sniffing impishly through the bitter cold engulfing you entirely, you outstretch a shaky hand to clasp around an apple.
it felt warm; too warm for an apple.
briskly, you snap your hand away, surprised to discover a girl stood beside you.
she stood, shivering like a leaf, clad in raggedy clothes with rips and dirt littering the fabric like paint upon a canvas. her eyes, dark and wide like a doe’s, flick to yours instinctively. they shine unbearably bright with a gut-wrenching mix of trepidation and timidity. her lips, dry and cracked, quiver— threatening to jut out into a pitiful pout. her hair was rather messy, brunette strands sticking out wildly to their own accord: untamed.
she reminded you of the lambs just outside the village.
still, most intriguingly, you’d never seen this girl before in your life despite living in a village as small as this one.
“oh, sorry.” instinctively, you apologise with a small, subtle smile of reassurance. “you have it, go ahead…” gesturing to the apple weakly, you watch the girl as she simply stares at you.
there’s a deep, unbridled caution in her eyes. as if she can’t quite believe you’re even acknowledging her existence, let alone offering her the fruit.
she nods curtly, head dipping politely. “thank you.”
your head tilts curiously as you watch the shy little thing clutch the apple into her bruised hand, drawing it close to her frame. she then scrambles in her pockets momentarily before extracting an american dollar.
which was all the more confusing.
the merchant’s brow raises once he catches sight of the unusual currency. “we don’t accept foreign cash…” he mumbles unsurely.
“oh.” is all the girl can manage, staring blankly down at the meagre note in her hand.
immediately, you step in, slinging a collection of coins into the man’s awaiting palm. “here.” you hum, before turning back to the girl.
swallowing thickly, your lips purse into a tight, uncertain line. “you’re not from around here, are you?”
a comforting warmth surrounds you completely like a blanket as you busy yourself in your kitchen, deftly preparing two cups of steaming hot tea with little to no effort.
the kettle hisses, emitting smoke and even a sharp flinch from the girl awkwardly swaddled upon your sofa.
stifling a soft chuckle, you glance over. “s’all right, just the kettle, sweet…” you murmur affectionately.
the girl seemingly settles, sinking deeper into the bundles of blankets with a shy nod.
a silence briefly follows, broken by nothing but the occasional clinking of a metallic tea spoon against ceramic mugs. you stir silently, studying the alluring way the beige liquid swirls. tapping the spoon repeatedly against the rim of the mug to allow any droplets to drip, you lay the spoon back down and approach the sofa.
immediately, the girl shuffles and sits up, receiving the mug of tea with a discreet, grateful nod. she encases pale hands around the heat of the object, a shiver visibly running through her as an involuntary sigh whistles through her lips.
you find yourself smiling, perched upon the sofa beside her, sipping occasionally.
“what’s your name?” you question unexpectedly, eyes locked expectantly onto the girl.
she blinks, as if not ever anticipating you to ask, before hoarsely responding. “elev- jane.” she briskly corrects herself, a hint of worry blooming within those arresting, chocolatey eyes.
deciding against prying, you offer yet another reassuring smile. “that’s a pretty name.”
jane gushes subtly, tucking her chin to her chest as a dog would tuck its tail between its legs. though, she can’t resist the bashful smile which crosses her features.
“a smile looks good on you.”
jane hardens, turning to you as if your comment had awoken a memory in her mind which she had buried long ago.
“what?..”
“a smile.” you reaffirm, gesturing vaguely with the mug in your hands. “pretty.”
at that, jane blushes embarrassingly bright. she huffs quietly, bringing her mug to her lips in order to hide the stupidly wide grin. “yeah?…”
“yeah.” you shrug casually.
jane then turns to you, properly, ridiculously cute eyes staring holes into your own. she hesitates, fumbling nervously with her mug for a moment.
“why are you being so nice to me?”
at that, your heart shatters into a million and one shards. you reach forward tentatively, tenderly cupping jane’s icy cold cheek in your heated palm. your breath hitches slightly when she nuzzles into your touch meekly.
