fireworks - steve harrington

2.06

DEMO-DOGS

"So you really fought one of these things before?" the girl, whose name was apparently Max, asked.

Steve and Ren both nodded.

"And you're totally sure it wasn't a bear?"

Dustin cursed, "Shit, don't be an idiot okay? It wasn't a bear. Why are you even here if you don't believe us?"

Steve rolled his eyes and rested his head on his knees. Ren leaned over and whispered, "You alright?"

"Mmhmm. Just, the last time we had an interaction with one of these, we could have died. Which means that that could happen this time too. And I'm not sure I'm ready to die just yet."

"Yeah, I'm not ready either. And I'm definitely not ready for you to die. That's my fucking nightmare."

"Ren? Have I ever told you how much I love you?"

"Once or twice, yes," Ren giggled.

They looked around the bus for the kids and the only one still inside was Dustin, as the other two were on the lookout for the creatures up above. Once they'd gotten confirmation that their secret wouldn't be found out by any more people, they kissed. And it was so good they almost couldn't stop. They only did when they heard thumping footsteps coming down the ladder. Ren took one last risk and pecked Steve's cheek. "I love you too."

"Guys! They're out there!"

Steve jumped up and looked out the bars over the bus windows to see the creature just standing there. "He's not taking the bait. Why is he not taking the bait?"

"Maybe he's not hungry?" Dustin offered.

"Maybe he's sick of cow."

Lucas and Max ran back up the ladder to be lookouts once more while Steve walked over to the door.

Ren's eyes went wide. "Steve? What are you doing?" He followed him.

"I'll be back, I promise. Just get ready." He tossed his lighter to Dustin and winked at Ren. "Love you." And then he carefully walked out of the bus.

Both Ren and Dustin watched from inside as Steve whistled for the creature to come to him, as if it were a dog, and swung his bat. "You said they were called Demogorgons, right?"

Dustin nodded vigorously.

"Why?"

"Dungeons and Dragons."

Ren scoffed. "Fucking lame."

Max came down the ladder yet again and asked, "What is he doing?"

Dustin answered, "Expanding the menu."

Ren made a gross noise. "Can we please not say that? I'd rather he stayed alive, and that definitely implies the opposite of that."

"He's insane," Max said as Steve got closer to the Demogorgon.

Dustin smiled. "He's awesome." Ren nodded in agreement.

"Steve! Watch out!" Lucas yelled from the top of the bus.

Everyone else looked around the junkyard and saw that there were three other Demogorgons. Dustin slammed the door open and yelled, "Abort, abort!"

Just then one of the monsters decided to lunge at Steve. Ren actually gulped when it almost got him. He had managed to avoid it by jumping onto a car. Another leaped forward, but he swung his bat at just the right time.

"Steve! Run!" Ren screamed from the bus. The kids were yelling too, but Steve only heard Ren. He sounded scared, and Steve wasn't about to make his worst fears come to life. So he sprinted to the bus and fell into Ren's arms as the kids closed the bus door as fast as possible.

"Are they rabid or something?"

"They can't get in! They can't!"

Steve pushed another sheet of metal against the door, just to be safe, as the demogorgons kept charging at the vehicle. When one broke through, Ren shoved everyone to the back of the bus while Steve whacked it with the bat.

Dustin yelled into his walkie talkie, "Is anyone there? Mike? Will? God? Anyone? We're at the old junkyard, and we are going to die!"

Steve finally got the monster to run off, but another one jumped on top of the bus. They all watched the ceiling to see where it was going. When it reached the escape hatch, that was open for the ladder, it leaned down and Max screamed. Ren shoved her aside into Lucas and took a big steak knife out of his belt. "Out of the way! You want some? Come get this!" Ren stood, knife at the ready, when something else growled in the distance and all the creatures started to run off.

The two boyfriends carefully stepped out to investigate, their weapons still out, but there didn't seem to be any sign of life other than them.

"What happened?" Lucas stepped out with them.

"Ren scared them off?" Dustin offered.

Steve scoffed, Ren punched him in the shoulder, and he said, "No way. They're going somewhere."

~•~

"You're positive that was Dart?"

"Yes. He had the same exact yellow pattern on his butt."

Max butted in, "He was tiny two days ago."

"Well, he's molted three times already."

Steve furrowed his eyebrows. "Malted?"

"Steve," Ren deadpanned. "Molted."

"Yeah, he shed his skin to make room for more growth hormones."

Ren turned to look at Dustin. "When is it gonna molt again?"

"It's gotta be soon. When he does, he'll be fully grown, or close to it. And so will his friends."

"Yeah," Steve said, "and he's gonna eat a lot more than just cats."

Lucas stopped Dustin. "Wait, a cat? Dart ate a cat?"

"What? No," Dustin lied.

Steve was confused again. "What are you talking about? He ate Mews."

Idiot.

"Who's Mews?"

"It's Dustin's cat," he said, like it was common knowledge.

"Steve!" Dustin yelled.

Lucas shook his head. "I knew it! You kept him!"

"No! No, I... He missed me. He wanted to come home."

"Bullshit!"

"Language," Ren muttered halfheartedly.

"I didn't know he was a demogorgon, okay?"

"So now you admit it?"

Max chimed in yet again, "Guys, who cares? We have to go."

"I care!" Lucas shouted back. "You put the party in jeopardy! You broke the rule of law!"

"So did you!"

"What?"

"You told a stranger the truth!"

"You wanted to tell her too!"

"Yeah, but I didn't, Lucas! I didn't tell her! We both broke the rule of law, okay? So we're even."

Ren nudged his boyfriend in the side, "Steve, do you hear that?"

They both turned around and stepped toward the screeching sounds while the kids argued some more.

"Guys?" When Steve didn't get a response, he shouted, "Hey! Dipshits!" Everyone turned and heard the noise, finally.

They all started running with the older boys while Max yelled, "No, no, no. Guys? Why are you headed toward the sound?" Every last one of them ignored her, so she gave up and followed them.