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neonscandal · 4 months

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Hello, I'm new here and I really liked your tumblr. I would like it if you could answer my question. Don't you think Saturo is a little needy, you know he always wants to get people's attention, he always wants to force a friendship, that scares me a little, he can even be unnecessary sometimes.

Hiii! I literally have no idea how you came across my blog but I'm happy if it made you feel welcome ❤️ Thanks for reaching out.

Don't be scared by the tall man with the impossible eyes and bulk volume suffering. He's here to help! ✨

I mean, you pretty accurately described Gojo, tbqh. He is needy, I wouldn't say he wants to get people's attention... but he has it, anyway, he is desperately reaching out for human connection, he frequently ponders and is consumed by the unnecessary (just as much as the necessary) and people tend to conflate his strength with his identity.

How do we put one at ease with this larger than life personality? We speedrun it, of course. The best way to empathize with someone is to understand how they got from point A to point D and this is as it applies in real life, too. Consider this my humble offering toward this threat I made a few years ago. Going to avoid spoilers beyond what's been animated but this is still going to be a long one so strap in! JK there's a minor spoiler that's marked (⚠️) but it's not a major plot point.

IN DEFENSE OF GOJO

A mostly unsolicited essay ✨

Before we get into how Gojo became Gojo, let's look at the basic information we know about jujutsu society in universe.

Curses are formed by negative emotional runoff, typically from people who can't control cursed energy.

There are humans who are born with cursed techniques but the brains of humans so their powers were dormant until Kenjaku!Geto activated them in the last episode of season 2.

Those with power that are beyond the comprehension of the elders happen to find themselves carrying death sentences (as it applies to Yuta Okkotsu and Yuji Itadori, specifically).

There are 3 Big Families: the Gojo, Kamo, and Zenin Clans, likened to nobility, which have been active since the Golden Age of Jujutsu hundreds of years ago.

Generally, the Gojo clan inherits the Limitless technique. Six Eyes is a lot less frequent and both techniques haven't manifested in one user in over 100 years until Gojo was born. (Purple or Hollow Purple is another hidden move which each family has some extra razzle dazzle offshoots from their main cursed technique.)

Kamo clan passes along Blood Manipulation (re: Choso, Noritoshi Kamo, the Kyoto student, and Noritoshi Kamo, the blemish on the Kamo clan who created the cursed womb paintings)

Zenin clan has the Ten Shadows Technique (re: Megumi. Bear in mind, previously a Zenin Ten Shadows user fought a Gojo Six Eyes + Limitless user and the fight ended in a stalemate that resulted in both of their deaths).

Anomalies, like that of Maki and Toji, exist even in these age old clans where an heir is born without the ability to manipulate cursed energy and/or see curses.

Of the above and those of the main cast specifically, the inheritors of these generations' old techniques have pretty shit origin stories. They are privileged but cursed in a way. Heavy is the head, and all.

BIG THREE FAMILY CULTURE

We haven't gotten a lot of insight into the Gojo clan except that it's basically a clan of one: Satoru Gojo.

Noritoshi, the Kyoto student, bears the name of the blot of the Kamo clan and is a bastard son who happened to inherit the familial technique. Because of this, he is shepherded into the fold of the Kamo the family, foisted into a position of responsibility, and separated from his "disgrace" of mother. She leaves him, knowing her presence would hold him back, and hopes that her sacrifice in doing so will enable him to better help others. ⚠️ However, when Kenjaku!Geto used remote Idle Transfiguration to awaken dormant vessels and dormant cursed technique users, the proper firstborn heir of the Kamo clan's inherited technique was awakened which swiftly saw Noritoshi's expulsion from his status and the clan.

The most damning evidence we have of the culture of these families is from the Zenin clan:

They terrorized Toji Zenin, despite his inhuman strength, simply because he was born without the ability to manipulate cursed energy. To the extent that an incident from his childhood left his face scarred and likely radicalized him into the sorcerer killer he is today.

Mai and Maki were gravely mistreated because, in addition to being girls, they were born twins which is considered highly unfavorable.

The twin superstition is "justified" by Mai's weak cursed technique and Maki's inability to see curses or manipulate cursed energy.

The misogynistic treatment of the girls is likely not uncommon within the Big Three families given 1) what we've seen happen to Kamo's mom, 2) the treatment of the twins' mother, and 3) the way that Gojo vehemently advises that Tsumiki would never be happy with the Zenin clan (as both a jujutsu outside and because she's a girl as determined by events that haven't been animated yet).

Empirically, from the above, we can extrapolate that familial ties don't mean shit in the Big Three Families, blood relations are tenuous at best. Tradition, power and hereditary techniques reign supreme to maintain status. Those outside of the blessed few are at the mercy of more powerful members of the family which will be more evident in season 3.

💡 As an aside, kinda interesting to think about Geto's ideology applied to these traditional families. In fact, I wonder if Geto cultivated his beliefs based on what Gojo told him about his family.

UNDERSTANDING THE CHARACTERIZATION OF GOJO

Now that we understand society as Gojo would have known it, let's get into how he experiences the world from birth.

Canonically, his birth shifted the power balance between sorcerers and curses. A lot of readers assume he has a god complex which, in addition to being categorically false, is more a reflection of his canonical in universe power. He is neither a god nor does he necessarily perceive himself to be one. But that's not to say he doesn't have a bit of an attitude problem.

He is born with both the Limitless and Six Eyes techniques which, again, hasn't happened in over 100 years. Subsequently, stronger curses are on the rise to compensate for this dramatic shift in power.

💡 Lowkey, I kinda headcanon that the influx of more powerful curses comes from the bitter resentment that periphery individuals must have harbored against Gojo because, let's be real. He's clearly Mappa's favorite and it brings out the anti in everybody IRL lol I can only imagine in universe if you were born to a jujutsu family and lost out on the genetic lottery when it came to cursed energy.

He explicitly draws the ire of curses and cursed users alike with a bounty that immediately incites an onslaught of first come, first serve mercenaries. As a child. Even Toji, the great sorcerer killer, tries to get the drop on a young Satoru Gojo but none are successful at coming close. Not even the invisible man.

From what we know of the Big Three above, the miracle of Gojo's inheritance would likely push him into a place of great power and influence within his clan, even from an early age. Further, we've seen what the burden of responsibility an inherited technique looks like as it applies to Noritoshi Kamo. Gojo would have been burdened with this status and, simultaneously, constantly placated by others so as to appease the miraculous heir.

Additionally, as we saw with Noritoshi, other clans may also have a vested interest in currying favor with the young heir because even proximity to Gojo creates a sense of power and status.

By blood, Yuta is a distant, distant cousin of Gojo's from a branch family and we see how OP he is.... Later in the story, Gege makes it a point to use the Great Satoru Gojo as a measure of power and, subsequently, more explicitly how close other characters' power, prowess or technique come close to that of Gojo's.

Subsequently, as the Kamo clan heir, Noritoshi tries to ingratiate himself to Megumi despite the fact that he's no longer even connected to the Zenin clan. He curses that Mai didn't inherit Ten Shadows to make relations a bit smoother. Gojo would likely have several people vying for his attention and grace whether he wants it or not.

I think you can see how, a smart kid like Gojo who literally has nothing but time to process and compute the ways of the world around him, would come to understand the motivations of others as it specifically relates to him and his power. It would be understandable if he were innately wary and distrustful of others, especially when you consider his initial experience as the target of an onslaught of, albeit unsuccessful, assassination attempts.

Here, I think, is what really gives life to the isolation that Gojo feels from a very young age which is only known by those with immense power like Sukuna and other characters who've yet to be revealed. Gojo is less an individual and more a means to an end. He is a monolith for power, protection and status. His power is so incomprehensible for other sorcerers of the era that his potential for vulnerability is taken for granted.

With a culture that prioritizes strength over, perhaps, morality, it makes sense why, when we see Gojo years later as a high school student, he is relatively disrespectful toward his elders and thinks it is silly that the strong should have to diminish themselves for the comfort of the weak. Bear in mind, this disrespect is likely because no one was really checking him on manners from a young age. Further, from his experience, strength has always been commodified, why would you diminish that? He was and remains head of the Gojo clan with all the pomp and circumstance that comes with that.

Enter Suguru Geto, the smoking gun as to why we know Gojo doesn't have a god complex. Suguru, like Geto, is the only other special grade sorcerer aside from Yuki Tsukumo (and she makes it a point to not take missions). Qualified as equals, the two are constantly doled out missions that higher ups are not even equipped to handle. Try not catching an ego about that.

Even though their power may not necessarily be on par with one another, it is enough that Gojo deems Geto an equal. Their friendship tempers Gojo's character in ways his family could not.

THE HUMANITY OF A GOD

Gojo is not a god but, to those around him, he's certainly lauded as such. Part of that entails inherently overlooking that which makes him vulnerable, makes him human. As someone who can, at will, literally turn off the ability to be touched at all, the premise is ironic. But the fact remains, from all the above and his behavior therein, it seems as though Gojo had to wait until high school to act like a kid at all and that is all thanks to Geto.

As an outsider, Geto's opposing ideology suggests that the strong are meant to protect the weak and keep others who are strong in check. Gojo is frequently shown taking Geto's criticism and point of view under critical advisement. In fact, realizing how out of touch he is with the reality of others, he defers to Geto as a moral compass, trusting implicitly in his judgement.

Not only that but, from what we saw during the Kyoto Goodwill Event, it is not uncommon for sorcerers to be wary of disclosing what their cursed technique is to other sorcerers. You can never be too careful nor can you know who's a cursed user in the making, even amongst your own classmates. With inherited techniques, word gets around but... Geto, an outsider, was intimately aware of the drawback Gojo experienced when overusing his technique and that speaks volumes about how comfortable Gojo was being vulnerable with him.

Geto encourages Gojo to speak more politely to his elders, again, a pushback he clearly wasn't getting anywhere else or, perhaps, direction he simply wasn't taking from anyone else.

Because Gojo recognizes Geto as an equal, he is more relaxed and able to behave accordingly which Geto graciously allows and creates a safe space for. Imagine all the steam this little weirdo has been holding in out of obligation? Moreover, as someone who has always undeniably been the strongest person in any room, imagine the relief in finally knowing that there is someone else you can rely on? Feel safe with? Someone you can be needy and greedy with. Gojo found his One and Only best friend.