“because, jane,” you drawl, a playful spark suddenly lighting in your eyes. “i find a pretty girl pondering my village’s marketplace…” you pause, a brow quirking, “she’s shivering, scared, looking like a lost puppy…” you shrug nonchalantly again, “i can’t help but take her in.”
jane goes incredibly giddy again, almost as if she can’t believe this is even happening. with her spare hand, she reaches for a blanket and throws it over her face to conceal her burning cheeks.
affectionately you huff and sharply tug the blanket away.
summary ; dustin and el save you from a demogorgon and try out gta on the way out of the upside down
warnings ; language, blood
disclaimers ; s5 era, mind the banner, they literally had zero time together in s5 :((, henderhop nation unite, after killing vecna and spider flayer, the demos were still around for the plot / since hive mind didn't work on will it won't work here, kinda got off topic of the request / idea lol
word count ; 2.2k
requested by ; @marinettesoconfusing
request ; maybe like both of them protecting reader in upside down after being in danger like el with her powers Dustin with his brains or just headcanons would be cool!
masterlist
Dustin and El creep forward, slightly hunched over as they tiptoe through the echoing halls of Hawkins Lab. Vines spiral through the hallways, spores floating like little fairies. It's cold and dark, wet, too.
El stops in her tracks, holding out a hand to stop Dustin with her. He stops, his boots nearly squeaking on the linoleum floor. She pulls a finger to her mouth to express silence, then points forward. He listens, curls draped over his shoulders.
A chirp.
From a Demogorgon.
His eyes widen as he slowly turns back to her. He shakes his head slightly, wondering if the Demogorgon could have you. El shrugs her shoulders, but has to expect the worst. They continue forward, sneaking through the halls toward where the noise came from.
Finally, they find you. And a Demo.
You were in the Rainbow Room, hung from the rafters with vines. Vecna must've been here, maybe at one point, but got bored waiting for their arrival. Maybe they surprised him, killing him first before going to find you. They've taken a few hours to come find you, considering Hop and Steve wouldn't let them go find their partner all on their own in the dangerous Upside Down when they were trying to leave.
So, they disobeyed and snuck away.
Vecna had you, something had you. They weren't leaving you for dead after rescuing Holly and the other kids. They refused.
They could escape the Upside Down and face the military themselves. Dustin and El weren't going to leave you behind, no matter what. They'd die to the bomb that'd destroy the Upside Down before they allowed to you to be mauled by a Demogorgon or a Demobat, or even killed by the bomb itself.
Purple Rain blasts through the Upside Down like a concert in the city. They were surprised the Demogorgon didn't go with its friends to pound or gnaw at the wall to make the noise stop. It decided to stay here with you.
They hide behind the one closed door, bolted shut with vines.
"What do we do?" El mouths, unknowing of how to defeat the Demogorgon without hurting you in the process.
She was weak, tired. He knew she couldn't do this alone.
Dustin carefully unleashes a knife from his camo costume. He points at the Demo with it, then to him. He then points at her, and then at the Demo, stretching his fingers out.
She was to use her powers while he attacked with the knife. Once the Demogorgon was dead, they'd free you.
El nods, slowly moving toward the open side of the heavy double doors. Dustin creeps behind her, ready to pounce.
She quickly shoves her hand forward with a grunt, throwing the Demogorgon back into the far wall. Dustin lunges at the beast, fearless as he swings and slashes and stabs, trying to destroy it. Demos don't bleed, they don't have blood, you have to mutilate to kill.
The Demogorgon screeches, growling at Dustin with its open mouth. He yells right back, showing dominance over the beast as he swings and slashes, all while effectively dodging its swings.
El notices the monster plans to try and bite Dustin, given body language. She quickly uses her telekinesis to hold the Demogorgon still to protect Dustin. She groans in pain as blood trickles from her nose. Dustin takes this time to plunge his hunting knife into the monsters chest and drag it down, effectively gutting it.
With a thud, the beast lands on the linoleum tile floor with a soft chirp.
Dustin smiles, looking over at El with an adoring look. El pants, chest heaving, craving air. She wipes the blood from her nose with her hand, swearing across her wrist. Dustin rushes to her, giving her a brief hug to thank her.
They look up to you.
Dustin realizes that as the song blaring outside drops into a peaceful, rhythmic harmony, they only have two minutes to escape. They have two minutes to rescue you, run out of the lab, and get to the gate at the library. No way were they making it.
"Two minutes!" Dustin exclaims, eyes scanning the room for something he could use to reach you so he could free you.
He finds nothing.
"El! Can you lift me up?" he questions frantically.
She nods, stretching her hand out again to lift Dustin off the floor. He grabs onto the flesh holding you up to the ceiling, using the knife to try and cut through it. It squelches as he does, sticking wet slime to his hands and his serrated knife.
"El, when I cut this peace, I need you to catch them!" he exclaims, unable to do so himself even with both hands, given he had to use his free hand as leverage and to position the flesh away from you, "Can you do it?"
"I can!" she replies, prepared to use the last of her energy to save you.
Dustin hacks and saws at the flesh before you're free again. El catches you midair with her powers and gently sets Dustin on the ground. She levitates you above the floor before Dustin wraps your unconscious body into his arms. She gasps, drained. Her head feels numb and cold.
