Maresa-chan

The sun in Hawkin's Indiana scorched the pavement, the air thick with chlorine and the sound of splashing kids. But Billy Hargrove wasn’t focused on any of that, not when his little girl was about to be strapped to his chest, adorable in every way. Billy was shirtless in a pair of low-slung black swim trunks, his skin gleaming from sunscreen and sweat, as his messy curls were pulled back loosely at the nape of his neck. A thin gold chain rested on his chest, glinting as he leaned over the shaded stroller to lift his daughter out—his baby girl.

“C’mon, princess,” he murmured low, his voice gravelly with sleep and irritation, “Daddy’s gotcha.”

She was chubby, drowsy, and dressed in a pink ruffled bathing suit with a tiny sun hat that barely stayed on her curly head. Billy gently bounced her against his bare chest, one strong hand supporting her bottom, the other shielding her eyes from the sun as they made their way toward the pool. Her pudgy fist clung to his necklace, tugging with baby strength that made him huff. Droll already coating his neck as she tugged the necklace into her mouth.

A few pool-goers spared curious glances—some at the heavily muscled man with the dangerous edge in his expression, others at the absolute softness with which he cradled the baby girl in his arms.

“Back the fuck up,” he muttered under his breath when a group of older kids splashed too close as he turned his body away to shield her.

He took a seat on the shallow end stairs, dipping just his legs in while keeping her propped up carefully on his lap. She gurgled happily, her toes curling as the cool water touched them. He smiled—just a little. Just enough.

Behind him, stretched out on a lounge chair under a striped umbrella, you slept soundly, arms loosely draped across your stomach, your bikini top tied askew from sunbathing earlier. Billy glanced back at you, the corner of his mouth twitching up. He loved you like this—peaceful, relaxed, trusting him enough to watch her while you dozed.

Some teenager whistled nearby.

Billy’s eyes snapped to them with laser precision.

“You look again, and I’m drowning your scrawny ass in the deep end.”

The kid disappeared real fast.

He kissed the crown of his daughter’s head and sighed.

“Mommy’s got the right idea,” he whispered to her. “She gets to nap while I deal with all the little pricks.”

His daughter squealed, kicking happily in the water, her soft tummy wriggling in excitement. Billy grinned, catching her wet feet in his big hands, pretending to nibble on her toes while she shrieked with laughter.

Yeah. He used to rule the pool with cigarettes and swagger.

Now he guarded it like a territorial golden retriever with a baby in one arm and a scowl for anyone who looked twice.

And honestly?

His Camaro has California license plates in season 2.

That means, that to get it from California to Indiana, he would’ve had to drive it there (because shipping a car would not be something Neil Hargrove would pay for).

And it’s a near certain possibility he drove it there on his own - Max was probably with Susan and Neil (whether they were flying, or also driving).

So Billy would’ve been by himself. In his beloved car…driving to a state and town he knew he was gonna hate.

And I just wonder how many times he considered driving in a different direction entirely, or turning around and going back to California…going literally anywhere else….

But maybe he thought about how Neil might track him down eventually, and how mad he’d be…

Or maybe…he thought about Max. And even though he didn’t have boat loads of affection for the little twerp…there was something inside of him that told him that he couldn’t just leave her alone with Neil

[the taste of flowers on my tongue] a kind of soulmate AU, with a bit of hanahaki disease.

PART 1, PART 2

“ It all starts with a small flower on Will Byers’s wrist. It’s cute and the boy adores it, but the time goes by and the flower grows up from hand to shoulder. The flower grows at the same speed with which Will Byers falls in love with his friend, Mike Wheeler, and it start to hurt. Its roots sprout in Will’s veins and twist around his ribs, grow beautiful buds in his lungs and make him gasp when Mike is near. Mike also has a flower on his hand, but it’s pale and seems unfinished. Mike doesn’t love enough his soulmate to make the flower on his wrist blossom. He has feelings for the girl, whose wrist is empty. 

the party visits Hawkins for the holidays, circa December 1991.

Mike bonding with Max, finally admitting he was suicidal in the past (and lowk some now)...

Max learning about all his fights with Will, and shaking her head at him....telling him they'll talk about it later...

Mike updating Max on all her friends (they talk about Jane....she yells at him to be better...)

Will and Jane bonding while trying to get Mike back...Jane learning about Wills crush on Mike, and admitting her and Mike have been broken up since the end of s4...

Lucas and Dustin working together for crawls....getting some dustin content outside of his relationship with Steve....

Max not wanting to leave Mike behind, even if she trusts that he'll find a way....Mike pushing her to Lucas...

Will being who wakes Mike up....

Mike would get taken in the first episode while he was with Lucas at the tower.

Henry would take Mike to break apart the Party (since he knows from Will that’s he’s the heart) and to make Will more vulnerable to possession.

Max and Mike would meet in Camazotz and Will and El would go to rescue them.

Lucas has an arc about being unable to save the people he loves and he connects with Dustin about it.

Some more ideas for my au:

- The party doesn’t recognize him bc his face is so disfigured and Will has no desire for them to know it’s him.

- Will recognizes the party immediately and gives a fake name to not stand out.

- Joyce and Jonathan both have a weird feeling of familiarity whenever they’re with him which causes them to trust him immediately.

- When the party first refers to the creature as ‘the demogorgan’, Will is all like “Like from DnD??” And the party (especially Mike) is like “holy crap this guy is so cool!”

- I think his powers are much more powerful and that he’s honestly closer to being vecna than Will is in the regular AU.