Geto allows him to authentically be himself AND HE STARES AT HIM LIKE THIS WHILE DOING SO!

Additionally, we talk about Gojo being unnecessary at time, which he is. I poke a lot of fun at how Gojo will take in what someone like Yaga explains to him and then the output is some Digimon reference a lot. He literally speaks in gibberish half the time but Geto just... understands him. Or makes it a point to try. Bear in mind, Gojo's silly goofiness belies his penchant for serious contemplation, as well, as he's knowledgeable about historical poetry, prominent figures and events. The dichotomy of this is whiplash inducing to Ijichi. If you think about the adage, those who don't know history are destined to repeat it, it shines an interesting light on why Gojo seems to have such a wealth and emphasis on the history of not only jujutsu sorcerers but also other politics at play dating back centuries. Even more so if you consider ItaFushi to be SatoSugu 2.0 as... the story kind of feels that way, doesn't it? BACK TO THE POINT, Gojo behaves like a fool but he isn't stupid.

I think this arrogance and silly facade is a product of being plugged into the reality of what it truly means for the few to protect the greater good. He's probably hyper aware of the prospective survival rate of his peers based on empirical information he has at his disposal. It's why he pointblank tells Ijichi not to become a sorcerer. I think it's also why he's frivolous with having and creating fun. Not just for his kohais but later for his students. With Geto, he experiences a closeness he hadn't had with anyone else and it improves his ability to connect with others by extension.

I know this is not from the canon material but I think this is the perfect inclusion as to Gojo's proclivity for frivolity. LOOK AT HIM.

MISSION FAILURE AND FALL OUT

Based on the information we have currently, Gojo didn't exactly have the same splintered origins that Megumi and Noritoshi had. But from the above and his socialization with people outside of the Gojo clan, we see how coming from a place of privilege can still create deficiencies. But it isn't enough to simply learn and benefit from the good times. Maybe people take for granted that which isn't tested or taken away. We can't fully understand adult Gojo without understanding the failures of teenage Gojo.

Tasked with a mission that literally impacts the fate of the world and is relayed as such, the two special grade sorcerers take on the Star Plasma Vessel mission. As we saw in season 2, it didn't exactly end well. From this we can glean the following:

From the beginning and despite that which hung in the balance if they were unsuccessful, Gojo and Geto were willing to blow it all, come what may, if the vessel opted out of the merger. They were willing to fight Tengen themselves to spare one life even if it destabilized everything else. The idea of which seems Icarian in nature and we saw how that worked out for Icarus.

Toji's plan of attrition (wearing Gojo down specifically) was successful partly because of the false sense of security engineered by Shiu Kong that allowed them to recapture Kuroi.

However, based on Gojo's hubris, Gojo and Geto were already living in a false sense of security. Any attempts Geto made to temper Gojo's ego were appeased by the fact that, he wasn't alone. Finally. He had Geto and Gojo was insulated in the comfort and security he found in Geto's company. He could take on Tengen, he could risk another night in Okinawa burning through his stamina. It did not matter if he had Geto to rely on. They were the strongest.

Turns out it did matter and they were both foiled, thoroughly. The fall out of these events results in the following:

Gojo's evolution wherein he learns how to control reversed curse energy which shoots him past his previous limits.

Gojo avenges his loss to Toji and Riko, by extension (that order feels important to mention). He achieves a level of enlightenment and transcendence which saw the successful use of the Red Technique that he'd been unable to use in a fight against a lackey during the same mission which also made it possible to execute the finisher attack Hollow Purple, resulting in the fight's end.

Upon reclaiming Riko's body from the Time Vessel Association, Gojo, in the haze of his victory, asks Geto if they should slaughter the people celebrating Riko's death. Showing that, regardless of his power up, he still needs Geto's guidance and values the opinion of his equal. I say this even though we know Gojo lies about Shoko treating his injuries. Even he's aware that this latest evolution creates a greater disparity between their relative strength but he defers to him anyway.

Geto begins questioning whether the lives of non-sorcerers who are capable of such evil are really worth fighting and/or dying for.

The acknowledgement that, even though there is nothing beyond special grade classification, Gojo became the strongest.

Foundationally, Gojo came to terms with the vulnerability that Toji was able to exploit and subsequently trained to remediate that. Simultaneously, Geto fell deeper and deeper into a despair over a persisting moral crisis that Gojo, with Six Eyes at his disposal, was incapable of seeing or understanding. The occurrence of which is maddening to me, personally but such is the way of a fatal flaw.

Geto's subsequent and "sudden" defection pulled the rug from beneath Gojo's feet.

We have seen him dust off countless attempts on his life as a child, shoulder the burden of the Gojo clan as a child, execute his obligations as a sorcerer regardless of his beliefs as a child, and bear the brunt of jujutsu society because of the magnitude of his strength as a child and he never batted an eye. Not to say he didn't have something flippant to say about it but he endured it.

But with Geto's abandonment, whatever security he'd finally found was abruptly destabilized and it's important to note that only when it comes to Geto do we see Gojo's nonchalant facade falter. When he learns of the attack on the village with Yaga, when he confronts Geto in the streets of Shinjuku, when he encounters Kenjaku wearing Geto's corpse, he's not so silly goofy anymore is he?

Finding Geto was like finally feeling the warmth of the summer sun on your face after living in the shadows of a cave all your life. For Gojo, his departure was like never knowing that warmth again.

Not to mention, his immense power and status of being the only other special grade sorcerer meant he also had to carry the weight of being his best friend's executioner. Please.

He spends his adult life cultivating strength in others, rescuing kids from a society that seeks to destroy what they refuse to understand, uniting other so they aren't burdened by the same loneliness that plagues him and, whenever possible, trying to bring light and fun to the lives of kids who may never make it out of high school because that's the reality of sorcerers. That's the burden of responsibility they carry so, in between missions, he tries to be silly, he tricks them, he leads them on wild goose chases so they actually get out and experience their youth properly.

You're not meant to fear Gojo. Fear the society that allowed for these things to happen because he's trying to fix it. If anything, pity the man who is not allowed to be weak or vulnerable because he has always known the weight of the world. He could have been a god but he chose instead to love and it was his undoing.

If you'd like to pity Gojo further, dive into an expansive list of all the SatoSugu brainrot I could think of.

Lowkey, this feels like a call out, because why am I also terrible like this?? Am I being cyber bullied? I feel like this took me several days to write.

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darlingshane · 11 months

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After Carmy leaves the pantry, Mikey breaks down in tears and slaps himself in the face. Was that on the page?

A lot of it was scripted. It’s a real testament to Chris, who wrote the episode. When he leaves him there, 99.9 shows out of 100, as soon as Carmy leaves that pantry, you go with Carmy. To stay on Mikey and be with him, it defies so much of how we do television, in terms of perspective and whose point of view we’re really looking at. It’s a private moment with this character that we know doesn’t exist. They give him two — the moment that he’s sitting there waiting for him, suggesting that he’s feeling the buzz of the pills that he just took, but more importantly, afterward: They leave him there to sit in that pain, and to show it. That moment was understanding that this dream was never going to happen, this was never going to work because he knew where he was headed. He knew where he was going.

Opportunities like that are so unbelievably rare to give characters that private moment. I do think Chris wrote the slap. It was just so, so beautifully written and makes it makes the job super easy.

How did you create that tension with Bob Odenkirk, and what conversations were had before that?

The power of an ensemble, like the power of theater, is you look around that table and everybody is just a thoroughbred. The tension is created in the room. Every time we went and did it, it was completely different — a new person sort of popped up and did this new bubble of intensity or dread. It was super fucking tense in there, because everybody came to play and everybody really knows what they’re doing. And the material is so gorgeous.

With Bob, I’m such a huge fan of his. I thought it was just such a perfect choice. He was so down to come at me, and vice versa! When you have an environment like that, everyone is willing to be a little bit dangerous, because there’s so much trust. There’s so much love and everybody’s so dedicated. The goal starts to then be, OK, how can I shock this person? How can I scare this person? How can I do something that they’ll never expect? How can I lose myself within this? When you create an atmosphere that’s that unbelievably creative and that unbelievably safe, danger is not a hard thing to find. It was really fun! It was like great theater work, and it’s really rare.

How many times did you film that scene? I imagine it may be a bit exhausting.

I would do that all day. I don’t really get exhausted, that’s like a thrill for me. The show moves unbelievably fast. It’s a real testament to what this group has found: the conglomeration, the alchemy of these great artists with this great material. Last year, I had to shoot my stuff basically on my lunch break. They flew out to L.A. for me to shoot that scene. And they told me, “We move so fast.” I don’t think there was a single day that we were there for more than six hours. [Chris Storer] gets what he wants. He shoots it the right way. The crew is as good as I’ve ever worked with. Everyone is so unbelievably dialed in. The cameras are always moving. They’re totally alive.

You said every take was different. How much improv was there — was the table flip scripted? And what type of forks were you using?

They were kind of like plastic forks? Oh, the table flip definitely wasn’t scripted. But it’s still a testament to Chris. I was like, “Hey, man, you gotta let me kind of go crazy at least once!” I do a lot of action stuff and I’m aware of how big of a reset that it is, where the food is meticulously laid out and it’s so specific and is a character within itself. He definitely gave me the green light. It’s funny when you work with directors, especially in TV, because sometimes they’ll give you the green light, but then be like, “Just maybe save it ’til the end.” Chris was like, “Go do you.” I think the funnest thing for me really, in that scene, was to be off camera and just to keep that intensity, keep that fight going with Bob and see everybody else’s reaction. It was just such a joy to do.

I put on subtitles for some of my second watch, especially the scene with you, Ebon and Jeremy talking about Claire. Your one-liners were cracking me up. Did you say she’s a “basket of biscuits”?

Yeah, “all that and a basket of biscuits” is a Jon Bernthal D.C. line for me. That was definitely one that I threw in. When Chris is behind the monitor, they’re cheering you on, sometimes they’re yelling lines from behind the monitors. It’s this comedic, super dark, really, really authentic and honest world. There’s this air of anything can happen and let’s push it, come up with stuff and be really, really creative. And honor the moment. It really is the best way to work. And with Ebon, it’s such a natural conversation for us. We really found that scene on the day.

