āI want her to see the world through the underside of a glass bottom boat, to look through a magnifying glass at the galaxies that exist on the pin point of the human mind.ā ~ sarah kay, if i should have a daughter
welcome to the what i like to think of as my own little branches of the sacred timeline! I hope you have a fun time while you're here! my name is brooke and I write for a wide variety of fandoms! I am currently in school so I write when I have time and when the inspiration strikes! that being said i do not write for one specific character, but for whoever is plaguing my mind when the inspiration strikes.
some things about me: i've been writing fanfic on and off for probably around a decade, i cosplay, i love wwe, i play dungeons & dragons, and i do not know how to like anything a normal amount - hence the fanfics lol
Tuna-Tober 2024 Masterlist
fluff = š„° | angst = š§ļø | smut = š„
Marvel
Steve Rogers
Captain America: Professional Best Friend (long fic - UNDER CONSTRUCTION)
No Romeo (one shot) š„š§ļø
Only You (one shot)š„°š„
Bucky Barnes
Jealousy (one shot) š„
Wait For It (in progress) š§ļøš„°š„
Matt Murdock
Lying to the Devil (14 parts, complete!) š„°š§ļø
stitches (one shot) š§ļøš„°
deserving (one shot) š§ļø
I wanna hear you (one shot) š„°š„
Matthew (one shot) š§ļø
Seeing Other People (one shot) š§ļø
Better Late Than Never (one shot) š§ļø
Lover (one shot) š„°
JoaquĆn Torres
SĆ³lo mĆrame (one shot) š§ļøš„°
Harry Potter
George Weasley
Part of Your World (23 parts - complete!) š„°š§ļøš„
Star Wars
Sabine Wren
Innocent (coming soon)
Criminal Minds
Spencer Reid
Heartās Desire / Soon You'll Get Better / Wonāt Give Up š§ļøš„°
loml (one shot) š„°š§ļø
Casual š„š§ļø / butterfly effect š„°š§ļøš„ / Right Person, Right Time š„°
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installment list / previous chapter / next chapter
word count: 3,357
story content warnings: 18+ MDNI! war, violence, loss of limb, mental illness, medical talk and treatment, forced drug use, language, drinking, tense family situations, smut, pregnancy stuff, sickness, explosives. thereās fluff too, i swear!
"Sam, where the hell are you going?" you asked, your voice a sharp whisper cutting through the mostly quiet room.
"I thought I saw something down this way!" he replied, maneuvering toward where he had seen the beam of a flashlight move across the floor.
"I think the gang's holed up this way! If we go through this hallway, we should be able to bust up their front!" you replied.
"Yeah, but what if that flashlight was someone starting to move their stash? No one expected us to be here at this hour, it could be them trying to move! If we sneak up from behindā¦" he said before proceeding to follow the movement of the flashlight beam.
You rolled your eyes and laughed to yourself before following him, moving carefully through the shadows, right behind him. Much to your chagrin, Sam was right. As the two of you turned the corner, all Hell broke loose as the man with the flashlight realized the two of you were there! "Get him!" you shouted, pulling out your firearm to threaten him.
"Someone's here!" the man shouted, and as he did, the sound of dozens of distressed chickens filled your ears as a second man pulled a lever that released all of them from their cages!
"Shit!" Sam shouted, running after the two men as they made a break for it, both with large bags hauled over their shoulders.
It took some expert ducking and dodging, but the two of you managed to subdue the two men! Before making your own getaway through a back door where you had a car waiting, you grabbed the bags off of their unconscious and tied up bodies. As a final farewell to the no-good-doers, you tossed a bit of chicken feed near them and watched with a laugh as the chickens began surrounding them. By the time you and Sam got back into the car, with him in the driver's seat ready to peel off before the cops showed up, you were laughing so hard that you had tears rolling down your cheeks!
Placing your game controller down on the couch beside you, you wiped away your tears and massaged your cheeks, that, at this point were sore from laughing and smiling so much. "I didn't know GTA was this fun," you commented once you were through the worst of the giggling fit.
"It's a good way to distract yourself," he told you, his focus on the screen as he navigated the car away from the scene, keeping clear of any police in the area. Off-handedly, he added, "Sorry Bucky had to go out on a mission so close to your due date."
"It's okay," you told him before taking a sip of water from the cup you had on the side table nearby. As you placed it down, you said, "They're working on getting the guy who took over once Walsh stepped away from being a Commander in Afghanistan. It's important. I get it."
"Excited to get some more charges against that bastard?" Sam asked, drifting the car into your characters' shared warehouse where you stored all your cars and money.
"Show offā¦" you muttered, a smile teasing your lips as you began moving yourself from the couch to your wheelchair to go grab something to snack on. "I don't know if excited is the right word for it. I'll be happy when he finally gets his sentence, though. I know he's being held up in the military prison until the trial, butā¦ It doesn't feel official yet."
"Don't worry, he's gonna go away for a long time," Sam assured you for what felt like the millionth time.
In the middle of shifting your hips from the couch to the wheelchair, you felt a warm gush between your thighs, followed by a dampness that began to slowly soak your leggings. "Shitā¦" you breathed, all of the air leaving your lungs as you roughly fell into the seat of your chair.
"What's wrong?" Sam asked, his eyes tearing away from the screen when he heard your tone.
"Iā¦ My water just brokeā¦" you whispered, a slight tremble in your hands and voice as your head began to spin with anxious thoughts.
"Shitā¦!" Sam whispered sharply, throwing his controller down on the couch and jumping up to grab the handles of your wheelchair. As he began wheeling you toward the med bay, he stuttered out, "Do you have a bag or something? Sarah had a bag! Is Beth here? Shit, we need to call Bucky! What about-?"
"Sam!" you said, voice slightly louder than his. After you said this, a tight pressure shot through your abdomen that you now realized was different than the kicks you usually got. When he quieted down for a moment, you blew out a breath before telling him, "Let's just start with getting me to the med bay and getting Bucky here. Please."
"Right!" he said, pushing you through the halls quicker. His thoughts still raced, though, and he made a mental check list of what he thought he may need to do once the two of you got to the med bay. Of course this would happen on the one day when practically no one else was at the compound! The mission at hand was a very important one that many members of the Avengers were sent out on - Tony, Clint, Steve, Natasha, Wanda, and Pietro were all out, leaving just him, Bruce, and Rhodey at the Compound, with Thor off-world once again.
As Sam approached the med bay, he dialed the desk's phone, telling Quinn urgently, "Open up, we're coming in hot!"
Jumping up from their post at the desk where they had been documenting, Quinn followed the order quickly, opening up the door as Sam pushed you through and began wheeling you toward the room Tony had designated as yours once he had all the latest in birthing technology installed in the room. "What's going on?"
"Water broke! Baby's coming!" Sam told them urgently.
"Shawn? A little help?" Quinn called toward the supply room, quickly walking to keep up with Sam's rapid pace toward the room.
The three of them worked together to help you out of the wheelchair, but as they did, another contraction hit, causing you to double over as you held onto your abdomen and groaned in pain. Quinn held you tight, their feet planted firmly on the ground and their arms under yours, their voice close to your ear as they said, "You're fine. I'm right here. You're not going down. Breathe through it and then we'll get you in bed."
Their voice was soothing despite the chaos unraveling around you, so you nodded, taking a deep breath and blowing it out slowly. The pain subsided with the breath, and when you were able to stand a little straighter, the three of them got you into the bed. Once you were settled, Quinn gave Shawn a list of supplies to grab before telling Sam, "We need Beth here. I know what to do in an emergency, but I think we'd all prefer for her to be hereā¦"
"I'll get Bruce on the line. He'll be able to get a hold of her quicker," Sam said in turn, about to walk away with Quinn to make the call, but he was stopped when you grabbed his forearm to prevent him from walking away. "What's up?" he asked immediately, concern in his eyes as he turned his attention back toward you.
"Please don't go. Iā¦I don't wanna be aloneā¦" you said quietly, a tear falling down your cheek as your mind flashed to the vision Wanda gave you that day in the Tower.
"You got it," Sam said firmly, pulling the stool nearby closer to the bedside before giving your hand a light squeeze of assurance that he wasn't going anywhere. Quinn came back a few moments later with a gown for you to change into, and Sam turned his back as he began dialing Bruce. He finally picked up on the fourth ring, and before he could say anything in greeting, Sam blurted, "The baby's coming! We need Beth!"
"O-oh! Okay! I-" The phone's speaker left his mouth, and his voice was slightly quieter in Sam's ear as he said, "Beth! We gotta go! Baby's coming!" There was a few seconds of silence as Bruce flagged down their waitress, telling her, "Hey, I'm sorry, but we gotta go! The bread was great!"
Sam chuckled, pressing the phone to his chest as he told you, "Sounds like your little girl's stopping Banner from gettin' some lovin' tonight."
You couldn't help the laugh that fell past your lips, calling out in hopes that Bruce would hear you, "Sorry for interrupting dinner!"
By this time, Sam had turned the phone on speaker, and you could hear Beth's slightly breathless voice saying, "Don't worry about it! We're about forty-five minutes away! I think Sara can make it in twenty if she speeds! Stark's got the police around there in his pocket, doesn't he?"
"That's not how he likes to word it, but yes," Bruce said as the pair of them hustled out of the restaurant and to Beth's car.
"Everyone be safe! We'll see you soon," Sam said before ending the call. "Okay, now Buckyā¦" Sam muttered as he began tapping away at his phone to get remote access to the secure coms system.
It took a few minutes, but once he was in, you could hear the chaos of an intense firefight on the other side of the open com link system shared between members of the team. Of course, JARVIS notified Tony immediately of the presence of a remote access point, so he said into the system, "Whoever just accessed the coms system better have a damn good-" A grunt of pain interrupted his sentence as a blast from a turret knocked into his armor, and the rest of his sentence was slightly clipped as he said, "You better have a damn good reason!"
Judging by the background sounds, you didn't want to immediately reveal why Sam had called, worried that it would compromise the team's, and mostly Bucky's, attention and safety. There was no time to warn Sam of this worry, though, before he was blurting out, "Yeah, I think a baby coming warrants an emergency call!"
"W-what?" you heard Bucky's shocked voice breathe out. "She- She isn't due for another week and a half, what-?"
"Well, baby decided to come early!" Sam interrupted. "I may be Uncle of the Year five years running, but I have no idea what the hell to do in this situation!"
"Watch out!" came Pietro's voice through the coms, running towards Bucky and shoving him out of the way of flying debris that had been knocked loose during HYDRA's retaliation against the team.
Another contraction hit you and you tried to keep your groan of pain quiet as Sam continued on, quickly spilling his thoughts as he said, "Is there a bag you two have ready for this? What about a carrier? Is there anything you need from the nursery for this? What about something comforting for her? I don't know what-"
Clint's voice broke through the coms next, telling him, "Calm down!" He sighed before saying, "Nat, get Laura there. I don't care how, just do it."
"Laura? Who's Laura?" Tony asked in quick succession.
"Doesn't matter," Clint replied, an arrow going straight into a flying bogey he had spotted nearby.
"Does, too!" Tony retorted.
Natasha was next to speak, snapping at Tony, "Now isn't the time to be arguing about who Laura is! What she can do is provide support that none of us can from where we're at right now!" No one spoke in the moments following, leaving Natasha time to finish with, "Now! What we need to do is finish this mission and get outta here!"
"God, I love when you take charge," Steve said with a quiet chuckle.
This comment earned a disgusted, "Ew, gross. We do not need to be hearing about your kinks right now, Spangles," from Tony.
A furious blush ignited on Steve's cheeks, and he couldn't even come up with anything else to say before Natasha said, "Focus, you two!"
"Right," Steve said. He cleared his throat before telling the team, "We've got 'em on the ropes. All we've gotta do is take down this final wall of gunners and we've got him. Once he's secure, then we're home free. Bucky, do I need to change you and Clint's positions?"
"No," Bucky told him firmly, using the sight on his weapon to target one of the gunners, sending a stunning round into him from his sniper's position.
"Good," Steve said as he watched the man go down. "Then the mission continues on as planned. Let's make this quick," Steve said before he got to work laying into the melee fighters coming at him.
Sam looked like he was about to hang up, so you took a shaking breath and called out, "Be safe guys! Especially you, Buck. I need you back safe."
"You got it, Doll," he replied, and even though the slight digital modulation, you could hear the emotion in his voice.
"How far apart are your contractions?" came the breathless voice of Sara, Beth's nurse practitioner and study assistant as she ran through the doors of the room you were in.
"Likeā¦five to ten minutes? Somewhere in there?" you asked.
"Then we've got time!" she said with relief in her voice as she threw on some gloves.
Sam hadn't had time to hang up before the intrusion, and you heard Tony, say, "You heard the woman! We've got time! We'll get you home in time to catch that baby, Robo-Cop!"
You laughed quietly and rolled your eyes at Tony's nickname for Bucky, signaling for Sam to cut off the system before you distracted the team any more than they already were. Sara took a moment to examine you before nodding and saying, "Okay. Yes. We have time. You're at about five centimeters. Still a little while before baby comes!"
"That's a reliefā¦" you said, finally able to relax a little knowing that she wasn't already halfway out while Bucky was halfway across the worldā¦
"Remind me, are we doing meds?" Sara asked as she discarded her gloves.
"God, yes," you told her, your eyes snapping open in shock at the thought of doing this without medication. You'd gone through a lot in your life, dealing with more pain than the average person will ever endure, but quite frankly, you were done with the pain that had come out of this pregnancy.
Sara laughed quietly before nodding, telling Quinn what supplies and medications to grab to be ready for when Beth arrived.
By the time the door to your room was sliding open again, you had gone through two more contractions, each more intense than the last. You finished having one as the door shut and you had tears rolling down your cheeks as you let go of Sam's hand that you had a death grip on only moments before. "I can take it from here," came an unfamiliar voice that was nothing short of soothing.
While Beth began calling out orders for Sara and Quinn to follow, you were met with the gentle hands of a woman you had never seen before. She helped you sit on the side of the bed and sent you a warm smile before telling you, "Hey. I'm Laura. Clint and Nat sent me to step in - help you get through this 'til they can get back."
"Hi, Laura," you said breathlessly as you clutched the side of the bed while Beth prepared your back for the epidural. "I'm assuming you know a lot more about this than Sam?"
Laura laughed quietly, nodding before telling you, "Just went through it myself not too long ago."
"Okay, now lean forward," Beth told you.
"I've gotcha, I'm right here," Laura said, opening her arms for you to lean into before rubbing the upper portion of your back. You cringed when you felt the sharp poke of the needle pierce your skin, but breathed through it and just listened to Laura's voice as she attempted to distract you, saying, "You know, this isn't as bad as my husband made it out to be. He nearly fainted for two of the three I got for our kids."
You couldn't help but laugh, sitting up when Beth told you to as you said, "He not used to the medical stuff?"
A slight look of mischief crossed Laura's features before she laughed and said, "He's mostly on the receiving end of things, not watching it happen to others."
"Ready for the medicine?" Sara asked as Quinn and Laura got you settled back into the bed.
You nodded your response as you shifted around to find a comfortable spot on the bed. When you finally settled into a spot and focused back on your body, your mouth popped open in shock, a small gasp of air coming into your lungs as you froze in place. "Everything okay?" Laura asked, concern evident in her voice as she took in your facial expression.
"Y-yeah, Iā¦" you breathed, unable to form a coherent sentence for a few moments. A fresh wave of tears cascaded out of your eyes as you relaxed into the bed, a sigh of relief heaving out of your chest before you said blissfully, "There's no pain." Ever since the baby had started kicking, you were damn near constantly in pain either from being actively kicked or from your body recovering from the extremely strong kicks. Those, combined with Braxton-Hicks contractions once they had started left you feeling absolutely miserable most of the time.
But nowā¦there was nothing. No pain. No soreness. Justā¦numbness.
"Amazing, isn't it?" Laura asked as she pulled up a chair to sit beside your bed.
"Absolutelyā¦" you replied, a yawn ending the sentence that you covered up with your arm.
"If you're feeling tired, you might as well take a nap now before the hard part starts," Laura told you. "I didn't with my last one, and when I tell you I was crabby afterwardā¦"
You laughed lightly when she said this, your eyelids becoming heavier by the second as your body relaxed as much as it could. "Tell me about them," you murmured, nestling into the comfortable pillow behind your head.
"The kids? Oh, they're great!" Laura replied brightly, her voice quiet so she wouldn't disturb your peace. "Nathaniel, he's the newborn, is the sweetest. He's the best baby! Sleeps through the night, eats when I eat, I really couldn't ask for any better of a postpartum experience! His aunt is always video chatting when she isn't busy, and he's fascinated by the phone! His dad, bless him, is as busy as his aunt, but we make it work."
The soothing sound of Laura's voice talking about her kids lulled you to sleep soon after, the sleep so restful you were even able to ignore the pressure that came with the next contraction that hit you. As you slept over the next hour or so, Sam snuck back into the room, draping a soft weighted blanket over you that you had taken to over the last few months. "Can I get you anything?" Sam asked, his voice quiet as he lingered near the door, outside of which Sara and Beth were going over their notes from the course of the pregnancy.
"I'm good, thanks," Laura replied. Flashing a look toward her phone, she said, "You may wanna go play greeting party for the team. They should be landing any minute."
Sam was about to ask how she could have known that, but his attention was grabbed by his phone going off with an alert from Steve, telling him the exact same thing. So, instead of questioning the helpful, yet mysterious woman, Sam just nodded and started making his way to the hangar to greet the team when they landed.
a/n: it's tiiiimmmeee! baby is on the way! i can't wait for you all to meet her! (much like my sister's baby, this little girl is coming a tad early - how crazy would that have been if i had uploaded this chapter that same day, that would have been wild...) also, when i was writing this, i asked my fiance what the most ridiculous GTA missions were and i landed on the one written in the beginning of this chapter! alsoooooo, Laura!!! it was so fun writing the subtle hints throughout the last few chapters leading up to meeting her! buckle up for the last few chapters!
anyways! i hope you all enjoyed! likes, comments, and re-blogs are greatly appreciated! i love hearing from you guys! until next time! xo! <3
Steve Harrington x Henderson!reader (no use of y/n)
installment list / previous chapter / next chapter
word count: 5,298
story content warnings: 18+ MDNI! canon typical warnings such as violence, gore, swearing, drinking, spice, angst, as well as some sickly sweet fluff thrown in! extra warning for sexual innuendos lol (and a much needed talk)
"So, I just got an interesting phone call," you told Steve after hanging the phone back up on the wall.
"Oh, yeah?" he asked, putting his sandwich back down on the plate he had been using for lunch.
"Yeah," you said, sitting across from him at the dining table and resting your chin on your hand as you thought about it. "It was Ms. Kelly. She asked if I could come in soon for some sort of meetingā¦"
"Wonder what that's about," Steve pondered, sitting back in his chair and lacing his hands behind his head to cradle it.
"Maybe it's about my tutoring position?" you asked, wracking your brain for potential answers.
"Maybe," he agreed. "Let me call Robin and tell her I'll be a little late getting back from lunch and I'll drive you up there," he said, standing up from his chair and making his way to the phone to call the radio station.
"You sure? I can see if Mom's free. I wouldn't wanna take you away from workā¦" you said, your eyes darting down to the table.
"I'm sure," he assured you, walking back over as the phone rang, placing a kiss on your temple while he waited for Robin to pick up. He put gentle pressure on your jaw to bring your eyes to his, telling you, "You're never a bother to me, 'kay? Never."
Your voice was muffled on his lips as he kissed you, unable to stop the smile from forming on your lips as you mumbled, "Okayā¦"
While Steve talked to Robin, you finished your drink from lunch and headed off to the bedroom to get dressed for the meeting. You opted for something flattering, yet formal enough for a school meeting regarding a job, colors ever-present in your wardrobe no matter what you were wearing. When you emerged from the bedroom, Steve gave you a low whistle as he took in your outfit. "Stop itā¦" you mumbled, shying away from the attention by staring down at the ground and messing with the hem of your shirt to do something with your hands.
"I'll never stop reminding you how beautiful you are," Steve told you, bringing your lips up to his in a tender kiss after he made the statement.
"You're the sweetestā¦ Thank you," you told him, relaxing into the embrace he pulled you into. You placed a light kiss on the exposed skin of his neck, saying, "Thank you for everything you do for me. For us. It means the worldā¦ I wouldn't have made it through the last few months without you." This statement earned a gentle squeeze from Steve before he pulled away and offered his hand out to you so the two of you could make your way to the car out in the driveway.
When you got to the school parking lot, Ms. Kelly met you at the car, a warm smile on her face as she said, "Hey, you two! Thanks for coming on such short notice!"
"Of course," you replied as you began the process of pulling yourself out of the passenger side of the car. Steve came around to your side of the car, offering his arm for support as you stood, inwardly proud of yourself for the progress you had made in just a month since getting out of rehab. Once you were steady on your feet, you told Ms. Kelly, "It sounded urgent, so we came here as soon as we finished with lunch."
Ms. Kelly attempted to keep her tone light as she said with a quiet laugh, "I'm glad you caught that, because it is."
"May I ask what the meeting's about? Does it have to do with my tutoring position at the school?" you asked as you began following her up the sidewalk, leaving Steve to get the wheelchair out of the trunk in case you needed it.
"In a way," she said, turning the opposite direction of the high school and guiding you toward the Elementary school. "You'll see. I think you'll like our offer," she said, giving your arm a gentle squeeze as the three of you made your way to the smaller building.
Once inside, you were guided through the unfamiliar halls of the school, ones you had only been in a handful of times when Dustin attended there. The final destination of the meeting was the principal's office, decorated with Hawkins school district colors and symbols, as well as some movie memorabilia that would almost rival that of Dustin's collection. Steve stood out in the hall a respectful distance, busying himself with his Walkman while he waited for you to be done.
As you and Ms. Kelly sat down in the office, you came face to face with not only the Elementary School principal, but also Principal Higgins from Hawkins High. The latter sent you the warmest smile he could muster, saying, "It's good to see you, Miss Henderson."
"You, too!" you told him warmly. You turned your attention toward the other man, glancing at his name placard to refresh your brain before saying, "And I don't believe I've met you before. We moved here right before I got into high school and never really came here when Dustin was attending. It's nice to meet you, Principal Hill!"
"It's very nice to meet you, too," he replied, sending you a smile as he leaned forward to give you a handshake. When he sat back in his seat, he said, "Not to be cliche, but you're probably wondering why you were called for this meeting today."
"The thought might have crossed my mind," you told him lightly, keeping your posture straight as you talked with him.
He smiled and huffed out a quiet laugh, telling you, "Well, I'm just gonna cut to the chase. When that earthquake hit and the military started takin' over the town, we lost a lot of valuable employees." He took a pen in his hand and began fidgeting with it as he continued speaking, saying, "Look, I know how smart you are, Jeremy and Marsha have vouched for that even more than your grades did when you were a student. I also know how influential you were last year as a former student advisor over the tutoring program at the high school."
When he paused for a few moments, you smiled and told him, "Thank you, sir. For the accolades." You glanced between Ms. Kelly and Principal Higgins as you added, "Thank all of you."
Principal Hill gave you a smile once more and nodded to a picture he had on his desk. The smile persisted as he said, "I bet you didn't even know you looked after my grandbabies a few years ago. Eliza and Jason."
Your face lit up at the mention of the two kids, your voice bright as you said, "I did! They were great kids! How are they doing now days?"
"They're doing great. Moved with their parents to Montana last year. Just in time before all this craziness happenedā¦" he replied. He looked at you again, his smile returning as he said, "My son said you were always so good with the kids. Fun games, educational activities, teaching them life lessons that they still use to this day. That is what we're looking for!"
Your eyebrows furrowed together when he said this, your words a little slow as you said, "I'm not sure I followā¦"
"What I'm getting at," he said as he sat his pen back down in a cup on the desk, "is that I'm desperate for help around here. I need an English teacher for the upcoming school year. I've talked with every suit and uniform and fatigue I was able to and not a single one of them is letting me bring someone from the outside in to teach. So, I'm asking if you would be willing to take on the job."
Shock filled your body at the request, blinking fast and widening your eyes as you processed everything. You finally settled on the statement of, "But I don't have a teaching degree. I haven't gone to school yet so that my brother can when he graduates high schoolā¦ I was saving up in order to, but thenā¦"
"Then shit hit the fan and the town got shut down," Principal Higgins said, breaking his silence with the snarky, yet truthful, remark.
"For a lack of better a better term, yes," you replied. You voice was quiet as you said, "Not to mention hospital and rehab billsā¦ I've been using my savings to pay that offā¦"
Principal Hill nodded solemnly, saying, "Yes, I heard about your hospitalization from Marsha. And I'm very glad to see you doing so well for yourself in the aftermath." He leaned forward in his chair and folded his hands together, telling you, "And I understand that you don't have the formal education for it, but desperate times call for desperate measures. We'll give you training over the next month until the school year starts and you'll practically be buddy-teaching with Ms. Harris for the year. You'll do the same course curriculum, so you'll have someone to ask questions to if you get lost. But I have a feeling you'll catch on quickly and do just fine!"
Ms. Kelly's warm voice spoke next, soothing your racing heart as she said, "You've always been one to rise above challenges. I know that you'll do amazing in this role. That's why I came up with the idea."
You nodded as you thought through everything you were being told, your eyes glued to the wood of the desk as you did. After a few moments of thought, a wide smile broke out onto your face as you said, "I accept!"
"Hallelujah!" Principal Hill cheered, jumping up from his chair in his excitement. When the others stood as well, you did, too, sticking your hand out to shake his. The handshake was firm and his smile was wide as he said, "Welcome to the team, Miss Henderson!"
"I can't wait to get started!"
"What the hell, Steve! You can't just say that!" That was Robin, chastising Steve for some comment he made that you barely heard over your thoughts as you graded your class's latest reading comprehension test on one of the couches in the radio station affectionately named The Squawk.
"What? Now I can't compliment my girlfriend?" he countered, rolling his eyes as he fixed his hair that was a slight mess from just having been in a radio headset.
"Not like that!" she shouted exasperatedly. She massaged her temples and shook her head as she muttered, "Grossā¦"
"All I said was that it's attractive how well she works with kids!" Steve said, plopping himself down on the couch beside you and finally capturing your attention by pulling you in for a quick kiss.
"No! You said it was sexy! You can't just say that!"
"Sure I can," he said, wrapping an arm around your shoulders and pulling you close as some Prince song played in the background. "You've known from the second you saw me looking at her at Scoops that I found her working with kids attractive. Nothing's changed!"
"But Ms. Harris is good with kids and I don't see you calling her sexy! Or Ms. Kelly! She's a counselor, she's gotta be good with kids, and yet! Do you find them sexy?" Robin asked.
"No," Steve said, sending her an incredulous look. "The part that's sexy isn't just the being good with kids, it's the combination of being good with kids, that I'm in love with her, and that every night when I get home from work, I-"
Instead of listening to the rest of the sentence, Robin plugged her ears and shook her head as she shouted, "Stop! Stop! Stop! Stop!"
Steve had an entertained look on his face as he glanced between the flustered looks on both your faces. With just a look, he dared Robin to say anything else, but she didn't want to entertain the conversation anymore, so she dismissively waved her arm at him as she rolled her eyes. "Whateverā¦ You two have three songs to be grossly cute, then we're back on the air, dingus!"
He playfully flipped her off, laughing quietly before pulling you away from your papers and onto his lap. His hands settled on your hips, squeezing lightly as he kissed you. "This seems familiar," you mumbled against his lips, recalling the time the two of you had been surrounded by his finals study material shortly after you first met.
"Too bad there isn't time to take it where it meant to go last timeā¦" he said with a sigh, biting your lip playfully.
You laughed quietly, giving him another kiss before telling him, "I've said this before and I'll say it againā¦you're insatiable! I mean, not that I mind, of course, butā¦"
"But I'm sure Murrary's getting weirded out with how many condoms the two of you go through! Like, Jesus Christ, how much sex can two people have!?" Robin asked, unable to help the question flying past her lips as the thought hit her mind.
Steve couldn't help himself from grossing Robin out with details of your love-life, saying sassily, "I mean, if I had my way then we would never use the damn things, but by now we'd already have a baby and another on the way! And that would be improper of me to knock someone up before asking her to-"
The statement and Robin's fake gagging were interrupted when the door to the station slammed against the wall as it was thrown open, the noise quickly followed by Nancy's voice saying, "Get Diana in the queue, I've got information on the next burn! If Murray's intel is right - and it always is - we'll be able to get a whole extra hour in the Upside Down!"
With a confused look on your face, you unceremoniously fell off of Steve's lap, looking between him and Nancy as you asked quietly, "Steveā¦what's she talking about?"
With a quiet and defeated groan, Steve lulled his head onto the back of the couch, running his hand through his hair as he said in a frustrated tone, "Goddamnit, Nance! She didn't- C'mon!"
Nancy gave him an incredulous look, her arms crossed over her chest as she asked, "She doesn't know?"
Robin's voice was filled with shock as she echoed, "She doesn't know!?"
Steve threw his hands up in the air, his voice slightly raised in frustration as he said, "No! She didn't! And now I'm the asshole! Thanks guys! Cat's out the bag!"
"Oh, dear Lordā¦" Jonathan muttered, running his hand over his forehead as he walked to the other side of the room to be as far away from the argument as possible.
While Nancy and Steve glared at each other, you finally managed to ask quietly, "Steve, what's she talking about?"
With another sigh, Steve closed his eyes before telling you quietly, "We've been searching the Upside Down for Vecnaā¦" He stared up at the ceiling as he told you everything. "Ever since the military came in and started guarding the gate, we've been combing the place when they go in. It's mostly just Hopper, but I've gone in a few times when he needs the man power. We're able to track whoever goes in topside thanks to Dustin. I drive the tracking van most of the time. Dustin won't say a word to me unless he has toā¦ Robin uses the radio station to tell us when to meet - came up with a code to talk with us without anyone knowing. Nance maps the routes we're taking. Mike and Lucas are our scouts."
Now that was news. Steve hadn't mentioned Vecna in months. He never came home with injuries, so you were none the wiserā¦ When he was out late, you just assumed it was work related, seeing as he would swing by in the radio station van to grab some dinner before heading back out. He had never said anything, but he didn't have to either, the late nights were few and far between enough to not raise any suspicion. But now you felt like an idiot - an oblivious idiot.
While all of those thoughts swirled around your head, you curled into yourself, your eyes glued to the ground as you asked quietly, "Whatā¦what happened to no more secrets? No more lies?"
After hearing the defeated tone you spoke in, Jonathan gently grabbed Nancy's forearm as he jerked his head toward the bookshelf that hid the crawl planning room, telling her, "I think we should give them some spaceā¦"
While the three disappeared behind the bookshelf, Steve scooted closer to you on the couch, using his thumb to gently wipe away the tears that had started to fall from your eyes. He took a shaking breath before telling you earnestly, "I'm sorry, baby, I really am, I justā¦ I didn't want you getting hurt again. And I know that isn't my decision to make, butā¦ I don't wanna lose you. I can't lose you! These things and what we're after are dangerousā¦ I can't risk you like that."
"And I don't wanna lose you!" you whispered sharply at him, throwing your arms around him as you began full-on crying. Steve's own tears began to fall as he held you, his fists clinging onto the fabric of your shirt tightly. He felt his heart crack when your broken voice barely managed to choke out, "All I want is for you to tell me thingsā¦ You can tell me things, Steveā¦ Please."
Steve nodded vigorously, his voice thick with emotion as he said, "I know. I knowā¦ It was selfish of me to not tell you and to make that decision for youā¦" He pulled away and kissed your cheek, resting his forehead on yours as he mumbled, "I know that I've said it before, but I really do mean it this time: no more secrets. I'll tell you everything. Especially if it involves the Upside Down. Promise."
You pulled away from the contact, holding out your pinky as you asked, "Pinky promise?"
"Pinky promise," Steve said, a huff of a laugh escaping his chest as he linked his pinky in yours.
"Are Mom and Dad done fighting?" came Robin's voice through the hold in the wall.
When Steve looked over and saw her face peeking through, he rolled his eyes as he said, "We're done! You can stop spying now!" When she opened the passageway and tumbled out she was quickly followed by Nancy and Jonathan. This earned an incredulous look, causing Steve to scoff before asking, "Were you all spying? C'mon!"
"We just-" Nancy started to say but faltered.
Jonathan picked up the slack, saying, "-needed to make sure we didn't have to step in!"
"Yeah! That!" Robin said as she made her way to the radio booth. When she got there, she threw on one more record before reaching over to the mounted Diana Ross one she used to inform the others about a Crawl. She gestured for Nancy to approach the booth, saying, "Come on! Diana's up next! Let's see what bullshit I gotta blab about to get the next crawl stuff out!"
"Crawl stuff?" you asked, snuggling into Steve's side when he pulled you close. It was something he always did when you were upset, and the physical contact never failed to melt away your emotions.
Steve nodded as his fingers made their way under your shirt to brush over your skin, telling you, "It's what the kids started calling these missions, I think it's based on-"
"Dungeon crawls. In D&D," you finished for him, a quiet laugh falling from your lips after you finished the sentence.
"Yeah, that," Steve confirmed. For the sake of being honest, he added, "Lucas said that you were always the map maker in Hellfire. Tried to convince me on more than one occasion to let you join us. Dustin shut it down even faster than I could. Not sure if it's because he still doesn't wanna talk to you or because he doesn't want you involved or what, butā¦"
"Oh," you whispered, the statement causing another sob to climb its way up your throat. You cleared your throat before saying, "I'm sorry things are still tenseā¦"
Steve shrugged, telling you, "You can't help it. We've all tried to get him outta this funk he's in, but no one can get through. He won't let us. It's like he wants to be miserable."
"Oh, Dustyā¦" you sighed, your heart aching for the younger boy.
Wanting to get your mind off of the bad thoughts, Steve began standing up, pulling you with him as he asked, "Wanna see where the plan crawls?"
"Oh! Uh, sure!" you said, fumbling after him on unsteady feet, your hand firmly in his for support. When he took you behind the bookshelf that hid the passageway to the planning room, you were in awe, a smile on your lips as you said, "This is so D&D. You've got a secret passage and everything!"
"Nerdā¦" Steve muttered, surprising you with a kiss when the two of you got into the secret space.
"That would be me," you agreed, the words muffled on his lips.
After looking around the space and marveling at the notes and maps they had made of the Upside Down and Hawkins, Steve asked, "Do you wanna be here for the meeting or do you want me to take you home first? I know you've still got lots of tests to grade."
You hummed out in thought as you contemplated the choices, settling on, "I think I still need time to process everything. Maybe I can sit in another time. Those tests aren't gonna grade themselvesā¦"
Steve nodded as he grabbed your hand to begin leading you back through the passageway to take you home. He chuckled before saying, "If you've got an in with Erica's teacher, tell 'em to go easy on her. She was up late the night before helping with a crawl."
"She- Erica was- Steve!" you stuttered out exasperatedly.
"I got her and Lucas home by midnight!" he defended, but this lilt of amusement in his voice was unmistakable.
"I'm gonna pretend I didn't hear that oneā¦" you mumbled with a playful roll of your eyes as you gathered the tests you had on the table in the main area of the radio station.
As the two of you began making your way out of the station, Robin called after Steve, "Hey, dingus! Don't be late!"
Steve dismissively waved, a smirk growing on his lips as he called back, "Don't worry, we'll be quick! See, there's this this I do with my tongue where-"
"Ew! Gross, gross, gross, gross! Stop it!" Robin shouted, covering her ears as Steve started to laugh.
You buried your face in Steve's shoulder bashfully as the two of you walked to the Beamer, your voice muffled as you asked, "Really?"
He kissed the top of your head before saying, "It's harmless." He held open the passenger side door for you, tapping your ass as you got it and telling you, "Plus, I love getting you worked up."
"Teaseā¦" you mumbled as you settled your bag between your feet in the floorboard.
When Steve plopped himself into the driver's seat, he leaned over and kissed you, running his thumb over your cheekbone as he said, "Hey. I love you."
"I love you, too," you replied.
It was moments like this that made you really cherish Steve - when it was just the two of you doing life together. Sure, there would inevitably be fights and bickering over big and small things, but what mattered in the end was that you loved each other. It was something you hoped to never lose.
"Thank you for dinner," Eleven said to you as the two of you stood side by side washing dishes before any of the food got stuck to them.
"Of course, I love cooking for you guys," you told her with a smile as you handed her a dish to dry.
"And the best is yet to come," Steve said, giving you a kiss on the cheek as he paused his walk behind you. In the hand that he didn't use to give you a gentle and loving squeeze, he held a pan of pre-rolled cookie dough balls, the confections ready to go into the pre-heated oven.
"Are those-?" Hopper asked from where he sat at the dining table, his eyes looking up from the papers scattered on the surface.
"Her famous peanut butter Bopper cookies," Steve confirmed for him, an excited lilt to his voice. He opened the oven and put them in, rubbing his hands together as he said, "Twelve minutes 'til Bopper goodness!"
You laughed at his reaction to the treats, asking, "You two really like those cookies, huh?"
"Yes!" Steve and Hopper replied at the same time.
Coming to stand beside you, leaning his back against the counter, Steve said, "I just miss having access to Boppers whenever I want. Murray hasn't brought any in months!" He stole your lips in a kiss before booping your nose and finishing with, "But now, you've created the next best thing!"
"They are really goodā¦" Eleven agreed, a small smile on her face as she dried the last dish you gave to her.
"Well, thank you guys," you said, drying your hands on a new towel that you brought for when you were done with dishes. Once they were dry, you clapped your hands together and asked Eleven, "You ready for school work?"
"Yes," she replied, drying her hands, too, before both of you headed back to the table that was laden with the high school's current curriculum.
"Now, where were we last time?" you asked as you sat down, the question used to not only jog your memory and bring you from elementary school to high school teaching mode, but also to test her retention of the subject material. It was something you had used a lot with Steve and it seemed to work, so you continued using it as a teaching strategy, even with your students at the middle school.
"We were talking about the Civil War. Howā¦ President Lincoln did not see the South leaving as real, so they attacked a fort. It was all because the South wanted to keep people as slaves. Right?"
"Right!" you said, beaming at the girl, who gave you a bashful smile back. You were proud of how far Eleven had come since you had started tutoring her, going from the bare bones stuff she had learned in Lenora while trying to avoid bullies, to having favorite books and poems and even moments in history!
It all started one evening when you were in the backyard, testing the buoyancy of something in the pool for field day when you saw a figure limping toward the house, having appeared out of nowhere! After the initial shock wore off, you had realized that it was just Hopper, fresh off of escaping from the military after a crawl.
That was the day you found out that there were tunnels that provided a means of quick escape and secluded connectivity to a majority of Hawkins. After you helped Hopper into the house and got him comfortable on the couch, he told you about how they all came to be. They were tunnels that appeared years before when they were still learning how the Upside Down worked. Once he had them mapped and cleared out, he had started using them as means of travel so he wouldn't be seen going to and from crawls. Some didn't have an ideal escape point, so he had spent time making them how he wanted, building hatches that would blend into the environment so that the untrained eye wouldn't be able to see them.
That night, as you got him some ice packs and cleared off the coffee table so he could elevate his feet, he had noticed your lesson plans. He had asked how you had gotten the teaching position and you had told him, eventually getting to the point of realizing that it was truly what you were passionate about. You loved helping others learn, and you had told him about how good it felt to be the one helping shape these kids futures. That night he had asked that if Mike could get the high school's lesson plans, if you could help teach Eleven.
