CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
ADVICE

Hours later and the group of four were in the woods getting ready to hunt down Dart, all putting on gloves as Steve got the buckets of raw meat the group had spent hours gathering.

Aaron forced himself to get a grip, doing his best not to look at the raw meat in the bucket he would have to hold and touch. Hesitantly, he picked up his bucket, recoiling slightly at the smell and sight of it.

"Aaron..." Steve trailed off, pinching his nose with his fingers out of frustration as he watched his little brother. "It's just uncooked food, get a hold of yourself."

Aaron furrowed his brows, deciding to ignore the comment, clenching his jaw tightly as he did his best to refrain himself seeing as Dustin and Kimmy were with the two siblings.

With that, Steve turned away, walking around to the trunk of his car as he went to gather more things he felt the group needed for their venture, Dustin following behind him to make sure his input was heard by the older boy.

"If you don't want to touch the meat you don't have to." Kimmy whispered once the two had walked away so the other two boys wouldn't hear. "Who cares? We still have three buckets, if you don't want to hold it, don't hold it."

Aaron scrunched his face in thought, turning to look behind him at the two boys who were seemingly in an argument.

Aaron seriously considered it, ultimately deciding the comments he would receive about not manning up and to just hold the bucket sent his way from his brother wasn't worth it.

"It's okay," Aaron shrugged with a sigh, still refusing to look at the bucket of meat at his feet. "He's right, I need to get a grip of myself."

Aaron watched the girl in front of him carefully, surprised to see her frowning at him after hearing his response.

Aaron then frowned in return, suddenly worried he'd said something he shouldn't have. "What?"

"It really doesn't matter what Steve thinks of you, Aaron." Kimmy replied in a whisper, pausing as she looked behind her to see if the boy could hear her, continuing when she realised he couldn't. "I know you think it does now, but if he makes you feel like you have to push yourself out of your comfort zone and make yourself uncomfortable, then fuck what he thinks."

Aaron looked to her with a surprised expression, unable to hide the look that came over his face.

The blond began to panic slightly, not wanting to look like he had to always do what Steve said to keep him happy or look like he allowed the boy to walk all over him. But deep down Aaron knew it was true, he didn't handle Steve being angry at him well, but then again he didn't handle feeling like anyone was angry at him well.

"I don't- it doesn't make me feel uncomfortable." Aaron lied, straightening his back to try and make himself look more confident than he felt. "It's a stupid thing to get worked up about anyway-"

"It's not stupid if it matters to you." Kimmy reminded him with a pointed look. "So what, you don't like germs? Guess what, Aaron? There is nothing wrong with that, everyone has stuff they're scared of and don't like. I don't know why they make it out like you're the only one."

Aaron didn't know if Kimmy was referring to Steve or the party but he assumed it could have been a bit of both.

Aaron didn't respond to her, looking to her with a blank expression that did not do his thoughts justice. Aaron's mind was a mess, not really knowing what to say.

All he knew was that he was pretty sure he needed to hear that.

"Kimmy!" Dustin yelled from his spot next to Steve, motioning to his headset. "Lucas finally picked up!"

Kimmy sent the boy a smile and a thumbs up, the boy then looking away and talking into his headset at the boy.

Kimmy's smile then dropped as she turned back to face Aaron, the boy watching her curiously.

"I'm not telling you what to do or how to feel." Kimmy whispered again, looking at Aaron with a mix of emotions Aaron couldn't name. He didn't like the way she was looking at him, as if she could see right through him. "But you don't have to... dull yourself down just because you don't want people to think bad of you. You don't dull yourself down when we hang out and I don't think any less of you. I think you're best when you're yourself."

Aaron didn't know where all this was coming from or why the girl suddenly felt the need to let him know how she felt about the situation. Maybe she just thought he needed some reassuring.

Aaron didn't know what to say, but then he didn't get the chance anyway, Dustin walking up to the two with a dramatic sigh.

Instead Aaron sent her a small, wobbly smile, trying to tell her he appreciated her words without actually ever saying anything.

"Lucas answered, finally." Dustin scoffed, holding his bucket filled of raw meat with both hands. "He's meeting us at the old junkyard."

"The old junkyard?" Aaron repeated, completely confused. "Why are we going there?"

Dustin looked to Aaron with a wide eyed expression, as if he couldn't believe that he'd ask that. "Seriously, Aaron? Do you listen when I talk?"

