#other than her brother being heartbroken over max

[byers-bowlcut]

I've seen people say El likes the IDEA of having a boyfriend more than she actually likes her own boyfriend, and jfc it's so true 😭 Like it's all over the show:

Season 1

She's initially attached to Mike because he's the first person to give her shelter, food, genuine human care and just,, not calling CPS immediately. Her feelings for him was born from trauma and dependency in season 1. And throughout the rest of the 3 seasons, we don't see it grow past that.

Also I think it's noticeable in S1 that:

She was uninterested when Mike tried to share his hobbies with her

She also did not seem to mind AT ALL when she questioned if Mike could be her brother. He voice is neutral and curious here, not the least bit repulsed by the thought of being siblings with Mike, like girl does not care 😭

Season 2

This season has zero onscreen moments of Mike and El actually getting to know each other further. They were separated nearly the whole season.

What we DO see:

El's attachment and dependency on Mike that was developed from S1

We also find out how El spent a year of her life watching melodramatic romance films. Many other middle schoolers might identify that relationships in real life don't work like those films. But El is fresh out of lab life, she's literally learning the world through this TV, and has now become obsessed with the IDEA of having a boyfriend/relationship just like that.

Season 3

Again, no onscreen moments of El showing interest in who Mike is as a person.

The very first scene we see of them, she's trying to get him to stop singing along to the song they're listening to. She seems to like kissing Mike. But isn't shown enjoying anything actually characteristic about him, like sharing interests with him such as music.

Hopper indicates that they don't do anything meaningful together either. We see here that before hanging out with Max, El had little sense of her own style, her hobbies, her interests- meaning spending time with Mike for months probably didn't involve many talking points did it?

Also in season 3, El dumps Mike with ZERO hesitation. Then she has the time of her life with Max. The most acknowledgment we get that she's oh so heartbroken is a small frown to Max that her and Mike aren't on best terms. And even that doesn't seem so paramount cause 1 episode later she totally dismisses Mike after he explains how Hopper threatened him. She just tells him maybe Hopper was right 😭😭

It's literally ONLY once she starts becoming in danger that she starts clinging onto him again. I feel like we've seen this film before hm.

Like where are any signs that she likes Mike as an individual, and is falling for who he really is, rather than simply being attached due to trauma, and liking the concept of doing romantic things (ie: kissing, dancing at the ball, etc.)

Season 4

This is the season it becomes the MOST OBVIOUS: El loves the concept of a happy relationship and being loved, but not really loving Mike for who he is. And bringing in Will's feelings just emphasizes this point.

To start, El continues doing all these relationship-y things that she did in the start of S3. She has Mike's name and pictures plastered all over her room. She makes a "Mike box" with his pictures decorated all over it. But the thing is: this is all sort of a façade at this point. We know she's BEEN unhappy with him for months ("From Mike! From Mike! From Mike!"). But with all these items, she's basically trying to convince herself that she's in this happy, fantasy, movie-like relationship, like she probably watched in hopper's cabin in season 2.

And then, there's the sheer difference between her and WILL in their feelings for Mike. We see it right off the bat when Mike comes to the airport: Will and El both have plans to give Mike something.

Will plans to give him a painting he worked extremely hard on. The painting is a connection of what they BOTH love: DnD, and it includes their friends who also play the game. It's very personal and immediately touches Mike. What's more is, the painting illustrates the exact qualities about Mike that Will loves: his leadership, his bravery, his guidance. This painting literally spells out to us that Will truly loves Mike for WHO HE IS.

Meanwhile, El plans on giving Mike a fun reunion date. She has the whole day planned out. And immediately: we see that what she wants to do doesn't actually takes Mike's interests and personality into consideration. You can see and hear the strain in his voice when he talks about "burritos for breakfast" 😬

You can see how he's not that relaxed at rinkomania, and nervous about skating, saying he's clumsy. He probably would've much preferred movies and playing a board game, over skating. But El has her own ideas. When she brings Mike to rinkomania, she tries to act really cool about it. She wants to impress him, wants to seem like she fits in and belongs.

Her present was never actually ABOUT Mike, and about loving Mike that she would plan this huge date for him. Her present was about her desperately wanting to have this cool date like every other normal teen girl might, with a normal boyfriend, and make it seem like they have a happy perfect relationship.

And then finally we reach their S4 fight. I find it extremely interesting how Hopper's cabin is framed in the background during their whole fight. It's almost like an indication that her desperate need to be loved by Mike stems from her trying to cope with losing Hopper and the hole left by him, that clearly did not exist when she happily dumped Mike in S3.

In their fight, when the topic of bullying comes up, Mike says he understands her, but El is quick to say he doesn't. She thinks Mike doesn't understand her, but this is just as much her not understanding HIM as well.

She doesn't get the extent of Mike's insecurities (definitely partially a result of bullying), something that Mike later divulges to WILL and not her. If the writers wanted to show us how much El understands Mike and loves him for who he is, her and Mike would work through his insecurities in their rs together, NOT through a middle man.

Overall it's pretty striking that we've never once heard El actually compliment Mike, or articulate, or even show what exactly she loves about him through four whole seasons. I mean...

Attachment to him due to trauma or grief =/= loving him for who he is.

Wanting to BE loved =/= loving him for who he is.

So really in terms of a relationship, what El ACTUALLY wants is the concept/idea of a regular boyfriend, and a happy easy relationship, all in an attempt to feel normal. And that's why we see them fall apart the way they do in season 4, and why Will is currently so involved. Because Will DOES see and love Mike for exactly who he is.

[norrizzandpia]

Longing Glances and Whispered Confessions (Part 2) (LN4)

Summary: In which the one person they thought would reject them completely is the person that forces them together again.

Warnings: language, sexual innuendos, Lando and yn are sad as hell, happy ending tho, Pietra being a real one

Note: i loved this story line also here is the link to part 1 if you need it

“There’s nothing louder than the silence between two people who used to love each other.” - unknown

Lando was never the same. Max noticed the way his best friend suddenly became a shell of a human, dark and blank. The brother was left to question why the closest person to him in his life was no longer than themselves. He tried to take the boy out, bringing him to movies and dinners, trying to understand the root of his depression. However, he began to put it together when he saw the way Y/n lost herself a bit too. If he was being honest, Max always had an idea that they held repressed feelings for each other, but he never entertained it. He was so afraid of that thought that he refused to diagnose their lingering eyes and prolonged touches.

Pietra was the first to voice his internal thoughts, “You know, it’s no coincidence that they’ve both suddenly stopped talking to each other.”

He groaned, looking at her from his side of the couch, “P, I’m not doing this with you again.”

He got up, walking out of the room only for her to follow him. She trailed behind his steps, pushing, “No, you are going to do this with me. I’m not going to let you ruin two people’s happiness because you can’t set your pride aside and let them be at peace.”

He forcefully turned around, staring down at her annoyed, “What are you saying?! They were sneaking around together behind my back?! Come on, P.”

She scoffed, “Maybe they were! You said it yourself that they were spending more time together! What do you think they were doing?”

He shook his head, “Being friends! Like they always have been!”

Pietra let her hands yank at her hair in exhaustion over her boyfriend’s obliviousness, “MAX! WAKE UP! THEY WERE NEVER FRIENDS!”

Her yelling silenced him, his eyes staring at her before floating down to his feet, “You think I really am the source of their unhappiness?”

She sighed, padding over to him and bringing his body into her hold, “I think you played into it, but I don’t think you’re the whole reason why. Y/n and Lando are so stubborn, they probably pushed each other away with how much they love each other.”

His head reared back, “Love each other?”

Her eyebrows furrowed, “Yeah… Max, you really think they would be this heartbroken over something that wasn’t love?”

The revelation was crushing, his eyes bulged and he stood, jaw agape, “I… I don’t know. I didn’t think they would be able to explore a relationship that much to realize they loved each other.”

She tilted her head, “Max, you don’t know how long they were together.”

And that was something he knew he needed to find out.

—

Lando dragged himself over to his door, eyes drooping from the lack of sleep. No matter how hard he tried, every time he closed his eyes, all he saw was her walking out on him.

He opened it, not saying anything as he let Max in. His best friend closed the door behind himself, following Lando into the living room and sitting on the couch beside him. Hesitantly, Max laid his hand on Lando’s knee.

He breathed out, “I’m worried about you.”

The blanket around Lando’s shoulders loosened as he moved his hand to rub over his face, “Why?”

“Because you’re not sleeping, you’re not eating, and you’re canceling on everyone. I keep having Oscar or Carlos or Daniel or any of the other drivers text me asking where you are, what’s wrong. You’re not the same person anymore, Lando.” Max retracted his hand, turning fully on the couch to stare at the boy’s side profile.

Lando huffed, standing up and trying to flee the conversation, but Max was quick to grab his arm, pulling him back. Lando gave Max a look that was so angry, so furious that he realized this anger wasn’t directed at him, rather at the world for putting him through such pain.

“Can you fucking leave me alone?” Lando gave, arm trying to move from Max’s grasp, but failed.

“No, I’m not leaving until you tell me.” Max tried.

Lando rolled his eyes, “Tell you what?”

His response was immediate, “Tell me what happened between you and her.”

Lando fell silent, his demeanor shifting and his eyes softening. Vulnerability and brokenness flashed in his eyes, such a pool of grief, Max hated himself for causing it.

Finally, Lando broke from his hold and walked further into his apartment, “I don’t know who or what you’re talking about.”

Max followed him, “Yes, you do and you’re going to tell me what happened between you and my sister.”

Lando aggressively turned around, his attitude changing quickly, his fiery gaze creating a tense air, “CAN YOU FUCKING STOP?”

Max shot back, “NO! I CAN’T LET THIS HAPPEN! IT’S NOT FAIR TO ANYONE TO KEEP YOU FROM EACH OTHER IF THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU’RE SEPARATED!”

Lando’s teary voice, stricken with yearning for someone he thought he wouldn’t have to yearn for anymore, yelled back, “NOTHING HAPPENED! NOTHING HAPPENED BETWEEN US! NOTHING-”

His words got cut off when a small sob racked through his body. The lie and deflection of their relationship hit him hard. He didn’t want to deny what happened with her because what happened with her was so important, so close to his heart. Denying her and the love they shared was like affirming their end, he couldn’t deal with that.

Max watched his best friend break down in front of him, the sounds of miserable tears filling the room as he rushed over and caught him. He had never seen him like this, agony making him cling to his best friend in search of something to ground him.

Max couldn’t stomach the way his best friend was crying, much less for the fact that he was crying for his sister and whatever happened between them.

He itched to know and knew Y/n would be able to tell him.

—

He used his key to get in. The apartment was dark and quiet, and Max almost thought no one was there, but the fresh tissues on the counter and romantic movie playing softly in the background told him his sister was somewhere within the few walls.

He wandered around, silently looking for any clues of her relationship with Lando. He mingled over to her desk, hoping to find some picture of them together and gain physical evidence of the things that happened behind closed doors. He was ready to give up in that spot when he didn’t see anything on the surface, but when he caught a glimpse of a small drawer hiding under it, he crouched down. His hands slowly opened it, creaking and groaning under the force.

What he found, clearly something that was trying to be hidden, shocked him. What he found was a large handful of printed out pictures, all of them consisting of Y/n and Lando. He took them out carefully, their edges worn as if someone had continuously worked with them. The pictures got progressively worse to see, in terms of knowing that he was the one to stop the love they had for each other.

The first photo was of the two of them laying on her couch, the piece of furniture sitting two feet away from him. Lando’s lips were pressed against her cheek, one hand holding the other side of her face to him. Whatever was happening in the moment must have been amusing seeing as his sister was in the midst of hard laughter. Her mouth open, smile exuding through, she seemed comfortable in his presence, the kind of comfortable Max had wanted to forget existed between them.

The second photo was in Lando’s kitchen, this time only of the boy himself. Y/n’s reflection was in the window, again laughing at his cooking skills, as Lando stared beyond the camera. His gaze was trained on Y/n, a lovesick glint in his eyes as he held a spatula and a bowl. He was smiling so hard at her, Max wanted to claw his eyes out and forget he ever saw these photographs. They were a living example of what he had destroyed.

He continued to look through them, however, as his curiosity got the best of him. The last one, the eleventh and final one, was the worst to gaze upon.

This picture was taken by Lando, it being of Y/n sitting on her couch. She stared down at a ring in a box that she held firmly in her hand, teary eyes staring at Lando behind the camera. She was smiling with her mouth slightly opened, as if she was in awe over the gift.

It was the worst to see because he remembered the day he clocked her wearing it, asking her where she had gotten it.

THREE MONTHS PRIOR

“Where the fuck did you get that?” Max asked, his eyes trained on the sparkly band on his sister’s middle finger, left hand.

She tilted her head in confusion, following his gaze before realizing what he was referring to and trying to suppress a smile.

“Oh, it’s nothing. Just a gift.” She said vaguely, trying to be nonchalant.

Max shook his head, laughing softly, “No fucking way, is this person in love with you?”

She mirrored his laughter, yet it had a nervous undertone, “What are you talking about?”

Max grasped his sister’s hand, inspecting the ring, “Anyone who gets you something this expensive is in love with you. I mean, Y/n, this is, borderline, promise ring.”

She had joked with him, “What if it really was?”

He stared at her, trying to decipher whether or not to take it seriously. In the end, he hadn’t, “Then, I’d say I wanted to meet whoever gave you this. Clearly they want to marry you.”

She laughed it off, waving her hand around, “No need. There’s no one to meet.”

PRESENT DAY

It had been right fucking in front of him. He had prodded and joked that there was someone in her life, and there had been. It had been his best friend and he was too selfish to recognize it. Who was he to dictate their lives? Who was he to stop them from being happy? Who the fuck was he to stop Lando from making good on the promise he had made to his sister?

With the picture in his hands, Max stalked to her bedroom in the back of her apartment. He flung the door open, clearly waking her up from the nap she had been partaking in, scaring her to death.

She yelped out, “WHAT THE FUCK!”

He shook his head, pacing around the perimeter of her bed, “What is this?”

He waved the picture in her face, dropping it on her lap, and staring at her as he walked around.

Her face dropped and then she was staring at him with vengeance, “You went through my stuff?”

She had said it coolly, quietly, and that scared Max gravely. His sister was furious.

He scoffed, “Yeah, I did! Because I saw Lando earlier this week and he fucking cried in my arms because I confronted him about what happened between you, and he couldn’t fucking handle it. I still don’t know what happened! What the fuck happened?!”

She stood up, “AND YOU THINK THAT GIVES YOU THE RIGHT TO LOOK THROUGH THESE THINGS? THESE PICTURES WERE FOR US ONLY AND YOU FUCKING RUINED THAT, MAX! WHO THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?”

Max shook his head and put his hands up in front of him, “I’m not mad, Y/n. I support you two if it makes you happy. I’m just fucking shocked as shit because I asked you about that ring and you lied to my face.”

She shrugged, “WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU WANT ME TO DO? TELL YOU THAT I HAD BEEN FUCKING YOUR BEST FRIEND?”

Suddenly, he realized that if he hadn’t told her about his knowledge of the photos, she wouldn’t be as rageful as she was standing before him. Max was hit with a wave of emotions, wondering if he had just ruined the trust he had built with his sister over the course of their entire lives.

“Y/n,” He started, but she interrupted him.

“Get the fuck out.” She whispered, clutching the picture in her hands.

“What?”

“Get out of my house, Max.” She said again, this time stalking toward him and beginning to push him away.

He grabbed onto her arms, “Y/n, I’m sorry. I didn’t know that finding those pictures would make you this upset.”

When they reached the living room and she saw the drawer open with all the pictures strewn about, she leaped toward them, frantically gathering them up carefully.

“WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?” She screamed, ears turning red.

Max stayed silent, “THESE ARE MY PHOTOS, MAX! THESE MEAN SOMETHING TO ME! IT WAS NEVER YOUR PLACE TO FIND THESE!”

He walked cautiously over to her, letting his hands take hold of hers as they tried to gather all the pictures. She was crying, the tears becoming harder as she looked upon all their times together. Her brother gently coaxed them out of her hands and pulled her into him, cradling her head to his chest and trying to stop the tears that were wetting his shirt.

“I’m sorry, Y/n. I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” He whispered repeatedly in her ear.

Over time, as he continued to say those two words to her, they both knew the meaning of it was changing.

At first, he was sorry for finding the photos and infringing on her privacy, but, then, he was sorry for making her think she couldn’t love openly.

—

Sitting down on her couch, he passed her tea to her and silently urged her to start talking.

She took a deep breath, then began, “Lando and I dated for a year. I’ll just break that to you now.”

Max’s mouth fell open, he had not been expecting for it to be that long, “Okay… continue. I’ll be okay.”

She nodded, smiling lightly, “We had loved each other for many years before that, but we only got together after a night when he picked me up drunk and I told him about the feelings I had for him. He came to my house the morning after and demanded to know if what I had said was true or just my drunk self being reckless, but everything I had said to him that night was, so he kissed me and we made things official. At first, we said we would keep things hidden until we were certain we saw a future, but that plan was shit because, from the beginning, we saw forever with each other. So, all we were left to do was aimlessly wander around until we stumbled across a time to tell you. However, we could never agree. He wanted to stay secret, afraid of everything that would happen if we dated publicly, but I was more of a ‘fuck it’ person. I wanted to be with him and when he rejected the notion I continuously brought up about us telling everyone, I felt fully rejected and that caused an ungodly amount of fights. Toward the end, all we did was fight. I think that’s what did us in. There was never a time when we weren’t yelling at each other and, for the life of us, we just could not see eye to eye. The thing that broke everything was when he told me to come to him when I believed he loved me and I realized I would never become comfortable with that idea. I would never fully trust him if he continued to treat me like a mistress, so I broke up with him.”

Max nodded, “And that’s when you two stopped talking and I found out.”

She agreed, “Yeah, I’m surprised how quickly you put it together.”

He chuckled, “No, it wasn’t me. It was Pietra. She basically yelled at me and told me that I was ruining both of your happiness by refusing to come to terms with it.”

The look that Y/n got in her eye told Max that he didn’t know the full story, “What?”

His little sister giggled, “I knew she knew!”

He tilted his head in confusion, “What?”

She shook her head, “One time, Pietra came over to my apartment unannounced and she had chosen a time when Lando and I were… uh…” Y/n wiggled her eyebrows at her brother and his face scrunched up in disgust.

“Oh, fuck no! Move on!” He yelled, waving his hands around.

She smiled, “Okay, okay, well, anyway, she used her key and when we heard the door open, her voice yelling out my name, Lando hid in the closet. When she came into my room and saw me with no clothes on under my comforter, she just looked at me weirdly. Her conversation with me after that consisted of her walking around my room and looking behind curtains and all that. I’m surprised she forgot to look in the closet because, if she had, she would’ve found out. But, anyway, after that, she just always dropped little comments about me seeing someone and, one time, she asked me if I had feelings for Lando. I, of course, refused, but it was something in the look that she gave me that told me she knew and she wouldn’t tell.”

He scoffed, “Damn you, P.”

The siblings laughed together, but once it died down, Max gave her a serious look.

“Y/n, you need to talk to him.”

Her shoulders sank, “I don’t know if either of us could handle that right now.”

He shook his head, “Not to get closure, but to get back together.”

Her head pulled back, “What? Max, he probably hates me. He definitely does not want to get back together with me after I ripped out his heart, threw it on the floor, and stomped on it.”

Max looked at her weirdly, “No way. You didn’t see the way he broke down in his apartment. You weren’t there and you haven’t seen the way he’s been after everything ended. He loves you and he needs you. He always will.”

She mulled it over in her head, inviting her brother to continue, “Why’d you break up with him?”

“Because I was hurt and I doubted how we would ever continue healthily when we didn’t agree on this one thing. Plus I didn’t believe he loved me the way I did him.”

Max shot up from the couch, picked up the photo of Lando looking at her while he cooked and shoved it in her face, “Y/n, that is the look of a man so gone for you, he’s never coming back.”

Her fingers traced over his face on the paper, smiling softly at the boy she missed, before looking up at her brother, “How do you know for sure? What if I give myself to him and it doesn’t work out?”

Max leaned forward, took her hands in his, and squeezed them tightly, “I don’t, but I can guarantee you that for as long as he lives, Lando will never move on from you. You give him another chance and he will never stop loving you. He’ll never stop loving you whether or not you’re there to reciprocate it or not.”

She tearfully stared up at him, “Yeah?”

He nodded, wiping her cheeks, “Yeah.”

—

Lando groaned, wanting to tear his face off with the knocking at his door. He just wanted people to leave him alone. Why didn’t anyone get that?

He forcefully pulled it open, shaking his head at whoever was daring to startle his mourning.

However, when his eyes met hers, their color shimmering with regretful tears, he breathed out a sigh of relief. Even though the reason for her presence wasn’t clear and his ability to reach out and kiss her wasn’t there anymore, he was still at peace to see her.

“Hi,” She whispered, stepping through the threshold hesitantly.

He stood, completely shocked, and she chuckled at his state before closing the door for him. Her hands landed on his waist as she coaxed them over to his couch, sitting the two of them down and taking his hands in hers.

She didn’t say anything for a few minutes, the two former lovers staring at each other and letting a loud silence take over. A loud silence between two people who still loved each other dearly.

When enough time passed, she exhaled and began with the speech she had been rehearsing for days prior, “Breaking up with you was the worst decision I ever made. Yet, it was something that had to happen. Without us parting ways, Max would’ve never found out and we would never be here, having the ability to be together publicly. I’m sorry for giving up on us, I wake up every day and wish I could take it back. But, I came here today because Max and I had a conversation yesterday where he made it clear that I had to come see you. Come fight for you. I love you and I want to be with you, always have, always will. I’m giving you everything I have and I’m hoping, fucking praying, that you’ll embrace your fears like I am and let us be together.”

Lando looked down at her, absorbing her words for a few moments. He stayed silent, staring at her before smiling. He let go of her hands to grab her face, bringing it to his. He kissed her like it was their first kiss all over again, signaling that he wanted to start over with her like she did with him. His lips nipped and sucked at her skin, only pulling away to whisper his love for her.

