#eleven hopper x fem reader

[thewidowsghost]

A Warrior's Return (Sacrifice - Pt. 2)

Part 1 - Sacrifice

Main Masterlist

Max’s eyes return to normal, and she falls to the ground.

Max pants, her eyes wild, and Lucas pulls Max into his arms.

Sobs rack Max’s body.

“I’ve got you. I’ve got you,” Lucas whispers.

“I’m here,” Max gasps, grabbing onto Lucas’s bicep and running her fingers down his arm, “I’m still here. I’m still here.”

The claws around Steve’s heart unclench, for this time, no one had died.

. . .

“Hey, Dustin, this is Eddie the Banished,” Eddie says into the walkie talkie. “You there? Dustin, can you hear me?”

Nancy Wheeler sits up at the sound of the walkie.

“Earth to Dustin,” Eddie continues.

“Hey, it’s Nancy,” Nancy says, answering Eddie.

“Wheeler! Hey!” Eddie says. “Um, I’m gonna need a food delivery, like, really soon, unless you want me going out into the world.”

“No. No, no, no. Don’t do that,” Nancy replies. “Stay where you are, and we’ll be there as soon as we can.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Eddie says. “Listen, um . . . can you pick me up a six-pack? I know it’s sutpid as shit, drinking right now, but a cold beer would really calm my jangled nerves.”

Nancy shifts in her seat on the floor before looking over to the couch Max had been sleeping on - the girl was gone.

“Hey, I’m gonna have to call you back,” Nancy says, dropping the walkie and shaking Dustin’s shoulder. “Wake up,” Nancy says, shaking the boy’s shoulders again.

“What?” Dustin questions.

“Aren’t you supposed to be on Max watch?” Nancy asks.

“Yep,” Dusin replies, “Yep, yep, yep. Sorry.”

“Then where is she?” Nancy questions.

“She’s right there,” Dustin gestures to the empty couch, then he starts. “A second ago. I swear, I just dozed off for . . . an hour.”

Nancy and Dustin sprint up the stairs three at a time, then enter the kitchen. The two relax when they spot Max sitting at the kitchen table, once again bundled up in her sister’s jacket. Max is leaning over the table, her headphones over her ears.

“Morning guys,” Mrs. Wheeler says, setting a plate of pancakes down onto the island. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah,” Nancy says, glancing between Max and her mother.

Max looks over at the sound of Nancy’s voice.

“I think it’s so sweet that you guys are sticking together like this,” Mrs. Wheeler continues.

“Could try sticking together at a different house for a change,” Mr. Wheeler says, not looking up from his newspaper.

Nancy moves over to the table, sitting down beside Max.

Before anybody can speak, the doorbell rings.

Mrs. Wheeler frowns a little as she moves to the front door. That she knew of, all the kids are already at her house, but her eyes widen considerably when she opens the door.

“Hi, Mrs. Wheeler,” the figure says and Mrs. Wheeler’s mouth drops open a little. “Um, is Max here?” (Y/n) Mayfield rasps.

Mrs. Wheeler’s mouth closes with a clop and she nods. “Come on in,” Mrs. Wheeler says. Her eyes flicker to the girl’s shaved head, her thin frame, and muscular arms. “You’re welcome to breakfast,” the woman says kindly.

“Thank you, Mrs. Wheeler,” (Y/n) murmurs, following the woman through the house.

(Y/n) catches sight of the figure sitting at the table and almost doesn’t recognize her. Max was definitely older - her hair was longer, she seemed taller sitting in the seat, and she looked overly stressed. A pang shatters (Y/n)’s heart for a moment, wondering if her ‘death’ was still the cause of her sister’s stress.

“Max,” (Y/n)’s voice cracks without her consent, but her voice was loud enough that her sister heard.

When Max looks up, (Y/n) takes in the haunted look on her sister’s face.

Once again, a pain stabs at (Y/n)’s heart when her sister doesn’t seem to acknowledge her presence.

Max turns to Nancy, who was staring at (Y/n) with wide eyes.

“Are you seeing this?” Max asks Nancy, who nods.

With confirmation from the older girl, Max gets up from the table, rushing into her sister’s arms.

“How -” Max goes to ask, but she quiets when (Y/n) buries her face into the crook of her sister’s neck - Max a good three inches taller than (Y/n) now, most likely to (Y/n)’s malnutrition.

Wrapping her arms around her older sister’s body, Max, like everyone else who’d hugged (Y/n) - or seen her - takes note of her thinness. But (Y/n) doesn’t move, and Max softens even more when she feels something wet drip onto her neck, and both sisters know that it’s tears.

(Y/n) pulls back, her hands resting on Max’s forearms. “Is that my jacket?” she asks, gesturing to the teal fabric.

“I’m not giving it back,” Max replies and (Y/n) smiles waterily.

Mrs. Wheeler sets a plate of pancakes and bacon on the table, and Max forces her sister to sit down and eat.

(Y/n) looks up from her plate, looking at the drawings littering the table.

“Is this what you saw yesterday?” Nancy asks Max, whose gaze falls onto the drawings as well.

The redhead nods. “I mean, it’s supposed to be. I thought it would be easier to draw it out than to explain it, but . . . not so much.”

“Is that?” Nancy asks, pulling a drawing of two people with no eyes and their limbs bent the wrong ways.

“It was like they were on display or something,” Max replies, staring down at the drawings. “And then there was this red fog everywhere. It was like a dream. A nightmare.” Max glances up at (Y/n), the haunted look in her eyes returning.

“You think Vecna’s just trying to scare you?” Nancy asks and (Y/n)’s expression asks the question - Who is Vecna?

“With -?” Max pauses. “Yeah. But when I made it here . . .” Max gestures to her drawings. “I dunno, something was different. He seemed surprised, almost. Like he didn’t want me there.”

Dustin leans forward in his seat. “Maybe you infiltrated his mind,” Dustin offers. “He invaded your mind, right? Is it that big a leap to suggest you somehow wound up in his? Like Freddie Kruger’s boiler room.”

“Freddie Kruger?” Holly, Nancy’s younger sister, asks.

“He’s a super burned-up dude with razors for fingers,” Dustin explains and the girl’s eyebrow raises. “And he kills you in your dreams?”

“Seriously?” Nancy asks Dustin.

“He’s not real,” (Y/n) soothes, looking at the six-year-old. “It’s just a movie.”

“It’s not real,” Dustin repeats (Y/n). “Just . . . think about it,” he continues. “What if you somehow unlocked a backdoor to Vecna’s world?” (Y/n)’s appetite leaves her and she pushes the plate away. “Like, maybe the answer we’re looking for is somewhere in this incredibly vague drawing.”

(Y/n) quirks her head at the drawing, then she stands up, rounding the table to stand between Nancy and Dustin.

“God, we need Will,” Dustin says, looking at one of the drawings.

“No shit,” Max replies and (Y/n)’s eyes flick up to meet Max’s. “But I tried them again this morning, and it’s the same busy signal.”

(Y/n) takes what looks like a stained glass window drawing from Dustin. “Is this a window?” she asks.

Max blinks with surprise. “Yeah,” Max replies.

“Stained glass with roses,” (Y/n) taps the table trying to remember.

“Yeah. See?” Max glances over at Dustin. “I’m not so terrible after all.”

(Y/n) begins taking the drawings and folding them at. She takes a sharpie and begins to draw the outlines of the house.

“It’s pieces of a house,” Max realizes.

“Not just any house,” Nancy says, picking up

“The Creels?” (Y/n) tries. “Dude killed his wife and two kids after cutting out their eyeballs.”

“How do you know that?” Nancy asks.

“I was a Weekly Watcher fan,” (Y/n) replies. “I mean, not seriously.”

“You would get along well with Robin,” Nancy remarks, getting to her feet.

“Where are you going?” Dustin asks, his mouth full of pancake.

“To wake the others,” Nancy replies.

A minute later, the rest of the kids, Robin, and Steve run up the stairs. They stare, wide eyed at (Y/n), and she waves shyly, which was unlike her.

Steve grins, making his way over and hugging the girl.

“Hey, man,” (Y/n) smiles slightly, hugging the man.

As the kids are leaving the house, (Y/n) grabs another pancake and a piece of sausage, eating the pancake and sausage like a burrito.

Steve tilts his head at the girl.

“What?” (Y/n) asks, her mouth half full. “I’m starving.”

. . .

The car stops outside the Creel House and Max, Lucas, (Y/n), Dustin, Robin, Steve, and Nancy get out of the car.

There is a silence as the group stares at the house.

Max reaches over and takes her sister’s hand. (Y/n) jumps a little at the contact, but then she relaxes.

“Yeah, that’s not creepy,” Steve remarks, combing his hair out of his eyes.

Steve and (Y/n) use hammers to pry off the wood covering the door.

“What exactly are we supposed to be looking for in this shithole?” (Y/n) questions.

“We’re not sure,” Nancy admits. “We just know this house is important to Vecna.”

“Who is?” (Y/n) prompts.

“He’s from the -” Dustin begins.

“Upside Down,” (Y/n) replies. “I figured.”

“He hunts down teens who’ve faced trauma,” Dustin continues, grinning slightly at (Y/n)’s deadpan.

(Y/n) glances at her sister as she pulls out the last nail.

“Maybe the house holds a cue to where Vecna is. Why he’s back. Why he killed the Creels,” Dustin says.

“Or who he is,” (Y/n) reasons.“Finding out who he is might help us figure out the other questions.”

“I missed having our genius around,” Lucas says, nudging (Y/n) who smiles at the younger boy. “We don’t think he’s in here, do we?” Lucas asks.

“Guess we’ll find out,” Max replies.

(Y/n) and Nancy step back as the plywood hits the porch; all the kids flinch, stepping back.

Steve steps forward, rattling the doorknob. “It’s locked,” he says. “Should I knock, see if anybody’s home?”

“Dude, I doubt anybody’s home,” (Y/n) replies, crossing her arms over her chest.

“There’s no need,” Robin pipes up and (Y/n) glances over at the older girl. She lifts a brick and (Y/n) grins. “I found the key.”

The window shatters and glass rattles as it hits the floor.

Steve sticks his arm through the broken window, and reaches down, turning the knob.

The door screeches as it opens.

Steve is the first to enter the house, Nancy, Robin, and (Y/n) just behind him.

Max follows her sister closely, and when they enter the house where there’s more space, she hands (Y/n) a flashlight, then takes her hand.

(Y/n) squeezes her sister’s hand, and Max almost comments on how rough and calloused they are.

Lucas and Dustin follow the others into the house. Lucas moves over to one of the lamps and attempts to light it.

“Looks like someone forgot to pay their electric bill,” Lucas deadpans and (Y/n)’s lips twitch. She’d forgotten how nice it was to be around her friends. But that wasn’t true. She’d wished for the company of her friends, no, her family, for the last year.

The others turn on their flashlights, and Steve asks, “Where’d everyone get those?”

“Do you need to be told everything?” Dustin asks, turning to his friend. “You’re not a child,” Dustin says and (Y/n) chuckles.

“Thank you,” Steve replies, glancing at (Y/n) and then Dustin.

“Huh,” Dustin says, unslinging his backpack and handing it to Steve. “Back pocket.”

Steve takes the pack, pulls out a flashlight, and drops the backpack to the floor.

Nancy’s flashlight sweeps the room, “They just left everything.”

“I guess a triple homicide isn’t good for resale value,” Robin replies and (Y/n) laughs slightly.

“Hey, guys?” Max’s voice comes from the other side of the room. “You all see that, right?”

“Yeah,” Dustin replies.

“Yeah,” Steve answers.

(Y/n) stares up at the grandfather clock, her eyebrows furrowing.

“Is that what you saw?” Nancy questions Max. “In your visions?”

Max swallows thickly, and (Y/n) takes her sister’s hand.

“I mean, it’s . . . just a clock.” Robin meets (Y/n)’s gaze over Max’s shoulder. “Right?” Robin takes a step closer to the clock, looking at the dusty glass covering the clock piece and the hands. She uses a hand to wipe the glass, making a squeaking noise, and (Y/n) cringes at the noise. “Like a normal old clock.”

“Why is this wizard obsessed with clocks?” Steve wonders aloud, staring at the ancient clock. “Maybe he’s like, a clockmaker or something?” Steve questions.

“I think you cracked the case, Steve,” Dustin says sarcastically.

“All I know,” Nancy says, and the others turn to her, “is that the answers are here. Somewhere.”

Max grips her sister’s hand tighter, and looks around.

“Okay, everyone stay in groups of two,” Nancy takes charge. “Robin, me and you, upstairs.

(Y/n) and Max pair up, leaving Lucas, Dustin, and Steve together.

. . .

Max’s tape deck is playing “Running Up That Hill” on a loop faintly in the background. The deck clicks off, and Max scrambles to reset the deck.

“I wish we had a longer loop,” (Y/n) says, Lucas having quietly and quickly filled her in on the details about Vecna and the song in the back of Nancy’s car.

“Forty-six minutes isn’t so bad,” Max replies, studying her sister. “I think there are bigger concerns.” She reaches over, her hands brushing through the buzzed hair. (Y/n) doesn’t say anything as the action seemed to calm Max. “Like, what if, by listening to this over and over again, I get sick of it, and suddenly it’s not my favorite anymore? Will it still work? Or will Kate Bush, like, lose her magic power or something?”

(Y/n) looks over at her sister. “Kate Bush could never,” (Y/n) replies, reaching out and taking Max’s hand.

“I forgot you were a Kate Bush fan,” Max says, smiling slightly.

“Even if I wasn’t before,” (Y/n) continues, meeting her sister’s gaze seriously, “I would damn be now. She saved your life. Besides, we’re hot on this creep’s trail. We’ll find Vecna before he can hurt you again.” (Y/n), trying to brighten her sister’s spirits, turns towards a piano. “Maybe if we hit a few keys in the right order, we’ll open a door to his secret layer.” (Y/n) plays a horribly out of tune cord, very different from her actual piano skills.

Max laughs, “You, (Y/n) Mayfield, are a dork.”

(Y/n) smiles wistfully. “I missed this.”

“What?” Max’s expression falls slightly.

“You. Our friends,” (Y/n) replies, but then she drives her feelings away. Her goal, as it always had been - and always will - would be to keep her sister safe.

A set of lights flickers, and (Y/n) pushes Max behind her. The wall sconce makes a slight thrumming noise.

“I promise I’m gonna stop asking this, but . . .” Max begins.

“Yeah, I can see it,” (Y/n) interrupts, knowing what her sister’s question was going to be.

Max moves out from behind (Y/n) reaching for the light, but as she goes to touch one of the shakes, the light flickers out. Max stares at the light before (Y/n) nudges her.

“Look,” she murmurs. Another light, outside in the main hall, had begun to flicker. (Y/n) swallows thickly and follows her sister out of the room, following the trail of flickering lights.

. . .

Night had fallen by the time (Y/n) and Max had rounded everyone else up, their flashlights shining through the dusty air of the house.

All of the kids are staring up at the chandelier in the middle of the room, pulsating with a yellow light.

“It’s like the Christmas lights,” (Y/n) murmurs.

“Christmas lights?” Robin asks questioningly.

“Yeah, when Will was in the Upside Down,” Nancy answers her girlfriend’s question, “the lights . . . came to life.”

“Vecna’s here,” Lucas murmurs, taking Max’s unoccupied hand - (Y/n) was grasping the other tightly. “In this house.” Dustin glances over at Lucas, nodding slightly. “Just on the other side.”

Suddenly, the light flickers out, leaving the group standing in a semicircle, the only light in the room coming from the flashlights in their hands.

“I think he just left the room,” Robin says, her voice quavering.

“D-did he h-hear us?” Max asks, pressing into her sister’s side, desperate for a reply - and comfort.

“Can he see us?” Steve adds with a frown.

“Headphones,” (Y/n) and Lucas say in unison.

“Wait, wait!” Nancy says quickly. “Everyone, turn off your flashlights and spread out.

The others - with no other ideas - follow Nancy’s words.

“We’re not going to be able to see if we -” Steve just sighs. “Jesus Christ.”

. . .

In the attic of the Creel House, all the flashlights’ bulbs shatter, chunks of glass flying up.

(Y/n) inhales sharply as a huge piece of glass imbeds itself into her cheek.

. . .

“Not to be a wimp,” Robin says, using a pair of tweezers to pull the chunk of glass out of (Y/n)’s cheek, “but can I sit in the car?” She glances over at her girlfriend in the driver’s seat. “‘Cause this is gonna totally and royally suck.”

“It’ll be -” Nancy pauses, “fine.”

“I can’t stand to see those dull eyes of Eddie’s break again,” Robin mutters, using some medical tape to secure some gauze onto (Y/n)’s cheek.

“At least he can drink himself into feeling better,” Steve manages, his mouth full of crackers.

“That’s what my mom does,” Max replies without thinking, and (Y/n) glances at her sister, her eyes wide with question.

“Why don’t we just give it a trial run?” Robin says, patting (Y/n)’s patched up cheek gently, before turning her attention to Nancy. “‘Hey, Eddie. Uh, good news first this time. We got you some Dustin-approved junk food and that six-pack you requested. Oh yeah, and we found Vecna. The only bad news is that he’s in that other, darker, much scarier dimension, and the gate’s closed, so we have now way of getting to him. He’s entirely shut off to us, so basically, you’re screwed.’”

Nancy glances over at Robin, finding the rambling really cute, but she has no idea what to say in reply.

But Robin just continues, “‘And, no, I know you were already screwed, but now you’re doubly, triply screwed.’”

“Ey, Rob,” (Y/n) interrupts her friend. “Maybe we don’t put it like that.”

“We’re one step closer to finding Vecna,” Nancy scrambles for a positive. “That’s what we say. That’s what’s important.”

“See, Robin?” Steve asks his friend. “Positive spin can make all the difference.”

“Uh-huh,” Robin rolls her eyes.

“Shit,” Nancy says, staring at the roadblock.

Word Count: 3169 words

Taglist:

@bennzzo

@padmeswife

@tsukishimawhore

@wayward-saint

@uselessbutinteresting

@yourssincerelyj

@marsi-is-depressed

@urmajestyalex

@a-colletion-of-cells

@fallonaurr

@ash19871962

#el hopper x fem reader #el hopper x female reader #max mayfield x sister reader #max mayfield x fem reader #max mayfield x reader #el hopper x reader #eleven hopper x fem reader #eleven hopper x female reader #eleven x fem reader #eleven hopper x reader #eleven x reader #eleven x female reader

[munsonson]

𝐇𝐮𝐫𝐭 𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟏『••✎••』

𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲: 𝘌𝘥𝘥𝘪𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘴 𝘶𝘱 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯'𝘵 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳. 𝘜𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘪𝘮, 𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘻𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘣𝘪𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘴.

𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠(𝐬): 𝘌𝘥𝘥𝘪𝘦 𝘔𝘶𝘯𝘴𝘰𝘯/𝘍𝘦𝘮!𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳, 𝘚𝘵𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘏𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘰𝘯/𝘍𝘦𝘮!𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳

𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠(𝐬): 𝘈𝘯𝘨𝘴𝘵, 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘧𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺

𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 2.4

This shouldn’t hurt as much as it does. 

Things could’ve ended far worse than they actually did. Hell, most of the couples in their school tended to make breakups as dramatic as possible, normally painting one half of the relationship as some kind if irredeemable monster, if not to paint them as this sympathetic martyr, than just to save face that it actually hurt. 

In her case, Eddie Munson told her they just weren’t a good match and he wanted to be friends again instead. That was as healthy as they could possibly get. And in the best case scenario, too, she’d still be able to have him be a part of her life. She didn’t think she could stand the thought of seeing him in the halls and not being able to acknowledge him. 

She’d fallen hard and fast for Eddie, embarrassingly so. 

Given the heavy duty of designated driver for the little hooligans she’d somehow decided to adopt with Steve Harrington, she’d gotten accustomed to waiting in the high school parking lot, her nose pressed into the creases of her current novel while she waited for them to finish their important campaigns, all procured from the brilliant mind of Eddie Munson. 

She’d known him before then, too, but only in passing. He’d often make a big spectacle of himself in the cafeteria just to bug the other students, and he held the record as super senior. But she’d never even talked to him until she saw him walk the boys out after a seemingly successful campaign, his arms wrapped tightly around Dustin and Lucas’ shoulders as he praised them.

He’d acknowledged her when he got to her car. 

“My fair maiden,” he’d said, “I apologize for the delay.”

She’d blubbered out some kind of half-hearted response, good enough to make him laugh, and that made her heart go a million miles a minute. 

It didn’t take long before she’d gotten the courage to ask him out, even if it was just for coffee. He was surprised, but he agreed. 

It had been nice, he even drove her home after. She probably should’ve seen the signs then because he didn’t suggest a second meet up, she had instead. And he’d agreed.

It was about a month before they made themselves official, in Hawkins High language, practically married. But it really just meant she got to hold his hand between classes and get quick kisses goodbye when it was time to separate, somehow always on her cheek than her lips. 

She’d thought their dates were fun; it was a lot of pressure since he always left it up to her, never having any other idea than lounging about her home and just watching TV. But she was the one who thought of renting movies for horror marathons, figuring it was up his alley. She thought of bowling and drive-in theaters and picnicking near the quarry for its desolate atmosphere, another thing she figured was right up his alley. 

But things came to an underwhelming end when Eddie approached her at her locker on some random Thursday to tell her things just weren’t working out and he wanted to stay as friends. Despite how much even that had hurt, she agreed. She didn’t want to make him do anything he regretted. 

She could still be friends with him, happily so. That meant she could still sit with him at lunch, hear his outlandish tales, and be able to admire him from afar, even if she was no longer able to touch him and hold his hand. 

“Be honest,” she’d heard Gareth say as she approached with her tray, “what really happened? You know, most guys woulda killed to be able to take her out, the fact she stuck around for months is surprising enough.”

Eddie shrugs, chewing absentmindedly on a pretzel he’d brought. She would pack him lunches when they were together since he always forgot and resorted to eating prepackaged things instead. Since they broke up, it seemed like old habits really did die hard. 

“To tell you the truth,” he starts rather dramatically, “no substance. Pretty face, nice voice, real sweet, but God, boring as all hell.” He runs a hand down his face. The other boys seemed surprised. Dustin and Mike share a look, but say nothing, clearly waiting to hear more. Because there was no way it could be just that. There had to be more. They knew her better than anyone, had been through so much with her. What could be the real reason Eddie broke things off?

“And?” Dustin coaxes.

“And what?”

“Dude, seriously?” Mike scoffs. “She wasn’t interesting enough for you?”

Eddie shakes his head. “Look, she’s a great gal. And I know you guys are super close, which is awesome, but we just weren’t the best match. And I felt like shit that she was putting in all of the effort when I wasn’t interested. Now she’s free to...I dunno...find someone boring, too.” He sniggers, elbowing Jeff beside him trying to get him to laugh, too, but he could see how upset Dustin and Mike were. 

Luckily, for her sake, they didn’t notice her standing there, having overheard everything. Spinning right back around, she’d ditched her tray onto one of the trash bins before leaving the cafeteria completely before there was a chance anyone could see her tears. 

God, it shouldn’t hurt as much as it does, she thinks again. He was more than welcome to have his own opinion, but why did it have to be something like that? 

He was right, she wasn’t exactly Chrissy Cunningham or Heather Holloway, being this huge spectacle that made every new day more exciting than the last. All things considered, sometimes too much excitement frightened her. Having risked her life at least once a year for nearly four years now made her yearn for the more simple things. It was stupid of her to think Eddie would want the same. Eddie Munson, who liked to make scenes in the cafeteria and rock out in a bar with his band. He didn’t crave the simplicity of life like she did.

She didn’t go back into that cafeteria for the remaining of the lunch period. In fact, she’d decided to skip the rest of the day completely, knowing she shared three periods with Eddie and right now she really didn’t want to see him. She just wanted to get away, leave herself to her own thoughts to try to calm down. 

Well, that really only lasted for ten minutes because she found herself pulling into the small parking lot into Family Video. She spots Steve’s car at the far end and knows he’s inside. It was childish of her to go running and crying to Steve Harrington, who she knew would take her side and say all the cruel things about Eddie that she couldn’t bring herself to because she really just needed someone on her side right now. Aside from Dustin and Mike, of course. She wouldn’t forget how they jumped to her defense. 

The little bell rings at the top of the door as she walks in, startling Steve into consciousness, who seemed to be snoozing on the edge of the counter, drool pooled across his forearm. He wipes feverishly at his face and blinks unfocused in her direction, trying to situate himself quickly into his customer service face.

“Welcome to Fam-Jesus, you scared me,” he cuts himself off when he at last realizes it’s her. Confused, he turns to glance at the clock hung up on the wall. “Don’t tell me school’s out already? You beat Robin here.”

“No, I’m playing hooky,” she shakes her head, unsteadily moving towards the counter. 

“What? You? I’m sorry, am I still dreaming?” Steve asks dramatically. “Since when do you, of all people, ever skip class? I’d sooner believe Nancy doing it than you.”

“Just...needed a break s’all,” she says with a shrug, looking around. “Keith not here?”

“Nah, he’s off today. Something about a new graphic novel he’s been dying to get. Says he’d have to wait overnight just to get one of the first editions. I don’t know, I don’t really listen to him unless he’s handing over my check,” Steve said. She leans up against the counter, trying to act casual. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah, why wouldn’t things be okay?”

“Well, for one, having to clarify that things are supposed to be okay when asked if everything’s okay is a pretty big indicator that things aren’t, in fact, okay.” Steve says with a laugh. “So everything’s not okay, then?”

“Everything’s okay,” she lies. “I just...can I ask you something?”

“Yeah?”

She isn’t sure how to come out and say it without sounding stupid. Better, she can’t figure out a way to come out and say it without sounding completely pathetic. But this was Steve, he was the king of asking her embarrassing things. He even called her once at three in the morning to ask how long you were supposed to leave cookies in the oven for. The follow up question was how to get the burnt smell out before his mom came home. 

“Am I boring?”

Steve tilts his head. “Huh?”

“Am I boring, Steve? Am I boring?”

“No? Who gave you that idea?” Steve snorts, like he thinks it was a foolish thing to ask. “Whoever it is clearly hasn’t seen you handle a crowbar.” He was referencing when she’d nabbed a crowbar from the junkyard lot to fend off the demodogs with him, all to protect the little ones in the bus. She doesn’t want to remember that right now, not when it makes her feel cold inside. 

“Nobody, I just...I dunno, I just think that maybe I’m not as exciting as, like...you o-or Rob or Nancy or, hell, even Jonathan.” 

“Nonsense, you’re a badass! True story, you know I wouldn’t say that about just any...” Steve trails off, finally really looking at her. “Hey...hey, why are you really askin’ me that? Something happen? Someone say something to you?”

“No, Steve, I was just asking.”

“You’re lying,” he accuses. “Who was it, was it Byers? Nancy? Not Robin...”

“No! No, Steve, they didn’t say anything, please just drop it. I shouldn’t have asked.”

Steve’s face eventually relaxes, having realized he knew exactly who she was talking about.

“Munson.”

She shakes her head. “Stop it, Steve.”

“What did he say? I thought he just wanted to be friends, where’s all this coming from?” he asked. There were too many questions being thrown at her. She doesn’t want to cry, especially not in front of him, but as soon as she feels her cheek dampen that was it. Soon she was burying her face in her hands and trying to stop the little whimpers from coming out.

She doesn’t notice Steve leap easily over the counter. He pulls her close, shushing her quietly. 

“Hey, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you upset,” he says. She sniffles, wrapping her arms around him. He’s petting her hair, kissing the crown of her head, trying his damndest to get her to calm down and talk to him. He was the perfect person to come to, she now realizes. Her subconscious knew Steve was the answer.

When she finally stopped crying, he at last let her go, giving her some space.

She rubs the tears from her eyes and wipes the tears on her jeans.

“Want me to kill him?” he asks jokingly. She laughs. He smiles again. “What happened? Can you tell me now?”

She told him what Eddie had said, the real reason he’d broken up with her and how she ran from the cafeteria and came here. Steve was reasonably upset, but he didn’t want to make it all about pounding Eddie into a pulp, he knew she needed her friend right now and he was prepared to be just that.

“Hey, screw him,” Steve scoffs, throwing an arm over her shoulders and pulling her back into his chest. “You’re far from boring, believe me, and honestly if you ask me you could do so much better than Eddie Munson. The guy picks his nose. I saw him once. It was gnarly.”

She’s laughing again, playfully hitting him. 

“Thank you, Steve,” she says, “I’m sorry to dump all this on you, I just needed someone to talk to, you know?” 

“Well, you came to the right guy. I can’t tell you it gets much better from public humiliation, but I can tell you that you find much better shit to focus on. Like this obviously stellar job. Robin. My new stereo I saved up for. And...well, you.” He playfully flicks her nose. She wrinkles her nose and swats his hand away. “Eddie doesn’t know what he’s talkin’ about. But I know he’s gonna kick himself in the ass when he realizes he lost a girl like you.”

“Yeah, you’re just saying that ‘cause you’re my friend.” 

“Not true, I also wanna bug you for your famous cookies.” Steve winks.

“I can bring them to you tonight, then.” she said, patting his arm. “I should get going. Um...you clearly are very busy and I don’t wanna keep you from doing your job.”

“I know, such a bad influence. The gateway rebellion was skipping class. Now it’s job defiance,” Steve chuckles, rubbing the back of his neck. “Hey, um...if you want, when you come by tonight, maybe you could stick around? Was gonna rifle through the back, borrow some flicks to waste my evening away. Free to join me if you want? Robin flaked out on me, says she’s doing some band practice with Vicky. Didn’t ask for details.”

She thinks about it and smiles. “Sounds like fun. Girls’ night.”

“Invitation rescinded!” Steve shouts, turning away. 

“No, I’m kidding, I’m kidding, stop!” she protests, giggling. “I’ll bring cookies and pizza, Steve. I’ll be there.”

“Alright, then,” Steve said. “Um...hey, don’t worry about Eddie, alright? He’s just being a dick. And honestly, apart from his relationship with the rugrats, he’s still gonna be a dick. He missed out on a girl like you. Clearly he’s a martian.”

“Doesn’t mean much when I’m from Hawkins. But thank you, Steve. I’ll see you tonight,” she says, squeezing his hand and finally leaving the store back to her car. She left feeling much lighter than she had going in. He was right. Forget Eddie. If he thought she was so boring he clearly didn’t need her around him. She had other friends, friends like Steve.

Smiling to herself, she climbs into the driver’s seat and turns the key into the ignition, hearing the engine roar to life.

Things would be just fine. 

#stranger things #steve harrington #eddie munson #dustin henderson #mike wheeler #nancy wheeler #robin buckley #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington x fem!reader #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson x fem!reader #eddie munson angst #steve harrington angst #jane hopper #eleven #max mayfield #jonathan byers #series

[unamused-boss]

Lipstick Stains

Billy Hargrove x Harrington FemReader

Summary: There has been some new gossip floating through Hawkins High. The gossip being that Billy has a lipstick stain that just so happens to match a certain girl's iconic shade.

....................................................................

You were a Harrington. You had a certain standing that you had to keep cause of the expectations of your parents. One of those expectations were not making out with Billy Hargrove in his car in the back of the school parking lot during lunch. But your parents were never home so you didn't really give a damn.

"Billy we have to go back into the school at some point." You said releasing your lips from his. As you tried to pull back he pulled you in for another quick kiss.

"Oh come on, we don't have to." He smirked to you.

"Listen Mr. Bad Boy, I know you don't like school but I have a test." You said to him. He gave you a small pout at your response to which you just laughed at him. "You also messed up my lipstick." You said as you flipped the visor down to use the mirror to reapply your dark red lipstick.

"That's not the only thing I can mess up." He joked. You just gave him the look, he knew the look. It didn't need a name.

"Well Hargrove I have to get going." You brought yourself close to kiss his neck then up to the apple of his freckled cheeks. You collected you things to go back into the school before the bell. Before you shut the door you look back at Billy to see the two kiss marks that you left on him. You just smiled at him.

"Love ya, see you later." You said then shut the door to go to the school.

Billy continued with his day like usual. Thinking that nothing would go out of the ordinary. He knew he was hot shit so people were staring at him as perusal but he didn't know what they were staring at. In each class he had stares his way, to which he had to tell some off for looking too long.

"Nice job man." Tommy Hagan laughed as he patted his back. Billy was just confused about what he was talking about but he continued as nothing was wrong. The bell rang through the halls to signal that the school day was over. Billy made his way to the doors top the parking lot to leave when he saw a certain Steve Harrington staring him down from his locker.

"You got a problem Harrington?" He asked.

"Yeah, not with you though." Steve replied slamming his locker shut to go find a certain sister of his. Billy didn't know that, he was just confused and thought nothing of it. He finally was able to make it to his Camaro to wait for Max. Students around him were still looking at him. Some girls looking in distaste, not at him but at the kiss marks on his cheeks. Some guys were just laugh in congrats to him. Billy just wanted to get the hell out and get Max home so he can go see his girlfriend. Billy looked over to see a certain red head making her way over to his car.

"Get in shit-bird, I got places to be." He said as he got in the drivers seat while Max got in the passenger seat. She just stared at him, more than she would usually. Which is not at all. Billy glanced at her a few times.

"What?" He asked annoyed with her staring.

"What's on your face?" She asked. Billy was confused until he thought back to lunch. He grabbed his sun visor to look himself in the mirror to see the two kiss marks on him. Just as he thought, one on his cheek and the other on his neck. He just laughed what he was looking at.

"Well that explains a Lot." He sighed starting his car to drive away.

Later that day Billy was able to make it to the Harrington house hold. Instead of parking down the street, he parked in the driveway. Instead of climbing through the window of his girlfriends bedroom, he simply knocked the front door of her house. Which, unfortunately, the other Harrington answered. He and Steve just stared at one another for a moment.

"Hargrove."

"Harrington."

"What are you doing here?"

"I think you know why exactly I'm here, or you don't."

"I do know why you're here." Steve stated sternly.

"Then tell me, why am I here?" Billy gabbed at him with a smirk playing on his face.

"Can you guys stop having a dick measuring contest for once." Your voice was heard in a very much over it tone. "Get out of here Steve."

"But-" You stopped him from continuing.

"Eh, I don't wanna hear any more then I already have. You're being a Buttface." You sassed at him. "Now I would like to talk to my boyfriend."

Steve just rolled his eyes and sighed. Walking away from his enemy and his sister in the same door way. You turn your head back to Billy with a grin on your face.

"So what are you doing here, handsome."

"Well, I am here to see my girlfriend that I have to have a small chat about." His voice going a slight octave lower. Something that you loved.

"And what do you have to chat about?" You stilled teased at him.

"Well I made out with this gorgeous woman at lunch, and after I thought my day would go by like usual. But I had people staring at me all day. I didn't know why until I looked into the mirror to find that the exact pretty girl I was kissing left some marks on me." He explained to you. "Now I am at said pretty girls house to get a reason why she did that."

"Well I think she just wanted to have a bit of fun with you, if you ask me."

"Well as much as I love that, I think I would love to have some fun with her right now."

"Well you'er gonna have to wait on that, handsome." You said." Big Bro ain't to happy with me, I've been getting an ear full for the past hour."

"I can wait." He reassured. "I will always wait for you, gorgeous." You just smiled at him and dragged him into your house.

"Is he staying long?" Steve's distant voice was heard.

"Shut up Steve." You yelled out to him. "Like I said, ear full all day."

You and Billy just laughed at the situation. But at least you both can enjoy each others company in the end.

...................................................................

I hope y'all enjoyed this. Sorry if it is short. I know I haven't been to active, writing wise, lately. I'm trying to get through school right now.

I will try to get more out for Boots and Trumpets, and Practically Magic later.

Thank you for reading.

#billy hargrove #stranger things #billy hargove imagine #fanfiction #steve harrington #billy hargrove x fem reader #nancy wheeler #robin buckley #dustin henderson #eddie munson #eleven hopper #max mayfield #billy hargrove fluff #billy hargove x reader #billy hargrove fanfiction #stranger things billy #billy hargrove x reader #billy hargrove imagine #demogorgon

[mrsjellymunson]

KNOCK AT THE CABIN | Prologue

Written for @bettyfrommars, @allthingsjoeq and @somnambulic-thing’s Stranger Prompts, Prompt 1. He shows up at your house covered in mud in the rain, but the problem is, he died two months ago.

Series Summary: After the events of the previous months, everyone is shocked by the unexpected return of an old friend. But is it really him?

Chapter Summary: On a stormy night, an unexpected visitor arrives.

WC: 1.14k

Series C/W: 🔞 18+, MDNI, NSFW. I mean it, if you’re under 18, git! Post-S4, Upside Down exists, dark/supernatural themes. Eventual Eddie Munson x fem!reader smut. Swearing. Not much to caution about in this part, unless you don’t like rain, or bad decor.

A/N: This series contains a lot of things I haven’t written for before, so I’d love to know what you think! Please comment and reblog, it means the world to writers, and reblogs mean work gets seen. This series has a taglist so if you’d like to be on either it, or my general list, lemme know in a comment, ask or message 🙏💗

Skip to Part One

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You’re holed up in an old farmhouse on the outskirts of Hawkins. It’s not exactly remote, but the nearest building is little more than a speck on the horizon so you feel pretty isolated. Owens organised it, explaining it would be a good idea for the older members of the party to lay low for a little while. Nancy had put forward an excellent argument for remaining with her family, but you, Robin and Steve had reluctantly packed up some of your belongings and relocated here. For how long, you don’t know.

