ɴᴀɴᴄʏ ᴡʜᴇᴇʟᴇʀ

❛ moh - moving? ❜ she asks, voice shattering with nerves, croaking out in a stuttered mess. IT'S STILL TOO NEW, TOO DIFFICULT. there's no invisible force roaring from her pulse to save everyone at the last second, no certainty of her purpose, only flesh and fear. only being a girl in a dangerous world. perhaps nancy understood that better than anyone. (and if nancy believed in her, then surely she was capable...) ❛ okay. i will try. next. maybe not today? ❜ jane spent so much of her life being studied, controlled— very few simply saw her. mike tried, as did hopper. joyce loved her enough to crack herself open for it. but nancy fully realised jane's deepest terrors without making them smaller, and that mattered most... more than she knew how to express. she just wants to make her proud. ❛ bullets in x. ❜ she confirms her intended act in a whisper, letting it transfer from her head, and form into a physical manifestation.

she inhales slowly, arms already tense and remarkably heavy. the target looks quite small now. what if she could never do this properly? what if, absent of her abilities, she was nothing? the thought twists inside her, haunting each waking moment, and the unconscious ones, too. was she doomed to be forever weak? useless if not sacrificing every inch of herself until she was more machine than girl? she aims, pulls, and stumbles back instantly, heart crashing erratically against her ribs. the shot missed by several feet, and she stares at it in dismay, the recoil jolting painfully through her wrists. ❛ missed. ❜ nothing else needs to be said. with that in mind, she tries again. the following shot cracks through the endless expanse of sky and land. ANOTHER FAIL. the can wobbles violently but remains upright, so she lowers the gun, frustrated, far too hard on herself. ❛ shit! ❜ she's getting impatient, now. (don't let it get to you. try again.)

three minutes pass in weighted silence while she collects her shattered confidence, calms her fidgety fingers and shaky feet. she breathes in, and cold enters her lungs sharp as ice. she adjusts her stance in the fashion nancy taught: grip loose, legs apart, a straight, steady spine. the forest falls silent around them— whispering trees, drifting leaves, and only her heartbeat is heard. jane squeezes the trigger, squinting carefully. the gun roars, and the can launches up and away, spinning wildly off the log before vanishing. shock rushes through janessa so quickly it feels electric. ❛ i hit it, ❜ she mumbles, staring at the empty space where it taunted her mere seconds prior. something warm unfurls inside her; not pride exactly, but relief, a hint of possibility. a gleeful gaze veers to nancy, patient, encouraging, impossibly kind... gratitude hits her so hard it stings.

she stayed after the countless misses, every time giving up seemed like the easiest option, every complaint. NOBODY IN THE LAB TAUGHT HER THAT WAY; NOBODY THERE ALLOWED MISTAKES TO BE MISTAKES. ❛ see that?! i hit it! it's down. ❜ she practically squeals, grin stolen from starlight itself. ❛ i... i think i hit your x! ❜

Catching  the  hesitation  at  the  suggestion  of  a  moving  target,  Nancy  gave  a  nod,  not wanting to  push  Jane  too  hard  if  she  wasn’t  ready. “Sure,  we  can  save  that  for  next  time.” She’d  promised  no  corrections until  the  clip  was  completely  emptied  for  their  latest  target  practice.  For  their  first sessions  Nancy  would  call  things  out  per  shot,  reminders,  encouragement.  They  were  past  that  stage now,  Jane  didn’t  need  Nancy  to  provide  support,  she  was  figuring  out  how  to  support herself,  something  every  girl  should  learn  if  she  wanted  to  be  self-sufficient. 

Watching  @shadowedvales,  Nancy  could  see  the  growing  frustration  after  the  first  miss,  practically  hear  the  thoughts  invading  her  mind,  debilitating  lies  fed  to  the  brain, consumed so  often  that  it  couldn’t  determine  what  was  best for it anymore.  The  only  way  to  stop  the  lies  was  to  feed  it  the  opposite,  challenge  the  thoughts,  replace  them  with your own truth. Most  people  didn’t  bother  working  to  better  themselves,  they  just  let  the  pain  win,  let  the  bad  thoughts  block  out  the  light  but not  Jane. Nancy  kept  her  promise  not  to  intervene,  arms  folded,  fingers  digging  into her skin from  anticipation.  Pride  sat  comfortably  in  Nancy’s  chest  when  she  saw  how  Jane  collected  herself. There,  you’re  in  control,  nobody  else.   

memorize my coffee order, already!

quit fidgeting, you look suspicious.

stop comparing yourself, it's pointless.

give yourself a minute, [ name ]. you need rest.

don't move ... a single muscle.

can you teach me how to do that?

order room service – let's be lazy today.

pull out your ID, they card everyone here.

pack light, we'll be walking for awhile.

stop second guessing yourself.

don't say another word.

show me what you've been working on.

we're already late, can you hurry?!

we don't have time for this, [ name ].

just take the compliment, okay?

don't you dare just leave me here.

quit being so stubborn about this.

relax, i've got everything handled.

turn up the music! i love this song.

take my jacket, i'm not asking.

give me your hand, let's take a walk.

order whatever you want, it's my treat.

stop picking fights when you're tired.

meet me tonight ... our spot.

loosen up, quit being so serious all the time.

stay awake, you might have a concussion.

just let yourself be happy for once.

you have to stop sabotaging yourself.

tell me why you're really here.

drop your [ weapon / gun / knife ]!

quit trying to change the subject.

just breathe with me for a minute. in, out.

follow me and stay close.

just be yourself, [ name ]. that's all i want.

call me when you get home safe.

