#stranger things reader

Series Masterlist

Pairing/s: Steve Harrington x Reader

Chapter Summary: After Nancy chooses Jonathan, Steve resigns himself to a life without love, until you walk through the doors of Family Video. He’s never felt this way about someone before, if this is what love feels like he never wants to let you go. There’s only one thing standing in his way, your fiancée.

Steve had first met you on a boring Wednesday afternoon. It had been another slow day at Family Video, made even worse by the fact that Steve had to open and somehow ended up needing to cover the closing shift too. Stupid Keith, all he could think about was finally clocking out of this nightmare. Although he'd just be leaving one nightmare for another, his cold and desolate home where he'd end up eating some shitty microwave meal whilst watching crappy reruns until he passes out. Only to rinse and repeat the process every other day, except Friday. On Friday night he will go on some unfulfilling date with a girl who's name he won't even remember in a weeks time.

SUMMARY: Hawkins, Indiana was a quiet town that travelers would use as a pitstop to Disneyland.

There was nothing special about the small community...Unless you're talking about the super-secret government facility at the edge of town that experiments on children and is home to a gateway to another dimension.

Now that's strange.

An (eventual) Steve Harrington x Reader 

(not as much romance this first season as story needs to be set up first. More romance will come with our beloved mother of six within later books)

Trigger Warnings: Blood, lots of blood mainly from nosebleeds, usual Stranger Things gore and spookiness. The demogorgon is an asshole...all my homies hate the demogorgon.     

MAIN MASTERLIST

TEST SUBJECT 101 SERIES MASTERLIST 

Story cross posted on ao3 & Quotev

You were so glad that your coma only lasted two weeks and not two months because then you would have missed an amazing holiday! Christmas! 

Usually, your Christmas consisted of you decorating the Great Stand Hotel, getting a microwavable dinner with gross ham and burnt gravy with chalky mashed potatoes, and watching whatever Christmas movie was on the TV in the staff breakroom. But now you could say this was the best Christmas of your life! 

You and Nancy went shopping for presents, giggling and trying on different clothing items and makeup brands. You'll never forget her horrified face when you spun around in the makeup chair with bright-colored lipstick and eyeshadow with eyeliner pencil scribbled messily on your waterline. You didn't know or care for makeup - as you were trapped in a lab for your whole life and then lived like a mouse in an attic - but you had purposefully made a mess of your face to get a reaction. 

However, your interest was piqued when she redid your makeup with light touches, simple blush, and gloss.

You stared in the mirror for much longer than Nancy anticipated, “Do you like it? I like it. You look really pretty.” She smiled. Her lighter color lip gloss shimmered under the store lights.

You gawked at your reflection. Taking in the fullness of your drawn eyebrows, how long your lashes were with mascara, and how you looked much more human and not a recent coma victim with the added blush and lip coloring. “T-that’s…” You choked up, “That’s really me? In there?” 

Nancy’s smile softened and her eyes grew sad. The memory of you retelling your story as a lab experiment flashed in her head. For years you were not exposed to life outside of the labs or abandoned buildings. So of course you’ve never worn makeup. Your bold and scribble makeup look before made much more sense then.

”I’m…so beautiful.”

That day Princess Nancy Wheeler bought you massacre and a tinted lip balm for both saving her ass, being her friend, and for the holidays. 

___________

When you accidentally confessed your usual holiday plans there was an argument between the Party as to who you would spend Christmas Eve with. You made a sarcastic joke and the boys leaped at the opportunity. 

Lucas wasn't as adamant as compared to Mike, Will, and Dustin. 

Mike wanted you to join because El couldn’t. You could understand his desperation to feel any substance left of his first love and kiss, but you didn’t want that to be through you. Plus, the Wheeler’s were still weary about who they let into their home after the whole “harboring a Russian girl-spy” accusations.

 Dustin’s mother had never met you or heard of you - scratch that Mrs. Henderson was quite familiar with you due to her son’s blabbering mouth and rose-tinted cheeks. The curly-haired boy developed a crush on you and was awful at hiding it. He kept comparing you to an angel, a Jedi, or some gorgeous original character in his X-Men comics. You knew this from Will and from Dustin’s poor ability to keep his voice down. The cute curly-haired boy had it bad.  

In the end, Will was triumphant due to playing the "she saved my life" card and Joyce’s insistence. Plus, you’ve become an older sister figure to the boy and a daughter that Joyce never had. Meaning you couldn't say no to his and his mother’s matching puppy dog eyes. Which also meant you were wearing matching ugly Christmas sweaters with the youngest Byers boy. 

Nancy covered her mouth when she opened her front door and took in the sweater. It was definitely unattractive with its bright Christmas colors and reindeer patterns are sewn in random places across the front, back, and arms. She tried to hide her chuckles, "W-What are you wearing?"

"Will made me match with him." You grumbled and entered her pretty house. Now that she could recall she did notice Will wearing a horrendously colored sweater but didn't get a good look as he ran past her into the nerd basement. She'd have to see Will's sweater when he came out to see if you were truly matching or not. 

The Wheeler house was gorgeously decorated for the winter holiday. With wreaths and garlands along the staircase banister and the fireplace mantles. Her house smelled delicious as Mrs. Wheeler was finishing up the grand holiday feast to be set on an equally grand holiday table. It made your stomach grumble and you hoped Will's DnD campaign was almost finished.

"Hey, (Yn)." You turned to the living room where Steve and Mr. Wheeler were watching whatever sports game was on. Nancy’s father was out cold as he lay in his recliner with his youngest daughter coloring beside his feet. 

You were still surprised that King Steve was nice to you now - but then again, the both of you had fought a supernatural creature to the death and you saved his life. 

