Andulka
Not today Justin
KIROKAZE
#extradirty
Today's Document
Mike Driver
"I'm Dorothy Gale from Kansas"
Sade Olutola
titsay
ojovivo
PR's Tumblrdome
JVL
Lint Roller? I Barely Know Her
shark vs the universe
bliss lane
Love Begins
I'd rather be in outer space 🛸
Noah Kahan
Claire Keane
taylor price
seen from Belgium
seen from United States
seen from Australia
seen from Germany
seen from United States
seen from Malaysia
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from Slovakia
seen from United States
seen from Bangladesh
seen from United States
seen from Finland
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from Vietnam
seen from Germany
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from Bulgaria
@highgardensss
masterlist
⭑.ᐟ steve harrington x fem!henderson!oc: see our reflection in the water
pt. 1. like i know you but we never met pt. 2. anyway, don't be a stranger (wip!)
⭑.ᐟ billy hargrove x fem!byers!oc ; steve harrington x fem!byers!oc: vienna waits for you (wip!)
pt. 1. violets for roses (wip!)
⭑.ᐟ aerion targaryen x fem!targ!reader: ānogar gīmigon (blood remembers)(wip!)
pt. 1. you're how i pray (wip!)
⭑.ᐟ peter prior x fem!reader: looking for space (wip!)
line cook shawn heard
me when i get more focused on the story instead of the slowburn help (i promise its still there)(the case is so interesting though idek how i came up with it)(its like kind of yellowjackets meets kind of blair witch)
peter prior x fem!coworker!oc WHO'S INTERESTED... (and there's an actual case being solved)
finn bennett stans rise up w me (and give me fic recs)
djo at chicago theatre !
hi here r some pics from when i saw djo at the chicago theatre (i totaled my car otw up there #worthit)
my bank acc after buying resold djo tickets
like i know you but we never met pt. 4
wc: 8.4k
masterlist | like i know you but we never met | see our reflection in the water
pt. 1 , pt. 2 , pt. 3
“So, let me get this straight,” Lara started, clearing her throat. “All of you, like this random group of people, collectively work together against whatever secret thing is happening in Hawkins?”
Steve nodded. “I promise, when we get out of here, I’ll answer every single question you have.”
Lara ran a hand through her hair, wincing as it caught in the blood matts. She opened her mouth to speak, but didn’t, Steve looking curiously until she blurted, “I still haven’t forgiven you for not telling me, you know? Like, I appreciate the sentiment, but you should’ve told me. You know you should’ve told me.”
“You weren’t even speaking to me,” Steve responded, his arm loosening around her.
“That’s irrelevant,” Lara responded. She was angry, but she was gentle.
Steve sighed, pressing his nose against the top of her head. “Let’s not fight about this now.”
“I’m not, I’m just saying you know that it was wrong and I can be upset about it.”
“I never said you couldn’t,” he answered, looking down at her with soft eyes.
Lara just rolled her eyes. He gently pulled her closer. “C’mon, Lar. It’s in the past.”
“It just makes me feel weird that this was happening and I didn’t know about it,” she whispered.
“I know,” Steve replied, nuzzling his nose against her hair. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”
Lara’s silent for a moment, looking anywhere but at Steve. She didn’t like the feeling of someone worrying about her, of someone looking out for her. The roles hadn’t been reversed since she was little and the feeling was foreign. Steve tenderly tried to nudge her. “Look at me.”
She looked up at him. “Okay. I accept your apology.”
His face broke out into a smile. Lara just laughed lightly and looked back at the rest of the group, a few of them looking at Steve and Lara strangely.
Chief Hopper was holding El, assessing the damages. Everyone was chattering, catching each other up. Steve stood up first, tugging Lara up off the ground. “Ow…” she held her side.
“Your ribs?” Lara nodded, groaning. “Definitely cracked. That guy had, like, steel toe boots or something.”
Steve’s face looked pained that she was in pain as he guided her away from the glass and towards the fountain, where the others had migrated. He sat her down on the tile. “Ice? Cigarette?”
“God, a cigarette,” she smiled, craving one badly.
Steve nodded, walking over to Hopper, talking for a brief moment before he looked past Steve at Lara. She waved. “Hi, I’m 19, cool to smoke.”
He reluctantly handed Steve a smoke, Steve placing it between his lips as Hopper lit it for him. He walked back over, passing it to Lara. “One cigarette for the lady.” Lara took the biggest inhale of her life. “Holy shit.”
He smirked. “Good?” She grinned. “Magnificent.”
“I’m glad.” He sat down next to her, watching her finish off the smoke. She handed him the butt to throw away, immediately leaning against him as the rest of the group started to focus on communicating what they knew instead of catching up.
They all crowded around, some on the fountain, some standing. Mike spoke up first. “The Mind Flayer, it built this monster in Hawkins, to stop El, to kill her and pave a way into our world.”
Lara leaned in more, whispering, “So the Mind Flayer is the thing everyone is fighting?”
Steve nodded. “Yeah, and he has smaller monsters as, like, his henchmen, kinda.”
Lara exhaled deeply. “Okay… got it.”
“And it almost did,” Nancy said in response to Mike. “That was just one tiny piece of it.”
“How big is this thing?” Hopper asked.
“It’s big,” Jonathan sighed. “30 feet, at least.” Lara’s eyes widened in horror. 30 feet? 30 fucking feet? Steve rubbed her back.
“Yeah…” Lucas said, almost hesitantly. “It sort of destroyed your cabin.”
Lara didn’t even know what to think. There was an evil force, the Mind Flayer, they called it, who sent out monsters into Hawkins to try and kill a little girl. Lara wouldn’t even believe it if all these witnesses, most notably the Chief of Police, didn’t attest to it. She spaced out for a bit, trying to process the information.
Steve sat up a little straighter, careful not to jostle Lara too much. “So, to be clear, this big, fleshy, spider thing that hurt El, it’s some kind of gigantic… weapon?”
“Yes,” Nancy answered, sounding rather annoyed. Lara glanced over at her. Steve continued on, “But instead of, like, screws and metal, the Mind Flayer made its weapon… with melted people?”
Lara sat up straighter. That got her attention. “Melted people?”
Nancy nodded. “Yeah, we were just discussing it.”
Lara yawned. “Wasn’t listening. Kinda innovative, though.”
Steve and Nancy both gave her strange looks but she just leaned her head back against Steve’s shoulder.
Mrs. Byers spoke up next. “Are we sure this thing is still out there, still alive?”
Max nodded. “El beat the shit out of it, but yeah, it’s still alive.”
Lara looked up at Steve. “Do their parents know about this?”
Steve shook his head no, dramatically pursing his lips. “God no.”
Lara just sighed, her shoulders slumping. Even though there were adults, naturally, it worried her about children fighting flesh monsters. Will looked up. “But if we close the gate again-”
Max cut him off, “We cut the brain off from the body-”
“And kill it. Theoretically,” Lucas finished.
Lara sat up a little straighter, realization on her face, looking at the group. “So, just making sure I’m on the right page. The gate that the Russians are opening up downstairs connects us, Hawkins, to evil Hawkins, and that’s where the flesh monsters come from, but with no gate, as you all make it sound, the Mind Flayer can’t control said flesh monsters?” They all nod. Lara made a hm sound. “Who woulda thought?”
Steve squeezed her shoulder. “Good job.” She smiled in response. “You’re surprisingly calm about this.”
She shrugged. “I feel better now that I have a grasp on what’s happening, but I don’t like that my brother–and you–are a part of this. I have yet to develop a concrete opinion on this.”
Steve smiled softly. “Me?”
She nudged him. “Zip it.”
The balding guy from earlier shouted, “Yoo-hoo!” causing everyone to turn around. He was walking towards them, waving papers above his head. He set them down on a table in the food court, the group moving to congregate around it.
He pointed to a sketch of the Russian base underneath the mall. “This is what Alexei called ‘the hub.’ Now, the hub takes us to the vault room.”
Hopper nodded. “Okay, where’s the gate?”
“Right here,” he pointed. “I don’t know the scale on this, but I think it’s fairly close to the vault room, maybe 50 feet or so.”
Lara laughed and can basically hear the eye roll in Erica’s voice as she said, “More like 500. What, you’re just gonna waltz in there like it’s commie Disneyland or something?”
Lara nodded, going to stand by Erica. The balding man looked up. “I’m sorry, who are you?”
“Erica Sinclair.”
Lara took a step closer. “Lara Henderson. We’ve been down there. It’s a lot more massive than it looks in your diagram. Stories tall and spans a lot of space. Also, very heavily guarded. Who are you?”
“Murray Bauman.”
Lara smiled. “Great to meet you.”
Erica stepped up, her hand raised sassily. “Listen, Mr. Bunman, I’m not trying to tell you how to do things, but I’ve been down in that shit hole for 24 hours. And with all due respect, you do what this man tells you, you’re all gonna die.”
Lara nodded in agreement. “It’s swimming with guards. And it’s not easily accessible. It’s absolutely unfeasible to go down there. And I won’t. And I recommend none of you do because it’s really awful and you might get the shit beat out of you.”
They all looked at her, taking in her appearance. She never had a chance to rinse the blood off, with it caking to her chin, temples, and eye. She scratched the back of her neck.
Murray just rolled his eyes. “I’m sorry, why is this four-year-old speaking to me?” “I’m ten, you bald bastard,” Erica retorted. Murray’s mouth dropped open at her audacity.
Lucas looked stunned, too. “Erica!” he exclaimed.
She just shrugged. “Just the facts!”
Lara sucked her bottom lip between her teeth. “Unfortunately so.”
Dustin stepped up next to his sister. “Yeah, you’ll die, but you don’t have to.” He got closer to the map, Lara following him. He reached out for the map. “Sorry, may I?” Murray looked beyond annoyed. “Please.”
Dustin sat down, pointing to the map, Erica next to him and Lara behind him. “Okay, see this room here? This is a storage facility. There’s a hatch in there that feeds into their underground ventilation system.” He drew a line to the room with the machine. “That will lead you to the base of the weapon. It’s a bit of a maze down there, but between me and Erica, we can show you the way.”
Lara clicked her tongue. “I don’t know how comfortable I feel sending children back down into danger.”
Dustin sighed. “I did it before, Lar.”
She rolled her eyes. “Don’t you think one time is enough?”
“This is critical to the integrity of the world,” Dustin responded.
Steve grabbed her hand. “It’ll be alright, they know their way around.”
“You’re supposed to be on my side,” Lara whispered.
Steve’s eyes widened. “Well…”
Lara tsked. “Ah. My side.” Steve nodded.
Hopper just closed his eyes, his eyebrows raising before he looked at Dustin again. “You can show us the way?”
Dustin nodded, waving his hand dismissively. “Don’t worry, you can do all the fighting and the dangerous hero shit, and we’ll just be your… navigators.” He looked over at Erica, who was nodding in agreement.
Hopper rolled his lips into his mouth before responding. “No.”
Lara sighed. “See? Thank you.”
Dustin’s face fell but Hopper just shook his head. “Nope.”
Lara’s face was full of relief. “Someone with common sense and it only took like two days.”
Hopper walked away towards the unconscious, or dead, Russians, raiding their bodies for weapons. Lara, Steve, and Robin went over to Great Cookie, sitting on the counter. Dustin and Erica walked over to the rest of the group to plot.
Lara yawned, rubbing her eyes. She looked around. “I’m gonna go to the bathroom.” She hopped down, walking towards the light up sign. She walked down the hallway and into the bright, fluorescent bathroom oasis. She went over to the sink, inspecting the damages on her face. She winced as she touched her eye, lip, and temple. She dampened a paper towel, gingerly wiping off the flaky dried blood. She didn’t even hear Robin enter the bathroom.
“Hey,” she said, leaning against the sink.
Lara smiled. “What’s up?”
Robin smiled back. “I’m gonna get straight to the point. You know Steve’s in love with you, right? When we were drugged, he spilled his guts. It was… kinda sweet and also a little compulsive.”
Lara just laughed. “Oh, I know.”
Robin’s eyes widened. “How?”
Lara finished cleaning up her lip, setting the wet paper towel wad down. “Like two years ago, we got high together, and he told me he was in love with me and kissed me and I didn’t talk to him again until like a few days ago.”
Robin nodded. “That explains the sudden chipper mood. For not liking him, you’re sure friendly.”
Lara sighed. “I do like him.” She looked at Robin, whose face is now one of confusion.
“Then…” she trailed off, cocking her head in confusion.
Lara leaned against the sink. “You see, when he kissed me, I packed up my things and left, because, well, I liked it so much that I scared myself. I didn’t want a relationship. I’ve never been one for relationships. They freak me out because they can just… leave. They can just leave you and that uncertainty terrifies me.”
Robin nodded. “Steve’s been obsessed with you for years. I doubt he’d leave.”
Lara laughed dryly. “Not enough to not date Nancy Wheeler.”
Robin smiled. “I’ll let him tell you about that himself. Are you gonna tell him?”
“Yeah,” Lara said, nodding her head slightly. “But when all this is over. I don’t think now is the best time for a love confession.”
Robin laughed. “Yeah. Well, I’ll leave you to… finish up.” Lara smiled softly.
She waited a few seconds. “Hey, Robin?” Robin paused, turning around. “Yeah?”
“Thank you… for coming to talk to me. To clear things up. I, like, don’t have anyone to discuss this whole thing with.” She giggled a little bit. “Definitely not Dustin.”
“Anytime, Lara,” Robin responded, still smiling, as she walked out of the bathroom. Lara stayed there for a little more, cleaning off blood and checking her ribs, the left side almost black with a bruise.
“Jesus…” she whispered, gently trailing her fingers over it. It would be a nightmare to heal.
When she left the bathroom, Dustin and Steve were arguing at the counter. “Lara said no, man, I don’t know what you want me to do,” Steve said calmly.
Lara walked over, leaning against the counter next to Steve. “What did I say no to?” “Letting me go back down there. Hopper only said no because you said no. You’re not Mom.”
Lara laughed. “You want me to call her and ask permission?” Dustin just yelled in annoyance, storming away. Steve looked down at her. “What did you and Robin talk about? She came out all smiley.”
Lara grinned connivingly. “You.”
Steve raised his eyebrows, leaning closer. “Really now?” Lara just giggled. “Yeah.”
They just looked at each other. Lara spoke first. “You know, you were super clingy when you were drugged.”
He raised an eyebrow. “More than now?” Lara nodded. “Yeah, you didn’t want me out of your sight.”
Steve laughed softly. “I must not be sober yet, then.”
She looked up at him again and she felt something stir inside her. She didn’t feel the urge to put her guards up. He saw her without them and he didn’t run away. It was then that it dawned on her, who she wanted to be, who she was. She wanted to be someone dependable, someone you could come to, or laugh with, or could count on to be serious when it mattered. Someone who finally opened up to someone who would listen. Being faced with death didn’t make her more cautious, it made her realize she only had so many tries to get it right and being who she wanted to be wasn’t scary.
She could tell Steve saw something change in her eyes, maybe not knowing exactly, but there was a shift. He squeezed her hand reassuringly, telling her he saw it and he was there.
Hopper’s booming voice interrupted them. She watched him toss a walkie to Dustin. “Hey, heads up. You can navigate, just from somewhere safe.”
Lara dragged Steve over. “It’s not that simple,” Dustin objected.
Erica agreed, “The signal won’t reach.”
“Not with this,” Dustin said. “You need something with a high enough frequency band to relay with the Russians’ radio tower. But for that to work, you’ll need someone who has both seen their comms room and has access to a super-powered, handcrafted radio tower. One preferably already situated at the highest point in Hawkins.” Dustin paused for a moment. “Oh, wait. That’s me. If you want us to navigate, you got us. But we need a headstart. And a car.”
Lara sighed. “Anyone got a car?”
Hopper rolled his eyes, pulling a set of keys from his pocket. He turned around, looking between Lara and Steve. Lara pointed to Steve and Hopper tosses him the keys. “Out front.”
Steve caught them, looking at the two kids. “C’mon.”
The group walked to the door, Lara lacing her fingers with Steve’s. Steve whistled when he saw the car parked out front: a butter yellow, convertible Cadillac. “Oh man, now this… this is what I’m talking about!” He pointed at the car, walking over eagerly.
Lara nodded. “Very chic.”
She heard Robin snicker. “Toddfather?”
Steve laughed, walking to the passenger side and opening the door for Lara. “Oh, screw Todd! Steve’s her daddy now.”
Lara gave him a weird look and Robin raised her eyebrows judgmentally. “Did you just talk about yourself in the third person?”
Erica climbed in the backseat, next to Robin and Dustin. “Did he just call himself daddy?”
Steve walked around to the other side of the car, settling in the driver’s seat. “Now, where’re we going?”
“Weathertop,” Dustin responded, lowering himself into the back.
“Weather-what?” Steve asked.
“Just drive,” Dustin whined.
Steve started the car, reaching out to grab Lara’s hand. “Okay, Jesus!” She could feel Dustin’s eyes burning into the back of her head. Steve put his arm over the back of Lara’s seat, doing a 180 in his seat for an optimal reverse.
Steve immediately stepped on the gas, speeding them away from the mall. Lara took a deep breath, a big smile on her face as the wind rushed through her hair. She really needed fresh air and to be out of the fucking mall.
They raced out of the parking lot and towards wherever Dustin directed them. Lara’s giggling, Steve smiling over at her as she looked up at the sky. Dustin just stared at them with a grossed out look.
Steve looked back at Dustin. “How far is this place?”
Dustin just sighed. “Relax, we’re almost there.”
Robin looked over at Dustin. “Suzie must be pretty special, huh? I mean, if you built this thing and lugged it all the way to the middle of nowhere just to talk to her.”
Lara sat up, also looking at Dustin. “Yeah, I haven’t heard much about her.”
Steve chuckled. “Apparently, prettier than Phoebe Cates.”
Lara hummed. “Wonderful. Good on you, buddy.”
Dustin smiled. “I mean, nobody’s scientifically perfect, but Suzie’s about as close to being perfect as any human could possibly be.”
Lara beamed. Steve squeezed her hand. She reached back to rub Dustin’s shoulder. “God, I love young love.”
“She sounds made-up to me,” Erica blurted. She pointed to Steve. “She sound made-up to you?”
Steve didn’t answer, looking at Lara and then back at the road. Dustin scoffed. “Why are you hesitating, Steve?” Lara gave him a curious look.
“I’m, I’m, I’m not! I’m not!” Steve yelled back. “I think she sounds real. You know, totally, absolutely real.”
Lara raised her eyebrows. “You don’t sound too sure.”
“Left!” Dustin said. “Turn left.”
Steve rolled his eyes. There’s not a road here.”
“Turn left now!” Dustin responded.
Steve veered the car to the left, “Jesus! Hang on!” He squeezed Lara’s hand again before letting go, using both hands on the wheel to steer it hard. Lara flinched as he floored it through a fence, covering her face with her arms.
“Steve!” she shrieked.
They’re all screaming, especially Steve. “Whoa! Henderson, where are we going?”
“Up!” Dustin answered.
They were in a field, Steve struggling to guide the car through the brush. The car bounced as it climbed the hill. Robin groaned. “We’re not gonna make it!”
Lara’s face was stiff, her eyebrows furrowed together and her lips stretched across her teeth in worry. She reached over blindly, grabbing Steve’s forearm since his hands were busy.
Steve nodded. “Yes, we are!” He smacked the wheel. “Come on, baby. Come on, baby!” Lara squeezed his forearm harder.
He pressed the gas harder, but the engine strained and the car stalled on the hillside. “Come on!” Steve yelled, squeezing the wheel tight, but the car just groaned, its wheels spinning in the grass.
Robin almost chuckled. “Guess the Toddfather has its limitations.”
Steve sighed, looking a little embarrassed. He just shut the car off, reaching across Lara to open her door. Lara groaned as she got out of the car, her body screaming for her to sit down and sleep. Steve walked around to her side, his hand immediately finding hers.
They all hopped out, trudging the rest of the way to the top of the hill where Dustin’s Cerebro was located. Lara slumped on the ground, laying back and staring up at the sky while Dustin did whatever he needed to to set up the radio.
Steve laid next to her. “Feeling okay?” Lara nodded. “Sore and tired, but happy to be outside.”
Steve scooted closer. “You can lay your head on me… if you want.”
Lara immediately laid her head on his chest, feeling his arm loosely wrapping around her waist, careful to avoid her bruise. She noticed. “You should see the bruise on my ribs. It’s basically black.”
“The one on your back is nasty, too,” he answered, running his fingers up and down her spine.
“Just need a week or two and then I’m good.”
Steve sighed. “Maybe take some more time than that.”
She heard Dustin radio over, “Bald Eagle, do you copy? Bald Eagle, I repeat, this is Scoops Troop, do you copy?” Lara smiled. “Scoops Troop? That’s cute.”
Murray’s arrogant voice came back over the speaker. “Yes, I copy.”
Steve and Lara sat up, focusing on the matter at hand, smiling at the fact that the long distance communication worked. “Very impressed he built this all.”
Steve grinned, looking over at Dustin. “He’s a little genius.”
Lara laughed. “Don’t know where he got that from.” Steve just nudged her shoulder a little bit.
“Call sign?” Dustin asked. Lara raised an eyebrow and Steve shrugged in response.
“Bald Eagle,” Murray responded, sounding like he was struggling to keep his cool.
“Please repeat,” Dustin instructed. Lara nudged him with her knee, signaling to cut it out.
“Bald Eagle,” Murray spat back. “This is Bald Eagle!”
Dustin nodded, snickering a bit. “Copy that. Good to hear your voice, Bald Eagle. What’s your 20?”
“We reached the vent,” Murray replied. “I’ll contact you when I need you. Until then, silence.” He sounded overly fed up.
“Roger that, Bald Eagle.” Dustin couldn’t keep the excitement out of his voice. “This is Scoops Troop, going radio silent. 10-10. Over.”
