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stranger-fanfiction-n-things · 2 months

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CHAPTER 4: THE BODY

This is an Original Character fanfiction. All Stranger Things characters and content are owned by Netflix and The Duffer Brothers.

a/n: Enjoy!

Warnings: Officer Callahan tbh.

Word Count: 2056

Masterlist

PART I || PART II

Thursday, November 10, 1983 - HAWKINS HIGH

“Now, the three main reasons for The Civil War were one, disagreements over slavery, two, state vs. federal rights…”

I stare outside the window watching the trees ripple in the wind, drowning out the history lesson. It’s been hard to concentrate and I can’t think about how heavy yesterday was. From finding Barb’s car, the thing with no face in Steve’s backyard, running to Lucas in the front yard after finding out about Will. The events following after Mom and Erica found Lucas and I on the front lawn feels like a fever dream. I remember being led to the front door, Erica calling out to Dad, Dad questioning Mom about what happened. I don’t know how or who took a shower first, but I know Mom was talking to me but I couldn’t hear anything.

The shock of something happening to Barb and the police finding Will in the Quarry didn’t sink in until I lay in bed. I couldn’t stop crying. I woke up this morning squished between Lucas and Erica. Lucas lying almost horizontal and practically hanging off my bed while Erica snuggles into my back like a baby koala basking in my body heat. It’s been a few years since Erica and Lucas slept in my bed and I’m sure Mom has taken multiple photos of us all sleeping together. She loves taking photos and videos of us.

The news of Will spread across the entire town like wildfire. Whispers of fear, concern and condolences echo in the hallways. I don’t see Jonathan which makes sense considering. I saw Nancy this morning in first period. Neither of us talk, both too wrapped up in our own thoughts to say anything. Mom dropped me and Erica at school this morning. Lucas stayed home. He hasn’t said much since last night and the family has given him space to grieve. For all of us to grieve. We knew Will too.

“Diana Sinclair?”

I blink out of my stupor, perking up in my seat. Principal Higgins stands at the door looking at me.

“Y-yes?”

“If you’ll come with me, please.”

Everyone’s eyes are on me and I quickly stand up avoiding their stare as I pack up my books. Principal Higgins escorts me down the hall and I wonder what’s happening. I am led to his office. Janice, the secretary is scribbling on yellow legal pad, her plum-coloured outfit matching her eggplant-coloured nails. She smiles at me, magnified eyeballs warm and kind.

“Hello, dear,” she greets.

“Hi, Janice.”

Principal Higgins nods his head respectfully in greeting and guides me to his office where two officers stand. My eyes widen in alarm and I linger outside the office not wanting to go inside. The two officers look at me through the window and I feel my knees tremble. I don’t know what to expect. I mean who does when it comes to being escorted out of class to speak to police officers. I immediately fear the worse. Barb. Principal Higgins opens his office door.

“Officer Powell, Callahan. This is Diana Sinclair.” Officer Powell and Callahan peer out the door. Principal Higgins looks behind him and notices I’m not behind and smiles patiently. “It’s okay, Miss Sinclair, you’re not in trouble. Officer Powell and Officer Callahan just want to ask you a few questions.” My heart races. That doesn’t make me feel any better.

I wave half-heartedly with a closed lip smile. “H-Hello.”

“Good Morning.”

“Hi.”

They answer at the same time.

I don’t move from my spot in the middle of the office and the officers don’t move from where they stand. The whole encounter is awkward and I really want to run back to class and forget this ever happened. I shift side to side on my feet, playing with a loose thread on my skirt wondering what we’re waiting for. If they wanted to ask me questions, wouldn’t Principal Higgins have ushered me into his office to talk? Everyone was just standing here like they were waiting for something or someone. My ears immediately perk up when I hear soft clacking of heels walk into the office and I turn my head to see who it could be. My eyes widen and my jaw drops. Mom stands by the entrance wearing a sleek black trench coat with small kitten heels. Her hair is styled in a nice bob and looks freshly done, meaning she just got back from the salon. Principal Higgins walks past me to greet her, shaking her hand firmly and mom smiles her classic southern belle smile at him.

My heart is beating so loud, I can hear it in my ears. I clutch my pendant tightly in my hands fearing I may pass out from overstimulation. Principal Higgins nods to the officers and they walk out his office excusing themselves past me. I blink realizing I’m still standing in the middle of the room like a deer stuck in headlights. The men walk out the door while Mom lingers waiting for me. She extends her arm and on instinct I walk towards her in a trance. Mom wraps her arm around my shoulder and without a word, we walk out the office.

Principal Higgins brought us to the cafeteria. It was empty, but I know the lunch ladies were in the kitchen preparing the food for lunch. He leaves us to parade the hallways and Mom and I are sitting across Officer Powell and Callahan. They introduce themselves to Mom and tell us both, that they are here to talk to me about Barb. It turns out Mr. and Mrs. Holland went to the station this morning to file a missing person report and told them mine and Nancy’s name as the last people who saw her. I guess they are going to talk to Nancy next which meant, Mrs. Wheeler was going to come to the school too. I wish I could’ve warned Nancy about what was happening, but I can’t. I tell the officers what happened Tuesday night.

“So, after this argument—” Officer Powell continued.

“It wasn’t an argument,” I correct, shaking my head. “It was a…disagreement.” I’ve been talking to Officer Powell and Officer Callahan for the past fifteen minutes answering their questions. Mom sits quietly beside me, listening intently to the conversation.

“Okay.” Officer Powell said. “After the disagreement, what happened?”

“I walked home.”

“You walked all the way home in the middle of the night.” It wasn’t a question. Officer Powell and Officer Callahan both looked skeptical about the thought. It takes almost two hours or more to walk uptown.

“Well, no. I-I got a ride.”

I can feel Mom looking at me now. At the Wheelers with Barb’s parents, I didn’t get the chance to answer Mrs. Wheeler’s question before Mike stormed inside the house. To be honest, I was hoping I would never have to. Part of me wants to keep Eddie a secret. Not because I was embarrassed of him, the complete opposite. He seemingly was the only good in my life right now and I don’t want it all to be too good to be true. Officer Powell and Officer Callahan glanced at each other, my answer perking newfound interest in my story.

“From who?”

“His name is Eddie.”

“Eddie what?” Officer Powell asks, writing in his notepad.

“I’m not sure,” I respond, frowning. It never occurred to ask him his full name. The specifics didn’t matter. “He goes to this school and he was on his way home…” I don’t want to say Eddie was on his way from work because he is technically working illegally at a bar downtown and I don’t want to get him in trouble. “He saw me walking past Benny’s Burgers and offered to drive me home.”

“She must be talking about Munson.” Officer Callahan said to Officer Powell. “Wayne’s nephew.”

Officer Powell made a face. “Al’s kid?” He shakes his head.

My eyes dart back and forth between the officers. I may have been born and raised in Hawkins but it didn’t mean I knew everyone in town. Mom and Dad moved to Hawkins from Virginia and we were one of the few families in our neighbourhood who didn’t have grandparents who grew up knowing each other. We didn’t come from generations and generations of Hawkins natives. We are the first in our family to uproot here.

“You seem like a nice girl, Diana.” Officer Callahan says. “I would keep my distance from Eddie Munson.”

I frown. “Why?”

“With a father like Al Munson, take my word for it. He’s trouble.”

My frown deepens and I clench my hands into tight fists. I don’t like how they’re talking about Eddie especially when the information provided doesn’t have anything to do with what matters. Barb’s disappearance.

“I don’t think this is an appropriate conversation to be having with my daughter when her best friend is missing.” Mom reminded, her tone hard.

“Eddie has been nothing but kind to me.” I counter, nostrils flaring. “He drove me all the way across town to make sure I got home safe. That’s more than anybody here has ever done for me.”

“Do you have any more questions for my daughter about her whereabouts?”

Officer Callahan sits back in his chair while Officer Powell cleared his throat.

“What happened yesterday?” he asked.

“Nancy and I went back to Steve’s house to look for Barb and on the way, we saw her car parked in the exact same spot we left it the night before.”

“When you went back, what did you see?”

“I don’t know how to explain it, but it was huge, like some sort of animal or something, but,” I pause, licking my bottom lip. “It didn’t have a face.”

Judgement shoots across Officer Powell’s face. “An animal with no face.”

“I know it sounds ridiculous but that’s what I saw.” I swallow down the lump forming in my throat and touch my gold pendant on my chest. “I think it took Barb.”

“We checked the house and there were no signs of any animals.”

“Did you check the woods?”

“Check the woods for an animal?” Officer Callahan deadpans. I don’t respond, fixing my chin up. It wasn’t the brightest question to ask, but it was still valid in my opinion.

“There was no car either.” Officer Powell adds.

I sit up straight, eyes darting to his. “What? Where did it go?”

“That’s what we’d like to know, Diana.” He responds, patiently.

“Nancy and I saw Barb’s car yesterday. I swear to you.”

“Here’s what we think. We figure that Barb came back last night and then took off somewhere. Has she ever talked to you about running away?”

I shake my head. “No. Barb wouldn’t do that.”

“Maybe she was upset, like you, about the fact that Nancy was spending time with Steve.” Officer Callahan surmises.

I squint at him and his ridiculous deduction. Barb wasn’t like that. I wasn’t like that. Barb and I may have had our worries about Nancy’s relationship with Steve but it wasn’t because of her. It was because of him.

“I wasn’t upset about that.” I protest.

“Jealous, perhaps?”

The subtle tilt of his head conveyed an air of disdainful curiousity as if he were assessing me from a lofty perch. The laugh that comes out my lips is uncharacteristic. The tinge of bitterness and condescension charges the air. I can feel my mom’s disapproving stare. My manners were unbecoming, I know. But for Officer Callahan to insinuate I am jealous of my best friend for spending time with a boy she likes is comical and proves he clearly wasn’t listening to anything I was saying. There was no motive for Barb to randomly disappear. There was nothing. The only thing that I know is that she is missing and something bad happened to her.

“No one was jealous of Nancy,” I shoot back, trying to be mindful of my tone. “Not me. Not Barb. No one. I don’t care about Steve. I care about Barb and she’s missing.”

The officers both watch me slightly taken aback by my firmness. Mom shifts in her seat waiting. Officer Powell closes his notepad, clicking his pen.

“That’s all the questions we have for you Diana.”

#stranger things rewrite #black fem reader #stranger things fic #stranger things #dianasinclair #eddie munson x black!reader #steve harrington x black!reader #sinclair!reader #eddie munson x female reader #steve harrington x fem!reader #steve harrington x reader #eddie munson x reader

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hawkins-losers · 2 years

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As long as I'm here, no one can hurt you | Eddie Munson x Handerson!Reader

Summary: Things are not going well for Eddie. After a static-y call on Dustin’s walkie, you find him at Skull Rock

Word count: 0.7k

Request: can you write reader being eddie’s gf and finding him at skull rock?

keep sending requests with this list

Nancy barely had time to stop the car that you were already out, running to the boat house - running to Eddie -, but a huddle of police officers, reporters and nosey towners halted you in your tracks. There was a yellow warning ribbon circling Rick’s house, preventing anyone from passing.

Tears filled your eyes, thinking the worst. ‘’Eddie.’’

You felt a hand on your shoulder - Robin -, and Nancy motioned for everyone to follow her, sneaking behind a van to spy and see the back of the house where the ‘crime scene’ was.

‘’-the Roane County line received a call a little after midnight reporting a homicide here on the lake. Officer Callahan here and myself arrived first on the scene. We made our way to the shore of Lover’s Lake, about ten yards from that house you see behind me. It was there that we found the victim, an eighteen-year-old senior from Hawkins High, Patrick McKinney. His limbs, his body, it was disfigured-’’ the sheriff told the reporters.

He kept going, but a static noise came from Dustin’s walkie, catching your and Dustin’s attention. The others were all looking at the TV report happening in the distance, but yours remained on the radio.

‘’Who’s that?’’ you asked.

Dustin shrugged and played with the volume button. ‘’Hello?’’ There was some static noises, so he brought the radio to his ear, then excused himself to hear better.

'’Are you okay?’’ you heard your brother say before he turned his back to you, likely on purpose so you wouldn’t know what he was saying.

Dustin, you little shit.

If you were all here and that Mike was in California, the only person he could be talking to was...Eddie. Your heart flipped, your worry intensifying. The last you had heard from him was last night when he asked for groceries - which were in the car.

‘’Nah, man. I’m pretty goddamn far from okay,’’ he replied, the fear and anxiety in his voice breaking your heart.

‘‘Where are you?’‘ You didn’t hear Eddie’s response very well, the sound too scratchy. ‘’Hold tight, we’re coming. We’re coming.’’

‘’Was that Eddie?’’ you asked, watching Dustin retract the antenna of the walkie.

He jumped at the sound of your voice, not expecting you to be right behind him.

‘’Maybe. Guys, let’s go,’’ Dustin called to the others, heading back to Nancy’s car.

You grabbed his shoulder, pulling him back. ‘’Why didn’t you pass him to me?!’’

‘’Because we don’t have time for chit-chat and…and he doesn’t want you to get involved in this mess.’’

Dustin had been keeping everything concerning Eddie a secret from you, but he was tired of hiding everything and lying to you just so Eddie could keep you safe. He appreciated that Eddie wanted to keep you away from this mess - the Chrissy mess -, but god was it exhausting to keep things from you.

‘’Where is he? Dustin, where is he?’’ you pressed, begging for an answer.

You didn't mean to yell at your brother, but all the bubbling stress in your stomach and the constant worry was acting up on your nerves and making your natural short temper even shorter.

The curly haired boy sighed. ‘’Shit… He’s at Skull Rock,’’ he slipped.

The drive to the woods took forever - at least, it seemed. Nancy parked the car on the side of the woods, not equipped for that type of roads.

