OK But Eddie Having Already Known About The Monsters In Hawkins Because He ALSO Found A Lil Slug Boi

Stealth suit appreciation post.

“I like the stealth suit from Cap 2. The dark, navy blue suit from the opening of Winter Soldier when I’m on the Lemurian Star, messing people up on that ship. And in the elevator! That’s my favourite. I have requested it every movie, but the people at Marvel really like a little red. They like a little red in there. Which is fine. It’s Cap; I get it.” - Chris Evans

OMG YES YES YES.

Eddie in his tux, that wild hair and eyes a-glowing while he slow dances to your first song at your wedding. He sings the lyrics to you in a whisper and never let's his eyes leave yours. He did it. He graduated, found the love of his life and married you. He is on cloud nine as he dips you, bringing you back up for a sweet, slow kiss.

It doesn't matter that it's a small wedding, all that matters if Eddie has you and only you. Forever.

Steddie with Nurse!steve

I can’t get out of my head the idea of Steve becoming a nurse.

Most likely he doesn’t even see college as an option, so when someone (Robin) suggests becoming a nurse, he laughs it off with “I need college to do that” and “that’s a woman’s job”.

After being kindly smacked for saying that (Robin again), he starts to think about it more seriously.

He does it when he babysits his favorite fifteen year olds, when he helps Lucas out after a minor basketball injury, but especially whenever he’s taking care of Eddie’s battlefield wounds.

He feels a sense of pride and accomplishment every time he changes his bandages, helps him out with simple tasks or relieves him from the pain, but he also grows frustrated when Eddie has symptoms he has not the knowledge to recognize and has to take him to the doctors for check ups.

«Why not a doctor?» He asks Robin one day, completely out of the blue.

«You hate doctors» she replies, after one second of astonishment.

«Do I?»

«Yes??? Don’t you remember how pissed you were when we brought Eddie to the hospital and you kept cursing at them?»

«They were all assholes! None of them cared about him, even if he was half dead! They barely spoke to any of us, and he stayed for like, a month??»

«They were fine, they helped him right?»

«It wouldn’t kill them to be a little kinder…”»

«… like a nurse?»

Steve flips her off and she laughs.

Contrarily to any prediction, he tells Eddie first.

He doesn’t want to give Robin any chance to say “I told you so” before being 100% sure about his choice. He and Eddie got insanely closer since Steve decided to take care of him until he got back in shape, and after that their routine was so entangled that felt more natural to keep it up.

Steve knows they’re weirdly attached to one another, he drives Eddie everywhere, they spend the night at each other’s places, they sleep in the same bed, they talk about the smallest things to their deepest thoughts and fears. Every time his minds wonders about their dynamic, Steve brushes it off as “Platonic with a capital P” like what he has with Robin, but he’s lying to himself.

He doesn’t look at Robin the way he does with Eddie, he doesn’t think about holding hands with her and well, kissing her. But he knows he can’t do any of that, so he buries these thoughts and hides them under the “platonic with a capital P” like he did with Robin months ago.

They will go away, he hopes.

«I’m thinking about becoming a nurse» he says, casually one day. They’re hanging out in Eddie’s trailer, lazily sprawled on the couch.

Eddie sits up, rigid, and looks at him like he has grown a second head.

«Eddie?»

«I fucking hate you» Eddie bursts «do you enjoy making me suffer?»

Steve is absolutely shocked by the reaction «w-what?»

«taking care of me daily like I had a hot personal nurse wasn’t enough?? You want to do the real thing? I bet it’s because of some selfless reasons like “I wanna help others” “think about the kids” and all of that bullshit» he gets up, pacing around the small space as he speaks «it was hard enough to make sure you wouldn’t notice how it made me feel- fuck, you’re going to wear the uniform to? Fucking hell-»

Steve stands up as Eddie is pouring out every single thought he had bottled up, pretty much like Steve Did, probably not realizing fully what he is doing.

Steve steps closer while Eddie is too busy with his stream of consciousness to notice «-just a poor man Stevie, what can I do when you take off my shirt and touch me everywhere? I even dream about it! And I don’t know why I’m telling you this and why are you so close I told you I-» his sentence dies as Steve presses their lips together.

The kiss effectively shuts him up, not that Steve wasn’t enjoying the heated confession, but knowing they feel the same about each other, he doesn’t want to waist one second more.

Bonus:

«are you ready?»

«no I’m not» Eddie groans, sitting on the bed «just come out already»

Steve steps into their bedroom, wearing his nurse uniform for the first time.

«Fuck!» Eddie groans, dramatically throwing himself on the bed. He brings a hand over his heart «help! I’m having a stroke, I need a hot nurse to do CPR on me!»

Steve laughs «there’s so many wrong things with everything you said I don’t know where to begin» but he leans down to kiss him nonetheless.

When Zac Was Born 《Canon to Lazarus Serum》

Pairings: New Born Dad, Steve Rogers x His Newborn Son Summary: The first time Steve held his son after Y/N gavebirth in the hospital. A/N: This is been sitting in my drafts for waaaaay too long, didn't want it to rot.

Steve Rogers stood in the quiet hospital room, his newborn son nestled in his arms. The soft glow from the bedside lamp bathed the room in a gentle light. Y/N was fast asleep, exhausted but peaceful, her chest rising and falling in steady breaths. She had given everything in the delivery room, and now she rested, trusting Steve to keep watch over their little miracle.

Zac Anthony Rogers.

Steve looked down at his son, still marveling at the small, warm weight cradled against his chest. His son looked so tiny in his arms, almost too small to believe. Steve’s large hands, roughened from years of battle, now felt clumsy and oversized as he held the fragile little boy. The baby's head fit perfectly in the palm of Steve's hand, his body barely taking up any space in Steve’s muscular arms. How could something so small already hold so much of his heart?

The baby shifted slightly, his face scrunching up in sleep before settling again. Steve chuckled softly. Even though he was wrapped tightly in a blanket, snug and secure, the baby was still so small, so vulnerable, like he could be swept away by the world at any moment if Steve didn’t keep him safe.

"Hey there, little man," Steve whispered, brushing a thumb gently over his son’s soft cheek. The baby’s skin was impossibly delicate under his touch, so smooth it seemed unreal. "It’s me, your dad."