It’s no palace. The wood-built building is certainly past its best, the yellowing 50s kitchen barely functional and the faded decor not to anyone's taste. But it’s (mostly) warm, (usually) dry, and most importantly, it feels safe. Which is something you all need after the events of the past few months.

You’re all acutely aware of the obvious gap in your merry band. Owens had insisted that the three of you didn’t attend the funeral, but he’d involved you as much as he could, ferrying messages between you and the kids and Wayne, discussing what he would’ve wanted to wear (you all agreed on his spare Hellfire shirt and leather jacket, knowing he’d never want to be separated from either, plus a brand new, government-funded pair of black 501s), and sneaking mementoes to you with Wayne’s approval.

Mike and Will have taken charge of his D&D paraphernalia, Dustin got his wallet chain (and wears it with literally everything, even his Weird Al shirts and colourful shorts), and Lucas opted for a small pocket knife. You, Steve and Robin each have one of his rings. Steve and Robin keep theirs in their rooms, but you wear the silver skull every day. It’s too big for your fingers, and is even a little loose on your thumb, but that’s where you keep it, spinning it to ease your anxiety, and smoothing the pads of your fingers over its bumpy surface to remind you of the friend you’ve lost. Rueing the fact that you always wanted him to be more than that, but never had the chance to find out whether he felt the same.

The kids visit periodically, even staying over sometimes, nobody expecting anyone to be watching the comings and goings of a bunch of nerdy teens. Nancy drops them off, sometimes staying, sometimes not. On this occasion she’d dropped and run, explaining that she was going to visit Max in the hospital tomorrow, spending some quality girly time with her. Lucas, who usually spent every spare moment by her bedside, was going to spend the weekend here, after Max, still seriously ill but now well enough to communicate, insisted that he needed to spend at least a bit of time with his old friends.

Tonight, you’d had a movie marathon, Keith developing an uncharacteristically generous side since everything kicked off and periodically dropping off and collecting piles of VHS tapes. Not quite generous enough to bring you any brand new releases, but even things you’ve seen before are better than the ‘sweet FA’ you’d have available given the nonexistent TV reception around here.

Popcorn litters the floor and the saggy furniture, as do gangly boys and a long-haired girl. Jane has commandeered the sole armchair, sitting in it cross-legged, and you, Steve and Robin are squashed onto the sofa with an equally squashed Dustin, the latter insisting that there was definitely room for one more.

Mike and Will are on the floor between the sofa and the old, battered coffee table. Mike’s hunched over a bowl of chips that he’s shovelling in, and Will is leaning against your legs, you stroking his hair in a way you know he finds comforting. Lucas is lounging on the floor at the side of the table, his long body stretched out and his head supported on threadbare throw pillows.

The gentle patter of drizzly rain against the windows and roof, and the crackle of the open fire, one of your only sources of heating, gives the evening a cosy feel, though you hope the rain doesn’t get any heavier as you don’t entirely trust the roof over the rear extension to cope with much more meteorological abuse.

You’ve just finished Raiders Of the Lost Ark and Steve has got up to swap it out for The Stuff, when there’s a strong gust of wind and the rainfall picks up significantly. Great, you think, the weather gods definitely weren’t listening to your silent pleas.

None of you notice Jane stiffening in her seat and shifting uncomfortably.

Under the lashing of the wind and rain there’s a sudden noise at the front door. Not urgent, not loud, just two soft thuds. If the kids had been roughhousing or the film had been on you may even have missed them.

You all look at each other, instantly and equally on edge, and all hoping that somebody, anybody, will provide a simple explanation for this.

Steve’s the first to speak. Jaw slack and brow furrowed, he asks the room, “Uhh, did anyone order takeout?”

There’s a cacophony of ‘no’s’ and shaken heads, before another soft thud is heard, just one this time.

Steve steels himself, not for the first time realising that it’s his responsibility to investigate the possibly terrifying, and potentially life-threatening, situation. He stands from his position by the video player and moves towards the door, fingertips skimming the top of the bat that’s always to the side of it, before closing his hand softly around the handle.

He pulls back the sliding bolts before twisting the lock and pulling the door open just a crack, leaving the chain on. The noise of the weather increases in volume, but other than that there’s no indication of what’s on the other side.

Steve has his back to you so you don’t see his eyes go wide, but you do hear a soft, “Wh- What the fuck?”

Robin being Robin, and perpetually thinking about her stomach, she says,

“What is it, doofus? Pleeease tell me it’s Jonathon and Argyle dropping by from Cali with some delicious Surfer Boy pizza??”

“Uh, no, it’s, uh- You know what? Maybe you should just come and see for yourself. Wait, scratch that, just the adults.”

Knowing this will unwittingly pique the interest of the kids more than if he’d just allowed everyone to come look, you and Robin glance at each other before quickly rising and moving to the door.

Steve closes it and takes off the chain, opening it wide as the three of you arrive, the kids following close behind and trying to look between you.

There, hunched, shivering, soaking wet and covered in mud, is your friend. The one who’d died saving the town. The one they’d buried only a few days ago, after he’d been lying on a slab in a lab somewhere for weeks.

Eddie.

.

Continue to Part One

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Thanks so much for reading! I really hope you enjoyed this. Lemme know if you’d like to be tagged in future parts.

Extra tags: @jamdoughnutmagician @joejoequinnquinn

#eddie munson #strangerprompts #stranger things #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson smut #post S4 #upside down #Eddie lives #my first time writing anything supernatural #I hope I don’t fck it up #steve harrington #robin buckley #eddie munson imagine #dustin henderson #lucas sinclair #will byers #mike wheeler #eleven hopper #Jane hopper #stranger things fanfic #eddie munson x you #Eddie munson x fem!reader #eddie munson x fem!reader smut #The Party #ST S4 canon #my first time writing canon #eddie munson fanfic #eddie munson fic

[eddiemunsons80sbaby]

Never Say Never

Chapter 17

Pairing: SingleDad!StevexReader

Summary: You are a 32 year old single mother, raising your seven year old son on your own. After being widowed at 30 and going out on awful dates with disgusting men for the past month, you have decided that you're giving up. You already had your great love. One person can't possibly get lucky enough to have two in their lifetime. But then your son starts playing baseball and the coach might just change your mind about that.

No posting schedule.

18+ only for eventual smut

Word Count: 8.5K

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

“There she is. Welcome back, sweetheart.”

You fought through the fog to find the cheery face of a woman looking down at you, a woman you didn’t think you recognized but it was hard to tell when everything was so hazy. Your eyes blinked slowly, your lids feeling heavy. The face above you slowly came into focus, warm brown eyes that crinkled sweetly at the corners, a halo of short curly brown hair on top of her head. Who was this woman? 

“That cute man of yours has been awfully worried. I had to practically chase him out of here to get something to eat. He was nodding off in the chair just waiting for you to wake up. He’s down in the cafeteria but I expect he’ll be back soon. He didn’t seem keen on leaving you.”

Cafeteria? Worried? You pressed your fists into the mattress beneath you, pushing yourself up. The woman talking to you was wearing scrubs, a badge hanging on them identifying her as Nurse Kathleen. You slowly took in your surroundings, the stark white walls, the uncomfortable bed beneath you, the chart hanging on the wall, the privacy curtain pulled back behind you. 

“Oh no…” you groaned, your head flopping back against the pillow that somehow managed to be both too flat and too lumpy at the same time. 

It all came rushing back to you. Steve asked you to stay the night with him and then told you the next logical step in your relationship would be to move in together. His words had sent you spiraling, nothing to grab onto, no time to complete your usual ritual, your body completely outside of your control. And then everything had gone black. 

Your hands came to your face, running down slowly, mortified that you'd fallen apart in front of him again. And not just fallen apart, but fallen apart because he’d been baring his soul to you. He’d been telling you that he wanted you to share his bed, his home, his life with him. He’d been telling you he wanted to be a family. He’d been asking you to commit to him, the way he’d already chosen to commit to you and instead of assuring him, you'd completely unraveled. Way to ruin the moment. No, you didn’t even ruin it. You completely bulldozed it.

“Hey, it’s alright,” Nurse Kathleen assured, perching on the edge of the bed, her hand coming to your knee over the itchy blanket draped on top of your bare legs. “Anxiety is nothing to be ashamed of. It happens to the best of us.”

No. It didn’t. Most people didn’t black out because their boyfriend started talking about a future with them. Most people didn’t wind up taking an ambulance ride because the perfect guy was declaring his commitment. Most people didn’t wind up in a hospital bed because they couldn’t handle a serious conversation. Most people were able to control their emotions, to take the blows and surprises that came with life in stride, and move on. But not you. No. You had to have a meltdown.

What was Steve thinking right now? He was probably thinking he’d made a huge mistake hooking up with someone fragile enough to come apart at the drop of a hat. He was probably thinking you didn’t want this as much as he did. Because if you did, why would the very thought of it cause a medical situation?

But you did want it. You did. Why had your body reacted like that? Why had it betrayed you during what was such a pivotal moment in your relationship? Why couldn’t you just have opened your mouth and told him you did want all of that? You wanted to fall asleep next to him each night and wake up next to him in the morning. You wanted to be a family. You wanted to commit to him. You were already committed to him. 

Yeah. It was soon but he was right. You just didn’t want to get Eli’s hopes up if this relationship wasn’t going anywhere. But it was. Hadn’t Steve shown you that it was? That he was one hundred percent in it? That he wanted you and everything that came with it? 

So why had you fallen apart? Why had you felt the walls closing in on you? Why had the air escaped your lungs? Why had you blacked out? You didn’t have an answer and that only angered you even more. How could you not have an answer when it was your body?

“Anyway, you should be right as rain now. I expect they’ll be releasing you any minute.”

“What?” you responded, having had no idea what the nurse had just told you, too caught up in your own pity party. 

“I said we gave you a little sedative to help calm your system down. It allowed you to take a nice little rest and allowed everything to relax. But Dr. Carth should be in soon and I expect he’ll be releasing you as long as you’re feeling okay enough to go home.”

“Oh…thanks…” 

You looked up at the sound of a knock to find Janice in the doorway. Your best friend covered the space in no time, rushing in and wrapping her arms around you. Your head dropped, forehead resting against Janice’s shoulder, relishing in the comfort only your best friend could provide. Your best friend who had been by your side, who had seen you at your darkest, who had breathed with you through multiple attacks, who had encouraged you to go talk to someone.

“Hey babe. You okay?”

You pulled your head back, finding Janice’s eyes, full of concern, full of memories of your descent into a pit you never thought you'd claw your way back from. You nodded, your hands wrapping around her friend’s forearms as Nurse Kathleen excused herself, quietly leaving the two friends alone. 

“What the hell happened?” asked Janice, brushing a strand of hair behind your ear. “You haven’t had an episode this bad in forever.”

“How did you know I was here?”

“Steve called me. He said that you’d had an attack and he couldn’t bring you out of it. He said you blacked out and he had the boys call 911. He sounded terrified. Scared the shit out of me.”

“The boys…” Your eyes widened. “Where are…”

“Robin’s with them. They’re fine. Steve called her after he called 911 to see if she could come stay with them. He didn’t think you’d want Eli hanging around the hospital.”

“Shit! Eli’s probably freaking out!”

You'd done it again. You swore you were done with it but you'd terrified your son again, twice in a mere matter of weeks after doing so well for over a year. He was probably sitting in Steve’s house, worried, not understanding what was happening. 

“No. He’s okay. I called him after Steve called to give me an update. I assured him that you were alright, that the doctors were taking really good care of you, and you’d be back home in the morning. Steve said they didn’t really see a reason to keep you once they got your heart rate and breathing under control.”

“Where’s Steve? Is he still here?”

Or had he left as soon as he could? That was the part you couldn’t bring yourself to voice. Had he called Janice to come up to the hospital and sit with you so he could safely get the hell away from you and your insanity? Not that you'd blame him. He’d asked you to spend the night and you'd broken in half like a graham cracker. So easy to crumble, the slightest pressure and you were snapping. 

“He’s downstairs,” Janice answered. “He was talking to Nancy on the phone when I got here. I am sure he’ll be back up but he was going to give us a little time first. So, back to my original question that you have yet to answer. What in the hell happened?”

“I don’t know,” you groaned, dropping back against the bed, fingers slipping into your hair. “He asked me to stay the night. He said all our reasoning for waiting wasn’t a reason anymore because we’d both said we were in it. He said what was the big deal because we would share a bed when we moved in together which would be the logical next step. And I just spiraled. Janice, I couldn’t do anything. There was no time to look at things or hear things or feel things. It was on me, completely taking over. I couldn’t breathe. It was so damn fast. None of the tools I’ve learned were any help because I was already in the vortex of it as fast as it began.”

“Okay.” Janice’s fingers pressed against her lips. “So, did you not want to stay the night? Is this all moving too quickly for you? Did him talking about that freak you out?”

“I don’t know. That’s what pisses me off. I have no idea why it happened. I mean, I love him. I do. I want all of that with him. I want to stay the night with him. I want us to live together…I mean, eventually. I don’t know. It is fast. Right? Isn’t it? We’ve only been seeing each other for a little over a month. We’ve only known each other for like two months. I do worry about Eli. I don’t want to make some big move and then have it all fall apart around us. I can’t bear to watch his heart broken all over again. But I do want it.”

“Do you? Because your brain obviously doesn’t agree with your words.”

You growled in frustration, fingers curling in your hair, tugging. You did want it. Didn’t you? You loved Steve. You loved the way his hand always found yours when you were close, completely swallowing it in his large grip. You loved the way he put on shades and danced around, pretending to be Tom Cruise in Risky Business. You loved the way he was so patient with Eli. You loved the way he made you feel safe and secure and like you were the most precious thing in the world to him. You loved him. You wanted this. You wanted him. 

“I do!” you insisted, not sure who you were trying to convince more, Janice or yourself. “I do. I don’t why the hell my body reacted like that. I don’t know why his words caused that. I want him. Janice, I want him.”

Your friend’s hands landed on your shoulders, pressing down, centering you as your heart rate kicked up, the machine next to you beeping incessantly. You closed your eyes, inhaling through your nose and blowing it out slowly through your mouth. They were about to release you. You had to calm yourself down. You did not need to give them a reason to keep you. 

“Okay. Okay. I believe you. But hon, something is sending mixed signals. Some wires are getting crossed or something. There is something that is sending you into frantic mode at the thought of taking that next step with him. You have to figure out what it is.” Janice’s fingers slid under your left palm, lifting it up to your face. Your wedding band sparkled under the fluorescent lights of the hospital room. “Maybe you should start here.”

“I…but…this is…Justin…” you stammered. 

“Yeah. It’s your wedding ring. The ring that Justin gave you. The ring that a man who is no longer around gave you. You’re still wearing it and it’s been two years since you lost him. Two years next week, hon. Do you think maybe that has something to do with your attack?”

Your eyes moved to the whiteboard across the room, the date written across the top, May 17, 1996. You swallowed. You'd been so swept up in this new relationship, in the excitement of it, your little bubble of joy and happiness, that it had completely slipped your mind that the anniversary of Justin’s death was coming up. He died on May 23, 1994. The worst day of your life. No. That wasn’t right. You hadn’t known then. The worst day was May 24, 1994 when two officers showed up on your doorstep.

Could that be why the attack happened? Could that be why it came on so strong and so quick? Your subconscious remembered somehow and was punishing you for forgetting, something you swore you'd never do. How could you forget? How could you not have remembered? Had everything you'd told Judith been a lie? Were you just allowing Steve to slip right in and replace Justin? Allowing yourself to forget him because you were more concerned with your own happiness?

“How could I…” you whispered, silent tears spilling from your eyes and rolling down your cheeks. “Oh my god, Janice. How could I just forget him like that?”

“Oh sweetie, don’t do that. It’s okay.”

“It’s not!”

“It is. Babe, you’re allowed to be happy. I haven’t seen you smile this much in two years. Steve makes you happy. You didn’t forget Justin. You forgot about a date. A date that is filled with nothing but pain and sadness. It’s not a date you should be focusing on anyway. Focus on the good ones. The day you went on your first date, the day you got married, the day you moved into your new house, the day you had Eli…those are the dates you want to remember. It’s not a bad thing that someone made you happy enough to forget about your pain.”

“But I swore that I wouldn’t forget. I swore that I wouldn’t let Steve replace him.”

“He’s not. He’s not replacing anybody. Look, when people lose a dog, they’re so sad. They go out and get another dog. It’s not to replace the one they’ve lost. It’s because they miss the companionship. They miss the love the dog brought to their life. They’re not forgetting their other dog. They’re simply trying to mend their broken heart with more love. That’s all you’re doing. You’re mending your broken heart by allowing Steve to pick up the pieces and reassemble them. It won’t look the same and it won’t fully heal the injury that was inflicted but it will soften it. You’ll never be the same but why would you want to? This new version of you is the one that gets to start a new chapter with the guy you love now.”

Your breath shuddered, your hands clasping together. You thought you'd dealt with all of this. You thought you were ready to move on but some part of you must have been holding on. Some part of you was not letting the past go and that part had reared its head, made itself be known, when Steve had merely mentioned the idea of taking the next step. He hadn’t even been saying you should do it now. He’d only hinted that it was what would come next. 

“You don’t have to forget him, babe, but you do have to let him go. And I mean actually let him go. You’re never going to be able to give yourself to Steve fully, the way he deserves, until you do. And I don’t think your brain has gotten that message which tells me you haven’t. The attack you had tonight tells me you haven’t.” She grabbed your hand, lifting it again. “This tells me you haven’t.”

You nodded, finger and thumb coming to your ring, twirling it back and forth, remembering when Justin had slipped it on your finger. It had been a beautiful fall day. You'd always wanted a fall wedding and Mother Nature had cooperated fully, only cementing the fact in your mind that you and Justin were meant to be. So many people had told you that you couldn’t plan an outdoor wedding in October because the weather would be too unpredictable. But the sun had shown down on you, a warm breeze ruffling your hair, as you'd promised to love one another until death do they part. 

Justin got to keep that promise. But you weren't gone yet. Maybe his death nullified that vow but you had no intention of breaking it. You would love him until you took your last breath. But that didn’t mean you couldn’t love Steve as well. The heart wasn’t some box of a predetermined size. It could expand exponentially to fill with as much love as you could carry. And these days, you had a lot to fill it with. 

“I will. I…”

“Hey there.”

Hastily wiping your cheeks with the back of her hand, you managed to smile up at Steve, who stood in the doorway awkwardly, like he wasn’t sure if he should be there or not. 

“Sorry. If I’m interrupting, I can…” He hooked his thumb behind him. 

“No, no,” Janice insisted, shaking her head. “I was just getting ready to go get some coffee and see where this doctor is.” She stood, patting your shin gently. “I’ll track him down so we can get the paperwork rolling to get you the hell out of here. I promised my nephew that his mom would be home in the morning.”

