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crayonboxcolors607 · 4 months

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in honor of Part 1 getting 100 likes and like 15 reblogs! (a lot for tiny stupid me lol) i decided to suck it up and write another part bc ppl have asked for it

IF YOU HAVEN'T READ PART ONE, PLEASE DO SO!

After Robin found out, things were a bit better for Steve. The two of them practiced their signs during slow shifts at the Family Video. Robin showed him a new sign every day and helped him improve his lip reading. It benefited his daily life too. Gone were the days when he had to walk all the way across the store to talk to Robin, now the two of them could have conversations from opposite sides of the store, their hands flying fast as they spoke.

Robin was a fucking godsend, bullying Keith into giving Steve more time off in case of migraines and providing excuses when he couldn't drive the kids around. She begged Steve to wear his hearing aids, eventually telling him that if he played his cards right he could cover them up with his hair, which ultimately convinced him. She'd helped him find a new hairstyle that almost eliminated them completely, clapping her hands excitedly as the shock on his face was evident when he turned them on and could differentiate sounds again.

Of course, there were still things that were hard, even with the hearing aids. Steve needed to be directly facing someone in order to have a basic understanding of what they were saying, and there couldn't be anything obstructing their mouth. This proved especially difficult when Steve interacted with the younger Party members, although they continued to chalk it up to Steve's usual airheadedness. For once, he was grateful to be stereotyped as a dumb jock.

One random day in October, however, things began to change.

Dustin had somehow roped Steve into driving him, Mike, and Lucas to some fancy-ass comic store in Indianapolis, claiming that "the one in Hawkins is not nearly comprehensive enough, Steve". He'd rolled his eyes and responded with what they referred to as his "Mom Pose", his hands on his hips and his eyebrow cocked as he stared at them judgementally. Eventually, though, he'd relented, letting them fight over who got shotgun and who had to sit in the back.

Somehow, although he himself didn't quite seem to know how, Lucas managed to snag the front seat. He'd slid in quietly as Dustin and Mike threw themselves into the backseat, yelling obnoxiously about unfairness and favoritism. Steve refrained from pointing out that he'd had no part in the tussle for shotgun, instead allowing it to play out.

He and Lucas had been engaging in conversation about sports when Lucas had quietly mentioned that he was thinking of trying out for the school's basketball team, tentatively asking Steve if they could meet up the next weekend so he could give him some pointers. Steve had agreed without even thinking, but he began to panic once he got home later that afternoon. How was he supposed to go over skills in basketball when he couldn't even hear out of his left ear?

But in typical Steve fashion, he procrastinated until the last minute, eventually deciding that he simply wouldn't wear the hearing aids. He'd be fine for one basketball practice, right?

And so, Steve drove to the basketball courts that Saturday, removing his hearing aids as he arrived, and thus reintroducing a fuzzy ringing in his ears that he hadn't experienced in a long time. It felt alien, but he shook his head around a bit and started to shoot baskets. He'd forgotten how good sports made him feel, and was pleasantly surprised at the adrenaline that began pumping through his veins. In fact, his new lack of hearing made it easier for him to practice, as it allowed him to tune out the rest of the world and focus solely on himself and his own fluid motions.

This did prove to be a slight problem, however, as he didn't hear Lucas dropping his stuff on the bench, nor did he notice him walking up to Steve. So the tapping on his shoulder startled him far more than it should have.

"Jesus Sinclair!" Steve exclaimed. "You scared the shit outta me, man!" Lucas seemed confused at Steve's reaction, and he silently reminded himself that none of the kids knew about his hearing.

"Uhh, sorry Steve," Lucas said slowly. "Are um, are you okay?" The concern on his face melted Steve's heart just a little bit.

"I'm fine buddy," he reassured the young teen. "Was just in my own world a bit, you know, focusing and stuff." His explanation seemed to comfort Lucas enough, and he grinned.

"You ready to get started?" he asked, tossing the younger boy the ball. Lucas caught it with a practiced ease and began dribbling, feinting left and right. Steve dropped down into his defensive position, mirroring Lucas's every movement, tracking his feet to predict which direction he would go next.

He felt himself slipping back into that headspace that he loved so much, the one that drew him into sports in the first place. Because he didn’t need to think about it, the strategies were always in his brain. He just needed to rely on muscle memory, all his former skills coming back to him as he and Lucas scrimmaged.

They played for about thirty minutes before taking a quick break to grab water and snacks, both of them struggling to catch their breath. Lucas opened his Gatorade™ and said something Steve, causing him to look over in surprise as he struggled to figure out what the younger boy was saying.

"Pardon?" he said, pretending he just hadn't been paying attention. Lucas repeated himself, or at least Steve had to assume that he did, because again, he couldn't understand a single word that left the younger boy's mouth.

There was a heavy feeling in his stomach as he debated asking Lucas to repeat himself a third time.

Someone tapped his leg, pulling him out of his own spiraling headspace. Steve looked up, feeling even worse as he registered the fear on Lucas' face.

"Steve," Lucas began slowly, seeming struggling with what to say next. "Can you, uh, can you not hear me?"

Of course, that sentence Steve was able to comprehend.

With a heavy sigh, he shook his head.

"Not really," he replied, looking anywhere but at Lucas. "My hearing started to go after Billy smashed my head with a plate. And it got worse after Starcourt." He looked up then, a grim smile on his face. "Turns out multiple concussions aren't exactly good for a person."

Lucas' eyes widened at the confession. "So, are you deaf?" he asked. Or at least, Steve assumed that's what he said.

"Partially," Steve replied. "I can't hear at all out of my left ear, that's where I got the most damage. My right ear can function, but not normally. I mostly rely on reading lips and context clues."

"Oh my god," Lucas said slowly, the gears visibly turning in his head. "Oh my god! W-we kept teasing you! We kept calling you stupid a-and laughing at you! You couldn't even hear us! And you-" The boy suddenly slumped over and placed his head in his hands. He said something, Steve was sure of it, but it was additionally muffled by him covering his face.

"Uh, Lucas, buddy," Steve said hesitantly. "I can't understand you if I can't see your face." Lucas looked up at him then, tears pooling in his eyes.

