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flowerhrt · 1 year

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the end of love | daisy jones.

pairing: daisy jones x fem!reader

summary: two weeks after your break up, daisy decides to confront you and ask what's wrong.

warnings: it's the 70s, internalized homophobia, eddie being a bit of a dick, daisy is clean and the band is still together, reader is a lesbian.

a/n: i interpret daisy as a lesbian who deals with compulsive heterosexuality.

word count: 2.4k

breathe in. breathe out. it's just one song. record it all in one go, ignore billy's stupid complaints, and then go home.

well, what used to be home.

“daisy, you ready to go?” she heard teddy ask from the other side of the recording booth. “yeah, i'm fine. let's get this over with.” the redhead said before taking a sip of the glass of cold water she had next to her. she closed her eyes as she felt the liquid make its way through her throat.

breathe in. breathe out. she opened her eyes to find the band and camila next to teddy, all smiling encouragingly at her. daisy was about to smile back when the door to the recording studio opened abruptly. “holy shit, tell me i'm not late.”

oh fuck.

daisy felt like her heart was about to beat out of her chest. why is she here? she was supposed to be in new york, not los angeles.

“y/n! you are kind of late.. hope it was for a good reason.” warren said with a wink “tell me the guy at least fucks good.” the drummer added while wiggling his eyebrows.

the blue-eyed singer wanted to disappear. she tried to distract herself by playing with the hems of her long-sleeved white shirt. huh, funny. daisy thought. she always loved it when i wore this one.

“yeah, warren. he fucked better than you ever will.” y/n answered, not before rolling her eyes at their friend.

they didn't know y/n didn't fuck any guy last night.

they didn't know y/n would never fuck a guy. ever. they didn't know y/n was late because she didn't know if she could face her ex girlfriend after she told her she was leaving for good. they hadn't seen each other for two weeks, and it was fucking torture for both of them. they had grown so used to always waking up next to each other, cooking together, and doing pretty much everything together, and god did it feel weird to not see each other for longer than a day.

daisy felt like she couldn't breathe when y/n left. she always had to remind herself to breathe in and breathe out. it was as if the girl before her took all the oxygen in the world when she walked out of daisy's front door. right. she remembered bitterly as she felt the fabric of the shirt in her hands.

daisy's front door. daisy's home.

because she refused to move in with her even after three years of secretly seeing each other. she refused to let anyone know about their relationship. not even simone, who is like… them. and daisy understood, she obviously did.

it was dangerous to be one of the world's most famous singers and openly date a woman. openly love a woman. openly say the word lesbian. people would crucify you in the street if they knew you were a homosexual. that was the main reason y/n was scared, she was just a tour photographer who happened to become close with the band and fall in love with daisy on the way. if the world knew she was into women, she would never get another job.

daisy tried to tell her they would be okay, to screw the rest of the world. they loved each other. how could that ever be bad? as far as she knew, love wasn't a bad thing. but maybe she only thought that because she didn't have much experience with it. her parents hated her. men used her. she only has the band, simone, and y/n. had y/n. not anymore.

“daisy!” her name being yelled at her got her out of the trance she was in. “are you going deaf or are you just high as shit?” eddie asked from the microphone.

“she's in recovery, eddie. stop joking about that.” she heard a soft voice she could recognize anywhere snap back at him. “right, sorry.” the bassist said with his hands held up high as a way of showing surrender.

y/n looked at her and they made eye contact for a solid second. daisy gave her a small smile and looked down. “alright, let's get this party started!” warren hollered as daisy put her headphones on to start recording. “okay, the end of love, take one.”

the redhead remembered to breathe as she heard the first notes of the song.

i feel nervous in a way that can't be named.

i dreamt last night of a sign that read, the end of love.

she looked up and saw y/n drumming her fingers against her waist. she obviously knew the song was about her. ever since daisy met the photographer, almost every song she has written has been about her. the singer wrote the end of love the day after y/n walked out of her new york apartment.

it's pitiful, she thinks. even when they're not romantically together anymore, she still writes about her.

and i remember thinking even in my dreaming.

it was a good line for a song.

daisy tried to steady her breathing but when she looked at y/n she felt like she was about to pass out.

breathe in. breathe out.

breathe in. i can't fucking do this.

the flower-named girl placed her headphones down and said a quick “i need some fresh air.” before storming out of the recording booth. daisy walked through god knows how many rooms, until she found an empty one in the back of the building, she sat on the floor and leaned against the door she had just walked through.

you dumb fucking idiot, she thought. now they're all going to think you´re singing about someone in the room, or even worse, that you've relapsed and can't record a damn song. she can't go through this again.

if the band thinking she was in love with billy dunne, when she's not even into men, was bad enough, them seeing her overreact this way is going to make them figure out she has been seeing someone.

there was a minute of silence while she tried to think of an excuse to say when she gets back into the studio, but it was all interrupted by a soft knock coming from the other side of the wooden door she has been leaning against.

“i'm fine, karen. just give me a second.” the blue-eyed girl said while running a hand through her long red hair.

“i'm not karen, but if you want me to go get her, i can do that.” her heart sank as she heard y/n's voice.

“no!” she heard her own voice answer in a quick desperate way. she grimaced at how pathetic she sounded.

“well, is it okay if i come in?”

one beat. two beats. daisy unlocked the door.

the photographer walked into the room and sat on the opposite side of the singer, facing her. “do you want to talk about it?”

“talk about what?”

the girl sighed and leaned her face against the palm of her right hand. “about what just happened. you don't normally walk out of a recording session, daisy. not ever. are you okay?” she asked as she looked straight into daisy's big blue eyes.

the singer stared back and bit her lip as she felt her eyes start to water. “i miss you.”

“daisy-”

“no.” she interrupted. “you say you love me but then decide to break up with me.” she says with a scoff. “without even letting me ask you what i did wrong. without even letting me try and fight for you. for us.” a tear streamed down her right cheek.

it took everything in the girl before her to not wipe it, the way she always did.

“listen, i understand being scared. do you think i'm not frightened of how the boys will react if they ever find out we are the way we are? but i didn't care as long as i had you. i know you have your doubts. but why did we have to hide from everyone? simone would never treat us differently. we both know she's a lesbian. just like you and i.” she pointed a finger at herself and the girl who now wouldn't dare to look her in the eye.

“karen wouldn't either, she's too busy minding her own fucking business to be disgusted by us. even camila wouldn't care, she'd be delighted to know i've never felt an ounce of love for her husband” daisy was fully crying now. god, she loved her girlfriend so much. why wasn't that enough for her?

“i left for that exact reason.”

“what?” she asked.

“you deserve someone who isn't afraid to love you. who isn't afraid of who she is.” y/n continued. “you know, billy and graham saw simone kiss her girlfriend at your birthday party” she said with a sarcastic laugh. “and they didn't give a single shit.” daisy was silent as she listened intently to her ex-girlfriend's voice.

“when simone realized they saw her, she told them they'd been together for over five years. and shit, they truly didn't care. even warren said it wasn't fair simone found a girlfriend way before he met lisa.” y/n played with the rings placed around her fingers to avoid eye contact. “the entire band knows about simone, and they think it's normal.”

daisy's heart was racing, she didn't know if it was excitement for simone, because her best friend was able to love her girlfriend without a care. or if it was happiness, because the rest accepting simone could only mean one thing. if the six don't care about simone and her girlfriend, then that means they won't care about her and y/n.

the photographer was silent for a while, so daisy decided to speak first. “i don't really understand. you left me because you're afraid of them knowing about us. but, you also know they wouldn't care if they find out?” the singer´s eyes scanned her ex girlfriend´s face, trying to find an answer.

“yeah… it's stupid.”

“damn right, it fucking is!” daisy sighed. “i love you. you love me. we can at least tell them and simone about our relationship.”

y/n was the one holding back tears now. “i want to. i truly do.”

“then what's stopping you?” her voice softened at the sight of the girl she loves the most crying in front of her.

“I can't openly love you, not when i can't even say… well, you know what.”

“god, y/n. you didn't tell me you were still struggling with that. i could've helped you.”

“i know you would've, but i didn't want to be a burden.” daisy slowly raised her arm and caressed y/n's cheek in the soft, loving way she always does. “you're not a burden. not ever. not to me.” the flower-named girl tucked the girl's hair behind her ear.

“i love you. i love you so fucking much, i can't breathe when i'm without you.” she continued. “you helped me when i was trying to recover from my addiction. you were there when i got out of rehab. you've helped me stay clean.”

“that was all you, daisy.”

“yeah, but you were next to me the entire time. the least i can do is be next to you, while you learn to accept yourself.” “it took me a while to come to terms with being a lesbian, too.” daisy said as she twirled a piece of y/n's hair around her finger.

“i used to think the only way i could make it into the industry was by not caring about men stealing my music because at least people would hear them. fuck, i forced myself to want them, the same way they wanted me. because that was the closest i thought i'd ever get to being loved.” “but that's not what love is. love is what you and i have.”

y/n placed her hand over daisy's. “i want to be brave, for you.”

“you already are. you just need to be brave for yourself. because you deserve it.”

“thank you, for everything.” y/n gave her a soft small smile. “you don't have to thank me for anything, seeing you smile is good enough for me.”

the two women locked eyes, and they just stared at each other for a small moment. y/n's hands began to shake with desperation, she craved the feeling of daisy against her. and suddenly, she felt a force pulling her towards the redhead girl, daisy placed her hands on both sides of y/n's waist, and instinctively, as if her body was made to be next to her's, y/n placed her hands behind daisy's neck, the same way she has done for the past few years, their bodies were pieces of a puzzle made to be together.

they both leaned into each other, they were so close, they could feel each other's noses rubbing together, daisy smiled at the sensation. “can i-” daisy started “you don't even have to ask.” the girl interrupted, before smashing her lips into the singer's.

their lips locked, the two women having been in the exact same position hundreds of times, but this was different. this kiss was about understanding, about forgiveness, about acceptance, about moving forward. it lasted a few more moments until they were out of breath and had to pull away.

“i love you, daisy jones.” the girl whispered against daisy's lips. “i love you, y/n l/n.” she answered with glossy, vibrant eyes. before getting back into her usual cocky self.

“well, not to spoil my amazing new song, which is going to be a hit, but there's a specific lyric i think you're going to like.” she said, trying to fight back a smile. y/n rolled her eyes at her girlfriend's antics.

“oh yeah? what is it?” daisy cupped y/n's cheeks and stared lovingly into her lover's eyes. “i've always been in love with you. could you tell it from the moment that i met you?” the redhead sang before kissing her beautiful girlfriend again, and again, and again.

daisy still had to finish recording her song, and they still had to explain what took the photographer so long to find her, but luckily, this time y/n wasn't afraid to tell them the truth.

we were reaching in the dark

that summer in new york

and it was so far to fall

but it didn't hurt at all.

#daisy jones imagine #daisy jones x reader #daisy jones and the six x reader #lesbian x reader #daisy jones angst #daisy jones fluff #x reader #fanfiction #daisy jones and the six imagine #daisy jones #daisy jones and the six

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supermarketbae · 10 months

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Heyyy, I just found you and followed❤️ could I request a billy Hargrove x reader where they argue one night and so she goes and stays the night with Eddie and somehow billy finds out where she’s at and shows up in the middle of the night and is like fuck no she’s mine and then him and Eddie argue over her and whatever else you wanna add and end how you want ofc I’m just a sucker for jealous/ angry billy

Omgg!! Hello lovelyyyy! I appreciate the follow!! thanks so much for requesting!

anddddd i made a tiny ittyyy bitty tweak to this because I felt like a little bit of angst today (sorry in advance)

warnings: Jealous!Billy, billy thinks reader is cheating, yelling, slight* panic attack for Billy (idk not really but), fluff, angst, hurt comfort :)

Some Things, Will Never Change.

You were dreaming. You just had to be. In no universe would Billy just accuse you of cheating so blatantly. You thought you had gained his trust, but apparently, old habits die hard. "I can't believe you." Billy seethes pacing in the kitchen slamming the refrigerator door open. You winced, annoyed at the noise that echoed through the dim house, When you had got home from your summer job at the arcade, You decided to pay Billy a visit. You were starting to regret that decision. "Believe what." You spit out starting to get angry at the haughty tone he was using towards you. "You playing around." Billy says eyes narrowed. "Don't think I haven't seen you flirting with that FREAK Munson." Billy growls, throwing his soda can on the table. You sigh as it bursts, eyes following the trail of carmel liquid to the floor. "I wasn't flirting Billy, He came in searching for Max and her friends, he couldn't find them so he asked me." You grit.

"You know, asking like a sensible adult. Like you should be about this situation." You say eerily calm. Billy's anger lights up like a firework at the insult. "fuck off," he growls again. "Maybe if ya didn't parade yourself around I wouldn't have to worry." Your eyes widen at his vulgar sentence. "Shut up." Your mouth hangs open "William Hargrove, don't you dare act like you don't flirt with every single fucking girl in our fucking school. AND don't you fucking dare act like I don't fucking tolerate your dumbass shit." Your screaming now. Not one to back down from mistreatment from anyone, even your boyfriend. "Then for shit's sake leave if you don't like it!" Billy shouts at you seeing nothing but red. "Don't let the door hit you in your fucking ass on the way out either!" He roars as you grab your purse and slam the door hard on the way out.

Your tearing up slightly as you get in your car. Who knows how many miles above the speed limit your driving, but your route takes you to one of your closest friend's home, who also happens to be the cause of the argument... Eddie. Knocking on his trailer door you hear a drowsy "It's open" rouse from beyond the door. Eddie's honeyed eyes light up as you drag yourself in, but quickly dim noticing you're crying. "oh my god, sweetheart what's wrong?" you sniffle louder as he calls you the pet name Billy usually does. As he pulls you into his arms, you are reminded of how Billy's frame feels wrapped around yours, and you start bawling. The whole shebang. Complete waterworks in Eddie's arms while he tries to comfort you. "Billy-mfg-Billy hates m-me" You hiccup out.