Lara squeezed Dustin’s shoulder, pulling him in a little bit. “Great job, Buddy. Good stuff you got here.” Steve slapped his back in agreement. Dustin’s smile grew even more at the praise, smiling at his sister and Steve.
Lara leaned back, looking at Steve upside down. He had a stupid grin on his face as he reached out for her, wanting her closer to him. She let him very carefully pull her in between his legs, her back against his chest, his chin resting lightly on her shoulder.
She looked down at her hands. She felt so comfortable, so extremely content. And more surprisingly, it didn’t scare her. She glanced back at him. “I would’ve been horrified if someone told me this would be happening right now?”
Steve laughed. “I would be jumping up and down. I never thought it would happen. I seriously thought you hated my guts so much.”
Lara shook her head playfully. “Never. Never once did I ever hate you. I have… so much I want to say to you. Years worth of confessions. But, I want us to do this at a time where we are only focused on each other.”
Steve leaned in closer, his eyes locked on hers. “I’m always focused on you.”
Lara pressed her forehead against his neck. “Much more important things are happening.”
Steve left a gentle kiss to the top of her head and she wanted to bear her heart and soul to him right at that moment. He kept her grounded. She had no urge to be mean, no urge to be needlessly cruel. She just wanted to be present. “I have a lot to tell you, too,” he whispered.
She sighed against him, finally relaxing as Robin, Erica, and Dustin chattered softly behind them. It was only a few seconds until she felt Steve go rigid. She lifted her head, looking up at him, noticing he was staring out towards town and she followed his eyes.
He quickly got up, pulling Lara with him. She looked at Steve. “Hey, guys?” Steve called behind him, Erica, Dustin, and Robin joining them. They had a perfect glimpse of the Starcourt Mall from up on the hill and the lights were flickering all over the complex.
Lara shrugged. “Probably just something with the electricity.”
Dustin shook his head no. “Something’s there.”
The hairs on her arms stood up even though it was hot outside. “What do you mean ‘something’s there?’”
Steve finally looked back at her. “When something from the Upside Down is present, it messes with the power.”
Lara’s blood ran cold. “Well, shit.”
Dustin was already sprinting back to the Cerebro, grabbing his radio. “Griswold Family, this is Scoops Troop! Do you copy over?” Lara knelt down next to him and Steve, chewing on her lip.
An awful shriek came through the speaker. Lara leaned back. “That was not a person.” All those kids were in there. All of those children were in very imminent danger. She felt like she could throw up.
“Griswold Family, do you copy?” Dustin repeated.
All that came back was a deep, throaty scream that for sure was not anything human. Lara covered her mouth, her eyes wide in shock as she stared at the radio, and then at Dustin, whose face was equally terrified. “Griswold Family, please confirm your safety!” he yelled. “Griswold Family, this is Scoops Troops, please confirm your safety. Are you en route to Bald Eagle’s nest?”
Dustin repeated this over and over, Lara frozen in place, her eyes flickering between the radio and the Starcourt Mall. “Just answer!” he yelled in desperation. She felt Steve reach out for her hand, squeezing it before jumping up. She followed him up.
She refused to let go. “What’re you doing?”
“Going to get them the hell out of there,” he responded softly. She felt like the wind had been knocked out of her. The words just hung in the air between them, Lara not quite soaking them in. She didn’t know to be relieved, or angry, or petrified. It was the noble thing to do. She didn’t want him to leave her. She rubbed her forehead, forcing a deep breath into her lungs. This wasn’t about her. She knew it and she loathed it.
She wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face in his chest before she could catch herself. He smelled like sweat and the dankness of the Russian bunker. “Make sure you come back so we can have our talk.” She tried not to let it sound like she was upset, but her throat burned and her eyes stung. She felt the urge to go with him, but Robin was already running to the car with a walkie. She had to stay with Dustin. If anything were to happen, if something went wrong, she had to be there. It wasn’t a question.
He could instantly tell she was distressed. He pulled back just enough to look at her, his eyes softening. He cupped her cheeks, his hands warm and just enough to keep her grounded. “Someone’s gotta take you and Henderson home.” He kissed her forehead gently, holding her for a moment. Her eyes fluttered closed. “I’ll be back,” he promised. “You can count on it.”
Lara just stood there, watching Steve and Robin jump in the car, backing out down the hill, headlights cutting through the brush. Her hands started to shake, not just a little, but full tremors that crawled up her arms. She wrung her hands together, like she could help it. She felt her breathing get more labored, shallow and uneven. A chill slid down her spine. The air felt heavy and ominous.
She had no clue what was happening, but she had to protect. These kids were her duty to look after. What if she couldn’t? She hadn’t even realized how scared she was until it hit her, sharp and dizzying. She cared more for him than she knew was even possible. The realization hit her like another kick to the ribs. Was this how he felt when they couldn’t find her in the mall? She rubbed her chest, trying to keep herself grounded.
Her legs felt like lead, but she forced herself to move, sitting down on the grass and pulling her knees to her chest.. She felt so sick. She had been given a second chance to do right, and once again, she didn’t take it. She stared in the direction the car went until her eyes burned. The words she wanted to say sat on her tongue, tasting rotten in her mouth. She knew she should’ve told him when she was given the chance. “Stupid,” she muttered, hiding her face.
She was snapped out of her thoughts by Dustin yelling her name. Her head snapped up, body instantly on alert. “What’s wrong?” “Do you know Planck’s Constant?” he asked.
Lara blinked, the words lagging in her brain. “What?” “The code,” Dustin replied. “It’s urgent.”
She dragged her hand down her face. She felt so useless – painfully, horribly useless. “I don’t even know the first number. Why?”
Dustin threw his arms up. “You’re in college!”
Lara rolled her eyes, looking down at her feet. “Doesn’t mean I paid attention,” she muttered.
She watched as Dustin turned the dial on his Cerebro off the channel Murray was on, static erupting through the speaker.
What the hell? She crawled over toward him, her eyebrows furrowed. “What are you doing?” Erica nodded in agreed curiosity.
“Solving the problem.” He pressed the button, “Suzie, do you copy?”
Lara tried to snatch it away from him. “Now is not the time, Dustin! Not the time!”
Dustin pulled it out of her reach. “Lara! Stop!” He pressed the button again. “Suzie, do you copy?” He took a breath. “Suzie, do you copy?”
Erica looked at Lara. “He really is a shithead.” Lara just blinked at her, but looked the other way, considering it.
A girl’s voice answered. “This is Suzie. I copy.”
Lara’s eyebrows raised, her lips pursing in contemplation. “She sounds sweet.”
“Suzie!” Dustin chirped.
“Dusty-bun?” Suzie responded. Lara closed her eyes, trying to keep a straight face. Now was not the time to laugh. Steve could be hurt. He was hurt, or could be. Meanwhile, Dustin and Suzie were cross-country flirting.
“Where have you been?” Suzie asked.
“I’m so, so sorry. I’ve been, I’ve been… really busy, uh, trying to save the world from Russians and monsters,” he answered earnestly. Lara inhaled through her teeth.
Surprisingly, Suzie just giggled. “Of course you have.”
Erica shoved him lightly. “Get the goddamn number already!”
“Ohhh, Suzie knows the number?” Lara realized.
Erica nodded. “Apparently.”
“Who is that?” Suzie asked. Lara could hear her demeanor change over the phone.
“Shit,” she muttered, clamping her hand down on Erica’s mouth. She opened her mouth, looking at Dustin. He moved his hand horizontally across his neck, don’t speak. She looked at Erica and raised her eyebrows, asking, Got it?
“It was… It was…” Dustin stammered, “Uh, I don’t know, actually. I think it was just some interference. So, why don’t we, uh, change frequency to 14.158.”
Lara’s countenance was concerned. He was lying so badly. Again, much to Lara’s surprise, Suzie didn’t push it. She gave Dustin a weird look. “Copy that,” Suzie answered. “Shifting frequency. Stand by.”
Dustin quickly changed the frequency on his own technology, Suzie’s voice coming over loud and clear. “Dusty-bun, you copy?”
Lara and Dustin both sighed in relief. “I copy, Suzie-poo.” Lara made a grossed out face. She forgot how embarrassing young love could be. She patted his shoulder with reluctant, awkward support.
Lara whispered quietly, “Why’d you change thingies?”
Dustin covered the speaker. “To put it on the main frequency with the other walkies.”
Lara’s eyes widened. “Can Steve hear?”
Dustin shrugged. “If he’s with Robin.”
Her heart lurched into her throat, thrumming violently. Lara snatched the radio, pressing the button. “Steve, Steve, it’s Lara. Wellness check?”
Steve’s voice came through instantly, relief hitting her so hard it almost knocked her over. “Hey, Lar. I’m good, don’t worry. You okay?” “Better now.”
She could practically hear Steve’s smile as Dustin snatched it back. “Lara!” he whined.
“Dusty-bun,” Suzie asked, sounding suspicious. “Who was that?”
Dustin groaned. “My sister and her stupid boyfriend.”
That caught Lara off guard. She and Steve both said ‘Whoa!’ at the same time.
Dustin rolled his eyes. “Everyone shut up! Sounds much better now, huh? Okay, listen, do you know Planck’s Constant?”
“Do you know the Earth orbits the Sun?” Suzie answered. Lara looked at the radio again. Suzie was very much so like Dustin.
Dustin laughed. “Okay, so I know it starts with two sixes, and then a… what is it?”
“Okay, let me just be clear on this,” Suzie responded. Lara took a deep breath, trying not to roll her eyes. “I haven’t heard from you in a week and now you want a mathematical equation that you should know so you can… save the world?” Suzie sounded a little unimpressed. “Suzie-poo, I promise, I will make it up to you as soon as possible,” Dustin answered.
“You can make it up to me now.” Lara looked at Dustin, her eyebrows raised.
“What?” Dustin squeaked.
“I want to hear it,” Suzie responded, her voice suddenly serious. Lara looked at Erica who just rolled her eyes.
Dustin’s eyes were as wide as saucers. He quickly dismissed Suzie. “Not right now.”
Had to hand it to her, Suzie was persistent. “Yes, now, Dusty-Bun.” Her voice was annoyed as she tried to convince him.
“Suzie-poo, this is urgent,” Dustin answered, trying to sway her away from whatever it was she wanted. His voice was bordering on worry.
“Yes, yes, you’re saving the world, I heard you the first time, but Ged is also saving Earthsea and he’s about to confront the shadow, so this is Suzie, signing off,” she said, her voice angry.
Lara pinched the bridge of her nose. Erica looked at her. “Who the hell is Ged?” Lara just shrugged.
She saw Dustin’s shoulders sag. “Wait, wait, wait, okay! Okay, okay.” He took a deep breath, muttering, “Shit.”
Lara nudged his shoulder. “Dude, what’re you doing?”
Dustin just leaned away from her, sighing before he picked up the radio and started to… sing? “Turn around,” he started, his voice melodic. “Look at what you see… In her face, the mirror of your dreams…”
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Lara grumbled, running her hands through her hair in exasperation.
Suzie joined in, Dustin and her singing in harmony. “Make believe I’m everywhere, given in the light. Written on the pages is the answer to a never ending story!”
“Oh my God,” Lara whispered, flopping back on the grass, throwing her hands up. “We’re going to die and they’re singing.” She covered her eyes with her hands as they kept going, vocalizing and, unfortunately, sounding very good together.
Erica looked back at Lara as they kept going, her face so annoyed. Lara almost laughed. “Me too, sister.”
Finally, they stopped, Dustin giggling and a stupid smile on his face. It was quiet for a second before Suzie spoke. “Planck’s Constant is 6.62607004.”
A big breath escaped Lara. Thank God. “You just saved the world,” Dustin told Suzie, his voice awed.
Suzie sighed. “Gosh, I miss you, Dusty-bun.”
Dustin kept giggling. “And I miss you more, Suzie-poo.”
Suzie’s chipper voice responded, “I miss you more, multiplied by all the stars in our galaxy.”
Dustin smiled. “No, I miss you-” Lara glared at him, shaking her head no.
“Enough,” Erica said, shaking her head in annoyance, the radio going to static.
Lara was just staring at Dustin. “So, she seems nice…” she trailed off, picking at her cuticles. They just sat in awkward silence until a few booms cut through the quiet,
All their heads jerked towards the Starcourt, Lara’s eyes squinting in confusion. “...Fireworks?” her and Dustin asked in unison.
They were standing up when the radio came to life. “Dustin! We’re out of time!” Lara froze in place. That was Steve. Another boom, through the walkie, and loud. He was inside the mall and he was in danger. Her legs started to shake.
Dustin was already yelling back, “Hurry! Close it now!” Lara reached out to grab the radio, but forced her arm back at her side, making herself sit. This was not about her. She already got to talk to Steve.
The kids moved closer to Lara, who immediately wrapped her arms around them. She felt tears prick her eyes as she squeezed the kids closer. Her chest ached. She could tell Dustin was scared as he clung onto her forearm. “It’s okay,” she whispered, her voice cracking.
It was so unfair. She watched the lights at the mall flicker and change colors with every boom. Steve was in there. He was in there and she never got to tell him how she really felt.
Dustin looked up at her, hearing her sniffle and seeing her glassy eyes. “He knows, Lar.”
She looked down at him, blinking a few times. “He knows?”
Dustin nodded. “You don’t act like that unless you care. It’s so obvious.”
She pressed her face against the top of his head. “At least I’ll always have you.”
Dustin nodded, leaning her head on his shoulder. They watched for a few more moments until the fireworks stopped, the air going still. Dustin stiffened, scrambling back to the radio, screaming “Close it now! Close it!
It was silent on the other end. They just sat there, huddled together, Lara squeezing Dustin and Erica. The sound of helicopters caught their attention, a whole horde of them flying towards Starcourt. Lara pulled Erica and Dustin down, covering them with herself, careful not to be seen.
Thunder clapped, loud enough to make Lara flinch, as it started to rain, warm, heavy drops coating their skin. It plastered her hair to her face. Lara wiped her cheeks, tears mixed with rain. “Get your stuff packed, Dustin. We don’t need to sit in the rain.”
They moved without arguing, lugging backs, shoes squeaking, clothes clinging, and dread thicker with each step towards the mall. They walked for an hour, nothing but rain and hollow breathing. Headlights flashed down the road, a car skidding as it stopped too fast, too reckless, and Steve flying out before the engine quieted.
Lara didn’t even think, just ran, flinging herself into him, arms locking around him as she sobbed, wracking her whole body. Relief flooded her so strong her legs felt like they might give out. He caught her like it was nothing, wrapping his arms around her like it was instinct, cradling her head as he held her close. “It’s okay,” he whispered, his voice low like he could anchor her with just a breath. “I’m here.”
Lara nodded, over and over again, her breath hitching in her throat. His hand was warm in her hair as he held her, his thumb gentle on her scalp as he eased her back. She pulled back after a while. She looked past him at the car. His beamer. Her brow furrowed. “Thought you didn’t have the keys.”
Steve stroked her cheek with his thumb. “Keep a spare in Scoops.”
Lara let out a weak laugh. “Why?”
Steve kissed her forehead. “I dunno, just do.” He kept his lips pressed against her forehead longer than necessary, rocking back and forth as he held her. “Let’s get you all that ride home, yeah?”
They drove back to the Starcourt, dropping Erica with Lucas and the Sinclair parents, peeling before they could be asked anything or be noticed. The drive back to the Henderson house was spent in silence, Lara holding Steve’s hand like her life depended on it. Rain drummed against the windshield, streetlights bright against the sky. Steve didn’t pull away. He just squeezed her hand back. It was over and together, they were moving forward.
He pulled into the driveway, looking at her. Lara refused to let go. “Don’t go,” she whispered, the words just slipping out.
Dustin gagged and Steve reached into the backseat to swat him. He reached across Lara to open her door. “You’re alive. Be grateful,” he scolded. Steve leaned across Lara to open her door, but she didn’t get out instantly. Leaving made it feel real, that it was over and now everything was uncertain.
Inside, their mom was waiting in the living room. She took in Lara and Steve’s beaten face and how Dustin was wet, but Dustin was already running to his room. She looked between Steve and Lara, eyes flaring with concern.
Lara pointed her thumb at Steve. “I jumped him.” Her mom looked appalled, but the cat meowing in her lap drew the attention away from her daughter. Lara didn’t wait, yanking Steve down the hall.
Lara dragged Steve to her bedroom, tension leaving her body as the door closed. Steve flopped on the bed like he couldn’t stand for a moment longer. “Close your eyes,” she instructed, walking towards her closet. She changed into an Indiana State crewneck and pajama shorts, her movements automatic. She sat on the bed next to Steve.
He laughed, gesturing down to his Scoops uniform. “Got anything for me?”
She rolled her eyes, going to her closet and pulling out a pair of her dad’s old sweatpants and her dad’s old shirt. He raised an eyebrow as he sat up to get undressed. “These look… special,” he sighed. Lara turned around to dig in her closet.
“They were my dad’s,” she answered, hearing him hum almost reverently. When she turned back, they settled in together, Lara curling in on herself with her knees pulled up to her chest. The night was over, the adrenaline long gone, leaving pure exhaustion. Her hand found Steve’s, fingers playing with his. He was sprawled out next to her, knowing just how much space to keep. She grabbed a cigarette from the pack, lighting it, breathing in deep. The room was completely silent. She let herself believe he wasn’t going anywhere.
“So…” she started, then stopped, filling the empty space with a deep breath. “I want to talk first.”
He nodded, letting her move at her own pace. She cleared her throat, eyes anywhere but on him. “When I was in the room with the Russians… I genuinely thought I was going to die. Not in a ‘oh, close call’ kinda way, but in a ‘if I was in there even a few seconds longer whatever was in there with me was gonna get me’ kinda way.” Steve reached out, rubbing her knee, encouraging her to keep going.
She blew the smoke out. “It terrified me. Obviously.” She huffed quietly. “But it also made me realize something. After years of pulling away, I was given a second chance. And I didn’t want to waste it.” She looked at him, finally, her lips parted hesitantly. “That this was my chance to finally tell you, that, frankly, I love you, too. I don’t want to do my second chance without you.”
For a moment, he didn’t respond. He leaned forward, pressing a soft kiss to her knee, careful and reverent, like he was sealing a covenant. “I was hoping you’d come around.”
She huffed a breathy laugh. Lara threw the cigarette butt out of the window, lighting another one, hands still unsteady. “I’ve always loved you, Steve. I was just… an idiot. I was scared.” He furrowed his eyebrows. “Of me?”
She shook her head vigorously. “No, no, never. Of this.” She gestured vaguely between them. “Us, I guess.”
He sat up, leaning in so he could really see her. “Why?”
She sighed, looking away. “I was scared you’d leave.” The words were so quiet, but she felt the weight in her bones. “I didn’t want to be left… again. I didn’t want to get in too deep and for it to just end. I couldn’t take it.” She took a second. “And when I finally, like, actually considered it, you had gotten with Nancy and I took that as my sign.”
Steve pulled her into his chest, holding her tight but avoiding her bruised spots like he’d already memorized them. “She was just a distraction. I…” Steve admitted. “I thought I wanted to settle down, to start a family, and you didn’t really show any interest.” He exhaled. “She was stable and that’s what I thought I wanted.”
Lara breathed in his scent. “It must’ve stung when she left you for Jonathan Byers.”
Steve didn’t laugh, only shook his head no. “I was relieved.” Lara pulled back slightly, but he just smiled. “I was relieved, because to me? That was my second chance. My second chance to try again with you and I wasn’t going to stop until I won you over.”
Lara’s smile was small, but honest. “It worked.”
Steve brushed his nose against hers. “It’s always been you, Lara. Always.”
He pressed his lips to hers, slowly, unhurried, like they had years. “Always you,” he murmured in between kisses. He’d seen her. He’d seen at her worst, when she was sharp, defensive, mean, and now, with messy hair and a black eye, and he loved every version. She had finally found herself, so now she could find Steve, too.
He wrapped his hands around her waist, pulling her down with him. She exhaled into his shoulder. “You have a lot to catch me up on tomorrow. You and Dustin both.”
Steve nodded, pulling back to kiss her forehead and cheek. He slowly untangled himself. “I’ll go get the light.” She watched him, every cell knowing he’d come back.
She sat up, pulling the covers over herself as the room grew dark. It rushed in too fast. Her heart kicked against her sternum, fierce and panicked. Steve came back, wrapping his arms around her, immediately holding her tight against him, her head on his chest. She listened to the steady rhythm of his breathing, counting each one. She laid there for a few moments, but she couldn’t settle down. Shadows grew, corners grew darker, and the room felt familiar in a way that made her feel small.
“Steve?” she whispered. His eyes opened, looking down at her. His hand reached up to stroke her hair. “Hm?”
She inhaled slowly. “Can you… talk to me until I fall asleep?”
He kissed her forehead again. “Of course.” She laid her head back down, eyes closing as he told a story about nothing at all, voice growing quieter as her body gave in.
She was screaming, fists slamming against the door over and over as red light swathed the room, thick and suffocating. Something moved behind her predatorily. She yanked the handle but it wouldn’t budge. Cold air rushed down the back of her neck. She felt it lurch behind her, bracing herself for the worst.
She shot upright in bed, gasping for air. Her heart was hammering so violently and it hurt and her breath was shallow. The room was completely dark and cold. She felt fear twist in her gut. She was back. She reached out in front of her, expecting to touch cement, but she touched something soft instead. She reached behind her, hand landing on Steve’s chest, rising and falling rhythmically. Home. She was home. The word made her sink back into herself.
He was awake instantly. “Hey,” he whispered, already pulling her back in. He seemed to sense her fear before he could see it. “What happened?” he whispered, rubbing her back.
She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, curling back into him, face against his chest. “I thought I was back,” she choked out.
He pulled her closer, gently coaxing her to lay back down, letting her cry into his chest as his fingers weaved into her hair, cradling her head, grounding her with every breath he took. “It’s okay. I’m right here,” he repeated over and over again until her breathing slowed. “You’re right here. I’ve got you.” She held onto him with a vice grip, tearing still falling slowly. His nose was against her temples, soft stories coming in whispers just for her, story after story until he felt her breathing even.