You had agreed, and that night when Steve got home from the mission debrief, he told you about how Hopper was trying his best to keep Eleven from going into the Upside Down with him. He had set up and elaborate obstacle course for her to train on to get faster and control her powers better, and how this seemed like another way to keep her busy and out of his hair. You didn't mind it, though, and she grew to love the lessons you gave her. She had gone from moody and reluctant to participate, to looking forward to what you had planned for the next time, and it made you so happy to see.
So, now, as the two of you sat at the dining table with the smell of chocolate and peanut butter filling the space, you talked animatedly about the different battles of the Civil War and why each was important to the final outcome. She looked on with rapt attention, her pencil scratching out notes when something caught her attention, knowing that you could, at any moment, call for a pop quiz over the material.
After the cookies were out and cooled off enough, Steve and Hopper sat in the living room to enjoy the confections and talk shop. After their plates were cleared, Hopper took a swig of milk to clear his palate, tilting the glass in your direction as he said, "You found a good one, kid. Make sure you don't let her go."
Steve leaned over and felt around for the false bottom of a nearby side table, pulling out a small box and showing Hopper the shining ring inside, a smile on his lips and warmth in his voice as he said, "I don't plan on it."
Hopper smiled wide before sticking out his hand for Steve to shake as he said, "Good for you, kid! Got a plan to ask, yet?"
Steve shut the box and shook his head, admitting, "I'm not sure, honestly. Dunno if I should just wait 'til we get all this Upside Down bullshit over with or hold out for Dustin to stop being a little prick because I know she'd want him involved in the weddingā¦ And I know my mom would kill me if she wasn't involved somehow, even though they've only met likeā¦twice. There's just a lot to consider."
"You'll figure it out, I know you will," Hopper said, giving Steve a firm squeeze on the shoulder. "Just know that it doesn't matter when it happens, where it happens, or how long you're engaged, as long as the two of you are happy."
"Thanks, Hop," Steve replied, his mind already going back to planning how he wanted to ask - a daydream he had been floating in and out of the whole last week since Murray had delivered the ring. He was determined to make it perfect, something you'd never forget. He would make sure that it was meaningful to you. To him. To both of you. And man, he couldn't wait to spend the rest of his life with you.
a/n: big things happening in this chapter!! for the longest time, i struggled with what sort of job Reader would have, but in the end by the circumstance of quarantine and for plot reasons to be revealed later, i settled on teacher! (god, Eddie is rolling in his grave over this lmao) lots of setup for good and for tragedy later on who said that???
anyways! likes, comments, and re-blogs are greatly appreciated! i love hearing from you guys! until next time! xo! <3
installment list / previous chapter / next chapter
word count: 4,479
story content warnings: 18+ MDNI! war, violence, loss of limb, mental illness, medical talk and treatment, forced drug use, language, drinking, tense family situations, smut, pregnancy stuff, sickness, explosives. thereās fluff too, i swear! explicit warning of graphic depictions of deaths at the Winter Soldier's hand.
The first night Bucky was in his comatose state was hard.
You tried everything to get some sleep, from reading, to a sleepy time tea, to mindlessly scrolling your phone, to watching your comfort show, to listening to rain noise. None of it worked. Your mind just wouldn't settle with all the unknown about Bucky's condition. Your body wouldn't settle without the warmth of his own pressed against it.
Two o'clock rolled around and you finally decided to try one more thing. It was a last resort that you weren't even sure would work, butā¦you had to try. So, you put your robe on and made your way to the only person you could think of who might be able to help. There was a silence that filled the hall after you knocked on the door to the living space, not even expecting an answer at this hour, but were pleasantly surprised to see Wanda pulling open the door.
The younger woman wore a tired look on her face, a soft smile on her lips in greeting as you said quietly, "Hey."
"Hey," she replied, just as softly.
"How're you holding up?" you asked, now having a little more knowledge on what happened after talking with Steve about it in the aftermath of your breakdown.
A humorless scoff left Wanda's lips before she replied, "Well, I was good until the debrief when they told me that I could have died if I had been in that roomā¦ It makes you thinkā¦"
"Tell me about itā¦" you said with a nod. A heavy silence filled the air for a few moments that neither you nor Wanda knew how to fill before you finally asked, "Canā¦ Can I, uhā¦ask a favor?"
"Hm?" Wanda hummed as she leaned against her doorframe, unsure of where exactly to look in light of the slightly awkward situation.
You cleared your throat a bit before asking, "You, uhā¦can look into people's minds with your powers, right? That's how youā¦" saw my fears and gave me that nightmare? You paused, changing direction, instead finishing with, "That's how your powers work, yeah?"
"That's a part of it, yeah," she replied, her eyes darting up to your face, now noticing that your eyes were averted toward your hands that were toying with the belt of your robe anxiously.
In response, you nodded, the movement in your hands stopping for a moment as you asked hesitantly, "Do you think you couldā¦use them on Bucky? Iā¦I just wanna know that he's still in there."
"I can do that," Wanda replied, a small smile lining her lips when she saw the hope in your emotional and tear-brimmed eyes. "Let me get some slippers, I'll be right back," she told you, the door closing behind her automatically when she stepped back in. When the door shut, Wanda let out a deep sigh of relief at the fact that the conversation didn't end in disaster like she thought it could have, and honestly expected it to once you revealed your intentions.
The walk to the med bay was filled with a tense silence that neither of you knew how to fill. You were asking Wanda to use her powers in this way, but she still wasn't sure if that meant that you had forgiven her for what she did when you first encountered each other. You had this on your mind as well as anxiety at the thought of using Wanda's powers on Bucky without his permissionā¦ It felt invasive and selfish to be asking this of Wanda, but you had been denied access to an EEG machine to see if there was any brain activity going on in his head, being assured by Steve that he would come out of it soon and such measures wouldn't be necessary. They felt necessary to your stressed and worried brain, though.
With all those thoughts swirling around in your brain, the two of you made it to the med bay sooner than you realized, the doors appearing in front of you rather quickly. As you used your badge to get the two of you into the med bay, you told her, "I just wanna know if there's anything going on in his head. I don't need you to put anything in there." With Bucky's resting form coming into view, you finished quietly with, "I just need to know he's still with usā¦"
"You got it," Wanda said, pulling up the stool Steve sat in previously as he spoke with you in the room.
Your eyes flicked between Bucky and Wanda as she summoned her powers, the red wisps trailing from her fingers to his head, swirling around for a moment before disappearing into his brain. When she saw the dream Bucky was having at the moment, a warmness filled Wanda's heart and she couldn't help the smile that made its way onto her lips. "What's going on?" you asked curiously.
"He's still in there and having a good dream," Wanda replied, a fondness in her tone as she took in what only she could see through her powers.
"What kind?" you asked, your tense muscles relaxing upon hearing the good news.
"Well, there's you and him at the park. He's pushing a little girl on the swing. She's giggling and asking to go higher." A quiet laugh fell past her lips before she added, "And it looks like you're pregnant again."
A huffed laugh escaped before you reached up and wiped a tear from your cheek. Your hand made its way to your belly as you, too, pictured what was going on in Bucky's mind. Your voice was emotional but light as you managed to get out, "Of course I am." The wisps retracted from his brain, dissipating into the air as Wanda let go of the powers. When she did, you reached out and squeezed Bucky's hand, telling Wanda, "Thank you."
She nodded in return, not trusting her own voice as she stood up from the chair and turned to leave. Before she could step out of the door, you asked, "Do you want some tea?"
Stopping in her tracks, Wanda froze for a moment, thinking that after her confirmation of Bucky's brain activity, you would go back to your relative distance as coworkers. Taking the invitation in stride, she turned around and nodded, telling you, "Iā¦I would like that, actually."
"Then let's go," you told her, turning your wheelchair around after giving Bucky's hand a quick kiss.
After both of you had settled onto the couch in the common area with your warm beverages, Wanda finally got the courage to say the words she had been meaning to for months. "Hey, Iā¦I'm sorry for how I used my powers on you when we first met."
"It's-"
"Not okay," she gently interrupted, her voice wavering slightly and her hands holding tightly to her warm mug. "I hurt you by doing what I did. Iā¦" She was quiet for a moment, her eyes glued to the cushion between the two of you before continuing, saying, "I was the reason you got taken that nightā¦ If I hadn't mentioned that you were pregnantā¦" Another beat of silence passed that she broke by saying, "I realized pretty quickly that we had been manipulated by HYDRA once things started happeningā¦ They made you all out to be monsters - ruthless and cruel and deadly. Turns out that's what they were the whole timeā¦"
"It's easy to be blinded by manipulators," you affirmed, your mind flashing to all the things Walsh had done for you before betraying you. "What matters is that you come out on the other side having learned something."
"Right," she replied with a nod.
"I want you to know that I forgive you," you told her quietly, a sip of tea punctuating the sentence. "What happened, happened. We can't change that. But I'm willing to push past those bad memories to make room for some good ones."
"Me, too," Wanda said, her voice tight with emotion as she listened to your words. "I'm sorry it took me so long to apologize. I justā¦"
"I get it," you told her once her sentence faltered and she didn't continue. "We live crazy lives. You've been adjusting to working with a team, learning how your powers work, going out on missions to take down HYDRA. I get it. Apologizing can be scary. Just know that I don't hold anything against you."
"Thank you," she replied softly.
"Thank you for helping me out," you told her graciously. A thought hit you, and you asked, "Do you think you could show me what Bucky was dreaming?"
"I was waiting for you to ask," Wanda said, a smile on her face as she once again summoned forth her powers and the dream materialized around you.
The first thing you heard once the vision surrounded you was a child's laughter. It brought a wide smile to your lips as you looked in the direction it was coming from, seeing a little girl - your little girl - on the swing set as Bucky gently pushed her. She looked to be about three years old in the vision. She had a mop of hair on her head that resembled yours, but her smile? That was all Bucky. It filled your heart with love as you watched them play, a few tears of joy making their way out of your eyes.
Just as Wanda had, you couldn't help the quiet laugh that escaped your lips when you saw yourself pregnant again. It was something that had crossed your mind time and again as your pregnancy wore on, but you hadn't discussed much about having another baby. Both you and Bucky knew how hard this had been on you, both physically and mentally, and it would have to be discussed once you were in a more clear head space to make that decision. From the dream, though, it was obvious what Bucky wanted.
With a content sigh leaving your lungs and your body relaxing into the couch as your eyes closed for a moment, you said, "Thank you," once again.
You weren't sure when you drifted off, but it was somewhere between thinking of your wedding to Bucky and already planning your little girl's first birthday. The combination of her sending a kick straight into your bladder and a nearby rustling sound woke you up, though, after what felt like only seconds. Your sharp intake of air alerted Natasha to someone's presence, immediately on high alert as she silently dropped the bag of tea she had grabbed out of its container. Her guard dropped when she neared the source of the sound and saw it was just you, bleary-eyed and curled up in a blanket that had been draped over you.
"Oh, hey," she said, the tension in her shoulders dropping as her body realized there was no threat.
"Hey," you grated out, your voice raw from lack of use during your sleep. "What time is it?"
"Like five thirty," she replied, her own voice laced with tiredness as well. "What're you doing out here?"
"Couldn't sleep in our bedā¦ Went to see him. Guess I ended up nodding off after some tea," you told her, stretching a little to rid yourself of the cramps you had gotten from the awkward position. "You? It's early as hellā¦ What're you doing up?"
"Couldn't sleep either," she replied, making her way to the little kitchenette to continue making herself some tea. "I justā¦I keep thinking about what happened on that mission."
"It must've been hard, going in and knowing that Steve was downā¦" you said, your voice just loud enough to be heard from where she was, but not loud enough to cause any sort of disturbance in the Compound.
"It wasā¦" she told you, a hint of vulnerability in her tone. "All I knew was that there was some sort of chemical that got to them, they both went down, and there were two long-dead guards near the exit. At that point, you start assuming the worst. And thenā¦" her voice broke for a second, the sound not reaching your ears as the electric kettle reached the peak of its bubbling. "And then I found the security footage. If what got to those men was what got to Steve and Bucky, they should've been dead."
"Jesusā¦" you whispered, your heart shattering once more as you relived the situation through her memories and perspective.
Natasha came back from the kitchenette with her mug in hand, placing it down on a side table to steep as she said, "I found a file when I got into the lab. Looked like it had been opened and left behind. Steve said Bucky was on that side of the room. Shitty-ass luck that the exact file he was looking at was of the stuff that took him downā¦"
"That's crazyā¦" you mumbled, shaking your head in disbelief.
"Tell me about it," she said as she curled into herself on the couch opposite of you. "Every second I was in there, I was terrified. Not for me, but for Steve. But I couldn't let my emotions get the better of me. I had a mission that needed to be completed. Compartmentalize, shove back emotions, and get the job done. That's how they taught us in the Red Room. It's how I got to the place I am. It's how I survive. But at the end of the day, I still feel everything once it's all said and done. Every bit of anxiety, heartache, fear - all of it. Especially when someone I care about is involved."
You nodded solemnly, a few moments of silence passing before you said, "You're a good agent, Nat, but an even better friend. I hope you know that. Iā¦I'm sorry you had to go through all that."
"Part of the job we do, unfortunatelyā¦" she said before taking her first sip of tea. "Doesn't make it any easier, though, soā¦thanks." A comfortable silence filled the air for a few moments, broken by Natasha adding softly, "I'm sorry there isn't anything we can do for Bucky right nowā¦"
"Thank you," you replied, a sad smile lining your lips. "He'll pull through. Like Steve said, it'll just take time."
You yawned at the end of your statement, tiredness beginning to take over your body once more. Natasha chuckled quietly, telling you, "Let's get you back to bed. Sleep however long you need to. You need it."
"I think that's a good ideaā¦" you mumbled, your muscles tired as you moved yourself from the couch to your wheelchair, the task more arduous than you were used to it being.
It didn't take you long to finally get settled back into your and Bucky's shared bed, your exhausted body sinking into the comfortable mattress as you wrapped yourself around your pregnancy pillow. When you dozed off what felt like moments later, your mind was filled with the same dream Bucky was having as you lulled off into a peaceful slumber. Sure, there were a lot of unknown factors at play here, but at least now you knew that Bucky was still in there and that he was at peace in his own mind.
The waiting dragged on for four more days. Every chance you got, you either checked on Bucky or got in contact with someone who could tell you his status, but their answer was pretty much the same every time: his vitals were slowly improving, but he was still out of it. The little improvements brought you hope, and that hope was what you clung to as time dragged on.
One afternoon, you were in what was now your office, coming through the documentation of injuries from the latest mission that had gone out the day before. "Oh, Pietroā¦" you muttered to yourself, a quiet and exasperated laugh passing your lips as you added yet another injury to his ever-growing list. You swore that kid was trying to catch up to Clint in terms of how many injuries they could get on missions.
A few minutes later, a knock startled you out of your concentration, your body jumping out of the chair a little as the noise took you by surprise. You clutched your hand to your heart as the door opened, revealing Steve's face, an apologetic look falling over it as he took in your reaction. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," he said, opening the door fully as he revealed himself. "I just came to get you 'cause Buck's starting to come out of the coma. I came as soon as I was told."
Hope lit up your face, a wide smile gracing the bottom half of it as you asked, "Really?"
Steve nodded, a smile making its way onto his lips, too, as he took in your contagious one. After you quickly got settled into your wheelchair, you began following Steve to where they had moved Bucky the day after they had returned from the mission. It had been Steve's idea to move him. Considering the hallucinations he endured when the chemicals wore off, he didn't want to chance Bucky hurting himself while he went through them. So, they moved him to one of the chambers that had the ability to contain the Hulk.
As the two of you approached the room with the chamber, you heard faint screaming that was muffled by the glass, along with an incessant slamming of metal against impenetrable glass as Bucky wailed into it with his adamantium arm. "W-what's going on? Is he okay?" you asked, worry in your voice as your heart rate began to spike.
"He's gonna have some hallucinations, remember?" Steve asked, a warm hand on your shoulder as the two of you came to a stop outside of the chamber.
When you looked to your right, you saw Natasha standing against the wall, her arms folded across her chest as she watched the scene unfold in front of her. "He's been at this for the last five minutes, ever since he came out of it," she informed the two of you.
Minutes earlierā¦
Consciousness began to flood into Bucky's mind slowly as the final effects of the chemicals were metabolized out of his bloodstream. As his eyes began to flutter open, there was a heaviness in his head that made him feel groggy and lethargic. The world was still slightly blurry around him as he blinked hard a few times to begin orienting himself to his surroundings. His limbs felt heavy and uncoordinated as he began sitting himself up on the edge of the bed he found himself in, the lack of use over the last few days making him feel weak and almost frailā¦
The sudden movement to sit up caused the blood to shift around in his brain, a dull ache permeating his skull, his fingers immediately going to his temples to attempt to massage away the pain. As he did, he heard an all too familiar voice coming from behind him. The voice of Arnim Zola. "You've been such a good Soldier over the years. It's thanks to you that HYDRA has begun to shape history into what we want it to be!"
When he heard the voice, Bucky got himself off of the bed, his footing unsure as his underused and still slightly weakened muscles attempted to hold him up. With a fumble, Bucky turned to the source of the voice, on as high alert as his groggy brain would allow. When the grogginess began to lift, he saw three figures that he had remembered in nightmares as his memories had begun returning to him. They were the first three people he had been ordered to kill as the Winter Soldier.
The three figures ambled toward him like zombie puppets, their movements slow and their bodies mostly limp - the way he had left them as the Soldier. A wave of nausea washed over him as he came face to face with these people - these victims. The first sported a gaping hole in the front of their head, a good majority of their face a mutilated mess from the exit wound of the bullet he had put through the back of their skull in an execution-style killing. Another had a pale face with blue lining the lips from lack of oxygen, an immense amount of bruising in the shape of a hand covering their throat. The dead man stared right through Bucky, his bloodshot eyes unseeing as he lurched toward Bucky, who stood frozen in place as he reckoned with these memories.
The last figure was the most gruesome, from a more violent and less clean kill HYDRA had ordered. The man's skull was practically half missing, having been slammed repeatedly into a brick wall with all of the Soldier's might. This hadn't been a punishing kill like the execution or a test of power like the suffocation victim, this one was a vengeance kill. It was an order from a commanding officer who had been stood up by a woman who he had met at the bar that night. The Soldier had just gotten back from a mission, and in a drunken rage, the officer sent him after the woman. It was cruel and disgusting what he did to her, something that Bucky carried the weight of heavily since he had remembered it.
The figures all vanished, though, when he heard your voice. Screaming his name in terror. Turning around, he saw through the glass he was behind, the image of you tied to a chair with Commander Walsh holding a gun to the back of your skull. Bucky rushed forward, rearing back with his left arm to try and break through the glass before him so he could get to you. The glass didn't budge beneath his strength, and a feeling of total numbness took over Bucky's body as he heard the shot ring out and saw blood spray into the air as Walsh pulled the trigger of the pistol, your body immediately falling limp in the chair you were bound to.
"No!" Bucky roared, a primal rage burning inside of him as he watched the event unfold. When he blinked away his tears, the scene had reset, with you once again struggling against the restraints and screaming for his help as Walsh held the gun to your head.
After watching Bucky punch and scream at whatever he was seeing for another minute, you had had enough. "Let me go to him," you told Steve through your tight throat.
"We don't know-" Steve began to say, wary of how long the hallucinations would last considering how much longer he was out than Steve was.
"Pleaseā¦" you whispered, the word choked as it came out. You watched as Bucky finally fell to his knees, sobs wracking his body. Holding back a cry of your own, you told Steve, "He won't hurt me. He needs someone. Please."
A few beats of silence filled the air, during which Steve looked over to Natasha for guidance. What he was met with was a silent nod before she began making her way forward toward the chamber to unlock the door. You followed, guiding your wheelchair through the doorway once it slid open, your heart racing as you approached Bucky. Unsure of what his friend had been seeing or what he would do, all things considered, Steve entered behind you, keeping his distance, but ready to intervene at a moments notice.
It only took a few seconds to get close enough to Bucky to reach out toward him, not quite touching him yet as you said in a wavering voice, "Bucky?"
Your voice seemed to snap him out of his emotions, his head turning toward you and back toward the glass. A whole-body flinch took over for a moment and his eyes screwed shut for a moment before reopening and looking toward you, the real you. Your name was whispered in an emotional voice before he reached out and hesitantly touched your hand. When he was met with the warmth of your skin, he grabbed on, pulling himself onto his knees and toward you, settling himself between your legs as he leaned into the warmth of your body.
"I'm right here, we're right here, Buck," you whispered, guiding his right hand to the side of your belly as he clung to you. "I don't know what you saw, but it's not real. This is real. I promise."
Words escaped Bucky and emotions ran rampant through his body as it still continued to catch up to him and the world began to come more into focus around him. All he could do was cling to you as he gathered himself and tried to reorient to what was real and what was in his head.
By the time Bucky had settled down, a few minutes had passed and the medical team was there to assess him one more time before releasing him. You stayed with him the whole time, holding his hand when you were allowed and providing what comfort you could with the limited knowledge of what you knew had happened to him.
Everything passed by in a blur of exams and debriefing before the two of you found yourselves in your living space, the warmth of the shower cascading around you as both of you helped one another wash away the stress of the last few days. Bucky almost fell asleep under your careful touch, the gentle massage waking up his muscles further as you ran your hands over them.
When you finally got settled into bed for the first time together in days, you clung to him like you hadn't seen him in months, your body practically wrapped onto his as you snuggled him as close as you could. "I was so worried, Buckā¦" you told him in a shaking whisper, a tear falling from your eye and soaking into his sleep shirt.
"Yeahā¦" he mumbled, the tenor of his voice soothing under your ear. He ran his hand up and down your arm as he tried to come up with something, anything, to say to you, but he was still processing everything he had been told happened during and after the mission. Instead of focusing on the bad of everything that happened, though, Bucky honed in on the one good thing he could remember from the last few days. He gently squeezed your arm as he told you, "You knowā¦while I was out, Iā¦I had this dream. It wasā¦nice. Peaceful."
Your mind flashed to the dream Wanda had shown you, a small smile teasing your lips as you replied, "Oh yeah? Tell me all about it."
a/n: we've got more wanda interaction! and some tough conversations out of the way! also more open and emotional natasha! i'm here for it! but also, you guys, i'm not gonna lie, having to write bucky's hallucinations was HARD! i genuinely felt so bad because the man's been through so damn much already and now he's gotta deal with that and add it to the nightmare rotation? whoopsie!
as always likes, comments, and re-blogs are greatly appreciated! i love hearing from you guys! until next time! xo! <3
Steve Harrington x Henderson!reader (no use of y/n)
installment list / previous chapter / next chapter
word count: 5,261
story content warnings: 18+ MDNI! canon typical warnings such as violence, gore, swearing, drinking, spice, angst, as well as some sickly sweet fluff thrown in! this one's a bit of a doozy on the emotional roller coaster, you guys! we've got longing, angst, lots of self-doubt between the two of them (warning specifically for body image issues), and of course spice (warnings below the cut)
spice warnings: sexual fantasies, fingering (discreetly under a blanket with the others nearby), oral (fem receiving), body worship, protected piv sex, and as always: steve harrington has a big dick lmao
"You ready to finally head home?" Steve asked as he wheeled you out of the hospital's emergency room once they had cleaned and stitched up the wound those assholes had given you.
"I'm ready for a proper bed," you joked, a quiet laugh passing your lips. Your wheelchair was pushed up beside the door of Steve's car and he began helping you into the passenger side as you added, "Those hospital beds leave much to be desiredā¦"
"In more ways than oneā¦" Steve mumbled before sneaking a kiss onto your lips.
You attempted to chase after his lips, but couldn't as he chuckled and began closing the door. With a sigh, you leaned back into the car's leather seat, trying to suppress the barrage of images flashing through your mind after so long of not having any sort of private moment with Steve. The feeling of Steve's hand on your thigh snapped you out of your thoughts, looking over to his profile as he began pulling the car away from the curb. God, you wanted to kiss him for hours. You wanted to leave bruises on his skin in places only he would see. You wanted to hear his shaking breath as his pleasure began to peak. You wanted him to do the same things to you.
When your hips shifted the slightest bit to relieve a bit of the tension building between your thighs, Steve noticed immediately. It was one of your tells. He had noticed it the first time the two of you almost got caught by Dustin in the middle of a makeout session. Once he was out of the room and heading off to Mike's for the afternoon, Steve had discovered how easily you would get worked up because of him. This time was no different, and it was from one remark!
Steve forced himself to focus on the road, his hand squeezing your thigh as he said, "Tonight's either gonna be the best sleep of your life or you won't be gettin' any sleep. Up to you, babe."
"Fuckā¦" you whispered, hips shifting a little more as his hand moved higher on your thigh. "Steve, you can't just say those things to me right now. Not while I can't do anything about it!"
"Who says we can't?" he asked, inching his fingers closer to the center of your thighs. Steve pressed his foot a little harder on the gas pedal, trying to get to the house before he exploded. In the months that you were hospitalized, he was able to show you how much he loved you in every way but physically. It felt like all of those lonely nights in bed were coming to a head now, and he wanted to make it special. He planned to make it special.
That was until he saw Nancy's car parked in front of the house.
"What the hell?" Steve mumbled, his eyebrows furrowed as he tried to remember the message that he had partially gotten from Robin's radio broadcast earlier in the afternoon. Were they supposed to meet at his place? Was the crawl tonight? Why were they there?
Before any of those questions could be answered by Steve's lagging brain, Robin, Nancy, and Jonathan came out of the front door. Steve got out of the car, discreetly adjusting himself as he did, raising a hand in greeting before saying, "Hey! What're you guys doin' here?"
"We came to celebrate a special someone getting out of rehab!" Robin replied, opening your door and leaning down to give you a big hug.
"Well, thank you!" you replied, your voice muffled in Robin's shoulder. You wiped away a tear that had escaped your eye when she pulled away, telling the group, "I don't think I could've gotten through any of this without you guys. Between all of you, the visits kept me sane."
In the time that you had been in the hospital and then the rehab, you had grown close with Robin, Nancy, and Jonathan. They were there to cheer you up, bring food when the facility served lack luster meals, and motivate you to get stronger. It was a group of people you never would have thought you'd be close to, yet, here you were. Life had a funny way of doing that.
Steve came around to your side of the car and asked, "You ready?" as he crouched down to begin putting your leg braces on.
"No chair?" you asked, surprised that Steve would let you walk to the house without it, considering he had been treating you like glass ever since the incident.
"I promised that once we got to the house I'd let you be more independent," he said as he finished securing the last strap on the brace.
When he stood up, Steve held out his hand for you, and you took it as you rose from the car, gripping him tight for support, just in case you still weren't strong enough. As you took the first few steps down the sidewalk, arm in arm with Steve, the three others cheered you on, wide smiles on their faces as you made your way to the front door. It was a slow-going process, but when you got safely into the house, you breathed a sigh of relief.
In the living room, you saw a large sheet hung in the threshold between the room and the hallway that said "Welcome home!" There were balloons floating, streamers hanging, and beyond the sheet, you could smell the scent of a home-cooked meal wafting in from the kitchen. The smell was familiar, one that you hadn't smelled in monthsā¦ Right as you realized where you had smelled the scent before, the sheet was being pushed aside, your mom's smiling face appearing around it as she rushed over to wrap you in a hug.
"Oh, sweetie!" she gushed, her voice emotional, yet muffled in your shoulder as she held you close. She gently rocked you back and forth, her voice whispered as she said, "You're so strong!"
"Thank youā¦" you replied, your voice equally as emotional as you buried your face into her hair like a little kid.
She held you at arms length, smiling at you for a moment before saying, "Now, how's my family special sound?"
"Amazing," you replied, taking her hand in yours as everyone began the walk into the dining room to begin eating the meal together.
The meal was fabulous, as it always was when she made it for special occasions, but you couldn't help but be emotional by the end of it. It was only after your mom had packed up some leftovers to bring back to the house and gave you one last hug for the night that you let your first tears fall. You hid them from the others with the excuse of wanting to change out of the cardigan you had thrown on during the hospital visit to fight the cold of the building. Steve knew you well enough to have a feeling as to what was going on, though, so he followed you out of the dining room, telling the others he'd be back.
When he found you leaning against the wall, your shoulders lightly heaving as you quietly cried, he wrapped his arms around you from behind, asking gently, "What's wrong?"
You sniffled before replying, "It's justā¦Dustin wasn't hereā¦ That was always our favorite meal. I got out of rehab after months in the hospital and he still doesn't want to talk to meā¦ It just fucking hurts, Steveā¦ And I don't know what to doā¦"
"I know, I know, and I'm sorryā¦" he mumbled, turning you around to fully face him so he could hug you properly. "He's still barely talking to any of us. Only does when he has to, and even then, he's still distant. It isn't just you, I promise. He's justā¦working through everything, I guess."
"But he doesn't have to do it aloneā¦" you whispered, your voice breaking on the last word.
"I've tried, trust me, I have. He's justā¦stubborn." Steve sighed before kissing your temple and guiding you away from the stairs.
You furrowed your eyebrows before asking, "Where're we going?"
"Our bedroom," Steve replied simply as he guided you toward what you knew to be the direction of his parents' room. As he opened the door, he said, "With the whole military quarantine, they aren't able to come back right now even if they wanted to. So, they're staying at one of their vacation houses they usually rent out when they're not there. And that means that this is our place for now!"
When he opened the door, what was revealed to you was something out of a dream. The whole room had been redecorated with all of your and Steve's favorite things. The shelving was decorated with flowers and moss to look like a forest scene, there were fairy lights strung up around the ceiling's perimeter, and a collage of your drawings covering one of the walls. Steve's movie posters and sports figures were mixed in with your things, and the sight brought tears to your eyes.
"You like it?" Steve asked, a proud smile on his lips as he watched you take everything in. "Robin and Erica helped decorate it. It was mostly Erica with Robin's help. I had no idea that kid knew so much about D&Dā¦ She could talk your ear off about it."
You laughed quietly before throwing your arms around Steve, profusely thanking him for making the decor happen. He nodded before giving you a chaste kiss, swaying back and forth gently to some music playing in his head. Before either of you could say anything else, there was a knock at the door, followed by Robin's voice calling, "We wanna get in the pool! Meet us out there, love birds!"
"Be there in a sec!" Steve replied through the door. When he pulled away, he nodded toward the large walk-in closet and said, "All our clothes are in there. D'you need any help?"
"I should be okay," you replied quietly. Remembering your injury from just hours before, you added, "I think I'll just lay out in the sun until it goes down. Don't want this getting infected."
"Gotcha," he said, giving you a nod before quickly grabbing a pair of swim trunks out of a drawer. He disappeared into the connected bathroom before emerging shortly after, telling you, "I'll be in the hall. Just call if you need help, 'kay?"
You simply nodded in return, taking your slow and steady steps into the closet to find something to put on. Immediately after taking your leg braces off and pulling a bathing suit on, you felt like you had a visceral reaction to seeing yourself in the full-length mirror hanging from the back of the closet door. Rather than looking at the bathing suit itself, your eyes were drawn to the large and jagged scars on your legs from where your bones had broken through when you fell from Vecna's grasp that fateful night. That, plus the total loss of muscle tone from being bedridden for weeks before rehab made your heart sink.
You turned away from the mirror quickly, rapidly blinking away the tears that threatened to fall. You became a little light-headed as you turned so quickly, stumbling forward and roughly grabbing at a dresser to maintain your balance. A slight bit of panic set in as you began to spiral, images of what Vecna showed you flashing through your mind, causing your breathing to only become shallower.
The feeling of Steve's warm and comforting hands on your skin snapped you out of your mind, quickly turning your head toward him as he held you at arms length, breathlessly saying, "Hey, hey! You okay?"
You blinked a few times to get the image of Vecna out of your head, blowing out a shallow breath before nodding, telling him, "I'm sorryā¦ I-I-"
"Hey, don't be sorry," Steve told you, bringing you in for a hug. He ran his hand up and down your back as he said, "Today's been a lot. If you want, I can tell them to leave."
"No," you told him resolutely. "I just need a minute, is allā¦"
"Promise you'll be okay?" Steve asked as he pulled away to look deep in your eyes.
"Promise," you told him, a small smile on your lips.
"'Kay. Good." He pointed his thumb behind him, shifting his weight as he said, "I'm gonna head back out to the hall while you get dressed. If I don't, we're gonna start a reputation of being shitty-ass hostsā¦"
You laughed quietly at the implication of his statement, rolling your eyes as heat permeated your cheeks. You tried to ignore the heat building between your thighs again as you pulled off the swimsuit and changed into a flowing sundress that hid the worst of your insecurities.
By the time you had changed yet again, you were exhausted, so with a quiet and almost defeated voice, you called through the door, "Steve?" As you asked this, you managed to make your way to sit on the edge of the bed, hitting your mobility limit for the time being.
"Yeah?" he asked immediately, poking his head into the door to see what was going on.
"Couldā¦could you get my wheelchair?"
"For sure," he replied, disappearing for a minute to grab it. When he got back, he helped you up off of the bed and into it.
While he kissed your temple you said, "Sorry, I just-"
"Hey," he interrupted, his voice soft. "You don't have to apologize."
"I know, I justā¦ I feel like I'm a lot right nowā¦" you whispered.
"You're not a lot, and you've done amazing today," he told you gently. "You're getting stronger every day. Needing the chair isn't a setback. It's an aid. It doesn't mean you've gone backwards."
"Okayā¦" you said, letting out a sigh as you tried to relax into the fake leather of the chair's seat.
"Now!" Steve said, his voice growing more chipper, "We're gonna go hang out in the sun 'til it goes down! We're gonna have a great time with our friends! It's gonna be a good night!"
"Right," you said, unable to help the smile growing on your lips in response to his enthusiasm.
After Steve dropped you off at a pool chair, you requested a book to read while sun bathing, so he went back inside to grab one. While he searched the bookshelf in the living room that he had set up with Will's help, Nancy came up beside him, her voice startling him as she asked, "Holy shit, Steve, what happened?"
"What?" he asked, shooting her a confused look.
"Your jawā¦" she said quietly, studying the bruise that was just now starting to show.
"Oh, thatā¦" he muttered. He ran a hand through his hair, sighing before he said, "Some assholes at the cemetery. We went for her to visit Eddie's grave and they roughed her up bad. Cut her arm andā¦used her blood to write on the grave."
"Holy shitā¦" she breathed, covering her mouth as her eyes widened slightly.
Making a fist and slightly slamming it into the wood of the bookshelf, frustration filled Steve's voice as he added, "I was so distracted by the radio and trying to figure out when the next crawl was gonna be that I didn't even fucking notice at firstā¦ What a goddamn boyfriend I amā¦ Can't even pay attention enough to make sure my girlfriend doesn't get hurt by some assholes who have it out for her dead best friendā¦"
"Clearly you fought back, though, right? I mean, considering the bruise."
"Well, yeah, duh! I had to." A few ragged breaths heaved from Steve's chest as he closed his eyes, saying, "I don't even remember what happened. Once I saw them using her blood, everything was a blur until I got her cleaned up."
"None of that makes you a shitty boyfriend," Nancy told him gently.
"But I didn't-"
"But nothing, Steve. What matters is that you were there for her. Even if it wasn't at the perfect time," she said firmly. She gestured out the glass door and added, "She knows how much you love her. You've shown her all day. You've shown her since Vecna landed her in the hospital. You can't let one thing ruin that."
"You're rightā¦" he muttered, shaking out his hands to try and alleviate his stress. He pointed at her as he said, "I hate when you're right."
Nancy smirked, picking out a book from the shelf and handing it to Steve as she said, "I know you do." Steve looked at the book in his hands, rolling his eyes as he followed her out to the pool, knowing that she was about to be right again with her book choice for youā¦
By the time everyone headed back inside to change out of their bathing suits, you had barely even gotten through a chapter of your book. You had been too distracted by Steve jumping in and out of the pool. It wasn't fair how good he looked. His hair, ever-growing, looked flawless, even when plastered to the side of his face when he came up from the water. His smile was bright as he goofed off with Robin and the others as they occasionally joined in from their pool floats.
What distracted you the most was those damn swim trunks, though.
You had found yourself reading a single paragraph over and over again every time you caught a glimpse of those trunks hanging low on his waist. You remembered what you were about to get up to before it became obvious that the rest of the night was not about to go how Steve planned in the car as he mumbled dirty promises and crept his hand higher and higher on your thigh.
Because of those memories distracting you completely, it came as no surprise to you that you were caught off guard when asked about the story. As the five of you made your way back into the house to settle into the living room to watch a movie, Nancy asked, "How's the book?"
"Oh, it's uh, it's good!" you told her, a slightly tight smile on your lips as you nodded. "Think I just need a lessā¦distracting environment to appreciate the nuance of it."
"Right," she said, a small smirk on her lips before she disappeared to change into lounge wear.
"Alright, what movie are we watching?" Steve asked as he settled beside you on the couch, gently grabbing your legs and spinning you so they were draped over his lap.
Robin popped the movie into the player, telling him, "Back to the Future! I got this puppy from Family Video before it closed down with the mass exodus!"
Steve rolled his eyes and chuckled as he pulled a blanket over the both of you, scoffing before he said, "And here you were always telling me to behave myself when we were thereā¦"
Robin sent him an offended look, clutching her imaginary pearls as she asked, "Are you're implying that I stole this? I'll have you know that I legally rented it before the shop closed and now that there isn't a shop to return it toā¦"
"So then you've now effectively stolen it," Steve reiterated with a teasing raise of his eyebrows.
"Shut upā¦" Robin mumbled.
As Jonathan came into the room, his arms loaded with various different bowls filled with popcorn, Robin reached up from her spot on the floor to grab one from him, thanking him before settling back into her blanket and pillow nest. Nancy and Jonathan sat on the other loveseat, his arm eventually wrapping around her as the movie played out.
Throughout the movie, you caught yourself zoning out, your mind distracted by the patterns Steve was tracing on your legs under the blanket. As the movie neared the closing scene, you began to realize that Steve's fingers were getting dangerously close to your core. The thought sent a zip of heat to your center, the dampness that had settled into your underwear hard to ignore anymore as you shifted your hips to try and alleviate any of the pressure down there.
This movement earned a firm squeeze from Steve's right hand and a silent look that said don't do that. You realized why when, beneath the bend in your leg, you could feel that Steve's sweatpants had tented up with his erection. Closing your eyes, you tried to ignore everything: the feeling of Steve's arousal, the heat between your thighs, the images flashing behind your eyes of your intimate moments with him, all of it.
That became impossible when you felt the tips of Steve's fingers running along the very edge of your panties. The movement caused you to stop breathing for a second, eyes snapping open and looking at him like a deer in headlights. You blew out a ragged breath as you looked at him, only to see him place a single finger over his lips to signal you to keep quiet.
He didn't even bother to attempt to take your panties off, instead snaking his fingers under the fabric, finding his destination easily. Your head fell onto the back on the couch and you had to bite your cheek to keep from moaning as he found your clit and began rubbing tight circles on it. Every movement of your friends dispersed throughout the room caused your heart rate to spike, anxiety filling your body at the thought of getting caught in such a compromising position.
All of that anxiety flew out the window, though, when you felt yourself beginning to fall over the edge of pure bliss. It couldn't have even been more than a minute of Steve touching you, yet there you were, about to have an orgasm in a room full of people. Having seen the slight opening of your mouth and the heaving of your chest, Steve quickly grabbed a pillow and tossed it your way. You barely had time to hold the pillow over your mouth to muffle the sounds that you could barely control as you reached your peak, squirming in Steve's lap as you flushed in embarrassment.