"It's my fault," he said. Steve felt his mouth drop open in shock, and began to protest, but Lucas stopped him.

"Billy was coming after me," he insisted, talking clearer so Steve could understand. "He was attacking me! You stepped in and tried to defend me -- now you're deaf and it's all my fault!"

Steve felt his heart drop.

He'd been so scared to tell anyone because he was worried they wouldn't view him the same way as before, that he hadn't even considered how the kids might feel if they knew he was like this because of his attempts to protect them.

"Oh Lucas," Steve said softly, gathering the crying teen into his arms. "It's not your fault. There isn't a world where I wouldn't have done the same. You're my kid. I'm always gonna protect you. That's just how it works." He felt Lucas try to push away, to protest, but he just held him tighter. "You and your little gaggle of idiots are worth everything. I'd go deaf a thousand times if it meant keeping you all safe."

With a sniffle, Lucas detached himself from the older boy.

"Really?" he said, eyes shiny with tears.

"Of course," Steve responded, without missing a beat. He gave the younger boy a final squeeze, before wiping away the few tears that had escaped while he and Lucas were talking. "I'd better get you home anyway. Your mom will have my head on a stick if you miss dinner." He kept his hand on Lucas' back as he wiped his tears and sniffed a final time.

"Okay," he said. "But you're staying for dinner."

HOLY SHIT I FINALLY FINISHED! ONLY TOOK ME 9 MONTHS LOL

okay okay so i did talk about the older members of the party finding out next as well as dustin but i just had to make a liar out of myself bc when i started writing this my brain was just like "but what if we did a wholesome reveal with Lucas instead??" and now here we are and i regret nothing

except the lack of sleep. i regret that a lot.

also, i am not an athlete. i am a depressed and introverted high school theater kid who has never played basketball in my entire life bc i am a measly 5ft 1in (roughly 155cm). so dont come at me if the sportsball lingo is incorrect bc i have no fucking clue what im doing.

also THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING AND ALL THE LIKES AND REBLOGS ON MY LAST POST!!

#stranger things #stranger things 3 #stranger things 4 #steve harrington #lucas sinclair #dustin henderson #mike wheeler #the battle of starcourt #post starcourt #deaf steve harrington #hoh steve harrington #hard of hearing steve harrington #fluff #wholesome #heartwarming #i cried writing this #i hope you cry reading this #jk #not really tho

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aloneinthehellfire · 1 year

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Eight Months

Steve Harrington x Fem!Reader

Masterlist

Summary: Y/n went missing at the end of spring. A note was left explaining that after her father, Bob Newby, died, she just couldn’t bear to stay in Hawkins. The others were shocked but after gaining no leads on where she could be, they had to accept that she was gone. But when summer rolls in and Hawkins starts getting scary, Steve and Dustin find themselves venturing into a Russian base and uncover more secrets than they bargained for.

Word Count: 2.5k

Warnings: swearing, [flashbacks], kidnapping, witnessing murder, mentions of death, mentions of torture, mentions of bruises/blood, fluff and kind of angst?

[A/N: Another random thought at like 2am bc I have insomnia so enjoy. I also really enjoy writing season three fanfics.]

Eight Months [Masterlist]

Eight Months: A Surprise Reunion

[Part One]

The letter you had left in Mike Wheeler’s basement explained it all. They wouldn’t find it until after their festivities.

Your father, Bob Newby, had risked his life to save others. In your mind, and others, he was a hero.

When your mother left you both to fend for yourselves, Bob didn’t shy away from his fatherly duties. In fact, he rose to the occasion. Money was tight but he still made sure you grew up the best you could without a mother. And you soon came to realise you didn’t need one. Because he was all you needed.

When you were 17, your father had fallen in love. Joyce Byers captured his heart and you understood why; she was perfect for him. She welcomed you into her family, as did her sons, and despite the drastic change, you grew to love them all.

But, one fateful evening changed all of that. It had been innocent at first, your best friend Steve Harrington asking you to aid him in winning Nancy Wheeler back. Your heart broke at the request from years and years of hiding your feelings for him, but Nancy made him happy. And you wanted him to be happy.

Once Dustin had found you both and asked for your help, things only got worse. You were dragged into the world beneath Hawkins, learning things that should only be seen in your nightmares.

It led to your father losing his life after saving his family.

Joyce did her best, taking care of you like you were her own. But the thought of living in a town without your father was too much pain to bear. And the decision was made.

You were to move away from Hawkins and leave your goodbyes in a heartfelt letter addressed to the people you loved.

***

“Hey, assholes! Let us out!” Robin yelled, continuously thumping on the door as Steve paced the room wondering how the hell they were going to get out of here.

It all started with a secret Russian message. Translation, Dustin had said at the time. Steve should have listened to his instinct when it told him ‘translation’ would be more than he agreed to.

Now, he and his co worker Robin were trapped in a Russian base with no hope of escaping and the fear of torture on their minds.

Well, he was afraid at least. Robin, on the other hand, gave up on fear half an hour into the wait and was now trying every annoying tactic to get it over and done with.

“Cowards!” She called out when she had no response again, slumping against the wall beside her.

“Do you have to do that?” Steve asked, hands on hips, “You’re basically inviting them to torture us.”

“They don't have to take so long.” Robin said, quieter than she should have and Steve realised that the wait itself was torture for her.

“We’ll find a way out.” Steve said, nodding with such determination, Robin almost believed him.

But she knew better than to hope for miracles.

She pushed away from the wall, crossing the room and heading straight to the metal shelves at the back.

“What are you doing?” Steve followed her, frowning.

“This whole time we’ve been waiting, we could have actually seen if there was another door in this place.”

Steve stopped, pursing his lips. Robin noticed his sudden lack of movement, turning to meet her co worker’s face showing all kinds of disbelief.

“I’m not an expert on secret Russian bases but I know enough to assume that they wouldn’t lock prisoners in a room with an exit.” He stressed, pointing back the way they had walked.

Robin sighed, moving her head slightly to the right before her eyes caught something and she felt a smirk playing on her lips.

“Hm, yeah. You’re probably right.” She shrugged, looking directly to her right. “Oh, and what, pray tell, is that?”

