#stranger things episode four

[enidsinclesbian]

[mochiiparadise]

Finn must like the closeted gay kid in love with his best friend trope in the 80’s

[apotheosisyphean]

im not truly obsessed with a piece of media until ive made band au content for it

[pendinganchor]

why do antis think it went:

- steve lies

- billy breaks a plate over steve’s head

when it actually went:

- billy gets smacked around, called a slur, then threatened all by his father because max ran off on his watch

- billy had to drive all around town to track down where she is, while he’s supposed to be on a date

- max sets the tone by saying “he can’t know i’m here. he’ll kill me. he’ll kills us.” (which babe way dramatic jfc)

- steve (a borderline 18 year old) lies about the whereabouts of max (a 13 year old) to her stepbrother. he also lies about even knowing who she is!!!

- billy calls him out for lying

- steve says “oh shit”

- billy sends steve to the ground for being weird

- flirting

- billy goes inside

- billy sees that not only was max with steve but three other boys as well (boys that billy has only ever seen making max upset)

- billy sets his sights on lucas who he already told max to stay away from (we can talk all about the racist undertones of this interaction but that’s not what this post is about)

- billy pushes lucas and tells him to stay away from max

- lucas kicks billy (rightfully so tbh)

- billy makes a threat that 100% was not serious (you think he would actually kill a child? be fr)

- steve punches billy

- billy’s reaction to steve punching him is laughing (LAUGHING but we don’t have time to unpack allll of that)

- more flirting

- billy swings at and misses steve

- steve punches billy again

- steve punches billy a third time while the kids cheer him on

- billy is still laughing

- steve punches billy a fourth time and backs him into a corner

- like mother like son billy breaks a plate over steve’s head

- the fight turns and now steve is getting his shit rocked

- max stabs billy IN THE NECK with a syringe with an unknown substance in it (this easily could have killed him)

- max threatens billy

[harringtonstilinski]

Always The Babysitter - Chapter Twenty-One: The Sauna Test

Author: @harringtonstilinski​ Characters: Steve Harrington x Olivia Henderson(OC) Word Count: 3,001 Warnings: fluff, lil' angst, falling elevators, almost confessions?? 👀 Smut: no | yes; A/N: Hi, friends! If you like this chapter, please do not hesitate to reblog and give some feedback, whether it be in the reblogs, comments, or my inbox. As always, read at your own risk and enjoy 😊

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When I woke up the next morning, I made a quiet groaning noise as I stretched my limbs. After I put my arms back down, I felt paper, so I picked it up and read it.

Olivia,

      I didn’t want to wake you. I’m downstairs in the kitchen. Come find me.

Steve ♥️

Ever since I told him he was being all domestic last night, it seemed to me that he wanted to keep that up. I mean, I was practically living with him. So, as I got up to make my way down the hall and to the stairs, I couldn’t help but smile to myself.

Looking at Steve as I walked into the kitchen, the smile was still on my face. Something about Steve drinking from a coffee mug just made me… fall for him even more. The way this man is just casually being… him makes me wanna kiss him stupid.

“Hey, there, lover,” I said, softly, wrapping my arms around his middle from behind.

“Morning, baby,” he said. I could hear the smile on his lips.

“Whatcha doing?” 

“Reading the paper and drinking–”

“Coffee?” I asked, perking up.

Chuckling, he turned around and said, “Tea.”

I made a sad face, saying a sad “Oh.”

“Look over there,” he whispered, pointing.

Following the line of sight his fingers gave me, I saw a coffee pot with freshly made coffee inside. Looking back to him with a smile, I said, “You’re the best.”

“I know,” he smiled back, giving me a kiss to the tip of my nose.

He had already set out a cup for me to use, the sugar container sitting next to it. After I had poured some of the brown liquid into my cup with some of the sugar and some half&half, I turned to him, taking a sip. “You’re the best, you know that?”

“Yes,” he said. “You just told me that like 2 minutes ago.”

All I could do was smile at him as I took another sip of my coffee.

We chatted about this and that while we sipped our caffeine and ate our breakfast. I cleaned up the kitchen while we went and got ready for work. When he came back down, blue uniform on and all, I went upstairs to get changed.

Clad in my graphic tee and denim shorts, I strutted my way back into the kitchen, stopping when I heard Steve call my name. Looking in the direction I heard his voice, I furrowed my eyebrows, wondering how I passed him standing at the door and not realizing it.

Shrugging, I made my way over to him, trapping his bottom lip between mine, feeling him kiss me back instantly. “Can I kiss you stupid later?”

