Casino

Soulmates pt. 2

word count:

Fandom: IRL!MCYT Pairing: Dream x Male!Reader              Wilbur Soot x Male!Reader Pronouns: He/Him Relationship: Romantic/Platonic Occupation: Musician                     Painter Ability: N/A

Keys:

[M/N]: Male Name [L/N]: Last Name [H/C]: Hair Color [E/C]: Eye Color [S/C]: Skin Color [B/N]: Brother Name [U/N]: Username

Warnings: n/a

because this was in my drafts for the longest time so I’m just gonna publish this shit.

i’m kinda just going through my drafts now and doing shit.

bound to be errors but I don’t give a shit.

that is all.

“Soulmates” pt. 1

requested by: @ghostking4m​

Soulmate AU: Soulmates can hear the sound of whatever song they’re singing/listening to.

word count: 4035

Dream:

“Ah!” Sapnap’s head shot up in alarm at the sound of Dream’s shouting, the two of them were currently eating in the dining room of their house rather peacefully, talking about whatever came to mind when Dream started screaming. He then shook his head when he noticed his friend cover his ears and shake his head side to side, it must be Dream’s soulmate again. Dream’s way of finding his soulmate was that when either of them were listening to music or singing a song the other would hear it, but the misfortunate thing was the fact that Dream’s soulmate was into rock or heavy metal. There was no in between, it was one or the either and they usually performed at such odd times of the day that it drove Dream insane.

“I can only assume that it’s your soulmate again?” Sapnap said in a monotone voice, lifting his fork to his mouth and chomping on the food that was on it, Dream gave him a side glare before letting out a loud groan, pressing his head into the wood of the table.

“You think?” he bites his lips as he tries to focus on anything else but the blaring music sounding off in the back of his head, it almost felt like he was in a club or maybe a rave, but god he just hated how loud it was. Sapnap let out another sigh when he noticed the tears of frustration start swelling in the corners of his eyes and threatening to fall, he pushes his chair back as he stands to his feet and leaves the room to get something before returning and putting noise cancelling headphones over his ears.

“I know they don’t do much, but at least they do something.” the headphones managed to muffle the noise but he could still just hear the screaming in the back of his head, it was making his brain shake and vibrate in an almost violent manner. The worse part of his soulmate being into heavy metal was the fact it would go on for hours and lately Dream had been getting less and less sleep and couldn’t concentrate properly, Sapnap pats his back and cocks his head to the side “Try and sleep it off, or maybe play some music to distract yourself.”  Dream groans but nodded his head, pushing himself off the table and sluggishly making his way back to his room, pressing the headphones closer to his ears just to cancel out the music. He makes it to his room and so he kicks the door open then closed when he entered it then flopped onto his bed, face now pressed into his pillow and he pressed his face deeper into his pillow when the music started to get louder.

“God... this is a nightmare.” he mumble out from his pillow, he turns around to stare at the ceiling while grabbing at the sides of his pillow to press against the headphones “Why can’t they be into classical music?” he then shook his head as he grabbed his phone and connected the headphones to his phone, he opens up his playlist on Spotify before relaxing into the comfort of his bed when he music started to play. It isn’t much, but it’ll do for now. He swore that when he ever met his soulmate in real life, he was going to get them into a different genre of music to end this nightmare.

[somewhere in california]

“Lets take a moment and break the ice, so my intentions are known~”

[M/N] [L/N], a popular singer within the underground music community who had a goddamn talent for the genre of metal or heavy metal. In comparison to his peers or members of his little band, he was smaller and or leaned closer to the skinny side with not much muscle, but damn did he have a good pair of lungs. Not only was he able to hit high notes, but he was gifted when it came down to the death scream, making his listeners shiver when he blessed them with the moment. Most of the times when he preformed in different places in California, he liked singing covers of popular heavy metal bands and giving them a try and add his own little take of it, and his audience loved it nonetheless.

He was tapping his foot on the ground as he continued to sing through the song “Shepherd of Fire” by Avenged Sevenfold (my personal favorite from the band other than nightmare), shredding the guitar as he bobbed his head to the music blaring through the speakers, he grins as he looked over at his bass player and the two of them smile at each other before continuing to play for their own personal fun and for the entertainment of their crowd. His eyes snapped open for a brief moment when, despite the fact that he was singing to the top of his lungs and the sound of loud music was blaring into his ears, he could briefly hear the song “Killer Queen” by Mad Tsai playing.

“Heh, how cute.” he mumbled to himself during the break of his song, shredding the guitar once more before grabbing the mic and pulling towards his lips, licking them before throwing his fist in the air and letting his backup guitarist continue playing “Know me by name, shepherd of fire~” he then threw his head back then down when he performed his guitar solo without a single flaw, the night went on perfectly and [M/N] and his band of misfits performed at their best and the crowd was not disappointed at all until they wrapped it up “You guys were a great crowd, I hope to see you guys during our next performance!” he exclaims, winking when he heard them let out aw’s and cries for them to come back, only for them to get a laugh in return as he walked onto backstage. 

“Tonight was flawless, as usual.” the bass player mused, opening up the fridge in their dressing room and grabbing a few bottles of water, tossing one over to [M/N] who managed to catch it without even looking “And whom do we have to thank?” he questioned to no one in particular, this caused the remaining members to each look at [M/N].

“Our lead vocalist, [M/N]~” they each cooed jokingly, causing the man to snicker softly as he twisted to cap off and skull a couple gulps of water down his throat, letting out a sigh of relief at the way the liquid quelled his aching throat. Sure he felt bad for his soulmate that he was into such a loud music genre, but after shows, he always enjoyed the soft music his soulmate would play just to drown out his voice and choice of music. It was always so soothing and his band mates would often notice, the way he sat on the couch, leaning his body into the back frame and his body swaying side to side as he eyes closed so he could focus more on the music.

“Is it your soulmate again?” the drummer asked, folded arms resting on the back of the couch as he looked down at his friend, who hummed softly and rather absentmindedly.

“Oh, it’s that look of pure bliss.” the back up guitarist said softly as they watched [M/N] slowly drift to sleep, their friend had insomnia and had trouble sleeping, that’s why he performed at night so he could tire himself out but once his soulmate started playing their own music, he started to help [M/N] get through the night.

“What are they listening to now?” the bass player asks.

“Hmm... let me see.” how he was able to recognize the song was because it was recently trending on social media, a song that was made by a popular Minecraft YouTuber that went by the name Dreamwastaken, or simply Dream. It was a soft song and if he remembered it correctly, the song was called-- “Change my Clothes” by Dream.” he answered, this caused the bass player to hum.

“Dream? That Minecraft guy, right?” the drummer snorts.

“Yeah, I heard he and his friends get cancelled a lot on Twitter! What a riot.” this caused [M/N] to pull his phone out and search his name up, he whistled to himself at all the results.

“Wow, he really is popular. For a faceless content creator, nonetheless. Impressive.” he shrugged his shoulders and decided to subscribe to him on YouTube, even going so far as to following him on Twitter and Twitch “Let me guess, we’re watching Minecraft tonight?” [M/N] snorts to himself.

“Come on, I heard this guy is funny.” he only got a groan in response which only caused him to laugh, [M/N] shook his head as he looked back down at his phone, scrolling through the search results then leaning against his knuckles as he clicked on a video.

’Dream, huh?’ a smirk crossed his lips ’How interesting.’

[time skip, with dream]

Dream was looking up at nothing in particular, but as of lately, his head had been radio silent. The first night that happened, Dream thought it was a miracle and took that moment of silence as his chance to get a proper night’s rest and enjoyed it to the fullest. The next day it was also silent, and then the next, then the next, and so on so forth until that very day. It was lovely the first couple of times, but now he was downright concerned and worried that when it does come back it’ll come back full force and run him over like a train, so he wasn’t letting his guard down for anything.

“Dream, you’ve gotta calm down.” Sapnap said firmly, looking down at his friend who sat on the couch covered in blankets and surrounded by pillows and the couch cushions “You’re being overdramatic.” Dream glared at him from his fort of pillows, his green eyes flashing with anger and suspicion.

“You’re not the one with a soulmate who’s into a genre that makes you go deaf!” Sapnap rolled his eyes, hands on his hips.

“Well acting like a dumbass isn’t going to help you.” he rolled his eyes when Dream scoffed and dug himself deeper into his fort, Sapnap then noticed Dream flinch and out of reflex slap his hands over his ears when he suddenly paused, the palms of his hands hovering a couple inches away from his ears. The younger of the two tilted his head to the side in confusion at the reaction, he believed that his soulmate was listening to music now but for some reason Dream wasn’t crying out in frustration at the volume. No, the expression he wore was surprise.

“Huh...?” Sapnap raises a brow.

“What’s the matter? Are they listening to music again?” he slowly nods his head, his hands slowly falling down onto his lap and a soft blush rose to his cheeks, this reaction took Sapnap by surprise. 

“Yeah, and they’re listening to my song...” Sapnap hums, pursing his lips when he saw Dream close his eyes and start swaying softly to his song that echoed in the back of his head, pulling the covers of the blankets closer to him as the blush quickly spread to the tips of his ears, the man then let out a shout of protest when he was shoved to the side so Sapnap could take a seat on the couch.

“Then thank the gods above that they’re listening to your song so I don’t have to hear your bitching, now scoot over, you’re taking up the couch fatass.” Dream rolled his eyes and moved over to sit at the end of the couch, Sapnap then grabbed the T.V remote and switched the T.V on.

”This just in, the famous underground singer along with his band, will be performing this week in Orlando, Florida! This is a one in a lifetime opportunity because this talented vocalist doesn’t perform out in public often, but he and his friends are being sponsored by a music industry to perform LIVE!” Dream was ignoring the noise but was startled when Sapnap let out a shout.

“Wow! I’ve heard about this guy! I heard he’s all skinny and fragile looking, but he’s got a mean voice when it comes down to heavy metal!” he then snickers, elbowing Dream in the arm and leaning close to Dream’s face “Maybe we should go and check it out, beats staying in the house.” Dream shook his head.

“No, Sapnap. I’d rather not.” the blonde then pulled a face when Sapnap gave him a pleading look “No, Sapnap. Put that blasted look away, we’re not going. I don’t have the energy nor the need to go to a rave just to listen to a guy scream.” 

“Oh, Dream, please! Just this one time, come with me to the concert and I promise you I won’t bother you for two months! I’ll even buy you better quality soundproof headphones.” Dream side eyed him, scrunching his face up before letting out a groan, knowing that if he continued to disagree, Sapnap would not cease his begging.

“Argh, fine!” he claps his hands.

“Yay!” Dream shook his head before letting his head rest back on the couch, nodding off to sleep at the sound of his song’s soft melody. Opening his eyes, [M/N] let out a soft yawn before letting out choking noise when something was thrown at his stomach, he lets out a growl when he saw that his friends threw a pillow at him so he grabbed it and threw it back at them.

“I’m trying to listen to some music, ass hats! I wasn’t able to because those managers said that I needed to rest both my voice and my ears because it’s going to be a long performance! This is the first time I got to listen to music in a long time so don’t ruin this for me!” one of them laughs, throwing their head back from their seat.

“Oh, please! Give your soulmate a break, I feel like they would be at the verge of a breakdown from all the heavy metal you listen to.” the all laugh but [M/N] only huffs, shaking his head as he puts his headphones back on and lays back down on his seat. He then glances out the plane window and hums to himself, from a small singer that lived in California that was now being sponsored to perform in Florida, he smiles softly.

’I heard that Dream lives in Florida, maybe I’ll meet him.’ he snorts to himself and lets his eyes close once more ’Yeah, fat chance.’

[time skip: later that week]

“Clay, come on, we’re gonna lose some good spots to watch him perform!” Sapnap shouts from over all the noise, they chose to address Dream by his real name so that people wouldn’t recognize him, he hasn’t really done his face reveal and people wouldn’t really think twice that he was the famous Minecraft YouTuber. The performance hadn’t even started yet but there were already a lot of people, Sapnap was very excited, the same couldn’t be said for Dream because he grumbled under his breath and threw his hood over his head.

’I can’t wait for this to be over.’ he thought to himself, though [M/N] had the same thought backstage as he was currently running on several cups of coffee, cans of energy drinks and maybe a few bottles of alcohol along with two to three hours of sleep. Practically, he couldn’t wait until this performance was over because he was going to sleep as if he was dead.

“Wow, it’s a full house!” the drummer cheered, they hear a groan so they look over and saw that [M/N] was at the verge of passing out. 

“I’m so tired.’ he mumbled, opening a bottle of water and drinking some before spitting it out when his backup guitarist smacked his back.

“Performing will wake you right up, so don’t worry about it!” he sweat drops when [M/N] slowly turned back to look at him and glared at him, he backed away and let [M/N] exhale softly.

“Well then, let’s fuck shit up.” the lights got dim and so the crowd roared with cheers when they knew that it was going to start soon, the stage was dark so they couldn’t the band walk onto the stage and each member took their respective spots. [M/N] grabbed the mic and took a deep breath, the mic managed to pick it up and so the crowd slowly brought to a silence “What an honor it is to have such an audience, and as your reward for gifting us with your presence, we’ll make sure tonight is one you’ll remember.” 

“WHOA!!!” he grinned from behind the mic when the crowd started cheering again, he nods his head before glancing off the stage to where the sound technician was, he winks and gives them a thumbs up before staring back at the crowd.

“Now, let’s head back to the early 2000′s when music was a pop.’ he snaps his fingers three times “Want your bad romance~” ([m/n] is singing jay smith’s version of bad romance) when the music picked up and he started singing, the lights flashed on and there the crowd was gifted with the sight of [M/N] and his band’s appearance. Dream took a step forward as he looked him up and down, he wore tight ripped jeans that fit him perfectly, a loose tank top that had a skull on it, his arms and torso, even on his neck was littered with tattoos and even his face and ears had countless piercings. He wore eye shadow, eyeliner, black lipstick and even had black nail polish.

“Wow...” he awed under his breath, his head bobbing to the way he was singing, despite his rather small and skinny appearance, what Sapnap and the media said were right, he had a beautiful set of lungs that allowed him to sing such low and even high notes and he was able to carry the note flawlessly. His version of Bad Romance was amazing too that he couldn’t help but rock on to the beat, however, he somehow noticed that the echoey sound of his soulmate listening to music in the back of his head was going off. He pressed his hands to his ears and tried to focus on the music but was shocked to hear that the music was the song that [M/N] was singing “No way.” he muttered to himself as he looked up at the man performing on the stage.

“Hmm?” [M/N] himself noticed that the song he was singing was echoing in the back of his head as well, was his soulmate hear at his and his friends performance? He scanned the crowd for anyone else that had the same reaction as him, there wasn’t a single person in the crowd that tugged on his heart so he was going to give up on his search until his [E/C] eyes landed on a pair of bright green eyes that almost reminded him of emeralds. [M/N] continued to sing but his friends noticed the way he was a little distracted, but he could care less as he continued to stare at the man who was just as taken aback as he was. 

’What gorgeous eyes.’ they both thought, [M/N] then smirked softly and winked in his direction, snickering to himself when he noticed the taller man instantly grow flushed and pull the sides of his hood closer to his face ‘Cute~’ he cooed in his head before taking a step forward, he eyes were still trained on Dream but no one really noticed and all thought that he was staring at him as he extended his arm out to the crowd while kneeling down when he was at the edge of the stage.

”I want your love, and I want your revenge. I want your love, I don't wanna be friends~” Dream knew that he was talking to him, he knew in the back of his head that the lyrics [M/N] was singing was directed at him and he grew even more flustered when [M/N] continued to keep eye contact with him “I don’t wanna be friends, want your bad romance~” [M/N] then pulled away, grinning to himself as he continued to sing the chorus of the song while the crowd cheered behind him.

“Wow, he’s really good!” Sapnap cheered while bouncing on his feet, he glanced up at Dream and was taken aback when he saw that Dream was trembling softly while his face was completely red “Clay?” 

“... I’m so glad I came here.” Dream let out with a strangled voice. 

“Huh?”

Headcanons:

when the performance was over, dream and sapnap were brought backstage to meet [m/n] and his band. 

obviously sapnap was over the moon and confused as to why they of all people were given the opportunity to meet them, but dream knew and he was getting more and more nervous with each step he took. 

[m/n] gave a brief explanation to his friends as to why he was bringing people backstage because he usually never did that, and they were more than excited to meet his soulmate/the poor sap who was tormented to be his soulmate. 

when they were brought backstage, sapnap was the first to speak to [m/n], saying how his performance was amazing and how he loved his voice. 

[m/n], of course, thanked him for the compliments and happily agreed to an autograph and selfie before moving his attention towards dream.

everyone in the room thought it was quite adorable and amusing the way dream was trembling softly as [m/n] sauntered his way over to him, hands behind his back as he leaned in closely to the taller male.

[m/n] was short; brother stood at a measly 5″5ft while dream was 6″3ft, so the it was funny that dream was trembling in front of him. 

sapnap was still a little confused as to what was going on but it clicked when [m/n] grabbed dream by his belt while his other hand grabbed the collar of his hoodie to yank him down and pull him into a kiss. they all left them in the room when things got heated.

needless to say, the next day sapnap noticed how dream’s neck was littered in bruises, hickies and black lipstick marks when he got home.

since [m/n] and his lot were staying in orlando for a couple months, [m/n] would often visit dream in the comfort of his home and together the two of them would listen to a range of different music. 

dream would introduce [m/n] to different songs and music genre’s while [m/n] would introduce dream different rock and heavy metal songs.

sometimes they would create different songs together and [m/n] would perform them whenever he had a show, blowing a kiss in the camera when aimed at him and dream would always know that it was meant for him, same with sapnap because he would always see dream bury his face in his hands or arms. 

sure he was half dream’s size and was pretty skinny, but he was by no means weak. motherfucker has to carry amplifiers, speakers and instruments all the times so he could lift.

dream didn’t believe him until [m/n] managed to throw him over his shoulder and carry him around with little to no struggle.

never again.

other than that, the two of them enjoy spending time with each other in absolute silence because the two of them simply get the bask in each other’s presence and listen to the sound of each other’s breathing or their heart beats.

at least now [m/n] gives dream heads up on when he’s performing and what songs he’s singing to warn the poor guy.

but dream could have it either way now that he knows that his soulmate is a spunky, short little menace that could absolutely demolish him.

same with [m/n], knowing that his soulmate was a cutie, because flustering him is an absolute delight.

Soulmate AU: Soulmates are briefly able to see each other whenever they have dreams, but when they catch a brief glimpse of them in real life, the next time they have a dream they get the full image of them.

word count: 5453

Wilbur Soot:

“What do you look like?” [M/N] let out a frustrated groan as he stared at his unfinished painting, it was of a man sitting peacefully in a flower field of orange poppy flowers, but what made it unfinished was the fact that [M/N] could not put a face to the man that was sitting in his painting. He was painting an image he saw in his dream, what he believed was his soulmate. He had been having the same occurring dream for the past couple of weeks and it was always the same scenery, same flower field and the same person, but he just wasn’t able to see the face of this person “This is so frustrating.” he grumbles to himself, threading his fingers through his hair than messing with his hair.

“You’re totally gay.” [M/N] deadpans at the sound of his brother’s voice, he looks over his shoulder and saw his brother leaning close to the canvas and stared at the figure he drew, he then nods his head before looking [M/N] in the eye “Yup, totally gay.” he laughs when [M/N] shoved his face away.

“Yeah, what the hell are you doing in my studio? You know you’re not allowed in here.” he then realized something when [B/N] took a seat on one of his wheelie stools, pushing himself across the room “Actually, the hell are you doing in my house? When did you even let yourself in?!” he shouts, this only caused his brother to laugh.

“I was here for maybe... five or ten minutes. I was calling your name but you were too absorbed into your work to even notice I was there.” [M/N] deadpans once more before sighing and standing to his feet and putting his palette down on a table covered by a sheet, he then grabs a wet cloth and cleans his hands the best he could with it.

“Why are you here?” now it was his brother’s turn to give him a look.

“Dude, seriously? I’m here to take a look at the painting you were supposed to be working on for mum’s birthday!” [B/N] narrows his eyes on [M/N] when he saw the realization dawn on him at the mention, [B/N] let’s out a grunt when [M/N] threw the cloth at his face before dashing over to where he put said painting, when he peeled the washcloth off his face he whistled to himself when he saw the painting of their mother.

“You just reminded me that I needed to buy a couple more paint buckets to get the right color for the background, thanks bro.” his brother rolled his eyes as he approached the painting and saw the process of it.

“No worries, looks good by the way.” [M/N] pats his shoulder.

“Thanks.” they both wink at each other “Think you can give me a hand buying some more paint, that shit’s fucking heavy and I could use some help.” [B/N] gave him a thumbs up.

“Got it.” driving to the store wasn’t a hassle, what [B/N] hated helping [M/N] with when it came down to getting new paints was how picky [M/N] was and how long it took the fucker to choose a paint. It irritated the man that [M/N] could remember all the names to the same color, like if he pointed at a random shade of blue, he would instantly know the name and number of that blue. [M/N] didn’t even need to turn around to know that his brother was irritated and frustrated with him as he picked up two different shades of orange colored cards and looked at the two of them, a tick mark appeared on his forehead when he saw his brother throw his arms up.

“They’re the same shade, fucker!”

“Well I want a precise shade, fucker!” they would have continued arguing if it weren’t for the sharp glare that was given to them by one of the employees there, they immediately grow silent but that didn’t stop the glares they were sending each other. [B/N] was bouncing on his feet, trying to distract himself while [M/N] was looking for the right shade of orange, before letting out a groan and walking away “Now where are you going, [B/N]?” 

“I’m going to a different aisle to distract myself, call me when you’re finished.” [M/N] goes to call out to him but sighed when he was already gone, he shook his head before looking back over at the color cards. He probably spent a good ten to fifteen minutes looking at different shades of different colors before nodding his head and grabbing two buckets of paint and a few miniature ones in the bottles, by the time he bought the paint he was now waiting outside with his phone in his hand, in the midst of calling his brother.

“Where is that idiot brother of mine?” he was ready to dial his number but let out a surprised shout when he felt a pair of hands slam onto his shoulders, he turned around and saw [B/N] with an excited look on his face “What’s got you all excited, bro?” he questioned after pocketing his phone.

“You’re not gonna believe who I managed to meet while browsing randomly through the aisles!” [M/N] raised a brow, brushing his shoulders then rubbing them when he felt a slight sting and ache from when [B/N] grabbed them violently “I ran into TommyInnit!” he exclaims, his expression dropped when [M/N] stared at him.

“... who?” he was then slapped across the face, before he could shout at his brother, he was then grabbed by the collar of his shirt and was now being thrashed back and forward.

“Who?! You uncultured swine who does nothing but sit in his studio all day long painting!” he threw [M/N] back, leaving the man swaying side to side in a daze, then pulled his phone out of his pocket, opening up his gallery and pulling out the most recent before grabbing [M/N] by his collar again and yanking him forward, forcing him to look at the photo “The guy standing next to me is TommyInnit!” when [M/N]’s gaze cleared up, he shook his head and gave the guy a closer look. To him, it was just some random white kid who looked like he was being held at gunpoint.

“Hmm... still don’t know who that is.” [B/N] threw his head back.

“Jesus christ, don’t you ever go on social media?” [M/N] stood with a straight face as he continued to stare at his brother, [B/N] shook his head “God, he’s a pretty well known YouTube Minecraft content creator!” [M/N] rolled his eyes as he pushed his trolley full of paints and other shit towards his car.

“That’s all you had to say, dipshit.” [B/N] threw his arms up as he followed his brother.

“I’m just appalled at the fact that you’ve never heard of this man!” the other shook his head.

“What? Is it because I’m a pretty well known artist/painter that I have to know someone that is equally as well known as I am?” [B/N] pulled a face, it was true, his older brother was pretty well known in their community but his art is also getting more and more popular nationally as well. Personally, [B/N] would never rank his older brother above TommyInnit because he is a great kid, but he would have to say that his brother is just a bit more famous than he was “Plus, I’d rather much focus on things I love doing the most than other things.” his brother let out a groan, causing the other to roll his eyes as he started loading his stuff into the boot.

“Then can you at least just watch a couple of his videos? You might find it annoying at first, but I promise you, he’s genuinely a very funny guy!” [M/N] glanced over his shoulder and there he saw his brother giving him watery puppy dog eyes, he lets out a long groan as he threw his head back while closing the boot.

“Fucking-- fine! I can already tell you won’t drop this if I don’t agree.” he pulls a face when [B/N] gave him that knowing look.

“You know me so well.” he rolls his eyes.

“Uh huh, yeah, put the damn trolley back.” he says as he shoves it into his hands before walking towards the driver side and hoping into the car, ignoring how his brother let out a cry before rushing off to put the trolley away then returning and hoping into the passengers side.

[time skip: later that evening]

“"Most people find these videos downright irritating--” [M/N] had to admit, watching TommyInnit’s videos was quite entertaining that he couldn’t help but watch a couple his videos, even going so far as to playing them in the background as he contiinued to work, it probably was a bad idea to let the videos play in his studio because now he was getting distracted from what he was supposed to be doing, which was finishing his mother’s portrait. He just shook his head as he set the palette down on a nearby table and pushed himself onto his feet, going over and grabbing his phone to search up more information on the fellow brit.

He whistles to himself at the amount of followers, subscribers and views this guy gets, sweating a little when he scrolled onto the wrong side of Twitter and saw things he probably wish he didn’t. He quickly clicked out of there and soon switched to looking at Google Images of the guy, he hummed to himself as he looked at the various images of the guy, most images of him looked like he was being held at gunpoint. He clicked on a random image by accident and when the image loaded he saw cute curly brown locks with a red beanie over them to keep them under control, a brown overcoat and underneath was a yellow sweater, he wore a pair of jeans and shoes along with a pair of round glasses that sat on the bridge of his nose.

“Hmm? Who’s this?” his gaze softened as he continued to stare at the image, his gaze then drifted to the canvas of his other painting, and there he narrowed his gaze on it. He approached it and brought the phone up so it was side to side with the canvas, there he would look between the google image and his painting and there he saw the striking resemblance between his mystery soulmate and this content creator. Same curly brown hair with a red beanie sitting on top of his head and that iconic yellow sweater with a white undershirt, he could even faintly see the jawline he managed to capture in his canvas “... no fucking way.” was all he could say, what was the possibility that this man was his soulmate?

He quickly looks at what the image says and he managed to get a name from it, Wilbur Soot. He remembered hearing that name often from Tommy’s videos so he scrolled through Tommy’s YouTube channel and clicked on one of his most recent videos and there he got to see Wilbur Soot dressed rather nicely in a suit, though it was unfortunate for him because he was at an Aquapark with Tommy and another brit named George. He had to admit, this guy was attractive but in a cute way, he even had a cute laugh and a good sense of humor. He hadn’t realized how long he was daydreaming for until the video was over, a small blush rose to his cheeks when he noticed that he was subconsciously filling in the empty face of his painting with extreme facial details and now it was as if he was staring Wilbur Soot in the face.

“... dammit, [B/N] was right. I am gay.” he buries his red face into the palms of his hands before looking at the painting once more, cupping his cheeks and squishing them within the palms of his hands, he then shakes his head as he grabs a sheet and throws it over the painting “Maybe I’m just overthinking it... yeah, I totally am! It’s just that my soulmate and him look similar, is all.” he nods to himself, yeah, now is not the time to overthink it. He then calls it a night and decided to leave, grabbing his phone and leaving his studio... only to return a couple seconds later to stare at his painting once more, even more so by taking a photo of the painting and deciding to upload it. 

‘Plenty of people upload fanart of their favorite creators, this shouldn’t be any different.’ he thought as he loaded up his Instagram then posted the photo there, making sure to tag Wilbur and putting in the caption “my brother recommended me to watch @tommyinnit but instead I found this guy” he nods to himself before turning his phone off and finally going to bed, not even realizing the fate he brought sealed for himself. 

pinksh0_ wow, it’s like i’m staring at a photo!

j0k3z- it’s not a photo?

grgbur2 so much detail! what work of art!

eli_kah talk about talent

grim.aep a famous artist even drew it

dariaaqt_👏

Wilbur raised a brow when he was being spammed on Instagram, thinking it was Tommy, he was going to yell at that kid but paused when he noticed that it was dozens of fans tagging him to a post done by a artist. He clicked on it and his eyes widened when he realized that it was a painting of him, it was a painting?! He had to squint his eyes at it while zooming in on the image because it looked so lifelike he probably would have thought that he took a photo, but he came to the conclusion that it wasn’t possible because he has never taken a photo of himself sitting in a flower field of orange poppy flowers... wait a damn minute.

He sat up straight as he looked at the background he was in and he swore he recognized where it was, but he just couldn’t quite place where he had seen that surrounding before. It was on the tip of his tongue, but he just couldn’t taste it yet. He continued to stare at the image of him, pursing his lips and clicking on his profile picture, frowning slightly when he was brought to their profile but only to realize that the artist was an anonymous username going by the name of [U/N]. He whistled as he scrolled through his page and saw many works of art, each just as detailed as the other, so he decided upon himself to follow the guy.

“Hmm, I wonder where I’ve seen that background from...?” he muttered softly, leaning back in his chair as it spun around from his weight, his legs swinging out from beneath him as he continued to stare at the photo intensely “It’ll come back to me eventually.” he then tosses his phone onto his desk.

‘I’ll worry about it later, I have more important things to worry about.’

[time skip: a few days later]

“Bro, what the fuck is this?!” [M/N] was in the middle of painting another canvas out in the middle of a park when his brother appeared, thrusting his phone in his face “You painted Wilbur Soot, and you didn’t tell me?!” [M/N] rolled his eyes as he smacked the phone out of his hand and onto the grassy terrain, to which he let out a cry as he immediately dropped to his knees to pick it up.

“First of all, shut the fuck up. Second of all, back the fuck up. Can’t you see I’m in the middle of something?” he says as he gestures to the canvas, palette and paint brush in hand “And besides, it’s none of your concern.” he deadpans when [B/N]’s face was in his face instead of his phone this time, he turns to face him and sweats a little at the seriousness on his face.

“It is my concern when it involves the Dream SMP.” he rolls his eyes.

“I don’t have time for this.” his brother scoffs as he looks at the image again, gasping at the amount of likes and comments it was getting, but what he noticed was how familiar the painting looked to him. He pulled the phone closer to his face to get a look at it, his mind mentally removed the face and other details and slowly his eyes widened in realization, his eyes then moved back towards his brother and there he saw him hunched forward, body trembling softly as sweat started bleeding down his face.

“[M/N]...” he didn’t answer him, he leans away when [B/N] was leaning closer to his face as he raised his phone then pointed at it “Why the fuck did you paint Wilbur in the place of your soulmate?” he looked away, a bright blush flushing across his face.

“... because they look the same?” a hand was what kept [B/N] from strangling him, he shook his head as his brother went on a whole rant as to how a relationship between the two of them wouldn’t work and how Wilbur Soot was just too good for someone like him. He shook his head while rolling his eyes, hurt his feelings a tad bit but he knew in the back of his mind that his brother didn’t really mean his words... or so he hoped. His mind drifted off as his hand started painting on its own, the moment his mind was able to think for itself, the blush on his face reddened when he noticed that he drew Wilbur once more from memory.

“Fucking hell.” was all [B/N] said, the other’s shoulders dropped as he stared at it before dropping his paint brush and palette while his face collapsed into the palms of his hands “You’ve got it bad.”

“I know.” he groans.

“Hey!” they both jump at the loud shout, they turn around and [B/N] let out a gasp at the sight “You’re that artist that drew Wilbur!”

“Oh my gosh, it’s TommyInnit...” [B/N] whispered to himself, [M/N] shook his head at his brother’s reaction as he looked up at the blonde from where he was sitting as he jogged over to them.

“How can you tell? I could be just another artist painting his favorite content creator.” he says casually as he used a thinner brush to paint in the fine detail on Wilbur’s hair and face, Tommy scoffed as he crossed his arms as he stared at the painting that looked almost like a photo, just like the one on his Instagram.

“I can recognize this bitch anywhere, and the amount of detail put into it resembles the other one, also...” [M/N] watched as Tommy pointed at the bottom right corner and there he saw his watermark, which was his username on any of his social media.

“... alright.” he winces when Tommy stared down at him with puppy dog eyes, he looks away and tries to ignore the way the young boy was staring intently at him, but it was quite hard by the way Tommy was practically hovering away from his cheek while breathing a little heavily “Haven’t you heard of social distancing? We’re in a time where having personal space is much needed.” he laughs at that before throwing his arm around his shoulder, resting his weight onto his body.

“How’s about you paint me, eh?” [M/N] raised a brow at that.

“Sure, if you pay me.” [M/N] answered rather jokingly, though he was half serious “My services are not free.” Tommy’s jaw dropped before pointing at the painting of Wilbur.

“But you painted him!” he waves his hand to dismiss him.

“My mind was elsewhere when I painted him. No jokes.” the older man let out a startled shout when [B/N] reached forward, pressing the palm of his hand to his mouth to keep him quiet.

“I’m sorry about my brother, he just joking with you, aren’t you?” [M/N] narrowed his eyes at his brother when he noticed the look he was giving him, he was just basically telling him to give in and paint Tommy for free, but he smacked his brother to let him go before shaking his head.

“No, I’m not joking. I don’t do it for free unless it’s a gift or I need inspiration.” Tommy pouts as he looks at the painting, a smirk slowly grew onto his face when he saw Tommy’s face twitch before he let out a cry, throwing his head back while stomping his foot on the ground.

“Oh, alright!” he grinned when Tommy pulled out a couple bills from his pocket and slapped them down into the palm of his hand, he then begrudgingly takes a seat on the grass as [M/N] counts the amount of bills.

“Ah, taking money from a child, what great pleasure.”

“You better make me look good.” he smirked as he pocketed the money.

“Don’t worry, with the amount of cash you gave me, I’ll make sure it’s a masterpiece. Though, I do hope you know how to sit still for a certain period of time.” he rolled his eyes when he heard the latter let out a groan.

“Do I have to?” he gave Tommy a slight glare.

“You’re getting what you asked for.” he says, being gentle with his canvas of Wilbur and setting it down on the ground before pulling out a blank canvas to start his new painting “Painting takes time and patience for the perfect results to come through, it doesn’t happen like that. So I hope you can trust the process and be patient with me and I’ll make sure you’ll get your money’s worth.” Tommy stared at him but nodded his head.

“Well, alright. I’ll trust you, but if I don’t like it--”

“You’ll like it.” he snapped, Tommy couldn’t help but sweat a little when [M/N] had a determined look on his face “Don’t doubt my skills, child. You’ll look fabulous.” Tommy still had his doubts, [B/N] had a bead of sweat form on his cheek when he noticed how in the zone his brother was. His attention span was zero to none with subjects he didn’t really care about or had no knowledge about, but when it came down to his paintings, there was nothing that could possibly break his concentrations no matter how hard you try. And so, though he didn’t want the boy to wait for long, he made a portrait as realistic as he could with the amount of time he had at hand. He finally added the last detail he could and peeked around the canvas, huffing softly when he noticed that Tommy was nodding off to sleep “Wake up.” Tommy immediately sat up at the demand.

“I didn’t fall asleep!” he shouts, [M/N] rolled his eyes as he takes the canvas off the frame.

“Well, I’m done.” this woke Tommy up.

“Really? I wanna see! Lemme see!” he chuckled and turned the canvas around so Tommy could get a look at it.

“It might not be as detailed as the one I did for Wilbur, mostly because I believe you won’t be able to sit for fifteen hours, but this is the best I can do under five hours.” he didn’t know what kind of reaction Tommy was having as he stared at the portrait, did he dislike it? Was he disappointed that it wasn’t as good?

“It looks... amazing!” he exclaims, [M/N] let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding as Tommy marvelled at the portrait, looking at it at different angles before looking back at [M/N] “It’s almost as if I’m staring at a mirror, I can imagine what you can do with fifteen hours.”

“Thank you, so it was worth the wait?” he nods.

“Definitely.” [M/N] was then promptly asked to take a photo with Tommy, to which he reluctantly agreed if his face were to remain hidden, and so a new photo was uploaded to Tommy’s Instagram page with [B/N] taking the photo angled so you wouldn’t be able to see [M/N]’s face but you could see him holding Tommy’s portrait while Tommy did his signature thumbs up.

“You really look like you’re being held at gun point.”

“What? No I don’t.” he snickered softly at as he started packing up his stuff, it’s gotten late as is “Can I keep the portrait?”

“Of course.” Tommy grinned.

“Hey, Tommy!” [M/N] hummed just as he put away the last of his paints when he heard a voice call for the young teen, standing up straight, he couldn’t stop the way his face flushed pink when Wilbur came running up over to them, stopping right in front of Tommy with a concerned look on his face “Tommy, when you said you wanted to hang out, I didn’t know you meant playing hide and seek for literally five to six hours.” Tommy waved his hand to dismiss him.

“Yeah, yeah, sorry about that, but look!” he exclaims, grabbing the portrait and thrusting it towards Wilbur “I found the same painter that painted you!” he shouts, Wilbur rolled his eyes and pushed the painting back so he could see it then blinked when it saw it.

“Wow, they managed to capture what attractiveness you have.” Tommy pulled the painting back so he could glare at him.

“Huh?!” he pushed Tommy away so he could get a look at the anonymous painter and there he saw [M/N], awkwardly standing in front of the new painting he did of Wilbur subconsciously, fidgeting with his thumbs and smudging some of the still drying paint along his fingers.

“If I’m guessing, the painter must be you?” [M/N] laughed bashfully, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Oh yeah, it’s me alright.” Tommy and [B/N] stand together as they watched [M/N]’s usual confident attitude turn sheepish when Wilbur approached him, their was a brief pause between the two of them when their eyes met and for some reason they felt as if their hearts skipped a beat “Um, my name is [M/N]...” he introduce while offering his hand for a shake, Wilbur chuckled at his flustered state as he slowly reached to shake his hand.

“I’m Wilbur, it’s nice to finally meet my painter.” if [M/N] wasn’t already a shade of pink, he was pretty sure his face turned an even brighter pink, this reaction Wilbur found cute. The moment their hands met for the handshake though, it felt like a spark ran throughout their entire body, this sudden shock caused them both to flinch away.

“Ouch!” [M/N] winched while crying out in pain, shaking his hand lightly to lessen the pain, he looked up and saw that Wilbur was doing the same thing so he approached the slightly shorter man in concern “Are you alright?” he shook his head with a slight laugh.

“Yeah, I’m alright, that just startled me.” the two of them were now staring directly at each other, eye to eye type of closeness. [M/N] swallowed thickly and couldn’t help but lean closer to get a closer look at the features of his face, he hadn’t realized how close he had gotten until Wilbur pulled away, this time he had the embarrassed and flustered look on his face “U-Um...” upon realizing what he had done, he immediately shot backwards.

“Oh! I’m so sorry, it’s just that... I feel like I’ve met you somewhere.” Wilbur scratches his cheek.

“Honestly, me too.” they stare at each other in silence until Wilbur raises his phone “Could I get your number?” [M/N] blankly stared at him then nodded.

“Sure.” before they could get lost in a conversation, they were pulled away from each other by their respective brother’s (tommy being wilbur’s brother is the cutest thing) and went on their merry ways, though [M/N] did gift the portrait he did of Wilbur earlier to him before he went home. [M/N] was now currently laying on his back in his bedroom, staring up at his ceiling as his mind was just filled with Wilbur. He was just constantly on his mind and no matter what he did could he get the young brit out of his mind, he let out a breath and just let exhaustion overcome him and he fell asleep.

There, he found himself in that familiar looking flower field. He huffed to himself and let himself fall backwards into the orange poppies, he sat there for god knows how long waiting for his soulmate to fall asleep with him so that he could see them and thought that they were taking longer than they usual would. What felt like hours finally came when a shadow loomed over him, he blinked at the arrival and sat up straight, thinking to himself, lets get this over with. He was never going to see their face until he met them in real life, so he wanted to end this nonsense as soon as possible. When he saw up properly and took a good look at the individual in front of him, his eyes widened when he noticed that he could see their face.

“Oh my god, it’s you...” he whispered softly, that same embarrassed look rose to his face when he saw Wilbur staring at him, who now shared a similar expression as he looked down at him. He let out a laugh of relief that he had finally met his soulmate, Wilbur reached down to help him to his feet but let out a whoa when [M/N] instead pulled him down, to which he landed on top of him, [M/N] was still laughing as he wrapped his arms around Wilbur shouting happily that he finally met him, Wilbur stared down at him before matching his relief and laughter.

“You’re much different then what I expected.” Wilbur admitted after they both calmed down and settled to laying in the field of flowers.

“What’d you expect?” Wilbur hummed, pushing himself up slightly but continued to lay on his chest with his legs in between his.

“Someone more composed.” [M/N] couldn’t help but pout softly at that.

“Then do you prefer if I remained neutral?” Wilbur shook his head.

“Oh, no! I like this much better!” he soon lowered himself, using his arms to rest his chin that laid on top of his chest, [M/N] own arms wrapped around his waist “I very much prefer this.”

“Well, I’m glad.”

Headcanons: 

the two of them had no clue how long they were laying in their dreams for but the moment [m/n] had abruptly woke up, he cried out that he wanted to go back to sleep to spend more time with wilbur,

though, wilbur immediately sent him a message when he woke up saying that they should go on a date. 

cue them spending the next day going around doing pretty much anything that they could think of.

the moment [b/n] learned that wilbur was his brother’s actual soulmate, he wanted to cry. 

it wasn’t fair.

he had been a fan of wilbur soot for a long time!

his brother didn’t even know of his existence!

he was forgiven when [m/n] asked wilbur if his brother could meet the others of the dsmp.

when wilbur would visit [m/n] in his studio, he would often offer to be his model whenever he needed one.

cue a few hours in an wilbur was already complaining about get a cramp.

[m/n] would always reward wilbur with a kissing and cuddling session. 

wilbur would sometimes-- always get into [m/n]’s paint and make a huge mess that would always end with them throwing paint at each other.

the end result is them sitting in a hot bubbly bath.

[m/n] was slowly introduced into wilbur’s twitch as his soulmate, though his face still remained anonymous and his fans dubbed his as the painter when wilbur revealed that his soulmate was the one who made the painting of him.

wilbur definitely loves to tease [m/n].

[m/n] is confident and snarky towards everyone, but for some reason he gets weak in the knees whenever wilbur is around.

wilbur is very proud of this.

the two of them are both very busy people that have their own deadlines to meet, so they have schedules that rarely ever aline.

that’s why they’re so glad that they can still dream about each other and know that they’re still together. 

it’s one hundred times better because they’ll always be together no matter how far they are. 

Tyrant

word count: 11,246

Fandom: Stranger Things Pairing: Eddie Munson x Male!Reader Pronouns: He/Him Relationship: Romantic Occupation: Student Ability: N/A

Keys:

[M/N]: Male Name  [L/N]: Last Name  [N/N]: Nickname  [H/C]: Hair Color  [E/C]: Eye Color

Warnings: vulgar language, violence, alcohol consumption

might make a part two, you never know, you never know.

that is all.

“Look, there he goes again.”

“You’d think the teachers would expel him by now.”

“Did you hear? Apparently he jumped Thompson on his way to school and robbed him of all his shit.”

“What an asshole.”

“Oh shit, here he comes.”

The once bustling cafeteria came to silence when Hawkins Highschool delinquent stepped foot inside, those intimidating [E/C] eyes glared at anyone within a five foot radius. Grabbing his own tray of food, he sat down at a random table that was still full of people, but the moment he looked at them they quickly departed from the table in hopes of not being his new punching bag. There wasn’t a single redeeming quality about [M/N] the people of Hawkins could think of, he was rude, dangerous and ruthless, regardless of gender. People remembered a time when some prissy girl tried getting in his business, the type of girl that had a the mindset of “I can change him” or what not, she ended up missing several weeks of school because he beat her black and blue, tearing out some of her hair and knocking some of her teeth out.

Unlike Steve Harrington and Billy Hargrove, both being dubbed as the King of Hawkins, he was called the Tyrant of Hawkins. Billy was scary and intimidating in his own way but he had charisma and a charm to him that made people like him. Steve was just a pretty face with just the charm and no intimidation, all [M/N] had was the intimidation and demanding aura around him that people couldn’t help but obey his every word in hopes on not getting on his bad side. Whether they were the losers, the jocks or the popular people, there wasn’t anyone within Hawkins High that didn’t know the full extend [M/N] will go to keep what he calls peace.

And then there’s Eddie Munson, the freak of Hawkins. Lover of metal and D&D, a man who failed his last year of high school and was repeating the year in hopes of graduating that year. Eddie Munson, the man who wasn’t afraid to express who he was, regardless of who was in attendance. Most people find him downright annoying, some find him surprisingly endearing, but most people just think he’s a lost cause. People just thought he was bound for failure, there was nothing good about interacting with Eddie. Dustin, who was busy eating his food, glanced up from his meal to spare Eddie a look and soon noticed he was staring across the cafeteria.

“Eddie?” at the call of his name, the others sitting at the table, stop what they were doing and look at Eddie “What are you looking at?” he asks and soon they’re all following his gaze, a few of them turning pale when they saw that he was staring at the back of [M/N]’s head.

“Dude, why are you staring at [L/N] for? If he catches you staring, you’re dead meat.” Gareth whispered to him “And I am not up to watching you get beaten to a bloody pulp.” Eddie just lets out a laugh, brushing some of his hair back while waving them off.

“You guys worry too much, I’m not gonna do anything.” they all sweat a little, it totally looked like he was gonna do something, but despite knowing how reckless he was, he wasn’t someone who would poke a sleeping lion. Eddie would describe [M/N] as a person with a button you shouldn’t push instead of having a short fuse, he had a short temper as is and chose to speak with his fists instead of his words, they seem to get the point across better than an explanation “… do you think he listens to Iron Maiden?” Jeff gave him a look.

“Eddie, don’t even think about it. You’ll be met with a fist before he even agrees that he likes listening to them.”

“So you’re saying there’s a possibility.” they all let out a groan, a few of them slapping a hand to their foreheads or squeezing the bridge of their nose. The sound of shouting and gasps caught their attention so they all look over and in horror saw one of the jocks from the basketball team dump their food on top of [M/N]’s head, he looked like a freshmen because he was laughing aloud while the rest of the basketball team watch in disbelief at what the new guy just did.

“AH HAHAHA!! Come on guys, that was funny!” he continued to laugh, missing the way everyone backed away as [M/N] slowly stood to his feet “I don’t see why you guys are so scared of just one gu—” he couldn’t finish his sentence when a fist connected with his jaw, causing him to tumble to the floor as blood sprayed out of his mouth. Each time the punk tried getting up his face was met with [M/N]’s fist, he laid no waste to him as he continued punching his face until he collapsed onto his back by Eddie’s table. The brunette watched as the [H/C] male grabbed him by the collar to lift him up and continue beating his face in with no remorse, by the time he was satisfied, he let out an exhausted sigh, sweat and chunks of food bleeding down his face as his fist was drenched in blood, regardless if it was his or not.

“Carver.” Jason flinched at the call of his name, [M/N] didn’t raise his voice to call him, his voice was scary enough that he could bend anyone to his will “What have I told you about controlling your dogs?” he swallowed thickly from where he stood, shrinking down when [M/N] stood up.

“T-That if they get out of line… you’ll put them down.”

“That’s right.” he starts, looking at the table beside him and grabbing Mike’s tray of food then proceeded to dump all its contents on top of the unconscious jock “I hope you remember this the next time you decide to act like a bitch.” He growled as he threw the tray down, his eyes then wandered over to Eddie, who was staring at him with wide eyes and jaw dropped “The fuck you looking at, freak?” he snarled at the brunette, who in turn swallowed thickly, raising his hands up defensively.

“N-Nothing! Nothing, I swear.” he got a scoff in response as [M/N] turned away, kicking the jock one last time then stormed out of the cafeteria, kicking the doors open and disappeared to probably clean the food off of him. The cafeteria sat in silence and watched as the basketball team hurriedly dragged the unconscious player to the sickbay, when they were out of sight, the students all bustled into chatter at the turn of events that just occurred.

“God, that no good [L/N] is so terrifying.”

“He’s even got the jocks listening to him.”

“I can’t believe that dumbass did that.”

“Nobody warned him?” Dustin and Lucas pat Mike on his shoulder, watching as he took deep breaths to calm his beating heart. He wasn’t going to lie, watching him beat his ass was so satisfying but once he turned those anger filled eyes in his direction, he couldn’t help but pray that he wasn’t next, that didn’t mean he wasn’t sad that his food was now on the floor.

“You good Mike? You look like you’re at the verge of fainting,” he raised a thumb whilst trembling slightly.

“And there he goes.” Dustin says, watching as he revved his engine and drove out of the schools parking lot “You’d think the teachers would have dealt with him at this point, but to think he’s even got them to listen to him.” Lucas lets out a sigh, shoving his hands into his pockets.

“I-I’m good.” now with Eddie, his heart was beating just as fast as Mike’s, but for a different reason. The way he watched [M/N]’s face scrunch up in rage, the way he watched his bicep bulge with each swing, the way he watched the sweat run down his neck as he beat his face in. He couldn’t deny the fact that he felt something when those [E/C] eyes glared in his direction as he sneered at him, called him a freak. It was just that tone in his voice and the way he presented himself that made his heart race. 

“That was so hot…” he whispered under his breath. At the end of the day, all Eddie could think of was [M/N] and no matter how hard he tried to think of anything else, his thoughts of the tyrant would just come rushing back. The moment he and his friends stepped out of school they heard the roar of an engine, and there was the man in all his glory starting up his motorcycle, a Kawasaki Vulcan 750. He treated that thing as if it were his child, people said that his bike was the only thing that ever made him smile, and the one time someone made the foolish mistake to mess with his baby, he paid them back by totally their car to the point of recognition.

“Yeah, unfortunately, he does not discriminate.” they each shake their head.

[family’s video store]

“Yes sir, yes I understand… have you ever tried checking to see if the VHS player is plugged in?” Robin Buckley, who was currently on the phone with a customer that recently purchased a movie from the store, had called up complaining that it wouldn’t play “So it wasn’t plugged in? Then that’s probably the reason why it wasn’t working, sir.” Steve walked behind the counter after putting the returned movies back on shelf and saw the look of mild frustration on her face.

“Old man again?” he mouthed to her, to which she nodded while making the finger gun gesture and pressing it against her temple, he snickers softly when she pulled the trigger but continued to speak in way that she’s sympathising with said man. Steve’s head perked up at the sound of a motorbike, leaning back on the counter to take a peak outside and there he saw the infamous [M/N] [L/N], the Tyrant of Hawkins, pulling up into their parking lot. He couldn’t help the bead of sweat that rolled down the side of his cheek as he reminisced the past when they attended high school together, he was the one person Steve knew not to mess with or look at the wrong way. He had a reputation that preceded him, they both did, so they had a neutral relationship between each other. He takes a deep breath when he saw [M/N] get off his bike and start approaching the store, jumping slightly when the doors opened and he came right up to the counter.

“Harrington.” he says, voice uncaring for the man in front of him as he stared at him with that same neutral and unbothered expression he always wore when he wasn’t angry.

“[L-L/N].” he cursed under his breath for stuttering, embarrassed that he was still afraid of the man in front of him “What brings you here? I don’t suppose you’re here to rent a movie?” he swallows his saliva when [M/N]’s gaze hardened on him before ignoring him and looking at Robin.

“Buckley, I need to talk to you.” finally looking at them, she acknowledge [M/N]’s presence but held up her finger, telling him to give her a second.

“I’m in the middle of something.”

“Can’t it wait?” she gives him a look then goes right back into what she was doing before she was interrupted, Steve took a glance at [M/N]’s face and saw he was slowly but surely losing his patience, the way his eyebrows scrunched up as he hand formed into a tight fist. Steve all but recognised this was what [M/N] would do before he completely lost all rationality and started throwing hands, he took a step forward when he saw [M/N] raised his hand but was surprised to see he only pressed the hook set to hang up the phone.

“Wha— hey! You can’t just hang up the phone when I’m talking to customers, [M/N]!” she shouts at him, he just shrugs.

“Yeah, well, that’s not as important as to what I have to tell you.” she raised a brow, they stare at each other in silence until she let out a groan, his face lighting up slightly when she caved.

“Alright, fine,” she gestured for him to follow her into the back room and he nods, jumping over the counter and going in before her “Steve, you can handle things alone up front, right?”

“Y-Yeah, but—” he was ignored, he lets out a sigh as his hands slapped against his hips when he dropped them “Alright, I’ll be here.” Robin Buckley, lover of women, would never call herself anything special. Still in high school, she was just like every other average joe that walked those halls, though she was in band, that was probably the only thing cool she’d say about herself. So, never in a millions years would she have found herself in a sort of friendship with the cold and ruthless [M/N], however, right now he was anything but what his reputation says about him.

“I actually managed to talk to him this time!” he squealed out, hands cupping his cheeks as a bright red blush flushed across his cheeks. There was no trace of the Tyrant of Hawkins, all she could find was your typical high school teenage boy thinking about the love of his life, and his so happened to be Eddie Munson, the freak of Hawkins. Ah, now she can remember why the two of them got along, they both had that sense that neither liked the opposite gender and they became friends from then on. Most of the time it was Robin ranting on and on about a girl that’s caught her eye, but never actually having the courage to speak about her feelings, all [M/N] ever had to talk about how his feelings for Eddie continued to grow since he first saw Eddie.

“Oh yeah, and what did you say to him?” he then slumps forward, a dejected look on his face.

“I asked what the fuck he was staring at, then called him a freak.” she let out a defeated sigh, slapping a hand onto her forehead “I couldn’t help it, I was still angry that that fucking prick dumped his food on me.” his face turned sour at the memory, hand clenching into a fist but softened when she placed her hand on top of his.

“You really need to work on your anger management issues, dude.”

“I’m trying, I swear I am.” he lets his head hang a little, hand clenching and unclenching, showing that he was trying to calm himself “But my therapist is a pain in my ass, telling me shit that I already know is the problem and ain’t really helping me. I’m ready to throw hands!” he shouts as he stands to his feet, to which she quickly grabbed him by his shoulders and pushed him back down.

“You can’t hit your therapist, you could get into serious trouble for something like that.” he grumbles at that, soon that lovesick expression found its way onto his face again, he was probably thinking about Eddie again.

“I really want to be about to talk to him, Buckley, but I’m scared that if I approach him, he’ll take it the wrong way. He might think that I’m trying to beat him up, but I don’t want him to be scared.” she rolled her eyes, planting her hand on her hip.

“Well then, I don’t know, give him love letters.” he looked up at her.

“Love letters?” she nods.

“Yeah, if you can’t find the right words to talk to him to his face, write that shit down and put it in his locker.” she then smacks his arm with the back of her hand “Isn’t English your best trait? I’ve read some of the stuff you’ve written, and let me tell you, that shit hits harder than you think.” he looks a little flustered at that, rubbing the back of his neck.

“You’re just saying that because you’re my friend.” she shrugs.

“Whatever floats your boat.” he seats there for a couple minutes before nodding his head.

“Okay, I’ll give your idea a try.” she nods when he stood up “I'll tell you how it goes.” she grins and gives him a thumbs up.

“Go get ‘em tiger.” they then fist bump and he walks out of the room, he glanced at Steve and mentally rolled his eyes when he saw him almost fall over. He was totally eavesdropping on their conversation, but he could give less of a shit, he was busy thinking of what to write down to give to Eddie. Robin walks in after he drives off on his motorbike, leaning down to rest on the counter as Steve gives her a look of disbelief.

“Since when were you friends with [L/N], Robin?” she shrugs.

“Since high school man, learn to keep up.”

“Wha— but he had no friends!”

[next day: hawkins high school]

In the early morning, [M/N] was at school with a letter in his hand. Taking Robin’s advice, he poured his heart and soul into what he wrote down that he wished he could say to Eddie. He had a faint blush on his face as he pressed the letter to his chest before finding Eddie’s locker and slipping it in, not before checking that there was no one there to catch him in the act. With his mission accomplished, he laid in waiting for Eddie to arrive, just to catch his reaction. He really hoped that he didn’t take it the wrong way, he didn’t think the letter was a joke and that someone was playing with his feelings.

“Hey, Eddie!” [M/N] quickly fell back behind the wall he was leaning on to hide, peeking out ever so slightly to see that it was Dustin calling Eddie’s name, who had just arrived with that cute little smile spread across his face.

“Hey Henderson! You ready for tonight’s campaign? It’s gonna be a real spectacle!” he cheered, to which Dustin’s face lit up immensely and nodded his head.

“Totally! Mike, Lucas and I can’t wait!” he chuckles softly.

“Well, it’ll be worth the wait, I promise.” Eddie soon opens his locker to get a few things but blinked when something fell and landed on his feet, kneeling down, he raised a brow in confusion to see a letter “Hmm? What’s this?” Dustin peeks over his shoulder then backs away as Eddie stands up straight, flipping the letter to get a look at the front and back.

“There’s no name.” [M/N] scoffed at that, of course he wasn’t going to write his name on it, it’d be even more unbelievable and he’d probably take it as a threat and not read the letter at all “Think it’s a love letter?” both himself and Dustin laugh at the possibility.

“Yeah, I highly doubt it. Don’t get my hopes high like that.” he jokes, he then tears the envelope open and pulls out the letter. Dustin tried to read it as well but couldn’t when Eddie would pull it closer to his face, [M/N] wished to see his face just to see if what he wrote was good or not. His wish was answered when Eddie lowered the letter and there he saw Eddie’s face turn bright red, all the way to the tips of his ears.

“Eddie…?” Dustin softly called out, reaching forward to grab his bicep and shake him “You good?” he stuttered out words, raising his hand to cover his mouth.

“I-It was a love letter…” 

“What?! Let me see.” he exclaimed and snatched the letter from his hands to read it himself, [M/N] wanted to punch the shit out of that little bastard for taking the letter that was meant for Eddie alone, but couldn’t help but feel a little grateful, because there he got to see his flustered and bashful reaction to reading the contents of his letter “Whoa! Whoever wrote this, they’re batshit in love with you.” Eddie bites his bottom lip, shaking his head in denial.

“No, whoever wrote it is probably fucking with me.” he replied, this answer was exactly what [M/N] feared.

“No, no Eddie, I don’t think so.” he then waves it around a bit and hands it back to him “If this was really a joke, I highly doubt it would be written with this much care. Whoever wrote it, they definitely had something they’ve been wanting to say to you for a long time. If this was a joke, I believe it wouldn’t have been written like it was a goddamn novel.” Eddie takes a breath, lifting the letter to read through it once more before pressing it against his lips.

“A-Alright.” he pulls it away and smiles softly at it, making sure to fold it up then tuck it nicely in his front pocket. [M/N] turned so his back was pressed against the wall and the look of joy quickly spread across his face. He internally squealed to himself, hands pressed into his face to hide the huge grin on his face that he couldn’t suppress. Robin’s advice worked and it wouldn’t have worked as greatly as it did if it weren’t for Dustin, he must thank him in some way for clearing up the misunderstanding. He nods to himself, taking one last glance at Eddie before leaving for his first class of the day.

“A mixtape?” he slowed his pace.

From that day on, [M/N] would continue to write letters and leave them in his locker, finding new things about Eddie that had him falling in love with him, it was his favourite thing to do, especially when he got to see the little reactions Eddie would have upon reading the letters. He would always turn a shade of read, sometimes he would twirl a few strands of his hair around his finger as he read through the letters, maybe fidget with a few of his rings, but just seeing him smile was all that made his day. At the end of his day he would always rush to Robin to tell her that it was working, telling her that her advice worked wonderfully and that it was slowly building his confidence to talk to Eddie face to face. Yeah, about that. There were a few times [M/N] managed to build up some of that confidence and was planning on talking to Eddie a few times but at the last minute chicken out a end of sulking about his failures. 

[M/N] was sitting in the cafeteria now, some bit of food hanging loosely on his lips as he stared at his notebook. He twirled his pencil around his fingers then tapped it against his forehead, rubbing the end of it into his temple as he tried to think of other things to put into his next love letter but his mind went blank. He groaned and fell forward with his head hitting the cafeteria table, he was running out of things to say, he needed to think of something quick. He sighs to himself and lifts himself up, closing the notebook and tucking it away then decided he was done in the cafeteria. He swings his legs out and starts walking out that he just so happens to overhear something from Eddie’s table.

“Yeah! I’d appreciate something like that, means they actually took the time of day to make something sentimental, you know?” Gareth scoffed.

“Just as long as they put in songs that actually mean something, if it’s just random songs, it won’t really matter.” Mike raises his hand.

“I second that.” Eddie rolled his eyes.

“Whatever. I’ll remember what you guys said when I get a mixtape.” [M/N]’s face lit up, now that’s something he could do. With a new goal set in mind, he was going to ditch his last class in favor of making this mixtape when somebody slammed into his chest.

“What the?!” he exclaims, growling when whoever bumped into him spilt their food onto him “Fucking— again?! Watch it punk!” he shouts, grabbing the next victim by the collar of their shirt and pulling them forward, raising his fist to punch them across the face but stopped when he saw that it was Dustin.

“W-Wait, man…! I’m sorry, I d-didn— didn’t see you.” his friend group immediately stood to their feet to defend him, but what could they do against the tyrant, he could easily beat them all after tearing Dustin a new one. [M/N] took a glance towards Eddie, something Dustin didn’t miss, and saw the way he glared at him if he were to even leave a mark on him “I’m sorry, I-I’m sorry…!” he apologises once more, [M/N] looks back at him then closed his eyes, letting out a sigh as he let Dustin go.

“Accidents happen.” he says, grimacing when he looked down at the spilt milk all over his jacket “Just watch where you’re going next time, Henderson.” the cafeteria was brought to silence, absolute silence when [M/N] walked out. Did the tyrant just spare someone? Everyone was sent into an uproar just as Dustin collapsed, Lucas and Mike were immediately by his side.

“Dustin!”

“Dustin! Are you alright?” he was shaking, trying to calm his breathing but he nodded nonetheless.

“Y-Yeah… god! I thought I saw my life flash before more eyes just now.” he runs a hand through his hair as his friends helped him to his feet, what he couldn’t get out of his mind was the way [M/N]’s face showed annoyance but the moment he took one glance over at Eddie his face softened. He seemed to have been the only one to notice because they were all asking if he was alright and how lucky he was to have survived against [M/N], his eyes narrowed at the possibility.

‘He couldn’t possibly be…’

[with [m/n]]

“Mum! Where’s the cassette recorder?!”

“In the garage!”

“Thank you!” he dumps an array of different cassettes onto his desk, sorting them out by genre and splitting them up then grabbed the cassette recorder and player, plugging them with headphones so the residents of the [L/N] household didn’t have to suffer through the array of different songs throughout the night. A cigarette hung loosely in between his fingers, flicking the ashes into an ashtray as he listened to each song, bobbing his head while swaying softly “I hope he likes these.” he muttered softly, by the time he was finished it was two in the morning, but it was totally worth it. He laid on his bed, headphones in and listened to his final product, smiling ever so lightly. The next day felt like any other day, arrive to school early with barely anyone around and slip in a letter for Eddie but this time a mixtape, everything was fi—

“So it is you!” he let out a gasp, throwing himself against the lockers at the unexpected voice. Looking behind him, his face paled when he saw that it was Dustin “I can’t believe you’re the secret admirer!” he quickly slapped his hand over Dustin’s mouth, bringing his other hand up to press a finger to his lips.

“Would you keep your voice down?!” he snarled at him, he takes a quick look around to see if anybody heard, when he saw nobody he dragged Dustin into a supply closet and slammed him against the wall “Henderson! Don’t you know when to mind your own business? I thought you’d think twice about bothering me after yesterday, but I see you’re just as stupid as the rest of this fucking scho—”

“You’re in love with Eddie, aren’t you?” [M/N] sputters over his words, his tough guy façade slowly beginning to crumble when his previous threats went to deaf ears as Dustin smirked up at him “I saw the way you looked at Eddie yesterday, and after all those love letters I thought of the possibility that it could be you. I was really taking a huge gamble on that small little detail, but I guess I was right. You, [M/N] “the Tyrant” [L/N], is in love with Eddie “the Freak” Munson. Just admit it, it’s written all over your face.” [M/N]’s face was twitching as he fought to keep that glare on his face, but in the end let out a defeated sigh as he crumbled to his knees, hands holding a fistful of Dustin’s vest.

“I-Is it that obvious…?” Dustin’s jaw dropped immediately as soon as [M/N]’s true feelings revealed itself, he pushed himself back and saw his bright red face as he pressed his hands to his face “Yeah, I’m really in love with him it’s crazy.” even his voice sounded soft and meek, not a trace of that psycho from the day prior.

“Since when?” he was taken aback when a lovesick grin spread across his face, a look of complete adoration in his eyes as he tried to recounter the first time he saw Eddie Munson.

“Where do I even begin? It was probably during my freshmen year! He’s a year older than me but the moment I set my eyes on him, watching him be himself… ah, I was over the moon.” he then cups his cheeks, leaning into the palm of his hand “I fell in love when I saw him performing one night at a shitty gig that were  willing to let him and his band, Corroded Coffins, play. It was so mesmerising watching him play, I loved every second of it.” Dustin pursed his lips, raising a brow when he heard [M/N] let out a sigh as he leaned his back against the wall.

“Well, if you like him so much, why don’t you just tell him? You’ve shown him just how much you like him, so I don’t see the harm in just saying it to his face,” this caused the older one to let out a groan, throwing his head back then hiding his face in his knees.

“That’s the thing. I’m afraid I might say the wrong thing, I’m scared that I might scare him off. Don’t you remember who I am, Henderson? I’m the tyrant, the school delinquent that isn’t afraid to throw hands with a fucking teacher.” he runs his hands through his hair “I’m afraid when he finds out that I’m his secret admirer… he’ll think I was playing with his feelings as a new way to torture people.” Dustin placed his hands on his hips.

“Eddie always looks forward to seeing those letters.” this caused [M/N]’s head to perk up and look up at him “It’s his favourite part of the day, seeing what new things you love about him.” this caused him to grin sheepishly, closing his hands together and kicking his legs a little.

“Really?” he giggles softly. If Dustin where to mention [M/N]’s true personality to his friends, they would probably laugh in his face and tell him he’s ridiculous. That there wasn’t a single person in this world that the tyrant had a soft spot for, but that was where they were wrong. He’s seen the way Eddie’s face lights up upon reading the letters and now that he knows that they are really truthful— he lets out a sigh, rubbing the back of his neck.

“I’d like to consider myself a good friend of Eddie’s, like, really close.” [M/N] lets out a hum at that, acknowledging that fact by the fact he’s always seeing the two of them together acting like idiots “So… how’s about I give you a hand?” he gave him a wary expression.

“… what do you mean by that?”

“I think Eddie’s starting to like you, erm, the secret admirer.” [M/N]’s face lit up immensely at that “Eddie also has an interest in you, the tyrant, but it slowly turned sour after yesterday. He probably would have hated your guts if you actually hit me.” he groans.

“I know, that’s why I didn’t.”

“And I still thank you for that, [L/N].” this earned him an eye roll “If I were to have Eddie see you in a better light, and potentially boost up your confidence in talking to him, maybe I can help you two hook up.”

“Really? You’d do that?” he stands up but then stops, looking down at Dustin cautiously “What’s the catch?” Dustin smirks a little.

“Just your protection.” this caused [M/N] to quirk a brow “My friends and I are still losers, meaning we’re still targets in the jocks eyes. We by no means can protect ourselves from those assholes, so, I was hoping you’d keep an eye out for us in return for my services.” he let out a groan at that, why did he have to play babysitter. He genuinely wanted to refuse, but having Dustin as his inside man to help him get with Eddie… dammit, it was an offer he just couldn’t refuse.

“Alright, Henderson, you’ve got yourself a deal.” this caused him to grin, reaching forward to grab [M/N]’s hand and shake it enthusiastically.

“Pleasure doing business with you.” he rolled his eyes. Now, outside the supply closet was Eddie. He arrived a little early to school in hopes that he could potentially catch his secret admirer but upon opening his locker and finding the letter and a mixtape, all was for naught and he woke up early for no— wait, a mixtape? He felt giddy, taking the tape into his hands and opening the case and there he saw a little note written in it.

’I happened to overhear that you’d love to receive a mixtape. Thought I’d give you one as a gift. I hope you enjoy it, Eddie.’

~ secret admirer.

“Oh, what a sap.” the sound of a door opening caught his attention, he leaned back from out of his locker and narrowed his eyes when he saw [M/N] and Dustin walk out of the supply closet. He thought maybe [M/N] was threatening the younger one but was surprised to see Dustin laughing when the other grabbed the end of his cap and shook it a bit before pushing his head back and walking away “What was all that about...?” Dustin raised his head upon feeling he was being stared at, he jumped upon seeing that it was Eddie.

“Hey, Eddie! W-When did you get here?” he asked while approaching him.

“A couple minutes ago.” he then eyed the back of [M/N]’s back before he disappeared “Why were you in the supply closet with [L/N]? Was he threatening you again?” Dustin’s eyes widened before he raised his hands while shaking his head.

“Oh, no, no, no! I just needed advice for... intimidation?” he mentally slapped his forehead, even Eddie looked at him as if he were an idiot.

“Seriously? I’m surprised he didn’t give you a black eye.” Dustin waved his hand to dismiss him.

“Oh, don’t worry about it. We just let bygones be bygones, alright? He’s actually a pretty chill dude.” Eddie rolled his eyes, tucking the mixtape and letter into his front pocket, intending to listen and read through them later.

“Sure, I’ll believe it when I see it.”

And see Dustin kept his end of the deal, Eddie would ramble about anything that came into mind and he would later report it to [M/N], because of this, it gave him more material for his letters. Sometimes he would think of new gifts to give to Eddie, a few times they got a little too big so [M/N] had to break into his locker just to get it in there. But also keeping his end of the deal, whenever [M/N] would catch Dustin and his group of losers getting ganged by anyone with ill intentions, he just stands behind them and give them that infamous death glare. Mike and Lucas have been starting to notice the lack of black eyes they’ve been receiving, and Dustin has been weirdly confident for some reason.

“Dustin, what did you do?” Lucas asked, eyeing him weirdly as he walked beside him.

“Lucas is right, you did something.” Mike agreed, Dustin just gave them a cheeky grin. 

“I’ve gained us, boys, immunity.” they both stare at him weirdly “At first I thought he wasn’t doing his job right, but in the end, it worked out just fine.” Mike and Lucas share a look with each other.

“Oh yeah, how?” they enter the cafeteria, Mike and Lucas intending to sit down with Eddie and the rest, but were confused when they saw that he was walking somewhere else “Dustin? Dustin! Where are you going?” their jaws literally dropped when he confidently walked over to where [M/N] was sitting, dropping his tray of food in front of him then taking a seat across from him, practically startling the poor soul who was reading.

“What the-- Henderson?” [M/N] questioned, looking over at him in confusion, he rolled his eyes when the brunette grinned at him “What the fuck are you doing over here?” he merely shrugged his shoulders, taking his bag off his shoulders and putting it under the table.

“Eating lunch with you.” he scoffed, making sure to bookmark his page before closing his book.

“Shouldn’t you be eating with your friends?” he asked while gesturing with his heads over to them, to which Dustin shrugged “I still have a reputation to up hold here, Henderson. I can’t just let these dorks see me going soft, all because of you--” he stuttered back his words when Dustin raised his finger, he was greatly offended that he was shushed.

“And they won’t, but I think it’ll help Eddie see that you’re not such a bad guy.” this caused him to calm slightly “Like I said before, Eddie was interested in you before and I think you’ll gain his interest again if he see’s you’re not that hard to talk to. And by doing that, you have me.” [M/N] rolled his fingers along the table as he eyed Dustin before letting out a sigh.

“Fucking, fine.” with that Dustin happily ate his food, [M/N] picked at his food “... does he like the mixtape?” the younger one let out a hum at that, he quickly swallows his food and nods.

“Mm hmm, he listens to it all the time.” this caused a rare smile to raise to his cheeks,

“I’m glad.” those who were staring that managed to see that smile were in complete shock, the only face he ever wore was a scowl or sneer, but this was the first time anyone has ever seen him smile like that at something that wasn’t his bike. Eddie, who was watching the entire interaction, felt his eyes widen at how charming that smile was. He couldn’t help but snort softly when he saw Dustin say something and in return [M/N] threw some of his food at him, but there was a smile nonetheless.

“Since when was Henderson friends with [L/N]?!” Gareth exclaimed, Eddie chuckled softly.

“Actually... I remember seeing the two of them together one morning, I thought it was nothing, but I guess not.” at the end of lunch he was hounded for answers by his friends, though they backed off a little when [M/N] walked by them but not without ruffling Dustin’s head.

“Later Henderson.” he happily waved his hand.

“Bye, [L/N]!” he then smirks at Lucas’ and Mike’s dumbfounded face.

“Since when did you gain [M/N]’s favor? I thought that was impossible to do!” Mike exclaimed, hands in his hair and ready to be torn off “Was this during the time you bumped into him?” Dustin just grinned cheekily at them, shrugging his shoulders.

“Maybe, maybe not. Hey, Eddie!” said man looked at him “He does like Iron Maiden.” Eddie’s face lit up.

“Well, if he likes Iron Maiden, then he can’t be all that bad.”

“No, Eddie, just no.”

[time skip: a few weeks later]

Dustin continued to sit at [M/N]’s table, must to the other’s displeasure, and just straight up harassed him because he had the power to do so. Dustin’s time with him actually got him a few ups rather than downs, mostly because he started to learn more and more about him. He learnt that [M/N] was actually really smart and the reason he never put in any of the effort to the schoolwork was because the teacher’s thought he’d end up as a lost cause, so he just gave up trying so hard. But the one thing he did put a lot of effort into was English, Dustin would often ask for his help for his English work and though he thought it was a hassle, the younger of the two could tell that [M/N] was having some fun with it. 

Sure Dustin promised [M/N] he would help him with telling him everything about Eddie, but Eddie wanted to know more about [M/N] as well. Eddie learnt that though the delinquent enjoyed listening to a variety of different heavy metal songs, he quite enjoyed listening to classical music as well via vinyl's. It was a shocker, but it did help calm him down when he was having trouble with his anger issues. The school also noticed the way [M/N] was starting to soften up and act less impulsive, they all had Dustin to thank for that, making the tyrant less tyrannical.

“Whatever you’re doing, Henderson, keep at it.” Eddie said, patting his shoulder and looking up in thought “You think he knows how to play D&D? I’d love to ask him to join Hellfire personally, but I’m afraid he’ll think it’s boring.” Dustin rolled his eyes, recalling the time [M/N] told him that he self taught himself how to play D&D so he could play alongside Eddie one day during one of his campaigns.

“I’ll ask him.” Eddie grinned.

“You’re the best.” he shrugs.

“So I’ve been told.” with [M/N], he was sitting just outside the parking lot reading the Lord of the Rings Book: The Return of the King. He was always a fan of J. R. R. Tolkien’s works, it was one of the many reasons he ended up loving English a lot, but he took up reading the books again when Dustin told him Eddie tended to make references from the books a lot. He closed the book and chuckled to himself at the amount of page tabs he had on them from the time he marked down the best parts of the book, he believed he believed he read enough and was planning on going home but stopped when he heard shouting.

“Hmm?” he glanced over and saw what he believed was Eddie’s Hellfire Club huddled around, he thought it was nothing until he saw a couple of jocks “Well shit, and here I thought I was going to have a quiet Friday evening.” he puts his book in his bag and leaves it by his bike before marching over to see what ruckus was all about, the students immediately parted upon seeing him and when he saw what was going on his blood ran cold. 

[a few minutes before [m/n] arrived]

“You think you and your lot of freaks are untouchable, huh, Munson?” Eddie laid on the ground, blood running down nose and black eye slowly forming on his left eye as he stared up at the bastard who punched him “You think just because Henderson is in good graces with the tyrant we can’t hurt you? Well guess again, bitch, there’s nothing he will do.” Dustin glared at them from where he stood.

“You’re wrong, you asshole!” he flinched back when another jock took a step forward.

“Oh, yeah? That asshole doesn’t care about anyone but himself! You’ve gotten arrogant because of the fact that you can talk to him, Henderson. But remember this, the moment he sees no more use in you, you’ll be the next punching bag on his list.” Eddie spits out the blood in his mouth and stands to his feet.

“What makes you think we need [L/N]’s protection, huh? I can handle myself pretty well!” he lets out a laugh when he was grabbed by his vest, yanked forward and standing eye to eye with the jock “You guys are just as scared of him as we are, you just hate that he’s close to him.” he winces when the jock reeled his arm back but paused when it didn’t come, he opened his eyes and noticed that the jock was looking down so he followed his gaze and his eyes widened when one of the newest love letters fell out of his pocket.

“What’s this?” Eddie sputtered out his words but let out a gasp when he was thrown back, Gareth and Jeff caught him before he could fall just as the jock bent down to pick up the letter.

“H-Hey man, give that back!” he shouts out desperately, heart dropping when the letter opened and the jock looked at the writing inside it, he soon laughed at what it said.

“Well would you look at that? The freak seems to have an admirer!” he shouts, reading through more of it then looked at Eddie with an amused expression “Do you really think anyone has any feelings for you, Munson? It’s probably nothing more than a joke. Nobody loves you, there’s nothing to love.” Eddie’s hands closed into a tight fist, those words really damaging his heart.

“Y-You’re wrong!” this response made him laugh.

“Wow! You really believe these feelings this person wrote for you are actually true!” he then drops the letter, raised his foot and stomped on it, making sure to twist his foot on top of it “You don’t deserve to be loved.” those tears that were threatening to fall finally fell, though Dustin couldn’t help but feel fear run through his veins. [M/N] always treated those letters with care, and seeing someone stomp on them means that they have a death wish. 

“You’re dead...” he whispered to himself, though the jocks seemed to have picked up on what he said and turned their attention on him.

“The fuck did you say, nerd...” they trailed off when someone stepped out from behind Dustin, he glanced up and there he saw that enraged look in [M/N]’s face that he hasn’t seen in a long time. Eddie also looked up when someone pushed passed him and saw that same expression that charmed him, [M/N] couldn’t see anything but red. He grabbed the piece of shit that had the balls to insult him; to insult his Eddie and stomp on his letter, and pulled them forward “H-Hey, now wait a minu-- minute!” [M/N] pulls his arm back, glaring at the poor unfortunate soul.

“Clench your teeth.” was all the the warning he got that was laced with venom, and for the next couple of minutes, [M/N] was laying waste into him. There was nothing that could stop him now, not the countless of students that were yelling at him to stop, not the people who were trying to pull him off as he beat his voice to the point he laid there unconscious and unable to defend himself. He ignored the way the jock clawed at his face and arms for him to stop but couldn’t, he made his Eddie cry... and he was going to make him pay with his blood.

“[M/N], stop!” Dustin shouted, grabbing at the arm that he was swinging with all he could and pulled it back “You’ve done enough... please, you’ve done enough.” [M/N] glanced back at Dustin and saw the sheer fear in his eyes, he then looked down at the poor unconscious sap and the blooded mess he was in. When Dustin saw his fist loosen up he finally let go of his arm, [M/N] took a deep breath then stood to his feet and looked over at Eddie. The two of them just stared at each other until [M/N] looked down at the dirty and crinkled letter, bending down to pick it up.

“H-Hey, wait--” Eddie was cut off when [M/N] slapped it against his chest as he walked past him.

“Next time, take good care of your valuables, Eddie.” nobody said a word as [M/N] walked away, hopped onto his bike and drove away. Eddie’s hands held onto that note like it was his lifeline as his friends surrounded him, asking him if he was okay, but he couldn’t help but shiver at the way his name rolled off of [M/N]’s tongue. 

’He said my name...’

[time skip: a few days later]

“... wanna talk about it?”

“Shut up, Buckley.” Robin snickered from beside [M/N], the two of them laying outside on the grass at school, though [M/N]  was drinking alcohol out of a flask. [M/N] told Dustin to stay away from him for a couple days because he was afraid he was going to have another outburst and take it out on him if he couldn’t control himself. He really went too far this time, that was on him, but he just couldn’t control himself when he saw Eddie crying; when he saw that motherfucker step on his fucking lett--

“You’re balling your fists again, [M/N].” he lets out a defeated sigh, hands relaxing.

“I think I’ve gone and done it this time, Robin. I think I officially scared him off.” Robin watched him sit up, face in his hands as he shook his head “I just couldn’t stop myself, Buckley. Just-- jesus, I lost all rationality and let out the anger I hadn’t realized I was bottling up all out on him.” Robin rolled her eyes and sat up.

“You’re overreacting, dude.”

“I don’t think I am.” he whispered to himself, she shakes her head and places a hand on his shoulder.

“If you’re so worried, just go talk to Dustin. He’s your inside man, remember?” he spares her a glance and saw she was giving him a look of reassurance “I can even talk to Dustin, that little twerp and I became friends sometime last year.” he makes a face.

“... nah, I think it’d be better if I talked to him.” she grins, punching his arm.

“There you go.” he scoffed with a laugh “Now hurry up, and sick and tired hearing that kid miss talking to you.” he scowls at her.

“Right, I was quite enjoying my peace and quiet.”

“No you weren’t.” he pouts. He was now at his locker, getting a few things out of it, ignoring the people moving around him and whispering bullshit about him again. He stopped caring about what others said about him, some rumors were true while others weren’t, they just put the blame on him because it was easier that wa--

“Hey.” he slammed his locker shut at the sudden voice, turning his head, he started screaming internally at who it was “You think we could talk for a bit?”

’Oh my god, Eddie! You’re talking to me! I can’t believe you’re talking to me! Is this a dream? If this is a dream, I hope I never wake up! What a dream come true! Eddie, the love of my life!’ he had a straight and neutral expression but his thoughts said otherwise.

“Sure.” he cried on the inside at his short answer, fuck sake.

“W-Well, um-- I’ve been meaning to say thank you.” this caused [M/N] to raise a brow.

“Huh, for what? I don’t remember doing anything for you.” this is where Eddie nervously twirled a strand of his hair then moving it so that it was hiding the lower half of his face, something that [M/N] found adorable whenever Eddie felt nervous.

“No. When those assholes took that letter from me...” he trailed off, a pained look on his face “I couldn’t do anything, and their words really stuck with me. But you, you stood up to them. You could have just looked the other way, but you didn’t, and for that I’m really grateful.” [M/N] swallowed thickly.

“Yeah, well-- don’t expect me...” [M/N] stopped himself before he could finish his sentence, shaking his head when he realized he was going to come off as an asshole “No, I-- fuck! I mean, it’s no big deal, Munson. You’re Dustin’s friend, so I couldn’t just turn a blind eye.” he internally fist bumped, nailed it.

“Well, thanks, tyrant.” [M/N] chuckled.

“No problem, freak.” they both laugh. Robin had confronted Dustin and told the young boy to talk to [M/N], he was already way ahead of her and was making his way to his locker but stopped in the middle of his tracks when he saw him talking to Eddie. Wow, what a turn of events. He froze up when [M/N] saw him and before he could say anything, Dustin backed away but gestured for him to keep talking.

“So, [L/N],” Eddie cleared his throat, his little DM persona surfacing up as he gave the taller male a confident grin “you know the Hellfire Club, right?” he nods his head.

“Yes?” Eddie then tugs on his battle vest, a smirk raising to his face.

“So then you know how we play D&D, right?” he was given another nod in response to that “Cool! I-I mean-- ahem. As the Dungeon Master, as a thank you for your services for protecting my friends and I, I would like to formally invite you to Hellfire. Now I hope you understand how valuable this invitation is, [L/N], because not just anyone can be invited into Hellfire. You should feel really grateful.” looking up at him, he was expecting to see an unimpressed expression and was going to be brushed off, but what he got was a look of excitement as [M/N]’s cold eyes sparkled while a red hue flushed to his cheeks.

“Really?” his voice reminded him of that of a child, he wished he could stare at that face a little longer but it quickly disappeared as it came when [M/N] shook his head to knock some sense into himself “I-I mean, uh, sure. I’ll take up your invitation, Munson. No take backs.” Eddie couldn’t help but laugh at that childish sentence.

“Haha, alright.” he then takes a step back, waving his hand goodbye “Tomorrow, at Hellfire after school. Be there early, okay? I need to show the ropes and recap on our last campaign.” [M/N] nods his head, giving Eddie a thumbs up as the metal head walked away.

“R-Right, totally!” Eddie flashes him a bright smile before finally disappearing, [M/N] stood in the hallway for what felt like hours at what just happened. Eddie came up to him. Eddie was the one that talked to him. Eddie thanked him. Eddie smiled at him. Eddie invited him to Hellfire. He couldn’t fight back that huge smile and when he saw there was no one around, he let out a biggest squeal, jumping in the air while pumping his fists then punching his locker “Fuck yeah! I did it! I did it!” he then crouches down, pressing his hands together as he continued to smile.

I did it.

[time skip: the next day]

Eddie wasn’t in the greatest of moods that day. Sure, he was happy when he woke up that morning. Why? Maybe it was because he was finally going to be able to interact with [M/N] [L/N] for the very first time instead of watching him from afar and hearing new things about him from Dustin, he could finally talk to him and look at him from up close. Maybe he was also excited to get a new letter from his secret admirer, things were looking great for his end of the week. He arrived at school with a big smile on his face, he approached his locker and opened it but... there was no letter. He looked through every nook and cranny for it but there was nothing, his heart dropped and he couldn’t help but feel heart broken. The words of those bullies coming back to haunt him. 

“Nobody loves you.”

“There’s nothing to love.” 

“You don’t deserve to be loved.” 

What made things worse was that he didn’t see [M/N] throughout that entire day, he tried asking Dustin but the kid didn’t give him any concrete answers to go off of. When everything was finally looking good for him, it all just went away as fast as it came. Was [M/N] even going to come to Hellfire? God, what was he even thinking? Of course he wasn’t. That guy probably has better things to do than come to some stupid roleplaying game with Eddie “the Freak” fucking Munson! He collapsed onto his chair within Hellfire, the end of the day came faster than he would he have wanted and now he was going to have to do this campaign in a shitty mood.

“Eddie?” a soft voice called out, his head shot up and there he saw the man he hadn’t realized he was aching to see. [M/N] looked nervous where he was standing, he stepped into the room and rubbed the back of his neck, there Eddie noticed [M/N] was holding something behind his back but didn’t question it and stood up in a slightly better mood.

“You actually came, [L/N]! I kind of thought you were going to pull a no show.” [M/N]’s eyes immediately widened, a look of shock evident.

“W-What? Why would I do that?” he then winced when he remember that he hadn’t shown his face to Eddie that entire day, going so far as to not tell Dustin what he was doing, what he was doing had to do with what he had behind his back “I-I was busy this entire day, there’s something I need to tell you.” Eddie fixed his posture at that.

“Yeah?” [M/N] could feel how fast his heart was beating, an eruption of butterflies bursting in his stomach as he thought of countless scenarios in his head. Eddie continued to look up at [M/N], seeing a new expression on his face, one of anxiousness. Before Eddie could say anything [M/N] finally pulled his arm out from behind his back and handed Eddie an envelope, an envelope with his name written on the front of it with a very familiar penmanship “W-Why do you... why do you have that?” he questioned as he snatched the letter out of his hand, did [M/N] steal this out from his locker? Was that the reason why this fucker didn’t show his face the entire da--

“I thought it would be better to give it to you now.” this caused Eddie to pause, what? “I know you might have been confused as to why you didn’t get one this morning, but I've been needing to tell you something face to face. I've always been better at writing down my feelings rather than verbally saying it, so...” he then gestured for him to read it, so Eddie did just that, tearing the envelope open and pulling the letter out.

‘to eddie,

this will probably be my last letter to you. I’ve constantly told you how much I’ve adored you, from the way your eyes sparkle whenever you’re happy, to the way you always have this passion in your voice every time you speak. there isn’t a thing about you that I don’t love. 

the moment you spoke to me, it felt like I was on cloud fucking nine. I nearly blew it and told you to fuck off, but I’m glad I was able to pull my head out of my ass. you have no idea what you do to me, you have no idea what I would do for you.

I love you, eddie munson, and there’s nothing in this god forsaken world that could ever change my mind about that. I just hope that you can feel the same about me now that you know who your secret admirer is. I was always so scared that you wouldn’t like me.

I promise you, I will give you all the love that you want and need. I will give you everything so long as I live, and I promise you that I will always be by your side loving you.

~ [m/n] [l/n].

Eddie looked up from the letter and there he saw [M/N] looking so small, averting his eyes from Eddie’s as he laced his fingers together, twiddling his thumbs while trembling. [M/N] thought Eddie wasn’t going to buy it, he thought Eddie was going to accuse him of stealing that letter from out of his locker and saying that it was from him. He was expecting Eddie to reject him, there wasn’t a single positive outcome to come out of this situation, and when he was going to accept that reality he suddenly felt a pair of arms around his shoulders and pulling him into a hug.

“Thank god it was you, [M/N].” his eyes widened slightly, taking in a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding in “I’m so glad that it’s you, [M/N].” he whispered, the latter swallowed thickly at that as he looked down at Eddie.

“W-What?” Eddie pulled away and [M/N] saw he had an expression that mirrored his “D-Do you mean you— you feel the same way?!” he exclaimed, Eddie laughed and nodded his head.

“I always felt a slight attraction towards you, [M/N], and I was quite torn whether or not I should fall in love with my secret admirer or the hot tyrant. I’m so glad you two are one in the same.” he then gently jabbed [M/N]’s side with his elbow “But who’d a thought you’re nothing more than a giant teddy bear. I’ve seen the way you act with Dustin when you think no one’s looking, you’re not very discrete.” this caused the taller of the two to let out a whine of sort, an embarrassed blush rising to his cheeks as he hid his face behind his hands.

“Stop it…” he mumbled.

“You’re really adorable.” Eddie sets the letter down on the table then reaches forward and grabs both of [M/N]’s hands, he rubs his thumbs along his knuckles. [M/N]’s was beating abnormally fast to the point he was surprised he hadn’t fainted from how happy he was, still not believing that Eddie felt the same way about him.

“C-Can I…” Eddie lets out a hum, smirking softly at the flustered man in front of him “… can I kiss you?”

“Hmm, can you, big boy?” he laughed when [M/N] pouted, wearing a face that resembled that of a kicked puppy “Alright, okay! I was kidding, you big dope.” Eddie watched [M/N] slip his hands free from his grip and raise his hands to his face, they gently cupped his cheeks and his thumbs caressed them. He probably would have purred at the affection but instead let out a hum when [M/N] finally pressed his lips against his own, it was a short and sweet kiss but it had Eddie craving for me. So when [M/N] was pulling away he let out a muffled gasp when Eddie wrapped his arms around his neck to pull him back into another kiss, next thing they knew [M/N] was laying on his back with Eddie on top of him pulling him into deeper kisses.

“Eddie… Eddie, please…!” each time [M/N] got a word out he would be silenced by another kiss, he later gave up and just pulled Eddie into a kiss that he poured his heart and soul into “I love you, Eddie…!” he smiled at that, briefly pulling away to rest his forehead on his.

“And I love you just as much.”

Headcanons:

the other members of hellfire came in to find [m/n] and eddie making out on the floor.

eddie sat on [m/n]’s lap with a triumphant smirk on his face while the other continued to lay on the ground, hands covering his face as he wallowed up in embarrassment.

dustin came up to them and held out his hand, [m/n] side eyed him but gave him a high five.

mission accomplished.

[m/n] immensely softened up after finally getting together with eddie, he didn’t mindlessly get into fights with people anymore and just eddie or even dustin’s mere presence is enough to get him to calm down.

robin was happy for [m/n], he literally came running up to her with the biggest smile on his face and hugged her; twirling her around and everything.

this scared the ever living shit out of steve.

[m/n] started sitting with eddie and his lot during lunch, this was enough to get the bullies to back off.

sometimes [m/n] would help eddie with any of his homework, that being eddie openly complaining how hard it was and that he needed help from his hunky and gorgeous boyfriend to assist him.

whenever eddie got an answer right he would be rewarded with a kiss.

most of the time they would get distracted and not even be able to finish the homework.

bike rides are a must.

eddie loved the feeling of the wind breezing through his curly brown locks, often cheering as [m/n] drove down the streets of hawkins.

the first time eddie tried getting on his bike without a helmet [m/n] would just give him a blank expression with his arms crossed and just gave him the most disapproving glare he could muster.

safety first.

when playing d&d, eddie would incorporate [m/n]’s tyrant persona into the campaign.

the others loved it. [m/n] was a barbarian goliah who was a tyrannical king in their latest campaign and they had to strategise how to overthrow him.

they lost epically before he swooned the dungeon master.

they called him a cheater.

he called them sore losers.

dustin believes he’s the greatest wingman because of the fact that eddie and [m/n] are together, the two of them definitely favor him a lot. this sometimes causes the others to get jealous, but all he does in return for their retaliation is hide behind [m/n].

they all though have access to [m/n]’s scary dog privilege.

however, they all know that [m/n] would absolutely do anything for his eddie.

they remember a time they absentmindedly told [m/n] when eddie was being harassed by a few of the jocks in the past. they didn’t see him for the rest of the day until they saw the same guy that harassed eddie run away blooded and crying.

[m/n] turned the corner with blood on his knuckles.

he didn’t see anything wrong with it.

eddie is always flattered, but his heart is always over the moon because [m/n] continued to write him love letters and make him more mixtapes.

they would end up in eddie’s van laying together, listening to the music through his stereo as [m/n] read a loud all the new things he loved about eddie.

he loved eddie.

eddie loved him.

the tyrant and the freak.

Siblings pt. 3

word count: 60,230

Fandom: Stranger Things Pairing: Robin Buckley + Steve Harrington x Female!Harrington!Reader Pronouns: She/Her Relationship: Romantic/Familial Occupation: University Student Ability: N/A

Keys:

[F/N]: Female Name [L/N]: Last Name [N/N]: Nickname [H/C]: Hair Color [E/C]: Eye Color

Warnings: child abuse, character death, violence, vulgar language, alcohol.

“Siblings” pt. 1, pt. 2

this part is going to be dedicated to my friend’s friend @puresass​​.

the unknown guy’s name from hellfire will be nathan, he looks like a nathan to me.

the harrington couple’s name will be richard and lauren harrington. those seem like the most basic bitch names I could think of.

there was a part in here where I just didn’t give a shit and I feel like y’all will be able to pinpoint where.

there’s bound to be a lot of mistakes in here but I a) can’t be fucked fixing and b) I can’t be fucked fixing.

the endings a little anticlimactic and not what I would have wanted but I can’t be fucked and it’s too long so I just needed to put a stop to it. maybe i’ll change it or I won’t, I’ll see how i feel.

that is all.

Steve felt numb.

He couldn’t believe that this was actually happening.

He couldn’t believe that he was attending his sisters and boyfriends funeral. The last time he attended a funeral was the year prior for Barb, and even then he still hasn’t fully gotten over the guilt of what happened to her to the point he can’t even go swimming in his own goddamn pool. Staring at his reflection, he caressed his face that was still recovering from the onslaught his sister and the Russians did to him, but his heart hastened at the sight of his eyes in his reflection. Tears gathered in his eyes quicker than he realised, a sob escaping his trembling lips that he had to cover his mouth and quickly look away before he broke down before arriving at the actual funeral. Peering one last time at the mirror he looked away immediately when all he saw was her staring right back at him, but not his sweet and beautiful sister that he grew up with, but the monster who’s complexion was comparable to that of a sheet of paper, veins as black as tar and a dead expression that glared at him from behind.

Dustin enters the room to check up on Steve, he was taking longer then the allotted time Steve had given him, to find him collapsed on the ground unable to quell the tears and broken cries for his sister. Dustin was quick to rush to Steve’s side, wrapping his arms around his shoulders and letting the older man cry into his shoulder. Dustin didn’t quite understand what Steve was going through, he himself hasn’t met [F/N] like the others did, whether it may be the flayed version of her or not, but he understood that their relationship ran deep. He remembered the rare few times Steve did mention his sister, and when he did, Dustin would have to listen to Steve’s rambling about how cool his older sister was and how she did absolutely everything in her power to ensure he was happy. There wasn’t a bad thing he could say about his sister, everything about her was just praise after praise.