Eddie smiles bitterly. "oh honey..." Eddie trails off not knowing what to say. "Can I just... stay here." You cut off his pitiful comfort attempt quickly, feeling like a burden already. Eddie fumbles on his words, scratching his head awkwardly as he nods "Shit-of course-uh-hell-I don't really have an extra bed or anything but I can uhm- sleep on the couch... yeah." You laugh softly at his ramble. "I'm not a princess Eddie," you sigh, "I can sleep on the couch it's fine, truly." you continue as you see a look of protest on his face. He shakes his head "I'm trying to be a gentleman here excuse you." Eddie grins boyishly, and you don't know why. It could be nerves. It could be the emotional buildup from tonight. But your heart leaps. swoons even. And with a sickening resolve, you realize Billy's argument had, unfortunately, made valid sense. However, shaking your head at the thought, you let Eddie drag you towards his room to pick out a movie to watch.

Eddie's company had proven beneficial to your mood. A mere hour into the movie and your mind was elsewhere, far away from the argument you had with Billy as you two joked about last school year, munching on various health deleterious snacks that were found in Eddie's fridge. "And then she had the AUDACITY to call me 'late for class' and told me that I had to retake the whole course!" Eddie yells in indignation as you clutch your sides from laughter. "You chose to come in through the window Eddie, what was she gonna do? tip her hat and say 'pip pip cheerio' while she was teaching about the American revolution?" You cackle as Eddie slumps back on the couch snickering. Your laughter cuts short as you hear the roar of an engine.

Billy's camaro.

You panic. How could you not. Here you were with the exact boy who had caused the argument. And you knew how Billy would react to such a turn of events. To put it lightly, violence would be involved. Before you can voice your fears however, Eddie's front door slams open. You try to scream as Billy in an angered blur hurls past you and starts throwing punches, tackling Eddie, who is cussing, to the floor. "STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM HER YOU SON OF A BIT-" Billy is cut of when Eddie lands a hard punch to his gut, grimacing as he wipes his bloodied nose. "Dude!" Eddie barks "You're so full of it you don't even know what SHE'S FEELING!" Eddie spins on you pointing trying to reason with him. "I don't even want her like that man. She's your girlfriend dude so how 'bout you BLOODY listen to her feelings maybe then she wouldn't come to me dipshit!" Eddie swears once more as Billy charges at him "SHUT THE FUCK UP!" he roars as he takes a winding swing. A sickening crack issues and Eddie falls to the floor holding his nose "Fucking shit Hargrove," Eddie pants from the ground.

You realize your crying when a sob lurches out of you. Hot, thick tears streaming down your face. God how you wished to be anywhere else in the world. far far far away. It's enough to take Billy out of his angered trance, as your breathing comes out in short pants. "leave him alone Billy. I'll come back with you. Hell I don't care, just stop hurting him." you say quietly turning to the door sighing. It hurt really. So much that you couldn't feel as you lurched your way to the car. As you opened the door to leave, you glance back at Billy who's staring wide eyed, almost a look of sickened fear on his face. His usual sun kissed complexion looked paled, and gaunt. "You don't deserve her Hargrove." Eddie's gravelly voice is the last thing you hear before you shut the door behind you and drive back to Billy's house.

You don't look to see If he follows you.

It's late. You knew that for sure. The sun didn't even seem to have set before you were engulfed in a night that matched your feelings. The rain was howling outside as you sat at the lamp lit table in a witchy town you wanted desperately to forget about. The only thing that was making noise in the house was the clock. The dull ticking was a comfort. A reminder to you that some things will never change.

A comfort. you remind yourself closing your eyes. Heaving in a breath you didn't know you were holding.

tick. tick. tick. tick.

It was those four seconds you would remember till the end times.

Those four seconds in which Billy came into the room, looked you in the eyes and then crumbled. Simply melted to the ground, back against the fridge. "I'm so sorry." he said simply. You show no sign of emotion as you are unchanging, and to be frank, unflattered.

As you stiffen.

he notices.

He takes into account that your usual happy, touchy, aura is gone. He realizes he's the one that caused this. He realizes that he could lose one of the only things he's loved. He realizes you could hate him. He realizes you probably do hate him. He realizes he might never feel truly loved again. He realizes that he will never love like this again. He realizes you have been one of the only people to truly care about him. He realizes he has told you his deepest secrets. He realizes how blank your usually love filled stare is. He realizes he hates himself for this. He realizes that it feels like his heart is being ripped out.

The last thing Billy realizes is that he's sobbing.

Crying harder than he's ever cried before. Crying so hard he's shaking. He can't breathe. Why would he want to anyway. Everything hurts. It hurts so so so so bad. He would rather suffocate than lose you. He's hiccuping and thinking of every single time he's done something wrong. It only worsens as he feels your hand rub on his back as you kiss his hair "Your okay my love, it's okay... you need to breathe for me darling... deep breaths." a hard shiver racks his body at your words.

"my love" you had said.

Billy doesn't believe you still love him.

"Please-I" Billy can't get the words out as his throat closes up, hoarse with pain and emotion. The pain increases as you pull him into your chest and he inhales your scent. It feels foreign and familiar all at once.

It feels foreign because he knows he might have to let you go.

"I-I- Don't deserve you- just- I'msorryI'msorry- I hate me so MUCH." Billy sobs into your chest. He flinches as he feels a tear run down his cheek. He's oh so vulnerable. Billy whimpers pathetically into your chest. He doesn't hear the sweet nothings you coo to him as you yourself let tears flow. He's broken. you both know it. There's nothing you can do about it except try to fix the boy in front of you.

And you are.

You're trying so hard to fit the puzzle pieces back together. Billy's breathing evens out as he notices he's not the one shaking anymore. It's you who is rocking him gently in your arms. His eyes flutter as your nails scratch gently at his scalp. "You deserve love Billy." his eyes roll slightly as he hears your honeyed voice. Your voice was addictive, he thought as the thoughts whirring in his brain start to slow. Billy is focusing on the steady beat of your heart. "Let me love you." Your sweet sensual drawl is back. Billy grimaces. Cringing at how much he feels for you right now. "You still love me?" His gravelly even voice startles you. It's deep, milky, and stoic. You would've never guessed he had even cried. "Always." You say pulling him closer to you.

"Forever." You ghost into the quiet room. A small whine graces Billy's parted lips at your words. You made him feel so good. "I love you." comes the deep reply. Billy is looking up at you. Icy darkened eyes concealed by his hooded eyelids. Your mind reels, you think you've forgotten how to breathe. You'd never get used to hearing that from him. It made your heart swell every time he would say it. every. single. time.

"I love you too." you say it full of meaning. It's like a promise. A promise to hold him for as long as he needs. A promise to be there when no one else is. A promise to simply love him. You don't think you could want to promise something more than this.

A calm, needed silence enters the room, as Billy tilts up his head to kiss you. You sigh into the kiss, wanting to get drunk on the feeling of his body against yours. The last thing you allow yourself to think about before you give in to the godly pleasure of Billy, Is the clock.

tick.tick.tick.tick.

Some things, will never change.

And you hoped to God, your love was one of them.

-----

a/n: IM SOSOSOOSOOSOSO sorry it took this long. first i had a performance to end my acting classes out and after that i had to take a mental health break. I really hope you enjoy!! thank you so much for requesting and reading my love <3

#billy hargrove x reader #billy hargrove smut #billy hargrove #billy hargove x reader #billy hargove imagine #billy hargrove x female!reader #stranger things billy hargrove #billy hargrove fluff #billy hargrove x you #billy hargrove angst #billy hargove smut #billy my beloved #billy stranger things #billy hargrove x y/n #billy hargrove x female reader #billy hargrove fandom

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ssweeterthanfiction · 2 months

Text

Wait for your love.

Content Warnings: use of drugs and alcohol, billy being toxic (pressuring if you squint), parental issues (abusive father/recovering alcoholic mother).

↳ currently playing ;

America’s Sweetest Girl - 1976

0:56 ——•———————— 3:24

↺ << ll >> ⋮≡

In the early summer of ‘76, Y/N rose to the top. With ‘Groupie Love’ rising in the charts and hitting number one just a few weeks after releasing, anyone and everyone knew who Y/N was.

Eddie: “She was everywhere in the late 70s. Magazines, runways, radio shows, late night talk shows, you name it. People even had a nickname for her…it was America’s something.”

Warren: “Oh that nickname? Yea of course I remember it. It was America’s…america’s….”

Y/N: “America’s Sweetest Girl.”

“I was America’s Sweetest Girl.”

Billy: “Oh god. America’s Sweetest Girl.” he laughs “She hated that nickname”

Y/N: “Don’t get me wrong, I was grateful for everything that Groupie Love brought me. But America’s Sweetest Girl?”

“And it’s not like absolutely despised being America’s Sweetest Girl, sure I didn’t love it, but I wanted fame. So I did what I needed to do. What the people want, the people get.”

“My 1st album was full of songs that were soft sounding. Teddy said that I shouldn’t try to strain my voice since its natural register was so soft. He was definitely trying to take me down a different road than the band. I didn’t know why at the time, maybe to protect me. I mean I was 19 and hanging out with some of the world’s biggest rockstars.”

Warren: “Everyone knew she was 19 at the time. No one had a problem with it. It wasn’t rare to find a young girl in the kind of scene we were in.”

“Besides, I think I speak for everyone when I say that they all treated her like she was their little sister. Except Billy. And she was starting to spend a lot of time with Billy.”

Karen: “After Groupie Love, Billy and y/n definitely got closer… Now I never like to interfere with people’s lives and decisions, but I did speak with y/n about Billy.”

“I didn’t want her to go down the same path that Billy was going down. But you try telling a 19 year old that the guy she’s starting to develop feelings for is an asshole who’s an addict.”

“But if you ask me, she was denying the feelings she was gaining for Billy.”

‿︵‿︵୨˚̣̣̣͙୧ - - ୨˚̣̣̣͙୧‿︵‿︵

You were in Billy’s room, just laying on his bed while he fiddled with his guitar. You’d been spending a lot of time there. Not just in Billy’s room, but throughout the entire house the band lived in. You had been having breakfast with them, having dinner with them, going to parties with them and coming back to the house with them. Your stuff was lying around the house.

You had been sleeping in Billy’s bed at night. After parties you’d stumble to his room and crash on his bed. A few minutes would pass and he would do the same. Some nights he would even cuddle with you. You never thought of it as anything more than two friends cuddling. It didn’t feel different from when you would lay on Warren’s chest while you guys would lay on the couch. It was innocent.

At least you thought it was innocent.

Clearly some people didn’t think the same. You found that out a few nights ago when Karen came and spoke to you.

“y/n, can I talk to you?” you hear Karen say from behind the door. “Yeah sure, come in” you say, putting your guitar down.

Karen sits on the edge of the bed, she stares into your eyes for a moment before speaking. “So…what’s going on with you and Billy?”

“What do you mean? There isn’t anything going on between me and Billy”

“y/n…don’t lie to me. You’ve been spending a lot of time with him.” she laughs “I mean, you’re sleeping in his bed at night with him!”

“It’s nothing like that Karen, we’re just friends” you say, your tone coming off more defensive than intended.

Karen sighs, “Just…listen to me y/n.” she says in a soft tone as she takes your hands into hers. “Be careful around Billy, he’s…he’s not someone you want to start being with. I don’t want to see you get hurt because of something he does.”

You avoid her gaze, how could she think you would have feelings for Billy?

“Yea. Yea okay thanks, I’ll be careful.”

You’d think about that conversation whenever you were with Billy. You were thinking about it now.

Staring at the wall, you thought carefully about what Karen said. To be careful around Billy. To not start anything with Billy. You couldn’t even imagine starting anything with Billy. This was someone that would be with a different girl every night. Someone that did lines off groupie’s bodies. You couldn’t start anything with him, even if you wanted to.

“Something on your mind?” you hear Billy say.

You quickly snap out of your daze and look at him. “Nothing, just…thinking”

“Thinking of what?”

‘You.’ “Nothing much…just about my parents”

Lie. Well, not a full lie. You had been thinking of your parents lately. You wondered if they had heard your song, if maybe they were finally proud of something you’d done. At least, you hoped your dad was finally proud of you.

“Your parents huh?” Billy says as he puts his guitar down. “Warren told us a bit about your parents. Your mom sounds nice…but your dad…”

Billy gets up and walks towards you, he settles down next to you on the bed. “Your dad…isn’t the best is he?”

You shake your head. “Nope…not really, but from what Warren and Graham told me…your dad wasn’t the best either.”

Billy laughs. “Yea you could say that…but I think having a dad that hits is much worser than having a dad that just up and leaves.”

You roll your eyes playfully. “It’s not a contest Billy”

You hear Billy chuckle, but then hear him go quiet. Looking up at him you see that he has a somewhat serious look on his face.

“Really though, why are you thinking about your parents?”

He scoots closer to you and puts a hand on your knee. “You know you can tell me…anything right?”

You gaze into his eyes for a moment. He was so close to you. Closing your eyes and taking a deep breath in. “I was just- just thinking if they had heard the song yet. And I haven’t heard from them in a while…so yea”

Billy looks at you with a sad, sympathetic look on his face.

“Y’know…I know it doesn’t mean much coming from me, but I’m sure that your mom is proud of you.” he says, softly rubbing your knee in a comforting way. “And I bet your dad is regretting everything he’s done to you.”

‿︵‿︵୨˚̣̣̣͙୧ - - ୨˚̣̣̣͙୧‿︵‿︵

Y/N: “…My relationship with my parents…has never been the best.”

“I grew up with an abusive father, and a mother who was a recovering alcoholic.”

“My mom was never as bad as my dad. Sure she had her moments. We fought, but it never went as far as yelling at each other for something stupid.”