Dustin pulled out his compass, guiding you for the next few miles. Naturally, him Steve were being idiots and started bickering about directions, who was right and wrong. Steve swore Skull Rock was one way, and Dustin the other. You wanted to slap them both.

‘‘Can you two shut up and just find my boyfriend before anyone else does?’‘ you said, having more than enough of their bickering.

According to the rest of the group - who had listened the police report till the end -, Eddie had been announced on live TV as Chrissy and Patrick’s murderer. Since the last murder happened on Lover’s Lake, the police must be searching the woods surrounding the lake in search for him, so you better get to him before they do.

The rest of the walk was quiet, until Steve - surprisingly - found Skull Rock and Dustin’s jaw dropped to the floor.

‘’Oh boom! There she is. Bada bing, bada boom!’’ he said proudly, pushing away shrub branches to make a passage without losing an eye.

You pushed past them, frantically looking for your boyfriend. ‘’Eddie! Eddie!’’ you called.

It was a huge mistake to yell his name when he had just been declared a killer on live TV, but your brain wasn’t thinking properly.

You heard some rustling under the rock and followed the sound.

‘’Eddie? Eddie, is that you?’’

You cornered the massive and, there he was, sitting on the ground balled up with his head on his knees. He looked up in terror, assuming it was Jason or another of his friends, but immediate relief washing through his eyes when he realized it was you.

You dropped to your knees before him, not caring that your jeans would get dirty with mud, and wrapped your arms around his neck, pulling him against your collarbones. ‘’I’m here. You’re okay.’’

He hugged you back tightly - almost too tight. ‘‘I made Henderson promise to not drag you into this, but- fuck, I’m so happy you’re here.’‘

You kissed the top of his head, whispering reassuring words until he’d stop shaking in your hold.

‘‘Eh...sorry to interrupt, but we brought groceries.’‘

Taglist: @broadway-or-noway @violetsleftfist @thelaststraw3 @cursedandromedablack @Slashersimpfor @savagejane1 @wh0reforbucknasty @eddiemunson-slut @slvdsjjk @hehehehannahthings @dreamdancers-world @grace-loux @iamharrystyleslover @matildavol6 @Original_babababoo @eddiemunsonbby @notbeforelong

Eddie Munson taglist: @nighttwingg @yourfavoriteakutagawakinnie @heizenka @eddiemvunsongf @Eddie_munsons_girlfriend @magicalchocolatecheesecake @eddiemunsonistheloveofmylife @avril-reblog-cave @Fandomfaeryreads @harrys-tittie @straycatarang

#eddie munson #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson x you #eddie munson imagine #eddie munson x y/n #stranger things #stranger things imagine #stranger things s4 #eddie stranger things #this is a blurb that doens't really mean something #just a slice of life

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thetargaryenbride · 1 year

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𝑩𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒂𝒅 𝑶𝒇 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑾𝒆𝒆𝒑𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑾𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘 - [1]

Summary: 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐛𝐲 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐝𝐝𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐫...

Warnings: none

Pairing: Steve Harrington x f!Byers!Reader

Word Count: 5040

A.N: 𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴, 𝘯𝘨𝘭. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘉𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘚𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘣𝘪𝘳𝘥𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘚𝘯𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘥𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘵 𝘢 𝘏𝘶𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘎𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘙𝘦𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘩𝘢. 𝘐 𝘨𝘰𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘚𝘛 𝘹 𝘏𝘎 𝘈𝘜 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦. 𝘕𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘢𝘺, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘢 𝘣𝘪𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘯 𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺/𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘶�� 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥, 𝘴𝘰 𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘦.𝑰 𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒅𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌~ 💚🐸 𝑨𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔, 𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒆 𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒎𝒆 𝒊𝒇 𝑰’𝒗𝒆 𝒘𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝑶𝑶𝑪 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒃𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚. Thank you for reading. Hope you like it! 💚🌿

Masterlist || Chapter 2

Your hands stung as you adjusted your hold on the ax yet again before striking the nth piece of wood for the day and watched as it split in two and rolled into your feet. You bent down to pick up the pieces and threw them in the huge pile next to you.

It was around that time in District Seven when you all had to prepare and chop trees for the winter and send pile after pile to the other Districts. As if creating furniture and providing other commodities wasn't enough, you had to make sure the others stayed warm during the cold months, and because it was such a long, tedious process you had to start in the middle of the summer so you could finish by mid-autumn. Thankfully, they had their own woods and they weren't expecting supplies solely from your District which was good because otherwise, this would have surely been the end of your forests. It was still a pain in the ass that you had to deal with this on top of everything else.

Someone hissed on your left and you quickly turned to look at them, noticing no other than your own brother dropping a piece of wood and grabbing his hand.

"Did you get a splinter in again?" you asked and he nodded as he tried to pull it out. "Will, how many times have I told you to not come chopping wood? You're still little," you sighed as you neared the boy and crouched in front of him, taking his smaller hand in yours and plucking out the irritable tiny menace that used to bugger you all the time back when you first began actively learning to work with wood and axes.

"But I wanna help," he pouted and you chuckled, ruffling his hair.

"You're doing more than enough already, little fawn."

"C’mon, you two. No slacking. Finish your piles and let's go home," called out Jonathan from somewhere across and you rolled your eyes.

"Aye, aye, captain!"

Soon after, you were all done and washing your hands under the cool water flowing from the stream nearby. And before long, you were happily heading for the comforts of your home alongside the rest of the workers, ignoring the couple of Peacekeepers who were escorting you. Thankfully, the Peacekeepers in your District were not violent and your people even communicated with some of them, like Officer Phil Callahan and Officer Calvin Powell who were very sweet and even dorky.

It was that time of the day, right at the vanishing of twilight, when it was getting darker but there was still a bit of light peeking from the horizon, and the whole sky was painted in shades of blue and purple, mixing together perfectly – something your district loved to call the hour of Delphi, named after the flower Delphinium for its exact shades of blues and purples.

The coos of Mourning Doves echoed all around you, carried by the wind that ruffled the trees’ leaves and sprinkled them throughout the air. Jonathan caught one and placed it on his fist, slamming his palm against it. The clapping noise drew your attention to him and when he removed his palm to show off the hole he had created in the leaf, you and Will rolled your eyes but laughed nonetheless.

“Look,” you whispered excitedly as you squeezed Will’s shoulder and leaned a bit, pointing towards the woods. “Forest stars.”

“Those are called fireflies,” he giggled.

“But it’s much more magical to call them forest stars! It almost feels like we’re living in an enchanted forest!”

“One can dream.”

Sometimes you did feel like you were living in an enchanting forest. Sure, you had tons of work to do and your District wasn’t exactly the richest as compared to One, Two, and Four, but you weren’t poor either. You were in the “golden middle” as some would say, and most of the people were somewhat satisfied with their way of life. It really did help that you were surrounded by nature. Ever since you were a child you’ve felt like your District was the luckiest for being surrounded by so much greenery, gorgeous sceneries, beautiful flowers, useful plants, and majestic animals. If one could forget about the Capitol, the tedious labor, and the looming games of death, it almost did seem like living in an enchanted forest.

“At last,” exhaled Jonathan once your house came into view. “I can’t wait to wash all this filth off,” he groaned.

You crossed the wooden bridge over the river and walked down the little pathway that led to your cottage’s entrance. You took your dirty shoes off and left them on the porch before entering.

“We’re home!”

“Welcome home!” greeted your mother as she rushed to hug each one of you, making you arch an eyebrow at the sight of her stained apron.

“What are you making for dinner?”

“Bread and jam, and,” she drawled, “jam and bread!”

“The smell says otherwise,” commented Jonathan.

“Okay, so it’s stew.”

“Yes! My favorite!” exclaimed Will and you chuckled.

“Bathroom is all mine,” you told Jonathan and you could see his eyes widen and fill with challenge. Before anyone could say anything, the two of you bolted for the room, almost tripping and bumping into each other. In the end, you won and slammed the door in your brother’s face, making him groan after you let out a triumphant ‘Whoop’.

After dinner, you retreated to the small balcony on the second floor. Sitting on the railing and swinging your legs back and forth, you enjoyed the warm summer breeze, the quiet sound of the flowing river, and the sight of the big willow tree in front of your house with multiple fireflies floating around.

“You’ve been distracted today,” came Jonathan’s voice from behind and you gave him a look over your shoulder.

“You know how I get around that time of the year,” you murmured and he sighed, coming to sit by your side.

“Yeah, I know…The Reaping is tomorrow.”

“We’ll have to dress all nice and pristine with flowers and pretty hairstyles and all that bullshit just to parade ourselves in front of all these cameras. And then they’re gonna pick two of us. Pigs for slaughter,” you huffed.

It was indeed quite so peculiar how one of the few times you could get to feel pretty, neat, and polished, was when you had to play the role of a sacrificial lamb, solely and purely for the entertainment of rich, pompous, pampered, brainwashed tomfools.

“You’re not saying that kind of stuff in front of other people…right?” your brother asked a bit worriedly and you shut your eyes in exasperation.

“Of course not Jonathan. Do you think me stupid? That I’ll just go out there and start saying all that? Risk being accused of a traitor or a rebel and be taken by the Peacekeepers and most importantly put you all in danger?” you asked incredulously and he lifted his hands in surrender.

“You know I didn’t mean it like that. I just…can’t help but worry sometimes.”

“I know…I know…”

“Look, you don’t have to worry about tomorrow, ok? Everything is going to be fine.”

“Easy for you to say. Last year was your last as a potential Tribute. But me and Will-”

“Hey,” he interrupted you and made you look at him. “Everything is going to be fine,” he accentuated each word as he tried to seep as much reassurance into you as possible and you sighed, grabbing his hand to seek more comfort which he gladly gave while scooching closer to you and wrapping an arm around your shoulders.

You leaned on him and the two of you fell into silence, watching the trickling water and thinking about the way time moved just like it.

You did not want the morrow to come but it was unavoidable and you had to make your peace with it.

You were silent as you helped Will prepare, handing him a white shirt and black pants to put on, while your mother and Jonathan were busy making breakfast – already having dressed.

“It’s my first year,” whispered the boy suddenly and you tried to give him an encouraging smile.

“It is. But that’s good. It means your name is in there only once. What are the odds? One to hundreds?”

“Yeah, I suppose you’re right…”

“C’mon…put these on so we can have breakfast and go,” you ruffled his hair before leaving his room to give him privacy and heading for your own to pick an outfit for yourself.

You closed the door and leaned on it, letting out a shaky breath as you allowed yourself a moment of silence and stillness, closing your eyes. You had to remind yourself that you had to be strong for your family and keep being the support they needed – especially Will, especially right now.

You released a sharp puff of air as you gathered yourself and marched further into the room. As you opened the wardrobe, you ran through every piece of garment you owned, stopping at an ivory dress with a couple of layers. You threw it on, sliding the puff sleeves up your arms and adjusting the fabric. Then you took a corset and tied it nicely at the front. It had beautiful floral embroideries on it that your mother had sewn. You’ve always said she could rival the seamstresses from District Eight if she wanted to.

“Want me to braid your hair? Or you’d rather have it loose?” came your mother’s voice from the entrance and you shook your head.

“Let it be loose. I do want one of those willow tree rose crowns that you always make, though,” she smiled at your request and you returned it.

Joyce nodded her head to signify her retreat and quickly left the house, going to the river where she bent to pick some of the unique flowers and intertwine them into a pretty crown. Nobody knew how exactly these flowers came into existence because they appeared to be a mixture of delphinium and roses, yet a bit different, and came in different sizes and colors – mostly white, purple, blue, and pink shades. They grew more specifically under willow trees and people loved to call them willow tree roses.

“You look stunning, dearest,” smiled Joyce after she put the flower crown on your head and you sighed heavily, making her smile falter. “I know you’re nervous but this is your last year. Once the Reaping ceremony ends, it’s all over with, once and for all,” she put a hand on your cheek and tried to put as much confidence in her voice as possible, although you could decipher the worry she was trying so hard to hide.

“Jonathan was lucky. He’s safe now. Hopefully, I’ll be just as lucky today. And hopefully Will-” you choked on your last words, eyes flickering to the door, causing Joyce to hush you gently.

“He won’t be chosen,” she spoke firmly. “He won’t.”

“Hey,” Jonathan knocked lightly on the door a moment later before pushing it open. “What are you two doing in here? A secret council meeting?” he joked and the two of you chuckled.

“It’s just girl talk. Don’t be nosy,” you stuck your tongue out and he rolled his eyes.

“C’mon. We have to go.”

“What about breakfast?”

“Because you took so long to prepare, we’ll eat as we walk. Thankfully, I made toast with jam today,” he quipped and you smacked his shoulder lightly, making him snicker and stuck his tongue out.

You tried to hide the way his announcement left a bitter feeling in your mouth and you felt your mom squeeze your hand as she sent you a look and you nodded, exiting your room. Will was already by the entrance, fidgeting nervously and silently munching on his toast.

You took his hand in yours and looked at your mother and older brother who came by your side and the four of you walked out of your home and down the familiar cobblestone path that led to the center of the district.

You tried to enjoy the nature around you as you walked but there was an increasingly heavy feeling gnawing at you and you couldn’t stop the thoughts that swirled in your head, looming like dark clouds ready to rain lightning bolts on water.

“Y/N/N!” you looked up when you heard a familiar voice and a smile immediately grew on your face.

“Steve!” you waved with your free hand and the boy in question ran to you, engulfing you in a hug and lifting you in the air, swinging you left and right, making you giggle as you nuzzled in his shoulder and grasped at the back of his shirt, cheeks heating when you felt his lips graze the skin on your neck.

It was a much-needed distraction.

He let you down then and captured your lips in a kiss which made your brothers groan and look away. You, Steve, and your mother burst out in giggles at their reaction, always enjoying the way they’d embarrassingly look away and scrunch up their faces.

