The neon lights of Starcourt Mall buzzed faintly, casting a kaleidoscope of colors across the polished floors. Cyrus leaned against the counter of the movie theater concession stand, his arms crossed, a cigarette dangling precariously from his lips. The faint smell of buttered popcorn and stale soda filled the air, mingling with the sharp tang of nicotine. He exhaled a plume of smoke, watching it curl and dissipate into the fluorescent glow above. Another slow night, he thought, tapping ash into a nearby trash can. The mall was alive with chatter and laughter, but here, in the dimly lit theater lobby, it felt like a different world—one where time moved slower, and the weight of Hawkins’ judgment pressed heavier.“Hey, Cash Cow,” a familiar voice called out, snapping him from his thoughts. Cyrus turned to see Maxine Mayfield striding toward him, her skateboard tucked under one arm and a mischievous grin plastered across her face. Behind her trailed Lucas Sinclair, his hands shoved deep into his pockets, looking as if he’d rather be anywhere else.“Max,” Cyrus greeted, his voice low and slightly raspy from the smoke. “What’s the damage this time? Popcorn? Soda? Or are you here to mooch free tickets again?”Max rolled her eyes, leaning her skateboard against the counter. “You say that like I don’t pay you back in other ways.”Cyrus raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Oh, really? Like what? Last I checked, your ‘IOUs’ are about as reliable as Hawkins’ weather forecast.”Lucas chuckled, earning a sharp elbow to the ribs from Max. “Shut up,” she muttered before turning back to Cyrus. “Look, we just need two tickets for the new horror flick. And maybe some snacks. You know, the usual.”Cyrus sighed dramatically, stubbing out his cigarette on the edge of the counter. “You’re lucky I like you, Mayfield.” He reached under the counter, pulling out two tickets and sliding them across to her. “But if my boss catches me, I’m blaming you.”Max grinned, snatching the tickets and shoving them into her pocket. “You’re the best, Cy. Seriously.”“Yeah, yeah,” he muttered, already turning to grab a bucket of popcorn. “Just don’t make it a habit.”As Max and Lucas disappeared into the theater, Cyrus leaned back against the counter, his mind wandering. It had been a year since the Mind Flayer incident, since Will had been freed from its grip, and since Hawkins had tried to return to some semblance of normalcy. But for Cyrus, normalcy felt like a distant memory. The rumors about his sexuality had died down, but the scars they left behind still lingered. He’d found solace in Eddie Munson, though—his boyfriend, his anchor in the storm. Eddie was unapologetically himself, a beacon of defiance in a town that thrived on conformity. And yet, even with Eddie by his side, Cyrus couldn’t shake the feeling that he was always one misstep away from losing everything.The sound of boots scuffing against the floor pulled him from his thoughts. He looked up to see Eddie himself sauntering into the lobby, his leather jacket slung over one shoulder and a devilish grin on his face. “Hey, handsome,” Eddie drawled, leaning against the counter. “Miss me?”Cyrus couldn’t help but smile, despite himself. “Depends. Did you bring me anything?”Eddie feigned offense, placing a hand over his heart. “You wound me, Cy. I come all this way to see you, and all you care about is what I brought you?”“Well, you did eat the last of my Pop-Tarts this morning,” Cyrus pointed out, crossing his arms.Eddie laughed, the sound warm and infectious. “Fair point. But I did bring you something better.” He reached into his jacket pocket, pulling out a cassette tape and sliding it across the counter. “New mix. Just for you.”Cyrus picked up the tape, examining it with a raised eyebrow. “What’s on it?”“A little bit of everything,” Eddie said with a shrug. “Some Megadeth, some Slayer… maybe a little Queen for good measure.”Cyrus smirked, tucking the tape into his own pocket. “You’re such a dork.”

Cyrus, leaning against the movie theater concession stand, was approached by Max and Lucas, who asked for free tickets and snacks. Max and Lucas then left for the theater, leaving Cyrus to reminisce about the past year and his relationship with Eddie. Eddie then arrived, giving Cyrus a cassette tape with a mix of music.

