𝙰𝚂𝚃𝚁𝙰𝙻𝚅0𝙸𝙳𝚂

Scooting back, Jim sweeps his legs over the edge of the bed, body aching with age as he stretches, begins to stand slowly. "Does your Mom know you're here?" He asks, referring to Joyce.

" SNUCK IN . " she both confirms and parrots him , a cheeky grin stretching across her features as she takes the plate back , fingers immediately sticky with syrup as she takes a bite . no cutlery , just fingers as she watches him move . " she doesn't know , i don't think . " there was zero denying the title joyce had earned , there wasn't a hesitation , a blink , a moment when she didn't understand who he meant . she knew . " i think she went to work , i heard her this morning , but i didn't want to scare her . " she murmurs quietly . it'd been why she'd been home so late . the fear that maybe she no longer belonged but it was finally quelled in small moments , but it was the reason she sat at the diner , alone , quiet as the late evening sun finally disappeared .

LIPS TWITCH , A DRAG OF A SMILE . " think i might be the problem . " it's soft , teasing almost . but there's a soft underlying truth to it all , she was the reason for the mess of hawkins as of late . and it all boiled down to blood . " uhm ⸺ not really . " she knew the game , she knew it well . " they're trying to teach me , mike , will , lucas , but i'm not great at that stuff . "

On the couch, he pokes at Jane's side with his foot. "I'm really happy you're home," he admits, voice a little soft but full of joy. "I'm only jealous that Jonathan got to find out first -- I know I'm a heavy sleeper, but you know you always have my permission to shake me awake. Especially during times like this -- your triumphant return home? That's a class five emergency, sis."

SHE MOVES AGAIN , as if attempting to make it up to him , body twisting back towards him , soft , gentle until her forehead digs into his thigh . " class five emergency . " mimicked softly . " i'll remember that next time . "

THERE'S A SILENCE THAT ECHOS THROUGH THE HOUSE as she clings to joyce , almost afraid that if she let's go it'll all disappear . because as much as terry ives was her mother , blood through and through , joyce byers was her real mother , the woman who earned the title . the small brunette curls and sinks into the embrace , her cheeks aching . " no , no nothing . i just needed this . " joyce like hopper never had to love her , but they did and that alone meant everything to el , and perhaps it was later than it should of been that she realised . she'd never deemed herself worth this kind of love . " just needed mom . " she whispers into the quiet . there was no round about reference , not like their had been before , because the woman in front of her was not someones mom , she was els .

THERE'S A TANG ON HER TONGUE , bitter in the way of regret as head tilts , hands touching , reaching for any part of max she could find . if only to ground herself in the moment , reminding them both that this was far , far from just a dream . " i missed you . " it replaces the bitterness in her veins with a warm sweetness she can't describe . " i promise i'm not going anywhere , ever again . " after she goes home first . but then , all bets were off , she didn't care that they were grown , that they weren't kids . she'd missed her best friend . " sleepover . "

" I HAD TO KEEP YOU SAFE . " she murmurs into his shoulder , a whisper as brows twist and bow in sadness . there's a heavy burden that sits on tiny shoulders , she knows this . but it's a burden she'd always carry , they were hers to protect , hers to love , her people . she never had family , just forced siblings and a man that portrayed something he wasn't , not really . but dustin , dustin was her family . " i'm okay , i'm good . " she admits and she was now , weeks ago , had she been asked the answer would of been different , would of been no , but she was here , home , she was good .

oh, nonononono, you know what it was? it was eleven. the girl—stop. talking.

Katie Douglas as Naomi in Mary Kills People 2.04

I only wanted to see you laughing in the purple rain

COMPRESSED AIR ESCAPES LUNGS with a soft wheeze at max's embrace and even with the discomfort , el can only surrender , can only melt into it for a moment as the girls cling to one another . " northwest , hop and i ⸺ and kali , had a plan . had to keep low . " she murmurs quietly . she remembers the long nights of silence , where she craved company , where she wished and prayed for max . but was never rewarded until now .

SHE DOESN'T HEAR THE BELL AT FIRST , half dozed on the couch . exhaustion of travel , of reunions , of the last three months slowly catching up to her , but then the heavy pounding came and a familiar voice rang through the heavy door and she was awake , moving from the couch within seconds , hand latched on the door to swing it wide open , no fear , no hesitation . " dusty bun . " she greets with a teasing smile .

