#i say kid but he was like 17 max maybe 18

[avianreptiles]

God i cant even go "wowwie, Ontario 01 was a criminally underrated character what happened? :((((" for my ocs like I'm in a fandom. But like I am the fandom. I know what happened, they got put into the ground lmao

[withacapitalp]

How to Rehabilitate a Jock Pt 18

Part One Link to ao3 Part 17. Part Nineteen

Thank you to @stevethehairington for being supportive af and the worlds best beta and @thefreakandthehair for encouraging everything I do y'all rock!!!

Step Eighteen: Get Some Supplies

Eddie had spent quite a lot of time watching Steve in the last few weeks. Observing the way Steve spoke, the way his smile curled slowly on his lips when he thought no one was watching, the way he noticed almost everything, but was somehow still so oblivious. Eddie saw it all. 

But by far the most interesting thing about Steve was the way he could switch at the drop of a hat. 

It was the most interesting, but also the most frightening. It was like the headlights on the van all over again- one second Steve had been joking around with him, saying things that made Eddie’s heart race and his chest sink heavy with guilt; and the next his entire face went blank, a hard protective look in his eyes and a painful tension setting his spine perfectly straight. 

All because of the sound of a car. 

Eddie had no way of knowing what happened to Steve to make him like this, but curiosity was eating at him again, completely pushing aside the fact that he had almost spilled the entire bet to Steve in a fit of regretful shame. 

Well, not completely pushing it aside. Eddie’s heart was still racing like a jackrabbit, but that was besides the point. 

“What’s wrong?” Eddie murmured. 

“Nothing,” Steve replied immediately, his voice so dead it killed something in Eddie too. Steve carefully pulled away from Eddie, leaving cold handprints where his warm palms had just been against Eddie’s skin. “Stay here.” 

Not a chance. Eddie knew whose car that was, and he knew that if Hargrove was here, then nothing good was about to come of it. He waited maybe two seconds before following Steve out of the kitchen, tracing his steps to the front door that was slightly ajar, slipping out the door and onto the porch-

And walking directly into Jim Hopper’s back. 

Hopper startled like he had been shot, and Eddie reared back on instinct, nearly hitting the door in his effort to put space between himself and the police chief. When Hopper saw who bumped into him, he practically growled, his eyebrows furrowing into one long fuzzy stripe as he gave Eddie a completely unwarranted death glare. 

Rude. And uncalled for. 

It wasn’t like they were friends, but Eddie and the chief usually had a pretty good rapport. Kind of like Tom and Jerry, if Tom was the chief of police in a podunk Indiana town, and Jerry was a trailer kid who dealt drugs on the side for grocery money. Usually Hopper regarded him with put upon fondness, not straight hostility, and the shift was… disconcerting to say the least. 

Luckily for Eddie, Hopper seemed to have a bigger target for his rage tonight. A target with a blue camaro and even worse anger issues. 

Steve had only been outside for maybe thirty seconds, but that thirty seconds was long enough for him to get in trouble. Hargrove had gotten out of his stupid car, leaving the engine idling as he swaggered up to Steve, a condescending smirk in his face as his eyes flashed dangerously. Max had also scrambled out of the car, and was on her way around the hood and over to Steve’s side. 

This wasn’t going to be good. 

But, before anything could go wrong, Eddie was reminded they weren’t alone. 

“Is there a problem here, Hargrove?!” Hopper barked just as Billy reached towards Steve, putting every ounce of authority he had into his growling tone, making even Eddie shudder. Eddie had only gotten that tone out of Hopper once or twice during his many run-ins with the law, but each time it scared the bejeezus out of him. 

“No sir,” Hargrove spat out, instantly taking a step away from Steve. It seemed that even his impervious armor of assholery could be penetrated by Hopper’s power. 

Hop started down the steps of the porch, and Eddie burst into action, scurrying after him and attempting to look at least a little bit intimidating as he came to Steve’s aid. 

Mission probably not accomplished, but Eddie hoped Steve at least appreciated the gesture. Hargrove was fucking scary, and if he could beat Steve’s face in, Eddie was pretty sure that Billy might actually kill him if Eddie decided to take a swing. 

“Max, go inside,” Steve said softly as they came over, a gentle hand pushing against her arm and urging her towards the safety of the house. She pushed back, giving Steve a silent glower. Little Red was stubborn, almost as stubborn as Steve, and it was obvious she didn’t want to go anywhere without knowing nothing bad would happen to her babysitter. 

It was admirable, but it was also really, really, stupid. If anything happened, Steve would one hundred percent focus on protecting her first, which might get him hurt. Eddie wasn’t great in a fight, but he knew how to find people’s weak spots, and anyone with eyes knew that Steve’s weak spots were the people he loved. 

“Please,” Steve whispered, taking his eyes off of Billy to give her a silent look. 

Another switch. The guard dog was gone, a sweet chocolate lab in its place. Soft and careful not to hurt as he nudged his pup away from the mountain lion that wanted to devour her whole. 

Max sighed shortly, stopping to press a quick hug to Steve’s side and an even quicker flick of her middle finger towards Billy before she ran over to the porch. She sat herself down on the bottom step, her fiery red hair standing out in the dark as she leaned forward with her hands on her knees, watching them all like a hawk waiting to take flight. 

It was a compromise, and enough to keep her out of the fight that still seemed to be coming. 

“I’ll be back to get her at 8 sharp tomorrow, Harrington. She better be out here waiting,” Hargrove stated, bristling with barely concealed fury as Hopper and Eddie both flanked Steve. 

“I’ll drop Max off sometime in the afternoon, Billy,” Steve replied coolly, leaning casually backward as he crossed his arms. He was a picture of calm, a complete deviation from the rest of them. “If she’s gonna be later than 3, I’ll give you a call. Mkay?”  

Steve finished his sentence with a bitchy little smile, and Eddie bit his tongue, hating the way that his pants were starting to feel tight. It should not have been so much of a turn on to see Steve act like an ass, but when he was using his powers for good, there was something incredibly alluring about watching the former King tear someone down without so much as a swing of his fist. 

Hargrove’s nostrils were flared, and he looked like he swallowed an entire bag of lemons. He opened his mouth, probably to say something stupid, but Hopper wasn’t having any of it. 

“Anything else?” The man asked rhetorically. Before Billy could even shake his head, Hopper continued, putting his hands on his hips, “Good. Then scram before I bring you in on trespassing charges.” 

Hargrove deflated like a balloon, and Eddie barely resisted the urge to scoff. Of course Billy was the same as any other bully. It always went that way- they were all cocky and confident when they were with someone they thought they could beat, but if someone with actual power over them showed up, they instantly showed their belly. 

Eddie had no doubt that if Steve was out here alone, words would fly at the very least, and Steve might’ve even ended up with some new bruises. But the prospect of spending Christmas Eve in a cell seemed to be enough to get Billy Hargrove to fuck right off and leave them alone. 

Good riddance. 

“I could’ve handled that,” Steve complained the second Billy’s car disappeared around the corner. The annoyed face he was making at Hopper was ridiculously cute, and honestly, unfair. Eddie probably could have handled just the scrunched up nose, or the adorable little pout, but together they were a deadly combination that left him wanting to clutch his chest and beg for mercy. 

God, he was down bad for this boy. 

“Mhm,” Hopper hummed, raising a brow. 

“I could have!” Steve insisted. He turned to Eddie expectantly, waiting to hear his DM back him up. 

“You definitely could have,” Eddie reassured, despite not being entirely sure that Steve actually would have gotten out of that on his own, “but as much fun as bringing you to the hospital tonight sounds…”

The unsaid words spoke louder than Eddie had intended, and he even managed to get Hopper to bark out a short unexpected laugh. Eddie broke into a grin and shot Hop a smirk, the smile fading as Hopper seemed to realize exactly who had made him laugh and quickly went back to his angry scowling. 

What was his problem? 

“Thanks for the vote of confidence, Babydoll,” Steve said with a roll of his eyes, dragging Eddie’s attention back over to him. Behind them Hopper seemed to choke on air, but Steve didn’t seem to notice, too focused on his next mission. 

“I thought you couldn’t come tonight?” Steve asked Max as he walked towards where she was sitting. 

“Mom and Neil decided to go to a resort for the holiday, so it was just me and Billy alone for Christmas.” Max sighed as she stood, casually stretching her arms high above her head. “I’d rather step in front of a bus then deal with that so I gave him five bucks to drive me here.” 

Her movements and her tone were nonchalant, uncaring and almost lazy, but Eddie wasn’t fooled. Max was chewing on the inside of her lip, and she was avoiding eye contact like the plague. Most people might’ve missed it, but Eddie was good at looking. 

And Steve was too. 

“Sorry about your mom,” Steve murmured as he pulled her in for a hug. Max let him hold her for all of four seconds before pulling away roughly, tossing one braid over her shoulder and sticking her nose in the air. 

“I don’t care,” Max declared, despite all of them knowing how very much she cared. 

“Well El is going to be thrilled. She’s been stuck with just the boys all night,” Steve offered, giving Max an out from the big feelings talk. 

“I’m sure she was fine,” Max muttered, kicking at the ground, “not like anyone was missing me.” 

Eddie had spent the better part of his life being unwanted. From his parents, to his teachers, to basically the whole world. Not only was Eddie the local freak, he was also a barely closeted gay man in a small Indiana town. He had gotten good at being okay with being left behind or abandoned.  

But seeing that part of himself in the little girl in front of him hurt in a way he didn’t even think to expect.

Luckily, Steve seemed to have this handled. 

“Lucas was missing you,” Steve said teasingly, crushing her against his side as he dragged them both up the stairs. “I was too. Now that you’re here I can finally start karaoke. I’m thinking of starting with "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas.”

“Fuck off Steve, that song sucks and you know it,” Max complained, trying to wiggle out of his grip. Steve held her tighter, turning back to give Eddie a ‘watch this’ look before taking a comically long breath in.

“I WANT A HIPPOPOTAMUS FOR CHRISTMAS,” Steve crowed at the top of his lungs, startling the silent frigid air of the night with the force of his voice, “ONLY A HIPPOPOTAMUS WILL DO!”

“Oh my god, you suck!” Max shouted, finally escaping his grasp and clapping her hands over her ears. Her tone was angry, but Eddie could see the huge beaming grin that was overtaking her face. Once again the unstoppable force of Steve Harrington had managed to smooth things over. 

“I can see me now on Christmas morning creeping down the stair!” Steve continued without a care, giggling like a kid as he did. “Oh, what joy and what surprise! When I open up my eyes! To see a hippo hero standing there!”

Now Max was laughing too, holding her stomach as she tripped towards the front door to try and run from Steve’s singing. He held up his hands in mock trumpet form, vocalizing the instrumental parts of the song as he followed her in, leaving the front door wide open. 

And leaving Hopper and Eddie all alone outside. 

The silence materialized out of nowhere, the tension thick enough to cut with a knife. As much as Eddie wanted to just run into the house after Steve and never even look at Hopper again, he held back. Yes, this was awkward, but Eddie could deal with awkward. He was good at awkward. He regularly stood on lunch tables for fun. He could do this. He would have them back to their normal bantering rivalry before midnight.

“Hiya chief! So how’s-”

“Are you selling Steve drugs?” Hopper demanded, cutting him mid-sentence and rounding on Eddie with fury in his eyes. 

Eddie, unable to help himself, did the absolute worst thing he could have in response. 

He laughed. 

He couldn't help it. The question was just that ridiculous. He had sold to Steve in the past, even jacked up his price with the ‘rich douchebag’ tax, but it was only ever weed. A joint here and there barely counted as drugs in Eddie’s book. Steve wasn’t even one of his regulars. And since joining Hellfire, Steve hadn’t even mentioned Eddie’s side hustle. 

“Chief, even if I was, would you really expect me to tell you?” Eddie snickered, still in shock that he was being asked this by Jim Hopper of all people. Was he worried that Steve was going to give Jane drugs? It couldn’t be that, there was no way anyone would ever think Steve would do that. 

So Hopper was just… weirdly overprotective over Steve. He almost sounded like a dad. 

“Cut the crap, Munson,” Hopper growled, taking a menacing step forward. “I’m serious. I don’t know what game you’re playing here-”

“Dungeons and Dragons,” Eddie supplied, still chuckling at how insane this conversation was. 

“-but!” Hopper continued, putting emphasis on the word and on ignoring Eddie, “nothing better happen to him, or so help me god-”

“Hop!”

Hopper was cut short by the sound of Joyce Byers. She and Steve were standing in the open doorway, twin disappointed looks on both of their faces as they took in the scene in front of them. Steve hung his head low, softly muttering to himself as he plodded down the steps and grabbed Eddie’s wrist, tugging him back towards the house. 

“Handle this?” Steve begged as they passed her. 

Joyce, who was in the process of lighting a cigarette, gave him one short nod, eyes already locked on her target. Eddie didn’t really know Mrs. Byers all that well, but he had dealt with enough irate mothers to know when to stay out of a woman’s way. 

“You promised you wouldn’t act so crazy-” Eddie heard her hiss to Hopper from behind their backs. 

“I am concerned! Am I not allowed to be concerned?!” Hopper exploded, and Steve slammed the door before they could hear anymore, pressing his back against it and groaning as he hid his face in his hands. 

“Why does everyone think I’m doing drugs?” Steve muttered. It was definitely a rhetorical question, but Eddie couldn’t help being a bit of a jackass. 

“I mean it’s not like I’ve never sold to you before, Sweetheart,” He pointed out, sticking both hands deep in his pockets and letting the smirk on his face grow three times as big as Steve groaned even louder. Eddie wasn’t exactly happy to be threatened by the chief of police, but it was nice to know that there was someone who was looking out for Steve. 

Hop was no Wayne, but every person needed a grumpy old man to watch over them in Eddie’s humble opinion, and if Hop was Steve’s, then Eddie could handle a few words thrown his way. 

Steve slowly slid down the door as he grumbled and mumbled, ending up cross legged on the floor, staring up at Eddie with the most pitiful pout known to man. 

If it was anyone else, Eddie would have kept the joke going, teased them to oblivion until they were both laughing until their stomachs hurt. But Eddie was a weak, weak man, and Steve’s eyes had somehow grown inhumanely wide and sad, and there was only so much he could take. 

“Come on, let’s go check on our completely clean, absolutely drug-free cookies,” Eddie offered, sticking a hand out to Steve to help him up, “just to prove to Hopper that I’m not your hookup.” 

Steve heaved the world’s biggest sigh in response, but took Eddie’s hand anyway. As he stood, rather than letting go, he intertwined their fingers, pulling Eddie into the kitchen and squeezing their palms together once before he went for his oven mitts. 

“By the way, I didn’t get to thank you,” Steve said randomly as he slowly lifted the tray filled with cookies out of the oven. 

“Thank me for what?” Eddie asked, reaching a hand towards the fresh treats, his mouth watering at the delicious aroma filling the air. 

“Hey! Too hot, you’ll burn yourself,” Steve said, jostling the tray to one side as he smacked Eddie’s fingers away before they could get singed. He placed the tray down far from Eddie and began to transfer the cookies onto a cooling rack. 

“I meant thank you for having my back out there… you didn’t have to do that,” Steve explained, his voice getting uncharacteristically shy as he continued to stare down at the cookies and avoid looking at Eddie in any way. His shoulders were curled inwards, and his bottom lip was caught firmly between his teeth. 

Eddie could have lightened things back up, made a joke about Steve’s innate ability to get into trouble, or pulled some bullshit insult about Billy’s intelligence to make them both smile and shake their heads, but he didn’t. There was something about the hesitancy sitting in Steve’s body, the way he was almost holding his breath, waiting to see why Eddie had gone after him when Steve had told him to stay behind. 

Like he couldn’t understand why someone would want to protect him instead of the other way around. 

“I didn’t want you getting hurt by him again,” Eddie stated, feeling his cheeks get stupidly warm as he did. It wasn’t like some big declaration of feelings or love, but the way the words laid his soul bare felt just a shade too close for comfort. 

“I would’ve been fine,” Steve protested, wrapping two cookies in a paper towel and handing them over to Eddie to test taste, shooting him a wry little grin as he did. “Billy won’t touch me now anyway. Not after last time. Max made sure of that.” 