The next morning was bright and far too gentle for everything that had happened. Lara woke up, her body aching deep in every muscle. She groaned, her face still in Steve’s chest. That’s when she heard it. Steve was still whispering. She opened her eyes, tilting her head just enough to see his face. “Didn’t you sleep?” she asked, her voice groggy.
He didn’t look tired, just focused. His hands ran through her hair.. “If you woke up, I wanted to be there.”
His words stuck in her throat and she didn’t know what to do with them. She’d never felt so taken care of. She’d never experienced anything so deliberate. Her brain urged her to back away, to deflect. “You shouldn’t have-”
Steve silenced her with a kiss, soft and certain, murmuring, “Nope,” against her mouth. “Always you,” he reminded. She closed her eyes, leaning into it. He was there, and he saw her, not just the brave parts or the weak parts, and he didn’t run. He stepped up to the plate, quietly filling in the empty spaces that she didn’t even know were there, not with a big show, just like it was second nature. Her walls had been down all the way for the first time all summer. She stayed there, in his arms, heart open, realizing that sometimes the risk wasn’t being left, but letting someone in at all.
like i know you but we never met pt. 3
wc: 9.7k
masterlist | like i know you but we never met | see our reflection in the water
pt. 1 , pt. 2 | pt. 4
They walk for what feels like a long time. Conversation was light, but Lara was too busy thinking. She couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling that settled in her gut. Something awful had been happening right under her nose and she didn’t know anything about it. She couldn’t keep her fingers still, twirling the gold band on her middle finger around and around to try and keep herself occupied. If Steve or Dustin noticed, they didn’t say anything.
Eventually, they heard the mechanical whirring of one of the carts the Russians drove. They were getting closer to the center of this whole thing. Steve pointed to some sort of air unit and they all ran over, hiding behind it. Steve stood closest to the end, with Lara peeking over his shoulder to see if it was clear.
“C’mon Lara, scoot back,” he murmured. “I can look just fine.”
“I’m your elder,” she reminded. “I can look, too.”
He rolled his eyes but didn’t protest, letting her loom over his shoulder. After five minutes, he decided it was good for them to go. “Okay, clear. C’mon, let’s go.”
He slowly walked out, ushering Lara behind him, followed by Robin and the kids. They all were on high alert, especially Lara.
Robin exhaled. “Okay, that was close.”
Dustin nodded, walking faster to stand by Lara. “Too close.”
“Relax,” Steve said, almost annoyed. “All right? Relax. Nobody saw…” He trailed off as he rounded the corner. Lara tugged Dustin as they did, too. It was a whole facility. A whole underground facility, filled with carts, workers, military personnel, and people in lab coats. Lara wanted to throw up. They all just stood in the hallway, staring. Lara’s hand found Dustin’s, squeezing it hard, and Steve’s found hers. No fingers intertwining, just to let her know he was there. She didn’t look at him, but she also didn’t let go.
Nobody seemed to notice them, until a guard looked in their direction a little too long. Steve yanked Lara and Dustin behind a red cart, Robin and Erica coming too. Her heart was racing and she could feel the boys’ racing too.
“Shit,” Steve muttered, crouching down. “Jesus.” He was panting with adrenaline.
“Red Dawn,” Dustin whispered. Lara pulled him closer.
“I saw it,” Erica whisper-yelled. “First floor, northwest.”
Lara furrowed her eyebrows. “Saw what?”
“The comms room,” Erica responded. Lara’s eyebrows shot up.
Steve looked shocked. “You saw the comms room?”
“Correct,” Erica answered.
“Are you sure?” Dustin asked.
“Positive,” she nodded. “The door was open for a second, and I saw a bunch of lights and machines and shit in there.”
Dustin sighed. “That could be a hundred different things.”
Robin nodded, pressing her lips together. “I’ll take those odds.”
Steve shook his head. Lara looked at Dustin. “I…” She stopped. “I don’t know how else we’re gonna get out of here.”
They all peered around the cart, taking in what they needed to do to get to the comms room. She can practically hear Steve thinking. They just need to be hasty and keep a low profile. Steve sighed. “Alright. We’re gonna move fast, we’re gonna stay low. Okay?”
Everybody nodded. Lara took a deep breath, squeezing Dustin’s hand. Steve made the first move, walking crouched and quickly. Lara went next, pulling Dustin along, and then Robin and Erica. They ran across the hall to another cart, hiding behind that.
They did that maneuver again, ending up in front of the comms room. Lara let out a breath she didn’t even realize she was holding, dropping Steve’s hand to rub her chest anxiously. Steve notices instantly, looking back at her. She smiled. “I’m okay,” she whispered. He nodded.
They watched as a man in a lab coat left the room, the door swinging open. They take the plunge, running across the hall, Steve catching it before it can latch, ushering everyone inside. Instead of being empty, however, a Russian guard was sitting at the control desk.
The guard took his headphones off, looking just as scared as they did. He reached for his gun and Lara stepped up, her hand out. “Net, ne nado (no, don’t).”
The Russian looked confused, asking who they were. Lara hummed, trying to figure out what to say. Her Russian wasn't fluent and conversational at best. “My… v lovushke. Nam nuzhno vybrat’sya (We are… trapped. We need out).” She nodded, gesturing to the group.
The Russian furrowed his eyebrows, saying he doesn’t understand. Lara huffed. “Nam nuzho vybrat’sya. Vy mozhete nam pomoch’ (We need out. Can you help us)?”
Everybody just looked at Lara, Steve and Robin looking impressed, Dustin looking vaguely worried, and Erica looking bored. The Russian just scoffed, reaching for his gun. “Net!” Lara yelled, but it was too late, Steve was yelling and charged at the Russian, shouldering him in the gut.
Lara threw her hands up. “Steve! I was negotiating!” He doesn't answer as the Russian throws him against the desk, but Steve recovers, barely dodging the swing to his face. The Russian grabbed him, throwing him on the desk, but Steve elbowed him hard. Lara covered her mouth with her hand, in utter disbelief. Steve grabbed the intercom from the desk and smacked the Russian over the head with it, sending him to the floor, unconscious.
Steve’s face was red and he was panting. Lara just stared at him, eyes wide. He fixed his hair, trying to catch his breath as he looked up at her. She was already walking over to him, a mix of angry and amazed.
“Dude!” Dustin exclaimed. “You did it! You won a fight!” Lara laughed and clapped her hands together a few times.
“Jeez…” Steve muttered, laughing lightly with Lara, looking down at the unconscious Russian.
Robin walked over next to Lara. “Nice Russian.”
Lara smiled, shrugging her shoulders. “Light work.”
Dustin ran over to the Russian, snatching his name tag. “What’re you doing?” Erica asked.
Dustin grinned. “Getting us our ticket out of here.”
Lara’s eyes widened. “I have an idea.”
Everyone looked at her, waiting for her to continue. “So, I can fumble my way through a Russian conversation, right? And I can understand a helluva lot more.” Everyone nodded. “So, what if… I steal his uniform and his name tag and pretend I’m a Russian? I can escort you guys through this whole place and we can leave.”
Nobody responded for a second or two and Lara’s face flushed. “I mean, I don’t have to, it was just an idea…”
Steve shook his head. “We can try. It makes more sense than us just escaping.”
Lara smiled, exhaling a bit. “Okay. Well. I just have to steal his clothes…” She kneeled down, groaning as she started to take his uniform off. “Someone else has to get the pants. My hands are not going there.”
Steve nodded, joining her on the ground. Lara looked at him. “That was actually pretty cool what you did.”
Steve seemed surprised she said that. “You think?”
Lara smiled. “Yeah.”
Steve got the Russian’s pants off and Lara got his shirt. She stood up, putting the Russian’s shirt on over her own. She grabbed the pants from Steve, putting them on over her shorts. She found a hairband on her wrist, Robin helping her tie her hair back into a tight bun. She smiled, cupping her face in her hands. “Do I look like a Russian?”
Dustin tilted his head. “You look too happy.”
She made a serious face. Steve hummed, “Surprisingly… kinda.”
Erica groaned. “You seriously want to walk all the way back?”
Dustin rolled his eyes. “Well, we can hang out for a bit, relax, have a picnic maybe.”
Lara laughed. “Thank God I brought my wicker basket.”
“Have a picnic?” Erica responded. “We came here for the radio.”
Lara decided to leave it alone, looking back at Steve. He chuckled. “Comrade Lara.”
She rolled her eyes but had a smile on her face. He smiled back. She looked past him, at Robin walking up a staircase to a mysterious blue light. She followed Robin, Steve close behind. “What’s that?”
As they got closer, they heard the sound of some machinery pulsing. “There’s something in there.”
Lara looked back at Dustin and Erica. “C’mon, children, there will be plenty more time to argue.”
They all climbed the staircase, Lara leaving the door first since she dressed as a Russian. She guided the children out, making sure Dustin is close and Steve making sure to be just a step away from her.
The blue glowed brighter. The room they were in was just an observation deck and what they saw beyond it took their breath away. Right in front of them was an area filled with seemingly scientists, but further ahead was a machine, crackling and thrumming with electricity so potent you could see it.
“Holy shit,” Lara muttered, feeling Dustin scoot closer. She sensed Steve even closer, his fingers brushing against her arm. She reached out for him, his hand finding hers like he’d been waiting. They, again, don’t intertwine their fingers, but she squeezes his hand.
They watched as the machine fired against the wall, ripping a tear in it, a large, stringy looking tear. Her mouth was agape and she pulled Dustin closer, keeping him under his arm as Steve moved closer, his free arm wrapping around Lara’s back, gripping Dustin’s shoulder.
She’d never seen anything like it. Hell, she’d never even heard of anything that could do whatever it was doing. Dustin and Steve were tense and it gave her the feeling that this wasn’t their first time. Her suspicions were confirmed when they both whispered, “The gate.”
Lara looked at them. “The what?” Dustin sighed. “The gate.” Lara stared at him, waiting for him to continue. “It’s hard to explain, so I won’t do it now. But, it’s basically to another dimension.”
“Another… dimension?” Lara felt panic bubble in her. Her chest hurt and breathing was a little more difficult. Another dimension? What the fuck? She squeezed Steve’s hand hard, but he just gently rubbed his thumb over her knuckles.
Dustin nodded. “It’s like Hawkins, but… not quite.”
Lara tried to catch her breath, trying to be brave. “Well… that’s new. Didn’t know about that. Please tell me you haven’t been there.”
Dustin nodded again. “I haven’t. Not yet, at least.”
Lara couldn’t help but snicker. “Not ever, thank you. I’m a little in shock right now.”
They all ran back into the comms room. Robin looked at them, confused. Dustin cleared his throat. “Well, we’ve seen this before.”
Robin looked shocked. “What do you mean you’ve seen this before?”
Steve rubbed his lips together, looking at Dustin. Now was not the time to explain, not yet, but later would be. “Not exactly.”
“Then what, exactly?”
“All you need to know is it’s bad,” Dustin responded.
“It’s really bad,” Steve agreed.
“Like, end-of-the-human-race-as-we-know-it kind of bad,” Dustin said.
That got Lara’s attention. “What the hell, Dustin! You didn’t tell me that!”
“I said I’d explain!”
Erica interrupted. “Um, Steve? Where’s your Russian friend?”
They had all been so busy panicking about one thing that they forgot to panic about the Russian on the floor. Just then, an alarm sounded, red light flashing across the room. Lara dragged her hands down her face.
“Shit!” Steve ran to the door, Lara close behind. Steve opened the door, sticking his head through it, Lara peeking her head over his shoulder. She saw the Russian in just his undershirt and underwear, surrounded by lots of men with guns. “Fuck,” Lara whispered, but as she does, the guards saw them, screaming for them to halt.
Steve slammed the door, pushing Lara towards the staircase. “Go, go, go, go, go!”
Lara grabbed Dustin’s hand, yanking him towards the stairs and Robin doing the same with Erica. “C’mon, guys, we need to go!”
They ran up the stairs and into the observation deck, Dustin running ahead and pulling open the door to the area where the machine is. The scientists all look back at them. Lara put herself in front of Dustin. “Privet! Zdes’ nichego interesnogo (Hi! Nothing to see here)!”
Lara saw a staircase, directing Dustin to it, the rest of them following. They heard the guards yelling behind them as they ran down the stairs and across a metal walkway, Dustin shoving a worker. Normally, Lara would be absolutely freaking out, but the adrenaline only made her feel pure flight.
They kept running, ending up by the fucking stream of electrical current itself. Dustin screamed, “Holy shit,” over and over again. Lara shooved him behind her, putting herself between him and it, her eyes wide as she stared at it.
Steve looked up, noticing the guards closing in. He looked around hurriedly, seeing another staircase. Lara trailed at the back, making sure the kids went first. Steve shoved a guard out of the way, but there’s so many of them. Steve knocked over a tower of metal barrels, running towards a door. Lara was pushing Dustin when a hand yanked her from behind, grabbing her shirt.
Lara screamed, Dustin and Steve immediately turning around. Dustin screamed, too, terror on his face. “Lara!” he yelled, running towards her.
She turned her head, making eye contact with a Russian. She screamed even harder and looked back at Dustin. “NO! Dustin, run! Now! NOW!”
He turned around, hesitating. Steve grabbed him, shoving him towards the door with Robin. Lara thrashed against the Russian, screaming, “Let me go!”
Steve ran towards her but she thrashed harder. “No, Steve.” There were tears in her eyes. “No. Go! Keep Dustin safe and FUCKING GO!”
The pure desperation in her voice made Steve’s face contort with pain. He couldn’t stand it, but he couldn’t tell her no. He couldn’t hesitate, there wasn’t time. So, he left. He left her with the Russian.
She stopped thrashing. She had to buy them time. She had to cooperate so they had a little more time to get away. She had to comply so Dustin would have a better chance, even if that meant sacrificing herself. She watched in horror as the guards crowd around the door they escaped to.
“Ostanovka! (Stop!)” she yelled. She yelled until she felt a throbbing pain on the side of her head as the guard pistol whipped her and it all went black.
When she woke up, she was alone. She was on the floor in her shorts and tank top, stripped of the uniform. A shudder ran down her spine at the thought of them removing clothes from her, even the outer layer. She pushed herself up, the lights bright and her head throbbing. Dustin.
She forced herself up onto her feet, running to the door on the other side of the room, banging against it. “Let me out!”
The door flung open, knocking her back on her ass. A clean cut looking man in a uniform walked in. He didn’t look too old, but the badges on his jacket indicated he was of high rank.
He had a smug smile on his face as he leaned down into her space. He tsked. “Nu-nu, kakaya zhe ty kitraya devchoka. (Well, well, what a conniving little girl you are.)”
Lara just stared up at him. She didn’t respond. He tilted his head. “Vy govorite po-russki, da (You speak Russian, yes)?”
Lara found her voice. “Da.”
He laughed. Two more armed men came into the room, standing behind him. He pointed at her. “Malen'kaya amerikanskaya devochka govorit po-russki (Little American girl speaks Russian).”
He shook his head, still laughing. “Kak (How)?”
Lara scooted back. Be honest, she thought. The truth is not bad. She looks up. “Moy diplom (My degree).”
He looked unconvinced. She sputtered, “Mezhdunarodnyye otnosheniya. Mne prishlos' izuchat' russkiy yazyk v techeniye goda (International relations. I had to take a year of Russian).”
The man stared at her for a minute before laughing again. He motioned for one of his men. He did a flick of his fingers and saw another pistol butt heading towards her face. She was out in seconds.
When she woke up again, blood was caked into her eyelashes. Her mouth was dry and her breathing was shallow, dried blood on her lips. She groaned, trying to rub her eyes but finding her hands tied behind her back. “Dustin…” she murmured.
She heard commotion around her. “Ona prosnulas’ (She’s awake).”
She felt someone grab her jaw and yank her into a sitting position. The man was standing in front of her. “We do English now, hm? Maybe you are honest in English.”
She just blinked. “Where is my brother?”
“How do you know Russian?”
She groaned. “I told you, my degree. I’m a sophomore, Indiana State. You can, like, call the office there or something…”
One of his henchmen looked at him and then stepped closer to her, their fist making eye contact with her face. She felt her lip catch on her teeth and blood filling her mouth. Her vision went blurry and her ears rang as she groaned, bloody spit dripping over her bottom lip.
“Who sent you?”
She spit the mouthful of blood onto her lap. “No one sent me. I don’t even work in the mall.” She sniffed. “I work at the fucking pool.”
The man doesn’t even so much as breathe. “Who sent you?”
Lara groaned, hunching over. “No one.”
One of the henchmen grabbed a chunk of her hair, throwing her onto the ground and kicking her ribs. She gasped for air, curling inward into herself. It burned throughout her whole body.
“Then tell me. How you get in?”
Lara wheezed, gasping for air. “My friends… they work at… Scoops Ahoy, ice cream place.” She tried to breathe, but it hurt. “Their shipment didn’t come… so… we went to the… loading dock… and the doors closed and… and… it sent us down here.”
Another kick landed against her back, rolling her onto her stomach. The pain was so bad she can’t even see straight. Each breath was shorter, sharper. The man crouched down in front of her face. “Who sent you?”
She was so frustrated and in so much pain she could cry. “No one… no one sent me… it was a… mistake.” She coughed and blood splattered on the floor. A punch landed on her face, pinning her head to the floor as it hit her cheekbone. Her eyes were wide and her mouth was agape as her ears rang and the world spinned.
“How do you know Russian?”
She used what’s left of her energy to look up at the man, hurling a mouthful of blood into his eyes. He grabbed her hair and smacked her head against the ground. Everything went black again.
It’s summer between junior and senior year. Steve is gonna be a junior; Lara, a senior. The Harrington parents were always gone every summer, away on some vacation. Tommy H. and Carol were on vacation, but Steve and Lara weren’t. Steve’s parents never took him, and the Hendersons couldn’t afford anything more than a roadtrip which both Lara and Dustin objected to.
It was July, the weekend of the Fourth, and Lara was in Steve’s backyard, sunbathing by the pool. They never hung out, but it was either that or not doing anything, so they settled for each other. They weren’t close or anything, but they had mutual friends, even though Lara was a year older. The girls in her class didn’t like her since she kissed Jimmy Bradshaw at a party and Mary Parks found out, even though her and Tommy were literally on a break.
Steve came from the house, carrying something rolled and white between his fingers. Lara sat up, pushing her sunglasses onto her head. “Is that what I think it is, Harrington?”
Steve nods, pulling a lighter from his shorts’ pocket, putting the blunt between his lips and inhaling, passing it to Lara. They shared the whole thing and ended up on the chaise lounge, too close for casual and too high for it to mean something.
He leans in. “Can I tell you something?”
She giggles and nods. Everything is funny. “I’ve been in love with you since the first day of freshman year. I saw you in the hallway, talking to Ramona Flores and I’ve been in love with you ever since.”
She was silent. He took it as a good thing and leaned in, kissing her. He was with Nancy, she didn’t understand. She pulled back, got up, and left. She drove home, just staring out of the windshield in surprise. He was in love with her. It didn’t quite make sense, they barely even hung out. The more she thought about it, the more the pieces seemed to click into place.
He was always near. At a party, at lunch, even just hanging out at Tommy’s house, he was always close. The sensation of realization felt strange knowing he’d been feeling this way and she had no clue. He was nice enough, had pretty hair, a good family, and was popular. She caught herself considering it, what it would be like. She knew it wouldn’t be bad… she shook her head. No. No relationships, no strings attached. None of that, not now. Nothing until she was sure she was secure enough to handle it.
She didn’t talk to him again until the day in Scoops Ahoy, afraid that she would end up wanting it more than she could help. It terrified her every time she thought about it or caught herself looking for a moment too long. So, she completely blocked him out of her life.
She woke up, gasping for breath. Her hands were untied and she gently touched her face. Her eye was swollen, her lip was split, and both her temples were still oozing blood. Her mouth tasted stale, like waking up after not brushing your teeth. She bent over, throwing up into the dark. As her stomach heaved, it clenched her ribs, sending pain searing through her body. The room was pitch black, and cold. Freezing cold. And entirely cement.
Her head felt woozy and she planted her palms firmly on the ground. She had absolutely no clue where she was. She tried to push herself into all fours, but her body screamed no, her shoulder throbbing. Her arms buckled, sending her face first into the floor. She laid there for a second. It was so dark she couldn't even tell if her eyes were opened or closed, but her whole body ached.
“Fuck,” she groaned, sticking her arms out, trying to feel around for something – anything. Just cold cement. Her breath came quicker as she continued to feel around. Still nothing. She was disoriented and completely lost. And freezing. She rubbed her arms, her hair sticking up with goosebumps.
She did manage to get into a sitting position on her knees, her breathing labored as it used some of her very depleted energy. She heard commotion in the distance, a low growl and animalistic clicking. She scrambled away, yelping when her back hit the wall, hard, on her rapidly forming bruises.
Her hands were shaking. She rubbed her chest anxiously, her heart pounding loudly in her chest as she covered her mouth with the other, her cheeks wet from tears she didn’t even know she had cried.
Dustin, she thought. She needed to find Dustin. The clicking got louder, but still sounded far away. She pulled her knees up to her chest, trying to make herself as small as possible. She chewed on her tongue, trying to stifle a sob.
There was something hiding in the dark. It couldn’t see her, so she had to stay quiet. I’m going to die. Her lips were quivering as every inch of her body was on high alert. She had to get out of that room before whatever was in the dark got her before the Russians could. She was not going to leave Dustin alone.
She held her face in her hands, drying the tears as they left her eyes. She opened her mouth to take a deep breath and the air tasted musty and sour, like rot. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to steady her breath as she felt the air shift around her, like something was moving silently.
Her eyes played back the memory of Steve, and then a memory of four years ago, when they had just moved to Hawkins from the city. It was Dustin's first day at the new school and Lara had saved from her summer job to buy him all new clothes as Mom put all the money they had into the move, hopefully to improve everyone’s morale. Lara risked being late to school so she could walk Dustin.