“But my dad…my dad was bad.”

“I went to bed almost every night crying, bruises on my arms and legs. I hated my life. I always dreamt of making it big. Of running away from my life and becoming this…superstar. When I got the opportunity to become one, I took it.”

“If anyone was in the position I was in, they would also do anything to get out of it. Just like me.”

“Billy was like me. He dreamed of making it big. He dreamed of selling out stadiums. He dreamed of a better life. He did what he needed to do. What needed to be done. I felt a connection to him. And I guess that’s what got me so attached to him.”

Billy: “I wrote ‘Daddy Issues’ for y/n. At the time, I wanted to be the person that took away all the pain she had.”

“But I didn’t know how.”

‿︵‿︵୨˚̣̣̣͙୧ - - ୨˚̣̣̣͙୧‿︵‿︵

“Hey y/n, I got something I wanna show you.”

You were in Billy’s room again, lying in the floor you were trying to figure out the details for your album.

“Hm? Oh alright” you say as you put away your notebook.

Billy sat down next to you, he took out a tape recorder and then he looked at you.

“Go ahead, press play.”

He takes your hand and guides it to the recorder. Feeling his calloused hands on yours felt electric. Sparks flew between the two of you from this simple touch. He then made your finger press play so the song could start.

You closed your eyes and slowly bopped your head to the beat.

It wasn’t like any song he’d written before. It was full of emotions that he had never shown in any of the songs he had written.

It was beautiful.

Opening your eyes you looked at him. You didn’t say anything. You didn’t need to say anything. The expression on your face was enough.

You stared at him for what seemed like hours. He was now dangerously close to your face. This was it. You two were about to kiss. But right as you were close enough, you heard someone call your name.

“Y/N! Teddy’s on the phone! He says it’s important!” you hear Eddie call from downstairs.

You sigh. Slowly you move away from Billy. You get up and head for the door. Looking back once, you give Billy a small smile as you walk out the door.

‿︵‿︵୨˚̣̣̣͙୧ - - ୨˚̣̣̣͙୧‿︵‿︵

July 4th, 1976. The official release date of Y/N’s first studio album.

Y/N: “My first album was called Paradise. It had 10 tracks. National Anthem, Million Dollar Man, Radio, Cola, Lolita, Brooklyn Baby, West Coast, Off To The Races, Summertime Sadness and Video Games”

Billy: “My personal favorite was National Anthem”

Eddie: “I hated National Anthem.”

Warren: “Cola was definitely my favorite”

Daisy: “Lolita. Easy winner”

Karen: “My favorite track? Probably West Coast”

Graham: “Um…I would say my favorite track was Radio. Actually, all of them were. It was a good first album.”

Y/N: “Since it came out on the 4th of July, the aesthetic of the album revolved around…what’s it called again?”

“Oh right, vintage americana.” she laughs. “Oh god…Teddy really had me playing into the America’s Sweetest Girl role.”

“Well…everyone did really. The band even threw a release/4th of July party at the same time.”

“I think it was at that party that I tried drugs for the first time.”

“Let me be more specific, I tried two drugs. Coke and Billy Dunne.”

‿︵‿︵୨˚̣̣̣͙୧ - - ୨˚̣̣̣͙୧‿︵‿︵

There wasn’t a cloud in the sky. It was a perfect summer day.

You were helping out with the set up for tonight’s party. It wasn’t gonna be anything too big. At least that’s what you were told.

While you were helping Karen put up streamers you didn’t even notice Warren and Graham rolling in four huge kegs.

“You guys didn’t have to do all of this for my album’s release…you know I would’ve been fine with something small” you say to Karen as she places a small basket of flowers on the table.

“Oh I know that, and that’s what I tried telling the boys, but you know how they are”

“After all, they would do anything for America’s Sweetest Girl” she snickers, nudging your arm playfully.

You scrunch your nose and laugh. “Oh god…don’t even with that name”

Karen laughs, “Oh come on! It’s a cute nickname, very fitting for you”

“Shut up” you say as you roll your eyes.

‿︵‿︵୨˚̣̣̣͙୧ - - ୨˚̣̣̣͙୧‿︵‿︵

Y/N: “I remember that night very vaguely.”

“The first part of the night was more clearer than the second part.”

“The party was small at first. Just me, the band, and a few of our close friends.”

“Somehow other people started hearing about the party.”

“I think it was a little close to midnight that more and more people started pouring in. And then of course that’s when Warren pulled out the kegs.”

“So now we had at least over 100 people in our backyard and house. I didn’t mind at first. I was actually having fun.”

“But then the drugs came out.”

‿︵‿︵୨˚̣̣̣͙୧ - - ୨˚̣̣̣͙୧‿︵‿︵

It was late, you didn’t know how late it was but it was late. Music was blaring throughout the house and the backyard, people were chugging down cups of beer and taking shots.

You were stumbling around with your fourth cup of beer. Or was it the fifth? Sixth? Maybe the seventh? You didn’t know, you just knew that it tasted pretty good.

You passed by Karen a few minutes ago. She had asked you if you were okay. You giggled and said you were fine as you stumbled away.

Now you were in a room where Billy was with a bunch of his friends.

“Hey there’s America’s Sweetheart!” he exclaims as he walks over to you. He seems drunk, but not ridiculously drunk.

“Come sit down babydoll, the fun was just about to get started.” he puts his hands on your shoulders and guides you to a couch.

“What do you mean?”

You watch as someone pulls out a small bag of white powder. They start pouring out a small amount of it and distributing into lines.

“Oh Billy, I really don’t think I should-“

“Oh come on babydoll, don’t be a buzzkill.” he says as he rolls a hundred dollar bill into a tube.

Billy’s the first one to do a line. Then the two others. Billy looks at you, he nudges your hand with his own. He passes you the makeshift tube.

“Go on babydoll, it won’t hurt.”

You take the tube in your hand, looking down at it for a moment and then at Billy. Reluctantly, you place it towards the white powder.

Billy and the other two people laugh and holler as you do a line.

You take a breath in afterwards, it feels like there’s a rush going to your head.

“That’s my girl! See it wasn’t that bad now was it?” Billy laughs.

Your heart races. You don’t know if it’s from the coke or from the fact that Billy just called you ‘my girl’ but you try to brush it off.

You laugh weakly. “No…no it wasn’t that bad”

Billy smirks and laughs. The other two people pour out more of the powder, making 6 more lines.

You do two more, Billy does four more.

By your third line, you have a huge rush through your body.

The other two people have gone, it’s just you and Billy in the room, the music from outside is muffled. You’re both lying on the floor, both of you laughing and giggling.

“How is America’s Sweetest Girl feeling right now?”

“Like I’m flying”

Billy laughs. “You know, everyone’s gonna love your album”

You laugh weakly. “Everyone…everyone but me” you say as you blow your tongue.

Billy sits up. “Everyone but you?”

You laugh and groan putting your hands over your head. “Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good album. It’s just…it’s…it’s not…it’s not rock and roll enough”

Billy laughs, “Not rock and roll enough?”

“I know. I know it’s stupid, but all the songs on that album are something that everyone is telling me to be. Not who I am, or who I want to be”

“Then write what you want. Make the music you want.”

“Hard to do that while I’m ‘America’s Sweetest Girl’.”

“Then just, tweak that persona. Make her more you.”Billy scoots close to you. “And for what it’s worth. I like the whole America’s Sweetest Girl thing. And I like that one song on your album even more, National Anthem.”

You gaze into his eyes. “Thanks”

There’s silence for a moment, the only thing filling the room is the music playing from outside.

“You wanna get out of here and do something fun?” Billy says, smirking.

‿︵‿︵୨˚̣̣̣͙୧ - - ୨˚̣̣̣͙୧‿︵‿︵

Y/N: “We ditched the party and went to this local carnival. I was surprised it was still open. It was well over 2am.”

“And let me tell you, being high and at a carnival was definitely an experience. The bright lights, the loud music, the food, it was all so…uplifting.”

“Anyways, we walked around for a bit, went on a few rides, Billy won me a stuffed bear.”

“And then we went on the ferris wheel.”

‿︵‿︵୨˚̣̣̣͙୧ - - ୨˚̣̣̣͙୧‿︵‿︵

The carnival was something out of this world. At least that’s how it was feeling to you and Billy.

You were both on the ferris wheel when it suddenly came to a stop. Both of you were giggling as the cart rocked back and forth.

“You know, I’ve been keeping a secret from you”

Billy raises his eyebrows and smirks. “Oh really?” he says as he stands up, causing the cart to rock more.

“Oh my god! Billy sit down you’ll get us killed!” you squeal.

He plops down next to you and puts an arm around your shoulders. “No I won’t…” he says, twirling a piece of your hair around his finger. “Now tell me that secret”

You felt blood rush to your face, your heart was pounding.

“I wrote National Anthem about you.”

Billy didn’t respond. No, instead he took your chin in his hand and brought you closer to his face.

“I know, there’s a reason it’s my favorite.” he says smugly before kissing you.

You felt your stomach do flips as he kissed you. And to add to the moment, fireworks were exploding in the background.

As you both pulled away you smile and laugh. You gaze into eachother’s eyes for what seems like an eternity.

It seemed like nothing in the world existed. It was only you and Billy.

You wished it would be like that forever.

But not all wishes come true.

(AHHHH ITS OUTTT!!! I HOPE YOU GUYS LIKED THIS ONE 💞💞 I LOVED WRITING IT SO YEA!!! u guys should def reblog if you enjoyed it 💞)

#Spotify #billy dunne #billy dunne x reader #djats #djats fic #djats x reader #billy dunne fic #wait for your love

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dazed-nymphsss · 2 years

Text

⋆·˚ ༘ * 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪

┕━» stranger things holy trinity x gn!reader

❕warnings❕: drug use (weed), fluff, some sexual innuendos, comfort

a/n: been having a hard time recently so not only is this entirely self indulgent, but this is also for some other people having a bad time, so I hope I can help

『•• stranger things characters comforting you ••』

not proof read at all.

steve harrington

hot drinks, teakwood candles, grandpa sweaters, stars, and old film

steve has a radar for this sort of thing. he can pick up on emotions at the drop of a hat, so the moment he sees you, he knows something is up.

he'll start with just wrapping his arms around you, a simple gesture, but he'll hold you as long as you need. he'll hold you for hours, his gentle touch running through your hair.

if tears are rolling out of your eyes, he'll wipe each of them away gingerly, whispering small sweet things, "oh, honey," he'd say, voice sickeningly intoxicating, "no tears."

in true mama steve fashion, he would make you your favorite meal, along with some hot tea or some hot cocoa, whichever you prefer, and wrap you up in a nice cozy sweater.

he would search through his most treasured VHS tapes to find the perfect comfort film, turning it on and sitting down next to you on the couch.

eventually, sleep will find you, and when steve finally notices, he simply pulls the blanket over you more and gets more comfortable, soon joining you in sleep.

eddie munson

the smell of weed, colorful quilted blankets, fast food, and metal music

he would kiss every single one of your tears away

you would come to him in a wreck, and he would be frantic trying to figure out what was wrong, hating to see you in pain.

he would be quick to work you out of your clothes and stuff you in his own, dressing you carefully, placing kisses as he put the shirt over your head and pulled up the sweatpants over your hipbones.

much like steve, he would hold you until you felt alright, or at least until you felt comfortable enough to tell him what was wrong.

he would talk you through it. every step of the way. he would help and give advice or just sit and listen, if that's what you needed.

gentle words of affection and gentle touches

eddie is the kind of guy who offers you a cigarette or a joint to calm your nerves, whether you accept or decline he's 100% alright with him.

(doesn't mean he won't spark up himself)

would offer a scary movie and some food to help you through it, along with some music on standby if that's what you wanted.

would absolutely slow dance with you in the living room and just hold you, rubbing your back and telling you just how perfect you were to him.

billy hargrove

cigarettes, jean jackets, and the smell of leather seats

billy isn't one for comforting others, so he'd just think of what calmed him down, and that was late-night drives.

He would hug you and throw his jacket over your shoulders before giving you a kiss on the forehead and a sly smile, "wanna go for a ride?"

would drive you where ever you want, and if you didn't know, he would give some suggestions.

Music from the radio playing softly as the windows are rolled down, one hand holding yours and the other on the steering wheel.

When the car would stop you would talk for hours, working through everything to a point where you felt at least a little better getting things off your chest.

therapist billy is canon.

To anyone else, he would tell them to grow up and stop being such a pussy. But with you, he actually cared and wanted to see you happy.

if there was someone who was bothering you, he would most definitely make a plan to beat the shit out of them, and if it were a girl, he has many many friends who would do it for him.

(with your consent of course, if you didn't want to start a problem, he would respect your wishes... maybe.)

would possibly propose some... alternative comforting techniques that he would be more than up for.

I know, I know, this one is really short but I have something in the works, but let's hope I don't jinx it and just never finish writing it. Love you guys.

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withacapitalp · 1 year

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How come "books are books, shows are shows, do whatever you want w characters" doesn't apply to B*lly? Not trying to start drama, just genuinely want to understand. Is it because he's a bad guy I can't reshape him into something I'd like and ignore what's "canon?"

Oh boy Nonnie okay I'll try to be really clear but it probably won't come out super legible. I'm putting it under a read more because I don't wanna clog up my dash w a long explanation (which knowing me it's going to end up being) I also want to say that all of this is MY opinion. I'm no one's ultimate judge, I'm just a guy on the internet who writes stories.

All that to say, this is why I think that fundamentally the idea that Eddie's sexuality and Billy's racism can be manipulated in fandom on the same level is really flawed.

Overall I think that the point of fan fiction is personal enjoyment. Ultimately you're creating something with yourself as the audience in mind. If not, then I don't really get it. So, for you, maybe it can mean that. Do I personally agree? No, but I can't stop anyone from creating something and putting it online. That's the whole point of ao3, no bars, no barriers. When you start putting that kind of wall in place, a slippery slope starts to form, so even if I would never personally partake in some forms of fanfic, I get why it's important to have a place where any kind of fic can exist. Back button exists for a reason, block button exists for a reason, curate your own online experience.