#must read #jon bernthal #the bear #the bear fx #i teared up reading some of his answers #and i'm totally stealing 'basket of biscuits' for my next fic

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thegayhimbo · 9 months

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Stranger Things Erica The Great Review

Warning: The following review contains MAJOR SPOILERS from this graphic novel, as well as from Season 4 of Stranger Things!

If you haven't yet, be sure to check out my other Stranger Things reviews, and let me know what your thoughts/theories are about the show or the upcoming season! :)

Stranger Things Six

Stranger Things Halloween Special

Stranger Things The Other Side

Stranger Things Zombie Boys

Stranger Things The Bully

Stranger Things Winter Special

Stranger Things Tomb of Ybwen

Stranger Things Into The Fire

Stranger Things Science Camp

Stranger Things "The Game Master" and "Erica's Quest"

Stranger Things and Dungeons and Dragons

Stranger Things Kamchatka

Synopsis: Following the events of season 3, Erica has embraced her love for Dungeons & Dragons and begins organizing campaigns centered around her new D&D character: Erica The Great. At the suggestion of her mom, she enlists her friends to play the game with her. However, Erica's attempts to control D&D cause her friends to turn on her with disastrous results. Now it's up to Erica to fix things before everyone ends up in trouble.

Observations:

This is the third graphic novel since Zombie Boys and The Bully, and it's once again penned by Greg Pak, this time alongside Danny Lore. Released on January 26, 2022 (four months before season 4 premiered), it serves as an interquel between when Erica was first given the D&D books by Dustin and Lucas at the end of season 3, and when she substitutes for Lucas at Hellfire Club in the season 4 premiere. The graphic novel chronicles one of her D&D campaigns with her friends (Kelly, Tanya, and April). Compared to comics/graphic novels like Kamchatka or Into the Fire which were dark and intense, this one is light-hearted, which is welcoming. This story focuses on Erica's personal development, both in how she plays D&D, and as a person.

When it comes to discussing character development in the series, most of the fan discourse usually centers around Steve's growth and how he's evolved since the show began. While I 100% agree that he has, and that it's one of the best aspects of the show, there are times fans tend to overlook other characters who have changed as well. Two examples that come to mind are Lucas and Erica. I will cover Lucas's development when I review Lucas on the Line, but for this discussion, I'm focusing exclusively on Erica.

Erica's growth has been interesting, and as she's evolved as a character, so has my perception of her. When she was introduced in season 2, I didn't care much for her. IMO, she came off as little more than a bratty younger sister who made disdainful remarks about Lucas and his friends, and at one point (unintentionally) acted as a hindrance when Dustin was trying to get in contact with Lucas. I know there are fans who loved her snark, but I found it mean-spirited and off-putting. I get she was 9-10 years old at the time, and I know some kids tend to act like this at that age, but it doesn't make it any more pleasant to deal with. It also doesn't help she didn't have much to do with the main plot, so I didn't see a reason at the time to get invested in her.

Season 3 was different. I know fan opinions about Erica were mixed at the time, but in spite of that, I liked her better in season 3 for two reasons: 1.) From a narrative perspective, she actually had a point for being there, namely in helping Steve, Robin, and Dustin infiltrate the Russian base underneath Starcourt Mall, and later aiding Dustin in rescuing a drugged Robin and Steve. 2.) This was the season Erica's character development started to kick in. Her reasons for getting involved were initially about "Free Ice Cream for Life," but once things go horribly wrong and she's informed about what's really going on, she finally realizes the danger everyone is in and starts taking the situation a lot more seriously. On top of that, after her talk with Dustin about how she's secretly a nerd, she begins embracing that aspect of herself rather than snidely putting it down like she's done in the past.

Season 4 is where I liked Erica the most. The sequence of her helping to win Eddie's D&D campaign was fun, and it's noteworthy she didn't have to be bribed by Mike and Dustin either. She aided them because she loves the game and she see herself as Dustin's friend. As she tells Jason later when he's asking about Dustin: "Know him? I've bled with him." She still retains her snark, but it's more directed towards people who actually deserve it: Like when Eddie acts condescending towards her initially when she shows up at Hellfire Club, or even some of the barbs she throws Jason's way. This exchange especially is golden:

I love how a.) Erica clearly likes Max and approves of her relationship with Lucas, and b.) Even if she is being snarky here, she's not disapproving of the idea of Lucas going out with guys, but thinks Lucas could do so much better than Jason. 😂

Jokes aside though, I also appreciate how, in an entire room full of adults who were silent and complicit during Jason's speech at the town hall, she is the only one who wasn't afraid to stand up to Jason and call bullshit at his attempts to paint the Hellfire Club as a Satanic cult responsible for every bad thing happening in Hawkins. She knew this was going to turn into a lynch mob that would target her brother and his friends, and she was having none of it.

Initially, she does throw shade at Lucas and Dustin when they're caught by the police and lie about what they're doing, but when she's informed about what's actually going on, she willingly drops everything to help them escape (and judging by her unsurprised look at Lucas's explanation, she probably already figured out the recent deaths, combined with Lucas and Dustin's suspicious behavior, had something to do with the Upside Down). She later does everything she can to stop Vecna along with the rest of the group, and helped save Max's life (following El restarting her heart) by getting emergency respondents there to stabilize Max's condition before it got worse.

Adding on to this, I love how season 4 subtly shows Erica caring about Lucas without the constant snide jabs. Like Erica coming to all of Lucas's basketball games on her own accord (minus the one she missed for Hellfire Club). Or staying in the hospital with Lucas while Max recovers. Or even rushing to Lucas's aid after overpowering Andy. Lucas on the Line also expands on her protective side towards Lucas, such as getting angry when Lucas gets called a racist slur by someone on the basketball team, or even being worried for Lucas when he's made the target of a bomb threat at school.

In Stranger Things tradition, Erica is someone who appears one way on the surface, but has a lot more hidden depths to her character.

This brings me to the interquel Erica The Great: Much like the short story "Erica's Quest," Erica is still developing her skills as a D&D player at this time, and is looking for people to play with her. The story kicks off when her mom suggests inviting her friends to do a campaign despite their unfamiliarity with D&D.

Her friends eventually agree, but problems arise when they have a hard time understanding how the game is played. Erica doesn't help by being impatient and dismissive when they question things. There's also the fact Erica is more interested initially in getting the glory and credit for herself rather than genuinely wanting to work with her friends, resulting in them feeling inconvenienced.

Naturally, this pisses Tanya off, and she leaves to get her mom's bird (a parakeet) to show off to April and Kelly as a way of one-upping Erica. A fight breaks out between them over this, resulting in the parakeet getting loose and flying next door to the house of Erica's neighbor, Miss Dorothy.

Because she knows Tanya will get in trouble with her mother for losing the bird, Erica agrees to get it back for her, all the while dealing with Miss Dorothy's dog and a bunch of other obstacles.

If you've followed along to this point, you can already guess what kind of story this is, and how it plays out: Main character starts out selfish and self-centered. Catastrophe occurs, forcing them to work with others to solve the problem. Through trial and error, they eventually learn the value of teamwork, acknowledge their faults, and grow as a person.

While the plot itself is formulaic, it works here for Erica in bridging parts of her character development. Not only is she learning to be a better player and Dungeon Master, but she's also learning to be a better friend to those around her. She was already beginning to show signs of this towards the end of season 3, and season 4 acts as the culmination of that. This graphic novel shows the big leap forward for her. She's starting to shed her "It's All About Me" attitude while also taking responsibility and learning that it's okay to rely on others for assistance instead of doing everything on your own.

On top of that, regardless of whether or not this was intentional from the writers, I like how the graphic novel serves as a nice deconstruction of the "Mary Sue/Author's Self-Insert" archetypes and how obnoxious they are. The character Erica creates and uses in D&D initially resembles that: She's presented as perfect in the game with no meaningful flaws she has to work through. She's naturally great at everything she does, and both the game's narration and her "companions" are just there to prop her up. Rather than making her look awesome, it just makes her character an uninteresting scene-stealer. This contrasts hard with Erica outside of the game where she's called out for her flaws, works through them, strengthens her friendship with the other girls as a result, and likely takes what she's learned and applies it to the game to make "Erica The Great" a better written and more compelling character. By the end, she's even giving her friends the chance to add their own spin to their D&D campaign because she recognizes it's important for them to try out their fun ideas.

And I get that through all of this, Erica's still a kid who's around 10-11 years old at this time, and that certain levels of being self-centered are expected. I even get creating fantasy worlds at that age where you're the main character of your story, who does everything perfectly and is constantly hailed for your amazing accomplishments. I did the same thing myself when I was growing up, so I recognize I'm not in a position to judge others on that account. However, in the context of this story, it's still nice seeing that growth from Erica.

Something else that's fun is how the quest to get the parakeet back is viewed through Erica's imagination as a D&D adventure. From Erica's perspective, the parakeet is a fiery Phoenix, Miss Dorothy is a mysterious witch, and her dog is a Cerberus. You can tell the artists had a lot of fun with these scenes:

I also love the small detail of Erica starting her D&D Campaign at "Starcourt Tavern," which is fittingly symbolic for the place where her story and first encounter with elements from the Upside Down began:

One tiny question I have though: Where is Tina in all of this? She's been repeatedly name-dropped by Erica and Lucas in seasons 3 and 4, and yet she hasn't made any appearance on the show or in this graphic novel. We get Kelly, Tanya, and April, but we don't get Tina.

Oh well! 🤷

On a final note, in regards to where they take Erica's story in season 5, I'm wondering if she and Lucas will spend most of their time together for the last season as they deal with Vecna's impending invasion. The ominous ending for season 4 certainly suggests that:

Since Erica's also in the hospital with Max at this time, I wonder if she might even have a role in resuscitating Max from her current coma.

Additionally, I also believe that since the comics and season 4 placed a heavy emphasis on Erica's skills and knowledge as a D&D player, she may end up employing them in a way that brings Vecna's downfall in the final season. There's even an argument to be had that the scene of Erica in "The Hellfire Club" rolling a 20 for the team and defeating the D&D version of Vecna is foreshadowing that she'll have an important role to play in the Party's fight against Vecna.