She held her hand out and Steve craned his neck around the corner to see… another door. His breath hitched.

“Pure luck.” He grumbled as Robin let out a happy laugh, practically bouncing over to the door.

“So, dingus, it seems you know absolutely nothing about secret Russian-”

Robin’s victory was cut short when she swung open the door.

Steve frowned at her, shaking his head. “What?”

“Uh…” She stumbled over words, staring into the dark room with wide eyes.

“Let me guess, it’s a dead end?” Steve threw his hands up in exasperation, already stalking away from her. “See, I knew it. The Russians can’t be that stupid if they had a whole ass fancy elevator system and liquid that melts metal-”

“Steve.” Robin tried, her voice quiet.

“-and the fact that we needed to use vents to get in here instead of an actual door just proves-”

“Steve!” She yelled this time, raising her hand to a surrender.

“What?!” Steve turned, running a hand through his hair, frustrated.

“You should probably come see this.”

Robin said just as soon as he turned the corner again, a frown appearing on his face when he watched her disappear into the other room, enveloped by the shadows.

“Robin?” He called out in a whisper, poking his head around the door.

He squinted into the darkness before making out a shape further in, realising that Robin was crouched down on the floor. As his eyes adjusted to the lack of light, his heart raced.

She wasn’t alone.

Robin was knelt next to someone else, their body sat on the floor in the corner with their back against the wall, looking extremely scared of the girl in front of them.

“Hey.” Robin said soothingly, both hands held out, “We’re not here to hurt you.”

Steve took a few timid steps into the room, getting closer. His eyebrows furrowed as he tried to make out features on their face, eyes immediately drawn to the pair of red sneakers. He knew someone with red sneakers.

“Who are you?”

And he most definitely knew that voice.

Steve froze, all kinds of emotions bubbling inside as he reached Robin, looking over her shoulder and confirming his suspicions with a racing heart.

“Y/n?”

You whip your head up, meeting his eyes. As soon as recognition dawned on you, you sprung to your feet, shaking your head.

“Steve?” You cry and suddenly he’s pulling you into his arms, catching you in a tight hug. “What- what the hell are you doing here?”

“Me?” Steve let out a breathy laugh, releasing you and stepping back, “What about-”

All his words faded when he finally saw you within breathing distance, his breath caught in his throat.

The first thing he noticed was the healing scar; etched into your eyebrow and reaching half way up your forehead, burning red in the harsh light. Then, the various cuts on your cheek, your lip. The way your hair was tangled, some stray hairs clinging to your face. Bruises scattered across your jaw in a variety of colour, all presenting themselves as different ages. Finally, your teary eyes, the look of fear lingering as you stare back at him.

He stepped forward, cupping your cheek in his palm. The way you flinched slightly before softening under his touch didn’t go unnoticed to him.

“Y/n.” Steve’s head slowly shook side to side, eyes never leaving yours. “What happened?”

Driving away was meant to be the easy part. But that came to an untimely stop when your car broke down just outside the new building for the Starcourt Mall.

Hawkins had been working on building the mall for months, making sure it was ready to open for the summer. It was almost done but still not open to the public yet. You figured they wanted it to be perfect. It should be, considering the amount of money spent.

Stepping out of your car with a groan, you assess the damage. You hiss as smoke pours from your engine, fanning away the dirty air.

“Shit.” You mutter, glancing around you for some kind of miracle.

The drilling and digging noises from the construction site up ahead was clouding your senses to the point that if it hadn’t been for pure luck, you would have missed the figure turning a corner behind the white wall up ahead. You call out after them for help, only to be drowned out by the sounds around you. With a sigh, you slammed your hood shut and started to follow them.

The luck wasn’t as pure as you thought it would be.

Turning the corner, your eyes focus in on the man up ahead, a green uniform clinging to his body as he raised his arm. You frown, moving closer before you notice another figure on the floor, pleading.

Your heart almost stopped when you saw the gun pointing down at him.

The shot ripped through the air, the construction site proving a good distraction as you watched the pleading figure drop limply to the floor.

You couldn’t help the scream that escaped your lips.

The uniformed man caught your gaze and before you knew it, you were ambushed. Officers all around you spoke in a foreign language, raising their guns to you and you had no choice but to surrender, dropping to your knees before they dragged you away from the site and into a loading bay building.

The next few days were a blur, constant interrogation from a man you assumed was in charge.

“Who do you work for?”

That was all you were asked, the truth only earning punishments in the form of torture from men much bigger and much stronger than you. You didn’t know when they finally started believing you but soon, you were relieved from the pain and thrown into a room, only occasionally brought out when they needed information from you; the long nights of torture only led to you discussing the Upside Down, something they were very intrigued to know.

You didn’t understand why until it was too late.

They couldn’t let you go, not with the risk of you telling everyone what you had witnessed. In fact, they offered you a job so you didn’t prove as much as a burden. They weren’t too pleased when you spat the offer back in their faces, refusing to work for men trying to open another gate.

So, other than the occasional painful chit-chat about what lurks beneath Hawkins, you were confined to a dark room for what seemed like eternity.

Until one day, Steve showed up.

When you told him about what they did to you, Steve’s stomach dropped.

The day you left, he had seen you driving away in your car while he was in his own. Something in him wanted to follow you, to make sure you were okay. But, instead, he went home with the assumption that he'd just ask you about it the next day.

Finding the letter broke his heart, a pain bubbling inside when he realises he made a mistake.

And now, guilt. He could have saved you.

Regardless of when it happened, which he still struggled to figure out. After all, you can't have been down here too long, right?

“What the hell are you doing here?” You shook your head, searching Steve’s face with such intensity he was sure you were checking he wasn’t a figment of your imagination.

“It’s a long story.” Steve sighs, hands still holding your face.

“Um, hi.” The girl behind you spoke, giving a small wave, “I’m Robin.”

“Hi.” You reply with a small smile. “I’m-”

“Y/n.” She grinned, nodding, “Yeah. I know.”

Steve widened his eyes as a warning and Robin simply mocked zipping her lips shut. Let’s just say, Steve hadn’t been shy about telling his new found friend all about you. Just for her to continuously tell him that the reason he had such a problem with getting girls was because he never truly got over you.