They only have about a minute and a half now.
"We gotta go!" he shrieks, holding you bridal style as he sprints down the halls, El just behind him.
He leads her down the stares and to the exit, falling back to allow her ample time to open the doors for him. They reach the parking lot, grabbing a good look at the empty road between HNL and town.
"Shit, shit, shit!" he exclaims.
El feels his panic, his worry. She quickly taps his shoulder, then points to a silver Mercedes covered in vines.
"Car?"
"We'd be lucky to find the keys. But... better than nothing."
El rushes to the car, opening the back so Dustin can set you down. He does so while she jumps over to the passengers seat. He moves to the drivers side, miraculously finding the keys on the seat. He shoves them into the ignition, and somehow, with some stroke of luck, it works.
He hollers happily as he pushes the gear into reverse, given he can't drive through a brick wall. He quickly pulls them out of the parking space, shoves the gear into drive, and floors the gas pedal.
Vines and cracks and holes across the windshield practically blind him, but he finds a way to drive as safe as he can with only a minute or so left to live, with his partners in the car with him, with the bomb ready to explode and destroy the Upside Down. He drifts across turns and speeds through empty intersections, fighting for not only his life, but for yours and El's as well.
On the speedy drive into town, you manage to wake up, cold, wet, covered in slime and loose flesh. It sticks to your jeans, your shirt, and your jacket. Your hair is half damp with the slime. Then you remember what happened. The Demogorgon snatched you away while everyone was climbing the tower. You screamed for El and Dustin, but it took you to the lab, and you got knocked out. You assumed Vecna needed more time, trying to diverge the group away from the Abyss so he could merge worlds.
Then you realize you're in the backseat of a speeding car in the Upside Down. Dustin screams as he drives, unable to calm down. El is buckled up, hanging onto the center console and door handle like her life depends on it.
"Dustin?" you mutter, "El?"
"Oh, you're awake!" Dustin smiles, speaking loudly as he's in a panicked state, "I don't know if we're gonna make it out by the time this bomb goes off and the Upside Down gets sucked into a dormant black hole," he speaks, "But in case we don't get to the others in time, I love you guys!"
"We're not dying!" El sternly speaks, turning to face you, still clinging onto whatever she can for support, "We will be safe! Everyone is in Hawkins. We will get back to the gate and get in before the bomb goes off."
"Let's hope we do!" Dustin shrieks, narrowly avoiding a collision with a tree while drifting around another corner, approaching town.
Then you realize you can still hear Purple Rain blaring from here. You realize the harmony is trickling out, the guitar giving one final blow. You're not gonna make it. It's too late. They came back for you and signed their lives away.
"Guys! The song!" you shout, sitting up in the backseat, hanging onto their seats, "It's ending!"
"I'm very, very aware, babe!" Dustin shouts, trying to not crash the car and kill you all.
Then it stops. You're about a half mile from the library. It's a straight shot north. He had to take some detours given that military trucks had been abandoned on the roads, and he really didn't want to die colliding with one of those things. The bomb, when it goes off, it'll drag you forward.
"It's done." El exhales, wide eyed, looking between you and Dustin.
You feel the shift in the air. You can feel the pull as the bomb goes off, releasing the black hole.
"Dustin!" you cry, "Drive fucking faster!"
"I am driving as fast as I can!" he shrieks, staring at the speedometer that read he's going over ninety miles an hour on small town roads. "This shit doesn't go any faster, Y/n!"
You stare out the windows beside you, looking ahead. The destruction has started. Trees pulled from their roots, buildings breaking, roads lifting. The ground itself is breaking, deteriorating, flying toward the black hole of destruction.
With that, Dustin looks to El, trying to brake as they approach the library. The car won't slow down. It's being dragged forward by the black hole.
"El! I need you here!"
She nods, grasping onto the console and door handle.
El manages to slow the car down, groaning and yelling in pain as she's already drained out of her mind. Dustin is able to drift into the library slash military base, hands clammy, clenching the wheel in fear.
"Hang on!" he shouts, quickly turning the wheel with his palm to drift toward the gate as they slide across the lot.
El screams as she keeps the vehicle from flying away toward the black hole, blood spilling from both of her nostrils and onto her bathtub suit. You reach for El, trying to hug her for protection and comfort on both of your ends. Dustin reaches for your free hand as you sit behind El, right arm wrapped around her. You use your left hand to intertwine with Dustin's, hanging on for dear life, eyes shut tight.
And then it stops.
