Chapter 1: Officially Spring Break.
Summary: After the incident at the mall, the once lively idea of starting over in Hawkins fell apart. Your father couldn’t handle the death of his son, and eventually spiraled into alcohol addiction, deciding to skip town and leave Susan to support Maxine on her own, along with his own daughter. You stayed in Hawkins, working two jobs to help Susan with that weight of being a single mom, realizing that Max needed you more than anything right now.
Pairing: Eddie Munson & Hargrove F!Reader
Tags: Mature Themes, Heavy Dialogue, Character Death, Death, Trauma, Grief, Stress, Drug & Alcohol Consumption, Addiction, Money Struggles, Mental Illness, Anxiety, Depression.
Chapter Word Count: 4047.
Chapter Two ! S. Masterlist ! M. Masterlist
The summer after Starcourt felt like a bruise that Hawkins refused to stop touching.
The once lively mall sat abandoned and fenced off at the edge of town, a ghost of what used to be the loud and bright hangout place during summer break. People eventually stopped talking about it aloud, but there was still a sour expression that everyone seemed to have whenever they drove past it, like if they stared too long tragedy would strike again.
Your dad tried to pretend everything was alright, that nothing had changed. For weeks, he talked about rebuilding the broken family structure, about how Hawkins was still home and that things wouldn’t be different somehow. Unfortunately, grief that large doesn't listen to plans or false hope. The large gash of grief hollowed him out slowly, bottle by bottle, until his angry eyes stopped looking at you and started looking through you instead.
Billy’s death broke something in him that couldn’t be replaced, nor could the endless bottles of cheap liquor fix it, and it was only a short amount of time before the addiction swallowed him completely.
By the fall, he disappeared. He didn’t bother to leave a note, or even cash to help his family, his girls. The only thing he left was an empty closet, a stale stench of alcohol, and Susan standing idly in the kitchen, on the verge of collapsing, questioning herself if she had done anything wrong that would trigger something like this.
So, you stayed. Not like you had a choice, your father already bailed, skipping town in the middle of the night like some coward without even saying goodbye to his only remaining blood relative. The three of you eventually moved into the trailer park, packing up the remains of your house on Cherry Lane, saying goodbye to the once somewhat happy family you knew, accepting the title of a broken, hollowed-out family.
The bedside alarm clock buzzed, the relentless noise echoing off the thin walls of your room, entirely too loud this early in the morning. Your hands fumble blindly across the nightstand, knocking into the hard plastic and scattered jewelry before your fingertips finally push the button on the top of the alarm clock. You stayed in bed for a couple extra minutes, staring at the ceiling, eyes still groggy with remnants of sleep, groaning tiredly as the sun filtered through the cracked blinds.
You inhaled slowly, soaking up the rare moment of silence before the weight of responsibilities had to be acknowledged. The quiet barely has time to settle before a faint knock cuts through your room, not loud, just enough to hint at its impatience.
“Hey,” Max calls out through the door, her voice laced with urgency. “You up?”
You groan again, dragging an arm over your face, glancing over at the clock, just hitting the 6:45 mark, meaning too late to pretend you didn’t hear it. You pulled the sheets over your body, reluctantly swinging your legs off the bed and padding toward the door, hair still messy with sleep and shirt still wrinkled.
When you opened the door, Max stood there, backpack slung over her shoulder, headphones pulled over her ears. “I missed the early bus,” She explained, scuffing her shoes against the rug. “Mom already left, and the second one won’t be here for another hour.”
You sighed in response, not out of annoyance, just tired understanding. “Give me ten minutes,” You smiled, reaching over to grab your keys, tossing them toward Max. “Wait in the car, I’ll be quick.”
Her shoulders relax instantly, reaching out for the keys. “You’re a lifesaver.” She said, a small thankful smile curving over her lips before turning away, heading toward the front door.
You scrambled around the room, kicking over the piles of clothes, grabbing the first pair of acceptable pants you could find, and nearly stumbling as you pulled them over your legs. You grabbed the scoffed-up Converse tucked underneath your bed, shoving your feet into them as you padded to the door, grabbing your sweater along the way.
