#shot of max in lucas’ arms with el by her side and the blue light bouncing off their blood-and-tear-soaked faces

[robinsteve]

“lucas, i’m scared. i’m so scared. i’m so scared. i don't wanna die. i’m not ready. i don't wanna go! i’m not ready.” if the duffers kill max in s5 after that we will be having words.

#not only would it destroy the message of hope and perseverance in the face of personal struggles- the message that’s been a consistent #thread through all four seasons- it would make max’s first “death” scene incredibly pointless when it could have been #so impactful had it been real #obviously i very much want max alive and healthy and happy but there’s something so cinematic and so awe-inspiring about that #shot of max in lucas’ arms with el by her side and the blue light bouncing off their blood-and-tear-soaked faces #before the camera draws back and begins to spin over them... anyway. my point is: #i will be very angry if they end up killing max via coma when they had OPTIONS. well. one option. but it was a really extraordinary option. #her death in s5 despite /everything/ would cheapen the final season immensely and would come off as almost laughably #desperate- but above all so so CRUEL to max and her friends #if she can't live and she can't just die in the attic don't prolong her and her friends' suffering for a far less impactful departure #and furthermore if she can’t live don’t purposefully degrade the meaning and remove the consequences #of a visually and emotionally stunning moment to string along viewers who want to know if max is going to be okay either!!!! #they're already on thin ice from the whole 'el revives max' thing (which i will expand upon in another post) but i've made my peace with it #because it kept max alive and it would actually tear me in two if she died for real but even so. thin fucking ice. to drag max over to #another season after all of that fragile ice walking- only to pass on resolving her arc in a careful way- would be devastating. #in terms of emotional and visual impact we have ‘max actually dying in the creel attic’ up /here/ #(imagine my hand hovering slightly above my hairline) #‘max pulling through the coma and learning to survive and thrive’ right /here/ (hand at eyeline) #and ‘max dying at the hospital’ allllll the way down /here/ (hand at stomach) #which would really fucking SUCK #to be clear i think she’s going to pull through the coma (thank god) because a) the duffers are cowarddddds and b) narrative reasons that #i don’t have enough time energy or tag space to elaborate on #but i also have trust issues from this season so i can envision a scenario in which they metaphorically pull the rug out from under #us and we all riot at dawn together <3 #max mayfield #stranger things #s4 spoilers #** #millie talks #st 4

[nancyqueerler]

Nancy has to babysitter all the kids while Steddie go to buy more food and drink for movie night. Mike asks for sweets and Nancy says no, then Lucas, then Dustin, and ends with Robin who Nancy raises her eyebrows at, so ready to tackle the taller girl down.

Later when the boys are playing DnD to kill time while waiting for Steddie, Max gets up to get some water for El and herself, but on the way to the kitchen, she hears some noises and finds Nancy giving Robin a chocolate bar with a "this is annoying I'm giving up" expression because Nancy's whipped for Robin and can't stand a Robin pouting in the corner because she doesn't get to eat sweets.

Nancy swore her eardrums were bleeding. Cacophonies of childrens' voices drilled in through the canal, scratching till it left nothing but a buzz.

"For the love of..." She dug her nose into her hands, middle fingers curling against her eyes' inner corners. "I'm not going to make it through tonight."

Movie night. Every full moon, all kids and all older teens gather around in the pit that is the Wheeler's basement, to sink their eyes through the white-blue screen of the clunky television balanced on a crooked table.

And although Nancy adored those nights when the room would bubble up in a butterfly-inducing warmth, anything before that time was just utter chaos. Kids sprinting up and down the house, arguing till their throats went raw; clutter accumulating wherever they set foot; and, last but not least, since Nancy was the most competent out of all the teens, she was the first the kids would go to when they desired something.

"Nancy, can you please just tell us where you put the candy?" Mike whined, stretching over the dining table with a pout.

"You're hyper enough as it is! Drink some water instead or something. " Nancy rested her head between her arms on the table. A headache was slowly seeping in from the side of her brain, and the constant chatter that resounded off the walls was not aiding.

Mike nagged and fussed, but Nancy just about had it. Keeping a leveled mood was starting to become a difficult task.

"Mike, I swear to—"

"Hey, Nance!" Lucas curled a fist around the back of Mike's chair, a closed-eyed smile stretching his face. Nancy hadn't even caught onto his presence.

"Lucas..." A suspicion laced her thin, exhausted tone. "Don't."

"Don't what?" Feigned innocence, pretty on his mouth, drenched his words.

"I already said no to Mike; you're not getting any candy." Lucas's posture fell, and he rolled his dark eyes with a click of his tongue. He slapped the back of Mike's head, to which the boy playfully returned. Both scurried off, passing light fists at each other. Lucas locked Mike's head under his arm, and Nancy couldn't keep the fondness out from her lips.

But then Dustin walked on in, taking Mike's seat.

"Dustin, not you too." Nancy's eyebrows fell. Dustin shrugged his lips, twiddling with his thumbs over the table.

"Really not gonna give us that candy?" Dustin looked sheepish, and Nancy would have caved had she not reminded herself of the chaos that ensued when she had given up the sweets before.

It sent a cold shiver down her spine.

Nancy shook her head, and Dustin left with his head hung low over to Lucas and Mike. She was thankful that Max, Eleven, and Will did not seem to want to take a shot at her for the candy.

Still, the noisemakers were not planning on dialing down their voices any time soon.

Robin made an appearance from upstairs, recently awakened from her two-hour long nap. She pulled out a chair beside Nancy and dropped her head down on the table.

"Hey," she mumbled, lips barely parting. Nancy dragged the girl's loose hair to behind her ear.

"Did you sleep well?" she teased, and Robin smiled a tiny smile. She hummed, easing into her girlfriend's gentle touch.

"You look tired, though. These kids drive you mad already?" Robin folded her arms, lifted her head, and placed it over her forearms.

"Like you wouldn't believe. Kept asking me for sweets, but there's no way I'm fueling their hyperactivity." Nancy breathed out, still brushing delicate fingers across Robin's wild hair.

"... Sweets?" Robin perked up slightly, and Nancy felt a nerve get pricked at the back of her neck.

"You better not, Buckley," Nancy warned, yet still running her fingers down Robin's scalp.

"Then you shouldn't have mentioned it." Robin stuck her tongue out, eyes set on taking in Nancy's pretty features. "Can't make an exception for little ol' me?"

Nancy pondered, pausing her hand and resting it on Robin's cheek. "Perhaps. Depends."

"On what?"

"Depends on the kids. If you can get these kids to go down into the basement to play D n' D or something, then I'll get you some."

At that, Robin sat up and flattened her hands over the surface beneath her.

"You got it, Wheeler."

-

"You actually did it...?" Nancy stood wide-eyed, relishing in the fresh silence that coated the walls. "How'd you do it?"

"A concern for later. For now, I need something sweet." Robin cupped Nancy's jaw and nuzzled their noses together, silently asking for a kiss. Nancy nods, a bright smile showing her teeth, and they meet halfway. Short and sweet.

"Mm, oh yeah. Sweetest of all," said Robin, pulling away. Nancy smacked her shoulder lightly, smiling, grabbing her hand and leading her to the kitchen where she hid the confectionery.

Nancy crouched and opened a bottom cupboard. Inside, a black box held a riddle of multi-colored wrappers.

"Choose your pick." She held the box out to Robin, who scoured like a bright-eyed child. She dug through until she pulled out a five-inch long chocolate bar.

"Ohh yeahhh," she drawled, peeling off the wrapper to reveal a thin rectangle of brown chocolate. She bit into a corner, eyes closed, and savored it a for a while as Nancy put the box back in its place.

"Happy?"

"Real happy." Robin placed a chocolate-covered kiss on Nancy's cheek, quickly ducking her head to not get ear-flicked by her. Nancy used a thumb to wipe it off.

"You're going to lose your candy privileges," warned Nancy, but she let Robin pull her in by the waist nonetheless. Robin swayed, prompting them into a soundless slow dance.

Nancy sunk her head on Robin's shoulder, listening to a gentle hum that vibrated from her chest.

But neither heard the basement door crack open and a pair of crutches lug on over to the kitchen. In the doorway stood a redhead, freckled and blue-eyed, smiling at the sight before her.

"You two are gross to watch, you know," said Max, causing the two girls to stretch far from each other's embrace.

"You scared the hell out of us, Max!" Robin ruffled the girl's hair, to which Max nudged off.

"And I'd do it again. Now, share some of that chocolate."

--

Thanks for the prompt! Hope this is what you had in mind. Max-Nancy-Robin dynamic is something I need to be canon in the show.

(And yes, Max is using crutches just so there's a tad bit of canon sprinkled here and there.)

#ronance #heron's writing

[starsarefire824]

The Pact WIP...Thursday? ;)

Camping Trip Part II

They spend a long time paddling around the swimming hole Lucas has shown them, eat some lunch, swim some more, soak in the sun. Mike wears the stupid hat Max made him buy when he can feel the sun on his nose and cheeks, and watches her as she pulls herself up from the water, her hips swaying as she twists to sit onto the ledge next to him. She joins him where he rests on Will’s blanket and bites her lip mischievously as she pulls it down over his eyes. Then, before he can even think of a comeback or some teasing thing to say, she’s slowly pushing herself onto one leg, leaning on his shoulder heavily as she gets up, then floats over to where Lucas is sitting on the other side of Will, chatting with Lucas and Dustin as they still paddle lazily around in the water.

This has been one of the best days I’ve had in a long time, she had told him under the waterfall, but Mike can’t figure out why then it is that she looked so sad. Can’t figure out for the life of him why he was desperate to take her face in his hands and kiss it away. That’s not what she wants though, he scolds. She’s determined in her plan. She wants Lucas and El. That’s been their plan the whole time and one night under fireworks caught up in the moment isn’t going to change that. It’s the correct plan. Mike wants Will. It makes sense.

He frowns and he pulls off his hat, letting his gaze fall onto Will. He’s still on his belly, the plain of his back shining golden in the sunlight. Mike’s eyes snag on how his suit is slung low on his hips and he studies the curve of his backside and Apollo's dimples that sit above. He follows the gentle ravine of his spine and over rocky ribs and shoulder blades, studies his skin that’s littered with a tiny galaxy of freckles and moles; so many Mike could connect them with a marker and make up his own constellations.

He follows the curve of Will’s upper back to where his shoulders tense. He’s reading a book. Mike isn’t sure which. Something depressing knowing him. His hair shines in the sun too, red highlights glimmering through dark brown like the sparkling trails that shot off from the fireworks they watched the other week. He’s resting his chin on his hand, face close to the book, his lips moving slightly as he reads. Mike can’t see his eyes, hidden under his shaggy hair from the angle he’s sitting at, but he can imagine his lashes, full and dark and smudged along green and brown irises. 

Instinctively, Mike lays back on the sun-warm blanket that smells like Will’s and faintly of Joyce’s cigarettes. He falls halfway onto his stomach and wraps his arm around him. Will’s slick with sweat and his skin is softly burning like the brick of a hearth hugging a raging fire. Mike slides his hand up and over the sharp bone of his shoulder blade and he presses his fingers gently where his shoulder meets his neck. He can feel Will shiver beneath his touch and it makes the blood in his veins thrum with exhilaration. A breeze shoots through the trees in a gentle gust, making the leaves flicker like coins in the light. The dark and light sides of them, waxy and soft, take turns showing themselves off. Mike observes them against the bright blue, cloudless sky for a second before dropping his gaze, one eye squinting in the sun as he playfully looks up at Will. Will’s eyes wander from his page, his mouth stills, and he smiles at him, soft and sweet. His shoulders rise in shyness as he chuckles, but Mike swears he spots a glint of something heated and brazen there that he refuses to allow to rise above the surface. 

Mike opens his eye and catches his gaze as he turns his body, his fingers lingering and brushing ever so lightly along the back of Will’s neck and shoulders before falling away. He turns onto his shoulder and leans his head on his other arm like a pillow. 

“What are you reading?” Mike asks softly. 

Will’s eyes flash to him and he turns the book over so he can see the cover. “It’s called The Awakening.” 

Mike presses his lips together and hums. “What’s happening?”

Will sighs and bites his lip before closing the page over his pointer finger. “I’m almost finished. The main character’s lover has just abandoned her via letter. Seems it’s for good this time.” 

“What a dick.” 

Will huffs with a bitter smile. “T’yeah…. I don’t like him much even though it does seem like he really loves her. I feel bad for her though—stuck in a life she doesn’t want—-in the cage of what society expects her to be.” He frowns and closes the book, setting it next to him and turns over onto his back, head lolling towards Mike in slow motion. He puts his hand over his eyes to shade them, but they still are a blazing olive green and rusted orange. 

“How is the water?” he asks, and Mike watches his hips as they roll towards him. 

“Mmm—-it’s nice. There’s a little cove behind that waterfall.” 

Will’s eyes brighten with curiosity. “Oh yeah? I’d like to see that.” 

Mike chuckles at him and bends his knees up closer to his belly, not missing when they touch his. “Enough to get in the water?” he asks teasingly. 

Will hums under his breath and smiles as his eyes wander towards the water, but shakes his head. “No,” he states. “I don’t think so.” 

“I thought as much,” he laughs. 

It grows quiet between them after that, but Mike doesn’t look away from Will. His lips soften and his eyelids flutter in the sun and Mike thinks that he wants to say something, but Lucas’s voice slices between them and he can hear the water splash as he climbs out. “We should get back so we can get the fire going before it gets dark,” he says. 

#the pact #madwheeler #byler #justmyname #writing snippet #should be up by the end of the weekend. :) #a03 #stranger things fanfiction #will byers x mike wheeler #mike wheeler #will byers #max mayfield #max mayfield x mike #elumax #but they're in part iii ;)

[neonponders]

Head canon time:

Okay okay okay okayokayokay so this post has super cute art, but the reblog comment on it aligned with something that’s been percolating in my brain for a ~while~ now:

Eleven as Steve’s sister.

Obviously neither Steve nor Eleven have any idea. From the time El escapes the lab, they don’t interact much. Even if they’re in the same room, they kind of bounce around each other, because...why else would they? Steve’s at least five years older and she’s still building her social skills/confidence, especially around men.

But then Steve gets his hair cut short, and the back likes to curl very similarly to how El’s did when hers was short. Their hair needs its own weight to pull it straight.

And it’s dark brown. Followed by clear brown eyes.

It’s not enough for anyone to connect the dots, of course, but then El’s “mother” dies. Her mind had been a flickering light for a long time, eventually her heart began to match. But when a heart stops, it stops.

Her sister calls Hopper, in case El wants to know, and they show up, at the very least, to attend the funeral and to help the sister go through dusty boxes. Maybe there’s a picture of El’s mother that she wants...

Instead they find surrogacy papers.

Old bank statements.

Apparently at the time of her involvement with government conspiracy, she had been very down on her luck. She made the mistake of doubling up on volunteering to be a surrogate mother, as well as whatever the hell the Hawkins Library did to her.

But the names on the papers are John and Eliza Harrington.

“Like...Steve?” El asks when he finally has gaped at the papers for too long.

Hopper inhales because he isn’t sure when he did that last and scratches his face. “Yeah...like Steve.”

He has mixed emotions: the empathetic devastation at losing a kid, but also the relief that this involves someone already in the know.

They go over to Steve’s house.

The guy answers the door with a slice of pizza in his hand, still chewing. “Hi, Hop. Ellie.”

She offers a small smile. “Steve.”

“Are your parents home, kid?”

He shook his head and swallowed. “Just left this morning. They have a time-share condo in Mexico.”

“You didn’t go with them?”

Steve scoffs while turning around back into the house. “My idea of a good time isn’t with my parents. What d’you need?”

“Well,” Hopper sighs, feeling too big in the foyer. Eleven stabs his hip with a finger and he begins the tedious process of unlacing his boots. “I need to go through your parents’ papers. You got an attic, a cellar, an office?”

Steve, bless him, looks genuinely clueless. “Uh. Yeah...are we in trouble for something?”

“Not in trouble, no. I just wanna cross reference something.”

Bless him twice, because he actually lets Hopper into his attic. His father’s office. Then his mother’s.

He finds it in his mother’s bedroom. It was just a shot in the dark to try the safe in the closet, but so many people actually keep their safes unlocked for easy access.

Hospital documents. Even ultrasound photos.

“Jane Elizabeth...Harrington?” Steve chirps over his shoulder.

He looks up at the chief, who’s rubbing his beard again. Their heads turn to Eleven sitting on Mrs. Harrington’s bed. “My name’s Jane.”

Those big brown eyes blink between her and Hopper. “How do you know that? I thought you came from a lab?”

Hopper intercepted, “She used her,” he gestured vaguely to his own head, “to find her mother. Or...the surrogate your parents paid for.”

“And where’s she?”

“Dead,” said Eleven.

Hopper reiterated, “She passed about two weeks ago. We found your parents’ names in her paperwork.”

“But - what happened? How does a baby just go missing? Better question: why don’t I have super powers?”

Hopper had already read the hospital’s apology and refund of the Harrington’s funds, insurance, the works. “I think that asshole...Brenner...claimed the baby for his work, early enough that it could be written off as a miscarriage. Whatever they did to El’s mother, whatever went on in that lab, landed her with her abilities. It’s nothing to covet, all right.”

Steve looked winded. He crossed his arms and let himself collapse against the wall. “So...what do we do?”

“Uh...” Hopper fanned his face with the ultrasound pictures. “There isn’t a lot we can do. Telling your parents would open up a lot of closed doors that we can’t really afford to open. Dr. Owens, being the swell guy he is, provided me paperwork that grants El as my kid.

“But.

“You already know each other. You already contributed to saving the world together. So...I think that’s up to the two of you.”

Both of them, for all they’d been through, just looked like kids. They were kids, even if Steve now stood in his twenties. And he stood off the wall, now, to approach his sister.

“Can I, uhm...can I hug you?”

El slid off the high bed, easily falling against his body for arms to wrap tightly around her. They stayed like that for a long moment, then Hopper joined them to rub between their shoulder blades.

“Oh god. You’re dating Mike Wheeler.” El hummed a curious sound and he elaborated, “Am I gonna have to pound on him if he pisses you off?”

“I wish you would,” Hopper confirmed.

Fast forward to Mike being extremely confused at his girlfriend suddenly spending a lot of time with Steve Harrington, of all people.

“Maybe she’s gotten a taste for older men?” Lucas teased, and got punched in the shoulder for it.

Max’s eyes rolled but she didn’t grace that with an answer.

Mike fumed, “She was supposed to be with me today! Then she called and said she had other plans - ”

Max chimed, “Are you sure you had plans? Or that you had a plan but she beat you to it?”

“It doesn’t matter! I see her walking around with Steve Harrington all the time and it’s weird!”

Will said for nobody in particular, “We’re not the ones to judge weird anymore.”

Lucas countered, “Or we’re the experts on weird. Speaking of, where the hell is Dustin?”

“With Steve,” Max grinned right at Mike, and stood up. “Speaking of, my ride’s probably here.”

“Where are you going?” Lucas asked.

“Over to Steve’s.”

The boys looked at each other and ran for their shoes. Sure enough, they left the Wheelers’ basement, circled around the house, and found the blue Camaro waiting in the cul-de-sac. 

“Woah woah woah, what the hell is this?” Billy said hoarsely. He peered over his sunglasses at the teenagers filing into his backseat.

Max shoved a bottle of water towards him. “You’re not drinking enough, again.”

“Don’t bitch at me. Tell your friends to scram.”

“Are you really going over to Steve’s?” Will began.

“What do you know about Steve hanging out with my girlfriend?” Mike joined.

“Steve’s got a pool, right?” Lucas directed at Max.

Billy revved his engine with a sharp right turn, throwing all of them to one side of the car. Max held her head from where it had hit the window. “Cool it, you shouldn’t even be driving in the first place.”

“My blood did not turn black for this bullshit.”

The kids in the back stared out of the windows like Loch Nora was a safari tour. At the sound of the Camaro’s engine, Steve trotted down the slope of the lawn in swimming trunks with a towel around his shoulders, waving them through the gate.

Will and Lucas sprinted after him. Mike followed at a skeptical pace while Max lingered for Billy’s sake. No one noticed that Billy wore pink and turquoise swimming trunks that fit more to Steve’s taste.

Mike sure as hell noticed the red and purple, woven friendship bracelets that El and Steve wore, though. The pale, skinny nerd just stared, dumbfounded between Hopper floating contently over the pool, El laughing in a one-piece covered in hibiscus flowers, and Steve sitting at the foot of Billy’s lounge chair.

Then Robin strolled through the gate with a stack of pizza and chicken wing boxes. “All right, we ready? What are you doing, dweeb? It’s a 101 degrees out. Get wet.”

And shoved Mike Wheeler right into the pool.

#steve harrington #eleven #ficlet #neonponders #post s3 #harringrove #for the non-americans: #40º C is 100º F #hot as f!ck #also I just wanted something where steve wasn't scared shitless of his pool #robin buckley

[billyhargroveinaponytail]

Good Ole Dacre Montgomery. 

Chapter 9: Call Me Friend But Keep Me Closer.

Songs for this chapter:

All I Wanna Say- Lontalius

You Were Good To Me- Jeremy Zucker

Consequences. - Camila Cabello

When The Party is Over. -Billie Eilish

_____________________________________________________________ Thank you to everyone who sent kind words during my rough patch but we’re back and there is only one chapter left!

@dreamin-of-dacre

@speedmetalqueen _________________________________________________

The crowd echoed through the large empty mall while large crates were carried in and cameras were put into place.

"Battle time?" Paisley glanced to Joe. "Battle time!" He nodded, he was covered in fake dried blood and wearing a dirty Scoops uniform. "I can't get over how great those shorts look on you!" she pinched his rear causing him to jump a little.

They erupted with laughter, when the mall doors swung open and in walked Liv with a large smile splattered across her face. "Hi everyone!" She rang.

"I didn't know she would be here." Paisley spoke up. "Neither did I." Myra mumbled flipping through her notes. She glanced around the court looking for Dacre but he was nowhere to be seen.

The others began filing in, decked out in their 80s wear. "Everyone get together we need to get started as soon as possible." The director yelled finding his position behind the camera. Myra took a seat in her usual chair and Paisley joined her side.

"Hi ladies! Are you excited for this?" Liv joined them in the seat beside Paisley.

"Oh yes super excited!" Paisley spoke in the most fake high pitched voice. Max,Will and El stood by the door waiting for their next directions. Myra kept herself focused on the paperwork. Sylvia quickly took her seat before the director yelled, "Quiet on set! And Action!" He shouted, the three kids took off running down an empty hallway. Mike and Max both had arm around their shoulders and they were trying their best to carry El. The lights sporadically flickered throughout the vacant hallway.

