#sister! max mayfield

[slashergirlnancy]

Nancy + The Party Nancy & Max

[chucky-vs-the-giant-tortoise]

snow ball

Billy Hargrove x sister!reader

summary: Billy tries, to the best of his ability, to cheer up his sister on the night of the Hawkins Middle School’s annual Snow Ball.

warning(s): negative self talk, mention of parental neglect

a/n: sorry it’s so long i just love platonic billy hargrove lol.

Of all the things Billy had imagined himself doing on a Friday night, driving his sisters to some stupid middle school dance was nowhere on that list.

He leant against the front door, already dressed in his leather jacket and carpenter boots as he fidgeted with an unlit cigarette he’d been holding for what seemed like goddamned years at that point. He knew chicks tended to take their time in getting ready for these kinds of things—Hell, even he might spare a few extra minutes making sure he looked good for a party—but this was getting ridiculous.

After another long stretch of time spent listening to the ticking of the wall clock and slowly losing what remained of his patience, Billy had finally had enough. It was bad enough that Neil had personally appointed him as his sisters’ chauffeur for the evening—he wouldn’t wait for them all goddamned night.

“Y/N!” He called, knocking at the closed door of the hall bathroom. Max and Susan were busy in the master, leaving Y/N to get ready on her own. “You better be out here in the next minute or I’m leaving without you, you got that?”

“Alright, alright! I’m coming!” she replied.

“Jesus Christ,” he mumbled. “About fucking time.”

Y/N finished fluffing up her hair in the mirror, nodding at her reflection before opening the bathroom door. She was faced with the flat expression of her big brother, who just barely regarded her as she sauntered into the hallway.

“How do I look?” She asked expectantly, a hopeful smile plastered on her young face. Billy snorted to himself.

“Like a geek.”

And though he would never admit it, he almost regretted his words as his sister’s lips pulled into a frown.

“You got a jacket?” He asked, his cigarette now carefully balanced between his lips. He was itching to light it, and cursed Susan for whatever stupid rules she’d come up with about smoking in the house. She claimed she could smell it on her curtains.

Y/N kicked her feet with a shrug, purposely avoiding his eyes as her cheeks flushed. Suddenly she felt incredibly overdressed for the occasion. “We’re gonna be inside.”

“It’s December in goddamned Indiana. Get a jacket.”

Y/N huffed, running off towards her bedroom. Meanwhile, Max finally finished up with her mother and came out of their parents’ bedroom with a blank look on her face, Susan trailing behind her. Her typically unruly red of hair was straightened out and braided at the front, and to the untrained eye she came across as a proper young woman.

Yeah, right.

“Doesn’t she look lovely, Billy?” Susan cooed, positively beaming, and Max gave him a pointed look that doubled as a warning.

“Precious,” Billy deadpanned, and Max glared as her mother giggled, clearly not clued in on her step-brother’s most obvious sarcasm. Y/N returned wearing one of Max’s old hand me down coats, and before they knew it Susan was rushing the girls to force exaggerated smiles as she snapped some photos with her polaroid. Billy hung back out of frame.

Billy almost sighed with relief as Susan wrapped up and his sisters joined him in the entryway, but before the three could slip out the front door, she caught Max by the shoulders.

“You look so beautiful, baby,” she said with a smile.

“Mom—”

“Oh, don’t you worry. I won’t get sappy. I just . . . I want you to have so much fun tonight, okay? Both of you.” She spared Y/N a glance, and Y/N offered her step-mother a tight-lipped smile despite the pain in her chest.

For as long as she could remember, Y/N had wanted a mother more than anything else. She’d been a toddler by the time her and Billy’s mom had left, and everyday after that she felt like a piece of her was missing. She wished for her on every birthday candle and every Christmas night; she spoke to every God she knew, praying that she would one day return with open arms, ready to whisk her and her brother away from Neil and his iron fist.

After years and years of painful disappointment, Y/N finally learned that some dreams were better off forgotten.

“Hurry up unless you wanna be late,” Billy called over his shoulder as he strolled out door, and Susan waved as the Hargrove-Mayfield siblings made their way toward Billy’s Camaro.

Y/N scoffed. Max wasn’t even wearing a jacket.