I'm not gonna be the person who says like if you like Billy you're a garbage person, because like that just isn't true? The two aren't automatically associated. Do I think that people who want to erase that part of Billy should maybe examine that urge? Yeah, but I think we all need to look inside and see where systematic racism might make us think things are more acceptable than they should be. I also can't understand people who want to give Vecna a redemption arc, or the people who think Sn*pe was just misunderstood. Regardless, we're all works in progress, and 90% of people to me are capable of learning more and growing and seeing where they might be working with a bias. I know I definitely have my own too.

I personally just will not give him redemption of any form or reshape him, because to do so seems to be disrespectful from my point of view to real life people. I'm not a person of color, Billy's racism is at the forefront of his character, so for me to reshape that and erase it in a fanfic feels like I would be ignoring a serious thing and pretending like that never happened, when it exists in our society in a major way. There isn't a point where Billy's racism ever gets resolved. In fact, the whole thing gets dropped completely in s3 which seems like a really terrible oversight by the Duffers. It's used as a plot point when it was convenient, which is messy and wrong.

But All of that is just background to your real question here which I believe is this-

Why is it okay to change a character's sexuality, but not their bigotry?

For me, I don't really like to equate the two? I think that the idea that someone's sexuality is a 'flaw' that needs to be reshaped is kinda problematic, and we also don't actually know Eddie's sexuality. Everyone can say what they think till the cows come home, but at no point did we get 'Eddie is confirmed gay, straight, bi, etc. etc.' EVERY single interpretation of Eddie's sexuality is someone shaping canon as they see fit right now.

With Billy he is confirmed racist. He is 100% undoubtedly a racist. Not even someone who used to be racist who learned and repented. He was always racist and tried to commit a hate crime against Lucas (I would argue that he did, because holding a twelve year old up against a wall and threatening to kill them because they're black and they dared to want to get to know your sister feels like a hate crime to me) The only reason he didn't seriously hurt Lucas was the fact that Steve stepped in. That's it. He was going to assault a child for his race.

To compare ignoring that to playing with a character's sexuality feels....mm I just strongly don't agree. I don't exactly have words to explain, but I really don't.

I think there are things you can change about characters easily. You can change their sexualities, their ages, their genders, their backstories, but to fundamentally erase something like that just doesn't line up for me.

No call out here Nonnie, I appreciate that you wanted to ask and be open, but this is my question for people who want to change Billy that way- What is it about Billy that is so compelling that it feels necessary to change that part of him? Why is Billy the character you *need* to write for?

Jonathan is a fantastic big brother who has a ton of issues and was abused by his father. If you're having the hankering to try and examine a flawed big brother, he's right there.

Eddie is an outcast (and strongly implied that he comes from an abusive home) and if you're looking to try and write about that, he's right there.

Steve is the character that has actually GONE through the redemption people always try to give Billy. He said slurs and did bad things, and almost immediately went to make amends for them when he was able to acknowledge he did the wrong thing.

Billy never even apologized. He hadn't changed by the time he died, and no I don't think sacrificing himself was some major change. I think that a villain can be tragic without needing to retroactively make them a better person. Billy is a flawed and broken person. Yes that probably relates mostly to the way he was raised and the fact that his family was violent, but that doesn't excuse it. The Byers have an abusive home, and at no point does Jonathan act the way Billy does. I think they're really good foils to each other on what can happen with a big brother.

Anyways this was a really really long answer nonnie, but I hope I got it across why I really disagree with that stance. If anyone was offended or upset, know that wasn't my intenion, and feel free to let me know.

#tw racism #tw homophobia #tw abuse #tw child abuse #asks #anon #answered #I don't wanna tag him but also #yeah guys this is about B*lly #Anyways I was hesitant to answer this at all so #hopefully this doesn't bite me in the ass lol

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luciusgerard · 2 years

Text

How to tell if someone is going to have the absolute worst Stranger Things takes:

If any of the things on this list apply to a user on any social media site (particularly Tumblr, Twitter, or TikTok) or a person IRL, chances are they're not worth engaging with because their opinions and theories regarding the show will be hot garbage.

This is just my opinion by the way, if you disagree you may continue on your merry way and continue having crappy opinions. That said, let's begin.

1. They stan this bitch.

Now, don't get me wrong. When I say this, I don't mean people who like Billy as a character because of what he adds to the show. I'm talking about people who have allowed themselves to become so obsessed that they make excuses for his abusive and racist actions. A place of understanding is not a place of justification. I'm also talking about the people who ship him with Steve (or anyone), believe he and Eddie would be friends, hate Max because she "insulted" their "baby," and the people who shit on Eddie and the Steddie ship as a whole because they view Eddie as some kind of carbon copy of Billy. You know who you are, and you suck.

2. They hate Robin or Lucas.

Neither of these characters have done anything wrong. I've never seen anyone justify their dislike of Robin for a non-ableist or non-homophobic reason (because they don't exist), and Lucas, one of two Black main characters in the show, gets criticised so harshly and so often compared to White characters who have done inarguably worse things. Y'all don't realise how damn quick you are to antagonise a Black boy in situations where he's behaving in entirely reasonable and rational manners, like when he was "mean to El" in season one when he's doing what the majority of people in his situation would do, meanwhile I hardly ever see people calling Mike out for being so needlessly rude to Max in season two. Case in point: If you hate on Robin or Lucas, your opinion is trash.

3. They're strongly against Byler and its shippers.

I honestly don't care whether you personally ship Byler or not, you can't deny that people who are 100% against even the idea of Byler are at least a little homophobic (well, technically you could, but you'd be wrong).

"Mike is straight!"

Has that been confirmed? Did Mike tell you that? Did the Duffer Brothers tell you that? No? Exactly. Besides, even if it were outright confirmed that Mike is only into girls, why is it so difficult for you to let people enjoy things that aren't causing you or anyone else any direct or indirect harm? God, please just make some friends.

"But Mike has only ever shown interest in girls!"

Tell me you have little to no media literacy skills without telling me you have little to no media literacy skills. Seriously, babe, that's not even remotely true. I can guarantee that if Will and/or Eddie were women, people like you would be all over the Byler ship and the Mike-having-a-crush-on-Eddie headcanon.

"Mike and El are in love, didn't you hear his monologue?"

See the first sentence of my last point and shut up.

4. They unironically refer to Will as "the gay one" or a variation of it.

This one is more specifically talking to the allocishets: Why is it that for three seasons Will Byers got to be referred to by his name like every other character, but season four comes out (no pun intended) and all of a sudden he's being reduced to his sexual orientation? Answer quickly.

Anyway, I'm done ranting. If you have anything to add, comment or reblog. Have a good day, people these points don't apply to.

#stranger things #stranger things fandom #stranger things opinions #byler #anti billy hargrove #anti harringrove #anti mungrove #steddie #robin buckley #lucas sinclair #steve harrington #eddie munson #anti mileven #will byers #mike wheeler #max mayfield

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harcove · 2 years

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Hii could u write for billy x reader where reader is part of the hellfire club? Like she's a metalhead and plays dnd and stuff, i rlly can't see how billy would end up with someone like that

A/N: sorry this took a bit, I've been going btwn writing multiple things and ya aaaa I hope this is okay love! Honestly, I personally think Billy could find himself being with most anyone- it all depends!

Pairing: Billy x Hellfire!reader

Length: 2.3k

Warnings: nah, but I'll keep saying OOC Billy so no one tells me my characterization of him is wrong 🤡

(Not So) Polar Opposites

Billy hated having to be back at the school after hours; the sun had set and there were only a few cars in the lot besides his Camaro. If it weren't for you, he wouldn't have been there.

Billy always picked you up Thursday nights from the school. It was Hellfire Club night, DnD night, the night where you wouldn't drive home with him from school because you were staying back to help prepare for the DnD campaign you were part of.

Hellfire Club wasn't something Billy gave a shit about. It was your thing, a thing that you'd been in before he even arrived in Hawkins. And sadly, it was something that dictated your social standing as being something of a 'freak.'

It didn't stop Billy Hargrove from setting his sights on you however.

Billy was at the top of the social hierarchy that engulfed Hawkins High. What he did, what he said, people ate it up. People like Carol and Tommy. Did they have things to say about you and the Hellfire Club when he showed an interest in you? Yeah. Did he give a fuck? No. And he was sure to let them know that their opinions in his life didn't matter. And to keep your name out of their mouths.

And by proxy, the Hellfire Clubs name. At least when he was around to hear it.

Sure, he didn't get it. He didn't get the whole deal with Dungeons and Dragons. Didn't get what the point of the game was and definitely didn't fucking get what the hell you wrote on those sheets of paper you'd sometimes work on at his house. 'Character sheets,' is what you'd say whenever he asked what the fuck they were.

It went right over his head.

But you enjoyed it. You had fun going to those DnD nights in the school, and enjoyed spending time with the members of Hellfire Club. You especially enjoyed it because your best friend, Eddie Munson, was the head of the club.

Billy knew Eddie Munson.

Not that he spoke to him in school; Billy rarely ever stayed at the school during lunch periods to see you at the table with the other Hellfire members, and he never had reason to just speak to them or him. Most of his time spent with you was outside of or after school. Save for the fact Eddie was the drug dealer he dealt with. If he wanted weed, it was Eddie Munson he'd get it from.

So, they were on an even groundwork there.

No matter how bizarre it seemed to anyone else that Billy Hargrove was dating you, it didn't matter to him. He wasn't scared of losing his status as the top dog. The guy who scared others, who was the Keg King. He had worse things in his life to worry about. And perhaps, the fact that he didn't care so much is what kept him right where he was.

He liked it.

Where the two of you differed vastly in your free time activity (him enjoying going to a party, you enjoying the fantastical game of DnD) you also had similarities that bound you together as tight as your opposite interests.

You enjoyed metal music; Billy also enjoyed metal music. It was nice to find that he didn't need to change the radio station because you hated the loud music he wanted to play, because you wanted to hear it too. And aside from partying, Billy actually did enjoy simpler things, particularly sitting in his room on his bed reading something. It wasn't something people expected, but when had Billy ever been predictable? You happened to like a good book as well.

So as bizarre as the two of you may have seemed on the outside, you actually clicked quite well together- like two pieces of a puzzle.

But you were taking a real long time finishing up your session, and it grinded on Billy's gears. He just hated being in that school more than he actually had to, even if it was for you. He wasn't mad at you. Maybe mad at the school for even existing in front of him. And for DnD for cutting into time he could be pulling you close.

Fingers tapping on the wheel of his car, Billy let's out an annoyed sigh. Scorpians playing from his cars radio, he moves his body slightly, making the leather of the seat squeak. It's twenty minutes past when you usually finish your session and come outside.

Usually you're quick to come out and greet him. There have been times where you've run a little over time, but those times Billy wasn't as in much of a mood as he was then. And usually it didn't take you more than 10 minutes.

He'd just have to go in there and get you himself. That's what he concluded. He knew you sometimes lost sense of time especially when you were having a good time. It was like wrangling his sister sometimes; but he was pretty sure Max sometimes liked to conveniently "forget the time" because it would annoy him. You never did that.

At least, he was pretty sure you didn't.

With another heavy sigh, albeit this one sounded more annoyed than the last, Billy pulls the key out of the ignition shutting the his car off, stepping out with one feet heavy on the gravel taking a few moments before pulling the rest of his body out; like he's being forced against his will to do this.

No one could force him to do this. But that didn't mean he wasn't allowed to still feel a bit ticked off.

He knows the room you have your sessions in. It's a drama classroom, with a small stage (compared to an actual stage) in a bigger than average classroom. It didn't have a bunch of chairs and desks because, well, it was a drama room. Most of the activities in their didn't require students to sit for an hour.

So it isn't hard for him to reach it in a matter of minutes. The door is slightly ajar and he can hear the lot of you inside, laughing and shouting.

"I can't believe you rolled that at the end," he recognized your voice, it sounded like you were on the edge of a laugh, one of happiness and disbelief, "like, seriously."

"What can I say, but you're welcome for saving the day."

Billy doesn't recognize the voice fully, he doesn't even really care to figure it out; he never spoke to any of the Hellfire members aside from you and and Eddie Munson (barely).

Instead, Billy chooses to wait a few moments as you laugh, continuing your banter. He's not going to knock on the slighy ajar door, that's stupid. So after a few more moments, he's pushing against the door to open it fully. It creaks when he does, announcing him before his own presence is noticed.

"Billy!" You notice him first, before anyone else really does. You always notice him, "what are you doing here?"

In your hands is one of his jean jackets, one you borrowed that morning; the fall weather had been more bitter than you realized that morning. He took it off and gave it to you with the most dramatic eyeroll he could muster. You rush towards him. Being close is all you want.

Billy looks at you, then looks at the watch on his wrist, as if he was really reading it; it was more for the dramatics.

"Just thought I'd see if the school was doing good tonight, y'know?" He's being sarcastic clearly, "I just... Love it here."

You turn your head to look at the clock in the room, noting the time; twenty minutes past when you were supposed to meet him outside.

Awkwardly, you wince and shoot him an apologetic look, smiling at him. You can see it in his eyes; he's not actually too angry with you.

He finds it hard to look at you, happy, enjoying yourself and smiling how you do, and be angry. Annoyed maybe for the wait, but that too slowly dissipates when he looks at you.

Not completely, but just enough.

You act as some sort of balm for his emotions, the bad ones, and an irritant (meant in the best way possible of coutse) for the good ones, amplifying them by just being near.

"I'm sorry," you offer up, genuinely sorry. You don't like keeping Billy waiting, not because you're scared of him or you're doing things on his time- but because you know his father. And you know the times he comes home can set his father off.

