for a good few moments she said nothing, she held jane close and closed her eyes to truly take in the moment. she kissed the top of the young womans head, hands rubbing soothing circles in her back. a small bit of guilt, not having been able to be there for her while she was dealing with whatever she had gone through being alone the last three months, sadness of missing her, joy of her return. ❝ hi beautiful. ❞ joyce said softly, only after what felt like an eternity she pulled back, hands come up to gently hold her face in her hands while she looked at her, taking in the fact that this was actually happening. ❝ what can i get you? something to eat? something to drink? whatever you need, i will get it. ❞ a sniffle followed small tears that rolled down her cheek, a small smile finding a home on her lips.

who: hopper & joyce ( @dcrkenedaura ) where: hopper's cabin

everything seemed to make a little more sense with jane back in the house. they were all together -- a family. god, jim can't remember the last time they got to enjoy themselves like this. having family dinners, family movie nights -- hell, once the bowling alley was reopened, the byers would be first in line for a night on the town. the weight of keeping it a secret was lifted from his shoulders.

all of her kids under one roof, it had been that way a while ago but one important part was missing then - hop. similar circumstances, she thought she lost him and now it had been the same with jane. but they were all here, all accounted for and most importantly all safe and breathing. her emotions were all over the place, but that was just a state of being for joyce neuroitc byers.

his voice cuts through the noise of her thoughts racing a mile a minute, looking up at him when pulled in close and she nods her head while arms wrap around his larger frame. ❝ i know hop, i get it. i would have done the same thing if the roles were reversed. i'm not angry with you. i've just missed her so much. last time i had all the kids we didn't have you. it feels surreal that all of us are under the same roof. ❞

a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he shifted to pull the envelope containing the letter out of his back pocket before taking a seat next to max. he tapped it against his fingers and released a quiet sigh. " i was really hoping i'd have the chance to talk to you about this . . . and i know i should've done it sooner, " he began, large brown eyes glancing her way. " but thank you . . . for this letter. i know that i've not always been able to give everyone a hundred percent of my attention all the time, and that's something i've regretted -- but it really helped to hear that i've made a difference in your life . . . just like you've made a difference in mine. "

he paused for a moment to clear his throat quietly before continuing. " i have an older brother too and he's a complete asshole, just like my parents, " he confessed honestly with a quiet chuckle. " so, what do you said? about me being a brother you needed? you've been the family that i've needed too . . . "

seeing the envelope with his name adorning the outside of it, she immediately knew what this was about. the letters. in all the craziness a part of her had forgotten she wrote them, there had been days when she wondered if anyone read them - now she had her answer, at least steve had. a lot of the time emotions never were her strong suit, at least talking about them. max's cheeks heated up a bit and she began toying with the ring on her index a way to keep herself calm. ❝ to be fair, i was out of commission for nearly two years and when i came back we were in def con 5 mode, so.. ❞ her shoulders lifted to a shrug, quieting again to allow steve to talk.

his words hit deep, someone else who understood and had a shitty family situation. most of their friends had at least one loving parent if not two, siblings who would go to war for them. slowly but surely it seemed she was getting that; of course she had lucas, the wheelers had taken her in and treated her as family, and steve now ( again. ) ❝ like i said in my letter, you spread yourself in so many different directions. it would be impossible to give any one person one-hundred percent of your attention, you know? you give everyone what they need without asking for anything in return.❞ a small smile crept to her lips, causing emotion to bubble up in her chest as well upon hearing he considered her family as well. ❝ you don't know how much that means to me, especially since those letters i didn't think i would-❞ she didn't need to finish that, they both knew what she meant.

the plan. there had been a whole plan, a part of max was in shock but honestly? she was just glad that el was here, she was safe, health, alive. ❝ i don't care about the plan, i mean i do of course but - i'm just glad you're here. ❞ because none of them had been the same since she was 'dead' and she dreamt of things like this at least once a week. ❝ i almost don't want to let you out of my sight. ❞ just in case this was a dream.

who: suzie & dustin ( @dcrkenedaura ) where: dustin's living room notes: turn around......... look at what you seeeeeeee ♪♫

the whole story is a lot to take in. suzie prides herself on being smart, on being the smartest, and yet... there's so much she can't wrap her head around. she blames her upbringing, partially -- there's no room for monsters in places like the bible. not literal monsters, anyways. plus, her passion for science rules out the very notion that these things could ever exist. that they should exist. ( though, the fact that they were born from science perhaps hits her harder than she wants. )

dustin knew it would be a lot, hell he lived it and it was still a lot to him. so much compartmentalizing, things and emotions he hadn't quite dealt with - so he could only imagine how much of a mind fuck it was for suzie to be told after the fact. much of what happened was never supposed to exist, but when her curiosity sparked her believing him, he was grateful. now that things were relaxed he would answer everything to the best of his ability. ❝ yeah, i know. not quite ideal.. but apparently hawkins is the hellmouth. ❞ a joke, but also not really. a hand reached up, gently rubbing the back of his neck while he turned the tv off with the remote, focusing all of his attention on suzie. ❝ it seems to be. vecna, the upside down. all of that is gone. the military seems to really and truly have fucked off, but i wouldn't be me if i wasn't skeptical of something, would i? ❞ he wasn't going to hide anything from her going forward, as far as he was concerned she was just as important to fill in as his friends. ❝ i definitely don't think there is any immediate danger though.❞

