[What does hand flex mean, question?] Rocky asks from where we're huddled together on the floor, watching the 2005 adaption of Pride & Prejudice. Well he's huddled, pressed into my side, one arm under my pillow, two more slung over my hip, still in his pajamas. I'm stretched out trying to somewhat distribute myself away from his heat, though with my hands still idly moving over his carapace I'm doing a bit of a poor job at that.
"It's uh—" I hit pause, search for the right word. "Have we had yearning in the vocab yet? Missing someone or something so much it hurts. You can yearn for a place, like the house you grew up in, or for something more abstract like uhm— freedom, or happiness or something. Or rather— here it's wanting to be with someone so much it hurts. Like you love them so much it's painful when you can't be together."
Rocky straightens up in alarm. [Humans in danger when away from mate, question? Why not tell Rocky, question?]
dog days
[read on ao3]
ship: grace/rocky
words: 14,789, completed
tags: post-movie, angst with a happy ending, hurt/comfort, codependent relationship, nuclear grade yearning, miscommunication but only in the sense that grace's inherent self doubt is making him delusional, rocky is VERY clear about his intentions, fellas is it cheating if you merge your soul with your alien bff who also technically has a mate (It's not), the concept of being a middle aged man trapped in a fishbowl light-years from earth haunted by ur own narrative, demisexual ryland grace, mention of childhood neglect, first person grace pov, epistolary elements, not beta read we die like the sun
Chapter 1: Ahoy Boy!
- Ex childhood friends to lovers fanfiction
Summary: After avoiding Steve throughout high school, and wanting to keep it that way after you graduated. You see him again face to face after years of not talking to each other, you made it your goal in life to never speak or see him again until now.
word count: 2.5k
Warnings: Language
A/N: Hi all! This is my first ever fanfic that i have written! In like ages so i apologize if its rusty! I am excited but also a lil nervous with sharing this but i hope you all enjoy this just like i did writing it. :)) Please don't forget to like, reblog, and comment! I would absolutely love any feedback, your thoughts or anything you would possibly like to see written in future chapters of this story. I also wanted to dedicate this fic/chapter to @yourfavoritewitchbitch & @takemetothelakes-poets for their help and advice, helping making this fic happen!
- I do not own any of the Stranger Things characters or the ST universe! I also do not consent anyone to repost or take my work as their own!
Series Masterlist
“Shit! Shit!” you look over to your bedside table clock, realising that you were late for work….very late. Quickly rushing out of bed, throwing on your work uniform, not caring if your hair was exactly presentable, tying it into a quick, messy ponytail before opening your bedroom door and sprinting down the stairs towards the front door, forgetting breakfast.
Rushing to your car, you place the keys into the ignition only for the vehicle to make some weird noises. The engines bugged…great.
“God dammit!”
You slam your hands on the steering wheel, letting out a frustrated sigh. This was all you needed, you were already running late as it was, and the car not turning on was the cherry on top. You had no idea how you were going to make it to your shift now. Your mother was at work herself, and Robin, your best friend, didn't have her licence and was most likely at work already. Until you looked up from your lap, seeing your bike in the garage, weathered and collecting dust. The bike you had not used for years since you started high school. You hesitated slightly. Having no other way of transportation, you had no choice but to take the weathered bike.
Upon arriving at Starcourt Mall, crowds of people everywhere. You quickly place your bike in one of the bike racks available, rushing inside, and manoeuvring through swarms of people shopping.
“Oh, Good! There you are!” You stop in your tracks once you step foot past the register at your work at ‘The Gap.’ Nicole, your co-worker, gave you a look of relief.
“You’re lucky our boss isn't in today, there was no way I would’ve been able to cover your ass otherwise. I was also starting to think something was wrong with you.’’ Nicole spoke to you as she was restocking items at the counter.
“Yeah, I know…I slept through my alarm…again’’ You spoke, embarrassed.