They stood in front of the stoop of Hawkins Elementary, the other students flooding in around them. He wrapped his arms around her and looked up. “I’m glad I’ll always have you,” he whispered. He was so much younger then, but every time she saw him, that’s who she saw. The little boy who went to her first, the little boy who she had to be brave for, the little boy that she couldn’t leave alone.
She squeezed her fists tight, trying not to cry. She was such an idiot. She ran her hands through her hair. She didn’t get a chance to say goodbye to Dustin, or Mom, or Steve. She was so selfish. She had Steve in the palm of her hand and she didn’t even realize it. She took everything for granted. She was going to die and she took everything she had for granted.
She sat there, replaying all the good memories she had, repeating ‘I love you’ under her breath. She heard the clicking getting louder and louder until – the alarm. The alarm blared inside the room, and outside, swathing it in bright, red light as it flashed, a black mass huddling in the corner. She screamed, adrenaline coursing through her body as she pushed herself up. Between the bursts of light, she could see whatever it was moving. She ran to the door, digging in her pocket for literally anything that would open the door. She pulled out a spare bobby pin, jamming it in the lock. The hair on the back of her neck stood up as she sensed whatever it was getting closer.
The lock clicked and she threw open the door, slamming it behind her. She didn’t even bother to look back. The lights disoriented her, but she ran, clutching her ribs. She stumbled a few times, but scrambled back up. She didn’t hear anything from behind her. She rounded the corner, her breath catching in her throat as she saw them: Dustin, Steve, Robin, and Erica.
“Steve! Dustin!” she screamed, finally letting her body have a second and sinking to the floor.
They ran over, Steve scooping her up. She grimaced as he squeezed her too tight. She reached for Dustin. “I love you.”
He hugged her tight. “I love you, too.”
Steve holds her up, taking in her appearance. His eyebrows knitted together as he looks at her face. Dustin looked horrified. “Where were you?” Dustin asked.
She opened her mouth to respond, to tell them about the room and how she genuinely thought she was going to die, but she just closed it, shaking her head. “It doesn’t matter.” She didn’t want them to know, to worry about her. She was just so relieved they were okay. “Where were you? Did they hurt you?”
Dustin shook his head no. “Underground ventilation system. Erica and I were fine. Russians got Steve and Robin, though.”
Lara exhaled slowly, nodding. They were safe and unhurt. She just held Dustin a little tighter, relief flooding her chest that she was fine. She would do it a million times over just for him to be fine.
She looked over at Steve. He didn’t look so good himself: bloody nose, black eye, split lip. “Oh, Lara…” He gently touched her lip. She winced.
“That hurts.”
“Sorry.” He pulled her closer gently, holding her like she was fragile.
“I’m sorry,” she murmured into his chest.
He pulled back slightly. “For what?”
She sniffles but cracks a smile. “I’ll explain it later.”
Her eyes immediately went back to Dustin, smoothing his hair. She saw that little boy who depended on her, and still did, and that’s the person she wanted to be. “I’m so glad you’re okay,” she whispered.
Dustin nodded and she could see the tension leave his face. “Me too. How’d you get out?”
Lara sighed. “I picked the lock with a bobby pin.”
Dustin laughed. “That’s my sister.”
Lara just smiled for a moment before looking around again, realizing the alarm stopped blaring. “Okay, time to go!”
Dustin pulled her down the hall, Steve trailing even closer behind her than usual. He guided them to a cart he had found. Robin was even more ditsy than usual, laughing about nonsense with Steve. They got loaded into the back.
“I’ll drive,” Lara said, sitting in the driver’s seat. Dustin and Erica nodded, sitting next to her. The lights were making her woozy and pain was searing through her body. Eventually, her eyes closed, her head slumping and sending them into a stack of barrels.
When she woke up again, she could barely hear and barely see, but she could feel and smell. She could feel an arm around her shoulder and her back against something and smell Steve’s cologne. Him and Robin were laughing about something when she stirred. “Steve…”
She brought her hands up to her eyes, rubbing them and blinking a few times, looking up at him. “This is like the fifth time I’ve passed out today.”
He furrowed his eyebrows, moving a piece of hair off her forehead. “That’s not good.”
She felt the cart lurch. “Who’s driving?” Steve blinked, half expecting her to flip. “Dustin.”
She nodded, yawning. “Okay.”
The cart stopped, Dustin getting out of the cart and running around the back. Steve lifted up Lara, carrying her. She squirmed, “I can walk.” Steve sighed and reluctantly set her down, still keeping a hand on her upper arm.
“Here goes nothing,” Dustin muttered, swiping the key card he kept from the Russian. The elevator door groaned as it lifted, Dustin and Erica running in, followed by Steve, Lara, and Robin.
The doors closed and the elevator jerked as it rose rapidly, Lara almost stumbling. “I got you,” Steve whispered, helping keep her up. She laid her head on his shoulder. Robin and Steve were still laughing, but Dustin was just looking at Lara.
He walked over, “What did they do to you?”
She shook her head dismissively. “Don’t worry about it, I’m just a little sore. What’s important is that we’re gonna get out of here and I’m gonna get some Advil and a fucking cigarette.”
Dustin grabbed her hand. “I was scared when we found Steve and Robin but not you.”
Lara nodded. “Dustin… I definitely have enough stamina to outlast Steve. He’s a pussy. I just thought about you and that kept me going.”
Dustin hugged her. “I love you.”
She rested her chin on his head, letting him hug her. She couldn’t be more grateful if she tried. She nudged him lightly, “Yeah, yeah, you too.”
Steve walked over to Robin, getting on one of the dollies that was left in the elevator, Robin holding the handle as Steve stood on it. Steve was hollering and Robin was laughing, “Hey! You look like you’re surfing!”
Steve laughed. “Surfing! Yeah!”
Lara just stared in confusion. Five seconds ago, Steve had been holding onto her, reassuring her, and now he was acting out of his mind. Dustin and Erica looked at each other. “They seem drunk,” Erica said.
Dustin raised his eyebrows. “Why would they be drunk?”
Lara shook her head no. “Not drunk. Steve’s not a big drinker.” Dustin looked at her. She could tell the friendliness between her and Steve has jostled him a little bit.
“I’m a natural, check it out!” Steve laughed before falling off the dollie.
“Wipeout!” Robin threw her hands up, giggles escaping her.
Dustin looked at Lara. “Gonna help him?” Lara sighed. “Don’t be bitter.”
“I don’t approve,” Dustin shrugged.
Lara couldn’t help but laugh. “There’s nothing to approve of.”
Dustin was quiet for a moment. “Not yet.” He walked over to Steve, kneeling down and noticing the sweat on his forehead. He placed his hand there gently, his eyebrows knitting together. “He’s burning up.”
Lara immediately dropped down next to him, gently taking his face in her hands. “Steve? Hey, look at me.” She tried to hold his good eye open, looking into it as he squirmed.
“No, no,” he whined, trying to move away.
Lara just calmly kept trying. “It’s just me. It’s Lara.” She finally looked into his eye. “His pupil is super dilated.”
He reached up to touch her face, smiling drunkenly. “Lara…” She smiled back down at him, letting him do whatever if it meant he cooperated.
Erica leaned over. “Maybe he’s drugged?” Lara leaned down closer to Steve as he pats her cheek, looking up at her. “Steve, did you take anything? Were you drugged?” Steve laughed, shaking his head no. “Remember that one time we got high and-”
Lara covered his mouth with her hand. “Shhh, I don’t remember that. What did they give you, hm? How much?”
Steve just reached up, cupping her cheek in his hand. “You’re so pretty…”
Lara’s breath caught in her throat. She gently patted the hand that covered her cheek. “That’s very kind of you.” Lara gently smoothed Steve’s hair. “Okay, Steve, focus. Look at me.”
His eyes went to her face. “Hi, Lara.”
“There we go, now, where did you park your car?” she asks softly, making sure to be calm and collected so he would be calm.
Steve widened his eyes. “Oh, can we make a pit stop at the food court?”
She heard Robin gasp. “I would kill for a hot dog on a stick.”
Lara nodded. “We can eat, just after we leave the mall, okay? But, you have to tell me where your car is so we can get there.”
“Uh-oh,” Steve whispered.
Lara sighed. “Uh-oh?”
“The car’s off the board.”
Lara tried to keep her calm, a soft smile spreading across her face as she continued to stroke Steve’s hair, not letting the horror she felt show. “Why’s that?”
“They took the keys.” Steve pulled his pocket liners out. “The Russians, they took the keys.” Robin laughed loudly. “Like, forever ago. That’s a bummer, right?”
Lara nodded, standing up. “Okay Dustin. Mom came and got the car, so we don’t have either of our cars. When we get up there, we’re just gonna go for it. We’re gonna get off the mall property and then try to find transportation.”
Steve reached out for her. “Lara…” She glanced back at him, smiling to reassure him.
Dustin nodded. “Got it.”
The elevator lurched to a stop, making them stumble before Lara hurried over to the control pad, hitting the open door button and watching with glee as it actually opened. She helped Steve up off the ground and he grabbed her hand, refusing to let go.
They walked out into the night, Steve and Robin gasping for air. Robin stuck her tongue out. “Oh my God, that tastes so good. Steve, Lara, can you taste the air?” Lara just nodded, gently guiding them towards the gate to leave. “I taste it!” Steve agreed.
All Lara could taste was freedom. She needed to go home, give her mom a hug, smoke a whole pack, and sleep for a week. And figure out how to tell Steve she loved him, too. She looked at him and he looked back. He was always looking.
As soon as she did, the gates opened before they could open them, two armed guards running in, yelling, “Stop!”
“Shit! Come on, come on!” Dustin yelled, running towards the mall entrance just a few feet away. The guards were running, but Lara managed to get Steve and Robin in before they could get caught.
Both Steve and Robin started laughing as they were ushered back into the mall. “Okay, come on, everybody quickly now,” Lara urged.
They hurried down the employee hallway behind all the stores. Dustin pointed to the theatre entrance. Lara nodded. “A lot of people, hard to pick out a few someones in the dark.”
They quietly entered, and the main hallway of the theatre was empty. They walked towards one of the theatres, their footfalls light and muted against the carpet. They barged into one of them, Lara making a face as Steve grabs popcorn from the trash. Back to the Future was playing.
Dustin, Erica, and Lara guided Steve and Robin to the front of the theatre, apologizing to the many strangers in the vicinity. There were only two free seats on one side, so Lara made them sit there. Robin whined, “No, no, no, these seats are too close!”
Steve nodded, “Lara, these seats blow.”
She patted both their heads. “It’s okay because we won’t be here long. So just watch what you can, okay?” They both just grumbled in response. “Just stay here. Do not move. You absolutely cannot move. I’ll be just over there, with Dustin and Erica.”
Steve reached out, “No, Lara…”
“It’s okay, I’m just right over there.” She squeezed his hand quickly before walking away.
Dustin gave her a strange look. “He’s being weird to you.”
“He’s on drugs. He’s not responsible for this,” Lara dismissed, not looking at her brother.
They walked to the other side of the theatre, sitting down. Dustin sighed. “Never having kids.”
Lara laughed lightly. “Man, I wanted to be an aunt.” Dustin just rolled his eyes.
“What are we doing here?” Erica asked.
“Laying low,” Dustin responded. “Cooling off. Like Oswald.”
Lara blinked, giving him a confused look. Erica, too. “Oswald was found in a theatre and shot to death.”
“A week later,” Dustin corrected.
“The point is, his plan didn’t work.”
Dustin scoffed. “Only because it was a set up.”
Lara sighed. “Okay, you two, enough. Dustin, you are gonna find some way to get out of here and I’m gonna try and get those two something substantial to eat, because if we want to make a quiet exit, they need to be sober. Erica, please stay here and make sure they don’t go anywhere.”
Lara left the theatre, making sure to not go too far. She peered out, checking to see if there were any suspicious looking people in the area. There weren’t. She gave herself a second to take a deep breath, realizing that her hands were shaking.
She went next door to the Orange Julius, ordering two hot dogs and two waters. The cashier gave her a funny look since she looked like she just got the shit beat out of her. She offered back a tight lipped smile, pulling a five out of her bra. “Keep the change.”
She waited for a few minutes, her foot tapping nervously. She kept looking out into the mallscape, but nothing was amiss. Finally, the food was ready. “Oh, one more thing?” She smiled. “Do you have a cigarette?”
The cashier rolled her eyes, smacking her gum obnoxiously as she reached under the counter, pulling out a pack and a lighter. She sighed in relief. “God, thank you.” She took the smoke, putting it between her lips and inhaling as the girl lit it for her.
She took a long inhale, dipping into a hallway for a minute to finish it off. She finally felt like she could exhale all the way and her whole body was soothed. She carefully controlled her breathing, feeling a little bit better that something was going right. She threw the butt into the trash, heading back into the theatre. Luckily, the boy who was working the counter was too busy making out with his girlfriend to notice her sneaking back in.
She made her way into Back to the Future, walking up to Dustin and Erica, who both had worried looks on their faces. “What?”
Dustin sighed. “Well, the batteries in my walkie are dead and…”
Lara raised her eyebrows. “And?” “Steve and Robin aren’t there.”
Lara’s eyes darted over, and sure enough, the seats were empty. “What the hell, Erica?!” Lara whisper-yelled. “You had one job!”
“Maybe if you weren’t having a smoke break, you would’ve been back sooner to help me!” she responded.
“I… did not-” Lara stuttered, looking away.
Dustin shook his head. “You smell like an ashtray, Lar.”
“I needed it!” she responded, trying not to raise her voice.
Dustin just rolled his eyes. “Okay, let’s just go find them so we can leave.”
They all left the theatre, being careful to not make any sort of noise or cause any sort of scene. They stood out in the hallway, the mall basically deserted. Lara took a deep breath. “Fuck my life.”
Dustin took his hat off, running a hand through his hair. “Okay, maybe they were hungry. I mean, they didn’t know you were getting them food.”
Lara nodded. “Okay, let’s split up and check food places. Meet back here in five? Remember, low profile.”
They all agreed. Lara took the ground floor, since, if there were going to be people looking for them, it would be down there. She looked in every food place on the ground floor twice, but no Steve or Robin.
When she went back upstairs, Erica and Dustin hadn’t found them either. She rubbed her good eye. “Okay, if I were two teenagers on drugs, where would I be..?”
They stand in silence for a minute before Dustin’s eyes light up and he raises his hand. “Drugs have got to leave your system somehow…”
Lara smiled, “Bathrooms!”
Dustin pointed to the one right next to the movie entrance and they ran inside, seeing Steve and Robin sitting in the stall, laughing. Lara sighed, “Oh, thank god.”
Robin looked at Steve. “Gonna tell her?”
Steve stood up. “She already knows.”
Lara raised her eyebrows, “I know what?”
Steve walked over, embracing her. “Nothing,” he murmured into her hair.
She hugged him back. “Feeling better?” Steve nodded. “Yeah, I puked.” Lara just looked at him. looked really hard. Steve smiled. “What?” She shook her head dismissively, untangling herself from his arms. “Don’t worry about it.” She walked over to the sink, wetting a paper towel to clean the blood off her eye and lip and nose. She looked at herself. Her blonde hair was matted with blood on each temple. Her eye was swollen and purple. Her lip was swollen and very visibly split and oozing blood.
She heard Steve sigh behind her. “God, Lara.” She looked up at him through the mirror, seeing him staring at her back. His hand came up to move her tank top and bra strap out of the way. “There’s a giant bruise.” He gently brushed his fingers over it and she shuddered.
She nodded. “They kicked the shit out of me.”
She watched Steve’s face fall. He didn’t even speak, just moved her straps back into place. She didn’t quite know what to say and neither did he. She laughed. “I got my cigarette.”
He smiled and turned her around to look at him. “I’m gonna buy you a whole pack.”
Dustin cleared his throat from the bathroom doorway. “Come on, you two, this is disgusting.” Steve just laughed and looked at Lara, holding out his hand. She took it, intertwining their fingers. When they exited the bathroom, the hallway was flooded with people leaving the movies, all crowding down the escalators. They quickly maneuvered into the throng of people, Steve keeping a close grip on Lara’s hand, totally normal. Lara’s fingers itched to reach out and grab onto Dustin, to make sure that he’d stay close.
She heard Erica speak lowly, “Well shit, that worked.”
“Of course it worked,” Dustin responded. “Now we just have to get on the bus with the rest of these plebes, and home sweet home, here we come.”
Lara swung their arms, excited to leave this God-awful mall. This had been the worst two days of her life, her whole body ached and she’d probably never be able to be in the dark alone again, but at least Steve was next to her and Dustin was in front of her, so she knew she had a second to breathe and not worry about everything.
Steve looked over at Lara, a strange look in his eyes. “What?” she asked.
“Uh, Lara, Dustin, you might not wanna go to your house.”
Lara stiffened, looking at Steve. “Why?”
“Well, I might’ve told them Dustin’s full name.”
Lara felt ice cold fear run through her. She dropped Steve’s hand and his face softened. “Why the actual fuck would you do that, Steve? I need to call Mom, she could be in danger, what if they-”
Steve reached out for her hand again, but she pulled away. He compromised the safety of her family and that is the only thing in the world she makes a point to stand up for. “Lar, I was drugged.”
“Still, you don’t get to sacrifice the integrity of my family!” Her hand went up to her chest, rubbing circles.
Dustin nodded. “You tough it out. You tough it out like a man.”
Steve tried again. “Come on, Lara, I’m sorry.”
She opened her mouth to respond, but Robin spoke instead. “Guys?” She gently placed her hands on Dustin and Erica, stopping them from continuing.
Lara looked ahead, noticing men in black stopping everyone while leaving the mall, blocking the stairs and covering every base. “So that’s what a suspicious Russian looks like,” Lara hummed. Steve nodded. He reached for her hand a second time and she let him take it, feeling scared enough to drop the argument for a second. She grabbed Dustin, pulling him closer to her.
“Abort,” Dustin said, but not before the Russians saw them. “Abort!”
They ran back through the mall, but the escalators were blocked. Steve pushed Lara down the middle of the escalators, sliding down. She yelped as he pushed her bruise. Once Dustin was down, Lara grabbed him and sprinted towards the nearest store, Great Cookie. Her ribs ached and she was wheezing.
She shoved him behind the counter, ducking and waiting for the rest of them. She couldn’t catch her breath, it hurt so bad, more than anything she’d ever felt. The rest of them got there within a second or two, Steve crouching by Lara. “What’s wrong?”
“My ribs, hard time breathing.” Steve immediately reached out, pulling her close to try and muffle her wheezing.
“It’s okay. Just deep breaths,” he whispered. It was hard when she was panicking, hearing the Russians speaking lowly into their radios and walking around.
She listened closely. “Shit, they know we’re here.”
She looked over at Dustin, whose face was terrified. She grabbed his hand. “I love you, remember that. More than anything.” The only thing that crossed her mind was how bad it would hurt to be beaten by the Russians again if she stood up right now to buy them more time.
Before she could make a final decision, a car alarm blared and they all collectively flinched, letting out a sigh of relief. It was silent for a few seconds before they heard a loud crash. Lara jolted up, peering over the edge of the counter. The car had, somehow, been sent across the mall, taking the Russians out with it.
Dustin’s eyes were wide and he muttered, “Eleven?”
Lara made a confused face. “Huh?”
“I’ll show you.” Dustin looked to the other side of the mall, pointing to the balcony.
On the balcony, Lara saw Dustin’s friends Mike, Will, Lucas, El, Max, and then Nancy Wheeler and Jonathan Byers. “What the hell is this…?” she whispered.
Steve leaned in. “It’ll make sense in a second.”
He took her hand, leading them out from behind the counter, the rest of the group behind them, walking out to the middle as the people on the balcony came down. She just stared at him, not knowing what to say or even think.
“...Nancy? You’re in this, too?” she asked.
Nancy nodded. “I… yeah. You know about this?” Lara shook her head. The only opinion she ever had on Nancy was the one Carol had: that Nancy was a slut. Looking at her now, Lara didn’t see that. Lara saw someone who vaguely reflected her. Independent and willing.
She looked at the rest of the group, noticing Dustin hugging El. She waved awkwardly. It was only a few days ago she was mean to these kids in her house and now it was thanks to them she was alive. They all looked between Steve and Lara, noticing how horrible they looked.
Nancy spoke up first. “What… happened?”
Lara laughed lightly. “Long story.”
Steve pulled her in closer. She felt really out of place, like an inside joke she’s not a part of. She looked over, noticing Robin had the same look on her face. “I just wanna go home.”
Steve nodded. “It won’t be too long. We can get out of here in a few.”
“Okay.” Lara looked at the group of teens. “Which one of them is most likely to carry cigarettes?”
Steve sighed. “None.”
“Fuck.” Lara pinched the bridge of her nose.
He rubbed her back. “I think this might be more than just helpless smoking.”
“I can’t help it if everything has been out of my control more frequently,” she responded, though she knew he was right.
They were pulled out of their private conversation by the sound of Erica blaming them. Lara didn’t catch all of it, but she nodded. “Yeah, whatever it is, our fault. My bad.”
Lucas just looked at her. She smiled. “I’m just as surprised I’m here as you, alright?” He nodded.
Robin looked around. “I still don’t understand what happened with that car.”
Lara looked towards her in agreement. “El has superpowers,” Dustin replied casually.
Lara choked on her spit. Robin’s eyebrows shot up. “I’m sorry?” Steve kept rubbing Lara’s back. “Superpowers. She threw it with her mind. Catch up.”
Lara rolled her eyes. “This is brand new to us so how about a little grace? Sorry that actual telekinesis is even remotely shocking.” She looked at El, smiling. “Good on you, sister.”
“Who’s El?” Robin asked.
Nancy butted in. “I’m sorry, but who are you?”
“I’m Robin, I work with Steve.”
