#badass!reader

You immediately gather whatever supplies you could and took off towards the pool where Billy worked. Inside the main building, you found the kids forming a semicircle around the sauna door. You could see a face peering through the foggy window on the door and loud pounding. You knew within a second that it was Billy, angry at the party for locking him in. However, as soon as you walked in, he stopped… like your presence had startled him…

The kids that turned to look at you, both Max and El relieved to see you. The boys, meanwhile, were shocked and confused…

“What is she doing here?” Mike asked with a perplexed expression, turning to Max and El for an answer.

“I called and asked her to come help. Billy won’t listen to any of us, so I figured I get the one person he would listen to,” Max explained gently, her tone serious and matter-of-fact.

“You called El’s sister?” Lucas exclaimed, questioning if pulling you into the situation was a wise move.

“You’ve seen (Y/N) use her powers! And how Billy seems to care about her! Better her than anyone else!” El argued, trying to defend Max and you to an extent.

“Are you little shits done bickering or am I gonna have to break up the dog pile?” You yelled, annoyance and frustration bubbling up in you. Your eyes flashed briefly with black sclera and gold irises, a non-verbal and thinly-veiled threat. The kids all shut their mouths after that, minus Will, who took the chance to explain more about what was going on with your boyfriend.

“Billy’s been flayed, like I was. We’re using the heat of the sauna to try and get it out of him. But he’s going crazy…”

“I figured that, Byers. Now, where do I fit into this plan?” You quipped, still irritated from the earlier argument upon your arrival.

“Try and talk to him… or get him to talk to you. Calm him down. But be careful… The Mind Flayer might trick you and will use Billy to do it…”

“Got it…”

You pushed past the kids and moved slowly towards the sauna door, your footsteps careful and controlled. The gun in the inner pocket of your vest felt heavy as you stalked closer. Your face now level with the window, you glanced inside the sauna. Inside, Billy sat shaking and crying in a fetal position, drenched and wearing his jeans and signature medallion around his neck. He looked so afraid, so alone, so distraught…

“Babe?… Billy?” You said carefully and clearly, trying to keep calm despite the potential danger…

Billy, still shaking and upset, looked up to see your face in the window. Even with the fog clouding the window, he still registered the sound of your voice. It’s a sound that eased him to sleep on those nights when his piece of shit father was particularly abusive. But now, given the state he was in, all he could feel was fear and shame…

Not because of how he looked or felt… He had been vulnerable with you many times before…

It was because he was afraid of hurting you… of hurting Max… of hurting your sister… of hurting the kids…

Whatever this thing inside him was, it wanted to cause irreversible suffering… and he hated it…

“(N/N)? Oh God… (N/N)! I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!” Billy wailed in agony, the weight of his situation and actions, along with the sauna’s rising temperature, wracking through him. That’s when the waterworks began for you, Max and El not too far behind…

While blinking away the tears in your eyes, you opened your mouth again to speak, your voice quivering, “B-Billy, I-I’m not mad. If anything, I’m… I’m worried about you.”

“Please, please, don’t hate me… He made me do it…” Billy sobbed, holding and squeezing his hands together anxiously. You could hear Max beginning to sniffle at the sound of his frightened voice. You couldn’t blame her; as much as she and Billy didn’t get along, they were still family.

At his words, you realized you might have an opening to get him to tell you what happened to him. You then prompt him, “Who… who made you do it?”

“I don’t know. It’s like a shadow…” He whispered, his voice cracking as he recalled what he saw.

A light bulb went off in your mind as you rummaged through your pockets. You then pulled out a folded piece of paper, unfolding it to reveal a copy of Will’s drawing of the Mindflayer from nearly a year ago. You then held up the drawing to the window to show Billy, “Did the shadow look like this?”

It only took Billy a minute to confirm the appearance of the Mindflayer, “Yeah… Wha-How?”

“What’s happening to you, Billy… it happened to Will Byers. This creature… it’s called the Mind Flayer… it’s trying to make you do horrible things. The only way to get it out is through exposure to heat…” You explained, trying to calm him down, despite how terrifying the current situation was.

