"I'm sorry my heart's too big for my own good! I just want to be a good person!"
~
Theodore Chambers moves from his home in London to Hawkins and realizes this town isn't what it seems
Or
In which the new kid in town is thrown into all sorts of insa...
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chapter one: two gingers, one game
Sunday afternoons with the Chambers were spent resting. Lazy days, Teddy nicknamed them. Thomas always was off work (as he requested to be) and Teddy completed most of his homework beforehand so the two could spend time together. Usually, the Chambers sat around playing cards or a board game, doing puzzles or watching a movie. Unlike most other kids his age, Teddy loved being around his father. Sunday Afternoons was their times together.
Now, the afternoon dwindled, but it wasn't evening quite yet. Thomas was currently alone in the living room with Dewy perched on his lap. The droning voices of the Sunday evening news anchors filled the room, as Thomas fiddled with a pen, staring at the notepad in his hand with messy scribbled down thoughts for news stories. Despite being off work, he still needed to plan for his job the next day.
Teddy walked out of his room to return back to his dad. He just got off a call with Dustin talking about plans to go to the arcade that night, which Teddy completely forgot about. The Palace Arcade—currently, one of the party's favorite places to hang out. All five were huge nerds, so of course the arcade was well liked. Donkey Kong, Pac-Man, Dig Dug, any arcade game, they played it! But it was Sunday afternoon... would his father be upset that he wanted to go elsewhere? Of course not. Thomas wasn't that kind of parent. Nonetheless, Teddy's anxiety still pounded him with those doubts.
The ginger shuffled to his father, but remained standing behind the couch. He leaned forward and rested his chin on the man's shoulder. Thomas smiled softly and glanced back at his son. The Chambers men shared their dorky smiles at each other. Teddy lifted his head up slightly to read the title on the notepad, noticing that it was ideas for the paper. Teddy liked to suggest ideas of his own to his dad sometimes if the man needed them (or if Teddy just wanted to be helpful), "Perhaps write something about the American election? I heard Reagan is favored because he's the incumbent. Or a feature on Merrill's pumpkin patch?"
Thomas chuckled and tapped the pen on the paper lower down where Teddy hadn't read yet, "already got those, but thank you dear."
Teddy slowly nodded his head. He fiddled with his fingers awkwardly as he tried to muster up something within to ask his dad to go. Would he say no? Was it too last minute? Dustin always told him that it never hurt to ask... and Teddy slowly was learning that lesson. He gulped, stopped his fiddling and took a deep breath, "Dad?" Thomas hummed in response. Teddy fumbled with his words, trying to coherently speak his thoughts, "Could I go to the arcade? My friends are going later... but-but I want to go now. I-I know it's a Sunday afternoon, but we made plans, and I'm sorry I forgot to ask earlier. And if you want to know why I want to go early, Dustin bet me money that I couldn't beat one of his scores—"
Thomas shrugged and didn't look up from his notepad, "I don't mind dear. It's Sunday evening now." Teddy hid a smile behind his hands. Oh, that was true. Teddy started back toward his room, but his father's voice stopped him in his place, "Before you go, have you done your homework?"
