Chapter Six : The Spy

chapter thirty-six , Raw...beef

a/n : Staugust this chapter has my heart

Also, don't be afraid to vote and comment! You have no idea how much motivation that gives me!

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The car was absolutely silent.

Gus couldn't believe she was in this situation. I mean, she was in the Steve Harrington's car with Dustin in the backseat. And the three of them were on their way to track down an inter dimensional creature that ate Dustin's cat. Gus feels eyes on her and she glances at Steve, who quickly looks away.

Gus knits her brows together from Steve's demeanor. He was normally calm and collected, but recently every time she sees him. He's nervous, rambling, or sometimes loses track of his thoughts. Maybe he should go to a hospital or something.

"Wait a sec. How big?"

Gus closes her eyes and quietly sighs. She and Dustin have explained to Steve 3 times and he was still not comprehending it.

"First it was like that." Dustin makes a small gesture. "Now, he's like this." He the makes the gesture larger.

Steve then looks at Gus and squints his eyes.

"I swear to God, guys, it's just some little lizard, okay?" Steve assures.

"Oh, is it?" Gus raises her brows.

Steve then raises his brows, "Yeah, it is."

"Because you were there, right? You saw it?" Gus cocks her head to the side.

"Hey, all I'm saying is you guys are probably blowing this out of proportion—"

"It's not a lizard." Dustin says.

"How do you know?" Steve asks.

"How do I know if it's not a lizard?" Dustin inquires.

"Yeah, how do you know it's not just a lizard?" Steve raises his voice.

Gus presses her fingers against her temple.

"Because his face opened up and he ate my cat." Dustin exclaims.

The car falls silent once again. Gus purses her lips and she looks at Steve, who had wide eyes. Steve then slowly nods his head and Gus raises her brows.

They get to Dustin's house and Steve immediately goes to the trunk. He grabs the nail bat from the trunk and Gus raises her brows.

"Badass." Gus chuckles.

Steve looks over to Gus and his heartbeat quickens. "R-Really?"

Dustin rolls his eyes and he slams the trunk shut, causing both teens to jump. Gus snaps her eyes over to Dustin, "Jesus, dude!"

"Let's just get this over with..." Dustin sighs heavily.

Dustin couldn't believe he was here with these two. All Steve was doing is fidgeting and crushing over Gus. And the girl didn't even notice that Steve had a thing for her. How could she not know? This was getting frustrating and Dustin knew this was going to be a long night.

Gus and Steve follow Dustin to the backyard. The short-haired brunette digs into her jacket pocket. She looks down at the flashlight and holds it out to Steve. "Here."

Steve looks down at the flashlight then he looks back at Gus. She presses her lips into a small line. Steve swallows and grabs the light, his finger lightly touches Gus' and his heart jumps into his throat.

"Uh, thanks—thank you."

Gus knits her brows together but she gives him a curt nod. "No problem." She then turns her flashlight on and Steve follows.

Dustin stands at the cellar doors and looks at the teenagers. Steve stares at the locked cellar doors. He leans toward it and scrunches his brows together. "I don't hear shit."

"Well, he's in there." Gus softly speaks. "We would know."

Steve lightly taps the bat against the cellar doors. Nothing. He hits the doors harder than before. Nothing. Steve's eye twitches. He then shines the light at Dustin. "All right, listen, kid. I swear, if this is some sort of Halloween prank, you're dead." He then shines the light at Gus and she winces.

"What the hell?!"

"How much is he paying you?" Steve asks.

"Nothing!" Gus seethes. "Get that out of my face."

"Is not a prank." Dustin voices.

"Seriously, it's not even Halloween anymore." Gus scoffs. "Harrington, you're gonna blind me and I'm gonna quake your bones into dust."

"Bet you, he would like that." Dustin murmurs with a laugh.

Steve's face heats up and he points the light at Dustin. Dustin squeezes his eyes shut and Gus raises her brows. "Dude..." she wraps her fingers around Steve's wrist and points his flashlight to the ground. "No more blinding us, all right?"

