*。☆。
★。＼｜／。★
˚ ₊ ♡ ❰  CRUEL SUMMER ❱
*✧ ─── ❝ ❪ MILO HOPPER CANNOT DIE ! ❫ ❞
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˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ SEASON THREE ☀️ ⁺⑅

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SUPER FREAKS SERIES ⋆ 🚲.
♯ ❝ HE'S MILO, HE'S ALWAYS FINE ! ❞
CHAPTER TWELVE ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*
˚ ₊ ♡ 1985, july 3rd ─── episode five
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IN OUT, IN OUT, IN OUT, JUST BREATH, THAT IS ALL JUNO CAN FOCUS ON TO KEEP HER MIND FROM SPIRALLING INTO UTTER CHAOS. THE RUSSIANS EXCLAIMATIONS AT THE SIGHT OF MILO IN THEIR SUPER SECRET ELEVATOR did not sound good nor did they sound very kind when they could here them pull his unconscious body over the cold metal floor. They had been lucky enough to get out of the elevator when they left by sticking the container with the apparently metal-burning liquid between the floor and the door long enough to crawl through the small gap.

And now they were walking down a seemingly endless corridor whilst whomever took Milo was driving away further and further by the minute. Wringing her hands nervously, Juno kept glancing backwards, afraid someone would appear and take them too. "I'm scared for him to you know." Dustin came up besides her, hands deeply rooted in his pockets as he stared ahead. "And he's not so good in social situations. I'm afraid he'll say the wrong thing to them and they'll hurt him."

Juno cracked a small smile. "yeah...he's not so smart when it comes to talking to others. He's always genuine though." She pauses thumb caressing the small lightsaber flashlight he had been so excited about earlier. "and sweet." She added as an afterthought.

"You really like him huh?"

Juno hummed, shrugging. "I never really liked anyone before. Didn't really have the opportunity until my mum got us out of this place. I hated that she wanted to go back...but I'm glad we did. Meeting him—I don't know. It felt a little meant to be if it doesn't sound to lovey-dovey."

Dustin shrugged, "I met the coolest, most smartest girl at summer camp this year—suzie."

"That's sweet."

"The guys don't belief she's real."

"Shame on them." Juno nudged his side, "You're a cool dude Dustin. Suzie is a very lucky girl."

"You're a pretty lucky girl too. If Milo likes you so much."

Juno blushed, ducking her head as her hair shielded her face. "You all are very protective over him."

"He's been through a lot, and well, he's a very nice guy." Dustin smiled sadly, clearly not the only one bothered by his capture. "He's kinda like a big brother I never had."

Juno took in a deep breath, "He's going to be just fine." She whispered. "He's Milo. He's always fine."

"He is." Dustin nodded, just as hopeful as she was and turned to face the others up ahead. Happy to talk about something that wasn't what was happening to Milo.

"I mean, you have to admit, as a feat of engineering alone, this is impressive."

"What are you talking about?" Steve frowned, glancing over his shoulder at Dustin and Juno. "This place is a total fire hazard. There's no stairs, there's no exit, there's just an elevator that drops halfway to hell."

"They're commies. You don't pay people, they cut corners."

"To be fair to our Russian comrades, I don't think this tunnel was designed for walking."

"That be another form of hell if it was." Juno shuddered.

"If you think about it, they've designed the perfect way for transporting that cargo." Robin continued.

"And hostages." Juno added bitterly.

"We'll find him." Steve faced the girl, a determined glint in his eyes. "and he's gonna be just fine. It's Milo we're talking about. He survived child experimentation, escaped a crazy scientist, fought those demodogs and survived the Mind Flayer dying while they were still connected. You just can't kill the dude."

"He's a real trouble magnet, isn't he?" Robin grinned.

"Eh. You could say that." Steve shrugged, before looking back at the others. "Do you think they build this Mall just so they could transport that green poison?"

"I very seriously doubt it's something as boring as poison. It's gotta be much more valuable, like promethium or something." Dustin denied.

"What the hell is promethium." Steve muttered.

"It's what Victor stone's dad used to make—"

"Cyborgs bionic and cybernetic components! I know that too! I love DC comics!"

"You're all so nerdy, it makes me physically ill." Erika complained.

"No,no—no. don't lump me in with them." Steve quickly intercepted. "I'm not a nerd alright."

"Why so sensitive Harrington? Afraid of losing cool points to a ten year old."

"You're already working at an ice cream place wearing a sailor's hat. There wasn't much to lose in the first place." Juno jested, nudging his side.

"No, I'm just saying I don't know jack shit about Prometheus."

"No Promethium. Prometheus was the Titan god of Fire in Greek mythology." Juno corrected swiftly with a proud grin on her face. "He was best know for defying the gods by stealing their fire and gifting it to humanity."

"Thank you for that all-knowing-one." Steve replied monotonously.

"It's probably being used to make something, is all I'm saying." Dustin steered the conversation back to the original point.