The word still felt new to him—Dad. Steve had been a soldier, a hero, a leader—but this? This was something else entirely. 

This was a love and responsibility that nothing could prepare him for. And yet, somehow, it felt like the most natural thing in the world to have his son in his arms, even if his boy looked so tiny, so small compared to Steve’s solid frame.

The baby made a soft, contented noise in response, and Steve’s heart melted. He pressed a kiss to the baby's forehead, marveling at just how small and fragile his son felt against him. His eyes flicked over to Y/N, and he smiled softly at her. She had done so much to bring this little boy into the world, and Steve couldn’t have been prouder of her strength.

Just then, the soft shuffle of footsteps caught Steve's attention, and he looked up as a nurse entered the room. She gave him a kind smile, clearly seeing the awe in his eyes.

"How’s everything going?" she asked in a gentle whisper, glancing at Y/N asleep and then at the baby in Steve’s arms.

Steve smiled back, his gaze dropping to his son. "I still can’t believe it."

The nurse nodded, stepping closer to peer at the baby. "He’s a beautiful boy. You’re doing great, Dad."

Dad. There was that word again. It still sent a thrill through him.

The nurse hesitated for a moment, then tilted her head thoughtfully. "Would you like to try some skin-to-skin contact with him? It’s great for bonding, and he’ll love hearing your heartbeat up close."

Steve blinked, taken aback by the offer. Skin-to-skin? That was something he knew Y/N had done earlier with their son, but he hadn’t considered that he could do it too. He glanced down at the tiny bundle in his arms, his son so small, so new, and then back at the nurse, feeling a flicker of uncertainty.

"I—uh, is it okay for me to do that?" he asked, his voice soft and unsure.

The nurse smiled warmly, nodding. "Absolutely. Skin-to-skin is important for dads too. It helps the baby feel safe and secure. Plus, it’ll be a moment just for the two of you."

Steve looked down at his son again, the idea slowly settling in his heart. He nodded, a small smile tugging at his lips. 

"Yeah. I’d like that."

The nurse helped him carefully unwrap the baby from the blanket, and then Steve shrugged off his shirt, feeling a bit awkward but excited. His bare chest felt cool against the air, but as soon as his son was placed against his skin, everything changed. The warmth of his tiny body, the soft weight, the way the baby’s cheek pressed gently against him—it all hit Steve like a tidal wave.

He held his son close, his large hands gently supporting the baby’s head and back. His son looked even smaller now, his tiny body barely covering Steve’s chest, like he could be lost in the broad expanse of Steve’s torso. The baby’s fingers, so tiny they could barely wrap around Steve’s thumb, twitched slightly, his breaths steady and calm.

Steve’s eyes welled up with tears he hadn’t expected, his lips trembling. He looked down at the tiny boy resting against him, so small, so vulnerable, and yet, so perfect. He had never felt more connected to anyone in his entire life. Every protective instinct he had surged forward, and he knew in that moment he would do anything—anything—to keep this little boy safe.

"Hey, buddy," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "It’s just you and me now. You’ve got no idea how much I love you already."

The baby stirred slightly, a soft coo escaping his lips, as if responding to his father’s words. Steve smiled, his heart swelling even more. He could feel the baby’s warmth against his skin, and in that moment, everything else in the world seemed to disappear. There was no sound, no movement—just Steve and his little boy, heartbeats syncing as they shared this precious, intimate moment.

Steve shifted his gaze to Y/N, who was still asleep, and a wave of gratitude washed over him. He owed everything to her—this moment, this joy, this life. He couldn’t wait for her to wake up, to see the three of them together as a family. But for now, this was his moment. Just him and his son, who fit so perfectly in his arms despite being so tiny.

“I’m going to be here for you, always,” Steve murmured, his lips brushing the top of his son's head. “No matter what happens, no matter how tough things get... I’ll be here.”

He gently rocked the baby, who was now deeply asleep against his chest. The room was filled with the soft sounds of their breathing, a peaceful rhythm that Steve could have stayed in forever.

The nurse smiled at the sight of the two of them, her voice soft as she spoke. “You two make quite the pair. You’re a natural.”

Steve nodded, though he barely heard her. He was too lost in the feeling of his son resting so trustingly against him, his tiny body rising and falling in time with Steve's.

“I’ll take care of him,” Steve whispered, more to himself than to anyone else. “For the rest of my life, I’ll take care of him.”

And in that quiet hospital room, with his son nestled against him, Steve Rogers realized that no battle he’d ever fought could compare to the journey he was about to begin. Being a father—being this little boy’s dad—was the greatest mission of his life.

Such a great little story 😊🥺🥰

the hurt is good

part i part ii part iii part iv part v part vi

billy hargrove x fem!reader

word count: 5,163

warnings: swearing, cops, talk of jail/billy's abuse, neil, fluff and love

a/n: well, here it is. this is the very last part of my very first series. i am very proud of the ending i've created for these two. i like to think i've given billy what he deserved. i'm so grateful for all of the feedback and support you've given me on the previous parts. also, a part of this relies heavily on hopper’s letter from season 3, so that’s that, and then some of his other dialogue. i’ve found that it fit billy effortlessly. i really hope you enjoy this and maybe find some solace in it. i love you all <333

before you read, listen to: time after time by cyndi lauper and/or the promise by when in rome

————

The first night without Neil, Hopper sits in his car outside the house. He promised no one would hurt them. He means it.

Nicky went to high school with both Hopper and Joyce. In fact, she was suspended for dealing them weed under the bleachers at one point. She regrets nothing to this day.

Because of that, it really wasn’t too difficult to have a heart-to-heart with the man, to get him to sit down with Billy. And Max and you. Susan.

Hopper had shown up at the house to speak with Neil. When he arrived, he told you to keep Billy in his room, though that hadn’t mattered. The second Billy realized he might actually get out of this, that he might live without fear of his own father, he buried his face in your chest, tears wetting your collarbones, your t-shirt.

You’d let him get it all out, stroking his loose and frizzy curls, occasionally laying your hands over his ears to muffle any shouting. Billy squeezed you each time you did so.

Even if he was a little hopeful this might work, Billy couldn’t help but think about that night when he was a kid. When his mama left him with Neil.