Nicole stops and looks over to you, “Just show up on time for the next shift…oh, by the way, I already clocked you onto your shift, so it looked like you started the time you were supposed to be here...” She looked at her watch before speaking again. “Over…an hour ago.’’
You look at your co-worker, an apologetic look all over your face. “I’ll make it on time next time, I promise. I mean, if you want me to make it up for you I can take your closing shift?”
As much as you didn't want to stay for the whole day just to close you already felt bad for 1: rocking up to your shift late and 2: for making Nicole worry and cover for you. As well as you needed the money to help cover the costs of getting your car fixed. Although you lived in a wealthy household with your mother, she had insisted that you become independent and earn your own money from time to time. Your father was no longer in the picture, leaving with his new girlfriend. Leaving no money for his own daughter. But luckily, your mother was already a well-respected woman in Hawkins and successful in her career. The two of you were doing just fine.
“No, it's fine, I can close.” Nicole focuses her gaze back to the counter before pausing for a moment, a smile suddenly appearing on her face.
“Actually ... are you free to close for me tomorrow night? I have a date with Billy that I don't want to miss.’’
You look at her, rolling your eyes. You never understood what Nicole found in him, or any girl, for that matter.
“Billy? Seriously? You do know he was the biggest jerk in school, still is.”
She scoffs slightly as she finishes restocking the counter, properly facing you. “So? He’s hot, plus I wasn't going to say no when he asked me the other day at the pool in front of people. So can you pleaaaseee cover for me tomorrow night?”
You let out a sigh, remembering you needed the money. “Yeah, sure i can.”
Some hours had passed, and you were finally able to clock off from your shift, heading straight towards the food court to your best friend's work at Scoops. Robin Buckley and you had become best friends the moment you both started high school, since Steve had dumped your friendship the moment he stepped foot into the popular crowd. Speaking of him, Robin had mentioned she was working with him at Scoops and had insisted to you that he had changed for good, but you needed to see it for yourself to believe it.
You walk into Scoops, your red Converse shoes squeaking against the laminate flooring as you wait behind three women, seeing the one and only Steve Harrington flirting horribly at them. ‘He still cannot flirt for shit,’ you thought.
“Would you like to set sail on this ocean of flavour with me? I’ll be your captain. I’m Steve Harrington.” Steve’s attempt at flirting makes you stifle a laugh.
You eventually make it to the front of the line after witnessing Steve’s very poor attempt at getting a date. His back now facing you as he speaks to Robin, your gaze landing on a tally board, ‘You Rule, You Suck.’ You cross your arms over your chest, letting out a small but noticeable laugh.
“Wow, the ‘King of Hawkins High’ is slinging ice cream now? Never thought I’d see this.”
Steve had never spun around on his heels so quickly at the sound of your voice. He missed hearing you, seeing you. And he knew, he knew he was to blame for what happened between the two of you.
“Oh- Uh, yeah…just getting some extra pocket money-.” Steve awkwardly stutters out to you, nervous to even form a proper sentence to you.
You give Steve a slight nod, your gaze looking up and down at this sailor uniform. You were surprised he was doing a job like this. You thought the moment he left school he would be off in a corporate job with his douche of a father or off to college somewhere.
Steve caught your gaze looking at him…well, him and his ‘company policy’ sailor uniform. This was not at all the way Steve had pictured wanting to talk to you again, to explain everything, to apologise. Before he could speak another word to you, Robin barges out the door from the back, a smile on her face glad to see you. Grabbing onto your arm and taking you out the back before telling Steve to stay out and take orders while she caught up with you.
‘Nice going.’ Steve thought to himself, as he placed his ice cream scoop back into its designated spot, waiting for customers to arrive to pass the time.
Back in the small staff area in Scoops, you sit on the white countertop, your legs dangling as you talk with Robin who was seated beside you.
“ See, I told you he has changed, I mean he can’t flirt to save his life.” Robin points towards the ‘You Rule, You Suck’ Board, all tallys on the ‘You Suck’ side. “But he isn't actually…that bad. Not like he was back in school.”