The morning chill whipped around you, the dry leaves crunching underneath your feet as you dropped into the driver’s seat, car rattling as you slammed the door shut. The engine was already rumbling, radio faintly playing the familiar tone of the Bon Jovi cassette you left inside. Your fingertips tapped along the steering wheel, humming along to the music as you pulled out of the glass driveway.
For a few minutes, neither of you say anything, just listening to the music playing through the speakers, while Max idly glances out the window, listening to whatever is playing through her headphones. The road stretched ahead, fairly empty for a Friday morning, but peaceful enough to let your mind wander away from the looming responsibilities back at home.
Max breaks the silence, lifting her head from the window, looking over at you with an unreadable expression. “I hate being late.” She mutters, a weak scoff spilling over, “Everyone stares.” You could practically hear the eyes roll in annoyance.
You laughed softly, glancing over at her for a second before returning to the road. “You’ll be alright, kid. First bell’s not for another ten,” You said, fingertips tapping along to the guitar instrumental. “I can totally speed if you want, but you gotta explain the speedin’ ticket to mom.” You joked, earning a small laugh from Max.
The idea of your mom freaking out about a speeding ticket earned a short laugh from her, surprising both of you. “Mom would kill us. I guess I can handle a few stares,” Max said, easing back into the usual flatness of her voice, glancing back over at the window.
Max swallows, an unfamiliar thump of emotion becoming caught in her throat as she pushes aside her headphones, pausing the record playing in her ears. “Hey, you ever think about leaving?” She asked suddenly, “Somewhere far away from everything.”
You considered the question, looking over at Max for a slight second, the school coming into view in the distance. “Yeah,” You admitted truthfully, retiring your attention back to the road, the school banners fluttering lazily. “Sometimes, but not yet.”
Max nodded slowly, taking in the truthful vulnerability in your words. “Yeah. I don’t think I’m ready yet, either.”
The car bounced as you pulled into the parking lot, students already spilling through the doorways, school buses, backpacks, and noise filling the area. Max reached out for the door handle, hesitating for a moment before opening it. “Thanks for not letting things get worse.” She says, a small, barely noticeable smile curving over her face.
You reached out, ruffling her hair like any older sister who wanted to ease the worries of their younger sibling. “I’ll see you after school, okay? I’m off, so I’ll pick you up.” You replied, giving her a small, encouraging nudge out the door.
“Right, I’ll be a couple of hours late. Dustin wants me to join them for D&D tonight.” She said with a smile, pulling her headphones back over her ears before hopping out of the car.
“Oh? Alright, have fun!” You called out, cranking down the window slightly before pulling out of the parking lot.
The drive back home is quieter, the town slowly shaking itself awake, storefronts unlocking, sprinklers blowing over the vibrant patches of grass, the paper boys cycling down the streets and tossing the daily copy of the town’s paper. The quiet trailer park greets you with that same half-empty stillness, the tire flattened grass losing its color as you pull into your lot, a complete flip from the lively center of the town.
You drop your keys into the bowl by the door, shrugging off your jacket and placing it on the shabby coat rack. You shuffle into the living room, grabbing the stereo from your bedroom, and pop in Mötley Crüe’s Shout at the Devil album cassette. The gritty sound of guitars screams through the speakers as you press play, drums pounding heavily against the speakers like a second heartbeat.
The walls practically vibrate as you crank up the volume, rolling up your sleeves as you look around the living room that turned into Susan’s makeshift bedroom. There was laundry piled around, Max’s favorite hoodie tangled with Susan’s work clothes, your own work clothes already hanging out of the unloaded washing machine. You moved along with the rhythm, grabbing every scattered piece of clothing you could find, even the cigarette-scented throw blankets before loading up the washer.
You move onto vacuuming next, humming along with the rhythm, dragging the vacuum across the carpet in time with the music. When the chorus hits, you spin the cord around your wrist, mimicking a microphone as you carelessly sing along with Vince Neil’s voice, because it feels good to be loud in a place that’s been so quiet for so long, where no one is home to judge you for butchering Ten Seconds to Love.
The music drowns out everything, the worry, the exhaustion, the echo of what used to be a family. For a few moments, you’re not the girl holding everything together. You’re just yourself, dancing barefoot across the kitchen tile, air-guitaring through Mick Mars’ instrumental as you spray the pine-scented disinfectant on every surface before wiping it down.
