Unhinged | S. Harrington| B. Hargrove | Stranger Things

It's Always Been You

The two babysitters and the kids were tracing back their path from the junkyard. Max's eyes darting between Steve and Charlie every now and then. The older teens unaware of it kept walking, their hand brushing against each other, igniting a spark.

"Are you sure it's dart?" Charlie asked Dustin.

"Yeah, he had the same yellow mark on his butt."
Dustin said.

"He was tiny like yesterday." Max added.

"Yeah, he has molted three times already."

"Malted?" Steve asked confused.

"Molted. Shedding his skin as he grows bigger like hornworms." Charlie suggested gesturing with his hand.

"When is he gonna molt again?" Max asked.

"It's gotta be soon. When he does hell be fully grown or close to it. So will his friends."

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

"We better hurry then." Charlie suggested.

But Lucas suddenly stopped walking and shouted at Dustin.

"What? He ate a cat?"

"What cat?" Dustin played dump.

"You told us he at Mews." Charlie raised an eye brow.

"I knew it. You kept him." Lucas concluded and Dustin immediately denied.

"He missed me and he wanted to come back home."

"Bullshit! You put the party in jeopardy. You broke a rule of law."

"So did you. You told a stranger our secrets."
Dustin pointed the trisch at max.

"A stranger?" Max scoffed.

As the three started arguing Charlie groaned and looked at Steve miserably. Steve matched his expression. But a distant screaching got their attention and they both turned simultaneously to where the sound came from.

"Hey!"

"Guys!" Steve and Charlie yelled at the same time.

Steve walked rmtowrads the sound and the two younger boys followed. Charlie grabbed Max's hand and followed them.

"Why are we running towards the sound?" Max asked.

"Because we're idiots." Charlie replied simply.

They followed the sound till the front gate of Hawkins lab. The group came to a halt. There wasn't no way they could go in. So they waited outside, trying to figure out a plan. Charlie grew uncomfortable with the heat raising in his body. He was dizzy, well because, he hadn't eaten in last two days, he had barely 20 mins of sleep in last 48 hours and he had lost considerable amount of blood. So he knew if the Shadow monster didn't end him, exhaustion probably would.

"Hey, can we talk?" Steve asked and Charlie looked around.

"Not the best timing but yeah the right one  may never come, so please."

Steve took a deep breath. He looked longingly into Charlie's eyes. His gaze was soft. His voice smooth like velvet.

"I like you, Charlie, a lot. And my feelings for you are genuine. And I know I can be an idiot and I have done things to hurt you. But I want you to give me chance. Give us a chance."
Steve spoke honestly and Charlie listened.

Of course they were talking about dates and flirting with each other but the reality of it was unclear. Charlie didn't know if Steve still had unresolved feelings for Nancy. It wasn't, after all, easy to move on from someone you been with for so long. But then again, he could feel a strange a pain in chest whenever he thought of his time with Billy.