(y/n) - your name

(d/n) - different name

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The sun peeked through the open blinds as the sleeping couple lay in bed, (y/n) being the one to wake up first as she laid her head on Billy's chest with his arm around her. She didn't want to get up today, feeling lazy and not all that eager to get out of her loves embrace as he pulled her tight. Billy opened his eyes and chuckles at how (y/n) buried her head against his chest, sighing out as he rubbed her shoulder before whining in annoyance as he decided to get out of bed.

"No..." (y/n) groans out, instantly feeling cold as she peeks her eyes open above the blankets.

"Morning to you too darling."

"Come back to bed..."

"I would love to but some of us wanted to go shopping with shitbird." Billy smirks as (y/n) groans, knowing she had to get up now to not disappoint her little redhead friend. "I'll see you downstairs." Billy kisses (y/n) head before going to freshen up as she just sits in bed for a couple of minutes to wake up. She was contemplating to go back to sleep but heard an energetic little girl slam her door open in excitement.

"Ah for fucks sake..." the girl grudgingly gets out of bed and heads to the bathroom to brush her teeth, freshening up before heading downstairs to be suddenly hit with something smelling really good. (Y/n) gasps as a speedster little redhead zooms past her from the smell of breakfast, grabbing onto the stair railing to balance herself before walking down into the kitchen. She chuckles seeing Max waiting patiently at the kitchen counter, talking her brothers ear off about what shops she was going to take his girlfriend to.

"We need to get new clothes, some shoes, oh maybe some cool sunnies too!"

"Don't go crazy shitheel." Billy rolls his eyes but smiles when he feels arms around his waist, feeling his love lay her head on his bare back.

"Something smells good." (Y/n) says as she peeks her head around Billy to look at the breakfast he was making. He had always cooked for them to back home in California, paranoid about his love using the kitchen since her memory was wiped but she always eases him showing that she could still make basic stuff.

"I miss (y/n)'s food. Especially her baked goods." Max whines out, complaining about how terrible the food was when Billy cooks.

"Billy's gotten better Max, you would be very surprised." The younger girl quirks her brows in surprise at the older girls response and it was true. Billy had to learn to make things for himself and learned to cook for (y/n) when she found him, especially when she didn't want to eat. "Also, I used to bake and cook too?" Max frowns lightly that (y/n) didn't remember the amount of times the older girl had given her and Billy actual feasts with the excuse of using them as taste testers. Max knew that (y/n) was just making sure they were being fed, one of the subtle things Billy fell in love with.

"The first time I tasted anything you made was that lasagna. The best fucking lasagna I ever tasted." Billy says, letting (y/n) steal some bacon to munch on.

"Mums casserole tasted bland after that." Max laughs as (y/n) smiles with her. "The whole block would know you were cooking from the smell and the music that escaped your house, you kept the windows open."

"Oh my god, I did?"

"I think you did it to make sure the stupid fire alarm didn't go off." Billy says as he sets the breakfast down on the counter for everyone.

"So Max, where do you want to shop?" (Y/n) asks as she ate and Billy nods to see her eating.

"Depends on where my brother is taking you." The girls look at the male and he shrugs.

"It's a surprise."

"That's no help!"

"It's going to be windy. Does that help?" Billy mocks back at his sister.

"Actually yeah! (Y/n), can you drive us-"

"-no." Billy cuts off his little sister who rolls her eyes at him. "She doesn't have a license."

"She knows how to drive though-"

"-no. That's final."

"Fine! Pick us up in a couple hours. I need to get her ready for the date."

"Ok, ok!" Billy raises his arms at all the commands from Max, (y/n) laughing at the two. All three finish up after Billy tried and failed to persuade (y/n) to eat more than just two toasts, getting dressed and getting in his Camaro for the shops. "Hat and glasses (y/n)." Billy reminds his love as he stops in front of the shops and she nods, putting them on and kissing his cheek. "Have fun darling. I'll see you in a few."