The trailer smelled faintly of pine cleaner and freshly dried linen as you continued to clean, straightening and fluffing out the couch cushions, folding the blanket Susan always kicks off in her sleep. You grab the ashtrays on the side table, dumping the burnt cigarette butts into the trash before turning back and grabbing the empty beer cans, making the living room somewhat livable again for Susan.
By the time you finish, it was still early in the afternoon, the sun shining through the cracked blinds, providing an unusual contrast of warmth in the empty trailer. It would be a couple more hours before Susan, or Max returned home, giving you enough time to enjoy yourself before responsibilities called at you again, but the responsibility of being an older sister never truly fades, remembering how Max mentioned wanting to pick up some movies for the upcoming spring break.
So, you shut off the stereo and head down the hall, peeling off your pajamas and tugging on something that actually feels like you. You change into a pair of medium-washed jeans, slightly worn at the knees, an old KISS tee, the logo faded but somewhat recognizable. Your leather jacket hangs on the back of the chair, creasing perfectly as you shrug it on, your Converse still waiting by the door, scuffed and dirtied, but still in working condition.
The sound of your keychains jingles against your purse as you step outside, jogging down the crooked steps of your trailer, sliding back into the driver’s seat of your car. The engine rumbles awake, the cackle of the radio greeting you warmly as you pull out of the grass driveway.
Family Video’s bell jingles when you push through the doors, fluorescent lights buzzing overhead, the smell of plastic cases and carpet cleaning clinging to the room. Steve is behind the counter, leaning his weight on his elbows like his boredom is affecting his legs, while Robin comes from the back room, complaining about the extra amount of VHS boxes.
“Hey,” Steve says, perking up when he spots you. “Didn’t expect to see you before sunset.”
Robin pops up beside him, leaning over the counter, eyes lighting up when you walk over to them. “Special occasion or did you miss our charming personalities?” She laughs, gesturing playfully between the two of them while Steve grins.
You laugh softly, leaning against the counter before shrugging over at the shelves. “Both, but Max asked me to pick up some movies for spring break.” You said, walking toward the fantasy section of the store.
Robin trailed after you, walking behind you as you searched through the shelves, humming in approval at your selections. “Labyrinth? Absolute perfection, Bowie is truly a multi-talented genius.” She says, in her very biased opinion.
Steve peers over the counter, nodding in agreement. “And The Goonies? An absolute classic. You’re winning sibling points today.” He said, leaning back against the register while you wandered back toward the counter.
“So,” Robin says, perching herself in the nearby stool, swinging one leg as she tilted her head at you. “How’s home? We barely see you, or Max, anymore.” She asked, her usually playfulness easing into something more serious.
You hesitate for a moment, not long enough to make it awkward, but long enough for them to notice. “It’s okay, just busy.” You said, lifting yourself onto the countertop. “Susan’s been picking up extra shifts. Max, she’s trying, y’know.”
Steve’s expression softened, nodding solemnly as his fingers drummed against the counter. “How are you holding up?” He asked, his voice lower, more sincere.
You meet his eyes and give a small, unconvincing nod. “Someone’s gotta keep things running, Harrington.”
Robin watches you for a moment, then nudges Steve with her elbow. “We’re here, y’know. If you ever need help, food, extra shifts, or just company. We’re here for you, always.” She said, voice clear of playfulness, full of sincerity.
You meant to leave after a few minutes, well, that’s the lie you tell yourself as you lean against the counter, jacket shrugged off and draped over a chair, the movies forgotten beside the register. One conversation turned into another, Robin ranting about a customer who tried to return a tape without rewinding it, leading to Steve dramatically reenacting the scene like the greatest comedy.
“Monster!” Robin declares, frantically speaking with her hands, “Actual monsters, probably from the Twilight Zone.” She fake shivers at the thought of it.
Steve shares a glance between the two of you, “No, worse. New Jersey, the true land of horrors.”
You laugh harder than you have in weeks, the sound surprising you as it spills out unfiltered. Someone slides a tape in the store TV, some dumb action movie that none of you are really watching, too caught up in the shared conversations. You sit on the floor at one point, back against the shelf, sharing a bag of stale popcorn you left behind the counter weeks ago.