He nodded, kissing me once more before opening the front door and leading me out to his car after he locked the door.

~~~

Once we picked Dustin up and made it to the mall, we sent Dustin up on the roof again to spy on the Russian guys that were standing guard outside while deliveries were being made. When he had enough entail, he came to Scoops’ back room, where Robin, Steve and I were sitting.

“That keycard opens the door, but unfortunately, the Russian with this keycard also has a massive gun,” Dustin informed us. “Whatever’s in this room, whatever’s in those boxes, they really don’t want anybody finding it.”

While Dustin was talking, I watched as Steve swirled his Scoops hat around on his hand.

“But there’s gotta be a way in,” Robin said.

Blowing into his hat to form the top of it back out, Steve said, “Well, ya’know… I could just take him out.”

“Take who out?” Robin and I asked.

“The Russian guard.” He looked over at me, my face giving off a confused expression. “What? I sneak up behind him, I knock him out, and I take his keycard. It’s easy.”

“Babe,” I said, placing my hand on his shoulder. “Need I remind you about your track record with trying to ‘take people out’?”

“Did you not hear the part about the massive gun?” Dustin asked.

“Yes, Dustin, I did,” Steve replied. “And that’s why I would be sneaking.”

“Ah,” Dustin and I said.

“Well, please, tell me this, and be honest,” Dustin continued. “Have you ever actually… won a fight?”

Looking at my brother, I said, “Did you not hear me basically ask that?”

“Okay, you two, that was one time–” Steve said.

“Nope. Twice. Jonathan kicked your ass our Junior Year. Next.”

“Listen, that doesn’t count.”

“Why doesn’t it? I watched him beat the shit out of you, AND helped you out after.”

Dustin and Steve started arguing about whether or not Jonathan’s fight actually counted. I rolled my eyes, turning my head in Robin’s direction, seeing her looking up before she said something about… something might actually working before she got up and went to the cash register, Steve and I standing at the open door watching her.

“Robin,” Steve said, taking my hand and pulling me through the door, Dustin following. “Hey, Robin! Hey, what– what are you doing?” She turned to us, backing up out of the store as she said, “I need cash.”

“Well, half of that’s mine,” Steve whined. “Where you going?”

“To find us a way into that room, a safe way,” she said, voice raised. “And, in the meantime, sling ice cream, behave, and don’t get beat up. I’ll be back in a jiff.”

“Ah, dude,” Steve said. I looked over, seeing him take the ice cream scoop from Dustin. “Come on, man, not my scooper.” He twirled it on his finger like those cowboys do in the Westerns before placing the handle in his pocket.

“I hope you wash that before you use it,” I said.

~~~

Robin came back from her little errand a little while later with a paper in her hand, walking into the back room. “It is fascinating what 20 bucks will get you at the County Recorder’s office.”

“Care to elaborate?” I said.

Placing the gigantic sheet of paper on the table, which turned out to be the mall’s blueprints, Robin said, “Starcourt Mall. The complete blueprints.”

“Holy shit,” I breathed, looking down at the sheet.

“Not bad,” Dustin said.

I leaned down a little to look at the prints, seeing Steve doing the same from the corner of my eye, his hand on my back as Robin said, “This is us, Scoops, and this is where we want to get,” while pointing to the points on the blueprints.

“I mean, I don’t really see a way in,” Steve said.

“There’s not, if you’re talking exclusively about doors,” Robin said, flipping the page on the blueprint.

“Air ducts,” Dustin and I said.

“Exactly.”

I looked up, watching as she walked to the board to grab a marker before coming back to the table, continuing her words, “Turns out, this secret room needs air just like any old room. And these air ducts–” She marked where she needed to, making a circle then a line following the air ducts to another part of the blueprints, making another circle on Scoops. “Lead all the way… here.”

I looked up at the vent, trying to get ideas on who we can send up there. “We need to look inside to see how big it is to send someone in there, but unfortunately… it’s screwed into the wall.” Movement from the corner of my eye had me looking in that direction.

“Well, who’s small enough?” Robin asked.

Dustin and I looked at each other, our eyes saying the same thing before we spoke our thoughts, “Send one of us.”

Steve moved to where they kept all their hardware before getting a ladder to stand on, unscrewing the screws from the wall and pulling the vent off, handing it to me down below. Through the screwdriver in between his teeth, he said, “Flashlight.”

I took the vent from his hands, giving him the flashlight as he took the screwdriver from between his teeth as he took the flashlight from my hand, saying, “Thanks, baby.” Shining the light down the metal air duct for a moment before saying, “Yeah, I don’t know, man. I don’t know if either of you can fit in here. It’s, like… super tight.”

“Get down,” I said, tapping the back of his thigh. “Let me try.”

He jumped off the ladder before letting me climb. I tried sticking my body through, not going past the middle of my arms. I pulled out of the duct, shaking my head before jumping down. “I can’t get through.”

Looking at Dustin, he said, “I’ll fit. Trust me. No collarbones, remember?” He moved to the ladder, climbing it before putting his head and shoulders in… getting stuck at his hips. 

“Uh, excuse me?” Robin said. 

“He’s got cleidocranial dysplasia,” I said. “Basically, he’s missing some of his bones and shit.”

“He can bend like Gumbo,” Steve said.

“You mean Gumby?” Robin corrected him… or tried to as Steve looked from me back to her while he said, “Pretty sure it’s Gumbo.”

“Steve, just shut up and push me!” Dustin said.

“Okay.” Steve moved to the ladder, grabbing Dustin’s feet and pushing, while saying, “I’ll push ya.”

“Not my feet, dumbass. Push my ass.”

“What?”

“Touch my butt! I don’t care!”

“Oh, sweet shit,” I muttered, covering my mouth with my hand as Steve climbed the ladder a couple steps, pushing on my brother’s ass. I tried to contain the laughter that wanted to escape, but it came out in a chuckle.

“Come on! Harder!”

“I’m pushing!” Steve said.

“Push harder!” Dustin screamed.

I looked at Robin and started laughing as Steve and Dustin argued.

“You’re playing with my legs!”

“I’m not playing, I have terrible footing,” Steve said.