Steve keeps his lovestruck eyes on Gus' frustrated ones. Even though her eyes read, 'I am this close to kicking your ass'. She still made his heart twists.

"O-Okay." Steve softly stammers.

Gus let's go of Steve's wrist and walks back over to the cellar doors. Steve softly chuckles from the feel of Gus' hand on him. He shifts his eyes up and he sees Dustin staring at him with a teasing smirk. Steve's eyes widen, "Shut your mouth, Henderson."

Dustin closes his mouth, but he giggles softly.

"You guys ready?" Gus asks. She digs in her pants pocket and pulls out the key. Steve and Dustin look at the girl.

"Yeah, let's pop this baby open." Steve stands beside her.

Gus smirks and unlocks the padlock. She pulls the chains off the doors. She and Steve grab each door and pull them open. They shine their lights down the stairs of the cellar. Gus' skin runs cold from not being able to see further down due to the darkness.

"He must be further down there." Dustin voices. He then swallows. "I'll stay up here in case he tries to...escape."

Gus purses her lips. Simultaneously, Steve and Gus look at the kid. "Fine, Steve and I'll go."

"No, no. I've got this." Steve sighs.

Gus raises her brows, "Steve, you don't know what this thing looks like. You don't know what you're getting yourself into, I'll go with you."

"But your powers—"

"I don't need my powers to back you up, all right?" Gus huffs.

Neither Steve nor Dustin look convinced. Gus scoffs, she looks around and her eyes land on a thick branch. She picks it up and places it on her shoulder. "Okay, now, let's go."

Steve deadpans and Gus shrugs her shoulders.

"I'm waiting." Gus tilts her head.

Steve knew there was no changing Gus' mind. Once she's set on something, she normally doesn't go back on it. That's one of the reason he liked her. Steve quietly sighs and motions his head to the cellar. "Come on—but, I go first."

Gus purses her lips and she gives him a two-finger salute. "Yes, sir."

Steve squints his eyes at Gus' teasing and her teasing smirk drops. She whispers a small sorry before he starts down the cellar steps. Gus follows close behind him. As they get deeper into the cellar, it got more humid and smell of mildew became more apparent. Steve gets to the base level of the cellar and he pulls on the chain attached to the lightbulb. The light flicks on and Steve's eyes meet the unidentifiable product on the ground. He uses the bat to pick up the shedded skin. Gus' nose wrinkles and her mouth opens.

"Huh." Gus voices.

Gus' eyes shift to the wall and her expression drops. She touches Steve's hand and shines his light on the wall. Steve follows Gus' vision. He looks at the hole in the wall and he raises his brows.

"Huh." Steve voices.

Steve and Gus look at each other, the same expression of worry crossing their faces. Gus walks back over to the steps when she hears Dustin calling out for them. "Come down here." She calls out to him.

Dustin swallows from seeing Gus' serious face. He reluctantly but quickly makes his way down the steps. Steve holds the shedded skin out to Dustin.

"Oh, shit." Dustin's nose wrinkles.

Gus then points at the wall that was broken in. Dustin's eyes widen, "Oh, shit!"

They all walk over to the wall and stare into the tunnel that Dart had dug.

"No way...no way..."

"Way." Steve and Gus chorus.

Gus blows air out of her mouth and shakes her head. "Okay, so...we need a plan." She runs a hand through her fluffy. Her eyes shift to Dustin. "Do you have anymore bologna?"

"Bologna?" Steve wrinkles his nose.

Dustin shakes his head, "I doubt bologna would settle Dart's appetite now." He presses a finger against his lips, thinking.

"That thing eats bologna? I would think he eats more than that like..." Steve shudders. "...raw meat or something."

And just like that, lightbulbs shine in Gus and Dustin's minds. They look at Steve, who wasn't even talking to them. He was just thinking out loud.

"That's it." Gus points at him.

Steve blinks and focuses on Gus and Dustin. "Uh, what's it?"

"What you just said. Raw meat!" Gus exclaims.