“There shouldn’t have been a first time, and there won’t be a second,” Eddie said firmly, ignoring whatever weird joke Steve was making about Billy’s thirteen year old little sister being able to stop her eighteen year old brother. “Hargrove might be able to kill me with a single punch, but I’ll die fighting for your honor, Stevie.” 

“Well, I appreciate the gesture, but I don’t need anyone else dying on my watch,” Steve said softly, his smile disappearing as his eyes faded somewhere distant and sad. 

In an instant they were back in no man’s land, unmoored and untethered to the reality around them. Steve wasn’t at a party with him anymore, just lost in some far away place that Eddie couldn’t reach. Somewhere painful, and empty looking, and all Eddie wanted to do was pull him back and protect him from whatever was trying to steal his happiness. He wanted Steve to let him in, unhook the heavy cape that was set on his shoulders and unburden himself from whatever guilt was holding him hostage. 

Whatever it was, Eddie would help. He could make this easier, at least a little bit. All Steve had to do was tell him. All Eddie had to do was ask what was wrong. 

The time for being cautious was past them, and the time for being afraid Steve might run was over too. They had to be close enough for Eddie to at least know something about whatever was torturing Steve so badly. 

And Eddie had to care enough about Steve to put him over his stupid little crush. 

So despite the fact that his heart was threatening to leap out of his chest, and the dread was making his fingers ache, Eddie took a deep breath in and forced himself to speak. 

“Hey Sweetheart?” 

But unfortunately, the universe had other plans. 

“Steve!”

“What!” Steve yelled back to Mike, breaking away from Eddie and turning just in time to see all of the kids pile into the doorway like a pack of rabid animals. 

“Now that Max is here, can we do White Elephant?” Lucas pressed, impatiently drumming his fingers on the wall.

“Please?” Will added, quickly shooting a look over to his friend before turning back to Steve with barely hidden glee. 

“Fine,” Steve sighed, dragging out the word as the kids cheered and ran out of the room.  

The wild tornado of children had passed as quickly as they came, but whatever moment the two of them had been having had long since passed. Sharing Steve was gone, and Babysitter Steve had come back in full force. There was nothing wrong with him, nothing that would take precedence over his kids at least. 

It was admirable, but Eddie kind of hated it. Actually, more than hate. Eddie despised the fact that Steve was no longer with him, lost in taking care of the rest of the world once more. It was a good trait, something to respect, but it meant that Eddie had lost his chance to dig past Steve’s walls a bit more, and maybe finally get some answers. 

“Oh wait, Eddie what were you going to ask me?” Steve said, halting in his pursuit of the kids and turning to face Eddie. 

It was sweet that he cared, but it was pointless. This wasn’t the time anymore. 

But…

The supplies he had in the lunchbox in his van might just be the perfect way to get Steve to open up a bit. 

“I was going to ask if you maybe wanted to make some not clean kinda full of drugs cookies for us to enjoy later?” Eddie asked, mentally apologizing to Hopper. Steve quickly looked around to make sure no one else was listening, his eyes wide as a secretive smile already started to pull at his lips.  

“Ask me again once the kids are asleep,” Steve whispered in his ear, intertwining their fingers. Eddie steadfastly ignored the full body shudder rolling through his body, already calculating how much of a profit loss he was going to have to go through to get Steve to finally talk. 

Taglist: @paopaupaus @zerokrox-blog @surferboyzaza @whatever-is-a-good-name@minjintea @addelyin @5ammi90 @hagbaby420 @shinekocreator @bornonthesavage @starxlark @electrick-marionnett @resident-gay-bitch @ash-a-confused-enby @classicdinosaurdeathpose @valon-whomsttf @rotten-lil-goblin @thereindeerlady @love-ya-kash @kerlypride @sparkle-fiend @thefreakandthehair @flowercrowngods @milf-harrington @sadcanadianwinter @gothbat99 @hotcocoaharrington @henderdads @lightwoodbanethings @colorful565 @h0n3y-dw @craterbbox @sourw0lfs @lesliiieeeee @bidisastersworld @tinynebula @ravnlinn @bonescaro @mexmatch @cottagecoredreams @joruni @hellykelly @maegan1116 @farewell-wanderlvst @desertfern @due-to-the-fact-that-im-a-slut @anythingforourmoonyedits @eerielake @fandemonium-takes-its-toll @sidekick-hero

[danieyells]

hey, can I ask for towa's lines? the flower boy is so cute and I love him so much

Towa is my favorite, I think! He's maybe second to Taiga. Maybe.

TOWA'S MIGHT BE A LITTLE FASTER SINCE HE CAN ONLY SPEAK AFTER 4PM. THAT MEANS HE HAS LESS LINES. But some of them are still. . .Towa's a bit of a trip sometimes. but that's why i love him.

Affinity 8:

"...It's going to rain again tomorrow. I'll go tell Haru."

aren't you the one who makes it rain. . .do you wanna talk about it. . . .

Affinity 10:

"Haru always goes off somewhere by himself around this time. He calls it "Grown-up R&R.""

Haru really treats them like they're his kids huh lmao. . . .

Affinity 15:

"Haru told me he's going patrolling again. I don't get it—they're all going to die someday anyway."

HARSH? Towa legit does not care about the wellbeing of these animals lmao. THE PLANTS WILL DIE TOO BUT YOU'RE STILL TAKING CARE OF THEM. . . .

Affinity 16:

"I wish that Wolfsbane would go away."

i would like to add that based on Ren's voicelines he does not just wish he would go away, he may be actively attempt to poison him to death.

"Towa keeps trying to make me drink some kind of rice porridge with weird flowers in it... "

considering he calls him "Wolfsbane" and fed the player a Dandelion it's fair to assume the flowers in the porridge are wolfsbane. . .which are poisonous. He just wants to be left alone with Haru. . .he's yandere, just not for the player lol not that we've seen so far anyway.

Affinity 17:

"You're going to bed already? But I want to talk more! Stay up with me!"

it's not like he gets the chance to talk much during the day, so i get why he says that.

Affinity 18:

"Boo! Heh heh Were you scared?"

Affinity 19:

"You can't sleep, Dandelion? Come over here, I'll cuddle you."

Affinity 20:

"Hm? Are you afraid of that carnivore? Don't worry—I'm the boss around here."

the beasts know not to fuck with Towa because Towa is Weather Incarnate and You Do Not Fuck With Nature.

Affinity 21:

"Dandelion, come here. Let's tell each other more love stories today."

'dandelion read me your fanfiction! i'll read you mine too, don't feel embarassed!'

Affinity 22:

"That tree on the hill over there says it's been waiting for a really long time. Can you hear it? It's crying again."

he speaks to plants! and plants speak back to him!! and the trees are sad. i wonder what it's been waiting for. . . . shit like this makes me think Towa is the spy, if it isn't Kaito. why can you talk to animals and plants and control weather to the point that animals are scared of you. why do you have such a strong lack of regard for the lives of others. why do you have perfect night vision. that's so much. it's a little suspicious.

Affinity 23:

"When you meet your soulmate, it feels like getting struck by lightning. Did you know that? Have you felt it, Dandelion?"

'you haven't? (sky darkens) would you like to?'

Affinity 24:

"Heh heh ♪ Are you tired, Dandelion? You're so weak. It's cute."

what. what does that mean. what is that attitude about. . .although we've kinda seen that Towa has a bit of a power complex before, so him thinking you're weak and cute and finding it charming and valuing how much stronger than you he is kinda tracks. . . . that or my guy likes the asshole boyfriend type trope in his romance stories.. that or he saw how much other people liked it and followed accordingly.

Affinity 25(max):

"Do you like me, Dandelion? Because I love you!"

Spring:

"I love spring. It's when lots of flowers bloom. And did you know the Japanese word for spring is haru? Just like Haru's name!"

"This is a cherry blossom petal. It's for you! Look—they're sweet and yummy so I collected all these ones for my treasure box."

Summer:

"Have you heard of cherry bombs before? Haru won't buy me any, so I'm looking for them on my own. If you see them blooming somewhere, could you tell me?"

this line feels a little more clear in japanese, if only because i didn't know what a cherry bomb is myself. Towa is asking for 'hanabi'--fireworks. 'hana' in 'hanabi' is Japanese for 'flower' so he thinks 'hanabi'/fireworks are a type of flower. Haru understandably doesn't trust Towa with fireworks, but likely doesn't realize what he wants is a flower. as for english, a cherry bomb is a type of firework! so it does work similarly, as in this case Towa is trying to plant what he likely assumes to be an anomalous fruit.

"Look, you can see the Milky Way tonight. Did you know Orihime and Hikoboshi can only meet once a year? I could never wait that long to see my soulmate."

Orihime and Hikoboshi are from a Japanese myth about the Vega and Altair stars! They're separated by the Milky Way and can only meet one day each year. This myth is celebrated in the holiday Tanbata.

Autumn:

"These leaves are really pretty, but they taste bad..."

oh bby don't eat the dying leaves. . . . .

"Iris went home because he said it's dangerous to stay out in the dark. I can still see fine though, even in the caves!"

Iris is Zenji, btw! Iris are also poison flowers, so he likely doesn't like Zenji much haha. Also apparently Towa has night vision. another sus point. am i gonna make a post about everything suspicious about Towa? probably. why's he have like seven powers???

Winter:

"I told Coriander I wanted to play in the snow, but he said no. Is it really true that you'll die if you play outside on cold nights?"

Coriander is Kaito! I have no idea why he calls him that lol

"What? Are you cold, Dandelion? I'll cuddle you, so come outside and play with me!"

'hey is it true you'll die if you play out in the cold at night? do you wanna come di--uh play with me?'

His birthday:

"Yep, it's my birthday today! You want to give me a present? Okay, then tell me who you like!"

do you promise not to electrocute them

Your birthday:

"Happy birthday, Dandelion! I picked this Aphrodite Orchid for you from a secret spot. Say "ah"!"

it's pretty! and named after a goddess of beauty! And sexual love.

New Years:

"Haru told me that today's a special day in Japan. Are you happy, Dandelion?"

hey why don't you know what New Years Day is Towa. . .then again I guess Haru didn't notice it happened either. He just wants you to be happy!

Valentine's Day:

"I know what these are! They're Valentine's Day chocolates! They're Coriander's favorite food. You're giving them to me? Thanks...?"

Can he even eat chocolate considering he only eats plants. . .maybe you should've given him like. chocolate dipped rose petals. . . .

White Day:

"This is for you! It's a white rose! They only bloom in one special place on that mountain. It's for the chocolates you gave me."

Somehow he knows about White Day though! maybe he showed Haru or Ren the chocolates and they told him to make sure you got a return gift.

April Fool's Day:

"Haru's a dope! I hate liars! You won't lie to me, will you, Dandelion?"

Haru played a prank and Towa did NOT appreciate it huh. . .no jokes and no lies unless you wanna be given a poisonous flower. . . .

Halloween:

"Trick or treat! If you don't give me lots of delicious flowers, I'm going to play a trick on you! "

the trick is 'a storm large enough to flood your home :D'

Christmas:

"Heh heh ♪ Merry Christmas! I heard you're supposed to spend today with your soulmate! I can't wait!"

Idle:

"Are you done yet? I hate waiting. Come play with me!"

Absent:

"Where were you, Dandelion? I've been waiting here all this time. Come give me a sorry cuddle."

WHOO ALL DONE. I love him so much, he's just. . .he's actually kind of mean lmao! But I love that about him, he's so. . .he both is and is not what you expect. He's very childish but like. . .cruel in the way a child can be, sort of? I JUST. REALLY ENJOY HIS CHARACTER. He's such a loving sweetheart until something agitates him even a little bit lmao. . . .

[givemewallywestorgivemedeath]

figured i'd ask you since you're like, The Flash Fam Expert, but do you happen to know the rough ages of the flashfam? like i know irey and jai are nine, ace is somewhere in his late teens, and wally has to be late twenties at the youngest but i can't find many specifics on other characters and wasn't sure if you might be able to help!

OOF. That's a rough one buddy. You don't understand what you have just unleashed upon the world.

God. Alright.

Irey and Jai are nine physically and mentally. Chronologically speaking, they're still toddlers but don't worry about it.

Ace is around 17? Not yet 18 but older than 15. I would bet on 17 but 16 wouldn't be crazy either. Avery is the same age.

Jay and Max are over 100 but by how much, I couldn't tell you. They play their age close to the chest. Physically they look 50-60 though.

Here's where it gets tricky.

Barry, Wally, Jesse and Bart.

So, Wally would've been in his early 30's when his children were born. Definitely by the time Barry came back Wally would've been at least 30.

However, during the N52 reboot everyone got deaged around a decade younger, Wally included. Wally came out of the Speedforce wearing his Kid Flash costume, indicating that he was physically 19 at the oldest. It's been a few years since Wally emerged, so physically he would have to be around 21 at this point.

Wild! I know!

So yeah, Barry would've been... late 30's? Ish? When he died. He came back at roughly the same age and chilled for a bit. He would've had to have hit 40 at least by that point. But speedsters also don't really physically age? So he looked like he was in his early 30's.

The N52 reboot hit, putting Barry at... late 20's- early 30's. I would say, by now, that the man is at least 30. Potentially even 35. But he looks 25 because speedsters don't age. (Iris would be around 30)

Bart is going to be the most wild one here. Alright. I'm speedrunning this one, so if you don't understand what is happening, I'm sorry but it is too late for you.

He exits the time portal at physically 12, ages to 14 before stabilized. He ages to 16 at which point he disappears. He comes back as an adult for a year but is killed. He comes back, again, back at 16 and is allowed to chill for a bit (potentially a year), bringing Bart to 17 years old (physically) when Flashpoint and the N52 reboot hit.

Bart was somehow spared the ~10 year deaging but he wasn't spared the deaging entirely. Bart pops out looking around 12-14 years old again. He runs around for about a year ish, which brings Bart to physically 13-15 years old currently in comics.

HOWEVER, it must be stated that, like Wally and Barry, Bart's mental age has never been reset. His mental age did not reboot with his body, so mentally Bart is around 19-20 years old.

Jesse... Jesse is weird. DC likes to keep Jesse ambiguously young. When in doubt, Jesse is around the same age as Wally. So, currently she would be around 21. The same applies to Linda.

So yeah. It's weird because Barry was a guy in his 30's with a little baby ten year old Wally and there was at least a 20 year age difference there. And now it's maybe 9 years? But also Barry looks 25 because he's a speedster, so it looks like Barry is only 4-5 years older than Wally.

Honestly if you went off looks alone, it'd be Jay (50), Max (50), Barry (25), Wally (21), Jesse (21), Avery (16), Ace (16), Bart (14), Irey (9) and Jai (9). Which is WILD?! Their family looks like two gay dads adopted 8 kids. Other than Max and Jay, they all look within five years of each other. It's wild.

Speedster aging man... They just... don't. They don't age. They live on Neverland time 24/7.

[neptunescore]

I mean personally I think people read too much into the vogue quote from kelly. They went to dinner together with Kelly's brother, cause Max and Nelson Jr are friends. Having "a magical night" can also mean they just had fun.. They were both in relationships at the time, or at least very soon after and Kelly even had a kid with someone else before they got together when he was 23. While for me, a 9 year age gap is too much, I don't think Kelly was like actively preying on him and grooming him when he was 19 💀 which btw not to you but for some the people who think he was 16/17 in 2016, he wasn't. He was 18, maybe even 19.

I mean I get where ur coming from, but then again, she DID say this after they were in a relationship, and come on using the word "magical" to describe just a normal fun night??

Also I would've genuinely been fine with a 9 year age gap, if it weren't for the fact that max had just begun his adult yrs. Like if he had started dating kelly at his current age (and she was her current age), and they had had no prior communication, then I gen wouldn't have cared. But the fact is that they DID start dating when he was 23, and she DID meet him, and (I think) kept in contact with him when he was 19.

Quick add: kelly having a child with danill doesn't rlly relate much to this topic, like I dont see how it played a part in their relationship.

[verosvault]

🚨SPOILERS FOR FANTASY HIGH JUNIOR YEAR EPISODE 6🚨

Dimension20 "Fantasy High Junior Year"

Episode 6 "Party Politics"

Timestamp: 1:18:17

Video Length: 2min. & 45sec.