He’d sat on his bedroom floor, trying to be quiet while his dad showered, pleading with her.

“Please mom, don’t do this. Please come home.”

“How long? How long?”

“I miss you.”

She was the last person he felt safe with, before you. And she’d gone, leaving her boy with him. Trapped. Part of him wasn’t sure this would work out. He’d hoped for so long that his mother would return, and she hadn’t. Neil had dictated everything in Billy’s life so far, so how was it possible for anything to change?

Hopper had given Neil Hargrove one option.

“You’re gonna sign these papers,” he’d said, gesturing at the divorce packet lying on the table, “and I’m going to quietly take you down to the station and expose you for the piece of shit you are. Lock you up for abusing your child.”

Neil had started screaming about how Hopper had no right to do any of this, to barge into his home claiming all of this.

“Sure, yeah, pitch a fit. Like that’s gonna change anything,” Hopper said, entertained by the fact that Neil was acting like the victim.

During one of the intervals where your hands were pressed to Billy’s ears, the hoop in the left one biting into your palm, you’d caught something Hopper said.

“I suggest you shut your mouth before you give me something else to report.” By the tone in his voice, you could imagine that he was inches from Neil’s face.

“You’re a coward,” Hopper had said. “Beating on your kid because your life didn’t turn out right. Well let me tell you something, that’s not his fault. It’s yours.”

There’d been a knock on Billy’s bedroom door followed by Hop’s gruff voice. 

“Y/N, kiddo can I have a minute with you?”

Billy had looked up at you, eyes puffy. “I’ll be right back baby, I’m not leaving, I promise.”

You’d pressed a kiss to his forehead, and he’d held onto your hand until it was too far out of his reach.

Shutting the door carefully behind you, you’d looked at him. “We’re taking him away,” he said.

You blinked. “Really?”

“Really. He signed, so Susan is good to go.”

Hopper considered letting Neil run away, making him just disappear, but he didn’t want to chance him doing this to someone else. He’d already done that once though, hadn’t he?

“I’m really proud of you for helping him through this, kid. You remind me of your mom.”

His hand had been warm on your shoulder.

“If you want me to be honest, he’s lucky this prison isn’t very big. But that doesn’t mean nothing will happen if others figure out what he’s in for.”

You nodded, knowingly.

“Powell and Callahan just got here. We’re gonna be quiet. No lights, nothing. I don’t want to make this worse for Billy. But if he wants to see, we’re going soon.”

“Thank you, Hopper,” you’d said, hugging him. He’d let you. He’d had his fair share of a shitty father as a kid. Helping someone like Billy is something he’d always wanted to do.

Back in Billy’s room, you’d taken his face in your hands.

“Baby, they’re taking him now. Do you want to watch or stay inside?”

His back had straightened. He knew what he wanted, and he told you as much, so you led him through to the back steps, holding his hand the whole time, Max behind you, resting her chin on her brother's arm.

Billy got to watch them shove his father in the back of a police car, hands behind his back.

He was finally free.

————

Susan pawned most of Neil's more expensive things, that way she'd have money to cover bills for a while and have something to put towards the house payment. She hadn't really been trusted with the financials when Neil was around, aside from basic spending. Now that she had two children to look after, she really didn't want to be in a bad spot.

She had a feeling most newly divorced women would use the money to buy themselves something nice, but she didn't see any point in that. This wasn't about her. This was about making a life where Billy and Max could feel safe.

Even if Billy had whined about it to you at first, having dinner with Max and Susan at least three times a week to start was helping. And he would never admit this, but Susan was actually a pretty damn good cook. Whenever she'd prepared food pre-inmate Neil, they'd been kind of shitty. Billy supposed this had been her tiny form of protest.

It's pretty late now, but Billy is sprawled on the couch watching reruns of whatever. He's really not even entirely sure what's happening on tv. He thinks this might be Cheers. It's the fact that he can be on the couch that he's doing it. He doesn't have any particular reason to hide in his room unless he wants to.

He's missed this couch. It's the same one he's sat on since he was a kid. Since his mother was still around. It was one of the few items that made it to Hawkins when they moved.

Susan has the day off tomorrow. She said so at dinner. Hence why she's still up.

Billy hears her footsteps and looks up when she walks into the room. She gives him a gentle smile.

"I'm making Max some hot chocolate. You feel like some? I have marshmallows too, if you want those."

"Uh, yeah, sure. Thanks."

She smiles again and then disappears for a while before returning with a mug that has a six-year-old Max's hand print on it.

Billy sits up and takes a sip. He can't remember the last time someone made him someone other than you or Nicky made him something like this.

Susan sits down a little ways away from Billy in an oversized chair that Max usually claims as her own. The only time anyone else gets to sit in it are in times like these when she's being forced to do science homework with Dustin yapping in her ear. She'd asked for help, not an entirely new lesson. Dustin did not care.

Susan starts to read a book, and Billy almost forgets she's in the room when she speaks.

"Billy?"

His eyes rove across from the television to her over the top of his mug. She sets the book down.

"I just wanted to apologize. For not doing anything to protect you from your dad. I don't really have a reason other than selfish ones, like I was afraid he'd start on me, or Max. I guess I just thought if he got it out things would be okay." She buries her face in her hands.

"God, I'm so sorry, Billy. This is your home, and I came into your life and took you away from where you'd grown up, and I never stopped to think about what it was doing to you. I was only thinking about myself."

“I should’ve helped take care of you. You were just a kid. You’re still just a kid. And I’ve done nothing but let you down. I want to be better. I’m not saying I want to replace your mom or anything, but I don’t want you to feel unsafe or unwelcome here anymore.”

Billy keeps drinking his hot chocolate but he has to hold it with both hands because they’re shaking now.

“I feel like I don’t even know you. And maybe that’s because you didn’t want to know me, or maybe because I just avoided you.”

“I’m just so sorry, Billy. I want to try. I am trying. The both of you deserve so much better and you don’t have to accept this. I just wanted you to know that and that I care about you.”

Billy is quiet and for a moment it scares Susan, but she understands he might not have anything to say. He might not want to say anything. He might be waiting until he can afford to move out of this fucking house.

But Billy finally sets his mug down. It’s empty. He looks at Susan and he nods.

“It’s okay,” he tells her. “I understand. I don’t blame you and I appreciate that you want to try. I want to try, too.”