don't beg,  it's pathetic.

stop trying to fix everyone else's problems.

can you  [ tie / zip ]  this for me?

stop lying to me.  tell me what you did.

put that down,  you don't know what it is.

tell me what you're thinking right now.

stay quiet until i figure this out.

tell me something i don't know about you.

come dance with me.

get out of my sight.

wear the [ item ] i bought you tonight.

take my arm, those heels look dangerous.

let me drive – you can enjoy the scenery.

can you stop hovering?

wait ...! hold still, i want to take a picture.

keep your hands where i can see them.

stop pretending you know what's going on.

find a first-aid kit.  quickly!

you can't tell anyone what you saw.

take a nap, i'll wake you for dinner.

keep your voice down, they'll hear us.

don't you dare lie to me.

take the scenic route, we're not in a rush.

tell me a story from when you were little.

answer your phone when i call you.

give me your jacket, i'm freezing.

don't get yourself killed.

tell me what you see when you look at yourself.

tell me what you see when you look at me.

stop being so modest about your achievements!

leave them to me,  just go.

just admit that you love me.

just admit that you hate me.

come here,  let me look at you.

don't listen to them, they don't know what they're talking about.

[ name ],  don't make me do this.

drop your  [ weapon ].

stay here and wait for my signal.

don't just sit there,  move.

take this and run,  don't let anyone have it.

pretend you're my  [ partner / gf / bf ].

don't look , you'll give us away.

stay with me, don't drift off.

stop pretending like you care.

go make sure the coast is clear.

take this with you.  it's a good luck charm.

don't tell anyone about this.

if anybody asks about today,  lie.

stop looking at me like that.

tell me you love me.

just kiss me,  already.

talk to me in [ language ].

keep your eyes on the road.

stop crying and calm down.

give me one chance to explain.

come with me.  there's so much we could do.

wear the  [ dress / tie / item ]  i gave you tonight.

show me how you like to be touched.

hold my hand.

kiss me,  make it look real.

look at me.  how many fingers am i holding up?

[ name ] ... will you marry me?

just slow down for a minute.  what's going on?

take a deep breath,  you need to calm down.

get out of here,  [ name ]!

draw your weapon.

go rest.  i'm not asking.

take a step back.

keep your promise for once.

quit assuming you know what i'm thinking.

give me a straight answer.

be polite to our guests.

look me in the eye and say that again.

put your feelings aside for a moment.

keep close to me.

here,  let me see that.

look up at the sky.

run ... run and don't stop!

get out of here,  i don't want to see you right now.

stand up,  this isn't over yet.

close your eyes and count to ten.

keep your head down and keep moving.

[ name ],  let me past.

listen carefully to what i'm about to say.

don't just stare, come in.

stop laughing, this isn't funny.

take this and hide it from me.

don't make a sound.

the sidewalk is slippery, give me your hand.

quit causing problems everywhere you go.

just admit that you don't know what you're doing.

stop right there, i mean it.

don't say that name aloud.

just trust me, okay?

stop acting so childish.

call the police.  now.

tell me you love me, even if it's not real.

take a good hard look.

stop the car,  [ name ].

let me walk you to your [ door / car ].

almost done, just give me five more minutes!

don't make eye contact.

stay out of trouble.

let me see that beautiful smile again.

just do it already,  we've waited long enough.

hold me tight,  and never let me go.

finish what you started.

tell me what you know.

quit being so melodramatic.

just stay away from me.

turn around.  slowly.

don't be scared.

put it down before somebody gets hurt.

stop pretending , i'm tired of the pretending.

grab me my  [ item ],  will you?

don't make assumptions.

put this over it to stop the bleeding.

get to safety! i'll be right behind you!

stay the night, i hate sleeping alone.

wipe that look off your face.

keep an eye on them.

look at yourself in the mirror.

aeron's rolling his eyes : "go on… i'm listening. convince me this disaster isn't somehow connected to you."

White  noise  was  the  only  thing  he  heard  as  his  cameras  were  rebooting.  Well,  almost  the  only  thing.  Nancy  Wheeler  stood  in  front  of  him  with  a  more  than  sure  attitude.  The  kind  he  completely  hated.  Because  it  offset  his.  Which  annoyed  him  to  the  point  of  yanking  her  into  his  apartment. Aeron  wasn't  used  to  answering  anyone.  He'd  been  alone  since  he  was  sixteen.  The  court  thought  he  was  mature  enough  to  handle  himself.  That  was  a  laughing  matter.  Acting  mature  and  actually  being  mature  were  two  different  things  in  his  book.  If  the  Mountain  Dew  cans  and  Cheetos  were  anything  to  go  by,  it  didn't  take  a  rocket  scientist  to  figure  out  how  far  from  the  judge's  ruling  he  was.  To  trick  the  court,  that  was  his  greatest  feat.  "I  don't  need  to  explain  myself."  Turning  in  his  seat,  he  faced  his  computer.  "What  are  those  things  anyway?  Nothing  in  the  government's  databases  mentions  those  things."

Nancy  wasn’t  sure  if  she  was  walking  into  a  dead  end. Usually  she  could  trust  her  hunches  to  lead  her somewhere but  it  was  hard  to  listen  to  her  gut  when  memories  of  her  past  haunted  her  present.  She  exhaled  an  irritated  breath  when  Aeron  pulled  her  inside  his  apartment.  He  led  her  towards  his  computers,  pretty  good  tech,  surrounded  by  the  chaotic  evidence  of  the  junk  food  that  fuelled  his  brilliant,  if  not annoying,  mind. “That’s  because  there’s  not  supposed  to  be  any.”