Nancy nodded. Lara gestured to Robin. “She cracked the super secret code.”
“Yeah, which is how we found out about the Russians in the first place,” Steve said.
Jonathan’s brow knit together. “Russians? Wait, what Russians?” Lara sucked her teeth. “There’s, like, hella Russians operating under the mall. They were those guys.”
Max’s head whirled to the direction of the conversation. “Those were Russians?” Her voice was shocked.
“Some of them,” Erica responded.
“There’s a lot more,” Lara sighed.
“What are you talking about?” Lucas asked, his hands in front of him to convey his confusion.
Dustin’s face was straight, like they should know this. “Didn’t you hear our code red?”
Mike rolled his eyes. “Yeah, couldn’t understand half of what you were saying.”
Dustin groaned. “Goddamn low battery.”
Lara rubbed her forehead. “I told you, Dustin.”
Steve smacked his hands together. “How many times do I have to tell you with the low battery?” Lara whacked his arm. “This is my thing.”
“Sorry,” he apologized, looking down at her.
Dustin scoffed. “Well, everything worked out, didn’t it?”
Erica looked up at him. “Worked out? We almost died.”
“Yeah, but we didn’t, did we?” Dustin answered.
Lara leaned her head over towards the group of people, her hands out. “For the record, the only time they were without adult supervision was when I was imprisoned.”
They raised their eyebrows, but didn't push it. The rest of them kept arguing about Russians and dying. Lara rubbed her temples. “I think I have a concussion.”
Steve looked down at her. “The Russian interrogator guy slammed my head on the ground and punched my head into the ground. It was a lot of my skull against cement.”
Steve winced, holding her a little tighter as his free hand tried to move hair out of the way, looking for blood or a sore spot. Lara cringed. “Can you not try and purposefully hurt me? I think I’m also concussed.”
Steve nodded, rubbing a hand up and down her arm. “You said that.”
Lara hums. “Oh.”
There was a loud thud from behind them, causing the group as a whole to look towards the sound. On the ground was El, blood trickling from both nostrils and groaning.
They all ran over, Mike grabbing her shoulders, rolling her on her back. “What’s wrong with her?” Erica asked.
“What’s wrong?” Mike questioned.
“My leg,” El groaned, her eyes squeezed shut in pain.
Nancy and Jonathan started to unwrap the bloody gauze on her leg. “Jesus…” Lara whispered. “Poor girl.”
The space right above her ankle was red and swollen, the wound very fresh. Lara covered her mouth and Steve looked away. She almost gagged as something within the wound moved. “What the hell..?” Mike was screaming for her, but her face was contorted in agony as she writhed on the ground. Her pained noises grew louder until she was screaming. Lara hurried over, kneeling down by El’s head, gesturing for Steve to go find something somewhere. “Napkins,” she sputtered.
Steve nodded, running to the nearest food place and grabbing a handful of napkins. Lara took them, gently wiping the blood from El’s nose and ears. “It’s gonna be okay.” She was still screaming and sobbing as the thing within her leg tried to get out. Lara gently cradled her head, Steve kneeling next to her.
“There’s something in there,” Mike said.
“Keep her talking, keep her awake,” Jonathan said, pushing himself to his feet and running towards the Imperial Panda.
Lara nodded, smoothing El’s hair. “Okay, well. What happened with the leg?”
“Hey, hey, hey. Stay awake, stay awake. Let’s get her on this side, on this side,” Mike said. They moved her carefully, sitting her up.
“You know, it’s not actually that bad,” Robin said, her voice quick and anxious. “There was a girl… the goalie on my soccer team, Beth Wildfire, this other girl slid into her leg, and the bone came out of her knee, six inches or something, it was insane.”
“Robin,” Steve interrupted.
“What?”
“You’re not helping,” Steve answered, looking at her like it should be obvious.
“I’m sorry,” Robin said.
Jonathan came back, a big knife in his hand. Lara looked up at Steve, mouthing, What the fuck?
He just shrugged his shoulders. Jonathan knelt down by her foot. “Okay. Alright, El? This is gonna hurt like hell, okay?”
“Okay,” she sobbed. Lara gently helped her sit up more, letting her lean back against her chest.
“Need you to stay real still,” Jonathan said, putting on gloves. “Here, you’re gonna wanna bite down on this, okay?” He handed a wooden spoon over, Mike taking it and helping El put it in her mouth.
Jonathan held the knife, everyone waiting with bated breath as he stared down at the wound, prepping himself to slice into it. Mike nodded. “Do it.”
Jonathan took a deep breath. “Okay.” He sliced into El’s leg, the sound of flesh tearing grotesque. Lara tried not to gag, unable to look down, only watching El, trying to keep her still while Jonathan cut. She was wailing and all Lara could do was keep her hair out of her eyes.
He finished cutting, setting the knife down. He was practically green. Lara felt her own stomach churning, but she was already nauseous since she hadn’t eaten in over a day. Jonathan took another deep breath, steeling himself as he adjusted his glove, slowly starting to dig in his fingers under El’s skin. She screamed louder and Lara had to physically turn her head away as the sound of squelching skin entered her ears. She kept stroking El’s hair.
He started to dig around faster, causing El to scream harder and spit the spoon out. “Stop it!” She yelled. “Stop! Stop!”
She pushed herself up, sobbing. “I can do it.” Her voice was agonized and her face red. “I can do it,” she panted, sitting up all the way.
Lara let go of her, leaning back, Steve moving closer. She watched closely as El reached out her hand towards her leg and the sound of skin filled the space again as El used her powers to try and get it out. Lara’s face was contorted, her hand over her mouth.
She groaned and screamed as she tried to get it out, everyone watching in horror and mild disgust. El screamed loudly, with so much power that the glass display next to them shattered, flinging glass onto them. Steve quickly moved behind Lara, shielding her as she hunched over, groaning as the movement put pressure on her ribs which she was sure were cracked.
She felt Steve picking glass out of her hair and brushing it off her. She looked over her shoulder. “Thanks.”
“Of course.”
Lara looked back over as El uttered one loud, final scream, pulling the thing out of her leg and throwing it across the floor with her mind. Lara had to physically lift her jaw back up. “Woah.” She scooted closer to El, rubbing her back. “All good?” She just panted in return.
A loud stomp and squish echoed through the mall, and when Lara looked up, she’s greeted with a sight even more peculiar: the Chief of Police, Mrs. Byers, and some random balding man. Lara sighed. “As if it could get stranger.”
Steve wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “This is just the surface.”
like i know you but we never met pt. 2
wc: 10.8k
masterlist | like i know you but we never met | see our reflection in the water
pt. 1 | pt. 3 , pt. 4
The next day was a miserable one. With a storm rolling in, her hair looked frizzy and Dustin wanted her to drive in the rain to the mall. He was sitting on her bed. “Pleeeease?” he would beg every five seconds as she teased her hair.
“Okay! Go get in the car, I’ll be there in a second.”
Lara grumbled as she drove. “God, I hate driving in the rain.”
Dustin laughed. “What are you, 85?” Lara flipped him off.
In the backroom of Scoops Ahoy, they crowded around the table, repeatedly listening to the tape. Lara looked at her hair in the reflection of some can on the shelf. “Does my hair look stupid?”
Steve looked up. “Looks great!”
Lara rolled her eyes. “Gee, thanks.” She smoothed it out a little more. She looked back at Steve again, her eyes a little softer. “Thank you.” Steve just blinked.
Steve tapped his fingers against the table. “What if we look for the evil Russians in the mall?”
Lara laughed. “Yeah and what does an evil Russian look like, King Steve?”
He almost flinched at the nickname. She noticed. “Like a Russian, but with hateful eyes.”
Lara shrugged. “It’s not like there’s much else we could do.”
Dustin was already heading out. “Me and Steve can go.”
Lara was immediately on alert. “I think Steve will be fine alone…”
Dustin rolled his eyes. “It’s fine, Lar.”
Steve nodded. “Yeah, I’ll take great care of him. I’m like the designated babysitter.”
Lara sighed. “Okay, I guess.”
For the next couple hours, Lara ate free ice cream while Robin worked the counter and listened to the tape and Steve and Dustin did their spycraft out in the mall.
“God, this is booooring,” Lara groaned.
Robin just laughed in agreement and they migrated to the back room, where Lara entertained herself by looking through boxes and Robin asking her to say things in Russian.
They were in the middle of translating Robin’s favorite song when there was a knock on the door. Robin yawned, “Delivery.” Lara nodded and leaned back against the wall.
A few moments later, Robin turned around, a gleaming look in her eye. “I got it.”
Lara sprang up. “The code? You cracked it?”
“The silver cat. The Lynx delivery service.”
Lara’s eyes widened. “Holy fucking shit, Robin, you’re a super genius.”
Robin darted out of the backroom, leaving the parlor, shouldering past Steve and Dustin. Lara hung back. “She cracked the code.”
Robin ran out into the center of the mall, looking around wildly. Dustin and Steve tried to follow, but Lara grabbed onto their forearms. “Let her do her thing.” She was backing off, letting others come to the front.
Steve looked down at Lara. “How’d she do it?”
“The Lynx delivery service. The silver cat. It must have something to do with the inner workings of the mall or something.”
Dustin had already pried himself out of Lara’s grip, heading towards Robin, but Steve made no move, just looking down at her and Lara up at him. It was like that for only a couple seconds until Lara pulled away, heading back towards Dustin, Steve close behind. She saw the look in his eyes–curiosity. She had been gentler, more restrained today and he noticed.
Robin was already heading back into the parlor and they all herded into the backroom. “When blue meets yellow in the west. 9:45. A trip to China sounds nice if you tread lightly. Imperial Panda and Kaufman Shoes. The silver cat feeds. Lynx delivery service.”
Dustin nodded. “At 9:45 we need to watch the loading docks, specifically the parcels for Imperial Panda and Kaufman Shoes.”
Lara furrowed her eyebrows. “Is it safe?”
Dustin shrugged. “I don’t know.”
Lara took a step back. “Maybe we should just go home, Dustin.”
“Absolutely not! What if they want to infiltrate Hawkins and take over America?”
Lara almost laughed. “That is so not even true.”
“Then what do they want, Lara?”
Lara didn’t have an answer, she just looked between her brother, Steve, and Robin. Steve spoke up, “It’s just some harmless looking, okay?” She didn’t like not having the final say.
Lara relented. “Fine.” This was new.
They waited. Steve bought them all dinner from, funnily enough, Imperial Panda and they ate in the back room. Lara giggled as she opened her fortune. “‘Your smile lights up a room.’ Aw, that’s sweet!”
Lara pretended that she didn’t see Steve looking. “Uh, Dustin, what does yours say?”
Dustin cracked it open. “‘Your May will be filled with laughter.’ What the fuck, it’s June.”
Lara laughed hard. “Go get ‘em, tiger.”
Steve opened his. “‘You have great hair.’”
Lara rolled her eyes. “Yeah right. What’s it actually say?”
Steve just looked at her, handing her his fortune.
It actually said that. Lara hummed, “Good on you.”
At 9:30, they headed up to the roof, Lara grumbling about her hair. It looked messy and it made her nervous. “You use Farrah Fawcett spray, right?”
Lara just looked at Steve. “Dustin told me that’s what he uses on his hair. Correlation. Anyway, it’s waterproof.”
“Wonderful.”
Steve just sighed, following her up the ladder onto the roof where they all laid in the rain, facing the loading dock. Lara gave Dustin her rain poncho when she heard his teeth chatter. Steve looked down at his in his hands, handing it to Robin instead.
They leaned on the edge, watching the delivery truck back up. “Imperial Panda and Kaufman Shoes,” Lara reminded. Robin looked through the binoculars.
“Whistling guy, 10 o’clock,” Dustin identified. Lara looked, leaning over to Steve.
“I don’t see any whistling guy.”
Steve pointed vaguely. “Look there.”
“Great, thanks.”
“What do we think is in there? Guns, bombs?” Dustin asked, looking over at them.
“Chemical weapons?” Robin suggested. Lara just sighed in disbelief.
Lara squinted. “That’s a lot of guns and stuff for delivery.”
Dustin looked at her. “Because it's obviously not just delivery.” Lara cocked her head to the side and nodded.
Lara pushed her hair out of her eyes. It clung to her face and was impossible to fully get out of her eyes. “Ugh, God, this is so annoying.”
They watched as the doors to the loading dock opened. Lara cupped her hands around her eyes. “Woah, what’s in there?”
“Just boxes.”
Steve reached over for the binoculars. “Lemme look.”
Dustin tried to snatch them back. “I’m still looking!”
“Dustin, share,” Lara scolded.
They yanked them back and forth until one of them eventually banged them against the metal roof, instantly alerting the guards of their presence. They quickly ducked behind the edge. Lara instantly reached over Steve for Dustin, grabbing onto his hands, her heart beating a thousand times a minute and hammering against her chest.
Steve whispered quietly. “It’s fine.”
“It’s clearly fucking not.” She exhaled through her nose. She didn’t mean to get snippy. She was just scared.
They laid there until they heard screaming in Russian. Everyone looked at Lara.
“They’re coming up here, we need to go. Now.”
They all army crawled across the roof to the ladder, rushing down and back inside the mall. Lara immediately rushed over to Dustin. “You okay?”
“Yeah. I’m fine. I’m not a baby.”
Lara nodded. “Right.” She let go of him, taking a step back.
Robin sighed. “I think we found the Russians.”
“That means we need to get up out of here. Pronto. Does everyone have a ride?” Lara looked around, eager to leave this situation and go back to a danger-free environment.
Steve nodded and Lara laughed. “Oh yeah, your stupid beamer.”
Steve looked horrified. “It’s not stupid!” Lara laughed, nodding her head. She remembered being jealous of it, especially when he pulled into the parking lot and everyone looked. She used to crave recognition.
“You wish.” She looked at Robin.
“Yeah, I have a ride.”
Lara nodded. “Okay, sounds good. Get home safe.”
“You too,” Steve murmured, almost inaudibly.
They all walked in silence to the door, Lara holding it open for Dustin, but Steve grabbed it just a couple inches above her, holding it open for the rest of them. She had noticed these things, the subtle glances and pauses. She didn’t want Steve to only see the performance.
They went separate ways in the parking lot. Lara and Dustin just sat in the car for a few minutes. “What is this?”
“Evil Russians operating in Starcourt Mall. I don’t know what they’re planning, but it’s local.”
Lara nodded, starting the car. “Should we tell the police?”
Dustin shook his head no. “I think we need more evidence.”
Lara started to drive home, navigating the dark, rainy streets. “Right. I… we need to get to the loading dock. Whatever is in there is the key to this whole thing.”
The ride home was mostly silent, Lara’s brain not slowing down. Were they in danger? Should she tell their mom? Should she call the police? Should she make Dustin not be involved anymore? Why was this happening? Why were Russians in Hawkins? Why Starcourt? Why, why, why?
Lara felt like she was going to hyperventilate by the time they got home. “Just go inside.” Dustin didn’t say anything, but did go inside. Lara didn’t know what to do. Of course she was curious. Who wouldn’t be? But, it was nagging at her. As much as he annoyed her, it was her job to keep Dustin safe. It was her job to watch over him.
She went inside and beelined for the bathroom, peeling off her soaking clothes and shivering as she got into the hot shower. She was motionless for a while until she began to sob. Hard, but quiet. She didn’t want anyone to hear her. He was the only purpose she had truly been guided by for years. When nothing made sense, she could default back to that. If she couldn’t do that one thing, she was useless.
After a while, she got out of the shower and got into her pajamas, not even bothering to do her rollers. She grabbed her cigarettes and stuck her head out of the window to smoke it. She didn’t even hear Dustin come in.
“Woah, you smoke?”
“Shit.” Lara put it out on the side of the house, dropping the butt into the bushes. “Didn’t hear you come in.”
“Since when did you smoke?”
“Not often. Only when I feel lost, so… I guess a lot, lately.”
Dustin nodded, flopping down on her bed. Lara furrowed her eyebrows. “Can I help you?”
“I can’t sleep.”
Lara flopped down next to him. “Me neither. It feels so ominous. And there’s nothing I can do.”
“Hence the cigarette?”
Lara nodded. “Hence the cigarette.”
Dustin yawned. Lara noticed the way his shoulders were still tensed up. “If you can’t sleep, you can stay here. Just for tonight.”
Dustin nodded and Lara got up to turn off the light and Dustin was asleep within minutes. Lara stayed up for another hour, watching his chest rise and fall as he slept.
When their father left, Dustin was only four and Lara was nine. He didn’t even remember Dad. Lara did. She remembered hearing him and Mom fight through the walls, Dad coming home late smelling like liquor and perfume, and sometimes Dad just not coming home at all. One day, he didn’t come home again. Mom was a wreck for months and took in, like, six stray cats. Lara had to pick up the slack, taking care of Dustin like she was his mother.
Of course, he didn’t remember it. But Lara did. She remembered every second. Every night she cried herself to sleep. Every day when, at nine years old, she had to be strong for her whole family. It was a responsibility she never shook. A responsibility that, ten years later, still festered deep in her soul.
Eventually, she fell into a deep sleep. Neither of them woke up until late the next morning. Dustin had already left and didn’t mention it. Lara was doing her makeup and eating a donut when Dustin poked his head in again. “Mall today?”
“Like I have something better to do this summer. Let me finish getting ready and then we can go.” Lara leaned in close to her mirror, doing her eyeliner with surgeon level precision. She looked at herself. Her hair was in its natural waves, not curls.
She groaned as she went outside. “God, it’s so humid.” Once in the car, she immediately looked in the mirror, noticing a level of frizz sprouting from the crown of her head.
Lara played her Madonna CD, belting ‘Like a Virgin’ with Dustin air drumming. When they pulled into the parking lot, she looked over. “The whole reason I come is for free ice cream, you know that right?” She didn’t want him to know she cared that much.
Dustin just raised his eyebrows, getting out of the car. “Uh huh.” He knew.
“Lock your door, Dustin. You never lock your door. Mom is coming to pick the car up later and if she sees you keep leaving the door unlocked we’re never gonna drive again.”
Dustin shook his head in exasperation, walking into the mall. Steve and Robin were both behind the counter, bickering about something. Lara rang the bell. They both looked at her. “Can I do salted caramel today?”
Steve sighed. “You’ve eaten so many dollars worth of ice cream.”
Lara widened her eyes. “And you’re exploiting my brother… I can just take him home-”
Steve interjected. “Okay, okay, jeez… Salted caramel coming up.”
Lara grinned. ‘That wasn’t so hard, was it?”
Steve just handed her the cup of ice cream. Lara mouthed, “Thank youuu.”
Steve cleared his throat. “Hey, Lara?”
She turned around, pulling the spoon out of her mouth. “Yeah?”
He smiled. “I like how you did your hair today.”
She felt so seen it burned. “Thanks,” she whispered, disappearing behind the door.
Once in the backroom of Scoops, Lara plopped down at the desk. She looked at Robin. “Where’s Dustin?” “The roof. Spying on the Russians.”
Lara’s eyes widened to the size of saucers. “Pardon? He’s up there, alone, spying on heavily armed Russian guards? And nothing about that screamed ‘not safe for a 14 year old?’ Does no one ask permission anymore?”
Steve peaked his head through the sliding window separating the front of the store from the back. “Not his keeper.”
“But I am his older sister and my only job concerning him is keeping him safe!” Lara took a deep breath, calming herself. “It’s okay. He’s fine.”
She finished her ice cream and then walked back out to the front, glaring at Steve until he realized she wanted another one and gave it to her. After a while, Dustin returned, panting, binoculars in hand. “There’s a keycard that opens the door, but unfortunately, the Russian with this keycard also has a massive gun. Whatever’s in this room, whatever’s in those boxes, they really don’t want anybody finding it.”
Lara let out a big breath, slouching back into her chair. Steve twirled his hat on his finger. She ran her hands through her hair, dragging them down her face. Robin looked down at her hands. “But there’s gotta be a way in.”
Steve leaned forward, a smug look on his face. “Well, you know… I could just take him out.”
That got Lara’s attention. She barked a laugh, sitting up, looking at Steve with her crinkled eyes and agape mouth. “You can’t be serious.”
He looked surprised. “What!?”
“You got your shit rocked by Jonathan Byers and think you can take out a Soviet?”
Steve scoffed. “Okay, that was two years ago! Maybe I’ve had more practice since then, you don’t know.” Lara pretended like she didn’t notice Dustin stiffen slightly.
Even Robin looked bewildered. Steve sighed. “C’mon. I sneak up behind him, I knock him out, and I take his keycard. It’s easy.”
Lara gestured her thumb to Steve, looking at Dustin. ‘Whoa-ho-ho, get a load of this guy.”
Dustin grinned a toothy grin and laughed. “Did you not hear the part about the massive gun, or…?”
Steve looked annoyed. “Yes, Dustin, I did. And that’s why I would be sneaking.”
Lara nodded her head. “Look, Steve, I don’t mean to undermine your capabilities, but these Commies have been, like, fighting bears in Siberia since they were five months old and you befriend children and work in an ice cream parlor.” Lara made a demonstration with her hands to show the unevenness. Her tone wasn’t mean, just concerned.
Dustin nodded slightly. “Tell me this, and be honest… have you actually won a fight?”
Steve rolled his eyes. “It was one time. Jonathan.”
Dustin interjected. “Twice. Billy.”
Lara laughed. “Billy Hargrove?”
Steve rolled his eyes again. “Look, the Jonathan fight doesn’t even count.”
Dustin raised his eyebrows. “How does it not count?” Lara leaned her head in. “Yeah, I saw you the next day… not a pretty sight, Steve.”
Steve gave her the finger and she leaned back, leaving the two of them to bicker like siblings. Lara sighed, looking around the room, until both her and Robin’s eyes were both caught on what could possibly be the solution to their problems. “You thinking what I’m thinking?” Robin nodded.
“Hate to break up your quarrel, but we might just have a solution.” By the time Lara was finished speaking, Robin had already taken a handful of cash from the tip jar and grabbed her bike helmet.