“Oh, come now, Jonathan. Like you and Nancy don’t kiss,” teased Steve and your brother’s cheeks flushed as he stuttered out some sort of defensive answer.

“We’ll be late, you all! C’mon! There’s time for all this later,” berated you Joyce and you sobered up, taking Will and Steve by the hand as you resumed your walking.

Not long after, you arrived at the center of the District and the crowd began getting thicker and thicker, everyone flocking towards a couple of specifically assigned places in front of the Hall of Justice. Will planted his feet on the ground which made you and Steve halt and turn to look at him. The boy gulped as his worried eyes darted everywhere and you leaned, placing a hand on his cheek.

“Hey. It’s time to sign in now. They’ll take a drop of blood but it’s not going to hurt at all. We’ve talked about this. You have nothing to worry about, okay?” you placed a kiss on the crown of his head before your focus was grabbed by a couple of familiar figures approaching you.

“Will!” shouted Mike and your brother turned to look at his best friends jogging towards him, making him smile. At least he wasn’t going to be all alone down in the lines.

“Hey, boys,” you chirped and they smiled as everyone began exchanging greetings and pleasantries, successfully lighting up the mood even if it was by a bit.

The good thing about your party was that even in the darkest of moments, when all of you gathered together, everyone seemed to breathe a bit easier and the heaviness and sorrow would be simply brushed aside.

“Are you scared too?” asked Will and the three boys nodded.

“Dude, if I get Reaped, I swear, I’ll just jump off the platform before the timer’s up and off myself,” groaned Dustin. “Seems like less of a hassle.”

“Oh, shut up. Don’t talk about offing yourself! That’s just disturbing as hell,” Lucas scrunched up his face and nudged his friend’s shoulder.

“God, you kids are just dark,” Steve furrowed his brows in disturbed astonishment, hands on his hips, as he observed the group of four.

“Hey, c’mon you guys. No time for dilly-dallying,” berated you one of the Peacekeepers. “Go to your respectful lines.”

“We’re going, Phil, we’re going.”

You shared a look with the others as you were guided in another direction by Officer Callahan and Steve sent you one last glance as he was escorted to the Hall of Justice.

You stood in line and watched girls your age and younger get their fingers pricked before passing forward. It was mandatory for everyone between the age of twelve and eighteen – possible Tributes – to provide a blood sample as it was the government’s way to identify people and keep tabs on the District population.

You couldn’t tear your eyes off Steve who was climbing the stairs of the podium and taking his place next to the mayor and other Hunger Games Victors and you jumped from fright when a hand landed on your shoulder, making you whirl around sharply and come face to face with no other than Nancy.

“If you could only pay the same amount of attention to your best friend as you do your boyfriend,” she commented with a knowing smirk and you let out a half-hearted snort.

“Sorry, I’m just…distracted.��

“A coin for your thoughts?”

“It’s just…it’s our last year, Nance... What if one of us gets Reaped? I mean…mom says not to worry and all but, the previous games? It was supposed to be Steve’s last year too. He was so happy…so calm…so…positive that everything would be okay…And he got Reaped,” you finally said out loud some of the thoughts that had been plaguing your mind for the past couple of days.

“Does he still have nightmares?“ asked the girl quietly and you nodded.

“Of course, he does. He had to kill a person. It haunts him and it’s not going to stop anytime soon.”

“How many times did you put your name in?” she blurted out suddenly and you stared at her for a moment, silent, before speaking up.

“Twenty.”

“Y/N!” she snapped, eyes widening.

“Please, don’t bust my eardrums,” you lifted a hand in surrender. “This year was a bit harsher than the others. We needed that damn grain and oil, ok?” you sighed as you looked at your feet, scratching your arm, and Nancy’s face melted into one of sympathy.

“Next!” the voice of the government official interrupted your conversation and you turned to face the woman, extending your arm so she could prick your finger. You stamped the empty space on the paper and she scanned the fingerprint with a device. It beeped and shone green and she signaled you to move forward, calling for the next in line.

You stopped to wait for your friend and when she passed, you locked arms and walked arm in arm towards your assigned places – the oldest at the front, the youngest at the back. The parents and those above eighteen were at the side, males and females separated into two groups, all lining up like soldiers.

Everything was well organized and things were moving quickly. Before you knew it, everyone had gathered at the square and the buzzing noise of the murmuring and hustling crowd was replaced by dead silence as you listened to Larry’s annual speech and waited for the typical Capitol escort to join him in selecting this year’s Tributes.

“Welcome! Welcome! Welcome! Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor!” greeted a woman who wore a ridiculously frilly, extravagant dress with many tiny, sparkling gems that reflected the light and made her have this shiny, dreamlike appearance.

She was dressed in shades of green and pink which you supposed she picked to represent your district. Her hair was tangled in an intricate, heavily braided updo and she had a couple of shimmering emeralds in her locks, matching with her necklace and dangling earrings. She looked stunning and like a fever dream but all you could think of was the amount of money her precious stones could be traded for that could be used to better the life in many districts or how it must have taken hours, if not days, for the people at District Eight to have sewn this outfit, the thought of their hands and fingers filled with calluses and scratches and reddened skin making your gut clench.

“Now, before we begin, we have a very special film. Brought to you all the way from the Capitol,” she exclaimed with a smile and you and Nancy shared a look of annoyance as the same video you’ve been shown every year began playing again, speaking of the rebellion, the founding of the games and of course, the glory of the Capitol and President Martin Brenner.

“War. Terrible war,” mouthed Nancy and you suppressed a smile from growing.

“War. Terrible war. Widows, orphans, a motherless child. This was the uprising that rocked our land. Thirteen districts rebelled against the country that fed them-“

You chose to tune it out and focus on your boyfriend instead, feeling a pang inside at the sight of him fidgeting in his spot, standing next to the mayor and the other higher-ups. You couldn’t imagine the amount of unpleasant memories and PTSD that were hitting him at this very moment.

And the thought of him having to relive all this, every year for the rest of his life because he was a mentor now and would have to lead other tributes into becoming pieces of meat that would certainly die in the arena, made the disgust you felt for the Capitol grow. He had already lost a bit of his glimmer since the last games. You didn’t want a chunk of him to be taken away bit by bit with every following year until he inevitably becomes an empty shell or an addict as Hopper did.

Another pang hit you at the thought of the older man and your hands clenched in fists.

When was this madness going to end?

“This is how we remember our past. This is how we safeguard our future.”

“Marvelous!” exclaimed the woman as she clapped, wide grin faltering just a tad bit when nobody else clapped alongside her. She cleared her throat awkwardly but did not let the smile fade away. “Now, the time has come for us to select one courageous young man and woman for the honor of representing District Seven in the Seventy-Fourth Annual Hunger Games.”

You turned halfway, scooping the crowd of guys over your shoulder, trying to locate Will. You found him at the side of the line, way back alongside Mike, Dustin, and Lucas. Your heart clenched when you saw that the four of them grasped each others’ hands. You couldn’t imagine how scared they must be right now. Or rather, you could, because you’ve been in their shoes before and frankly, you were afraid right now, and you would keep being afraid until Will officially turned nineteen.

“As usual, ladies first,” the woman’s voice interrupted your train of thought and you turned to look at her, taking Nancy’s hand in your own.

You remembered how the two of you had stood in the same square last year, although you had Barbara by your side…until she was reaped alongside Steve. It had been a huge blow to your party and especially to you and Nancy.

You gulped nervously as you trailed the woman’s form and saw her slowly approach the huge glass bowl full of folded paper and stuck her arm inside, pulling one out of the whole sea before returning to the microphone. She unfolded it and her eyes skimmed over the letters before she finally announced it out loud.

“Nancy Wheeler!”

Your body tensed and you could feel Nancy’s hand squeeze yours painfully tight as her eyes widened. Everyone turned to look at her and you could feel Jonathan’s burning gaze join them.

You squeezed her hand back encouragingly and she took a shaky breath before releasing you from her deathly grip, taking a few hesitant steps through the line of people until she reached the path where two Peacekeepers were waiting for her. They stood expectantly as she began walking down the pathway and they escorted her to the podium.

“Come on up!” grinned the woman as she beckoned her over with her hand and Nancy gulped, climbing the stairs and joining her in front of everyone.

She could see Mike looking paler than usual as he stared at her with pure horror. She could see her parents to the side, looking mortified. Her father was more calm and collected but she could see it all in his eyes while her mother let it show on her face. She felt tears pricking at her eyes but she knew she had to keep herself together and not show any sign of weakness so she swallowed them and straightened up.

“And now for the boys.”

This whole ceremony was becoming too long and tedious and you felt as if they were doing it on purpose to keep people on edge for as long as possible. You played with your fingers, picking at the skin, for you could not sit still, and you tried battling away the horrible feeling that had engulfed you.

The moment the name slipped past her lips, all color drained from your face.

“William Byers!”

Your heart plummeted at the announcement and you felt like someone punched the air out of you. You could hear your mother’s sharp intake of air resonate in the deadly silence that had befallen the crowd ever since the mayor began his speech and you sharply turned around to look at where your brother was standing, frozen in his spot. Two Peacekeepers approached him and grabbed him by the arm when he refused to move on his own.

“Don’t touch him!”

“Let him go!”

Mike, Dustin, and Lucas shouted when the men began pulling Will away and others had to go and restrain them. They kicked and wriggled in their grasp as Will was escorted further down the road and your breathing was increasing dramatically alongside your heartbeat. You felt like you were on the verge of collapse.

Your worst fear came to fruition. It became a reality you had prayed so hard to prevent from happening.

How many people were you going to lose to these games?

First Barbara. Then Steve almost died. Now Nancy and your brother were being sent to their death.

It’s like the world was coming for you all.

You looked on helplessly as your brother passed by you, the two of you sharing panicked looks briefly until he approached the podium and was helped up by the woman because he could barely stand on his feet due to the shock and fear.

But you didn’t have to be helpless.

You could do more than just watch. And who knows, maybe you’d even be able to save two lives this time around.

So you didn’t hesitate to lift your arm in the air. It went above the sea of heads, sticking like a sore thumb and drawing everyone’s attention.

“I volunteer as Tribute,” you spoke out but it was so quiet and breathy that even you could barely hear yourself.

“Sorry, what was that, dear?” asked the woman and you gulped the lump that was stuck in your throat before lowering your arm and walking out of the crowd, stepping onto the pathway so everyone could see and hear you better. Phil and Calvin looked at each other, wondering if they should obscure your way and take you back and they took a step forward but that’s when you interrupted them, screaming out what you had said just a couple of seconds ago, now more confidently.

“I volunteer as Tribute!”

Joyce’s hand flew to her mouth as a new wave of tears rolled down her cheeks and she leaned on Jonathan as her shoulders shook with silent sobs and the boy wrapped his arms around her, looking on with utter defeat.

Steve was no different. He felt his entire body shudder and he was this close to bolting towards you, grabbing you, and shutting your mouth, but he remained rooted on his spot, body numb and not obeying what his mind wanted to do. He could only clench his fists and try to remain calm as he watched you walk to the podium.

“Can we just clarify this, hun? You wish to replace Mrs. Wheeler, is that it?” asked the woman.

“Yes,” you replied as you began climbing the stairs and the woman let out a pleasantly surprised ‘Whoa’.

“Well, that’s certainly an interesting turn of events! Mrs. Wheeler, you’re… free to go,” she instructed the girl and Nancy slowly walked away, the two of you passing each other on the stairs. She sent you an incredulous look and your lips twitched, trying to give her a little smile as your hands brushed. “What is your name, dear?” asked the woman after she took you by the arm and guided you to the mic.

“Y/N Byers.”

“Oh me, oh my, that is unexpected! Oh, I bet you’re the older sister of this sweet boy over there,” she proclaimed and you turned to look at Will who was the definition of a deer caught in headlights.

“I am.”

“Well, Y/N, what you did was very noble. Ladies and gentlemen, a round of applause for District Seven’s tributes, Y/N Byers and William Byers!” declared the woman brightly as she clapped but once again nobody returned the gesture.

Everyone touched their lips with their fingers and lifted their arms in the air in the three-finger salute – a salute that represented people showing solidarity to one another.

“It is an old and rarely used gesture of our district, occasionally seen at funerals. It means thanks, it means admiration, it means goodbye to someone you love.”

You couldn’t believe that your mother’s words, these exact words, reached you right at this moment as you stared at the sea of people saluting you and sending you off.

And while you loved the gesture and appreciated that everyone showed their admiration towards you, you also couldn’t help but think that they were too quick to bury you. You didn’t blame them, for you never appeared to be a tough and powerful girl. But there was fight in you. It was temporarily smothered by the shock of the Reaping but it was now coming back full force, the salute reminding you who you truly were and igniting every cell in your body. And right then and there you swore that you would protect your brother no matter the cost.

“Thank you, everyone. Happy Hunger Games and may the odds be ever in your favor!”

#stranger things x reader #stranger things fanfiction #stranger things #stranger things reader insert #steve harrington fanfic #steve harrington x reader #steve x reader #eddie munson x reader #eddie x reader #billy hargove x reader #will byers x reader #hopper x reader #au

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rekiilysm · 2 years

Text

ETHEREAL: Ch2

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。. .・。.

⇨ 「pairing— steve harrington x fem!henderson!reader」

⇨ 「a/n— last chapter of episode one! the next episode is all in one chapter, and that’s as far as i’ve got so far. anyway, enjoy!」

⇨ 「warnings— swearing (the usual)」

⇨ 「word count— 2.4k」

CHAPTER TWO: THE VANISHING OF WILL BYERS PT. 2

I finally pulled into the high school parking lot, feeling relieved that we weren't going to be late. "See? Told you!" Dustin exclaims as he pointed to the clock in my car.