You were also surprised how quickly Steve and Nancy had gotten back together. Especially because Steve and his cronies did some horrible things to tarnish Nancy’s perfect image. Plus you really thought Jonathan was going to buckle up his big boy pants and finally confess to the Princess. Only a month has passed…

The whole thing was confusing and headache-inducing and all you wanted to do was get to the Byers's house and FEAST.

You nodded in greeting to him, "Hey, Steve. Merry Christmas. Nice sweater." He too was wearing a questionably designed Christmas cardigan buttoned over a crisp white shirt.

"Yeah, Merry Christmas." He was still awkward around you as he was a bystander to Tommy H and Carol's long-lasting bully sessions but it was going to be water under the bridge in the future. Some friendships required baby steps. Especially when said friendship is with the King and Princess of Hawkins High. Steve snickered, "Nice sweater." 

You rolled your eyes and huffed in amusement, "Don't remind me." You turned back to Nancy. "Are the boys done?"

"They better be. They've been down there for 10 hours."

You choked, "10 hours?!"

"Yeah." She led you to the basement door through the kitchen, "Please get them out of my house." You chuckled and descended the basement. You volunteered to pick up Will from the Wheeler's house as you were closest. 

The boys whipped their heads to the stairs and you gagged dramatically. "Jeez, what's that smell? You guys been playing games all day or just farting?" The boys giggled. 

Lucas shook his head and gained an evil glint in his eye, "Oh, that's just Dustin...He farted." 

The curly-haired boy smiled at you with a love-sick grin before his heart plummeted to his feet at what Lucas had stated. "I did not!"

"Dustin farted~" Lucas blew a raspberry.

"Real mature, Lucas!" He didn't want you to think he was just a nasty gassy boy!

"Dustin farted~!" Lucas continued to embarrass the boy to the beat of one of Michael Jackson's songs.  

"Lucas, shut up!" Dustin was so embarrassed that he pulled his cap lower on his head. You couldn't help but chuckle at his misery as you approached the blushing boy. 

"It's okay, Dusty. Everyone does it." You tried to console the boy and pulled a small wrapped box from your purse, "Merry Christmas." His eyes widened and sparkled at the prospect that you had given him a gift. You! His powerful, supernatural angel! "I got a little something for each of you." Dustin's smile dropped when you pulled out more colorful packages from your purse and handed them to the Party. He thought you had only gotten gifts just for him!

Lucas didn't hesitate to rip into his present. "Oh whoa! How cool!" Mike, Dustin, and Will ripped open their presents too. Inside the little boxes was a painted miniature of each of them as their DnD mains. Will had a wizard's hat and robe that were painted purple with small yellow stars. The paladin had Will's shaggy black hair. The hooded ranger had Lucas' skin color and the hood was painted as his favorite color. Finally, Dustin's bard had his curly hair and dimples. "It's us!" Will gasped.

"Yup! I made them in workshop!” You smiled with pride. “I had to make up to credit at school and decided ‘Hey! Why not make this fun?’ So I made your players!”

"Thanks, (Y/n)!" "Yeah, thank you!" The boys crowded around you in a group hug. 

"Of course, boys! You ready, Will?"

Will nodded and gathered his stuff. The boys dispersed from your torso, except for Dustin. The curly-haired toothless boy was comfortably snuggled into your stomach. "Uhhh, Dusty?" He hummed. "Do you wanna let go of me?" He shook his head and sighed all lovey-dovey before remembering where he was and gasped. He jumped away as if you had burned him and began to stammer out an excuse. You giggled over his mumbles and pushed his cap further down his face. 

"Merry Christmas, boys!" You cheered one last time before ascending the stairs. "Let's go, Will."

"Bye, (Y/n)!" They waved. 

"Yeah~ Bye (Y/n)~" Lucas cooed as she continued to tease Dustin even more.

"I'll kill you!" Dustin screamed and pummeled Lucas' shoulder. The boys erupted into a hissy fit. Yup, definitely time to go!

"See ya, Nance! Steve," you waved at the couple cuddling on the couch as you opened the front door. Nancy waved and snorted when she finally saw you and Will in your matching sweaters. 

"So did you win?" You asked and turned the ignition on in your car. The car rumbled as a large blast of heat was pushed through the vents. Will nodded and put on his seatbelt. "Yup! It was a Thesyllhydra that cornered us, but I used a fireball attack and defeated it! We have to get you involved in our next campaign! A wizard like me! Dustin insists you be some sort of Princess though…so he could probably rescue you. Like in Donkey Kong.”

You chuckled. The image of Dustin in Mario’s red overalls and large red hat popped into your head. "Sounds like a plan, kid."

"Joyccceeeee~" You sang as you opened the front door to the small Byers' household. 

"Oh! Oh!" You could hear Joyce rush around the kitchen before she flew into the living room to greet you. "Merry Christmas, sweetie!" She engulfed you in her thin arms and hugged you tightly. "I'm so glad you could join us!"

"Of course, Joyce! I could never say no to your hospitality - and Will's puppy dog eyes." You stuck your tongue out at Will. Will copied your action as he pushed past you and went straight for the presents under the Christmas tree.   

A camera flash covered the entire common room. Jonathan stood at the entry of the room with his camera in his face. "Hey, (Y/n)." He smiled lightly.

"Hey, Jonathan." You smiled at your friend. 

"Oh! The gravy!" Joyce yelped and fled back into the kitchen. Jonathan went to take pictures of Will sitting by the tree and you could hear Joyce fumble with lots and lids.  The house was much smaller than the Wheeler's and had a whole different aesthetic, but you loved the coziness and comfort that radiated from the wooden panels and floral print wallpaper. 

It was crazy how the interior of the house had drastically changed a month ago. The floor was clean with no trash and newspaper articles, the hole in the front wall had been fixed, as well as the back hallway window, and the hallway was wiped clean and back to normal. No blood, no monster guts, not even a burn mark could be spotted. You exhaled. The house had been wiped clean and was ready to start anew - much like you and your new life. 

