Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
â Live Streamingâ Interactive Chatâ Private Showsâ HD Qualityâ Free Actions
Free to watch ⢠No registration required ⢠HD streaming
Absolutely fucking rich that Robby thinks Al-Hashimi canât handle running the ED because she paused twice when working with kids. My brother in Christ you are on the killing myself world tour right now letâs self reflect maybe
summary: sophia green is a completely different person than who she was when she left for boarding school after being expelled from hawkins high. now she's a year older and finally returning, which means being reunited with steve harrington - the boy whose heart she broke by leaving in the middle of the night.
warnings: hurt, angst, comfort and fluff (in flashbacks), break up, we all know soph and steve are still down bad, yearning
wc: 2.7k
a/n: i'm back!! hehe sorry about my long hiatus i've been busy! but expect more of me mwahahahaha
sophia's parents had no choice but to send her up the country to boarding school for her senior year after her embarrassed the entire family by being expelled from her high school in hawkins. it wasn't even her fault, what happened, she just managed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
so her bags were packed, and she was shipped to new york. sophia tried to convince herself that she hated it, but as the months went by, she found herself fitting in. she made friends, she spent days in the city, and she found herself. she cut your hair, saying that hair held memories, and by god did she need to rid herself of memories. specifically memories of a certain boy. her boy, steve harrington. or well, the boy she had before leaving.
sophia regrets it. more than anything. she spent countless nights up late wishing she saw him one last time, hating herself for the way she left things. but sometime in the last year, she'd convinced herself that she had done the right thing, that their last conversation was one they needed to have.
but now, on the long drive home, sophia was seriously doubting what she'd been telling herself for the better part of a year. she was eventually going to see him again, and she had no idea what to say.
"it'll be nice to see all your friends again," her mom says, breaking the silence, glancing over at her from the drivers seat.
she look back at her mother with a tight smile. "yeah," she replies softly, fiddling with the volume on the radio. but seeing her friends again meant seeing him. and she didn't know if she would ever be ready.
the rest of the drive was made in relative silence, and it wasn't long before sophia was standing in front of her house. what her mother had failed to mention was that she had organised a little party to celebrate her return.
she was bombarded with hugs and exclaims the second she walked through the door. sophia had barely put her bags down when dustin, lucas, and max nearly knocked her over trying to give the first hug.
"woah woah one at a time guys!" she laughs, standing back to get a good look at them. "my god you're all so big!" she exclaims, ruffling dustin's hair.
dustin grimaces, clearly embarrassed. "we're too old for you to say that,â though he still hugs her tight. "we missed you though. don't disappear on us again."
"i don't plan on it," sophia grins. "so how's everyone been? how's school? any girls?" she asks, sitting on the couch surrounded by everyone.
she's soon caught up on everything that's happened while she was gone, and soon she's whisked away by robin into the kitchen. it was quieter than the rest of the house, and it was nice to get some peace from the kids.
robin pulls sophia into a giant hug. "oh i missed you so much!" she said, almost crushing her ribs.
"robin, robin you're going to crush me!" she laughs, pulling away.
"two months is too long. and anyways, you deserve a hug for coming back," she replies, grabbing a coke from the fridge.
the two are interrupted by the back door opening. you turn around to see who is it and- oh.
steve is standing there, looking shellshocked. his keys are in his hand, like he's just arrived, and clearly not expecting to walk into this.
"steve!" robin says, trying her best to break the tension. "you uhm.. you came through the back door!"
"soph?" he says, like he doesn't believe she's real. her chest stings at the nickname, and it brings back memories she'd completely forgot about.
"soph!" steve laughs, grabbing her by the waist and spinning her around to face him.
sophia giggles as he taps her nose, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead.
"you're not meant to be here silly," he says, though he doesn't loosen his hold on her. "what do you think your mom's going to say when she finds out you skipped your last two classes to drive to my door huh?"
"it was ap calc and history, and i'm acing both of those. i can afford to skip them," soph shrugs, grabbing the car keys from his hand. "and where were you? you said you had a free day for us."
steve grins and holds up a brown paper bag. "you can't have a picnic without snacks. and i love you, but there is no way you are driving betty." he quickly snatches the keys back. "you know the road to lovers lake is one you hate driving anyways baby"
"why do you have to call her betty?" soph groans, grabbing the bag from steve and getting into the passenger seat. he meets her eyes as he starts the car. "sweetheart, you know she's named after my grandma, and i've told you the next one will be called soph." steve replies, starting the drive.
once they arrive, steve sets up the picnic blanket and pats the space beside him. "c'mere," he says, pulling soph into his lap. "what are you in the mood for baby?"
soph assesses her options. "hmmmmm maybe a coke and doritos?" she suggests, grabbing them both.
the pair sit and talk for what feels like hours, watching the sunset. steve drapes a blanket over soph when she gets cold without her saying a word.
steve pauses for a second before speaking. "are.. uhm... are we going to talk about it?"
soph stiffens slighly and glances nervously at steve. "talk about what?" she replies.
steve scoffs and rolls his eyes. "seriously, soph? this has been nice and all, but i don't want to spend our last night together ignoring the fact that you're leaving in the morning! for a fucking year!" he blurts out, banging his fist on the ground. soph flinches, and steve instantly brings his hand into his lap. "sorry, baby, i didn't mean to frighten you. i'm just scared is all."
his voice cracks as he runs a hand through his hair. "i'm really fucking scared soph. you're leaving tomorrow, and i don't know what i'm going to do without you here every day." tears threaten to fall down his face and sophia reaches out and gently brushes them away.
"hey hey... steve. listen to me. it's only a year and a half. if we made it through the shit in the upside down, we can get through this.â
she cups his face in her hands. âand youâre allowed to visit once a month and we can spend the day exploring the city.â she looks up at steveâs eyes. the eyes she could spend forever looking into.
âa year will go by so fast stevie, i know it will. and then ill be graduated and we have the rest of our lives.â
something shifts in steve's expression. he straightens and his eyes sharpen as they lock onto hers.
âsteve?" she frowns, "are you okay?â
âmarry me.â
the words come out before he can stop them.
soph freezes. her chest tightens as she looks over at steve.
âwhat?" she whispers "steve.. what are you talking about?â
steve takes a deep breath, composing himself. âiâm talking about us, soph. i want to marry youâ
sophia shakes her head, blinking back tears. âno. no. steve, this isnât something you just throw out there the night before i leave.â
steveâs eyebrows furrow in confusion. âiâm not throwing it out there soph. you know that i want this, we've talkied about it."
âyeah in the future, not at seventeen!â soph snaps, breaking eye contact. the words hang heavy between them.
âi⌠i canât marry you steve.â she says quietly, looking off into the distance. ânot like this. not when you donât properly mean it.â
she finally looks over at steve, and she wishes she didnât. his eyes are glassy and heâs wearing an expression sheâs never seen before - heartbreak.
âi do mean it soph-â
âno steve you donât." she cuts him off, her voice shaking. "weâre not ready for that and you know it. we may love each other but this isnât out of love. itâs out of fear and⌠panic.â her voice breaks slightly, but she clears her throat, determined to keep calm.
that gets him. he recoils slightly, not meeting sophs eyes. âthatâs not fair.â he says quietly, a tear slowly falling.
silence falls over the two, both too stubborn to break it.
