"The way he looks at her. Like she's the most important thing in the world to him." "I think she is."
Experiment X - that's was she was known as. A dangerous weapon that belonged to a lab in the Soviet Union. An assassin. A spy.
A seventeen year old...
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— AGONY —
"IRINA." STEVE WHISPERED, barely audibly.Irina's head lifted at the sound of his voice and Steve's heart sunk at the sight of her tear-stained face. Her eyes were glassy and red with tears and her face was a little red in places too. Yet she still looked beautiful. She looked delicate and fragile, when she usually looked guarded and tough. She was curled up in a little ball against the wall, her knees pulled tightly into her chest. Steve waisted no time sitting on the floor besides her, shuffling closer when she didn't back away. He placed his hand on hers and looked her in the eyes.
"She's gone, Steve." Irina snivelled and Steve quickly pulled her into his embrace. Irina gripped onto the fabric of his jacket and wept. She hated feeling so vulnerable, but at that moment she couldn't stop herself. It was all too much. Steve could feel the tear stains sinking through his jacket, but he didn't mind one bit. He wrapped his arms around her tighter and placed his chin atop of her head comfortingly.
"I-I've lost everything, Steve. I don't- I don't know what I'm going to do. I'm all alone." She sobbed.
"Hey, look at me." Steve cooed and Irina lifted her head. "You are not alone." He said. "You got Hopper, you got Dustin, you got the rest of those dorky kids in there. Nancy. Jonathan. You got me." He told her.
"But, Steve. I wouldn't be alive right now if it wasn't for Svetlana. I can't rely on anyone like I could rely on her." She explained.
"I might not be her, but you can rely on me. I've got your back. I'm here if you need anything. Anything, Irina.." Steve said, desperately trying to tell her that she does have other people in her life that care too. He just didn't know the extent of trust that Irina had with Svetlana. She didn't just have Irina's back, she was Irina's back.
"I know, Steve." She said, mustering a sad smile for him at his words. "But I don't want to drag you into this messy life I have. I can't. It wouldn't be fair on you." She frowned.
"Well that's too bad. Because I'm here. And I'm not going anywhere." He persisted and Irina couldn't bring herself to say anything else. She didn't know King Steve had such a heart. Instead she just placed her head back onto his chest and he wrapped his arms back around her and ran his hand up and down her back comfortingly.
"Maybe I should leave Hawkins." Irina whispered to herself, but Steve heard. He gently pulled her back by her shoulders so they were face to face.
"What?" Steve gasped. "Irina, no. Y-you can't just leave." He added. He'd grown close to her recently. Really close. He didn't want her to leave. To be alone.