Once Steve removed his fingers from your panties, you hid behind the pillow as the credits began to roll and he stuck his fingers in his mouth to lick them clean. After pulling you closer and into a kiss, Steve mumbled, "I'm not done with you, yet. Promise. Once they're goneā¦"
You let out a shuddering breath when he said this, unable to even look at the others as they began getting up from their comfortable positions and stretching, telling the two of you that they were gonna head out for the night. You thanked them from where you were on the couch, not trusting your legs to support you after that orgasm, feeling how numb from anxiety they were as Steve adjusted himself in his pants before leading everyone to the door.
Once they were gone, Steve was on you, kissing you like his life depended on it, barely even able to get out the words, "Bedroom, now," between messy and desperate kisses. He supported you the entire way there, the movement slow-going as the two of you continued to get lost in each others' lips. Hands wandered, clothes were discarded, and the beginnings of hickeys were left by the time the door to the bedroom even opened.
Your head was spinning when you finally found yourself on your back, not even having to worry about space on the sprawling king sized bed. A loud moan flew past your lips when Steve connected his lips to yours and began messing with one of your breasts, a smirk on his lips as he pulled away with the intent of using his mouth on the supple skin.
When he did this, suddenly your mind flashed to what your body looked like in the mirror. All of the stretch marks, the lack of muscle tone, the scarsā¦ As these thoughts flashed through your mind, you immediately became less receptive to Steve's touch, cringing almost uncomfortably when his lips made contact with your pebbled nipple.
Steve noticed immediately, pulling away and asking, "Hey, everything okay?"
Closing your eyes, you let your head fall back onto the pillow as a few tears slipped past your eyes. You only managed to bring your voice to a whisper as you told him, "Sorryā¦ It's justā¦ Iā¦ I don't like how my body looksā¦ I-I don't get howā¦how you can even be turned on right nowā¦"
"Heyā¦" he whispered, moving to where his face was closer to yours. He put gentle pressure on your jaw to bring your eyes to his as he said, "You're beautiful. I know you don't think it right now, but I think it enough for both of us."
"Butā¦the scarsā¦the stretch marksā¦ There's likeā¦zero definition to my body. I look nothing like I did when we metā¦ Howā¦?"
"You're just as beautiful as the day we met," he replied, kissing your forehead to end the sentence. "And all those scars? The stretch marks? All of it is proof that you survived. You went through something that you shouldn't have survived. But you did. So all of that shit you hate, I'm just happy I still get to see it."
Steve placed a kiss on the sensitive spot on your neck where he had already began leaving a hickey, mumbling, "It's proof that you're still here with meā¦" His hand gently caressed your breast, giving it a light squeeze as he said, "I still get to touch you like thisā¦" He began making his way down your body, placing kisses on every stretch mark on your abdomen, telling you between kisses, "I still get to hear those little gasps you make when you're desperate for meā¦" He kissed the largest scar on your thigh where your femur had broken through, his breath hot on your skin as he got closer and closer to your unclothed core. His voice was reverent as he said, "I still get to taste youā¦"
You couldn't help the desperate moan that flew past your lips when Steve licked a stripe up your cunt, savoring the taste he hadn't had in months since you had been in the hospital. He couldn't help the groan that left his lips as he lapped into you, rutting his hips into the bed to try and alleviate the ache in his cock. Steve had always been good at going down on you, but after so long, everything felt new. The pleasure was heightened and with already being sensitive from the first orgasm, you found yourself grasping onto his hair as the pleasure began quickly mounting.
When you closed your eyes, you saw stars on the backs of your eyelids, barely able to keep your head up as Steve began sucking on your clit. All bets were off when he added two fingers into the mix, the long digits stroking your g-spot with every thrust. As you loosed another wanton moan and gripped the sheets tight, Steve pulled away for a second, leaving a hickey on your inner thigh as he mumbled, "God, I missed thisā¦ Missed you. You gonna come?"
"Yes! Yes!" you whispered, hips bucking up to meet his fingers.
"Good, give it t'meā¦" he mumbled before diving back in with his tongue.
With one final suck on your clit, you felt like you exploded: hot, molten pleasure erupting from your core as your orgasm hit you like a freight train. You couldn't control your moans and whines even if you tried, resigning to taking the pleasure as Steve continued to lap at your cunt so he could get every drop of your essence he could.
Your head felt like it was swimming in molasses in the moments that followed, every movement slowed and dizzying as your body recovered from the intense feeling. There was no time to recover, though, when you suddenly felt the blunt head of Steve's cock running though the wetness of your core. You hadn't even noticed his warmth leave your body to grab a condom out of the drawer, let alone take the time to put it onā¦
None of that mattered, though, as Steve began the work of opening you up to him, shallowly thrusting his hips while fighting his brain as it told him to take you all at once. He didn't want to hurt you, though. He never did. But, God, you were so pliant and ready for himā¦ The battle in his head was lost when he got to a point of feeling no resistance from your warm cunt, so Steve thrust all the way in, heaving out a sigh of relief and pleasure when he was fully sheathed.
"I love youā¦" he whispered, giving you the gentlest of kisses before resting his face in the crook of your neck. Steve's thrusts were shallow at first before turning into long and languid ones as he tried to show you with his body how much he loved you. His voice was husky and at points strained as he mumbled sweet nothings in your ear, telling you about how much he loved you, how much he missed this, how he was so proud of you for getting out of rehab, how he never wanted to come that close to losing you again.
What started at the beginning of the night as a desperate need for one another turned into something more intimate, moreā¦sacred. It all felt so different than before. They always said that distance makes the heart grow fonder, and you guessed that they were right, because as Steve made love to you, you could feel him pouring every bit of his adoration for you into it.
You knew Steve was close when he began placing sloppy kisses onto the skin of your neck, his grunts of pleasure growing closer and closer together. So, you pulled him up and into a kiss before whispering, "I wanna see you when you come. Pleaseā¦"
He nodded in response, his eyebrows furrowed and eyes closed as he continued thrusting into you. The look on his face made you clench around him, earning another strained moan as his hips faltered. "Oh, fuck, babyā¦ Goddamnā¦" he whispered, chest heaving as he neared his peak. His completely blissed out voice made you clench again, making his mouth part in a silent moan before he whispered, "I-I'm gonna, fuck, I'm gonna comeā¦"
With that warning, Steve fell over the edge, moans flying past his lips as he filled the condom. As he did, you pulled him to your lips, passionate kisses being exchanged as he worked his way through his orgasm. When Steve was spent, he moved to resting his head in the crook of your neck again, attempting to catch his breath as both of your hearts raced. Finally able to move a bit, you began running a hand up and down his skin in lazy patterns as you whispered, "I love youā¦ So much."
"I love you, tooā¦" he whispered breathlessly, placing a kiss onto your warm skin. A small smile made its way onto his lips as he cuddled you closer, mumbling, "Welcome home, honeyā¦"
a/n: you guys, Steve is so down bad and i adore writing hiiiimmmm! he just wants to be everything his dad never was, so he sees any little "mess up" as a failure to be better. luckily, you don't see it that way - you see the man who has stuck by your side though some of the hardest bullshit ever and is still there. still by your side. still fighting for you. still supporting you, even when you feel like you're too much. i wish that kind of love onto everyone!
anyways! i hope you all enjoyed! as always likes, comments, and re-blogs are greatly appreciated! i love hearing from you guys! until next time! xo! <3
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installment list / previous chapter / next chapter
word count: 3,243
story content warnings: 18+ MDNI! war, violence, loss of limb, mental illness, medical talk and treatment, forced drug use, language, drinking, tense family situations, smut, pregnancy stuff, sickness, explosives. thereās fluff too, i swear!
When the jet landed at the Avengers Compound, controlled chaos erupted in the facility as the team unloaded. Everyone began heading to the decontamination station that had been set up in the med bay in their absence. It was a bit of a chore for the team decontaminating Steve and Bucky, both of them limp and heavy with dead weight. At one point, Shawn heaved out a sigh as he helped hold Steve's arm up, muttering, "Hurry it up, Cam, he's pure freakin' muscle..."
"I'm tryin'..." Cameron replied, working Steve over with the chemical decontaminant before rinsing it off with a thorough rinse of steaming water. The process was repeated for Bucky and then the two men before the team loaded the super soldiers onto new stretchers and into their respective quarantine rooms.
As Shawn and Cameron were transferring Steve onto the bed in his quarantine area, he began stirring awake, a groan of discontent slipping past his lips as his eyes began to flutter open. When Steve opened his eyes, the lights were bright and his head ached with a fullness that made everything feel heavy. "Cap? Cap, are you with us?" Shawn asked when he saw his eyes opening.
"Y-yeah, I'm with you," Steve mumbled, his voice still slightly slurred as he gained his bearings. "What happened? Is Buck okay? Where are we?"
"We got you back to the Compound, Cap. Some chemical got to the two of you," Shawn replied. "Bucky's stable for now. He's in the next quarantine room over."
Cameron nodded before adding, "We got the two of you decontaminated before transferring here."
"So, that's what that smell is..." Steve mumbled as he sat himself up on the side of the bed, massaging his temples as he did, the blood shifting in his brain uncomfortably. With a puzzled look on his face, Cameron took a quick smell to determine what he meant, and Steve noticed, waving a hand dismissively as he said, "Don't think you'd smell it. Serum and all..."
"Right, right..." Cameron mumbled, sheepishly scratching the back of his neck. "Well, since you're up, I'm sure we can get you set up in the shower room to wash off the smell."
"Yeah, that...that sounds good..."
"Think you're okay on your own, Cap?" Shawn asked as Steve made his way off of the edge of the bed, his footing unsure for a moment as he stumbled forward.
"I'll be fine," he replied, waving them off with one hand as he ran the other through his hair.
"Yes sir," they replied at the same time before making their exit.
As Steve made his way to the nearest shower room in the med bay, he glanced into the quarantine room that Bucky was in. What caught his eye as he passed was the bedside monitor showing Bucky's vitals. With a heart rate of only twenty-two, respiratory rate of six, and extremely low blood pressure, Steve expected a whole team of medics to be surrounding his friend.
But they weren't.
Steve's questions were answered when, as they walked out, Quinn was saying to another worker in a hushed voice, "It's so weirdā¦ With those vitals, he shouldn't be perfusing. He should barely be alive, butā¦ Besides his vitals, everything's fine. He's justā¦not responding. I don't get it."
Aspen caught Steve's eye as she and Quinn passed by. She opened her mouth to say something, but before she could, Steve said, "I'm fine, jus' heading to the shower room."
Steve's mind was still a little foggy as he got under the stream of flowing water, so he splashed some onto his face to try and knock himself out of it. When the warmth hit his face, though, what he saw behind his eyes were explosions. He heard shouting in a familiar voice, and because of that, he realized what the memory was: when he rescued Bucky from the HYDRA base back during the war.
Taking a deep breath, Steve opened his eyes again after running his hands over his face. He shook his head to rid himself of the memory, focusing instead on the soap he was provided to wash off with. Steve washed himself meticulously, three times over to ensure that every bit of chemical was off of him.
When he got out of the shower, Steve noticed that the clothing he had been wearing before had been taken away, replaced by a clean set, along with a note that said the room had been decontaminated while he showered. Had he really been so lost in his own mind that he didn't even notice that?
After getting dressed, as Steve looked toward the mirror to comb his hair out of his eyes, he saw something that shook him to the core. Right behind him, staring through the mirror with a sick smile on his face was Red Skull himself. With his mind and heart racing, Steve whipped around, a wild haymaker being thrown at the figure, whoā¦wasn't there.
With his eyebrows furrowed, Steve's head snapped back toward the mirror, where he saw the figure still standing with a crooked smile, sending him a taunting wave. Steve's mind still wasn't operating on all cylinders, and in a desperate attempt to get rid of the image, he slammed his fist into the mirror. Unbeknownst to him, Steve's full strength had returned, and the mirror shattered under his knuckles, the image crumbling away with the glass as it fell into the sink below.
Leaning his weight onto the sink, Steve stared down into it, the shattered glass almost mocking him. Why did he lose his temper like that? Why did he see Red Skull in the mirror? Why-
"Care for a dance?"
The voice that now came from behind him was familiar - one that he hadn't heard in that condition in years, only in recordings. As Steve turned around, he came face to face with an old flame, standing in a flowing dress, with a smile on her perfectly lined lips. "Peggyā¦" Steve breathed, blinking hard as he took in her presence.
"Are you going to leave a lady hanging? I think our dance is long overdueā¦" Peggy said as she approached Steve, her heels clicking on the floor of the bathroom.
"Thisā¦ This isn't real." he mumbled as he took a step back, ignoring her outstretched hand.
"Of course this is real, Steve! What are you on about? Remember, we had plans for a dance. Don't tell me you forgot!"
"Steve?" Natasha called from outside of the shower room, a bottle of water in hand for him. "You done showering?" she called when she didn't get a response.
After a few more moments of silence in the bathroom, Natasha heard Steve say, "Youā¦aren't realā¦ None of this is real!"
"Steve?" Natasha asked sharply, plowing into the shower room, only to see Steve with a hand running through his hair, blood dripping off of the knuckles and into his blond locks. "Hey, hey, hey, babe! What happened?" she asked as she approached him, hands in the air as she circled around him to make herself known before touching him.
"Nat!" Steve breathed, relief evident in his voice as Natasha's form walked through Peggy's, the latter's body disappearing into the steam still dissipating from the room. The distance between himself and Natasha was closed quickly, Steve's arms being wrapped around her in an instant. He felt a sense of relief flood his body as he felt her in his arms and inhaled the familiar scent of her shampoo as his free hand locked in her hair. This was real. She was real.
Natasha's voice was muffled in Steve's shoulder as she asked again, "What happened? Are you okay?"
"At the facility, Buck and I-" he started with.
"No, no, I know what happened at the facility," she told him gently. She pulled away and coaxed his bloody knuckle into her hand as she said, "I meant just now."
Steve finally realized that he was bleeding when she asked this, a shaking breath falling from his lips as he told her, "Iā¦I saw Red Skull. In the mirror. I thought he was behind me, so I swung, but he wasn't there. Then Iā¦I swung at the mirror. He finally went away thenā¦"
"Hallucinationsā¦" Natasha mumbled softly. A quiet sigh left her lips as she nodded sympathetically, telling Steve, "C'mon, let's go get you cleaned up. We'll report back to the others that you're having hallucinations after the chemical wore off. Thenā¦" she was quiet for a moment, the next sentence dying on her lips before it could be actualized.
"Then?" Steve asked quietly.
"Then we go watch a movie together on the couch to get our minds off of the last few hours," she told him, leaning up to kiss him on the cheek. She ran her fingers over his jaw, trailing them down the side of his neck. Her eye averted to the ground as she said, "I thought I was gonna lose you there for a minute. Scared the hell outta me. I didn't like that feeling. I justā¦I need some time with you. To remind myself that this is real. That you aren't gone."
"I think I can manage that," Steve told her, a warm smile lining his lips before he leaned down to place a gentle kiss on Natasha's. They both knew that there were pressing matters to attend to and that a mission debrief would need to happen, but with the mission still technically in progress, it was something that could wait. It was the distraction they both needed after everything they just went through.
"You two come up with anything?" Natasha asked as she and Steve walked into the lab after a couple hours of relaxing together.
Tony looked up from a screen littered with notes as he deadpanned, "Yeah. But then it didn't work."
"I just don't understand how it didn't," Bruce said exasperatedly. "We have the exact recipe for Pete's sake! It should have been easy to reverse itā¦"
"Maybe it's not meant to be reversed," Natasha told him as she took a seat on a nearby stool.
"Well, whoever made this is a genius. To make something so powerful that can't be reversed is both remarkable and terrifyingā¦" Bruce muttered.
Natasha shrugged, telling him, "I mean, think about the intent of it."
"To subdue the Winter Soldiers, yeah, yeah, we know," Tony smarted off. He gestured toward Steve and added, "It didn't work on Spangles, though!"
"It did, but not as longā¦" Bruce said thoughtfully. He tucked a pencil behind his ear as he continued with, "Maybeā¦maybe it wasn't as effective because of the Serum itself. We know that HYDRA has a different version of the Serum than the original that Steve got. Perhaps it's the original purity of it that got rid of it faster!"
"And going by that logic, if Buck was one of their first, then it may take a lot longer for this to wear off of himā¦" Steve said, a quiet sigh passing his lips as he shook his head.
"So, we just wait around for him to wake up? What about when-?" Natasha began to ask, but was interrupted by JARVIS as he activated in the room.
"If I may interrupt," the voice said, halting the conversation.
"Go ahead," Tony told the AI as he flicked through more notes.
The next thing that JARVIS said was that you were back from your trip out and everyone froze. Steve and Natasha sent each other a look, with Natasha whispering a sharp, "Shitā¦" upon hearing the news.
Steve's head lulled back a bit as he closed his eyes and he let out a breath. He shook his head as he straightened out, asking Tony and Bruce, "There's nothing you can do?"
"As of right now, no," Bruce replied quietly.
"We'll break the news to her, then," Steve said as he began making his way out of the lab. Before they could leave, he turned to ask, "Is the med bay decontaminated? She'll wanna see him."
"They were finishing up about half an hour ago. Should be good now," Bruce replied. He cleared his throat before adding, "I know it's gonna be hard, but justā¦try to keep her stress down. I don't wanna be the one calling Beth to get down here five weeks early for the baby."
"We'll do our best," Natasha replied before she and Steve were off to the entrance nearest the parking garage to greet you.
As you rolled through the door from the parking garage, you had a an aura of light around you. You had just had the best day out with your old EMT buddies, who had flown out from DC to spend time with you before the baby arrived. You were carrying three gift bags of varying sizes and had an air of joy about you. You were, as they say, glowing. Steve felt terrible that they would have to burst your bubbleā¦
Natasha started off the conversation, offering out a hand to carry the bags as she asked, "Have a good day?"
Your voice was bright as you told her, "Yeah! It was great! It's been so long since I've seen them!" You couldn't help the laugh that escaped your lips as you told her, "Mari crochets, and she made a little baby blanket that has a similar pattern to Bucky's arm, it's gorgeous! I can't wait to show him!
When you mentioned Bucky, though, you realized something. That Steve was right behind Natasha. Steve, who was supposed to be gone the next few days on a mission with Bucky. As this realization dawned on you, you stopped breathing for a second. You stopped moving. You stopped everything. The held breath was let out shakily before you finally asked, "Steveā¦? Wh-what're you doing back already?"
Steve said your name in a tone that shook you to the core, and you began to feel your knees grow numb as tears began to build up behind your eyes. "There was something in the lab," he told you quietly, fighting back his own tears to be strong in front of you.
"Is he okay?" you asked sharply. Although your voice was weak, you still had that edge of terror in it as it felt like everything began to crumble around you.
"He's alive," Natasha replied, even her voice thick with emotion, something that wasn't usual for her. She cleared her throat before adding, "He's justā¦ He's not waking up."
"Why didn't anyone call me?" you whispered.
"Iā¦" Steve began, but faltered for a moment.
Natasha decided to pick up the baton, telling you gently, "We didn't wanna put anymore stress on you. Not while you were out. C'mon, let's go see him."
The silence was heavy as the three of you made your way through the Compound and to the med bay, thought after horrible thought tormenting your brain as to what could have happened. Was he terribly injured? Would he recover? Would he-
"He's in here," came Steve's voice, the tenor breaking through your tumultuous thoughts and snapping your eyes to the door on your left.
The sight before you filled you with a mix of emotions. Bucky was on the hospital bed, a peaceful look on his face as he slept. On the monitor beside him was a heart rate of twenty-seven, a respiratory rate of five, and a blood pressure of 62/48. Even though Bucky's face was still full of color and he looked fine, you couldn't help the flash of fear and anger that made its way up your spine, telling Steve and Natasha sharply, "This is something you call me about."
You wheeled closer to the bed, taking your place beside your fiance and grasping his right hand in yours, feeling like it was the only thing tethering you to reality at the moment. When he didn't make a move to grasp your hand, the floodgates opened and you began crying. Hard. Sobs wracked your body as your anxiety took over, your thoughts spiraling as every bad possibility that could happen popped into your mind.
When Natasha's hand gently landed on your shoulder, you flinched, the touch bringing you out of the spiral for a moment, only long enough for you to say, "I need space." Respecting your boundaries, Natasha nodded, taking her hand away and quietly walking out of the room hand in hand with Steve as he sighed sadly.
When you heard the door slide shut, you finally whispered, "C'mon, Buckā¦ I need you here with me. I can't lose youā¦ We can't lose youā¦"
What felt like hours passed of you just sitting there holding Bucky's hand. Your anxiety persisted, but quieted down when you grew tired, almost drifting off as you leaned onto the side of the bed. You jerked awake, though, when you heard the door to the room open. The sound of a stool's feet hitting the floor broke the silence in the room, followed shortly by Steve's voice as he said, "I'm sorry I didn't call."
There was a silence that filled the room once more, one that you didn't care to fill. He knew your stance on the matter. The silence lingered a while longer, Steve taking a minute to process everything that happened. When he finally spoke again, it wasn't in the confident tone that he usually used. It was a broken one. "The chemical that got to Buck, i-it got to me, too. I saw him go down and went to save him, but it got the better of me. We needed time to process and to make sure it was safe to be around him before we called you."
You made no sound in reply, just a simple nod that Steve barely even saw across the room, but it was enough to prompt him to push forward, telling your turned back, "Nat, sheā¦she found security footage from when the lab was still active. Two guards died because of the stuff." A pang of anxiety filled you before he continued with, "Maria did some research and found out that the two men didn't have the Serum. The file we found on the chemical says that it's meant to subdue Soldiers. Slow 'em down, make 'em weak, knock 'em out."
Steve took a deep breath, finishing out with, "Banner's theory is that I came out of it quick because of the purity of the Serum I got from Erskine. Buck was one of HYDRA's first Soldiers. The Serum likely isn't as potent as mine or as anything they make today. Tony and Bruce have tried what they can and it didn't work. It looks like it's just gonna take some time."
"I'm sorryā¦" was the only thing you could come up with to say, the words whispered and broken as a fresh set of tears streaked down your cheeks.
Steve stood from the chair, making his way over to you and putting a warm hand on your shoulder. He squeezed gently before assuring you, "We'll get through this. He'll get through this. We're here for you. Whatever you need, just ask."
"I will," you promised, finally looking up at him to see his own tear stained cheeks, his eyes rimmed with red from his own bouts of emotions over the last few hours.
a/n: you guys, i'm so sorry that i've dropped the ball on a consistent upload schedule with this one, but i barely have time to edit and post both of my ongoing fics. SO! i will be doing a double upload today!
but! my thoughts! i love, love, love writing Steve and Nat's relationship in this story! they're one of my number one ships tbh. i also love them because steve is one of the few people Nat seems to be comfortable to be vulnerable around and is able to let go of the strong facade the puts up around others, hence the momentary break they both needed to have before jumping back into mission mode. so, what are we thinking will happen to Bucky once all of this wears off? how long will it take to wear off? (i say as if i won't be uploading the next chapter late tonight lmao - fun question to pose anyways!)
well, as always i hope you all enjoyed! likes, comments, and re-blogs are greatly appreciated! i love hearing from you guys! until next time! xo! <3
Steve Harrington x Henderson!reader (no use of y/n)
installment list / previous chapter / next chapter
word count: 6,896 (lots to cover going forward! this word count ish is the new norm from now on!)
story content warnings: 18+ MDNI! canon typical warnings such as violence, gore, swearing, drinking, spice, angst, as well as some sickly sweet fluff thrown in! Further warning for medical talk in this one as well as an emphasis on the violence and gore - you've been warned!
ps: yes, i did change some things from the canon to fit my own version of events, it's fiiiiinnneeee! enjoy!
"Vecnaā¦ He's still out there. I canā¦sense him."
That statement from Will was what spurred the idea to sneak into the Upside Down to see what all had changed in the few days since the huge gate in the middle of downtown opened. If Vecna was still out there, that meant that this fight wasn't over yet, and everyone was determined to take the bastard down.
So, that was how the group of Will, Mike, Eleven, Erica, Steve, Nancy, Jonathan, Robin, Joyce, and Hopper all ended up in Hopper's cabin coming up with a plan on how to get back in. "All right, what do we know, people?" Hopper asked.
"We know that there's a giant-ass gate in the middle of town," Steve deadpanned.
Nancy piggy-backed, adding, "That's being patrolled by the police department. There aren't enough men to guard that and patrol the rifts, though, so no one's posted in front of it at all times."
"If you're gonna try and go through that gate, you'll have to be quick," came the voice of Murray as he welcomed himself into the cabin. "I overheard on the scanner that they're sending in the military ASAP."
"How soon'll that be?" Hopper asked.
"Tomorrow! They also plan on covering those nasty rifts somehow, so it seems like now or never for the easiest time getting in," he replied. He dumped an armful of food supplies on the table before adding, "I also heard that once the military's here, that's it. No coming and going from town. If you stay, you're stuck."
Joyce sighed and muttered, "Well, that's just greatā¦"
"Not to worry! Not to worry!" Murray told her, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and gently shaking her. "I've already got a solution to your unspoken woes in mind!"
"And what's that?" Hopper asked.
He sent Hopper a wink as he told him, "Let's just say, you're all about to get a lot of private shipments from Bradley's Big Buy." He clapped his hands together before saying, "Well! It's been fun, but I need to hop on outta here before the military shows up! If you need anything, you know what channel to reach me at!"
"Thank you, Murray," Joyce told him sincerely before he walked out of the cabin.
A heavy silence hung in the air that was broken by Jonathan saying, "Military occupation isn't exactly the best if we're going to be sneaking into the placeā¦"
"So, then we do this tonight," Hopper said, a sort of finality in his tone.
Shock filled Joyce's voice as she asked, "Hop, isn't that a little too soon?"
"No, it's the perfect timing," he told her. "I go in tonight, all I gotta worry about is the police patrols. We can figure those out, easy. Once I'm in, I see what's going on, see if anything's changed, and get out. Someone's gotta play lookout for patrols, though. And someone else has gotta man the walkies so we can all communicate. One hour. That's all I'll need inside."
Before anyone else could speak, Eleven was telling Hopper, "I wanna go with you."
"No, absolutely not," he told her immediately. "You yourself told me how he manhandled you. If you're gonna face him again, if you're gonna finish this, you need training."
"How?" she asked, frustration evident in her voice.
"I'll build a course or something!" he told her, his voice firmly raising. "You need to get stronger. Faster. Until then, you're not going down there." In response, Eleven huffed out a sigh, crossing her arms over her chest before storming off to her room, followed closely by Mike and Will.
With a heavy sigh, Hopper stood up and began making his way to his gun safe, calling behind him, "The rest of you start figuring out who's gonna do what."
After nodding in agreement, the rest of the group put their heads together and started deciding who would be best for what job. All except Steve. Instead, Steve got up from the chair he was sitting on and followed Hopper back to the gun safe. "I wanna go with you," he told the older man as he leaned against the wall.
"No," Hopper scoffed while shaking his head. "I'm not letting El go and she's got super powers. What makes you think you'll be any better off in there?"
"C'mon! I was in there most recently. I can tell you what's changed!" Steve protested. "And, not to brag or anything, but I was a factor in taking down his physical body. Can't argue with that."
When he was met with silence, Steve sighed and said, "Lookā¦the bastard hurt someone I love. If there's even a chance of ganking him, I want in."
"So, you're in this for revenge?" Hopper asked, finally looking up from the gun he was working on. He shook his head as he said, "Motivation like that'll only cloud your judgment, kid. If you see him, you won't be in your right mind. Guarantee it."
"Or I'll be better than ever against him," Steve countered.
"Or you'll die!"
"I can'tā¦" Steve began saying, his voice thick with emotion that he swallowed down. "I can't let him hurt anyone else. Please, just let me go with you."
Hopper studied Steve for a few moments, seeing the steely look in his eyes and the set of his jaw. He saw a bit of himself in the kid, so with a sigh, he gave in, telling him, "Fine. But you follow every order I give you to a T. Got it?"
"Got it," Steve replied, giving him a firm handshake. Before he turned to walk away, he asked, "Oh, and Hop?"
"Yeah?"
"There's one more thingā¦ Can we, uh, while we're down there, can we scout by the Forest Hills trailer park?"
"What for?"
Steve sighed quietly before telling him, "We lost someone down there. Eddie Munson. Died in Dustin's arms. I promised we'd go back in to try and get his bodyā¦"
"Kidā¦" Hopper said quietly, unsure about adding such a task to an already dangerous mission.
Steve snapped his fingers, telling him, "We can see if the gate at his trailer is still open! We can get out that way if it is! Easy out if shit hits the fan!" His voice lowered to a more somber one as he finished with, "Really, though, it would mean a lot to Dustin and his sister. Eddie's uncle, too."
Hopper sighed quietly as he closed his eyes, muttering out a soft, "Damnitā¦" before reluctantly nodding his head. "Fine. Tell the others to make two groups: one to scout the patrol patterns around town square and one to scout the trailer park. After that, meet me at the shed. We'll get geared up and get whatever we need to bring Eddie back."
"Awesome! You won't regret it!" Steve told him, clapping him appreciatively on the shoulder before going to talk with the others.
"Yeah, yeahā¦" he muttered, rolling his eyes as he focused back on the gun in his hand. Why did he always give into what these damn kids wantedā¦?
"This is where we left him," Steve said as he and Hopper approached the trailer park, their eyes constantly darting around looking for threats and their ears listening out for any danger.
As they approached, Steve had to fight off the wave of nausea that turned his stomach. Eddie was moved a little from where they left him, no doubt by scavenging creatures, and there were parts of his flesh that had been eaten away at. He was still recognizable, though, just barely. Steve sighed as he closed his eyes briefly, still unsure what the hell he was going to tell you about what happenedā¦
"Poor kidā¦" Hopper muttered as he crouched down and began rolling him over to put the makeshift body bag under him. "He was a pain in my ass when I was Chief, butā¦no one deserves this. Not like this. Not here."
"Yeahā¦" Steve said quietly. From behind them, Steve heard a rustling sound, followed by a low growl. Grabbing the spiked bat he carried on his back, Steve braced himself as he warned, "I think we've got incomingā¦"
"How many? Think we can out run 'em?" Hopper asked as he tightened the straps holding the bag around Eddie's body.
Suddenly, something swooped at Steve from above, its claws outstretched and ready to attack! "Too late for that!" he shouted, swinging at the creature with all his might. The demobat took the hit straight to the skull, the nail sinking into its head killing it instantly!
The victory against the creature was short-lived, though, because not even a second later, another bat was coming down on him from behind. Steve felt the creature's claws sink into the flesh on his back, the searing pain causing him to shout in agony. The sound of Hopper's well-aimed bullet took the creature down, the loud crack! sounding through the air, followed by the grip the beast had on Steve loosening before it fell to the ground with a resounding thud.
"Thanksā¦" Steve told him, his voice strained.
"Don't thank me just yetā¦" Hopper said, motioning toward the small pack of demodogs that was now starting to approach them.
Taking down the dogs was easy, between Steve's bat and Hopper's gun, but the issue quickly became the bats. Not knowing how much he needed to pack, Hopper ran out of ammo quicker than he would have liked, and that left the two of them to fight the bats melee. After taking down the last one, Hopper's chest heaved as he pointed to the nearby trailers, saying, "Let's move!"
Steve nodded, stepping over to help Hopper grab Eddie's body by the straps on the bag. As they approached the trailer, Steve saw another pack of bats heading their way, telling Hopper, "We've got more incomingā¦"
"Then let's double time, let's go!" Hopper ordered, picking up the pace to get to shelter.
Once they were inside, Steve leaned on the wall to take a breather, feeling his heart racing in his chest as the bats threw themselves against the outside of the trailer to get to them. Instead of taking a moment, Hopper studied the ceiling, the gate open still open, but with some sort of webbing to act like a door. Looking around the kitchen, he found a lighter by an ash try and a can of vegetable oil in the cabinet. With a shrug, Hopper flicked the lighter on and sprayed the can, creating a makeshift blowtorch to get through the door to the gate.
"After you," Hopper said to Steve, gesturing toward the rope ladder that they had used to get back out of the trailer in their escape after discovering Dustin that fateful night.
Steve nodded, climbing through the gate, his stomach turning once again as he endured the extrademensional shift. Once he was back on his feet, looking up - down? - at Hopper through the small gate, he called, "What's the plan now?"
"Find something to haul him up with!" Hopper called back, flinching as the bats continued to hit the siding of the trailer. "And make it snappy!"
Moving quickly, Steve found some bed sheets that they didn't use as rope last time. The walkie on his hip finally crackled to life after only static and broken voices during the time they had been in the Upside Down. It was Mike's voice coming through, urgently saying, "Steve! Hopper! If you're at the trailer gate, get down! Patrol's coming! Over!"
"Shit!" Steve whispered, quickly finding a place to hide away from the windows. His heart raced as the beam of a flashlight just barely missed him, a sigh of relief heaving out of his chest when he saw the officers making their way back toward their car to patrol the next spot. Grabbing the walkie from his hip, Steve had a gracious tone in his voice as he said, "Thanks for the heads up! Over."
The reply from the device was instant, with Joyce's voice sharply asking, "What happened to an hour max?! Are you two okay?"
Steve didn't answer at first, his hands busy helping Hopper get Eddie's body back. When he finally did, it was with a strained voice as he used himself as an anchor to help Hopper out of the Upside Down, telling her, "We're fine. Mostly. We're back topside at least."
Hopper gave Steve a pat on the back as he nodded, taking the walkie from him as he told Joyce, "We've got lots to discuss when we get back. We're gonna need a ride back from Forest Hills. Over."
"On it," came Jonathan's voice through the device, the sound of a slowly approaching vehicle through the gravel a welcomed sound to their ears.
Looking around to make sure the coast was clear and no one was out snooping from their trailers, Steve and Hopper emerged from the trailer, the body bag held between them. Nancy quickly got out from the passenger seat, a gasp flying past her lips as she covered her mouth, asking, "Is thatā¦?"
Steve nodded grimly, and with the confirmation, she quickly got the trunk opened for Hopper and Steve to get the body in there. Once that was done, Steve and Hopper settled into the backseat of the car, slight groans of pain slipping past their lips despite their best efforts to conceal their injuries for the time being. With a sigh as she got into the passenger seat, Nancy picked up the walkie and said, "Get the medical supplies ready for when we get backā¦ Over."
By the time the group got back to the cabin, everyone else had already arrived, including Lucas, his visit to the hospital ended when Erica finally got a hold of him to tell him what was going on. As Joyce began working on fixing up Hopper's injuries, Nancy began on Steve's. As he bared his back to her, from nearby, Robin sucked in air through her teeth, saying, "Jesus Christ, that looks horribleā¦"
"Wow, thanksā¦" Steve said sarcastically, grimacing in pain as he sat down backwards in a chair. As Nancy began pouring antiseptic on the wounds, Steve yelped in pain, shouting, "Jesus- Fuck!" as the liquid bubbled on his skin.
"Hereā¦" Hopper said, sliding over a bottle of liquor that he had just poured himself a drink out of.
"Thanksā¦" Steve muttered, putting the bottle to his lips and taking a long drink. He hoped that it would numb the incoming pain he knew he was about to endure as Nancy grabbed the suture kit to begin sewing his skin back together.
In the middle of Nancy stitching the first wound, the kids finally came back from one of the guest rooms after having their moment with Eddie. Wiping a tear from his cheek, Mike asked, "So, what did you guys find down there? Besidesā¦"
It was Hopper who spoke, telling the group, "So far, everything seems the same. The gate at the Munson trailer is still open, so we can stand to assume the others are, too."
"Yeah, but those are in the middle of the lake and highwayā¦" Nancy reminded him. Her hand became a little heavier when she did, and when Steve cringed in pain, she whispered, "Sorryā¦"
Raising his eyebrows in a manner that relayed the message of, 'touche,' Hopper followed it up by saying, "There was this sort of webbing closing the gate. Figured that fire's worked before, so I tried it this time and it just burned away." He took another drink from his glass before adding, "Now that I think about itā¦the big gate was starting to get that way, too. Not nearly as bad, but give it a few days and I guarantee it'll be the same. Sealed shut."
"Well, then I guess it was good that you went tonightā¦" Joyce admitted, giving Hopper's shoulder a squeeze as she finished up with his first aid.
Nancy stopped her work on Steve's back for a second to ask, "So, what's the plan now?"
"What d'you mean?" Mike asked.
"Well, we can't just let him go!" she told him. "He's gonna destroy Hawkins and everyone in it! This was just the beginning. We need to find him!"
A heavy silence filled the air that Hopper broke by saying, "She's right. If the bastard's still alive, then that means this isn't over."
With a firm nod, Nancy said, "So, I think from now on we make maps. Go in when we can and comb every inch of the place until we find him."
"Then we map it like in D&D!" Will piped in.
Joyce wrung her hands together as she said, "The only problem with that is communication. We weren't able to get through until they got back to our world. It's hard to remember everything you see down there, especially if you get into a fight like they did tonight. What if whoever goes in doesn't remember everything afterward. It'd be easier if we could communicate with them and map in real-time."
Mike took the question into consideration as he said, "Then we get Dustin to make a device that can reach!"
Hopper looked around at the mention of Dustin and asked, "Speaking of, where is he? Thought someone told him to be here."
"We tried, but he wouldn't even come to the door," Will told him quietly. "His mom said he's pretty much just locked himself in his room since El went to visit Max in the hospital."
"I mean, his mentor did die in his armsā¦" Robin said quietly, a light sigh passing her lips as she pictured the sad scene in her head.
"We're getting off topic," Hopper said, commanding the attention of the room once more. Nancy began on the second deep claw mark on Steve's back as Hopper continued speaking, telling the younger boys, "I don't care how, but you three need to get Henderson to make some sort of communication device. If what Vecna showed Nancy is true, then we're working on borrowed time. We need that device ASAP!"
"Yes sir," they all replied, pulling away from the group to begin plotting how they would get Dustin out of his funk and helping them.
The alcohol that Steve had been nursing during the conversation was finally taking effect by the time Nancy finished stitching him up, his legs unsteady as he stood up from the chair. With a pat on the shoulder, Hopper motioned him toward the couch, tossing him a blanket once he was settled and the others began filtering out of the cabin. "You did good tonight, kidā¦" he said quietly as Steve pulled the blanket onto himself, the only indication that he had heard the message was the small smile on his lips as his eyes began closing.
The next morning after the alcohol had worn off, Steve drove himself to his place for a change of clothes before making his daily visit to the hospital. When he got into your room, he sent you a smile as his eyes met yours. "Hey, babe," he said quietly as he made his way over to give you a hug.
With what mobility you had, you reached around to give him a hug back, unknowingly hitting his fresh wound in the process. When he cringed in pain, you immediately pulled your arms away, quickly asking, "Are you okay?" It was then that you really looked at Steve. He had little scrapes covering his arms and face, a large bruise starting to from on one of his cheeks. "What happenedā¦?"
With a sigh, Steve pulled over the chair he always sat in and slouched over in it as he sat. After taking a deep breath, he told you, "We went back into the Upside Down last night."
"W-what for?" you asked, concern filling your body, now that you knew how dangerous the place was, judging by Steve, Robin, and Nancy's stories. Steve didn't answer for a few seconds, trying to buy himself time before breaking the news to you. When he didn't answer, you asked, "Steve?"
His eyes stayed focused on the bed as he shifted in the chair, leaning toward you now as he grabbed your hand as best he could. "We got confirmation that Vecna's still alive. We went in to see if anything changed and if we could find him. We didn'tā¦"
Steve felt his heart climbing into his throat as he neared the final part of his message, his head spinning with anxiety as he finally told you, "We also went down there on a recovery mission. The night everything happenedā¦Eddie was attacked. He didn't make it."