I sigh, "Yeah, yeah. Now go to school or you will be late." I dismiss him, making him scoff and get out of my car. He slams the door, opening the backseat door wide open to grab his backpack. "Have a good day, Dusty," I say to him and blow him a kiss playfully.

He smiles, "See ya, Y/n. Love you!" he then slams the door closed before running off to the middle school.

I sigh, "Love you too.." I look over to the time to see that class starts soon. I groan and open my car door, shutting it closed after I got out. I open the back door and grab my backpack, my keys still in my hand. I shut the door and lock my car, making my way into school.

I walk to my lock, which happens to be right next to Nancy Wheeler's. I overhear her and her friend Barbara talking about her making out with Steve Harrington. Gross, I think to myself before wondering where the hell my best friend is—my other best friend who's actually my age. I grab the books I need before closing my locker, looking around for Jonathan.

I start to walk to class, thinking that he was probably already in class. "I was late, so maybe he just didn't want to wander the halls without me?" I whisper to myself before walking into my math class. As I find my seat, I look over to Jonathan's spot, which was empty. Weird, I think, but my thoughts are interrupted by the sound of the late bell. I shrug, grabbing a pencil from my backpack.

———

"May I borrow Y/n Henderson for a second please?" a voice says from the front of the classroom. My head shoots up from hearing my name, "Bring your belongings." I nod and get my stuff together, slinging my backpack over my shoulder and not daring to glance back at the other people in my class.

Once we make it out of the classroom, I ask the lady, "What's going on?"

"The chief needs to talk to you," she says while leading you to the front door of the school. I give her a confused look. "Middle school office. I'm sure you know where that is," she says before walking off. I shrug before pushing the doors open and walking out. I quickly run over to the middle school, not wanting to keep them waiting.

As I make it to the middle school, I open the doors, making a left as soon as I walk in. The office lady spoke up, "Y/n! It's so good to see you again. Here to pick up your brother?"

I smile, "No, I'm actually here to talk with the chief?" she smiles to me and nods.

"Ahh, that's where your brother is. Just down there," she points to a small hallway to her right. I give her a smile before thanking her. I make my way down the hallway, recognizing this place like I just left it. As soon as I hear the chief and the boys talking, I barged into the room.

They all look at me before the chief looks back at Dustin, "So you were.. racing?" he asks as I sit down in between Dustin and Lucas. I look up to see Hopper and officer Callahan sitting next to each other.

"It was me and him, actually—" Dustin starts, but the other boys start to talk over each other.

"My house is the first up—“

"He takes Mirkwood home—"

"We were racing on a bet and—" Dustin says hurriedly, but gets cut off by Hopper.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. One at a time," he says before pointing to Mike. "You. You said he takes.. what?" he asks confused, not knowing the made up road.

"Mirkwood," Mike says to the chief.

Hopper raises an eyebrow, "Mirkwood?" he looks over to Callahan, "You ever heard of a 'Mirkwood'?" he asks the other officer, who shrugs.

"Sounds made-up," Callahan replies, not knowing the road either.

"It's from 'Lord of the Rings'," Lucas spoke up, looking at Hopper.

"—'The Hobbit'," Dustin corrected him, making me face palm at my idiotic brother.

"It doesn't matter!" Lucas exclaims to Dustin, who rolled his eyes in response.

"He asked!" Dustin remarks. I can tell Hopper is getting fed up with the two boys' bickering.

"Hey! What did I just say? One at a damn time," Hopper yells frustratedly. He points to me, "You."

I sigh, "Mirkwood. It's a real road. It's just the name that's made up." he sighs and pinches his nose.

"What's its real name?" he asks, obviously done with this.

"I don't know. It's where Cornwallis and Kerley meet," I say as he writes down what I'm telling him.

"Yeah, I think I know it," he says, not looking away from his notepad.

Mike speaks up, "We can show you—" he starts but the chief cuts him off.

"I said I know it," he snarls at Mike, I internally roll my eyes. Gosh this guy is a dickwad, I think to myself.

"We could help look—" Mike says but again, he gets cut off. Hopper's head shoots up quickly, staring at Mike.

"No, after school you all go straight home. All of you," he snaps, looking at all of us. "That means no biking or driving around looking for your friend, no investigating, no nonsense. This isn't some 'Lord of the Rings' book," he says to all of us, making us nod, even though we aren't going to listen.

"'The Hobbit'," Dustin corrects him. I slap the back of his neck giving him a look to shut up. He gives me a 'what the hell?' look while rubbing his neck.

I can tell Hopper has to hold back snapping at my brother, but he successfully doesn't say anything. "Do I make myself clear?" he says, making us look at him because he's honestly very intimidating. "Do I make myself clear?" he asks a lot more firmly than the first time. Me and the boys look at each other and nod to the police officers.

———

We eventually got to go back to class, and I got to go back to my own school. As I was walking out of the office, I bid the office lady a goodbye before making my way to the front door. I walk out of the school and take my time walking back to school because I really don't want to go back. Without Jonathan here, it's boring, and I don't have any other friends.

Unfortunately, I reached the front door, opening it wide while walking in. Luckily, people were still in class, so I don't have a crowd of people watching me walk into school. As I'm making my way to my English class, I bump into someone. Thankfully I wasn't holding any books because they would go flying if I was. Without looking up I say, "Oh my god, I'm so sorry." I mumble to myself how stupid I sounded, only to hear a familiar chuckle from above me. I finally look up to see.. Steve Harrington. Oh who am I kidding, I'm not surprised he's skipping.

"It's alright, Y/n," he says to me and looks into my eyes. Hold up- how does he know my name? I think to myself, thoughts running a million miles an hour. "Just watch where you're going next time," he pats me on my shoulder. I look at his hand, feeling heat rush to my face. I look back at him and smile.

"Yeah, sorry," I rub my neck with my hand.

He smiles down at me and then down to my shirt, "Hmm, Pink Floyd? Interesting." He spoke, looking back up to my eyes. It was almost as if he was teasing me; not a bad way though.

"Uh, yeah. Have you listened to them before?" I ask, mentally face palming at my stupid question.

He shakes his head, "I haven't." He smirks at me, making me internally sigh. It's just what he does, Y/n.. he's not actually interested, I think, not really thinking that's the case but it's possible.

I smirk, "Well then, I guess we'll have to hang out to change that." His face brightens up a bit, making me smile. A real smile, not a fake one. "See ya, Steve Harrington," I say before walking off to my class.

As soon as I turn around, my face became utter shock from what just happened. Did I really just talk to Steve Harrington? Yeah I did. And did I nail it? Totally.

———

After a very long day of school, I pick up Dustin from school and drive us home. Once we made it, I set my keys on the counter and go into the kitchen for a snack. I open the pantry door, and the view of dozens of snacks fills my vision. I sigh and go straight for a chocolate pudding cup that was on the second shelf. After getting my pudding, I close the door and get a spoon from the drawer.

"Y/n," I hear Dustin say from behind me. I close the drawer and open my pudding cup, taking a scoop out of it while looking up to him.

"Yes?" I ask before putting the spoon in my mouth, feeling the delicious taste of chocolate pudding.

"One, why are you eating my pudding cups? And two, Lucas and Mike want to go look for Will, so I was gonna ask if you wanted to come," he says pointing to the pudding in my hand.

"Uhh," I say with my mouth full of pudding. "One, it's my house too so I can eat whatever I want. And two, hell yeah let's go!" I exclaim to my little brother. He rolls his eyes at the pudding part, but then smiles once I agree to go help look.

"Cool! Let's go!" he waves me along with him, his backpack already on his back, and his walkie in his hand. I hurriedly shovel the rest of the pudding in my mouth, tossing the cup in the trash once I'm done. I place the spoon in the sink before jogging over to my keys and walking out the door. The sky is full of dark clouds, making me a bit nervous.

He was standing next to my car waiting for me, but I speak up, "I don't drive at night, remember?" he looks up and nods.

"Oh yeah, that's right," he says as we go to grab our bikes. Now, there is a certain reason I don't drive at night anymore, but I don't really talk about it much.

We start to peddle towards Mirkwood in silence, making a bit of small talk, but mostly silence. Once we make it to the road, we see Mike and Lucas already there. They were stopped at caution tape across the trees, probably where they found Will's bike. A crash of thunder boomed in the sky, making me and Dustin look up.

"Oh man, you guys feel that?" Dustin asked nervously. I look over to him as he holds his hand out, water droplets hitting it. "Maybe we should go back," Dustin says and I nod. We look back over to Mike, who wasn't listening and got off his bike. He opened his backpack and pulled out a walkie out, handing it to Dustin.

"No splitting up or anything stupid like that, but stay on channel six. Just in case," Mike told us as he walked into the woods and ducked under the caution tape. Me and Lucas get off our bikes and follow Mike, but Dustin stayed back. We continue to walk into the woods, leaving my brother behind.

"Hey, guys, wait up! WAIT UP!" Dustin exclaims, running towards us. He clings onto my arm as we walk through the woods, flashlights in hand.

We walk for awhile and its raining and night now, all of us screaming and yelling to see if we can find Will. "Will?! WILL!!" Mike yells, flashing his flashlight every direction for any sign of Will.

"BYERS?!" Lucas screams, also flashing his flashlight everywhere.

"WILL!!" I yell at the top of my lungs, my throat becoming scratchy and raspy.

"I've got your 'X-Men' 134!" Dustin hollers into the woods, all of us becoming tired. We look around for a few more minutes until I hear Dustin sigh, "Guys, I really think we should turn back.."

We all stop walking and turn to Dustin. To be completely honest, I'm really tired and I want to go home, but I also want to find Will. Lucas speaks up, "Seriously, Dustin, if you want to be a baby, just go home already." Lucas groans at Dustin's complaining.

"I'm just being realistic, Lucas," he replies, obviously annoyed at Lucas.

"No, you're being a sissy-" :ucas says, continuing to bicker with my brother. I roll my eyes as I see Mike stop, almost like he heard something.

"You ever think Will went missing because, you know, he ran into something bad? And now we're going to the place where he was last seen, and we don't even have weapons or anything-" Dustin exclaims over the pouring rain to an annoyed Lucas.

Mike interrupts Dustin, "Dustin, shut up." he says while looking everywhere. I walk up to him and look around to see if I can hear anything.

"I'm just sayin', does that seem smart to you?!" Dustin exclaims making me groan.

"Shut up!" I yell to him, Dustin shutting up immediately. The two boys turn to both me and Mike, confused as to why we were mad.

They walk up to us as Mike says, "You guys hear that?" he asks the four of us, the sound of bushes rustling fill my ears. I nod and use my flashlight to look around every which way. I turn around and just about jump out of my skin when I see a small girl with her head shaved. The boys look to where I'm looking and see the girl too.

"What the fu-"

#steve the hair harrington #steve harrington series #steve harrington x henderson!reader #steve harrington stranger things #steve harrington x y/n #steve harrington x you #steve harrington x henderson reader #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington #stranger things #mike wheeler #lucas sinclair #dustin henderson #will byers

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lesbianrobin · 1 year

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I love young strangers but I'm caught up and I've read all your other stuff, do you have any fic recs? I love your fics so much :)

thank you!! if you haven't already read all of her stuff, i recommend everything written by my friend sarah @steveharrington!! her ao3 is birthdaycandles and literally everything she's ever written is an absolute banger. if you like my stuff you will Love her and if you've read all of my fics but not hers i think that is a travesty and you better get on that immediately.

some great under-appreciated fics of hers: run for your children, for your sisters and brothers (steve lucas and robin. that is literally all i have to say it's about STEVE LUCAS AND ROBIN why haven't you clicked yet), strung through the tether (THEE stobin platonic soulmate fic), & seriously slipping out of control (steve and robin beg eddie to give them impulsive trauma tattoos immediately after starcourt).

idk what ships/characters ur most into so i'm just gonna focus on recs that are gen/ship-lite and oneshots bc i feel like that's what most of my fics are? so if you like my fics hopefully you'll like these bc i think they are all wayyy better than my fics but with similar vibes dkvjfjcn.

windowsill is a story focusing on max's recovery after s4. steddie is there, but the story itself is really about max and her healing and finding herself in the wake of trauma, and i think everybody should read it because it's gorgeous.

similarly, no, i'm not afraid to disappear explores erica's trauma in the wake of s4, how it sets her apart from her friends, and how she uses D&D to work through some of that trauma. there is NOT enough erica-centric fic out there and this one really gives her all of the love and complexity and attention she deserves.

you can put it all on me, you can laugh and you can bleed is a classic Steve Harrington Gets The Care And Love He Needs After Getting The Living Shit Kicked Out Of Him fic, and it has multiple perspectives (including officer callahan who is a hoot) that create a rich picture and make it all feel real. it isn't just about steve, it's also about all of the kids, their fears and trauma in the immediate aftermath of s2, and it's so fucking precious. literally the cutest shit ever.

strange (but not a stranger) is a mike-centric fic set after s4 that like. single-handedly saved mike's character for me. like s1-2 mike was my BABY and s3 i was kinda eh about him and in s4 i felt like i barely recognized him but this fic reached right into my heart and said You Will Love Mike Wheeler Again He Is Still Your Baby. mike is so messy and angry and lost in this fic and he feels like a flesh and blood teenager who's been through a lot and i think this fic deserves So much more attention.

don't imagine you're too familiar is a s4 aftermath fic focused on robin, steve, dustin, and eddie. this fic Gets steve and robin they are soooo platonic soulmates coded in this (as they should be) and i love it. also some steddie. as a treat.

unlike the others on here, adventures in babysitting a psionic isn't a oneshot, it's 59k words and SO WORTH READING. it's about steve babysitting el in the space between s2 and s3. it's definitely canon divergent but it's not a huge Plot Deal it's mostly about el and steve building an incredibly sweet friendship, and they both get a lot of complexity, care, and emotional development that i love. their relationships with the other characters are also given attention and it's just like... so cozy and sweet. it's simply precious.

so that's it for now! sorry if the formatting of this was weird i'm on mobile dkcjdjc i hope you haven't already read all of these and thank you again for being so kind ab my fics!!