“We cracked a secret Russian code and basically fell into this place.” Robin stated, “Like, literally. The elevator ride bruised me.”

“You came into the base?” You shake your head in confusion, “Why the hell would you-”

Your face drops into a smile and Steve’s eyebrows furrowed.

“Dustin?” You simply ask and Steve nods his head.

“As much as I love this reunion,” Robin interrupted, stepping forward, “we’re still stuck inside a scary building with no way out.”

“There is a way out.” You say quietly, stepping out of Steve’s gentle hold and hugging your torso. He frowns at your action, watching how you avoid his eyes.

“Really?” Robin’s face lit up, bounding over to you, “How?”

“You just need a keycard.” You say and her face falls. You notice, leaning back against the wall. “You guys did have a keycard when you broke in here, right?”

The silence was your answer and you sighed, rubbing your forehead.

“Okay,” You continue, starting to pace the room. “there’s always Plan B.”

“Plan B?” Steve raised his eyebrow and you shifted, taking a breath.

“Distraction.”

“Distraction?” Robin took her turn to query as Steve stood there, realisation already dawning on him.

“No, absolutely not.” He shakes his head profusely, stepping towards you.

“We can’t all leave.” You raise your chin slightly, showcasing your stubbornness. “The best I can do is get the both of you…”

As you look between them, you look taken-aback and Steve begins to internally panic. What were you thinking? Did you think something was going on between them?

“… what the hell are you wearing?”

“Oh.” Robin looked down, smirking, “We’re not actual sailors. We work at Scoops.”

“Scoops?” You raise an eyebrow.

“Yeah, the ice-cream place.” Robin nods, frowning when you still don’t understand “At the mall?”

You shake your head, “It opened?”

“Like, ages ago.” She laughed awkwardly, sharing a look with Steve. “Wait. How long have you been down here?”

“I don’t know.” You admit, shrugging. “You don’t really get much sunlight underground, you know?”

"When did you get back to Hawkins?" Steve questions, obviously oblivious to the situation.

"Get back?" You shake your head and he sighs, heart beating faster.

“What’s the last thing you remember?” Steve frowns, and you whip your head up, twisting your face as you tried to recollect.

“Uh… it was…” You slowly start nodding, “The party thing? Or dance, I don’t know.”

Steve shrugged when Robin looked at him.

“Oh!” You suddenly say, remembering. “I was leaving a letter in the basement because I knew no one would be there. The kids were going to the Snow Ball at the middle school.”

“As in… winter-time?” Robin’s voice raises in pitch and you nod.

“Yeah?”

“Y/n…” Steve catches your eyes and your face falls as you see the concern spread across it. “That was eight months ago.”

“Eight-” You take a breath, shaking your head. “No, no. I- I can’t have been here for eight months. It’s not-”

Your hand flies to cover your mouth as you realise. Time really had slipped away.

“I’m so-” Steve runs to comfort you when a loud sound rings out from the front of the room, his eyes widening as Russian is yelled and echoed from the walls.

“What do they want?” Robin whispers, her hands shaking slightly.

“They said they want to speak to the boy.” You translate, slowly looking to Steve. Eight months is all it took for you to start understanding Russian.

“Stay here.” Steve says, ignoring your protests as he steps out into the open.

You and Robin try to run after him, watching in horror as he’s dragged away.

You knew all too well what room he was going to end up in.

to be continued...

#steve harrington #steve harrington x you #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington imagine #steve harrington one shot #steve #stranger things #stranger things x reader #stranger things imagine #stranger things 3 #stranger things fanfic #the battle of starcourt #fanfic

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devondespresso · 10 months

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ITS TIME FOR SCOOPS TROOP (+ MAX) THOUGHTS BABEYYYY

sometimes i forget season 4 happens less than a year after Starcourt. meaning the party had yet to experience a little 1 year trauma anniversary of the horrors from that summer and a good few new members would be so out of the loop for it

thinking about Scoops Troop getting hit particularly hard by the anniversary of kidnapping and torture (and especially because the Russian shit is distinctly different scary than the upside down horrors that plague the party year-round) and Max's conflict with Billy's death, all of those feeling from right after starcourt coming back like it happened last week instead of last year

so with the resurgence of the old pain, Scoops Troop all decide to reuse their old coping mechanisms too

meaning for the first week of July they are physically inseparable again, the four having nightly sleepovers and basically living side-by-side. Camping out at Steve's or Robin's or Dustin's or even Erica's house different nights of the week (Steve and Robin asking the week off from work, claiming a family vacation if they can't trust their manager with the truth that its a PTSD Extravaganza)

Max joining in often to avoid being alone with her thoughts (she also hangs out with the rest of the party splitting her time up pretty evenly but ofc Scoops Troop is the ideal choice for those odd hours of the night) and all 5 (or 6, ofc Lucas joins too if they're at the Sinclair's) have fun distracting themselves most of the week with whatever they need. Silly kids movies and board games and card games, playing with Erica's dolls and discussing MLP, looking at all Dustin's science projects and playing with Tews, going through Robin's instrument collection and language books, Steve trying to teach everyone basketball or little games like horse (Lucas joins too ofc, Max watches mostly and is deemed the 'judge' of if something 'counts' aka Dustin and Erica keep barely missing and want credit for almost getting a shot)

but just like last year, distractions only last so long. every day they're doing something harmless and someone at some point breaks. maybe they let themselves space out and think a little too long, sometimes theres a reminder nobody could've avoided, sometimes they just went a little too long without acknowledging it. either way they all work with it no matter who it is or whats bothering them.