When the words left Steve's mouth, you began shaking, your breathing shallow as you whispered, "Noā¦"
Steve nodded, his own voice quiet as he said, "I promised Dustin that I would go back to get him. Didn't wanna leave him in there. Iā¦I know how much he meant to both of youā¦"
There was no stopping the torrent of emotions swirling around in your head, and panic quickly set in as you began to process it all. "Noā¦ No, he can't beā¦ No, no, no, he can'tā¦"
Your broken and rambled sentences continued into his shoulder as he leaned in and held you close. This went on for a good ten minutes. The longer time went on, the further between whispered and broken words, the other space filled with sniffles and quiet sobs as everything washed over you again. "I'm sorryā¦" Steve whispered, pulling away and kissing your temple once it seemed like you had calmed down for the moment. "I was hoping your brother would tell you, butā¦ God, I'm so sorryā¦"
"Howā¦ How's Dustin taking it?"
Steve sighed and said, "Not great. Mike and Will tried to get him to come to help last night, butā¦ 'Said your mom told 'em that he's just locked himself in his room."
"Oh, Dustinā¦" you whispered, feeling your heart breaking for the boy. "I guess that's why he's been so distantā¦"
"Yeahā¦" Steve agreed.
"Whatā¦what happened?" you asked tentatively. "To Eddieā¦"
As he sat back more into the chair again, Steve told you, "There are these things that live down there. We call 'em demobats. Monsters. Tricky to deal with. Vicious. He was surrounded by a bunch of dead ones when we got there. Looked like he got swarmedā¦"
"Jesusā¦" you whispered, taking a shaking breath as you shook your head.
"One of 'em got me when we went down last nightā¦" Steve told you, turning around to show you the stitched up wounds on his back. When he let his shirt fall back down, he added, "If it wasn't for Hopper, I might've been a goner. Nance said they could've easily gotten to my spineā¦ Really makes you thinkā¦"
"Yeahā¦" you whispered, reaching for his hand, even more grateful that you still had the luxury of doing so. When you thought about the statement more, though, your eyebrows furrowed as you asked, "Waitā¦you said Hopper? As in Chief Hopper? Didn'tā¦didn't he die in the mall fire?"
Steve shook his head, telling you, "Just what someone came up with when he went missing. He was taken by the Russians. Survived a huge explosion then got taken to a prison camp. Just escaped when all this shit went down."
"Holy shitā¦" you whispered, still trying to piece together everything you had been told over the last week in the hospital. Truth be told, you weren't sure if you would ever understand the world of the Upside Down, nor why any of this shit was happening, but you trusted that Steve would tell you if any of it started becoming a worry for your safety.
"Congratulations!" "Take care!" "Drive safe!"
These were words called out to you as Steve wheeled you past the nurses' station at the rehab facility you had been in for the last month and a half, getting stronger and practically re-learning how to walk and use your arms after they had been casted for so long. "Thank you guys for everything!" you called out cheerfully, sending them a wave and a smile as you passed.
"How's it feel to be out finally?" Steve asked as he wheeled you out into the blistering July sun.
You were quiet for a few moments as you thought about your response, finally settling on, "Freeing," as Steve rolled you up to the sidewalk where he could pull up with his car to pick you up.
"I'm glad," he told you as he kissed your temple. He bent down to lock the wheels on the wheelchair and told you, "Be right back," before he began making his way to the BMW.
When he got the car pulled up to the curb, Steve threw it into park before running over to you as you began attempting to get yourself out of the chair. "Hey, hey, hey," he said quietly, one hand finding purchase on your waist and the other reaching for your hand to help you balance. He kissed your cheek before telling you, "Remember what they said. Take it easy, babe."
"I justā¦" you whispered, frustrated that you still weren't strong enough to be stable on your own. Shaking your head in defeat, you mumbled, "I'm sorryā¦"
"Hey, don't be. It's what I'm here for," he assured you, a softness in his tone that he reserved for your more anxious days. "When we get to the house I'll let you be a little more independent. Promise."
"Until it comes to the stairs," you said, slightly forcing a light and teasing tone into your voice.
"You'd be right, there," he confirmed with a quiet laugh as he opened the door and helped you into the passenger seat.
While he folded up your wheelchair and got it and your other mobility aids into the trunk of the car, you became tearful as you thought about the next steps on your road to recovery. Before you even realized that a tear had fallen, it was being wiped away by Steve's gentle knuckle as he asked, "Hey, what's up?"
"I'm just scared, is allā¦" you admitted in a breathless whisper. You leaned your head back on the headrest for a few seconds as you tried to blink away your tears, saying, "Everything's changing, and Iā¦I guess it just hit me that it's reallyā¦real. Eddie's goneā¦ Dustin still isn't talking to meā¦ I won't be living at home anymoreā¦ It's justā¦a lot right nowā¦"
Steve nodded, taking in all of your concerns and giving your hand a squeeze as he said, "Remember what Ms. Kelley said when she visited?"
You nodded, quoting back to him, "To take this as an opportunity to grow."
Steve couldn't help the smile on his face as he added, "Our first steps into the future."
"Rightā¦" you whispered, finally sending him a tearful smile.
He leaned in for a quick kiss, asking after he pulled away, "How 'bout we start like we did in the beginning?"
"With tutoring?" you asked, one eyebrow cocked as you sent him a confused look.
"No, like the night of the Snow Ball," he replied, settling into the routine of one hand on the wheel and the other on your thigh.
You couldn't help the teasing tone in your voice as you said, "Ah, yes, with unprotected sex in the back of your car."
This comment earned a look from Steve as he momentarily took his eyes off the road. He was met with a shit-eating grin, and couldn't help the laugh that tumbled out of his chest as he squeezed your thigh. His heart picked up at the thought of sex with you after so many months, and as he put his eyes back on the road he said, "Babe, we've got a house to ourselves. We don't have to use the backseat." He tried to ignore the thoughts now running rampant in his head, attempting to change the subject as he said, "But for real, we're getting milkshakes."
"Awesome," you said, smiling as you rolled down the window and let the wind run over your face for the first time in months.
After Steve had gotten your shakes, he began driving again, but went straight past the turn to get to his place. "Where're we headed?" you asked curiously.
Steve cleared his throat before telling you, "I remember you mentioning that you wanted to see Eddie's grave when you got out. You still up for that?"
When he said that, your heart lurched, but you found yourself nodding anyway. So, the journey to the cemetery continued, the silence in the car filled with music on WSQK, one of the only stations that was still broadcasting in the town since the military quarantine started. As Steve pulled into the cemetery, Robin's voice cut through the radio waves when the music stopped. He took note of a keyword that she used when she was about to announce that a burn was happening that would give the crew access to the Upside Down to map more of the territory soon.
Steve quickly rolled down the window as he started getting your wheelchair out of the trunk, listening intently as he worked. When he got you out of the car and into the wheelchair, Steve pointed to where Eddie's gravestone was, asking, "Do you want a minute alone?"
"I would like that, yeah," you told him quietly, sending him a small smile.
"'Kay. I'll be right here if you need me. I'll come over in a minute," he said, giving the top of your head a kiss before you began the slow process of wheeling yourself to the gravestone.
When you got to the stone, you let out a quiet sob. The same feelings you had when Steve originally told you about his death washed over you again when you finally saw the evidence that it was all real. "Goddamnit, Eddieā¦" you whispered, covering your mouth so you wouldn't be too loud and worry Steve. Your voice was broken as you whispered, "I miss youā¦"
You cleared your throat as you told the headstone, "You were right. Dustin found out about Steve and I, and he was royally pissed off. I justā¦ I wish you were here to say you told me soā¦" Wiping a few tears from your cheeks, you whispered, "Iā¦I was attacked by theā¦the thing that got Chrissy and them. Finally made it out of rehab today. It's been a bitch recovering. Iā¦"
You had to look up to the sky for a few moments to gather yourself before you told the stone, "When the police came asking what happened, I got them off your trail. I mean, it's not like I had to lie or anything. I know you didn't kill those people. It wasn't you who hurt me. It was that thing. Vec-"
"Oh, you shouldn't've said that," came a male voice from behind you. As you turned to see who was talking, you saw three guys wearing Hawkins High polos, looks of anger and disgust on their faces as they approached. The boy leading the pack came to stand in front of you, sneering down at you as he said to the others, "Looks like we found out which rat made the case run cold!"
Another voice was near your ear as its owner leaned over and said, "We've been trying to figure out for months who it was. Didn't think it'd be you, Henderson."
"And unless I'm reading the room wrong, you seem to be closer with that freak that Jason told us you were!" a third guy said, placing his hands firmly on the handles on your wheelchair and jostling it around. His voice was close to your other ear as he asked in a low voice, "Are you one of those freaks, too?"
You stayed resolutely silent in the face of their jests, but flinched when the first guy growled, "We were coming here with paint to write on Munson's grave, but how 'bout we paint it with your blood, huh? How would you like that, Hellfire freak?"
When he said this, the third guy unceremoniously dumped you out of the wheelchair, your cry of pain covered up as the second guy held his hand over your mouth to stop your screaming. "What're you gonna do, run?" the first guy asked, a horrible mocking tone in his voice as he pulled a knife out from his back pocket. "Hold her down!" he ordered the other guy, who positioned himself in a powerful stance over you while the other continued to cover your mouth.
Your voice was muffled as you pleaded, "Please! Please don't! Please, I-"
As the knife made contact with the skin of your arm, you screamed as white-hot pain seared your flesh. The sound, barely audible over the quiet radio playing, caught Steve's attention, and he finally looked up from his notebook to see what was happening. "What the hell?" he asked out loud, urgency filling his voice as he threw the little notepad back into the car. As he sprinted over to the group of guys holding you down, he shouted, "Hey! Get away from her!"
"Or what? King Steve is gonna beat us up? I'd like to see you try!" the first guy said. "Evan, take care of him," he ordered one of the guys as he ran his finger through the blood beginning to seep from your wound so he could write 'burn in hell' on Eddie's grave.
The guy who was covering your mouth stood up and approached Steve, sending a wild haymaker at him that Steve easily dodged. He countered with an uppercut, followed by a swift punch to the gut that had the guy clutching his stomach and gasping for air. Seeing his friend getting beat, the guy holding you down stood up and made his way over, wrapping his arm around Steve's throat in a chokehold that had him struggling to breathe within seconds. With skills that he only had to learn fighting the creatures of the Upside Down, Steve managed to get out of the hold, sending an elbow into the guy's gut to get him off.
In the moments that followed, Steve was seeing stars when, in return, he received a solid punch to the temple. When he regained his bearings, Steve was stood face to face with the guy, both of them breathing heavily as they grappled with their injuries. With neither wanting to give up, they both charged at one another, locking up in the middle for a few seconds before Steve tipped the scale in his favor by stepping on the guy's foot, sending him careening into a gravestone and hitting his head hard.
"That's itā¦" the first guy muttered once he was done with his 'art project' on the gravestone. He kicked dirt into your wound before rounding on Steve, asking him, "What're you doing protectin' this freak, huh? You used to be one of us!"
"Yeah, I used to be an asshole, I know," Steve told him, sending a punch his way that was caught in the guy's hand.
"And now you're protectin' devil worshipers!" he snarled as he sent a punch into Steve's jaw.
This punch sent Steve reeling backward, his hand immediately going to his jaw. As he stood up, he spit out the blood that began pooling in his mouth, a shout of effort coming from deep in his chest as he sent a kick right into the guy's groin. The guy immediately collapsed, clutching at his groin and groaning in pain. Not giving him even a second to recover, Steve pulled him up by the collar and said, "If you ever show your faces near her again, you won't be walking away clean. Now, unless you want this reported to the cops, you better keep her name out of your mouths. You hear me?"
"Y-yeah, yeah!" he muttered, barely managing to stand up, needing help from one of his friends to get the job done.
"Now get outta here!" Steve shouted, waving them off to the car they came from on the other side of the cemetery.
Once they were retreating, Steve's attention was immediately on you, his hands shaking as he got you back into the wheelchair. His breathing was ragged with rage as he looked at the wound on your arm, the bleeding seeming to just get worse as he sat you up. "Jesus fucking Christā¦" he muttered, taking off his shirt and wrapping your arm tightly in it. Not worried about the guys coming back for more, Steve quickly ran to the car, throwing open the trunk and finding a first aid kit he had stashed in there since they had started doing Crawls more regularly. When he got back, he took the shirt away and poured a bottle of water on the wound to get the dirt off before dousing it with wound cleanser. The large gash began bubbling as the medicine worked, and you had to lean into Steve's shoulder to muffle the cry that tore from your chest in response to the pain. The bleeding continued, so Steve wrapped some gauze and tape tightly around it to apply pressure.
Once he was satisfied with the cleanup job, Steve put gentle pressure on your jaw to bring your eyes to his. "You okay?" he asked, his voice quiet and remorseful.
"I-I'll be okayā¦" you whispered, your eyes falling down to your lap when he took the pressure off your jaw. You let out a shaking breath as you looked down at the gravestone, adorned with your blood. A quiet sob fell from your lips as you whispered, "Whyā¦? Why would they do this? How can people be so goddamn cruel? He's fucking dead for God's sake! Why can't they let him rest in peaceā¦?"
"I don't knowā¦" Steve muttered as he pulled your sobbing form into his own, redressed in a spare shirt he had in the trunk of the car. When he pulled away, Steve looked at the wound cleanser on the ground and began pouring some onto the leftover gauze, scrubbing away at the blood to get it off of the stone. Once the stone was cleaned, Steve sat back on the ground, desperately needing a break from the last few minutes. So, he said, "Tell me about the good times."
"What?" you asked, confused as you looked toward him.
"Tell me about the good times you had with Eddie. Don't let those assholes ruin this for you."
"Rightā¦" you said, beginning to wrack your brain for happy memories of your friend. A huff of a laugh flew past your lips as you told him, "You already kinda saw this one, but he tried so many times to teach me how to play guitar. The best I ever got was plucking the opening of Smoke on the Water. God, he would get frustrated when I couldn't get it. He was just soā¦naturally gifted, that he just didn't understand how I was so bad at it."
By the conclusion of the first story, others just kept coming to you, flowing out of you like a broken faucet. "The first time Eddie ever got me to drink with him, I had absolutely no idea what my limit was. We drank so much while watching some stupid-ass movie that I got sick all over the rug in the trailer. I think I passed out right after, and he told me the next day that he had to clean it all up before Uncle Wayne got home from work. He never let that one go."
A few more stories were told to Steve before you got quiet. Your voice grew reflective, a quiet sniff being inhaled before you told him, "He was my first kiss, you knowā¦ We were young, dumb, teens who didn't know what they wanted. It was all innocent. We were walking home from D&D at Ronnie's one night before he could drive. It was the dead of winter and I was bundled up in a sweater and jacket. When he got me to the front porch, we said goodnight and he justā¦leaned in and kissed me." You wiped a tear from your cheek as you quietly laughed, continuing by saying, "When he did, the static from my scarf made him shock me. We both laughed about it. I thought about it that night, and realized that I didn't want to ruin our friendship. I just wanted to keep things how they were. Heā¦he told me he was fine with that, as long as he didn't lose me as a friend. I always suspected that he never really got over his little crush one me. It might have waxed and waned over the years, butā¦ Even as time went on and we got together, he never showed any resentment. Because that's who he i- wasā¦ Eddie was kind. Accepting. He just wanted what was best for others." You nodded as you looked to the sky and said, "And that's how I wanna remember him."
a/n: yeah, this one was a tough one... i debated for a while on making it where Eddie lived because of how close he and Reader were, but changing that would have changed a lot of other things that i have planned and have hinted at in the previous chapter, so alas... i, however, was not wavering on getting Eddie's body out, so if that meant having to change how the rifts functioned for a short while, then so be it!
ps, the first kiss with Eddie is absolutely based off of my first kiss lol it was awkward but memorable to say the least
as always, i hope you all enjoyed this angsty little chapter! likes, comments, and re-blogs are greatly appreciated! i love hearing from you guys! until next time! xo! <3
Steve Harrington x Henderson!reader (no use of y/n)
installment list / previous chapter / next chapter
word count: 3,886
story content warnings: 18+ MDNI! canon typical warnings such as violence, gore, swearing, drinking, spice, angst, as well as some sickly sweet fluff thrown in! Further warning for medical talk in this one!
ps: yes, i did change some things from the canon to fit my own version of events, it's fiiiiinnneeee! enjoy!
The next morning, you were startled awake by a knock on the hospital room door, different from the gentle ones the nurses did to announce their presence. Steve sat up from his slouched position in the room's chair, stretching his cramped muscles as the door began to swing open. Who was revealed was Chief Powell and his Deputy. They gave both of you cordial smiles before the Chief said, "Morning. We've come to see you, Miss Henderson, because we got a tip that the unfortunate incident that landed you here fits the MO of the person whose been on a killing spree the last week."
"Well, mostly," the Deputy said as he examined your face and eyes. "He didn't seem to finish with you."
Chief Powell turned to Steve and said, "Now, I'm gonna have to ask you to step out while we talk to her, Mr. Harrington." Getting a sense that he truly meant business, Steve stood from his chair and gave you a kiss on the forehead before leaving the room, telling you he'd be right outside.
When he was out of the room, you were the first to speak, telling the two men, "I know what you're about to ask meā¦"
"And what would that be?" Chief Powell asked curiously.
"Who did this to me," you replied. You shook your head as you told him, "And it wasn't Eddie."
"Well, then did you see who it was?" he asked, taking out his notebook.
"Iā¦" you whispered, your voice wavering as you pictured the monster. Thinking that maybe the creature was a person who had done this to you and you were remembering it weirdly because of the trauma, you closed your eyes and tried to picture it. You needed to get this right. "Heā¦he was bald. Really badā¦scars? Almost looked like someone whose been in a really bad fire or something. Real messed up face. Bigā¦big hands. He choked me with just one. Strong, tooā¦clearly, he did this to meā¦ Deep voice. Iā¦I can't really think of much elseā¦"
The Chief nodded as he took in what you were saying. He tapped his pen on his notebook as he asked, "So, just to clarify, you didn't see or hear Eddie Munson at all when this person attacked you?"
"No," you replied firmly as you looked him in the eye. "I know Eddie. I know what he sounds like in every accent he knows how to do. He doesn't work out. He doesn't even have hands big enough to play the bass. He always smells like weed being covered up by shitty cologne, and that's something I would have noticed in the Allens' house. This wasn't him. I swear on it."
He nodded, looking at his notes thoughtfully for a few seconds. Finally, he closed the small notebook and said, "Thank you, Miss Henderson. I promise you that we'll be on the lookout for whoever did this to you."
"Thank you," you told them, sending a small smile their way. Before they could go, you called out, "Oh! One more thing."
"Yes?" he asked, taking his hand away from the door handle.
"Do me a favor and call another town hall to announce the new developments when you can. The last one sent the town on a wild goose chase for my brother and friends. That needs to be stopped."
"We'll do what we can," the chief replied before he and the deputy left the room.
When the door opened again, Steve came in, followed by Nancy and Robin. Both girls sent you smiles as they entered the space, with Robin tying a "Get well soon!" balloon to the foot of your bed. As she did this, Nancy asked quietly, "How are you feeling?"
"Not greatā¦" you admitted with a sigh.
Without a moment's hesitation, Steve asked, "Do I need to get the nurse? Do you need pain meds?"
You couldn't help the smile on your face as you told him, "I got some earlier while you were sleeping."
"Rightā¦" Steve said, scratching the back of his neck sheepishly.
In the moments that followed, the three gave each other looks before Nancy finally cleared her throat and said, "Hey, weā¦ I know that you just talked with the police about it, but we wanted to ask some questions about what happened. See if we can help shed some light on things." She revealed her hands that had no pen or notebook in them, adding, "This isn't for the paper, either. This is between friends. We wanna help you get through what's going on."
"Iā¦" you whispered, stopping for a moment as your mind flashed through what you saw in the minutes leading up to your attack. When you zoned back in, your eyes darted to Steve and Robin standing together at the foot of the bed and then flicked up to the ceiling as you held back tears.
If their theory was right, and this was Vecna's doing, Nancy knew just from those few moments that if those two stayed in the room, she wouldn't get any of the answers she needed. So, making a quick decision, she took the chair Steve had slept in and pulled it close to the bed as she asked, "Hey, can you two go get us all some breakfast? The cafeteria's open for another hour if you want to bring something back up here."
Seeing the pointed look that Nancy gave him, Steve nodded and said, "Yeah, we'll do that. Be back soon." Steve came back to the head of the bed, leaning down to give you a kiss on the forehead before asking, "Any requests?"
You couldn't help the huff of a laugh that passed your lips as you pictured the previous day's worth of Steve getting the hang of helping you eat, so you told him, "Something not messy. If there is such a thing in that cafeteria. At this point I'm not sure if it's the food or just user error."
"Hey, now," he said, faking offense at the teasing.
"You're the best," you told him in a sing-song voice as he grabbed the handle to the door.
When the two of them left, Nancy couldn't help the smile on her face as she said, "That was sweet."
Before either of you could say anything else, there was a quiet knock at the door, followed by a nurse peeking her head in as she said, "Hey! I'm just gonna take a look at your casts and make sure your circulation is good. I'll be real quick."
"Okay," you replied, trying to relax into the mattress as she assessed you.
While she did, she asked, "How's your pain?"
You shrugged as best you could, telling her, "It's getting better."
"Any migraines this morning? I know you said that those were a problem before this happened."
"Actuallyā¦ No," you said as you began to think about it. At first, you thought that you had just been too distracted by the pain in your limbs to notice the migraines, but it was then that you realized you hadn't had one since you had been in the hospital. A small smile made its way onto your face as you said, "They're gone. Thank God."
"Great!" the nurse said as she straightened up from assessing you. She sent you a smile, telling you, "Everything looks good! I'll be around if you need anything!"
"Thanks," you told her with a nod.
Once the door was closed, Nancy said quietly, "Migrainesā¦ Were you also having nosebleeds by chance?"
You furrowed your eyebrows as you turned to look at her, asking, "Howā¦ How did youā¦? Yeah, I was."
"Anything else out of the ordinary happen the last few days before the attack? What about really bad nightmares? Waking ones, too?"
"Yeahā¦" you whispered, shuddering as you remembered some of them.
Nancy nodded, leaning in a little as she said, "Now, I know this is a personal question, butā¦ Have you had anything happen to you lately? Something traumatic? Something that would make you feel guilty? Orā¦insecure? Maybe something you've kept a secret?"
You scoffed as a tear fell down your cheek, telling her, "All of the above?" The pain medications they had been giving you practically around the clock to keep the pain at bay had completely blurred your brain-to-mouth filter, so you just began rambling, telling her, "I mean, where do I even start? I've kept it a secret that I play D&D and that I'm a part of Hellfire for the last five years. The entire club was put on a wanted poster by that maniac, Jason and his goonsā¦ Then Iā¦" You shook your head as you thought about what had happened over the last few days, your fire fizzling out as you muttered, "Itā¦it doesn't make sense."
"What doesn't make sense?" Nancy asked gently.
"You're just gonna say I'm crazyā¦" you whispered.
"Trust me, I won't. I promise," she assured you.
"It's justā¦ I started having theseā¦visions, or, waking nightmares like you said," you told her. "They were of Jason coming after me, after the rest of Hellfireā¦ In the first one, heā¦he killed Eddieā¦ In the next, he shot me. In another, heā¦he beat everyone in Hellfire to deathā¦"
"Wowā¦" she breathed, her voice barely there as though she didn't want to stop you from talking about what you had experienced.
You felt your stomach growl and it reminded you of Steve, so you scoffed before saying, "How could I forget not telling my brother about my relationship with Steve?" Your voice broke as you told her, "We just wanted privacy. To not be hounded constantly by Dustinā¦ But now he's royally pissed about it since he found outā¦"
Before Nancy could even say anything in response, the balloon at the foot of your bed caught your eye, and a quiet sob clawed its way out of your throat as you said, "And because he didn't know, for months, he's made comments about how close Steve and Robin are. How they're always hanging out. How, even though I know how they got there, Steve's got hickeys and they must have come from Robin! And it just fucking sucks hearing those things constantly! And what makes it worse is that I let it get to me! Even though I know none of it is true and it only happened because I was selfish and didn't want Dustin knowing! I dunnoā¦ I just can't help but feel like I'm one wrong move away from losing himā¦"
Unbeknownst to you, during your emotional rambling, Steve and Robin had returned with breakfast. And they heard everything though the opening door. When he heard your confession, Steve froze. An all-encompassing feeling of guilt washed over him as he took in everything. He knew that you had been dealing with a lot more anxiety over the last few months, but you always told him it was just because of everything going on and all the changes in your lives. He should have known, though. He should have pushed harder to get to the bottom of things. If he had, then maybe you wouldn't be in that hospital bedā¦
When you heard the crinkle of a bag as Robin accidentally ran into Steve's back when he froze in the doorway, you finally noticed that they were there. You noticed Steve frozen in place, his chest slightly heaving with emotion, and you saw his own eyes beginning to brim with tears. Another sob fell past your lips as you whispered, "I'm sorry, I-"
When he heard your apology, Steve jumped into action, quickly putting the meal and drinks on the cabinet before making his way to your side. He shook his head as he gently wiped away your tears, telling you, "No. Don't be sorry. It's not your fault."
"Butā¦"
"Please," he begged, his own tears finally falling as he gently put pressure on your jaw to turn you toward him. He swallowed thickly before telling you, "From now on, I promise I'm gonna love you out loud. No more secrets. No more lies. No more hiding. I love you, damnit, and I want everyone to know! Especially you!" He leaned in and gave you a quick kiss, finishing with, "You're it for me, babe."
"Awwwee!" came Robin's voice, slightly muffled as she hid her smile behind her hands. When Steve huffed out a laugh as he pulled away, Robin continued on, rambling, "I'm really, really sorry if I ever gave Dustin the impression that I like Steve, because ew! I meanā¦ I don't mean that he's ew, but likeā¦just in general, guys are justā¦ Ewā¦"
"So, you're notā¦?" you asked cautiously.
"Into Steve? Hell no!" For the sake of the situation, she leaned in closer and kept her voice down as she told you, "I'm not even into guys."
"Oh, wellā¦that's good to know," you said, breathing out a sigh of relief. Trying to lighten the situation, you told her, "If you want, I can get you someone's number. She's out in New York for school, but she's great. Drummer. Nerd. Quiet sort."
"Are you talking about Ronnie Ecker?!" she asked in a conspiratorial whisper, eyes widening. "God, she's so hotā¦ I had a crush on her freshman year! I didn't know she was, you knowā¦"
A huff of a laugh flew past your lips before you told her, "Just ask Eddie how he found that out." The reminder of your friend had you shaking your head, getting serious again and asking the group, "You guys believe me that it wasn't Eddie who did this, right?" A heavy silence filled the air for a few moments, prompting you to ask, "Guys?"
"We believe you," Steve said quickly, nodding his head. He ran a hand through his hair as he turned his attention to Nancy and asked, "Do you think I'm right?"
Nancy nodded, telling him, "Yes, but-"
He didn't let her finish, turning back to you as he said, "I think we know what happened to you. Who attacked-"
"Steve!" Nancy said firmly to cut him off. "What about what Dustin said? Your promise."
"Screw what Dustin said! If it weren't for that stupid goddamn promise, maybe she wouldn't even be here right now!" he countered, frustration evident in his voice.
Your eyes had been darting back and forth between the two of them, finally landing on Steve as you asked, "What're you talking about? What's going on?"
Steve took a deep breath and closed the room's door once more before pulling a second chair to the side of your bed. He took what he could of your hand in his and sighed before he began saying, "Thatā¦creature you described to the cops earlierā¦ It wasn't a human. It wasn't even from this world. He's aā¦a supernatural being from a place we call the Upside Down."
"Iā¦ I don't understandā¦" you whispered, eyebrows furrowing as you tried to take in what he was telling you. "Supernatural being? Not from this world? Whatā¦?"
"I know, it's a lot, I didn't understand it at first," Steve told you. He scoffed a little before adding, "Hell, I still don't understand all of it, butā¦ We've been fighting this shit since Will went missing way back when. And he just made a big move. We tried to fight and lost. Weā¦we could've lost you in the fightā¦"
When Nancy noticed Steve trying to breathe through his emotions at the thought of losing you, she cleared her throat, piggybacking with, "This creature - Vecna, the kids are calling him - wants to see the world and everything we hold dear destroyed. His plan was to open a sort of portal from our world to his by killing those with vulnerable minds. Those who've gone through trauma or hardshipā¦"
"So, heā¦ I could haveā¦? I was supposed toā¦?" you breathed, your anxiety beginning to ramp up once more upon hearing that newsā¦ Nancy nodded, her eyes downcast as she did. Trying to grasp onto some sort of tangible thought flying through your head, you settled on one, asking, "So, if I didn't die, but Steve said he wonā¦ What happened?"
"I have a theory about that," Robin piped in, her finger in the air as she waited excitedly to share her idea. When all eyes were on her, she said, "I think that Vecna was shopping around. This is a shitty-ass town. No one's got the perfect life, no matter how hard they try and fake that they do. This guy isn't stupid, so I think he had multiple people he could target, so that if one fell through," she gestured at you, "case in point, his plan would still work."
You nodded, trying to wrap your head around everything you were being told. They gave you the time you needed, and when you spoke again, you asked quietly, "Soā¦ I know of Chrissy, Fred, and Patrick all being killed recently. Whoā¦who was the last person?"
"It was Maxā¦" Nancy whispered.
Your reaction was instant, a sharp gasp filling your lungs, your eyes wide as you whispered, "No!"
Steve quickly recovered the statement, telling you, "She got brought back, though! We don't know how, but she's still alive. She's down the hall in a coma."
"Holy shitā¦" you whispered.
A heavy silence filled the room for a few seconds before Nancy asked, "Can you tell us what happened when he attacked you?"
You nodded, taking a deep breath before saying, "I was just trying to get rid of a migraine. I got a wash cloth and tried to just relax, butā¦but then I felt a spider on me. When I got my eyes open, there were spiders everywhereā¦ I turned around and then Iā¦I wasn't even in the Allens' house anymore. I heard and saw thingsā¦things, I guess he knew were haunting me. Then there he wasā¦ He was horrible. He made promises that if I let go, all of my pain and suffering would stop. That Iā¦I didn't have to be strong anymore. That I wouldn't have to hide anymore. That I would be free. At peace. He started breaking bones while he promised all of thatā¦"
Nancy nodded as she took in the information, her voice curious as she asked, "Did anything happen to make him leave? How'd you get away?"
"Iā¦I don't knowā¦" you whispered, closing your eyes as you tried to wrack your brain for anymore details of the nightmare situation. You finally settled on something, telling her, "Oh! Yeah! All of a sudden, he was pulled backward and away from me. He started to say something, but I didn't catch it before I fell and was back in the Allens' house."
"Interestingā¦" Nancy pondered.
Your voice became emotional once again as you finished the tale by saying, "And thenā¦I couldn't move. I couldn't call for help. All I could do was lay there in agonyā¦ I-I thought I was gonna dieā¦" You turned your head back toward Steve and squeezed his hand the best you could with your cast on and whispered, "But then you found me. You saved me."
Steve nodded, reaching up to wipe away your tears before leaning forward to give you a kiss on the forehead, telling you, "I promise I'll do whatever I can to keep you safe from now on."
The early evening sun was drifting through your hospital room blinds, the radio was quietly playing whatever station Steve left it on before he left to do some volunteer work at the school, and you finally got to have some time to just lay with your thoughts about everything that happened and everything you had learned that morning. You were taken out of your thoughts when the door to the room opened to reveal Steve and Nancy, carrying food in their hands.
The three of you ate the meal together, talking more about everything they could remember about the Upside Down. You wished you were able to write or draw, because all of this was stuff that you felt like you needed to commit to memory. So, instead you concentrated on everything, trying your best to remember every detail. The conversation abruptly stopped when Nancy heard the door opening.
Before you could really even react to who was entering the room, you were being wrapped in a tight hug by one of Dustin's friends, the girl's breath shaky as she held you close. "You're alive!" she breathed, emotion clear in her voice.
"Holy shitā¦" came Mike's whispered voice, astonished at the fact.
"Jane! Hey!" you whispered, looking up at Steve and Nancy, a confused look on your face in response to her statement.
Seeing how you were unsure how to ask the question on your mind, Nancy asked, "El, whatā¦what do you mean by that?"
The girl pulled away, wiping away her tears as she replied, "I saw her. I saw her being attacked. Inā¦in his mind. He was attacking Max, but then she hidā¦" Her voice was tight and high-pitched as she looked at you and said, "Then he went after youā¦"
As she put two and two together, Nancy nodded slowly, asking, "So, it was you who got him away from her, right?"
"Yes!" she replied, nodding fervently. A quiet sob escaped her lips and she hung her head as she whispered, "But then he got Maxā¦"
Mike's hand was on her back after she said this, rubbing it in an attempt to comfort her as he said, "But then you brought her back!"
"Physically, butā¦not in here," she said, pointing to her own head. "I couldn't find her, Mikeā¦"
Steve was the first to ask, "What d'you mean, you couldn't find her?"
She wiped another few tears from her cheeks as she told him, "We went to see her before we came here. When I held her hand, I couldn't see her memories. I couldn't seeā¦her. It's like she'sā¦empty."
"Oh shitā¦" Steve whispered, running a hand through his hair.
Before anything else could be contributed to the conversation, the door to the room was once more bursting open, revealing Dustin as he urgently said, "El, time's up! They're here. We gotta go!"
She and Mike quickly nodded, the girl leaning in for one more hug before she quickly made her exit from the room, pulling her hood over her head. Steve stood and caught the door before Dustin could slam it, calling out, "Henderson, hey! Can we-"
The boy stopped in his tracks only for a moment, his voice sharp as he said, "Don't talk to me. Either one of you. I don't wanna hear it."
Steve rolled his eyes as he came back into the room, muttering, "Little shitā¦"
Your voice was quiet as you asked, "He still pissedā¦?"
He nodded in response, sighing as he sat back down. "We'll figure it out."
"I hope soā¦" you whispered, turning your head in an attempt to hide the tears beginning to fall down your cheeks. Why did you have a sinking feeling that things between you and Dustin were becoming irreparableā¦?
a/n: look at you! getting the cops off of Eddie's trail! too bad you don't know that he's dead... let me tell you guys, this chapter was hard to write because when the group gives lore, you have to go back to what they knew at this point, not what they knew in the last season, and especially what i (as a fan and writer who did a lot of research for this story) know now! lots of moving parts! speaking of moving parts! when i tell you guys i had a whole outline of the fight between Vecna, Max, Reader, and El...it was a beast trying to figure out the timing of it all!
well, as per usual: likes, comments, and re-blogs are greatly appreciated! i love hearing from you! until next time! xo <3
installment list / previous chapter / next chapter
word count: 3,116
story content warnings: 18+ MDNI! war, violence, loss of limb, mental illness, medical talk and treatment, forced drug use, language, drinking, tense family situations, smut, pregnancy stuff, sickness, explosives. thereās fluff too, i swear!
When Steve saw Bucky's eyes roll into the back of his head, he began barking out orders, shouting, "Bruce, Wanda! Get the Hell outta here! Bucky's down!"
"What?!" came Bruce's stressed out voice as he began making his way from the alcove with his arms full of fragile vials.
Steve ignored Bruce's question as he began assessing Bucky, feeling for a pulse and watching for his chest to rise at the same time. "Bucky! Buck! C'mon!" Steve shouted, coughing on the mist surrounding him that he mistook for dust in the desperate moments to get to his friend's side.
The shouting made the blood rushing through Bruce's head louder, his anxiety at the whole situation peaking. From his shaking and sweaty hands, one vial of the serum fell, and that was the straw that broke the camel's back. With his blood pressure rising, heart racing, and anxiety getting the better of him, Bruce's body began the transformation into the Hulkā¦
With her attention grabbed by the escalating situation, Wanda turned to look into the room right as the vials began falling. Thinking quickly, she summoned forth her powers and used the scarlet wisps to grab the vials and bring them toward her outstretched hands. Working quickly, Wanda got the vials into the bag they brought for transporting possible cargo, affixing the fragile bottles into the protective foam Tony had provided for the mission.
Meanwhile, amidst the chaos unraveling around him, Steve began attempting to move Bucky from the room so they could get to the jet as soon as possible. When his hands made their way under his arms and he began to drag, though, Steve could barely move a muscle. He felt like he did before the serum - unable to breathe properly, his lungs barely expanding as he began taking shallower and shallower breaths through a mouth that felt like cotton.
As consciousness left Steve's body, he heard the roar of Hulk shouting, "Go!" that queued Wanda to dart from her position by the door with the load secured.
Seeing both teammates down, Hulk grabbed one in each hand, carrying them both like rag dolls through the facility! He crashed through the lab's small door, breaking the frame and causing some wiring to spark as he barrelled toward the entrance they came in through.
When he crashed through the side door of the facility, Hulk's eyes darted both ways as he looked around for where to go. Turning to look to the right, he suddenly found himself in a corner cafe, the lights dim, the smell of coffee and pastries strong in the air. Soft music was playing from a record player in the corner and rain poured steadily outside, the sound a soothing background noise in the calm environment. He felt a small hand on his and looked down, only to see that he wasn't holding Steve and Bucky anymore, and that the hand touching his was Beth's.
Beth sent him a soft smile and said, "I think it's time for some tea," her soft fingers tracing patterns on his skin. As he took in the scene and leaned into Beth's touch, he saw the green fading away from his skin as he began slowly changing back into Bruce.
"I've got you, I've got you," came Wanda's voice a few seconds later as the vision faded and Bruce came to the forefront of his own mind again.
"We gotta move!" he blurted out, scrambling to his feet and rushing away from where Steve and Bucky's bodies were on the ground where they were unceremoniously dropped when the vision took over Hulk's mind.
"What? Why?" Wanda asked, almost tripping over her own feet as she hurried away from their teammates.
"I think some sort of chemical got to them," Bruce replied. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, centering himself before saying, "Thank you for the vision."
"You're welcome," Wanda told him. She looked warily at the two men before asking, "Areā¦are they okay?"
Bruce squinted at the two for a few moments, his own breath held as he waited for either one of them to take one. A good ten seconds passed before he saw one after the other, Steve and Bucky take shallow breaths. A sigh of relief heaved out of Bruce's lungs before he nodded, telling her, "They're alive at least. For now. We need to get them back ASAPā¦"
"What's the plan?" Wanda asked, her eyes drifting in the direction of where the jet was waiting for them.
"I'll contact Tony. Get a decontamination team out here. We need them to see what the hell that stuff was. Until we do, we gotta treat this like it can still be transmitted, because for all we know, it can." He took a large step away from Wanda, widening the already substantial gap between them as he said, "You can't be near me either. Get to the jet. You and the pilot need to head back now. Get that serum to the evidence room."
"What about you three? What if something happens?"
Bruce looked around at the completely overgrown grass around them that hadn't been disturbed in a long while and said, "I think it's safe to say that no one's gonna visit. The priority is that evidence." Wanda nodded and turned away reluctantly, making her way to the jet the way they came.
When she was gone, Bruce pulled his phone out of his tattered pocket, dialing Tony quickly. "What's up, Jolly Green?" came Tony's voice through the speaker, the sound of tinkering in the background.
"We need a second team. Now. We ran into some nasty chemicals that took Cap and Bucky down. They're alive, but barely, it looks like."
