurt and pain is still going to come out. I never handled it well myself either at that age. Don't really handle it well now. I tried so hard not to be like my father, but I became more like a robot than anything else."

"You never talk about him, and whenever I mention it with Nana, she said I shouldn't ask you about it," Mike said.

"My father was an abusive asshole who knocked me around for being different. Nothing I ever did was enough for him. I tried so hard to be what he wanted me to be, but I realized how miserable it made me. I started doing what I wanted, what made me happy, and when my father caught me with a boy. . .that's when the beatings started," Ted sighed.

"But you and mom - ," Mike started to say.

"I never really cared about what the packaging looked like, just the present inside," Ted said, touching his hand to his chest.

"And you can really do that?" Nancy asked.

"You can do anything. . .within reason, I suppose," he said.

"I had no idea, Ted," Karen said softly.

"How were you supposed to? I never told you and I should have because I always thought you were my best friend," Ted said. "My own father never understood. When my mom found out. . .well, Nancy, you can wield a shotgun as well as your Nana. She didn't hesitate to shoot him."

"She shot him?!" Nancy and Mike asked.

Suddenly, Ted was grateful that Holly was curled up in a chair, fast asleep. She was always a heavy sleeper.

"Grazed the bastard, but yes. He left not long after that, decided neither one of us was worth the trouble," Ted said. "I always blamed myself for what happened. I was too weird, and it what drove him to madness. Everything was too loud for me. I couldn't socialize right. . .certain clothes didn't fit me. I was too picky about what I ate. . .always said the wrong thing. . .I was too queer. . ."

"No, Dad. It was him. He was the one who couldn't accept you. He's the mouth breather," Mike said. "Nana should have shot him in the dick."

"Michael!" Karen and Ted exclaimed.

"Sorry."

"If you think there's something wrong with you, then there's something wrong with us. We've always worried about those things. I know I'm always worried about saying the wrong thing, and I don't always pick up on things either," Nancy said.

"Neither do I, and I don't know it when I'm saying something shitty," Mike frowned.

"There's nothing wrong with you," Ted said thickly, and they looked at him. "There's nothing wrong with us. You're all so strong. . .so much like your mother and your Nana."

"We get a lot of things from you, too, Dad," Nancy said. "You're strong, too, Dad."

"He's certainly stronger than his eyesight," Mike quipped. "That's something you have in common with Dad, Nance."

"For the last time, I do not need glasses!" Nancy exclaimed.

"Bullshit!" Mike yelled and picked up a book. "What does this say? Read it without squinting."

"I don't think it's going to hurt if you get them checked, at least," Karen said.

"I guess it wouldn't," Nancy frowned.

"Still that determined little pumpkin," Ted chuckled weakly. "I'm going to need new glasses anyway. Might as well come with me."

"You can't see, Daddy?" Holly asked sleepily as she sat up. "You want me to read Nancy Drew to you?"

"I would love that more than anything," Ted said.

"You read Nancy Drew to her?" Nancy asked.

"Just like when you were little," Ted said. "And Mike, but that was during his following Nancy everywhere she goes phase."

"Oh, I miss that phase," Karen grinned and Mike groaned.

"Mom, I'm reading!" Holly said.

Ted chuckled as Holly opened her book and began to read, after moving her chair in between her parents' beds. He looked over Holly's head to share a look with his soon to be ex-wife. Their marriage had been over for a long time, but they are still what they have always been. . .family. They still had a lot to talk about and so many other things to deal with, but Ted felt like there wasn't anything they couldn't handle. An hour or so later, after Karen had drifted off to sleep, Dustin appeared in the doorway.

"Hey, Ted, glad to see you're not dead," Dustin said.

"Well, someone's got to stick around to make sure you don't eat me out of house and home," Ted said dryly.

"God, I would have missed this," Dustin said, shaking his head fondly.

"I thought you hated my dad," Mike frowned.

"Michael Dean, whatever gave that idea? You really know nothing, don't you?" Dustin asked. "Anyway, thought you ought to know that Max is awake. . .if you're interested at all."

Dustin disappeared as quickly as he had appeared. Mike and Nancy shared a look.

"Go, I'll be fine," Ted chuckled.

"If you're sure," Nancy said and then took off with Mike.