“Come on!”

“I’m just gonna shove you, ready?”

“Just shove me?”

“One, two…” Steve shoved Dustin, trying to get him into the duct more, my little brother saying, “Shit!”

“That work?” my boyfriend asked.

“One more time.”

The bell ringing had Robin and I turning our heads, my laughter dying down at seeing Erica at the front counter, saying, “Ahoy, sailors! All hands on deck! Get over here and serve me some samples.”

Robin and I looked at each other, sharing the same idea.

I looked back at Erica and said, “Hey, Sinclair! Wanna earn a couple bucks?”

~~~

After I convinced Erica to look into the air duct, she came into the back room and did just that as Steve, Dustin, Robin and myself leaned against the counter by the window. She stepped off the ladder, turning to face us and said, “Yeah, I don’t know.”

“You don’t know if you can fit?” I asked.

“Oh, I can fit,” she said. “I just don’t know if I want to.”

“Are you claustrophobic?” Robin asked.

Erica scoffed, saying, “I don’t have phobias.”

It was my turn to scoff before I turned to Dustin and muttered, “Wish I didn’t.”

“Okay, well, what’s the problem?” Steve asked.

“The problem is, I still haven’t heard what’s in this for Erica,” she said.

Sighing, I stepped forward, pulling out some cash. Giving her two dollars, I said, “Here’s your pay for looking.” I leaned in a little closer to her, talking quietly so only the two of us could hear. “I’ll even convince these two sailors to give you some ice cream while you think it over.”

She looked at me for a moment, smirking a little before reaching out her hand. “Deal.”

I turned to the other three standing behind me, smiling a little. “Get her all the samples she wants, in or on what she wants.”

“Babe–” Steve started.

Holding up the rest of the cash I had on me, I said, “I’ll pay for it.”

“That’s for lunch!” Dustin whined.

“Got any better ideas?”

At his nonanswer, I walked through the doors to sit at a booth, watching as Erica put in her orders before sitting down next to me, Dustin following suit before Steve and Robin made their way to the booth as well, placing the ice creams down on the table before sitting.

Steve pushed a banana split to Erica, the young girl pushing it back, asking for more fudge. He gave me a sour look, one I knew all too well; he was upset with me, but wouldn’t be for long.

After Steve had gotten up with Erica’s banana split, Robin pulled out the folded blueprints of the air ducts, holding it up, saying, “Alright. You see this?” She pointed to the line she had drawn. “This is the route you’re gonna take.” She flipped the prints, revealing the other side of the line. “Then we just wait until the last delivery goes out tonight.”

“Then you knock out the grate, jump down and open the door,” I added.

“Then you find out what’s in those boxes?” Erica asked.

“Exactly,” Robin answered.

“Mm-hmmm. And you say this guard is armed.”

“Yes, but he won’t be there,” Dustin said.

“And booby traps?”

“Booby traps?” Robin and I asked.

“Lasers, spikes in the wall?” Erica said.

“What?” 

Putting her hand on my arm, Erica said, “You know what this half-baked plan of yours sounds like to me? Child endangerment.”

“See, no–” I said.

“We’ll be in radio contact with you the whole time–” Robin said.

“Ah, ah, ah!” Erica exclaimed. “Child. Endangerment.”

Sighing, Dustin said Erica’s name, the girl looking at him before he continued, “Hi. Uhh, we think these Russians wanna do harm to our country. Great harm. Don’t you love your country?”

“Oh, my god,” I whispered, looking up at the ceiling.

“You can’t spell America without Erica,” she said.

Looking back down at her, then at my brother, he and I both said, “Oddly, that’s totally true.”

“So, so, don’t do it for us,” I said, while Erica slurped on her milkshake. “Do it for your country, for your fellow man. Do it for America, Erica.”

She shivered next to me, before smiling while saying, “Oh! I just got the chills.”

I smiled, sitting up a little straighter while looking at Robin and Dustin.

“From this float,” Erica added, my confidence shattering. “Know what I love most about this country? Capitalism. Do you know what capitalism is?”

Dustin and Robin said they did while I looked confused. 

“It means this is a free market system,” she continued. “Which means people get paid for their services, depending on how valuable their contributions are. And it seems to me, my ability to fit into that little vent is very, very valuable to you all. So, you want my help? This USS Butterscotch better be the first of many.”

“Free ice cream?” I asked.

“For. Life,” she enunciated.

~~~

“I cannot believe I’m back on this stupid roof,” I complained, leaning in between Robin and Steve.

“You’ll be fine,” Dustin said.

I looked at him, his binoculars held up to his eyes. 

“It’s all quiet here,” Robin said into the walkie talkie. “So, you’ve got the green light.”

“Green light, roger that,” Erica said, her voice coming through the walkie’s speaker. “Commence Operation Child Endangerment.”

“Are we really gonna call it that?” I asked after Robin hit the button to talk.

“See you on the other side. Nerds.”

I sighed and backed up a little from the group. Since I turned and had my back facing them, I didn’t register someone coming up behind me, hands being placed on my arms. Immediately feeling safe, I leaned back into Steve’s arms, his own wrapping around me as I sighed again. “When can we live normal lives again? Demogorgons, Mind Flayers and Demodogs, and now Russians?”

“I know, baby,” he whispered, his lips pressing to the side of my head. “I’ll make it up to you, I promise.”