"In here,in here!" Mike spoke as they turned another corner. "Okay come on, come on, come on." He repeated, smashing the buttons on the elevator. A door at the opposite end swung open and there stood Dacre. He wore a white tank top and jeans, his entire body was covered in makeup and his hair was a sweaty mess hanging all around his face. Max turned to face her set brother as he limped his way down the hallway with an evil expression.

"Billy. Billy, you don't have to do this."

"Billy. Your name's Billy. Billy Hargrove." Max spoke in a fear filled voice. Dacre only moved closer stomping his feet with every step.

"You live on 4819 Cherry Lane. Billy, please, I'm Max, I'm your-" Before Max was able to finish her sentence Dacre's hand swiftly shot across her face dropping her to the ground. A loud scream came from El who coward behind Mike. Mike then charged forward trying to push Dacre away, Mike's body was then flung against some old pipes while Dacre went for El, the person he had came for. El reached her hand up but Dacre was quicker he grabbed her wrist and twisted it backwards,shoving the palm of his hand against her face banging her head off the wall behind them, he then pushed her to the floor and towered over her body.

El laid unconscious, while Dacre grabbed her arm fling her over his shoulder. He charged down the hallway, he took multiple turns before reaching the back door of Scoops Ahoy, he kicked his foot threw the door, stomped through the ice cream parlor and reached for the gate ripping it up.

They now stood in the center court of the mall, every neon light around them flickered intensely. Dacre lowered El to the floor leaning in close to her ear. "Don't be afraid. It'll be over soon." He whispered. "Just try and stay...very still."

The snarling of a large creature came from the roof of the mall, El's eyes turned in that location. Her vision somewhat hazy. large legs began entering, a loud echoing bang with each one.

From the actors and crews point of view it was nothing but a large beach ball but to the viewers it would be a large monster made of flesh and blood of all the flayed people.

El whimpered trying to back away from the creature, while Dacre stood still watching it's controller move towards them.

A large bang lit up the sky causing Dacre to curl over in pain, the large monster let out a screech.

"Flay this, you ugly piece of shit!" Lucas shouted from the top floor of the center court, tossing another firework in the direction of the monster. Johnathan and Nancy then joined along hurdling large fireworks over the edge.

"Hey asshole, over here!" Steve shouted throwing one in the monster's direction as well. Dacre yelled,arching forward in pain with each explosive thrown. He dropped to the ground flailing his body around, El noticed his pain and tried to quickly get away. Dacre noticed and snatched her ankle yanking her back to the place she was resting before.

"We're almost out!" Will yelled to Lucas.

"I know!" Lucas replied to him tossing over the last couple fireworks.

"Dustin! We're out of time!"

Max flickered her eyes she was now waking up. An unconscious Mike laid across the room from her. "Mike,Mike! Get up. Mike, can you hear me?"

Mike came to, looking up to Max. "Hey, come on." She took his hand, helping him stand.

"You okay?" Max asked him as he looked aimlessly around the room. "Where's El?"

El laid under Dacre, his hands holding her shoulders down. With every explosion he winced,pain and anger across his face.

"Seven...feet." El spoke out with a gasp. "You told her the wave was seven feet. You ran to her, on the beach." Both of them now had tear filled eyes. "There was seagulls. She wore a hat..with a blue ribbon. A long dress with a blue and red flower. Yell-yellow sandals," She chocked on her words. "Covered in sand."

"She was pretty." Dacre's lower lip quivered listening to El describe his mother, he closed his eyes imagining the moment.

"She was really pretty," El spoke threw the tears pouring down her face. "And you, you were happy.

"We're out!" Will now yelled to his friend holding up the empty basket.

"Damn it!" Lucas spat,looking over the balcony to the creature.

The large monster now turned it's focus back on Eleven, Dacre stood to its command, now staring face to face with it. Mike and Max ran around the corner to see their girlfriend and stepbrother standing in reach of the creature. Dacre's face showed nothing but fear as a large arm reaching out for Eleven, Dacre caught it in his grasp stopping it.

"No!" Dacre yelled, Eleven pushed herself backwards in shock. Dacre screamed even louder pushing the creature away. Two other hands came out piercing into the side of him. He began screaming even more this time in agonizing pain. Dacre dropped to his knees, black sludge now leaving his mouth. One final arm reached out slamming into his chest.

"Billy!" Max screamed, watching her step brother drop to the floor lifeless.

Mike rushed over to Eleven's side. "El!" He spoke rapping his arms around her. Max walked right past time to standing beside Dacre.

"Billy?" She spoke down to him. He choked on the fluids leaving his body.

"Billy, get up please. Billy, get up, please,please."

"I'm sorry." He forced out, before taking a deep inhale.

"Billy, wake up. Billy, get up. Please, Billy." She roughly shook his shoulders. She began sniffling trying to help him gain consciousness again.

"I'm sorry!" Eleven spoke to her cradling her friend in her arms.

"It's okay. It's ok." She patted her back trying to calm her.

"Cut!" The director yelled, the room fell silent, everyone was in shock. Paisley looked to see Myra's reaction and she was a mess. She had about 9 tissues scattered across her lap and her face was now swollen and scattered with tears.

"That was amazing!" Liv took off from her seat running to Dacre's side. She sat down beside him, took his hand in hers and placed a big kiss on his lips. "You did so amazing babe!"

"Did Paisley know? Did she know Billy was going to die? She seems completely unfazed. While on the other hand Myra is sitting over here in a ball of tears." Sylvia sat forward in her chair stretching her back.

Paisley shrugged, she wasn't even sure that Joe knew about it.

Myra wanted nothing more than to run over to Dacre wrap her arms around him and give him the biggest hug, but his arms were currently occupied with someone else.

"Wasn't that amazing guys?" Liv held Dacre's hand pulling him over to the others. Paisley rolled her eyes at Liv's overuse of the word.

"Yes that was great. You did a great job." Myra gathered herself, trying to hide the evidence of her crying.

Dacre gave a soft smile to Myra.

"Thank you!" His face was still covered in filth and sludge dripped from his smile but it was still heart felt.

"Well what about me? I didn't die but I threw one hell of a firework huh?" Joe walked down the steps, coming up behind Paisley placing a kiss on her cheek.

"You did great too babe!" She wrapped her arm around him.

"Yes! Everyone did amazing!" Liv giggled, still holding a tight grip on Dacre's hand.

"Hopefully none of you forgot the dinner tonight!" Sylvia broke the silence that started to grow over the group. "I made my famous homemade macaroni and cheese!"

"Of course we didn't forget! I'm starving!" Joe chimed in, looking over to Paisley. "I'm going to go shower and change, you coming with me?" He raised a brow.

"Actually I was going to help Myra, I can meet you at the diner hall!" She returned the kiss to his cheek.

Liv was eye locked with Dacre, mumbling something about how nice he looked. Myra just sighed and gathered her bag.

"I will be there Sylvia, don't worry. I wouldn't miss out on your home cooking!" Myra walked away from them Paisley in tow.

"You feeling ok?" Paisley nudged her elbow against Myra.

"I'm ok. It's just hard. I want to be the one to congratulate him and be all affectionate with him in public but I obviously can't."

"I'm sorry MJ, just remember he likes you, she's just contracted to like him." Paisley held the large stage door open for the both of them and they made their way to Myra's trailer again.

"That's the problem, Pais. I think she actually likes him, maybe the whole Jake thing is a ploy to get jobs or what not."

Paisley stopped in her track and glanced to Myra. "You think someone would actually do that?" She shrugged, reaching for her keys.

"It's possible. I guess. Who knows it might just be the jealousy speaking."

The entered into the trailer and Myra headed straight to the bathroom, splashing cold water into her face. Paisley dug through her bags searching for something to wear. She ended up choosing a lose fitting white top and dark navy jeans. Myra spent about 20 minutes deciding on something, and finally with help she was able to find something perfect. A short light pink dress with a small cut out in the back.

"We're running late, so you better hurry." Paisley yelled into the bedroom, pacing the front door.

"I'm ready, I'm ready let's go." Myra left the room throwing her phone into her small hand bag.

The dining hall was completely different now. The tables had all been joined together to make one large buffet area. The lighting was low with twinkle lights scattered all over. Large groups sat together at the tables, Paisley searched for Joe. He had been seated towards the end of the table and of course in front of him sat Dacre and Liv fingers intertwined exactly how they were when Myra left them earlier.

"You look gorgeous!" Joe reached out for Paisley's hand, pulling out her chair for her.

"Thank you! You look very handsome yourself!" She took a seat, placing a hand on his leg. Myra looked for an empty seat and the only one available was one directly in front of Dacre. She sighed pulling her seat out and joining the others.

"Myra, I love that dress on you!" Liv spoke in her high pitched voice. She reached out with her free hand taking ahold of her wine glass.

"Thank you! You look beautiful as well, liv!" Myra clenched her jaw, hoping the evening would not be as awkward as it was already starting off. Appetizers were brought around to everyone along with a beverage cart. Joe and Paisley both ordered a glass of wine but Myra need something stronger.

"I'll take a jack and coke!" She smiled to the waitress. Myra took her drink and quickly gulped down the first half of it. Paisley kept an eye on Myra hoping she wouldn't make a fool of herself. She had a tough time handling her liquor. Liv had about 6 more glasses of wine, before the entrees had even been handed out. Her hands were all over Dacre, and since Myra was seated in front of him she had the worst seat in the building.

"Why don't you two get a room?" Mary yelled down the table noticing Liv smother Dacre with affection. The table roared in laughter, causing Dacre to intensely blush.

"I wouldn't mind that." Liv slurred a little, running her hands under his shirt.

Paisley tried multiple times to change the subject, none of them were successful until she brought up college.

"I can't believe you only have one more week left here MJ!" Dacre looked to her a little shocked. "Only one more week?"

"Aw Dacre's upset about losing his assistant! Poor babe! I could always help you!" Liv ran her hand through his hair and down his back.

Myra nodded taking another drink trying to ignore Liv's reply. "Yeah, only one more week. Then it's back to our dorms to finish out the last month of college." Joe put on a fake pout looking to Paisley. "Why can't you just stay here? It'll be much more fun."

"I wish I could but I have things to finish up if I want to graduate." Paisley giggled a little at his pout. "After graduation though I am all yours!" She placed a kiss to his nose. Myra was happy for them but she couldn't help but feel jealous.

"What about you Myra? What's in store for you after graduation?" Dacre glanced over at her, she was distracted by the straw inside her cup.

"Oh uh me? I was hoping maybe something in film. Maybe some place would be willing to hire me. Not saying I don't love this place but to actually get paid doing something I love would be a dream come true." The directors walked back checking on everyone making sure they were enjoying their food.

The next hour was the slowest hour in Myra's life. The drink cart ran it's final trip around the table, while the dessert plates were being taken away.

"You wanna take me home?" Liv looked up at Dacre placing a kiss on his shoulder.

"Sure!" He nodded placing a kiss on her forehead. "I think it is time for us to turn in guys. It was nice seeing all of you. I will see you guys in the morning." Dacre waved goodbye to the group, wrapping his arm around Liv's waist.

"I have to be honest, Myra. That was the most awkward thing!" Joe took a swig from his glass. Myra and Paisley laughed at his comment.

"That is what we have been saying all along." Paisley finished off her glass and checked her phone. "We should head back too! This wine is making me light headed!" She smirked at him, trying to lead him on.

"Oh right, lightheaded." He laughed, wiggling his brow at her.

"You gonna be ok alone,MJ?" Paisley asked worrying about her friend. Myra stood from the table pushing her chair in.

"I'll be just fine, I'm taking a shower then heading straight to bed." Myra hugged Paisley goodbye, before her phone vibrated in her back pocket.

Dacre: Meet me at the pool? :)

Myra shoved her phone back into her pocket and wrapped her jacket around her, walking to the trailers.

It was dark and the smell of cigarettes lingered in the air. A few stragglers walked through the streets, going home from the dinner as well. Myra had forgotten to leave a light on so searching around for her keys was a struggle. After finally locating them she opened her door and went inside. She also decided to reply to Dacre.

Myra: The pool? What about Liv?

Dacre was extremely fast to reply.

Dacre: Liv passed out as soon as we got back to the trailer. I'd like to spend some time with you. So the pool? :)

Myra: Give me 20 minutes and I will be there. :)

Myra had packed a bathing suit luckily, it wasn't her prettiest but it was dark outside and it would be fine for tonight. She changed into it while throwing her dress back on over top. She shoved a towel and her keys into her bag and took off walking to the pool.

Dacre was already there by the time she had arrived, he was out in the middle of the pool floating on his back. Myra pushed open the gate,closing it behind her. She walked over to an empty chair setting her things down.

"How's the water feel?" She removed her dress stepping over to the edge of the pool.

"Guess you'll have to get in to find out." Dacre swam closer to her. Myra rolled her eyes, sitting her toes into the surprising warm water. "Are you getting in or do I have to throw you in?" Dacre yelled up to her. Without warning Myra jumped in beside him, splashing him.

She came up from the water pushing her hair back. "Well? How's it feel?" Dacre laughed wiping the water from his face.

"It feels amazing!" She spoke in a mocking voice. Dacre pulled her in close to him wrapping his arms around her. It was nice to have his warmth against her.

"Were you crying earlier?" He rested his chin on the top of her head.

"Of course I was crying, Billy died. That was so sad seeing you like that." Myra sobbed a little thinking about it.

Dacre brushed his thumb across her cheek. "It was sweet, I can't tell you how badly I wanted to kiss you." Paisley's comment earlier echoed in her head even louder then before.

"What's going to happen next week when I have to leave?" Myra stepped back from him, wondering his answer.

"What's going to happen with what? Us?" Dacre pushed back his damp hair, his accent going heavy. "I don't know,M. I want to say everything will be perfect and we'll be madly in love somewhere together. But I can't, and I don't know what's going to happen to us."

Myra nodded, knowing this would be his answer, but she knew, she knew where they would be a week from now. She would be working towards graduating and Dacre and Liv would be at some fancy party or beach madly in love. She didn't want to think about that right now, she wanted to just enjoy this moment and worry about next week when it came.

"Dacre?" A familiar high pitched voice rang through the parking lot. "Dacre? Where are you?"

Dacre quickly got out of the water going to Liv's side. "Liv? What're you doing? I thought you were asleep." He grabbed onto her intoxicated body stumbling through the gate.

"I was s-sleeping." She slurred. "I woke up to find you and you were gone I thought maybe you went to Joe's trailer but here you are!" She looked over to the pool still not noticing Myra floating inside.

"Swimming? How come you didn't invite me." She fumbled around with her top trying to pull it off. "I wanna swim!" She slurred even more.

"Liv, honey. Why don't we just go back to bed? I'll put a movie on." Dacre pushed her shirt back down.

"A movie! Awesome!" She wrapped both arms around Dacre's neck.

"Take a seat here let me get my things." Dacre sat her down on an empty lawn chair and grabbed his shoes and shirt from the side of the pool. He looked down at a confused Myra waiting in the water.

"I know what'll happen next week," She spoke softly to him. "We'll be strangers. It'll be like we never met. Until then we will just be friends. Thank you so much for everything Dacre." She gave a sincere smile and waited in the pool for them to leave.

"No," Dacre stopped her. "I don't want that,Myra. I don't want to be strangers." Liv called out to him, "I have to go, Myra please just let me tell you tomorrow ok?" Myra nodded watching the two of them walk away.

After a few more laps in the pool Myra gathered her clothes,wrapped her body in the towel and left the pool area.

Her trailer was still dark and quiet when she returned. She took a quick shower and then put herself to bed. "Goodnight." She mumbled to herself quickly falling asleep.

The next morning Myra woke up early, she went and spoke to Jake and discussed her next week her on set. She filled out some paperwork and then headed off to the cafeteria to get herself a cup of coffee. She sat at an empty table and scrolled through social media on her phone. It had been a while since she had checked everything but there was nothing important she had missed.

"Mornin' M." Paisley sweetly spoke joining her at the table. "Mornin' Pais. How was your night?"

"It was great! How about you?" Paisley intertwined her fingers around her cup looking over to her. "Did you do anything fun or just go to bed?"

"Just bed for me, I was too tired for anything else." Myra lied,taking in another drink from her cup.

Paisley knew something was wrong, Myra was not acting herself.

"I should head back to the trailer, I have a lot of laundry to get done." Myra stood up, throwing away her still half full cup.

"You need some help?" Paisley questioned her. Myra only shook her head and walked off to her temporary home.

It was so hard for Myra to lie to Paisley but she didn't want to involve her anymore. Paisley was happy and had a good life she didn't need to stress over Myra's nonsense.

Dacre searched the set and cafeteria but was unable to find Myra. Luckily he did find Paisley leaving the dining area. "Hey you seen Myra today?" He stopped her, hoping she had seen her friend.

"Yeah she was headed to do some laundry, she must be sick or something. She wasn't acting like herself." Paisley looked concerned, considering following Myra to her trailer.

"Well I am needed on set but if you run into her could you have her come by and see me, I wanna talk about last night." Dacre adjusted the buttons on his shirt, before turning away from her.

"Last night? Myra said she went to bed last night." Paisley instantly knew her friend was lying and rushed to her trailer.

"Myra James!" She loudly banged on the door. "Myra James!" She yelled again before the door was swung open.

"What's wrong?"

"So now we're lying to each other huh?"

Myra sat Paisley down and explained everything to her, everything from the very beginning. She didn't want to hurt Paisley and she believed she deserved to know.

"M..I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. Why didn't you tell me this sooner?" Paisley held tightly onto her friend's hand.

"I don't know, I'm sorry. It's all going to change I promise." They both exchanged a meaningful hug and Myra returned to her room going through her laundry.

The evening had come and Dacre had left set on a break, he made his way over to Myra's trailer hoping they could finally talk. Paisley answered the door, Joe standing behind her.

"Hey where is Myra? I'd really like to talk to her now." Dacre stepped up the first couple steps.

"Myra's not here." Paisley spoke sadly.

"Not here? Is she still in the laundry room?" Dacre leaned against the step railing.

"No, Dacre. Myra went home."

#dacre montgomery #dacre x reader #dacre montgomery imagine #stranger things #stranger things fanfiction #stanger things #joe keery #steve harrington #fanfic #wattpad

[marypsue]

Having an extraordinarily real one lately for no apparent reason, so here’s a more-than-usually self-indulgent ficlet. Enjoy. Or don’t, I’m not the boss of you.

...

The next thing he remembers, somebody’s giving him a sharp poke in the shoulder. “Hey. Are you alive?”

He tries to roll over and go back to sleep, but the prodding continues. And every inch of him’s screaming in protest, so lying here and taking it suddenly seems like the better part of valour. “No. ‘m dead. G’way.”

The weirdly familiar voice – a woman, one he knows, but can’t place – sounds amused at that, for some reason. Like it’s funny that he’s dead. He’s pretty sure it’s not. Sad, sure. Tragic. Bittersweet, a little. Ironic, even. But funny? That’s just rude. “All right, dead guy. Well, while you’re still talking, feel like telling me who you are and how you ended up in a secret Russian lab?”

Now that rings a bell. He bothers to crack an eye, and immediately squeezes it shut again. Neon and flashing emergency lights are a bad combination in an already-pounding head.

“Wh- happened?” he manages. He should ask about the kid, too, Joyce, the others, make sure they’re safe, but those are a lot of thoughts to form into words. And this feels like a good place to start.

The weirdly familiar voice has a weirdly familiar laugh, too. “I was kind of hoping you could tell me that. You just came stumbling out of that crack in the wall, cold-cocked the thug who was trying to stick my head in that big spinning blender, and then passed out all over the walkway.” Her voice goes a little subdued as she goes on, “You…probably saved my life.”

He’s not sure how to respond to that, so he defaults to sarcasm. “ ‘s what I do.”

She snorts out another laugh.

“Listen,” she says, after a beat or two of weirdly companionable quiet. The sounds of distant yelling and helicopter blades fill the silence, but they sound pleasantly like somebody else’s problem. And – they’ve gotta have given him something for the pain, because it’s starting to recede pleasantly too, behind a thick, insulating layer of pink cotton fluff. “You showed up with no ID, in a Russian uniform, in a secret Russian lab. None of us know you. The government’s here to clean this all up and sweep it under the rug, and unless you can tell me something really convincing about why they shouldn’t, they’re gonna sweep you right under that rug too. I don’t want that to happen. You really came through for us back there, I don’t think you’re a Russian operative.”

“ ‘m not,” he manages, around a tongue that seems to be trying to fall asleep in his mouth.

She sounds entirely too chipper as she says, “Great! Now can you tell me who you are?”

He manages to force both eyes open a sliver, turning to face her as he enunciates, as clearly as he can, “Jim Hopper. Hawkins, Indiana chief of police.”

Her face is a blur at first, cast purple in the flashing red and blue lights. But it quickly resolves into wide, stunned blue eyes, a sharp chin and cheekbones, a few dark curls escaping a tight braid. A face that’s familiar. Or would be, if it didn’t look a handful of decades too old.

He squints, but her face doesn’t change any more than her stunned expression does. “Nancy Wheeler?”

Her big eyes get, if it’s possible, even bigger at that. The twist of smile that crosses that foxy face as she nods is entirely unamused.

It’s what she says next, though, that really throws him for a loop.

“Yeah. Nancy Wheeler.” Her smile gets wider and whiter but no less disbelieving as she says, “Hawkins, Indiana chief of police.”

 …

 The stranger doesn’t stay conscious for long after that, whatever painkillers the paramedics pumped him full of finally kicking in. Nancy leaves him in the back of the ambulance and goes looking for that doctor. He’s around here somewhere.

She finds him at the mall’s service entrance, watching with a frown as the military guys he’d brought with him empty boxes and boxes full of tubes of glowing green…stuff out of the hidden elevator. Nancy hopes, vaguely, that it isn’t radioactive. That would’ve been the first thing they’d have tested. Right?

The doctor looks up as she walks up beside him, and lets out a little aggrieved sigh when he sees who it is. Nancy decides she’s taking that as a compliment. “Any word from our mystery man?”

“According to him, he’s dead.”

The doctor huffs a laugh, not taking his eyes off the elevator.

Nancy examines her fingernails. There’s blood dried in the beds. She’s not sure when that happened. “Also, according to him, he’s Jim Hopper. Hawkins, Indiana chief of police.”

She feels the doctor’s eyes on her, looks up, and smiles. “And you want to know the really weird part? I believe him.”

The doctor’s expression is inscrutable. All he says is, “You do?”

Nancy glances down at herself again, at the ill-fitting Russian uniform she’s still wearing. She can’t wait to get out of this stupid thing. She can’t wait to go home and sleep for about a month. The absolute last thing she wants right now is more supernatural weirdness to deal with.