Susan nods back, a sweet smile on her face. It’s gentle, the look she’s giving him.

Billy does understand though. His being the target of Neil’s abuse prevented both Max and Susan from it. He understands that Susan was afraid of her husband and the man that she might not have known he’d unveil to be. She was scared. He understands.

He’s willing to try. To let her in.

She stands and picks up Billy’s empty cup. “Was it okay?” she asks, “It’s just the store bought kind.”

“Yeah. Yeah it was great.”

When she grins at him she looks young. She looks tired and upset, but maybe that’s a good thing. Maybe it means change. Maybe it means she’s learning. She’s trying.

————

“Wear mine.”

Billy looks at you through the mirror in front of which he’s been primping. He claims he doesn’t like it when you say he’s “getting pretty.” His blush says otherwise.

“Yours?”

He rolls his eyes and puts down the hairspray he was holding. “Yeah. It’s fuckin’ cold tonight. Just put mine on. I don’t want you to walk all the way back to your house just to get something I have.”

You snort, making for his closet door. “All the way back?”

He bumps your hip with his, a common you-little-shit gesture.

“Because I live so far away.” You greet the pornstar taped to the thin wood before sliding it open.

“Should be on the right,” Billy says, ignoring your comment and shoving cologne down the front of his pants while you aren’t looking. It’s a habit at this point. Shit, he doesn’t even think about it, and he knows he doesn’t have to impress you.

You push around the clothing hanging in his closet, a couple button-ups, leather, a sweater you’ve never seen him in. It’s this cream color, thick and cable knit. You pull it out. 

“How come you don’t wear this?” you ask, holding it up to him. He unsnaps another button from his shirt and your eyes follow the movement even though you don’t mean to ogle. 

Billy looks the sweater up and down like it’s grossing him out. “I wore it once,” he tells you.

“Once,” you mock playfully, putting the shirt back into his closet.

Billy’s hands are on your hips in an instant, spinning you around. “I thought you were getting a jacket, not raiding my belongings.”

You stick your tongue out at him. It’s childish and you know it, but you do it anyway. He smacks your ass in retaliation, and you go to squeeze his but he grabs your wrist, pulling it to his mouth so that he can kiss your pulse point.

“Barf.” The voice makes you turn your head, and Max has pushed the door open fully where it had been cracked. 

“Hi, Max,” you say, pulling your hand from Billy’s grasp, even if he pouts, and moving to actually retrieve the denim jacket you’d been instructed to wear. 

You can feel Billy and Max staring at each other. “What do you need?” he asks her. 

“Just came to see if we were planning on leaving today or if I should maybe hitch a ride elsewhere.” She enters the room and sits down on the edge of her brother’s bed. 

Billy glances at his watch. “You said to have you at El’s by seven-thirty. We’ve got time.” 

She crosses her arms and Billy faces the mirror again. He thinks he’s finished. “Did you even finish packing your bag, shithead?”

You shove your arms through the jacket sleeves, looking at Max. She raises her eyebrows. No, she definitely did not. There’s a flash of red hair as she hops up, and then she’s gone, the sound of dresser drawers being yanked open and shut echoing down the hall. 

You start rolling up the cuffs, and Billy reaches for the collar, adjusting it for you. You’re focused on getting your hands free when you feel Billy’s finger lifting your chin up. He brings his lips to yours, kissing you once. He pulls away and you move back in, wanting one more. He obliges, albeit grinning at your eagerness. When you’ve gotten your fill, you kiss his cheek, and that’s the one that makes him blush. 

He moves away from you, pulling on his own jacket. “I’m gonna go start the car, okay?”

“M’kay.”

Max let it slip once that Billy always went out to warm up the car before taking them to school. She wouldn’t have assumed it was for her right off the bat, but when she realized he didn’t do that when it was just him in the car, she figured out it was him being nice. Now he just does it for the both of you. You won’t ever say anything about it. 

You look at yourself in Billy’s mirror, listening to his footsteps down the hall and out into the living room. You put your hands in the pockets of his jacket, and to your surprise you feel something. It’s not spare change, or a lighter–anything you would’ve expected to find. 

It’s a sheet of paper. You pull it out, thinking it might be homework he tucked away or a receipt or something. It’s not, though. It’s notebook paper, and it’s been neatly folded like it was done with purpose. 

You sit on the edge of Billy’s bed, and unfold it. To your surprise, it’s a page covered in his handwriting, that pretty, sometimes faintly cursive scrawl. There are some lines scratched out because he used a pen and couldn’t erase. But the thing that catches your eye is the very first line. It’s just your name. It’s a letter. A letter for you. 

Your heart starts to race and you find yourself beginning to read, sinking further into his mattress. 

There’s something I’ve been wanting to talk to you about, it reads. 

Feelings. Jesus. The truth is, for so long I’d forgotten what those were. I’ve been stuck in one place. In a cave, you might say. A deep, dark cave. And then I sat with you at lunch, and bought you a book, and suddenly you were part of my life. For the first time in a long time, I started to feel things again. I started to feel happy. 

But, tonight I’ve been feeling distant from you. Like I’m pulling away from you or something. I’m sitting here and I’m thinking about the way you looked at me that first night at the record store. The way you held on to me when I slept over for the first time. I’m not even sure if you remember it, but every time I tried to move throughout the night you whined like you were afraid I was going to leave you. Like you needed me. 

But you didn’t know about my dad or that I was falling in love with you then. And I can’t stop thinking about how I raised my voice at you when I came over today.

You pause, realizing when it was that he wrote this. The day he fought back. 

And I’ve been afraid for so long that I might turn out like him. That I might be just the same. And I’ve been scared that you might realize that too and leave me behind. But I didn’t feel that way today when you spoke to me like a human being and you wanted to work things out. I’m changing. You’re changing me. We’re changing. And I guess, if I’m being really honest, that’s what scares me. I don’t want things to change. Because there’s a part of me that worries you might still change your mind. The rest of me knows you won’t. 

So I think maybe what I’m saying is that when you didn’t know about how I felt or who I really am on the inside that it didn’t feel like I’d lose you. But now I’ve let you in and you can see all of me. And now that you’ve said you love me I really don’t want things to change. I don’t want to lose you or want you to go. 

