Chapter Text
Chicago felt colder than usual that night.
Or maybe María just wasn’t ready to leave yet.
Outside, the wind pressed softly against the windows, carrying that sharp November chill that made everything feel quieter, slower. Inside the apartment, the warmth wrapped around her like a second blanket.
But not enough.
María sat curled up on the sofa, her legs tucked under a thick blanket, the soft light of the television flickering across her face. She wasn’t really watching it. The sound filled the room, but her mind was somewhere else.
Atlanta.
Tomorrow.
The first day back.
The second season of Stranger Things.
Her fingers tightened slightly around her phone.
She had been trying not to think about it too much. About seeing everyone again. About stepping back into something that had changed her life completely.
About him.
She had talked to Gaten Matarazzo earlier that day. He had been excited, talking fast, telling her about random things that didn’t really matter. She had smiled the whole time.
"I missed you," he had said.
And she had believed him.
That part was easy.
A small laugh escaped her lips as she scrolled through Twitter.
Most of the comments were good. More than good.
People loved her character. They loved the dynamic with Dustin. They loved her.
It still felt strange.
Sometimes, it didn’t feel real at all.
Her thumb slowed down.
There it was again.
Another post.
Another picture.
Another edit.
Her and Joe.
Always her and Joe.
She smiled without meaning to.
Fans didn’t stop. They didn’t care that she had a boyfriend. They didn’t care about reality.
To them, it was simple.
They looked good together.
They fit.
María shook her head softly, almost amused, almost… something else.
She closed Twitter.
Big mistake.
Instagram was worse.
Edits, videos, slow-motion clips from scenes. Comments full of hearts, theories, jokes.
"They’re meant for each other."
"You can’t fake that chemistry."
"Just date already."
María let out a quiet breath, locking her phone for a second before unlocking it again.
She didn’t know why she kept looking.
Maybe because a small part of her liked it.
That was the problem.
"Don’t tell me you’re reading those again."
María looked up.
Isabel stood there with two plates in her hands, raising an eyebrow.
María smiled slightly.
"I’m not."
"You are."
"I’m not."
"You smile like that only when you are."
María rolled her eyes, but she shifted a little to make space for her.
Isabel handed her one of the plates before sitting down next to her.
The smell of food filled the space between them.
Warm. Familiar.
Real.
Isabel looked at her for a moment before speaking again.
"From one to ten," she said, picking up her fork, "how nervous are you?"
María let out a small laugh.
"Eleven."
Isabel smiled.
"That bad?"
"Worse."
They both started eating, the quiet settling comfortably around them for a few seconds.
Then—
"Did you call Henry?"
The question made María pause for a moment.
"Not yet," she said, trying to sound casual. "I’ll talk to him before I go to sleep."
Isabel’s expression changed slightly.
"And he hasn’t called you?"
María shook her head.
"He’s probably working."
Isabel made a face.
A very clear one.
María sighed.
"I know you don’t like him."
"I don’t."
"I know."
"And I have reasons."
"I know."
There was a small silence.
María looked down at her plate.
"He’s trying," she added quietly. "He’s made mistakes, but… he’s trying."
Isabel didn’t answer.
She just kept eating.
That silence said enough.
So María did the same.
A few seconds later, María noticed it.
That smile.
Slow.
Dangerous.
Too knowing.
She narrowed her eyes.
"I know that look."
Isabel didn’t even try to hide it.
"You do?"
"Yes."
"And?"
"The answer is no."
"I didn’t even say anything."
"You don’t have to."
Isabel leaned back slightly, clearly enjoying this.
"Do you know something about Joe?"
María exhaled sharply.
"There it is."
"So?"
"No," María said, shaking her head. "I don’t."
"Not even a message?"
"No."
"Call?"
"No."
Isabel frowned slightly.
"That’s weird."
"It’s not."
"It is."
"It’s not," María repeated, a little more firmly this time. "He’s probably in Massachusetts. With his parents. His sisters."
"And that means he can’t text you?"
María sighed again.
"Isabel…"
"What?"
"I’m going to see him tomorrow anyway."
"Exactly," Isabel said quickly. "Which is why you should text him before that."
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because it’s weird."
"It’s not weird."
"It is weird."
"You’re weird."
"Thank you."
Isabel smiled.
"You miss him."
María didn’t answer.
That was enough.
Elena’s laughter filled the room from the other side.
She was sitting on the floor, completely focused on her toys, lost in her own little world.
María watched her for a moment, her expression softening.
"I’m serious," Isabel continued. "You should talk to him."
"I will."
"When?"
"Tomorrow."
Isabel gave her a look.
"That’s not what I meant."