âwhat if you find someone else?â steveâs voice breaks the silence. âsomeone better than me, someone who-'
âsteve. you canât fix that fear with a ring, and you know that.â soph says, fixing his hair.
âand what am i meant to do sophia!? just sit tight and wait for you to come back, praying you donât come back with someone else?â steve blurts out, eyes brimming with disappointment.
soph flinches at her full name. âso you donât trust me?â she asks softly.
âyou know i trust you soph,â he says quickly âitâs just everybody else i donât trust.â
soph sighs, shaking her head slightly. âno.. i canât.. i canât do this steve. i canât marry you.â
steve completely deflates. âso thatâs it?â he says incredulously. âyouâre leaving tomorrow and thatâs it? weâre just⌠over?â
soph holds back a sob. âi donât want to leave it this way steve.â she forces herself to look at him.
âthen donât.â steve presses, taking a box out of his pocket. he opens it and inside holds a silver ring with a small blue gem. âtake the ring soph. please.â
âyou know i wonât steve. youâre breaking your own heart.â soph whispers, looking away. âi have to go.â she says, getting up.
"no. no no soph please don't leave." steve pleads, not caring about how desperate and clingy he sounds. she moves to leave but he grabs her arm.
"steve," she whispers. "let me go."
sophia was snapped out of her trance by robin clearing her throat.
'steve,' she utters softly, barely above a whisper. she forces herself to tear her eyes away from his face, not wanting to stare at a look of disappointment and heartbreak. "i.. uhm.. i didn't know you'd be here." tears rise, but she blinks them back.
"yeah.." he echoes, his voice uncertain. his face is unreadable, filled with an emotion sophia doesn't recognise.
robin shifts awkwardly between them, glancing from steve to sophia. âi, uh⌠i can go,â she mutters, already stepping back. âiâm suddenly remembering i have.....something. somewhere far away.
soph realises she can't be in a room with steve right now. "no yeah uhm.. me too." she doesn't look at him as she leaves the kitchen, entering back into the party.
-----------------------------------
sophia spends the rest of the evening pretending she can't see steve lurking out of the corner of her eye.
she laughs when sheâs supposed to laugh. nods along to conversations she doesnât hear. drinks a little too much, more than she should. every so often, she catches a glimpse of him-leaning against a wall, talking to someone, or simply just standing silently, and each time it feels like something sharp twists in her chest.
itâs exhausting, this pretending.
because no matter where she moves, no matter who she talks to, sheâs aware of him. like her body remembers him even if sheâs trying not to.
for hours she wears a fake smile and manages to get around to everyone besides steve. when it hits eleven, the kids all leave after too many hugs and promises to visit in the next few days, and all that's left is sophia, robin, nancy, jonathan, and steve. nancy, robin, and soph are in the kitchen, catching soph up about everything that's happened while she was gone. soph was nursing her seventh beer, and was feeling pleasantly drunk, the kind of drunk that makes her confident.
"so uhm.. is steve, y'know....." sophia starts, glancing between robin and nancy.
nancy looks at soph, smiling sadly. "seeing anyone?" she finishes for soph and she nods.
"not that i care or anything!" she nods quickly "i was just wondering that's all." robin laughs, clapping her back.
"soph we all know you care. the tension in that room earlier was palpable. you could have cut it with a dull knife" the words hit soph, rocking her. she's tried so hard to forget steve while she was away, and she thought she did a good job, but the second she comes back, he's there and it's like her heart is breaking in half all over again.
"well of course i care, that was a lie" she says bluntly. "i mean... i loved him. so much. but he was asking me to marry him for christ sake, i couldn't say yes."
robin and nancy's eyes go wide. "he... he asked you to marry him?" robin repeats, mouth agape.
soph looks between nancy and robin. "he didn't tell you?" soph asks, brows furrowing in confusion.
nancy cuts in "no, he said you guys said some things, and you broke up with him."
soph can't believe what she's hearing. that asshole. "what the fuck." she mutters, getting up before she's realising what she's doing.
she storms into the living room, where steve and jonathan are talking quietly. steve looks up at the sudden noise, and his face falls when he sees her expression. he shoots up quickly. "what's wrong?"
"you didn't tell everyone you fucking proposed to me?!" she shouts, pushing him backwards. steve's eyes go wide, catching himself before he falls. he looks at jonathan, who's got a shocked expression on his face.
"can we not do this here." he pleads quietly, eyes locked onto hers.
"no steve we are doing this here." she snaps, stumbling slightly. his arms come out immediately, steadying her. disappointment fills his face. "you're drunk soph." he says softly, sighing.
soph's eyes narrow, and she tears herself out of his grasp. "you don't get to call me that." she hits his chest, blinking back tears.
"okay come on, lets go." steve grabs her arm and walks her upstairs to her bedroom.
upstairs the air feels heavier as soph collapses onto her bed, exhausted and emotional. steve sighs, looking at her.
"we're not having a productive conversation when you're this drunk soph." steve says gently, sitting on the edge of her bed.
soph lies face down into her pillow, groaning. she sits up, putting her head in her hands. she says something, her voice muffled by her hands.
"what was that?" steve asks, moving closer to her.
she takes a deep breath and looks at steve. "i missed you." she says, wiping tears from her face, causing mascara clumps to form under her eyes.
steve softens, and tucks her under his arm. "i missed you too soph. too much."
she looks up at him. "i shouldn't be doing this steve. i'm not going to be saying this tomorrow morning."
he sighs. "i know." he looks away, and starts to get up. "i think you should get some sleep sophia."
"stay."
steve stops in his tracks, and turns to stare at his ex-girlfriend. her eyes are brimming with tears, and she has a pleading look in her eyes.
steve hesitates, torn between walking away and staying by her side. slowly, he lowers himself onto a chair across from her bed.
and he stays. he tells himself it's just until she falls asleep, but when he hears her breathing fall into a slow steady pattern, he doesn't have it in himself to leave.
he was doing good while she was gone. well, not for the first few weeks, when he only left his house for work, and rarely responded to anyone with something that wasn't a huff or a grunt. but after those few weeks he started doing better. and he was actually at a point in his life where we was happy. sure, soph was still a thought in the back of his mind, but he could lilve out his daily life without feeling like dying.
and now she's here again. and he's straight back to square one.
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
â Live Streamingâ Interactive Chatâ Private Showsâ HD Qualityâ Free Actions
Free to watch ⢠No registration required ⢠HD streaming
synopsis: joe and y/n are terrible at trying to be private about their relationship, but nobodyâs complaining!
authorâs note: another part by popular demand!! did you guys peep the last comment about finn and his gf? thatâs a ref to my alternative universe with finn and popstar!gf and i thought itâd be fun to combine them. as always, this is purely fictional and does not reflect any of the people included in real life!
part one | part two
celebritygossip cast of stranger things seen driving to y/n l/nâs concert!
view all comments
user1 joe keery geeking tf out in the backđ
user2 aww wait i love how they support yn bc of joe
⼠user3 heâs such a supportive bf
⼠user4 bye yn and joe were never confirmed to be dating yall just be saying anything
⼠user5 girl YOU bye because itâs clear theyâre into each other
user6 natalia is so pretty oml đĽš
user7 AS THEY SHOULD
djotime does it count as a dump even if itâs just three photos?
view all comments
user8 we get it you love your girlfriend
user9 this confirms their relationship like cmon itâs so obvious
⼠user10 or theyâre just friends and he went to her concert to support her..