But I know that’s naive. To think you’ll leave. That’s not who you are. I know you’d look at me and say that’s not how this is going to work. 

My whole life everyone has picked someone else over me. Left me behind. Left me on my own. And I know that’s how life works. It’s moving. Always moving and people change whether you like it or not. But you’ve taught me that change can be good. That it doesn’t always mean people changing their mind about me. About caring about me or that I’m good enough to keep around. 

And sometimes change is painful. Sometimes it’s sad and sometimes it’s surprising. 

Happy. 

So you know what? I don’t think change is bad anymore. I think I’m supposed to learn from it. I think that when life hurts, because I know parts of it are going to hurt and there will be things that always hurt, I should remember it. Because the hurt is good. It means I’m out of that cave. 

I just want you to hold my hand while I figure it all out. 

You finish reading and fold the letter back up, putting it back where you found it. You hadn’t realized you were crying, but you were, and you spend the next few minutes fixing yourself in Billy’s mirror. 

When he returns he thinks you’re the one primping. 

“Ready, baby?” he asks. “Max is in the car.”

You turn to him, and he smiles at you. That pretty, pretty smile. You kiss him on both cheeks and then shut off his bedroom light. 

“I’m ready.”

————

Billy pulls away from Hop’s cabin after dropping Max off, but he’s quick to stop the car again. 

You were quiet the whole way there. Sweet as always, no doubt, but it was clear something was bothering you. He doesn’t like it when things upset his girl. 

“What are you doing, Hargrove? We’re gonna miss the movie if you keep this up.”

He raises his eyebrows at you. “Well excuse the hell outta me, hon’.”

You slap your hands against your face, peeking through your fingers at him in hopes that he’ll go ahead and scold you.

“I want you to tell me what’s wrong, baby.” Billy doesn’t have to elaborate. You never seem to have to explain your feelings to him much anymore. It’s like he’s figuring you out, like he understands and knows when something’s bugging you or if you’re hurting. 

“It’s nothing bad, I promise,” you say.

“That doesn’t mean I don’t want to know.”

You nod, and reach into the pocket of the jacket, pulling free the paper. It’s seconds before Billy sees the striped sheet that he remembers what it is, what he’d left in there. 

It all comes back to him, his wrist hurting from pouring his heart out, the relief he felt at putting his feelings somewhere. 

You hand it to him. He unfolds it and scans it over. “You read it?” He knows you did.

“Yeah.” You smile shyly at him, and it’s the same smile you gave him that very first night that you came to check on him. Billy wants to kiss you, so he leans over the center console and does; he presses his mouth to your forehead, warm and sweet. His presence is all-encompassing: heady cologne, minty gum. So very Billy. So much like home. 

He hands the paper back to you. “Feelings, huh?” he says, his mouth pulling up at the corners. 

“Feelings.”

You sandwich your hands between your thighs, taking a deep breath. Your eyes start to water and you can’t help it.

“Billy, I would never leave you, okay?” You were hoping the tears wouldn’t spill over, but it doesn’t matter because your voice fails you. It wavers and you sound fragile, young. And then he’s taking your face in his hands, wiping under your eyes even though there isn’t anything to wipe yet, just soothing motions over the apples of your cheeks, calloused thumbs and warm skin.

He stares at you, his eye contact unbreaking. When he looks at you like that, blue eyes boring into yours, you can’t help but feel a little full. Because he’s looking at you like that. You. 

“I know that. I know.”

You nod, and he nods with you, so much that it looks silly, the both of you nodding, and you start to laugh. 

“I made you feel that way? Really?”

“Of course you did,” Billy says. “My whole life I’ve felt like I’m like a black hole or somethin’. You don’t make me feel that way.”

Your heart aches for him. For this boy who’s had no one tell him how good he is. Who’s finally let you in. Who’s finally realized he can have better, and that he deserves to. 

“I love you, Billy.”

He kisses you on each cheek, your face warm against his lips. He grins and you can feel it on your face. 

“I love you too.”

When you get to the movie theater, you do pay for popcorn, and you do hand him the snacks you kept in your bag after you take your seats. Your mother said movie candy was getting much too expensive. 

You pop a handful of Sno Caps in your mouth, and Billy opens his mouth. You sprinkle some in his, and then reach for his hand. 

He looks down at your clasped fingers while a kid almost faceplants with a bucket of popcorn on the way up the stairs. Thankfully their father caught them first. 

“You did say you wanted me to hold your hand.”

“I did,” Billy says.

—————

“Sit still, I’ll be right back, I swear.”

Billy crosses his arms, but it’s hard for him to look entirely brooding when he’s got plum shadow on his eyelids. You stand. “Here, Max, supervise.” You hand her the brush between your fingers, and she snorts at her brother from where she lays across your bed. 

You make for the living room, suppressing a grin at the sounds of laughter emanating from the area. Susan and Nicky sit on opposite sides of the couch, watching The Golden Girls and talking about whatever it is that mothers-of-dating-children talk about. 

“Mom,” you say, coming to a stop in front of her. 

“Hi, honeybee. What’s the matter?” 

“Can I use some of your makeup? There’s some things you’ve got that I haven’t and–”

She smiles at you, adjusting the well-loved pillow squished behind her back. “You know you can. Whatever you need.”

Her grin is contagious, and you find yourself smiling back just the same. “Thank you.”

She nods. “Playing dress up?” Your mother gives you a knowing look, thinking about the idea you’d had in mind ever since you watched Rocky Horror with Billy that first time. 

“You could say so,” you tell her, and then you’re off to raid her bathroom cabinet, pulling free the large and full bag of goodies. 

You start to rifle through the corduroy pouch, but decide it’d be easier to take the whole thing with you to your room, so that’s what you do.

When you return, you settle on your knees in front of your boyfriend, still finding it odd that you get to call him that now, even if that is exactly what he is to you. Your pretty, pretty boyfriend. Your boyfriend who’s letting you do his makeup. 

Max hands you your brush back, raising herself up on her elbows so that she can watch the show better.

“Hi,” you say to him, pressing a kiss on the tip of his nose. 

