𝕾𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝕾𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖗 - [𝗦𝘁𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗼𝗻]

𝐱𝐱𝐱𝐢𝐱. 𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘯'𝘴 𝘣𝘢𝘣𝘺

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐘-𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐄 - satan's baby

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 𝐒𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐄𝐓 𝐇𝐀𝐃 𝐏𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐘 pitched herself from the confines of the trunk the instant the car had come to a screeching stop. Gravel scuttled away from her hastened footsteps, seemingly breathing in relief as she soon turned tail and reach out a hand for both Robin and Steve to take.

 It took every ounce of willpower to stop herself from bursting right into the mall — Scarlet was beside herself with fear. It was still a new feeling to experience, having people you cared for so much that you'd do anything you could to keep them safe.

 Her biggest fear was that she'd trail inside the mall, circle around the Mind Flayer, only to find that they had done too little too late. What if they hadn't given Eleven and the others enough time to escape? What if Billy had found them and taken them right to his puppeteer? What if they were nothing more than pools of crimson...

 A rattling breath rasped through her lungs, and soon enough Steve Harrington was offering all of his warmth. His hand tangled through her fingers, and a light tug was all it took for her to fall right into his side.

 Scarlet truly didn't know what she'd have done if he hadn't been right by her side through everything. She'd probably have dissolved into a pitiful puddle on the ground, or... maybe those chimes would have gotten to her. Maybe the rage would have swallowed her whole.

 Still, Steve could sense something was wrong; he'd spent enough time gawking and goggling to know what those downturned lips and watering eyes meant. He wanted to comfort her, to spew words of wisdom and care — but could he tell her what she wanted to hear without lying to the both of them?

 Steve, of course, had thought the very same things as Scarlet. He couldn't stomach the idea of stumbling across Eleven all bloodied and bruised. Max might have dedicated her time and efforts to driving him completely insane, but Steve Harrington couldn't help but care about her. He'd always pictured being an older brother, actually, Steve could remember begging for a little sister so that he could be her protector like a knight in a storybook... so he could do what had never been done for him.

 To think he'd gotten two of them. Two little sisters. Eleven and Max... and now both of them were missing while a creature from another world chased after them.

 He had to steel himself, and that's why he grasped Scarlet's hand. So that he could keep her sane, and so that she could keep him standing.

 The others had clambered from the car, the sound of sneakers slapping against concrete filled their ears and Robin paused in her steps, "C'mon!" She held the door for them, watching onwards with disguised worry.