“S-so… so, the kids… they’re just trying to help?” He stammered, his voice barely audible through the door.

“Yes, yes! They’re trying to help you… Hell, it was Max who called me to try and help. When she called and told me what was going on with you, I… I knew I couldn’t let you suffer like this…” You said softly, pressing your hand against the window glass.

When Billy didn’t speak again, you grew worried. You began to wonder if there was something he made to tell you or if the Flayer had taken over. So, you decided to speak again, wanting to see if there was anything else he had to say, “Billy, did… did the Flayer show or tell you anything?”

This time, Billy spoke up, his voice still low and terrified, “Yeah, kind of… it told me… that you had… powers or something… you and El…”

You winced, eyes squeezing shut as your secret came spilling out of his mouth. You had kept your secret about your powers from Billy to protect him from harm. You were afraid that anyone from back at the lab would try to take you and El back, hurting the people you loved in the process. You didn’t want to put Billy through that, along with Max by proxy. Clearly, harm still found its way to him and had told him your secret itself…

“Billy, I’m sorry… I… I thought I was protecting you… that if my secret came out, you would get hurt… the people who kept me and El in that lab, they would stop at nothing to keep us locked away… I didn’t… I didn’t want to put you in danger… Well, look at how well that worked out…” you whispered sorrowfully, that last sentence self-deprecating…

Billy picked up on the self-deprecation rather quickly. His voice, though still trembling, became more recognizable as the voice of the young man you fell in love with, “This isn’t your fault, (N/N)… I just… I wish you had told me everything…”

“I know, I know. I’m so sorry… After this, no more secrets, okay?” You cried, tears now streaming down your cheeks as you stopped fighting to contain your fear and anguish…

Billy fell silent again, the room getting unnervingly quiet. After a few seconds, the lights in the room began to flicker and glitch. Everyone knew that meant that something otherworldly was happening. And with how Billy stopped responding, one could only guess what was coming…

After another beat of chilling silence, a loud scream of pain shrieked out from within the sauna. Everyone in the room began to panic and leap into action as realization dawned…

Billy…

Pulling your pistol from the inside of your vest, you swiftly unlocked the sauna door. Your eyes shifted into their black-and-gold pallor as adrenaline mounted and you flung the door open, nearly ripping it off the hinges. When you stepped inside, you caught a glimpse of the shadowy Mind Flayer fleeing through the storm drain in the tiled floor. But then, your eyes fell on the exhausted form of your boyfriend, barely able to keep his eyes open…

“Shit, that thing’s gonna find a new host… Billy!” You said, moving over to him and kneeling down next to him. You take his face in your hands, thumbs running along his tear-stained cheeks. Your touch seemed to wake him up as his eyes shot open and his hands find their way into your hair. Burying his face in your chest, he began to sob with relief, finally able to hold you after such an awful ordeal.

“Max, please get my water bottle. It’s in my backpack. Can one of you boys get some towels?” You asked the kids who were watching from the door. Max nodded, going to grab your water bottle while Will grabbed some towels from a nearby shelf. You turned your attention back to Billy, who was still sobbing against you as he practically held you like you would disappear if he let you go.

Will and Max returned with the water and towels, which you quickly used to help Billy calm down. You gave him the bottled water to drink while you prepared the towels. Whatever Billy didn’t finish drinking, he poured over his head to cool off. You then wrapped a towel around his shoulder and another over his head, helping him wipe away sweat and excessive water.

“God, (N/N)… I’m so damn sorry…” Billy mumbled, his voice soft and raspy from all the sobbing from earlier.

“Shhh… it’s okay, babe… let’s just focus on calming you down…” you whispered lightly, holding him in your arms as he clutches onto you tightly…

You knew that there was still work to be done, especially now that the Mind Flayer got away. But, your priority was making sure that Billy was safe…

The kids could wait…

Your older brother—the only family you had left—had turned his back on you the moment you arrived at the college when you were old enough. His expression carved from stone, his voice sharp enough to cut. You had known it would be difficult. You had expected anger, the frustration, even the resentment.