⼠user11 theyâre def dating be so fr
user12 three pics and yn is in one of them okaaaay
user13 theyâre so cute
user14 singer bf with singer gf
ynuser counts âcause itâs you.
⼠djotime youâre cute.
⼠user15 iâm so fucking single
celebritygossip y/n l/n seen smiling at awards show after announcer talked about joe keery
view all comments
user16 oh she is glowing
user17 her smileeee thatâs a woman in love
user18 thatâs her man donât play
user19 he treats her well i can tell from how beautiful and glowy she looks
ynuser busy woman out now! full time busy woman except for one person đ
view all comments
user20 yn this song is everything
user21 âfull time busy woman except for one personâ MHM HM SHE CONFIRMED HER AND JOE
user22 I DIDNT WANT YOUR LITTLE BITCHASS ANYWAY!!!! YEAH IM A BUSY WOMAAAAN
user23 you really are everything arenât you
djotime are you busy?
⼠ynuser for you? never
⼠user24 yall about to make me jump off a cliff
tatemcrae love this
⼠ynuser muah đ
nattyiceofficial busy woman indeed
ynsfanpage can we just appreciate how cool of a couple these two are. like fuck what a time to be alive
view all comments
user25 the fact that they can both sing and have amazing songs gets me đĽšđĽš
user26 hot people just gravitate towards each other
user27 always thought she was too cool for any man but joe may be proving me wrong
request: dad!steve bringing his daughter to the squawk for a guest appearance on the radio show, alongside robin - anon
a/n: robin and steve being best friends is everything to me and minor season five spoilers ahead !! i got a lot of reqs in one inbox so i'll post them all separately <3
wordcount: 2.1k
taglist: @voidsuites @love-you-inside-n-out @kim2250 @chansmai @emmaxdelicate @prettyliar2008 @trailerparkangell @ilovemykittymeow @starrlovee @multifandombliss @linesfromlondon @whimsijoy @ell0ra-br3kk3r @1011008 @lavend3rdust (to be added)
robin had graduated from smith college this summer and your phone had not stopped ringing.Â
âyeah⌠no⌠of courseâŚâ steve leaned against the wall, curling the phone cord around his finger, âitâs not that we donât want to see youâŚâÂ
âwhatâs she saying now?â you hissed from the living room carpet as your daughter bashed barbieâs heads together.Â
steve placed the phone on his shoulder, âsheâs begging us to go down to that bar again, for old times sake.â he mouthed at you.Â
âwe canât! not at such short notice, who will watch evelyn?â you whispered back, heâs already nodding.Â
at the sound of her name, your daughter crawled into your lap. âme?â she said innocently.Â
âno, you canât watch yourself, honey.â you answered, watching steve turn back to the phone,Â
âreally? thatâs great news and you know weâre so proud of youâŚâ steve assured down the line, â...no i know⌠i know you want to celebrate with usâŚiâŚokâŚyeahâŚnoâŚlove you tooâŚbyeâŚbye!â he hung up and exhaled.Â
your brow furrowed, âwhat did she say? whatâs the big celebration?âÂ
âuhh she got her old job at the squawk back.â he nodded, a small proud smile on his face.Â
âno way! thatâs incredible!â you grin back before it quickly fades, âshit⌠i feel bad, we should celebrate with her.âÂ
âshit!â parroted evelyn.Â
âno- nope, we donât say naughty words, mommy didnât mean that!â steve hushed her hurriedly as she giggled.Â
he turned back to you and pressed gentle kisses to your hairline, âweâll figure it out, iâm sure sheâll call back within minutes with a new plan.âÂ
however, as the weeks passed, robin did not call back and yet, her voice was still everywhere. evelyn was obsessed with her âauntie robinâ and would scream if the radio station wasnât tuned to WSQK when you drove her to and from school. sheâd giggle at every joke and and sing along loudly to every song she knew, kicking her feet against the back of the driverâs seat and you couldnât help but join in with her infectious energy, heart aching with how much your daughter reminded you of your best friend.Â
it was saturday morning, and you were reasoning with a tiny monster.Â
âwill you sit next to daddy and eat your breakfast, please?â you repeated for the millionth time.Â
âno, miss kitty sitting there.â she retorted, pointing to her favourite teddy like it was obvious.Â
âokay⌠why donât you sit next to miss kitty and eat your breakfast then?â comes your exhausted negotiation.Â
evelyn pouted, ânot my breakfast.â
âwhat? yes it is. you asked for it, evie.â you sighed.Â
she shook her head, ânuh uh. miss kitty told me to ask for it, it hers.âÂ
you run your hand over your face, âbut itâs your favourite.âÂ
âi know, miss kitty wanted to try it!â she beamed up at you as if that made complete sense, before skipping off into the living room.Â
steve looked up from his newspaper, âevie, come sit here and eat your breakfast.â he said firmly.Â
just as she was begrudgingly turning around, the doorbell rang.Â
âdoor!â your daughter yelled unhelpfully, sprinting away from you and towards the sound.Â
both of you stood to follow, exchanging looks of confusion, you werenât expecting anyone today. steve lifted evie up so she could unlock the door and robin was stood on your front step.Â
âis this a bad time?â robin said awkwardly, eyeing your frazzled expressions.Â
âno not at all.â the lie falls easily off your tongue and robin embraces it, pushing past you both into your home.Â
âgreat because iâve been thinking. you remember how you said you were too busy to come out with me because you have a kid- hi evie-â your daughter waved back excitedly, but robin was still going, âso i was having all these ideas of daytime activities that we could do but then i got the radio job so i wasnât free anymore and-âÂ
ârobin!â steve interrupted, âwhatâs your point?âÂ
she flushed red, âsorry! sorry! okay⌠i want you guys to have a guest appearance on my radio show.â she pulled a face of nervous anticipation as she waited for your response.Â
âno- we couldnât-â you started apologetically.Â
âwho would watch evie?â steve chimed in with his own concern.Â
robin ran her fingers through her hair, âokay maybe i wasnât making sense. i want.â she pointed at all three of you, âyou guys to make a guest appearance on my radio show.âÂ
just as the two of you started your protests, evie wriggled out of steveâs hold, âyes!â she ran over to robin and hugged her legs, gazing up at her adoringly, âyes please, auntie robin!âÂ
âwell then itâs settled!â she grinned, curling her fingers through your daughterâs soft hair in delight.Â
ârobin-â you interject with exasperation.Â
âitâs totally kid friendly, i mean steve used to be the sound guy.â she grinned, elbowing him playfully. âi promise, itâll be fun!â she pleaded earnestly.Â
âwhatâs the worst that could happen?â steve shrugged, turning to you and you shrugged in defeat.Â
âgreat! see you tomorrow!â robin called before rushing out the door again.Â
âwait- tomorrow? robin!â steve called after her in annoyance but she was already out of earshot.
evelyn skipped off happily into the kitchen, humming some song robin had on repeat at the squawk.
