Basic Instinct [stranger things]

43. Car Rides

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
CAR RIDES

To say the atmosphere amongst the group was stressful would be to say the least.

Max was driving the car and Lucas was reading the directions. Aaron insisted that the idea Max could drive them all without killing them all was crazy. But the blond boy was pushed and forced into the car by Dustin. Aaron grumbling out protests as he did so.

Mike, Dustin, Aaron and Kimmy were all squeezed into the backseat of Billy's car, an unconscious Steve laying across them. Well, partially. The older boys head was in Dustin's lap as the curly haired boy made a fuss over his injuries, however Steve's limp legs were in front of him, tucked under Max's seat.

Aaron had tried take care of his own brother, but Dustin wouldn't let him. Insisting that Aaron wouldn't be able to fully clean all the bloody cuts and bruises on Steve's face properly without gagging or maybe even throwing up in the backseat of the car.

Kimmy didn't say anything but Dustin was probably right. Despite wanting to help his brother, Aaron wouldn't have been able to do so properly.

On the other hand, Kimmy was trying to fix the mess Billy had made of Aaron's face. The blond had a harsh purple bruise forming on his cheekbone as well as a busted lip and a bloody nose that would not stop.

However, Aaron was making Kimmy's job a million times more difficult than it needed to be when he kept looking away from her to check on his brother.

Kimmy sighed, grabbing his jaw and forcing Aaron to face her. "If I'm going to fix your cuts to the point they don't hurt anymore, I do actually need you to face me, Aaron. Believe it or not."

Aaron sent her an embarrassed glance, allowing Kimmy to keep his head in place.

Sometimes, the boy would flinch his head out of her gentle grasp. But he'd always move it back to where Kimmy originally had it, as if only then remembering who it was actually touching his face.

It was obvious the busted lip the boy had was quite bad and quite a deep cut, the boy occasionally flinching or hissing quietly in pain as Kimmy tried her best to fix it with the clean cloth she had grabbed before the group left.

Kimmy frowned as she watched the boy squeeze his hands together tightly when he felt particularly hurt so he wouldn't cause a scene.

"You can grab my hand if it starts to hurt." Kimmy offered the boy in a whisper, very much aware of the others in the car with them.

Kimmy didn't expect the boy to agree, knowing how he was about people touching his bare skin, but she thought she should offer never the less.

Yes, the two technically had held hands - twice. But Kimmy wasn't really sure if that meant the boy was comfortable enough with it now for her to just do so unannounced. She thought it'd be better to ask.

Aaron looked right at her with an unreadable expression, thinking over his options. This causing Kimmy to grow slightly uncomfortable as she focused her attention on his deep cuts on his lip instead.

The two were already extremely close, seeing as they had been squished into the back of the car. Four sitting in the backseat instead of three. Sure, it wasn't as bad as hours before when the entire group had been squashed into the police truck, but it still made a drastic difference. Forcing the twos faces closer together as Kimmy did her best to clean him up.

Surprisingly, Aaron took up on her offer, gently grabbing her hand, resting their now joint hands on her knee so the others wouldn't notice.

Kimmy did her best to hide her surprise, continuously cleaning the cuts so she wouldn't have to look him in the eye.