Here's chapter two, hope you enjoy! I do not own Stranger Things
Odette is a little inspired by Misty Day from season three of American Horror Story
Steve
He leaned glumly against the counter of Scoops, staring out into the emptiness of the mall. It was a Sunday morning so most people were still in church, Robin had the day off, and he was stuck there for the day. So he stared into space for a while, embracing the calm nothingness he so rarely got to enjoy these days. He was beginning to let his mind wander, first to the fact that he needed to pick up more hairspray after his shift...then to the fact that he was more bored than he'd thought he'd be with Henderson gone...then to the cute record store girl. He'd not really ever seen someone actually wear feather earrings but she wore them religiously.
"Hey?" A voice jolted him out of his reverie so hard he'd jumped back from leaning on the counter. A giggle floated musically to his ears as his eyes landed on her. She had her braided in two braids today. There was ribbon woven in too. She gave him another one of her infectious smiles "No Robin today?"
"Nope...her day off." He says trying to gain his usual confidence with women but failing. "What can I get you?" He smiles a little shakily, wondering just why she wanted ice cream at 9 in the morning.
"Some good conversation?...it's a little early for ice cream for me."
"You don't have to work?" Steve was startled by her request but let a grin slip onto his face as he leaned forward, resting his elbows on the counter again.
She leans forward with her elbows on the counter as well, their faces so close together that he could count the freckles on her nose. "My co-worker told me I could wander for a while. No one's going to be here any time soon anyway." She smiles, he can see into her dark blue eyes and finds little grey flecks there, like stars in the night sky. She must have asked him a question that he hadn't heard because she looks at him expectantly "Sorry...what?" He gives her a sheepish smile as she repeats herself with an indulgent smile "I asked if your girlfriend was coming in today?"
He gives her an odd look "I don't have a girlfriend"
He could swear she blushes a little "Really? I find that a little hard to believe" She rests her chin on her hand, still looking at him with those starry eyes.
"Yeah...no girlfriend...I think it's the suit." He gestures to his blue shirt with a slight grimace. She gives him another taste of her musical laughter before she snatches the hat from his head, "I don't know, the hat is pretty cute" She pulls it on over her hair and gives him a playful grin "How's it look?"
"Maybe you're right about the hat" Steve smiles slightly, letting his eyes settle on the the pink of her pouty lips "So what does your boyfriend think about you stealing other men's hats?"
"No boyfriend" She bites her lip as she blushes a little more "My brother would be pissed though..." She gives him a side eye before going on. "He's a little...overprotective...and I don't think a lot of guys are up for the challenge..." She's still wearing his hat as she straightens up and pulls herself up to sit on the counter, her hand landing over his.
"He can't be that bad" Steve smiles, finally thinking that maybe Robin had been onto something.
"He's so bad, he doesn't want me to date at all." She shrugs and looks at him "So what's your story?"
"What do you mean" They're at eye level despite her being on the counter. She gives him that same indulgent smile "Why doesn't the cute guy at the ice cream shop have a girlfriend?"
He chuckles a little, averting his gaze briefly "Cute huh?"
Her pink tinged cheeks turn a little more red. "Yep."
"Well the cute guy from the ice cream shop doesn't have a girlfriend because he's hung up on the record store chick." He gives her a half smile, delighted to find that he got a shy one in return.
"Yeah? My manager Rebecca your type?" She teases "She doesn't look a day over 45"
He laughs, resting his elbows back on the counter and looking up at her face as she giggles with him. "Oh totally" His sarcasm oozing out.
"Well you should ask her out if you're so hung up on her" Her voice comes out a little huskier now, he watches as her blue eyes flicker down from his own to his lips. He hesitates for a second, wondering if it would be alright. But then he bites the bullet and joins their lips gently. He feels her soft hand slide up his jaw, pulling him closer to her. He loses himself there, her lips tasted like cherry chapstick, her skin smelled like vanilla and her hands felt soft against his cheeks. He pulled away to breathe, his nose still just barely touching hers. She gives him a small smile "So Rebecca's not your type?" She whispers and he smirks slightly, leaning his forehead against hers "Nah, I think the feathers are what do it for me" He lets his hand rise to the dangling jewelry that hung from her ear. She smiled and pressed her lips to his again, his hand sliding down to her waist and sliding her closer to him across the counter. He didn't know how long they were glued there before a small cough broke them apart. He pulled away seeing Max, Lucas, Will, and Mike standing there, Max smirking a little.