âyouâre taking her.â you rounded on steve once youâd recovered from the whirlwind that was robin buckley.Â
âbabyâŚâ he groaned, tilting his head to the side.Â
âwhat? you seem to like the idea of our little girl speaking to the whole of hawkins!â you snap.Â
âi didnât say that. pleaseâŚâ he pleaded, wrapping his arms around you. âi donât want to fight about this, robin and i will have it under control, itâll be fun.â he kissed the top of your head and your hammering heart eased.Â
âi guessâŚâ you deflate, âbut if i hear anything embarrassing on there-â you point at him accusingly.Â
âyou wonât.â he laughed warmly, kissing the pad of your finger, âi promise.â
the next morning, steve bundled evelyn into the car and set off towards the WSQK. you stood at the door and waved them off, even though steve had spent half the night soothing every anxiety inducing scenario you could come up with, your hands still shook.Â
âalright evie.â steve hummed as he pulled onto the main road. âwhat are the rules for today?â
evelyn groaned with exaggerated annoyance, âdon't say bad words and don't say names.âÂ
âandâŚ?â steve prompted.Â
âdon't tell fibs or any stories about mommy and daddy.â she grumbled, burrowing into the seat.Â
âgood girl.â he praised, âits gonna be fun, yeah?âÂ
she perked up slightly, âyeah.â
as they stepped out of the car and met with the radio station, steve felt a bizarre wave of nostalgia overcome him. it didn't take long after the military lockdown for him and robin to take over the station, aside from covertly sending crawl messages, he'd also authentically enjoyed being her sound guy. standing in front of this building, with his daughter by his side and a safe hawkins was something steve thought would only happen in his dreams.Â
evelynâs impatient voice interrupted his wistful thoughts, âdaaaaad! can we go in pleaseeee?â as she tugged on his sleeve.Â
âokay⌠okay⌠â he laughed, taking her hand and leading her inside, door swinging open.Â
as the booth came into view, robin was still talking into the microphone, âif youâre just tuning in, iâm robin buckley and this is girls on film, duran duran.â the opening notes filled the station as robin hurried towards them.Â
âhey! you actually came!â she said with delight.Â
âi made him.â your daughter replied stubbornly.Â
robin smirked, âoh, is that so? well kid, do you want a tour before we go live?âÂ
evelynâs eyes nearly popped out of her head, âyes please!â she squealed before skipping off, robin not far behind and steve forced to follow along.Â
âso this is all the sound stuff, where your dad used to stand.â robin explained as steve rolled his eyes. âand these are all the records for us to choose from and-âÂ
she took her seat in front of the microphone, evie immediately scrambling into her lap, âthis is where the magic happens! the microphone! we can say whatever we like.âÂ
ârobin!â steve warned as he took his familiar position next to the sound tapes, she only shot him a thumbs up in response as if thatâd calm him down.Â
the song faded out and robin stuck the headphones on evelynâs little head, âthat was duran duran and iâm delighted to announce that i am joined by some very special guests! if any of you recall, steve, yes that steve, was my sound guy a few years ago so heâs back on the decks.âÂ
he inserted the applause tape like it was muscle memory.Â
âbut even better than one harringtonâŚis two! iâm joined by the little harrington. whatâs your name?â robinâs gentle prompt is accompanied by her squeezing your daughterâs sides playfully.Â
âevie.â the little voice rasped between fits of joyous giggles.Â
âwell evie, welcome to my show! is there anyone youâd like to say hi to?â robin queried, eyeing her expectantly.Â
youâd just sat down to eat your lunch when you heard your daughterâs voice through the tinny radio. heart racing with anticipation, youâd jumped out of your seat and turned the volume up ridiculously loud.Â
âuhhh⌠i wanna say hi to my mommyâŚâ evieâs words crackled through the speakers and your heart nearly melted into a puddle, âand⌠my friends⌠and my class⌠and missâŚââ you could practically hear steveâs warning glare as evie pivoted, âmiss teacher.â
âthatâs so nice!, well done, i hope theyâre all listening!â robin praised, giving evelyn a cuddle. âdo you want to a pick a song?â she coaxed.Â
silence filled the station as your daughter slid off robinâs lap and began to examine each record with utmost diligence. steve noticed her overwhelm within seconds as she ran her hands along the shelves, and stepped in before the tears flowed.Â
âdaddy⌠which one do i like?â she muttered shyly, bottom lip starting to wobble.Â
âyou like abba, donât you? when we all dance in the kitchen?â he encouraged.Â
evelyn nodded, âyeah. that, please.âÂ
âyou got it, honey.â steve replied, pressing a kiss to the top of her head and directing her back to robin as he deftly selected the right record and handed it to robin.Â
âsorry for the delay folks! too many great songs to choose from!â robin diffused with ease, âand now, the greatest of the greats, this is fernando by abba!âÂ
the familiar tune started up and your daughterâs expression lit up, immediately dancing to the beat. steve joined in, taking her hands in his and spinning her in the tiny booth, robin laughing as she looked on fondly.Â
âi hope all of you are having as much fun with this track as we are right now!â she called into the microphone, over the song.Â
steve lifted evelyn onto his hip just as she was starting to get too overexcited, âi think we should head off, yeah? we said hello to everyone and robin even let you pick a song!âÂ
she buried her head into his shoulder in disappointment â...kay.âÂ
âyeah? shall we say thank you to robin?â he coaxed warmly, desperate to get her out of there before she did embarrass everyone.
âthank you auntie robin!â came evelynâs sweet tone.
robin looked defeated, âyou sure you guys canât stick around?â
âsorry robinâŚâ steve apology was sincere, âi donât suppose youâd let us come back next week?âÂ
her smile grew with elation, âit would be my honour!â
âthere we go! everyoneâs happy, hm?â he turned to your daughter, stroking her cheek and she nodded.Â
the drive home was a relentless stream of chatter, evelyn was replaying the entire event from her perspective, like steve wasnât there. heâd nod where it was appropriate and every âyesâ only prompted more storytelling.Â
as the car pulled into the driveway, you unlocked the front door and before you could blink, your daughter crashed into your legs.Â
âhi honey, did you have fun?â you laughed.Â
âyes! yes! yes!â she screeched with unabashed joy, âdid you hear me talking, mommy? did you?âÂ
âi did.â you nod solemnly and that only spurs her on.Â
âand i played that song i like and robin was so nice to me and she showed me everything and daddy told her we want to come back next week and i want to come back every week!â she rattled off as steve grew increasingly red with guilt.Â
you turned to him with playful accusation, âis that so?â
âi didnât say that-â he followed evelyn into the house, as he scrambled to come up with an apologetic explanation, âi wanted us to come next week so you can come too!â he offered you an exaggerated smile in hopes for forgiveness.
ânice save, steve harrington.â you smirked as you shut the door behind them both.
synopsis: turns out, your little drunk texts to joe keery actually helped you secure the man of your dreams!
ââ§Â°đ˛Öźđ˘
ynuser back in my element âď¸đŁ
view all comments
user1 need that sushi
user2 who is the man
user3 love this aesthetic so much u never fail to amaze me đĽš
user4 second post is ironic considering the first post đŠ
finnwolfhard donât have too much fun
⼠ynuser âşď¸âşď¸
oliviarodrigo 2026 off to a great start!!