Overall, a fun graphic novel that does a great job enhancing Erica's continuing character development. Check it out when (and if) you get the chance!

#stranger things #erica sinclair #lucas sinclair #dustin henderson #eddie munson #max mayfield #jason carver #vecna #stranger things comics #stranger things season 4 #stranger things season 3 #tgh opinions #tgh reviews #the duffer brothers

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pastafossa · 1 year

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hey pasta! I don’t know if someone has asked this already but is TRT gonna go into Born Again or end at season 3?

So that's where I'm not sure! The current outline is as such:

All Major Arcs (including Cyrus James/Project Beagle fallout arc and psychic abilities arcs): scheduled to wrap up a bit after the end of S3 so that Matt and Jane's arcs/development neatly dovetail together. This will mark the official end of TRT's main fic.

Special Additional Arcs (chaptered fics not attached to main fic but still TRT canon, taking place after end of main fic) in no particular order: Endgame/The Snap arc, Spider-Man: NWH arc, Spoiler Removed arc, tentative She Hulk Shenanigans arc.

Oneshot Arcs: various domestic fluff arcs, interactions with major MCU events, a 'What Their Life Is Like When Old Cause GD It They're Going To Live To Old Age And Will Have Rocking Chairs' arc, a SINGLE take it or leave it 'What If?' fic of something funny with a possible daughter cause damn I had this idea for a hilarious scene and it won't leave me alone

Now, those are what are planned in the outline, and the main event with Project Beagle tie-ins and plotlines and all of that is something I'm still planning to end just after S3 because I really do want to have a finish line for that, and I feel like dragging that all out for Born Again wouldn't work for the... events that are going to happen, without saying too much. Once that's wrapped up, that's when you're going to see TRT finally marked as 'complete' on AO3, though there'll be more fics set in that universe (see special additional arcs and oneshot arcs) that I'll mark as in the Devil and Hound series along with drabbles on tumblr.

Once we're past that official endpoint and those special arcs, though, things get fluid and murky since when I was outlining all the major plotlines, there was no Daredevil: Born Again, nor was Matt even in the MCU officially (which is why Spider-Man pops in way sooner in TRT than he meets Matt in the MCU) and I specifically set up Jane's plotline to bookend with Matt's so their growth twined together and they both finally found peace around the same time. Outside that, I'd planned some shorter chaptered stories in the series post-mainline TRT like the Snap arc that I may now adjust (since it sure is looking like Matt was left behind for the snap) but nothing on the level of TRT's main plotline which is absolutely massive and took me years to fully outline and construct before coming back from hiatus in 2021 and pumping out chapters (Happy six year anniversary to TRT on Sept 15!).

ALL THAT BEING SAID.

I do have plans to write stuff for TRT's take on Born Again because I'm 100% married to writing for Matt at this point and there's no possible way I won't want to do something once I'm being fed Charlie!Matt scenes again. I'm not sure what those plans are just yet - I kinda wanna wait and see what happens in Born Again in case it sparks something. But I also want to make sure that no matter what I do, there's some sort of strong original plotline so that, much like mainline TRT, we'll be able to weave in and out of canonical events (especially since things like the Snap or a wedding or Jane and Matt's friendship with Peter will alter canon). I don't think I'm going to do something quite as huge as TRT's main plotline again, mostly because it takes a TON of time and work, and I'm planning to take the original TRT elements and morph them into an original series fit for publishing (different enough that I can leave TRT up for everyone to read, cause at this point the fic's part of DD fandom culture and I have no plans to take that away) which will also take a ton of time. But I'm definitely rattling my brain around, looking at different plotlines I could do knowing what I know about the ending, hunting for loose ends or canonical threads that I can weave in with TRT's world and create something new!

Then again, I never would have said I'd make something as massive as TRT before I started, either, so who knows.

So in short: YES, there will be TRT events for Born Again even if it's not as elaborate as TRT! I just have no idea what those will be yet. Fortunately, TRT mainline's only a little over halfway done so I've got time to plan!

#the red thread #daredevil: born again #if authors and characters are sometimes like marriages then me and matt and jane have rings #all of the mainline stuff i had was basically planned to wrap up just after season 3 and that's still going to happen #with additional but much shorter chaptered fics planned to explore MCU events through a TRT lens #as well as some domestic fluff stuff and exploring what their relationship looks like as the MCU moves forward #so I was always planning to do *something* in a way #but honestly i didn't expect for there to be a born again #and certainly not as much stuff with matt as is happening #so i didn't really have anything SUPER huge planned unless a movie did something big that sparked an idea (think the snap)#and now i'm like OH MY GOD THE SHOWS THERE WILL BE SO MUCH #and i have a feeling i'll have a lot to work with that might stir some creativity!#it just probably won't be as elaborate as TRT cause gd i love it but it's a ton of work #and i want to get a variation of it published which will also be work since i need to change a mountain of details #but yes i do plan to write stuff for born again set in the TRT universe! just need to see what gets sparked unless i bump into something #that inspires a plotline #a bit like i did with the idea of red threads

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mischief-lies-and-stories · 7 months

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B-15's Backstory: Incoherent Thoughts

Because I'm still not over this, and not likely to be over this any time soon. I've been sending my friend near constant stream-of-consciousness texts about this all day. Now you get to deal with it. Headcanons, theories, reactions, etc. Spoilers for Loki episode 2x05 and probably Loki: Agent of Asgard.

I'm literally just typing up my texts about B-15/Verity, so they really are incoherent/stream-of-consciousness. I'm not kidding when I say I've been thinking about her all day. I'm aware this is almost certainly just an easter egg, but my brain does not work that way when I get a hint of something I love.

She found him before Mobius did. She's been with him all along!!!

Besides Sylvie he loses her last in episode five. ;.; She finds him first in 1x01, and she's the last agent he loses in 2x05.

If Tom Hiddleston does not say "Verity" at some point in episode six I won't know what to do with myself. Then again if he does, I'm going to have to pause the episode to cry for twenty minutes.

I wrote this TWO WEEKS AGO. A part of me knew.

I complained about Loki not being on my birthday month for my calendar but IT'S VERITY I'M OKAY WITH IT. [The thing draped over her is a palm from Palm Sunday. It's the only place in my apartment it's able to hang.]

Oh my god if B-15 is not outright confirmed to be able to detect lies in the next episode I'm gonna ignore everything the writers try to tell me and I'm going to do a whole rewatch explicitly to catalog all of her interactions and assess if I can conclude that she has this power in the MCU. She already only needed Sylvie to tell her to her face that Sylvie didn't create C-20's memories and she believed her.

Personally I want that scene from the mid-season trailer where Loki's like "I'm a fast learner" and everyone else just takes him at his word, but then I want B-15 to be like '...This boi's acting sus.' And everyone else gets to work, and she pulls him aside and is like, "What are you up to?" And he's like, "Nothing." And she's like, "I know you're lying." Basically if someone (Loki) says something in the episode that I know as a viewer is a lie and they do a fairly decent job of acting convincing (none of this over-the-top terrible lying bullshit to really drive home to the audience that they're lying), and B-15 says the words "I know you're lying," I'm sold. I won't rewatch everything to figure it out. I'll be convinced she can detect lies.

No but Sylvie and B-15 becoming ride or die bffs, no romance, like Loki and Verity are in the comics would give me LIFE.

I've come up with another way they can imply B-15 can detect lies next episode. If at some point Loki just starts telling his friends about their lives on the timeline instead of doing the memory magic, and he turns to OB and goes, "You... are a brilliant writer." And B-15 is in the frame, and she doesn't say anything, either in that moment or as an aside to Loki, but she just twitches a little at the lie. I'll lose my fucking mind. If that and the one season one interaction with Sylvie is all we get as implicative confirmation, I'll fucking take it. My girl can detect lies. Sold. Done.

[Not really a headcanon or anything, but just to show you I'm a fool irl too] Also I came in, [my dad] said, "Hi, what's up?" And I said, "B-15 is Verity Willis." And then I grinned like a lunatic even though he has no clue who Verity is and I know he has no clue who Verity is.

We currently do not have any evidence that B-15 is not ace, so Verity is still 100% ace in the MCU, too.

#loki #loki tv show #loki season 2 #loki season 2 spoilers #loki theories #loki comics #b-15 #please is it too early to tag her still #i know i KNOW it's an easter egg and that's probably it but i just don't care #i just love her and i've wanted her here for a long time #so i'll take what i can get even if it's crumbs okay #seriously between this and the shocking accuracy of my pre-ep fic #you are all getting a front row seat to how marvel breaks my brain for good #if we get the Coat next week it was nice knowing you

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yellowcrazycricket · 8 months

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Tagged by @wondrousmay @shiro-s2e2-erukinzu ,thank you so much!

Three ships: Loid/Yor(SPY X FAMILY), Shinei/Vladilena(86 -Eighty Six-), Glory/Deathbringer(Wings of Fire)

also, um, spoiler? Does it count if they're already canon?

First ship: (I'm starting it from when I knew the concept of ship, which is just a few months ago) Loid/Yor(SPY X FAMILY)

Last song: Dakara boku wa ongaku o yameta - Yorushika

Last movie: Kaguya-sama: Love Is War -The First Kiss That Never Ends-

Reading: Mob Psycho 100. (Finished the anime now onto the comic)

Currently watching: seasonal anime. (Mushoku Tensei Jobless Reincarnation season 2, Helek, Undead Girl Murder Farce, Jujutsu kaisen season 2, the Masterful Cat Is Depressed Again Today)

Consuming: Nothing, because it's in the middle of the night right now, I am not planning on eating midnight snack, and I don't know why the hell am I still awake right now I'm so tired.

Craving: Sleep, and hours and hours to not have to do anything.

Tagging @qweenexplosionmurder and anyone else who wants to do it!😁

#.1 p

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officialaemondtargaryen · 2 years

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#130 and/or #147 if you're still taking Eddie requests this weekend? After that season finale I just need to read something heart achingly sweet and tender in a declaring his love for the first time type situation. I was really caught off guard by how much I ended up loving his character. Thank you!!!