Broken Cloud Rider Engine (Pt. 1 | ‣Pt. 2)

Gorgug: "I feel like someone just pushed him into the machine, 'cause he's so blazed."

Fig: "Who was he down there with? Do you have security cameras?" *points to Fabian*

Lou: "Does my dad have security cameras?"

Brennan: "Yeah. If you run it back, you see there's people down there. There's a bunch of kids down there. You don't see any of the Rat Grinders."

Emily: "Mm-hm."

Brennan: "The kids are down there, they're smoking, they're talking, and after a certain point, you see a bunch of ice mephits fly in and start ginning up the kids. Start getting the kids ginned up and rowdy, and then they start wrestling. The ice mephits are nut tapping people and blowing frost on their faces, just getting people riled up."

(Siobhan's face when Brennan mentioned the ice mephits! 💀✋)

Emily: "This would be very, very convenient if you're a conjuration wizard and you wanted to imitate someone else."

Siobhan asks if Adaine can tell if the ice mephits are hers. 👀

Brennan asks for an arcana check. It'll be hard to tell just by looking through a security camera. 🥲

Siobhan rolls a 13 arcana 😭✋

Brennan: "Unfortunately, as far as you can tell, these are your ice mephits."

Adaine apologizes to Fabian. Fabian says that it's fine.

Ally: "They just get everyone excited, and then someone accidentally–?"

Brennan: "You see a couple of the ice mephits join in to tip the box over.

Investigation checks as everyone sees the box get tipped over! DC25! 😭✋

Riz gets a 21 😭

Brennan: "You're looking at it. Mephits, a couple of wrestling kids in the basement. Box goes over. Something." 🥲🥲🥲

Murph: "Okay, something that helps you fly."

Fig tells Fabian that he needs to stay on the Ivy beat and asks if he's willing to do it. 💀💀

Fabian says he is! 😂💀

Ally to Murph: "Did they[Rat Grinders] steal it for their adventuring party?"

Gorgug to Fabian about Ivy 😂: "You might have to go out on dates with her." 🤣😭💀

Fabian: "I'll do that. Yeah, I'm down."

Murph's "I'VE REALIZED SOMETHING" FACE! 😭✋

Ally to Murph: "Are they[Rat Grinders] gonna use it?"

Murph: "Wait a second. All of the...Everyone...This has not anything to do with the little machine that was stolen, but people from their team wanted us...Max, who was acting strange, everyone wanted us to do drugs. Is it possible they're trying to get us kicked out of our various clubs?"

Zac: "I think Kipperlilly was here."

Ally: "Trying to get us kicked out? Oh!"

Zac: "Trying to get a picture of us taking drugs."

Murph: "Yep. Yep."

Siobhan: "Are we not supposed to take drugs? We murder people."

Emily: "Would we get in trouble?"

Siobhan: "We're now allowed to take drugs?"

Zac: "Maybe if you're running for office."

Brennan: "Well, here's the thing. It never would've been a problem when Arthur Aguefort was principal."

Fabian: "Did any of us do drugs?"

Adaine: "You did!" 😭✋

Riz: "No, you said you were going to, and then you were interrupted."

Zac: "Snuff is just tobacco, right?"

Lou: "Yeah, snuff's, I mean-"

Fig to Kristen: "You never actually went down, right?"

Kristen: "No, I never went."

Adaine: "And we were drinking, which is illegal."

Fig to Kristen: "You almost did."

Fabian: "Oh, it's milk. It's bad baby milk. It's mostly milk."

[that-one-weeb-buts-its-the-main]

Being Frank Castle's Daughter in Hawkins Pt 7

Gif Caption: Top Gif: Matt Murdock from Marvel's Daredevil Bottom Gif: Will Byers from Netflix's Stranger Things

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Reader: 17-18 age range | Female

Characters mentioned: Frank Castle (MCU), Matt Murdock (MCU), Karen Page (MCU), Peter Parker (MCU), Curt Hoyle (MCU) Dinah Madani (MCU), Steve Harrington (ST), Joyce Byers (ST), Will Byers (ST), Jonathan Byers (Breifly, ST) Jim Hopper (ST)

A/n: with a heavy heart I say Billy Hargrove was not talked about today :(

Warnings: none? Surprisingly. But shits about to get real next part 😈

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So you introduced Steve to the group

He was terrified to meet Matt

And stuck his hand out introducing himself

"Did he stick his hand out?" Matt asked.

"Yeah." Y/n spoke as Matt laughed, "Your hand gonna have to fine mine, Mr.Harrington. I'm blind."

Oh s h i t

Steve already feels that he fucked up as They shake hands

"You're the one Y/n writes about." Matt smiled, "nice to meet you. Though her brail could use some work."

"Haha." Y/n laugh sarcastically.

"Seems it's hard for her to swallow." Matt spoke leaning into Steve, "means it's true."

Y/n rolled her eyes as Steve laughed shortly.

You introduce him to everyone else as well

He fears Karen.

Mostly because she was talking about Pistols and calibers with Frank before Y/n introduced him.

Karen's happy to meet him, but he's still terrified.

You guys like your weapons

Gun background made sense with Frank being in the service

totally wasn't because of all the Punisher and Daredevil stuff

That I might add has been kept a secret besides Billy and Max

props to them for keeping silent too

Anyways so now you Peter and Steve are playing with Legos in the living room on the floor while you make small discussion with Matt and Madani

"Lego Steve." Y/n smiled handing Steve the little Lego man.

He chuckled, "Lego Steve indeed. Love the hair."

Y/n smiled, "I bet you do."

Not peter gagging in the background

"Oh yeah parker?"

"Yeah- Lets go!"

"Alright let's go!"

One intense game of rock paper sisscors later and him winning and you "dead on the floor"

"As a win. Im taking that last muffin"

"Oh like hell you are!"

Pushing each other for the last Muffin as you both pull each other down constantly.

"Come here Mr.Harrington." Matt spoke, "Lets speak outside?"

"Uh. Sure." Steve spoke standing up, "Do you-"

"Need help? No." Matt smiled, "I've mapped out the house by now by wall. Glad there aren't stairs inside."

Steve followed Matt who felt along the wall till they were outside.

"Matt, Don't scare the kid." Karen spoke.

"It'll just be a little." Matt explained as he walked out the door.

"If he cant survive Matts talk he's sure not surving Franks." Madani pointed out, Frank sliding her a glass of water.

"We'll think of you foundly." Curt spoke taking a drink of his own water, "and often."

Steve gulped as he walked out the door, it closing behind him.

"Mr.Murdock-"

"Matts fine." He spoke.

"R.right." Steve agreed, "Steve will be fine then."

"Very well then." Matt told, sitting down on the small patio bench, "sit. Sit."

Steve took the seat next to him, "You're very special to Y/n, do you know that?"

"I'd very much hope so sir." Steve spoke, "She means much to me."

Matt smiled in Steve's general direction.

"You've been in her room."

"What!?" Steve spoke, "No. No!-"

"Your hair product has a very...recognizable scent," Matt answered with honesty, "You and one other guy,"

"Oh. Him?" Steve asked, "Y/n said Thor was over- you know, friends with an Avenger, just common New York...stuff..."

Matt nodded, he could sense the shift in Steve's mood: "That makes you jealous."

"What!?" Steve spoke, "Pfft, no...Okay a little- Y/n said you were smart."

Matt chuckled, "lets just say the whole think about being Blind and your other senses heightening is true."

Steve smiled in response, not that Matt could see.

"Anyhow." Matt starts, "I'm not asking you to taks care of her, or provide for her. Im asking you to be there maybe you can't physically because somethings come up with family, or your locked away, what ever it be I ask you to be there for her mentally, for her worst and her best."

"I'd love to be there for her. In anyway I can." Steve spilled out, "as cliché as it sounds I'd do anything for her."

Matt smiles once again: "good. Because My Y/n's been through quiet a bit. She's a good kid, she has a big heart."

"And Im very glad I get to see that side of her." Steve told.

"Good."

Dad talk from Matt? Slightly terrifying

But it makes sense, with how close they are

So Steve's determined to impress him.

Along with everyone else who came to visit

Him and Matt make small talk on the porch, Matt wants to know this guys

He also jokes about not getting him and Y/n in trouble, for you know sneaking into Y/n's room?

Yeah lets hope Frank doesnt know about that

Sooner or later though, you're outside whining to both them to come back in

"Aw. Did I take your boyfriend away for too long?" Matt teased but Y/n was silent, a flustered expression held on her face, Steve hadnt expilcitly asked to be her boyfriend.

"Uh...just...lunch. if you want any..."

You brought them inside where everyone was having lunch.

Except Steve pulled you outside

"You okay?" He asked, "You looked nervous."

"Yeah. Yeah." Y/n spoke.

"Hey." He stopped her, "you can tell me."

Y/n was silent for a moment "...My...Boyfriend."

"Yeah." Steve smiled small, "do you like that? I..certainly don't mind it at all. Comin' from you and all... I suppose I should have asked you to be my girlfriend before I kissed you...all those times...Officially and all. So. What do you say? Me and you? You and I?"

Y/n chuckled, "Yeah. Yeah I would enjoy that. Alot..."

Steve's smile grew, "Well then. We kiss you know. Make it completely offical."

You could only laugh and kiss him.

Thank god for blinds or Frank probably would of pulled you apart

But soon you two both go back inside and you all eat lunch together

You Peter and Steve basically squared off the end of the table as a kids table.

Then the phone rings

And Frank stays on the phone

"Y/n." Matt leaned over, "listen. See who's on the phone. Call it seeing how far your skills have come."

Y/n nodded looking down at her plate in silence and closing her eyes.

"What is she-"

Matt lifted a finger to his lips the small group of boys going quiet as they watched Y/n.

"Its Joyce Byers." Y/n responded opening her eyes and eating her food again and taking a drink of water.

"Joyce Byers?" Steve asked, "Johnathan's mom?"

"Who's Joycer Byers?" Peter asked.

"Wait Johnathan? The guy I sit with at Lunch?"

"You sit with him at lunch?" Steve argued.

"Yeah whats wrong with that?" Y/n asked.

"Just uh." Steve spoke, "Rather you sit with me. Ya know?"

"Who's Joyce Byers?" Peter asked, "I litterally have no idea who Joyce Byers is."

"It's Frank's friend." Y/n spoke louder catching the others attention.

"Castle? With Friends?" Madani spoke, "Not possible."

"Yep. She stayed over and everything." Y/n added.

"Y/n I swear-"

"He was even nice enough to-"

"Im throwing you in the lake."

"Like you could catch me- OH SHIT"

So lunch is actually spent with you two running around.

He ends up catching you as they all watch from the Back porch.

"Okay! Okay Uncle!" Y/n pleaded.

"Nope."

"What!? Come on! I said I Uncle!"

So now your being thrown in the lake.

Peter goes to get you a towel

Just for you to drag him in and act like Peter got the upper hand

Steve will save you! He'll be your knight and shining armour

Just for him to be pulled into the lake.

"Alright fuck it." Madani spoke pulling off her shoes as she walks towards the lake.

"Yeah Im comin." Curt spoke pulling his coat off.

"Wait for me." Karen added.

Cue heart to heart with your two dads

Matts so happy to see you enjoying a normal life and so is Frank

But deep down Frank knows you miss New York

And Matt tells him you'll never stop missing New York its just something you'll always have in your heart

Apparently you guys were all having a water and mud fights for such a long time that Joyce even got off work to come over and say Hi as Frank had recommended.

Joyce gets to meet Matt. And her sons with her, had to pick him up from a friends

Will's a quiet one who rather much just wave silently and is more intrested in watching you pick up a "grown" man aka steve and easily toss him over your shoulder into the lake

And then wreslting to stay above Curt while Peter comes up behind you

"Dad! Dad!"

"Y/n. No- Y/N NO!l"

Now your chasing Frank around covered in mud and lake water.

You manage to jump on his back hugging him.

"Ah! Alright Alright!" He laughed Y/n smiling as she laughed as she hugged him he holding the back of her knees as he brought her back to the back.

"Means I can do this-"

"No! No! No!"

It was too late he had rushed and thrown her back into the lake.

It was a good day and you all went out for Pizza near the hotel the group was staying at.

Thats where you got to talk to Joyce and Will more.

Will was alot more open to you

He thinks your "werid" like him, in a good way of course

You just understand him more than his own friends does he feels like

And talking about how you like dressing up for Halloween

Not no witch either or black cat

Actual "nerd" coustumes

"You should go trick or treating with us." Will suggested.

"Oh. Sorry bud. Im going with the wheeler kid-"

"Mike?"

"Yeah, you know them?"

"There my friends!" He cheered.

"Really?" Y/n asked, "Thats cool! I'd love to go with you all together then."

"Have you ever played D&D?"

"No. What is it?"

"Duegons and Dragons?"

"Im up for anything if it has a good dragon in it." Y/n answered.

You're offically Will's best friend

Well Female Older Teen Best Friend

We all know you cant replace Mike

So you two talk back and forth, he's telling you about Ghost Busters and D&D and your talking about New York and Heros

You actually show him your shoes they've wore out but the faint paint of the Punisher's Skulls covers your soles.

He thinks there super cool and says hes somewhat of an artist himself

Then you guys play tik tac toe on a napkin

Joyce is glad he gets along with you

Apparently Will doesnt get along with a lot of people

He told you they call him Zombie boy

You use it as a compliment to try and make him laugh

"Oh! Dead Im dead!" Y/n spoke theratically then slumped back in her chair, "Surpise! I've come back for my sweet revenge!! Raaa!"

He laughs and you tell him you have his back, after all you tell him you were bullied as well and look how badass you are

You also tell him you've got his back if he ever needs it

You werent expecting The Sinclairs to be there

So when Lucas came running up to Will happily from the little arcade section you were introduced

He was a sweet boy and was almost unbelieving that girls could be nerds

So he was happy another nerd was joining the party

Yet he didnt know about you Joining D&D that has to be a group decision

Whatever that means

But its a small town

So here comes Cheif Hopper

"Tension..." Karen mummbled to Y/n.

"Yeah no kidding." Y/n answered eating a cheese twist.

So you watched as Hopper tried to Size Frank up

But it didnt work much as you know

Frank just stood up to shake his hand and well the tension got worse

Luckily the tension Hoppers giving off gives you the ability to just burry youself in your milkshake

Because remember you totally didnt get pulled over by him with a whole bunch of aliens in your car

"Lets get out of here and too the arcade." Y/n whispered to will, "I got a 5 we can turn into quaters."

Will nodded quickly as the two got up, Y/n kissing Steve on the cheek beforr rushing off with Will to escape the akwardness

On the few machine's they had you won him a little stuff animal, the one you clip on your bags

You didnt expect him to like it as much as he did.

He beat you in street fighter 3-1.

Your pride is in shambles but oh well, you made a kid happy

Both unfortunately and fortunately enough, everyones gotta go there seperate ways

You all say your goodbyes and you promise you'll Call Matt tommrow maybe you both can do something he can meet another on of your friends

After all you had to go see if someone followed through and that threat you made *cough* neil *cough* and see that he was in jail

Your glad things are starting to finall Mellow out for you

You have a nice boyfriend, your dad has a great girlfriend and she has a sweet kid with an old soul , you're families here, You protected your best friend and his sister

What could go wrong?

Well. Alot actually

Previous Part - Next Part

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Tag List ( IT KEEPS GROWING IM GONNA EXPLODE MY GUY) : @raelwrites @miiikkeey @beebslebobs @ah-witch @supernaturallover2002 @pearlstiare @simonsbluee @stilllivindue2spite @lvbred @dancingqueen21 @writerdream22 @i-reblog-fics-i-like @knivqs @xxlaynaxx @3-spurr

[eternalglitch]

OH MY GOD I HAVEN'T THOUGHT ABOUT DINO SQUAD IN FOREVER!!!! AAAAAHHHH IT WAS ONE OF MY FAVORITE SHOWS!!!!! YOU ARE DRAGGING ME BACK IN!!!!!!!! (PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE TELL US MORE I AM BEGGING YOU)

Hmm what else can I talk about...