"Evidently not." Aaron muttered while rolling his eyes.

"To catch Dart!" Dustin exclaimed, shaking his head and mumbling under his breath as he walked away from the two and towards Steve.

Aaron scoffed, leaning down to pick up his own bucked with a scrunched up expression, unable to think of anything worse in that moment.

"Aaron, leave it." Kimmy shook her head at him, sending him a reassuring look. "Don't force yourself-"

"I'll do it, it's fine." Aaron shook his head, forcing himself to hold the bucket and get on with it, not wanting to look stupid in the girls eyes despite the fact he knew she wouldn't think it anyway.

"Okay," Kimmy shrugged not sounding particularly convinced, moving to walk along side him as the two went to follow after Dustin.

...

The group of four had made their way quite far down an old rail track, throwing pieces of raw meat out of their buckets every so often. Aaron wincing every time.

Dustin and Steve walked side by side, with Kimmy and Aaron walking slightly behind.

Although they weren't too far behind, Aaron could still hear the twos conversation.

"So let me get this straight." Steve sighed at Dustin as he walked. "You kept something you knew was probably dangerous in order to impress a girl who... who you just met?"

Aaron and Kimmy were beginning to get sick of the constant conversation which consisted of Dustin and Steve bickering back and forth over Dustin's abrupt crush on Max which everyone but the redhead knew about.

"Alright," Dustin sighed in defeat after a moment of silence. "That's grossly oversimplifying things."

"I mean, why would a girl like some nasty slug anyway?" Steve scoffed from Dustin's side.

"An interdimensional slug?" Dustin mocked, a wide smile on his face. "Because it's awesome."

Aaron heard Kimmy scoff loudly from next to him, the girl mumbling under her breath at Dustin's comment.

"Well, even if she thought it was cool, which she didn't, I... I just-" Steve trailed off, as if genuinely at a loss of words upon hearing Dustin's thought process. "I don't know. I just feel like you're trying way too hard."

Aaron's head snapped up as he strained himself to listen to the conversation taking place, deciding the only way he could get the advice he desperately needed was to listen to his brother give it to someone else.

"Well, not everyone can have your perfect hair, alright?" Dustin retorted quietly.

"It's not about the hair, man." Steve groaned, growing frustrated with how clueless Dustin was. "The key with girls is just... just acting like you don't care."

"Even if I do?" Dustin asked, sounding confused.

"Yeah, exactly." Steve nodded. "Drives them nuts."

Aaron felt his eyes widen, snapping his gaze over to the girl next to him as he began to worry. Kimmy had her head down but it was obvious she was listening, she was making comments under her breath after everything said.

Aaron really began to panic. He did exactly the opposite of what Steve was telling Dustin to do, he cared too much and he showed it.

The blond was beginning to stress himself out.

"Do not listen to him, Dustin." Kimmy warned as she pushed herself between the two, leaving Aaron behind. However the boy soon caught on and followed her actions. "If you act like you don't give a shit - she will think you don't give a shit. Why would a girl want a boy who acted like he hated her?"

Kimmy's words seemed to bring Aaron back to his senses, unable to hide the relieved expression as he looked to the girl.

Dustin seemed to consider her words, looking conflicted as he thought it over.

"Don't listen to her," Steve scoffed, shaking his head at the girl. "She doesn't know what she's talking about-"

"Actually, Steve," Kimmy remarked, sending the older boy an unimpressed stare. "Seeing as I actually am a girl, I would say that I do know what I'm talking about."

Aaron raised his brows as he looked to the girl, surprised to see her talking back to his brother.

"Let me ask you something, Kimmy." Steve tilted his head, and Aaron knew his brother was annoyed at her for telling Dustin his advice was wrong. "Have you ever been in a relationship?"

"No-"

"Okay, so maybe leave the advice to those who actually have." Steve smiled mockingly at her, suddenly shifting his eyes to Dustin one more time with a serious expression. "Just act like you don't care."

"Okay," Dustin nodded unsurely before regaining his composure. "Then what?"

"You just wait until, uh..." Steve seemed to grow uncomfortable as he trailed off, suddenly remembering he was talking to a bunch of thirteen year olds and his little brother. "Until you feel it."

"Feel what?" Dustin asked curiously.

Steve sighed, as if he was thinking of simpler terms to say what he wanted to say. "It's like before it's gonna storm, you know? You can't see it, but you can feel it, like this, um... electricity. You know?"

