𝑪𝑯𝑨𝑷𝑻𝑬𝑹 𝑭𝑶𝑼𝑹𝑻𝑬𝑬𝑵

❛ Everyone knows you.
You're Glaring Garcia. ❜

❦

Once Jonathan got the news that his mum had managed to rescue Will from the Upside Down, him and Nancy rushed to the hospital. After several minutes of silence, Steve offered to drive Malia there as well, and she almost immediately accepted. They drove in complete silence and he risked a few glances at her but she never stop staring out of the window at the dark night side surrounding them.

Steve's fingertips had drummed on the steering wheel. He was worried, beyond worried.

They arrived at the bustling hospital and instantly a doctor questioned Malia about her injuries. Malia had glares at Nancy in annoyance, realising that the girl had informed the doctors about her cuts. Quickly, she was taking to a separate room, not being able to even step inside the waiting room.

Now, Malia sits with her legs hanging off the edge of a hospital bed with several bandages wrapped around her cuts and her hands rest in her lap while her fingers fiddle.

Slowly, the door is pushed open, revealing Hopper followed by Steve, who's face looks a lot cleaner than the last time she had seen him. He had obviously been treated as well.

"Hop?" Malia questions, smiling and jumping off the bed. She rushes forward and wraps her arms around him, "Thank fuck you're alive."

She feels his chest rumble as he chuckles gently, patting her back before pulling away from the hug. He motions down to the bandages wrapped around her limbs, "What happened, kid?"

"I was stupid enough to go into the Upside Down a few days ago," She bites her lips, "The demogorgon took an interest in me." He nods in understanding and another thought hits her, "How's Eleven? Is she feeling better?"

"She's gone," He states, "She got rid of the demogorgon in the process. The kids believe she shut the gate to the Upside Down."

Malia's face drops, "Where has she gone?"

"I have no idea."

"What? I thought you were an expert at all this shit now," She smacks his chest.

"I never said that," He grumbles.

She tilts her head, "You implied it."

"No, I didn't," He shakes his head, "Look, kid, I should've probably get back to my Chief duties. Stay out of trouble for a bit, please."

She smirks, "I'll try... Just for you, Hop."

Hopper rolls his eyes, attempting to hide his smile as he turns around. He lifts a finger, pointing it roughly at an awkward Steve, "Look after her."

Steve straightens up, saluting, "Yes, sir."

Hopper nods before leaving the room, causing it to fall into silence. Malia turns around again, returning to her seat on the hospital bed. Steve watches her carefully, getting ready to step in if she even makes a single noise that indicates that she's in pain.

"Steven," Malia clicks her fingers, snapping his gaze up to her face, "You good?"

"Me? Are you good?" He asks, taking a step closer, "You— you got attacked by that thing. And— and that wasn't the first time? Why did you never tell me?"

Her eyes soften, "Because you were too busy freaking out over Nancy and Jonathan. I would've, I really would've."

His face drops and he opens his mouth to stumble out a few more words, but nothing passes his lips. Instead, he moves closer again, this time pulling her into a warm hug, burying his head in the crook of her neck.

"I'm sorry," He mumbles, "I've been such a shit person lately."

"Really?" She pulls back, raising an eyebrow, "I haven't noticed."

He smiles, pushing her shoulders so she falls onto her back on the bed. She laughs, sitting up once more, reaching up and ruffling his already messy hair. He gasps, smacking her hand away with an annoyed expression.

"You need a makeover now," She chuckles, "That pretty face of yours is quite damaged."

He smirks, cocking an eyebrow, "You think its pretty?"

"Get the fuck away from my sister, Harrington," A voice calls from the doorway, and Malia leans to the side slightly to peer around Steve's shoulder and her eyes land on her brother.

"Thomas," She sighs.

He walks further into the room, only speaking once Steve is facing him, "I heard what you did to my sister, by the way. Was your ego really that damaged when you realised Nancy's found a better man? It's not hard, Steve. Literally any other man is better than you," He snaps.

Malia's eyebrows furrow, "Thomas, shut—"

"And where have you been?" He points at her aggressively, taking Steve's spot in front of her, "Mum and I haven't seen you for days. I thought you had gone missing like Will and Barb. Also, how the fuck are you involved in all this shit? Why is Nancy and Jonathan in the waiting room with Hopper and Joyce Byers while you're in a hospital room with bandages around your ankle and wrists?" He runs his hands through his hair, "Am I going crazy? What the fuck is happening? Holy shit, maybe all that weed has finally got to me."