⼠ynuser ilysm my liv come visit soon đ
user5 đ in the room: ADDRESS ME
user6 oh to be at the beach with sushi
djotime đ
view all comments
user7 a man of few little words
user8 whoâs bikini top is that joe
⼠user9 could be his friend?
finnwolfhard dude
⼠djotime dude
user10 are you and yn dating or were you just teasing usđ
⼠user11 iâm guessing theyâre just friends who occasionally comment on each others post and thatâs it. heâs never been to any of her concerts so theyâre prob not close
ę ynspriv heâs actually pretty cool & iâve never said that about a man ever so
view all comments
finnwolfhard heâs pretty darn cool igâŚ
⼠ynspriv pretty darn funny too igâŚ
⼠joekeeryspam why do yall hate me
conangray mama and papa?
oliviarodrigo WHAT IS HE DOING ON THE WALL
tomblyth thatâs nice sweetie
joekeeryspam thank you youâre super cool too đđ
ynuser out & about!
view all comments
user12 everything abt this post is wow
user13 yn can do it all
tatemcrae NO MAN DESERVES THIS
⼠ynuser kiss me
⼠djotime well..
⼠user14 OH
user15 joeâs comment !!!!!
user16 yn and joe confirmed đĽš
user17 well if im not dating joe at least yn is WE đ
djotime whoâs this pretty lady
⼠ynuser 0/10. didnât blush. didnât even smile.
⼠djotime can u just love me
⼠ynuser im jk i already do đđđ
⼠user18 i am so single FUCK
⼠user19 what i think will happen to me after eating grapes under the table đ
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
â Live Streamingâ Interactive Chatâ Private Showsâ HD Qualityâ Free Actions
Free to watch ⢠No registration required ⢠HD streaming
๨ৠsummary: lydia buckley left hawkins to save herself. steve harrington stayed and learned how to live with the quiet she left behind. two years later, the world cracks open again and drags her back into his orbit, all old habits, restrained glances, and feelings that never learned how to die. this isn't a love story about getting it right the first time. it's about the little mess you make when you choose yourself...and the person you never really stop choosing anyway.
๨ৠcontent: not proofread!!!! tension and suspense, stealth/military operation, Lydiaâs internal panic, exes-to-lovers undertones, nostalgia flashback, romantic memory, sweetness and intimacy, subtle flirtation, government cruelty, unresolved feelings,
The van hummed softly, the engine idling as Steve leaned forward, one hand gripping the edge of the dashboard. He glanced at the small screen in front of him, then tapped the radio. "Signal so far... all clear."
From her headset, Joyce's voice came steady and calm, cutting through the static. "Positions. Everyone check in. Lucas? Mike?"
"Up and ready," Lucas answered, voice tense but controlled.
"Lydia?" Joyce prompted.
Lydia adjusted the strap of her bag, pretending to scroll through a clipboard full of data sheets while subtly peering through the window at the convoy below. "Clear," she whispered, her voice steady, even as her pulse raced. From here, she could see everything, the cars, the soldiers, Hopper maneuvering, and it made her stomach tighten.
"Good. Everyone stay sharp." Joyce orders, looking at her watch, "Crawl begins in three... two... one..."
Hopper crouched behind a building, glancing over the side as headlights swept past. His breath was steady, but every second stretched taut like a wire. The convoy started moving. Engines hummed and tires crunched over gravel.
Lucas's voice crackled over the radio."Hopper, left. Leftâhold. Now right. Stop."
Lydia's eyes never left him, heart hammering. Hopper slipped behind a parked truck and vanished from view for half a second. Her fingers twitched before she could stop herself, snatching a clipboard off a nearby table. She lifted it instinctively, flipping through the pages like she was absorbed in her work, while angling her body just enough to catch sight of him again as he moved toward the final vehicle.
"Freeze," Lucas cut in, low and urgent. "You've got a guard at your twelve."
After a few minutes, Hopper muttered into the walkie, "What now, kid?", impatience creeping into his tone.
"Three vans coming through," Lucas said. "Stay down until the third clears. Don't move."
The first van rolled past, engine barely louder than a breath. The second followed, tires crunching softly over gravel. Hopper stayed crouched, eyes locked on the last vehicle, the one that would put him closest to the Upside Down.
Lydia, stationed in the building across the lot, watched with hawk-like focus. She could see the rigid soldier blocking the van, arms crossed and her jaw tight. He wasn't impressed by her presence, or her purpose, or anything she might have to say, but she had to risk it.Â
Taking a deep breath, Lydia stepped away from the shadow of the lab, clutching her clipboard like a shield. She pressed the button on her walkie-talkie just long enough to whisper, "Everyone... don't say a word, okay?" Then she tucked it into her pocket, convinced she was done broadcasting. What she didn't realize was that the walkie was still live, picking up her voice every step of the way. She forced herself to walk toward the soldier, trying to sound calm, professional... convincing.
"Uh... excuse me," she said, voice a little too high, too rehearsed. "Can you, um... tell me where Dr. Kearns is? Iâuh, I need to, you know... verify, double-check something... it's, uh, important... paperwork? Yeah, paperwork."
The soldier's eyebrow twitched. His jaw remained rigid. His arms didn't move, but he tilted his head slightly, waiting.
"Oh! And also, um... which... corridor? Corridor C? Or is itâno, section C? I think it's section C. I justâlook, I just need to... confirm." Her hands fluttered nervously over the clipboard.
The soldier sighed, unimpressed, but finally shifted just a tiny bit, enough to open the path for Hopper without acknowledging her. Lydia froze, teeth clenched, desperately hoping she hadn't completely blown it.
From behind the vehicle, Hopper gave her the faintest nod and slipped past the soldier, moving swiftly into the shadows.
Lydia exhaled shakily, adjusting her clipboard like she'd meant to do all of that, her face warming from the embarrassment. "Hopper's in. He's, he's clear," she said into the walkie, voice just steady enough to sound confident, though her fingers trembled. A chorus of cheers erupted from the team, Mike's voice coming through loudest: "Nice save, Lydia!"
Her cheeks flushed as she realized everyone had heard just how fumbling her explanation had been. She gave a small, embarrassed laugh and muttered, "Thanks... Iâuh, back to work," slipping back into the lab like nothing happened.
Then came the voice that made her pause, cutting through the relief just enough to stop her mid-step.
"Still a terrible liar, huh?"
Steve. Not loud. Just familiar enough to slip past her guard. There was a trace of a smile in it, something teasing, but it didn't quite reach the end of the sentence.
"Guess you still need some practice."
The word practice landed wrong.
Lydia's mind drifted before she could stop it:
Steve Harrington didn't make a big deal out of his birthday.
Back in high school, it had been an excuse. Loud music, cheap beer, people he barely remembered the names of. But now, now it was just another day. Another shift. Another reminder that everyone else had moved on while he was still here, still in Hawkins, still clocking in and out.
So he didn't mention it. Not to Dustin. Not to Robin. Definitely not to Lydia.
At least, not on purpose...
It slipped out the night they were trapped underground, wrists bound to metal chairs, the air thick with whatever the Russians had pumped into them. Everything felt slow then. Heavy and light all at once. Words came out wrong, or too honest, or not at all.
They were drowsy, drifting in and out of focus, giggling at nothing. Lydia's head lolled forward, then back against the cold metal. Steve laughed too easily at something she said, something that probably didn't even make sense.
