𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐓𝐋𝐄 𝐅𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊, stranger things 1

𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞 - 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐬

"do you. . . like this girl, lo?" steve asked as he sat down at the kitchen island. his voice was soft, not wanting it to seem like he was disgusted by the girl in front of him. because he wasn't.

"what? yeah, obviously." arlo replied, her cheeks heating up as nerves started to crawl up her spine.

steve noticed this, tilting his head slightly. "no, i mean like like. do you like her enough to want to be with her romantically?" he elaborated.

arlo didn't answer for a few seconds, moving the cereal around with her spoon. she looked back up at her brother, knowing that the both of them were raised being taught that girls liking girls and boys liking boys was a sin and was wrong. the whole town of hawkins were raised like that. which was why her heart was pounding against her ribcage, begging to be let out. "is - is that alright?"

steve smiled slightly, nodding slightly. "why wouldn't that be alright, lo?"

"because everyone makes it seems like it's gross and. . . i mean, i've been bullied for that since forever. apollo's father kicked him out because of that, and i just didn't want you to hate me." arlo started to list, her voice cracking as she started to tear up.

"hey, hey, hey." steve interrupted, getting up from his seat and walking over to his sister. he pulled her into a hug in an attempt to calm her down. "there is nothing you can do or say to ever make me hate you, okay? you're my little sister. you can do no wrong in my eyes." he told her, earning a watery chuckle from the younger girl.

"thanks, steve." arlo said, it being muffled since her face was stuffed into his chest.

"of course." steve smiled, pulling away slightly. he ruffled her hair, earning a groan from her.

"so why are you up? it's saturday. you're usually still snoring with your hair sticking up in every direction." arlo asked as the both of them pulled away.

"i'm going to get nancy back." steve replied as he opened the fridge, almost like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"you want to get nancy back?" arlo questioned, her eyebrows furrowing together as she turned to look at her brother.

"yeah. what? you don't think i should?" steve quizzed, turning to look at her with a bottle of orange juice in his hand.

"i mean, she did say that you guys were. . . bullshit." arlo reminded, wincing slightly as she watched steve closely. "and she might've been drunk but a drunk mind speaks a sober heart, steve. and you told me that she couldn't even tell you she loved you the other day. i - i don't mean to put salt on the wound or anything, but i just don't want you to get hurt again."

"yeah, but what if apologize and we work through it, huh?" steve challenged, opening the orange juice bottle before he took a swig from it. arlo didn't reply, looking at her brother with sad eyes. "anyways, we're not talking about my shit, we're talking about your shit. what're you gonna do to make max forgive you?" steve then asked through the liquid in his mouth.

"i don't know." arlo mumbled.

"arlo!" the voice of lucas appeared from outside. this made both of the harrington siblings look at one another with furrowed eyebrows before they turned to look towards the front door. the doorbell then echoed throughout the house. "arlo! come on! charlotte harrington! you told me that max was mad at you, so i came up with a plan! but we need to go, like, right now!" lucas yelled from outside. arlo went to open the door, her eyebrows raising when she saw that the sinclair boy was sweaty. "were you sleep or something?"

"does it look like i was sleeping?" arlo shot back, tilting her head slightly.

lucas examined her face, picking up on how her bags had gotten worse. "no. but go get dressed. we have to beat max to the arcade if this is gonna work."