Jonathan was the one to get Steve to calm down, completely understanding exactly what Steve was going through. Before it was him that lost Will, when he FIRST lost Will to the upside down and when the police found his “body” in the quarry. It was gut wrenching to see Steve, who never let anyone see that they got to him, unable to control the tears running down his cheeks or the violent shaking his body was suffering through. But unlike him, [F/N] was really gone, they all saw her dead body along side Billy’s, neither one of them were walking that one off. They weren’t recovering from that wound like they did with others, they were really gone and they weren’t coming back. Robin wasn’t doing so good either. Arriving at the burial, they noted how exhausted she looked with dried tear tracks staining her cheeks. Upon seeing each other, a new wave of anguish washed over them as tears threatened to spill, but they managed to pull themselves together and used each other for support and comfort. Nancy didn’t really know Robin all to well but she offered her comfort, placing a hand on her shoulder and gently squeezing it while Dustin stood at Steve’s side and rubbed circles into his back. It took them everything not to collapse to their knees when they finally lowered the caskets into their craves, Max herself wasn’t doing so great as she stood with her mother with El at her side and watched as Billy’s casket disappeared under the earth. Steve couldn’t stand being there any longer than he had to be, the moment both caskets were buried he didn’t hesitate to turn tail and return to his car where he spent the next couple of minutes balling his eyes out because he just couldn’t believe this was happening.

He didn’t want to believe the fact that he was now outliving his sister, he was now an only child. He pressed a hand to his mouth when a sob rippled out of his throat, pressing the heels of his hands against his forehead while gritting his teeth. God, what the hell was he going to tell their— his parents that she was dead? How the hell were the going to react? He already tried calling for them, others tried notifying the Harrington couple that their eldest child and only daughter had died in the Starcourt fire along side thirty other people, counting Billy Hargrove who was known as her lover and Police Chief Hopper, dubbed a hero for rescuing the surviving few that managed to escape. [F/N] herself hasn’t really spoken or seen their parents in a long time, only tolerating their mere existence for the sake of Steve but the moment she was free of school and their hold, she ditched Hawkins without a moments hesitation. She only came back for Steve, it was always for Steve. Maybe if he hadn’t stuck around because he couldn’t get into a good college out of Hawkins, maybe [F/N] wouldn’t have returned to bum fuck nowhere just to see him. Goddammit, it was always his fault!

She became the disappointment of the family for him.

She laid down her crown for him.

She became the local freak for him.

She died for him, and maybe that might not be true, but he was never going to forget that look of absolute pain she had in her eyes when she realised what she had done. He finally had her back, he was finally in her arms safe and though she was bawling her eyes out because she had hurt him, it was his [F/N]. That was his big sister that adored him with all her heart, but it was exactly what Jonathan said, her love for him is both her weakness and her strength. She loved him too much that she threw her last chance away just to get back at the monster that ruined her life, in doing so she died in the arms of her supposed lover.

Billy, oh poor sweet Billy. Not a single day goes by where knowing what exactly was going on in Hawkins, the guilt of not telling the blonde the details will continue to eat at him until the day he reaches his limit. Things were finally going good for both him and Billy, they finally pushed the events of the year prior to the side and started getting along, but dating? Gosh, Steve wasn’t so sure when he fell in love with Billy exactly, but it felt ethical. He was helping Billy work on himself, helping him think of ways to mend his relationship with Max. He was Billy’s safe haven away from the horrors of his father, that sick bastard that didn’t hesitate to sell all his shit, divorce Susan and abandoned the Mayfield family to flee Hawkins. Maybe he was already planning it from how fast he reacted to the news of his deceased son, but that didn’t matter, Billy was trying and that’s all that matters. He was trying, he was trying to be better, but none of it matters anymore because he’s gone.

“I-I’m not ready…” he mumbles under his breath, sniffling to himself as he tries wiping the tears away but were replaced by more. He lets out a groan, looking over at the passenger seat, his mind began playing with memories of her “I-I’m not ready, [F/N].” she lurched forward when Steve abruptly stepped on the brake, glancing over at her brother, she saw that panicked expression on his face that reminded her of the time she tried teaching him how to ride a bike. Right now she was teaching him how to drive a car after he passes his learners, though perhaps it wasn’t a good idea to teach him in her mustang.

“Well,” she takes a breath, grip so violent on the handle above her while her other was placed on his knee that she would occasionally squeeze “not everyone is ready to drive. You’ve got plenty of time to get the hang of it, I promise.” he lets out a sigh, head bumping against the wheel.

“But Tommy said he understood on his first go.” she scoffed, rolling her eyes.

“That virgin? Psh, please. Pretty sure he flunked the first time trying for his learners.” that made a smile crack onto his cheeks but that didn’t stop his nervousness, she lets out a sigh “… I couldn’t go to mum and dad to help teach me to drive, and though I was better off teaching myself, guess who I went to for help?”

“Who?” she was already grinning before she answered him.

“Munson.” now she bursts into laughter when he whipped his head so fast she was surprised he didn’t break his neck “Oh, come on now! I was desperate, and though it was a mistake in itself, he did make it more fun to learn. But in the end it was his uncle that taught me, he’s such a gentlemen. Love the guy to bits.” now they burst out into laughter, [F/N] smiled brightly when that managed to calm him down and he didn’t look as nervous as he did.

“Well, I needed that.” she huffs.

“Hey, when you get comfortable enough to drive, I might even let you take my baby out for a drive.” his face lights up.

“Really? You’ll let me drive your mustang?” she rolls her eyes, pushing his head by the cheek to look back out towards the road ahead of him.

“Don’t get your hopes high, first learn how to pull out of the driveway then we’ll talk.” in the end [F/N] did let him take her mustang out for a spin but was quickly banned from driving it again when they blew past Hopper and [F/N] was fined for letting a learner drive and over the speed limit, they never spoke about it ever again. Just the memory of him together with [F/N] made him happy but the bitter thought that she wasn’t around anymore just made every happy memory of her sour now.

*knock knock*

“Hey, dude.” Steve lets out a gasp at the soft knocking on his window, thinking it was maybe Nancy or Robin, he hurriedly wipes his tears away before looking over but was surprised to see who it was.

“Munson?” Eddie gives him a nervous smile followed by a wave, he then gestures with his hand to roll down the window and so he does “What are you— what are you doing here?” Eddie couldn’t help but frown at the state the former “King” Steve Harrington was in, he couldn’t believe it. From that cocky little shit that went humble after newbie from cali, who’s also dead, overthrew him, he didn’t know who was in front of him. Maybe this was [F/N]’s crybaby brother that she gave up everything for, he takes a breath as he rubs his neck.

“[F/N] was my friend, man, there’s no way I’d miss her funeral.” Eddie pulled away briefly to look over at his uncle, to which he was gesturing to the small box that Steve failed to notice until now “Um, I know we’ve never really talked or nothing but… I think she’d want you to have this.” he then hands Steve the box, shoving his hands into his pockets the moment Steve takes it from him. He wants to tug against the suit and tie Wayne forced him into, saying he should at least look a little appropriate for [F/N] and Billy’s funeral, he at least let him wear his ripped jeans if he wore the tie. A reasonable bargain.

“What is this?”

“Open it, and you might find out.” Steve couldn’t help but scoff at his words but heeded them, taking the lId off before freezing up at what he saw. Eddie swallowed thickly, not expecting this kind of reaction so he leaned over to see his expression and his heart dropped when he saw the tears running down his cheeks again. Steve’s trembling hand reached into the box and he pulled out one of the many polaroids that filled the box, the one he had in his hands was of her with Eddie and his frie— their friends laughing together in what he could make out was the hideout. FUCKING KILLED IT, was what was written at the bottom of the photo “Hey man, I’m sorry if that didn’t help or anything— she always mentioned you, you know? She loved talking about you with any chance she got to bring you up to the point it got annoying, but she loved you. Thought you might have wanted to know that.” he raised his hand to caress his arm then looked back towards Steve to see that he was looking up at him with those tear filled eyes. God, he felt his own tears threatening to fall cause looking down at Steve just reminded him of [F/N]. Why the hell did the two of them have to look so alike? He had to same exact heartbroken look on his face the day she and Eddie first became friends, when she begged for him to help fix her relationship with Steve even if it meant destroying her reputation.

“I-I— thank you, Munson…! You’ve no idea what this m-means to me.” Eddie glanced at Steve and saw him looking through the other the other photos, and though he still had tears running down his face, he had a bittersweet smile on his face “She looks so happy in m-most of these.” he muttered softly, he remembered how his sister hated taking photos, especially if it was for their parents. She made it her personal mission to frown or look as miserable as she could in each family photo, so seeing a genuine smile on her face really meant something to him.

“She was always happy around us, called us the family she wished she had.” Eddie cursed under his breath when he noticed Steve flinch “Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean—” Steve shakes his head.

“No, no, I understand where you’re coming from.” he wipes away the tears and some of the snot, sniffling to himself then looked up at Eddie with those red doe eyes, glassy with new tears threatening to fall at any moment “She was the sister I took for granted, and now that she’s gone… I don’t know what to do with myself.” Eddie takes a breath, taking a step back and pinching the bridge of his nose to calm himself down, when he looks back at Steve he places his hands on his hips and gave him the same look he did with [F/N] whenever she was feeling depressed.

“Listen, Harrington.” Steve looks up at him “Your sister and I were close, as I’d like to say, she was my platonic soulmate. She’s told me things that I am more than willing to take to the grave, but I think she would want you to know what great lengths she went to just for the sake of your happiness over her own. So now that she’s gone, I hope you don’t let her efforts die in vain. She would want you to live your life to the fullest even if she’s gone, if not, we both know that she’d kick your ass.” this caused the both of them to laugh softly, Steve looked up at Eddie with a newfound fondness, feeling grateful for his words.

“Thanks for that, I really needed that.” his thumb caressed against a different polaroid, one where she looked drunk and was hanging off of some big guy with short curly hair, though the both of them were laughing happily while Gareth looked confused in the background, at the bottom was captioned with [F/N] + NATHAN HAVING A BLAST w/ GARETH “I’m glad she at least had one friend that understood her; that was there for her when nobody else was on her side. I wish I had that.” Eddie frowned softly.

“No offence dude, but you did have that.” he scratches at his cheek, trying to hide the guilty look on his face but he was struggling “She was always there for you, even when you thought she wasn’t. There wasn’t a single time that she was against you.” Steve swallowed a lump down his throat, feeling a pang of guilt in his heart for every instance he thought [F/N] hated his existence as much as he hated her, but that hate was one sided.

“I really took her for granted.” Eddie presses his lips together and slowly nodded his head.

“Yeah…” his eyes perked up when he saw a small group huddle up, there he saw his friends looked as disheveled and upset as he was standing beside his uncle “H-Hey, I’ve got to go now. But if you ever need to talk, or want to hear some funny stories of how dumb your sister was in high school, you know where to find me?” he offered, not really expecting Steve to take him up on that offer, but he nodded his head.

“I’d actually like that a lot. She hasn’t told me much of what happened in high school, saying it all went by like a blur.” Eddie stuttered over his next words, waving his hands around before rubbing the back of his neck.

“O-Oh, yeah, totally! Then I guess, see you around?” Steve nods his head and waved his hand goodbye, Eddie returns the gesture before jogging back over to his uncle and friends. Steve watched them for a bit, watching the one he knows as Gareth fail to keep his tears under control because the moment Eddie was in front of him he broke down crying, and soon a chain reaction broke out through the lot of them and they were all crying together. He inhales shakily through his nose, he sets the box of polaroid photos on his passenger seat then digs through his pocket, upon finding what he was looking for he pulls it out and grimaces at the sight of Billy’s signature necklace hanging through his fingers. Max was kind enough to give him at least one piece of Billy with him, it wasn’t his ring but this was more than enough to give him some closure. Putting it on, he clutches onto it tightly, his knuckles turning white from how harsh his grip was, before raising it up to press his lips against it.

“I’m sorry we didn’t have enough time, Billy. I’m so sorry.” he lowers it until it sits against his chest, he pats the space over his heart and takes another deep breath, this time to calm the new wave of tears that threatened to fall. Another knock on his window has him turning his attention towards the glass, his eyes lit up slightly at the sight of Robin knocking gently on the glass of the passenger side “Robin…” he called out weakly, she gives him a strained smile before opening his door and taking a seat, moving the box onto the floor.

“Hey…” she greeted in return, the two of them sat in silence. It was comfortable, just the two of them together, simply acknowledging each other’s existence. Robin flinched slightly when she felt something brush against her arm, sparing him a look, she saw that he offered his hand for her to take. Her bottom lip trembled softly but she took his hand nonetheless, giving it a tight squeeze before hunching forward, burying her face into the palm of her hand as her shoulders shook when she started to cry again. Steve, this time, inhaled sharply to stop himself from crying once more. If he knew his sister, and he’d like to think that he did, then she wouldn’t want him crying over her death as much as he was right now “What do we do now, Steve?” Robin asks through her tears, looking at him in a desperate plea.

“… move on, I guess.” Robin knew that was the answer, but god forbid she wished there was another one, where this wasn’t happening to begin with. She wanted Steve to take her to their place and there she’ll find Billy and [F/N] soaking it up in the pool complaining about how hot it is. Maybe her heart wouldn’t ache as much as it did if she never met [F/N] to begin with, maybe she’d feel better if she didn’t get to know Harrington at all. But how could she think that because now every time she looks at Steve she at least sees a part of [F/N] in him, or maybe that’s the reason she’s coming to hate looking at him. They share the same sad little look, resembling that of a kicked puppy begging for attention. “Is that all we can do…?” she muttered softly.

“What else is there to do?” she couldn’t think of anything, he gently squeezes her hand “Do you want to come over?” she nods her head.

“Yeah.” they spent the rest of the day sitting silently in his room, neither one of them had the heart to go into her room because they knew they wouldn’t be able to control themselves from having another meltdown. Robin’s eyes lingered over to Steve and saw that his hand was fiddling with Billy’s necklace, glancing down at herself, her bottom lip started trembling when she remembered she was wearing [F/N]’s jacket despite the intense heat of the summer “Steve, can I take something of [F/N]’s?” “You’ve already got two of her jackets, what more would you want?” Steve then noticed where her gaze was fixed and so he let out a soft sigh but nodded nonetheless, this is where the two of them found themselves standing painfully in the middle of [F/N]’s room. Honestly, Steve didn’t know what to do with her room anymore. The day she moved out and left for university their parents wanted to throw all her stuff out, saying that she was no longer welcome in their house ever again, but Steve was adamant on keeping her stuff there and prided himself on managing to convince them, but now he wanted nothing to do with any of her stuff. Everywhere he looked was just a reminder of what he had done to cause them to drift apart in the first place.

“I’ll be quick, I don’t want to be in here any more than you do.” Steve watches from the door as Robin looks around [F/N]’s room, looking for something specific. He almost felt like it was a preach of [F/N]’s privacy seeing Robin open draws and nearly throw things around in search for whatever she was looking for, she finally stopped at [F/N]’s bedside table, opening up the top draw and pausing in her search. Robin sniffled softly as she pulled out a cassette tape, she smiled sadly as she flipped it around and saw what was labeled on it “for my song bird”. “Song bird?” she hadn’t realised Steve was behind her until he spoke, though she wasn’t startled by his sudden appearance, she just nodded softly as she looked down at it.

“She called me her song bird whenever I tried singing, and though I thought my voice was terrible, she told me she loved it.” her thumb caressed the cassette as she stared at it fondly “She told me she was working on it, even if she already made a tone of mixtapes for me, she told me that this one had songs that told me how much she loved me. I don’t know if it’s finished or not, but I thought I’d take it, finished or not.” she thought back to that memory fondly, she was sitting in [F/N]’s room listening to a different mixtape she made for her, glancing over at the girl occasionally from where she laid.

”What’s got you thinking so hard, [F/N]?” Robin questioned, seeing the way her forehead creased as she stared down at the piece of paper intently. She could always tell when her [F/N] was in deep thought, from the way she was bouncing her leg along with the cigarette that hung from her lips. She always did try not to smoke around Robin, saying how she thought smoking was gross, so she tried to hoard off her addiction but when her mind got too much for her she’d have a cancer stick on her lips, a window was open so the room wouldn’t get too overwhelming for her though.

“Thought of a new mixtape for you, song bird.” Robin blushes softly at the nickname, she always loved the sweet pet names she thought for her revolving around her name “I think this one will be my best one yet.”

“Really? I don’t know about that, I think the last one you made for me was your best one.” Robin giggles to herself as she thought about it, [F/N] labelled that one “rage” that the two of them would play at full blast whenever either one of them was feeling like letting loose because of how shitty Hawkins was.

“Say all you want, but I believe you’re really going to like this one.” she says, pointing the pencil in her hand towards her “Each song is going to represent just how much I love you.” she blinked at that declaration.

“How much you love me?” she nods her, making a little “mm hmm” noise as she took the cigarette from her lips and taps the ash onto her ashtray “How much more can you love me?” [F/N] chuckles affectionately.

“I don’t think I’ve ever felt the way I do with any other girl I’ve been with, Robin. You’re very special to me and I just want you to know that.” she looks down at the sheet of paper with jotted down love songs and blushed softly “I really want you to know that you have a special place in my heart… though you do come second to Steve.” Robin’s face fell the second Steve was mentioned, [F/N] snicked and quickly pocketed her list of songs just as Robin jumped to her feet.

“I don’t want to be second to Steve!” [F/N] puts out her cigarette just a second before she was tackled out of her chair to the ground, she burst out into laughter as Robin sat above her, holding her down by the shoulders as she laughed “Why can’t I be your first place?” [F/N] fondly rolled her eyes, hands lingering onto her thighs whilst turning her head to kiss the hands on her shoulders.

“The moment we’re married you’ll be my first place, my sweet. The day you become my wife will be the day I’ll put you before anyone, but until that day, Steve will forever be my first place.” Robin pouts but that didn’t settle the pink flush rising to her cheeks, she scoffed and rubbed her thumbs into her shoulders.

“You’re saying that as if I’ll say yes.” this earned her a chuckle.

“So you won’t marry me?”

“I didn’t say that…” the two of them were thrown into a fit of giggles, Robin collapsing onto [F/N] in the process of it all. A fond smile worked its way onto her face as she reminisces about that night, each time Robin brought up the mixtape, asking when will she be able to listen to it, [F/N] would give an excuse saying how she needed to add a few more songs to it before she’d consider it done, but Robin knew she’d be nervous to give it to her “I wonder what songs she chose.” she muttered softly, placing the cassette into her pocket as she stood to her feet.

“Think she picked cheesy love songs?” Robin snickers at the thought.

“As funny as that thought is, you and I both know she would choose songs with meaning behind them.” the two of them now stand in silence just staring at each other, Robin was the first to break. She throws her arms around Steve and starts sobbing into his shoulder, Steve just stands there motionless for awhile as Robin cried into his shoulder before finally raising his hands to wrap around her torso. Steve offered for her to stay the night if she needed it but she couldn’t handle the thought of being in that house, and though she felt awful that she was going to be leaving Steve all alone in that empty house, she just couldn’t bear the thought of it. She left with an apology with her parents where she now her room clutching the cassette tape, she was nervous after all. This was probably the last gift she was ever going to receive from [F/N] and she didn’t want to use it recklessly. When she couldn’t handle sitting in silence anymore she finally sat up and grabbed her cassette player, taking out [F/N]’s other mixtape for her and replacing it with the new one before putting on her headphones.

’[F/N] and Steve have drastically different taste in music, but I can totally imagine hearing her listen to George Mic—’ her thoughts were caught off guard when she heard the track of an old classic, her eyes started to water at the sound of “So This Is Love” sung by Ilene Woods beginning to play. Robin’s parents peek into her room and their hearts broke at the sight of Robin, openly crying as she held her cassette player close to her chest as classical love songs played one after the other. Robin couldn’t believe she forgot how in love [F/N] was when it came down to classics and orchestra type songs, having seen her punk/alt girlfriend blast music like Led Zeppelin and Ozzy Osborne more than sitting down to appreciate classics like Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata or even Claude Debussy’s Claire de Lune. The first time she caught her listening to an old classical was when [F/N] had quite a hard time that day and needed to settle and relax and classical music always seemed to calm her down.

”I don’t know, honestly. It’s something about the melody that feels so… euphoric. Maybe one day you’ll feel the same type of love I do for the old classics, huh?” Robin gasped when the tape ended drastically, her trembling lips let out a sob when she came to the realisation.

She didn’t get to finish it.

Steve wasn’t doing any better. He found himself situated in his room, sitting on the floor with the box of polaroids Eddie had given him and was looking through each and every one of them. Each one looked better than the last, her smile getting bigger and bigger whenever she was with her group of friends she called family. In the background he was playing a tape that he and [F/N] grew fond of together when they were young children, “Go Your Own Way” by Fleetwood Mac was adored by [F/N] despite its meaning but both herself and Steve loved the way it sounded to their ears. He was planning on sharing this with Robin but he probably will on a later date, right now, he just wanted to be alone to reminicent on the good old days by himself.

“I wish I told you what was going on, [F/N]…” he murmured to himself, finding a polaroid of [F/N] by herself this time, she looked the calmest in this one compared to the rest but she still had that genuine smile on her face. MOVIE NIGHT was captioned at the bottom, ah, so that explains the bowl of popcorn that sat in her lap “Maybe if I warned you beforehand, none of this would be happening in the first place. Maybe then you and Billy would still be here, alive and breathing.” he shakily spares a glance towards his mirror but quickly turned away when he saw her once more, whats even worse, he saw Billy standing beside her. Everything was just getting so much harder.

[time skip: a few days later]

His parents coming home was unexpected. He was in the middle of cleaning his room when the front door to the house was unlocked and opened, voices filling the usually cold and empty house. How were they going to react knowing that their daughter was dead? How are they going to react at the sight of Steve’s still healing face? What about how he was involved with the fire that went down at the Starcourt Mall and that he was unemployed? His thoughts were brought to a hold when his door opened, glancing over, he winced at the sight of his mother. Both himself and [F/N] took most of their physical traits from their mother, from the skin tone to the shade of hair to the eyes and moles covering their bodies, so staring at his mother that mirrored his sister almost made it hard to look at her.

“Oh, Steven, you’re home. Good, your father and I need some help bringing our luggage in from the car. Be a dear and give us a hand.” he felt his body twitch, what? How is that the first thing she says to his face? Weren’t they told that their eldest daughter was dead? “Steven? Why haven’t you move yet? I asked for your help, did I not?” she was taken aback when a look of anger flashed across his face.

“Mum, did you not hear the news on [F/N]?” an immediate reaction came from his mother, she let out a sigh as she rolled her eyes.

“What? Did she flunk univesity? I had a feeling she would, she didn’t come crawling back here did she? Your father is going to be upset if he sees her, he’s already irritated that you still haven’t cleaned out her room like you were supposed to.” his hand balled up into a tight fist, weren’t they told that she was dead? Is that why they didn’t come rushing home? Is this why it took them fucking days to get back?!

“Did no one tell you?”

“Tell me what?” she blinked in surprise when tears, whether it be of anger or grief, began to swell in his eyes as he stared down at his mother.

“[F/N] died, mum. We had her funeral a couple days ago.” now she wasn’t expecting Steve to say that, she blinked in confusion as she thought back to what happened a few days ago. She did remember both her’s and Richard’s phones blowing up, people they didn’t know calling them in regards of what happened to their children and what happened while they weren’t in Hawkins. They brushed it off their shoulders, thinking the two of them just simply got into trouble, but looking at Steve’s bruise face and heartbroken expression gave her a different impression.

“She’s— no, she’s not.” Lauren shakes her head “I refuse to believe that your sister is dead, okay? There’s no way that girl could have possibly died, alright? If she’s anything from how I remember her is stubborn. If anything, she’s probably doing it for the attention. You know how much she bathed in the light of everyone’s attention, so that’s probably just it—”

“Mum! I fucking SAW her die!” Lauren flinched back at Steve raising his voice “Why the HELL would she kill herself for attention, mum?! That’s the most self-centred thing you could ever think of when she was the most selfless person to have ever existed! She died and I saw it happen, she died and there was nothing I could do to save her! She was suffering and I didn’t even notice!” Steve was going to fall into a rant but swallowed back his next words when his father walked into his room, standing behind his mother with that disappointed expression that never seemed to change.

“Why are you yelling at your mother, Steven? Much less swearing at her.” Steve let out a shuddered breath, raising his arm to wipe away the tears.

“[F/N] is dead and neither of you knew about it.” Richard’s face surprisingly showed a sign of surprise before quickly disappearing when he shook his head, he then let out a sigh as he crossed his arms.

“Is that all?” Steve flinched back “I don’t see why you’re making such a big deal over that girl being dead.” Lauren wore a saddened face, reaching up to grab at her husband’s forearm.

“Richard…” she murmured softly, Steve adverted his eyes when his father glared at him.

“B-But, she was your daughter. Don’t you care that she died at all?” Richard scoffed.

“That girl hasn’t been my daughter for years, Steven. When are you going to accept that she is no longer a Harrington? I guess her death was the final nail in the coffin, but physically and metaphorically.” Steve’s shoulders slumped as he stared at both of his parents, both unsympathetic that their daughter was dead and their son was grieving over her “Now stop this foolish behaviour at once, Steven. We have more important matters to attend to.” with that. Steve was left in his room alone once more but this time he was feeling a different sort of emotion for the parents that emotionally and physically neglected him… resentment. He didn’t understand why their— his parents came to hate [F/N] the way they do now, he just didn’t understand. Just [F/N] rebelling against them and basically flunking school until her last semester wasn’t a good enough answer for him anymore. Did he really not pay enough attention to his sister? Did he really not know how much she was suffering all because… all because of him? He needed answer, and he knew just the man that had them.

“Eddie Munson!” he shouts at the top of his lungs, Eddie, feeling a sense of deja vu, opened the door to his trailer and raised a brow at the sight of Steve. He felt a pang in his heart when he saw Steve standing at the foot of the stairs leading into the trailer, it hurt because it reminded him of how his and [F/N]’s friendship first began.

“Harrington?” Eddie mutters questionably, about the ask what he was doing there in the first place but caught himself “You here to learn a few things about your sister?” Steve swallowed thickly, he couldn’t find the right words so he just let his head fall, hands behind his back as he sheepishly nodded his head. Two completely different personalities, he thought to himself. With a sigh, he took a step back and gestured with his arm just Steve to enter his humble abode, Steve now found himself sitting on the couch a little nervously while Eddie took his uncle’s favorite chair. Steve looked around the trailer, awing at the impressive collection of mugs.

“Um… nice place?” Eddie huffed softly.

“Well, [F/N] loved the trailer. She didn’t care that it was small, it was less suffocating compared to the literal mansion you Harrington’s got yourselves. She hated the simplicity of it all. Wayne always tried to clean up because he thought it didn’t suit a young lady like her, but she always told him that the trailer was perfect.” Eddie hadn’t realised he was rambling in a bad way because when he looked at Steve he saw the brunette had a guilty yet knowing look on his face “Oh, sorry.” Steve shook his head.

“No, no. I-I get it.” he laughed nervously as he rubbed his hands together, looking up at the ceiling to stop the tears from forming in his eyes “She complained that even with the two of us in the house, the silence felt overwhelming to her. I guess that’s why she was always out and away from the house, even more so having her music on at full blast. It was a comfort, she said.” Eddie nods his head.

“Therapeutic.” Steve laugh so weakly.

“Yeah, that’s what she would say whenever I would complain about her music.” Steve and Eddie soon found themselves sitting in silence, whether it be awkward or comfortable, they didn’t know. Steve sniffled to himself, inhaling deeply as he brought his hands to his face then dragging them down “I didn’t notice a lot of the problems she was suffering, did I?” Eddie pulled a face, that was enough to get Steve to close his eyes and the guilt that was in his stomach started to bubble.

“Dude, there was so much wrong with your sister I was surprised she was able to function properly.” he collapses into the chair, running a hand through his hair then waved his hand around “So, what exactly would you like to learn about your sister? Her first time at a rave? How about the time I let her play my sweetheart and she broke one of the strings for shredding to hard?” Steve felt his hands start to get sweaty, his head hanging in front of his head once more.

“… how badly did our parents treat her?” Eddie felt like the air was knocked out of him, his eyes now staring at Steve in disbelief.

“Come on now, you should know how bad it was.” the pain in Steve’s eyes said otherwise, he let out a breath as he turned away, rubbing the back of his neck nervously “I told you there a few things she told me that I was more than willing to take the grave, right?” Steve nods his head.

“Right.”

“That happens to be one of them.” Steve goes to detest, saying that he should know why their relationship turned into the dumpster fire it is now but Eddie just refused to meet his eyes “She told me if you were to ever learn you’d blame yourself, Steve. She didn’t want you to feel the guilt of it all, so as her best friend, I’m not going to touch that subject. I’lll answer all your other questions, but not that sensitive topic. But if that’s all you want to talk about, then I’m going to have to ask you to leave. Talking about her hurts my heart too, man.” Steve bit his lip, Eddie watches him close, watches as all sorts of emotions pooled in his eyes.

“… [F/N] mentioned how you two would get into the dumbest shit when you two attended high school together, could you tell me a few of the shenanigans the two of you got into?” Eddie couldn’t help but snort softly, raising his hand to cover the lower half of his face as he thought back to his— their high school days. Where to begin. Steve watched Eddie closely, he watched as his hand slowly dragged down his face before he cupped his own face and leaned into his palm, slowly a smile worked its way onto his face as he thought back to one memory.

“This… was back during our second year of high school.”

”Suck in your gut, Eddie!”

“What gut? Are you calling me fat?”

“Yes! This was your idea, so shut up and suck in that gut!” when you put Eddie and [F/N] in a room together, or if they’re together regardless, they tend to share one single brain cell between each other. It was just like any typical day at Hawkins High where you could find the troublesome duo for once not doing anything too chaotic, they were just causally chatting about anything that came to mind, Eddie himself rambling about his new campaign idea and a few lyrics he managed to add to the song he was writing with [F/N] listening closely to each and every one of his words. Their conversation came to a halt at the sound of shouting and struggling, leaning forward, they see the jocks shoving a poor nerd into his locker and left him in there. The two stare at the poor fellow before turning to look at each other, the same brain cell that they share sparking as they shared the same thought. Eddie, who was now in his locker while [F/N] was pushing at the locker door with everything she had, were being complete idiots.

“Push harder!” [F/N] scoffed at him, pushing herself up so she wasn’t leaning against the locker door anymore, cracking her knuckles then rolling her sleeves above her elbows. She sucked in a breath then proceeded to shoulder the locker to close, when she noticed that it moved she moved so that her back was pressed against it and went back to pushing. She lets out a grunt when she suddenly fell from the lack of pressure, when she fell to the ground she heard a click and laughed when the locker finally closed.

“Haha! It worked!” she quickly rises to her feet and looks at Eddie through the gaps on the door, he too had a big grin on his face “You cozy in there, Eddie?” they both laugh.

“Nope, I’m cramped as shit! Get me out of here.” she rolled her eyes, she grabbed the handle and pulled but her face scrunched up in confusion when it didn’t open “[F/N], that’s not funny, hurry up and open it already.” now she grabbed onto the handle with both hands and started yanking at the door for it to open but it still wouldn’t budge.

“Um… I think I busted the latch.” they stare at each other in silence, moments later [F/N] is now desperately trying to open the locker door but everything she tried wasn’t working “Goddamn, this shit ain’t budging!”

“Try harder!”

“I am!” [F/N] let out an exhausted breath when she tried pulling with everything she had, she then knocks on it “Dang… I guess you’re stuck in there for the foreseeable future, it was nice knowing you.” she then proceeded to turn on her heel as she started walking away, this caused Eddie to cry out for her.

“Hey, wait! Don’t go! [F/N], please! Don’t leave me in here, I’ll die!” she rolled her eyes at his overreaction, she placed her hands on her hips as she thought of different ways to get Eddie out of his current predicament, when a thought did come to mind she lit up.

“Oh, I’ve got an idea. Stay right there, I’ll be right back.” he let out a sigh as she rushed off to do whatever she needed to do, slumping back in what little space he had in that cramped locker.

“Sure, it’s not like I can go anywhere.” [F/N] had gone off to her car to grab a crowbar from her boot to get him out, they were then given detention for damaging school property. Eddie laughs fondly at the memory going so far as to throwing his head back and running a through his hair, his laughter grew louder when Steve joined in. He could think of other stories he, [F/N] and Hellfire had gotten into from their high school days. How [F/N] jumped out of a window because she saw a five dollar bill laying on the ground, or maybe how she and Jeff convinced Gareth that Eddie wouldn’t mind that he sat in his precious throne… he did very much mind, or maybe the time when they performed at the Hideout and Nathan got a little too drunk and proceeded to jump off the stage to go crowd surfacing but instead landed on the ground with a loud thud.

Those were the days he missed.

“Haa… when your sister left, god, it felt like a piece of me left with her.” he felt the tears begin to sting in his eyes, he looks up whilst inhaling deeply to stop the tears from shedding “I honestly didn’t think my relationship with her would become something so deep, but I’m so glad we became the greatest of friends in the end. I am going to cherish the moments I had with her.” Steve stared blankly at Eddie after he spoke those words, he then looks down at the ground once more.

“Cherish the moments, huh?” he mutters softly.

Nightly chats soon became a daily routine between the two of them, each sharing a new story they had about [F/N]. Steve told Eddie how [F/N] allowed him to drive her mustang, to which Eddie was jealous that [F/N] let anyone beside her behind the wheel of her precious car. Eddie told Steve about how whenever the both of them shared a class he would often cheat off of her, they got in trouble because Eddie wrote down her name when it asked for his name. Soon topics changed from [F/N] to Billy, he knew what happened with Billy back in ‘84 and was surprised that Billy lived to tell the tale when she came back to Hawkins to visit Steve, though Steve did tell him that the two of them got into a scuffle until they got along and became pretty good friends. He met Billy a handful of times when the blonde would come buy weed off him, sometimes they’d chat about their favourite song from any metal bands they collectively listen to. Hargrove was a pretty chill dude under all anger and leather, sometimes he’d see that rare genuine smile that he couldn’t help but associate with [F/N]. Those two were so alike he couldn’t help but feel worried for him whenever he had to go home, if he could call that situation he lived in a home.

Soon the stories of Billy and [F/N] changed to normal conversations between Eddie and Steve. Eddie learnt that Steve now worked at Hawkins’ Family Video with his best friend Robin Buckley, Steve learnt that Eddie was writing a new song to perform live at the Hideout with the rest of Corroded Coffin and so on so forth. Sometimes the two of them would share a blunt and sit on top of Eddie’s trailer, chatting about the dumbest of things as they watched the clouds pass by or how the stars shun brightly in the dark sky. Tonight was one of those nights, Eddie glanced over at where Steve was laying and his face softened when the dark circles under his eyes have eased up so now that they were barely noticeable, at least they were making some progress. His brow perked up slightly when a strand of Steve’s hair fell down and was now laying in front of his eyes and without thinking her reached forward, this caught Steve’s attention so he looked over at Eddie and froze up a little when Eddie tucked his hair behind his ear. The two of them wordlessly stared at each other and upon realising what he had done he quickly pulled his hand back, muttering short apologises as he held his hand to his chest.

“I-I’m sorry if I… made you uncomfortable.” Steve blinked at Eddie then turned away, a sudden wave of heat flushing to his face as he tucked the same strand of hair behind his ear, Eddie watched this and felt butterflies in his stomach when he saw the tips of his ears turn a shade of red.

“It’s fine.” wow Steve, no wonder Mike thinks you’re lame.

Similar instances occurred after that.

It started off as small compliments. Steve spiced up his hair by a little? Eddie is the first to notice and tells him that he looks nice. Eddie leaves a jaw dropping cliffhanger at the end of one of his D&D campaigns? Steve applauds him for his excellent story telling and tells him he’d make a great book if he put himself to the challenge. Steve asks him if the outfit he was wearing looked good on him? Eddie is now one of his best hype men (other than robin, of course) and he thrives off the fact that he his face turned a bright pink because of it. Eddie performs a song for Steve that he thinks is lacking something? Steve in return encourages Eddie that it’s perfect and he too thrives off the fact that he made him as flustered as he did and that he pulled his hair over his face. Steve’s happiness was contagious because when he came into work Robin immediately noticed his happy mood, telling by the bright smile on his face and that joyous aura radiating out of his body.

“What’s got you so happy? You cheating on me?” she joked, she raised a brow when it looked like he wasn’t really paying attention to what she was saying.

“Huh?” he mumbled in response, she furrowed his brows and looked at him closely “Oh, yeah.” she pursed her lips at that.

“So you are cheating on me?” it took him a second to realise what she was saying, she snickered softly when he whipped his head back to look at her to the point she laughed at the face he was making.

“What? No, no! There’s no one that can replace you, Robin!” she hums with a nod, crossing her arms and leaning to the side so that her hip was resting against the counter “Come on, Robin! Do you really believe I know anyone else that could replace you?” she hums.

“Well, I haven’t felt this sort of happiness like that ever since…” she quickly cut herself off before she could finish her sentence, he himself flinched softly at the remembrance of Billy. Would it be wrong if he moved on from Billy? His shoulders slumped as he thought about Billy and yet he couldn’t help but chuckle softly when he noticed a resemblance between the two of them, three if he counted his sister. He seemed to have a distinguished taste if he really thought about it, his face now drops into the palm of his hands while letting out a groan “You good?”

“… would it be wrong if I found someone else?” Robin’s eyes widened softly at that, Steve managed to find someone else? She hummed softly at the information and leaned backwards, crossing her arms and looking up in thought.

“Well… I don’t think so, no. Just like [F/N], I think he would have wanted you to move on. And as awful as this sounds, there’s no point in waiting for someone if they aren’t coming back.” she reaches forward, grabbing him by the bicep and giving it a light squeeze “It’s okay to move on, Steve.” she says that and her heart can’t help but cling onto that last bit of love she had for [F/N], her eyes lingering to where she left her bag and inside was the same mixtape she’d been listening to on repeat.

“She’s been so hung up ever since that funeral.”

“Well, what do you expect? Her apparent girlfriend died right in front of her, I think I’d be just a distraught as she is if that were you.” Robin closed her eyes at the sound of her parents discussing how depressed she had gotten, still not being able to move on from [F/N[. She had noticed recently that Steve was getting better with each passing day and to say that she wasn’t jealous, that’d be a lie. Steve had someone he could talk to about what happened, all she had was Steve and the times she needed him he was too busy with that other person. She let out a sigh, curling deeper into her blankets and tried so hard to forget about [F/N]; tried to replace her with someone new she could fall in love with and treat her right. But who could that be if not [F/N]? She was the type of girl she dreamed of and now that dream has ended, her heart stilled when the mixtape ended as quickly as it began. A single tear ran down her face when she closed her eyes, sitting in silence for a couple seconds in hopes that something else will play, that this wasn’t the last song, but of course nothing would play. She let out a shuddered breath while wiping away a her tears, raising her other hand to reach for the cassette player but before she could start from the beginning she heard a voice.

“Jesus fucking christ, how do I even use this shit?” she let out a gasp, body sitting up abruptly at the sound of her voice. Was that [F/N]’s voice she was hearing? She pressed the headphones closer to her ears, waiting for something else and she felt her heart beat faster when she heard her laughter “Um, I think I’ve gotten the hang of this…? Yeah, no I don’t. Um— shit.” more laughter followed after that, Robin quickly reached for the cassette player and held it close to her chest.

“[F/N]…” she whispered out, oh how she missed her voice. How she longed to hear her voice, and now she’s got it right here. She never knew there was more to this cassette because she would always replay it before the last song ended.

“Hi Robin, if you’re listening to this then you’ve finally made it to the end of this mixtape. Um, I’m still learning how to use this thing and I’m probably gonna have to cut some of this shit… somehow, whatever!” she sniffles softly, hearing [F/N] shuffle through something then pick something up “Uh, I haven’t done something like this in a long time and I might be a little rusty, but bear with me. This is my little gift to you, songbird.” her eyes widened softly when she heard the swipe of her fingers running along guitar strings, she can play the guitar? Soon she heard the guitar begin to play “I don’t want to set the world on fire” but the moment she heard [F/N] start singing her heart was already on cloud nine, she could sing as well? Robin was slowly coming to realize that she didn’t really know much about [F/N], not really. [F/N] probably knew about her to the point she could right a three page essay about her favourite ice cream flavor and why it’s her favourite, but her? She barely knew anything outside of the fact that she hated her family and that she loved Steve, she was only now coming to realize how little she knew about the one she loved.

“Oh, [F/N]… I’m so sorry.” she muttered softly, falling back onto her pillows and letting her mind drift off at the sound of [F/N]’s voice.

“I’ve lost all ambition, for worldly acclaim. I just want to be the one you loved~” I want to love you as well, Robin thought, imaging that [F/N] was there. She was sitting at the edge of her bed, playing the guitar while singing to her, singing her to sleep to stupid little love song. Robin dreaded the moment [F/N] reached the end of the song and instead of replaying it to the beginning so she could hear it again, she was going to listen to it to the end this time “Haa, how did you like that songbird? Didn’t expect I could sing, could you? It’s not something I’ve done for a long time, but I thought it’d work wonders on you. I love you, Robin. I hope you enjoy this gift from me.” she was then met with silence once more and those tears she was holding back came flooding out, she was beginning to hate the silence. She screwed her eyes shut and shook her head to rid the memory and looked back at Steve who stared back at her, who then closed his eyes, thinking of each passing interaction he’s had with Eddie that’s made him feel giddy like he was still in high school. The times when Eddie would grab him by the shoulder to keep himself together after hearing the most ridiculous joke Steve had ever told, or the few times there fingers would touch when passing a blunt between each other, or maybe the time where he would just watch the way Eddie’s eyes would sparkle whenever he spoke about his music or D&D or his favourite bands or— Robin blinked when his face turned red.

“Oh.” he mutters, and now he finds himself sitting in the Munson trailer with Eddie sitting across from him. The brunette was talking about something but Steve’s mind was blanking out and the only thing he was paying attention to were his lips, he suddenly came to a realisation when his eyes snapped up and his lips pulled into a straight line “Oh.” this caught Eddie’s attention, the older one of the two chuckling softly at the face Steve was making.

“What’s the matter, Stevie?” his smile grew when Steve raised his hand, placing it on his neck and squeezing it.

“N-Nothing, just thinking is all.” he raised a brow.

“Really?” he nods, pursing his lips.

“Uh huh, totally!” he hums, where has that Harrington charm gone? He remembered his time when he and Steve attended at the same time and the halls were filled with how good Steve was with his words, always making girls swoon and sink to their knees. The man before him was anything like the rumours detailed, he would have mistaken Steve for one of the many girls he flirted with by how his eyes averted away from his while Eddie himself never tore his eyes off him.

“Eddie, I swear to god if you don’t tear your damn eyes away from my brother I’m gonna use this fork and tear them right out of your goddamn eye sockets.” Gareth and Jeff cringe at the threat while Nathan takes the fork away from her when he saw that her hands were reaching for it, the others doing the same with their own forks “I thought you said you couldn’t stand my brother with how much of a, and I quote, “a prissy little jock boy he is”. And for you information, he’s a great jock.” without her fork she grabbed a handful of the mac and cheese she was eating and stuffed it into her mouth, Nathan cringing once more at the sight of the cheese dripping from her fingers.

“That’s disgusting, [F/N].” he complains and hands her a napkin, to which she takes and wipes her hands “And she’s right, Eddie. It’s not that we’re making fun of you, we’re judging you. I mean, it’s kind of pathetic.” Eddie let out a groan, his pale skin flushed red.

“I know.” he grumbles under his breath, slapping a hand onto his face and dragging it down “[F/N]! Tell me something that’ll immediately kill my interest!” her eyes rolled backwards and they looked up at the ceiling for a couple seconds before landing on him once more.

“He thinks D&D is a nerd game and doesn’t understand why I like it.” she pursed her lips at that, squinting her eyes in confusion while also shrugging her shoulders. Gareth scoffed and smacked her arm, to which she snickered that it was a pretty lame reason “Um, uh, eh… he thinks you could do better with your hair?” Jeff rolled his eyes.

“We all think that way, [F/N].”

“It is the truth, and though I’m not as much of a hair fanatic as my brother, you disgust me with the fact that you use that three in one crap.” they all then give him judgemental looks, he gasps at them and give him an offended look.

“I thought we were… friends!” he cried out, they all just continue to stare at him in silence. He pouts at the memory, his hands subconsciously reaching up to grab some of his hair and play with it. Eddie hated to admit it but back in high school, he too, couldn’t help but swoon for that Harrington charm. That cocky little grin, that perfect skin, his luscious brown locks and those sparkling brown eyes. He was just perfect but there was no way to confirm that he would ever look at a man the same way he looked at a woman and [F/N] wasn’t going to out her brother even if he did swing that way and Eddie asked, she probably would have killed him for even considering asking her “You know, I just thought of another memory of your sister.” Steve’s brows perked up, his flustered face cooling down.

“Another story time?” Eddie snickered at that, yup, any story they could think of was now declared as story time.

“Yeah, but it’s kind of a… bad one?” Steve’s face scrunched up at that “Please don’t be mad at her, she was honestly trying to do it for your own good.” now this really had Steve’s attention.

“What did she do?” he inhaled sharply.

“So, you think you’re good enough to be my brother’s girlfriend?” Eddie and the rest of Hellfire were shaking their heads in slight disappointment at [F/N]’s actions, going and threatening another one of Steve’s “girlfriend’s” all because she didn’t like them. [F/N] and Steve had only just recently fixed their broken relationship and Steve thought it would be a good idea to introduce his sister to his latest girlfriend. [F/N] was only just doing what was best for Steve, honestly, so she tried to give the girl some time to be that so called “loving and caring” girlfriend that Steve had told her all about, but [F/N] could never see that. All she could see was some girl that was only with Steve for the popularity, for the financial gain with being with a Harrington and possibly gain the favor and protection of his sister “You’ve done nothing to prove that you’re a good match for Steve.” [F/N] had backed the poor girl behind the school, looming over and making sure the girl knew that the truth was the only thing that could get her out of that situation.

“P-Prove myself…?” she stuttered out, looking around to find a way out of her current predicament “Didn’t Steve tell you how much he l-loves me?” she shrieks when [F/N] glared at her.

“Him telling me that he loves you doesn’t mean that I trust that you’ll love my brother the way he loves you.” the girl is trembling when [F/N] raises her hand to twirl her finger around a strand of her hair, humming softly as she plays with her in between her thumb and index finger “My brother showers you with love and affection, but also in extravagant gifts because that’s his way of showing love. Giving. He gives, and gives, and gives. But there are only the rare few people that give him something in return, and not once have I seen you return the favor. Whether that be in gifts or love, you’ve given him nothing.”

“T-Then— Then what do I have to do to p-prove it?” she lets out a small cry when [F/N] grabs a fistful of her hair and yanks her up, tears swelling in her eyes when her smile dropped at she was full on staring death in the eyes.

“The fact you have to ask tells me exactly what you’re up to.” her other hand grabs her by her cheeks and she gives it a squeeze “If I ever find out that you’re only with my brother because of his looks and wealth and not because you genuinely love him, I’ll make sure that your heart is not the only thing that gets broken. Do you understand me?” she loosened her grip on her and watched as she weakly nodded, [F/N] was satisfied with that and let her go, chuckling evilly to herself when she didn’t hesitate to get the hell out of there. Eddie approached her and watched as she pulled out a cigarette and let it, letting out a long drag then watched the smoke disappear.

“You know your brother isn’t going to be happy that you’ve been interfering with his relationships like this, [F/N].” she nodded her head.

“Yeah, but I rather he be single than in a one sided relationship.” she inhales sharply “He’ll thank me later for this, and I’m sure he’ll find that perfect someone someday.” Eddie eyes her.

“And if he doesn’t?” for a brief second he saw a frown appear on her face, but it disappeared as quickly as it appeared because she was smiling confidently at him.

“I’m sure he will. I mean, who can resist that Harrington charm?” Eddie snickers at that and looks at Steve’s face, he could understand why he looked hurt right then and there. Each time [F/N] gave those girls her version of a “shovel talk” it would always end with them ending things with Steve, and of course she felt and immense amount of guilt because those relationships with those girls barely lasted a month because of her interference, but it was better for him to know that those girls never really wanted to be with him for his love.

“You must be angry with her, maybe even me for never stopping her.” Eddie thought Steve was foolish to never notice that those girls were only using him, but maybe being deprived of love he couldn’t help but cling to the next best thing and he refused to believe that it wasn’t true love; what a hopeless romantic “I’ll understand if you’ll need a bit.” Steve does, his opens his mouth to say something but shuts it and looks away from Eddie to collect his thoughts.

“… I always knew she was doing something.” he started, lacing his fingers together and squeezing his hand “Whenever I mentioned her at all, my exes would all freak out. The ones that stuck around for longer than a month looked like they were ready to have a melt down the moment we were in a room with her, I never knew what she was doing but I always had a suspicion she did something.” it was true, she always had that soft smile on Steve’s face whenever he was around, but the moment he was gone, her face turned cold and she would stare his ex down as if they were the filth of the earth.

“I’m sorry you had to go through all that.” he waved his hand to dismiss Eddie.

“Eh, sure I’m a little upset, but in the end she was right.” Eddie nods.

“All those girls were not good for you man, the only one I knew she didn’t give a warning to was Wheeler.” Eddie missed the way Steve froze, flinching at the mention of the one that got away. [F/N] did spare her after she learnt that her friend, Barbara Holland, had disappeared on their property and she knew that that girl was going through it so she let her be, unbeknownst to Eddie, the year she came to visit she got possessed by a monster and nearly killed her “You still looking for a girl? You can freely date them now without your sister scaring them off.” he inhales sharply, wrapping his arms around his torso and leaning backwards.

“Well, there is someone that’s caught my eye.” Eddie lights up at that, a small tinge of jealously bubbling in his stomach.

“Ooo, really~ pray tell.” Steve clears his through, rubbing his hand up and down his bicep.

“Well, I’ve been seeing them frequently and they’ve helped me a lot. They’ve become someone I can really rely on, someone other than my friend. I look forward to each time we’re going to meet and dread the moment I have to leave, seeing them has become the new highlight of my life and I hope that it never ends. Because of them… they’ve helped me come out of a very dark place, even without them knowing it.” he looks up at Eddie, chuckling softly when he was pouting and giving him a confused look “They’re really cute, actually.” Eddie’s pout deepened.

“Cute?” he nods.

“Mm hmm, whenever they’re concentrating they tend to stick their tongue out without realising, and when they’re confused they tend to pout and tilt their head, almost like a puppy. They’ve got the prettiest long, curly brown hair with matching eyes. They tend to be loud and assertive but I know that they’re actually really soft and quite reserved, and they’ve always got a way to make me laugh.” he takes a breath and leans back into the sofa “I’d like to say something but I’m afraid I might scare them off, whether it be because of who I used to be or the fact that I might want something more with them than just a one time fling. You get what I mean?” Eddie’s clenches his jaw and flexes his hand when he realised he balled them into a tight fist.

“If you’ve been daydreaming about them this much, then I’m more surprised that this person hasn’t seen the signs. They’re quite blind if I say so myself.” Steve couldn’t help but squint his eyes at him, uh huh “If you really like them as much as you say, then you should go for it. It’s never stopped you before, so what’s stopping you now? Just go up to them, look them in the eyes, and ask them to be yours.” the two of them sit in silence and Steve can hear the way his heart was beating wildly in his chest, was he really going to do this? Will Eddie take him seriously? Eddie raises a brow when Steve stands to his feet and approaches him, taking a seat beside him and proceeded to look him in the eyes.

“Eddie, will you be mine?” Eddie blinks at him for a couple seconds until he smiles, nodding his head and giving him a thumbs up.

“Yeah, man, exactly like that!” Steve looks away and deadpans, what was he even expecting? “I’m sure they’re going to swoon, man.” Steve shakes his head and takes Eddie’s hand, startling the poor man.

“No, Eddie! I’m asking you if you’ll be mine! You, I want you!” he curses and looks away “Okay, look. Things have been so tough for me ever since my sister and Billy, and I know things have been tough on you since the two of you were really close, but you pushed your feelings aside just to comfort me. I noticed the way you would get sad each time either one of us mentioned [F/N] name and I would try my best to comfort you the best I could, and yet you still chose my feelings over your own. Eddie, it probably would have taken me a lot longer to accept my sister’s death than I would have liked, so I will never take for granted what you have done just for my sake. But the more we hung out, the more time I spent with you I realised the conversations about my sister and even Billy had been becoming less frequent, a-and I was getting to learn more about you. I started to like learning about you and being with you, I liked the stories you told me about you and your friends, about your nerd game and your band practices. I liked being with you, and how I felt like I can just be me without being worried that you’ll judge me. Eddie, you’re a very selfless person and I admire that about you. You’re caring, and sweet, and very charismatic and you’re… amazing. I really like that about you, I really like… you.”

…

…

Steve was beginning to think that this was a mistake, Eddie was just staring at him wide eyed and he hated the fact that he just couldn’t read the emotions he was making. Surprise? Disgust? Rejection? Dread began to fill his heart that he might have jumped the gun, spilling his heart out the way he did was probably not the best idea and Eddie probably might not even swing that way, let alone want to be in a relationship with his best friends brother. He stuttered out an apology and tried to pull away but realised that Eddie was holding his wrist in a rather tight grip, he looked down at where he was holding him then back at his face, blinking in surprise when Eddie’s face turned bright red to the point he’d compare it to a tomato.

“M-Me?” he stuttered out “You like… me?” Steve swallows thickly then slowly nods, his cheeks turning rosy. Eddie stares at him again then looks away, he then looks at their hands and slowly laces their fingers together.

“E-Eddie?” he closes his eyes, his hand squeezing Steve’s hand tightly.

“I liked you back in high school, Steve.” this caught him by surprise “Hah, you could say I couldn’t resist your charm. I told your sister, obviously, and she proceeded to verbally abuse me for a good week, along with the rest of our friends. I tried to get over you, tried to convince myself that my attraction towards you wasn’t going to last and that I was pathetic for falling in love with a guy that would never love me back. Hoo boy, was I wrong! Every time I thought I was over you it would come right back each time I saw you and each time I saw that you had your new toy with you, I would be happy when [F/N] scared them off because then I wouldn’t have to be jealous. Never in a million years would I have thought that you’d return those feelings, if [F/N] were here I’d tell her to eat it. I’d say I’m happy she’s not around because at least I don’t get her infamous shovel talk, but to shove it in her face that you chose me would totally be worth it.” Steve couldn’t help but burst out into laughter at that, even Eddie was laughing along to the point the two of them were leaning against each other.

“You’re totally right about that.”

“Of course I am.” the two of them then fall into a comfortable silence, both eyes staring at their hands that continued to stay connected. Steve pursed his lips and turn his attention back towards Eddie’s face, letting his thumb caress Eddie’s hand.

“Um, I like you, Eddie Munson.” he snorts at the confession.

“Yeah, thanks, like I didn’t realize that after that whole confession.” Steve smacks his shoulder, Eddie snickers “Hey! Haha, I like you too, Steve Harrington.” Steve nods his head, a dopey smile on his face.

“Does that make us… boyfriends?” he mutters softly, his hand subconsciously reaching up to grab the pendant around his neck and thumb at it. Eddie goes to answer but he eyes the pendant in between Steve’s fingers, he narrows his eyes at the jewellery and they widened softly in recognition.

“Is that… Hargrove’s?” he was taken aback at the question, looking down at what he was doing then dropping his hand to his side “Steve, were you and Hargrove… an item?” just that subtle detail had Eddie realize that they was much more to Steve and Billy’s relationship. He found it odd that [F/N] let Billy off the hook for what he did to Steve, he found it more odd that [F/N] let the rumours fly around that she and Billy were an item instead of killing the person who started those rumours, but now he understood it. It was a cover for her brother, for he was the one that was actually in love with the california boy, he felt his heart hurt more for Steve when he realised that Steve not only lost his sister but also his boyfriend on that tragic night. Steve looked like he was in the middle of spiralling now, taking his hand back from Eddie and clutching the pendant in both hands, his knuckles turning white from how tightly he was gripping it.

“I— I-I—” he blinks back the tears when he saw Eddie raise his hands up, he hovers them out in front of him and Steve just watches him closely.

“Steve, can I touch you?” he continued to stare at him, a good few seconds past and Steve slowly nods his head. Eddie’s hands settle down on Steve’s shoulders, they slowly glide down to his biceps, to his forearms then finally resting on his wrists. He’s patiently tapping against his enclosed hands as his thumbs rub into his wrist, when Steve finally manages to compose himself and loosen his grip Eddie slips his hands back into Steve’s and squeezes them reassuringly “So… you and Hargrove, huh?” he nods softly.

“Uh huh.” he answers “He really was a good guy, he just didn’t get his chance to show the world. He died a hero that night, so at least he did something right at the very end.” Eddie clears his throat at that, readjusting where he was sitting.

“Um… you were there, right? On the night they died?” Steve looks at Eddie, already knowing where he was going.

“… he saved us, both him and [F/N]. They saved us, and look where that got them.” Eddie knew that there was more to this story, more to unpack about that night, but he knew not to push it while Steve was this far gone “I will always regret that night, because in the end it was my fault.” Eddie shakes his head.

“You don’t know that, Steve.”

“But I do.” Steve closes his eyes shut, trying not to remember their screams of pain when they were killed by the Mind Flayer. He tried to shut out the way the two of them died in each others arms, tried not to think of their lifeless bodies haunting him or their flayed versions glaring at him each time he looked at his reflection. He was slipping further and further away and when everything was beginning to overwhelm him he felt something press against his cheek, opening his eyes, he saw that it was Eddie kissing him on the cheek to calm him down.

“Steve.” he says firmly, favouring to look him in the eyes instead of the way his face flushed “Whatever you’re going through, whatever you can’t tell me, I’ll be by your side through it all. You don’t need to be alone for this.” Steve wordlessly stared at him then felt himself melt at the sight of Eddie’s eyes, a feeling of warmth bubbling in his stomach that he felt himself lean forward to rest his forehead against his.

“Eddie…” he murmurs, he closes his eyes and hums softly “Thank you.” he gets a hum back, chuckling softly when Eddie nuzzles his forehead against his own.

“No problem, boyfriend.”

Steve felt bad for keeping their relationship only to themselves, he wished he could tell Robin but for Eddie’s comfort he decided that it would be best if they kept it on the down low. Their days now consisted on cuddling in bed or couch, a few quick pecks here and there or the occasional sweet kiss when either was feeling confident enough. Eddie was still quite new to this type of relationship, Steve being his first offical boyfriend that wasn’t a one time fling, so Steve understood that they were going to take things slow, but he wouldn’t take it any other way. He felt special that he was the first to treat Eddie with so much love though it times it did make his heart ache because he felt like he was with Billy all over again, and as shitty as that sounds, it was still taking some time to accept that Billy was never going to come back. Eddie himself noticed at times Steve’s mind would wonder off at times, especially when Steve would run his hands through his hair and would stop to turn away, because in his mins he was picturing Billy all over again. Steve would always apologise whenever he reacted like that, feeling guilty that he still hadn’t gotten over it, he was scolded by Eddie for thinking like that.

“Hey, Eddie.” Steve says, laying on his back with his legs over Eddie’s back “You’re starting school again in a couple months, yeah?” he questions, to which Eddie let out long groan and let his face fall onto his bed.

“Don’t remind me.” he replies, voice muffled under the blankets.

“Heh, well, do you remember those kids I told you about?” Eddie lets out a grunt “Well, a few of them actually play your little Doofuses and Dorks game.” he snickers softly when Eddie pushed himself up immediately, turning to face Steve with an excited look on his face.

“First of all, it’s Dungeons and Dragons, second of all, go on.”

5t“Well, they’re entering high school and I was wondering if, I don’t know, you watched over them? I’m sure they’re going to feel a little nervous and maybe left out, and I’d really appreciate it if you could keep an eye on them. It would really mean a lot to me.” Steve hums when Eddie shimmied over to where Steve was laying, crawling on top of him through his parted legs before letting his body drop on top of him.

“I’d be more than happy to oblige, Stevie. Anything to keep you at ease, mama bear.” Steve let out a chuckle when Eddie booped his nose, Steve readjusted himself when he felt Eddie slide his arms from under his body until his hands were resting at the back of his head, Steve all but purrs when he feels Eddie’s fingers thread through his hair “But don’t you think your kids are going to question why I’m approaching them? I’m still pretty notorious around in school, won’t they get scared?” he almost laughed at that, those kids have been through so much worse that he shouldn’t feel at eased that they won’t get scared if they meet Eddie, but it’s the truth.

“Please, the moment they learn they can still play that D&D game while in high school, they’ll get over their initial fear of you and worship the ground you walk on.”

“Oh, so like that Dustin kid does with you?”

“Heh, you flatter me.” they share a kiss, both smiling into the kiss “Thank you Eddie.”

“No problem.”

[time skip: late in march]

Eight months have past since the Starcourt Mall had burnt down along with the death of his sister and boyfriend, and though he was still mourning the loss of them both, he had definitely gotten better over time. He’s got his best friend at his side and his new boyfriend that he completely adores, so Steve would like to think that he drew the lucky end of the straw even after everything he lost. Eddie also kept his promise to Steve, the moment Dustin, Mike, Lucas and Max had entered high school he made his presence known and welcomed them warmly to Hellfire, and though the same couldn’t be said for Max, the other three joined with open arms. Steve loved hearing stories from both his kids and boyfriend, Dustin telling him with great enthusiasm that they joined a Dungeons and Dragons club, or Eddie telling him how he was right and that Dustin, or rather Mike, was literally breathing in every word he spoke. Robin was another case, since school was back, Robin had to go back to school while he manned Family Video after dropping her off at school, and she found a new girl to crush over ever since they lost [F/N]. This girl, her name was Vickie and she was in band alongside Robin so she had a lot of time to spend with her, so now their conversations were filled with Vickie, Vickie, Vickie! He almost missed the conversations when it was just about [F/N] because at least he could understand.

“It is seven in the morning, we have the stupid pep rally, and I woke up looking like a corpse.” Robin complains, Steve scoffs softly and looks over at her, seeing her pull her face back as she looks at her reflection through the rear view mirror.

“You’re worried about a pep rally? Expect me to believe that?”

“Yeah, so?” he narrows his eyes on her.

“We both know what this is all about. Not buying that, this is about Vickie.” she whips her head towards him.

“Absolutely not.”

“It is, and you know what else?”

“I don’t care—”

“You gotta stop pretending to be someone else when you’re around her. You just gotta be yourself.” now it was Robin’s turn to eye Steve down.

“You’re literally quoting me to me. You do realize that, right?” he shrugs his shoulders.

“Well, maybe you need to listen to yourself. Ever think about that? I listened. Look at me, boom! Back in business.” she scoffs at him.

“It’s not the same thing, okay?”

“Well—” she shakes her head, cutting him off before he could explain himself. “Look, your ask out a girl and she says no. Big deal, nothing happens. Maybe your ego’s a little bruised.” he makes an offended look but they both know that he wasn’t really offended “I ask out the wrong girl, and bam, I’m a town pariah.” Steve nods at that last part but shakes his head.

“I’d buy that, expect Vickie is definitely not the wrong girl.” Robin sighs.

“Yeah, but we don’t know that Steve, do we?”

“She returned Fast Times paused at fifty-three minutes, five seconds. You know who pauses Fast Times at fifty-three minutes, five seconds?” she shakes her head “People who like boobies!” she cringes at him.

“Ew! Gross, stop! Don’t say boobies.”

“Boobies!” he repeats “Not a big deal, okay? I like boobies, you like boobies. If my sister has taught me anything about stuff like this, I can definitely tell that Vickie likes boobies. My gaydar goes off around her, I’m telling you.” she shakes her head at him, closing her eyes when she hears him say boobies again. After dropping Robin off at school and waving her goodbye he peels off and heads to Family Video, tapping away at the counter in boredom as customers cane in and out, browsing here and there and the occasional few renting out movies for the weekend. He makes yet another successful purchase when the phone goes off, so he waves the customer goodbye before proceeding to pick up the phone “This is Family Video, Steve spe—” he pulled a face when he was cut off.

“Steve!” he pursed his lips at who was on the other line, narrowing his eyes on the phone.

“Oh, it’s just you. What do you want, Dustin? Aren’t you at school right now?” he questions as he leans back to look at the time, squinting his eyes at what the clock said.

“Never mind about that, Steve. I need a favor.” he rolls his eyes, so demanding “So Lucas just pulled out of Eddie’s campaign, it’s the Cult of Vecna and it’s like the finale and everything! It’s gonna be great, and we need a sub because—” Steve cuts him off.

“Because Lucas has his game tonight? Yeah, not gonna happen. I already promise him I’d be there for him.” Dustin lets out a groan.

“Come on, Steve! You and I both know that you’re just going on a date with some girl that doesn’t like you as much as you think, so just move your date this one time!” Steve scoffs, feeling a little offended at the accusation.

“What, to hang out with you and play that little nerd game I told you I’d would never play? Uh, yeah, I’ll pass.”

“You’re just jealous cause I have another older male friend.” jokes on him, he’s actually dating said older male friend.

“Ew, ugh, whatever.” his eyes perked up at the sound of the door opening, a group of people entering the store “Oh, I got some customers. Call you back, bye.” he laughs to himself when he hangs up the phone, knowing full well that he can’t call him back because he’s at school. Hours go by and finds himself at said basketball game, smiling brightly when he sees Lucas and waves his hand when they make eye contact, Lucas’ frown disappeared slightly when he spotted Steve and he returned the gesture. The game went on without a hitch, silently mouthing towards Robin to talk to her about the game while also mocking her previous crush, Tammy Thompson and how he was right that she was just a tone deaf muppet. Though, watching the game play out he couldn’t help but think about his time when he played and sitting out in the bleachers was [F/N]. Their parents never came to their games and though she herself hated being there she was always there to support him throughout his games, even at the ones he never wanted her to be at; she was always there. So here he was, in place of his sister, to support Lucas as he wins Hawkins their first win against their rivalling team. Is this how his sister felt when she watched Steve making the winning basket on all his games? That feeling of adrenaline pumping through his body as the feeling of how proud he was filling his heart while he cheered with the crowd, the only disappointment he felt was how the others weren’t there for Lucas to witness this astonishing victory.

“That was amazing, Lucas!”

“You did great out there!”

“Way to go, Lucas!” it would be an understatement if Lucas didn’t feel overwhelmed, that giant smile stretched across his face as the feeling of winning the game continued to play throughout his mind. Everyone was congratulating him and he was giving his thanks, however, his eyes drifted over to where he heard laughter. His smile died immediately at the sight of his friends laughing together and chatting about the campaign he bailed out on, what stung more was that his sister was walking with them with a proud look on her face. His mood deflated at the sight and before he could begin to sulk he felt himself get pulled into a hug, looking up at how it was his eyes widened.

“Steve?” he questions, Steve had a big smile on his face as he hugged Lucas tight.

“Well done, Lucas! I’m so proud of you!” he exclaimed loudly, when he pulls him back he shakes him lightly “You did great out there, kid, you’re going to be the next star player.” Lucas felt his lips begin to tremble while his eyes started water, Steve hums softly and pats his shoulder.

“Really?” he nods.

“Uh huh, you’ve got serious potential.” Lucas smiles softly, letting his head fall and rest against his chest, Steve smiled and caressed the back of his head to comfort him. Looking up, his eyes met with Eddie who was staring at the both of them. He gave a wave and winked at him, his smile grew soft when Eddie giggled and waved back before getting into his van. Eddie told him after he got off of work that he had a deal to make before coming over to Steve’s so they could hang out, saying that the famous Queen Chrissy Cunningham had wanted to purchase something strong from him. And so that’s where Steve was waiting hours for Eddie to appear, waiting for Eddie to come into his arms and ramble about how epic his grand finale was. He waited, and waited, and waited, but Eddie never came. He felt like a fool for how long he stayed up waiting for him, he felt like a moron for thinking that he’d call him to say that he couldn’t make it. Did he think that Eddie could be getting high off his mind with Chrissy Cunningham? Maybe. Was his heart crushed at the thought that he was getting high off his mind with Chrissy Cunningham…? Perhaps, but— Eddie wouldn’t do that, maybe he smoked a little and got tired after his campaign and went to sleep, forgetting to call Steve that he couldn’t make it. He’ll visit Eddie tomorrow and ask for an explanation, yeah, that’s what he’ll do. Maybe he’s just overreacting and Eddie has a plausible reason as to why he couldn’t come over, yeah, he’s gonna sleep this off and feel better in the morning when he goes see Eddie.

This was not what he was expecting to see in the morning.

His blood ran cold when the news came on and airing on it was that someone was murdered, but the location? The trailer park right in front of Eddie’s house. His heart dropped into his stomach at the possibility that it could be Eddie, that the reason he didn’t come around last night was that he and Chrissy were murdered by some psychopath. That thought replaced his anxiety with guilt that if he wasn’t so hung up about Eddie and called him, maybe even stormed over to his place to see what was taking him so long, maybe he wouldn’t be watching the news that his boyfriend was dead.

“Hey, Steve!” his attention tore away from the T.V at the breathless call of his name, turning towards the door to see Dustin and Max entering the store.

“You see this?” he started, trying to play off the fact that he was freaking out.

“How many phones do you have?” he frowned when he was ignored.

“Someone was murdered.” he continued.

“How many phones do you have?” Dustin repeats, he scoffs slightly and turns to look at Robin.

“Two, why?”

“Technically three, if you count Keith’s.” Dustin and Max nod to the answer.

“Yeah, three works.” Steve and Robin pull a face when Dustin proceeded to pull his backpack off.

“Wait, what are you doing?” they were taken aback when he threw his bag over the counter, the two backing away in surprise and shouting at him “What are you—” “My pile!” he then jumps over the counter himself, kicking another pile of tapes onto the ground.

“No, no, no! My tapes! Dude.” Steve deflates at the chaos that ensued “What are you doing, man?”

“Setting up base of operations here.” “Base of operations? Get off.”

“I need it.”

“For what?”

“Eddie’s friends’ phone numbers.” his eyes widened at that, he then shakes his head to help Robin pick up the things that were knocked down because of Dustin jumping over the counter.

“Seriously, you guys, maybe on a Monday you can play around, but it’s Saturday. It’s our busiest day.” Robin explained, but was ignored by them both.

“Robin, I empathise, but this cannot wait.”

“Oh my god.”

“Calling Eddie’s friends is an emergency?”

“Correct!”

“Want me to strangle him or you?” Robin chuckled.

“We could take turns.” the two of them smile at that, Dustin sighed and turned towards Max.

“Could you fill them in while I do this?”

“Fill us in on what?” Steve felt that same guilt start to bubble in his stomach when he learnt that the murder in the Munson household could possible be linked to the Upside Down, and at that thought he couldn’t help but think back to Billy and [F/N]. Because he didn’t tell them what was actually going on in Hawkins the two of them wound up getting possessed by the Mind Flayer then proceeded to commit several murders then died themselves the moment they broke free. If the same thing was happening to Eddie he really wasn’t going to forgive himself for keeping this secret from him, he was going to die if Eddie got caught up in all this and he got hurt because he never spoke up about it. It was going to be his fault all over again that someone he loved got hurt.

“Dustin, get your shit, we’re going.” the three of them look up at Steve as if he was crazy.

“What? Why?” they watch as he takes off his work vest, throwing it away in favor of his jacket “Where are we going?”

“To find Eddie. I know where he’ll be.” Dustin stares at him in disbelief, nearly ignoring his order but paused when he saw that Robin was doing the same thing.

“How? Steve! You don’t even know him. Steve!” he just ignored Dustin’s comments as he ushered them out of the store, closing the door behind them and flipping the “OPEN” sign to closed before jumping into his car and peeling out of the parking lot. He was anxiously tapping his fingers against the wheel, his mind thinking back to the one time both he and Eddie got high off their mind and how Eddie mentioned Reefer Rick’s place. A nice little house by the lake all the way out of prying eyes, a place perfect for Eddie to go into hiding, all he could do was hope that that was where Eddie went. Pulling up to the house the sun had long gone down, Steve was the last to hope out of the car and watched as the trio approach the house but he ushered them towards the shed at the back quietly, opening the door and peeking in to try and spot where Eddie could be.

“Eddie?” Dustin whispered out as the others searched the room, not noticing how Steve was approaching the boat that was covered by a large tarp “It’s Dustin, are you here? Eddie?” he called out again, Steve should have spoke out to let Eddie know that he was there. It was foolish of him not to at least reassure Eddie that he was there because the moment he touched the tarp he was suddenly being shoved back until his back hit the wall and a broken glass bottle was pressed against his throat. He could see it, that look of absolute terror in his tear filled eyes. [F/N] flashed in his mind, the moment she broke free from the Mind Flayer and how absolutely distraught she was after realising what she had done to him, that same look could be seen in Eddie’s but it was just slightly different.

“Eddie.” he spoke out softly, not tearing his eyes away from how much Eddie’s body was trembling, or how he still hadn’t recognized who exactly was in front of him just yet “It’s me, Eddie. It’s Steve, I’m here.” he whispered out, the moment Eddie started breathing properly he let out a gasp and dropped the broken bottle.

“Steve?” he whispered out, his arms enclosed on his body, his shoulders shaking from each deep breath he took.

“Eddie, can I touch you?” the moment Eddie helped Steve calm down from his near mental break down came rushing back to him, his hands coming up to hover over Eddie’s shoulders. He waited for Eddie to respond to him and when he was given that moment his hands settled down on his shoulders, they slowly glide down to his biceps, to his forearms then finally resting on his wrists. Eddie let out a soft whimper at the feeling of Steve’s touch, still not opening his arms but leaning forward to let his forehead rest against his chest “I’m here, baby. I’m here, and whatever happened isn’t going to happen to you. I know you didn’t kill Chrissy, I’ll believe whatever you say because I know you didn’t do anything.” Eddie finally broke down into tears, his arms dropping from where they were and quickly wrapping around Steve’s neck.

“Jesus, Steve. I-I— I didn’t hurt you, did I? God, I’m sorry I just— everything happened so fast.” he started, his tears beginning to soak into Steve’s shoulder “H-Her body just lifted in the air a-and her body just started to break, her bones man— I’m NEVER going to get that sound out of my head. I-I couldn’t help her, man, I couldn’t wake her up! I fucking left her and ran because I—” Eddie whimpered when he felt Steve’s hands cup his cheeks, his thumbs wiping away his tears and she shushed him.

“You were scared, I get it. I’d be scared if I was in your place, too.” he was scared, each time he was thrown into any situation regarding the Upside Down and he was still terrified “And as shitty as this sounds, I’m just so glad that you’re okay. I’m so happy that you’re safe, Eddie.” he gently pulls Eddie back so he could let their foreheads rest against each other, Eddie’s hands slipping from around his neck to hang around Steve’s wrists.

“Steve…” they were clearly in their own little world of comfort, only then just realising that there were others in the room when they heard someone clear their throat.

“Um, I’d hate to interrupt… whatever is going on right now, but— what is going on?!” Steve winced when he heard Dustin shouting, Eddie flinched and curled up on himself.

“Dustin, cool it.” he said sharply but was ignored.

“No, wait, Steve! How long have you known Eddie? How long have you been this close with him? Is this why you haven’t gone on any dates as of recently?” he holds his tongue when Steve gave him a glare.

“Dustin, I said cool it.” he repeats and this time Dustin listens, he makes sure Eddie was calm before turning to look at Dustin “Since the funeral, a couple months and… yes?” he spares Robin a look and she was just as surprised, maybe a little betrayed that he never told her, but surprised nonetheless.

“Is this the guy, Steve? Is this the guy that leaves you awestruck all the time?” Eddie couldn’t help but snicker.

“I leave you awestruck?”

“Now’s not the time.” Eddie pursed his lips and nodded, raising his hand to wipe away any lingering tears.

“Are you going to explain what’s going on between you two? I highly doubt you coddling Eddie like that is because he’s your former drug dealer.” Steve was really nervous, he never told anyone outside of his sister and Robin, and Eddie found out on his own, that he was dating Billy. He hadn’t really registered his sexuality until his sister explained that it was possible for him to like both women and men, and though he really wanted to tell Dustin for a long time he was still really scared how he would react.

“Steve, you can tell him. I’m sure he’ll be understanding.” Steve looks at Eddie, swallowing thickly, but nodded.

“Well, Dustin… Eddie, uh— he’s my, boyfriend.” Dustin stared up, he narrowed his eyes on him then shook his head.

“But you’re not gay.” he deadpans.

“Yeah, I’m bisexual. Meaning I like both guys and girls.” he narrows his eyes even more, looking between him and Robin.

“But what about Robin?”

“Strictly platonic, dude. Don’t like her like that.” Dustin shakes his head once more, pointing between the two of them.

“But— you and Eddie?” Steve rolls his eyes.

“Oh my god— yes, me and Eddie! Please tell me you don’t have a problem with us, or I swear we’re gonna have problems.” Dustin raises his hands, now shaking his head for a different reason.

“No, no! It’s just that… I looked up to you two as brothers, you know? So know I’m gonna have to rethink that or else it’s gonna look really weird in my brain.” Eddie laughs at that, feeling a little better now that he wasn’t freaking out after everything that occurred. He then looks back at Steve and found it odd how relaxed he was, even after he explained how ridiculous of a scenario he had to suffer through. Steve believed him and didn’t think he was making it up, even he didn’t believe himself… no, no way.

“Steve.” this soft whisper almost fell to deaf ears but Steve just barely managed to hear him, looking down at Eddie and saw that terrified look on his face “What’s going on… is this what happened to [F/N] and Billy?” at the mention of their names they all flinched, Eddie noticed this reaction from all of them and his eyes widened even more, no way. He glanced back at Steve and saw he had a pained expression on his face, his hand reaching up to caress Billy’s pendant while Robin lifted her hand to cover his lips, even Max looked away.

“Eddie, I—”

“I-Is this what you couldn’t tell me? That this shit— this shit is what killed them? They didn’t actually die in a fire, did they? Oh shit, and you had to witness that happen to your sister?!” he couldn’t imagine Steve had to watch both his sister and boyfriend get broken down like that, Steve shook his head once more.

“No, no. What you had to go through, it wasn’t what she suffered through. If I’m being honest, theirs was a little crueler.” Steve didn’t want to have to recall this memory, he wanted to forget all about it but his boyfriend was asking what really happened “Their body’s were possessed by a monster and they had to do some really… gruesome things, and when they broke free they were killed by the same monster.” he toned it down by a lot, not really knowing how Eddie would react to [F/N] and Billy being the actual culprits to all the people that died last year. The other three in the room noticed as well and decided it would be best not to tell Eddie either, for his own sanity.

“Oh…” he muttered softly “I see why you could never bring that shit up in a conversation.” he nods.

“Yeah, not a real good conversation started.” trying to lighten the mood worked a little, he appreciated it, but he was still freaked out “Okay, um, I know you have a shit tone of questions Eddie, but I think we should go to my house. I don’t think anyone would come looking for you there, and if we were able to find you here then I don’t think it would take long for others to find you either.” Eddie felt this heart drop into his stomach at the thought of others coming so he nodded.

“Y-Yeah, good idea.” he nods.

“Dustin call the others and tell them to meet at my house, ASAP.” Dustin nods and pulls out his walkie talkie, he didn’t know who’d be awake to get the message but he’ll have to relay it again in the morning. Driving all the way back to the Harrington household Steve was holding Eddie’s hand, squeezing it every now and then each time he felt it tremble within his hold. They were going to be okay, he thought, everything was going to be okay because Steve was here and he believed him. Everything was going to be just fine.

Everything was not fine.

If Eddie’s week was already shit it just got fucking worse because he was literally staring death in the eyes, or maybe it was the back of his head because he was being pressed against his stomach while someone was holding him down by his hair while their foot was against his back. He’d find it kinky any other day but currently he was in an alternate dimension of Hawkins where everything is out to kill them and said thing above he was going to kill him, so yeah, his week is going pretty shit. As Steve predicted someone did end up going to the lake house to try and find Eddie, but someone died and blamed said death of Eddie despite the fact that he wasn’t even there. They also learned that Vecna targeted Max and he almost got her but thanks to Robin and Nancy’s little investigation on Victor Creel they learnt that music is the key to fight off Vecna’s control, or something like that. They now found themselves at the at Lovers Lake, the children staying at the foot of the lake while he and the other three sat in the dingy little boat followed the direction Dustin’s crazy little compass was taking them, stopping directly in the middle of the lake.

“Uh, Dustin, your compass has gone from wonky to wonky with a capital “aah”!” while the others continued to watch the needle go bonkers Steve was pulling his shoes and socks off.

“Steve, what are you doing?”

“Somebody’s gotta go down and check this out. Unless one of you three can top being a Hawkins High swim co-captain and a certified lifeguard for three years, then… it’s gotta be me. No complaints, alright?” Eddie furrowed his brows as Steve stands up, not liking that his boyfriend was going down there towards potential danger.

“I’m complaining. I don’t want you to go down there.” he murmurs softly, Steve hums softly as he tugged his shirt over his head, smirking softly when he noticed the way Eddie was ogling at his chest, Eddie shakes his head and takes the little plastic bag out of his pocket and grabbing the flashlight from out of her hands, almost glaring at her when he noticed that she too was ogling at Steve. He flinched when he heard someone clear their throat so he turned and saw that it was Robin, who was just blatantly staring at him. He chose to ignore her and continued what he was doing, putting the flashlight in the bag then handing it over to Steve “Hey, good luck.”

“Thanks.” he let out a grunt when Steve chucked his sweater at him, pursing his lips when Steve winked at him before finally diving into the water. He inhaled deeply and watched the water, waiting patiently but anxiously for Steve to resurface, he didn’t tale his eyes off the water until Robin tapped his shoulder.

“Huh, yeah?” she pursed her lips as she looked him up and down.

“Steve never told me about…” she then gestured with her eyes towards Nancy, who too was looking towards the water as they waited for Steve, but he understood what she meant “Steve tells me everything, so I was a little upset that I finally learnt about it when we found you.” he swallows thickly.

“So, does that mean you know about—”

“Billy? Yeah.” he nod his head, the two settle in silence for a bit “I may not be [F/N], and I may not be as scary as she is, but I’ll have you know this Munson. He’s already gotten his heart broken so many times and his last lover broke it to the point I didn’t think he could pick up the pieces, but you managed to do that and fix it. But if I hear that you smashed it beyond repair, the one who is going to be wanted for murder isn’t going to be you.” he swallowed thickly at the threatening tone in her voice, it only reminded him more of [F/N].

“R-Right, right. No broken hearts, got it.” she only narrowed her eyes on him but was satisfied with her work, only for the three of them to let out startled shouts when Steve broke through the surface of the water unexpectedly.

“I found it!”

“You found it?”

“I found it. Yeah, I found it.” Steve pants as he swings over to the boat, grabbing onto it with one hand while the other swipes along his face “It’s pretty wild. It’s more like a snack size gate than the mama gate, but still, it was pretty damn big.” he let out a grunt when he felt himself get pulled, all three of their heads whipping towards him when he bobbed down and yanked the boat. They’re all shouting when Steve was pulled under, Nancy and Robin were talking amongst each other to decide what they should do while Eddie was freaking out. He just watched his boyfriend get dragged down to the bottom of the lake where he could potentially die, he could practically hear his heart beating in his chest at the possibility that he could be dead. He didn’t know where he got the sudden confidence because he pushed pass the two bickering girls to jump into the water and after his boyfriend. He’ll complain about being wet later, right now he needs to make sure that Steve is okay and alive, he couldn’t stand the thought of losing Steve as well.

If he didn’t know that this was Hawkins then he’d believed he was in hell, perhaps this was hell and it was in Hawkins all along. He shook his head and pulled himself out of the crack like gate and looked frantically for Steve only to find him when he heard his cries for help, his eyes widened in fear at the sight of him being held down by these bat like monsters as they ate at his body. That sudden confidence still hadn’t worn off and he was charging over to him, grabbing an oar in the process as he got closer. He kicks the one eating away at his stomach off first then bats it away with the oar, he swings at the other one on his stomach then zones in on the one holding him down by the throat, evidently choking him, and starts doing a number on it before one of the bats attach itself to his back. The girls finally made their appearance and came to their aid, beating the bat off of Eddie’s back while Steve manages to loosen the hold of the one around his neck before repeatedly bashing it to the ground then pressing his foot to its back and ripping it apart, spitting out blood from his mouth while panting from exhaustion.

“Steve…” Eddie muttered out, quickly rushing to Steve to help him “Oh my god, are you alright?” he questions, his hands reaching up to cup his face, Steve let out a tired laugh and let his face fall into Eddie’s palms, raising another hand to touch his.

“Honestly no, but thanks for coming to my rescue.” Eddie giggled softly, their moment would be cute if not for the fact that they almost died, seeing that Steve was okay everything was finally setting in and Eddie cursed out.

“Jesus H. Christ!” he then throws the broken oar to the ground after doing a little stamping tantrum, Steve found it quite cute. Nancy then came over and looked over the wounds he got from the bats eating him, Robin winced at the sight of them.

“Well, they took about a pound of flesh.” Steve said “But other than that, yeah, never better.” his voice was hoarse from the bat that was strangling him, he coughs a little and spits more blood out from his mouth.

“Uh, do you guys think these bats have, like, rabies? It’s just that rabies are, like, my number one greatest fear. And I think we should get you to a doctor soon because once symptoms set in, it’s too late. You’re already dead.” both Nancy and Steve deadpan at her words, Eddie just looking at her in confusion. They flinch and turn their attention back towards the gate when they heard chittering noises, a new group of bats appeared and were guarding the gate to block their attempts from getting to it.

“Alright, there’s not that many.” he muttered softly as the others huddle around him “We can take them, right?” their heads then look up when they heard more chittering noises, this time a swarm of bats were coming their ways but they jump when they hear a roar in the distance coming from where the bats were. It wasn’t close but it sounded like it was getting closer, they weren’t going to take their chances against the swarm or the incoming monster. Nancy pants from behind Steve and looks around, her gaze settling on the woods.

“The woods, come on!” with that they all take off running towards the woods, they later find themselves at skull rock huddled together and hiding as the bats fly over them. With the coast clear Robin steps out from under the rock and looks around, Nancy follows behind her while Eddie stays beside Steve in case he still needed help, to which he did because the moment he stood up he collapsed against the boulder.

“Oh sh… shit.” Eddie is immediately at his side, wincing softly when Steve clutches at his sides “I’m… I’m fine, I swear.” Eddie shakes his head as he helps Steve sit back down, his hands hovering over his body.

“You’re not, sweetheart, stop acting like you are. You’re losing blood.” he looked at his person and saw that he didn’t have anything to bind his wound, he then looks over at Nancy and saw the shirt she was wearing had ruffles at the end of it so he snaps his fingers in her direction “Wheeler, gimme that. It sounds weird, but your shirt. Gimme it.” she looks down at it and nods.

“Good thinking.” he nods, watching her start tearing it off.

“I know.” while he waited for her to finish Robin knelt down to talk to Steve.

“Okay, so the good news is that i’m pretty sure wooziness is not a symptom of rabies. But if you start having hallucinations and muscle spasms or you start feeling aggressive, like you wanna punch me, let me know.” he settles a glare at her.

“Robin.”

“Yeah.” “I kinda wanna punch you.” she smiles.

“Sense of humours still intact. That’s a good sign.” he gives her a look and she finally backs off, he then turns his attention back to Eddie. Nancy was able to tear it all off and so she handed it to him, he then looks back at Steve and he wiggles his finger to get Steve to come close.

“Okay.” he starts, kneeling closer and holding the fabric to his wound “You ready?” Steve swallows thickly as he had his hands hovering above his head.

“Just do it.” they both suck in a breath as Eddie pressed it against his wound, Steve winces and stifled a groan, his hands now pressing against the back of his head while Eddie wraps the torn fabric around his stomach. Eddie mutters a soft apology as Steve throws his head back, his eyes squeezed shut as he tried to distract himself from the pain and the fact that Eddie was just so close to him right that moment. He wraps it around as much as the fabric would allow him before tightening it, looking back up at Steve to watch his reaction each time he tightened it.

“Too tight?” he mutters.

“No, that’s good.” he nod.

“Good.” Steve relaxes back against the boulder and watched Eddie tie a knot, nodding to himself when he was satisfied with it. Eddie glanced back at the girls and saw that they were looking around the area so with them distracted he gave Steve a quick peck on the lips, Steve looked at him a little bewildered and saw him look away bashfully “That should do it, Harrington.” Steve smiles softly.

“Thanks, Munson.” the two of them look at each other and snicker softly, Eddie pats Steve on the shoulder and leaves him when Nancy came along to look over him once more. Eddie looks around before deciding to scale a different boulder and once at the top he looked around, grimacing at the sight of everything looking so grim and dead.

“So uh, this place is like Hawkins, but with monsters and nasty shit?”

“Pretty much.” he pulls a face, looking down when he decided to get down.

“Wait, watch out for the vines. It’s all a hive mind.”

“It’s all a what?” he asked as he looked to Steve.

“All the creepy crawlies around here. They’re, like, one of something. Step on a vine, you’re stepping on a bat, you’re stepping on Vecna.” Eddie shakes his head at that.

“Shit.” he mutters as he now has to watch his step as he carefully makes his way back down, Robin then chimes in.

“But everything from our world is still here, right? Except people?” Nancy nods.

“As far as I understand it, yeah.”

“So. theoretically, we could go to the police station and steal guns and grenades and whatever we need to blow up those bat things that are guarding the gate.” Steve scoffs.

“I highly doubt the Hawkins PD has grenades, Robin. But guns, yeah, sure.” Nancy purses her lips.

“Well, we don’t have to go all the way downtown for guns.” they all look at her “I have guns in my bedroom.” Eddie makes a face as he stares at Nancy.

“You, Nancy Wheeler, have guns, plural, in your bedroom.” Robin’s face lights up.

“Full of surprises, isn’t she?”

“A russian makarov and a revolver.” Steve scoffs softly at the mention of the revolver.

“Yeah, you almost shot me with that one.” she looked up at him with a smirk.

“You almost deserved it.” Eddie’s face scrunched up at the tone she used, he then proceeded to take off his battle vest and chuck it and Steve’s face, who let out a grunt.

“For your modesty, dude.” he raised a brow at Eddie’s direction and if it weren’t for how dark it was he could have sworn he saw Eddie’s ears turn red, their heads all snap up when they heard that roar again in the distance followed by a small earthquake. Steve grabs Nancy while Robin stumbles into Eddie, both men do their best to cover their partners as they wait for the earthquake to settle. They sit in silence for a couple seconds until they hear the bats along with that roar again but this time it was closer “So guns seem like a pretty good idea to me.” Robin nods against Eddie.

“Yeah, me too.” they all quickly stand to their feet and start walking, though the moment they were a distance away from Skull Rock something arrived. It stared at the small stain of blood on the boulder and inhaled the scent of it, a growl rippling through its throat before training its eyes on the footprints left in the dirt.  Steve lagged behind the other three but quickly hurriedly to watch Eddie’s pace, jogging up to him so that they were walking side by side.

“Hey, Eddie, thanks again for coming down to save me.” Eddie only smiled, pumping his shoulder against his.

“I’d say it was no problem but I was scared shitless, and there was no way I was going to leave you down there.” he shakes his head, a sad look appearing on his face “I couldn’t lose you when you were right there.” Steve’s shoulders slumped at that, now pumping his shoulder against his.

“Eddie—” he shakes his head.

“Nope. Outside of D&D, I am no hero. I sense danger and I just turn heel and run. Or, at least that’s what I’ve learned about myself this week.” he inhales sharply “Your sister was so different. She was always full of confidence, but she acted like a stray dog. She didn’t start unnecessary fights unless she got cornered or we were threatened, and when she did, god she was so vicious. Besides, if she were here, I think she’d kill me if I left her brother for dead.” Steve snorted at that.

“Yeah, you’re probably right.”

“No, I know I’m right.” the two were now giggling “Anyways, that was a real Ozzy move back there.” Steve raised a brow.

“Ozzy? Like that Osborne guy you listen to?” Eddie nods his head, face lighting up that Steve remembered.

“Uh huh. He bit a bats head off on stage, it was a real metal move man.” his face brightened when Steve’s flushed up a little, he lifted his hand to gently caress his bicep and winced softly at the torn skin on the entirety of his back and the back of his arms “We really should get you to a doctor after we’re out, that could leave so serious damage.” he shrugged his shoulders.

“Eh, from the year to year beating I get I kind of got used to it.” Eddie winced at that, shaking his head at that.

“No, sweetheart. Just, no.” Steve pouts, he quickly glanced at the girls and saw they were a good distance away from them so he leaned for to give Eddie a quick peck on the lips. He immediately turned away and started speed walking away, giggling softly to himself when he heard Eddie let out a shout of protest then proceed to chase after him. He was waiting for Eddie to grab him from behind, wrapping his arms around his waist and pull him back to smother him in his own barrage of kissed, but that never came. His heart started beating in his chest when it was silent so he turned around and his eyes widened in shock when he didn’t see Eddie behind him, frantically he looked around for him and his gasped when he saw that he was being dragged away.

“Eddie!” he cries out, catching the attention of Nancy and Robin, who turned around and saw that he was running off to where Eddie was being dragged off to. Eddie tried to grab at something— anything to stop himself from getting dragged further and further away but he couldn’t grab the vines unless he wanted to gain the attention of all the creatures in this Upside Down hell or the main monster himself, Vecna. When the thing finally stopped he turned around and kicked it off of him, the thing letting out a whine at the action, he then gasped at what he was staring at. He’d probably mistaken it for a dog if not for its head, it was flower like by the way it opened but inside were rows upon rows of teeth that were stained with blood. He really didn’t want to stick around to be its next meal so he kicked it away when it got close again then turned around so he could push himself onto his feet but let out a grunt when he was kicked in his stomach. Eddie fell back down onto his stomach and grovelled in pain, not being able to handle the growing pain the blow to the stomach gave him, he then let out a grunt when he was grabbed by his hair and was kicked in his back to keep him down.

“U-Urgh… please…” he whimpered around, feeling the tears swelling in his eyes. He really didn’t want to die, not just because he wanted to live, but because now he couldn’t stand the thought of dying and leaving Steve. That man has already lost everything and he couldn’t lose him either, he let out a cry when whatever was holding him by the hair tightened their grip, their heel digging deeper into his back.

“Eddie!” he winched when he heard Steve’s voice, but knowing that his sweetheart was going to come to his rescue made this a little bit better. However, the thing above him flinched at the call and froze up, he then gasped when something slammed beside his head. Peeking to the side his eyes were met with his reflection through the blade of a blood stained axe. The hand that was holding him down loosened its grip and instead was gently caressing his head, the hand then slipped off from behind his head and instead moved his head so that he was able to look over his shoulder. He peeked through his eyelids and was met with those eyes that he had fell in love with, but this thing that was above him wasn’t his Steve, it was—

“Eddie…?” the voice whispered out, the axe was soon abandoned and the figure grabbed him by his shoulders and turned him around so he was now laying on his back. He grabbed at the wrists that was holding him and looked up at the figure, this thing was staring down at him with such intense eyes and he was trying to register as to why it wasn’t killing him. He felt it tug at its hand so he let go and watched as it grabbed at the thing covering its mouth and tug it off, his eyes widened at the face that he was staring up at.

“No… no way.” the tears that began to sting in his eyes appeared but this time for a different reason, his hand reaching up to caress at the face above him.

“Heh, hi Eddie.” Steve was running full speed to where Eddie was dragged off, the tears running down his face at the thought of losing him. His mind flashed back to Billy and [F/N], being helped down by Jonathan and Nancy only to find his lover and sister dead in each others arms. He couldn’t go through this again, not again. His heart wasn’t going to handle another intense heartbreak again, if he lost Eddie then he didn’t know if he was going to pick himself back up like last time; he didn’t know if he could find someone else to glue his heart back together. His blurry eyes widened when he heard the sound of laughter, laughter? Why was he hearing laughter? What could possibly be so funny that he could hear laughter? He finally approached the clearing where Eddie was an his was taken aback at what he was seeing because before his eyes he saw Eddie laughing while twirling someone around, who was also laughing “Eddie, you knucklehead! When’d you get so strong? You were never able to lift me up so easily before!” Eddie just snickered, pulling whoever it was close and squeezing them tight.

“I don’t know, had someone a little heavier than you to lift is all.” they let out a sigh and let their body drape along his body, their head resting against his while his buried into the crook of their neck. When he finally put them down and pulled away they felt his presence and turned to look in his direction, though Steve never met Eddie’s gaze, he was staring directly into the eyes he once remembered were cold and dead.

“Steve…” Nancy and Robin finally caught up to Steve, looking up at him and were confused as to why he looked like he saw a ghost. They finally look over at what he was staring at and froze at who was standing beside Eddie, said person lost that smile they had on their face and it morphed into one of absolute dread. Steve’s eyes, that were already full of tears, felt a new wave of tears run down his face.

“W-What are you doing here…” he stuttered out, dropping the flashlight to the ground and taking a step forward “[F/N]!”

