The Jock and The Explorer | Steve Harrington X Reader

010 - King

We all started walking in the direction of the laboratory, according to Daryl who is able to see that through his mind.

Steve and I are the furthest behind everyone, as he holds my hand with a firm warm grip. I glance up at him and smile to which he beams down at me.

"If anything happens, I'll protect you...okay?" He whispers. I nod my head, murmuring a soft 'I love you.'

"I love you too, princess."

"Pri-Princess?" I ask confused. He winks at me which makes my heart flutter with happiness.

His...princess...

The kids argue in front of us, Max. Dustin. Lucas.

With Daryl. Paige. And November gossiping in the middle.

"Can I ask something?" Steve whispers.

"What's up?" I ask him.

"What...whatever happened to your brother?" Steve asks softly. "Nobody told me and if you don't want to say...it's okay."

"No, no, it's fine." I sigh. "Long story short. My brother was like my best friend. But all of a sudden he just...disappeared. Never to be seen again. Ruled off as a runaway. So as much as I know, my brother ran away one day. And he had never come back."

Steve has a sympathetic look on his face, as if sorry for asking such a question. "That's horrible."

"Yeah." I sigh. "Maybe I'll meet him again one day. He must be having a good life, wherever he is."

When he disapeared, it was like a chunk of heart was taken with him. That's why I say that I've 'lost him.'

Steve squeezes my hand for reassurance to which I squeeze back. He smiles softly, our walking footsteps in sync.

"Wait, a cat?"

Me and Steve look up and everyone stops walking, close together in the night. Looks like Dustin slipped the tongue.

"Dart ate a cat?" Lucas asks. The fury is in his tone, as if he knew that Dustin had kept the beast all along.

"No, what? No." Dustin denies it and I shake my head sighing.

"What are you talking about? He ate Mews." Steve says absentmindedly. Paige's eyes widen and she covers her mouth with her hand. "What the fuck!?"

"That's a messed up lookin' dog." November scoffs, crossing her arms.

"Mews, who's mews?" Max asks.

"It's Dustin's cat."

"StEvE!"

"I knew it! You kept him!" Lucas shoves Dustin and Daryl steps between them swiftly. "Ah, ah, ah. No fighting."

"No!" Dustin exclaims. "No..."

"You. Kept. Him." Lucas snarls.

"He missed me." Dustin gives in and Daryl gives the boy a shocked expression.

"He wanted to come home."