"Oh, shitā¦" Tony mumbled, the background sounds ceasing immediately. He shook his head and said, "Let me get a team together. Let's see, I can go, and-"
"No, I need you to prepare the lab for identifying whatever this was and creating a reversal agent once we know I'm clear," Bruce interrupted.
"Well, you're talking to me right now, so you seem-"
"Tony!"
"Fine, fine! But we're not working with many of the regular team right now. Wilson's off in Louisiana, Barton's MIA for the week, Thor's off world. All I've got here is the speedster, Rhodey andā¦Romanoff. But with Cap being downā¦"
"She'll be the best for getting into the security footage. She's the best of us when it comes to compartmentalization," Bruce told him.
"Your headā¦" Tony mumbled before calling out into the room, "JARVIS, get Rhodes, Maximoff, and Romanoff in here ASAP. Start gathering a decontamination team as well. They'll need hazmat suits. Unknown chemical substance. Make sure they have the works."
"Yes sir," the disembodied voice replied.
"Oh, one more thing," Tony told the AI. He said your name, adding, "make sure she doesn't know."
A few moments of silence filled the room before JARVIS informed Tony, "She has been off the premises since ten this morning."
"Well, aren't we just lucky," he said as he began moving into a different lab to begin setting up chemicals he and Bruce would need once he returned.
A few minutes passed as Tony readied the lab with Bruce's help over the phone before Natasha, Pietro, and Rhodey showed up in the room. "Hey, Tony, what's up?" Natasha asked as she took a seat on a nearby stool, stealing a pinch of blueberries from the bowl Tony had on the table.
"The mission in Yemen ran into a snag," he told her as he slid the phone over toward her as Rhodey and Pietro looked around at all the vials and chemicals Tony was preparing.
"What kind of snag?" Natasha asked, a slight sharpness in her voice as her heart lurched in her chest.
"Is my sister okay?" Pietro asked, freezing the movement of his hand that was reaching toward a bubbling vial.
"Banner, tell 'em what's going on," Tony said as he fished through a cabinet.
Bruce sighed heavily before telling them, "We got into the facility and found the lab. Cap looked through computer files, Bucky looked through physical files, I looked for the serum, and Wanda was our lookout. I found a hidden alcove that had the serum in it. Wanda's already on her way back with it." When he said this, the tension that had built up in Pietro's muscles eased up, knowing his sister was safe in the jet.
Continuing with the brief, Bruce said, "To get to the alcove, though, Bucky needed to move a cabinet out of the way. When he opened that cabinet afterward, I heard a crash and then coughing. Then Steve shouting that he was down. Thenā¦then Steve went down. I Hulked out, Wanda got outta there with the serum, and I got outta there with Bucky and Steve."
"Well, are they okay?" Rhodey asked, jumping in before Natasha did, which was a calculated move on her part as she already began the process of closing off the side of her that was in a relationship with Steve so she could act as a good agent to get her Captain back.
"For right now, it seems like it," Bruce replied. "I haven't touched them since we got out, in case the chemical could still be active. Their breathing is shallow, though."
"Then we need to get there soon," Rhodey said, nodding his head.
"There'sā¦one more thing," Bruce said hesitantly. "When we went in, there were two dead bodies in the hall. Obviously, I can't say what happened to them, butā¦"
"We have to operate like this chemical is what killed themā¦" Natasha said, finally breaking her silence.
"Then let's get moving," Rhodey said finally. "Tony, how fast can the quinjet get us there?"
"Those things can go over mach 22, it can get you there quick," Tony deadpanned, giving him a look that said, come on are you serious? "You've got a medic team and a hazmat team gearing up right now. Should be ready in ten."
Rhodey nodded and called out into the room, "JARVIS, tell the teams to move it, we're wheels up in five!"
"Yes sir," the voice said as the three of them began making their way to the supply room to get their own gear for the mission.
"Can I trust that you can get all my gear for a mission?" Natasha asked Pietro once they got into the hallway. "I gotta go get some tech for getting files off their drives."
A small smirk lined Pietro's lips before he smarted off with, "Grab anything deadly or sharp looking, got it."
When she heard the joke, Natasha couldn't help the quiet laugh the fell from her lips. It was a welcome distraction as she tried to focus her mind on anything but what could be happening to Steve and Bucky halfway across the world. "Don't forget anything that looks innocent but you know could kill someone," she told him, earning a wider smirk and a nod before the speedster ran off.
In the time that it took for Natasha and Rhodey to brief the team on the mission and get suited up in hazmat gear of their own, the quinjet was already landing in Yemen. Natasha silently thanked Tony for upgrading the jets recently so they were able to get to places so quickly. As the ramp of the jet began lowering, though, her heart rate began to spike. Anxiety, dread, and adrenaline coursed through her veins as the bright rays of the setting sun began to peek through the opening.
When the ramp was down, the mission began. Teams of two with stretchers in hand converged on Steve and Bucky, who were on the ground motionless, the groups of medical staff working quickly to get them onto the stretchers and into the jet. Natasha's eyes merely darted to the scene as she made a b-line to the facility, securing her hazmat suit for the twelfth time as she did.
Flying past her through the hulking hole in the side of the facility where a door used to be, Pietro began on his portion of the mission: to quickly make his way through the rest of the facility to see if there was anything else of interest they could use against Walsh or HYDRA in general. Rhodes, on the other hand was directing traffic outside, making sure that things ran smoothly. He also served as a lookout, with a connection to JARVIS in a nearby satellite that would help him know if there were any enemies approaching.
As she stepped through the hole in the wall, Natasha steeled herself as she walked past the two dead bodies on the floor, her nimble feet carrying her quickly to where Pietro reported a security room was. Once inside, Natasha plugged in a drive and began typing away at the computer to gain access to its files. The gloves on the hazmat suit made typing less than easy, though, a mutter of, "Damn glovesā¦" leaving her lips as she trudged through the script she needed to input.
"Can't take 'em off," Rhodes reminded her over the com link in her ear.
"I know, I knowā¦" she replied.
Over the next few minutes, Natasha scrubbed through the security footage, scanning for the last time there was movement in the facility by the door they came in through. "Gotchaā¦" she mumbled as the found the beginning of the scuffle between two guards and a few people in lab coats and masks. Natasha watched as one of the scientists threw down a couple of small vials that exploded into a cloud of mist, the chemicals causing the guards to start choking before they quickly fell to their knees.
A feeling of dread clenched her heart when she saw them stop moving and breathing altogether mere minutes later. Steve and Bucky had been under the effects for much longer. Were they out there in the jet dying as she watched this footage? What would she tell-
No.
She couldn't allow herself to think like that. She needed to focus on the mission and the task at hand. There had to be a way to fix this, and she was going to find it.
After shoving the thoughts into the back of her mind, a few moments later, she hit a final key and said, "All this computer's got is security footage, nothing else from the facilityā¦ I have a second drive. If we want, I can head into the lab and get anything I can from those computers."
"Go for it," Rhodes told her. "What'd you find on the security footage?"
"It looks like the chemical is what killed those two people out there," she replied grimly. "It was the day HYDRA was exposed. Looked like the scientists were trying to escape and the guards roughed them up. Used whatever it was as a means of escape. Killed the guards within a few minutesā¦"
"Shitā¦" Rhodes whispered, his eyes closing as a quiet sigh heaved from his lungs.
Before he could say anything else, they heard another voice from over the com link say, "Lab team here. We've located the source. Obtaining a sample before we start the decontamination process."
"Get in there, Nat," Rhodes told her quickly. "Make it snappy, though. I wanna be wheels up in ten! We gotta get these two to the med bay!"
"On it," she said, abandoning the computer she was in front of to start heading for the lab.
When she approached the lab, a rustling sound caught her attention. Natasha's eyes darted toward the source, her hand instinctively reaching for a weapon on her hip. What sight met her eyes, though was Pietro's face that was slightly distorted by the mask of the hazmat suit he was wearing. With her hand relaxing, Natasha told him, "You know, you sound ridiculous running around in that thing."
"Tell me about itā¦" he replied, an air of annoyance in his voice.
In reply to the exchange, Bruce's voice sounded off over the com links, telling them, "Better safe than sorry."
"Rightā¦" Natasha replied quietly, her mind flashing to Steve's unmoving body as the word sorry replayed in her head.
The next few minutes passed in a blur as Natasha began the process of taking files from the facility before erasing them from the computers. As she turned to leave the place when Rhodes reminded her of the time, she stopped in her tracks as an open file caught her eye. "Was this file here the whole time you guys have been?" she asked aloud to the decontamination team, who were wrapping up their tools for the trip back.
"Think so," one of them replied, walking over to eye the file as well.
Skimming over the contents, a few phrases stood out to Natasha. The first were subdue Soldiers, dampen sympathetic nervous system, and decrease strength. The one that stuck out the most was the one that said deadly without Serum. "Oh shitā¦" she whispered as she read all of this.
"'Oh shit', what?" Rhodes asked, concern evident in his voice.
"I think I found a file on what took Steve and Bucky downā¦" she told him quietly. She looked up at the hazmat team member beside her and said, "Bag this up. We're gonna need it."
"Yes ma'am," he replied before bagging it up and following her out of the facility and to the jet.
"What do we know?" Rhodes asked as Natasha and the final hazmat team member got onto the jet and the pilot began gearing up for takeoff.
"Whatever this stuff is was intended for subduing the Winter Soldiers. Slows down their autonomic nervous system. Weakens them so they can't fight back. Says it's deadly without the Serum," she told him. Her eyes darted over to Bruce, concern in her eyes, saying, "You touched them, why aren't-?"
"Hulk touched them," Bruce corrected her quickly as he strapped himself into his seat. "His metabolism is leaps and bounds faster than even Steve and Bucky's. So, even if it did get in his system, it's long gone by now. As much as I hate the guy, he isn't letting me die. Not like this."
"Rightā¦" Natasha mumbled.
Rhodes cleared his throat a few moments later, telling the group, "When we get back, we all go through a thorough decontamination process. First in the suits, then with them off. Get these two settled and then Tony and Bruce will start figuring out how to reverse this stuff. Got it?"
"Got it," everyone replied, ready to just be done with this mission.
a/n: this plot was one of my faves to write! i hope you all are enjoying it as we inch closer to the end of the story!
as always: likes, comments, and re-blogs are greatly appreciated! i love hearing from you guys! until next time! xo! <3
Steve Harrington x Henderson!reader (no use of y/n)
installment list / previous chapter / next chapter
word count: 4,787
story content warnings: 18+ MDNI! canon typical warnings such as violence, gore, swearing, drinking, spice, angst, as well as some sickly sweet fluff thrown in! Further warning for medical talk in this one!
ps: yes, i did change some things from the canon to fit my own version of events, it's fiiiiinnneeee! enjoy!
"Henderson!" Steve shouted as he, Robin, and Nancy searched for their friend near the gate in Eddie's trailer in the Upside Down. The others' voices chorused with his as they all called for their friend, who didn't meet up with them as he was supposed to. "Goddamnit, Henderson, where are you?!" Steve shouted.
"Steve!" Nancy breathed, grabbing his arm and stopping his movement as she pointed in the distance to a crouched figure.
Robin looked, too, immediately shouting out, "Dustin! Is that you?" as the three began running toward the figure.
What they saw as they approached made Steve's stomach lurch. Nancy was right, it was Dustin, but what they couldn't see from the distance was what he was crouched over: Eddie. More specifically Eddie's unmoving and unblinking body. And Dustin was sobbing. "Shitā¦" Steve breathed, his hand going to cover his mouth as shock shot its way through his nerves.
Nancy immediately went to move the hysterical boy away from Eddie's body, pulling him into her chest and holding his head close so that he didn't have to look at his friend any longer than he had to. "Hey, hey, Dustin, shh, shh, we're right here. We're gonna get out of hereā¦" she whispered, her own eyes glassing over as she now looked at Eddie's body and all of the injuries littering it.
Meanwhile, Robin crouched down and began attempting to haul Eddie's arm over her shoulder. When Steve still stood frozen in shock, she glared up at him and snapped, "What're you doing just standing there?! Help!"
"R-right! Right!" Steve said, shaking his head as he moved to help Robin lift Eddie up. As he did this, though, he heard the squealing of demobats off in the distance. "Shitā¦ Shit, shit, shit! We gotta go!" Steve said, his voice growing louder and more urgent as the sentence went on.
"What?!" Robin asked, her body lurching as suddenly Steve let go of his hold on Eddie's legs.
"Demobats! And lots of 'em!" Steve shouted, pointing toward the large swarm heading their way.
"But Steve- We can't- What about Eddie?" Robin asked urgently as her eyes glanced nervously toward Dustin.
"We have to go!" he urged, gesturing for the group to start running toward the trailer.
"C'mon," Nancy said to Dustin, who began fighting his way out of her arms and back to Eddie's side.
"Henderson!" Steve shouted, roughly grabbing Dustin by his jacket and shoving him toward the trailer.
"We have to-!" the younger boy sobbed, but was cut off by Steve, once again having to be the responsible one.
"I'm not letting you die, too!" he shouted sternly. When Dustin stopped fighting back, he pointed toward the trailer as he said, "We can come back for his body later, but right now, we need to get outta here!"
"He's rightā¦" Nancy said quietly, beginning to make her way toward the trailer.
"I'm sorry, Eddie, I'm sorry!" Dustin cried as Steve and Robin began dragging him away from his body.
"Why do I always gotta be the goddamn asshole?!" Steve shouted, slamming his fist on the steering wheel of his car as he and Robin got in once they were back in their dimension.
"Steve, you weren't-" she began to say, her voice soft as she reached over to touch his arm.
"Yes! I was!" Steve shouted, yanking his arm away and glaring at her with tears in his eyes. One began streaking down his cheek, cleaning some of the ash on his face away as it did. His voice shook as he said, "I was worried about us surviving, but all he saw it as was me making him leave Eddie behind. You heard what he said on the way backā¦"
Robin sighed and nodded, her own voice shaking as she said, "I knowā¦And I see where you're both coming from. But I'm happy that we got outta there before the bats got us. So, thank you."
"Yeahā¦" Steve mumbled as he put the car in drive and took off down the road.
What they saw as Steve drove was Hawkins in ruins. Trees were downed, some houses were completely destroyed, and land that was once beautiful looked like an apocolyptic wasteland. That wasn't goodā¦
"Where're we going in such a hurry?" Robin asked as Steve steadily pressed harder on the gas pedal.
"The Wheelers' place. That's where Erica said everyone would be tonight," he replied quietly, trying to keep his mind from wandering to the worst.
Steve screeched to a halt a block away from the Wheelers' house, tearing off his tactical gear and trading it quickly for a normal set of clothes that was in the back of the car. "Steve, what are you-?"
"I can't exactly go in looking like this, can I?" he asked sharply, his voice muffled by the shirt he began putting on.
"I guess not, but what about me?" she asked, eyes wide.
"I'll come back with some of Nance's clothes, just hang tight!" he replied, tossing open the door once he had a pair of sweats pulled on.
The run to the house was exhausting considering what Steve had already gone through over the last few hours. When he opened the door quickly, he was met with six pairs of eyes, but not the ones he desperately wanted to see after everything that happened. His eyes finally locked with Claudia's, his voice breathless from the run as he asked, "Is she here?"
"N-no, she's babysitting!" she replied. Her voice grew frantic as she asked, "Where's Dustin?"
"He's with Nance, he's fine!" Steve told her.
Your name was whispered by your mom, her voice trembling as she said, "I-I gotta go find her, make sure she's okay! What if she or the kids are hurt?"
Steve put his hands on her shoulders and helped her sit back down on the couch, telling her in as calm a voice as he could muster, "I'll go to her. You stay here. When I get her, we'll all come back here. Dustin and the others'll be here soon, too. We can't be scattered around town looking for each other."
Karen nodded firmly, taking Claudia's hand in hers as she said, "Go. We'll wait for the others. Call if you need anything."
"Thanks, Mrs. W," Steve said, cracking a small smile. He looked toward Claudia as he asked, "Where's she babysitting?"
After getting the address, Steve booked it from the house and to the car. When he got back in empty-handed, Robin gave him a look as she asked, "What the hell, man? I thought you said-"
"Doesn't matter right now!" Steve said as he threw the car into drive and began tearing toward the address Claudia had given him.
"Where are we going?!" Robin asked sharply as she braced herself on the car's window.
"I gotta check on Dustin's sister!" Steve replied in just as sharp a tone.
"Dustin's sister? Why-" Robin cut herself off mid-sentence as something hit her. Her voice was slightly breathless as she asked, "She's the girl you've been seeing, isn't she? She's the girl you won't tell any of us about because she's Dustin's sister!" Robin slapped her palm to her forehead, rolling her eyes as she rambled, "Of course! It all makes sense now! Why didn't I see it before? Now that I think about it, it's kinda obviously, actually, and-"
Steve jumped a curb getting into the neighborhood, causing Robin to nearly ram her head into the window. "Jesus Christ, Steve! I know you're bad at driving, but shit! Why are you in such a rush?"
"Have you not seen what the hell happened since that gate opened?!" Steve snapped, one hand vaguely gesturing around them to all of the downed trees and shaken mailboxes, the bikes tipped on their sides and kids' playsets overturned from the quake that ensued once Vecna won.
From Robin's hip, a walkie crackled to life, with Erica's voice calling to the group, "This is our only line of communication! Telephone lines are down! I repeat, telephone lines are down! Over!"
"Erica!" Robin shouted into the device, her hands shaking at the first line of communication from the group since the battle ended. "What happened? Didā¦did Maxā¦? O-over!"
"Max is en route to the hospital right now," she replied, making Steve and Robin heave sighs of relief. "We don't know what the hell happened, though. Lucas said that she was gone and the gate opened, and then suddenly she was back. If I learn more, I'll keep you in the loop. Over."
"You're the best, kid!" Robin cheered, a wide smile on her face. She quickly hit the button again, finishing with, "Over!"
"Okay, so Max is alive, that'sā¦that's good!" Robin said as she relaxed into the car seat a bit. "Now, we just gotta worry about your girlfriend."
"It should be rightā¦here," Steve said, slowing down the car just enough to read addresses on houses. He screeched to a halt when he got to the address he was told you'd be at, getting out of the car in record time.
Steve was already at the front of the house by the time Robin was unbuckling her seat belt, craning his neck to look into the living room window through the barely cracked blinds. What he saw through the window made his blood run cold. "Shitā¦ Shit, shit, shit, shit!" Steve said urgently, making his way to the door and shoulder checking it.
"What the hell are you doing?!" Robin asked in a sharp whisper as she ran up to the door. "We can't just break into the house! Haven't you heard of knocking?"
Steve's voice was filled with fear as he countered, "There's no point in knocking if the person who would answer is knocked out in a pool of blood on the floor!"
"Oh! Oh, shit!" Robin whispered, eyes wide. Looking at the door that was partially glass, she began taking off her jacket, wrapping her fist it in before shoving Steve out of the way. "Move, dingus!" she told him as she wound back and punched through the glass. With the glass out of the way, Robin used her other hand to unlock the door, pushing it open for Steve as he flooded into the house.
As he took in the scene further, Steve felt the blood draining from his face. "Noā¦ No, no, no, no, no, no, noā¦" he whispered. The sight of your limbs mangled and broken made Steve's stomach turnā¦that was exactly how Vecna killed the othersā¦
He kneeled beside you, hands trembling heavily as he tried to see if you were even still breathingā¦ When he saw the shallow rise and fall that indicated that you were, he leaned down and gently caressed your cheek, whispering your name to try and rouse you. Fresh tears began cascading down Steve's cheeks when he saw your eyes flutter open for a moment. Your voice was quiet and strained, but a relief to hear as you croaked, "Steveā¦?"
"Yeah. Yeah, it's me. I'm right here, honey," he choked out as he moved some hair from your eyes. He swallowed hard before telling you, "I'm gonna get you some help. We're gonna get you to the hospital and you're gonna be just fine. Okay? You hear me?"
"Yeahā¦" you whispered, your own voice shaking with emotion as you began to cry again. "Steveā¦?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm scaredā¦ And I hurtā¦so badā¦ I-I don't know what ha-happenedā¦"
"It's okay now, I'm right here. I'm right here with you. We're gonna get help." Steve finally tore his eyes away from you, looking toward a frozen Robin as he pleaded, "Rob, please! Call someone for help! We need an ambulance!"
"I- But- Steve, remember what Erica said? The phone lines are down!"
Before they could continue working toward a solution, Steve heard padded footsteps coming down the hallway. Glancing around the couch, he saw two young kids coming down the hall, rubbing their bleary eyes and yawning. "Shitā¦" Steve whispered quietly. Trying to think on his feet, he quickly told Robin, "Get them a snack or something. Don't let them see this. We'll get her to the hospital and then you can take them back to Ms. Henderson."
"How do you plan on-?" Robin started to ask sharply before the kids started getting a little too close to the living room. Turning her tone lighter, Robin put a smile on her face as she grabbed the kids' hands and said, "Oh, uh, right! C'mon kids! I know it's real early in the morning, but how d'you guys feel about breakfast? We're about to go on a field trip, so, uh, you gotta be prepared!"
With that problem out of the way, the gears in Steve's head began turning, trying to figure out what the hell to do to get you safely to the hospital. Finally coming up with a semblance of an idea as Robin talked animatedly to the kids in the kitchen, Steve ran his thumb over your cheek, wiping away some tears as he said, "I'll be right back. Promise. I'm just gonna find some stuff to stabilize you. Then we're hauling ass to the hospital, 'kay?"
"Okayā¦" you whispered, a labored breath heaving out of your chest as your eyes blinked heavily with fatigue.
It wasn't the prettiest thing in the world, but Steve managed to find enough stuff to stabilize your broken bones, attempting to cover the open wounds with dressings before wrapping you in a blanket. Steve positioned himself in a way he'd be able to lift you, shaking his head as he whispered, "This is gonna hurt. I'm so sorryā¦" as he lifted you off the ground, the adrenaline coursing through his veins making the task easy.
As he headed for the door, Steve called back, "Let's go! We'll be in the back!"
When Steve looked back down at you, his heart dropped as he saw your eyes closing once again, losing consciousness from the pain wracking your body. "You're gonna be okay. You're gonna be okay, I promiseā¦" he whispered, ending the sentence with a kiss to your forehead before he got the two of you into the backseat of the car.
When Robin and the kids got outside, she shot Steve a look as he sat in the back of the car. He jerked his head toward the front, and Robin began ushering both of the small children into the front passenger seat before taking her spot in the driver's. As the two kids cheered before continuing to eat their breakfast, Robin said through gritted teeth, "Steve, you know I don't know how to drive!"
"I know you know how to drive because I taught you! In this car!" he countered quietly. "All you gotta do is get us to the hospital in one piece! After what happened, I'm sure the cops have bigger fish to fry! Now drive!"
Steve's pacing up and down the hospital's waiting room was stopped when he saw Claudia running down the hall toward him. When he turned toward her, she froze, a shaking hand covering her mouth as she took in Steve's state. His sweatpants had bloodstains from the shin down where he had kneeled in your blood, his hands also still stained because he couldn't be bothered to wash them upon arrival to the hospital, too worried about you to care about himself. "Isā¦is thatā¦?" she whispered, tears beginning to pool behind her eyes.
"Yeahā¦" Steve whispered, hanging his head as more tears began to fall from his eyes.
Suddenly, Steve was being wrapped in a hug by the woman, her shoulders shaking as she cried. Her voice was broken as she asked, "Where is she? What happened? Is sheā¦alive?"
"She's alive, she's alive, yeah," Steve answered first, settling into the motherly embrace. He took a deep breath before telling her, "They rushed her to surgery when we got here. She's been there ever sinceā¦"
"Thatā¦that was hours agoā¦" Claudia whispered, her breathing stopping for a moment. She pulled away from the hug, an emotional look on her face as she asked in a breathy tone, "Steveā¦what happened?"
Swallowing hard, Steve told her the vaguest version of the truth that he could, saying, "It looked like whoever killed those students tried to get her too." He couldn't lie, not to her. Not about you. Not with the injuries she would see once you were out of surgeryā¦
"No!" she whispered, covering her mouth once again.
"Itā¦it was bad, Ms. Hā¦" he said, his eyes becoming unfocused as he pictured the horrific scene again. "When I found her, Iā¦I didn't know what to do at firstā¦ The phone lines were downā¦ There was no one to callā¦ Thenā¦then the kids woke up and Robin had to keep them from seeing her like thatā¦ We got her here as fast as we could, then got the kids to youā¦ It was all I could think to doā¦"
"You did the right thing," she told him, pulling him back in for a tearful hug. "You saved herā¦ You saved my baby girlā¦" she whispered emotionally.
The embrace was interrupted by someone walking into the waiting room and calling out, "Is anyone here related to Miss Henderson?"
"That's us!" Claudia replied as she pulled away from Steve once again. She had a spark of hope in her eyes as they made contact with the young woman's, her heart racing in anticipation for what came next.
A warm smile was sent her way, and the sentence that came out of her mouth sounded like music as she said, "She's out of recovery and in a room now. Follow me, please."
"Oh, thank God!" she breathed, her knees nearly buckling when she heard the news.
When the two of them got to the room, her knees did give in when she saw you with casts on every limb, your eyes closed as you continued to sleep off the sedation and pain medication they had given you in the OR. "Hey, hey, hey!" Steve breathed, reaching out to support her and bring her back to her feet.
A chair was pushed behind her by a nurse and the surgeon in light blue scrubs stuck out his hand for her to shake as he introduced himself. His voice was warm as he said, "My name's Doctor Lawrence. I'm an orthopedic surgeon here at the hospital. I operated on your daughter, here."
"Thank you, thank you so much," Claudia whispered, grasping his hand in hers as tears continued to fall down her cheeks.
"You're welcome," he told her with a firm nod. "I just wanted to be the one to talk to you about what recovery's gonna look like after this type of surgery at this extent. I won't lie, it's gonna be a bitch. She's gonna be in a lot of pain. That's expected. She's gotta get through the first phase of healing before she can even get out of bed with help. She'll lose muscle mass because of that. Then, it'll be gentle physical therapy for a while. We're looking at aroundā¦ballpark ten weeks for the arms and around sixteen for the legs. It's gonna be a long journey."
"Butā¦eventually, she'll recover?" she asked tearfully.
"With time and physical therapy, she should have a good recovery, yes," he replied. Before he could take his leave, he ran his hand over his chin as he asked, "If I may askā¦what happened? These kinds of injuries aren't like what we're seeing from other quake victims."
Steve was silent, as he had been the entire time he stood beside you, unsure of where to place his hand to comfort you. In the absence of his response, Claudia told the doctor, "We think it was whoever killed those kidsā¦"
"Damn Munson kidā¦ I hope he gets what's comin' for himā¦" the doctor muttered, his brow furrowing in anger as he shook his head. He sighed before saying, "If you have any questions, just ask the nurses. They'll make sure it gets to me. I'll be swinging by once a day to check in, too. We'll do what we can to ensure a speedy recovery. God bless."
"Thank youā¦" Claudia whispered before taking her place on the other side of your bed.
A few hours passed of relative silence in the room, only broken up by occasional small talk with the nurse as she came in to check on you. When Steve finally looked at the clock in the room, he noticed that it was way past lunchtime. Selfishly wanting some alone time with you so he could finally let his emotions out, Steve cleared his throat and said, "If you wanna go get something to eat, I'll stay here with her. That way someone'll be here when she wakes up."
It was then that Claudia noticed how hungry she was, the feeling having gone unnoticed in the passing hours because of the stress she had been under. So, with a sigh, she nodded, standing up and coming around the bed to give Steve's shoulder a squeeze. "I'll bring you something to eat and some fresh clothes."
"Sounds good," he replied, sending her a small smile before she left the room.
When the door closed behind her was when Steve broke down. Tears cascaded down his face as he began to process everything that happened in the last few days. When he felt like he ran out of tears, in a broken voice, he whispered, "God, this sucksā¦"
"You're tellin' meā¦" came your whispered and hoarse voice from the head of the bed.
When he heard it, Steve's eye immediately found yours, and suddenly more tears began falling as he smiled emotionally at you. "Hey! Heyā¦" he whispered, relief evident in his voice as he took you in.
"Heyā¦" you whispered, a tear escaping as you began to remember what you thought happened. In an attempt to lighten the mood, you teased, "You look like hell, Harrington."
"And you look beautifulā¦" he replied, gazing lovingly into your eyes, elated at the fact that he even got to hear you teasing him after what happened.
"Liarā¦" you scoffed, unable to help the laugh the escaped your chest, shaking your head in disbelief.
"There's nothing more beautiful than your voice," he told you, leaning in to kiss the corner of your lips. He wiped a tear from your cheek, adding, "Can't forget about your eyesā¦" He rested his forehead on yours for a moment as he finished with, "Iā¦I thought I lost you there for a bitā¦ I don't know what I wouldda done if I hadā¦"
"Well, I'm still here. That's what matters," you told him, your voice barely above a whisper - it didn't have to be any louder than that. All that mattered was that Steve heard the message.
After a few moments of just taking in one another's presence, Steve gave you a chaste kiss on the lips, a reverent tone in his voice as he told you, "I love you," when he pulled away.
"I love you, too," you replied just as sincerely as you looked into his handsome eyes.
Unbeknownst to the two of you, your mom had returned with lunch, a set of clothes for Steve, and your little brother. The fact was only brought to your attention when you heard the anger in Dustin's voice as he shouted, "What the hell?!"
Steve pulled away from you quickly, acting like he was caught in a much worse act than simply kissing someone. He put his hands up as he stood from his chair, telling Dustin, "Listen, I can exp-"
"Seriously?!" the younger boy snapped, glaring daggers at both of you. "Seriously?! How long has this been going on? Huh? How long have the two of you been lying to me?"
"If you would just let me-" Steve tried again, moving to put a hand on Dustin's shoulder. Dustin shoved him away, though, nearly sending Steve careening into the bedside table before he caught himself. "What the hell, man?"
Dustin was in hysterics as he rambled, his sentences clipped as he shouted, "No! You don't get to- She doesn't get- You're both selfish liars! She's the reason he's-" A choked sob clawed its way out of his throat, and Dustin shook his head, pointing a finger at Steve as he said, "You made us leave! And then this?! Go to Hell!"
"Dusty! That's enough!" your mom said as she finally came to her senses from the shock Dustin's behavior had scared her into. "Your sister is in a hospital bed and could have died! Be nice!"
This time, his attention was on you as he spat, "My sister's a liar who can't even follow her own goddamn advice!"
"Okay, okay, okay! That's enough!" Steve shouted, placing himself between the two of you to block Dustin's view of the hospital bed.
"Yeah, it's enough! Enough of the lies! Enough of the half truths! I'm done! You hear me? Done!" When he finished shouting that, a handful of nurses who had started to gather at the door scattered when the young boy stormed away from the room.
Your mom was torn, her attention split between both of her children as she debated on which to stay with to comfort. Steve ran a hand through his hair, closing his eyes as he breathed through his anger at what just happened. When he opened his eyes back up, he told your mom, "Go after him. We'll be fine in here."
"A-are you sure?" she whispered.
"Yeah. I'll take care of her," he replied.
She nodded before scurrying down the hall, shouting Dustin's name as she tried to catch up to him. In her wake, Steve waved off the nurses who had regathered at the door, bending down to pick up the bags that contained his change of clothes and his lunch. When he closed the door to allow the two of you some privacy once more, he heard you whisper in a broken voice, "I'm sorryā¦"
Steve turned toward you quickly, shaking his head as he said firmly, "No! No, no, no. Don't be sorry. You didn't do anything wrong."
"Sure, I didā¦ We both didā¦" you whispered. "We've lied to him for over a year, Steve!"
"That doesn't give him a right to treat you like that," he told you. "Hey, look at me. Please." When your eyes finally met his, he told you gently, "You don't deserve to be treated like that. Not on my watch."
"Okayā¦" you whispered, leaning your cheek into his hand as he touched the only part of you he really could to comfort you. "God, this sucksā¦"
"It'll be okay, babe. Promise," he told you, leaning in to press a kiss to your forehead. "Long as we're together, I promise it'll all be okay."
"Thank youā¦" you replied.
His touch left for a few moments as he quickly changed into the clothes your mom had brought him, pulling the pants up to his waist just as there was a knock at the door. A gentle and quiet voice asked, "Can I come in?" as the door began to crack open.
"Yeah," Steve replied as he pulled the bedside table around to his side of the room.
When the nurse emerged into the room, she had a small smile on her lips and an inquisitive look in her eyes. "Is now an okay time?" she asked cautiously.
"Yes ma'am," you said, turning your attention toward her.
The smile on her lips brightened as she said, "It's good to finally see you awake! I'm just gonna do a quick assessment of your circulation and ask some questions for the chart, if that's okay."
"That's fine," you replied with a nod.
The process took the better part of thirty minutes, the nurse leaving no rocks unturned as she did her assessment and asked all of the admission questions. By the time she was done, you were beginning to show signs of the pain medication and anesthesia wearing off, so before she left, she gave you a dose of medicine through your IV, one she said would help but could also make you sleepy.
You fought sleep for a while, trying to stay awake and talk with Steve to keep your mind active, afraid of closing your eyes and seeing thatā¦monster again. The fight was for naught, though, your eyelids growing heavy as the medicine, along with your portion of Steve's lunch lulled you into a heavy slumber.
a/n: sooooooo yeah...to answer the question from the installment list? all of it blew up in your face. and now it's time to face the aftermath.
i hope you guys enjoyed this angsty piece! we aren't quite out of the woods of angst just yet, so hold on tight! and as always: likes, comments, and re-blogs are greatly appreciated! i love hearing from you guys! until next time!
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installment list / previous chapter / next chapter
word count: 3,205
story content warnings: 18+ MDNI! war, violence, loss of limb, mental illness, medical talk and treatment, forced drug use, language, drinking, tense family situations, smut, pregnancy stuff, sickness, explosives. thereās fluff too, i swear!
"I'll be back before you know it," Bucky mumbled into your hair as you sleepily clung to him.
It was the early hours of the morning and a small group of agents were going out on a recon mission to find out if Natasha's intel was right about the location in the Middle East that was supplying Walsh with the Serum. The team consisted of Steve, Bucky, Bruce, and Wanda. Steve had planned on the mission taking five days at most to account for getting rid of possible tails, so that was what Bucky had assured you of over and over in the hours leading up to you falling asleep the evening before. The team was solid and the mission would be quick - he'd be back before you knew it.
You were on Bucky's mind the whole flight to Yemen, though. It was something Steve would tease him about constantly, telling him that he had never seen him daydream as much as he had been in the months since he found out you were pregnant and he asked you to marry him. He just couldn't help it. This wasn't the life he was supposed to have. He was never supposed to end up here, with you, working with this team, and yet here he was. And he thanked his lucky stars that it ended up that way.
Bucky was shaken out of his mind when Steve clapped a hand on his shoulder and said, "We're about to land. Let's go over the plan one more time."
Everyone gathered around a small table that displayed a holographic blueprint of the facility they would be entering as Steve began with, "The mission today is simple: locate information on if this facility was the one responsible for creating the Serum used by Walsh and his successor in Afghanistan. Walsh has walled up and isn't speaking, barely even to his lawyer, so it's up to us to find out where they were getting this stuff from. If this is the place, we may also find information on failed cases. We find those, we tack on more charges for that monster."
Bruce piped up, saying, "I've got a mobile lab setup in here for if we need to do testing on the way to the safe house."
"Great," Steve said with a nod. "You'll be on extraction duty if we find anything."
"I've got lookout," Wanda announced, once more earning a nod from Steve.
While Bucky turned introspective thinking of the lives ruined by Walsh, Steve gently nudged him in the ribs as he said, "Buck and I've got file duty. I'll look at digital files and you can find paper ones."
"Got it," Bucky agreed as he felt the jet beginning its descent.
As the four of them began getting ready to head out of the ramp on the back of the jet, Steve reminded the pilot, "Once we're out, keep the deflectors on. Don't move unless provoked or you don't have another choice. We'll meet you back here. Stay safe."
"Yes sir, Cap," the pilot said, a two-finger salute being given before Steve turned his back to the man as he followed the others out into the warm air of Yemen.
When the group approached the discussed entry point, Wanda, with her back to the others informed them, "No sign of anyone watching us. No cameras look active. We're clear."
Her remark was met with a curt nod by Steve before he attached a mechanism to the door. "Stay back," he said, holding up his shield after hitting the button to activate the mechanism. A contained blast blew off the locking mechanisms on the door, small bits of shrapnel ricocheting off of Steve's shield. Mere moments passed before Steve was making a gesture for the others to rush in, closing the door behind him once everyone was inside.
Bucky was immediately on the security panel posted by the door, attaching a device that Tony had made to get JARVIS to disarm security measures put in place in any facility. He heard a sharp gasp after he placed the device, turning and drawing his weapon in an instant, in case his team was in danger. The barrel of the pistol met two mostly decomposed bodies, though, the gasp coming from Wanda, who covered her mouth in shock at the discovery.
If only the walls could talkā¦
"Did you hear?" came the hushed whisper of Andrew, one of the few scientists HYDRA had recruited to work at the Yemen base.
"Keep your voice down, boy!" one of the older scientists, Marcus, replied in a hushed whisper through gritted teeth.
"Why-?" Andrew asked, but shot pin-straight in his chair when one of the facility's two posted security guards opened the door roughly.
"You four!" came the gruff man's voice as he glared daggers through each of the scientists' backs. "Keep working! Whatever you heard, don't let it impact your work!"
Andrew, with his now sweating and shaking hands, opened his mouth to say something, but stopped when Marcus glared at him out of the side of his eye. HYDRA had been exposed. Nearly every secret was spilled onto the internet, and he was sure that his name was somewhere in those documents. This could totally ruin his life! He was recruited by HYDRA because they promised a good life for his family if he cooperated, but if HYDRA has been exposed and the messages he was getting from other scientists about labs shutting down were-
"We're getting out of here!" came the sharp whisper of Marcus that broke through Andrew's tumultuous thoughts.
"W-what?" Andrew asked, eyes wide as he looked at the older man.
Another one of the scientists, Asami, pulled him out of his chair as she told him, "Marcus has a plan. Let's go!"
"But what about-?"
"Stop your yapping!" Caleb, their lab tech, snipped as he looked out the door to see where the guards had gone.
Marcus began gathering supplies from around the lab, speaking rapidly as he went, telling the others, "I've got a prearranged pickup location for us to meet at in case something horrible happened. All I've got to do is get a message to my brother and we're all out of the country with new passports and identities within the day!" A respirator and goggles were shoved into Andrew's hands as Marcus added, "Once we're to safety, we'll worry about our families. With the chaos that is happening in the organization right now, there's no way they'll go after families before us. We have to move quickly and be smart about this!"
"Let's move!" Caleb whispered when he saw that the coast was clear of the guards. Caleb, Andrew, and Asami made it out of the room and looked both ways to decide which route to take out of there, accompanied by Marcus a few moments later after he finished typing a message into his computer.
The four of them made it halfway down the hallway leading to the exit before they heard the tell-tale sound of the security guards' weapons being readied. "Where do you lot think you're going?" one of the gruff men asked as the scientists froze in their tracks.
"Remember the part when you were recruited saying that you swore allegiance to HYDRA?" the other asked as he approached. "Remember what they said happens if you break that allegiance?"
The barrel of one of the guns was pressed into Andrew and Caleb's backs, sending a chill up Andrew's spine as he held his breath and closed his eyes. He stood there waiting for an end thatā¦didn't come. Instead, after a few tense moments, all Hell broke loose as Marcus shouted, "Masks!" and reached into his pocket to propel his plan into motion. The vials of chemicals were thrown onto the ground like a child's popping firecracker and the plan was a go!