But –

“He recognised me,” she says, slowly, putting her thoughts together as she speaks. “He knew my name. He – if you told me he was related to our Hopper, I’d believe it, the resemblance is that strong. He doesn’t sound Russian. And that – Gate, the place it goes to – that’s an alternate dimension, right? The kids’ ‘Upside Down’. It’s like here…but not.”

The doctor’s kind of smiling at her. Nancy bulls determinedly forward. “That’s one other Hawkins out there that we know about for sure. Couldn’t there be more?”

The doctor’s still giving her that smile. Nancy catches his eye and stares him down, and he sort of chuckles and shakes his head. “Sounds like we’ll make a theoretical physicist of you yet.”

“I don’t want you packing him off to some – secret bunker or lab or whatever,” Nancy says, like there’s anything she could do to stop it if the doctor did. If it comes to that, she’ll figure it out. She’s already starting to work on a few plans. But for now, she’ll give the doctor the benefit of the doubt that he’s actually trying to help, and use her words. “If the uniform’s anything to go by, he’s just had the same night from hell that we all have. Whoever he left on the other side must be missing him.”

“You’re forgetting, Chief Wheeler,” the doctor says, still sounding just a little too amused. “You and your…small army blew that machine down there to smithereens. There’s no way back into the – uh – ‘Upside Down’.”

Nancy glares back into that too-knowing look. Maybe the doctor does know Terry Ives still has the power to rip open worlds. If he doesn’t, and this is a good bluff, then no way in hell is Nancy going to be the one to tell him and start the Ives’ nightmare all over again.

“Well, if he ended up here, maybe things didn’t go so smoothly on the other end,” is all she says. “I’m sure we’ll figure something out.”

The doctor’s smile gets a little wider. But all he says is, “I’m sure. You’re a resourceful woman, Nancy Wheeler.”

Nancy watches his face, carefully, for any sign that it’s meant to be an insult. She doesn’t find one.

She leaves him to poke through the Russians’ stuff and heads back around the front of the mall. Partly because she wants to see the others – and one specific other in particular – again, make sure they’re all all right. Partly because she doesn’t want that ambulance driving off with the stranger in the back and disappearing forever.

He saved her life. The least she can do is get him home.

Jonathan’s sitting with Steve and the kids, when Nancy picks her way back through the parking lot. He looks up through his bangs, and a slow smile dawns across his face at that sight of her. Nancy feels something in her chest constrict warmly, and realises she’s smiling, too. And for once, it’s entirely real.

Yeah. If the stranger’s night’s been anything like hers – they’ve got to get him home.

Mike’s sitting in the ambulance, on one side of El, holding her hand as a paramedic washes out the nasty wound in her leg. Will, standing on her other side, has her other hand. Based on the faces all three of them are making, she’s probably grinding the bones in the boys’ hands together, but neither of them looks like they’ll be letting go any time soon. 

Karen’s perched on the ambulance’s tailgate with Joyce, sharing a shock blanket. Maxine Mayfield’s got a blanket, too, even in the hot July night, and Lucas Sinclair’s arm around her. She’s got her head on his shoulder and her arm wrapped around his waist, but her other hand is loosely holding Dustin Henderson’s, like she’s forgotten it’s there. And, even though he barely seems to notice and has gotten into some kind of good-natured argument with the crowd of kids Karen hangs around with these days, Dustin doesn’t let go of her hand either.

Everybody seems to be slowly coming down off the night’s adrenaline, still a little giggly and punchy but starting to sober up. Especially Max and Dustin, who are literally starting to sober up from whatever the Russians shot them full of. Little Phil Callahan’s nodding off against Nancy’s old college friend Kali’s knee, and Kali’s even tolerating it, though Nancy knows the eyebrow she quirks in Nancy’s direction is a clear command to get the kid off her before she stops tolerating it. Jill Stephenson also seems to be nodding off, but since she’s doing it against Benny Hammond’s muscular arm, Nancy has a sneaking suspicion it’s a put-on.

And Jim Hopper – thirteen-going-on-fourteen Jim Hopper, somehow-now-Karen’s-other-best-friend Jim Hopper, definitely-not-Hawkins-Indiana-chief-of-police Jim Hopper, is sitting with his back against Joyce Byers’ knees, listening to Joyce and Karen’s animated conversation with a half-smile that, Nancy thinks, looks an awful lot like contentment.

Nancy must have been staring, trying to mentally compare the kid in front of her to the stranger in the back of the ambulance, because he twists to shoot a scowl in her direction. “What?”

“Did you find anything out?” Jonathan asks, and Nancy can’t help another smile in his direction. Good grief, she’s going soft. “About -” He bobs his head in the direction of the other ambulance. “Him.”

Nancy looks the assembled crowd over, and settles on the truth. “He says he’s you.”

It very obviously takes Hopper a second or two to work out that everybody’s looking at him. “Wh- me?”

Nancy nods. “Jim Hopper. Hawkins, Indiana chief of police.”

There’s a moment of silence while everybody processes this, before Dustin Henderson pipes up. “What – there’s another alternate dimension out there? Other than the Upside Down?”

“Like in The Magician’s Nephew,” Will says, unexpectedly. “The Upside Down’s the wood between the worlds.”

Nancy shoots him a blank look. Karen rolls her eyes. “Mom. Narnia?”

“I thought that was about a wardrobe?”

Apparently this question is just too stupid to dignify with an answer.

Dustin, thankfully, steps in, picking up Will’s train of thought. “So you can only get into the Upside Down from any version of Hawkins -”

“But you can get into any version of Hawkins from the Upside Down,” Will agrees, nodding. He catches El’s confused squint, and shrugs. “It’s a theory.”

“Worth testing,” Nancy agrees. She goes to settle her hands on her belt, and is once again forcibly reminded that she’s still wearing the stupid Russian uniform. “Ugh! That’s it. Screw the government, I’m going back in there and looting the Gap.”

She’s not sure if Jonathan’s joking, at first, when he catches her eye and says, “Oh, but I do so love a woman in uniform.”

Joyce rolls her eyes, and Mike makes an exaggerated gagging noise. Steve shuts his eyes, giving his head a tiny shake, but he’s kind of smiling. Nancy considers flipping them all off, but she quickly decides on something else. Something better.

She crosses the distance between her and where Jonathan’s sitting on the asphalt in two big strides, and bends down to catch Jonathan’s chin in one hand. He turns his face up towards hers without her guidance, though, and when she presses her lips against his, they part with no resistance.

Nancy only holds the kiss for a moment before pulling back, but when she does, Jonathan’s red from the tips of his ears to the collar of his shirt. She allows herself a little satisfaction at that. Still got it, Wheeler. “There. Now, if you hyenas are satisfied, I’m going to go make sure the government doesn’t make our new friend vanish before we get a chance to learn anything more than his name.”

With that said, she turns and walks pointedly across the parking lot toward the other ambulance, not looking back.

She deliberately ignores the hoots, her children’s noises of disgust, and Kali’s sigh of “Finally!”

#stranger things #this is mary's fic tag #i will cross all of my self-indulgent AUs over with canon and no one can stop me

[bxcketbarnes]

11 with billy if you're still doing them 🥰🥰

“I almost lost you” kiss. I'm sorry in advance!

Shit was going down… again. For the third fucking time. You didn't know how much more you could take. Not only did it affect your little brother, Dustin, and his friends but it also affected your boyfriend, Billy.

The Mind Flayer had decided to use him as a host, relatively taking over his body. You first noticed he wasn't the same when he tried to knock you out. Ever since then you haven't really went near him, too afraid he'd take you to become part of the Flayer's army.

El and Max ran into you on their way to the pool, looking for Billy and you were immediately part of the group, wanting to figure out what was going on with him. Turns out he's creating an army so that the Mind Flayer can basically be born to kill El.

You were currently trying to get El out of the mall, the Scoops Troop went to the giant hill Dustin's mentioned before to use his fancy radio to contact Suzie while Jonathan, Nancy, Robin, Lucas, Will, and Steve tried to lure away the Mind Flayer as you all make it seem like she was with them.

You were running in front of Max and Mike, who had their arms wrapped around El's waist as you led them out of the side entrance. You pushed the button to open the gate squeezing through as it opened slowly while ushering the others to hurry as best they could.

"Shit," Max mentioned and you furrowed your eyebrows, turning around to see Billy looking over at us.

Your heart dropped, noticing the black veins embedded in his skin and you slightly tear up at the sight of him.

"Y/N, come on!" Mike yelled back and you moved your feet, running after the three kids as you pushed the button so the gate closes.

You guys were running down the hallway, trying to get away from Billy who was attempting to take El. The lights were flickering like crazy as we ran, the three in front of you grunting.

"Here. Let me take her," you mumbled as they stopped. You picked her up bridal style before starting to run again. You made it to the elevator at the end of the hall, Mike pushing the button a bunch of time to try and make it arrive faster.

Loud footsteps are heard and Max steps into the hallway, Billy walking towards her and she tried everything she could to get through to him but nothing worked. He backhanded her, knocking her out before Mike went to attack him. Billy threw him against the wall really hard, knocking him out cold before his blue eyes moved to you and El.

You set the girl down on her feet before pushing her behind you. "Billy," you whispered as his eyes bored into yours, "it's me. Y/N. Your girlfriend. Please, just… come back to me." You plead with him as your eyes filled with tears again, taking the chance to step towards him.

Billy didn't move an inch as you rest your hand onto his cheek, lip trembling as your heart pounded against your chest. He glanced down at you, noticing his eyes getting glossy.

"B-Billy?"

He nodded his head and you let out a sob, wrapping your arms around his neck as his wrapped around your waist. "I'm so sorry, baby girl," Billy mumbles into your ear and before you could say anything be bashed your head against the wall. Hard enough to knock you out, but not too hard to kill you instantly.

You were being shaken as you came to, squinting your eyes as Max and Mike came into view. They helped you off the ground and you stumbled a bit, pressing your hand to the back of your head.

"Come on, we need to help El!" He mentioned and you nodded your head before the three of you ran towards all the noise.

You guys ran out towards the courtyard of the mall to see the Mind Flayer standing in the middle of it with Billy and El five feet away. You watched as the monster opened its mouth, a tentacle coming out of it.

It shot out towards El, but Billy stopped it, holding it back as a gaps leaves your lips. More tentacles grew from either side of it before embedding themselves into Billy's skin.

"No!" You screamed as he slowly went limp, falling onto his knees.

He screams loudly at the monster before it embedded one last tentacle into his chest and you could feel all the air leaving your body. Billy fell to the ground, not really moving as the Mind Flayer ends up dying a few seconds later.

You ran towards Billy as Max slowly followed. You land on your knees roughly beside your boyfriend, your hand lifting his head up a bit as your other hand covers the wound on his chest.

"Billy, please stay with me, please," you begged as your vision became blurry from the tears.

"I'm sorry, baby," he muttered while choking a bit on his blood. "I'm so sorry." You could see the tears leave his eyes as you shake your head.

"It's okay, it's okay. Just focus on staying with me, okay? I can't lose you."

-

Your body was numb as you sat in the waiting room of the hospital, waiting for Billy to wake up from his surgery. He was so lucky the Mind Flayer missed a critical part of his organs. You wiped the tears from your face, getting sympathy looks from everyone who walked past you.

"Ms. L/N?" Someone called out and you picked your head up, stumbling to stand up as the doctor walked up to you.

"Yes. I-Is he awake?"

He nodded his head with a small smile and you let out a breath of relief. "You can go see him if you'd like."

You practically sprinted towards his room, quickly opening the door to see Billy sitting up on his hospital bed. "Billy," you whispered and his blue eyes met yours.

"Baby girl," he muttered and you walked over to him, wrapping your arms around his neck. "I'm so sorry about bashing your head. I-It wasn't me. Are you okay?!"

You chuckled and nodded your head, sniffling a bit as you pulled away from him. You rest your hands on his face before you leaned in to press a desperate kiss to his lips. You moved your lips against his, taking it all in as you don't know what you'd do if he died.

He pulled away from you and you rest your forehead against his. "You've never kissed me like that before," Billy chuckled and you shake your head.

"I didn't think I'd ever lose you before," you whispered while running your fingers through his curls. "I'm so thankful you're okay. I'm- I'm so in love with you."

Billy squeezed your waist, pulling you into the bed with him as you laid down and rest your head on his chest. "I'm in love with you too, Y/N. You have no idea."

#st spoilers #stranger things 3 #billy hargrove x you #billy hargrove x reader #billy hargrove imagines #billy hargrove #billy hargove imagine #billy hargrove x y/n #billy hargrove smut #billy hargrove fluff #billy hargrove angst #dacre montgomery x you #dacre montgomery x reader #dacre montgomery imagine #dacre montgomery imagines #dacre montgomery #stranger things imagine #stranger things season 3 #stranger things imagines #stranger things #stranger things x reader #stranger things x y/n #stranger things x you

[kohanayaki]

Caught in the Middle (Steve Harrington x Reader x Billy Hargrove) Ch 1

Just before the school year begins, a new girl drives into town in a black 84' Jaguar with a New York license plate. But you weren't new to Hawkins at all. As a matter of fact, you were returning. While reunited with your old friends you soon find yourself making some unexpected new ones as well; namely the hair of Hawkins high himself and a certain hot-blooded Californian bad boy. Little did you know, dark forces were at work just beneath your feet. How the hell did you get caught in the middle of this?

Links: Ch 1  Ch 2  Ch 3  Ch 4  Ch 5  Ch 6   Ch 7

___________________________________________________________

Ch 1 .:Something Old, Something New:.

Nothing really changed much in Hawkins, Indiana. It was always the same people working the same jobs or going to the same high school. However one thing that was definitely different was the fact that a giant, glass-topped complex decked out in neon signs and flashing lights stood tall in the middle of town square- a stark contrast to everything else around it. Starcourt Mall looked severely out of place in your small town, but then again it had been almost six years since you've been here.

Your gaze swept over the impressive building, swarms of teenagers weaving in and out of the stores. Your eyes suddenly settled on a cute blue and white striped sign that read 'Scoops Ahoy!'

“You up for ice cream?” you asked.

“I'm down,” your brother said from the passenger seat.

“Good, because I was going to pull over anyways,” you grinned. 

You backed into a nearby parking spot, getting out of your car and stretching out your arms. The ten hour road trip from Rochester to Hawkins did not do great things for your body or your sleep schedule, especially when you had to live off of nothing but McDonalds and 7-11 food for a few days. As ready as you were to flop face first onto your old bed, some ice cream sounded really good in the sweltering heat.

You headed into the ice cream shop as you took out your wallet, a cute little bell ringing out as you opened the door. 

“Ahoy,” a pretty girl with shoulder length blonde hair greeted you as you walked in. She wore a sailors uniform and hat and looked like she couldn't wait to go home. However, she seemed to regain a bit of energy as she saw you. She stared at you curiously for a moment, looking you up and down before smiling. 

“Hold on just a second,” she said. 

“Uh, sure?” you said, a bit confused by the girl as she quickly disappeared into the back room,

“You're gonna want to take this one, Harrington,” Robin said. 

“I'm on break,” Steve said, his feet up on the table.

“You've been 'on break' for over an hour, dingus,” Robin rolled her eyes, “Besides, you'll thank me later if you play your cards right.”

She reached behind the table he sat at, pulling up a white board with two columns reading 'You Rule' and 'You Suck'. 

“You're 0 for 6, Popeye,” Robin said, “Let's see if you can flip the odds.” 

She gestured over to the window where you stood in front of the display case, looking around for another employee. Steve seemed to perk up at the sight of you. It was a rare occurrence in Hawkins for Steve to run into someone he's never seen before, and hell if you weren't beautiful. 

Robin chuckled as he shot up out of his seat, straightening out his uniform with new enthusiasm.

“Alright, I'm going in,” he said, pausing for a moment before he opened the door, “And you know what? Screw the company policy.” He took off his hat and threw it over his shoulder with a flourish, “Totally hiding my best feature.”

“Yeah,” Robin said under her breath, “That's what's holding you back.”

“Ahoy there!”

You nearly jumped at the overly-loud greeting you received as the door to the back room swung open, revealing a guy about your age in an equally ridiculous sailor uniform as his coworker.

“Sorry for the wait, I hope you're still available to set sail on this ocean of flavor with me. I'm your captain for today, Steve-”

“Harrington,” you finished, surprising the boy behind the counter. He blinked a few times, letting his brain catch up with itself.

“Do. . . do I know you?” he asked.

“Probably not,” you chuckled dryly, “We went to middle school together. I moved a few weeks before freshman year.”

“Oh,” he said, feeling kind of bad. A lot had changed in the last year- mainly that he almost got killed by flesh eating beings from another dimension on no less than two accounts. But he'd also changed a lot as a person. He was one to acknowledge that he wasn't the greatest person in the past; Maybe it was better that you didn't know him in high school.   

“Well, I'm sorry we didn't get to know each other back then,” Steve said honestly. 

That took you by surprise. This wasn't the Steve Harrington you knew. He was the King as far back as elementary school and, as far as you knew, a grade-A asshole. He seemed a lot different than when he was smacking down lunch trays at the sixth grade table in the cafeteria, but he was still just as stupidly attractive.

“Let's start over, then,” you said, “I'm (Y/n), and this is my brother Kyle.”

Steve looked over to the (h/c)-headed boy who looked only a year or two younger than you and gave him a little salute-wave. 

“Nice to meet you,” Steve said, “What can I get you two?”

After taking your orders Steve started scooping up the ice cream, piling them into waffle cones. As he handed you yours he seemed to hesitate before talking. 

“So, are you just back in Hawkins to visit, or. . .” he trailed off.

“I'm back here as long as my dad's business is,” you said, “He moved us out to New York for work, but he's setting up base back here.”

“Oh, New York!” Steve said, trying to come up with something to say, “That's, uh, the- where the Statue of Liberty is and. . . hot dogs, and. . . taxis?”

“Yeah, that pretty much sums it up,” you laughed, the sound making Steve smile.

You looked over to the wall clock and bit your lip as you saw how late in the afternoon it was.

“Hey, we have to get going,” you said reluctantly, “I still need to finish moving in. You know, unpacking everything I own and all.”

“Uh, yeah, no, I totally get it,” Steve said, mentally kicking himself as you turned around to leave. 

Just before you closed the door you turned to look at him over your shoulder. 

“You know, I start my senior year in a few weeks at a little place called Hawkins High,” you said. 

Steve rose an eyebrow, his expression a little more hopeful, and you grinned.

“Who knows? I might see you around,” you said, a mischievous glint in your eyes.

Robin smirked as Steve watched you walk away, a little in awe.

“I like her,” she said, “Although, I'm not really sure if this one counts as a win or a loss.”

Steve was fine with that, so long as he got to see you again. 

~2 weeks later~

Hawkins High was always bustling with activity, even in the early morning. Chatter from groups of students walking to school together along with the hum of car motors filled the air. Everyone was either sitting on the steps of the school or leaning against their cars to show them off, trying to avoid going to first period as long as they could. 

Suddenly, a low rumble sounded out in the air as an unfamiliar vehicle rounded the corner. It seemed like everyone in the school was watching as the sleek, black car pulled into the parking lot with the windows down, music blasting. 

You enjoyed the feeling of the wind on your face as First Blood from AC/DC's new album sounded out through your car's stereo. You turned it down slightly only to talk to your brother.

“Got everything you need?” you asked Kyle.

“Everything but a doctor's note to get me out of here,” your brother joked.

You chuckled as you grabbed your jean jacket from the trunk; You slung it over your Black Sabbath t shirt before killing the engine and locking the door. 

You were about to start walking in until you were tackled into a hug from multiple children.

“(Y/n)!!” Dustin yelled, running towards you from the middle school next door.

“You're here!” Mike said, grinning wildly as he joined the group hug that Will and Lucas piled onto. 

“Hey, guys,” you smiled, “Good to know you avoided setting fire to this town without me.”

“Hey what am I, chopped liver?” Kyle said. 

The group quickly shifted their attention from you to your brother, each of them doing the secret handshakes they'd come up with together when they were little.

“I didn't know you guys were coming back,” Will said, “Why hasn't anyone said anything?”

“Your mom wanted it to be a surprise,” you admitted, “I already talked to her.”

“Are you kidding me?!” Will exclaimed.

You noticed two girls you didn't recognize were standing somewhat awkwardly to the side, not really sure what was happening.

“New party members?” you asked, smiling at them.

“This is El and Max,” Mike said, introducing you, “El, Max, this is (Y/n) and Kyle. They used to live across the street from us.”

“Nice to meet you,” you said to them before turning back to the boys, “Damn, I'm gone for a couple years and you all go and get girlfriends?” you teased. 

Mike and Lucas blushed and your smile widened.

“How do you know them again?” the redhead girl named Max questioned, “It's just. . . I don't know, you actually seem cool.”

You laughed at that, much to the boy's chagrin. 

“I used to baby sit them when we were kids,” you explained. 

“God knows why,” Lucas said, “It's not like you were any less trouble than us. You were only, like, thirteen.”

“Ok, but you were, like, seven and completely out of control,” you countered, mimicking his tone of voice.

“Woah, hold up, hold up,” Dustin said, circling around your Jaguar, “You have a fucking car?!”

“Hey, language, you little shit,” you said playfully, ruffling his hair, “And yes, I got it last year.”

“Sweet,” Dustin said, wide eyed as he continued to stare at your new ride. 

“If you guys want I can drive you to the mall this weekend,” you offered. 

Excited shouts followed, effectively giving you your answer. 

“Ok, but there's no way you'll all fit back there, so someone's riding in the trunk or I'm going to have to strap one of you to the roof,” you said, only half joking as you tossed your keys up, catching them with your other hand and pocketing them.

“I'll see you guys later. Hell awaits,” you said, gesturing to the school building. Kyle fell into step next to you as you walked up the stairs. 

As you entered the halls of Hawkins High you couldn't help the sigh that escaped you. Sure, it was good to be back in some ways, but school was not one of them. You liked your school back in New York. It was so different from here. The people were more diverse, more open minded, and just less dickish overall. 

One of the biggest downsides of a small town like Hawkins was that you were pretty much stuck with the same kids from kindergarten until high school, and you knew you'd have to see the same people that made your life hell in middle school for another year.

“Well shit, look who's back!”

Speak of the devil.

Your expression immediately hardened as Tommy and Carol walked up to you, looking just as pleased to see you as you were to see them. Among their posse were a couple of brainless football players and a guy you didn't recognize.

He had long, curly, dirty blond hair and blue eyes that took no shame in raking over your body. He had his hands in the pockets of his leather jacket as he chewed absentmindedly on a piece of gum.

“You just had to come and infect this school again, huh?” Tommy sneered.