María smiled slightly, looking back at her plate.
"I know."
They kept talking for a while longer.
About the show.
About the trip.
About everything and nothing at the same time.
And Joe kept coming back into the conversation.
In jokes.
In comments.
In silences.
When María finished eating, she stood up slowly.
"I’m going to sleep," she said, stretching a little.
Isabel groaned.
"You have to wake up at four. This is your fault."
"You love me."
"I do. That’s why I’m doing this."
María smiled.
She walked over to Elena, crouching down next to her.
"Hey, princesa."
Elena looked up, smiling immediately.
María pulled her into a soft hug, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.
"I’ll see you soon, okay?"
"Okay."
She stood up again, walking back to the sofa.
She leaned down and kissed Isabel’s head gently.
"Don’t be late."
Isabel rolled her eyes.
"I won’t."
"You better not."
"I said I won’t."
María smiled one last time before walking towards the guest room.
The room was quiet.
Too quiet.
She closed the door behind her and sat on the edge of the bed, her phone already in her hand.
Henry.
She hesitated for a second.
Then pressed the call button.
The ringing didn’t last long.
The call ended.
María frowned slightly.
A message appeared almost immediately.
Henry:
"Busy. Finishing reports for tomorrow."
María stared at the screen for a second before typing.
María:
"You’re going to burn your eyes working like that 😅"
A pause.
Nothing.
She tried again.
María:
"I fly tomorrow morning. 4am airport 😭"
Still nothing.
Her fingers slowed down, but she kept typing.
María:
"Did you eat at least?"
Seen.
No reply.
Her chest tightened just a little.
She swallowed.
Then typed again.
María:
"I miss you"
This time, the answer came.
Short.
Cold.
Henry:
"We’ll see each other in a couple of weeks."
María stared at the message.
Something about it felt… empty.
Like talking to a wall.
Her fingers hovered over the screen for a moment.
Then she locked her phone.
Slowly.
Carefully.
As if that would make it hurt less.
She lay down, pulling the blanket over her body.
The room was dark now.
Silent.
But her mind wasn’t.
Atlanta.
Tomorrow.
Everyone.
Him.
She closed her eyes.
Trying not to think about the fact that, for the first time in a while—
She would finally see Joe Keery again.
And she didn’t know what that would do to her.
María didn’t remember the exact moment she fell asleep.
One second she was staring at the ceiling, her phone still in her hand… and the next, her eyes were slowly closing, her thoughts drifting somewhere softer.
Warmer.
Without really thinking, her thumb moved across the screen again.
Joe’s name.
She opened the chat.
Old messages.
From before the silence.
From before the two weeks.
Her lips curved slightly.
Joe:
"I swear your Spanish is getting worse every day."
María:
"It’s because you’re a bad influence."
Joe:
"Excuse me??? I’m improving your English."
María:
"You literally said ‘expresso’ this morning."
Joe:
"That was ONE time."
She scrolled.
Joe:
"Are you coming to set tomorrow or are you going to abandon me again?"
María:
"I was there yesterday???"
Joe:
"That doesn’t count. I need emotional support daily."
María:
"You’re dramatic."
Joe:
"And you love me for it."
Her smile softened.
Joe:
"You did really good today. I mean it."
María:
"Don’t get soft on me, Harrington."
Joe:
"Too late."
María stared at that last message a little longer than she should have.
Her chest tightened just a little.
She locked her phone, but didn’t move.
Still.
Quiet.
And slowly—
She fell asleep.
The alarm rang too soon.
4:45 a.m.
María groaned, her hand searching blindly for her phone until she finally found it and turned the alarm off.
"God…"
Her voice was rough, still half asleep.
For a second, she didn’t move.
Then she forced herself to sit up, running a hand through her hair.
Her phone lit up again.
A notification.
She blinked, trying to focus.
A message.
From Finn Wolfhard.
Sent hours ago.
Finn:
"Can’t wait to see you tomorrow, María :)"
Her expression softened instantly.
She typed back quickly.
María:
"Only if you bring me a good coffee ☕❤️"
She smiled to herself and finally stood up.
Everything after that moved fast.
Too fast.
She got dressed quickly, pulling on comfortable clothes, grabbing a hoodie, her long coat, her sunglasses, her cap.
Her suitcase waited by the door.
Ready.
Like everything else.
When she walked into the kitchen, Isabel was already there.
Of course she was.
Sitting at the table, holding a cup of coffee like it was the only thing keeping her alive.
María smiled faintly.
"Morning."
Isabel looked up.
"You look terrible."
"Thank you."
Without a word, Isabel stood up and poured her a cup of coffee.
María took it with both hands, letting the warmth settle into her fingers.
