Second Cousins?
Byers x second cousin!reader
a/n: THIS IS SUCH A REACH LMAO BARE WITH ME I LITERALLY HAD TO LOOK AT A CHART btw you’re about jonathans age? ig? idk but this is NOT romantic that’s frickin gross. p.s. horowitz is winona ryders name
You crawled out of bed to the sound of your dad screaming for you. What time was it?
Great. You slept the whole day and now you have to help your extended family move in immediately. You rolled off your mattress and scrambled to get some clothes. You hadn’t seen this side of the family since Christmas of 1978!
You’d regret not eating breakfast, but not yet. You walked outside, pushing your hair from your face and waiting for your family to exit their respective cars. Your “first-cousin-once-removed,” Joyce, got out first. (You just call her “Aunt Joyce”).
“Hey, guys! Long time no see.” She smiled. “Oh, my god, y/n. Is that you?” She walked up to you and gave you a hug.
“Hey there, Aunt Joyce. We’ve missed you a whole lot.” You looked over her shoulder and saw a younger girl, maybe 13 or 14. You’d never seen her in your life. Her eyes were definitely tear stained, her hair falling out of her scrunchie, and the sleeves on her flannel rolled up. “Who’s the girl?”
“Oh, uh, that would be El. She’s a...‘new addition’ to our family.” Joyce put in air quotes.
“Wicked. I’d love to get to know her better.” You stuck your hands in your pockets and watched the boys get out of their car. “I’d like to catch up with the boys, too. It’s been years. I mean, I know we talk on the phone every once in a blue moon, but this is so exciting! You guys are gonna be living with us now!”
“Only for a little while.” She sighed.
“We’ll make the most of it.” You gave her another hug and moved towards the boys.
“Jonny Byers. You got taller.” You joked with him.
“Bring it in.” He welcomed you with open arms.
“What’s up, kiddo?” You gave Will a high five. “You still drawing that cool ass art?”
“Yeah, I have a ‘portfolio’ now. Jonathan made me put one together.” Will snickered.
“Hey, artists need them. I have one for my pictures.” Jonathan reasoned.
“Well, Will, when you’re all settled in, you’re gonna have to sit me down and show me what you’ve got. You know, I still have that picture you drew me last time I saw you.” You told him.
“Really? I was like, seven.” He shook his head.
“Yeah, seven and truly gifted.” You turned your attention to your other “second cousin,” “And as for you, I’ve got all those old vinyls and some new ones, too. What about you?”
“I have more cassette’s than vinyls, but I’ll make sure we have time to share.” He punched your arm.
“That’s what I like to hear. Now let’s go help your mom and El unload the truck.” You turned around and Will and Jonathan followed you.
“Oh, you heard about El?” Will asked.
“Your mom said she was a ‘new addition to the family.’” You quoted.
“Yeah, that’s a pretty accurate description.” Will nodded. “She’s shy, I wouldn’t push her into conversation.”
“Noted.” You picked up a box and carried it inside. There were two spare rooms. One for Joyce and El and one for the boys. Good thing they didn’t mind sharing. You put the box into Joyce’s room, then headed right for the truck. The next box was labeled “HOPPER.” You lifted it up and an your way into the house, you ran into El.
“I can take that one.” She told you quietly.
“You sure?” You raised your eyebrows and she nodded. You handed her the box and went back to the truck.
“Hey, Horowitz, wanna help me grab this mattress?” Jonathan asked. You jogged up to hig and grabbed one side. “Got it? Alright, be careful.” You guys got the mattress inside, and then the other two.
“Alright, what’s next?” You asked.
“I’m actually kinda hungry.” Jonathan wiped the sweat off his forehead. “What about you?”
“Starving. Go round the gang up, I know a great place to get some lunch.” You told him. Jonathan went around and got all of the family together. There was only six of you. You, dad, Joyce, El, Jonathan, and Will. You all squeezed into one car and hit the road. Really, it was only a 10 minute drive.
“This was my Grandma Darlene’s favorite place to eat before she passed away. We always sit at her booth.” You told your cousins in the back seat. El was in between Joyce and your dad in the front. “Ooh! We’re here.”
You approached the door and your dad opened it up for everyone. You waved at the waitresses you had known so well and went to your usual spot. You each picked up a menu as the waitress asked for drinks.
Water for you, coffee for your dad, water for Jonathan, Sprite for Will, Diet Pepsi for Joyce, and lemonade for El.
“So, boys, what’s been going on in Hawkins? Any significant people or events you wanna talk about?” You questioned the boys.
“Well, Jonathan’s got a girlfriend who leaves lipstick marks all over his face.” Will taunted.
“Oh, shut it.” Jonathan pulled his straw up and took a sip of his drink. “Yeah, her name is Nancy. We’ve been together for almost a year. She’s a badass.”
“How so?” You bit down on a piece of ice.
“She’s determined to get what she wants. We had an internship at the local newspaper and she was an assistant, but she really wanted to be a reporter. She did every possible thing she could to do it. Followed stories, wrote them, suggested topics in meetings...” Jonathan gushed.
“And did she get to be a reporter?” You asked, turning your head sideways.
“No, she actually got us fired.” He chuckled. “But she stood up for herself, that’s why I love her.”
“She sounds great, will she be visiting you soon?” You asked him. “I’d love to show her the embarrassing pictures of us with marker all over our backs and faces when you lived here in ‘73. And the pictures of you pretending to be Super-Man. Can’t forget those ones.”
“Oh, my god, you still have those?” He laughed. “Yes, she’s visiting on Thanksgiving with her brother, Mike.” El’s head perked up. “Mike is Will’s best friend...and El’s boyfriend.”
“Is that so?” You smiled and turned to her. “What’s he like?”
“He’s...funny. And awkward. And a nerd.” She mumbled to you.
“He sounds very pleasant. Can’t wait to meet him.” You winked at her and she gave you a sweet little smile. You were very curious to hear what she had to say.
The waitress came back to take your orders. You and your dad got your usuals, Jonathan got a hamburger, El and Will got hot dogs, and Joyce got soup.
“You guys should try the rice pudding afterwards, it’s really good!” You told them and your dad rolled his eyes. “It is!”
“Pudding with rice in it?” El asked.
“Seriously, you gotta have some.” You told her. “I love it cold with cinnamon on it.” Your cousins were staring at you curiously. “C’mon, if you don’t eat it, I will.”
“Darlene loved her rice pudding.” Joyce chuckled. “You know, you look just like her.”
“I tell y/n that every day.” Your dad said. “It’s the eyes, I swear.”
“And the nose.” Joyce added.
“Oh, yeah.” Your dad agreed. The waitress came with rice pudding for everyone but your dad. Joyce ate it without a question, she had it every holiday with your grandma growing up. Your cousins (including El) stared at it hesitantly, then each took a bite. Jonathan remembered eating it once and hating it. Will spit it out. El took a second bite.
“Like it, El?” You asked.
“Not bad.” She actually managed to finish it.
“Sweet.” You did the same. “Anyone wanna make brownies tonight, or something?”
“Me!” El lit up. You were happy that she was warming up to you so fast.
“Sounds like a plan, we’ll make them from scratch.”