“Nice to see you too,” you said sarcastically. Carol said nothing, just glaring at you behind her protective shield of a boyfriend. You resisted the urge to roll your eyes; you both knew she wouldn't do shit.

“You know, I don’t think New York changed her at all, guys,” Tommy said, leaning into your face, “You still a bitch?” 

You shot back without skipping a beat.

“I don’t know, Tommy. You still finger banging cheerleaders in the bathroom behind Carol's back?”

The new guy let out a small chuckle at that while the rest of the group looked stunned.

“You what?!” Carol said, eyes wide as she shoved Tommy away from her. 

“Carol, she's lying!” Tommy panicked as she started walking away, “Babe, it's not true, I swear!”

You sighed as you finally got them out of your hair, turning to your brother. 

“You better get to your first class,” you said, “I'll meet you at lunch, okay? And let me know if any assholes give you a hard time.”

“Will do,” he smiled, “See you.” 

And with that he bounded up the stairs.

You started to make your way across the hall to get to your locker when you found your path blocked by a muscular chest, barely covered by a half-unbuttoned shirt.

You looked up to see the guy who was with Tommy just now and your breath caught in your throat as you tried to put some distance between you two. Everything about this guy screamed red flags, from the scent of his cologne to the slit in his eyebrow, but wow he was handsome. Then again he was friends with Tommy, so that placed him in the category of 'shittiest humans ever' by default.

“You've got a smart mouth on you, I like that,” he drawled, his voice smooth and deep. He hooked his thumb through one of his belt loops, pulling his tight-fitting jeans down even lower. “I don't think I've seen you around here. The name's Billy Hargrove.”

“Cool,” you said before walking away. You were going to be late at this rate, and you knew he was nothing but trouble no matter how hot he was.

Billy was slightly taken aback at your disregard towards him, but he was persistent. He caught up with you easily, sliding into your view again as he walked backwards in your peripheral vision.

“So-” 

“No thanks,” you said, shutting him down fast.

Billy's face fell slightly as he kept up with your quickening pace.

“No thanks what?” 

You stopped at your locker and started putting in your combination. He leaned against the wall as you did.

“I’ve heard about you, Hargrove, and I know your type. You’re good looking, you know it, and everyone in this place seems to follow you around like a herd of sheep. You’re gonna make some kind of lame pass, ask if I wanna take a ride in your mediocre car which is definitely a euphemism for something else, expect me to jump into your pants, and then never talk to me again afterwards. So to that I say: no thanks.” 

Under ordinary circumstances Billy would have been in uproar about you reading him or calling his car mediocre, but instead his lips twisted upwards into a shit-eating grin.

“So you think I’m good looking?” 

You sighed as you slammed your locker shut. Of course that’s all he got out of that. 

“If I say yes will you go away?” 

Billy laughed at that, still insistent on following you.

“Quite the opposite, sweetheart.”

“I’m not your sweetheart,” you glared.

“Would you like to be?” 

You rolled your eyes. This guy just doesn't know when to quit.

“Do you pull these cheesy one liners out of your ass with every girl you see?” you asked, a wry smile tugging at your lips.

“Not every girl,” he said suggestively.   

“Oh, really? Because I’ve only been here for half an hour and your hand’s slipped into the back pockets of at least five different willing participants,” you said.

“Jealous?” he smirked.

It was at this moment that you realized when you stopped walking he basically had you trapped between his body and the rows of lockers lining the walls. His gaze was hot and heavy as he loomed over you, purposefully giving you a full view down his shirt. A sudden spark of confidence made you smirk right back at him as you replied:

“You'd like that, wouldn't you?”

As the bell rang out into the hall you used it to get past Billy and continue on your way to your first period. He turned around, staring at your retreating figure. 

“I never caught your name,” he said.

You stopped in your tracks to look at him over your shoulder. 

“I never threw it,” you said, a playful tone to your voice, “(Y/n) (L/n). Don’t rack your brain too hard trying to remember it. If you’re a friend of Tommy’s we won’t be talking much.” 

Your words were harsh, but the way you said them and the grin on your face made it sound like a challenge, and Billy Hargrove has never backed out of one of those.

Read Ch 2 Here!

#stranger things #stranger things x reader #steve harrington x reader #billy hargove x reader #steve harrington #billy hargrove #reader insert #love triangle #stranger things season 3 #mike wheeler #dustin henderson #lucas sinclair #max mayfield #will byers #jim hopper #original characters

[imaginingmarvelandeverything]

Don’t You Forget About Me

Request: By @fyeahtaylorp : Could you please do a plus size reader and billy Hargrove imagine where the reader is like El and has powers and she is trying to protect the kids but it’s hard because “billy” is coming after her and el and maybe it it’s happy.

Pairing: Billy x Powered!Reader

Warnings: Blood, violence, spoilers for season 3 episode 8

Word Count: 1656

A/N: Thank you so much for the request!! I really enjoyed writing this, I just hope I’ve done it justice. I’ll let you guess what song I was listening to when I wrote this. I gave the reader pyrokinesis because I didn’t want to make this one have a sad ending and the only thing that seems to be able to stop the mindflayer is fire. Requests are open!!

Masterlist

Y/N, Mike, El and Max made it to the front of Starcourt just in time to see Billy clambering out of his Camaro. The car was on fire and the yellow Cadillac Hopper had commandeered was next to it, also on fire. The station wagon was missing through so they had to assume that the other had made it out. The four of them had been separated from the others when the mindflayer fell through the roof of the mall. They managed to escape through the back of the Gap but now they had another problem. 

Y/N’s eyes traced Billy’s form as he stood to his full height. There were tears streaming down his face but his jaw was locked. His white vest made his arms visible and the black lines crisscrossing across his skin stood out. The areas where his skin had broken when El pushed him out of the gym and from the crash had turned black. This wasn’t her Billy. This wasn’t the boy she knew and loved. The mindflayer had control of his mind and subsequently his body. But she knew the tears and the tortured look in his eyes meant that he was still in there; trapped in his own mind.

“Get back inside.” Y/N turned and pushed the three kids back the other side of the loading gate that cut the loading dock off from the car park. Without thinking she slammed the close button; cutting herself off from the kids.

“No! Y/N!” El screamed and tried to get out of Mike and Max’s grasp.

“Get back inside! Go!” Y/N screamed as she turned and ran. She had trapped herself with Billy but all that mattered was keeping the kids safe. She would never forgive herself if something happened to them.

She darted through the main entrance into the mall and froze. Her eyes darted around, looking for somewhere to go. The neon lights of the shops were still glistening brightly but the main lighting was all out. It gave the mall and eerie glow. She was trying not to panic as tears ran down her cheeks and her shoulder burned. The mindflayer had grabbed onto it when it had tried to take El back at the cabin. The wound had reopened with all the fighting and running; she could feel the blood running down her back and soaking her shirt. She caught sight of a service door and bolted for it as she heard the door behind her open. Her blood ran cold as Billy’s voice echoed around the empty mall.

“There’s no where to hide! We will find you!” Billy didn’t even sound like himself. There was an edge to his voice; like his voice consisted of multiple versions of him speaking at once.

Y/N’s footsteps echoed through the empty corridor as she ran. The pain in her shoulder was slowing her down. She lost track of how many corners she turned before she realised her mistake. She hit the end of a corridor and threw open the door at the end. It was a storage room and there was no other exit. A sob escaped her chest as her breathing became more ragged. From the running or the panic clawing at her chest she didn’t know. She couldn’t fight him without hurting or even killing him. She had trapped herself with no where to go, no one to turn to and little hope of help coming.

Billy was limping as he rounded the corner. His hair hung in his face and the black lines in his skin seemed to become more pronounced as he realised she had nowhere to go.

“Billy?” Her voice broke as tears streamed down her face. She turned to face him, taking small steps backwards as he got closer. “Billy, it’s me. I know you can hear me. Please, you can fight him. Please, you have to. I can’t hurt you; he knows that. Billy, he’ll kill me.” Her sobs got louder as her back hit the wall. She had no where left to go. “Billy, please.”

“He’s not here.” With that, his hand wrapped around her throat and lifted her off the floor.

She clawed at his hand and kicked out as he slammed her head back into the wall. The last thing she saw before losing consciousness was those all to familiar blue eyes and all the pain hidden behind them.

Billy released his grip on her throat as she went limp under him. He knelt down and let her fall over his shoulder before he stood up. He made his way back to the food court in the centre of the mall. The mindflayer was already waiting for them. He shifted her into his arms before placing her on the floor. He knelt down, his knees either side of her hips as she started to come around.

Y/N groaned as her vision started to return. Her skull throbbed painfully against the tiled ground beneath her. Her eyes focused on the mindflayer above her and she tried to get up. Billy gripped her shoulders and slammed her back into the floor. She screamed as she felt her shoulder tear open further. Sobs racked through her body as Billy lent down next to her ear.

“Don’t worry, it’ll be over soon. Just try to stay very still.” His voice was eerily calm and it sent chills down her spine. He sat back up and went to get up as the mindflayer shot a tendril towards her.

She shot out her hand and screamed. The fire emerging from her arm connected to the tendril and the mindflayer shrieked and stumbled back. It shifted as if to come towards them again but an explosion ripped through the silence right next to it. Lucas had managed to rig together the fireworks they had stolen and the others were all throwing them towards the mindflayer from the top level of the mall. The mindflayer shrieked at them all and tried to dodge the hits but there were too many.

Y/N made the mistake of forgetting that Billy was still with her. He pulled her forward by her shirt and slammed her back into the ground. It caused another scream to rip from her throat as her hands shot to his shoulders to try and push him off. She knew it was futile. His muscle mass was much higher than hers so she knew she wouldn’t be able to break his grip. Her chest heaved from the breaths she managed to take in in-between sobs as she looked up at him.

“Billy, you promised, remember. You promised you’d never hurt me. We were sat in your car, by the quarry.” Y/N shifted one of her hands from his arm to his face as he looked at her with what seemed like recognition. “You told me about your mom, about your dad and all about California. You said you’d take me there. To see the water that was so blue it didn’t look real.” Tears were running down his cheeks now as the black lines in his skin started to fade. “And I told you about my childhood. Not all of it, because Hopper would’ve killed me, but enough so that you would understand. You told me that you loved me, promised you’d always protect me, and I said it back. You looked so happy. You were happy.”

Billy screwed his eyes shut as the tears ran down his cheeks and dropped down his nose onto Y/N’s chest. The black lines had completely faded now and she knew it was her Billy looking back at her. He fell off of her so he was sitting on the floor and put his head in his hands. She sat up carefully and moved over to him.

“I’m sorry.” He sobbed into his hands as she sat in front of him.

“It’s not your fault, it…”

El’s scream cut her off. “Y/N!”

Y/N only just turned in time. She lifted her hands and let the fire course through her. The mindflayer shrieked and tried to move back but she didn’t let up, sitting up onto her knees. She screamed with the effort as the others kept throwing fireworks. She was running out of energy and the others were running out of fireworks when the mindflayer collapsed to the floor.  

Y/N’s strength left her as she fell backwards but Billy was already waiting. He caught her against his chest and held her against him as they both continued crying. She clutched onto his arms around her as she turned and buried her face in his neck. The blood from her shoulder was starting to stain his white vest but he didn’t care. He just buried his face into her hair and cried with her. Neither of them moved as Max, El and Mike appeared in front of them.

“Are you okay?” Max asked as they heard the doors open and the army began to sweep through the mall.

Neither of them answered, they just nodded. They were finally safe. Everything was going to be okay.

#Billy Hargrove #billy hargrove x reader #billy hargrove imagine #stranger things #stranger things 2 #stranger things 3 #dacre montgomery #dacre montgomery imagine #Max Mayfield #mike wheeler #eleven #imagine #x reader #billy hargrove #billy hargove x reader

[alias-b]

Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me

California, 1992. Billy Hargrove and Camille Harper built their future in an endless, red hot summer. Everything changes with a splash of pale blue. Billy x OC! Camille Harper

A/N: The baby one shot I promised everyone! Occurs after my fic, "Without The Lights." Warning, I get into the not pretty side of pregnancy and Camille struggles with her illness. Sexual content. TW: graphic description of birth and postpartum depression. Mention of death and past torture. Cross posted here on AO3

1992

   She’d been late.

   Camille Harper was never late to anything.

   Then, she’d taken ill. Scents that used to thrill her in the morning like fresh coffee, fluffed pancakes, and scrambled eggs sent her scurrying into the bathroom.

   Billy looked up from his desk, covered in different lead pencils and scattering papers. Grotesque concept art for an upcoming horror film he’d been working on. Still pretty as a picture. Less of a baby in the face, but still just as sweet. Sprinkle of facial hair and lashes for days.

   “Ugh, so much for sleeping in Saturday.” Camille gargled mouthwash, spat, and wandered out. Brown hair grown out and piled up in a bun. Billy’s arm snaked around her hips, bringing her into his side. A temple pressed into her nightgown. “I don’t want to get you sick.”

   The back of his knuckle drew along her forehead. Cool metal of his wedding ring chilled.

   “No fever. You probably ate something last night, I told you the shrimp was a bad idea.”

   The very word ‘shrimp’ almost made her hurl again.

   “We’re not trying that place again.” Camille kissed the top of his head. Curls longer like a rockstar around his shoulders. “I have a new case to prepare for the office Monday.”

   “Boy or girl?” Billy set his pencil down and watched her plop into the couch.

   “Girl.” Camille frowned, rubbing her head. “She’s got a wall up, this one. Office likes me so her case is mine. Arthur thinks it’s a good match, but I’m actually nervous.”

   “Arthur this and that.” Came a scoff. “School buddies who ended up at the same office. Pshh.”

   “Arthur is taken now and quite happy.”

   “Who swept him off his perfect feet so he’ll quit bothering my wife?”

   “Lovely man named Stanley.” Camille laughed when Billy gave a double take. “Went drinking together while you played with latex masks last Thursday.”

   “It was crunch time. I’m sure your new case will be fine. Brilliant Dr. Harper. Blazing through all that schooling and study abroad. Almost in the clear.” Billy mused, switching his light off. “We’ll see if they like this new design I got. Tea?”

   “Yes, please.” Camille slid down the couch, pulled a fuzzy blanket into her body while Billy went into the kitchen. Cozy apartment they could afford. Walls covered in memories. Photos and degrees. She clicked the remote and settled on a light movie. Look Who’s Talking.

   A campy opening of sperm headed toward a dropped egg after a mini love scene with Kirstie Alley. Camille sighed, rubbing her head before something clicked the same moment hot water howled from the tea pot in the kitchen.

   “Oh, shit.” She shot up. Blinked. “No way.” They hadn't exactly been trying. But, they hadn't not been trying.

   “Getting your Travolta fix?” Billy set a mug down and Camille blinked at him.

   “Ah, yeah.” She shot up. “I just remembered...I was supposed to hit the drug store. We’re out of...everything.”

   “Everything? I’ll drive you to the store.” Billy chuckled.

   “No, it’s just around the corner, I need the walk. Fresh air. No shrimp.” Camille skidding around him to toss clothing on their bed. Dressing in jeans and a tee. “Keep working. Need anything?”

   “I’d kill for a Milky Way.” He shrugged, plopping back into his seat. Camille was hopping around to put some shoes on. Sun from outside caught his face and she pressed her lips, kissing his cheek.

   “I’ll bring you something sweet.”

   Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Camille nearly jogged down the steps from the fourth floor. Grabbed a basket when she got to the mini-mart and tossed randoms items they needed in. Billy’s candy included. Stopped in a section that made her cold.

   Pregnancy tests.

   “Jeez.” She mulled over boxes before snatching one.

   Ignored the idle way the clerk peered at her stomach when he rang it up. Christ. California sun and wind swept against her body. Usually it set her at ease, but a ball of nerves sank into her stomach when she took the elevator back up. Billy was on the couch now, looking up as she tossed the candy into his lap.

   “You okay?”

   “Feeling sick again.” Camille half lied and went into the bathroom. Locked the door. Stared at the clear plastic curtain as she peed on a stick. Washed her hands and pulled at her watch. It ticked slower to spite her.

   “Camille?” Billy knocked. “Something’s up.”

   “Ah, just a second,” she paced, “give me just another second.”

   “Let me help.”

   “Oh, believe me...you did.” She sat on the side of the tub. Stared at the colored tiles. So many to count. Billy exhaled on the other side of the door. Didn’t leave. “Billy, I’ll be fine.” Her own tone shook.

   Did she want this?

   Were they ready?

   How was she going to feel if it’s nothing?

   How was she going to feel it it’s blue?

   Camille didn’t have time to think through each possible dream because reality spoke for her.

   Blue. Crystal clear sky.

   “Camille.” Billy jimmied the lock until the door popped open. She looked up in tears.

   “...Is that?”

   “Blue.” She breathed with one fist curled to her chest. Burst into tears. Unable to tell if they were happy or sad. She just needed to cry. Billy swept toward her.

   “Hey, hey. I got you.” Billy kissed her cheeks until she was soothed. Held her there while she clung to his shoulders.

   “It’s blue.”

   “What’s...that mean?” Billy met her eyes. “You’re...”

   “Blue.” Camille said again. Licking her lips before they pressed. “I’m pregnant.”

   “We’re having a baby?” Billy blinked at her. She waited for him to panic. But, he smiled. So bright that it made her burn with jealousy to be confused about it. “We’re having a baby!”

   Billy grabbed his wife. Held her close to him. Settled Camille just a little, she tried to feed off his glow.

   “Ninety nine percent accuracy. We need to, ah, go to a doctor first.” She let Billy pull her up. Out into the living room.

   Why was she riddled with confusion and anxiety while he bubbled with excitement? He danced her around to no music like a true romantic.

   “Let’s not...say anything until we go. I’ll make an appointment. After my meeting Monday?”

   “Yeah, yeah.” He swept hair aside and smiled again, so youthful. Kissed her there in the sun. Meanwhile, she felt life being sucked into a swirling pit. Billy tugged Camille into the couch, nestled her into his chest. “Are...Are you happy?”

   “I’m… Blue “...something.”

** ** **

   It was real. Confirmation at the doctor and life turned in on itself. People were careful with her. Work tried to withhold cases she’d fought for.

   She had a woman’s condition. They treated Camille like it was fatal.

   “Jim? Are you still there?”

   A thud on the other end was followed by scrambling.

   “Camille?” Joyce had the phone now. “Jim, get up.”

   Camille laughed that time.

   “Your father’s fine, just shocked. Oh, Jim, stop being dramatic!” Came some bickering.

   “I’m going to be a grandpa!” There was more laughter on their end.

   “Can you two stop kissing in my ear already?” Camille twirled the cord and stretched her legs out into Billy’s lap. Let him massage her ankles. “We wanted to know...if you guys would come down for the birth. Should be early November, I’m due.”

   Billy started counting something on his fingers, earning a soft kick.

   “Max and El already freaked. Letting them follow me to UCLA was such a mistake.” Camille joked. Mike and Lucas in Washington. Will and Dustin following Nancy and Jonathan to New York. Steve, Heather, and Robin living blissfully in Chicago. Rumor had it Regan and Kali turned up there too.

   “You’re listening to the doctors, right?” Jim turned stern. Such a dad.

   “You know it,” Camille brought the phone away, “Billy, you want to pass me a beer?” He just snorted.

   “Hey, none of that.” Jim was in her ear. “We’ll fly over now.”

   “No need. We’re fine. We’ll figure things out when it gets closer, yeah? Telling work was mortifying enough. But, we got the leave figured out. Arthur’s been such a help. Don’t worry about anything.” Camille sighed when Billy’s hands worked up her legs. Had to slap him out of her skirt.

   “Congrats, Camille! Billy, you tell Susan?” Joyce stole the phone.

   “We heard her crying from over here. Same with Grace. She and Elliott choked him near to death. Billy also tells me that Miss Mayfield was set up with a certain middle school teacher, how the hell did that happen?”

   “Mr. Clarke can be quite charming,” Joyce chirped and a groan erupted from Jim, “passes Susan’s little boutique on the drive to the school every day. Started stopping in. Flirting in his way. I couldn’t tell you.”

   “Glad Rosemary’s former team was willing to do us some favors and help her out with that.” Camille was still squirming away from Billy’s advances. His lips on her neck. “Well, I should go. But, any and all advice is wanted.”

   “She already tore through all the mommy books in the library. Ignore her.” Billy stole the phone. “Hops. Can I call you Pops now?”

   “If I can call you, dead.” Jim smiled when Joyce swatted his chest.

   “I expect you to spoil my kid.”

   “Will do. Make sure Camille takes it easy.”

   “Oh, I will.” Billy said goodbyes and pushed his hips into Camille’s, a sigh followed.

   “Hate you.” She settled her arms around his neck. A long kiss followed.

   “Valentine’s Day.”

   “Hm?” She went for his neck and jaw. Immersed in him.

   “By my count, we made her Valentine’s Day. Wonder if it was the car or the counter or the couch or the bed?”

   “I hate you...and it could have been the floor too.” She chuckled into his skin. Kissed him fiercely. The phone rang again. Billy reached over to snatch it.

   “Hargrove.” He let Camille paw at him. Twirling his hair about. Worshiping him with starry eyes. Billy’s own eyes opened and he pushed up with Camille still attached to him. “Why are you calling, I’ve told you-?”

   Camille let him go immediately. Saw the cold way he went rigid.

   “What?” Billy sounded breathless. “I...”

   “Billy?” Camille touched his face when his eyes welled.

   “Fine, just don’t call here again.” The phone slammed and he was up. Pacing. Rubbing his eyes.

   “Billy, who was that?” Camille hurried after him. Tried to tug at his arms but he slipped off.

   “Just...give me a second.” He didn’t make it into their room. Collapsed to the floor and covered his face.

   “Billy!” She gathered her husband into her chest. He just sobbed. “Billy, who was that?”

   “...Neil. He's been trying to call.”

   “You didn’t tell me that.”

   “I didn’t want to freak you out. I kept hanging up. I was terrified you’d pick up and he’d...” Billy sniffled. Clung to her. Cried more. Camille petted curls helplessly. Kissed blond hair and soft cheeks all better. “He’s sick.”

   “What?”

   “He’s dying. Cancer. Not the kind you get better from.” Billy lifted. “Don’t know why I’m crying about it, I’ll be glad he’s… He asked to see me. How can he fuck up my life and then just…?”

   Disappear.

   “Where is he?”

   “Colorado.” Billy wiped his eyes. “Fuck him.”

   “Do you...want to go?”

   Billy thought of Neil with his skin sunken and yellow. No longer handsome. Rasping at him from a mattress. Pissing himself. Dying alone in a cold bed like his father before him. He turned to Camille and cupped her stomach.