I turned in his hold, looking into his eyes while putting my arms around his middle. “Really?”

Smiling, he pushed a piece of hair back behind my ear, cupping my cheek before he said, “I’ll kiss you stupid.”

I smiled a little, leaning up to kiss him; a long, sweet kiss. 

The crackling of the walkie brought me back down to reality, Erica’s voice coming through as Steve and I made our way back to the ledge. “Alright, nerds. I’m there.”

“D-do you see anything?” Robin asked.

“Yeah, I see those boring boxes you’re so excited about.”

“Any guards?” I asked.

“Negative.”

“Booby traps?”

“If I could see them, they’d be pretty shit traps, wouldn’t they?”

“Thank you for that?” Robin answered.

I heard bangs coming from the other side of the door before Erica said, “I’m in.”

“Oh, god,” Steve breathed, right before the doors opened and Erica walked out.

“Free ice cream for life,” she said.

Dustin, Robin, Steve and I got down off the roof, making our way over to Erica and the boxes, where Steve used a knife or a boxcutter to open an Imperial Panda box… another box of some sort sitting inside.

He grabbed the handle on it, turning it, causing air to hiss out of it before lifting the lid, revealing four more handles.

“Oh, sweet shit,” I breathed.

“That’s definitely not Chinese food,” Steve said. He put the lid down, placing his hand back in the cardboard box on one of the metal handles. He looked at us all before putting both hands up and saying, “Uh, maybe you guys should, ya’know, stand back.”

Robin and Erica did as Steve asked, but Dustin and I did not.

“No,” my brother and I said.

Putting his arm across my stomach to reach Dustin, Steve said, “Just step back, okay?”

Pushing his arm down, I said, “No.”

“Baby, seriously.”

“No! You’re my boyfriend, I lo–” I stopped my words, taking in a deep breath. I placed my hand on his cheek, saying, “We’re in this together. If you die, I die.”

He sighed, knowing my determination. “Okay.” Putting his hand back on the handle, he twisted it before lifting it out of the slot it was in, revealing green… something. I’m not sure what it was. Goo? Slime? I… I didn’t know.

“What the hell?” Steve muttered.

“What is that?” Robin asked.

An answer came in the form of the room rumbling before it moved a little. I instantly put my hand on Steve’s arm, grabbing for Dustin’s hand or wrist with my other.

“Was that just me, or did the room move?” Dustin asked.

I looked at Erica as she whispered, “Booby traps.”

The room rumbled again, sending Robin into motion, grabbing for the green substance. “Ya’know what? Let’s just grab that and go.”

Steve put the lid back on the metal… container thing as Dustin went to the control panel, hitting a button… about four or five times.

“Which one do I press, Erica?” he asked.

“Just press the damn button, nerd,” she said.

“Which one?” I asked.

“I’m pressing the button, okay?” Dustin added.

“Press open door,” Erica said.

“I’m pressing open door.”

Steve moved past me saying, “Just open the– press the other button.”

Anxiety was filling me at the arguments going on, an overwhelming feeling washing over me. I was brought back to reality when I heard Robin say, “Just open the door!” before a loud clanging noise sounded.

I watched as what seemed like a wall came down, slamming shut and trapping us in this room filled with boxes with unknown substances. Then the room just… fell with all five of us in it.

I was screaming, Robin and Erica were screaming, I’m sure Dustin was screaming. Feeling arms around me, I heard Steve’s voice in my ear say, “Oh, shit,” as lights were flashing by as we made our very fast descent.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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~~~

A/N 2:  hi, friends! pls be kind and reblog! it really helps us content creators out <3

Additional Note:

~~~

Forever / Everything Taglist: @stiles-o-dylan24​​ @stixnstripesworld​ @fandom-princess-forevermore​​​ @quanticobae​​​ @mischiefandi​​​ @kellyashcroft @lauren-novak​​​​

Steve Harrington Taglist: @madaboutjoe

If you’re tagged and didn’t want to be, please let me know.

~~~

*Please don’t post my writing anywhere else without my consent. The author of this work will always and forever be @harringtonstilinski​.

All characters, story lines, and plot aside from y/n and her storyline & plot, are all of the work of The Duffer Brothers.

*These works contain material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited.

No part of these works may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from the author / publisher.

Posted on March 18, 2024

[princessdave]

Citrus Six watching Last of Us episode 3

Ronance

Robin: oh my god, can pancakes turn me into a zombie? that’s like my worst nightmare

Nancy: should I write an article about safety practices in the wheat industry?

Steddie

Both dehydrated and exhausted from sobbing and staying up all night saying how much they love each other

Steve, crying: I’d grow you all the strawberries you want, babe

Eddie, also crying: *gasp* babe

Jargyle

Argyle: bro, you’d be the cutest little mushroom

Jonathan, giggling: dude, what?