The ride to the middle school was silent, save for Billy’s music blasting from the stereo. Y/N spent it fidgeting with her hands in her lap, looking down at her nails that Max had painted the night before. She’d been so excited for this only hours ago, and now all she felt was unloved and unwanted, haunted by the hole in her heart that her mother had carved all those years ago.

Max was out of the car as soon as Billy pulled into a parking spot, anxious to see Lucas and wanting to avoid whatever crude comments Billy was planning to make before she stepped out. “Out by nine!” Billy yelled after her, and Max didn’t falter in her stride as she flipped him the bird and kept walking.

“Little shit,” Billy mumbled.

Y/N was a lot less eager to get inside, now unsure whether she even wanted to go at all. She felt stupid in her best dress shoes and ironed skirt, the glittery shadow she’d applied to her eyelids only minutes earlier now heavy on her skin. No matter how much she dressed up she was still the same child her mother decided she was better off without.

“You getting out or what?” Billy drawled, exhaling a cloud of smoke as he watched her through the rearview mirror. Y/N sighed, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.

“No, I think . . . let’s just go back.” Billy pulled a face, turning in his seat to meet her eyes.

“The Hell do you mean? You’ve been blabbing about going to this shitty dance for weeks, Y/N.”

“Yeah, well. I changed my mind,” Y/N mumbled, and Billy scoffed, turning back to stare out at the kids crowding the school’s entrance. Kids with their mothers wishing them well and fathers watching proudly as their children prepared for what Billy imagined would be the absolute lamest excuse of a ball that the world would ever see.

He took another greedy drag, running his hands through his hair. “Is it ‘cause I called you a geek?”

“No.”

“‘Cause if it is you oughtta stop being such a baby.”

“I said it wasn’t!” Y/N snapped. She paused, expecting her brother to go off on some power trip about her attitude, but Billy didn’t even twitch in the driver’s seat as he nursed his Marlboro Red. She sighed. “Let’s just go, okay? Please.”

But he didn’t. In fact, Billy made a point of making himself comfortable, carrying on smoking without a care in the world.

“Billy?” He ignored her, taking another long drag followed by another exhale, and repeating the pattern. “Billy!”

“Shut up,” He spat, and she begrudgingly resumed waiting in silence as her brother smoked. It took several minutes before he got to the end of the cig, and Y/N watched as he stepped out of the Camaro, slamming the door behind him and crushing the bud beneath his heel.

“Get out,” he said simply. Y/N only sat, frozen in her confusion. “What, are you deaf? I said get out.”

“What are you doing?”

“Goddamn it, Y/N, get out of the car!”

She sighed, obeying her brother with an aggravated look on her face. Billy didn’t wait for her as he started on his walk across the parking lot. He only swivelled on his heels when he realized that she wasn’t following him, and was in fact still planted next to the Camaro with furrowed brows. Billy made a big show of rolling his eyes. “Jesus Christ, do I need to hold your goddamned hand or what? Get a move on, shithead.”

“Wha—Billy!” He continued to walk, avoiding her as she yelled after him. “Ugh!” Y/N groaned, relenting as she speed-walked behind him in attempts not to draw too much attention to herself. Passerbyers were already starting to give her strange looks when she yelled for him, and the last thing she wanted right now were people's eyes on her.

“Billy what are you doing? I already told you I don’t wanna go in!” Y/N started as soon as she was close enough, though not fully caught up to him. Her brother’s legs were much longer than hers, which made one of his strides maybe three of hers. “Will you just stop? I said I w—”

“You look cute, alright?”

His words threw Y/N for a loop. She paused mid-step, considering whether that really just came out of her brother’s mouth or if she’d only hallucinated it. The honk of a car trying get past her was what wound up pulling Y/N from her trance, and Billy groaned as he grabbed her by the wrist and yanked her up onto the sidewalk next to him.

“Christ, Y/N. Can you use your fucking head for a second?”

“What did you just say?” Y/N asked softly, ignoring his crude comment and searching his eyes for something Billy couldn’t place. He shoved his hands in his pockets, deeply uncomfortable in his current position.