Here is the full quick character info:

Buzz Neilson 17 - White - Aro/Ace - He/They (Masc Nonbinary) Dinosaur: Pteranodon Birthday: February 13 (Aquarius) Color: Green

Fiona Rivera 17 - Dominican - Lesbian - She/Her (Cis) Dinosaur: Pachycephalosaurus Birthday: November 21 (Scorpio) Color: Yellow

Max Hwang 18 - Korean - Questioning - He/Him (Cis) Dinosaur: Tyrannosaurus Rex Birthday: September 2 (Virgo) Color: Red

Roger Bennett 18 - Black - Bi/Ace - He/Him (Cis) Dinosaur: Styracosaurus Birthday: August 19 (Leo) Color: Purple

Caruso Caruso (Yes, that's what she tells people.) 17 - Filipina/Italian - Bisexual - She/Her (Trans) Dinosaur: Stegosaurus Birthday: October 7 (Libra) Color: Blue

Also Victor is now a Utah raptor! Forgot to mention his species change. It just makes more sense.

Vee, who is a new character and Buzz's friend, is a Parasaurolophus but is not one of the main group...

Some other tidbits in Evolution are the following:

Moynihan was originally a scientist that Victor, ever the keen businessman, approached with grand plans about power and immortality. They were fast friends, and maybe even more, and Victor was the first human test subject for their work. It was a success, but both Victor and Moynihan had ulterior motives that drove them into an argument; Moynihan eventually grabbed the stabilizing agent to their work and fled, leaving Victor to keep creating unstable monsters as he tried to figure out what he is missing for stable dinosaur shifters.

Max and Caruso started high school as best friends and were both football team stars. Caruso, however, decided to transition and started going by her last name instead, and the other football players and popular kids stopped associating with her.

Max, who was hesitant to stir up any trouble, didn't say anything, leading to a two year period where they didn't talk. A few months before Evolution starts, they tentatively rekindled their friendship and are navigating what that looks like now.

The teens all have different opinions about being able to transform into dinosaurs, which eventually starts to create divides within the group. While Buzz and Roger enjoy and even wish to keep their powers, Max and Caruso actively will look for a way to cure themselves. Fiona is dedicated to taking down Victor using her new powers, but eventually also intends to go back to her planned normal life.

[luv4fandoms]

Hello! Not a request, just a genuine question because I’m obsessed with the Lost Boys head cannons you’ve come up with, especially about the ones where Marko’s Italian and David is from the south. Quick question: what order do you think the boys were turned? Like who’s the “oldest” and who’s the “youngest” out of David, Dwayne, Marko, and Paul? I’d be down if this turned into head cannons but I’m also just hella curious what you think their order is cuz you’ve got such a cool grasp on these characters:)

Well first, thank you so much! ☺️ I'm glad you're enjoying the headcanons!

I definitely went into more detail than I originally meant to but 🤣

David, Dwayne, Marko, Paul.

Age wise it really varies on what people wanna age them as, I've seen people write them as all 18, sometimes Dwayne is 21, David is 20, Paul is 18, and Marko is 17. I've even seen people use what the actor's ages were at the time of the film coming out (Making Dwayne 25, Paul 24, Marko 22, and David actually the youngest at 21)

But as far as who is the "oldest" and "youngest", turning wise. I would place David as the oldest and Paul as the youngest.

I think Max met David first (as I mentioned in my David headcanons) and turned him.

Then I think in his travels David met Dwayne and Dwayne's tribe. I kinda headcanon that Dwayne wanted to adventure out and explore the world but also felt a strong responsibility to his tribe, and to a woman who he was in love with and wished to marry, but when she married another man in the tribe he started listening to David's offer a bit more, ultimately accepting and allowing Max to turn him.

Upon their adventuring even more I think they happened upon Marko who was a newly arrived Italian immigrant in the 1950s when most came from the southern regions of Italy, driven to the USA by famine, unemployment, natural disasters, and even discrimination from their own. I headcanon that Marko came from a very large family, like, very large, and being one (if not the) oldest, he went out to find "work" I say work this way because Marko has always been quick on his feet and very sneaky, which means he was excellent at pickpocketing. It was during one of these sessions in town at night that he pickpocketed David, who quickly got his wallet back from the Italian boy, who then proceeded to cuss him out in Italian and try to fight him. David liked his spunk, it honestly reminded him of one of his little brothers. But he soon realized that the boy didn't speak a lick of English, but luckily could understand it. I haven't thought of just how David persuaded Marko to become a vampire but the boy happily agreed, when I said he came from a large family I wasn't joking, like his family wouldn't worry too much if there was one less mouth to feed because of how bad off they were, but they would miss him and hope he was doing ok. But even after he was turned, Marko would sneak back to his house at night and leave money in places he knew his family would find it, he did that for years. I headcanon that David and Dwayne both helped Marko learn English from there on out, and in return Marko stole things for them even if they didn't ask him too, it was his way of saying thank you.

Paul is definitely the youngest of the group. A lot of people headcanon that Paul was turned in the 60s and honestly, I can see that. I headcanon that Paul came from a very strict, prominent member of their town type of family. Like Dad had a high paying job, mom was a perfect house wife, everyone went to church on Sunday, that sort of family. And of course, their only son Paul was to follow that role as well. (Like picture 1950's town where the houses look the same, white picket fence, maybe a flamingo in the yard. And there is little Paulie. Khaki pants, button up shirt, sweater vest, maybe his blonde hair is kept short and slicked back..the typical rich good kid look) and he was ok with it, though it sucked when his parents would tell him to calm down or stop fidgeting, like, he couldn't help it, his body told him to move...No one knew he had ADHD. Fast forward to the 60s. Little Paulie is getting older, discovering himself and realizing, holy shit the world is fuckin bitchin! At least certain people were lol. He jumped in headfirst to the hippie scene, no floaties or anything, just cannonball. Peace, free love, and these funny little cigarette looking things that for once make his brain stop going a mile a minute? Sign him up! It was during one of these late night festivals that he bumped into Marko (who had been scoping out the place for an easy victim). He instantly thought the little Italian boy was awesome. He invited him to chill and smoke, and in their smoke session he found that the boy was really awesome, and that their energies just vibed well. It was Marko who asked Paul if he wanted to change, to which Paul happily agreed to, a life of doing whatever you wanted? Sign him up! Though I do headcanon that Paul stayed a half vampire the longest, after he was changed he didn't know if he could go through with the killing part, and it honestly messed with him a lot to even think about it. He took a bit, even distanced himself from Marko and the boys for a couple of weeks before he just couldn't stand it anymore and came back, and that night he made his first kill.

Like I said, I went a bit more detailed than I originally planned but sometimes when I start writing for them, stories just play out in my head lol. But I hope this answered your question ☺️

[ymaohoh]

Hellcheer addition! (ignoring the 1 like thing as I just want to write about these two crazy kids) 1. Chrissy being single. 2. So I don't have just one, but the music from the soundtrack 'I wouldn't remember me either' which plays for them? It's a beaut! (bit of a cop-out answer this one, sorry). 3. The ship observed by other people (so alternative POV's - Max, Jason, Dustin etc.) 4. Has to be my own as we only got one damn episode. 5. In the woods, when Chrissy says 'me?' so cute and Eddie is just soft and silly. 6. When Eddie heads back to the trailer with Steve/Nancy/Robin in the Upside Down and there's just a missing 'oh shit this is where Chrissy died' moment I would have liked to see. 7. (god this is tough as there's loads) Eddie being really really into eating Chrissy out. 8. I've seen a lot of fics that take Jason's character maybe too far (though yeah, he was a lunatic in the show). I don't think he'd harm Chrissy. 9. The 'opposites attract' angle. They have no business being so perfect for one another - but they are (second option would be how hot they are as a couple). 10. That Eddie would have to step on Jason's toes pretty severely (thanks Joe) and it would be messy. Ideally Chrissy would end it before getting with Eddie. 11. Deffo canon, thanks, but yeah I need them to come back to life in season 5 for more... Time travel? Alternative universe? Come on, Duffer Brothers. 12. Baldur's Gate 3... I could see them both as Bard's but maybe Chrissy could be a Cleric. Chrissy's BFF is clearly Karlach and Lae'zel scares tf out of Eddie (someone write me a crossover with the whole party being there?) 13. Eddie's easier to write than Chrissy, I think. Some authors really NAIL Eddie. 14. I've not been drawn to another pairing from Stranger Things in the same way - but I do like Chrissy shipped basically with anyone ('cause she's pretty). 15. Chrissy. I'd give her a big hug and we'd hang out watching 80's flicks. My girl needs love and take out. 16. The only way I could see this playing out is if one of them tries being all stupid noble and self-sacrificing. Eddie might so Chrissy goes to college (if she wants to stay behind with him) and Chrissy might because she doesn't want him to get hurt by Jason etc. It wouldn't last. 17. I think so - both have vulnerable spots which everyone can relate to. I find myself very similar to Chrissy (especially at her age). 18. I didn't like Eddie leaving Wayne to find Chrissy's body, but I get that's a character choice and he was scared af. 19. Lots? (and I'm new to the fandom). More are incoming, sorry. 20. You know, I didn't get sucked in when I first watched season 4 but on a re-watch? Yeah. I have no control over my fixations and I re-watched when I was recovering from surgery so...plenty of time to go mad? 21. I'm an angst girl. Always have been (but the smut is HOT too).

(psss pass it on - what do ya'll think?)

Template by @aph-cb 

[aurora-ze-aquarius]

Hey I was thinking of making a cars au and I wanna see what you think, I'm calling it the time travel AU and what happens is Cruz and Jackson some how go back in time to the 80s and see a young teen lightning McQueen ( cause i think 🤔 he from the 80s era ) and see how different of a person he was when he was younger ( i also feel like when lightning was younger he was one of those popular kids that everyone's thought was mean but was actually really nice 👌.

And Cruz and Jackson look young enough to be in high school .

And you know how his name is Montgomery but for some reason I feel like both cruz and Jackson don't know that and when they looking for him and they like hey were looking for a lightning McQueen and people are like we don't have a lightning McQueen but we know a Montgomery McQueen

So what do you think 🤔 please give me any feedback 👌

I think this is a really cool idea ^^

I'd love to see how Cruz and Jackson react to younger McQueen, maybe even see his old home life 👀

Maybe you could add a joke where Jackson complains how they're looking for Lightning not his dad, but then they meet Monty and it actually is Lightning lmaoo

If Jackson and Cruz were to somehow enroll in Monty's highschool, I believe their ages would be around 16/17. I've done a bit of digging and found that some of the youngest irl racecar drivers are/were around 17/18 years old.

(Examples include Max Verstappen from F1 and Kalle Rovanperä from the WRC, both of which started their careers at 17 years old.)

For Cruz, since she had a job before racing, you could say she worked as a volunteer trainer for Rusteze.

Also!! Don't forget that since they're going back in time, there should be culture shock from both Jackson/Cruz, and some of the cars around them.

It's the 80s, car models like Jackson and Cruz have yet to exist, so every once in a while, they may get odd looks from people. At the same time, Jackson and Cruz talk and act quite different from the cars of that time period, so they may have to try to blend in. Maybe even change their look up temporarily.

(That is if this is a long story of course! If they're stuck in the past for not as long (like in that one episode of Tall Mater Tales) then it's perfectly ok to keep their appearance the same. It's just a suggestion ofc)

This au looks very promising, and I wish you good luck on it my friendo

[lovestuckyhatemarvel]

What? Am I finally rewatching season 3 of Stranger things? And is this me watching s3e1? Yes, yes it is. Why did I take so much time between seasons 2 and 3? Broken brain, innit?

1.) I understand they must have done so much work for the opening sequence of the Russian scientists turning the keys and starting up the thing that spins and does electric shit and opens a portal but I’m mostly focused on how there’s a noticeable difference between the portals and tentacles/vines between each season. Like really obvious if you’re watching them as closely together as I have been lately.

2.) I forgot the machine fucking explodes after failing to hold a gate open and they slow mo a bunch of randos dying.

3.) I also forgot how absolutely cartoonish the Russians are in this. That soldier went full Darth Vader on a random scientist for no fucking reason. God, the Duffers are boring.

4.) Oh yeah, this is the season when Hopper becomes annoying.

5.) Steve is adorable in his cute little Scoops Ahoy outfit. His shorts are longer than the kids’ shorts are. How do people think those shorts are slutty? Literally even Mike is wearing shorter shorts than Steve.

6.) I forgot there’s a power outage to the mall in episode 1. IDK how since Steve flipping the light switch a bunch and Robin calling him dingus for the first time in the show is referenced by like so many steddie writers.

7.) I forgot that dirt moving on its own is a plot point here.

8.) ‘Let there be light’. Steve Harrington is a dweeb.

9.) Will’s spidey senses are tingling

10.) I never noticed that Mike and Will have almost the same hair this season.

11.) Oh yeah, the beginnings of the duffers not actually understanding feminism because they don’t understand the intersection of sexism and classism.

12.) I forgot Dustin gets back episode 1. Maybe it’s because steddie fics space things out differently, but I thought I remembered it being like, episode 2 or something.

13.) I forgot all of Dustin’s toys lure him out thanks to El and it causes Dustin to spray Lucas in the eyes with hairspray for like a full 15 seconds.

14.) I want to force feed Billy Hargrove his own goddamn hair. Karen Wheeler, I still think you probably have really shitty politics but you deserve better than Billy.

15.) Hopper seems to have forgotten literally all his character development from season 2 just so Duffers can do the overprotective dad bit. Like what the fuck do you mean Hopper doesn’t know what a heart to heart is? I’ve seen the flashbacks to how he interacted with Sara. I saw the goddamn time he contacted El over the radio to apologize for being a shithead at the end of season 2!!!!!!!! Please stop acting like this grown ass man doesn’t understand what an apology is at this point.

16.) I love Max with all my heart

17.) Steve really is so bad at flirting. I would die for him.

18.) I really hate that suddenly Joyce has to teach Hopper, the guy who has comforted and sweet talked his way into literal government facilities, how to fucking talk to people nicely. Like DID THEY WATCH THEIR OWN SHOW? THIS MAKES NO SENSE. This characterization only works if you literally forget seasons 1 & 2.

19.) So many rats. So many really obviously fake rats. That’s not to say I’d want the exploding rats to be real, but something about the lighting on them or something is off.

20.) Will just wanted to play D&D but this season he’s Foreshadowing instead.

21.) Joyce is so goddamn sad and I would be too. RIP Bob Newby.

22.) Hopper really is a cartoon character of himself this season. Also why is he still in his work uniform this late at home?????? WHY CAN HE NO LONGER TALK TO CHILDREN AT ALL????? Suddenly he’s lying about a child’s grandma.

23.) Okay but Max is a genius and is super pretty.

24.) I think Will constantly asking for D&D and everyone blowing him off is why they think he’s the DM even though he isn’t

25.) IDK if I noticed before that the Russian code is literally translated in the subtitles

26.) I’m still shocked the fandom loves Billy as much as they do since he’s obnoxious, racist, and definitely up for being a cheater, and usually at least one of those things is a dealbreaker for people on tumblr to think he’s fuckable. Usually the ‘fucks married women’ part.

[sleepy-achilles]

Character study/analysis Billy Hargrove-

People call Billy racist yet Dacre confirmed his comments have nothing to do with Lucas race and that's the main reason why they removed the n word from the script, because billy had no reason to say it because it wasn't racially motivated.

Also yes his behaviour towards max is shitty but you have to remember he's being abused by his dad and he's protecting max from his abuse. But we also need to think about the amount of trouble Billy probably gets in if max misbehaves or isn't home or doing as told, which is probably why he's so mean to her. I mean we saw how his dad reacted when max ran off.

Dacre also confirmed Billy loves max, main reason he doesn't want lucas and max hanging out just because he sees him bothering his sister and doesn't like it at all. Think about it, he clearly doesn't let his father touch or hurt max, he ain't letting some middle schooler. When he said the line he could genuinely mean mean people, like his father, like him, I mean the only time he had saw Lucas at this time he had upset max and was bothering her.