Argyle: if you were a mushroom zombie, I’d totally let you bite me and we’d have a cool little hive mind

[burtonbabygirlguster]

the S.T fandom when Jonathan gives up all possibility on his decade+ long dream collage to go with Nancy, but doesn’t want to because 1) it’s her dream, not his, 2) he wants to be with his family, and 3) he’s not well-off on money like Nancy is, but is afraid of telling her because he fears that in turn, she’ll come to him, give up on her dreams, and end up in a loveless relationship; and he doesn’t want that for her, which is why he’s ignoring her and lying to her- because he wants to delay that experience and interaction as long as he possibly can:

[r-u-s-a-l-k-a]

gay/bi mike wheeler discourse is so hilarious from my pov. I'm here sitting on my bench watching you all going at each other's troaths virtually, eating popcorn and knowing that Mike is straight, that the Duffer Brothers are lazy and they wrote Will to be in love with Mike because they wanted to take the safer route : sad gay kid pining over his straight best friend. They didn't add a new character for Will in season four because it wasn't suitable for Will and Mike storyline. If Argyle wouldn't have existed and in his place there would have been the new Will's love interest, what the fuck would Mike have done for eight episodes ? Will's storyline would have been different, he couldn't be Mike's counselor. Will and Mike's storylines in season four are attached not because there is this big plot twist around the corner and by*ler will be endgame, it's because of cheap, lazy writing. They didn't know what to do with both of them. So it's really funny reading this whole online discourse "Mike is clearly gay" "Mike is perfect bi representation" when i am here with a bitter taste in my mouth thinking that in good hands, in hands that really cared about queer identity and queer representation Will Byers would have been treated differently.

[ariesbilly]

stranger gays + bot description generator (insp)

[leshyleaf]

#1

[enidsinclesbian]

[lumism]

in the podcast robin says that she likes listening to the music her friends enjoy and that a song can be special when the right person likes it. this is making my brain spin like ok what happens when steve's favourite song is also robin's favourite song because he's her best friend and he made it special. do i just go insane. and also we already know that robin knows what nancy listens to, so how about a ronance scene to parallel lucas saying he's a kate bush fan because of max. i am very normal about this information

[emily-mooon]

Here’s Max!

I noticed that I was picking outfits in order of season, so I did a season 4 outfit for Max. I love the sweater in this episode and because of it, I call a certain sweater of mine the Max one because every time I wear it, I think of her.

Next poll will be up soon!

[bylertruther]

season five isn't going to be the byler show because we all have brains and recognize this is an ensemble sci fi show obviously, but it is kinda funny to hear people argue that because the duffers specifically point out in their pitch that will is gay and gets kidnapped soon after realizing it, then in season one have everyone who isn't "in the know" assume that this occurred because he's gay, thus really linking this realization with his disappearance both supernaturally and also to those outside of the main cast. this means that you can't separate the two. there's more to it of course, but will being gay and the consequences he faces for that is intertwined.

not only that, but they then reveal his kidnapper to be will's perfect character foil--love vs hate, light vs dark, hope vs despair, optimism vs cynicism, freedom vs subjugation, light wizard vs dark wizard, etc.

vecna spends all of season four preying on those who are traumatized and "other". he enshrouds them in their darkness until they succumb to it and believe it to be true, and gains strength from their despair.

what does will spend all of season four doing?

he stays by mike's side and banishes his deepest, darkest insecurities by basking him in his light. he listens to mike's worries and his secrets and tells him no, you're wrong, you're absolutely wrong and here's why. this is who you really are: someone worthy, capable, and strong. don't listen to that voice in your head; it's lying to you, mike. he gives mike hope and a way out of his darkness. he frees him from the grips of self-hate out of the goodness of his heart, not because he stands to gain anything from it.

vecna uses people's darkest and scariest memories to trap them and will uses one of mike's happy and safe memories to help him.

vecna gains strength from pain and rage and will gains strength from love and acceptance; acceptance that he felt from mike all his life and then acceptance that he specifically received from jonathan in the back kitchen.

time and time again, season four made sure to show us that they are two sides of the same coin and will's story cannot be extricated from mike and his romantic love for him, so like... season five is not going to be the byler show, but it also ... kind of is going to be the byler show lmao.

if season five is going to feature will then automatically it will feature mike and if it features them then it will pick up on their unfinished plot from season four and if love and acceptance are vecna's weaknesses and love and acceptance are what byler feel and receive from each other then... how is it not the byler show?

obviously other stuff is going to happen because they're not the only two characters in a romance show, but like ... to act like season four [for them] wasn't all about their relationship, the unsaid things that sit between them, and how will's love for mike is not only what made him able to finally say i love you to eleven for the first time but also precisely the love that he was trying to get from her, and that somehow that isn't going to bleed into season five and be resolved and be the exact kind of love and acceptance that will defeat vecna because will's otherness is rooted in his queerness and season five is literally his coming of age and also he's the focus and we'll be exploring his relation to everything because he is In Fact Actually connected to Everything and always has been is just .... weird. and nonsensical.

[harringtonstilinski]

Always The Babysitter - Chapter Twenty-Six: The Hellfire Club

Author: @harringtonstilinski​ Characters: Steve Harrington x Olivia Henderson(OC) Word Count: 3,303 Warnings: tooth-rotting fluff Smut: no | yes; A/N: Hi, friends! I can't believe we're on the last season!! Buckle up, friends, 'cause it's a lot this season!! If you like this chapter, please do not hesitate to reblog and give some feedback, whether it be in the reblogs, comments, or my inbox. As always, read at your own risk and enjoy 😊

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The phone ringing startled me awake as I sat up straight in the bed. Looking at the clock, I tried to count three hours backward from the time shown, slightly struggling before jumping to my feet and rushing to the phone, answering with a groggy and breathless, “Hello?”

“Can I read this to you?”

