#high functioning

warning: alcohol and sum shi

a/n: i’d just like to mention that i am autistic myself! i’m writing from my point of view as a high-functioning autistic, and yes, i know it is a spectrum of course. i’d just hope the rest of you guys can connect even if it’s a little :)

if ur not autistic, yet you still want to read, then that’s okay enjoy :)

Y/N was the adopted sister of Steve Harrington. You were a good girl—decent grades, introverted, never going out, and clean—at least on the outside. You were pretty roughed up on the inside, especially due to the constant pressure of yourself and others.

Steve was not the exact same. He was a popular outgoing jock who was deemed ‘King of Hawkins High’. You were a little jealous of him; you both were siblings, why couldn’t you be as popular and regal as he was? Of course, there were benefits to having Steve Harrington as your older brother. No one could ever mess with you, and no one ever would. Your brother was much too strong and protective, and while it made you feel small and humiliated sometimes, you were protected. At least until Billy Hargrove showed up.

Billy Hargrove was a tall, well-built dirty-blonde boy from California. He drove up in his car; a fancy, blue 1979 Chevrolet Camaro Z28. Even on his first day of being the ‘new kid’ he seemed to have girls all over him, admiring his handsome face and staring at his ass. Honestly, never knew a man could possess something like that, and while it drew attraction like a magnet, it made your skin crawl.

Billy started becoming less of a stranger to you on Halloween night when Steve dragged you to a Halloween party. After lots of fighting (most of the anger from your end), he finally got you to go with him. He wanted you to get out of your comfort zone and have fun with him and other people.

“Come on, Y/N, it’ll be fine,” Steve reassured you with a big, stupid smile. Both of you sat in the car, driving over to the party.

“But it will be so loud…! Too crowded, too much noise, too many drinking teenagers, I will go insane,” you snapped. Steve placed his hand on your shoulder as your head turned out the window angrily. “Plus, I have tons of homework to do.”

With a roll of his eyes, the brunette boy sighed. He was disappointed, not with you, but with the fact that those things restrict you from a lot. “I know, I know, but… Nancy and I will stay with you, okay? We won’t leave your side,” he affirmed. You turned your head back around to face him.

“Really? That won’t be too much of a burden?” You remembered why you loved Nancy so much. You’ve gotten so close with her, especially considering how much she helped you with school and stayed with you in scary situations.

“No, no, it’s alright. Nancy knows how you can get, plus, you have your headphones in your bag if you need it,” he smiled warmly, nudging you gently. You nodded, knowing you could hide somewhere and put on your headphones for a while. People always made fun of you for having headphones on, deeming you ‘too old’ for them, so you always made sure to hide out in a place where people wouldn’t see you.

Finally, you approached the house, the music bumping loudly into your ears. There was chanting of numbers, and a familiar boy in a jean jacket chugging down a keg. “…thirty-eight, thirty-nine, forty, forty-one, forty-two!” He sharply retracted from the keg, cheers erupting. An obnoxious brunette in a Cobra Kai gi costume shouted, “Forty-two! We got ourselves a new Keg King!” Everyone chanted Billy’s name as the blonde took the Cobra’s cigarette for himself.

“That’s how you do it, Hawkins!” His long legs charged inside the house as he collected loud cheers and a pat on his back. He found Steve Harrington from across the room, fueled with power and victory, and made his way right over to your brother. Him and his friends gloated and posed, and you stood near Steve and Nancy, seeing a slight twinge of retirement as the king of Hawkins. You could see how his title came crumbling down, all because of this stupid new kid.

Billy’s blue eyes trailed over to you, staring you up and down as you slinked back. The loudness of it all, the air of sadness your brother emitted, and the surrounding of that insane blonde drove rage inside of you. But you couldn’t show that, not without exposing how weak you really were.

The dirty blonde’s blue eyes rested its gaze on you for what felt like far too long, but snapped back over to your humbled brother. Who the hell is that girl, and what is she doing with Harrington?

“Who’s she?” He nodded his head in your direction. Steve gritted his teeth—how dare that tyrant speak about his sister?

“She’s my sister,” his voice was abnormally low with his answer. Billy chuckled, seeming condescending but a bit intrigued. She interested him, and he had no idea why. But he felt the need to impress her.

“Well, I just guzzled down forty-two seconds worth of a keg,” he gloated even more to the group, looking your validation and hoping it would impress you. But seeing the hidden humiliation in your brother’s expression only hurt your heart, and you hated Billy for that. He already didn’t like him. Now he had the spotlight.

You walked away, feeling horrible for your brother, and Nancy followed you.

In the kitchen, there was a bowl of some kind of liquid. Nancy approached it, looking inside with a tad bit of disgust, yet curiosity. There was a guy beside her chugging it down. “What is in this?”

“Pure fuel! Pure fuel!” He yelled, whooping into the air with his arms up. You and your brother looked from behind, your eyes widened. Damn, people your age were annoying as hell. Nancy, her curiosity taking over her, dipped her cup into the liquid, chugging it down as well. Your brother came close and placed a cautious hand on her.

“Whoa, Nancy, take it easy,”

“We’re just being stupid teenagers for the night,” she reminded him of what he said. “Wasn’t that the deal?” Nancy chugged another cup down again rebelliously, flicking the mess off of her cheek. Steve sighed with exasperation.

“Steve?” You tapped his shoulder. He turned around, to meet your gaze, rubbing his eyes.

“Yeah, what’s up?”

“Are you… okay?” you asked him gingerly. The bite in his expression softened to a calmer level. He put his hands on your shoulders to comfort you, knowing how crazy this whole experience was.

“Yes, I’m alright, don’t worry about me. Just go have fun, okay? Find Nancy,” He ruffled your hair, making you smile. “Make sure she doesn’t drink too much, alright?”

“Okay, I’ll try my best,”

••••••••

Nancy did end up drinking a lot. Steve accidentally spilled her drink all over her outfit, and they were led into the bathroom with you following them. Closing the door on you, it felt a little scary but you knew they needed their alone time.

After a couple minutes, Steve stormed out of the bathroom, taking you by the arm.

“Wait, what’s going on, Steve?” You asked. He didn’t turn toward you, but there was a slight crack in his voice.

“We’re leaving,” He grumbled as he charged out. Billy watched as your brother took you by the arm and walked on by with full speed. Since you were leaving so fast, he’d just find you at school.

••••••••

For instance, I have a low stamina stat.   Need to bring my headphones everywhere because loud noise really wears me down.   However, there are some stats I’m quite high in.   I can eat most foods without sensory issues, and I think I can small talk quite well even if I don’t care to.