"I’ll drink this and we go," she said.
Isabel nodded before disappearing down the hallway.
A few seconds later, she came back holding Elena, still half asleep, her head resting against her shoulder.
The cold hit them as soon as they stepped outside.
Sharp.
Awake.
Real.
María adjusted her coat, pulling it closer around her body as she walked towards the car.
She placed her suitcase in the trunk while Isabel carefully settled Elena in the back seat.
Everything felt quiet.
Too early for the world to be fully awake.
María got into the passenger seat and turned the music on, very low.
Just enough to fill the silence without waking Elena.
They drove like that.
No rush.
No noise.
Just a comfortable silence between them.
"Call mom and dad," Isabel said after a while, her eyes still on the road.
"I will."
"Tonight."
"I said I will."
Isabel gave her a look.
María smiled slightly.
"I promise."
The airport appeared sooner than María expected.
Time always moved differently when she didn’t want it to.
Isabel parked the car, turning off the engine.
For a moment, neither of them moved.
Then María opened the door.
The cold felt stronger this time.
Maybe because she was about to leave.
She took her suitcase out of the trunk and turned towards her sister.
They didn’t say anything at first.
They just hugged.
Tight.
Long.
"I’ll text you when I land," María said softly.
"You better," Isabel replied. "Or I’m coming to get you myself."
María laughed quietly.
"I believe you."
She leaned into the car, pressing a gentle kiss to Elena’s head.
"See you soon, princesa."
Elena didn’t wake up.
And just like that—
She was alone.
María pulled her cap down slightly and walked into the airport.
The lights were too bright.
The air too artificial.
She moved through it all slowly, following the signs.
First, she found the check-in area. She showed her ID and got her boarding pass printed. Then she went to drop off her suitcase, watching as it disappeared on the conveyor belt.
That part always made her a little nervous.
Like letting go of something important.
After that came security.
Shoes off.
Coat off.
Bag on the tray.
Phone in another.
She walked through the scanner, trying not to think about how tired she felt.
Once everything was done, she collected her things again, putting everything back together with slow movements.
Then, finally—
The waiting area.
She found her gate and sat down, her headphones already in her ears.
People moved around her, voices mixing together, announcements echoing through the space.
But María stayed still.
Quiet.
The flight passed in a blur.
She was lucky.
No one sat next to her.
She leaned against the window, pressing play.
A familiar song filled her ears.
"You belong with me…"
Taylor Swift.
Soft.
Easy.
Safe.
María closed her eyes.
And this time, sleep came faster.
When she woke up, the plane was landing.
Atlanta.
7:30 a.m.
Everything after that felt automatic.
She followed the rest of the passengers out of the plane, moving through the airport without really thinking.
Signs.
Corridors.
People.
Then baggage claim.
She stood there for a few minutes until her suitcase appeared, grabbing it quickly.
When she finally stepped outside—
That’s when it happened.
A girl.
Young.
Maybe fifteen.
Looking at her.
Smiling.
María smiled back.
The girl hesitated before walking closer.
"Hi… sorry," she said softly. "Can I take a picture with you?"
María adjusted her sunglasses quickly.
"Yeah, of course."
They took a selfie.
The girl looked so happy it made María’s chest feel warm.
"You’re my favorite character," she added.
"Thank you," María said, genuinely.
The girl hesitated again.
"I think Steve should be with you, not Nancy… even if you’re his ex."
María laughed softly.
"I agree."
The girl smiled wider.
Then—
"Are you dating Joe?"
María blinked, caught off guard.
She let out a small, nervous laugh.
"No… I have a boyfriend."
The girl made a face.
"That’s a shame. You have so much chemistry."
María didn’t know what to say.
"Thank you," she managed.
The girl waved and walked away.
María shook her head slightly and got into a taxi.
The driver placed her suitcase in the trunk.
"Where to?"
She gave him the address.
Then she took out her phone.
María → Isabel:
"I’m in the taxi. Alive."
A reply came almost instantly.
Isabel:
"Good. Don’t disappear."
She smiled and opened another chat.
Henry.
María:
"I just landed"
A pause.
Then—
Henry:
"Okay. Be careful."
Short.
But still something.
María exhaled softly, about to lock her phone—
When it buzzed again.
Her heart skipped.
Joe.
Joe:
"Are you in Atlanta already?"
Her fingers moved faster this time.
María:
"Just left the airport. Going home to drop my suitcase"
Joe:
"I got here last night"
Joe:
"Couldn’t sleep at all"
María:
"Why?"
Joe:
"Nervous, I guess"
María:
"You? Nervous? That’s new"
Joe:
"Shut up"
María:
"Never"
Joe:
"I missed this"
María stared at the screen for a second.
