Hawkins Oneshots

Nothing Like Your Father

Nancy was walking out to the bus after another boring day at Hawkins Middle. "Bye, Barb!" she called and waved as Barb spotted her Mom's car and headed off. Nancy turned the corner to head to the front of the school where the buses were parked when she overheard Steve Harrington's voice coming from the other direction, towards the back of the school and the field.

"Yeah, that's right, Jonathan, who's gonna save you now?" Steve's voice said tauntingly. "This isn't like those silly little kid comic books you read. There's no superheroes in the real world, in case you haven't noticed," he leered at Jonathan, grabbing him by the collar and pulling his face up to his.

Nancy peered around the corner.

"Let me go," Jonathan grunted quietly.

'Let me go' Tommy mimicked him in a girly high-pitched voice.

"Not until you admit that you're still a baby, Jonathan Byers," Steve spat at him. "You little comic-book loving, cartoon-watching--"

"Stop!" Nancy said, finally having the courage to come out from around the corner.

Steve looked accusingly at the fiery girl coming towards them.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the noble Nancy Wheeler," he mocked. "What do you think you're doing here? Are you here to save your boyfriend?"

Tommy laughed. "Yeah, sorry to break it to ya sis, but I'm pretty sure he's waaaay too young for you, isn't that right, baby Jonathan?" he teased, cooing at Jonathan like one would coo at a baby.

"Just let him go," Nancy said firmly. "It's not right, what you guys are doing to him," she said between gritted teeth.

"Nancy, it's ok," Jonathan said, wanting to keep her out of trouble.

'Nancy, it's ok, my superheroes will save us' Steve said in a girly, mocking voice.

Jonathan struggled again to get out of Steve's grasp, but Steve gripped the collar of his jean jacket tight.

Nancy began to yell at him. "Steve Harrington, if you don't let him go this instant, I swear I will-"

"You'll what? Tell on me? Trust me, I've gotten out of Principal Waxley's grasp many times, I can do it again."

"Well what do you want, then?" Nancy demanded. "Just let him go!"

"You want your boyfriend back without a bloody nose?" Steve asked.

Nancy threw her arms out in exasperation, waiting for his terms.

"Then I'm gonna need a kiss," he smiled slyly at her. "No big deal. Just a little peck, right here," he tapped on his cheek.

"Ugh," she groaned at him. "You disgust me Steve Harrington. I would never."

"Okay then, I guess your little baby boyfriend here is going home with a bloody nose and a busted lip. Depends on whether he can fight back with his little baby hands--"

Suddenly Jonathan had had enough. While Steve was boasting about his lip-busting abilities, Jonathan threw all of his weight forward onto Steve and knocked him to the ground. He threw one good punch right upside Steve's jaw. Nancy and Tommy were both yelling. Steve lifted a fist for a quick comeback, but Jonathan dodged it, grabbed his backpack, and scurried off of the ground. He grabbed Nancy's hand and pulled her away from the back of the school. They both ran.

Steve got off the ground and followed after them for a ways, yelling. "I'm not done with you Jonathan Byers! You little baby! You know you're gonna be a screw-up just like your dad! That's right Jonathan! You're gonna grow up to be a nobody, I hope your girlfriend knows that!"

Jonathan could take a good beating, but he hated it so much when anyone brought up his dad. He turned back briefly, but Nancy stopped him. "C'mon, Jonathan, let's go. Forget him. He's not worth it."

Jonathan sucked in a breath and followed after her onto the bus. They sat together on the same bench.

Jonathan bit his lip, trying to hold back tears. He got so angry when people compared him to his dad, telling him he was going to be a failure just like him. It was like a shadow over him constantly, especially since his dad had left and the whole town knew it. Even people who didn't say anything about it seemed to treat him like he was a time bomb about to go off. Like he would go crazy and beat people up like his dad did if they accidentally set something off in him.

Everyone seemed to treat him that way except a few people, like Nancy. She didn't talk to him much. He wouldn't even really consider her a friend. But she was kind, and she didn't give him weird looks like the other kids did after they heard his father had left.

"Steve Harrington's a big idiot," she told him on the bus that day. "Don't listen to him. Don't let him get to you," she said.

"I know," Jonathan said quietly. "It's not just him that bothers me. It's everyone. They all treat me like I'm so delicate because of my dad. Like they have to be so careful or else I will turn out just like him. I hate it."

Nancy looked over at him shyly, her deep blue eyes sincere. "Hey, I didn't know your dad, but he sounds pretty awful. And I'm pretty sure you're nothing like him. For the record, I think you're a pretty great guy," she said reassuringly.

Jonathan looked shyly over at her. "Thanks," he said simply, a small smile pulling at the corners of his mouth.

When Jonathan got home, Joyce could immediately tell something was wrong

"Hey, sweetie? How was school? Is everything ok?" she asked, a concerned look on her face.

Jonathan dropped his backpack and rushed into his mom's arms, tears streaming down his face.

"They called me...a screw-up," he said between sobs. "They said that I'm gonna be just like dad someday."

Joyce held her boy close, caressing his head. "Who? Who said that?" she asked.

Jonathan didn't answer, he just kept crying.

"You know what, it doesn't matter," Joyce told him. "But sweetie, look at me," she demanded, pulling away from him slightly and holding his face between her hands. "Whatever those bullies at school are saying to you, they're completely wrong!" Joyce said firmly, looking into her son's eyes. "Jonathan, you are nothing like your father! Not at all! You are sweet, gentle, loving. You are kind, and helpful, and willing to sacrifice for the people you love. I thank God every day that I have you! Ok? Do you understand?" Joyce peered into her son's face, trying so hard to convey the love she had for him.

Jonathan breathed in deep and nodded his head. "Yeah, mom. Yeah."

"Sweetie, you are already ten times the man your father was. You are not going to turn out like him, I know it! Don't you ever doubt that!" Joyce pulled him in close again, stroking his hair. "I love you," she whispered.

"I love you too, mom," Jonathan said, sniffling.

He was reminded then, as he would be many times throughout his life, that although he may have been dealt a bad hand in the father department, he never need doubt his mother's love for him. No one protected and cared for her boys just as fiercely and tirelessly as the determined Joyce Byers.