chapter twelve
shut up and kiss me

When Steve, who had decided he was driving and no one else got any say in the matter, had dropped Avery at home, she was terrified. Not for any other reason than the thought of how angry her mum would be, even if her dad had tried to explain everything. The blonde took a deep breath before she walked up to her front door, swinging it open and immediately coming face to face with her mum pacing in the living room.

"Where is she? She's been gone—" Her mother cut herself off at the sight of her daughter, spinning to face her. Despite her anger, she let out a sigh of relief that she was safe. "Where have you been? I told you to come home on time and you've been out hours, Avery. Your dad came home ages ago and said that you were babysitting the kids at the Byers and yet here you are, smelling, with dirt all in your hair. What in the name of God have you been doing?"

Avery couldn't help the small smile that crossed her features as she stared at her mum shouting at her. After everything that had happened over the last few days, Avery just wanted a bit of normality back in her life and she had just gotten it, her mother shouting at her.

However her smile quickly fell, her lip trembling as the feeling of being overwhelmed settled over her, everything that had happened playing on repeat in her mind. She didn't say anything in response to Lorelai, moving towards her mum and wrapping her arms around her waist as she let the tears fall from her eyes.

"I love you." Avery whispered.

Lorelai shared a confused look with Theo as she hugged her daughter back. "I love you too, Aves. What's going on?"

Avery shook her head as she pulled away. Theo's eyebrows furrowed, "What happened?"

"You wouldn't believe me." Avery shook her head once more.

"Try me." Her mum smiled.

And so the family sat in the living room until well into the morning, Avery (with the help of her dad) explaining to her mum everything that had happened since the day Will went missing all those months ago. It took them a while and alongside Lorelai's snarky comments about her use of guns, her hatred for Billy and Avery not being able to get out what happened with Billy, James and Steve because she was laughing too much, the family didn't help themselves in making the process quick.

The next day, Avery and her parents were in the diner, having their weekly milkshakes with Robin when the ball above the door rang, signalling someone had entered. The four all turned around, about to tell the people when they were closed when they clocked onto James and Steve, who were smiling awkwardly at them.

"Hello boys." Lorelai greeted.

"James." Avery smiled, walking over to the boy, ignoring the look she was getting from Robing when she, not only called him by his first name, but also hugged him. "Dancing queen, how you guys doing?"

"Good." Steve nodded.

"Do you guys want to join us for milkshakes?" Robin asked.

James immediately nodded, Steve hesitating for a moment. Avery ignored his conflicted expression grabbing his arm and dragging him over to the booth where the family were sat. Robin sent Avery another look, to which she received a glare and a slight shove.

Theo narrowed his eyes at Steve, "You always let her drag you around."

Before Steve could answer, Lorelai placed the milkshakes down, looking towards Steve with a teasing look. "Well he has to, especially if she has to continuously save him from death."

Steve turned to Avery in shock, his face turning red. "You told them?"

"About you getting nearly beaten to death by Billy, yeah, she told us." Robin interrupted.

Avery and Steve shared a look, the boy knowing that she had in fact told her parents everything and Robin only bits and pieces, his face deepening in red colour as he came to the realisation that her mum meant she had saved him on multiple occasions.

"Woah, let's not give Avery all the credit. I actually saved Steve from his near death experience with Billy." James cut in, offended they were praising Avery for something he did.

"And who saved you from the same fate?" Theo sat forward, his eyebrows raised.

James' teasing smile immediately dropped, the man intimidating him slightly. "Avery... sir."

Avery snorted, her hand covering her mouth at the interaction between James and her father. Robin quietly joined in the laughter as Lorelai looked between Avery, James and Theo with narrowed eyes. Lorelai stood up, gesturing for Avery to follow her as she announced she was getting more whipped cream.

Avery's eyebrows knit in confusion, following after her mum. The blonde sat on one of the stools as her mum got the cream out of the fridge.

"Why did you need my help to get the cream?" Avery wondered.

"He loves you." Her mum suddenly stated.

"Who?"

"James."

"What are you on?" Avery laughed slightly.

"I'm being serious Avery, no boy would be that scared of you dad if he didn't love you, Steve definitely isn't." Avery turned around at the statement to see Steve laughing with her dad while James sat nervously next to him. "And he looks at you like you hung the stars in the sky Avery, especially since Christmas. He likes you, and I can tell, even if you won't admit it, as your mum, I know you like him too."