[eight months earlier]

*GASP*

She awoke in a great amount of pain, her entire torso feeling like it was ripped apart before being put back together but in an incredibly shit man. She pushed herself so that she was no longer laying on her back and instead grovelled in pain on her side, coughing up the little spurts of blood that were still pooling up in her mouth. When she finally managed to collect herself she pushed herself up so that she was sitting up straight but now she was taking in her surroundings, she was back in that same hell she and Billy first experienced when that thing— she slapped a hand over her mouth but couldn’t stop herself from throwing up whatever was left in her stomach, her body shaking from the aftershocks of everything. When she was finally able to push herself onto her feet she clutched her arms against her stomach, looking around at what was supposed to be the starcourt mall but it was nowhere to be seen. It was nothing more than a barren land as if it was never built in the first place, damn, not even her car was there. She looked back down at the ground and grimaced at the sight of the axe she used to kill so many people, stained red with the blood of all her victims. She glared down at it and inhaled deeply, kneeling down to grab it and take it with her on her walk home, just in case.

Walking through this literal hell wasn’t exactly ideal in her books, so maybe her car was left at the storage unit where it previously was before she came home and when she made it downtown she was distraught that it wasn’t there either. She was really coming to regret ever coming back to Hawkins, swearing to herself that possibly in her next life she was going to live a different life and never ever step foot in this shitty little town if it still existed. Walking home she thought back to her twenty years of being alive and tried to think of any possible reason as to why she was suffering such a fate, why the fuck was god punishing her so much when she tried so hard to survive? To live? Was it so wrong that she was alive that god still hadn’t put her out of her misery and instead was punishing her further by putting her back in the hell that raised her? She was already exhausted by the time she got home so instead she just pushed open the door to the house she hated since she was young and shuddered at how grotesque it looked, everything was covered in vines and grime, dust partials in the air that she was surprised she hasn’t gotten poisoned by it from how much she was inhaling. She chose to ignore her house’s new interior and just walked up to her room, collapsing onto her bed and just crying silently now that her mind was finally quiet.

“Steve… Robin…” her lips trembled as the last memory she had of either of them was when she was beating them to the point of death, her heart started to ache in her chest as she buried her face into her pillow “I’m so sorry…”

[F/N] Harrington did not believe in god, she did not believe that there was a place that souls moved onto like heaven or hell. She didn’t believe in the nonsense that was written in the bible because that shit could have been edited throughout history to fit the belief of the white man. She wouldn’t believe in god until it was too late and right now, she was almost starting to believe that there was an even greater being out there. She didn’t know whether or not she was dead or alive, she didn’t know what to believe, but all she knew was that she wasn’t going to give Steve or Robin a proper apology for what she had put them through. She wasn’t going to be able to apologise to Nancy or Jonathan for almost killing them all because that monster took away her rationality and really let her express her true psychotic personality. She knew she was mentally unwell, she knew that she wasn’t truly sane in her mind, but that monster pushed her to her limit that she couldn’t control herself. She was a mess and what she had become she was only proving her parents right, that she was just a monster they couldn’t tame. Whatever that thing had done to her, it hadn’t fully disappeared.

As the days rolled by while she was stuck in the remains of Hawkins, she noticed that the things regenerative powers hadn’t disappeared because each time she got hurt her wounds simply healed. Her body was still ridiculously durable and strong to the point she could lift things that were usually too heavy for her body, and though she spent a couple days in her room tending to her torso that was healing much slower in comparison to the rest of her smaller wounds, she kept her guard up in fear of other monsters appearing. If that goop monster came from this world and she and Billy helped built a body in their world, then the real body must be somewhere in this version of Hawkins along with other monsters that can and will kill her. The day she was able to leave the house she explored Hawkins on what her body could handle, Hawkins really was nothing but a barren wasteland, as if this was what the world was going to become when it ends. She didn’t want to think about it, but was this what that monster was trying to achieve while she and Billy were under its influence? A chill ran down her spine at the thought of that thing unleashing hell upon earth, and if it weren’t for that kill and those children, it would have gotten what it wanted and it would have been both hers and Billy’s fault. This was all their fault, all because they didn’t go home.

She let out a gasp when she heard a snarl, whipping her head in the direction she heard it coming from. Her body froze up at the sight of a monster with a large, hulking body that easily towered over her, what terrified her was its flower-like head that had rows upon rows of teeth on each of its “petals” while at the centre of its face was a gaping hole that she could only guess was its mouth. Sure that thing that took control of her body was terrifying on its own and she had a burst of adrenaline that allowed her to swallow that fear and fight it, but she didn’t have that confidence right that very moment. She felt like she was that little girl that was afraid of her father and mother when they raised their voices, her body freezing up and refusing to listen, it felt like that thing was inside her all over again and wasn’t letting her move. It snarled as it got closer to her, she let out a whimper as she fell to the ground. She couldn’t stop her body from shaking when it leaned forward, she shuddered when she felt it breathe on her face, breathing in what she believed was her scent. When she thought it was going to kill her it let out a grunt of sorts before pulling away and stalking off, she continued to sit in that spot, her body continuing to shake in fear as realisation began to sink in. That thing didn’t recognise her as its next meal. but simply as a monster like itself. Has she really lost her humanity and become a monster like that thing intended? She slowly pulled her knees to her chest, hugging them closely as tears ran down her face.

She really was a monster.

To say she became colder would be an understatement, she didn’t know exactly how long she’s been in this hell but it was long enough that she was no longer holding back against this monster. She was no longer hiding whenever she came across them, wielding her now signature axe and swinging it at anything that breathed. Killing things almost became as easy as breathing but it really did fuck her up even more, because all she could think of is when she killed those poor people back at Hawkins. Man, she could really go for a cigarette right about now but she didn’t want to put anything from this place in her mouth if she even found one. Strolling through downtown as she tried to find something to preoccupy herself she came across one of those monsters and thought, why the hell not? Killing a few of them brought some sort of sick entertainment that she was satisfied with for the next couple minutes but she flinched when she heard a noise, turning around she didn’t see anything until she felt something on her foot so she looked down and saw a… slug? She was quick to flick it off but knelt down to inspect it closely, poking at it to see its reaction but recoiled when it gurgled at her. If she really looked at it she’d mistaken it for those dog-looking fuckers.

She lurched backwards when it started jumping towards her, letting out all these noises as it started to follow her when she backed away. Choosing to ignore it she stood up and quickly left, grimacing when it followed her out and continued to follow her no matter the distance. When she thought she lost it she was laying in the front yard of someone’s house but pulled a face when she could just feel it breathing, turning her head to look at it in defeat, if it was an actual dog she could just see its tail wagging while sticking its tongue out for winning this game of tag. Finally, she opens her hand out to this little thing and raised a brow when it happily jumped onto her hand and settled in nicely on her palm. She was never allowed pets, her father was allergic and her mother didn’t want fur getting stuck to anything in the house, not like she was ever around to clean it up herself. Her thumbs gingerly caresses the side of its face and her cold heart couldn’t help but melt a little when it purred softly at the small gesture of affection, hmm. She grinned to herself when a couple weeks later and she had herself three mutated dogs running around her feet yipping happily together, she’d probably get herself more but I think three is more than enough to quell her loneliness. They made things much more fun down in this hell, hunting down the adult versions of her babies was a team thing now and feeding them the carcasses of each of their hunts was more than enough of a reward for them other than her praise.

“Ah, you really are adorable.” she cooed softly, caressing the first little slug that followed her around like a duckling imprinting on the first thing it sees. She chuckled softly and fed it a leg and it ate away at it without question, she smiled and pats its body. She was currently wandering aimlessly around the woods that surrounded the Harrington property as she let her three babies chase each other, going deeper and deeper into the woods to the point she was pretty sure she was getting closer to the Byers residence. She hadn’t really realised how close they were to their home along with the Hawkins Lab, she was going to call her puppies back when they caught the whiff of something and started running in that direction. Thinking it was another one of those monsters she bared her axe and jogged after them but made sure she lagged behind so she could get the jump on the bastard, she paused when she saw them snarling up at something and possibly waiting for her to give them the order to attack. Her hand grips onto the tree as she walks past it to see what exactly has them stuck in place, but her heart suddenly stops at what, or who, exactly she was staring at.

“[F/N]…?” it, or he, muttered out in disbelief. She drops the axe and it lands beside her with a thud, her eyes shaking in shock at who exactly she was staring at. Her lips trembled as tears began to sting in her eyes, she sniffled to herself and instead of saying anything she brought her hands up to cradle her stomach once more as she fell to her knees. She sobbed in silence but didn’t flinch when he approached her, kneeling down and wrapping his arms around her, pulling her into a comforting hug.

“Billy…!” she wailed out, now throwing her arms around his shoulders so she could pull him close, the both of them now clinging to each other in fear that this wasn’t real; that one of them was going to disappear. How the two of them avoided each other for these past couple of months, neither of them will know. How the two of them weren’t found together when they woke up in this hell? That’ll be a question left for another day because right now the two of them just needed each other, like how they only had each other when under that fuckers control. Billy found himself in a similar situation to [F/N]’s when he woke up and instead of going to the Harrington’s he went to his home but it was completely different from when he was last there, it was as if it wasn’t his home and someone else’s. He set up camp in a different house because he couldn’t handle the thought of being in the house that gave him nightmares, hunting down those monster freaks and even adopting his own little mutated dogs, two of them. The two of them now found themselves back in the Harrington household, Billy being somewhat impressed with how much she reinforced it, and the two of them stayed huddled together in front of the fireplace.

“Hey.” she let out a tired hum, holding her side of the blanket that was draped over them while continuing to watch the fire burn “Your parent’s are pretty shit.” she snorted softly.

“Yeah, yours are pretty shitty as well.” he laughed weakly at her, the two of them we surprised they hadn’t found each other sooner, because now that they were together they could feel everything the other could feel; hear whatever the other thought. When the monster took over their body they were more connected to each other compared to the others under its control, so they could hear and feel and experience the other could, but the connection tended to get weaker the further the other was. But since the two of them were always together they only found peace in each other because that’s when things were the most quiet, but it was also where they could each find themselves in each other’s memories. [F/N] tended to relish in the warmth of the California beach while Billy enjoyed seeing the pure joy on Stevie’s little face, the two of them found comfort in each other’s happiest memories, but they also felt each other’s worst. [F/N] knew Billy’s shitbag for a father was a piece of shit, but watching that garbage of a human being beat his mother to the point she abandoned poor Billy and turned his attention to him, was devastating. Billy in turn watched [F/N]’s childhood where she was nothing more than a doll for her parents to play the game of life with to only later throw away when she became outdated, the two of them really were too much alike.

“Hey.” she hums again. letting him know that she was listening “… why’d you really come back for me?” she finally tore her eyes away from the fire and looked up at Billy, who was already looking down at her.

“What?”

“As cute as that answer was, I know that wasn’t all of it. Why didn’t you leave me behind? Everyone else did, I was nothing more than a lost cause and you probably wouldn’t have gone through what you had if you just left me.” his lip trembled when he saw her look away, he does the same but flinched softly when she let her body fall against his with her head resting on his shoulder.

“I never opened my heart to anyone except for the select few, and I must admit that the idea of leaving you did cross my mind, but I couldn’t do that to you. I already left my brother and my friends, I could have left you as I left them, but I wasn’t going to do that again. I made up my mind when we became friends that I wasn’t going to abandon someone again, I wasn’t going to be a coward all because I was scared.” she closed her eyes “And look where that got us, huh? Maybe I should have been selfish, but I wasn’t going to be able to live with the guilt if I did leave you there. I love you, dude.” she looked up at him with her eyes and saw his eyes tearing up, she hummed softly when he let his head full and rest on top of hers.

“I love you too, nerd.” she rolled her eyes but leaned closer into his body, using her other hand to find his and when she did they laced their fingers together and basked in each others presence “What do you think Steve is up to?” she closed her eyes, oh, Steve.

“Probably finding his replacement boyfriend.” she snorted softly when Billy let out an offended gasp, she laughs when he shoved her to the ground “Ah hah! You know I’m just kidding, Billy.” he rolled his eyes, grabbing the blanket and draping it around his body.

“Your thoughts say otherwise.” she scoffed, wrapping her arms around her torso and leaning against his body “… do you really think he’d look for someone else?” she frowns softly, she then inhaled deeply and looked up at the ceiling.

“Well, we’re dead, Billy. Why would they wait for someone who isn’t coming back?” Billy flinched at that, she closed her eyes and brought her hand up to caress his forearm “I think it’d be best for them to move on if they found someone else that could love them, rather than clinging to us.” Billy sighed softly at that.

“I guess.” his body tensed up when he felt her start shaking, peering down at her, he saw tears quickly gathering in her eyes. His body relaxed sadly when he could feel the great amount of guilt and sadness she was suffering through, knowing exactly what she did and now that they were dead she could do nothing to atone for what she had done. He lifted his arm and she was quick to huddle to his side, crying into the crook of his neck when his arm came down and draped itself over her body.

Now that the two of them had each other it made things easier in hell for them, they weren’t alone anymore. Billy decided it was better to hang around at the Harrington home better than his makeshift base, their house was much bigger than what he had, though the two of them decided it would be best if they avoided the pool after what [F/N] found in there. They were also happy that their dogs got along swimmingly, it would have been sad if they didn’t. Now since hunting those monsters was nothing more than a sport to them they turned it into a game; a competition to see who could kill the most and the winner had bragging rights for the day. One thing the two of them had noticed when exploring Hawkins was that they couldn’t LEAVE Hawkins, if they strayed too far somehow they’d be brought right back to the entrance of Hawkins as if they hadn’t just walked from the opposite direction, it was very odd the first time it happened. Billy now found himself sitting on the hood of a car as he stared up at something that was perched on a lamp post, it was another monster, but one that he didn’t recognize.

This thing was new.

“Oi, [F/N].” he called, not taking his eyes off the new creature while leaning backwards in her direction. He furrowed his brows when she didn’t answer but he felt a wave of sadness wash over him, finally breaking eye contact with the creature, he looked at her and saw she had a pained expression on her face when she woke up from her nap “Are you alright?” he asked, she slowly opened her eyes and a single tear ran down her cheek. She stared up at the sky above them and her face turned bitter when she raised her hand, swiping the tear away in one swoop.

“Yeah, I just had a nice dream.” she sniffles then turns her attention from the sky to Billy “What’s up?” he simply points so she follows and furrows her brows at the thing that’s been watching them, she furrows her brows in confusion.

“Is that thing new?” she tilts her head.

“Maybe, I’ve never seen it before.” it screeches at them “Looks like a mutated bat.” she murmurs, Billy nods.

“I agree. Think it’s hostile?” they wait for a bit but came to regret it when a hoard of those things appeared and were charging towards them, they didn’t hesitate to hightail it out of there at full speed, yeah, those things were definitely hostile. Those bats were new, the mutated dogs and monsters tended to ignore their existence on the fact that they were basically the same as them and would only fight them when they struck first, other than that they were merely coexisting when each other. On the other hand, these bats acted on a kill on sight mindset but they tended to attack as a pact, never alone. Those bats acted like some sort of surveillance because whenever they were out and about at least one of those fuckers was watching them wherever they went, it was troublesome when either of them split just a tiny bit of blood, because those fuckers would come hurdling towards them like a moth to a flame.

“Annoying bastards.” [F/N] growled out, lifting her hand and gently patting a few of her dogs “Where the hell did they come from?” Billy shrugged, wiping the blood of one of those monsters off his face.

“Don’t know, don’t care. All we know is where their little hive is.” at the mention of that they look over where they saw the whole swarm of those bats surrounding a house “Do you recognize that house, [F/N]?” she hummed to herself, rubbing her chin.

“Um… I think that’s the murder house.” Billy raised a brow “Oh, um, a married couple with their two children moved into the house. Everything was fine and dandy until one day the father brutally murdered his wife and daughter but spared his son, it was pretty gruesome. Reports said that he broke the bones of each of their limbs, dislodged their jaws and even gouged their eyes out. It’s been left abandoned ever since because people didn’t want to live in the house where a family was brutally murdered.” Billy winced, caressing his jaw.

“Yikes.” she nod her head.

“Uh huh.” her gaze hardened softly at the sight of the bats and house “But I’d guess that that incident wasn’t exactly a murder.” a bead of sweat rolled down the side of their faces at the thought.

“If you’re right about that, how come all this shit is happening now? Didn’t that happen a long time ago? Why would a ghost kill a family, take a break, then come back again? Would that mean it’s killing people again?” she shrugs her shoulders.

“Just a thought.”

“Your thoughts are unsettling sometimes.” she winks at him.

Not even a couple weeks later the two of them, who were sleeping soundly in the safety and comfort of each others arms, wake up abruptly when they felt a surge of power. Their eyes simply snap open as they break into a cold sweat, a chill running down their spine at what they were feeling. [F/N] pulled herself towards Billy, burying herself into his chest as her hands gripped onto the back of his shirt, fear beginning to take over her body. His arms tightened around her while his hand moved up her back and gently held the back of her neck, his thumb caressing her neck in an effort to comfort her. They weren’t the only ones that felt this new power because even their dogs were acting off but they didn’t stray far from their masters, instead they huddled around them to barricade them from what was to come. Neither of them got much sleep that night, not only because of that but because not too long after that happened an earthquake shook the entirety of Hawkins and they weren’t too sure if another would go off. The next couple of days the earthquakes kept happening and that surge of power that shook them to their core happened approximately three more times that had them on edge, they were now being extra careful in what they were doing.

“Hmm? Aren’t the bats acting a little differently than usual?” Billy pants at what she says, blood dripping from his knuckles as he wipes some of the blood that splattered onto his face with his sleeve and looked over at what she meant. They watched as a group of bats left the swarm surrounding the haunted house and flew over to what they believed was Lovers Lake, they look at each other “Wanna go check it out?” he clicks his tongue in thought, leaning back with his hands on his hips.

“Um… yeah, why not. It’s not like we’ve got anything better to do.” she grins, clapping her hands.

“Wonderful.” she then whistles, this catches the attention of the dogs to which they all whip their heads over to her, she then points in the direction the bats went and all five of them went running without question. The two of them are quick to follow and they find themselves at a dried up version of Lovers Lake, [F/N] places her hand on a tree and steps forward to see what was there a saw something flee from the lake into the woods but her attention tore away from them and to what the bats were guarding “What is that?” she muttered to herself, Billy comes up from behind her while placing a hand on her shoulder.

“They’re guarding something, a hole?” she tries to get a closer look but they’re too far away to get anything clear “I’m gonna go check it out, you go chase after the things the bats chased off.” she raised a brow.

“You sure?” he nod.

“Yeah, it’s nothing I can’t handle without these bad boys.” his dogs yip happily at his feet, she chuckles softly and pats her own puppies.

“Alright then, don’t take too long.” her dogs brought her to Skull Rock and they were sniffing at a specific spot beneath the giant boulder, [F/N] approached it and furrowed her brows at the sight. Blood? It was red, her eyes then looked at the ground and saw a barrage of footprints in the mud, who the hell…? She shook her head and swiped some of the blood onto her fingers then brought them towards her favourite baby, it sniffed the blood and let out a growl “Go get ‘em.” all three of them let out a snarl before running off to chase after whatever it was, she bounces her axe on her shoulder as she takes her time to catch up with her puppies. Her brows perked up when she heard shouting followed by a struggle, hmph, they must have gotten someone because over the struggling she heard other voices shouting after the one that was being dragged away. She stepped into the clearing where her three puppies were, she felt anger bubble in her chest when she saw the struggling fool kick at her baby to keep it away twice, now that won’t do. She didn’t hesitate to kick them in the stomach to wind them, but that wasn’t enough to satisfy her current anger, so she kicked them in the back to keep them down then reached down to grab them by the hair and yank them up but still keeping her foot pressed into their back so they couldn’t get up.

“U-Urgh… please…” begging? Pathetic. She readjusted her hold on her axe and raised it above her head, one clean swing should be more than enough to decapitate this foo—

“Eddie!” her eyes widened at the call, quickly redirecting the axe so it missed their head and lodged itself into the ground, her head whipping in the direction that call came from. Eddie? Did they just say Eddie? Her trembling hand let go of their hair as she lifted her foot of their back, she then gently caresses the back of their head before pushing it so she could get a look at their face, her gaze softened when does sweet doe eyes looked back at her.

“Eddie…?” she whispered out, almost not believing that it was true. She was quick to grab him by the shoulders and turn him around so that he was laying on his back, his hands quickly slapped onto her wrists as her fingers started to dig into her shoulders. She saw his eyes flicker while trying to recognize who exactly was above him but couldn’t put a name to her face, she then realised she was still wearing the bandana over her mouth so she quickly tore it off so Eddie could see her face. There… there she saw recognition finally click in his head as he stared up at her, she smiled softly when his hands reached up towards her face, gently caressing her cheek with tears forming in his eyes.

“No… no way.” she giggled sadly, raising her own hand to rest against his.

“Heh, hi Eddie.” he was quick to sit up and bring her into a hug, burying his face into the crook of her neck as he held her tight, she was quick to throw her arms around him and tug him just as tight. She let out a whoa when he suddenly stood to his feet, bringing her up with him, then squealed when he started twirling her around. She’s laughing to her hearts content as she pulls herself closer to Eddie as he continued to spin her around, him grinning the entire time he does this “Eddie, you knucklehead! When’d you get so strong? You were never able to lift me up so easily before!” Eddie just snickered, pulling her close and squeezing her tight.

“I don’t know, had someone a little heavier than you to lift is all.” she let out a sigh and let her body drape along his body, her head resting against his while his buried into the crook of her neck. He finally puts her down but their continued to hold each others hands, she opens her mouth to say something but felt like she was being stared at so she turned her head at where she felt it but soon felt the color in her already pale skin drain.

“Steve…” she whispered under her breath, the dread on her face got worse when she saw Nancy fucking Wheeler and her sweet songbird Robin appear behind him and share the same look of shock and disbelief at the sight of her.

“W-What are you doing here…” Steve stuttered out as tears started rolling down his cheeks, dropping the flashlight he had to the ground and taking a step forward “[F/N]!” Eddie looked down at [F/N] and his eyes widened at the emotion he saw on her face, that look of absolute fear as she stared at her brother. He’s never seen [F/N] wear such an expression on her face, she was the embodiment of confidence, of pride… no, no. He remembers a time when she had this look of fear, this look of vulnerability.

“[F/—” he’s not able to finish his sentence when she takes her hands back from Eddie, taking a step back when Steve took a step towards her. She felt herself start to hyperventilate when Steve kept getting closer and closer to her the more she kept trying to distance herself from him, she looked down at her hands and in her mind she saw Steve’s blood on her trembling hands, looking back at him she saw the damage she did to him when she was under that fuckers control. She saw the monster she had become when she laid her hands on her brother that tried to save her from her insanity, her vision started to get hazy but her eyes snapped up when she felt him reach for her. In her mind she saw it was Steve reaching for her to stop, to stop beating him when he only tried to help.

“Don— Don’t touch me!” she screamed, smacking his hand away before he could touch. She lets out a gasp as she stared at the heartbroken look on his face, she grits her teeth at the sight of him and knew that she couldn’t bear to look at him anymore so she screwed her eyes shut, turned around and started running away. Goddammit, she was running away again. Was all she could do was run away when she was scared? Where had that adrenaline gone when she fought monsters?

“P-Please, [F/N]! Don’t leave! Don’t go away, please!” dammit, she really was pathetic. She just couldn’t muster up that courage to face her brother again, he was probably crying again and it was all her damned fault. When she thought she was far enough she leaned against a tree, hunching over and throwing up the contents that were in her stomach. She felt her stomach start to churn the moment her eyes settled on Steve and Robin, all the memories of what she did to them coming back at her full throttle. She hadn’t realized she pushed all of that into the back of her mind until she saw them again, she let out a whimper when she pulled herself up, crying as she clung to the tree.

“B-Billy…” she whimpered out, lifting her hand to wipe at her eyes “I need you, Billy.” her head shot up when she heard screaming, that sounded like Wheeler? Was it her babies? Were they attacking the group for her reaction? She raises her fingers to her lips to call them back but paused when she saw that they were with her, if that were the case, then what was that girl screaming abou— her eyes widened when she realized just where exactly they were. They were basically in the monsters hunting ground and with all the noise they were making, it was bound to attract a few of them.

Shit.

Steve felt like his heart was ripped out of his chest, chewed up, spat out then stomped on all at once. The anguish he was feeling felt like he had just watched [F/N] die in front of him all over again, like he was at her funeral all over again and that he was reliving the worst moments of his entire life. He cried out for her, like all the other times he did, and when he did, she would always come rushing to his side to comfort him and tell him she was going to be right by his side until he was better. But she didn’t do it this time, he cried for her when she ran away but she didn’t even bother to turn around to see that he needed her. She ran away, she left him, she left him behind like she did when she left him alone in Hawkins. He was in a dire moment when she left for university, her last year was the year when Will went missing and he first got roped into the Upside Down and he fought the Demogorgon after getting his shit rocked by Jonathan. He wanted her to tell him it was alright, that he was okay and that his big sister was going to make sure he wasn’t going to be alone, but she ignored him in favor of studying so she could pass that year and graduate so she could get the fuck out of Hawkins. They had only just rekindled their relationship and she was leaving him all because she was done with Hawkins, all because she couldn’t put up with it anymore.

“[F/N]…” he whimpered out, falling to his knees and clutching onto Eddie’s battle vest. His forehead was pressed against the ground as he sobbed out his heart, his nails beginning to dig into the skin of his hands “Please, don’t go…” Eddie fell to his knees, placing a hand on Steve’s shoulder to calm him down.

“Stevie, babe…” he whispered softly, Steve shook his head as his shoulders continued to tremble.

“If she’s here…” he whispered, his hands now coming up to grip at the pendant dangling around his neck “does that mean BIlly’s here too?” this caused Eddie to flinch, Billy? What are the odds that that blonde is here as well? Would that mean that Steve would want to get back with Billy then? Is he going to break up with him so that he could get back with him? Eddie didn’t want to think that Steve would do such a thing, but he could tell that he still had feelings for the blonde.

“Steve—”

“Steve!” his head snapped up when Nancy screamed his name, his eyes widened at the sight of a Demogorgon appearing out of nowhere. Those demodogs that were here with [F/N] followed after her when she ran away, he looked down at himself and cursed when he realized that the demogorgon was probably there because it could smell his blood. His guess was right because it completely ignored Eddie and came straight towards him, he tried to stand to his feet but his knees where numb from how long he was kneeling down so it was quick to grab him by the throat and lift him up into the air.

“Steve!”

“Steve!” the demogorgon swats them away easily as its grip on Steve tightened, he grabbed onto the demogorgons wrist and flailed in the air to try and get away but his efforts were futile. This one was much bigger than the one he fought back at the Byers house and he didn’t have his signature nailed bat with him to kill it. There was the axe [F/N] left behind but it was nowhere to be see— nowhere to be seen? He gasps when he was suddenly dropped to the ground with a thud, he jumps when something fell into his lap and he saw that it was the demongorgons arm that was cut off. He looked up and tears gathered in his eyes again when he was met with [F/N]’s back, she came running back to see that one of those monsters was holding her sweet little brother up and was getting ready to eat his head in one bite. She noticed that her axe was still lodged in the ground so she didn’t hesitate to rip it out and cut the monsters arm off in one swift swing. Now she was standing face to face with the monster, a dark sneer on her face as she gripped onto her axe that was dripping with its blood.

“You hurt my brother.” she growled out, feeling the veins in from her veins to her forearm along with her neck and the corner of her eyes turn black when her anger started boiling “NO ONE hurts my brother.” she doesn’t flinch when it roared in her face, she in turn roared right back before lifting her leg to kick it in the torso and send it flying backwards. She raises her hand to her lips and blows into them, a sharp whistle calling her three puppies who snarled at the monster that was slowing picking itself up as she twirled her axe around as if it were a bat.

“[F-F/N]…?” Steve whispered out from behind her, hoping— begging that she’d turn around so he could see her face, but she continued to ignore him.

“Billy!” she screams as she charges towards the monster, raising her axe just as Billy finally caught up to her and grabbed the monster by its legs to lift it up, when it started to fall she swung her axe back then swung it forward to swiftly cut its head right off its neck. Both its body and head fell to the ground with a thud and the two just stared at its fallen corpse, watching its black blood pour out of its body and soak into the ground beneath it. She raises her eyes and saw that Billy was staring at the group behind them, he turned his attention towards her and noticed that she was refusing to turn around and just kept her head down, he sighed softly and approached her.

“You okay?” he whispered softly, grabbing her by the forearms and gently rubbing his thumbs into her arms. He tilted his head when he saw that she didn’t want to look at him, he tugs at her and that gains her attention “We talked about this, [F/N].” she sighed, still not looking at him but looking to the side.

“Yeah, but I didn’t expect to actually see them.” his face saddened when she finally looked up at him, tears brimming in her eyes “I’m terrified to face him, Billy. I— I don’t think I can do it.” the axe falls from her hands when he pulled her into a hug, she quickly wraps her arms around him and falls into his embrace.

“Baby steps, [F/N], baby steps.” she nods her head, letting out a shaky breath. Billy raised his head and saw the group slowly approaching them, he loosened his hold on [F/N] but her fingers tug into the leather of the jacket he was wearing “It’s alright, it’s okay.” he whispered softly, though she was still shaking, she nodded her head and loosened her grip.

“B-Billy, is that really you?” Steve croaked out, he reaches his hand out but flinched back when [F/N] let Billy go and instead of standing beside him she actually hid behind him but made sure she was still holding his hand to calm herself “[F-F/N]…?”

“What are you doing here, Harrington?” Billy spoke, this caused them all to look at him “Why the hell are you here in this hellhole?” Billy’s eyes trailed down and widened softly at the sight of his pendant dangling from his neck, his thumb subconsciously rubbing against his ring.

“I-Isn’t that what I’m supposed to be asking?” Billy cocked his head in confusion.

“What do you mean? Aren’t you guys dead like us? Why would a saint like you be in hell?” Robin and Nancy look at each other.

“Billy,” Nancy starts, taking a step forward and placing a hand on Steve’s shoulder “we’re not dead.”

“Then?” she swallows thickly.

“This… might be a lot to take in—” he scoffs.

“[F/N] and I had a monster forced into our bodies, we killed a whole bunch of people and said people melted to form a body for the fucker that possessed us. I think we can handle whatever the fuck you’re talking about, Wheeler.” she takes a breath.

“If we’re here, and you’re here as well, then you’re not dead.” this caused them both to jolt up, what? “This place is an alternate dimension of Hawkins, we don’t fully understand it, but it’s a different world compared to our home. This place is called the Upside Down, and if you two were here this whole time, that means you two never died in the first place. You two are still alive.” she felt a bead of sweat form on her cheek at the blank stare she was getting from Billy, his face scrunches up at the information as he feels [F/N]’s grip on his hand tighten.

“What?” she muttered out, now peaking out from behind Billy and staring Nancy dead in her eyes “What the fuck do you mean we’re alive?” Nancy stumbles back at the dark look in [F/N]’s eyes, and though it wasn’t particularly aimed at her because [F/N] couldn’t control herself, she couldn’t help but swallow thickly as she tried to put her thoughts into words.

“U-Um, what I mean is— I don’t know, and I don’t know how it’s possible, but you guys aren’t dead. You’re alive and you’ve been stuck in the Upside Down this entire time.” anger slowly started building up inside of [F/N].

“Why are we alive?” she muttered, turning away to look down at her hands and her mind flashed once again to see blood staining her hands “Why the fuck do we get to live after everything we did? Why do I get to walk away while everyone that died by my hands didn’t get that second chance?” she soon started to feel an aching pain in her chest and the sides of her stomach, her nails tug into the fabric of the clothes she wore as her mind started to relive the moment that monster tore her body apart because of her betrayal.

“[F/N]—” Eddie speaks, not being able to stand watching his friend in so much pain.

“No! I don’t understand why we’re getting to walk away from this!” she always had a harder time accepting what she did, Billy had a hard time as well but [F/N] knew that her mind was much more twisted in comparison to Billy, that’s why that monster always sent her out to kill people while Billy was left to kidnap people. Her arm wraps around her stomach as she slaps a hand over her mouth, her body threatening to vomit out whatever was left in her stomach but she was able to swallow it down and instead drool and saliva dribbles out of her mouth “Why are we to be spared after all the pain we but those poor people through?” Billy gently places a hand on her back, rubbing circles into her back to comfort her and try to calm her breathing down.

“I know it’s hard, [F/N], but it wasn’t your fault.” Nancy says, [F/N] couldn’t help but scoff at her words.

“Wasn’t our fault? You don’t get it, Wheeler. I always knew deep down I was fucking crazy, that thing just intensified that craziness to the point I lost my rationality. Death was going to be my atonement for what I had done, what I did to you two.” she spared Steve and Robin a look but quickly tore her eyes away before she could look at them for too long.

“.… I forgive you.” she raised her head and looked over at Steve, who never tore his eyes away from her “I forgave you long ago, [F/N]. I wish you’d stop blaming yourself for what happened to me, because it wasn’t you.” she grits her teeth at that, shaking her head.

“B-But it— you don’t understand.”

“[F/N], please, we know it wasn’t your fault.” Robin speaks next, begging for [F/N] to look at them with something that wasn’t just anguish “We know what you did was to keep us safe, but we need you to know that you’ve been forgiven.” Billy knew she was having a difficult time to believe anything they were saying, still so deep in denial that it was going to take a lot for her to forgive herself, so he went back to shielding her from the others and left a comforting hand on her back.

“Alright, fine, we’re alive and shit, but that still doesn’t explain how you four ended up here.” Nancy was the one to answer again, being the more levelled headed out of the three and most knowledgeable by standards.

“Well, a crack of sorts that acts as a gate from this world to ours is open and we came through one.” Billy immediately pulls a face at the information.

“Wait, wait a minute. Are you telling me that there was a way to get the fuck out of this shithole this whole time?”

“Well, yes and no. Is there a way to make these gates? Yes. Is there a way for you to make them? No. It would have been impossible for you to get out of here without a different force from opening one.” [F/N] could feel Billy’s frustration so she looked up at him and saw he inhaled sharply before letting his body fall to the ground, his back landing with a thud.

“Billy, for fuck sakes.” she curses out as she kneels down, placing her hand on his chest while their puppies hovered over him.

“You’re telling me there was a way out of here this whole time?” he repeats, she rolls her eyes.

“Not for us to figure out, no.” she pats his chest twice then looks up at the group.

“So where were y’all heading before I sent my babies out to get you?” she looks at Eddie with an apologetic look “Real sorry about that, by the way. Can’t help but be cautious over anything new when in this hellhole.” Eddie raises his hands while shaking his head, nervously eyeing the one demodog that was growling at him as it stuck to [F/N]’s side.

“We were heading to the Wheelers place.” she raised a brow at the destination, she whistled sharply when she heard her baby growling a little louder while grabbing him by the chained collar around his neck to keep him from pouncing again “Nancy here said that she’s got a couple guns in her room.” [F/N] scrunched her face up in confusion then let out a snort, standing to her feet and dusting her pants off.

“You, Nancy Wheeler, have guns, plural, in your bedroom.” Eddie’s face lights up as he points at her.

“That’s exactly what I said.” though it was a little weak, a smile similar to his stretched across her face.

“And this is why we’re best friends.” they both giggle to themselves then high five each other.

“What about us?” she glanced down at Billy, scoffing slightly with a roll of her eyes when she saw him pouting up at her “I thought WE were best friends.” she gently kicks him from where he was laying.

“We’re trauma besties.”

“I can get behind that.” she shakes her head and looks around at their general location, they were still a good few miles from the Wheeler residence and they already look exhausted.

“Were you guys planning on walking?” Steve shrugged.

“Well, what other option do we have?” Billy, who was now up and on his feet, glanced down at [F/N], who in turn looked up at him, and smirked at each other.

“We know a much quicker way.” obviously they were a little nervous at the suggestion, Billy let out a sigh at their reluctance “Well, would you rather walk and risk another encounter with one of those fuckers?” they all glance down at the dead demogorgon, shuddering in disgust at the sight of the demodogs eating at its corpse.

“It better be worth the detour.” Nancy murmured softly, [F/N] chuckled.

“It’ll definitely be worth it, little miss Wheeler.” both she and Billy bring their fingers to their lips and let out a sharp whistle, their demodogs were quick to react and waited for their command. Billy gestured with his head for his dogs to go in the direction he came from while [F/N] snapped her fingers and hers surrounded them “Shall we?” they flinch a little when they see [F/N] lean down to pick up her fallen axe and throw it over her shoulder before they started walking away, they only started to follow when one of her puppies gave them a little nudge from behind. Eddie glanced at Steve and saw that he was staring intensely at Billy and [F/N]’s back, because in his mind, the two of them looked exactly the way they did when they died. Sure they looked a little worse for wear, covered in dirt and grime from being stuck in the Upside Down for the past eight months, but other than the fact that they’re wearing the same torn clothes they were left in covered in some gear they found around in this wasteland, their appearance didn’t seem to have changed that much. [F/N]’s hair might have grown maybe a few inches as well as Billy’s who also started growing a bit of a stubble, but it wasn’t much. It was as if they hadn’t even aged.

“Steve…” he muttered softly, reaching to grab his hand and softly rub his thumb over his knuckles “Are you okay?” he sniffled softly.

“Yeah… yeah, I’m good. I just never thought I’d be given a chance to see them again.” his other hand then reached up to cradle the pendant around his neck, Eddie’s eyes saddened a little at the way he saw Steve was staring at Billy. He then turned his attention towards Billy and [F/N] himself, the two of them were walking shoulder to shoulder in silence as they led the way to wherever they were taking them, Steve let out a noise when Eddie let go of his hand and sauntered over towards the two “E-Eddie?” the two let out a grunt when Eddie practically shoved himself in between the two of them.

“Munson? What the hell?” [F/N] lets out an oh when she felt him link his arms with hers, Billy scowled when he blocked his view of [F/N].

“[F/N], I am quite hurt that you didn’t come visit me when you came around last year. I heard rumours that you were back, so color me surprised when both uncle Wayne and I didn’t even get to see you. Even the boys were sad that you didn’t pop in to say hello.” she smiled sadly at that, gently patting her hand on top of his.

“Eddie… I did some real unspeakable things last year.” his eyes saddened when that same look of terror washed over her face, her eyes fluttered shut as a pained expression appeared “That thing made me kill so many people, man. I-If that thing made me hurt you as well… I-I don’t think I’d be here talking to you. I owe you for everything you’ve done for me Eddie, really.” he gives her a smile at that.

“That means a lot to me, [F/N]. Still a little hurt that you didn’t even come by the say hello, you were still around for quite a long time.” she shrugged softly.

“I was distracted, alright.” he raised a brow.

“With what?” at the mention of that she glanced back towards Robin, who perked up when she saw [F/N]’s gaze. She quickly looked away but her eyes landed on Steve, she gritted her teeth at the sight of the marking along his neck and the small blood spot on the makeshift bandage along his stomach. However her eyes caught onto the battle vest that she for sure knew Steve didn’t own, she then glanced back towards Eddie then back at Steve before settling her gaze on Eddie… Steve flinched when she whipped her head back towards him and stared intensely at him.

“Eddie, lend me your vest, yeah?” [F/N], who was soaked because she got doused in alcohol by a few drunk patrons at the Hideout, asked as she took off both her jacket and her shirt because the smell of alcohol was clinging to both items of clothing and so she was shamelessly left in her bra. At least the other boys were gentlemen because they stood around her to block the eyes of others to gaze upon her half naked body, she herself was quite calm despite the predicament she was in.

“No can do, sweetheart.” she scrunched her face up in confusion, twisting her shirt and gagging at the sight of booze that dripped out of her shirt “This is my prized possession, I can’t just hand it out.” she scoffed at him.

“So you’d rather I flaunt around in just my bra?”

“Yeah.” she let out an offended gasp at his audacity, Gareth was kind enough to take off his flannel and hand it to her. She gave him a thankful look as she put it on but rolled up the sleeves and left a couple buttons undone because it was in the middle of summer and though it was night time it was still pretty hot “Don’t you know the importance of a battle vest, [F/N]?”

“I honestly don’t care.” she was promptly ignored.

“Letting someone wear your battle vest is like claiming them as yours, you know. It’s like when jocks let their girlfriends wear their varsity jackets, to let others know that they’re taken. It’s just the metal head way of claiming what is theirs.” the four of them just stare at Eddie.

“… if you didn’t want me to wear it you could’ve just said so.”

“I bet he’s saying that because he believes he’s going to hitch himself a lover or something.”

“Oh, how sad.” they all laugh at that, causing Eddie to glare at them.

“Alright, fine! Sure, yeah, the only reason you’ll ever see someone else wearing it is because they’re my boyfriend, alright! Just you wait!” Steve felt a bead of sweat roll down his face the longer she stare at him, going a little pale when he saw her smile sweetly at her, though the grip on the axe gave away how pissed she actually was. Billy felt the rise in anger coming from [F/N] so he peeked down at her and raised a brow when she turned her gaze towards the man in between the two of them.

“Eddie.” she spoke softly, he hummed softly when he felt her raise her hand and cup his cheek, leaning into her soft and delicate touch “Do you remember when I told you that someday Steve would find that perfect someone someday?” when she spoke those words Eddie immediately understood what she was doing.

“H-Huh?” her fingers dig into his cheeks as she grabs him by the face and lifts him up off the ground, whether that be by her own physical strength or with the aid of the Mind Flayers left over power, we’ll never know.

“I didn’t mean you, you son of a bitch!” Steve and the others were clearly freaking out because they couldn’t tell if [F/N] was under the control of the Mind Flayer again but since Billy wasn’t reacting like that then it slightly calmed them down… slightly “I love you Eddie, I really do, but what makes you think you’re good enough to be my brother’s boyfriend?” to think Eddie would be at the end of her hand like this, she never thought she’d see the day.

“C-Come on, [F/N], let’s talk about this!” her gaze hardened, her grip tightening and would likely leave bruises.

“No, we’re doing this now! You should have realized that just because you’re my best friend, it wouldn’t keep you safe the moment I learnt that you were his boyfriend! And you two got hooked up while I was in the grave? That’s cold. So tell me, Munson,” his hands grip onto her wrist tightly when she pulled him close to stare him closely in the eyes “what makes you think you’re good enough to be my brother’s boyfriend?” she repeats.

“… he was really sad, [F/N].” he noticed the way her tough resolve break a little, her eyes softening just briefly before hardening again “He looked just like you when you first came to me, there was no way I was going to leave him alone with how vulnerable he was. If he really was like his sister, I didn’t want to take the risk of leaving him alone with all his bad thoughts. I helped pick up the broken pieces of his heart and put them back together, and without me realising it, he was doing the same thing for me. I hadn’t realized just how much losing you hurt me as well, [F/N].” he noticed that it was working because she was slowly losing her grip on his face and lowering him down “I love him, really. I’m in love with your brother and you and I both know that these attractions began far before your funeral. I promise you, [F/N], that unlike all those other girls that you scared off, my love for him in genuine.” she had finally put him down and was giving him a sad look.

“Eddie…”

“i know all you ever wanted was the best for Steve, and I swear I’ll do the best I can to give it to him.” [F/N] sighed softly and gave him a meaningful look, she however made a face.

“Don’t.” she suddenly spoke, her gave her a confused look as he slowly turned around to look at Billy, paling at the dark look on his face “Don’t, Billy. Don’t!” she pushes Eddie away when Billy was getting ready to swing.

“You’re dead, Munson!”

“Fucking run Eddie!” he didn’t need to be told again and so he hightailed it out of there in the direction they were going, she grabbed Billy by the arm when he was going to run after him and before she could even get a word out he pushed her to the ground and ran after Eddie “Ah! Did you just shove me?!” she screamed but was ignored, this pissed her off even more before she chased after them with a shout. So running away really was Eddie’s thing because he was using every bit of stamina he had left to run away from the extremely pissed off Billy that was out to kill him, he took a brief peek behind him and picked up the pace when he saw that Billy was gaining some ground behind the two of them.

“I just wanna talk, Munson!” he shouts.

“Nah uh! No thanks, don’t really feel like dying to the hands of Steve’s ex!”

“Ex?!”

“I’m sorry!”

“Just stop talking at this point, Eddie!” he let out a shriek at the sound of [F/N]’s voice that was slowly catching up to them, Eddie made it to a clearing and stood on the spot because he didn’t know where to go so he turned around and let out a scream when Billy was going to grab him. He jumps to the side when Billy was tackled by [F/N] and the two of them go tumbling to the ground, [F/N] coming up on top with Billy laying beneath her and fighting to get her off “You gotta stop, Billy!” she was pushing his hands away when he tried shoving her off.

“No! He’s a dead man!”

“You’re being dramatic!”

“I’m not being dramatic!” they both just scream at each other at this point with [F/N] holding Billy by the shoulders to keep him pinned to the ground while Billy is holding her wrists.

“We talked about this, Billy!” she shouts and this causes him to waver, she takes a breath “We talked about this.” she repeats and immediately his eyes start to water.

“B-But—” she shakes her head.

“We both know that this was bound to happen. It’s for the best.” he grits his teeth because he knew that she was right, when the ladies and Steve caught up to them Billy had calmed down enough to not attack Eddie when he was back and on his feet “Good, y’all caught up. We’re here.” she then gestured to what was behind her and they were shocked to see what it was.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” [F/N] just grinned. That familiar roar that scared the lot echoed throughout the Upside Down once more but this time they knew where it was coming from, and that was from the engine of [F/N]’s prized mustang. [F/N] explained that instead of it being at the Starcourt Mall, that doesn’t exist there, or in the storage unit she left it in, it was sitting right at home inside the garage where she usually left it. It was an older version of her usual modded mustang that she upgraded throughout the years. She told them that this was their way of getting around Hawkins instead of walking because the monsters, Demogorgons and demodogs from what they call it, would stay away because of the roar the engine gave off, and their “demodogs” would either be sitting in the back or following alongside her car, like they were doing right now.

“Stop it.” the group sitting in the backseat sat in silence when they heard [F/N] speak, glancing up, they noticed that Billy was peeking back towards them, though he was glaring at Eddie. Whenever she caught him looking back at them she would scold him and he would stop but eventually would go back to looking at him, she rolled her eyes as she tightened her grip on the stirring wheel, shifting gears and pressing harder into the gas. The group then notice her raise her hand then strike it across Billy’s face, what took them back was when both their heads flew in the same direction she hit him.

“What the hell!” she scoffed, bringing her hand to caress her stringing cheek.

“I told you to stop it, Billy.” he scoffed at her as he caressed his cheek that was turning red, she perks up when she saw Eddie raise his hand.

“Um, hate to ask, but what the hell was that?” she hummed.

“Oh, why we both reacted when only I hit him.” she shrugged softly as she looked ahead of them “Ever since that thing welcomed itself into our bodies, we began to feel each other’s pain but also thoughts. Now we know exactly what the other is thinking, and you gotta stop thinking about plotting his murder.” Eddie flinched when Billy glared at him through the rear view mirror.

“I will…” she rolled her eyes.

“But since we were the first, we were especially close with each other. That’s why we stuck together, it’s what kept us from seriously losing our minds.” Nancy perked up at that.

“The hive mind.” this caused Billy and [F/N] to glance at her “The Mind Flayer, the thing that possessed you two, shared a mind with everything in the Upside Down. From the monsters to the vines, you hit one of them you get all of them. It happened to Will as well, he acted as a spy for it back in ‘84.” Billy couldn’t help but shudder.

“Damn, poor kid.” [F/N] nods her head.

“Yeah, it was so painful when that thing was there.” she felt her hands tremble, shaking her head to rid the thoughts of that thing invading her mind all over again “Would not like that to happen again. Besides all that shit, what’s been happening since we’ve been dead? Especially with you, Eddie. You look like hell.” he let out a groan.

“I’m wanted for murder.” the car falls silent until Billy and [F/N] burst out into laughter to the point they were shedding tears, they only stop when they realized that they were the only ones laughing.

“W-Wait a minute, you’re serious?” they share a look “Seriously? Dude, you’re like the biggest softie I know, if anyone would be wanted for murder, it’d be me. And this would be before I actually did kill a bunch of people.” he let out a sigh.

“Yeah, I was dealing with a girl back at the trailer when Vecna, the guy behind all this voodoo shit, killed her. I ran away because I didn’t know what the fuck was going on.” [F/N] let out a sad sigh, reaching back to pat his knee.

“It’ll be alright… hopefully.”

“Thanks.” she let out a breath, looking back at the empty roads.

“Damn, maybe you can ask Hopper to let out off with a slap on the wrist.” [F/N] and Billy notice them flinch, she let out a sigh “Well, shit, what the fuck is wrong with him. Don’t tell me he’s dead.” she closed her eyes with a sigh, already knowing that their silence confirmed the fact that he is, in fact, dead.

“I don’t believe that.” Billy says, leaning back into the leather seats “If we’re not dead, then surely he’s alive as well. We survived getting our intestines ripped out of our chest, surely whatever killed him didn’t actually kill him and he’s just somewhere else.” Nancy goes to rebuttal his theory but paused when he did have a point.

“If, your theory is correct, would that mean he’s here as well?” [F/N] shook her head.

“If he was we probably would have found him already, we’ve searched the entirety of this shithole and even our babies haven’t found anything. Besides, with those bats on constant surveillance, there’s no way we wouldn’t have noticed them swarming his ass.”

“Maybe he was kidnapped by the Russians.” Robin snapped her fingers.

“Yeah, he did go down into the Russian base.” Eddie, Billy and [F/N] look at them.

“Excuse me, what? Russians?” Steve and Robin share a look and decided that yeah, maybe they shouldn’t mention the fact that they were tortured by Russians before [F/N] beat the ever living shit out of them “Hey, hey now! You can’t just say something and not finish yourself.” they shake their heads.

“Sorry, we’re already living through traumatic events. We’re not reliving another one.”

“What?” [F/N] didn’t even want to think about it anymore, her head perked up at the sight of the familiar road so she lifted her foot off the gas but proceeded to show off by drifting into the curb and parking the car flawlessly with a screech of her tires. She laughed a little manically at the screaming coming from her backseat while Billy just laughed, already used to her reckless driving now that she didn’t need to follow the road code and could basically do whatever the hell she wanted “And we have arrived at our destination, as promised.”

“T-Thanks.” she winked at them through the rear view mirror, she hops out of the car but leans against it as she waits for the four of them to stumble out so she could follow behind them. She closes the door behind Nancy and pushes herself up to follow but a wave of anxiety bubbled from inside her stomach so she lagged behind while the others went ahead, leaning her head back to peak inside the passenger side and saw Billy hunched over and trying to control his breathing.  Billy was anxiously bouncing his leg, nervously grasping his hands together and occasionally squeezing them to ground him, he didn’t even flinch when [F/N] opened his door and knelt down.

“Hey… are you okay?” he let out a shuddering breath.

“Being here… I don’t like being here.” her frown deepens, already seeing the memories of each time Karen Wheeler had harassed him. His thoughts went straight back to 84′, the night his father threatened him in front of that Susan woman to find that Maxine girl. When arriving at the Wheeler residence, Karen couldn’t even control herself and made it obvious that she was staring at Billy with such a lustful gaze and wouldn’t even give Billy a clue as to where his stepsister was until he gave her what she wanted. From then on she continued her antics, getting close to him, touching him and trying to get the two of them alone, going so far as to try and sleep with him but he always declined her advances “I just— I can’t— I don’t…” she shook her head, placing a hand on his knee and rocking it a bit.

“We don’t have to go inside, we can simply sit out here and wait for them to be done. They’ll be in and out.” he slowly nods his head.

“R-Right, in and out.” he let out a shaky laugh when his demodog came into view, whining softly while caressing its body against his in a way to comfort him “Yeah I’m alright, you dope. Don’t have to worry about me.” she smiles softly at him, standing to her feet and leaning against the side of her car once more “… do you really believe there’s a way out of here?”

“There goddamn better be, I need a shower.” he snorts.

“Yeah, this place has fucked up my curls.” she laughs “But seriously, [F/N], do you think we can actually get out of here?”

“Honestly, I really hope so… think my parents are gonna use my death as clout?” he nod.

“One hundred percent.” she nods with a purse of her lips “They’re grade a assholes.”

“Yup.” what [F/N] thought was going to be an in and out situation turned out to be much longer because she found herself laying on the ground staring up at the lightning, dark clouds, the passing demobats, more lightning and even more clouds as they waited for them to be done with whatever side quest they were on. She only sat up when she heard rushing footsteps from inside the house until they came barging out, kicking the door open as they rushed towards them.

“Jesus, what took you so long?” Billy complained, she was slowly getting up but Eddie pulled her to her feet and pushed her to the drivers seat.

“What’s the rush? Why are you pushing me?!”

“Dustin believes he’s found a way out of here!” he shouts, she stared at him in confusion “Oh, um, Dustin? He’s one of Steve’s children, and maybe one of mine. Anyways, this kid that’s been in this kind of shit longer than I have thinks he knows a way out of here and if you want out of here then lets get a move on!” she nod her head and his words but continues to lean against her car.

“That’s fascinating and all, but we can’t go anywhere if I don’t know where we’re going.”

“My trailer! Take us to my trailer!” she was even more confused but listened nonetheless, she cocks her the moment she slips into the car seat and the demodogs understood, letting out barks and ran ahead so she could follow after them. She was going a moderate speed as she drove to Eddie’s trailer, glaring back at them when they told her to drive faster but warned them that at the speed they were going it was quiet enough to not get the bats on their case She really didn’t want to have to deal with those fuckers, they were annoying as is and she and Billy would have a tough time fighting against them while having to protect the other four.

“So what exactly is at your trailer?” Billy questions when [F/N] pulls up to the trailer park, screeching directly in front of Eddie’s trailer, the two of them sputtering a little when the four in the back quickly hop out “Or don’t tell me, that’s fine as well.” [F/N] just shook her head when they step out, leaning against her car again to watch them rush to his doorstep.

“You’re not gonna tell us what’s here?” Eddie rushes back over to her, grabbing her by the hands and tugging her to come with them.

“I told you, [F/N]. There’s a way out of here.” Eddie saw the look of hesitance on her face as she looked at Billy.

“Eddie… I-I, I don’t know.” he’s quick to hold both her hands in his, rubbing him thumb along the top of her knuckles.

“I don’t want you to hate yourself even more than you already do, [F/N]. I understand that you’re conflicted whether or not you should stay here to repent your sins or some shit, but I want to you and Billy too to come with us.” he gives her a tug “Come on, man. I know you don’t want to stay here when there’s a way out.” she stared at him, Eddie chuckling when he saw her eyes tear up.

“O… Okay.” Eddie thinks she’s going to follow but stopped when he saw her throw herself onto her prized mustang, crying a little as she hugged the hood of the car “I’ll miss you, my baby! My totally rad apocalyptic mustang!” she cried out, Billy in turn started patting their demodogs and giving them a sad look.

“It was nice while it lasted, but this is probably for the best.” Eddie pouts softly when he saw them cuddling their pets, giving each one a hug before having a group hug “I’d say see you later, but I hope that day never comes.” [F/N] nod her head, standing to her feet and approaching Eddie.

“Honestly, same. Unless they can survive in our world, let’s hope we never have to come back here again.” they fist bump, Eddie was the last to enter the trailer to make sure the two didn’t run off while he wasn’t looking, there they found Steve, Nancy and Robin were staring up at a hole in the ceiling that certainly wasn’t there before, though he shuddered softly as he stared up at it.

“This is where Chrissy died.” he muttered softly, [F/N] looked at him but reached over to take his hand, pausing when she noticed Steve doing the same thing. She stared for a couple seconds before deciding to leave it be, she’ll let him have this moment to help calm him down “Like, right where she died.” they all flinch a little when they noticed that there was something moving inside the fissure.

“I think there’s something in there.” they were a little startled when [F/N] and Billy made sure to get in between them, [F/N] raising her axe to get ready to swing at whatever comes through that crack in the ceiling. Something seemed to be poking through it from the other side, causing it to dip down.

“What the hell is that?” they continue to stare at whatever was causing it to move before jumping backwards with a yelp when the fissure burst, Steve grabbed Billy and [F/N] when they didn’t move but was shaken off by them who weren’t startled in the slightest. Billy was the one to take a step first before [F/N] followed suite and eventually the others did the same, he peeked his head under the opening then his eyes widened at what he saw on the other side, [F/N] gave him a questioning look before doing the same, only to have the same reaction.

“Well shit.” she muttered, the other four take a peek but have a different reaction from the other two, letting out breaths of relief at the sight of Eddie’s trailer, along side Dustin, Lucas, Erica and Max, to which Max was staring intently at her brother that was supposed to be dead.

“Hi there.” Dustin greets with a laugh followed by a wave, Steve mirrors it and gives a little wave.

“Hi.” Dustin continues to laugh before shuffling away with Erica, leaving Lucas and Max to stare at the four along with Billy and [F/N], to which they couldn’t believe they were actually seeing them.

“Billy…” Max murmured under her breath.

“And [F/N]…” she crossed her arms and looked away, Billy let out a breath and did the same, Eddie and Steve were quick to comfort them. Max didn’t stay there for long and left to help Dustin and Erica with whatever they were doing, Lucas doing the same thing because he couldn’t look at the two who caused him the most pain, both mentally and physically. In their world, Dustin was getting to work with making a makeshift rope with some sheets while Lucas and Max were hauling Eddie’s mattress out from his room, pushing it over so it was directly under the fissure. They all narrow their eyes at the different stains on the mattress, Eddie squirming a little.

“Those stains are, uh…” Robin is already giving him a look when he looked at her, he quickly look away “I dunno what those stains are.”

“Mm.” [F/N] is giving him a look, crossing her arms.

“Whore.” she murmured, he whips his head to glare at her but she’s ignoring him to look at Steve, who was avoiding her gaze and caressing his bicep “We’re gonna talk about this later, trust me.”

“I’d rather not.”

“Don’t test me.” she kicks him, they’d get into a scuffle if it weren’t for Billy getting in between them and stopping them, she lets out a huff and looks away. Dustin and Erica collect the rope they made and bring it over to the fissure, everyone watching in anticipation for what Dustin was going to pull of.

“Not quite sure how these physics work, but, uh… here goes nothing.” the group take a step back when he tosses an end through and it lands in front of them, they look back up at him and see he was still holding his end before slowly letting go and the rope dangled perfectly in between both worlds “Huh, abracadabra.”

“Holy shit.”

“Alright, pull on it! See if it holds!” Robin looks at Steve and he gestures for her to give it a go, so she grabs it and gives it a nice couple tugs, the rope holds still.

“This is the craziest shit I’ve ever seen in my life. And I’ve seen some crazy shit.” Erica says, she looks down when she sees Dustin raise his hand so she high fives it.

“So… who’s first?” [F/N] raises her hand.

“Me! I want to get the fuck out of here, no offence.” Eddie chuckles softly and takes a step back.

“By all means, ladies first.” she shoves him back and he laughs a little, the children on the other side back up when she throws her axe through first then climbs through rather effortlessly, she was a little startled that when she entered through the real world the natural law of physics started up again and she was falling through but managed to flip her body around and land on the mattress with a thud. Lucas and Max take a step back when she stands up straight, grabbing Dustin and Erica to pull them back to moment she stands at her full height. They didn’t know exactly how it was possible that she was alive and back and standing right in front of them, covering in dirt and blood while wearing clothes that’s seen better days, but they didn’t want to take any chances that she could possible kill the—

“Oh my god, I never thought I’d be so happy to see your trailer, Eddie! Still a massive pigsty, as usual. I’m sure you’re making Wayne do all the work while you laze around.”

“Hey…! I do some work to help out.” she rolled her eyes.

“Sure, sure.” she then turned her gaze to look down at Dustin, swaying side to side then putting her hands on her hips, if Dustin didn’t know any better he’d think it was Steve in front of him because of the iconic pose she was doing “So you’re the infamous Henderson that I’ve heard so much about, from both my brother and Eddie.” he clears his throat, standing up straight while [F/N] stood rather relaxed.

“R-Really? Why’d they— ahem, what did they say about me?” she chuckled, lifting one of her hands and reaching towards them. She didn’t react when Lucas and Max flinched, going so far as to grabbing Dustin and tugging him back but he tore his arms free from them, letting out a gasp when she grabbed him by his cap and started pushing and pulling his head back and forward.

“Said you’re a real piece of work, a pain in their ass, really.” she laughs with a shrug of her shoulders after pushing him backwards lightly, though the shirt he was wearing certainly caught his eye “Hellfire, huh? That club still going on? I’m surprised the teachers allowed it to continue.” Dustin stared up at her in wander, straighten his cap out when it sat awkwardly on his head.

“You know Hellfire?” she nod her head, grinning at him and pointing her thumb at her chest.

“Uh huh! I’m an honorary member, kiddo! One of the few originals, beside Eddie and Gare-bear. Oh, I miss Gare-bear.” she wipes away a non-existing tear and saunters over to the trailers kitchen, pushing past the group of children and leaving Dustin to gawk at her.

“You were apart of Hellfire?! You played D&D!” she nods her head, glancing over at the wall and smiling when she saw the photo that Wayne probably framed.

“Yeah, I’ve been friends with the Hellfire boys since high school.” she then gestures to the photo and Dustin was quick to look at each, taking it off from where it was hanging to get a closer look. There he saw Eddie, Gareth, Jeff and Nathan smiling and grinning like idiots and in the middle of them was [F/N] with her arms around Jeff and Gareth’s shoulders, all five of them wearing the Hellfire shirts and it looked like they were in the drama room “I think that was the day we had our very first D&D campaign, was pretty shit because Eddie was still a newbie at DMing, but he got better.” Dustin nods his head.

“Yeah, he’s really great.” she smiles at Dustin, such an innocent smile that she was glad she didn’t seem him the year prior, that was because Lucas and Max were staring at her in fear; waiting for her to snap and reach to kill them. She clears her throat and looks down at her axe, picking it up but throwing it on the counter then approaching the fridge.

“Eddie, I’m raiding your fridge! I’m hungry as shit!”

“Wha— no!” she ignored him, letting out a squeal when she saw that it at least had food in it when she opened it.

“Yo! Billy! Get your ass in here, man! There’s beer!” she laughed when she heard shuffling from the other end, she grabs a couple and cracks open one to down it in less then a couple seconds. She was in the midst of chugging down a second one when Billy falls through the fissure, she grins and makes her way back over to him, setting her beer down and offering a hand to him “Welcome to the land of the living.” he chuckles, taking her hand.

“It’s great to be back.” she let out a grunt when helping him to his feet, well, that was until he wrapped his arms under hers and hoisted her up into a hug. She looked down at him but smiled and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, hugging him tightly and shedding a couple tears, when he put her down her hands slid down to rest against his cheeks “We’re alive.” she nod her head.

“We are…” they only pull away when they realise Robin was coming out next, she and Billy were eating Eddie’s food when Robin falls through and was laughing after experiencing such a disorienting feeling.

“That was fun.” she giggled out, taking Dustin’s hand to help her to her feet. Robin looked over at [F/N] when she felt her gaze on her but the other quickly looked away, going back to chugging down what seemed to be her fourth beer “[F/N], I—” she shakes her head.

“C-Can we talk about this later?” she asked, she closed her hand and let it drop to her side.

“Okay, but we will talk about it later, right?” her eyes dart to hers a couple times but she made sure to keep them down as she nods her head.

“Yeah.” she spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. Their heads whip over back towards the mattress when Eddie falls through, just as disoriented as who also laughed when he took Dustin’s hand.

“That… was fun. Shit.” when he was on his feet his attention quickly moved to Billy and [F/N], who were still eating his food and drinking his beer, [F/N] gave him a cheeky grin “Stop eating my food, man! Some of it is Wayne’s, come on!” they just ignored him and continued to eat.

“You try living off of shit in the hellhole and not eat like a starved man when there’s actual food presented to you. Your basic diet is beer, chips and Wayne’s famous pork chops.” she then flipped him the bird and drank her beer, Robin ignores their squabbling in favor for Steve and Nancy who still haven’t left the Upside Down.

“What’s taking them so long?” Robin muttered, Billy’s head perked up at that as he left [F/N] to defend herself against Eddie, who was trying to steal his food back from her, and took a spot beside Robin to look back into the Upside to see Nancy standing idle. A chill suddenly ran down his and [F/N]’s spine, this caused both their heads to look back towards the fissure.

“Nancy?” Steve murmurs softly, approaching Nancy when she didn’t answer him “Hey! Hey! Stay with me, Nancy! Hey!” his shouting is what caught all of their attention, the rest of them approaching the fissure to see what was going on “Nancy, wake up!” Max swallows thickly.

“Vecna.” Billy and [F/N] look at each other.

“Who?” they whisper, soon they’re left in the living room while the others rushed to Eddie’s room to do who knows what “What’s going on? What’s happening?” [F/N] questions them as she enters Eddie’s room, leaving Billy with Erica to watch Steve and Nancy, who was now cradling her face and gently shaking her to try and wake her up.

“Vecna— he’s— we can’t explain! Just find something!” Dustin thrusts a box of Eddie’s tapes into her hands and she nearly drops it but manages to catch it, she looks at them and saw they were grabbing random tapes, Erica then comes running down the hall to shout at them.

“Steve says you need to hurry!”

“Yeah, no shit!” Dustin screams as he and Lucas are looking through another pile of tapes.

“We’re trying, we can’t find anything!”

“What is all this shit?!” she then scoffs and sets the box down, kneeling down to start searching as well.

“What are you even looking for?” she asks, Robin then starts fumbling with a bunch of tapes in her hands and drops a few of them.

“Madonna, Blondie, Bowie, Beatles? Music! We need music!” Eddie was quick to grab one of the tapes she still had in her hand, glaring at her.

“This. Is. Music!” [F/N] just shakes her head, giving up knowing that they weren’t going to find anything that Nancy liked within the Munson residence, knowing that neither Wayne nor Eddie listened to any of the trending pop songs that everybody normal liked.

“Well we might as well give up, Eddie doesn’t listen to that shit! And I highly doubt little miss Wheeler listens to Iron Maiden.” she drops the tapes on the ground, grabbing Eddie and shaking him “We’re fucked! Why can’t your taste be more diverse, Eddie?!”

“Shut up!” they soon resort into arguing because they had nothing, absolutely nothing to help Nancy through this possession thing and they were running out of time. That feeling she and Billy felt was intense, it was as if that Mind Flayer fucker was back and she was feeling nauseous again, cutting her argument off with Eddie to control her breathing so she didn’t end up throwing up again “Whoa, whoa, [F/N]! Are you okay?” she shakes her head, leaning against the wall to calm the throbbing headache exploding within her brain.

“Y-Yeah, yeah, I’m good. Just need a minute.” Billy was having the same reaction but not as bad as hers, he was just caressing his forehead and keeping his eye on Nancy and Steve. The moment the headache went away they knew that Nancy was free from whatever hold that Vec-bitch had on her because she gasped and fell backwards, but Steve was quick to catch her.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. It’s okay, it’s okay, it’s okay.” Nancy was gasping, trying to catch her breath as Steve caressed her face to comfort her, pushing her hair out of her face “It’s okay, I’m here. I’m right here.”

[time skip: in the morning]

“He showed me… things that haven’t happened yet. The most awful things.” the group now found themselves huddled in Max’s house that was across from Eddie’s trailer, listening to Nancy as she recounted what Vecna had shown her when he had her under his control “I saw… a dark cloud spreading over Hawkins. Downtown on fire. Dead soldiers. And this… giant creature with… a gaping mouth. And this creature wasn’t alone. There were so many monsters. An army. And they were coming into Hawkins. Into our neighbourhoods. Our homes. And then he… he showed me my mum. And Holly. Mike. And they… they were all…” she lets out a shaky breath, [F/N] was watching her talk before looking away and letting her head fall against the wall.

“That… Mind Flayer, was it? It would show Billy and me things to keep us in line, to keep us under its control. It would show us things to scare us, Wheeler, to make sure we didn’t defy it. So, what I’m saying is, this Vecna guy, he’s just trying to scare you.” Billy nods his head, caressing her leg from where he was sitting on the floor.

“Right, I mean… he only showed us things that could possibly happen, but it didn’t, because none of it was real. They were only possibilities.” she shakes her head.

“Not yet. But there… there was something else. He showed me gates. Four gates. Spreading across Hawkins. And these gates, they looked like the one outside of Eddie’s trailer, but… they didn’t stop growing. And this wasn’t the Upside Down Hawkins. This was our Hawkins. Our home.” Billy and [F/N] share a look, what she was talking about, they had seen that future. They had seen it when they were building the Mind Flayers its body for it to move from the Upside Down to their world, and it really wasn’t a pretty picture.

“Four chimes.” Max suddenly spoke, causing them to look at her this time “Vecna’s clock. It always chimes four times. Four exactly.”

“I heard them too.”

“He’s been telling us his plan this whole time.”

“Four kills. Four gates. End of the world.”

“If that’s true… he’s only one kill away.” Eddie was quick to panic, burying his face into the palms of his hands.

“Oh, jesus christ, jesus christ.”

“Try ‘em again. Try ‘em again.” Billy and [F/N] are zoning out when Max walks over to the landline to dial a number, a chill runs down their spines and they sense somewhat of a presence. They look over at Max and were a little startled to see that same little girl the Mind Flayer tasked them to kill, [F/N] opened her mouth to say something but that girl, El if she remembered correctly, seemed to have noticed they were both looking at her and quickly raised her finger to her lips to shush them both. They narrow their eyes on her but do so, shutting their mouths as she continued to watch them before finally disappearing.

“Did you see her as well?” she whispered to Billy, who nodded and continued to look in the spot where she was previously.

“Uh huh.”

“But the others didn’t see her?”

“Uh huh.” he then bats her leg lightly “Must be because she visited us that one time.” she nods her head, humming softly.

“We have to go back in there. Back to the Upside Down.” this immediately got everyone’s attention, protesting because the thought of going back in there was crazy.

“Whoa, no, no, no. What?”

“Nope. Nope.”

“Wheeler, think this through.” [F/N] spoke after pushing herself off the wall.

“What is there to think through?”

“Y’all barely lasted a couple hours inside the Upside Down. What makes you think you can last long enough to get to Vec-bitch to kill him?” Steve nods his head, standing to his feet and approaching Nancy.

“She’s right, we barely made it out of there.”

“Yeah, because we weren’t prepared. But this time, we will be. We’ll get weapons and protection. We’ll go through the gate, we’ll find his lair, and we’ll kill him. We even have Billy and [F/N] to help us, the most experienced inside the Upsi—” Billy interrupts her, holding his hand out to cut her off.

“Are you crazy? We just got out of there after, how long has it been?” [F/N] mouthed out eight months to him “Eight months? Eight months! We’ve been STUCK in there for eight months and you really expect us to waltz straight back in there? You’re crazy, Wheeler. You can count us OUT.” Steve sighed at the thought of the two most experienced sitting this out, but he couldn’t help but nod his head to agree with what Billy said, maybe feeling a little relieved that they’ll be as far away from this war as possible.

“Yeah, or he’ll kill us. The only reason you survived is because he wanted you to. He’s not scared of us, maybe those two, sure! But not us.”

“And for a good reason.” Robin speaks, standing up from where she was sitting on the ground “We were wrong about Vecna. Henry. One. Sorry, what are we calling him now?”

“One.” Lucas and Dustin say.

“Vecna.” Erica says.

“Henry.” Nancy says . “A bitch.” Billy and [F/N] say, Robin just shook her head at the two of them.

“Right. We’ve learned something new about Vecna/Henry/One.” the two pout when she didn’t include their name “He’s a number like Eleven, only a sick, evil, male, child murdering version of her with really bad skin. But my… my point is, he’s super powerful. Could turn us inside out with a snap of his fingers. It’s not a fair fight.” at the mention of that, [F/N] looked down in thought.

“Then why fight fair?” she murmured, eyes trailing off to the side when she could feel that gaze again “If what you said is true, that he’s similar to the Eleven girl, then doesn’t he have the same powers as her? Didn’t she have that power where she could leave her body and some shit to visit people, it’s what she did to Billy and me when we were… flayed? Wouldn’t that give us the upper hand? You know Eleven’s strengths, but you also know her weakness.” Dustin seemed to understand where she was coming from.

“She’s right. When El remote travels, she goes into this sort of trance like state. I bet the same is true of Vecna.” Lucas nods.

“That would explain what he was going in that attic.”

“Exactly. When he attacks his next victim, I’ll bet you he’s back in that attic, physical body defenceless.” Steve shook his head, gesturing to his neck as he spoke.

“Defenceless? What about the army of bats?”

“True. We’ll have to find a way past them. Distract them somehow.” Eddie raises his hand.

“Didn’t [F/N] and Billy mention something about how they’re attracted to noise? We could use that to our advantage.” Dustin snaps his fingers.

“Good idea. And once they’re gone, he doesn’t stand a chance. It’ll be like slaying sleeping Dracula in his coffin.”

“That all sounds good in theory, but there is no pattern to Vecna’s killings. Not one that I can decipher. We don’t know when he’s going to attack next.” [F/N] raised a hand.

“We don’t know if this is much to contribute, but we can feel when he’s going to attack.” Max shook her head.

“That’s not enough, but… we do, we do know. when he’s going to attack. I don’t know about you two, but I can still feel him. I’m still marked. Cursed. I ditch Kate Bush, I draw his focus back to me.” Billy looked around the room when he saw they were all protesting the idea of Max giving herself up just to be a distraction.

“Max. You can’t. He’ll kill you.”

“I survived before… I can survive again. I just need to keep him busy long enough so that you guys can get into that attic. Then you can chop his head off. Stab him in the heart. Blow him up with explosive Dustin cooks up. I honestly don’t care how you put this asshole in his grave. Just… whatever it is… whatever you do… try not to miss.” no one speaks up.

“Are you seriously going to let her do this?” Billy questions “You’re seriously going to let that fucker into her mind just so she can distract him? Are you out of your damn minds?!” [F/N] shakes her head, grabbing him by the arm.

“Billy, not now.” he quickly shakes her hand off him.

“What will happen if you miss your chance? What happens in that measly little split second that you’re late and he’s got her? What will happen then?” Nancy shakes her head.

“We won’t let that happen.”

“Yeah, but you can’t guarantee that! There’s still a chance that something could go wrong and she’ll be killed! Or even worse, mutilated and she’ll end up suffering far worse than we did.”

“Billy stop it.” Nancy couldn’t help but scoff a little as she stared at Billy.

“I don’t see why you’re worrying, Billy.” she crosses her arms, not wavering when he glared at her “Do you think just because you died and survived you’ll get your chance to be her brother again? Even before you were flayed, you did a lot of unspeakable things.”

“Nancy!”

“It’s the truth.” she takes a step forward, looking up at Billy as his glare hardened on her while his hands balled into tight fists “You don’t get to be her brother after everything you’ve done. You don’t get to be worried when we know you didn’t care in the first place.” [F/N] sucked in a breath when she could just feel Billy’s anger boil over, she rushed over and hooked her arm around his to stop him from evidently punching Nancy across the face, pulling him back when he started fighting against her.

“Fuck you, Wheeler!” he shouts “You don’t what I had to put up with to keep her safe! You don’t know what I had to do to keep my dad from laying his hands on her!” [F/N] yanked him back.

“That’s enough!” she pushes him back then points to the door “Cool yourself, Billy.” he stared at her for a couple seconds before storming out of the room, nearly kicking the door off its hinges from the amount of brute strength he put into it. With him gone, she started to feel uncomfortable surrounded by them all, with the people she hurt, the people she scared and the strangers. She raises a hand to caress her forehead, feeling a headache forming from the shared anger and frustration from Billy “You stepped over a line, Wheeler.”

“I-I— I just—” she shook her head.

“You don’t know what went on in that house, not a damn thing.” she looks at Max “He cares, he really does. It might take you some time for you to accept it, but he worries for you. Just like what any other older sibling would do.” she spared a glance at Steve but then quickly averted her gaze, grabbing her axe that was leaning against the wall and leaving to go check up on Billy, leaving the others to settle in that tense and awkward air. She sat down on a nearby law chair and watched Billy tear up and trash pile, only coming over to her to grab her axe and proceed to axe at anything and everything he laid his eyes on. After what felt like ten minutes he finally begrudgingly returned back to her side, dragging the axe behind him and then sitting on the ground by her legs.

…

…

“Have you calmed down now, you big baby?” he scoffs at her, tossing the axe in front of them.

“I don’t like the way she talked about me like that.” she let out a hum.

“She had a point, Billy.” he turned his glare to her but she raised her hand before he could get another word in “But that doesn’t necessarily make her right either. Your father was a mean piece of work, and with how stubborn that Maxine girl is, you knew that the moment she crossed your father he’d turn his attention from you to her. So you made sure that he never took that attention away from you, you made sure she made no faults. That’s why you threatened her friends, especially that Lucas boy, and why you were so mad at my brother that you beat the shit out of him.” he grimaced at that.

“[F/N], I’m sor—” she shakes her head.

“He lied to you, you had every right to be mad, but just let me finish.” she takes a deep breath, leaning back into the lawn chair and stretching her legs out a bit “You scared her, man. You threatened her to keep her in line, and though it was out of the betterment of your heart, she didn’t know that. We both know your father pitted the two of you against each other so you’ll both feel isolated within your own home. You were angry at both her and your father, even that Susan woman because everything was against you. They can’t trust your words, Billy, and even that one moment where you saved that girl, I’m sure it’s not enough to redeem a whole year’s worth of torment.” she stared down at him as he silently listened to her words, he then hikes his knees up to his chest but let his body lean against the chair.

“I’m… I’m trying.” she nods, reaching down to gently pet his head.

“I know you are, I feel you. But the others don’t, so it’ll be harder for them to accept that you’ve changed for the better. Steve and possibly Robin are probably the only ones that will understand, but the others will take time.” she lets out a shaky breath, looking up at the clear skies that she hadn’t realized how much she missed “I of all people should know that shit like this… it takes time.” she raised a brow when he went silent.

“… I could really go for a drive right now.” she closed her eyes, going for a drive meant that he needed to clear his mind, it helped clear his mind; helped him think. She scanned the area for something until her eyes settled on it, he let out a grunt when she abruptly stood up and started walking away, kicking the axe up as she went. He sat by and watched as she approached a car, a beat-up 1970 Chevrolet Monte Carlo Convertible, but drivable. He raised a brow when he saw her jump into the car and tears open the underside of the steering column, exposing the many wires for her to play around with. Billy was finally by her side and saw her cut a couple wires to expose the conductors from the cable jackets, striking two specific ones together a couple times until the car roared to life, some smoke spitting out of the exhaustion pipe, but it was on nonetheless “You, [F/N] Harrington, know how to hot wire a car?” she winked at him, making sure to wrap the two different conductors together to keep the car alive.

“Uh huh, a jack of all trades and a master of none.” she raises her hands to grab the steering wheel but stopped when she saw the eager look on his face, she let out a chuckle “You can drive.” she smiled when she felt his excitement.

“Finally. You never let me drive your car.” she let out a laugh, jumping over the centre console to get into the passenger seat as he tosses the axe into the back seat and then jumps into the driver's seat.

“You can go get fucked.” he laughs with her, he switches the gear to drive but didn’t even pull out when she sat up “Oh, wait a second!” he watches her search around the car for something, watching her manage to find a crumpled up piece of paper and a marker that looked like it was at the verge of dying. She writes something down then jumps out to slap it on the door before rushing back, jumping back into the passenger seat “Now they should know where we’ll be.”

“And where are we going?” she gives him a grin.

“I wanna see our gravestones.”

[with the party]

“Check this out. The War Zone.” Eddie says, slapping down the newspaper onto a table and pointing at a specific section, the others leaning over to get a look at it “I’ve been there once. It’s huge. They’ve got everything you need, for, uh… well, killing things, basically.” Robin scoffed lightly, leaning in closer to look at the ad.

“You think fake Rambo has enough guns there?” she narrowed her eyes at it, pointing at it “Is that a grenade? I mean, how is any of this legal?”

“Well, lucky for us it is, so… this… this place is just far outside of Hawkins. As long as we steer clear of main roads, we oughta be able to avoid cops and, uh, angry hicks.” Erica rolled her eyes.

“If we’re trying to avoid angry hicks, maybe we shouldn’t go to some store called the War Zone.” Nancy shook her head.

“Normally, I’d agree, but we need the weapons. So I think it’s worth the risk.” Lucas nods.

“Me too.” Dustin shook his head, letting out a sigh.

“But is it worth the time? It’ll take all day to bike there and back.”

“Who said anything about bikes?” Steve cocked a brow, scoffing slightly with a smirk at Eddie’s words.

“What? You got another car I don’t know about?” Steve questioned, Eddie rose up to Steve’s level with a smirk of his own, tilting his head to the side when he saw his doe eyed boyfriend give him such a baby face.

“It’s not exactly a car, Steve. It’s not exactly mine, but, uh… it’ll do.”

“Um, I’d hate to interrupt.” Max suddenly spoke up from where she was standing away from the others, they all turn to her and saw she was peeking outside “But it’s been far too long since Billy and [F/N] left, and I can’t see them outside anymore.” Steve stood up straight.

“What?” he’s quick to go around the table and to where Max was, throwing open the blinds, jaw dropping when he saw no sign of his ex and sister. He then draws back and opens the front door, whipping his head around to find any trace of the two but saw neither, his eyes then caught the piece of paper attached to the door so he tore it off to see what it was, groaning at what he saw “They’re gone!” he shouts, Robin was by his side the moment he said that.

“Gone? Where could they have gone?” he sighed, handing her the note, to which she read it and immediately recognized it as [F/N]’s handwriting.

“They’ve gone to the cemetery to look at their graves.” Nancy slaps a palm on her forehead.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” she then looks at Eddie, who was laughing because that was so like [F/N] “Eddie, we’re gonna need whatever vehicle you’ve got in mind and we need it now.” he nods.

“Got it.”

[with [f/n] and billy]

“Ooo, score! There’s booze in the back!” Billy chuckled as he looked through the rear view mirror to see [F/N] hanging over her seat to search through the backseat, finding said booze and turning back over to show him “Ooo, it’s gin. Somebody has taste.” she’s quick to take the cap off and take a long swig from the bottle, Billy eyes her from how long she was chugging it before she finally pulled it away from her lips with a gasp.

“Struggling alcoholic, I see.” she chuckles, voice a little hoarse from the sting of alcohol that she hasn’t drank in over eight months.

“Recovering, actually. Went to rehab once for how bad it got.”

“You’re horrible.” she raises the bottle.

“I am.” when he pulls to a stop light she offers the bottle him, jiggling it slightly when she saw the look of hesitance on his face “Come on now, I know you want some.” he scoffed at her as he looked back towards the road.

“You know it’s illegal to drink and drive?” she rolled her eyes.

“You know it’s illegal to murder people?” her gives her a look as she gives him one back, she heard him mutter fuck it before taking the bottle and gulping it down, she snickers and starts looking through other compartments for anything else. He lowered the bottle when he heard her squeal, sparing her a glance when he saw her pull out a pack of cigarettes “I’m in heaven.” they were red marlboro cigarettes, she was quick to pop one out of the pack and light it with a lighter that was conveniently hiding in the glove compartment.

“Hey, don’t hold out.” she settles one of his lips and lights it, the two of them exhaling the smoke then letting out a deep and satisfying sigh “That… that definitely hits the spot.”

“It really does.” they were taking the long way to get to the cemetery, while they were [F/N] was taking in the scenery, head resting on her arms on the door. Her mind would flashback to the Upside Down each time they passed a significant part of Hawkins, and all she could think of is how if they let that Vecna bitch have his way, the Upside Down will become their reality. They were stopped at another stoplight and [F/N] was looking ahead this time, bobbing her head as Motley Crüe blared through the shitty speakers the car had. Though it didn’t take them long to reach the cemetery because now they were standing over their graves, wow “Damn, I wish I had a camera.” Billy shakes his head.

“Why?”

“Because I’m standing over my fucking grave?” she then kicks at the stone “If we’re here, then the fuck did they bury?” he shrugs, taking another puff from the cigarette.

“Don’t know, don’t care.” he watches her lower down to her knees, placing her hand on her headstone.

HERE LIES [F/N] HARRINGTON. BELOVED FRIEND, SISTER AND DAUGHTER. 07/12/65 - 04/07/85

“Daughter, huh?” she scoffed, taking the cigarette from her lips and putting it out directly on DAUGHTER “I haven’t been their daughter in years.” Billy could feel her disdain where he stood, that anger that dwindled away seeming to resurface just at the mere thought of her parents. She didn’t move when he placed his hand on her shoulder, giving it a light squeeze.

“Steve deserves to know.” she closed her eyes at that, turning her face to the side at the thought.

“He doesn’t need to know.” he let out a sigh “Y-You don’t get it, Billy. You don’t know Steve like I do, a-and I know he’s going to take it the wrong way and end up blaming himself.”

“So you’re going to let him live on, not knowing the reason as to why his parents disowned their daughter in the first place with only Eddie and I knowing why?” he squeezes her shoulder once more “He deserves to know.” he repeats.

“It’ll do more harm than good.” he let out a sigh.

“… Steve is tougher than you think, [F/N]. You’ve clung too hard onto the Steve you think is so fragile, further damaging him. Whether or not you tell him, I think it would be best for the both of you if you tell him the truth.” with that he backed away and let her contemplate her options, she let out a sigh and let a hand drag down her face. She watches from the corner of her eye as Billy approached his grave and stopped directly in front of it, she raised a brow when she saw him kneel down and pick something up.

“What are you doing?” she turned her body towards him and saw he had a letter in his hands addressed to him, she crawled over to him and draped herself over his body to read the contents with him, her eyes following the words as he read them aloud.

“Dear Billy, I don't even know if you can hear this. Two years ago, I would've said "that's ridiculous, impossible." But that was before I found out about alternate dimensions and monsters, so I'm just going to stop assuming that I know anything. So much has happened since you left. Your dad was a total mess. He and my mum started getting into fights. Bad fights. I don't think he could stand being here without you. So he left. And he didn't leave mom much. She's taken an extra job, and we moved to that lovely trailer park off Kerley. Basically, ever since you left, everything's been a total disaster. And the worst part is, I can't tell anyone why you're gone. I can't tell them that you saved El's life. That you saved my life. I play that moment back in my head all the time. And sometimes I imagine myself running to you, pulling you away. I imagine that if I had, that you would still be here. And everything would be right again. I imagine that we could've become friends. Good friends, like a real brother and sister. And I know that's stupid. You hated me. I hated you. But I thought that maybe we could try again. But that's not what happened. I just stood there and I watched. For a while, I tried to be happy. Normal. But I think that maybe a part of me died that day too. And I haven't told anyone this. I just can't. But I had to tell you. Before it's too late. If you can even hear this, and I really hope that you can. I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry, Billy. Love, your shitty little sister, Max.”

[F/N] scoffed a little when she read the part where Billy’s father was apparently “a total mess”, saying how “he couldn’t stand being here without him”, what a load of bullshit. Other than that, it was pretty heartfelt and genuine, especially the part where she wished the two of them could be like real brother and sister. Her eyes drifted to look at his face and saw that his bottom lip was trembling, eyes becoming glassy once more at the possibility of him and Max rekindling their relationship. She pats his back in a comforting manner as she stands to her feet, hand pressed to her mouth as she rubs her fingertips into her cheeks. Maybe… maybe she should—

*HONK*

*HONK*

“Hmm?” she raised her head while Billy turn his head to the right, there the two of them saw some RV honking its horn “Is it honking at us?” she murmured as she looked around for any other residents but saw no one, her eyes widened when she saw her brother stick his head out of the window and waving his arm.

“Come on, you two! We’ve got shit to do!” they stare incredulously at him.

“… did you steal an RV, Harrington?!” Billy shouts.

“No, I just— I’m just driving it!”

“So it’s stolen?” he deadpans when [F/N] starts slow clapping “I knew you had it in you, a true Harrington.” Billy slaps her leg.

“So your parents have stolen a car before?” she purses her lips.

“You’d be surprised.” Dustin pops his head out from around the RV, waving his arm rather erratically.

“Come on! We got to get going before the roads get busy!” they just stare for a couple seconds before shrugging their shoulders, Billy wipes his arm under his nose when [F/N] offers her hand to him. He stares at it then up at her before chuckling softly and taking her hand, they share a hug before letting go and walking over to the RV “You guys are taking forever, hurry up!”

“You’ve got quite the attitude for a child.” [F/N] says to him when she and Billy finally approach the RV “We could hurt you at any given moment.” he laughed, crossing him arms.

“You wouldn’t knowing that you’d upset Steve and Eddie.” this definitely startled the two of them, he smirked knowingly at them before hoping back into the RV.

“I wanna strangle him.”

“Wanna take turns?” she chuckles, the air immediately tensed the moment she stepped into the RV but she didn’t settle into the back yet, popping her head into the drivers seats and looked at Eddie, who say in the passengers seat “So where are we heading?” Eddie grinned, eyes glancing backwards when he saw Billy come in and take a seat on the floor.

“We’re heading to the War Zone.” she cocked a brow.

“The War Zone? Hah! I haven’t been there in ages.” this caused several heads to turn but she just ignored them.

“You’ve been to the War Zone? Why?” Nancy asked.

“If it makes you feel better, it wasn’t when I was flayed.” at that she turned on her heel so he back was facing Billy, who opened up his arms when she started falling backwards while taking another swig from the bottle of gin. She let out a long sigh at the feeling of the alcohol burning in her throat once more, offering the bottle to Billy who didn’t hesitate to drink it.

“How did you guys even get here? I highly doubt you walked.” Erica asked.

“Hot wired a car.” this turned even more heads.

“You know how to hot wire a car? How?” she offers a hand to Eddie, who chuckled nervously.

“I’m friends with Eddie Munson, was bound to learn some useful skills if I hung around him.” she then leaned back deeper into Billy’s chest, humming softly when she felt him wrap his arms around her waist to keep her close “I also know how to pickpocket, use slight of hand, gamble, pick locks, steal gas. A whole lot of illegal stuff, basically. Oh! I also know how to tend bar, and some other shit.” they all stare at her in disbelief, if Billy hadn’t seen all the crimes she’s committed when they shared a mind he too would have been just as shocked.

“You’re related to that, Steve?” she snickered softly at that “Your sister seems awesome!”

“I literally tried to kill your friends and my brother the year prior, and yet you think me doing illegal shit is cool?” he nods.

“I didn’t get to meet you last year, not this version of you or even the flayed you. I don’t really have an opinion on you except for how much Steve loved you.” the soft smirk on her face dropped at the mention of that, her eyes looking up to see that Steve peeked back at her before quickly looking away, she too averted her eyes.

“Right.”

[at the war zone]

“I’m hungry.” [F/N] suddenly spoke, Eddie, Lucas, Dustin and Billy who were left in the RV while the others went into the War Zone to buy whatever they needed, turn their heads to look at her, watching as she laid on her back and tossed the now empty bottle of gin up and down “Do you think they’ll bring back food?” Lucas sighed at the compliant.

“I highly doubt the War Zone has food.” she let out a dramatic groan, this caused Eddie to roll his eyes.

“Why are you so hungry? You weren’t satisfied with what you ate back at my trailer?” she scoffed.

“You try going eight months with eating nothing but whatever we could salvage.” Dustin raised his hand.

“On that note, what exactly did you guys eat?” both Billy and [F/N] paused, their faces turning pale then a shade of green as they tried not to remember what exactly they had to eat in order to not die of starvation, Lucas and Dustin wince when they see [F/N] turn away and try not to throw up.

“You really don’t wanna know.” they decided to leave it at that, a few more minutes go by when [F/N] lets out a sigh as she stood to her feet.

“Fuck it, I’ll just go myself.” Dustin was quick to stand in her way “What are you doing?” he shakes his head, she chuckled softly when she saw him place his hands on his hips, perhaps he was trying to imitate Steve when he was putting his foot down.

“Sorry, Steve and Nancy told me to keep you and Billy in check while they were gone. I can’t let you leave my sight.” she hummed softly, placing her own hands on her knees and lowering down to meet his eyes.

“You are so adorable.” they stare at each other for a couple seconds until [F/N] pushes his hat down so it blocked his view, he let out a cry when his vision was block and she took that as he chance to push him to the side and leave the RV with Billy by her side. She didn’t have to turn around to know that Dustin wasn’t too far behind them, the RV door being thrown open when he rushed out to chase after them “See? We’re still within your sight, are we not?” he let out a tired huff, grabbing her arm.

“Well, you need to stay within five meters of me.” she rolled her eyes.

“Sure, kid.” he let out another cry when Billy shoved his hat down again to cover his eyes, the two of them laughing as they walked ahead of him when Dustin stopped to fix his hat.

“Five meters!” Dustin was in between them, holding them by their forearms to ensure they didn’t go too far “How exactly are you going to buy food when you don’t have money?” Billy nods.

“I, too, would love to know.” she chuckled, her eyes already zoning in on a poor chap.

“Then I guess you two weren’t listening.” she pats Dustin’s arm to let her go and he reluctantly did so, watching her lace her fingers together then crack them “Watch and learn.” they watch as she walks by the man she was eyeing before but purposefully walked into him, Dustin was startled to see her face immediately change into one that was apologetic.

“Oh my—”

“Oh, I am so—” they’re both laughing as they stare at each other, he’s holding her by her biceps while her hands were resting against his chest “I’m sorry, I didn’t see you.” she then places her other hand on her chest, giving him an understanding look.

“Oh, no, it’s not your fault. I’ve been feeling a little under the weather as of lately, felt a little dizzy and accidentally walked into you. Terribly sorry about that.” he gives her a reassuring look, his hands dropping from her biceps to his sides.

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but I can see why.” she looks down at herself and huffed slightly with a laugh “You look like you’ve been through hell.” she gives him a look.

“You could say that again.” they exchange a few more words until he finally walks off, she immediately drops the facade as the two of them approach them “Well that was exhausting.” Dustin taps her arm.

“What was all that about?” she grins at him and pulls out a wallet, causing him to gasp at the sight.

“I told you, mama can pickpocket. It’s all about the slight of hand.” Dustin was now staring up at her in awe but she chose to ignore it and approach a very convenient convenient store, opening the wallet and snooping through it, chucking out anything unnecessary, scoffing a little what she saw his license then whistled at hefty amount of cash “Hello gorgeous.” she then throws the wallet over her shoulder without a care in the world.

“Wish I could do that. I used to just threaten people to give me money.” she rolled her eyes at Billy, slapping the back of her hand into his chest.

“That’s so classic high school bully, dude.” Dustin was laughing as he grabbed her arm again.

“You gotta teach me how to do that.” she laughs.

“I think my brother would kill me if I taught you something like that.” he shrugs his shoulders.

“He doesn’t need to know.” she hummed softly, ruffling his head with a smile.

“And I’m beginning to like you, Henderson.” her smile grew when he smiled at her, teeth and all, she can see why Steve and Eddie liked this kid so much. When they enter the store Dustin told them that they should still feel wary despite there only being a few people in the store, they were still legally deceased so it would be rather awkward if someone from Hawkins was there and recognized them “Get whatever you want kid, we’re going to do something very dangerous so you should fuel up.”

“Energy for the journey.” she chuckles.

“Sure, whatever floats your boat.” despite him being the one to set the five meter rule he didn’t hesitate to leave her side to get “whatever he wanted”, felt like she was the one keeping an eye on him.

“Think they’ve got beer?” she scoffed at the question.

“We’re in america, I believe they do.”

“Just asking.” she just shook her head and pats his shoulder, Dustin was more or less just getting junk food than proper food, not like they had to time to actually prepare the food. He glanced over at where [F/N] and Billy were and saw they were where the drinks were, he let out a sigh with a shake of his head when he saw [F/N] pull a drink out and crack it open then drink it. He really didn’t know much about [F/N] other than the stories Steve had told him about, nearly talking his ear off about the countless tales [F/N] Harrington ventured on. He didn’t know whether or not he was lucky that he didn’t get to meet her the year prior, the one that traumatised them all to the point they couldn’t even look at her without a hint of fear or sadness, Erica was rather neutral but mad because she did hit her brother, but he had a positive feeling about her. To him, she was the overprotective yet doting older sister that was funny and cool, she was a literal mixture of both Steve and Eddie; the female version of Steve with the personality of Eddie.

“I hope she and Steve make up.” he mutters to himself, he returns to [F/N]’s side and she looks down at him, letting out a chuckle when she saw his arms were full of junk food.

“Is that all you want?” she raises a brow when she saw him look up in thought, she let out a gasp when he abruptly dropped everything into the basket she grabbed and rushed off.

“There’s one more thing I want!” she rolled her eyes when he just disappeared, Billy shakes his head.

“I don’t see what Steve and Munson likes about that kid.” she shrugs her shoulders.