So um for the people hating on people for liking Billy, maybe calm down abit and do some research and like stop dismissing his abuse just because he acts like a dick. There's a reason for his behaviour.

Also all the really terrible stuff Billy actually does is when under control of the mind flayer and even then we see multiple times he doesn't want to by the fact he cry. Almost every scene when he's with max or eleven he cries.

Also I don't care what anyone says, Billy's reaction at the Byers house was justified. His step sister was in a strangers house with a bunch of boys but also a adult male (Steve's what? 18? 19?) So yeah that is weird. Especially when Billy and Steve do not get on and Billy doesn't know any of them that well. I would too get angry if this happened, especially as Steve lies about it.

Also I notice that Billy can clearly fight and clearly win. I mean we see it with Steve, who yes hasn't really won a fight at that point but minor details, I mean he sure as hell throws the kids around and the stuff he does under the mind flayers control. But he never fights his father back. Showing he's scared of his father and that could be another reason he's a dick to max, out of fear of her having to witness it or being at the end of Neil rage. He could genuinely just want to protect her but be fucking terrible at showing it. He could also be angry about the fact Susan and max don't experience Neil's anger like he does, could be angry about the fact Susan just watches it happen. I mean he's definitely angry about his mum leaving, and Susan coming in with max, taking her place. Which is understandable. He's forced to grow up, he's forced to look after max, which he tells his father. He's watching her and she does things which he gets the blame for, which of course he'd be angry at her about.

Billy's 17 when he joins the show, a teenager, he has teenage emotions. Of course he'll be angry and angst filled. He has to look after his younger sister, cancel dates and social gatherings to go find her, basically live his life around her misbehaving and he gets punished for it, not her. People seem to forget this.

Spoilers for the new season up ahead-

And well he's dead now which you know, still praying for that to change on the 1st but knowing me, it won't.

I forgot totally about Mrs wheeler! Everyone blames Billy for that. She's a 40 something old women. He's 17. If it was a girl and a man you wouldn't be blaming the girl. Billy clearly has some form of daddy and mummy issues. He seeks female, especially older female validations and wheeler gives him that. People blaming Billy for that shit scare me. No way.

These are mostly just theories which i really like, so don't look too much into this part.

Max and Billy clearly love each other, Billy's dad truly just destroyed any chance they really had of being close, for someone who doesn't care or like Billy max is mourning him pretty hard. Especially when you think about the fact Billy's dad just up and left. I heavily believe the shirt max is wearing when she sees chrissy body is Billy's shirt. Also wonder if Billy made max those tapes or atleast the running up the hill one and that's why she's suddenly attached to her headphones and Walkman, he also might of never given it to her and when he died she found it, meaning it could just be Billy's. I mean his father clearly doesn't care so you can't convince me he sorted Billy's stuff out.

Running up that hill probably also reminds her of Billy. Which is why she's always listening to it.

She probably avoids lucas because of Billy aswell, think about it, Billy always told her to and she never did that before but does now? And the fact she willingly talks to Dustin kinda backs that for me.

-

Anyways that's my little analysis of Billy. I knew I was going to do this when I started watching season 2, so i made sure to pay attention to his character and the little things he does. Also rip Billy and rip Billy's car. Will be missed.

[candied-cae]

And Who Are We At The End Of The World? - Turn The Radio Up

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20]

Chapter 12/? - - - Read it on AO3

Word Count : 9,063

Summary: Joyce is headed back with Murray and a certain someone in tow. Which means they all just need to survive a few more hours on their own. They just need to do a few things to take care of business, and wait.

More ST Fics

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Nancy took the boys to the police station, where an officer let them into the Winnebago. And honestly, as she was doing so, she’s never been so grateful she left something behind in the Upside Down. If she didn’t vividly remember dropping that sawed-off felony when they found the trailer empty, she would be in a whole different kind of mess. Instead, they were there for the clothes the Upside Down crew had before gearing up in Warzone attire, and a few things they hadn't wanted to bring through the gate with them. Steve told her that he’d grab Robin’s stuff and run it over to her, so Nancy just picked up her own things and the backpack they’d left behind when they ran everyone into the hospital. There were a few other small items she packed away while Lucas and Dustin got together his clothes and the other walkie.

When they left, the cop marked off the items they were taking from the inventory sheet, just in case they tried to use the opportunity to rob the Jamesons. Which… okay, maybe she could be more offended about the assumption if they hadn’t actually stolen the whole RV itself just a few days ago. So she let it slide, and they piled back into the station wagon.

Overall, it wasn’t a long visit. Nothing to write home about. They threw their stuff into the back and were planning to pick up the other kids to go by the hospital when they heard Steve’s voice come through their walkie.

“Hey guys, we have a bit of a… a thing.”

“A thing? Over.” Dustin questioned him, eyebrows high on his forehead while Nancy focused on pulling onto the street.

“Yeah… it’s not a whole situation, but, um, definitely a thing. Well, it’s two things, actually.”

“Two things? Steve, I need you to start explaining right now. And say 'over' when you’re done. Over.” Dustin said, rolling his eye at Lucas, who silently nodded in agreement.

“Over, whatever,” the voice came through muttered and annoyed.

“So, what’re the things, Steve? Over.” Lucas leaned over to ask this time.

“There's, like, a whole news station outside the hospital, so it might not be a good idea for everyone to come by. Since we planned to keep the Cali Crew’s Epic Return off the radar.”

Which made sense.

It stung that they wouldn’t be able to visit, but they really shouldn’t be seen on television if what the boys said was true. About there being some government faction that pretty much wanted to kill El. That is, if the government lady who told them that while she tried to put them on house arrest was to be trusted. And that debate was a whole other can of worms, as far as Nancy was concerned.

Ugh, just trying to sort through what they knew, what they suspected, what they feared, and what they could even do about any of it... that mental maze was going to give her a headache.

And that was only one thing. It was a big, head-aching thing, but just one. And Steve said there were two. And so, after a pause, he continued.

“And also… Max’s mom… kind of… knows… Over.”

“Excuse me,” Dustin said calmly, before exploding,” WHAT?! Over!”

“I saw her while I visited Max, and Susan said that in the letter she left, Max said she wanted to explain some stuff to her. Over.”

“Some stuff? Over.”

“About what’s been going on.”

“Specifically, Steve. Over.” Dusting urged again, clearly not loving how vague the older boy was being.

“I don’t know. I didn’t ask, and I didn’t know what to do- so I told her I’d call her tonight and… explain? Over.”

“Shit, Steve.” the boy said, forgetting to say ‘over’ in his shock.

“Well, what would you do?!” Steve got defensive,” She was, like, crying at me, looking at her kid, and begging to know if she was a bad mom for not knowing what was going on with her daughter! I couldn’t just throw her a ‘What? You’re crazy, lady!’ and skip down the hall! Over!”

“Shit, Steve!” was still all Dustin could think to say back to him.

“Well? Game plan? You guys got one of those for me?” Steve asked.

The boys looked to Nancy, who’s been silently driving this whole time, turning over the options in her head. She’s in charge, on that they all agreed. But that was a big decision. They haven’t… told anyone, who didn’t find out themselves, except for Murray, and that was way different. She’d wanted to, for Barb, for the Hollands. But she didn’t, couldn’t. The best she could do was give them a different lie so they could move on… but what do they do here?

“Nancy?” Dustin asked her.

“I don’t know,” she answered.

He passed it along into the walkie,“ No, game plan here, dude. Over.”

“What if we ask Joyce? Over.”

With that, Nancy snapped her head back a bit and held out her hand. Silent, though her demand was clear. One that Dusting understood in just a moment before he placed the boxy device right into her grip.

“Joyce? You heard from Joyce?” she spoke into it, completely forgoing the walkie-talkie manners Dustin quietly griped about to Lucas.

“Yeah. She called me at the hospital to get in touch with the Byers kids. Said she was going to be on a plane with Murray and be back here tonight. Already sent her to my place so she could let them know.”

“Joyce is getting back to Hawkins? Tonight?” She reiterated.

“Yes. That’s what she said.”

“Okay, okay,” Nancy breathed,” Then we’ll call Susan to come by your house after we get together for the strategy session. Have her come by when Joyce lands, and she can decide what it is, exactly, that we’ll tell her. Got it?”

“Yeah, sounds good.” Steve agreed.

Nancy felt better at least having that decision off of her plate before she asked,“ You headed back there now or…?”

“I’ll stay here a bit longer.” he answered,” Talk to ‘em both like the nurse said to. I’ll drop by the station after a while, pick up my stuff and meet you guys back there later.”

“Alright. You know when Robin’ll be free from Church?”

“Should be soon. If you wanted to pick her up and wait at my place with the others, you’re welcome to.”

“Yeah, I’ll snag her with Mike and Erica, and we’ll be there when you get back.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

She passed the walkie back to Dustin’s waiting hands, to which he informed her and Steve,“ Neither of you guys said ‘over’ that whole time, by the way. Over.”

“Oh my god-” the older boy bemoaned.

“Do you want to walk back to Steve’s, Dustin?” Nancy threw back at him.

“No! I’m just saying we have had a system of walkie-talkie usage for years! And, now that we need to get everyone on the frequency, you supposedly ‘mature adults’ are the ones who can't follow the rules!” he argued.

“Hey, Dustin?”

“Yeah, Steve?”

“You just forgot to say ‘over’. Twice.” He pointed out, voice full of teasing glee that he could knock him down a peg at just the right moment,” Over.”

“ASSHOLE!” Dustin all but screamed into the receiver.

“I’m turning your volume down, little man. Yell and scream all you want, I’m going to relax. Maybe even take a nap-”

Dustin cut his transmission off,“ Steve, you’re supposed to be talking to them-”

Steve cut his short in turn,“ Night night, Henderson. Over.”

Dustin sat scowling in the back seat,” He’s supposed to be talking to them.”

“You really think he won’t?” Nancy asked him, a knowing gaze that made the boy uncross his arms and admit that, yes, Steve was just messing with him because he was being a bit of a turd about the walkies.

The next stop was the Sinclair’s, where Erica climbed into the very back, pinching off her nose as she did so and kicking at Dustin’s dirty laundry while they went to grab Mike. They added him to the backseat and pulled out of the driveway before Ted Wheeler had a chance to realize Nancy wasn’t immediately giving the keys back after the allotted trip to the police station. Then the last stop to make was Robin’s place. And Mike complained the whole way over.

Complained that he and Nancy were blood, so he deserved the shotgun seat. Complained that they should just go straight to Steve’s so they can see the Byers sooner. Complained that they weren’t going to the hospital to sit with Max and Eddie anymore. Complained that Steve was going to rub off and make Eddie stupider by spending time with him. Complained that Dustin and Lucas were traitors when they told him to be nicer to Steve.

God. He was really becoming a little angsty sourpuss in his teenage years.

Eventually, they got Robin in with them, and Nancy practically sighed in relief to have an ally against all the children in the back. While the boys and Erica made some ruckus about something she didn’t even want to understand, Nancy and Robin fell into some kind of small talk.

“So, how was church?” she asked, somewhere between not knowing what else to ask, and real curiosity because it was something she’s never gone to.

“Well, it was church,” Robin said plainly,” It’s still a place that’s mostly boring, if not a little guilt-trippy. Same stiff clothes I never wear otherwise. All the same old ladies my grandma has known since I was a little tike, each wanting to lament about how long it’s been since they last saw me on a Sunday morning.”

“Wow, so you guys really do, like, actually go to church.”

“Yeah. I’ve been in those pews ever since I can remember. Really only got out of it so much recently with how busy I’ve been with school and work. But now that those are both on pause and I went missing - and with a pair of boys, no less -” she used a haughty voice to imitate her mother,” Now it seems like the parents are less understanding of my disinterest in the institution.”

“That’s so… interesting?”

“It’s interesting?” Robin doubted.

“Well, Mike and I never really did the church thing. Our parents aren’t really… ‘devote’, I guess. I mean, our dad’s about as traditional and conservative as they make ‘em, but, eh, I guess God’s never really been our thing.” Nancy explained.

“God’s never really been my thing, either, to tell the truth.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I mean, for the first three or four years, I would pretty much just follow my family in, take our seat, try and roll with it for a few minutes, and then end up using my jacket as a pillow and falling asleep in the pew the whole time. Then I got old enough that they said I couldn’t just keep doing that anymore. So I figured out how to follow along in the hymns, tried to pay attention. I had this aunt that would slip me mints and let me check her watch through mass to keep me contained. That's pretty much how I learned to read an analog clock face." she gave a little laugh at the fact," And I just had all these questions, and I wanted to ask these questions and understand why it is we think this is the way the world is. But then I got the impression that they didn’t really like my questions all that much, so I got quieter. And when I get quiet, I get bored. Which led to me inventing this fear that the priest had, like, ‘holy eyes’ or something. And he would see a lightbulb above my head. All lit up if I cared 'enough' and turned off if I didn’t. I literally terrified myself into thinking he knew I wasn’t really getting with the program, and that I'd be, like, outed or something as a bad Catholic. And then I got out of it well enough. I was busy, it was a good excuse. But now, poof, Robin’s back in those pews, revisiting the idea that the old man in the front of the room can see her burnt-out lightbulb.“ Robin huffed at the end, turned to Nancy, and realized she did it again,“ Sorry, that was a lot. Again. I just mean, I don’t think I ever really did a really good job at it. The whole God thing.”

Nancy looked over at her for a moment, a warm smile playing on her lips, and she shrugged,” I would never call you burnt out. Maybe you were just too smart, too young. I mean, if I had believed in God before all of this? The Upside Down would’ve turned me off of the whole theory pretty fast. You just didn’t have to lose it. Since you weren’t clinging to it in the first place.”

“Maybe. A full-on religious crisis mighta really drove me bonkers after the meat monster.” Robin let out a little chuckle before bothering to ask,“ And how was your morning? At the RV?”

“Not very interesting. It looks pretty much exactly how we left it. A mess. But I got my stuff, and the boys got theirs. And Steve said he was going to stop by after a while to get his and yours?”

“Yeah, there’s a duffle bag in his closet with my name on it. Thought it might be a good idea to add the stuff from the RV as a change of clothes and turn it into a go-bag since we’re waiting for Vecna to come back.” Robin answered simply enough.

“A duffle bag of your stuff?” Nancy asked, voice hinting at suspicion.

“Yeah. For sleepovers.”

“Remind me again,” she glanced over at her,” You’ve been trying to convince me there’s nothing going on there, right?”

“Oh my god, are you back on that again?” she asked, at the same moment that Dustin decided to ditch the others for this conversation instead,“ That’s what I’ve been saying, Nance!”

“Ugh. Can’t a girl have a best friend without everyone making their own assumptions about it!” Robin groaned, rubbing her hands down her face.

“What’s wrong with him, Rob? He’s great!” Dustin argued.

Mike cringed and turned his nose up at the idea,“ No, he’s not. Steve’s sort of the worst.”

“He is not without flaws, Michael.” Dustin drew out his name in protest,” But he’s pretty good. Definitely way above average for guys in Hawkins, right? I mean, I can run a sales pitch on him better than I could for you. Lucas, back me up.”

“You can’t deny that he’s kind of a mess,” Erica threw in.

“Strike that from the record, your honor. That was not the witness I was addressing. I asked Lucas Sinclair to back me up.”

Lucas nodded along to the idea and leaned forward to speak into his hand like it was a microphone,“ This is Lucas Sinclair, and I am willing to go on the record that I like Steve Harrington. He’s a good guy and would make a fine boyfriend to any interested party. Especially, to one who was already in with his friends. As inappropriate as they may be for a boy his age. Thank you for the time.”

“See! So, what’s wrong with him, Robin? I promise I’ll make him fix it if you guys will give it a shot!” Dustin practically begged her.

“Don’t do that to her.” Mike tried to talk him down,” Robin’s making the right decision to ice him out.”

Robin turned around in her seat to look at the boys,“ There’s nothing wrong with him, and I’m not icing him out! I am just a disinterested party. He is my friend. F-R-I-E-N-D. We have a purely Platonic, capital ‘P’ Platonic, mind you, relationship. And it’s great, I love the guy.”

