stranger things - one shots

nancy w.

summary: staying the night with a very drunk Nancy Wheeler after taking her home from Tina's Halloween party.

———

hawkins, indiana 1984

With the slam of the bathroom door in a house Nancy knew wasn't hers despite her extremely drunk state, Steve was gone. Not that she knew why, she was just telling him the truth, and anyways, he spilled bright red punch all over her white Halloween costume!

Whatever, she thought. It was all bullshit anyways, just... bullshit! And she guessed Steve was just too oblivious to see it. That they killed Barb and it wasn't at all okay that they were walking around pretending like everything was great, like they were partying and were normal teenagers. Not the ones that accidentally killed one's best friend because they were too caught in each other, too selfish. Nancy quickly give up on trying to wipe the punch off her shirt, letting out an exhausted sigh as she leaned against the counter, eyes following the counter and up until they landed on herself in the mirror.

Jesus, she thought, what a wreck.

The tears in her eyes that she would've preferred to keep there had spilled over and down her cheeks, lightly staining them with mascara, the same mascara that smeared beneath her eyes. Her hair was ruffled, probably from bumping into so many people whilst dancing but her shirt was most noticeable, a huge red stain right in the middle.

Nancy felt herself jump when the bathroom door opened, but to her surprise, you stood there. You and her had been friends, almost too close of friends, knowing one another since before you could even walk. Yet, once she started dating the infamous 'King Steve', you drifted. Her obsession with him was unbearable but that quickly drained, you could tell. It was all too cliche, the Hawkins High bad boy and his straight-A, honors student girlfriend. But you, well you had known Nancy since forever, both your families being close, that just happened to bind you together.

After seeing Steve leave in a rush and seeing him spill punch all over Nancy before that, you had to check on her, your heart aching for the sight you saw in front of you. She was a complete mess, with tears stained cheeks and glossy eyes, her hair was unruly and she could barely stand,

"Nance.." Seeing her nearly topple over, you helped her stand, putting your arm under hers.

"No.. no.. no.." Nancy's voice became quieter as she tried to push away from you, god forbid you see her like this, on the verge of breaking down, causing you to have to save her like you always did. Though she was the one with the best grades and her rocket-high GPA, she knew you were always the one with the smarts, especially when it came to feelings. You always knew what to say, and what to do, and when. This was too much, she couldn't put you through another incident that wasn't a single bit your fault.

"Nance, I'm taking you home."

"No.. Y/N.. is- it's not your fault.."

Her drunken state made her unable to protest and before the Wheeler girl knew it, she was sitting in your car, staring out the window through her blurry vision. The music was distant and time seemed to pass faster than Nancy noticed because in what seemed like a matter of seconds, you were at her house, trying your best to sneak in quietly. This barely worked with the way she had nearly collapsed on the stairs, bringing you with her.

Finally making it to her bed, she fell on it like a weight, letting out a large sigh. You went to leave, knowing that she'd give you a thousand apologizes in the morning and you'd insist that it was fine, then she'd just go on and on and blame herself. This was something you grew tired of, not her specifically, just her self-critical state of mind, where everything was always her fault. It wasn't. It never was, not in your eyes.

Truth was, you had had a crush on Nancy Wheeler since seventh grade, but she was always too busy looking at the jocks and the most popular kids of the school, nudging her way in and getting a one way ticket with Steve the hair Harrington, thus pulling away from you. She regretted that more than she'd admit, but what she whispered next, as you walked towards her bedroom door, ready to leave may have done it for her,

"Stay."

You stopped, turning around to see her eyes shut, looking hardly awake. Yet, she still lay there, arm sprawled out as if to tell you to lie there. As her voice was scarcely a whisper, you couldn't help but question,

"What?"

A long string of silence passed, and your hope of staying had simmered. It was stupid. It was all stupid, thinking that grade-A, rich parents, house on the cul-de-sac Nancy Wheeler could like a girl. Could like you. But, that same word repeated only the slightest bit louder, made your heart skip a thousand beats,

"Just.." Nancy sighed heavily, staying silent for longer than she intended to, "stay."

You stayed frozen for a moment, like time had stopped just to let you soak in the feeling. She wanted you to stay? This was more than likely just her drunk mind talking, but drunk words = sober thoughts, right?

Before you could realize it, your legs working faster than your brain, you were headed over to her bed, feeling as though you were melting into it as soon as you felt the warmth. Nancy was on the verge of sleep, not really acknowledging the situation all too much but rather finding comfort in it as she cuddled closer to you and felt herself stir off to sleep. You held her close, shutting your eyes and hoping the moment would last forever. The quietness of her house made it easy to fall asleep and hope to wake up to a girl who had the same thoughts as the one lying next to you.

————