When they ran out of breath, he met her eyes and softly said, “Of course, I’ll embrace my fears for you. I was so fucking stupid not to before. You’re the only person that I’ve been able to get lost in. I love you like I’ve loved no one before and I’d be so idiotic to let you go again. That day, when you walked out, I should’ve followed you, I should’ve shown you, proven to you, how much I love you. Hearing you say that you would never believe I love you was like a million stabbings all at once and I should’ve used that emotion, that pain, to communicate how much you mean to me. I’m sorry for that and I’m so sorry for shutting you out the way I did before. Of course, I want people to know you’re mine. That’s always been it for me and the fact that I had it, and still didn’t take it, is lost on me. However, this all goes to say that I won’t let that happen again. I will love you and I will love you and I will love you until you’re sick of me.”

She laughed through her tears, pecking his lips shortly, “I’ll never get sick of you.”

He continued to grin at her, hands still holding her face to his, “Better not. If you did, I’d just force you to stay with me.”

She giggled, blushing at his words, before he melted fully into her. Hitting her nose with his, emotion pooled in his eyes, “Please never leave me again.”

She kissed his cheek, then his neck before coming to stare at him, hugging him as tightly as possible, “Never again. Ever. I promise.”

A tear slipped down his eye and she wiped it away. At the gentleness, he nuzzled his face into her neck and breathed out, feeling the weight of the world being lifted off his shoulders.

Another silence followed, yet, this time, it was a silence of two people who would never let the other go again.

Comforting and loving.

End.

Tags: @luvrrish @sinofwriting @minkyungseokie @lisa24x @toasttt11 @prettyisntprettyenough21 @giuliaabergamini-blog @landoslover @arshiyuh @ophcelia @vellicora @sage-butterflyy @ironmaiden1313

[blushweddinggowns]

It had started as a rough few weeks. A rough few weeks that turned into a rough few months. It was weird, because in all honesty when it came to social standings, Will was doing a lot better here than he ever did in Hawkins. There were no Zombie Boy stories following him here, and he even managed to get a few girls to have a crush on him. He…still wasn’t quite clear how that worked out and he really wasn’t a fan of it. But they were also the only people he could talk to at school. He was way too paranoid of getting close to any guys. God forbid he got another crush on a friend, having none of them just seemed like the better course of action. 

It didn’t help that Mike had basically stopped acknowledging that he existed after they moved. He didn’t write to him, he didn’t call him, and it felt like the only time he heard his voice was when he politely asked for El over the phone. And it hurt. It hurt a lot. Especially when he still put in so much effort to get ahold of El all the time. He’d resent her for it if he could, but the only one who was having a worse time than him with the move was her. Maybe Mike was a shitty friend to him, but at least she had someone to talk to. 

But whatever. Lucas and Dustin cared, and so did Eddie and Steve. And when Jonathan wasn’t busy being high as hell, he had him too. Even Max called him more often than Mike did. Even when she was just trying to get ahold of El she’d take the time to ask him how he was, a courtesy that his best friend from freaking kindergarten couldn’t even offer anymore. 

So maybe Will didn’t have many friends in California yet, but he didn’t feel very lonely. 

Just a little heartbroken. 

But he could get past it. Especially when some of his favorite people were only one phone call away. Sometimes it made him feel a little guilty, that Steve and Eddie were his go to for talking about his problems. Especially since Jonathan was always trying to get him to open up. Even when he was zoinked out of his gourd he never failed to ask Will how his day was. Though…he did have a hard time following the plot when Will told him. 

But that didn’t change the fact that Jonathan always wanted to help. But what could Will say? I’m depressed because I’m in love with my best friend who doesn’t care about me? And oh yeah, I’m gay? Yeah, no. That wasn’t going to happen. If Jonathan of all people hated him for that…he’s not sure he could recover. But that doesn’t mean he didn’t think about it.

It was kind of pathetic, but he’d fantasize about it sometimes. Coming out to his family, everyone smiling and saying they’d love him anyway, no matter what. And if he was being honest with himself, it was technically possible, right? His brother had never said a bad word about Steve and Eddie. His mom never failed to shut the homophobic crap down when his crappy sperm donor had still been around. But it was different when it was your own kid, right? Will wasn’t quite sure. But he did know that he couldn’t stop thinking about it. 

So he called who he always did when he had a problem. It only took a few rings before someone was picking up, Steve’s familiar voice on the other end, “Hello?”

“Hey, it’s me,” Will sighed, flopping face first into his bed, the phone pressed to his ear. 

He could hear the smile in Steve’s voice, “Hey kiddo, what’s up?”

God, he was such a dad. Will wouldn’t be shocked if he started wearing socks with sandals by the time he hit twenty-three. He went straight to the point, “Do you think that living happily ever after is like a real thing? For people like us?”

Steve laughed, “It better fucking be after all the shit we’ve seen.”

“I don’t mean the Upside Down stuff,” Will sighed, “I mean like…y’know. The gay.”

Steve snorted, “The gay? I’m going to have to tell Eddie that one.”

Will rolled his eyes at the redundant statement. He had learned a long time ago that telling Steve something meant telling Eddie something, and vice versa. He sighed a tiny smile on his face, “Oh what, like he’s not already next to you listening in?”

“...touché.” 

Will laughed, turning over to stare at the ceiling, “I’m serious though. Like…is it even possible? It’s not like everyone gets to magically find their soulmate at eight.”

“Is that such a bad thing though?” Steve asked, “Because no offense dude but honestly? I think you could do a lot better than Mike-”

“Be nice,” Will interrupted, torn between being defensive for Mike’s sake and amused at Steve never failing to find a way to come at him.

“I will when he starts being nice to me.”

“Well that’s just not going to happen,” Will laughed, “I’m starting to think Eddie’s right to call you a brat.”

Steve gasped, loud and scandalized. He’d been hanging out with Robin too much, “Me?! Never!”

Will could barely hear it over the receiver, but he could hear Eddie’s faint voice coming through, Yes he is!

And it was making him laugh even harder. Will missed this, so much. He missed having a place where he could just say whatever he wanted, with no worries. Even now he was looking over his shoulder, anxious at the chance that his mom or a sibling could come bursting in at any moment to catch him in the act of being comfortable. It was a confusing and weird feeling, and probably a little unfair to assume they’d prefer him to be sad and quiet over happy and queer. But he still did.

But for now he was safe. And he might as well take the chance to speak on all the things he couldn’t with anyone else, “But what if I don’t want to do better than Mike? Like…it’s stupid but do you think that um, I would ever have a chance?”

The answer was a strong no, but sometimes Will just needed a reality check from someone else’s mouth. 

Steve sighed, “I think the odds are pretty low bud. All jokes aside, even if he was playing for our team, I’m not sure if he’s the type who could even accept it. Y’know?”

Will did know, unfortunately. And if he’d never met Eddie and Steve there was a solid chance he’d be that guy. The truth stung a bit, but it was necessary, “I know, I know. But…do you think he would accept me? If he ever found out?”

“He fucking better. Otherwise I’ll-”

Will heard a shuffle on the other end, paired with something that sounded suspiciously like whining before he heard Eddie’s voice, “Will? You there? Sorry about that. I had to take the phone away before he started talking about beating up a child.”

Will grinned, happy to hear Eddie’s voice, “You made the right call. Do you think they’ll ever get along?”

“Not in this lifetime,” Eddie sighed, “And I know Mike’s not perfect, but if he’s okay with us why wouldn’t he be with you?”

“But it’s different when it’s a friend, isn’t it?” Will asked, “I’m not even sure if my mom would accept it, let alone him.”

“Well first of all, you don’t have to tell anyone shit, okay? But I can promise you that Joyce would be fine with it. And so would Jonathan for that matter. And I don’t even know if El is aware of what homophobia even is.”

It all sounded a lot more believable out of Eddie’s mouth than what was going on in his own head. But still… “What if they don’t though? What if I tell them and they kick me out or something? Or make me go to therapy?”

“Okay, on the off, off chance that you tell them and Joyce suddenly became a monster overnight, we’ll go to plan B. Steve and I will drive up there to kidnap you and you can live in Indy with us.”

Will grinned. He could live with that, “Can’t we just make that Plan A?”

“No, because your family loves you, as they should by the way. And this won’t bother them, I swear. Plus, telling them on your own terms is a lot less awkward than getting caught in the act.”

Will didn’t even want to know what Eddie was alluding to with that one. Poor Wayne, “But what if we’re wrong?”

He wanted to believe him, he really did, but stranger things had happened outside of gay people being disowned. 

“Will, listen to me,” Eddie said, his voice confident enough to make Will perk up, “I swear on Steve’s life, okay? There is no way in hell anyone in that house is gonna reject you for this.”

Will blinked, a little shocked at just how much faith he had in his family. More than he did, “Really?”

“Really. Trust me on this man, you’re going to be fine.”

They hung up pretty soon after that, mostly because El started knocking on his door for the phone. The conversation made him feel a bit better, but also…nervous. Could he really tell them? Would it all just work out? Just like that? Will wasn’t so sure. 

He decided against doing it right away despite Eddie’s own confidence. But he did start to drop a few feelers. He started with Jonathan, waiting until he was high enough for him to forget the conversation if it didn’t go well. And that wasn’t a long wait. 

He found him and his new friend sprawled out in his room, Fast Times playing in the background as they both stared into space. Though Will wasn’t quite sure he could count what Argyle was doing as staring. He’s eyes were barely open, and Will was 90 percent sure he was passed out. But that was good for him, now was as good a time as any. 

Jonathan smiled at him as he wandered in, his words kind but slurring, “Hey! What’s up? You never come in here. You wanna watch something or…?”

Will shook his head, his heart aching a little at the way it made his brother frown. Maybe he really had been neglecting him, too caught up in his own head to spend time with the closest thing he had to a Dad. 

It made him feel a little bad, but that wasn’t what he was here for, “No thanks. I just wanted to ask you something.”

“Sure!” Jonathan said, way too excited at the prospect of a simple question, but maybe that was the weed, “What’s up?”

Will shrugged, casually leaning against the door. Or at least he hoped it looked casual, because his heart was beating a mile per minute, “Steve said that his and Eddie’s anniversary is coming up soon. Do you think I should send them something?”

Jonathan tilted his head up to look at him, his eyes bloodshot with a tiny smile on his face, “That’s like…so nice dude. You’re always so nice. How are you so nice?”

“You don’t think it’s weird?” Will pressed, hope fluttering in his chest, “To be, y’know, celebrating them like that?”

Jonathan shook his head, “Nah man. It’s like…romance. Y’know? It’s sweet.”

“Yeah dude, gay guys are cool,” Argyle agreed out of nowhere, his eyes still closed,  “Good for Stu and Eggie. Gay people got like, the best hair.”

Will didn’t really know what to do with that one. But Jonathan was impressed. He jerked his head back to stare at Argyle, his voice in awe, “How’d you know he had good hair? I never told you he had good hair.”

“I bet they both have good hair,” Argyle sighed, “They alway do.”

“Are you like, psychic?” Jonathan asked, like that made any sense at all.

“Shit, you think I could be?”

Will watched as the two of them started to debate the idea, his brow raised. God, weed sure was a hell of a drug. He left them to it after that, deciding to slowly back out of the room. But he was going to chalk it up as a positive. 

preview for the next chapter (kind of) of this fic

[noitsnote113]

2 Reasons why I think El wouldnt be “heartbroken” because of Byler

1. EL IS ALREADY MOVING ON FROM MIKE.

I would worship the argument “El would be heartbroken if BYLER happened” IFFFF only El wasn’t shown actively by the end of s4 knowing her worth outside of Mike (picking up, again, on her independence arc that has always been there since s2.)

By this point, El already knows what she’s capable of.

And why does she start moving on from Mike you may ask? Because she’s already disappointed in the relationship. Mike has already let her down. Prior and after the “I love you” monologue (but we’re talking about the before here.)

She already has been heartbroken. Obviously, it isn’t Mike’s fault that he can’t say I love you to her, but obviously this is gonna make her upset. And the “I love you” monologue was the last thing she needed to know that this isn’t how she wants to be loved. She does not benefit anything from this relationship, because Mike too (unknowninly) makes her feel as inferior as she makes him feel (again, unknowingly.)

So why would she be heartbroken if byler happens if she was already heartbroken/upset with mike prior to her being by herself?

This is a seed of a problem that has been sprouting for some time. And if we’re forgetting, Eleven has all of those letters from Mike to prove it. And she has been counting them. And what does that tell us? She has been upset about this for a way longer time than we were introduced this as a problem.

2. EL IS AS SELFLESS AS WILL

“Will is so selfless” Yes, I Agree! But what about Eleven? Are we forgetting that this is the same girl that stopped herself from seeing Mike because she knew he would be in danger? (Yes, Hopper made her, but she agreed, not fully but she knew staying away from him would keep him away from danger.) And the girl that smiled when Mike was happy with someone else in s2? <- (if ur gonna compare max and will in the comments in that scenario, keep in mind that el didn’t know max when she saw her with mike.It’s different with Will because they do know eachother and they love eachother.)

And what makes you think that El won’t be happy for Will knowing that he did the same for her? She won’t throw him in a wall or do something that could potentially hurt him in cause of jealousy. You might think that sounds like her because of what she did to max in s2, but he is her brother. They love each other. And by the time she finds out about Will’s feelings for Mike, I believe she would already be over Mike to help out (This would parallel Will trying to fix Mileven but not being over him and El helping byler but BEING OVER MIKE!!) <- I think that it would be such a cool parallel.

And with that your honor, I rest my case.

[sohmiya]

Nikka! I’m crying and banging my head against the wall at how talented you are when it comes to songwriting because I could neverr have the skill set 😫 however I do have angst & Evren lyrics for you <3 (they’re shit though so don’t perceive me!!)

Less angsty to start with—after Second Coming and Evren meet and become friends, I see him happily name-dropping them in their new song (I’d like to think the song is just a fun vibe, it’s currently title-less though):

More angsty! Evren going to the studio at like 3am after that ‘breakup’ argument with Max, and he’s hurt and pissed off.

I imagine he called Cypress on the way there because ✨rant about the girl you love to your best friend✨ and Ev’s all like “Cy, you’re awake!” “I’m more worried that you are” “it’s cute you’re concerned about me, I’m driving to the studio anyway” “why…? Evren, wait, are you still hung up over Maxine? you can come over and we can chat, my siblings are asleep” and Cypress is genuinely upset and concerned bc he’s seen Evren heartbroken before “Cy, as much as I’d love that, I do need to let some frustrations out”

He calls his band and FaceTime’s them whilst he’s at the studio too—and they all pretty much know about Max and him—but also that when any of them call each other at stupid o’clock it means that there’s a song idea brewing.

Obvs had to name the song after their ship name:

I imagine when he performs this on stage that the fans sing back the bits that are in italics.

And when he has to go on talk shows and social media and promote the song, the question he gets every single time is “who’s the pretty red head?”, and he’ll just genuinely smirk and come up with witty answers like “well, listening to the song won’t be fun if I tell you”

And when nice interviewers ask how he’s doing I imagine him saying, “oh, yeah, I’m okay now. it happened, I wrote a successful song about it, and the good things I said about her are true and that won’t change”

But also him being nervous af to contact Maxine bc she could absolutely hate the song and he’d be ready to apologise for the argument in the first place, but he’d text after a few days like ‘hey, are we good? x’ and then like another one an hour later like ‘by any chance, do you know if your ex hates me??’

MILA SHUT UPPPPP OH MY GOD

no wait cause after the second coming name drop i can imagine max hitting evren up as soon as she hears the song and tease him like “if you wanted to collab all you had to was ask” NDJSJSKSKSK and the tennis references mhm i think he did it for me 😌🥂

and oh my god the cypress cameo 🥹 my favorite boys talking about love problems 🥹 no cause you don’t understand. i love ev’s friendship with everyone but his bond with cy just sits SOOOO right with me. it’s like cy acts like a big brother to him and evren acts like a cool uncle to the mini de veras <3

“i could never have the skill set” NOT YOU LYING TO MY FACE AS IF THE LYRICS OF SOMEWHERE THIS WORKS DONT FUCKING SLAP ?????????

knows i’m better than her ex, ain’t even talkin bout the sex

like after every ride we weren’t fucking high and she hits me with “we should be friends”

SHADE HER EVREN!!!!!! SPEAK YOUR TRUTH!!!!!! HDJSSKKSSJ PLS IM GOING INSANE OVER THESE LINES ACTUALLY

and the miracles verse….. “prayed to lady jesus in church”……… i just know your pen was on fire like i’m not kidding i wish i wrote that verse i’m gonna steal your brain

and the “calm during our storms” he really said OUR 😭😭😭😭😭😭

evren acevedo if things also don’t work out with miko i’m single and ready to mingle

But also him being nervous af to contact Maxine bc she could absolutely hate the song and he’d be ready to apologise for the argument in the first place, but he’d text after a few days like ‘hey, are we good? x’

i don’t think maxine could be pissed at him calling her out at the “we should be friends” line even if she tried like. she’d be impressed tbh 😭😭😭😭 like she would reply with a spotify screenshot with stw on repeat then she’d quote that line in the first verse to him and go “YOU DID NOT” NDNSMSKS but before evren could think she was serious she’d send another text “JK YES WE’RE GOOD EVREN THIS IS SOOOO GOOD” and considering the emotional weight of the argument that inspired the song, maxine 100% would stop herself from making a joke about how he “prayed to lady jesus in church” because she definitely had him kneeling a few times 🫢 sdhdjskkaks

‘by any chance, do you know if your ex hates me??’

HE’S SOOOOO 😭😭😭 the contrast between the wild ace and evren is so funny yet so endearing to me he’s such a cutie pie <333

max would say something like “idk and idc. i like you- *backspacebackspacebackspacebackspace* “idk and idc”

[theautisticbarbie]

A Bird of Praise

Act II

Chapter V: Foreign Memories

Previous Chapter

Next Chapter

Word count: 7,599 (another long one I know)

Chapter Summary: Tara’s clumsy little mishap sets off a neurological cascade, the likes of which is unprecedented to her. The identity of the Mullet Man is revealed, changing Tara’s perspective of her childhood bully. When she finds out Dustin stole library books, she gets more than what she bargained for when she tries to replace them to keep him out of trouble. Tara gets a glimpse into Billy’s home life.

Warnings: abuse (Neil being a dick to Billy), mentions of suicide (Tara discussing the plot of Swan Lake to Max), smut (p in v, car sex, fingering), threats of murder-suicide (Billy seriously needs help lmao), mentions of past bullying, mentions of medical trauma and phobia of hospitals

Tara huffed in frustration when she suddenly felt overwhelmingly nauseous. She barely made it to the bathroom before she started puking her brains out.

Her head was in the toilet for what had to be a solid 10 minutes just straight vomiting. She didn’t bother closing the stall door, so a gaggle of middle school girls were staring at her as she continued. When she finally got a reprieve from her nausea, she heard a familiar voice.

“Tara? What are you doing here?” Max asked, having pushed past the others.

Once she realised Max saw everything, she tried to quickly compose herself.

“So,” she started gently while flushing the toilet, “the powers that be have delegated me to get you out of your brother’s hair, so I propose that we go to the arcade, maybe grab some junk food… I DO have a quick errand to run first, but do you think you can wait in the car while I do that if I stop by Burger King on the way?”

Max looked at her before sighing. Something clearly had her upset. “Fine,” she said walking ahead of her.

Tara definitely wasn’t expecting that so it took her by surprise.

“Come on!” Max urged.

Once they got in the car, Swan Lake was quietly over the radio.

“What’s up with the Beethoven?” Max finally asked?

“It’s not Beethoven. It’s Tchaikovsky. Swan Lake. You know that story?”

“No?”

“It’s about a princess named Odette who gets turned into a swan by an evil sorcerer named Rothbart. The spell can only be broken by a declaration of true love. One day, she meets a prince named Siegfried—“

“Let me guess. He falls madly in love with her, gives her true loves kiss or whatever and he kills Rothbart, vanquishing the big bad and the two get married and live happily ever after.”

“Actually, Rothbart enchants his daughter, Odile, to look like Odette, thereby tricking Siegfried into vowing to love her. Odette is so heartbroken by his betrayal that she drowns herself, and Siegfried is so devastated by the prospect of living without her that he follows.”

“Ooooookay…”

Max paused, looking for the right words.

“But that’s stupid! Why would she kill herself? Because some guy went off with another girl? That’s stupid! Why not just find another prince?”

“Maybe it hurt her so deeply that she thought he loved him and they shared such a deep connection that he couldn’t even tell her apart from what, for all intents and purposes, was a cheap parlour trick.”

“Then screw him! Guys like that aren’t worth anything!”

“That’s easy to say from an outside perspective, but imagine being treated like an absolute treasure for about a week or so and then suddenly it’s gone.”

“Well, then that just means he never actually treasured you to begin with. He just wanted to get in your pants.”

Tara let out a sigh, but felt vindicated in what Max was saying. “I guess in that case Odette should have just moved on.”

Tara pulled up to the police station, leaving Max in the car with her food.

“I’ll just be a few minutes and then we can go absolutely nuts at the arcade.”

Tara anxiously waited for the secretary to call her back. She looked over and noticed that Hopper was not in his office at the moment. He must have been on duty. Still, she wondered how the case would be handled in his absence. This might be a time when she would have flashbacks, but none came. Since the assault, she’s felt strangely cut off from that side of herself.

“Tara?”

She looked up to see a secretary with a stack of papers.

“In the office, please.”

Tara followed inside.

“Have a seat.”

Tara sat and the stack of papers was placed in front of her.

“Read that through, make sure it’s accurate and sign for me, please.”

There it was. The police report naming Jason Carver as her assailant.

All Tara had to do was sign off on it and it will be sent to the DA to decide to prosecute.

She took a deep breath, signed the paper work and set down the pen. “Is that it? Is he going to jail now?”