Prompts: (30) "I'll keep you safe" and (147) "Tell me again"

Characters: Eddie Munson x Fem!Henderson!Reader

Word Count: 8,712

Warnings: Spoilers for Vol. 1 of season 4 if you have not watched it yet (what are you even doing here?) though some things don’t 100% match up with the show. There’s some cursing, a lot of pining, and it is kind of angsty.

A/N: First, just thank you for this request because I truly enjoyed writing this for you. Second, I hope you love it. Third, buckle up because it's a long one. Fourth, check out the songs that were on repeat while writing this below!

Playlist: 1, 2, 3, 4

You never meant to get caught up in all of this.

But Dustin- he was your brother, after all. You had his back no matter what, through thick and thin; bullies, forgotten lunch money, a ride to and from the arcade. Whatever Dustin needed, you were there. Including when he, and all of his friends, came to you for help with a problem of the other-worldly variety.

You had your suspicions for a while that Dustin and his friends were up to no good, but you just assumed it was a very elaborate D&D campaign. You definitely didn't expect your sweet, intelligent, little brother to tell you that he had found an interdimensional species of slug that turned into a monster and ate your mother's cat and was now on the loose.

But when he did, you did what any big sister would do.

You had his back.

Still, there was always a feeling in the pit of your stomach- the waiting for the other shoe to drop when things began to feel normal again. Yet, despite everything that you and your friends had been through since then, there was a collective hopefulness that maybe- just this once- things would get better.

You had met Eddie Munson about six months ago when Dustin asked you to come and watch one of the Hellfire Club's campaigns. The eccentric Dungeon Master gave him shit for inviting his big sister along and made sure to point out that there was a very strict 'no spectators allowed' rule.

"Relax, who do you think even taught this loser how to play in the first place? I'm only here to make sure my little brother isn't getting clowned by some posers who aren't deserving of his skills."

Your friendship was pretty set in stone from that moment on, and the two of you grew incredibly close incredibly fast. The relationship that you had with Eddie was special. It was normal, grounding, and you cherished him for being able to make you forget about all the dark shit you had been through that you longed to forget about. Which, inevitably, led you to spend what was probably way too much time with him.

There was so much that you couldn't tell him, and he knew that you weren't being completely open; and in true Eddie fashion, he was a little too open to compensate for it. When he'd wake you out of a nightmare or notice you flinching when he made a sudden movement, or maybe you were zoning out again, he couldn't help but wonder what it was that you were keeping to yourself.

The rules of the party forbid you to tell anyone, it was pretty much the number one and most important rule- which was broken, quite often, depending on the circumstances. So you don't tell him. You can't. He would never believe you, anyways. He'd think you had just gotten too high again and were trying to give him ideas for a new campaign. But that was okay because Eddie didn't need to know. He was so incredibly innocent and sweet and you knew that if you brought him into that kind of world, it would only cast a shadow on the light that was him.

That wasn't the only thing you were holding back from him, though.

You remembered the exact moment that you fell in love with Eddie Munson. You remember the realization of your discovery hitting you like a tidal wave as if it were just yesterday; sitting on his bed, legs crossed underneath you, shuffling through an old milk crate of records to find something to put on. That was your typical day after school; Eddie would take you back to his trailer, he'd make something quick for you both to eat- because God knows the Hawkins High cafeteria food was not worth eating, you'd help him with his homework, and he'd get you super high.

As you thumbed through record after record, and cassette tape after cassette tape- countless metal bands, some of which you had never heard of- something caught your attention. Your brows furrowed together as Eddie's soft voice carried through the trailer and you leaned over to glance down the hallway. He was in the kitchen, making boxed macaroni and cheese and quietly humming the words to your favorite song.

The moment you saw him rounding the corner down the hallway with two bowls in hand, you snapped back to your place on his bed, pretending you had never taken your attention off of his records. The smile on your face, however, gave you away instantly.

"What's got you smilin'?" He asked, proudly handing you the top-tier mid-afternoon snack he had just whipped up.

You shook your head, "I thought you hated Journey?" You questioned nonchalantly with a shrug of your shoulders. "You said they weren't real rock n' roll."

He rolled his eyes and tilted his head to the side before shoving a forkful of macaroni in his mouth. "Yeah, well," he said while chewing. "You like them."

You weren't sure why you had never noticed it before, but when you looked at him in that moment with his hair pulled back in a low bun, sunlight streaming through half-closed blinds casting a pale, peach glow across his soft features and illuminating the silver chain around his neck, it was as clear as ever: you were in love with him. The feeling terrified you, so much so that, not only did you immediately get up and leave his trailer that day, but you didn’t see or speak to him for two whole weeks; coming up with every excuse in the book to avoid him.

The problem was that you were, well, you. You were t-shirts and ripped jeans that were a little too long, unkempt hair, and a snarky attitude. You were the best friend, not the girlfriend, and you didn’t want whatever feelings that were blooming in the pit of your stomach to ruin what was the best friendship that you had ever known. So avoiding Eddie Munson like the fucking plague was the best idea that you had until those feelings began to subside.

Only they didn’t. They grew and grew until it felt like you were drowning every time you were around him. And that was a real problem, because Eddie only liked girls that were way out of his league; girls that didn’t want boxed macaroni and cheese or would scrunch up their noses in disgust at the sight of his mattress. He liked short skirts and girls who wore make-up. And the pain you felt every time he smirked or batted his big, beautiful eyes in a cheerleader’s direction was going to be the death of you, that you knew.

"Have you talked to Eddie today?" Dustin asked you after throwing open your bedroom door without even bothering to knock. Max was standing closely behind him in the hallway outside of your room. You knew them both well enough to know that the looks on their faces were anything but good.

"No, why?" You asked.

It was pretty early on the first day of Spring Break, so it wasn't surprising that Eddie hadn't called or been by your house. He was probably sleeping in. Dustin didn't say anything else, he immediately turned on his heel and started marching towards the front door with Max in tow, spewing off nonsense that you couldn't quite comprehend.

"Dustin," you said sternly, having no choice but to follow them. "What's going on?"

"I'll explain on the way," he replied and tossed the car keys towards you. "Let's go!"

Your mind was swimming as Dustin mouthed off all of the possible scenarios that would put Chrissy Cunningham and Eddie in the same vicinity. He kept prodding you with questions being that you knew him better than anyone; about his love life, did he have any other family, where would he go if he needed to get away? But your mind was scrambled, a thousand thoughts firing all at once- all you could say was, "I don't know".

Robin and Steve weren't too thrilled to see the three of you. From past experience, more than three party members busting through the doors of their workplace usually spelled trouble. Dustin immediately went to work on getting a list of the phone numbers of all of the people that he knew who knew Eddie. Max filled Robin and Steve in on the newest mission. And you, well, you sat on a step stool behind the counter and tried not to have a panic attack- or vomit, either one.

This was your best friend and now the number one suspect in a murder investigation. You knew how to handle monsters but you weren't quite sure how to get a grip on what exactly was happening. One thing was certain, to at least you and Dustin- Eddie was completely innocent. Steve mentioned that you should get the cops involved, but getting the cops involved- having Max as the last person besides Eddie to see Chrissy alive, and witnessing Eddie fleeing the scene of the crime meant certain doom for your best friend.

"We're not calling the cops, Steve." you seethed as you stood up from the step stool; your face red from rubbing your hands over your cheeks and eyes to keep yourself from crying. Everyone collectively stopped talking and looked at you. "I know where Rick lives, it's out by Lover's Lake. He's currently locked up, but he trusts Eddie so he would watch the house for him, or whatever. He would take me out there with him sometimes."

Eddie had been hiding for almost twenty-four hours. He hadn't slept, he was on edge, terrified that even breathing too heavy meant that someone was going to find him. And when he jumped out from underneath that tarp with a broken beer bottle and held it to Steve's neck, you saw the fear in his eyes. But when he looked around that dingy room and his eyes met yours, you could also see that weight being lifted off of his chest.

There you were.

He released his grip on Steve and you stepped forward, pulling Eddie into your arms and down to the floor, cradling him. He was so visibly shaken that it made your heart sink. His lips quivered as he took in his surroundings. Just moments ago, he was scared for his life and hiding under a tarp, and now he was surrounded by a bunch of people that he barely knew, still scared for his life, but now you were there and to him, that was enough.

You silently rubbed circles into Eddie's back as he recounted the events of the night before. You stayed quiet at his side as Dustin tried to explain the history of madness that seemed to loom over your small town. Eddie looked at you every so often, trying to verify if what your little brother was saying was the truth, and you'd slightly nod; knowing that you'd have your chance to further explain later.

Once the others left, it was just you and Eddie. You had been alone with him before, countless times, but this time it was different. This time, it was Eddie who was looking to you to keep him safe, instead of the other way around. You paced the floor of the boathouse, looking for supplies, things that could be made into weapons, anything useful. You were able to find a couple of flashlights, a small heater, a can of gasoline, a hammer, and a boathook; not to mention Steve's oar, which could definitely be used to knock someone out, if needed. Eddie sat on the ground in the same spot he had been for the last hour and a half. His arms were wrapped around his legs and he was rocking slightly back and forth as he fidgeted with the rings on his hands. You opened the small fridge that Rick used to store extra beer and pulled a couple of cold bottles out, handing one to your friend.

"So you've dealt with this kind of thing before?" He asked before twisting off the bottle's cap and taking a swig. It seemingly seemed to calm his nerves momentarily.

You sat opposite him, in front of him so that he could see your face- and see your truth- when you told him. You started at the very beginning, with Will and Hawkins Lab. You told him about everything; Eleven's powers, when Dustin came to you about Dart, the Russians at Starcourt Mall, Billy Hargrove, how half of the town had been possessed and didn't really die in a mall fire. He watched as you recounted your memories, brown eyes filled with concern as you described the things you had seen. A silence fell over you once you had finished, your eyes glued to the rickety floorboards of the boathouse as you waited for his response.

"I promise you that whatever this is, Dustin- he'll figure it out. He somehow always does." You said quietly. “In the meantime, I’ll keep you safe.”

"I trust you," he said and shifted his body so that he was sitting next to you. "You have no idea how- how relieved I was to see you."