“Thanks.” You reached for her hand, squeezing it tightly, your insides squeezing just as tightly when your friend walked out, leaving you and Steve alone. 

He pressed his lips together, barely stepping into the room. Leaning back against the wall just to the right of the door, he propped one foot over the other, eyes down on the floor. The sight tugged painfully at your heart, knowing you'd given him reason to doubt. Reason to believe that you weren't one hundred percent in, reason to think that you would cut and run at a moment’s notice. All of this tension was completely your fault. 

“How are you feeling?” he asked at the same moment you hurriedly said, “I’m so sorry.” Steve paused, his eyes flicking up to yours. 

“I’m so sorry,” you repeated. “I’m so sorry that happened. I don’t know what happened. I couldn’t stop it. Usually I can focus on something. You know? But this came on so fast and I didn’t mean to scare you and I didn’t mean to scare the boys and I…”

“It’s okay,” he tried but you cut him off. 

“No it’s not. I thought I had come so far. It had been over a year since I’d had a full blown attack and I’ve had two since I’ve known you.”

“Well, that’s not reassuring.” His head turned, looking out the window at a group of birds flying by. “Am…am I causing you anxiety?” Those hazel eyes fixed on you but he didn’t make a move to come any closer. “Is being with me causing you anxiety?”

You sighed, blinking back tears, “Yes.”

“Great.” He nodded, lips pouting to the side. 

“But not like you think. You don’t cause me anxiety. You make me so happy. The first time it happened I was just panicking because your friends were talking about us being a couple and I wasn’t even sure you wanted that. Hell, I wasn’t sure I wanted that. My head was in such a weird place. I was worried about Eli and I was worried what it meant if I liked you. And this time, it wasn’t you. It was…”

“Me pushing you,” he finished for you, his chest rising with a deep inhale. “I was pushing you to move faster than you’re ready for. Look, I didn’t mean we should move in together now.” A harsh laugh shook his body, teeth raking over his bottom lip. “I mean, that would be insane. Obviously I don’t want to move in together any time in the near future.”

“You…you don’t?”

“No,” he scoffed. “We’ve only been dating for a little over a month. That would be completely insane. We don’t even know each other that well yet, right? Besides, I like my space. I’m not ready to give that all up yet. I mean, someday…maybe, yeah, but not anytime soon.”

Your chest felt like someone had dropped a buffalo on it, the weight pressing down, your heart that had just begun to mend starting to crack at his words. But what did you expect? After the way you'd acted, you'd expected this. You'd expected him to pull away, to put the car in reverse and slam his foot down on the pedal. 

It was soon. But that didn’t seem to be how he felt last night. He’d been trying to convince you that it wasn’t too soon, that only you could decide how soon. How quickly he’d changed his mind. How quickly his feelings had changed when he was faced with what he’d be dealing with if he moved forward with you. Something he’d told you he could handle but obviously couldn’t.

“Hey!” Janice exclaimed, bouncing into the room. “Good news! I tracked down the doc and he’s on his way in to release you.”

“Great,” you replied with as much excitement as you could muster. “I’m ready to go home.”

“So, how are we doing this? Steve taking you back to his place or…?”

“No. I just want to go home,” you mumbled. “I…Steve should get back for the boys. Could you just take me home so I can get my car and go get Eli?”

Janice frowned, “Honey, I don’t think you should be driving right now. Doc says you should rest. He put a call into Dr. Watson and let her know what happened. She wants to see you as soon as possible to talk about your meds.”

“Okay. I’ll…I’ll call her on Monday. I can drive. I just…”

“I’ll bring Eli to your house,” Steve said. “If you want Janice to take you home, I’ll go get Eli and bring him to you.”

“Okay, what is happening right now?” your friend asked suspiciously, looking between the two of you. 

“Nothing. I’m just…I’m really tired after everything and I just want to go home and sleep.”

“Well, then why don’t I drop you off and then I go get Eli and bring him so he can see you for a minute and know you’re okay? And then I can take him and he can stay with me and Matt for the day so you can relax.You know you’re not getting any relaxation with that kid around. Besides, Matt’s been dying to get him back to the batting cages.”

“That’s fine,” you agreed, not having the energy to argue. 

“Alright. Well, then I’ll go back to the house to let the boys know everything’s good and you’re fine.” Steve rocked on his heels awkwardly, clearly uncertain as to what he should do. Would he kiss your forehead sweetly like he usually did? Would he hug you? “I’m really glad you’re okay.”

Nope. None of the above. He maneuvered around Janice and made his way out the door with barely a backwards wave. That pressure on your chest slithered down into your stomach, boulders settling in, the reality of what was happening threatening to crush you. 

“What the hell did I miss in the five minutes I was gone?” asked Janice.

You didn’t answer, simply laid back on the bed, draping your hand over your face. One month of building something that looked like it might last and you'd shattered it all in one night.

____________________________________________________________

“Daddy! We’re here!”

Jeremiah came barreling through the door, instantly colliding with Miles who had been racing through the house to greet his favorite little guy. The kid fell backward and Miles was on him in an instant, covering his face with sloppy kisses while Jere squealed and laughed. 

Nancy walked in behind him, Jeremiah’s backpack slung over one shoulder, which she dropped down onto the floor. Miles bounded over to her and she crouched down, scratching the massive beast behind his ears and pressing a kiss to his snout. 

Jeremiah leapt up from the ground, eyes shining when he saw the snack that Steve had been preparing for him. “Oreos and milk! Yes!” His feet pounded over the hardwood in his race to get to the table. 

“Thanks for picking him up for me,” Steve told Nancy. 

“No problem.” Rising to her feet, she brushed her hands down the front of her jeans in a pointless attempt to rid them of dog hair. “But why couldn’t you get him today?”

“Oh…uh…” He turned his back on her, placing the Oreos back into the cabinet as his brain scrambled for a reasonable excuse as to why he didn’t pick up his son. “Meeting. Yeah. Meeting about the new development. We’re breaking ground next week and we had to…you know, flesh some things out. Make sure it’s all going to run smoothly.”

“Uh-huh…”

She didn’t believe him. He could tell she didn’t believe him. Maybe they hadn’t been right for each other but he knew Nancy. He knew all her tones, gestures, and facial expressions and she knew his. And her tone right now was letting him know that she knew something was up. 

Steve dropped into the chair next to Jeremiah, eager to get the focus off of himself, “How was school today?”

“It was good,” Jere shrugged before shoving a milk soaked cookie into his mouth. 

“Just good? No stories to tell today?” Steve urged, needing his son to tell one of his long drawn-out stories of second grade drama. He needed something, anything, to get Nancy’s eyes to stop focusing on him. 

“Well, Brent is finally being nice to everybody.”

“Oh yeah? That’s great!”

His son rolled his eyes, “I guess. But he’s only being nice because nobody would play with him anymore. Even Travis and Ricky stopped playing with him because he started calling them names and being really mean to them too.”

“Isn’t that a good thing? That he’s being nice?”

“I don’t know. Is he only going to be nice until everyone plays with him again and then he will be mean again? I think we should just keep ignoring him because he’s a bully. Beth asked him to swing with her today and he used to steal her food and tell her she was fat! Why would she even want to play with someone like that? I don’t think we should just forget all the bad stuff he did.”

“You don’t forget,” Nancy told him, stepping into the kitchen to take the chair on the other side of their son. “But you can forgive. If he’s genuinely trying to change, that’s a good thing. Sometimes even the biggest jerks can change for the better and turn out to be pretty good guys.”

She smirked at Steve, one eyebrow lifting knowingly and he pressed his lips together, putting his head down. He would never live down his King Steve days, walking around like he owned the school, picking on those he saw as inferior to himself, including his ex-wife’s current husband. He was a Brent at one time and that thought disgusted him, the idea of who he used to be, but it was something he swore he’d never be again. 

“Yeah but what if he hasn’t really changed? What if he’s just pretending so we all play with him again and then, bam! He’s back to being a big, fat jerk!”

“Well, you’ll have to wait and see. If he goes back to being a jerk, then you all refuse to allow it again. But maybe you all showing him that you would not accept his behavior was enough to change him. Maybe he realized if he kept acting like that he would be all alone and he’s really trying to do better. Sometimes when someone sees how it feels to be the person who’s being treated badly, they see how wrong it is.”

“Maybe…” Jeremiah didn’t sound entirely convinced. 

“Regardless, just because he was mean doesn't make it right for you to be mean back. You all ignored him because you were standing up for yourself and that’s okay but if you do it now, then you’re being just as mean as he was. You should at least give him a chance to show you that he’s trying.”

“I guess. Eli doesn’t trust him either. Brent asked Eli who his favorite superhero was at lunch and Eli just walked away from him. He said Brent was probably just asking so he could make fun of him for it. But I’ll tell him we should at least try to be his friend. But if he does it again, I will never be his friend.”

“I think that’s fair. You’re giving him a chance to show he is sorry. If he doesn’t show that, then you shouldn’t give him any more chances,” Steve stated. “I’m really proud of you two for getting everyone to stand up to him. You not only stood up for yourselves but for others and that’s something to be proud of. You’re growing into a good little human, kid. There’s not much else I could ask for as a dad.”

“Where do you think he’s getting that?” asked Nancy and when he just looked at her, she laughed, rolling her eyes. “He’s learning from you. You don’t hesitate to stand up for others. And you always do the right thing by the people you care about. You’re one of the bravest people I know. Our son has a pretty amazing role model to look up to.”

Her words hit him, a blow to the chest that almost knocked him back off his chair. Because he wasn’t doing the right thing by someone he cared an awful lot about right now and he knew it. He was hiding and avoiding instead of facing it because he didn’t want to. He didn’t want to know what was on the other side of the curtain he was concealing himself behind. There was nothing brave about it. 

“Hey daddy. Can Eli come over tonight? We haven’t played together, besides at school, since his mommy had to go to the hospital.”

Nancy’s brows shot up her forehead at this revelation. Those stormy blue eyes were fixed on him, her arms folding on top of the table. Shit. His son had just ratted him out, whether he’d meant to or not, and there would be no getting out of this now. When Nance had her laser fixed on you, there was no escape. 

“Hey Jere, don’t you have some homework to do?” Nancy asked. 

“Yeah, but daddy didn’t say if Eli could come over.”

“Not tonight buddy, okay? But we’ll make sure he comes over soon.”

“Why not?” Jere demanded. “We saw each other every day and now I haven’t hung out with him in four days. Are you and his mom fighting? Did you break up? Because Eli said he asked her last night when we were going to see them again and she said she didn’t know. Why wouldn’t she know? Did you mess up?”

“It’s complicated. Look…”

“Jeremiah, I need you to go upstairs and do your homework, okay?” Nancy stated calmly, letting her son know that there would be no more arguing. “Your dad and I need to talk and then we will talk about Eli and his mom and when you can see them later.”

“Fine,” his son growled, angrily dropping his cup and plate into the sink. He grabbed his backpack by the strap, dragging it behind him, his feet stomping loudly on each stair to make certain they knew just how unhappy he was. 

Nancy stayed quiet, her eyes on the stairs until they heard the slam of Jeremiah’s door, an exclamation point on his anger and annoyance at being dismissed. Certain their son would not overhear, she turned to Steve, hands clasping on top of the table. 

“Alright, spill. What’s going on?”

Steve put on the best clueless face he could manage, lips mashed together, eyes wide and confused, head shaking side to side. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, Nance.”

“Oh cut the bullshit, Steve Harrington. I’ve known you for way too long to buy that. You are head over heels for this girl. I’ve never seen you so gone for anyone and you really expect me to believe you haven’t seen her for four days and nothing’s going on?”

“I don’t know what to tell you,” he shrugged, drumming his fingers on the tabletop. 

“How about the truth?”

Damn Nancy and her perceptive nature. He sighed, sinking further down in the chair, resigning himself to having to tell her what was going on. She wouldn’t leave until he did. 

“Fine. The truth is, I thought she felt the same way about me that I did about her but she doesn’t, okay? I thought she wanted forever. I thought she saw this as a long term, endgame kind of thing, but she clearly doesn’t so what’s the point in continuing it?”

“What in the hell are you talking about?” hissed Nancy. “Are you out of your mind? I’ve seen the way that girl looks at you. She’s just as crazy about you as you are about her.”

“She’s not. Trust me.” He shoved back from the table roughly, standing up, hands on his hips, back to Nancy. 

“What made you think this? What happened? I know she had that bad anxiety attack but…”

“Yeah. She had that anxiety attack after I asked her to spend the night with me. After I mentioned that the next step for us would be moving in together. And look, I know it was fast and I know I do that all the time.” His hands flailed uncontrollably as he paced back and forth, feeling all the threads that held him together coming unraveled as he poured out his soul. “I probably shouldn’t have even mentioned something like that yet. But Nance, I’ve never felt the way I do about her. I…it’s not like the way I love baseball or a medium rare steak or hitting the snooze button an extra time in the morning. She consumes me. She’s all I can think about. When she’s with me I never want to let her go and when she’s gone I just want to be with her again. It’s like I’m in free fall and I’m scared to death I’m just going to splat on the ground. I’ve never wanted anyone the way I want her.”

His fingers moved roughly through his hair, his feet stopping. Steve turned to Nancy, chest heaving, his hands curling around the top of the chair, to find her wide eyed, jaw almost to the table. 

“Wow…okay…I mean, I knew you really liked her but you’re completely in love with her.” Her tongue traced the seam of her lips, fingers coming to her chin. “You’re in really deep, aren’t you?”

“I’m fucking drowning, Nance. I’m out here in the waves being thrown about, water filling my lungs, holding my hand out to her but she’s not going to take it.”

“You don’t know that, Steve.”

“I do! I do know that. Why would the idea of moving in with me send her into an anxiety attack unless the very thought was too much for her to handle? And I’m just going to keep sinking in the endless ocean if I don’t get out now until it’s too late and I am destroyed. Stuck on the bottom like the Titanic until I rot and pieces of me fall off and everything that was good about me is rusted and decayed!”

“Wow…you know King Steve really was the perfect nickname for you.”

His eyes shot over to her, annoyed, “Excuse me?”

“King Steve, as in drama king. Jesus, Steve. The girl struggles with anxiety. She has no control over when it happens and you’ve made it all about you. You’ve convinced yourself that this mental illness she struggles with has anything to do with you. How about you make your way out of the deep end and head back over to the shallows with the rest of us Mr. Swim Captain?”

“I’m not saying it’s all about me but it’s called an anxiety attack because it’s triggered by anxiety, right? Which means the idea of moving in with me someday caused her to have anxiety. Doesn’t exactly scream that she’s excited at the idea of a future with me.”

“Maybe she is. I mean, did you even talk to her about it?”

“No,” he scoffed. “I’d just sent her to the damn hospital, Nance! That was on me and my big mouth. So I assured her I didn’t mean now. I didn’t want to move in together now. I told her that would be crazy, that I wasn’t ready, that I like my space. I didn’t want to send her into another attack.”

Nancy’s hand covered her face, a deep groan audible from behind it, “You are such an idiot, Steve Harrington.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. Trying to keep her calm makes me an idiot? She clearly didn’t want to be around me. She asked her friend, Janice, to take her home. She wanted no part of coming back here.”

“And that couldn’t have been because you’d just made it sound like she was invading your bachelor lifestyle, could it? “

“What? No! I…” Had that been what he’d said? No. He hadn’t said that, not in so many words, but could that have been how you'd taken it? “Okay. Maybe not the best way to word it but I just didn’t want to upset her again. I panicked, okay? I’d just had to call 911. I’d watched her struggle to breathe, Nance. It was terrifying. I didn’t want to say anything that could set her off again.”

“She’s not a rocket, Steve. There’s no fuse to light. You will never know what is going to cause it because she probably doesn’t know. So, let me get this straight. The girl has an anxiety attack, one that is so bad that she has to be taken to the hospital. She’s scared, obviously, and probably nervous about what you’re thinking. Not to mention embarrassed that it happened in front of you, again, if I’m correct. And then you tell her that you don’t want her invading your space and haven’t called her in four days to even see how she’s doing and are such a wuss that you send me to pick up Jere on your day so you don’t have to see her? This sounds like how an adult handles things to you?”

“Well, I…I mean…”

But what does he mean? He doesn’t even know. Nancy’s right. He didn’t even give you a chance to explain. You apologized to him and he just shut you down, his fear rising up, stacking bricks in front of him in an effort to protect himself because he was terrified. Terrified of the power you had to completely annihilate him with just a few words. 

“I’m scared,” he admitted, chewing on his lower lip, closing his eyes so he wouldn’t have to see the pity he was sure was all over Nancy’s face. “I’m scared of how bad it will hurt if…when she decides to leave me.”

“I know you are. But Steve, that’s the risk you take. You can’t be with someone, truly give yourself to them, without there being the risk that you could have your heart broken. Even now, there is always a risk that Jonathan could walk out the door. He could wake up one morning and tell me he doesn’t feel the same. So what do I do? Choose to walk away first? Choose to be alone just in case? But alone is lonely, Steve. If you want this, you’re going to have to accept the risk that comes with it.”

“But what if…”

“What if what? What if you get hit by a bus tomorrow? What if a plane crashes into the middle of town? What if aliens invade or there’s a zombie apocalypse? You can play the what if game forever if you want. But it won’t get you the one thing you really want. It won’t get you her. It won’t get you happiness. It won’t get that happily ever after you’ve been chasing for years. All it will get you is you talking yourself right out of this. She's already suffered loss. Don’t make her lose you too. Not when she doesn’t have to. Not when it’s just your own ego and fear that’s in the way.”

“Okay but what if…” He held up his hand when Nancy opened her mouth, ready to interrupt him again. “What if I go to her and she tells me this was all a mistake? What if she says that the mention of moving in together just showed her she’s not sure she really wants this? What then?”

“Then at least you know instead of sitting around here moping and sending me to pick up our kid like I’m your personal chauffeur. Wouldn’t it be better to know? Because if you don’t, you’re going to spend the rest of your life wondering.”

Would it be better to know? Steve wasn’t so sure. It depended on what you had to say. 

___________________________________________________________ 

Four days…four days and absolutely nothing from Steve. You wanted to scream into the void, to pound your fists against the wall, to throw things and feel the satisfaction of watching them smash into pieces. But you couldn’t. Your son was downstairs eating his snack of popcorn while watching Hey Arnold. You had to keep control of yourself. You couldn’t scare your son anymore. You'd done enough of that over the last couple months.

You'd thought Steve just needed some time. And you were more than willing to give that to him. But when Nancy had shown up at pick-up today, on a day you knew was supposed to be Steve’s, all hope that this was some temporary thing disintegrated. Nancy didn’t seem to really know why she was picking up Jeremiah for him but you didn’t need a reason because you already knew. 