   “No, I don’t.” A long kiss into her abdomen. “I want to hold our baby. Take her to the park. Make her feel safe. I promise I’ll never...” He stopped. Blinked several times. I’ll never be like Neil. Nuzzled into Camille’s neck. “I love you.”

   “I love you too.” She let Billy’s broad body sink into her. Brought him to bed where they could wrap each other up. Feverish and dizzy until he pushed inside her. Melted their mouths. Gasped into her neck. Succumbed to the sweltering heat. He sought comfort and burrowed under her skin. Pushed fingers between thighs. Fucked her into the mattress while they reached peaks.

   Hours later, Camille heard Billy get up, thinking she’d fallen into slumber. Came to the door to listen.

   “Hey...” He said into the phone. Whispering. “No, you listen. I’m not… I don’t want to see you. I’ll just remember you healthy. Able enough to give hard lessons. I just...wanted to call and say Camille and I are having a baby… I think it’s a girl.”

   There was silence for a few beats.

   “We’re going to name her Sara and she won’t be learning hard lessons. She won’t be afraid of me like I...” Billy paused.

   Life flashed these vivid images of his childhood. His mother’s bracelet scattering across the pavement. That one moment Neil let him cling.

   “You ever think things could have been different for us, you know, after mom? I do. A lot. But, I can’t live in that… You beat the shit out of me. You hurt my wife. You hurt Susan and she’s still trying to move on. Max’s hair is all grown out and she won’t let anyone touch it. You won’t hurt my daughter. But, I’ll tell her about you. Tell her she had a grandfather who made bad choices and ended up…”

   “...Yeah, I think she’ll get the Hargrove jaw too.” Billy softened, lifted his eyes to the starlight beyond the window. Wondered if Neil was looking too. “I’ll tell her your name. Not much else. Hardest lesson I learned was realizing I’m not going to be like you. I’m sorry you wasted your life, I’m not going to. I’m going to be a good dad. I...just wanted to tell you that. That I'm in love still and I’m going to be a great father to my little girl. I’m going to keep her safe in this world. Goodbye, dad... We loved each other once.”

   Billy hung up. Curled into a ball to cry silently. Camille inched out until his head lifted. Arms came up to accept her there.

   “Shhh, I got you.” She tucked Billy’s head under her chin. “I’m so proud of you. You’re going to be an amazing daddy. I’m so lucky you’re mine. We’re going to be okay.”

   “God, I’m supposed to be holding you.” He chuckled at himself and Camille beamed.

   “We’ve got each other.”

   Neil Hargrove died in his sleep late April of 1992. Alone in a cold bed.

** ** **

   Camille’s belly turned into a mini planet Billy couldn’t stop kissing. Dealt with some fiery stares when he made comments about her swelling breasts. It was true, tired all the same, she glowed. Billy fed her odd cravings. Made her feel as sexy as he could until she was climbing atop him. Riding him because she needed it now and bad. He liked that part.

   A million baby books later, Billy became an annoying infant factoid machine.

   "Did you know if-?"

   "Billy," Camille groaned into the couch, "I want Thai food again."

   "I swear to god, Camille, our kid is going to come out trying to order a pad see ew, extra spicy."

   "...Two orders please."

   Billy was weak. He ordered her three to last her.

   Elliott, now eleven years old, took to painting seashells and starfish along her belly when she was stuck on the couch. Billy’s excitement never stilled. Only illuminated. So willing to learn this all. They cleared spaced. Decorated a little nursery all under the sea themed. Camille was more riddled with anxiety. Always steadying her breath. Talking to the little life inside her. Constant gifts and advice from friends helped from time to time.

   “Billy!” Elliott jumped up when he came home. “Think I could work in movies like you?”

   Camille was giggling. Hard. Her shirt pulled over her stomach painted with the shark from Jaws.

   “Guess what we watched?”

   “It wasn’t even scary.” Elliott crossed his arms, ruffling waves of brunette hair. “That was kid stuff.”

   “Think so,” Billy swept him up, growling for effect. Baring teeth like a shark. Earned a giggle.

   “She cried again at a TV commercial.” Elliott whispered and Billy snickered.

   “I'm allowed to have emotions, you two. Roger is going to be here any minute.” Camille pushed up. “Who wants ice cream?”

   “Mint chip?” Elliott followed after her.

   “You know it, kid.” She braced one hand on her back and the other around his shoulders. Billy shook his head and dropped a bag on his desk. Water ran as Camille washed her belly off and Elliott pulled out a pint of ice cream with two spoons. “Your big brother doesn’t have our sophisticated taste in ice cream.”

   They shared a few bites over the counter. Camille groaned a little and pressed a spot on her stomach.

   “You’re doing that a lot, sissy.” The affectionate name he’d picked up when he was little never left. Camille felt a cramp well like a great wave.

   “Just my girl dancing around. Picking fights with my organs. She’s definitely going to be like her daddy. Want to feel?”

   Elliott smiled his toothiest grin and reached out. Let Camille press his hand to her side.

   “Spicy food and mint ice cream is all I want these days.”

   “My mom said she liked mac and cheese with tomatoes with me.” He gasped, feeling the baby. “She high-fived me!”

   “Billy kissed my stomach once and got a swift kick.” Camille snickered, scooping more ice cream to enjoy. Billy paced in, pecking her cheek before he stole a spoon and the strawberry pint in the freezer.

   “All mine.” He shrugged, eating. Camille hunched, moaning a few minutes later. “Camille, you sure you’re okay?”

   “It’s just minor...cramps. I’m fine. She’s not coming out for another two weeks.” Camille licked her spoon.

   “She’s been doing it all day. Like this...Oohh...” Elliott mirror a motion with his hand on his back and the other on his stomach. Billy raised his brow.

   “They’re far, far apart.” Camille turned to the ice cream and felt a pop. A gush of fluid like she’d peed herself. Billy’s spoon clattered.

   “Sissy?” Elliott took her hand because he was closest. “Cami, what’s happening?” Billy was at his wife’s side, holding her.

   “Her water broke.”

** ** **

   A million phone calls later and Camille was whimpering, pacing around a bed. Wobbling side to side. Bracing her hands to groan. She decided on a birthing center and midwife over a hospital. Place looked more like a hotel and had a hot tub for those births. Cozy space all for them.

   Billy held a lot of jokes back.

   “The baby book’s-”

   “Fuck the baby books!” Camille’s red face lifted. A demonic edge to her voice and even Billy backed up. “Photographic memory is worth shit!” He edged off. “Sorry, I’m...oh! I want drugs. I want my midwife! I want Thai food... It’s early!”

   “She’s on the way now. Jim and Joyce were on a plane an hour ago. Max is driving El here. Just breathe.”

   “Fuck my breathing!” She sounded truly possessed. Grabbing at Billy over the bed with some crazy burst of pregnancy strength. “I want drugs… What if she comes out hurt because it’s early. Or like me?”

   “She’s fine. Hey...” Billy pried her hand from his shirt and crossed around. “She’s going to be perfect.” He held her. Placed a kiss into hair. Camille’s face was blushed and beading with sweat. Limbs shook as she braced into the bed.

   “Camille!” A woman who could have bench pressed Billy hurried in. “Oh, poor girl. Keep breathing like I taught you.”

   “Ellen.” Camille winced. The girls were on a first name basis. Ellen was a former body builder and wrestler turned midwife. Lost some kids of her own and swore to help other girls keep their babies. “I can’t. I can’t.”

   “Might want to go get some ice chips, Bill.” She turned to him looking frantic and reeling it in. “Two cups.”

   “For her?”

   “For both of you. You’re in for a long night.”

   Billy scrambled. Passed the waiting room where Roger and Elliot sat for Grace and the rest of the family to arrive after driving the crying girl in.

   Hours of groaning and wailing. Women in other rooms joined in like a chorus of cries and soft birthing songs. Billy joked they were calling out to each other. Solidarity for the pain women were created to endure.

   “Camille, honey, you have to get up like this. Just like we practiced.”

   “I can’t,” she only moaned, shaking her head back and forth.

   “Daddy, she needs you. We’re almost there, I’ll be back in with assistance. She has to get into position.” Ellen continued, lighting a fire under Billy while he paced. The midwife jogged out into the hallway where more women vocalized together. Called out to ensure none felt alone in this.

   “Something’s wrong, she’s gonna come out like me.” The girl sounded delirious. Billy cupped Camille face, watched her eyes dart over his welling expression. “She’s gonna tear a part of me out and I can’t stop her.”

   “I want her to be like you.” Billy admitted.

   “Don’t say that.” A hand pulled for his shirt. Camille twitched with anger at him. “Don’t say that again!”

   “No, I hope she’s exactly like you and she’ll have parents who love her. We’ll teach her never to force a smile. That perfection is bullshit. I hope she’s like you, I have this entire time.”

   “The world’s going to swallow her.”

   “We won’t let that happen.” Billy smiled because he was so certain about that.

   “She’ll be in pain.”

   “And we’ll see her through that too. Pain happens. Means we're here sometimes. Means we're strong enough to fight through it and she won't be alone. You gotta get up, she needs you.”

   “Camille!” Another voice at the door.

   “Dad. Jim, you’re here.” She wheezed when Jim came to her with Joyce’s hand in his. Sprinkles of grey in his hair. Joyce pulled her brown locks back into a ponytail.

   “Hey, sweetheart, we’re all here for you.” She came around the bed. “Max and El want to come in, we got them to stay with the others. Just breathe, you’re almost there.”

   “How’re you holding up, punk?” Jim clapped Billy on the shoulder, earning a chuckle.

   “Just barely, Hops. Lots of ice chips.”

   “I swear by those, you might want more.”

   “She’s crushing my hand.” Billy lifted his near white palm. Camille’s digging fingers into his skin.

   “He did this to me,” Camille hissed. Another bout. Another groan that tore the room. Ellen was back at her side.

   “Camille, come up now, that’s my girl.”

   A growl ripped violently.

   Like a werewolf mid transformation.

   Camille huffed and got to her hands and knees. Thought to rip her flesh away and reveal fur and muscle hiding underneath. Teeth growing and sharp to stark points while her veins darkened.

   She could have torn through a forest. Howled at the moon. One last time.

   It glowed bright before her. Speckled with stars.

   She counted them to herself.

   “Hold on, here.” Ellen guided stirrups higher so she could grip them. Had her squatting on the bed. “Breathe.” The thin cotton of the gown was damp. Hanging from one shoulder. She growled and tore it open down the front. Veins pulsing and pushing. No drugs. Just a body built for agony. Miles of it. Nude and feral.

   Camille screamed at the moon this time. For gawking. Grabbed at Billy again while he helped brace her into position.

   She howled and other women howled back. A great echo into the unknown. Into the dark night. Wolves in a pack itching to run through wind and rustling trees. Feral bodies that were so often controlled by weaker beings. Free and shameless.

   Women were not always soft, they were hard edges of steel slicing skin to pieces. Teeth gnashing muscle and bone apart. Hot irons of a beating heart within a hollowed chest cavity. Camille led a brigade with her.

   “Big push now!” Came the command.

   Camille tossed her head back and roared. Succumbed to the flames and blood lust. Thought her bones would break and shift so she could become the beast. Bring the world to its knees.

   Ellen reached down, head lifting.

   “Camille, it’s time. Another big push for me.”

   Camille only braced herself. Bones chattering. Words echoed with encouragement from her family. From Billy as he held onto her. Ellen repeated herself from the right.

   “Ahhh!” Vocal cords vibrated and almost ripped apart. Teeth baring. A gasp when it reeled back. Sweat and blood dribbled down Camille’s quivering thighs.

   “Almost, sweetheart, almost. Keep pushing for us.”

   “I can’t, I can’t.” Came the chants. Jim thought to step forward as he watched her spine press out into skin, but Billy sprang into action.

   “You can do this.” He kissed her temple. “You can.”

   “I’m not ready, I can’t.” Camille cried so hard. Looked out at the sky.

   It was all blue.

   “Camille,” Billy murmured into her hair, “I love you. You can do this.”

   The stars glowed brighter beyond the window. She longed to reach out and catch one.

   “They’re singing to me.” She whispered more so to herself. Lips opening to howl and sing with them. The women echoing her calls. The stars waiting beyond the veil.

   She waited for fur to ripple her skin. For claws to grow long and sharp.

   “That’s it, Camille, push!” Ellen took one hand, guided it down to feel something warm and wet. Camille screamed and they helped her stay upright when something stronger and more youthful than her tore from a body built of steel and stardust. “Take your baby. She’s here. Cradle the head.”

   Camille was sobbing as she pulled a tiny mass to her bare chest. A fallen star she managed to grasp. It echoed her screams. More powerful and beet red. Slicked with blood and fluids.

   Unable to stay upright, she was guided back with Ellen and Billy’s help. Looked almost wild in the starlight. Bloodied and nude with her cub cradled close.

   The baby wailed over Camille until she quieted in a daze. It overcame her with so much ease. Felt like she was slipping into a warm bath. Endless pools. Unbothered by her nudity there in the wash of moon.

   “Look at her,” Billy gasped through tears. Kissed Camille’s cheek again. “I’m so proud of you, you did it. She’s beautiful.”

   She half expected him to say, my, my, what big eyes you have.

   “Congratulations, mommy and daddy.” Ellen was ushering her assistant around.

   Camille didn’t look down. Couldn’t. Not at this little pup that ripped from her. That howled with her at the moon. This beating heart she would nurture and teach to glow all neon and red. The baby felt its mother’s heart beating under her little head and made it her first lullaby. Camille felt for a moment, that she had no more life in her. No more fight to tear through the woods leading a pack of wailing women.

   “Let’s get her cleaned up.” Ellen pulled the whimpering infant away to tend to her. Camille sat sprawled there half naked with one leg hanging over the side. Her own fluids in a puddle beneath her. Warm and oddly comforting. Billy and the assistant worked to maneuver her into another mattress so the dirtied one could be rolled off.

   “Camille?” Billy cupped her face there against a plush pillow. Covered her body. “Hey.”

   “She’s just a little dazed.” Joyce was smoothing brown hair back. Hopper’s hand on her shoulder. “You did so good, honey.”

   Ellen pushed a peach bundle back into Camille’s arms without asking. Helped her cradle the head as she propped herself up into the pillows. Hazel eyes lowered to see her daughter at last.

   Bright, crystalline eyes. A full head of dark hair already. Blinking and still at her mother. Billy leaned into Camille’s shoulder with a tired grin. Fingers grazed his baby’s cheek. Lips lowered to feel the tufts of hair, to inhale the scent of new life. The urge to cry overshadowed her smile.

   “Sara Anne Hargrove, welcome to the world.” Billy said. “Halloween birthday, I’m jealous.” Glowing with vitality Camille didn’t feel as he spoke.

   She heard the other women crying out and mourned that she no longer had the strength to roar with them.

** ** **

   “She’s so tiny.” El glittered, cradling the baby with Jim’s help.

   “She makes that same squinty face Billy does, look.” Max joked. Both girls as tall as Camille. So grown up and out into this big world. Jim crossed to see Camille when Billy went into the hallway to sign some papers.

   “You okay, kid?” He tucked a strand of hair away. She stared beyond him at the moon.

   “I never asked you if it was okay. Her name.”

   “I think it’s perfect.” Jim smiled and Camille pressed her lips at him. “Joyce and I will stick around if that’s okay. Help you get situated.”

   “We’d appreciate that. Grace and Roger live a ways out.” Camille blinked, head back to see everyone fawning over the baby across the way.

   “You okay?” Jim felt a great distance pool within his kid.

   “I’m...” Blue. “A mother.”

** ** **

   Sara wouldn’t latch.

   It took extra help to get her to at the birthing center and Joyce assisted at home.

   “Give her a second.” Billy tried to help. Tried.

   “You want to do this?” Camille’s eyes snapped at him. He put his hands up in response.

   “I’ll start dinner.” He slunk away into the kitchen where Jim was. Max and El left because they had class the next day. Grace promised to come up as much as she could after kissing Billy a million times. Phone calls and cards poured.

   “Ah...” Camille wiggled in her seat. Perched on an extra pillow because everything below her waist was raw and padded. Her stomach went down slowly while her breasts ballooned. Sara suckled in her arms and Joyce only offered encouragement. “It hurts.”

   “They never tell you that in the books.” Joyce sighed. “Jonathan gave me all sorts of trouble too. You’ll get the hang of it.” Camille winced and settled her head back against the couch. Felt like she was just waiting for it to be over. Everyone gushed about this amazing connection they would share and here she was just floating.

   Maybe that was just something else to get the hang of.

** ** **

   Camille started to have dreams. Maternity leave only made her restless. She cried when Billy packed her files away into the closet. He’d gotten the first month to stay with her while she’d gotten three.

   And she wanted to go back.

   Billy didn’t dare ask why the urge to see these kids over her daughter quelled.

   So, Camille dreamed a lot on rare nights she got sleep.

   Barely ate.

   A white room with white sheets in a white bed. Camille in all white too. Doctors fussing as she bloodied the room with her mess. Her womanhood that was supposed to be kept in check. Sara crying. Screaming. Echoing.

   One doctor pulling his mask down. Smiling wider than a circus clown. Brenner.

   Camille tore up and screamed too until Billy started to shake her awake.

   Only one week in and she’s unraveling with dark circles and a broken in body.

   “Camille!” Billy just held her until she stopped.

   “No, no, I have to check on her.” She ripped away from him. Scrambled into the other room to hover over the crib. Sara sleeping soundly and undisturbed. A sigh.

   “Camille, come out, you’ll wake her.” Billy rubbed his eyes. She ignored him, felt around the window for a latch.

   “You left it unlocked.”

   “What?”

   “I told you to lock it last night.” Camille’s neck twisted with a heated expression. Eyes glinting like an animal.

   “She took awhile to sleep, I forgot,” he paused, “I’m sorry.”

   “They could come in and take her. In the dark. Just like that.” She seethed in a struggle to keep her voice low. Billy gently pulled her from the room and shut the door.

   “I’ll remember next time. Nothing can climb to the window.” He rubbed her shoulders. Only got pushed away as Camille checked the door. “Camille? Who...”

   “Brenner!” She burst and covered her mouth. “If she’s like me, they’ll come take her in the night. In the dark. They’ll take her away and make her a number. You'll die and I'll be rocking in some hospital.”

   “Brenner is dead. That won’t happen.” Billy realized her fears. Saw her eyes glimmer there. “That lab is dead, no one will come for her. She’s safe with us.” He sat her on the couch. Watched her quiver and hold herself. Head dropping. The baby monitor in their bedroom echoed a wheezy sound. “Come get back in bed, I got this one. You had her yesterday.” Billy sighed and tucked Camille in. Left.

   “Hey, you...some set of lungs you got.” Billy’s voice spoke through the haze of static. “There you go. I mastered the art of the diaper, I think I-no, no, don’t pee on, daddy. You weren’t done.”

   A giggle.

   “Yeah, I’m your daddy, Sara. Bet you have some freckles coming in. My mom says I had mine young too.”

   Camille pictured her husband at total peace. Seated in the rocking chair wagging his finger and smiling at their baby. Soothing her. It made her weep silently until she shoved a fistful of blankets into her mouth. Billy took to this life a duck to water.

   And she…

   She just fizzled and sunk. Dreamed of Brenner coming and Sara being torn away. Never knew what to say. What to do. Billy seemed to have it figured and that just made her feel behind and confused.

   “You are my sunshine...my only sunshine...” Billy sang and Camille covered her face. Blocked her ears because it was too much. He returned ten minutes later to hold her. Kissed her hair and uttered the sweetest I love you because he felt so fulfilled and lucky.

   Camille pretended to be asleep.

** ** **

   Breastfeeding hurt still.

   Second week. Camille never slept. Put on her brave face for family visits. But they saw it in her eyes. She sang to Sara and chatted with her. Changed her to perfection. Kissed her head. But, the connection. The emotions welled up like they were blocked in her throat.

   Her body healed and only felt lifeless. Like she was a puppet controlled by another. Strings twisted all along her limbs to make her flop along a stage. Little clumsy ballerina. Going through the motions. She only cringed when the baby cried.

   Sara needed her.

   And it made her shrink.

   She was mommy. Warm arms and shelter. A knowledge base that would mold their baby.

   That suffocated. Billy smiled and cooed and Camille looked away. He just seemed so happy. She felt wrong.

   Why didn’t that come for her too?

   “Camille, look, look.” Billy was lying on the couch, lifting Sara up as she giggled to no end. Little limbs flailing. She bubbled a raspberry and he chuckled.

   Camille stood there in the kitchen doorway and averted her eyes.

   “Come sit with us.” He pushed up, nestling Sara into his lap.

   “I’m going to ask if I can go back early. To work. They need me.”

   “Uh,” Billy tread carefully, standing, “it hasn't even been a month. We’re still figuring this out. Take the time. You earned it.”

   “I can work part time.” Camille said it without any emotion. Not blinking. Staring at his feet while Sara wiggling there into his chest and played with blond curls.

   “I don’t want to make this choice for you, but I think it’s a bad idea. We haven’t even figured out our hours when we go back. Babysitters. Camille, don’t push it-...why won’t you even look at her?”

   Billy said that without even thinking. Camille’s eyes glinted at him.

   “What?”

   “It’s like you want nothing to do with us anymore.”

   “That’s not true.”

   “Well, look at her then. Hold her. We made her and she’s perfect.”

   “Billy.” Camille backed up. Touched her palms to her ears. Didn’t know how to not hear this. “Stop it. I’m fine… Stop saying that word.”

   “Huh?”

   “Perfect, she doesn’t have to be-”

   “You know what I mean.” He eased. Camille vibrated there. Paranoid. Manic. Lost. Went around him and slammed a door. Sara jilted. Started to cry as he bounced her. “Hey, no, you’re fine. Mommy’s just upset. She’s tired. She’s just tired.”

   Camille slid down the door. Cried there because she scared her little girl. She made her baby cry. She was a bad mother. These thoughts chanted until she was covering her ears again. Got into bed and curled into the tiniest ball she could.

   Something strange happened as she shook and wept there. Her fist beating into her shoulder. Punishing herself for being bad until sleep crept. A bad mommy. Bad. Bad. Bad. The skin purpled with a bruise that next morning. Camille felt Billy stirring behind her.

   They slept apart.

   “Hey, I gotta go pick up some stuff. I’ll grab groceries.” He kissed her head. “Might be a few hours.”

   “Okay.” Camille rasped, eyes on the wall. On the rain trickling outside.

   “Camille, last night, I-”

   A whimper on cue from the monitor.

   “I got her. She’s hungry.” A robe pulled over her nightgown. Over the bruise. She couldn’t look at Billy as she left. Plucking Sara up, she went out to the couch to feed her. Her husband appeared dressed and eyed her carefully.

   “I’ll be back soon.” Billy reassured her. Hesitated at the door before he lifted his eyes. “Love you.”