“Hi,” he responds, his voice showing all signs that he’s both enjoying this, yet also grumping about the fact that he let you do it in the first place. He settles back on his hands, legs spread so that you can sit in between them and reach him. You pull free both the pencil of thick liner you’d been looking for, and a pot of blush you know to be much pinker than the one you’ve got. Yours has also been broken on multiple occasions so that now it’s just little bits of pink powder sliding around in the pan. 

You uncap the liner first, a warm brown shade, clearly freshly sharpened by your mother. “Close your eyes, pretty please,” you tell him. He obliges, lids fluttering shut. 

You reach out, and starting to drag the tip of the pencil across his skin, you realize your hand isn’t as steady as you’d like, considering the fact that you’re also half-focused on not kneeing Billy in a place you’re quite sure he’d prefer to not be kneed. 

You let out a frustrated sigh, and Billy blinks up at you. “What’s wrong?”

“This isn’t working. Just–” You shove the eyeliner pencil into his hands, and then move from between his legs. You grip his calves and move his legs together, then crawl forwards a little and straddle his lap.

He grins up at you, a cocky and mischievous look. “Comfy?”

“Shut up and close your eyes again.”

“Well you don’t want much.” 

You pinch the squish of his side and he swats blindly at your arm. You take Billy’s face in your hand, resting the pinky of your dominant one against his cheekbone. This go around you’re able to drag the liner effectively across his eyelid. A tap at his face signals he needs to look up, and when he does, you do the same to his lower hip. Afterwards, you take a super small brush that Max found and use it to smudge the eyeliner out some, that way the lines aren’t so harsh.

You finish and take Billy’s face in your hands again, turning it to face Max. “Thoughts?”

She taps her chin, though smiling all the same. “Very nice.”

With a little more manhandling, you get some mascara on those lashes of his, though not without a little pleased squeaking in the process. It’s at the blush that you get excited enough to make him laugh. You swipe your brush heavily across his cheeks, and then the tip of his nose, where you’re probably much too generous. You don’t care. He looks so, so pretty, all blushy like this. 

“Part your lips.” You say, thumb tugging at his bottom one. You put a gloss on Billy’s lips and almost lose it for good. He’s so gorgeous. 

When you finish, you wipe your hands clean on a towel and back up a little ways from him to survey your work. 

You clap your hands. “Max, help me. Would you look at this?”

She does, laughing gleefully. “Oh my god, this is so good.”

You look Billy in the eyes, and Max hops up off of your bed to get a better look. “You look so gorgeous, my love.”

He’s thankful for the blush in that moment, because without it you’d see the effect your using that name had on him. 

“Thank you,” he says.

“Wanna see?” God, you look so happy.

“Do I have to?”

You bite your lip and Billy pulls it free, taking the little handheld mirror from you. 

And, honestly, he thinks he looks kinda hot. You picked a good eyeshadow color, one that makes his blue eyes stand out even more, and he just looks pretty. Just as you’d said. 

“Do you like it?”

“Yes. You did a very good job.”

He goes to kiss you, but you stop him. “Nope. You’ll mess up my work!”

Billy rolls his eyes and flips Max a bird when he sees her giggling at your enthusiasm and his compliance. 

“Can I take a picture?” you ask. 

Billy holds up his hands. “Oh hell no.”

“Billy, she needs to document her masterpiece,” Max says, though really she knows it’d make great blackmail. That and she loves how happy the both of you seem. She’d like to remember this too. 

“Please?” You give him your very best puppy dog eyes, making sure they’re watery and everything. You know he’ll give in. 

“Fine. But you show this to anyone, and you’re both dead.”

You laugh, grabbing for your Polaroid camera. “Who the fuck do you think I’m gonna show? Everyone I know is in this room.”

Billy’s smiles then, and you’re just quick enough to catch it. You get another after you kiss his sparkly forehead. And when you’ve finished, you stick them in the frame of your mirror so they’ll always be there. 

That night, after Max and Susan have gone home, you sit in the bathroom to help Billy wash the makeup off, but only when you’d let Nicky see, and she thought he looked stunning. Showstopping, she’d said. 

And it’s then, as you wipe the rosy tinge from his cheeks, revealing his freckles once again, that you realize months before this you’d been so alone. You’d ached for a moment like this. 

And here you were. So even if the journey to get here had hurt, even if it’d been hard and pushed you to your limits, it’s okay. Because that’s how life works. It hurts sometimes. And that’s okay. 

Because the hurt? The hurt is good.

————

please let me know if you liked this! feedback is always appreciated!! comments and reblogs mean more than you know. <33

TYLER HOECHLIN as Glen McReynolds in EVERYBODY WANTS SOME!! (2016)

State Your Name (for the Record) - S.R.

Type: One-shot, Reader Insert, emotional H/C

Pairing: Steve Rogers x Reader       Word count: 5560

Summary:  For a man haunted by nightmares, waking up was an ambivalent process.

For a man in love, the pros outweighed the cons. And make no mistake, Steve Rogers was a man in love. 

In which Steve feels blue, but he can count on his girl to raise his spirits – especially since she can convince his whole team to do something nice for him.

Warnings: implied mission going not so well, angst, crying, self-doubts,  swearing ,fluff and cheesiness of the highest order

Waking up was an everyday process most people considered unpleasant.

For a man haunted by nightmares, either made up by his traumatised mind or simply by pressing re-play on one from the stack of torturous memories, the action was both relieving and exhausting.

Waking up meant the nightmares were over; waking up meant he had to pick himself up and, despite all odds, face another day, even when his body ached and his soul seemed too tired, yet determined to continue to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders.

For a man in love, the pros outweighed the cons. And make no mistake, Steve Rogers was a man in love.

A woman he proudly called his girlfriend was nothing less than everything he could wish for; she carried beauty in features she considered imperfect, she never failed to make him smile for at least a fraction, her laughter filled his chest with delight as it lit up the room and she was gentle and dorky to a fault. And for he was willing to give her the world, she reciprocated his feelings to full extend.

Keep reading

Eddie Munson x Reader

Summary-After the final fight with Vecna, Y/N gets hurt, sending her to the hospital

TRIGGER WARNINGS- Talk of injury, blood, hospital setting, tell me if I missed anything

A/N- I didn't really know how to end this one, so sorry for the crappy ending! Enjoy!!