"Or power something?" Robin suggested.

"Like a nuclear weapon? Totally."

"Do you think they want to blow up Hawkins?" Juno asked worriedly.

"I don't know."

"Walking towards a nuclear weapon, that's great." Steve stated sarcastically.

"But if they're building something, why here? I mean, Hawkins. Seriously. Of all places. At the very best we're a toilet stop on our way to Disneyland...but maybe that's it. Maybe it's our very..."

"Guys?" Juno called out when she noticed Steve and Dustin stopped walking.

"Is there something you two would like to share with the class?" Robin wondered annoyed by their knowing and worried frowns.

They were interrupted however by the crackling sound of a radio and the Russian language spoken by someone close by.

"Walkie." Dustin and Steve replied simultaneously.

Erika quickly unzipped her backpack and retrieved Dustin's walkie-talkie.

Robin held it close to her ear as the familiar sound followed. "A trip to China sounds nice. If you tread lightly." Robin breathed out, "It's the code."

"Wherever that broadcast is coming from."

"—it's close." Robin stated in realisation. "And if we know one thing about that signal..."

"It can reach the surface." Dustin finished her trail of thoughts.

"Let's go."

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˚ ₊ ♡ 1985, july 3rd ─── episode five
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THE ROOM IS BRIGHT—TOO BRIGHT, IT FEELS COLD AND IT SMELLS STERAL...LIKE A LAB. HIS HEART JUMPS AT THE THOUGHT AND BROWN EYES FLASH OPEN AND WHEN he wants to touch his forehead, rough metal digs in his skin. It rattles and it's only then that Milo realised the handcuffs around his skin, and the cold metal chair he's sitting on in the middle of the room. There's a buzzing in the room, crackling and continuous and despite the cold, sweat clings to his body and makes his blonde hair stick to his skin.

He swallowed nervously, brown eyes gleaming with worry as he surveyed the room. A startled spark of worry flashes through his body when he doesn't see any of the other kids or teens. His brows furrow as he tries to piece together his last memories. The anxiety and fear he had felt from the others as they descended downward. How Juno worriedly called out his name.

Juno.

His heartrate picks up again. Was she okay? Was he the only one caught? He desperately hopes they got away. That they managed to get out of the elevator and find help. He wonders if his father knows where he is. If Jim is looking for him, or if El is. Now more than ever does he regret walking out of his house, to go after Juno.

Tears well up in his eyes at the mere idea of leaving Jim again, to make his father worry and grief him, especially after a fight.

"доброе утро."

His throat tightened as the door wings open and an older man walked inside the room. His hair is grey and his facial expression are stern.

"Have you slept well." The accented words are spoken slowly, and like a predator he stalks closer to Milo with every second that passes.

The blonde inhales deeply, brown eyes staring up into the dark ones of his captor. And for a startling moment, Dr. Brenner flashes before him, and he feels small and helpless again. He involuntarily shrinks into himself and shied his eyes downwards.

Two hands come to rest on either side of his body, fingers curling around the metal as he leaned down to meet his gaze once more. "How did you get here?"

Milo clamped his mouth shut tighter, glare settling on his face.

"I will only ask once more мальчик. And I won't be as nice again. Do you understand." One hand shoots up and grips his jaw forcefully to tilt his head up again. "How did you get in the elevator."

Milo gritted his teeth and tried to move his head away from the Russian but before he could move and inch, knuckles connected to the side of his face. The taste of copper in his mouth was a harsh change and he could feel his skin glow and throb.

"How—" slap. "Did." Slap. "You." Slap. "Get." Slap. "Here?!"

Milo breathed heavily, chest raising and falling in rapid succession. Blood trickling down his face, but brown, glinting eyes remained unbroken. "With the elevator." He wheezed.

"I do not appreciate cheek мальчик."

"I do not appreciate violence, sir." Milo could feel the anger radiate of him, and almost taste the fury in the air. It was like a second heartbeat in his body, thumping loudly.

He coughed as another hit struck his jaw.

"Who else is here?!"

Milo clenched his jaw despite the ache, before glaring up at him. "No one else is here."

"Do not lie to me."

"I am alone."

The man only glared, shimmering rage boiling over as he struck him again.

Blood gathered in his mouth, but Milo Zero Hopper had been through more than most already. And Milo wasn't just a boy anymore. And certainly not one who gave up.

So he did the only thing he had always done. What he had done for small little Eleven stuck in the supply closet , what he had done to reassure Will Byers, or tried to do when welcoming Max into their tight circle.

Milo Hopper just smiled.

Large and unapologetically.

"Something funny мальчик?" The man glared, red faced and huffing.

Milo only tilted his head closed his eyes, and left.

It was colder here, more dark and glum. It had always been the nightmare that haunted him, but now it was the only refuge he could seek from the onslaught of assault happening to his body at the mercy of the Soviet spy.

Here he could not feel the pain.

And for the first time, Milo smiled in the Upside Down.

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