Legendary | s. harrington (18+)

chapter thirty five

Overwhelmed by the tidal wave in her mind, she could do nothing but stand and step across the room to Jonathan, throwing her arms around him. He felt awkward and stiff below her but one arm snaked her back, in return. She hugged him tighter as if it would destroy the awkwardness that had rooted itself between them all. She hated this. This has been her safe space, and now she felt odd being here.

"Hi." Jonathan said to her hair.

"Hi." Evelyn mumbled back to his shoulder.

"What are you doing?"

"Ive missed you." Was all she could think to say, clutching him tighter before she let go and stepped away from him. Half of her was scared to meet his eyes. When she looked up, Nancy was still staring at Steve's shirt on Evelyn's chest. So Evelyn crossed her arms over herself to cover it. All her emotions fizzled to anxiety and so she swallowed, her hands starting to tremble.

"I'm sorry for just barging in. I-I don't know - I've been working and everything seems different. I didn't know if I could come or if I should come over..." Evelyn trailed off, exasperated, and shook her head. Finally she shrugged and apologised. "I don't know, tell Joyce I came by okay?"

Nancy said okay before Jonathan could open his mouth. Will made a small noise.

"You're leaving?" He croaked. Evelyn turned, already facing the door. But Will looked so small and young, even in his growing body, and Evelyn couldn't help but smile a little.

"Not if you invite me to play the game you have set up." Will offered her a pathetic smile in response.

"There's no game." He muttered solemnly. "They all left. Mike wanted to see Eleven. Lucas wanted to see Max..."

"Well, I don't need to go anywhere if you want to play - just us? It might be a little difficult. But I'm sure we will manage."

"It doesn't work with two." Evelyn knew this already, so she sighed.

"Hey, you want to go out for the day?" Will's eyes lifted, brighter and he nodded.

"Yeah."

•

Evelyn cast her eyes to the familiar shutters of the cafe, eyeing the door as if it might swing open until her boss stormed across the mall to inform her she had misread the rota and that she should, in fact, be behind the counter - not sat on the customer's side of somebody else's store. After no such thing occurred, she looked back at Will who was pointing at the flavours of ice cream beneath the display case.

"Hello." Evelyn said sheepishly when Robin offered her a lopsided smile. But Evelyn started to shield herself, conscious she was still wearing Steve Harrington's clothing, and felt stripped as if Robin knew everything that had happened last night. It was in the small gap of teeth she could see beneath her curled lips. It was in the way she stood, weight on one foot, and her arms folded knowingly. Evelyn felt hot despite holding a cone of ice cream and looked anywhere but Robins splitting gaze.

"Harrington was supposed to be in today." Evelyn showed her surprise, hiding the curl of a smirk ghosting her mouth. Steve had lied about working - desperate for her to stay. It made Evelyn feel warm, and she remembered the way his mouth had felt against her throat: hot, disorientating and all consuming. Selfishly, she was overjoyed that he missed his shift today.