You hover in the small kitchen, focusing hard as the skillet flips itself with a soft sizzle. Eggos spin in midair, butter melting over them before dollops of whipped cream and arcs of blueberry syrup follow in perfect spirals. Your powers hum lightly around you, a familiar buzz, but your stomach tightens anyway. What if you mess up? What if Eddie freaks out?

“Wow…” Eddie’s voice startles you. You glance over your shoulder and catch him staring, eyes wide, hands gripping the edge of the table like it’s a lifeline. He’s new to this—new to you, new to everything that isn’t safe, normal, small-town boring. You try to smile, but it feels forced, nervous.

Dustin leans against the doorway, arms crossed, trying to play casual, but you catch the way he’s watching. His grin is faint, and there’s a spark in his eyes that makes your stomach flutter. He’s not looking at the floating food or the syrup curling itself—it’s you. Not a superhero, not some freak from a lab—just…you. And somehow, that’s more terrifying than anything you’ve faced in the Upside Down.

Lucas swings one leg over a counter stool and leans forward, elbows on his knees. “She’s…different,” he says to Eddie, though you hear him perfectly. “Not like the other girls. She’s…her own storm.”

Mike’s leaning against the wall, silent as usual, eyes flicking between you and Eddie. “She’s powerful,” he says finally, voice quiet. “But she’s…human. Feels everything hard.”

Your chest tightens. You’re not sure if it’s the praise, the eyes on you, or the syrup hovering just a few inches from your fingers, but your anxiety spikes. You bite the inside of your cheek to keep from shaking your hands. Just…focus.

Steve chuckles behind the counter, sipping coffee. “Safe to say breakfast’s never going to be boring around here,” he says. You glance at him and can’t help a small, nervous smirk.

Eddie’s jaw drops as a dollop of whipped cream lands perfectly on his Eggo, floating neatly from the spatula in your hand. “You…made that? Just…like—floating it there?”

“Yep,” you say, trying to sound casual, brushing your hair back behind your ears. “Breakfast science. Totally normal.” You shove a little more confidence into your voice than you feel.

Dustin doesn’t say anything, just leans slightly forward, eyes glued to you, the light in them making your chest ache with…something you don’t have words for. He’s quiet, but you feel it. The way he watches isn’t awe at your powers—it’s admiration, like he wants to memorize you, every twitch of your smirk, the way your brow furrows in concentration, the way you move around the cabin like you own it without trying.

Hopper steps in with blankets for Eddie’s makeshift bed, glancing at you as he passes. “Breakfast smells like a bakery exploded,” he mutters. You give him a small grin, shrugging, “Just keeping the new guy fed.” You catch the faint curve of his lips at the corner—he trusts you, mostly. You feel safe here, weirdly, even if your anxiety claws at the edges.

Eddie stammers, looking between you and the floating food. “I—I’ve read about stuff, but this…this is insane.”

Lucas reaches over, giving Eddie’s shoulder a firm clap. “You’ll get used to it. Sort of. And she’ll help you.”

You float another Eggo onto a plate in front of Eddie, trying not to let the shake in your hands show. “Eat,” you say, voice sharper than intended, but with a warmth you hope he can feel. “Don’t think about monsters, portals, or the Upside Down. Just…five minutes of normal.”

Dustin steals another glance at you, hands gripping his mug tighter than necessary. His heart is hammering, but he doesn’t fidget or make a sound. He just watches, and somehow, that makes you feel…seen. Not for your powers, not for being some supernatural anomaly—just you, messy, anxious, clever, funny, powerful you.

Hopper clears his throat behind him. “Kid,” he murmurs to Dustin, loud enough that only he can hear, “just…be careful. She’s my kid now, and I’m not letting anyone mess with her.” Dustin nods, eyes flicking to you, heart racing and praying he doesn’t screw things up.