"Bye Billy." She smiles at him, getting out of the car with Max and securing the disguise. The two wave as he drives away, not noticing a figure watching in the distance with a frown.

~~~~~~~~

"I wonder where Billy is taking you for the date." Max pipes up as her and (y/n) munched on some fries, sitting down in a booth with bags next to them. The girls had gone around the various small open shops alongside the road since the main mall was still burnt down. It was tricky finding some new clothes with the shops being old styled but they managed to thrift some items that Max thought would be perfect for tonight.

"Definitely an outdoor activity if he said it's gonna be windy." (Y/n) hums softly, excited for tonight. She ignored the weird glances at her since she kept her glasses and hat on, Max rambling on about a topic she wasn't listening to.

"Hey Max." The girls jump and they look up to see Steve, (y/n) quickly tilting the down further to hide her face.

"What's up Steve?" Max clears her throat, looking at (y/n) who tried to look busy while eating her fries.

"Nothing much. Came to get some food for Robin and I and I saw you so thought I'd say hi." Steve narrows his eyes at the older girl he saw kissing Billy's cheek, wondering what her deal was. "(D/n) right? Hi again."

"(D/n)?" Max questions in a whisper.

"Yeah, Steve right? Yeah hi. How are you?" (y/n) asks the boy and Max looks between the two, pursing her lips but understanding that her friend had to lie.

"Doing good... you?"

"Not bad. Max and I went clothes shopping, having a girls day out."

"That sounds fun." Max didn't like the tone Steve was having, worried that he was getting suspicious. "Anyway, I should get going." The girls let out a sigh in relief that Steve was leaving. "See you both around-" the girls gasp loudly as Steve accidentally bumps into a waitress who drops a milkshake on (y/n), the poor girl standing up as she wiped the milkshake off her clothes. There was milkshake dripping over her sunnies and (y/n) leans down to take it off and clean them without letting Steve see but he had other plans. "I'm so sorry!" he exclaims, bending down to get some tissues. "Let me help-" he stands up and his arm pushes the cap (y/n) was wearing off her head.

"Shit!"

"(y/n)!?" Steve gasps when he saw her face, Max quickly grabbing all the shopping bags as (y/n) put her stuff back on and slapped a hand over Steves mouth before dragging him out of the diner.

"Shut up!" (y/n) hisses, pulling them down an empty alleyway.

"What the fuck is going on!? Who are you and why do you have (y/n)'s face!?" Steve yells out, absolutely pissed off that someone was parading around as his dead friend.

"Because that is (y/n) you dingus!" Max hisses lowly and Steve glares at her.

"How can you be so easily tricked by this bi-" Steve gets cut off as (y/n) pulls her shirt up just enough to show the patched-up holes in her body. He takes a step back, his mind reeling at what he saw and he couldn't believe it. "That can't be-you died... how...?" he whispered.

"We never say her body in the coffin Steve. She was taken by Hawkins Lab people."

"What!?" Steve hisses, growing furious. "They did what!?"

"They experimented on me to see if they could bring me back to life and I guess they succeeded..."

"Tell me something only (y/n) would know."

"She can't Steve... Her memory was wiped." Max says sadly and he glares at (y/n).

"That's convenient. Then how does she know my name?"

"Billy has been teaching me who is who, see if I can regain my memories." Steve narrows his eyes down at the imposter and walks off but the girls run after him. "Steve! Please! You can't tell anyone I'm here!"

"And why not!? Are you here to hurt someone? Are you here to take people away to the lab!?"

"No! That's not why I'm here! I had a bad feeling that something bad was going to happen! I had to make sure everyone was safe!"

"Bullshit! You're not (y/n)! My friend is dead! She was taken away from me!"

"Steve this is her!" Max yells out and (y/n) winces from the sudden painful chimes in her head, looking over at where they stopped and saw the burnt-down StarCourt Mall still standing in ruins. Max and her babysitter kept fighting, not realizing that the older girl was walking towards the building.

(Y/n) stopped when she heard a loud roar, the sky suddenly turning red and she panicked seeing giant claws climb out of the building.

The Mindflayer...

It screeched loudly as it stood on top of the building, jumping down from it as the ground fissured like an earthquake ripping through the earth. "Steve...? Steve!" (y/n) calls out as she saw him talking to a blurred figure, trying to grab his attention to run away as the Mindflayer walked towards him. "Steve! RUN!" She screams out, running towards him. He couldn't hear her, the wind rushing around them both to drown out their voices. "STEVE!" (y/n) reaches him and the blurred figure just close enough to hear what they were saying, the girl freezing when she saw who the blurred figure was.

It's me...?

"I really like you (y/n). And I mean really like you."

"Steve I-I like you, but as a friend..."

Steve frowns at (y/n)'s response and she wondered if this was a memory until she looked up to see the Mindflayer in front of her.

"(y/n)!"

"(Y/N)!"