He’d decided you were too much for him. It was a lot to ask anyone to take on. Your grief, your past, your overbearing mother-in-law, your mental struggles, your son…what man would willingly want to walk into all of that? He’s even said it. He didn’t want you invading his space. He didn’t want you with your anxiety that crept up at the worst times with no notice and your past that kept dragging you down. 

Your eyes fell to your ring again, the simple engagement band with a small diamond in the middle, tiny diamonds on either side, soldered to a solid gold band after you were married. Justin apologized right after you'd said yes, assuring you he would get you a better ring when you had more funds. But you never wanted one, not even after the two of you were bringing in more cash. The cost of the ring had never mattered. This piece of jewelry was priceless to you. It wasn’t just gold and stones. It was a promise. It was a feeling. It was a period in your life that would forever be precious. 

But Janice was right. It had been two years. How could you possibly hope to ever move on when you were still holding on so tightly. When you couldn’t even let go of the symbol that represented what was, how could you possibly hope to embrace what could be? 

Maybe it wouldn’t be Steve. Maybe you'd ruined any chance you had of him being the one. Maybe he was done with you, glad he’d dodged the bullet that was your instability. But that didn’t mean you didn’t still have a chance of moving on, even if it was alone. If you truly wanted to let the past go, then you had to release it and along with it, the guilt that weighed you down, that kept telling you that you were still tied to Justin. 

You knew what you needed to do. It was time. It had been time for a long while now. Walking over, you grabbed the phone and made a call. 

___________________________________________________________

“Hey, baby,” you greeted the slab of granite as you dropped down to your knees on the soft ground. Your fingers trailed over the grass, plush and full now, remembering when it was nothing but dirt, your fingers clawing into the loose soil as your tears created puddles, your screams wrenched into the empty air. 

A soft exhale released through pursed lips as you prepared yourself for the toughest conversation of your life. Well, until the conversation you intended on trying to have after this one. Your fingers gravitated to the stone, tracing over the etched letters, spelling out the name of the person you had believed would be your forever. 

You didn’t come here often anymore. You and Eli would bring a pizza and have a picnic on his birthday in August. That was something you'd promised him the two of you would always do. You would always bring a wreath at Christmas. The first year you'd been here twice a week, needing to feel close to him, even if logically you knew nothing was here but a cold, empty body.

But then you'd started therapy and as you began to feel like you were getting a handle on your grief, your need to be here lessened. It wasn’t gone. People who say that grief passes with time are lying. It enters your body and stays, altering you forever. It never completely disappears. You just learn to live with it more as each day passes. The jagged edges get just a bit more rounded, softer, not quite so painful but they’re still there. 

“I miss you, you know that?” Your head dropped, your body rounding in on itself. “I miss you so damn much, all the time. I thought it would never get better. I thought it would never get easier. For so long, I felt like I couldn’t breathe, like I couldn’t live without you.”

You could barely remember those dark days when Eli was the only thing dragging you out of bed in the morning. You could barely remember them because you weren't really there. It was like a part of you had died right alongside Justin and you were just a body walking around, going through the motions, for the sake of your son. 

The nights when Janice would take him because you didn’t have the strength to pretend. When you would lay in your bed and cry and scream until you had nothing left. When you would curse God and the universe for taking him from you, for leaving your son without a father, for leaving you alone in the world, for destroying your life. 

Now, grief would hit you at the weirdest times. Most times it was just a small twist of your stomach, uncomfortable but manageable. Sometimes it was debilitating, to the point where you wanted to curl into the fetal position. You missed his smile, the way he laughed with his whole body, his voice whispering in your ear…things that were getting harder and harder to hold onto as time passed. But you wouldn’t let them go. You held on as hard as you could, refusing to let him fully slip away from you. 

“But somehow, day by day, breathing became a little easier. I finally felt like I was back in my body. I was still sad. I was missing you. But I was able to enjoy the sun on my face, the sound of our son’s laughter, getting a cup of coffee with Janice. I could smile again. I could live again. All these things that I’d lost for so long because I was shrouded in my grief. It was a weight pressing down on me but I got help and…and now, there’s someone. Someone who is helping lift the weight off of me, who makes me feel like I might really have a shot at being happy again.”

You swallowed, your eyes slipping closed as tears escaped, trails of emotion running down your cheeks and off your chin. You pulled your lower lip between your teeth, bracing yourself. 

“His name is Steve and he makes me really happy. For the first time since I lost you, I have hope. Hope that I can still have love. And Eli adores him. He’s so good with him. He’s a dad too. His son is the same age and they’re best friends. That’s actually how we met each other. He coaches Eli’s baseball team. You’d be so proud of him. He’s learned so much and he’s a hell of a little player. Him and Jeremiah…” You snorted, wiping your face with the back of your hand. “They’re such devious little rascals. They’ve been plotting us being together since we met. I think they knew something we didn’t or something.”

Your eyes roamed skyward as a flock of geese soared overhead, their honking breaking the silence of the cemetery. They were coming home to the warmth and the new life that Spring brought with it. Just like you, they were turning toward new possibilities and leaving behind the past. 

“I love you. I will always love you. You…you showed me what love is. You showed me what it means to give all of yourself to another person. You showed me what a beautiful gift that can be, even if it was taken from you far too soon. I will never forget you. I will always be grateful for the time we had together. You will always be my first love, but…” Your thumb and forefinger gripped the gold band, slowly sliding it along your fingertip until it was free, the skin bare for the first time in over a decade. “But it’s time to say goodbye. I have to let you go. I have to do this if I have any chance of moving on. And I may have ruined my shot with Steve. It might be too late already because I couldn’t do this before but I have to try. I have to believe you’d want me to.”

A warm breeze suddenly picked up, lifting your hair, wrapping around you like a hug and you closed your eyes, smiling through the tears streaming down your face. 

“I love you to Pluto and back…” you whispered into the wind, recalling your phrase, Justin declaring the moon wasn’t far enough to show how much he loved you. Pressing your fingers to your lips, you pressed them to the stone, slipping your ring into her pocket. 

“Honey?"

You gasped at the sound of that voice, in this place. What in the world was he doing here? Turning your head, you wondered if he was a figment of your imagination, something you'd dreamed up because your desire to see him was so strong.

“Steve?”

Chapter 18

Taglist: @katethetank@roxiehorrorshow@sapphire4082@bakugouswh0r3@frostandflamesfanfic @mix-matchsocks @mushy-mushroom04 @palmtreesx3 @littlebookworm86 @eddies-trailer-babe @cheesewritings @emilyj444 @daisyhollyxox @angelbabyivy @the-fairy-anon @loritate7311 @k-k0129

Thanks so much for taking the time to read my little story! Let me know if you want to be added to the taglist. If you want to be added please make sure your age is stated on your page somewhere. 😊 And replies and reblogs are always appreciated if you enjoy it. I love to hear what you think! ❤️❤️❤️

#dad steve harrington #steve harrington #singledad!steveharrington #steve harrington single dad #steve harrington fanfiction #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington smut #steve harrington fluff #steve harrington x fem #steve harrington x you #steve harrington fic #steve harrington fanfic #steve harrington imagine #fluff #smut #fluff and smut #romance #second chance romance #second chance at love #widow #divorced dad steve harrington #slow burn #robin buckley #robin and steve #dustin henderson #max mayfield #mike wheeler #eleven hopper

[teaaagan]

Chicken

Eleven: Hey, Max, Why did the chicken cross the road? 

Max: To get to the other side? 

Eleven: You were supposed to say “I dunno, why?“ 

Max: Uh... fine. I don’t know. Why did it cross the road? 

Eleven: To get to the idiot’s house. 

Max: ...Ok? 

Y/N: Hey, Max. Knock knock. 

Max: No. 

Y/N: You were supposed to say “who’s there?” 

Max: Fine... let’s get this over with. Who’s there? 

Y/N: The chicken. 

Max: 

Y/N: 

Eleven: 

Max: Listen here, you little sh-

#incorrect quotes #max mayfield #max mayfield x reader #max mayfield x you #max mayfield x y/n #max mayfield x male reader #max mayfield x male!reader #max mayfield x fem reader #max mayfield x fem!reader #max mayfield x female reader #max mayfield x gn!reader #stranger things incorrect quotes #stranger things #max mayfeild x reader #max stranger things #eleven #jane hopper #eleven hopper #jane hopper x y/n #jane hopper x you #jane hopper x reader #jane hopper x male reader #jane hopper x fem!reader #eleven x reader #eleven x fem reader #eleven x male reader #elmax x reader #elmax x fem reader #elmax x male reader #elmax x gn reader

[scarisd3ad]

Jump then fall

Masterlist

Pairing - Steve harrington x reader

Warnings - mean Steve, angst, lose of a sibling, divorce, mommy issues, normal stranger things warnings.

Summary - after 7 years of being split apart from your childhood friend Steve you return to hawkins after your younger sisters tragic death, and parents messy divorce. But the Steve you came back to isn’t the same Steve you left behind.

Taglist

Season one

Prologue

One

#fanfics #x reader #stranger things #steve harrington x reader #fem!reader #joe keery #steve harrington #female!reader #hopper #Jim hopper #eleven #stranger things season one

[julesclues]

Falling In Love - Headcannons

Warnings: none

Word count: 383 words

Pairing: Eddie Munson x afab!reader

Summary: Eddie Munson realizing he’s in love with y/n and one day confessing

Eddie Munson had always thought of y/n as just a friend. They had grown up together in Hawkins, playing games and exploring the town's many secrets. But as they got older, Eddie began to see y/n in a different light.

It started with little things, like the way she laughed at his jokes or the way her hair shone in the sunlight. He found himself wanting to spend more time with her, to make her smile and hear her voice.

At first, Eddie didn't know what to make of these feelings. He had never thought of y/n as anything more than a friend, and he didn't want to risk ruining their relationship.

But as he spent more time with her, he began to realize that his feelings were more than just a passing crush. He was in love with y/n, and he couldn't ignore it any longer.

It hit him one night, as they were sitting on the roof of her house, looking up at the stars. Eddie was struck by the beauty of the moment, the way the sky seemed to go on forever and the peace of being with y/n. He knew in his heart that he wanted to be with her, to make her happy and be by her side no matter what.

It was a scary realization, but Eddie knew that he couldn't keep it to himself any longer. He turned to y/n, his heart pounding in his chest, and told her everything.

"I don't know when it happened, but I've fallen in love with you, y/n. I want to be with you, to make you happy and share my life with you. Will you be my girlfriend?"

Y/n looked at him, her eyes wide with surprise. For a moment, Eddie feared that he had made a mistake, that he had ruined their friendship forever. But then she smiled, a soft and beautiful smile that lit up her face.

“Yes, Eddie," she said, taking his hand. "I'll be your girlfriend."

Eddie felt like he was walking on air as he hugged y/n, his heart soaring with happiness. He knew that they had a lot to figure out, a lot of new territory to navigate, but he was ready for anything as long as he had y/n by his side.

#eddie munson #eddie munson imagine #eddie munson one shot #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson imagines #stranger things #will byres #joseph quinn #eddie munson fluff #mike wheeler #nancy wheeler #steve harrington #johnathan byers #argyle #eleven #jim hopper #robin buckley #eddie munson x y/n #eddie munson x fem!reader fluff #eddie munson x you

[i-hate-people-1]

Badass!

Eddie Munson x fem reader

When you guys are late for the movie and the worker won’t let you in, you come up with another plan.

Warning~ adult themes/flashing

SHORT 929 words

Not my gif!

It all started with Dustin's one wish for his 16th birthday being that you all went to watch the third nightmare on Elm Street, albeit a month early, but he made you all come over the night before and stay up late so that you could watch the first and second before you went and saw the third.

This is what led yall to the predicament you now find yourselves in. You see, while everyone else was on time, Steve and Robin got stuck late at the video store, and it's not like you could just started the movie without them seeing how they were renting and bringing the movies with them.

You didn't mind all that much, as it gave you plenty of time with Eddie snuggled up to him on the couch.

When you all woke up 15 minutes before the movie was supposed to start, is when you started to mind seeing as you had all slept in due to starting the movies two hours late and Dustin yelling anytime he saw someone nodding off.

You had all gotten ready and loaded up the cars as fast as you possibly could, just barely making it there 5 minutes late, which wouldn't have been a big deal had it not been for the power-hungry teenage Jackass behind the counter telling you, "You should have been here on time if you really wanted to see the movie."

"Come on, man, we're barely even late; it's the kid's birthday, and we have money; let us in," Steve told him, rolling his eyes and waving the cash in front of the boy's face.

"Like I said if," the boy started before Eddie cut him off, "If you want to see the movie, you should've been here on time. Yeah, yeah, we know, but come on, we're not asking for your liver; we just want to see the damn movie!" He finished getting angrier with every passing second, and the angrier he got, the more eccentric he became, Arms flailing around.

"Let me handle this," you said, placing a soothing hand on his arm and gently pushing him to the side.

"Come on, please let us in. I promise we won't disturb anyone. We won't even get snacks." You pleaded with him, batting your eyelashes, resting your arms on the counter, pushing your boobs together just in case he was still on the fence. Obviously, it was working. His eyes were glued to your cheats. That was until he shook his head, looking at Eddie.

"No way, I have plenty of girls come here with their boyfriends trying to get in for free by wearing a low-cut top, but I hate to break it to you; it's not the 1930s anymore; we've all seen cleavage before," the boy told you, standing his ground. You smirked at his sentiment as he was obviously bluffing, his cheeks bright red, and his breathing now shallow from just a small glance at your boobs.

This gave you an idea that normally you would never go through with, but Dustin had asked for one thing for his birthday, and you'd be damned if this kid didn't get that wish.

So you turned to the group, looking at all of them individually quickly before asking them, "You guys ready to run?" They all looked confused but nodded anyway.

Eddie, however, knew exactly what was running through your mind, smirking at you, ready to push the kids inside as soon as your plan was set into motion. You nodded briefly before turning back around to the boy behind the counter, who was arguably the most confused. You just smiled at him one last time before grabbing the front of your shirt, your boobs on full display. Eddie and Steve took the opportunity to push the kids inside the theater before any of them could get a good look as Robin followed after them laughing.

As soon as they made it inside, you pulled your shirt back down. "Bye!" you exclaimed, waving as you walked towards the door.

"Worth it!" you heard the boy shout as you walked inside, chuckling at how easy it was to get 10 people into the movies for free.

The kids ignored your earlier sentiment, having decided to use all the money that was originally for getting into the movie on snacks.

"That was so badass!" Robin yelled, pumping her first in the air. Steve and all the kids nodded along with her. This made you laugh more.

You caught sight of Eddie leaning against the wall in the little seating area, and a bag of popcorn, gummies and two drinks were sitting on the bench beside him.

You walked over to him, his hands finding your hips as you moved closer, yours reaching up to gently grab his cheeks. "You're not mad, are you?" you questioned, jutting your bottom lip out. "Are you kidding me?" he asked, moving forward to bite your bottom lip gently. "Like Robin said, that was so badass," he whispered against your lips before capturing them in a kiss—the kind of kiss that's just rough and filled with desire—the kind of kiss that makes you weak in the knees. Feeling your imbalance only made Eddie pull you closer to his body, deepening the kiss.

Your moment of bliss was ruined by the kids making gagging noises as they walked past you into the theater. "Come on, the movies are starting!" Dustin told you

You both laughed as you grabbed your snacks and walked into the theater with your friends.

#eddie munson x reader #eddie stranger things #eddie x reader #eddie x fem!reader #eddie munson #eddie x you #steve harrington #robin buckley #dustin henderson #mike wheeler #max mayfield #eleven hopper #eleven stranger things #eddie st4 #will byers #stranger things #stranger things x you #stranger things x reader #short ficlet #blurb

[loverforstrangerthingsfics]

Dating will byers [gender neutral]

:he was definitely insecure at the start of the relationship

:so constantly reassuring him was a thing

:it would also cause arguments because of his self doubt but you reminded him you loved him so thst helped alot

:you would feel bad when mike Lucas el and max would leave him out so you would play dnd with him

:you would definitely feel bad when you see Mike ignoring him

:so you always cheered him up with games and food

:but after mike had that argument with him will went out of it

:and it was so hard to help him it almost broke you guys up

:stealing his clothes

:[trying to convince him to change his hair]

:loving him either way though

:Joyce loves you

:Jonathan is like a brother to you

:you had to convince your family to move to California

:but once you did move to California you always had to stand up for el

"Hey Angela you crusty bitch leave Jane alone before I hop on your ass and beat you up infront of your little friends do I make my self clear bitch "

:instead of have throwing the shoe at her you just beat her up

:and will loved you for that

:you guys are that couple

Imagine your gender and race

#eleven x reader #jane hopper x reader #mike wheeler x reader #jonathan byers x reader #the party x reader #will byers x reader #stranger things x you #stranger things x trans reader #stranger things x y/n #stranger things headcanons #stranger things x black reader #stranger things x plus size reader #stranger things x male reader #stranger things x fem!reader #will byers x male!reader #will byers x fem!reader

[thewidowsghost]

Pls write a part 2 to sacrafice

It'll be posted in just a few minutes!!

#lovely asks #lovely anons #requests #el hopper x reader #el x reader #eleven hopper x reader #eleven hopper x fem reader #eleven hopper x female reader #max mayfield x reader #max mayfield x sister reader

[wintersxani]

𝙄 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙞𝙩 | Steve Harrington x fem!reader

Warning(s): post battle of starcourt, trauma, mentions of death, use of y/n

Word Count: 1050

Characters: Steve Harrington, Robin Buckley, Eleven, mentions of Billy Hargrove, Dustin Henderson, Jim Hopper, Joyce Byers, Max Mayfield

Summary: You and Steve comfort each other after the Battle of Starcourt.

Everything was quiet. Sirens were wailing as government men ran by from all directions, but you couldn't hear any of it as you sat on the opened back of an ambulance. Your whole body was shaking, and your busted lip was numb, thanks to the Russians you had been interrogated by just a few hours prior. A medic had tended to it, but the pain had remained. Slowly, you turned your head to look for Steve and Robin, who had shared the fear you felt in that bunker.

Steve's face was still bruised and swollen from the beating he received whilst Robin's eyes were glued to the gravel below her feet, unable to process all the information she had just had to take in, nor the sights she had to witness. Though you knew of everything associated with Eleven and the Upside Down since you started dating Steve and got roped in last year due to being in the right place, but wrong time with him and Dustin Henderson, nothing could've prepared you for the fear you'd have felt tonight.

Starcourt had been a new opportunity and experience for both you and your boyfriend, and Scoops had been a place that you'd find comfort at. Now, just it's association to the mall would remind you of what was beneath, and how Billy Hargrove and Jim Hopper both lost their lives within. The unearthly sounds of the now deceased mind flayer would ring through your ears as you shut your eyes tightly, fighting off the urge to crawl into a ball.