You feel and hear the car crash into the truck that Steve and Robin were driving. But somehow, you don't get sucked in, the end of the car just barely inside, safe from the clutches of the gate.
You all breathe heavily, gasping for air. You look at El, assuring even with the blood all over her, she's okay. You look to Dustin, trying not to cry.
"Holy shit," Dustin breathes softly, turning to face you and El.
"That was awesome," you smile, squeezing their hands.
Soldiers surround the car, pointing guns inside until you all climb out. On the other side, you see everyone else. The kids, Kali, the older teens, the rest of the party, Hopper and Joyce. They're all safe.
Upon seeing you, Lucas and Mike scream your names, cheering you on. Steve and Robin join in once Steve is done giving Dustin his upset father look. Hopper seems very unentertained by the stunt El pulled. Joyce, Will, and Jonathan cheer for El, happy to see her alive. Kali sends her a little smile and nod, respecting her choice. Nancy smiles at Dustin, happy beyond the bounds of the Earth he went back to save you. Delightful Derek cheers from his spot, causing the other kids to do the same. They all seem entirely awestruck, like they weren't expecting you to return, or that only one or two of you would.
The soldiers look on, not very entertained, much like Hopper.
The soldiers point guns at your heads, forcing your hands behind your back, pressing you against the car. You realize the others are all in cuffs or at least with guns at their backs. Kali manages to use her powers one last time to trick Dr. Kay into walking into the Upside Down, the soldiers, the entire base following. You watch in awe, looking at each soldier walk into the gate, and dissappear within an instant. El, drained, still manages to help her sister and force some stray soldiers into the gate, killing them all.
Then, it's silent. You're free.
"Holy fucking shit," you exhale, "Thanks for saving me, guys."
El smiles and nods as Hopper, Joyce, Jonathan, and Will approach. Lucas and Mike envelope you and Dustin into a giant hug as El is bombarded by her new family. Kali watches on with a smile before she uncuffs Steve, Robin, and Nancy.
Through the chaos, El makes her way back to you. It's just you three in a tight, warm, loving hug.
Now you finally understand the weight of their love. They'll protect you forever, no matter what, life or death.
author's note: back to my roots of writing fem character x reader fanfiction.
warnings: in this fic, there is no Upside-Down or anything to do with that because I said so. talks of homophobia, BYLER MENTION, kissing
Every Tuesday over the summer was girls' night, where you, Max, and El all went out and then went home to your house or sometimes El’s to sleep over. Every other Friday night, you and El had a sleepover at your house so that Hopper and Joyce could have a date night.
Tonight is one of those Friday nights. Steve was out doing who knows what, and your parents have been out of town for months, so you had the house to yourselves.
“We’re watching sixteen candles. I got it from the family video. It was super expensive,” you slide in the VHS and sit down beside El
“What is the movie about?” she asks, and you turn to her
“Oh, well, it’s a romance film, so probably love,” you shrug, and she nods, turning her attention to the box television
The movie was pretty good in your opinion, though a little slow. Towards the end of the film, do the love interests finally kiss, making you sigh
“Finally,” you scoff, pointing at the TV, and El laughs
“Why do people always do that?” El asks, making you turn to look at her
“What?”
“Why do people kiss?” she asks again, her voice going softer
“Oh… um? I guess cause they love each other?” You shrug, and she furrows her brows
“So… I could kiss you?” You choke on your spit the moment the words escape her mouth. How do you answer that? How do you explain things like that to someone who doesn’t understand the world? You take in a deep breath
“Well… technically, yeah. You can kiss whoever you want to, but people often judge others when girls kiss girls, and boys kiss boys.” El nods as you speak, but then looks at you
“But what about Will?” You look at her with a raised brow
“What about Will?”
“He kisses Mike.” Your eyes go wide, and you start laughing
“Oh my god! OH MY GOD! I KNEW IT,” you shout, pumping your fist into the air, “I’m a genius.” You take a deep breath, trying to calm yourself before going back to the serious topic
“Well, in the case of Mike and Will… no one knows. Except you apparently, that's how it usually is for people like them.”