You looked up at him, his dark eyes gazing softly down at you through thick lashes, and hoped that he couldn’t hear the thundering sound of your heart pounding in your chest. You wanted to say something, but all of the words were getting stuck in the back of your throat and your mouth had become dry. So you gave him a small smile and took another sip of your beer, ignoring the feeling of false hope bubbling in your chest. The last thing you needed was to half convince yourself that Eddie’s words were any indication that he might have felt the same way. He had just been through a trauma, and he was happy to have his friend by his side, that was all.

The flash of headlights passed over the ceiling of the boathouse and disappeared just as quickly. Eddie tore his eyes away from yours, anxiously looking around the dark space. You placed a hand on his thigh to level his nerves. “Hey, it’s okay,” you whispered. “You picked a pretty good hiding spot.” Your soft words seemed to work and he let out a deep sigh, leaning his body into yours and resting his head on your shoulder. "Get some sleep, okay?" You told him and felt him nod against your shoulder. "Tomorrow is a different day."

"Hey," he whispered after a few moments of silence. "Please don't leave."

"Wouldn’t dream of it."

The next morning, you were still in the same place- ass sore, legs numb, but you wouldn't have moved from that spot if someone had paid you a million dollars to do it. You were at least thankful that you were able to reach your novel out of your bag without waking the shaggy-haired boy currently using your shoulder as a pillow. He stirred softly before lifting his head and croaking out a, "good morning." It was almost nine o'clock, the sun was shining out over the lake, and you were sure that it wouldn't be long before you heard Dustin over the walkie. Eddie fingered the crust out of his eyes and looked out to the lake. You couldn't see it, but you knew that the reflection of the sun on the water was dancing across those beautiful brown eyes of his.

"D'you sleep at all?" He asked, turning his attention back to you. You shook your head and his brows pulled together, forehead wrinkling beneath his tousled bangs. "You stayed up all night?"

"My dear, Edward, I had to make sure that someone didn’t come to take you in the night.”

"Still," he replied with a small smile, crossing his legs underneath him before standing up.

"I’ll be okay,” you replied with a shrug.

He was standing at the edge of the boathouse, staring out at the water; a gentle breeze lightly picked up the ends of his hair. You heard a small sigh escape his lips. “Do you remember when we used to come out here?” He asked, glancing back at you with lips turned up at the corners in the sweetest little smile. You stood to your feet and stretched your arms over your head before joining him at his side. “We’d stay up for hours just watching the way the wind blew over the water.”

Once again, that pesky feeling began to creep into your chest. You cleared your throat, “we should probably figure out where Dustin is.” Eddie’s smile faltered just slightly before he nodded his head.

Almost on queue, your brother, followed by Max, Robin, and Steve flew through the boathouse door, holding bags of snacks and drinks. You and Eddie both jumped back from each other and you heard Eddie mumble something about there being beer, but being that you were the only one with a fake ID, you knew there wouldn't be any. Instead, in true Dustin Henderson fashion, there was Yoo-hoo and a hearty variety of sugary and savory snacks.

However, as great as the snacks he brought were, your brother didn’t bring the best of news. The police were looking for Eddie. He was their number one suspect, but they hadn't released his name to the public, yet. A silver lining. Yet, it was only a matter of time before they found him, and the timetable was quickly moving up.

That same day there was another murder; another student from Hawkins High.

It was too close to the boathouse for your liking, so you all agreed that Eddie would be safer elsewhere. And for the first time in months, Steve’s parents were actually home and not on some kind of cruise or business trip. Robin’s mother worked from home, so that was a no-go. And, well, Max lived in the trailer park, so that left the Henderson residence- which, if you were being honest, it should have never been a debate in the first place. Eddie was always welcome at your house. Your mother loved him, but you knew that she probably wouldn’t love the idea of harboring a fugitive. That was okay, though, because you had snuck him into your bedroom at least a dozen times on the nights that you couldn’t sleep and she was none the wiser.

So you all split up; Dustin and the rest of the group heading off with Nancy to follow some leads to see if they could find a connection to the murders, and you with Eddie. In the past you had usually found yourself right in the thick of whatever plan the Party had come up with, doing whatever you needed to do to save your brother and your friends, but Dustin wasn’t a kid anymore- none of you were. A part of you was thankful that you weren't going head-to-toe with about a thousand, razor sharp teeth and four-inch-long claws. You couldn’t help but worry about your little brother, though, whenever the two of you were separated, no matter how much you trusted Steve to keep him safe.

“He’ll be okay,” Eddie whispered, nudging you with his elbow.

You made Eddie ride in the trunk back to your house. Hawkins was a small town, and the drive from Rick’s to your place went straight through downtown- no way were you going to risk him being seen. Your mother’s car was in the driveway and the faint glow of the television illuminated the living room with a blue hue. Eddie snuck around the back of your house to your bedroom window where you’d meet him inside, it was dark, so you weren’t too worried about your neighbors seeing him. You went in through the front door, making small talk with your mom. You made some excuse about being tired before heading down the hallway to your room. She called after you, letting you know she was going to bed and reminded you of the leftovers in the fridge.

Eddie was already sitting on your bed by the time you opened your bedroom door. He opened his mouth to say something, but you held your finger up to your lips. Seconds later, you could hear your mother’s footsteps passing by your door to her own room at the end of the hall.

“Give it ten minutes and she’ll be snoring so loud you can hear it from outside.” You whispered faintly. Eddie smiled. “Did you want to take a shower?” He nodded his head. “Okay, I’ll go get the water started for you and heat you up some lasagna while you’re in there.”

He held two thumbs up in agreement and you quietly snuck out of your room to the bathroom across the hall. Your mother liked everything pink; much to you and Dustin’s disdain. The towels were pink, the washcloths, the fluffy toilet seat cover, the rug, the walls, the soap, everything. You draped one of those towels over the rack next to the shower and turned on the hot water, a cloud of thick steam rising in the air. You tiptoed over to your mother’s door and pressed your ear to the cool wood. She was snoring, perfect.

“She’s out,” you said a little louder than a whisper when you entered back into your room. “Hot water’s going for you. I think I have-” you tapped your index finger on your lips as you stepped over to your dresser, digging through the bottom drawer to pull out one of Eddie’s t-shirts and a pair of your dad’s old sweatpants. “Here we go.”

You tossed the clothes over to Eddie. “I’ve been looking for this shirt.”

“Sorry about that,” you couldn’t help but blush. “I was meaning to get it back to you.” That was a lie.

“Thanks, Y/N,” He said, standing up and taking a few long strides to where you were standing by the door. He was so close you could smell the lingering scent of cigarettes and cheap cologne. “I really appreciate this.”

You nodded and swallowed the knot in your throat, “of course, Eddie. You don’t have to thank me. I’d do anything for you, you know that.”

“Yeah,” he replied with a smile with his hand on the doorknob. “Yeah, I do.”

He turned the knob and disappeared out of your room and into the bathroom. You let out the breath that you didn’t know you were holding, and it took a few moments to collect yourself before you slipped into the kitchen to heat up a heaping plate of lasagna; making sure to pull it out of the microwave before the timer went off. Eddie stalked into the kitchen shortly after, and you almost laughed at the sight of his head wrapped in a fluffy, pink towel. He stuck his tongue out at you before taking his seat at the kitchen table. It didn’t take long before he had scarfed down all of the pasta on his plate, whispering in between bites how great of a cook your mother was and how thankful he was for you.

After you had washed the plate and glass that he had used, you returned to your bedroom where Eddie had made himself a small pallet on the floor out of spare blankets and throw pillows.

“What are you doing?” You asked and he looked up at you in confusion.

“Sleeping on the floor?” He answered in a question, because it had been what he had always done.

You shook your head, “I’m not going to let you sleep on the floor.”

“But-” He stammered, almost as if he was nervous, as he motioned to your twin size bed.

“Just get in the bed, Munson.” You chuckled.

“Y-yes ma’am.” Eddie situated himself behind you, stiff in his movements, not wanting to make the wrong move. There truly wasn’t enough room for his lengthy limbs. “Uh- is- is this okay?” He asked and draped his arm around your middle.

You prayed he couldn’t hear your heart; it was beating so hard and fast that it felt as if it was about to burst out of your chest. His body was so warm pressed against yours, and he was completely pressed against you in your tiny bed. Thankfully your back was to him or you’d be instantly given away by the red hot blush on your cheeks. All you could do was nod your head in reply to him, afraid that if you spoke you’d end up confessing your love to him when all you wanted to say was, “of course”.

Despite your close friendship with him, you’d never physically been this close to him- aside from piggyback rides or hugs. Even if it was only due to the current circumstances, you relished in the feeling of being in Eddie’s arms. Soft, warm breaths fanned over the back of your neck as he nodded off, pulling you closer as he shifted in his sleep.

The next morning, you woke up with your head on his chest and a leg draped over his; he still held you flush against him. You were awakened by the sound of the front door closing, signaling your mother had left for work. Pale yellow morning sunlight illuminated your bedroom, casting lines and shadows along your walls. You moved slightly and Eddie was stirring awake, a small groan bubbled up from his throat as he stretched his legs. He looked down at you through his lashes and smiled softly. You could kiss him, God knows you wanted to; with his frizzy hair and half-lit eyes and that stupid grin on his face that you loved so much.

“Good morning.” His voice was a whisper.

“Mornin’,” you smiled back.

“That was probably the best night’s sleep I have had in a while.”

“The bed wasn’t too small?” You asked and he shook his head. “Better than sleeping on the floor?”

“Definitely better than sleeping on the floor. I can’t even believe that you would try and suggest that last night. Haven’t I been through enough?” He joked and you scoffed at him, elbowing him in the side. “I motion for sharing the bed every time.”

You pulled your bottom lip between your teeth to keep from smiling so big your cheeks would probably split and hoped that you weren’t being completely obvious. “You want some breakfast?”

“Mm, yes please.” He replied, turning his face into your pillow.

You got up and stretched before heading out into the kitchen. “Let’s see,” you hummed as you rummaged through the cabinets. “I’ve got pancakes, eggs, some sausage, and- cereal.” You called back to him. “Oh, there’s poptarts, too.”

“Are there chocolate chips?” He asked, coming into the kitchen.