“You heard me,” He said after a moment, and Y/N was surprised that he even acknowledged what he’d said. Billy Hargrove wasn’t one to give compliments—especially not to his shitty little sister. “‘M not gonna say it again.”

“Did you mean it?”

“If I knew you were gonna harp on it so much I wouldn’t’ve said shit, alright?” He scratched awkwardly at his neck, casually avoiding his sister’s large eyes as she stared at him like he was someone she’d never met before. “Look, Y/N. I waited for you to get ready for this thing for a goddamned hour. If you’re telling me I did that shit just to take you right back home I’m gonna be pissed.”

“I . . . I don’t know if I should—”

“I do,” Billy said, pointing at the opened doors of her school. “Go. But I’d better see your ass on the curb by nine, you got that?”

Y/N felt herself smiling, even as Billy fixed her with yet another one of his bored stares. You look cute. She couldn’t shake the words from her head, nor the sincerity with which he'd said them.

“Got it.” Billy only nodded before starting on his way back to the Camaro, car keys in hand. “Hey, Billy?” She called after him just as he crossed the street, and he fixed her with a glare.

“What is it now?”

“Thank you,” Y/N said sweetly. Billy scoffed, averting his gaze and mumbling a whatever under his breath.

・❥・

Y/N looked around in wonder at the gymnasium, taking in the many decorations strung around what served as the ‘dance floor’ and navigating her way through groups of her dancing peers.

She found the Party near the snack table (figures) and blushed as the boys stood slack-jawed and wide eyed as she approached them.

“Hey guys,” She greeted. Max rolled her eyes at the boys’ reaction, smacking Dustin upside the head before the kid started to drool.

"Ow!" Max ignored him, shooting a smile Y/N's way.

“Hey, Y/N.” Y/N shoved in next to her step-sister at the snack table, grabbing herself a solo cup and filling it up with punch. “What took you so long? Was Billy being an asshole again?”

Yeah, she thought, he was. He was being an asshole just like he always was, but even more than that, he was being her big brother. The same big brother who beat up her bullies, and who bandaged her wounds, and who wouldn’t let her miss out on something he knew she’d been excited for.

He was an asshole, and he cared about her. That much he could never deny.

“Something like that,” Y/N responded, and Max gave her a confused look as she smiled.

[ronanceautistic]

If Nancy and Max are gonna do anything it's laugh at each other's stupid jokes

[harringroveera]

Billy: Fine, then I have no hobby

[cavinginhisfvce]

Billy, having a nerf gun war with the kids, when he's backed into a corner by Max and El, both holding their guns up at him with sinister smirks.

"Any last words, blondie?"

With his hands held up in surrender, Billy sighs, "tell Steve I love him. And he better not remarry!"

Before the words are even fully out, the two girls are pelting him with nerf bullets, cackling at his dramatic display of falling over the couch, a hand clutching his chest.

[shieldofiron]

She got his ass.

[queenie-ofthe-void]

The Babysitter Chronicles: Mayfield pt 2

steve harrington & max mayfield || wc: 1.8k || cws: implied child neglect/abuse, implied domestic violence, head trauma, smoking, referenced violence, billy alludes to steve being creepy with max not billy hargrove friendly || 5+1 Steve asks for permission to babysit the kids, and one time he's asked in return

1 (Henderson) || 2 (Mayfield pt 1) || ao3 || can be read separate -> context is this is directly post-S2

Steve’s standing in the middle of the driveway, just out of sight of the windows, when the deep rumble of a car engine rips down the street. Nausea floods his throat and he swallows against the taste of bile on the back of his tongue. The blue Camaro flies up the driveway, and Steve wills every muscle in his legs to stand his ground when it parks just before bumping against his knees.

Max sits frozen in the passenger seat, staring at Steve like she’s seen a ghost. Before he can move toward her side of the car, Billy’s slamming the door behind him, barreling towards Steve with a familiar manic grin on his face. Yet even with a smile as big and bright as that, there’s no light in Billy Hargrove’s eyes. Just a blank emptiness with a tint of rage.

“Well if it isn’t Steve goddamn Harrington!” Billy cackles, crowding in so close that Steve can feel the wet heat from his breath. He reeks of stale cigarettes like the inside of the house, a smell that’s most likely permanently soaked into his denim jacket. “Don’t look so much like a King anymore.”