Andrew acted quickly, throwing on the respirator and goggles Marcus had given him, just in time to open his eyes and see a steam-like substance filling the air around them. He recognized it in an instant. It was a chemical that he had created years before when some Commander in Afghanistan was having trouble controlling his charges. Knowing the effects of the chemical, Andrew's eyes snapped over to Marcus, who surely didn't have time to throw the vials and get a mask on in time.
What sight met his eyes, though, was a spray of blood as one of the officers took a shot at Marcus, hitting him square in the shoulder! "Marcus!" Andrew shouted, twisting away from the gun that was still pointed at his back to be by his mentor's side. Looking around desperately, Andrew's eyes darted from spot to spot on the floor and on Marcus's body for his mask andā¦didn't find one. "We gotta get him outta here!" he shouted, his voice muffled by his own respirator.
Caleb, wary of the guards' ability to harm them with their weapons looked over to the two men and saw them beginning to show symptoms of the chemical making its way through their system. Without another thought, he shouted, "Let's go!" and grabbed Marcus under one arm while Andrew grabbed under the other.
The two of them hauled their mentor down the hall while Asami ran for the door, throwing it open for the two men to drag Marcus into the fresh outside air. With shaking hands, Andrew began holding pressure on the gunshot wound on Marcus's shoulder, his voice also shaking as he said, "We need to rinse him with something! Anything! We can't let the chemicals get to him!"
"I'm going back in," Caleb said as he stood up from the older man's side, setting his jaw before plowing back into the facility.
The trip should have been short. Get back to the lab, get a mobile wash station, and get out to save Marcus. His quick progress was hindered by the two guards in the hall, though. As he sprinted by their collapsed bodies, a hand reached out, grabbing his ankle, nearly making him trip. The guard, who had blue lining his lips choked out a slurred, "Help meā¦" before the grip on Caleb's ankle loosened as the man lost consciousness.
A few seconds were lost as Caleb stared at the man. He knew as well as the others what the chemical was capable of. He had just watched a man die.
But he couldn't let the same happen to his mentor.
Moving as fast as his body would let him, Caleb make his way back into the lab and began hauling out the emergency field wash station. The equipment usually took two people to carry, but with all the adrenaline running through his veins, he felt like he had the strength of three men combined as he muscled it back through the hall, past the guards, and out to his waiting companions.
The sight before him when he reemerged was grim. Blood had pooled around Marcus and stained Andrew's pants from the knee down through the shin. The younger man was still on his knees, but no longer holding pressure on Marcus's wound, instead staring in shock at his blood soaked hands as they shook. Asami was pale and she started at Marcus in shock, tearing her gaze away from his body as she turned and blocked Andrew's line of sight, holding his head close as she held back her own tears and nausea.
And then there was Marcus. Not only was he in a pool of his own blood, but his entire body was ghostly pale, with patches of blue throughout. His piercing blue eyes fixed at the sky, unmoving and unseeing.
Caleb felt his limbs grow numb as he took in the scene in front of him, the field wash station suddenly feeling a hundred times heavier as it began making its way to the ground. The crash of equipment wasn't even enough to snap the others out of their trance. What did it was the sound of Marcus's phone ringing from inside his lab coat's pocket. The three looked at his body, none of them moving and not wanting to touch his stuff out of respect for their mentor.
But then the phone rang again.
It was Asami who finally brought herself to grab the phone out of Marcus's pocket and answer the call. She said nothing as the person on the other side of the line told her not to, just gave instructions on where to meet and what to say when they got there. When she hung up, she told her two remaining allies, "Marcus got his brother a message before we left. We need to meet him at the bar three towns over. He'll get us a new life."
Steve was the first to speak after the group discovered the bodies, telling everyone, "Keep moving. Stay sharp." As he said this, he stepped between Wanda and the two dead bodies, positioning his shield in a way that would hopefully block her view of them as the group passed by.
It didn't take long to find the main lab area in the small facility, only a couple minutes of careful measured steps that were being taken out of an abundance of caution now that everyone was even more alert than before. The door to the lab was opened by Bucky, with Steve and Bruce following close behind him as he entered the room.
There were no lights on in the darkened room, not even ones of active monitors or security cameras. With a couple more steps into the space, the lights came on and Bucky once again aimed his pistol toward the door, expecting to see someone by the light switch. He was met with no one, though, only a quiet chuckle from Steve as he said, "Automatic lights, Buck."
"Can't blame me for being paranoid, not after what we saw out thereā¦" Bucky mumbled as he holstered his weapon once more.
Now that they could see the room they were in, they noticed a layer of dust coating everything in the lab. Their shoes even left marks on the floor as they stepped in, the air beginning to fill with the small tufts of dust as it was disturbed. Walking over to a lab hood, Bruce studied it for a moment before saying, "I think it's safe to say that this place hasn't been occupied in a while."
"Then that just means it's less likely that someone'll come in here looking for us," Steve said with a nod as he began making his way over to the set of computers on the back wall.
And with that, they began their search. Steve got into the computer and began searching files while Bruce snooped around, hoping to find any vials that had been left behind when the facility was abandoned. Bucky was more hands on, opening drawers and cabinets to flick through papers that could prove that this was the facility they were looking for.
"Can I get a hand real quick, Bucky?" came Bruce's voice as he eyed something on the ground that looked like an area that had been scraped over and over again by something heavy - likely the cabinet right beside it.
"Yeah, sure," Bucky said, abandoning a file on top of the cabinet he had just raided, leaving it open to a page with a picture of a vial of chemical that had an almost silver sheen to it.
"I think this cabinet may be hiding something behind it," Bruce told him, nodding toward the scrapes along the flooring.
Bucky nodded and got to work, moving the heavy cabinet with ease, the loud and grating noise causing Wanda to look in from her post at the door. She returned her gaze to the hallways surrounding her when Bruce gave her a thumb up before turning his attention back to the lab. What was revealed behind the cabinet was an alcove that had a small fridge humming in the quiet of the small space.
"Hey, uh, Steve?" Bruce asked as he poked his head out from the alcove.
"Yeah?" he asked, turning his head from the computer he was hunched over.
"The Serum was blue, right?"
"Yeah, why?" he asked, his attention piqued by the question.
"I think I may just have found it," Bruce told him, jerking his head toward the alcove.
Steve's eyes widened the slightest bit and his eyebrows flicked up for a moment before he said, "Take pictures for evidence and then get it to the bag. We'll figure out what to do with it when we're outta here." After that order, he turned back to his computer, doubling down on how fast he was reading the files before him, muttering, "If the Serum's here, there's gotta be a recipe somewhere. There's gotta be some sort of record on who it was going toā¦"
Hearing his friend saying this, Bucky decided that the cabinet now in front of him would be the best place to find the recipe, seeing as it was hiding the damn stuff in the first place. When Bucky opened the cabinet, a handful of loose vials came tumbling out, flying toward the ground faster than Bucky could catch them! "Shit!" he whispered sharply as they clattered to the ground, the fine vials cracking as they made contact with the hard floor, the silvery contents forming a small puddle.
From the pool of fluid, a small cloud of fumes began permeating the air in the immediate vicinity, the fine silvery mist taking over the specks of dust that had become a staple in the room as more things were disturbed. One breath in of the cloud made Bucky start clearing his throat as he covered his mouth with his right inner elbow, hoping that the sleeve of his shirt would be enough to keep the offending mist out of his mouth while he looked into the cabinet for his target.
"You okay?" Steve asked, his eyes still focused on the screen in front of him.
In the moments that followed, a wave of dizziness washed over Bucky. Lurching forward, Bucky caught himself on the cabinet with his left arm, the metal on metal causing a loud crash to sound through the room. Looking into the cabinet, Bucky eyed a file that looked like it was labeled "Serum." He couldn't be sure, though, as his vision began to blur and black began to crest the outer corners of his vision. Still, he grabbed for the file. With his strength draining from his body, though, his hand slipped, causing the papers to go fluttering out of the file as he yanked it from the shelf.
"Buck?" Steve asked sharply, concern in his voice as he finally dragged his eyes away from the computer when he heard the crashing sound. "Buck!" he shouted when he saw his friend falling to the ground as his knees buckled.
Bucky forced his eyes open when he heard his name, seeing two blurry images of Steve making his way toward him with urgency in his step before black took over his vision.
a/n: ending it there was a tad cruel, huh? whoopsie! here's to to final angst arc of the series!
as always: likes, comments, re-blogs, etc are greatly appreciated! i love hearing from you guys!
Steve Harrington x Henderson!reader (no use of y/n)
installment list / previous chapter / next chapter
word count: 6,748
story content warnings: 18+ MDNI! canon typical warnings such as violence, gore, swearing, drinking, spice, angst, as well as some sickly sweet fluff thrown in!
further warning: there is a lot of gore/violence in this one, you guys! fair warning! graphic descriptions of violence, harm, blood, and a description of Mews postmortem. you have been warned!
A loud knock on the door startled you out of your book, your eyes shooting up from the pages and to the door as it continued to be pounded on. Placing your bookmark to hold your place, you uncurled yourself from the comfort of the blanket you were wrapped in on the couch. "Coming!" you called out to make the incessant noise stop.
When you opened the door, you saw three guys wearing Hawkins High letterman jackets. The one in front, Jason Carver, sent a smile your way as he said, "Henderson, hey. Is your brother home?"
With your eyebrows furrowing slightly as his friends began looking around you and into the house, you moved slightly to try and block their view as you said slowly, "No, he's been out of the house with his friends. Why?"
Jason sighed and said, "We know each other, we can be real, right?"
"I helped you out with your grades to stay on the team, sure," you said, the gears turning in your head as you tried to figure out what these jocks were doing at your house. "But to say we know each other is a stretch."
"Fine, just listen, okay?" he asked, a snappiness in his tone that you didn't appreciate. He turned on his natural charm as he continued, saying, "Now, Hawkins is a small town. I'm sure you've heard at least something about what happened at Forest Hills. And I'm sure you know who was killed. What I need you to know is that I think I know who did it - who the police believe did it. Eddie Munson. You know of him, right? The freak who leads that devil cult at the school?"
Shit.
Hot, acrid bile began creeping up your throat when he finished the statement, and it took every bit of acting experience from years at D&D tables to keep your face in a neutral position as your head began spinning. The police thought Eddie killed Chrissy Cunninghamā¦ And Jason was at your house asking about Dustin? Why would he beā¦? Unless Eddie was the friend Dustin was withā¦and now Jason's looking for both Eddie and Dustinā¦ Not goodā¦ You needed him out off your front porch, off of Dustin's trail, off of Eddie's trailā¦
When you didn't say anything for a few moments while thinking through your predicament, Jason plowed forward, saying, "That club he runs is no good. It's a cult at best and making Satanic sacrifices at worst! I'm sure your brother is one of the ones who didn't know what he was gettin' into when he joined. We just need to help him find his way out. If he does, then we can get justice for Chrissy."
As you continued to process all of this, your head filled with the sharp pain of the ever-lingering migraine. With a grunt of discontent as you squeezed your eyes closed, you shook your head, telling him, "Look, Jason, I have the worst migraine right now, and I really don't have time to talk. I don't know where my brother is." Forcing a small and sweet smile onto your lips, you finished with, "But if I see him or hear anything, I'll reach out. We'll help him see the light, make sure he gets saved from this...devil worship." You needed him to go away and quick, before the panic set inā¦
"Great! I appreciate it. You have my number still?"
"That I do," you replied, sending the group off with a wave.
When you turned back inside and locked the door behind you, you slid down it as panicked breaths began heaving out of your chest. Tears began to fall as you processed everything you had just learned. It was a miracle that you had been able to hold it together, considering the gravity of the situationā¦ You needed to call Eddie's trailer again. See if Uncle Wayne knew anything. See if it was trueā¦ Surely it couldn't be!
So, getting up on unsteady legs, you made your way to the phone and dialed Eddie's number, making your way to the couch as it rang. When you sat down, you tried to control your ragged breathing before the line picked up. You had to keep your wits about you. That's what you would do in D&D, so that was what you needed to do now.
The line finally picked up, and before you could even take a breath to say anything, Wayne's gruff voice was snapping, "I've told the goddamn cops all I know, and I ain't got anythin' left to say to you vultures with the newspaper!"
Before he could hang up, you quickly blurted out, "Uncle Wayne! It's me!"
There were a few moments of silence before he finally said in a softer tone, "Ohā¦Henderson. Iā¦I'm sure you've heard about all the shit goin' on?"
"Yeah, I have. What happened? Where's Eddie? I'm worried about himā¦" you said in quick succession.
"If I knew where he was, I wouldn't be sittin' in this goddamn trailer, now would I?" he snapped once more.
"Rightā¦" you whispered, cradling your head in your hand as another migraine pain flooded your nerves.
He was quiet once again before he said in a soft and almost broken voice, "They think he did itā¦ You and I both know there ain't a violent bone in that boy's body, so why they think that beyond circumstance is beyond meā¦"
"I know, I know. I don't understand it eitherā¦" you whispered, your voice breaking with emotion. "There's some kids from the school trying to find him, and Iā¦I'm scared for him."
You heard a deep sigh leave his lungs before he said, "Somethin' sinister's goin' on, kidā¦ Be safe out there. If he comes to you, call."
"I will," you promised before the line went dead and tears began falling from your eyes once more.
What the hell had Eddie and Dustin gotten themselves into?
"You okay, honey?" your mom asked as the two of you made your way into City Hall for a meeting that was being held in regards to the, now string, of murders that had happened over the last few days in Hawkins.
"Yeah, fine, justā¦worried," you whispered as your eyes darted around the room that was packed with people from around town.
"Did your phone call with Steve help any?" she asked, trying to keep your mind distracted as you waited for the meeting to kick off.
A small smile made its way onto your lips as you nodded, telling her, "It did. He said he's been staying safe since all this started, even with the trips back and forth to work. Said he's worried about me and misses me, but that I need to stay safe tooā¦"
"Well, isn't that sweet of him?" she asked, giving your hand a squeeze.
Before you could say anything in return, Lucas and Mike's families showed up, taking their seats on the other side of your mom. The room began filling in more and more as what felt like at least half the town crowded into the small room. You scooted your chair closer to your mom as others began scooting theirs in closer as well to make room for those standing. "This is insaneā¦" you whispered as you craned your neck to survey the room.
"Can't blame people for wanting to know what's going on," your mom told you, her attention being grabbed by the line of people beginning to make their way onto the stage. "Here we goā¦ Time to find out what they've found out about those poor kidsā¦"
"Yeahā¦" you whispered, your eyes darting down to your lap as your hands settled there and tried, but failed, to remain still, knowing what they were about to announce to the whole town.
You didn't want to be there. Truthfully, you had tried to get out of it. You tried to fake a fever with the hairdryer, but your mom's worry about your safety and not leaving you alone prevailed. So, there you were, sitting in a crowded room, about to hear the Chief of Police announce that they suspected one of your best friends of murderā¦ To say your mind was loud was the understatement of the century.
The anxiety flooding your mind only got worse as Police Chief Powell took his spot at the podium. He cleared his throat before he began speaking, telling the crowd, "Thank you all for comin' out tonight. I know that it's been a long week with everything goin' on, but I hope that this meeting'll help ease that anxiety. As you all know, there have been three students from Hawkins High found dead this week. We've gathered today to tell you all that we've been investigating and now have a prime suspect. Eddie Munson. Kid's been missing since the first victim was found in his trailer in Forest Hills."
Even though you knew what was coming, you still got the feeling you always did when your anxiety spiked: a numbness in your joints, a feeling of cotton and fullness in your ears, and the tightening of your throat. These things only got worse when you heard your mom gasp quietly, seeing out of the corner of your eye that one hand went to cover her mouth in shock. As the crowd around you began talking loudly, your mom leaned in and whispered your name sharply, asking, "Why does it look like you knew what he was about to say? If you know-!"
"I don't, Mom!" you shot back, your voice breaking as you did. "Chrissy's boyfriend came to the house asking questions because he knew Dustin hangs out with him! Told me what the police thought."
"Came asking questionsā¦? Why?" she leaned over to Karen and asked, "Dustin's been at your place, right? Hasā¦?"
"No, no, no, I haven't seen himā¦" Karen responded, shaking her head.
All conversation stopped when Police Chief Powell called for silence. You all sat up straight in your seats when he did, your attention back on him as he said, "Now, I know you all have questions. We will take some as long as you're calm and orderly about it!"
The first question was asked by a fiercely concerned woman. "How long have you known Eddie was killing these kids? It was his trailer where Chrissy was killed, and you expect us to believe that he was just made a suspect this morning?"
With a diplomatic tone of voice, Chief Powell informed her, "The truth is that we've been followin' several leads, and yes, Eddie Munson was one of 'em. And now, we're doin' everything in our power to find him." Your fingernails dug into the denim of your jeans, the sharp sting an escape to ensure that you didn't show your emotions in front of everyone. All you could do was focus on that feeling and on Chief Powell's voice as he continued with, "In the meantime, for your safety, we will be enforcing a strict curfew."
More chaos erupted throughout the room as Hawkins' citizens heard what the Chief's solution was. The woman at the question mic asked him sharply, "That is your solution!?"
A different woman shouted out from the crowd, "Hide from him? We're already doing that!"
This time, a man's voice rang through the room, saying, "It's been days! Days! So you tell me why he's not behind bars right now!"
Chief Powell spoke once again, calling out to the crowd, "I understand that you're all upset, but I promise you we will find him!"
"No." The new voice addition made your heart begin racing even faster in your chest. It was Jason, storming in with his band of basketball players flanking him. He looked Chief Powell in the eye as he said, "You won't."
"Jasonā¦" he said exasperatedly. "Son, how 'bout we talk about this in private?"
"Why? So you can keep me quiet?" he asked as he began making his way down the aisle in the middle of the room. "So you can keep the truth from coming out?" Looking out over the crowd, he continued his speech by saying, "Now, I don't know about the rest of you, but I can't bear to listen to any more excuses and lies!"
"That's enough!"
"I agree! I've had enough!" Jason shouted, pointing an accusatory finger at the Chief. He once more began looking around the room as he said, "In fact, I think we've all had enough!" This earned cheers and claps from the crowd and you began shifting in your seat uncomfortably as you tried to make yourself smaller so he wouldn't see you.
Jason finally grabbed the microphone as he said, "Last nightā¦" his voice wavering with emotion that almost made you feel bad for himā¦ He cleared his throat before continuing, "Last night, I saw things, things I can't explain. Things the police don't wanna believe. Things I don't wanna believe myself. But I know what I saw. I know! And I've come to accept an awful truth."
Your attempt at hiding failed when Jason made direct eye contact with you as he said, "These murders are ritualistic sacrifices!" Ripping your eyes away from his, you stared at your hands as he plowed forward by shouting, "We've all heard how satanic cults are spreading through our country like someā¦some disease! And Eddie Munson is the leader of one of these cults! A cult that operates right here in Hawkins!"
The blood rushing past your ears grew louder as your anxiety rose, and your groan of pain as your migraine returned was covered up by the raucous crowd. You barely heard Jason saying, "They call themselves Hellfire," all things considered, but there was no mistaking Erica's voice as she stood and shouted, "That's bullshit! Hellfire isn't a cult, it's a club for nerds."
"Erica!" Mrs. Sinclair whisper-shouted at her daughter as she pulled her back down in her seat.
"Just the facts!" she countered, pulling her arm out of her mother's grasp.
Jason took her words and ran with them, holding up his flyer of the yearbook's Hellfire Club picture, saying into the mic, "A club! A harmless club. That's what they want you to think. But it's a lie! A lie designed to conceal the truth!"
As he said this, from the person on your left, one of the flyers was thrust into your hand, and you saw that it said "wanted" in bold letters on the top. Above a picture that had your little brother in it. A wave of nausea washed over you and tears began to prick the backs of your eyes as your mom snatched the flyers out of your hands and clutched onto them tight.
You should have done something, said something, babysitting jobs be damnedā¦ But as Jason continued his speech, encouraging the citizens of Hawkins to hunt down Eddie, your brother, your friendsā¦you sat, frozen in your seat. It was times like these when you wished the real you was as confident as the characters you play in D&D, as confident as you somehow inspired Dustin to be by introducing him to the game. Yet, there you were: anxiety gluing you to your seat, a migraine clouding your mind's ability to string the right words together, and tears starting to silently stream down your face as you fought with yourself over just what the hell to doā¦
The next time you were zoned into reality was when your mom was pulling you up from the chair you were in and urgently guiding you out of the building. You felt like a zombie as you followed her movement, getting into the car and buckling your seat belt out of habit, not out of a conscious effort. Her voice was urgent with fear as she whispered your name and asked one more time, "Honey, do you know where Eddie is? If what Chief Powell is saying is trueā¦"
"It isn't!" you shouted, snapping your head to look at her, the movement making you dizzy as she pulled the car out of the lot. "You of all people know what Hellfire is! You have two kids in it! It isn't some demon cult! Eddie isn't a killer!"
"Yes, but no matter how much I believe that, those people out there don't!" she retorted, her voice breaking with emotion as her eyes stayed focused on the road. "My little boy's face is on a poster that those lunatics are using as a target list! Your little brother! I'm worried sick and I'm scared, okay? I'm scared!"
"Momā¦" you whispered, barely able to swallow through the emotions building in your throat. "Iā¦I'm scared, tooā¦ Not only for Dustin, but for meā¦ I may not have been public as a member, but if one person asks the right question, then I'm on their radar, too! This is scary and dangerous and Iā¦I don't know what to do! I wish I did, but I don't! I hid my membership for this exact reason, and nowā¦ I don't knowā¦"
As you went to wipe your tears, you looked down and saw little droplets of blood on the denim of your jeans. "Goddamnitā¦" you whispered, reaching into the glovebox to try and find a napkin to clean up with. When you did, you felt more blood gush out of your nose, the smell and feeling atrocious to your senses.
"Honey! Are you okay?" your mom asked when she dared a glance over to you and saw the blood now covering your hand and sleeve as you searched desperately for something to clean up with. When you didn't respond, she said, "We're almost to the Wheelers' place. We'll get you cleaned up there."
You were met with the same question from Mrs. Wheeler as everyone urgently made their way into the house, followed by her ushering you to the nearest bathroom before making her way back to the group of families in the living room. As you finally got a moment alone, everything began hitting you again and the tears really began to fall. They mixed with the blood that was beginning to dry on your upper lip, and ran into your mouth as you held back the sobs clawing their way out of your chest.
It took a few minutes, but you finally managed to breathe the anxiety away, just barely, but it was enough to wash your face without drowning in the water on accidentā¦ When you closed your eyes to protect them from the warm water you were beginning to clean off with, a sort of vision flashed through your mind, just like it had the day Chrissy's murder was announced on the news. It was of Jason coming toward with with a dangerous look in his eye. When he neared you, his arm raised up, revealing a pistol that he aimed right between your eyes as he said, "Burn in Hell, freak!"
Right as the shot went off in the vision, you managed to pull yourself out of it with a sharp gasp. Some of the water managed to get into your mouth as this happened, and as you sputtered on it, a wave of nausea hit you. Hard. There was barely enough time for you to throw open the toilet seat and kneel on the ground before you were emptying your stomach. When it felt like you had gotten everything out of your system, you sat back against the wall, your chest heaving as you recovered from the whole ordeal. Your head still ached and your stomach was still uneasy, but everything was starting to feel less intenseā¦
The relief was temporary, though.
As you got up from the floor to begin cleaning yourself up, you felt warmth beginning to drip from your nose again. "Jesus Christā¦" you muttered, grabbing for a wad of toilet paper to soak up the blood.
You were in the bathroom for the better part of an hour, the time alone with your bloody nose and migraine interrupted occasionally by your mom asking if you were okay. When you finally emerged from the small room, you gave Mrs. Wheeler a tight smile as you approached the group sitting tensely around the living room. The smile she returned was warm, and she stood from her spot on the couch, wrapping an arm around your shoulders as she guided you toward the kitchen, saying, "Let's get you something to settle your stomach, hunā¦"
"Thank youā¦" you replied quietly as you stood with her, watching as she grabbed a mug from a cabinet.
She filled the electric kettle with water and turned it on before rifling through the pantry. When she turned back, she placed a bag of tea in the mug as she said, "Try this. Ginger tea. It helped a lot when I was pregnant with Holly. Kept it around ever since."
Shock filled your body when she said this, your eyes wide as you quickly told her, "Oh! I-I'm notā¦ It's just anxietyā¦and a bad migraineā¦ Notā¦ I'm not pregnantā¦"
"Oh, I just thought, with the nosebleed and the throwing upā¦" she began saying. Her keen eyes closely watched your reaction to her words as she added, "And with the way you and Steve were talking on the phone last nightā¦ I just assumed."
"Oh- You- I- I'm sorry, I didn't know he was here, I-"
"Hey, it's okay," she assured you as the kettle came to a rolling boil and stopped heating up. "I didn't mean to listen in, I just picked up the other phone and caught some of the conversation." She poured the hot water into the mug with the bag, giving your hand a light squeeze before she left the room, telling you, "Either way, this tea should help. We'll be in the living room when you're ready to join us. I have a feeling it's gonna be a long nightā¦"
"You can't be serious!" your mom said exasperatedly from her position on the couch with Tews curled up on her lap.
"Mom, we've been over this! Multiple times!" you told her as you grabbed your migraine medication off of the kitchen counter and tossed it into your bag. "The Allens' have had these plans for months! I can't let them down! Remember how much they're paying me?"
"You'll be over halfway to your savings goal, I know, but you can't justā¦ It isn't safe! Not after what happened yesterday at the town hall meeting!" she protested. "You said it yourself! The right person asks the right questions and they're on your trail! What then?"
"I won't be here to be found," you countered, giving her a pointed look. "And you won't be either. Go to the Wheelers' place. You'll be safe there with them."
"Iā¦" she said, the fire burning in her chest dimming against your argument. She finally nodded, saying, "You're rightā¦"
"It'll be fine, Mom. Promise," you told her, your voice softening. You sat next to her on the couch and leaned over to give her a hug, whispering, "I'm sorry I snappedā¦ With everything going on and my migrainesā¦ I have a shorter fuse than usualā¦"
"It's okay," she replied, giving you a squeeze. When you pulled away, she gave you a firm nod as she said, "Now, you go make sure those kids stay safe. They're counting on you."
"That they are," you confirmed, getting up from the couch and grabbing your bag to head out.
Your destination wasn't too far of a walk, just a few streets down, and the fresh air you got during the walk was just what you needed. You felt at least some relief from the dull ache in your head as you got some sun on your face and some fresh spring air in your lungs. When you arrived at the house, you were greeted enthusiastically by Mr. and Mrs. Allen, as well as the two kids you were in charge of for the next few days.
Before the parents took their leave for their trip, Mr. Allen pulled you aside and spoke in a low voice, saying, "Heyā¦ I dunno if you have any sort of experience with it, but with everything that's been going on latelyā¦ There's a gun in the safe in our bedroom. The code is 2584. If anyone tries to hurt or threaten you or the kids, I give you permission to do what you have to."
"Oh, okay, yeah, 2584, got it," you stuttered out, nodding your head and giving him a tight smile.
He gave you a pat on the shoulder before turning to the kids to hug them one more time, their joyful conversation zoned out as another migraine pain shot through your head. You went through the motions of telling them goodbye, finally able to take yourself out of the fog of pain to put a bright smile on your face as you asked the kids, "Who's ready for a fun day?"
"Me!!!" the seven and five year olds cheered in tandem, bouncing up and down in excitement as you turned toward your bag and began pulling out games and dress up costumes that you had made just for them in anticipation for the next few days.
While the pair got changed into their fantasy inspired costumes, you got into yours: it was more plain than theirs, just a flowing off-white dress, paired with accessories to make you look like a tavern keeper. When they returned with their adventuring gear on, you put on a fanciful accent as you said, "Now! I see a band of adventurers have entered my humble tavern! What sort of beast would you like to slay today?"
Between each offer of a creature, you pulled a face and made grand gestures to really pull the kids into the game you were running them through, flipping through your sketchbook and showing them each monster they had the choice of slaying. "The latest spotting was of a fearsome green dragon! He pillaged a nearby village and left it in ruins! There's also talk of a dangerous manticore lurking in the mountains nearbyā¦ Some even say that he's an informant for some unnamed evil in the land! You could also slay the dreaded tribe of trolls, who have threatened this very tavern! What say you, adventurers?"
The day went on as planned, with the kids and you running around the house playing pretend and getting their energy out. By the time dinner rolled around and you made the kid-friendly equivalent of tavern grub, they were practically falling asleep at the table, their voices weary and their eyelids heavy as they reminisced over the day's game. Once their bellies were full and you made sure their homework was done, you got both of them ready for bed. They were both out like lights, their breathing becoming even in deep sleep within minutes.
When you finally had time to yourself, you made yourself a mug of warm tea and turned on the record player. After digging through the nearby collection, you found some classical vinyl that you put on for background noise as you pulled out your book and began reading to wind down for the evening.
It didn't feel like too long before the record stopped spinning and you were taken out of your focus on the book. Instead of the steady pace you had going before, you found yourself reading the same paragraph over and over again, unable to process any of it as suddenly the nearby tick of a clock became too loud to concentrate over. As you tried and failed to concentrate, your head began aching again, causing you to heave out a frustrated sigh. When you zoned back into reality, you looked at the bottom of the page you were on and noticed a few drops of fresh blood.
"This is getting ridiculousā¦" you whispered frustratedly as you wiped your nose and began getting up from the couch. Maybe you needed to see a doctorā¦ This couldn't be normal. You couldn't remember any recent trauma to your head, though, so you weren't sure what the hell could be causing these symptoms all of a sudden.
As you made your way to the bathroom to clean up, you glanced at the grandfather clock the Allens' had in the living room, sighing when you realized that it was over an hour too early to take another pill. You were desperate for relief, though, so after you cleaned up, you dug through your bag for another two pills to try and keep the migraine at bay. You also grabbed your set of pajamas out of the bag, the soft fabric soothing and cool against your skin, and you hoped that they would help you settle down for the night.
Finally, a few minutes later, armed with a cool towel for your head, you made your way back to the living room. After getting comfortable on the plush couch, you placed the cool cloth over your closed eyes, sighing contentedly. This would work. The wash cloth would tide you over until the pills kicked in. You would be relaxed soo-
Your heart lurched suddenly when you felt something crawling across your legs. The wet thwack of the cloth hitting the hardwood was barely heard as blood rushed past your ears while you looked around for what had been crawling over you. When you saw it, your heart began racing as you pulled your legs closer to you, biting your cheek to keep from screaming. It was a huge spider, practically staring at you from the other side of the couch. "Jesus fucking Christā¦" you whispered, your hands shaking as you quickly glanced around, trying to find something besides your book to whack it with.
What you saw only terrified you further. You weren't sure where they came from, because they hadn't been there all day, but there were suddenly spiders and spiderwebs everywhere. Before you could even think about what to do next, there was a harsh banging at the front door that made you finally jump off the couch onto your unsteady legs. When you turned toward the door, you saw that it wasn't the door to the Allens' houseā¦ It was one with a stained glass rose on the window. With your eyebrows furrowed, you turned around again, only to see that the living room wasn't the same anymore, either.
"What the hell is going on?" you whispered to yourself, your mind beginning to spin as you tried to rationalize what was happening.
There was no time to process anything going on, because suddenly, you heard your brother's voice shouting through the door, "Come out here and talk to me, you liar! How could you?!"
"D-Dustin? What-?" you began to ask, but cut yourself off when another voice sounded off behind you.
You turned sharply toward the voice - the voice of Jason - as he called, "I know your little secret, Henderson! You're one of those Hellfire freaks!" followed by the sound of a metal bat being hit rhythmically in a bare hand.
Not wanting to risk facing Jason or whatever the hell was happening, you turned and ran, finding yourself in a kitchen. You froze in your tracks, though, when you saw Steve and Robin there, their hands wandering each others' body as they sloppily kissed. Steve had her pressed against the counter, her leg hooked up around his while she had one hand laced in his hair, the other pulling at the hem of his shirt.
A quiet sob clawed its way out of your throat, muffled by your hand and the fact that you turned again and began making your way out of the kitchen. You found yourself in a dining room, and you could still hear Jason somewhere behind you. So, you turned in a circle to find a way to escape from him. You spotted a staircase to your right, but as you went to step toward it, you saw something that made you stop in your tracks.
It was Mews. "Mewsā¦ Hey, babyā¦" you whispered, your voice cracking as you stared at her slinking down the stairs toward you. As she did, though, she began flickering in and out, the image of her flashing between what you remember her as, then her covered in blood and gashes, and then as a sort of zombie-like creature. "W-what the fu-"
Before you could finish your sentence, suddenly, Jason appeared at the top of the stairs, a sick grin on his face. Blood was splattered all across his green and white letterman jacket, as well as the bat he carried in his hand, spinning it around with purpose as he approached. When you turned toward the living room to get away, the sight before you nearly made you throw up. There on the floor in pools of blood were Mike, Lucas, Gareth, Jeff, and Ronnie. They were all beat to hell and their eyes stared blankly at the ceiling. All except Ronnie. With a shuddering breath, she managed to turn over and reach out to you and choke out, "Pleaseā¦helpā¦meā¦"
"Ronnie, I-Iā¦" you began to say, but cut yourself off when suddenly there was a deep and echoing voice calling your name.
As you tried to find another escape route, you found yourself surrounded on all sides. Behind you was Jason, baseball bat in hand as he approached. To your right was Steve and Robin, their hair and clothes disheveled as if they didn't even bother to fix themselves after the tense makeout session. On your left was Dustin and Mews, the latter approaching and circling your legs as she flicked through those horrible states of injury and decay. And in front of you loomed a terrifying creature you could only describe as soā¦ It had claws for fingers, its face almost skeleton-like, with tendrils encasing its whole body in what looked like a sort of armor.
When its mouth moved, you realized that it was the source of the voice calling your name. You were paralyzed in fear, unable to move a muscle as the monster approached you, reaching out its arm and wrapping its claws around your throat. When it spoke again, the haunting voice said, "Just let go. If you do, then all of this can go away. All your despair. Your hurt. Your suffering. All of it can go awayā¦"
As the creature's claws began to tighten around your throat, you sobbed, the fear of the situation overwhelming you. Your mind still retained the will to hold on, though, the mental block holding the creature back from tearing into you instantaneously like it wanted to.
The words the creature spoke resonated with you in a way you were uncomfortable withā¦because they were almostā¦ Comforting? You hated the feelings you had been dealing with for months on endā¦ You wanted your mind to feel at ease for more than a few days at a timeā¦ You wanted those horrible feelings to stop haunting your every nightmare, and even some of your waking hoursā¦
When you thought this was when you felt an intense pain in your leg as the lower half of your right leg snapped! A cry of agony ripped from your chest and the creature spoke again, telling you, "If you just give inā¦all the pain will stop. You don't have to be strong anymore."
Strongā¦ That was all you had been since your dad left. You had to be. You had to be strong for yourself, for your mom, and especially for Dustin. If you didn't, then things would fall apart. You were strong when you moved away from all of your friends in Michigan. You were strong throughout high school as you hid your true self in order to save face. You were strong when you told your mom that you were fine with letting Dustin go to college instead of you. You were so goddamn tired of being strongā¦
The scent of blood hit your nose as your femur snapped, piercing through the skin as it broke under the force of the creature now holding you a few inches above the floor. The creature's face was close as it told you, "Let go and you'll be at peace. You can finally rest. Just ask herā¦"
As it said this, you heard the distinct meow of Mews from below you. The sound snapped you out of the horrible thoughts running through your head. Mews was dead. Mews was dead, and this creature wanted you to join her. With a grunt of effort to try and pry the claws off of your neck, you finally got one good breath of air. With the oxygen flowing to your brain, you began scraping together whatever rational thoughts you could.
This couldn't be real. This was some nightmare you were having. You would wake up, be a responsible and fun babysitter for two more days, and then go back home to take care of Tews. Tews, who you had been practically solely responsible for since your graduation. Who relied on you for food and water and enrichment. That was real. That was concrete. As your right arm snapped at the joint, you screamed in agony, because even though you kept telling yourself that this was all a horrible nightmare, the pain felt so real.
The creature grew frustrated as you put up more of a blockage against him. In a last ditch effort, he pulled out the big guns, telling you, "Give in and you never have to hide who you really are. What you really love. Who you really love." There was no time to fight this time, the creature growing angry and snapping the lower half of your left arm clean through. More blood began seeping from your wounds, just as more tears of pure pain fell from your eyes.
The combination of the blood loss and lack of oxygen to your brain was making you fade, your mind barely able to stay alert in the following moments. Even with your mind starting to fade away, you could feel the cold, supernatural powers moving from your left arm to your sternum. The feeling creeped upward, and with one final promise, the creature whispered, "Let go and you won't have to spread yourself so thin to please others."
You felt the coldness beginning to climb through your jaw, spreading over your entire head. Before the creature could deal the final blow, he was forced away from you, his body flying backward and into the foyer of the house. "You little bit-" he shouted before you fell to the ground in a heap and he disappeared.
As you hit the ground, your eyes closed as awful, agonizing pain wracked your entire body. You were finally able to breathe again, though, so you took some gasping breaths before opening your eyes once more, finding yourself back in the Allens' living room. You thought everything was truly a nightmare that you were just waking up from until you tried to move to sit up. When you tried to use your arm to push yourself off of the ground, all you felt was pain - sharp and shooting down your spine after it ran through your arm.
Looking over at it, you became lightheaded when you saw that what had happened in the nightmare was real. Surveying your body as best you could, you realized that all of it was real. Your limbs were broken - snapped clean in two, with some of the bones sticking out and causing injuries that steadily seeped blood onto the area rug you found yourself on. You couldn't move. You could barely breathe through your throat that was constricted with injury, emotion, and panic. You couldn't reach the phone to call for help if you tried. You felt doomedā¦
Consciousness faded in and out of your body, the terrible pain combined with steady blood loss making it hard to stay awake. As tears flooded down your cheeks, you began pleading to whatever god would listen, "Pleaseā¦ Please send help! Iā¦I don't know howā¦how long I have. Iā¦I can'tā¦this can't beā¦ Pleaseā¦"
With that final plea, the room faded to black once more.
a/n: and there it is! the idea that started it all! this whole story stemmed from the idea of "what if the MC was involved with Steve and they were targeted by Vecna?" i hope you all enjoyed this huge angst pile of a chapter!
as always: likes, comments (emojis, keyboard smashes, etc!), and re-blogs are greatly appreciated! until next time!
Steve Harrington x Henderson!reader (no use of y/n)
installment list / previous chapter / next chapter
word count: 4,093
story content warnings: 18+ MDNI! canon typical warnings such as violence, gore, swearing, drinking, spice, angst, as well as some sickly sweet fluff thrown in!
"How many hit points are you at?" you asked, your heart racing as you looked toward your brother. His character was one of the last remaining targets on the battlefield as your party faced off against final boss of the campaign: Lord Vecna - back from the dead after the party had thought they killed him in an earlier session.
"Sixā¦" he muttered, his voice muffled by his hand as he shook his head. "You?"
"Fourā¦" you sighed. You looked toward Eddie as you said, "I'm gonna use my last prepared spell to cast Cure Light Wounds on him."
"Wait! No! What about you?" Dustin asked.
Turning back toward Dustin, you said, "I place my hand on your shoulder and look you in the eye as I sayā¦" You changed your voice to that of your character as you finished with, "'For the fate of us all.'"
