Jailbird || Stranger Things

sixty-six ➵ empty promises

"Oh, man, now this!" Steve exclaimed, a relieved grin coming across his face at the sight of the aforementioned car. "This is what I'm talkin' about!"

    "'Toddfather'?" Robin asked, quite uncomfortable with her situation and not yet having come to terms with her reality. Though as she watched Steve walk towards the car she realised she was also quite relieved.

    "Oh, screw Todd! Steve's her daddy now," he laughed, jumping into the driver's seat.

    "Did you just talk about yourself in the third person?" Robin asked, a little disgusted by the idea.

    "Did he just call himself daddy?" Erica asked instead.

    "Should we tell Reese?" Dustin sat down, checking with Robin.

    "All right, where are we going?" Steve ignored them all.

    "Weathertop."

    "Weather-what?"

    Dustin sighed, a little annoyed by the double high Steve was riding. "Just drive!"

    "Okay! Jesus."

──────

Everyone left in the mall started to say their goodbyes. Murray passed on his keys to Nancy and Jonathan, with Teresa there as a backup. Neither of the two teens were surprised to find out Teresa was already acquainted with the eccentric man, and neither of them asked for an explanation. Instead, they listened to the security walkthrough of the man's home

    Joyce hugged her youngest son, hoping it wouldn't be for the last time. Despite his arguments and disapproval of the strength with which she hugged him, Will hoped the same thing.

    The moment Murray finished with the lecture, Teresa wandered over to her dad and sister, taking a seat so El remained between the Hoppers.

    "My battery's low, but—it will recharge," El was in the middle of saying, taking Reese's hand as she settled beside them.

    "I know it will, kid," Jim nodded, glancing to his other daughter for merely a moment before turned back to El to reassure her. "I know."

    "I can fight."

    "Better than any of us," Reese agreed, but allowed her father to speak next.

    "But right now, we need you safe," he nodded. "This thing is after you. It's not after me, or Reese. Do you understand? Hey," he asked, only getting a silent answer from her before he lifted his hand to gently push her hair from her face, "I need you to understand," he spoke, getting a soft nod in response before he looked to his older daughter. "Reese will be here for back up. Not because you need it, but just in case, to make me feel better."

    "Just for backup," Reese agreed, shooting El a soft smile as she turned to her.

    "Hey," Mike approached, shooting an apologetic look at Jim. "We should probably go."

    El and Jim shared another look, the girl throwing herself around him. He smiled softly at her desperate hold, chuckled into her shoulder as she buried her face into his neck. As they pulled apart, he shot her a supportive grin, before letting her be taken away by Mike and Max.

    "Mike?" he spoke, watching them take her, but his voice made the boy turn around. Seeing his face, he let out a sigh, swallowing down everything he wanted to say to sum it up quickly. "Be careful."

    Mike nodded, turning to rush back to El.

    "That's what I like to call," Reese pushed herself to stand, picking up her backpack and puling it on, "Growth," she whispered to her father, shooting him a soft smile, before she turned to follow after the kids.