Words Count- 2.6k

It was finally over, Vecna was dead. It was dead silent, no one making a noise. The group stood, looking at each other, slight, exhausted smiles pulling on their lips. Vecna lay in front of them, his gross, slimy body splayed on the floor, black blood oozing from his wounds, expanding as it continued to flow from the once human. 

Nancy lowered her shotgun from her shoulder, sighing as the final demogorgon fell limp on the ground from a gunshot wound, letting out one last screech as it died.

Then the celebration started. Steve and Robin hugged each other tightly, Nancy and Johnathan kissed, Johnathan then pulled Will into a hug, smiling at him. Hopper and Joyce embraced and kissed each other, letting out heavy sighs of relief that the fight had finally come to an end for good. Mike lay with El in his arms, exhaustion overcoming her body from fighting Vecna, smiles on their faces as they watched Dustin and Eddie hugging each other, jumping around like crazy people, Lucas and Max holding each other in tight embraces.

Eleven's eyes caught sight of the only remaining member, Y/N, who sat off to the side, breathing heavily. El squinted her eyes, taking a minute of staring at the older girl, to realize she had a piece of wood impaled in her chest. The younger girl scrambled to her feet, forgetting all about her exhaustion, rushing to the oldest of all the teen girls. El fell to her knees, looking at the wound to the other girl's chest, tears welling in her eyes. 

"Oh my God. Eddie!" Mike called as he followed his girlfriend to where she was off to in such a rush. Everyone fell quiet, the only noise came from Y/N, her labored breathing becoming apparent to her friends around her.

When Eddie saw who El and Mike kneeled next to, his heart dropped, rushing to his dying girlfriend. "Oh my God. Y/N/N. W-what happened?" He asked, tears filling his deep brown eyes. Y/N looked up at him with glazed-over eyes, giving him a weak smile, blood coating her teeth, but she hadn't even noticed the metallic taste in her mouth.

"I-I-I had a little accident. Didn't m-move out of the w-way f-f-fast enough I gu-guess." She stuttered, a string of blood mixed with saliva falling from her lips as she spoke in a quiet voice. The metalhead could faintly hear Hopper instruct Steve and Robin to bring a car around to the front to pick Y/N up, the two older teens following orders quickly. Eddie moved to sit next to his girlfriend, trying to move her onto his lap, but she only whimpered out, and all movement ceased. Eddie didn't want to put her in more pain than she was already in, so he sat next to his injured girl, stroking her hair every few seconds. "Hurts, Eds." Y/N muttered, her words almost too stung together to make anything out of. 

"I know baby, I know. Just hang on for me for a few more minutes. Harrington and Robin are bringin' the car around to take you to the hospital. Just keep those pretty eyes open for me for a little while longer, pretty girl. Come one Y/N, keep those eyes open for me!" Eddie voiced, watching as the y/e/c color of Y/N's eyes fluttered closed, but would open only a second later.

"Car is here!" Robin yelled as she rushed back into the building. Hopper moved to the injured girl, telling Eddie to help him get her into the car, Eddie doing as told. Everyone rushed after the three, watching as Eddie got into the back of Steve's car first, helping to guild Y/N into the back with him, resting her head on his lap. Hopper shut the door once the girl was fully in, telling Eddie everyone would meet him at the hospital in a while after they all cleaned up. Eddie simply nodded his head, telling Steve to go. The tires squealed on the pavement for a second before the BMW was flying out of the parking lot of the old Starcourt mall, where the fight ensued.

The car tore down the roads, Robin occasionally turning around to check on her friends in the back, making sure Y/N was still awake and responding to her boyfriend.

"Hey, Y/N, baby, keep your eyes open for me! Stay awake princess, we're almost there. Steve, go faster, I'm losing her!" Eddie yelled, trying to keep the fading girl in his lap to stay awake. Steve pressed down on the gas pedal harder, shifting the gear, the car lurching forward just slightly before picking up speed, bringing them closer to the hospital. Eddie stared down at Y/N, watching as her eyes drooped more, trying to coax her to stay awake. Y/N fought against the inviting sleep that was encasing her, but she lost when it wrapped its sloth-like fingers around her, encasing her in a darkness that she wasn't entirely sure she would wake from.

~*~

The incessant beeping of something close to her woke Y/N from her slumber, bringing a hundred-pound brick of pain with it. The sloth-like fingers that encased her before unraveled from around her, but also dropped the brick onto her chest, shoulders, and sides, refusing to let up. An itching feeling crawled up her arm, pulling her other arm to her side, scratching at whatever was causing the itch. Her fingers felt tape and something sticking to her arm, so naturally, she started to pick at it, trying to get whatever it was, off of her arm. Warm hands grabbed onto her, pulling her hand away from her arm, wrapping themselves around her hand and setting it back down on the bed.

"Leave the IV alone, princess. It's there to help you." She heard a voice say from next to her, the same place she heard the beeping coming from. It took her a minute to register who the voice belonged to, but it wasn't long before she was opening her eyes to see her boyfriend sitting next to her bed. His hair was pulled into a bun on the top of his head, a look Eddie knew Y/N loved, his torso covered in a hoodie. He had bags under his eyes, dark compared to his usually light skin. His lips looked irritated, chapped and red from the constant picking and chewing he did over the last few days. But, the thing Y/N noticed over everything else, was the bright smile he had on his lips. His perfect teeth shown through his smile, radiating warmth towards Y/N. 

A sudden pain rushed through Y/N's chest and shoulders, eliciting a whine of pain from her lips. Eddie sat up suddenly, placing his warm lips on his girlfriend's hand, watching as she breathed heavily, trying to will the pain away. When it calmed down, the girl slowly opened her eyes, looking over at Eddie. "What happened?" She asked, having no memory of how she got here, or really even why she was here.

"We fought Vecna, remember? We were in the old Starcourt mall. We didn't realize that Henry had built a kind of home there. We fought him there and killed him. He's dead, baby. It's finally all over. No more Upside Down shit. It's all over." Eddie said, a beaming smile on his face.

"But how did I get here?" Y/N asked, trying to recall the events at Starcourt that lead to her laying in a hospital bed.