Forget the late notice bills tapes rot the fridge, the early mornings spent working, and the tight knot of responsibility that lingers too heavily in your chest. Right now, you’re just a girl sitting in a video store, laughing until your cheeks hurt, arguing with your friends about which movie has the better soundtrack, letting the noise of Robin and Steve’s bickering drown out everything else.
When you finally glance at the clock, it startles you. “Oh, shit,” you mutter, standing quickly. “I’ve gotta go get Max before she thinks I left her.”
Steve checks the time on his watch, clicking his tongue. “Yeah, any after school activities are probably ending soon. Looks like we distracted you from your parental duties,” He chuckled lightly.
“You did,” you say, smiling as you grab your jacket from the counter, not forgetting the movie tapes tucked by the register. “I needed it.”
Robin gives you a quick, impulsive hug. “Come back soon. Not for work or errands, for fun.”
You nod, sincerely. “I will.”
You pull into the school parking lot, the late-afternoon crowd slowly spilling out, the place buzzing with soft voices and movement. Max comes out shortly after, headphones hanging around her neck, freckled-cheeks flushed with excitement. Beside her, Dustin is spilling whatever nonsense had to say, hands moving animatedly around him while Mike laughed so hard, he was nearly stumbling.
A few steps behind them, the rest of the Hellfire group spills out, laughing loudly as they join the others, and that’s when you notice Eddie Munson. His denim vest was slung over his shoulder, chains glinting in the late sun, bent slightly toward Gareth, whispering something before nudging him slightly, nearly stumbling with him.
Your eyes catch onto him before you could realize, telling yourself it’s nothing, just recognition. But, there’s something about the way he throws his head back when he laughs, the way his hands move when he talks, like the world needs help keeping up with his thoughts.
And, then, he looks up. Not scanning the lot, not distracted, but directly at you.
The noise around him seemed to fade, not disappearing entirely, but softens, like it suddenly belongs to something else. His expression shifts when he recognizes you, first surprise, then something more thoughtful. The bright grin on his face doesn’t slip, but instead, settles into something more tender, more deliberate.
Max approaches the car before you can think too much about it, yanking the passenger door open. “You will not believe what happened—” She cuts herself off when she’s noticed where you’re looking, following your gaze before shifting back at you.
She narrows her eyes at you, eyebrows slightly raised in curiosity. “Do I need to be concerned? Alarmed? Disgusted?”
You glance over at her, deadpanning with a soft scoff, starting the engine. “Get in the car, Max.”
Behind her, Eddie’s is slightly closer. Close enough that you can see the scuffed metal of his dings, or the way his denim vest is frayed at the edges from cutting off the sleeves. He hesitates, like he’s considering something, then lifts his hand, two fingers to his temple in a half-salute gesture.
You return the gesture, lifting your hand from the steering wheel in a smaller, almost shy wave. Max notices the interaction, sinking down into the passenger seat, slamming the door behind her. “Okay, so. That was definitely something.” She comments, looking over at Eddie, who was grinning proudly.
“Seatbelt,” you scoffed, not with annoyance, almost with amusement as you reach over your own again,
She clicks it in exaggeratedly, still watching whatever this was in amusement. “He was totally going to come over here,” she says, looking over at Eddie from the side mirror.
You glanced back just in time to see Eddie turn away, his friends re-engaging him, Garett saying something that makes him laugh again, burning quite the same as before. Eddie looks back as you pull away, not smiling, just watching with a thoughtful gaze, like he was trying to memorize every detail of your face.
The car hums steadily as you pull away from the school, the sound of laughter fading into the distance, drowning out underneath the low hum of the radio. Max talks the entire ride, words tumbling over each other in excitement, beaming with a bright small as she explains how the campaign went,
“—and then Dustin thought we were done, like for real, and Eddie just leaned back in his chair and went, ‘Relax, Henderson. Death is merely a narrative inconvenience.’” She says, shaking her head, a grin tugging at her mouth. “He’s weird. But, I dunno, kinda great.”
Your attention shifts toward her, watching her with softened eyes. “Sounds like you had fun, kid.” You said, almost proud to see your little sister enjoying herself again.
She shrugs, trying to act casual, but you notice the way her fingers tap excitedly against her knee. “Yeah, I did. I think I might actually join, like officially.”
Your eyes widen a bit, slightly shocked by her sudden interest. “Yeah? I think that’d be good for you.” You said, smiling lightly.