And he did this without you asking.

"Mmm... Next time you can walk."

He says it but he doesn't mean it, he wouldn't let you walk home alone late. His voice gives him away too. But maybe it's only obvious to you.

Rather than giving him a response you only smile at him, closing the distance fully between the two of you and wrapping your arms around his torso.

"Ah, Hargrove," Eddie Munson makes his presence known; he always seemed to be bright in a room- he knew how to get people to look hid way.

So did Billy.

"To what do we owe the pleasure?" Eddie bows dramatically. His face plastered with a smirk as he looks between you and Billy who now has a single arm across your shoulders as you keep your arms wrapped around him.

"Munson," his fingers are pressing into your shoulder and his cologne (which you had been privy to all day anyways because of the jean jacket) just smells so much nicer on the man himself than just on his jean jacket, "the pleasure is hers actually."

There's a deeper meaning to that, you know it. A sexual one, most likely. Especially based on the way Eddie cocks an eyebrow when he stands up fully, his smirk widening only slightly

"If he gives you trouble, let me know Lady Ironbark," Eddie uses your Dungeons and Dragons characters last name as he moves around the table to pick up some things, "not sure what I can do against the beast bit, it's the thought that counts."

Billy doesn't take him seriously and you're glad for that. Because if he decided to, you weren't sure you'd like the outcome.

Initially things had been more tense between the two. One being your best friend and the other being Hawkins High schools king after taking it from Steve. Billy was in the perfect spot to beat Eddie down, bully him and the other members like yourself of Hellfire. But he didn't.

Surprisingly, Billy didn't go around bullying people just to have fun. Or just because he could. In reality, Billy avoided interaction people, needless interaction he cared little about the people in Hawkins. But if they just so chose to cross his path or do something to set him off? Well, that would do it. It wasn't like he actively went out of his way to say words to random kids in the hallway.

"...Lady Ironbark?"

Billy says it flat. And really it sounds kind of funny coming out of his lips.But he does recognize the name; how could he not, when he's sat there before and just let you run off about your character for the current campaign.

"My character for this campaign," you respond- thinking he has forgotten about it, but he really hasn't.

It seems like a lot of times the information you give him sometimes just goes in one ear and out the other. It's just how Billy seems. Like he's not listening, but in reality, he retains all of the things you tell him inside his head. And it will be at moments where you least expect it that he will say the things you think hes forgotten.

"I know," he says, unhooking his arm from around you and pulling away to take a cigarette from his jacket pocket, placing it between his lips, "and you can tell me all about them again, in the car, on the way home."

Billy is itching to leave the school; again, the less time he needed to spend there the better.

"Okay," you smile, a genuine and big smile, turning to look at Eddie and the few straggler members from Hellfire finishing packing things up, "I'll see you guys at lunch tomorrow!"

A chorus of see you tomorrow and good nights come from the boys, and you turn to follow Billy out of the room.

"Put that on," he's already lighting the cigarette in his mouth before the two of you have even exited the school; his chin juts towards his jean jacket in your arms, "It's bitter as fuck out. And you're not getting two of my fuckin' jackets in one day babe, no matter how good you look in them."

Giggling, you pull the jacket on, Billy taking your bag lazily and throwing it over his back in one hand, not caring about being gentle with it. He keeps walking.

"I'm sorry again by the way," he pushes the door open with his hip to exit the school, you hot on his tail, "about being late. I'll make it up to you by letting you play your favourite music in the car on the way to my place."

It's funny because, one, you think you're going to dictate what he plays in his car (sometimes you do but its his car) and two, because you literally like the same kind of music. So it's not really making anything up.

"Whatever."

You know he's got a small tilt to his lips. And you know he's not mad. You know he's going to keep picking you up even if its annoying sometimes. And you know he loves you and you love him.

Even if you're (not so) polar opposites.

#billy hargrove x reader #billy x reader #billy hargrove #stranger things #stranger things fanfiction #billy hargrove fanfiction #mine #my writing #amy writes #hellfire club

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steveisagay · 1 year

Text

Billy's Big Decision

Metalsandwich/harringroveson

Summary: Billy shaves his hair and it marks one of the few decisions he's made for himself

Warings: swearing (duh), Billy also really loves makeup, negative self talk, his abuse, heavy mention of Billy's mom, the f slur

Billy doesn't truly remember anything. Well, he remembers Neil's abuse, he remembers the Mind Flayer, he remembers getting the whole thing explained to him, he remembers that Neil lost custody for child abuse, and he remembers Hopper legally adopting him. But he doesn't remember much from tonight. He remembers flashbacks of abuse, of how it felt to have his body hijacked. He remembers the tears burning down his face, down his cheeks and onto his hands and his mattress. He remembers walking into the bathroom, terrified and disgusted at what he saw. He saw a boy man that was beat, a faggot, worthless, good for nothing but another toy for horny mothers. He saw the mass of hair that was comparable to a lion's mane. The same hair that had attracted so many. The same hair that got him flirted with on the job. The same hair that was responsible for him ever leaving for that motel.

He knows he started sobbing, possibly even screaming, although probably not because he didn't wake anyone. He still had self-control, he knew this because he punched the counter, not the mirror. His blue eyes were surrounded by red, but that was it. That was all he really remembered.

He wasn't aware of anything leading up to that moment. The moment that froze him, the moment that reminded him he really was broken. He destroyed his best quality, he destroyed himself.

The buzzing in his hand only clicked once he realized how disheveled he looked. How bits and pieces were missing to make him look like he really was beat half-to-death. He shaved off almost all his hair. It itched as his skin where shame burned underneath. He couldn't tell who was in the mirror. Hair was stuck into his neck, into his shoulders, under his shirt and all over the floor. How bits and pieces were missing to make him look like he really was beat half-to-death. He shaved off almost all his hair. It itched as his skin where shame burned underneath. He couldn't tell who was in the mirror. Countless thoughts raced through his head. That no one would want him, that his boyfriends wouldn't want him, that he would be so ugly that not even Joyce would want him in her house anymore.

He called the only people he could. If he told Joyce and Hop without being prepared they'd hate him for sure. He didn't wanna wake up Jonathan cause he had things to do tomorrow. And he'd never want to worry the kids with his problems. He called his boyfriends.

Before Steve could even say anything he heard Billy's broken voice on the other line. "Stevie..?"

"Billy, Billy baby, what's wrong? Do you need me? Are you okay?" He quickly became panicked from the audible sobs on the other side. "Are you hurt?"

Steve swears he hears a 'no' and a 'please come over', but underneath that where sobs and hyperventilating breaths.

"It's gonna be okay B, I'll be over in five," he never wanted to hear his boyfriend sounding so hurt and scared. But there was wave of relief when he realized that this meant he was reaching out to him. "Do you want me to pick up Eddie?"

"Yeah," At least he was coherent now. Steve said a quick 'I love you' and almost tore the door off it's hinges and could barely get his key in the door. He sped over to Eddie's trailer, not bothering to knock when he got there.

He yelled out his name as he went straight to his room. "Why the hell are you here?"

"It's Billy, something's wrong." With that Eddie sat straight up, panic painting his face, quickly grabbing a pair of ripped jeans and his vest.

"Alright let's go." He said quickly, rushing through the trailer. "Steve what're you waiting for?! Our baby needs us and you're just standing there?!?"

"Yeah yeah, I just didn't expect you to be so fast."

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

Billy got himself off the bathroom floor after awhile. Grabbing the counter when he heard loud knocks. He opened the door, immediately being pulled into a hug by both of the other men. His tears started to soak Eddie's shirt right away. Mixxed with all sorts of emotions when Steve reached out to stroke he hair. He pulled back when he felt that most of it was buzzed.

"Who did this?" Steve asked, he seemed angry.

"I did," he paused letting the tears start to fall again, "I got upset and then..." He started shaking again as the two ushered him into the house, and to the bathroom. "I'm sorry, I-I ruined it, it's all my fault,"

"Baby, it is not your fault, if we wanna blame anyone, we can blame your shit dad." Eddie grabbed his face, "We can fix this."

"How?" Billy sounded desperate, "It's not like we can just put it back on..."

Eddie smiled looking into his eyes, grabbing the razor still covered in hair, "No, but we can still fix it."

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

Steve had started sweeping the floor while Billy was in the shower. Meanwhile Eddie was preparing only the softest blankets, easy snacks, and grabbing a new set of clothes, including a hoodie from Steve.

Billy felt a sense of relief when he ran his hands over his new buzzcut. He was free. He was a person.

When he got out of the shower Steve had handed him a towell. After drying off he went into his room, Steve following close behind so he could give him cuddles as soon as possible.

Eddie patted the space next to him on the bed and slightly moved some of the blankets. "Hey Eds?" Billy said quietly, still shaken from before.

"Yeah baby, what's up?" Eddie replied as the blond sat down in his arms, leaving room for Steve on the other side.

"Can you do my eyeliner?" He was still shaking. When he was ten, his mother would do her makeup all the time. The first time Neil ever referred to him as a faggot was when he tried on his mother's makeup for the first time. He looked like a mess, but whenever his mother put on makeup she looked pretty. His mother always said he looked pretty, his dad hated that. When he turned 12 he stole borrowed his first eyeliner. It was one of the few choices he'd made specifically for himself. It felt freeing. One day he went out to meet up with Argyle, eyeliner on, and his dad found out. He beat him and yelled at him for what seemed like hours. He didn't know exactly how bad it was to be a faggot until he was sore for the next two weeks. Since then he's collected various types of makeup, it comforts him to be pretty.

"Of course I can," Eddie reached over to the small table next to his bed where the small black stick was out. He popped off the cap and adjusted himself so he could properly apply it. He didn't do his own eyeliner that often, every once in a blue moon. But he did get practice with Billy. He watched out for if his eyelids started to flicker. Steve wrapped his arms around Billy as he pressed kisses to his neck and made sure to give him all the admiration he had.

"You're so pretty Billy," a kiss, "I love you so much," another kiss, "I am so proud of you B," he rubbed his hands up his sides, "so proud for making your own decisions."

Billy spoke without looking at him, as to not throw off Eddie, "Really?"

He could practically hear his smile, "Of course baby, you made a decision for yourself, not me, or Eddie, or your dad," he pressed another kiss to his neck, "you did it for you, and I am so proud of you."

Eddie nodded along as he finished Billy's liner, "You know what you deserve?"

"Hm?"

"You deserve to wear that cherry lipgloss you love so much." He smirked as he got up to grab the pinkish lipgloss from the blond's dresser.

"No. I only use that on special occasions." Billy said firmly, he loved that gloss, but it was special. It made him feel pretty, beautiful.

"But it is a special occasion." He pressed a kiss to his lips, then down his jaw. Then he brought his face back up, "You made an important step in being your own person."

Before Billy could get another word out the wand was being dragged along his lips. Steve continued his words of affirmation behind him. He felt pretty, he felt like himself. With him and his boyfriends, who loved him. Where it was natural to love him.

After Eddie was satisfied with the amount of gloss on his boyfriend's lips he quickly pressed another kiss to his lips.

"I'm pretty sure this is my favorite gloss too."

Steve grabbed at Billy's jaw so he could face him as well, stealing a kiss too. "I'd have to agree. Also we have the prettiest boyfriend in the world."

"Yeah, I mean with his hair buzzed I'd go as far to say he's the hottest in the world." Eddie added.

"Oh yeah," Steve agreed, "hes schmoking hot."

And like that, the three soon fell asleep. Billy's face nuzzled in Eddie's shirt, hand intertwined with Steve's as his head was in the crook of his neck. He didn't mind tonight that he fell asleep with makeup on, nor did he care that it ended up all over his amazing boyfriends.

#stranger things #billy hargrove #steve harrington #billy stranger things #steve stranger things #eddie munson #metalsandwich #eddie stranger things #harringroveson

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outerspacebisexual · 2 years

Text

A Place in this World - Steve Harrington

Book B - Part Seven

Summary: You and Steve Harrington are together, and this feels like it could be the end.

Pairing: Steve Harrington x Reader

Word count: 9.4k

Warnings: swearing, canon-typical levels of violence and gore, major injury

a/n: this is the final part of this series, and i'm so sad for it to be ending.

thank you so, so much for sticking with it and for supporting it. all of the love has meant the world to me, and i hope that my little fic has bought you some joy.

<3 aeia

Masterlist

Over the past ten minutes, you weren’t sure if you admired Nancy Wheeler’s courage, or if you thought she was absolutely bat-shit crazy.

The idea of going back into the place that you only just narrowly escaped from, and potentially into the waiting, open arms of the monster that killed Chrissy, Fred, and Patrick was beyond insane.

And yet, the longer you listened to Nancy and the others debate it, the more you thought it might just be the only way of stopping Vecna from getting Max.

Using Max as bait was the one thing that you were the most hung up on. There were so many ways that this plan could go wrong. If just one cog in this machine failed, she would most likely end up like Chrissy and the others, and you didn’t know if you could let her run that risk.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea to use you, Max,” you said from the couch beside Steve. “If we get the timing even just a second wrong, you could die.”

“If we don’t do this at all, I’m dead anyway. There’s only so much Kate Bush can do, and I don’t think it’s going to last forever.” She fiddled with the cord of her headphones around her neck. “This could be our only chance.”

You hated the way she said it, like she was already resigning herself to death, but you hated even more that she was right.

You were vaguely aware of Nancy and Robin talking about something to do with logistics, but you zoned out. You hadn’t known Max for very long, but in the six months that you’d been neighbourly, you had really come to like her.

She was strong, and hot-headed, even after the death of her brother Billy last year. She was still just a kid. And now she was going to dangle herself in front of Death, with a sliver of hope that it would all work out.

You didn’t even notice that you were fidgeting and picking at the skin of your nails until Steve placed his hand over yours.

You looked up at him, and he looked like he was dealing with this whole idea about as well as you were.