#asks #stranger things #fic recs #em talks

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fragilecapric0rnn · 1 year

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No bc I keep thinking about Officer Callahan being Steve’s uncle, and the idea is just SPINNING ROUND AND ROUND. He’s Steve’s mom’s youngest brother who’s not much older than Steve, and this makes extra sense To Me because I have a young uncle (from my grandpas 2nd marriage).

My uncle’s mom called him Pooh Bear growing up and that got shortened to Poo and soon us kids and everyone else in the family started to (AND STILL) call him Poopy. And it’s just so casual too like: “Have you talked to Poopy?” “Did you see what Poopy posted on facebook?” “oh I saw Poopy at the store the other day.” And people will just look at us all like 👁️👁️

Sorry but now I have to write the fic and give Officer Callahan the Uncle Poopy treatment

#sen writes #would like you all to know that I’m home alone cackling like a crazy person at all of this

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writersblockedx · 2 years

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Protector of the Party: Chapter 7

Chapter Seven: Strange yet Sweet

PAIRING - Steve Harrington x Reader BASED OFF - (A little of) 1x07, 1x08 WARNINGS - Mentions of violence and death WORDS - 3.1K

A/n - Very sorry that I’m posting this a little later than promised!

Series Masterlist Masterlist

Hawkins Police Station was a familiar location for Y/n. For a handcuffed Johnathan, however, not so familiar. The girl watched from the next desk across as he stared blankly at the wooden chair he was bound to as Powell interrogated him. Nancy was at his side, her wide pupils vibrating with sympathy that she pleaded for Johnathan to receive. All while Y/n was seated opposite Callahan, her knees to her chest as she swirled back and fourth in the spinning chair.

"And you hit him with a crowbar?" The officer reiterated back to her, pulling Y/n's gaze to what she was meant to be doing.

The girl shrugged, "Not so much hit. More like trying to pry them from one another." Her hands gestured an odd movement that sort of resembled someone trying to mould the air.

Callahan sighed and looked back down at the report. "I'm guessing that didn't work?"

When the man didn't hear an answer, he looked up, meeting the deadly glare of Y/n. "What do you think?" Her eyes jumped over to Johnathan and the serval bruises that had started to prick at his skin like paint.

Callahan followed her gaze and nodded as he turned back around, noting something on his sheet. Y/n started spinning again. There was no lie in that there were a million other things she was yearning to do than this. You know like the interdimensional creature that was just wondering around Hawkins, or the lab that held her mother captive. "Would you stop that!" Snapped Callahan.

Y/n slowed in her seat, glancing up at him. "Right, if that's all you have to say?" He checked with her as he readied himself to leave. She nodded and relaxed back into her chair when the man finally left.

Her gaze returned back to Johnathan and Nancy. Them, too, having just finished their interview as Powell joined Callahan into an office. Nancy said something to Johnathan that was too quiet for Y/n to catch. But, once Johnathan nodded, the girl left her seat and walked towards the front desk. Y/n took her chance now as she slipped into Nancy's chair, ready to cruel Johnathan.

"It's strange, you and Nancy..." She started as her pupils gazed upon the Wheeler girl, discussing something with the receptionist. Y/n turned back to Johnathan, his eyes trained on Nancy. "But it's sweet, really."

A huff fell from the boy's lips as he retracted his gaze, "In a week or so, there won't be a me and Nancy." He told her as if he knew it as absolute truth.

"And you think what? She'll just forget about you as well as that slimy creature that took her best friend - and Will?" Y/n was more than aware of the princess crown the girl wore, but this week, Nany Wheeler had certainly defined all stereotypes. "I know she's a preppy girl, dating Steve fucking Harrington-" Y/n noted the small wince that flew through Johnathan's expression. "-But all of this that's going on, it'll keep the two of you bonded forever."

Johnathan listened to ever word from his best friend. He leaned back and glanced at her with a slight smile grazing at his lips. "Since when did you become an expert in love and bonding?" He joked.

The girl giggled in return, "What can I say? I'm wise, Johnathan Byers." Even if she, herself, had never had much that could be considered romantic. But she had the common sense to see a spark when it happened to be right in front of her.

"How much longer do you think we'll be?" Asked Johnathan as the atmosphere seeped back into the dull tone of the Station.

Y/n shrugged as she searched around their area, trying to catch any sign of their escape. "I'm not sure." She answered. "But the second were out, we'll carry on what we started and we'll find Will."

Johnathan didn't respond, the ideas of seeing his younger brother again intoxicating his thoughts. Y/n broke away from the boy when she felt a figure lurk behind her. The girl turned in the seat that wasn't hers, and found her sights set on who the seat truly belong to. Nancy forced a grin and held a towel which wrapped serval pieces of ice. "Everything okay?" She questioned, her pupils mainly situated on Johnathan.

Y/n grinned in response, already standing from the chair. "Perfect." She gleamed. "I'll leave you to do Gods work, Nance." And with that, the girl started wondering around in search of some food they might have lying around.

Nancy couldn't help it as her smile grew, taking her seat back again. She awkwardly raised her hand and pressed the freezing fabric to Johnathan's bruises. "I like her, surprisingly enough." Nancy said.

"Yeah, she's nice when she wants to be." He replied.

The two stayed in their places while Y/n practically bounced between the walls of this small area they were confined to. The waiting was beginning to become torturous. The idea that this creature could be seeking out it's next victim while they were forced to just sit and be patient, it was killing Y/n with every tick of the clock.

The girl found herself by the front desk, her eyes glowing at the sight of a bowl of lemon sherbets. She could have melted just at the sight of them. Y/n reached forward, her finger tips just brushing against them before she felt someone smacking her hand, making her jump. "Ouch!" She exclaimed as she held her hand close to her chest.

Flo deadpanned the girl through her thick glasses. "These are for those who come in here for not breaking the law." She informed as she grasped the bowl.

Y/n felt a scowl grow on her face. "I haven't broken the law!" For once, the girl thought but wouldn't voice.

Flo's expression never seemed to fade and Y/n already knew what was coming. "Hmh." She looked her up and down before taking the bowl and going to hide it somewhere.

Y/n felt herself internally groaned in her place. The only thing to bring her out of her sudden irritation being for the entrance door to swing open, rather forcefully. That force was explained when Hopper walked in, Joyce by his side. Shit.

Hopper looked to the girl first and huffed, "Of course you're involved with this as well."

She was already retracting from the front desk as she followed the two round. "Hello to you too." She commented as Joyce made a B-line for Johnathan.

"Hey," Joyce started as she met her son with sympathetic eyes, unconvinced he was meant to be sat here. "Johnathan?" She questioned as she lingered over the desk him and Nancy were seated at. She looked to his hand that was covered by the ice towel and the bruise that littered his cheek. "Jesus, What-" She pointed to his hand. "-What happened?"

Callahan and Powell were both quick to the scene that was forming. "Ma'am-" Callahan started, a speech prepared for the infamous Joyce Byers.

She didn't let him get another word in. "Why is he in handcuffs?"

His shoulders fell, "Well, he assaulted a police officer. That's why." He informed, too embarrassed to included that said officer had been himself.

"Take them off." The women demanded as she pointed at the metal that was trapping Johnathan's wrists.

"I'm afraid I can not to do." He answered in a calm, yet rather patronising, way.

"Take them off!"

From behind the women, Hopper spoke up. "You heard her: take them off."

Powell took that as his turn to step in. From his perspective and according to the law, this was the right regulation for the boy who sat sorrow at the desk. "Chief, I get that everyone is emotional here, but there's something you need to see." Shit.

And so Powell led the way to the car park. Y/n, Johnathan and Nancy all stayed in their spots, receiving glares from Joyce as they waited. They each knew what was coming, why the boot of Johnathan's car was open and why each of the officers wore stern expressions. Hopper was the one to grasp the box as they continued back inside.

They said nothing. Instead, they dropped the box in front of the younger three with a thud. Neither of them looked to it. Y/n and Johnathan stared right at Hopper, while Nancy let her eyes trail the desk. Joyce, however, was the first to start rummaging through the gasoline and the bear traps. "What is this?" She asked her son.

Hopper didn't look away from Johnathan as he answered for him. "Why don't you ask your son. We found it in his car."

Joyce's head snapped up. "What-"

"Why were you going through my car?"

Well this was sure to escalate quickly.

Hopper leant forwards, his palms gripping the desk. "Is that really the question you should be asking right now?" He intimidated. "I wanna see you all in my office." He declared, already turning to walk away.

He didn't get far before Johnathan piped up again. "You won't believe me."

Y/n glanced to Johnathan through sheepish pupils. "Yeah, he will." She told him in full confidence. If Hopper could believe that a lab were kidnapping kids and harvesting them for experiments, he could believe this.

The three shared a look of, should we, shouldn't we? But Y/n responded by standing from her chair and making her own way to Hopper's office. The rest weren't far behind. Everyone piled into the office, taking a seat where they could. Hopper leant against his desk as the three of them started to explain everything. From start to finish. And while they didn't know much, they still had an idea of how to stop it.

Johnathan passed Hopper the taped together picture of what was thought to be this creature. The Chief analysed it and let the information seep into his mind before looking back up again. "And you say blood draws this thing?" He questioned before passing the image to Joyce.

"We don't know." Johnathan answered him.

"Its just a theory." Nancy added.

Y/n looked to the man as she huffed, "We don't know anything for certain, really." She made clear.

Joyce put the picture back down and urged her son to outside the office. Y/n sent a glance of luck towards Johnathan, knowing what was to follow in privacy wouldn't be one of pleasantry.

"How come you didn't mention this?" Hopper questioned Y/n once the office door had shut. "Between the lab and this Jane Ives I've been following up, this information would have been really helpful."

Y/n once again felt as if she was being scolded like a child. So much so in fact, she found herself feeling sheepish and fidgeting with her hands, barely able to meet Hop's piercing gaze. "I tried." She told him. "When you came by about the bug they had planted, it was just-" She paused as to let out a shaky exhale. "You were in a rush I could barely get a word in."

Y/n finally met Hopper's pupils and suddenly he was the one struggling to keep up his apathetic façade. "What do we do now?" Asked Nancy from the side of Y/n.

Hopper was about to give some sort of plan to Nancy before distant arguing was heard from further into the station. The three of them all shared a confused stare before Hopper stood from his seat. "Wait here." He instructed as he exited the office.

Y/n, of course, got up from her seat. And, Nancy, having no idea what else to do, followed. They both lingered in the doorway with Johnathan and Joyce as they watched Hopper storm down the hallway. "What's going on?" She said as she peeked back at Joyce.

The women shrugged, "I'm not sure."

And so the four waited, starring down the hallway until Hopper finally made his return. His expression more irritated now than it had been when he left. "Come on," He began as he rushed into his office, grabbing his cap and coat, leaving everyone else in the dark.

"What?" Y/n interrupted. "What's going on?" She was demanding to know what his plan was, where he was intending on taking them.

Hopper sighed as he faced the younger girl. "To find your cousin." He paused and his eyes met Nancy. "And your brother."

Then he turned his back and stormed down the corridor as if that was enough information to give. Y/n and Nancy stared at one another; the hell had they gotten themselves into now?

They all rushed into Joyce's car. And Joyce, despite Chief of police sat in the passenger seat, gave no care for the speed limits she passed. All she saw right now was Will. Because she could see him in distance, there was a chance. This was more than just flickering lights and a blown up phone. This was something. Something that could lead to Will.

They parked onto the road above the Wheelers house. The place swarmed will many other vehicles. The lab had got to the kids before they could. Everyone exited. Yet no one dared to take a step further.

Hopped scanned the area through his binoculars. Men in suits were moving in and out of the home, taking boxes of what Y/n assumed were Mike's things for themselves. "I have to go home." Said Nancy out of the silence that had once settled over everyone.

"No you can't." Hopper told her without removing his pupils from the binoculars.

She didn't even try to hide the scowl that she was sending his way. "My mum and dad are there-"She was pointing at the men in suits, knowing they were much more than they made themselves out to be.

"They're gonna be okay." Hopper spoke as he finally dropped the binoculars.

Nancy didn't oblige. She stormed from the car, her eyes set on her house. Y/n went after her first, hand gripping at Nancy's sleeve as to pull her back. "Nancy!" She snapped at her.

The girl resisted, attempting to wiggle her wrist out from Y/n's grip. "No, let me go!" She demanded in a fit of rage.

"No, Nancy, listen to me." Y/n spoke, her voice as calm as she was able to get it. And, with that, Nancy seemed to quiet down just enough for her to continue. "I know you want to make sure your family is okay, trust me I want nothing more than to check on my Aunty and to find Dustin. You, me, getting in the middle of this, we're no help then."

She shook her head as she listened, pointing back to her house. "Mike is in there!" She exclaimed.

"No, no." Y/n answered before her eyes glanced upwards at the blue in the sky. She gestured to a helicopter, "They haven't found him yet."

Her eyes widened as Y/n's grip loosened, convinced Nancy had calmed. "For Mike?"

"We need to go!" Called Hopper from the drivers seat as he awaited for the two girls to squeeze back into the car.

"Come on," Y/n urged Nancy as the two wondered back to the back seat.

Johnathan was squished between Nancy and Y/n as both of them watched the helicopter in the sky, knowing it was for the party. How they were going to find them before the lab did with it's hundreds of men and aircraft? That was still quite a mystery.