I sighed at the sound of El’s voice before answering, “Of course, sweetie.”

She always read me her letters that she wrote to Mike, asking for my advice on whether or not it sounded good enough. “Okay. Here it goes. ‘Dear Mike, today is day 185. Feels more like 10 years. Joyce says time is funny like that. Emotions can make it speed up or slow down. We are all time travelers if you think about it. For example, this week is going very fast. I think because I am so busy. I have to make something called a visual aid. I hope Mrs. Gracey will give me an A. Some exciting news; Joyce got an amazing new job. She gets to work at home. She says she loves the freedom. Will is painting a lot, but he-he won’t show me what he’s working on. M-maybe it is for a girl. I think there is someone he likes. Because he has been acting… weird. Jonathan is acting weird, also. I think he is just nervous about college. He is still waiting for his big letter. I hope he and Nancy get to go together. But I don’t know how he’ll ever get to college because his car is still broken down. His funny friend Argyle has been taking us to school. His hair is longer than mine. And he and Jonthan like to smoke smelly plants together. Jonathan says the plants are super safe because they come from the Earth, but to not tell Joyce. Me? I’m twice as happy now. You were right. It just takes time. I think I have finally adapted. At first, I missed all the spring flowers, but now I find it pretty here, too. I even like school now. I am still best at math, but my grammar is good now also. Thanks in part to Olivia back home. It helps that everyone is so nice here. I have made lots of friends. Even so, I am ready for Spring Break, mostly because I get to see you. I am so excited to see you, it is hard to breathe. Are you excited, too? I think you will love it here like me. I think we will have the best Spring Break ever. I hope my spelling was better this time. Miss you. Love, El.’”

She breathed deep on her end of the phone, silently asking me what I thought. Taking a drag from my cigarette, which I rarely ever do, I nodded my head before saying, “It’s good! But the part about friends? I’m not sure that should be in there.” El’s kept her word on telling me every detail when she calls me. This bitch Angela bullies her to no end, and it pisses me off to the point where I want to get in my car and drive to California to beat the shit out of this girl… but I can’t since she’s a minor and I’m 19 years old. “Maybe just tell him the truth?” I took another drag, holding it for a moment as I said, “The truth–” I blew the smoke from my lungs. “Is a lot better than having to cover up your lies in front of him when he’s there in a couple days.”

“Livvie! Are you smoking again?” Mom hollered.

“Shit,” I whispered, dabbing my cigarette.

“Steve will be here soon!”

Holding the mouthpiece of the phone, I hollered back, “Okay!” Sighing and shaking my head, I removed my hand, saying into the mouthpiece. “Listen, get ready for school, do the finishing touches for your visual aid that I know you’re gonna kick ass on, and have a good day at school, okay? I’m sorry this phone call is short.”

“It’s okay,” El said. “Can I call you tonight?”

“I’ll be at Steve’s, but sure,” I smiled. “You can call.”

“Okay. Argyle is here. I finished my visual aid before I called you.”

“Okay, sweetie. Have a good day at school.” “I will. Bye, Olivia.”

“Bye, El.” I hung up the phone, yawning after I did so. Going into the kitchen, I made myself a cup of coffee, adding my sugar and cream into it before taking a sip and walking back into my room.

No, Steve’s parents didn’t come home last night. Dustin needed help with something for school, so I told him I’d come for the night to help him. My plan was to go back to Steve’s, but I ended up falling asleep on Dustin’s bed, him waking me up to kick me out of his room. As I entered my own room, my phone was ringing, so I walked to it, picking up the receiver, answering with, “Can’t I just enjoy a cup of coffee this morning?”

“Good morning to you, too,” Steve said.

Sighing, I said, “Oh. Morning, baby.”

“Hey, listen. I’m gonna leave here in a few minutes to come get you and then pick up Robin, okay? So, be ready this time.”

I chuckled. Last time he had to come get me from my house I wasn’t ready for work. He and I had had… a night and I was super tired the next day, so I didn’t wake up with my alarm. We were late for work and Robin was late to school that day.

“Okay, I’ll be ready.”

“Promise?”

“Promise! I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

I hung up the phone, taking another sip of my coffee while looking at my closet door. I set my mug down, walking towards the door when I heard a knock on my bedroom door. “What?”

“Liv, I need you to stall Mom,” Dustin said.

“And why, pray tell, do I need to do that?” I asked, turning to look at him with my arms crossed.

“I’m talking to Suzie and I need you to not tell her what’s going on behind my door.”

Scrunching my face in disgust, I said, “Dustin, I don’t need to hear you two have radio sex.”

“We’re not! It’s something about school,” he exclaimed.

Sighing, I said, “Fine. Whatever. But you owe me.”

“Thank you!” he said, running back across the hall to his room, sliding his door closed.

I turned back to my closet, finally able to go into it to pick my outfit for the day; a graphic tee, comfortable but tight-fitted jeans and my Converse. I’ve been working with Steve and Robin at Family Video since October and I have to say I quite enjoy it. Not the whoring out my boyfriend part, but everything else about the job, aside from Keith, is awesome!

Once I was dressed, I heard talking on Dustin’s Cerebro, that he somehow installed in the house, so I poked my head in to see what was going on.

“That’s a negative, Dusty-bun,” Suzie said.

“Son of a bitch,” Dustin said, pressing a button on his radio. “Try tigers86.”