sleep still heavy in his eyes, he had been in a good dream too - damn lucas. but still, he figures something is important, something is going on and he moves aside to allow him into the shoe box he called home. maybe the other shoe was gonna drop, something or someone was threatening the little bit of normalcy they were building. his eyes rolled in reaction to the comment about his shirt, their playful friendship something he truly appreciated ( in the normal waking hours. ) but the urgency got his attention, eyes snapping a bit more open when his shirt was grabbed and he focused on his friends face while he spoke so quickly. ❝ what? theres no way - we saw her go with that shit hole. what do you mean she is alive? where? how? ❞ quickly he closed the door and locked it, not daring this conversation to be overheard by a soul. ❝ have you seen her? where is she? ❞

dustin stood frozen, lucas told him she was here but being told and seeing? those were two different beasts entirely. a breath passed by his lips, a hand rubbing over his face as the tears immediately came to the surface, though he couldn't help the small chuckle when she called him the nickname all their friends messed with him over for an entire summer after hearing it. wasting no time, he swiftly entered the home and pulled eleven into a hug. ❝jesus, eleven. you're a sight for sore eyes. i can't believe this is really happening. ❞ dustin was never going to let his friend get hurt again or used for others gain like she had, whatever he had to do to prevent that and keep her safe. an oath he was internally swearing right now. but even in his own sadness he thought of el, how sad, lonely she must have been with nobody over the last three months. ❝ how are you holding up? are you alright?. ❞

lucas  smiles  at  stalker,  small  and  fond,  a  nickname  he  wears  easily  when  it  comes  to  max.  he  shifts  the  wheels  and  trucks  in  his  hands,  grounding  himself  in  their  weight  instead  of  reaching  for  her  like  he  wants  to.  “ can  you  check  them  though?  colour,  size,  all  the  important  stuff. "  he  knows  the  bare  minimum,  always  has,  he  much  preferred  riding  along  on  his  bike  as  a  kid,  might  have  been  too  afraid  for  a  skateboard.  he  sets  the  items  down  on  the  counter,  thumb  spinning  the  wheels  absentmindedly  before  stilling  it.  “ i  think  they're  right.  i  listened …  but i  also  like  watching  you  explain  things. ”  a  glance  up,  eyes  warm,  teasing  softened  by  something  sincere.  “ trust  you  more  than  i  trust  myself. ”

max's relief for her shift was coming in the door, they said a quick hello to both max and lucas before excusing themselves to the back to put up their belongings so they could clock in. the faster they did that, the sooner max could get the hell out and spend her day with lucas. everytime he spoke to her, it was as though honey poured from his lips, always sweet and coated with compliments that were also truths. ❝ totally out of your league dork, but madly in love with you anyways. ❞ upon his request she grabbed the items, eyeing them and making sure he did get the right things for her board, and much to her surprise it was just what she needed and a grin pulled her lips upward. ❝ it is exactly what i needed, i think you know more than you realize about skating and boards. ❞ lately she couldn't help but get swept up in him, in them and this was no different. her gaze stayed with his, ringing up the items and then popping in her own discount, knowing her co-worker would be up there any minute. ❝ and i will be, the only plans i have are hanging out with you. and maybe some snacks. ❞ as if on cue, the other worker came up and swapped with max so she grabbed her coat from the rack behind her. ❝ come on lets go. ❞

there was no anger, not a drop. she was stunned and honestly just so glad that it had been fake. the tears filling red rimmed eyes weren't going to stop, the crying always made her eyes an even deeper shade of blue that she was sure was now here. ❝ i'm just glad you're here.. i don't care how. ❞ max sniffled, giving a bit tighter squeeze before pulling back just enough to look at her face. ❝ where have you been? have you been alright. safe? ❞

the  bell  over  the  door  gives  a  soft  jangle  as  lucas  steps  into  the  familiar  shop,  the  smell  of  rubber  wheels  and  grip  tape  settling  around  him.  he  drifts  in  like  he's  got  no  idea  where  he's  going,  eyes  scanning  the  racks  before  landing  -  on  purpose  -  anywhere  but  her.  hands  in  his  jacket  pockets,  he  wanders  up  to  the  counter  and  squints  at  the  display  like  it's  written  in  another  language.  “ uh,  hey. ”  he  says,  polite,  a  little  too  earnest.  “ i'm  looking  for  skateboard  stuff?  for  my  girlfriend. ”  he  nods  to  himself,  glances  at  the  redhead's  nametag  like  he's  clocking  it  for  the  first  time.  “ she's  uh …  really  serious  about  skating.  way  more  than  me  –  i  think  she  said  something  about  new  wheels and trucks?  i  don't  wanna  screw  it  up. ”

the day had been busy, lots of teenagers coming in and out getting new boards, items they needed for their current boards. thankfully, her shift was over in about ten minutes and she couldn't stop thinking about seeing lucas and honestly, maybe going to get something to eat because her lunch today just didn't quite suffice. the bell rang in the store, lifting her head and she spotted him - but as he moved through the aisles her brow raised in amusement, curiosity filling her thoughts. her eyes stay locked on lucas from afar, ringing up another customer while also being kind to them. then it was his turn, he came up and she let him give his spiel. ❝ yeah, i can definitely help you there. gotta say she sounds like a badass chick. though it looks like you did pretty good with your choices, even in a great color. maybe some of her knowledge has rubbed off on you. ❞ teasing back, her head tilting while blue hues swept over lucas and a bright smiled pulled her lips upward. ❝ hi stalker. i can ring you up and we can get out of here? can even give you the discount.❞