“That’s for the DA, judge and jury to decide. In the mean time, you’ve done your part. Best thing to do is take your mind off it until we need you again for witness testimony.”

“When will he be arrested?”

“Again, that’s for the DA to decide.”

Tara came out to the car and slammed the door behind her before speeding out of the parking lot and subsequently slowing to a normal speed.

“What’s your problem?” Max asked.

“Me? Nothing! I’m completely fine!” Tara insisted.

When they got back to Tara’s place, the sun had just gone over. Billy’s car was nowhere to be found. He must have been out. “We’ll wait here until Neil and Susan get home to let you in.” because even though Billy had a key to her place, there was no way in hell she was getting one to his.

When they got in, they saw that Daniel was hosting Hellfire club at their place. That was odd. She knew that their dance rehearsals and pre-production of Nutcracker often displaced Hellfire club since it was held in the drama room, but Daniel said that Gareth always hosted during those times.

“Knock knock,” Tara poked her head into the dining room. “What’s going on?”

“We had to host here because Gareth’s mom has company,” Daniel quickly explained. “Now, go away! We’re in the middle of a boss fight!”

“Yeesh! All right! Max, I guess you and I can find something to do elsewhere in the house. I have movies in the den. Or we can just watch TV. Want something to drink? I’ve got soda, kool-aid, tea, you name it.”

The two settled on hot chocolates. Once they got into the den, the phone rang.

“Newman residence!” Tara answered.

“Hey, girl! It’s Alanna. I just wanted to see if I could get a ride from you to the theatre on Saturday.”

Right. Tara had forgotten. The team’s show of “Giselle” was selected for final selections for the Midwestern Dance Grant. Final competitors would be showcasing their performances at the Rialto Theatre in Chicago. It was like a 3 hour drive and because it was on a Saturday, there wouldn’t be any school busses.

“Yeah! I’ll come pick you up at say 8?”

“Sounds good! Thanks chica!”

Click.

“Who was that?” Max asked curiously.

“Oh that was just my friend Alanna asking for a ride. We’re doing our performance of Giselle again this weekend.”

“What’s that one about?” she asked, picking the marshmallows off of the whipped cream to snack on them first.

Tara gauged Max’s face to see that it was genuine curiosity. “Well, it’s about a peasant girl in the Middle Ages named Giselle. She lives in the Rhineland with her mother and a hunter named Hilarion who she thinks of like a brother. They’re very protective of her because of her weak heart.”

“So she’s basically you,” Max teased.

“Max,” Tara whined, playfully tapping her arm, eliciting laughter from them both.

“Anyway, a prince named Albrecht visits Giselle’s village in disguise as a peasant named Loys. Albrecht flirts with Giselle and because of her sheltered life, she takes his advances seriously and they spend the day together. What she doesn’t know is that Albrecht is already engaged to a princess named Bathilde.”

“What? No way!”

“Yes way, Max. Two-timing is not a new thing. Anyway, when Giselle finds out, she goes insane and dies of a broken heart.”

“Let me guess. This Prince Albert guy feels so guilty about essentially killing her that he tries to put her spirit to rest or something?”

“You’re getting good at this. Prince ALBRECHT does indeed visit her grave. But after Giselle dies, he ends up with a bigger problem. The Willis.”

“The Willis?” Max asked, trying to see if she if she heard that correctly.

“They’re the vengeful spirits of women who are betrayed by their lovers. In the night, their spirits rise from the grave, led by Queen Myrtha, and they find men who have fatally wronged women and force them to dance to death. And now they’ve decided to target Albrecht for his actions.”

“Shut up!” Max exclaimed in shock, accidentally knocking over and spilling her drink. “Shit!”

“It’s okay! I’ve got it!”

“I’m so sorry!” Max said, nervously, as though she was fearful of retribution.

“It’s okay! Accidents happen! We’ll just clean it up and get you another one! No biggie!”

Tara went upstairs and to grab the cleaning supplies from the utility closet before hearing a knock on the doorframe.

“Dm decided to take a snack break.” Daniel said. “You maybe wanna tell me why you were gone for hours and come back with your boyfriend’s 13 year old sister?”

“I was just getting her out of his hair,” she said, still trying to figure out how to gently tell everyone that they were no longer a couple.

“Right.”

“Can I tell you something kind of weird and off topic?” Tara asked.

“Fine. Shoot.”

“Ever since Tina’s Halloween party, I feel cut off.”

Tara took a breath. “Let me explain. I went to Tina’s part, came back, and had one nightmare about the New Belgium Lab, and then there was this grandfather clock, I woke up and I was cut off from everything. I can’t use my powers, no flashbacks and I haven’t been able to search the mirror realm.”

“Why would you be searching the mirror realm?” Daniel asked after taking a beat.

Pause.

“I was looking for Barb…” Tara said after careful deliberation. “I figured if Will was found, Barb still can be, too!”

“Tara, maybe you should let the police deal with this one.”

“They already decided she ran away, but you and I both know that’s not true! She HAS to be in the mirror realm! That’s where I last saw her!”

“Tara, you’re starting to ask questions that I know for a fact you won’t want the answer to!”

“How do you know that? You know where she is now?”

“Yes!”

“Oh yeah? Where is she?”

“SHE’S DEAD! I found her and she died in my arms after we found the mirror realm for the first time!”

Daniel took a breath and sobbed. “At first I didn’t think it was real. I convinced myself it was some kind of mirage… but it’s real and she’s gone… okay? She’s gone. She’s not coming back.”

There was a very long silence that hung in the air. “Well, don’t just look at me like that! Say something!” Daniel pleaded.

Tara was looking with a blank expression.

“Tara?”

“Breathe. Sunflower. Three to the right. Four to the left. Rainbow. 450.”

“Tara what the hell are you saying?”

“Breathe. Sunflower. Three to the right. Four to the left. Rainbow. 450.”

“Tara!”

“Breathe—“

“TARA!”

Suddenly, Tara jolted out of her reverie, wiping blood from her upper lip.

“What the hell was that?”

“What was what?” Tara asked, dazed and confused.

“You just kind of… never mind…”

“Kind of what?”

“It’s fine.” Daniel said going back downstairs.

“Daniel, wait!” Tara hastily washed her face in the bathroom and went down in pursuit of her brother.

Once she got down, she quite literally bumped face first into mullet man.

“Oh! I’m sorry!” Tara said.

“Nah, no worries!” he laughed it off.

“I’m sorry, but I’m gonna feel really rude if I just call you Mullet Man, so would you mind telling me your name?”

“Wow. You really don’t remember me, do you?”

Tara shot a look on confusion. Truthfully, yes, he looked vaguely familiar, but because she couldn’t put her finger on it, she just presumed he had one of those faces.

“I thought you were just drunk at Tina’s party but no, you really forgot about me, huh?”

“Have we met before?” she asked.

“Tara, it’s me! Eddie!”

Just then, it clicked. “Eddie? Eddie Munson? Wait! You have hair now!”

“I do have hair now! And tats!” he said gesturing to the ink on his body.

“Wow! They look great!” Tara said, admiring the art work.

“You look great, too,” Eddie said off to the side, only to be drowned out by the roar of what was unmistakably Billy’s Camaro.

“I don’t think that was loud enough,” he said sarcastically.

Tara offered a weak chuckle in response when they were both interrupted by her brother poking his head in.

“Hey Tara. Your dumbass boyfriend is here.”

“Oh, well, I guess I better see to that.”

Tara went to see Billy in the living room standing by the open door. “I’ll go get Max. You can leave the spare key on the—“

Billy slammed her against the wall, hand wrapped around her neck, squeezing and leaned in so they were nose to nose.

“I’m only gonna say this once,” he said, his voice only barely above a whisper, “it’s not over until I say it’s over. Nobody leaves me. You leave me, it’s gonna be in a body bag.”

“Billy! I can’t breathe!” Tara pleaded, voice strangled. “Let me go!”

“Say it.”

“Say what?”

“That you aren’t gonna leave me.”

“Billy… please… have mercy…”

“Say it.”

“I’m not gonna leave you…”

“Louder.”

“I’m not gonna leave you…”

“I still can’t hear you. You’re gonna have to speak up, doll face.” he mocked, squeezing harder on her neck.

“I’ll stay! I’m not gonna leave you!” Tara forced out, desperate for any form of relief.

That seemed to satisfy him and he let her throat go.

Tara took a deep gasp, coughing for air as she collapsed to the ground.

“Get your shit, Max. We’re leaving,” he called.

Tears poured out of Tara’s eyes as she pathetically laid on the floor, still trying to catch her breath.

Billy kneeled to her side, grabbing her chin. “By the time I get that little shit back home, you better be in the car.”

“Wait…” Tara started, still catching her breath. “Where are we even going?”

“You’ll find out, when we get there.”

“Billy, we have school tomorrow!”

“And the more you argue with me, the further your bedtime is going to be.”

Billy banged his fist on the doorway. “Sometime today, shit-for-brains!”

“I’m coming!” Max said, walking straight past Tara to Billy.

“Don’t even think about making me wait.”Billy took Max by the arm roughly and slammed the door behind them.

Tara took a breath and walked over to the coat closet. She hated it when Billy did that. Was it not bad enough that he habitually punched holes into her wall? She turned to Eddie, trying to gauge if he overheard any of Billy’s violence. “I have to go.”

“Are you in a hurry or do you have a second?” asked Eddie.

“Why? What’s going on?”

“I uhhhh,” Eddie nervously rubbed the back of his head. “I wanted to apologise for what a shithead I used to be.”

Tara genuinely wasn’t expecting that. She had always been told that after a certain amount of time has passed, it’s supposed to be forgotten about and you’re supposed to move on.

“I grew up in an emotionally unstable environment and I ended up internalising my trauma and unknowingly transferred it onto my peers in the form of unchecked rage and aggression. It also took my uncle a while to understand that getting me away from my dad wasn’t enough. I still harboured those negative emotions, and then I had feelings for you and had absolutely no idea what to do or how to express them in a way that was healthy. I saw how my dad treated my mom in my formative years and ended up thinking that was normal.”

“Feelings?” Tara asked. “What kind of feelings?”

Eddie’s breath caught in his throat. “Uh… well… you know…”

“YOU’D BETTER BE READY, BITCH!”

“Oh! I gotta go! I have a performance on Saturday at the Rialto Theatre at 4, but I guess we can talk tomorrow if we run into each-other at school?”

“The Rialto Theatre? As in the one in Chicago?”

“Yup! That’s the one! Our ballet performance might get the school a decent size grant.”

“COME ON!”

“I have to go! We’ll talk tomorrow!”

Tara literally ran out of the door.

As she sped to the Camaro, Billy practically shoved her in and slammed the door before getting in the driver’s side and speeding off.

“Can you at least tell me where we’re going?”

“Like I said, you’ll find out when we get there.”

Tara looked out the window, unsure if she was even going to get back home. She let out a heavy sigh, trying to gauge the direction.

When the car came to a screeching halt, it was at Lover’s Lake. Tara suddenly remembered his previous threats.

“Billy,” Tara started, nervously. “You don’t have to hurt me. We can talk this out.”

“We already did that, sweetheart. Remember?”

“And I said I wasn’t gonna leave you, right?”

“Exactly. So get in the back.”

Tara had only had sex with Billy in the back of his car a few times and every single one made her feel very claustrophobic and uncomfortable. Besides that…

“Didn’t you leave school with another girl today already?”

“I did, and the bitch gave me blue balls. Which, as my girlfriend, is your job to fix. So get your ass in the back.”

Tara crossed her arms indignantly. “I do not exist to serve as your personal—“

“I’m not gonna say it again.”

Tara sighed, getting in the back. Billy followed, laying her down on the back seat before tearing off the bottom half of her clothing. He undid his pants, allowing his cock to spring free. It twitched while he reached for something in his back pocket.

“A condom?” Tara asked in confusion.

“Your mom decided to get in my ass about it. So now you can tell her that I followed her little rule,” he said, opening the packet.

Once he rolled in on, he pulled up her shirt, exposing her breasts.

“I love these fun bags,” he said, groping them roughly. He sucked both nipples hard before giving each one a gentle bite, making Tara moan.

He lined himself up with her entrance. “Who’s my little sex slave?”

“I am,” Tara replied meekly.

“Yes. You are.” Billy penetrated her as hard as he could, gasping. “Fucking Christ that’s tight!” He thrusted hard, making his car rock. “So tight! You’ve been keeping it nice and tight for me! Fuck!” He kept thrusting as the windows and windshield began to fog up.

“Billy,” Tara moaned out, “at least tell me that you love me…” she whined.

Billy leaned down and kissed her. His tongue wrestled with hers for dominance, ultimately winning. He kissed down her neck, fanning her throat with husky moans.

“God… Tara… I’m gonna…” Billy threw his head back and rode out his orgasm, thrusting hard. Once he was spent, he collapsed beside her, catching his breath.

“Was it good for you, too, gorgeous?”

“Billy, do you love me or not?”

He got up, pulled the condom off and tossed it onto the ground.

“That’s disgusting! Throw that away!”

“Not my issue,” Billy said, getting back into the driver’s seat.

Tara got into the passenger’s seat, still keen on pressing the issue. “I asked you a question.”

“A stupid question,” Billy put the car in drive and sped off.

“It’s a perfectly legitimate question and it has a yes or no answer!” Tara said indignantly.

“An obvious answer, so why would I waste my time?”

“Actually, your actions don’t make it seem very obvious.”

Billy slammed his fist onto the steering wheel and the car began accelerating towards a speed that was definitely not safe at all, not that he really drove at a safe and prudent speed to begin with. “Yes! Okay! I love you! Are you happy, you psycho bitch? You wore me down! Congratulations!”

“Why are you screaming at me?”

“BECAUSE YOU MAKE ME FUCKING CRAZY!”

“Because I wanted to know whether you actually love me or not?”

“Because you always expect me to grovel for you!”

“How is that grovelling?”

“Don’t play dumb with me, you fucking bitch!”

The entire outside of the car was a blur.

“Slow down! You’re gonna kill us both!”

“Maybe I should, huh? Maybe that’s the only way I’ll finally have some peace away from your constant bullshit!”

“BILLY! PLEASE STOP! I DON’T WANNA DIE!”

“That’s too bad, bitch!”

“PLEASE BILLY! I LOVE YOU! I’LL STAY! I WON’T EVER EVEN THINK ABOUT LEAVING YOU!”

The car came to a screeching halt in front of their respective houses. Billy erupted in laughter, as if this was a sick joke to him.

“You should have seen the look on your fucking face!”

Billy mocked her terrified expression before doubling over in laughter, slapping his hand on the steering wheel while catching his breath.

“Oh my god, that was priceless,” he said, collecting himself. “You really thought I was gonna crash my baby and kill myself. As if the world would go on without this handsome mug.”

Tara looked like she was ready to strangle Billy.

“Look,” he offered, “I would never do anything to hurt you. You’re my girl. I love you, okay?” he asked, stroking her face.

The fact that Billy went from a raging psychopath to gentle and sweet in the blink of an eye terrified Tara, so she decided to placate him to lessen the blows.

“Okay, I love you, too,” Tara replied.

Billy took the thumb that was stroking her face and inserted it into her mouth.

Tara sucked obediently, eliciting a smirk from Billy, who took his thumb out of her mouth, slid it into her panties, and rubbed gentle circles on her clit.

“I miss feeling you cum, babe.”

He continued his ministrations while leaning over and placing open mouth kisses on her face. Tara let his tongue in while his hand continued.

“You gonna be a good girl now?”

“Mhm,” Tara hummed between kisses.

Tara began palming the forming bulge in his jeans. She was so lost in the passion that neither of them saw the front door to Billy’s house open.

“Billy, get your ass in the house!”

Billy instantly popped off of Tara and for a split second, she could see what looked like genuine fear in his eyes. But just as quickly as she saw it, it was gone.

The two looked over to see Neil standing in the doorway, and he did not look pleased at all.

“Looks like we’ll have to continue this some other time, sweet cheeks,” Billy said, licking the juices off of his thumb.

“I said get your ass in this house!”

“I heard you, you prick!”

Billy got out of the car, slamming the door behind him before letting Tara out of the passenger’s seat, locking the doors and rushing into his house.

Neil shot Tara what was unmistakably a contemptuous look before slamming the door.

She sighed, walking back to her own door before entering the house to see that the DnD game was still going strong.

“Dude!” Jeff called. “We totally used the roar from your boyfriend’s car to start off the final boss fight!”

“Well,” Tara said, weakly letting out an amused chuckle. “Glad we could provide good ambience.”

Tara sighed. “I’m gonna go to bed. I have to be up early. Enjoy your game!”

Tara went upstairs to get ready for bed. While changing into her nightgown, Tara heard arguing from across the street. Truthfully, she had always heard this, but always assumed that Billy was the aggressor.

Then again, she never really got to know his parents. She’s had the occasional passing conversation with Susan, who seemed nice enough, but whenever she tried to greet or say hello to Neil, he was always in a bad mood.

Once she was ready, she crawled into bed before opening her music box and drifting off.

Once the campaign finished for the night and Hellfire Club tidied up, Eddie cracked his knuckles. “Welp, I gotta take a piss and drive these other little shits home,” he said referring to Jeff and Gareth.

“Bathroom’s upstairs.” Daniel said.

“Thanks, man.”

After relieving himself, Eddie heard the music box coming from Tara’s room and decided to peek his head in.

He saw Tara sleeping peacefully beside a nightlight with the music box on the nightstand.

He looked around her room to see stuffed animals, fairy tale books, her television, Betamax player and VCR, and of course her walls were painted pink with flowers and unicorns. That’s when he noticed the holes in the wall. He decided to inspect them closely and realised that they were punched in. The same way the walls in his father’s house looked. He kept his steps feather light as he overheard the fighting across the street that was STILL going strong.

The next morning, when Tara went down for breakfast, she saw a note on the coffee table.

It had Eddie’s number and read:

Here if you ever need to talk

-Eddie

Tara felt a persistent sense of uneasiness while she ate, but couldn’t pinpoint where exactly it was coming from.

Suddenly Billy walked through the door leaving Tara to quickly scarf down her breakfast as he walked into the kitchen.

“Seriously? You’re still eating?” he asked.

“Nope! I’m done!” Tara said, quickly standing up.

“So fucking disgusting,” he said to himself as Tara followed him.

The ride to school was quiet. Tara decided it was better to not say or do anything that might conceivably rub Billy the wrong way.

It was Max who broke the awkward silence. “So what’s ‘The Nutcracker’ about?”

Tara turned to Max. “Hmm?”

“I saw a poster just outside of the AV room.”

“Oh! That! That’s our team’s Christmas production! It’s about a girl named Clara who—“

The car swerved hard, causing Tara to hit the passenger side window hard. “Ouch!” she cried out.

“Jesus Christ, Billy!” Max yelled indignantly.

“Sorry!” Billy said insincerely. “Almost hit a deer!”

“There are no deer here!” Tara said.

“My mistake,” he smirked.

Once the car pulled up to the school, Max grabbed her skateboard and headed up to the middle school campus.

“Have a good day at school!” Tara called.

When she went to head to first period, Billy grabbed her arm.

“Do me a favour and stop acting like Max is your little buddy now.”

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me. You’re embarrassing us both.”

Billy grabbed her arm, pulling her by the wrist and leading her to class. Every day it was like this. He was marking his territory. It was clear to everyone not to go near Billy Hargrove’s girl unless you had a funeral plot ready to go.

“If I embarrass you so much, then why are you even with me?”

“Because you need me, Dollface.”

“I need you? That’s a hoot because since we started dating, I haven’t been able to eat or sleep, my grades have gone down, I’m in constant pain, and dancing with my partners gives me crippling anxiety because I’m absolutely terrified that you’re gonna bust in at any moment and go bonkers! So, exactly what is it that you’re doing for me?”

“Oh, so I guess I’m a terrible boyfriend, now?”

“I never said that…”

“Well, you’re acting like it. Why don’t you show me a little more gratitude, huh? I drive your fat ass to school and back home, I listen to your dumbass stories and watch these dumbass kids movies with you, and all I ask from you is a little bit of effort. And all you ever do is bitch, complain and cry.”

“You sleep with other girls…” Tara said with tears welling up in her eyes.

“Yeah, I do. I have needs.”

The bell rings.

“You NEED to get to class,” Tara retorted.

First period started off rough. Not just with the argument, but with the fact that once again, Nancy was missing.

“Psst! Summer! Have you seen Nancy?” Tara hissed.

“No,” she answered.

Great. She was gonna miss first period again.

When class ended, Mr. Washington handed her a stack of papers. “What are these?” Tara asked in confusion, examining them.

“Those are Miss Wheeler’s assignments for the past couple of days. I know you won’t mind making sure she gets them.”

“Not at all,” Tara said, gritting her teeth.

Thankfully, once ballet class rolled around, things began to turn around. Ms. McIntyre was back, but the gas leak still had yet to be resolved. Like yesterday, the first half of class was on the blacktop and the second half was in the gymnasium, which they had to share with the basketball boys.

Billy was once again being a jerk to Steve.

“Dirtbag,” Tara mumbled to herself.

The team was rehearsing Giselle for the competition. Things were going okay until the Grand Pas Des Deus, when Billy started giving Spencer a hardcore death glare.

As he hoisted Tara into the air, a basketball came flying into his face.

“Ow! Christ!” he said, grabbing his face, dropping Tara on the floor.

“My bad!” Billy called, not feeling one iota of guilt over what he just did.

“Mr. Hargrove, I’ll thank you to keep your balls away from my dancers!”

“Well, Ms. McIntyre, that’s gonna be a challenge considering one of them is my girlfriend!” he retorted, busting into a fit of laughter.

Tara buried her face in her hands. Billy behaves like this all time as a way of marking his territory but she was the one who embarrassed him?

Once class ended, she was eager to be out of there.

“I’ll see you back here after school for rehearsal!” Ms. McIntyre called.

Oh crap. Rehearsal. There was no way Billy was gonna wait for her for that. Fantastic. Way to paint herself into a corner.

Third period came and it was thankfully uneventful… at least until Martin Tanner decided to spit on Tara’s desk.