He sighs and pulls away as she hurriedly gets down from the counter. "What do you little shits want this early? There are no movies going right now!"
"We were going to ask if you could take us to the drive in tonight...but if you go we may be in for something not PG" Will mumbles, his pale cheeks turning pink.
Odette blushes a little harder "I should go back to work...see you later?" She looks back at him, her lips a little puffy. He grins "I uh...can I get your number?"
"I'll drop it off when I get out of work." She bites her lip and gives him a shy wave before rushing out of the otherwise abandoned Scoops Ahoy.
Steve waits till she's out of sight, letting his eyes follow her out and off to the record shop across the hall. "You guys suck." He groans once she leaves his sight. He is met with laughter from the youngest party members, Steve scowled and leaned over the counter again. "I was hoping to have a date tonight shit heads."
"Is that the girl Robin keeps talking about?" Mike asks boredly, not paying much mind to Steve's tone. "Yep. That's the one." Steve looks towards the record store again
Eddie
He sighed, leaning against the side of his band, DM guide in hand as he looked through it for a specific rule that was evading his head in that moment. Every so often he'd pause his scanning of the guide to look up at the doors of the mall impatiently waiting for Odette to be done with her shift. During one of the moments he was engrossed in his book he heard someone gasp followed by hushed whispers. He looked up to see three boys whispering amongst themselves nearby as a redhead looked at them exasperatedly.
One of them, he had a brown bowl cut and a pale but excited expression on his face; walked over to Eddie with a grin. "Do you play?!"
"...Yeah?" Eddie looked around, as though a parent or teacher were poised to swoop in and save the poor child from the resident freak of Hawkins.
"Is that what Hellfire is?" He asks, pointing to the t-shirt Eddie had on underneath his leather jacket and denim vest. He looks at the boy curiously "Yeah...but we don't teach middle schoolers to play."
"We're going to be freshmen this fall though! And we already know how to play! I'm usually the DM these days" He grins at Eddie with a twinge of pride sparkling in his eye. "But we've been looking to add players...and Max won't play" He points to the red head who's tapping her foot impatiently.
Eddie stands up fully, closing the book and regarding the boys who were all eagerly looking at him. "So you're going to be freshmen?"
"Yes!" They chorused and he sighed a little bit but smiled all the same. "And you want to join the brethren of Hellfire?"
"Sure!" The boy in front of him said almost shouting in his excitement.
"Alright...we've got a meeting tomorrow night at the high school. Meet me and the boys out front at 5pm. Bring level 10 characters and be ready to die." He shoots them an almost feral grin "I'm Eddie Munson. The DM for Hellfire, and I show no mercy. We'll see if you're ready to play with the big boys" He's met with the sight of the boys all nodding eagerly and the red head groaning theatrically. He chuckles a little at that as he watched the quartet walk out of the parking lot, alive with chatter over a night of character building. He'd only just gotten back to his book when he heard the telltale sound of Odette's voice breaking the newfound silence. "Hey Eddie?"
"Mmm?" He answers, not looking up.
"I'm going to a friend's tomorrow night so you don't need to pick me up kay?" She's chewing bubble gum and grinning like an idiot.
"What friend?" he asks suspiciously
"Eddie." She gives him a stern look
"You can't tell me her name?" He drops the book into the back of the van as he slides into the driver's seat. She buckles her belt on the passenger's side and sighs. "It's my friend Robin. She works at the ice cream place and she's really cool. I need friends other than yours Eds."
He sighs "Fine, I know I'm being the dick older brother Detta...but Hawkins isn't a nice place for people that are different"
She starts to take out the braids she'd done for work, her hair frizzing lightly as it was freed with a thoughtful look on her face. Her button nose wrinkled slightly in thought. "I know that...but I can't be kept locked up all the time. I want to have some friends here that are just for me." Eddie sighed and looked at her, she still looked so young to him. It didn't matter that she'd gotten taller. It didn't matter that she was entering her senior year. It didn't matter that she'd developed curves his friends could see. She was still 6 years old to him. The sweet little sister who had trouble reading her beginners books. The little baby his mom had brought home, all wrapped in pink. The one he acted out fairytales for when she was sick or sad...He groaned.
"Ok. I'm sorry Detta..." He gives her a smile, still trying to adjust to her being all grown up. She gave him a smile as she finished fluffing out her hair "It's ok Eds...just trust me. I'm ok" She gives his arm a playful punch as he started the van and Iron Maiden began to blare from the speakers. She scrunches up her nose "Can we play something else please?"