   “...Love you.” Camille said quieter. Let the TV drone. Billy locked the door and didn’t make it to his Camaro. Instead pushed coins into a payphone.

   “Yeah? Hello?” A tired voice answered from a hotel room.

   “Jim.” Billy swallowed. “Hey, I...”

   “You alright, Billy?”

   “It’s Camille. I don’t...” Billy paused. “I’m headed out to run some errands. Can you come over? Sit with her a bit. I left the key under the mat.”

   “Billy, is everything okay?”

   A pause. Billy didn’t know how to tell Jim what he saw. But, Camille always responded to Jim’s love. She needed it right now. Billy felt useless.

   “I don’t know.” See for yourself.

   He hung up and got into his car. Wiped his eyes before he pulled out.

** ** **

   “Come on, we can do this.” Camille groaned. One breast out to feed the baby. “Please.” Sara wiggled in protest. She looked up at her mother. Smiled.

   Camille shattered.

   “Don’t do that.” She quivered.

   Don’t look at me with undying trust and love.

   Don’t look at me like I'm all you got because I’m failing you.

   “I’m sorry.” Camille offered at last. Felt like she’d been holding that in since she saw the strip turn blue. “I’m sorry, I can’t...I’m a bad mommy and I’m so sorry.” Tears hit Sara’s cheeks and blanket. A baby blanket Grace knitted with the baby’s name in it. Pale lavender. Camille sobbed and held her. “I don’t know why I feel like this and I’m so sorry.”

   She couldn’t stop. The baby just cooed at her. Grabbed for long locks of brown hair.

   Don’t cry, mommy.

   That was how Jim found them.

   Camille drained of life and sobbing over the baby she felt she'd let down. Skin discolored and bruised. Clothing loose and crumpled. One of her breasts out. Hyperventilating. Vibrating. Sara still contented in her arms. Looking around in wonder.

   “Camille, sweetheart,” Jim crossed and she hitched to breathe. Offered the baby to him. Desperate.

   “Take her. Take her away from me. I can’t. I can’t do this. I’m not right. I can’t keep her safe from men in suits with red ties. I'll just hurt her too. I’m a bad mother. I’m not...I don’t feel...” Camille shook and Jim took the bundle. “I can’t look at her because I can’t do this. I’m awful. I’m a horrible mother. I’m sorry!”

   Skin paled and eyes huge, Camille crushed in on herself.

   Hands covered her face. Crossed legs lifting so she could curl up again there.

   “Camille...” Jim eased. Realized how unwell she’d been. Clearly not sleeping or eating in the short time they’d been home. “She’s okay, Camille. You’re doing okay.”

   “I’m not, I’m not. She’ll be like me and they’ll take her away. They’ll stage a car accident or fry our brains and she’ll be out there and all alone. I made her cry, I didn’t mean to.” She kept thinking about Rosemary and Noah brushing her aside. Lying to her. Keeping her in a cage.

   “That won’t happen, no matter what she becomes.” Jim faced her, cradling the tiny baby against him. “Deep breath.” He managed to fix her nightgown back up with a free hand. “Hey, look at her, it’s okay. She's safe.”

   Camille wiped her eyes and stared at the floor.

   “Has it been like this since you got home?” He frowned. “We...We didn’t-”

   “It just feels all wrong, Jim. I don’t understand.” That raw voice squeaked. He brought her against him with his arm. Holding Sara there too.

   “She’s healthy and beautiful. And she’s happy. You did that.” Jim offered. Camille’s fingers dug into his jacket. “You’re not well. I’ve seen this before with my own family. We’re going to get you some help, okay? You need help and that’s okay.”

   Camille only nodded. One shaken hand reached out to touch her daughter. Finger running the curve of her little chin.

   “When’s Billy getting home?”

   “Couple hours tops.” She sniffled.

   “I want you to go lie down.”

   “She hasn’t eaten.” Camille persisted, head lifting.

   “We’ll try again in a bit. I’m going to make you something to eat and I want you to just close your eyes. I’ll take care of the baby.” Jim stood, ushering her with him. “Get into bed.”

   “What about Billy?” Camille let Jim cover her. “He...He seemed...”

   “I’ll explain it to him. Just rest.” Jim settled Sara into her crib. Turned the mobile on. He made some plain toast and got Camille to sit up and each both pieces. Brushed crumbs off her face. Tucked her into a warm bed.

   Then, he called Joyce.

** ** **

   Billy came home with his arms full of bags. Stopped there at the scene. Joyce playing with Sara on the couch. Jim just walked out of the kitchen.

   “Where’s Camille?” He dropped the groceries aside. Jim put a slow hand on his shoulder.

   “I got her fed and to sleep. We managed to help her feed Sara after the first hour...” Jim sighed. “Billy, Camille’s...”

   “I don’t know what’s happening to her. She doesn’t want to be around Sara or I.”

   “What’s happening to Camille is common. Happens to mothers everywhere. She needs to go talk to someone about it.” Jim cocked his head and helped the new father put his items away while Joyce stayed on the couch. “Postpartum depression. You read about that?”

   “Some in the baby books. Not much.”

   “Camille is feeling very...”

   “Blue.” Billy’s eyes went distant. He sucked his cheeks in. Set his jaw to sigh. “I ignored it. I got mad at her for...”

   “It’s not either of your faults. It happens. Camille has to go talk to someone before she hurts herself. She needs support. It’ll be okay. I promise.” That somehow relaxed Billy. Jim always knew what to do. What to say.

   “I hope,” Billy began, “I can be a dad like you.”

   Hopper smiled at that. Beamed and hugged Billy to his chest. The new daddy paced to see his baby on the couch.

   “She behaving for you?”

   “That she is.” Joyce smiled. “We got her. Camille’s in the bedroom.”

   “Thanks.” Billy kissed Sara’s head and went in. Clicking the door open. Camille stirred. Head lifting when he got behind her. “Hey.”

   “Hi.” She stiffened up as he brought her to his chest. “Jim tell you?”

   “Yeah.” Billy’s chin settled upon her crown.

   “I’m sorry.”

   “Don’t apologize, we’ll get through it. You, Sara, and I. We’re a team. Little pack of wolves.” Billy kissed her head. Let her finally breath him in and cling as she turned to burrow into his chest. “You two are everything to me. Nothing else is as important as us.”

   “I love you. I love her. I do.”

   “I know you do. And we love you. We’ll get you help, Camille. It’s okay.” Billy cuddled her closer. Thought of Hopper. “I promise.”

** ** **

   Camille woke before Billy that next morning. Went to feed Sara. Jim and Joyce left after another long talk with Billy when Camille fell back asleep.

   “Okay, Sara, it’s just you and me. We can do this.” She adjusted and sat in the rocking chair. Cupped her breast to offer it. Pain stung a little but… “There we go. Good girl. Yes.”

   Camille felt herself smile this morning. Billy made an appoint for her. She would be taking the full maternity leave.

   Sara wiggled and burped up as Camille bounced her. Hummed Billy’s song to her and flicked the mobile around. Her husband hadn’t emerged yet so she went into the kitchen. Made a turkey and cheese sandwich. Sliced it diagonally and fell into the couch to watch some TV. Billy stumbled in and stood there with bed head. Beautiful beyond belief.

   “Morning.”

   “Morning.” Camille took half the sandwich and offered the plate to him. Billy brightened. Sat next to her. They shared the food in silence. Watched TV until she got under his arm. Rain padded against the windows. Sounded peaceful. “Do you think she’ll like surfing or ballet?”

   Eyes flickered over his wife as she engaged herself at last. With ease.

   “I think she’ll be into pro wrestling.” Billy smiled fuller. Camille let herself feel it, pushing at his chest before she laughed. Still a pretty sound. Inhaled the scent of him before he brought her hand up to kiss the tender skin of her wrist.

   “She’s gonna do whatever she wants to do, I think.” Camille said then, kissing up his jaw to find soft lips. “And we’ll be there to support her... We’ll always be there, won’t we?”

   “We will and that’s enough. I promise.” Billy tucked hair aside for a feverish kiss, nuzzled down into her neck to murmur. “You doing alright?”

   Camille saw his lashes flutter. Traced her fingers over the freckles and thought about how she couldn’t wait to see them bloom like fresh petals upon their daughter.

   “Today? Yeah. I think so. We’ve got each other.” She breathed, pressing lips into wild curls. They held each other while the rain fell lighter. Realized Billy was right. Echoed his call. “That’s enough.”

   Sara roused for her parents. Squirmed as Camille picked her up to bring her into the living room so they could gush and admire her. Neon hearts that glowed brighter by the hour. Her lullaby and sunrise all at once.

   “I love you both,” Billy nudged his head into Camille’s temple, “so much. You know that?”

   “You’re a magnificent father. We're lucky, Sara and I.” Camille’s lips pressed and the curves of her expression blurred. Billy blinked several times. A smile pressed. She let Sara giggle in her lap and held one finger with a strong, little hand. Babbling some until Camille was laughing to encourage it. “She’s all blush and tangerine today.” Not blue.

   “She’s beautiful,” Billy sighed there with so much contentment as Camille let herself relax. “And she’s just like her mother.”

   Hazel eyes lifted to see him. Amazed by this wonder of a life they created. A miracle. Like a specific star they’d plucked down to cherish and nurture.

   “She’ll be messy and also so kind. Good. Angry when she needs to be. She’ll cry and not be shamed for it. Our baby will be shown so much love, the world couldn’t hope to swallow her.” Camille smiled again. Softer by the hour as she gazed at Sara there. “The best parts of us. Our love. Into one gorgeous creature. She’s us, Billy.”

   That hit the new mother hard. Made her voice quiver.

   "She's us."

   Camille felt a glimmer of it then as she understood it all. That connection threading red cords around her heart. Casting out to anchor others so close. Billy saw it resonate and felt it too. Held them both on the sofa as they curled up like a family. Their own pack. Camille would teach Sara to howl at the moon and tear through forests. To endure and pull herself back to her feet at every stumble. To lead and love as hard as she could. Like she was meant to.

   Billy only glittered at her. Camille’s burst of vitality and hope. They had each other and they would get through whatever would follow the horizon.

   “And it’s enough,” he repeated in peace, “I promise.”

#billy hargrove #Billy hargrove x oc #billy hargrove fanfiction #Billy Hargrove imagine #Billyhargroveedit #MINE #Camille Harper #writing #Stranger things #Stranger things fanfiction

[pterawaters]

Stoncy, “Do you like it?” :D

This might just become Mr. Sandman canon…

“I don’t know,” Max cried, pulling on Nancy’s hand. “All Dustin said was that something was attacking the house.”

Twisting out of Max’s grip, Nancy said, “At least let me grab a weapon.”

“Yeah, but hurry,” she said. “I’ll start the car.” As Nancy ran back into her parent’s house, Max called after her, “Don’t even think about taking time to change. Lives are on the line!”

Nancy ran up to her old bedroom, grabbing her purse (pistol and a box of bullets already inside), the shotgun from her closet shelf, the box of shells, and sneakers, muttering to herself, “It had to happen today, didn’t it? Today of all days?”

At least no one else was left at the house to prevent her from running to rescue the boys. 

Nancy closed the front door, but didn’t bother to lock it. As soon as she jumped into the car and pulled the rest of her dress in before slamming the door shut, Max took off. 

“Did Dustin give you any sort of clue what we’re dealing with?” Nancy asked as she fastened her seat belt.

“Nothing normal,” Max replied, blowing through the stop sign at the top of Maple. 

Sighing deeply, Nancy pulled the veil out of her hair, throwing it in the backseat. Then she opened the shotgun and started loading it with shells. “Do you know how to use this?”

Max shook her head, giving Nancy a wide-eyed look before shifting gears. “I’ve got that spiked bat in the trunk.”

“Oh, I wondered what had happened to it,” Nancy replied, closing the shotgun. 

She took the pistol and its holster out of her purse. Hiking up her dress, she fastened the holster around her thigh. Then she dumped her purse on the floor of Max’s car, only returning both boxes of ammunition, her lighter, and her knife to the bag. Then she put the strap over her head and her left shoulder. She liked it better over the other shoulder, but she didn’t want to get stuck in the seatbelt on her way out of the car. 

Not after what had happened last time she got stuck.

“Shit,” Max said, looking into the rear view mirror before shifting and accelerating. 

Looking back, Nancy saw flashing red and blue lights. “Wanna try to lose them?” She ducked down and pulled on her sneakers, double-knotting them.

“No, I’m gonna bring them with us to the house,” Max said, downshifting before taking the turn into Loch Nora. She shifted again and grinned at Nancy. “Dustin said to bring the cavalry.”

“Wait,” Nancy said, frowning out the windshield. “Am I the cavalry?”

“When El’s already over at the church in Roane, with no way of getting back in time, yeah,” Max told her. “You and me. We’re the cavalry.”

Nancy gave a snorting laugh. 

“What?” Max asked, taking the turn onto Steve’s street. 

“We’re riding in a fucking Mustang,” Nancy told her, patting the dashboard. “It’s a type of horse, which means, we’re definitely the cavalry.”

Max chuckled too. 

Nancy rolled down the window and pointed her shotgun ahead as they approached the Harrington house. There was a crowd of figures surrounding the house, several kicking the front door and one halfway through a window. The window guy got knocked back, falling into the bushes, and Nancy wished she could make out who that was defending the window. 

As Max screeched to a halt at the curb in front of the house, Nancy pointed her shotgun up and away from the house, letting off one round. Some of the figures turned toward them and Nancy grabbed Max before she could get out. “Stay and drive. We might need to draw them away from the house.”

As a few of the figures got closer, Nancy saw that they were disfigured and malformed, with body parts where they shouldn’t be and dead eyes. She shot at the figure closest to the Mustang, relieved when it went down.

The cop car pulled up behind them. Nancy unbuckled her seat belt and told Max, “Duck down." 

Crouching in the footwell of the passenger seat, Nancy shot another of the shambling figures, making it fall as well. 

Using the shotgun against one target at a time irked her, so she pulled out her pistol and started making head shots.

Over the loudspeaker, the cop behind them said, "Lay down your weapons!”

Nancy called back to the cop, “Are you gonna take out these things by yourself, then?”

“What thin–” the loudspeaker squealed with feedback, and then the cop car reversed away from them at a high rate of speed.

“What an asshole,” Max muttered, just before Nancy took out the next two closest monsters.

None of the others were turning away from the house, so Nancy took a second to reload her pistol, telling Max, “Get that bat. We’re going to have to make an assault.”

“Got it,” she said, throwing the car into park and cutting the engine. 

Nancy put her reloaded pistol back in its holster and got out of the car, bracing the shotgun against her shoulder and making sure Max was behind her as she started up through the lawn.

A few of the monsters noticed they were outside the car and turned away from the house. Nancy took out as many as she could before running out of shells. “Cover,” she cried, falling back behind Max as she retrieved her pistol and began firing again.

Between the two of them, they cleared a path to the front door, which opened as soon as they got onto the front steps. 

“Get in here!” Lucas cried, waving them through the door before closing it again. He and Dustin moved what looked like the Harrington’s dining room table back in front of the door, wedging it between the door and the bottom of the staircase. 

“Hey!” Jonathan called from the dining room, behind and to the right of the stairs. He had an untied bow tie around the collar of his white shirt and no shoes on his feet. There was a drop of blood under his left nostril, which he wiped away with his bright-white shirt sleeve, ruining it.

Nancy went to him, giving him a quick kiss before pressing the shotgun into his hands, followed by the box of shells. “Reload that, would you?”

“We got more in the back!” Steve called, and Nancy watched as Max ran toward him.

Giving Nancy a look, Jonathan told her, “Go. We’ve got this side fortified pretty well. He needs you.”

Nodding, Nancy kissed him once more before leaving, reloading the pistol as she walked. 

Jonathan called from behind her, “You look great, by the way!”

“Thank you!” she called back, slotting the last bullet into place as she reached Steve and Max trying to keep the sliding back door closed as four of the monsters tried to pull it open. Steve was even less dressed than Jonathan, just in a t-shirt, boxers and socks. 

“Shit,” Nancy said, not quite sure she could get enough of them with the pistol. Not without one of the monsters maybe getting Steve or Max. Calling back into the house, Nancy cried “Shotgun! Jonathan, I need the shotgun n–”

He was right there, handing her the shotgun, an axe in his other hand. 

“Thanks,” Nancy said, putting her pistol back into its holster.

From over at the door, Steve asked, “Are you wearing your wedding dress?”

“Yeah,” Nancy said with a disbelieving laugh, bracing the shotgun. “There wasn’t time to change. Do you like it?”

“We weren’t supposed to see it yet!” he cried, before nodding his head and giving her a stressed smile. “But yeah. I like it.”

“When I tell you to,” Nancy said, “get out of the way, and fast. Yes? Steve? Max?”

Only after both of them responded did Nancy start counting. “Three…two…one!”

Nancy gave it another beat as Steve and Max scrambled out of the way and the sliding door opened with such force that it shattered. Her first shotgun blast took out two of the monsters. The second took out a third. 

Max and Steve hit the fourth with matching spiked bats, Max’s blow caving in the monster’s … head, or whatever that was.

“Fall back!” Nancy cried as another pair of monsters came through the shattered door. “Get something to barricade the hallway!” She let out one shot and then another.

“I can hold them here,” Jonathan said, turning to Steve. “They’re breaking through the garage.”

“Shit,” Steve said, clapping Jonathan on the shoulder as he passed, Max right on his heels. 

Letting out another blast, Nancy asked Jonathan, “How are you doing? You were pretty drained after yesterday.”

Jonathan shook his head and waited for Nancy to shoot again before responding. “Doing alright, but I'm… There’s so many of them.”

“Just hold them back,” Nancy told him, knowing she had two shells left before she had to switch weapons again. “Any reinforcements coming?”

“El and the others are just a few minutes out,” he said with a nod, holding one hand out as he held a psychic barrier in front of them. “Think we’ll still make it to the church on time?”

Nancy laughed and turned back to put a kiss on Jonathan’s cheek as she switched back to the pistol. “Depends on how many of these monsters are left.” She kept her back pressed to his front as she picked off the next monster to round the corner. “Any idea why they’re so determined to get in here?”

“They’re after me,” Jonathan told her, like it was no big deal.

Picking off another, Nancy asked, “What do you mean, they’re after you?”

Shrugging he said, “That’s all I get from them. They’re after me. Think we could use that?”

“Dangle you out in front of them like bait?” Nancy asked, hating the idea so much it made her clench her teeth as she shot the next couple. “No thanks. How are they doing over by the garage?”

“Good, fine,” he said, struggling as he put up another hand, holding back a crowd of six or seven as Nancy had to reload. “We only need a couple more minutes.”

“We’re all out of shotgun shells, aren’t we?” Nancy asked, putting the last six bullets into her pistol.

“Yeah, I put them all in,” Jonathan told her, his arms starting to shake and both nostrils bleeding. 

Shaking her head, Nancy told him, “We need to fall back together. Barricade everyone inside one of the upstairs bedrooms or something.”

“I could try to draw them away,” Jonathan offered.

Nancy glared at him. “Like hell am I letting you die on our wedding day.” She got around behind him, putting her hand in the back of his waistband, ready to drag him to safety if need be. “How’s it looking, people? Can we retreat upstairs?”

“Better move is out the front door,” Lucas called back. “The path to the Mustang is clear!”

“Okay! Move the barricade and get ready to open the door!” Nancy ordered. Ducking around the living room wall to better address whoever was defending the garage, Nancy called, “Retreat out the front door. You hear me? Steve?”

“Front door, got it,” Steve replied. “Just tell us when.”

Grabbing Jonathan’s arm, Nancy asked, “Retreat path clear?”

“We’re ready!” Lucas told her. 

“Okay, now!” Nancy pulled on Jonathan, getting him to follow her across the house. “Now, now, now!”

They met all the others at the front door, Steve taking swings at the monster following them until Jonathan threw it out of the way.

He staggered, running out of strength, but Nancy kept him up on his feet long enough to follow the others out of the house and across the lawn. She had no idea how they were all going to fit in the Mustang, but as luck would have it, they didn’t have to find out.

Hopper’s van pulled up behind the Mustang, and when the sliding door opened El and Will stepped out, holding hands and dressed in their bridal party outfits. Mike was just behind them, and as the twins met the horde of monsters with their combined powers, Mike ran up to help Nancy with Jonathan. 

“Come here,” Joyce called from the van, helping Nancy and Mike get Jonathan into the van. Hopper’s gun blasted as he shot over the family and into the throng of monsters following them.

And then, almost like a wave was crashing over them, the monsters began to disappear. Nancy sat on the floor of the van, resting her head against Jonathan’s knee and catching her breath. Steve joined them a second later, giving Nancy a kiss before turning his attention to Jonathan. Joyce reached over and took Nancy’s hand, giving it a comforting squeeze as she smiled. 

“You look lovely, dear.”

Nancy laughed, looking down at the residual gunpowder and fine droplets of blood spotted all over her dress. “I looked amazing twenty minutes ago.”

“I don’t suppose you have a back-up dress, huh?” Steve asked, taking a look at his watch. “There’s still forty-five minutes before it’s supposed to start.”

“I have a dress,” Nancy told them. “The one I wore to the rehearsal last night.”

Watching El and Will return, Joyce said, “If you’re still up for it, we’ll make it happen. After all, we have no idea when the next attack is going to come.”

Looking up at Jonathan, and then Steve, Nancy smiled. “Yeah. Let’s do it.” Standing up, Nancy gave Steve and Jonathan kisses before telling them, “I’ll see you at the church!” She gave Mike and Joyce hugs before grabbing Max and urging her back toward the Mustang.

“Love you!” Jonathan called after her.

“Me too!" 

"We’re gonna marry you!” Steve yelled.

Blowing them a kiss, Nancy shouted, “Can’t wait!” Getting in the car, Nancy said, “Step on it Max. We’ve got a wedding to get to.”

“Hell yeah, we do,” Max said, grinning as the Mustang’s engine roared to life.

#stoncy #ptera fic: mr sandman #nancy wheeler #is a badass #jonathan byers #steve harrington #prompted ficlet #ptera writes things #i didn't beta read this at all #but i love every single word of these 2k #nancy as the general calling the shots on the battlefield makes me so happy #monster hunting trio

[may85]

Summary: As you go through the motions of grief from a love lost, you try to move on, but things take a certain turn.

Pairing: Jim Hopper x Reader

TV Show: Stranger Things

Word Count: 1614

Warnings: Angst mostly

Joyce holds your hand in a tight grip, so tight that both your hand and hers are losing circulation.

The Key whirred loudly as it gained momentum. The wall splitting even further, revealing the deep, angry red orange veil of the Upside Down.