“Tanner, did you just spit on my girlfriend’s desk?” Billy asked with an amused chuckle.

Tara, who had been mostly checked out with anxiety of wondering what might have happened to Nancy or Jonathan since he was also nowhere to be found, was brought back to reality upon hearing that.

Sure enough, there was the lob of spit on her desk.

“Gross!” she cried out.

“What is going on here?” Mrs. Kingsford asked.

“He spit on my desk! I’m immunocompromised! You know this! He could have killed me!”

“Mr. Tanner,” Mrs. Kingsford started with an annoyed sigh, “can you please refrain from this sort of behaviour. You know it upsets Miss Newman.”

“Shouldn’t people like that be left to die?” Kenzie asked. “You know, people who have to have their asses wiped?”

Tara got up and walked out.

When lunch rolled around and Tara saw hide nor hair of either Nancy or Jonathan, she began to seriously panic.

“What’s got your panties in a twist, doll?” Billy asked.

“I haven’t seen Nancy anywhere! This isn’t like her at all!”

“Oh you didn’t hear, Dollface?”

“Hear what, Billy?”

“Wheeler and Byers skipped. They ditched yesterday after lunch and haven’t been seen since.”

“That’s not like them! Jonathan, maybe. But Nancy? Why would she do that?”

“Maybe she got sick of you following her around like a lost puppy.”

Tara bolted off.

“Hey! Don’t you walk away from me!” Billy yelled in pursuit.

Once she found a utility closet, she grabbed Billy, dragged him in and closed the door.

“You could have just said that you wanted some alone time, princess,” he said smugly.

“Billy, what I’m about to tell you absolutely can not leave this room!”

“We’re about to do plenty of things that can’t leave this room,” he said, beginning to grope her.

“I’m dead serious! If this gets out, someone will come after you and someone will DEFINITELY come after Max!”

“Who’s ‘someone’?” Billy asked, lighting a cigarette with no regard to the fact that he could absolutely start a fire in such a close space.

“Goons.”

“Goons?”

“Goons. From the lab?”

Billy only quirked a brow in response.

“The men in black, Billy!”

Billy almost choked on his cigarette trying not to laugh.

“You think aliens took Nancy and Jonathan?”

“That’s not what I said! Obviously, aliens don’t exist!”

“What else would ‘men in black’ possibly refer to?”

“If you’d pay attention, I’ll tell you!”

Billy and Tara were now officially 13 minutes late to 4th period.

“So let me get this straight. You got really sick when you were 14, had to go to the hospital, have almost no memory of your stay there or how you got back home, and you think that this is somehow connected to Holland and Byers’ brother going missing?”

“I know it does! They tried to say Will was dead! And Barb… My point is that Nancy and Jonathan are in big trouble if their reason for being gone has anything to do with that.”

“What do Wheeler or Byers or any of the shit that happened in this shithole town have to do with you going to the hospital? What’s wrong with you? You got some kinda Lex Luthor shit going on or something?”

“Like I already said, for your own good, I can’t tell you!”

“So then why are you even telling me this?” Billy asked, casting a look of annoyance.

“Look, all you need to know is that I got sick and whatever happened at the hospital is probably what made Will and Barb go missing. And if that thing is still a problem, Nancy and Jonathan are in serious trouble!”

“So what exactly do you want me to do about it?”

“There’s nothing you can do, Billy! Someone is already trying to help me keep this contained.”

“Fascinating. Can I go now?” he asked pushing past her.

“Look!” Tara said, grabbing his arm. “I just need 5 minutes to try to find Nancy and Jonathan. Can you please just wait outside and cover for me for just 5 minutes?”

“What’s in it for me, doll?”

“I’ll do whatever you want tonight before bed.”

“Whatever I want?” Billy asked, quirking a brow as the corner of his lips turned up into a smirk.

“Yes, Billy. Whatever you want.”

“Deal,” he said, slapping his hand onto her butt for good measure.

With Billy standing guard outside, Tara blindfolded herself with the one washcloth she could find that didn’t smell like a dubious mix of chemicals.

“Where are you guys?”

She lied on the floor, trying to concentrate. She was finally able to return to the black. Maybe her powers were coming back after all.

Maybe. Because she felt a very strong force trying to pull her out of the black. Like she was just barely able to hold on to this connection and definitely couldn’t control where she was going.

“Nancy?” she called out.

“Breathe. Sunflower. Three to the right. Four to the left. Rainbow. 450.”

“Who’s there?”

“Breathe. Sunflower. Three to the right. Four to the left. Rainbow. 450.”

“TARA! TARA WAKE UP!”

Daniel had been vigorously shaking his sister for the past 5 minutes.

“Breathe. Sunflower. Three to the right. Four to the left. Rainbow. 450.”

“What the hell is she saying?” Billy asked.

“I don’t know! Her heart is pounding! I told you that she has heart problems? Why the hell doesn’t anyone listen to me?” Daniel asked.

“Breathe. Sunflower. Three to the right. Four to the left. Rainbow. 450.”

Nearby classes gathered outside, despite protests from teachers, while paramedics examined Tara, who had since come to her senses shortly before their arrival, insisting that she was fine.

“I’m okay! I just need to get to class!” she insisted.

Since her vitals were stable and there was no indication that anything life threatening was occurring, they couldn’t force her to go nor would they need a liability waiver to be signed.

During passing period to her last class, she ran into Eddie, who was the first to see the ambulance pull up to the school and being his nosy self, had to know what was going on.

“Hey! You okay?” he asked.

“Yeah. I’m fine. Just had a moment is all. But I’m good now,” she said unconvincingly.

“You sure? What brought that on, anyway?” he asked, pressing the issue.

“I mean, I think I’m just stressed,” Tara said in a half truth. “I messed up and don’t have a ride home after rehearsal, but—“

The warning bell rang.

“I gotta go!”

Rehearsal thankfully was the one thing in her day that didn’t go horribly wrong. She said goodbye to her fellow dancers and prepared herself to walk home. It couldn’t be helped. She didn’t have a choice.

Or so she thought. She heard a whistle and turned her attention to see Eddie standing by that van she saw pick her brother up and drop him off from school, putting 2 and 2 together and realising it was his.

“Your chariot awaits, princess!”

“You really stayed for me?” Tara asked.

“I couldn’t leave you stranded here.”

“Oh wow. Thanks!”

“Of course, princess.”

Tara got in the van with Eddie and the two drove off.

“Did Tara just get in Eddie Munson’s van?” Summer asked, shocked.

“She sure did,” Kenzie replied.

“She is so gonna get raped.”

“So… rations?” Eddie asked.

“Rations?” Tara repeated, confused.

“Rations! Food! You hungry?”

“Oh! I could eat!”

“Good answer!”

The two pulled up to the Taco Bell drive through and Tara pulled out her wallet.

“Don’t even think about it, princess! Your money is no good here while I’m around.”

Tho two sat in Eddie’s van where they ate, shared stories of what happened in the time that they lost touch, and throughout the conversation, it was clear that Eddie was 100% a changed man and not the horrible bully he used to be.

“Again, really sorry for what a shithead I used to be,” Eddie reiterated.

“You’re forgiven,” Tara said with a smile.

“How gracious of you!” Eddie said, overdramatically plopping his head into her lap. “I have earned forgiveness and begun my redemption arc!”

Tara chuckled and the two were playfighting when she accidentally knocked over his leather jacket, revealing a copy of “The Hobbit” causing him to gasp.

“Shit! Shit! Shit!” he exclaimed, quickly starting the van.

“What’s wrong?”

“Forgot to turn that back in! It’s due back today!”

Eddie was driving so frantically that he didn’t stop to remember that the library was still open for 3 more hours and he had plenty of time.

Eddie practically bum rushed the library with Tara following behind him.

“I need to turn this back in!” he said, slamming the book onto the desk before being bombarded with a sea of shushing.

“Well, well, well,” the librarian touted. “Once again. Not a minute late. And can I just say that it’s amazing that the town freak has a better understanding of library rules than One Dustin Henderson?” she asked in a passive aggressive tone.

“Wait, what did Dustin do?” Tara asked.

“Stole books. Breaks my heart to have to revoke his library card.”

“Wait! You can’t do that! You’d practically be killing him!” Tara protested.

“Those are the rules.”

“What if I brought the books back? Would you look the other way?”

That’s how Tara and Eddie ended up at “A Literal Haven” during the closing shift with a list of the books Dustin stole.

“So you work here?” Eddie asked curiously.

“I do!”

“Is it nice?”

“Yeah! It’s pretty cosy.”

Tara frantically gathered the books before letting out an exasperated sigh.

“One of them doesn’t have the same ISBN,” she grumbled.

That meant she wouldn’t be able to just take the replacements directly to the library.

She thought about what to do while Franklin wrung her up.

“Science books?” he asked. “That seems a bit different from your usual interests.”

“Well, to be honest, they’re not for me. This kid I babysit got into trouble with the library and I’m trying to get him out of trouble.”

“Ahhh, I see.”

After paying, Tara and Eddie got back into the van.

“I’ve got it!” Eddie said.

“Hmmm?” Tara asked.

“This Henderson kid. You could knock his door, give him the replacements and ask him to give back the ones he stole. Library looks the other way, he has his books. Everyone’s happy.”

“Eddie, you’re a genius!”

“I know.”

The duo made their to Dustin’s home to drop off the books and take the ones he stole back to the library.

Knock knock.

No answer.

“Hello?”

Tara looked and noticed Mrs. Henderson’s car wasn’t in the driveway. Clearly Dustin wasn’t home, either. Great.

“Looks like nobody’s home,” Eddie said.

“Yeah, I noticed,” Tara said before reaching under the decoy rock for the spare key.

“Hey, uh, fun fact I picked up from my dad’s arraignment. If you have a key, it’s still breaking and entering.”

“Which is why you’re going to stay in the van while I get the library copies so Dustin’s library card isn’t revoked,” Tara said, unlocking the door.

“For the greater good,” Eddie said. “I like it!”

Tara went inside with the stack of books to look for the ones he stole.

“That cheeky little twerp is gonna have an earful when I see him again,” Tara remarked.

Tara made her way to Dustin’s room where she saw the stack of books on his desk. There they were. Every single one of them.

Tara took the stack and replaced them with the books she bought and a note that read:

“Replaced these so you don’t lose your library card. You’re welcome.

-Tara”

She took note of the seemingly empty reptile tank.

“I thought Ringo died last summer,” she mumbled. Ringo, being Dustin’s pet gecko, who unfortunately reached the end of his 7 year lifespan on 8 June 1983.

She saw something move underneath the duvet that was covering the tank.

“He must have turned the heat lamp off. That poor thing is gonna freeze to death!” Tara turned the lamp on and removed the duvet.

In the blink of an eye, the tank’s glass shattered and an eldritch hiss rung out in her ears. Before she could process what happened, she felt an agonising chomp on her leg, causing her to scream bloody murder and collapse to the floor.

She looked up and saw what was unmistakably a baby troll that had bitten her leg. The creature crawled up her body, coming dangerously close to her face, before opening its respective face and hissing at her.

The creature lunged at her and Tara was certain that in that moment, she was a goner until Mews, the Henderson family cat, came to the rescue. Mews tackled the creature, taking it between his teeth by its neck and shook it violently, giving Tara the opportunity to crawl out of Dustin’s room, thankfully able to scrape together just enough psychic energy to close the door before she totally collapsed.

Blood ran out of her nose as her heart pounded in her ears. Part of her was worried about Mews, but she rationalised that he would be fine, recounting that time he, as a month old kitten, killed a possum twice his size with no issue. It was the troll who was finished, she thought.

Tara heard Eddie rush up the stairs to tend to her while she caught her breath.

“What the hell happened?” he asked.

“Something bit me! I think it might have been a raccoon or a possum. I don’t know! I didn’t get a good look at it!”

“Ouch! That looks bad! We gotta get you to a hospital.”

“No! It’s not that bad! I just need to go home and rest!”

“Tara, I’d be a really shitty person if I just took you home.”

“I’M NOT GOING TO THE HOSPITAL EVER!” Tara boomed.

“Okay,” Eddie said, raising his hands. “Can you meet me half way and do urgent care?”

“Fine,” Tara relented.

At the facility, the nurses and doctor who examined Tara pretty much told her the same thing.

“Miss Newman, you need to go to the emergency room. You tested negative for rabies. We’ll dress the wound to protect it until you get there, but this injury is serious. We don’t have the tools here to properly treat it.”

“Oh. Okay. I’ll have my friend drive me there.”

“Yeah. Do that.”

“What’s the verdict, princess?” Eddie asked.

“They were able to treat the wound. Turns out it wasn’t that serious. I just need to go home and sleep.”

“Sounds like a plan, sweetheart.”

Once they got back to the house, Eddie carried her upstairs to her bed.

“How is it that you’re able to carry me? You and I literally weigh exactly the same.”

“It’s not about what you weigh, it’s about weight distribution,” he declared, setting her onto her bed.

“I need to get my nightgown,” Tara said, starting to get up.

“Ah! Ah! Ah!” Eddie tutted. “Allow me.”

Eddie got the white nightgown and began to help Tara undress when the worst possible thing that could happen in this moment happened.

“The fuck are you doing with my girl, freak?”

The two looked over to see a very angry Billy with a cigarette in his mouth.

[hawkinsp0st]

i believe s5 will see our characters have everything returned to them that was taken from them in (or before) s1.

hopper will have a wife and a daughter again. lucas will have the love of his life, max mayfield, come back to him when she’s freed from vecna. dustin will avenge eddie’s—and by extension all outcasts’—name. joyce will have a healthy family and a loving husband. nancy will be free of societal expectations. jonathan will be able to live his life without the obligation to constantly worry over his mom & brother. steve will find that he’s already got the family he wanted, and robin will have a beautiful girl to share her truest self with. el will have a real family, a real mother and father, which was stolen from her as a newborn.

and mike wheeler will get back will byers, the one who’s never fully come back to him since he was taken by the demogorgon—the best boy that’s ever happened to him, who was taken from him by forces of evil and repression on a fateful november night.

and will byers? he’s going to be returned to the arms of mike wheeler, his knight in shining armor, the boy he couldn’t lie to, the boy who has been destined to love him unconditionally, for the rest of his life, since the moment they met.

[evergreen-eldritch]

I'm thinking about some transmasc Max and. Just. Max only starting to realize she feels off sometime after Billy's passing.

They're getting rid of whatever things that are left of Billy's, after Neil has already up and left, and she's tasked with digging through his old clothes.

Max finds many of his old shirts; the smell of strong cologne and cigarette smoke clinging to them, and a part of her wants to toss all of them into a pile and burn them. Another part of her wants to try them on. He was her brother. She hated him. Hates him, still. But she wants to keep a part of him close. He was still her brother.

She slips one of his button-up shirts on, and melts into the cotton fabric. It felt like her, she realizes, but at the same time, it felt like him.

In a blind anger, she takes it off, balling it up and throwing it into the corner of the room with frustrated and confused tears welling up in her eyes.

After they packed up the rest of Billy's clothes, she still kept that shirt in the back of her closet.

She forgets about the incident until a few months later, when she's shown up to Lucas', absolutely drenched from the rain, and he offers her some of his own clothes to borrow so she won't freeze.

When she catches a glimpse of herself in the mirror, she feels more like herself in his clothes, rather than her own.

She chalks it up to it just being Lucas'. As much as she refuses to admit it, she's heads over heels for him.

The next incident is much later; after all of the shit with Vecna is over, and she's finally out of the hospital, recovering from being completely paralyzed as she walks with a cane now.

She's with the others, all of them gathered around in Hopper's cabin, celebrating their victory, when she spots Eddie; long hair and lean frame and tattoos, and feels a sudden pang of envy. Jealousy. Like her heart had plummeted straight down out of her body, and through the floor. She'd felt it before, when she'd looked at Billy, but it had never been so strong before.

Stunned, she goes outside, and Eddie joins her, worried about the kid he just suddenly saw take off looking like she was about to cry.

"You okay kid?"

"I'm... I'm fine. Just needed some air."

"You sure? You looked heartbroken back there... did Lucas say some stupid shit? Sometimes he doesn't watch his mouth. I can smack him on the head for you-"

"No. It's... It's not Lucas. It's you."

"Oh. Did I... did I do something wrong, or...?"

"No, just... looking at you. I don't know, it's stupid..."

And she's not even sure why she's spilling her heart out to someone she barely knows, but Eddie looks at her with a calm and understanding look in his eyes.

"Hey, no. It's not stupid. You can tell me, I promise I won't judge."

"...promise you won't tell a soul?"

"I swear on my life."

And so, Max sighs, and finally lets that weight off of her shoulders. She tells him about the discomfort of looking in the mirror, the way she despises being called 'Maxine', the way she's always been a tomboy but it never felt quite right.

And he looks her, up and down, then nods.

"I think I know what you mean." He murmurs, and she's nothing but confused until he continues.

"I was like that too. I was kinda... I was always a tomboy too, but I was more into the goth and punk scene than a skater like you. And then one day I just got sick of it, y'know? The 'young lady's and 'miss's and all of that shit. It felt wrong. Made me wanna throw up every time I heard it."

Eddie stares off into the woods as he talks, a somber expression on his face. And suddenly, she gets it.

"You were a girl?"

"Once. A long time ago. Yeah." He admits, and Max lets out a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding.

"So... I'm not the only one?"

"No. You're not."

"And... I can be a boy, if I want to?"

"If it feels right, sure."

She pauses, pondering that for a moment, then nodding. "Okay. I think I'd like to, then. But, um..." She trails off, picking at the rubber handle of her cane, and Eddie looks over at her.

"You're not sure where to start, are you?" He asks, and she slowly shakes her head. "That's okay," He continues, "I can help, if you want?"

"Please." She says with an exhausted laugh, "I've spent ages trying to figure this shit out, on top of all of the interdimensional monster fuckery."

Eddie tosses his head back, and laughs.

The next few months after that seem to blow by, with Max slowly growing into himself; cutting his own hair off in the bathroom at one point, then immediately going to Steve for help, because it looked bad. Learning from Eddie how to flatten his chest, and eventually getting hormones from him, too.

After he told the first few members of the party, it didn't take them very long to spread the word to the rest, and soon enough the entirety of their tiny, monster fighting group was calling him he, and he felt like he was finally home.

Although his mother didn't take it well, he knew she was trying her best, and over time, she came around.

Lucas, quite frankly, didn't care. Instead, after Max started to show a few more masculine traits due to the hormones, Lucas very loudly announced he was bisexual in front of the entirety of the party, and then proceeded to kiss Max for emphasis. Max absolutely refuses to admit it, but he did swoon a little when Lucas dipped him.

He grows his hair back out after a year or so, reclaiming it as a masculine thing, like he'd seen Eddie do.

And, finally, he's comfortable. Hawkins still remembers 'Maxine', of course, but the people have also learned not to mess with the weirdly tight-knit group of families that defend Max.

[hogwartsmarvelmommy]

Second chances and unspoken promises (TH) 🔥

Word count: 7.2k

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Summary: three years since the fall of your secret relationship, and a journey back to the place it all started. You could be leaving even more heartbroken, or maybe the stars will align and it'll be your time.