A moment later, Wayne appeared in the doorway, looking a lot happier than when Ted had last seen him.

"I was wondering when you were going to come see me," Ted said.

"I was just giving you time with your family," Wayne said.

He looked about as awkward as Ted usually felt. He wasn't sure what to say here either, though they had a lot of moments like that. They also had a lot of moments where they sat in comfortable silence. Ted was still learning to pick up on things with him. Wayne was a hard man to read sometimes, especially with Ted's limitations. He frowned as Ted watched him.

"Is there some wrong, Wayne?" Ted finally asked.

"Eddie's alive," he said.

"Jesus," Ted gasped. "How?"

Wayne exhaled loudly before explaining that the bat bites had turned him into a creature of the night and that Eddie had been instrumental in taking Henry Creel down.

"It's a lot to process even for me but he's still my boy," Wayne said.

"Well, I'm really glad that you got him back, Wayne," Ted said.

"Yeah. . .I heard that Karen wants a divorce," Wayne said bluntly and Ted looked at him. "Dustin's got a big mouth, very loud one too."

"That's true," Ted scoffed. "Yeah. Karen wants a divorce. It's going to be better for us and our family even if the kids can't see it right now. . .it is. I think when we were younger, we both just assumed that that's how our friendship should evolve. It's been over for a long time, and we've both been trying to hang onto something that was never really there. . . I told them about my father. You were right. They understood."

"Of course they did. Did you tell them about your boyfriend who died?" Wayne asked.

"No. . .I couldn't. . .still trying to process telling them all of that. . .I wasn't quite ready to say that I think my father might have killed my boyfriend," Ted sighed.

"You'll get there," Wayne said.

Ted was practically blind without his glasses, but he could tell that something had moved underneath Wayne's shirt pocket.

"There's something wiggling underneath your clothes," Ted said.

"You really don't know what comes out of your mouth, do ya?" Wayne asked, laughing.

"What? . . . Oh! Wayne!"

"I got something for ya," Wayne said.

"No tricks!"

"Of course. You know me. . .perfectly innocent," Wayne said and Ted scoffed.

Wayne pulled a hedgehog out of his shirt pocket and laid it on Ted's chest.

"What? Where did you get this?" He asked.

"Went down to the animal store," he said. "You mentioned once that you had one as a boy, and it seemed like you might have wanted one again, so I got you this little fella."

"Thanks, Wayne," Ted said, touched by the gift, and then he laughed. "You know, most people give flowers. They don't sneak hedgehogs into a hospital."

"I ain't most people," he shrugged.

"That's true," Ted said. "You're better."

Suddenly, Eddie popped into the room with Mike following after him.

"I heard Uncle Wayne made a friend, I had to come see for myself," Eddie said, flashing his dimples.

"Oh, lord," Wayne said with a sigh.

"Is that a hedgehog?" Mike asked.

"Wayne gave them to me," Ted said.

"Most people buy flowers," he pointed out.

"I'm glad to see you aren't dead, Eddie," Ted said. "I know your uncle has been a mess without you."

"Yeah, me too," Eddie said as he looked softly at his uncle.

"Is that Eddie?" Karen asked, spoke up. "What's going on?"

"Hey, Mrs. Wheeler, glad to see you alive," Eddie said with a grin.

"I think I've heard people say that a lot today. . .it's starting to sound weird," Mike said.

Ted quickly told Karen what Wayne had told him.

"Oh my God!" Karen asked.

"Don't worry, I don't feed on humans," he reassured her.

"No, honey, I'm just relieved you're back," Karen said.

"Yeah, so are the rest of Vecna's victims. . .turns out they weren't really dead," Eddie shrugged.

"That includes Chrissy. . .what was that song you played for her?" Wayne asked teasingly.

"Shut it, Uncle Wayne," Eddie said, rolling his eyes, and he softened his expression. "I think because of Dustin, everyone in the whole damn hospital knows about your impending divorce. Sorry about that."

"Don't be, it's the best thing for us," Ted said.

"Well, hey, Karen, if you don't want him, I'll take him," Wayne said, and Ted laughed with her. "I've had worse, unless. . .what's he like when he wakes up in the morning?"

"Asshole," Ted said.

"I keep telling everyone that my uncle is a menace," Eddie muttered. "But no one believes me."