The Byers' house was decorated simply with a random Christmas wreath here and there as well as a poinsettia plant, and only a few lines of Christmas bulbs hung from the ceiling. Joyce was eager to return and toss away the many lights she had from the incident; Out of sight, out of mind.

"I hope you kids are hungry~ Ah, Jonathan!" Joyce nearly drooped the tray of mashed potatoes when Jonathan took a flash picture. "Sorry, mom! I-I'm just documenting."

"Nooo," Joyce whined, embarrassed to be photographed. “Why?” She used her oven mitt to cover her face.

"Because...." Jonathan trailed off and took another picture.  

"Because you're an awesome mom and you look lovely tonight. And the food looks delicious!" You leaned against the opening to the dining room. Joyce blushed and pretended to smack you with her oven mitt.

"Oh, this is just so overcooked," she gestured to the small maple sugared ham, "and the potatoes are runny...They're so runny." She muttered and played with the soupy mashed potatoes. Jonathan came and rested a hand on her shoulder, "Mom, it's going to be great."

"Anything beats microwavable dinner food." You piped up as you grabbed a seat at the dining table. Will was quick to sit next to you. "It's definitely an Atari." He stated.

"An a-what-i?" Joyce furrowed her brow in mock confusion. 

"The green present. It's an Atari. I felt Dustin's today, it's the exact same weight." Will answered all smug-like. The adults shared a knowing look with each other. You were there with Jonathan and Joyce as they picked up the gaming system. 

"Really?" Joyce drawled, "Well, we'll just have to see, won't we?" She smiled at her youngest and picked up her fork. The table followed the matriarch. Will paused before getting out of his chair. "Hey, no more snooping." She lectured her youngest. 

"I'm not! I'm not! Just gotta go wash my hands. I'll be right back."

"He's washing his hands?" Joyce chuckled softly, brows furrowed in mock disbelief. 

"Maybe he's learning about germs and etiquette?" You snickered and pierced a cooked carrot with your fork. But you froze as the hair on the back of your neck rose. As soon as you felt the shift in atoms wobble they returned to normal. Will came back to the dining table. 

"Are you okay?" Joyce noticed the tiny pinch of her youngest son's brows.

"Me? I-I'm fine." Will shrugged it off and began to cut into the ham. 

Jonathan was clueless and moaned in delight as he chewed his food, "It's very good, mom." The festive energy returned to the table and you shrugged off the weirdness. Maybe it was some residual supernatural bullshit as you were sitting in the home where the Demogorgon had jumped dimensions the most in. Yeah...you liked the sound of that theory.  

You hummed, "Will, wanna tell them about your campaign?"

Will's eyes brightened and he too shook off the weird phenomenon that occurred in the bathroom. "Oh yeah! I threw a fireball at him and..." Will imitated an explosion with his hands, "dead."

Joyce blinked in confusion but did her best to be invested, "Wait, this is-" "No, it's just Dungeons and Dragons."

"Dungeons and Dragons, right? Of course." Joyce was the coolest mom in the world and you were lucky to be eating her food, at her dining table, in her home, on such a festive holiday. 

You smiled and slurped down the runny mashed potatoes with the slightly too salty gravy. 

You didn’t want to be anywhere else in the world than right here. In the small, cozy single-story home with mix-matched furniture and rugs. With the scrawny tree in the corner wrapped in colorful lights, popcorn strands, and random ornaments. Surrounded by the small and lovable family of the Byers clan that consisted of a small woman with wild hair, her perverted quiet, and creative photographer son, and her youngest brave son who survived Hell on Earth.

As content and happy as you were, there would always be a part of you that would always yearn for your little sister to be right beside you.

that is the end of the FIRST BOOK of the Test Subject 101 series! Book 2/Season 2 is already underway and we’ll be introduced to some more loveable characters!🥰 

Will romance blossom?? Will friendships fall apart?? Will the Reader be safe??

SUMMARY: Hawkins, Indiana was a quiet town that travelers would use as a pitstop to Disneyland.

There was nothing special about the small community...Unless you're talking about the super-secret government facility at the edge of town that experiments on children and is home to a gateway to another dimension.

Now that's strange.

An (eventual) Steve Harrington x Reader 

(not as much romance this first season as story needs to be set up first. More romance will come with our beloved mother of six within later books)

Trigger Warnings: Blood, lots of blood mainly from nosebleeds, usual Stranger Things gore and spookiness. The demogorgon is an asshole...all my homies hate the demogorgon.     

MAIN MASTERLIST

TEST SUBJECT 101 SERIES MASTERLIST 

Story cross posted on ao3 & Quotev

I couldn't wait for a whole 'nother week!😭 FINAL chapter will be out at the beginning of this week! Mayhaps Tuesday? 👀👀

BEEP.

BEEP.

BEEP.

Heart rate monitors chimed. Nurse call buttons tolled. Drops of liquid splashed into an IV tube. 

The smell of disinfectant was unwelcoming to Hopper - having spent so many hours, days, and nights at his dying daughter's side. He was already bundled up to keep warm from the snow and winter wind storming outside, but he was especially grateful the thick coats kept the cold of the hospital at bay. At least the simple Christmas decorations hanging on the doorways and ceilings brought in some holiday cheer to the usually solemn place.  

Hopper batted away an annoying cut-out paper that was hanging on a too-long string like some grumpy old cat. The medium-sized snowflake was inconveniently hanging from an air conditioning vent and constantly moving. He took a step to the left and right numerous times, but the snowflake was determined to poke his eye out. 

“We don’t know when she'll wake up, Chief Hopper.” The air conditioning stopped at this precise moment. Allowing Hopper to turn away from the snowflake and towards the comatose body laying in the room before him. The patient's room was dark with strands of Christmas lights providing a calm low light. Poinsettia and various other flowers were taking space on the raised table at the bed's foot.    