This is the version of Billy that Steve can deal with. All loud, over the top showmanship, acting like the biggest asshole in the room. This is the version of Billy that Steve has coped with at school everyday since September, and in a way it’s a reflection of who he used to be. Except when Steve’s layers of bullshit were peeled away, he found someone who actually cares, willing to die to save the people around him. 

When everyone saw the core of Billy Hargrove exposed in the Byers’ house, all that was left was a monster. Cold, hollow, and deadly, uncaring in a way Steve’s only seen in his father when he had a full bottle of scotch.

Steve knows he has a long way to distance himself from the King Steve moniker, but he knows for a fact he’s not Billy Hargrove, and certainly not his father. One step at a time is another step away from turning into a monster.

He clears his throat. “I never was,” Steve replies. Even if everyone else saw him as King Steve, he sure as shit never did. Never wants to be again.

Billy smirks, but before he can respond, they hear a second car door slam closed. In his periphery, Steve can see Max storm towards them. She shouts, and the boy in front of Steve flinches at the snap in her voice. “I told you to leave him alone.”

He sneers at Steve before reluctantly taking a step backwards, and Steve feels like he can breathe again. Max stands next to him, so close that her arm brushes his elbow. Tension radiates from her like a pulled rubber band even though her command was sturdy and strong. It’s all just another sick reminder of how much these kids have to deal with on top of interdimensional monsters.

“Aww, come on Maxine,” Billy jeers, “King Steve and I were just having a friendly chat, man to man. Something you wouldn’t understand.”

“You aren’t friends,” she snaps back.

It’s just then Steve hears the front screen door close, Mrs. Hargrove’s voice calling out, “alright I’ve got my home and work contact info filled out, along with my work address and–” but Steve watches her pause and take in the sight before her. She moves closer and Billy’s entire demeanor changes. He moves his hands behind his back, legs spread in a military stance, as he softens the muscles in his face almost like he’s hiding himself. Another thing Steve wishes they didn’t have in common.

“What’s going on, Susan?” Billy asks, his voice laced with false sweetness. He gestures at Steve, and he feels all three sets of eyes on him at once. Mrs. Hargrove approaches slowly, standing at the point of Billy and Steve’s fucked up triangle, with Max still plastered to his side. Mrs. Hargrove hands Steve the note paper and Billy tracks it as Steve shoves it in his back pocket.

“Well,” Mrs. Hargrove draws the word out, assessing the situation, “Steve here came by asking to be Max’s new babysitter.”

“What?” Max and Billy ask simultaneously, turning towards her. Max’s eyes are bright with guarded hope, while Billy appears slightly panicked under his casual charade.

“That’s not possible,” Billy says. “I’m Max’s babysitter, Susan. That’s the way my dad wants it, and we don’t need some strange, older boy like Steve hanging around Maxine.” The implication leaves Steve disgusted, choking back the rising bile in his throat. Sharp points of pain bloom across his wrist as Max’s nails dig into him in a poorly concealed panic.

“Billy, if Steve starts watching Max before and after school, then you’ll have less to worry about.”

“No. No, Susan, if my dad wants me to watch Max, then that’s what’s going to happen.” Billy’s facade is starting to crack around the edges, and as he takes a step, the two girls step back, Max pulling Steve along with her. The careful choreography is keeping Steve on his toes. “How does dear old dad feel about this idea?”

He smiles wide again, the cat who got the canary. Steve sees the fight leave Mrs. Hargrove’s eyes as she glances towards the cold cement driveway, shoulders hiked up to her ears in defeat. Max’s grip on his wrist tightens again. He’s assuming he’ll find little bruises there in the morning. 

He’ll bear whatever bruises he needs to for these kids. Confronting Billy, taking the hits, it’s all worth it if he can spend every day knowing exactly where all of his kids are. And that sure as hell includes Max.

“What do you want, Billy?” Steve asks.

He scoffs, “what do I want?”

“Yeah,” Steve bitches back, “that’s what I said. Maybe my hits landed harder than I thought, because apparently you’re deaf now.” At school, this is the part where the people crowding him would laugh, back him up. Here in the Hargrove’s driveway, no one’s laughing. “I asked you, what do you want?”