Robin looks over to you with a knowing look on her face.
“What?” You look over to her with confusion.
“Ugh.” Robin lets out a slight frustrated sigh, you must be blind, just like Harrington. She thinks, as she gives you ‘that’ look.
You point your gaze towards the floor, you had made a promise to yourself to never talk to Steve again for the rest of your life. That day you never forgot, it hurt.
Flashback - 1981
It was your and Steve’s first day of High School, and you were excited for it, even eventually graduating with Steve as the two of you always did everything together and were inseparable..or so you thought.
Both you and Steve had very different timetables for classes, Steve was applying for the Hawkins High Basketball team, and you…? You applied for the cheerleading team but you still had not heard a word about whether you got in or not. Apart from both of your busy schedules, you both promised to find time for each other during breaks.
You were at your locker, placing your books away, waiting for Steve to meet up with you as promised, looking at your watch, and you frown. He was late….Steve was never late, never for you at least. Maybe he forgot? You thought, thinking of any scenario that would not hurt you. All your thoughts of what may have happened were interrupted as you heard a laugh in the halls, not just any laugh. His laugh, Steve’s loud laugh, filled your ears, a smile growing on your face as you looked over to where his laugh was coming from, only for your face to fall.
There he was, laughing and hanging around Carol Perkins and Tommy H., Your Middle School bullies, and Steve knew that. Betrayal filled your heart. Was this new? How long was he suddenly friends with these two and didn't say anything to you? Tears threatened to spill, taking a few deep breaths as you approached the group, looking at Steve with a sad smile.
“Hey, I was starting to think you forgot about me.” You say with a nervous laugh, holding onto the strap of your shoulder bag.
Steve looks at you with an unknown look in his eyes that you couldn't decipher. “Oh…gosh, I completely forgot, been busy with training and all that, how about another day?” Steve rambles on quickly. Carol and Tommy H stifle a laugh beside him.
“Oh…yeah sure..” You say, clear disappointment in your voice, Steve had never pushed you aside like that before and it stung.
Steve gave you a sad sorry look as he walked off with Carol and Tommy, leaving you standing in the middle of the school hall by yourself, you trying to process what the hell just happened.
The remainder of the day was absolute hell for you. You never thought this was how your first day of High School was going to go. Eventually, you made it home after a long, shitty day at school. Your mother was wondering how your first day went as soon as you entered through the front door. With tears running down your face, eyes red and puffy, you race upstairs, unintentionally ignoring her as you didn't have the energy to face anyone, not after today. You rush into your room, shutting your door, walking straight towards the photo board you had of you and Steve, immediately ripping off all the polaroids of him and you, leaving only ones of your dog and your mother. You throw them into the shoebox of other items you had been given by him. The idea of seeing anything that reminded you of him hurt way too much.
This was just the start of what was once years of friendship, fun memories, now turned into cold shoulders, anger and hate towards him.
Present -1985
After talking with Robin and avoiding any conversations mentioning Steve, you looked over to the clock on the wall, realising you should be on your way back home as you did promise your mother you would be there for dinner as she was going to be away on a work trip for a week and she wanted to spend her last night for the week with her daughter.
“I should probably go…you know what my mother is like if I'm not home by a certain hour.”
You get down from the counter facing Robin as you walk toward the door that led back into the front area of the shop. Robin knew you were trying your best to avoid anything to do with Steve. She was your best friend, she could see right through you.
‘Right…well, I'll see you at the same time tomorrow?” Robin gets down from the counter as she walks behind you out to the front, her being very much aware of Steve’s gaze staring at you. You, completely unaware, as you wanted to avoid him, wanting to forget about his existence just like he did to you.
“Yeah, I’ll be closing tomorrow night anyway, so I'll see you then?” You say as you speed walk towards the exit of Scoops.
Robin gives you a nod, a smile on her face. “Yeah! I’ll see you then, say hi to your mother for me!” Your best friend yells as you start walking off.
“Will do!” You yell back, smiling. Robin was one of your mother's favourites since your friendship breakup with Steve.