“Okay. Just...please take care of her." Hopper allowed his soft side to flicker through his hard exterior as he stared at your comatose body. His eyes hardened again as he pointed a meaty finger into the doctor's face, "And I want no record of her being here - Understood?” Hopper demanded. 

The doctor nodded hesitantly. “Can I ask why you want no records? I mean, we can label her as a Jane Doe, but you seem to know who-”

“I want no records of her. Do. You. Understood?” The doctor was near wetting himself at the terrifying glare the Chief of Hawkins Police was giving him. The doctor nodded obediently and scurried out of the small room. 

Hopper sighed and collapsed into the chair assigned for visitors. He always hated hospitals. Too sterile, too quiet, too many memories. He couldn’t understand why he kept returning to your hospital room almost every day since the incident with Will and the Demogorgon, almost two weeks prior. Some part of him wished that you had woken from your coma by now. He could recall you mentioning slipping into a day-long coma after over-exerting your powers. But a day had passed...and two...three...now it's 14 days later and there was no sign of you recovering.

The two groups explained your stupidity and bravery to the Chief. They're explanations were rushed and quiet as there was a short moment of peace before the government agents flocked in and took over. They explained how you used your powers to severely injure the Demogorgon at the Byers' house, then how you overexerted yourself to project your astral form to the middle, and then how you blacked out after defeating the disgusting creature. The Party mentioned how El disappeared with the monster during the eradication of the atoms and was nowhere to be found. The Party didn't want to believe the worst about their new friend and did their best to not feed those depressive thoughts. 

The Party visited your hospital room whenever they could get out from their parent's watching eyes. Dustin always brought in simple flower arrangements: a wildflower or two with cuts from a leafy green tree to add detail. 

Hopper looked from Dustin's collection of daisies and evergreen leaves to the rest of the flora on the table. Nancy brought in a Christmas card written in pretty cursive that took up both pages of the card interior. Steve bought a "Get Well" card and a miniature plush Santa Clause from the gift shop downstairs. Jonathan relatively did the same - buying something from the gift shop and writing a small note of neverending gratitude for your help with his brother.

Said brother always brought in pretty drawings. A snowman he and The Party made with a large carrot nose and thick red scarf. A hillside covered in snow with some yellow and purple wildflowers popping through the white blanket. You in a grandiose wizard's garb with the entire Party at your side in their respective DnD clothing and their weapons drawn, ready for the next battle to commence. A rough sketch of your smiling face with graphite smears and eraser markings - Will had attempted portraiture drawing for a while now, but everyone could tell the drawing was you by the crinkle of your eyes and the lines of your smile. There were so many of Will's drawings you could make an art book. 

Speak of the Devil and they shall appear; Hopper turned to the door when a small knock broke the silence. Joyce and Will stood at the door with a modest bundle of white roses, daisies, and ferns wrapped in a Christmas ribbon. Will was holding another drawing to his chest, while his other hand gently cradled a small wrapped present in cute snowman wrapping paper.  

Hopper remembered that it was now December 2nd, 23 days from Christmas...14 days of your coma sleep.

 Joyce waved at Hopper as Will rushed to be by your side. He gingerly placed the drawing onto the growing pile before carefully hopping onto the mattress to sit by your feet.

“Any updates?” Joyce asked quietly. Her cold hands fidgeted with her coat.   

Hopper shook his head and sighed, “Nothing. They still don’t know when she might wake up.” The adults kept their eyes on the youths in the room.

Will licked his lips, “Hi, (Y/n). It’s me again…Will. Will Byers…” It was adorable how he always introduced his full name - as if you could ever forget. “I…I’m doing a lot better now. I’m free to go back to school and hang out with Mike, Lucas, and Dustin. You remember them right? We’re almost done with our newest DND campaign. We think you’d be a great party member - Dustin especially thinks so. But we don't know if you'd be an Enchanter or Transmuter, since...well...your powers can do both of those things. Definitely a Wizard though. 

“We finally got the house all fixed up too after...everything. Jonathan talked about your powers. I-I wish I could have seen them in action. Jonathan always talks about how cool and crazy powerful you were…I really miss you, (Y/n). I-I thought that once I got out that we could hang out together…” Tears built up in his waterline. His small hand grabbed onto your fingers. “Please wake up…so we can hang out and play DnD a-and celebrate Christmas together.” The young boy began to sniffle as tears spilled down his thin cheeks. He laid his head on the side of your hospital bed and tightened his hold on your hand. 

You couldn’t stand hearing the sweet boy cry anymore. You never wanted to hear him cry again. 

When a gentle hand rested on Will’s head and stroked his dark locks he believed it was his mother consoling him. 

“Holy shit…” Hopper breathed. Joyce gasped.

Will’s head shot up from the mattress when your hand squeezed around his small one. You smiled tiredly at the young Byers boy. “There’s a flaw with your master plan, Will." Your voice was quiet and raspy from not using them for two weeks and from the puncture wounds. Your neck was wrapped tightly with gauze and it was a struggle to swallow with the firm pressure. "I don’t know how to play DnD.” Tears of happiness rushed down Will’s face like tiny waterfalls. The boy didn’t hesitate to climb further up your mattress and leap into your arms.

You grunted from the impact but still urged your arms to wrap around the crying boy. Even if you were asleep for two weeks you were still exhausted. Just lifting your arms proved to be a slight challenge; Your arms felt like soaking wet noodles and your neck felt like it was ensnared in a bear trap - which it might as well have been. You didn't dare try and turn your neck to the other occupants of the room so you stared at Hopper and Joyce over the apple of your cheek. 

“Hey, guys…” You smiled lightly.