"When we were fighting him, you got hit in the chest with a wood chunk. It went into your chest and hit one of your lungs. You almost died, but we were able to get you here just in time. You died on the operating table twice, baby. They had to revive you two times before they could get the wood out of your chest. But they were luckily able to pull the wood out and stop the bleeding before you started to code again. You've been asleep since then. That was four days ago." Eddie explained, playing with her fingers as he spoke. "You gave me quite the scare there, princess. I thought I lost you that night." The dungeon master mentioned, tears falling from his sad brown eyes. Y/N removed her hand from his grip, bringing it up to his face to wipe the tears away, letting the palm of her hand rest on Eddie's cheek, allowing him to nuzzle his face into her hand, finding comfort in being so close to her after days of no contact with her.

~*~

Not long after, Eddie went and got the doctor so he could examine Y/N. He confirmed she was okay, saying he would like to keep her for several more days before letting her go. Once the doctor left, Eddie all but jumped into bed with Y/N, snuggling close to her, making sure to be careful of the stitches on her chest. "Rest Eddie, you need it. I'm not going anywhere." Y/N told Eddie when she saw his eyes drooping. The metalhead nodded tiredly, falling asleep only minutes after he agreed. 

The couple slept the rest of that day and all through the night, waking up mid-morning the next day. As the pair ate breakfast, Steve, Robin, Nancy, and Max came to see them. They were happy to see their friend finally awake, talking to her, asking her how she was, making sure she had everything she needed, overall, just fusing over her. Once she was able to calm the four down, they sat and talked quietly.

"Hey, baby. Are you okay if I go and shower? I won't be long, ten minutes tops." Eddie asked from behind her in bed, moving her hair off her neck and behind her shoulder.

"Yeah, I'll be fine Eds. Take as long as you need. I've got these guys to keep me company." Y/N replied to him, planting a kiss on his lips as he got out of bed and walked to the bathroom in her room.

"You know he never left right? He hasn't left this room once since you were put in here four days ago. And he hasn't left the hospital at all since that night. He's stayed put ever since." Steve said once he heard the shower go on. The girls confirmed what he said, telling her how he hasn't even left the hospital to smoke. He sat in the waiting room while she was in surgery, sat next to her in the recovery room, and now has sat in this room waiting for her to wake up. 

"He had Dustin go to his house and get a bag full of clothes and his other things for him so he didn't have to leave. He said he didn't want to risk not being here when you woke up." Max said, smiling softly at the care Eddie had for Y/N. Just then, the bathroom door opened up, and Eddie came out of the room with a new set of clothes on, towel drying his hair. He smiled sweetly at her, tossing his towel over the chair under the window to dry. 

"I think we should get going, let you rest some more Y/N. Glad to see you awake and doing better. We missed you." Nancy said, slowly ushering everyone out of the room, giving Y/N and Eddie a warm smile before she walked out of the room. Just as they walked out, a nurse walked in, looking over the chart on the wall.

"How are you feeling right now, Y/N?" She asked in a sweet tone, grinning at said girl.

"I'm alright. Still tired but I'm sure that will stick around for a while." She replied, resting her head back on her pillow.

"Are you feeling up to a shower? I'll help you and we can go as slow as you need." The nurse asked, walking closer to the bed, putting the side railing down as she talked.

"Yeah, I would love nothing more than a shower. I feel gross. I've never gone this long without a shower." Y/N snorted, making the nurse grin at her, and Eddie chuckle under his breath at his girlfriend. 

"Alright. You're okay to wear whatever you want, as long as it's not tight or constricting on your chest and shoulders. I'll help you into the bathroom and if you need help showering, I'll be there to help." The nurse reassured, smiling gently at Y/N.

"I have some extra clothes for you here, babe. I figured you'd want to get out of the hospital gown as soon as possible, so I had Dustin grab something for you." Eddie said, getting up from the bed and digging through his bag for something that Y/N could wear. He came back with one of his shirts and a pair of pants, handing them to the nurse.

"Alright sweety, let's get you showered!" She said, helping the injured girl into the bathroom.

~*~

The bathroom door opened up, pulling Eddie from the random show he was watching on the tv, seeing Y/N walk out first, the nurse behind her for support. She shuffled across the floor carefully, gently sitting down on the bed when she got to it. She swung her legs up onto the bed, covering herself with the blankets once she was comfortable enough. The nurse quickly bid her goodbye, reminding her if she needed anything, to press the call button.

Y/N sunk down into the bed, looking over and Eddie with tired eyes, giving him a soft smile. "Hi, baby. Have a good shower?" Eddie asked, stroking her wet hair.

Y/N nodded her head, letting her eyes close for a moment before she opened them again. "It was great but it really kicked my ass. I didn't know taking a shower could be so tiring." She said with a quiet giggle, making Eddie laugh too. 

"I'm sure. I do have to say though, you look really good in my clothes. They just swallow you whole, don't they?" Eddie laughed, looking at his girlfriend in his clothes. His Hellfire shirt nearly hit her knees, meaning she didn't really need the sweats she was wearing, but she put them on anyway, seeing as she was so cold. "Go to sleep princess. I'll be right here with you when you wake up. I'm not going anywhere." Eddie said, letting Y/N cuddle into his side as she slept.

~*~

"Alright, clean your stitches twice a day and put this over it once you're done cleaning it. Eddie, don't let her lift anything heavy until she has the stitches out and don't let her do too much. Her lungs are still healing too, so it's going to be hard to do some things right now. Just give yourself time to heal and you'll be fine. And no more getting wood chunks embedded in your chest, I don't want to see you back here for that. I'll have someone call you to schedule your follow-up appointment." The doctor said, handing papers to Eddie before he let the couple go.

Eddie pushed the wheelchair out of the front doors to the hospital, to the side of his van, helping Y/N up into the passenger side before he returned the wheelchair and got in on his side.

"You ready to get out of her, princess?" He asked, putting his seatbelt on. Y/N nodded her head, flashing him a wicked smile.

"Yes! Now, let's go to our spot in the woods!" Y/N said with a spark in her eyes, making Eddie nervous.

"I don't think so! You, princess, are going home and resting until you get those stitches out." Eddie said, throwing the van into gear and pulling out of the hospital parking lot. Eddie could hear the sigh from beside him, stealing a glance at his girlfriend, seeing her pouting in her seat. The metalhead snickered to himself, pulling out onto the road, driving himself and Y/N home to his trailer.