“Robin! What’re you doing?” Steve followed her out of her store.
Lara gently guided him back inside. “Let her do her thing, I’ll explain.” She pointed to the air duct. “Even a loading dock needs ventilation. Now, I don’t know what Robin is doing, but let’s wait for her.” She looked at Dustin who was already reaching for it. “So park it.”
Steve cracked his knuckles. “Who’s gonna go in?”
“Well, not you.”
Steve threw his hands up. “I cannot do anything, apparently.”
“Look at the measurements there, Bucko. It would be a tight squeeze even for me.”
Steve laughed. “You’re not going.”
“Bold of you to assume.” She felt a twinge of panic. Her life, her decision.
Steve gestured to Dustin. “He can go.”
“Oh no way in hell! If I can’t go, Dustin is definitely not going.”
Now Dustin looked annoyed. “I can make my own decisions.”
For the next hour, they argued passionately about who was going to go into the vent, still arguing when Robin burst into the backroom with rolls of papers under her arm. She had a huge grin on her face. “It is fascinating what 20 bucks will get you at the County Recorder’s Office.”
Lara was highly impressed when Robin unrolled a blueprint for Starcourt Mall. “Look at you, Robin, taking initiative.”
Robin grinned, pointing to the bottom corner of the map. “So this is us, Scoops, “ she moved her finger to the top, “and this is where we want to get.”
Steve nodded. “But does it show air ducts?”
Robin’s grin grew even wider, peeling away the top layer, revealing another one. One that showed air ducts. She ran over to the whiteboard, grabbing a dry erase marker and marking the way from Scoops to the loading dock. “This secret room needs air like any other room, and it leads all the way… here.”
Lara looked at the vent. “So we just need to get in there and… we’re in?”
They nodded. Lara stood up, wiping her hands on her pants. “Who has a screw driver?”
Steve scrambled over to the shelf, digging around in the boxes until he pulled out a black and yellow screwdriver. “That’s really high up.”
“Ladder, anyone?”
Robin nodded, dragging Dustin into the hallway behind Scoops and coming back with the ladder. Steve climbed it, unscrewing the grate and making grabby hands until Dustin produced a flashlight.
Steve tsked. “It’s pretty small…”
Lara tried to move him off the ladder. “Let me try.”
“You’re not gonna fit-”
Lara pulled him off the ladder. “Woah, go fuck yourself.”
Steve flinched. “Yeah, sorry, too far, you should try.”
Lara gave him a tight lipped smile and snatched the flashlight, going up the ladder and getting shoulder deep in the vent. “Okay, Dustin, grab my ankles and shove.”
Dustin climbed up the first few rungs of the ladder, grabbing Lara’s ankles and pushing, but she barely even moved.
“God, Dustin, push!”
“I AM PUSHING!”
“Jeez, don’t yell, just use your back!”
He kept trying, but to no avail. “Okay, maybe someone with an ounce of upper body strength?”
Steve sighed. “Dustin, move, I got it.” Steve grabbed her ankles and pushed, making some actual progress.
Lara groaned. “Maybe try my knees?”
Steve grunted. “Alright.” He grabbed her knees and pushed, getting her hip-deep into the vent. She felt his hands slide up her thighs, trying to wedge her in there.
Lara laughed. “Woah, Casanova, knees and down.”
Steve immediately let go. “Right, sorry. It’s just stuck on your hip bones.”
Even though no one could see, her countenance changed. She felt a little bit threatened. “Are you saying my hips are too wide?” Steve didn’t respond immediately. She felt him pat her calves. “Well…”
“Oh my God!” Lara scoffed, thrashing her legs trying to kick Steve.
He grabbed her ankles, trying to not get kicked in the face. “Let go, Steve! I can do this myself.”
He let go and backed off and Lara wiggled her hips, eventually managing to weasel into the vent. She army-crawled a little bit. Every inch of her body was in contact with the vent and it was hot. She didn’t like that, didn’t like that she couldn’t regulate how she was feeling. Breathing was getting more difficult and rapid. “Get me out, get me out, get me out!” she yelled, trying to push herself out.
She heard Dustin first. “Steve grab one ankle, I’ll get the other.” And they yanked and didn’t stop yanking until she was free, Steve grabbing her under the armpits and lifting her down, where she rested her hands on her knees, taking a deep breath.
“Yeah, maybe someone else.”
Steve shrugged. “Told you.”
Lara glared and Dustin glared. “Too soon.”
The bell rang from the front of the store and everyone peered through the window, spotting who Lara recognized as Erica Sinclair demanding free samples. They all looked at each other, as if to say, Are you thinking what I’m thinking?
Lara peeked around the corner, finger beckoning Erica to the back room. “C’mon, we need your help.”
Erica raised her eyebrow, reluctantly leaving her friends and walking back. Lara gestured to the vent. “You’re pretty bite sized. Do you think you could comfortably fit in there?”
Erica thought for a second, grabbing the flashlight and scaling the ladder, looking into the vent. She came back down, looking at the group. “Yeah, I don’t know.”
Lara scoffed. “Don’t know if you can fit? Please, I managed to-”
Erica interrupted. “Oh, I know I can fit. I just don’t know if I want to.”
Dustin, Lara, Steve, and Robin all looked at each other.
Robin raised her eyebrows. “Are you claustrophobic?”
Erica snickered. “I don’t have phobias.”
Steve looked exasperated. “Okay, well, what’s the problem?”
The little girl rested her hands on the table. “The problem is that I still don’t know what’s in this for Erica.”
Lara pinched the bridge of her nose, muttering, “Oh my god.” She crouched down, getting on Erica’s level. “Listen, I was your age when you were squirted out into this world.” Steve made a concerned face at Lara’s verbiage, but she carried on. “And when I was your age, I listened to the grown ups around me. I know Steve is basically one of you all, but I’m grown, so you should just listen.” She felt useless that she couldn’t get a child to cooperate.
Erica didn’t even flinch. “As it stands, whatever it is you all are planning to do relies on someone who can fit into an air duct. Me. And I don’t have to do anything I don’t want to do. The only way you’ll make me want to do this is if you make it worth it.”
“Kids these days, holy shit.” Lara leaned back on her heels, looking at Steve and Robin. “The balls they have; can you believe this?”
Nevertheless, copious amounts of ice cream later, they were all crowded around Erica in a booth, watching as she examined the prize in front of her. Lara rolled her eyes. “Happy?”
Erica pushed her USS Butterscotch back across the table. “More fudge please.” In that moment, Lara vowed to never have children as one exchange with some random ten year old wanted to make her rip her hair out.
Steve put on a smile so sweet it made her want to gag, taking the ice cream extravaganza back for more fudge. Lara looked at Erica. “You are one horrible little girl.”
Erica rolled her eyes. “I’m not gonna waste my power I hold over each and every one and you.”
Robin just ignored her, pulling out the map of the air ducts. “Okay, you see this?” She traced her finger over the previously drawn Expo marker line. “This is the route you’re going to take.” She flipped over the map, pointing to the loading dock. “Then we just wait for the last delivery to go out tonight. Then you just knock out the grate, jump down, open the door.”
Erica took a bite of her ice cream. “Then you find out what’s in those boxes?”
Lara clapped her hands together. “Exactly!”
Erica hummed. “And you say this guard is armed.”
“Yes, but he won’t be there,” Dustin responded quickly.
“And booby traps?”
Lara raised her eyebrows. “You are aware the rest of the mall isn’t pirate themed, right?”
“You know what this half-baked plan of yours sounds like to me?” Dustin and Lara exchanged vaguely annoyed looks. “Child endangerment.”
Lara sighed. “It churns my stomach, Erica, really-”
Erica interrupted, again. “Ah-ah-ah. Child. Endangerment.”
Dustin put on a calm face. “Erica, hi. We think these Russians want to do harm to our country. Great harm. Don‘t you love your country?”
Erica didn’t even bother to make eye contact. “You can’t spell America without Erica.”
Lara tilts her head to the side. “That’s… true.” Erica slurped her milkshake purposefully loud.
Dustin leaned in a bit. “So, so, don’t do this for us. Do it for your country. Do it for your fellow man. Do this for America… Erica.”
Lara reached out to pat her hand. “Liberty or death.”
Erica set down her milkshake. “Oh! I just got the chills.” Dustin and Lara both smiled. Erica laughed. “Oh, yeah, from this float, not your speech.” Lara pursed her lips.
“You are one rude little girl, you know that?” Erica rested her elbows on the table. “You know what I love most about this country? Capitalism. Do you know what capitalism is?”
Lara felt rage almost bubble inside her at this little girl. “Yes.”
Erica carried on. “It means this is a free market system. Which means people get paid for their services, depending on how valuable their contributions are.” Lara just stared blankly at the wall, completely in disbelief over this little girl. “And it seems to me, my ability to fit into that little vent is very, very valuable to you all. So, you want my help?” By this point, Dustin and Lara were both visibly enraged by the gall she had. “This USS Butterscotch better be the first of many. And I’m talking free ice cream for life.”
They all stared in despair as she ate that stupid maraschino cherry. Lara put her elbows on the table. “Okay, Erica, maybe when you step out there, capitalism is rampant and democracy rules, but when you step in here, it’s an autocracy. Do you know what that is?” Lara asked condescendingly.
Erica rolled her eyes and nodded. “What we say goes. So, sure, we’ll entertain your little fee, but remember, we call the shots.” Lara got up and stormed to the backroom, where Steve was looking for fudge to refill the machine. “Do you have a smoke?”
Steve raised his eyebrows and shook his head. “Does Robin?”
Steve gestured to her bag on the shelf. “I dunno, probably.”
Lara dug around in the bag, pulling out a loosie and a lighter. She went into the hallway to smoke it. After a few moments, Steve followed her out. “Didn’t know you still smoked.”
Lara breathed out the smoke. “I don’t.” Steve just stared at her. “Well, only when I don’t have any control over anything happening around me. I can’t even get a child to listen.” Lara laughed.
Steve cracked a smile. “She’s like that.”
Lara passed him the smoke. “You look like you need it.”
Steve took a drag. “I haven’t smoked since junior year. It kinda stings.”
“It’s been more of a default lately. Like a reflex when I feel lost.”
Steve cocked his head to the side. “Lost?”
Lara sighed. “I thought college would help me find who I am, but it just made me even more confused. I was horrible in high school, to you and Nancy and Jonathan especially, and I hate myself for that. And I hate that being back here makes me be that person I despise so much again.”
Steve’s eyes were soft. She’d never been that honest with anyone, and here she was, spilling her identity crisis to Steve Harrington. “I don’t hold it against you, you know. I never did.”
“I do.” Lara sighed. “I knew I was just like Carol and I didn’t make any effort to change. I knew I was awful and I let it happen. I just wanted to fit in so bad.”
Steve nodded. “You’re not like Carol. You’re not like Tommy. You’re not like any of them, okay? You’re Lara and you’ve always been Lara.” She just stared at him. “I saw it when you walked in here for the first time. I saw you were pretending. It’s small things, but you’re different than you were, even if you can’t see it.”
She looked at him. Hard. Her walls were down. She inhaled deeply from the cigarette. She didn’t know what to say. Steve just looked back at her and she felt like she was being seen for the first time. That he was seeing who she wanted him to see, but this time it wasn’t pretend.
He gently reached out, grabbing her forearm. “Trust me, I know what being lost feels like. What being pressured to be someone you’re not feels like. I always knew you weren’t like them.” Steve laughed a little bit. “Maybe you were pretty awful in high school, but this right here is who Lara really is.”
Lara looked at the ground. She felt very exposed and she fought to keep the walls down. It took her a second, but she felt the smallest flicker of recognition in her. Of something she’d been searching for for a year. New Lara. She chewed on her lip before looking back up at Steve. “Thank you.”
He squeezed her arm. “You’re welcome.”
She took a shuddering breath. “Closure I needed, oddly enough.”
They just looked at each other for what felt like an hour until Dustin barged into the hallway, observing them with a confused look. Lara immediately backed off, standing like a deer in headlights before brushing past Dustin and back into Scoops.
She heard Dustin muttering something quietly, only picking up, “Really dude? My sister?”
Robin was in the back room, helping Erica adjust her helmet: Robin’s bike helmet with flashlights taped on either side. Her elbows and knees were protected with kneepads and she was looking up at the vent.
Dustin cleared his throat, trying to clear up the tension in the air. “So, we’ll go on the roof and keep lookout while Erica maneuvers to the loading dock.”
Lara sucked air through her teeth. “I’m not sure how comfortable I am sending some child through the vents by herself.”
Steve rolled his eyes, gesturing to the vent. “You wanna go back in there?”
“That’s not what I’m saying. I mean like, is this even a good idea?” She shuddered as the responsibility she felt crept up on here.
Dustin looked irritated. “Liberty or death, you said it yourself.”
Erica looked almost offended that Lara would dare underestimate her. “I can handle myself.”
Lara threw her hands up. “Fine. Let's get on the roof before I change my mind.”
Steve nodded, already heading back out into the hallway to the roof exit. Dustin gave Erica a walkie talkie and they all went up onto the roof, walking across it until they were across from the loading dock. Robin radioed Erica, “Erica, do you copy?”
After a few moments, the walkie crackled back, “Mhmm, I copy. You nerds in position or what?”
Lara rolled her eyes. “This child.”
Robin didn’t entertain it, only responding, “Yeah, we’re in position. It’s all quiet here, so you’ve got the green light.”
“Green light, roger that. Commence Operation Child Endangerment.”
Robin made a face. “Can we maybe not call it that?”
Lara shuddered. Steve side-eyed her. “It’s like 75 degrees.”
“I’m not cold, I just have a feeling of impending doom. As your superior, I feel morally obligated to not let this happen. And her calling it ‘Operation Child Endangerment’ does not help.”
Steve laughed. “Our superior?”
“I’m literally a year older and wiser. Dustin said you didn’t get into college.”
Steve glared at Dustin, who was just intently observing through his binoculars. “It’s a voluntary off year.”
Lara made an ah face. “So that’s what we’re calling it. Got it.” She smiled, hoping he could tell she was trying to joke and not being intentionally mean.
Steve just rolled his eyes. Lara looked at him, chewing on her lip, hoping for some kind of reassurance. She was the oldest, if something went wrong, she was totally to blame. He just looked back at her until Dustin kicked him a little. Dustin shook his head as if to say, Really man?
They waited until they finally heard the radio and Lara let out a deep sigh of relief. “Thank God.”
They heard Erica’s annoying voice erupt through the speaker. “All right nerds, I’m there.”
Robin held down the button. “Do you- do you see anything?”
Lara squinted at the door, whispering to Steve. “Nothing’s happening.”
Steve leaned in a bit. “I can see that.” Lara rolled her eyes and tried to fight off a smile.
“Yeah, I see those boring boxes you’re so excited about,” Erica responded.
“Any guards?” Robin asked.
“Well, I would hope not with how loud she’s being,” Lara muttered. Steve laughed.
“Negative,” Erica replied.
“Booby traps?”
Lara could basically feel Erica’s eye-roll through the phone. “If I could see them, they would be pretty shit traps, wouldn’t they?”
Robin scoffed. “Thank you for that.”
After a brief, but agonizing, silence, Erica radioed, “I’m in.”
Steve ran his hands through his hair. “Oh God.” Lara felt like her heart was going to beat out of her chest. Steve looked at her. “You’re… shaking?”
“I’m not good under pressure so shut up about it.”
Dustin laughed. “You should see her watching Jeopardy!” Lara rolled her eyes and pinched the space where Dustin’s collarbone was supposed to be. Dustin squirmed, trying to get away. “Quit it!”
Lara just laughed. “Say Uncle!”
“Uncle! Uncle!” Lara was giggling. She used to do that all the time when they were younger.
Steve just watched with mild horror. Finally, the loading dock doors opened and Erica Sinclair emerged, a stupid look on her face. Dustin was the first to scramble towards the fire escape ladder down the side of the building, followed by Steve, Lara, and Robin. Lara pretended not to notice how Steve lingered until Lara was safely on the ground.
“Free ice cream. For. Life,” Erica reiterated. Lara took a deep breath and Steve snickered.
They all walked into the loading dock, immediately grabbing an Imperial Panda box and Steve looking for a box cutter. Lara chewed on her fingernails as she waited, looking at Dustin. “You okay?”
He furrowed his eyebrows. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
Lara reached out to rub his upper back briefly. “Just checking.”
They waited with bated breath as Steve opened the box. Inside was a large, metal box. Lara exhaled tiredly. “Loving the new General Tso’s packaging design.”
Steve grabbed the handle to open it, looking up at her and Robin for an okay. Lara pushed his hand off of it. “What if it’s a bomb?”
Steve grimaced. “I hope it’s not.”
Lara sighed, letting his hand go. “Proceed with caution.”
Steve nodded, gingerly twisting the lock and lifting the lid. It made a pressurized hissing noise, smoke swirling out. They all looked on in amazement as Steve set the lid down, revealing four capsules surrounded by what Lara could only assume was liquid nitrogen.
“Definitelty not Chinese food,” Steve sighed.
Lara looked at him. “Wow, gold star for Steve.” He rolled his eyes playfully.
Steve grabbed the handle of one of the capsules. Before he opened it, he ushered everyone away. “Uh, maybe you guys should, you know, stand back.”
Robin and Erica backed away, but Dustin, naturally objected. “No.”
Steve tried to push him back. “Just step back, okay?”
“No.”
Lara rolled her eyes. “Oh my god, both of you away if you can’t agree. I’ll do it.”
Steve shook his head no. “Absolutley not.”
“Away. I’m your superior, remember?” She grinned.
Steve just stared at her in awe that she would even say that, but he backed away. Dustin placed her hand over Lara’s. “If you die, I die.”
Lara moved her hand. “While I appreciate the sentiment, literally get away from me.”
Steve sighed. “C’mon Lara-”
She felt encroached on and she didn’t like it. “Everyone please shut up before I lose my shit.”
Steve raised his hands in surrender, realizing she needed a second, and yanked Dustin back by him, leaving Lara alone to open the canister. Lara took a deep breath, unlocking it and pulling it out, releasing more nitrogen smoke. “What the fuck…?” It was filled with some kind of green gel.
Steve took it from her, watching carefully as the gel swirled around independently. “What is that?” Robin asked.
As she said that, suddenly, the room jerked, the floor moving under their feet for a brief second. The boxes on the racks clattered against the cement wall. Lara instinctively grabbed onto Dustin’s arm and Steve took a step closer to her. She stiffened, already moving closer to the door. They all looked around and Dustin looked up at his sister. “Was that just me, or did the room move?”
Lara nodded, looking at Steve who also nodded. For once, Erica looked scared and Lara’s heart ached. “Booby traps.”
Robin snatched the canister from Steve. “You know what? Let’s just grab that and go.” Lara nodded, already dragging Dustin towards the door as a machine noise filled the room. Dustin repeatedly pressed the door open button on the control panel, but no doors opened. Lara took a deep breath, her legs already starting to shake. God, she wanted a cigarette.
Dustin looked back at Erica, panic on his face. “Which one do I press?”
“Just press the damn button, nerd!”
“Which one? I’m pressing the button, okay?”
“Press ‘open door!’ Erica yelled.
Dustin yelled back, “I’m pressing ‘open door!’”
Steve shouldered in, “Just open the– Press the other button!”
Lara tried to pull them away and to the side, “Let Erica do it and stop arguing!” But Steve kept pressing random buttons. “Steve, stop that!”
Dustin also joined in on pressing random buttons and Lara tried to pry their hands away. “Oh my God, can you guys stop!?”
“Just open the door!” Robin yelled.
But then, a red metal door slid down, hinges groaning, covering the main door, trapping them in. Lara wrapped her arm around Dustin as the lights flickered. Then, they fall. Everyone screamed and Lara slammed her eyes closed, trying to stay upright as the room plummeted. She felt an arm wrap around her waist, but she kept her eyes closed, clinging onto Dustin as they screamed. Her only concern was making sure Dustin was okay, and as long as he was screaming, he was okay.
Lara opened her eyes, fumbling over to the control pad, dragging Steve along with her since it was his arm around her waist. She tried to keep her bearings as she pressed every button as everyone screamed.
“Screaming in my fucking ear isn’t gonna make it stop, Steve!” Lara yelled in exasperation. “Why won’t these buttons work!?” “We’re going down!” Steve screamed.
Lara wrapped her arms around Dustin in a bear hug. “I love you. I love you so much even if I pretend I don’t. You’re my favorite person.”
Dustin hugged her back. “I love you, too! You’re my favorite person, too!” His voice was raspy as his face was on her shoulder. They both felt Steve wrap her arms around them both.
When Erica started screaming and pressing buttons, Dustin pried out of his sister’s arms to press buttons again. Everyone was screaming, the room was shaking, Lara covered her ears, feeling overwhelmed about the prospect of death. Steve still had his arms around her.
Finally, the room stopped dropping, Steve and Lara falling to the ground, a box falling on top of Steve. He winced, “Ow, my groin. It fell on my groin!”
Lara grimaced, rolling away from him.
Steve scoffed. “Lara! Help!”
She rolled her eyes and helped lift the box off of Steve. He was panting and Lara helped him off the ground.
Robin got up off the ground. “Is everyone okay?”
“Well his groin is damaged.”
Steve glared at Lara, who was already by Dustin. “Are you okay?” She grabbed his face, squishing his cheeks and he nodded. She moved over to Erica. “Are you okay?” Erica nodded.
Steve shrugged. “Are you going to ask if I’m okay?”
“Obviously you have that groin injury.”
Steve rolled his eyes, walking over to the control panel. “I think we’ve established that those buttons don’t work,” Robin reminded.
“They’re buttons, they have to do something!” Steve replied, flailing his arms in front of him.
“Hey, don’t berate her,” Lara scolded.
“I’m not berating her!” Steve responded.
Robin sighed. “Yeah, the buttons do something if we have a keycard.”
