wild one - steve harrington

backlash

'I'm sorry, why is this four-year-old speaking to me? 

'Um, I'm ten, you bald-bastard.' Erica spat back, making Roxy giggle despite her dilemma. 

'She's right, you're all gonna die, but you don't have to.' Dustin interrupted, taking over the orders once again. 'Excuse me, excuse me.. sorry...' Dustin nudged people out of the way and took the map, advantaged by his experience. Taking  tiny pencil from inside his vest pocket, who actually has vest pockets, Roxy thought, he began to draw and note down on the map. 'Okay, you see this room here? Thisis a storage facility. There's ahatch in here that feeds into theirunderground ventilation system.That will lead you to the base ofthe weapon. Now, it's a bit of amaze down there, but between me andErica, we can show you the way.'

'You can show us the way?' Hopper started, clearly not liking the idea of either being told what to do by the kids, or, trying to keep them out of danger. Either way, Roxy thought he was being plain stubborn. 

As they continued to disagree, Roxy made eye contact with Max, and nodded her over to talk to her. Max, confused, jogged over. 

'What is it?' Max asked quietly, away from the group. Steve watched over to them, stopping himself from listening in. 

'Look. I don't want to admit it, I don't even want to say it. But it's looking like things are gonna be a whole lot different tomorrow. I can't promise anything -' Roxy started, only to get cut off by Max interrupting. 

'Don't do that to me. Please. Don't do that to Steve.' Max pleaded in a whisper. 

'I'm not doing anything to anyone, okay? I'm just saying, there's more at stake now. I don't think we're all getting out of this one. But your mom will always-'

'Seriously Roxy, that's not-'

'Max, will you just listen!' Roxy grabbed Max's shoulders, showing the urgency she was trying to get across. 'I don't know what's going to happen. If something... less that ideal does, then I have to ask you to stick by your mom. She'll take care of you. And... Steve... I don't know. Make sure he's okay, I guess. If worst comes to worst. I know that's a lot to ask. I think he'd be okay...'

'He wouldn't. Come on, you know that. You're being a real piece of shit here.' Max started to get louder, avoiding making eye contact with Steve, who was trying to hide the fact he was watching them every now and then. 'You think you're alone, that we'll just... get on without you. You are literally my family. These people are your friends. I know you're not a sympathetic person, and I'm gonna be mean here, but I don't care... if you do what I think you're thinking of doing, you would be one hundred percent responsible for destroying Steve.' Max hushed, hitting her sister where she knew would hurt her. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Steve had overheard. He ran a slow hand over his face. 'Roxy, you would break him. People actually need you. People actually love you. You're the only sister I've got. Don't be a selfish bitch and die.'

Roxy let out a retired breath of laughter, blinking back tears. 'I don't know what to do.' She said, shaking her head. Of course she wouldn't willingly die, but what if she didn't have a choice? What if she just simply didn't survive this fight?

'You don't die. That's how you protect me. That's how you save Steve.' Max said, hugging Roxy. She'd never know the bond Roxy had with Billy, but she prayed that the other people in her life would be enough to keep her sane. 

'I won't die. Not if I can help it.' Roxy whispered to Max, returning the hug. After Max stepped away and hurriedly wiped her eyes, she was called over to be with her friends. Roxy made her way to Steve, who poorly pretended he didn't hear a thing she and Max were speaking about. He didn't see Roxy walking over to him - he promptly walked away from the group, into a dark, empty clothing store to collect his thoughts in private. He could feel a panic attack coming on at the thought of waking up tomorrow, Roxy out of his life forever.

Roxy hurried to catch up with him, not knowing why he was walking away. She stood next to him as he stopped, and she laid a hand on his arm, wondering why he was too occupied holding his heartbroken gaze toward the floor to make eye contact with her. 'You're doing a really bad job at hiding whatever you're thinking about. It's written all over your face.' 

He instantly turned around and caught her in a bone-crushing hug, all his strength regained from earlier. Holding Roxy that close with that force hurt him and his injuries, but he didn't care. Roxy didn't complain about how much it hurt her, either. It brought her more comfort than pain. 

'Steve- Steve, what's happening?' Roxy asked, audibly out of breath. He didn't let her go, and he didn't say a word for a while. 'Steve. You're scaring me.'

'I'm scaring you?' Steve finally (and angrily) spoke, stepping back. He held Roxy at arms length, a firm grip on her shoulders. 'You can't be serious. All your sorry looks and secret goodbyes to Max, telling her who'll take care of her... and then you think I'm going to be okay? You think I'm just going to be okay, just like that, if something happens to you?' Steve was nearly shouting, his strong hold on Roxy's shoulders getting more desperate. She could feel the anger emanating off him, so she didn't interrupt. 'What the hell is wrong with you? I am not just going to be okay! Do you have even the slightest idea-' Steve choked on his words, barely noticing the tears falling down his face. He took a deep breath to stop himself from breaking down completely. His grip on Roxy's shoulders moved from possessive to stabilizing. 'Do you have any idea how much I love you.'