Warnings: some angst, fluff, smut. Secret relationship. Talk of a long secret relationship during early years. Break up, slight insecurities, overall I think that's it (let me know if you see anything I didn't mention)

Additional warnings: oral (f receiving) fingering, showering together, unprotected sex (don't be silly)

A/n this took me so long to finish 🙄 but here it finally is 😁

~~~

Your tires skidded to a stop on the blanket of white snow that led up the driveway of the large secluded cabin. The weather had progressively gotten worse from when you had first begun your drive until now, visibility dwindling quickly due to the large snowflakes fluttering down. You were sure with how heavily the snow was falling, by morning all the cars that lined the large drive would be covered. 

It had been a few years since all of you had made the journey up, everyone's life becoming jam packed, and busy. This trip itself was a last minute plan. Sam had called just a few days prior, insisting you join. Something about a dire need for nostalgia or something to the effect. 

The December's up here we're rough. Quite often having blizzards that would bury the cabin owners in for days, but even that didn't stop the Hollands. This year only the three eldest boys, and close friends Harrison Osterfeild and Tuwaine Barrett, had made the trek up, knowing the weather forecast was warning of a hefty snow storm. 

You had been coming up to the Hollands family cabin since you were a tot, when your parents would accompany you, you were on every trip, so much so you had your own room, separated from the boys as you were always the only girl. This cabin was the place you had your first kiss, the place you lost your virginity, and it was also the place your heart had been broken into a million pieces. 

You weren't sure exactly what had made you say yes, knowing the last time you stood inside the four walls, your world had crumbled down around you. Maybe it was curiosity, maybe it was just because you were reluctant to believe that that had really been the end.. three long years, and you were still just as in love with him as you were the first time you kissed him at only eleven, under the stairs in the potter closet. 

You took a deep breath before shutting off your engine, not actually prepared to deal with the chill that was going to take over as soon as you opened the door to walk to the boot and collect your bag. You pushed the door open, swinging your feet out to the plush snow that was still coming down, you could get your bag and run, but that ran the risk of falling on your ass and making yourself freeze, or you could just endure the two minutes max it would take you. 

You relentlessly walked to the back of the car, grabbing your heavy bag and lighter one as well before walking up the not so recently shoveled path. 

You could hear the words echoing in your head as you neared the front door. "Your not enough y/n, your not worth it," the words had shattered you, making you feel less than a dirty tissue. You stood in the door that day, as you watched the love of your life leave, destined to do spectacular things, leaving you behind and broken. The worst part? No one had ever known what had gone on between the two of you. Years, of secret meet ups, stolen kisses, and dumb excuses. 

The closest anyone had ever come to finding the truth was the winter of 2018, when Sam had seen Tom leaving your room in the middle of the night, hair a mess and sweaty as he sneaked back to his room. Somehow you had managed to convince him he had imagined the whole thing.. you still weren't sure how that had worked in your favor. 

You took the final steps to the large oak door, glancing at the slab of concrete that held each of your hand prints embedded next to your names, ordered from oldest to youngest. Toms, yours, Sam's, Harry's and then Paddy's little baby hand, him barely being a year when you had made the sweet memory.

"Alright," you whispered as you turned the handle stepping into the toasty cabin. The smell of pasta hit you instantly, something you were sure Sam was whipping up. You heard loud conversations coming from in the main family room, with light music playing in the background. You dropped your bags down next to the staircase, slipping your boots off and onto the mat, and then stripping your heavy coat off, leaving you in just leggings, a light hoodie, and your maroon beanie. Nerves picking up at this point, unaware of who was here yet, and how you would be greeted, having not seen everyone in so long. There was a pattering coming towards you as you looked over to see the grown staffy running at you. "Hi Tess," you sang as you got to her level, letting her greet you with slobbery kisses. "Missed you too darling," you told her as you scratched her head. 

"Tessa?" Tom called, rounding the corner and stopping at the sight of you with the pup, a sight he had seen before, when she was smaller, and you were his. "Hi," he whispered. 

You glanced up, smiling before getting to your feet, Tess not leaving your side. "Hi Tommy," you said, barely above a whisper. Neither of you moved, standing there just looking at each other as if you were in a standoff, waiting to see who would do or say something first. 

"Hey Tom do you- oh my god Y/n's here," Harry yelled pushing past his stunned older brother to wrap you in a long overdue hug. "Missed you kid," he told you, squeezing you too tight. 

"Harry," you giggled, swatting at his curly red hair. 

"Sorry, sorry. It's just been so long," he pointed out.

"Y/n?" Sam's voice was eager as he rounded the corner, nearly in a Sprint as he made his way to you. "God I'm so glad you came!" He screeched as he lifted you into his arms.  

"Me too," you hummed, returning the hug. 

"C'mon, let's go introduce you to everyone," Harry urged, grabbing your hand. 

"Everyone?" You asked in confusion. 

"Harrison, Tuwaine, and Sam's girlfriends," Harry told you. You nodded, not being aware there would be other girls on the trip. The news actually excited you, maybe the estrogen would calm the boys down from being so rowdy and rambunctious. 

"Grace, Molly, Clark-" Harry announced, making the three girls turn towards you. "This is Y/n y/l/n, our oldest friend,"

The three girls got up making their way to you, as the four of you exchanged pleasantries. 

"We have heard so much about you!" Gracie exclaimed. 

"I'm really glad to finally not be the only girl up here," you admitted as you were ushered over to sit with the three of them. 

Meanwhile, Tom was still standing in the front hall, not sure what to do with himself. He had thought that seeing you would be easy. You were just y/n, after all. But when his eyes met yours, the pink hue of your cheeks and nose, sent his mind rushing back to years prior, when he would pull you into the potter closet, freshly in from the snow, kissing the tip of your nose and cradling your hands as he attempted to warm you up. You would never know how much he had loved you, how much he had appreciated and cherished every stolen moment the two of you had shared together, up until the last one. The words still burned his throat, remembering the look on your face as he said them, desperate to not hurt you, but he somehow had managed to screw that up. He had just wanted to let you live your life, not following him around as his life had gotten too overwhelming, he hadn't wanted to put that stress on you, knowing you would have endured it for him, even if it killed you. 

But to see you, just a few steps from him, letting Tess slobber on you with her kisses, nose red, cheeks rosy, in your signature cold outfit, wearing his old hoodie. He wanted to take it all back, he wanted to have crossed the distance pulling you into his arms, burying his face in your neck as he whispered how badly he missed you, and then to pull away, to meet your lips with his, in a warm kiss, a kiss that would bring it all back, every broken promise, every missed opportunity, every longing feeling..

"You alright mate?" Haz asked, bringing Tom out of his head.

"M'allright," Tom lied, knowing Harrison could see right through him, he was the only one who knew, knew how desperately Tom had loved you, how crushed he had been when he called things off, how hard it had been as he walked away from who he was sure was the one. You had been his first, first kiss, first shag, first love, first heartbreak… and he desperately wanted you to be his last. Last love, last kiss, last goodnight, last person he held in his arms on his deathbed. He was sure there was no way, not with the look you had given him three years prior, tears threatening to spill over the brim of your eyes, bottom lip quivering, as you just watched him leave, watched him walk out of your life with no promise to ever return..

This was sure to be a long trip.. 

You nestled your way between Harry and Tess laying your head on Harry's shoulder with your hot chocolate in your hands listening to the conversation they were all having. The fire in the wood burning stove was blazing, radiating a heat that was warming you all to the core. Dinner had come and gone with some slight small talk, leading to everyone shifting to the family room. Sam was in the middle of telling Tuwaine something, to which you weren't paying attention when Molly asked you a question. 

"So y/n, do you have a boyfriend?" She asked, politely.  Your cheeks flushed red as you lifted your head from where it was resting on Harry's shoulder before. 

"No, no boyfriend," you told her with a chuckle.

"Really?" Grace interjected, now solely intrigued with the gossip. "How long since you had one?" She wondered. 

"Three years, actually, pretty close to the day," you took a deep breath all to aware of Tom's, eyes directly on you from across the couch. 

"Three years? Must have been some heartbreak," Clark said, a pitying look on her face. Truth be told, Tom was never your boyfriend, never having put a label on whatever it was the two of you had been doing, but she was right, it was definitely 'some heartbreak'.

"Yeah, I just wasn't enough," you said quietly, an ache in your chest knowing the man who had said those words sitting just a short distance from you. 

"No way," Clark shook her head. "He wasn't good enough for you," she shot you a sweet smile. 

"That's true," Tom muttered from where he had been sitting quietly on the couch, making all the girls turn towards him. 

"Did you know him?" Grace asked. Tom's eyes widened, realizing he had spoken too loud. 

"I- yeah," he sighed, knowing they were going to quiz him on the subject now. 

"Was he awful?" Molly wondered. 

"No, he was great," 

"He was an ass," 

You and Tom had spoken at the same time, you looked up, eyes meeting him in a lingering stare. "He was great," you repeated, not looking away from him. 

"How could you still think that after what i- he said to you?" Tom asked. With your attention fully on him, you could almost forget the others in the room with you.

"He was young, I was younger. Life caught up with us and made the fantasy we were living too real too fast, doesn't mean I have to hate him. I still love him, never stopped…" you reached next to you scratching in between Tessa's ears. "Sometimes you have to push past the hurt to try and understand other people," you whispered, not daring to look up. 

"Is he your soulmate?" Harry asked. You looked besides you, not even aware that he had tuned into the conversation. 

"I don't know," you chuckled. 

You looked across from you to see Tom's sight glued to his hands in his lap, completely unreadable.  

"Have you been with anyone since?" Grace asked, everyone turning to you. 

"Like?" 

"Sexually?"

"Oh," you felt your cheeks heat up at the question. "No actually, he's the only man I have ever been with," you admitted, making Tom's head shoot up to look at you, shock plastered on his face. 

"Three years?" Harry gasped, Dramatically sliding down as though he was wounded. "That's too damn long to not be laid," he told you. 

"I agree," Grace giggled. 

You shook your head and let out a chuckle. You had never been able to bring yourself to move on, fear that it would be betraying your heart, which clearly belonged to someone else, after so many years, it still belonged to him.. 

It was nearly two am when the welcoming conversation died down, Clark and Sam excusing themselves first, followed closely by Harry, and Then you. 

You grabbed your bags, heading up the stairs to the room that had been yours for so many years. The door creaked open, as you pushed through, dropping your bags at the end of the old bed before switching on the lamp. A picture of you and Tom neatly placed in a frame next to it. 

You could still remember the day it was taken, Niki had been following behind all of you as you hiked up the big hill to sled down. You had lost your balance, falling over and pulling Tom down with you, into a soft pile of snow. The smiles on your faces as you had been giggling were so pure, filled with love and adoration. Even Niki could see that, snapping a picture of the moment to be frozen in time forever. 

You walked over to the bed, sitting down lightly as you watched the snow fall from out the window. The view was mesmerizing. The white blanket covering the ground making it impossible for it to be dark. 

You had forgotten how at home it felt here, being where you had grown into a woman, almost every important defining moment happening within these four walls. There was a soft knock on the door. 

"Yeah?" You called out. The door creaked open, and Harrison's head peaked in. 

"Can we talk for a sec?" He asked you. 

"Sure," you nodded to him, before he finished opening the door and walking over to sit beside you.

"I know it really isn't my place to tell you this, but he loves you. He's crazy about you, and that never stopped," he looked over to gauge your reaction. 

"Haz," 

"Y/n, I know that what he did was awful, but you have to know his intentions were pure," you took a deep breath and nodded before sitting back to hear what he had to say. "You knew how busy he got during the civil war, and then with homecoming and infinity war it was even worse, he didn't want to put you through it anymore. With Endgame, and Far from home he had almost no time to do anything else. And he knew it was going to be that way, he knew he wasn't going to be able to be there for you," he explained. 

"He told me-" 

"I know. I know what he said, and I'm not saying you have to forgive him, but just know, he didn't mean it, okay?" He looked at you with his soft blue eyes, trying to fix his best friend's mess. Honestly, what Tom had done hurt you, but you knew he hadn't meant it, there was no way he had meant it. 

"Okay," you nodded. 

"Okay, got to get back to Gracie now," he told you as he jumped up and rushed out. You turned your attention back to the window, hopeful that this trip would get you answers, or at least some closure.

You opened your eyes to the splattering noise at your window. You could see the remnants of an exploded snowball splattered about. You rolled out of bed, pulling the fuzzy blanket that had been on top of you around your body as you made your way to the window. Sam was bundled up, running as Harry charged at him, a freshly made snowball in hand as Tom stood holding Tessa's leash as he watched his younger brothers goofing off. 

He glanced up to the window seeing you looking down at him and lifted his hand in an awkward wave. You giggled and waved back, walking away from the window, and making your way downstairs. The quietness of the house led you to believe everyone else was still asleep. You walked over to the still lit wood stove and tossed in a few more logs to ensure the heat would continue. 

You had never been a great cook, you were actually certifiably bad, but you still decided to go to the kitchen and begin to pull out the ingredients for breakfast. 

You were on your tiptoes about to reach the flour when you heard the front door open and felt the gust of wind. 

"What are you doing?" Sam asked casually as he walked up to the fire sticking his red hands out to get warm.

"Breakfast," you proudly stated. 

"God, no, please y/n, anything but that," Harry groaned as he made his way in. 

"Hey!" You pouted. You couldn't actually be offended, you would have probably ended up giving everyone food poisoning had you gone through with the cooking.

"Don't bully her, she's not that bad of a cook," Tom said as he rounded the corner pulling the beanie from his head to expose his crazy hair. "She makes some mean cookies," Tom reminded them. 

"Oh no," Harry groaned, falling back onto the couch. 

"Baking and cooking are two completely separate things Tom," Sam started. 

"You had to open that can of worms?" Harry asked, looking at Tom. 

"See the science behind-" 

"God! No Sam!" Harry groaned again, making a giggle erupt from your chest. 

"I want to hear Sammy, tell me," you instructed leaning against the counter. Sam shot a cocky look over to Harry before turning and lecturing you for the next thirty minutes on the differences in cooking and baking, and why chefs were not considered bakers and vice versa. By the end you were sitting at the kitchen island as Sam finished the pancakes and bacon. 

"Interesting," you mumbled as he slid a plate of food your way. 

"It truly is," he agreed. You grabbed your fork beginning to eat the food on your plate when you felt a hand on the low of your back. You glanced up with your mouth full to see Tom standing beside you, not even aware of where his hand was placed, or if he was, he wasn't showing it. "Here," Sam said as he slid the plate to him. 

"Thanks Lad," he said as he sat down onto the stool next to you, hand leaving your back as he moved it to grab his fork. He noticed the look on your face of shock. "You alright?" He wondered. 

"Uh- yeah, I'm okay," you nodded, turning your attention back to the food In front of you. 

One single touch and you were completely undone, couldn't even muster the ability to speak. What were you supposed to do for the next week and a half? You weren't sure you could manage… 

"Morning y/n," Clarke said as she walked up behind you. "Morning handsome," she said to Sam.

"Morning beautiful," he said before rounding the counter to giver a quick peck and set a plate In Front of her. "Eat," he instructed. She sat down next to you and started to eat the food. Soon enough everyone had woken up and eaten breakfast. 

"We should go up to the hot springs," Harry said from in front of the fireplace. 

"Awful idea," Harrison laughed. 

"Why?" Gracie asked suddenly. 

"The water is nice and warm, but then when you get out you're still wet and have to hike back down to the cabin, it's miserable," he explained quickly. 

She nodded, "yeah we will pass," 

"Okay," Harry shook his head, "Sam? Clarke?" 

"Yeah we will go," Sam answered. 

"Cool, y/n? Tom?" 

You glanced up from where your nose had been buried In a book having heard your name called with Tom's. "What?" You asked. 

"Hot springs?" 

"Ohh, yeah, I'll go," you sent Harry a smile and glanced over to Tom who had raised brows. 

"Count me in too," he said, not looking away from you. 

"OK, I'll go see about the other two," he announced, jumping to his feet. 

"Don't barge in Baz, you'll see something you don't want to see,"  Harrison laughed, causing everyone else to give a disgusted groan. "What? You all believe they have been "resting" all morning?" He asked. 

"No but you didn't need to say it," Clarke laughed burying her head back into Sam's shoulder. 

Everyone walked ahead of you through the soft snow. The hike up the hill itself wasn't extremely hard, but with the added difficulty of the freshly fallen snow, it seemed to be a much more daunting task. The hot springs were just a little past the sledding hill, and should have only been about a ten minute walk, but you were sure it was easily minute twenty by now. 

Tom could see you struggling, just like old times, he fell back from the rest of the group until you caught up with him. "Here," he said, offering out his arm. 

You grabbed it eagerly, as you attempted to keep your dwindling balance. "thanks," you mumbled as the two of you began to walk. 

"How have you been?" Tom asked quietly. Looking over at your rosy tinted face. 

"Alright, working a lot.. you?" You asked.

"Working," he agreed with a chuckle. 

"The Netflix film was good," you told him.

"You watched that?" He wondered. You could sense the surprise in his voice. 

"Of course Tommy, I've watched everything you have been in," you chuckled. 

You could see from your peripheral vision that his cheeks seemed to get a darker shade of red. "Your favorite?" He asked. 

"Most definitely civil war," you said. "Recognize that butt anywhere," you giggled. 

"Oh shit up," he groaned, rolling his eyes. You couldn't help the nostalgic feel that washed over you

You and Tom trailing behind, lost in your own conversation, while everyone else was way ahead, not minding the two of you. You're not sure how no one ever caught on to the two of you, you were sure, had you been an outsider looking in, it would have been painfully obvious as to what was going on. 

"You remember winter of 17'?" You asked. 

"Hard to forget, we came out here almost every day," Tom chuckled. 

"That year was a good one," you sighed. 

"Winter of 18' was pretty good though," Tom said, glancing over to you. 

"The beginning," you nodded. 

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-" 

"It's ok Tommy, I know you didn't," you told him, a sudden sadness in your eyes as you cut him off. 

"I wish I could take it back," he whispered. 

"Do things differently?" You asked. 

"Yeah, I wouldn't have hid what we had, you deserved to be shown off to the world, not pulled into the closet Every Time I wanted to kiss you," he explained. 

"Hey," you said, "I have some of my best memories in that potter closet," you teased. 

"Yeah," Tom sighed. "I do to," 

You both walked in a comfortable silence before finally catching up with the others at the natural hot springs, the water letting off a beautiful steam, surrounded by white fluffy snow. 

"It's gorgeous out here!" Clarke exclaimed as she shimmied out of her clothes to rush into the water. 

"Not as gorgeous as you, sweetheart," Sam teased. 

"Blegh," Harry faked a gag. "Stop being so gross," he told his twin. 

"Oh, piss off Baz," Sam quipped back. 

She was right though, it was a gorgeous sight, and it brought back many fond memories to be back. 

"Ok, y/n, craziest sexual experience?" Clark asked as you all settled in the hot water. 

"What?" You asked shocked. 

"She does this, you'll get used to it," Harry told you. 

"Oh, well.. what classifies as crazy?" You asked.

"Public, secret, kinky.. whatever you can think." She explained. 

"Ok, well I guess there was this one time, up at a ski lodge. We were stopped on a trail because someone had eaten it pretty badly, and so we just went behind the trees and-" 

"Y/n!" Tom interrupted. 

You glanced over to him to see his face red in shock, and noticed the other three also had a shocked look on their faces.

"What?" You asked quickly. 

"How do you and Tom have almost an identical story?" Sam asked. 

You felt your stomach tighten up. Of course this hadn't been a new question. You should have just lied and kept the story to yourself. "I.. I don't know," you said pathetically. 

"Y/n.." Harry deadpanned. "Who was it with you at the ski lodge?" 

You felt your face flush even redder, as you didn't know what to say or how to get yourself out of this mess. 

"Oh My God!" Sam exclaimed. "I knew I wasn't fucking crazy," he announced turning to Harry. "I caught Tom sneaking out of Y/n's room one night!" 

"Wait a minute-" Tom interrupted. 

"No. No, you two were shagging," Sam accused with a bony finger pointing at Tom. 

"Sam it's not-" 

"You're not denying it?!" Harry gasped looking back and forth between the two of you. 

You sighed loudly as you looked at Tom, who looked just about as embarrassed as you felt. 

"How long?!" Sam asked. "When did it start?" 

Tom sighed before shooting you an apologetic look. "First time was in 2013," Tom said. 

"2013!? Thomas! You lost your virginity to Y/n?!" Harry exclaimed, completely shocked.

"That was after two years of a lot of kissing and hand stuff," Tom admitted. 

"Tommy!" You exclaimed, throwing him a look. 

"Let me get this straight," Harry chuckled dryly. "The two of you started to mess around at 14 and 15?" 

"More or less," you told him. 

"And you just kept it hidden?" Sam asked. 

"I mean… yeah," Tom admitted. 

"So how long did it last?" Clarke asked. 

"Until the winter after Infinity war," Tom said. 

"Thomas, that's like seven years," Sam pointed out. 

"Well if you count from the first time we kissed then-" 

"Tom stop," you instructed. "Yeah me and Tom, did things, and we hid it because we knew it would cause problems," you explained.

"For who?" Sam asked, confused.

"For us," You told him, "Tom was twenty two and I was twenty one and I told him that I would come with him, but that meant Making things real between us, and leaving the little bubble we had created, so he called it off," you explained. 

"Is that what you think?" Tom asked. 

"No, that's what happened," you told him.

"No, you had just been accepted into uni, and I had to leave for filming, and I told you I didn't want to be without you, so you offered to give up on uni. I couldn't let you do that, I needed you to live out your dream, that's why I called it off," Tom admitted.  

"What?" You asked shocked. 

"You thought this whole time I was scared to commit to you?" Tom wondered.

"Umm, yeah," you admitted. 

"I feel like this is a very private conversation," Clarke whispered to Sam. 

"Shh, it's about to get better," he told her quietly. 

"Y/n, I only did what I did because I was so in love with you," Tom whispered, as he moved closer to you. 

"Tom, you told me and I quote 'you are not enough y/n. You're not worth it'" you reminded him. 

"Only because I couldn't see any other way to get you to let me go, it was wrong, and I shouldn't have said that, because I didn't mean it…" he explained. His eyes were warm and genuine as he brought his hand up to your cheek. "The only thing I ever wanted with you was the real deal. I wanted to bring you home to my parents, even though you grew up knowing them. I wanted to have you on my arm at the premieres and at random galas I have to attend, but I knew that uni was your dream, and you worked so hard for it, I couldn't be the reason you missed out on that," he explained. 

"I graduated early," you blurted without thinking. 

"What?" Tom asked, eyebrows furrowing together. 

"I graduated last month. A year early, I got my bachelor's degree in business," you told him.

"Y/n, that is amazing," he exclaimed, pulling you into his arms. 

"Yeah, I achieved my dream," you mumbled against his chest.  

"That's so great, I'm so proud of you," he told you before Pulling back and crashing his lips into yours, for a moment you nearly forgot about the company that was with you, being completely captivated by his lips on yours. 

"I want to say I didn't see that coming," Sam chuckled. 

"I didn't," Harry admitted. 

"Awweee," Clark exclaimed. 

Tom pulled away, whispering a quick sorry before moving back to sit down, but not letting his hand leave where it rested around your waist. 

You spent the next two hours at the hot springs explaining how you snuck around for so many years without anyone finding out. 

You walked up the steps to the back door of the cabin completely frozen from your wet undergarments underneath your clothes. "I call shower first!" You exclaimed running through the door and straight through the kitchen and the living room towards the stairs. 

"Have fun?" You heard Harrison call out. 

"Frozen solid, I'll answer when I've thawed," you called back. 

You slipped your clothes off before you started the water, letting it warm up. You slipped your chilled body into the warm stream, feeling the pins and needles from the sudden temperature change. 

There was a soft knock on the door before it opened. 

"I'll be fast," you called out not knowing who had come in. 

"You're going to use all the hot water," Tom's voice teased. 

You peaked your head out the curtain seeing him leaning against the counter with a smirk on his face. "I don't take that long," you told him. 

"You know, we could just shower together, save water." He told you. 

"What an environmentalist, you are," you teased. 

"Is that a no?" He Wondered. 

"Did I say no?" You asked, feeling your stomach fill with butterflies. 

You heard him chuckle before the sound of a zipper. "Y/n?" He asked. 

"Yeah, Tommy?" You bit down on your bottom lip waiting anxiously.

"You can tell me to leave, I'd understand it if you didn't want me around," he nearly whispered, fear lacing his tone. 

"Tommy," 

"Yeah y/n?" 

"Better get in here before I use all the hot water," you quipped. You didn't have to tell him again, with one swift motion, the curtain opened just enough for him to slip into the rather small shower. His hands found your waist almost instantly, pushing your body against the cold tile, crashing his lips into yours. It was nothing new, you had done this so many times before, but there was just something different about it. Maybe it was that you hadn't been with him in three years, or maybe it was because now you weren't hiding, or maybe, just maybe, it was because life had finally aligned just right, and it was your time. 

You reached your fingers up to the nape of his neck, fingers twiddling with the curls. His fingers dug into your hips as he pushed his bare body against yours. 

Your skin burned under his touch, a fire blazing inside of you. Tom's lips moved from your mouth down to your jaw and then to your neck. 

"Y/n?" Harrison's voice called out, you hadn't even heard the door open. Tom lifted his head from your neck and you clasped your hand over his mouth. 

"Yeah Haz?" You asked. 

"You and Tom talked?" He wondered. 

"Little bit," you admitted as Tom chuckled, shaking his head. 

"Good, good. Was worried he was going to be a puss and never admit his truths to you," he said, making Tom furrow his brows together. "He can be a real div, ya know. Never knows the right thing to say," at this point you rolled your eyes knowing very well that Harrison was more than aware that Tom was in the shower with you, and was just trying to push his buttons. Which seemed to be working. Tom gripped your wrist pulling your hand from his mouth. 

"Hey mate, while I do love hearing about my flaws," tom said, "I'd really like to make up for losing the last three years here, so unless you're trying to hear that-" 

"I'm going," Harrison chuckled, exiting the bathroom in a rather quick fashion. 

"We will never live this down," you pointed out. 

"Honestly y/n, who cares," he whispered, returning his lips to your neck, sucking slightly on your sweet spot. 

Your fingers laced into his curly hair tugging lightly. "Tommy," you whimpered. 

The thing that had always been so easy between the two of you was that Tom had helped you discover yourself. Everything you had ever wanted, Tom had given you,  he was one one of the most understanding and patient men you had ever met. So as you withered away under his lips on your neck whimpering his name, he knew just what you wanted. 

He slipped his hand from where it was placed on your hip, down to your aching core. 

"Right here, darling?" He asked as he pushed his knee between your legs, giving him enough room to slip his hand between your thighs. 

"Please," you begged. His fingers slid seamlessly through your already soaking folds. 

"Always so good for me," he whispered into your ear, making your knees feel weak. 

He trailed his fingers through your folds and right up to your clit, rubbing slight circles on the little bundle of nerves. You dropped your head to his shoulder, letting out a moan. 

"Tommy- s..So good," you told him before he gently pushed a finger in. 

"Still so tight I see," he whispered, slipping another finger in. 

You lifted your head Back up, crashing your lips into his. His tongue swiped across your bottom lip, and you eagerly gave him access. It was a heated mess of teeth clashing as neither of you seemed to be able to get enough of the other. Tom curled his fingers inside you, making you gasp as he found the right spot. You threw your head back, hitting the tile wall a little harder than you intended.

"Right there?" He asked. 

"Mhmm," you panted as you felt the band in your belly getting ready to snap. 

"Want you to let go, pretty girl, can you do that for me?" He asked.

His words pushed you over the edge, hips moving on their own accord as a pornographic moan left your mouth.  

"That's it my pretty girl," Tom cooed as he worked you through the high, eyes never leaving you. 

As soon as your legs quit shaking and the quiet whimpers stopped leaving your lips, Tom pulled his hand from where it had been between your legs, bringing the two fingers he had buried inside you up to his mouth and sucking them clean. 

"Christ Tom," you groaned. 