Hoppe joined the car, slamming the door before he and Joyce turned back to look at the girls. "Look we need to find them before they do." The man said.

Y/n scoffed, "Yeah that was a given." Hopper gave her a death stare which, now she thought on it, she probably deserved.

"Do either of you have any idea where they might be?" He asked.

Both Y/n an Nancy quickly fell into thought, rummaging through the memories. The first place would always be Mike's basement. But that was, of course, already ruled out. Then maybe the AV club. Again, Y/n was sure the lab had already infected the middle school. Nancy shrugged, "I don't know." She admitted. "We haven't talked a lot. I mean...lately..." The other girl caught the ting of guilt that her tone with ridden in.

"Y/n?" Hopper encouraged, holding out as much hope as he had.

Like Nancy, she shrugged, and that shred of hope in the mans eyes dropped. "I don't where, but maybe..." She looked to Johnathan and then Nancy. "Maybe I know how we can contact them." She suggested, waiting for either of the other two to catch out.

Johnathan was first to realise: "The walkies."

They looked back at Joyce and Hopper, a glint in both their eyes. "If you know where Will's is." She suggested.

Joyce nodded, "Sure, somewhere in his room right?" Johnathan nodded and like that, they whizzed back to the Byer's house - again, with no care for the speed limits.

They gave no time to readjust to Joyce's new...decorations. Instead, they all went in search. Looking under cushions, in every kitchen counter, every kook and every cranny. Until, finally a, "I got it!" Came from Joyce as she stretched under the bed. She stood, walkie in hand, a grin fighting its way to her lips.

She looked between Y/n and Nancy as if silently asking what was next. "You do the honours." Y/n spoke. And while Nancy gave a look that connoted nothing but hesitation, Joyce passed the walkie over.

She took the time to catch her breath before pressing down on the button and holding it to her lips. "Mike, are you there? Mike." She called. "Mike, it's me, Nancy." Silence. Nancy met Y/n's eyes and the girl nodded in a form of encouragement as if to tell her to keep going. "Mike, are you there? Answer." Nothing.

She shook her head and stared at Y/n before offering the walkie to her. The girl thought for a moment, taking the equipment for herself. "Dustin. If you're there, or if Mike is, or Lucas, we need you to answer." She instructed, hoping maybe she'd get through to Dustin at least. "Dustin, do you copy? Do any of you copy?" Still radio silence. "Please. This is an emergency and I swear to God Dustin if I find out you're ignoring this-"

Hopper snatched the walkie for himself. "Listen kid, if either of you are there, pick up. We know you're in trouble. And we know about the girl." He demanded. "We can help you. We can protect you, but you gotta' pick up. Are you there? Do you copy? Over." And he retracted from the walkie.

Hope was lost.

Hopper placed the walkie on the wooden cupboard before turning back around. "Anyone got any other ideas?" He asked.

Nancy was about to look back at Y/n when the static buzzed through the shadow of Will's room. "Yeah, I copy." Came Mike's voice. The static fizzled some more before another voice came from the toy. "I'm here too." Dustin. "We're here."

They were okay.

Taglist - @fanficfanatic204 @neverylee @myheartonthemove @satsuri3su @gobringmemyfood @yourpalheapass @andraimeide @notanordinaryprincess95 (Let me know whether you would like to be added or removed)

Chapter Eight (Gone) to be published Friday 8pm BST

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leslie057 · 2 years

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The Many Character Tropes of Jonathan Byers, according to TV Tropes

An Axe to Grind: Grabs an axe in the second act of Season 3 to help defend Hopper's cabin against the Mindflayer.

Badass Bookworm: A photographer, amateur journalist, and member of the Yearbook Club, he's also as courageous as they come and doesn't let anything come between him and his loved ones.

Badass Driver: In Season 3, when he and the party are driving away from the avatar of the Mindflayer.

Badass Normal: He's not an athletic jock like Steve or Billy, a cop like Hopper, or a psychic like Eleven, yet Jonathan probably takes more damage in fights than anyone not named Steve and absolutely none of it keeps him down.

Beware the Nice Ones: Whatever you do, don't taunt, nor make fun about, Will. Steve's bloodied, bruised face is Jonathan's response to it.

Beware the Quiet Ones: Jonathan is quite possibly the sweetest and least egotistical guy on the whole show, but when you manage to piss him off, watch out.

It takes two full-grown police officers to drag him away from Steve after the latter mocked Will's apparent death, and apparently broke Callahan's nose with a casual backwards elbow in the process.

Even after a brutal fight with his possessed boss Tom, Jonathan does not stay down and finally stabs Tom in the fucking throat with a pair of scissors.

Be Yourself: He told Will that he shouldn't do what society does just to make their father like him.

Big Brother Instinct: Protects Will from bullies, comforts him during his parents' arguments, and turns him on to punk and new wave music. And, goes ballistic if people try bad-mouthing his brother when he's not in sight. Isn't that right, Steve?

In the second season finale, he has to turn away and hold Nancy just so he wouldn't give in as the monster infecting Will screams for him to be let go when Joyce turn up the temperature. He ends up not being able to hold out as he unties one of his hands.

In Season 3, when Nancy realizes that Will might not be safe, that's all the incentive Jonathan needs to go look for him and realize something is horribly wrong.

Similarly, Season 4 has him openly declare that Eleven is his stepsister, and he goes absolutely mental when she's arrested.

After Jonathan realizes that Will is in love with Mike and struggling with his sexuality and unrequited feelings, he apologizes for being distant, tells Will that he can always talk to him, and lets Will know that he will always love him and nothing can ever change that.

Blue Collar Hero: An aspiring photographer and journalist who's good with cars and setting up booby traps for monster hunting. He even calls attention to this in Season 3, when in a rare spat of anger towards someone he loves, he points out that Nancy comes from a middle-class family and has enough connections to find a good job, while Jonathan is a social outcast from a Friendless Background, so the newspaper job is all he has.

Brooding Boy, Gentle Girl: The "brooding boy" to Nancy's "gentle girl.”

Camera Fiend: Has an interest in photography, which he uses to make missing person posters for Will. According to "Stranger Things Worlds Turned Upside Down: The Official Behind-The-Scenes Companion", he is a member of the Photography Club, the School Newspaper, and the Yearbook Club.

Chekhov's Gun: The nail-spiked bat Jonathan prepares to fight the Demogorgon turns out to be the only true deterrent they have against the monster... when Steve picks it up and takes some well-placed swings at it.

Commitment Issues: Jonathan has this in spades since he fears ending up like his abusive father and is trying to "break the cycle." It's so blatantly obvious that Murray calls him out on it after only knowing him and Nancy for a few hours. It causes a lot of awkwardness in his relationship with Nancy, especially in Season 4 when their Long-Distance Relationship lets him stew on it on his own for too long.

The Confidant: He tries to be this to Will, although he sometimes gets preoccupied by his own issues. In Season 4, he acknowledges that he and Will don't talk as much as they used to and apologizes for not being there for him while Will has been struggling with his sexuality and unrequited feelings for Mike.

Cool Big Bro: To Will. Jonathan looks after his brother and gives him good advice, like how it's important to stay true to yourself instead of acting a certain way because someone thinks you should. There are more than a few other hints that he's shielded and deflected Will not just from the abuse of bullies, but from their own father many times before.

Curb-Stomp Battle: An almost literal example in Season 1, when he knocks Steve down and spends the next five minutes punching him in the face as hard as possible. It takes two fully-grown cops to drag him away from Steve.

Determinator: He'll stop at nothing to look after and protect his family. Even after getting tossed around more than once by the creatures of the Upside Down, he always gets right back up again to keep up the fight.

Dogged Nice Guy: A fairly uncritical example towards Nancy, including taking secret pictures of her at a party, and they eventually get together.

Expository Hairstyle Change: More subtle than Nancy, but still present. In season 1, his hair is on the longer side with shaggy bangs that fall in his eyes, representing his loner personality, but after he's gained some confidence and a friend in Nancy, it's pushed back off his face more in season 2. In season 3 it's cut shorter and neater, to help fit in at the professional environment of the Hawkins Post, while season 4 has it longer and shaggier than ever to reflect his evolution into an aimless, burned-out stoner.

Fire-Forged Friends: With Steve and Nancy following the fight with the Demogorgon.

Friendless Background: Unlike his little brother, he doesn't seem to have any friends. Till the end of the series, after which him, Nancy, and Steve become Fire-Forged Friends.

At the start of Season 2, he's back to avoiding hanging out with the two. Mostly implied to be to give them space due to his and Nancy's UST. However, when she chooses him over Steve, they hang out together all the time...and then we don't see any of Nancy or Steve's other friends, while Steve becomes friends with Robin and stops hanging out with Nancy, or so it seems.

Subverted by Season 4, where he makes a best friend in California (Argyle), and now El, and possibly Will, are the ones without friends in California.

Genre Savvy: Eventually. Once he gets it, he goes all in on the whole "I'm in a creature feature" thing.

Good People Have Good Sex: He and Nancy have an active sex life.

Green-Eyed Monster: He seems jealous of Steve and Nancy's relationship, due to having a crush on Nancy. By the end of the season, however, Steve's change in attitude and their mutual fight against the Demogorgon has turned them into friends.

Guys Smash, Girls Shoot: Nancy and he bring a bat and a revolver respectively to kill the monster. Initially, they try practicing with the weapons they picked, but trade when Nancy proves to be the better shot.

It's All My Fault: He's terribly remorseful for not being at home when Will was being chased by the monster. Though what he could have done to prevent Will's abduction is debatable.

Jump Scare: Supplies one in the second act as we get an abrupt and loud Smash Cut to him trying to improve his aim with a revolver.

Like Parent, Like Child: Like Joyce, Jonathan is a quiet person who doesn't get along with most other people, but his bond with his family is stronger than steel, and he quietly sacrifices his own comforts to provide for them, especially Will. He can take a lot of abuse hurled his way, but, just like his mother, the moment you threaten or insult his family, you will regret and deserve the ferocity that he unleashes on you.

Loners Are Freaks: What most of the other high school kids think of him, given that he apparently has no (or very few) friends. He occasionally doesn't help his case.

Loser Son of Loser Dad: Steve calls him this almost verbatim before their fight in Season 1.

Love Cannot Overcome: After his family moves out of town at the end of Season 3, he and Nancy try a long-distance relationship. However, Season 4 quickly shows that the time apart and their lives seeming to head in very different directions has caused a lot of strain, leading to Jonathan - as Argyle puts it - to be "slow motion" breaking up with Nancy.

Made of Iron: During the hospital fight, Jonathan is strangled, thrown into several walls, hit with a metal stool, and slammed into the ground. He still manages to get up in time to stab his possessed boss to death with scissors.

Meatgrinder Surgery: In Season 3, when he has to improvise a not-medically-compliant surgical setup to cut a piece of the Mindflayer out of El's leg. While she's still conscious. Yuck.

Nice Guy: He's very kind and loving to his family (aside from his POS father) and to Nancy. He's rarely outwardly rude or antagonistic, unless you threaten or make fun of Will. Steve learned that the hard way towards the end of Season 1.

No-Holds-Barred Beatdown: Gives one to Steve after the latter taunts him about Will's death. It takes three people to pull him away.

No Social Skills: He's rather shy and socially awkward, and clearly prefers interacting with the world through a camera lens rather than in person. This contributes to the perception people have of him as a bit of a creep.

Parent with New Paramour: Downplayed. In Season 2, he has some hostility towards Joyce's new boyfriend, Bob — he freezes out Bob's attempts to befriend the boys and complains that he doesn't understand what his mother sees in him. However, he never really seems to dislike Bob, he just finds him a bit of a clueless dork. He turns out to be wrong about Bob.

The Peeping Tom: Played with. Steve and his friends think that he's just simply a pervert, though Jonathan says that this is not the case. He argues to Nancy that he takes pictures of people while hiding because he wants to assess their demeanor during open conversation. Jonathan's fight with Nancy at the woods confirms this notion, as he pretty much nails down Nancy with remarkable accuracy, to which she has no retort. However, Jonathan turns out to be wrong about his assessment of Steve as a petty jock (though in this case a certain amount of jealousy and resentment can be assumed to be colouring his perceptions). And he admits he should not have taken the pictures of Nancy in her bra, that was the hormones talking, and it was wrong.

Promotion to Parent: Thanks to Joyce being overworked, and Lonnie being a terrible person, he's pretty much taken up the 'Dad' role for Will.

A Real Man Is a Killer: His dad forcing this trope on him using those hunting expeditions when he was younger pretty much convinced him to step in to prevent Lonnie doing similar macho-making things to Will.

"The Reason You Suck" Speech: He and Nancy deliver these to each other. See Nancy's folder for details.

Relationship Upgrade: With Nancy, midway through Season 2.

The Reliable One: Jonathan is a bottomless well of competence amidst a cast of (understandably) emotionally damaged people. Need someone to comfort a frightened sibling? Keep the kids out of trouble? Drive the party where they need to go and fix the car once it breaks? Remove a piece of the monster from somebody's leg without proper surgical equipment? Jonathan's your man. One can make a strong argument that in three whole seasons of television, Jonathan has not made a single really bad decision.

Revolvers Are for Amateurs: In Season 1, he arms himself with a revolver when he starts planning to go after the Demogorgon.

Sensitive Guy and Manly Man: Especially in Season 1, he's the serious and responsible Sensitive Guy to Steve's Jerk Jock Manly Man.

Stalker with a Crush: He accidentally ends up spying on Nancy's and Steve's party, and not-so-accidentally ends up taking creepy pictures of her. This trope is invoked by Steve, Tommy, and Carol after they find out about the photos.