“There are!” You replied pulling out a ZipLoc bag full.

“I’ll take chocolate chip pancakes,” he sounded just like a little kid as he propped himself up on the counter. “Can I help put the chips in?”

Eddie, who really only knew how to make things that only required stirring it a few times, was enamored by you cooking breakfast. He watched, with saucer-sized eyes as you measured out your ingredients and whisked everything together. Every so often he’d ask what you were doing next or how you learned how to cook between popping chocolate chips in his mouth. As promised, you let him sprinkle the chocolate chips into the pancakes once you got a few into the pan. He carefully placed the chocolate morsels into the batter in the shape of a smiley face, or a heart, or a star. You even let him try his hand at flipping one, which he, sort of, miserably failed at given that the pancake landed on the floor.

You spent most of the day playing board games, Go-Fish, and watching movies. You hadn't meant to turn on the news, in fact, you had been avoiding it at all costs for Eddie's sake- but after you had finished one of your movies, you accidentally switched it over to the cable; on the TV, Chief Powell and Officer Callaghan. There had been another murder. Another student from Hawkins. And to make matters worse, it was Jason Carver's best friend Patrick McKinney.

And that was when you heard tires pull into your driveway. It was much too early for your mother to be home, plus she had her book club after work today. You glanced over at Eddie whose brows were also pulled together in confusion and stepped over to the window, pulling the curtain slightly to see a black Jeep Cherokee and three boys inside, one of them you recognized to be Lucas Sinclair. Immediately your eyes checked to make sure your front door was locked, you wouldn’t put it past Jason Carver in his grief to break into someone’s home looking for the boy that he believes killed his girlfriend and now his best friend Patrick.

“It’s Jason,” you whispered.

“Shit.”

“It’s okay,” you assured him. “In my mom’s room, in her closet, there’s a pull down staircase to the attic. If someone even thinks about stepping foot in this house I’ve got my dad’s gun and I am not afraid to use it.” You could feel him eyeing you in surprise. “Go.”

Eddie disappeared down the hallway just as you instructed and you double checked the locks on the back door, as well, as you noticed one of Jason’s goons peeling off towards the side of the house. A fist began pounding on the front door and the doorbell rang close to fifty times. Jason, on the other side of the door, taunting you- yelling that he knew you were home and he just wanted to talk.

You had worked for Mr. and Mrs. Carver for a few summers back, helping them with the store that they owned downtown. You might have even called Jason a friend at one point. Before he became popular, he was a nerd like the rest of you. But he had turned into this person that you no longer recognized once he became captain of the basketball team and when he began dating Chrissy Cunningham.

You stepped back into the hallway, out of sight from the windows but nearly jumped out of your skin when you heard a loud thud coming from Dustin’s room.

“Y/N?” You heard and immediately knew it was Lucas.

“Lucas, what the hell!” You exclaimed in a whisper so that the other boys wouldn’t hear.

“Is Eddie here? Is he safe?” He asked.

You looked at him, apprehensive at first, but you knew that Lucas was loyal to the Party. “Yes he’s here and I’m trying my hardest to keep him safe but-” you motioned to the front door. “What are you doing here!?”

“These guys are serious,” he replied. “They’re not going to stop until they find him.”

“You’ve got to do something Lucas, tell them you found something- something that would lead you to believe that Dustin and Eddie are hiding out at Hopper’s old cabin. It’s abandoned, the perfect place to hide.” Lucas nodded and moved to crawl back out of the window. “And Lucas,” you added. “The second that you get the chance to get away from these guys- last I heard everyone was headed to the school, you might want to get there as soon as you can.”

With that, Lucas disappeared out of Dustin’s window.

It wasn’t long after that you heard the sound of Jason’s Jeep peeling out of your driveway.

You couldn’t help but let out a sigh of relief; you weren’t afraid of them, but more so afraid of what would have happened if they would have tried to hurt you or Eddie. You were, at least, thankful that you had a little bit more time on your hands with Lucas leading them in the opposite direction and distracting them for just a little while longer. Hopefully, your brother and the rest of the Party had made some headway on the leads that they were following.

Eddie was sitting with his legs crossed beneath him, an old scrapbook filled with baby pictures of you and Dustin in his lap. He looked up at you, relieved to see your face and not Jason’s.

He held up the book to you, “Sorry,” he muttered. “I was trying to be as quiet as possible and needed something to keep myself from becoming an absolute nervous wreck. You were a cute kid.”

You laughed through your nose, “Am I not cute now?”

“What? No. I mean- yes!” His face was becoming red as he stammered. “I wasn’t insinuating that you aren’t cute now, just that you were a cute kid. You’re definitely cute now.” You couldn’t help but smile. “Anyways,” he rolled his eyes. “We all clear?”

“Yeah,” you replied and motioned for him to follow you back downstairs. “Lucas is leading them astray, so hopefully that will buy us some more time.”

“Sinclair?”

You nodded, “He was with them, which is surprising, but Lucas is one of Dustin’s oldest friends. I used to babysit him and Erica when they were younger. He’s got a good head on his shoulders, so I know that he’ll help us.”

“The more people on my side the better.” Eddie said under his breath.

You turned to face him, “You’ve got a pretty great team in your corner. We’re going to figure this out.” He just nodded his head. Concern laced his eyes and you wished that there was something more than you could do to ease the anxiety that he was feeling. “Come on, let me make you some lunch.”

“Hey,” he called as you turned towards the kitchen. You turned quickly back to him, eyebrows raised, waiting for him to say something. “Nevermind,” he muttered instead.

Dustin finally came through on the walkie about two hours later. You and Eddie huddled around the small receiver, hanging on every word your little brother said; the connection between the murders, the possibility of Vecna being able to open up gates, the history of the Creel house, Max. A lot had happened in the last 48 hours, and they felt as if they were so close to finding the answers they needed to clear Eddie’s name.

Lastly, he wanted you and Eddie to meet the Party at Skull Rock to test a theory that he had. Skull Rock was about two miles south of your house if you walked straight through the woods. It wasn’t ideal to go gallavanting about thought the woods with your best friend, who was also wanted for murder and being chased by a few angry jocks, but he felt like it must have been pretty important if Dustin thought they needed to be there. You and Eddie didn’t really talk much on the way there. You could tell that he was deep in thought and you didn’t want to pry. If you knew anything about Eddie, it was that if he had something to say, he would say it. He didn’t usually hold back.

Once you met up with everyone at Skull Rock, including Lucas, your brother explained his theory about his compass. He believed that, just like before, if you all followed his compass, it would lead directly to a gate. You trusted him, of course, everyone did. If he was right, this could be your one shot at Vecna. At clearing Eddie’s name. It was a chance that you had to take. So you head off deeper into the woods, your little brother leading the way.

A looming anxiety hung in the air as you began to recollect past memories of a monster made from your friends and neighbors, watching Steve almost get killed by what began as a slug, and witnessing your friend’s step-brother die in front of your eyes. The thought of something like that happening to any one of the people in this group- or Will, Jonathan, El, Mrs. Byers, or Mike. Or your mother. You wouldn’t be able to handle that. You couldn’t.

As day turned to night, you and your friends continued to trudge through the dense Indiana forests.

“We’re getting closer!” Dustin yelled as he ran through the woods.

“Dustin, slow down!” Eddie yelled after him.

Suddenly, Dustin came to a halt with Eddie behind him, holding onto his sweatshirt to keep him from running straight into Lover’s Lake.

“There’s a gate in Lover’s Lake?” Robin asked.

“I told you this theory wouldn’t work,” Steve scoffed.

“No,” Nancy began. “Whenever the Demogorgan attacked, it always left an opening. What if Vecna does the same?”

“We can’t swim out there, we don’t know what’s in there.” you included. “What about Rick’s boat?”

“That’ll work,” Steve agreed as he and the rest of the Party took off along the shore towards Rick’s boathouse.

Eddie hung back, however.

“Hey,” he said softly, falling in step behind you. “You okay?”

You nodded, pulling your mouth to the side and biting the inside of your cheek. It was a lie and one that Eddie could see right through, but you weren’t sure how to tell him that you were terrified. You didn’t know how to tell him that there was a very real possibility that someone could die, that this was real- it wasn’t a joke, it wasn’t pretend. You didn’t know how to tell him that you couldn’t live without him and that you would rather get yourself killed if it meant that he was safe.

So you just say that you’re fine. Confessing your love would just have to wait until you both made it out of this alive.

Steve and Eddie hoisted the boat into the water and Robin was the first one in, followed by Eddie. He turned and held his hand out to you, but you shook your head.

“Someone has to stay with the kids.” You told him.

Nancy brushed past you and into the boat.

You could see Eddie debating staying with you but before he could make a move to step back out of the boat, Steve had pushed off from the dock and hopped in. Your heart sank knowing that if something happened, you wouldn’t be able to protect him. You watched as they made their way to the middle of the lake before slowing to a stop. Robin’s voice came over the radio to let Dustin know that his compass was spinning like crazy. If there was a gate down there, they were floating right above it, and that made you uneasy.

With your eyes peeled, you could just barely make out Steve standing in the small boat to remove his shoes and his sweater. He was going to jump. You looked over at Dustin who’s features were plagued with worry and concern. Steve Harrington had become almost like a brother to Dustin, his role model. You silently reached over and squeezed his shoulder to reassure him that everything was going to be okay.

Seconds later, Steve dived into the depths of the lake, and all the four of you could do was watch.

“Shit! Cops!” Max whispered behind you. “Get down”

You ducked and turned to see flashlights and uniforms headed your way.

“We can’t let them find Eddie.” Lucas whispered.

You began to panic, knowing that if they found him, you’d not only be jeopardizing the mission but also the lives of the Hawkins Police department. “I have an idea, stay with me.” Before you could explain, you jumped out from behind the tree you were hiding behind and yelled at the officers. “Officers! Over here I found the killer, this way!”

Lucas, Max, Dustin, and the police were all running as quickly as they could after you. It wasn’t the best plan, but it was a plan nonetheless. A few more minutes of doing nothing and the cops could have spotted Eddie and your friends out on that boat, you had to get them out of there. If you couldn’t be with him, you bet your ass that you would do whatever you could for him on the sideline. That, apparently, included getting arrested.