As a hand rested on your shoulder, you jolted, facing the boy you loved dearly. Seeing his face up close made you wince, as had his fearful expression. He, just like you, was at a loss for words. While your head had been silent, his was roaring. From your wails and pleas as you watched those Russians throw punch after punch to the fireworks and screams of the late Hargrove boy, silence was a stranger to him. "They... they said we can go home now." He muttered, his voice hoarse. A couple hours ago, the thought of being back home and in bed was all you had wished for, but you doubted you'd be able to sleep now.

You whispered a small 'ok' in reply, allowing him to help you come to a stance. Your eyes remained ahead, unable to look to your surroundings or block out the sound of Eleven crying for who had become her father figure. You couldn't imagine what she or Max was feeling right now; loneliness was something you prayed you'd never have to face. "Steve-" You managed to say as the two of you approached his car. Someone had luckily retrieved his car keys as they found Joyce and Murray, returning them to their rightful owner. He turned to face you quickly, eyes searching your face out of instinct. "I don't want to go home." Your lip trembled as you stated this, tears beginning to sting your eyes. He nodded to you, understanding what you really were saying instantly.

-

The two of you sat on his bed within his empty house. The silence was overbearing, but it didn't feel right to try and fill it. As you looked to your hands, you remembered looking over the hand rails of the second floor, watching as Billy had his flesh ripped, blood spewing from his lips and open wounds littering the tiled floor. How the mindflayer made of people you grew up with and knew distantly screeched and roared as the booming fireworks you and others threw sizzled its flesh. Then there was the cries and silence once Joyce had closed the gate. July 4th was something you had been excited about almost every year, making it an annual tradition to go to the fair with friends and family. You didn't think you could bear hearing fireworks on the next.

Steve's hand rested on your shaking ones as he brought them into his grasp, scooching closer to your shaking figure. Naturally, you rested your head on his shoulder, allowing him to hold you. There had been a second in that bunker where you thought it would be the last night of your life. That second made you realize how much you held back, and the regret you had felt was palpable. "I love you." You declared as a tear slid down your cheek, and over your nose. You hadn't said it before, but he had. "I... I wish I had said it sooner."

His grasp tightened around your hands at this as his own eyes started to water, burning his beaten eye. "I might've never gotten the chance, and I- I need you to know it, now."

"I know. I've known." He whispered, kissing the top of your head. You pulled back to face him as your lip trembled; "How do we go on after this?"

"I want to say like- like we always do... but I don't know." He admits, eyes falling to your intertwined hands. "I've never been scared like this before." You revealed as his eyes moved back to meet yours. "I know that this is... over with, and the gate is closed again... but I can't get the images out of my head. Can't forget the fear I felt in that bunker. Watching helplessly as you... as they hurt you... just like watching Hargrove- it doesn't feel like we're safe-"

"I know, I know y/n. It doesn't feel like a win... but we did. We won."

"I just hate that I can't shake the feeling that it's not over. That something is going to happen in the middle of the night. I hate being afraid Steve, feeling helpless."

His arms wrap around your body, holding you close to him as he rests his chin over your head. "I know love. I'm sorry." He coos, unable to shake the same feeling he shared with you. Knowing he can't protect you from everything, like the dread you also felt, killed him. Though he didn't say it, you knew it. "I'm right here with you. I'm always going to be right here." One of his hands rubbed your back as the other cradled the back of your head. In return, you held him tightly, nodding. "We'll get through this, together."

-

➺ Masterlist | 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭

#stranger things #stranger things fic #stranger things fanfiction #steve harrington #steve x reader #steve harrington x y/n #steve harrington x you #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington x fem!reader #dustin henderson #robin buckley #billy hargrove #max mayfield #eleven #eleven hopper #joyce byers #jim hopper #battle of starcourt #the battle of starcourt #st3 #stranger things 3 #el hopper #trauma bonding #comfort #post battle of starcourt

[unamused-boss]

California Dreaming

Another Billy Hargrove fanfic... yes I know what a surprise...

Billy Hargrove x reader

Summary: Max and Billy could only agree on one thing in common.... and that was you. You were their neighbor when the lived in California and Billy had the biggest crush on you. Plus it helped that you babysat, more like hangout with, Max. You were his California dream.

Part 2 is out! Go to my page pls

.......................................................................................................................

When Max and Billy were moved to Hawkins Indiana they knew they were loosing one of the few best things they ever had. You. Ever since Max moved into Billy's home in California, she had the pleasure of having you as her neighbor. From what started as a babysitting gig turned into a friendship.

Billy on the other hand. Having lived next to you for a majority of his life was absolutely in love. He'll admit love is a strong word but you were just breathtaking to him. When his mom was still around she always tried to get him to talk to you. Finding it absolutely adorable watching him try to talk to you at the nervous age of eleven. As he grew up, and more handsome, he found it much easier to talk to you. Still fumbling here and there though. Now in Indiana all Billy could think about was you.

"So you guys are really moving." You said. You and Billy were currently sitting on your front porch over looking the street.

"Yeah... to some shit hole in Indiana." Billy spit out.

"Hey it won't be that bad." You comforted. "Once you graduate you can come here with me." Hearing you say those words made Billy's heart leap. You've done so much for him.

"You mean that." He smiled.

"Definitely." You replied. Having grown up with Billy you have seen many fazes of his life. You remember how sweet he was, well he's still sweet but only to you, and how he got flustered over small things sometimes. You saw the destruction that his dad had caused upon not only him but also his sister. There is so much you wish you could do. Now Billy and Max is being taken away from you.

"What am I going to do with out you?" Billy questioned. "I don't like anyone else as much as I like you."

"You'll make new friends B." You laughed. Billy just rolled his eyes at you.

"With who cows? Rednecks?" Billy stated. "I wanna stay here so bad."

"I know you do Billy but things happen." You rubbed his arm.

"Well it feels like shitty things only happen to me." He retorted. You knew Billy had a short fuse. It came with his vulnerability and constant state of survival.

"Shitty things don't happen to you." You reassured. "Plus does that make me being one of the shitty things in your life." You tried to joke with him. He chuckled lightly at the attempt.

"No you're not. You are the greatest thing to ever happen to me."

"Well don't give me to big of a head Hargrove." You giggled. "Enjoy what you got right now Billy, you leave in a week. And I don't know when I'll see you next after you move." You scoot closer to Billy. Looking out at the pink and orange sky as the sun set. It was like a dream.

Your words had stuck with Billy. After next week he will never see you again. He'll be on the other side of the country, you'll be gone. Your smile will be gone, your laugh, the conversations, coming over to "watch Max", movie nights, all of it. He can't just leave you. He has to tell you how much he cares about you. At least take you on a date. You've seen him with multiple girl as he's you with guys. Which he hated. If being your boyfriend will only last for one week he will grab that opportunity by the balls.

Billy stood up abruptly to face you, you look to hime with confusion and shock. He took a deep breath in and "Y/N. I have known you my entire life, and you are by far the most beautiful person I know. I have been to chicken shit to tell you but I like you. Damn... maybe even love you. But even if it only for a week I would love to take you out on a date and be your boyfriend." It was done. He said it. Billy Hargrove finally confessed his feelings to you. You sat still for a minute then... you laughed? Oh no, you think he's a joke now don't you. 'Good job pussy, now she thinks you're an idiot' Billy thought embarrassingly.

"I would love to Billy." You said.

"What?" Billy snapped his head to you.

"I said yes." You said once more." Jeez, I thought you were proposing for a moment."

"Oh, well it might have been much." Billy felt the heat on his cheeks rise. Just then you stood and walked over to Billy. Placing your hand on his shoulder; leaning up to place a kiss on his cheek.

"How about tomorrow at seven." You said.

"I would love that, we can get dinner then go to a drive in if you want." Billy suggested.

"I would love that. Don't be late." You said as you walked up and into your house. Billy has never been more happy. He probably would have skipped home from excitement. When he entered his house Max saw the smile on his face. Well everyone in the house could, it was not like it was going away anytime soon.

"Did you do it?" Max asked.

"What?"

"Did you ask Y/n out or not?" Max said, elaborating.

"Shut up Max." Billy said before going off to his box filled bedroom.

"I am taking that as a yes." Max concluded. She was happy for him, but sad at the same time. He just told his crush his feelings then has to leave them. She is going to miss watching Billy fumble in front of you at times. At least he'll be a bit nicer to her in the next week. 'I'm gonna miss Y/N...' Max thought sadly.

Now being in Indiana, Billy was right it is a shit hole. His dad has been more on his case about watching Max and everything else in his life. The kids at school already cling to him; from being both new and from California. As Billy pulled into the high school parking lot for him and Max to get out at, he looked to Max.

"Alright shit-bird. Be out buy 3:45 or you're on your own." Billy pointed to her. She rolled her eyes to him.

"Fine." Max sassed to him as she got out of the car and slammed the door shut. Billy looked to his watch and saw he had a few minutes before he had to go in. He pulled his cigarettes out to take a quick drag. With said cigarette hanging from his lips Billy hastily looked for a lighter. Looking everywhere, then grabbing his sun visor in hopes he stashed it up there. Once the visor was flipped down and out something hell out of it. A polaroid. Not just any but the Polaroid you took on your first date with Billy. You took as many as you could in the week you and him had together. This polaroid being the only one he took with him when he moved. It was a picture of you and him in a booth at the restaurant he took you too with you giving him a kiss on the cheek. He remembers it like it was yesterday. You asked your waitress to take the photo for you; as Billy stood for the photo you grabbed his collar and placed the kiss on his cheek. The act causing both of you to bust in a fit of laughter right after. Billy wonders what you're doing right now. He wishes he was with you. Billy didn't realize that he was staring at the photo for to long till the first bell rang for school. Billy huffed carefully put the picture back into place, put his cigarette away got out of his car to make his way to school.

You'll always be his California dream.

#billy hargrove #billy hargove x reader #billy hargrove x fem reader #billy hargrove x gn!reader #steve harrington #robin buckley #stranger things #nancy wheeler #dustin henderson #billy hargove imagine #netflix #eddie munson #johnathan byers #vecna stranger things #fanfiction #max mayfield #eleven hopper #hawkins #childhood friends #troupe

[professorrw]

Cheerleader Pt. 2

☆stranger things masterlist☆

Pairing: female reader x Eddie Munson

Summary: Y/n and Chrissy are best friends, but when she dies, she knows things aren’t as everyone seems to think. Maybe Eddie is innocent.

Warnings: SPOILERS for ST4, teen drinking, partying, drugs, death, violence, cursing, fluff, potentially more

A/N: There's no Eddie in this part but don't worry guys!! I'm writing as fast as I can (this is unedited if you can tell) so you guys get Eddie as soon as possible. Don't fret! Next part Eddie should show up!! Requests open (Stranger Things, Marvel, Harry Potter), taglist open, inbox open! Please like, comment, and reblog!

Oh god. You knew it. You felt it. Why Chrissy? Why? She was the sweetest girl you knew and you had been best friends since your freshman year. She of all people didn’t deserve to die. She had been there for you in hard times, she was your shoulder to cry on, and you hers.

“Y/n?” Jason asked. You had completely forgotten that you were even on the phone. “Do you know anything? Anything at all?” Your mind swirled. You did know something, something that Jason didn’t know. Chrissy had gone to Eddie Munson’s house after the game. Is Eddie a suspect? Did Eddie kill Chrissy? Could Eddie kill Chrissy? You didn’t think so. Maybe you were crazy, but you just didn’t think that Eddie did this. But maybe he knew something or who did it.

“I- I don’t know. Did they say who did it? Is there a suspect?” you asked.

“You cannot repeat this to anyone, got it?” he asked.

You nodded, then realized he couldn’t see you. “Yes. I got it.”

“You know that freak Eddie? The police think he did it. It happened at his house. They think Chrissy is some drug dealer,” he spat. “We’re gonna find him though. The police don’t know where he is but we’ll get him.”

Without thinking you said, “I’m coming too.”

“I don’t think so. You need to stay at your house and stay safe.”

“Jason. Chrissy was my best friend. I. Am. Helping.” He didn’t need to see the facial expression you were making to know that you were serious and weren’t going to budge. You gathered some things and then met him thirty minutes later where the party was last night. Aiding in the search were two other basketball players, Andy and Patrick, and Lucas Sinclair, the freshman that scored the winning point last night. He seemed uneasy but who wouldn’t be with what just happened? So many thoughts were running through your head and you didn’t know what to focus on. You were so… confused.

“Do we have any leads?” you asked Jason. So far all you had done was sit around while Jason called people that might know where Eddie was. You didn’t know where Eddie was, but you wanted to know. You needed to talk to Eddie. Alone. You weren’t going to be able to if Jason and his goons beat him to a pulp. A plan was what you needed. You were going to have to find Eddie first. But how? You were no further ahead in the search than they were.

“We need to talk to his little freak friends in that cult. The one he’s the leader of. They’ll probably know where he is,” Chance said.

“You’re right. Let’s go boys.” He looked at you, “and girl.”

A couple minutes later you were pulling up to someone’s house. There were three people inside the garage, playing drums and guitars. You stayed near the back of the group with Lucas when you guys walked up to the garage.

“Show’s not till next week,” the drummer said, standing up and walking over.

“So that was music you were playing?” Andy asked sarcastically. You rolled your eyes. Basketball players at Hawkins thought they were the absolute shit.

Jason ignored his friend and told the three guys why we were here. “We’re looking for Eddie Munson. He’s in this band, if that’s what you can even call this.”

“What do you care?” the drummer asked. He looked at Jason with narrowed eyes.

“That’s our business.” Jason stood there like a stone wall, unmoving and unwilling to give up.

The drummer looked past Jason and set his eyes on the person standing next to you. “Lucas. What are you doing with these douchebags?”

Jason turned around and looked at Lucas. “You know these freaks, Sinclair?”

He hesitated and looked at the three guys. “Uh, they know my sister,” he said defensively. You didn’t believe that for one second, but you weren’t about to call him out. He continued with disgust, “They tried to recruit me to their club, cult.”

“Lucas, what the hell?” one of the guitarists asked. They were obviously shocked at how Lucas was acting. If you were in their place, you would be too. If Lucas truly was friends with them then he was being a pretty fake friend.

“We’re just trying to find Eddie, man,” Lucas finished.

“Well, you have eyes, don’t you? He’s not here,” the drummer said. There was a moment of silence before Jason suddenly lunged forward and punched him. You took multiple steps back, appalled at the behavior.

“What the hell?” you yelled. The two other basketball players that had come with Jason grabbed the other guys, while Jason grabbed a fistful of the flannel the drummer was wearing. You and Lucas stayed back and watched while the basketball captain questioned them. “Where is he?” Jason yelled.

“I don’t know!” he yelled back. Jason punched him again, this time in the stomach.

“JASON!” you screamed. “STOP!”

“Let him go man!” one of the guitarists yelled. He was being restrained and couldn’t do anything. Jason of course didn’t listen and threw the drummer into the drumset. Lucas stood next to you in distress, holding his hands behind his head watching the scene unfold.

“Jason, stop!” you yelled again as he put his foot on the guy's hand and started stepping down.

“It’s gonna be hard to play drums with a broken hand!”

“Ah! Dustin!” he yelled out.

“What?” Jason asked.

“Dustin Henderson!”

“What?” he asked again.

“Dustin Henderson! Man he was calling around looking for Eddie. Maybe he found him!”

“See now? That wasn’t so hard was it? Now where would we find this ‘Dustin?’” Jason finally let up on the drummer’s hand, and he let out a breath. Beside you, Lucas was looking very nervous. You could tell he was worried about something.

“Hey,” you whispered to him. “Do you know him?”

“Huh?” he jumped.

“Do you know that Dustin person?” you asked again.

“No. No I don’t.” His eyes darted around and he couldn’t seem to look you in the eye.

“You can be honest with me. I’m trying to find Eddie without these guys. I need to ask him some questions about last night. I know something that no one else knows,” you explained. It was a risk letting him know all these things, but if he was friends with Eddie’s friends then maybe you could trust him. Hopefully he wouldn’t betray you.

“What do you know?” he asked.

“Do you know Dustin?” you countered. You weren’t giving up any more information until he let you in on what he knew.

He stayed silent for a second and glanced at the group that was in the garage. He was obviously scared of them. You were too in a way, but you knew they wouldn’t physically hurt you. Drag your name through the mud, yes. But as long as you figured out what happened to Chrissy it wouldn’t matter.

“I’m not going to tell them. I just want to find out what happened to my friend,” you said softly.

He kept thinking for another moment before he finally gave in. “Fine. Yes, I do know Dustin. And this isn’t good. This isn’t good at all. I need to tell him.”

You nodded. “We’ll find a way.” You shut up whenever Jason and his lackeys started walking towards you.

“Looks like we’re going to Henderson’s house.”

You all piled into Jason’s Cherokee and drove across town to Dustin’s house. You and Lucas stayed in the car while the other three guys went up to the door.

“It doesn’t look like anyone's home,” you said.

“Yeah I don’t think so either. There’s a way to get in though. Around the back of the house. Dustin keeps his window unlocked. I can get into his bedroom and he’ll probably have his walkie-talkie with him so I can contact him,” Lucas said.

“Well what are we waiting for? Go!” you said, urging him out of the suv. He opened the door and you both scrambled to the side of the house. Lucas found the window and you helped him climb up and open it. You heard him fall to the floor when he got inside.

“Are you okay?” you called.

“Yeah!” he called back.

You could hear Lucas talking inside, presumably to Dustin. How, you weren’t entirely sure. Something about a walkie-talkie.

“Sinclair! Y/l/n!” you heard Jason yell.

“Fuck,” you cursed. Him and his goonies rounded the corner to the house and stomped towards you.

“What the hell are you guys doing?” he asked, crossing his arms and looking you in the eye.

“Lucas found a way in,” you explained.

“Uh-huh.” He walked up to the window, “Sinclair! Get out here!”

Lucas climbed through the window and jumped down onto the leaf covered ground with a crunch.

“What the hell were you doing?” Jason asked.

“I was- I was looking for clues,” Lucas answered.

“Clues?” Patrick, one of the basketball players, asked. “Does the freshman think he’s Sherlock Holmes or something?” Andy gave him a high five as they both snickered.

“You guys have such a great sense of humor,” you said dryly towards the two idiots.

“What crawled up your ass y/l/n? It was just a joke,” Andy said.

“A joke. Yeah. Are you aware that my best friend just died? That she was murdered? Do you think it’s the time to be making stupid jokes? Lucas was trying to help, so shut the hell up,” you snapped back. Andy glared at you but shut his mouth, just like you told him to.

“Let’s go guys,” Jason said. He was getting tired of standing around and getting absolutely nothing done. And so were you. You hadn’t had the chance to ask Lucas what he found inside Dustin's room. He must have gotten in contact with someone from all the talking he did. And how nervous he was acting now.