"Was that good princess?" He asked.

"So good," you nodded, pushing your lips back against his.

KNOCK* KNOCK* 

"Y/n! You're going to use all the hot water!" Sam called through the door. 

"Probably should get out," Tom chuckled. 

"Yeah," you agreed. 

You turned the water off, quickly hopping out and wrapping a towel around your wet body, Tom doing the same thing. 

You picked up your clothes before opening the bathroom door to Sam standing there, waiting. Your cheeks went rosy as you walked out of the bathroom first. 

"Sorry," you mumbled, making your way down the hall to your room. Tom stepped out with his clothes, turning down the opposite side of the hall to his room. 

"In the shower?!" Sam groaned. 

"Sorry mate," Tom chuckled. 

You got to your bedroom, dropping your soiled clothes into the hamper before rummaging around for some comfy warm clothes. You settled on an old hoodie that you had stashed in the wardrobe (you were pretty sure it was once toms) and a nice pair of fuzzy pajama pants. 

You collapsed onto your bed, hair still wet and mind going a million miles an hour. Your door creaked open, and you didn't even have to look up to know who it was. 

"You alright?" Tom asked. 

"More than alright," you answered, not even looking over to him. 

"So you graduated?" He asked. 

You propped yourself up on your elbows. "I did," you nodded. 

He nodded, a smile spreading over his face. "What are you doing now?" He wondered. 

"Haven't really decided yet," you admitted. It was the truth, you had barely moved your stuff out of your dorm and back to your parents house, you weren't sure exactly what you were planning to do. 

"Can I throw you an idea?" Tom asked. 

"Please," you giggled. 

He walked over, plopping down on your bed, pulling you into his lap so you were straddling him. 

"Come with me," he whispered. 

"Where?" You giggled, wrapping your fingers in his hair. 

"Anywhere, everywhere, just stay with me?" He begged. 

You leaned forward resting your forehead to his and sighing."Tommy, I never wanted to leave you in the first place," you admitted. 

"I love you," he told you, looking into your eyes, with his honey golden brown ones. 

"I love you," you whispered. Tom leaned more into you, lips searching for yours. His hands grasped your ass as he pressed your lips together eagerly. It was like he said, you had to make up for the lost three years. 

You let yourself get lost in Tom's lips, feeling like a lovesick teenager all over again. You rocked your hips against his as you kissed, feeling him growing beneath you. 

You continued your movements, pressing your core harder against his growing bulge, making him groan into the kiss. You knew what you were doing, bringing Tom to the point of no return.   

“Y/n” Tom groaned into your lips. 

“What is it, pretty boy?” you asked as you let your lips travel down to his neck, nibbling and sucking on all the exposed skin. 

“I want you,” he whispered, hands running up and down your covered back.  

“You have me,” you chuckled against his skin, “You have always had every bit of me,” Tom clutched your ass as he flipped you on your back, returning his lips to yours in a demanding, intention filled kiss. His hands traveled to the hem of the hoodie, before he pulled it up lightly. You sat up pulling it over your head and tossing it to the end of the bed. Tom doing the same with the shirt he had on, before finding his way back to your body. 

“God i have fucking missed you,” Tom groaned as he trailed his lips from yours to the valley of your breasts, pausing at each one to pay your nipples attention. You groaned as his lips enveloped the hardening bud, while he took the other in his fingers. He knew what you liked and how you liked it, and he knew how to get you right to the point he wanted… you begging for him. He moved his lips farther down your abdomen, sucking gently before making it to the bend of your pajama pants. He hooked his fingers into the waistband, shooting you a look, waiting for confirmation. You quickly nodded. He pulled the pants down your legs painfully slowly as he drank in the sight of your body. 

“So perfect,” he complimented as he took the pants from around your ankles, dropping them to the floor. He had your leg in his grasp and took the opportunity to place a kiss on your ankle, trailing them gently and slowly up your legs, making the ace you felt in your core intensify dramatically. “Oh Tommy,” you groaned as he placed a kiss on your bundle of nerves. 

“What is it, love?” He asked innocently from between your legs. 

“Tommy please,” you let out, fingers intertwined in his messy curls. “Please fuck me,” you begged. 

You saw the smirk flash across his face as he pushed himself up from in between your legs crashing his lips into yours. You reached down as you eagerly attempted to rid him of his sweats, failing miserably in the heat of the moment. “I've got it,” he chuckled as he peeled the fabric from his body, freeing his aching cock, from the hold of the fabric. Just the sight of him there, naked, between your legs, hand wrapped around his hard member was mouthwatering. 

“Ready,'' he asked as he ran his tip through your soaking folds. You nodded eagerly as he slowly sank into you, stretching you beautifully. 

Three years, but it was still like muscle memory. Your hands grasped at Tom's neck as your legs snaked around his waist. “Want me to be gentle?” He asked as he bottomed out. 

“We have the rest of our lives to be gentle,” you told him. “But right now,” you lifted your lips to his ear as you nibbled on his lobe gently. “I want you to wreck me,” You whispered, making a guttural groan leave his lips before he began thrusting into you. 

Your head fell back onto the bed as tom pounded into you, back arching from the mattress as each stroke of his cock brushed eagerly on your g spot. You could feel yourself already clenching around him. Barely any time and you were already about to give in. 

Tom's movements slowed suddenly as he brought his lips to yours and kissed you. “I'm sorry, y/n, you'll never know how sorry I am,” he whispered. 

You couldn't stop the tears from rushing to your eyes at the sentiment behind his words, knowing how sincere he actually was. 

“I forgive you Tommy,” you whispered, kissing him deeper. His movements quickened once again, as he pushed you closer and closer to the edge. “Tommy,” you whimpered as you felt your walls begin to clench around him. 

“Me too baby,” he groaned as you felt him twitch inside of you. You brought your lips back to him as you both fell over the edge, a beautiful symphony of pure ecstasy taking over both of your bodies. 

Tom fell beside you, arm draped over you as you both laid there, chests heaving and legs shaking. “Can't believe I lasted three years without you,” Tom mumbled. 

“I don't know how you did it,” you teased. 

“Y/N,” He said seriously. You looked at him with furrowed brows. “I was serious, come with me, be with me?” you felt the breath hitch in your throat as you watched the nervousness take over him, awaiting your answer. 

“Yes,” you whispered as your head nodded. Tom's face lit up as he pulled your body against his, lips clashing again, but in a different way, a way that felt like it would be forever. An unspoken promise being sealed between two people desperately in love after all this time. 

taglist:

@violetlilysunshine  

@petesrparker

@harryhollandsgirlfriend

@mcushvft

@elishi03

@nelebynele

@sunwardsss

[samdeancass]

Friends with Benefits

Requested on Wattpad

Pairing: Scott x OC, Derek x OC, Isaac x OC (brief)

Genre: Angst, Fluff, Smut

Characters: Scott, Stiles, Derek, Isaac (briefly), Erica (briefly), Allison (mentioned), Kate (mentioned), Braeden (mentioned), Liam (mentioned), Kira (mentioned), Max (OC)

Words: 2,742

A/N: Max (OC) is Stiles' twin sister.

Description: After being unlucky in love with Derek and Isaac, Max falls into the arms of Scott.

Being Stiles’ twin sister was hard work. Max had to live with his incessant need to be annoying all day, every day, and to be honest he was beginning to drive her up the wall. Stiles always felt the need to be nitpick at everything that she did, which he knew annoyed her to no end. Sometimes, your dad, the Sherriff, had to pull you off Stiles because of how much he had angered her.

“Seriously Stiles, can you not go one day without annoying me?! You’re like one of those tiny bugs that you can’t see but is buzzing around everybody.”

Stiles pressed his hand to his chest mockingly. “Max, you cut so deep. How could you say that to me? I’m your brother!” A smile played on his lips when their father stopped Max from pouncing on him.

Although, if it wasn’t for Stiles, Max would never have met Scott. The three of them have been inseparable ever since they met. Scott had been there through everything Max and Stiles went through, especially the passing of their mother. After that, a solid friendship was cemented between the three of them. That’s why Scott trusted Max wholly with the fact that he was a werewolf. At first, she was a little hesitant but after some coaxing from both Scott and Stiles, Max grew more comfortable with it which made her trust in Scott grow stronger.

However, when Max met the mysterious new friend of Scott’s, her whole world changed.

“Err, Scott. Who’s that?” Scott and Stiles both turned in the direction you were looking. “That’s Derek. Derek Hale. He’s a werewolf, like me.”

Max couldn’t take her eyes off  Derek ,who was leaning against his Camaro. There was something about him that drew her towards him. Before she knew what was happening, Max’s feet began to carry her towards Derek, a fire in her chest.

When Derek seen Max making her way towards him, he stood up straight and kept his eyes on her, as if he was entranced. “Hey, I’m Max. Stiles’ twin sister.” He took your outstretched hand and gave Max a sympathetic look. “I’m sorry about that.” “HEY! I’m right here!”Both of them erupted into giggles at Stiles’ reaction and stared at each other for a while before Derek broke the silence. “So, do you know about everything that happens in Beacon Hills?”

Max nodded. “I’ve known for a while. I’m not gonna lie, it scares the shit out of me, but there is no way I’m going to let my town come under attack.” Derek nodded appreciatively before opening the passenger door of his Camaro. “Want to go somewhere else and get to know each other?”

Max turned back and looked at the two boys who were flirting, very badly, with girls two years older than them. A wide smile crossed her face before nodding. “Hell yeah!” Derek laughed at her enthusiasm before closing her door and making his way around to the drivers side.

Max’s feelings for Derek blossomed over the next few months but she wanted to keep them secret, so their friendship wouldn’t be ruined. However, during a fight with Derek, this secret was let slip.

“You need to stop fighting with Scott, Derek. Please. All he’s trying to do is keep this town safe!” Derek slammed his fists down on the table and turned to Max, his red eyes shining bright. “And what the hell do you think i’m trying to do, eh?” Anger was beginning to bubble in the pit of Max’s stomach.

“You really think that killing people is helping this town? Because it’s not! By doing this, you are pushing everybody away, including me. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to lose you!”

Derek’s eyes shone brighter as he walked over to Max and grabbed her shoulders. “I’m only killing the bad people, Max! Why can’t you understand that?! I’m doing this town a favour!” 

A tear was threatening to slip down Max’s cheek as his words sunk in. “How can you think that killing people is the right thing to do? I thought you were better than that, Derek! I need you to be better, I need you to change!” 

“Why? Why do you need me to change?! I’m perfectly fine the way I am!” The anger was beginning to bubble more; to the point that Max blurted out the one thing that she wanted to keep secret.

“Because I love you!” Max slammed her hands over her mouth as the last word was said. Loud cackling came from behind and Max turned around to see Erica walking towards them. She turned back around to Derek, who was staring at her in shock, before running out of the Hale House and into the forest. 

For the next week, Max avoided anything to do with Derek. That was, until he decided to break into her house one night. 

Max’s eyes shot open when she heard the sound of her bedroom window being opened. Carefully, she grabbed her lamp off her bedside table and hid at the side of the window, ready to attack the intruder. As soon as she seen two feet on the floor, Max swung the lamp towards the person.

“Ow! What the hell was that for!” Max walked closer and seen that the intruder was indeed, Derek Hale. “Derek?! What the hell are you doing sneaking into my room at 1o’clock in the morning?!”

“Well, I was hoping to talk to you about something, if you wouldn’t mind.” Derek nursed the back of his head whilst he took a seat at the bottom of Max’s bed. “What makes it so important that it couldn’t wait until morning?” Max took a seat next to Derek and examined the back of his head. 

“I wanted to tell you before I lost my nerve.” Max quirked an eyebrow at him, clearly interested in what has made Derek so nervous. He took a deep breath and turned to Max. 

“I know I should have told you this straight away, and I’m sorry that I didn’t. I just wanted to make sure that what I am feeling for you is genuine because.... I care about you too much to hurt you. I guess, what I’m trying to say is that I love you to. But we have to wait until you’ve graduated. It won’t look very good if a grown man is dating a high school student.”

Max stared at Derek with watery eyes and a large, beaming smile. She placed both of her hands on his cheeks and leaned in to plant a passionate kiss on his lips. “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that.” 

A playful glint was evident in the corners of Derek’s eyes. “Yes, yes I do.”

Around a month after confessing her feelings to Derek, Max started to date Isaac. It was going so well at first. Max was beginning to develop feelings for Isaac as well as Derek. She loved being in Isaacs presence and he made her feel safe. However, all of that fell apart when Max found out that Isaac had cheated on her with Allison on their 6 month anniversary. After, Max had a fling with Aiden. This relationship wasn’t serious and it quickly ended when Aiden was killed by the Oni.

Max has been single ever since and she only had a year and a half left until she could graduate high school and finally be with the one man that she has always wanted. However, she didn’t know that the plans that she and Derek made all those nights ago was going to come crashing down around her.

Max had heard through the grapevine that Derek was dating Braeden, which she was absolutely fine with, until he left with Braeden after the pack had saved Scott from Kate and the Berserkers. 

She was left heartbroken and through herself into her school work and the pack to keep her mind off Derek. Max became more focused on helping Liam hone his new werewolf abilities as well as helping him study for school. Stiles was, well Stiles. Scott was determined more than ever to keep the rest of the pack in Beacon Hills which is why he was broken when Kira left to gain control of her kitsune powers.

One night, Max and Scott were ‘studying’ for a huge maths final that was coming up. Laughing and giddiness filled the room as the two of them messed around on Scott’s bed. “This is the most fun I’ve had in a while. Thanks, Scott, I really needed this.” 

Scott turned to Max with a beaming smile. “Anything for my best friend.” Max cocked an eyebrow at him. “I thought my brother was your best friend.” Scott placed a a finger to his lips. “Shh, it can be our little secret.”

They both lay down on the pillows and stared at the ceiling, content with each others company. “I’ve missed being with somebody like this, just having fun.” Scott turned to Max, his head resting on his arm and a warm smile on his face.

“I forgot to ask, how have you been since Derek left with Braeden? I know how much you cared for him.” At this question, Max’s whole demeanour changed and she stiffened up, still bitter about everything that had happened to her. 

Scott sensed this change and immediately sat upright, concern written all over his features. “I’m sorry, Max. If you don’t want to talk about it, it’s Ok.” Max shook her head and sat up. “It’ll do me some good talking about it. I’ve kept it bottled up for so long, I’ve grown to resent what me and Derek had.”

Scott scooted closer and wrapped a comforting arm around Max’s shoulders as she began to talk about how the events had affected her. “I just feel as though I’m not good enough for anybody. First, Isaac cheats on me and then Derek leaves me when he promised that we’d be together when I graduated, which isn’t to long away now.” 

Her head hung low at the thought of graduation. What once was a happy thing to look forward to was now something that she resented as it would remind her of something that was never going to happen. “I’m never going to be good enough for anybody. I’m better off away from everybody, where nobody can get bored of me. I’m just something that people can have before they find something better.” 

A low growl left Scott’s mouth as the last few words came out of Max’s mouth. Out of the blue, Scott grabbed Max’s face with both of his hands and kissed her. Max immediately melted into the kiss, running her fingers through his chestnut brown locks. Tongues began fighting for dominance as the kiss became more heated. Scott placed his hands on Max’s waist and heaved her onto his lap so she was straddling him. Max’s hands left Scott’s hair and travelled down the back of his neck and around to his chest. 

She began to tug at the bottom of his shirt, indicating that it needed to come off. Taking the hint, Scott broke away and took his shirt off, throwing it onto the floor. One by one, more clothes came off as the kiss developed further. A pile of them were at the foot of Scott’s bed, and both him and Max were naked in front of each other.

Max lay down on the bed as Scott manoeuvred himself on top of her, his eyes travelling the whole of her body. “So beautiful.” He leaned down and placed a loving kiss on her lips. One of his hands began to massage one of Max’s breasts, which made her groan into the kiss. Scott chuckled at her response and began to kiss down her body, leaving small hickeys in places that nobody could see, all while his fingers were flicking her ever growing nipple.  

He stopped kissing just before her pussy which caused Max to whine. “Please, Scott. Don’t stop now.” He flashed her a devilish smile before disappearing inside her, his tongue lapping circles on her clit. Max felt the familiar sensation brewing in the pit of her stomach and she was desperate to get her release. “Scott...more....please.”

As if her knew, Scott ceased his actions and wagged his finger at Max. “Did you really think it was going to be that easy?” Max gulped as his eyes flashed a deep red. He chuckled at her silence and he slid two fingers into her, her juices acting as lube. Max’s face was in bliss as Scott’s fingers moved faster and faster inside her. He slid in a third and a fourth finger and a smile crossed his face as he felt her walls beginning to pulsate around his fingers. 

Scott slid his fingers out and crawled onto her once again, sliding his long length inside of her. Max’s walls stretched to the maximum as she adjusted to his size. He was the biggest that she had ever taken and she was looking forward to the fun they were going to have. 

Max gave Scott a nod before he began moving inside her. His movements were slow at first, careful not to hurt you, but soon after his alpha side took over. Scott fucked her into the bed, screams of delight and pleasure leaving his lips. His hands wrapped around her hips so tight that he was sure it was going to leave bruises. 

Max could feel herself coming close to her release, so she grabbed Scott’s shoulders and squeezed as her walls clenched around Scott’s length. He released after a few more pumps and came, loud profanities leaving his lips. 

Scott pulled out and lay down next to Max, pulling her into him. A thick sheen of sweat covered both of their bodies as they both lay there, heavily breathing. A loud vibration sounded from the nightstand and Max reached over to answer it. She talked for a while before hanging up and gathering her stuff to leave. Stiles was on his way home and he had offered to pick her up from Scott’s as she had left her car at home. 

“I’ll see you later, Scott. Stiles is coming to pick me up.” Max left the room without looking at Scott and walked down the stairs, out of the front door. Stiles was already waiting for her by the time she had got out. Max opened the passenger door to the jeep and threw her stuff in the back before hopping inside.

“How did it go?” Max shrugged. “You know, same old boring school work. Nothing new.” Stiles nodded in agreement before starting up the jeep and driving the journey home.

The next day, Max was stood at her locker at school when Scott approached her. She kept focused on the stuff in her locker and kept packing her bag, completely ignoring him. Scott let out a small sigh. “Please talk to me.” 

Max took a deep breath and closed her locker before turning to him. She tried her best to keep a straight face but the puppy dog look Scott was currently wearing was too much to handle and Max smiled at how adorable he looked. This made Scott smile, small dimples revealing themselves in his cheeks. However, that smile soon faded and concern grew on Max’s face.

“What’s wrong?” Her head cocked to the side as Scott shuffled his feet. “Do- do you regret what happened between us?” Max blushed at the question and shook her head. “Nope, do you?” He also shook his head. “Of course not, but I am a little scared that Stiles will hit me with his bat when he finds out.”

Max laughed. “Do you really think that I’m going to tell my overprotective twin brother that I had sex with out best friend?” Scott then laughed and shook his head. “I guess not.” 

Scott and Max carried on their conversation and came to a realisation that, since they are such good friends and they don’t want to ruin that relationship, they should be friends with benefits. 

Both of them were extremely happy with this arrangement. They kept it a secret from the pack and Stiles, of course, but when Max was alone she had lots of fun with the Alpha.

Tags: @stellastyless​

[seeker-of-stories19]

Found this article about things Ian did wrong in Shameless and I’m not saying he’s perfect but this didn’t even make sense so I’m fixing it. (Part 1)

20/20

Okay so you’re saying it’s messed up that a fifteen year old was sleeping with his married boss? No it’s messed up that a married adult man is having sex with his fifteen year old employee, consensual or not he’s the adult in the situation. Also Ian did think it was wrong and opted out of their weekend together when he was presented with the presence of Kash’s family life. And I’d like to just add that while this was a bad decision He didn’t exactly have many options as far as expressing his sexuality, throughout the show it is clear that the southside isn’t exactly excepting.

19/20

Seriously? You’re not obligated to come out to someone just because you care about each other, sexual and romantic preferences are personal to some people and it’s not something you’re required to share. Not to mention there are plenty of reasons Ian may not have come out to his family, maybe he was scared or maybe he wasn’t ready but that’s his decision it has nothing to do with Lip.

18/20

Mandy reacted well because she’s a good person and she wanted her best friend and her brother, two people she cares about, to be happy. That doesn’t seem weird to me? I mean really it’s not her job to dictate who either of them can date and she doesn’t which is a sign that they have a genuine friendship. Not to mention Ian didn’t tell her because Mickey wanted it to be private which again is his decision.

17/20

First of all I don’t think Ian was indecisive I think it was awkward to tell your gay boss you’ve been sleeping with that you’re not interested in a relationship while he’s trying to impregnate his wife. Also one again Ian is being blamed for something that could be better pinned on either other character, Mickey shouldn’t have antagonized Kash and Kash obviously shouldn’t have shot Mickey because he was jealous (it’s not like he could’ve thought they’d be together forever.) Finally Ian really wouldn’t have helped either of them by going to the cops. Kash was engaging in an illegal affair with a teenager and Mickey probably would have been killed by his father who is a known homophobe if the truth got out.

16/20

Yeah an insane homophobic ex con thinks you got his daughter pregnant when you’re actually sleeping with his son and he was the one who impregnated his own daughter, why would you try to protect the people you care about and save your own life? Also Mandy and Mickey would be pretty relieved that their dad was locked up a while longer.

15/20

Why would Ian tell Jimmy? It’s not like they’re incredibly close and as far as the fact that Ned is married he shouldn’t be dating a teenager. Now I’m not saying this was rational or ethical behavior but I do think that Ian behaves in some questionable ways romantically throughout the beginning of the series but he never had a good role model in this department and he’s really just a kid who makes some stupid decisions and figures it out later on. Finally I’d like to point out that Ian had never had the opportunity to be in a relationship where the other person isn’t ashamed or afraid of being with him and he even confirms that this is why he’s with Ned when Mickey asks, which in my opinion is more sad than anything else.

14/20

He didn’t get tired of waiting to enlist he watched his boyfriend get raped by a Russian prostitute while they were both held at gunpoint and then watched him as he was forced to marry her since she was pregnant with his child. As for the rest of it, being bipolar is hardly something you could blame on Ian.

13/20

Seriously? For starters they didn’t know he was bipolar because he wasn’t there and they weren’t looking for him, even later in the season no one other than Mickey expressed more than basic concern over his behavior. I’d also like to point out that he’s spent his entire childhood watching Monica struggle with this disease. He knows what it does to people so of course he wouldn’t except it instantly. Even under normal circumstances denial in these type of life changing circumstances is normal. As for the rest of it he did care about his family enough to take his meds even though they made him feel so horrible he eventually stopped. And his relationship with Mickey was so sex based for so long that not being able to perform sexually only made him feel more insecure about a disease that he’s already watched ruin his family’s life. As a bonus I’d just like to throw in that all these criticisms are based on the effects of a mental illness he has no control over.

12/20

One again this behavior was caused by a mental illness he didn’t have any control over, and as hard as it was to watch Mickey be so heartbroken they persevered like they always do. Also, you can understand why Ian would feel babied or crazy by Mickey’s sudden careful and loving behavior, he’s not in the right mindset to accept the genuine change in his long time partner as anything other than a response to his bipolar disorder.

11/20

Honestly I’m getting sick of making the same point over and over again. He’s mentally ill, he isn’t thinking clearly, he’s afraid and in denial, and he doesn’t have control over any of it. Seriously the judgement against him for having a mental disease in this article is infuriating. Not to mention the fact that both Ian and Yevgeny are alright which I count as a win considering the circumstances.

Hopefully you enjoyed this or at least found it interesting even if you didn’t agree on the whole thing. I’d love to hear people’s thoughts as I put a lot of time into thinking about these points. Part 2 will be posted soon and will be a continuation of this because I hit the 10 image max. I obviously don’t own the article and it is posted at the bottom to give full credit to the writer. I only own my opinions.

Part 1/2

[theyscreamjade]

Heyy can you do a Headcannon with Kirishima, Bakugou, Todoroki, and Midoriya; their S/O has eating disorder and they help her through kinda comfort, if it makes you uncomfortable you don't have to

S/O With a Eating Disorder.

Actually, My best friend had a eating disorder as well, while I dealt with my problems with self harm. I hope this makes your day and please keep trying. I know it may seem hard and it’s the best thing to do, it’s not. If you ever need someone to talk to my dear Anon, I’m here for you! I’ll Detroit Smash all those thoughts in a millisecond.

——————————————

Izuku Midoriya

* This poor sweet boy, he cares so much about you that when he finds out. He’s hurt.

* It takes him a minute to discover this and when he does, he’s heartbroken. You’ve dealt with this alone and he wasn’t there to help you.

* “Puppy? Do you have an eating disorder?”

* When he confronts you, he may be gentle about it. He’ll mention it when you two are alone and there’s no one else around. If you cry, he’ll hold you until you calm down.

* He’s usually observant of you and how you are, but he couldn’t see past that mask you often wore or how your weight decreased dramatically.

* If you decide to let him help, he’s standing beside you each part of the way. He’s throwing away every diet pill, laxative, or anything that’ll make you either sick or anything.

* From then on, he might learn how to cook or ask his mother for meals for you two.

* He’s going to be a lot more observant to you and your weight though, he might go a bit overboard but please understand he’s writing it down to keep you safe and healthy.

* His affection is going to increased to the max, if you stop and stare at a model during you two’s date. He’ll stop and look at the before kissing your cheek. “You don’t even compare to them, you’re way better than them.”

* God, He’s going to express himself through sex. Every mark, hickey, bruise, and more on your body will be a constant reminder of how much he loves you. Every time he touches it, your body just flashes that memory of him whispering every little amazing fact about you that he has in his book.

* Those anger bursts, depressive nights, the days when you can’t get up or even get dressed, just know he’s going to be there.

* I don’t doubt, he’d ask All Might what would he recommend for this situation or even recommend counseling for you so you can become that smiling beckon that kept him going again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Katsuki Bakugo

* He ALREADY knew something was up.

* The moment he brought you his shirt and it didn’t fit like it normally would, he immediately suspected something.

* His suspicions were confirmed when you, him and the Baku-Squad were out at a restaurant. Mina, being the observant gal she is, asked if you were losing weight. The nail was in the coffin when you didn’t eat either, claiming you weren’t hungry though he was with you all day and you hadn’t eaten a single bite.

* Once you two leave the restaurant and we’re walking home, he just asks.

* “Do you have a problem with eating or somethin?” He’d ask, making you freeze on the sidewalk.

* Don’t try to lie to him either, it’ll make him even angrier than he was already.

* He’s not angry at you, he’s angry at himself. He’s ticked that he didn’t avoid this from happening to you. Was his insults too much? What can he do to fix the damage he thinks he’s caused to you?

* Once you two are home, please expect to have THOROUGH CLEAN home. I mean everything, Laxatives, diet pills, magazines. YEP, MAGAZINES. They’re the reason for some of the issues.

* His insults will be less frequent and he might act like a softie more around you. He's going to be a bit more affectionate too.

* I FUCKING DARE YOU to TRY and say something negative about yourself.

* I FUCKING DARE YOU.

* You will experience the wrath of Ground Zero deep in you, you’ll become a whimpering mess underneath his hold until you cry out and say how great you are.

* He’s cooking every meal, no matter how tired he is. THIS MAN MIGHT HAVE A CAST ON HIS LEG AND HE WILL BE COOKING IN THAT KITCHEN STILL.

* He’s going to track your weight every night until he feels as if he can trust you a bit more. He never lost trust in you, he knows you were swallowed by the depression that blinded you and wants you to be better again.

* He’s going to try to be patient with you, but with him it’s a three strike system. Once you’re at the third, you’re going to have to make a sacrifice. Him or your problem.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shoto Todoroki

