Chapter Text
“Nance!” Holly jumped into her sister’s arms. They were back home, in Hawkins, for the summer break. And with they, she meant Nancy and Nancy’s girlfriend Robin.
“Hey Holly. How has Hawkins been?” Nancy wrapped her arms around her. “Why do you keep getting taller?”
Holly was indeed growing, and she hadn’t seen her older sister since Christmas. At Christmas, she had almost been taller than Nancy. Now she actually was.
“Hawkins has been… well… regular.” Holly smiled and shrugged. Nancy and Robin both knew what happened 6 years ago. For some reason, their parents, even though they had told their mom what happened, still wanted to live here. Holly enjoyed it though: her friends lived here too. Now that her brother and sister were both doing their own thing, Mike at college studying English, and Nancy working for the Boston Herald, it was lonely at home, so she spent most of her time with her friends.
“Aww, it’s boring without us.” Robin giggled. “Did you come here all alone?”
Holly laughed. “Of course not!” She spun around. “Where is he?”
“Steve.” Nancy sighed.
“Hello!” Steve walked up to them. “I brought tiny Wheeler.”
Holly gasped. “I’m not tiny!” She shoved Steve. “I’m almost as tall as you.”
“Well, you got Wheeler—” He pointed at Nancy– “Wheeler’s girl” He pointed at Robin— “And little Wheeler. Little Wheeler is Mike, and seeing as you are—”
Holly interrupted him. “I know.” She rolled her eyes. Every time she complained about the nickname, Steve gave her that entire explanation.
Her friends (mainly Joshua) thought it was weird she was so close with one of their teachers (more specifically, the one that taught sex ed), but she couldn’t see Steve as a teacher. She saw him as the guy that used to date her sister, that took care of her older brother and one of her best friends, and one the people that saved her and her friends from Vecna and the Mind Flayer.
Robin laughed. “Dingus, don’t bully the girl. Let’s go home, guys.”
Whenever Nancy or Mike or one of their friends came to Hawkins, they didn’t stay at home. All of them went to Steve’s house, which he inherited from his parents (who were really rich so his house was massive). Holly and her friends hung out there sometimes, but only Derek really liked it. Usually, they were in the basement at Holly’s house or outside.
Nancy and Robin had their own room in Steve’s house, where they stayed every time they came over.
“Don’t give them the gifts without me!” Robin yelled, carrying her and Nancy’s stuff upstairs.
Nancy gave Holly another hug. “Are we the first?”
Holly nodded. “Yeah.”
“I believe Lucas and Max are going to arrive tonight, though.” Steve looked at his watch.
Nancy smiled. “Good. Mike and Will fly in tomorrow, and Jonathan just has to finish up a final project. Steve, what about Dustin?”
“What about Dustin?” The doors opened and Dustin and Erica came walking in.
“I thought we were the first?” Nancy turned to Holly.
“Dustin doesn’t count. He basically lives here. And so does Erica.” Erica and Dustin were both attending a college nearby, Dustin taking his masters in some nerdy science subject and Erica doing undergrad science. Steve visited often, and sometimes Holly and Derek tagged along when they had nothing to do. Other times, Erica and Dustin came to Hawkins.
“Okay, fair.” Nancy chuckled.
“How’s the Boston Herald?” Erica asked.
Nancy grinned. “Good, thanks.”
The two of them started a conversation about something nerdy, and Holly zoned out. Her friends would come this evening, and the house would be full and busy. That could be nice, and fun, but this year she wasn’t looking forward to it as much as the past years.
“Hey, tiny Wheeler.” Steve nudged her.
Holly blinked a few times. “Yeah?”
“Want to come with us to pick up Lucas and Max from the airport? We’ll get some McDonalds for dinner or something,” Dustin said.
“Or you can stay here, with your friends. Robs probably will make dinner,” Steve added, “Your choice.”
Holly shrugged. “Why not? Yeah, I’ll tag along.”
And that’s how she ended up throwing fries at Dustin in a McDonalds near the airport.
“Children, Children.” Steve sighed, before grabbing a fistful of fries and shoving them in Dustin’s face.
Holly laughed. “Nice one!” She threw a handful at him. Half of them missed, but a few fries hit Steve in the face.
“We’re gonna get kicked out.” Dustin wheezed.
Steve checked his watch. “Let’s pack this up, you can finish this in the car if you are careful. We need to make sure we’re on time for Lucas and Max.”
They walked over to the car, Dustin carrying all the food and Holly holding the drinks.
“Wipe your feet.” Steve ordered, opening the door on the driver’s side.
Holly opened Dustin’s door, and he agressively wiped his shoes on the inside of the car.
“On the outside, not the inside!” Steve groaned.
Holly laughed, dropping down on the backside. Right now, she had a lot of room, but she was going to have to share with Max and Lucas later.
It was really busy at the airport, and it took Steve a while to find a spot to park.
“Hurry up!” Dustin bugged him. “We can’t be late.”
“We so can be late. They won’t care.” Holly leaned forward, her head poking through the gap between the front chair.
“Go back.” Steve pushed a hand against her chest, not taking his eyes of the parking lot. He found a spot, and they parked.
Inside the airport it was really busy, and Holly zoned out whilst she followed Dustin and Steve manoeuvring through the airport. The two of them were bickering, but Holly knew it was all from a place of love. As far as she could remember, they had been friends.
“Hey!” Max pulled Holly into a warm hug.
After they had found the gate Max and Lucas would arrive at, Dustin, Holly and Steve waited for them to arrive. They had, and now everybody was hugging and talking through each other.
“How are you?” Max asked.
Holly shrugged. “Fine, Hawkins has been boring. Can I take a bag from you or something?”
Max sighed. “Yes please. Here, can you carry this?”
Max handed her a backpack, and Holly flung it on her back.
“Hey Holly.” Lucas gave her a sideways hug.
She smiled. “Hi.”
They drove back home, chatting and catching up about what they’ve been doing.
The following morning, Mike and Will arrived, and Jonathan followed in the afternoon. The gang was complete.