But this? This was something worse.

You wasn’t just unwanted. You were avoided. You were the enemy. To everyone.

“Stay the hell out of my way.”

His voice was ice, cutting through the tension between them like a blade. And cut through you like shards.

You had found him in the training yard, surrounded by the Marked Ones in his squad, his second-in-command Garrick, your old friend, leaning against a post while Bodhi, your cousin, didn’t even look at you. While Imogen crossed her arms, regarding her with a mixture of distrust and disdain.

But ever so determined, you lifted your chin. It had been almost two months since you had gotten there. Almost two months and he still refused to even give you two minutes of his time. And yet you refusing to shrink under their scrutiny. “I’m not your enemy, Xaden. I’m your sister. You’d think after six years you’d know that. I’m not here to cause trouble, I’m here to,”

He scoffed. “A little late for that, don’t you think?” Interrupting your sentence

That had hurt. Had it been too late? You could feel your stomach twisted. You had prepared herself for hostility, but hearing it aloud—from him—still hurt. Hurt more than expected. That was your brother.

But in that moment you had never more like a stranger.

Garrick sighed, rubbing a hand down his face. “Look, it’s not personal—”

“Like hell it isn’t,” Xaden cut in, his jaw clenched. He took a step toward you, his voice lowering to something dangerous. “Because of you, our father is dead. Because of you, our mother walked away from us. Had you just been a little more helpful, things wouldn’t be this fucking difficult,” he said. His voice filled with pure distain, pure hatred and anger.

His words hit like a punch to the ribs.

You had only been fourteen years old, just barely understanding what was even happening when their father was executed for his rebellion along with the other leaders. You had stood there, frozen, tears streaming down her face while Xaden held her hand so tightly it hurt.

But it was your mother who shattered everything.

It had been before the rebellion. Years before. Right after Xaden’s birthday. She had tucked you both in at bed that night. Told you both how much she loved you. Kissed you both so lovingly and softly. And the next morning?

Gone.

No note. No explanation. Just a home that felt empty and wrong.

Xaden had never forgiven her for that. Neither had you.

And now, surrounded by the people who would die for him, who would follow him into battle without hesitation, he made sure they all knew where she stood.

“She can’t be trusted,” he had told them. “Keep your distance.”

And they had listened.

The isolation was suffocating.

It was a permanent weight in you chest that was always threatening your mind constantly.

You were used to whispers, but the silence was worse. The Marked Ones didn’t speak to you unless necessary. They didn’t train with you. If you tried to spar, they found someone else. If you sat down at a table, they left.

Even the others followed their lead.

Even your squad. They put up with you when they had to. But that was it.

Sawyer was the only one who seemed indifferent, watching her with something like curiosity rather than outright hatred. At least she had him. Sawyer was sweet.

But Xaden?

Xaden didn’t look at you at all.

And that was worse than all of it.

It was months past, presentation and threshing was just around the corner—or just over the gauntlet.

The Gauntlet loomed in the distance above them, an unforgiving structure of swinging beams, crumbling platforms, and gaps that seemed impossible to cross.

Failure meant death.

And you weren’t about to fail.

The morning of the run, whispers followed her as she strapped on her training leathers. Echoed whispers surrounded them around the dining hall and through the halls out side.

“She’ll fall.”

“She won’t even make it halfway.”

“She should’ve never been allowed here in the first place.”

“She won’t make it past threshing.”

“Let’s hope not.”

You ignored them.

You had to.

You couldn’t allow those thoughts to take over. You couldn’t let them be right.

All the odds were against you. Abandoned and ignored by your brother. Ignored and shunned by your family from a decision that you truly had no part of. It wasn’t your fault. In the big grand scheme of things, it was not your fault. But that didn’t matter.

Because in their minds, and in Xaden’s, it was your fault. Everything. Was. Your. Fault.

