𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐘-𝐎𝐍𝐄

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"He's just hanging out with him a lot and, like.. Hellfire has become his whole life. Don't you think it's weird? He even called me yesterday to try and get me to sub so he wouldn't miss the damn campaign - as if I'd ever play that nerdy shit." Steve sighs, rambling on about Dustin's new apparent best friend. He was jealous, not that he'd admit it.

"Are you jealous of Dustin's new friend?"

"No." See? 

His fingers drum on the wheel as he drives to work. You were going with to hang out for a little since Keith, Steve's boss, wasn't going to be around today. Besides, you could do with picking out a few movies to watch later to numb your mind. 

"I just... I don't know." He huffs out a breath through flared nostrils and frowns as he looks at the road. You smile. He's sweet. 

Steve pulls up to work and you head inside with him as he unlocks the door and gets to work on setting up for the day. Robin shows up fifteen minutes late and bounds through the door out of breath. "Shit, sorry! Woke up late."

You help them set out the movies and reel back the tapes that had been returned. If working was like this, maybe you'd get a job too. It was kinda... fun. 

"Hey, turn that up, will ya?" Robin nods at you in gesture of the television which was humming quietly behind you. You do as she says, a news story coming louder through the crackly speakers now. Steve leans against the counter as Robin pulls up a chair. You stand closer to it, face paling as the story pieces together. 

"Tragedy struck here in Hawkins last night as a body was apparently found dead at a local trailer park. Police are yet to give a statement, but it looks like the horrors of this quaint little town aren't quite over yet. Updates will--"

It tunes out of your ears, replaced with an incessant ringing instead. It could have been a coincidence. An act of human violence and not something supernatural.

But your gut told you otherwise.

Your body trembles as you stare at the screen in open-mouthed horror, grateful only that you were turned away from those present. 

The door to the store opens and a familiar voice is frantic as he comes inside. "Hey, Steve." He greets and you don't have to turn around to know it's Dustin. You swallow thick, hoping to regain some form of composure. "How many phones do you have?"

"Uhh, two. Three if you count Keith's in the back." Steve replies, your eyes darting to your feet as you struggle to steady yourself. It's all your fault. It's all your fault. It's all your fault. 

The haunting mantra replays in your mind. You wondered who he'd gotten to first. If there was an order with which he was going to follow with the names you'd given him. When you turn, you force a greeting smile at Dustin and the flame-haired girl beside him. You hadn't met her yet but she seemed oddly familiar.

"That works." She tells him and Dustin shoves his bag over the counter, following it with himself as he slides across it, knocking off tapes and displays in the process. 

"My tapes!" Steve shouts, annoyed. "Come on, man. What are you doing?!"

The younger takes to the computer and begins typing frantically on the keyboard, not once turning to look at Steve as he speaks. "Setting up a base of operations."

"What for?" You ask, weakly finding your voice.

"I need to find Eddie's friends' phone numbers."

"Oh, yeah. Your new best friend Eddie you think's cooler than me 'cause he plays your nerdy game." Steve complains and you almost smile. Almost. There was that hint of jealousy again - he really needed to get better at masking it if he was going to keep pretending it wasn't there.

Surrender // Steve Harrington x ReaderWhere stories live. Discover now