As your figure went out of view, Robin looked over to Steve, who was still watching the area where you were standing a few moments ago. “You okay over there, Steve? Are you broken or something?”
Once you arrived back home, your old bike was surprisingly still holding together, considering it was rusted. You enjoyed a decent dinner with your mother.
“How was work?” Your mother asked curiously as she took a sip of wine from her glass.
“Oh, it was alright, cars bugged though, wouldn't start for me this morning, ended up taking my old bike.” You say as you go to take a bite of your food.
Once the two of you finished dinner, you helped your mother clean up for the night. She had offered you to take her car for the time being while she was away. You hesitated, unsure if you were even trusted to drive your mother's car, scared to even land a single scratch on it. But considering you really had to use your legs today to pedal your bike, you took her up on the offer, promising to take care of it while she was away.
.
Now sitting on your bed in your room, Hounds of Love by Kate Bush playing softly from your Walkman. Thoughts replaying in your head from today, seeing Steve again face to face for the first time in 4 years. You look down at the shoebox in your lap, the box full of memories, memories of him…
‘I’m still afraid to be there’
You open the box, placing the lid beside you. Taking out stacks of Polaroid pictures of the two of you when you were younger, big wide smiles, pictures from each of your birthday parties, to throwing cake at each other one year. You both were so happy. You pull out a small blue box that was sitting in the bottom of the box that was covered by photographs, you open it, seeing the silver necklace Steve gave to you on your 12th birthday, you loved it so much you wore it every single day. He bought it for you because it had a small ladybug charm on it, since you always seemed to find them anywhere and chase Steve around with one in your hand. You chuckle at the memory. Steve always hated anything to do with bugs or insects, but you? You loved them, minus the spiders, of course.
Tears start falling from your eyes, at that moment you knew ....With everything that you did, the wall you built up to protect yourself came crashing down all at once.
‘Amongst the Hounds of Love.’
“Oh fuck me…” You whisper.
And at that moment you realise…
You were still in love with Steve Harrington.
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@dreamerjj @iloveneilperry
Divider credits: @strangergraphics
Headcanon because I’m stalling from writing my fic rn
Imagine Max is editing a video for…quite a while now and it normally doesn’t take this long for him to edit considering he just cuts and maybe sometimes adds some dumb ass filters on himself
Nonetheless it’s been like almost all day and he hasn’t come out of his room yet, meaning he hasn’t eaten a lot yet
And being the amazing girlfriend you are why not make him a little snack plate, normally you’d bring him something light when he’s playing just to fulfill him for the meantime before you make dinner or order in
But this time, this times different you decide why not surprise him with another little gift on top of the mini snack board you made for him
You knock on his door waiting for the “Come in,” as soon as you hear it you’re already at his desk
He doesn’t acknowledge you at first till you put the board down on his desk that’s when he takes his very much needed to be put down head phones and spins to be met with your nakey body blessing his eyes
“Oh baby, mmm thank you so much.”
He pulls you in by your waist before sneaking a bite of food from his board before inhaling your addictive scent
“I made you a snack!”
You say sweetly as you run your hands through his hair
“You almost done with the video?”
You tilt your head slightly towards the monitor that displayed him in gaming mode you giggled
“Yeah video mhm whatever-“
He pick you up by your thighs and takes you out of the room you giggle and kick your legs
“You don’t know how much I need this baby.”
He mumbles gently placing you down on your bed
(Guys pls spare me I legit am stumped in this fic 🙁)
(if you haven’t seen the vid, lando gave oscar a nickname with Portuguese endearment! 🫶)
i have in fact seen the video. insane behavior all around. same deal: 30 min unedited plz ignore mistakes thx <3
"Osc-een-ya?"
It sounds funny in Oscar's accent. Not like he's practiced it, either - not like Lando had in his head in the minutes between the race finish and the video start. It sounds nice anyway, though, because Oscar's saying it with an amused smile on his face and the back of his hand knocking into Lando's as they walk back towards their rooms.