He brushed his thumb over your hand, and you relished in the way it calmed you down. It bought you back to the present, enough that you actually paid attention to what the others were saying.

“We’ll need weapons,” Nancy said. “We’ll need guns.”

Robin scoffed. “Where are we going to get guns? I know you have two in your bedroom, but that’s hardly enough to take down a child-killing-Upside-Down-monster.”

“What about the War Zone?” you piped up.

Eddie perked up and leaned forward enough to see you around Steve. “You think so?”

You shrugged. “It wouldn’t hurt to check it out. That’s where we got my guns remember?”

“Oh yeah. We got the fireworks then, too.”

“And those ones you throw and they explode. The ones you used in the school bathroom.”

Eddie let out a bark of laughter. “I forgot about that.”

Steve turned to Eddie. “Wait, that was you guys who blew up the guy’s toilets in senior year?”

Nancy cut everyone off. “That is besides the point.” She looked at you. “Does this place have everything we need?”

“And more,” you answered, nodding.

“And it’s just far enough outside of Hawkins that if we stay off the main roads, we could go unnoticed,” Eddie added. “Slip in and out without anyone suspecting anything.”

“OK, that’s cool and all,” Dustin interrupted, “but it’ll take all day and back to bike there.”

“Who said anything about bikes?” Eddie replied, and he sent you a conspiring look.

You narrowed your eyes. “Munson, are you suggesting what I think you are?””

He was already smiling as he said, “Since when are you above a little grand theft auto?”

Steve was quick to volunteer to go with you to your trailer to collect your small bag of tools that you and Eddie used for a wide variety of purposes.

You surveyed the area, and when you were sure no one was watching, you slipped out of Max’s house and through the park to your trailer, Steve hot on your heels.

The graffiti was still there, just as bright as when you first saw it a few days ago. You weren’t even sure how you would explain it to your parents.

You weren’t sure how you would explain any of this to your parents.

If they didn’t already know that you were wanted for first-degree murder, they would soon. You’d be surprised if Chief Powell hadn’t already managed to track them down.

Pulling open the door, you found everything exactly as you had left it on the night of Chrissy’s death.

Cups and plates still stacked on the counter; clothes strewn across the living room from where you’d taken them off before going to Eddie’s; it was as if you just up and disappeared, which you guessed you did.

The door to your bedroom was still open, and you immediately pulled the box from beneath your bed that held a whole bunch of different bits and bobs from over the years.

As you did, you caught sight of the old guitar strings on your bed, right where you’d left them.

That day somehow seemed so far away, when in fact, it had only been days ago.

You shifted through the box, finding the small bag towards the back of the box. You opened it, checking that the pliers were in there before closing it and pushing the box back under the bed.

Turning around, you were surprised to find Steve right behind you, eyes on the vase of peonies that were now dead. Most of the petals had fallen to the top of your bedside table or onto the floor, but a few were just barely holding on.

He touched one of them, and it dropped to join the others. “Did you like them?” he asked you.

“I did. They were really beautiful.” You tried to remember back to what they looked like on the day he gave them to you, all bright and lively and all different colours. “I’m sad that they’re dead.”

“When this is all over, I promise I’ll buy you more flowers,” he told you. “More than you can fit in your house.”

You looked over at him, and he had a sad sort of smile on his face, one that you knew was a combination of all this shit, and also because your flowers were dead and he hadn’t gotten you any more like he had promised.

You swallowed and said shyly, “How about as many as will fit in your house?”

Steve stared at you for a second, before realisation washed over him and his face lit up. “Are you serious?”

“I mean, yeah. Not…Not all the time, but most of the time.”

His grin was breathtaking, his eyes crinkling at the edges. He couldn’t stop himself from leaning over and kissing you.

You smiled into the kiss at his giddiness and moved your free hand up to his shoulder. But as soon as you did, he hissed, and you pulled away.

“Oh my god, I’m sorry,” you apologised. “Are you OK?”

“I’m fine,” he reassured you. “Just sore.”

You bit your lip as he stretched out his shoulders, trying to break up some of the stiffness. “I’m sorry,” you said after a second. “For how I acted in the Upside Down. I…I didn’t mean to make you feel bad about it. I was just…scared. Seeing you hurt like that, it was almost too much.”

He placed his hand on your cheek, making you look at him. “Hey, don’t worry about it. I’m not going anywhere. You’re stuck with me forever.”

You smiled at that. “Lucky me.” He rolled his eyes at your playful tone. “I don’t want to miss out on any more time with you,” you admitted. “After all of this, you’re the one place I always want to be.” You hesitated for a second, but with everything that had gone wrong over the last few days, you couldn’t not say it to him. “I love you.”

Steve froze.

You thought that maybe you had made a mistake, but then his shoulders sagged, and he looked relieved. “I love you, too.”

Your heart fluttered at the words.

“I’ve been trying to say that to you all week, but every time I chickened out,” he admitted.

“I wish you had said them, because I would have said them back in a heartbeat.”

Steve kissed you again. This time slow and purposeful, like he was making up for all the lost times he hadn’t said it.

You broke apart all too soon. “We’d better go,” you breathed. “We have a campervan to steal.”

By the time you made it back to Max’s, and then to the side of the van, Eddie was almost bouncing out of shoes.

He pushed open the window, climbing in with about as much grace as you expected.

You followed, clutching your tool bag to your chest as you flung yourself up and over the window ledge. The others were quick to follow you, and you shushed them as they clambered about.

“You ready for this?” you mumbled to Eddie as he locked the door and took a seat.

“You mean, am I ready for some seriously overdue fun?” He pulled the wires out from beneath the dash. “Hell yeah.”

You handed him the pliers, and he got to work.

You watched him, trying to memorise what he was doing. Even though you and him had done this before, you still didn’t know how. The carjacking was usually left to Eddie.

Steve came up behind you. “So, this is what you meant when you said that you and your friends did stupid, illegal shit on the weekends?” he observed.

“One of us has to be law abiding, babe,” you replied.

He shook his head, even as he smiled. “Where’d you learn how to do this?” he asked Eddie.

Eddie didn’t look up from his work. “Well, when the other dads were teaching their kids how to fish or play ball, my old man was teaching me how to hot-wire. Now, I swore to myself I wouldn’t wind up like he did, but now, I’m wanted for murder, and soon, grand theft auto. So, I’m really living up to that Munson name.”

You frowned at the mention of his father, but then Steve asked you, “And you learned this from him?”

Eddie laughed. “No, she can never remember how to do it,” he teased. “She’s more interested in petty theft and breaking and entering.”

You flipped him off, even though it was true.

“Eddie?” Robin called from over Steve’s shoulder. “I’m not sure I love the idea of you driving.”

“Oh, I’m starting this sucker. Harrington’s got her. Don’t you, big boy?”

All three of you took pause at that, but no one had time to question him as he struck the exposed wires together and the engine sputtered to life.

The owners were quick to start shouting, but you didn’t care, not as that rush you got whenever you did something like this thrummed through you.

You and Eddie locked eyes, both already grinning. Steve and Robin, however, were both sharing similar looks of panic.

Eddie jumped up, switching places with Steve who was having a mild panic attack as he tried to work out how to drive the van. “Everybody, hang on to something!”

He took off, the van jumping up and down with every bump hidden in the grass.

You and Eddie were laughing manically as the others started screaming, shouting directions at Steve who was already doing exactly what they were saying.

“Hold on!” he called out as he took a hard left straight out of the park and onto the road.

As soon as the van hit the tarred road, it evened out, and Steve stepped his foot off the gas. “Is everyone OK?”

A chorus of ‘yes’ and ‘no’ came from behind you, all with varying degrees of sincerity.

You left your spot beside the fridge and took a seat next to Steve. “That was fun.”

He shot you an incredulous look. “Fun? I’ve never felt closer to death than that moment right there.”

“Oh, toughen up, princess; that was easy money,” you joked.

You and Steve held eye contact for a few seconds, and your stomach flipped as his gaze dropped to your lips.

“Do you want to tell me about what you and Eddie were talking about earlier when he said you spent the night in jail for getting caught breaking and entering while drinking underage?”

You hummed, a sparkle in your eyes as you said, “Absolutely not.”

Steve was sure that you were going to come bounding into the store at any second after how hard you refused to stay in the van.

You had argued that no one here would recognise you and that you would keep a low profile, but he had been steadfast in making sure you stayed in the van.

Eddie had helped him out there, aiding him in convincing you to stay put.

But even as he walked around the store with Robin, chucking random things he thought they might need, he had one eye on the entrance.

“She’s not that dumb,” Robin said to him as she picked up a sheathed knife. It was a lot longer than what they needed, and she thought the same thing, putting it back on the shelf. “She won’t just wander in.”

“I know that,” he shot back. “I just…She doesn’t always listen.”

“She’s been my friend for years, Steve. I know she doesn’t listen. But she’s also not an idiot.”

Steve picked up a jacket in his size, turning it over in his hands before sliding it on over the shirt he’d already put on. He pretended not to notice the small amount of blood that had leaked through Nancy’s makeshift bandage and onto his shirt.

“Still,” he mumbled, “I wouldn’t put it past her.”

Robin stopped in front of him, and he looked up to see her staring at Vickie across the store.

If he was honest, Vickie wasn’t exactly the type that he thought Robin would go for, but he supported her in it nonetheless. She looked different to how she normally did when Steve saw her; usually it was in her band gear, clarinet under her arm.

“Well, are you just going to stand there all day, or are you going to make a move?” he teased, and despite her trembling hands, Robin prepared herself to go over to her.

Before she could though, a guy that Steve didn’t recognise came up behind Vickie.

Robin faltered, her face dropping.

Steve could feel her heartbreak. “Hey, Robin—Robin!” But she was already taking off.

He sighed and caught Vickie’s eye a second too late. He could tell that she had seen Robin, and he couldn’t help the disappointment for his best friend.

He knew what it felt like to have the person he liked in a relationship with someone else. Granted, you hadn’t actually been in a relationship with Eddie, but he hadn’t known that.

He had to deal with watching you sneak off with him to the drama rooms, and Eddie pick you up from work, and Eddie take you to dinner. None of those things turned out to be romantic, of course, but he had needed to push down that jealously in order to remain friends with you.

Even if you had been in a relationship with Eddie, Steve would have crushed that part of himself that loved you, if it meant that you would just be his friend. It was a little pathetic on his part, but he didn’t care.

He shook his head. None of this was helping ready you guys to kill Vecna.

Turning down the next aisle, he found a headband in your favourite colour, and grabbed it. He didn’t know if you would even wear it. If you didn’t, maybe he would, just to have a little part of you with him. He smiled, wrapping it around his arm.

He made to exit the aisle, but ran into someone.

“Sorry—” Steve stopped short at the sight of Jason standing in front on him.

He looked deranged, large bags under his eyes, lines deep on his face. When he spotted Steve, his eyes turned feral. “Hey, man,” Jason said.

“Uh, hey, Jason,” he replied. He hadn’t really seen Jason since he graduated. They had played on the Hawkins Tigers basketball team for a few years, but Steve had been older and a dick and didn’t have much to do with anyone younger than him.

Seeing him now, he didn’t see any of the young Jason he’d known. It was all rage and agony melded together.

Steve gave him a polite nod, trying to sneak past him.

“I’ve been hearing some crazy things about the town freaks,” Jason said offhandedly, and Steve paused.

He tried his best not to bristle at the way he was talking about you. “Yeah? That’s crazy, man.” He went to push past him, but Jason stopped him, holding out his arm.

“The Hellfire bitch, she’s your girlfriend, isn’t she?” It wasn’t a question.

Rage was suddenly swirling within him, and Steve was barely concealing his fury as he pushed Jason away with two fingers. Jason let him. “How about you take a few steps back, buddy,” he murmured, voice low and controlled, filled with the promise that things would not go well for him if he didn’t stop.

Jason didn’t reply. He only took two steps back as Steve gave him a long, hard look. Steve watched him walk away, barely breathing.

Robin ducked out from one of the aisles behind him, pushing their cart full of all different items. “Hey, I think we should—”

Steve took her elbow, guiding her to the counter. “We need to go,” he muttered.

“What? Why?”

“Jason is here.”

Nancy suddenly appeared beside them, shotgun in one hand and a bag of ammunition in the other. Her eyes were wide with concern. “Jason is—”

“I know,” Steve interrupted. “Let’s pay for what we have and get out of here. Where’s Erica?”

As he said it, she came around the corner, pushing her cart with the same alarm on her face. “The basketball team—”

“I know, I know.” He started unloading the miscellaneous items onto the counter, rushing the cashier along.

He tried not to think about how many others were with Jason, and if they had found the camper.

They had parked around the side of the building, surely they wouldn’t have found it.

The cashier asked for the cash, and Steve pulled it out, practically throwing it at the guy as he, Erica, Robin, and Nancy pulled the items from the counter and exited the store.

He checked over his shoulder for Jason before slipping down the side of the building and reefing open the campervan door.

“What happened?” Lucas asked.

Steve dumped his bags in Eddie’s lap. “We’ve got to go.”

“Your old friends are here,” Erica explained as the rest of them filed into the van.

“Wait,” you said, coming up from the back of the van, “Jason is here? Did he follow you?”

“I don’t know. Sit down! Sit down!” he shouted as Dustin started telling him to drive.

As he drove through the parking lot, he saw Jason, Andy, and the rest of the basketball team crowded around one of the cars.

“That’s Jason’s car,” you said suddenly from right beside him.

“Shit!” he cried out, then did a double take. “What are you doing? Get down!”

“I am down. They can’t see me from here.”

Steve was ready to pull out his hair as he turned onto the highway. “You’re infuriating, you that?”

You smiled. “And you love me in spite of it,” you replied, swiftly planting a kiss on his cheek as you dropped into the seat beside him.

He huffed, even as the corners of his lips turned up.

Standing before the gate in Eddie’s trailer seemed more ominous that last time. Mainly because this time, you were heading back into the danger.