The Stoner: In Season 4 he has become this. Despite a few comedic scenes together with the resident pothead, new character Argyle, this trait is not actually Played for Laughs and instead shows how Jonathan is slowly losing control of his life, and how everything that happened is starting to take a toll on him.

Two Guys and a Girl: With Steve and Nancy, though it's debatable whether any of them fit the 'leader' role between the two guys.

Vomit Discretion Shot: His reaction after, unlike Joyce, actually believing and horrifed that the body that was uncovered was indeed Will's.

The Unfavorite: Downplayed given the circumstances, but during Joyce's obsession over finding Will in Season 1, Jonathan states that it's like she forgot that she still has a son that is alive.

Unresolved Sexual Tension: With Nancy at the end of Season 1; she gets back together with Steve but the tension between her and Jonathan is obvious. They get a Relationship Upgrade in Season 2.

Wise Beyond Their Years: Due to his mother's Sanity Slippage and the fact that his dad is a prime douche, he has to step up to take care of a lot of things. Like his little brother's funeral. He also has to deal with the worry that his mother is going through another anxiety episode on top of everything else, yet still keeps it together enough to work out that she's not wrong when Nancy hands him the proof.

#*post #jonathan byers #character analysis #character tropes #tv tropes #charlie heaton #stranger things #stranger things 4 #netflix #character study #these are so interesting #i love whoever wrote these #tw: mention of vomit #tw: mentions of murder

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faithfulcat111 · 7 months

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I am digging into my Madwheeler Roleswap outline again to see if I can map it out any further and wanted to share some of my favourite bits:

-The gang (which consists of Max, Will, Lucas, and Dustin) collectively deciding to share the one dad they have, Lucas's (because Lonnie didn't count even before he ditched). This may or may not have led to a few accidental incidents where he is called 'Dad' by more children than he legally has.

-In the backstories portion, I have so many detailed notes except for El, which just says 'same as canon'.

-Jonathan being the one who teaches Max how to skateboard in this au.

-I liked the 'Officer Noodles' headcanon that was going around last Spring, but I took it slightly differently so Officer Callahan in Steve's (much) older step-brother.

-Holly is a little math genius.

-Max is extremely uncooperative when Hopper is questioning her about Will's disappearance.

-Jonathan and Joyce get a much needed conversation the night they find out Will's 'body' had been found.

-El and Max start the bed-sharing and bonding right off about when episode 5 happens. This ended up going much more siblings than I usually write these two, but Max is happy to have a sister.

-Me accidentally writing myself out of most of the season two plotlines XD

#madwheeler roleswap au #faith writes

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artiststarme · 6 months

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Dead or Alive

After Spring Break, no one could find Eddie Munson dead or alive. His Uncle Wayne, the angry mob, even the police couldn’t locate him so everyone assumed he was dead. Some grieved his loss but most celebrated his apparent demise believing it to be what he deserved after killing Chrissy, Fred, Patrick, and Jason and hurting poor Max Mayfield.

Once the town recovered enough, Wayne bought a headstone for an empty grave and dutifully washed off the new graffiti that appeared each day. The kids of the Party mourned the loss of their idealistic Dungeon Master and disbanded Hellfire Club out of respect to him. And Robin and Steve disappeared to Steve’s empty house to grieve the loss of a friend (or so it seemed).

Because while everyone thought they were grieving and finding support in each other, they were actually caring for Eddie’s wounds and watching gay movies on Steve’s couch. They are junk food, cuddled in front of the TV, and appreciated being alive.

Steve couldn’t be around the party because he was supposed to be broken-hearted but it was the opposite. While he left the Upside Down the most recent time with more scars, both mental and physical, it also gave him everything he’d ever wanted. It took him away from the job he hated, gave him more time to spend with Robin, and it gave him a prospective boyfriend.

He felt bad keeping Eddie a secret away from the kids and his uncle but he had no other choice. Until he and Robin could brainstorm a logical explanation for his innocence and return from the dead, it’d be the three of them in hiding. Which to him, wasn’t a bad thing. Between the love of Robin and Eddie, his house felt less like a crypt and more like a home.

After a few weeks, they’d all gotten used to their solitary. Imagine their surprise when someone walks in on the three of them watching the Rocky Horror Picture Show right on the scene of Rocky showing off his fishnet clad calves. Imagine Officer Phil Callahan’s horror when his eyes landed on an injured homicidal maniac sitting half on his brother’s lap while drooling over Tim Curry. And imagine Steve’s mortification when his brother stood unmoving in the doorway of the living room with one hand on his hip and the other held over his open mouth in shock.

“WHAT IN THE FUCK IS EDWARD MUNSON DOING IN OUR PARENT’S LIVING ROOM?!” Phil shrieked, his face going red in barely concealed rage.

Steve, Eddie, and Robin all spoke at once.

“Is he? Oh my goodness, I didn’t notice. Steve, Eddie is in your house!”

“It’s just Eddie, you piece of shit.”

“Ok technically, I can explain.”

Phil just looked at them like all three of them were insane. “HE’S A KILLER!”

“No he’s not. He’s just a metalhead, Phil.”

“What is that supposed to do with anything, Steve?! I don’t care that he’s a metalhead, I care that he murdered at least three people in a week!”

Steve shot up from his seat so he was nearly eye-level with Phil. “Woah, he did not! I was with him the entire week and neither of us killed anyone.”

Phil just shook his head in confused exhaustion. “Is he dangerous?”

Steve looked him directly in the eye, “no! He didn’t do anything and he’s one of my best friends now.”

“Fine. I’m not dealing with this shit tonight. You,” he pointed at Eddie, “don’t kill anyone. And Steve, do not wake me up before ten AM unless someone is getting killed. Jesus Christ.”

He stomped up the stairs, grumbling under his breath the entire way. Meanwhile, Steve sat back down next to Eddie and gave him a small smile. “Well, that went better than expected.”

Eddie looked at him in disbelief, “did it Steve? Did it?”

(It, in fact, did not. The next morning, Steve had to tackle Phil away from the phone when he tried to call the chief and then had to hold him down while Robin rambled the entire story in an impressive four minutes. He only gave up once Steve threatened to disappear himself and Eddie (and Robin) forever without ever contacting Phil again.)

Should I make this into a longer fic? Let me know in the comments please!

#everyone else finds out that Eddie is still alive after Callahan helps to clear his name #him and Steve and Robin still move away but Phil acts as a protective big brother and goes with them #stranger things #steddie #fanfic #steve harrington #eddie munson #robin buckley #officer callahan is steve’s brother

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tirednerd2012 · 2 years

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Everyone else being protective of Jonathan is so sweet oh my god.

Like Jonathan swings by the station to visit Hopper and also drop him lunch that he forgot. He asks for his dad and sits, waiting for Hopper to get back in. These rookie cops who have heard about the ‘crazy Byers family’ rumors decide to poke fun while chief isn’t there. Asking Jonathan if he’s as crazy as his mom, then asking why he falls Hopper dad if he isn’t his real one. Jonathan is getting very uncomfortable and shifting in his seat, hiding in his hair. Hopper is behind them, hearing everything and clears his throat. Of course, after with some damage control Hopper comforts his son.

Nancy just ready to defend him too. He mentions in passing if she’d be happier to go with Steve again and immediately questions where he heard that. She doesn’t blame him, she knows he gets in his own head with stuff like that.

Argyle, who snaps at Mike when it becomes too overwhelming. Maybe Jonathan is hurt, or maybe it’s about the Vecna situation. But he can’t take it anymore. He’s pissed and is ready to bite the kids head off.

I NEED PROTECTIVE HOPPER.

Joyce is at work, the kids are at school and Jonathan sees Hopper forgot his lunch. He decides to go over and give it to him but he also just wants to see Hop so a visit won't hurt. Flo is at the desk and Jonathan asks if his dad is in, to which she responds of course and she'll let him know he's here (she thinks he's on an important phone call that he wouldn't want Jonathan to hear and get worried about). So Jonathan takes a seat while he waits. A new officer sees the Byers kid and decides to have some fun, against Powell and Callahan's advice because you don't mess with the Byers with Hopper is so close by. But the officer ignores them and walks over to Jonathan and is immediately like "oh you're Lonnie's boy? You look just like him. You like drinking as much as he did?" and Jonathan doesn't say anything, mostly because he doesn't know what to say. Meanwhile Flo is talking to Hopper that Jonathan is there, and Hopper is on the phone with Owens about some things, so he still needs to wrap up the conversation.

Then the officer asks if he's as crazy as his mother and Jonathan sees red for a second and snaps that his mother isn't crazy, to which the officer responds that he clearly is if he can't control himself. Flo hears that and tells Hopper to get off the phone because something seems to be going on. The officer then asks why Jonathan called Hopper dad because Hopper isn't. When Jonathan responds Hopper is, the guy asks who would want to be associated with the guy who hurt his little brother (the rumors about Jonathan killing Will in season 1) and Hopper hears it. He's behind the guy by the time that's said and he clears his throat and the entire police station goes silent. Powell says a silent prayer for the funeral that is sure to happen.

Hopper asks Jonathan to wait in his office for him and he does. He's shaking because he never forgot about the rumors that he murdered Will, but the idea of hurting his little brother, being like his biological father, is enough to almost send him over the edge.

Hopper drags the guy as far away from the office door as possible and asks Flo to close it just in case. Then he turns his attention to the rookie and snaps that Jonathan is his kid and if he has a problem with it, he can take it up with Hopper. For that matter, if you have a problem with his family, you have a problem with him and you don't want a problem with him. He warns him to never, ever speak to Jonathan again and to steer clear of his other two kids because he doesn't play when it comes to them.

Then he goes into his office and shuts the door again. He tells Jonathan he took care of it and basically says something along the lines of "I know Lonnie didn't defend you, but I'm your dad now, and I'll defend you in every way for the rest of my life, you understand me?" And Jonathan tears up because people rarely advocate for him. He never told his mom when he was having issues, but here Hopper was, trying to fix it.

Another time he keeps hearing how Nancy should go back with Steve. Steve's better than Jonathan. He can provide more, he's also good with kids, he and Nancy are great together, etc., and Jonathan just wants her to be happy. He doesn't know if they got closer while he was in California, so he tells Nancy if Steve is the one that makes her happy, he's okay with it. Their relationship had a messy start, and that leaves a lot of complicated feelings that never got addressed. But Nancy loves Jonathan. He's her partner in crime, her best friend, the love of her life and the idea of leaving him just confuses her. She eventually gets Will to admit that when they go out to town together, he's heard people whisper about her and Jonathan. And about her and Steve and she sees red. She storms in Jonathan's room and snaps about how she loves him and only him and everyone else in that god-forsaken town can fuck right off. If anyone has a problem with her relationship, they can say it to her face. She kisses Jonathan and reminds him how much she loves him and how nothing is taking them away from each other again.

Before that, when Vecna was still on the lose, Jonathan, Argyle, Will and Mike end up in a team. Jonathan ends up getting hurt because something was about to attack Will and he took the hit instead. Argyle is trying to hold the creature that attacked Jonathan off while Will gets to his big brother and Mike tells Will they need to go. Jonathan's down, he can't get up and the longer they stay, the greater the chances they'll die. Jonathan agrees because he knows he'll only slow them down. Argyle and Will both argue against it and Will ends up having to kill the creature (maybe a demodog) and when Mike says they need to go again, Argyle tells him to shut the fuck up. He hasn't been any help since they started and for someone to claims to care about El and Will, how quickly he'd leave their older brother behind is really concerning. He ends up helping Will stop the bleeding before both of them carry/drag Jonathan to safety. Argyle uses himself as Jonathan's shield the whole time and still tries to protect Mike and Will.

#stranger things #jonathan byers #jim hopper #nancy wheeler #argyle stranger things

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stranger-fanfiction-n-things · 2 months

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CHAPTER 4: THE BODY

This is an Original Character fanfiction. All Stranger Things characters and content are owned by Netflix and The Duffer Brothers.

a/n: It's getting real. Nancy and Diana are putting the pieces together.

Warnings: None.

Word Count: 2037

Masterlist

PART I || PART II || PART III

SINCLAIR RESIDENCE

The drive back home from school was quiet and the tension in the car was uncomfortable to sit in for fifteen minutes. I know Mom is not happy to be called in to my school especially coming from the salon and to speak to police officers. All to find out, I have been lying about not only my whereabouts, but how I got home too. I cower behind Mom, walking inside the house after her. We take off our jacket and shoes in silence and part of me is glad Dad isn’t home because he can sense tension from a mile away and I don’t want him to know about what has been happening other than, Barb is missing and Will’s body was found in the Quarry. Last night saved me from having to talk about what really happened on Tuesday at the Wheelers. Dad was so freaked out by mine and Lucas’s breakdown; he didn’t have time to question Mom about our whereabouts.

“When I asked you how you got home yesterday morning,” Mom walks to the living room. I shudder behind her knowing what’s about to happen. Mom turns around to face me propping her arm on the back of the couch to lean against it. She puts her other hand on her hip; a stance meaning you’re not getting out of this one. “You told me you walked—”

“I did walk home.” I mutter.

“—From Nancy’s house.” she finishes, eyes widening slightly in warning at my interruption. I cross my arms above my chest, looking at the centre table. “At Mrs. Wheeler’s house you told me you walked home from Steve’s house.” I wince at her emphasis on certain words. The lies. “Now, you just told those officers you got driven home.”

What makes this all worse is that Mom isn’t yelling at me, not like she’s ever had to. I’ve heard her yell and scold Erica and Lucas plenty of times. The yelling isn’t scary, it’s when she’s calm and collected as she is now. That’s scary.

“I know.”

“Which is it, Diana? What is the truth?”