SHE WAITS , IN THE QUIET . not because she's hiding , not because she's afraid ( not entirely ) but she simply waits . there was no rush for something so important . she could wait . eyes following the soft steps as joyce moved throughout her home and then it was if lightning struck . the smile across her features wide as she practically leapt from the couch and into the arms stretched wide for her . " hi . "

he  laughs  again,  softer  this  time,  breath  finally  evening  out  as  he  pulls  back  just  enough  to  look  at  her  properly.  “ you  have  no  idea. ”  voice  warm  and  a  little  wrecked,  thumb  brushing  at  her  sleeve  like  he's  still  checking  that  she's  real.  “max's  gonna  lose  it,  she's  missed  you  so  much.  dustin's  gonna  talk  your  ear  off  for  like,  an  hour  straight.  will  too  –  will's  gonna  be  really  happy  you're  home.”  the  smile  on  his  face  faded  slightly  as  soon  as  he  thought  about  mike.  if  anyone  was  going  to  lose  their  mind  -  it  was  mike.  “ SINCLAIR !! ”  lucas  freezes,  shoulders  tense  and  eyes  squeeze  shut  for  half  a  second  like  he's  bracing  for  impact  before  he  finally  pulls  back,  glancing  over  his  shoulder  at  the  counter.  his  boss  is  staring  holes  into  him,  arms  crossed,  very  unimpressed  by  the  fact  one  of  her  servers  just  vaulted  furniture  towards  a  customer.  “ –  yeah,  yeah,  i'm  –  sorry. ”  he  calls  back  quickly,  already  scrambling  to  his  feet.  he  looks  down  at  eleven  again,  sheepish  but  still  smiling,  something  bright  and  unguarded  in  his  expression  that  wasn't  there  before.  “ i  still  have  a  job  to  do. ”  he  checks  his  watch,  frowning  when  he  realises  the  time.  “ twenty  minutes. ”  he  says,  like  confirming  it  for  himself.  “ i'll  stay  an  extra  ten.  make  it  up.  don't  go  anywhere,  okay? ”  his  hand  lingers  at  her  shoulder  for  half  a  second  longer  than  it  should  -  knowing  he  needs  to  get  back  to  his  job.  “ i'll  be  right  back  and  i'll  drive  you  home. ”

SWEETNESS ENVELOPES THEM , like the memories they shared were nothing but dreams , horrors that they never truly faced . skin warmed , cheeks pinked as she laughs . it bubbles in her throat , and it now sounds odd , even too her . it's been so long since it was this easy . the way he speaks causes her mouth to wobble , lips tremble as she laughs through soft tears and it's not because it's sad , not this time . his words are so sure , and they're filled with everything she needs in this moment " i've missed you all so much . " el smiles , she can't help the ache that begins in her cheeks , there's a soft excitement in her blood , fear replaced in her veins at the thought that they'd be happy she's back , she's missed them all desperately . and then their little bubble is shattered . her shoulders tightened , eyes flickering past the boy to his boss , head tilted with a frown . he's out of the seat before she can stop him ( not that she could , after all , even now she knew how important having jobs were ) her hand soft as it moves to cover his , just for the smallest of moments , before brows unfurl and ease across her forehead . her smile meets his , soft , ungarded and filled with softness that can only be read into as love . " twenty minutes . " she parrots , grinning back easily , nodding her head in agreement . " wouldn't dream of it . " and she wouldn't . if she had a choice . and as if to prove a point , she picked up a fry and dipped it in her shake before shoving it in her mouth . " i'll be here . "

THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS , el doesn't know the looks on their faces , because she wasn't there to see them . but in the way max reacts , el knows , deep in the pit of her stomach that what they seen haunts them worse then vecna ever could . and it's almost sickening in the way that thought fills her with warmth , that they loved her that much , tampered down easily with the guilt that tramples it . they'd watched her die . arms come around the redhead , hesitation never appearing as foreheads meet . a jumble of tears and soft words . " i know , i'm sorry , i'm sorry you had to believe , i'm sorry , i'm so sorry max ! "

"god is it good to see your face, kiddo," he laughs, the noise wet as he squeezes her shoulders. "how the hell did you get in here -- how long have you been in here?

MUFFLED BY HIS CHEST , her words come with an inhale of him . " i missed you . " and though wetness coats her lashes and cheeks , her smile is practically blinding , happiness coating each end every nerve in her body as she pulls back , grinning with all her teeth , like a child almost . " spare key , got in late last night , caught the bus in , scared the life out of jonathan , thought you'd like breakfast . " she murmurs , over explaining almost and yet never saying enough as she simply basks in the warmth of home .