“Like them?” El asks
“Different. Not in a bad way. It doesn’t hurt anyone, but the world is cruel, and people treat those people differently because of who they love.” El looks down into her lap as you speak
“People treat me differently already,” she whispers, and you look over at her
“People will find a small flaw in someone and try to make them insecure about it.” You grab her hand for reassurance. “You’re amazing just how you are. No matter who you like, where you’re from, or what you do,” El smiles back
, then looks away before pulling away from you
“Would you ever… kiss a girl?” You expected this question. With the way the conversation started, you assumed that this question would get asked
“I mean..” you let out a deep breath, “if I trust them and really think that we could be something sure. Love is love.” El nods
“Me too,” El mumbles, and you smile, looking back at the TV that now has the credits rolling
“We can kiss if you want,” you say calmly as El’s eyes widen
“Really?” you nod, and she shakes her head
“I don’t know how” you grab her hand
“Then I’ll show you.” You shift so that you are facing her, and she is facing you. You guide her hands to your shoulders
“Just keep those there,” El nods, and you slowly lean in, “close your eyes, it helps,” you mumble, your lips brushing over hers as you speak, making El shudder a little. When your lips finally touch, it’s soft and slow. El doesn’t know what she’s doing, and you don’t want her to get overwhelmed, so you stick to the basics. When you pull away, El giggles
“What?” you ask, a smile forming on your face
“It was fun.”
“Yeah? Wanna do it again?” you tease, and El nods her head
“Yes,” you smile and pull her onto your lap
“Let's just keep this to ourselves for now. Definitely don’t tell Mike.” El nods
"So don't tell Will because he'll tell Mike?" she asks, and you smile, pushing her hair back behind her ear
"Exactly," you mumble going back in for another kiss.
Sacrifice (Max Mayfield x Sister!Reader; El Hopper x Mayfield!Reader)
Main Masterlist
Anonymous asked:
hi i have a request for el hopper. reader was el’s gf since season 2. during season 3, the whole star court battle, reader was the one to sacrifice herself instead of billy. el is devastated because she lost both reader an hop. turns out reader is alive and in Russia with hop. when Joyce and Murray go to save hop, they’re surprised to see reader is also there. then they return to Hawkins and el and reader have this emotional and heartfelt moment, she also reunites with the party. plus can reader be a year older than the party and have an older sister role for max. can there also be a scene where the party acknowledges that max sometimes wears reader’s signatures jacket to remember her?thank u and have s wonderful rest of your day!!
Fireworks explode against the side of the Mind Flayer.
Billy Hargrove screams in pain as the fireworks explode against the monster.
The older boy sways unsteadily, but a weight hits him from the side, and he's knocked out of the way of the Mind Flayer's flesh-like arms.
(Y/n) Mayfield lets out a scream, holding back the flesh-like arms as they lunge for her girlfriend of two years, Eleven Hopper.
(Y/n)'s younger sister, Max is watching from behind a pillar.
At the sound of her sister's scream, Max runs, as if in slow motion, towards the three people - her stepbrother, her best friend, and her older sister - but she's too late.
The scream that leaves (Y/n)'s mouth is one of agonizing pain as the flesh-like arms shoot into her sides. There is a sucking noise and the color begins to leave the girl's face.
The enormous monster drops to the ground and Billy seems to shake himself out of his trance.
His eyes widen and he drops to the ground, leaning over his younger stepsister.
"Hey," the boy's voice is gruff. He presses his hands to the huge spots of blood collecting on the girl's shirt. "You little shit," his tone is gentle however, "you wake up."
Max skids across the floor, not caring about the floor burn she was definitely going to be there hours later.
"(Y/n)! (Y/n)! Wake up!" the young redhead is panicking, her sister's lead resting on her thigh.
Blood leaks out of the girl's mouth and a sob escapes El's mouth. "Wake up!" the usually quiet girl cries out. Eleven leans forward over (Y/n)'s face. "Please," she murmurs, "I love you. You can't leave me."
(Y/n)'s chest heaves as she tries to breath through her excessive blood loss. "Love you, El," escapes the girl's mouth and Eleven lets out a sob. (Y/n)'s head lolls to the side so she could look at her younger sister and older stepbrother. "Love you," she rasps. "I - I'm s-sor-ry." she gasps. The girl's body falls still, and the other party members gather around the little group gathered on the floor.
"(Y/n)!" Max shakes her sister's shoulders. "(Y/n), wake up. (Y/n), get up. Please, (Y/n) . . ." Despair drips from the redhead's words and sobs rack her body. "(Y/n)!"
Billy had fallen back, a look of horror and guilt evident on his face.
El reaches out for her best friend and the redhead falls into El's arms, both girls grieving over the dead girl on the floor.
Nancy, Jonathan, Robin, and Steve stare at the body of the young girl on the floor and claws grab at Steve's heart.
It was a running joke between the older kids - Nancy, Jonathan, and himself - that he was the babysitter of the group, but right now, Steve couldn't laugh at the joke. He felt as though he'd lost part of himself, for one of his kids was dead.
. . .
El was numb, sitting on the edge of an ambulance, a weighted blanket draped over her shoulders.