Joyce let out a sob and flocked to you like a proper mother hen. She was careful of your wounds and her son as she wrapped her thin arm around the crown of your head. The hand curled around your forehead and began to pet your hair out of your face.

Hopper stood from his chair with a relieved smile on his face. 

“Hey, kid.”

JUST CASUALLY CRYING AS I WRITE THIS REUNION😭😭🫂

(Y/N)'S ALIVE YALL🥳

lol of course she has to be alive! She's still got three more seasons to suffer through  experience!😁

NO, MOM, I'M NOT FINE😭😭  JUST CASUALLY CRYING AS I WRITE THIS REUNION😭😭🫂 (Y/N)'S ALIVE YALL🥳 lol of course she has to be alive! She's still got three more seasons to suffer through  experience!😁

SUMMARY: Hawkins, Indiana was a quiet town that travelers would use as a pitstop to Disneyland.

There was nothing special about the small community...Unless you're talking about the super-secret government facility at the edge of town that experiments on children and is home to a gateway to another dimension.

Now that's strange.

An (eventual) Steve Harrington x Reader 

(not as much romance this first season as story needs to be set up first. More romance will come with our beloved mother of six within later books)

Trigger Warnings: Blood, lots of blood mainly from nosebleeds, usual Stranger Things gore and spookiness. The demogorgon is an asshole...all my homies hate the demogorgon.     

MAIN MASTERLIST

TEST SUBJECT 101 SERIES MASTERLIST 

Story cross posted on ao3 & Quotev

y'all ain't ready for this 🤐🤧

Hammers pounded, chains and nails clanked, the boxes of bullets were emptied as Nancy placed the spares into the pockets of her jacket and pants. The smell of lighter fluid filled the small house. You did all you could to help Nancy and Johnathan boobytrap the Byers’ home. And were now, currently, munching on a cold strawberry poptart as you watched Johnathan and Nancy set the bear trap in the middle of the hallway. 

The three of you sighed in relief when the trap was set properly and no one lost a limb. Nancy glanced at you, paused, and then stared at you again. Jonathan followed her eyesight and stared at you too. 

You stopped munching on your sugary snack and glanced at both of them. The pair couldn’t help but compare you to a little kid that was caught with their hand in the cookie jar.  “What? I need sustenance if I’m going to fuck this bitch up.” Then you remembered your manners and pulled a piece off your toaster snack. “You want a piece?” You offered it to them. "Could be our last meal." You morbidly joked.

Nancy took the piece of poptart, "No it won't." You tore off another piece and gave it to Jonathan. He too took your offering. "We got this. We're gonna kill this bastard." She popped the pastry into her mouth and chewed with determination. 

Together the three of you cheered your small pieces of toaster pastry and popped them into your mouth. 

Jonathan began, “Remember…straight into Will’s room. And-” 

“Don’t step on the trap.” You added. 

“Wait for the yo-yo to move and then…” Nancy trailed off as Jonathan flicked open his pocket lighter. 

With the plan set and all three of you accepting of your imminent deaths you ripped off the bandages around your neck and pressed on the skin surrounding the puncture holes. You hissed as fresh beads of scarlet bled out. You wiped your hands in your fresh blood and placed bloody handprints along the walls of the house. The Byers’ house was destroyed as if a tornado had run through the interior, then with your added bloody prints, it looked like some fucked up macabre art piece for a college project. 

After you went through the house you returned to the living room and sat on the coffee table. Nancy handed you a damp towel. You nodded in gratitude and you used the rag to clean your hands. 

“D-Does this make us all friends?” Nancy and Jonathan looked at you. “I know you two are friends because of your brothers…and we’re about to face life or death together with the Demogorgon soooo…does this mean we’re friends?” Your foot swayed with nerves and your heel bumped into the leg of the coffee table. 

“I would think so.” Jonathan was the first to speak. “We were classmates before but I’d like to be your friend…I meanyou have superpowers. That’s pretty cool.”

You huffed in amusement. 

Nancy smiled lightly, “This situation is...definitely bullshit, but yeah I think this puts us on the ‘more than strangers’ list.” You smiled at her and hers grew wider. You determined then that Princess Nancy Wheeler wasn’t so bad after all.   

Banging on the front door made all three of you jump. You all stared at the door in confusion, no one else was supposed to come here and the Demogorgon did not use doors. 

 “Jonathan! Are you there, man?” 

Your brows furrowed, “Is that-” 

“It’s Steve!” Nancy gasped.

“Jesus Christ.” You groaned and hung your head back. 

“Listen, I just want to talk!” Steve continued to bang on the door, determined to speak to the Byers boy. 

Nancy swallowed and gained the courage to open the door. “Hey…Nancy…? What-” “Steve, listen to me. You need to leave.”

“I’m not trying to start anything, okay?”

“I don’t care about that you need to leave.” She demanded. 

“No, no, no,” Steve stammered, “Listen, I messed up, okay? I messed up! I’m really sorry and I just want to make things right. Okay? Please…ple- Hey, what happened to your hand? Is that blood?” You hissed in realization. After cleaning your neck, Nancy placed the rag in the kitchen sink to soak it. It may be a life or death situation, but Princess Nancy still wanted to keep another person's belongings clean. Some of your blood must've gotten on her hand or jacket cuff. 

Nancy tried to deflect the conversation trying to convince him it wasn't hers, but it was too late. Steve had grown immensely concerned and managed to push his way into the small house. “No. No! Steve!” She tried to claw at his arm to keep him from entering.

“What the fuck?!” He exclaimed once he saw your bloody neck, hands, and blood-stained walls. It looked like your neck was slit! Then his eyes landed on the baseball with nails poking at all sides. 

“You need to get out of here.” Jonathan charged at Steve and tried to push him out, but Steve was determined to get to you. 