"Raw meat could be a much more stronger appeal to Dart than that dumbass bologna." Dustin says.

Gus bites her lower lip and smiles. "Steve, you're a genius!" She grabs his arms and shakes him. Gus then runs up the stairs and jumps out of the cellar.

Steve's stomach flutters and his face gets hot. He softly laughs and Dustin rolls his eyes. "Oh, God..." Dustin groans. "...don't get too crazy, all right? I'm sure she didn't mean it." He then walks up the stairs.

Steve didn't care what Dustin said. Whatever Gus said, it meant the world to him.

☆

Gus, Steve, and Dustin immediately drove over to the grocery store. Dustin gave each person something they needed to find in the store, they would all meet back at the checkout line after. Gus' eyes were glued to the Polaroid in her hand. It was a picture of her, Eleven, and Hedwig. The bunny was between her and Eleven. Gus put bunny ears behind Eleven's head, and they we're both smiling.

It was one of the first pictures they ever took together. Gus couldn't believe that after all the shit that happened between her and Eleven, they would be this close. She never thought they would be sisters. Gus softly smiles and slips the photo into her back pocket.

"Hey, Guster."

Gus turns to the Harrington boy and she raises her brows. "Hey." She turns to him. Gus shifts her eyes to the items Steve got and she arches a brow.

"Nice meat."

Steve's eyes widen, "My...meat...?"

Gus presses her lips into a cunning smirk and she points at the grocery cart of raw meat. Steve looks at the shopping cart and his mouth opens. "Oh...right, right. My meat as in the raw...beef."

"Yeah, I mean. What else would I be talking about...?" Gus snaps her fingers. "Oh, you thought I was talking about your dick!"

Steve quickly looks around the store, "Please, don't say that in pub—"

"You're such a perv, Harrington." Gus dramatically shudders. "I mean, why the hell would you think I'm talking about your peen?" She clicks her tongue.

Steve slightly opens his mouth, "I didn't meant to assume that's what you were talking about. I just...I didn't—oh my god, I am so—"

"Oh, wow, relax." Gus snorts. "I was just teasing you."

Steve pulls his brows together, "Teasing...that's your way of teasing?"

Gus blinks, "Well, yeah. Have you met me?" She chuckles and walks down one of the aisles. Steve exhales a sharp breath, trying to calm himself down, he then follows after her.

"So, do you have enough raw beef in there?" Gus giggles.

Steve rolls his eyes playfully, "Hah, hah. Actually. Yeah, I do."

Gus nods her head, her eyes travel across the cleaning products. "Well, good. I would hate for us to run out mid-trail and the plan goes to shit." She grabs three buckets and tosses them into the cart. Gus then grabs three pairs of yellow rubber gloves and placed them in the cart. She presses her elbow against the cart and looks at Steve. "You okay?"

Steve raises his brows, "You're asking me if I'm okay?"

Gus looks up and down the aisle. "You're the only one here. So, yeah..."

"Oh, well. Yeah, I'm okay." Steve nods his head.

"You don't have to see this through with us, y'know?" Gus looks at her vans. Steve pulls his brows together.

"I wouldn't blame you if you wanted to leave..." Gus bites the inside her cheek. The girl wasn't going to admit it, but she was comforted by Steve being there with her and Dustin. It made her feel safe. "This is some scary shit, Steve. So, if you're going to bail now, you shoul—"

"I'm not bailing." Steve cuts her off.

Gus looks back at Steve, her hazel green eyes meet his dark brown ones.

"That's out of the question." Steve then bunches his shoulders. "That wasn't even in the question. And shame on you for suggesting that."

Gus softly chuckles at Steve's attempt to lighten the mood. "And I'll remind you, that I was with Nancy and Jonathan last year. I've handled something similar to this already." Steve states.

Gus softly hums and she nods her head. "Right, can't forget you being a hero." She lightly punches his arm. "Well...thanks for being here." She looks to the side, in order, to avoid Steve's taken aback expression. "Dustin seems to want you here."

