𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐲

iii. be just like you.

     

      DURING A moment alone that James and Steve somehow got to have that afternoon, the Harrington leaned against the counter next to his boyfriend, "you okay?" He said and the Hopper looked up, nodding his head. "Yeah. I'm fine." He said before looking away. He was trying to find a good spot to keep the technical manual that only he would know is there, so he wouldn't worry about losing it and having to find it again.

"You sure?" Steve asked before kneeling down next to him and James sets the binder inside of the bin. "Yes." He looks at the Harrington who's staring at him with those pretty brown eyes the way he always had. "No. I don't know." He added before he finally stood up, crossing his arms and Steve reached out, grabbing the Hopper's shoulders gently.

"I'm sorry I brought up the thing about Vecna and Max..." He said quietly and James looks away, shaking his head. "No, it... it isn't that." He said, but it worried the Harrington that it might be. "You sure?" He asked and the Hopper looked up. "Yeah. I know you meant well, Stevie." He said quietly and the shorter hums, his eyes looking all over his boyfriend's face.

"Well, I am sorry. By the way, like, really sorry." Steve told him, raising his hands up to either sides of James' face and the taller hums, looking away. "Yeah, I know. It's okay, Steve." He said, glancing back up into his boyfriend's eyes. The Harrington gave him a small smile, which he returned before it went away just as fast. Steve squints slightly before nodding, realizing what James was actually thinking about. They've known each other on an intimate level for three years, so it was safe to say, Steve's an expert on all of James' thoughts and feelings.

"You wanna go in there." He states the obvious and James nodded right away, lowering his arms. Steve steps closer, "okay, well your dad's just gonna say no." He whispered and the taller shrugs. "I'll be super convincing." He whispers back and the shorter tilts his head, squinting his eyes. "Will you?" He asked and James sighed, putting his arms around Steve's waist as he pulled him closer to him.

"Yes. I mean, it's my dad. I've been annoying him for the past six months anyway, I already told him Nancy's been teaching me how to handle guns." He said and the Harrington grins, "yeah. I was there when she taught you." He whispers as he stepped closer and the Hopper took a deep breath. "I just want to... I want to help him. You know?" He said quietly.

Steve nods, before leaning in, pressing a small kiss to his boyfriend's lips. He kept them close together, their foreheads touching, "yeah. I know." He whispered as he leans away a bit, faces inches away as he looked into James' blue eyes. "You're not gonna mope, are you? If Hop says no, because he probably will, because he always does, you won't mope, right?" He asked and James laughed, stepping away. "I don't mope." He told his boyfriend who nods.

"Of course. James Hopper Jr. never mopes."

It was later on around six o'clock when the boys arrived, well, three of them, Mike, Will and Lucas, as Dustin was nowhere to be seen. So, now it was about roughly an hour later, and Lucas was repeatedly calling for him on the radio while Robin went inside to try calling his mom. They were also waiting for Hopper, El and Joyce. "Dustin, you're an hour late, man. We need you here at the Squawk. Dustin, if you can hear us, please respond. Over." The Sinclair said as Robin came jogging over.

"I just got off the phone with his mom. She hasn't heard from him." She told the group of boys. "Christ, Henderson!" Steve said before raising his wrist to look at the time. "He'll show. He always shows." Will said and James gestured. "Try him again." He told the Sinclair who raised the radio. "Come in, Dustin. Are you there? Earth to Dustin. This is serious, man. Quit playing. We can't wait around." He says.

When Mike runs off towards the field, James looked over to spot his dad making his way over with Joyce, as El ran ahead of them, towards the Wheeler. He used to be annoyed, or make a face at the two, but seeing them together now, he couldn't help but smile. He looked back at the other four he was standing with, all waiting for a response from Dustin that never came.