"Okay, go ahead and roll hit points," Eddie said, nodding his head in interest toward what you were doing.
"That'sā¦" you said, tossing the die onto the battle map so it would land near where the two character minis were sitting, "six hit points!"
"All right. Is there anything else you want to do?"
"I will use my movement to charge toward Vecna, shouting at him, 'Face the wrath of Cerunnos, you great, ugly monster!'"
Eddie sat back in his seat, running his fingers over his chin as if he was playing with a goatee. "Roll me a persuasion check, please."
"Fuckā¦" you whispered, looking at your abysmal persuasion stat. "Dice gods, don't fail me nowā¦ We really need to pull this offā¦"
Everyone around the table began leaning in, fingers crossed, breath held, eyes focused on the d20 that left your hand after a good shake. When it settled, everyone's eyes snapped to you. You didn't let yourself triumph just yet, because you knew how hard Eddie would make it sometimes to convince his monsters of anything. There was a hint of hesitation in your voice as you said slowly, "That's a nat twenty minus one, for a nineteenā¦"
Silence filled the theater room as the two of you stared at each other from across the table, neither showing any sort of expression in the tense moments that followed as Eddie rolled a die of his own. Finally, after an agonizing ten seconds, Eddie said, "As Lord Vecna hears your words, he's reminded of an ill-fated encounter with your god. Turning away from his previous target, he hones in on you, pointing his staff your way as he fires off a spell of billowing black energy! Remind me of your AC."
"You know damn well it's a 16, Munsonā¦" you told him as you narrowed your eyes and shook your head.
"I know, I know, I just like to see you squirm," he said in a teasing tone as he rolled his d20 behind the DM screen. With a slight raise of his eyebrows, Eddie looked back up at you as he said, "Those remaining watch as this spell is sent toward your cleric. The one who's been there for you from the start, healing your wounds, saving you from the undeadā¦ As the spell hits her, you see necrotic energy spreading throughout her body! Black, tendril-like growths appear to encompass her entire being before they begin tearing her apart! Piece by bloody piece, until there is nothing but flesh, bone, and fabric in their wake. And with that, Lady Elderdew has been slain."
As he said this, you closed your eyes, nodding your head as you pictured the brutal scene. As Jeff whispered, "Holy shitā¦" you sighed, squeezing your eyes as a flash of pain radiated through your head.
"Okay, time out, time out, time out!" Mike shouted as he took in the battle map that only had two player characters now standing.
"Party huddle!" Dustin called, signaling everyone to stand up from their seats at the table. You were too distracted massaging your temples to keep the migraine you had been nursing for the last two days at bay to notice the gesture. What brought your attention to the huddle was Dustin saying your name and grabbing you under the arm to haul you into the circle. "I'm sorry about Celestiaā¦" he whispered on the way there.
"Thanksā¦" you replied, a downcast tone in your voice.
When everyone got into the circle, Gareth told the group, "Guysā¦ I hate to say this, but we've gotta fleeā¦ Celestia's dead because of whatever spell he just cast, and strictly table-topping, that means it did so much damage that she didn't even get to roll death saves like the rest of us! Who knows what the hell else he's got up his sleeve!"
Erica glared at him as she asked, "Didn't we just agree 'to the death'?"
"That wasn't literal!" he countered.
"Vecna just decimated us! We can't kill him with just two players!" Jeff agreed.
With an incredulous look on his face, Dustin asked, "You too? He only has fifteen hit points left! Don't be pussies!"
"Pussies? Really? 'Cause we aren't delusional?" Gareth asked.
It was Erica's turn to snap, asking, "Delusional? How 'bout not cowards?"
"Hey!" came Eddie's voice as it echoed off the props stored around the room. The group stood from the huddle to look at him as he said, "If I may interject, ladies and gentlemenā¦ Whilst I respect the passion, you'd be wise to take Gareth the Great's concern to heart. There is no shame in running. Don't try to be heroes. Not today, 'kay? You saw what happens when you try to be a heroā¦"
"One secā¦" Dustin told him, putting his finger up before everyone leaned back in for the huddle. "What d'you think, Mike?"
"How many hit points do you and Applejack have left after that heal?" he asked
Erica and Dustin replied at the same time, telling him, "Twelve."
As he nodded and began thinking once more, you finally found your words, making a point to speak loudly enough for Eddie to hear. "I say you go for it. Celestia's last action was to give you a fighting chance at survival. And that's what you need to do! Survive! Slay this monster! Free the realm of his evil! Rid his cult of their leader! Show him that some ragtag group of adventurers can take down a wannabe god! You've each got a shot to take him down before it's his turn again! Make it count! Be the heroes you set out to be!"
"Yeah!!" Dustin, Erica, and Mike shouted, smiles on their face as your speech motivated them. "Let's kill the son of a bitch!" Dustin said with finality in his voice.
As the group turned back toward the table, Eddie nodded slowly, saying, "Another resounding speech, Lady Henderson. Very wellā¦"
Following Dustin toward the table, Jeff attempted to dissuade him, saying, "The chances of success are twenty to one! You're really gonna let your sister talk you into a suicide mission? Her character's dead! She's got nothing to lose! She's being delusional!"
"Never tell me the odds," Dustin said to Jeff, quoting Han Solo. He turned to him briefly as he said, "And my sister is a lot of things, but delusional isn't one." A small smile was sent your way before he finished with, "She got me into this game. That gave me the confidence to be who I am - to be who I want to be. She taught me to face things head on in this game, even if they're scary. We're going to win this battle!"
"If you say soā¦" Eddie said, picking up a d20 and tossing it Dustin's way.
"Come on, c'mon, c'monā¦" you whispered as you stood beside Dustin, intently watching the die he tossed across the table in hopes of hitting the Litch-King in front of him.
When it landed on an eleven, everyone groaned and cursed as Eddie threw his head back and forth and exclaimed, "That's a miss!" When he stopped his head-banging, he looked to Erica as he said, "Try your worst, kid!"
"You got this, Erica!" you told the younger girl, giving her shoulders a quick massage before she picked a die up and began shaking it in her hands.
"Please!" Gareth shouted, his plea directed at the die as it was released from her hand.
"Come on!" was Dustin's shout, watching now from the side of the group with Gareth.
The die flew across the battle map with a chorus of pleas, shouts, and cheers coming from everyone as it made its journey. You felt your heart racing in your chest as it tumbled, only getting faster as the die began to slow. When the side that was revealed was a natural twenty, the table burst into cheers! "Crit hit!" Erica shouted, jumping up and down in excitement!
"What!? What!?" Eddie screamed, jumping up from his chair once more as he looked at the die on the map.
"Read it and weep, Munson!" you shouted, pointing a teasing finger at him before cheering in glee for Erica.
"And that's why we play!" Eddie said, finally giving into the excitement of the group, giving the young girl a bow as an invitation to describe how she would like to kill the final boss.
"Okay, okay, okay! You guys ready for this?" Erica asked loud enough to be heard over the hooting and hollering in the room.
"How do you wanna do this, Lady Applejack?" you asked, your smile evident in your voice.
"I usually like to kill my prey slowly, but this ugly-ass monster doesn't deserve to be alive any longer than necessary!" she said.
"Damn straight!" Gareth agreed.
"So! As I hold up my dagger and look him in the eye, I spit in his face before driving the blade right into his other eye! When he falls to the ground, I take the time to stomp his head in, to make sure the son of a bitch doesn't ever come back again!"
"I have to admit, that is pretty badassā¦" Jeff lamented, sticking his fist out for Erica to bump.
"And with that!" Eddie said as everyone began sitting back in their seats. "I would like to thank each and every one of you for being here tonight and for being here every night that we've played since starting this campaign. You've all been through an immense amount of trials since your characters began on this journey, and I just wanted to say how proud I am of you all for sticking it out! It's been an honor, and I can't wait 'til the next one!"
"Thank you, Eddie!" Dustin said sincerely. "We couldn't have done any of it without your incredible world-building!"
"Yeah! What an awesome setting! I'll have to get some advise from you for my own campaigns!" Mike said, earning a nod and a wink from the older boy.
Eddie put his hands in the air to stop everyone's movement and chatter before saying, "Even though the evil is vanquished and the realm is saved, life continues on. If you all would like, we can end the session talking about what each of you would do following the events of the demise of the dreaded Lord Vecna. Dustin! You first!"
Dustin gave everyone in the group a look, earning nods in return, before saying, "I think the first thing we'll do as a group is bring Celestia back to Stone Haven and have a proper funeral for her there."
"Awe, Dustinā¦" you gushed, an emotional smile on your lips at the sentiment.
Eddie looked to you as he asked, "Seeing as they're taking your remains back to your hometown, I think it's fair to say that the townsfolk would know the specific burial rituals you would want as a cleric to Cerunnos. How would you like your funeral to look?"
"You guys! I've never had a character funeral before, this is so niceā¦" you exclaimed, feeling a tear run down your cheek at the sentimentality of it all. "Okay, so when you get my body back to the church and tell them what happened and who you're coming to bury, the head of the church will start making arrangements immediately. When the time for the ceremony arrives, you'll see a ritual circle set up around the casket. There are candles and sigils and furs adorning the ground and small structures you can tell are made for this sort of thing. The head of the church leads everyone in a prayer, calling to Cerunnos to help guide Celestia through the City of Judgment and to eternity in his realm."
You grabbed a nearby light that helped emphasize your point as you detailed, "In a slow, meandering line, fire follows a trail of smokepowder toward the casket, lighting up the wood once it makes contact!"
You laugh lightly before telling him, "If that's how you react, the priest will hold his hand up and tell you to calm down, that this is how they honor hunters and huntresses in their religion. They believe in not giving necromancers the opportunity to raise them from the dead, so they burn their dead so they don't run the chance of fighting one of their own in un-death."
"Honestly, a wise choiceā¦" Eddie said, taking down a quick note on his paper behind his DM screen.
With a nod, you finished with, "Right as the fire burns the brightest, pluming smoke up into the air, you see in the smoke, the outline of a strong man adorning antlers as a headpiece. As the figure gives the priest a firm nod, you all see the blue light of a spirit rising from the casket, mixing in with the smoke. As the light turns corporeal, you realize that it's Celestia, whole and untouched by magic. She'll send you all a smile and wave before she takes the hand of Cerunnos and they dissipate into the smoke, on their way to the City of Judgment."
"That was beautifulā¦" Erica said, an emotional smile on her face as she quickly wiped a tear from her cheek.
And with that, the rest of the party detailed what they pictured their characters doing after vanquishing a great evil from the realm. It was a mixed bag of emotional retirements, going on journeys of self-discovery, and some continuing to adventure in order to go on fighting the good fight. By the end of the session, everyone felt satisfied with their ending. Even so, as you all began packing up your belongings, Eddie was already being grilled on when the next campaign would start.
"Greatness requires patience, children!" Eddie told everyone as he snapped his notebook with a resounding clack! "Gimme a week and you can bet your asses I'll be writing the greatest campaign yet!"
As things started to settle down and you began reflecting on the last few months, your migraine kicked back in. With a cringe, you began massaging your temples to keep the feeling at bay. You had been known to occasionally get stress-related migraines, so this was nothing new, but they had never lasted over so many days before. The pain slowed your movement, and you were the last one still sitting at the table as everyone else began clearing out of the room.
"Hey, I'm sorry I killed your characterā¦" Eddie said, coming to sit on the table beside you.
"It happens," you replied, looking up at him, but quickly squeezing your eyes shut as more intense pain shot through your skull. "God, fuckā¦" you whispered, clutching your head in your hands, voice strained as you fought back tears.
"Hey, hey, hey, you okay?" Eddie asked, concern laced in his voice.
You took a second to catch your breath before telling him, "I'll be fine. Just a stupid migraineā¦ Tylenol and camomile have been my go to, butā¦" You gestured toward a mountain dew can as you finished with, "Between drinking this shit all night and having to strategize so much, I feel like my head's gonna explodeā¦"
"Need a ride? I've gotta meet someone here pretty quick, but I can make the time to get you and Dustin home," he offered, picking up the can and tossing it into the nearby trash bin.
You shook your head, regretting the action immediately, cringing once again before you replied, "Once the game's done, Steve's gonna take us home. Dustin conned him into burgers and milkshakes before we came here."
"So, you finally told him?"
"What? God, no," you said with a scoff.
"The two of you are getting pretty serious, you gotta tell him eventually," he advised, throwing up his hands in surrender when you glared at him. "Fine, fine, Eddie knows nothing about relationships! I'll stay out of it!"
"Eddie," you said, sincerity in your tone rather than the snappy one you knew he was trying to get out of you. "Just because things-"
"Hey! You coming?" came Dustin's voice as he popped his head back into the room. "Game just let out. Looks like Hawkins won!" He gave Eddie a pointed look as he added, "And it was Lucas who scored the winning shot!"
"Guess heroism runs in the family," Eddie said, playfully rolling his eyes at Dustin. When you finally got everything into your bag and pulled a Hawkins High sweatshirt over your Hellfire Club shirt, Eddie gave you a two-finger salute before telling you, "Take it easy."
"You, too," you replied, ducking out of the room with Dustin in search of Steve in the crazy, crowded halls of the school.
The next morning, you woke up after a restless night's sleep that was filled with nightmares. Your eyes weren't even open yet, your brain still trying to fight its way back into a little bit more sleep. That was until your senses started to come back to you and you smelled the metallic scent of blood on your pillowcase. "What theā¦?" you mumbled, finally wrenching your eyes open to see where it was coming from.
Sure enough, there was a sizeable bloodstain on the pillowcase. It was still slightly damp when you examined it, giving you a bit of hope in getting the stain out. With a groan, you sat up from your bed, taking the pillow with you as you made your way to the bathroom to start cleaning up.
When you looked in the mirror, you were shocked to see how much blood had dried onto your upper lip and cheek. "What the hellā¦?" you whispered, turning the warm water on so you could wash it off. Once it was all gone, you leaned in closer to the mirror, examining your nose for any injuries that may have caused the bleed. When you didn't find any, you shook your head in confusion, saying to yourself, "Whatever, I guessā¦" before making your way to the laundry room.
When you were done getting the stain treatment on the case and the pillow itself, you made your way to the kitchen to make yourself a cup of coffee. Your mom and Dustin were watching some Saturday morning game show, and you listened with only half an ear as your mind kept wandering to the nightmares you had the night before.
The sound the local news station played when there was breaking news took you out of your head, though, and you turned to see what was going on. "We have breaking news this morning," the anchor said, a grim look on her face. "A person was found dead in the Forest Hills trailer park this morning. The scene is currently under investigation. Local authorities are talking to residents of the park and encourage anyone who may have any information to reach out to Hawkins Police."
"Oh my goodness!" your mom breathed, covering her mouth in shock at the news. She called your name before asking, "Honey, doesn't Eddie live there?"
"He does, yeah, I better call to check on himā¦" you said, worry beginning to seep into your voice. When you put the phone to your ear and dialed the number that would connect you to the trailer, all you got was a dial tone as no one picked up the phone. Seeing your mom's expectant look, you shook your head, telling her, "No answer."
"Well, you guys did all stay out late last night, maybe he's sleeping in, honey. I'm sure he'll be up later!"
"Right. Yeah. Totally!" you said, trying to remain as optimistic as she was.
That was proving to be an impossible feat, though, as your mind immediately began wandering to the potential that it was Eddie who was found deadā¦ Your mind showed you flashes of him, bloodied and beaten up on the trailer's floor, staring unblinkingly at the ceiling as cops surrounded him. You saw his Hellfire Club shirt torn and a message written on the ground in his own blood that said, "Burn in Hell, freaks!"
With that last image holding in your mind's eye, a searing pain flashed through your head, causing you to lose balance for a second as your vision went white with the pain. Bracing yourself against the wall before you fell was loud, causing your mom to look back over to you with concern in her eyes. "You okay?"
"I'm fine, just another migraineā¦" you muttered, squeezing your eyes shut as you straightened yourself up and took a couple of deep breaths.
The news report continued on as you tried to fight out of the migraine, the quiet noise loud to your blistering mind. When you were finally able to look back into the living room to see what was happening on the screen, you saw your mom gathering up Tews in her arms and rocking her gently back and forth as she said, "Oh, my heart just can't take it anymoreā¦ So much tragedy in just a few yearsā¦"
Before more could be added to the conversation, the doorbell went off. Dustin flew off of the couch to answer while you made your way back to the kitchen to finish your coffee and get some pain killers. "Hey," you managed to croak out to Max as she walked into the house, a worried look on her face.
"Hey," she replied, just as quietly, keeping her eyes down. "Dustin, can we talk? Alone?" she asked, eyes flicking to both you and your mom, afraid of either of you overhearing what she had to say.
"Yeah, sure, no problem," Dustin told her, quickly ushering her back to his room while you poured a to-go cup of coffee for the day.
You took a shower to wash away the pain and gross feeling you had from waking up covered in blood, putting on a comfortable outfit right after and pulling out your babysitting bag. When you emerged into the living room once again to start heading toward the door, you were met with your mom's concerned voice as she asked, "Where're you going?"
"The Porters' place. I'm watching the kids today, remember?"
"Oh, honey, I thought you would have canceled that since you haven't been feeling wellā¦" she said quietly. "And what about what happened last night? It isn't safe to be out right now!"
"Mom, it's likeā¦three blocks away. You can drive me there if you want," you offered. "But I have to be there. With this gig plus the one on Thursday, I'll be over halfway to my savings goal! I promise I'll keep the doors and windows locked, and we won't leave the house unless there's an absolute emergency. How's that sound?"
Hearing your reasoning, she sighed and nodded, standing up from the couch so she could go get herself dressed to drive you over. By the time she got back, Dustin and Max were heading toward the door in a hurry. "Dustin, where are you going?" your mom asked worriedly.
"To see a friend!"
"Dusty, you heard the news! It isn't safe out there!" your mom exclaimed. you sensed a bit of desperation in her voice as she told him that.
Not hearing her argument, Dustin and Max continued out the door, with him quickly telling your mom, "We'll be careful! Thanks! Love you, bye!"
She sent you an incredulous look, like she was expecting you to do something about your brother, but you didn't have it in you to do anything, truthfully. So, you shrugged, asking jokingly, "Am I your favorite now?"
a/n: ngl it was a little depressing writing this, knowing that it was Eddie's final campaign... i hope you all enjoyed and caught the details in here!
as always: likes, comments (even just emojis!), and re-blogs are greatly appreciated! i love hearing from you guys and love hearing your thoughts!
I was discussing with some fandom friends how fanfic culture seems to have shifted from mostly comments to silent reading (though I'm very blessed with ya'll on TRT, thank you). And that makes me wonder what the reason is - I've seen a lot of theories and people asking that question but I figured I'd poke ya'll and see what I find.
This question is mostly directed towards those that never comment on a fanfic or rarely comment on a fanfic. If you usually comment or always comment (thank you!), you're totally good on this one.
To fanfic readers who do not comment, why don't you comment?
Commenting makes me anxious/stressed
I'm too tired to comment
I'm afraid of someone judging me for what I read if they find my comment
I don't like being tracked/leaving a trail
I don't think fanfic writers should expect comments
If I don't have time to leave a big long comment I don't like commenting at all
I don't want to bother the author
Nuance/Other (feel free to explain in the comments or tags)
I always or almost always comment
Voting ended onMay 25
Please reblog for a large sample size, I'm legitimately curious
installment list / previous chapter / next chapter
word count: 3,795
story content warnings: 18+ MDNI! war, violence, loss of limb, mental illness, medical talk and treatment, forced drug use, language, drinking, tense family situations, smut, pregnancy stuff, sickness, explosives. thereās fluff too, i swear!
Your phone was held in shaking hands as you stared at the screen, debating on if you should send the text you had typed up or not. It was the last invitation for your baby shower you needed to send out, but your anxious mind justā¦couldn't bring you to hit send just yet. The invitation was just idling in an empty text chain with your mother. You hadn't spoken with her since you blew up on her that night of the gala - you weren't even sure if she knew for sure that you were pregnant, you sure as Hell hadn't told her.
You needed to send it, though, right? To at least give your baby girl a chance of having a better relationship with her than you did. Maybe she would be better with her than she was with you. Maybe once she saw her little hands and eyes and smile, she would change her tune about who her father was. Maybe-
"Someone's deep in thought," came Natasha's voice as she walked into the communal living room you had been sitting in while your toast got cold and you contemplated the text.
Blinking hard to snap out of your own head, you turned toward her as she sat beside you and nodded, saying, "Just family stuffā¦"
"Oh?" she asked as she took a sip from the mug she was holding, leaning into the sofa's cushion as she devoted her attention to you.
"It's justā¦" You toyed with the hem of your shirt as you took a deep breath and prepared to tell Natasha things you had only even vaguely referenced with her. You felt extremely vulnerable as you finally started to tell her your tale in a quiet voice. "My mom and Iā¦ We don't have the best relationship. Never really have. Things got rough when she made my dad leave after an affair and they just got worse when I enlisted to be a medic. She always wanted me to be a doctor like her. I thought that being a medic serving our country would be good enough for her, but surprise, surprise it wasn't. When I lost my leg, she was mad at me about it. It was just another reason for her to hate me and the path I chose even more."
"That must've been toughā¦" Natasha whispered solemnly as she leaned forward and put her mug down, her full attention on you.
You nodded, and a humorless scoff left your lips as you continued with, "When it was made public that I was with Buckyā¦shit hit the fan - hard. She was upset that I was with him to say the least. Believed the rumors about me being pregnant before it even happened. Fed into my insecurity about being cheated on when those gala pictures came out. I told her that I was done until she could find it in herself to apologize and be civil."
"That's understandable," she said, her eyebrows raising momentarily as she agreed. "So, what's bothering you about it right now?"
"If I should send her an invitation to the baby shower this weekendā¦" you told her quietly. "I haven't even told her I'm pregnant. It just feels like I have to send it, ya know?"
Once the words left your mouth, you immediately shook your head, plastering a smile onto your lips as you said, "I think I'll just send it. Who knows, maybe she won't even show."
"Don't," was Nat's simple reply as she gently grabbed your wrist before you could leave the couch.
"It's the right thing to do, Nat," you said, your voice growing thick with emotion.
You were suddenly being pulled into a hug as Natasha sighed lightly and told you, "You're allowed to not invite your family. Especially with how she's treated you. You don't have to be sorry for it either." She pulled away from the embrace and took the phone from your hand, deleting the unsent message before saying, "It's okay to let her go. She can't hurt you anymore if you do."
When she said those words, your tears began to fall. She immediately pulled you back into her arms and began rubbing your back as years of pent up emotions surrounding your mother made their way out of your body and ran down your cheeks. It took a few minutes to find your voice, and when you did, all you managed to get out was a hushed, "Thank youā¦" as you felt like a weight started to come off of your shoulders.
Little did you know that while you had been crying, Manny's wife, Jacqueline, had been walking by and saw you in Natasha's arms. In the minutes that you took to find your voice, she had brewed you a soothing cup of herbal tea, sitting it and a fresh piece of toast on the table as she took her place on your other side. She, too, began rubbing your back in gentle patterns while you continued to calm down, sipping on the tea and nibbling on the toast while trying not to upset your stomach. After a few more minutes of comfortable silence, she said warmly, "I don't need to know. I just want you to know that we're here for you. That's what family's for, mija."
"Thank youā¦" you whispered, leaning into her embrace for a moment as you started to calm down further, taking a moment of clarity to block your mother's number from your phone, at least for now.
The day of the baby shower came, and despite the anxiety you had faced over it the other day, you felt excited about the event! Natasha had found you a beautiful and comfortable dress to wear for the gathering - a pretty baby pink number that you felt good wearing. You were met with love and compliments for the dress as you and Bucky made your way into the common area where the shower was being held, and tears made their way into your eyes as you took everything in.
There were a couple tables stacked with gifts, some stations that were set up with games for everyone to play, and a refreshment table that could rival some you'd seen at fancy parties Tony would throw at the Tower! As per usual since Beth had put you on light duty, you were not the one who had planned this little shindig - that was Natasha and Jacqueline - so, you were as surprised as anyone to see what the party held.
After a few minutes of mingling, Jacqueline cleared her throat and asked, "Hey guys! Is this everyone so we can start games?"
"We're waiting for one more, actually," Steve told her, glancing at his watch for a moment when he did.
Right after he said this, an older woman, somewhere in her 80s walked into the room. She had cane in one hand, a large gift bag in the other, and a bright smile on her face. The woman's eyes scanned the room, landing right on Bucky after a few seconds of searching. A few tears gathered behind her eyes as she said, "Hey, Buckaroo."
When the words came out of her mouth, Bucky froze. He hadn't heard that nickname in decades - a nickname that he had accepted he would never hear again after his time with HYDRA. He took a moment to catch his breath, but the question still came out airily as he asked tentatively, "Beccaā¦?"
The woman smiled, a tear streaking down her cheek as she nodded. The gift she was carrying was taken out of her hand by Steve, and once she was relieved of it, she held out her arms to greet her brother. Bucky made his way over and gently hugged the woman, still unsure if he was dreaming or if he was really reuniting with his sisterā¦
When he pulled away from the hug and held Rebecca at arm's length for a moment, Steve told him, "Nat helped me get in contact with her. Today felt like as good a time as any to reunite the two of you."
"Thank you," Bucky told him, letting go a Rebecca and turning to Steve to give him a bear-hug.
After Bucky let go of Steve, Rebecca cleared her throat and said, "Don't be rude, Buck, introduce me to this girl of yours!"
"It's nice to meet you," you told her, giving her a warm smile. "Bucky's always had nothing but amazing things to say about you!"
"Glad to hear he's still singing my praises after all this time," she said in a teasing tone directed at her brother.
"You were always the best of us," Bucky said, a reminiscent tone taking over his voice.
"Enough about the past, we can talk about that later," Rebecca said after quietly clearing her throat of the emotion building up in it. "Let's get to the games!"
A wide smile made its way onto Jacqueline's lips as she motioned to a nearby table, saying, "We melted various chocolate bars into some diapers. Whoever's playing, take a look and fill out a card to say which you think is which!"
While you waited your turn for a crack at the game, you watched on as some of the guests made faces of disgust when they first opened the diapers. You couldn't help but laugh as Thor debated with Pietro about what chocolate bar was in one diaper, followed by Thor gagging at something the younger man had said. When it was your turn, though, you sided with Thor on how difficult some of them were! Even with you and Bucky working together to determine the contents of some of the diapers, in the end, Sam and Pietro tied to win the game!
"I told you I knew my chocolates," Pietro said to Thor, nudging him gently in the ribs as he smirked.
"And I've played this game enough at showers for my nieces and nephews, there's almost no melted chocolate bar I can't tell what it is anymore," Sam said with a chuckle.
"Yet," Natasha said with a smirk as she showed them a piece of candy bar in her hand, "you still both got one wrong."
"A Whatchamacallit, your favorite" Steve said with a chuckle as Natasha took a bite of the treat. "Probably one of the only ones I got right."
"Ah, don't be so hard on yourself," Natasha told him as she leaned into his side, "You got the plain Hershey's bar right!" The comment made the group laugh and a light dusting of pink ignite on Steve's cheeks before everyone moved on to the next game.
The next game should have been simple. It was just a guessing game, after all. All you had to do was guess how many animal crackers were in a jar. Everyone studied the jar for only moments at a time before moving on and putting their guess in the basket held by Natasha. That was until it was Bruce's turn. Instead of taking a simple and random guess like everyone else, he brought out scales and calculators and samples to try and determine how many of the little snacks were in the jar.
"There's no way he's gonna get it like thisā¦" Clint whispered. His voice got louder as he called, "C'mon, Banner, by the time you're done, the baby'll be here!"
"I wonderā¦" Wanda mumbled from her place standing beside you in the waiting crowd. While you chatted for a moment with Sam, she discreetly ignited the scarlet wisps in her fingertips and directed one at Natasha and one at Bruce, who finally seemed to be wrapping up his calculations. Right as he wrote down his answer on the paper, Wanda's eyes went wide and she gasped quietly when he handed her the piece of paper.
"Did heā¦?" Pietro asked quietly.
And he did.
With a teasing, exasperated sigh after reading all the papers, Natasha said, "To no one's surprise, Bruce has won this game's prize." There was a polite applause for a few seconds that was interrupted by Natasha laughing lightly as she asked, "Okay, who put 'at least thirty' as their guess?"
"Tell me I'm wrong," Bucky replied, earning a hearty laugh from you as you leaned into his side.
Up next was a challenge that you and Bucky were rivals for: the diaper changing race. Neither of you had changed a diaper in either of your working memories, and you knew that you would have to become proficient in the skill for when the baby came, so now was as good a time as ever to make the attempt. When Jacqueline started the timer, Bucky went for speed, using the abilities granted to him by the Serum to his advantage while you worked for precision while remaining quick.
All around you, everyone had their own ways of changing the diapers on the stuffed animals. Steve's lack of experience showed in how he tackled the assignment, as did Tony, Bruce, and Thor's, with the latter somehow ending up with the diaper on the panda sideways. While Pietro finished the absolute quickest, the security of the garment left much to be desired. One person, however, surprised everyone with how fast and well they were able to finish - Clint.
Tony scoffed as he looked at the little monkey toy held in Clint's arms, saying, "Look at you Mr. 'Can't Miss.' Dabble in volunteering at the hospital or something?"
"Nah, the rest of you just let the challenge get to you," he told him as he took the little gift bag with his prize from Jacqueline's hands, receiving a knowing look from Natasha as he did.
During the next game, Clint walked off with a call, and it was good luck, too, because it was a bowling game. For the game, Natasha had cleared out a hallway and designated it as the bottle bowling area. There were ten bottles set up at the end of the hall and as each guest stepped up, they were given a small bouncy ball to use to aim at the bottles.
The ball being used was what posed the challenge in the situation.
Usually great at bowling when Tony had occasionally rented out a whole alley for the team, Thor missed wildly as he let his strength get the better of the ball that went careening around the hallway! It did end up knocking down five pins, but not without almost knocking some plaques off the walls in the process. The two who ended up winning it with a tie, though, were Steve and Bucky. After watching the others and making adjustments to their own rolls based off of them, both of them got a strike!
"Prize is all yours, Punk," Bucky told his friend as he clapped him on the back.
"Aw man, did I miss bowling?" Clint asked as he came back into the party as Natasha was picking up the bottles.
"Yes. And no, I won't be setting up again," Natasha told him with a laugh as she packed up the bottles so she could wash them before giving them to you and Bucky.
After the games ended, there was time to just mingle with guests. You spent some time with everyone, and when you were asked, you made sure to keep everyone on you to give Bucky some time with his sister alone. Various snacks and foods were brought out by Antonio and his staff, from bottle shaped cake pops to mocktails with little plastic babies in the ice cubes!
The day feltā¦normal. No missions for the team to go on, no rushed debriefs after getting back from one, no paperwork to do detailing each agent's injuries. It was justā¦peaceful. So, you soaked in every moment you could. You knew that these days were few and far between, considering the life you had, so when days like this happened, you took the time to be grateful for everything and everyone around you.
"You okay, Sugar?" came Bucky's voice as he and Rebecca came back into the fray of the party you were now sitting on the outskirts of.
"Hm?" you hummed as you relaxed into the gentle pressure he was rubbing onto the muscles in your shoulders. A content sigh left your chest as you closed your eyes and nodded, telling him, "Everything's great." You opened your eyes and turned your head to look up at him as you asked, "What about you?"
As you looked into his blue eyes, you could tell he had recently been crying, perhaps from whatever talk he had with Rebecca, but you didn't push for answers. Not now. Instead, you watched as a soft smile made its way onto his lips as he said, "I'm great." He leaned down and kissed your cheek before asking, "How's about tonight we have a family dinner? Us, Becca, and Steve."
"I think that sounds amazing," you told him, sending a warm smile to Rebecca, who send you a wink. Of course, it had been her idea, not Bucky's, but she would never say that out loud.
The small group's attention was grabbed by Natasha letting out a short and sharp whistle to get all eyes on her. She had a bowl with folded up pieces of paper in it, and Jacqueline had her ever-present smile on her lips as she called out to the room, "Okay! Before we end this little shindig, we'd like to draw the name of the person who will win the grand prize of the day! The winner is being chosen by diaper raffle entry, so whoever brought a pack of diapers, thank you, and one of your names will be drawn shortly!"
There was a knock on the nearby glass door that took you out to the training lawn, drawing everyone's attention to an older gentleman who had a clipboard in his hand. "I have a delivery forā¦ Tony Stank?" he called through the glass.
"That's him! Right there!" Rhodey said, opening the door as he pointed at Tony, who had his head in his hand as he shook it in exasperation. "Thank you for thatā¦" he said to the man, a chuckle punctuating the sentence.
Tony quickly made his way over and signed a paper, getting a copy of his receipt and shoving it into Natasha's hands with a smirk on his face. He nodded to the delivery driver, who had begun to unload his tuck with the aid of Steve and Rhodey, telling her, "Three hundred boxes of Pampers, each with about five individual packages in them. The odds can't be beat, I'll take my prize now, Romanoff."
"Holy shitā¦" you breathed as you watched the boxes pile up near the door.
"And don't worry, they aren't all newborn size either," Tony said as Natasha rolled her eyes while laughing. "I bought every size they offered, from newborn all the way through training pants. Bruce and I worked with Beth to calculate how many of each size you may need and bought that many. So, you should be set on diapers. Consider this Uncle Tony's big gift besides the nursery."
"I- Wow, I-" you started to say, completely speechless at the gesture.
"Thank you, Tony," Bucky said, speaking up for the both of you despite his own warm feelings toward the gesture.
Being true to his sarcastic and snarky nature, Tony smirked and asked Bucky, "Oh, so I'm Tony now, huh? What's next, god father?"
"Don't push it," Bucky told him, rolling his eyes light-heartedly.
In their months of working together on missions, the two had grown from tolerating each other to sometimes enjoying each others' presence. They traded sarcastic and witty remarks between each other most of the time, but, in time, that had become their way of communicating. Steve even said that by some miracle, their way of communicating had managed to be their secret weapon during missions, confusing HYDRA members and leading the team to make escapes that wouldn't have been possible with direct communication they could understand. It was odd, but it worked, so you wouldn't complain since it got Bucky home at the end of the day.
By the time things were winding down to a close, you were getting tired and ready for a much needed cat-nap before dinner. Just after you said your last thank you to everyone for such a great turn-out, Manny came up to you with a small pile of envelopes in his hands. He send you a soft smile as he held them out to you, saying, "I thought it would be a good idea to gather some parenting advice and words of encouragement from everyone so you have something to look at when you're having some troubles."
"Oh my gosh, that'sā¦that's so thoughtful! Thanks Manny," you told him, warmth enveloping your heart as you took the small pile from him.
"It says as much in my note, but just know that if you ever need any help, you know where to find us - to find me. Iā¦I know things have been difficult getting our relationship back to what it once was, but, I'll be here in your corner every step of the way. It truly takes a village." As he said this, he glanced over to where his two kids were playing around with Thor, swinging around on his strong arms like a jungle gym, a smile on his face while he watched the scene unfold.
"I know you'll be there for us," you told him, a small smile lining your lips. "If there's one thing I know about you, it's that your loyalty is unwavering. I knew that the moment you prioritized me after that explosion. Your instincts are what make you great at what you do, and I just know they'll come in handy once this little one arrives."
"We'll be with you every step of the way," he said, reaching out to give your shoulder a squeeze before turning back toward his kids and making his way over to them.
Your relationship with Manny since your abduction had been complicated, with ups and downs that had only been exaggerated by your hormonal swings, but lately, you had found yourselves in a good spot. Things had been said, feelings had been laid out plainly, and an understanding had been reached. It was finally starting to feel normal with him again, and you were so thankful for it with such a big change about to happen.
a/n: you guys, there are so, so, so, so, so many things that i love about this chapter! i love all the interactions, the playfulness, the seriousness where it was needed, and mostly how much of a family they all are in this universe! i hope i did everyone's personalities and skills justice!
ps - if you didn't catch it, the beginning was a reference to Matilda by Harry Styles! i had the idea to include the song from the moment i decided that Reader's mom was a "villain" in this story and i am so happy with how it turned out!
i hope you all enjoyed! as always - likes, comments, and re-blogs are greatly appreciated! until next time! xo! <3
taglist: @ivy-34 / @mandosgirl2099
a/n again: not me coming back after posting to say: REBECCA!!!! i debated for a very long time about if i should bring her in or have the baby named after her (and you all see what won out)! also thank you to one of my friends in the tuna tank for helping me out coming up with her nickname for Buck! (i know that question was posed months ago if you're reading this, but, whoopsie!) this was just such a special thing to write!
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Steve Harrington x Henderson!reader (no use of y/n)
installment list / previous chapter / next chapter
word count: 4,503
story content warnings: 18+ MDNI! canon typical warnings such as violence, gore, swearing, drinking, spice, angst, as well as some sickly sweet fluff thrown in!
"Thanks again for your help! I really need to keep my grades up to get into the school I want!"
"Of course! I'll see you next time!" you replied to the girl as you began closing the book in front of you.
As the girl, Alice, left the nearly empty classroom that the seniors occupied during their free period, Ms. Kelly approached and took her place in the chair she had been sitting in. She sent you a smile as she said, "Hey! Enjoying the tutoring position?"
"Hey, Ms. Kelly!" you greeted her cheerily. "I am! I can't thank you enough for convincing Principal Higgins and them to hire me on as a tutor. It really means the world."
"Of course," she replied sincerely. "I know you were upset about not being able to go to college just yet, so I thought that this would be the perfect fit. Keep that brain of yours sharp 'til you can save up for it!"
"I'm hoping that it'll happen sooner rather than later! I've certainly been babysitting enough to get a good chunk into my savings goalā¦"
"Just make sure you take time for yourself, too. Remember what I've always told you?"
You couldn't help the smile on your lips as you told her, "Breathe deep, feel, process, repeat."
"Good," she said, standing up from the chair and placing a hand on your shoulder to give it a gentle squeeze. "If you need anything, you know where to find me!"
"That I do," you said, sending her a nod and smile before she walked off to her office for the remainder of the afternoon in case anyone was in need of her services to the school.
After packing up your book bag, you hauled it and your tote bag onto your shoulder to begin making your way to the AV club room to meet the rest of the Hellfire Club for session zero of the latest campaign Eddie was starting. As you began making your way out of the room, your eyes glanced out the nearest window and saw a familiar car sitting out by the curb - Steve's BMW. Your eyebrows furrowed when you saw it, certain that you hadn't asked him to pick you up from the school because you hadn't known when you'd be done for the day.
You quickly found out why he was there, though, when you saw Robin approaching the car. It wasn't long after she got in that Steve took off, pulling away from the school and turning toward downtown. As you watched the scene unfold, that prickly jealous feeling that was becoming all too familiar settled deep in your gut. A small wave of nausea washed over you as you continued staring out the window. You tried to take deep breaths to combat it, but all you could get in were quick and shallow ones as your mind started down a spiraling path of insecurity.
What snapped you out of it and finally made you tear your eyes away from the window was the sound of Eddie animatedly talking, his voice carrying down the hall. D&D. Session zero. Distraction. This was what you reminded yourself of as you forced your heavy legs to carry you down the hall and toward the AV room. Before you could get there, one final straggler emerged from a classroom, waving at you to get your attention. Forcing yourself further out of your foggy thoughts, you plastered a smile on your lips as you greeted them.
"Hey! I heard you were back tutoring during off periods! How can I get in on that?" the guy asked. "I heard you worked wonders with Harrington last year, and if anyone can save that guy's grades, then they've got a chance of getting me into college!"