Malia holds her hands out in front of her, signalling for him to calm down, "You finished?" He nods slowly, allowing her to continue, "Thank you. First off, I'm only involved in this shit because Steven," She shoots daggers over at her best friend, "basically forced me to go to his stupid showing off party. And I'm in a hospital room right now because a monster decided to nearly kill me, twice." She tilts her head, "Plus, I thought we agreed if I stopped smoking cigs then you would stop weed."

"That doesn't matter right now," He waves her off, "But what does matter is how you just said a monster nearly killed you... twice."

"They're called demogorgons apparently," Steve speaks up, "I don't get it either."

"You're involved in this too?" Thomas questions, earning a solid nod, "I— uh okay. Malia," He squeezes his eyes shut, "Explain everything."

Biting her lip, Malia hesitates for a moment, debating whether or not to drag her brother into something that could potentially threaten his life. She glances over at Steve for a helping hand, but he just shrugs. After throwing her head back and groaning, she nods, starting to explain everything.

❦

Thomas, Malia and Steve walk down the hospital corridors in a line. The two boys at her sides have their mouths wide open and Malia clenches her jaw after having to repeat the same sentence for the millionth time.

"Holy shit," Thomas whispers, "Is all that true?"

"Yes," She sighs, "It's all true."

"And everyone in the waiting room knows about it?" He tilts his head, "Even the kids?"

"Even the kids." She hums.

Thomas glances at her, "What about the magical girl? What happened to her?"

Malia shrugs, coming to a stop outside of the waiting room doors, "I have no clue," She turns to the boys, glaring at them, "Don't mention anything to any of the people inside here, okay? Everyone is extremely emotional and I don't want to be blamed if someone cries, got it?"

"Got it." The boys answer in unison before following her inside.

Everyone's heads snap in the direction of the doors as they open and Nancy is the first to be out of her seat and in front of Malia. Without muttering a single word, she pulls her into a hug.

Malia's eyes widen and her face pulls up into a grimace while she slowly squirms her way out of the embrace, "Jesus christ, Wheeler. Give me a warning next time."

Nancy shakes her head, smiling, "Sorry about telling the doctors about your cuts. I was just worried they would get infected and I knows you're too stubborn to tell anyone about them."

"Wow, you know me so well," Malia teases, "It was extremely hard for me to explain them to the doctor without sounding like a nutjob, so thank you for that." Her eyes float over Nancy's shoulder and to the empty seats around the room, "Where's Dustin and the other boys?"

"In Will's room," Nancy nods, returning to her seat beside Jonathan.

"Good, good." Malia purses her lips, "Well, I should probably get going. This has been really fun, everyone, but—"

"Go to his room, Malia," Hopper rolls his eyes, "I'm sure Will wouldn't mind talking to you."

"He has absolutely no clue who I am, Hop. Is that really a good idea?" She grumbles, but Thomas decides to push her towards the door, "I hate you, I hate you. I hate you all—" She rushes before the door is slammed closed.

"Malia!" Dustin Henderson's high pitched voice calls from across the room, "You're alive."

"Somehow, yeah." She smiles, walking over to stand beside him and ruffle his hair, "It's nice to see you're all alive as well." Her eyes float down to the smiling boy in the bed below her, and his expression slowly drops, "Hey, I've heard a lot about you."

"Are you Malia Garcia?" He asks quietly.

"You have heard of me?" She tilts her head, "Oh. Wow."

"Everyone knows you," Mike states from the other side of the bed, "You're Glaring Garcia."

"If you ever say that again, Wheeler, you're gonna regret it," She points a finger at him before looking back down to Will, "Look, I promise you I'm not as horrible as everyone paints me to be. I am actually amazing with kids."

"Bullshit," Dustin coughs, causing the other boys in the room, including Will, to laugh.

Malia gasps, snapping her head to the boy beside her, "Dustin Henderson, how dare you? I was an amazing babysitter."

"You were until I walked in on you and J—" Her hand clamps over his mouth and his eyes go wide while Malia glares at him.

"You and your big mouth," She grumbles, letting go slowly. Once again she turns back to Will, "Don't listen to any of your friends."

Lucas laughs, "She is a badass though, Dustin makes sure to keep reminding us." He says to Will quietly.

Malia smiles, "Thank you, Lucas." She stares down at Dustin, with her eyebrows raised, "See? That's how you talk to girls."

"I— I wasn't— I—"

"You definitely were," Mike laughs.

"One hundred percent," Will nods, giggling.

"You were trying to flirt with her," Lucas teases him.

Malia smiles brightly, "Need to up your game, Henderson."

In the waiting room, everyone heard the laughter erupting from Will's hospital room. Hopper smiles gently, while Thomas and Steve exchange a knowing glance. Malia Garcia is amazing with kids, just in her own unique way, and she always will be.

___________________

the final chapter of season one

fluffyyyy