"Yeah," Lando ducks his chin and shakes out his curls so he doesn't have to meet Oscar's eyes, afraid of what'll be in his own, "I don't know. Wanted to change it up."
"Where d'you even get these things?" Oscar hand moves a bit extra on the next pass and catches Lando's thigh instead of his knuckles. Lando thinks he could get away with the same thing a few steps from now. Long enough to make it seem like an accident.
He doesn't do it often enough for it to be a proper game - the thing with the nicknames. Oscar can't have guessed the rules because there aren't really any. It's just a place for Lando's mind to go when he's trying to keep it away from the roads he's not supposed to let it down. It's like Tetris, or some shit, like the computer games they'd been taught to play after a crash so their brain wouldn't get caught up in the memory of it and make it into something it isn't - something to be afraid of later.
And Lando's race wasn't even bad. That's not one of the rules. There aren't rules.
"Heard it somewhere," Lando says. He's good enough by then to smile over at Oscar.
It doesn't matter, though, because Oscar's smiling at the ground, watching their socked feet slip a little on the tile. If Lando thinks about it, it's sort of all been silly impulse decisions since they'd showered and changed. Finishing Oscar's bottle after media even though his own wasn't empty and Oscar's was probably full of backwash anyway, talking Oscar out of shoes when the press team had come to grab them, just because he felt like it. Oscinha. Like a schoolboy with a crush, acting out for attention. Bit pathetic.
"Osc," he says just as they reach their rooms.
"Oh, we're back on that?" Oscar's hand is on the handle of his door. His smile is soft and tired and gentle.
"'Osc' isn't even like that," Lando waves him off, "that's like your proper nickname."
"So what you're saying is you won't be calling me the other thing again later?"
Lando would call Oscar whatever he wanted later. He could say that, too. Oscar would laugh and blush down at their socks and mumble something about it, and it could be a joke. Lando's sort of tired of laughing stuff off lately, though, so he doesn't.
"I don't know," Lando says, "guess you'll have to wait and see."
"On the edge of my seat," Oscar answers back, dry. His hair is curling a little at the back of his neck and around his ears. He's looked extra... something all weekend. Extra himself, or a little bit different, maybe. But perhaps that's just the break talking, just the shit car and the heat and the fact they'd had to fidget all the way through the video with no trophies to keep their hands occupied.
Oscar rubs one foot on top of the other, lips ticking sideways and back. He stares at Lando until Lando remembers he'd started a conversation that Oscar's probably waiting on him to finish.
And Lando's probably got one more silly impulse decision left in him.
"What're you doing tonight?" he asks.
Oscar's smile warms. They've got a late morning flight to Mexico City. "Nothing. Why?"
Lando thinks of Tetris. Twisting pieces until they slot just together, over and over until it's stuck in your head like a song, crowding out the bad. Even when it's not so bad.
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he tells stupid jokes and she giggles like they're the funniest thing she ever heard
they fell asleep together on the couch sometimes and when he wakes up with her in his arms he realizes he never wants to let go
whenever he's away from her for more than a day or two his chest starts to ache
he finds himself saying "chrissy munson" when he's alone (or to wayne) to see how it sounds
he drags out phone calls just so he can talk to her longer - even if that means starting a debate on something he know riles her up. like how blondie isn't good music (even if he secretly thinks it is)
when he gets high alone chrissy is all he thinks about. when he gets high with her he can't stop staring at her
she's hands down the most beautiful girl he's ever met - inside and out
when chrissy talks about subjects that interest only her, he finds himself on the edge of his seat hanging onto every word she says even if the topic never interested him before
it's impossible to keep his hands to himself. he wants to touch her constantly even if it's just a hand on her knee. as someone who's never been into PDA before, eddie can't help himself
he does her hair for her whenever she stays overnight. using one of her scrunchies, he gathers her hair up into a neat ponytail then ties it with her scrunchie
he presses a kiss to every inch of her face just to hear her squeal and giggle
