fireworks - steve harrington

2.07

FAG

HOMOPHOBIC LANGUAGE, VIOLENCE

"All right. It should fit now," Dustin said, clearing out the fridge in the Byers' house.

"Is this really necessary?" Steve asked. He was holding a dead demogorgon in a blanket.

"Yes it is, okay? It's a ground-breaking scientific discovery. We can't just bury it like some common mammal. It's not a dog."

"All right, all right, all right. But you're explaining this to Ms. Byers." Once Steve had closed the refrigerator door, he walked over to the living room to find Ren helping the other kids clean up.

"That lab is swarming with hundreds of those dogs."

"Demo-dogs!" Dustin yelled.

"The chief will take care of her."

"Like she needs protection."

"Listen, dude," Steve chimed in, "a coach calls a play in a game, bottom line, you execute it. All right?"

"Okay, first of all, this isn't some stupid sports game," Mike snapped. "And second, we're not even in the game. We're on the bench."

"So my point is... right, yeah, we're on the bench, so there's nothing we can do."

Ren spoke up. "That's not entirely true." Steve raised his eyebrows.

"Ren's right. The demo-dogs have a hive mind." Ren nodded along to what Dustin was saying. "When they ran away from the bus, they were called away. If we get their attention--"

"We can draw them away from the lab," Ren finished. "Clear a path to the gate."

"Yeah, and then we all die!"

"That's one point of view."

Steve shook his head. "No, that's not a point of view, it's a fact."

Mike ran over to a wall and pointed at a specific drawing. "This is where the chief dug his hole. This is our way into the tunnel." He ran across the room. "Here, right here. This is like a hub. So you got all the tunnels feeding in here. Maybe if we set this on fire--"

"Oh, yeah? That's a no," Steve interrupted but no one listened, not even his boyfriend.

"The mind flayer would call away his army."

"They'd all come to stop us."

"We circle back to the exit."

"Guys," Steve attempted to get their attention.

"By the time they realise we're gone, El would be at the gate."

"Hey! Hey! This is not happening!" Steve shouted. When they tried to protest he said, "No, no, no, no, no. No buts. Ren and I promised to keep you shitheads safe. And Ren should be agreeing with me."

"Steve, I really think they're onto something here. And we could still keep them safe. But the most important thing is for us to help Eleven close the gate."

"No, I don't care. We're staying here, on the bench, and we're waiting for the starting team to do their job. Do you all understand? I said does everybody understand? I need a yes."

Just then, an engine revved outside the house, and Max went straight for the window. "It's my brother. He can't know I'm here. He'll kill me. He'll kill us." Max's eyes were wild as she said it.

Ren could see the gears turning in Steve's head. "Steve. Don't." But of course, he didn't listen.

Steve walked out just as Billy pulled into the driveway. Ren motioned for all the kids to stay down while he watched the scene before him. When Steve turned around to look back at the window, Ren realised he'd been doing a horrible job of keeping them in check. They quickly ducked down and whispered, "Shit! Did he see us?"

"Yes, you dipshits. He saw you. Just fucking stay down." Ren turned toward the window again in time to see Billy shove Steve to the ground, which made him angry. "Get up! Get up, now! He's coming!" Ren shouted. He ushered the kids toward the kitchen while he ran off to go find a knife, his weapon of choice.

When he came back, Billy already had Lucas in a chokehold. Ren rushed over as Billy said, "Stay away from her! You hear me?" Lucas kicked him in the groin. "You are so dead, Sinclair!"

"No," Ren pushed Billy's shoulder so he was facing him, "you are." And then he punched him as hard as he could.

Steve was suddenly right behind him and whispered, "Stay with the kids. I got this." Ren nodded and kept them back.

Billy stood up and laughed. He yelled at Ren, "Feisty! I like it! Come back here and let me see some more!"

Steve stepped forward and blocked Billy's view of Ren. "No. You deal with me now."

"That's right, King Steve's here to defend his little faggot boyfriend." They both froze. "Oh, do they not know?" Billy laughed again and turned toward the kids. "Your protector over here's been screwing the scrawny one in his free time. Fucking faggots. I bet it started as just a little experiment, but then the little bitch over there got hooked on dick and wouldn't stay away. I bet Steve just took pity on him. Didn't you, Stevie? Or do you like it too? Is King Steve just as much of a faggot? Huh?"

Steve was livid. With fire in his eyes, he leaned in close and said, "Get out. Before I shove your foot up your own ass."

Billy stepped back and then swung at him. It narrowly missed him, so he swung back and landed a punch to his cheek.

"Kick his ass!" Dustin yelled.

Punch after punch hit Billy's face until he grabbed a plate and smashed it over Steve's head. Ren tried to get to them, but Max held him back. "Don't."

"No one tells me what to do." Billy headbutted Steve, knocking him to the floor.

"Let me go," Ren warned. When Max still didn't let go, he slipped out of his jacket at lightning speed and raced to the two teens on the floor. Billy was like a crazed animal, hitting Steve over and over again. All it took for Ren to lose his cool was seeing the amount of blood on his boyfriend's face.

"Get off of him!" he yelled as he kicked Billy as hard as he could down to the floor. He immediately leaned over him and ripped into him. He had left the knife somewhere far off, so he just used his bare hands. He slammed his knuckles into Billy's face and even stomach more times than he cared to count until Mike and Dustin had to physically remove him. And then it was a blur.

Ren barely registered Max yelling and threatening Billy. He was too focused on Steve. He was covered in blood and Ren was sobbing. Steve wasn't dead, but Ren felt sadder than he ever had before. It felt like he'd almost just lost someone else he loved, just like he lost Barb and Tammy, and Nancy in a way. He pulled his boyfriend's limp body up and on his back and carried him out to the car, everyone else following close behind. And Ren didn't even argue when Max offered to drive. His first priority was Steve. He just couldn't lose him.