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Scare mazes seemed like a weird idea to Nancy, people paid a buck fifty to willingly be chased by men wielding chainsaws lacking the chain and young actors leaping out the thicket, their single goal to give you either a small or large fright.
It was all madness to her, she'd been to one once with Mike and his friends, watching them scream and yell was well worth the boredom, as after being chased by a Demogorgon, nothing else could scare you much.
But that was different, she could laugh as her stupid brother, but now she was stood outside the entrance with Robin, and she was struck with the necessity to keep her girlfriend safe. They held hands, people either assuming they were close friends or not even looking, and she busied herself with Robin's rings as the taller girl practically vibrated with nervous glee with Steve and a dubious Eddie. They reach the front of the que, the young man looking tired but still enthusiastic, dressed as a hillbilly drenched in blood.
"Well hi there, folks! Sorry te dissapoint you boys and girls, date night is over! Along with your lives!"
He laughs like a villain, making Robin bounce on her toes and Eddie shared a groan Nancy felt in her mind.
"Erhum, yes. Boys and girls are split up, it's the farmer law!"
Steve snorts, Eddie leaning back against him slightly.
"What a tragedy." He drawled, sharing a heated glance with Steve before sniggering amongst themselves.
"Can we go second?" Robin asked, smiling awkwardly at Nancy, "Steve is a shouter, we'll know what's coming!"
How could Nancy say no?
"Of course, Robbie."
"Erm, actually the ladies have to-"
Steve raised a hand and waved it, stepping forward with Eddie at his side.
"I wouldn't try arguing with her, pal. You're not being paid enough to go through with that."
He winked teasingly at Nancy, stepping around the guy, grabbing Eddie's wrist and pulling him along with him.
"Oo, Harrington is being all authoritative. Makes me tingle."
His laughter follows them into the hedges, leaving a flabbergasted attendee at the front.
"Erm, yes, well. Ah, when you're ready ladies."
Nancy pulled a sarcastic smile from her innermost depths as Robin excitedly nodded, determined to enjoy this, just for her.
At first it wasn't too bad, a few actors jumping out, a prop spider falling over their heads to make them jump, rustling bushes and screams from other people, harmonised with the sound of a chainsaw quickly after. While Nancy found it derivative, Robin loved it, jumping at each scare and clinging to her tighter every time.
So it shouldn't be a shock Nancy enjoyed every damn second, almost, anyway.
They hadn't heard the boys up ahead for a while, no promised yell from Steve or laughter from Eddie, just uncomfortable silence, bar the actors of course. Nancy was expecting something to happen, holding Robin close as they crept around the maze. A prop jumped out at them, making Robin yell in a more fearful than fun way, which made something click for Nancy.
She enjoyed watching Mike be scared, he was her stupid little brother, but Robin? Oh boy, she really didn't like when Robin was actually scared.
The shorter girl had a moment to ponder this before a sound shot behind them, the clunking whirr of a chainsaw, hopefully lacking the chain. It scared Robin, the actor was too damn close, and she screamed.
Really, how could Nancy be blamed for her reaction?
She turned, elbow raised and smacked the man in the head with it, knocking the chainsaw out of his hand as she followed through with a turn and kicked up his chin, sending him unconscious on the ground.
Hopper sighed, sipping his water.
"So you were acting in self defense?"
She nodded, sat opposite him in a small interrogation room. He once more heavily sighed, scratching the bridge of his nose tiredly. Must be tough, being an officer during Halloween.
"He scared Robin, can I really be blamed for instinct?"
Hopper knew what he should do, should say. He should write her up, leave a small stain on her record and convince her never to assault an actor for being scary, especially after paying them to do it.
But then he remembers her standing next to him in his broken down cabin, shotgun in hand, defending his loved ones alongside him as monsters swarmed his home. Not to mention many more scenarios where that had happened, brave Nancy Wheeler, protecting those who needed it.
His sigh became a groan as he stood, opening the door.
"Go on, get out of here."
She picked up her bag and stood, holding it neatly in her hands, offering him a tight lipped smile.
"Thank you, Hopper. For everything."
He watched her leave, the tall girl who'd been anxiously bouncing her leg standing and embracing her tighter than any friend would, and he understood why Nancy acted how she did. She wasn't protecting a friend, she was protecting someone more than that.
He rubbed his eyes, finished his water and returned to his desk, mentally reminding himself to teach El how to punch like that, knocking out a huge man easier than he'd thought possible.
"What a knockout…" he mumbled, mentally booing himself at the terrible pun.