"She's right." Another voice spoke up, the two turning to see Robin had joined them.

"Not you too." Avery groaned.

"Avery for the entirety of today, you have explained to me why you have been M.I.A and all I have gotten from it is that you and James have been basically pining over each other." Robin explained. "'I don't want you to die', 'I don't want you to die either', the hugging, the saving him from Billy, calling him by his first name. I know you, Avery, and I know when you like someone, this is different, this is... this is borderline love shit."

Avery let out a small sigh, not bothering to deny it, knowing neither her mother nor her best friend would ever allow her to. All she did was turn around, this time catching James' gaze. She smiled slightly at him before glaring at Lorelai and Robin, who were both sending her a knowing look.

"Shut up."

As the three made their way back to the table, Avery smiled. The six spending the next few hours laughing and talking. Avery noticed a lot of things in the hours she spent in that booth.

The first thing she noticed was that Steve was the most laidback she had ever seen him in that booth. She also noticed how surprised he was every time her parents did something nice to him – the thought that maybe he was surprised because he never had at home, upset her more than she wanted to admit and she made the mental note to invite Steve to all her family gathering alongside Robin from now on.

The other things she noticed, she rather not tell anyone and if anyone asked her if she noticed them she would deny completely.

She noticed how James' eyes would crinkle at the sides when he laughed, and when he did he would lean forward like he was bending over. His hair would fall onto his forehead, then he would swing his head so it went back, a smile on his face as he did. She also noticed how his eyes would sparkle when he was really happy, and how he played with the chain around his neck when they brought up something that made his uncomfortable.

She noticed a lot about James in those few hours and, not that she'd ever admit it in a million years, the one thing that stuck out to her the most was that... she noticed how she didn't hate his company. In fact, she found it nice that he was there. Avery Monroe liked James Parker, and she didn't completely hate the idea of it.

Maybe her mum was right?

——————————————

one month later.

Nancy and Jonathan had done good, Avery decided. When the news broke that the sinister happenings going on in Hawkins Laboratory, they were forced to admit their part in Barb's death and cover-up. Now, over a month later, everything was starting to get back to normal.

Tonight was the night of the Snow Ball, and Avery was stood in Lucas' bedroom. She was supposed to be babysitting Erica for the night as Lucas' parents were out and Lucas was going to the ball but she decided to come early to help him get ready.

"You look great Lucas." Avery complimented the boy as he spoke to himself in the mirror. Erica spoke up from the doorway in a teasing tone, resulting in the boy slamming his door.

"What if she says no?" Lucas turned to Avery, fear in his eyes.

"She'll say yes." Avery reassured him.

"How can you be so sure? What if I mess up?" Lucas panicked suddenly.

"Lucas." Avery stopped him from pacing. "She clearly already likes you, so trust me, she'll say yes. And if you mess up asking her, I guarantee you, being the person she is, she'll take the lead."

"You really think so?" Lucas stared at her hopefully.

"I know so." Lucas' smiled brightened at her words, him wrapping his arms around the girl. "Now go and get the girl, Lucas, and tell me all about it when you get back."

Lucas nodded, walking out of his bedroom and towards the stairs. Avery eyes widened after a few moments before rushing to the top of the stairs to call after him. "And no kissing!"

"Avery, oh my god!" Lucas groaned as Avery laughed before he slammed the door, leaving for the ball.

Avery then made her way into Erica's bedroom, sitting down on the bed next to the girl. "What we doing tonight, Erica?"

——————————————

The next day at school, Avery yawned as she walked down the corridor. When Lucas got home the night before, he insisted on telling her every detail from his night, which took a while so when she finally arrived home, she was ready for bed. But she was very wrong, as then Mike proceeded to call the girl to tell her all about him and Eleven and then Max called her to tell her same details, her loving to hear Max's side of the same story that Lucas told her.

And so she didn't exactly get a whole lot of sleep the previous night, and with the lack of sleep from the last few months, she was extremely sleep deprived. She walked down the hall with Nancy, the two girls just chatting and enjoying each other's company.

The two girls made their way into the library, going their separate ways. Nancy made her way over to Jonathan while Avery walked over to where Robing was sitting. The girl smiled at Avery when she sat down opposite her.

"Hey." Robin greeted.