* Please know, Shoto’s not obvious to things. Of course, he noticed how different you were acting, how small your body was becoming, how you often were cold and many others.

* He just simply thought you were training harder to be better or something. He wouldn’t even bother you while you trained.

* That was until you just passed out. You passed out in front of him and his family at a family gathering and wouldn’t wake up.

* That honestly triggered the poor man.

* His brother discovered in your records, that the last normal weight you had was months back.

* His heart shattered into a thousand pieces as he starts to blame himself completely until his sister calms him down.

* While you’re still in the hospital recovering, him and Midoriya are cleaning up the home. Every last item that reminded you of the body you wanted to strive for or the imperfections that you thought you had was gone.

* When you were released, you were immediately placed on a strict diet placed from his brother and the family physician. Shoto normally doesn’t be the pushy type in these situations but..he doesn’t want to see you like that ever again.

* “I never...want to see you like that again, I thought I lost you.”

* He’s going to watch every item you eat, so you won’t either binge out or anything.

* ...the locks in the bathroom may be..gone. BUT JUST KNOW HE CARES OKAY?!

* Shoto might be a bit more affectionate with you as well, always holding you, reminding you every single day just how much you mean to him.

* This may include a SIGNIFICANT increase in sexual activities which includes him whispering in your ear about how much you mean to him and how amazing you are.

* This poor peppermint’s been through a lot.

* He’s going to be patient, All he wants is to see you well again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Eijiro Kirishima

* This man’s attention to you IS ON FUCKING POINT.

* You have to realize, he dealt with confidence issues too. So when he notices how you degrade yourself in a joking way at first. He’ll try to boost you up with his love for you.

* But when he notices how much smaller you were and how your clothes seemed to be baggy items on your body. He’s going to push you right back into your home, holding your shoulders as he stared deeply into your eyes.

* “Don’t lie to me okay? Do you have an eating disorder or something? Are you sick? Is there something you’re not telling me?”

* The questions were frequently and blunt, very unlike him. Your silence was an absolute confirmation for him.

* He’s going to beat himself up and call him unmanly for not even being able to help you through this. He was so blind! So oblivious to you and your needs.

* He’s going to cry and hold you as tightly as he could, his arms holding you as tight as he could. He’s going apologize for all those nights you slept alone, those days you hid your feelings from him, those moments when you probably needed him and never called.

* After you two confided, he’s going through every item. Now, the difference with this. He’s making you trash every item you use. I mean every single one. Dumping each pill, rip each magazine and everything.

* Afterwards, he’ll lead you to a secluded area where he often came to when he was younger. There, you two pour your feelings out until you two are laughing at the insecurities you have from a different point of view.

* You two are going to switch when you make meals though. Like for instance, he may have one week and you have the other. When he feels as if you don’t have enough to eat, he’ll feed you.

* If you ever feel depressed, sad, or anything. Just call him, because he’s going to come as soon as you even dial his number. Before the phone can even ring, he’s at your door.

* He’s going to CONSTANTLY REMIND you of just how amazing, sexy, and everything you are. He’s expressing it in more ways than anyone can expect.

* Honestly, Kirishima would probably wait to see results. He won’t be over your shoulder to check your weight constantly but rather to see you gain some a bit.

* Just know he’s not going to give up on you. He’s going to be patient with you because you’re his Beauty Cool.

* Don’t disappoint him please, I’d hate for anyone to experience a distant Kirishima. It’s like having a day without sunshine nor rain.

[kaypeace21]

I believe that byler is an endgame

but why would they spend 3 seasons winding up with mileven?

People REALLY need to pay attention to the shows the Duffers cited as huge inspirations to them. Cheers,dawsons creek, freak &geeks did exactly what the Duffers are doing (and the Duffers said these shows inspired them)

. Cheers for over 5 seasons built up the pairing of sam and Dianne- had them break up in the s5 finale and then in the last 2 eps of the 11th season have them get back together and once again break up explaining for the 100th time they were wrong for each other and brought out the worst in eachother . Cheers would build up multiple pairings (Frasier /Lilith (s4-11/broke up in s11) , sam/Dianne (s 1-11, broke up in s11 permanently) , rebecca /sam (s8-10) Rebecca/robin (s8-9) -these pairings lasted for multiple seasons and they all broke up! They built pairings up for multiple seasons but showed throughout the show why those pairing in cheers could never work out in the long term. The same Thing happened with almost every pairing in Dawson’s creek (they’d build up multiple pairings up -sometimes for multiple seasons- sprinkle in good but also dysfunctional aspects of those relationships- and then break them apart for good ).

Also in Dawson’s creek 2 characters (a rich girl and poor guy with daddy issues) date and breakup- but both of their gay brothers get together and are endgame instead of them (cough jancy vs byler). One of the gay guys (the rich one with the book smart sis) even dated the main girl (Joey) for a while before admitting he was gay and that he was in denial (while dating the main girl for more than a season ). In D.C even the main guy(Dawson) / girl (Joey) don’t end up being endgame (despite teasing it for all 5 seasons) . They did this with a lot of couples in the show. Honestly, the Duffers pretty much borrowed this idea of showing pairings with issues and breaking them up -but toned down how long they’d bait them . Like 11seasons of showing dysfunctional couples date -ick. And Dawson’s creek ... my god it had a literal love octogon/ love webs (so many love squares/pentagons/ and on and off relationships). The 1 adult couple broke up and I’m not exaggeration 4 times, and Dawson got back with 2 of his girlfriends like so many times. And ugh I’d say each (of the 4-5) main characters dated at least 4 people -and each of those relationships lasted for like 20+ eps each... and then after all that build up -break up ). That’s not even including the people the main 5 or so characters would date for like 5-6 eps . Thank god it was toned down compared to Dawson’s creek or cheers. i can’t imagine the frustration watching those shows during its airing 😂

Freaks & geeks (set in the 80s)was also inspo.14 y old Sam who is bullied and called “homo” “queer” etc throughout the whole series - he also obsesses over a cheerleader girl for the whole series and in the second to last ep of the series- they finally start dating  and he realizes they have nothing in common and says “it’s boring. all we ever do is makeout.She likes nothing i like. We can’t talk to eachother. We never have fun.” And he admits he only keeps dating her cause everyone would call him “crazy” to not date her. sam and her are also said to be “from different planets” and “different species”  just like mileven in s3 lol.  The gf of  sam also says before they dated she saw him ‘like a sister’ (like El asking mike if he’d be her brother in s1, before they date). And after this sibling comment various characters -encouraged the couple and said they would be good together (before they dated-like what we’ve seen in st with mileven and other ships ).Sam eventually decides to not cave to peer pressure- and breaks up with her. Meanwhile sam’s sis (is a straight A student, who is initially into a popular guy and starts hanging with the cool kids).  After getting over the first (popular) guy, she later dates another guy- a music-obsessed-stoner-guy  with a cruddy dad...and she breaks up with him (like jancy?). That couple was even called ‘romeo & juliet’ before they broke up-similar to mileven being called “romeo & juliet’ before their breakup. plus r&j were never in love... just like mileven.

All 3 shows had the main guy/girl date but not end up with eachother in the end . And both shows -would build up several pairings that looked like endgame but would show faults in those relationships and would have them breakup (because those pairings were never that healthy together). Which I believe is what they’re doing with jancy, jopper, mileven and lumax (explained in my analysis here all the evidence for why I don’t think they don’t end up together). I mean there’s many reasons I listed in the analysis but you think it’s a coincidence - jancy, lumax, mileven , and Steve/rando girl who rejected him in s3-all incorportated spying on their love interest ? you think the duffers think that’s good to have all these romantic pairings spy on eachother? When in the show they canonically have the us gov (villains) spy via phone taps, and hidden recorders, and cameras? Brenner used El as a spy for his own gain ? they even call the mf a ‘spy’ (which the characters perceive as the  main villain)... i don’t think the mf is  actually villainous but that’s off topic).The point is narratively equating spying as something ‘wrong’ by characters our main cast of heroes is against. But having that same cast of heroes partaking in spying themselves … specifically on to their romantic partners- and not also showing it as a negative. But romanticizing it? Would be quite hypocritical. And a HUGE narrative oversight.

Also build up?

S1- mileven kiss right after el asks if he’ll be her “friend” or “brother”. Has others compare el to mike’s sibling /cousin. Hint Will is gay . Have hints mike is queer too/ and cares deeply about Will. Constantly mention how el physically resembles Will/a boy. Parallel mileven to ted/Karen who were “never in love”. Have Nancy and mike verbally compare the jancy/stancy love triangle to mileven/byler . And at the end of the season mike writes a story for Will that likens the 2 to han/leia. Flo says about jancy/Jon “ only love makes you that crazy and that damn stupid”. (Which flo wasn’t entirely right about since jon punched Steve for insulting his family- for Jon it was familial love -not romantic love. But put a pin in that phrase)

S2- was pretty much byler season (and mileven barely interact that season). Byler say they’d go “crazy together”. But el’s new catchphrase is she’s “not stupid.” They Compare mileven to luke/leia (siblings that kissed) . Ref ghostbusters and parallel byler to the romantic pairing of Dana /venkman (but have el just be a ghost and mike a ghost buster which isn’t romantic but the opposite) .parallel mileven to hopper/el. Have el spy on mike, el hurt a stranger cause of unhealthy jealousy, have mileven dance to a song about a possessive spying/Stalking ex gf . Throw in mileven burns like “they’re not in love they’re not even from the same planet.” (El being et ref) . Have mike say annoyed “a bond ?! (Scoff) cause you shared nougat?! “ (egos like s1 ) “. Mike saying after knowing max for a week “hate you? I don’t even know you?” (He knew el for a week too so no way he loves her -cause he doesn’t know el , just like max ) . mike even criticizes his friends’ instant attraction to max saying “you haven’t even spoken a word to her.”Dustin saying “ I don’t have to . I mean -look at her.” Which makes it even more suspicious that mike was into a girl who multiple characters said looked like a boy (specifically Will) in s1. Have El watch a soap opera (all my children) and mimic the scene of  erica kane and her love interest michael. Which in the soap opera-isn’t endgame, and ended with some stalking after their breakup.

S3- mileven is finally dating : multiple characters (lucas, Will, Hopper, dustin,Max, etc) in the show dislike and verbally complain about them together . In cheers all of sam’s friends hated him dating Dianne and would vocally complain about it (similar to joyce they even clapped/cheered after 1 of their many breakups) . Mike is horrified by the spying(that mileven fans romanticized in s2) , el is happier single and neither is heartbroken over the breakup. They date for 2 eps and then breakup . Mileven being together inhibits El’s character arc from s2 (aka she went from wanting to explore the world and leave the cabin in s2 to see her friends, to ignoring her friends and cutting herself off from the world in order to stay in the cabin all day to make out with mike for 6 months - she would literally lie to her friends about curfew to return to the cabin and kiss mike -going against her ‘friends don’t lie’ mantra from the past 2 seasons too ). Mike canonically doesn’t trust her / doesn’t believe in her ability to make decisions and lies to her and never apologizes for lying. And el doesn’t apologize for spying . They throw in more gay hints of mike & Will. Mileven is called “bullshit” like s2 stancy . And Both pairings in the show kissed a bunch and said “I love you” (but they weren’t endgame). They also contrast s3 mileven scenes to s2 byler scenes and have byler win out. And once again parallel mileven to hopper/el and Karen/ted. As well as paralleling and likening Mileven to stancy in numerous other ways (besides the “bullshit “ line) . They also parallel mileven to stobin (both are straight baits) .They parallel the stobin confession to the mileven one -both confessions have them sitting on the floor, both girls have bandages on their legs, and both confessions are interrupted by dustin. Also both Steve/mike use the terms “crazy & stupid ” to confess to robin/el. But unlike Will who agrees to be “crazy “ with mike .El confused , asks “ what makes you crazy?” And robin says she didn’t have a crush on his “stupid hair”. el even says in reference to mike “there’s more to life than stupid boys.” Showing how el/robin don’t have romantic feelings for the boys-like the flo phrase of s1. Unlike Will who after fighting with mike calls himself “stupid” over and over and rips up the photo of him and mike where they promised to go “crazy together.” Even Steve says in s2 stancy should should “pretend to be stupid teenagers” in love. Emphasis on “pretend”. And when el says she loves mike “the first I love you” plays -the only other time that song plays in s3 is when robin rejects Steve (cause she’s gay.) cough cause mike is gay too.

There’s a lot more in each season (that illustrates mileven was built up -but not as a positive couple but a problematic one that was never was in love to begin with ). But I’m trying to keep this short . You can read this post here where I go in more depth about all of this .

S1-2 builds up the problematic ships (but showed good and bad aspects of their dynamic) . like the spying of jancy, lumax, and mileven or the jealousy. of Hopper in s2. In the s2 finalie they have them kiss or hug/exchange romantic glances. And in S3 we see the after math of this with all the couples officially dating - and they show all the couples issues at the forefront . I already talked about mileven. But, Lumax broke up 6 times (they dated for 6 months- and every month they dated max dumped him ). Jancy fight in the opening of ep 1 and don’t understand each others issues (sexism/poverty-and Jon’s issues with his dad) . And neither supports the other in their passions of journalism & photography.Nancy is also called “nancy drew” who in 1986 (year of s4) before going to college dumps her long term highschool bf (who helped her in many of her past mysteries/novels ). Their relationship was also shown as complex and somewhat dysfunctional because of both parties -before nancy drew dumps him. And (even if not dating like the other pairings) jopper almost go on a date in s3. Joyce was trying to hide the fact she was moving, Hopper was horribly jealous, and all they did was yell and argue.Murray says to joyce regarding hopper “he’s a brute... probably reminds you of a bad relationship” (aka lonnie/Joyce) . They even have Joyce watch a cheers ep- which directly compares jopper to (dianne/Frasier) who weren’t endgame in cheers but a rebound .  Hopper /fraiser both drink chianti . Fraiser asks dianne to marry him/Hopper asks Joyce on a date-both women stand them up. Or when Joyce asks Hopper out she calls her self ‘detective byers ‘and Hopper name drops miami vice. Which had an on and off again relationship for several seasons- of the male /female detectives.The relationship faded out as Gina realized they mainly got together when one or both needed someone. Crockett was very protective of Gina, and had some jealousy when Gina was involved in relationships , but was the first one to be there for her when things went wrong. And they realized it was better to not be together romantically. Heck seems like all these couples have negative film/tv parallels... lucas in s2 mentions not liking winston in ghost busters cause he came ‘super late’ (like Max). in s1 disses michael myers (which Max dressed as). And at the end of s3- lumax dress identically to eric/donna from a ep of that 70s shows (in the ep  eric/donna were broken up).

 (s3 was marketed as the “summer of love” and “summer love” is a euphemism for flings that don’t last.) s4-5 Will probably show good healthy ships/break up the problematic ones from past seasons .

So first 2 seasons focus on the unhealthy ships / and the last 2 seasons focus on healthy ships. S3 the middle season would be considered the turning point -and why none of the popular ships (assumed to be endgame) came off looking that great (compared to how they were presented in s1-2) .

[shenanigans-and-imagines]

Alright so. Padmé and Obi-Wan. Step-siblings. They’re nowhere like Max and Billy, if Padmé needs some help on homework, she goes to him for help. They argue some, but their arguments aren’t like. Screaming and fighting, it’s more like. Sitting at a table and pretending to be diplomatic in their resolution of the argument but it’s filled with petty bullshit that flies under the radar for most people (not Obi-Wan’s father at least, not sure if their mom understands exactly the level of petty that’s happening.) Padmé obviously respects Qui-Gon (as she’s always polite, especially to adults when she needs to be) and while she would never like. Let him replace her father who passed, he’s definitely a father figure to her and she sees him as a different kind of father (and pretty much it’s kind of the same way with Obi-Wan and Padmé’s mother, but Obi-Wan doesn’t really remember his own mother) (but the main gist of this is they pretty much are a nice, normal, suburban blended family where sometimes their sibling is just their annoying sibling that they want nothing to do with but get along sometimes also.)

But obviously at first, Padmé and Kiré is very much like. Padmé thinks she’s a vapid, stupid, rich airhead who’s probably using her step-brother because he’s smart and she’s not like. Super super intelligent and when she sees Kiré like sneaking into Obi-Wan’s room, she just rolls her eyes and she’s like “idiots” before moving on to go find out why her friend vanished. Obviously they become friends when Kiré keeps consistently helping her and her friends like. Save the world. And she knows how heartbroken she is when things end with Obi-Wan and honestly she’s kind of rooting for them to end up together.

Kiré at first (with really all the kids) is like. “Wow these kids are annoying and I’d rather be anywhere else than babysitting them or helping them find A LOST DEMONIC PET THAT ESCAPED??????” But obviously she like. Bonds with them. Like especially Ahsoka and Riyo at first because they’re always at Scoops. But then Padmé starts coming to her for things. And Sabé comes to her when she’s not exactly sure like. What she’s feeling (but I’ll get into that later) and at first she’s like “what the fuck is wrong with this kid” she ends up being like. “Oh. Okay. Weird ass powers, but awesome kid. Okay.” when it comes to Anakin. And she does just kind of become this sibling-like figure to these kids who come to her for help or when things start falling apart because they know she’s badass and she’ll help the no matter what.

Alright so. I’m gonna say Kit adopted Ahsoka when she was like 3 or 4 and he already had Riyo from his previous marriage, but while they bicker and tease each other and get on each other’s nerves like. All the time. They’re super close (mostly because there’s like a year between them) and obviously Kit dotes on both of them.

And Sabé. She’s lived next door to Padmé pretty much as long as either of them can remember and they’ve been best friends almost as long. And about the time that their friend disappears, Sabé realizes that like. She has feelings for Padmé. At least she thinks she does. She really doesn’t know (so she goes and asks the much cooler, older girl that she knows is like. Very open about her being bi and everything for advice on like. What to do about like. Being not straight)

Honestly for the most part, the rest of the things are the same as far as relationships go. Nerdy friends. Probably still playing D&D or a similar (canon Star Wars based) nerd game. Rex goes missing.

Barb is Luminara and when Kiré invites her two really horrible popular friends over for a small party (with Obi-Wan) he brings Luminara. And they end up fighting a little bit and Obi-Wan tells her to just go home then and goes upstairs with Kiré. And they obviously end up. Having sex. And things don’t go well for Luminara down at the pool. And Obi-Wan ends up having a lot of guilt because of that. Luminara goes missing (later found out to be like. Dead) while he was hooking up with Kiré and he feels like shit that he ever like left his friend down there in the first place.

So Rex goes missing. And Luminara is missing. So Obi-Wan and Cody end up more of less teaming up to try to figure out what’s happening.

Padmé and co. (Sabé, Ahsoka, and Riyo) find Anakin in the woods. Absolutely terrified and very much not really vocal. So Padmé’s like “this makes perfect sense to take this random boy home to live in my basement for a little while, no one will find out” (spoiler alert: Obi-Wan finds out pretty quickly)

(I mean, that’s pretty much up to the end of season one at least)

That covers a lot of ground. Sounds like this has really been on the brain for a while. 😆

[memes-saved-me]

Give Me A Sign, A Sign Of A Man Or Monster

Request by @deardmvz ❤ to write something for this and I threw this edit in as well

If it wasn't for Lucas, Steve would be dead. His fate being almost sealed the moment his back hit the laminate floor of the Byer's kitchen and that thing jumped onto his chest, face opening to show him his final sight before suddenly it whimpered. Falling sideways to reveal Lucas with the bat covered in dark blood and a dead Demodog beside them.

"Thanks," Steve breathed as his face began to throb from the multiple hits delivered by the creature lying dead close by.

The next thing he knew he was in the back of a car, Max driving and his head fuzzy. Panic setting in as he tried to stop them, but they arrived at their destination ready to follow through with the plan he had dismissed before getting jumped. His body aching as he crawled out of the car which he then recognised as Billy's.

"You are not going down there!" He demanded, getting completely ignored. "You hear me! We are not going down there!"

"Steve!"

"This is not happening!" Steve grabbed his backpack from Dustin and shoved it back in the boot.

"Steve!" Dustin repeated and Steve leaned against the car to look at him.

"There is someone down there that needs our assistance and party rules are we help those in need," He explained through the bandana wrapped around his lower face. "Especially when it comes to The Upside Down."

"Who even is it?" A valid question, as the last thing Steve heard was they just needed to torch the place. "Hopper was the only one down there."

"We think it's Max's brother Billy," Dustin replied and turned to grab the backpack once again.

"What?" Steve's mouth was left open, confused as to how the mean and loud boy who he hooked up with at Tina's Halloween party could be stuck in the tunnels.

Billy was a lot. His entire demeanour was in your face and agitating but when he pulled a heartbroken Steve into a bedroom, there was something about the way he drunkenly kissed him that seemed different. Something about the way he pulled Steve down onto of him, rolled them over and gave him the best blow job of his life that made his heart latch onto him in the worst way possible.

Steve liked Billy, cared about him even.

"Max hasn't seen him since yesterday and Will said someone was down there so it makes sense," Dustin replied holding the backpack with the pat sticking out the side.

"Give me that bat," Steve said and grabbed it, now more determined than ever to get through those tunnels and find out who was down there.

Except, he had underestimated just how twisted and long the system was. When his feet hit the ground he couldn't help but stare at the vines around him, praying it wasn't Billy trapped by them.

The map in his hand led them to the hub, where the gas canisters and his lighter would come in handy but not to whoever was trapped. Even so, they made their way through the various tunnels, watching for any sign of man or monster. Nothing but endless vines and blue torchlight.

No amount of shouting helped, just the eerie silence in return. That was until they heard footsteps ahead, right from their target destination, their pace quickening as they turned the bend into the opening. Flashlights filling it with light, moving back and forth to find whoever was just there.

"Don't put that in my eyes!" He groaned as Steve lowered his torch to see Billy standing there covered in blood and Upside Down goo.

His hair stuck to his scalp and neck with it, his face covered by his hand until the light was pointed away. Then he looked up to see Steve in his goggles and bandana, eyes furrowed at the sight of them all down there.

"What the hell is going on?" He asked and Steve walked towards him, dropping the map to wrap his arms around him in relief.

"You're alive," Steve breathed into his goo covered jacket. "I thought we'd never find you."

It took a moment but Billy returned the embrace, one of his arms wrapping around his shoulder while the other stayed by his side. "Don't get all soft on me, Harrington."

Steve pulled away with a smile and stood looking at his exhausted face as the group got ready to end this, burn it all to hell.

"Your arm?" Steve asked catching him holding it with his other hand.

"Tripped on this god damn vines and dislocated it. Good thing I've done that before," He replied not returning his gaze.

"We'll get it sorted."

Billy let him lead him away towards the tunnel connected to their exit and watched as he threw his lighter to ignite the fuel.

"Go! Go! Go!" Dustin shouted and they all began making their way towards the hole, Billy following along clueless to what was even happening.

Yet he didn't speak, didn't ask any questions until suddenly Mike began screaming and they turned to see his legs caught up in the vines. Steve using his bat to cut him free.

"You've done this shit before, haven't you?" He asked pulling at his sleeve to get his attention.

"Only since last November," He replied and took his hand to start pulling him through the tunnels but he was stopped by the roar of the very same creature that almost ended him no more than an hour earlier.

"Dart," Dustin said and the whole group began telling him to stop.

Steve felt Billy's grip tighten as he got closer to the thing, his feet moving him ever so slightly closer to Steve out of fear.

"Trust me," He silenced them. "Please."

They all watched as he got closer to the monster speaking to it like a child but Steve's attention was drawn to the boy beside him. His face scratched and bruised as he stared at Dart.

It roared again and Billy almost knocked Steve over by closing the gap between them, his shoulder pushing into his from fright. No one around them even noticed how close they suddenly were, all of their focus being on their friend before them.

He turned to see Dustin putting candy down before him, and him taking it without much hesitation.

Without a word he gestured for them to move, Steve pulling Billy past them and into the next tunnel. Stopping to let their hands separate as Dustin said goodbye to his once sort of pet. They all took off again, jumping over vines trying to make it to the hole in time. More Demodogs definitely on the way as they raced through the tunnels.

No time wasted lifting the kids out, one by one until rumbling could be heard and Billy turned to look at Steve for answers, he pulled down his mask and shouted "Hurry!"

Dustin had just grabbed the rope, the other's pulling him out when suddenly a stampede of the things turned the corner towards Billy and Steve. Out of instinct Steve grabbed him, pulled him against himself to make space for them to pass by or attack. Just as they were about to reach them Billy grabbed his cheeks and pulled his face close to his to kiss him.

The kind of kiss you see when the main characters in a movie think it's their last moment, that this was it and no amount of words would say what this action would instead. So he kissed him back, clung to him as they ran around them and eventually disappeared into the mist of the tunnels.

Neither of them pulled away until someone tugged the rope and brought them back to reality. Stepping apart, Steve helping Billy up and out before jumping up to catch his hand.

The two of them sat catching their breath on the disturbed dirt surrounding the hole. The kids standing behind them when suddenly the lights of the Camaro began to brighten, painfully so until they cut out and the hole closed right before them. Silence ensuing, no one knowing what to do or say next.

"What the shit was that?" Billy asked and Steve laughed.

"Come 'round mine after you get that shoulder sorted and I'll tell you," He patted him on the back and stood up to take a deep breath. "How'd you get down there anyway?"

"One minute I'm drunk and the next I'm surrounded by vines and endless tunnels," He replied looking up at Steve.

"Maybe stay away from big holes in the ground next time," Steve almost laughed because it was ridiculous to imagine.

"Piss off," Billy smiled and stood up with him. "Is that my car?"

"Ask Max about that," Steve said and walked over to dump his backpack in the boot and have a moment to process it all.

He watched as Billy matched over to speak to Max who simply rolled her eyes and stared at him unamused by his telling off until there was a pause. From where Steve was standing it was as if Billy had said something meaningful, something nice enough for her to suddenly latch onto him. Her arms wrapped around his waist, his uninjured arm resting on her shoulder as he pent over her to return the hug.

A weird but nice site to see as his legs began to burn from the running and his head throbbed even more than before. A site he knew meant Billy would be sticking around, a fact that made his stomach flip and the blood rush from his limbs.

The same feeling he always got when he was about to fall headfirst in love with someone, a feeling that only intensified when Billy turned to give him a genuine smile that he knew would be burned into his memory for the rest of time.

[ugly-crying-over-bucky-barnes]

Field of Poppies Part 16

Summary: After being apart for six years, childhood friends Tommy and Amelia reunite under odd circumstances. Tommy is an outspoken young man and Amelia is pregnant and out on the streets. The bond of family can be unbreakable but it is tested often. Especially when Europe descends into war.

Part 16: Some news comes to Amelia and she’s not sure how to handle it without Tommy by her side. 

            Two more months went by. Amelia heard often from Tommy. Every week or two she received a letter and replied immediately. She told him about everything she could think of. Anything that might bring a smile to his face, to ease his burden. Whatever she could do to remind him of home and give him hope for the future. She told him the funny things Max did, the little quirks in his blossoming personality.

            He refuses to go to bed unless I’ve checked under his bed for monsters. I think Finn might have been telling him some stories.

            He’s fascinated by baby Wilbur. I don’t think he believes me when I tell him he was a baby once. His reasoning is, if he can’t remember it, it never happened. I showed him the photograph of when he was a baby, only six months old. He couldn’t be convinced that it was him.

            It’s strange. It feels so long ago, yet, it only feels like it was yesterday. I often wonder where all that time went.