Steve keeps his eyes on Gus, and you could tell that a part of him deflated hearing that. "Right...Dustin..." he looks at the ground.

Gus looks back at him and exhales through her nose. "We should...get in line, right?" She points down the aisle.

Steve looks at Gus and slightly opens his mouth. "Uh, right. Let's go." He softly chuckles, but the pain was obviously there.

After checking out all the things they got, the three drove to another part of town near train tracks. They all get out of the car and make their way over to the trunk. Everyone preps themselves by putting rubber gloves on and filling the buckets with the raw meat.

"Dustin? Dustin. This is Lucas. Do you copy? Dustin?"

Dustin steps away from Gus and Steve. "Well, well, well, look who it is."

"Sorry, man." Lucas sighs. "My stupid sister turned it off."

"Well, when you were having sister problems, Dart grew again, he escapes, and I'm pretty sure he's a baby Demogorgon."

"Wait. What?"

"I'll explain later. Just meet me, Gus, and Steve at the old junkyard."

Lucas pulls his brows together. "Steve?"

Gus looks at the bat that had nails hammered into it. "So, can I hold it?"

Steve looks at Gus and chuckles. "Knock yourself out." He holds it out to her.

Gus bites her lower lip and smiles, trying to contain her excitement. She grabs the bag and her eyes widen. "Holy shit!"

Steve raises his brows, "Right?"

"This gives you a different kind of power." Gus quirks a brow. "I like it."

"And bring your binoculars and wrist rocket." Dustin instruct.

"Steve Harrington?"

Lucas hears Steve over the radio and that makes his eyes widen. How the hell were Gus and Steve working together? And how was this situation not stressing Dustin out?

"Just be there, stat. Over and out."

Gus hands Steve his bat back and she snorts. "You should definitely let me use that thing at some point."

Steve hums, "We'll see."

☆

After Will was rolled into Hawkins lab, screaming about his entire body burning, everything was a blur to Sofía. Most of the time Mike and Sofía were sleeping on Will's bedside, waiting for any more news about him. Now, he didn't recognize Bob which struck worry in each person.

"Do you know your name?" Dr. Owens asks.

"Will."

"Your full name?" Owens further asks.

"William Byers."

Sofía softly smiles, relief rises in her.

"Do you know who I am?" Dr. Owens inquires.

Will keeps his eyes on Owens. "A doctor."

Dr. Owens nods, "Have we met before?"

Will tries his best to think back. "I don't...remember."

"You don't remember me?" Dr. Owens asks.

Will shakes his head which causes Sofía's eyes to soften.

"Okay. How about, uh...how about this guy here?" Dr. Owens points to Mike.

Mike timidly waves a hand.

"Know who that is?"

Will shifts his eyes to Mike. The Wheeler boy shifts from Will's distant stare on him.

"It's all right. Take your time."

"That's my friend. Mike." Will answers.

Dr. Owens points at the young girl. "And what about her?"

Sofía's back straightens and she swallows as soon as Will's eyes land on her. She hesitantly looks into his eyes and she sees the absolute emptiness in them. It made her skin crawl, knowing that he didn't recognize her immediately.

"No..." Will shakes his head.

Sofía's throat tightens and the end of her mouth twitches. It hurt her that her best friend didn't remember her. Does that mean he doesn't remember anything about the Upside Down? That made Sofía feel so lonely.

"What about me, kid? You remember me?" Hopper asks.

Will looks at Hopper and shakes his head.

"They tell me you helped saved me last night. You remember that?" Hopper asks.

"Do you remember anything about last night? About what happened?" Dr. Owens inquires.

"I remember they hurt me." Will answers.

"You mean the doctors?"

"No. The soldiers." Will clarifies.

"The soldiers hurt you?" Owens asks.

Will's eyes darken, "They shouldn't have done that. It upset him."

Sofía pulls her brows together and she looks at Mike. Mike looks at her, they both had the same look of worry across their faces.

Owens opens a folder and pulls out the drawing of the shadow monster. "You say, 'upset him.' Is that him?"

Will nods his head.