"Oh come on, they kick ass Detta!"
"PLEASE" She gives him a puppy dog face, complete with pouty lips and batting her lashes at him. He gave her a playful glare and popped the tape out with a resigned sigh. "This won't be a regular thing."
"Thanks!" She pulled a tape from her bag and popped it in before he could read the cover. He full out scowled at her when Rhiannon by Fleetwood Mac began to play in his heavy metal dedicated vehicle. "Really?"
"Rhiannon rings like a bell through the night and wouldn't you love to love her?" She sings with a large grin on her face, looking like the picture perfect free spirit from the 60s as she sang along to the 1970s song. "Takes to the sky like a bird in flight and who will be her lover?"
He starts driving with the scowl still firmly on his face, not wanting to give her any indication that Stevie Nicks was talented. She didn't miss the oh so slight movement of his mouth as he mouthed the words.
The next afternoon
Odette sat contentedly in Scoops Ahoy eating her small cup of chocolate chip ice cream, stealing glances at the boy behind the counter. Between each customer he'd shoot her a grin or a wink as she ate, she knew he relished in the pink tinge to her cheeks. If she was honest she was practically bouncing with excitement for their date planned for that evening. Robin had even agreed to cover for her on the off chance her brother meddled. But with him being busy with not only Hellfire, but new members as well she was sure she'd be the last thing on his mind. As she finished the last of the cold treat she caught Steve's eye one final time and blew him a quick kiss before heading back for the final few hours of her shift.
She was sorting through the Billy Idol tapes rather boredly, swaying to the music running over the speakers above her head as she did. She couldn't quite hear the lyrics but it sounded like Madonna, humming along she finished going through the tapes. Turning, she pulled at the Tiger's Eye heart necklace that laid on her collarbone. It was cold and smooth against the pads of her fingers, grounding her to reality as her head tried to run away with what could go wrong on her date.
What if he wants more than you're willing to give?
What if he hates how you look for the date?
What if you run into Eddie?
What if he finds out? The cold of the stone pulls her out of her thoughts. She picks up the empty shipping box and carries it to the back to be broken down and find her next project, a bag of broken records to take out. As she heads through the back to the large trash can she catches sight of herself in the mirror hung in the break area. She bites her lip as she takes it all in, her dark curls were slightly frizzed from working all afternoon, her white feathers standing out no more than usual...her blue off the shoulder shirt hugged the curves of her breasts well enough, the sleeves could be too much. They were long and flowy, almost see through. She'd opted for a pair of jean shorts instead of her normal flowy skirt and a pair of white sandals. She'd not put on any make up, having woken up late for work as it was...maybe she could grab some before she got off of work? No...he was going to be waiting for her right after her shift. She sighed again and threw the bag away, the nerves in her stomach and the elation in her heart, battling against one another.
Odette clocked out, shaking a little with nerves as she did. She could see Steve waiting for her by the entrance of the record store; he'd changed into a worn pair of jeans and a dark green polo. She practically ran over to him in her excitement, her deep blue sleeves almost floating around her arms. "I'm ready! Where are we going?" She asks, trying not to be too eager.
Steve holds his hand out to her and she takes it without hesitation. She marveled at how rough his hads felt against her own, she hadn't expected callouses on such a pretty boy's hand. "I was thinking we could go to dinner and a movie? You know basic..."
"Sounds great" She let him lead her to his car where he was ever the gentleman, opening her door for her and all that jazz. They'd decided on a simple diner for dinner, both getting cheeseburgers and onion rings as they listened to the low tones of elvis from the older jukebox in the corner. "So where are you from?" Steve asks before taking a bite of his burger.
"How do you know I'm not from here?" She asks playfully
"Small town, I'd have seen a pretty girl like you right away." He smirks a little before it falters ever so slightly "And probably would have scared you off by now..."
She rolls her eyes "Yeah right, well I'm from New York"
"You don't sound like it." He comments slightly, trying to hide his embarrassment at her dismissal of his self depreciation.
"I didn't start out there so the accent never stuck. Besides I spent half my life in a ballet school where we spoke mostly French." She doesn't notice him give her a double take as she took a bite of her own food.
"So you speak French?"
"Qu'en pensez-vous monsieur?" She giggles at his mildly stunned expression. He chuckles with an air of disbelief before he smirks slightly "So, ballet huh?"
"Yep, since I was 6. I was pretty good before I moved here."