At some point, in between the laughter and the fog, he went quiet.
"Doesn't matter," he mumbled, eyes half-lidded, staring somewhere just past her shoulder. "Birthdays are kinda...overrated." He paused, like the thought had surprised even him. "Probably just gonna be me anyway."
Lydia frowned, the words sinking in slower than they should've. "That's not true," she said softly, voice thick and uneven. "You're...you're not alone." She smiled at him, lazy and sincere. "You've got me. And Robin. Andâ" she waved her head vaguely, losing her train of thought. "People."
Steve huffed a quiet laugh, head tipping to the side. "Yeah. People."
They drifted after that, the conversation dissolving into nothing again. Neither of them brought it up. But the words stayed with her.
They lingered long after the drugs wore off. Long after the bruises faded and the fear settled somewhere deep in her bones. Long after they made it out alive.
She couldn't shake the way he'd said it, like it was already decided. Like loneliness was just another thing he'd learned to live with.
So when his birthday came closer, the thought never left her mind. The plan was simple. Or at least, it was supposed to be.
Robin was meant to keep Steve busy at Family Video. Something about inventory. Or rewinding tapes. Or reorganizing the horror section for the fifth time that week.
Apparently, being bad at lying ran in the family.
She hovered too close to the counter, arms crossed and uncrossed again, eyes darting anywhere but his face. She launched into explanations he hadn't asked for, tripped over her own words, then abandoned entire sentences halfway through.
"So, uhâ" she said, tapping the clipboard like it might save her. "We're, um. We're behind. On... something. I think."
Steve squinted at her. "Behind on what?"
Robin opened her mouth. Closed it. Tried again. "You know. Tapes. The rewinding. The... alphabetical situation."
"The alphabetical situation," he repeated flatly.
She nodded way too fast. "Yeah. Big problem. Huge."
He watched her for another beat, noticing the way she kept blocking the door to the back, the way she flinched every time it chimed open, like she was waiting for something to go wrong.
"Okay," he said slowly. "What's going on?"
"Nothing!" she said, too loud. Then, quieter, "Nothing. At all."
That did it.
Steve sighed, grabbing his jacket off the counter. "I'm just gonna run down to the corner store real quick. We're out of smokes."
Robin's face did something strange, relief mixed with panic, like she couldn't decide which one she was supposed to feel.
"Oh. Yeah. Sure. Totally," she said, voice cracking. "Great idea. Love that for you."
He paused, keys jingling in his hand, giving her a look. "You're being weird."
"I'm always weird," she shot back, too fast. "That's my thing."
Steve shook his head, already halfway to the door. "I'll be back in ten."
Lydia stood alone in Steve's kitchen, flour dusting her hands and freckling the counter, staring into the oven like it might give her answers.
She still hadn't decided on a flavor.
Chocolate felt too obvious. Too easy. Vanilla felt too plain, like she hadn't tried hard enough. She hovered between bowls, spoon suspended midair, heart thudding louder than it should've for something as small as cake batter. She'd never baked for him before.
The thought made her chest tighten, not because she was afraid of messing it up, but because she couldn't stop wondering if anyone ever had. She highly doubted his parents had. She pictured birthdays reduced to forgotten dates, last-minute cards, a distracted "we'll celebrate when we're back" that never came.
The idea that Steve Harrington might've never had a homemade birthday cake broke something open in her.
She swallowed, wiping her hands on the side of her jeans, resolving to make it right. To make it his, whatever that meant.
That was when the front door opened.
"Robin, I swear if you forgotâ" she called out, not turning around. "I'm not even done yet and I still haven't decided what flavorâ"
Silence answered her. She didn't think much of it; her hands were already buried in flour and sugar, mixing too quickly, distracted by the chaos of measuring and stirring.
"You know, Dustin didn't even get the balloons yet. I told him to ditch that stupid Hellfire Club todayâ" she muttered, talking to herself as much as anyone, shaking her head at her own planning.
"Liddy?"
The single word sliced through the kitchen. She yelped, eyes going wide as she froze mid-scoop, flour flying, sugar spilling. Her hands scrambled to cover the mess on the counter, her heart thundering in her chest.
Steve was standing in the hallway, keys still in his hand, eyes flicking past her shoulder toward the kitchen. The smell of sugar and butter hung in the air, unmistakable.
"Oh," she said quickly, stepping in front of him before he could see anything else. "Hey. Youâuh. You weren't supposed to be here."
He blinked. Once. Then again.
"Okay," he said slowly, glancing at the flour on her hands, the apron she clearly hadn't thought to take off. "That's... concerning."
"It's not what it looks like," she blurted.
He raised an eyebrow. "I don't know what it looks like yet."
She panicked.
"I was just, Robin needed help with something. For the store. And I thought I'dâclean? Your kitchen?" She gestured vaguely behind her, immediately wincing. "That sounded better in my head."
Steve crossed his arms, lips twitching. "You're a terrible liar."
Her shoulders slumped. "I know."
He stepped closer, lowering his voice like he was letting her in on a secret. "You practiced that, didn't you?"
She groaned. "I practiced all of it."
That's when the oven timer went off. They both looked toward the kitchen.
Another beat.
Lydia sighed, defeated, and stepped aside. "Okay. Fine. You ruined the surprise."
Steve walked in slowly, eyes landing on the half-frosted cake on the counter. The candles still in their box. A small gift bag tucked awkwardly near the edge.
For a second, he didn't say anything. Then, softer than she'd ever heard him, "You did all this... for me?"
She nodded, suddenly nervous. "I know you don't really care about birthdays, but I justâthought maybe you should have one that's... good."
Steve's hands slipped around her waist, drawing her into him. She froze for a heartbeat, then softened, matching the slow exhale against her ear. He rested his forehead near her temple, like he needed that contact to steady himself.
"You... you didn't have to," he murmured, voice low and warm and real. "ButâGod, I'm glad you did."
Before she could reply, he leaned in and kissed her temple. quick, almost shy. Then another, softer, at the corner of her cheek. The kind of kisses that felt like little "thank yous" more than anything else, like gratitude poured into skin.
Her fingers found his forearms, tracing over them as she let herself breathe for the first time in hours, maybe days. Yes, her plan had crumbled before it even began. Robin had accidentally tipped him off, or maybe Steve had just been too sharp, but whatever the reason, her carefully orchestrated surprise was out the window. She'd been ready to face the disappointed look she imagined on his face, but instead, he had smiled that lopsided grin of his and said, "Why don't we just... bake it together?"
Before she could protest, he was already pulling a bulky boombox, old-school, cassette-driven, scratched and scuffed from years of use, off the shelf. With a few deft flicks of buttons, he had it softly playing a record Lydia had loved once, the familiar 80s synth notes filling the kitchen. It was quiet, comforting, almost like the room itself had softened just for them. She blinked at him, caught between exasperation and amusement.
"You pick the flavor," he said casually, his hands brushing hers as he set the boombox down, "I'll follow your lead."
"No way," Lydia shot back, wagging a finger at him as she stirred the batter. "It's against the law of birthdays to let someone else pick your cake flavor. You're choosing, Harrington."
He laughed, leaning against the counter, pretending to ponder seriously while she rolled her eyes. He finally agreed on a flavor, chocolate, after far too much indecision and several mock protests about it being "too basic." Lydia rolled her eyes, grinning, secretly thrilled. She handed him an apron.