“The kid brother they never got?” they decide to leave it at that, Dustin was looking for something in particular and yet he was having a hard finding it, his hands were on his hips as he looked back and forth for it until his face lit up when he finally found it. He reaches to grab it but was suddenly yanked back by the scruff of his shirt, thinking it was Billy telling him to hurry up, he was ready to lash out but froze when he saw that it was none other than one of Jason Carver’s lackies.

“Henderson.” his hands immediately fly up and grip onto the wrist that was holding him in place, nearly fumbling with his footing when he was being manhandled “It took a lot of time and trouble finding you.” he let out a nervous laugh, sweat beginning to bleed down the side of his face.

“O-Oh yeah? What for? I don’t remember doing anything to piss you guys off.”

“Right, right, but you’re friends with that Freak, aren’t you?” he swallowed thickly at those words, he takes a quick glance towards the counter and saw that [F/N] was completely oblivious to the harassment while Billy was nowhere to be seen, typical “Your other friend Sinclair ditched us as well to protect that murderer; to protect you.”

“Eddie’s not a murderer!” he let out a grunt when he he was pressed against the aisle roughly.

“Oh yeah? Then how come he was the last with Chrissy, and in the morning she was dead in his trailer?” Dustin couldn’t say it, he couldn’t tell this egotistical jock that Eddie wasn’t the one that killed Chrissy but that it was some supernatural force that killed her in order to open the four gates of hell. If he were to say that, he would be labeled as crazy along with him jumping to conclusions that Eddie was in fact a satanist like everyone in this shitty town made him out to be “Huh? Got nothing else to say? You were so quick to come to his defence, and now you’ve got nothing to say.”

“B-Because… because—”

“Because what?!” the jock was yanked back, letting Dustin go out of surprise from the violent treatment. He glares back at the individual but froze at the sight of who was in front of him.

“Because Munson is too much of a loser to kill anyone.” Billy grinned maliciously as the jock trembled a little, his tongue peek past his lips to glide along the ends of his teeth “If it was anyone, it’d be that mentally unstable boyfriend of hers.”

“H-Hargrove? You’re dead.” Billy raised a brow at that, now beginning to sneer at him.

“Dead? Is that supposed to be a threat?” he yanks him forward and glares straight into his eyes “Do I look dead to you, dumb bitch? What part about me looks dead?” he shakes him a little and he sputters, his hands flying up to grab at Billy’s shoulders to try and rip himself free from his frighteningly strong grip. His mind went back to the rumours about how he beat Steve Harrington black and blue, the evidence all over his bloodied and bruised face when he was ballsy enough to show it the next school day. Billy Hargrove was a psycho, someone that wasn’t to be missed with no matter who you were.

“Billy…” Dustin muttered out softly, not really expecting Billy to come to his rescue, not after how he was ready to beat the ever living shit out of Lucas and instead did that to Steve. [F/N] was in the midst of paying for everything but paused when she remembered Dustin still hadn’t something he wanted, she let out a groan and turned her head to search for him only to see Billy manhandling some guy.

“Goddammit.” she murmured to herself, she goes to shout at him but stopped when she saw Dustin’s tousled shirt but what angered her was when this stranger freed himself and roughly shoved at Dustin, oh, that was it. She looked around the store until her eyes settled on a part of the convenient store that served fresh, hot coffee… that’ll do “You didn’t see anything.” she casually says, grabbing the cashier by their own collar gently to slip the entire wod of cash into their breast pocket, giving it a light tap before turning on her heel and heading over to the coffee pot. The cashier watched in confusion as she grabbed a coffee pot that was full to the brim of hot, scalding coffee, nodding to herself when she confirmed that it was indeed at a dangerous temperature before making her way over to the arguing boys. None of them noticed her approaching them until she grabbed the jock by his shoulder and spun them around, they didn’t expect her to throw the hot, scalding liquid into his face. He screamed in pain, hands flying up to his face in an effort to quell the burning sensation in his face but was suddenly kicked onto his back then someone climbed on top of him. Dustin shivered a little as he watched start to beat his face in with the coffee pot, not even flinching when he clawed at her to pull her off or how he cried out for her to stop.

[F/N] was the real psychopath.

She finally stopped when he was no longer moving and laid limp on the floor, usually when she did this type of beating she’d be breathless and left panting, but she had barely broken a sweat. Perhaps the eight months of hunting demodogs and demogorgons had improved her stamina a little, she looked at the pot hanging loosely by her fingers and saw blood staining the glass, she just let out a huff and tossed it to the side as she stood to her feet. Billy just shook his head at the helpless pile on the floor, kicking at his unconscious body while [F/N] turned her attention to Dustin. She didn’t miss the way he flinched a little upon her gaze but that was to be expected, however, she merely reached forward to fix up his collar and shirt, straightening it out then dusting his shoulders off. His eyes widened softly when she gave him a gentle smile, her hands now resting on his shoulders.

“Are you alright, Dustin?”

“U-Um, yeah. Billy actually helped me out.” said man let out a scoff, kicking her gently in the shin.

“Yeah, there was no need for you to go that far.” she rolled her eyes, now standing up straight then gesturing to the bastard she beat cold.

“Oh, please! He laid his hands on the kid, the last thing I need is Steve breathing down my neck because we let someone put their hands on his kid.” she shakes her head, she then messes with Dustin’s head before finally going over to their neglected groceries “Sorry for taking so long.” the cashier shook their head.

“N-No, it’s fine.” she smiles, Billy grabs the bags as she waves her hand.

“Remember what I said?” they nod their head.

“I didn’t see anything.” she winks.

“Good.” she gives their cheek a little tap before finally leaving, grabbing Dustin by his wrist and walking out of the store. Dustin spared her a look and saw her pull out a cigarette and goes to light it but noticed that Dustin winced “Sorry, do you not like the smell of cigarettes?” he gives a little nod.

“Yeah, the smell is kind of overwhelming.” she gave him an apologetic look and took the cigarette from her lips “Thanks.” she gave him a kind smile.

“No, I should have known not smoke around a child.” he scoffs.

“I’m fifteen years old.” she laughed.

“Yeah, still legally a child.” Billy laughs when he saw the way Dustin pouts, she gently pats his shoulder as they make their way back to the RV, Dustin now relaxed and casually talking with [F/N[ and even Billy. Meanwhile, the gang that went into the War Zone were quick to rush out when Nancy accidentally came across Jason Carver. Eddie and Lucas’ head shot up when the door open and instead of seeing [F/N], Dustin and Billy enter it was instead the others, oh no, this wasn’t gonna be good.

“What happened?”

“We gotta go.” they all come rushing in, Eddie was startled when Steve threw his battle vest into his lap before rushing into the drivers seat and everyone else filled into the back of the RV.

“Your old friends are here.” Robin comments as she passes Lucas, Eddie’s face dropped at that and quickly tried to hide himself.

“Shit!”

“Let’s go! Let’s go!”

“I’m going! I’m going! Sit down!” Nancy settles in the back but takes a quick mental roll check as she scans the RV for everyone but fell short; they were missing three people.

“Wait, where are Dustin, Billy and [F/N]?” this caused the others to look around, her eyes settled onto Lucas and Eddie and saw how they just wanted to shrink in on themselves and disappear “Eddie, where are they? They were supposed to be here waiting with you while we were in the War Zone.” he gives a nervous laugh, raising his hands and shrugging his shoulders.

“Well, you see—” he quickly looks away when she glares at him “They were hungry.”

“Oh my god.”

“They’re unbelievable.”

“I told Dustin to get an eye on them.”

“Well technically he is… he went with them.” they all collectively let out a groan, Steve unbuckles his belt because he knew that he was the one that had to go get them, Robin and Erica follow after him and left Nancy to scold Eddie and Lucas for letting them leave in the first place. They turn the corner and they see [F/N] talking with, goddammit, Jason Carver of all people. They were quick to pick up pace when they noticed the way she was holding him by the arm though they broke out into a sprint when they saw her shove him down and start beating the shit out of him. And what brought us to this predicament? Well—

“Hargrove?” Dustin and [F/N] turn their heads, the former paled at the sight of the head jock while [F/N] merely raised a brow in confusion, who was this guy? She looked at Billy and saw how he immediately got irritated the moment he set his eyes on him, she looked him up and down and saw that he was wearing a similar outfit to the same poor sap she just beat down and left in the store “You’re… alive.” Billy let out a laugh.

“Yeah, what great observations, Carver.” [F/N] placed her hand on Dustin’s shoulder when she noticed he was getting nervous, she then leans down.

“Who is this guy?”

“U-Um, he’s Jason Carver.” she raised a brow, that still didn’t answer her question “Oh, right, you probably weren’t around when he started high school. He’s the captain of the basketball team, he was Chrissy boyfriend and he harassed Eddie and the rest of us a couple times during school.” that definitely caught her attention, harassed? She remembered when she was still apart of Hellfire no one dared touch them because they knew how unhinged she was, she literally bit someone’s ear off because they called Jeff racial slurs.

“Harassed? So bullied?” he nods, now she was even more confused “Why the hell would they bully Eddie? Didn’t he graduate?” Dustin pulls a face.

“Well—”

“Henderson.” Dustin froze up when Jason turned his attention from Billy to him, Billy felt a little offended when Jason ignored him in favor of getting to Dustin. [F/N] was still behind him and watched to see what this guy was going to do, she was taken aback when she saw Jason quickly grab Dustin by his collar and yank him forward “You. You’re the one who’s always hanging around Munson, where is he?”

“I-I—”

“Hey!” Billy was quick to yank Jason away while [F/N] grabbed Dustin and pulled him back, pushing him behind her as they got in front of Dustin, the discarded bags of food laid behind them as they glare at Jason “I don’t know who the fuck you are, but you’ve got some nerve.” she turns her back to him to straighten his shirt out again, sighing sadly when he was scared again.

“Get out of my way, I need to find Munson. He’s going to kill someone again and sacrifice them to his satanic cult.” she couldn’t help but look back at him like he was crazy, scratch that, he probably was crazy.

“What?” was all she could say, Billy just shook his head.

“He’s religious.” she rolled her eyes.

“God, not another one.” she’s had to handle and talk with so many different religious people that it was ridiculous, saying how she was straying from the path of god for even being friends with the wayward, trailer trash freak known as Eddie Munson “If I believe anyone was going to kill anyone, I would think it was you.”

“I am.” they blink at his statement “I am going to kill Eddie Munson.” Dustin peeks his head out from behind [F/N].

“We won’t let you!” [F/N] felt a chill run down her spine at the look in Jason’s eyes.

“And how are you going to stop me?” he reaches for Dustin again but this time [F/N] grabbed him by the wrist, he growled at her and tried yanking his hand free from her hold but she only tightened her grip “And who the hell are you? What relationship do you have with Munson and Henderson that you’re protecting them? Why would you protect that murderer?!” she glared down at him, her gaze cold.

“Eddie Munson is my best friend, and Henderson?” she hummed softly then glanced back at Dustin “Hey, kid, does my brother see you as his brother?” Dustin didn’t understand the question entirely but he thought hard before slowly nodding his head.

“Y-Yeah, I’d like to think so.” she hummed again, her shoulders giving a little shrug.

“Well, then I guess that makes you my little brother then.” Billy’s brows quirked up at the statement before letting out a chuckle he knew was she meant, Jason tried ripping his arm free again but let out a cry when she twisted his arm in a way it shouldn’t go while pulling her other arm up “And nobody hurts my little brother.” she shoves him back and he fell back into his car, he starts to get back up but she smashed his nose in with her knee, promptly breaking it. The other jock that was just watching finally got up and decided to help Jason when [F/N] grabbed him by the tufts of his hair and repeatedly slammed his head against his car before smashing it against the concrete ground, jesus, is this really what she did what someone made fun of Steve. Dustin let out a whistle at how absolutely mental both [F/N] and Billy were, how glad he was that they were on their side.

“[F/N]!” Dustin whips his head to the side and grimaces when he saw Steve, Robin and Erica rushing over “Dustin, we’ve got to go!” Erica grabs Dustin’s arm to tug him back while Steve and Robin approach [F/N].

“You okay, nerd?” he nods.

“Yeah, they made sure I didn’t get hurt.”

“Well, you better hope Wheeler doesn’t tear you a new one.” he winced at the thought of getting yelled at by Nancy. [F/N] heard her name but chose to ignore it, forgetting how exhilarating beating the shit out of someone was and reviling in the feeling. She finally did stop when Steve told her that it was enough, she let out a huff and looked at the blonde who was hanging loosely within her hold.

“If you really want to do your girlfriend a favor, instead of chasing after an innocent man maybe you should just go kill yourself and go see her in the afterlife. Though, you probably won’t find her where you’re heading.” she lets his body drop to the floor and stands up, laughing when Billy hands her the jacket he stole from the other motionless jock so they could wipe their hands of their blood.

“Did you really have to go and say that? It was pretty morbid.” she laughs, throwing the jacket to the ground and going so far as to walking on it.

“Please, I could have said something far worse. Besides, if that Chrissy Cunningham is anything like you described her as, revenge is probably the last thing she would want her boyfriend doing.” she spares Steve and Robin a glance but ultimately ignores them, walking past them to pat Dustin on the shoulder “Shall we go? We took up a little bit too much time.” he scoffed and smacked her off, to which she let out a laugh.

“Yeah, no thanks to you! Now I’m gonna get in trouble.” Billy shrugs, leaning down to pick up the discarded bags of food.

“And whose fault is that? Stop being such a target, loser.” Dustin shoves at Billy when he messes with his head walking past him, [F/N] laughed and they’re walking back to the RV as if nothing happened, leaving Steve, Robin and Erica speechless. Dustin was indeed scolded by Nancy, so were Billy and [F/N] but they didn’t really care, they just stared at her with amused expressions and just ate in her face. The gang now found themselves out in the fields out of sight, preparing themselves for the battle they were about to fight. Eddie and Dustin were nailing nails into rubbish bin lids, Steve and Robin were making molotovs, Max was beside Nancy as she was sawing a Winchester Model 1200 so that the barrel was shorter and Erica and Lucas were making spears, meanwhile, Billy and [F/N] were sitting on a hill away from the others and thinking about their options “So what are you doing after all this?” Billy asked, she scoffed at the question.

“Well, I’m definitely getting the fuck out of dodge! There’s nothing left for me here, why bother stay.” she sighed when he gave her a knowing look.

“Nothing?”

“You know what I mean.” Billy noticed her eyes were settling on Steve and Robin once again, a feeling of regret and guilt rising to her chest once again the longer she stared “It’ll be better for the both of them and myself if I just stayed as far away as possible.” he hummed.

“But is that really what you want, [F/N]?” she doesn’t answer him, he huffed and pulls out the letter Max wrote him, his thumbs caressing the paper lightly “Well, I’m going to apologise to Max. I’ve been meaning to do that since we got out but couldn’t really find the right moment to pull her aside and do it. It’s the least I could do.” she, however, remained silent. Ever since they visited the cemetery and he found that letter, he could feel [F/N]’s doubts on whether or not she should keep a relationship with Steve and Robin or whether to just remain a bystander within their story despite how much they want her to be involved in their lives. He could tell that she was struggling to reveal the truth to Steve, that being her biggest concern.

“That’s… good for you.” she finally spoke, he hummed with a nod before both their heads snapped over to where Eddie and Dustin were when they heard laughter. [F/N] chuckled when she saw that it was just Dustin and Eddie roughhousing, reminded her of the time when she would just randomly tackle Eddie in the middle of school, him doing the same thing when she was in the middle of a conversation with someone and he would come running down the hall and tackle her to the ground. She hadn’t realized how long she was watching them until she noticed that Billy was no longer by her side, she was quick to look over to where Max was and saw he was making his way over to her and Nancy. Nancy noticed his approach and jumped to her feet to keep Max and him separated, she was talking to him but she could feel that he was calm throughout the entire exchange, and when she was finished talking he just pulled out the letter and waved it a little to get Max’s attention. She pushed Nancy to the side so she could grab the letter from Billy’s hands but he pulled it back and out of her reach, they shared a couple words from simple banter, to shouting, to crying then to promises. At the end of their conversation Billy goes in for a hug but she stopped him and instead grabbed his other hand to give it a shake, Billy had a look of understanding and instead just nodded his head and shook her hand with a smile “Fuck.”

“Honestly, this feels like a perfect time for that little pull of the rug because…” from a conversation that started with Steve talking about that guy that was kissing Robin’s crush to the possible end of the world, Steve and Robin sat together and spoke about both their troubles in romance and Vecna “in the face of the world ending, the stakes of my love life feel spectacularly low.”

“Yeah, I mean, I get you there, but… I still have hope.”

“Not everything has a happy ending.”

“Yeah, yeah, believe me, I know.” at that he spares Billy and [F/N] a glance, noting how Billy was now casually standing next to Max while watching Nancy testing out her new shotgun with a shortened barrel, he turned away to find [F/N] but narrowed his eyes when she was in the last spot he saw her in “Where did she—”

“Steve?” his head snaps up when he saw [F/N] standing right in front of him, he swallowed thickly as he stared right at her “C-Can we… can we talk? Just the two of us?” he noticed the way she tried to keep her eyes on him but she couldn’t keep it up for long because she quickly averts her eyes away, he spares Robin a look but she nods and gestures for him to go.

“Y-Yeah, sure!” maybe he was a little bit too enthusiastic but he didn’t care, it was her coming to him to talk instead of the other way around. Robin let out a sigh when [F/N] led him away from the others so they could speak privately, feeling a little bitter that she was talking to him first, but she could wait. [F/N] promised they would talk, so she was going to wait. Billy felt nervousness so he looked towards [F/N] and a faint smile graced his lips when he saw that [F/N] was finally going to talk to Steve, good for her.

“Why are you smiling, Billy?” he raised a brow as he looked down at Max, he let out a chuckle and messed with her head.

“None of your business, shitbird.” Steve now found himself standing across from [F/N], he nervously rubbed at his forearm as she stood with her back to him. He didn’t know what was going on in her mind as she stood with her hands to her hips while her foot tapped on the ground, he knew that she was nervous, that he could tell. She was so confident, and arrogant, and crazy like her usual self but now… now she wasn’t the sister he was so used to seeing. This was the fragile part of his sister that he rarely got to see, only on the very rare occasions did he see his sister’s mask slip from her face and the true [F/N] Harrington would show itself.

“[F/N], before you say anything, I just… I just want to say that I’m sorry. I’m sorry that I didn’t notice how much you were struggling when we were kids. How badly mum and dad treated you after you threw everything away, I’m sorry I did nothing to help you. I don’t get— I don’t get why you stayed behind or why you came back.” he let out a sigh, bringing a hand to drag down his face “I don’t— I don’t get why you did it for me when I told you I hated you. You stuck around for so long despite how much I hated you when we were young, I was delusional and selfish that I didn’t understand. I know there’s something that you’re not telling me, something that Eddie knows and he swore he’d never tell me because of how bad it wa—” he was cut off when she was suddenly on him pulling him into a tight hug, he could feel his body begin to tremble when her hands slipped up his body to wrap an arm around his shoulder while the other was soothingly threading through his fingers. It was something she used to do when they were kids and he was scared of being alone, it was something she used to calm him down from nightmares.

“I should be the one apologising, Steve.” she spoke, she was fighting down every urge in her body to not let him go so soon while also trying not to tremble with him in her hold “I was so scared of you knowing the truth, that you’d take it the wrong way and that you’d hate yourself for what happened. But Billy told me that you deserved to know that truth… that you should know the truth.” Steve sniffled then quickly brought his arms up to wrap around her and keep her close, not knowing how long this embrace was going to last so he was going to milk it for everything that it was worth.

“N-No, I get it. It’s fine, I jus—” she shakes her head and let him go, giving him a smile when he whined at the loss.

“No, Steve. You should know.” she turns away again, bringing her arms up to hug herself “You should know what drove me away.”

[the hideout, 1983]

“Once had a love and it was a gas~” it was late at night and it was Corroded Coffin’s live performance at the Hideout, what made that night so significant was because [F/N] had agreed to sing for them that night. Since she worked at the Hideout just to get some extra cash here and there, she was always there to watch their performances and though they weren’t as popular as they wished they were, they were still pretty great. [F/N] wasn’t an official member because they were Corroded Coffin long before they met her and she didn’t want to feel like she was stepping in to steal one of their spots, mostly because she was pretty musically talented all thanks to her mother’s insistence. But tonight was different, Eddie had lost his voice and the other boys were pretty tone deaf when it came to singing so since they knew [F/N], who was pretty well gifted in singing, they begged her to take the spot as their lead vocalist to sing for them. She obviously declined the invitation because a) she hasn’t sung properly in years, and b) they were out of their damn minds, she hasn’t sung in years! They were begging; pleading to get her to agree so when they finally did get her to agree she wanted to be the one to choose which song, if not, they can go get fucked “It soon turned out, I had a heart of glass~” and what better song than “Heart of Glass” by Blondie. They obviously refused because they didn’t want to sing some pop song but that was the only way she’d agree, so when they relented she taught them to play it differently so the patrons of the Hideout didn’t entirely hate them.

“Wow, I didn’t think I was going to like a Blondie song, but they’re pretty good.”

“Yeah, and the vocalist sounds great.” he raises his glass, gaining [F/N]’s attention “Hey! You should sing for those guys more often! You’re great!” she gives him a grin, [F/N] was quickly drawing in a crowd and Eddie couldn’t help but admit that this was the best crowd they’ve had in a long time. [F/N] was having a great time, not remembering the last time she’s felt this exhilarated.

“Riding high on love's true bluish light~” the mic stand stood in between her legs and with each time she sung out “whoa”, her body went lower and lower until her knees were touching the ground while her head was thrown back, mic stand in between her legs as she continued to sing with the mic in her hands “Once had a love and it was a gas. Soon turned out, to be a pain in the ass~” [F/N] was laughing the moment the song was over, panting wildly as she was helped to her feet by Jeff and Nathan, having to be held up by them after losing the feeling in her legs after being on her knees for too long.

“That was fantastic, [F/N]!” Gareth cheered from backstage, she laughed at his enthusiasm from where she was sitting “You should preform for us more often! We basically got a full house!” at the mention Eddie was peeking from behind the curtains, face bright and sweaty.

“You know that this is temporary, Gare-bear.” she thanked one of the waitress’, a friend of hers, when they brought them a round of beers for their great performance “This was a one time thing only since Eddie lost his voice, don’t expect me to relent next time.” as she’s saying this Eddie was grabbing one of the beers but it was taken from him and replaced with a glass of water with a slice of lemon on the rim of the glass, he glared at her and she gave a stern one back.

“But come on, [F/N]! They loved you, don’t you miss performing?” Jeff asked, she made a face.

“Eehhh… maybe.” she answered truthfully, bringing the beer to her lips and taking a sip “But this is your thing, Corroded Coffin? I wouldn’t want to step in on something made and started by the four of you.” they watch Eddie move his hands a little wildly to try and mime what he was saying, luckily for them, they speak Eddie quite fluently so they understood what he was saying.

“Eddie’s right. You’re not coming in uninvited, we’re asking you to join us. You’re a jack of all trades, like if one of us is down, you can take over while we recover. A perfect backup.”

“Y’all are insufferable, you know that right?” they laughed when she walked off, saying she was going outside to get some fresh air or to smoke, she couldn’t remember. She past many drunken patrons but each one of them gave here their compliments on her performance, to which she thanked them with a laugh and smile before finally managing to squeeze her way outside. [F/N] was leaning against a wall outside the Hideout, smoking a cigarette while bobbing her head to the muffled sound of the music inside, today was great. Waking up and not seeing her parents, to her and Steve actually having a good conversation, to now where she actually enjoyed herself singing in front of a crowd. Maybe, just maybe, today will end on a great no—

“[F/N]!” damn, she spoke too soon. The shout of her name startled her, lurching off the wall and coughing up to smoke she had just inhaled into her mouth while also dropping her cigarette. She fans the smoke away while coughing into her fist to see who could have shouted her name, only for her heart to drop into her stomach to see that familiar White 1976 Buick Regal Turbo (this honestly seems like a car he would own)… that was her father’s car.

“D-Dad!” what was he doing in Hawkins? What was he doing on this part of town? He wouldn’t be caught dead here, how did he know that she was there when he basically neglected her entire existence? The only person that could have any clue on where she was would be— ah, goddammit, Steve. She really didn’t want to be alone anywhere near her father, the last time the two of them even acknowledge each other was when they were literally screaming at each other for something she couldn’t remember, probably something about her failing grades or some shit. She saw her father step out of the car along side her mother, but instead of striding up to her like her husband she remained by the car “W-What are you— what are you doing here, dad?”

“I think we both know why I’m here, [F/N].” she hadn’t been afraid of her father in years, he was nothing more than a joke in her eyes, but there was something in his eyes that frightened her that very moment. He stood before her, looming over her as he glared down at her while she struggled to keep her eyes on him, just the haunting look in his eyes made her nervous.

“I-I— I don’t—” she was startled when he grabbed her wrist and started tugging her towards his car “What are you— dad! Stop!” she tries tugging herself free but the grip he had on her was tight and definitely going to leave a bruise. Lauren frowned at the rough treatment but it had to be done, their daughter just wasn’t listening to them anymore and she needed to be taught that the consequences of her actions have finally caught up with her.

“Richard, is this really necessary?” she asked, he only scoffed at his wife’s thoughtless question. 

“If we don’t punish her accordingly, she’s never going to learn.” punishment? What the hell were they planning on doing to her? She was roughly thrown to the ground a few meters away from her mother, wincing when the rough concrete scraped at her hands and arms from the rough landing, she turns her head to look up at her father until her head was thrown in the opposite direction. Why, you ask? Well, that was because Richard Harrington struck his daughter across the face. Lauren flinched when she saw the red mark blossom on that side of her cheek and she could even feel the sting, her own hand subconscious lifting up to caress at her cheek. [F/N] was in disbelief that he father had actually struck her because he didn’t dare do it again when she stormed out of the house and the first person she saw the moment she stepped out of the Harrington household was Jim Hopper himself, and though he could easily have thought that it was just [F/N] picked another fight at school or some random person off the street, the look in her eye said otherwise.

“D-Dad—” she let out a gasp when he grabbed her by her hair and yanked her up, her hands flew up to grab him by his wrists to try and lessen the pain but there was just so much she could do.

“You’ve embarrassed me enough, [F/N]. I feel embarrassed having to be in this part of town just to come find you.” this time he punched her in the face, leaving her to grovel on the ground when he let go of her hair. She tries to push herself up but was only to be kicked down again, he scoffed as he watched his daughter grovel, pathetic “What did I do to have you as my daughter?” Lauren gave [F/N] a pitied look.

“R-RIchard, please—”

“Be quiet, Lauren!” she flinched back, [F/N] looked up at her mother in hopes that she would at least get her father to calm down but her heart dropped into her stomach when she looked away. Ah, so that’s how it is, huh? She grits her teeth when he grabbed her by the shoulder and turned her around so that she was on her back, grabbing her by the collar of her shirt before proceeding to beat her face in. Sure, she’s taken beatings from people at the Hideout and the few random strangers looking for a fight, but her father was by no means a weak man. He was big and if he really put his mind to it, he could beat you in a fight. Lauren was struggling to keep her composure each time Richard struck her face, her hands balling into fists each time his fist connected with her face, she let out a breath when Richard stopped for a second to catch his breath “I really didn’t want to have to come to this, [F/N], but you left me no choice.” [F/N] let out a groan when he pulled back to shake his hands, her blood splattered over the concrete floor.

“Don’t you think you’re being a little… drastic? That Sheriff is going to question why she looks like… that in the morning.” Richard scoffed, rolling his eyes.

“This is all because she can’t control herself, Lauren.” [F/N] manages to weakly lift her hand up to caress her face, let out a whimper at the amount of pain she was suffering through, she then weakly pushes herself onto her stomach tries to drag herself away to create of distance “Because of her, Steven is beginning to act rebellious! He’s starting to ignore us just like she did, and who knows how long till he stops caring! His grades are beginning to fall and he’ll end up just as much of a failure as our daughter who will never amount to anything! Because of her, Steven is started to act up towards us that he even told us to think of her!” [F/N] paused at what he said, Steve did… what? She knew that he was probably doing it out of the kindness of his heart, but because Steve stood up to their parents— to their father, he was taking his anger out on her? God, these were the times she wished Steve would just stay out of her business. She didn’t need his help for something as useless as mercy from their father, this never would happened if he just kept his goddamn mouth shut!

“Where did we go wrong?” 

“It doesn’t matter. I’ll just make sure she doesn’t get any future ideas.” her heart dropped into her stomach when she realised he turned his attention back to her, but she wasn’t going to take it anymore, not this time. The moment she felt him grab her by the shoulder she let out a grunt elbowed him hard in the nose, causing him to cry out in pain when she managed to break his nose, Lauren was quick to his side as [F/N] pushed herself so that she wasn’t on her stomach anymore and pushed herself away “You little brat!” she was panting wildly as she stared up at her parents in fear, but slowly, it turned into a burning hatred. She weakly pushes herself onto her feet, swaying a little after the continuous blows to the face, but manages to stand tall and glare at her father.

“You’re pathetic, mum.” she sneered out, spitting out the blood that pooled up in her mouth and wiping away the blood dripping from her nose “Fuck you too, dad. You’re an asshole and you’re both terrible parents.” she stared at them for a couple seconds before finally turning her back to them and walking back towards the Hideout, she didn’t bother giving them the satisfaction of looking at them when her father shouted at her.

“I’m no father of yours, [F/N]! From this day going forward, you’re no longer my daughter! You’ll never become anything without the Harrington name! You’re nothing!” she scoffed. “I was never your daughter to begin with.” she grits her teeth when she was left alone in the car park when she heard the tyres from her father— no, from Richard’s car screech when they pulled out and drove off. Her bottom lip trembled but she refused to cry, refused to give them the satisfaction that they got to her, so she held her head up and—

“[F/N]…?” her eyes widened when they met with Eddie’s, a look of absolute horror on his face. Did he… did he see all of that? His words fell to deaf ears because she was looking everywhere but at his face, her eyes started to blur with tears while her arms brought her hands to her face in an attempt to hide the damage Richard did but there was nothing she could do when Eddie grabbed her by her wrists and tried to pull them away so he could get a look at what he did to her “[F/N], oh my god, I’m so sorry I did— I heard you shouting and then I saw— I’m sorry I didn’t step in! I’m sorry!” he winced at the sound of how hoarse his voice was but he had to speak, he had to apologise that he couldn’t help her. He watched as that terrified look on her face melted away and was replaced with one of deep sadness, she let out a whimper until it turned into full on sobbing. Eddie pulled her into a hug and she cried into his chest, her arms weakly wrapping around him. He didn’t care if her blood mixed with her tears were smearing on his t-shirt, he could always get a new one, just right now he knew he needed to comfort his best friend.

“I-I don’t know what I did… I don’t know what I did to deserve this, Eddie.” he shook his head.

“You didn’t deserve this, [F/N], not at all. They just weren’t made to be parents, they didn’t know how to value you and your brother. Don’t even think for a second you deserved to be beaten like this.” she let out a cry and pulled herself closer to him, her fingers digging into the fabric of his shirt “You’re better than what they say you are, you are perfect and you are amazing.” she whined into his chest, when she finally pulled away she wiped at her face but winced at the pain.

“H-How much— how much exactly did you hear?” he frowned at her.

“Everything.” she grimaced and looked away, he tilted his head to get a look at her face “You gonna tell Ste—” a panicked look immediately appeared on her face.

“No! No, you can NOT tell Steve, you can’t!” she pressed a hand to her mouth “We only just fixed the damage of our relationship, if I tell him that it was because of what he said to them then he might not forgive himself, he might never look at me the same.” “But—” she shook her head.

“Eddie, promise me that you’ll NEVER tell him. I’ll take this to the grave if I have to, but he can never know about this from anyone but me.” he knew by that that she was NEVER going to tell him, but that desperate look in her swollen eyes got him to nod his head, albeit reluctantly.

“Alright, fine. I promise.” she softly nod her head.

“Good… good.” he catches her when she starts to sway again, he finally takes that as a sign to bring her back inside to help tend to the wounds he knew how to aid.

[present time]

“M-Me…? It was me?” the moment she finished her story Steve was staring at her in shock, he remembered that day. He remembered that day when their parents gave them their surprise visits, how their father complained about their useless daughter and how he couldn’t wait for the day she moved out so he didn’t have to house filth like her, though he shouldn’t have his expectations high for the one that was probably going to fail. Steve remembered how he finally raised his voice to their father, yelling at him that he shouldn’t talk about [F/N] like that when she used to be their pride and joy until they noticed how she had no more value to them and that they only had him because their first born was a mere daughter, something insignificant to them. He remembered how their parents left and soon as they returned and in the morning he was shocked to see [F/N] beaten and bruised at school, everyone thought that she had gotten into a fight at the Hideout because that was usually the reason as to why she’d ever look like that, even he thought that was the case “D-Dad, he— he did that to you?” she meekly nodded her head.

“I thought… I thought he was going to kill me, honestly.” she felt tears in her eyes “I was so scared, Steve. And I was angry because— because I just— fuck! I hate him, I hate him so much, Steve! And I hate mum because she went to him when I fought back! She didn’t even try to help me, and so I hate her for not trying! And I hated you, Steve! Because of you my life fell apart because I loved you, I loved my baby brother that hated me! I don’t know why I tried, but I knew if I gave up I’d just be letting them win! I just— I just wanted what we had before everything went to shit. I just wanted us to be siblings.” her face fell into her hands and she started to cry, wrapping her arms around herself and cried in front of Steve. She felt Steve approach her and instead of pulling her into a hug he just simply placed her hand on her shoulder.

“I… I’m glad you told me, [F/N]. I can tell that this is the first time you have been honest about your feelings.” he gave her a nervous laugh, looking away while scratching his cheek “I was a real asshole, I don’t know why you stuck around when you did. I don’t know why you loved me when you had every right to hate me, so in every twisted way, I’m glad you at least hated me.” she stared at him weirdly before bursting out into laughter.

“You’re weird, Steve.” soon he’s laughing with her after her claim, now they’re staring at each other breathless with silence falling over them. She flinched lightly when he raised his arms as an indication for a hug, she stared for a couple seconds but sighed and hugged him, and this time… this time she was able to relax into it, the two of them smiling brightly in their embrace. She let her head rest on his shoulder, her head leaning against the side of his head while her eyes closed. Her eyes opened and there she saw Billy staring at her with a warm smile, his hand lifting up to give her a thumbs up then turned his attention back to Max “I’m sorry, Steve.” he nod his head.

“And I’m sorry too, [F/N].” they stand there a couple seconds longer before letting each other go “Will you talk to Robin? I think she really needs it.” [F/N] takes a deep breath, closing her eyes and pinching her nose.

“Steve, taking to her might be a little harder for me.” her hand moved to her cover her mouth “I cheated on her, man, and she saw me doing it. Then I left her alone after breaking up with her and threatening her.” he placed a hand on her shoulder.

“And as much as I hate you for it, you and I both know you did it to protect her from the Mind Flayer.” she closed her eyes.

“But… you didn’t see the look in her eyes. I really am… our father’s child.”

“There’s no need for you to stoop so low just to insult yourself, [F/N].”

“But it’s true, isn’t it? I’m so much like him that it’s almost scary.”

“Then be better than him, because unlike him, you actually apologise.” he watched for a couple seconds when she finally nodded her head.

“What about you?” he raised a brow “You gonna talk with Billy about sort of relationship you’re going to have after all this? He still loves you, man.” she raised a brow when he let out a sigh, rubbing at his neck.

“I-I don’t know, I love Eddie, but Billy…” he shook his head, she pats his arm.

“Talk to him— them, talk to them both and see what to do from this point forward. If I’m talking to her, then you’ve got to talk to him. You’ve been dodging him as much as I’ve been dodging her. It’s only fair.” 

“… alright, fine.” she smiles, they both go off in opposite directions and [F/N] found herself taking Steve’s seat beside Robin. She was startled when she took a seat beside her, to which she thought it was Steve at first, so imagine her surprise when she turned to ask how his conversation went with [F/N], only to see her herself in his spot.

“[F/N]…” she muttered out softly, [F/N] still didn’t look at her and just looked up at the sky, her eyes closing as she felt the sun shining down on her.

“I missed the sun.” she spoke “Spent eight months in the dark with nothing but dark clouds and red lightning, We couldn’t even tell how many days went by because we had no sun to show if a day went by, not even clocks worked. I’d honestly rather not help with this suicide mission, I’d honestly rather just lounge around and bask in the sun, feels more productive if I’m being honest.” Robin nodded her head.

“I agree.” [F/N] hears Robin shuffle around for a couple seconds before settling down, she heard something rattle and only turned to face her when she spoke her name “[F/N], I have something of yours.” she looked down at her hands and her eyes widened when she saw what it was.

“That— I wasn’t finished with that!” it was the mixtape that she made her, she tries to take it but Robin pulls it out of her reach before she could take it “Robin, I—”

“I got pretty depressed, [F/N].” her eyes widened slightly at that “Maybe I would have gotten Vecna’ed if it weren’t for your mixtape, I didn’t know you sang at the very end because I would constantly replay it just because it was the last gift I got from you. It was the only thing I had left of your voice, and I’d be lying if I didn’t crave more. Man, I haven’t even told Steve about it.” [F/N] dropped her hand to her side.

“I-I’m… I’m sorry.” she takes a deep breath “I didn’t want to do what I had done, Robin. Believe me, I didn’t. I did everything to divert its attention on others so it wouldn’t target you and Steve, but that once instance you saw us in that alleyway and you were within arms reach… it made me want to strangle you and watch as the color would drain out of you.” Robin looked down and saw how one of her hands closed into a tight first, her other hand clamping down on her wrist “I couldn’t let it take you away, so I did the only thing I could think of to drive you away… even if it meant I’d lose you forever. I’m [F/N] Harrington, the one who lost everything.”

“I’ve forgiven you, but I can’t lie and say I didn’t hate you. I thought you loved me, that the rumours that the eldest daughter of the Harrington couple was a heartbreaker wasn’t true. You clearly loved me more than all those other flings, but that instance broke me, because you made me feel like all those other girls she tossed aside. I thought of was different from those other girls, that we were simply meant to be and you were my dream come true. I want us to work, I want us to be together… but I don’t know.” 

“Why would you want to be with me again?” she asked “I… I heard yours and Steve’s conversation before I took him away. You’ve clearly met someone else, Robin, don’t you want to try and work it out with them first before giving me a second chance?” she let out a sigh.

“I don’t think it’d work out with her, I saw her at the War Zone kissing her boyfriend.”

“Oh.” wow, what a way to rub salt into the wound. 

“Besides, I don’t even know if she swings that way to begin with, so I can’t take any real chances.” she nod her head and neither one of them know how to continue the conversation so they settle in silence once more, [F/N] flinched when she felt Robin’s hands bump against hers, she looked over and saw her offering her hand “It will take a long time for the both of us to love each other the way we did before, so before that, how’s about we settle with being friends again?” [F/N] looked down at her hand then at her face, Robin saw the way her hand hesitated to take hers, it flinching back when it lightly touched hers before finally settling down into the palm of her hand. Robin closed her hand around her and gave her a tearful smile, she could feel [F/N]’s hand tremble within hers so she squeezed her hand reassuringly. 

“Yeah… yeah, I can settle with being friends again.” they’re holdings hands and smiling nervously at each other, yeah, this will do. Robin noticed her flinch once more before turning her head in the direction where Steve, Billy and Eddie were. They watched the inaudible conversation to see that Steve was doing most of the talking, keeping a hand on Billy to keep him calm as he spoke to them both, they could only guess that Steve still had a bit of love left for Billy and unlike [F/N] who did break up with Robin, Steve and Billy’s relationship statue was a little unknown. In the end it was Steve pulling Billy into a hug then Eddie joining them with a big smile, Eddie felt eyes on him and saw it was [F/N] staring. She gave a questionable thumbs up but her face brightened when Eddie smiled and gave her a confident thumbs up, she grins and nods her head “Aw, it looks like they worked things out… hopefully.”

“Hopefully?”

“Remember how I said Billy and I feel the same thing?” she nods her head “I still feel a tiny bit of anger inside of Billy, though that’s probably just the possessive side of him and how he just wants Steve to himself. Unfortunately for him, he’s going to share now. I told him it would happen.”

“Would you be angry if I moved on?” she shook her head.

“I would have preferred it, because at least you would have found happiness with someone else instead of clinging to me who could no longer give it to you.” they enjoyed the rest of the time they had left together, still holding hands until Nancy called out to them that it was time. They first dropped Lucas, Erica, Max and Billy off at the Creel house, though [F/N] was a little hesitant to let Billy go because they haven’t been apart since they found each other in the Upside Down. She called him lucky that he didn’t have to go back in there, but he reasoned that someone had to keep an eye on his stupid little sister, so why not him? The others in the RV immediately noticed [F/N]’s change in character, how she settled herself in the back and was gripping her axe pretty slightly that could hear the wood begin to snap from the constant pressure they were sure she was going to snap it in half but was calmed down when Eddie moved from his spot beside Steve to comfort his friend.

“You doing alright?” she let out a shaky breath, her grip loosening for a second before going tight again.

“No.” she spoke, her voice strained “Throughout everything that happened with us, we were always together. I was losing my mind when I was in the Upside Down all alone, and now I’m going in there again without him. I’m anxious, Eddie.” she growled softly when he smacked her in the arm, glaring at him for doing such a thing but her gaze softened when he gave her a confident grin despite the nervousness seen in his eyes.

“But… you’ll have me.” her face softened at his words “And Dustin, but— you get the point, right? You won’t be alone, and you won’t be possessed/brainwashed/flayed. You will be you.” she stared at him then chuckled, dropping her face into her hands and shaking her head lightly.

“Sure, alright. You’ll make do, I suppose.” he gasped, placing a hand on his chest in an offended way.

“Is my presence not enough for the [F/N] Harrington? Why, I never.” she laughed and pushed him, Steve glanced back at the two through the rear view mirror, grinning himself when he saw Eddie wrap an arm around [F/N]’s shoulders and shake her around, at least he managed to calm her down. When he returned his gaze towards the road he let out a shaky breath.

“We’re here.” he announced, the mood immediately shifted and they hastily got ready.

“Okay. I wanna run through it one more time.” Nancy speaks, all eyes on her as she goes through the plan one more time “Phase one.”

“We meet Erica in the playground.” Robin starts “She’ll signal Max, Lucas and Billy when we’re ready.”

“Phase two?”

“Max baits Vecna.” Steve adds “He’ll go after her, which’ll put him in his trance.”

“Phase three?”

“Me, Eddie and [F/N] draw the bats away.” Dustin adds, to which both Eddie grabs places his hand on Dustin’s head to ruffle his head while [F/N] grabbed his shoulder and gave it a squeeze.

“Four.”

“We head into Vecna’s newly bat free laid, and… flambé.” Robin finishes.

“Nobody moves on to the next phase until we’ve all copied. Nobody deviates from the plan, no matter what. Got it?” they all nod their heads and with that they collect their gear and head out to Eddie’s trailer. Steve’s the first to enter the trailer, taking his bag off and tossing it to [F/N] who walked in behind him.

“Be careful.” she warned, he nods his head.

“Thanks. Here goes nothing.” they watch as he climbed through the fissure and when he was inside the Upside Down and gravity did its thing, he managed to flip his body around and land on his feet.

“Copycat.” [F/N] murmured, Robin chuckled.

“What does he want us to do, applaud?” this caused [F/N] to laugh and lightly tap her arm.

“I think it’d inflate his ego.” this caused them all to share a laugh, when Steve disappeared she cracked her neck and through her axe through and followed right after Steve, landing perfectly on her feet inside the Upside Down and giving Steve a smug look just as he came back into the room with another mattress.

“Show off.”

“Says you.” she picks up her axe, throwing it over her shoulder and watched Steve put the mattress under the fissure so the others could have a softer landing. Nancy was next through, Robin going to a knee so Nancy could step onto her thigh and lift herself through. She let out a grunt when she landed on the mattress and when she opened her eyes she was met with both [F/N] and Steve offering her a hand to help her up, letting out a yelp when she was literally thrown to her feet by the both of them. Next to go through was her stuff then Eddie, [F/N] let out a giggle as she hovered over his face with a grin to which he slowly mirrored it when she offered her hand to help him up. Followed him was his stuff then Robin, being helped up by Nancy and Steve and lastly the rest of the stuff and Dustin, who was yanked up by Steve and Eddie “Oh my babies! Mummy’s back!” [F/N] cooed as she kicked the door to Eddie’s trailer open, her arms wide open as she stepped out to greet her babies that waited patiently by her car.

“She’s got demodogs?” Dustin shouted at Steve, watching as [F/N] dropped to her knees to coo and coddle the five demodogs that were chittering and jumping around in excitement, happy to see one of their owners again.

“Yeah, she and Billy trained them better than you could ever.” Dustin let out an offended gasp, [F/N] just shook her head and pulled out some beef jerky and feed them to the demodogs.

“I’m sorry daddy isn’t here, but he wants me to send his love to you.” they whine at that but were happy nonetheless to see her after being separated from her for so long, she goes a few gestures with hands as she stood up then pointed her fingers to where Steve, Nancy and Robin were, they understood and left her side to stand with them “I told them to go with you to help take down Vecna, they should listen to you, Steve. And if they act smart, tell them they’re being bad.” Steve nervously looked down at the demodogs that stared up at him, he wished they had a face so he could tell if they were thinking of eating him “They’re not gonna eat you.”

“I wasn’t thinking that!” she just nodded her head.

“Right.” she shook her head and went over to where Eddie and Dustin were, Steve let out a sigh and turned towards them.

“Hey. If things here start to go south, I mean, at all, you abort. Okay? Draw the attention of the bats. Keep ‘em busy for a minute or two. We’ll take care of Vecna. Don’t try to be cute or be a hero or something, and I’m looking at you, [F/N].” he takes her hands and rubs his thumbs over her knuckles “I-I can’t… I can’t lose you, not again.” she gave him a soft smile.

“Yeah, I promise, I won’t do what I did last time. You’ll come back and I’ll be right here in one piece.” he raises his head and saw she was giving him a big grin, he let out a shaky breath, Eddie smiled himself and placed his hand on Steve’s shoulder.

“Don’t worry. You can be the hero, Steve.” Dustin says from behind him, to which Eddie nods.

“Absolutely. I mean, look at us. We are not heroes.” he nods at Eddie’s words but still hesitates to leave, scared that this was going to be the last time he saw Dustin and Eddie… that this will be the last time he was seeing [F/N]. He let out a breath when [F/N] pulled him into a hug, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and letting him relax into her hold.

“I promise you Steve, we’ll be right here waiting for you.” she feels him nod and though reluctant she let him go, she gives him a nod and gestures for him to go. He slowly nods then finally turns to leave with Nancy and Robin, well, that was until Eddie stepped forward and spoke.

“Hey, Steve?” despite only calling his name, they all turn around and look at Eddie. Steve raised a brow to indicate that he was listening, and though he felt like he was on the spot, he glanced back towards [F/N]. She gave him a look but she could see in his eyes that he was asking for permission to— she stared at him and likely glared at him for even thinking about— oh what the hell, she let out a sigh but nodded. He gave her a grateful smile before surging forward and grabbing Steve by the collar of his jacket, yanking him towards him and pulling him into a kiss. Nancy and Robin respectfully looked away while [F/N] rolled her eyes and lifted her hand to cover Dustin’s eyes. They were panting when they pulled away but chuckled softly together, letting their foreheads rest against each other as they caught their breath “Make him pay.”

“You’ve got it.” Eddie finally lets them leave, he watched him a little longer than he should have because when he turned around he was met with [F/N] glaring at him with her arms crossed.

“What?” she rolled her eyes.

“Make him pay.” she mimicked in her best Eddie voice before scoffing “Real smooth, romeo.” he shoved her.

“Oh, yeah? Like you can do better!” she raised a brow at him, giving him a incredulous expression.

“Please, you reek of virginity. Despite being with Steve for as long as you did, I know you’ve gotten no dick nor ass.” she snickers when his face turned bright red, she ignored his shouting but stopped when she heard panting, looking down only to see one of the demodogs had stayed behind “You— I told you to go help Steve and the others! Go!” it only let out a whine while tilting its head to the side, she let out a sigh as she kneeled down to pet its head “Oh, how could I stay mad at you. Staying by my side till the very end, such devoted loyalty.”

“Shall we get started?” Dustin asked from behind her, she glanced in the direction Steve at them went and let out a sigh.

“Yeah, let’s do this.” the two use bolt cutters to clip away at the wires on the fence while [F/N] effortlessly tears it off herself with her barehands, she glares at the two when they forced her to carry the heavy stuff they needed to barricade Eddie’s trailer. She’s holding Dustin by the scruff of his jacket so he could help Eddie screw sheets of iron over the windows, she gave up helping them and in the end sat on the hood of her car feeding her demogorgon bits of beef jerky while eating some herself.

“You going to help us?!” she looked up at them.

“Nah, you got this.” they groan at her, she got up when she saw they were done and stood beside Dustin.

“Not bad at all.” she hummed.

“Well done, doesn’t look like it’s gonna fall apart.” he glare at her.

“No thanks to you.” Eddie shook his head.

“Now for the fun part.” he spoke and rushes to his room, the other two lagging behind. He came to a stop at the sight of his prized guitar, a gift both herself and Wayne pitched in the moment he desired to own such a beauty “Jesus chr… it’l like… she was destined fo ran alternate dimension. What do you say Henderson, Harrington?” he spoke, slowly approaching his guitar before grabbing it and picking it up from where it was hanging “Are you ready for the most metal concert in the history of the world?”

“That a rhetorical question.” [F/N] chuckled at him.

“Let’s do it.” they’re back outside setting up the rest of the stuff on top of Eddie’s trailer, him leaving the technical stuff to the two smart people but stopped [F/N] so he could talk with her “Hey.” she smiled softly at him.

“Hey. What’s up, dude?” she looked down when she noticed he had something behind his back before revealing it to her, her eyes widened slightly at what she saw “E-Eddie, no. I can’t—” what he was handing her was a microphone he found laying around.

“It’s been years since the last time I’ve heard you sing, [F/N].”

“And you know why I don’t.” he nods softly. 

“Yeah, and I don’t want to overstep, but I’d love to hear you sing… even if it’s for the last time.” he pushes the mic into her hand and walks off, she stares at his retreating form then glares at him.

“Are you guilt tripping me, you son of a bitch?” he didn’t answer her and left her to mull over the option of singing as he played, she was sitting over the edge of the trailer and felt a tug on the end of the mic to see that it was Dustin plugging it in, he gave her a thumbs up and she thought, fuck it, why the hell not?

“She’s in. Move on to phase three.” hearing Robin’s voice through the walkie talkie caused them all to look over at each other, they share a nod and get ready as Dustin brings it to his lips to speak.

“Copy that. Initiating phase three. Let’s hope they hear this.” [F/N] lets out a yawn as she stands to her feet, grabbing at the mic stand and setting up the mic while grabbing at the discarded bottle of alcohol she brought and took a swig from it then throwing it away.

“Don’t worry about that, they’ll hear it for sure.” Dustin plugs in the amp and nods at Eddie, who returns it.

“Chrissy, this is for you.” he rips his pick off his neck and strikes his guitar, the intro to “Master of Puppets” by Metallica beginning to play, both herself and Dustin smile and bob their head to Eddie shredding on the guitar and absolutely having the time of his life but paused for a second to look over at [F/N]. They stare at each other for a couple seconds before she rolled her eyes and looking down at the mic, she let out a sigh before grabbing it and screaming into it.

“Yeeeah!” the shout definitely startled Dustin because he wasn’t expecting it but Eddie grinned, this was the [F/N] he knew and missed. The gang heading into the Creel house heard from where they were Eddie’s guitar but they didn’t expect to hear [F/N]’s voice singing along to Eddie’s playing, Robin and Steve look at each other and smile. [F/N] was grinning, tapping her foot against the ground and head banging to the sound of music in her ears, her mind going back to the time when she wasn’t so afraid of performing, this was something she definitely missed “Master of puppets, I'm pulling your strings~” at the break of the song she lets out a pant and looks over at Eddie, their eyes meet and they start laughing. She steps towards him with the mic and then they’re singing together as if it were old times, not like they were about to get eaten by a flock of deadly demobats.

“Eddie! [F/N]!” they look over at him “We gotta lock down in t-minus thirty seconds!” they nod and keep going.

“Master, master! Just call my name ‘cause I’ll hear you scream~” both her and Eddie then shake their heads, hair flying everywhere when Eddie starts to shred of the guitar as Dustin gives them their countdown and they only stop when Dustin screams out one, the cord of the last note echoing through the now empty Upside Down but then they’re screaming when they realised a lot of the demobats were heading their way. [F/N] immediately drops the mic and grabs Eddie by his arm and shoves him forward, to which he drops his guitar and the both of them are rushing over to grab Dustin and push him back.

“Move! Move! Move!”

“Let’s go!”

“Hurry it up!” she brings her fingers to her lips and whistles sharply, her demodog shooting past the lot of them and waiting by the door.

“Eddie, come on!”

“Hurry!” Dustin was the first in the trailer followed by [F/N] and her demodog, leaving Eddie to close off the fenced gate he and Dustin made before finally jumping into the trailer and closing the door right behind him. [F/N] is panting, trying to catch her breath after just singing and then running away while also checking on her demodog, leaving Dustin and Eddie to geek out after their performance “Dude! Most metal ever!”

“Oh my… oh my god!” she just shook her head, her hand gently petting her baby “Dude, [F/N]! You were great! I’m was so happy to hear your voice again.” she just shrugged her shoulders.

“Eh, it was nothing. You sounded great on your guitar, never lost your touch.” he pulls her onto her feet and hugs her, smiling when he felt her drape herself over his shoulder and lazily hug him back. They both raise a brow when they felt something else so they look over and see that it was Dustin wrapping his arms around the both of them and leaning into their hug, they shake their head and include him. The three of them now found themselves underneath the fissure back to back, slowly moving and watching for anything, any sign of one of the demobats breaking through the barricade as they banged at the walls and screeched. [F/N] furrowed her brows when the screeching stopped, even her demodog snapped its head up when it noticed the lack of noise.

“Hey, dipshits!” Dustin’s sudden screaming startled her and Eddie, causing the two of them to whip their heads towards him “Give up that easy, huh?!” [F/N] slams her hand on top of his head and shakes it while Eddie hisses at him.

“Shh! Is that really necessary?”

“Don’t try and be brave, kid.” they hear clattering and look up, [F/N] grimaced at the realisation “Just great.”

“Shit, shit, shit.”

“They’re on the roof.” they’re following the sound though [F/N] made sure her demodog went ahead of them as they stuck close to Dustin, they were making all sorts of noise on the roof that they all grimaced at the thought of them somehow getting inside. They stop when her demodog was growling at the vent, Dustin paled and look back at them.

“They can’t get in through there, can they?” their eyes widened when one of the bats broke through the vent and snarled at them.

“Oh yes they can! Move!” she shook her head when they both started yelling, she grabbed her demodog and pulled him back to allow Eddie and Dustin to stab at the thing through the vents.

“Die! Die!” it was a little funny watching them jab at the thing while continuously screaming “die” at it, it was amusing “You gonna help us or what?!” she just shrugged.

“You guys look like you’ve got this handled!” it was startling to see how calm she was in this situation, well, what did they expect from someone who survived in the Upside Down for eight months, half of it spent alone while also fighting monsters bigger than herself. She wasn’t scared in the slightest, the only thing that made her nervous was Eddie and Dustin getting hurt. Her eyes then settled on the nailed shields and thought of an idea, she leaves their side and picks one up “Move, move!” they move and she blocks the vent, the nails digging through the ceiling and allowing it to stay in place.

“Good thinking.”

“Thanks.” Dustin’s panting on the floor when a thought comes to mind.

“Are there other vents?” Eddie and [F/N] look at each other.

“Oh, shit!” [F/N] was quick to leave his side and rush to his room with the other three following, when she got to his room a swarm of them burst through the air vent and were quick to fill up the room. She let out a growl and quickly closed the door before any could get any further, she grimaced as she backed away and kept her eyes on it, pushing Eddie back into the living room where her demodog was tugging Dustin back.

“That’s not gonna hold!” he shouts.

“Let’s go! Let’s go!” Eddie looked at [F/N] and saw she still hadn’t moved yet, her grip violent on her axe that he was sure it was going to snap in half. She jumped when he grabbed her by the arm, she looked back towards him and he gently tugged her arm “Let’s go.” he gestured with his head towards Dustin and there they saw the terrified look on his face, she looked back at Eddie and nodded her head.

“Alright.” they let Dustin go through first, her kneeling down and cupping her hands to give him a hand, she didn’t want her demodog getting torn to shreds either so she chucked him through and went to follow. She didn’t bother catching herself this time and instead landed on the mattress, laying on it for a couple seconds before rolling off it and letting out a tired groan “This better be over.” she pushed herself up so she was leaning on her hands, chuckling softly when her demodog rubbed his head against her shoulder.

“Eddie?” she looked up and noticed the way Eddie stopped climbing as he looked back at them then back at the door to his room, some sort of realisation dawned on his face that caused [F/N] to stand to her feet when he moved away from the rope connecting them to the Upside Down.

“What are you doing?” she called out to him, her eyes widening when she saw him grab his spear “Eddie, no!” he then cuts the rope, she reached forward and their half dropped into her hands.

“Eddie! Stop, what are you doing?!” Eddie goes so far as to move the mattress so if they did manage to get through they had nothing to break their fall, he comes back into view and gives them an apologetic look.

“I’m sorry, but I’m buying more time!”

“No!”

“You’re going to get yourself killed! You don’t stand a chance against them alone!” he gave a shrug and turned, her hands were in her hair as she tried to think of anything to get him to stop “Ste… Steve loves you, Eddie!” this was enough to get him to pause, she took that as her chance to keep going “He loves you, Eddie, and I do to. I don’t know what I’m going to tell him if you’re gone… he already lost me and Billy, I don’t want to be there to tell him he lost you too. Please, don’t do this.” Eddie looked up at her.

“Are you saying that to guilt trip me?” the sadness in her voice immediately dropped as she gave him a glare.

“Is it working?”

“Yeah, it almost did.” he turned his back to her and started walking away, laughing softly when he heard her shout at him.

“You motherfucker! I’m gonna break your goddamn legs when I come get your ass! Just you wait, you piece of shit! I’m gonna kick you ass if you walk away, Eddie! Don’t you fucking dare, Eddie!” and with that he was out the door and drawing the demobats away liked he said he would, her hand closed into a tight fist as a deadly look washed over her face.

“[F-F/N]! What are we going to do?” he flinched back when he saw how livid she was.

“I’m going after him, that’s what I’m doing.” she whistles and her demodog was at her feet, he jumps into her arms to which she quickly but as gently as she could chucked him back through into the Upside Down, letting out a breath of relief when he didn’t get hurt too badly because there wasn’t a soft landing to break his fall.

“A-And what about me? What am I supposed to do?” she ignored him to find a chair.

“You’re staying here.” was all she said when she found a chair high enough to help her jump through, she sets it down when Dustin grabbed her arm. “No! I want to help! Let me help you!” his breath hitched in his throat when she turned back towards him, grabbing him by his biceps and shaking him softly.

“YOU are staying right HERE!” she gave him a sad look by the terrified look her gave her, she shook her head and let him go “You have to stay here, because if you get hurt Steve will have my head that I wasn’t able to protect both you and Eddie! We’re supposed to be waiting right here for them… but he just had to go off and save this shitty town that doesn’t deserve him!” she left him with that, turning away to jump onto the chair then pull herself through the fissure, letting out a grunt when she landed on the ground on her side. She dusted herself off and quickly stood to her feet, not sparing Dustin another look despite him calling her name, throwing the door open and grimacing at the sight of the swarm of demobats following after Eddie. Her face relaxed when she saw that her car was still where she left it so she reached into her pocket for her keys, only to pale when she didn’t feel them anywhere so she desperately pats at all the pockets she had and didn’t find them anywhere. Where were they? She always kept them in her pocket, she couldn’t have— she paused when she remembered him pulling her into that hug, that bastard must have taken them then.

“Ah!” the pained scream caused her to whip her head around to see that Dustin have followed her, spraining his ankle in the process from the awkward landing.

“What are you— why did you follow me? I told you to stay back!” she rushes to his side to turn onto his back, he grabbed her by her shoulder and pulled himself up so that they were face to face.

“Like hell I was going to be left behind, you’re taking me with you!” she stared at him, he saw her face twitch as she debated her choices “We don’t have enough time, come on!” she let out a groan.

“Fucking, fine!” when she stood up he expected her to help him up but instead she picked him up and threw him over her shoulder, kicking the door open and whistle again to get her demodog to follow her. She opens the passenger side door and plops him down in the sit, closing the door behind him then going over to the drivers side. Dustin watched as she punched through the underside of her stirring wheel and rip out a couple wires, using her axe to cut through a couple to expose the conductors, striking them a couple times and gritting her teeth when her engine sputtered but didn’t roar “Fucking asshole! Stealing my keys. Making me hot wire my own car. I’m gonna kill him! He’s gonna be revoked of his best friend rights.” she and Dustin let out a cheer when she finally managed to get her car to start, her hand slapping against her console before jumping in.

“Let’s go, let’s go!” she didn’t hesitate to change gears, her foot slamming down on the gas and driving like crazy to where the bats and hopefully still Eddie were. Right now she didn’t care about how much noise she was making, driving cautiously in the Upside Down didn’t matter because she needed to get those fuckers attention so they weren’t swarming Eddie as much, but the roar of her car did little to nothing in comparison to a real meal being presented to them. She slams on the breaks when she finally finds Eddie, her heart dropping into her stomach at the sight of him being held down by those fuckers as they ate away.

“Eddie!” she cried out over his own screams, she grits her teeth and kicks her door open while grabbing her axe. She’s running over as quickly as she could to get to Eddie before it’s too late, her demodog running ahead of her to get to the demobats holding him down. Eddie lets out a gasp at the sight but was astonished when the blade of [F/N]’s bloodied axe comes into view, her veins now black as she let out an animalistic roar at the monsters. She’s killing them easily, the blade of her axe splitting them in two and their blood smearing all over her face and clothes, she goes so far as to picking up his fallen spear and breaking the blade of it off, stabbing at one of the demobats that was holding him down and ripping another in half after grabbing a hold of it “You’re a lucky son of a bitch, you bitch.” he let out a wheeze, coughing up blood but still managing to laugh.

“I knew you’d come...” she scowled at him, leaning down to grab him by the waist and hoist him onto her shoulder. 

“I’m still telling on you.” that was enough to get him to shut up, now she was aimlessly swinging to keep the bats away from her, using her arm to bat them away as well. She ignored the few that attached themselves to the few exposed spots on her body, biting into her flesh and ripping her skin off, but she ignored them and hurried along to get Eddie in her car and safe. Dustin was shouting at her to run, for her to hurry, and alright kid she was trying her damn hardest, but she finally managed and threw him in the back sit but before she could even get in she was suddenly grabbed by her ankle and dragged back.

“[F/N]!” she let out a grunt when they were. really beginning to swarm her, raising her arms so they didn’t get too close to her face. She grabs at the fallen dagger and stabs it through the mouth of one of the bats that was aiming for her face, she would have been in real trouble if her demodog wasn’t there as her sidekick. It fought off the remaining few surrounding her before grabbing her by the back of her jacket and dragged her back to her car before jumping in himself “Y-You’re okay…” Dustin breathed out, arms reaching forward when she got in, bloodied and breathing heavily, but otherwise alright.

“Yeah, but not for long!” the screeching of the bats snapped their heads up, now the two boys in her car were shouting at her to drive, she didn’t need to be told that twice. Losing the bats were easy, they were no match for her mustang, but losing them they couldn’t afford. They still needed to do their job and distract those fuckers long enough for Steve, Nancy and Robin to put that Vecna bitch in the grave so she had to keep a fair distance from those bastards until they were done. So for now her arm reached back to where Eddie was laying and started hitting him “You motherfucker!”

“Ah, hey! I-I’m bleeding back here!” she hits him again. 

“How fucking dare you, Eddie! How dare you put me in that situation! You were going to be killed and I was going to have to be that person to tell him that you were gone! You were going to die for something so… dumb!” her eyes started to get blurry with tears, she sniffled “He told you not be a hero, dammit. Why didn’t you listen?” he stared at the back of her head, his own vision getting blurry from the lack of blood along with his new wounds. 

“Don’t know… wanted to be like you.” she looked at him through the rear view mirror “Strong… brave… confident. You’re amazing, [F/N],” she let out a shuddered laugh.

“I’m anything but that. I’m weak, fragile and scared. I’m angry and broken, and I’m about to shatter if you die so if you die I’m snitching on you.” he laughs weakly.

“You’re snitching regardless.”

“Yes, I am.” at this point she was just driving around aimlessly, those fuckers weren’t getting tired and they certainly weren’t giving up any time soon, persistent bastards. She started to slow only when she noticed they were beginning to fall like flies, she came to a halt when they were all beginning to drop from the sky and die, she let out a tired huff and dropped onto her wheel “They did it…” Dustin hobbles out of the car and let out a relieved smile at the sight of all the bats dying.

“Whoo! They did it! They actually killed Vecna!” he let out a scream when a bat landed on the car, he then noticed that [F/N] was in the backseat and giving Eddie basic aid to try and stop his wounds from bleeding. She rolled her eyes when he started complaining that she was making it hurt, oh yeah? Keep complaining and she’ll make sure it hurts even more “Eddie, you asshole! I’d hit you if you weren’t practically dying right now.”

“Hit him, I’ll patch him up.” Eddie and Dustin share a look, she chuckles when Eddie was left groaning because Dustin managed to kick him in the shin “Well done, now sit still you bitch.” she tightens the makeshift bandages she was using out of her torn shirt and try and stop the bleeding.

“Nnhh, I’m tryin…” she frowned when he was started to slur his words, they needed to get him to a hospital quick or at least get him cleaned up and properly stitched up. She knew a thing or two about fixing wounds and shit, but this was seriously out of her hands.

“C-Can’t you do something?” Dustin asked from beside her, she raised her hands.

“Billy and I got wounds from these bastards many times, but we could easily heal from them. See?” she shows her arm and Dustin noticed that the bite marks from the bats healed over as if there was nothing wrong to begin with “I don’t know how much I can help him other then basic first aid. We NEED to get him to a hospital.” Dustin shakes his head.

“N-No! They’ll arrest him.”

“But he’ll die otherwise. I’m no doctor, but he could die if these wounds aren’t treated.” Dustin looked down at his pained face and frowned, knowing that what she was saying was right “But right now, let’s get you both out of here. Let’s get the others and get the fuck out of here.” he slowly nods.

“Okay…” she nods and helps him back into the car, taking off her jacket and laying underneath Eddie’s head, Eddie taking off his own little shawl to lay it on top of Eddie. [F/N] drives quickly but carefully as to not injure Eddie any further to the Creel house, letting out a breath when it comes into view along with the other three. She comes to a stop right in front of them, her window coming down and giving them a nervous grin.

“Get in bitches, we’re getting out of here.” Steve laughs at the sight of his sister and let out a breath of relief when he saw Dustin in the passenger seat, did he manage to fight Eddie for the seat? He opens the back door and he gasped at the sight of his boyfriend, bloodied and wrapped in makeshift bandages who was barely conscious “Just for the record, it wasn’t my fault.”

“[F/N]!”

“And if you don’t want him to die, I suggest you get in the car so we can get him some real help.”

“[F/N]!”

“Just saying.”

Savory

word count: 7225

Fandom: IRL!MCYT Pairing: Quackity x Male!Reader Pronouns: He/Him Relationship: Romantic Occupation: Baker Ability: N/A

Keys:

[M/N]: Male Name [H/C]: Hair Color [E/C]: Eye Color [D/N]: Dog Name

Warnings: cringey

I like making my oc’s and even readers really tall, fight me.

this is hella gay and it hurts my brain because I rushed it.

that is all.

Dammit.

That was the only thought going throughout Quackity’s mind as he ran along the streets, why you may ask. Simple really, it’s because he lost his gorgeous pet cat, Tiger. Sure, he knew that Tiger was quite adventurous and most certainly feisty, but never would have thought that Tiger would run off so suddenly as he did, he immediately sprung into action and fled his house in search of his dear sweet pet cat.

“Tiger! Oh please, where did you go? Tiger!” he called out rather frantically, soon enough, worry started to arise when countless scenarios started playing throughout his head. What if Tiger got hit by a car? What if Tiger got mauled by another animal? What if someone took his cat?! Now the panic was starting to kick in and he was searching in a more frantic manner, running up and down the footpath while continuously calling out his cat’s name. When everything seemed dire, he heard the sound of soft laughter, he turned his head and he couldn’t help but freeze up at the sight before.

He wasn’t really one to act as flustered as he did at the very moment with his outgoing and flamboyant personality, but he really couldn’t help it at what was before him. He also had to agree that George had the pretty privilege and was most certainly gorgeous, but this guy took the cake. Short/Long [H/C] hair with strikingly bold [E/C] eyes, even from a fair he could tell that this rather attractive male had quite a broad and muscular body and that smile that graced his face that caused a slight tint of red to dust his cheeks as he played with a cat. Wait-- cat? He took a closer look and his eyes widened in a mixture of relief and shock at the sight of Tiger curled up beneath this man, showing his underside so he could scratch his belly.

“Hey! That’s my cat!” he shouts as he rushes over, this sudden commotion caused the man to stop petting Tiger and raise his head to turn over to where Quackity was currently rushing over, he nearly stumbled over his own footing when his [E/C]’s landed on him.

“Oh? I’m sorry.” he apologized, he tried standing to his feet but laughed when Tiger launched himself forward and clung onto the shirt of the stranger, who laugh as he held Tiger close so he couldn’t fall, laughing even more when the cat curled up in his arms and started purring when he started scratching under his chin “I didn’t know he was yours, kind of distracted me when he was sprawled all over the footpath.” Quackity returned the kind smile with a rather nervous one, rubbing the back of his neck when he realized just how tall the man in front of him was, probably about 6″3-4ft tall.

“It’s no problem. Thought I lost him, I’m just glad he’s alright.” the stranger nods his head and watched as the shorter one of the two reached forward to take his cat back, now it was Quackity’s turn to laugh when he saw how much trouble the stranger was having giving his cat back. When Tiger felt the man was no longer going to hold him, he started letting out meows while clinging onto his shirt, crying out louder when Quackity tried taking him back “I am so sorry.” the stranger just shakes his head.

“Oh, not at all. For some reason, animals tend to love me. I grew up with a lot of pets and my folks call me the animal whisperer with how much our pets loved me.” a couple minutes went by and Quackity wasn’t able to get Tiger to let go of the attractive stranger so he let out a sigh, hands pressing against the lower side of his back as he stared at his cat that soon climbed out of his arms and was now resting on his shoulders.

“I really am sorry about him, he’s not usually like this.” he only hummed, reaching up and scratching under his chin once more.

“He’s a real cutie he is.” he then offers his hand to the shorter man, polite smile on his face “I’m [M/N] by the way, thought you’d want to know.” Quackity’s eyes perked up at that and took his hand.

“Um, my name is Alexis! But people call me Alex.” he nods his head before pointing at the cat “Oh, his name is Tiger.” [M/N]’s eyes lit up at what he said.

“Tiger? Aw, such a cute name.” he cooed.

“Do you have any pets?” his eyes lit up once more.

“Of course.” he then turned his head, raising his hand and bringing his fingers to his lips before letting out a sharp whistle “[D/N], come!” he shouts, Quackity turned his head to where [M/N] was looking at was startled at the sight of a merle great dane barreling over to where they were standing. [M/N] laughs as he grabs Tiger and raises him above his head when his dog tackled him to the ground, he let out an oof as his body landed on the ground with a thud but he still continued to hold Tiger above him so he wouldn’t get trampled by his dog 

“This is my great dane [D/N]!”

“He’s quite big.” [M/N] rolls his eyes as Quackity took his chance to finally take Tiger out of [M/N]’s hands without him fighting back.

“Of course he’s big, he’s a great dane my guy!” he exclaimed, Quackity knelt down and set Tiger down and he was rather thankful that his little furry companion decided to loiter around him, he laughed when [M/N]’s dog started licking his face but he managed to push his face away to get a breather “See? Animals love me.” he nods.

“Sure, I’ll believe that when I see you start talking to birds.” he pursed his lips at the thought.

“Don’t tempt me.” when his great dane managed to settle down, he rolled his neck and rubbed his back after taking the full impact of his weight and his dog’s, he then noticed [D/N] nuzzling his snout into Quackity’s thigh and he hummed softly “He likes you.”

“Eh? Really?” Quackity’s face flushes once more when [M/N] gave him a gentle smile as he nodded his head, scratching his dog behind the ears. 

“What’s unique is that [D/N] is usually so defensive around strangers, but he’s taken a liking to you.”

“R-Right.” the two of them continued to chatter, though they moved locations to a nearby bench so that they weren’t sitting in the middle of the footpath and out of the way of walking pedestrians, and they were overall enjoying each other’s company. [D/N]’s head was resting on [M/N]’s thigh as he nuzzled close into his owner’s side while Tiger nestled silently in Quackity’s lap, the latter calmly patting his cat as it slept. The two of them hadn’t even realized how long they were talking for until they saw the street lights beginning to turn on as the day turned into night, [M/N] gave Quackity an apologetic look as he stood to his feet, gently patting his dog’s head after the abrupt action.

“Oh! I’m sorry for taking up so much of your time.” now it was Quackity’s turn to stand up, being more careful as he held Tiger in his arms.

“No, no! Not at all, I actually enjoyed this afternoon.” he then looks to the side, his nervousness beginning to crawl up the back of his neck “I was also kind of hoping we could talk again.” [M/N] blinked at the request before smiling softly, he pulled out a pen from his wallet to pull out an old receipt and scribbled something down on the back of it, he tore off the needed part before scrunching up the waste and handing the other part to him.

“Call me when you’re free, yeah? Then I’ll know when I’m not taking up your time when you’re busy.” he then waves his hand to bid the other goodbye before walking off with [D/N] by his side, yipping and barking while jumping side to side then following his owner home. Quackity continued to stand there like a fool before letting out a long groan, the soft blush on his cheeks continuing to grow as his hand tightened into a fist, accidentally crumbling [M/N]’s phone number.

“Dammit.”

Quackity was soon looking forward to having conversations with [M/N], he most certainly had the best humor when it came to the entire Dream SMP, but [M/N] was just so goddamn comedic there would be hours where the two of them are just talking while making jokes. It soon became a competition between the two of them to see who could make the other laugh first or the most, so far Quackity was the reigning champion between them but [M/N] wasn’t too far behind. Currently, Quackity was laying in his bed with his phone beside his head and there he was chuckling softly at the sound of [M/N]’s boisterous laughter sounding from his phone’s speaker.

”Come on, that joke was funny!” [M/N] cried out, he snorted to himself when he could tell that [M/N] was clutching his stomach as he continued to laugh, to which he only shook his head.

“I see that I am the ultimate victor when it comes to comedy since now you’ve resorted to dad jokes and puns in order to get me to laugh.” the latter snorts, wiping away a tear that shed.

”Dad jokes and puns are funny.” Quackity rolls his eyes, rolling onto his side so that he was facing his phone, smiling softly as [M/N]’s icon shun whenever he spoke, the light illuminating his darkroom.

“It depends on what joke.”

”Alright, I have another one for you!” Quackity shook his head once more, resting his cheek onto his closed fist as he closed his eyes, waiting for [M/N] to tell his terrible joke ”Why couldn’t the pirate finish the alphabet?” he hummed, genuinely trying to answer the joke but his mind came to a blank, maybe because it was the sound of [M/N] trying to stifle his laughter at the terrible joke.

“I don’t know, why?”

”Be... because he got lost at C!” it wasn’t the fact that it was the joke that made him laugh, it was the sound of [M/N]’s laughter that made him smile, maybe also the sound of a thud coming from his side of the line, he probably fell off wherever he was sitting because of how hard he was laughing “It’s such a terrible joke but it’s just so funny!” he exclaims, sniffling a little before taking deep breaths to calm himself.

“You have such terrible humor.”

”I do not!” they then both started laughing, soon the laughter died down and the two of them sat in their respective rooms in silence. It wasn’t an awkward silence, it was rather comfortable and the two of them basked in the silence as they listened to the sound of each other breathing softly. [M/N] closed his eyes as he leaned back in the chair he was resting on, he glanced at the time and noticed that it was already past midnight, he grimaced to himself and leans forward to apologize to Quackity but paused when he heard the soft sound of his snoring. His gaze softened a little as he stared down at his phone, he then chuckled softly as he picked up his phone and raised it to his lips “Sweet dreams, Alexis.”

[time skip: a few days later]

Quackity had gotten rather busy lately, with all his assignments from school and late-night streaming, he hadn’t really been able to converse with [M/N] overcall but rather having a few short conversations through text, but that was that. [M/N] also had his own things he had to take care of so he wasn’t necessarily that distraught when he would politely decline hanging out, a man’s gotta do to live, you know? He was now walking down the busy streets of California with no clear destination in mind, just a simple stroll and stopping here and there while casually listening to music blaring through his earphones.

’Hmm, I could really go for something sweet right now.’ he thought to himself, pursing his lips before taking a seat on a nearby bench, pulling his phone out, and thinking about [M/N] ’He did mention that he was in the food industry, maybe he might know a place or two.’ he shrugs his shoulders before scrolling through his contacts, pressing on [M/N]’s icon before letting it ring.

...

...

“Hello? [M/N] speaking, to whom am I speaking with?” he chuckled softly at the sing-song voice [M/N] used as he answered the phone, already knowing that the man on the other side of the phone knew exactly who it was.

“It’s the one and only.” the man on the other line perked up immediately at the sound of his voice.

”Alexis! Haha, what can I do for you? And not to be rude, I hope you can be a little quick, I’m kind of in the middle of work.” Quackity immediately felt bad for calling now knowing that his friend was in the middle of something.

“Oh, I am so sorry! I can call ba--”

”No, it’s fine, really!” [M/N]’s voice was sincere as he spoke, he couldn’t help but be a little flustered that he would take up his time just to talk to him over something so small, god, he felt embarrassed right now ”Now why did you call me? Is something the matter?” yeah, he was feeling really embarrassed now, he pressed a hand onto his face before looking to the side.

“No, it’s nothing major.” he groans to himself, throwing his head back “I was just feeling like eating something sweet right now and thought you could recommend someplace to eat.” his face flushed a shade of red when all he earned from the other male was silence.

”... hmm, where are you right now? Are you at home?” he shakes his head, before he could answer he heard [M/N] let out an oh ”Hold that thought.” he furrows his brows when he hung up, he let out a huff.

“Wow, rude much.” he sat there for a minute or two then perked up when he heard his phone ping, pulling it out, he saw that it was from him.

From: [M/N]  To: Alexis

look up.

“Look up?” he then heard tapping so he raised his head before jumping on the spot at the sight of [M/N], when he finally spotted him, he smiled softly and waved his hand to greet him. Before [M/N] ended the call, he looked at the window of the building he was in, and to his surprise, he saw Quackity sitting on the bench outside, quite the coincidence. He soon waved his hand to gesture for him to enter, and how could he refuse the opportunity to see his friend. He soon realized that the building he entered was a bakery of sorts that also served as a café, it felt very homey and it put his mind to ease, he then looked over the counter and saw his friend waving at him with a bright smile.

“Hello, I humbly welcome you to my café that produces baked goods of all kinds. Whether they’re the generic cupcake or brownies, or French pastries like Canelé or Crème Brûlée. You’ll find what you want here.”

“Wow, really? You own this place?” [M/N] huffs.

“Did you really just ignore everything I just said?” Quackity raises his hand, snorting a little at the offended look [M/N] was giving him.

“Well, what kind of reaction do you want me to give you? Do you want me to say “oh my god! You see all sorts of desserts for my fatass to eat? Wow, you’re a life savior!” no, but it is pretty cool.” he starts to laugh when [M/N] has him an unamused.

“Damn, alright.” he waves at his employees to take care of the other customers while he personally dealt with Quackity, he leaned against the glass case and smiled softly at him “Well, what can I get you sir? Is there anything appealing that you want?” he looks at the assortment of desserts before raising his head to look at [M/N], he thought for a minute before a devious smirk worked its way to his face.

“These all look certainly appealing, but,” [M/N] raised a brow in question when Quackity snapped his fingers then winked at him “the most delectable one I see is you.” [M/N]’s eyes widened slightly at the poor pick-up line, but that didn’t stop the slight pink flushing to the tips of his ears, Quackity thought he got him until he gave an answer.

“Unfortunately for you sir, I am not on the menu.” he gives a smirk of his own, leaning forward so that he was a few inches away from his face “I am a delicacy few can afford, so it’d be smart of you to choose wisely sir.” he giggles to himself when it was Quackity’s turn to be flustered, pursing his lips and turning his head away to hide the blush spreading across his cheeks.

“Okay... that was smooth.” he grins.

“Thank you. Now seriously, what do you want?” he went for the safe route and went for a Mexican Pan Dulce, one that would hit home, he had been missing Mexican cuisine so eating it again would definitely be nice. [M/N] shows him to a seat then sits with him, he stated he was on break so it should be fine to catch up a little “So how have you been? We haven’t been able to talk as of lately because we’ve both been busy, how’s your streaming been?” Quackity told him about his Twitch and YouTube channel a few weeks into their friendship and told him he could call him by his channel name but the latter was quite insistent on just calling him Alexis, saying that if he didn’t have a cool name to go by, they’ll both be addressed by their boring names.

“Well, walking into your café just reminded me what I wanted to do for a new video.” he quirked a brow, raising his cup of coffee to his lips, waiting for him to lay his new content idea on him “I wanted to do a cooking stream.” [M/N] claps his hands.

“How delightful, I’ll make sure to watch and make small comments on what you’re doing.” Quackity pursed his lips at the way he said it, he didn’t know if he was saying that to be nice or to poke fun at him.

“Well, since I now know your knowledge of cooking is quite out there, I was wondering if you would like to be a special guest on my cooking stream?” his eyes widened slightly once more at the suggestion, he then furrows his brows slightly.

“Alexis, cooking, and baking are two completely different things. To simplify, cooking is the broader category of food preparation methods, while baking is one of those methods. Cooking can be done a number of ways, while baking requires the use of indirect, dry heat from an oven to prepare food for eating.“ he pulled a face when he knew Quackity wasn’t listening to his explanation.

“... then it’ll be a baking stream!” [M/N] only shook his head with a sigh, but he laughed nonetheless “You don’t have to agree if you don’t want to, but we both know that I’ll fuck up everything without the proper supervision.” he watched as the [H/C] male lean back in his seat, rolling his fingers against the tabletop before shrugging his shoulders.

“Meh, sure, why not?” Quackity cheers “But it’ll cost yah.” he deflates.

“What?!” he then snorts.

“I’m pulling your leg.” they both hear a whistle so [M/N] glances over and saw one of his employees, they gesture to the clock so he glances down at his watch and pouts “Pity, it seems my break is already over. I was hoping to talk a bit more with you, but alas.”

“I’ll tell you when I’m planning on having my stream.” he nods.

“I’ll see you then, Alexis.” he winks before leaving to get back to work, he hums to himself, leaning back in his seat before munching on the pan dulce, now beginning to look forward to his next stream.”

[day of the stream]

“Pizza? I thought we were baking.” [M/N] said softly, putting down his bag and gently greeting Tiger as he entered Quackity’s humble abode, he also brought [D/N] and promised that his dog wouldn’t be too much trouble. He pursed his lips as he watched Quackity sit up in his kitchen before turning around to face him, tutting his finger.

“Pizza is a type of bread so bake is the correct term, however, you look at it.” he laughs when he saw the other roll his eyes, continuing to pet Tiger.

“Well, I’m sorry. I’m just used to baking sweet things, not savory, but I do know how to make a pizza.” he hums to himself when Quackity clapped his hands, a bright smile on his face. [M/N] watched silently as Quackity set up his PC and the camera, directing it to where they would be baking the pizza, he brought an extra pair of clothes just in case things got messy, he had watched a couple of Quackity’s videos and saw just how chaotic he was, but he was hilarious nonetheless.

“I’m almost ready setting up, oh! Here’s an apron.” [M/N] let out a laugh when he chucked it at him, he pulled it off his face before standing up and putting it on, tying the laces around his waist before pulling his hair back, making sure that flour wouldn’t be able to get in his hair.

“Is there anything you want me to do specifically, or no?” he hums at the question before shaking his head, giving him a smile and a thumbs up.

“Just be yourself.” he hummed at that, Quackity did tell him to wait, he was going to start his stream and greet his chat first before introducing them to his guest. Watching him was quite entertaining, seeing how he was able to hype his chat up to what he had in store for them, snorting to himself when he heard him claim how he was a “professional chef”, he shook his head at that. Quackity noticed this and spared him a knowing glance before looking back towards the camera, he rambled for a couple more minutes before clapping his hands “As you’ve already read in the title of the stream, we have a special guest that will be joining us today and helping us! Isn’t that exciting?” he glances at his PC to see the chat going crazy.

”Who is it?”

“Did you meet up with someone?”

“Karl?”

“A guest!”

“Alright, alright, calm down. He’s a friend of mine and he isn’t really a streamer or content creator, just your average joe.” [M/N] looked at him.

“Hey!” he shouts, this caused Quackity to throw his head back while laughing, he pats his chest to calm himself before throwing his arm out in the direction where [M/N] was sitting.

“Come on in, my friend! Come and introduce yourself to the chat.” he shook his head before getting up from where he saw sitting and walking into the camera shot, having to bend down slightly because the camera was pointing down at an angle that could fit Quackity and not himself.

“Hello~ I am the guest, my name is [M/N]. Nice to meet you all.” both himself and Quackity were blown away at how fast the chat was spamming messages and even donations, [M/N]’s eyes scanning them as fast as he could to read what they were saying.

“Awooga!”

“Sexy voice!”

“Gorgeous!”

“Tall hunk!”

”Wow, I believe your chat likes me.” he mumbles to himself, a soft blush rising to his cheeks as he continued to read the continuous compliments coming from the dozens of viewers, he then perked up when someone sent a donation.

ur_mom donated $5

Damn quackity, your friend lookin hella fine, if you know what I mean? he single? 

“Um, yes? I am single, but I’m not exactly looking for a relationship with a minor, please and thank you.” now the chat was roasting the hell out of the person who sent the dono, he laughs once more before glancing down at Quackity who had an offended look “Oh, come on now, don’t tell me you’re jealous that your viewers find me more attractive than you?” he scoffs, pushing him back with a laugh.

“Hell no! Looks isn’t everything, skill is key and I’ll demonstrate that through our cooking stream!” [M/N] pulls a face, placing a hand on his hip and leaning on his side.

“I literally own a bakery, I bake for a living. That’s the whole reason you invited me, remember?” they stood in silence for a couple seconds before Quackity pushes [M/N] away by his face and faces the camera once more.

“Today we will be making a pizza!” the chat begin to laugh when [M/N] swatted his hand away and gave him an offended look.

“Oi!” for the first half of the stream, [M/N] was practically stopping Quackity from harming himself, being floored when the man literally put his finger into boiling water to check if it was warm enough, he was surprised he hadn’t burned down his kitchen for how reckless he was.

“Alexis, I’m literally getting a headache with what you’re doing.” he says as he watched him mix the two cups of water and the yeast with a spatula all because he didn’t have a mixer, he slaps a hand onto his forehead when he then saw him pick it up and sniff the mix before coughing and gagging at the smell “I’m going to smack the shit outta you if you don’t stop that nonsense, boy.” Quackity laughs as he looks up at him.

“I know what you’re doing!”

“Mm hmm.” he then taps his shoulder.

“Then, I’ll leave this to you while I go prepare the flour.” he only sighs in response to that, taking the measuring cup of water and yeast and stirring it with a whisk instead, gagging himself at that smell that was coming from it “Where’s the bowl? Who the fuck stole my bowl?!” [M/N] only sighed as he shook his head, glancing over his shoulder.

“Look in your cupboards, Alexis, you didn’t pull any other bowls out.” he lets out an ah at that before crouching down and rummaging through his cupboards to look for a bowl, [M/N] squints at the abomination he was mixing, adding some more yeast in it just as Quackity returned with a bowl.

“Alright, we got the bow here.” he glances down at it and sighs, he changes his gaze to Quackity.

“That’s a strainer, not a bowl, keep looking.” he looks down at it before laughing, throwing it away and searching for a bowl once more, when he couldn’t find one he left the room calling for his mother and asking her where a bowl was, only later to return with one in hand.

“Ah! It was right in front of me.” he cheered, he then leaves once more to grab flour, showing it to the camera “Gluten free flour!”

“Gluten free? Damn.” Quackity smacks him in the arm before proceeding to look into the packet, opening it up and attempting to pour it into the bowl, [M/N] then looks up in thought before putting the measuring bowl to the side.

“What kind of yeast did you use again?” he asked, taking the box of yeast and reading through it.

“Vegan yeast.” he grimaces once more as he reads through it, he then glanced back at him.

“You do know that nutritional yeast is deactivated and will not rise, right?” just as he said that, a dono saying what he saw popped up.

...

...

“Anyways-” [M/N] closed his eyes, Quackity only laughed at his response before resuming the stream. Most of the time it’d be [M/N] pointing things out and giving detailed instructions on how to properly make the pizza, he had to admit, he knew he was nitpicking everything Quackity was doing, but he genuinely couldn’t help it when his main profession involved baking, but the latter didn’t mind whatsoever.

kazterboro cheered! x500

Can we get one flour handprint on that crisp black shirt?

“Goodness gracious.” [M/N] murmured softly, he eyed Quackity and grimaced slightly when he noticed that he was genuinely considering it.

“I’ll think about it.”

“Don’t think about it, flour is a hassle to get out of clothes until they are washed, I would know from experience, Alexis.” this only earned him a roll of the eyes as he mixed the flour with salt and yeast as he removed any cooking equipment from the counter that they won’t be needing anymore into the sink when the mixture turned into a dough and they were in the process of kneading it into its shape. [M/N] didn’t think much time went by when he turned away but by the time he returned, he saw Quackity had two flour handprints on his chest and they weren’t going away “... you better wash your hands with soap before you touch that dough.” he sulks but nods his head.

“Right.” he sighs with a laugh before rolling his sleeves up.

“I’ll knead the dough until you’ve finished, yeah? Shouldn’t take me too long.”

“Right, but I want to knead it too.” he nods before getting to work, Quackity was surprised because by the time he turned back around he saw that [M/N] had already kneaded the dough enough to the point he was able to spin it around on one hand while tossing it into the air before catching it spinning it around in one hand once more “What the hell? Barely a minute has passed and you’re already doing that?” [M/N] grins.

“My skill never fails to bring out the best in what I make.” Quackity continued to stare at him before reaching forward.

“Gimme a try.” he raised a brow.

“Sure you’re up for the task?” he waves his hand.

“Psh, how hard can it be?” this only earned him a quirked brow before [M/N] handed him the dough, five seconds later the dough he threw up and landed on his head. The two of them stood in silence before [M/N] burst out into laughter at how funny that was, he wiped away a tear before reaching forward and grabbing the edges of the dough, and lifting it up to take a peek at Quackity. There, he saw his face was a slight shade of red due to the fact that he made himself look even more foolish and he was avoiding his gaze.

“Now that was funny.” he says, he removes the dough from off of his head and chuckled when he noticed that his face was covered in flour “Perhaps you should leave this to me, huh?” Quackity did not like the mocking tone [M/N] was giving him so he removed his headphones off his head and let them hang on the microphone, he then took the dough from him and placed it down before grabbing a fistful of flour. He let out a gasp when Quackity threw the flour at his face, [M/N] coughed when he inhaled it before sneezing and waving his hand in the air to clear his vision.

“Not so funny now, is it.” [M/N] raised his head and stared down at him.

“Oh, it’s on.” the chat went wild as they watch the two grown men start throwing flour at each other and making a whole mess in the kitchen, laughing as they did and not even caring that they were going to have to clean it up in the end. They hadn’t known how much time and gone but [M/N] stopped to catch his breath, maybe it was the amount of flour in the air that caused him to start coughing or how much he was laughing, he stopped paying attention really. He took a step forward but paused when his foot slipped on the pile of flour beneath his foot, he panicked and reached forward, grabbing hold of Quackity but ultimately, they both collapsed to the ground “Ah... sorry.”

“No, no. We both should have seen this coming.” look down, Quackity froze up when he realized just how close he was to [M/N]. Pushing himself up, he realized that his hands were on either side of [M/N]’s head and his chest was pressed against his chest and his face was ridiculously close to his, he shuddered a little when he felt [M/N]’s hands gripping his thighs a little.

“Alexis?” when he opened his eyes, they both started to blush at the awkward position they were in, even more so when [M/N] tried to lift his head but that would result in them touching noses “Uh...” they laid there for a good couple seconds, wordlessly staring into each other’s eyes but they finally moved when [D/N] trotted over to them and licked Quackity’s face.

’Thank you [D/N] for breaking that awkward moment!’ Quackity screamed in his head before pushing himself completely off of [M/N] and waving his hand towards the camera, the chat spamming him about what happened.

“Sorry about that! Just a little mishap, that’s all!” [D/N] even graced the audience with his presence by jumping up and his front paws were on the counter, Quackity continued the next part of the stream while [M/N] continued to lay on the floor, face bright red but hidden as he covered his face with his hands.

’He was too close.’

[time skip: a few hours later]

[M/N] was currently in Quackity’s shower and he was having one of those deep shower thoughts running through his mind as he washed his body and hair of the flour that got on him when they had that little flour fight and when he collapsed to the grou-- he let out a silent shriek as he slapped his hands onto his face, face turning red once more as he remembered the feeling of Quackity on top of him as his hands tightly gripped his thighs... damn, his thighs were pretty thi--

“Stop!” he shouts as he slaps himself across the face, letting out a groan as he let his hands drag his face down. Quackity sat in his living room feeling refreshed by flustered himself, Tiger resting along his shoulders while [D/N] was resting his head on his lap. They finished the stream rather smoothly despite the little bit of tension in the air, but they didn’t let that get in their way from creating the abomination they called a pizza, [M/N] refusing to eat it in fear of getting food poisoning from their creation. He offered to clean the kitchen while Quackity had a shower first, insisting that it would be alright for him to do so, he let his head lean back but was mindful of Tiger.

“Dammit, stupid feelings. Why the hell do I feel like a school girl in those TV shows?” he muttered to himself before throwing his head forward, inwardly apologizing when both pets pulled away at the abrupt movement. His hands were pressed against his cheeks as he remembered the feeling of his thighs in [M/N]’s hands, the feeling of his breath fanning against his face along with the way his eyes didn’t seem to waver as they stared at each other “God am I gay...”

“You’re what?” he shot up and whipped his head to the point he was surprised he didn’t neck himself with how fast he moved, there he saw [M/N] in different clothes, towel hanging from his shoulders as his body steamed a little from the long hot shower “I’m not saying that it’s a bad thing, good for you.” Quackity stood to his feet, face red once again as he shook his hands and head.

“No, no, no! No, I-I’m not-- no, I don’t-- dammit!” he shouts, slapping a hand to his forehead “You know how I am with the jokes, I’m was kidding... I’m no--.” he lets out a groan as he sits back down, head in his hands as he tried to calm himself, god he was having such a gay panic that he wanted to die. [M/N] took a seat beside him, keeping a distance to ensure that the other was comfortable and whether or not he should touch him or not comfort him.

“I understand, I guess I just misunderstood what you were saying, there’s no need to panic.” they sat in a comfortable silence until Quackity raised his head, eyes hesitating to meet his.

“... are we gonna talk about what happened?” a soft blush flushed onto his cheeks.

“What do you want to talk about? Did I make you feel uncomfortable?” he shook his head.

“No! Not at all, honestly, I just wasn’t expecting it.” he raised his hands and pulled his beanie off his head, running a hand through his hair before messing with it “If I’m being honest, it was pretty gay.” [M/N] stared at him, he snorts before bursting into laughter.

“Yeah, I guess it was pretty gay.” they both share a laugh before staring at each other, Quackity gasped softly when he noticed [M/N]’s hand was slowly inching towards his, stopping just a couple inches away as he raised his gaze to look at him. He was silently asking him if it was alright, he didn’t need a verbal response when he laced their fingers together before bringing their hands up so they could both see how Quackity held his much larger hand in his own. He caressed the male’s hand with his thumb, reveling in the feeling of his soft/rough palm against his own.

“This is very gay.” he nods.

“It is.” [M/N] pulls him slightly until they were close again, not attempting to hide how flustered he was getting, he gave Quackity’s hand a light squeeze as he stared at him with a soft and gentle gaze “Do you mind if I...?”