“Are you okay?! What the Hell! She’s bleeding!” Steve gestured to you as he kept fighting Jonathan. He saw the puncture holes on the side of your neck and believed it was the baseball bat with nails that created the wound. 

“Steve, I'm fine, but you need to leave!” You shouted at him.

“No! Are you insane?! And is that…what is that smell - Gasoline?!”

Nancy took to drastic measures and pointed her gun at Steve. The crazy bitch cocked the gun, “Steve, get out!” Jonathan and you stepped away from the barrel. 

“W-Wait! What?! What is going on?! I’m just trying to help!”

“You have FIVE SECONDS to get out of here!”

Steve panicked more, trying to console his crazy ex-girlfriend. She ignored him, “I’m doing this for you! Five! Four!”

The argument and panic turned into background noise as your vision blurred and you allowed the atoms in the atmosphere to turn your head towards the ceiling. The strings of Christmas lights started to blink.

“Nancy. Nancy!” She stopped her countdown, “The lights!” Jonathan pointed at the ceiling. 

Nancy gasped in fear as she and Jonathan pulled you to their sides. You were the only one profusely bleeding still, if the monster was to come because of blood it was to come for you. 

“Where is it?!”

“I don’t know!”

“Where is what?!” Steve grabbed your bicep and pulled you to him. He inspected your bleeding neck, “What is going on, (Y/n)! Why are you bleeding?!”

You ignored his concern and instead continued to stare at the corner, “There!” The ceiling began to chip away until a hole was busted through the wood and plaster. Nancy’s mouth fell open in fear as she began to shoot at the Demogorgon’s head. It shrieked and growled in annoyance but it continued to crawl through the gate it had created. “Go! Go! Run!” Jonathan grabbed Nancy from behind and dragged her to the hallway towards Will’s bedroom like you had all planned. “Get out of here!” Jonathan tugged your shoulder and because Steve was holding onto you he was dragged as well. 

“Jump!” 

You leaped over the bear trap in the hallway, Steve followed your action. Jonathan grabbed your wrist and tugged both of you into Will's bedroom. 

“Oh Fuck! Oh Jesus! Jesus! What the Hell was that?!” Steve was about to spontaneously combust from the amount of panic, confusion, and adrenaline surging through his body. 

“Shut up!” Nancy and Jonathan snapped at Steve and turned to the door. They raised their weapons, ready for whatever was to come next.  

You could hear the Demogorgon chittering as it lumbered around the front of the house, its chittering reverberated down the hall. The hairs on your body stood on end and your heart began to race. You took a step back from the door in fear and collided with Steve. You gripped his jacket to act as a lifeline. Steve, still in a panic, saw your terrified face and grabbed your wrist in comfort. Guess he wasn’t the only one losing his shit with whatever was going on.

You were panicking! OF COURSE, YOU WERE PANICKING! You were SO wrong about your thoughts earlier at the middle school about your revenge outweighing your trauma! What bullshit!!

“What’s it doing?” Nancy panted. Her gun pointed at the door.

“I don’t know,” Jonathan answered, just as breathless, with his lighter at the ready. They refused to tear their eyes away from the smiley face yo-yo. Oh, how you hated that stupidly smiling yo-yo. There was nothing about this situation to smile about!!

The lights continued to flicker inside the house, but then they stopped. The lights, energy, and atoms had returned to normal. 

“It’s gone.” You whispered, “It left.” But your grip on Steve didn’t let up. 

Jonathan heeded your words but was still cautious as he opened the bedroom door and stepped into the hallway. His bat was ready to be swung. The four of you exited the small bedroom and stared in confusion as the Demogorgon had vanished. But your hair did not drop. The Demogorgon was still there, but just not here. You voiced this to your group. 

“How do you know this? And it’s called a Demo-what know??” Steve was still very much on edge as he hissed to you in a quiet voice. You ignored him and entered the living room with your eyes trained on where the Demogorgon had emerged from only to find the space back to normal and with no scratch, crack, or pinhole. You furrowed your brows at the strangeness of it all.

“This is crazy! This is crazy! This is crazy! This is crazy!!” Steve ran toward the phone to call for help, but Nancy ripped the phone from his hands. You tried to tune out their screaming match and approached Jonathan. “I don’t think I can do this…”

“What?”

“I thought I was fine, but then seeing it…hearing it…I-I don’t think-” Your breathing quickened and you cupped your injured neck. Steve stormed out of the house and Nancy returned to you both. “Nance…I-” The lights started flickering again, “Oh God!” You wailed. 

“Stay calm, (Y/n)! Stay calm!” Jonathan consoled in a panicked voice. 

“I-I-I can’t!”

“It’s okay (Y/n)! I’m scared too!” Nancy jumped in, “Trust me! I am scared S-SHITLESS right now!” The two people with weapons circled you protectively, with their eyes wide in alarm. “B-But I know you can beat this bastard! F-For Barb! For Will! For yourself!” Nancy finished her powerful speech before the power cut out in the house. You and Nancy yelped in fear when it went dark. Then you heard the growling. “JONATHAN!” Nancy screamed. 

The Demogorgon overpowered Johnathan and pinned him to the ground. Drool seeped out of its flower-shaped face and landed on the boy's face. Nancy began shooting at the creature taking its attention from Jonathan, but then she ran out of bullets. The gun clicked when she pressed the trigger, but nothing happened. The Demogorgon screeched and turned to her. Nancy scrambled to dig into her pockets to reload, but her hands were shaking too much. The bullets in her hands missed the chamber and clattered on the carpet.

You knew you should jump in! Save her! Save the day with your cursed powers, but you couldn’t move a muscle. You were frozen in fear and about to witness your new friends get eaten. 

The Demogorgon roared in her face, spit landing on her cheeks. “(Y/N)!” Nancy shrieked. 