The two shared a smile before they delved into the catch up with each while simultaneously doing their homework. Once Avery had finished her homework, she sighed, picking her bag up and searching for her book. The blonde pouted, huffing when she couldn't find what she was looking for.

"What's up?" Robin asked, looking up at the girl.

"I left my Little Women book at home." Avery let out a small sigh.

"Aves, we're in a library." Robin deadpanned. "Go get a copy they have in here."

Avery nodded, standing up and making her way to where the Little Women books are usually kept. When she couldn't find it, she sighed before deciding to browse the rest of the books.

After a while of looking, Avery gasped, reaching up, her hand finding the book she wanted, tugging it down off the shelf. Avery currently stood in the classics section, like usual, except this time she was in the S, Shakespear covering the shelves in front of her, obviously someone having mixed up the authors names and lugged Little Women with Shakespeare's works.

Avery started to open her book when she felt a presence behind her, an arm reaching past to grab a book from the shelf above her head. Avery turned around, wanting to move out the way, not realising how close the person really was. She took a deep breath as she looked up, James' eyes connecting with her own.

"Parker." She greeted.

"Monroe. I thought we'd gotten over the last names." He nodded his head. Avery went to move but his arm blocked her in so she took a small step backwards, her back now pressed up against the bookshelves. The boy looked down, smirking slightly. "Sorry, just grabbing a book."

"What are you reading?" Avery wondered, tilting her head slightly.

James hesitated before answering unsurely. "Macbeth."

"Sounds like you're looking forward to it with that hesitation of yours." Avery let a small smirk spread across her features.

James suddenly leant forward, Avery's breath hitching as his face got significantly closers to hers. Her eyes widened slightly, as he questioned her, "How much longer are you going to fight this?"

"Fight what?" Avery whispered, looking up at him although she knew exactly what he was referring to.

"This." He pointed between them as he got slightly closer. Avery took a deep breath, her chest now rising and falling as she continued to take them.

"You know, if you kiss me right now, it would be non-consensual." Avery couldn't help but comment, sarcasm running through her words despite her face saying something different.

"Don't tell me you don't want this as much as I do?" James' eyes stared into hers. "But I wont do anything unless you say you want me too."

The two continued to stare at each other for a few moments.

"Do you want this Avery?" He Asked her. Avery stayed quiet, like her whole body was frozen before she forced herself to nod. "You're going to have to use your words, sunshine."

Without her realising he had suddenly gotten closer, their lips almost touching, only a few centimetres apart. "Do you want this?"

Avery stayed quiet for another moment, James tilting his head ever so slightly. "What you thinking about, princess?"

That seemed to break Avery out of her thoughts, her body no longer frozen as she let a smirk spread across her lips, James smiling slightly at the reaction. She lifted her left arm up without him realising, James being too focused on her face than anything else. Slowly she let it sit on his shoulder as she spoke.

"I think." Avery whispered, her right hand toying with his jacket. "You should shut up and kiss me."

Before James could even process it, Avery had grasped his jacket and yanked him forward, their lips crashing together. James reacted almost immediately, his hands finding her waist, the book he had picked up keeping him from fully holding her as she let go of his jacket, her arms linking behind his neck, her own book still in her hands as she did.

The two broke apart a few moments later, both breathing heavily as they stared at each other, Avery smiling at the boy.

"Hey, did you—"

Avery and James shot apart in shock, both turning to see Robin at the end of the aisle.

"Did you find your book?" She asked Avery, glancing between the two, a teasing smirk playing on her lips. Avery smiled, nodding as she looked over at James.

"Have fun." Her eyes travelled down to the book in his hands, smiling teasingly. "Rereading Romeo and Juliet. I'll talk to you later."

Avery walked over to Robin, the Buckley girl immediately linking arms with the blonde as she muttering something to which Avery sent her a look and told her to shut up.

James watched her go before looking at the book, realising he did in fact pick up Romeo and Juliet instead of Macbeth like he told Avery. He knew that she knew he lied to get close to her, but he wasn't going to deny it seeing as that was the reason he moved the Little Women book in hopes that she would forget her own copy.

( 💌 ) isobel's notes
last chapter of season 2 😭
i'll start updating season 3
soon i swear but they could be
a small break so i can pre write
some chapters :))
THEY KISSED
JAVERY IS REAL
I LOVE THEN SM