“Make it even gayer?” the latter rolled his eyes but nodded his head, Quackity didn’t have the voice to answer him so he meekly nodded his head. Now that he had the go-to, [M/N] raised his other hand to gently cup his cheek, reassuringly caressing his thumb into his cheek before leaning forward and pressing a soft kiss to his lips. When he pulled away, he saw Quackity was shaking softly, eyes screwed shut as his face now resembled that of a tomato... hell, maybe even brighter. 

“I hope this shows you how much I like you, Alexis.” he said softly, to which the other hesitantly opened his eyes and saw the look of pure love swirling in his eyes, he let out a soft groan as he covered his face with his forearm and turned away.

“Dammit... stop messing with my feelings like that.” [M/N] only let out a chuckle, tightening his hold on his hand when he felt him try and take it back.

“So, do you accept my feelings?” he let his eyes peek from over his forearm and saw how he was waiting for an answer like a puppy, he tried to be stern with his answer but his voice betrayed him with how nervous he was.

“Y-Yes, I do.” he cursed himself that he stuttered, but the other found it quite cute as a wide smile spread across his face as he let out a cheer, throwing his arms up then wrapping them around his smaller frame and pulling him into a hug.

“You really have no idea what this means for me...!” he whispers softly, face buried deep in his shoulder. Quackity glanced up at him before slowly wrapping his arms around him to return the gesture, the heat never disappearing as the beating of his heart continued thumping aggressively against his chest. [M/N] pulled away and gave him an eager look before pulling him into a much deeper kiss this time, pouring all his heart and soul into it so Quackity can feel just how in love he was with him, he was gasping for air by the time he pulled him away as a string of saliva was what was connecting them together.

“Now that was gay...” he said softly, out of breath, [M/N] snorted at that before resting his forehead against his head.

“Yeah, but you’re gay for me.”

Headcanon:

when they start dating, [m/n] is fine that quackity doesn’t want to reveal his relationship to his viewers or friends just yet, it was quite understandable and waited patiently until he was more comfortable.

quackity usually doesn’t hesitate to express how he’s feeling, but he just feels so much more flustered when he’s around [m/n] and he’s usually the one that gets embarrassed when [m/n] showers him in love.

[m/n] definitely bakes food and has quackity taste test them to see if they’re alright or not.

bake nights. they have bake nights sometime during the week and it usually ends with them being covered in flour or some sort of batter.

this usually ends with them showering together.

quackity is the little spoon, without a doubt.

he enjoys feeling [m/n]’s arms wrapped around him and keeping him close, he’s actually quite warm and he enjoys the warmth coming from him to the point that he clings to him like a koala.

[m/n] makes little appearances here and there during quackity’s streams, his viewers have come to enjoy seeing him show up randomly during his streams.

[m/n] also checks up on him, handing him food and water and makes sure he’s alright and looking after himself. making him tea or something else warm to drink from all the screaming he’s doing.

the other twitch streamers also like [m/n] a lot, not only was his funny that he was a perfect match for quackity’s comedy, he was just so goddamn gorgeous that they were jealous that quackity had a front row seat to see him.

sometimes quackity gets jealous with how the chat keep flirting with his lover, the same going for [m/n] when they say something quite provocative.

but nonetheless, they both know that comments like those mean nothing to them.

their relationship was their little secret until quackity decides that this fine hunk of meat was all his, and his alone. 

he was yours, and you were his.

Support

word count: 6453

Fandom: FNAF Security Breach  Pairing: N/A x Female!Reader Pronouns: She/Her  Relationship: N/A Occupation: Mechanic Ability: N/A

Keys:

[F/N]: Female Name  [L/N]: Last Name [N/N]: Nickname [H/C]: Hair Color [E/C]: Eye Color

Warnings: spoilers to those who haven’t seen fnaf sb.

"You hired me, a person who majored in Mechanical Engineering, to repair damages around the Pizza Plex and the occasional animatronics when they’re damaged?” [F/N] questioned, hands tucked into the pockets of her overalls as she looked at the people who hired her “I better be getting paid good money for this, because this is not what I signed up for.” one of her few employers laughed, throwing their head back before placing a hand on her shoulder.

“Don’t worry about it. You’ll be getting paid your share, you’ll even get bonus’ for everything you fix around the Pizza Plex.” she raised a brow at that, they smirked when they piqued her interest “Everything involving the job should be in the contract that you signed, but we are also not responsible for any harm that comes your way as you work here, mmkay?” she gave them a look.

“What is that supposed to mean?” she questions, only to be ignored when they walked over to their desk to grab something, she lets out a sigh, head hanging low before looking up and crossing her arms “So all I need is to keep the machines in tip top condition and fix anything that needs a little fixing? That’s it?” they nod their head.

“Oh, and if we need you to do anything else, we’ll call for you.” they let out a small cheer when they managed to find what they were looking for and so they handed it to her “That’s a high leveled security badge, don’t lose it now, because that’s the only thing that gives you access to the entire property.” they explain, she nods her head before proceeding to put it into one of the many pockets within her utility belt.

“Am I mainly going to be stationed within Parts and Service?” they nod their head, grabbing a clipboard and reading through it.

“Uh huh. You’re free to roam around the Pizza Plex, but when you’re needed somewhere or you need to return to Parts and Service, we’ll send you a notification on your Faz Watch.” at the mention of that, [F/N] glanced down at the watch and looked at the many things it had to offer.

“Hmm, cool.” she muttered to herself as she clicked on a few things. 

“What you need to know about each bots and how to fix them should be in Parts and Service, give them a read when you have to the time, okay?” she nods her head “Alright, for now, go introduce yourself to a few of the animatronics and Officer Vanessa.” she looked back at them.

“Officer Vanessa?” they nod.

“Mm, one of the few human security guards.”

“Ah.” she was then promptly pushed out of the office, she rolled her shoulders before glancing down at her Faz Watch once more and walked off in the direction of where the elevators were, she pushes the button to stop at a floor before going on a small venture to find the Green Rooms of the Glamrock Band. She now looks around in confusion when she somehow found herself in the main lobby instead, she lets out a long sigh “Fucking dammit, this map is hard to read.”

“Need a hand?” raising her head, she was met with a woman who looked just as equally tired as she was, she wore a simple uniform of a white dress shirt with black buttons, shoulder pads and a badge on the left side of her shirt, a pair of black jeans and a cap that said SECURITY on it that sat upon her blonde hair that was tied in a ponytail, even her green eyes looked tired “You must be the new mechanic?” she jokingly salutes.

“And you’re Officer Vanessa.” she shrugs her shoulders.

“That’s me.” she offers her a hand and they shake hands “The name’s Vanessa A, you can call me Vanessa, or whatever you want. I work as a Security Guard for the Pizza Plex.” [F/N] does the OK gesture with her hand before placing a hand on her chest.

“[F/N] [L/N], and I work as a mechanic.” Vanessa nods her head before waving her hand to gesture for the other to follow her.

“I can only assume you’re looking for the animatronics, so I’ll help introduce you.” [F/N] grins as she follows her new workmate.

“Thanks a lot, Ness!” she cheers, Vanessa rolls her eyes but secretly smiled at the nickname. [F/N] followed closely behind Vanessa as she led her to where the Glamrock Gang were being held, asking questions here and there about each animatronic and what their functions were “Oh! I heard that bear and chicken were the original ones during the early stages of the franchise, right? Freddy and Chica, right? The other two were... Bonnie and Foxy?” she nods.

“Wow, you still remember that stuff?” she chuckles to herself, rubbing the back of her head.

“Heh, you could say I was a bit of a fan when I was younger, but it’s been so long since I’ve last been here that I’m surprise I still remember.” 

“Then you must be living in a dream that you’re finally working within your favorite franchise.” [F/N] hums at that, a soft smile appearing on her face.

“Right.” Vanessa nods her head and left it at that.

“Welp, here we are.” Vanessa starts, entering the lobby that led to each of the Glamrock’s Green Rooms “Welcome to Rockstar Row. It starts with Freddy Fazbear, Roxanne Wolf, Montgomery Gator then lastly Glamrock Chica.” [F/N] nods her head, looking around in awe at everything within Rockstar Row.

“Radical.” Vanessa narrows her eyes at the woman, did she just-- she shook her head before raising her wrist up so she could press a button on her own Faz Watch, calling the animatronics in the area to come to them.

“If you ever need to find the animatronics or need them to come to you, just push this button on the Faz Watch and they’ll come straight to you.” she was going to question that but paused when she heard loud thumping, things even started to shake, turning her towards the room, she let out a startled shriek when the four animatronics came barreling towards them.

“Holy shit!” she shouts, Vanessa waves her hands.

“You get used to it.” a bead of sweat bled down the side of her face at that.

“Huh?”

“Officer Vanessa.” raising her head, the person who spoke was the iconic Glamrock Freddy, the face of Freddy Fazbear’s Mega Pizza Plex, despite being a machine, he gave the two of them a warm smile “What seems to be the issue if you called us all here?” Vanessa waved her hand before gesturing to [F/N], who stood rather awkwardly beside Vanessa.

“I just need you to meet the new mechanic, introduce yourself newbie.” said woman pouted at that before giving the four animatronics a wave.

“Hey, [F/N] [L/N], at your service. Ready to fix you or upgrade you when the time comes, I’m there when you need me or I’m just hanging around in Parts and Service.” Freddy smiles once more before taking his hat off to her and nodding his head.

“Hello, [F/N]. I am Glamrock Freddy, but you probably already knew that, didn’t you?” Freddy says, voice sounding playful, he then lets out a whoa when he was pushed to the side by Chica, who beamed down at [F/N] with a bright smile.

“I’m Glamrock Chica, so lovely to meet you!” she straightens her posture as she continued to wave her hand towards the newest employee, Roxanne was next, crossing her arms while throwing her hair over her shoulder.

“Roxanne Wolf, and don’t you forget it.” she growls when Monty pulls her back, [F/N] leaning backwards when the alligator leaned in close, a big grin along his face while baring his teeth.

“The name’s Montgomery Gator, and you’ll probably be seeing me a lot.” [F/N] glances over at Vanessa as Freddy grabs Monty by his shoulders and pulls him away from her.

“What does he mean by that?” Roxy answers that question before Vanessa could even open her mouth.

“Because Monty is the most destructive out of us all, especially when he has his temper tantrums.” Monty growls at Roxy, who snickers to herself from behind Chica, who got in between the two of them before Monty could get his hands on her, Freddy was behind Monty and holding him back from doing anything brash, Vanessa just exhales loudly.

“I’d say he’s just overly emotional, but they all are, he’s just more physically violent.” she explains “But he’s actually a really chill guy, just try not to agitate him, okay?” [F/N] gives her a thumbs up.

“Got it.” she bids the four animatronics goodbye, following Vanessa out of Rockstar Row to Parts and Service “Aren’t there a few other animatronics?” the blonde nods her head.

“Mm hmm, the Daycare Attendant that resides in the Daycare, if you couldn’t already guess, and DJ Music Man, or DJMM for short, who’s booth is within the Fazcade. He’s the biggest animatronic within the Pizza Plex, but he’s actually a really nice guy, so don’t mind his size.” she nods her head.

“Mmkay, I’ll take your word for it.” the journey to Parts and Service was a short one, but it was calm as the two walked in silence “I guess this is my stop.” [F/N] murmured to herself as she stopped right in front of the door that was labeled PARTS AND Service, Vanessa looks at her and nods her head.

“I guess so.” she rubs the back of her head before pointing at her Faz Watch “If you ever need anything, you can contact me on the Faz Watch or your walkie talkie, either works.” she salutes her once more.

“Righto, Officer Ness.” Vanessa couldn’t help but chuckle at that, she salutes her back.

“Then I’ll see you around, Mechanic [N/N].” both women laugh before Vanessa finally left to do her duties, [F/N] lets out a deep sigh before entering her new “office” that she’ll probably be forced to confide in majority of her time working there. She pulls a face at the dark room that looked all gloomy and boring, she lets out a groan as he body slumped while she threw her head back.

“What a dumpster fire.”

[a few weeks later]

“The lights have been going off in the Daycare at random times then from their set times?” a few weeks into her new job and she’s already wishing she was in a coma because at least she would get some decent sleep, her sleep schedule had gone and fucked off within the first week of working as the Mega Pizza Plex’s new mechanic, having worked hours without a clear schedule and having to come in whenever they gave her a call. Parts and Service had practically become her second home at this rate, she cleaned the place up and added a few things here and there to make it more lively, at least it didn’t look like she was in an abandoned laboratory.

True to their words, Monty was the animatronic that came into Parts and Service more often compared to the others. Majority of the time his claws or arms would be busted from the time he would lose his temper, sometimes he would overheat and he would short circuit and she would need to cool him down while repairing his claws from the damages done by the constant beating they got whenever he lost his temper. It got to the point that she had to upgrade them herself and add a few extra details to stop Monty from damaging them to the point they wouldn’t be recognizable. But his constant visits meant they had plenty of time to get along and talk about whatever comes to either of their minds, sometimes the gator would bring his guitar just so he could play a couple songs to her and ask for her opinion. In return, [F/N] would bring her record player and old records and have different songs play as she worked on Monty and later ask which song he liked most from each album.

Freddy would come and visit [F/N] just to simply talk and keep her company, [F/N] would take that opportunity to do some weekly check ups and to see if his system was in order, having been told by her higher ups that since he was the face of the entire Pizzeria and one of the most popular animatronics, he needed to be handled with extra care and that she couldn’t fuck up no matter what. Freddy was always in great condition and the most she would do with him was update his system while also giving his shell a good clean, other than that, they two of them would often have nice chats.

Roxy was something, alright. The first time she came into Parts and Service was when an accident happened on her raceway and she had to come and get herself fixed; cleaned up, per say, because she was a total wreck. [F/N] sweat dropped when the wolf was crying oil from her eyes, wailing how she looked like a disaster and that if she didn’t look the best nobody was going to like. This leads to [F/N] giving her eyes an upgrade and practically giving the wolf a complete makeover, she wiped the oil off her forehead with a rag and watched the way Roxy marveled at her look within a mirror. From then on, Roxy wolf visit [F/N] for a preen up and talk about anything that annoyed her that day or just to watch her as [F/N] worked on other things.

Her and Chica was a little funny. Chica reminded [F/N] of one of those fitness instructors from those old T.V shows, and it showed by the way Chica spoke like one of the motivational speakers whenever [F/N] worked, The chicken was also a sweetheart because she would bring [F/N] food and water to keep her steady and hydrated, she scolded the woman when she saw her bring a bottle of alcohol and energy drinks into Parts and Service just to down the bottles, saying that it was to keep her from falling asleep. Chica’s maintenance would be just deep cleaning, she was told that Chica would sometimes glitch out and each from the trash or food in general, cleaning her stomach cavity was a nightmare because it was absolute filthy. She never told the girl, because she thought that it would make her cry, so she keeps that to herself as she works.

Now her relationship with Vanessa, it was a good one. Vanessa leaned towards a quiet and stern personality, while [F/N] was a bit more relaxed and carefree, but they got along quite nicely. [F/N] was already friendly with the woman and knowing how she preferred being in her own personal space, she respected that and would visit her after informing the security guard through their Faz Watch’s. The two of them would have simple and subtle conversations whenever they were together and only when Vanessa has had her wake up call would be when she’s more expressive and less dead inside, it’s quite funny, honestly. Other than that, the rare moments Vanessa would visit [F/N] in Parts and Service would be the blonde woman reveling in the workshop as [F/N] worked on repairs and whatnots in absolute silence just to simple calm herself and leave herself to her thoughts.

Anyways-

“Yeah, apparently the lights have been going off then when they’re scheduled to go off.” Vanessa informed her “Moon has also been leaving the Daycare whenever it happens and has been causing a bit of a ruckus.” this causes [F/N] to raise her head from what she was doing and look over at her.

“Is that the reason why so many of the S.T.A.F.F Bots have been coming to Parts and Service in pieces? I guess it wasn’t Monty after all.” 

“See, I told you it wasn’t me!” she presses her lips to a thin line, glancing down at Monty, who was on the chair within the Protective Cylinder with his chest open and her hands fixing up his wires after they came loose after a performance “Damn, I’d really appreciate it if you’d stop thinking of me as the type to just destroy things on a whim.” he lets out a yelp when [F/N] yanked on his wires.

“Well, maybe if you did stop destroying things and giving me more pointless things to fix, than maybe I would stop thinking that.” he whimpers at that and went back to laying on the chair, she huffs “I got it, I’ll see what’d going on with the power in the Daycare.” Vanessa nods her head to that.

“Good, I’ll inform the higher ups and leave you to it.”

“Thanks, have a good one, Ness.” she nods her head once more before leaving Parts and Service, [F/N] waves her goodbye before glancing down at Monty, who pushed himself up and was resting his weight on his elbows “Thanks to that, you’re off the hook.” he silently cheers.

“Wonderful.” he winces when a dark look shadows over her face, he immediately turned away, shivering on the spot as she leans in close.

“But if I ever find out that one of the Map Bots, Security Bots or S.T.A.F.F Bots were mangled up and it was your fault, I’ll throw your dismembered head into one of the ponds in your golf course.” he whimpers, giving her a shaky thumbs up.

“Got it boss.” she rolls her eyes before chuckling softly, she finished her work and Monty leaves Parts and Service to return to his Green Room within Rockstar Row, she slaps her hands onto her face before grabbing her clipboard and adding something else at the bottom of the already long list.

“Lights within Superstar Daycare.” she adds a full stop at the end of it with a sharp jab before tucking it under her arm and leaving for the Daycare, it was also a perfect time to meet the Daycare Attendant; Sundrop, though maybe she might not be able to meet him because she was needing to be above the ceiling panels of the daycare to check out the wiring and whatnot for the lightning. When she arrived, she attached herself to a harness for safety before crawling into the space and checking out the lights above the daycare, she learned there were other lights within the daycare that were powered by five generators “I guess I’ll check that out after I’m done up here.”

This brings us to Sundrop, it was after hours and he was in the middle of cleaning up the daycare after all the children left the daycare, he was stacking the blocks on top of each other when his sensors managed to catch a sound and slight movement. He raised his head and looked side to side in confusion, trying to detect what his sensors did but he saw nothing, he blinked when something trickled from above him and landed on his nose. With that in mind, he raised his head and noticed that ceiling panels were moving, was someone up there? Unlike Roxy, he didn’t have eyes that allowed him to detect what was through the ceilings panels, but he could tell that it wasn’t simply a rat nor Mini Music Man, maybe he should report this to securi—

“WAH!!” his eyes widened at the sight of the panels giving way and someone falling through the ceiling, his immediate response was opening his arms out to catch them but the harness they strapped themselves to caught them before they could hit the ground so now they were dangling in front of Sundrop.

…

…

“Hey there, and sorry, I’m just hanging around.” he pulls a face before bursting out into laughter.

“Oh, I see what you did there! Be— Because you’re hanging from the ceiling.” she giggled softly at the laughter she earned from the animatronic sun, he pats his chest and looked at her once more to notice her open her arms out.

“Think you can give me a hand?” she hums softly when she noticed the sun rays around his head perk up at that, his body did the same thing as he raised his arms up.

“Oh, of course!” she lets out a soft exhale as she dusts herself off, she looks up at the ceiling before letting out a groan. “Fuck.” Sundrop lets out a gasp as he points at her.

“Language!” she rolls her eyes then glanced down at the floor, perking up when she noticed that her clipboard fell with her so she picked it up and clicked her pin, jotting down other stuff onto the list.

“Fix the ceiling in the daycare.” she underlines it then unclicks her pin and put it behind her ear, she then turned her attention to the animatronic and gave him a polite yet tired smile “Hello there, quite the first impression, but my name is [F/N], a mechanic hired by the Pizza Plex.” he stared down at her before the already permanent smile on his face grew.

“Why, hello there new friend! I am Sundrop, the Daycare Attendant!” she nods her head, he bounces around as he watched her look around “May I ask as to what you were doing?”

“Oh, I was informed that the lights in the daycare have been going out then when they’re usually scheduled too. I’ve been tasked to figure out why and possibly fix the problem.” she raised a brow when Sundrop grew nervous, she shrugged her shoulders as she started wandering around the daycare in search for the five generators.

“A-Are we going to get in trouble?” she raised her hand and waved it to dismiss his concern, eyes not leaving her clipboard.

“Unless you’re the one that’s causing it, then I highly doubt it. Don’t worry your pretty little head about it, I’ll fix what’s wrong and be out of your way.” she answered truthfully, this didn’t ease his concern as he started following closely behind her, she pressed her lips together at the feeling that if he could breathe she could feel his breath against her neck. She glanced back at him and watched him lurch backwards, hands raised up before he pressed his fingers together, nervously pressing them together “Look, you’re not in trouble. Nothing bad is going to happen to you if that’s what you’re thinking.”  “Mm, it’s not just that…” he muttered, she raised a brow.

“Then what is it?” he takes a breath then presses his finger to his temple.

“I’m worried about Moon… and what he’ll do to you.” she stared up at him before letting out a laugh, she brought her hand to her mouth as she reached forward and grabbed his wrist, she pulled it down and rubbed her thumb into his metal wrist.

“You don’t need to worry about little ‘ol me, I’m fully aware of what Moon is capable of and I know I’m capable of handling him and looking after myself, but thank you for your concern nonetheless.” she nods her head to him then glanced behind him when she noticed the security desk, so she pats his hand before walking past him and towards the desk. Her back was towards him so she didn’t notice the way Sundrop stared at his hand as she reached for one of the flashlights in the flashlight recharge station, she then looks at the messy desk and pushes away anything unnecessary so she can grab the schedule for when the lights at supposed to turn off.

She turns around once more so she could lean against the desk as she reads through the documents, she sniffles and yawns to herself as she reads through the contents of the documents, mentally noting down when the lights were supposed to turn off and when they’ve been going off when they’re not supposed too. She glances down at the time before looking up with her eyes when the lights turned off, dang, it was at the hourly mark when all the power converts to the charging stations so all the animatronics are supposed to recharge at the recharge stations. She flicks the flashlight on and luminaries her path in search for Sundrop, but there wasn’t any sign of the animatron—

“What’s this? An unexpected guest?” a shiver ran down her spine when she felt something loom over her from behind “The daycare is closed for the day, you are intruding. It is my job to dispose of unwanted intruders.” before he could even get his hands on her, she wiped her body around and slammed the end of the flashlight into his faceplate hard enough that he stumbled to the ground and screwed with his AI, causing it to glitch.

“I know about you, Moon. You’re practically another security guard but more violent.” she knelt down, grabbing him by his long neck and pulling him forward “I am not to be underestimated, alright? Fuck around and find out.” she throws him back and stood to her feet, dusting her shoulder off before looking for the generators scattered across the daycare, meanwhile with Moon, he was still trying to register what just happened.

“She really kicked your butt.” Sun retorted in their shared mind, Moon scowls as he rubs his face.

“Silence, Sun.” he just giggles in the back of their shared head, she was going to reprimand Moondrop once more when she felt him behind her but let him be when he quietly watched her work around the daycare. Moondrop raised a brow when he noticed her sway a little, her body tittering back and forth while her eyes were drooping, only then did he notice the bags under her eyes and how exhausted she looked “When was the last time you had a proper night’s rest?” at that question, she sniffles a little and looked up in thought.

“… mm, when did I start working here?” he gives her a shocked look.

“That’s not healthy.” she shrugs.

“I don’t get paid to sleep, I get paid to work and that’s that.” before she could continue her work, she was turned around by Moon, him kneeling down and raising his finger while tutting it side to side.

“I understand you’re doing your job, but while you’re here in the Daycare and I am here instead of Sun, you will sleep until the lights are turned on. It’s not that long, but getting some sleep is better than getting none.” she stared up at him, glancing to the side as she thought about the offer, then shrugged her shoulders.

“You better wake me up if something bad happens then.” before he could say anything, she drops everything that was in her hands before proceeding to face plant into the ground. Both himself and Sundrop panic and quickly kneel down to pick her up off the ground, he then settles himself into a quiet corner, cradling her in his arms as she fell into a deep sleep that she most definitely needed.

[a week later]

Maintenance in the Daycare was something [F/N] looked forward to now because not only did she get to hang with Sundrop and Moondrop, but because she got to sleep and wake up not wanting to fucking die. Moondrop was a fucking riot to hang with when he didn’t have homicidal thoughts, mostly because the two of them would do shit that would drive Sundrop through the roof. Speaking of which, the sun animatronic scares her in ways that doesn’t frighten her, but the fact that she caught him chugging down a bottle of glitter glue… she had to sprint out of there when the machine chased after her and shouted that it wasn't what it looked like.  “Why are these vents so fucking big?” she muttered to herself, crawling through the space in search for the thing that was making so much rattling whenever the Pizzeria closed. She was told to find it, it was just that the rattling happened around the vents around Parts and Service and it greatly annoyed her so she wanted to investigate it so that the noise would cease, and yet she had no luck in finding it so far.

“Hey, [F/N].” she glances down at her Faz Watch and saw that she was getting a message from Vanessa, so she turns so she was laying on her back and raised the watch closer to her “Where are you right now?”

“Vibing in a vent.”

“Why are you— never mind, DJ Music Man is in need of a check up. Some teens threw food in his mouth and we can’t seem to get it out.” [F/N] closes her eyes, inhaling deeply through her nose as her head drops and hits the vent.

“Is he in his booth?”  “Uh huh.”

“I’ll be there in a couple minutes.”

“Got it.” Vanessa disconnects from the line and so [F/N] lets out a long groan this time, she exhales and pushes herself onto her elbows, and then did she see what was making all that racket in the vents. There she saw a miniature version of DJMM and this version of him was holding a pair of cymbals in his hands,

“Now that’s fucking cute.” she muttered, his teeth made a chittering sound as he patted on his feet, he then waddles over to her and she sets up a bit so he could situate himself in her lap “Hey there, little guy. Mind showing me the way to the bigger version of you through the vents? You seem to know your way around these vents better than I.” he claps his cymbals happily before leaping out of her lap and leading the way, she follows behind closely and when she reaches the end of the vent, he moves to the side to let her remove the screws to the vent. Unfortunately for her, she hadn’t realized where the vent was placed so when she crawled out, she fell and landed awkwardly on her face.

…

…

“Not a word.” even though he did not have a voice box like the other animatronics, she could tell that he was laughing. When she collected herself, she extends her arms out towards the vent and this allows him to lean from the opening and into her arms, and with him secure, she makes her way out of the room and towards the area where DJMM resides in “Hey, big man, you awake?!” she shouts, cupping her mouth with her hand to amplify her voice, she hums to herself when the large spider like animatronic peeked his head out of his booth.

“You called?” the sound of various radio channels was heard and DJMM rose up from where he was, she grinned as Mini DJMM sat on her shoulder “What can I do for you?” she playfully rolls her eyes, hands on her hips as she continued to look up at him.

“I believe we both know why I’m here.” he lets out a sigh, leaning down and resting his big body onto the back of his hands.

“Children these days just don’t know discipline, especially the teens.” she nods her head.

“Uh huh, some of them are very vicious.”

“You don’t say.” she huffs, shaking her head.

“Well, let’s not delay this any longer, aight?” he lets out a reluctant sigh but nodded his head, he extends a hand out to her and she didn’t hesitate to hop into the palm of his hand and with that he made his way to a bigger part of the Pizza Plex that was reserved specifically for him when he needed to be cleaned “Oh, while we’re in the topic, I’ve been informed that you have a new upgrade.” he glances down at her.

“Upgrade? Of what sorts?” she hums, removing the clipboard from her hip and so she and Mini Music Man look at the documents, she narrows her eyes at it as she pulls it closer to her face.

“Apparently it’s called… Bouncer Mode?” she hums at that, pursing her lips as Mini Music Man claps his cymbals gently in curiosity “You’re just another form of security basically, escorting guests that aren’t found in the Pizza Plex’s files out or guests that are threatening.” he nods his head.

“So I’m basically extra muscle?” she snaps her fingers.

“Yeah, that sounds about right.” she gently knocks on the palm of his hand and gave him a grin “I can only imagine how frightening seeing you chase after them can be, talk about nightmare fuel.” they each share a laugh, upon reaching the warehouse, music was playing in the background as [F/N] spent the next couple of hours cleaning DJMM up to the point he was squeaky clean, by the end of it, she was laying on the ground, soaking wet and exhausted while DJMM was bouncing up and down that he finally got a wash up after weeks of negligence from management.

“Many thanks, [F/N].” he chuckled softly when she raised a thumbs up towards him, she then peeled herself off the ground, taking her cap off and shaky her head to rid the water infested in her hair.

“Now that that’s over, let’s get you that new upgrade. It shouldn’t take too long, so you should be back in your booth in no time!” he nods his head to her words so here she was, sitting on his shoulder with a laptop on her lap and Mini Music Man in her head, watching her tap away at the keyboard while the information for DJMM flew across the screen.

“It won’t do anything to hinder my current software, right?” she nods her head, eyes not leaving the screen.

“Yeah, don’t worry about that. It won’t activate unless a threat is detected, and since we haven’t been really getting threats in the Pizza Plex lately, it’ll probably be sitting in the back of your head.” he nods his head, upon finishing the final touch up of the upgrade, she pushed the enter button and it was uploaded into DJMM’s software. Both she and Mini Music Man leaned forward and watched as the data was processed and when he came to be, he stood up straight “How do you feel?”

“… the same.” she deadpans, she sighs.

“Well, we’ll never know until someone trespasses onto the property.” she says offhandedly, thanking him as he lowered her towards the ground “I mean, who’s foolish enough to break into a pizzeria?” he shrugged.

“Desperate fans.” she snorts.

“True.” she walks with him back to his booth, dropping Mini Music Man off in the process then left the two with a goodbye, the two doing the same and waving her goodbye. She was now back in Parts and Service, collapsing onto her wheelie chair with a groan, she leans back while running a hand through her hair after removing her cap and starts fanning herself.

‘Management have been stepping up the security around the Pizza Plex lately, going so far as to giving DJMM, who’s usually so gentle and laid back, such a bizarre upgrade. I noticed it immediately and had to tone it down in fear that he might actually hurt someone.’ she exhaled deeply, glancing over at her desk and noticed the few photos of her and the animatronics, Vanessa and even a few children scattered across it and even on the computer ‘I’m getting worried as for what’s to come.’

Headcanon:

it’s an unspoken rule amongst the animatronics that no harm must come to [f/n].

why?

simple.

because she is one of the nicest mechanics, technicians, helper, whatever, that’s worked at the pizza plex in the longest time.

the other employees that has worked in parts and service were so mean in the past and never considered the animatronics feelings and opinions, always brushing it off their shoulders just to finish their work.

not [f/n], oh no.

despite always being tired and a little standoffish, she was always rather welcoming and very friendly, even for the short tempered monty and lethal moon.

moon learned not to mess with her when he realized just how strong she was.

he and sun were coming in for their check up when they witnessed her lifting monty up with pure strength and the alligator was struggling to remove himself from her grip.

what freaked him out was the way monty screamed for help.

anyways-

whenever the animatronics had to come in for their monthly maintenance and other upgrades, [f/n] would always just and make the process as comfortable and atmosphere as welcome as she could.

she knew they were always frightened being in that dark gloomy room, so she always tried to brighten it up and make it as quick as she could.

and for that they were grateful.

her and vanessa get along quite swimmingly as well.

vanessa liked her company because she wasn’t so chatty, but when they did decide to converse, they spoke of topics vanessa knew and was fond of and the blonde enjoyed it.

conversations with the mechanic made her feel sane and whole.

the oddest thing about [f/n] after she started working at the pizza plex and her sleep schedule got pretty shit, she would fall asleep in the oddest of places.

the daycare’s ball pit? yup.

monty golf? uh huh.

roxy’s raceway? totally.

the worst spot? somewhere in the ceiling.

mini music man was the one to discover her, strapped in her harness and practically at the verge of falling of the beam she was laying on.

she was firmly scolded by freddy, chica, djmm, sundrop and vanessa.

moon, monty and roxy were laughing while mini music man was shaky his head.

the map bots startled her when she was still new and didn’t know her way around.

she decked one across the face when it suddenly appeared in front of her, promptly had to fix it before anyone discovered what she did.

she likes the caution bots. they remind her of puppies/dogs.

other than that, she’s the friendly and overworked mechanic that wishes she could get at least a raise for the amount of work management is throwing at her.

… motherfu— 

Lullaby pt. 3

word count: 15,031

Fandom: Poppy Playtime Pairing: N/A Pronouns: She/Her Relationship: Familial Occupation: Caretaker Ability: Ballerina Music Box

The character takes the appearance of a beautifully crafted music box ballerina figurine made of the toughest porcelain and glass, their clothes made from real fabric that is soft to touch and hair so smooth and silky you'd mistake it for real hair. Attached to their back is a wind up key that continuously spins when they're active and stops when they switch off. If the key is removed they cease to operate until key is returned and they are wound up again. Before CatNap, the character was the one to put the children to sleep with their built-in music box that would constantly be updated with new songs to play to help ease the children to sleep.

Keys:

[F/N]: Female Name

Warnings: the hour of joy, blood, death, all that shit.

"Lullaby" pt. 1, pt.2

I couldn't figure out how to end this so i'm not really satisfied with it, maybe I'll tweak it later but i'm not fucked right now.

that is all.

“Go! Get out of here! Get back to the Safe Haven!” Ballade’s voice cracked with urgency as she, Hoppy, Kickin, and Doey fled through the prison’s crumbling halls, their arms full of the few toys they had managed to rescue from the ruined ones. The closer they got to the Safe Haven, the more relentless their pursuers became. Ballade’s heart pounded — she couldn’t let them find it. She couldn’t let them get close. Not with CatNap lurking nearby. “I’ll stall them — just go!” she insisted, turning toward the oncoming threat.

“But what about you?!” Kickin’s voice rose in panic, his arms weighed down by the rescued toys.

“Forget about me! I’ll be fine!”

“How can we know that?!”

“Because CatNap won’t kill me — and those ruined critters can’t hurt me. But if any of you get caught, he’ll make sure you don’t walk away from it.” Her face hardened at the mention of him, her voice bitter. She knew his cruelty — but she also knew it would be far worse for the others.

“But if they take your key—”

“We won’t know how to save you!” Hoppy cried.

“Maybe it’s for the best.” Ballade’s voice softened, her guilt seeping through. “After everything I did… this mess is my fault. If I’m the price for your safety, so be it.” She turned to Doey, placing firm hands on his shoulders, her eyes filled with a desperate seriousness. “Take care of them, Doey. You’re the only one I trust to keep them all safe.”

“W-What? Me?!” Doey’s eyes went wide, his voice shaking. Behind them, the twisted laughter of their pursuers echoed closer, growing louder.

“I know it’s a lot, and I hate putting this burden on you, but I don’t have a choice! Please, Doey — if I don’t come back, don’t try to save me. Just… forget about me.” Doey shook his head violently, panic rising in his chest.

“B-But I don’t know the first thing about being a leader! I-I can’t—” A loud crash cut him off. They all spun toward the sound — the ruined critters had finally caught up, their broken forms crawling into view.

“There’s no time!” Ballade shouted. She pushed them back, then struck a support beam with all her strength. The ceiling groaned before collapsing in a cascade of rubble, blocking the path between them and the ruined toys. Dust filled the air, but Ballade didn’t waste a second. She turned back toward the enemy, steeling herself. “Go! I’ll hold them off. And remember what I said — if I don’t come back—”

“Ballade—” Kickin started.

“IF I DON’T COME BACK!” she repeated, her voice fierce. For a moment, no one moved. Then Hoppy sucked in a shaky breath, turning her face away as the sound of sinister laughter grew closer.

“…Don’t try to save you,” she whispered weakly.

And then they ran.

She let out a breath as she heard the sound of their footsteps disappear down the hall until she couldn't hear them anymore, she rolled her neck and turned towards the ruined critters with a fury burning in her eyes.

"Well then? Come on, let's see you get past me."

-

A figure stepped cautiously into a dimly lit hallway, their flashlight beam cutting through the heavy darkness. The walls here were lined with faded murals of smiling toys and children, their once-bright colors dulled with age and grime. The eerie quiet was only broken by the soft hum of flickering lights overhead. As they moved forward, the beam of their flashlight fell on something ahead — a shape standing motionless in the center of the corridor. Instinctively, their heart leapt, but as they got closer, they realized it wasn’t a threat.

It was a cardboard cutout.

The cutout depicted a toy they hadn’t seen before — a delicate, doll-like figure with big, expressive eyes and an elegant dress. Despite the wear and tear, the character’s design had a grace to it: flowing ribbons, musical motifs, and a kind but somewhat melancholy smile. The words “Press Here” was scrawled in ornate letters within a white speech bubble, though parts of it were scratched and peeling. Like the many other cardboard cutouts they came across, the reached forward and pressed the button and the cutout came to life with a burst of static from a hidden speaker.

“Hello there, little one!” The voice was warm and gentle, with a soft musical lilt, though the audio crackled with age. “Welcome to Playcare — the happiest, safest place in all of Playtime Co.! My name’s Ballade Ballerina, and I’ll be your guide while you stay with us!” there was a moment of silence before they press it again. “Here at Playcare, we believe every toy — and every child — deserves love, laughter, and a safe place to call home. You’ll make so many friends here! There’s games, stories, and oh-so-many songs to sing!” The recording glitched, her voice stretching into a distorted warble before cutting back in. “…And remember, if you ever feel scared or lonely, just find me! I’ll always be here to help!”

The cutout’s smile seemed a little too wide now, the dim light casting long shadows across its face.

The speaker clicked off, leaving only the faint buzz of static in its wake.

Ahead, the hallway stretched into darkness, and with a deep inhale they ventured on.

We now welcome our protagonist, the Player, and their journey for answers as they traverse deeper and deeper into Playtime Co. after the horrors they had experienced since stepping for into this facility.

Huggy Wuggy had been the first nightmare — a towering figure of blue fur and wide, unblinking eyes, his silent pursuit relentless. The player could still hear the sound of his massive limbs scraping through vents, the way his sharp teeth snapped just inches from their heels. Only through sheer desperation and quick thinking had they managed to outmaneuver him, dropping a heavy box on him just in time and watching him fall into the depths below.

And then there had been Mommy Longlegs.

Her sing-song voice still echoed in their mind, playful and sadistic. The chase through the twisted factory had been a nightmare of tangled machinery and crushing danger. Her elastic limbs had reached through impossible spaces, her laughter turning shrill when the player narrowly escaped her grasp. The final confrontation left the player scraped, battered, and with a deep sense of unease — as if she wasn’t truly gone.

And now they find themselves in what is left of Playcare.

Broken play structures loomed in the dim light. A carousel, long stilled, sat tilted on its side. Empty cribs and overturned chairs lay scattered across the area, and torn stuffed animals slumped against the walls.

But it hadn’t always been this way.

Once, Playcare had been filled with the sounds of laughter and music — a safe haven for the children of Playtime Co.’s employees. The walls had been vibrant and bright, decorated with colorful murals and happy handprints. The toys here had been companions, carefully crafted to nurture and delight. But something had gone terribly wrong.

The downfall of Playcare had been swift and brutal. Whispers of experiments gone awry crept through the abandoned halls — the blending of innocence and industry turned monstrous. The toys designed to protect became the very thing to fear. Children vanished, their giggles replaced with terrified screams. Staff members who tried to intervene were never seen again. The signs of that ruin were everywhere. Walls scarred with deep gouges, as though something with claws had tried to escape. Dried stains marred the cracked tiles, and the flickering lights cast frantic shadows. The colorful handprints smeared across the doors were not all made in paint.

Given the mission to bring back the power to the Playcare, the Player entered Home Sweet Home first as instructed by the young boy Ollie had instructed.

The red smoke hit them first — thick and choking, its hallucinogenic effects warping the world around them. Walls twisted and pulsed, laughter turned into distorted echoes, and familiar shapes morphed into something sinister. The Player stumbled through the haze, their vision swimming with impossible images — the faces of children flickering into grotesque grins, toys shifting and writhing with unnatural life. It felt endless. But somehow, they pushed through. When the smoke finally thinned, the Player found themselves in the wreckage of what had once been Home Sweet Home — a place once filled with children and laughter, now as broken and abandoned as the rest of Playcare. Cribs lay overturned, toys lay shattered, and the air was thick with an oppressive quiet.

And there in the main lobby of Home Sweet Home, the Player spotted a stage that had seen far better days. Its wooden frame sagged with age, the paint chipped and faded, and the once-vibrant curtain hung in tattered, dust-covered folds. The air was thick and heavy, carrying the faint scent of decay and something sickly sweet — like old candy left to rot. The soft creak of the floor beneath their feet echoed through the hollow stillness as the Player approached cautiously. Their eyes locked onto the curtain, noticing it was open just a crack. Through that narrow gap, a faint green glow pulsed softly.

Curiosity and unease prickled at the Player’s skin as they reached out, their fingers brushing the old fabric aside. The curtain’s texture was rough and brittle, and a cloud of dust rose as they pushed it aside. With a slow, hesitant motion, they opened the curtain wider — and their breath caught in their throat.

There, slumped against a pile of forgotten and broken boxes, sat the remains of Ballade Ballerina. The once-elegant toy had fallen into a state of tragic disrepair. Her porcelain-like face was cracked and smudged, the painted features chipped but still heartbreakingly delicate. Her glassy eyes, half-lidded and lifeless, stared into nothingness. Her dress, which had surely once been a vision of grace, lay in tatters — the flowing fabric torn and stained, the ribbons frayed and hanging limp. Her hair, once meticulously styled in a pristine bun, had fallen loose, draping unkempt and tangled over her face.

Despite her ruined state, there was an eerie beauty to her stillness — a lifelike presence that made the Player’s skin crawl. It was almost as if she could move at any moment. And through the dimness, the source of the green glow became clear: a battery clutched tightly in her unmoving hand.

"Whoa..." The Player’s voice was barely above a whisper, but even that seemed too loud in the oppressive quiet. Despite everything, they couldn’t help but marvel at the sheer realism of Ballade. Other than Poppy, she was the most human-like toy they had encountered — and even in her broken state, there was a strange sense of care in how she had been left here, as if someone had made an effort to preserve her, even as everything else around her crumbled.

Shaking off their unease, the Player activated their GrabPack, aiming for the battery. The metal claw latched onto it with ease, but when they tried to pull it back, Ballade’s arm jerked forward — her fingers remaining locked around the battery in an iron grip. The Player grimaced and tugged harder, but no matter how they pulled, she wouldn’t let go.

"Haaa, of course it wouldn’t be that easy," they murmured, frustration creeping into their voice.

As they stepped closer, their eyes fell on a crumpled, faded drawing lying near Ballade’s feet — clearly the work of a child from long ago. It depicted Ballade in happier days, twirling gracefully with a wind-up key embedded in her back. The detail stood out immediately. The Player’s gaze shifted to Ballade’s back, and sure enough — the slot for a wind-up key sat empty and waiting. Their heart sank. Of course it wouldn’t be as simple as taking the battery — they’d need to find that missing key.

Letting out a tired sigh, the Player stood and surveyed the wreckage around them. The thought of combing through Home Sweet Home for a tiny key felt like an impossible task — a needle in a haystack. But there was no choice.

Leaving the stage and the battery behind for now, they pressed forward, solving the puzzles scattered throughout Home Sweet Home. Room after room yielded new challenges and eerie reminders of the building’s past. Children’s murals, long faded, peeked through layers of grime. Toys lay scattered and broken, their smiles cracked and hollow. Every step forward felt like intruding on something long abandoned — and yet not entirely lifeless.

Eventually, their search led them to the upper levels — and into a room unlike the others.

It was unmistakable. The oversized, plush cat bed and scattered toy remains made it clear.

They had found CatNap’s old room.

Realizing what they had stumbled upon, they turned to leave — until something on the oversized bed caught their eye. Their heart leaped when they spotted it: the unmistakable glint of Ballade’s wind-up key. Without hesitation, they darted forward, snatching up the key and cradling it in their hands like a fragile treasure. Relief flooded them — but it was short-lived. The ever-present sense of being watched prickled at the back of their neck. CatNap was still lurking somewhere nearby. They had to move — and fast.

Keeping their steps light and their movements subtle, the Player hurried back down the stairs, every creak of the old wood sending spikes of fear through their exhausted body. They reached the stage without incident, their chest heaving with the effort to remain quiet. Climbing onto the stage, they knelt beside Ballade’s still form. Gently, they pushed her slumped body forward, revealing the empty key slot on her back. Taking a steadying breath, they slotted the key into place.

Then they began to wind.

The resistance was immediate — the mechanism inside her body was worn and rusted, and every turn of the key felt like a struggle. The Player’s arms burned with the effort, their grunts of exertion breaking the oppressive silence. It was a wonder the key turned at all.

Finally — with one last, straining twist — the key clicked into place. As the key slowly began to turn on its own, Ballade’s hand twitched. Fingers that had been frozen in a death grip began to uncurl. The green battery slipped free, falling to the stage with a quiet thud. The Player exhaled in relief, their muscles trembling with exhaustion, and reached forward to claim their prize.

With the final battery in hand, the player stumbled off the stage, their heart pounding so hard it felt like it might burst from their chest. Every muscle in their body ached from the endless chase, the constant fear, the exhausting puzzles — but the urgency to get out of this place kept them moving. They tightened their grip on the battery as though it were their only lifeline.

Behind them, the eerie ticking of Ballade’s wind-up key still echoed softly, rhythmic and deliberate, growing fainter with each step as they hurried toward the battery slot. But even as the sound faded, it felt like it followed them — like something unseen was counting down.

The building around them felt more oppressive than ever — the walls seemed to close in tighter, the air thick and stale. Every shadow stretched a little too far, twisting unnaturally with the dim, flickering lights. Every distant creak and groan made their skin prickle, their breath catching in their throat. The remnants of Home Sweet Home were silent, but never still. And worst of all, they knew they weren’t alone.

CatNap was still out there. The colossal cat had been stalking them ever since they set foot in this cursed building — an ever-present threat lingering just out of sight. Watching. Waiting. The Player’s eyes darted to every darkened corner, every vent, every narrow hallway. The feeling of being hunted had become almost suffocating.

Reaching the battery slot, the Player slid the battery into place with trembling hands, the device clicking into position with a satisfying thud. They exhaled shakily as the system hummed to life, ancient machinery groaning and sputtering like a creature slowly awakening from a long slumber. Lights flickered, casting long, wavering shadows on the walls. The room vibrated with power as circuits sputtered and sparked to life.

But even with the relief of progress, that uneasy feeling didn’t leave them. Instinct tugged at the Player, a cold chill crawling up their spine. Slowly, almost unwillingly, they glanced back toward the stage.

They froze.

The stage was empty.

Ballade was gone.

The curtain still hung open, the boxes she had been slumped against remained — but she was no longer there. Only the faint sound of the ticking key remained, echoing softly from somewhere deeper in the building. The Player’s throat tightened, their pulse quickening as they scanned the darkened room. And then — the ticking stopped.

"W-Where... where did she--" the Player’s voice barely rose above a whisper, their words cut short by the suffocating weight of fear. But there was no time to linger, no time to question. They’d done what they were supposed to do within Home Sweet Home — the last thing they needed was to stick around where that big cat and an even bigger doll could find them.

Screw it.

They turned and ran, feet pounding against the floor as they rushed out of the building, desperate to put as much distance as possible between themselves and the threats lurking inside. But as they vanished into the dim, flickering corridors, they remained unaware of the pair of eyes watching their every move from the shadows.

-

Ballade didn’t know how long she had been turned off for — she never really could tell how much time passed when she was asleep until someone "woke her up." It was almost like being in a coma or perhaps paralyzed; she couldn’t move or see, but she could faintly hear what was happening in her surroundings. Distant voices, the scraping of metal, the slow decay of her world — all filtered through the darkness of her slumber.

She could feel it too — the slow breakdown of her own body. The way her delicate mechanisms grew rigid and rusted over time, the stiffness of her joints settling like an ache she couldn’t relieve. Dust settled thick over her frame, and the once-smooth grace of her design began to fade beneath the weight of neglect. Her porcelain-like face, once pristine and expressive, had cracked, faint fractures spreading like delicate spiderwebs. The once-vibrant paint of her features had faded and chipped, her eyes dull and lifeless. Her limbs, so carefully crafted for fluid movement, had grown stiff and unyielding, the internal gears grinding with each attempt at motion. The soft fabric of her dress had long since frayed, the elegant ribbons trailing in tatters. Her hair, once styled into a graceful bun, had loosened and fallen over her face in knotted, dusty strands. The neglect was total — and yet, she had felt it all.

But then, there was something new.

A click. A winding. The sudden, jarring sensation of gears turning, slow and strained, after so long without movement. She could feel her key twisting into place, the old machinery inside her fighting to respond. It hurt — but it also meant something else.

She was waking up.

*blink*

*blink*

A soft gasp left her lips as her eyes blinked to life, flickering with an eerie glow as they darted around in alarm, desperate to see who — or what — had turned her key. The disorientation was overwhelming. She felt the stiffness in every part of her body, her joints cracking and groaning as she shifted. The effort it took just to lift her head sent sharp pangs through her worn-out frame. She managed to catch a glimpse of a figure slipping out of her tent — too fast to make out any details. But she ignored it for now. There was something more important.

She needed to move.

The struggle was immediate and humiliating. As she tried to push herself upright, her legs buckled beneath her, the rusted mechanisms inside protesting every motion. She fell once, twice — each time catching herself just before hitting the stage floor. The effort left her breathless, but she forced herself onward, finally managing to stand on trembling legs. Peeking through the gap in the curtain, her wide eyes scanned the room — and then stopped, her breath catching.

A human.

Her mind reeled. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. An actual human employee. But… how? Weren’t they all dead? The factory had been silent for so long — abandoned, left to rot just like the toys inside. And yet there they were, very much alive. But why? Why on earth would anyone willingly come here? What could they possibly hope to achieve? More than anything, though — what confused her the most — was the fact that she did not recognize them. They must be a lower level employee, Leith told her she didn't need to put in the effort of remembering employees who were disposable. But still, how the hell did they get so far into the factory on their own?

How did they get past Huggy? And Mommy?

Her eyes narrowed as she watched them place the battery in its slot and restore power to Home Sweet Home. Hmmm... she’d just watch them from afar for now, just to see what they were doing. After stretching her limbs, she hoisted herself up by the rafters above her head, the rusted joints protesting but slowly obeying her commands. With surprising agility for something so long dormant, she leapt up to the upper levels of Home Sweet Home, silent and shadowed. From her vantage point above, she watched with cold amusement as the employee looked around in alarm, their panic clear when they noticed the empty stage. It was almost hilarious to watch them scramble out of the building with their tail between their legs.

Seriously… how had they gotten this far?

Ballade's eyes narrowed as she watched the employee from her spot in the upper levels of the building, their frantic movements betraying the fear she expected. Every little sound they made echoed through the hollow, broken remains of Home Sweet Home. The flickering lights cast long, distorted shadows across the decaying walls, making the space feel even more eerie and oppressive. She shifted quietly, her body still stiff and aching from years of stillness, the rusted joints inside her creaking with every small motion. She winced at the sound—like old gears grinding against each other—but her curiosity kept her silent and patient.

And then she saw it—something that truly caught her attention.

"Is that..." she whispered, her voice barely audible as she peered through a cracked and grime-streaked window, her face twisting in mock disbelief. "Poppy?" It had been so long since she’d last seen that doll—so long since any familiar faces crossed her path. The sight of that small, porcelain-like figure sent a strange jolt through her system. Ballade leaned against the windowsill, her faded ribbons trailing limply from her arms as she watched intently. Through the dim light, she saw Poppy handle Kissy Missy—ever the sweetheart—after she had tackled the employee to the ground in what was clearly an attempt to kill them.

Ballade’s fingers tapped rhythmically against the rotting wood beneath her, the soft sound blending with the distant hum of restored power and the occasional groan of the building settling. Her mind pieced together the situation from the fragmented conversation she managed to overhear. The employee had come to Playtime Co. searching for their missing coworkers—fools, she thought, for stepping into this graveyard of twisted dreams. And yet they had somehow survived encounters with Huggy Wuggy and Mommy Long Legs, defeating both of them despite the odds.

But their victory had been hollow. They’d been meant to leave—finally escape this nightmare by taking the train from the Game Station. And yet... Poppy had intervened. Ballade’s lips curled into a wry, bitter smile. Of course she had. That was so like that manipulative little girl. Trapped in that fragile doll body, Poppy was incapable of doing things on her own—so she pulled the strings of others, making them dance to her tune. It was always the same—always others who did the hard work while Poppy watched from the sidelines, her innocent appearance masking the calculating mind underneath.

And now it seemed she’d found her latest puppet.

The employee. The survivor.

But how long would they last, Ballade wondered, before Poppy’s game broke them too? How long before this poor fool realized they were nothing more than a disposable piece in Poppy’s never-ending quest for freedom? Ballade almost pitied them. Almost.

"Hmm, what to do, what to do." she murmured to herself. She continued to watch them from Home Sweet Home as they restored power to Playcare and a sense of nostalgia hit her like a wave. Memories of when Playcare had been whole—when laughter filled the air and the children’s joy was the only sound that mattered. She could still hear their giggles echoing faintly in her mind, the pitter-patter of tiny feet running through the halls. She remembered the way they’d reach for her hand, their eyes wide with wonder as she twirled and danced for them on the stage. The warmth of their applause, their delighted cheers—those days felt like a distant dream, faded and fra— she nearly threw herself out the window when she saw them approaching the school. "Oh, no. If she's still in there... uh oh."

-

Uh oh, indeed.

The Player moved cautiously through ruined corridors of the school, every step echoing off the cracked and peeling walls. They turned a corner into what looked like an old classroom, the faded remnants of colorful posters and children’s drawings hanging limply from the walls. As they ventured through the school, collecting notes that solved the mystery that happened to this establishment, the PA system crackled to life. A high, lilting voice filled the corridor, sweet yet off-kilter, like a pre-recorded message gone wrong.

"This is Miss Delight speaking, please excuse the interruption! Students, remain in your seats until the bell has rung, and no going in the halls without a hall pass!" The Player’s skin prickled as the message faded out. They pressed on, tension coiling in their gut. Later, as they crawled under a desk in another room, they caught a glimpse of her—a flash of frilly pastel fabric and jerky, uneven movement. Miss Delight walked across the hallway just ahead, her head twitching unnaturally, one glassy eye swiveling in its cracked porcelain face. The Player held their breath until she passed. As they were still reeling from the sight, Miss Delight’s voice boomed again over the PA system. "Wait, I recognize you… Yes! I remember! You used to work here! How are you… alive? Hm? Barb? Oh… Barb says you're looking for your co-workers. CatNap wouldn't like that you're here! You should leave, for your own safety."

Ignoring the warning, the Player pushed forward through the abandoned school. Eventually, they reached a door leading to a dark, forbidding area. The PA crackled again, the sweetness in Miss Delight’s tone giving way to something darker. "Not a good listener, are you? You're a lot like the other humans in that way. I wonder if your screams will sound like theirs too! I look forward to finding out."

Determined, the Player powered on the generator, hoping to illuminate their path. But the light was short-lived. With a loud crash, the door burst open, and Miss Delight strode into the room. In one swift motion, she lashed out with Barb—her twisted, jagged weapon—smashing the generator and sending its battery flying across the room. The lights flickered, then died, plunging the halls into darkness once again.

The Player races through the dim corridors, their breath coming in ragged gasps as Miss Delight’s sinister laughter rings out behind them. Every time they risk a glance back, they see her frozen in place — a weeping angel-like figure locked mid-step, her face twisted into an eerie smile. But each time they look away, even for a second, she draws closer. The sound of her footsteps echoes impossibly loud in the empty space, and the Player can almost feel her breath against their neck. Panic rises with every turn, every flickering shadow playing tricks on their eyes as they search frantically for more batteries to restore power and unlock the closed gates and doors.

At one point, the Player whips their head back, heart slamming in their chest — and Miss Delight is right there. Too close. Her twisted face inches from theirs, her hand outstretched, ready to grab — and then she stops. Dead still. The Player lets out a breath of relief that they managed to catch her before they caught them and slowly backs away, unaware that Miss Delight's gaze wasn't looking at them but instead on what was ahead of them. It was the gaze that was stopping her from getting too close to them, from killing them.

As they near the exit in the maintenance area, the desperation in Miss Delight becomes palpable. Her movements grow more erratic, more forceful, as if the thought of losing her prey is too much to bear. They sprint for the final gate, hands fumbling with the controls as the sound of her approach grows louder and faster. Finally, they spot a lever and yank it down with all their strength. The heavy door begins to close with a grinding screech — but Miss Delight is not done yet. With a burst of speed, she drops her frozen façade and charges forward, her porcelain face contorting with a mix of rage and desperation. The Player watches in slow motion as she reaches out, fingers just inches from their face — and then the door slams shut with a sickening crunch. The laughter stops. The halls fall silent, save for the faint echo of metal settling into place. And when the Player dares to look back, all that remains of Miss Delight is the twisted ruin of her head beneath the heavy door — her wide, delighted grin forever frozen in place.

"Whew..." finally, they can take a breather.

-

Ballade moved with calculated precision, her every step taken in the dark corners of the school, her presence barely more than a whisper in the air. She watched as Miss Delight, once a beacon of warmth, now stood twisted and savage, her eyes burning with hunger, no longer the kind and gentle teacher that had once graced these halls. It was a sickening sight, the aftermath of years of suffering, the price paid for survival. Ballade could feel the weight of regret heavy on her chest. If only she had been able to reach her sooner, perhaps things wouldn't have spiraled so far.

Ballade’s eyes tracked the employee, her focus shifting between them and Miss Delight. She couldn’t let the deranged teacher get too close. With careful timing, Ballade would step out just enough to catch Miss Delight’s attention, drawing her gaze away from the employee. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to stop Miss Delight in her tracks. Ballade would retreat the moment the employee turned their attention back towards the woman, ensuring the cycle continued. She had to make sure Miss Delight didn’t get close enough to the employee. She still wasn't sure what their goal was but Poppy needed them alive to achieve something, and she was very curious as to what it could possibly be.

When they reached the hallway leading to the exit in the maintenance area, the employee suddenly turned and fled, desperate to escape both the school and Miss Delight. Ballade watched helplessly as Miss Delight reached out for them, her fingers stretching toward their target. But as she drew near, the employee slammed the door down, crushing Miss Delight beneath its weight. Ballade approached the lifeless form slowly, a deep sadness in her eyes as she stared down at what had become of her.

"Oh, Miss Delight," she whispered softly, kneeling beside her. "I'm so sorry this happened to you. I wish it didn't have to come to this." Her hand gently caressed what was left of Miss Delight’s face, a tender gesture in the face of such brutality. As much as it pained her, maybe this was for the best. After a few moments of quiet reflection, Ballade rose to her feet. With a grunt of effort, she reached for the underside of the shutter and, using sheer brute force, ripped it open. She stepped out into the cavernous depths, her eyes narrowing as she set her sights on the employee once again. They were heading toward the Playhouse, the den of those ruined creatures. How could she not follow them now? The stakes had never been higher.

-

It was seriously one horror after the other.

After completing some puzzles within the caverns and quietly passing by CatNap worshipping an amalgamation of dead toys, the Player approaches a heavy, rusted door with a faded sign above it, signifying they're next destination was the Playhouse. The air grows colder as they step inside, the dim light flickering ominously. The walls are cracked and stained, and the distant sound of skittering echoes through the darkness.

Continuing into the Playhouse proper, The Player navigates a maze of shadowy rooms and claustrophobic tunnels. They're startled at the sight of the Ruined Critters lurking around, grotesque and twisted versions of their former selves, appearing suddenly from holes in the walls and nipping at their heels. Their chittering grows louder and more frantic as more of them join the pursuit. To keep them away and light their way, the Player uses their newly acquired orange hand — a weapon-like tool gained after surviving the School and defeating Miss Delight — to shoot flares that burst with brief, brilliant light, sending the Critters scurrying back.

Their progress is halted by a massive door requiring two pressure pads with the Playtime Co. logo to be activated. So much work to do, they thought. They enter a network of tunnels, solving the puzzles to locate two heavy boxes and drag them onto the pads, shooting at the ruined critters that came out of their little hidey holes before continuing with the task at hand. They perk up at the sound of shifting mechanisms rumbling through the walls as the door slowly creaks open. Beyond the door lies a vast chamber dominated by a towering central spire. A platform connected to a long beam juts out from the structure, they scurry onto the platform, pressing a button that has the platform moving rather slowly. As it aligns with various doorways, they curiously explores each one, eventually entering a cavernous pool room with stagnant water reflecting the dim light. At the back of the room are two foreboding yellow doors.

They shudder to themself as they enter the room and find a rusting cell block. They could only guess who the residents of the cells belonged to, counting eight altogether as they walked down the dimly lit hall. They're careful to mind their step when they spot a hole in the ground barely covered by the wooden boards that could collapse under their weight, if only they could just find the exi-

"You..." they jump in surprise at the sudden voice, their heart leaping into their throat. They whip their head around and their eyes widen at the sight of DogDay... or rather, what was left of him. A once-joyful toy now reduced to a ragged and broken figure hanging on the wall by his arms, his once-bright colors faded and his blood seeping through gaping tears in his fabric. "...You're Poppy's angel, come to save us."

"S-Save you...?" they whisper, their voice trembling as they take an uneasy step closer. Their eyes rake over his horrific form, a hand flying to their mouth in shock. His bisected torso, blood-stained and grotesque, was only held together by a leather belt cinched tight, barely keeping what little remained of his innards from spilling out. Despite his broken state, DogDay gave a weak, humorless chuckle.

"Nothing left to save... not here..." he rasped, his voice strained and fragile. "You're in CatNap's home, angel. Their home." He lifted a trembling arm, gesturing toward their bleak surroundings. The subtle sound of scampering echoed through the Playhouse—the Ruined Critters, always watching. Always waiting.

"A million pairs of eyes are on you now. Watching, waiting... hungry," he continued, his words a haunting whisper. "That... thing... CatNap. The Prototype is his god, and this..." his voice cracked as he gestured toward his broken body, "this is what he does to heretics." The distant sounds of the critters grew louder, their scratching filling the heavy silence.

"These little toys follow CatNap to avoid that very fate—and in return, they are fed." His breath hitched, his eyes glassy and distant. "We tried to fight it... to fight the Prototype's control." He swallowed hard, his voice barely above a whisper now. "I'm... the last of the Smiling Critters." the state he was left made them think of Ballade, how she was left to collect dust and to be forgotten by those who remembered her. CatNap must have had a deeper connection with these two to have kept them around, even with the conditions he gave them. "Listen to me, you need to get out of this place. You need to live." their eyes widened.

"You want me to... leave you here?" they whispered softly, their eyes darting around when they heard footsteps. "At least let me take you with me." he only shook his head.

"I appreciate the sentiment, but I'll... only slow you down." they bit their lip.

"There must be something I can do." they mutter but DogDay shook his head.

"You and Poppy can fix this, end this madness, the torment, the—" The Player let out a startled shout when a hand suddenly appeared against the cell bars. They stumbled back, quickly raising the flare gun, only to freeze in shock at the sight of Ballade. She paid them no mind, her wide eyes fixed on DogDay with an overwhelming sense of sadness and horror.

"Oh, puppy..." she whispered, her voice trembling as her hand reached toward him. "What has he done to you...?" The empty void of DogDay's eyes seemed to spark to life at the sound of her voice—at the sight of her after so many years.

"B-Ballade? Is that really you? I'm not hallucinating, am I?" His voice cracked with disbelief. She shook her head, stepping into the cell and collapsing to her knees. Her hands cupped his ragged cheeks, her thumbs brushing over his battered face with heartbreaking gentleness. He leaned into her touch, starved for comfort after years of isolation and agony.

"This isn't a dream, right?" he whispered, his voice fragile.

"No, puppy," she murmured, her voice thick with emotion. "I'm really here. I'm here, my sweet baby." She pulled him into a tender embrace, cradling him as his broken frame shook with quiet sobs. Her hands rubbed soothing circles over his back, desperate to offer whatever solace she could.

"How long was I gone?" she asked, her voice muffled against his shoulder.

"...Four years," he whispered, his voice breaking. DogDay let out a soft grunt as her arms tightened around him. When he finally pulled back, his gaze locked onto hers—and the pain reflected in her glassy eyes was almost too much to bear.

"When you disappeared," he continued, his voice quivering, "it was the worst time of our lives. We didn’t know what he did to you, where you were... we couldn't even confirm if he’d taken you to the Prototype or not. We were so scared. What happened that day?" Tears welled in his eyes as he searched her face for answers.

"I'll explain later," she said quickly, shaking her head. "Right now, we need to get the hell out of here." Her eyes flicked up to the belts strapping him to the wall. "Hold on, puppy—I’m getting you down." her grief now replaced with anger, she grasped tightly at the belts and tore him free from his confines and when he fell into her arms, his own arms wrapped around her and they shared another tender embrace.

"U-Um, I hate to interrupt..." the Player's voice broke the moment, hesitant and uneasy. Both Ballade and DogDay turned toward them. "But I think we've got company." Ballade's face darkened instantly. She felt DogDay's arms tighten around her, his broken body trembling as the sound of the ruined critters echoed around them—scratching, skittering, getting closer.

"N-No, not again... please, not again," he whimpered, his voice cracking with fear. Ballade's eyes hardened.

"You! Come here!" She moved with sudden urgency, grabbing the Player before they could react. Spinning them around, she carefully pressed DogDay against the back of their GrabPack. With quick, practiced motions, she snatched up several of the discarded belts littering the ground and began strapping DogDay securely to their back.

"Alright, can you move well enough with him on your back?" she asked, tightening the last belt. The Player staggered slightly, adjusting to the unexpected weight.

"I-I think so—"

"No time! Get moving!" Ballade shoved them forward just as the first of the ruined critters began pouring out of the holes in the walls, their twisted forms scrambling toward them. DogDay watched as Ballade backed away, rolling her neck, her whole posture shifting into a predatory readiness. Despite his fear, a weak chuckle escaped him when he saw that familiar, dangerous glint in her eye.

"Is she going to be okay?" the Player asked breathlessly as they ran. DogDay let out a weary, fond laugh.

"Oh, she’ll be fine. Trust me." The Player plunged into the twisting tunnels of the Playhouse, their pulse pounding in their ears. DogDay’s weakened voice guided them through the maze-like corridors while the distant sounds of Ballade’s fight faded behind them. But the ruined critters weren’t far off. Their skittering grew louder, closer, and soon they were spilling from the walls, giving chase.

"Faster! Please—faster!" DogDay pleaded, his panic rising as the swarm closed in. Ahead, the path ended at a steep drop. Without hesitation, the Player launched themselves forward, using their Purple Hand to swing across the gap. The roller door slammed shut behind them with a metallic crash, cutting off the horrid screeches just in time. Shaken but alive, the Player stumbled into an elevator, their breath ragged. As the lift carried them upward to the top of the slide and out of the nightmare of the Playhouse, the reality of their narrow escape began to sink in. But there was no time to rest. Not yet.

"Finally... we're out!" the Player shouts aloud before pressing their hands to their face. "That was literal hell," they murmur against their palms. They feel a pat and see that it was DogDay.

"Are you alright, Angel? I'm sorry you had to lug my dead weight around while you were running." DogDay’s voice is soft, filled with guilt. They give a weak laugh in response.

"Nah, you're probably the nicest face I've seen that hasn't backstabbed me or actively tried to kill me. It's nice to have someone like that around after what's happened in the past few hours." DogDay gives his own weak laugh.

"I'll say. But thank you, Angel. You didn't have to do what you did." They shake their head.

"That toy scares me. I think she would have snapped my neck if I refused to do as she said." DogDay makes a face at their words, though they don’t see it. You're not wrong. "Anyways, are you sure she'll be okay? I feel bad for just leaving her there by herself."

"That's the thing, Angel. She prefers to be alone when dealing with the ruined critters — it allows her to fully let loose."

"Let loose?" they echo, confused.

"Yes. She was a toy designed to handle the bigger toys the human employees couldn’t — like Huggy and Mommy. The little ones? Though they outnumber her, they won’t even be able to leave so much as a scratch on her." As if on cue, the doors to the Playhouse are suddenly kicked off their hinges and a few dead critters fly out. Ballade steps out, crushing the neck of a ruined Crafty in her hands before kicking a ruined Bobby so hard it splatters blood all over the pavement.

"Better think twice before coming at me again, twerps!" she shouts, tossing the dead toy aside without a second thought. Her eyes scan the area, lighting up when she spots DogDay. "Puppy! You're okay!" DogDay cheers as Ballade scoops him up and starts twirling him around. It’s only when she starts planting kisses on his head that she notices the extra weight.

"I don't suppose you could put me down, could you?" the Player grunts from where they dangle off DogDay’s back. She sweatdrops.

"Oh, right. Sorry about that, Angel." Her tone carries a teasing lilt as she uses the nickname. Holding DogDay in her arms, she nuzzles her cheek against his head, cooing sweet nothings to comfort him. "Thank you, Angel. Not only for returning my key to me and turning me back on but for also protecting DogDay from those ruined toys." They rub the back of their head.

"It was nothing — I’m just glad you were there to hold them back." Ballade chuckles softly.

"Well, I've been following you ever since you stepped foot in the school. How else do you think you survived?" They blink in surprise.

"Wait — what?"

"I kept Miss Delight back each time you turned your back on her," she explains with a grin. "She got real close a couple of times, but I stopped her before she could kill you." She tilts her head, eyes gleaming. "You're welcome, by the way."

"Thanks," they mutter, still processing everything.

"Why are you trying to turn on all the backup generators by the way? What has Poppy got you doing?" Ballade asked, following the Player toward the Generator Room. She adjusted her hold on DogDay as she crouched down to squeeze through the tiny door. "I don't suppose you're trying to get the full 'Playcare' experience, are you?" The Player let out a weak, playful laugh.

"No, she wants me to redirect the red smoke — send it in the opposite direction from where it was in the beginning." Both Ballade and DogDay froze at the words, exchanging a look of confusion and concern.

"Why would she want you to do that, Angel?" DogDay asked, his voice uncertain. "Did she tell you why?" The Player shook their head.

"Not really." DogDay watched Ballade closely, noting the way her expression hardened in thought. They must have been in Gas Production Zone, inside were three massive tubes that controlled the red smoke’s direction. Ballade hadn’t seen it in years, not since everything fell apart — but even after all this time, she remembered the right tube was where the red smoke had always been contained. If Poppy wanted to redirect it to the left tube… that meant the smoke was headed toward the prison and the lab.

"Don't tell me..." Ballade murmured to herself, her voice barely above a whisper.

"What is it, Ballade?" DogDay asked, his face filled with concern. She glanced at him but shook her head, brushing it off.

"It's nothing," she said, though the tension in her voice told a different story. "I'm probably overthinking it." The Player kept moving ahead, taking the key from the tube and heading toward the Counselor's Office. Ballade and DogDay trailed close behind, their footsteps soft but ever-present. After a moment, Ballade noticed the Player sweating a little.

"Is something the matter, Angel?" she asked, a hint of teasing in her tone. "Nervous?" The Player hesitated before glancing back.

"Are you... planning on following me?" Ballade blinked at the question.

"It's not like we've got anything better to do. Why? Don’t want the extra muscle? I can keep CatNap back, if he’s got the gall to show his face." DogDay winced slightly when he saw Ballade clench her fist tightly. She probably wouldn’t mind getting a shot at CatNap if the opportunity arose.

"We can help you get the backup generator up and running," DogDay added quickly, trying to ease the tension. "We know this place like the back of our hands. And like Ballade said, she’s your extra muscle. I might not be as strong, but I can be an extra pair of eyes." Both of them looked at the Player with genuine gratitude. "Allow us to pay you back for setting us free," DogDay said softly. The Player hesitated, then nodded.

"Well... having you two around will definitely make this task safer and quicker."

"That’s the spirit!" Ballade grinned, ruffling their hair in a warm, familiar gesture—an old habit from the days when she looked after children and the few employees she liked. "Let’s get a move on. That generator won’t run itself." With a gentle push, she urged the Player forward, following close behind. Since Ballade’s body was larger than the doorframes, she had to crouch to avoid knocking her head, letting DogDay take the lead. The three of them made their way down the corridor until they reached two locked doors. To their left stretched a hallway filled with red smoke, while the path ahead led to the reception area, which required a battery to unlock.

Well, at least they knew where they needed to go.

*THUD*

"Ow." The Player and DogDay turned to see Ballade rubbing her head after hitting a light fixture when she tried to stand up. "I forget these buildings were only meant to accommodate the human employees, not us toys." DogDay laughed softly, patting her head in an attempt to comfort her.

"We never really were allowed in here." Despite the tension, the Player couldn’t help but chuckle. It was nice to have some company around. After a quick search, they found the battery hidden in an air duct and swiftly placed it into its slot. The door swung open with a mechanical hiss, inviting them inside. As they entered, Ballade and DogDay wandered toward an old vending machine, their curiosity piqued.

"You think the drinks in here are still good?" DogDay mused.

"Only one way to find out," Ballade replied, cracking her knuckles as she prepared to strike the machine. But before she could, an all-too-familiar alarm blared through the room, making both toys jump. Their heads whipped toward the TV screen, where the Player had just inserted a VHS tape labeled 8/8/95.

The room fell silent, save for the low hum of the monitor as the tape began to play. The Player didn’t seem to notice how Ballade reached for DogDay and gently covered his ears. He hadn’t been conscious that day, but the ringing had gone off the entire time — a sound that never stopped until everything was over. When the tape finally ended, the Player turned toward the two toys, noticing their unusual quiet. Their suspicion grew when they found the duo locked in a silent embrace, Ballade’s hand softly rubbing DogDay’s head in a soothing, apologetic gesture. The weight of whatever memory the tape had stirred hung heavy in the air, unspoken but undeniable.

"It's over, puppy. I'm sorry that it happened, I'm sorry."

"Are you two... alright?" she looked back at them and gave a weak smile.

"Just... old memories resurfacing, but we'll be alright." The Player was kind enough to wait for them to collect themselves before proceeding. Walking down the halls of debris and dead bodies was a familiar sight, but it still hurt seeing the few bloodied toys that littered the ground. The Player found the room they needed to enter filled with red smoke — not a problem thanks to the gas mask they’d acquired in Home Sweet Home. The real problem was the locked door — their eyes widened when Ballade kicked it off its hinges with a single powerful strike. "Ladies first," she said with a smirk.

"Thank you." It beat having to take the long way around. The Player slipped on their gas mask and stepped into the room, but they quickly noticed the two toys lagging behind.

"Go on ahead," Ballade called. "We’ll wait here. I can follow you, but DogDay can’t. The red smoke doesn’t affect me, but I also don’t want to leave DogDay alone while CatNap is still roaming around." DogDay whined softly.

"Sorry for being a burden." The Player shook their head.

"You guys being here keeps me at ease." They offered a reassuring wave before heading off to restore power and unlock the next door. With that, Ballade found a corner where she could keep an eye on both the room the Player had entered and their only exit. She knelt down and patted her lap, inviting DogDay to lay his head down and rest. As she gently stroked his head, the soft but fragile sound of her music box began to play, filling the tense silence with a bittersweet lullaby. After a few moments, DogDay broke the quiet.

"Can you tell me now?"

"Hmm?" Ballade glanced down at him.

"The day you didn’t come back with the others... Can you tell me what happened?" Ballade’s hand stilled. She took a deep, steadying breath, closing her eyes for a long moment. When she finally exhaled, the weight of old pain settled into her features.

"...To me," she whispered, "it really feels like it was only just yesterday."

-

"Is... is that all you got?" Ballade panted, hunched over her knees as she struggled to catch her breath. If she could sweat, she'd be drenched — the endless waves of ruined critters sent her way had pushed her to the brink. Her chest rose and fell in ragged motions, and though she fought valiantly, the sheer number of enemies was starting to take its toll.

She had cornered herself without realizing it. There was no clear path of escape, no way to break free from the swarm. The little toys couldn’t harm her directly — they had no claws or teeth sharp enough to leave so much as a scratch — but their numbers were proving to be their greatest weapon. Their relentless assault, throwing themselves onto her to weigh her down, was working. The growing piles of broken bodies made movement harder with every second, and the sheer mass of them threatened to bury her alive. Ballade gritted her teeth, shoving one off her shoulder and stomping down on another’s head, but her limbs felt heavier with each passing moment. She was strong — built for battle — but even she had limits. And the enemy knew it.

“You always were a strong fighter, [F/N].” Lifting her head, Ballade let out a weak, bitter laugh. Bloodied, battered, and surrounded by the broken bodies of ruined toys, she still managed to glare defiantly at the figure stepping from the shadows.

“Of course… it just had to be you…” she spat, eyes narrowing as CatNap approached with that same calm, calculated air she remembered all too well. “Was this your idea? Wearing me down? Other than the Doctor, you’re the only one who knows that endless hours of fighting will tire me out.” CatNap shrugged, his eyes watching her closely.

“There was no way I could beat you in a fair fight. Wearing you down was the best and safest option.” She scoffed, her breath ragged. The cynical laughter of a ruined Hoppy rang out from the shadows behind her, and with a violent stomp, she silenced it, grinding its remains into the floor.

“Safe for you?” He tilted his head, his tone almost gentle.

“For you.” Her face twisted in confusion. She took a step toward him—and then the exhaustion crashed over her like a wave. Her limbs felt like lead, and the subtle ticking of her wind-up key behind her back began to slow. Each click echoed louder in her ears.

“You… you planned this,” she rasped, trying to force her legs to move. But the ache in her joints grew unbearable as they started to lock into place. He nodded slowly.

“I knew you wouldn’t let me or the critters get too close to your hideout. And I knew you’d sacrifice yourself to let the others escape. That’s because I know you. You’d rather get hurt yourself than see others suffer—trying to make things right after what you did…” Her vision blurred, the room spinning around her. She stumbled, her knees buckling as she collapsed onto the lifeless bodies scattered beneath her. The coldness of them pressed against her, an eerie reminder of what would soon become of her.

“You’d rather… my body shut down… than fight me…”

“It’s better this way,” he said softly. “Better than the Prototype or the Doctor stepping in.” Her key turned slower. The sound of it was fading. “If you change your mind now… maybe I can convince the Prototype to forgive you.” Her head snapped up, eyes narrowing despite the weakness overtaking her.

“…Huh?”

“The Prototype is merciful to us toys,” CatNap continued, his voice soothing, persuasive. “I’m sure, with time, he’ll forgive you for turning your back on him. He only wants what’s best for us. So please, [F/N]—” He extended a paw toward her, his expression almost pleading “—won’t you join my side again?” For a long moment, she just stared up at him. Her breath came in shallow, uneven gasps. The room around her felt distant and cold. With the last bit of strength she had left, she raised her arm—and smacked his paw away.

“I made a mistake… trusting you years ago…” her voice was weak, but her words were laced with venom. “I’m not gonna… make that mistake… again…”

And her body stilled, locked in place and waiting for her key to be turned again. Ballade lay there amidst the lifeless bodies of the ruined toys, her form slumped and motionless. The soft ticking that had once been the quiet rhythm of her life had finally gone silent. CatNap stood over her, his shadow falling across her still frame. His paw flexed slowly, claws extending and retracting as he stared down at her. This was his moment — the perfect opportunity. One strike, and the most dangerous and capable toy within the factory would be gone. The Prototype’s paranoia would be eased, their fear of Ballade’s rebellion finally put to rest. He raised his paw, ready to deliver the final blow… but he hesitated.

The seconds stretched out, and his arm trembled. His mind replayed flashes of the past — moments of laughter, of camaraderie, of whispered conversations in the dark when they’d both been afraid. He remembered the warmth in her voice when she’d encouraged him, the fierce loyalty she had always shown, even when the world around them turned to madness. But then came the guilt. The lies. He had manipulated her trust, twisted the truth to push her toward the Prototype’s cause. And deep down, he knew — if she had known the reality, the full extent of the Prototype’s plans — she never would have sided with them.

CatNap’s arm fell to his side, his face twisting in frustration and something dangerously close to regret. He couldn’t do it. Whether it was loyalty, guilt, or the echo of their old friendship… he just couldn’t strike her down.Instead, he grabs her wind-up key and yanks it out, the sharp, metallic sound echoing through the hollow chamber. Ballade's body slumped further, completely lifeless now, her glassy eyes staring into nothingness. CatNap stood there for a long moment, his paw still clutching the key as his chest rose and fell with shaky breaths. With a strangled sigh, he let his arm fall to his side. The fight drained out of him as his claws retracted, and without another word, he reached down and grabbed her by the nape of her neck. The weight of her dormant form was nothing as he dragged her through the winding corridors of the factory, up to Playcare, and into Home Sweet Home — the place where she would remain, motionless and silent, for four long years.

And yet, he never left her side. Day after day, he watched over her stage like a silent sentinel, his eyes ever-vigilant for the ruined critters that occasionally dared to draw near. He chased them off with swift brutality, his protectiveness never waning. Sometimes, when the loneliness grew too heavy, he would climb into the stage and curl up beside her lifeless body, just as they used to do when things were… better. Back then, she would talk for hours, filling the silence with stories of her day or soft lullabies that soothed his restless spirit. Now, the only sound was the distant hum of the factory and the occasional soft, ragged breaths he took as he lay beside her, longing for the warmth of her voice once more.

-

"I'm not completely... unconscious when my key stops turning," she began, her hands gently caressing DogDay's head. "I'm somewhat aware of what's going on around me, just not fully. To me, it was like I was trapped in a dream and no time had passed at all inside my head — like I just went to sleep and woke up the next day. The same, however, can't be said for my body." Her voice softened as she lifted her arm, the quiet creak of her joints filling the air. She was one of the toys that had been looked after the most. A rare, one-of-a-kind creation that couldn’t simply be remade. As the Doctor often said, she was a masterpiece — fully conscious, capable of speech, and above all, obedient. That was why she had weekly maintenance to ensure she would malfunction.

DogDay nuzzled closer, his voice quiet. "I... I had no idea."

"No one did," Ballade murmured, a distant look crossing her face. "Not even CatNap. I kept that one to myself."

“It must've been so hard for you." DogDay’s voice was soft, filled with a gentle kind of empathy. Ballade shrugged, her movements stiff.

"Eh, maybe I deserved it. I did side with the Prototype, after all. I had it coming." She tried to sound flippant, but her voice cracked just a little. DogDay pursed his lips before slowly reaching out and taking her hand. His grip was warm, steadying. He squeezed it, and when she looked down at their joined hands, something in her hardened expression softened.

"...You did what you thought was right," he said quietly. Her face twitched. She wanted to pull away, but the warmth of his hand kept her still.

"I locked you and the other critters in your cells," she whispered, her voice heavy with guilt. "I knew the Hour of Joy was coming years before it even happened, but I did nothing to stop it. I—I killed humans and toys alike and thought what I was doing was right… but I was wrong. So wrong." DogDay’s eyes filled with a sadness she hadn’t seen in a long time.

"But you did it out of love," he murmured. "What you did… it may not have been the right choice, but you thought there was no other way to save us. You fought for us in the only way you knew how." He paused, his voice growing softer, more fragile. "You may not be able to forgive yourself… but I forgave you a long time ago." Ballade’s breath hitched, and though she was incapable of crying, the way her lips trembled made it clear how deeply his words cut through her. She shook her head slowly, the weight of her guilt pressing down on her.

"How… how could you forgive me?" she asked, her voice breaking. "I helped ruin everything." He looked down at their hands, his fingers tightening around hers as he searched for the right words.

"...You could have left a long time ago," he began softly, his voice heavy with emotion. "You're capable of doing so—but you didn't. You stayed here to help us. You stayed to make things right… even when you didn’t have to." He paused, his breath catching, then slowly pulled himself up, wrapping his arms around her neck. He nestled into the side of her neck, his voice a warm whisper. "So how could I not forgive you?" She believed she choked out a sob as her hands slowly rose, trembling, to press against his back. She held him close, her grip tightening like she was afraid to let go.

"Y-You always did have a heart of gold, puppy," she whispered softly then they both sat in a comfortable silence, waiting patiently for the Player to return while remaining vigilant- who knows what could be lurking in the shadows. A couple minutes past and Ballade hears the whir of electricity, seems they finally managed to restore power to the back up generator. "I'm going to check on Angel, will you be fine here if I leave you?" he salutes her, she snickered softly when she could see an imaginary tail wagging.

"Affirmative." she pats his head.

"Okay, but I'll be quick." She set him down gently where she had been sitting, giving him a reassuring pat before rushing off to find the Player. She moved through the thick red smoke with ease and entered the maintenance room, her eyes scanned the area, but the Player was nowhere to be seen. She hummed softly then scaled the wall leading to the room with the generator but then she saw the shutter doors closed, her brows furrowed in confusion. Without hesitation, she grabbed the edges and tore them open with a loud screech of metal. But the room was empty. Her eyes swept the space carefully until they caught the glint of an open vent, the cover hastily removed and set aside. They must have trapped themselves in the room and neither she nor DogDay could hear them, if they called out for help, so they took an alternative route. But where did they-

"Ballade!" The desperate cry of DogDay rang out, sharp and panicked. Her head snapped toward the sound, and without a moment’s hesitation, she leapt down from where she stood, landing in a low crouch with a soft thud. She broke into a sprint, her heart pounding against her chest as she raced back to where she’d left him. The Player would have to wait — DogDay's safety came first. She couldn’t let anything happen to him. She wouldn’t. As she neared the end of the corridor, she felt a brief wave of relief when she saw him — still in one piece, still there. But the feeling vanished in an instant when she noticed the wide-eyed panic on his face. He was pointing down the opposite hallway, his whole body trembling.

"CatNap!" he gasped. "I saw CatNap!"

"Where?" DogDay couldn’t help but shudder at the venom laced in her voice.

"Down the hall from where we came from!" he cried. Ballade scooped him up and sprinted down the corridor, specifically to the door they ignored. She barreled toward the door leading to the room filled with red smoke, her hands slamming against the doorframe as she skidded to a stop. Her eyes widened in horror when she spotted CatNap through the glass, his claws raking viciously at the Player.

"Angel!" DogDay’s desperate shout echoed through the hall. The sound made CatNap’s head snap toward them, his eyes locking on the sight of Ballade and DogDay. His expression shifted from menace to fear.

"Get away from them, CatNap!" Ballade’s voice was a furious snarl. She struck the door with enough force to make it shudder in its frame. CatNap didn’t take his chances. He stumbled backward and quickly scrambled into the vent, disappearing from sight. The second he was gone, DogDay leapt from Ballade’s arms just as she kicked the door open, red smoke billowing out into the hallway. Her eyes flicked upward toward the vent, but she forced herself to focus on more immediate concerns. "Oh no," she whispered harshly when her gaze fell on the Player’s still form. They lay unconscious on the ground, their gas mask shredded and useless.

"Are they okay?" she let out a breath as she quickly picked them up.

"Maybe a few scratches, but CatNap broke their mask. They inhaled some of the red smoke." DogDay pressed a hand to his forehead.

"Oh no." she nods as she carried them out of the room.

“My words exactly.” Ballade let out a long sigh, the weight of the situation settling heavily on her shoulders. “Let’s get out of here.”

She knelt down, offering DogDay an easy path onto her back. Once he climbed on, she stood and carried them both out of the building, not venturing far — just enough to escape the oppressive red smoke. Outside, she settled on the worn concrete steps, the cool air a stark contrast to the suffocating heat of the facility. Carefully, she removed the GrabPack from the Player’s back and adjusted their position so their head rested gently in her lap. As their face twisted with the torment of the hallucinations the red smoke induced, Ballade’s fingers instinctively moved to their forehead, brushing soothing circles in an effort to ease their pain.

“Will they be okay?” DogDay’s voice was soft and worried as he slid off her back and settled beside her. He leaned into her side, seeking the comfort she always provided.

“Hopefully,” Ballade murmured, her eyes never leaving the Player’s pale, strained face. “It might be a while before they wake up. I feel like this is the first bit of rest they’ve gotten since getting stuck here… even if they’re suffering through whatever haunts their mind.” She huffed softly, the sound heavy with a mix of frustration and concern, her hand never stilling as it moved in gentle strokes through the Player’s hair.

"Shouldn't we... hurry?" DogDay asked softly, his voice tinged with concern. Ballade shrugged, her eyes still scanning their surroundings.

"What's the rush? CatNap's not gonna do anything rash now that he knows we're out and protecting the employee, and Poppy can eat it. She ain't gonna rush me—I just woke up." DogDay couldn't help but chuckle at her choice of words.

"I guess you're right."

"Of course I'm right." Ballade’s tone softened just a bit. "Let's enjoy this last bit of freedom before we have to go back to the prison." He peeked up at her, his brows knitting together.

"How do you know we're going to the prison?"

"Where else is there to go?" she said with a sigh. "I’ve got an idea of what little Miss Poppy is planning, but I highly doubt she's gonna let them go now that she's trapped them this deep. If we don't keep a close eye on them, she's gonna wear them down." Her voice grew quieter, more serious. "And that's the last thing we need." She wrapped an arm around him, her hand rubbing up and down his arm in slow, comforting strokes. DogDay leaned into her warmth, his tension easing little by little. But even as she comforted him, Ballade’s eyes never stopped moving, watching every corner, every fleeting shadow. She was waiting, daring that cat to show his face again. If CatNap came near them—near DogDay, near the employee—she wouldn’t let him get close.

"Nngh..." the two look down and saw the Player stirring softly, their hand weakly lifting from their side to press against their head. Their hand rubbed over their eyes then dragged down their face and when they finally came to they were startled to see Ballade looming over them.

“Well good morning, sleeping beauty~” Ballade teased, laughing when the Player practically launched off her lap. DogDay peeked over her shoulder and couldn’t help but giggle himself when the Player scrambled to their feet, eyes wide in confusion.

“W-What happened?” they asked, brushing themselves off. Ballade pursed her lips, drawing lazy circles in the air with her finger.

“CatNap attacked you, and you inhaled some of that nasty red smoke. We saved you just before he could do any real damage, but… sorry we didn’t get to you sooner.” The Player let out a long breath, rubbing the back of their neck as they settled down next to Ballade again. “Did you enjoy your nap?” she teased.

“Other than the hallucinations? Yeah. Great nap,” they deadpanned, making her snicker. “Why didn’t you wake me up?”

“We noticed how exhausted you were,” DogDay answered before Ballade could. “She thought you could use the rest… even if you were suffering through a couple of hallucinations.” Ballade sweat-dropped at his bluntness.

“Never know when you’re gonna get to sleep again.”

“Yeah, especially when I’m already stuck in a nightmare,” the Player muttered.

“You could say that again,” Ballade agreed softly. The three of them fell into a comfortable silence until the Player surprised them both by leaning their head against Ballade’s arm. She blinked in surprise but let them stay—what’s a few more minutes of peace? “…I almost miss it,” Ballade murmured so quietly they almost didn’t hear her. The Player and DogDay both glanced up at her.

“What do you miss?” the Player asked. She laughed softly, a little wistful.

“The work. The best thing about being assigned to Playcare was watching the kids… making sure the Smiling Critters didn’t get into too much mischief—which they often did. But still… most of the time, I was just lazing about, listening to their laughter.” She smiled, the memory clearly warm despite the weight of everything that had happened.

“We gave you a lot of trouble back in the day,” DogDay said with a small grin.

“Oh, you did. But you? You were the peacemaker,” she said, giving his head a soft pat. “Kickin and Hoppy were the ones that had me running around like crazy, but they never got far.” Her smile faded as a heavier thought crossed her mind. “I miss it. The good days… I really do.” The Player swallowed thickly when they noticed her hand clenching into a tight fist. The tension only eased when DogDay placed his paw on her other hand, grounding her. She was surprised when the employee gently placed their hand over hers. Looking down, she saw the pained expression on their face.

"I don't understand what you've been through, not one bit," they admitted, their voice soft but steady. "But I do know one thing... you didn’t deserve what happened to you." They turned her hand over, rubbing their thumb over her knuckles in a comforting gesture. "None of you did. You were just… you were just children." Her eyes widened.

"You..."

"After finding those VHS tapes and notes on my way down here, I could put two and two together." They shook their head, a mixture of sorrow and determination in their gaze. "You could have had a life, but you were robbed of your childhood. I can't give that back to you, but the least I can do is help take down the Prototype—the thing that brought all of this crashing down." Ballade and DogDay stared at the Player for a moment before bursting into laughter. Ballade placed a hand on her chest to steady herself, while DogDay pressed a paw to his mouth, trying to stifle his giggles.

"You're funny, Angel," DogDay managed to say between muffled chuckles.

"We appreciate the sentiment," Ballade said, amusement still lacing her tone, "but if you really want to take down the Prototype, you're going to have to do a lot of work. He’s been scheming since the early nineties... I think. I’m close." She inhaled deeply before rising to her feet, easily hoisting DogDay onto her shoulder. She then looked down at the Player, offering her hand. "Well, if you’re serious about this, then let’s get to it." The Player met her gaze before letting out a soft laugh, placing their hand in hers.

"Let’s." She helps them up, and the three of them take the power cord connected to the Counselor's Office and bring it back to the generator room. When connecting it, they realize they're just a tiny bit short due to Poppy restoring power to the skylights. Ballade leaves DogDay with the Player and quickly rushes off to grab the power cord from that terminal. She's back in record time, and with that last power cord, they've produced a giant blue battery. She offers to carry it, but they reassure her that it's no problem, picking it up with the GrabPack and carrying it to the Gas Production Zone.

"Do you think..." DogDay's voice breaks the silence as he shifts slightly on her shoulder, lagging behind a bit as the employee walks ahead. "Do you think we'll actually be able to beat the Prototype? We've been trying to get the upper hand for years, but we haven't even come close." Ballade stares at him for a moment before shrugging.

"Who knows? Maybe we'll all die in the end. Maybe that's better. But they've come so far... maybe they really will kill the Prototype and finally end our suffering." She feels DogDay’s small arms wrap around her.

"I hope they do." She pats his arm gently. "I'm just so tired of needing to survive, I just wanna live again." She nods, her voice soft.

"Me too, puppy. Me too." As they finally approach the Gas Production Zone, the Player has already entered the room, making their way toward the blue battery slot. Just as they reach it, the doors suddenly slam shut. "Wha—what's going on?!" Ballade shouts, rushing forward. She grimaces as she peers through the glass, only to see the shutters closing as well.

"Angel! Angel, are you okay?!" DogDay yells, his voice edged with panic.

"It's CatNap!" Their eyes widen as the Player’s voice crackles through. "He's filled the room with the red smoke! I—I've got to go!" She can hear CatNap's heavy footsteps stomping after the Player before they vanish completely.

"No... no, no, no!" Ballade dropped DogDay to the ground and tore the door open, flinging it aside before forcing her hands beneath the shutter doors and ripping them apart. A thick wave of red smoke billowed out, forcing DogDay to cover his mouth as Ballade rushed inside, searching desperately for both the Player and CatNap. She cursed under her breath. The room was empty. The lift to the escape room had already been activated, the blue battery abandoned on the floor. "They got away, but CatNap went after them...!"

"Then follow after them!" Ballade hesitated, catching the way DogDay’s gaze flickered toward the red smoke, fear flickering in his eyes.

"What about you?" DogDay clenched his fists before looking up at her.

"Take me with you... I'll—I'll be fine." She swallowed thickly.

"Are you sure?" He nodded.

"Yes. I don’t want to wait this time."

Ballade sighed but nodded nonetheless, scooping him up before stepping back into the smoke. She felt him shake his head, trying to fight off the hallucinations as she quickened her pace toward the elevator. As they waited for the lift to descend, she kept a comforting hand on his back. Finally, when it arrived, she jumped in, hitting the next button to take them up. If memory served her right, the room CatNap had taken the Player to was a panic room. She vaguely remembered Stella mentioning it in passing—back when things were normal. It was never meant to be used, but when everything went to hell, that’s where most of the human employees fled. And she had personally dealt with them.

-

Fending off CatNap in the Safe Room was a waking nightmare.

The moment they entered, Poppy’s voice crackled through unseen speakers, her instructions flashing on the terminal. Defend yourself. Activate the traps. Survive. The Player wasted no time. They grabbed a battery and slammed it into one of the defense stations, watching as a steam wall roared to life, sealing off one corridor. They activated a green hand port, but the moment it triggered another steam wall, the first one flickered off. A mistake. They cursed under their breath and tore the battery out, resetting it before CatNap could take advantage of the gap.

With the final battery in hand, they sprinted to the top-left receiver, locking it in place. A timer appeared on the terminal. The countdown had begun. Then came the footsteps.