A moment later, Nancy came in with Jonathan and Steve. All three of them were wearing yellow sweaters.

"What'd I miss?" Nancy asked.

"Was this on purpose?" Mike asked, looking at them.

"Well, my uncle seduced your dad with a baby oppossum," Eddie replied.

"Okay, I know for a fact that's a hedgehog," Steve said.

"What?" She asked.

"Did Nancy dress you?" Mike asked Steve and Jonathan.

"Yeah," Jonathan said. "So, what's going on?"

"Nancy and Michael have a new daddy now," Eddie cackled.

"That's great," Nancy grinned. "I've always wanted two dads."

"What? Since you were a little girl, you closed your eyes and wished real hard?" Steve asked.

"Yeah, but only because mom didn't let me have a marshmallow before dinner," Nancy grinned, and they all laughed.

"You can have all the marshmallows you want, darlin," Wayne said, and they laughed harder.

"I'm glad Dad has a friend like you," Nancy said softly.

"I'm lucky to have a friend like him. He's a handful but. . .he's a good man," Wayne said.

Ted swallowed as he gazed at him, recalling all those talks they had and all those times they sat in comfortable silence. Despite how uncomfortable he was, he looked directly into Wayne's eyes. He remembered all the times the other basketball players had wanted to be his friends. . .they hadn't truly wanted to. They were just basking in the fact that he was good and that he was popular. They hadn't given two fucks about him. The same went for all the girls he had dated back then. Even though it had taken him a while, he saw them for what they had truly been: pretenders. He hadn't found someone who truly cared for him until Karen, but they had both assumed that it had been romantic love, but they had been blind and so, it had led to much frustration. Wayne truly wanted to be his friend, and even without his glasses, Ted could see that.

"I think the hedgehog just pissed on you, Ted," Eddie cackled, breaking their gaze.

"Goddamnit."

[dippindaz]

Hi I just seen your reply! I meant to say “me and Billy” for the Munson!sister x Billy Hargrove x brother! Eddie😭😭 I apologize!

It’s all good!!! I just wanted to make sure so that I execute your request properly!

Sooo, I wrote the top oneshot first but didn’t really like it, so, I decided to write another one (the bottom oneshot) but I also wasn’t in love with it, so you get a two for one lol. I hope you like them ❤️

Original ask: “I love your writing and idk if you’re still taking request but maybe a Billy Hargrove x Munson!reader where Eddie has a little sister and Eddie and Billy are always beefing with each other and randomly pick fights with each other and one day reader gets into something or comes up with a scheme to where Billy and Eddie have to suck it up and work together in order to come to readers aide? Maybe there can be a joke where reader is like “seems like you guys are more of a couple than me and Eddie””

The tension in the Camaro was palpable. You swore you could cut it with a knife.

Billy’s grip on the steering wheel was so tight his knuckles were turning white. Eddie, in the passenger seat, was sitting with his arms crossed, head tilted just slightly toward the window like he was physically restraining himself from looking at Billy.

It had been silent for the last five minutes. Which, in hindsight, might have been worss than them bickering.

You groaned, throwing your head back . “Would one of you just say something?”

Billy exhaled sharply through his nose. “Fine. I still don’t get why he was there.”

Eddie scoffed. “Uh, maybe because she’s my sister, you absolute moron?” He turned to you, dramatically gesturing at Billy. “This guy, man. This guy.”

Billy’s grip on the wheel tightened. “I am aware she’s your sister, Munson. I’m also aware you’re a dumbass who couldn’t have gotten her out of that mess without me.”

You rubbed your temples. “Wow, love the teamwork, guys. Great energy.”

It had started as a harmless scheme. Just a little trespassing, maybe a little borrowing of some school keys you weren’t technically supposed to have. Then you were going to use the office phone to call Eddie and then Billy and claim you needed help and they would just happen to show up at the same(ish) time.

Thing is… you got caught. One of the janitors must have worked late. Right as you left you practically bumped into the guy. He was going to drag you all the way to Hopper’s office himself, so, you did the only thing you could think of and just ran. But, you didn’t exactly have an escape route planned since this wasn’t supposed to actually happen.

Thankfully for you, Eddie and Billy arrived at the exact same time, just like you planned!