You knew that everyone else was thinking it, too, the way they stood silently beside you.

“Alright,” you said to no one in particular. “Let’s get on this highway to the danger zone.” As you said it, you winked at Nancy, even as Robin and Eddie groaned. Nancy flushed at the reference to her Tom Cruise poster that you and Robin still hadn’t let go.

“Not funny,” Eddie said.

Steve stepped forward and took the rope. “I’m going first just to get away from you.”

You pushed him slightly as he climbed the rope. He glared at you over his shoulder right before he dropped over the threshold, landing on his feet.

He gave you a look of triumph, much like the ones he sent you when he successfully climbed through your bedroom window, despite being told more than once to just use the door.

“What does he want us to do?” Robin scoffed. “Applaud?”

Nancy laughed at that as you took the rope, clambering up after Steve, who had placed Eddie’s mattress from the Upside Down on the floor. You fell as the gravity changed, landing hard on your bad.

“Shit,” you coughed, and Steve held his hand out to help you up. “That was better the first time.”

Slowly, each of your friends made their way through the gate.

You opened the door to Eddie’s trailer, taking in the dark sky. Like last time, the lighting cracked, illuminating the Hawkins that was both the same and different to your home.

“I got you this,” Steve suddenly said from behind you. He held out a headband for you to take. It was your favourite colour, with little lines all over it. “I forgot I had it on my wrist. I didn’t even pay for it,” he chuckled, but it fell flat against the desolate background.

You took it from him, eyes running over the soft material. After a moment, you reached for his hand again, and tied it back around his wrist. “Keep it with you and bring it back to me.”

You didn’t need to say anything else.

You and Steve were still not dealing with the whole splitting-up-again thing very well. You had tried to come up with a different plan, but this one made the most sense. It was the best way that you guys could come up with that gave Max the best chance of survival.

And for Max? You two would do anything.

You tried to block out how nervous she had looked when you dropped her, Lucas, and Erica off at the Creel House. She had been so scared, but tried so hard to pretend she wasn’t.

“I love you,” you said softly, still holding Steve’s wrist.

He removed your hands, taking your hands in his own. He ran his thumbs over your knuckles. “Save it for when I get back.”

You scoffed. “I’m not saving shit, Harrington. Tell me you love me.”

Steve laughed, and for those few seconds, you were just a girlfriend who loved to make the man you loved laugh.

“I love you,” he said finally. His eyes lost their mirth as he stared at you. “Be safe. Please.”

“You, too. Come back in one piece.”

His kissed you, just once. A singular kiss that was both a promise and a good-bye.

He squeezed your hands before moving off towards Robin and Nancy, while you stepped back to beside Eddie and Dustin.

“Guys, listen,” Steve said suddenly. “If things start to go south here, I mean, at all? You abort. OK? You draw the attention of the bats, keep them busy for a minute or two. We’ll take care of Vecna. Don’t try and be cute or be a hero or something.”

“Don’t worry, Steve,” Dustin said. “You can be the hero.”

Steve didn’t look too impressed by that comment but nodded all the same. He hesitated for one second, eyes locking with yours. You sent him reassuring smile.

He swallowed harshly and turned away. Your smile dropped once you were sure he couldn’t see.

“What do you say we get our metal on, Kirk?” Eddie said to you, causing your eyes to leave Steve’s back.

You were immediately taking off towards your trailer. You ignored how different things looked from three years ago as you grabbed your guitar from its stand and returned to Eddie’s trailer.

The three of you turned Eddie’s trailer into a makeshift fortress before turning your attention to hauling the amps up to the roof.

Once everything was situated correctly, you gave Dustin a thumbs up and he plugged in your guitars.

Eddie pulled his pick from around his neck, and you pulled one from your pocket as you readied yourself to play.

“Don’t mess up,” Eddie called to you.

You rolled your eyes. “I see where Dustin gets his ego problem from.”

He grinned at you, and you breathed in, closing your eyes to calm your beating heart. You envisioned Steve standing in front of the Creel House. You could do this. For him. For Max.

Your eyes snapped open, and you said, “Try to keep up.”

Then, you were playing.

As the first notes sounded across the Upside Down, Steve’s heart pained in his chest.

And it only started to beat faster as he watched the bats take off in the direction of the trailer park.

“It’s working,” Nancy said. “Let’s go.”

Robin followed her out and towards the Creel House. Steve hesitated for one moment, eyes on the swarm of bats.

You would be OK, he told himself. You had to be.

You, Eddie, and Dustin held out as long as you could.

As the bats grew closer and closer, you were sure that your heart would stop dead in your chest. They grew closer, their shrieks become louder and louder, even over the volume of your amps.

“Now!” Dustin yelled. “Let’s go! Let’s go!”

You jumped down onto the awning, Eddie almost taking you down with him in his hurry.

“Hurry!” he shouted, and you and Dustin were hot on his tail as he flung open the door and slammed it shut behind you.

You were all panting hard, eyes wide as saucers as you listened to the bats attacking the outside of the trailer.

You prayed that it was enough to keep them here while the others took care of Vecna.

Picking up the nail-embedded shields, you threw one to Eddie and one to Dustin. “Just in case,” you said as you picked up the knife-slash-spears.

The three of you stood back-to-back, the bats continuing to attack the walls—until they weren’t.

“What…”

“They’re on the roof,” Eddie said, voice full of suspicion.

Dustin started swearing, but you ignored him, slowly creeping forward as the bats crawled along the roof…right to the air vent.

“They…They can’t get in through there, can they?” Dustin asked, only to be met with a bat crashing through it.

“Shit!” he screamed.

You and him stabbed at it, but they just kept coming, their shrieks ear-piercing in the tiny space.

“Get out of the way!” Eddie screamed, pushing through the both of you to slam one of the shields against the vent, trapping the bats on the outside.

You were breathing heavy as you collapsed against the counter.

“Nice one,” Dustin said to Eddie, to which he replied, “Thanks.”

“Are there any other vents?”

Eddie froze. “My bedroom.” But he wasn’t quick enough, the bats shooting into the room before he could jam it. He pulled his door shut, backing up to the rope as the bats tried to tear the door down.

“Let’s go! Dustin, go!” you shouted at him.

He started to ascend the rope, pulling himself up and through the gate, landing heavily on the mattress below—above—whatever it was.

You tried to push Eddie to the rope, but he didn’t take it, handing you the rope instead. “We don’t have time to argue right now,” he yelled.

“And yet you still find a way. Get up the rope, Munson.”

He grabbed it and was about to start climbing when the first of the bats broke through the door.

“Shit,” you whispered, and you looked to Eddie.

Dustin had started screaming, pleading with you two to hurry, but that one look at Eddie said everything you didn’t have to.

Protect Dustin.

Eddie sliced clean through the rope.

“What are you doing for your Futures project?” Eddie asked you from where he was plucking at the strings of your guitar on the floor.

“I don’t know,” you replied from your bed. “Maybe talk about leaving Hawkins.”

Eddie had already been at your place for hours, the two of you fresh from completing the outline for a new campaign. One that you were hoping the new Hellfire recruits Jeff and Gareth would want to play.

You were exhausted, and the last thing you wanted to think about was school. Especially the project you had to present to the class next week about what you wanted to do in the future. “What are you doing yours on?”

“I want to do it on Corroded Coffin,” he said, and you smiled at him.

“You think we’ll blow up?”

At that stage, Corroded Coffin was little more than 14-year-old you and Eddie playing guitar in your rooms while your parents and Wayne tried their best to block it all out. It was hardly even a band.

“Yeah, definitely,” he responded. “We’re going to be huge. Touring around the world. Drinking, smoking, playing shows night after night.”

You smiled at the thought. “I can see it,” you teased. “Me, centre stage. You, somewhere at the back.”

“Funny,” Eddie snorted, and he went unusually quiet. He had a pensive look on his face.

“What?”

He looked up at you. “Nothing. I just…I don’t actually care what I do with my future. Just as long as you’re in it.”

You blinked in surprise. Eddie was rarely as serious as was right now.

“You’re my best friend, Y/N, not to mention the co-founder of the band,” he continued. “As long as you’re always there, I don’t care what we do.”

For some reason, you started to cry, and Eddie was immediately alarmed. In typical teenaged boy fashion, he wasn’t sure what to do.

“I can’t imagine doing anything without you either,” you told him as you wiped your eyes, and Eddie relaxed. “Even if we don’t tour the world, I wouldn’t care, just as long as we do it together.”

“What kind of friends would we be if we just ditched each other?”

You laughed. “Really shit ones.”

As the rope hit the ground, Eddie became frozen. He was so scared, and you could see it.

Mustering up all your courage, you reefed open the door and started calling the bats away from his trailer.

He was quick to shout after you, but you were already riding towards the entrance of the trailer park, the bats screeching behind you.

Vaguely, you could hear another bike coming along the gravel, and as you dumped your bike, Eddie was right there beside you.

“Can’t ditch me that easy, asshole,” he shouted, but you caught the teasing behind it.

And then the bats were upon you.

You fought and sliced at them, taking some of them down with your spear, some getting stuck on your shield, even as they flapped about.

There were so many. Too many.

Eddie started screaming, and just like the night of Chrissy’s death, your heart dropped. You fought even harder, trying to get to him.

The bats started to grasp at your legs and arms through your pants and your jacket.

You screamed as one tore into your thigh. You dropped your spear, grasping at it and reefing it off you.

But it suddenly went limp in your hands. You stared at it, and the other bats circling you began falling from the sky, hitting the ground with thuds.

You looked over at Eddie. He was heaving, trying to catch his breath as he took in the bats going lax mid-flight. He had cuts and scrapes on his arms and legs like you, but he was whole.

His eyes snapped to you, and you dropped the bat in your hand.

Eddie’s somewhat hopeful expression fell when your hand went to your thigh. There was a whole chunk of flesh missing, you could feel it. It was deep, deep enough that when your hand ghosted over what should be skin, it touched muscle, coming away bloody.

You couldn’t bring yourself to look at it. The adrenaline abandoned you all of a sudden, and the pain came through in full force.

Eddie was rushing to you, but he wasn’t quick enough, and you hit the ground with a thump.

The journey back to the trailer park was a lot quicker than the trip to the Creel House.

Steve no longer took care to avoid the vines stretching across the ground.

All he cared about was getting to Max.

If Nancy was right, then Max was gone. She had been taken by Vecna as the last piece of his plan for world domination, or whatever it was that he wanted to do.

Steve didn’t want to believe it until he had seen it. Until he saw Max’s lifeless body, he couldn’t believe it. It just wasn’t possible that one of his freshmen was gone. He had promised to protect her, and he couldn’t break that promise.

But any thought of Max was emptying from his head as he broke through the edge of the woods and found Dustin crying on the ground outside of Eddie’s trailer.

He was holding his ankle with one hand, even as he crawled across the gravel, pulling himself along with all his might.

“Henderson!” Steve called, immediately rushing to him. “Henderson, hey? What’s wrong?”

Dustin couldn’t speak, he could only sob and point towards the exit of the trailer park.

“I need you to tell me what’s going on,” Steve ordered, shaking him just enough to get him to start talking. He couldn’t see you or Eddie anywhere, and that fact caused his heart to start racing.

“Eddie a-and Y/N,” he cried. “They—They’re gone. I can’t—”

True terror unlike anything he’d ever experienced was dumped over him like a bucket of ice.

“Where?” he demanded, dropping his pack and the axe. “Where, Dustin?”

Dustin pointed towards the entrance of the trailer park, and Steve was racing away before he could say anything else. He didn’t need anything else, he just needed to find you.

Please, he begged. Please, please, please, please, please.

That was when he saw Eddie crouching over something.

You.

Steve spurred himself faster, dropping to his knees into the hard dirt, breathing heavy.

It took him too long to work out what he was looking at.

You were covered in scrapes and cuts and bite marks, but the worst part was hidden beneath Eddie’s hands.

“Steve,” he whimpered, and when his eyes met Steve’s, he noticed the tears racing down Eddie’s cheeks. “Help me, please—I don’t…” He lifted his hands, and through the blood, Steve could see the massive gouge in your leg. Bile rose in his throat at the sight of it. He almost threw up.

“Put your hands back on it!” he shouted at Eddie. “Y/N,” he called to you, but your eyes fluttered as you struggled to stay conscious. His hands flew all over you, as if trying desperately to grip onto that small bit of consciousness. “Hey, baby, you need to stay awake,” his voice was trembling as he fisted handfuls of your jacket and hauled you into a sitting position.

Your head lolled backwards, and one of his hands was instantly behind your neck, pulling it back.

Your eyelids fluttered open just enough to see him. “Steve?”

“I’m here,” he reassured you. “I’m here. Stay with me.” He turned his head back towards where the others were still coming. “Hey! Get over here! Now!”

“Steve…” you murmured, and his eyes shot back to you. You moved your arm until your hand came up to rest sloppily on his forearm.

“Hey, hey.” He brushed a hand down your face, wiping away the blood that had congealed there.

“You’re OK,” you managed, and Steve’s heart squeezed painfully in his chest as tears clouded his vision.

“I’m OK, baby. I’m all right.”

Your lips turned up at the corners. “Did you like my music?”

Steve blinked rapidly. “I loved it. You were so good—so, so good.”

The footsteps coming towards them got louder, but he didn’t dare pull his eyes away from you.

Eddie pressed harder into your leg as the others finally reached them. Nancy gasped—at the blood coating Eddie’s hands, at your state as you teetered between life and death—and it only made Steve’s eyes water more.

“Wheeler, please,” Eddie begged, voicing cracking. “Do something.”

Nancy backed up, eyes not leaving you before she turned and took off towards the house that would have been Max’s in three years.

Steve wasn’t sure what she was doing, and he didn’t care. The only thing he cared about was the way your hand started to loosen on his arm.