Steve and Dustin usually need to sit with whatever emotion broken them, let themselves feel after spending so much time keeping it together for the people around them. Steve needs to sit and cry, if he's around people he needs to feel like theres no rush to be better again, like he has all the time in the world to sit and cry and be useless. Dustin needs a cry with reassurance, that he did his best in a situation he had very little control over and having him there helped everyone so much. This means Steve's crys are pretty quiet, filled with hugs and soft silence that lets time slip away, while Dustin's crys have a soundtrack of gentle words with them

Robin also needs spoken reassurance. She spirals and catastrophizes very easily and needs to work through stuff out-loud without being allowed to work herself into a self-deprecating frenzy. Steve is used to working that balance of letting her let things out without getting out of hand, and Dustin and Erica are great at giving logical solutions whenever she starts catastrophizing

Erica is a middle ground between the two. She needs to sit and feel her emotions because she constantly feels she has a reputation to maintain, and she needs to work things out out-loud like Robin but doesn't catastrophize as easily. The hard part for her is getting support without pity, which has a learning curve but eventually Scoops Troop has it down and it helps her a lot having a guaranteed safety net for her more vulnerable moments

Max doesn't break around them nearly as often, partially because she's not spending all her time with the group but mostly because she grew up having to keep that stuff in for so long she still struggles being seen while vulnerable, and having open emotions is extra difficult when the person you're sad about is also responsible for your struggles being openly vulnerable.

when she does break, she needs the control over those moments. she needs to be able to control whos seeing and hearing her, how long she cries and how hard, how much she tells and who she's talking to. she prefers to be alone or with only one person with her, ideally Lucas because they have the most familiarity and trust built up. She'll either find a room to leave to or everyone will move to a different room for the time, and Lucas sits with her and lets her let everything out at her own pace. When Lucas isn't there and can't be, she'll pick someone else to sit with her, usually Robin because she's pretty easy to read and Max knows shes good at sitting and listening with Steve when he's breaking. Sometimes she'll get Steve if she needs reassurance, someone who'll know what to say to bring her out of it.

and sometimes multiple people break at once. Steve and Robin's trauma have similar triggers so often times its the two of them breaking and clinging to each other like the earth beneath them will crumble if they let go. Robin usually holds onto Steve like a little teddy bear, keeping him close so she can protect him, and Steve loves how she'll hold him and makes him feel safe. Dustin and Erica help talk Robin through her breakdown while she's holding onto Steve.

Dustin and Erica will sometimes break if they loose sight of Steve and Robin for a moment, prompting a more-talk-less-cling-and-sob pile with Robin and Steve going back and forth helping talk them through it and letting them cry it out

And if everyone breaks? chaos, at least from an outside perspective. lots of hugging and crying with the talkers working through their shit together and reassuring the others. from the outside it'd almost be comical if it weren't for the circumstances causing it

It all becomes an unspoken agreement, taking less than a day for Scoops Troop to get on the same page (after all, they're treating it basically like post-Starcourt part 2) and about a day and a half for Max to join them. Even as the emotions come back full swing, its a lot easier to deal with because of the general understanding from everyone. Their parents realize its the anniversary of The Fire and are better equipped to support their kids however they need (even if it means letting them have sleepovers all week, they learned the first time that it helps a lot and the intensity of it will pass). The Party also understands whats going on (they all have their own trauma anniversaries that hit harder like the end of November for Mike and the Byers) and being supportive too, like inviting Scoops Troop and Max to any get-togethers instead of just Dustin (so he doesn't have to awkwardly ask if they can come too) and in general inviting Max a lot so she always has the option to not be alone.

Hellfire though? and the newest party members (Eddie, Vickie, Argyle, maybe Chrissy too because i love her)? they're Lost™ at first.

Vickie is the first to kinda grasp whats going on, being closest to Robin (and Steve by extension dtjsjysj) she was hanging out with her when Robin realized she needed to be around all of Scoops Troop again to be able to calm the panic and she joined their first sleepover

Eddie and Chrissy next (assuming she joined Hellfire, which she so would) who noticed the Upside Down Trauma a mile away and just had to piece together the reason this time ("no its not back, its just the third and fourth marks a year since the Starcourt 'mall fire'- yeah no not really a fire. a lot worse actually')

Hellfire never really gets the full explanation of why Steve, Robin and Erica all also need to attend this weeks session specifically or why Gareth still isn't allowed to do a Russian accent for his Chaotic Neutral Halfling rouge Geörgov the Gruesome. Eddie gives him the most intense stink eye if he so much as attempts an accent close to it and when asked he just insists and throws in a new excuse every time thats so wild its comical and almost distracts from the fact that he's refusing to tell them

and once they actually witness Scoops Troop together (especially Steve and Robin 'what do you mean they're not dating? not even like crushes? nothing?) they just kinda have to accept that they're Just Like That Sometimes with the Party awkwardly deflecting and Eddie being amusingly cryptic

and Argyle is the last one to know, entirely because he just assumed they were close like that entirely unrelated to trauma. And everyone assumed he knew based on how chill he was. Until he asked what a Starcourt was, wondering if it was a new Star Wars thing he missed

Just Scoops Troop bonding like stray cats that should not be seperated. They've seen so many horrors at this point they definitely give No Fucks about how weird they look as long as the rest of their group doesn't have a problem

#stranger things #scoops troop #stobin #dustin henderson #max mayfield #erica sinclair #steve harrington #robin buckley #platonic stobin #platonic with a capital p #platonic soulmates stobin #stobin friendship #qpr stobin #queer platonic stobin #codependent stobin #stobin headcanons #scoops ahoy #the battle of starcourt #steve and dustin #dustin and steve #steve and robin #background lumax #canon typical billy hargrove #background robin x vickie #god that's a lot of tags #not tagging characters that appear just the ones focused on #also implied ships but also not ship-centric feel free to apply your own ships to this #mostly just implied canon ships tbh the rest is fair game (except billy cause he dead)#also i didn't go into the rest of the party because im a scientist that specializes in one field of study sorry slays :(#feel free to write your own for the other tho and maybe tag me in it cause thatd be cool as fuck 💞

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bookshelf-dust · 1 year

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don’t leave me.

billy hargrove x gn!reader

word count: 1,239

warnings: death/process of dying, post-death, mentions of post-death processes, grief, mentions of blood/blood loss/wounds, ambulances/fire trucks, anxious habits

a/n: i’m sorry in advance.

————

It all happened so fast.

You'd pulled yourself up off of the tile, everything a blur as Max yelled for you, yelled something about looking for El. Something about her being taken.

Then Max had disappeared. You ran down the hall, through the back door to Scoops. And that's when you heard it.