Dustin’s eyes widened hopefully, and he opened his mouth to start something when Robin threw up a silencing finger,“ In a friendly way! I love the guy in a friendly way. And he knows that and feels the exact same way about me! So, if you need to have a good cry because this relationship you’re rooting for doesn’t stand a chance, go for it. But you’ll need to accept it, sooner or later, so you can move on.”

Dustin silenced for a moment, and Robin almost believed he was going to drop it until he added,“ But what if I got him to shave his gross chest wilderness? I think I’m winning him over!”

“No!” she squealed,” That’s not going to change anything about us! Let. It. Go.

“But what if-”

“Zip. It. Henderson.”

Thankfully for everyone involved, that was the end of that conversation as Nancy pulled them up to Steve’s house.

“Behave,” She told them, voice firm.

Various versions of ‘We do!’ came from the back seat as they all unbuckled and opened their doors. It wasn’t long before they were inside with the other four. Jonathan told them about their call with Joyce. She was putting together bags for each of her kids and going by Argyle’s so his mom could pass along something to bring for him.

Apparently, Joyce was about as shocked as the rest of them that Argyle was sticking around for their mess. Yeah, he kind of got roped into it, but he didn’t really have to keep fighting their fight. He could go back to Lenora. Back to his life. Try to pretend like this week never happened to him. But he didn’t. And his mom was just as surprisingly okay with it. Perfectly fine with her kid hanging out in the Midwest with nearly no explanation. Sure, California gave the kids a two-week spring break versus Indiana’s one, so he wasn’t even cutting class yet, but still… It was strange. The only answer he gave was that he’s ‘got to see it through’, and his mom just seemed to trust him.

But at the end of the day, they’d have Joyce Byers back - and Murray Bauman - so they wouldn’t just be a band of kids running around on their own anymore.

And that was good news.

Lucas had picked up Max’s letters for El, Will, and Mike before he’d left home, so he handed them over. They all accepted the envelopes, but seemed to each have a different sense of what they were going to do with them. Mike looked at it like he almost didn’t believe she’d written him one. They always pushed each other’s buttons and said they couldn't stand being in the same room, but they cared about one another at the end of the day. Will was sad to be given it. The letter just showed him how truly scared she must’ve been. She thought she had to write them goodbyes because she thought she was dying. El, on the other hand, wanted to refuse the letter. Wanted to say she didn’t need it because she was going to get Max back, and whatever she wanted to tell her, it could happen then. She didn’t need a piece of paper with goodbyes. She needed to find Vecna and end him for good this time.

Which brought up the bad news. Or news that was bad-adjacent.

El couldn’t find Vecna.

She tried. Put on a blindfold and turned the tv to static, but she couldn’t. They worried for a minute that she was still too drained, but that wasn’t it. They had her check for Steve. And, sure enough, he was found just fine in a stiff hospital chair, humming along to a movie next to Eddie. And then Will said that he could tell that Venca was still out there, somewhere. He could feel just enough to know that. To know that he was hurt and small. He didn’t feel gone, but it didn’t feel like the times when he was already coming back. It was that much less, but still there.

And that fact made a certain kind of dread fall over the room. It’s hard to just sit there while there’s some unknowable doomsday on the horizon. Looming.

But they didn’t have anything they could do about it right then. So Robin took to wrestling through some of Steve’s tapes and to find the most heartwarming one to watch while they waited for Joyce to land.

And it was after a very long voting session that they were settling onto The Sound of Music. Mostly because it was really long and El liked musicals but had never seen that one. And then Robin shared that Steve called it an “Honorary Christmas Movie” because he always watches it every December, despite there being no real Christmas themes. They actually watched it together that past year. Just a few months ago, during one of their infamous sleepovers while snow settled over Hawkins. Then she added that he also calls  Mary Poppins  one… so maybe Steve just thinks Julie Andrews' singing is the only way to enjoy the holiday.

And it was at the mention of Mary Poppins that they switched their votes.  Mary Poppins  first and then The Sound of Music later. Mike crossed his arms and asked if they’d be tired of Julie by then, to which Robin said such talk was blasphemous and he needed more respect for such staples of American film.

So, now that they had plans for their evening made, Argyle and Nancy were set on getting everything ready for the taco night the Harrington House had agreed to. While Nancy didn’t really know what she was doing in the kitchen, she knew how to get people to work, and Argyle knew what they needed to do. So they teamed up and got them all assigned to different jobs in the kitchen to start getting everything prepped.

Time passed, and Steve was sent on his way out of the hospital. He made good on his promise and got to the RV before they handed it back over, and got a hold of the clothes he and Robin left behind. And Eddie’s vest. The denim one with the big backpiece, the patches and pins of bands Steve didn’t know anything about. It had been tossed in the passenger seat after Steve changed into his Upside Down attire. It was kind of gross now, all things considered. Sweat, grime, and blood all over; from when it was thrown at Steve in the wasteland.

It would be good of him to clean it before giving it back when Eddie woke up, but he’s not sure how he should do it. Would throwing it in the wash mess with all the stuff Eddie put on it? Or would it be rude to take the add-ons off first and risk messing up trying to put them all back on? Maybe just scrubbing it by hand in the sink or something would be the best way to deal with it, because just returning dirty, worn clothes couldn't possibly be the right choice. Maybe he’d ask Robin about it later. See if she had any good ideas.

That was just about the last thought Steve really had before he got back and was met with the strangest thing. His house. Full of the sound of voices and the smell of cooking.

Mike was dicing tomatoes and cutting lettuce, Jonathan was stirring ground beef while Argyle seasoned it, Lucas was shredding chicken, Dustin and Erica were plating different toppings, Will and El were setting the dining room table, which by the look of it, they also dusted off or wiped down, and Robin was washing all the dishes that came her way.

It was a sight to see his kitchen so busy.

The first time it’s ever really looked like that. So… homey.

“Now, this can’t be my house. None of the kids I know are this helpful,” he commented, dropping keys by the phone and heading for the stairs.

“We’re goddamn saints, you know!” Dustin called after him.

“Nah, can’t be. Wrong kids,” he answered back as he went to throw his and Robin’s dirty clothes from the RV in the washer, drop off Eddie’s vest on the chair in his room, and make sure his face at least looked like he’d cried less than two and a half times that day. When he returned to the kitchen, he slipped Robin’s beret over her head while her hands were busy in the soapy water.

“Thank you very much for returning this incredibly fashion-forward piece to me, good sir.” she tutted in a hoity-toity tone.

He nodded and jumped up to sit on the counter next to her,“ ’Course I would. But, for the record, couldn’t find your shirt, Rob.”

“What?” she asked as her hands stilled, setting down the plate she’d been scrubbing.

“Your shirt. Well, not the black undershirt. Got that one. But your, like,” Steve motioned around himself as he described it,” … tan button-up - that you never actually button up - with the black leaves, that you wore over the other shirt? Couldn’t find it.”

“How could you not find it?” she questioned.

“I don’t know, dude.” he shrugged to her and leaned back on his hands,” I checked the whole thing, wasn't there.”

“Ugh, fine. I’ll double-check my stuff at home, but I’m telling you I didn’t grab it before we went back into the emergency room.”

“I’m not accusing you of that. Just saying, I swear I looked under and over every inch of that thing, Rob, but it wasn’t there-”

“Hey, hey, Harrington,” Argyle quipped in from where he was preheating the oven,” No distracting my staff. Suds up with her and get those dishes clean.”

“I got to work too?”

“Unless you want to have to wash up from prep along with all the serving dishes later tonight.”

Steve hung his head with a disappointed groan.

“Ándale, ándale, ándale, man!” Argyle snapped his fingers at him until he got back on the floor.

“Alright, geez,” he mumbled, rolling up his sleeves and taking his place next to Robin,” When did he go mad with power?”

Robin dropped her voice and whispered back,“ I think it was somewhere around the time when Nancy decided she needed someone who actually knew what they were doing in here. She gave him authority, and now he’s got a wicked taste for it.”

“You two talkin’ some shmack over there?” Argyle called back over to them, squinting his eyes with mistrust.

“Absolutely not. Not us. We’d never do that.” Steve promised while Robin tried to bite back giggles.

“You’re such a liar,” she smacked his arm.

Steve smiled to himself and bumped her hip with his,“ Maybe.”

Eventually, they had a whole spread ready. Beef and chicken were in the oven at a low temp to stay hot. There were about a dozen different ingredients in the fridge. The table was set with plates, glasses, a bag of chips waiting to be opened, and even some decorative table candles they dug out of a back closet. All that was left to do, was to wait for their company to join them.

So Nancy decided it was time to get to a bit of business.

She pulled a notebook and pen out of her bag and said,“ Alright, first thing first, we need everyone’s favorite songs. Don’t want to get caught like we have before, so we’ll make sure everyone’s got their own tape with them at all times, just in case shit hits the fan suddenly.”

“What kind of favorite are we talking about here?” Argyle asked,” Like all-time favorite? Favorite right now? Favorite for a reason or favorite just because?”

Robin started to explain,“ Doesn’t really matter what kind of favorite. And it doesn’t even really need to be a favorite-favorite if you can’t pick one. The important part is that it means something to you. The music is going to reach a part of your brain that Vecna can’t block you out of. So you’ll want one that’ll put you in a good mood, make you feel better, remind you of a better time, or - if worse comes to worst - show you why you want to live even if he tries to back you into a corner.”

“I’d recommend we all have a mix with a few of our favorites, to be safe. But we also need a list of everyone’s best guesses at their ‘savior song’. Just in case something happens and someone needs to play it for you,” Nancy added.

Argyle shrugged and then answered,“ Then it's ‘Break My Stride’ for me. Can’t sing along to that song and not smile, you know?”

“Alright,” Nancy confirmed and jotted it down on the paper.

Jonathan gave his next,“ ’Should I Stay or Should I Go’. The Clash.”

But then Argyle turned to him and began to ask,” You sure, buddy? Cuz you’ve been listening to a lot of Joy Division. You know? ‘Love Will Tea-’”

“You’ve been listening to a lot of ‘Pass the Dutchie’. Don’t see me refusing your answer."

“Alright. Just checking.”

Nancy looked to the next one,“ Steve?”

There was a barely noticeable pause before he told her,“ ’Everybody Wants to Rule The World’. Tears for Fears."

But just as Nancy was starting to write it down, Robin jumped in,” No, it’s not.”

Steve looked back at her - eyes just like the ones she pointed at him when he met Vickie for the firm time - and he muttered back,” Yes. It is.”

”What is it with you boys and lying about music? This is serious.” she pushed.

”I love that song,” he argued.

”Yeah. I mean, I’d bet it’s probably in your top five,” Robin gave him,” But it is not your favorite, that one I know for sure.”

“What’s the real answer, Steve?” Nancy asked.

Steve kept his eyes locked on Robin as he claimed,“ ‘Somebody to Love’ by Queen.”

Robin narrowed hers in response,“ Also not it. But you’re getting warmer."

"Steve, what about 'friends don't lie'?" Dustin questioned him from the side.

"That's your thing with the other runts. I'm not a part of it."

Robin raised a brow and threatened," Well? You going to say what it really is, or am I?”

”Shut up, Robin.” he warned.

“I’ll say it if I have to, bud. We’re talking about saving your life here.”

“I’ll say yours.” Steve countered, using the only real leverage he could think of at the moment.

“It’s ‘Dancing Queen’ by Abba. Want me to share why, too? Sure. It's because it’s a super fun song, and I’ve been listening to it since I was like ten waiting impatiently to turn seventeen. And, now that I finally am, I’ve been playing it almost non-stop. Easy.” Robin answered without hesitation,“ So, you going to be honest or…?”

“Robin…”

”It’s ‘Holding Out for a Hero’,” she disclosed,” Bonnie Tyler.”

And all eyes were on Steve, wide in surprise as he tried to deny it,” She’s lying-”

”Am I? Because you have both the Footloose soundtrack and her single on vinyl. And, remind me again, how many times have you put it on a mixtape? Because, I know you have it on one you keep in your room and on another one in your car, but I feel like there were more, right?”

”That’s not true.”

”Steve,” Dustin cooed to him,” You have that much Bonnie in your room, right now?”

“There’s way more Bonnie than that, bud.” Robin shifted.

And Steve knew that look in Dustin’s eye, the sparkle gleaming with mischief, knew that meant the kid was going to collect the evidence of Robin’s testimony,” Henderson, I swear to God-”

”Hold him down, Lucas!” Dustin yelled as he got to his feet and started going up the stairs to Steve’s bedroom.

And Lucas did as he was asked. He lunged to tackle Steve into the couch while Mike piled on top to help him. Then there were Will and El and Erica and - seriously? How is it fair for five of these little assholes to pin him down like this when all he wants to do is protect his honor?

“Henderson, I’m going to kill you!” he called from the living room as he writhed around, trying to get out from under his captors.

And then Dustin was posed at the bottom of the stairs, the seven-inch disc displayed proudly in his hands,” Bonnie Tyler. ‘Holding Out for a Hero’. And it was the very first song on the mix I found. And I spotted her whole Faster Than the Speed of Night album. Wow, Steve.”

The man went slack under the weight of the other kids now that he’d been caught red-handed,” It’s a good song, man… Bonnie’s talented, alright…”

“Wasn’t gonna argue with you on that, Steve. You’re the one who made a big fuss about it.” Robin said, poking his burning cheek as the children started clambering off him.

“Shut up. Is it someone else’s turn yet?” he grumbled and swatted away her hand,” Why don’t you go, Dustin?”

“It's ’NeverEnding Story’. Pretty sure we all could’ve guessed that - except for the new guy - since it’s Suzie and me’s song.”

Steve rolled his eyes,“ Whatever,” while Nancy moved on.

“Mike? No, don’t tell me, it’s one of the new rock ones you’re borrowing from your nerd superstar. Right?”

Mike shot her a sharp expression, “ ‘Highway to Hell’ off of the AC/DC tape.”

“And is that actually your favorite or just the loudest, coolest sounding one you could think of right now?” she asked him, eyebrows raised like she didn’t trust him.

"It’s the truth," he asserted before looking over at Steve and practically sneering,” Because I'm actually secure in my music taste.”

“I told you to behave.” Nancy quickly scolded,” Alright, El?”

She nodded and told her,“ ‘Angel’ by Madonna.”

She didn’t say why. But it was because she could still hear Max’s voice sing alongside Madonna from their sleepover last year. And she’d needed to cling to that when she was all the way in California, feeling so alone. But she especially needed to cling to it now. It was what she was fighting for. Not just herself, or the world, she was fighting to get Max back.

“And Will?”

Will fidgeted for a second before telling her,“ ‘Boy’s Don’t Cry’ by The Cure,” really hoping nobody’s listened to it nearly as much as he had. He got why Steve had been so hesitant to admit his favorite. It felt so… exposing when the song hit emotionally close to home.

But Nancy didn’t spare another thought,“ Lucas?”

“Uh, yeah, ’Only You’ by Yazoo,” he answered quickly. He had a lot of songs he really liked. Even had more than a few that made him think about Max. But ‘Only You’ was the one he’d been caught on the most recently.

“Erica?”

“Katrina & The Waves’ ‘Walkin’ on Sunshine’.”

Her answer might’ve been a bit more surface level like Argyle’s. It was a fun, bopping song she liked to sing along to. Not everything needed to be some big piece on a person’s emotional state. Sometimes songs are just songs.

Nancy nodded and finished writing it down,“ And, I guess mine’s ‘Take My Breath Away’ by Berlin. So with that, we should all be set, just in case. Tomorrow we can start shopping for anything that we need, and we can make sure we’re ready for whatever happens from this point further.”

They all agreed on the plan and turned on the tv, popping in the Mary Poppins VHS while Steve moaned about Robin just giving away all of his carefully guarded secrets. But at the end of the day, Mary Poppins might just be his favorite movie, so he doesn’t complain much when it starts up.

Robin had asked him about it once. About why he loved this one specifically so much. In all honesty, he always kind of wished for a nanny like her. Miss Mary Poppins. 'Practically perfect in every way'. A woman who just showed up one day and never let Mr. Banks tell her off from trying to raise the kids right. Insisted on making sure they had fun and got to decide that they didn’t care about their father’s job. Fuck investments, it was better to feed the birds. And, in the end, it was because of Mary Poppins being in their lives that he looked at his kids, actually looked at them, and decided to take them kite-flying in the park.