"Frosting duty," she said. "Try not to destroy it."
"Frosting duty?" he asked, frowning at the bowl. "What does that even mean?"
She laughed. "It means you mix the sugar and butter in slowly, not like you're starting a chainsaw."
He narrowed his eyes, gripping the whisk like it might bite. Lydia leaned in to guide his hands, showing him the proper circular motion. He groaned, muttering something about kitchen math, but the twitch at the corner of his mouth betrayed him, he was enjoying this more than he'd admit.
A few minutes later, Lydia was whisking the frosting herself, the rhythmic motion calming her nerves. Steve snuck up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist, pressing his chest against her back. She froze, then tilted her head back slightly, laughing against him.
"You're ridiculous," she said, smearing a dab of frosting on his nose playfully.
"And you love it," he whispered, leaning down to catch her mouth in a quick, sweet kiss, frosting still dusting her fingertips.
Lydia dipped her finger in the frosting again, this time lifting it behind her head. Steve didn't hesitate, tasting it, letting out a soft, satisfied hum that made her giggle and squirm in his hold.
They moved around the kitchen in a comfortable rhythm, cocoa powder dusted the counter, frosting smudged the edges of the bowl, and somehow, neither of them seemed to mind the mess.
She measured the olive oil; he misread the spoon measurements. She rolled her eyes, laughing at his exaggerated sighs. He tried to whisk too fast, sending little clouds of sugar into the air. She flicked some back at him. He yelped, laughing, but the corners of his eyes softened every time he looked at her.
At one point, they paused to taste-test the batter, standing side by side, their hands brushing as they reached for the same spoon. Later, Steve tried to "fix" the cake by adding more frosting than necessary, and Lydia flicked a finger at him, smearing a little on his cheek. He grinned, licking it off slowly.
Finally, the cake was ready. They stepped back, surveying their slightly messy but perfectly imperfect creation. Flour on his arms, a smudge of frosting on her nose, hands sticky, hearts a little lighter. Lydia reached into her pocket and pulled out the gift bag she'd been saving.
He picked up the gift bag with careful hands. Inside was a simple leather bracelet, worn and sturdy, the kind that looked like it could survive anything.
"I figured you'd lose it if it was anything fancy," she said quickly. "Or pretend you didn't like it."
He laughed under his breath, slipping it onto his wrist like it belonged there.
"I love it," he said.
And when she handed him the cake, slightly lopsided, frosting uneven, he smiled like no one had ever baked him anything before.
"Happy birthday, Stevie."
"Ignore him, Lydia" Mike's words pulled Lydia out of the memory "He's just jealous that you saved the day" Lucas let out a low chuckle from the other seat.
She blinked once. Then again.
For half a second, she wasn't standing in a government facility with alarms buried in the walls and blood on the ethics of her research. She was seventeen again, barefoot in Steve's kitchen in the afternoon, frosting on her fingers, laughing so hard she'd almost dropped the cake.
The memory hit her sideways.
She swallowed, grounding herself the only way she knew how, control, procedure, and distance.
"Thanks, guys," she said, steady enough that no one would question it. Her mouth curved into a small, polite smile that didn't reach her eyes. "I... I should get back to work. Over and out."
The radio clicked off.
She didn't tease him or roll her eyes or say "you loved that cake"Â or "you still ate half of it anyway."
She turned back to the monitors, to the data, to the thing that wouldn't ask anything of her except precision.
Steve's chest tightened before he could stop it, a dull sinking disappointment settled somewhere behind his ribs. He stared at the darkened radio for a second longer than necessary, waiting, stupidly, for her voice to come back with something familiar. Something her. Nothing.
Earlier, during the briefing, when the radios were being handed out, he'd reached for the one closest to her, muscle memory guiding him like it always had. She'd taken it first.
"I've got it."
Not unkind or angry, but also not inviting.Â
Steve's eyes dropped to the steering wheel, fingers tightening reflexively. The leather bracelet sat snug around his wrist, worn smooth with time. The knot she'd tied had loosened just enough over the years to prove he'd never taken it off.
â˘â ââââ§â âŚâ â§ââââ â˘
The slushies were already sweating in the cup holders by the time Lydia really got going.
Steve didn't remember how it started, something about the radio, maybe, or the way she'd tilted her head out the window and said, "You know what people always get wrong?", but now she was fully in it, hands moving as much as they could while still buckled in, voice bright and breathless like she'd been waiting all day to say this out loud.
"Everyone pairs biology with chemistry," she said, rolling her eyes dramatically. "Which, okay, fine, I get it. Molecules, reactions, whatever. But physics?" She turned toward him, eyes lit up. "Physics is what makes biology terrifying."
Steve hummed, nodding like this was the most reasonable thing anyone had ever said.
"Because physics explains the how," she continued, warming up. "The force, the energy transfer, the pressure systemsâlike, muscles aren't just tissue, they're levers. Blood flow is fluid dynamics. Neurons? Electrical currents. It's all motion and force andâ"
She broke off only because Steve had reached across her, careful and gentle, fingers brushing her jacket as he pulled the seatbelt a little tighter across her chest.
She blinked. "Steve."
"Seatbelt was twisted," he said easily, eyes still on the road. "Safety first."
She narrowed her eyes at him, suspicious, then immediately went back to talking.
"So when you look at something like accelerated healing or enhanced strengthâ"
Steve took a slow sip of his slushie, straw clicking against the lid, watching her out of the corner of his eye. He didn't understand a single word. Not really. But the way she spoke, like the world made sense if you just looked at it from the right angle, made his chest feel warm and stupid and full.
He drove past the main road, turning onto something quieter, trees lining both sides, sunlight flickering across the windshield. He'd found the spot earlier that week. Somewhere peaceful. Somewhere she could talk without rushing.
"And biology without physics is just... descriptions," Lydia said. "But physics lets you predict. It lets you recreate things. Improve them."
Steve nodded again. "That's... badass," he offered.
Her face lit up like he'd just handed her an award.
"Right?"
He smiled, soft and helpless. At a red light, he leaned over just enough to steal a sip of her slushie.
"Heyâ!" She laughed, grabbing the cup. "Thief."
"Yours tastes better," he said, unapologetic.
"That's because you got cherry and I told you to get blue raspberry."
"Yeah, yeah." He shrugged. "Still worth it."
She shook her head, smiling, and went right back to rambling like nothing had interrupted her.
Steve parked a few minutes later, engine clicking softly as it cooled. The view opened up in front of them, trees, sky, quiet. He rested his arm along the back of her seat, careful not to crowd her, just... there.
She kept talking. About theory. About potential applications. About how people underestimated what happened when you crossed disciplines instead of keeping them separate.
Steve watched her mouth move. The way her eyebrows pulled together when she was thinking. The way her hands stilled only when she reached the end of a thought, like she was setting something gently back down.
"And the electrical stuff," he added. "With neurons. That's... not just reactions, right? It's timing. Speed."
She smiled, soft and fond now. "You are listening."
"Always," he said, without thinking.
He leaned back in his seat, sunlight spilling through the windshield, dust motes drifting lazily through the air. Whatever she was building, whatever she believed in, he trusted it. Trusted her to know the difference between discovery and damage.