You started to walk away with the three basketball players but Lucas hesitated. “I found one,” he blurted out. You whipped your head around and stared at him. If he did find something he wasn’t really going to tell them was he? What happened to them trusting each other? “A clue,” he said, stepping forward and gaining some confidence. Internally you were glaring at him. Externally you just looked at him expectantly. “I know where Eddie’s hiding.” He looked between the three guys. “This little fucker,” you thought.

#eddie #eddie munson x fem!reader #eddie munson fluff #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson #stranger things season 4 #stranger things masterlist #stranger things fanfiction #stranger things #stranger things 4 #st4 spoilers #dustin henderson #max mayfield #eleven hopper #el hopper #mike wheeler #nancy wheeler #lucas sinclair #professorrw #fanfiction #myfanfiction #stranger things oneshot #stranger things fanfic #stranger things season four #st4 #steve harrington #robin and nancy #robin and steve #robin buckley #netflix stranger things

[eddiemunsons80sbaby]

Never Say Never

Chapter 18

Pairing: SingleDad!StevexReader

Summary: You are a 32 year old single mother, raising your seven year old son on your own. After being widowed at 30 and going out on awful dates with disgusting men for the past month, you have decided that you're giving up. You already had your great love. One person can't possibly get lucky enough to have two in their lifetime. But then your son starts playing baseball and the coach might just change your mind about that.

No posting schedule.

18+ only for eventual smut

Word Count: 7K

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

Steve stood frozen as he took in the tears running down your cheeks, your knees sunk into the grass, your hand pressed next to the name carved into the stone. 

Justin Keith Randall

Beloved Son, Husband, and Father

1963-1994

What in the hell was he doing? He’d intruded on your conversation with your dead husband. He’d cut right into what was obviously an emotional moment for you. He’d shattered this very private heartbreak for you, coming in like a baseball bat colliding with a window. Had he really thought that following you to the cemetery was a good idea? 

“Steve? What…what are you doing here?” you asked, your brows meeting in the middle in confusion. 

Good question. What was he doing here? After his chat with Nancy, he’d been so desperate to talk to you, to make things right, to apologize for being the jerk who’d walked away from you at the hospital and then hadn’t even bothered to check on you. When you weren't home and Lucas told him where you'd gone, he hadn’t even stopped to think through what he was about to do. Hadn’t even considered why following you there was a bad idea. He hadn’t even contemplated why you might be in a cemetery, whose grave you might be visiting. He’d just gotten in his car. 

“I wanted to talk to you. I mean…” He gritted his teeth, hands coming to his hips, wincing at his own stupidity. Now he had to backpedal, get himself out of this, not appear to be the heartless jerk who hadn’t considered your feelings again. “I showed up at your house first but you weren’t there. Max was out with Eli practicing the skateboard and Lucas told me they were watching him because you’d gone to the cemetery. And so I came here…to talk to you…but now I’m thinking that was a really stupid idea. Obviously, this is not the place or the time. Clearly you wouldn’t want me to be here. I didn’t mean to…I’m sorry. Jesus, I’ll just…”

He turned to go but your voice, quavering and soft, saying his name, stopped him. You rose to your feet as he turned back to you, brushing your knees off of the dirt and grass that was clinging to your jeans. 

Pushing your hair back off your shoulders, you faced him, and even in this state, broken and grieving, you were beautiful. The red, swollen eyes, the grass stained knees, the sadness etched into every facet of your face did not take away from how absolutely stunning this woman was. It took every ounce of self control he had not to pull you into his arms, to hold you until he could take all of that hurt away. 

“I didn’t mean to interrupt. I should have known…when Lucas said you were at the cemetery…obviously you were here to see your husband. I feel like such a dick right now. I shouldn’t have come. I’m sorry.”

“No. No. It’s okay,” you insisted, shaking your head. 

Your arms wrapped around your stomach, that familiar gesture he’d seen both you and Eli use, as if you could hold all your broken parts in, as if you could keep them from spilling out into a messy pile on the floor. It gutted him to know you'd both known such devastation that you'd had to learn to compartmentalize it. You looked so fragile, as if the smallest pressure would shatter you, and he couldn’t stop himself this time. Steve stepped into you, not touching, terrified you would rebuff him, but feeling the ache in his chest ease a bit at just being close enough to do so if you wanted that. 

“Are you alright?” he asked, worried that he was the cause of your tears and sadness. Had he ruined any shot he had with you? What kind of guy just disappeared on the girl he loved for four days after she’d been in the hospital? What kind of guy disappeared on the girl he loved for four days, period? What kind of guy didn’t even call to check in on you, knowing the struggles you dealt with on a daily basis? 

Those pretty pink lips pressed together as you nodded, “Yeah. I’m alright. I was actually going to try to come talk to you when I was done here so I guess you saved me the ride.”

“Oh. You were?” Did that mean you'd been planning to come to fix things or end things? He wasn’t sure he wanted the answer but it was too late now. He would find out where he stood one way or the other.

“Yeah. Steve, I’m so sorry,” you cried, the tears falling from your eyes once again and all he wanted to do was stop them. He couldn’t bear to watch you shed another tear because of him. 

“No, no…I’m the one who should be sorry.” His hands wrapped around your arms, giving in to the gnawing need to feel you, leaning down to catch your gaze. “I was such a jerk, honey, and I am so sorry. I just…I got scared. I got scared because I thought you didn’t want me. I thought you didn’t see a future with me.”

That little furrow appeared between your eyebrows again. “But I told you I did. I said forever. I used those exact words.”

“I know you did but when you had an attack after I talked about moving in together…well, I thought maybe you were rethinking everything. Maybe you weren’t seeing a future with me. Maybe being slapped in the face with the reality of what that meant, you didn’t want it anymore. I thought maybe you were going to end things and I…I was a coward. I didn’t want to give you the chance to do it so I didn’t give it to you. And I felt like I was the reason you wound up in the hospital in the first place. I swore I wouldn’t push you to do anything you weren’t ready for but there I was, pushing, just like I always do, and I didn’t want to cause you to have another attack. I don’t know. My brain was in a million places at once and I just took the coward’s way out and avoided you. Hell, I even sent Nancy to pick up Jeremiah so I wouldn’t run into you at the school.”

“Yeah, I noticed that.”

Steve’s arms pulled back, fingers running through his hair in agitation. This conversation was not going at all the way he’d planned. He’d thought it all out in the car, all the things he wanted to say to you, how to get you to understand. But now, standing in front of you, none of it was going the way he’d planned. His words were coming out a jumbled mess as his nerves took over, his fear that this wouldn’t work and you would simply walk away from him. 

“Look…I have never felt like this before, okay? I’m thirty-two years old. I’ve dated a lot of women in my life.”

“Thanks for that reminder,” you muttered, crossing your arms, kicking the grass with the toe of your shoe, your eyes downward. 

“No. That’s not…my point is, I’ve never had a woman make me feel the way I do when I’m with you. I wish I could explain it but I don’t even have words for it. You make me crazy, but like, in the best way possible. You make me want to be the best version of myself. It’s something I’ve been working on for a long time but I’ve never wanted to work harder than I do for you. You’re everything and when you…when the thought of us living together caused you to have anxiety, I was afraid that I was about to lose everything I’ve wanted my whole life. And I was afraid because I thought I had caused it. King Steve royally fucking everything up again because I got too attached too fast. And I know I do that. I know I do but this isn’t like that. I’m not too attached or pushing or wanting to be close to you because of my fucked up childhood. It’s because with you I see everything I want. With you I see the future I want and I just want to start it as soon as possible. I don’t want to miss out on any time with you because I love you. I am completely in love with you and it scares the shit out of me because I don’t really think I’ve ever really been in love before you.”

Your eyes were wide, soaking him in, your mouth parted as if the words were there but just not coming out. You looked back at the headstone behind you and then at him, a subtle reminder that you had been in love before. You had your great love and his hands trembled at the thought that you might not have any more room for another one. 

“Steve, you didn’t cause anything. None of it was your fault. I wasn’t…my anxiety sometimes has no rhyme or reason. I hate it. I hate that even a serious conversation could mean me having a complete meltdown. I don’t want you to be scared to talk to me about stuff. I hate that when you mentioned us moving in together it sent me to the hospital. I hate that it caused you to avoid me. It’s so damn frustrating and I wish I could handle things like other people do.”

“No. It’s okay. You just said that you hadn’t had attacks that bad for a long time. Well, until you met me. And I assumed that maybe I was doing something wrong. Maybe I was causing you stress.”

“You do but not like you think you do,” you groaned, your hands flying through the air before covering your face. “I wish I could give you one solid reason for why it happens but I can’t. The oddest things can bring it on. And it’s not everything. Sometimes I’m fine but sometimes I’m not and I don’t know. You asked about staying over and all your reasons made sense but it’s something that worries me because of Eli…”

“Hey, hey.” Steve stepped into you, his hands cradling your face. “We don’t have to do anything you’re not ready for. I won’t bring any of it up again. I won’t push. You tell me when you’re ready. You can make all of the decisions going forward.”

“No Steve,” you sighed, your hands wrapping around his forearms and his heart sunk. Here it came. This was the moment where you told him no, you didn’t want this, didn’t want him. This was the moment you told him it was over, leaving him broken like the box of old toys in the garage. “I don’t want to make all of the decisions. I don’t want you to feel like you can’t share how you feel or ask me questions.” You gently pulled his hands away from your face, stepping to the side, pressing your fingers against your forehead.

“I just want to do what you need, honey. I don’t want to ever cause you anxiety.”

“But that’s just it. You will. You will cause me anxiety, Steve,” you huffed, tossing your hands in the air in frustration. “There’s no way of avoiding that in a relationship.”

“I can try. I mean, I know you probably came here to talk to Justin because I made you feel awful. You probably needed to feel close to the guy who didn’t do that to you and I get it. I just disappeared and I’m a shit for it. I should have talked to you, checked on you. I’m a shit for pushing you into something you’re not ready for. I’m a…”

“Steve! Stop,” you pleaded, your hands held in front of you before covering your eyes. Dropping them to your sides, you looked skyward and inhaled, releasing it slowly before looking at him. “Please. Just stop and listen. I didn’t come here to talk to Justin because you were a shit. I didn’t come here because he never made me awful. Christ, Steve, of course he did and I did it to him. We’re human. Humans tend to do that to each other from time to time. I didn’t come for any of those reasons. I came to say goodbye.”

“Goodbye?” he asked, wondering how you could say goodbye to someone who’d already been gone for two years. Hadn’t you already done that? But he didn’t voice it, not wanting to be insensitive to whatever reason had brought you to your husband’s grave. 

“Yes. I had a long talk with Janice at the hospital while you were downstairs, before you even came up. She helped me realize some things, to see things that I was doing without even knowing I was doing them. And then I called my therapist on Monday and she squeezed me in because of the severity of my attack.”

“That’s…I mean, that’s good, right?”

“Yeah. It was. We talked about a lot of stuff, stuff I didn’t realize I was doing. Losing Justin was the worst thing that has ever happened to me. It completely destroyed me. It felt like the floor had been ripped out beneath me and I was just swallowed into this dark pit of anger and despair. I never thought I would claw my way out of it. The attacks started soon after that. They would come on for no reason…or at least that’s what it seemed like. My therapist helped me see that they came on when anything reminding me of Justin popped up. It would be the smallest things. The neighbors would have pizza delivered, his favorite food, and I would be curled into a ball on the floor. I would catch a whiff of the cologne he used and I would be hyperventilating in the middle of the store. Our song would play on the radio and I would have to pull over because I thought I was having a heart attack. Once we realized why it was happening, she started to give me tools to help in the moments when it did. She started me on meds. After a year, I thought I was doing okay. I thought I was letting it all go and moving forward with my life.”

“You are doing okay,” Steve assured you. “You’re doing amazing. I am in constant awe of your strength and perseverance. You went through something devastating, something that would have shattered someone else, and you’re still standing.”

“I am. And I am not going to dismiss that fact. I’m really proud of how far I’ve come. Eli is the one thing that really kept me upright because I knew I had to be his mom. I had to be there for him even when I couldn’t be there for myself. But what I didn’t realize was that I hadn’t really let go. I was still holding onto Justin because…because I was scared that if I didn’t, that I was saying that what we had meant nothing. And it meant something. It meant everything. I didn’t want to just forget him. I didn’t want to just move on. I felt like he deserved so much more than that but in doing that, I wasn’t allowing myself to live.” 

You lifted your left hand, turning it to face him, a pale line where your wedding ring used to be. Steve had noticed that you still wore it. Of course he had. How wouldn’t he notice that the woman he was falling for was wearing another guy’s ring? But the circumstances were complicated. You weren't wearing some guy’s ring that you'd left, that was still out there on the fringes, a threat looming that he could just swoop back in and you'd be gone. You were wearing a ring of a man you'd loved and had taken from you, a man who wouldn’t have left, wouldn’t have walked away. How could he say anything? So he hadn’t. He’d never shared that it bothered him a bit every time that glint of gold and gems caught his eye.

“I was still wearing my ring. It never even occurred to me to take it off, not even after we started dating and I knew it was something serious. I think because I still felt like I was married. I didn’t choose this. He didn’t choose this. We didn’t sign papers and hire lawyers and decide to part ways. It was forced upon us. I think the anxiety attack came on because next week is going to be the two year anniversary of when we lost him. And I…I don’t know if forgot is the right word but it wasn’t in the forefront of my mind like it was last year. My therapist…well, and Janice,” you snorted, rolling your eyes, “think my subconscious, that guilt I’ve never really let go of, took over in that moment because you make me so happy. And you making me happy makes me feel guilty because I feel like I am somehow betraying him. And I know that’s silly. He’s not here. I’m not cheating. I’m not doing anything wrong. But there’s also Eli and I am so scared for him to get his little heart broken again. He already loves you so much and he wants you to be his dad so much and I don’t think he could handle losing another one.”

Steve’s synapses were firing with your confession of everything that had been tormenting you since all of this began. It was a lot to take in and he was struggling to focus on more than just the part where you said you were happy, the part where you were considering him to be a potential father figure to your son. Because that part let him know that you weren't walking away, that you were as deeply entrenched in this as he was. He searched for the right words, feeling like it had never been more important to get this right, to say the right thing. 

“Honey, I understand all of that. But I have to believe that your husband, knowing you and how amazing you are, and knowing the little bit that you’ve told me about him, would want you to be happy. And as for Eli, I have no intentions of going anywhere. I want this. I’ve told you. I am completely in.”

“I know that. I know you are. And so am I. I wanted to stay the night with you, Steve. I want to spend every night with you. I wasn’t even looking for anything when you came along. I’d gone on a few bad dates with guys from a dating site only because Janice pushed me to, and I wanted to get her off my back, but I wasn’t really looking. I’d resigned myself to being alone because I never thought I would find something like I had with Justin again. But then here you came and you made me question everything. You made me question if I was ready. You made me question my belief that no person can get lucky enough to find happily ever after twice. You made my son so happy. You made me so happy. You made me smile again. You made me laugh again. You made me feel alive again and I mean…how is that not worth the risk? I want to be with you, Steve. I want it all with you. I want to spend my nights and my mornings with you. I want to move in together someday. I want to be a family with our boys together. And yeah, you’re right. It is soon but we’re not fifteen year old kids who are blinded by our hormones. I know it’s you that I want in my life. In such a short time, it just feels right. It just feels like it’s the way it’s supposed to be. You make so much sense. You just fit in my life. But if that’s all too much for you right now, I understand. I know you don’t want your space invaded. I understand if you need some distance to breathe in this relationship but I just needed you to know how I feel. Because I don’t want you to ever have to doubt it again.”

“But…I didn’t mean any of that shit.”

“What?”

“Honey, I want you to invade my space, all of my space. Go ahead and take it all up. I only said that because I thought it’s what you wanted. I thought you were freaking out that I’d even mentioned you spending the night with me, let alone moving in together. I panicked and I said it and it was stupid but I never meant it.”

“You…you didn’t?” 

You sounded so hopeful and it just made him want to flog himself. These last four days could have been avoided if he hadn’t been such a dingus, as Robin liked to call him. If he’d hung around just long enough for you to explain then neither of you would have had to go through all this uncertainty. What was Nancy always telling him? Communication was key. Obviously, because this miscommunication had almost cost him the best thing that had come into his life since Jeremiah.

“No. God no. I would lock you in my house and never let you go if I could.” He stepped into you, his arms wrapping around you, folding you against him, relishing the way you just melted into his embrace. His lips brushed against your forehead. “Honey, I love you. I don’t want distance. I don’t need to breathe.”

You laughed, “Actually, you kind of do.”

“Okay, yeah, I do, but being with you makes me feel like I can breathe. I want this too. I want it all. And we don’t have to rush anything. But maybe we could start with staying together tonight? Jeremiah’s already at your place. I left him with Lucas and Max so I could talk to you alone. We can talk to the boys first and see how they feel about it.”

You tilted your head back, smiling up at him, “Yeah. I think that sounds like a great idea.”

“Good.” His lips found yours, the moment they touched was a sigh of relief, his body relaxing into the kiss, having you right back where you belonged. 

____________________________________________________________

Four weeks came and went in what felt like the blink of an eye. May had been there and gone, with so many activities to fill up the spaces on your calendar in the kitchen. From baseball games to the end of year picnic to field day, you felt like you'd barely turned the page on your calendar and you were already turning it again. Already you were in the middle of June and the boys were taking advantage of every moment of their summer break.

You and Steve had settled into a pleasant rhythm. The boys had been more than okay with the idea of sleeping at each other’s houses. They had been more than okay, giddy even, at the idea of you and Steve sleeping in the same bed. Those devious little grins shared between the two of them, marking their pride in their own role in the current situation. You were sure they were already plotting the next step, feeling this was just the beginning of everything they’d been working toward since that night at the ice rink.

On nights when Steve had Jeremiah, you stayed over at Steve’s house so Jere could have all of his things. On nights that he didn’t, Steve had been staying over at your place. You'd thought Eli may find it strange to have Steve there without Jeremiah but he didn’t seem to mind at all. He still had a playmate, just in adult form, as Steve would challenge him to video games and endless rounds of Uno, hours playing catch in the yard, and he loved helping Steve with anything around the house. 

Every fear and uncertainty you'd had about moving forward, about getting your son’s hopes up, your own hopes up, had been completely unfounded. Because taking the next step, being a part of each other’s days and nights, had only made everything infinitely better. On the rare nights you didn’t spend together, you found yourself tossing and turning, reaching for the warmth of a body that wasn’t there.

It didn’t happen often but Steve had to travel a couple times for work. This new development was taking up a lot of his time and he’d had meetings with companies for supplies they needed that took him out of town. Last week he’d been gone for three days and you had been pacing the floor, anxious for him to appear on the doorstep, missing him more than you’d miss your own arm if it went missing. You pounced, almost knocking him to the ground as you leapt into his arms, the moment the front door opened, that familiar shape appearing in the doorway.