Owens looks at Joyce. "Okay. Okay, I wanna try something." He looks back at Will. "It's gonna seem a little odd at first, but I think it's really gonna help us understand what's going on."

"Is that okay?"

Will hesitantly nods his head.

One of Dr. Owens' assistants rolled in a cart with a container on top. It had a piece of the creature from The Upside Down.

"Now, Will, I want you to just let us know if you feel anything. Okay?"

The assistant turns on the blowtorch. The man lowers the torch inch by inch, closer to the tentacle.
Will's back straightens.

"Do you feel anything?" Owens asks.

"A little sting." Will answers.

"It stings? Where?"

As the torch gets closer, a screeching sound comes from the tentacle like creature in the container.

"My chest." Will grasps at his shirt.

Sofía takes a step forward as the heart monitor picks up. The torch gets closer to the creature.

"How about now?" Owens asks.

"It...it burns."

The torch was inches away from the creature, which causes Will to scream. "It burns!"

"Where?"

"Everywhere!"

"That's enough. That's enough!" Joyce snaps.

Will continues to scream in pain, which causes everyone else to scream at the assistant to turn to blow torch off. The assistant pulls the torch away from the creature and Will's body slumps in the bed as the pain eases.

Even though, the pain was easing from Will; everyone else's worries were rising for the boy.

☆

"All right, so let me get this straight."

Gus was walking beside Steve and Dustin was in front of them.

"You let something you knew was probably dangerous in order to impress a girl who-who you just met?"

"All right, that's grossly oversimplifying things." Dustin states.

"Yeah, would you really say that he just met her?" Gus purses her lips and drops some of the meat onto the tracks.

"I mean, why would a girl like some nasty slug anyway?" Steve wrinkles his nose.

Gus raises her brows, "I mean an inter dimensional slug is pretty awesome." She motions her head to Dustin. "Maybe this girl is pretty important to him." A giddy smile was on her lips, thinking about the girl Dustin was interested in. Unfortunately, Gus didn't get the memo that Dustin liked Max. Not Sofía.

"Well, even if she thought it was cool, which she didn't, I-I just...I don't know. I just feel like you're trying too hard." Steve shrugs his shoulders.

"Well, not everyone can have your perfect hair, all right?" Dustin huffs.

Gus snickers, "Yeah, Big hair Steve."

Steve looks at Dustin and Gus. "It's not about the hair, guys." He chuckles softly. "The key with girls is just...just acting like you don't care."

Gus raises her brows, "What?" She looks at Steve with disbelief.

"Even if you do?" Dustin asks.

"Yeah, exactly. It drives them nuts." Steve states.

Gus rolls her eyes, she slows her walking; not wanting to be apart of this conversation anymore.

"Then what?" Dustin asks.

"You just wait until, uh...until you feel it." Steve says.

"Feel what?"

"It's like before it's gonna storm, you know?" Steve starts. "You can't see it, but you can feel it, like this, uh...electricity, you know?"

Dustin slightly opens his mouth. "Oh, like in the electromagnetic field when the clouds in the atmosphere—"

"No, no, no, no, no. Like a...a sexual electricity." Steve states.

Gus' eyes widen and she snaps her eyes up from her shoes.

"You feel that and then you make your move."

"Hey!"

Gus quickens her pace and grabs Steve's wrist causing the boy to stop as well. He looks at the girl and his heart jumps into his throat seeing how close they were. Gus slightly tilts her chin up, "Hey, Dustin?"

Dustin hums softly and looks behind him. He turns around and pulls his brows together seeing Steve and Gus standing in front of each other. Gus' hands were on her hips and she was tapping her fingers against her hip impatiently. Steve was looking down at the girl with his jaw clenched.

"Can you go ahead? We'll catch up."

Dustin slightly opens his mouth, already sensing the awkward tension. "Y-Yeah. Totally!"

Steve looks over at Dustin, his eyes pleading for help. Dustin mouths the words 'I'm sorry'. Before turning and continuing down the train tracks.