Hopper fought Grigori on the platform and you both rooted for your man to kick his ass. With one last blow to the face, the Russian  Schwarzenneger went down, his head getting caught in the Keys machinery.

The Key had already taken up too much space and had destroyed much of the platform, leaving Jim trapped.

Your hand froze on the key, not wanting to turn it, but you'd already promised Hopper that no matter what, you and Joyce would finish the job.

Hopper towered over you, his hand cradling your face, "Promise me, Sweetheart,"

You shook your head, gripping his wrist like he would disappear right then and there, "Hop… I can't,"

He nodded, his eyes filling with tears, but he didn't dare let them fall, "Yes, you can Y/N. You can and you will,"

"B-but, I can't lose you… Please," you cried, a sob ripping through you.

Hopper pulled you to his chest, his hand in your hair and the other on your waist, "I love you, Y/N,"

"I-I love y-you too," your body jerked with a hiccup as your gripped his jacket.

"Y/N," Joyce said, giving a quick squeeze.

You shook your head, big tears rolling down your cheeks. Hopper stared straight at you, his own eyes filling with unshed tears again.

He nodded his head and you both mouthed one last 'I love you,' before you and Joyce turned the key.

A white flash, so hot that it was felt through the glass and had even melted some bursted from the main Key, making you and Joyce close your eyes from the intensity.

Within mere seconds the Key died, the roaring slowing down to slight hum before stopping altogether.

Your chest heaved, a great heaviness on your lungs and heart as you realized that Hopper was no longer standing there and no trace of him was left behind.

Hopper was gone… and you never felt more alone than you did right then.

°°°°°°

Outside, orders were being barked out, sirens were wailing and flashing lights made your brain feel as if it were short circuiting.

Then you saw El, her nose bloody, her chin wobbling with the onslaught of fresh tears.

How your feet carried you to her, you'll never know, but you both broke down in the parking lot of Starcourt Mall, falling into a heap of screams and wails.

The party all came over, laying their hands on your head or shoulders, all weeping at the loss of their Chief, father and friend.

You had all but shut down as the days went on, not knowing where to go or what to do. It was difficult and even more so when the day of the funeral came around.

Dr Owens made sure that Jim would get full honors and the funeral and burial that he deserved, even though there wasn't a body to bury.

You sat on your bed dressed in long black sleeves, black pants and a pair of black slip ons, holding the shirt Magnum PI shirt that Jim had last wore.

Sweat and blood stained parts of it, but you couldn't bring yourself to wash it.

As you sniffled, the door creaked open and El peaked into the room a brush in hand.

"Y/N?" She said softly.

You wiped your eyes, giving a tearful smile, "Hey,"

"Help, please?" She asked, holding up the brush.

You nodded, placing the shirt on the bed and leading her over to your vanity. Soft, sad smiles were shared between you two as you ran the bristles through her curly hair. 

Once the tangles were out, you placed a hair clip on the side to keep her bangs out of her eyes.

Eleven looked at you through the mirror, her breath hitched, "Time to go,"

Most of the town was gathered around the seven foot hole in the ground. The wind was gusty, making it seem that the tent that covered the chairs for family would blow away.

You sat in the middle seat, Joyce, her boys and Nancy to your left, with El, Mike, Dustin, Steve, Lucas and Max to your right.

Their families stood behind the chairs and a few unfamiliar and familiar hands patted your shoulders as they walked by to stand.

The pastor began the normal funeral talk and all you could do was glare angrily at the opened ground.

Your knee bounced as you felt a tight coil in your stomach ready to snap at any given moment. This was total and utter bullshit and all you wanted to do was lash out and be angry that Jim was taken away from you.

The only thing that kept you from storming away, was El. She wrapped her arm around yours, nuzzling her cheek against your arm as she gripped your hand to rest on your knee.

The service was short, thankfully and you had to get away for just a little bit. Turning to Joyce, you spoke quietly, "Can El stay with you for a few hours?"

Joyce rubbed your arm, "Yeah, of course. You alright, Y/N?"

"I-," you gulped, eyes burning, "I just need to get away from all these people. I can't take one more 'Sorry' or another stare,"

She nodded, giving you a quick hug, "We'll be at the house when you're ready,"

El knew you needed to leave, but that didn't stop her from gripping your arm, "Don't go,"

Clearing your throat, you gave her a quick squeeze, "Just for a few hours, Hun,"

"Friend's don't lie," she said softly.

You cupped her cheeks, giving one side a quick pinch, which irked her, but she smiled, "No lies. Just a few hours,"

She was hesitant, but she slowly let go of you, keeping you to your word.

You don't really recall how you got to your current location, but you were there all the same.

Jim's cabin.

You stepped over the booby trap and up the rickety steps. The door was left ajar, and you remembered what the kids had told you about the Mind Flayer fight.

Gently, the door was pushed open and you were met with a mess. Shelves knocked over, shattered glass, a huge hole in the roof just to name a few… it broke your heart all over again.

You carefully stepped over the broken things and made your way to Jim's bedroom. There, untouched, was the box marked Sara.

Jim had kept the photos of him and his daughter amongst other belongings in that box and you wanted to keep them safe.

With the occasional sniffles, you carried certain items from the cabin that would help you and El along the path of grief.

°°°°°°

Months went by and it quickly became colder over Thanksgiving. The first had been somewhat of a struggle for you both, but you each offered each other the encouragement needed to get through your heartaches.

The cabin roof had been repaired, seeing as you couldn't let that just go to shit. Too many memories were made at the shack. 

To commemorate Jim, you decided that both of you would decorate the cabin and spend the month December doing all the things that Hopper had done. It would be a bittersweet ending to the year.

El was over at Mike's with the party while you had gone to the store to stock up on groceries. This was your first night back alone, but something just felt, not off, but different… and you couldn't put your finger on it.

Snow had fallen and at the current time, 4 inches had covered the ground. Snowflakes still fell lightly from the sky and the temperature had dropped drastically enough that you couldn't risk going to get El.

After placing a call to the Wheeler's to make sure it was fine that she stay the night, you put one of Jim's jackets on and went out to get some wood for the fire.

It was quiet… almost too quiet and the hair at your nape had stood on end making you shiver. Choosing to ignore it, you continued to slowly shift through the snow to wood pile put by the shed.

You sniffled due to the extreme cold; for once not because of crying and your face nearly felt numb.

SNAP!

Your head shot up at the sharp break of limbs, your breath fogging thickly as you breath became labored.

It was dusk, but just dark enough that you couldn't make out clear things, just the outline about a forth of a mile away. 

You counted silently to ten before another loud snap echoed closer to you than you would've liked.

"Who's there!?" You yelled, making you wince.

You knew the rules to the horror movies and yet rolled your eyes when you thought you'd been spending too much time with the kids watching scary movies.

You squinted at movement along the tree line, "Answer me!"

Whatever it was froze, turning towards you then taking off in a run.

"Shit, shit, shit, shit!" You gasped, turning and running yourself.

Just as you reached the steps, you tripped over a tree stump, hitting your head hard on the bottom step.

You felt hands rolling you over, your vision blurry due to blood getting in your eyes. Blinking, you could've sworn you were looking into the blue eyes of…

"Hopper?"

A sharp pinch in your neck and everything went black.

#david harbour #jim hopper #stranger things #jim hopper x reader #jim hopper imagine #may85 writes

[elmaxheadquaters]

It was 1984... 15

January 3, 1989: The sun had finally slipped past the sky, leaving it’s orphaned hues of orange and violet to be overcasted by the materialized moon's strong shades of lavender and blue. It’s beautifully dark reign casting a shadow across everything it touched, including the small apartment of two employees to a forever standing film store that went, and still goes by the name of Family Video.

This apartment, which had stood idle for countless minutes was now being disrupted. By the opening of a white door of the opposite end. From the now agape hole into the tiny living space came a red headed girl, wearing a uniform shirt with three white stripes that had been stitched into the top sides of it’s dark blue fabric.

The girl had bags under her eyes amongst her abundance of freckles. She had been forced by her coworker -and roommate- to take the night off, by the woman’s words, “you’ve never half-assed so hard… I’ll cover your shift, you go home and relax or whatever you do to not look as dead.” this of course was retaliated by the redhead’s born with stubbornness, but was shot down quite quickly by the previous woman’s debateful attitude.

She kicked the door closed while pulling out the old and faintly colored yellow scrunchie that once held up her burnt orange locks into a high ponytail. She wrapped it around her left forearm as she walked on the creaky wooden floorboards to what presumably would be her room.

This room that sat amongst others, kept the contents of the inside hidden by the absence of luminous energy had this effect stripped away as fast as the speed of light in the girl’s act of flipping the even tinier area’s neutrally tan hued switch.

The room had now been bathed in yellow, showing a bed as the eyesore inside. On top of the mattress sat old and worn rainbow sheets, with many pillows, all covered by white pillowcases. With the acception of one, instead of a pillowcase covering, the one sitting in front of the others’ was covered by an old flannel shirt. Above the bed were pictures illustrating mainly another girl, a few pieces of paper stained by vibrant colored crayon wax to show crude illustrations surrounding the word “MAXIE” or simply “MAX”, and many thin keepsakes that had been collected over the years.

The girl who’s hair that now was draped over her shoulders and back stumbled to the other side of the room, to a dresser. The top had been repurposed into a shelf, holding a frame with the words “Love you Max! -Dad” carved into the wood, inside of it was a picture of a man and a little redheaded girl. The frame held two strips of photos in between the glass and wood, all picturing the girl in most of the photos above the bed acting doltish with the girl that stood before it, the older strip had a piece of tape holding it together across the center and the other that was made much closer to the present day seemed to still be in perfect condition.

She busted the first drawer open before immediately shoving her hand into the contents inside. When she took her hand it had a tight grip on a white tank made of thin fabric. The girl threw it behind her with the intent of it to fall atop the bed covered in rainbow. She closed it with force while advancing to the third drawer. Inside were what seemed to be an abundance of many things from pajama pants to tee-shirts all crammed into the compartment. The redhead pulled out a pair of worn down sweatpants and flung it behind her, the same way as the tank top while forcefully shutting the overstuffed drawer with a push.

The girl quickly stripped herself from the dark blue uniform, revealing to no one, a dark bra covering a plethora of the many scars that dared stain her freckled skin, they came from faint to clear. She paid no mind to them, it wasn’t as if she wasn’t familiar with her own body.

The blue uniform fell to the floor, among many other clothes and items while it was being replaced by the thin tank top. The black skinny jeans she wore -and hated- met the same fate was soon substituted by the sweat pants. The girl looked down, finding her equally thin jacket. Without a second thought, the redhead grabbed it swiftly and wrapped it around her hips.

She flopped onto the mattress of her bed, with her head falling onto the flannel pillow. Letting out a low and stress filled sigh, she grabbed it from under her head and stared at the fibers that held it together, she swore each one held a story from where it came from, each one full of happiness and heartbreak.

Her thoughts trained themselves onto the yellow telephone that had been stained by colorful inks, all coming together to create small illustrations of almost illiterate symbols and small creatures like frogs and lizards. She let the synthetic fabric of the miss purposed pillowcase fall onto her chest as a idea formed in her head..

Her left arm grazed over the flannel patterned pillow before grabbing it whilst she stretched her torso towards the phone. Her reach hit it’s limit as she grabbed the phone. While retracting herself back into the groove she had made into her color filled sheets so long ago. The redhead dialed in a series of numbers that had been pushed so many times that the numbers it included had started to fade.

The familiar hum from the ringer inside the yellow casing made the girl’s smile grow wider, her heart quickened as the thoughts of the one she loves filled her head.

“Hello?” The voice was crackly and hinted with exhaustion, yet it was soft, silky, and sweet as it filled the redhead’s ears.

“Hi El.” The girl sat up in her bed, whilst she visioned the girl on the other end in front of her. Her honey colored eyes that the redhead could swear would be the death of her, her rose colored lips forming into it’s naturally sweet smile, her darkened but golden brown locks of hair that was just long enough to hit her shoulders.

“Maxie!” The voice from the receiver crackled through into the girl’s ear. She felt as if it had body melted. More than anything the redhead wanted the girl she heard to be more than just a vision in her head.

She grabbed the pillow from behind her, wrapping her arms around it as tight as she could. Maybe her wish couldn’t be fulfilled, but it could be compromised.

“Max,” the whisper like sounds of a breath flooded out the speaker of the telephone. Max followed with a curiosity filled hum just before an all to quick response came through, “Nothing, it’s nothing. I just really miss you.”

“I miss you too El,” Max’s heart seemed to have cynical flip with El’s words. She had told Max before, many times, that she missed her. But now it was different, everything was different after the week prior, “But, don’t forget it’s O-“

“Only 42 days,” El cut off the redhead, surprising her in the process. Max had been counting down the days until she could see the brunette again, she didn’t expect her to be doing the same, “I know Max, it still doesn’t stop me from missing you.”

“Well it doesn’t stop me either. But there is not much I can really do about it.” Max’s heart felt as if it sunk deeper than it has in a long time, she loved El. And she would do almost anything if it meant she could see her right then, and right now that anything was to just wait for the days to go by.

She heard a small and crackled, “I know.” Before the redhead let in a sharp yet soundless breath. Max went back to her roots, “Let’s not dwell on such things my girl,” El giggled slightly at the mediocre mix of accents Max had pulled into as she spoke those words.

it was always a joke when things got even slightly heavy. And it always has been, that’s how Max coped with things. Even in others’ darkest moments. As long as she could get a smile on their face, it was a win in her book, “How was your day?”

“Same as always, find a few things in the woods like always.” El loved the woods. Maybe because it was the thing she escaped into on that night, or maybe it was because she had spent so long living in it after everyone thought she died almost 5 years ago.

“Oh yeah? Like what?” Max sat up, the bed creaking with the sheets shuffling before going back down on the opposite end. With her elbows resting against the end of her mattress, one lifting her head and the other holding the phone.

“A lot of things. Little things, big things, weird things, rocks.” Max had rocks, some from her own collection she created when she was smaller. But most of the little treasures were from El. Some had been painted, some were left plain, some were covered in dirt and rugged, while others were clean and smooth. El liked rocks. To the brunette they were more than just a thing you kicked on a road while walking.

One thing is something Max will never forget was the day El showed her collection to Max, saying how some of the rocks reminded her of her friends. How Mike was like a long, skinny, cold, black and white colored slag. Will was like a small pebble, warm, colorful, more than meets the eye. Lucas was dark, strong, rugged, easy to throw and hard to the hit, a good candidate for any rock fight. Dustin was like a boulder large, soft, and warm. Max noticed how she had a lot of one type of rock, before asking why there were so many. Her answer was, “Because they remind me of you, you are not supposed to find them here, but I found one, and bought the others,” El had reached over Max, grabbing one of the biggest out of all of the little pile that sat outside the window. Showing it to Max, letting her hold it in her hands, “They are strong, and yeah they may not be the prettiest on the outside,” She took it back as she started to telekinetically crack into halves of it, holding the two pieces in her hand. On the inside the rock was full of sharp diamonds, they reflected the light from outside the window right next to them. Casting a beautiful sight of light all around them, “But they’re really pretty on the inside.”

She looks at the half El had given her afterwards, the diamonds on the inside of the rugged exterior seem stare back at her, she remembers how her heart fluttered the whole time. How the thoughts of kissing her almost got the best of her that day.

“Oh! Did you get it yet?” El asked, her words clear and curious.

“Get what?” Max asked back, she hadn’t gotten anything besides bigger eye bags since El had left a week ago to go back home.

“You’ll see,” Max visioned the smile on El’s face with those words. She then heard almost a yell through the phone that sounded like a whisper to her, “I gotta go. I’ll call you back, okay Maxie?”

“Okay, Ellie. Bye.”

“Bye bye.” with that, El hung up.

Now silence fills the empty room. It wasn’t unhappy but it still had lingering sense of loneliness. She couldn’t wait until until she could hug El again, she could see her again, she could kiss her again.

Max crawled to the opposite end of the bed, putting the phone back into it’s forever resting place on the bedside table next to the decorated lamp. Whilst through the wall the white door opened once more, with the women who made Max come home in the first place coming through.

“Hi.”

“Hi Robin.”

“You got a package, from El a presume.” The woman threw the small package that originally sat cradled in her hand onto the bed.

Wrapped in a tan orange colored paper, with a string in a small bow holding it together. The insides were of two pieces of paper and a rock. Max smiled as she held the rock in her hand. The first piece of paper was a color filled page with the word “MAXIE!” written in soft shades of pink and yellow, with butterflies and hearts drawn around it. The second was a letter in scribbled words, as she read it her heart melted...

“Max,

I love you…

I love how you always know what to say…

I love how you only let me and now one else play with your hair…

I love how you can always see the good in everything, even when you’re sad you can always find it. Always…

I love how you keep everything I have ever gave you…

I love when you don’t question the words I ask you the meaning of. Yes, the others don’t either, but I love it when you do it…

I love how you listen to my “ramblings”...

And there is so much more I love about you, like your hair, your eyes, and your smile. But this paper is too short to list it all, I can’t wait to see you again.

Love, El”

///

(10-21-19 / 11-2-19)

Colors for Max’s Sheets: (here)

Pixelated 80’s Poster: (here)

Background Reference: (here)

Inspiration: (here)

#stranger things #elmax #elmax rights #fanart #stranger things max #el hopper #artist #el x max #max x el #max x eleven #elmax fic #stranger things 3 #stranger things fic #maxine mayfield #max mayfeild

[thisishawkins]

Smoke Gets In Your Eyes

I’m back! Life has been very busy and tense these past few months, and I’ve found that writing really helps. So, hopefully I’ll be posting more often.

Anyway, please enjoy, and comment your thoughts!

Hope your day/night is going well. xx

- K

~

You discover something about yourself, and it saves Billy.

Warnings: death, violence

------------

It was on the roof.

Creak tick tick. Creak tick tick.

Everyone was silent, with breathes held in and gazes cast up in horror.

The monster, a bloody mass that formed into a two-ton demonic crab-like creature, was on the glass roof above the Starcourt Mall food court. 

You were standing next to Nancy and Jonathan, prior to this moment, discussing what to do next.

Looking to El across the court with Max and Mike, you screeched, “Run!”

It was too late. A fissure formed in a pane of glass, and it hailed down onto the food court.

Everyone scattered trying to take cover, choosing to jump behind counters, barriers, and pillars.

You didn’t glance back, only to your right as Jonathan slammed himself next to you, hand intertwined with Nancy’s on his other side. 

Trying to find your composure, you attempted to slow your breaths as the creature roared, the sound urging you to cover your ears in the fear of your eardrums bursting.

The roar fell to a low grumble, resembling a hoard of hungry coyotes. 

Plinksh. Plinksh. Plinksh.

The air changed, pressure along with the mixture of artificial cold and summer heat combining into one singular feeling.

Danger.

Suddenly, an uncanny warmth crept underneath your skin, a sensation that resembled the rise of goosebumps, but somehow this was much warmer. It tingled at the tips of your fingers and toes, and fizzled on your ears.

This occurred only twice before. 

The first was when you watched your mother cry after your Dad left. She sat on the edge of her bed with the door cracked. Your nine year old self peaked through, wondering then why your Mom was hiding from you. You could make her feel better. Somehow, you knew deep in your bones that you could help.

The second was witnessing that the Mindflayer had, indeed, possessed Billy. He hadn’t been himself for days, and had resorted to avoiding you altogether, and you wanted to know why. After arguing with him, seeing in his eyes that he was not Billy anymore, the Flayed Billy shut the door in your face. He needed you. Somehow, you sensed it. As if it was a tangible fact.

The three of you squatted behind the counter, and again you felt the sensation accompanying that deep urgency. You could do something.

For the life of you, you still did not know what that was.

A loud crack burst through the air, and the monster squealed. The three of you shot up from behind the counter to see Lucas and Will lighting fireworks.

Your eyes flicked from Jonathan’s to some boxes a few yards from Lucas. 

“Y/N, wait - ” Jonathan sputtered, but it was too late. You had already jumped over the counter and were sprinting toward the makeshift weapons of powder and neon light.

Your shoes squealed along the tile as your feet halted long enough for your hands to load your arms full of rockets. Miraculously, you had Billy’s lighter stuffed in your pocket, you remembered, as you ran to an open spot in front of the beast.

Pinching the end of a fuse, you fingers fumbled to ignite it. 

You silently prayed that this wasn’t the one time it was out of lighter fluid.

Sweaty fingers tried again and again to spark a flame, you let out an exasperated sigh when, finally, it did.

You watched as the sparks inched closer to the end of the rocket. Your attention went to another one as it hit the grotesque blob with crustacean appendages.

Minutes stretched on as you kept lighting them, and occasionally diverting your attention to ensure that they were making their target.

With all of the cacophony whizzing around you, you failed to notice Billy walking toward your target with an unconscious El laid over his shoulder.

“Y/N!” You barely heard Nancy yell as she yanked you away from the few remaining fireworks.

You were almost in a daze as your eyes went from her face over to what her eyes were focused on now, her mouth agape in horror.

Billy was giving El to the creature, laying her onto the ground in front of it as if she were a sacrificial lamb to a god.

All you could do was stand there, paralyzed. Internally, you were battling with that overpowering urgency to help and that feeble pull, an inner-doubt, that you could not. What was it that you could do besides adding yourself to the mass of dead or mindflayed?

You watched on as Billy leaned close to El, and she seemed to be reading him, trying to uncover the layers of flayed that were cast onto his mind and his spirit. 

Billy stood once more, and began to push the monster away. 

“Billy, NO!” You screamed, feeling tears dampen your cheeks.

Then, more pincers sprouted out of the Mindflayer’s pet, and they latched onto Billy, raising him into the air.

He screamed, while dark red blood, almost black, dripped onto the tile several feet beneath him.

All of a sudden, the creature seemed to pause its feeding on him, and it let out an earth-quaking howl.

One of pure anguish.

The gate is closing., you thought.

Black vapor soared through the air, until it disappeared into the darkness of the July night.

The monster’s body dropped onto the ground, and in an instant began to decay, crumbling into dust and goo.

Without a second thought, your feet carried you over to Billy, meeting Max at his side.

He was covered in red and black blood, soot, and sweat, with his watery eyes on the open ceiling.

Before you were able to form any words, Billy managed to gurgle out, “I’m sorry.”

Then, everything stopped.

Max whimpered out his name, shaking him a little. She began weeping, eyes not leaving her brother.

But, you barely heard it. Your mind was blank, nearly making you insensible.

Your chin trembled, and tears streamed down your flushed, grimy cheeks.

As he past, you failed to notice then that you had placed your hand into his own, which you noted as your glanced down at it now, your grip still tight while his was limp.