Now you were pacing around the house, anxious for an entirely different reason. You'd already cleaned the house from top to bottom, weeded the garden, done laundry, and no longer had anything to keep your nervous hands busy. Fluffing the pillow you’d already fluffed four times, your eyes looked up at the clock. Your parents were going to be arriving at any moment and they were going to be meeting Steve for the first time. 

It really shouldn’t make you anxious. Your parents loved everybody. Justin had a far easier time with his in-laws than you’d had with yours. They’d adored him from the minute they’d laid eyes on him, probably before, because their version had always been as long as you were happy, they were happy. But your mom and dad, while they were two of the best parents anyone could ask for, could be a bit overwhelming when you didn’t know them. You just hoped Steve knew what he was in for. 

A hand came up, wrapping around your arm gently, “Put the pillow down.”

You sighed, dropping it to the couch. That hand spun you, strong arms wrapping around your waist, pulling you into a firm chest. All the tension oozed right out of you now that you were in your favorite place, your safe space. Steve pressed a gentle kiss to your forehead, those hazel eyes twinkling amusedly. 

“You have got to relax. This is going to be fine. I told you. Parents absolutely love me. I’m not worried so you shouldn’t be worried, okay?” His hands locked at the small of your back, a gentle kiss to the tip of your nose. “The house looks great. I’ve got the spare ribs marinating in the fridge. The potatoes are baking in the oven. The boys are all showered and primped with strict instructions to stay inside until after the grandparents have seen how nice they look. You look amazing…” He growled playfully, head dipping into the curve of your neck, inhaling deeply. “You smell amazing.” A playful nip to your ear that had you squealing. “We’re totally ready.”

“I know. I know.” Your head fell back, a soft gasp escaping your lips as his mouth explored the column of your throat. “I just hope you’re ready for this. My parents…” Your fingers speared past the nape of his neck into his hair as those lips found their way between your breasts, exploring the skin your top didn’t conceal. “My parents will love you. They just love a little…aggressively.”

“Mmm…aggressive love can be fun, you know,” he murmured. You could feel the smile against your skin before his fingers pulled the v-neck of your top to the side and his teeth sunk into the curve of your breast that spilled out from the cup of your bra. His other hand cupped your ass, pressing you against his very obvious erection.

“Jesus Steve.” His tongue traced your bottom lip, heat pooling between your thighs, leaving you to wonder if you had time, if you could manage to hide from the boys. You could be quick. You could…the sound of the doorbell quickly dashed any hopes of that plan. “Shit. They’re here.”

Steve moved to the bottom of the stairs to call the boys down while you made your way to the door, adjusting your top. You opened it to instantly be swept up in a group hug, your dad on one side and your mom on the other, your head smashed between theirs. The sound of footsteps barreling down the stairs let you know the boys had arrived. 

Your mom pulled back, eyes wide, grinning at the sight of the two kids standing in front of her. Opening her arms wide, she rushed at them both, pulling them into her sides as she exclaimed, “Oh, look at my beautiful boys!”

Steve’s eyebrows lifted toward you and you just shrugged back. But he didn’t have long to ponder your mother referring to his son as one of her boys before she was on him as well, enveloping him in a hug before taking his face in her hands. 

“Oh my goodness. You are quite beautiful yourself, aren’t you? No wonder my girl is so smitten. Who wouldn’t be with that hair and those eyes and…would you look at those eyelashes! Frank, have you ever seen such long eyelashes before? Good lord. What I wouldn’t give for a set of eyelashes like that. You must have had all the girls swaying on their feet in high school. Bet you still do.”

“Now Sally, give the boy some space to breathe,” Frank grumbled, dropping their bags onto the floor. “You haven’t even introduced yourself and you’re already fawning over his eyelashes.” 

He shared a knowing smile with you, neither of you surprised. Your mom had absolutely zero filter and no sense of personal space. The moment she met you, you were her best friend in the world. Your friends had all adored your mom when you were younger. Sally always felt like a friend instead of a parent, joining in the gossip, painting nails, taking you all shopping and to the movies. 

“It…it’s nice to meet you Mrs. Madden,” Steve stammered and you couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for him. You had tried to warn him and he’d insisted it was fine. But your mom could be suffocating, a blanket of warmth and love that would smother you until you couldn’t find any air. 

“Oh, none of that Mrs. nonsense,” she insisted, swatting at his arm. “You just call me mom. I mean…” She turned to you. “You are all a family now, aren’t you? So that makes you my family too. Oh, this is so exciting. I got another grandson and a son in one go.”

“I’m not your grandson, though.” Jeremiah’s statement wasn’t rude, just confused, wondering how this was all working.

“Well, you are now.” Sally walked over, dropping down to her knees in front of the boys. “I’m Eli’s grandma so now I’m your grandma too. I mean, if you’re okay with that, of course. You don’t have to call me grandma if you don’t want to. I know you already have a couple of those. You can just call me Sally if you’d prefer.”

Jeremiah looked at her and then at his dad. Steve smiled and that seemed to be the only confirmation he needed. With a shrug he said, “You can be my grandma too. I mean, most kids only get two but now I have three!”

Steve leaned down, his mouth at your ear as he whispered, “He means Joyce and Karen. He doesn’t really know my mom and honestly, that’s for the best.”

“Well, then I guess that makes me your Grandpa Frank,” your dad said, stepping forward, offering his hand to Jeremiah. The boy took it, shaking. “Wow. Strong grip there, kid, but that’s no surprise since my daughter’s told me what an amazing baseball player you are.”

Jeremiah beamed at you, “You told them I’m amazing?”

“Of course I did,” you replied with a smile. “Because you are. You and Eli both have done so well this season.”

“Yeah. We can’t wait to see you play on Saturday. Specially planned this trip just so we could catch a game,” Frank said. 

“Well, why don’t you all head into the living room and relax? I’m gonna grab the ribs from the fridge and get them on the grill,” Steve announced. 

“Well, I can help you out with that,” Frank offered, clapping a hand on his shoulder. “I don’t know if my daughter told you, but I’m a master griller. Won the rib-off three years in a row.”

Steve’s eyes widened, “Really? She failed to mention that. I guess the pressure’s on then for my ribs to be good enough.”

“Oh, no pressure son. I just like grilling.”

“I’ll get the salad going and pop the macaroni and cheese into the oven,” you told them. 

“Well, looks like we are not needed,” Sally smirked, one arm coming around each boy. “Now, tell me everything. I want to hear about school, baseball, girls.” When both boys ewwed, she laughed. “Oh, we’re not there yet, I see. Just give it some time.” 

____________________________________________________________

Will and Nolan had not been exaggerating when they said they would pull out all the stops for your parents. Your pants were digging into your stomach uncomfortably after enjoying course after course of delicious dishes. They were all Nolan’s specialties but someone else was preparing them tonight as he and Will were sitting at the long table with everyone else. 

This was your parent’s third night staying with you and it was not the first time they had met everyone that was currently sitting at this table. That had been yesterday at the baseball game when they’d been inundated with new faces. Luckily you had the kind of parents who were absolutely delighted, hugging every single person, excited to meet new people, wanting to know absolutely everything about their lives. 

Janice had even taken the opportunity after the game, while they were all enjoying ice cream cones at the park, to announce her pregnancy to the whole clan. Nancy had squealed as if her own sister had just shared the good news. Robin had hopped on her feet while El beamed, exclaiming how she loved babies, much to Mike’s apparent unease and everyone else’s amusement. 

“Oh Janice, we’re going to have to throw you the biggest shower,” Sally gushed and then winced. “Sorry. I’m probably overstepping. I am sure your own mom is handling everything, right?”

Your friend laughed, “Yeah. But she would love the help. My sister is driving her insane with all the phone calls and ideas. You know Krista, she just can’t help trying to run the show.”

“Sounds like someone I know,” snorted Steve, his eyes rolling pointedly toward Nancy. 

“Oh, haha,” she snorted, rolling up her straw wrapper and tossing it at him. “There’s nothing wrong with being organized. Someone in this group has to be responsible.”

“I’m responsible!” Lucas protested. “I’m an accountant. I mean, how much more responsible can you get?”

“You still think it’s funny to make fart noises with your armpit,” Max pointed out, her nose wrinkling in disgust. “You’re basically a man-shaped child.”

“Oh, because it’s so adult to skateboard,” Lucas snapped back.

Eli straightened up in his chair, “I think skateboarding is cool.”

“That’s right.” Max nodded, putting out her fist for the kid to bump. “You tell him, Eli.”

Sally looked absolutely delighted at the chaos around her, grinning as her head turned this way and that, following each conversation as it happened. You knew your mom had always wanted a big family but that had been dashed when she suffered complications after having you. Complications that wouldn’t allow her to have anymore kids. 

“And how long have you two been seeing each other?” your mom asked, turning to Robin and June, her chin resting in her palm, eyebrows bouncing with interest. 

“Oh…us…it’s really new. Only forty-three days.”

Your lips pressed together, your hand grabbing onto your glass of wine and taking a drink so you didn’t comment on Robin knowing the exact number of days. You didn’t want to embarrass your friend but damn, girl must be really far gone if she was counting out exactly how many days. You were far gone too but you couldn’t have told them days. Weeks? Yes but not down to the days.

June smiled at Robin, a look full of so much adoration that it even warmed your heart watching it. Maybe they were both in deep. That thought made you happy because Robin deserved this and so did June. June’s hand covered Robin’s on top of the table. 

“Aww, babe, you know how many days?” Robin flushed. “Best forty-three days of my life.” With a small laugh, she turned back to Sally. “Of course it took her friends asking me out for her. I was waiting, hoping that I wasn’t reading into things. I thought she might be interested but it was hard to tell when she wouldn’t even speak to me.”

“It was hard to speak to you! You’re so pretty,” Robin gushed. “You intimidated me. And to be fair, I didn’t know if you were into women. I mean, imagine if I would have asked you out and you wouldn’t have been. You would have been disgusted by me.”

“Oh please!” Sally exclaimed, her hands coming to her chest. “Do you know how flattered I would be if a woman hit on me? I mean, come on. Men will hit on anything with boobs. But if a woman hits on you, she genuinely thinks you’re attractive.”

“Do I need to be worried here, dear?” Frank teased, leaning in. Sally swatted him with her napkin, laughing. 

“So, now I have three grandmas!” Jeremiah exclaimed from where he sat down the table between Eli and Dustin. “I mean, how cool is that? How many kids can say they have three grandmas?”

“That is pretty cool,” Dustin agreed. “I only have one.” He shrugged. “I mean, I have two but since I don’t know my dad, I don’t know that grandma. So she had to exist for me to be sitting here but…”

“Does that mean I have three grandmas, too?” interrupted Eli, his face turning to you. 

Before you could answer, Karen leaned over the table, winking at him, “You are even luckier because you have four grandmas, kiddo. You have your Grandma Judith and your Grandma Sally. And now you have Grandma Karen and Grandma Joyce.”

“That’s right, kid,” Joyce agreed, tossing him a wink. “I’m afraid if you’re going to have Steve around, then we all come along with the package.”

“I hope you’re okay with having a Grandpa Hop, too,” Hopper added, raising his beer. 

“So…so I have four grandmas and three grandpas!” Eli’s eyes were wide, a smile stretching from ear to ear. “That’s more than like any kid has ever had, ever!”

“Not to mention a bunch of aunts and uncles,” Lucas told him. 

“Yeah, Eli. You just inherited a whole family,” Dustin said, gesturing around the very full table. 

“Wow! That’s a lot of birthday presents!” Eli declared, causing a round of laughter from the table.

“Yeah, and we don’t play when it comes to presents,” Will stated.

Nolan snorted, “Seriously. Your Uncle Will has no self control when it comes to shopping. He would bankrupt us if I didn’t control him.”

Jeremiah’s face crinkled, his brow furrowing as he considered all the words being spoken at the table. He appeared to be in serious thought and then he looked down at you. 

“So…so are you like my mom now, too? Do I have two moms?”

Your stomach clenched, your hand gripping the edge of the table as your eyes darted over to Nancy, hoping the woman was not offended by his question. You had never been trying to replace her, ever. Jeremiah had a mom and you were fine just being you to him. Besides, you and Steve weren’t even living together. You weren’t married. This was all just…you didn’t know what this was but it seemed a bit soon for this discussion. Even though the boys had talked about marriage, it felt different doing it in front of everyone.

Nancy smiled at her son, “If someday you would like to call her mom too, that’s okay with me. She’s going to be a big part of your life now.”

“But you don’t have to,” you assured him. “I can just be Y/N.”

“Yeah, like I’m just Jonathan,” his stepdad told him. “You don’t call me dad because Steve is your dad and that’s okay. You still love me, right?”

“Yeah. I do, a lot.”

“So…I just call you Steve?” asked Eli.

Steve looked at you for help but you had none to give. You weren't sure what to say or where this was going. This was really up to Steve and without you even living together, it seemed an insane question. But Eli was seven and he’d been wanting this for a while. It didn’t surprise you that he was asking. He’d been trying really hard to make Steve his dad for months.

“Well, you also have a dad,” Steve finally answered. “But if someday, you think you would like to call me dad, I would be honored, kid. Really, I would. Nothing would make me happier, Eli. But I don’t ever want you to feel like you have to. I can just be Steve too. It can be whatever you’re comfortable with.”

“Damn honey, you snagged yourself a good one,” your mom whispered in your ear. “Don’t let that one go.”

“I don’t plan on it.”

Steve’s hand found your knee, squeezing gently and you laid your head on his shoulder. He pressed a kiss to the top of your head and you sat, content and happy, watching everyone you loved laugh and talk and eat together. 

“I love you.” It was the softest whisper, caressing the shell of your ear. 

A soft smile tilted the corners of your mouth, “I love you too.”

Yeah. This was happiness. This was love. This was your second chance at happily ever after, not just with Steve, but with every single person sitting around this table. They’d given you and your son a sense of belonging, a sense of peace, and a sense of safety. You were absolutely at peace with the idea of this being her forever. 

Chapter 19

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[planetsteddie]

ꫝ꠸ᦓ ᧁ꠸᥅ꪶ♡

pairing(s): eddie munson x fem!reader

summary: In which, eddie wasn't the one to show up at his door the night of chrissy's death and first drug deal.

WARNING(S)!!!: fluff, cursing, and barely any dialogue

(chrissy's death didn't happen)

(we are going to pretend that instead of eddie driving her to his trailer she walked or biked idfk)

⳾*⑅*❀⑅*❀⑅*❀⑅*❀⑅*❀⑅*⳾

At Eddie's trailer, y/n and said boy were fast asleep in his bed. She had spent the previous night and stayed. Y/n cuddled further into Eddie, burrowing her head into the crook of his neck.

The boy mumbled in his sleep and continued to cuddle his girlfriend, completely forgetting about some business he was supposed to take care of.

While the happy and comfortable couple were sleeping, Chrissy had pulled up to the front of Eddie's trailer. She nervously let in a breath, trying to calm her heart rate. She got off her bike living it in the grass and walked up to the lit porch of the Munson's trailer.

Bringing her fist shakily to the door, she knocked hesitantly.

Slightly hearing the knocking, the half-asleep couple groaned at the person at the door at such an hour. Y/n lifted her head up a bit to look at Eddie was quite literally passed the fuck out.

She rolls her eyes and slaps his chest, the action does nothing. Said girl groggily gets up from the comfort of her boyfriend's chest and bed. Walking out the room, she peeks out the window to see who's at the door.

Confused she opens the door to the one and only Chrissy Cunningham. Y/n was extremely confused as to why such a girl was on 'this' side of town let alone at Eddie 'The Freak' Munson's trailer.

She looks at the girl still tired. She sighs and covers her eyes from the exposure of light.

Chrissy stands there surprised to see a girl in a Hellfire shirt (preferably Eddie's) at the door. She opens her mouth to say something still shocked and still quite nervous, "Who are you?"

Y/n stares at the shocked and confused girl. Said girl yawns and replies, " Y/n L/n, Eddie's girlfriend. What are you doing here?"

Chrissy doesn't know how to say she's here for drugs. She knows that if anyone found out that she was buying drugs let alone spending an inch of her time with Eddie. She would be ruined.

Y/n looked at the cheerleader waiting for an answer. The cheer captain shook her head and responded, "Um...Eddie told me to meet him here for.. the um-" she was cut off by Y/n understanding " Oh wow! I'd never thought I'd see the day where a cheerleader was buying drugs nonetheless from Eddie."

She tilts her head back and says, "Come on in princess. I'll wake up Eddie so he can get your 'goods' "

The blonde walked into the Munson residence looking around. She stays smack dab in the middle of the trailer.

(or where she was standing in the episode)

Y/n walked off to her boyfriends room to find him still sleeping like a baby. She admired him for a mere second and then rolled her eyes and walked up to him. She started to shake trying to get him up.

Y/n was never one to be gentle especially when she's annoyed and tired.

"Eddie get the fuck up."

As a response he groaned and threw the blanket over his head.

She sighed and shook as roughly as she could. It didn't do shit. Y/n huffed and slouched until an idea came to mind.

She smirked at her idea. Climbing on top of him and planting herself on his legs. She leaned down and began too.........

tickle him...

Eddie immediately responded with a laugh. He started to wheeze. He tried to stop her and repeatedly said, "Ok..Ok! I'm up. Jesus H. Christ I'm up."

Chrissy hears the laughter of the supposed 'Freak Couple' and smiles.

Y/n still planted on his wraps her arms around his neck and plays with his hair. Oh how she loved his long, dark, luscious locks. She whispered in his ear, "Miss. Prissy Pants is here for a deal."

His eyes widened in remembrance. He picked her up and she tightened her legs around him while he looked for 'the goods'.

He finally found it rushed out of his room while still keeping her safely around his torso. Walking to Chrissy slightly out of breath from running around. "There you go princess. Pleasure doing business with ya."

Chrissy smiled at the boy and his girl.

Walking out of the trailer and off the porch. She picked up her bike and rode back home.

The couple walked back (more like Eddie) to the bedroom and plopped down on the bed. Eddie on top of Y/n started planting multiple kisses all over his face.

She laughed at him and with him.

All Chrissy thought about was that...

They are the perfect couple

Meanwhile with Eddie and Y/n. The two cuddled up in bed slowly regaining the sleep they lost.

They both muttered small 'I love you's' to each other and fell asleep with a smile on their face.

⳾*⑅*❀⑅*❀⑅*❀⑅*❀⑅*❀⑅*⳾

i know short but cute

i love eddie so much he's just soooooo adorable

#eddie munson #st4 vol1 #fluff #eddie munson x fem!reader #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson x y/n #chrissy cunningham #strange things #vecna #the hellfire club #steve harrington #robin buckley #nancy wheeler #dustin henderson #mike wheeler #eleven hopper #jane hopper #jim hopper #will byers #lucas sinclair #max mayfield