Steve dragged his hands down his face. “A what?”
Lara looked at Dustin. “Harvard bound.”
Robin just stared at him like he was stupid. “It’s an electronic lock. Same as the loading dock door. If we don’t have a keycard, it won’t operate, meaning…”
Dustin sighed. “We’re stuck in here.”
Lara felt extremely panicked. It was her obligation to protect Dustin, to keep him safe and happy. For ten years she had done that. For ten years, she had watched over him, making sure he was fine. But now, they were stuck in an elevator. She had to force herself to remain calm for everybody. “Fuck,” she muttered, smoothing her hair. “How about we all take a deep breath, hm? Yelling will get us nowhere.” Lara demonstrated a deep breath, encouraging them all to do it, too. “It’ll be fine. It’ll be fine.”
It was fine, until she heard Erica’s squall. “Just so you nerds are aware, I’m supposed to be spending the night at Tina’s, and Tina always covers for me. But, if I’m not home for Uncle Jack’s party tomorrow, and my mom finds out that you four are responsible,” she gestures to the four of them, standing there, looking so over it, “she’s gonna hunt you down, one by one, and slit your throat.”
Steve was leaning on the boxes, head in his hands. He lifted his head. “I don’t care about Tina!” He slammed his hands on the box. “Or Uncle Jack’s party! You’re mom’s not gonna be able to find us if we’re dead in a Russian elevator!” He jerked his head condescendingly.
Lara smacked Steve on the arm, her hands out in disgruntled manner. “What the hell, Steve? Not helping!” She looked at Erica. “Everything will be fine. There has to be a way out.”
“Hey,” Dustin interrupted, pointing to the ceiling of the elevator. “What if we climb out?” They all looked and there was an exit door. Oh, thank God.
Dustin looked around. “Give me a boost.”
Lara laughed. “You’re not going first. I’ll go.”
Dustin threw his arms up in frustration. “Fine whatever.”
Lara looked at Dustin. “Give me a boost.” Dustin walked over, threading his fingers together to lift Lara up. He couldn’t even lift her up. “Dustin, use your back!”
“I am using my back! You’re just too heavy!” Dustin responded, grunting as he kept trying to lift Lara.
They bickered back before Steve moved Dustin out of the way. “Here, I got it.” He threaded his fingers and Lara stepped in, Steve lifting her with ease. She unlocked the service exit and the pressurized seal hissed as it released. Lara climbed out, pulling herself to the top of the elevator. She leaned her head and upper body back in, reaching her arms in to help Dustin out.
Lara poked her head back in. “You need a boost?”
Steve laughed and lifted his arms, grabbing Lara’s forearms as she grabbed his. They were both laughing as Lara struggled to lift him out, finally managing to pull him up enough that he could get out the rest of the way.
Dustin was just staring in disbelief. “Something funny about being trapped in a fucking Russian elevator shaft!?”
Lara looked up and gasped, seeing stories of cement around her. “Holy shit.”
Steve sighed. “What were you saying about climbing?” He looked at Dustin.
Lara looked around, walking over to the walls. “Why is there not, like, a service ladder or something? For instances like this?” Dustin scoffed. “Because there are no instances like this.”
Lara sighed, crouching down on the elevator, resting her chin on her knees. Steve sat next to her. “This blows.”
Steve looked at her. “This does a lot more than blow.”
Lara looked at Dustin, seeing the exhaustion etched on his face. “It’s late, Dusty, why don’t you go back in there with Robin and Erica and try to get some sleep.”
Dustin rolled his eyes. “I’m not five.”
“Just do it, holy shit, you can’t just listen for like five fucking seconds. Oh my God, hell is going to freeze over if you just do one thing I say!” Lara yelled, garnering slightly scared looks from both of them. She almost flinched. She hadn’t sensed the tension in her until she snapped. She looked down, embarrassed. “Sorry…”
“Maybe you need the nap,” Dustin muttered, but he dropped back into the elevator.
Steve looked at her. “You okay?”
She shrugged. “I’m not big on confined spaces and everything is out of my control and I just really want a cigarette.”
Steve furrowed his eyebrows. “Shhh… It’s fine. It’s really going to be fine. We’re gonna get the door open and if anyone is on the other side, I’m sure they have a cigarette they can give you. I’ll let you make so many decisions when we get out of here.”
Lara sighed. “I just feel so… helpless. I can’t leave my mom all by herself.”
Steve scooted closer to her. “That is not going to happen, okay? There are people in and out of this thing all the time. Someone will come.”
“Yeah, an evil Russian who will sell us into sex slavery. I’m blonde. Do you know how much I’ll go for?”
Steve’s mouth hung open. “Why is this a thought you’ve had?”
Lara shrugged. “You can never be too careful.”
Steve leaned his head closer. “Listen, no Russians are going to get you and you’re not going to be sold into sex slavery. Why don’t you, like, take a nap or something? You need to stop worrying about everything for a little bit.”
Lara looked hesitant. “I don’t know… what if something happens?”
Steve smiled. “I’ll wake you up first. Everything will be fine. I’ll think of a way to get us out of here, okay?”
Lara nodded, “I guess… I’ll just stay up here.”
“I’ll stay with you.”
Lara stared at him for a moment and then lightly laid her head on his shoulder. “Okay.”
She didn’t know how long she had slept. She woke up to Steve and Dustin whispering. Dustin sounded mad. “Out of all the people in the world, you had to pick my sister?” “I’m not picking anyone! Did you want me to let her sleep on the hard metal?”
“I did!”
Steve scoffed. “I didn’t even offer, she just did it. It’s gentlemanly, which you obviously don’t know anything about.”
“I literally have a girlfriend! I’m further ahead than you!”
“Yeah right.”
Lara lifted up her head, groaning groggily. Her neck hurt from sleeping at an angle and all she could smell was Steve’s Armani cologne. “Can you two shut up?”
Steve looked at her, his eyes softening. “Hey.”
She just squinted at him. And then at Dustin. “Your mascara is a little smudged.”
“Ugh.” Lara stuck the collar of her shirt in her mouth, wiping under her eyes. “Better?”
Steve smiled. “You look great.”
“Ew,” Dustin said. Steve just rolled his eyes.
Lara looked around. “I’m gonna remove myself from this.”
She stood up, got her bearings, and crawled back in, where Robin and Erica were slumped against the wall, fast asleep. She heard muffled bickering for about five minutes and then the sound of someone dropping in. She knew it was Steve. “You drool, you know that? I have a wet spot on my shoulder.”
That got her attention. She turned around, her mouth wide in horror. “You are such a liar!”
Steve laughed, pointing to a small, wet circle on his shoulder. “See for yourself.”
Lara shook her head, laughing. They stood there for a moment, Lara looking down at the ground. The air around them almost seemed to shift–from playful, to contemplative. Steve opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by Dustin. “This is a code red, I repeat, a code red. Does anyone copy? We are innocent children and we are trapped under Starcourt Mall. The Red Army has infiltrated Hawkins, and if we are found, they will torture and kill us.”
Lara widened her eyes at the last bit, her and Steve’s faces breaking out into grins. “Is he trying to walkie talkie? We are like a mile under Starcourt Mall and surrounded by cement.”
“Hey, he’s trying to help.”
“The battery could be conserved for, like, I don’t know, later more important things…” Lara trailed off.
Steve shrugged, looking back towards the exit. “I can go tell him to knock it off…”
Lara just sat on the floor in the corner, resting her head against the wall, looking pathetic. Everyone down there looked pathetic. At least she wasn’t in a sailor outfit.
She watched Steve climb out onto the top of the elevator. Robin stirred, sitting up. Lara gestured to the hatch. “They’re trying to radio us out of here.”
Robin nodded. “Brilliant.”
Lara leaned her head back. She was thirsty, tired, and her head was pounding. And very cranky. And she needed nicotine. Her nerves were heightened and every sound made her stomach churn with anxiety.
She was sitting with her eyes closed when she heard the sound of something dripping on the floor. She jolted up, looking at Robin, whose head was tilted in confusion. She pushed herself up off of the ground, walking over and hoisting herself up, sticking her upper body out of the hatch. She looked around, noticing Dustin turned the other way. She looked behind her and saw the source of the liquid: Steve peeing.
“Ugh, gross, Steve! You almost pissed on me.”
Steve flinches, zipping up and turning around with a sheepish look on his face. “Shit, sorry.”
“Just like… redirect.”
He nodded, not making eye contact. Lara heard Dustin giggle. She rolled her eyes and ducked back inside the elevator, walking over to Robin and Erica, who was now awake. Robin was fiddling with the wires on the button pad and Erica was banging one of the canisters against one of the metal barrels. Lara winced at the loud noise, raising her eyebrows at Erica.
Robin ran over. “Hey, hey! Be careful, careful, careful! We don’t even know what that is.” Robin took it from her.
Erica just stared, like her response was obvious. “Exactly. It could be useful.”
Robin looked bewildered, as did Lara. “Useful how?”
Erica, again, looked at them like the answer was clear. “We can survive down here for a long time without food, but if the human body doesn’t get water, it will die.”
Lara turned her lips inward, making a popping noise. “So, that is definitely not water.”
Erica cocked her head. “No, but it’s a liquid, and if it comes down to me drinking that shit or dying of thirst,” she smiled up condescendingly. “I drink.”
Lara looked at Robin and then back at Erica. “You’re more likely to die quicker if you drink that than dying of dehydration. That is not edible.”
“You don’t know that,” Erica responded.
Lara threw her hands up. “Literally just look at it.”
Erica narrowed her eyes. “I’ll take my chances.”
They just stared at each other for a few minutes until Lara heard a faint mechanical sound in the distance. She looked at Robin. “You hear that?”
Robin nodded, running over to the door, pressing her ear against it. By that time, Dustin and Steve had dropped back in. “What is that?”
Lara raised her eyebrows. “Sounds like we have a guest.”
Everybody was on high alert. Dustin furrowed his brows. “Whoever it is can’t know we’re down here. They’re probably Russian.”
Lara nodded, exhaling gently through her nose. “There’s no place to hide in here.”
Robin looked up at the ceiling, pointing to the hatch. “Everyone up.”
They do it like they practiced, Steve and Dustin boosting Lara and then partner work the rest of the way, everyone crowding to one corner where the glass didn’t cover and they would be impossible to spot. Erica and Dustin were crowded against the wall, shielded by Steve, Lara, and Robin, everyone breathing shallowly. Lara’s breath caught in her throat when she heard the beeping of the door open. Steve looked over at her briefly and she pretended not to notice the way his hand twitched towards her. She just stayed still.
Footsteps sounded below them, followed by Russian. Steve looked at Lara, mouthing, “What did they say?”
Lara smiled and mouthed back, “You smell that?”
There was more Russian and the rustling of boxes. Lara had to cover her mouth to stifle her laugh. Steve raised his eyebrows. “He said it smells like piss.” Steve just pinched the bridge of his nose.
Steve knelt down, peering into the elevator, making sure the Russians had left before they escaped. After a few seconds, he looked up and nodded, putting a finger to his lips to shush everyone.
They waited for a little bit as the cart they drove grew quieter before dropping back in, Steve first, sliding across his belly to wedge the canister between the door and the floor. Lara and Robin helped the kids down, following suit.
Steve ushered them through the crack, helping the kids and then Lara and Robin before barely sliding out himself. Not even a few seconds after, the canisters gave out, glass going everywhere and the green gel smoking and glowing as it made contact with the air.
Steve exhaled loudly. “Jesus Christ.” Erica just made an interested noise.
Lara leaned in, running her tongue across her teeth. “Yikes.”
Robin smirked, looking at Erica. “You still wanna drink that?” Erica just made a face.
They stood there for a couple seconds, staring at the gel as it evaporated, in awe until they heard Dustin mutter in disbelief, “Holy mother of God.”
They all turned around and what they saw made Lara sick to her stomach. In front of them stood the longest stretch of hallway Lara had ever seen. Steve sighed, “Well, hope you guys are in good shape.”
Lara laughed. “Thank God I didn’t wear my flip flops.”
Steve starts walking, patting Dustin on the back. “Looking at you, Roast Beef.”
Lara glares at Steve, hitting him on the arm. “Not nice.” Lara rubs Dustin’s back. “I think you are really fit and cool.” Dustin rolls his eyes.
Steve continues to walk down the hallway, looking back to beckon them. “Let’s go, c’mon.”
They all let out a collective sigh. Lara squeezes Dustin’s shoulder, gesturing to the hallway with her head. “This is gonna be so fun!” Lara raises her eyebrows in mock enthusiasm, hoping to make Dustin feel less worried about this whole thing.
They walk in silence for what Lara could assume to be ten minutes, all just staring ahead until Dustin speaks. “I mean, you have to admit, as a feat of engineering alone, this is impressive.”
Lara nods. “I couldn’t build a bunker if someone asked me to.”
Steve looked at her curiously before furrowing his eyebrows. “What are you talking about? It’s a total fire hazard. There’s no stairs, there’s no exit, there’s just an elevator that drops you halfway to hell.”
Lara smiles. “Fire at one end, run to other end. Simple.” Steve doesn’t even entertain her.
“They’re Commies,” Erica says. “You don’t pay people, they cut corners.” They all just looked at Erica. She never fails to amaze all of them.
Robin shrugs. “To be fair to our Russian comrades, I don’t think this tunnel was designed for walking. Think about it, they developed the perfect system for transporting that cargo.”
“It all comes to the mall like any old delivery,” Dustin agrees.
“And they load it up onto those trucks and nobody’s the wiser.”
Lara sighs. “Well, za nikh (cheers to them).”
Steve presses his lips together. “Hm?” “Nothing.”
It’s quiet for a few moments before Steve speaks up. “You think they built this whole mall just so they could transport that green poison?”
Lara hums. “That would be mega if they did. Cool mall.”
Steve tilts his head to the side, thinking, but nods in agreement. “Got me a job.”
Lara claps her hands together once. “Exactly!”
Dustin interrupts. “I very seriously doubt it’s something as boring as poison. It’s gotta be much more valuable, like promethium or something.”
Lara pats his back. “Shh.”
“What the hell is promethium?” Steve asks and Lara groans.
Robin answered this time. “It’s what Victor Stone’s dad used to make Cyborg’s bionic and cybernetic components.”
“You’re all so nerdy, it makes me physically ill,” Erica complains.
“No, no, no, don’t lump me and Lara in with them. We’re not nerds, alright?” Steve objects.
Robin laughs. “Why so sensitive, Harrington? Afraid of losing cool points to a ten-year-old child?”
Steve sighs. “No, I’m just saying I don’t know jack shit about Prometheus.”
“Promethium,” Dustin corrects. “Prometheus is a Greek mythological figure, but whatever. All I’m saying is, it’s probably being used to make something.”
Robin thinks. “Or power something?”
Lara leans in to whisper to Steve, “You following any of this?”
Steve shrugs, leaning in, too. “Not really.”
They stay close for a few seconds. “You smell kinda bad.”
Steve side-eyes her. “It was very warm in there. You don’t smell great yourself.”
Lara rolls her eyes. “I smell like flowers, thank you. My perfume is very long lasting.”
Steve just laughs. “Uh-huh. Whatever you say.”
Robin hums. “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 your way to Disneyland, but maybe that’s it. Maybe it’s our very…”
Lara is barely listening, just walking, thinking about how to get out of here and about Steve, when she notices Steve and Dustin hanging back. She stops walking.
Dustin looks worried. “You think the Russians know?”
Steve also looks worried. “About-”
Lara holds up her hands. “About what? What do the Russians know about?”
Dustin holds his breath. Steve looks back and forth between brother and sister. “I don’t know…”
“Don’t hide things from me, both of you.”
Dustin clasps his hands together. “When the time is right, okay? It won’t matter if we can’t get out of here.”
Lara doesn’t want to agree, but she does. Now is not the time to start a fight. She nods, albeit hesitantly, but she agrees. Dustin lets out a breath and looks at Steve. “They could know.”
Steve sighs. “So it’s connected?”
“Maybe.”
“How?” Steve sounds disbelieving.
Dustin shrugs. “I don’t know, but it’s…”
“Possible,” they both say in unison.
Lara’s face isn’t confused as much as it is concerned. She looks at Dustin. “Promise me you haven’t gotten yourself into something you can’t get out of.”
Dustin swallows. “I can’t.”
Lara felt like the air left her lungs, her chest clenching in panic. “What did you do?” She looks at Steve, anger in her eyes. “What did you let him do?”
Steve looks guilty. “I didn’t let him do anything, okay? He kinda roped me in. Well, not really him. You get it-”
Lara scoffs. “Do I? Because all I’m getting is a whole lotta vague answers.” She takes a deep breath, looking back at Dustin. “Can you promise me you’re safe?”
Dustin laughs nervously. “I can’t promise that either.”
Lara’s face is furious. Her only concern with Dustin is to keep him safe. Their family can’t take another loss and Lara swore to her mom the day their dad left that she would look out for Dustin. “Why would you do this? Why would you put yourself in a position like this?” Her eyes betray a sting of hurt. “And why didn’t you come to me? Why didn’t either of you come to me? Dustin, I’d do anything to help you, you know that, and for you to not trust me enough-”
Dustin cuts her off. “I didn’t want you to get hurt.”
Steve nods. “I didn’t want you to worry.”
“Well, I’m worrying, so great job, Steve.” She looks at Dustin. “That’s not your job, Dustin, that’s mine.”
Dustin nods. “I was just looking out for you.”
Lara can’t help but smile, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. “Don’t bother yourself with that. I can handle it. You don’t have to explain it to me now, just… promise me that, whatever this is, that we’re in it together, okay?”
Dustin nods. “Okay. If you say so.”
Steve hesitates. “I don’t know…”
Lara just stares at him. “You don’t even have a say. You kept this from me, you watched as my brother put himself in danger and didn’t even consider, ‘Hm, maybe I should tell Lara.’”
Steve looks almost hurt. “Of course I considered it, Lara! But I was also thinking about you. I didn’t want to put you in danger for no reason.”
Lara narrows her eyes. “My safety is not your concern when it comes to Dustin. I make the calls there, not you.”
“I don’t care, Lara. I’m not going to apologize for caring about you.”
Her face softens. She wants to be mad at him for not telling her, for allowing Dustin to stay in danger. She opens her mouth to respond, not even sure what she wants to say, but Robin calls from ahead, “Is there something you’d three like to share with the class?”
They all look between each other, not sure what to say. Luckily, they don’t have to as Russian starts to spew from the walkie Erica is carrying. “Walkie,” they all say in unison.
Lara listens, muttering, “...feeds when blue meets yellow in the west.”
Robin looks up. “It’s the code.”
Dustin nods. “Wherever that broadcast is coming from…”
“It’s close,” Robin finishes. “And if there’s one thing we know about that signal.”
“It can reach the surface.” Dustin smiles. They all look up.
Lara nods. “Let’s go.”
They all stand up, walking with a little more purpose than before. Lara smiles at Dustin. “It’s all gonna be okay.”
“I know,” he responds.
like i know you but we never met pt. 1
wc: 4.7k
masterlist | like i know you but we never met | see our reflection in the water
pt. 2 , pt. 3 , pt. 4
Hawkins was just as boring as Lara remembered it. After having the college experience for a year, being imprisoned in Loserville, Indiana for a few months was like a death sentence. It had been a few weeks since she made the trek back from Indiana State, Dustin leaving for a camp a few days later, which leaves her at home with her mom, whose idea of fun was watching All in the Family reruns.
“Shit,” she muttered as she smudged her toenail polish.
She rolled her eyes, grabbing a cotton ball, wiping it off to start over again. The doorbell rang. Mom was gone all day bringing Dustin home, so she pushed herself off the floor, walking on her heels to the front door.
She looked through the peephole, spotting Billy Hargrove. She rolled her eyes, opening the door and leaning against it. “What?”
Billy smiled, looking her up and down, flicking ash on the porch. “Hey, baby, back so soon?”
She just stared at him. “I’ve been back for, like, three weeks.”
“Haven’t seen you around.”
She went to close the door. “Good. Means my plan is working.”
Billy just laughed, holding the door open. “Danny Allen is having a party tonight. You should come. Pick you up at 10?”
Lara’s face broke out into a wide grin. “Yeah, no way in hell.”
Billy took a step closer. “Isn’t that all you… college folk do?”
She narrowed her eyes. “Yeah, so I’ve had my fill.” She slammed the door.
Truthfully, she didn’t want to go because she very much disliked Billy and all the people she associated herself with in high school. Billy moved to Hawkins with his family almost a year ago, and ever since he saw Lara dropping Dustin off at the arcade everyday last summer, he’s wanted to get into her pants. She had zero interest in that.
Being at college made her realize how miserable she was in high school. Every day, going to school and listening to Carol shit on every person that walked through the hallway. Every day, putting on a front of Hawkins High royalty, hesitatingly joining Carol and Tommy H. in terrorizing Nancy Wheeler and Jonathan Byers.
Going to college terrified her because it would be another fresh start. She wouldn’t have anyone to mold herself into. She didn’t know who she was when she didn’t have Carol to lean onto as a crutch.
Towards the end of senior year, she stopped answering the phone entirely and just left school after lunch to avoid everyone. She distanced herself, trying to give herself a purpose for when she inevitably had to leave. It clearly didn’t work and she was just as lost in college as she was before.
During school, Carol called her one time to come home for the weekend for a party, but Lara blew her off and Carol called her a ‘jealous whore.’ It was fine because she just thought of Carol as a pretentious bitch anyways. A pretentious bitch who she was for three years.
Now, she was still confused. No one knew who she was in college, just brushing past her on the sidewalk. It was nice, in a way, to make amends with herself, to form a personality that was distinctly Lara and not outright evil, but sometimes she couldn’t shake it all the way. After years of pretending, it left a stain, like washing something vibrant in with your whites.
That interaction shook her a little bit as she felt her walls go up, concealing the fact that she didn’t know herself yet. She had stripped herself down to her rudiments, but she didn’t want anyone to see how raw she was. It was a defense, of sorts, to put up the show of old Lara because she was too scared to show everyone she had changed.