You kept incessantly repeating No as your hands slid up to his face. Max watched as your bent over him, your nose nearly touching his, and your tears fell onto his unmoving face. Your chest felt tight as you heaved out heavy, hushed sobs.

It only made Max cry even harder. El came to her side, tears falling down her own cheeks.

Billy gave himself up to save her, and for that, she was eternally grateful and sorry.

Your trembling lips pressed a kiss to his forehead, and you sat up, putting your head into your hands, continually heaving out your weeps.

Billy Hargrove was gone. Billy, your best friend, the love of your life, had left this earth. 

Your Billy.

At that thought, you began shaking your head, and took your hands away from your face. 

“No.”, you spoke aloud, shaking your head as if in denial. Deep anguish and sorrow quickly built into a ball of anger in your chest, and that tingling started again. It rose into a sizzling burn.

Without another thought or word, you hit Billy’s chest, as if that would wake him up from his permanent slumber.

Max and El, along with the others that were gathered nearby, stared at you in horror.

That urgency hit you with full force like never before. You could do something. You felt it now more than ever, but were unable to explain it to yourself.

Through burning tears, you hit his chest again and yelled, hitting it once more.

However, it felt as if the next blow happened in slow motion. 

The tingling sensation zipped its way from your ears and toes to your hands, and a tangerine glow emitted from them, spreading to Billy’s body as you made contact with him.

Your friends were propelled a foot or two backward, and stared at you, mouths open in confusion and awe.

In disbelief, you overturned your shaky hands and stared at your palms.

Suddenly, Billy coughed, choking life back into him as if he had nearly drowned and had finally broken the surface for air. He jerked upward, but lowered his head back to the ground, blinking away his murky vision.

He was sore, damaged goods. But he was alive, and you had brought him back.

“Billy?”, you called softly, your startled eyes on him as Max quickly moved on her hands and knees over to him.

You took his hand into both of your own. Billy gripped them lightly as he blinked languidly, still staring up at the shattered ceiling.

“Y/N.”, his answer came out in a rasp, with the edge of his mouth managing to quirk up into a small, soft smile.

A smile appeared on your lips along with a small laugh, and tears of relief escaped from your eyes.

You glanced from Billy to Max, holding her gaze for a moment. Incredulity remaining in her eyes still, she couldn’t help but smile, too.

He turned his head as you leaned over him, his devastating blues meeting your eyes.

You brought his hand to your lips, pressing them there for a moment.

Billy laughed, but it hurt his chest. He ached all over.

Despite this, he took his hand from yours, and brushed your tears away with his thumb.

Max took his other hand into her own, and he looked to her with a small smile. She returned it without a word.

It was then you remembered that he was still bleeding.

He tried to sit up, his face pinching together and a groan bubbling out, but you put a hand to his shoulder, concern painting over your relief.

“Billy, you’re still -”

“Y/N.”, Max interrupted. You looked away from him, eyes following Max's disturbed stare on Billy’s body.

She had lifted his white wife-beater, revealing that not only had the bleeding stopped, but the wounds were already gnarled scars.

He slowly sat up, the pair of you quickly giving him your hands. He squeezed them, his face tightened into a wince.

"How is this possible?", Mike inquired from behind you, breaking the silence. You turned, seeing that the rest of the gang were standing a couple of yards away, looks of confusion and disbelief contorting their faces.

"I-I don't know.", you replied softly. You shifted your focus from your friends back to Billy. 

"What did you do?", he asked, his eyes searching yours. It wasn't an accusation, it was genuine concern and bewilderment.

You opened your mouth to explain, but found that words escaped you.

"She's like me.", El interjected.

Everyone looked to her, she was now next to Max.

"Oh, I don't know about that.", you told them, "That was the first time it's happened."

You looked down at your hands. The tingling had left your fingers and toes, but still delicately prickled at your ears.

Realization struck you.

"El, give me your ankle.", you gently commanded, meeting her eyes.

El stepped over and sat next to you, laying her injured ankle out in front of you, its bandages soaked in soot and blood.

The others stepped closer, and Billy and Max watched on.

You placed your hands onto her ankle, and she winced.

"Sorry.", you mumbled before closing your eyes.

You concentrated on how you felt before, the fresh memories flashing around like slots of film in your mind. 

The sensations only happened when you were in moments of true emotional strain. You concluded that the only way to do whatever you had done was to think of those moments.

Everyone watched as the tangerine glow radiated from your hands onto El's wound.

After a few seconds, it stopped.

You opened your eyes, and El quickly unravelled her bandages.

A scar was the only thing left on her ankle.

Silence passed as everyone stared from El to you.

"Y/N, you're a-", Max began.

"Freak.", you finished, but it came out as more of a question. You studied your hands.

"No.", Billy croaked, his hands taking your own, "Don't say that."

"But, what am I?", you questioned incredulously, your gaze imploring your friends for an answer.

Sirens began to echo throughout the mall, and everyone glanced around searching for the source.

"Guess we'll figure that out later.", you concluded, grasping Billy's hand and nodded towards Max.

The both of you helped Billy get up, and slung his arms around your shoulders, as El, Mike, and Lucas waited for the three of you.

El took one last glance at you, then back at the remains of the monster. 

Mike held out his hand, and she took it, diverting her attention back to him.

You placed your free hand on El's shoulder as you moved alongside her.

"It's over.", you reassured her, a tired smile on your lips.

Despite the pile of molten alien carcass displayed mere yards from her, El wasn't so sure.

*

"Did - did you hit me back there?", Billy inquired, a bit of a smirk creeping onto his face, despite his exhaustion. "The center of my chest feels like I got socked with a brick."

To Billy's disdain, you had ordered him to be checked out by the paramedics. He just wanted to nurse himself, in the cozy, safe confines of your house. But, to your insistence and worry, he complied.

So, there he sat, his ass parked on the edge of an ambulance, the available paramedic going back and forth from poking, prodding, and posing questions.

To Billy's relief, the paramedic, Clyde, had been called over by Mrs. Wheeler, who wanted to have Mike checked over another time.

You rubbed the back of your neck, looking at him with an awkward smirk. "Yeah, sorry about that."

Swiveling on your toes, you placed yourself next to him.

Despite his deeply sore muscles, he instinctively slung his arm over your shoulders. 

"Don't apologize, babe. I wouldn't be here without you.", his voice crackled into you ear, now devoid of any teasing - only sincerity and gratitude.

The thought rushed your sorrow and relief back into your chest, coursing through your lungs like humid air and welling up into a ball in your throat.

You burrowed into him, carefully wrapping your arms around his middle as your bottom lip trembled.

Meeting his eyes, you rasped, "Let's talk about that tomorrow, okay?"

His deep cerulean eyes searched yours, and he nodded. It could wait - tonight was already fueled with trauma.

You swallowed, a soft smile replacing your tender frown, and added, "Besides, I'm supposed to be taking care of you, remember?"

His arm pulled you closer, if possible, and he told you, matching your smile, "We are going to take care of each other. Like always."

Eyes never leaving each other, you promised, "Always."

#billy hargrove x reader #billy hargrove imagine #billy hargrove one shot #stranger things #stranger things 3 #st3 #billy hargrove #my post #my masterlist #enjoy punks!

[the-redcrate]

Since you asked for prompts, Steve and the party trying to trigger Billy by using his memories?

Posting this 3 hours before season 3 goes live. 😬

Rated T for canon force and language.

*

“You know, I really thought all this shit was over with,” Steve complains as he heaves Billy’s unconscious body from where he’d fallen, moving him into a kitchen chair. “The gate was closed.”

Hopper wraps rope around Billy’s waist quickly while Steve olds the other boy in place. Billy’s skin is clammy and cold, and Steve grimaces when his mind thinks death . He lifts his palms so only his finger tips are pressed along Billy’s shoulders. The feel of bone beneath the thin skin stretched over Billy’s clavicles is a little too real.

Oblivious to Steve’s internal struggle, Hopper grunts, “Yeah, kid, I know. But obviously something fucked up.”

That’s the scariest part of this all. Not even the adults know what the fuck is going on. The movies—when they’re about kids going on adventures and battling cosmic monsters—are all about kids versus adults. One side always knows how to fix the problem. But no one here, not the kids or the adults or even the government, know what’s wrong , what’s going to happen. No one knows how to stop it.

They thought they stopped it.

Hopper gets Billy tied up good on the chair, bites off the duct tape he uses to bind Billy’s wrists and ankles so he can’t lash out. When Steve steps back, Billy’s head is lolling to the side in his sleep.

“What now?” He looks away from the matted curls and soft mouth to Hopper who has lit up a cigarette as they both survey their hostage.

Exhaling a stream of blue smoke that curls up to the bare bulb hanging above their heads, Hopper shrugs, “Crank up the heat.”

*

Steve doesn’t know if it’s better or worse that most the kids are still here. Maybe they should have gone with Nancy and Jonathan to check out the school after El said something about it, but Max wasn’t leaving the house. If Max wasn’t leaving then Lucas wasn’t leaving and so on and so forth. But there’s some serious shit going on with Billy. When Joyce ushered Will out the door and into the back of Jonathan’s car with her arm tight around his shoulders, Steve had been relieved.

One possessed guy was bad enough without fear of Billy triggering whatever gunk might still be hanging out in the back of Will’s head.

“Why are we doing this? We don’t actually want to save that asshole, so we?” Dustin slams his palms down on the kitchen table. He shoots a look over at Max. “No offense.”

Steve watches Max roll her eyes, but she says, “If we don’t, he’s going to be a lot worse.”

Clearly fed up and overwhelmed, Hopper tells them all to shut up. He paces along the linoleum floor. “This is not good. Your mindflayer,” he waves a hand in the air at the lot of them, “has got a hold of that boy in there, and we need to get him back before he’s completely gone.”

Steve pictures the gnarled black veins stretching up Billy’s forearm and bicep, wonders if it isn’t too late anyway. Will never had anything like that.

Hopper continues, “Max, you’re going to have to talk to him first.”

Steve shoots a look a Hopper. “First? What? You think any of us are going to be able to pull him back?” It’s depressingly laughable.

Max looks pissed at that, but Steve knows he’s right.

He says, “The only thing any of us are going to be able to wake in him is anger and hate, man.” When he says it, his chest feels tight as sympathy winds through him. It’s the truth, but it doesn’t feel right .

Mike takes a deep breath. “We have to try.”

*

When it’s Steve’s turn, he isn’t ready. He’s heard the yelling and seen the flicker lights. He’s heard the silence and seen the defeated look on everyone but Max’s face. Even Hopper looks two seconds away from giving up. The only thing that seems to be holding him together is defiance against his town being turned upside down and sheer force of will.

Steve curls his hand tightly around the grip of his bat, but keeps the weapon down as he closes the door to the shed. It’s so eerily similar to the last time, with Will strapped to the seat instead of Billy. There is less frantic desperation this time, however.

If you could literally feel what anger is, Steve thinks the feeling he gets standing in this room would be it. Hell, maybe it is. The heat Hopper cranked up with space heaters probably helps the illusion. Maybe that’s a side effect of Billy being possessed by a giant sci-fi creature that’s only supposed to exist in the safety of imagination.

“Hey, pretty boy,” Billy calls from where he’s slumped in the metal chair. “Come to say hello?”

Steve shivers at the words and the rumble of Billy’s voice. It’s not Billy though. Not really.

He circles around Billy and tries to project an air of confidence. “Steve,” he reminds Billy, “but thanks for the compliment. It’s nice to know even when you’re mind is all fucked up you can still make a dumbass joke.”

Billy lifts his head and follows Steve’s movement with his eyes. They’re bloodshot and too shiny in the yellow light. He bares his teeth. “Steve.”

“I can’t do this,” he mutters to himself, pushing a hand back through his hair. He feels completely useless right now. Louder, however, he asks, “Are you seriously going to let that thing in your head control you?”

Billy doesn’t answer. His expression is mostly blank. Even when he’d taunted Steve, his face lacked the usual animation and excitement.

He’s spent the last forty minutes thinking about what he should say—what memories he should use to try and get Billy to snap out of it. They weren’t close though. They hadn’t shared very much more than fist falls and hurtful words. While everyone else had been taking their turns, Steve had slipped into Billy’s bedroom to look for anything that could help.

Now, Steve decides to put his flimsy plan into action. He crouches down so he’s at eye level with Billy. He makes sure to keep enough distance between them so Billy can’t head-butt him.

The corners of the photo are worn and a little frayed from too much handling. He looks at the subject again before holding it up so Billy has no choice but to see it.

“This your mom?” Steve glances from Billy’s grey eyes to the back of the photo where a name and date are scrawled along the bottom in blue ink. “You look a lot like her.”

Billy’s jaw tightens, but he doesn’t say anything.

Steve pulls the photo back so he can look at the blonde woman leaning against the car Billy drives now. She’s got a wide, carefree smile on her face. Billy is curled next to her waist, maybe thirteen years old. He isn’t smiling, but he’s looking up at her like he was about to ask a question.

“You miss her, right?” Steve snorts as he shakes his head. His hand hangs with the other between his legs. “Stupid question. But come on, I bet you have a hundred or a thousand memories of her you think about daily. Do you think she would want this for you?”

He waits and tries to let the question sink in. He knows he’s making cheap shots here, but he doesn’t really have anything better to offer. The moment makes him think about Barb’s parents tough—about how they sold their house to finance keeping their hope for answers alive. Steve only knows bad shit about Billy’s dad, but he constructs a version of Billy’s mom in his head based on what any kid should have and that happy smile captured on film.

Steve drops to his knees and scoots just a little closer on the dirty floor.

“Don’t let yourself go, man. You’re better than that. She’d want you safe and happy, not tied up in a shed with everyone you know scared of you.” Steve itches to ground himself somehow.

Billy isn’t focused on him, looking through Steve to some middle distance. Steve wonders what he sees.

He sighs heavily. This is pointless. Maybe Nancy and Jonathan have found a more promising lead. Sweat trickles down the back of Steve’s neck.

“Billy,” he says quietly, hopelessly. “Come on. I’d rather you call me names and try to beat the shit out of me than this.”

He searches Billy’s face for anything, any sign that there’s something behind his eyes besides a monster. “You aren’t a monster. Like, I don’t know if you really have any control over this thing. But if you’re letting it take over because you think that’s all you deserve?”

Steve feels foolish. He shoots a look over at the door and where it’s still closed. He says, “I want you back to the cocky asshole who gave me and the party a hard time, who thought he was too cool for us all. You probably are.” Steve lets out a hollow laugh. “But if you’d just come back we could start over. I don’t want to be your enemy. I never did, man.”

Billy’s eyes flicker, ghost over Steve with some intelligence for the first time all night. He sees recognition in Billy’s eyes.

Steve gives in to his need to touch even though he knows it’s a stupid move. He curls a hand above the duct tape around Billy’s calf. It’s bare—he’s only wearing his red swim trunks from the pool still. Steve rubs his thumb up and down the skin there, trying to rub away the somehow cold and hot feel to his skin.

“You gotta fight it. Use all that strength you got inside. Come back.” Emotion clogs up Steve’s throat suddenly.

None of this is right. It shouldn’t be happening all over again and it shouldn’t be happening like this. There are already too many people involved—too many people who have been hurt. Billy doesn’t deserve this.

Steve bites his lip then pleads, “Come back to me.”

#prompt fill #my fic #stranger things #harringrove

[minimickzy]

In-between || part 5

The world was turning upside down, Derry Maine had a killer clown on the loose and it was you and your friend’s self-assigned job to kill it.

A crossover series of It and Stranger Things x reader

Characters: Reader, Eleven, Richie Tozier, Mike Wheeler, (the losers club, Will Byers, Dustin Henderson, Lucas Sinclair, Max Mayfield, mentioned) 

Unedited

Word count: 1183

Warning: brief gore, pennywise

A/n: I’m going to be making a playlist so send in some songs, let me know if you want to be tagged

part 1 || part 2 || part 3 || part 4 || part 6

The two of you walked on in the black surroundings, sometimes odd noises would echo through sending shivers down your spine. Whatever the in-between was you sure as hell didn’t like it. It felt like it was crowded but there was nothing there. 

You were giving up any hope you had at this point, it felt like you’d been walking for a hour. El suddenly stopped and held her hand up to tell you to follow her movements. She closed her eyes, what the fuck does she think she’s doing? Her eyes shot open again startling you she pointed over your shoulder. “Is that them?” You whipped your head around and gasped when you saw the rest of the losers. 

They were all breathing heavily, their eyes wide with fear. Beverly was holding Bill. Wonder what I️ missed there?  Their bikes were piled up behind them. “It saw us,” Eddie spoke shakily, “It saw us and it knows where we are!” You took a step forward but before you could take a second a firm hand on your shoulder stopped you. “Their not really here.” You looked back at her frowning before Bill's voice brought you back to focus on the group. “It always did... S-so let's go.” “go? go where?” Ben voice cracked. “Neibolt... thats where G-Georgie is.” 

“After that?” Stan asked. “yeah it's summer, we’re supposed to be ou-” Richie started “If you say it's summer one more f-fucking time... (y/n) could be there.” The rest of the losers protested as he hopped on his bike and started to peddle away, all but Rich. “Fuck that house gives me the creeps.” Richie muttered before he too picked up his bike and started follow, the rest of them falling in line not long after. 

“I️ know where they're going. They’re going to get themselves killed.” You muttered. “If I️ got you home could you get there? Could you stop them?” El asked, You nodded, “get me to the upside down and I️ can get there.” Eleven's face was dark and serious. She touched your forehead and you were back in bed at the Cabin. She stood up immediately “we have to go.” 

You jumped up forgetting how weak you were and started to tip over. Lucky for you Mike was there to catch you and help you upright. “Thanks.” He still had his hands on you back and waist. “Y-yeah, no problem.” You heard the door slam open and looked away from Mike to see El already walking out the door. “shit.” you muttered and started after her. 

The boys all followed you until El yelled back and told them she’d come and get them after, then it was just the two of you. She didn't talk much, not that you minded. She didn't seem to like you every much anyway. You started to recognize things from yesterday, when you had ran through the woods to Mike’s. You didn't know how she knew where to go but you thought it best not to ask either. You saw the lab and knew you were getting closer. Thank god your feet hurt like a son of a bitch.

You started to feel the same pull you did earlier at the sewers. She was walking away from it and you stopped. “It’s this way.” She turned at your words and frowned. “Trust me.” her body visually relaxed as she started to walk the way you said. Sure enough after a few minutes more there it was.

A multi-dimensional rip in time and space. Neither of you said a word or dared to move a muscle. “Go.” With only one word she managed to frighten the living shit out of you. You nodded and went to the hole. You put your arm through first and then pushed your body in right after. Once again you were covered with thick slime in the upside down. 

“Damn it!” You yelled trying to wipe some of it off. El came through right after you. She didn't waste any time and looked at you expectantly, “Bring me to the house.” You didn't hesitate to follow her instructions. After walking for a few minutes you got a sinking feeling in your chest. It felt like something was wrong. Something bad was going to happen. You started to pick up your pace. 

“We need to go faster.” Dull pain started to run through the course of your body. Your legs started running. You could feel El close on your heels. Soon you could see the house through the trees, the ringing in your ears had started again, still building much slower than before. You ran up the steps. You could feel the energy of the clown. But worse you could feel the fear of your friends. 

You didn't know how, you didn't think you wanted to. You felt a pull again and ran towards it. It brought you to a room, there were sheets covering the furniture and two large stained glass windows. The only light in the room was a blue glow from a coffin centered between the widows. Well guess this is happening.

El stepped toward it and looked down. “Go. I’ll bring the others. Meet here tomorrow.” You frowned, “why?” “Because it's our fight too now.” “You don't hav-” Before you could finish she cut you off. “Friends don't lie. I will be back, tomorrow.” Before you could fight past the shock of her words she had ran out of the room. “Go!” she yelled and before you could stop yourself you lifted yourself into the coffin. 

You found the edge of the coffin and pulled yourself through. This slime is fuckng gross. The sheets were gone, clowns taking there place. You heard Eddie's scream echo through the house. “Shit.” You ran to the door but on the other side you found a thick coating of black puss. The ringing in your ears started to rise again and without putting more thought into it you ran straight through it. When you reached the other side you looked back and it was gone. 

You ran down the hall and down the steps, picking up a broken part of the banister on the way. You rounded the corner and saw Richie and Bill facing the clown, Eddie was holding his arm crying. “Holy shit.” Richie muttered as the clown started to stand up. “I was real enough for Georgie.” the clown smiled. You felt the pain and rage radiate from your heart. the clown started for Bill and Richie who grabbed onto each other from fear.

You stepped out in front of them and stabbed the clown with the banister. Dark thick blood started to rise from the hole. Eddie started to scream, the ringing was growing loud enough you could barely hear and the pain was almost unbearable. Everything happened so fast. Richie yelled your name and black started to surround your vision. The rest of the losers came and everyone was yelling. It was all a blur. The ringing over powered the yells and then everything went black. 

taglist:

@thekidsofneibolt @mcheung0314  @dolphin-laugh @obscureinfinities @themaddesthattter @rosiexix @thatcrazyfangirlmaze @richletozler @ashlynstyles1 @georgies-boat @pinetree111 @omg-its-rachael @tiozerwheelr@rubi54 @aguirreagre @hey-margot @ms-melody-mikaelson @stranger-it2004@music-nerd-27 @jackyfrost01 @winkharem @miathefangirlwriter @littlxshit @personalokime @supergalaxykittens @the-rad-mad @tsunderequeenb@liyahisdabomb @ouhwale @stressedoutkylo @fandomlover03 @voguesbruise@marvelgirl2118 @xoxoalisonjane @giantpersonalitysmallcontainer @bubble-nubble @stanleyboii @roman-holiiday @holiravioli @supergleeflash @kerridelaney @lanaunknown21 @o-starshine @xoxoalisonjane @aramira-oakenshield-riddle @tvdstiles @flyingbluecar @youngkobrakidjackson @rosey515 @secretaccountoflevi @fandomlover03 @charmingtozier @solluxeun @jlsxv​ @bailey121302​ @loveroflps59​ @holywinchesterness​ @huntermichelle​ @notalxx @rubi54​ @weeabootie​ @phoenixwwitch​

#richie tozier #richie tozier imagine #richie tozier x reader #beep beep richie #it #it x stranger things #it x reader #stranger things #stranger things imagine #stranger things x reader #bill denbrough x reader #bill denbrough imagine #bill denbrough #eddie kaspbrak #eddie kaspbrak x reader #stan uris imagine #stan uris #stan uris x reader #mike wheeler imagine #mike wheeler x reader #mike hanlon x reader #mike hanlon #it imagine #dustin henderson #dustin henderson x reader #lucas sinclair x reader #finn wolfhard #finn wolfhard x reader #finn wolfhard imagine #imagine