He’s surprised when Billy snaps his mouth shut, seeming to take the offer seriously. After a few moments, he smirks again. “Alright, Harrington. You win. You can take little Maxine here off my hands. But I want your spot on the team, and I want to be captain.”

“Done.” Steve says.

Steve hasn’t been to school yet to tell the coach he’s dropping out. Once he turns in his doctor’s note, the coach won’t have anything to argue against. But he figures Billy doesn’t need to know that. It seems Mrs. Hargrove’s caught the same cue, as she side eye’s Steve but doesn’t say anything.

Billy’s staring at him, lips parted in shock. Leaving him speechless feels like a minor accomplishment. “And I still want my allowance, same as if I’m still watching her.”

“Done.” Mrs. Hargrove and Steve reply in unison. Billy looks back and forth between Max and Steve, a complicated expression passes behind his eyes Steve can’t quite place, something close to remorse. It’s gone before Steve can puzzle it out, replaced with his usual facade. 

“Max, get your shit out of my back seat.” He’s still smiling, but his voice is a cold void. She runs back to the car, ripping the passenger front and back door open. As she does, Billy storms off into the house and Mrs. Hargrove timidly watches him go, then turns back to Steve.

She crouches down to look her daughter in the eye, and Steve’s struck with how similar they appear with the same burning red hair, orange freckles. Max seems to soften slightly under her mother’s gaze, but she’s still holding herself strong and straight like Billy’s out here next to her. It sets Steve’s teeth on edge. He remembers learning at a similar age that his mom is just a person, a woman capable of mistakes instead of an all powerful Mom all kids think they have as a parent. He also thinks maybe kids should get to believe that longer than him and Max got to.

They work out the details, making sure Max has enough clothes in her backpack, along with her skateboard and homework, so she can stay the night at Steve’s. He’ll drop her at school in the morning, along with Henderson, and that’s two more kids he knows are safe.

The car ride to his place is quiet, radio volume on low. Max is fidgeting with the strap on the backpack on her lap, and Steve doesn’t know whether he should poke and prod, or let her come to him. In the end, he doesn’t have to wait long.

“You shouldn’t have done that.”

He hums. “Done what?”

“Given up basketball, being captain, just to– I don’t know. Be a babysitter. Especially my babysitter. It’s not like I need one.”

Warmth fills him up at the familiarity her words strike in him. He’ll prove to her how wrong she is eventually. How she’s a kid worth babysitting.

“Max, I already gave up the spot. Just haven’t told the coach yet.”

He doesn’t glance over to her when she turns, eyes focused on the road. Still, he can hear the smile in her voice, “but Billy–”

“Yeah,” Steve laughs, “he would’ve gotten it anyway.

She scoffs, delighted and surprised.

“Is this something you’re ok with?” He asks, only kind of afraid of the answer. “I should’ve asked you sooner, if you’re ok with me–”

“Totally,” she cuts him off, still smiling.

“And the whole, King Steve thing, doesn’t bother you?” He thinks about everything Dustin’s made passing comments about. How Mike throws it in his face at every opportunity and how he knows it’s all Jonathan and Nancy seem to see in him. How obsessed Billy was with him for so long, and that Max spends more time with all of them than anyone. When it comes right down to it, she barely knows Steve, yet is probably equipped with enough stories to make her own guesses. 

They ride the rest of the way in silence, waiting for an answer that doesn’t come until they’re parked in his empty driveway. When he finally turns to face her, Max’s eyes are earnest and clear, illuminated by the conviction on her brow.

“‘King Steve’ sounds like a stupid nickname,” she snarks. There’s fondness in her tone, and he smiles back at her. “I think I’ll just call you Steve until I can think of something better.”

A weight so heavy is lifted from his shoulders in that moment that he almost cries from the relief. He tips his head back to keep the overwhelming emotions contained just a little bit longer, and he laughs wetly to release some of the uncontained joy. 

“Is a nickname like Random Girl any better?”