A scream. And ear piercing cry. And it wasn't hard to decipher that it was Eleven. You knew it was.

You made it out, stumbling to a stop as you watched the Mind Flayer's many arms latch on to Billy, start to tear him apart.

But Max was dragging El away, her back turned to the scene. You were glad she couldn't see it. She was focused on getting El somewhere safe, towards Mike, towards anything.

But something in you allowed you to move, and before you knew it, your arms were around his hips, pulling Billy back, as far away as you could get him.

He was crying, begging you to stop, telling you it hurt too much.

And then he was on the floor, collapsing in your hold. He was losing too much blood, too fast.

You remembered that day after he got the lifeguard job where he told you all about the training he had to go through, learning about what to do if someone got hurt.

Your eyes scanned over Billy's torso, looking for the worst of the wounds. There was a deep one, right over his ribcage on his side, and it was gushing.

You pressed both of your hands over it, wincing as he cried out and curled in on himself. You didn't know when you'd started to cry, but it didn't matter. Because he was crying too.

You kept the pressure firm, trying to staunch the wound, but he'd already lost too much blood. You'd never seen Billy this pale, not even when his tan had started to fade in the spring, when his sun-induced freckles had gone and all that was left were his true ones. The ones under his eyes. On the tops of his cheeks.

"Stop, please baby, please. It hurts."

Billy was bringing a hand to your face, wiping desperately at your tears, trying to pretend they weren't for him.

"No. I-I can't. You c-can't. N—"

Billy was smiling at you. "It's too late. I already am. I can feel it."

His voice was hoarse, like it was a struggle to get the words out, to try and talk to you.

He started to cough, and you let up, hands flying to his face. Fat tears were falling from his eyes, clumping his much too long lashes together, trickling down the sides of his face and into his hair. His blue eyes were shining in the multitude of lights in the mall around you.

"Don't leave me. Please. Don't w—" He stopped, coughing harshly, chest heaving with the sheer force of it.

"Don't wanna be alone, w-when it happens," he finally finished.

You turned your head to look away from him, a sob tearing free from your throat.

"It's okay," Billy said.

You looked back at him, grabbed hold of his hand. "Where's my kiss, baby?" Billy was shaking.

Your breath hitched at his question. At what it meant.

Billy had been hooked on goodbye kisses from you since you'd gotten together. It didn't matter if you were just leaving the room to go to the bathroom, if you were only gonna be gone a few hours to the store. He wanted a kiss. And he wanted one now. You just didn't know if you had it in you. To say goodbye.

His eyes were glazed over, fresh tears falling. You tried to wipe them away, tried to ignore the pleading look in his eye, tried to pretend this wasn't it. But it was. You both knew it.

"Please."

You nodded, taking a deep breath.

"Anything for you, pretty boy."

The cheesiest, most lovesick of grins graced Billy's face as you looked at him.

You leaned down, slotting your lips over his. You didn't care that they were salty and a little metallic. You did care about that fact that they were starting to go cold, that they weren't the warm lips you'd kissed a million times. The warm lips that had kissed up your shoulders, the top of your head, your stomach.

It was soft, the kiss. You didn't want to hurt him. You lead, not wanting him to have to worry about exerting himself too much.

You pulled away and his brow twitched, so you kissed him once more.

"I would never leave you."

Billy blinked. You noticed how slow his breathing was becoming, alarmingly so. It would happen soon. And it was going to hurt. But you weren't going to make him go through this part alone. You couldn't. He deserved better.

He moved, pulling the ring off his middle finger. He grabbed for your left hand, slipping it onto your ring finger. You knew what he meant, and the gesture almost made you fall. It was a little big, sure, but it didn't matter.

You kissed his forehead, pushed the curls out of his line of sight. He looked up at you, eyes never leaving your face.

He was smiling again.

"I'm sorry, Y/N. I don't want to go. Not yet."

Your cries were silent now, but the tears were still just as steady. Billy's palm was cold in your grasp.

"I know you don't. I'm sorry too. I-I love you, Billy."

"I love you too, Y/N. Don't let Max see, okay?"

You nodded your assurance at him. That was all he needed.

"Take c-care of yourself. P-please. I love you."

You nodded again. You couldn't speak, not when his eyes finally glazed over enough that he wasn't really look at you anymore. When his hand wasn't gripping yours.

You were holding Billy's hand, and he wasn't holding yours back.

And it was killing you.

You looked at him, eyes unblinking, chest gone still.

Hands shaking, you removed the pendant from his neck, tucking it into your pocket.

And then you just sat there. Still holding his hand, straightening what was left of his tank top on his abdomen, smoothing out his hair.

You barely heard the sounds of the ambulances, the fire trucks.

You couldn't stop thinking about how he wasn't your Billy anymore. About what was going to happen to his body. It made you nauseous. Not your baby.

But then there was a hand on your shoulder, and a voice. A voice you recognized.

Steve.

"Y/N. Sweetheart, we gotta get you out of here, okay? There's nothing we can do for him now."

You shook your head, bringing up a hand to bite at your nails.

You looked up at Steve, and he thought he might never recover from the look on your face.

"M-Max didn't see, did she?"

He squatted, trying not to look at Billy. "No. Already got her and the rest of the kids out of here. Can you come with me?"

You stared at him.

"No. I can't leave him here. He doesn't deserve that. I won't leave him alone."

Steve really didn't want to fight you on this. He also didn't want to leave you in the mall. So he decided to sit with you instead.

He wasn't going to leave you either.

And that made it a little easier.

————

please let me know if you liked this! feedback is always appreciated!! comments and reblogs mean more than you know. <33

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1-8oo-wtfbro · 5 months

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the entire scoops troop is Team rocket coded with Steve & Robin as Jessie and James and Erica and Dustin as Meowth

#steve harrington #robin buckley #erica sinclair #dustin henderson #scoops troop #scoops ahoy #the russians #the battle of starcourt #starcourt mall #stranger things #team rocket

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wintersxani · 11 months

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

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

Word Count: 1050

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

➺ Masterlist | 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭

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blackswanyuzu · 2 years

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we as a society don’t talk enough about how satisfying this part of the battle of starcourt must’ve felt for will as a former victim of the mindflayer

[not my gifs]

#stranger things 3 #stranger things #will byers #mind flayer #stranger things 2 #lucas sinclair #byclair #the battle of starcourt

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heizenka · 2 years

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⚘ Brother!Mike Wheeler x f!sister reader

𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭

— content warnings: Season 3 spoilers, mentions of blood, semi-gore, fluff

— word count: 1.0k

Ever since the battle at Starcourt, sleep has seemed like a distant memory.