And that guilt? That unfair burden? That would always remain as long as Xaden blamed you for everything.

It had been months now after parapet. Threshing was in a few weeks. Presentation. But first was the Gauntlet.

Xaden stood at the top with Garrick, arms crossed as he surveyed the cadets. If he heard the murmurs, he didn’t acknowledge them. His dark eyes narrowing down the course at his wing as the other sections and squads prepared to do their practice runs before the timed trials.

Practicing for when threshing was finally around. The test for a chance to prove themselves worthy. Worthy enough to make it past presentation, they’d need all these skills. To ride your dragons. If you made it that far, at least.

The course was grueling. Designed to push cadets past their limits. Designed with dragons in mind for each obstacle. Designed to weed out the weak ones.

And so here you were. Standing in the front of the line for your squad, just behind Sawyer. First squad was finishing up ahead of you. The first few competitors barely made it over the first swinging bridge before slipping to their deaths. Others hesitated at the crumbling stones, losing precious time.

Then it was time for your squad. Sawyer went first, his agility unmatched as he maneuvered through the course with a speed no one could match. It was probably because he had done this before.

Sawyer was a repeat, as you had learned. He had gone through all this last year.

Then it was your turn.

Your pulse thundered in your ears, but you shoved the nerves down. You didn’t have the luxury of fear. You couldn’t afford to feel. Not now. Not in front of the rest of your Squad, the

As the signal to begin echoed through the training grounds, you launched yourself forward with unwavering resolve.

The first obstacle, a towering vertical wall, stood as an imposing sentinel. Without hesitation, you sprinted toward it, you steps light and measured. Utilizing your momentum, you leaped, you fingers gripping the edge with practiced precision. With a controlled pull, she swung her leg over and descended smoothly, barely pausing before advancing to the next challenge.

The rotating wheel loomed ahead, a notorious obstacle that had bested many cadets. Timing her approach, you synchronized your movements with the wheel’s rotations. With a swift, calculated jump, you grasped a handle and swung yourself to the other side, landing in a crouch before springing forward without losing momentum.

A series of balance beams awaited, each narrowing mean. You navigated the beams with grace. Your arms subtly adjusting to maintain equilibrium. Your focus was absolute, gaze fixed ahead, blocking out the murmurs of onlookers and the weight of expectations.

Next came the rope climb. Seizing the coarse rope, you ascended hand over hand, you movements fluid and efficient. Reaching the summit, you tapped the marker and descended in controlled slides, your feet touching the ground with barely a sound.

The next challenge, the chimney climb, required both strength and strategy. Positioning yourself between the narrow walls, you used opposing pressure to “walk” upward, your movements steady and controlled.

The final challenge was the huge steep wall. The one to run up, the challenge that simulates climbing up the dragon leg to ride. And just above it was where your brother was.

Taking a deep breath, you backed up. Backing up as far as she possibly could. This was where she proved them all wrong. And then. Suddenly, you bolted forward. Using all the strength she had, she spent it into and bolted up the wall. Your feet pressed against the wall as you pushed yourself up and up and up until your hand reached the lip of the curve.

With all the strength you had left, you pulled yourself over the edge. Your body was pulled over with the last bit of your strength as finally your right leg got pulled over. And a soft click of the stop watch sounded in your ears.

A stunned silence fell over the crowd as you finished hauling yourself over the edge.

Garrick’s voiced cleared before he read your time aloud.

Second place.

Second place.

Only second to Sawyer.

The silence stretched, heavy and stunned, before someone let out a low whistle. And then some hushed mumbling.

You got to your feet before you turned, locking eyes with Xaden. Onyx eyes, locking with onyx eyes. Sweat dripping down your skin.

For the first time since you had arrived, he was looking at you.

Really looking at you.

And for a moment—a single, fleeting moment—you saw something crack in his expression. Something uncertain. Looking like you big brother again. But there was something else.

Something like doubt.

But then he turned away, jaw tightening.

He didn’t congratulate you.

Didn’t acknowledge what you had done.

