[ 𝚃𝚠𝚒𝚐𝚜 & 𝙳𝚒𝚛𝚝 ] ~ 𝙳𝚞𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚗 𝙷𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚘𝚗 𝚡 𝙾𝚌

X - Safety

Lucy was sitting outside the middle school in the back of an ambulance. She had a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. Though the specific incident causing the injuries hadn't happened that night, the paramedics had properly cleaned and bandaged the wound on her leg and the two on her face which she appreciated. She felt like a mummy with all the bandages on her, but the paramedic who had done so found some stickers and let Lucy pick out all the yellow ones to stick on her injuries, so she didn't complain. Not that she would've anyways, keeping her thoughts to herself was a specialty. 

She watched as Mike, Dustin and Lucas's parents all came, worried about their children. But she knew she would just be left to walk home, no family there to be terrified that something bad had happened to her. She ducked her head down, chin tucked against her chest. She had grabbed her jacket, pulling it over her arms and was getting ready to walk home when she heard a familiar car engine a few feet to her left.

She turned to see a black BMW 733i's doors slam shut on either side, Rylie and Steve running over and engulfing the young brunette in a hug she didn't know she needed so much. They came?

"Lulu, for fuck's sake." The blonde breathed out, her forehead resting against the girl's shoulder.

"Lu, are you okay? What happened? Why are you so bandaged up? Are you okay?" Steve rushed the words out, holding his sister at arm's length by her shoulders.

"I'm fine, but you wouldn't believe me. . ." She gave him a sad smile.

"We just fought a monster without a face, I think we'd believe you." Rylie smiled, lifting her face to look at the girl she thought of as a younger sister.

Lucy gasped, her eyes going wide. "You fought the Demogorgon too?" She kept her voice at a whisper, not sure who else was around to hear.

"Too!?" Rylie yelled out, her face falling to pure concern as she looked over the yellow stickered bandages to make sure they were secure.

"Is that what it's called?" Steve made a face.

"Mhmm! It's what took Barb." Lucy mumbled, looking at the ground with a frown. "You didn't believe me."

Steve frowned, pulling his sister into another hug. "I do now. And- And I'm sorry that I didn't before." Lucy accepted his apology, completely missing the fact that the only reason Steve had apologized was because Rylie made him. But even if she had known, it still would have made the girl's heart light up.

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They were sitting in the hospital waiting room. Lucy was sat sideways on Steve's lap, somehow having convinced him that it would be a good idea since there were no more seats. And it was, for her. For him it was awfully uncomfortable. But he ignored that fact, just happy to be making his sister feel safe and cared about. On the other wall, Dustin was laying on Lucas's shoulder, both of them sound asleep, and Mike was thinking about El. Jonathan came into the room, nodding to both Mike and Lucy who immediately jumped up and ran over to their friends.

Lucy started shaking Dustin while Mike shook the both of them. "Guys. Guys, he's up."

"Wake up sleepy-heads!" Lucy smiled, bouncing on her feet.

"Will is up. Guys, Will's up!"

Lucas grunted, throwing his arms up and looking at Dustin with a 'what the hell' face for sleeping on him. Dustin just groaned, still tired as he rubbed his cheek.

"Come on! Come on!" Lucy started running down the hall, Mike right behind her and the other two trailed behind, a little like zombies.

They all burst into the room together, Lucas shouting out "Byers!" as soon as he entered.