Steve slowly turns his head back to the short-haired brunette. "H-Hey, Gus--"

"I don't want you giving Dustin relationship advice anymore." Gus' tone was firm, signifying she didn't want this conversation to be long.

"O-Okay...?"

Gus nods her head. She goes to continue walking.

"But..."

Gus exhales a sharp breath and turns back to the boy.

"Can I ask why?"

Gus raises her brows, "You're kidding, right?"

Steve just stands there with a blank expression. Gus tilts her head to the sky and inhales a breath. "Steve. You're filling Dustin's head with some pretty toxic ideologies."

Steve slightly tilts his head and Gus' back straightens. The girl didn't know why, but anytime Steve did that it just did something to her.

"I don't understand?" Steve asks.

Gus' shoulders slump and she pinches the bridge of her nose. "Um--okay. You are putting into Dustin's head that he has to be mean to someone, to get them to like him." she shakes her head. "But, that's not the case at all."

"Well, it's worked for me--"

"And you want Dustin to be like you?" Gus raises her brows. She looks Steve up and Down and scoffs. "I'm sorry, but I don't want to be in a world like that."

Steve's chest tightens and his eyes slightly widen. Gus exhales a breath and her pinched expression softens, knowing her bluntness hurt him.

"Look...If you keep filling Dustin's head. He's either going to end up with someone, who just wants him for his status--or he's gonna end up with someone he likes, but they break up with him because he's..." Gus points at Steve. "...in Nancy's words 'bullshit'."

Steve rolls his eyes from hearing the familiar breakup words. Gus lets out a chuckle, "Okay--I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that." she rolls her lips into her mouth and exhales through her nose. "But, seriously. I don't want that for Dustin."

Steve slowly nods his head and looks at the ground. Was he really that awful of a person, that he couldn't give advice?

"And...I don't want that for you."

Steve's brows raise and he looks at the girl, who was now looking at the ground. She kicks a pebble and keeps her eyes on the ground so she didn't reveal her flushed face. "Maybe you should try a different approach to dating. Don't be so...Steve 'The Hair' Harrington'." Gus looks at Steve and shrugs a shoulder. "Just be yourself. Forget what everybody else thinks."

Steve's shoulders sag. "It's...not that simple."

Gus bites the inside of her cheek. "It never is for you, huh?" she shakes her head and turns away from him.

"August!" Steve grabs her wrist and turns her around.

Gus spins back toward the boy and she looks up at him with her brows raised. Steve's heartbeat starts to ram against his chest from how close he was to the girl. He keeps his dark brown eyes on the girl's Hazel green ones. A speck of brown flickered in her eyes and she was looking at Steve with awe.

"I..." Steve closes his mouth and changes the direction of his conversation. "I just keep screwing things up." he lets go of Gus' wrist and she feels cold. "I don't know how to fix everything."

Gus presses her lips into a small smile. "Maybe. You don't have to fix everything..." she says. "You can move forward and just try to do better."

Steve's heart starts to beat quicker than before and a smile forms on his lips. "Thanks, August."

Gus raises her brows and for the first time in a while, she feels it. Her heart jumps into her throat. She tries to recover by forcing out a chuckle. "Look, man, I'm just trying to help Dustin out here." She then pats his arm. "I don't want any mini Steve's running around."

Steve manages a small chuckle. He starts to catch up to Dustin and he tries to slow his quick heart beat down. Gus stays behind to do the same. Once Steve starts to walk beside Dustin again, his mind trail back to what Gus was saying.

"And I don't want that for you."

This entire time, Steve thought that there was zero chance of he and Gus becoming friends again. But the way she was open to giving him advice...

It made him feel like there was a chance for something.

Dustin looks behind him and sees Gus trialing behind the two. He wanted to hear the last of Steve's advice, but he didn't want to get in trouble with Gus.

"So, is that when you kiss her?" Dustin whispers, so Gus wouldn't hear.

Steve raises his brows and looks at Dustin. "What?"

"The thing you said before. About the electricity. Do I kiss her after?"

