The Long Game, Lucas Sinclair

sam streams songbird by fleetwood mac (for no apparent reason)

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Auggie's flashlight led their way into a room upstairs covered in cobwebs. Auggie hated spiders, so he did, in fact, hate this room. Also, Steve was right behind him, and Auggie could feel Steve's breath on his neck, and Auggie thought he might pass out.

He braved his fears and took a step into the room, because it was better than what would've happened if he took a step backwards.

"I know this one's pretty obvious," Auggie whispered as he examined the chilling room, "but I swear if Freddy Kreuger jumps out like its A Nightmare on Elm Street, I'm done."

Steve snorted, and surprisingly didn't judge Auggie for making another movie reference this time. Instead, catching him off guard, he said, "Well, I'll let you. I feel like it'd be warranted."

Auggie sent him a small smile, unlike any of the teasing smirks he'd showed the older boy.

Then he turned around, continuing to search through the room. Auggie was totally unaware that, instead of staring at the room, Steve was staring at him.

"You know," Steve spoke up softly, gaining Auggie's attention again, "for a movie fanatic... I've never seen you at familyVideo."

Well, shit.

Steve wasn't supposed to ask about that.

Auggie swallowed the rising lump in his throat. Trying to seem nonchalant under the dim shine of Steve's flashlight. "Well," he shrugged, "for a former asshole, you didn't notice me coming to Scoops Ahoy nearly every day last summer."

And, fine. If you really wanted the truth, Auggie will finally give it to you.

Auggie Santos had been hopelessly enamored by Steve Harrington since Auggie was a sophomore in high school.

It was a devastating, true fact that had been haunting him since the age of sixteen. Two years later, and he was doing something he'd never thought imaginable — having a one-on-one conversation with aforementioned Steve Harrington.

To Auggie, Steve had always just been a dream. A fantasy. He liked staring at Steve, because he was beautiful and everyone was naturally drawn to him, but knew that dreams had to be dreams and reality had to be reality. Dream: Steve. Reality: not having Steve. Auggie had accepted that long ago, but that didn't mean he could prevent himself from getting mentally attached.

That didn't mean he could prevent himself from regularly visiting Scoops Ahoy when he stopped by once and found out Steve now worked there.

See? He told you it was mortifyingly embarrassing. Auggie was self-aware he was an obsessive, stalker, queer freak. He was self-aware there wasn't a chance in the world that straight-boy Steve Harrington, ex-boyfriend of Nancy Wheeler, could ever like him back.

It just... still stung a little.

Especially that day in the AV room when he realized Steve truly didn't know who he was. Not even after hearing his voice on the announcements every day for three years straight. Not even after seeing him so frequently at his summer job.

Dream: Steve. Reality: Auggie could never have Steve.

"Wait," Steve realized, "do you stay away... because of me?"