Stranger Things: Chainbreaker

[2 months later]

The last two months had been a rollercoaster of emotions and discoveries for Steven. Mary had taken it upon herself to teach him general knowledge, introducing everything from the most famous movies to the differences between dollar bills. Each thing he learned was another brick in the construction of his identity, and little by little, he began to feel less like an outsider and more like someone who belonged in society.

He had also accomplished two things he'd wanted badly ever since he saw them in a scientist's memory: swimming and riding a bike. James was reluctant at first to teach him, but eventually gave in after much insistence. The learning process, however, was an adventure on its own. Steven swallowed more water than he'd like to admit and took a few memorable falls off the bike. But he did it.

Still, among everything that had happened, one thing stood out above the rest. For the past two weeks, Steven had been trying something new with his powers: creating some kind of "barrier" to block out emotions. The idea had been sparked by what happened in Chicago, which made it painfully clear just how overwhelming it was to receive the emotions of thousands of people at once.

The problem was, Steven didn't understand his powers beyond what he did by instinct, and trying something that innovative was like flying a plane without a radar. He had no idea what to visualize, how to focus his mind, or what sensation to look for. As a result, every attempt came with a splitting headache, like his brain was being squeezed from the inside out.

Sometimes, he felt a faint tingling, like he was close to something, but the pain would force him to stop, leaving him frustrated and drained. He even started to wonder if he was doing everything wrong—and maybe his powers weren't capable of such a thing. But he didn't give up.

********

[1 month later]

"Okay, cover your eyes," Mary said, full of excitement. Steven obeyed, feeling a bit uneasy about the spray can she was shaking in front of him. He wasn't quite sure what Mary was planning, but according to her, it had something to do with "taming the wild mane" that now grew in messy tufts on his head.

"Relax, Steven, this is going to look amazing," Mary said as she ran the comb through his hair, working out the tangles before releasing three spritzes of the spray. The sweet, chemical scent filled the air, making Steven wrinkle his nose. "You just need three or four sprays. This is the Farrah Fawcett spray—technically for women, but that doesn't matter if it works. You can open your eyes now!"

Steven slowly opened his eyes and turned to the mirror. His reflection startled him. The strands that had grown in uneven waves were now styled into a voluminous haircut, with soft layers falling over his forehead and sides, glistening under the bathroom light.

"And then, you just brush it like this," Mary continued, running the brush through one more time, adding even more shape and volume. "Done! Now you're ready for the whole day. What do you think?"

Steven tilted his head, studying the reflection. "I like it," he said, reaching out to touch his hair, curious about the texture—but Mary gave his hand a light smack.

"No way!"

********

[4 months later]

Steven was a genius—or at least, that's what the tutors James had hired kept calling him. History, geography, math, reading, writing, grammar, or science—it didn't matter what it was, he soaked up knowledge like a sponge.

What should have taken several months to cover the entire elementary school curriculum, Steven mastered in just three.

********

[2 months later – September 15, 1978]

Steven stood in front of the bedroom mirror, frowning at his reflection. "Hmm... nope, I look like a nerd," he muttered, yanking off the plaid button-up shirt and tossing it onto the bed, where three other discarded attempts were already piled up: a polo that was way too bright, a t-shirt with a print that looked childish, and a brown sweater that made him look smaller than he was.

It was his first day of school, and picking the perfect outfit felt like an impossible mission.

He rummaged through the closet, quickly scanning the stack of shirts. Finally, he grabbed a plain gray t-shirt that seemed to go well with the jeans and white sneakers. He took a step back, eyeing his reflection critically. "Okay... I think this works."

Steven then tilted his head to check his hair. The dark brown strands, now longer, were styled with the Farrah Fawcett spray Mary had taught him to use. He ran his fingers through it carefully, making sure every piece was in place. 'I love this hair.'

His gaze dropped to his left wrist, where a brown leather watch covered the 007 tattoo, hidden under a layer of concealer. He adjusted the strap, making sure it was snug, and took a deep breath. "This is gonna be a breeze..."

"Steven, you're gonna be late!" Mary's voice echoed from the kitchen.

"I'm coming!" he shouted back, grabbing his backpack and slinging it over his shoulder. He ran down the stairs, sneakers thudding fast against the steps, and burst into the kitchen, where the smell of warm pancakes and maple syrup filled the air.

Mary stood by the stove, flipping a pancake with a spatula. "There are some ready," she said, nodding toward the plate on the table.

Steven didn't waste time. He grabbed a pancake with his hands, folded it in half, and stuffed it in his mouth. "Hey! Where are your manners, young man?" Mary exclaimed, raising an eyebrow.

"Sowwy," he mumbled with his mouth full.

Mary shook her head. "If James were here, you'd be getting a lecture till tomorrow."

Steven swallowed with an audible gulp, laughing. "Good thing he isn't," he said, already grabbing another pancake and taking a big bite.

Mary let out an exasperated sigh, but Steven knew she wasn't really annoyed—if anything, the exchange seemed to cheer her up.

She stepped closer, wiping her hands on her apron. "Look, you're not that late, you know? You can eat in peace."

"I wanna get there early," Steven said without slowing down, stuffing another bite in his mouth.

Mary smiled. "Alright, alright. I won't stop you then."

He finished the pancake, wiped his hands on a towel Mary tossed to him, and started heading to the garage. "See you later, mom."

"See you—wait! Did you take your lunch money?"

"Yep!" he replied, already in the garage, where a blue bike leaned against the wall. He hopped on, adjusted the watch on his wrist one more time, and pedaled out of the garage, the September morning sun warming his skin.

The street was quiet, filled with birdsong and the distant hum of a lawnmower. Steven took a deep breath, soaking in the freedom of the moment. "This is gonna be a breeze..."

********

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, images or songs featured in this fic. Additionally, I do not claim ownership of any products or properties mentioned in this novel. This work is entirely fanfic.