Yeah, he used to dream about someone being able to make his dad do something like that.

And he wasn’t really mad that Robin spilled the beans on his secret Christmas tradition. He’s come to notice that Robin doesn’t just talk a lot in general, she talks a lot about stuff she likes. Steve being something she likes makes him feel like a pretty good friend. Which matters a lot to him, whether or not he’ll say so that often.

He also knows that Robin isn’t casually throwing around the real sensitive stuff. She doesn’t talk to the others about the stuff he tells her late at night when it’s like they’ve got the only light left on in the world. Doesn’t tell people why he likes Mary Poppins and hates answering the home phone. She keeps those conversations to herself. Tucked safely behind her ribs and right next to her heart.

But she’s sharing the little ones. Passing out small pieces of him. Because he needs to let people back in again, and she knows it.

He closed himself off a bit too much after Nancy. At least from people his own age. It was easier with the kids because they needed him. But Steve got beaten, burned, and left behind his senior year in a lot of different ways. He hasn’t been letting himself be vulnerable with people he used to consider his peers.

So Robin helps out. Blabs just enough that he has to be flexible. To bring everyone else just a little closer to knowing Steve Harrington.

And Steve knows she’s doing it. And he’s grateful because she makes it so much easier.

Just about an hour into the movie, though, the home phone started ringing. It was probably Joyce, but just in case it was his parents again, Steve ran to get it while the others kept watching.

Hoping it was Joyce made it easier to pick up.

“Steve Harrington,” he greeted.

“Hi, Steve! It’s Joyce,” her voice answered,” We just landed in Madison and are about to head on over to baggage claim. We’ve got quite a few suitcases, so if you kids send over our ride now, they might still get here before we’re free.”

“Sounds good. Your kids are finishing a movie, but I imagine they’ll be racing to meet you there within the minute anyway. You and Murray looking forward to being squished in the back seat around one of ‘em?” he wondered with a light chuckle.

“Yeah- about that… We will need three seats.”

“You and Murray been eating that much since last summer?” he asked.

“No, no. Just um- can’t really say why over the phone, but we’ll need plenty of room.”

Which certainly added to that suspicion Steve’s been harboring since her first call,“ Okay? I’ll let ‘em know and they’ll be on the way.”

“Alright, see you all in a bit. You kids better be excited, because we do kinda have a surprise.”

“A surprise? Don’t you think we’ve had enough of those?”

“Just trust me. It’s a good one.”

“Alright, Joyce. We’ll see about that.”

Nancy had already said she’d give Jonathan the keys to the station wagon since it’d have the most space for everything. So, by the time Steve was hanging up the phone, all three Byers kids were getting ready to put on shoes and head out the door.

“They’re all good?” Jonathan asked him.

“Yeah, yeah, they got to Madison just fine. Uh- but your mom said they’d need three seats.”

“She did?”

“Yeah. Didn’t really explain, but said there was some surprise and they’d need the room.”

“Okay? Um…” Jonathan looked between Will and El. If he could just send the two of them to see their mom first, he would. But he had to drive.

“You two go,” El said quickly.

“El-” Will tried to argue with her.

“No. It’s okay. I want to finish the movie. Go on and I’ll hug Ms. Joyce when you get back.”

“Okay. We’ll be back soon. Like, an hour, tops.” Will promised her.

“Sounds good.” she squeezed his hand and returned to the living room, jumping back into the couch right next to Robin.

Steve handed Jonathan one of the walkies and a spare house key,” Call us if you need anything.”

“Yeah. Let’s get going,” Jonathan clapped Will on the shoulders and led them through the door.

And then the brothers found themselves alone together for the first time in a while. For the first time since they talked in that pizza shop about being there for each other. And Will… ever since then, he’s started wondering if he should keep an eye out for a chance to… talk about something else. Something important.

“So, your favorite song’s still 'Should I Stay or Should I Go'?” he started, feeling like he needed to warm up the conversation somehow.

“Well,” Jonathan tossed the comment around a beat before deciding,” Not exactly ‘still’. It was my favorite a few years ago, back when I played it for you that one time. And then I liked other stuff, had other favorites. But, uh, I guess ever since - you know - everything happened, it just makes me think about you. About getting you back. So I’m pretty grateful for it.”

“Oh.” Will nodded understandingly, but his voice was a little gone. Like his head was off somewhere else as he glanced out the window to the dark city of Hawkins flying by.

“You not all that into it anymore?” the older brother guessed, sparing a glance at him.

“No.” Will answered honestly, before realizing that was kind of harsh to say about his brother’s favorite song, and backtracked to explain,“ I mean, I liked it too. For a while. Made me think about you, too. But, uh, can’t really listen to it much now without thinking about… almost not coming back. Being trapped under him and barely able to move my fingers, hearing the phone ring, and knowing I put you in danger by being… so… yeah, it's not really my favorite anymore. Sorry.”

“Hey, that’s okay,” Jonathan corrected,” You’re growing up. Your tastes would change even without something like that happening. And I’m not gonna hold a grudge over a song just cause I assumed you liked it still. It’s all good.”

“Yeah. Of course.” he gave a weak laugh to himself and looked down at his hands in his lap.

A silence came up between them while Cyndi Lauper sang through the radio. 'Time After Time'. The song that was playing at the Snow Dance while Will danced with a girl for the first time. When he started becoming sure about something. He picked at the skin around his nails. Worrying himself tense about how exactly he was supposed to go about… what he wanted to go about.

“Jonathan?” he finally asked.

“Yeah?”

“What if…” he bit his lip for a second,” you assumed other things wrong about me?”

And Jonathan could hear the tone in it. Knew that he needed to be serious and careful with exactly what he said. Because he didn’t want to scare Will off. Never wanted Will to be scared to tell him anything, especially the kind of thing he was expecting.

He needed to make sure his little brother knew that Jonathan would be on his side no matter what.

“Then, I guess, I’d just need to figure out I was wrong. And after I knew better, I’d just be happy you shared the news with me.”

“Even if it was something really big. Even if it was bad or- or wrong?” his voice cracked while he kept his vision trained on his fingers. Squeezing them together and doing everything in his power to not look at Jonathan. Because he was terrified… just in case. And then Jonathan’s hand snuck into his gaze anyway. Letting go of the wheel to reach over and wrap his hand around Will’s.

“There could never be anything wrong with you.”

And Jonathan said it like it was the only thing he’d ever been so sure about in his life.

"You’re my brother. No matter what, I’m going to be right here for you. Even if it’s something big. Even if… if it’s something that some people might think is wrong. I wouldn’t think that,” and then Jonathan turned to look at Will for a moment, his brother already glimpsing at him with misty eyes,” And the two of us? We’d be okay.”

Will dared to put Jonathan’s hand between his. He was so scared to believe it. Scared to break Jonathan’s love for him. Scared to tell him something that would make him recoil in disgust and never look at him the same way.

“We would?” he asked, begging for a sign to stop if he was going to ruin them.

Jonathan had to return his eyes to the road, but he said, just as surely,“ Yeah, we would. I promise.”

And, as scared as he was to trust him, Will found it in himself to ask it anyway,” Even if- even if I…” the tear fell before he finished,”… liked boys?”

But Jonathan didn’t pull his hand away. Didn’t recoil from him. Didn’t even hesitate as he looked back over - with the same loving eyes he always held for his brother - and he simply swore to him,“ Absolutely.”

And a shaking smile opened up across Will’s face, his eyebrows creasing together with hope as more tears began to trail down his cheek, and he squeaked out,“ Yeah?”

“Yes.” Jonathan turned back to look at him and squeezed his hand,” I love you, Will. And if you’re gay, then I love that about you.”

“Okay,” Will nodded, seemly to finally really believe that it was happening. He told someone, and it didn’t break everything. He wiped at his eyes as Jonathan continued.

“And if anything ever happens. If someone ever gives you shit about it, or even if you want to talk about guys or something, you can always come to me about it. You don’t have to keep me out of this part of your life because some idiots are assholes about this kind of stuff.”

“Okay,” he said again, laughing a little at the thought of running to his brother about crushes on boys. But he could really see it. His amazing brother, who just kept lifting all this weight off his shoulders, wanted to hear about his little love life. Assuring him over and over again with every word that it was real.

“You know I’m going to hug you ridiculously tight when I park this car, right?”

Will shook his head out, hoping all his crying was over with,“ Was kinda hoping you would.”

“Good.” he smiled, regretfully having to take his hand back for the big turn on the highway.

Then Will added,“ Can we not… tell anyone else, though? Not yet?”

“Of course. You don’t have to say anything if you don’t want to. And I won’t, for that matter. But, for the record, I’m pretty sure everyone would be cool with it if you did. I think you picked a pretty good batch of friends.”

“Yeah. Thanks.”

“Thank you. For telling me. I really am glad I get to know you a little better now. You know you’re my favorite person.”

“Stooop,” Will groaned and turned over in the seat to look back out the window with a weak laugh, wiping furiously at his eyes again,” I don’t want mom to ask why I’m crying. She’s gonna have a heart attack.”

“Fine. I’m still going to give you that hug, though. If you end up a snotty mess, that’s on you.”

Will huffed and rolled his eyes,“ Deal.”

Will changed the radio station and turned up the music, now with that heavy secret no longer his alone to carry, and ‘Don’t You (Forget About Me)’ was playing at just that moment. So they let the Simple Minds take them away as they continued toward Madison. Where Jonathan indeed pulled his younger brother into his arms and held him there with everything he had until Will reminded them that they should probably head in to help the grown-ups load up the car.

And when they found their mom at the baggage claim... When they saw her with not only Murray at her side but Jim Hopper on the other… it was beyond anything they could’ve possibly expected to see.

Joyce ran over to them and wrapped her boys in an embrace while Will commented over her shoulder,” Some trip to Alaska.”

“Yeah. It really was. That’s the surprise, which we can explain more about later, but are you both alright? Is El?” she worried over her boys, just as anyone could’ve guessed she’d do. Wiping hair out of their faces so she could look them over herself.

“We’re okay.” Jonathan excused,” But how- how is he-?”

“It’s a long story. One we couldn’t say over the phone given how many times they’ve been bugged, and since- well, Doctor Owens is... who even knows anymore. We wanted to tell you, but-”

“It’s okay. And we have a walkie in the car, so we can let them know on the way back. I mean- El’s going to be- This is just… a really good surprise for her right now.” Will smiled just imagining giving El her dad back.

“Is that everything?” Jonathan asked, eyes wide at the six bags piled up beside Jim, impatiently tapping his foot.

“There’s one more.” Murray answered,” And since we’re all waiting, would anyone care to explain why there was an emergency while we ran to pick up a lost American hero?”

“That’s also a long story.”

“Great. Just love those. Don’t you just love long, complicated stories about life-or-death emergencies, Jim?” Murray asked him as he propped an elbow on Hop’s shoulder and leaned over on him. The man looked tired, annoyed, just overall pretty bothered by all the time he’s spent cramped between Murray and Yuri in the helicopter flight over. And all the hours since when they've been so busy he hasn’t gotten any real peace.

He was irritated and ready to be somewhere with a bed that he can call home for the night, and Murray’s attitude wasn’t helping,” What I would love, would be a nap, a pair of earplugs, or to get going. So can we please get going?”

“Patience. We’re waiting on your daughter’s bag, after all. Honestly, if I knew you’d be this crabby when we brought you back home, I wouldn’t have gone with Joyce to get you.” Murray shook his head next to him.

“I’m loading the car,” he grumbled as he picked up his and Joyce’s bags from the mound.

“So, he hasn’t changed much,” Jonathan commented, stepping forward to grab the handle of his suitcase while Will did the same.

“No, he hasn’t,” his mother agreed with him.

“But he does look weird now,” Will mentioned,” What’s up with that?”

“It’s ‘cause he’s all skinny.” the other brother quipped.

“Okay, be nice. Things were a little crazy in ‘Alaska’, but-” Joyce’s eyes widened and she pointed at the conveyor belt,” Oh! Murray! There’s her suitcase!”

He quickly grabbed it and handed it over to her.

“Okay, now we can go,” she said as she took the bag and they all started heading out the doors,” Anyway, you think it’s not a good look for him?”

“No. It’s weird. Hop isn’t supposed to be skinny.” Will insisted.

“Well, I imagine we can fatten him back up now that we have him home again. Speaking of, none of us have eaten much all day. What’re the plans for dinner?”

“There’s a make-your-own-taco buffet thing waiting at Steve’s house,” Jonathan answered as they all passed their bags to Jim to pack in the back.

“Oh, thank god,” Hopper commented as he slammed the rear door of the station wagon. It might not be Enzo’s, but it was going to be the best meal he’s had in nearly a year. He started rounding for the driver’s seat and clapped his hands to get everyone to hurry up,“ Come on people, let’s go!”

“Hop. Breathe a second, we’ll be there in like thirty minutes.” Joyce tried to assure him, taking to the passenger seat herself while Murray and the boys tucked themselves in the back.

“Not even. I’m driving, and I’m speeding, and if anyone has a problem with it, or wants to pull me over, they’ll have to t-bone me,” he said as he turned the key.

“Yeah, I’m sure that’s exactly what Nancy would like to hear you say while we borrow her car. Everyone’s buckled in, right?” she turned around to check.

“They better be.” He shot back as he peeled out of the airport parking lot,” And Nancy doesn’t have to know what I say about the only set of wheels I have to get me to my kid.”

They bickered a little bit more as the car sped down the road back home. But there was a certain… air about the way they were doing it. There was an unspoken fondness in it.

Will leaned over to Jonathan and whispered,“ Am I crazy, or is there something going on there?”

“I think there might be,” he answered.

“Oh, there absolutely is,” Murray added with a sure nod.

“Some business conference.” Will muttered to himself, impressed,” Go, Mom.”

[stranger-nightmare]

I love in discourse about billy, everyone seems to forget one real big thing.

Billy has been abused his whole life. He is never seen as someone who knows what the fuck a ‘gentle touch’ is.

He is beat by his dad for any little thing he does.

Didn’t watch max close enough? Punch to the face.

In mad max which excellent book for purely maxs story being told and her pov but Didn’t want to deal with being bitched at? Got punched in the face so bad his eye swelled up and then Neil beat the shit out of him with his belt.

Came home without his car, dazed and probably very confused, bloody nose, got hit by his dad again.

He was never once given a moment to change. Not once. By anyone.

So much so one happy memory and a soft touch from El, made him rethink and then sacrifice himself because let’s be real if he survived, what would have been left for him? Nothing.

People are very quick to jump on only billy about his shit behavior but not Jonathan who unknowing to Nancy took photos of Her in her bra then developed them. So he planned to what? Just develop them and then throw them out? Let’s be real here. We know why he developed the photos. He’s a teenage boy.

Steve before he became mom, was a giant fucking dick, he let his friends spray paint that Nancy was a slut on the town movie theatre sign. Yeah he was a basic one dimension billy who redeemed himself but he was still a massive dick.

Now billy is often seen as racist because out of all the kids Lucas was the one he targeted hard, right? And while I won’t say that’s wrong for BIPOC folk to be like that’s racist because I can never know the feelings of seeing that and being like ‘that’s racist shit that happens everyday to me Or my friends ECT’ and I will never say people who think that are wrong. Interpretations are all going to be different but From an outside look, Lucas was the one upsetting max in that moment. Lucas was the one she was fighting with. So from an outside view it can be seen as him picking Lucas because he was the one he saw getting at max.

Now does it probably have seeded undertones that were learned from his actual PoS dad? Yeah probably.

In mad max it says that Neil is a fucking awful man that sort of pushed himself on her mom cause they worked together at a bank. And Susan as shown in the book is pretty much a ghost who ignores what happens and ends up just fusing with who ever she is dating. And doesn’t see the red flags until it gets to a bad point.

Theirs a moment in the book where billy gives max a cigarette because she’s still in the ‘trying to bond’ phase and Susan yells at him but the second Neil pulls up, Susan knows, if she says what happened, Neil is going to be 1000xs worse to billy then she ever could. So she lets it go. That’s the one time you see someone slightly care if billy is hurt or not.