They paced between the two open corridors, Flare Hand at the ready, breath hitching as shadows loomed at the ends of the hall. CatNap. Or was it? The red smoke thickened around them, warping their vision, making the walls feel closer, suffocating. Illusions. They raised their arm and fired a flare down the corridor—the ember burst, cutting through the haze. Nothing. A hallucination. The terminal alarm blared—new battery required. The Player bolted to the next receiver, shoving in another battery just as the trapdoor above them creaked open. Their stomach dropped. A low, guttural growl rumbled from above. He was using the ceiling now. They barely had time to react before the hatch shifted, a clawed hand reaching down. Their heartbeat pounded in their ears as they lunged, slamming the trapdoor shut just before CatNap could drop in.

His claws scraped against the metal, the sound making their skin crawl. Every second, his footsteps echoed from all directions. The illusions flickered in and out of existence, growing closer, the glowing white eyes multiplying in the shadows. They couldn’t tell what was real anymore. Somewhere beyond the suffocating red haze, Ballade and DogDay’s voices rang out. Their stomach twisted—was it really them? Or just the smoke playing tricks on them? There was no time to figure it out. CatNap was relentless, his attacks coming faster. The Player barely managed to stop him, blasting steam at him, whipping around to fire off flares, and slamming the trapdoor shut again and again. Their lungs burned, their arms ached, but they couldn’t afford to slow down. Every time they turned, those soulless white eyes were closer.

The terminal outlet flashed brighter than before. The Player’s eyes snapped to it. This was it. Without thinking, they shot out their Green Hand, feeling the electricity surge through their arm as the circuit overloaded. CatNap crashed through the trapdoor just as they turned. With gritted teeth, they raised their hand, aimed at the monstrous cat, and fired. A surge of pure electricity shot forward, slamming into CatNap’s chest. His body convulsed, a twisted, piercing screech ripping from his throat. Smoke poured from his body, his glowing eyes wide in shock as the energy coursed through him, crackling through fur and metal alike. The stench of burnt flesh filled the air as he collapsed.

CatNap, against all odds, was still alive. His body trembled as he struggled to push himself up, smoke curling from his scorched fur. His ragged breaths filled the tense silence, his limbs barely able to support him. Then, the trapdoor above groaned open. The Player flinched as a long, mechanical claw descended from the darkness—a skeletal hand of slender silver pins, its joints clicking unnervingly as it extended downward. The Prototype.

The metallic fingers twisted with eerie precision before stopping, hovering inches from CatNap’s face, waiting. His breath hitched as his pupils shrank to pinpricks. Then, with a slow, reverent movement, he pushed himself onto his knees, head tilting slightly as if gazing upon something holy. He remembered the first time that hand had reached for him—the day it saved him, the day he learned what true power was. His lips curled into something between a grimace and a grin as he presented himself openly to the Prototype. He was here to save him. Just like before. Just like always. What more could he ask for—

"No!" A voice cut through the tension a second before Ballade slammed into CatNap, knocking him away. They hit the floor hard, but she didn’t hesitate, scrambling over him as she fixed her wild eyes on the Prototype. She and DogDay had finally reached the panic room, just in time to see CatNap kneeling before the monster that had destroyed them all. The Prototype’s fingers had been poised like a spear, seconds away from driving straight through his skull.

Ballade didn’t know why she had moved. She was still so angry. Angry at him for lying to her, for manipulating her into following the Prototype, for trapping her inside her own body for four long years. But as she gripped his tattered fur, her breath shaking, something inside her twisted painfully. No matter how much she hated him, there was still a part of her that remembered the boy he used to be. The one she had cared for. The one she had lost. Ballade grappled with CatNap, the two rolling across the ground in a violent struggle. She managed to slip behind him, locking her arms around his neck in a tight chokehold. He clawed desperately at her arms, but after enduring a surge of electricity and severe burns, his strength was fading fast. He was no match for her.

"You are not going to die!" she shouted, tightening her grip as he thrashed. "I won't let him take you, Theo!" CatNap's breath came in ragged gasps.

"No! My god... he wouldn't abandon me! After everything I did for him, he wouldn't just..." His voice faltered, and his wide, panicked eyes darted upward. DogDay appeared beside them, his arms wrapping around both Ballade and CatNap, reinforcing the hold. His voice was soft, yet firm.

"He abandoned us a long time ago, old friend." CatNap's gaze snapped back to the trapdoor above. The Prototype, his supposed savior, was already withdrawing, disappearing back into the darkness. There was no hesitation, no second thought—just cold indifference. The realization struck like a blade to the gut. The god he had worshipped, the entity he had given everything for, had never truly cared for him. A furious growl rumbled from his throat, and he twisted violently, trying to break free.

"Let go! Let me go!"

"No, not this time!" Ballade barked, her grip unwavering. "I ran from you once, blaming you for what I had done. But it was my fault for abandoning you with that thing when you were just as manipulated as the rest of us. And I am so sorry, Theo!" His struggles weakened, his body trembling. His voice came out in a whisper, fragile and broken.

"N-No... he- he didn't..." But the truth was right in front of him. The Prototype was gone, and all that remained were the people who still cared for him, even after everything.

"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry for blaming you. You only did what you thought was right, and I believed in you. We both did. We put our faith in something we thought would save us, something that promised us salvation—but all it did was take everything away. And I let it happen. I turned my back on you when you needed me the most." Her voice trembled, thick with regret. "I can't take back the things I said. I can't undo the pain I've caused, the choices I made, the years we lost... but I swear, Theo—I swear—I want to make it right." even after everything that happened, even after they put each other through, she just couldn't bring herself to hate the young boy whom she loved with all her heart.

"I-I'm..." she peeked her head over his shoulder and let out a breath when she saw tears streak down his burnt face, she loosened her grip when she felt the fight drain out of him and he instead hunched forward and start crying. "I'm sorry for what I've done...!" she hummed softly as she moved her arms to wrap around his body and embrace him, her head leaning against his cheek and nuzzling it softly to comfort him.

"I know, I know..." Ballade left CatNap to DogDay, who was clinging to the toy and repeatedly apologizing for the state he had reduced him to. She turned toward the Player, who had been watching. "Are you alright?" she asked, kneeling down to avoid overwhelming them.

"Yeah... yeah, I'm good." They let out a sigh of relief and reached forward to gently pat her head.

"I'm sorry we weren't there to stop him in time. I feel awful for leaving you alone." Ballade shook her head, waving her hand to dismiss the concern.

"It's fine, really. I'm just glad you were here in the end." They smiled softly and withdrew their hand. Ballade helped them to their feet and then glanced back at CatNap and DogDay.

"I think this is where we leave you," she said, causing the Player to look up at her in shock.

"What?" She chuckled at their reaction.

"Don't worry. You're just going to have to go on without us for now, but we'll catch up. I’m going to have CatNap find DogDay's legs—he definitely left them somewhere. I also need to grab a couple of things. If you're going deeper into the factory, there are some things I need before we can follow." Ballade patted their shoulder. "But I must warn you... what you went through up here is nothing compared to what's below. If you're not careful... you might not make it out." The Player swallowed thickly.

"Right... I’ll take that warning to heart."

Contract

word count: 27,331

Fandom: Gravity Falls Pairing: Stanley Pines x Alvah (OC) Pronouns: She/Her Relationship: Platonic - Romantic Occupation: Guardian Ability: N/A

Keys:

n/a

Warnings:

spoilers to those who haven't seen the show, violence.

"Contract" pt. 2, pt. 3

had to split this into two parts because I wrote too much and hit the word limit, which is bullshit because a different post has over 60,000 words while this was about 30,000. so now I've just split them into seasons one and two, despite me wanting them to be together.

it was going to be broken up into two parts between season one and two but I reached the word limit again in the second part, and I didn't want it to be three parts because then the third part would be too short.

was gonna publish this when I finished the second part but literally screamed "fuck it", so now I hope I don't surpass the word limit again but I'm nearly done.

bound to be a lot of mistakes that I haven't fixed but fuck it. might fix it later.

season 1, episode 1. tourist trapped

Ah, summer break.

A time for leisure, recreation, for taking her easy.

Unless you're me.

We are now met with a scene with twin siblings fleeing for their lives in a golf cart while an unknown monster follows close behind them, knocking down trees in its pursuit for the siblings.

My name is Dipper, the girl who is about to puke is my sister Mabel. You may be wondering what we're doing in a golf cart fleeing from a creature of unimaginable horror, rest assured. There's a perfectly logical explanation for this situation.

Let's rewind. It all began when our parents decided we could use some fresh air. They shipped us up north to a sleep town called Gravity Falls Oregon to stay at our great uncle's place in the woods. My sister tended to look on the brighter side of things, but I was having a hard time getting used to our new surroundings. And then there was our great uncle Stan, that guy. Our uncle had transformed his house into a tourist trap called the "Mystery Shack", the real mystery was why anyone came. And guess who had to work there.

It looked like it was going to be the same boring routine all summer, until one fateful day.

"He's looking at it, he's looking at it!" Dipper, who was currently cleaning, looked at his sister oddly as she watched a boy open a letter she left out "I rigged it."

"Mabel? I know you're going through your whole boy crazy phase, but I think you're overdoing it with the crazy part." he comments as he sprays a jar and wipes away the dust.

"What? Psh, come on Dipper, this is our first summer away from home. It's my big chance to have an epic summer romance."

"Yeah, but do you have to flirt with every guy you meet?" they then recall each time she flirted with any passing guy, to the point she actually scared a boy guy whilst he was working.

"Mock all you want, brother, but I got a good feeling about this summer. I wouldn't be surprised if the man of my dreams walked through that door right now." and out walking through the door was none other Stan, looking disheveled and everything, holding his stomach as he burped "Argh, why?" Dipper laughed at her misfortune.

"Alright, alright. Look alive, people. I need someone to go hammer up these signs in the spooky part of the forest."

"Not it."

"Not it." the twins immediately protest, behind them, the handy man Soos, raises his hand.

"Not it."

"Nobody asked you, Soos."

"I know, and I'm comfortable with that." Stan turned his attention to the young lady working at the cashier, Wendy, ignoring Soos when he pulled out a bar of chocolate and started eating it.

"Wendy, I need you to put up this sign." Wendy, who was leaning back in a chair with her legs perched on the counter while reading through a magazine, raised her hand and lazily reached towards where they stood without taking her eyes off the page.

"I would but I, urgh, can't, urgh, reach it... urgh." he glares at them.

"I'd fire all of you if I could." he then looked back towards the twins "Alright, lets make it... ennie, meanie, minie... you." he stops and points at Dipper.

"Ah, what? Grunkle Stan, whenever I'm in those woods I feel like I'm being watched." the older man rolled his eyes.

"Urgh, this again." Dipper shook his head.

"I'm telling you, something weird is going on in this town. Just today my mosquito bites spelled out beware." he then showed his arm to Stan, to which he leaned down and squinted his eyes to take a look at the text.

"That says BEWARB." Dipper awkwardly scratches his arm "Look kid, the whole monsters in the forest is just local legend. Dumbed up by guys like me to sell merchandise to guys like that." he then gestures to a guy weirdly staring at a bobbly head figure that was of Stan, he then chucks the signs at Dipper "Now quit being so paranoid!" Dipper sighs in defeat.

A half hour later Dipper returns back to the shack after putting up all the signs but brought back something he managed to discover hidden out in the forest, a mysterious journal that was labeled three in the centre of it. Upon reading it, the author had logged down discoveries of creatures that plagued Gravity Falls from gnomes to flying eyeballs. He enthusiastically confesses everything to Mabel, who didn't quite share the same amount of interest as he did, but she did listen nonetheless as he babbled about everything that the journal had, that was until they heard the doorbell ring.

"Who's that?"

"Well, time to spill the beans." she then promptly spilt a can of conveniently placed beans, she then proceeds to point at herself with both her thumbs "This girl's got a date, woo woo!" she then falls back on the sofa, laughing to herself.

"Let me get this straight, in the half hour that I was gone, you already found a boyfriend?"

"What can I say? I'm just irresistible." the doorbell then rings again "Ooo! Coming!" she shouts and rushes to the door, Dipper than takes her spot of the sofa and opens the journal to start reading it, only for Stan to come walking in drinking a can of soda.

"Whatcha reading, slick?" caught off guard, he quickly shuts the book and hides it behind the sofa cushion and grabbing a magazine off the dino head beside the sofa.

"Oh, I was just catching up on uh..." he narrows his eyes on the page he opened to and saw it was of gold jewelry, he then closes the magazine to get a look at the cover to see what on earth he was reading "Gold chains for old men magazine?"

"That's a good issue."

"Hey, family." the sound of Mabel's voice caught their attention, causing them to stop what they were doing and look over to the girl who entered the living room with someone by her side "Say hello to my new boyfriend." turning around to face them, they were met with a boy(?) with ridiculously pale skin as he wore a hoodie with the hood over his head and his hair covering his left eye, he had a rather unsettling feel to him and what made them feel even more uncomfortable was the red stain on their cheek.

"Sup."

"Hey."

"How's it hanging?"

"We met at the cemetery, and he was really deep." she spoke as she caressed his arm "Oh, a little muscle there. That's... what a surprise."

"So... what's your name?"

"Uh, normal... man!"

"He means Norman." Dipper raised an eyebrow.

"Are you bleeding, Norman?"

"It's jam." Mabel gasps and shoves him.

"I love jam! Look at this!"

"So, you wanna, go hold hands or whatever?"

"Oh, oh my goodness." she giggles softly "Don't wait up." she then dashes away, Norman does the gun gesture to them before oddly walking away from them to follow Mabel, smacking into the doorframe in the process and crashing into something on the way out, causing Dipper's eye to twitch.

There was something about Norman that wasn't right. I decided to consult the journal. Known for their pale skin and bad attitudes, these creatures are often mistaken for... teenagers! Beware Gravity Falls' nefarious... zombies! At the revelation, he puts the journal down and looks out the window, eyes widened in shock when he saw Mabel sitting rather unbothered on a bench while Norman approached her, arms stretched out and groaning with each step he took.

"Oh no, Mabel!" he let out a scream when he saw Norman slam his hand down on her shoulders, when he backed away it was revealed that he had placed a necklace made of daisies around her neck "Is my sister really dating a zombie, or am I just going nuts?"

"It's a dilemma to be sure." Dipper gasps in fright at the unsuspecting voice, looking up, he saw that it was only Soos changing a lightbulb "I couldn't help but overhear you talking to yourself in this empty room."

"Soos, you've seen Mabel's boyfriend. He's gotta be a zombie, right?"

"Hmm, how many brains did you see the guy eat?"

"Zero."

"Look dude, I believe you. I'm always noticing weird stuff in this town, like the mailman? Pretty sure that dudes a werewolf, but you gotta have evidence. Otherwise, people are gonna think you're a majority coo coo clock.'' Dipper lets out a sigh, hands on his hips, as he nods to Soos' words.

"As always, Soos, you're right."

"My wisdom is both a blessing, and curse."

"Soos! The portable toilets are clogged again!"

"I am needed elsewhere." after readjusting his cap he backs away into the darkness, and by that, he backs away until he walks out of the room.

My sister could be in trouble. It was time to get some evidence. And after spending the entire day recording everything he could get on Norman he concluded he had gotten what he wanted, from the way he collapsed after getting hit by a frisbee, to punching through a glass window to open a door and struggling to walk straight, to even them frolicking through the cemetery and him falling into a grave and scarily bursting through the dirt... like a zombie.

I'd seen enough.

"Mabel, we've got to talk about Norman."

"Isn't he the best. Check out this giant smooch mark he gave me!" he screams in fright at the large red circle on her cheek, she then laughs "Haha, gullible. It was just an accident with the leaf blower. That was fun."

"No, Mabel, listen! I'm trying to tell you that Norman is not what he seems." he starts as he pulls the journal out from his vest, she gasped softly.

"You think he might be a vampire? That would be awesome!"

"Guess again, sister. Shabam!" he then proceeds to open the book to the page about zombies, she screams at the page, he looks at where he opened it too and saw it instead was on the page about gnomes "Oh, wait. I'm sorry, shabam!" she tilts her head to the side.

"A zombie? That is not funny Dipper."

"I'm not joking! It all adds up! The bleeding, the limp! He never blinks! Have you noticed that?"

"Maybe he's blinking when you're blinking."

"Mabel, remember what the book said about Gravity Falls? Trust no one!"

"But what about me, huh? Why can't you trust me?"

"Mabel! He's gonna eat your brains!" he shouts as he shakes her back and forward, this was when Mabel's face hardened as she pushed Dipper's hands off of her.

"Dipper, listen to me. Norman and I are going on a date at five o'clock, and I'm gonna be adorable and he's gonna be dreamy and I'm not gonna let you ruin it with your crazy conspiracies." she shouts as she jabs her finger into his chest until he backs out of their room and slams the door shut in his face. A few hours later, Dipper is in the living room when Mabel rushes down from the attic to answer the door where Norman was waiting for her and so the two were off for their date.

"Soos is right. I don't have any real evidence. I guess I can be kind of paranoid sometimes and-- wait, what?!" after going through the footage he found a clip of Norman and Mabel together, but what caught him off guard was Norman's hand falling off and him picking it up and reattaching it "Ah! I was right! Oh my gosh, oh my gosh! Grunkle Stan, Grunkle Stan! Grunkle--" he runs out of the living room in search for Stan, when he makes it outside he accidentally runs into someone and falls to the ground.

"Oh?" looking up he was met with the eyes of a kind woman, she chuckled softly at his disheveled self sprawled on the ground, so she kneels down slightly to offer him a hand to stand "Good evening Dipper, what seems to have you in a rush this fine afternoon?"

"Alvah!" to Dipper, she seemed to be the only sane person in the quiet town of Gravity Falls but he didn't seem to understand why she would ever associate herself with a man that was his uncle. Alvah was a middle-aged woman with long blondish grey hair that she had tied up in a braid with pale but sharp green eyes that held a warmth like an early morning day, despite coming out into the forest to visit the Mystery Shack daily she always wore rather elegant clothes wherever she went. Upon meeting the Pines twins she became somewhat of a maternal figure towards them, always being so calm, kind, and patient with the two of them and they would tend to run to her whenever she came to visit. He didn't know what sort of relationship she and Stan had but the only thing their uncle would tell them was that she was a long-lasting visitor of the Mystery Shack that just stuck around, she grew on him that he always expected to see her anytime throughout the week "You aren't-- Mabel is-- there's a-- I need--" she places her hand on his shoulder and gave him a comforting smile.

"Slow down, sweetheart, calm yourself." she takes a breath and he follows her, when she exhales her smile softens when he managed to calm his nerves "Now, tell me, what's gotten you so worked up?" she was still kneeling down when he stood up straight, hands waving around wildly as he spoke.

"Mabel's got this boyfriend and I believe he's a zombie! He's gonna eat her face!" she raised a brow.

"And what makes you believe that? Don't you think you're being a little overprotective of your sister to be throwing wild accusations like that?" she jerks back a little when he thrusts a video camera in her face, he then plays her the exact clip of Norman's hand falling off and him putting it back on "Well... that could just be a prosthetic, you know?"

"Alvah!" she chuckles softly, pulling her hands up in surrender.

"I'm pulling your leg, sweetpea." she then boops his nose "If you believe that this boy is a zombie, then you should go and prevent your sister from becoming his next meal." she then gently pushes him to where the golf cart was.

"So, wait, do you believe me?" she gives him a shrug.

"Whether I believe you or not, what matters is if you believe in yourself, first and foremost. If you think your sister is going to get hurt, trust your gut feeling before it becomes too late." she then nudges him once again, tossing him the keys that she managed to snag off of Soos "Now get going, I'll distract your uncle from questioning where you guys have wandered off to." he gives her a thankful smile.

"Thanks." she winks and waves him goodbye, by the time he drove off Stan had finished his spiel on a rock that looks like a face and dealing with the tourist and their stupid questions on it, they rushed into the Mystery Shack to look at the attractions while Stan approached and stood by her side.

"What's got him in a rush?"

"He said he needs to go save Mabel from her boyfriend that could possibly be a zombie." he laughs and slaps his knee.

"Woo, that kid is a riot!" she smiles.

"You aren't worried about them getting hurt, Stan?" she asks as they both turn to enter the Mystery Shack, her following behind as he led her through the gift shop to where the tourist were currently looking at a couple taxidermized creatures.

"They'll be fine. If I know anything about those little twerps, they wouldn't get themselves into any situations that would get them killed." this caused her to raise a brow at him.

"... tell me Dipper's real name." she stifled a laugh when she saw him pause, he folds his arm and looks up in thought before letting out a groan and hitting her shin with his eyeball cane.

"Irrelevant." she shakes her head while soothing her shin, for the rest of the afternoon she spent it observing Stan lying through his teeth to the unsuspecting tourists who awed at each other his words. Whenever he'd tell a joke he'd look to the back and see he'd get a laugh out of her, that prompted him to tell more jokes before he continued the tour, they were now back in the gift shop where Stan was showing them a new item, which was nothing more than a spiral on a stick that would spin and the gimmick was that it was a "very distracting object". The sound of screaming and something big approaching caused her to look out the open window, there she saw a giant... gnome amalgamation that was chasing after Dipper and Mabel? She turned away while closing the shutter doors to the window, yeah, no thank you "What's got you spooked?" her eyes move to Stan, who was staring at her questionably, she shook her head.

"You would be better off not knowing." he raised a brow at her.

"Well, alright." he then pushes her off the wall she was leaning "Anyways, man the cash register. Wendy isn't here and Soos is busy."

"I don't work here."

"Yeah, but you come here every day like you do. Enough chit chat, I don't pay you to stand there all pretty and talk." she deadpans when he walked away.

"... you don't pay me at all." she doesn't complain though, taking care of all the costumers who came up to pay for what they wanted to buy from the gift shop, no matter how absurdly overpriced everything was. She let out a sigh when the last of them finally finished looking around and left, stating that they were definitely coming back again. She was sitting on the counter, having a pleasant conversation with Stan while he was counting the cash they earned for the day when Dipper and Mabel walked through the door, both adults look at the children in amusement and concern.

"Yeesh, you two get hit by a bus or something?" she shakes her head at Stan when he laughs, smacking him on the shoulder before looking down at the twins, she smiles fondly and gives the boy a thumbs up. Dipper smiles at her as they both ignore Stan's comment and start making their way to their room so they could clean themselves up, the older man noticed their indifference to him and so he quickly changed up "Uh, hey! U-Uh, wouldn't you know it? Um, I accidentally overstocked some inventory so, uh, how's about each of you take one item from the gift shop? On the house, you know?"

"Really?"

"What's the catch?"

"The catch is do it before I change my mind. Now take something." Stan elbows the cash register so it would open but then felt like he was being stared at, looking up, he flinched under the softened gaze that was Alvah warmly smiling down at him.

"That was sweet of you, Stan." he just rolled his eyes, quickly averting his eyes away from her gaze.

"Didn't you hear me? I said I overstocked is all." she just hums.

"Sure." she was smacked in the leg this time, in retaliation, she kicked him in his side. Looking over she saw Mabel looking through boxes while Dipper was looking at hats, upon noticing, she only then just realized that he had lost his old raggedy hat and now replaced it with a blue one with a pine tree in the middle of it.

"That oughta do the trick."

"And I well have a," she pulls something out of a box and holds it to her chest, when she does a twirl she reveals it to them "grappling hook!" they all stare in bewilderment.

...

...

"Wouldn't you rather have like, a doll or something?" she then shoots the grapple and hoists herself off the ground, knocking over a couple boxes on her way up.

"Grappling hook!"

"Fair enough." she and Stan are left in the gift shop alone once more after the children picked out what they wanted, she hops of the counter and turns to speak again with Stan but stopped when Mabel ran up to her to give her a hug before finally leaving with Dipper.

"They're such sweet kids, don't you think?" he scoffed.

"They're unappreciative."

"Other than the fact you're giving them a roof over there heads, I don't think there's much you've given them to appreciate." she raises her hands when he narrows his eyes on her, she gives him a laugh "You should spend some quality time with them."

"I do." she deadpans.

"Forging bills is not family bonding, Stan. I was not pleased when I had to bail you out." he just laughs.

"Well, I'm way ahead of you, toots!" she raised a brow when he stashed the cash and walked over to where he had a calendar, his finger goes across the days until stopping on a specific date that was circled "It's fishing season on this day, so I plan on taking them fishing!" this made her smile and start clapping her hands.

"Ooo, how fun. I'm sure they'll love it." he nods.

"I know. Will I see you there? I'm sure the whole town will be out." she shrugs her shoulders.

"I'm not sure, I don't really know how to fish." his jaw dropped at the information.

"You're kidding?" she shook her head "Now you gotta come down! If I see you, I'll be sure to teach you a thing or two! I'll impress you with my killer fishing skills." she chuckles, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"I'm sure you will."

"Is that a challenge?" they grin at each other before bursting into laughter.

This journal told me there was nobody in Gravity Falls I could trust, but when you battle a hundred gnomes side by side with someone, you realize they've probably always got your back. Our uncle told us that there was nothing strange about this town, but who knows what other secrets are waiting to be unlocked.

--

season 1, episode 2. the legend of the gobblewonker

"Stan!" Alvah shouts, bringing her fingers to her lips and blowing hard so a sharp and loud whistle would rip through the air, she smiles when she saw the old man perk up at the sound of her whistle and the call of his name. She smiles as she waves her hand to greet him from the docks, she saw how he smiled when he saw her and waved his hand while mirroring her expression, as he made his way over to where she was she noticed how neither Dipper or Mabel were with him.

"You made it, toots." she crouches down so she wouldn't need to look down at him and so he wouldn't need to crane his neck just to look up at her, she then looks around in search for the twins.

"Where are the kids?" he huffed at the question.

"They decided to spend their time with Soos, rather than their old man." she raised a brow.

"You jealous?"

"Hah! Me? Jealous? Of what?" he flinches under her gaze, arms folded and eyebrow raising even higher, telling by that he could tell that she didn't believe a word he said "Sure, I brought them out here so we could have a family bonding moment, and sure it hurt a little that they preferred to go on an adventure with Soos instead, but I'll show them I don't need them to have a good time myself!"

"Sure you don't." she laughs when he splashed her with some water.

"Are you going to ridicule me or something? I thought you were supposed to be nice."

"I'm just teasing." he watched her stand up and shrink in on himself when she walked off, he sighed to himself when he was left on his own once more but perked up when a shadow cast over him. He glances up and saw Alvah standing over him with a basket of what he could only guess was food and a case of Pitt Cola, she dangled them in front of him "Don't you gotta show me your "killer fishing skills", Stan?" he smiles up at her.

"I'll knock your socks off." he takes both the basket and case from her, sitting them down in the boat, before standing up so he could help her into his boat. He gently takes her hand and guides her into the boat, being careful so she wouldn't fall with how jankey his boat is, and smiles when she settles in across from him "You ain't afraid of getting your hair wet, are you?"

"Of course not." she answered while readjusting her sunhat "Now let's go, I wanna see a trout." he raises a brow as he starts the engine.

"You know fishes?" he watches as she pulls a book about fresh water fish, she grins at him and flips through a couple pages.

"Did you know that there are nine species of sturgeon that are listed as either threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act? They are considered one of the world's most endangered groups of species." he makes a face when she continued to ramble about different species of fish, listing down from the most common to the rarest "Did you also know that catfish are a diverse group of ray-finned fish? Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers--"

"Sweetheart, if I wanted to learn about fish I would have stayed in school." she pouts.

"It's good to know what you fish, because you could get fined for fishing endangered species. But that's only if you knowingly fish them out." she lowers the book and saw the way he was muttering about selling an endangered fish, he was promptly hit over the head by the book. She was currently eating a sandwich while watching Stan trying to tie a thread through a hook, laughing quietly to herself as he struggled to get it through the hole "I thought you said you could tie a knot with your eyes closed." she looked away when he glared at her.

"If you think it's so easy, why don't you give it a shot?" he shoves the thread and hook into her hands, knocking her sandwich out of her hands and into the lake.

"Hey!" she shouts, glaring at him for the loss, he just laughs as he takes a sandwich from out of her picnic basket and lounges in the boat.

"It's all you, toots." she narrows her eyes on him, she doesn't break eye contact as she sits back and holds both up in front of him. In the blink of an eye, she manages to loop the thread through the hole before tying a uni-knot "Wha-- how'd you--" his face hardens when she pulls out another book, this time it was about fishing; specifically how to tie knots.

"Boom." she giggles when he snatches the book from her and starts reading through it, she looks at him when he lowered the book then picked up another hook.

"Show me how to do the trilene knot." she grins. After patiently teaching Stan how to tie a trilene knot they finally threw out their lines into the water, Alvah quietly listening to Stan ramble on and on with stories from his youth, she'd ask a question here or there and laugh a little. They would both cheer when they'd catch a couple fish, Stan muttering about cooking them for dinner later, then they would settle into a comfortable silence as they basked under the sun's rays "Hey, Alvah."

"Yeah?"

"Wanna hear a joke?"

"Psh, sure." he clears his throat.

"Here goes. My ex-wife still misses me, but her aim is getting better!" she tears her eyes away from the water and stares at Stan, who was looking at her with the biggest grin on her face "... but her aim is getting better!" his grin slowly starts to drop the longer she stared at him.

"... today at the bank, an old lady asked me to check her balance." he stares at her "So I pushed her over." they now both stare at each other in silence before bursting out into laughter, Alvah has her hand hovering over her lips while Stan slapped his knee and laughed to his hearts contents.

"I didn't know you were a comedian! That was comedy gold! Here, here! I got another one! How much does a chimney cost?" he makes a face that begs her to ask, she chuckles and decides to play along.

"I don't know Stan, how much does a chimney cost?" he giggles to himself.

"Nothing! It's on the house!" they're both laughing hysterically once again, getting odd looks from others nearby but neither paid any notice "Woo, I gotta go out fishing with you more often! I haven't had this much fun in years!" she giggles.

"As flattered as I am, that sounds a little sad."

"You're a riot." she turns her gaze back to her line and frowns when she wasn't getting any bites as often as she did when they first started, she looked across the lake and saw the Corduroy family, her eyes specifically on Daniel Corduroy, aka, Manly Dan. She watched as he kept his eye on the water before grabbing a fish with his bare hands, yanking it out of the water then proceed to crush it in between his biceps.

"Hmm." she looks at Stan and saw he pulled another sandwich out from the picnic basket, she then proceeds to take it from his hands and turn back towards the water.

"Hey! What are you--"

"Shush." he huffs, crossing his arms and watching in amusement as she concentrated on the movement in the water. She wriggles her free hand as she hovered the sandwich closer to the water, her eyes dancing across the water to detect any sort of movement. Her head then snaps in a direction before reaching into the water, Stan raised a brow then his eyes widened in shock as he watched her drop the sandwich in favor of the king salmon she managed to pull out of the water.

"Wow! A king salmon! What a beaut!" he looks back at her and sweats a little at the bright look on her face, hair a little disheveled after staring at the water so closely for what seemed like ten minutes.

"Haha, did you know that they're called chinook salmon and that it is the largest and most valuable species of Pacific salmon? Salmon is rich in vitamins B6, B12, D, phosphorus and omega-3 fatty acids and that they play an important role in the culture, diet, economy and religion of several Northwest Tribes."

"Didn't know, don't really care." her face drops at that "Dang, if only we had a camera. Would love to take a photo of this monstrosity."

"Maybe you should catch the next one, Stan."

"I'll make sure to catch a bigger one!"

"Didn't I just say that they're one of the largest?"

"Then I'll catch an even BIGGER king salmon!"

"Go right ahead." he laughs at her and stands to his feet, he's getting ready to toss his line out when something blows right by them at great speed, then something even bigger that forms a giant wave. The king salmon that was in her hands got caught in the wave and swam to freedom while Stan and Alvah got completely soaked, Alvah stared rather owlishly at nothing in particular while Stan had an angered expression, he tore his hat off and threw it on the ground before letting out a defeated sigh and sitting down "Well, that was certainly... something." she mutters to herself and attempts to flick the water off her arms then grabbing a fist full of her dress and squeezing some of the water out.

"Today has been a disaster." Stan admits, she tilts her head to the side.

"Really? I thought you were having fun." she says, taking her hat off and cringing when she felt more water drip down her face "Did I bore you, Stan?" he immediately shakes his head.

"Oh, no, no! You definitely made everything all the more fun, honestly! It's just that..." she then finally noticed his gaze on the few boats still out on the lake, which all consisted of one thing, they were families spending time with each other "I really, REALLY wanted to go fishing with those knuckleheads, instead they wanted to go hunt some sea monster while I got stuck with you." she huffs with a laugh, grabbing strands of her hair and twisting it to squeeze the water out as well, she then throws her hair over her shoulder.

"That better be a good thing." he only smirks.

"You wish. I want them to know that I genuinely want to spend time with them, like a family."

"I'll say it again, Stan, but that's really sweet of you." she picks up his hat he threw to the ground and squeezed the water out of it then placed it on his head "I'm sure they'll come around eventually, at the end of the day, you're their great uncle Stan. I'm sure they'll see the error of their ways and come back to spend the rest of what is left of today with you, just like that." she reassures as she snaps her fingers, she then leans down to grab two cans of pitt cola, handing one to him to take.

"... you really know what to say to mellow a fella out." he says and takes the drink from her, she just gives him a soft expression in return. They both crack their cans open, thrusting them together then taking long gulps from their fizzy beverages. The rest of the day is spent with them lazily drifting with the water in a comfortable silence, it was only when they started to get cold that Stan decided it was time to head back and wait for the kids to return. She looks at Stan and saw he had a blissful smile on his face, a smile of her own stretched across her face the longer she gazed at him before she looked behind him to gaze at the lowering sun.

"Hey, over here!" both are caught off guard at the sound of Dipper's voice, looking behind them, they were taken aback at the sight of what was left of Soos' boat, they were surprised that it was still floating.

"What the... kids?" a flash from Dipper's camera made Alvah jump, not expecting it to go off, though it was more or less aimed at Stan so her eyes were spared "I thought you two were off playing spin the bottle with Soos."

"Well, we spent all day trying to find a legendary dinosaur."

"But we realized the only dinosaur we want to hang out with is right here." Stan scoffs while Alvah chuckles.

"Save your sympathy! I've been having a great time without ya! Making friends, talking to my reflection," Alvah was caught of guard when Stan raised his leg and saw an ankle monitor that she didn't not notice the entire "I had a run in with the lake police! Guess I gotta wear this ankle bracelet now, so that'll be fun."

"When did you get that? How did I not notice that?" he ignores her.

"So I guess there isn't room in that boat for three more?" the older two share a look then look back at the three in the sinking boat, Stan's eyes narrowing in on them. His gaze faltered when he saw the two put on fishing hats with awkwardly sewn names of "MABEL" and "DIPPY" on them, she thought they were real cute.

"... you knuckleheads ever seen me thread a hook with my eyes closed?"

"Five bucks says you can't do it."

"You're on!"

"Five more bucks says you can't do it with your eyes closed plus me singing at the top of my lungs!"

"I like those odds!" they had to rearrange a few things on the boat for the three of them to fit but they made it work, Stan, Mabel and Dipper sat together while Soos and Alvah sat across from them.

"Soos, what on earth happened to your shirt?" she questions, only now just questioning it.

"Long story dude." Dipper than pulls out his camera again.

"Alright. Everybody get together and say fishing!" Soos, Stan and Mabel get close, he then looks up at Alvah "You too." she chuckles and takes the camera from him, gently pushing him towards his sister.

"Let me take the picture, sweetpea." though hesitant, he was reassured by the older woman that she did not mind and so he joined his sister's side. The rest of that day was spent with Alvah capturing sweet moments of them having a great time, Stan indeed trying to thread the hook with his eyes closed but Mabel was covering his eyes when he started to peek, Soos and Mabel laughing as Stan read through a book of jokes with Dipper looking less than amused, Dipper actually catching a fish with Mabel pointing at it, Soos took the camera from her and snapped a shot of Stan with only half his face then proceeding to try and get one of Alvah to include her but missed up the timing because she was taking her hat off and so he only got the side of her, the next two were of Stan helping Mabel steal fish from another family by cutting their net then them fleeing from the lake police.

"Ahem." if it weren't for the fact that they were sitting next to each other he probably wouldn't have been able to hear it over the engine, he looked to his side and saw Alvah with a brow raised as she snapped her fingers "Just like that." he huffed, laughing to himself as he shook his head.

"Don't go getting a big head."

--

season 1, episode 3. headhunters

she doesn't really play a significant roll in this episode, only really appearing when stan reveals his wax stan.

scolds stan about lying to the people who came that there will be no free pizza, that being the reason they actually came.

she was thoroughly impressed with mabel's wax carving skills, getting every detail of stan.

alvah helps stan set up a memorial for wax stan, encouraging the twins on their search for the killer.

she did find the wax figures unsettling during the funeral and left to "comfort" stan when he ran out of the room crying, followed by soos.

when they return to the destroyed room and the children say it was because they "came to life" and what not, the adults laughed and stan thanked them for finding his head.

season 1, episode 4. the hand that rocks the mabel

doesn't really appear in this episode.

she thinks gideon is a little creepy, from his song to the way he pressures mabel into going on more and more dates with him, taking advantage of her kindness.

she alongside wendy, albeit the latter unaware, help mabel realize that she should be honest about how he makes her feel.

mabel laughs when alvah threatens to strangle the little boy if he decides to do anything to retaliate against her.

she appreciated it.

was standing beside stan when soos became a human disco ball, staring questionably at the man as he spun in circles.

season 1, episode 5. the inconveniencing

not really present.

season 1, episode 6. dipper vs manliness

is at the diner when the pines family come to get food.

they join her at her booth where she is drinking a cup of coffee and eating a plate of scrambled eggs and toast.

when stan was being a cheapskate, she tells them that it'll be on her and to get whatever they want.

mabel is ecstatic to be getting pancakes that morning.

when dipper says "pancakes are on me" and is laughed at by stan and mabel, and a small laugh that leaves alvah, the former doubt him.

when stan brings up his little "disco girl" fiasco, alvah tells him it's alright to listen to pop music while being a boy.

he asks her if he's plenty manly, she could only look away and silently sip at her coffee.

when dipper does the whole "test your manliness" contraction and fails, alvah is the only one that comforts him while he was being teased by the other patrons for getting the weakest score.

though she couldn't help but be impressed when manly dan broke the machine and impressively the stack of pancakes landed on other patron's plates.

when dipper leaves and it's just the three of them left, stan embarrassingly admits that he has a small crush on lazy susan.

alvah teases him about it.

she's with mabel helping her "spruce" up her uncle who's a "cranky, cross, weird old man" with the power of mabel.

she laughs at that.

she's really enjoying mabel, wendy and soos do their best to help the poor old man.

at this point she's not even helping, she's just laughing at their failed attempts honestly.

trying to get him to smile?

failed.

give him a facial?

failed.

try and shave his outrageous chest hair?

don't even remind me.

etiquette?

doesn't exist.

by the end of all mabel's "training" he looked even worse than when they first started, which only frustrate mabel.

"Your niece is SO adorable, Stan. Never knew she would be quite the cupid." Alvah teases from where she was, he just huffed at her, rolling his eyes and crossing his arms "Come on, she's doing you quite the favor if you're asking me. You could learn a thing or two from your love obsessed niece." he waves his hand at her.

"You've been nothing but a bother ALL day, Alvah! Just tell me I don't gotta shot and be done with it." Mabel, who was in the middle of a rant, briefly looked up when Alvah left their side to approach Stan. Wendy and Soos were chattering about other stuff that could help so they didn't notice how Alvah approached Stan, hands on her hips as she stood a little too close to him.

"Not at all. I heard back in the day you were quite the charmer, I believe you've got a good shot with her." she says and leans in close, he scoffed and leaned in, not backing away despite the small distance between them "Shoot your shot, I'm sure you'll hit a home run if you just be yourself."

"You're only saying that because with how perfect and pretty you are, you can just do or say about anything and people will gobble it right up." she laughs as she leaned back, hand to her chest and face flushed with how much she's been laughing that day.

"You think I'm pretty~?" his hands are now on his hips, eyes averting her teasing gaze, his own face flushing a little.

"I would be a fool if I said no."

"Oh my gosh!" Mabel suddenly squealing caught them off guard, the four of them all looking down at her when she sprung off the sofa with her hands to her cheeks "Grunkle Stan and Alvah! Alvah and Grunkle Stan! You two, you're perfect!" they both share a look then burst out into laughter.

"That's really nice of you sweety, but I'm way out of her league." Alvah raised a brow, twirling a strand of her hair around her finger.

"Really? And here I thought I was, and I quote, "perfect and pretty". Your words." he laughs.

"Yeah! But I'm irresistible and dreamy! No woman would deny me!" she jokingly rolled her eyes with crossed arms, she hummed softly when she felt Mabel tug on the skirt of her dress, when she spared her a glance she winced at how shiny her eyes were.

"What do you think of my grunkle, Alvah? Is he dating material?" she looked at Stan once more, eyes looking him up and down as she took in his character, and Mabel was graced with a soft and serene look on her face as she didn't break away from him.

"I think he's perfect for her." the sincerity in her tone was enough to satisfy Mabel, though the young girl did not miss the longing in her eyes the longer she stared at him.

"That's good enough!" she shouts then rushes out of the room, they all wait because not even a minute passes when she comes back "Grunkle Stan, come with me! And leave your pants at home."

"With pleasure." the two disappear and left Alvah, Wendy and Soos alone in the living room, to which Wendy and Soos look towards Alvah.

"You know, Mabel isn't wrong." Wendy quips.

"Hmm?" Soos nods his head.

"You and Stan, well, you two are like two peas in a pod! He doesn't get mad at you like he would at us."

"You laugh at his jokes."

"He enjoys being around you."

"You don't barf whenever he's next to you." as they continue to list more things about them, she just laughs at waves her hand.

"Me and Stan? As flattering as that is, I don't see him like that." she admits as she picks up the photo Mabel dropped, laughing at Stan's poor posture in the photo "He's just a really good friend, honestly." Wendy huffs with a smile, crossing her arms as she narrowed her eyes on her.

"With how you two dance around each other? Yeah, right."

"Believe what you wanna believe."

season 1, episode 7. double dipper

alvah probably wouldn't have gone to stan's "party" if it weren't for mabel's insistence that she just had to be there to keep stan company, or whatever that means.

she argues that she didn't have anything to wear for the occasion, but that doesn't stop mabel from making an outfit out of nothing but left over fabric.

that kid never ceased to surprise her.

"How do I look, Stan?"

"Same old, same old, I promise you that." upon seeing her he felt his words get caught in his throat, staring owlishly as she tugged on the scarf wrapped securely around her neck "W-Where did you-- ahem! Where..." she sighs to herself.

"I don't know how I feel about sequin, but Mabel insisted that I wear them so I could shine." upon that they notice the way some of the lights that shun down on her reflected off the glittery-like pants and sparkled "I don't quite like the way it feels, but I'll put up with it if it makes her happy. So Stan, I ask again, how do I look?" she asks once again and opens her arms, going so far as doing a little twirl with a giggle.

"You look..." she slowly raises a brow, waiting for an answer "you look real pretty, doll face." she continues to giggle when he shoved his hands in his pockets, face turning red while her own cheeks turned pink.

"Thanks, you look quite dashing as well." he clears his throat as he tugs on his collars.

"D-Don't I? I'm glad you noticed." he then holds his hand out to her, the other rubbing the back of his neck nervously before gesturing towards the dance floor "Wanna dance?" she looks down at his hand and noticed that it was shaking, if she took his hand would it be sweaty?

"You are so adorable, Stan." she coos and takes his hand, and it was indeed, sweaty "What are you, Dipper?" he gasps, hand to his chest.

"I am offended. Alright, toots, I may not be as young as I was before but I'll show you I still got it."

and he most certainly did.

at first she wasn't so sure when he led her to the dance floor and shouted at soos to play specific songs, but as the night went on she noticed that he was a really good dancer.

he was light on his feet and definitely had rhythm.

he knew just how to guide her, how to hold her.

she's laughing to her hearts contents with every swing and every twirl, the both of them ignoring when they hear mabel squealing in the background when she found them.

with how smooth stan was she hadn't even realized that she was dipped until she opened her eyes and saw her vision was upside down.

stan is grinning down at her when she looks up at him, panting softly at how long they've been dancing for.

"Speechless?" he laughs some more, hands holding her by the waist while one of her hands goes to her chest while the back of her other hand is pressed to her forehead, head leaning to the side.

"You've swept me completely off my feet." he laughs when he hoists her back up and the two of them are spinning around together, her hands resting on his shoulders while his stayed on her waist "This is fun, thanks for tonight." he chuckles.

"We oughta thank Mabel for this, you wouldn't even have come if it weren't for her."

"You're right." he leads them over to where the food was when Soos announced it was time for the competition between Mabel and Pacifica Northwest to continue, she's drinking from a cup while Stan was unnecessarily taking a lot of marshmallows when a bill strung from what she guessed was a fishing line hung in front of him.

"Right, like I'm gonna fall for that." she doesn't say anything as she watched Stan ignore the money dangling in front of him... for about a second before jumping for it, taking out the table and knocking everything to the floor then cashing after it, leaving her alone "Gimme that money, sonny!" she sighs, deflating a little.

"And there the night goes."

season 1, episode 8. irrational treasure

shows up at the end only to make fun of stan.

season 1, episode 9. the time travelers pig

shows up at the end to make fun of stan... again.

season 1, episode 10. fight fighters

helps mabel with stan's fear of heights.

and by help she's just in the background, encouraging stan that he doesn't have anything to be afraid of.

is with stan and mabel on top of the water tower, nonchalantly leaning against the railing while stan's gripping onto it like his life depends on it.

"Take off your blindfold, now!" when he does he's met with the daunting sight of being meters off the ground.

"Yeah, that's pretty much what I was expecting." Alvah snickers at Stan's frightened face, eyes widened in fear as he couldn't tear his eyes away. Stan briefly looks at Alvah and saw the way she was casually leaning against the handrail, arms crossed without a single care in the world "You're enjoying this too much." she nods.

"I am."

"You're doing better than I thought! Now let go of the handrail." Mabel instructs, Alvah stifles her laughter by how much he was trembling.

"No!" he answers back, voice all strained, that was enough to get Alvah to burst out into laughter.

"Hey, do you smell anger and hormones?" as soon as she said that they look behind Mabel and saw Robbie, who's supposed to be off fighting Dipper, climbing up onto the water tower.

"Finally, I'm safe!"

"Hey, Robbie, get your own water tower!"

"Shh! Keep it down! He'll find us!" she raises a brow at his sudden appearance and leans back to get a look at what he was fleeing from, she squinted her eyes when she saw a pixelated figure at the bottom of the water tower. Before she could do anything he kicked the supporting beams, causing the water tower to shake.

"What was that?!" Mabel shouts, Stan's grip on the handrail tightens as sweat bleeds down the side of his face.

"Oh boy!"

"We're safe, right?"

"Of course not! This thing is on stilts high, high up!" whoever the pixelated figure was managed to break the support beam, Robbie unfortunately fell off while Stan and Mabel were able to run to the opposite side from where it was falling, but Alvah was too also unfortunate and fell off but managed to catch herself.

"Alvah!" she looks down and breaks out into a cold sweat at the distance between herself and the ground, sighing nervously to herself.

"Well... this is an unexpected predicament." whatever was going on below them quickly moved elsewhere, she looks back up and quickly reaches her other hand to grab a hold of the railing to pull herself back up. She grows a little nervous when she felt the tower sway due to it now only being supported by three beams, she starts to pull herself up but cringes when she heard the handrail itself creak "Uh... a little help, please!" she shouts.

"Hang in there!" she sighs to herself.

"I already am." when she felt a hand she thought it would have been Mabel to come to her rescue, instead when she looked up she was met with Stan instead. He takes one of her hands first to pull her up and when she was above the handrail he grabs the back of her legs to swing them over and pull her back to safety, he was still a little weak to the knees so they collapsed to the ground with her laying on his chest, the both of them unmoving after the drastic turn of events "Thanks for helping me, Stan." his chest rumbles as he laughs weakly.

"Right back at cha, toots." she rolls her eyes and pats his chest, she finally manages to push herself up and stand to her feet, albeit with shaking legs, and helps Stan to his feet "I finally got over my fear of heights."

"So you actually WERE scared of heights."

"Don't push your luck."

season 1, episode 11. little dipper

makes a brief appearance to tell dipper that it's okay to be short and that he shouldn't need to be insecure about it.

soos points out that she and stan are about the same height when she wears heels.

they tell her to take off her heels.

she takes her leave.

season 1, episode 12. summerween

wears a simple angel costume and gives the children candy in stan's stead while he was scaring the children.

or attempting to scare them.

joins them at the end of the night for the horror movie marathon.

season 1, episode 13. boss mabel

finds it real cute how both mabel and dipper are similar to stan.

season 1, episode 14. bottomless pit

doesn't fall in like the other four do.

hears their screams fade out into existence and kind of just sits there and waits to see what happens.

not even a couple seconds later and the screaming returns and the four of them are thrown right back out.

she greets them like nothing even happened.

shakes her head when stan falls back in.

season 1, episode 15. the deep end

is just casually sunbathing.

season 1, episode 16. carpet diem

only appears to stare weirdly at soos, who's technically waddles, as he passes by.

season 1, episode 17. boyz crazy

not present in this episode, only at the end to comfort wendy after her break up with robbie.

season 1, episode 18. land before swine

joins them on their rescue mission to save waddles, and because stan called her so she could help comfort mabel.

she was always good at that.

after being told what happened by stan, she gave him a skeptical look and knew that he was lying to mabel about how waddles disappeared.

following the trial of yarn, it led them to what they believed was an abandoned church out deep into the woods.

"Okay, the red yarn leads to..." she trailed off when she saw at the end of the church was old man McGucket rocking back and forward in a rocking chair while playing a banjo... rather creepy that he was there in the first place "Old man McGucket?" he turns at the sound of Mabel's voice, smiling at them and waving his hand to greet them.

"Howdy, friends!"

"What are you doing out here?"

"You'll never believe me. So I was doing my hourly hootenanny..." Stan scoffs, rolling his eyes as he crossed his arms.

"Ohh! This guy."

"When this enormous wingly critter stole my musical spoons and flew lickety split into the abandoned mine down yonder." they all lean over to take a peek down the hole in the floorboards where the red yarn was leading, Alvah reached forward to grab Dipper by his shoulder when she noticed that his hat was going to fall in.

"Looks kinda hairy down there."

"Come on, Grunkle Stan, you can handle it. You punched a pterodactyl in the face, remember?"

"Oh, yeah. Haha! I did do that, didn't I?" Alvah side eyes him, she looks away when he glared at her.

"My! What a suspicious laughter!" he then looks at Alvah, who looks back at him with a kind smile, she leans back a bit when he points directly at her face "I remember you! I remember you from all the way back then!" he shouts, she tilts her head to the side.

"And I remember you from, like, last week?" he laughs wildly.

"I know what you are!" Stan and Soos got in front of her, making sure to make some distance between her and McGucket while the kids pulled her away "You can't fool me!"

"Knock it off, loon." Stan growls.

"That ain't cool, dawg." Soos says disappointedly, Dipper and Mabel look up at Alvah all worried.

"Are you alright?"

"Why's old man McGucket acting more crazy then usual?" Alvah just gave an innocent shrug.

"Perhaps I remind him of someone." that seemed like a logical answer, though when the others turned their attention back to the hole, they failed to notice the way both Alvah and McGucket stared at each other.

they go down with dipper first, then mabel, soos, alvah, stan and unfortunately mcgucket tell about how he kissed raccoon or something. none of them were really paying attention.

when the rope snapped and they all fell down into the chasm, they were lucky that they landed on a mushroom to break their fall, though alvah did land on top of soos.

following the trail of red yarn deeper into the mine shaft they found interesting plants, skeletons but what really caught them off guard were the dinosaurs trapped in tree sap.

from the famous tyrannosaurus rex to the stegosaurs, this cavern seemed to have them all.

but then they found where the pterodactyl was supposed to be, but due to the summer heat, the tree sap melted and it broke free.

they grew nervous when they found where a raptor was, its claw wiggling free.

they should probably hurry up.

alvah is with mabel when stan admits out loud that it was actually him that let waddles out and was the reason that he was snatched up in the first place.

mabel threatens stan that she'll never talk to him again if they don't find waddles, which causes an argument to break out between the two of them.

soos tries to mediate by reassuring mabel they could just continue to follow the yarn, but accidentally wound it back up into a ball.

mcgucket stands beside her when they all start arguing with each other, looking up at her when he saw that calm demeanour that she usually wore start to drop as they yelled at each other.

"Enough!" she shouts, shocking them all into silence. Not once have they heard Alvah raise her voice so angrily before that it echoed through the cavern, or with such an angered look on her face that if looks could kill they'd all be dead "I understand we're all under a certain amount of stress, but acting like children aren't going to get us anywhere!"

"Listen, we just--" Stan raises his hands, flinching back when she directed her fiery glare at him.

"Stan! It was wrong of you to lie to Mabel about what happened to Waddles. Mabel, you have a right to be angry but now isn't the time. Soos, I get that it was an accident but we're in a bit of a bind now that we've lost both the trail and the lantern. Dipper, he's doing his best so take a step back." she lets out a deep sigh, squeezing the bridge of her nose to calm her nerves "You guys are going to shut your mouths, we're going to go down that tunnel because that's where the yarn was leading to last, we're gonna find Waddles and do our best to avoid that pterodactyl because our lives damn well depend on it."

"Hey! Cheer up fellers!" her intense gaze turned to look behind her and it dropped immediately at what she saw "I fixed your lantern!"

...

...

"Oh, dear."

alvah was already running away with the kids in her arms, prioritizing their safety first while leaving the other three behind to catch up.

they're all hiding behind rocks when the tunnel they fled down led them to a cliff where a railway led to what seemed to be a nest.

the rocks they were hiding behind were shaped oddly like them.

she smacks stan when he suggested they use soos as a human sacrifice.

she glares at them all when they were going to start arguing again, that shut them right up.

the sound of oinking caught their attention and so they peek out of their hiding spot to find waddles in the nest along side a giant egg, that doesn't look good.

alvah was the first to chase after mabel when she left their hiding spot to go and retrieve waddles, carefully chasing after her as she crossed the rusting railway tracks.

she ushers the young girl to hurry but keeps close as she looked at the pile of skeletons that surrounded the nest, but kept a closer eye on the looming egg beside them.

the sudden appearance of the pterodactyl startled waddles, which caused the pig to run out of her arms in his harness and towards stan, who was still on the tracks.

they all watch in horror when the pterodactyl nose dives for them but missed and instead destroyed the tracks, causing the two of them to fall towards the wilderness below.

"Oh, no!"

"Stan!"

"Mister Pines!" Alvah slaps a hand onto her forehead when Stan disappeared into the jungle below them, she could only hope that he managed to survive that fall, but she has other things to worry about. She pushes the two children down then yanks Soos down to avoid being caught by the giant prehistoric lizard flying above them, now beginning to stress a little.

"This is just... wonderful." she says through gritted teeth, they all then gasp when Stan's hat fell into the nest "And I say it again, this is just wonderful."

"Guys, we've gotta save them!"

"McGucket, do you have an invention that can distract the pterodactyl?"

"Do I?" he pulls his hat off and starts rifling through it, when he didn't find anything he slumps down "Nope!" Alvah squeezes her temple again, the sound of crackling turned their direction towards the egg that was shaking and when it fell over they all pushed themselves as far away from it as possible.

"Aw..." Mabel cooed when a baby pterodactyl peeked out from the top of the egg, its beady little eyes staring right up at them, but Alvah got in front of Soos and the kids and kept them away.

"McGucket..." she spoke, reaching for him as well, but he just slipped through her fingers.

"Well, welcome to the world, little feller." she closes her eyes when the hatchling snapped its beak shut and proceeded to swallow him whole, she shook her head.

"He will... probably not be missed."

what stood between them and getting out of the nest was the baby pterodactyl, and with the looming threat of being eaten by either it or its mother, they were limited on options.

that was until soos suggested they get in a straight line, since a pterodactyl's vision is so far apart it won't be able to see them.

dipper doubts their theory, but with the apology and reassurance of soos, they eventually agree and get in a straight line.

alvah had to admit, she was very impressed when soos' theory was correct because the moment it laid its eyes on them, it was as if they were invisible.

"I gotta admit, that was real wise of you Soos." Alvah praised as they hid behind the rock formation once more, the young man smiles at her praise.

"Haha, thanks." a distant screech caused them to jump and peeking out of hiding spot to see what it was, they were met with the sight of... you can't be serious.

"Was that?"

"Stan?" right on the back of the pterodactyl with Waddles strapped to his chest was Stan, repeatedly punching it in the face "Waddles!"

"He's punching him in the face!" she couldn't help but whistle at the astonishing display of strength, not expecting Stan to pull of such a stunt.

"From heck's heart I stab at thee!" he shouts as he brings down both his fists to the top of the pterodactyl's head, the mighty creature lets out a screech before crashing into the cliffside and falling in its demise. Stan managed to jump off in time and pull himself up so he didn't fall with it, Alvah whistles again.

"Oh, yes! Haha!"

"You're alright, Stan?" he's panting tiredly, worn out after punching the living daylights of the flying lizard, he perks up when he hears clapping.

"I guess your story was true after all, Stan. I guess I've got to cross "watch Stan punch a dinosaur in the face" off my bingo card." he just laughs tiredly, rubbing the back of his head as she approached him.

"Ah, you're just saying that, but flattery won't get you anywhere." she knocks his shoulder, they then look down to see Mabel wearing Stan's hat, beady little eyes looking up at him "Here's your pig, kiddo." Alvah awes when Stan waves Waddle's hooves, how adorable.

"Ooo, Waddles! You saved him for me."

"Yeah, well, sometimes you just gotta... look out!"

stan takes alvah by the hand when the pterodactyl climbed back up from where it had fallen and started to chase after thme again.

they found themselves back where they had fallen in the first place and realized they had no way of getting out.

upon seeing the geysers shooting up debris, dipper points it out and says they can ride the water up.

however, when they got in the water was still.

they all scream out in terror when the pterodactyl was right before them, but soos screams "bros before dinos" and slams his fists down to get the geyser to activate and shook them straight through the room but out of the mineshaft.

mabel landed in the chandelier with waddles.

soos and dipper ended up in a piano.

stan with alvah on top of him landed in an open casket, with his hat somehow ending up on her head.

the destroyed ceiling collapsed and filled up the hole, hopefully sealing it up where the dinosaurs can't get out.

they all left that day, with alvah feeling satisfied that this experience brought stan and mabel closer, as well as soos and dipper.

she did, however, glance back towards the destroyed church before shrugging her shoulders.

she wasn't forgetting anything, right?

season 1, episode 19. dreamscaperers

"Hmm?" Alvah entered the shack and it was eerily quiet, usually, there would at least be some noise whenever she came by, especially at this hour. Entering the living room, she was met with the odd sight that was the Pines twins and Soos laying unconscious in front of Stan as he sat on the sofa, were they having a sleepover or something? She leaves the room and returns to drape blankets over their sleeping bodies and put pillows under their heads, when she reaches Stan, she throws the blanket over his lap and reaches to take his hat off when she felt something. When she removes his fez her fingers gently brush his hair out of his face, her hand recoils back when she hears a familiar laughter ring out through the room "Now that's a laughter I haven't heard in three decades." she mutters to herself, her hand reaches for his face again but this time she takes him by the chin to turn his face so she could get a good look at him.

"Ah... wha..." he muttered in his sleep, well, at least he still seemed sane. She pulls her hand back and laces her fingers together, pushing them forward to crack her knuckles then pushing her head up to crack her neck. Her fingers brush against his hair that fell over his forehead and she moves it to the side, her index finger presses against the center of his forehead as she whispers a few words under her breath and his face visibly relaxes.

"That should be enough... hopefully." she gently flicks his nose before turning on her heel to leave them be, she's done enough.

the dream demon summoned by gideon gleeful was running amok inside stan's mind in search for the code to stan's safe that secured the deed to the shack.

dipper, mabel and soos jumped into his mind to prevent that from happening but bill was just a force to be reckoned with.

unaware of how to defeat this demonic being, when dipper separated from them, bill was unleashing mabel and soos' worse nightmares.

soos' nightmare was a talking british dog man, odd.

mabel's nightmare was losing her cuteness and looking grotesque.

the two brightly colorful men, previously imagined by mabel, were erased from existence.

bill was having the time of his life bringing misfortune to these two humans.

"And now to finish you off, once and for all!" he points his finger at them, ready to blast them out of existence as well when he felt a presence he had long forgotten about. Dipper arrives after learning that they were in Stan's mind and that anything is possible, he flies up to confront Bill but instead, he was met with the demon slowly lowering his hand "Is that who I think it is?" they all look to where Bill was staring and saw in the distance an abnormal storm approaching them, the once star-filled sky was covered in dark black and red storm clouds where you could hear disoriented and agonizing screams.

"Cipher." the humans within Stan's mind tremble when the voices within the storm cloud came together and spoke, somewhat of a body formed that took the shape of a shadow and loomed over them "I didn't expect to see you here." Bill, whose body was red itself, turned back into its normal yellow color and his jolly personality returned.

"Well, well, well! Shouldn't I be saying that? You aren't one to enter a human mind, much less one so pathetic." the voice let out a deep chuckle.

"Well, my contractor states I must keep those they hold dear alive. Knowing you, you'd cripple this mind beyond saving." Bill let out a laugh as straightened his tie.

"Is that why you've been gone for thirty-odd years? Hah! I gotta thank this contractor of yours for keeping your butt out of the nightmare realm for this long!" he raised his hands in surrender when the figure raised its own hand, the outline of it glowing a bright red to charge up an attack "Hey, hey, now! Knowing that you're still around, I'm not dumb enough to mess with stuff you've claimed. I was on a job as well, and since these dummies thwarted my plans, I was dealing with them." he lowers his arm to take aim at them again but paused when the figure reached down, its own hand getting in front of them to protect them.

"Unfortunately, they're under my protection as well. So I'm going to have to ask you to leave." Dipper looks up at the figure, not expecting some supernatural being to come to their rescue. If he picked up anything from their conversation, this creature was in a contract with someone to protect Stan; to protect them. But who could it possibly be? "This form of mine may not be as powerful as my original, but I won't hesitate to erase you out of existence." they stare at each other in an unsettling silence until Bill starts to laugh so hard that a tear forms out of his singular eye.

"That's so hilarious! You and I both know that I can't be erased!" the red storm huffed.

"Yeah, but it's a threat nonetheless. So long as I am around, you will not be able to kill the humans under my protection." Bill huffed himself, he straightens his tie once more then his hat.

"Fine. Alright you kids, I'm gonna let you guys off the hook because of this old bat. Though, you might come in handy later. But know this. A darkness approaches, a day will come in the future when everything you care about will change." he tips his hat to bid them farewell "Until then, I'll be watching you. I'll be watching." and when he disappeared, a circle surrounded him that had various symbols that flashed until he was gone.

"Well he's annoying to deal with." the voice speaks, it then looks down at them, Dipper specifically "You better watch yourselves, Pines family. Now you've got a serious stalker on your hands." with that the storm started to disappear like, but Dipper reaches his hand out.

"Wait! Who are you?" the voice chuckles.

"That journal should know."

"Ah!" Dipper, Mabel and Soos wake up with a shout, shooting up from where they were lying down, they all then cheer when they realize they had awoken after such a confusion ordeal "We did it!" Mabel cheers, they then hear a groan coming from behind them and see that it was Stan waking up.

"What? Did what? What are you all doing here?" he asks confusingly, rubbing his head "And why was I dreaming of two brightly colored and radical young men?" the three of them stand up and approach him, though it was Dipper who rushed to his side first.

"Grunkle Stan, you're okay!" he exclaims, jumping up to hug him.

"What is this, a hug?"

"Nope. It's a chokehold." Dipper then maneuvers himself around him, wrapping his arm around his neck and proceed to lock him in a chokehold, causing the others to laugh as Stan struggled in his hold.

"Not bad, kid." he praises after being released from his hold, smiling at Dipper "Not bad."

"Oh?" they all perk up at the voice, looking towards the doorway, they were met with Alvah "You guys are finally awake? Were you having a sleepover, or something? I came in earlier and saw you guys sleeping, so I brought a couple blankets in so you'd be more comfortable." they all then finally noticed the blankets and pillows littered across the room.

"Alvah!" she watches in mild confusion when Mabel runs up to her, kneeling down so the young girl could leap into her arms "You won't believe how crazy our dreams were!"

"Really? I'm almost jealous I didn't join you." she lets Mabel go and watches as she lets out a breath of relief.

"I'm just glad Gideon didn't get into the safe. I really love this old shack." they all look up when the shack suddenly shock, a loud rumble being heard in the background.

"Hey, do you guys feel a..." they were all suddenly blown away when the wall exploded, Alvah was lucky she was behind Mabel so she wrapped her arms around the girl so she could shield her from the debris.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Pines family, did I wake you?" walking out of the hole in the wall was Gideon, with the safe destroyed and the deed to the shack in his hands.

"But we defeated Bill."

"Bill failed me! So I switched to plan b. Dynamite."

"What? Bill? Who... wha-- what are you guys talking about?"

"Spoilor alert, Stanford. I've got the deed! The Mystery Shack belongs to me! So, get off my property!"

season 1, episode 20. gideon rises

alvah apologizes to the pines family, not being able to house them because she lives in a small one bedroom apartment that charges her a ridiculous amount of rent.

her small apartment definitely didn't have room to house the twins and stan himself, so she was deeply sorry that she couldn't provide a roof over their heads.

she helps them however she can, whether it be giving them money or food, she'll do whatever she could for them.

she visits them when soos offers them a place at his abulita's home, and comforts stan when he was having a crisis about not being able to provide for the twins.

she isn't with them when they sneak into the "grand closing" of the mystery shack, she's watching behind the fences and cringes when they get caught and thrown out.

she was there when stan admits to the children that he couldn't take care of them, telling them that they had to go back home and that he bought them their tickets; it wasn't up for discussion.

they plead with him, even with alvah, but she couldn't do anything to help them and said it would be for the best.

"Bus fifty-two departing Gravity Falls. All aboard." the twins board the bus and take the seats at the very back where they looked out the window to see Stan, Alvah, Wendy, Grenda and Candy outside waving them goodbye.

"Sorry kids, it's for the best." he then turned around, not being able to face them after all that they've lost, Alvah placed her hand on his shoulder in a form of comfort as she looked up at the twins in the bus and gave them a sad wave goodbye. He does look back at them when the bus drives away but he quickly turns away, not being able to handle the look of sadness on their faces "What should I do now, Alvah? I've got no job, no house, I've got nothing." he looks up at her for a sign of hope but saw the conflicted look on her face.

"I... I really don't know." she muttered to herself "Everybody in this town is unwilling to see the truth that's in front of them because of the story Gideon wrote out unless we're able to help them open their eyes... there's nothing we can do about it. I am so sorry Stan, but I don't know if there's anything I can do to help you." his shoulders slump in defeat.

"I expected that." she finally looks down at him and gives him a weak smile.

"I may not be able to do anything to get you out of this, but I won't leave your side. Until you're able to get back on your feet, I'll be sure to see it through the whole way with you. I promise you, you've still got me by your side." she pats his shoulder and gives him the best smile she could muster, he looks into her eyes and despite the tears glistening in her eyes at the loss of the Pines twins, he could tell that her words were genuine "It'll take you dying to get rid of me." she let out a soft grunt when he pulled her into a hug, her eyes widened in surprise when she felt his fingers cling desperately to her blouse but she eventually relaxed as she wrapped her arms around him and leaned into him. 

"Thank you..." she gently rubs her hands up and down his back to comfort him.

"Don't mention it." when she finally managed to calm him down she bid Wendy, Grenda and Candy farewell and led Stan back to Soos' home. They were sitting on the couch with Alvah continuing to comfort him as he buried his face in his hands, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Well, Stan, this is it. Rock bottom. No family, stuck watching infomercials for that is." they both briefly look at the television to see an infomercial about an "owl trowel", or whatever that is, he then picks up the Gideon pin on the coffee table "How did you do it, kid? Why are you always one step ahead? Maybe he really is psychic after..." they both wince when a high pitch ringing went off, Alvah's eye twitched as she stuck a finger in her ear and twisted it around.

"Ah, what was that?" Stan jumped when the ringing went off due to his hearing aid.

"What keeps causing that?" she confusingly looked at him when he glanced down at the pin and a sudden realization dawned on him "Wait a minute. That's it! I know Gideon's weakness!" she still didn't understand what was going on when he sprung to his feet as he took her with him, she goes to question him but when he suddenly grabbed her by her biceps what happened next stunned her to silence. She let out a muffled gasp when Stan pulled her into a kiss that didn't last more than a couple seconds, when he pulls away he let out a cheer and quickly ran out of the room, leaving her standing there in shock. Abuela entered the room when they shared that intimate moment and looked up at Alvah, their brow raised when she saw her face slowly turn red.

"Are you alright, senorita Alvah?" her face finally crumbled, that gobsmacked expression crumbled and she was left looking flustered and embarrassed and shocked and-- she slowly raised her hands to her lips, still remembering the feeling of his chapped lips against hers and the brush of his stubble "Senorita?"

"I-I'm-- I'm alright." she let out a gasp when Stan ran back into the room, taking her hand and dragging her outside to where his car was.

"Come on, toots! We got a brat to expose!" will only music to make up any noise, the car ride was relatively quiet. Stan took a quick look at Alvah and saw she was just staring ahead of them, he would have guessed she was fine by the composed look she had on but telling how red her face was, it was giving her away. He glanced down at her lips and saw they were slightly smudged from where he had guessed her, well, guess he smudged it from when he kissed her rather out of nowhere "L-Look, I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable or whatnot. But it was just a spur of the moment, and the sudden shot of adrenaline got me going and-- what I'm trying to say is, it doesn't have to mean anything. It doesn't..." he looked at her again and saw the way her face turned a shade of pink this time, her thumbs fiddling together.

"... I didn't, NOT, like it." she murmured, pushing a strand of her hair behind her ear "You just... caught me off guard, is all. I wasn't expecting it." she narrowed her eyes on him when he stared rather smugly at her, wiggling his eyebrows a little.

"Oh? So are you saying if I were to kiss you again, you wouldn't protest?" he teased as his hands extended out to her, they were promptly smacked away.

"Don't push your luck, Stan. Just because I said I liked it, doesn't mean you'll get a taste anytime you want." they were both smirking at each other now, luckily they were at the red light or else Stan would have likely crashed the car, but Alvah noticed something in the distance behind Stan "Is that..." she started then grabbed Stan by his face and turned him around, they both squint their eyes at it.

"... Gideon?" they muttered, if either of them remembered back to the shack, Gideon was constructing a giant mechanical statue of himself and it looked like this thing could move. 

"Drive."

"Wha--"

"I said drive!" he was quick to ignore the law of the road and gun it down the road, he watched as she looked through his car and she surprisingly found a pair of binoculars... odd, she wasn't serious about finding binoculars, but Stan was a jack of all trades that just seemed to have anything and everything. He let out a shout when she threw herself over his lap so she could look out his window, he struggled to drive and went to shout at her but caught himself when she gasped "That little brat!" 

"What? What is it?!" she lowered the binoculars as a look of horror took over.

"He's got the kids!" she was thrown back into her seat when Stan took a sharp turn, she looked at him when she saw the serious look on his face.

"Buckle up, Alvah. We've got our kids to save." she was quick to buckle her belt and grab ahold of the handle above her head, gripping it rather tightly. By the time they arrive at the scene, after following it for some time and seeing it explode from a distance, Alvah's nails were digging into the handle but also the center console between herself and Stan. She was as pale as a sheet of paper when Stan came to a screeching halt, taking out the police cruiser in the process, he then throws his door open and steps out "Wait! Wait! Stop everything! I've got something to say!" he rushes ahead as Alvah shakily exits the car, using the side of it to steady her trembling legs.

"Gideon... is a liar!" she shouts weakly, now placing a hand on her chest to soothe her beating heart. She yelped when he grabbed her hand once more and dragged her over to the wreckage that was of Gideon's giant robot, she dusted herself off as they now looked at the crowd.

"You guys all think Gideon is so perfect and honest! "Oh, I could never tell a lie! I'm Gideon!" Pah!"

"He's more honest than you! And we expected more from you, Miss Alvah. To think you'd take his side." 

"Yeah! And he's psychic, too!" she chuckles softly, hand to her chest.

"That's where you're wrong, officer." both she and Stan look at each other and nod.

"How's this for psychic?" he kicks a loose panel while she hits it, and when it comes down it reveals a dozen monitors that have secretly recorded the lives of the many townsfolk of Gravity Falls "Bam! Take a good look!"

"Wait a minute! Is that me?"

"The secret ingredient to my coffee omelette is coffee!"

"And me!"

"I can verify that that birthmark is indeed disgusting."

"Hurray!" slowly everyone started pointing at monitors that had recorded them unknowingly.

"That's right!" Stan then pulls out the pin he had and pointed it at them, behind them, they got live footage of the crowd as it scanned them "These pins are hidden cameras! And my hearing aid was picking up the feedback! Who's the fraud now?" Alvah crushed the one in her hand and saw the camera lens, after the reveal, they all threw the pins to the ground and then turned their attention towards Gideon Gleeful.

"Gideon, we gave you our trust."

"You lied to us!" Gideon backed away from the crowd as they approached him with angered expressions, he then backed into the debris that was his robot and fell to the ground.

"Please, I... it's not what it looks like. What are you gonna do with me?" Deputy Durland raises his head and looks behind him.

"Tyler?" said man sniffled, wiping away the tears that started to shed.

"Get 'em... get 'em!" Alvah is giggling softly behind Stan, a hand placed on his back as she watched over his shoulder when Deputy Durland pulled out tiny handcuffs and slap them down on Gideon's wrists. She let Stan rush over to them when they started taking him over to a different police cruiser, she let out an oof when something ran into her, and when she looked down, she smiled happily when she saw that it was Dipper and Mabel.

"Are you two alright?" she asked as she knelt, opening her arms to them so they could fall into her embrace. She held onto them so tightly, her hands rubbing up and down their heads while nuzzling into their cheeks "I'm so sorry we didn't come to you in time. I'm sorry we gave up on you." they let out weak laughter, tears of relief slowly running down their cheeks.

"Don't worry, Alvah, Dipper had it all under control." Mabel says with a cheer, said boy sniffled as he pulled himself closer into Alvah's embrace "You should have seen him! He punched Gideon right in the face!" she pulled away so she could get a look at Dipper, astonished at what she just heard, and there she saw Dipper's face turn red from embarrassment.

"Oh, psh, it wasn't anything too crazy."

"Dude, you jumped off a cliff. I think that's pretty crazy." they both let out a startled cry when she ruffled their heads.

"Sounds to me you take after your uncle." she lightly punches him in the arm, winking at him "I'm proud that you stood your ground and protected your sister. I'm glad you followed your gut." Dipper's lip trembled at her words, eyes swelling up with tears again before throwing his arms around her neck.

"Thank you, Alvah." she chuckles and brings them back into a hug once more, gently carding her fingers through their hair.

"Don't mention it, kiddo." she briefly looked up and saw Stan standing in front of a camera, posing after he managed to retrieve the deed to the shack back from Gideon. She pulls away from the twins and gestures for them to be by their uncle's side, it was their moment. Stan meets her gaze as she stands in the back with the crowd, waving for her to join them, but she politely declines with a smile. As she watched them celebrate, the longer she stared the more she felt something eat up inside of her.

What was it called again?

Oh, right.

Guilt.

season 2, episode 1. scary-oke 

"Welcome to the grand re-opening of the Mystery Shack!" the crowd starts cheering, applauding at Stan's announcement that they could finally return "We're here to celebrate the defeat of that skunk Lil' Gideon." the mention of his name caused them to boo as Stan pulled out a makeshift doll that was of Gideon "Please, please... boo harder. But I didn't catch that pork chop all alone. These two scamps deserve some of the glory. Well, most of the glory." Toby, the local news reporter, raises what they believe to be a camera. 

"Smile for the camera." Stan deadpans at him. 

"Your camera's a cinderblock, Toby." the man immediately sulks. 

"I just want to be a part of things." Shandra Jimenez, the real news reporter, gets in front of them with an actual camera. 

"Smile for a real camera." 

"Everyone say "something stupid." 

"Something stupid." the flash of the camera goes off after they do funny poses "And don't forget to come to the after party tonight at eight." Mabel smiled as she knelt to grab a karaoke machine from below her. 

"We're doing a karaoke bonanza, people. Lights! Music! Enchantment! And an amazing karaoke performance by our family band, Love Patrol Alpha!" Dipper and Stan are immediately reluctant, not remembering about agreeing to do something like that. 

"Oh, I don't know about that." 

"I would never agree to that ever." 

"Too late, I wrote your names on the list." she then holds the sheet to her face, eyebrows wiggling up at Stan "I even got Alvah to agree." this caused him to flinch and look out into the crowd to try and find her, shoulders slumping a little when he wasn't able to spot her. Wendy bursts into the room with an airhorn and gets them to follow her outside so they could buy tickets to the party, when it was just them in the gift shop, Stan let out a sigh of relief with a smile on his face. 

"Ha! The town loves us. We finally got that Gideon smell out of the carpet. Everything is finally going my way." 

"Hey, Grunkle Stan," Stan let out a hum, looking down at Dipper "now that we have a moment, I've been meaning to ask for my journal back." Stan raised a brow. 

"What? Journal?" he pats himself for it then knelt down and lifted up the counter to pull the journal out from underneath it "Oh, you mean this old thing? It was so boring I couldn't even finish it." he then thinks back to how he photocopied the pages, he shakes his head as he hands it back to the young boy. 

"Wait, you're just gonna give it to me? Just like that?" 

"What else do you want? A kiss on the cheek?" Dipper was quick to flee with Mabel. 

"... I wouldn't mind a kiss on the--" 

"Not gonna happen." 

"What about me?" turning his head, he was met with Alvah, who was leaning against the counter with her chin resting on the back of her hands while she was kicking her feet back and forward. He felt his lips crease into a smile once his eyes landed on her, she winked at him "Think you can spare me a peck?" she giggled when he pulled at his tie to loosen it. 

"Thought you'd never ask." she tilted her head to the side and giggled again when she felt his lips press against her cheek, they were both laughing like high school students on their first date. Since the day where Stan kissed her they've become a lot more open about affection, there isn't a definite label for them, but they're more openly flirtatious than they were in the beginning "So, Mabel tells me you're doing a song for karaoke tonight." he laughed when her face dropped. 

"I am?" she then looks off, scratching her cheek in thought "I don't ever remember agreeing to something like that." she hums softly when he leans against the counter, their faces inches away from each other. 

"Well, I'm sure you've got the voice of an angel." 

"Mm? Then you better kill it, Love Patrol Alpha." she snickered softly when his face turned a shade of pink, she reached forward and pinched his cheek "Your adorable little niece told me about that one." she laughed when he smacked her hand away, pushing himself back and rubbing his cheek. 

"That ain't happening. Nope. Nah dah. Never." she walks out from behind the counter and drapes herself over his back. 

"Oh, come on. You don't wanna disappoint Mabel, do you? Do it for her." he lets her hang off of him but their attention goes over to Soos, who is currently looking out the window. 

"Hey, Mr. Pines, what's that code word I'm supposed to yell when I see a government vehicle?" the moment Stan heard "government", Alvah was thrown off him as he rushed over to the window. 

"Wait, what? Government vehicle?" the moment his eyes landed on said vehicle he quickly pulled himself back inside and quickly closed the windows, he then rushed over to the intercom and spoke into it "The Mystery Shack is now closed. Everybody out! I will not hesitate to use the hose on the elderly." Soos helps Alvah to her feet just as Dipper and Mabel run back into the room. 

"Grunkle Stan, what's happening?" 

"Yeah, you never shut down the gift shop." Alvah is ushering the kids to the side as Stan paces back and forth, Wendy and Soos watch in concern when the doorbell rings and Stan approaches the door. 

"Welcome to the Mystery Shack, gentlemen. What can I get you? Key chains? Snow globes? These rare photos of American presidents?" the two men at the door pull out government badges, each displaying their ID. 

"My name is Agent Powers. This is Agent Trigger. We're here to investigate reports of mysterious activity in this town." 

"Activity." 

"Mysterious activity in the Mystery Shack? You got to be joking." 

"I assure you I am not. I was born with a rare disorder that makes me physically incapable of experiencing humor." Stan lets out a nervous laugh "I don't understand that sound you're making with your mouth. Now if you'll excuse us, we're conducting an investigation." they then brush past Stan, who started to sweat nervously as they searched the gift shop. Alvah was holding both Dipper and Mabel by the shoulders as they watched the two men look around but she let out a gasp when Dipper slipped away from her. 

"Did you guys say you're investigating the mysteries of this town?" 

"That information is classified. But, yes. Look, between you and me, I believe there is a conspiracy of paranormal origin all connected to this town. We're just one small lead away from blowing the lid off this entire mystery." Dipper's face brightened. 

"Are you kidding me? I'm investigating the exact same thing. I found this journal in the woods which has almost all the answers. If we work together, we could crack the case." the agents share a look. 

"If you have evidence of these claims, we should talk." Agent Powers starts as he pulls out a business card. 

"We can talk right now. Please, please, come in. I have so much to show you!" it was at that moment when Stan and Alvah interfered, Dipper didn't expect Alvah to get in between him and the agents and push him backward while shaking her other hand in front of Agent Powers, a casual but warm smile on her face as Stan got behind her to usher Dipper away as she captured his attention. 

"Isn't his imagination just something? If you ask me, there isn't anything weird going on around here. Probably just the locals playing pranks and whatnot. You shouldn't believe the rumors that circulate around this quiet little town." both she and Agent Powers stand up straight, both their eyes locked on each other "There is no mysterious activity going on around here. Stuff like that just... doesn't exist. If I were you, I'd forget all about this town and get as far away as possible." the two of them just stare at each other, neither breaking eye contact until Stan got in front of her. 

"She's right, agents. Kid has an overactive imagination, and, like, a sweating problem." 

"Zing!" Mabel shouts from the background and Alvah giggles. 

"Paranormal town stuff, like Alvah here said, it's just part of the gift shop lore. Sells more tickets, you know." he snaps his fingers and Soos proceeds to put bumper stickers on their chests and headbands on their heads. 

"We have other spots to investigate. We'll be on our way." Agent Powers leaves while Agent Trigger grabs a couple of bobblehead dolls his arms can carry. 

"I'm confiscating this for evidence." 

"Smart move." she let out a breath of relief when they left, having them around was going to be a pain in the-- 

"Wait! No, wait! We have so much to talk about." they were already gone by the time Dipper reached the door, but Stan placed his hand on Dipper's shoulder and turned him around. 

"Hold it, kiddo. Trust me, the last thing you want around here at a party is cops." he then takes the business card from Dipper's hands "I'm confiscating that card. And how's about you go be a normal kid? Flirt with a girl, or steal a pie off a windowsill." 

"But Grunkle Stan, you don't understand." 

"And don't go talking to those agents." Dipper looks at Alvah for help, eyes pleading for her to talk to Stan and convince him, but she just gives him an apologetic look with a shrug and follows after him. She was the last person he expected to side with Stan, well, not really, but whenever it came to anything that Dipper was passionate about or set his mind to, she was always the first one to encourage him. But weirdly enough, she was openly against the idea of those government agents being around, going so far as to claim that there was nothing weird going around in Gravity Falls. It was hours later and Alvah was helping set up for the after-party, helping Mabel set up her karaoke machine. 

"You look cute, Mabel." the young girl giggled and did a little twirl. 

"Thanks, Alvah." she then gestures for her to step aside, pulling out some sort of glittery gun, she then witnessed her shoot confetti out of it at Stan "Boom! Well, the confetti cannon works. And the karaoke machine has all the best songs. "We built this township on rock and roll", "Danger lane to highway town", "T8king over midnight" by &NDRA." Alvah hummed softly, what old songs. 

"Listen, kid, you do not want to hear this voice singing. Trust me." 

"Grunkle Stan, karaoke isn't about sounding good. It's about sounding terrible, together." 

"Together." Alvah echoes before letting out a grunt when Mabel hugs her face, Mabel is standing on the stage so she had the elevation to do so. 

"And Alvah wants to see you sing as well, don't you?" they look at each other and she gives a cheeky smile. 

"Scared?" Stan scowls at them, he opens his mouth to say something but instead closed it and stomped off, the two laugh "Surely he won't back down from this fight." she hummed softly when Mabel kissed her cheek. 

"You're just the best, Alvah." she winks. 

"I know." she stands off to the side as guests start pulling up, she greets the few people who walked past her and quietly enjoys the party. Soos and Mabel were having fun at the party, Stan was outside at the admission stand, but she couldn't spot Wendy or Dipper anywhere. 

"Hey, toots!" she perks up and looked over to see Stan approaching her, she smiled and waved her hand "Have you seen Wendy and Dipper anywhere?" she shook her head with a shrug of her shoulders. 

"Nope, was just questioning that." she looked towards the crowd and spotted Mabel, she lifted her fingers to her lips and blew on them "Mabel!" the girl paused in her movements and looked to where she heard the sound of her name when she spotted Alvah she grinned until she noticed she was waving her over, so she quickly rushed over. 

"What's up?" 

"Have you seen your brother anywhere?" she snorts. 

"Yeah, he went inside with Wendy." she then wiggles her eyebrows at them "Hopefully they're not doing you know what." they both look at each other. 

"I hope they're not doing you know what." Stan rushes inside, Alvah snorts at the panicked look he had on his face and ushers Mabel back to enjoy the party. After a couple of minutes, she only sees Wendy, and still no sign of Dipper, perhaps he wasn't feeling up for a party after what happened that morning. She should probably apologise to him about not having his back, but it's for the best if government officials are left in the dark about what's going on in this quie-- she let out a whoa when she suddenly felt rumbling, she then glances over at the food bar and her eyes widened when she saw the bowl of punch splashing around as the earth shook. 

"I think it's an earthquake!" Wendy shouts as she blows an airhorn "Hey, everybody! We got to get out of here!" as soon as she announces that everyone starts fleeing back to their cars, Alvah tries pushing past the crowd to get to Mabel but is unfortunately carried off with the panicked citizens. It was only when the crowd dispersed that she was able to run back to the shack to check up on the kids when she saw... zombies? 

"What the...?" she muttered under her breath as she saw the zombies surround the shack, she panicked when she couldn't find Dipper or Mabel anywhere, what made it worse was she saw a zombified Soos, who was now looking at her. 

"Hey, dude. Would it be cool if me and my new buds eat your brains?" she gave him a scrutinizing stare, gaze hardening the longer she stared at him "I'm not hearing a no." 

"Soos!" she yelped when they started approaching her so she was quick to run away, she tried opening the doors but they were locked so she went to try and find an open window but they too were closed and latched shut. She didn't have any time to properly find a way inside because the zombies were beginning to surround her, she backed away from the window then rushed forward and jumped through the window, breaking through the glass while shielding her face from any broken glass. She let out a sigh when her clothes got caught in the broken shards and tore a little, but that was the least of her worries, what she needs is to find those ki-- she gasped when a zombie appeared out of nowhere, grabbing her by the shoulders and pushing her into a door hard enough that it broke and they both fell in. She managed to kick the offender off of her but it was crawling back with the determination to eat her face, she looked around the closet for anything to defend herself and her face lit up at what she found "Oh, Stan, you shouldn't have." back to Dipper, Mabel, and Waddles, the two of them were cornered in the gift shop with nowhere else to go. 

"Dipper, isn't there something in the journal about defeating zombies?" 

"No! There's nothing in here about weaknesses. This can't be happening. I wanted answers so badly that I put everyone in danger. Now we're toast. It's all my fault and no one can save us." Dipper gasped when he was grabbed by the zombie and pulled off the ground "No, Mabel! I'm sorry!" 

"Dipper!" he screams as he's faced with a groaning zombie but is suddenly released when the zombie was hit in the head, he falls to the ground and Mabel was quick to rush to his side, looking up at their savior they are met with a disheveled looking Stan. He was missing his fez hat, his tie was loosely hanging from his neck, he had several tears in his suit and zombie blood splattered over him. 

"You two, attic. Now!" 

"Grunkle... Grunkle Stan?" 

"I said now!" they didn't need to be told twice, they quickly ran past him to get upstairs while he swung a bat down on the wave of zombies that surrounded him "Alright you undead jerks, ready to die twice?" he's panting as he's backed into the living room, taking down a few more zombies "The only wrinkly monster who harasses my family is me! Take that, and that!" it was only when the kids were safely upstairs he stops to take out a couple more zombies, shoving the bat into a zombie's mouth and went it snapped in two he punched it wearing his brass knuckles "Anyone else want a piece?!" he punches down a couple more just as the front door is busted down, he dodges a couple of swipes but was nicked in the stomach, he pulls his fist but stopped when he heard a shout. 

"Get down!" he quickly falls back into the staircase just as the zombie's brains are blown right out of its head, turning his head, he was met with Alvah just as disheveled as he was. Her dress was torn and was covered in dirt and zombie blood, and her hair was still tied in a loose braid but some strands of her hair were sticking out, what did it was the double-barreled shotgun she held followed by the shotgun shell strap wrapped around her body "I'm gonna get that kid, for sure." she pants, she let out a grunt when one of the zombies that was on the ground grabbed at the end of her dress so she pointed the barrel at its head and shot it dead. 

"Alvah, are you--" he sputtered out his words when she grabbed her dress and tore it down the side, spreading her legs a little wider for more leg room. 

"That's much better." she muttered as she flipped the latch to open the barrel of the shotgun, she flicked the empty casings out and slipped two new shells down the barrel before snapping it shut and pointing at a new group of zombies "Where are the kids?!" 

"Um, um-- uh, they're, uh--" 

"Stan!" she snaps, shooting a few zombies at once and quickly reloading "Now is not the time to gawk! Where are the kids?!" she asks again, he shakes his head to get a hold of himself. 

"Right, they're upstairs!" she nods. 

"Good! Let's go join them." they stand back to back as they punch and blast the zombies away, he pushes her up the staircase first then follows after her, they look at the father clock and proceed to push it down the first flight of stairs to create some distance before rushing up towards the attic. The door is closed when they reach it, she's standing behind Stan as he bangs on the door to open it, keeping an eye out for any zombies that could appear anywhere and when he finally got the door open she quickly pushed him inside and shut the door behind him. 

"Grunkle Stan, Alvah!" he gently pushes her to the side as he grabs a chair and lodges it beneath the door handle, Dipper lets out a nervous laugh as he approached the two tired adults "Well, at least, you can't deny magic exists anymore, right?" the two of them take a second before letting out sighs. 

"Kid, I've always known." 

"Wait, what are you talking about?" Alvah stands behind Stan as she turns around, a guilty look on her face. 

"I'm not an idiot, Dipper. Of course, this town is weird and the one thing I know about that weirdness is that it's dangerous." Alvah let out a scream when a hand broke through the door and grabbed her by her hair, Stan punches her free and grabs her when she fell forward, pushing her backward alongside the kids "I've been lying about it to try to keep you away from it, to try and protect you from it." when another zombie burst through the window she let out a growl and shot it right back out, she and Stan peek out and grimace when the shack was surrounded "It looks like I didn't lie well enough." Dipper then looked at Alvah, waiting for her explanation. 

"Ignorance is bliss, Dipper. Some people just don't need to know about all this supernatural stuff, and the less I know the better it does for my mental well-being." she fell to the floor and leaned against Mabel's bed, the young girl hurried to her side, and held her arm when she started rubbing her scalp where she was yanked back by the hair "I know it's not ideal to ignore it, but if I think about it, I find it hard to sleep at night. And if you tell the wrong people, welp, I guess tonight is a great example of that." Mabel was now applying rainbow band-aids to the open cuts on both Stan and Alvah as they try thinking of ways to get out of their current predicament. 

"What do we do? What do we do?" Waddles takes cover under Mabel's bed beside Alvah, who rests her hand on top of the pig's head to comfort him. 

"Normally, the journal would help us, but there's nothing in there about defeating zombies." Dipper says as he opens the book and flips through pages before showing them, and under the UV light, there they see words written on the blank page. 

"Wait, wait, wait, the text. It's glowing in the black light." 

"What?" he turned it around and under the light as he flipped through pages he saw words written in some sort of invisible ink "All this time I thought I knew all the journal secrets, but they're written in some kind of invisible ink." 

"Invisible ink." Dipper quickly goes back to the chapter about the zombies and sees instructions on how to defeat the zombies. 

"This is it! "Zombies have a weakness! Previously thought to be invincible, their skulls can be shattered by a perfect three-part harmony." Three-part harmony? How can we create that? I have a naturally high-pitched scream." 

"I can make noises with my body. Sometimes intentionally." 

"Whoop, whoop!" they looked towards Alvah, who was bumping her hands in the air "Love patrol alpha!" she cheered then giggled, trying to make light of the situation despite the possibility that their faces could get eaten, Mabel grinned and snaps her fingers. 

"Exactly." they all find themselves standing on the ledge of the second floor window, well, Alvah was casually sitting on the edge as she leaned against the karaoke machine while Stan and Dipper stood as stiff as a board holding microphones, Mabel was the one that looked like she was having the time of her life despite her life being in danger "Zombies and gentlemen, I'm Mabel, they're Dipper and Stan and together, we are Love Patrol Alpha!" 

"Whoop, whoop!" Alvah goes off in the background, she laughed when Stan glared at her to be silent. 

"I never agreed to that name." Dipper says quickly. 

"Hit it!" Alvah quite literally hits the top of the karaoke machine and "Taking over Midnight" by &NDRA starts playing, she giggles softly when Stan squints at the screen. 

"Uh, Mabel, our lives may not be worth this." Dipper pursed his lips and tried getting into the beat. 

"Friday night, and we're gonna party 'til dawn. Don't worry daddy, I've got my favorite dress on-- Mabel, this is stupid." she ignores him and sings the next part. 

"We roll into the party, the boys are looing our way. We just keep dancing, we don't care what they say. And all the boys are ganging up in my face--" Mabel let out a startled scream when a zombie climbed up, Stan pulled her back just as Alvah stepped forward and shot it off. 

"Come on you guys, you have to sing together or it won't work." she urged while reloading the shotgun, Dipper and Stan swallow their pride. 

"Boys are a bore, let's show 'em the door." 

"We're taking over the dance floor." Alvah couldn't help but smile when they all started singing together "Oo-oo, girls do what we like. Oo-oo, we're taking over tonight. Oo-oo, girls do what we like. Oo-oo, we're taking over tonight. We're queens of the disco!" Alvah laughs and claps her hands but notices that it's actually working, looking over at the horde of zombies, one by one their heads started exploding. 

"You're doing it! Keep it up!" as she watched them she saw that they were actually having a good time, perhaps it's because no ones around that Dipper and Stan aren't embarrassed. 

"Oo-oo, girls do what we like. Oo-oo, we're taking over tonight." 

"Taking over tonight!" she quickly pulled Dipper back when a zombie climbed up once more and punched it in the face, knocking its head right of its neck and it landing in a bowl of soda, she winced and shook her hand. 

"Ow." she let out a whoa when Stan pulled her close and that was when she noticed that all the zombies were dead. 

"Thank you! We'll be here all night!" 

"Deal with it, zombie idiots!" 

"Pines! Pines! Pines! Pines!" Alvah only laughed, they were back inside and she managed to find Stan's fez hat and placed it on top of his head, he thanked her and adjusted it himself just as Dipper started apologizing. 

"I'm sorry about this, guys. I totally ruined everything." 

"Dipper, are you kidding me? I got to sing karaoke with my two favorite people in the world. No party could ever top that." she stands back as Stan crouches down to Dipper and Mabel's level, hands on their shoulders. 

"Kids, listen, this town is crazy. So you need to be careful. I don't know what I'd do with myself if you got hurt on my watch. I'll let you hold onto that spooky journal as long as you promise me you'll only use it for self-defense and not go looking for trouble." 

"Okay, as long as you promise me that you don't have any other bombshell secrets about this town." 

"Promise." 

"Promise." Alvah pulled a face when she noticed both Dipper and Stan cross their fingers behind their backs, she sighed while shaking her head, Stan then let out a sigh. 

"Man, we have got a lot of zombie damage to clean up. Where's my handyman anyway?" they look up when they see Soos enter the room, still zombified, Alvah aimed the shotgun at him while Stan picked up a chair "Holy moses!" 

"Wait!" they both paused and looked down at Dipper to see him pull out the journal "There's a page in here about curing zombification. It'll take a lot of formaldehyde." 

"Ooo, and cinnamon." 

"Come on, Soos, let's fix you up." Mabel takes the chair from Stan and starts pushing Soos away, scolding him when he kept muttering about brains, with Dipper following behind and leaving Stan and Alvah alone in the living room. Stan looks at Alvah and saw she was rocking back and forth on her feet with her hands behind her back, he looked away when she spared him a glance and whistled. 