"Oh," Dustin nodded with a smile, acting like he understood. "Like in the electromagnetic field when the clouds in the atmosphere-"

"No, no, no, no." Steve cut the boy off, clearing his throat before awkwardly blurting the second part. "Like a... like a sexual electricity."

Aaron felt his face burn bright red, his eyes widening as he was suddenly unable to look anywhere but straight ahead. Seeing as he was squished between his older brother trying to give his friend relationship advice and the girl he liked who Aaron was trying to steal the advice Steve was giving Dustin to try let the girl know he liked her without directly saying it.

"Oh." Dustin mumbled, his voice cracking in discomfort.

"You feel that and then you make your move." Steve assured, pointing a finger at the boy.

"So that's when you kiss her?" Dustin asked in a confused voice.

Aaron tearing his view from ahead and snapping his gaze towards Steve as he awaited his answer. Aaron felt incredibly uncomfortable but decided it was probably best to get the most advice he could while he had the chance.

"No, whoa, whoa." Steve stopped his steps, sticking his hand out to smack Dustin to a stop, the older boy catching Aaron and Kimmy at the same time. "Slow down, Romeo."

"Sorry." Dustin muttered embarrassedly.

"Sure, okay, some girls? Yeah, they want you to be aggressive." Steve backtracked, shrugging his shoulders as he did his best to explain. "You know, strong, hot and heavy, like a... I don't know like a lion. But others, you gotta be slow, you gotta be stealthy, like a... like a ninja."

Dustin hummed in acknowledgement, seemingly taking Steve's answer as a positive. However, Aaron was only more confused than he was to begin with.   

"What type is Nancy?" Aaron blurted curiously, causing Steve to look down at his younger brother in surprise.

"Nancy's different." Steve answered, sounding unsure as he hesitated. "She's different than most of the other girls. She's special. You can't use either of those tricks on her."

"But what if I liked a girl who was special from others, then what would I do?" Aaron blurted quickly, ignoring the curious looks sent his way by Dustin and Kimmy as he focused on stopping his cheeks from turning pink. "No reason, just curious."

"You just have to... I don't know." Steve shrugged, throwing some more meat over his shoulder. "It's different, depends on the girl. She's probably different to Nancy."

Aaron bit the inside of his cheek as he watched his older brother and nodded, dropping his gaze to the floor. Aaron could feel the way Steve's stare was burning into his side profile, curious as to who the boy was talking about. But with the way Steve didn't begin relentlessly teasing him, Aaron guess his brother had an idea who.

"Well, this girls special too." Dustin sighed dramatically, seemingly not having caught on to what Aaron and Steve were really talking about. "It's just, like, there's something about her."

Once again, Steve brought the group to a stop, shaking his head at Dustin as he spoke. "Hey, you're not falling in love with this girl, are you?"

"Uh, no." Dustin spoke instantly, looking and sounding flustered. "No."

"Okay, good." Steve answers hesitantly, unsure if the boy was really telling the truth. "Don't."

"I won't." Dustin shook his head right away.

"She's only gonna break your heart, and you're way too young for that shit." Steve murmured quietly, but not quietly enough that the group didn't hear. Aaron noticed that Steve made a point to glance at him as he spoke.

The group was over come with silence and Dustin's shoulders dropped in disappointment. Steve seemed to notice.

"Fabergé." Steve muttered, taking everyone by surprise.

"What?" Dustin asked unsurely, as if he didn't know if the boy had spoke at all.

"It's Fabergé Organics." Steve murmured and pointed to his hair. "Use the shampoo and conditioner, and when your hair's damp - it's not wet okay? Damp. When it's damp you do four puffs of the Farrah Fawcett spray."

Dustin and Kimmy instantly snorted, Dustin soon breaking out into giggles. "Farrah Fawcett spray?"

"Yeah, Farrah Fawcett spray." Steve answered bluntly, already sounding like he regretted even saying anything. "You guys tell anyone I just told you that and your ass is grass. You're dead, do you understand?"

Aaron rolled his eyes at his brothers dramatics, knowing Steve most definitely would not kick Dustin and Kimmy's asses. Although this didn't stop the two from nodding rapidly at the older boy.

...

HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVE!!!!!!!!

I love Dustin and Steve's friendship in the show so much it's my favourite one I think.

Anyway have a good Christmas if you celebrate and I hope you are enjoying the holidays!!

Hope you liked the chapter!!

- AJ :)