The closed gate (stranger things x fem reader)

Chapter 1- The Nightmare

Eleven's POV

2 months had passed since the incident at Starcourt mall, 2 months since the Byers took me in as one of their own, 2 months since I lost my hero, my dad. Joyce has made me feel so welcome here, she treats me like her own daughter, along with Will and Johnathan treating me like their sister. But it's not the same without him, I feel like a piece of me is missing, a hole that cannot be filled.

Knocking sounds from the other side of my bedroom door. "Hey sweetie it's only me, is it okay if I come in?" The warmth of Joyce's voice sounds 

"Yes," I respond as she slowly enters through the doorway carrying a box almost as big as her. She places it down on my bed which causes me to fall slightly towards it as it made a dip from being so heavy.

"Sorry it took so long to get these to you honey, it has been quite hard getting into the cabin since everything happened," She shoots me a sympathetic look; that's when I realise what lies in the box.

I am hesitant to open it at first, even though I have been waiting for this since everything settled down. I don't like to be reminded of anything that happened, but I like finding things of my dads. Like Joyce showed me photo albums of both of them together in high school, they both had funny hair.

I slowly edge towards the box and open up the cardboard flaps. I peer inside and the first thing I find is the first item of clothing he had ever got me, well the first one he gave to me from his wardrobe. I pull it out carefully making sure the box was not to fall on the floor and hold it up for both Joyce and I to examine. It was one of his plaid shirts but I tied it up so it fit me and I wore it all the time. Joyce's mouth forms a sad smile, this was hard on both of us. I know she loved Hop and he loved her, I mean that is why he was non-stop talking about her right? 

"Hey sweetie, would you like some space whilst you go through your stuff?" she asks laying a hand on my knee. I always loved when she called me sweetie, she does it on a daily basis, it makes me feel safe and warm on the inside.

I put my hand on top of hers. "I want you to stay, look through with me, if there is anything you want of his, it's yours. You lost him too," I say giving her a warm smile. I want her to have something that reminds her of Hop, it is the least I can do for letting me stay in her home.

"Thank you sweetheart that is very kind of you," she responds now holding my hand, we share a moment of comfortable silence before she looks back into the box pulling out one of hops old police uniforms. A tear glistened in the corner of her eye as she looked at it, she held it close to her and breathed into it, I knew she could smell him.

She hands it to me so I can take a better look at it. Something shiny on the shirt catches my eye, Hoppers police badge. I un pin it from his shirt and hand it to Joyce. "He would want you to have this," 

She doesn't speak, she sits in silence staring at the badge, then looking up to me to give me a warm smile. She leans forward for a hug and I join her in a tight embrace, until Will came flying through the door causing it to smash into the wall making a loud bang, causing me to flinch in my spot. I am still not good with loud noises, they always scare me and make my heart feel like it is about to explode.

"Will be careful you almost frightened the life out of me!" Joyce scolds him, one hand on her heart.

Frightened the life out of me? I have never heard someone say that before, can someone actually scare you so much it kills you?