The day prior
The cafeteria buzzed with voices, metal trays clattering, laughter bouncing off tile walls. Knox and Nova sat at their usual table—edges, back to the wall, clear sightlines.
Across the room—
"They're here," Dustin announced, unnecessarily loud.
Mike rolled his eyes. "Yeah, Dustin. We have eyes."
Lucas leaned forward. "You think Will's already over there?" trying to look for the familiar bowl-cut haired boy.
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Will was, in fact, deciding if he'll go, after getting what he wanted with a tightened hold of his tray, hesitated, then turned.
Nova noticed first.
She didn't wave. Didn't smile.
She just shifted her sketchbook slightly to the side—making space for his tray.
Will sat beside her.
"Hey," he said.
"Hey," Nova replied.
Knox glanced up. "Morning, Byers." Knox being sat across from them
Will nodded. "Hey, Knox."
Dustin squinted from across the cafeteria. "Okay, now I'm offended."
Mike sighed. "Give it five minutes."
Lucas smirked. "Less."
Sure enough, the rest of the Party followed.
"Alright," Dustin said, sliding in beside Knox, "official introductions because this is getting ridiculous."
He pointed at himself. "Dustin Henderson. Genius. Humble."
Lucas nudged him. "Lucas Sinclair. Don't listen to him."
Mike nodded politely. "Mike Wheeler."
Knox studied them—not suspicious, just thorough. "Knox Elsher."
Nova tilted her head slightly. "Nova Elsher, Nice to meet you guys officially." with a small smile on her face
Will smiled. "You already know me."
Dustin clapped his hands. "Okay! So. We play D&D."
Nova blinked. "You… what?"
Mike leaned forward, interested now. "Dungeons and Dragons. It's a game."
Knox frowned. "Board game?"
"Tabletop role-playing game," Dustin corrected.
Nova glanced at Will. "Is it… fun?"
Will shook his head quickly. "Yeah! Uhm... It's mostly talking and imagination."
Knox considered that. "is it a strategic kind of game?"
"Oh yeah," Lucas said. "A lot."
Nova nodded slowly. "Okay...you guys have us hook?."
Dustin beamed. "YES."
Mike pointed a finger at her. "You'd guys will like it, I'll guarantee it."
Knox added, "If it is good like you guys are saying... were in."
Will smiled to himself.
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The Next Day
Morning sunlight slipped through the thin curtains of the Elsher house, catching dust in the air as it drifted lazily. The radio murmured from the kitchen—one of Maria's country stations, chosen because it felt harmless. Normal. Safe.
Knox sat at the table, shoveling the last of his eggs into his mouth, already reaching for his bag. His foot bounced against the floor, the chair leg scraping softly each time it moved.
Nova stood by the counter, toast in one hand, sketchbook tucked under her arm. She took quick bites between flipping pages, crumbs dusting the paper.
Maria watched them over her coffee.
"You don't have to rush," she said, not unkindly. "You've got time."
Knox swallowed. "We're not rushing."
Nova nodded, mouth still half-full. "Just eating efficiently."
Maria huffed a quiet laugh. She'd heard that excuse before.
"Slow down," she said. "You'll make yourselves sick."
The twins exchanged a glance but didn't slow much.
Knox wiped his mouth. "We just don't want to be late."
"Late for what?" Maria asked, already knowing the answer.
"The game," Nova said. "Dungeons and Dragons. At the Wheelers'."
Maria paused. Someone else's house. Someone else's rules.
"And I'll be driving you guys as always" she said finally. "And picking you guys up too. Same time. No staying late, no wandering off, I already talked to Karen when you guys asked me beforehand."
Knox nodded quickly. "We won't."
Nova met her eyes. "Promise."
Maria sighed, setting her mug down. "Alright. Just—eat properly. Dragons can wait."
As they grabbed their bags, Knox muttered, "I don't think the guys will."
Nova smiled. "Then we'd better hurry."
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The basement smelled like cardboard, dust, and old carpet.
Nova stood near the bottom of the stairs, hands tucked into her sleeves, looking around.
"This is where you play?" she asked.
"Yep," Dustin said proudly. "Behold."
He gestured to the table, covered in books, dice, and scribbled notes.
Nova picked up a die, rolling it between her fingers. "These decide things?"
"Fate," Dustin said solemnly.
Knox sat carefully, eyes scanning exits out of habit. "What happens if you lose?"
Mike shrugged. "Your character dies."
Nova paused. "…Just the character?"
Will nodded quickly. "Yeah. Not you." like it was the most obvious thing.
"Okay," she said, visibly relieved.
They didn't play long.
Mostly explanations. Laughter. Dustin talking too fast. Lucas correcting him. Mike getting frustrated. Will quietly helping Nova understand. And Knox amused at every little reaction the boys had during in-game.
Knox leaned back. "I like this."
Dustin gasped. "Guys. We've converted them."
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That evening after picking up the twins after a long session of gaming at the wheelers, Maria was quite happy to see the twins telling the story of how things went. They then went by to Melvald's General Store to pick up sa groceries to restock, the twins happily asking if they could get what they want with of course Maria doting as ever saying okay.
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Joyce Byers wiped her hands on her apron, tired but moving on autopilot.
"Hey, Joyce," came a familiar voice.
She looked up—and froze.
The little girl standing near the counter beside the person that greeted her looked… familiar.
Not because Joyce knew her.
Because she'd seen her.
In sketches.
On paper.
On her son's wall at one point.
Nova stood beside Maria, quietly. Knox had decided strolling around the store was more fun than waiting for their stuff to be ringed and packed.
Joyce's heart skipped.
"Oh," Joyce said softly. "Hi, Maria". Knowing the woman due to having little small talks and gossips during her grocery sessions.
Maria smiled. "Hey Joyce, This is my daughter, Nova. One of the little troublemakers I've talked about"
Nova nodded. "Hi." she said with a little embarrassed smile because of what her mom said
Joyce swallowed. "You… look just like—"
She stopped herself, embarrassed.
Nova tilted her head. "Like…?"
Joyce laughed lightly. "Sorry. You just remind me of someone."
Nova smiled faintly. "That happens."
Maria raised an eyebrow but didn't comment.
Joyce rang them up, glancing at Nova again and again.
Kind eyes. Calm posture.
That's her, Joyce realized. That's the girl Will keeps drawing.
"Well," Joyce said finally, "it's nice to meet you."
"You too," Nova replied.
Maria paid. "Will is the name of your son, right?" putting the clues together of the same last name of the woman and the kid that her children always talk about during drives and the fact that she remembers in one of their small talk that Joyce mentions along the lines of having a son named Will.
Joyce brightened. "Ah yes, that's why I thought she looked familiar sorry about it earlier, I was just not sure yet, he talks about you nova quite a lot." saying with a smile.
Maria giving her a knowingly smile as well, as the talks and little gossips they had with their own children during their her grocery times was now coming in light.
Nova blinked. "…He does?"
Joyce smiled. "Yeah."
Nova looked down, hiding a small smile.
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(A/n: Okay sorry if I'm writing a lot of pre-season 1, I just felt it was reasonable to have them get their moment of normal day to day things and be normal children they are cause unlike max in season 2, a lot of shit was starting to go down when she was introduced, and season 1 things started to go down with will's disappearance and I wanted them to already have a connection with the party before all of that)
[Author Mey's Note—This is my sister's note from wattpad make sure to support her there as well, and it's more ahead in chapters there]