I turned to my other side on the bed, an uncomfortable groan left my body. I closed my eyes once more to try and at least get a peaceful hour of sleep, but whenever I tried all I could see were the events that happened at the mall.

I threw the blankets off of my body and laid on my back. A heavy sigh left my mouth, as I closed my eyes once more.

Sleep finally started to take over my mind and body, but before I fell fully unconscious my left hand moved to hold my right arm, the scar from the night at the mall still remained.

The next thing I knew, I was asleep.

JULY 4TH 1985 ─ STARCOURT MALL

My chest heaved up and down from all of the running I've been doing, fear and adrenaline rushed through my body as I finally found a spot to hide in. I shut my eyes tightly, hoping that this was all a dream, that I was going to take up any minute now safe in my bed.

But it was real, it was so real.

A loud crash sounded right next to me, I quickly placed my hand over my mouth, making sure no sound would escape and alert the mind flayer of my whereabouts.

Tears escaped my eyes as a thousand thoughts flooded my head. Is Mike okay? where are the others? when is this going to be over? will we all make it out of this?

I kept my eyes shut until the desk I had been hiding behind had suddenly been flipped on top of me. A scream ripped through my throat as I felt the bone in my arm snap. The pain burned in my arm as I realized that not only had the bone been broken, but had also pierced through my skin.

Hot tears fell from my eyes, much like the blood that now seeped from my my arm. My breath was sporadic, is this how I die?

A loud thud sounded to my left, my eyes shot open and I looked to my side to see who or what it was.

The fear in my body doubled as I saw that it was Billy, he was moving the desk off of my body, he was trying to get to me.

I panicked, I tried as hard as I could to get away from him, the pain in my arm doubled with every movement. But I couldn't stop, if I did I wouldn't only have to worry about my arm, but also what Billy would do to me if he got the chance.

I used my left arm to shove my body out from under the ruble, but it was no luck I was stuck with no way out.

The weight on my body suddenly lifted as Billy shoved the largest piece of the desk off my body, I got up as quickly as I could to get away, but a hand grabbed my injured arm, and pain shot through it.

"SHIT." I screamed as I leaned my body into Billy hoping to release the pain he was causing to my arm. But it only made matters worse.

Now he had my entire body in his grasp, I once again tried to maneuver my way of out, but he had a tight grip on me, and he wasn't going to let go.

"Y/N!" I heard someone shout my name, I quickly looked to where the voice came from, Mike.

A loud screech sounded before I was able to respond. The mind flayer.

I had completely forgotten about it, too busy dealing with Billy. It had looked in my direction then Mike's, and it ran towards him.

No, no, no, no, no. "MIKE! RUN!" I shouted as loud as I could, but before I could say anything else Billy covered my mouth with his hand.

I kicked my legs In fear, and now anger. I watched as Mike ran to a new hiding spot.

Before I could make another move, I felt something hot run down my chest, looking down my heart stopped.

The mind flayer had pierced my chest with one of its tentacles, everything started to go dark. Billy finally released my body, I slowly slid down against his body.

Then it all went dark.

NOVEMBER 5TH 1985 ─ WHEELER RESIDENCE

"Shit!" My eyes shot open, and I quickly sat up. Tears started to form in the corners of my eyes.

I looked at my arm, the scar seemed to burn like it did that night. I covered it with my other hand as I brought my legs up to my chest as cried.

I looked up when I heard the gentle creak of my door, My heart sped up as I saw the shadow of someone.

It walked towards me, and as it did I saw that it was someone familiar, Mike.

I closed my eyes and tried to calm my breathing, I didn't want him to see me like this, I didn't want him to see me falling apart.

I was so busy trying to calm myself down that I didn't notice he had sat next to me on my bed until I felt his arms wrap around me.

"It's okay, you're okay." His voice was soft as he held me in his arms, calming me down.

"They won't go away." I cried into his shoulder, he seemed to know what I was talking about because he held me tighter

"I know, I get them too." I continued to cry in to his shoulder as he spoke once more.

"They're never going to go away, but we can work through them." He rested his head atop mine, "We can together, I promise."

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wakeupthemembersofbylernation · 6 months

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Based upon the winners of the season specific polls (The Case of the ML and The BOSC were basically tied, so I included them both)

#stranger things #stranger things 2 #stranger things 3 #stranger things 4 #trick or treat freak #the case of the missing lifeguard #the battle of starcourt #dear billy #holly jolly #byler #< target audience #my polls

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italiansteebie · 1 year

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"Steve Harrington Local Hero"

Eddie snorts as he reads the headline, what kind of hero is harrington? the hero of caring too much about your looks?

he scoffs as he reads further, "local teen rescues middle school students from mall fire." he squints at the fuzzy picture pasted onto the newspaper. wait-

this look like those twerps that have the middle school DnD party. he's seen them occasionally, nodded at the little byers kid and his DM folder.

man, how does steve harrington of all people know these kids?

he rolls his eyes as he skims the paper, landed on the subtitle "local teen" that's got steve's face plastered under it. damn, he looks fucked up, a fire did that?

no way.

and look! apparently robin buckley from band was tangled up in the mess too! and what's even more surprising is the pictures of her and steve squished side by side in an ambulance, wearing matching sailor uniforms.

what the hell is going on?

#steve harrington #robin buckley #eddie munson #stranger things #pre steddie #post starcourt #post star court #king steve #best friends robin and steve #the battle of starcourt #starcourt mall #outsiders POV #stranger things fic #ficlet

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bunnabeb · 2 years

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stranger things art dump 😛

#stranger things #elmax #elmax fanart #fanart #stranger things fanart #max mayfield #eleven hopper #jane hopper #will byers #the party #the battle of starcourt #my art #art dump

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crayonboxcolors607 · 1 year

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Steve didn't mean for anyone to find out.