But he couldn’t ignore it, either.

You weren’t weak.

Just like Xaden, you were a Riorson.

✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨

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“I’m aiming exactly the same place you did” you defended as you maintained your aim with the arrow.

“Yes, but you don’t draw back as far, so the arrow won’t have as much speed” he reasoned before moving to nudge your aim higher. Deciding not to argue with him, even as he watched you with that smug look, you loosed the arrow. Rather irritatingly, it was a direct hit, meaning you would have missed before his correction.

“You’re insufferable” you rolled your eyes at him as you handed his bow back to him.

“I believe you mean to say ‘thank you for the brilliant lessons Anders’” he did his best impression of you.

“I do not sound like that” you laughed as you started the walk to retrieve the arrow “and I was never a terrible shot to begin with”.

“I never said you were” he called over to you now that you about reached the arrow “I’m just much much better”. You knew he was right, but you also knew that you were stubborn.

“You’re so sure of your faultless aim?” you challenged. He nodded in response. In a moment of madness you leaned against the target, barely leaving the centre visible at your side of your head. You raised your eyebrows in challenge, and you watched him grin before he proceeded to notch an arrow in the bow.

What on earth were you doing this for? There wasn't a rational answer in your head. You held your position as he aimed and released the arrow seconds later. The arrow hit the target right beside your cheek.

“I can’t believe you didn’t move” Anders shouted in disbelief as he jogged over to you.

“I was assured the archer had faultless aim” you shrugged as you finally moved to pull the arrow free of the target.

“What the bloody hell are you pair doing?” Appleyard appeared and made his way over to you both.

“Archery” you deadpanned.

“I just saw this giant aim for your head” he argued back.

“I was never aiming for her head” Anders defended “it would be such a waste of a pretty face”.

You let out a laugh at that and Apple looked at you both like you were insane. “Why do I bother?” Apple shook his head in defeat before returning to the house.

“I have my throwing knives in my room” you suggested to Anders, too hyped up on adrenaline to finish yet.

“Are you inviting me to your room Y/n” Anders wiggled his eyebrows at you.

With a roll of your eyes you answered “I don’t know, you’ve been flirting with Freddy more than me lately”.

“Oh, so you’re one of those jealous types” he joked back.

“Absolutely” you replied, “I don’t share my toys”.

“Do I look like some toy to you?” he scoffed.

“I don't know" you smirked "you look like I could have some fun with you". With that you turned and headed back to the house, off to get your knives.

Since that archery session, you and Anders had really upped the flirting. The past few days you were sure that the rest of the team dreaded whenever the two of you were in the same room. Freddy had seemed relieved until you had begun throwing comments his way too.

“It’s like I’m being ganged up on” he shook his head as you and Anders sat with him in the common room.

“Oh, is that something you’re into Freddy?” you smirked.

“Lots of people enjoy sharing” Anders backed you up.

“You’re both tireless” Freddy answered.

“Oh, come on, now you’re just making it too easy” you laughed happily, quickly joined by Anders. Freddy gave up entirely and left the room at that point. “Alone at last” you quickly rediverted your flirtations to Anders.

“We have plenty of time alone” he shot back “because you’re always on my mind”.

“Is that so?” you leaned forward in your chair “and just what is it that you think about me?” He grinned wolfishly at your comment and you actually felt your heart jump a little at the sight. You were certainly playing with fire with this whole flirting business.

“I’m not sure there are words to describe some of the more interesting thoughts” Anders doubled down, also leaning forward in his chair “they simply have to be experienced”.

“Perhaps you’re just struggling to find the right words in English, should I fetch a dictionary?” you stood to make a move to the bookshelves along the far wall but a hand on your wrist held you in place.

 “You have no idea what I’d do to you given the chance woman”. The Danish left his lips and you had to fight the victorious smile that wanted to appear on your face. He had no idea you spoke Danish perfectly well.