She giggles, small and easy. “We’ll work on it.” And as she grabs her stuff from the back and makes her way towards the front door, Steve realizes they’ve got all the time in the world to work on it. Together.

~~~

I'm really enjoying this series, and this section in particular! I'm such a sucker for Steve and Max. <3 <3

3. Sinclair coming soon!!

[hawkinsincorrect]

Nancy: Truth or dare?

Max: Truth.

Nancy: How many hours have you slept this week?

Max: Dare.

Nancy: I dare you to go to sleep.

Max: I don't like this game.

[lorax-devito]

in canon the closets glass babes

ok but why do I kinda loves the concept of Max being the first to ‘find out’ that Mike likes Will

I mean if everyone doesn’t already know then they at least have an idea of what’s going on between them especially Dustin and Lucas

but imagine Max and Mike being stuck together for some reason,they’re bickering as per usual and Max makes an accidentally hurtful comment to Mike

he has a mental breakdown bc of everything that’s going on and basically confesses directly to her or Max just realises that all the little things she noticed between him and Will were real,they really did like-no love each other and El was just stuck in the middle

after this she spends the rest of her time getting Mike and Will together as much as possible(which Mike says he hates but secretly loves bc y’know it’s more time with Will)and helps El become more independent and that’s how Max solves Byler while Dustin,Lucas,Nancy,Jonathan,Jopper,Steve,Robin,Vecna,Mews(from beyond😔✊🕊️)and many more watch in complete shock

[toobusybeingdelulu]

Maxine “Max” Hargrove <3

[pretty-emo-dad]

I think Max signed and started her letters to each party member (+Steve) in a different way.

Lucas’s was “I would say ‘Dear stalker number 1’, but we both know you’re more than that to me,” and “Love, your totally tubular, MadMax”

Dustin’s was “Dear stalker number 2, and Hawkins’ certified boy genius” and “Yours, MadMax (PS. You’ll never beat my high score),”

Steve’s was “Hey Harrington,” and “Sorry for the trouble, Mayfeild,”

Wills was “To the least annoying boy I know, Will” and “I’m counting on you, and I see you. Love, Max”

El’s was “Dear Stalker number 3, and my best friend, El,” and “Love you from Hawkins to Paradise Island, Max”

Mikes was, “Dear Paladin,” and “Love, your Zoomer,”

[urhoneycombwitch]

max mayfield you are so special and important to me ❗️❗️❗️

[harringroveera]

AU where Billy forgot to pick his sisters up

[cavinginhisfvce]

Jane, to Billy about Hopper: He can be the father you never had.

Billy: I had a father.

Jane: Yes, I know.

Jane: Unremarkable man. Highly flammable.

[shieldofiron]

Max gets really into bedazzling when her mom gets her a kit for her birthday, and god help anyone who asks Billy why his cigarette case looks like this.

[dwobbitfromtheshire]

Nancy wandered into Max's hospital room after everyone was unexpectedly kicked out. Max was lying in the bed, her head bent as she cried. Maybe she shouldn't. . .maybe she should give her the space she said she wanted. She couldn't leave her alone to cry, though. She sat carefully in the chair next to Max and took her hand. Max jumped.

"Who's there?" Max asked, her eyes trying to look around the room.

"It's Nancy," she said softly.

"I said that I wanted to be left alone," Max said.

"I know. I was never really good at doing what people told me to do, though," Nancy said, smiling when Max laughed.

"Me neither," she said softly.

"I just wanted to let you know that I'm here for you if you need to talk," Nancy said.

"I'm just - I'm really bad at letting people in," Max said.

"I'm the same way," Nancy said. "When things get rough, I tend to push away the people who matter the most. . .especially when they just fall apart, and then you just let them."

"I want to let people in, I really do," Max said softly.

"Yeah, me too," Nancy said.

"I don't know where to start. Every time I think about it, it's like I can't breathe," Max said.

"I think for me, my biggest fear is that my pain will somehow hurt them more than if I just let them go. In some weird way, it's my way of protecting them," Nancy said.

"Yeah, that makes sense," Max said.