"So..." he cleared his throat, placing a hand on the back of his neck "you were pretty cool back there, with the shotgun and all." she gave a nervous laugh herself. 

"Hehe, yeah. I found it in one of your closets when a zombie fell into me, I got real lucky." she says as she tosses the gun on the sofa "You looked pretty cool as well, punching those zombies left and right. I think I hurt my hand a little." she admits as she waves her hand once more, her knuckles a shade of red after punching the head off the zombie. 

"Well, your hands are pretty delicate, toots." Stan says as he takes her hand into his, rubbing his thumb along her knuckles while blowing cool air onto them "Thanks for protecting the kids." she gave him a reassuring smile. 

"There isn't anything I wouldn't do for those kids." she then bumps her hip into his "Including you, Stan." he just laughs, his eyes then landed on the karaoke machine that Mabel left behind. 

"Well, sweetheart, you heard my magnificent singing voice, now it's time I heard yours. You even got a performance out of me." she scoffed jokingly, placing a hand on both her hip and chest. 

"And you think that's enough to convince me?" 

"... pretty please?" her resolve broke a little at the plea, he watched her raise her leg before kicking the karaoke machine and a song started to play, she raised a brow at the song but shrugged, nonetheless. He watches as she grabs a bundle of her dress, lifting a hand to her chest and lowering her head to curtsy. Stan couldn't help but chuckle and return the formal greeting with his own awkward little bow, she giggled softly before reaching a hand forward for him to take just as she started singing.

Mabel returns to the living room, leaving Soos in Dipper's care, upon realizing she left her karaoke machine and went to retrieve it, only to pause and hide in the hallway when she heard music followed by the most beautiful voice singing alongside laughter. Peeking into the room, she gasped softly when she saw Alvah and Stan dancing alone in the living room, he held one of her hands above her as he spun her around then pulled her into his arms, her back to his chest as he held her close. She looked up at him over her shoulder and continued to sing, turning around to throw her arms over his shoulders and pull herself closer. Mabel covered her mouth when she saw Stan kneel down a little to grab Alvah but her waist and hoist her up, she planted her hands down on his shoulders to stable herself and let out a squeal as Stan spun her around before gently tossing her up, catching her bridal style in his arms as he continued to spin, she giggled as she kicked her feet and threw her arms around his neck and hid her face in the crook of his neck. 

"Ooo, Dipper's going to flip when I tell him this." she whispered under her breath before running back to where she left Dipper, missing when Alvah pulled herself out of his shoulder and how both herself and Stan stared into each other's eyes. 

"Try once more, like you did before. Sing a new song, chiquitita~" they continued to stare at each other as the song slowed down before she let out a gasp when Stan laughed just as the music started picking up again, he placed her down and grabs her hands so they could spin around. Since the song had ended she was just laughing as they spun around like idiots until they collapsed on the ground, panting softly and staring at the ceiling "That... was really fun." Stan chuckled from beside her. 

"It was." he stared at her from where they lay, he looked at her and saw that one of her hands was resting on her chest while the other lay motionless between them. They were already so close when they were dancing together, he held her close to the point he could feel her breathing against his neck and the way her heart was beating like crazy, hell, he held her hand the entire duration they were dancing, so why the hell was he getting nervous now? Was it because the adrenaline was finally dying? He taps his fingers against his chest as he continues to stare up at the ceiling before going for it, Alvah flinched at the sudden contact and looked down to see Stan placed his hand on top of hers. Her eyes trailed up his body and they saw the way his eyes refused to move away from the ceiling but she could see the way his neck to the tips of his ears had tinged a shade of red, he gulped when he felt her hand move from under his but instead of taking it back, she simply twisted her hand around so she could intertwine their fingers together and give his hand a squeeze. 

"All you had to do was ask, Stan." she giggled quietly when she saw him turn his head away from her, throwing his other arm over his face to hide the embarrassment flush across his face. 

"Shut up." she hummed softly, but that feeling of guilt started to eat at her once again as she looked away. 

season 2, episode 2. into the bunker 

only appears at the beginning with stan, helping guide the construction workers where stuff goes. 

season 2, episode 3. the golf war 

joins them to play mini golf and is pretty good at it, that is until she hits the golf balls too hard and sends it flying. 

stan laughed at her when accidentally hit someone in the head. 

mabel gave her a sticker that said "be PAWsitive". 

she'll take what she can get. 

she comforts mabel when pacifica insults her once more but couldn't help but burst into laughter when mabel fires back and calls her a "walking one-dimensional bleached blonde valley girl stereotype". 

she was so proud. 

season 2, episode 4. sock opera 

mabel is begging on her hands and knees for alvah's help with her sock puppet show, knowing how good the older woman is when it comes to sewing. 

she has to pick mabel up to get the girl to cease, mostly because they were in public and it was making alvah look bad. 

she laughed at the sock puppet mabel made of her, she thought the likeliness was almost uncanny. 

as the days grew closer to mabel's puppet show, she noticed with each passing day dipper's desperation to unlock the laptop they found in that underground bunker was getting to him. 

she told the boy to take it easy, that the laptop was going anywhere and he could put his focus on it when he isn't so busy helping his sister. 

she found it sweet that he was helping her in the first place. 

"Oh, hi, Dipper. There you are." Alvah was with Wendy and Soos, planning on going to the theatre with them since Stan's car was full with the girls and the stuff for her puppet show, they walk out of the shack and find Dipper standing outside. 

"What up, dude?" Wendy greets, Alvah herself smiles at the boy as she waves. 

"You excited for your sister's play?" she felt a chill run up her spine when they approached him, she patted her chest and looked behind her but ignored the feeling when she didn't see anything "You're not catching a ride with Stan and the others? Guess they didn't wait for you." 

"We're headed to the theatre." 

"Need a ride, Dipper?" the boy let out a laugh. 

"Anything for you, Red." Alvah raised a brow at the odd nickname Dipper gave Wendy, she decided to ignore it and takes a seat in the backseat of Soos' truck, leaving Soos, Wendy and Dipper in the front. They arrived at the theatre and had taken their seats, Stan was to her left with Soos, Dipper and Wendy to her right, and the entire time she kept her eye on Dipper because he was just acting weird "Ah, nothing like the theatre, huh, toots? Hey, Soos, want to hear the exact time and date of your death?" Soos laughs. 

"Okay." she opens her mouth to say something but then Mabel appeared, looking happy upon seeing them. 

"Hey, guys, you all made it." 

"Are you kidding me? I would never miss, whatever this is." Alvah elbows him in his side. 

"By the by, Mabel, where'd you put my journal again?" 

"I used it as a prop for the big wedding scene. I still need a reverend though." 

"Hey, what if I play the reverend? I mean, someone's got to hold that journal, right?" 

"Great, let's go." that feeling of a chill running up her spine returned again the moment Mabel ran off with Dipper to get behind stage, she pulled a face but instead of doing anything she crossed her arms and leaned back into her seat. Stan looked down at her and saw the way her face twisted with concern, she let out a hum when he elbowed her. 

"You alright, toots?" she let out a sigh. 

"I don't know. Dipper's just been acting... off? He's become so desperate to find the author of that journal of his that he's losing himself, you know? I'm worried about him. Maybe you should talk to him that this summer is not just about uncovering the mysteries of this town but about having fun, it's like he's almost forgotten." Stan let out a huff. 

"Yeah, yeah, maybe I shouldn't have given him that journal back, but uncovering mysteries is how that kid has fun. He's just got to stop taking it so seriously." he then places his hand on her shoulder, causing her to look up at him "Alright, I'll talk to him and try and get him to settle." she smiles. 

"Thanks, Stan." he chuckles. 

"If I didn't know it, you're acting more and more like the kid's guardian than me." she laughed and shoved him gently. 

"Oh, how could I replace you, Stan? You're their great uncle Stanford." they're both laughing but quiet down when the play begins. 

alvah, no matter how confusing the play was, was quite impressed with the story and found herself applauding throughout the night. 

she made a few comments here and there but other than that she was enjoying herself. 

it was during the wedding scene when everything seemed to fall apart. 

alvah let out a gasp when mabel and dipper fell from above and crashed onto the stage, she was confused as to why they were fighting over the journal. 

she side-eyed stan when he pulled out a camera and started recording them, saying how he could "sell this". 

she pushed him off his seat. 

the "fight" lasted a couple seconds with mabel slamming the journal on dipper's face before running around in circles and dipper eventually tiring himself out then collapsing. 

soon enough they were all ducking when a box of pyrotechnics went off and fired off into the crowd, one even landing in the box of sock puppets and exploding all over the stage. 

the stage was promptly destroyed. 

season 2, episode 5. soos and the real girl 

only really appears to tell soos that he's a really swell guy and that he'll find a girl perfect for him. 

smacks stan when he says he doesn't like soos' chances. 

is also really creeped out about "old goldie". 

season 2, episode 6. little gift shop of horrors 

doesn't really appear in this episode. 

season 2, episode 7. society of the blind eye 

only appears at the end of when the children, soos and wendy return with old man mcgucket after their fiasco with the society of the blind eye. 

after discovering that mcgucket was the owner of the laptop they suspected that he was the author of the journals. 

so they went on this whole adventure to the museum so they could recover his memories. 

that was when they stumbled upon the cult that was "the society of the blind eye", who were erasing people's memories of the paranormal activities that were going on. 

when they were finally able to defeat this club of freaks and get a hold of mcgucket's memories, that's when they discovered his past and his connection with alvah. 

"Alright, McGucket. Are you ready to see your memories? Find out who you really are?" Dipper asks as he switches the machine on that allows them to play back the memories that were unrightfully stolen, McGucket doesn't look all too thrilled, or nervous about what he is going to see. 

"I'm not so sure. What if I don't like what I see?" Mabel places her hand encouragingly on his arm. 

"We've come all this way. Go on." with his memory tube in hand, he approaches the machine and slots it into place. The television spurs to life and they wait a couple seconds before it reveals a younger less crazy version of McGucket. 

"My name is Fiddleford Hadron McGucket, and I wish to unsee what I have seen." they all gasp, finally seeing who exactly the old man-- or rather, Fiddleford McGucket really was "For the past year, I have been working as an assistant for a visiting researcher. He has been cataloguing his findings about Gravity Falls in a series of journals. I helped him build a machine which he believed had the potential to benefit all mankind, but something went wrong. I decided to quit the project. But I lie awake at night, haunted by the thoughts of what I've done. I believe I have invented a machine that can permanently erase these memories from my mind. Test subject one. Fiddleford." 

"It worked! I can't recall a thing." 

"I call it "The Society of the Blind Eye. We will help those who want to forget by erasing their bad memories." 

"Today, I came across a colony of little men. Very disturbing. I would like to forget seeing this." 

"I accidentally hit another car in town today. I feel terri-bibble. Terrible. I've been forgetting words lately. I wonder if there are any negative side effects..." 

"I saw something in the lake, something big!" 

"My hair's been a-fallin' out, so I got this hat from a scarecrow. Hey, are my pants on backwards?" 

As they watched the days go by with each clip, they saw how Fiddleford descended into madness and by the time the days reached ??? he had become the senile old man McGucket they all knew today who had laughed maniacally at the end while spouting out senseless words, the screen was filled with static. The room fell into silence as they looked at the once renowned inventor become a shell of his former self. 

"Oh, McGucket, I'm so sorry." 

"Aw, hush. You kids helped me get my memories back, just like you said." 

"But did you want those memories back?" 

"After all these years, I finally know who I am. Maybe I messed up in the past, but now that I seen what happened, I can begin to put myself together again." he reaches for his memory tube when the TV spurred to life again, causing them to jump back in surprise. It wasn't over yet? McGucket takes a step back and watches the TV once more and they heard the audio first before they saw any visual of what was going on, but from what they could tell, whoever McGucket was talking to he didn't seem all too pleased. 

"Get away from me! I don't want you anywhere near me!" they hear a clatter followed by glass shattering as Fiddleford tried getting as far away from whoever was with him "I know what you really are! I know you're just a wolf in sheep's clothing! You're a monster amongst us lesser beings!" they hear a sigh. 

"Fiddleford, you're being overdramatic." the voice was of a man that they could not recognize, it was hard to determine who it could possibly be "I'm not here to hurt you, I just wanna apologize for what happened back then." 

"So, you're acknowledging the fact that you did it on purpose!" 

"No, I didn't! You just appeared unannounced and caught me off guard! How on earth is that my fault?! It's not my fault you saw something you weren't supposed to see. Now look at you, you've started some... some, some cult!" 

"It ain't no cult! We're helping people, you see? We're erasing the bad things that people don't wanna remember." 

"And what if you're erasing too much? What if people start to forget who they are? And what about you? I know you've been using that thing one too many times on yourself to the point you're forgetting who you are. Do you even remember what you were doing in Gravity Falls in the first place?" 

"U-Uh, I was... I-I was--" the sound of a slam caused Fiddleford to shriek, they all then noticed how a picture started to form and at first all they saw was a still somewhat decent-looking Fiddleford looking absolutely terrified as he stared at the looming individual who was slowly approaching him. 

"What happens when you start to forget about your wife? And your son? Do you even remember their names? What if they come up from California and they see something they weren't supposed to see? Are you going to erase their minds as well? How selfish can you be?" the individual takes another step just as the picture is formed and their eyes widened when they saw a pair of uniquely colored red eyes that held nothing but disappointment "How do you think he'll feel if he saw the state you've fallen into?" he didn't flinch when he pointed the gun at him, his gaze only hardened. 

"Don't-- Don't come any closer or else I-I'll... I'll use this on you!" he rolled his eyes. 

"Yeah, you don't have the guts to shoot me with that thing." Fiddleford's shaking got worse with each step he took "Now put that thing down before you hur--" their eyes widened when he shot him with the memory gun, even he was surprised that he actually shot him, he stumbled back in surprise and fell into the table behind him while clutching his head. They saw a wave of confusion wash over his face as he looked around before looking back over at where Fiddleford was, when he saw the way, he was panting as he stared at him, his face hardened with anger. 

"I-I... I warned you." he let out a shout when he lunged at him to smack the gun out of his hand. He brought his arms up to shield his face from what he believed he was going to attack him, but instead he let out a frustrated huff. 

"Fine then, have it your way. I'm only checking up on you as a request from your old friend, but I have no obligation to actually care for you." turning around and despite the TV failing to capture a high-quality image they were able to distinguish a fairly young man dressed in rather odd clothes, it was someone that they didn’t recognize from anywhere. Not from the town, not a tourist who could have visited the Mystery Shack. It was a total stranger to them. Who were they? They mentioned a friend. Could that friend the author or someone else entirely? "Perhaps when you come to your senses, I'll be nice and fill in the few blanks of what you can't remember. But that'll be until then." the video cuts off and they're left in silence once more, they all look at McGucket and see him shaking. 

"I... I remember him. I still can't remember everything exactly, but... but he's one of the reasons I became like this. But he didn't do it intentionally, I think?" 

"Does that mean whoever the man was had his memory erased? Does that mean his memory is somewhere here as well? Maybe if we find it, we might get some more answers." 

"Oh, you kids can go do that without me. I've got some remembering to do." they were hesitant to let him go but he reassured them that he’d be fine, he took a pair of glasses he found on the TV and left them to search for the mystery man’s memory tube. 

Meanwhile... 

"Stan... Stan, s-stop it!" Stan laid on top of her, laughing alongside her as he kissed up her neck and all over her face, his hands holding her by her waist as she did her best to push him away by his face and shoulder "I'm ticklish! Hahaha, stop it!" he only continued his attack just so he could continue to hear the melody that was her laughter, his grip on her tightening as she squirmed underneath him. 

"Nah uh, sweetheart. I don't know how long those kids are gonna be, but I wanna spend the rest of my night with you." she smiled up at him, wrapping her arms loosely around his neck and pulling herself up so she could press her lips against his and he welcomed it warmly. His hand moved up to her lower back to lift her closer to him so she tightened her hold around his neck, they both pulled apart to take a breath and before they could dive in for more, they heard the front doorbell ring. They break apart and look to where the door is, waiting breathlessly for it to ring again, they think they're in the clear and go to continue until it rings again "Urgh, dammit! I'm gonna strangle whoever's at the door." she giggled softly when he lifted himself off of her, grumbling to himself as he went to answer the door. 

"Go easy on them." she teased, she hums to herself as she waits for Stan to tell whoever it was to get lost but jumped when he instead shouted for her. 

"Alvah, it's for you!" she raised a brow, oh? She shrugged her shoulders and pushed herself to her feet, cleaning herself up a bit before leaving the room. She had her calm and kind demeanor as she peeked over Stan's shoulder, greeting whoever it was with a smile but her face twitched a little when she saw who exactly it was "How old man McGucket knew you were here, I'll never know." she and McGucket stared at each other, similar to how they stared at each other back at the mineshaft, but she saw a different glint in his eyes the longer they held their stare. 

"I'd like a word with you, Miss Alvah." 

"Well now, wait just one moment bus--" 

"Of course, perhaps we'll settle the feud between us." Stan stared at her in shock, giving her puppy dog eyes to get her to come back inside, but she simply patted Stan on the head and pushed him gently inside "I promise we won't be too long, just go back inside and wait for me. I'll even stay over, if that's what you want." he stared at her before throwing his head back with a sigh. 

"Urgh, fine! But don't take too long! We were just getting to the fun part." she laughed and ushered him inside. 

"I won't!" she leaned her head inside and waited for him to be fully gone before closing the door behind her, her face completely changed as she leaned against the front door, arms crossed and attention back on the man in front of her "So, Fiddleford Hadron McGucket, what would you like to remember?" a smirk stretched across her face when she saw Fiddleford glare up at her. 

"Everything." she chuckled cruelly. 

"Oh, with pleasure." 

season 2, episode 8. blendin's game 

the children don't bring up knowing that alvah and mcgucket have history amongst each other. 

either that or they just don't want to believe that alvah did something bad that caused mcgucket to spiral the way he is. 

in the episode, alvah knows the history behind soos' tragic tale of his birthday and, despite the heartache it gives him, encourages the twins to make this birthday worth it. 

she was also there ten years ago when stan first hired soos, patting his head with a smile. 

season 2, episode 9. love god 

doesn't involve herself with stan when he tries to appeal to the "hippy weirdos" during the festival. 

she does laugh when she saw his failed attempt at making a hot air balloon. 

she quotes "I heart kids" for the rest of the day, irritating him. 

season 2, episode 10. northwest mansion mystery 

doesn't make an appearance in the episode. 

season 2, episode 11. not what he seems 

"What happened here?" Alvah arrived at the Mystery Shack when the Pines twins were putting out a fire with water balloons, she greets the twins when they came running up to her with hugs and looked over at Stan, who was casually sitting on the outside sofa while drinking a pitt cola. She waved her hand and perked up when he waved his hand to greet her back before gesturing for her to come over, she ruffles their heads before making her way over to him and taking a seat beside him "Good morning, Stan. You seem to be in a chipper mood." he lets out a laugh. 

"I'm in an even better mood now that you're here." she giggled softly. 

"Stop it." they're laughing together until they're both looking out at Dipper and Mabel, she snickers softly when Dipper throws a balloon rather weakly that it barely makes it a foot from him, he's immediately wiped out by a balloon to the face by Mabel "But seriously, what's gotten you smiling this morning?" he clears his throat as he rubs the back of his neck. 

"Well, do you remember how I told you I've been working on something for the past thirty years?" she raises a brow but nods her head "I think... I think it's coming together now. I'm so close to it now that I'm not gonna let anything get in my way from my greatest achievement." her gaze softened as she placed her hand on his knee. 

"Then I hope everything goes your way, Stan." he smiles at her and places his hand on top of hers, however, her eyes widened in surprise when a water balloon was thrown at her, soaking her. They look over and see that it was Dipper who had thrown it, whose face was frozen with horror. 

"O-Oh my gosh, Alvah! That was meant for Stan!" said man was howling with laughter, she stared at Stan and promptly shoved him off the sofa, which caused the kids to laugh, and then proceed to shower him with water balloons. 

"Alright, alright! Hahaha! I tell ya, it's unnatural for siblings to get along as well as you do." Mabel lets out a laugh. 

"Haha! Don't worry, we've still got plenty of summer left to drive each other crazy." she cheers as she grabs a hold of Dipper, he then pushes her back and splashes her with a water balloon. 

"Heh, yeah... plenty of summer left." she grabbed his hand from behind him after hearing the way his voice dampened a little, he squeezed it and smiled when she squeezed his hand "Kids, there's something I... something I should tell you. It's, um... w-well it's complicated. I..." she was startled when he abruptly took his hand back from her "I'm gonna go refresh my soda." she and the children watch him rush off in a hurry, they look up at her to see if she knew why he fled the way she did but even she looked confused. 

"Alvah?" her face saddened when he disappeared but she shook her head and smiled at the kids. 

"I'm sure whatever he has to tell you is just hard for him to expl--" she shot up to her feet when she heard shouting, immediately getting in front of the kids to protect them "Stan? Are you alri--" she lets out a gasp when a group of armed men came out from around the corner and pointed guns at her, the kids jumped back when she was tackled to the ground. 

"Alvah!" she lets out a grunt when the man above her grabbed her by the wrists and slapped handcuffs around them. 

"Target secure." she turned her head and her eyes widened when she saw the soldiers surround Dipper and Mabel. 

"Kids are secure." she was lifted to her feet as a squadron of government soldiers broke into the house through the windows, she glared at the man who was handling her. 

"Hey! I haven't done anything! I know my rights." she turned her head when she saw Stan was being escorted by another government soldier "Stan! What's going on? Why am I being arrested?!" 

"Alvah, I-- hey! Hands off, you stooge! I don't understand. What did I do that warrants this much arresting?" Stan shouts as he was held down on the boot of a car, she was treated nicer than him and was left standing, she scoffs when she saw Agent Powers and Agent Trigger appear. 

"The government guys? I thought you got eaten by zombies." 

"We survived... barely." 

"I used Trigger as a human shield. He cried like a baby." she deadpanned, she didn't need to know that "This is security footage of a government waste facility. At 0400 hours last night, someone robbed 300 gallons of dangerous waste." 

"What? You think that's me?" 

"Don't play dumb with us, Pines!" 

"But I actually am dumb! Last night I was restocking the gift shop... I swear!" he was then taken into the car, leaving Alvah with the kids still handcuffed. 

"Why am I being arrested? What did I do?" she leaned back as her face scrunched up with anger when he got close to her. 

"We've been keeping an eye on Mr Pines ever since that zombie incident and we've noticed that you have a close relationship with him." she let out a gasp when she was being led away to a different government vehicle, her eyes not leaving Agent Powers "We might not have any video evidence of you helping, but we can't write you off the list just yet." 

"I'm being arrested for mere association with him?! I swear, this isn't going to end well for you!" 

stan finds it slightly amusing seeing alvah get a mugshot but is silenced when she glares at him from across the room. 

she and stan are separated into different interrogation rooms but she could just hear him fumbling over his words, trying to say "he's innocent until proven guilty", but failing. 

they really had no need to take her in as well but from what they've observed, she and stan were nearly always seen together. 

what's to say she wasn't with him during that ordeal? 

they asked her questions to get her to talk, to get her to prove that it was indeed stan who stole the nuclear waste. 

but throughout the interrogation, she was eerily quiet. 

giving short or one-worded answers. 

what really disturbed them was how calm she looked, her eyes and voice devoid of any emotion. 

from what they got from the locals, alvah was a walking ray of sunshine. no matter who saw her she always had some way to make them smile. 

she was kind, nice, and polite and the type of person who you could talk to no matter the topic. 

but the woman sitting in the interrogation room, a singular light hanging above her head as she stared at them without blinking... it terrified them. 

"She's a lot creepier than I would have thought." 

"Let's get some air. Her answers are getting us nowhere." Alvah watched them leave the room before slumping back in her seat, she knew this day was coming but she didn't expect she'd be arrested like Stan, it was a little humiliating if she was being honest. She hoped the kids were alright, she knew Stan was fine telling how the agents left him alone in the room, but she was getting a little frustrated that they were holding her here all because she and Stan were close. She began to scowl but let out an oh when everything, including herself, started floating a few feet off the ground before dropping back down with a notable thud. 

"Huh, now ain't that interesting." unlike Stan, she was handcuffed to the table in front of her so she tugged it back when it dropped a few inches away from where it originally was. This was going to get a lot more fun, a few hours rolled by and the group of agents came back into the room with determined expressions. 

"Look here, lady. You may not be guilty of any crimes unlike Mr Pines in the next room over, but you could get into serious trouble for withholding information. If you tell us what you know, you can go home." she just raised a brow at him. 

"Uh huh." she answered boredly, leaning back against her seat while letting her head hang back, looking up at the ceiling like it was the most interesting thing she's seen all day. She didn't flinch when the agent slammed his hand onto the table, she simply raised her head to look at the agent, expression indifferent "Struck a nerve?" she snickered when he grabbed her by the collar of her chest, yanking her out of her seat and scowling at that smug look on her face. 

"You're stepping on thin ice, lady." 

"Ooo, I'm so scared." she let out a laugh when he threw her back into the chair and she waved her hands from where they were chained "Now that ain't a way to treat a lady. Have you no manners?" she then started laughing rather manically, this was the first emotion they got out of her that entire time and it really freaked them out, with how far her smile stretched across her face and how her laughter echoed throughout the empty room. 

"God, you're creepy. I don't know why this town likes you so much." she winked. 

"Thanks. I take that as a real compliment." she grinned cheekily at him when he slumped against the table, she glanced over at a clock and saw that it was seconds away from nine o'clock "Hey, do any of you guys get motion sick?" they look at her with confused expressions. 

"What? No?" she chuckled. 

"Good, then you'll be just fine." the moment the clock struck nine everything in the room started floating just like before, but this time it lasted much longer and the agents in the room began freaking out. She continued to sit calmly in her seat while the other men tried their best to find anything stable, she glanced to the side when she heard in the room over a whole lot of shouting, she figured Stan had managed to free himself and was effortlessly getting himself out of the room. The moment the gravity came back everyone fell to the ground with a grunt, she just looked down at them amused, she perked up when she saw something run across the window of the door before coming back. 

"Alvah! Let me--" she raised her hand and shook her head, gesturing for him to leave. 

"You clearly have somewhere to be, Stan. I'll be fine. I'll catch up with you later." she winked at him and though he seemed reluctant he dashed out of the police station, now that Stan was finally gone, she inhaled deeply while rolling her shoulders "Finally, the day of his return has arrived." the agents were slowly peeling themselves off the floor when they finally noticed Alvah stand to her feet, the one that was being violent with her pulled himself up by using the table but noticed that when she stood up the handcuffs that kept her secured to the table snapped off. 

"Hey, lady..." he paused when he saw her lace her fingers together and push them forward so she could crack her knuckles, followed by rolling her neck before finally settling her eyes on him "y-you can't just--" he was cut off when she grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, the same way he grabbed her, and pulled him until they were inches away from each other's faces. 

"What happened to that big boy attitude from before? Don't tell me that was all for show." that same grin that scared them stretched across her face again but this time her eyes held a sort of viciousness, or rather, insanity "You should have left us well alone, and maybe then you wouldn't have to suffer such a gruesome fate." the next couple of minutes the room was filled with cries and screams followed by maniacal laughter that slowly died out as time ticked by, the agents in the next toom quickly burst out of the room the moment they collected their bearings and ran out to chase after Stan but first checked up on their fellow agents interrogating Stan's part-- they all recoil back at the stench of death lingering out of the room, how blood was splattered across the floor and walls and even the ceiling, and at the center of it all was Alvah, holding the broken arm of the same man who was acting up on her. 

"Y-You..." her head snaps towards them like a doll, they flinch back at the sight of blood dripping down her face as she presses the heel of her boot into the agent's head to keep him still. 

"You should have heeded my warning, Agent Powers." she spoke, she took a step forward but raised the leg that was on the agent's head, they flinched back when she slammed her foot down and crushed his head "If I were you, I'd forget all about this town and get as far away as possible. But now... I can't let you leave. You know too much." Agent Powers takes a step back when she snaps her head again, her pupils moving erratically within her eye socket. 

"We should have kept our eyes on you, not Stanford." 

stan was running as fast as he could back to the mystery shack, hoping that soos did as he was asked and protected the vending machine. 

little did he know that dipper and mabel found his stash of fake id's, the newspaper article that proclaimed he was dead and the code that unlocks the vending machine to reveal the hidden door that leads to the basement. 

soos, dipper and mabel venture down into the basement and in horror found exactly what the government agents were searching for. 

the machine that could potentially destroy the world. 

with only a minute to go, the trio found a manual override that could possibly shut the machine down and stop it from tearing the universe apart. 

turning the three keys at the same time, it powers up a button directly in front of the machine that could shut down the machine. 

they quickly rush over to it, intending to shut it down for good when stan finally made it back. 

"Don't touch that button!" they all whip their heads towards the door and see a panicked look on Stan's face as he shouted at them to stop, he saw the way they stared at him with mixed feelings. Betrayal, anger, confusion, Dipper's hand was hovering over the button that could potentially ruin thirty years of his progress "Dipper, just back away. Please don't press that shutdown button. You gotta trust me." the boy's gaze hardened on him as he looked between him and the button. 

"And I should trust you, why? After you stole radioactive waste, after you lied to us all summer! I don't even know who you are!" 

"Look, I know this all seems nuts, but I need that machine to stay on. If you just let me explain--" his head snapped towards his watch and started beeping, indicating that another gravitational anomaly was going off "Oh! Oh, no! Brace yourselves!" the machine that Stan had been working on spurred to life, a gateway of sorts opened up as they were lifted off the ground, this anomaly was much more powerful than the previous ones because it started to lift the shack off the ground along with the other buildings within Gravity Falls. 

"T-Minus thirty-five seconds." they're all floating off in different directions, Mabel, however, got her foot caught in the wire attached to the shutdown button. 

"Mabel! Hurry! Shut it down!" Stan panics when he saw her pulling herself towards the button, he manages to plant his feet on the wall he was thrown into and push himself towards her. 

"No! Mabel, Mabel, wait! Stop!" he let out a grunt when Soos slammed into him to stop him "Soos, what are you doing? I gave you an order!" Soos tightened his hold on Stan. 

"Sorry, Mr Pines, if that really is your name, but I have a new mission now, protecting these kids!" 

"Soos, you idiot, let me go!" Dipper manages to throw himself at Stan, sending the three of them flying through the air. 

"Let me go!" 

"Mabel, press the red button! Shut it down!" 

"No, you can't! You gotta trust me!" 

"Grunkle Stan, I don't even know if you're my Grunkle! I wanna believe you, but..." 

"Then listen to me. Remember this morning, when I said I wanted to tell you guys something?" they briefly looked away when the timer went off, saying that they had twenty seconds, the gateway surged with energy and threw the boys back into the wall opposite to where Mabel was, she raises her fist to push the button but stopped when he started speaking again "I wanted to say that you're gonna hear some bad things about me, and some of 'em are true, but trust me, everything I've worked for, everything I care about, it's all for this family." 

"Mabel, what if he's lying?! This thing could destroy the world! Listen to your head!" 

"Look into my eyes, Mabel! You really think I'm a bad guy?" 

"He's lying! Shut it down, now!" 

"Mabel, please!" Mabel looked between Stan and Dipper, her head swirling with all kinds of thoughts. Mabel didn't know who to choose-- who to believe. On one hand, Stan was pleading with her to not push the button? But what did he gain from this machine being on and possibly destroying the universe. On the other, Dipper was telling her to push the button to prevent such a catastrophe from happening. The timer slowly counted down as her hand lowered towards the button, she looked back at Stan and saw how much he was begging her not to do it. 

"Grunkle Stan... I trust you." with that she raised her hands above her head and allowed herself to float away from the button. 

"Mabel, are you crazy?! We're all gonna--" the moment the timer struck one a blister of white light exploded out of the machine and enveloped the entire room, this lasted for a couple seconds before gravity returned and everything fell back to the ground. Looking towards the machine, it was completely destroyed at this point but the gateway was still powered on and Dipper saw through the smoke a figure walking through. The figure approached them but stopped right in front of one of the journals, Dipper watched as he placed his six-fingered hand on top of the cover before lifting it off the ground and putting it in his coat "W-What? Who is that?" Stan, who lifted himself off the ground and adjusted his hat, stared up at the figure with disbelief. 

"The author of the journals... my brother." 

... 

... 

"Is this the part where one of us faints?" 

"Oh, I am so on it, dude." with that Soos fainted, but as they all slowly took in what just happened in the span of a minute, the sound of someone slowly clapping echoed through the room along with their footsteps. Looking towards the entrance, through the dust, Stan recognized the figure as she slowly approached them. 

"Well, well, well. You did it, Stanley. I just knew you could." Stan's eyes widened at the sight of Alvah, he had completely forgotten about her at the police station, but now she was here... different. She had blood splattered across her face and dress, the ends of her hands dripping with it while the end of her dress looked soaked along with her boots. As she gets closer he reaches his hand out to her but she completely ignored him, her eyes fixated on the man he proclaimed as his brother "Welcome back, Stanford." 

Visit

word count: 5003

Fandom: IRL!MCYT Pairing: TommyInnit x Elder!Brother!Reader Pronouns: He/Him Relationship: Familial/Platonic Occupation: Automotive Engineer Ability: N/A

Keys:

[M/N]: Male Name [H/C]: Hair Color [E/C]: Eye Color [S/C]: Skin Color

Warnings: n/a

"[M/N]!” said man let out a laugh when his younger brother let out a loud cheer, rushing down the stairs before proceeding to tackle his elder brother into a hug, wrapping his arms around his waist while his arms were around his neck and his face buried into the crook of his neck “Why the fuck didn’t you tell me you were coming down to visit?” [M/N] Simons, the elder brother to TommyInnit, and not just an elder brother figure, but his genuine and blood related brother. If people were to describe what the elder Innit looked like, they would probably say that he looked like a more mature and elder version of Tommy with longer/short [H/C] locks and a more broader form while being a couple inches taller than Tommy.

“I thought I could surprise you, Tommy.” he replies with a laugh, managing to keep himself up right from being knocked over “Did I surprise you? Huh? Did I? Did I?” he let out a laugh when Tommy peeled himself off him to give his older brother a hard smack to the arm, causing him to let out a cry but he still laughed anyways.

“Fuck off! I didn’t like this surprise at all! Should have brought a souvenir with you while you were gone.” Tommy grumbled under his breath, what he meant by that was the fact that [M/N] was studying abroad in Singapore, majoring in Engineering as he studied at the National University of Singapore. The acceptance rate to get into the National University of Singapore was 5-7% and [M/N] was lucky enough to get accepted, he was happy nonetheless but the fact that he had to study abroad for about four years, it was heart breaking. Tommy was about thirteen years old when he received the news, at first he didn’t take it too well and locked himself in his room for hours on end. He had a really close relationship with his brother and hearing that he was leaving to another country, he resented his brother because he wasn’t going to see him as often as he wanted.

It took a lot of convincing and long talks from outside his room to get Tommy to unlock the door, when he opened it and peeked his head inside, he let out a soft sigh when he saw Tommy sitting on his bed with his blankets draped over him. His body was trembling as he let out hiccups and whimpers, [M/N] took a seat beside him on his bed and gently placed his head where he believed his head was and stroked it gently and whispered sweet nothings and words of comfort to ease his brother out of his cocoon. He spent the rest of his time in England hanging out with his brother and sleeping in his room before he eventually had to leave for Singapore, he also had to try his damned hardest not to laugh when Tommy continued to sob his heart out while they were at the airport to watch him board his plane. He will never let the younger one live it down.

During his four years studying in Singapore, he would keep in touch with Tommy via texts or face time. Tommy would often talk all day through the night before eventually talking himself to sleep, most times on calls it would be Tommy saying how much he missed his elder brother and wished for him to come home so they could hang like they used to. To ease his brother, he would often seen souvenirs or send postcards from places he visited while staying in Singapore, he spoke about the friends he made while staying there and how he was being taught Malay and a bit of Mandarin Chinese, to which he would try to teach Tommy over face time. Now when it was 2020-2021 and Tommy started getting more and more popular on Twitch and YouTube, [M/N] would catch wind of his popularity and start watching his videos and VODs.

It was very entertaining and [M/N] couldn’t help but be very proud of his younger brother of making a name for himself, he was happy just seeing how happy Tommy was, and that was more than enough to satisfy him. Now when they were on call together, he could hear the genuine happiness in his voice as he spoke about his new friends, especially his friend Tubbo and Ranboo, mostly Tubbo because he would often call Ranboo a bitch. Anyways, [M/N] had been planning on coming back to England by the end of 2020 because he managed to finish his course early but COVID was a pain in the ass and slapped him in the face and said no, so he waited months to be allowed to travel internationally again and was completely over the moon when he was allowed to leave and return to England. He was planning on telling his parents and Tommy but thought against it, a surprise family reunion would be much better.

And that brought us too:

“Souvenirs? Of course I brought souvenirs, stupid.” [M/N] was reaching towards his suitcase but stopped when Tommy wrapped his arms around his torso, [M/N] looked down at him before huffing softly when he saw his body trembling, he shook his head before embracing his brother and resting his cheek on top of his curly locks “I’m home, bro. I hope you missed me.” he heard him sniffle.

“I didn’t miss you one bit, bitch.”

“Right, right.” seeing their parents too earned him a slap to the back because he came back unannounced, but at the end of the day they celebrated the return of the eldest son of the Simons Family. [M/N]’s old room was turned into a guest room and he was crashing their for the night but it changed when Tommy dragged him into his room and practically refused to let him out because he wanted to make sure he didn’t leave in the morning. Though, it was late at night Tommy was currently streaming while [M/N] was sleeping on his bed, as usual, Tommy was being obnoxiously loud and it was enough to get a groan out for [M/N].

”Hey Tommy, what was that?” Wilbur questioned, it was just loud enough that his mic managed to pick it up. Tommy pushed his headset back to let one of his ears out as he spun his chair in the direction of his bed, because of the movement, his viewers managed to see the curve of a body laying on his bed.

“Oh shit, I’m sorry, am I being too loud?” Tommy said a hushed tone when he noticed [M/N] turn his head back to glance at the blonde, [M/N] let out a yawn as he waved his hand to dismiss him.

“You’re fine, just keep it down a little, mmkay?” his voice was just quiet enough that nobody heard him, his answer caused Tommy to nod his head.

“Alright, sorry again.” [M/N]’s response to that was a yawn before he turned away from him and nodded back to sleep, Tommy let out a sigh before turning back to face his PC, a panicked looked crossed his face when he took a glance at his chat.

”hey hey hey! who was that?”

“who was that?”

“someone is in his room!”

“who is it?”

“tell us!”

”Hey Tommy, who is that behind you?” he heard Tubbo ask ”Is it you know who?” he added, the only person Tommy ever told anyone about his brother was Tubbo so he was probably the only person in that call that had at least a bit of an idea who it could be.

”Huh? Tubbo knows? Tubbo! Tell us!” Wilbur shouted, this earned a lot of agreement from the chats of everyone who was live, Philza was the first to come to his defence and calm them down.

”Come on now, whoever it is is trying to sleep. Quiet down.” 

“Crow father has spoken.” this earned multiple groans while Tubbo smirked in victory “Tubbo is the only one who knows who it is, and I’m not entirely sure if they’re comfortable with being known about who they are to me, so I’ll keep quiet about it until I ask them.” Tubbo snickers.

”Don’t even try to bribe me into telling you, I take real pleasure in knowing while watching you guys suffer.” this earned some laughter from the others, Tommy shook his head as he glanced behind him once more to see his brother sleeping peacefully. Yeah, having his brother back was a nice change of pace.

[time skip: a couple weeks later]

“Tommy has friends coming over?” [M/N] questioned, sitting on his stool as he was making a couple repairs to his motorbike, the one he owned was a Harley Davidson Fat Bob 114. It was a gift he got from one of his friends back in Singapore that he managed to bring back to England, it was his current pride and joy, right after Tommy of course, and he made sure to keep it in perfect condition each time he planned on taking it out for a spin “Tommy has friends?” he was promptly smacked in the shoulder.

“Yes, he has friends. Stop teasing your brother.” [M/N] just snickered to himself before grabbing a rag and wiping some oil off his face “We won’t be home and we’re not sure when they’re coming around, and you know how loud Tommy gets so we’re not sure if he’ll hear them, we’d appreciate it if you keep an ear out to let them in, okay?” he nods his head.

“Of course, I don’t mind.” they thanked him before leaving, [M/N] nods to himself before going back to adding a couple repairs to his bike while turning down his music slightly so he could hear if anyone was at the door. He was in their garage with the door closed, it was pretty cold and he didn’t want to let a draft in. Besides that, a couple weeks had gone by since he came back to England but also the rumor of who he was arose on Twitter. He woke up the next morning to Tommy thrusting his phone in his face, though he was still sleepy and at the verge of falling back asleep, his eyes managed to register what Tommy was trying to show him. There, he saw countless posts of people trying to theorize who the mysterious person who that was sleeping in his bed, Tommy was laughing and [M/N] could careless. It would probably die down, right? WRONG! Poor guy could barely go on Twitter without seeing the tag of TommyInnit and the mystery person, he decided that he would stay off social media for a couple days.

’Jesus, most of the shit on Twitter is nothing but stupid shit. A lover? Goodness, this guy just barely turned seventeen and he’s too awkward to get himself a lover. Most of these theories are to laugh at, really.’ he let out a groan as he laced his fingers together then stretched them above his head, he then let out a hum at the sound of knocking ‘Oh? Are they here?’ he shook his head as he rolled his neck and left the garage, he heard some laughter and chattering from behind the door that settled when he approached the door.

“Do you think that’s Tommy?” a female voice asked, hmm? If he recognized that voice, he believed that it was Niki Nihachu “The footsteps found a little heavier.”

“Maybe he got fatter.” that sounded like Tubbo, well if it was, he let out a cry when he got smacked.

“That’s not really nice.” before anymore words could be spoken, [M/N] opened the door and looked down at the people at the front door. If he remembered correctly, the people in front of him were Niki Nihachu, Jack Manifold, Tubbo and GeorgeNotFound. He sniffed as he looked down at them while they stared up at him in slight awe and confusion, the awe was for the fact that he was actually quite attractive and since he was wearing nothing more than a pair of jeans and a tank top, they could see his muscles that glistened because of the sweat from all the work he was doing. The awkwardness was because they believed they got the wrong address because the person that answered the door was neither Tommy nor his parents but a rather attractive young man.

“Hello?” he finally answered “Are you here for Tommy?” Tubbo was the first to answer.

“Uh, yeah, actually.” he then rubbed his chin as he looked up at him, he then snapped his fingers as he lit up “You’re [M/N], right? You’re Tommy’s older brother, he’s told me about you.” [M/N] hums as he nods his head.

“Yes, that I am. He’s also told me a lot about you Toby, or Tubbo?” he waves his hand.

“Call me what you want.” he nods, George then looks at Tubbo, grabbing his shoulder and pulling him back.

“So THAT’S the mysterious guy that’s been trending on Twitter and that you’ve been refusing to tell us who it was?” he said through a hushed whisper but [M/N] managed to hear and chuckled to himself “I see where all that attractiveness went to, nothing was left for Tommy (I find tommy quite cute, so please don’t take that as an insult to that blonde boy).” he added, which earned a couple nods from the other three.

“Aw, thank you, I find you quite attractive as well.” a slight flush rose to the tips of George’s ears, Jack laughed at the reaction George had to the compliment, he looks up at the older Innit and saw him raise a hand to press against his chest “My name is [M/N], I am Tommy’s older brother that’s been studying abroad and just recently returned to England.” Jack nodded his head.

“Well, if you haven’t watched any of Tommy’s videos, I’m Jack Manifold.”

“My name is Nikita, but my online name is Niki Nihachu.”

“Toby Smith, but people call me Tubbo.”

“And I’m George Davidson, or GeorgeNotFound.” he hums.

“Well it’s lovely to meet you all, but I can only assume that you’re here for Tommy and not to chat with his older brother.” he turns back inside and takes a deep breath “I haven’t done this in years, I feel old just thinking about it.” George raises a brow.

“Thinking about wha--”

“TOMMY!!” they all jump at his loud voice “YOUR FRIENDS ARE HERE, LOSER!!” he shouts at the top of his lungs, to which he got a shout in response.

“FUCK RIGHT OFF, YOU LOSER!!” [M/N] only laughs when he could hear thuds coming from upstairs along with a couple curses, Tommy makes his presence known by almost stumbling down the stairs but did when he reached the last step, he pushed himself to his feet and when he was at the front door he shoved [M/N] to the side “You aren’t needed anymore, so fuck off!” 

“Is this how you treat your older brother you haven’t seen in nearly four years?” [M/N] said from behind Tommy, who in turn responded with a hmph.

“Says the asshole who decided to leave for four years on your own violation, dickhead!” he then continued to shove him away “Now piss off back to the garage, you stink, you hobo!” [M/N] rolled his eyes as he watched Tommy turn back to his friends, who were rather amused at just unfolded before them.

“Is this how you normally act with your brother, Tommy? I remember watching that clip and seeing you acting rather sweet.” Niki cooed softly, he only rolled his eyes as he crossed his arms.

“Yeah, he’s a dickhead and he deserves it.” they each shook their heads, then then notice [M/N] rip the rag over his shoulder and grab both ends of it, spinning it around so that it would twist. They gave no warning as they backed up slightly, allowing [M/N] to pull it back before flicking his wrist forward and letting on end of it go, having it whip against his back and a loud crack when it made contact with his clothed back.

“Oh, shit! That sounded like it hurt!” Jack shouts before he and the other three burst out into laughter, Tommy let out a cry as he pressed his hand into his back and whimpered softly at the stinging pain.

“That really hurt...” [M/N] looked down at Tommy and saw his lip trembling softly as his eyes glistened with tears. the older Innit rolled his eyes as he threw the rag over his shoulder.

“You crybaby.” he mocked.

“THAT HURT!!” 

“SUCK IT UP!!” they glower at each other but stopped when Niki raised her hand.

“Um, can we come inside?” [M/N] was pushed to the side as Tommy backed away.

“Yeah, totally! [M/N] was just leaving.” he then grabs the collar of [M/N]’s tank top and yanks him down, slightly glaring up at him “Go back to your man cave and don’t come out until they’re gone. I don’t want you embarrassing me even more.” he warned, this caused the other to snicker as he raised his hands.

“Oh, please. You can accomplish that without my help.” [M/N] rushed out of there to avoid Tommy’s bitching and slur of insults while laughing, when he was back in the garage, he shook his head as he tossed the rag onto a stool and turned his music back up “Now hopefully he doesn’t disturb me any further.” [M/N] spent the rest of his time in the garage tinkering with his bike or cleaning it when some oil got on it or himself, when he simply wanted to relax, he would crash on the couch he situated in the garage and take a bit of a nap before realizing that he was laying in his own sweat and wake up.

’Maybe I should test the engine, I paid a good amount of money for that engine so I better hear this kitten purr.’ he chugs down the rest of his beer, licking his lips when some dribbled out of his mouth as he grabbed his keys ’Hopefully this doesn’t distract Tommy and his friends too much.’

[with tommy]

“Your brother’s quite good looking, not gonna lie.” Jack said, this caused them all to look at him “What?” Tubbo raises his hand and places it on his shoulder.

“Jack, do you need to tell us something?” they laugh when Jack shouts at them as he smacked Tubbo’s hand off his shoulder, Tommy rolled his eyes as he continued setting up his stream on his PC. He knew that his brother was good looking, remembering times from when he was still a kid and when random girls would come up to him in hopes of getting his brother’s number, to which [M/N] would appear and scoop Tommy up before running away with said boy in his arms. [M/N] didn’t like the fact that people would approach his younger brother in hopes of getting in contact with him, he thought that it was weird and creepy and advised Tommy to just avoid those kind of people. 

“Be quiet, Tubbo!” he then looks at Niki and George “Come on, you two have to agree with me! Didn’t you find him at least a bit attractive?” George glanced away, the tips of his ears flushing a slight red while Niki smiled softly.

“Yeah, he was.” she then looks at Tommy “He said he studied abroad, what major was it?” he looks up in thought.

“Automotive Engineering. He was already pretty good at it when I was a kid, and that was what he majored at what he studied in Singapore.” they clap their hands in awe.

“Wow, Singapore? That’s impressive.” it wasn’t long before they heard the roar of a engine from downstairs, Tommy let out a groan as he threw his head back while the others glance at each other “What was that?” Tommy slapped his hands onto his face and dragged them down.

“My brother.” he rises to his feet and stomps out of his room and so the others followed quickly behind him, there, they saw Tommy kick down the door to where the presumably thought was the garage and saw him shouting. Inside they saw [M/N] who was now shirtless and sitting on his motorbike while revving the engine, if they weren’t already attracted to this man, they surely are now “Really, [M/N]? Really?!” said man let out a sigh as he leaned back, leaning back and resting the palms of his hands behind him.

“What? I’m just testing the engine, I can’t exactly control the volume.” Tubbo pushes past Tommy so he could approach [M/N] and his bike, his hands hovering over it as he looked at it close and listened to it rumble.

“You’ve got a pretty cool bike.” [M/N] grins.

“Thanks, I got it as a gift and I hold a lot of pride to it.” his hands then went over to the handle and clutch “Wanna hear this kitten roar?” Tubbo snapped his fingers as he pointed at him.

“That sounded very sexual, but yes.” 

“You made it very sexual, and okay.” they both laugh, Tubbo takes a step back before letting out a cheer while clapping his hands when [M/N] revved the engine again. Tommy stood in the back as he watched his friends gush and talk to [M/N], taking turns looking at his bike while revving the engine. He was happy that his brother was able to talk to his friends without having to threaten to beat them up, but it kind of hurt that his friends would sometime prefer his brother instead of him. If he remembered correctly, there were times when he was younger that people would only become friends with him in hopes of getting close to his brother, to which it would end with him in tears and [M/N] beating the ever living shit out of the person that hurt him brother’s feelings. 

“Hey, guppy face.” Tommy looked up and saw his brother was standing in front of him, he pouted a looked away while [M/N] sighed as he shook his head, placing his hands on his hips as he looked down at his brother “I know that look, Tommy.” he only huffs, crossing his arms and looking away.

“I don’t know what you mean.” he hums as he opens his arms, shrugging his shoulders in a way that gestured for Tommy to come into his arms.

“I know you know, so you know, hurry up, my arms are starting to get tired.” Tommy stared at him before leaning forward and resting his head against his chest, [M/N] chuckled as he wrapped his arms around his shoulders and gently rubbed his arms “I don’t mean to take your friends from you, Tommy. It’s just second nature.”

“They also think you’re cool.” 

“No, they do--”

“Yeah, we do.” [M/N] deadpans, that wasn’t making his situation any better, he glances back at his bike before lighting up when an idea struck.

“Hey.” Tommy sniffled a little as he was pulled back, he looks up at [M/N] and saw him lean down, making sure they were seeing eye to eye while pointing back at his bike with his thumb “How’s about I let you ride my bike, hmm?” that instantly brought a smile to his face.

“Really? You never let me ride it before.” he waves his hand.

“That was because you were young and our parents would kill me for letting you on.” he then backs away, gently bumping his fist against his forehead “You’re old enough now and I’m pretty sure you’re not that reckless to do anything irresponsible while on the back of a speeding motorbike, right?” Tommy nods his head rapidly, the smile on his face glowing brighter.

“Yeah, I promise!” he nods.

“Cool, but maybe after I have a shower, I stink.” Tommy nods.

“You do.”

“Gee, thanks.” Tommy waited patiently in the garage with the others and the noticed that Tommy was vibrating in his seat, visibly excited to go on a motorbike ride. They decided that they were going to head into town to have a simple hang about and that [M/N] would drive ahead with Tommy on his bike, after a quick shower, [M/N] emerged through the door wearing a pair of joggers, a leather jacket over a simply grey shirt. He was in the middle of tugging the ends of his fingerless gloves on before he leaned down to grab two pairs of helmets, tossing one over to where Tommy was sitting “Catch.” he didn’t.

“Hey!” he shouts, fumbling to the ground to pick up the fallen helmet.

“So the plan is for me to drive ahead and that you guys will catch up?” Jack nods, pulling out the keys to his car and spinning them around his finger.

“Uh huh, I just hope you don’t drive recklessly.” [M/N] chuckled at that, wheeling his bike outside of the garage before proceeding to throw his leg over it and sitting down on it.

“No promises.” he starts his bike once more and it roared to life, he lets out a sigh before patting the space behind him “Come on, Tommy.” he didn’t hesitate to jump onto the bike after putting his helmet on.

“Let’s go, let’s go!” [M/N] chuckled as he shook his head, he turned around and clipped the helmet on properly, grabbing the sides of it and shaking it about, laughing when he heard Tommy let out a cry “Ow, that hurts! Stop that!” he laughs as he pulls away, slapping the safety guard down.

“Alright, we’re good to go.” he then gives the others a thumbs up “Hope you guys can keep up.” Tubbo took that as a competition, he then shoved Jack in the back towards his car.

“Hurry, Jack! We gotta beat them!” Niki laughs as she follows them.

“We can’t outdrive a car, Tubbo.” [M/N] chuckles softly then raises a brow when George was staring at him, he huffs softly and winks in his direction before slapping down his safety guard and revving his engine. Tommy lets out a whoa, wrapping his arms around [M/N]’s waist when [M/N] did a wheelie out of the driveway before letting out a cheer as he leaned his body forward and had the front wheel slam onto the road before driving away.

“George! Get your ass in the car right now! We can’t let them win!” Niki shook her head as she grabbed George by his wrist but soon paused, raising a brow when she noticed that the red flush rose to the tips of his ears once more and soon spread across his cheeks.

“Hoo?” [M/N] briefly saw that reaction before driving away and chuckled, he then glanced back at Tommy and saw he was cheering as [M/N] responsibly drove down the busy streets of Nottingham. [M/N] had a calm smile on his face as he took a deep breath, feeling the air blow past him and calm his body, he then let out a whoa when he felt Tommy collapse onto his back, wrapping his arms around his shoulders.

“Thanks for this, [M/N]. This actually means a lot to me.” [M/N] nods his head softly, leaning back so he could gently knock his helmet against his.

“No problem, Tommy. If you ever want to go on rides with me to clear your head, don’t hesitate to come to me. I’ll take you wherever you want to go.” Tommy tightens his grip on [M/N], leaning closer to his brother as he nods his head.

“Okay.”

Headcanons:

when jack and them caught up to them at a red light, tubbo screamed at them which caused the others in the car laughed.

niki thought tommy and his brother looked cool so she took a video of them, [m/n] noticed and gave her the rock on devil horns before driving away when the light turned green.

after posting that on twitter, the video was trending because what they saw was shouting in the background while tommy was sitting on the back of a motorbike before it drove away.

mystery person was trending.

everyone was dying to know who it was behind the wheel but the people were denied the truth.

wilbur was curious as to who it was as well and when he was given the opportunity to meet the mystery man, he was completely floored when the truth was revealed that the person was tommy’s brother.

he demanded a duel.

he was the current brother figure to tommyinnit and wanted to assert his dominance.

he was completely destroyed when [m/n] body slammed him to the ground before proceeding to sit on his back.

niki took another photo of the aftermath; [m/n] wearing his biker helmet as he sat on top of a knocked out wilbur while tommy was laughing hysterically in the background.

people now called him the biker man.

meeting ranboo was funny and the people on twitter along with tommy’s viewers called them the faceless duo, though [m/n] never spoke whenever he was on screen.

he was also strong enough to lift ranboo up.

other than interacting with his friends, staying truthful to his words, tommy would often come to [m/n] at random times of the day and ask to go on rides, to which [m/n] would agree and together they’d drive around.

tommy enjoyed spending time with his brother, whether they be yelling at each other, sleeping with each other or simply sitting together in silence, all he needed was to spend some time with his brother.

and that was enough.

Loyalty

word count: 23,866

Fandom: MCYT Pairing: JSchlatt x Male!Wolf!Reader Pronouns: He/Him Relationship: Familial/Platonic Occupation: Bodyguard Ability: Wolf Hybrid 

The character is that of a wolf hybrid, allowing them to have traits of a wolf. They have abnormal strength and speed with keen senses of smell, hearing and sight, making their nose and ears almost sensitive to anything. They are also granted with an abnormal height and the gift to shapeshift from a human/normal form to a more monstrous form.

Keys: [M/N]: Male Name [S/C]: Skin Color [H/C]: Hair Color [E/C]: Eye Color [U/N]: Username

Warnings: character death, vulgar language, alcohol consumption, violence

I don’t know if I’ve seen this anywhere but this is my own headcanon on the three canon lives thing the dsmp have. when their first two lives are taken, their bodies are reduced to dust and they return back to spawn or their bed, but on their last and final canon life, their body doesn’t reduce to dust and they die the regular ol’ way.

that is all.

“Loyalty” pt. 2

“Don’t touch that thing, you might catch something.”

“What a disgusting little thing, can’t it go somewhere else.”

“Ugh, I wish someone would do something about that thing.”

Those were the constant words that made their way into the ears of the young wolf pup hybrid, there was nothing that didn’t go unheard with his enhanced senses. No matter how irritating those words were he couldn’t help but wince when they were all true. His hair was overgrown and any other patches of fur that were visible were matted, he couldn’t even remember the last time he had a bath so there was a foul stench coming from him along with the dirt covering his [S/C] skin. Even his nails were overgrown and cracked with dirt beneath his nails, such an unsightly appearance. A weak growl mixed with a whimper erupted out of his throat as he clawed at the ground beneath his collapsed body, he really was pathetic that he could do nothing to make the situation he was in better. He had nothing but the worn-out clothes on his back to his name— name, huh? It’s been so long since someone has called his name that he can’t even remember the name his own mother gave him.

He was so alone he craved for any sort of attention; any sort of affection just to make him feel better, but what fool would take pity on this waste of life who was nothing but a bag of bones? He let out another whimper as he hung his head low, his hands resting on his head as tears of frustration finally started rolling down his cheeks. The cruel reality was bearing down on him and he just didn’t want to face it, he didn’t want to live in this kind of situation anymore but what can a scrawny little brat like himself do when he was nothing more than an easy target for anyone who preyed upon him? He just wanted a chance to make things right, he just wanted a chance to live a life that wasn’t so pathetic.

“Hey kid.” he let out a gasp at the sound of a voice, he raised his head and started to tremble at the sight of a figure looming over him. He couldn’t see who it was but with their intimidating height and the horns on his head, he couldn’t cease the fear in his heart as he pushed himself against the wall behind him, his ears tucking back to show his fear.

“Are you the devil…?” he croaked out, his voice so dry it made him wince and start coughing, he flinches when he heard the man above him laugh.

“The devil? Now that’s a new one.” he comments, the boy doesn’t hesitate to push himself further into the wall of the alley when the man before him knelt down, there, he was able to get a better view of the man’s face. He looked quite young, he had a scruffy beard and messy brown hair but what stood out were the goat horns and ears, another hybrid. It had been so long since he’d seen another hybrid, though the species was different, he was a hybrid nonetheless “What are you doing out here on your own, kid? Where’re your parents?” at the mention of that he looked down.

“… my mother died, and when my father saw no value in me, he left me to rot.” he answered weakly, the goat hybrid hummed at that, squeezing his chin “If you’re not here to ridicule me or kill me, it’s best if you’d be on your way, wouldn’t want to catch a disease I might be carrying.” the man only hummed again, the boy was confused when he saw the man back away slightly only to offer his hand to him with a generous smile on his face.

“Your father is a fool to see no value in you.”

“Huh?” that generous smile turned into a smirk.

“Come with me, and I promise you, you’ll be of use to me in the future.” his eyes widened slightly at that, how could this stranger know if he could be valuable or not? Such a ridiculous claim that had him sneering slightly, but his ears slowly relaxed as he stared at the hand before him, the offer was tempting but how could he trust this man? “Listen, kid, don’t take this offer as pity. I can and will leave you here to die if you don’t decide quickly, but I know you’ve got the potential to be something bigger. So, what do you say?” he swallowed thickly as he continued to stare at the hand before finally reaching forward and taking it.

“I hope you can show me how I have potential.” he laughs at that.

“It sounded sappy, didn’t it? You can just say I’ve got a good eye for valuable things.” he stands to his feet and the boy let out a yelp when he was yanked up, the man noticed this and put him down “Sorry about that, you’re just a skinny little thing.” the boy let out a sigh.

“Right.” he raised his head when he noticed the man raise his hand and slip off a bland gold ring off his finger, he turns towards him and flicks it towards the boy, he opened his hands and caught the ring before looking down at it in confusion.

“Then name’s JSchlatt , but call me Schlatt. From here on out, I’m your owner. The ring will signify my ownership over you, so don’t go losing it or else I’ll kick you to the curb, got it?” he let out a gasp as he nodded his head, Schlatt merely chuckled with a scoff before walking off, the boy gasped again as he quickly rushed after him “What about you? Do you gotta name, or do I have to name you?” he lowered his head once more, his ears pressing flat against his head.

“I don’t remember my name…” Schlatt pursed his lips at the sound of that, what a hassle.

“Hmm, well… how does [M/N] sound?” the boy's ears perked up at that “Take it or leave it. I’m not particularly good at naming things so it’s either that or you go by boy.” Schlatt paused when he heard him yip, he turned around and his eyes widen softly at the sight of the small amount of joy circling in his eyes, his tail wagging softly.

“No, no! I like it.” he looks down at his feet, holding the golden ring in his hands while his tail wagged happily “I like it a lot.” Schlatt scoffed again before walking again but was grateful that the boy— [M/N] liked the name, and he genuinely did. He didn’t favor the name his father gave him, it was a pretty half-assed name because his father could give a damn about naming a child who had no value to him. He raised his head to stare at the back of his new owner and a newfound loyalty started to swell in his chest, maybe it was the DNA of the wolf hybrid coursing through his veins that was making him behave in such a way, but he didn’t care. This man saw something in him that he couldn’t even see, he’s given him a chance and now he was willing to die for this man to live up to his expectations. 

[present time, years later]

“Hey, [M/N], are you even listening?” said man felt his ears twitch at the sound of his name, he slowly opened his eyes and looked around to see he was standing in the dressing room backstage awaiting their cue, he sniffled before turning his head in the direction of the voice that called his name.

“I apologize, I was simply resting my eyes.” his ears flickered a bit when the man laughed.

“Yeah, that sounds more like you taking a nap.” he hums at that, he then lets out an oh when he offered him a tie “Give me a hand with that, would you? You know how bad I am at putting those things on, but I need to look professional.” he nods his head as he takes the die from his hand, approaching him swiftly.

“Of course, but at least this time you aren’t swearing.” now he couldn’t help but laugh at that.

“True, true.” it takes him no time tying that tie around his neck, he’s probably gone and done it over a hundred times that he could probably do it with his eyes closed. When it was securely tied around his neck, he nodded his head before reaching over and grabbing the blaze to his suit and handing it to him, when he puts it on, he buttons it up for him before standing behind him and the both of them stare at their reflection.

“Don’t you look dapper, JSchlatt? Or should I say, Mister President?” he laughs again as he looks up at the boy standing behind him through the reflection.

“Oh, please. I always look this good.” now he snorts, Schlatt smacks him in the shoulder, only to wince himself when the back of his hand was met with his sturdy body “Damn, it only feels like yesterday when you were nothing but a skinny little brat. Now look at you, you’re even bigger than me now.” it was true, looking down at himself, [M/N] now towered over Schlatt and stood at least 6″10ft tall. His body was broad and stern that it would take another hybrid similar to him to knock him down, if not, there was no way the average person could take him down. 

“Hmm, is that why you appointed me as your bodyguard? Must I address you as sir now?” Schlatt shrugged his shoulders, pulling out a cigar from the pocket in his blazer.

“Nah, call me what you want.” [M/N] nods his head, pulling out a Zippo lighter to light his cigar “Actually, when we’re alone, call me Schlatt. When we’re around others, address me formally.” he nods his head, pocketing the lighter before putting his hands behind his back.

“As you wish, Mister President.” Schlatt smirked at that, taking a puff from the cigar but blew the smoke away from [M/N], knowing how sensitive his nose was when it comes to certain smells.

“You know, that has a nice ring to it.”

“I’ll try not to wear it out, knowing how much it inflates your ego.” his smirk only widens, taking another puff from his cigar.

“Damn straight.” he rolls his eyes, Schlatt raises a brow when he notices [M/N]’s ears stand up as he turns his head towards the door to the dressing room, his tail and other tuffs of fur visible standing on end “What’s the matter, kid?”

“Someone is approaching the room.” they hear a knock at the door and [M/N] was already on the door before the person could knock a second time, he throws the door open, and there stood Quackity, hand raised to knock once more but froze at the sight of the giant wolf hybrid looming over him.

“U-Uh...” before [M/N] could do anything, Schlatt hovered his hand over his chest to stop him.

“Stop, it’s just Quackity. He’s with us, remember?” Quackity gave a nervous smile as he looked up at [M/N], who snarled when he continued to stare, the duck hybrid flinched at it while Schlatt merely laughed “Don’t mind him, he gets like that with people he doesn’t know are around me. An overprotective dog.” [M/N] huffs as he stands up straight behind Schlatt but refused to drop his stance, Quackity just nodded his head and nervously removed his gaze from the taller man to Schlatt.

“Ri-- Right.” he clears his throat then gestures behind him “They’re ready now.” Schlatt hums at that, [M/N] notice him raise his hand so he grabbed an ashtray and let him put out his cigar in it before tossing it away, Schlatt grins as he straightens his blazer.

“Well then, let’s get this show on the road.” he laces his fingers together before cracking his knuckles, Quackity steps to the side to allow Schlatt to walk off. He lets out a short laugh and goes to follow him but looked back to see [M/N] staring at him, he flinched at the intense glare coming from the taller man, he laughed nervously again when he heard a low growl come from him “[M/N], come!” his head perked up at the order, he glares at Quackity one last time before rushing off to where Schlatt was patiently waiting for him.

“J-Jeez...” he shuddered out, placing a hand to his chest and feeling the rapid beating of his heart “I feel like he was going to eat me.” Schlatt looked up at [M/N] when he noticed him unconsciously lick his lips.

“Don’t even think about eating him.” he snorts when he noticed him jolt up.

“I wasn’t thinking that.”

“Uh huh.” he pursed his lips as he looked away, he chuckles at the reaction before pulling at the collar of the blaze, he looks up at [M/N] and spread his arms so the taller man could get a good look at him “So, how do I look?” the wolf hybrid stared at him before chuckling, shaking his head and buttoning his blazer up again and straightening his tie.

“Like you mean business, sir.” Schlatt nods at the answer, raising his arm to tug on the end of the sleeves of his dress shirt then throwing his arms out to loosen the sleeves a bit.

“Good.” they stood by the sides of the stage, still backstage away from the prying eyes of the citizens of L’Manburg, and awaited their cue to go on stage to greet the crowd. [M/N] continued to stand behind Schlatt but was on guard when he sensed two individuals approaching them, he glanced to his side and noticed that it was simply Quackity and that guy with those white frame sunglasses with black tinted lenses, he didn’t even bother to remember his name, maybe he’ll ask Schlatt later. On the other side of the stage stood the representatives for POG2020, that being Wilbur Soot and his little brother TommyInnit, he started growling once more but stopped when Schlatt gently hit him in his chest “Quiet.” he bowed his head.

“Sorry.” he chuckles softly, shaking his head.

“There’s no worry, besides, the win is ours.” [M/N] nods his head at that.

“Right, they don’t even know they’ve been had.” Schlatt smirks, they’re all soon called onto the stage, Wilbur being the one to stand at the podium to read out the votes of the elections while Schlatt’s party stood to Wilbur’s right while Niki’s party and Tommy stood to his left.

“I am now going to read out the number of votes each party has gained.” he clears his throat as he reads through the sheet of paper in his hands “With 9% of the vote, being, 20,000 people or so. In fourth place, is Coconut2020.” there was some applause coming from the crowd as Niki and Fundy cheered.

“20,000 people!”

“Thank you, Eret for your support!” [M/N] just rolled his eyes, they came forth and they lost by a landslide, so why the hell were they celebrating?

“The pity votes.” now he couldn’t help but snort, stifling his laughter at Quackity’s unexpected comment, the duck hybrid grinned when he made the usually neutral wolf hybrid laugh.

“Are you laughing, [M/N]?” Schlatt asked, rather amused that he was, he just pressed the back of his hand to his lips while shaking his head as he tried not to laugh.

“No, I just wasn’t expecting that, sir. I was caught off guard, but it was pretty funny.” the ram hybrid just chuckled at the reaction, shrugging his shoulders before turning his attention back at Wilbur while crossing his arms.

“Now, with 16% of the votes, coming in third place, is Schlatt2020.” they all whispered various comments about Schlatt, but he and his party didn’t react like the people who placed third, they were rather neutral and had an indifferent reaction because they knew the outcome of that election “That means there are two parties left. Big Q, look at me.” Quackity looked out from behind [M/N] and saw Wilbur staring at him, Schlatt gestures with his head towards Wilbur and so Quackity approaches him and now the two stood in front of each other “This leaves the two major front runners as the final option here.”

“Right.” they both nod their heads before Wilbur turns to look at the crowd once more.

“In second place, with 30% of the votes, is... lead by the party leader Quackity.” Tommy and the rest who were supporting him and his brother were quick to celebrate when Wilbur announced that Quackity was second place in favor of POG2020, however, Schlatt and [M/N] smirked when they saw that look of confusion and disbelief on Wilbur’s face when he was having to reread the votes over and over “Wait, Tommy, listen, Tommy!”

“What? We won didn’t we?” Wilbur took a sharp inhale.

“Well, uh... two nights ago, on the night of the election, after the announcement of Schlatt2020 and Coconut2020... Quackity made a deal with the leader of Schlatt2020 and, uh, Mister Jschlatt stood beside me. Quackity said that no matter what happens, Quackity would pool SWAG2020 votes onto Schlatt2020 votes.” the crowd gasped at the announcement as Quackity took his place behind Schlatt once more, the four of them mockingly smirking at the rest of them as Wilbur read out the rest of the votes “POG2020 got 45% of the votes, meaning that the coalition government of Schlatt2020 and SWAG2020 got 46% of the votes. Meaning that tonight, ladies and gentlemen, on Tuesday the 22nd of September 2020, Schlatt2020 has been inaugurated.” everyone gasped in shock at the way things had turned out while Schlatt and Quackity were laughing at the results, [M/N] was smiling softly and clapping his hands, as for George, he was doing the same thing but rather tiredly.

“See, the win was ours from the beginning.” [M/N] nodded his head.

“Mm hmm, had no doubts sir, that’s why I was calling you Mister President even before the results were announced.” Schlatt grinned when he saw Wilbur swallow thickly, practically nervous under the eyes of the ram hybrid but gave him a forced smile.

“Well, u-uh, Mister JSchlatt, it was a real honor competing against you. But I-- uh, please step up to the podium and deliver your inauguration speech.” they were all promptly kicked off the stage as Schlatt took his place in front of the podium, [M/N] was behind him and glaring down at the crowd below him while Quackity stood to his right and George to his left.

“Well,” Schlatt started, tapping at the mic before leaning against the podium with a giant smirk on his face "that was pretty easy. And you know what I said the day that I got unbanned from the Dream SMP and the day I said I was running? An election that I won, by the way. I said, "Things are going to change." I looked every citizen of L'Manberg in the eyes and I said, "You listen to me: This place will be a lot different tomorrow." Let's start making it happen.” Schlatt chuckled at the looks he was getting from the crowd, he turned back to [M/N] for a brief second to nod at him before finishing off the rest of his speech, the taller man understood and got himself ready “My first decree as the president of L'Manberg - the EMPEROR of this great country - is to REVOKE the citizenship of Wilbur Soot and TommyInnit!” the crowd immediately went into hysterics at the announcement.

“What?!”

“NO!!”

“No way!”

“Is he serious?!” Schlatt looks back at [M/N] and saw he pulled at his Firework Launcher, George and Quackity notice this and pull out their bows, Schlatt just laughs maniacally before throwing his arm out.

“Get them out of here! Get them out of here! You're no longer welcome!” [M/N], who’s face was indifferent, pushed Schlatt behind him and knelt down while he aimed the rocket in the direction of where Wilbur and Tommy were standing, finger on the trigger and eyes locked on.

“Yes, sir.” pulling the trigger, the crowd immediately dispersed to avoid the rocket while Wilbur and Tommy turned tails and ran, however, [M/N] didn’t stop and continued to fire rockets at them while George and Quackity shot arrows at them, one actually managing to hit the two and lodge into the back of Wilbur’s shoulder as they fled. George and Quackity lowered their bows while [M/N] raised his crossbow, his keen eyes continuing to scan the area until a hand was gently placed on his shoulder.

“That’s enough, you did your job splendidly, [M/N].” his ears went flat against his head at the praise before standing to his feet, returning to his place behind Schlatt “Oh, that was so easy! Until further notice, Wilbur Soot and TommyInnit are merely a memory of L'Manberg. A relic of the past. A reminder of the darkest era this country has ever seen. And I guarantee you all, dear citizens... Tonight, that changes. We are entering into a new period of L'Manberg, a period of prosperity! Of strength! Of unity!” [M/N] smiled and clapped his hands gently once more, he then went on a rant and saw that he was going to lower the taxes and even fill the fountains up with Hawaiian Punch.

“Seriously?” he whispered to the ram, he just shrugged.

“Meh, it was in the spur of the moment, but I’m gonna do it anyway.” the wolf shrugged his shoulders and leaned back “Anyways, Tubbo? Where’s Tubbo?” the boy raised his hand from within the crowd.

“I’m right here.”

“Tubbo, get up here! Get up here on my podium.” now [M/N] was confused, why on earth was Schlatt calling up Tommy’s friend? “Don’t you want the job?” Quackity snickers as he leaned towards Schlatt.

“I don’t think he wants the job.” Tubbo’s eyes widened as he stood up from where he was sitting with a panicked expression.

“N-No, no! I’m on my way.” he sputtered out repeatedly while trying to find a way up to where they were standing, when he managed to climb up to the stage, after repeatedly dying to fall damage, he stood nervously beside Schlatt while trying to avoid looking at [M/N], who was snarling while glaring at him.

“Stop it.” he scolded, the man huffed as he looked away “Tubbo, you, as my secretary of state, as my right hand man of L’Manburg!” Schlatt ignored the whine coming from [M/N] when he said that, he sighed and gave the man a look before smiling down at the younger boy “I need you to do something for me, Tubbo.”

“What Mister President?”

“I need you, to find Tommy and I need you, to show him the door. Rumor has it, he’s somewhere around. Perhaps, uh, perhaps on top of a building.” at the mention of that, [M/N] turned his head to the right and saw on top of the tower was a frightened Wilbur and standing beside, though he couldn’t see because of the potion, was undoubtedly Tommy, probably with an expression just as frightened as his “Tubbo, bring them here at once.” [M/N] looked away from the tower as he looked down at Tubbo, he looked hesitant to do Schlatt’s bidding, I mean, of course, he would, he was going against his best friend and the man he previously fought a war with.

“I-I...” Tubbo looked up and paled when [M/N] glared at him, he swallowed thickly before nodding his head “I’ll do my best, Mister President.” [M/N] relaxed at that and turned away, Schlatt smiled as he pats Tubbo on the shoulder.

“Good, now, you best be on your way. Go get 'em.” he nodded his trembling head before rushing off, Schlatt grinned as he straightened his tie and waved at the people, [M/N] pursed his lips as he leaned down to whisper in his ear.

“Why didn’t you send me, sir? You know I’m better at tracking than anyone else, it was illogical to send him.” Schlatt only chuckled, turning around and gently patting [M/N] on the cheek.

“Yeah, I know that, but you’re my bodyguard. Your job is to stay by my side and protect me from potential dangers, and I can’t exactly have my bodyguard leave my side just to gather a bunch of rats.” he gave him a smile “I’m counting on you to protect me from here on out, that’s your first order from me as the President. Don’t disappoint me.” at that, [M/N] had stopped listening to Schlatt ramble on about other things he had planned for L’Manburg as his heart thumped in his chest once more. He hadn’t felt like this ever since Schlatt had first picked him up when he was just a little cub, this feeling of loyalty swelling in his chest for this man, he smile with a newfound resolve as he stood behind Schlatt with a prideful gaze.

He was going to carry out that order until his last breath.

[a few days later]

“Ma-- Manberg, sir? You’re going to change L’Manberg to Manberg?” [M/N] asked, reading through the papers Schlatt had handed to him in confusion, he lowered the papers as he stared at the man “Why? L’Manberg sounds fine as is.” Schlatt merely laughs, leaning back in his seat as he holds a glass of whiskey, spinning the glass around with his wrist and watching the liquid sway before looking at his bodyguard.

“Well, this country no longer takes any L’s.” Schlatt grinned when he got the man to snicker at that, he downs the whiskey as he lets [M/N] read through the other decrees he thought of. The first one was obvious, it was revoking Wilbur and Tommy’s citizenship to L’Man-- oh, no, Manberg. The second was to remove the walls surrounding the country that were built since the beginning, the third was renaming L’Manberg to Manberg because he claimed the country isn’t taking L’s anymore. [M/N] scoffed with a laugh, shaking his head when he saw that Schlatt wanted to replace many of the longstanding structures of the city with tall apartment buildings and a monument of himself.

“Really? A monument of yourself? Quite egotistical, don’t you think?” Schlatt laughed at that, throwing his head back as he placed his empty glass on his desk.

“What? Don’t you think it’ll give this country a nice touch to it?”

“Whatever makes you happy, sir.” he shuffles through the rest of the papers but he stopped when his eyes landed on the last one, Schlatt watched as he furrowed his brows as he read through it “You want to raise the taxes, but only for the female residents of Manberg? Sir, you do realize that Niki Nihachu is the only woman residing in Manberg, right?” he chuckles.

“Of course I know. Because I kicked her friends out, she’s been acting out and even stood up to me at one point.” he slams his hand on his desk and glared at [M/N], though the latter was not affected by the gaze because he knew that it wasn’t directed at him “I’m just putting her in her place so she learns not to go against my authority.” he hums, eyeing the page carefully before looking at Schlatt once more.

“Are you sure? This isn’t going to look good for you, makes you seem prejudice against women.” Schlatt waves his hand to dismiss the thought.

“You’re overthinking it, kid. You’re simply not looking at the bigger picture!” [M/N] raised a brow.

“And that would be?” Schlatt looked at him before looking away.

“I’m still imagining the picture kid, don’t put me on the spot like that.” he snorted at the response he got, he lets out a breath as he rearranged the papers once more before bowing his head.

“Well, I’ll leave you to your duties and hand these to Vice President Quackity.” the older man nods his head, swiveling in his chair before raising his hand and motioning for [M/N] to come. The man looked at him in confusion before approaching him from behind his desk, he leaned forward before jolting up, his ears and tail shooting upwards when Schlatt placed his hand on top of his head and gently pat his head.

“I really do appreciate you sticking by my side throughout the years, kid, never forget that.” [M/N] raised his head, Schlatt laughed when he noticed that his pupils had blown out as his tail was wagging behind him. He remembered he would always do that to him when he was a kid and it really pleased the kid, [M/N] stood up straight with a flushed face as he pressed his hand to where Schlatt’s hand previously was.

“I-I...” he couldn’t even say anything, he was just too flustered, Schlatt had to hold back his laughter when [M/N] turned tail and ran, nearly tripping over but instead slammed into the door before throwing it up and slamming it shut behind him. [M/N] had his back pressed to the door as he tried to calm himself down, he just couldn’t stop smiling, he always did enjoy getting praised by Schlatt, maybe that was the wolf side of him that made him react like this. He took a deep breath, shaking his head and running a hand through his hair to straighten it out, when he composed himself, he slapped on his straight face before walking down the hall to where Quackity’s office was.

“Hey, [M/N]!” his ears perked up at the call and he looked over to see Fundy waving his hand, he narrowed his eyes on him to remember what his place was in the White House. Um, if he remembered hard enough, Schlatt said that he was the...  Archbishop/Right hand man? He really couldn’t be bothered remembering all these names that meant nothing to him, though, he did stop so Fundy could approach him, with caution, of course. Fundy knew how vicious [M/N] was with people who weren’t Schlatt, he really was just Schlatt’s hound dog that wouldn’t hesitate to carry out any of his orders, no matter how malicious they were.

“What do you need, sir?” he answered, Fundy laughed as he shook his head and pat him on the arm.

“Come on now, since we’re working together, don’t you think you should drop the formalities? We’re friends, aren’t we?” Fundy flinched when he noticed [M/N] was glaring at the hand that was touching him, he laughed nervously as he removed his hand.

“Friends?” he questioned, holding the papers in one hand, he raised the other to wipe his arm where Fundy had touched him “I don’t remember us becoming such a feat. We’re nothing more than associates, nothing more, nothing less.” he awkwardly laughed at that when the taller man kept a stern look on his face as he stared him down.

“Ah haha, r-right.” [M/N] sighed, rolling his eyes.

“Anyways, do you know where the Vice President is? Mister JSchlatt asked me to deliver these papers to him so he could take a look at them.” Fundy’s ears perked up at that.

“Quackity?” he then pointed off in a direction “He’s currently in his office with George.” he nods his head at the information.

“Thank you, and with that, I’ll be on my way.” he was polite enough to bid the fox hybrid goodbye before leaving him, it didn’t take long for the man to reach Quackity’s door and so he politely knocked on the door and waited to be let in.

“Oh, come in!” he heard the voice from within the office, he pushed open the door and there he saw Quackity sitting on his desk while talking to George “Oh, it’s you, [M/N]. What brings you here?” he raises the papers in his hand as he approaches the two.

“The President asked me to hand these to you. He wants you to read through them before handing them back to him, saying that he also wants your opinion on what he wants to do to this country.” Quackity nods as he takes the papers from [M/N]’s hands, giving them a brief skim through before setting them down on the desk beside him.

“Alright.”

“He would appreciate an immediate response because he would like those decrees to happen immediately. I don’t wish to rush you, but the President gets quite fussy when people make him wait.” Quackity nods his head once more at that.

“Got it, I’ll try and have it done before later tonight.” [M/N] bows his head at that.

“Much appreciated, Mister Vice President.” he then bows his head to George “Ambassador. Have a good day gentlemen.” with that he took his leave and returned to his post in front of Schlatt’s office door, no one was to come in without him mentally noting down who it was that entered and who left. Anyone that passed by was impressed that he never moved from his spot, didn’t fidget or twitch, he only made a reaction when someone was approaching before turning them away when Schlatt didn’t want to see them.

“U-Um, excuse me?” he raised his brow as he looked down, there, he saw a nervous looking Tubbo waving his hand to try and get his attention “Schlatt told me to meet him in his office, telling me he had a job for me.” [M/N] furrowed his brows before looking up in thought, he did remember him mentioning that Tubbo was going to meet him later in the day, so he nodded his head.

“Right.” he opened to door and looked over at where Schlatt was “Sir, Tubbo is here as you wished.” Schlatt raised his head at the announcement, a grin on his face as he stood up from his desk.

“Wonderful, wonderful! Let him in, why don’t you?” [M/N] nodded his head before stepping to the side and gesturing with his arms for Tubbo to enter the room, when he walked in he was planning on closing the door behind and wait outside the room but stopped when he noticed Schlatt give him a look that told him to stay. He glanced back at Tubbo before nodding his head and stepping into the room, closing the door behind him and standing in front of the door, and let the two talk. He didn’t bother listening to the conversation, it really wasn’t anything that concerned him, it was the usual political bullshit that Schlatt pulled out of his ass while using different tactics to intimidate and frighten the child into submission, to which it worked because Tubbo could barely look him in the eye. Only when he heard Schlatt mention Tubbo’s first job did he ask him to do, was when [M/N] started to listen “I thought I told you to find Tommy and bring him here, Tubbo.” the boy swallowed thickly.

“I-I’m trying, really, Schlatt.” he licks his lips “They’re not here in L’Manberg--”

“It’s Manberg, Tubbo.” he raised his head in shock at what Schlatt had said “Because you didn’t know that I was changing it, I’ll let it slide just this one time. I hope there won’t be any more slip-ups.” he nods his head.

“R-Right.” he takes a breath to calm himself “Anyways, they’re not here in Manberg, sir. I don’t know where else they could have gone.” Schlatt hummed at that, circling him while clicking his tongue.

“That is not the answer I wanted, Tubbo. You know him better than anyone, so I expected you to find them first.” he then gestures to [M/N], Tubbo looked over at the wolf hybrid and saw he had his neutral expression on his face “[M/N] is my most trusted companion, he’s been with me for a long time so I know him like the back of my hand, as he is with me.” Tubbo nods his head.

“Yeah...?” Tubbo stands in his spot as he watched Schlatt approach the man, dragging his hand across his shoulders before wrapping an arm around his torso and leaning his weight into his body.

“So I know how great of a tracker he is, as well as a hunter.” Tubbo flinched, know understanding where he was going “He is a wolf hybrid, a grey wolf at that, making him an apex predator, meaning that he is at the very top of the food chain. When he’s got a whiff of your scent, it’s all over, there isn’t a place on this earth that you can hide and he won’t be able to find you.” he nods slowly.

“T-That sounds like a really good assist, sir.” he nods.

“It is.” he then leaves [M/N]’s side as twirls around the room, throwing his arms open before pointing at Tubbo “Now you must be thinking, why I didn’t send [M/N] off to find your pesky little friend and that former President? Well, it’s simple. I don’t want him to leave my side, he’s the one person I trust with my life and I don’t want him to go off just to do a trivial job. That’s why I left it to you, because you know your friend Tommy better than anyone else, so you must know what he’s planning.”

“I... I--”

“Tubbo, listen.” Schlatt was by Tubbo’s side, wrapping an arm around him and leaning down close to his face “I’m going to tell you this one last time so you can get the job done right, okay? Go and find Tommy and kill him, or else I’ll send [M/N] to get the job done right, and I know neither of us wants that. He can be quite merciless when it comes down to doing hunting jobs to the point that even I can’t tell him to stop. He does a messy job, but at least he can get it done.” Tubbo was really being put on the spot at that point, he hasn’t seen what [M/N] is capable of, and he really doesn’t want to find out either.

“I...” he lowers his head “I understand, Mister President.” Schlatt smiled at the response, raising his hands to let him go.

“Wonderful! I’m so glad to hear that.” he pats Tubbo’s back and raises his arm to direct him to the door “Now that you understand what happens if you don’t do your job properly, off you go. Report anything you find to [M/N], okay?” he nods.

“Got it.” with that he leaves the room, [M/N] goes to follow him out but was stopped when Schlatt grabbed his arm.

“Before you go,” he raised a brow when he noticed his expression darkened “keep an eye on him, won’t you?” [M/N] only smirked, showing off his canines.

“I was going to do that whether you ordered me or not.” he cracked his knuckles as the other man laughed.

“Right, that is so you.” he takes a breath as he leans against his desk “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer, eh?” [M/N] salutes him.

“Yes sir.”

[weeks later]

“You’re... married?” [M/N] questioned as he looked at Schlatt and Quackity in confusion, the latter looked proud of the accomplishment while the former looked just as confused as he did “We-- Well... congrats?” he lets out a confused whine as he tilted his head to the side, he scratches the back of his neck as he tried to continue his work but the fact that Schlatt got married to this... guy, really rattled him.

“Don’t think about it, even I don’t understand why he wanted to marry me.” Schlatt said as he waved Quackity goodbye, to which the duck hybrid waved his hand enthusiastically before running down the hallway, [M/N] pursed his lips as he looked down at the golden ring on his finger before glancing away “Anyways, how’s keeping an eye on Tubbo been lately?” he asked, the both of them entering his office to speak about the matter privately.

“As you’ve instructed, I continue to make quick observations on him whenever he comes and goes. When he’s around others he’s calm and relaxed, but that persona immediately drops when he’s around me, sir.”

“Maybe that’s because you scare the kid, pup.” he laughs when [M/N] flushes at the pet name, it had been a long time since he called him that, he cleared his throat “Sorry, continue, please.” 

“Thank you, anyways, as I was saying, he’s always on edge whenever he’s around you or me.” he raises a hand as he taps his cheek “He’s gone frequently during the day as well, sometimes I ask Fundy where Tubbo goes and he doesn’t know, not even Quackity. George is no help, he’s never around or he’s always asleep, so he’s completely in the dark. But the times he passes by me, I take a whiff of his scent and I smell rubble, gun powder, oddly potatoes, and something else that I just can’t place.”

“Do you think he’s purposely covering his scent to throw you off?” he purses his lips.

“Perhaps, but I’m close, I can feel it.” Schlatt nods his head.

“Alright, when you manage to find something, I give you permission to leave my side and follow after him.” [M/N]’s eyes opened at what he said.

“P-Pardon? You want me to... leave your side?” Schlatt rolled his eyes at the reaction he gave him, he knew he was going to react like this, knowing how protective this damned mutt can get when he isn’t by his side.

“You’re the only one I trust to accomplish this job, [M/N]. You’re efficient at what you do, so be quick. Get in, and get out before they notice and return to me with the results I want, okay? You’re the only one that won’t be able to mess this up, yeah?” [M/N] was hesitant, of course, he was, he fiddled with the hem of his dress shirt as he kept his head low. Schlatt let out a sigh as he stared at the man before him, he would always do that whenever he was nervous, he still hasn’t changed from when he was just a kid “Come on now, stop being so worried, I’ll be fine.”

“... really?” he nods his head.

“Of course, I’ll be waiting for you here, mmkay?” he takes his hands and gently pats his head, laughing when he saw his tail wagging behind him.

“O... Okay.” he soon pats his arm.

“That’s the spirit! Oh, would you look at that, I have a meeting to get to with someone important.” he rolls his neck as his hands slip away from [M/N], to which the man quickly straightened himself out before following Schlatt out. Many things had occurred since the day he had become President, he ordered Fundy to burn down the L’Manberg flag and to create a new Manberg flag made of obsidian and crying obsidian to make it harder to control, he banished Niki from Manberg after refusing to pay her taxes and had every other resident of Manberg to raid her bakery and steal everything she owned, so now she owned nothing. [M/N] felt a bead of sweat form on his cheek as he listed every bad/horrible deed Schlatt had done to the country, making him look even worse than he did in the beginning. He wasn’t going to admit it, though he totally would, he knew if Schlatt continued with the path he was going down... he wasn’t going to die an easy death “Ah, we’re here. They’re already inside, so I want you to stay out here and keep anyone looking for me out, okay?” [M/N] nodded his head.

“As you wish, sir.” he winks before throwing the doors open then letting them close behind him, with that, [M/N] turned around and kept his back to the door. With his hands behind his back, he kept his posture and expressionless face on as he watched people walk by, some greeted him and he greeted them back briefly. He wasn’t really paying attention to how much time had gone by but his ears did go up when he saw Tubbo approach him.

“Hey, [M/N], is Schlatt in there?” he nods his head.

“Yeah, he’s having a meeting with someone and told me to keep anyone looking for him out. Must be really important.” Tubbo nods his head.

“Oh, okay. Then I guess I’ll wait out here with you if that’s alright.” he shrugged his shoulder.

“Do what you want.” Tubbo nods again before proceeding to stand beside the taller man, he rolled his neck as he fixed his stance until his nose twitched. An unknown scent caught his attention and so he sniffed the air to catch a whiff of the scent once more before it disappeared, soon his head moved down to where Tubbo was standing and the younger boy was looking up at him in confusion.

“U-Um, [M/N], what are you--” 

*SNEEZE*

Tubbo was taken aback at the loud sneeze coming from the man, it was completely unexpected that he jumped in surprise before he approached [M/N], backing away when he sneezed again.

“No, go away!” he shouts “Why do you smell like pollen?! Why the hell are you even covered in that shit from head to toe?!” he shouts, sneezing again and covering his nose so he wouldn’t pick up the smell of pollen.

“You can smell the pollen off of me?” he questioned.

“Of course I can, I have a sensitive nose and I can pick up on various smells, dammit!” he shouts, sniffling and rubbing his nose when his nose started getting runny. Though that part was true, he caught wind of Tommy’s scent as well, though his meeting with the small child was brief, he has a memory bank of all the different types of smells he had smelt in the past. He just had to find a reason to cover up the fact that he was blatantly smelling Tubbo, thank god for his hay fever. Tubbo was still quite taken aback by [M/N]’s reaction but he was in a state of panic that he forgot how good his sense of smell was, how on earth could he forget, he just felt fortunate enough that he was playing in a field of flowers with bees that he was covered in pollen to fool him.

“O-Oh, um, sorry?” he apologized questionably, handing him a handkerchief to blow his nose.

“Just-- please go away, I beg.” 

“Ye-- right! I can just show this to Schlatt later!” he exclaims before running away, he blew his nose in the handkerchief, grimacing at the amount of snot on it before folding it up and pocketing it then running his finger under his nose to control him.

“Hey,” he shrieked at the voice from behind him, turning around, he saw Schlatt cracking open the doors by a bit to peek his head through “what was all that noise about?” he sniffed.

“Tubbo was here waiting for you, but he was covered in pollen when I tried sniffing him and I started sneezing.” Schlatt nodded his head.

“Ah, your hay fever.” he nods, he goes to enter the office once more but couldn’t when [M/N] places his foot in between the doors to stop him, he then leans down to whisper in his ear.

“But I did manage to smell Tommy off of him.” now this caused Schlatt’s blood to run cold for a bit before it started to boil, though, he managed to keep his composure as he smiled up at [M/N].

“You know what to do.” he bows his head.

“Of course.” he waited until his meeting was over to take Schlatt back to his office, he looked into the room Schlatt was in and briefly saw the color green but ignored it to take Schlatt back. When he safely returned to his office, he nodded his head to him before closing the door behind the man then turning on his heel to find where that little bastard had slipped off to his. His gaze caught the sight of Quackity, who was flaunting his wedding wing to Fundy, who just looked downright confused “Excuse me, Quackity, Fundy!” he called out, the two raised their heads and Quackity greeted him enthusiastically while Fundy was still nervous under his eyes.

“Hey, [M/N]!” he cheered.

“Y-Yeah, hey.” Fundy added, [M/N] only sighed.

“Yes, hello. I was just wondering if you two knew where Tubbo was, he was waiting for the President beside me when he was having a meeting with someone else before he ran off when he realized he was the cause of my little... accident.” he sniffled once more “Anyways, the President has returned to his office and I was wondering if you knew where he was so I can tell him that he’s free now.” Fundy let out a hum as he looked up in thought.

“Well, I haven’t seen him in the past hour, he said that he was going out on a stroll.” Quackity nodded.

“I saw him go east from where the White House is, saying he wanted to collect some bees before talking to Schlatt. If you hurry, you’ll probably catch up to him.” he notes, [M/N] nodded his head to what they said.

“Thanks.” they bid him adieu as he walked off, when he was outside the White House, he stretched his arms and legs, crouching down a couple times before turning his body east from where the White House was before kneeling down and pressing the tips of his fingers onto the ground. He bends his knees as the soles of his feet dig into the ground, with that, he shot forward and sprinted off to find Tubbo. It was a little difficult because he could smell the pollen mixed in with his scent but as Schlatt had said, once he’s got a whiff of your scent, there’s nowhere you could hide on this earth that he wouldn’t be able to find you. He launched himself into the air before catching himself in the trees of a forest somewhere outside of the borders of the Dream SMP, he landed on the ground before sprinting forward, however, he didn’t know how long he was going to have to search to find anything suspicious but then he came to the opening by a hill.

He raised a brow at the sight of a small dirt shack embedded within a hill, he tilts his head to the side before approaching it. He opens the door and looks around in confusion before inhaling the lingering scents within the shack, now he smelt an assortment of different scents. He was onto them, the shack had a bed, a couple chests with furnaces, and other things but what he saw that really mattered was an opening that was leading underground. He rolled his neck, planning to go down it but stopped when he saw a dog.

“...”

“...”

“Hey.” he greeted, raising a hand, he smiled when it gave him a cheerful yip in return, he ruffled its head before heading down. He soon found himself in a ravine, looking around, it was mostly a system of caves, made of stone and wooden stairways with torches along the walls. He pursed his lips when he saw a huge potato field... now that explained the smell of potatoes, he scoffed, such a downgrade, he thought to himself before crouching down when he heard voices. He drank an Invisibility Potion before peeking his head down and there he saw Tubbo talking to Wilbur, Tommy, and some piglin hy-- oh, shit. He recognized that piglin hybrid, the Blood God Technoblade, an anarchistic pig, now he was going to be a problem.

“I’m sorry Wilbur, I panicked and came here as fast as I could.” Wilbur shook his head as he held Tubbo’s shoulders.

“That doesn’t matter, just tell us what happened.” he let out a sigh.