Joyce Byers stumbles out of the mall, numb with grief at the death of Jim Hopper.
Joyce almost falls over as her youngest son, Will, runs to her, hugging her tightly.
Catching sight of Joyce, El shrugs off her blanket, and stumbles towards the woman.
Joyce sobs, taking a hold of the girl.
Sobs rack El's body again and she can hardly believe she'd lost both her father and her girlfriend in the same day. In the same battle. The Battle of Starcourt.
. . .
Three months later, the whole party is gathered at the Byers' household.
The kids are helping the Byers pack up their house and load it into the Uhaul.
Max shrugs, her late sister's favorite jacket shifting slightly on her shoulders. Yes, it was the summer, and yes it was hot outside, but Max couldn't take off the jacket. Max slept in the jacket, skated in the jacket, she literally wouldn't - and couldn't - take off the jacket.
. . .
The exhausted girl collapses to the floor of her shared cell with Jim Hopper.
The Russians had decided to group 'the Americans' together.
None of (Y/n)'s friends and siblings would've been able to recognize the girl. Her hair was buzzed and she was thin, sickeningly thin.
"Kid," Hopper rasps, shaking his daughter's girlfriend's shoulder, "you gotta sit up."
The girl complies, wincing slightly at the phantom pains in her side from the Mind Flayer.
. . .
Both Hopper and (Y/n) remove their wooly hats to wipe the sweat from their brows.
"What is this, Americans?" Enzo questions in Russian. "What is taking you this long? Are you tired today?" the man asks, softening slightly at the exhaustion showing on the girl's face.
"Pig," Hopper spits in Russian.
"What did you say?" Enzo questions
"Asshole!" Hopper replies.
Hopper grunts as Enzo drags him away from the workers.
(Y/n) shifts uncomfortably as all the other men look at her, now that her protector was gone. She goes back to her work, using the mallet to hammer the railway posts into the ground.
"You're Russian is getting better," Enzo tells Hopper behind one of the buildings. "So is your acting."
"All right, what is it?" Hopper asks. "You know I don't like leaving her alone."
"I bring news from America," the guard replies. "I heard from your friends. They are bringing your money to Alaska."
"When?" Hopper asks, straightening slightly.
"Today, I hope," Enzo replies. "If my pilot gets his money, he will bring it in his plane tomorrow. Then you and the girl can hitch a ride back to your country. I get rich, and you and the girl are free. Sounds too good to be true, yes?"
"It does," Hopper replies. "This pilot, you sure you can trust him?"
"His name is Yuri Ismaylov," Enzo says. "He's a smuggler. Supplies American goods to some of us guards here, including me on lucky occasions. Cigarettes, peanut butter, Playboys, the best America has to offer."
"Great. So he's a criminal," Hopper says.
"Of course," Enzo replies. "Who else do you want to do this job? Gandhi? You're worried about your woman, is that it? I can see why you like her, American. When I talked to her, I can tell by her voice that she's very pretty." Hopper straightens ever more against his railway posts. "Feisty too. I like that. Shame we won't meet."
"You promised me that she would be safe," Hopper growls.
"And she will be," Enzo says. "Let me handle Yuri. You have more important things to worry about. Remember, you miss that plane tomorrow, I am still rich, and you and the girl are still stuck in Kamchatka. So whatever it is you're planning, American, best get to it, yes?"
. . .
(Y/n)'s stomach rumbles loudly at the lunch break as she takes her normal rations of a bowl of soup and bread.
Hopper leads the way over to one of the pavilions and they sit down beside one of the men that they worked with.
Hopper leans over to the man, holding out his bread.
"I am no fairy," the other man replies in Russian and (Y/n) bites her tongue angrily, knowing that this was their only way of getting out.
"No, no," Hopper replies. In broken Russian, he says, "You . . . hit." He holds out the bread.
Though she was starving - she received less food than the other prisoners - (Y/n) holds out her bread as well, gesturing to her own leg.
The man looks at the two American's. He gestures to Hopper's soup.
Hopper nods, placing the bread into the bowl, and (Y/n) adds her bread to Hopper's bowl. Before Hopper can hand over to bowl, (Y/n) takes the spoon from the bowl.
(Y/n) takes a spoon of soup from her own bowl before offering the bowl and the other spoon to Hopper.
. . .
The mallet slams into the ankle cuffs on (Y/n)'s leg and she bites her coat sleeve, tears of pain welling in her eyes.
. . .
(Y/n)'s gaze swims with pain as the guards tug on her ankle chains and she stumbles slightly stepping off the raised platform.
. . .