I bite my lip staring at the pillows feeling like crap for lying to Mom, not once, but three times. I’ve never lied to Mom before or even Dad. I had a very healthy and close relationship with them and believed I wouldn’t jeopardize it for anything…and then Steve Harrington came along. I found myself getting caught up in the whirlwind of popularity and it’s done nothing but left me stranded across town and a best friend missing. I sigh running my fingers through my hair.

“I did start walking home from Steve’s but then Eddie drove me the rest of the way home.”

Mom looks at me and I feel naked and exposed under her stare. Her look alone tells me she doesn’t fully believe me and that breaks my heart to know I caused that because of my lying.

“I swear to you, Mom.” I plead, eyes burning with tears. “I’m not lying. I left because I didn’t want to be there anymore.”

“And this Eddie boy.” Mom pressed.

I’m taken off guard by the question. “What about Eddie?”

“Do I need to know anything?”

I understand she’s asking because of the comments Officer Powell and Callahan made about him. Mom defended me in the moment, but deep down I figured she’d ask me about him eventually. Still for her to insinuate anything more than just a kind gesture surprises me.

“No,” I shake my head. “No. Eddie is wonderful and kind.” I explain. “Nothing happened. He just drove me home.”

“Diana.” Mom sighs deeply walking to the kitchen. She still thinks I’m lying. Tears fall down my eyes as I scurry behind her. Desperation etched its way into every crevice of my body.

“I promise nothing happened!” I shout. Mom turns around, eyes wide in shock. I squeeze my eyes shut wincing at my slip up. “God!” I exclaim in frustration, balling my hands into fists in front of my face. Everything is falling apart and I don’t know how to or what to feel. I open my eyes wiping my tears away and take a deep breath. “I didn’t know leaving would cause all of this. I didn’t know it would be the last time—” I can’t finish the sentence. I swallow thickly. “I’m sorry for lying to you. I’m so sorry, Mom. I shouldn’t have done it, but I wanted to be a supportive friend to Nancy and now Barb…” Is gone. I hold my head in my hands, sobbing.

I feel Mom hold me in her arms. I press my body into hers, crying into her shoulder. “It’s okay, sweetheart.” She soothes, rubbing my back. “I’m just worried about you, about your brother. Even Erica. There is so much happening and I need you to be honest with me, okay?” I sniff, nodding my head. Mom pulls back removing my hands from my face. She gently wipes my tears from my face and fixes my hair. “I want you to be able to tell me what’s going on.”

“Okay.” I whimper, sniffing again.

Mom kisses my forehead. “Go upstairs. I’ll make you some tea.”

I nod my head feeling exhausted. I’ve only been through half of the day and I am already over it.

“Mom?” I turn around, halfway up the stairs. Mom already has my favourite tea cup in her hands. The one with my name on it with a princess crown over the “D” and little black girl ballerinas dancing around the cup.

“Yes?”

I bite my lip. “Are you going to tell, Dad?”

Mom looks at me for a moment, deep in thought. She sighs shaking her head. “No,” she says and I feel a little bit of weight ease off my shoulders. If Dad found out about anything that has happened over the last few days he would freak out and that would cause more trouble that no one in the house needed right now. I think I’ve suffered enough. “I don’t want him to blow this out of proportion.”

I nod my head again, gracious yet surprised that Mom isn’t going to tell Dad about what happened. At least not yet. She will have to tell him eventually, maybe after everything with Will dies down.

“Diana?” Mom calls.

“Yes, Mom.”

“You know you can talk to me about anything, right?”

Beneath her calm exterior I know Mom is still worried about me. A lot of information has been thrown on top of her and so suddenly. Will’s body being found, talking to the police about Barb’s disappearance. I know I can tell Mom anything, she’s never made me feel like I couldn’t, neither has Dad but he’s hard to talk to sometimes. I feel bad for hiding everything from her, but I didn’t know how to say anything because I was still trying to figure everything out myself. I still am.

I smile, albeit a small one. “I know.”

“Oh,” Mom says, placing the kettle on the burner. “Since they found Will,” she winces at the revelation. “Classes resume. I know it’s been hard for you these past few days, so I told Madame Petrovna you won’t be at rehearsal for the rest of the week. Will’s funeral is tomorrow and I believe it’s better if we stick together, for Lucas.”

The peppermint tea is long forgotten on my night table. I stare at the ceiling thinking about what’s transpired over the past few days trying to make sense of it all. I can’t stop thinking about Barb and the animal Nancy and I saw at Steve’s house yesterday. Officer Powell and Callahan said they didn’t find anything. I find that strange because Nancy and I saw something. It was huge and unlike any animal I’ve ever seen. It didn’t have a face. A person will never forget witnessing something without a face, no matter how traumatized. Nancy and I are not crazy. When Officer Powell and Callahan said they didn’t see Barb’s car…that was the most bizarre. I didn’t like the way they were looking at me, especially Callahan, like I was lying or making everything up. Why would I lie about finding my best friend’s car? And to insinuate she would ever leave town? Barb wasn’t like that. She liked living in Hawkins and she wouldn’t leave without saying goodbye. But you did say goodbye to Barb. I shake my head. No. Barb is alive. She has to be.

Then there was Eddie. The judgement behind their eyes when I mentioned him…it reminded me of the way Principal Higgins looked at Eddie in the hallway on Tuesday. I don’t like it and frankly, it is all unwarranted. Eddie was gentle and kind. Regardless of who is father and what he has done, to judge Eddie based on him is horrible and completely unfair. Spasms of irritation go through my body. No one deserves to be treated like that. My ears perk up as I hear my room door open, I quickly sit up feeling woozy with a headrush. I steady myself, running my fingers through my hair, frowning.

“Diana, are you okay?”

Nancy closes my room door carefully before rushing to my bedside. I blink, shaking my head.

“Nancy? What are you doing here?”

“Your mom let me in.” she responds, sitting on my bed. “I need to show you something.” She urges, reaching inside her bag. Not sure what was going on, I blinked rapidly but cross my legs nonetheless, tucking a curl behind my ear.

“What is it?”

“This.” Nancy answers, showing me a photo. It was one of Jonathan’s from yesterday, though not ripped into tiny pieces. It must have been the pieces she gathered on the ground. It was taped back together, jagged edges making the photo look like a montage of time. I take the photo out of her hands eyes darting at all ends of the photo. It was Barb sitting on the edge of the diving board looking down at the water. “What do you see?”

I graze my finger over her, feeling sad. “Barb.”

“Yes,” Nancy confirms, shuffling closer to me. “But what else?”

I narrow my eyes looking at the photo closer. Then I see it. There’s a shadowy figure behind Barb, but it’s too blurry for me to see.

“Something’s behind her.”

“Exactly!” Nancy says eagerly. I bring the photo up to my face.

“Wait. Is that—”

“The thing we saw in Steve’s backyard.” Nancy finishes.

I drop my arms, twisting my lips. “Do you think…”

“It took Barb? Yes.”

“What is it?”

“I don’t know.” Nancy answers, taking the photo from me to look at.

A knot of uncertainty tightened in my chest, constricting my breath and making it hard to think clearly. “This is freaking me out.” I protest, pushing myself off my bed. “I spoke to the cops this morning and they said they didn’t find anything at Steve’s house.”

“They told me the same too,” Nancy said, watching me carefully. “Did they tell you about Barb’s car?”

“Yes, and that doesn’t make any sense because we just saw the car yesterday.” I share, pacing back and forth in my room. I stop and look at Nancy. “You don’t think this…thing took her car too, do you?”

“No, it doesn’t make sense.” Nancy shakes her head, frowning.

“So where did Barb’s car go?” I ask. “It doesn’t make sense for anyone to steal it.”

“I don’t know Di. All I know is that thing took her.”

I huff, plopping myself down on my bed. “Has Steve said anything?”

Nancy rolls her eyes. “He’s too busy worrying about getting in trouble by his parents.”

“Wow.” Just when I thought he was getting better.

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

I nod my head in understanding and take the photo from her to inspect. “This picture is too blurry to make out what it is. We need to blow this picture up to see this thing clearly.” I look at her feeling determined to get to the bottom of this. “We need to find Jonathan.”

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eddiemuns0nl0ver · 1 year

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Don't Let Go

Steve x Wheeler

Emma Wheeler is Nancy's fraternal Twin.

Chapter 1 Chapter 2

Hawkins Indiana was a safe place. At least it was when you had Nancy Wheeler as a sister. Sort of.

Avoiding her at all cost. Emma Wheeler was in love with Steve Harrington. She knew she shouldn't but she couldn't help it. She even confided with Nancy about the crush you had on him. But she still went after him. Almost like a jab to you, after you heard from Barb about Nancy and Steve, you lost all respect for her. You didn't try talking to her anymore. (Switch to first person POV)

I couldn't. I felt betrayed, I started hanging out with Mike and his party. I grew to love each of them and even started playing DND with them(after teaching me how to play). Emma helped play in the last game before Will went missing. The morning afterwards Mom got a call from Joyce asking if shes seen Will but he left a little after 8:00pm. I looked over at Mike who already had a frown on his face, I excused myself to go to my room, which I had to share with Nancy. I Heard footsteps following me and a soft knock on the door. "I don't want to talk to you Nancy" I said as I checked my book bag to make sure I had everything for school today.

"Emma, how long are you gonna stay mad at me." I scoffed as I got up to open the door with my bag around my shoulder.

"How long were you seeing Steve before I found out?" I ask softly.

"Not long, a month maybe"

"Nance! I told you that I liked him long before you two even started seeing each other. That goes against the girl code. You of all people should know that!"

"Emma it's not my fault he likes me and not you! You need to grow up and realize that you don't have to like everything I do, but that doesn't mean I don't get to pursue what I want" She yelled at me.

"Go to hell" you whispered to your twin sister.

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Pretending to like Nancy in front of everyone at school was a lot easier than most think. As I walk with Tommy H. Carol, Steve, Barb and of course Nancy, they gossiped about anything and everything, besides Barb. We both share a look after hearing Steve mutter something about Jonathan being pathetic for his brother going missing.

"Shut the fuck Steve" I say loud enough for everyone in the group to hear as I store off to go talk to Jonathan.

"Hey Jonny" I say softly. "Still no luck?"

"No, but we'll find him." He said sadly.

"If you need anything, just ask. I love your family like my own" I smile at him as he returns it. I looked over to see Nancy walking towards us. "Imma walk to class, bye Jonny. I love you".

"Love you too, Emma". As I walked away I heard Steve call me a bitch. I stopped for a second looking directly in his eyes. "Fuck you Steve".

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During English I got pulled out of class by an officer and then got taken to the middle school to talk about Wills disappearance. I saw Mike stand up and run to me. I threw my arms around him murmuring that we were going to find him and that he was going to be okay. "All do respect Chief but why am I here?" I ask.

"You were one of the last people to see him before he went missing" he responded. I looked down, zoning out.

"Okay, okay, okay. one at a time, all right?" Hopper points at Mike. "You. You said he takes what?" I tuned back in not liking the look Hopper was giving Mike.

"Mirkwood"

"Mirkwood?"

"Yeah" Mike states as if its the most obvious answer.

"Have you heard of Mirkwood?" Hopper looks over to Callahan.

"Sounds made up to me" he responds with.

Lucas shoots up, "No! Its from the Lord of the Rings"

Dustin looks at Lucas in disbelief, "Its from The Hobbit"

"Who cares!" Lucas yelled at Dustin

"He asked!" He yelled back at Lucas.

"He asked" Dustin mocked him.

"Shut up guys!" I said loudly.

"Hey, hey, hey, hey! What did I just say? Shut up! One at a god-damn time. Michael, speak"

"Mirkwood, its a real road. It's just the name that we made up. It's where Cornwallis and Kerley meet, we can show you if you want" He said.

"No, you guys are going straight home after school." Hopper says. All the boys protest as I look at them, still wondering what I have to do with all of this. "No, After school you guys go straight home, that includes you Emma. No biking around looking for your friend, no investigating, no nonsense. This isn't some Lord of the Rings book."

"Hobbit" Dustin interjects.

"Shut up" Lucas screams.

"Guys stop" I whisper.

"Stop it! Do I make myself clear? Do I make myself clear?" the chief asks. The party grumbles.

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"We should be helping look for him Mom!" I said. It was now the next morning while eating breakfast.

"Emma, we have been over this, the chief says,"

"I don't care what the chief says" Mike interrupted.

"Michael!"

"we have to do something, Will could be in danger!" I yelled, looking over at Mike with a small smile.

"Even more reason to stay". My mother says.

"Mom!" Mike yells.

"End of discussion" Mom yells looking at both Mike and I.

"So, Barb and I are going to study at her house tonight, is that alright?" Nancy asks quietly. I glare at her knowing she just wants to see Steve.

"No thats not alright." She answers back.

"What? Why not!" Nancy said, annoyed.

"Why do you think? Am I speaking Chinese in this house? Until we know Will is safe, no one is leaving"

"Thats such bullshit!" Nancy yells.

"Language!" My dad finally saying something in the conversation.

"So were under house arrest because Mike and Emmas friends decided to get lost on their way home!"

"Nancy!" I screamed at her just as Mike screamed, "How is this Wills fault!". Looking over at us she sees both of us glaring at her.

"Nancy take that back." mom says gently.

"She just wants to see Steve!" Mike says, smiling at me.

"Who's Steve?" My mom asks.

"Her boyfriend" I state glaring at Nancy again.

"You're such a douchebag Emma!"

"You're the one who stabbed my back!"

"Language" My dad yells again.

"Thats what your worried about! Not the fact that Nancy broke my trust and went after the one person I ever told her about! That is bullshit. You not worrying about your own relationship with your own god-damn sister is such bullshit. Fuck that, its more than bullshit. I wish I wasn't your fucking sister!" I screamed, before storming

to the basement.

#steve harrington x yn #steve harrington

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