“No,” he croaked, “No, Y/N, you have to stay awake, baby. You have to stay with me.” He pleaded with you, and he could see the way you fought against the darkness.

Your eyes continued to flutter—until they didn’t.

Nancy was sprinting back, first aid kit in hand.

Eddie was pushing his jacket that he had shucked off harder around your leg.

Robin was pulling at her hair as she watched on in horror.

But then your eyes suddenly rested between open and closed. You became dead weight in Steve’s arms, hand falling from him, hitting the ground beside you.

And then, he was screaming.

Steve wasn’t sure if he could do it as he stood by himself in the parking lot.

He was crying, which felt like all he’d done in the last few days.

There were more people there than yesterday, but that was to be expected with the ‘earthquake’, as they found more and more people buried beneath the rubble.

He heard Robin coming over before he saw her, and she placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. “You can’t stand here all day,” she said.

He shook his head. “I can’t. I can’t see her like that.”

“It’s your girlfriend, Steve. You have to.” Her tone was firm, but he knew she was only trying to help him get through today.

“I’m scared,” he whispered, fiddling with the flowers in his hand. Camellias and carnations; for everlasting love, according to the florist who had sold them to him this morning.

“I’ll be right here with you,” she said, taking his hand.

Steve let out a shaky sigh, pulling at the collar of his shirt as they entered the building.

When the woman behind the desk saw him, see smiled, recognition passing over her face. “She’s still in room 247, honey,” she said with a sympathy, and Steve gave her a thankful smile.

Robin’s hand was a welcome comfort as they made their way through the corridors.

Your room was the same as it was yesterday.

Same monitors hooked up to you. Same doctors’ names plastered on the boards. Same lifeless form on the bed.

Eddie was sitting in the chair opposite you, his eyes planted firmly on the book in his hands. It was thick, like three times the size of a normal book, and not something that Steve would ever read.

“Hey, man,” he greeted, and Eddie looked up.

“Hey,” he replied to both of them.

Robin squeezed his hand. “I’m going to see Max.”

Steve nodded. Max was only a few rooms down, and Robin disappeared into the room that he knew Lucas was sitting in.

Lucas, like Steve, had been here every day for the past three days.

Eddie stood. “I’ll leave you two alone.”

But Steve shook his head. “No, stay.” He put the flowers in the vase on the side table before he fell into the chair beside the bed, running his eyes over you.

You were looking better than you had yesterday. Some of the cuts on your arms had started to heal, and you were breathing on your own, which was a good sign according to the doctors.

He adjusted in his chair when he leaned back a little too hard. His back was still tender to the touch, and the stitches in his side were doing their very best to hold together the bite mark on his stomach.

At the thought of stitches, his eyes went to your leg, hidden beneath a blanket. He had gotten a look at the scar on your thigh yesterday when the nurses had changed the dressing.

It was long and gnarled, and the muscle beneath it was mishappen. The scar would never go away, and the doctors weren’t sure if you would be able to walk again properly. They had been surprised that the bone hadn’t been broken by the force of the fall.

That had been the cover story: the earthquake, and despite the questioning looks they received from the staff, they had taken them at their word.

It had been nearly four days, and you still hadn’t woken up.

Initially, the doctors had hooked you up to a breathing machine after you arrived, barely alive at all, but after the second day, you had started breathing on your own. Now, it was just a waiting game to see if you could push through, to see if you would wake up.

Eddie shifted in his seat, and Steve looked over at him. “What are you reading?”

He glanced up, closing the book so Steve could see the cover. “The Lord of the Rings. It’s—It’s her favourite. Well, it and The Hobbit.” Steve nodded, and they returned to silence for a long moment. “We used to take turns reading chapters when we were younger. Before we could read properly, her mother would read it to us before I had to go back home. But then when we could read…” he laughed at the memory. “She would always do the best voices, better than me, and we would spend hours just reading it out loud together.”

Steve smiled. That sounded like you.

“I told myself that it would be OK,” he said, picking at his jeans. “I told myself that there was no way that anything bad would happen to either of us. Because she’s always been there, you know? I don’t…I don’t remember ever being without her.”

The smile slowly fell from Steve’s face. “I know,” he murmured, looking back to you. He absentmindedly toyed with the headband on his wrist.

“I wish it had been me,” Eddie whispered.

It was clear to see that the guilt was slowly eating him alive. Steve knew the feeling.

“I don’t,” Steve replied after a few seconds of silence, and Eddie looked up at him with raised brows. “Can you imagine what she would be like if it was you? She’d be personally hunting down each one of those bats individually to exact revenge. It’d be so annoying.”

Eddie looked amused by that, even though he didn’t smile. “Annoying is her middle name.”

“That explains a lot.”

Eddie chewed on his bottom lip before standing. “I’m going to go check on Lucas,” he said, and with only a moment’s hesitation, he disappeared the way Robin had gone.

Turning his attention to you, Steve gingerly picked up your hand. He ran his thumb over your knuckles, counting all four, just like he normally did to calm himself down, to centre himself.

He placed a kiss to the back of your hand. “Come back to me, baby,” he said into your skin.

You didn’t move, no matter how much he wished and prayed that you would.

He leaned back, eye catching the book Eddie had left behind. He stared at it.

Then, he was up and grabbing it before returning to his seat.

The cover was worn, no doubt from all the times you and Eddie had read it, with some kind of wizard on the front. He flipped it open, seeing your name scribbled in your childhood penmanship. He brushed his finger over it before turning to the first page.

Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky, Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone, Nine for the Mortal Men doomed to die, One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne…

It turned out that there was a reason Steve didn’t read fantasy books, because two days and over two hundred pages later, he still had no idea what was going on.

He had even resorted to asking Eddie to explain it to him, but that had only made things more confusing.

He resigned himself to knowing that he was just reading a bunch of different words all strung together in an almost incoherent way, but he was all right with that.

Steve flipped the page, but his mind was hardly on the words he was reading. He couldn’t stop thinking about the conversation that he’d had on the phone with your parents last night.

The police had finally been able to track them down and explained the whole ordeal.

From you being wanted for murder, to Chief Hopper’s return and his explanation he had given which meant you and Eddie were off the hook, to Hawkins being a smoldering mess.

They had immediately called him, demanding to know how you were. He had gone over everything again in detail, explaining that you still weren’t awake, but you were stable. He told them about your leg, and your mother had cried.

They were still a full two days of driving away, meaning that they should be back by the end of the week.

Steve prayed that you were awake by then. He didn’t think that he was strong enough to deal with your parents if you weren’t.

It was killing him to sit here day after day with nothing but his prayers to keep him company. The others came and went, Eddie there more than the rest, but from the moment that visiting hours were open to the moment they closed, Steve was right there by your side.

There was nowhere else that he could be.

You promised each other the rest of your lives, and now, with yours under threat, he couldn’t miss a single moment of it.

He turned the next page.

He would sit with you, no matter how long it took.

The was a sound from beside him, and he couldn’t place it at first.

Looking over at you, there was no change. You were still laying perfectly still, arms by your side, breathing lightly in and out. Everything was normal, except—

There.

Your breath hitched ever so slightly.

He was on his feet, leaning over you. “Y/N?” he whispered.

You didn’t move.

Steve swallowed down the soul-crushing disappointment as he slumped back in his seat.

He sat like that for a few long minutes, just watching you. Patience, the doctor had said.

He sighed, picking up your book again and flicking to where he’d left off.

The room was silent again, nothing but the faint talking of doctors and nurses floating under the door. There were even more people today, the ambulances bringing more survivors in to the inundated hospital. Some were worse than others, but they all held that same fearful look on their faces; the one that said something is seriously wrong.

“Am I dead, or is Steve Harrington reading The Lord of the Rings?”

Steve almost broke his neck at how fast he turned to you. “Y/N?” he breathed.

And there you were, looking over at him with bleary eyes and a small smile.

He dropped your book, letting it fall to the floor as he stood and grasped your hand. “You’re awake,” he said, tears already clouding his vision. “How—How are you feeling?”

“Like I’ve been hit by truck,” you croaked, and he was quick to pass you a glass of water. You struggled to sit up, and he placed a hand on your back to help you until you were sitting.

Being so close to you, he couldn’t help but lean in and kiss you. You didn’t mind, and you were kissing him back, bringing a hand up to his cheek to wipe away his stray tear as he pulled away.

You hissed, and your eyes shot to your leg that was still hidden beneath the blanket.

Steve wanted to warn you, but he didn’t know what to say.

You flipped the blanket back, and even under the bandages, the damage was visible. You gingerly reached out and traced your fingers over the warped muscle. He had no idea what you were thinking, your face carefully blank.

You tested out moving your leg side to side, looking somewhat relieved when you could move it at least a little.

“You…uh, the doctors said that you might have some trouble walking,” Steve broke to you gently. It was a half-truth, but he didn’t want to bombard you with bad news two minutes after you woke up.

“Oh,” you replied, voice low. After a moment you turned your attention to him. “Are you OK?”

“I’m fine, baby. I’m just glad you’re finally awake.”

“Eddie?”

Steve nodded. “He’s OK, too. He’s been here every day.”

That seemed to alleviate some of your stress, but then your eyes widened, and you almost jumped out the bed. “Max?”

He hesitated, and your face fell. “She’s…she’s alive, but she’s in a coma,” he explained. “And Vecna broke her bones, like Chrissy, and Lucas said that she couldn’t see before she went unconscious.”

Your hand went to your mouth, stifling a sob, and he knew that you were dealing with the same emotions that he had been days ago. Guilt. Fear. Heartbreak. Some more guilt.

“Where is she?”

“She’s a few rooms down, but—”

You tried to get up, but he held out his arm to stop you. “Hey, no. You can’t get up. You have to be careful.”

“Steve,” you uttered, “I need to see her, please.”

Steve stared at you in exasperation, before finally conceding. “Just let me grab something.” He ducked out of the room, finding a spare set of crutches leaning against the desk outside. He took them before anyone could tell him not to.

By the time he got back to your room, you were already standing on one leg, grasping at your other in pain.

“I told you to wait there!”

You made grabby hands at the crutches. “You were taking too long.”

Steve sighed, even as he helped you to position the crutches beneath your arms. “Be careful,” he warned as you took your first step. He was hovering right behind you, ready to catch you if you fell.

You couldn’t put any weight on your injured leg, but slowly, you made your way out of your room and down the hall, Steve’s hands ghosting over you every couple of seconds when he thought you might lose your balance.

When Steve opened the door to Max’s room, you began to cry as you saw her in the full body cast, her eyes closed. She was so still that she could have been dead.

“Y/N?” Lucas jumped up from where he was sitting at the edge of her bed.

“Hey, buddy,” you replied, and he was hugging you before Steve could tell him not to. “I’m sorry,” you whispered, and you felt him tremble against you.

“I’m glad you’re all right,” he said as he pulled away, and Erica was right there beside him. You hugged her, too.

“So am I.” There was another girl in the room, one that you didn’t spot straight away. “Oh, hello.”

“Hi,” she said from beside Max.

“This is El,” Steve explained from behind you.

“El with the superpowers?” you asked, and El suddenly became bashful. “It’s nice to meet you, El. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

She smiled at you, and her hand left Max’s. “I have heard about you, too. From Mike. And now Lucas and Dustin.” She pronounced every single syllable as she spoke, something that was a little jarring to hear for the first time. As Steve had explained previously, she was learning as she was going.

You gave her what you hoped was a joyful smile. “All good things, I hope.”

She nodded, the joke you had made going over her head. You grinned at her anyway.

Your gaze went back to Max, and your smile faded. Steve came around to the side of you, his hand resting on your back to stabilize you, in more ways than one. She would be OK, you told yourself. This was little Max Mayfield you were talking about. If anyone could get through something like this, it was her.

“We should get you back to your bed,” he said to you, and you nodded.

You said your good-byes before heading out of the room and into the corridor.

Steve’s hand was planted firmly on your back, which you were grateful for when you almost slipped over by putting your crutches a little too far forward. You shot him a sheepish smile.

“What the hell?” came a voice from in front of you, and you froze as Eddie came stomping over to you. “What the hell is wrong with you?” he seethed. “You can’t just get up and leave your room without telling anyone. No one knew where you were. I couldn’t find you. You can’t—”

You cut him off when you hobbled forward and hugged him, leaving Steve grappling with the crutches you dropped.

He froze, but then his arms where wrapping around you and pulling you close. He was careful of your leg, and you could feel his tears hit the crease of your neck. “It’s OK, Eddie.”

“Don’t do that again,” he muttered as he pulled away. “Don’t…Don’t ever do that again.”

You shook your head. “I won’t. Don’t worry.”

He scoffed, looking over at Steve. “Don’t worry she says. Can you believe that?”

“Believe it or not, I can,” he replied in a dry tone.

You frowned, narrowing your eyes. “I don’t know if I like this whole buddy-buddy thing you two have going on. You’re teaming up against me.”

Eddie rolled his eyes as Steve made you take the crutches and start moving. “You’re the one who wanted us to get along.”

“I’ve changed my mind,” you mumbled.

Steve helped you into bed, carefully lifting your leg up and placing it down. “Too late. We’re already best friends now. We even talk about The Rings Lord.”

“The Lord of the Rings,” Eddie corrected.

“Yeah, that.”

You stared at them both, and despite the sour look you were giving them, your heart was fuller than it had been in a long time.

“Where is everyone else?” you asked.

Eddie gestured vaguely to the window. “They’re volunteering with making food and sorting stuff for the displaced.”

You nodded.

There was that, you supposed. You had no idea how Hawkins was going to rebuild after this. You didn’t even know if it was all over. Judging from El’s face earlier, it wasn’t. And you had a long road to recovery in order to be able to walk again.

But even with all of that, you were hopeful. You guys would get through it. You had no choice.

You would fight the next monster that came your way, whether it was physical or mental, because there was no other alternative. Not if you wanted to spend the rest of your life living.

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