45. campaigns and coming outs

CAMPAIGNS AND COMING OUTS

✧･ﾟ: * Nora kicks the Michael Myers mask away from her as she sits at the back of the RV the group had stolen, leaning her head on Max's shoulder as the redhead returns the act, "Running Up That Hill" leaking out of her headphones.

"Y'know how all the victims were seeing Ms. Kelley?" Nora starts, not lifting her head from Max's shoulder.

"Hm," Max hums in acknowledgment and Nora notices her turn down the volume of her music.

"So, maybe if we, like, go back to her office, and check out the files-"

"We don't have time for that, Nor," Max says softly. "And we can't put a total stranger at risk. They wouldn't know we're up against. I do," she then goes on to explain Vecna's process. She talks about how he goes into her memories, and tries bringing out the dark ones.

"I just have to hide in the light, in the happy memories," Max finalizes. "The happiest memory."

"You have a memory in mind?" Nora understands what Max is saying about being connected to Vecna or whatever, but can't help but still feel overprotective.

"Yeah," and although she can't see her face, Nora can tell Max is smiling softly.

"Tell me about it," Nora also smiles. "Am I in it?"

"Maybe. And I will. I'll tell you about it. As soon as all this is over."

Nora gets a pit in her stomach at the redhead's uncharacteristically optimistic words, but doesn't say anything as she just closes her eyes and basks in the moment.

Before she knows it, they've arrived at the War Zone, and Robin, Steve, Nancy, Erica, and Max (much to Nora's dismay) go inside to gather supplies while Dustin, Lucas, Eddie, and Nora stay to keep each other company in the RV.

"Hi," Nora drops into the seat across from Eddie at the tiny side table he's sitting at.

"Hi," he stops fiddling with his thumbs to look up at Nora. "Disposable Heroes really your favorite song?"

"I dunno," Nora shrugs dismissively, still unsure what song would really save her life. "What's yours?"

"Master of Puppets, for sure," he says without hesitation.

"Yeah, that checks out," Nora laughs along with him.

"Hey, when this is all over, we'll need to have another campaign," Eddie starts. "Your character never got a happy ending."

"Yeah, I guess," Nora has to admit it totally slipped her mind, but now that Eddie's brought it up, she's kinda excited for it now. "I also never apologized for missing the end of that one campaign."

"Don't even mention it, mini Harrington," Eddie shakes his head. "You'll make up for it, I'm sure."

"Make up for what?" Dustin drops into the chair in the aisle, joining the two in their conversation.

"Missing the campaign," Nora answers for him.

"Oh, yeah. I was supposed to be mad at you that."

"Speaking of which," Lucas shows up behind Dustin. "Are you mad at me?" He stares at Nora.

"What?" Nora scoffs/laughs in a weird tone. "Of course not. . ."

The other three stare at her.

"I'm not mad at you," Nora assures. "I was just. . . annoyed a little."

"Why?" Dustin asks.

Nora stares at him in a "am I talking to you?" way, but he doesn't catch on and still stares at her waiting for an answer.

"Um, well. . . y'know, like, you know?"

". . . No."

"Y'know! You know."

"I don't think he knows, mini Harrington."

"I don't know, you were just, like, really weird with-Max-and-stuff-and-I-don't-know-it-was-weird," Nora mumbles her last few worlds, not really sure where this conversation was going.

"Wait, what does Max have to do with it?" Dustin stares.

"Like, I don't know, you were, like, into her, I don't know," Nora realizes she's trapped in as Lucas stands right at the side of her seat, so settles for avoiding all eye contact.

"What?" Lucas also stares. "She's not yours, Nora, I'm allowed to have crushes."

"I never said she was! I never said you couldn't," Nora gets weirdly defensive, giving Lucas the same look he was giving her. "I just, um, well-"

"Oh my God, you're into little red," Eddie catches on faster than the other two, surprising considering Nora's known Dustin and Lucas for their whole lives, but grateful nonetheless that she didn't really have to say it out loud.

"Well, I mean, well, yeah, it's like-"

"She is yours, isn't she?" Eddie continues, referencing what Lucas was saying. "Y'know it all makes sense now, you two are so into each other."

"Wait, like, into into each other?" Lucas looks in shock.

"Mike owes me five dollars," Dustin murmurs to himself.

"Um, kinda?" Nora ignores Dustin's comment, hoping Lucas doesn't, like, hate crime her or anything.

"Yeah, obviously," Dustin practically scolds Lucas for his obliviousness. "They're, like, on top of each other all the time-"

"That's not true!" Nora overcomes her nervousness for a moment. "We're always in appropriate positions in relation to each other."

"You do hold hands a lot," Lucas starts coming around.

"I always thought my gaydar was so good," Eddie says to himself.

The door to the RV bursts open, startling the four out the conversation of Nora's sexuality/relationship status.

"We have to go."

a/n:

I just kinda realized Nora never really came out to any of her friends and ig it was kinda assumed it happened off screen so I didn't wanna make any plot holes but I still wanted to add something fun so yk

also I'm v conflicted on killing Eddie like there are so many scenes between him and Nora that I cry thinking about how I cant write them and like how those two and max all live in the same area and can like party every night and he's like Nora's gay protector but I can also start building Nora and robin's and Nancy's relationship and everyone else and stuff too but he's so fun n fresh and obvi Nora loves Steve but he's like an older brother to her but she's never experienced true loss but does she need to? idk