You turned your head to make sure the kids were still behind you when you ran smack dab into the arms of Officer Callaghan. Dustin, Lucas, and Max were all being apprehended, as well.

“Where you goin’?” The deputy asked with a stupid smirk.

You weren’t sure why the police would take you to the Wheeler’s instead of the station, but when the four of you arrived, your mother, as well as Lucas’ parents and Erica, and Mr. and Mrs. Wheeler were waiting for you. The look of utter confusion and disappointment on your mother’s face made you frown; she was so emotional already, you hated that she was being dragged into this. You and Dustin had tried your hardest to keep her in the dark for the past two years.

“What were you all doing at the lake?” Chief Powell asked.

The four of you were sitting on the couch, all eyes on you as you were the oldest and- supposed to be- the one in charge. The three kids looked to you for an answer. “We- uh, we were just going for a walk.”

“A walk at 9:00 PM?” Officer Callaghan rebutted.

“To the lake!” Dustin cried nervously. You sighed, closing your eyes as your brother made this worse for you all. “We were going to take a little swim. A little night swim.”

“Dusty!” Your mother scolded. “Someone was just murdered there!”

“Y-yeah, we didn’t realize that until we got there.” Dustin answered.

“That’s why we didn’t swim!” Lucas added.

“And Nancy,” Mrs. Wheeler interjected. “Was she with you at this night swim?”

“Yes.”

“No.”

“Nancy was there, and so were Steve and Robin, but they all left.” You stated out of annoyance at Dustin and Max who were making this a lot more complicated than it needed to be. “And when I said that I had found the killer,” you added. “That was just a joke.”

“Have you had any contact with Eddie?” Chief Powell asked.

“That psycho, freak killer?” Dustin asked, you cleared your throat. “No!”

“We barely know the guy.”

“We haven’t heard from him in ages.”

“This isn’t working,” Powell muttered under his breath with a shake of his head. “You,” he pointed a finger in your direction and you gulped. “Let’s go, I want to talk with you alone.”

You rolled your eyes and stood up from the couch, following Officer Powell to Ted Wheeler’s office. Officer Callaghan followed closely, closing the door behind you. You sighed in frustration as you took a seat, knowing that this wasn't going to help in any way. Eddie and your friends were out there, unprepared and alone, and you were being questioned by the police surrounded by boring, yellow wallpaper and baby pictures of Mike Wheeler.

“You know we want to help you,” Powell said polietly.

“No,” you replied. “You want to put Eddie behind bars and blame him for whatever weird shit is going on in this town that you’re not equipped to handle." Powell and Callaghan shared a look. "That’s all you’ve ever done is cover it up; Will Byers, the Hawkins Lab, Starcourt Mall. Yeah, I know about all of it, because I was there. You know Eddie is innocent.”

He sighed, “If Eddie is innocent, then why did he run?”

“Because he was scared that whatever killed Chrissy would kill him, too!” You answered. "You saw her, you expect me to believe that you'd just stand there and wait to be next?"

“Where is he now?”

“I don’t know,” you answered truthfully with a shrug and Callaghan scoffed. “I don’t!”

“You know,” Callaghan began. “Aiding and abetting a fugitive is a felony.”

“Then arrest me,” you spat.

Powell sighed again, “We’re not going to arrest you. Just tell us where Eddie is.”

“Like I said, I don’t know.” You stood up. “So, if you’re not going to arrest me, I suggest you let me leave.”

You brushed past the two officers and out the door. The parents were huddled in the living room but there was no sign of Dustin and the others. That was until you spotted him on the stairs, peeking around the corner. He motioned for you to follow him.

“What did you tell them?” He asked in a whisper as you headed upstairs.

“That they’re idiots,” you replied. “In more or less words.”

“We have a plan.” Dustin opened the door to Nancy’s room to reveal Max and Erica, Lucas was already hanging out of the window. “So you know how there was a gate in Lover’s Lake?” He asked as Max went to follow Lucas. “Well, our very smart friends decided to go through it.”

You stopped dead in your tracks. “Wait,” you put your hands on Dustin’s shoulders, forcing him to look you in the eye. “Eddie is in the Upside Down?”

“Yes, but he’s safe.” Dustin replied and you sighed in relief. “We think there is a gate at every murder site. So we’re going to get out of here and meet them at Eddie’s trailer and hopefully they can come back through that gate”

Erica was next out of the window.

“Do you know how cool it is to have a genius for a little brother?” You asked as you ducked between the window panes and hopped down to the roof of the garage.

“Yeah well,” Dustin followed you. “You’re not too bad, yourself.”

You jumped on the bikes and headed straight for Eddie’s trailer as fast as you could. It would be a long ride, but you pedaled as if your life depended on it. As if Eddie’s life depended on it. Your legs were burning as you turned into the gravel of Forest Hills Trailer Park, almost making you collapse as you stood on two feet, tossing the bike down to the ground.

When you got into the trailer, your eyes immediately widened at the sight of the ceiling, which had opened up into an oozing, red fissure.

"Holy shit," you muttered under your breath.

"Holy shit is right," Max said sarcastically looking around at the Munson's living room. She stopped as her eyes fell onto a strip of movie theater photos of you and Eddie that was pinned to his refrigerator with a magnet. "That's cute."

“Not now, Max.” You replied.

Dustin grabbed a broom and hesitated for a moment, sharing a look with the other kids in the room, before jamming it through the thick red gunge. As you peered through the mucus, you could see the other side; a dark version of the same trailer you were currently standing in. Craning your neck, you looked for any sign of Eddie and the others, and finally, your eyes landed on Steve stepping through the darkness. You smiled at the sight of him, followed by Robin and Nancy, and finally Eddie; his giant, brown eyes connecting with yours, making your smile grow. A weight was lifted off of your chest.

Dustin laughed, impressed with himself.

“Max, Lucas,” you instructed, not taking your eyes off of Eddie. “Go grab the mattress in the back room and bring it in here. I don’t know how this is going to work, but if they’re going to be falling out of the ceiling, they’re going to need a soft landing.”

“I have a theory!” Dustin exclaimed, Steve rolled his eyes; hands on his hips.

He brushed past you, following Max and Lucas to Eddie’s bedroom and ripped the top sheet off of the bed. He then plopped down at the little kitchen and immediately began working on tying knots in the sheets. Max and Lucas pulled the mattress across the linoleum floor and dropped it in the middle of the living room. You could hear Eddie making a comment about the stains that dirtied his sheets and pursed your lips together knowing that they were from accidentally getting too high and spilling the bong water. You helped Erica move anything out of the way that might get broken during whatever it was that was about to transpire.

“Alright,” Dustin said as he finished with the rope. He stepped into the middle of the mattress and looked up into the faces of his friends. “I don’t know how the physics of this is going to work but-” He tossed the rope upwards into the gate- to your surprise, it fell perfectly through the opening to the other side. “And if I’m correct-” Dustin released his grip on the rope and it stayed in place.

You gave your brother a high five and a hug for his genius as everyone else cheered.

Robin was the first to climb through, her body flipping through the air and down to the mattress as soon as she made it through. “That was fun!” She smiled, you held out a hand to help her up.

Eddie began climbing up next. “That was fun!” He exclaimed as he came down. Robin helped him up, but as soon as he got to his feet, you wrapped your arms around him as tightly as you could. “Hey, sweetheart,” he laughed.

“Oh my God, I was so worried.” You mumbled into his chest.

“So was I,” he replied softly, placing a small kiss on the top of your head.

Nancy came flying through the gate next, pulling your attention back to the room. She didn’t seem like she enjoyed it as much as the first two, however. Steve was last, flipping through the portal with ease, making Robin roll her eyes. You noticed that he was injured and motioned to his midsection which was bandaged.

“Nah, I’ll be fine.” He shrugged.

With eight people now crowding the already tiny trailer, you began feeling slightly claustrophobic. Excusing yourself, you brushed past the rest of the Party and through the door to get some fresh air. The chilly, March air was refreshing as you shoved your hands down into your jacket pockets and pulled it around your frame. The trailer park was mostly dark; only dimly lit by a single street lamp that buzzed quietly overhead as moths swarmed around the light.

You took a few steps to the lonely picnic table that sat empty in the shadows. Most of the residents were sleeping soundly, blissfully unaware that there was a portal to another dimension in their neighbor’s trailer. More than half of them would probably say that it was Eddie, himself, who opened that portal as he worshiped Satan on the floor of his living room; which couldn’t be farther from the truth. However, the people of Hawkins, Indiana weren’t very bright, instead they were incredibly gullible, listening to and believing anything that WTTV4 told them was the truth.

This town didn’t deserve Eddie.

You heard the trailer door open and shut. Taking your eyes off of the moon, you looked over to see Eddie. His anky figure stepped out of the darkness and into the dim light of the street lamp.

“Hey,” he said softly.

“Hey yourself.” You smiled up at him. He climbed up on the picnic table to sit next to you, leaning into your side as he got comfortable. “So, how was your first experience in the Upside Down?”

“It was an experience, to say the least.” He mentioned, toying with the chunky, silver rings on his fingers. You noticed pretty early on in your friendship that he fidgeted with his rings often when he was nervous or anxious.

You placed a hand over his to calm his nerves, “You want to talk about it?”

“Just one thing, really.” His voice was so soft. “When I was out there, I saw something. It uh- it wasn’t like monsters or anything like that, it was- I saw- well, I realized that I- I would jump for you.” You looked at him, not having a clue what he was trying to say, but before you could say anything he continued. “Something grabbed Harrington,” he explained. “Pulled him under, through the gate, and Wheeler- she just dived right in. No hesitation. I guess what I’m trying to say is that you’re that person for me. I’m jumping off that boat.”

“Eddie,” you couldn’t help but smile. “What are you saying?”

“I love you is what I’m saying,” he rubbed his hands over his face. “Pretty sure I always have.”

“Tell me again,” you whispered and looked up into his dark brown eyes through your lashes, needing to hear him say it one more time.

His hand moved up to cup your face and you shivered at the contact of his large, calloused hand on your skin. “I love you.” He whispered before placing his perfect lips on yours in a tender kiss.

You pulled away, only briefly, to say one thing. “I love you, too.”