Now, you were stuck in Billy’s Camaro, speeding away from Hawkins High with two of the most bullheaded guys in existence acting like their biggest problem was each other and not the fact that you’d nearly been arrested.

Billy let out a humorless laugh. “You’re acting like I wanted to come, Munson. I was just being a good boyfriend.”

“Oh, please,” Eddie groaned. “Good boyfriend? That’s rich. You’re a ‘good boyfriend’ when it conveniences you.”

Billy’s eye twitched. “You wanna say that again, trailer park?”

“I live in a trailer park, dumbass. That’s not an insult, that’s just a fact.”

You pinched the bridge of your nose. “Oh my God.”

Billy exhaled sharply through his nose. “You’re one word away from getting kicked out of this car.”

“Go for it,” Eddie challenged, arms still crossed. “Then explain to her why she had to walk back home.”

Billy flexed his jaw. “You think I won’t?”

Eddie just smirked. “Nah, I think you want me here.”

Billy made an actual gagging sound.

You snorted, shaking your head. “Honestly? I think he’s right. You two fight so much, I think you’re more of a couple than me and Billy.”

The Camaro jerked.

Billy slammed on the brakes, sending you lurching forward as Eddie’s hands smacked against the dashboard.

“WHAT?” they both shouted at the same time. You grinned. This was so worth nearly getting arrested.

“Gross,” Billy muttered, shaking his head like he could physically get rid of the thought.

“Disgusting,” Eddie agreed, looking personally offended.

“Oh, come on,” you teased. “The tension’s there.”

Billy turned to glare at Eddie. “I’d rather crash this car.”

“Do it,” Eddie challenged. “Put us both out of our misery.”

You cackled. “Yeah, okay, lovers’ spat—can we just get home before we actually end up in cuffs?”

Billy, still muttering under his breath about how gross that joke was, pressed on the gas. Eddie was still pouting.

You smiled to yourself. For all their bullshit, you wouldn’t trade them for anything.

Even if they were the real couple here.

The Camaro screeched to a stop in the middle of nowhere.

Billy barely threw the car into park before he was slamming the door, stomping toward the rusted-out payphone next to the abandoned gas station. “If she’s not here, I swear to God—”

Eddie was right behind him, shoving past. “Move, Hargrove.”

Billy whirled on him. “The hell are you doing here?!”

“I could ask you the same thing, douchebag,” Eddie snapped.

Billy clenched his jaw, nostrils flaring. He looked seconds away from throwing a punch.

That was when your voice rang out from behind them. “Wow. You guys got here fast.”

They spun around, eyes locking onto you—leaning against the payphone, very much not in mortal danger.

Eddie’s eyes narrowed. “What. The hell.”

Billy was already running a hand down his face, trying not to explode. “You’re fine?”

You grinned, popping a bubble with your gum. “Oh, yeah. Totally fine.” You gestured between them. “But look at you two! Teamwork makes the dream work, huh?”

Eddie blinked. Billy just stared.

Then, at the same time— “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Billy turned on his heel, kicking the tire of his own car. “You faked it?!”

Eddie groaned, throwing his head back. “Oh my God, I skipped Hellfire for this?!”

You shrugged. “I just needed to know, if I was actually in trouble, would my beloved boyfriend and my dear big brother put their differences aside to save me?”

Billy shot a look at Eddie. “I would’ve handled it without him.”

“Oh, you wish, Hargrove,” Eddie scoffed.

You laughed. “And yet—you both showed up. Like a couple of concerned parents.”

Eddie crossed his arms. “You’re a menace.”

Billy rubbed his temples. “I’m gonna kill you.”

You smirked. “Uh-huh. But you won’t. Because deep down—” You tapped your temple. “You know it was kinda funny.”

Billy glared at you. Eddie huffed.

You grinned. “Honestly? The way you guys argue, I think you’re more of a couple than me and Billy are.”

Immediate, violent protests.

Billy looked like he’d been personally insulted. “Oh, hell no.”

Eddie recoiled. “That is disgusting.”

You shrugged. “I dunno, man. This much unresolved tension? It’s giving lovers’ quarrel.”

Billy turned to Eddie. “I’d rather crash this car.”

“Do it,” Eddie shot back. “Put us both out of our misery.”

You just cackled.

Totally worth the effort.