Work Text:
the more inertia an object has…
Physics homework was always a drag, Nancy thought, staring at the paper spread across her desk. Sophomore year felt endless, like it was dragging her along whether she wanted it to or not.
Just one more month of this bullshit, she told herself.
Ever since her life had tilted off its axis—since losing her father—everything felt unsteady, like she was constantly bracing herself for another impact. Homework blurred together, nights stretched on too long, and silence had become heavier than noise.
Buzz
Nancy’s head snapped toward the soft glow of her phone, charging on the bedside table. The sudden sound felt louder than it should have in the quiet room.
Maybe I could take a five-minute break, she thought.
She pushed her chair back and crossed the room, picking up the phone.
Jonathan: hey nancy. im sick of doing homework rn. wanna do something?
A small smile tugged at her lips before she could stop it. An unexpected thing to come out of the past school year was her friendship with Jonathan Byers—quiet, steady, and somehow exactly what she’d needed. He had been there when everything fell apart, when words were hard to find and grief sat between every sentence. That comfort, more than anything, had carried her through the long winter.
Nancy hesitated for only a moment before typing back, her fingers lighter than they’d felt all night.
Nancy: can you read my mind? come over soon. text me when you get here.
Nancy set her phone down and glanced at her reflection in the mirror. She tugged on her blue sweater—one of her favorites, soft and familiar—and brushed a light coat of mascara onto her lashes. She told herself it didn’t matter. It was just Jonathan. Still, she wanted to look presentable, like she had made a little effort.
Buzz
She reached for her phone.
Jonathan: sounds good, ill be over in 10 :)
Nancy smiled to herself and set the phone back on her desk, her heart beating just a bit faster as she waited by the window. She watched the street below, the familiar houses glowing softly as the evening light faded.
A few minutes later, headlights flashed twice from the driveway. She grabbed her jacket and nearly tripped down the stairs, calling out a rushed “I’ll be back soon!” to her mom before slipping out the door.
The sun was just beginning to set when she climbed into Jonathan’s car, the sky streaked with orange and pink.
“Hey,” he said, a small smile tugging at his lips.
“Hey,” Nancy replied.
They looked at each other for a moment, the quiet stretching between them—comfortable, but charged—neither quite sure who should speak first.
“Sooo,” Jonathan finally said, rubbing the back of his neck, “I know I asked you to hang out, but I kinda… have no idea what we should do.”
Nancy laughed softly, the tension easing just a bit. “That makes two of us,” Nancy said with a soft smile. “We could just… drive?”
Jonathan stared at her for a second, like he hadn’t quite expected that answer. The hum of the engine filled the silence, along with the faint sound of a song playing low on the radio.
“I mean—if you’re okay with that,” Nancy added quickly, suddenly worried she’d said the wrong thing.
“Oh!” Jonathan blinked, then nodded, a relieved grin spreading across his face. “Yeah. Yeah, of course. That sounds good.”
He shifted the car into gear, pulling away from the curb as the last of the sunlight slipped behind the trees. Streetlights flickered on one by one, casting long shadows across the road. For a moment, neither of them spoke. But it wasn’t uncomfortable—just quiet in a way that felt new, like they were both waiting for something to settle. Nancy rested her head against the window, watching the lights blur past. She hadn’t realized how much she needed this—just to go somewhere without a reason. Jonathan turns the volume down on the stereo.
“Is this okay?” He asks.
“Yeah.” She replies. “I like it. Who is it?”
“Noah Kahan. You'd like his music,” Jonathan says.
Nancy felt a faint warmth rise to her cheeks at the thought of him really knowing her.
“I’m glad you’ve finally taken to my folk taste,” she said lightly.
Jonathan huffed a soft laugh. “You’ve rubbed off on me,” he admitted. “Plus, his music just… hits close to home.”
“I’ll have to listen to him more,” Nancy said, smiling. “So we can talk about music together again.”
“Yeah,” Jonathan replied, glancing at the road.
They fell into another comfortable silence. This—this was exactly why Nancy liked being around Jonathan. With him, silence didn’t demand anything. It didn’t press in on her chest or echo too loudly in her thoughts. Since her dad’s death, silence had felt sharp, almost cruel. But with Jonathan, it softened. It became something she could breathe in.
Somehow, they ended up at the quarry. The lot was empty, the water below dark and still, reflecting the fading stars. For a Saturday night, it felt strangely untouched—like the world had decided to leave them alone.
“Do you wanna get out, or…?” Jonathan asked, cutting the engine.
“Yeah,” Nancy said. “Let’s go.”
They climbed out and stretched across the hood of Jonathan’s car, the metal still warm beneath them. Nancy pulled out her phone, the screen lighting up her face. Two unread messages.
Steve: Hi Nance can i see u 2nite? I haven’t seen you in like a month, ever since our last date. I miss u.
Robin: hey wanna call? i cannot understand this stupid physics
Nancy smiled despite herself and answered Robin first.
Nancy: can’t sorry :( im with Jonathan rn. ill call u tmmr
Robin had become one of the brightest surprises in Nancy’s life. Since being seated together in physics, their friendship had grown easily—quick jokes, shared notes, mutual frustration. Nancy wished they spent more time together. She needed more girl friends. She needed that kind of space, too.
Then she turned to Steve’s message.
Nancy: Steve, I thought I made it clear that I didn’t really want to go out with you after what happened on that date. I’m sorry, but I don’t see us going anywhere.