Moving around the back of his chair, you ran your hand up along his arms before leaning down to speak into his ear “and what if that chance were to appear before you” you whispered to him in perfect Danish and felt him tense up. You completed your circuit of his chair and came back round to the front of him.

The look in his eyes was more heated than you’d ever seen him. He seemed to think for a moment longer before his hands found your hips and pulled you down to straddle his hips. Your lips met in a passionate clash soon after.

You took the opportunity to explore his glorious body, running your hand beneath the hem of his shirt. The other tangled at the base of his hairline, gently tugging. A low growl escaped his lips, and you grinned wide as you pulled back from his mouth. “I think it’s time for you to show me some of those interesting thoughts of yours” you told him.

“It would be my absolute pleasure” he answered before lifting you up and heading for the stairs.

You walked with Levi towards a bar with your target inside waiting for you both. "I've been thinking."

Levi looked up at you. "Hmm?"

"We should walk away."

He stopped by the door. "Oh?"

You nodded and pulled on your leather gloves as Levi pulled on his. "We should open up a teashop in a quiet town. It'll be a lot cleaner."

Levi opened the door for you. "Tch, you're right there. This city is fucking filthy."

You slipped inside the bar. "You can say that again. I'd rather not be able to shit for a month than let the dirt of this city keep messing up our apartment more."

He blushed a little. "We'll start the arrangements. We can't be in this gang for the rest of our lives."

You reached over and squeezed Levi's hand. "Love you."

He smiled and squeezed your hand back. "Love you so much."

You leaned down and kissed him. "Come on." You kicked the door open and strolled over to a very scared-looking man with fake hair, overly white teeth and a cheap suit. You clicked your tongue as you took him in. "We need to talk Dan."

Dan shot up from his seat causing his chair to shoot out from behind him. "L-Look, I understand you're mad." He stumbled backwards away from you both. "B-But umm...they threatened me!"

You stopped. "Oh, really? Well that changes everything."

He smiled at you. "Really?"

You twisted and kicked him so hard in the gut that he flew back and smashed into a table and broke it. "No."

Levi blushed hard, his heart thumped in his chest. He felt himself falling deeper in love with you as you beat Dan black and blue. "D-Darling?"

You stepped back and looked at your lover. "Yes?"

"You have blood on you."

You looked down at your clothes. "Tch, damn it. Could you?"

He nodded and walked over to Dan. He placed his boot on the man's gut and pressed. "Go clean." He watched you walk away and felt his pure love for you just fluttering like a butterfly inside him. "What a woman..."

Dan grunted. "You're both made for each other."

"Thank you." He looked down at Dan. "You going to give us your bars and clubs as payment for your betrayal, got it?"

"But."

Levi pressed his foot down harder. "If you don't, I'll let my girlfriend do what she does best."

Dan gulped hard, but his throat was dry. "Wh-what's that?"

You walked back over and sighed. "He give us what we need?"

Levi stared up at you. "Darling? Why don't you tell this man what you're best at?"

You smiled at him and pulled out your knife. "I'm really good at cutting things off."

Dan saw you slowly look down at his dick. "I GIVE! TAKE IT ALL! PLEASE!"

Levi released Dan. "Sort the paperwork, now." Levi watched the man run to his office. "How many dicks have you cut off?"

You put your knife away. "Zero." You looked over at Levi. "But them not knowing that is funny."

Levi smiled a little. "It is."

You giggled a little making Levi hum a laugh. "So, about what I said earlier."

He reached over and traced your neck a little. "Let's do it."

You leaned over and kissed him. "Great."

Levi blushed as he looked up at you. "Tch, damn it."

You smiled a little. "You still get flustered by me."

"You catch me off guard." He nodded ahead. "He's back."

Dan ran over and handed over wads of papers. "It's all there."

Levi looked them over. "Good. Sweetheart?"

You smiled. "On it." You kicked Dan hard in the nuts. "Parting gift!"

Levi walked with you towards the car. "We should window shop for country towns, don't you think?"

You nodded and got in the car and waited for Levi to get in before you spoke. "I'm looking forward to this."