(Y/n) feels ashamed as she tugs the ankle cuffs off her leg over the bloody gouge in her leg. She pulls the cuff down below the gouge and over her foot.
"Come here, kid," Hopper says, having done the same, pained tears welling in his eyes.
(Y/n) slides herself over and a sob rips from her throat. Hopper softens, wrapping his arms around (Y/n) in a fatherly hug.
"We're going to get home," Hopper murmurs. "I'll get you home."
. . .
(Y/n) and Hopper slide their pickaxes under the railway and with a grunt of effort from (Y/n), both of the wood snaps.
(Y/n) wrenches the ax out from under the rails and takes it with her as she walks towards the supply shed.
Hopper follows, though he'd forgotten to grab the lower part of the ax.
The guard raises his rifle, pointing it at the two Americans.
(Y/n) raises her hands, showing her broken pickaxe and Hopper raises his.
The guard walks into the shed and Hopper follows.
Looking around, (Y/n) moves around the shed; moving over to one of the snowmobiles and starting the engine.
(Y/n) panics at first, but then she realizes that no one else would be able to hear the engine and relaxes.
. . .
The two arrive at the smugglers shed, and they're waiting overnight when a man arrives.
"Ah, you must be Hopper," the man says in broken English. "I'm Yuri."
The relief must be evident on (Y/n)'s face, because Yuri smiles gently at the girl.
. . .
(Y/n) and Hopper stagger off the plane and Joyce's eyes widen as they fall on (Y/n).
Murray steps forward, embracing Hopper in a friendly hug.
(Y/n) stumbles, falling into Joyce Byers's arms. A sob racks the thin girl's body and she finally lets the tears slide down her cheeks.
Joyce holds the girl close, gently smoothing out the slowly lengthening hair on the girl's head.
Joyce meets Hopper's gaze over (Y/n)'s head, her expression softening with love for the man.
Then, Joyce focuses her gaze back down on the girl.
Through her daze, one thought sears itself in (Y/n)'s mind. "Max," the girl murmurs. "I need to see Max. And El."
. . .
Max sits down, cross-legged in front of her sister's grave, zipping up the jacket before she unfolds her letter. "Dear (Y/n), I don't know if you can even hear this. Two years ago, I would have said, 'That's ridiculous, impossible.' But that was before I found out about alter dimensions and monsters, so . . . I'm just going to stop assuming that I know anything. So much has happened since you left. Neil was a total mess. He and Mom started getting into fights. Bad fights. I don't think he could stand being here anymore, so he took Billy and left. And Neil 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 and Billy's lives. That you saved my life." Max bites her lip, but she can't stop the tears that trickle down her cheeks. "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." Max sniffs, wiping her face carelessly. "And everything would be . . ." the girl sobs ". . . everything would be right again. I imagine that we . . . would be even closer. And I know that's stupid. But I thought that maybe . . . " Max's voice breaks. "But that's not what happened. I just . . . I stood there and I watched. For a while, I tried to be happy. Normal. But I . . . I know part of me died that day too. And I haven't told anyone this. I . . . I just can't. But I had to tell you. Before it's too late. If you can even hear this. I really hope that you can." More tears spill down Max's face. "I'm so, so sorry, (Y/n). Love, your shitty little sister, Max."
Max folds up the letter, shoving it back in the envelope.
There is an eerie rumbling and the sky goes dark.
Max hears the chime of a clock and eerie laughter.
"Max," the voice echoes through the void of darkness. "Max," the voice says again, and Max stands up, shaking with fright. "I've been waiting to hear those words, Max." Max gulps audibly, watching as the figure steps closer to her. "Waiting so very long." The figure's shirt is soaked through with blood, and the blood seems fresh, dripping onto the grass and making the dark earth sizzle. The figure steps forward again, blood dripping from their mouth. "But it wasn't the full truth, was it, Max?" the figure hisses. The figure reaches out their hand, wiping the tears from Max's cheeks with a thumb.
Max breathes shakily, leaning away from the figure.
"You know, I think there's a part of you, buried somewhere deep, that wanted me to die that day," the figure growls, facing the younger girl, her eyes narrowed. "That was maybe even relieved." Max furiously shakes her head, gulping back sobs. "Happy."
"(Y/n), no, that's not true," Max says, looking up at her older sister with wide eyes.
"That's why you stood there, isn't it, Max?" (Y/n) asks, leaning forward slightly. "It's okay. You can admit it now. No more lies. No more hiding."
"(Y/n), that's not true," Max replies, swallowing back her tears. Max takes a few steps back. "It's not true."
"That's why you feel so much guilt, isn't it Max?" (Y/n) questions, walking closer to the girl.
