"I didn't need a hero, Billy." Darian sneers, dusting off his coat, eyes glaring.
Billy only smirks, reaching over and untangling one of Darians dark curls, quickly catching himself, pulling his hand back. "It didn't seem like that a minute ago." B...
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Hawkins, Indiana
November 1984
。.✦ ☾
Byers Household.
。.✦ ☾
Everything felt darker, scarier. Darian wanted to go home, to the comfort of his bed. He wanted Jamie, he wanted her to tell him it would be okay. He didn't like being scared. He didn't want to die.
Everyone surrounded the kitchen table, Joyce was the only one seated, everyone else was too restless. Darian couldn't stop his pacing. "It's not like it was before. It's grown." Hopper breaths, just as exhausted as everyone else. "A lot. And, I mean, that's considering we can get in there. The place is crawling with those dogs." Hopper states
Dustin turns to him. "Demo-dogs." He corrects, usually Darian would've been amused, but he couldn't muster up the strength to laugh. Hopper meets his gaze, sighing. "I'm sorry, what?" Hopper asks
"I said, uh, Demo-dogs. Like Demogorgon and dogs." Dustin says, fully turning to Hopper. "You put them together, it sounds pretty badass-" "-How is this important right now?" Hopper asks, annoyed. Dustin looks away nervously, "it's not. I'm sorry." Dustin mumbles
El looks up from the table. "I can do it." El states, everyone looks up at her. Hopper shakes his head. "You're not hearing me." Hopper says, he didn't want to risk her life, she was too important to him.
"I'm hearing you. I can do it." El states strongly, "Even if El can, there's still another problem. If the brain dies, the body dies." Mike states
Max shakes her head confused. Darian was just as confused. This is why he was flunking class. "I thought that was the whole point?" Max asks
"It is, but if we're really right about this... I mean, if El closes the gate and kills the mind Flayer's army..." Mike says "Will's a part of that army." Lucas states
Darian felt his breath halt. "Closing the gate will kill him." Mike says
Joyce stared in panic, her breath increasing.
....
Joyce enters the room Will slept in, his body still and pale. Everyone makes their way in after her. Joyce surveys the room, her eyebrows pulled together.
"He likes it cold." She whispers "What?" Hopper asks
She seemed to only grow angrier. "It's what Will kept saying to me. He likes it cold." Joyce states, marching her way toward the window, and shutting it. "We keep giving it what it wants." Joyce says, the others begin to pick up on her idea:
"If this is a virus, and Will's the host." Darian says "We need to make the host uninhabitable.." Jeffery says, his eyes moving between his younger brother and his mother.
Joyce turns back to the others. More confident now. "Maybe we can burn it out of him." Joyce states
Shared looks from all. It just might work but "We'd have to do it somewhere he doesn't know this time." Mike says "Somewhere far away." Dustin says
With a look of realization, an idea hits him. He knows just the place.
....
Joyce had ordered the others to stay put as Hopper carried Will through the door. Jeffery and Jonathan follow after them.
Darian gently places a hand on his sister's arm, offering her some comfort. Nancy shakes her head. "Let's grab the heaters." Nancy states, marching towards the back, Steve is quick to follow after her. Darian sighs, glancing over at Mike, who shrugs under his gaze. "Okay." Darian mumbles.
....
Darian was helping Nancy and Steve rifle through the piles of junk, pulling out heaters, hoping that they work. "You should go with him." Steve states, breaking the silence.
Darian briefly closes his eyes. How is he finding himself in this position for the second time tonight? "What?" Nancy asks "With Jonathan." Steve says as if it were obvious.
Nancy shakes her head, she resumes rummaging. "NO -- I, I'm not leaving Mike." Nancy states, almost angrily. Darian lifts an eyebrow. "No one's leaving anyone. I may be a shitty boyfriend, but turns out I'm a pretty damn good babysitter. And I have Darian." Steve quips, making Darian smirk in amusement. Their eyes meet briefly.
Steve and Nancy then lock eyes. Nancy still seems unsure, but- "It's okay, Nance." Steve whispers, his eyes open and honest. They share a knowing, emotional look. They both know that this is Steve letting Nancy go - in more ways than one.
"It's okay." Steve states louder.
Before Nancy can respond, Steve picks up his space heater and starts walking away. Nancy watches him go for a beat then she follows, leaving Darian behind.
Darian slowly closes his eyes, lowering his head. Despite the distraction of Billy and Jamie, that fucking hurt. Steve was a big part of his life, he was his first love, his gay awakening. But he wasn't Steve's. Steve loved Nancy. Their flirting was harmless, it meant nothing to the older teen. He needs to get over it.
....
Mike hugs Eleven by the porch. A heart-wrenching goodbye, it felt brief, too soon of a goodbye. Mike had just got her back.
"Be careful, okay?" Mike whispers softly, scared to be heard by the others. He didn't want to be seen as vulnerable, he was already scared.
Eleven nods. Mike pulls out of the hug and fights away tears. "I can't lose you I just not again." Mike states, loosely gripping her jacket sleeves. He didn't want to let her go.
A tear slips down his cheek, it was small, and it tricked past his cheek before he wiped it away. "You won't lose me." Eleven states, bringing a hand up, cupping his cheek, "You promise?" Mike asks, eyes wide, practically begging. "Promise." Eleven answers, lowering her hand.
Mike doesn't seem so confident, but.
"Friends don't lie." Eleven whispers, offering him a small smile, her blood running cold, she wants to be confident for Mike, but she is also scared.
Eleven reaches out a hand, gently reaching over to wipe away the next tear. But her hand freezes mid-way, their eyes locking... their breathing quickens.. Are they going to kiss again??
Suddenly someone clears their throat. Eleven snaps out of the moment, and turns to find Hopper, standing by his car, ready.
"It's time." Hopper voices
El takes a deep breath, turning to Mike, both terrified. It made Hopper's stomach churn, they were just kids and this was their reality.