Looking back, the ringing had started before Starcourt, before Billy even. He'd attributed the fuzziness to the recently acquired concussion he'd received from Jonathon, holy shit that guy could punch. Except it didn't go away. It stayed with him like a fucked up reminder of the asshole persona he'd worked so hard to shed.

And even after he came to terms with it, after he realized there was nothing to do about it, nobody seemed to notice. His constant asking of "Huh? and "What?" and when he was in school, "Could you repeat that please?" was chalked up to his airheaded jockiness.

He learned how to focus on people's lips when they spoke, how to not let it get under his skin when Nancy teased him about it, called him stupid, and then later, bullshit.

Billy's gruesome attack had admittedly made it much worse, had transferred the ringing from just the left side of his head to both, but still, nobody noticed. He struggled through the remainder of his senior year and failed to get accepted to any college he applied to. He let his father force him into a job, tell him that he wasn't worth a place in the family company, that he deserved to work minimum wage like the degreeless scum he was sure to be for the rest of his life.

He'd rolled his eyes and pretended to be snarky when Robin insulted him, her tongue moving so fast that he knew there was no chance he would've been able to understand even if he could hear perfectly. When he tried and failed to flirt with the girls that came into the Scoops Ahoy, he let her keep track of his failures on the board instead of writing the daily specials like she was supposed to.

He hid behind laughter as the kids in The Party teased him, told him "This is why you didn't go to college!", called him stupid when he didn't hear the setup for a joke, when Dustin became frustrated because he'd focused on the background music in the Russian transmission; the only part he didn't have to struggle to detect the sounds of.

God, the Russians.

It was as if he was underwater after that. The words were bubbly and distant, but still, he could understand them, sort of. He made an effort to get face-to-face with Robin in the bathroom, did his best to not make his staring at her lips too obvious as she confessed, and threw out a joke when he realized she was genuinely afraid that he would hate her.

He'd watched the other Party members so he could figure out what he was supposed to be doing, having given up trying to understand whatever instructions Dustin and Nancy were prattling out. He tagged along with Robin as Dustin and Erica rushed up the hill to guide Hopper, Murray, and Joyce throughout the Russian base using Cerebro, replying to her concerned “Are you okay dingus?” with an “I’m fine,” that he couldn’t even really hear.

He did his best to help out, feeling a twinge of accomplishment when he insisted that he and Robin go check out what the fuck was going on with Starcourt’s lights, although it was quickly drowned out by the worry for the children he’d come to adopt as his own.

Even as he and Robin got in the car though, he couldn’t ignore the little voice in the back of his head that snarked “Is that really all you’re good for now that you can’t hear? Noticing the lights?”, responding to it with an inner denial he didn’t even remember having.

He thought hard as he and Robin drove as fast as they could back to Starcourt, his mind racing. “You could maybe even live like this,” he told himself as he gripped the steering wheel.

Then he saw Billy’s Camaro speeding towards Nancy, saw her failed attempts at derailing him with bullets.

And he didn’t even think before flooring the gas pedal, pressing his and Robin’s backs into their seats as he crashed, head on, full speed, into Billy’s car. His head ricocheted off the steering wheel, back into the headrest of his seat.

Then the fuzzy underwater noises in his ears gave way to metallic ringing, and everything went dark.

His memories are murky and vague after that, flashes of clarity amidst all the chaos. Throwing lit packages of fireworks; the panic that grew in his chest when Billy brought El towards the Mindflayer; not being able to hear Billy and Max's screams well enough; the bile that rose in his throat when he learned that Hopper had been lost to the Upside-Down.

He remembers Robin screaming when a paramedic tried to pry the two of them apart, shaking her head and repeating, "No, no, no. I need to stay with him," as she'd cried. How El crumpled to the ground when she realized that her father was gone.

He doesn't remember how he made it through the physical exam from the ambulance staff without someone picking up on it, doesn't remember what they'd told him about his injuries.

He remembers peeling off his grimy uniform with Robin, trying to take turns in the shower, and eventually resorting to washing the other's hair in the bathroom sink because they couldn't reach up high enough to do it themself. How Robin had tried for days afterward to scrub the blood and sweat and ash out of their uniforms, breaking down in tears when Steve grabbed her hands and held her when she beat his chest as she cried.

He doesn't remember how Robin first figured it out, just knows that one day they were sitting on the floor of his barren room sifting through tapes, and she'd maneuvered the record player off his desk. How she'd looked utterly affronted when he asked her what the fuck she was doing, responding with an incredulous, "Because it's on your left, and you can't hear out of that ear, dingus," as if it was obvious. How she later explained to him that her father was deaf, that she knew sign language alongside Spanish, French, and Italian.

He remembers how she'd searched through Hawkins Library, and eventually taken a day trip to Indianapolis with him so they could find books to teach him American Sign Language. How giddy she had been when he signed his first sentence to her, how she'd said it felt like the secret code but without the malintent.

He remembers how Robin had eventually dragged him out to an audiologist in Indy, rationalizing the cost with his parent's money, and how they learned that he was 100% deaf in his left ear and had 30% hearing loss in his right. How he'd been given a set of hearing aids that he'd promptly put in a drawer and purposely ignored.

And yeah, the world was weird, and Steve couldn't really hear it, and there was really only one person with which he could actually communicate and understand.

But he would survive because he always did. Because he had to. He was Steve Harrington, for fuck's sake. It was his job to take care of other people.

So yeah, nobody was supposed to find out.

But Steve is fucking grateful that Robin did.

did i write this at 11pm instead of doing work? perhaps. will i probably fail several classes because of this current hyperfixation? most likely. do i care? not really, no.

im probably gonna write another one of these if this lands well (and also if it doesnt cuz thats what the brain worms want) so lemme know what you think

next one will probably be about dustin and/or the older members of the party (nancy, jonathan, etc)

#steve harrington #robin buckley #stranger things 4 #stranger things 3 #post starcourt #the battle of starcourt #hard of hearing steve harrington #deaf steve harrington #robin buckley knows sign language #CODA robin buckley #american sign language #platonic stobin #robin buckley is amazing

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