Max looks surprised, but not entirely. “You do?”
“Yeah,” you hum. “You deserve something that’s yours, something you like. It’s been a rough year, you deserve to have fun again, Max.”
She nods slowly, gaze drifting out the window, letting the comforting weight of your words settle.
When you pull into the driveway, Max hops out, already halfway to the door when you call after her, reaching over to grab the movie tapes from the back seat. “Spring Break starter pack,” you say, holding up the movies.
Her eyes wide, hand loosely hanging over the doorknob as she turned to you. “No way! It is that Labyrinth?” Her excitement carries across the dirt driveway.
You grin softly, nodding your head. “Yep, and The Goonies.” You confirm, lifting up the other movie case.
“You’re kidding!” Max exclaims, grinning widely. “We’re totally starting tonight, c’mon.” She adds on, nearly bursting through the front door.
A small laugh escapes you, locking the car door behind you, following Max into the house. Inside, you kick off your shoes and drop the tapes on the coffee table. Max immediately flops down onto the floor, cross-legged, staring at the cover art on the tapes, reading the description like it was the coolest thing in the world.
The TV flicks on, the static humming filling the emptiness of the trailer, along with the clicking of the movie case as she opens it, sliding it into the VCR player. When the screen starts filling with color, she scoots back until she’s leaning against your legs, letting her head rest there like she used to do when things were okay.
You lean back against the couch, one hand absently tracing the patterns into the worn fabric beside her. The soft static fades as the pre-movie credits begin, joined by the dialogue of the opening scene. After about twenty minutes in, Max finally relaxes, stretching out on the floor, head resting against the edge of the court near your hip.
“Hey,” she says suddenly, eyes still focused on the screen. “Do you ever think about what it would’ve been like if he stayed?” Her voice carried a sense of nostalgia, remembering the old family movie nights before everything.
“Yeah,” you admit after a moment. “Sometimes, but I try not to.”
Max swallows, “I keep thinking if I’d said something different, or been less mad about everything, that Neil wouldn’t have left.”
Your chest tightened slightly, shifting against the couch, moving forward to look at Max. You reach out, resting your hand on your shoulder, trying to provide some sort of comfort. “His decision has nothing to do with you, or any of us.” You reminded, not entirely convinced yourself.
The movie continues in the background, but the room feels quieter, smaller, like the two of you are treading between vulnerability and avoidance. After a beat, she speaks up again, deciding on vulnerability. “Are you mad at him?”
You pause, thinking about your father's empty closet. The weight that settled into the house after he left, the way you learned how to be tired in a new way, a permanent way. “Sometimes,” you say honestly. “Other times, I’m just sad.”
She nods, eyes shining with unshed tears. “Me too, I miss our family.”
You pull her up gently until she’s sitting beside you, tucked into your side, letting her tears soak into your shirt as she presses her forehead against your shoulder. “I’m scared of things being good. Like if I let myself like Hellfire or laugh.. or be okay, something bad will happen again.”
“After all you’ve been through, it’s normal to have a fear like that,” you start off, arm tightening around her. “But, you can’t allow yourself to live like that. It’s scary, but sometimes, you have to open yourself up again.” You said softly, resting your chin against her head.
She exhales slowly, letting your words sink in, like they’re giving her permission. “You don’t act like a normal sibling.” She mutters, glancing over at you with glistening eyes. “You act like a parent, not in a bad way. It’s just, you chose me when you didn’t have to.”
Her words make your throat tighten, tears of your own clouding your vision. “I did choose you. I always will, you’re my sister, no matter what.”
She nods, then turns back to the screen, wiping her eyes with the sleeve of her hoodie. “I’ll always choose you to be my sister, no matter what.” She says, squeezing you a little tighter, holding onto your comfort.
The rest of the movie passes like that, quiet, comforting, and the occasional laughter slipping out when neither of you expect it. When the credits roll, Max doesn’t move, and neither do you. The two of you sit there, breathing in the warmth of each other’s presence, letting yourself remember what a family is.
Quick AN: this is my first time writing a series like this, please bear with me guys!! i’m a one shot writer but i’m trying to switch it up :p
when this is posted i’ll already be working on chapter two, if you’d like to join the series taglist lmk with a comment :)