The neon lights of Starcourt Mall buzzed faintly, casting a kaleidoscope of colors across the polished floors. Cyrus leaned against the counter of the movie theater concession stand, his arms crossed, a cigarette dangling precariously from his lips. The faint smell of buttered popcorn and stale soda filled the air, mingling with the sharp tang of nicotine. He exhaled a plume of smoke, watching it curl and dissipate into the fluorescent glow above. Another slow night, he thought, tapping ash into a nearby trash can. The mall was alive with chatter and laughter, but here, in the dimly lit theater lobby, it felt like a different world—one where time moved slower, and the weight of Hawkins’ judgment pressed heavier.

“Hey, Cash Cow,” a familiar voice called out, snapping him from his thoughts. Cyrus turned to see Maxine Mayfield striding toward him, her skateboard tucked under one arm and a mischievous grin plastered across her face. Behind her trailed Lucas Sinclair, his hands shoved deep into his pockets, looking as if he’d rather be anywhere else.

“Max,” Cyrus greeted, his voice low and slightly raspy from the smoke. “What’s the damage this time? Popcorn? Soda? Or are you here to mooch free tickets again?”

Max rolled her eyes, leaning her skateboard against the counter. “You say that like I don’t pay you back in other ways.”

Cyrus raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Oh, really? Like what? Last I checked, your ‘IOUs’ are about as reliable as Hawkins’ weather forecast.”

Lucas chuckled, earning a sharp elbow to the ribs from Max. “Shut up,” she muttered before turning back to Cyrus. “Look, we just need two tickets for the new horror flick. And maybe some snacks. You know, the usual.”

Cyrus sighed dramatically, stubbing out his cigarette on the edge of the counter. “You’re lucky I like you, Mayfield.” He reached under the counter, pulling out two tickets and sliding them across to her. “But if my boss catches me, I’m blaming you.”

Max grinned, snatching the tickets and shoving them into her pocket. “You’re the best, Cy. Seriously.”

“Yeah, yeah,” he muttered, already turning to grab a bucket of popcorn. “Just don’t make it a habit.”

As Max and Lucas disappeared into the theater, Cyrus leaned back against the counter, his mind wandering. It had been a year since the Mind Flayer incident, since Will had been freed from its grip, and since Hawkins had tried to return to some semblance of normalcy. But for Cyrus, normalcy felt like a distant memory. The rumors about his sexuality had died down, but the scars they left behind still lingered. He’d found solace in Eddie Munson, though—his boyfriend, his anchor in the storm. Eddie was unapologetically himself, a beacon of defiance in a town that thrived on conformity. And yet, even with Eddie by his side, Cyrus couldn’t shake the feeling that he was always one misstep away from losing everything.

The sound of boots scuffing against the floor pulled him from his thoughts. He looked up to see Eddie himself sauntering into the lobby, his leather jacket slung over one shoulder and a devilish grin on his face. “Hey, handsome,” Eddie drawled, leaning against the counter. “Miss me?”

Cyrus couldn’t help but smile, despite himself. “Depends. Did you bring me anything?”

Eddie feigned offense, placing a hand over his heart. “You wound me, Cy. I come all this way to see you, and all you care about is what I brought you?”

“Well, you did eat the last of my Pop-Tarts this morning,” Cyrus pointed out, crossing his arms.

Eddie laughed, the sound warm and infectious. “Fair point. But I did bring you something better.” He reached into his jacket pocket, pulling out a cassette tape and sliding it across the counter. “New mix. Just for you.”

Cyrus picked up the tape, examining it with a raised eyebrow. “What’s on it?”

“A little bit of everything,” Eddie said with a shrug. “Some Megadeth, some Slayer… maybe a little Queen for good measure.”

Cyrus smirked, tucking the tape into his own pocket. “You’re such a dork.”

In the frost-kissed winter of 1984, a young man named Cyrus Cameron J. Shepard navigates the harsh realities of small-town life in Hawkins, Indiana, where rumors about his sexuality have shattered his once-popular status.

He finds solace in his relationship with Eddie Munson, a loyal and unapologetic boyfriend who works at the local auto shop. Together, they navigate the complexities of their relationship amidst the judgmental eyes of their peers and the lingering scars of past traumas.

Their lives intersect with a group of friends at the bustling Starcourt Mall, where young love and teenage angst collide. They find moments of respite in the dimly lit theater lobby, where the scent of popcorn and the glow of neon lights create a sense of belonging amidst the chaos.

Hawkins Heartbeat

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