"Could I get a performance?" He dodges the pickle she throws at him playfully. "Never on the first date. Madame Dubois would have my head!" She giggles
"Why not? It's just a dance" He takes a long drink of his coke as she answers "Well Madame Dubois always told us boys want a flexible girl...best not to show it off too early" He chokes slightly "Sorry, what?"
She blushes a little "I...She didn't think ballerina's should date much...boys are corrupting." She gives him a small smile "So I'm breaking all the rules. Madame Dubois and my brother will be after you if I'm not careful" She chuckles although she was only half joking.
"So your brother...does he know you're on a date?" Steve asks cautiously
She blushes a little "Not just yet...I kind of...I want to be sure that this isn't just a one off before I unleash the beast" She cringes at her own words for a moment "I mean...if our date goes well I'd love to tell him about you..." She bites her lip, internally pulling at her hair in frustration.
Steve reaches across the table and puts his hand over hers "Listen it's no sweat...I've got a rep...I know it" He gives her that charming smile, "I can't really blame your brother for wanting to keep creeps off of you."
She smiles, relief flooding her at his kind words. "Thanks...what rep?" She asks before she can stop herself. His eyes go a little wide and he coughs, pulling his hand back to cover his mouth. "Shit, sorry...I uh...I was sure Robin would have tried to warn you about me first...I uh,...I was a dick in highschool...and my one serious girlfriend and I broke up in this like...huge public way." He busies his hands with pulling an onion ring apart as he avoids her gaze "And the rest have been just flings."
She clears her throat a little nervously "That was...honest." She takes a nervous sip of her own coke before looking back at him to find him looking worried and almost resigned. "I get it if you want me to take-"
"No! No no no, I didn't mean it like that!" She waves her hands a little as she speaks, almost frantic in her need for him to stay. "I didn't mean that! I just...I don't care about your past Steve...I just care about how you are now...does that make sense? She asks sheepishly
Steve
Steve felt crestfallen at the look on her face, her curious look had slid off of her face to show something that looked like nervousness...or worry. He groaned inwardly, he'd blown it by being brutally honest about himself. What self respecting girl wanted to go out seriously with some flaky jerk? "That was...honest" She looked to be struggling for words as she took a sip of her drink. Steve sighed, it'd be best if he just gave her the out now instead of getting ghosted later "I get it if you want me to take-"
She doesn't let him finish, she almost knocks her drink over as she waves her hands no "No! No no no, I didn't mean it like that! I didn't mean that! I just...I don't care about your past Steve...I just care about how you are now...does that make sense?"
Steve bit his lip before responding, the cheeseburger on his plate looking less and less appetizing "It makes sense. But I don't want you to be uncomfortable around me."
"I'm not!" Her pale cheeks started to get pink again as she avoided his gaze "I'm just nervous because this is like...this is my first date. Like...like ever." She gives him that shy smile with a hopeful glint to her starry eyes. "I just don't want to ruin a good thing before it starts...because I don't know how to start it" Steve feels himself grin slightly "So...we're good?"
"So good!" She grins again before she leans across the table ever so slightly "So what movie are we going to see?" Steve feels the weight come off of his shoulders at the change of subject. He'd be glad not to talk about his past antics or Nancy for a long while yet.
Eddie
He grinned to himself as the three new freshmen began to pack up their things, he'd started them off with an easier one of his adventures and they'd had their asses handed to them, even with the help of Gareth, Jeff and Kieth. He'd expected them to get butthurt and run off into the night with sour looks on their faces. But instead he was met with the impish grins of the three as they talked strategies for the next time they played with Hellfire. "So you'll be returning to the Knights of Hellfire?" Eddie asked, still sitting in the throne of the DM.
Will turned to him with an eager smile on his thin face "Of course! This was awesome!" He gestures at the table at large as he talks, he'd been so excited to see such a large map. "Is this like a regular thing?" Lucas asked from the end of the table where he'd been shoving his papers and mini into a backpack.
"Pretty regular during the summer, we do this what?...twice a week?" He turns to the other older members before returning his gaze to the younger boys. "But when school starts back up we'll be doing this every other week" He hears groans from the band members but shoots them a look "Guys, it's my third time...I promised the little sis I'd study harder this year" He shrugs "And I have to live with her."
Eddie turns back to them once more and is surprised to see them exchanging looks "What?"
Mike looks at him slightly nervously "We uh...we've got one more member that would want to join. Would that be cool?"
"Where was he tonight if he'd be so interested?"
