sᴛʀᴀɴɢᴇʀ ғʀɪᴇɴᴅs - sᴄᴏᴏᴘ ᴛʀᴏᴏᴘ (ʙᴏᴏᴋ ɴᴏ. 1)

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɴᴏ. ɴɪɴᴇ

The Troop rushed down the hall in hopes they wouldn't get caught by anymore Russians. Even though they were all out of the room, Steve still felt the anger radiating off of everyone. He couldn't blame them, especially Dustin. He almost died because of him. He knew Dustin obviously didn't want anything to do with him, but he just wanted to at least try and apologize.

He glared at Dustin who was walking next to him. Dustin didn't bother to do so much as even dart his eyes at Steve. The word 'pissed' wouldn't even begin to describe how livid Dustin was.

Hell, he trusted Steve to help him and the party kill the demodogs in '84. He trusted him to help him with the Russian code in '85. And he trusted him when they arrived at the base today. But now? Not so much.

"Hey," Steve started to speak.

"Yeah, Steve, I know. You're sorry." Dustin snarled, finally making eye contact with Steve. The rage in the curly headed boy's blue eyes was unbelievable. He'd never seen nor heard him so angry before. Even though Dustin looked livid, Steve couldn't help to hear the hurt and betrayal in his friend's voice.

Dustin turned his shoulder to Steve and stormed away, now walking next to Dom instead.

Steve's shoulders hung low as he started to slow in his tracks.

Did he just lose all of his friends?

Again?

He looked down at the ground for a moment then back up to see that Dustin was walking back twords him. This time, the expression on his face and in his eyes had changed. He looked calm now, and even a little bit sorrowful? He stood next to Steve again and walked with him behind the group. The two shared an awkward silence as they walked together. Was Dustin still angry with him. Was everyone still angry with him?

"It's okay." Dustin said softly, breaking the silence.

"What?" Steve replied, genuinely confused.

"I said, you have been forgiven, mister." Dustin gave him a goofy smile and raised his eyebrows as he tried to cheer up Steve.

Steve gave no reaction. He looked at Dustin with the same brown guilty eyes and sorrowful expression. Dustin's smile faded away.

"Dude, it's okay." Dustin tried again.

"It's kinda not." Steve shook his head.

"It kinda is." Dustin repented.

"I almost killed you."

"The Russian dude almost killed me."

"Because of me."

"Not because of you."

"I dragged your asses here."

"Yeah, basically trying to save the world."

"And had all of you running for your lives."

"Well, we aren't dead."

"You almost were."

"But we aren't."

"But, you almost were, because of me."

"Steve!" Dustin yelled, catching Steve and the rest of the Troop off guard. "It's not your fault!" Stop putting all this weight on your shoulders!" He begged him. "Yeah, we all almost died, but we didn't! I'm not going to stay mad at you forever because you dragged us into a Russian base trying to save the world! I swear to God, you are literally my best friend and I'm not going to make you feel worse about something you already feel beyond guilty about!" He carried on.

"It's okay, Steve." He finally finished.

Steve was confused. After all he put him through, he forgave him?

Why?

Steve opened and closed his mouth a few times, not knowing exactly how to react. He pursed his lips and looked over to the rest of his friends. Although they didn't say anything, he couldn't read the look in their eyes that said: "Yeah, what he said!"

He let a smile break through his lips. Relieved, he put his hand on Dustin's shoulders.

"Alrighty, then." Steve sighed. "Let's go."