"No, whoa, whoa. Slow down, Romeo." Steve settles Dustin's excitement down.

"Sorry."

Steve had to go about this advice thing in a different way. Just like Gus said. The Harrington boy wanted to be a different person. And maybe this was the start.

"Sure, okay, some girl's, yeah, they want you to be aggressive." Steve starts. "You know, strong, hot and heavy, like a...I don't know, like a lion."

Gus purses her lips into a small smile at the conversation the boys thought she wasn't hearing. A lion?

"But others, you gotta be slow, you gotta be stealthy, like a...like a ninja."

Gus rolls her lips into her mouth to contain her smile.

"What type was Nancy?" Dustin asks.

Steve blinks, "Uh, Nancy was different." He answers. "She's different than the other girls."

"And Gus?"

Gus' expression drops and her face gets hot. Steve's eyes blow wide. "I...we don't—we aren't...what?"

Dustin blinks at the teenager. "Is Gus a lion or a ninja?"

Steve opens and closes his mouth. "No, Gus isn't any of those things...I don't think—I wouldn't know."

Dustin scrunches his face at the boy. "Okay...why didn't you just say that then? Jeez..."

Steve sighs, "Look, August is...she's special too."

Dustin nods his head, "Gus is pretty special."

"Yeah. Yeah, she is." Steve nods.

A smile forms on Gus'. The girl had no idea how much impact she really had on everyone. Just hearing how they talk about her with awe, made her feel needed. It made her feel warm.

"But this girls special, too, you know." Dustin sighs with contentment. "It's just, like, something about her."

Steve's eyes widen, "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hey, hey, hey." He stops walking.

Dustin stops and looks at him, "What?"

"You're not falling in love with this girl, are you?" Steve asks.

"Uh, no. No." Dustin denies.

"Okay, good. Don't."

Gus shifts her eyes to Steve then Dustin.

"I won't."

Steve continues to walk, "She's only gonna break your heart, and you're way too young for that shit."

Gus purses her lips, "I mean, I agree that Dustin is too young to have his heartbroken. But it's kind of bound to happen at some point." She says. "But, have you ever fallen in love?"

Steve stops and turns to Dustin and Gus. Dustin then nudges the girl, "Duh, he fell in love with Nancy, remember?"

Gus opens her mouth and lightly hits her head. "Oh, damn." She then laughs. "I'm sorry, I never knew you guys were in love."

"We weren't."

Gus and Dustin blink.

"I-I mean. We were, but then...no—I was, but Nancy...she wasn't." Steve goes back to walking in order to hide his embarrassment.

Gus bites the inside of her cheek. "Sorry."

"You did nothing wrong, Guster." Steve says. They all fall silent. Steve didn't know if he was really in love with Nancy. His dad told him that Nancy was someone Steve should love. But, maybe that somehow forced Steve's mind to think he was in love with her. It was all so confusing.

Steve looks at Dustin and sighs. "Fabergé."

"What?"

Gus softly smiles as Steve points at his hair.

"It's Fabergé Organics." Steve states. "Use the shampoo and conditioner, and when your hair's damp—it's not wet, okay? When it's damp."

Dustin nods his head, "Damp..."

Gus covers her mouth in order to contain her laughter.

"You do four puffs of the Farrah Fawcett spray."

A teasing smile forms on Dustin's lips. "Farrah Fawcett spray?"

That's when Steve stops and turns to the boy. Gus then stops and looks between the two.

"Yeah, Farrah Fawcett. You tell anyone I just told you that and your ass is grass." Steve points at Dustin. "You're dead, Henderson. Do you understand?"

Dustin swallows and he turns to Gus, who nods vigorously; telling him that Steve was serious.

"He forced me to swear to secrecy." Gus voices.

Dustin then looks back at Steve, "Yup. I-I will not say anything."

...