Lydia stared out the window, smiling as she talked, hands animated, voice bright with possibility. Science wasn't power to her. It was wonder. It was responsibility. It was the belief that knowledge, handled carefully, could make the world gentler instead of cruel.
She never once imagined it being used like this.
The memory shattered.
Cold fluorescent light burned into her vision as the lab came back into focus. The hum of machinery replaced the low purr of Steve's engine. Her fingers trembled around a stack of folders instead of a melting slushie.
Blood samples. Injection schedules. Subject ages listed in months.Â
Her breath hitched, sharp and ugly, as the truth settled in her chest.
Lydia hadn't gone looking for answers.
She was there for samples, nothing more. Tissue readings, environmental data, contamination spread. The kind of work that stayed clean on paper, that let her tell herself she was helping contain something dangerous instead of enabling it.
The Upside Down lab wing was quieter than the rest. Too quiet. Most of the personnel were stationed closer to the breach, monitoring fluctuations, shouting readings back and forth. Lydia had slipped away with her clearance badge and a sealed case, following a side corridor marked AUXILIARY STORAGE.
It made sense, at first. The door hadn't been locked, just restricted, and her badge worked without hesitation.
But she froze.
This wasn't storage.
The room was lined with observation windows. On the other side of the glass were gurneys. Restraints. IV stands already primed, tubing coiled neatly like they were waiting to be used.
Her stomach turned.
She stepped closer to one of the desks, heart beginning to pound, and that's when she saw the folders.Â
PROJECT: PRENATAL ENHANCEMENT
SUBJECT GROUP: MATERNAL
VECTOR: HEMOGENIC TRANSFER
She flipped one open.
Injected blood sourced from a "primary enhanced subject." Observed neurological anomalies in utero. Success rates logged in cold percentages.
And then,Â
Comparative analysis: Subject Eleven.
Lydia's hands went numb. This wasn't curiosity. This wasn't care.
This was science stripped of mercy, physics and biology twisted together not to understand the human body, but to claim it,  manufacture it, and repeat it.
She backed away from the desk like it might burn her.
A sound drifted through the hallway, voices, distant but clear enough to carry. Two scientists speaking casually, like they were discussing equipment calibration.
"...once we stabilize the replication process, we won't need her consent anymore."
"No, but she's still the key. Eleven's blood is the closest we've got to a reliable catalyst."
Their conversation hit Lydia like a fracture through bone. Eleven isn't data. She's a child.
She clutched the folder to her chest, nails digging into the paper as if she could crush the truth back into silence. Alarms began to wail somewhere down the corridor, red lights flooding the room, but for one terrifying second, she was sure they were for her.
That she'd been seen. That she wasn't supposed to know.
Then, through the glass at the far end of the lab, she caught movement.
A girl with a shaved head, older with fierce eyes, Hopper pulling her forward, and Eleven right behind them, bleeding and alive.
They barely made it.
Lydia watched them disappear into the Upside Down, watched Eleven turn once like she could feel the weight of the building behind her.
And in that moment, everything Lydia believed collapsed.
No way was she helping them learn more about the Upside Down.
Not like this. Not ever again.
note: HE. STILL. HAS. THE. BRACELET. also idk if you guys noticed but in the first part where he was fiddling with something around his wrist before he saw that lydia was back, ITS THE SAME BRACELET. anyways, i hope this isnt too choppy for you guys đđ i hope this concept clicks with you guys the same way it clicked for me lol. enjoy the ride!!
It was your last interview of the day, and you were exhausted to say the least. You were nearing the end of a chaotic press junket promoting your new movie, and the combination of jet lag and a low social battery was threatening to take you out. But it was the last interview, so you could suck it up for the next 30 minutes.
It was a radio interview for BBC, and you were being asked rapid-fire questions, one of them being your current roman empire.
'Oh, that's easy,' you reply with a smile. 'Stranger Things for sure. I am obsessed with the new season. And Steve Harrington...' You pause for a second. 'Yeah, actually that's it. Just... Steve Harrington.'
The crew laughs and you look at them wide-eyed, gasping. 'Do you guys not see what I'm seeing?! I mean it's Joe Keery guys, come on!'' You laugh at your answer and the host moves on to another question.
That's all it was meant to be. An offhand comment, a joke.
But it went viral. People were clipping it, sharing it, making edits of you and Joe, and even making ship names. Joe had been tagged in hundreds of times, and you even posted a story about it, saying it was crazy how much it blew up. Joe even posted his own story, tagging you and saying âI feel honoured .' The fans went crazy over that. It never went any further than that though.
After a while it sort of died down, but it never fully left your mind, the thought resurfacing every now and then.
A few weeks later you were in New York with some friends. You had a month off before starting your next project, so what better to do than return to your favourite city? One of your friends mentioned that Joe had a concert that night and you whipped your head up. You were familiar with his music and liked the majority of his songs.
Fuck it you thought as you arrived at the venue and got a place relatively close to the stage.
You had to admit, it was a great concert. The audience was incredible, singing every word and dancing to the upbeat songs.
Towards the end of the set, he finally noticed you. He did a double-take, as if he imagined you. For the rest of the song, his eyes never left you.
'Oh my god he's looking directly at you!' Your friend squeals, grabbing your arm. You try to play it cool, but on the inside you're freaking out. Joe Keery couldn't take his eyes off you!!!
Your friends convinced you to hang around after the show in case you saw him. You thought it was a bad idea, but stayed with them anyway.
After about 15 to 20 minutes, you spotted him. He had a hat pulled low over his head with his hood up. You felt your chest tighten as he looked up and saw you and your friends. He gave you a quick smile as he walked over to you.
'Hi.' He says, putting his hood down.
You freeze for a second, not knowing what to say because oh my god he was in front of you, speaking to you!!! You walk a few steps to him to be as out of earshot from your friends as possible.
'Uh.. hey,' You manage after a moment, laughing softly. 'Great show.'
'Thanks,' He says sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. 'I uhm.. wasn't sure if it was you in the crowd or not.'
You hear your friend gasp from behind and you turn to glare at them. 'Sorry about them.' You say, groaning. 'They can be... a lot sometimes.'
Joe smiles, a warm, kind smile that reaches his eyes. 'It's fine, I... I just thought I'd say hi since.. y'know the whole internet is kinda talking about us.'
You feel your cheeks warm. 'Oh God yeah.. I'm sorry about that, I did not mean for it to go viral.' You say, laughing while covering your face in your hands.
This time he laughs too. 'Don't be sorry! I mean.. I wasn't complaining,' He winces, like he's revealed too much. 'People were certainly... creative.'
You nod your head in agreement, trying to work up the courage to ask something you've wanted to ask ever since he reposted the interview on his Instagram story.
'So uhm.' You start, shifting your weight. 'If you're not busy, do you want to grab a drink or something. I can ditch my friends, and we can go somewhere... just us?' I ask nervously, meeting his eyes.
He grins. 'Yeah. I'd like that.
And just like that, the joke that was never meant to be anything turns into something real, something you couldn't wait to see through.
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
â Live Streamingâ Interactive Chatâ Private Showsâ HD Qualityâ Free Actions
Free to watch ⢠No registration required ⢠HD streaming
pixelskylines
yousharknotpass
areudirty
turnnoffyourmind
amandla