The mention of Steve made you falter for a second, but you recovered quickly, telling him, "I'm here during off periods for tutoring, yeah! You just gotta find me in the free period classroom and I'll help you out however I can. I'm here from noon til the last student leaves on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays."
"Awesome! I'll be seein' ya!" he replied, giving you a fist bump before going on his way.
By the time you reached the AV Club room, everyone else had already arrived. As you closed the door behind you, you were met with a barrage of greetings. First was Dustin, jesting, "Look who finally showed up!"
Eddie looked up from his Dungeon Master screen, a wide smile on his face as he said, "Lady Henderson! I was afraid you wouldn't show in such a public space!"
"Yeah, especially with Ronnie gone," Gareth added.
"How's it feel being the only chick in an all boys club?" Jeff asked, gently shoulder checking you as you passed.
"Like there's entirely too much testosterone in this roomā¦" you grumbled, rolling your eyes as you sat down near Eddie.
"You got the stuff?" Eddie asked, his eyes darting toward the tote bag you had placed on the floor as you began setting up your space for the afternoon.
Jeff, having seen the bag said, "I know she's got the stuff!"
"Stuff? What stuff?" Mike asked warily, his eyebrows furrowed as he looked around the table.
You couldn't help the smile that slipped onto your lips at the antics, rolling your eyes playfully before reaching into the bag and tossing shirts toward Dustin, Lucas, and Mike, telling them, "Welcome to Hellfire, losers! Time to make your shirts!"
"Hell yeah!" Dustin cheered as he caught the shirt flying his way.
"Incoming!" you called, tossing little bottles of acrylic paints their way.
"Hold on, woman!" Dustin screeched when he got hit in the chest with a bottle.
"Fast hands, Dustin!" Lucas told him, snatching the second bottle that almost hit his friend in the face.
"Yeah, yeah, basketball shit, blah, blah, blahā¦" Dustin lamented, looking up at the last second to catch the paintbrush you flung his way. "You're crazy!" he told you, flipping you off as he laughed.
"You love me," you replied, turning back toward the tote bag to begin pulling out your new - empty - character binder.
"How's it feel?" Eddie asked as he eyed you pulling the binder, papers, and crafting supplies out.
"How's what feel?"
"Starting a new campaign. Leaving Ramana behind. You played her for three years."
"It'll be a fresh start. You gave Ramana a happy ending, even if it had to be rushed since Ronnie was leaving. Now we're onto the next adventureā¦ That's life," you replied, your tone turning reflective as you thought about the last campaign.
"Feeling philosophical, huh?"
"Just reflective. Lots of changes lately. Just trying to make the best of 'em," you told him, forcing a smile that didn't quite meet your eyes onto your lips. In an attempt to get the subject off of yourself, you put on a brighter, more teasing tone as you asked, "Speaking of, where were you for tutoring today, huh? The school year's barely started and you're already flaking out on me? What happened to '86 bein' your year?"
"Why waste a free period in tutoring when I could be planning this epic campaign?" he countered. "This one's gonna be even bigger and badder than the last!"
"And I have no doubts about that, but you gotta give me something!" you told him. "One day a week! One period. That's less than an hour! We'll make sure you pass and graduate in the spring! Then you'll have all the time in the world for planning campaigns or playing with the band!"
"You drive a hard bargainā¦" he said, running a hand over his chin as if deep in thought.
Trying to sweeten the pot, you told him, "I'll have the lesson plans from the teachers. With that and my help, it'll be a breeze!"
"And test answers?" he asked, eyebrows raised in curiosity.
"You wish, Munson," you said with a roll of your eyes and a shake of your head.
"That I do," he replied. "Now! Enough talk about lame-ass school! Let's get to the real fun! Get out those dice and start rolling up your new character!" He turned his attention to Dustin and his friends, shouting, "Newbies! Do you wanna finish shirts or get this show on the road?"
"Screw the shirts, let's go!" Dustin exclaimed, pushing the shirt away from himself and pulling out his collection of dice and an empty binder like you had.
"Then let's begin!" Eddie said as he settled back down behind the DM screen. "You know how it goes! Three d6 down the line! I'll be gracious enough to let you re-roll any ones, because, wellā¦you're gonna need it."
"That's not ominousā¦" Gareth said, shaking his head as he picked out the dice he needed.
With the monotony of rolling dice and writing down the stats before you began deciding on a class, your mind began to wander once again. It flashed to the day Dustin brought up the idea of Steve and Robin. How, ever since then, he would mention how they were always on a job hunt together since the mall closed. How Robin wasn't like many of the other girls that Steve had ever dated - she was quirky, apparently really funny, and always filled a quiet room with conversation. The way Dustin talked about her and how she had joined their little band of friends over the summer showed that she was becoming more than just a coworker to Steve and that scared you. You knew it wasn't logical, to be so jealous over someone you had barely ever interacted with, but in your mind, you were one mistake away from being replaced.
You were broken out of your spiraling thoughts by a snap cracking off right beside your ear. Finally zoning back in, you heard Eddie saying, "Helloooo? Earth to Henderson! What class are you gonna be?"
Looking down at the stats you had written down, you cringed when you saw a seven under charisma. "Yikes, no bard for meā¦" you muttered as your mind began flipping through the player's handbook you practically had memorized at this point. With your mind still feeling down from the anxiety spiral, you asked, "What's everyone else? I'll just fill in what's needed."
One by one, everyone told you what class they were playing, and you nodded as you thought out loud, saying, "So we've got casters, support, and tanks."
Everyone looked around at each other, with Mike finally asking, "So we've got no healer? Someone's gotta save our asses when we're down!"
Dustin nodded, saying, "Yeah! I didn't roll up a bard this time! For once, it isn't me!"
A healer. That wasn't something you usually played. You were usually a strategist, a damage dealer, the face of the party. But the dice had spoken, the party had chosen, and you were left to clean up. So, you nodded, once again forcing a smile onto your lips as you said in as cheery a voice as you could muster, "Cleric it is, then!"
"Yeah!!" chorused the rest of the group, excited to know the makeup of the party they would be playing with.
Eddie, ever observant of his party members, noticed your fake smile and the forced chipperness in your voice. So, while everyone else was distracted and chatting with each other about their new characters, he asked, "What's up? You're actin' funny. Can't fake smiles around me, Henderson. I know you too well."
With a sigh, you shook your head, telling him simply, "I've just got some personal shit goin' on. I'll be fine. Don't worry about me. It'll just ruin the day."
"Eddie!" called Mike from across the room, pulling the older boy's attention to him. "Can we get some advice on this idea we have?"
"Coming!" he called back, sending him a two-finger salute. Before he left, he knocked on the table beside you and said, "Don't think you're gettin' outta this. We'll talk later."
"Sureā¦" you whispered, the sound broken, but covered up by all the chatter in the room.
Trying to shake away the awful feelings swirling in your head, you took to creativity to keep you distracted. Even though a cleric isn't what you wanted to play at first, as you came up with a name and backstory for your character, you started to feel better about the situation. By this point in your years of playing the game, you were quick coming up with the background for your characters, getting it all written down and into your binder as everyone else was still bouncing ideas off of each other. You even had time to pull out the scrapbooking supplies you brought in your tote to begin decorating your binder.
A rough idea of your cleric was sketched out onto some drawing paper by the time Eddie got everyone's attention to begin introductions. All eyes were on him as he set the scene as he always did, presenting the group with the makeup of the room you all found yourselves in: the layout of the tavern, how rowdy the room was, and what the barkeep had on tap. He described the scene and let all of you chime in as you one by one congregated around the town's job board within the tavern, strangers meeting for the first time, not knowing that you would all soon embark on the adventure of a lifetime.
When it got around to your character walking in, you told the group, "And finally, as the door to the tavern slams open from the wind of the tempest outside, you see a figure adorning the hide of a wolf as a cloak, the head covering her own as a hood. Swatches of blue, silver, and black from her clothes underneath peek out from the fur, with matching ribbons lacing up the well-worn boots. As she takes the hood off, what's revealed is a pale young-looking woman with silvery blonde hair, little braids incorporated throughout. Her pointed ears and small stature signal to you that she is an elf, the necklace hanging from her neck and mace on her hip indicating some sort of cleric. Those of you familiar with the Gods of the area would know that the symbol hanging from her neck is that of Cerunnos: God of the Hunt, and if you're from around the Underwood, on the outskirts of Stone Haven, you would know her as a formidable huntress, who seeks out the dangers in the wood and helps those who are victims of the attacks."
A nod of appreciation was received from Jeff, who breathed, "What a badassā¦"
You sent him a small smile before continuing with, "As she approaches the group of you surrounding the job board, she eyes each of you before saying, 'If you all are looking for a fight with that job, you'll need the power of Cerunnos on your side.'"
Eddie smiled wide as he looked up from his notes on all of your characters, clapping his hands and rubbing them together as he said, "This I can work withā¦ Now! Everyone prepare for things to start off with a bang at session one! Same time, same place next week!"
"Hell yeah!" was the general consensus as everyone began packing up their game supplies.
Before anyone could leave, Eddie called out as a reminder, "Remember! Everyone get their character descriptions to Henderson ASAP! As our resident artist, she'll make sure we all know who we're talking to as the game goes on!"
"Already on it!" Jeff said as he gently threw a paper airplane your way, his messy scrawl of his character description on the paper.
There was an air of excitement as everyone began filing out of the room, finished t-shirts held in a way that wouldn't ruin the paint, backpacks slung over shoulders as the possibilities of the campaign were discussed animatedly, and character sheets being shown off to other players. Then there was you. As the excitement of the afternoon began to roll off your shoulders, they started to slump forward in an attempt to make you appear as small as you felt. You didn't want to talk to Eddie about what was going on, so you tried to pack everything up as quickly as you could.
The attempt was in vain, seeing as you had so many supplies to pack up. Before you could even get your binder into your tote bag, Eddie was leaning against the table beside you as he asked, "What's going on? You're not acting like yourself."
"Isn't that kinda the point of this game?" you asked, trying to deflect the question as you reached for the paints the boys had been using on their shirts.
"That's not what I meant, and you know it," he deadpanned, rolling his eyes. When you didn't reply, instead continuing to gather your stuff off the table, Eddie took matters into his own hands, gently grabbing your wrist to stop your movement as he said, "C'mon. You know you can talk to me."
"Eddie, I told you-"
"You have personal shit going on, yeah, I know, but it's obviously bothering you to the point of not even enjoying D&D! Nothing makes you like that!" He let go of your wrist as he finished with, "What's going on?"
You quickly glanced around the room, making sure Dustin wasn't there before telling him in a quiet voice, "It's justā¦" As you struggled to find the right words, a frustrated sigh heaved out of your chest. A few moments passed before you finally admitted, "I've just been fucked in the head lately, okay? I can't shake these stupid-ass feelings ofā¦of hurt and jealousy and insecurity."
"Rough patch with your boy-toy?" he asked, studying your profile to see your reaction.
He saw your eyes widen before you stuttered out, "What? How'd youā¦?"
"I'm not blind and I'm not an idiot, either." He gave you a gentle shove to the shoulder before adding, "And coincidentally, the best places to secretly makeout are also the best places to hit a joint during lunch."
"Rightā¦" you muttered, keeping your eyes on the table. "Guess it's time for the formal 'sorry I didn't tell you, I just didn't want little brother interference' blah, blah, blah, talkā¦" You looked down to your lap, your hands grasping the paints Dustin had been using as you added, "It's not like it really matters. Little brat's still figured out how to worm his way into things, even if he doesn't realize itā¦"
"That was this is about?" Eddie asked, moving to sit backward in a chair to face you on your level.
"You're stupidly perceptive, you know that, right?"
"They don't call me DM the Wise for nothing," he said, a humorous tone to his words.
"No one calls you that and you know it," you said, finally looking up at him and breaking a smile when you saw his own goofy one, bright on his lips.
After finally getting you to crack a smile, Eddie shook his head and said, "We're getting off topic! What's bothering you? What'd Dustin do? Is it something I already need to punish his character for? I'll do it, you know I will!"
You let out a quiet, yet genuine laugh when he said this, but shook your head as you replied, "I wouldn't go that far. It's justā¦he's got it in my head that there are other girls in Steve's lifeā¦ It's all speculation and I know that it isn't true, butā¦ Insecurity's a bitch. Jealousy's vicious. Anxiety tells me that he'd be better off without me and with someone else."
"Someone like Robin Buckley?" he asked, eyebrows raised as he did.
"How-?" you asked, your own eyebrows furrowed as you quickly turned your head to look at him. You cut yourself off as he gave you a look, saying, "Right. Not blind. Not an idiot. I get itā¦" With a heavy sigh as you tossed the paints into your bag, you slumped back into your chair as you told him, "I just don't know what to do about it. Shit's been wearing on me for months nowā¦ It's exhaustingā¦"
"Why don't you just-?" he began to ask, but was cut off by the door opening and revealing Dustin.
"What's taking so long? Mom's out front! She won't wait forever!" he shouted as he made your presence.
"I'm comin', I'm comin'ā¦" you mumbled, standing to quickly gather the rest of your things with Eddie's help.
Before the two of you could leave the room, Eddie called out to you, "Hey, hang in there. You'll figure it out. You always do."
"Talkin' about your new character? I think you'll do great with her!" Dustin told you brightly as the two of you made your way out of the school.
"Thanks," you told him, not wanting to get into the details with him about what you were really discussing with Eddie.
Later that night, after eating dinner and getting ready for bed, you sat on the couch for a while reading one of your favorite books. It was a fantasy novel that had provided you with a lot of life lessons when you were in school, and you thought that it would be helpful now. You got about five chapters in before you were suddenly snapped out of the fantasy realm by the phone ringing.
With a jolt of your heart, you jumped up from the couch, trying to stop the ringing before your mom or brother woke up from their slumber. Keeping your voice soft, you answered with a, "Hello?"
"Hey, it's Steve," came your boyfriend's voice from the other side of the line. "Sorry to call so late, I just wanted to hear your voice."
You couldn't help the smile that made its way onto your lips when you heard this, and it was evident in your voice as you replied, "Flirtā¦" Pulling the extra long cord into your room, you closed the door behind you, but kept your voice low since you shared a wall with Dustin. With a sigh as your head hit the pillow, you told him, "Sorry I didn't call earlierā¦ It's just beenā¦a day for me."
"Everything okay?" he asked. "Tutoring job going okay? You had D&D today, too, didn't you?"
"My anxiety just got bad againā¦" you told him truthfully. Vaguely, but truthfully.
"Anything I can do to help?" he asked, sincerity in his voice, just as it always had been.
Over the last few months, since your anxiety had started to get the better of you over what Dustin said, Steve was always there for you, steadfastly by your side when things got bad. He was your rock during all of this, which was such a strange thing, when, indirectly, he was also a part of the problem. Not that you saw him as the problem, of course, you knew that you were the problem, but the fact that you were self-aware didn't make things any better. In fact, some days, it seemed to make it worse. On the days when your mind got the better of you, and you tried to reason with it, it only made things feel infinitely worse than if you had just given into the hopelessnessā¦
"Babe?" came Steve's voice when you didn't reply at first.
"Sorryā¦" you whispered, wiping a tear from your cheek. "Can we just talk? Get my mind off of all the bad?"
"Yeah, yeah, of course!" he told you, getting himself comfortable on his bed for a long night of chatting.
The next hour passed of the two of you jumping from topic to topic, starting off with how D&D went. You told him about how you felt playing a new type of character, but as he showed more and more interest in what you had to say about her, the more excited you got to play. After that, you talked about tutoring and how it was being a part time employee at the school so soon after graduating.
As you talked about Steve's job search, your anxiety had been eased enough to not start spiraling about the whole Robin situation. Instead, you listened to how well-versed Steve was in the whole job-search thing, citing things about the job market and supply of positions available versus the number of workers who had been displaced after the mall closed. Apparently the ratio was horrible and that's why he hadn't gotten one just yet.
At the end of his rant about the shitty job market in Hawkins, he sighed as he said, "One day, I'll have a good, steady job and we'll be able to afford a place of our own."
The statement made you blush, your voice bashful as you asked, "Oh yeah? What kind of place would we have?"
"Well, let's back up. First, I'd change your last name," he told you, his heart racing in his chest as he said it, but the late hour causing his brain to mouth filter to malfunction as he aired his desires out to you.
"What kind of wedding would we have, Mr. Harrington?" you asked, turning over onto your stomach and holding onto the bear he gave you on Valentine's Day when he officially asked you to be his girlfriend.
"Whatever you want," he replied.
"I'm thinking a small wedding. One with just us and those we care about the most. Those are the ones who really matterā¦"
"What kinda dress you thinkin' about?"
"One that's classy but would also drive you crazy," you teased. "I'm thinking lace for sure."
"Lace is pretty," he said, picturing it as you described your perfect dress. "Not as pretty as you'd be, though. Never as pretty as you."
"You're so sweetā¦" you mumbled, biting the inside of your cheek to keep from getting overly excited at the whole hypothetical matter.
"After the wedding and honeymoon of a lifetime, we'd settle down in a nice place. Nothing too crazy like my parent's, but big enough to grow." Steve rolled over in bed, getting more comfortable as he said, "It'd have to have good bones. Good structure. And a little picket fence around the yard. Big backyard. Room for activities."
"Maybe a swimming pool, too? Ooh, and a hot tub. Good for relaxingā¦" you said, the house coming together in your mind's eye the longer you talked about it.
"A swimming pool is goodā¦" Steve said, his reply delayed by a good few seconds as he fell in and out of sleep.
"Maybe even a basketball hoop out in the driveway," you added quietly, the image of Steve teaching a young boy to play popping in your head. When he didn't reply, but you could hear soft and even breathing coming from the other end of the line, you just smiled to yourself before saying, "Goodnight. I love you."
a/n: only one more chapter after this before it gets crazyyyyy! i hope you guys are enjoying this spiral into season 4! the angst just kinda flows (as evidenced by my writers block with the last two chapters because they're happy and my mind hasn't been in that space lately - working 48 hour work weeks isn't helping, whoops...)
anyways! likes, comments, and re-blogs are always appreciated! until next time! xo! <3
Story Summary: You, the director of HR for the New York City's mayor's office, have had feelings for Mayor's Fisk's personal bodyguard ever since you met him, but you know he'd never be interested in you. However, one day when you accidentally catch him exercising in City Hall's fitness center you find that that may not be quite true...
Tags/Warnings: F!Reader, smut smutty smut smut, oral sex (f receiving) P in V sex, protected sex (wrap it before you tap it, folks), Buck calls Reader 'good girl' a couple of times, D/S undertones if you squint *really* hard, Daniel and Reader are BFFs, No use of Y/N
A/N: I saw a picture of Arty Froushan as Patrick Bateman in the 2026 London Revival of American Psycho then saw a video of this guy doing the Sportacus/Firefighter pushup challenge and thought "I bet Buck could do those", and this fic was born.
Enjoy, my fellow thirsty Buck stans. š
Tag list: @oldcrdgans @bluerobin35
Okay, last one, you thought to yourself as you stepped off of the elevator at City Hall and headed towards the Director of Communications' office.
You knocked on Daniel's open door. "Hey, got a minute?"
Daniel looked away from his computer screen and smiled at you. "For my favorite coworker, I've got two. What's up?"
You chuckled. You and Daniel had become friends in the 10 months Mayor Wilson Fisk had held office, frequently going out for drinks after work with some of the other staff along with Daniel'sā¦ well, you weren't exactly sure what B.B. Urich was to Daniel, so you'd just say other friend.
You held up the booklet. "New health insurance packets. The city council voted to switch insurance companies starting next year so everyone has to pick a new plan during open enrollment."
Daniel's eyebrows raised. "Doesn't give us much time, does it? Isn't it in a few weeks?"
You nodded. "That's why I'm delivering them personally. You're the last one on my list."
Daniel grinned. "Saving the best for last?"
You huffed out a laugh. "More like I started at the top floor and worked my way down."
You set the packet down on Daniel's desk. "Because of the time constraints I've made a spreadsheet comparing the old plans with the closest plans the new company offers. I figure it ought to help people narrow it down, at least."
Daniel flipped the booklet open to see the color-coded comparison chart you had created tucked inside. He nodded appreciatively. "Yeah, that'll be useful."
You tapped the screen on the tablet you also carried then handed it and a stylus pen to him. "Sign this saying you received the packet."
Daniel signed the form and handed both the tablet and stylus back to you.
"Thank you." You hit submit, checking to make sure his signature had saved before shutting the tablet down.
Daniel leaned back in his chair. "By the way, a bunch of us are going out for drinks in a bit to celebrate Debra's birthday if you want to come along."
You shook your head. "Can't, I have a date tonight."
Daniel huffed out a laugh. "Another one? Why don't you just go ahead and ask Buck out instead of going out with these losers you matched with on Tinder?"
Your face heated. Buck Cashman was the mayor's personal bodyguard (and from what you had heard through the rumor mill, very good at his job).
To your chagrin, Daniel had known about your feelings for Buck ever since the two of you had participated in a drunken game of Truth or Dare after you had stayed behind to help Daniel clean up from a party at his apartment a few months prior.
Mmm, okay, okay, Daniel had said, taking a sip of his glass of whiskey. Truth or dare?
You had taken a sip of your own drink. Truth.
Daniel had grinned and sat back against his sofa. Have you ever had a crush on anyone at work?
Your mind had instantly gone to Buck. He was tall, with short, styled black hair, brown eyes, and a mysterious, calculating air about him that had drawn you in from the moment you had met him. He was always standing silently at Mayor Fisk's side during staff meetings, eyes scanning the room like an invisible threat might appear at any given moment, and the few times you had actually spoken with him outside of City Hall business you had been left wanting to hear more of his sultry British accent... Preferably while participating in activities that were definitely not appropriate to think about while at work.
Daniel must've read the look on your face, because his grin had widened. You have! Currently? Who is it?
You had shaken your head. Nope, one question per truth. But just for the record, it's not you.
Daniel had let out a chuckle. I don't know whether to be relieved or insulted, but okay.
Once the two of you had settled back on Daniel's sofa after your next turn (during which you had dared Daniel to drink a concoction of pickle and olive juices blended with various leftovers from the party), you had chosen a dare.
Daniel's grin had turned positively wicked as he had leaned forward. I dare you to tell me who you have a crush on at work.
Oh come on, you had groaned. That's not how a dare works.
Daniel had shaken his head. A dare can be anything as long as it isn't illegal, remember?
Unfortunately for you, that had been the terms of the game to which you both had agreed.
You could tell that Daniel wasn't going to let it go, so you had taken a deep breath. Fine. It'sā¦ It's Buck.
Buck? Daniel had repeated, his eyebrows raising slightly before he nodded. Yeah, that makes sense I guess. He's got that covert-ops Mr. Darcy thing going for him.
You had huffed out a light laugh. He has a lot more than just that, butā¦ yeah. That's part of it.
You had bitten your lip, suddenly anxious. Please don't tell anyone, especially him. I don't want things to be awkward at work.
Daniel had given you a gentle smile. Hey, don't worry about it. Your secret's safe with me.
And true to his word, he had kept your feelings about Buck to himself.
You shook your head and sighed. "You know that's not going to happen."
"Why not? And don't tell give me some bullshit HR answer, I did the sexual harassment training, I know there's no rule against intra-office dating, especially since neither one of you are the other's superior."
You winced. That actually had been the excuse you were going to use. "Because there's no way he'd be interested in someone like me. I'm just an HR rep that lives in Tribeca, and he'sā he'sā" Fiercely hot. Sexy as hell. Completely out of my league. "The mayor's personal bodyguard. I might as well save myself the humiliation."
Daniel shook his head with a grin. "Hey, you're not 'just' an HR rep, you're the HR director. Don't sell yourself short."
You huffed out a laugh. "Thanks for the vote of confidence."
"You're still going to the Governor's Ball tomorrow night, right? I was going to see if you wanted to ride with me instead of carpooling with everyone else."
You nodded. The city had rented several SUVs so staff who needed transportation to and from Albany could all ride together and had also paid for a block of hotel rooms for staff at the hotel hosting the Ball. You had originally been planning on carpooling with the rest of the staff who didn't have cars, but riding with Daniel instead of being cramed into an SUV with 7 other people for 3 hours each way sounded like a much better idea. "Yeah, I'm still planning on going. What time were you planning on leaving?"
"I was thinking we'd leave here around noon when you get off? That way we can get checked into the hotel and get a quick nap in before we have to get ready. And I can pick you up in the morning so you don't have to haul a suitcase around on the subway."
You nodded. "That would be great, thanks. I'll let Shelia know to take me off the carpool list."
You tapped at your tablet. "Anyway, I need to get back upstairs so I can upload all these acknowledgement forms before I leave this afternoon. I'll see you tomorrow though?"
Daniel nodded as his work phone began to ring. "Yeah, see ya."
You left Daniel's office and headed back upstairs, clearing your thoughts of the Mayor's gorgeous bodyguard. It didn't matter what your job title was, you knew that Buck would never see you as anything more than a colleague.
You stretched as you finished uploading, renaming, and sorting everyone's acknowledgement forms into their personnel files. Just in time, too, you thought.
You were lucky enough to have a work schedule that allowed you to work later hours Monday through Thursday and half a day on Friday, which meant that you were frequently one of the last staff members in the building.
You shut your computer down and grabbed your purse from your desk drawer before checking your smartwatch for the time. Ah, good, I have plenty of time to get to the restaurant.
You stepped out of your office and sighed when you heard faint music coming down the hallway from the staff fitness center. Dammit, someone probably forgot to turn the stereo off again.
The "fitness center" was a conference room that the previous administration had renovated into a workout space, with one area containing treadmills and elliptical machines, another area with weight training equipment, and a third area with floor-to-ceiling mirrors dedicated for other exercises that didn't involve the use of equipment.
You headed down the hall, the music growing louder as you approached the door to the fitness center.
You froze as you reached the partially open doorway.
Instead of the fitness center being empty, as you had expected, you spotted Buck in the equipment-free area doing pushups.
You'd always thought he looked hot in the business suits he wore to the office, but it was nothing compared to seeing him shirtless and wearing a pair of gray sweatpants.
You were rooted in place, unable to help but stare as his well-defined shoulder and back muscles flexed at every up and down.
As the music changed to a remix of some early 2000s pop song, so did Buck's moves. Instead of just pushing himself up and lowering himself down using his arms, he began doing what was essentially horizontal jumping jacks with his legs while also doing a bunch of different planks and pushups in quick succession.
You gasped as his eyes flicked over towards the door, your heart beginning to pound in your chest.
You quickly ducked out of sight then hurried back down the hall, bypassing your office and heading towards the elevator.
You glanced down the thankfully empty hallway as you repeatedly pushed the down button, relieved to see on the display that the elevator already happened to be at your floor.
You stepped on the elevator then pressed the button for the ground floor, letting out a breath as the doors closed behind you.
You pulled up your dating app, then sent a message to the guy you were supposed to have dinner with. I'm sorry for the short notice, but something came up at work and I need to cancel for tonight.
There was no way you'd be able to focus on a date, not when you now knew what Buck Cashman looked like shirtless. I am so screwed.
"And so I told her, Beverly, dear, is it really couture if it doesn't cost at least 5 figures?"
You rolled your eyes as you overheard one of the governor's guests gossiping with her friend. Ugh.
You took a sip of the glass of champagne you had been nursing for the past 2 Ā½ hours. You couldn't wait to get out of there.
"āEavesdropping?"
Shit. You jumped, your hand flying to your chest as Buck appeared next to you seemingly out of nowhere. "Buck, you startled me. Aren't you supposed to be with the mayor?"
Buck shook his head. "Mayor and Mrs. Fisk have retired for the evening. I'm off the clock, so to speak."
Your eyes darted around the room. Sure enough, the mayor and his wife were nowhere to be seen. "Oh. Well, I should probably be heading upstairs too then, long day, you knowā"
You turned to leave.
Buck gently grasped your arm. "Did I do something to offend you?"
You turned back towards him, blinking in surprise. "What? No, of course not."
"Are you sure? Because you've been avoiding me all day."
You inwardly cringed. He wasn't wrong ā that morning, you had avoided looking at him during your meeting to personally go over the new insurance options with the mayor and had darted out of the room as soon as it was over, then when you saw him coming down the hallway later you had ducked into the women's restroom and hid until you were sure he had passed. Then right before you left, you had pretended to be on an important phone call when he'd stopped by your office to drop some paperwork off so you could ask him just to leave it in your inbox and not have to actually speak to him. You'd also been careful to not get anywhere near him during the Ball, steering clear of the mayor and Mrs. Fisk and declining when Daniel suggested that the two of you go over to talk to them.
You cleared your throat. "What? No I haven't."
Buck gave you a look that said he clearly didn't believe you. "You practically ran out of the Mayor's office when I tried to speak to you this morning."
You shook your head. "Like I said, busy day, lots to do before I headed up here."
Buck dropped your arm then bent down to whisper into your ear. "Or perhaps you've been avoiding me because I saw you watching me work out yesterday afternoon from the doorway of the fitness center."
Your face flamed with embarrassment. Shit, he had seen you.
"I'm sorry," you said. "I thought someone had left the stereo on in the fitness center again and was just going to go turn it off. I didn't mean to snoop on you or anything, I swear."
"Did you enjoy it?"
You sucked in a breath. "What?"
A small smirk flitted across Buck's lips. "I said, did you enjoy it? Did you enjoy watching me?"
Hell yes. The mental image of Buck's naked back and arms had single-handedly fueled your private fantasy time the previous evening.
Buck must've (correctly) taken your silence as confirmation, because he added, "I could show you those exercises again if you'd like, give you a better view."
Your brow furrowed. "I'm pretty sure the hotel gym is closed this time of night."
Buck shook his head as he took your champagne glass from you and set it on a nearby table. "I was thinking somewhere a little moreā¦ private."
Your heart began to race. Was Buck asking you to go up to his room with him?
You licked your lips nervously, then nodded. "Okay."
Buck took your hand in his, then began to lead you towards the ballroom's exit.
You spotted Daniel talking to Shelia in a corner of the room and gave him a little wave to get his attention.
Daniel looked over towards you and Buck, his eyebrows raising as he noticed your linked hands.
You pointed towards the exit and gave him another wave goodbye as Buck led you out of the ballroom, down the hall, and to the main lobby, pausing in front of the elevators.
Buck dropped your hand and pressed the button to call the elevator.
You stood in silence as you waited for the elevator, your heart and mind both racing. You weren't exactly sure what was happening, whether this was some sort of cruel trick or if Buck was actually serious about showing you those pushups he had been doing (and if he was, why).
After what seemed like an eternity, the elevator arrived.
Buck gestured towards the opening doors. "After you."
You stepped inside the elevator, taking a deep breath to try to calm your nerves.
Buck followed you into the elevator then pressed the button for his floor.
"By the way, you look lovely tonight," he said as the elevator began to rise, his eyes on the display panel instead of you.
Your face grew warm. "Thank you. You look nice too."
In what felt like no time at all compared to how long it took the elevator to get to the ground level, it dinged its arrival at Buck's floor and the doors opened.
Buck turned and offered you his hand.
After a brief moment's hesitation, you took it, stepping out of the elevator together.
Buck led you down to a room at the end of the hall, keeping his hand in yours as he took a key card out of his tuxedo jacket pocket and swiped it on the lock, then he opened the door and led you inside.
His hotel room was an upscale version of yours, with a king-size bed, a dresser and TV, and a desk with an armchair next to it.
Buck gestured to the chair. "Have a seat."
You moved past him and sat, your heart beginning to race yet again.
Buck took his tux jacket off and hung it in the small closet next to the bathroom, then slid his gun out of its holster and set it on the table.
You glanced over at it nervously.
Buck gave you a wry smile. "Don't worry, safety's on."
Next, he undid his bowtie, his deft fingers pulling the black length of fabric smoothly from underneath his collar.
He pulled his phone out of his pocket and tapped at the screen a few times before setting it down next to his gun, one of the songs you had heard coming from the stereo the previous day beginning to play.
Buck got down on the floor, his head tilted up towards you. "Eyes on me, understood?"
You sucked in a breath, then nodded.
Buck began to do the same complicated pushups you had seen him do the previous afternoon, making the transition between hands to fists to arms in quick succession seem effortless ā all while his eyes never left yours.
Once again, you were rooted to the spot, heat pooling between your legs. Whether he realized it or not, Buck was giving you prime private fantasy folder material.
As the song ended, Buck hopped up then straightened.
You stared up at him, speechless.
He walked back over towards you. "Now, wasn't that much more enjoyable than lurking in the doorway of the fitness center at work?"
You nodded.
"Mm mmm." Buck shook his head. "Use your words, darling."
You nearly melted into the chair at the term of endearment. "Yes," you whispered.
"Good."
You took a deep breath, unsure of what to do next. Finally, you stood. "Okay, well, um, thank you for that ā"
You cut yourself off as Buck took a step closer to you and gently grasped your chin, his warm, still-minty breath fanning your face. "Tell me if I'm about to commit an HR violation here."
You swallowed. "That depends on what you're planning to do."
"This." Buck softly pressed his lips to yours.
Your eyes fluttered closed as you wrapped your arms around him and kissed him back.
Buck huffed out a breath as you broke apart. "Not an HR violation then?"
You shook your head with a light laugh. "Definitely not."
"Good to know."
Buck wrapped his arms around your waist and pulled you back to him as he kissed you again.
You reached out and began undoing the buttons on his dress shirt, giving up halfway when Buck's hands slid up your back to the zipper of your dress. "Is this okay?" he murmured.
You nodded. "Uh huh."
Buck slowly unzipped your dress then reached up to your shoulders, giving the right one a gentle kiss as he slid the straps down.
You bit your lip as the fabric pooled at your feet, thankful that you had packed your nicer, matching bra and panties to go with that dress.
Buck groaned. "Fuck. You're so beautiful, darling."
He picked you up bridal-style and carried you to the bed, ridding himself of his gun holster, shirt, pants, and shoes before climbing in after you.
You licked your lips. There was a smattering of hair across Buck's chest that continued downwards towards the vee of his hips and disappeared underneath his boxers (which you definitely would be thinking more about later).
You let out a soft moan as Buck kissed his way down your chest to your stomach, then a louder one as he pulled the left cup of your bra down to lavish attention to your breast.
Buck switched to your other breast, giving it the same attention before moving back up to kiss your lips. "Tell me what you want," he murmured.
"Want you to fuck me," you breathed. "Please, Buck."
Buck groaned. "Fucking hell, darling."
He trailed a hand down the front of your body to your clothed core. "Is this where you want me?"
You ground against his fingers, desperately wanting them inside you. "Yes, yes."
Buck slid his thumb against your soaked underwear. "Patience, sweetheart. Be a good girl for me, yeah? Let me take care of you first."
You bit back a moan, then nodded.
Buck moved further down the bed and settled himself between your thighs.
He reached up and pulled your underwear down and off of you, groaning at the sight of your already drenched cunt. "Is this all for me?"
You nodded. "Uh huh. All for you, all because of you."
Buck leaned in and swiped his tongue against your glistening folds, then let out a groan. "Jesus Christ, you're delectable."
He wrapped his arms around your thighs and pulled you closer to his face, his tongue circling your clit before giving it a gentle suck.
You gasped, your hands grasping desperately for something to ground you. Finally you grabbed ahold of the comforter, clenching it tightly as Buck pleasured you.
It wasn't long before you were on the 2precipice, just needing a little something extra to push you over the edge. "Buck," you gasped. "Buck, please ā."
Buck switched from his mouth to his fingers, sliding two of them deep into your waiting cunt.
He moved back up to look at you as he circled your clit with his thumb. "That's it, darling," he murmured, his eyes dark with lust. "Let me see your face as you come for me."
You cried out as your orgasm hit, your entire body shaking with pleasure.
Buck worked you through it then carefully withdrew his fingers from inside you before sitting back.
He reached towards the floor, retrieving his pants and removing his wallet before tossing his pants away.
He opened his wallet and pulled out a condom, then set his wallet on the nightstand next to the bed.
You sat up and took the condom from him. "Can I?"
Buck nodded as he shuffled out of his boxers.
You licked your lips at the sight of his hard cock. He was about the size and thickness of your favorite toy ā not overly large by any means, but more than enough to satisfy you.
You wrapped your hand around his length, relishing in the groan Buck let out.
You gave him a few strokes before opening the condom and rolling it on him.
Buck gave you another kiss before gently guiding you to lie back underneath him.
He tenderly caressed your face with one hand as he used the other to notch himself at your entrance and slowly push into you.
You gasped. Out of every fantasy scenario you had imagined, none of them had come close to the feeling of actually having Buck inside you.
Buck let out a deep breath as he adjusted above you, then he slowly pulled out until just his tip remained before pushing back inside. "God, darling, you feel fucking amazing. I've wanted you since the moment I first saw you."
You wrapped your arms around his shoulders as he set a rhythm.
Buck made love like he did everything else: with careful observation and restraint. He hitched your left leg up to get the best possible angle in order to hit that perfect spot inside of you each time, bringing you closer and closer to the edge once again.
He groaned, his thrusts becoming less controlled. "Tell me you're close."
You nodded with a moan, that familiar pressure of an impending orgasm beginning to surface once again. "Yeah, baby, I'm close. Wanna feel you come for me, Buck, please."
Buck reached down and began to circle your clit with his thumb, his body trembling as he held back his own release. "You first, darling. Be a good fucking girl and come for me, yeah?"
You nodded. "Yes, oh God, Buck, yesā"
Your second orgasm was even stronger than your first, washing over you in wave after wave of pure, unadulterated pleasure.
Buck continued to fuck you through it, prolonging your bliss. "Your cunt feels so good, darling," he murmured. "You're so beautiful, so perfect, so ā ahā"
The feeling of Buck's cock pulsing inside you triggered a third orgasm, your cunt clenching around him as he came with a groan of your name.
Buck gently kissed your lips before carefully pulling out of you. "I'll be right back."
You nodded, still boneless from the back-to-back orgasms Buck had just given you.
Buck walked into the bathroom, where you could hear water running.
He came back a few moments later, handing you a hotel bathrobe before pulling his boxers back on. He then fetched two bottles of water from a hidden refrigerator and handed one to you.
You sat up, suddenly feeling shy.
You put the bathrobe on and tied it around your waist before taking the bottle of water. "Thank you."
Buck sat back down on the bed. "You're welcome."
The two of you sat in silence for a moment.
Finally, you spoke. "So what happens now?"
Buck shrugged, a small smirk on his face. "You give me about 20 minutes and we have another go?"
You huffed out a laugh even as your face heated. "I'm serious, Buck!"
"So am I." Buck took your hand in his. "What I would like to do is to spend the rest of the night here with you then take you out to dinner tomorrow evening once we're back in the city."
Your heart fluttered. "You mean as like a date?"
Buck smiled. "Yes, as a date, darling, do keep up."
"Yeah, I'd like that." You huffed out another laugh. "I still can't believe this."
Buck shook his head. "I could say the same. If I hadn't spotted you watching me yesterday I'd have had no idea you were even interested in me."
You bit your lip. "I really am sorry about that."
"Don't be." Buck squeezed your hand. "At least it all worked out."
You took another sip of water. "By the way, I've been interested in you since we first met too. I just never thought you'd want someone ordinary like me."
Buck chuckled. "Trust me, darling, in my line of work, 'ordinary' can be a welcome distraction ā not that you're anything even close to ordinary."
He nuzzled his nose into your neck as he tugged at the tie on your robe. "Now, I believe we have some lost time to make up for, don't you agree?"