She sunk down on the couch, looking around, trying to find something to do. She boredly watched TV for a few hours before standing up, going into the garage to get her bike out. It was hot and even the breeze was warm. The Midwest end-of-June was brutal. She biked until she found herself at the public pool; maybe a job would give her something interesting to talk about.
People asked her about college all of the time, but it was just school where you happen to not be under parental supervision. She wasn’t going to tell the adults about every party she went to and every drink she drank. They would ask her about boys and how many new friends she made and she would shrug. Truth be told, she ghosted every boy who hit on her and pulled away from people who tried to become her friends.
It was strange, really, how the self-isolation she imposed upon herself became her new normal. It wasn’t intentional, she just didn’t want to find herself in the same cycle as before. She made a vow to find herself before she found anyone else, and it didn’t work too well.
Everyone’s goal in a new place is to make friends, but that scared Lara. She knew what happened with proximity, when two became one. In Hawkins, it had taken nothing to turn her mean, and at Indiana State, she withdrew in fear of that girl, that girl who she couldn’t seem to completely shake.
Lara walked into the poolhouse, standing by the counter. Billy was behind the counter. He laughed when he saw her. “Miss me?”
Lara sighed. “Maybe I won’t work here…”
Billy waved a hand dismissively. “I’m just teasing you, babe. I’ll get you an application.” He bent down to grab one, sliding it across the counter to her. She took it, grabbing a pen from the holder and starting to fill it out.
Billy raised his eyebrows. “Ever worked in a pool before?” “No,” Lara responded, not looking up.
“Do you have a high school diploma?”
“Do you?”
Billy just rolled his eyes. “Can you at least swim?”
“Nope,” Lara replied sarcastically, sliding the application back across the counter. “Let me know when I can start.”
Billy just grinned. “Bye, baby. I’ll call you.”
Lara didn’t entertain it, walking back out and getting on her bike, pedelling home. The sun beat down on Lara’s shoulders and she was vaguely annoyed by Billy, so when she saw a mess of bikes in the yard, she felt a sense of fear run through her. She was not ready for an interaction with a bunch of children who only remembered her as a bitch.
Dustin’s friends were always dropping it, but then, she could half expect it any day of the week. Dustin wasn’t even home, but there they were congregating in her living room. “What are you idiots doing here?” she snapped, looking all of them over. She hadn’t meant to sound so cruel, but this caught her off guard.
They all just stared like deer in headlights until Mike finally spoke up, “Surprising Dustin.”
Lara rolled her eyes in response and stormed off. “Whatever.” She slammed her bedroom door. She took a deep breath, rubbing her hand over her chest. She half wanted to go out and apologize, but she didn’t. She didn’t really want them to know months away had made her soft. Despite all the shame, a part of her still felt relief when the kids’ averted their eyes when she walked past, the recognition of the sharp tongue that she never hesitated to use.
She rummaged around in her dresser, pulling out a pink swimsuit. She didn’t want to be in her room all day, but she didn’t want to be around anyone else, so her solution was tanning on the deck. She got dressed and looked in the mirror, fluffing her hair before going out on the deck. She rubbed sunscreen all over and laid out on the sun lounger until she heard her mom’s car pull in the driveway and Dustin’s ceaseless chatter.
She heard Dustin clomp through the house to his room and her mom squall, “Lara! Come say hi to your brother!”
Lara groaned and sat up, giving Dustin a head jerk of acknowledgement before laying back down. Her annoyance only worsened when she heard the metallic clamor coming from Dustin’s room, followed by shrill screaming. She felt intruded on.
Lara stormed inside, glaring at the horde of preteens. “Can you shut up?” She looked at Dustin, noticing he was holding her Farrah Fawcett hairspray. “Oh my god!?! Did you take that from me? That shit is expensive, you freak!”
Dustin just rolled his eyes, yanking it back. “Wow, big word from Ms. I-Almost-Failed-My-College-English-Class!”
Lara gasped. “Did Mom tell you that? She is such a snitch!” Lara turned to go in pursuit of her mother. “Mom! Stop telling Dustin my business!” Being in Hawkins brought her right back.
After that whole ordeal, Lara changed back into her lounge clothes and plopped down on the couch, watching TV and hoping for a second of solitude, so she could realign herself, but Dustin trudged through the living room with his friends, prattering on about his girlfriend.
Lara jolted up. “Girlfriend?”
Dustin looked smug. “Ha! I’m in a relationship and you’re not, loser!”
“Oh fuck off.” She rolled her eyes and turned back to the TV. She was so bored and incredibly pissed off that her isolation had worked. She stared at the TV. She contemplated calling Carol, seeing what she was up to or if she even wanted to talk to her, even reaching over and picking up the phone. She slammed it back down, eyes wide as she leaned away from it, almost fear-like. That was a slippery slope she didn’t care to revisit.
She trudged to the kitchen, glad to see Dustin and his friends had left as she pulled a pint of ice cream from the freezer, going at it with a big spoon. She heard the channel change in the living room and the Cheers theme song echoing through the house.
She grabbed another spoon, going into the living room and curling up on the couch with her mom to eat ice cream and watch TV. “New episode or rerun?”
Claudia smiled. “New episode!”
Her relationship with her mother had been awkward since she was nine, since Lara had to pick up the pieces of the family after Dad left, taking care of Mom and Dustin. The idea of a restless summer inside with Mom made her skin itch.
Later that night, Dustin came running into the house. Lara was in the kitchen, making tomato soup and grilled cheese. “Oh my God, Dustin, can you chill out for like five seconds?”
He just flipped her off and ran to his room. She just rolled her eyes and finished making dinner.
Dustin didn’t come out of his room for the rest of the night, even when dinner was ready, so Lara begrudgingly brought him a bowl of soup and half a grilled cheese. She knocked. “Dustin, I have dinner. I even added garlic to the grilled cheese.”
He opened the door and grabbed the plate. “Thanks!” He slammed the door in her face.
She scoffed and opened the door. “What are you even doing?” She looked at the ground at the jumble of electrical stuff.
“It’s a radio I made at camp, It’s like-”
Lara cut him off. “Okay. Just eat.” She rolled her eyes and left the room, going back to the living room to watch reruns over TV trays with her mom.
“What’s he doing in there? He didn’t even come out for grilled cheese night.”
“Some stupid nerd stuff, I don’t know.”
“Ah.” Claudia just looked down at her bowl.
They ate in silence, just watching TV until Claudia dozed off. Lara sighed and got up, walking to the bathroom to shower and put her hair in rollers. She felt really lame as she stood in her robe, meticulously caring for each strand of hair. It was a rehearsal for a life she chose too early for herself. Instead of having fun, she was going to be watching television every night with her mom with a cat curled on her lap and a TV dinner in her stomach.
She rubbed Pond’s on her face and neck and went to her room. She noticed Dustin’s light was still on. She changed into pajama pants and a Superman shirt that had belonged to her dad. She turned her radio on and listened quietly, laying flat on her back. She turned her lamp off and laid there, eyes closed, but she couldn’t fall asleep. She couldn’t help but think about today, about how absolutely lost it made her feel. She didn’t want to be mean. She hated herself so much in high school and often felt guilty over it. She was so scared to let anyone in that she hid behind herself.
After what felt like hours, she slowly crawled out of bed and tiptoed out of her room. Dustin’s light was off. She gingerly opened his door. He was curled under his covers, fast asleep. He looked so much younger like that. She gently sat down on the edge of his bed and brushed some hair off his forehead. She did that all the time, especially when they were younger–just sitting there and listening to him breathe.
After about an hour, she left. She walked back to her room and dug around in her closet until she found her secret pack of cigarettes. She went out onto the deck and smoked about three. She rarely ever smoked unless she felt helpless. It was something she could control. Eventually, her nerves were calmed enough that she felt exhausted and went to bed.
The next day was just the same. She laid out on the deck, tanning, when Dustin suddenly barged into her sanctuary. “What the hell!?”
“Can you take me to the mall?”
Lara laughed. “No.”
“C’mon, please?”
Lara lifted her sunglasses onto her head. “Can’t you see I'm busy?”
“Yeah, busy getting melanoma.”
“Why do you even need to go to the mall?”
Dustin grinned big, showing his missing teeth. “I want to go to Scoops Ahoy.”
Lara couldn’t lie; ice cream sounded great. “Fine. Give me an hour.”
Dustin somehow grinned even wider and went back inside, as did Lara. She went to her room and sat at her vanity. She was going to let people see who they remembered. “Just for a little bit,” she muttered.
She spent the next hour making sure her blowout looked beautiful and her makeup was perfect. She wouldn’t be going with friends, but she’d rather die than be caught looking a mess in public. She tugged on a pair of jeans and brown shirt, putting on her converse.
She walked to the kitchen, grabbing the keys and her wallet. “Dustin, car, now!”
The drive to Starcourt Mall was spent with the windows down, listening to the radio, Dustin drumming on the dash and Lara pretending to be annoyed. She caught a glimpse of herself in the side mirror. Lara Henderson, back in Hawkins. She looked identical to how she did a year ago and it vaguely frightened her. Lara parked the car and turned it off. Dustin looked over at her. “You’re coming in?”
“Yeah, I could go for some ice cream. Unless you’re not actually going to the ice cream place…?”
“God, I am!” Dustin slammed the car door and started to walk inside the mall, Lara hot on his heels.
Scoops Ahoy was your average pirate themed ice cream place. Dustin was basically skipping to the counter. “Hi!” he said cheerily.
“Hi,” the girl behind the counter, Robin, from her nametag, greeted back.
Dustin introduced himself to her, garnering a funny look from Robin and Lara both. “I’m Robin,” she responded.
Lara rolled her eyes, “Why don’t you just give her your social security number while you’re at it.”
Dustin paid her no mind. “Pleasure to meet you. Is he here?”
Lara side eyed him. “Just order your ice cream.” She looked at Robin. “Sorry… uh.. I’ll have the…”
Just then, the back room door burst open and spit out Steve Harrington, a face she hadn’t seen since senior year. “Henderson!” he exclaimed.
Dustin just giggled and Lara’s face was etched with confusion. She had never seen Steve so excited as he cheered about Dustin being back and they engaged in some weird secret handshake. Lara and Robin just exchanged looks. She noticed Steve noticing her. She remembered who she was the last time he had seen her and she looked like her now.
Robin looked at Steve. “How many children are you friends with?”
Lara peeked around Dustin. “Yeah, piggybacking off of that… Why are you friends with my brother? You’re, like, graduated.”
Steve quieted down and looked around awkwardly. Lara just looked back at Robin. “I’ll just have one scoop of Cookies n’ Cream. Dustin, what do you want?”
“Steve’ll get it to me for free, right Steve?” Steve nodded. Lara rolled her eyes. “Whatever.”
Lara paid for her ice cream and looked at Dustin. She was careful to play Lara like she remembered. It felt good to slip back into someone she knew. Steve leaned against the counter awkwardly. “Sooo… back from college?”
Lara gave him a funny look. “Yup. Dustin, I’ll be back at 5 to pick you up. You better be out in the parking lot at 4:59. I’m not gonna wait around for you. Bye!” She walked out back out to the car, a sense of unease on her at how familiar it all felt.
Lara heard Robin mutter, “Real smooth there, Steve.” Lara just laughed quietly under her breath.
At home, Lara was back watching TV; this time, reruns of The Mary Tyler Moore Show. She groaned when the phone rang and trudged to the kitchen. “Henderson residence.”
She knew immediately who it was from the first word, dripping with confidence and faux charm. It made her want to gag. “Is this Ms. Lara Henderson?”
“Yeah. So, when can I start?”
“Aw, my baby knows my voice,” Billy said smugly.
“Not everyone can make bile rise in my throat quite like you, Billy.”
He just laughed. “Come in next week. I’ll get you a suit so don’t worry about it. I’m sure I can figure out your measurements.”
Lara just hung up, shuddering a bit. Billy represented a transitional period in her life. He pursued her with her withdrawal started and hearing from him resurfaced those feelings of unknowingness. She looked at the clock: 4:33. She yawned and grabbed the keys. “I’m going to pick up Dustin!”
She got in the car and drove to the mall. 30 minutes later, she was still waiting in the parking lot and royally pissed off. She got out of the car, slamming the door, and stormed into the mall, beelining for Scoops Ahoy.
When she walked in, no one was working the counter. So, she barged into the back. “I’m gonna kick your ass, Dustin.”
He just stared at her, mouth agape. Steve and Robin were also back there. Lara just looked around, taking in her surroundings. A tape recorder and Russian dictionary was on the table and the Cyrillic alphabet on the board.
“What the fuck are you doing?”
Dustin sputtered a bit. “...Practicing.”
Lara put her hands on her hips. “Yeah, for what?”
Steve looked at Dustin. “Just tell her the truth, dude.”
Lara glared at Steve. Dustin looked a little guilty. “Well… I might’ve gotten evil Russians plotting against our country on tape. You know my cerebro I made at camp?”
Lara nodded. “Stupid loser radio? Yeah.”
Dustin rolled his eyes. “Well… I was trying to radio my girlfriend and intercepted a secret Russian communication instead.”
Lara pursed her lips. “Can I listen?”
“You don’t know Russian.”
“Let me fucking listen, Dustin.”
Dustin exhaled and held up his hands. “Fine, whatever.” He begrudgingly turned on the tape.
Lara listened to the whole thing a few times and then laughed. “You are such a shithead, you know that? It’s just nonsense, it has no meaning.”
Dustin furrowed his eyebrows. “Yeah? You know that how?”
“I took a year of Russian, smartass. For my international relations degree.”
Steve sounded like he almost choked. “You know Russian?”
Lara shrugged her shoulders humbly. “Conversationally.”
“So, what’s it mean?” Dustin stood up.
“The week is long. The silver cat feeds when blue meets yellow in the west. A trip to China sounds nice if you tread lightly.”
Robin cocked her head. “What’s it mean?”
Lara leaned against the table. “I doubt it means anything. He just picked up something dumb on his radio and thinks he’s the next McCarthy.”
Dustin narrowed his eyes. “It does too mean something!”
“Oh grow up! Yeah, you, Dustin Henderson, of all people, intercepted a top secret spy code. Get real.”
Steve took a bite of his banana. “Maybe she has a point.”
Lara rolled his eyes. “Shouldn’t you be, I don’t know, doing your job?”
“I was backing you up!”
“Oh hop off it!” Lara rolled her eyes. She leveled with Dustin, softening her voice a little bit. “Listen. I know it’s cool that you discovered this, but I’m telling you that it has no reason, and if it does, it’s not even relevant to us. Capiche?”
Dustin sighed. “I’m not giving up just because you think it’s lame. And for the record, Steve completely agreed with me.”
“I’m sure he did. It doesn’t seem like he has much else going on.” Steve threw his hands up and went back out to the front of the store when the bell rang. “If you wanna waste your summer, fine, but not on my time. We need to gooooo, Dustin.”
“I would like to waste my summer. And I’m not going. I have important code-cracking to do.”
Lara looked exasperated. “Oh my Gooood.” She kneaded her temples. “Y’know what? Fine. I didn’t want to go to Uncle Scott’s party anyways.”
Dustin couldn’t help himself but smile. “Good! You can help.”
She looked at him, the tendency to snap not as present as earlier. Walls down, Lara. She grinned and nudged him. “Now, I don’t know about that…”
Hours later, and they were no closer to cracking the code. Lara was sitting on the counter, eating a cup of mint chip as Steve and Robin closed up the store. Steve sighed. “It can’t be right.”
Lara scoffed. “Free translation, by the way. And 100% accurate, thank you.”
“Well.. it’s just nonsense.”
Lara tossed her cup in the trash and exited the store, waiting for the rest of them. “Ever had an original thought, Harrington?” She sighed, rubbing her chest. She was anxious and wanted to go home.
Steve just closed the metal gate and locked up as the four of them started walking to the exit. Dustin sighed. “It’s not nonsense. It’s too specific. It has to be a code.”
Lara bit her lip. “I mean, it definitely could be. But what does it have to do with Hawkins? Don’t drink the Koolaid.”
Robin hummed. “If it is a secret Russian transmission, they’re not just gonna say ‘fire the warhead at noon’ and I trust Lara translated correctly. So, that can only lead to one thing: That they’re trying to mask a message containing sensitive information.”
Dustin looked at his sister. “See? Evil Russians.”
Robin laughed. “I can’t believe I’m about to agree with this strange child, but yes, evil Russians.”
Lara grumbled. “I’m not falling for this propaganda.”
Dustin looked eager. “So how do we crack it? Maybe ‘silver cat’ is a meeting place?”
Robin thought. “Or a person?”
“Or a weapon!” Dustin chimed.
Lara exhaled through her nose. “Gonna take a super genius to crack it.”
Robin stopped walking. “Where’s Steve?”
Lara turned around and saw Steve digging in his pockets, standing by a mechanical pony. “Whatcha doin’ there?”
Steve fingered through a handful of change. “It’s a quarter. Does anyone have a quarter?”
Lara pulled her wallet out, grabbing a quarter from the coin pouch. Just help. “Here.”
Robin snickered. “Sure you’re tall enough for that ride?”
Lara laughed. “Need help getting up, Steve-o?”
Steve shushed them. “Would you two just shut up and listen?”
Lara listened. She didn’t recognize anything other than Daisy Bell playing. Dustin stiffened next to her, “Holy shit.” Him and Steve made eye contact and Robin and Lara gave each other confused looks.
“The music! The music!” Dustin slung his backpack onto the ground, pulling out this tape recorder and playing the music.
Lara raised her eyebrows. “Well I’ll be damned.”
Dustin looked up at her. “It’s the exact same song on the recording.”
Robin cocked her head. “Maybe they have horses like this in Russia?”
Steve shook his head. “‘Indiana Flyer?’ Yeah, I don’t think so.”
Lara nodded. “Daisy Bell is distinctly American.”
Steve let a big breath of air from his mouth. “This code… it didn’t come from Russia. It came from here.”
Lara felt pure dread in her stomach, like a tungsten cube. She made a sound of discontent. She tried to not let her panic show on her face as she looked at Dustin. Her fingers felt jittery and her legs felt weak. Her stupid brother had discovered a code and maybe compromised the whole family. Her family that she needed to protect, the brother she needed to protect. The responsibility she shouldered because no one else would.
“No one finds out about this, got it?” She looked at Dustin. “None of your friends. No. One.”
“Jeez, chill out.”
“Please, Dustin. Just don’t. And you, Robin and Steve. Please.”
They nodded. “Got it.”
“We should just go home. Mom is probably worried.”
Dustin nodded and looked back at Steve and Robin. “Same time tomorrow?”
They nodded. Lara looked at them. “Great meeting you, Robin. Steve, it is always a pleasure.” She really laid on the sarcasm so thick that even Dustin made a face. Lara was ready to go home and shower today’s performance away. Tomorrow would be better.
Robin beamed and Steve gave her a tight lipped smile, but she was already heading toward the door. It almost burned, the recognition in Steve’s eyes. He only saw old Lara and it terrified her. She wanted to scream at him that it wasn’t her anymore, but she had to figure out how to stop lying to herself first.
The drive home was silent for the first couple minutes, until Lara glanced over at Dustin. “How did you even become friends with Steve Harrington?”
Dustin shrugged. “I dunno, it just kinda happened.”
Lara rolled her eyes. “Yeah right. Whatever. You know we kinda were in the same friend group, right? He used to throw ragers every weekend.”
Dustin laughed. “Until the whole Nancy Wheeler fiasco.”
“That’s a calm way to put it. It was a whole thing. The Great Friendship Schism of ‘83.”
Dustin just laughed again and Lara exhaled deeply. “I really hope it’s nothing.”
“The code?”
“Yeah. Like we need another thing going wrong.” She pulled into the driveway. Dustin didn’t respond, but she knew he felt the same way. She couldn’t wait for the summer to be over.
Claudia was waiting in the living room for them. “Where were you guys? I didn’t have the car to go to Uncle Scott’s party!”
“Sorry Mom!” Dustin said, already halfway down the hallway. Lara offered an apologetic smile, following close on his heels. Claudia tried to interject, but Lara was too far gone.
The night routine was basically the same. Shower. Rollers. Check on Dustin. She peaked her head into his room. “Lara?”
She opened the door a little and leaned against the frame. “Hm?”
“I’m glad you stayed.”
A smile spread across her face, warm and grateful. “Don’t count on it.” But she knew he would, because he knew she would always be there, even if she didn’t know who she was, she would always be an older sister.
like i know you but we never met
summary: lara henderson tries to find herself and finds steve harrington along the way
wc: 33.5k
warnings: mentions of paternal abandonment, smoking, kidnapping, assault, mentions of blood/wounds, being held captive(?), so much steve x oc angst its unreal, also eventual fluff trust, cute henderson siblings, BIG sister lara
claire's thoughts: this is my baby, i wrote it last year over break. so much steve x lara banter. i hope you love it as much as i do :)
masterlist | see our reflection in the water
pt. 1
pt. 2
pt. 3
pt. 4
SEE OUR REFLECTION IN THE WATER
pairing: steve harrington x fem!henderson!reader
warnings: mentions of paternal abandonment, smoking, kidnapping, assault, mentions of blood/wounds, being held captive(?)
claire's notes: i go by season, so each part is a season, picking up at season 3! also, i do use dialogue for the show, so obv not taking credit for any of that :)
pt. 1. like i know you but we never met
pt. 2. anyway, don't be a stranger (wip!)
pt. 3. if you lie down, lie next to me
masterlist
get to know me !
claire: future museum curator and current letterboxd frequenter
anthro major ! ask me all about it :)
cancer sun, pisces moon, leo rising
cersei lannister apologist and evelyn o'connell wannabe
#ilovefinnbennett
total ancient egypt dork and conservation enthusiast
writing for djolings (mainly steve), a little billy hargrove in there, and finn bennett (wip!)
not currently taking requests !
masterlist