"He's at science camp for the rest of the month." Lucas interjects looking worried "And he'd be so interested...he just isn't here yet man" Eddie inwardly sighs, he wasn't in the babysitting business...but it was rare to find people that fought to be in Hellfire...he regards them carefully before he finally answers. "He's got to play at least once before I give a verdict. I don't let part timers in." He relishes in the looks of slight relief on the boys. As the rest of the group finishes up gathering their things the players leave and something occurs to him. "You three don't need a ride do you?"
"Nah, we've got a guy" Mike says, waving a hand dismissively.
"Yeah, his date's got to be over by now." Lucas laughs "There's no way that chick was that into him."
"Hey, she was really nice...she may think Steve's cool!" Will says quietly but with an indulgent smile on his lips. Eddie found himself watching the three as they led the way through the doors and into the nearly empty lot beyond. He can see his van parked off to the right but to the left is a single BMW to the left. Someone was leaning against it, his head leaning back as he seemed to be trying to relax as he waited. Eddie could't help but walk with the three youngest players in order to see their driver. As they got closer the light seemed to catch the shiny brown hair of King Steve Harrington. He scowled but didn't stop his approach. "Harrington! I didn't expect to see you here" He calls out coldly
"Munson, how'd the boys do?" He asks conversationally but Eddie could see the way he tensed when he saw him.
"Great, almost dead but not quite. What you doing with high schoolers? Shouldn't you be off banging some drunk chick at a party?" Eddie felt like breathing fire as he took in the arrogant fucker before him. He almost missed the worried look the three freshmen were giving him...almost.
"Nah...I uh...I handed the crown off to Hargrove. I'm just babysitting" Steve grimaces at him, folding his arms over his polo. Eddie eyed his throat as the collar shifted, exposing a slowly purpling hickey.
"Doesn't stop you from getting lucky" He nods at the mark and he could have sworn he saw Harrington blush.
"A gentlemen doesn't kiss and tell. Now we gotta go boys, Will's mom will have my ass if you're late." He ushers the boys into the car and looks at Eddie with an unreadable expression. "Thanks...for looking out for them...all that B&B stuff-"
"D&D!" Lucas yells through the car window
"Sorry...D&D stuff is important to them...and with Dust gone they don't play much." Harrington shrugged a little and turned back to the open driver side door "So...I hope you let them keep playing...that's all"
Eddie stood stunned, not comprehending the fact that Harrington was being tolerable...let alone nice. He watched them drive away with a weight in his stomach...he maybe shouldn't have gone in guns blazing.
Odette
She laid on her bed with an excited grin on her face. She'd not only had a date with the cute guy from the mall...but she'd made out with him. She giggled to herself as Fleetwood mac played softly from her stereo, she pulled at her Tiger's eye pendant as she thought back to how soft his hair had been in her fingers, how sweet his lips had been...probably from the skittles they'd shared at the movie, and thought to how she had no clue what had happened in the movie.
She was jolted from her pleasant thoughts by a knock on her bedroom door, she hurriedly pulled her hair to cover where she was sure Steve had left marks on the column of her throat. "Come in!" She calls after she was sure she'd covered up. To her relief, Uncle Wayne popped his head through the door, "How was your night kiddo?"
"It was great" She can't help but let the smile come to her face as she thought back to how Steve had been when he dropped her off...all sweet goodnights and chivalry.
"Glad to hear it, so Robin was her name?" He has a smug smile plastered to his face and it worried her "Yep. Robin."
"Alrighty...what's his name?" He smirks when her jaw hits the floor "Your big brother may think you're following his dating rules, but I don't think you'd smile over a girl like that kiddo."
"So are you going to tell him?" Odette looks at her sock-clad feet, not meeting her Uncle's eye.
"Nah, you're young! Just have fun...and pick a winner girlie" She finally meets his gaze and he's leaning against her door frame with a fatherly smile. "And...when you do tell Edward, you're going to need to bring this boy 'round for dinner. I don't want him thinking you've got no one to kick his ass if he puts a toe out of line. He ruffles her hair slightly as she gives him a giant grin "Thanks"
"Anytime. But I'm not keeping secrets for too long. You've got till-" He looks at the calendar on the wall in the hallway "Till mid-July to tell Eddie about your boyfriend."
Her heart drops and apparently so does her smile as Wayne chuckles "If you've picked a winner, he won't want to be your little secret for too long"
She nods and watches as he walks away, heading out for the night shift as he did. She bit her lip, a month...she had a month to have Steve all to herself...then she had to tell Eds.