“Tigers86, copy that.”

“What the fuck are you doing?” I asked, walking into his room, sliding his door to a crack.

“Liv, not now,” Dustin said. 

I sighed, “Alright. Oh! I can’t pick you up tonight. Steve and I are going to the game and then I’m going back to his house.”

“Fine, whatever,” he said, going back to his radio.

“Jiminy Crickets, Dusty,” Suzie said. “I’m in.”

“Holy shit,” he said.

“Wait, is she… is she hacking into the school system?” I asked.

Dustin and I jumped at the sound of hearing pounding on his door, Mom’s voice ringing on the other side, “Dusty, what’s going on in there? You’re gonna be late.”

Mom went to open the door just as Dustin shouted, “Don’t come in! I’m naked!”

She shut the door before saying, “Oh, Livvie! Steve’s here!”

I said, “Shit!” at the same time Dustin said into his radio’s mouthpiece, “Running out of time here!”

I walked out of his room as I heard Suzie tell him to hold on. Walking past Mom in the hallway, she told me to grab a slice of toast on my way out, which I told her I would, grabbing it and a banana before rushing out of the house, hearing Steve honk his horn. “Alright, Harrington! I’m coming!”

Opening the passenger side door, I tossed the banana at him, my piece of toast hanging between my teeth. As I buckled my seatbelt, he backed up out of our driveway and started towards Robin’s house before he sighed out and said, “Good morning, Henderson.” “Harrington,” I said, muffled through a bite of toast. I shook my head while taking the toast from between my teeth, saying, “Ew. No.”

He chuckled, handing the banana back to me. “You’re lucky I let you eat in my car.”

“At least I brush the crumbs off my legs when I get out of the car.” I finished my toast by the time we got to Robin’s house. Getting out of the car, I brushed the crumbs off my jeans, turning to go back in the passenger seat when Robin called out, “I need the front, Henderson!”

When I turned to face her, she shoved her shako into my hands, the yellow and white plume sticking out of the top. Yes, I know marching band lingo, shut up.

As we started driving, Steve was telling her about our date we had the other day when we had the day off. “And then we went to Enzo’s and had an amazing dinner–”

Leaning between the seats, I interrupted, “I literally thought he was going to propose, it was so freaking romantic.”

“And then we went back home and watched a movie–”

“Cuddling on the couch before I fell asleep to the movie.”

“What, no sex?” Robin asked.

Chuckling, I said, “No. Not that night. The next morning, however…”

“Gross.”

“You asked!” I exclaimed.

“Liv, I’m not fully awake yet. It is 7:00 in the morning, we have this stupid pep rally, and I woke up looking like a total corpse.” She pulled her face back after fluffing her hair a little bit.

“Oh, you’re worried about a basketball pep rally?” Steve asked. “You expect me to believe that?”

“Newsflash, Steve, you were in the pep rallies, remember?” I said, poking his cheek.

“Yeah? So?” Robin said. 

“We all know what this is about,” I said, looking at her profile. “He’s not buying any bullshit. This is about Vickie.” I smiled at her as she turned her head to look at me. “Absolutely not.”

“Yes, it is, and you know what else I think?” Steve said.

“I don’t care–”

“I think you gotta stop pretending to be someone else when you’re around her.”

“You just gotta be yourself, love,” I said.

“You’re both quoting me to me, you do realize that right?” Robin said.

“Well, maybe you need to listen to yourself,” Steve said. “Ever think about that, smartypants? I mean, I listened. Look at me. Boom. Back in business.”

Looking at him, I deadpanned, “You’ve been in business, Steve. For over a year!”

“It’s not the same thing,” Robin said. “And Liv’s right.”

“Plus, when you asked out girls, they all said no,” I said. “Big deal. Nothing happened, other than your ego getting bruised–”

“I ask out the wrong girl, and bam, I’m a town pariah,” Robin added. 

“Yeah, I’d buy that, except Vickie is definitely not the wrong girl,” Steve said.

“We just don’t know that, do we?”

“She returned Fast Times paused at 53 minutes, 5 seconds. Do you know who pauses Fast Times at 53 minutes, 5 seconds?”

Silence.

“Oh, my god,” I breathed. “People who like boobies, Robin!”

“Ew, don’t say boobies!” she said.

“I like boobies, Steve definitely likes boobies, you like boobies! Vickie definitely likes boobies,” I said.

“Wait, you like boobs?” they both asked.

“We’re not talking about me.”

We got to the high school, Robin and I getting out before I handed her her shako hat for the pep rally. We hugged before she ran off with her friends, chatting and walking them as she met up with them.

“Were we like this?” I asked, leaning over a little bit.

“Yup,” Steve said. 

I looked at him, our eyes meeting. I smiled as he leaned in closer, our lips meeting for a second before I heard kids through the opened windows saying, “Get a room, Harrington!”

We pulled apart as I groaned, resting my forehead on his shoulder. “Get me off this campus before I beat the shit out of these sophomores.”