Something soft settled in her chest.
María:
"Me too"
She didn’t even realize she was smiling.
When she arrived home, everything felt familiar.
Quiet.
Still.
She left her suitcase in her room and let out a slow breath.
"Home sweet home…"
After a quick shower and a change of clothes—jeans, a simple shirt, her long black coat—she looked at herself in the mirror.
Better.
More awake.
More put together.
The drive felt short.
Too short.
Her hands tightened slightly around the steering wheel as the building appeared in the distance.
The same one.
From last year.
She parked.
Turned off the engine.
And stayed there.
Still.
Her phone in her hand again.
Joe’s messages.
She read them once.
Twice.
Her heart beating faster each time.
"Relax…"
She took a deep breath.
Then stepped out of the car.
"Morning," the security guard said with a smile.
"Morning," she replied.
Inside, everything felt big.
Open.
Warm.
And full of memories.
She saw the Duffer Brothers first.
They smiled immediately.
"María!"
She laughed softly, hugging them both.
"I was starting to miss you."
Then more faces.
Familiar ones.
David Harbour.
Winona Ryder.
She greeted them warmly before being introduced to new faces.
Sadie Sink.
Dacre Montgomery.
"Hi," María said kindly.
Then—
Natalia.
María walked faster without even realizing it.
She hugged Natalia Dyer tightly.
"Hey… how are you?" Natalia asked softly.
María smiled.
"I almost didn’t want to come back."
"Why?"
"I didn’t want to leave my niece."
Natalia’s expression softened.
"I get that."
She greeted Charlie Heaton next.
And then—
Arms around her from behind.
She laughed instantly.
"Gaten—"
"And me," Finn Wolfhard added.
She turned, hugging them both.
"I missed you."
"We missed you more," Gaten said.
"Did you bring coffee?" Finn asked.
María smiled.
"Did you bring coffee?"
They talked.
Easily.
Naturally.
Like no time had passed.
María felt her eyes sting slightly.
Too much emotion.
Too fast.
"Have you seen Joe yet?" Gaten asked suddenly.
María shook her head.
"No—"
And then she stopped.
Because she saw him.
Across the room.
Joe Keery.
Looking at her.
Like he had been waiting.
He dropped his bag.
Opened his arms.
And smiled.
María laughed softly.
Almost breathless.
And walked towards him.
Then faster.
And then—
She hugged him.
They didn’t let go immediately.
It wasn’t like the others.
It never was.
Joe’s arms wrapped around her a little tighter than expected, one hand resting against her upper back, steady, warm. María felt it instantly, that familiar comfort settling somewhere deep in her chest.
For a second, neither of them spoke.
Just breathing.
Just being there.
"Hey…"
His voice came out softer than before, almost lost against her shoulder.
María smiled against his jacket.
"Hey."
She closed her eyes for a brief moment, letting herself stay there just a little longer than she probably should.
"I missed you," he murmured.
Simple.
Honest.
No jokes this time.
María’s fingers tightened slightly in the fabric of his hoodie.
"I missed you too."
And she meant it.
More than she expected.
Joe let out a quiet breath, almost like he had been holding it in for days.
"You disappeared."
María huffed softly, still not pulling away.
"So did you."
"That’s different."
"How?"
"I had a good excuse."
She pulled back just enough to look at him, raising an eyebrow.
"Oh really?"
He nodded, trying to look serious.
"Yeah."
"What was it?"
Joe hesitated for half a second.
Then—
"I didn’t have you around to bother."
María laughed quietly, shaking her head.
"That’s the worst excuse I’ve ever heard."
"It worked."
"It didn’t."
There was a pause.
Not uncomfortable.
Just… full.
They were still close.
Too close.
But neither of them seemed to notice.
Or maybe they did.
"You look tired," Joe said, his voice softer again.
María rolled her eyes lightly.
"Thank you."
"No, I mean—" he smiled a little, almost shy now. "You always look tired, but today is… special."
She narrowed her eyes.
"I just flew across the country at four in the morning."
"Yeah, that explains it."
Another small silence.
Joe tilted his head slightly, studying her face like he was trying to read something she wasn’t saying.
"You okay?"
There it was.
That tone again.
The one that saw too much.
María looked at him for a second.
Then smiled.
"I am now."
Joe’s expression softened.
He didn’t say anything.
But something in his eyes changed.
He finally pulled back, slowly this time.
Like he wasn’t in a rush.
Like he didn’t really want to.
"Good," he said.
And for a second—
It almost sounded like he meant more than that.
Around them, the noise of the room came back again.
Voices.
Laughter.
Movement.
But something between them stayed.