"No," Max sobs.
"Why you hide from your friends," (Y/n) goes on. "Why you hide from the world."
"No. No," Max wails.
"And why, late at night, you have sometimes wished to follow me," (Y/n) continues, stepping closer to Max and forcing her to the edge of the raised grassy platform.
A clock chimes.
"Follow me into death," (Y/n) rasps. "That is why I am here, my dear sister."
"No," Max sobs again.
"To end your suffering, once and for all."
Max takes another step back. "No," she says, shaking her head. Max takes another step and she falls onto her back. Max's grunt of pain echoes throughout the graveyard.
Looking up, she sees that her sister's body had transformed into Vecna, and now the monster was looking down at her.
"It is time, Max," Vecna says, his voice echoing through Max's mind. "It's time for you to join me."
Max scrambles to her feet and dashes away.
. . .
Max is pinned up against the pillar, vines closing around her neck and pinning her arms and legs to the pillar.
Vecna stands feet away and he takes a few steps closer to her.
Max watches him out of the bottom of her vision, her eyes crossing slightly when he stops - less than a foot in front of her.
Max whimpers, struggling against the bonds to breathe.
. . .
Dustin charges back up the hill with Max's cassette player and all of her tapes.
"What's her favorite song?" Dustin asks, spilling the player and tapes onto the ground.
"Uh," Lucas scrambles through the pile, finding the correct tape. He jams it into the player, throws the headphones onto Max's head, and hits play.
. . .
Max's favorite song, Running Up That Hill, begins playing inside of Vecna's mind prison, and Max's eyes fly open.
Max can see that a portal had opened up over Vecna's shoulder and she stares at it, watching as her friends try to wake her.
"Max, wake up!" she hears Dustin yell.
"They can't help you, Max," Vecna says, turning back to his victim. "There's a reason you hide from them."
Memories begin flashing in Max's mind - (Y/n) teaching her to skate; her and Lucas dancing at the Sno-Ball; her, (Y/n), and El getting ice-cream together; her and the boys
"You belong here," Vecna says.
"You're not really here," Max growls.
"Oh, but I am, Max," Vecna replies. "I am," he raises a clawed hand above Max's head and lowers it until it almost touches her face.
. . .
"I'd be running up that road. Be running up that hill," the lyrics pierce through the fog that had been closing over Max's mind.
More memories flash before Max's eyes - riding her skateboard around Mike in the gym, trips to the arcade with her friends, scaring the party members on Halloween, cuddling with her sister on the couch during their weekly movie night.
"I don't want a letter," Lucas shakes the envelope. "I'm right here."
Max forces her way through her bonds, stabbing Vecna in the shoulder with a rock.
As the bridge of the song builds, Max charges for the portal.
Vecna stares after the girl, then raising his hand, sending rocks and parts of the house to land in the water.
One lands directly behind Max, and she tips, falling into the water.
Max scrambles to her feet, continuing to sprint for the portal.
What about El x fem!reader (fluff I think)? (Takes place in season 3) Where the reader and El are dating and reader is with the scoop troop and El is really worried then they reunite(sorry that's all I could think of)
a/n: this is just something short, but I would love to revisit this one day!! please lmk if anyone wants something longer! also the reader isn't a pussy like mike and actually says ily🤭 probably not accurate to what happens in the show, it's been a while since I watched s3 lol
being away from you was the hardest thing for El. not knowing where you were, if you were hurt, if the mind flayer somehow got to you, it was tearing her apart.
after hearing that everyone was at the mall, she and the group rushed over.
since being reunited with the rest of the gang, all you could focus on was El. while everyone else was worrying about how to take down the mind flayer, Billy and the random Russians you and, as Dustin likes to call, the scoop troop ran into, all you could think about was how El was feeling.
she could barely catch her breath from how fast she was running to get to everyone. her eyes searched for you and Hopper, desperately needing to know if you were okay.
when she finally saw you it was like everything stopped for a moment, like it was just you and her. she ran over to you, jumping into your arms with tears in her eyes.
you immediately hugged her back, pushing your head deep into the crook of her neck. you ran your fingers through her hair, feeling her shake softly.
"you're okay." she sobbed quietly.
"yeah, I'm okay, I'm okay." you whispered back.
you pulled back slowly to look her in the eye. you smiled, her following seconds after.
she leaned in, softly pressing her slightly chapped lips against yours. you kissed back, grinning while doing it.
kissing with El was always playful, but in the moment you both felt nothing but love and tenderness.
"I love you." she spoke, leaning her forehead against yours.
"I love you." you chuckled, pulling her in fro another kiss.