He chuckled, driving off to our day job that helps with the bills… metaphorically speaking.

~~~

I was standing with Steve on our side of the counter when the phone rang, and because I was standing by the phone, I turned around and picked it up, answering it with “Family Video, this is Olivia speaking. How can I help you today?”

“Liv, I need you tonight for Hellfire.”

Chuckling, I said, “No way, Dustin. Not tonight.”

“What?! Come on!”

“I don’t even know how to play! Plus, I’ve got a date with Steve tonight.” I turned my head over my shoulder, watching Steve help out a female customer. 

“Just move your date this one time! Come on.”

“What, to hang out with you and Eddie? I’ll pass this time.”

“What about Steve?”

“Negatory, little brother.”

“He’s just jealous because I have another older male friend.” 

I heard the smug little smile on his stupid little face. “Yeah, I don’t think he feels the same. Besides, Steve and I really dig each other. I think that he could… well, I know he’s the one.” I watched as some girls walked into the store. “Oh, I got– well, Steve has customers. I’ll call you back.” I hung up the phone, faintly hearing Dustin say that he’s at school.

Turning my head over my shoulder, I whispered, “You're on, babe.”

~~~

Once we were done with our shift, Steve and I went to grab a bite to eat before heading to the basketball game. I said hey to Nancy as we walked in and gave a small wave to Lucas with a thumbs up. He slightly smiled back at me, going back to his warm ups.

After Steve and I found a spot in the bleachers, I turned into him after he put his arm around my shoulders once we sat down. I looked up at him, asking, “Baby, would it bother you if we won this game after we’ve graduated?”

“Interesting point,” he said. “Thanks for bringing that up, babe.”

I chuckled, wrapping my arms around his middle while still looking at him. He looked down at me, giving me a chaste kiss on my lips. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” he said, a smile ever present on his face.

The principal came up to the microphone that was in the middle of the gym, asking, “Everyone now please rise for our national anthem.” You could hear everyone standing, collectively. “Singing for us tonight, we have a very special guest. All the way from Nashville, our very own Tammy Thompson!”

I clapped while looking confused at Steve as he looked over at Robin, a confused look on his face as well. Tammy started singing, the microphone giving feedback as she did.

“Told you,” Steve whispered. “Muppet.”

“Oh, my god,” I whispered, trying to hold back my laugh at either Steve calling her a muppet or her singing, I couldn’t decide. Maybe a little bit of both.

“Okay, she does sound like a Muppet,” Robin whispered.

“Oh, my god, totally,” I heard Vickie agree. “She sounds like Kermit.”

“I was thinking it was more like Miss Piggy.”

I snorted, turning my head into Steve’s shoulder, his hand coming up to rest on cheek from my shoulder.

When the game started, we got two baskets right off the rip. I honestly didn’t get basketball, I just knew the basics from what Steve had tried to explain to me over the years. But everytime he got to what he thinks is interesting stuff, I would always fall asleep. 

I swear I was getting whiplash just watching the boys run up and down the gym, shooting baskets, colliding with one another, almost getting into fights with other team and the ref.

Seeing movement from the corner of my eye, I looked in Lucas’ direction, seeing him running onto the court. “Oh, my god. He’s putting Lucas in. He’s putting Lucas in!” I exclaimed, jumping in my seat, happy that one of my kids is actually playing.

I knew three of them were on school grounds with Hellfire, so I wasn’t worried about them. I wasn’t worried about Lucas either, moreso happy for him that he’s finally getting to play.

Steve was enthusiastic as ever, standing and shouting at our players to shoot the ball, to pass it, to not travel with the ball. I swear to god, seeing him in this element turned me on like no freaking other.

Steve and I were standing, the ball being passed and dribbled around before he said, “Shoot it!” as one of our players got the ball, making the basket.

A few more points in and Jason, the captain, called a timeout. The team huddled together as the drumline started to play a cadence. I secretly did band throughout middle school and freshman year of high school. I quit once Steve became King, not wanting him to be associated with a “nerd.”

Once the game continued, Jason got the ball, and from what I heard from Dustin, Jason’s a cocky motherfucker who thinks he's the top dog of the high school just because he’s King. No one will ever meet up to Steve as King.

Jason shot the ball, not making the basket at all. Ha ha! That’s what he gets. Lucas grabbed the ball as it bounced off the rim, breaking out of the huddle to run a few feet from the basket, turning around to make the shot as the buzzer went off.

You could hear everyone collectively stand again as the ball flew through the air. I could feel Steve behind me as we watched the ball bounce off the rim to the backboard and into the basket, giving us the Championship win!

Steve and I jumped, excited for Lucas and excited for the win. He wrapped me in his arms, giving me a kiss on the lips as the players and cheerleaders ran over to Lucas, chanting his name.

We had waited outside for the team to come out after hitting the showers, Lucas spotting us right away.

“Oh, my god,” I exclaimed, giving him a big hug. “Congratulations!” 

“Thanks, Liv,” he said. When we pulled apart, he kept his hands on my shoulders. “Thanks for coming.”

“Of course!” I said. “I wouldn’t miss my little brother playing for the world!”

He smiled before looking at Steve, giving his thanks to him as well. Jason and his small crew came out, calling Lucas over to them. He walked with them as Steve and I started our own journey to his car. 

I stopped him as I watched Dustin and the rest of Hellfire walk out of the school. He spotted me, raising his hands in the air. “Liv!” Dustin shouted. “We won!”

Giving him a smile, I raised my thumbs out to him, letting him know I was proud of him.

Steve and I went home that night and celebrated with a movie and popcorn, clothing optional.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Posted on April 22, 2024

[justjustbeth]

Chrissy Cunningham deserved better 😭