"Somehow, in the back of my mind, I tend to think it's better if I do this alone, but we live in a world dependent on people and as much as we try to admit that we don't want help or think we don't need help there's always this part of us trying to reach out for the people we care about the most. We keep trying to push it away or stamp it out because there's people in our lives who tell us we don't need them, that we don't fit. Like my mom said to me once, 'People are always saying you can't. That you shouldn't. That you're not smart enough. Not good enough. This world, it beats you up. Again and again. Until eventually. . .most people, they just stop trying.' I think when you start to believe that, it starts to come true. I think the hardest thing for people to say is that they can't do this alone. I think it takes a lot of strength to say that you can't or don't want to do it alone. Max, you're the strongest person I know, I think you can do it. No, I know you can do it," Nancy said.

"In the junkyard," Max said, sniffling. "When Steve moved me out of the way to protect me from the demogorgon, and stood in front of us holding up the bat. . .no one's ever done that before. Not Billy, not Neil, not even my mom. . .it's the first time I felt like I could do it myself. I looked at Steve and thought that this was what a brother's supposed to be. He's supposed to protect you, not hurt you, and when I saw Billy hurting Steve, I had to stop him. For a long time, I just wanted Billy and Neil to stop hurting us. When Billy died, I thought it was my fault, so I pushed Lucas and everyone away because I thought I was protecting them."

"It's not your fault, Max. What happened to Billy. He had many chances to do the right thing by you, to be the brother you needed. He failed you, Max, and you wishing for him to stop hurting you doesn't make you a bad person. You didn't wish him to die, did you?" Nancy asked.

"I just wanted it to stop," Max said.

"He waited until it was too late, and because of what Dr. Brenner did. . .because of the Russians. . . He died without really making it up to you. All these things that happened to you aren't your fault. The blame lies on other people. I know what it's like to feel guilty about the things that are out of your control. I know what it's like to deal with trauma that no one's ever dealt with before. How do you deal with real flesh and blood monsters? We have no guidebook for this, only each other. When you're ready, we're here for you," Nancy said.

"I'm scared, Nancy," Max sobbed. "I don't know if I can handle being blind. I won't ever see my mom's face or the sun again. I won't ever see the ocean or Lucas's face. I'll never see him play basketball. I should have gone to his game. Why didn't I just go to his game? Because I was scared? What kind of excuse is that?"

"A really good one," Nancy said softly. "Sometimes, the best way you can let people know you care about them is to let them take care of you."

"He's good at that, Lucas. He read to me, I heard him," Max said. "I heard his voice. . ."

"Steve’s good at taking care of people too," Nancy said, mentioned casually.

"Except he pretends as if he doesn't like it like he's a goddamn cat," Max said, and Nancy laughed.

"He is a cat, but then I think so are you," Nancy said.

"Lucas is more like a golden retriever," Max said. "Which is weird because I'm not a very affectionate person."

"I'm not really either, but there are other ways to show people you care about. One of them is, like I said earlier," Nancy said. "And it's in the little million different ways that I think only you can discover along the way. And if it's someone who's willing to do the same, even better. . .How do you want to show Lucas you care?"

Max grinned so suddenly, it startled Nancy.

"I want to see him play basketball," Max said.

"Max. . ."

"Will's a good dungeon master, right?" She asked Nancy.

"Yeah?"

"Do you think he would be willing to transfer those skills into telling me what's going on when Lucas is playing?" Max asked.

"I think he would be willing to do anything to help in any way that he can," Nancy said with a grin of her own. "That's a good idea, Max."

Max beamed, suddenly looking more comfortable in her hospital bed.

"I want to make it work this time with Lucas," Max said. "No more pushing him a way or El or anyone else."

"I think Robin's hoping for that too. She said something about 'two flames that never should have been burned out,' so she's rooting for you and Lucas," Nancy said.

"Was she saying that about us or about you and Steve?" Max asked slyly.

"It can be both," Nancy said.

"Well, she's smart, so maybe she knows what she's talking about," Max smirked. "Does Steve have anything to do with you breaking up with Jonathan?"

"No, well, a little bit. It's been a long time coming. We've had problems before, but I think an important part of wanting to be in a relationship with someone is wanting to be with them. We didn't want to see each other, and it's not because we didn't love each other. It's just that love wasn't enough anymore. Suddenly, it wasn't Jonathan who I could see in my dream anymore," Nancy said. "He wasn't who I wanted anymore, and I wasn't who he wanted, but that doesn't mean he's not going to be in my life. We were both relieved when we ended things."