A scream erupted in the flash of Christmas lights and the Demogorgon roared in pain as it was fed a face full of wood and nails. Princess Nancy Wheeler's savior was not you, but her ex-boyfriend. “Steve?!” 

Steve had grabbed Jonathan’s baseball bat and went to town on the Demogorgon. The creature roared and hissed with each slice of the nails and the blunt impact from the bat. But then Steve tripped on the messy floor and the Demogorgon noticed him falter. Before the ugly bastard neared Steve, the baseball bat smashed into its head with an even more brutal force than before. 

“YOU SICK BASTARD!” You roared and swung the bat again. “YOU FUCKING! FREAK! OF NATURE!” You twirled the bat and brought the weapon down on the Demogorgon’s skull. The impact was so hard that you levitated in the air for a second. Your nose began to bleed but you didn’t care, it just made your swinging all the more damaging. “THIS IS FOR WILL!” You smashed the face again. The Demogorgon had the nerve to whimper in pain. “THIS IS FOR BARB!” You managed to break the monster's leg, making it fall and stumble. You used your power to smash the Demogorgon through a wooden post supporting the ceiling and pushed the creature into the bear trap.

Its already wounded leg was cut at the broken limb, but the ligaments and tissues of the creature didn’t let it escape from the teeth of the trap. You called Jonathan’s lighter towards your hand and flicked it open. “THIS FOR TAKING A BITE OUT OF ME!” You screamed and threw the lighter at the puddle of lighter fluid. It caught aflame easily and the monster was engulfed with fire. It screeched a horrible sound. You noticed it claw at the floor to create a gate, but you didn’t let it. You used your power to counteract its own, halting the creation of a gate, and even lifted the creature a foot off the ground so it couldn’t dig anymore. 

“The ceiling! (Y/n)!” Jonathan exclaimed. You blinked out of the bloodlust that consumed you and noticed the wooden interior of the house began to smolder and smoke, “Shit!” You threw the flaming body out the window at the end of the hallway. The monster screeched as glass embedded in its body. The four of you ran to the window and looked outside only to find the empty bear trap and charred grass. Only slime and discolored blood stained the grass as the gate closed behind the Demogorgon.  

Your companions sighed in relief, but you were upset for letting the thing escape. “Fuck.” You huffed and leaned against the window frame.  

“WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT, (L/N)??” Steve’s jaw was on the floor. You wiped your bloody nose instead of answering. 

“Oh shit!” Nancy stared at the ceiling as some Christmas bulbs turned on. “It’s back!”

You waved your hand in dismissal. “It’s not the Demogorgon.”

“H-How do you know?” Jonathan stammered. 

“Notice how it's only certain bulbs and not all of them going off? It’s probably Hopper and your mother.” You sighed in amusement and rolled your shoulders. “Which is good news because that means they found a way over there. Which is even better because then they’re close to finding Will.”

“ ‘Finding Will’?” You rolled your eyes as Steve kept staring at you. "Isn't he dead?"

“Is there an echo in here?? And no he's not dead.” You pushed yourself to your feet and approached one of the lit bulbs. “Joyce! Hopper!” Your group stared at you as you shouted at the bulb. 

“She’s definitely lost her mind, right?” Steve muttered to Nancy and Jonathan but they shushed him. Steve huffed at the rudeness of the group. 

You could faintly hear a curious voice softly speak. It sounded more like a howl of the wind, but only to untrained ears. “Good luck!” You listened to another humming sound and smiled. You weren't able to wish the adults good luck on their mission to find Will when they left the school gym. But now you felt better knowing they were safe together and they were close to finding Will. 

You turned to your group and grew slightly embarrassed by their stares. “Electrical currents transcend dimensions. That’s how Will communicated with your mother…and why this place looks like Christmas threw up in it.” You gestured to the wires of Christmas lights tangled in the air. 

The three nodded in wondrous understanding, but the victorious feeling you had over fucking up the Demogorgon disappeared as white noise pierced your eardrums and the atoms in the air stabbed you in the head. You winced and held your head, stumbling into the wall behind you. “(Y/n)...Papa…Help…”

“(Y/n)? Are you okay?” Nancy came to your aid. 

It was Eleven. You had just heard Eleven call out to you! But why and who was- Your blood ran cold. “Shit. Shit. Shit.” 

“What is it?! What’s happening?”

“Is that thing coming back?” Steve seemed almost too ready to fight the thing again. 

You spun to your group, “It’s Eleven. The kids are in trouble.” 

“ “Eleven’? Like the number?” Steve asked. 

Nancy felt her heart race again; Not from the adrenaline but for the safety of her brother. “Is it the Demogorgon?”

You shook your head at her. “It's the government.” 

“Oh shit.” Nancy clasped her hand to her forehead. “W-We have to get over there! Now!”

“T-The government?? Our government?” Steve blubbered. 

You looked around the house trying to find the cute picture of Mike, Lucas, Dustin, and Will again. You were on your hands and knees sifting through the mess of papers and folders spilled all over the floor from the fight with the Demogorgon. 

“Steve, do you have your keys?” Nancy asked. The King of Hawkins High fumbled with the baseball bat in his hand as he searched his pockets. “Got ‘em! Wait! Where are we going now?!”

“To save my brother.”

“Your brother? He’s involved in this shit too?”

“(Y/n)! Let’s go!”

“There’s not enough time!” You yelled back at her and stared at Mike Wheeler’s face in the picture. You rolled your shoulders. “(Y/n)...what’re you doing?” Jonathan trailed off as his brows furrowed, then his eyes widened, “No, no! You can’t! You’re too weak! A-And you could get stuck again!” He reached out to grab your arm but you fought him off. You crawled away from him to the corner of the kitchen. Nancy noticed the commotion and gasped. She scrambled to join the fray as well. 

“(Y/n)-!” 

“Show me: Michael Owen Wheeler.”