She locked her phone and exhaled.
“Hey—what’s so important there?” Jonathan asked, the sudden sound of his voice making her jump.
“Oh—sorry,” Nancy said quickly. “Steve won’t leave me alone.”
“Oh.” Jonathan’s jaw tightened just slightly. “He’s still bothering you?”
How could he not know? Everyone seemed to know about the Steve situation. People talk.
“Yeah,” Nancy said, staring up at the sky. “I keep shutting him down, but he’s so persistent.”
“Mmm,” Jonathan murmured, thoughtful. Jonathan shifted, their arms brushing. Neither of them pulled away.
“How’s everything with you… you know?” Jonathan asked gently, his voice barely louder than the wind moving through the trees.
“Honestly?” Nancy stared up at the darkening sky. “I don’t even know.” She swallowed. “I don’t even know if I want to talk about it. It’s like I went through all the stages of grief already—and now I’m done. But it’s not gone. It’s just this aching. Like something heavy I can’t put down.”
Jonathan didn’t interrupt. “Grief comes in waves,” he said after a moment. “It’s okay to feel normal for a while. You don’t have to feel guilty for that.”
Nancy let out a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding. “Yeah. I know. It’s just—Holly’s too young to even realize what’s happening. Mike keeps shutting everyone out. And don’t even get me started on my mom.” Her voice wavered, just slightly. “It feels like I’m just… floating through life. Like nothing’s anchoring me anymore.”
Jonathan stayed quiet, his presence steady beside her, listening in a way that felt rare. Not waiting for his turn to speak. Just… there. Nancy turned to look at Jonathan. The beautiful swoop in his hair, his dark brown eyes, and his soft cheekbones she could just sink into. He hadn't tried to fix anything. He hadn't rushed her. He was just there.
It hit her then, not all at once, but slowly.
This was what she wanted. Not noise. Not chasing. Just this, someone who stayed, who listened, who didn't ask her to be anything else.
Oh.
That was it. It washed over her like a warm shower.
“Jonathan…thank you. For being here,” she says.
“Of course,” he says. “I figured since we hadn't hung out in a while, we needed some time to just be in each others presence.”
“Yeah,” she says.
“Nancy,” he said quietly, like he was testing her name.
Her breath caught. She tilted her head just slightly, enough to close the distance, enough to let him know she wasn’t going anywhere.
Jonathan leaned in. Slowly. Carefully. She could feel his breath, could see the hesitation in his eyes as his gaze flicked to her lips and back again. His hand lifted, stopping just short of touching her wrist, like he was waiting for her to pull away. She didn’t. Just as their lips were about to meet
A phone rang.
The sharp sound cut straight through the stillness. Nancy jumped, her heart racing, and Jonathan pulled back immediately, his hand dropping to his side. For a moment, neither of them spoke. The moment was gone—but not really.
“Sorry,” Nancy murmured, fumbling for her phone, even though she didn’t want to look at it.
Jonathan swallowed. “Yeah. It’s—uh. It’s okay.”
But the air between them stayed warm, unfinished, like a sentence that hadn’t quite ended.
Nancy glanced at her phone and saw Robin’s picture pop up. She didn’t pick up; instead, she typed out a quick message.
Nancy: ROBIN. you have no idea what you just did.
Robin: bro im dying over here, this physics homework is impossible and I don’t have time to do it tomorrow.
Nancy: im sorry Robin. you should ask Stacey or Allie. im truly busy.
Robin: yeah, with Jonathan i know. why is he more important than me? he’s just ur best friend. so am i
Nancy: im beginning to think he’s more than that.
Robin: what.
Robin: NANCY.
Robin: NANCY ELIZABETH WHEELER YOU NEED TO EXPLAIN.
Nancy: i gtg. i will call u tomorrow i promise
Nancy locked her phone and glanced over at Jonathan. He was already watching her, a small, quiet smile playing on his lips.
“Sorry, it was Robin,” she chuckled nervously, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.
“It’s okay,” he replied, his tone warm and unhurried. “We should probably head home anyway—it’s getting late.”
“Sure,” Nancy said, though a faint pang of sadness tugged at her chest. She didn’t want the day to end.
They climbed into the car, the engine humming softly as they drove through the quiet streets. The streetlights passed like slow, golden pulses, reflecting off the windshield. Nancy felt the weight of the day settling on her shoulders—but in a good way. It had been long, emotional, but… peaceful.
As they pulled up to Nancy’s house, Jonathan turned toward her. “Thank you for coming with me today,” he said. “I missed you.”
Nancy felt a warmth spread through her chest. “I’m glad you did,” she said. “I didn’t realize I needed this today.”
“Yeah, me too,” he replied softly. She opened the door to get out. “Bye, Nancy.”
“Goodbye, Jonathan,” she said, her voice lingering a little longer than usual.
Once inside her room, Nancy felt her phone buzz again. She picked it up.
Jonathan: hope you had as great of time as i did. sitting in silence with you is better than talking to anyone aloud. goodnight nance.
Nancy’s cheeks heated. She hugged her pillow to her chest, her mind replaying the quiet moments of the day—the shared laughter, the peaceful silences, the feeling of being truly seen. Could it be that he felt the same way she did? For the first time, it seemed possible.
Nancy: believe me, i had an amazing time. same to you. goodnight jon.
She set her phone down and stared out her window at the stars beginning to prick the night sky, a soft smile on her lips.