“I think I nearly got caught.” Tommy was up on his feet immediately, he shoved Wilbur away as he checked Tubbo all over.

“What? Did they hurt you? Are you okay?” he shook his head to wave Tommy off.

“I’m fine, it’s just that Schlatt’s bodyguard.” now this caught their attention, Tubbo told them how troublesome his bodyguard is, Tubbo could never get close to Schlatt without [M/N] being in the same room sneering down at anyone that thought they could touch him. Not only that but because he was a wolf and that if he even caught a whiff of their scent he would be on them immediately and Tubbo’s job as a spy for Pogtopia would be exposed.

“What did he do?” 

“I had work to show to Schlatt but couldn’t because he was in a meeting, course [M/N] was also waiting outside the door as he usually did and this time I decided to wait beside him. But he suddenly started sniffing me, I panicked there and then but before I could do anything he started sneezing.” Tommy snickered at that.

“Sneezing? Why?” Technoblade questioned.

“I was covered in pollen and he said he had hay fever.” Tommy was laughing now, this caused [M/N] to purse his lips at that the boy who was laughing at him “I think the fact that he has hay fever saved my butt, who knows what would’ve happened if I didn’t play with the bees.” Technoblade now rolled his eyes.

“Yeah, sure. I thought we warned you to roll in the dirt or have a shower after you visit us, that guy is our problem. The moment you get caught, we’re all in trouble.” he scolds before freezing, pulling out an axe from his inventory and throwing it over his shoulder.

“What? What’s the matter, Techno?” Wilbur asked, watching the anarchist on alert as he looked around.

“I smell a dog.” [M/N] huffs while the others freeze.

‘Dog? Now that’s rude.’ he shakes his head, he got what he needed so he no longer needed to stay, he goes to stand to his feet but winced when he noticed that when he shuffled his feet a couple rocks fell, he then fell to the ground to avoid the axe that was thrown at him ‘Jesus!’

"You led him to us!” he shouts, he goes to pull out another weapon but paused when he heard a bark, they all look up and see that it was simply the same dog that [M/N] passed on his way into Pogtopia.

“Heh, you’re overreacting, it’s just L’Mandog.” [M/N] was silently crying when this damned dog came out of nowhere and saved his skin, [M/N] knew he was strong, strong enough to handle the three and Technoblade if he was alone, but there was no way he could take on those three and Technoblade at the same time, that was too much. He silently thanked the dog before rolling away and rushing out of that ravine, Technoblade looked back over at the spot he threw his axe before looking at Tubbo.

“You should stay away from Pogtopia for a couple days, Tubbo. We’ll wait till this all blows over and if he acts out of place, then we’ll know.” Tubbo slowly nodded his head.

“Yeah... yeah, okay. I don’t want you guys getting hurt just because of my slip up.” Tommy grinned, giving his friend and thumbs up.

“Don’t worry, Tubbo, everything will be fine.”

[the next day]

“A festival?” Quackity questioned, putting down the sheet of paper Schlatt had handed to him and the other members of his cabinet. They were all in the meeting discussing Schlatt’s upcoming event for Manberg which was going to be a festival, but they were all confused as to why he was pulling such a stunt, they couldn’t find a reason as to why he was throwing a festival. [M/N] was also in the room so they look over at him to see his reaction, Schlatt tells the man everything, so he must know what’s going on... instead, they saw him scrunch his face up in confusion as he continued to stand behind him, whispering festival under his breath “W-Wha... what for, sir?” he laughed, throwing his arms back.

“Can’t we throw a festival to celebrate? It’ll be in the name of democracy.” [M/N] pulled a face as he leaned down to whisper in his ear.

“But you are against democracy, sir.” he shrugged his shoulders, smacking the back of his hand against his chest.

“Oh, lighten up, will you?” [M/N] sighed before standing up straight, wiping his chest where Schlatt had smacked him before rolling his shoulders and looking at the other three who were attending the meeting, maybe he should kick George just to make him come to at least one meeting “Anyways, I am placing Tubbo in charge of the planning.” said boy jolted in his seat before looking over at Schlatt in shock.

“M-Me?! Why?” he grinned at the young boy.

“Other than Fundy and Quackity, you’re the person I trust the most with such an important event, plus I believe you’ll be pretty decent in coming up with plans for the festival.” they hear a whine and look over at [M/N], jumping in surprise when they saw his ears dropping down, his bottom lip trembling. He then leans down once more, grabbing Schlatt by the shoulder while pointing at himself.

“W-What about me? Don’t you trust me enough, sir?” he rolls his eyes, smacking [M/N]’s hand off his shoulder as he pulled a cigar out of his pocket and puts it to his lips, letting Quackity light it.

“You can’t plan for shit, I know that from experience.” they sweat drop when they saw him turn around and start sulking, Schlatt took a puff from his cigar before waving his hand “I’m trusting you, Tubbo, to set the whole event up and I am also giving you the role as a key speaker.” Tubbo swallowed thickly at that before nodding his head.

“Okay, I won’t let you down, Mister President!” he felt nervous when Schlatt smiled at him.

“I know you won’t.” Tubbo shuddered, not really knowing how to take that last comment, soon, Schlatt stood to his feet as he straightened his blazer before snapping his fingers, causing [M/N] to snap out of his sulking and have him straighten his posture “That’s all we have to discuss, [M/N], come.”

“Coming.” with that the two of them left, and when they were alone, [M/N] immediately dropped the confused face “Do you think they fell for it?” he questioned, Schlatt laughed as he took another puff his from cigar before letting it hang from his lips so he could look up at [M/N].

“Without a doubt, pup.” he throws his arms up and lets them rest behind his head, lacing his fingers together as he walked down the hallways of the White House “I never knew you had a thing for acting, fooled them pretty good.” Schlatt laughed when he saw [MN] raise his head, his nose comically becoming pointed and longer.

“Perks of knowing how to lie on the spot, sir.” he rolls his shoulders “All I really need is to not act up in front of Tubbo, once he notices something wrong with me, he’ll tell Wilbur and his lot that we’re on to them.” Schlatt nods his head and gently knocks on his chest.

“Then act like you usually do, a lost puppy following his owner.” [M/N] briefly stopped in his tracks at what Schlatt called him, practically calling him out, his tail gets tucked between his legs before he chased after him when he noticed the distance growing between the two when Schlatt continued to walk.

“H-Hey! I’m not lost.” 

“So you admit you’re a puppy?” his cheeks flush pink from embarrassment.

“Please stop teasing me, sir.” Schlatt only chuckles.

Surprisingly, the preparations for the festival went rather smoothly. Tubbo kept a watchful eye on [M/N] just in case there really was something underhanded going on with the festival but the latter made no moves that were deemed suspicious. The only times the wolf interfered with the planning was when Schlatt ordered him to help with heavy lifting or to input his own opinions and thoughts to the plan, to which he was more than reluctant to do such a thing. Sometimes [M/N] would make sure there was some decent distance between the two of them in case Tubbo was playing in a field of flowers or with bees again just so his hay fever doesn’t act up while he’s working, it would be such a hassle.

“Um, what do you think of this, [M/N]?” Tubbo asked, showing the man a design for one of the decorations. He stood nervously in front of the taller man, trembling slightly when he stared intensely at the design for what seemed like a hot minute before leaning away and giving him a thumbs up.

“It’s not bad, but remember to keep the flow consistent throughout the entire design, okay? You’re going with a simplistic theme, right? There’s no need to overdo the decorations, it looks fine as is. You’re doing a good job.” Tubbo was taken aback at the feedback he got from him, he wasn’t really expecting it but he did appreciate it.

“T-Thank you for the input, [M/N]! I’ll take that into consideration.” [M/N] merely nods his head, giving him another thumbs up before watching the younger boy rush off to get the things he had in mind ordered. He glanced down at his hand and watched it relax before it slowly closed into a tight fist, poor kid, he was a pretty decent kid and it almost made him feel bad when he knew about what was going to happen to him during the festival.

Almost.

[day of the manberg festival]

“Got to hand it to him, he did a wonderful job.” [M/N] murmured under his lips, clapping his hands as he saw the festival come to life. Many people had come to attend such a wonderful day, even the few who were previously banished from Manberg. [M/N] stood to the side as he scanned the area where the festival was taking place for anything suspicious but he also where he still had a clear view of where Schlatt was, he sniffed the air for the lingering scents of Wilbur and Tommy, scrunching his face up when he could just faintly sniff them out but he couldn’t spot them “They’re somewhere... I can feel it.”

“Who’s here?” he looked down to see that it was Quackity that asked him, [M/N] merely scoffed as he straightened his posture, crossing his arms as he continued to scan the crowd of happy people.

“Rats.” Quackity rolled his eyes as he elbowed [M/N]’s arm, which promptly earned him a snarl from the taller man, only for him to ignore it as he laughed and ate some of the food that was provided for the festival. Quackity had long gotten over his slight fear of [M/N], growing used to the glares, snarls, sneers, growls, and scowls that he could touch him and get away with it. Maybe it was the fact that he was married to Schlatt that [M/N] eased up on him... maybe-- hopefully “Anyways, how long till the President gives his speech? He told me he had it planned to start a few hours after the festival began.” he waved his hand nonchalantly.

“Hmm, maybe in half an hour.” he offered some of his food to [M/N], to which he raised his hand to block it from getting anywhere close to his face as he shook his head to deny he wanted any, Quackity shrugged as he nibbled on his food “Schlatt also told me to tell you that he wants you to enjoy the festival too.” [M/N]’s ears perked up at that as he looked down at Quackity.

“What?” he nods his head.

“Uh huh. He told me to tell you, saying that even though you know what’s going to happen today, he still wants you to enjoy the evening. Whatever that means.” he explained with another shrug of the shoulders, he purses his lips as he glanced over at Schlatt, it took a bit of time for the older man to notice his glancing but when he did, he smiled softly and gave him a thumbs up along with a nod.

“Really?” Quackity looked up at him and raised a brow when he saw a soft blush flush across his face “He remembered...” he whispered softly.

“He remembered what?” he glared down at the latter.

“You’re really nosey, you know that?” he laughs.

“It just shows that I care.” he rolled his eyes as he began to walk away.

“Yet I do not care for you.” with that he left Quackity alone to sulk at the harsh statement, he wandered around the festival trying to find something that would preoccupy himself before the main event started. He didn’t really participate in any of the attractions that the festival offered nor eat any of the food... well, maybe he did swipe a couple candy apples that were selling. A soft smile spread across his lips as he munched on the treats before looking up at the sky, he liked festivals because he remembered when Schlatt took him to one when he was just a kid.

‘I wonder if we weren’t trying to execute that kid, maybe he’d enjoy the festival with me like he did when I was a child. My fondest memory with him.’ he thought, hearing the sound of his laughter ringing in the back of his head as the memory played out in his head... oh, he could only wish to go back to the good old days where he hadn’t had to worry about getting stabbed in the back.

<JSchlatt> whispers to you: hey, kid, where are you?

He let out an oh when he saw the message pop up in the lower left side of his vision, he let out a hum as he expanded the message board and read through the message Schlatt had sent him.

You whisper to <JSchlatt>: just enjoying the festival like you told quackity to tell me, sir.

<JSchlatt> whispers to you: you having fun?

You whisper to <JSchlatt>: quite frankly, I am.

<JSchaltt> whispers to you: good, but right now, I need you to come back to my side. I’m about to start.

You whisper to <JSchlatt>: I’m on my way.

“Hmm.” [M/N] stood to his feet immediately, though he did look down at his candy apple before opening his mouth wide enough and chomping down on it, eating it completely before taking the stick out of his mouth and jogging away, throwing the stick behind him and it actually landing in a trash bin. He was in the middle of making his way back to the stage where it was going to happen when he accidentally walked into someone, he caught them by their arm before the both of them could stumble to the ground and helped straighten them up “Oh, I apologize for walking into you.” he says, when the person looks at him, his eyes widened briefly, but not enough for them to notice his shock.

‘Oh, fuck.’ in front of him was none other than the Blood God himself, Technoblade ‘The hell is this guy doing here? So does that mean Wilbur and Tommy are here after all?’ he brings his arm to his chest and bows his head.

“I apologize once more for bumping into you, but if you’ll excuse me, I must go.” and with that, he rushes off, Technoblade dusts the arm [M/N] had touched off as he watched the taller man flee, he raises a brow.

“That was not what I was expecting.” he muttered, he imagined [M/N] to be more intimidating from how Tubbo described him, but after seeing him up close, he looked a bit like a pushover “Hmph, for a guy that Tubbo warned me about, he’s quite polite.” [M/N] now stood beside Schlatt as Quackity started off his own speech, gathering the crowd so he could start things off, the man leaned down so that he was hovering by his ear so their conversation would be hushed.

“Technoblade is here.” this set off alarms in Schlatt’s head but he didn’t let it show, he just continued to smile at the crowd “So that can only mean that the other two are here as well to see what the hell is going on.” Schlatt briefly tore his eyes away from the crowd to look up at [M/N].

“Think you can find them?” he stands up straight as his eyes wandered the crowd.

“It’ll be a little harder because there’s so many people, food, and other stuff that’s messing with my nose, but I know they’re here...” he muttered quietly, Schlatt nods his head and pats him on the back.

“Just make sure they don’t get close, okay? Especially that Technoblade, I know that you’re strong, but I don’t want to take any chances of you getting hurt.” Schlatt furrowed his brows when he could feel [M/N]’s puppy dog eyes staring at him, so he smacked his arm “Drop the gaze, you’re supposed to be a wolf, not a puppy.” he smiles softly.

“You’re the one that calls me pup, sir.” he rolls his eyes.

“I’m gonna call you mutt if you don’t shut your mouth.” he lets out a whine before eventually falling silent, [M/N] stood silently beside Schlatt as he sat down in his chair and the both of them silently watched Tubbo give his own speech to the people (I was gonna write his part of the speech but I couldn’t be fucked and I didn’t have the patience to watch the video/stream just to find exactly what he said), however, [M/N] let his eyes wander a little bit during the speech and his ears perked up at the sight he was looking for.

‘There you are.’ he thought to himself, dropping his gaze just in case Wilbur and Tommy stopped looking at Tubbo just to keep an eye on him ‘I’ve got them now.’ he discretely tapped the side of Schlatt’s seat to gain his attention and when he moved his eyes to look he nodded his head, he could almost read Schlatt’s thoughts when he saw that dark smirk spread across his face before he soon started to chuckle.

“W-Wha... what’s wrong, Schlatt?” Tubbo asked as he looked back at the man, to which he shook his head.

“No, I was just thinking about it, Tubbo.” he then stands to his feet as he slowly approached him “Tubbo, would you like to have fun?” Tubbo glanced back at [M/N] and saw that the dark aura that usually surrounds him came back as he glared at him, he shrunk back as he looked back up at Schlatt.

“Y-Yeah, we like-- what’s up, Schlatt?” he shook his head.

“Nothing, nothing. But, is that it? Is that the end of your speech?” he slowly nods his head, Schlatt hums before he goes over to Quackity and hands him yellow sand and so the two of them make a box surrounding Tubbo, they then turn the sand into concrete so Tubbo had no way of getting out. The crowd grew anxious and confused as to what Schlatt and Quackity, to which he was also was confused, were doing “Okay, Tubbo, I’ll cut to the fucking chase.”

“S-Schlatt...?”

"Tubbo, Tubbo... I know what you've been up to.”

“What have I been up to?” 

“What have I been up to' he says! What have I been up to? You've been CONSPIRING! With the IDIOTS, with the-- with the TYRANTS! That we kicked out of this server, that we kicked out of this great country!" [M/N] didn’t need to peek into the box to know that the color drained out of his skin as a panicked expression grew on his face as Schlatt raised his voice “Tubbo, I don't know if you know this, but treason isn't exactly, uh... isn't exactly a respectable thing around here. I know what you've been doing, IT ALL ADDS UP, BUDDY! The fucking TUNNELS, your ABSENCE from GREAT events, I mean, you walked off in the middle of THIS one! You walked off in the middle of this one, Tubbo! Don't try and tell me you've done nothing wrong! Because everybody knows it! I see it with my own two fucking eyes, what you've been doing!" Schlatt takes a breath as he stops in front of the only opening to the box and he glared down at Tubbo “Do you know what happens to traitors, Tubbo...?” he swallowed thickly.

“N-No...” Schlatt chuckles darkly.

“Nothing good." he takes a step back and raises his hand “[M/N], you know what to do.” Tubbo pressed himself into the wall behind him, fear circulating in his eyes when [M/N] came into view with his Firework Launcher in hand.

“[M-M/N]...?” he couldn’t stop his body from trembling, he was just so goddamn terrified as the wolfman stared down at him with such a cold gaze “W-Why are you-- what’s going on?” tears started swelling in his eyes when he saw a malicious smirk spread across his face.

“Don’t you know?” he said, loading the crossbow with a firework and raising his arm to aim it at Tubbo, ignoring all the cries behind him, begging and pleading for him to stop “This whole festival was for you, Tubbo. Schlatt thought it would be funny to see you plan for your own execution.”

“Execution...?!” [M/N] winked.

“Mm hmm.” he steadies his arm, finger on the trigger “Now, you’re relived of your duty, sir.” he chuckles before pulling the trigger and letting the firework fly, colors flying everything as it exploded onto Tubbo. 

[Tubbo went off with a bang due to a firework shot by [U/N]]

Sure, it was a little messed up that the smell of burning flesh met his nostrils along with the sight of his skin burning to the fireworks, but it really meant nothing to him. He slowly lowered his arm as Schlatt placed his hand on [M/N]’s shoulder, patting it softly with a dark grin on his face, Quackity looked at the two in slight fear at what he just witnessed. He couldn’t believe that not too long ago, he remembered seeing [M/N] with such a puppy dog look on his face and even Schlatt looked happy and calm, to think that the true meaning of the festival was to actually kill Tubbo because he was a traitor and these two knew all along.

“You two are sick.” Schlatt dusted his shoulder off when a few sparks got on him while the smirk never left his face.

“Well, you’re married to me, so you better get used to it.” Quackity swallowed thickly before fleeing the stage, Schlatt merely shrugged his shoulders and goes to leave as well but was stopped when he heard a shout.

“You bastard!” before he could react, [M/N] pushed him behind him just as the former turned around and grabbed Tommy by the neck then slammed him into the ground. The boy threw an Ender Pearl towards them and tried to strike [M/N] down, only for him to sense him way before he could even deal any damage, he thrashed and kicked at the taller man to get him to let go but only let out a grunt when he felt [M/N] tighten his grip on his throat.

“There you are, you little rat.” he sneered, leaning forward and hovering away from his face “I knew you would appear, it was only a matter of time.” Tommy sneered at him.

“Oh, fuck off you twat! I’ll kill you for what you did to Tubbo!” [M/N] merely scoffed, leaning back but keeping his grip on Tommy.

“Oh, please. You can’t do shit. If you really cared about him, you would’ve been there to stop me, but you can only do something when the deed has been done. Both you and Wilbur are just pathetic, you two just can’t seem to do anything.” mocking him only added fuel to the flames, [M/N] put his Firework Launcher into his inventory then pulled out a sword “I’m not really a fan of using weapons, my expertise rely more on my fists, but I’ll make this a quick death.” Tommy felt a bead of sweat form on his cheek, nails digging into [M/N]’s wrist as he saw the blade of the sword glisten in the light.

“W-Wait...!” Schlatt chuckled, patting [M/N]’s shoulder.

“Proceed.” he nods.

“Yes sir.” there wasn’t even a hint of hesitation in his eyes as he raised his sword “Your third life is mine.” he swings it down and before it could even land on Tommy, an Enchanted Axe blocked the attack.

“Hmm, to think I mistaken you for a pup.” looking up, he was met with the condescending gaze of Technoblade using his axe to block [M/N]’s blade from meeting Tommy’s face “I think I have to stop you right there, mutt.” [M/N] bares his teeth as he tries putting more pressure into his sword, Tommy noticed both weapons were trembling by the amount of pressure the two hybrid men were putting into it.

“And the pig finally decides to step in, huh?” he lets out a grunt when Technoblade had enough and kicked [M/N] in the chest, kicking him off of Tommy and giving him enough time to pull the younger boy up onto his feet “That was quite rude, I was busy with that boy and I would have appreciated it if you didn’t interfere.” Technoblade chuckles, pushing Tommy behind him while also watching [M/N] stand to his feet, he threw his axe over his shoulder while [M/N] rolled his neck and shoulders.

“Well sorry to break it to you, but this guy is with me.” Tommy smiled up at Technoblade while [M/N] merely scoffed, cracking his knuckles as he got in front of Schlatt.

“Right, to overthrow the government, right?” Technoblade laughs, bouncing his axe on his shoulder.

“Yeah, are you going to stop me from completing such a feat?” 

“Honestly, I could care less about the government, I am only here because I am following the man who is the President. All I care about is staying by Schlatt’s side, and if you are here to threaten his life, I can’t help but see you as an enemy.” Technoblade lets out a breath, lowering his axe and holding it in both of his hands.

“With the way you think, I feel like the both of us could have been friends.” [M/N] rolled his eyes, lowering his body and letting his arms hang in front of him, eyes never leaving Technoblade.

“Who needs friends when you have that one person that makes you happy?” now this made Technoblade think of that one person that made him happy, he shook his head.

“Yeah, we really would have gotten along.” [M/N] flexes his fingers as neither side took their eyes off each other, it was a long stare off but as soon as Technoblade saw [M/N] presses his hands into the ground, the soles of his feet digging into the ground, he readied himself. He was startled at the speed [M/N] went when he shot towards him, he lets out a grunt as he swung his axe but [M/N] easily slid under the heavy swing and was now behind him. Tommy let out a cry when he was kicked off the stage though he was luckily caught by the audience below before he could die to fall damage, Technoblade immediately turned around and swung at him again but [M/N] tackled him off the stage and the both of them fell to the ground but he was lucky because he landed on top of Technoblade so he barely lost any hearts.

“Now that hurt...” he let out a grunt when Technoblade kicked him off but he managed to stick the landing, his claws digging into the ground beneath him to bring himself to a stop “Need a second to catch your breath, Blood God?” Technoblade licked his lips as he stood to his feet, wiping away some of the blood that ran down his lips from out of his snout.

“Please, I can do this all day.” a growl emitted out of [M/N]’s throat as his animalistic traits started to take form, from his forearms to his hand's fur overlapped his skin as his hands turned into razor-sharp claws while from his legs changed into hind legs “Now that’s not fair.”

“Please, I haven’t even shown you my true form yet.” 

“Psh, that sounds cringey.”

“You just made it cringey.” [M/N] closes his hand into a tight fist, his knuckles cracking under the pressure he closed them, before flexing his fingers “Are you ready to rumble?” Technoblade wipes his nose of any more blood, swiftly drinking a regen potion and pulling out his sword this time, getting ready to strike [M/N] down.

“Yeah, I’m ready.” [M/N] lets out a howl before charging forward, yet before he could even land a scratch on Technoblade, a message appeared in the bottom left corner of his vision that made him freeze up.

[JSchlatt was shot by WilburSoot]

Technoblade was also taken aback by the message but he didn’t freeze like the man in front of him, he took his distraction as an opportunity to hit him with the pommel end of the sword. [M/N] went down, his hands planting on the ground to catch himself, before raising his head to where he left Schlatt, and his heart shattered at the sight of an arrow piercing through his chest. Despair surrounded his heart as he watched him collapse to the ground before his body evidently turned to dust, a new body ready for him at his spawn point where he know only had two lives left.

“I didn’t take you as the type to get distracted by trivial things.” Technoblade said as he approached his shaking body, he raised his sword and goes to strike him down but fell back when [M/N] ran away. Technoblade was going to chase after him but stopped when Tommy and Wilbur got in front of him, the both of them having a smirk on their faces at the sight of the biggest troublemaker fleeing.

“Talk about running away with his tail between his legs, huh?” Tommy mocked, laughing at the sight of the big bad wolf running away “Nice shot, by the way, Wilbur. That really did it.” Wilbur nods his head as he pats Technoblade on the shoulder.

“It’s thanks to Techno distracting [M/N] that I had a clear shot on Schlatt, the man wasn’t even paying attention to his surroundings.” Technoblade let them blabber about what was happening as he continued to look where [M/N] ran, his eyes widening softly when he realized which direction he went in.

[with the reader]

There was only a single thought that was running through [M/N]’s head as he ran on all fours towards the White House, tears in his eyes as he ignored the aching pain in the side of his face.

‘I fucked up! I fucked up! I fucked up!’ he didn’t bother wiping the tears from his face as the White House slowly came into view ’I had one job and I fucked it up!’ he skid to a stop as he stood on his hind legs, he actually kicked the door down before rushing down the hallways to find Schlatt’s room that was located somewhere in this build. He had one job, he had ONE job and that was to protect Schlatt, and he fucked that up by getting too caught up in his fight with Technoblade that Schlatt lost one of his lives and he watched the man he grew up with turn to dust. When he was finally at his room, he threw the door open and there he saw Schlatt sitting in his bed with a confused look on his face, his lip trembled as the older man raised his head to get a look at the person who entered his room.

“[M/N--” he couldn’t even finish when the younger one let out a sob, rushing over to his side and grabbing a hold of his hand, tears running down his face.

“I’m so sorry, Schlatt! It’s all my fault that Wilbur killed you!” he cried out, his form trembling as he pressed his forehead into his hands “If only I didn’t focus on Technoblade then none of this would have happened! I failed you!” [M/N] couldn’t stop himself from crying no matter how hard he tried, the tears he wiped away were only replaced with more tears. This scene reminded him of the time [M/N] accidentally shoved him off a cliff and he narrowly avoided death by landing on a hay bale, and though it did save him from losing a life for a pathetic reason, it still did some heavy damage. [M/N] wouldn’t stop crying no matter how hard Schlatt reassured him that he was fine, it just showed how much this kid really worried for him.

“I’m fine, puppy, really.” he let out a whine as he shook his head.

“B-But... you only have two lives left because I got reckless.” Schlatt hummed, slipping a hand out of [M/N] grip to press against his head, ruffling it softly.

“We only live once, kid, I just have to make my next two worth it.” his hands slip down to cup his cheek, a soft smile graced his lips when the wolfman leaned into his touch “I don’t blame you for what happened, I would never.”

“You should.” he chuckles as he shakes his head.

“I should be worried about you too, puppy. That was an insane fall you dropped from, you even took a hit from Technoblade. I’m proud that you stood your ground against him.” he sniffles, sitting up straight and wiping away some of his tears with the back of his hand.

“He’s not all that tough, I can take him.”

“Yeah you can, you’re not even in your true form while he’s in his.” now that was enough to get [M/N] to snicker weakly, [M/N] really chose to be in his human form because he got fewer stares and he looked intimidating enough as a human, plus he could do more. [M/N] stood to his feet, backing away when he noticed Schlatt wanted to get out of bed. The man threw the covers off his body and stood to his feet, [M/N] keeping close in case the man collapsed, respawning into another body really did take a lot out of you.

“What are going to do now, Schlatt?” he clicked his tongue.

“What do you mean what do we do?” he said with a scoff “We make sure we bite them back.”

[a few weeks later]

[M/N] let out a deep sigh when he heard shouting coming from within Sclatt’s office followed by loud thuds and glass shattering, the older man has been going through a lot to the point that he was drinking more and sleeping less to cope with the fact that he was slowly losing it all. The people he thought he could trust were abandoning him to join the rebellion that Wilbur and Tommy had formed to overthrow Schlatt’s rule, and it wasn’t helping the fact that the more that he drank the more he let his anger overwhelm him. [M/N] would no doubt stay with him till the very end, but he was quite surprised that Quackity was still sticking around despite everything he’s done, but he was pretty sure that was going to change very soon with how Schlatt has been treating him lately.

“Is this all you can do, you fucking worthless waste of space?! I ask you to do one simple thing, and you can’t even do that right?! Why do I still keep you around if you can’t do anything?!” Schlatt shouts, slamming his fist onto the desk, causing Quackity to flinch at how loud he was shouting.

“I-I’m sorry...”

“You think a sorry is going to cut it?! What I want from you is to get it right! We’re in a time where I want results, not mistakes!” he lets out a sigh, running his fingers through his hair before collapsing into his chair “Whatever, just get out of my face. I’ll deal with you later, so just leave me alone.” Quackity didn’t hesitate to rush out of the office, clutching the side of his face that was brutally slapped across by the man, it was still aching and he could feel some blood pooling up in his mouth.

“Marrying him was a mistake...” he whimpered out, sniffling and wiping away the tears that threatened to fall, when he opened his eyes he let out a startled yelp when a bottle was in front of him. Looking up, he was surprised to see that it was [M/N] offering him a regen potion to help heal the bruise that was beginning to form on the cheek that was slapped “U-Uh... thank you.” he hesitantly whispered as he took the potion into his hands.

“Don’t mention it.” Quackity awkwardly stood there, contemplating what to say next, he opened his mouth to speak but was stopped when [M/N] raised his hand “Don’t say anything. I didn’t give that to you because I cared, because I don’t care about you. You could just say that I’ve been where you’ve stood.” Quackity’s eyes widened at that.

“R-Really...?” he nods.

“I’ve done some really dumb shit to get him angry, and I rarely got him angry because I was obedient to the very end.” he closes his eyes as he thought back to the past “To be honest, I deserved it, so I took the punishment. The difference between you and me when it comes to him, though, is that he actually cares about me.” the duck man flinched at that, his wings flaring up, and though he really wants to retaliate, he knew what [M/N] was saying was the truth.

“You’re right.” [M/N] scoffed.

“I know I’m right.” he soon lets out a sigh, he pats Quackity on his back and gives him a light shove to get him moving “I’m really the only person that can get him to calm down from his temper tantrum, so get going and don’t visit him for the next couple of days or else he might use you as his punching bag.” [M/N] turns towards the door, hands on each handle to pull them open but he paused, he turned his head to where Quackity was walking away and spoke up “And if you really know what’s good for you... you’ll divorce him.” this caused Quackity to stop in his tracks.

“What?! Are you insane? He’ll kill me if I--” he shakes his head.

“I’m telling you this for your own safety. You’ve already seen what Schlatt can do, imagine what he will do within arms reach.” Quackity started to tremble at the thought, he looked down at the golden ring on his finger then back up at [MN] who took a deep breath “I can handle him because I’ve been with him for such a long time to the point he’s the only person I need, but you still have a variety of different people to help you. Don’t waste your time on someone who isn’t going to treat you the way you want to be treated.” he couldn’t help but feel touched by the way [M/N] spoke to him, he never really speak to him in such a way to comfort him, and it felt nice. He wanted to say something but couldn’t when [M/N] opened the doors and entered Schlatt’s office, he felt the confidence in his chest deflate and he could only pray that he’ll be okay.

[M/N] took a breath as he stepped into Schlatt’s office, closing the doors behind him as he looked around. He saw the shattered glass by the door where he could only assume Schlatt had thrown his glass cup at Quackity out of a fit of rage, chairs were thrown, books were scattered and he could only describe the state of the room as if a tornado had blown through it. He glanced over to where Schlatt was and grimaced when he saw that he was chugging down a bottle of whiskey as if it was water, he felt nauseous because of the strong smell of alcohol coming off of that man. It pained him seeing Schlatt doing this to himself, he understood what all of this was doing to him, it was overwhelming him to the point he had to use alcohol to numb the pain.

“Schla--”

“Didn’t I tell you to fuck off?!” he didn’t flinch when Schlatt turned around and threw the bottle at him, the glass shattering upon impact on his head. Despite the intoxication messing with his head, he slowly began to register that the man in front of him wasn’t his poor excuse of a husband, but instead, he was met with-- “[M/N]...?” he slowly slurred out, he let out a gasp when he saw him raise his hand when not only liquor ran down his face, but also blood “O-Oh, god, I’m so sorry, I--” he raised his hand to stop him from talking, shaking his head.

“No, it’s fine, Schlatt, you know this barely hurts...” he says that, and yet his body sways a bit, Schlatt immediately sobered up enough to get out from behind his desk to approach the man, reaching up and cupping his cheeks.

“No, you dumb dog, it’s not fine!” he shouts, he quickly pulls him by his hands and sits him down in his chair. [M/N] could have easily dodged that bottle, but it’s at times like these where he lets it happen just to see how Schlatt would react to him accidentally hurting him. He sat in silence as Schlatt quickly grabbed anything that could help bandage the wound, he first fed him a regen potion before cleaning up the wound and bandaging it up. [M/N] would always get himself hurt in the past to protect Schlatt so the older man knew exactly what to do to help the younger man, [M/N] noticed his hands were shaking so he slowly raised his own hands and grabbed them “I-It was an accident...! I’m so sorry, I didn’t know it was you...”

“It’s fine, Schlatt, it’s better me than Quackity. You probably would’ve done more damage to him in comparison to me.”

“It would’ve been better if it were him than you.” sure it was harsh, but [M/N] couldn’t help but feel flattered that he cared for him that much. He placed his hand on the bandages around his head, a soft blush tinting his cheeks, he raises his eyes but his head shot up when he noticed that Schlatt pulled out another bottle of liquor, this time it was a bottle of vodka. He popped the bottle cap and poured some in the glass, he was going to down it in one go but couldn’t when [M/N] stood to his feet and grabbed the glass, pushing it down so that it was on the table.

“Schlatt, no.” he scoffed and tried lifting the glass once more but [M/N] pushed it down once more “You know exactly why I am not letting you drink.” he let out a sigh and let the glass go, this time he tried to down the bottle but [M/N] was quicker and took the bottle from him.

“Hey, what gives?!” he ignored his whining and complaining, putting the cap onto the bottle once more and putting it away so the man wouldn’t try anything again. He opened a chest and pulled out some wonder, emptying the glass of vodka and instead replacing that with water.

“Drink that along with some painkillers, it’ll help ease your hangover that is surely going to come from the amount you’ve been drinking as of lately.” he huffs and snatches the water, opening his drawer to pull out the painkillers and plopping them in his mouth then downing the water. Schlatt collapsed into his chair and soon the two fell into silence was once, [M/N]’s ears twitching every so often to hear the way Schlatt was breathing to the beat of his rushing heart slowly coming to a soft beat.

“Sometimes it feels like I’ve become the one that needs to be looked after, I remember it used to be you all the time.” [M/N] frowned.

“That is because you NEED to be looked after, Schlatt. If I’m not around then who will take care of you in my stead?” he lets out a sigh, running a hand through his hair “I’m going to tell you this again, but you know exactly why I don’t want you drinking as excessively as you did before. Your heart can not take it anymore.” he says in a stern tone, the other merely rolled his eyes as he leaned his weight into his chair.

“You say that as if you know my body.” his ear twitched.

“I do know your body, almost better than you.” a shallow growl comes from his throat before he kneels down, taking his hands and rubbing his thumbs over his knuckles “I can’t help but worry for you, Schlatt. You’re not as youthful as you used to be when you drank, it’s going to come to bite you in the ass and I won’t be able to help you.” he grits his teeth, his grip on his hands tightening a little as his head hung “I NEVER should have let you do this stupid job, we NEVER should have gotten ourselves involved in the first place. None of this would have happened if we just kept to ourselves.”

“... but, it was fun, wasn’t it?” [M/N] paused at that, raising his head and looking up at him to see that he was giving him one of those genuine smiles “You and I against the world?” he could tell that Schlatt was trying to make light of the situation, he laughed sadly while cracking a small smile.

“Yeah, it was fun...” Schlatt lowered his head as the alcohol that was still left in his system started to overtake his emotions and mind, [M/N] heard a sniffle so he turned his head to get a better look at the man above him, only to be taken aback at the tears that were beginning to run down his face. 

“[M/N], I-I... I don’t like anything about me.”

“What?” Schlatt took his hands away from [M/N] and looked down at them and they slowly started to tremble as his emotions started running wild.

“I don’t like who I’ve become. Everyone around me is slowly disappearing, they all hate me, and who knows how long until you leave me.” he immediately stood to his feet, this causes Schlatt to panic as he rises to his feet, his hands grabbing onto [M/N]’s jacket in a desperate attempt to get him from what he thought was leaving “No, you’re going to leave me too, aren’t you?! I won’t let you leave! I can’t handle the thought of you leaving me! That thought is too painful!” [M/N] started to cry at the same thought.

“No! There was never a time in my life when I was with you that I would leave your side!” he shouts, grabbing his wrists and making him look up at him “I would never leave you, I will stay by your side until the end of the world. I’ve told you this time and time again, but what I am saying is the truth, I would NEVER live without you.” now that was enough to break down Schlatt’s walls, tears slowly started running down his face as he sobbed into [M/N]’s chest, his body trembling as his grip on his shirt tightened. [M/N] sniffled before wrapping his arms around him, burying his face into his hair while trying to be mindful of the horns protruding out of his head. He hadn’t paid attention to how long the two of them just simply cried in each other’s arms but it was long enough to the point that Schlatt had actually fallen asleep, [M/N] looked him over before letting out a sigh and picking the man up bridal style. Carrying him to his bedroom was an effortless task, what startles him was the fact that Schlatt was getting lighter and lighter each time he’s had to carry him, it scared him. He tucks him in bed after removing his jacket and shoes and decides to stay by his side, he let out a frustrated groan as he ran his hands through his hair and messed with it.

’Everything is just in shambles. The stress is soon going to overwhelm Schlatt to the point his heart won’t be able to handle it, and he keeps turning to alcohol as a solution to dull the pain.’ his hands slowly drag down his face until he brings a fist to his mouth and bit down on one of his knuckles ’I don’t know what to do to help him, and before I know it I’ll lose him. I just want to help him... but I don’t know how.’

”Oh, what a sight.” [M/N] stood to his feet at the unsuspecting voice, hand out and hovering over Schlatt in case the intruder dared try to bring him to him, his eyes scanned the room as a threatening growl comes out of him “Hey, hey now. There’s no need to show aggression, I’m only here to visit.” [M/N]’s gifted eyes could easily see through the darkness that covered the man’s body, he didn’t ease up, even when he knew who it was.

“What the hell do you want, Dream?” said man just gave a chuckle, knowing that nothing could get past [M/N] and his keen senses.

“I’m here on business, and the man I want to do business is currently sleeping.” he took a step forward but came to a halt when [M/N] continued to growl at him, his eyes glaring at him through the darkness, Dream raised his hands “Come on now, you of all people should know I wouldn’t dare to hu--” [M/N] snarled this time.

“Just cut to the chase, smiley man. I don’t give two shits about your false words of sincerity, all I know is that you’re in an alliance with Pogtopia.” Dream couldn’t help but flinch when he bared his fangs at him “All I know is that you could be here to threaten Schlatt’s life, and if I even think for a split second that you are deemed as a threat, I will not hesitate to smash your skull in.” Dream lets out a nervous laugh at that, knowing full well that [M/N] was capable of such a feat

“W-Well, no, actually-- whatever, the alliance between me and Pogtopia is nothing but a farce.” [M/N]’s raised a brow at what he said, not believing him 100%, he let out another nervous chuckle “Well, it’s not too far off, actually, because--” [M/N] let out a sigh as he slowly relaxed, crossing his arms and keeping a close eye on him to make sure he keeps his distance.

“Get to the point already, I’m losing my patience here.” Dream sighs, relaxing when he saw him ease up and wasn’t able to eat his head.

“I promised to help Schlatt, in return, he would give me something important.” Dream noticed a change in [M/N] facial expression, his ears perked up in alert before he glanced down at Schlatt “I can only assume you know about our deal.” he licked his lips out of nervousness.

“I could...” he taps his fingers on his arms “He did mention to me that you might show up unannounced, and if he weren’t available, that I could take his place to negotiate.” beneath his mask, his eyes slowly lit up when he saw [M/N] slowly think it over before rolling his eyes, throwing his head back while letting out a groan “Ugh, fine. Give me a minute.”

“No, no, take your time.” he flinched when [M/N] side-eyed him before rolling his eyes, he reluctantly left Schlatt’s side in search of what Dream was looking for. Said man watched as [M/N] approached a bookcase, pushing a few books to the side to get to the button that was hidden and pressing on it. The bookcase soon revealed an Ender Chest that was hiding and [M/N] opened it up, he sorted through it before finding exactly what he wanted and pulled it out, turning away and allowing the bookcase to return how it was before.

“I’m the only other person to know about what the contents of this book contains, he only ever trusted me. Sure, he kept secrets from me, but he never lied to me. He was always straight with me, so don’t even try with me when it comes to this book.” Dream nods his head as he reaches forward to grab it, however, [M/N] grabbed a tight hold on his hand and yanked him forward, leaning down so he was hovering over his ear “I also want to inform you, though, the moment you take this book from me seals your fate with me. If you even have a thought of betraying Schlatt, there won’t be a single place on this server that will keep you safe. I will find you, no matter where you are, and fucking kill you. Do you understand me?” Dream gulped, seeing the look in his eyes that told him that he was not joking around, he took a breath and nodded his head.

“I understand...” [M/N] stared at him before leaning back and offering him the book, he didn’t miss the look of hesitance Dream had before taking the book from his hands.

“Now that you got what you wanted, fuck off. I’ll report to Schlatt that you swung by and I took care of it.” Dream could only nod his head before leaving through the window he entered in, it really frustrated him how Schlatt had such an obedient dog that followed his every command no matter how violent or extreme, he did it with not an ounce of hesitation. Dream was also frightened by the man, there was no way he could take him on when it came down to PVP, sure he was a legend himself alongside Technoblade, but the latter was much easier to handle because at least he was a little predictable. [M/N] was the literal definition of a wild beast, a feral wolf that would and most definitely could snap his neck the moment he deemed them a threat.

“Fuck.”

[manberg vs pogtopia]

“We’re fucked.” was all [M/N] said as he looked at the people who were going to fight for Pogtopia “Sir, we might as well throw in the towel, we are going to lose without a doubt.” Schlatt only laughed, punching his chest and gesturing to the people who were allied with them.

“Oh, come on, there could be a chance.” he inhaled deeply, squeezing the bridge of his nose.

“What chance? There is literally you and I, plus those four fuckwits, verses Pogtopia, the Badlands, the Slums, and Purpled’s Cabin! How on earth are we going to win against those odds?! We’re fucked, I tell you! Fucked!” seeing [M/N] panic, who was mostly known for being composed, really set them off and they couldn’t help but get nervous themselves.

“Stop panicking pup, you’re ruining the atmosphere.” he let out a groan, dragging his hands along his face as he looked down at Schlatt.

“I am being logical, Schlatt. There’s no way we’re going to win.” he takes Schlatt’s hands and gives him a desperate look “Let’s just give Manberg to Wilbur, there’s nothing left here for us. Everyone left and this country has no significant meaning to us, just-- please, just give it to him. We are going to die in vain for a country that means nothing to us.” he winced back when Schlatt ripped his hands out of his own and gave him a stern glare.

“And give him the satisfaction of besting me? I’d rather die.” that response caused [M/N]’s ears to press against his head, his tail falling limp behind him “Since you’re quiet, I can only guess that you’ve finished spitting out nonsense?” a whine came out of him as he slowly nodded his head.

“Yes, sir.” the four who were in an alliance with Manberg watched as [M/N] followed behind Schlatt, but they couldn’t help but agree with the man, Schlatt was just too goddamn stubborn to admit that he was at the fault at that very moment and that Manberg was going to fall in the very end. They were practically just wasting their time with an idiot.

“Hey! I see them marching up!” Sapnap called, they all rush outside and looked down where they saw the number of people on the side of Pogtopia, [M/N] pursed his lips as he looked down at Schlatt with a knowing look, to which the older man pressed his hand to his cheek and turned his face away.

“Those are... those are a lot of people.” he rolls his eyes, leaning down on the stone brick as he watched the people of Pogtopia and their allies rock up.

“You think?” he was smacked across the head, he lets out a huff as his eyes locked onto three people. Wilbur was the first, growling at him as he remembered he was the one that took Schlatt’s first life; Quackity was second for taking Schlatt’s second; Technoblade... because he had an annoying face and knew he was going to be the one to give him trouble.

“[M/N], think you can handle them?” he pulls a face at the request, the four that were foolish enough to form an alliance with Manberg look at the duo in confusion.

“I can’t guarantee I’ll be able to keep them all back, maybe a handful, but I am pretty sure a few will slip by me.”

“That is more than enough.” [M/N] cracks his knuckles as he rolls his neck and shoulders, Punz leans into Dream’s ear as they watch him stretch.

“What is he going to do?” he shrugs his shoulders.

“Beats me, he’s Schlatt’s dog, not mine.” they both flinch when he whipped his head around and glared at them, he huffed as he stared down at Pogtopia that was slowly but surely getting closer. He stands on top of the stone blocks that made a makeshift railing to prevent people from falling off before jumping off himself, immediately, the allies of Manberg rushed over to the edge and watched as [M/N] descended down the large stone tower, Schlatt slowly approached the edge without a care in the world.

“Go get 'em pup, don’t hold back.” [M/N] landed on the ground with a loud thud, the ground itself cracks upon impact, he stood up straight and slowly started walking forward as the people of Pogtopia came to a halt.

“Look who it is, it’s Schlatt’s lapdog.” Fundy mocked, [M/N] rolled his eyes at the lame insult.

“Oh, look who it is, the guy who got abandoned by his own father, how sad.” Wilbur pulled a face while Fundy turned red “Shut your damn mouth if you aren’t ready to shoot your shots, mmkay? Mmkay.” Tommy then steps forward, pointing a sword in his direction.

“Why are you here alone, [M/N]? Here to wave the white flag?” he raises his hands while shrugging his shoulders.

“Personally, yeah. I know a battle I can’t win when I see one, but it’s rather unfortunate that I’m following the orders of a stubborn man.” he laces his fingers together and cracks them above his head “I’m not afraid to admit when I’ve been beat, but I also don’t go down without a fight.” Tubbo now steps forward, fear still lingering in his body at the sight of [M/N], he swallowed it down as he readies his Firework Launcher.

“Then why don’t you join us, [M/N]. You clearly see that following him is pointless.” he was really hoping [M/N] would refuse the offer, then it would give him an excuse to blow his head off the same way he did to him. [M/N] glared down at Tubbo, beginning to strip out of his Netherite Armor as he started approaching them.

“Well, unlike you, I don’t betray those I’ve already sworn my loyalty to.” after removing the vambrace from off his forearm and dropping it to the ground, he rolls his neck once more before taking a deep breath and relaxing his body. He felt his breathing pick up along with the beats of his heart increasing at a rapid pace, he lets out a grunt as his body started to change shape. He plants his hands on the ground when collapsed to the ground, slowly but surely, his body was beginning to change into the shape of his true form as a grey wolf. He tore off his jacket and shirt when his torso was too big for it, he was lucky enough that the pants he was wearing only ripped and tore but not completely off, so he’ll be okay if he wants to return to his human form. He now stood at 8″2ft tall, no traces of human features in sight as he stood tall on his hind legs, he was growling down at them, flexing his claws as he growled at them before taking a deep breath and letting out a loud howl that made their ears ring.

“What the fuck?! That’s what he actually looks like?!”

“What the fuck is this?!” a deep chuckle startled them, he looked down at them, his [E/C] eyes glaring down at them as he lowered his body.

”Really, I have nothing against most of you people that are here.” he speaks, the depth of his voice sending shivers down their spines ”I’m only out for Wilbur and Quackity, and maybe Technoblade because you’re the one I deem as the biggest threat.” Quackity took a step back at how his main targets were ”I’d let the rest of you go, but I have a job to do, and that is to be a literal feral menace.” Wilbur clicks his tongue as he throws his arm out.

“Attack!” [M/N] let out a loud roar as they charged forward, he presses his hands into the ground, digging his claws and the soles of his feet into the stone path before launching forward. He easily pounced over the vanguard and aimed towards Technoblade, who was surprised and took a step back but couldn’t dodge the claw that brutally landed on his chest and shoved him back. Schlatt had a smirk on his face as he watched a group of them try and take [M/N] down, but he knew they weren’t going to accomplish it, [M/N]’s true form was his trump guard because the man was rarely in that form. He said that it was too intimidating and he takes up too much space being in that form, says he’s more comfortable being a miniature-sized human.

“He should look like that more often, would keep people off our dicks.” Dream looks at Schlatt.

“So that’s what he really looks like?” he nods.

“Mm hmm. Sometimes I’m surprised with how long he can keep up his human form, it takes a lot out of him and it’s usually at night where he takes the appearance of his true self.” they hear another roar so they look down and see that he grabbed Jack Manifold and was swinging him around, using him to hit the others that got too close before throwing him full force into Niki.

“Quite the upper hand.” Sapnap laughs as he leans over to see that he was actually handling himself pretty well.

“I’d hate to be at the other end of those fists.” he says, watching as [M/N] grabbed a hold of Awesamdude’s head, his grip so tight that he lifted up him and slammed it into the ground before beginning to ruthlessly plow blow after blow under he didn’t move “So glad we’re on his side.”

“Mm hmm.” [M/N] was currently having a standoff with BadBoyHalo, their hands were locked together and both sides were trying to push the other back. [M/N] was being pushed back because Bad had more height in comparison to him, but that meant nothing because he managed to stop Bad from pushing him back. He growls as he takes a couple steps forward before tightening his grip on his hands then throwing his arms back, causing the other to stumble back a bit, leaving him wide up. [M/N] didn’t take any chances before proceeding to wrap his arms around his torso then lean back, performing a german suplex on him and slamming his head into the ground.

“He’s fucking insane!” Skeppy shouts, watching as [M/N] stood to his feet and let out another roar, causing a few of them to step back “I didn’t sign up for this!” Technoblade let out a chuckle as he dusts his shoulder off, walking past the frozen few to approach the feral dog.

“You say that, but haven’t you noticed? He’s starting to get tired.” he grimaced when Technoblade was telling the truth, [M/N] was beginning to pant as he tried to calm his breathing by taking deep breaths “Need to take a breath, Devil’s Hound?” said man couldn’t help but chuckle, shaking his head as the words he said during the festival came out of Technoblade’s mouth.

“That’s surely a new one, but I can’t help but agree. Schlatt tends to be a devil when he gets too rowdy.” he lets out a groan as he cracked his knuckles, stretching his back before letting his arms hang in front of him as he lowered his body. Technoblade got himself ready when [M/N] charged towards him again, he swings his axe when he got close but was taken aback when he bit the head of the axe right off its shoulder before spitting it out and punching Technoblade across the face. The piglin hybrid staggered backward but didn’t stop and instead threw what was left of his axe to the ground and pulled out a sword, the two disputed in their own battle, and [M/N] cursed to himself when he noticed that many of the people he didn’t incapacitate were slipping past him and making their way up the tower.

“You aren’t going to stop them?” Technoblade asked, grip on his sword tight while his other hand was pressing against the flat side of his blade to not get pushed back when he blocked one of [M/N]’s clawed attacks.

“I’m more focused on you, Technoblade. I already took care of the most troublesome ones, and when I take care of you, I’ll go deal with them next.” he laughs and manages to throw [M/N] back, Technoblade rolls his shoulders before holding his sword in front of him with both his hands gripping the hilt.

“Then I guess I’ll have to keep you here as long as I can.”

“Heh, we’ll see.”

[insert fight scene, I was going to write the fight scene between techno and the reader but I just wanted to get to the main part where schlatt was getting drunk in the drug van]

“Schlatt? Schlatt!” [M/N] called out, looking around in distress for the man. His fight with Technoblade wasn’t fair from the beginning, both he and the piglin man were so absorbed into the fight neither side noticed Tubbo taking aim at [M/N], firing a Firework at him and he hadn’t noticed until it was too late. Technoblade backed away just as it hit [M/N] and it exploded on impact, it didn’t kill him, but it did some serious damage. It managed to burn through his fur to his skin before he could put it out, he was sure it would leave a scar from the left side of his arm, a bit of his torso and face. He would’ve continued fighting if it weren’t for the message he got from Schlatt.

<JSchlatt> whispers to you: hey, kid, I need you.

You whisper to <JSchlatt>: need me? what do you mean? I’m kind of in the middle of something, so I hope you can wait.

<JSchlatt> whispers to you: I don’t think you understand, I NEED you right now.

”Hey, don’t tell me you’re getting distracted again.” Technoblade taunts as he saw [M/N] not paying attention, he raised his head as he clutched his left shoulder before turning around and running off “Wait, what?! Why are you running again?!” he spits out the blood in his mouth as he turned his head to look at Technoblade.

“Wouldn’t you do the same thing to protect the person you care about?!” he shouts before launching himself into the air, Technoblade was once again frozen in place at his choice of words. He couldn’t help but chuckle bitterly, shaking his head at the thought of that one person he would give his life for, so he understood where [M/N] was coming from. Back to the man in question, [M/N] was looking around frantically for Schlatt, he wasn’t in the last place he left him so where could he be now? He managed to catch a whiff of his scent and ran off in the direction it was coming from, he raised a brow in concern at the sight of the Camarvan before shaking his head and kicking the door open, there he saw Schlatt wallowing away while drinking alcohol “Schlatt?! You can’t be serious!” he exclaims as he approaches the man, collapsing to his knees as he inspected his body.

“Ah, there you are, [M/N]~ I was wondering when you’d show up.” he slurred out, [M/N] grimaced as he shook his head, knowing that the man was already drunk out of his mind and all rationality was out the door.

“Why on earth are you drinking while in the middle of a war, Schlatt? Are you trying to get yourself killed?” Schlatt ignored all his words, he raised his eyes and they slowly widened at the sight before him. The left side of his body was burnt horribly and was continuing to bleed, but he pushed through that pain as he looked Schlatt up and down, god, sometimes he wished this damned kid would hate him just as much as everyone else did.

“What... what happened to you?” he whispered, [M/N] looked down at himself and just laughed bitterly.

“Call it karma, I guess. Tubbo got his revenge on me while I was focused on Technoblade, but enough about that, stop drinking that!” he shouts, smacking the bottle out of his hands then standing to his feet “We’re obviously losing this war, sir, so let’s just get outta here!” he exclaims, Schlatt just laughed as he let his head rest on the thing that he was leaning against.

“And go where? We’ll be living the rest of our lives as the cowards who fled during a war.” [M/N] grits his teeth.

“So you would rather die in vain for a country that meant nothing to you?!” he shouts, he runs his hands through his fur and growls “There is nothing left here for us, let’s just leave this all behind and restart our lives! We’ve done that before, so why can’t we do that again? What’s stopping you from continuing your journey?” he closes his eyes before turning his head to look up at him.

“I’m dying, [M/N].” he noticed [M/N]’s shoulders slump at what he said “You and I both know that I am, so what’s the point in living when my time is almost up?” [M/N] felt his body tremble as the news hit him, of course, he knew that Schlatt was dying, but he just didn’t want to accept it.

“Why not live the rest of what is left of your life doing what you love?” Schlatt chuckled weakly, shaking his head once more.

“I’ve done all I’ve ever wanted with my life.” [M/N] noticed Schlatt was reading for him so he knelt down and leaned forward, he flinched when Schlatt cupped his noninjured cheek and gave him a weak smile “It’s your turn to live your life, [M/N]. Get out of here and leave me behind.” he knew that [M/N] would never do such a thing, he knew that he meant everything to him, but he just had to tell him. 

“No... no! I can’t just leave you behind!” he shouts, tears beginning to swell up in his eyes “I won’t leave you behind! I told you I would stay by your side until the end of the world!”

“Then is me dying considered the end of the world?” he fell silent at that, he let his head hang low as the tears slowly ran down his face, he let out a huff as he looked up at the big wolfman “As my last order to you, I want you to forget about me and leave this place behind to live your own life.” he sniffled, collapsing to his knees again, burying his face in his hands.

“But what is my life without you?”

“Your own.” his vision on Schlatt got blurry because of the tears, he could never picture a time in his life when he wasn’t by Schlatt’s side, the only time that ever occurred was when he was nothing but a lowly beggar in an alleyway. He wouldn’t have had a life to live if it weren’t for Schlatt.

“See? They’re right here.” Schlatt looked behind [M/N] and they both saw both forces storm the room they were in, [M/N] immediately stood to his feet and stood protectively in front of Schlatt, baring his teeth and growling at them to not take a step forward. It didn’t take long for the two of them to be surrounded, however, he didn’t quite care at the fact, his eyes zoned in on the masked fucker that had double crossed him.

’Now you’ve signed your death waiver, you son of a bitch.’ his attention soon changed over to where Wilbur was, said man looked the wolf hybrid up and down before raising his hands. 

“Easy now, [M/N], I just wanna talk.” he let out a tired scoff.

“Talk about what? How you want to kill Schlatt and I? Is that it? You know how stubborn this bastard is.” Schlatt looked up at him.

“Did you just call me a--”

“You are one, just admit it.” this silenced him, [M/N] sighed deeply when he saw ram hybrid reach into the chest he was leaning against to pull out another bottle of alcohol, Tommy couldn’t help but snicker at the sight.

“So, that’s your leader, [M/N]? That’s who you’re bowing down to?” he snarled at the boy.

“Shut your damn mouth. If it weren’t for the fact that you’re not at arms length, I would no hesitate to punt you, child.” 

“You wouldn’t.” he raised his brows as he stared at Tommy.

“Don’t make me.” Wilbur sighed as he got in front of [M/N] once more, shutting Tommy up from making anymore unnecessary comments, [M/N] let out a grunt when Schlatt grabbed his arm and pulled it down as he looked out from behind him.

“Fundy! Wha... what are you doing here?” Fundy only gave him a confused look as he let out a sigh.

“Schlatt... are you fucking serious?”

“Fundy are you--” Schlatt pushed [M/N] back with all the strength he had and smashed the bottle of alcohol on Fundy, who managed to react fast enough and block the blow with his arm. The others reacted immediately so [M/N] took a step forward, wrapped his arm around his shoulders and pulling him into his chest, he wrapped his other arm around his body when he felt him slowly slip into a drunken rage but calmed down within the arms of the wolfman.

“Listen! Schlatt, you’ve fucked up the country! You fucked up everything! You had a dream and I followed it, but you brought it downhill. Everything-- you’ve ruined it. You ruined everything we had!” he then looks up at [M/N] “And if he wasn’t so goddamn loyal to you, he probably would have left you just like everybody else!” Fundy took a step back, his ears pressing against his head when [M/N] glared at him.

“Don’t spout out nonsense that will never happen.” Fundy took a breath, swallowing the amount of fear lingering in his heart as he took a step forward and glared up at [M/N], who didn’t waver at his poor attempt to intimidate him.

“I thought you were something! The both of you!” [M/N] only rolled his eyes while Schlatt laughed, the wolfman looked down at the man within his arms and saw him gripping the arm around his shoulder.

“Yeah... yeah I am something! I-I’m what you’re not, Fundy!” he took a step back so he could look at Schlatt.

“What am I not?” he chuckles.

“I am a man!” now it was Wilbur’s turn to step in front of his son before anything else could escalate, chaos began to erupt as they were all now planning to kill the both of them together, [M/N] took a breath to calm himself but the hand around Schlatt’s body pressed against his chest and there he could feel the increasing speed of his heart thumping against his chest. 

“Schlatt, that’s it! Are you ready to die?” [M/N] immediately pushed Schlatt behind him in order to shield him “Are you ready to fucking die?!”

“Fuck you!” he slurred out, Wilbur only rolled his eyes.

“Tommy. Tommy, look at me.” the young boy looked at the former President “Do you still have Dream’s bow?” he scanned through his inventory before pulling out said boy, pulling the wire back and clipping it into place.

“Yes.”

“Tommy... I want you to put it between his eyes.” Schlatt laughed at that, [M/N] glowered and didn’t hesitate to get in his line of shot but was shocked when Schlatt pushed past him and got in front of Tommy, not a shred of fear in his eyes as the crossbow was pointed directly between his eyes.

“Are you guys really going to kill him?!” Karl shouted.

“Well, there’s no other way.” he starts “Victory, or death!” Schlatt only laughs.

“You know... if I die, this country goes down with me.” the room erupted into chaos once more, it didn’t help when Technoblade was chanting “kill” repeatedly, it probably would have annoyed him if not for the fact that the ongoing nonsense was taking its toll on Schlatt. His ears shot up in alert when he noticed him beginning to sway as beads of sweat began started forming on his head, he takes a step forward before letting out a shout when he noticed him stagger forward, using the chest to his side to stabilize himself before collapsing.

“Schlatt!” he shouts, rushing forward to catch him before he completely collapsed to the floor. Everything was fading from black into white from Schlatt’s point of view, he was violently gripping his chest to the point his knuckles turned white and he was surprised that he hadn’t torn his shirt. He was out of breath and he was trying his damned hardest to swallow some oxygen into his lungs but it was really difficult, his vision was blurry but he could just make out to image of [M/N] looming above him. The boy had turned himself into his half human/half wolf form and there he saw the tears threatening to fall down his cheeks but also the injured side of his body from taking the full blast of the firework, but what caught his attention was something glistening in his eyes, he looked down and there he saw the golden ring he gave [M/N] all those years ago hanging from his neck.

’Heh... after all these years, he still kept it.’ he wheezed, he was shouting something but he couldn’t make out anything he was saying ’Damn, now I feel bad for leaving him behind.’ he managed to give [M/N] a weak smile as he gently tapped his arm despite the amount of pain he was going through.

“I’m sorry for being a disappointment, my son...” [M/N] let out a shallow gasp as the tears finally started rolling down his cheeks.

“Y-You’re so cruel...” he raised his hand to grip onto the ring while his other held his hand “Calling me that after you stopped all those years ago... dad.” Schlatt gave him gave him a regretful, tear filled smile before his heart attack finally got the best of him and claimed his final canon life.

“Did... did he just have a heart attack?!” Tubbo shouts before the room erupted into laughter at the anti-climatic turn of events, but the only one who wasn’t laughing was Technoblade. His eyes never left [M/N] as the hybrid wept in silence, cradling the deceased body of his father figure in his arms, but he couldn’t really tell if his body was trembling out of anguish... or anger. He was astonished to see that he hadn’t lashed out yet, if he were ever to be in that kind of situation with-- he closed his eyes, shaking his head to rid the thoughts plaguing his mind before looking back over to where [M/N] still had yet to move.

SCARY

POOR PUPPY

WE SHOULD KILL HIM

PUT HIM OUT OF HIS MISERY

HOW SAD

WHAT A SHAME

The hundreds of voices ringing in his head agreed that it would be better to put the man down, just the few brief encounters with him and how he would drop everything just to see if Schlatt was alright was enough to know that this wolfman would not be able to live with himself over the fact that he could not protect his owner. His hand was on the hilt of his blade as he took a step forward but paused when he noticed that Quackity was the first to approach [M/N], he remembered that the duck hybrid was the closest when it came to Schlatt and even [M/N] to the point that he kept his hands and fingers whenever he got close to either one of them, so perhaps Quackity thought he could be the one to talk some sense into [M/N].

“Hey, [M/N], I know just how much Schlatt meant to you.” he starts, reaching down and placing a hand on his shoulder and giving it a light squeeze “But you have to know that the guy that you were following around was a terrible person and that he wasn’t going to change, this was for the better.”

“...” Quackity’s ears perked up at the sound of [M/N] mumbling under his breath.

“What?” he stumbled back when [M/N] suddenly stood up, this caught the attention of everyone and they all turned to face the duo but were shocked to see [M/N] reach forward and grab a fistful of Quackity’s hair through his beanie and hold it in a tight grip as he pulled his other fist back.

“Grit your teeth.” before he could react, [M/N]’s fist repeatedly slammed into his face with little to no hesitation, each punch being harder than the last that they were all surprised that Quackity was still conscious. Sam and Bad rush forward to grab a hold of [M/N] while Fundy grabbed the arm that was holding Quackity so Wilbur could pull him back “You fucking piece of shit! Don’t go saying that when you don’t know anything me; when you don’t know anything about him!” he turns to look at Bad so he punches him in the face, causing him to stagger backwards before reaching back and grabbing Sam by his head then throwing him over his shoulder.

“Dammit! Take aim!” Wilbur pushed Quackity behind him and watched the others load their crossbows and aim them towards [M/N] who still didn’t back down, tears ran down his face as he glared at the lot of them but his eyes zoned in specifically on Quackity.

’[M/N] is really valuable, he’s strong enough to go on par with Technoblade in a battle to the point he might be even stronger. I would have thought that once Schlatt died, it would’ve been easier to get him to follow the orders of someone else, maybe even Dream.’ he clicks his tongue ‘To think that their relationship ran that deep. Shit.’

“What the fuck do you know about the both of us that allows you to run your mouth like that, huh?! You don’t know anything!” he shouts, he grits his teeth as he slams a hand to his chest “You may have been able to marry Schlatt, but he didn’t love you the way he loved me! You may have been able to get close to us both, but there wasn’t a time that when you were with us that I didn’t hate you! I fucking HATE you! I hate you all!"

“You’re overreacting, [M/N]!” Fundy shouts, [M/N] didn’t hesitate to snarl at him and growl when a few people started getting closer to him.

“Shut the fuck up! You don’t get to talk when you can’t even decide which side you want to be on.” his head lowers a little as he threads his fingers through his hair and fur, pulling at them as his pupils shrunk and started to shake, eyes bloodshot as the tears refused to stop falling “You have no idea what I’m going through, so don’t even try to sympathize with me. You don’t know what it was like watching the person who raised you slowly descend down into madness as the world was against him; you couldn’t even fathom what it was like being at his side and not being able to do anything to help him. You have no idea what it feels to be so powerless despite being within arms length!”

“[M/N]...” Niki muttered softly, she flinched when he turned to glare at her.

“I don’t want your pity... I have nothing now. You took the last thing that was worth living for from me, so I have nothing to live for.” their fingers were now on the trigger when he raised his head to look at them all and they all saw that broken smile on his face, eyes hazy as the tears continued to fall, his arms were slightly raised to show off his claws “There’s nothing stopping me from taking at least one of you down with me.”

’There’s nothing holding me back. There’s nothing stopping me from killing at least a few of them before dying myself. I have nothing to live for, so why good would it do if I just continued to live on?’ he takes a step forward but his eye twitched when the golden ring reflected the sun’s rays into his eyes, this caused him to look down at it and his eyes briefly caught the sight of Schlatt’s deceased body.

“It’s your turn to live your life, [M/N]. Get out of here and leave me behind.”

..

...

“As my last order to you, I want you to forget about me and leave this place behind to live your own life.”

...

...

‘I can’t die yet.' the last bit of rationality, or rather sanity, returned and the haze in his eyes disappeared, he glanced down at Schlatt one more time before closing his eyes ’The least I can do is respect his last request.’

”Fire!” he raised his at the order and countless arrows were fired at him, he managed to dodge most of them while using his arm to block them from hitting anything vital, not even wincing when they pierced through arm. He ignored them all as he turned his back to them, kneeling down and softly picking Schlatt up and cradling him close to his chest.

“Wait.. no! Stop him!” they all couldn’t react fast enough when [M/N] knelt down before leaping forward and using his shoulder to bust down the wall, he fell to his knees when he was outside of the Camarvan as the adrenaline was slowly beginning to fade away as his fatigue and exhaustion caught up with him, but he shook his head as he fought it down and fled the battlefield. By the time he was far away, he collapsed to his knees and was panting rather heavily, he looked down at Schlatt’s motionless body and cried softly as he buried his face into his shoulder.

“I’m not ready yet, dad... don’t leave me behind.” he sobbed to himself before laying Schlatt’s body down, he then took a deep breath as he looked up at the sky, leaning against the tree before removing the arrows still in his arm. His arm throbbed in pain but it eased away when he pulled out a few regen potions and some golden apples, the wounds healed up instantly, he stared down at the arrow before crushing it, snapping it in two.

’What am I to do with my life now? There was never a time where I did something on my own accord without taking orders, that’s just how I lived my life up to the age I am now.’ he exhales deeply.

“Now what?”

Monster

word count: 6395

Fandom: Stranger Things  Pairing: Chrissy Cunningham x Male!Monster!Reader  Pronouns: He/Him  Relationship: Familial Occupation: Protector Ability: Cursed Spirit

The character is a monster that has attached itself to its victim, posing as a sort of imaginary friend that only the victim can see. In the eyes of the victim, they have the appearance of an average man with a gentle expression and looks overall normal. To everyone else that they willingly let themself be visible to, they are nothing more than a ghost like wraith. They have the ability to let out a shriek like that of the wailing spirit banshee, and morph themself into a monstrous state.

Keys:

[M/N]: Male Name  [L/N]: Last Name  [N/N]: Nickname  [H/C]: Hair Color  [E/C]: Eye Color

Warnings: vulgar language, violence, mention of drugs

got this idea after reading this story by @skinnywalker​ of their chrissy cunningham x male!reader, go check their story out cause I liked it.

there is going to be a part two.

that is all.

“Chrissy, what did I say about watching what you eat?”

“T-That it messes with my performances.”

“No, if you’re not careful you’ll end up fat and ugly. Nobody likes a fat girl, Chrissy.” she felt her lip tremble, hands fisting her sweat shirt around her stomach as her eyes start to water “I hope you remember that next time before helping yourself to seconds.

“Yes, mother.” glancing up at her mother, she noticed a jagged hand on her mother’s shoulder as a monstrous figured loomed above her. Its eyes were pitch black with a sort of liquid bleeding out from it, pale purple skin with its jaw snapped open and ready to bite her mothers head off. Chrissy lets out a sigh with a shake of her head, this motion caused the monster to momentarily freeze then retreat back to wherever it came from “May I go to my room, mother?”

“You may.” she turns on her heel and quickly rushes to her room, closing her door behind her and throwing herself onto her bed. She cries into her pillow at the endless cruel words that continue to fly out of her mothers mouth, berating her for not being skinny enough for her cheerleading career, not being beautiful enough in her eyes. What was the point of beauty if she had to go through all this pain to meet those shitty beauty standards?! She sniffles to herself, pushing herself up, hugging her knees close to her chest as her blanket was draped around her. She felt the room get darker and that same jagged hand from before came out from under her bed, reaching for her and grabbing her by the ankle.

“Chrissy…” the voice moaned out, hoarse and deep that would make the average person tremble in fear, but she didn’t. The mere presence of this monster under her bed made her feel safe, she smiled softly as she reached down to caress the hand.

“Hello, [M/N].” said man pulled himself out from under her bed to reveal not a monster, but a kind looking man with short/long [H/C] hair and soft [E/C] eyes, he smiled up at her from where he was sitting then opened his arms up for her. She didn’t hesitate to move from where she was situated, throwing the blanket off of her to embrace the monster posed as a man. He hummed softly, gently rubbing circles into her back as she cried into his shoulder, though that insatiable rage for his Chrissy’s mother started to take over his mind.

’How could that foul woman talk to her own daughter like that? Why can’t she see the way she’s talking to her hurts her? Why can’t she see the damage she’s done to her daughter? Why can’t I just kill her? My Chrissy would be better off if that bitch would just die.’ sometimes he would find it difficult to control his thoughts, sometimes he would act impulsively and not realise what he’s done until it’s too late.

[M/N]. He was a monster that attached itself to Chrissy at an early age of her life, when she was nothing more than a mere child. At first, she was food that he would feed off of but was startled when she started looking forward to seeing him. She was a weird one. He had the appearance of a revolting monster that would make even adults cry, but this child laughed and cheered whenever she saw him. The first time he did see her cry was not because of him, but because of those despicable words her mother would fill her head with. Saying she wasn’t good enough, pretty enough, skinny enough. That moment he wanted to kill that woman, kill the bitch that caused his favourite human to develop an eating disorder and resort to liking him, a monster that wanted to eat her. But Chrissy pleaded with him, begged him not to hurt her mother because of her? That girl was too kind for his liking, she was kind enough to give him a name.

[M/N], her imaginary monster.

”Chrissy…” he moaned out again, she pulled away with a sniffle, laughing weakly when he reached forward to wipe away the tears she missed. He pulled back again and she watched as he dropped numerous snacks in front of him, he then pointed at her mouth and did biting motions with his own mouth ”Eat.” he didn’t like the smile she forced onto her lips, it looked bitter and sad, not the one he used to see.

“Thank you, [M/N], you’re always so sweet to me.” he watches her silently, eating the food that he stole for her to fill her empty stomach. He was fully capable of swiping things here and there, sometimes even pulling small tricks and pranks that would make her laugh. One time, when she and her family were getting ready to eat, he pulled her mothers chair out so she fell to the ground. Another time was when he swapped the sugar for salt so her mother was in for a salty surprise when she drank her morning coffee, he did all that just to see his Chrissy smile.

”Performance tomorrow…?” her head perked up at the question, lighting up in remembrance about the pep rally tomorrow for Hawkins basketball team, she nods enthusiastically.

“Yes, yes! My girls and I have been practicing vigorously, I believe you’ll enjoy it very much.” he smiles, reaching forward to pat her head.

”Anything you do… I like.” she smiled.

“I know.” she looks at the time and takes his hand from a top of her head, pulling it down while caressing his knuckles with her thumbs “It’s gotten late, [M/N]. I think I should go to sleep.” he slowly nods his head, reaching to pat her head once more then pulling away, allowing her to lay her head onto her pillow whilst he grabbed the end of her blanket and pulled it up to tuck her in.

”Sweet dreams…” he waves her goodbye and retreated back under her bed but she knew he was still there, he was always around until she fell asleep. When she did fall asleep, his monstrous figure loomed over her body once more, his jagged fingers reaching forward to gently caress her face while removing a few loose strands of her hair off of her face. He then peeks over towards her door, his figure drops into the shadows and shoots out to where Chrissy’s mother was sitting in the living room watching T.V.  It was so easy. He could kill this woman and make Chrissy’s life a little easier. What stood in his way was the love Chrissy had for her mother, she would hate him if he were to take her mother from her. But he just couldn’t understand the young girl. This woman was no mother to treat her daughter the way she does, and what about the rest of her family? Have they done anything to stop her from doing it? No, they didn’t. All Chrissy had was him, he was the only one by her side that would do anything for her. He would die for her. He would kill for her. He would destroy the goddamn world if he needed to. All he wanted was for Chrissy to be happy, her happiness was his everything, and he was going to be damned if he’d let anyone take that from her.

[time skip: the next day]

”Wonderful…” [M/N] murmured softly with a tired smile on his face, standing at the very back of the gym as he watched Chrissy’s performance, clapping his hands while swaying side to side. His smile brightened when he saw her look through the crowd in search for him, her own smile growing bigger when she finally did find him, he then gives her a thumbs up ”You’re doing… great.” [M/N] always reminded Chrissy of one of those parents that always came to their child’s performances, being that person that cheered the loudest, and though no one else can hear or see it, she really appreciated it.

“How was it, [M/N]?” she asked him, taking a seat on the floor after they finished the routine. She glanced to her side when she felt his fingers roll onto her shoulders then pulled himself out from behind her, his head hovering a few inches away from her face “Did you like the performance?” he nods his head, leaning his head onto hers.

”Very flashy…” she only giggled at that, soon Hawkins’ basketball team came running into the gym and the crowd went wild once more.

“Good morning, Hawkins high!” Jason Carver, the captain of the basketball team and unfortunately Chrissy’s boyfriend, greets into the microphone with a big grin in his face “First off, I’d like to thank each and every one of you. Without your support, we wouldn’t be here. Give yourselves a big hand.” [M/N] had to admit, this guy had quite the charisma to get the crowd in an uproar like he does “And of course, of course I have to give a special shout-out to the best and the prettiest fans of all time, the Tiger Cheer Squad. Chrissy… Chrissy, I love you babe.” this caused the crowd to aw at the confession while she in turn blushed, blowing a kiss to Jason. She then had to keep a straight face when [M/N] glanced at her then turned away, making gagging noises while pointing into his mouth.

“Stop it…” she whispered, though it was funny. [M/N] could give less of a shit about the rest of his speech, spouting out some bullshit from what happened the year prior and how they haven’t won a game in the past twenty two years or something along the lines of that, he wasn’t listening. Whenever Chrissy is at school, [M/N] makes sure not to interfere and lets her go on with her day unless she calls for him. Those times are rare but they’ve been becoming more frequent ever since she’s been seeing that woman, um, Ms Kelly or some shit, he can’t remember. As of recently, he had been noticing how Chrissy was suffering through nightmares, one’s terrible then from before, causing her to have trouble sleeping and her headaches how been getting worse. He was always there to help her through it, cooing soft words of encouragement into her ear or being that shoulder she needed to lean on. 

This was one of those times she needed him, she was getting spewing her breakfast and most likely lunch into the toilet. He was holding her beautiful hair back while rubbing circles into her back in a comforting manner, he made sure the door was locked so no one would disturb her but the door to the bathroom opened and a small red haired girl entered. He briefly left Chrissy’s side to see what that girl was doing, phasing through the bathroom stall door to take a peek at what that girl was doing. His presence was unknown to her as she took her bag off to grab a small container of pills, he furrowed his brows when he recognised them as pills that Chrissy takes to help lessen the pain of her headaches, they both then glance back when Chrissy starts coughing.

“Hey, you alright?” she called.

“Yeah—yes, I’m… I’m fine.” the girl glanced back towards the bathroom door then at the stall Chrissy was in before approaching.

“Okay, um… you’re sure?”  “Please just go away.” this was enough to get the girl to leave, Chrissy lets out a groan when she heard [M/N] let out a sigh from outside the stall. She chose to ignore him for the time being and reached over to flush her vomit down, she then groans when she heard pounding on the door “Are you deaf? I said go away.” [M/N] raised a brow in confusion, looking over at the stall where he heard Chrissy speak, but who on earth was she talking to?

”Chrissy…?” he called out, reaching forward to phase through the door but his hand flinched back. He looked around in confusion when he felt a presence but he just couldn’t see it, his head then immediately whipped back towards the door when he heard Chrissy scream. He didn’t hesitate to phase through the door and there he found Chrissy pressing her back to the wall in the very corner of the stall, eyes squeezed shut as she covered her ears.

“No! Go away! Go away! Go away!” she shakes her head, repeating the phrase over and over, pleading for whatever was causing her these hallucinations to just disappear. She let out a scream when something grabbed her, shouting her name while shaking her back and forward.

”Chrissy! Chrissy! Chrissy!” she gasped, eyes snapping open when she recognised the voice. In front of her now was [M/N] looking distressed and concerned, she looked around and saw that the lights above her were no longer flickering and the pounding on the stall door had ceased.

“[M-M/N]…?” she whimpered out, he lets out a relieved sigh.

”You’re back… I’m glad.” his mouth opened slightly to speak but stopped when she quickly threw herself onto him, she held onto him so tightly she preyed that he didn’t disappear under her hold. He looked down at her in concern then raised his arms to wrap around her, pulling her closer into him then rested the side of his head against hers, rocking back and forward as she sobbed into his shoulder ”I’m here… I'm here, Chrissy.” he glanced around him before tightening his hold around her, a dark aura radiating out of him. Whoever or whatever did this to his Chrissy, it wasn’t anything he’s ever seen. He knew Hawkins was a fucked up place ever since that kid went missing a couple years back, he knew because he was one of those fucked up things, but this was something different.  This isn’t good. [M/N] now made sure not to leave Chrissy side, instead of lurking in the shadows or the depths below, he was now directly over her shoulder watching for anything else that could potentially harm his Chrissy. She felt more at ease knowing that he was there, reaching for her shoulder. The people around could only see her patting her shoulder and squeezing it but she was actually patting his hand and giving it a light squeeze, in return he would soothingly rub her shoulder and continue to tell her that he was right behind her and that he wasn’t going anywhere. [M/N] now found himself and Chrissy on the outskirts of the school, in the middle of the woods where a lone lunch table sat in the opening.  “Hello…?” she called out uneasily, looking around for someone but saw no one. [M/N] glanced at her and saw her look off, he followed her gaze and saw she was staring at a tree, he looked at her once more and saw that her unease grew as she approached the tree.  ”Chrissy…? What are you… looking at?” he questioned but didn’t get an answer as she got closer to the tree, he looked between the two and concluded that she was seeing something entirely differently to him so he quickly floated over to her, grabbing her shoulder and snapping his fingers in front of her face “Chrissy, there’s nothing there…” she snapped out of her daze as she looked up at him in shock.

“B-But, there was a clock…! I swear I saw it.” she starts shaking her head as she backed away, he called out to her to stop but couldn’t when she backed up into the chest of the man she was meeting.

“Whoa, hey, hey, hey.” [M/N] quickly returned to her side, floating behind her as they both stare at the newcomer “Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you. You okay?” she wordlessly stared up at him then back towards the tree, the man followed her gaze then glanced back at her, he then saw the way she raised her head to her shoulder and squeezed it. The two now sat on the abandoned bench, [M/N] had come to recognise this young man as the Hawkins freak, Eddie Munson. He never paid too much attention to this gentlemen, he never paid attention to anything that wasn’t Chrissy, but he knew that he wasn’t well liked “There’s, uh… there’s nothing to worry about, okay? No one ever comes out here, we’re safe. I promise.” Eddie reassures, taking off his jacket and vest then opening his lunchbox to reveal his stash of weed.

“So,” Chrissy starts, clearly nervous as she couldn’t meet Eddie’s gaze “how does this work exactly?”

“Oh, just like any other old sale, except, uh, cash only, and, uh, for obvious reasons,  or receipts.” she slowly nods her head “I’ll do you half an ounce, for uh, twenty. What do you say? Plenty of bang for your buck. Should last a while.” Chrissy lets out a gasp, whipping her head around when she heard a noise but only saw a squirrel run up a tree. Eddie watches her then soon lets out a sigh, putting the bag of weed back into his lunchbox then closed it “Hey, uh, we don’t need to do this. Just give me the word and I’ll walk away. Okay?” she quickly shakes her head.

“It’s not that. I don’t want you to go.” he raised a brow at that “Its just… do you ever feel like you’re losing your mind?”

“Um, you know, just… on a daily basis. I feel like I’m losing my mind right now doing a drug deal with Chrissy Cunningham, the Queen of Hawkins High.” [M/N]’s brow perked up slightly when he saw a subtle smile appear on Chrissy’s face but it went away just as quickly “You know, this isn’t the first time that we’ve, um… hung out. No? You don’t remember?” she shakes her head apologetically.

“I’m sorry, I—” she glanced at [M/N] to see if he remember but he shrugged his shoulders with a shake of his head, Eddie just chuckled.

“That’s okay.” Eddie had a blank look on his face, soon both himself and Chrissy let out a startled noise when Eddie fell back onto the ground while pretending to stand himself. Chrissy immediately stands to her feet to see if he was alright while [M/N] hovered above him, seeing that he was fine he let out a sigh.

”What an… oddball.” he murmured, hearing Eddie laugh as he pulled himself up and onto his feet, [M/N] was going to say another comment but was taken aback when he saw the bright smile on Chrissy’s face as she laughed herself. It was a genuine smile that he hadn’t seen in a long time as she watched Eddie he himself.

“I wouldn’t remember me neither, Chrissy. Honestly, do I have stuff in my hair?” she continued to laugh as he smiled at her, shaking his hair to pull the leaves from out of his hair “You don’t remember me?”

“I’m sorry.”

“Middle school, talent show. You were doing your cheer thing. You know, the… the thing you do.” he tried to explain, waving his hands around to mimic the way she does with her pom-poms “It was pretty cool, actually. And I— I was with my band.” her face then lights up in remembrance.

“Corroded Coffin!” she exclaims, his smile grows as he clapped his hands.

“Corro— you do remember.”

“Oh my god! Yes, of course. With a name like that, how could I forget?” 

“I dunno, you’re a freak.” she chuckled softly, giving [M/N] a sharp look when she heard him growl softly, how dare this frizzy haired bastard call his Chrissy a freak?

“No, you just… you look so—”

“Different? Yeah, well, uh, my hair was buzzed, and I didn’t have these sweet old tatties yet.” she nods softly.

“You played guitar, right?”

“Uh huh. Still do, still do. You should come see us. Uh, we play at the Hideout on Tuesdays. It’s pretty cool. We… we actually get a crowd of about five drunks.” she laughs again, shaking her head softly “It’s not exactly the Garden, but you gotta start somewhere, right? So…” he shuffles over to a tree and starts lightly punching it, [M/N] returns to Chrissy’s side and watched that big smile on her face grow.

“You know, you’re not what I thought you’d be like.” Eddie hums, grabbing a few of his locks and pulling them in front of his face.

“Mean and scary?” she nods.

“Yeah.” he smiles.

“Yeah, well, I actually kinda thought you’d be kinda mean and scary too.” she gasps softly.

“Me?”

“Terrifying. Um, so, in other good news, flattery works with me, so… twenty five percent discount for the half. Fifteen bucks. You’re robbing me blind here, you know.” [M/N] frowned when that beautiful smile that adorned her face dropped as she stared down at her lap, he reaches over to caress her cheek as she fidgeted with her fingers.

“Do you have anything, maybe… stronger?”

[time skip: late at night]

”What a dump…” 

”Stop it.” [M/N] and Chrissy soon found themselves at the trailer park with Eddie to find said something stronger for Chrissy to take, Chrissy steps out of his van and he was kind enough to hold the door open to his trailer for her to enter first before walking in after her. She stood nervously in the middle of his trailer, rubbing her arms with her hands as she looked around, [M/N] doing the same but soon floating around Eddie to watch his movements.

“Sorry for the mess. Uh, the maid took the week off.” he apologised, cleaning up some rubbish that was left lying around then shuffling over to the other side of the room.

“You, um… you live here alone?” he shakes his head.

“With my uncle. But, uh, he works nights at the plant. Bringing the big bucks.” she nods softly.

“How long does it take?”

“Sorry?”

“The Special K. How long to kick in?”

“Oh, uh, well, it depends if you snort it or not. Uh, if you do, then, uh, yeah. It’ll, uh, kick in pretty quick.” he explains with a jar in his hand, he opens it and takes a peek inside but then lets out a sigh “Oh, shit.”

“You’re sure you have it?”

“No, no, I got it. Um, somewhere.” he raises his finger, signalling for her to give him a minute before turning away and scurrying off to his room to find the drug she was needing to relieve herself of her hellish realities. She takes a deep breath, bringing her hands to hold her arms once more then smiled softly with closed eyes when she felt [M/N] behind her, she leaned her back into the warmth of his chest as his arms wrapped around her gently.

“I’m so glad I still have you by my side, [M/N].” she whispered softly “I probably would have lost my mind a long time ago if I didn’t have you.” she felt slightly uncomfortable when he didn’t say anything back, he always had something to say because he loved talking to her even though he couldn’t really say much. She tried to turn around to get a look at him but let out a choked noise when his grip around her tightened, she lets out a gasp as she looked down at his arms that were around her “[M/N], you’re h-hurting me…!”

”I always try so hard to please you. Chrissy.” [M/N] spoke, but it wasn’t in the way he usually spoke. [M/N] spoke with a slow and slurred speech, not being able to finish his sentence properly without pausing, she started to tremble when the presence behind her became more ominous than comforting ”I only want what’s best for you. Chrissy. You know I’ll do anything for you, so I just don’t understand why you don’t want me to get rid of that eyesore that is your mother. That fucking bitch that hurts you. Don’t you trust me? Don’t you love me? Why won’t you just let me do this for you, Chrissy?!” glancing down at the arms that were holding her, she lets out a scream when she saw that they were slimy looking.

“Ah! Le— Let go of me!” she quickly elbows whoever was holding her and they let go of her, this gave her the chance to see who it was and scream when she saw that it wasn’t her [M/N] but some disgusting monster. She shakes her head and runs towards Eddie’s room, she pushes the door opened to try and find him but was instead met with the sound of a sewing machine and her mothers back “Mum?”

“Just loosening this up for you, sweetheart. You’re going to look absolutely beautiful.” her face dropped when her mother turned around, her face was completely grey with only the whites of her eyes visible. She didn’t take any chances as she left the room, closing the door behind her but instead of being in Eddie’s trailer, she somehow found herself back in her house “Chrissy!” she gasped when the door behind her opened but she quickly grabbed the doorknob and pulled it shut.

“No!”

”Chrissy, open the door!” she screamed no as the door slipped from her grip and flew open, she immediately turned tail and ran as far as she could. She hurried downstairs and searched for a way out but then her attention went over to the figure watching T.V, a breath of relief leaving her lips at the familiar figure.

“Dad?” she mumbled out before rushing over “Dad! Dad!” turning around, she screamed at the sight of his mouth and eyes sealed shut with blood seeping out of the wounds. She shakes her head and backs away, she looks around as tears ran down her face, lips trembling in fear “[M/N], please! I need you! Please, [M/N]!”

[outside of chrissy’s mind]

[M/N] was staring at a discarded album of sorts abandoned on the floor when he realised Chrissy had gone a little too quiet for his liking, he pulls back from out of Eddie’s room and peeked over his shoulder to see if Chrissy was alright. He furrowed his brows when he realised that she hadn’t moved from the spot he left her in so he floated over to her, that was when he finally realised something was wrong with her. She was standing uncomfortably still and was twitching now and then, but what scared him was the fact that her eyes rolled into the back of her head and only the whites of her eyes were seen.

”Chrissy…?” he called softly, snapping his fingers in her face in an effort to get her attention but nothing happen so he clapped instead, and yet nothing happened ”Chrissy, what’s wrong…? Chrissy… Chrissy!” he now resorted to grabbing her by the shoulders and violently shaking her back and forward but even that didn’t work, his hands then hovered over her head and there he felt a trace of some sort of power coming from her. His lip trembled, he didn’t delve in mind type attacks on his victims, that took a lot of concentration and focus to pull off, but whoever the fuck was doing it was a powerful one. He needed to wake her up, and he needed to wake her up now. He heard Eddie shuffling around and his face briefly lit up in remembrance of that human man, maybe someone alive could wake her up. He quickly grabbed an empty glass bottle and threw it against the wall, it shattered upon impact but at least he got Eddie’s attention.

“Chrissy? Was that you?” Eddie lets out an awkward laugh, grabbing the drug that he was planning on selling to Chrissy and came walking out of his room “I know I took my time, but I found it. Beautiful bliss, just moments away.” [M/N] watched in anticipation to see if Eddie could do anything, to which the young man waved his hand in Chrissy’s face as he slowly approached the possessed girl “Chrissy…? Hello? Chrissy! Hey, Chrissy, wake up. Hey, hello! Chrissy, hello! Hey, Chrissy!” he then started waving his hand while snapping his fingers in her face to get her to wake up, soon the lights started flickering about, this caused [M/N] to exhale sharply.

”Oh, no…” he then looked back and saw Eddie clapping his hands in front of her before grabbing her shoulders, shaking her back and forward while tapping her shoulders.

“Time to wake up. Hello? Can you hear me? Wake up, Chrissy. Chrissy, wake up! I don’t like this, Chrissy! Wake up!” [M/N] takes a deep breath, slapping his hands against his cheeks and quickly goes back over to Chrissy. Eddie still couldn’t see [M/N] but he could definitely feel him, he felt a shiver run up his spine when something cold passed him but when he looked around to see what it was, there was nothing there, so he shook his head and returned his attention back to the girl in front of him, cupping her cheeks and gently slapping them “Chrissy! Chrissy! Chrissy! Chrissy, wake up now! Chrissy!” [M/N] grabbed her discarded bag and searched through it, finding a cassette tape inside. This was a song that she had been listening to for a bit, “Moi Je Joue” by Bridgette Bardot, an old French song from the 60s. He nods to himself and quickly rushes to Eddie’s room to throw it into his stereo, to which the young man was too preoccupied with Chrissy to notice but flinched when the disoriented music started playing. He glanced back at his room in confusion, hearing a song that he knew didn’t belong to him, but shook his head in favour of waking Chrissy up. [M/N] returned back to Chrissy and stood behind her, hands cupping her cheeks as he closed his eyes.

’I haven’t done this in the longest time, I had no need to when I had you. But now you need me, so I’ll come in there and rescue you from that nightmare whatever piece of shit pulled you in to.’ and so with a deep breath, he leaned down and pressed his forehead against the top of her head.

[within chrissy’s mind]

“Please…” she whimpered out, a tear running down her cheek as she pressed herself into the boards that sealed her way out of this hellish nightmare. This… thing in front of her, this fucking garbage was the thing that’s been giving her those hallucinations and pushed her beyond her limits. She knew [M/N] wasn’t the prettiest thing to look at it, even in his human form he still looked beyond human, but his presence was something she had long gotten used to. But whatever this monster was in front of her, god, she wanted to get as far away from it as possible.

”Don’t cry, Chrissy…” the voice spoke, she whimpered as she leaned away when it reached forward and wiped away her tears, god she really needed [M/N] right now ”It’s time for your suffering… to end.” she shook her head, pressing herself further into the boards when it raised its hand once more, it outstretched over her face.

“[M/N], please!” she cried out, tears rolling down her face “[M/N]!!” the monster jerked backwards when Chrissy was suddenly pulled backwards and instead he was met with a creature as monstrous as he was, it lets out a grunt when he roared at it as he held Chrissy close to his chest, his arms wrapped protectively around her.

”Don’t touch my Chrissy!!” he shouts at the top of his lungs, jaw splitting open as he roared at the bastard to get away from his human. She cried from within his chest, wailing into his chest as she wrapped her arms around the ghostly figure that’s been following her since she was a mere child.

“[M/N]!” she cried out, bringing her hands up to cup his cheeks to make sure he was real before burying her face into his shoulder “You came for me…! You actually came!” she sobbed out, he nodded his head but didn’t take his eyes off the thing in front of him but he did reach down to place his hand on her head, gently rubbing it to soothe her. She whimpered when he removed his hand from atop her head, instead, he glared at the monster in front of him and let out another roar.

”Get away from her!” he pushes Chrissy behind him then flies towards it, wrapping his arms around its torso and sent them both through the house. He had come to recognise this monster as the type of attacker than didn’t deal physical damage but had a strong control over the mind as he witnessed outside of Chrissy’s, so he knew he had to upper-hand. He was just throwing him around like he was some rag doll, holding him by the ankles and slamming his against the ground and walls before throwing him into the kitchen ”You thought you could target my Chrissy, my human that I’ve been haunting for nearly two decades?! I’ll make you fucking regret it!” he charged forward once more but was stuck in place when a force stopped him, he lets out a grunt as he tried to break free but was thrown back by said invisible force.

“[M/N]!” she cried out, she wanted to rush over but quickly backed up when that other monster started approaching her again.

”That guardian of yours won’t stop you from meeting your fate, Chrissy.” she shakes her head.

“No, I want to live.” it reached towards her once more but she kicked it back, just as [M/N] came flying over and tackling the monster in its side and into the wall “[M/N]!” he shakes his head, punching and clawing at the monster underneath him.

”Get out of here, Chrissy! Get out while I have him distracted!” she shakes her head.

“I-I… I don’t know how!”

”This is your mind, Chrissy! Think of your happiest memories to hide, and listen for the music! The music should help you find your way out of this nightmare!” he saw that she was still reluctant to go so he quickly threw the bastard away then rushed over to her, cupping her cheeks and giving her a reassuring smile ”Don’t worry about… a thing. I’ll take care… of this and be right back…” that slur in his speech calmed her down, she weakly nodded her head and that was enough for him to pat her head, kiss her forehead then gently push her along.

“You promise?” she whimpered, he nodded.

“I promise…” her lips trembled as she stared at him before finally turning on her heel and running away, with her finally gone, he took a deep breath and let his true emotions and form show. The monster before him let out an impressed hum, watching as his human disguise melted away and he was met with the abomination that was him ”I am going to enjoying tearing you apart, freak.”

“That’s quite rich coming from you.”

[outside of chrrisy’s mind]

Eddie had stumbled backwards when Chrissy started floating in the air, he didn’t know what the fuck he was watching as the Queen of Hawkins High was floating in the middle of his goddamn living room while some French song played in the background as the lights flickered about like he hadn’t been paying the power bill for months. If he thought talking to Chrissy that morning was crazy, this definitely took the fucking cake and he wished he was on something so this didn’t have to be fucking real. He didn’t know what to do, he wanted to turn tail and run but he just couldn’t leave Chrissy alone, before he could do anything, her eyes rolled back into place and she fell to the ground.

“Chrissy!” he shouts, quickly rushing over to see if she was alright but then jumped when she threw her arms around him, hugging him close and crying into his shoulder.

“Eddie! Oh god, I was so scared!” she cried out, burying herself deeper into his shoulder, fearing that he wasn’t real and that she was still trapped deep inside her mind. Eddie looked down at her before slowly reaching down and wrapping his arms around her, pulling her into his chest and letting her bawl her eyes out. It took her some time to find her way out but she followed [M/N]’s advice and listened out for the music, faintly hearing “Moi Je Joue” when she was running for her life, but now she was out and away from that thing that was trying to kill her.

“… Chrissy, what the fuck was that?” Eddie muttered out, she let out a shuddered breath.

“Me losing my bloody mind.” now she was worried about [M/N], she left him alone with that thing and she was concerned something happened to him while she was gone but she felt a sudden cold weight on her shoulder, this was enough for her to relax into Eddie’s embrace.