 ~~~~~~

            “Breakfast, Mel?” Martha was in the kitchen when Amelia and Max came into Six Watery.

            She went to answer that, no she wasn't feeling very well so she didn't have much of an appetite. But instead, she was immediately hit with a strong smell. Her stomach turned and she dropped Max’s hand so she could rush upstairs to the bathroom.

            Polly heard retching from down the hall, so went to investigate. “Oh, heavens.” She found Amelia at the toilet. “Easy.” She soothed and pulled the young woman’s hair back away from her face. Dread came over the woman as she realized her earlier intuitions were confirmed. “Dear, I think you and I need to have a talk.”

 ~~~~~~~

            “Letter, Tom.”

            Tommy took the letter from the passing soldier and felt relief wash over him. The same relief he got every time Amelia’s letters arrived. Despite being in the middle of trench warfare, he had her letters to keep him sane.

            Tommy,

            I must admit it hasn’t gotten much easier these last few weeks. I still miss you more than I can ever describe. Everything reminds me of you. Max always asks for you. It’s hard to bear sometimes. But I manage to get through every day.

            I have news. I want so desperately to be happy but I’m so heartbroken that you aren’t here so I can tell you in person. But Polly believes I’m pregnant. It may be too early to know, but I don’t want to question her either. The signs seem to match up with the timing.

            I don’t know how to feel any more if I’m being honest. I need to hear back from you as soon as possible. I hope you and everyone else is safe. I miss you all. I will write you a longer letter when I've gathered my thoughts. But for now, I needed you to hear the news. 

            Love, Amelia

             Tommy wasn’t sure what to say as he stared blankly at his wife's handwriting. The urgency he felt to return home was only heightened. He carefully folded up the letter and put it in his rucksack.

            “Tom?” Arthur was sitting nearby, his back up against the wall of the trench.

            “Mel’s pregnant.” He replied before his brother even needed to ask what was wrong.

            He frowned and passed his brother a cigarette. “You think she’s going behind your back while you’re away?”

          �� “No.” Tommy shook his head adamantly. He took the cigarette and lit it with a match. “She’d never do that. Never. It makes sense, I suppose.” He mumbled to himself. “She’d be about three months along.”

            Arthur nodded. “Well, guess we can try to get you back by the time the baby’s born.” He smiled slightly, trying to give his brother hope.

            But there was little hope left in the trenches. In those damn tunnels. At that point, Tommy could only hope he found his way back to Birmingham alive. Asking for anything else would be wishful.

   ~~~~~~~~~~        

            Around five at night, Polly closed up the betting shop. The other girls had gone home but Martha and Amelia remained.

            “Well, Pol, you did say she could have the next baby,” Martha said, trying to keep the atmosphere light. In all other times, the news of a baby would be such a happy occasion. But those days, nothing seemed to be good news.

            Amelia tried to laugh but she couldn’t even muster a smile. Every muscle in her body felt heavy. There was no use trying anymore. “I feel like such a monster.” She mumbled.

            “Why?” Her sister-in-law asked.

            “Because I don’t want to be pregnant.” She put down her pencil to rub her tired eyes. “I don’t want to be pregnant without Tommy here. I’m not ready to raise two children alone.”

            “You’re not alone.” Polly insisted as she walked over to the table, setting the keys down.

            “You know what I mean.”

            Martha looked to Polly, sharing a concerned look. It would only be a harder pregnancy if Amelia fought herself the whole time. They couldn’t make it any easier for her though. They couldn’t magically wish Tommy home. If they could, the war would’ve ended weeks ago. It never would have started to begin with.

            “You told him?” Polly asked, sitting down.

            “I sent a letter two days ago. I haven’t told Max. I don’t know what to even say.”

            “You don’t have to think about it right away. You have plenty of time.”

            Amelia nodded but she disagreed. Six months wasn’t enough time. She hoped every day that she’d get the news Tommy was coming home. But for whatever reason, maybe common sense, she didn’t see him home by the time six months was up. With every passing day, it felt like more and more time would pass before she saw him again.

            Tears flooded her eyes as the worst scenarios came to the forefront of her mind. “What if it’s years?” She let out a quiet sob. “What would I ever say to the child? What if he never comes home?”

            “Hush, now.” Polly wrapped an arm around her. “There’s no need to think of such things.” She soothed even though she knew these things were not outside the realm of possibilities. “You know that stress will only make things more difficult for you. You need to remain optimistic. You have a family that will be with you the whole way.”

~~~~~~~~~~~ 

            Amelia’s image kept invading Tommy’s nightmares. This would be startling alone because he never associated her with terror. She had always been a dream come true. But in the trenches, she joined his worst fears.

            He saw her face on the soldiers who he’d seen die. He heard her voice screaming for him from the depths of the tunnels. The worst one came after a few days of little to no sleep. He finally got a chance for shut-eye and his worst fears descended upon him.

            Amelia had come into view, looking as she normally did back home. But in her arms, she was carrying Max.

            Help

            Max was torn apart, almost as if he was mauled by a wild animal. Blood poured down Amelia’s arms as she carried their son to him.

            Help

            Tommy couldn’t move. He couldn’t do anything to save his son.

            Help

            As she got closer, Tommy could see Max was still alive. His eyes were open and he was breathing.

            Daddy?

            Tommy awoke in a cold sweat, screaming. It took both Jeremiah and Danny to quiet him and stop him from thrashing around. From that point on, Tommy never wanted to sleep again.

 ~~~~~~~~~~~

            “Hold still, Max.”

            “Mummy, I want to see it!”

            “No, love, this isn’t our camera. We can’t break it. Now, please stay still.”

            “Mummy, I won’t break it, I wanna see it!”

            “Max.” Amelia looked up from the camera lens with a stern look. “I said no. Now please, stand still. If you’re moving all over the place then the photograph will come out blurry.”

            The little boy crossed his arms over his chest and pouted. His mother raised an eyebrow at him. “Is that what you want to send to daddy? You want to send him a photograph of you making a face?” It was difficult to be frustrated with him. Such a sweet little boy with chocolate-colored waves of hair and lovely hazel eyes. Even when he made such a face, he was precious. Truly, he was the apple of Amelia’s eye.

            Max pulled a pout for another few moments before deciding to smile.

            “There’s a good boy. Now, stand still for just a second. I want to make sure it comes out perfect for daddy.”

            It had been a week and she had yet to hear back from Tommy regarding her letter about the pregnancy. But Amelia was trying to stay optimistic. It usually took a week for the letter to get to Tommy, and another week to get a response, should he write back immediately. Usually, he did. But she figured that maybe this time, he would need some time to think. It couldn’t be easy to process such information. Amelia was still having a hard time thinking about the baby and she wasn’t in the middle of an active battlefield.

            She had already sent a picture of herself and Max before but they were ones she already had. The one of Max was only a few months after he was born. She borrowed a camera from a friend to send a more updated photograph.

~~~~~~~~~~

            A couple of days later, as she tucked the photographs into an envelope along with a letter, Amelia thought about what Tommy might do when he opened it. She longed to see the smile on his face when he saw the picture of Max doing his best to stay perfectly still for the camera. Maybe he would show the others around him. She longed to see the pride in his eyes when he told the other soldiers that was his son. His Max. Maybe he’d tell him the news. His Amelia was pregnant again. He’d be having another child. Perhaps he’d speculate. Wonder if it was a girl this time or another boy.

            A teardrop fell onto the envelope as Amelia sat at her desk in the betting shop. If she couldn’t be there for him, to comfort him, then the least she could do was try to put a smile on his face. Even for the briefest of moments.

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