Hopper knew that he had to check in on Eleven and Gus. No matter how much animosity they had towards him; he had to know they were safe. He was sitting in his truck, sending a Morse code, hoping they got the message. He didn't receive an answer and guilt rises into him. Neither three of the family members talked to each other after Eleven and Hopper's big blow up. But all three of them had guilt over what happened. The way Hopper practically shoved Gus into being the mediator was something he never wanted. Now, Eleven was ignoring her as well.

"Hey, it's, uh...it's me." Hopper speaks. "I know that I've been gone too long, and, uh...it's-I just, I want you to know that it's not about you and it's not about our fight. Okay?"

"Something came up, and I will...I will explain it all when I see you guys." Hopper continues to speak to the unheard radio. "I just...I want you to know that I'm not mad. I'm just sorry." Hopper's heart breaks thinking about keeping secrets from Gus and about the words he said to Eleven. "I'm sorry."

"I...I don't want you two to get hurt at all." Hopper says. "And I don't...I can't lose either of you."

"Just make sure you guys heat up some real food. Not just Eggos." Hopper instructs. "Don't you give Gus that puppy dog look, you know she's weak for it."

"And I know the two of you hate peas, but you've gotta eat them. Even if they're mushy and gross."

"And...I will be home soon."

A sudden knock is heard on Hopper's window and he jumps. "Oh, Jesus!" He turns to the curly-haired girl and his eyes widen. "What the hell?"

Hopper opens the door to the waving girl.

"Hey, Jimbo!"

"Fallon..."

Fallon wrinkles her nose from his tone. "What's up your butt?" She looks around the parking lot. "And why are you out here in scrubs? Do you volunteer here or something?"

"What are you doing here?" Hopper asks.

Fallon raises her brows, "Gus, didn't tell you?" She tilts her head. "Oh, is she still pissed at you?"

"Fallon." Hopper's tone was firm, telling her to answer his question.

"Okay, okay." Fallon rolls her eyes. "Gus asked me to pick up Sofía today."

"What? Then where's Gus?" Hopper asks.

Fallon shrugs a shoulder, "She had to help Dustin with something important." She holds her arms out. "So, that's why the Calvary is here."

Hopper had to get Fallon out of here, but he didn't know how without raising suspicion. Fallon raises her brows, "You good, Hop?"

Hopper scratches his brow, "Look, Fal. You don't have to worry about Sofía, I'll get her home."

Fallon slightly pulls her face back. "Uh...may I ask why?"

"Uh, no." Hopper turns on his he and walks back toward the building. Fallon's mouth drops open. "Wha-what? Hopper!" She slips her hot pink pumps off and jogs after the Chief of Police. "That was kind of rhetorical."

"Fallon, it's just not a good time?"

Fallon could hear the urgency in Hopper's voice and her skin starts to crawl. "Is something happening? Like last year?"

Hopper stops and turns to Fallon. If her face could pale she it would've. Fallon stares into Hopper's eyes and her stomach violently turns. "Oh, God...it is, isn't it? I-I thought that was...over. That little girl, she took care of everything—"

"It's not over." Hopper says. "Which is exactly why, you've gotta go."

Fallon inhales a shaky breath, before she turns to leave; her eyes look through the glass door. Sofía was sitting on a bench in the hallway. Her knees were pulled toward her chest and her body was shaky. She was crying. Fallon's shoulders sag. Not only did Fallon want to comfort the girl, but she also wanted to be there for whatever came their way.

"I'm staying."

Hopper's eyes widen, "The hell you are—"

"Hopper, listen." Fallon's tone was firm, but there was a bit of shakiness to it. "I...barely got through last year. But, Sofía is supposed to be my responsibility. Not yours. I can't let August down. I won't."

Hopper inhales a deep breath. "I can't believe I'm actually allowing this." He shakes his head and opens the door to the building.

Fallon softly huff, "Me neither." She reluctantly enters the building. "I was actually kind of hoping you would still say no."

Hopper chuckles, "Well, you're here now. There's no leaving until this is over, kid."

Fallon inhales through her nose and she exhales through her mouth. "Oh, goodie."

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author's note.

Fallon has been added to the mix!

Also Steve and Gus are everything to me 🫶

words : 5978