Is billy good? No. because he’s not, he’s a shitty teenage boy with anger issues.

Was he a 17/18 year old kid who the one person who loved and protected him left him with an abusive father knowing what would happen? Yeah he was.

Billy had no one. Until the day he sacrificed himself for max and for el and everyone, he had no one.

But no one wants to see that side of it.

That billy isn’t the abuse victim they all want him to be.

His trauma made him angry, made him hate, made him continue the cycle of abuse.

He wasn’t what people wanted him to be because he never had a chance. But people don’t want to think about that. That not all abuse victims become stronger from the abuse. That they can become abusers themselves.

Remember it took a soft touch and a happy memory for him to help instead of hurt. If one person had before he got flayed, was like

“Hey it’s okay. Stop being a dick. And let me help you”

Maybe they would have stopped the mind flayer before it took half a town being goop monsters and billy getting stabbed through the chest sacrificing himself.

But that’s just my thoughts. Because billy sucked, he sucked big time. But he was also a kid, an abused, very fucked kid. Who learned to hurt because that’s the only thing he’s ever known. Love what’s that? The one person who loved him, left him.

Billy sucked. But Billy fully deserved more then what he got.

yeah this is mostly the point I was trying to make, like I was only ever looking into and discussing the background and development of his character, like I have never and will never like or condone any of his behaviour bc that boy is an asshole no doubt about it, but there’s more to him than that

but yeah a lot of people seem to be quick to just say he’s an abuser and that’s that, which yes is true but I just think there’s more to it than that, all I was ever really trying to say was I definitely think there was a layer buried within Billy where he had the potential to grow and become a better person if only he was given that opportunity to, because as we saw when it came right down to it he did sacrifice himself for Max and her friend that he barely even knew, when push came to shove he did do the ‘right thing’, again I know this doesn’t justify or redeem his behaviour but it was a step in the right direction at least

anyway yeah I’ve said all that I can really say about him now so yeah

-hope

[that-one-weeb-buts-its-the-main]

Being Frank Castle's Daughter in Hawkins Pt 5

Gif Caption: Top gif- Billy Russo v Frank Castle in Marvel's The Punisher, Bottom Gif- Steve Harrington in Netflix's Stranger Things

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Reader: 17-18 age range | fem reader

Characters Mentioned: Frank Castle (MCU), Loki Laufeyson (MCU), Thor Odinson (MCU), Korg (MCU), Dr.Strange (briefly, MCU), Wong (briefly, MCU), Steve Harrington (ST), Billy Hargrove (ST), Max Mayfeild (ST), Jim Hopper (briefly, ST) Joyce Byers (brefily, ST)

A/n: shorter than usual sorry

Warnings: nothing really surpised? Yeah me too

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Yeah just as you had assumed, everyone had been too in shock to even call a news company

Mostly to see Korg and his 7'7 ness

But Thor.

All the girls loved thor, all the kids loved Thor, everyone loved Thor

So it made it easier to litterally just walk away from him with your group to do whatever you wanted

"So." Y/n spoke up, "why are you all here?"

"Why are we here? Or how did we get here?" Loki questioned.

Y/n raised a brow, "Well to answer your question, Jane broke up with Thor. And now his Hammer the only thing that can get us out of this damn town. Is broken up with him too."

"Did he just say a hammer broke up-" Max started.

"Don't ask." Billy intruppted walking past the three as they walked there way down the street and into the small Arcade.

"And let me guess."

"We ticked off the wizard." Loki spoke as Y/n sighed.

"Okay. Okay this is fine."

Loki seemed to ignore Y/n entirely as she planned out what to do outloud. The arcade had become pratically empty due to Thor being out in the street. And he watched Max fish for quaters in her pockets.

"Damn it. No coins."

"No coins?" Loki questioned.

"Quaters. To play the games." Max spoke.

"And these quaters? They stay in these...boxes."

"Yeah usually till someone comes to collect them."

"They don't call me the god of mischef for anything midgardian."

And Max and Loki became friends because Loki helped her with some magic that coughed up all the quaters from one game.

Max is rich at that point

He had to conjure up bucket.

And Billy? Billy's sitting you on a stool and handing you a water he bought from a vending machine

"I mean I don't get it!" Y/n protested, "Why dump them on me! Korg I understand! He's sweet!'-"

"Aw thank you. Thats very nice of you." Korg thanked.

" But Thor!? And Loki!?" Y/n argued, "i already helped Dr.Jack off with his own fuckin problems! Why do I have to deal with it again!? And Frank!? Frank thinks I just helped him at the grocery store! Its not like its uncommon to see heros at the stores!"

"City bird." Billy tried to catch her attention

"What if something big comes!? What happens if they brought some interdimensinoal fuck up like me thats whats to kill everyone!"

"Castiglione!" Billy called again.

"Don't get me started! I'd have to deal with the Sokovia accord of course! And Tony! UGH! Don't get me started on him! And steve! Roggers not Harrington! He'd be all like "Im dispointed in you yadda yadda yadda" Like I didnt wipe the total floor with his ass! And I-"

"Y/n! Hello!" Billy finally shouted at her.

She stopped finally, "ask the rock monster you dumbass."

Y/n sighed and looked up at Korg, "You...guys didnt bring a problem with you?"

"Besides Thor's sad love life and Loki. No. I don't believe so." Korg explained a sigh a relief from Y/n, "there is one problem though: and that we have no way home."

"Y/n!" Max called running over, "Look at all the quaters!"

She had an old icecream bucket, shallow filled with quaters.

"Wanna play a game!? I'll totally floor you in street fighter! Already floored Loki."

"Trust me. Thats no real feat." Y/n told her.

"I heard that!" Loki argued.

"But Maybe Korg like to play?"

"Me?" Korg asked, "I'd love too."

Korgs too pure for this world and any other at that

You come up with and idea and hop over the counter to reach the phone all the employees are gone to meet the hero anyways.

You'll calling the one the only

Sorcerer Supreme

"Wong Speaking-"

"Wong!" Y/n spoke, "You have no idea how glad it is to hear your voice! Look Strange portaled Thor along with Loki and Korg. With no hammer. Im kinda busy trying to keep oh I dont know. A low profile. Low Profile ring a bell?

"Oh no." Wong corrected, "That was me. Call it punishment for skipping town on me."

Even now you're being punished

The line cuts and you're completely in mental agony

And your roping Max and Billy into it

Not that Max isn't happy to be roped into it though

And Billy, well Billy puts up with your shit because he loves you

But you need a cover your face so the media isn't tracking you, and so do the other two you know: regular people, god imagine being normal, how you wished to be normal sometimes

Billy and Max find a Halloween mask in the back like badasses, but can only find you a teddy bear costume head

So you bring the truck and have everyone load in the back, then go towards the mass of people happy to see such a hero and basically blow the horn out you lay it down so hard

"Get in the truck!"

"Y/-"

"Say my name and you'll be dead hammer boy! Hurry!"

the woman chase him to the truck as he jumps through the window as you floor it and drive away.

"Y/n! By the gods I love you! Thank you!"

"Yeah, Yeah, So who pissed Wong off?"

yeah it went real silent after that

Turns out Thor had been takin' this breakup thing. a lot harder than you originally thought

Also, you finally took off that stupid bear head,

"What do we do with them?" Billy asked.

"Take 'em to my house." Y/n spoke, "We can sneak them through the window."

It was a decent plan, you'd just have to tell Frank you didn't feel good and he'd leave you alone, letting you wait out the day

When you got home, everyone got out, and you asked Billy to help in bringing them to the back

You went inside, and Frank was doing some weapons cleaning

"Hey, kid."

"Hey..."

He stopped and looked up, "Everythin' alright? Home earlier than I expected."

"Yeah, just, was doin' some stuff, and started feeling like crap.."

He stood up, wiping his hands on a rag, and put his hand on her forehead

"think it might of been the sugar from last night too much."

"yeah. alright." He spoke pulling a strand of hair behind her ear, kissing her forehead, "Go get some rest."

She nodded, "yeah thanks."

Oh god, it worked, she went into her room, quickly locked the door, and rushed over to the window,

"Be quiet and be quick."

Korg happily helped everyone into the room, simply by picking them up and placing them through the window.

The only question was, how was he going to get in? He couldn't fit through the window and if he could it'd be a hell of a tight squeeze

Somehow some way he got in,

Now your rooms are filled with aliens in laments terms

You're so glad Max ad Loki had become friends and that Korg was friendly, she was able to babysit the two as they played Thor games

While Thor rambled on to you and Billy like it was some sleepover

"And then she broke up with me! well, I let her think that-" Thor spoke defensively.

"Okay one, keep your voice down. Two wow." Y/n spoke painting her nails black, "I'm so surprised."

"Exactly." Thor spoke, "If anything I broke up with her."

Billy was smoking a cigarette beside the bed, with the window opened, "Wow."

"And what is your Verdict? Billy Hargrove of Midgard, You have managed to capture the heart of the most ferocious fighter of all Midgard, and my dearest friend yet my most formidable human opponent."

"her?" Billy spoke, gesturing to Y/n with the hand his cigarette was holding, "yeah, no."

He took another puff of his cigarette.

"Am I mistaken?"

"Highly," Y/n spoke blowing on her freshly black nails.

"Nonsense," Thor spoke, "The letter you sent describes him as a-"

"And that's enough from you," Y/n spoke interrupting him, "How are the others?"

you managed to keep them hidden for the day, and when it hit's about 9:30 at night, a portal opens up randomly in your room, and in steps Dr.Strange and takes them all away.

"You're a piece of shit," Y/n spoke with crossed arms, "I know you most likely helped Wong get them through that portal."

"I know," Stephen spoke letting everyone file into the portal and out into the new york sanctum, "Guilty as charged."

"Where does this lead to?" Max asked sticking her arm in the portal.

"New York," Y/n responded looking at Billy, "Don't try it."

"Fuck you."

"When and where?"

"Nice to see you haven't changed." Stephen spoke, "We could use you back in New York you know. A room at the Sanctum always has your name on it. Plus I can't handle any of these new kids running around New York- especially Parker."

Y/n nodded with a chuckle, "You know I want to come back."

"Doors open." He spoke.

"Yeah." Y/n spoke, "I think needs are different than wants. And I think I'm needed here."

He nodded holding his hand out as they shook: "I know the feeling all to well."

And then he left leaving the three in the now quiet room

"What the hell." Billy argued slapping Y/n on the back of the head, "Im needed here? That was your ticket out of here dumbass."

"I told you I'd take you though, didn't I?"

God he fucking hates how much he loves you

You luckily are able to sneak out and drive them home.

You're pretty sure at this point though, with all the sneaking Frank knows

He's just usually too high alert to not know

But you had a good day, even though it was long and tirind just to go to bed immediately and missing the daily call from Steve

He knows your busy but you usually always pick up even if you end up telling him your busy and hanging up.

He gets in trouble for it. Why? Because they're at another dinner, and his moms trying to have him make friends with some of her friends daughter

But no. He's standing by the phone calling you for the second time.

But still no answer. He's already mentally planned that he's gonna go see if your okay tommrow

Ah yes. Tommrow

The next day for you would be uh. Eventful in the morning.

Especially when you're up and Frank's not up

Thats always been werid

And fucking in walks Joyce Byers in Pajama's

Excuse me? And why the fuck did she just walk out of Franks room

They were too stunned to speak

"Uh...Hi...Ibuprofen please, if you have any to spare." She asked sweetly

"Uh...I mean....yeah." y/n spoke, still in shock, "Yeah! Yeah! Uh! Let me look..."

You give her some and a glass of water you were originally pouring for herself

She then says she'll go, and thank you again, but you tell her akwardly she can stay, bur she says shes gonna go anyways and contuines to thank you

What the f u c k just happened

And then in comes Frank like nothing happened

Do you engage? Do you not?

You do pour both of you ceral,

Atleast cornflakes made things a bit better

Still do you ask

"So." Frank spoke, "What did the Avenger's want with you?"

Fuck he knows

"There dealing with Hard times." Y/n spoke, "Im expecting the woman that just walked out wanted the same from you? Is that like a one time thing? Or? Should I insolate my walls just in case?"

Oh

He almost spit out his ceral when you said that

Two can play this game

Luckily Steve saves the day, when he knocks on the door

"Oh Hey." Y/n spoke bowl in hand, "Whats up?"

"Uh. I called last night and you didn't answer." He spoke, "Got...worried."

Y/n smiled, "Yeah sorry. I ended up having a long day."

He laughed, "Yeah, I heard about that superhero came to town. Bet you were busy with him."

Y/n was silent, "wait. Was he really here to see you?"

"More of less." Y/n spoke.

"Are you two...ya know?" Steve asked quietly.

"What?" Y/n asked walking out the door as Y/n closed it behind her.

"Dating-"

"Ew!" Y/n protested.

"I don't know!" He defended, "Thats not why I came here!"

"What's it then?" Y/n asked

"I came to see if you were okay." He spoke, "now i see that was stupid especially if you were hanging out with a fricken Avenger."

"You'd be surpised what shit they put me through." She smiled, causing him to smile and hold a laugh in "was that Harrington?"

"...yeah.. yeah." He spoke rocking back and forth Y/n standing up with now an empty bowl ready to go back inside, "actually."

"Yeah?"

"How about we go." Steve spoke.

"Go? Go Where?" Y/n asked.

"You've been in Hawkins yet still havent seen any of the good spots." Steve started, "I could. Take you around...if you know. If you want. Just me and you. If you're cool with that! Ya know..."

"Hm? Yeah that sounds great." Y/n smiled, "let me get dressed and say bye to my dad. You can come in if you want."

Steve's litterally throwing the biggest party in his head

Even you said not to worry he's still worried after all that shit his mom pulled

He's real glad when you say yes to him

He may be too excited

Frank says hi to Steve and they talk while he waits on you

When you ready to go, Frank tells you remember Matt's coming tomorrow and even pitches the idea of dinner to Steve, a retry without his parents: really just without his mom

Steve nervously agrees to it

And then the two of you leave

He's talkin nonstop, mostly trying to keep you entertained and impressed

"The best parts of Hawkins arent even town there out in the middle of no where. Ya knoe Nature and shit. But theres cool things in town." He explained, "what do you wanna do first?"

Y/n shrugged, "Whatever makes it the easiest to see everything."

So he takes you around town first, showing you all his favorite shops and such, and even points out a fair fyler, that's be opened the 30th and then ongoing for the season of Fall

You've never really been to a fair, Frank steers clear of them

But he continues to take you around: enjoying the alone time with you.

You've guys got lemonades in hand as you both walk, he's staring at your free hand hanging between the two of you

"So uh." Steve spoke up, "Got anyone..special. back in the big apple?"

"Define special." Y/n joked.

Steve chuckled knew if about her run ins with hero's, "you know...you like anybody?"

"Well of course. All my friends are back there." Y/b spoke.

"Yeah. Yea...but like. Like. Anyone?" He asked they getting in the car, "dating, perhaps..."

"Oh." Y/n spoke following him, "I mean. I got close one time...It didn't work out."

They closed the doors behind them, "Oh. I. Im sorry I asked."

"No no its okay."

"Hey. Take it from me. Guys can be dicks." Steve tried to cheer up.

Y/n smiled, "not this one."

Steve frowned, Y/n seemed to really like this guy, "right person, Wrong time. It happens alot."

"Not enough time." Y/n spoke, "There wasnt enough."

Steve went silent, as he drove,"I. Im sorry bringin up bad memories and all."

"No. No its alright." Y/n spoke, "It's in the past."

He nodded, "Just. Know that Im here. For anything. I want to help, ya know? I really, really-"

He stopped himself, "I wanna. Y/n I."

"You don't have to tell me."

"I. I want to! I know I do." Steve argued with himself, "I just. Dont wanna loose you ya know."

He took a right, "Loose me to what Steve?"

"I don't know: Anything. Everything." He took a deep breathe parking the car in a make shift lot in the woods, "All I know is that. I...really do...like you. Like. Alot. You're funny, and cool, and...your an ass kicker."

He laughed, Y/n joining him, "and. I just know. That your a good person. So. Thank you. Hah. Yeha thank you for sticking around Hawkins hair prince."

Previous Part - Next Part

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