“NO!”

Steve was confused at first but erupted into another fit of panic when your eyes rolled into the back of your head. 

You gasped as you were thrown back to Hawkins Middle School; doubling over and erupting into a coughing fit. You covered your mouth to contain your wheezing, but your eyes grew when you saw blood speckled into your palm. 

“(Y/n)?!” You turned and saw Mike’s surprised face staring at you. “What're you doing here? You can’t be here!”

“You could get stuck again!” Dustin took a step toward you in concern.  

But your attention was solely on Eleven. The poor girl was laid out on the science lab table paler than usual with blood coming out of her nose and ears. You stumbled to your feet. “W-What happened?”

“She saved us! The bad people were here, but she used her powers to save us!” Mike answered, breathless.  

“B-but then the Demogorgon showed up! B-Because of all the blood.” Lucas continued. 

You clenched your jaw at the mention of the monster that just won’t stop being a dick. You could hear its screeches and gunshots, but eventually, all was quiet. You stood in front of the boys protectively with your eyes trained on the classroom door. 

“I-I-Is it dead?” Dustin stammered as he hid behind your back. Oh, how you wished you could wrap the sweet boy into your arms, but there was no time as the door to the classroom busted open.

The Demogorgon crawled in on all fours like some fucked up dog. It growled as it rose to its tall height and stood across the room in front of you. “Miss me, ugly?” You and the creature snarled at each other. It dared to stalk closer to you. In retaliation, you shot your hand out and pushed the monster up against the blackboard. The creature couldn’t move as you kept it pinned to the wall. 

Deja vu hit you.

You’ve been in this exact same situation before. Memories flashed across your eyes as you stalked closer to the Demogorgon. Ice blue eyes, a white orderly uniform, blood splattered the walls, bodies mangled. You blinked away the memories and focused on the monster in front of you. 

You’ve beaten one monster before, you can defeat another. 

The monster squealed in pain as you approached it. 

____________

Back at the Byers household, Jonathan and Nancy were in a panic trying to find more kitchen towels, napkins, and even newspaper clippings to use to wipe away the blood from your nose, ears, and eyes. 

“Oh, God, (Y/n)! Snap out of it!” Nancy cried. 

“W-Why- Wha-what's happening to her?” Steve stumbled closer with fear in his eyes. 

Johnathan turned to Steve with tears in his eyes, “She’s dying.” 

Steve gulped. 

____________

“(Y/n)...” Eleven murmured as she crawled off the table. She knew you were at your limit. The both of you had reached your limits, but this creature was very insistent and refused to be defeated. The young girl could see your energy deplete and she refused to stand by and watch you kill yourself. 

“Eleven, stop!” Mike charged after her, but she flung him backward. Lucas and Dustin were frozen in their spots to help their friend back up. You looked to your side and made eye contact with sweet, little Eleven. 

“El…I got this.” You stammered out. Too weak to even speak. 

She shook her head and instead grabbed your free hand, surprising you that she could even touch you. “Together?”

Your eyes widened and tears built up. You grit your teeth. What a fucked up situation. You reunite with your sweet little Eleven, only to have to either be ripped apart by this ugly bastard or die together defeating said ugly bastard. 

You gripped your hand around hers and squeezed. She turned to look back at Mike one last time. “Goodbye, Mike.”

Poor baby Michael looked absolutely heartbroken as did Dustin and Lucas. You noticed Dustin shedding a tear as he stared at you. Your eyes widened at the scene. You couldn’t take this bullshit anymore!

You were the first one to scream and overexert your power. Eleven copied you. Both of you raised your hands higher to the monster and roared. The creature screeched and just like four years ago, the victim of your powers was eroded from the inside out until there was nothing left, except a cracked wall. 

The Demogorgon was finally defeated. 

You exhaled heavily and then it all went black. 

Jonathan, Nancy, and Steve let out relieved sighs when your eyes returned to normal and you panted for fresh air. Your face was streaked in blood and every orifice of your head was clogged. You gripped Nancy's arms around your shoulders as you heaved. 

"(Y/n)! You're okay! You're okay!" Your wide eyes looked at every face in the room before your eyes rolled back into your skull again and your eyes fluttered shut. You finally took in a deep breath before you went limp in Nancy's lap. “Oh, God…Oh, God…” Nancy believed the worst. 

Steve squeezed past the both of them and checked for a pulse. “It’s very weak, but she’s still alive.” 

“A coma…” Jonathan breathed out, “She mentioned last time she overexerted herself…She fell into a coma.”

“W-We need to call someone! Hopper!” Tears fell down Nancy’s cheeks as she cradled you in her lap. She didn’t have many friends. She only had Barb but Barb was gone. Then when she thought a friendship could blossom with you, you too were suddenly ripped away from her.

how're we all feelin'? 😃

Because we all know Eddie mess some good tender love and care.

But the question is.

Mouth full of white lies

Character/s: Reader, Nancy Wheeler, Barbara Holland, Jonathon Byers (mentioned), Will Byers (mentioned, Joyce Byers (mentioned) and a handful of small OC's

Pairings: You’ll see ;)

Warnings: Light angst, secrets, developing plot

Chapter Summary: For the first time in a long time the whispers at Hawkins High aren’t all about you. No, this time it seems all anybody can talk about is Will Byers and what could have happened to him.

Word Count: 1558

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‘I find comfort in suffering and certainty in death.’ Your eyes trace the words. It was one of the many quotes on the walls of your middle school English classroom. Most of them were bright colourful positive quotes with cute little pictures but this was always the one your eyes were drawn to. Maybe because, even at the age of 12 it was something you could understand, something you could relate to. You have it printed out and stuck on your own wall. It’s surrounded by other miscellaneous pictures and quotes. Most of which have changed throughout the years but that quote has been a constant for about four years now.