"Are you sad?" Max asked.

"A little, but I think that happens when you close a chapter of your life," Nancy said. "But then a new chapter starts. . .a new day begins and the sun rises. . . I'm looking forward to being friends with Jonathan."

They sat in silence for a while as Max let Nancy stroke her knuckles.

"Thank you, Nancy," Max said and paused. "You're too stubborn for your own good, you know?"

"I've been told," Nancy laughed.

"I didn't really feel like I would ever have a family again until I came here to Hawkins. You and the others. . .especially Steve and Robin. . .have been the best older siblings that I could have asked for. I don't think. . .I don't want to do this alone," Max said.

"We're here," Nancy said softly and leaned forward to kiss her forehead.

"Can you send Lucas in?" Max asked.

"Yeah," Nancy said.

She walked out into the parking lot where everyone was loitering around. Lucas was talking to Will and Mike when she approached. She touched his shoulder, trying to ignore the nostalgia and the realization that he had grown so much. They all had.

"Hey, Nancy," Lucas said with a smile.

"Max wants to see you," Nancy said.

"Is that a good thing?" Lucas asked. "I mean, is she okay?"

"Yeah, and it's a very good thing," she grinned and hugged him. "Good luck."

"Thanks!" Lucas exclaimed and ran off towards the hospital.

She found Steve’s car parked a few feet away. Robin and Dustin were leaning against the trunk while Steve argued with them about something. That was something Nancy noticed Steve did. He would start a trivial argument in order to get other people's minds off other things, especially when they worried too much and they couldn't do anything about it. He knew how much Dustin was worried about Max. Steve was so much smarter than he ever let on. His back was to her. Robin and Dustin's eyes looked at her curiously as she approached. She didn't care. Nancy placed her hands on Steve’s hips and turned him around.

"Nancy?" He asked.

"I love you," Nancy said.

She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him. He froze for a moment, and she was about to pull back when he returned the kiss. He wrapped his arm around her waist, supporting her weight, as she moved her arms around his neck. Nancy smiled against his lips, enjoying the familiar way they fit against hers. They smiled into the kiss before pulling away.

"Hi," Steve said, his cheeks red.

"Hi," Nancy said.

He stared at her in amazement, and she looked at him expectantly.

"Oh, yeah, I love you too!" Steve exclaimed.

Robin and Dustin let out a squeal. They turned to find them both clinging to each other, jumping up and down in excitement.

"I can't believe Dustin had doubts!" Robin exclaimed.

"I didn't have doubts. You had doubts," Dustin accused.

"Harrington! Did you seriously just make out with Nancy in front of me?!" Jonathan yelled from across the parking lot.

"Oh, shit!" Dustin exclaimed.

"She kissed me!" Steve squeaked, and Jonathan laughed.

"Oh, man, your face! Sorry, man, I was messing with you. Nancy and I broke up. I'm dating someone else," Jonathan said, grinning. "We're good."

Everyone in the parking lot laughed and Steve sighed.

"I'm going to kill him," Steve muttered.

"The look on your face was pretty funny," Nancy giggled.

Steve smirked and began ticking her sides. She laughed and slapped his chest.

"Oh, yeah, you think so?" Steve asked.

Nancy laughed and shook her head. Steve stopped and hugged her tightly. She let him for a moment, letting him savor her touch while she did the same before pulling away. She laughed when he went over to gush about it with Robin. Suddenly, Lucas came running out of the hospital with a grin on his face. He ran over to Will.

"Are you okay?" Will asked.

"Better than okay! We're officially back together. She said she loves me and we kissed," Lucas said.

"That's great!" Will exclaimed.

"I was wondering if you would be able to help Max with something," Lucas said.

Nancy smiled. These kids were more than friends. They were family. They all were. Whether romantically or platonically, they were all willing to help each other through the bad times, no matter how big or small. The part of her that wanted to do everything on her own was no longer screaming at her. Even without monsters from other dimensions, it was difficult to navigate this world on your own. Nancy wouldn't go anywhere without one of her guns, just like Steve wouldn't go anywhere without his bat, nor would they go anywhere without knowing that they always had their family to fall back on.