---------------------------------------------
"EMOTIONS HAVE BEEN SHARED." HOPPER SPOKE AS HE ENTERED THE SHOP THAT JOYCE WORKED IN, THE WOMAN SMILING AT HIM. "Boundaries have been set." Hopper sort of lied. Joyce had given him the advice to sit the couple down and talk it through, not falsely accuse Mike's nana of falling over so he could threaten him on the way home. "Order has been... restored." Hopper grinned, Joyce too excited. "Wait, wait, it worked?" She asked about her plan, Hopper turning to her. "Uh, this is the first day in six long, excruciating months that they will not be seeing each other." Hopper spoke, Joyce applauding his 'achievement' with every sentence. "Sebastian seems happier already!" Hopper continued, Joyce letting out a soft grin. "I think it worked!" Hopper jumped up and down like a dog, laughing as Joyce applauded him.
Hopper had been the only one to notice Seb's mood slowly decrease over the summer. Piecing the parts together, he had found out himself that it was Mike and El. Whilst they're both happy and in love, Seb was getting worse and worse. Hopper noticed that most of his meals were slowly including more and more leftovers and he always looked tired. His temper had shortened, as did his quick witty personality. Hopper missed the latter greatly, the two always sharing quick jokes with one another at the start of the summer. But now, along with not seeing Scarlett in almost a week, Seb's mental health had decreased massively. Telling Joyce about it, she always hugged the poor boy extra tight whenever they saw each other and treated him massively. She would gift him new books from her shop every month in hopes that made him feel a little better.
"No, stop." Hopper paused Joyce's applauding, laughing. "It's all you." He smiled, Joyce doing the same. "I'm a puppet, you're the master." He spoke, Joyce laughing. "So you remembered everything?" She asked, Hopper laughing too. "Yeah, yeah," He sat down, "I mean, I had to improvise a little bit, you know?" He admitted, Joyce's smile fading a little. "It turns out, getting to Mike, now that was the key." He let out, Joyce nodding slowly. "And you didn't yell at him?" She asked, Hopper shaking his head quickly. "I'll tell you everything over dinner. I was thinking, you know, Enzo's, tonight, 7:00." He offered smoothly, Joyce starting to decline- "Hey, before you say no, I'd like to make one thing crystal clear. This," He motioned between the two whilst standing up, "is not a date." Hopper declared, Joyce confused.
"What, a date? You never said anything about a date." She spoke, Hopper nodding. "I know, I didn't say anything about a date. I just wanted to clear it up in case there was any confusion on your part." Hopper spoke quickly, Joyce scoffing lightly. "There's not-" "Great. It's just two friends getting together for a nice dinner. I mean, we've earned it, haven't we?" Hopper joked to all the times they've fought aliens, Joyce humming. "I can't be out late." She spoke, Hopper nodding. "You'll be home at 9:00-" "8:00" Joyce corrected, Hopper shrugging. "8:30, I'll pick you up." Hopper spoke, Joyce shaking her head. "I'll meet you there." She corrected once again, Hopper nodding.
"7:00. Enzo's. Meeting there. Deal."
––––––☆––––––
"HI." DUSTIN SPOKE TO A GIRL OVER A COUNTER, SEB STARING AROUND THE PLACE INCREDULOUSLY. "Hi." The girl replied, staring at Seb. He had never seen a place as vibrant at this. It gave him a headache. Feeling Dustin tap his shoulder, the boy turned around, smiling brightly as Dustin told him too. The boy had to have a little tutoring lesson on how to act normal in public places, holding his backpack full of language books with his hands on both straps. He looked like a small child going to their first day of school. "I'm Dustin." The boy smiled, Seb nodding. "I'm Sebastian." He added on, the girl looking in between them both. "I'm Robin." Robin introduced herself, Seb reaching a hand over the desk. Slowly grabbing it, Seb shook her hand.
"Pleasure to meet you. Uh, is- is he here?" Dustin asked, Seb letting go of Robin's hand. "Is who here?" She asked, Seb looking to the door as someone burst through it. "Henderson!" Steve cheered, Seb scanning his attire. "He's back!" The boy continued his cheers, rushing towards the duo. He hadn't noticed Seb yet, the boy moving back at Dustin and Steve smiled to one another. "You got the job!" The boy let out, Steve smiling. "I got the job!" He repeated, Robin and Seb awkwardly watching as Steve imitated a trumpet. He jogged towards Dustin, the two doing a rehearsed handshake. Seb watched with wide eyes as the two imitated a lightsaber fight with one another, laughing. "How many children are you friends with?" Robin asked from behind Seb. Sighing, he turned to the two, his head tilting when he saw Seb.
"You're not allowed to be here right?" He pointed, ignoring Robin as she rolled her eyes.
"Important."
––––––☆––––––
SEB SAT IN BETWEEN THE TWO BOYS, STEVE GIVING THEM A LARGE ICE CREAM SUNDAE EACH. Dustin grinned at his, Seb poking his with his spoon. He'd only ever had cheap vanilla ice cream before because Hopper insisted on it. "Hotter than Phoebe Cates? No." Steve spoke, Dustin nodding with ice cream around his mouth. "Brilliant, too. And she doesn't even care that my real pearls are still coming in." Dustin smiled, smiling to Seb. "She says kissing is better without teeth." Seb looked up at this, thinking kissing itself was gross. Looking to Steve, the older boy was staring at Dustin oddly, as if he said something wrong. Taking his inspiration as he was older and smarter, Seb nodded with him. "That's disgusting." He spoke, Dustin looking up to the two. Steve's eyes widened, shaking his head.
"What he means is, that's great! We're proud of you, man." Steve held Seb's shoulder, guiding the boy to nod with him again. Dustin's shocked expression turned into a happy one as he smiled, pointing to Seb's sundae. "Eating that?" He asked, Seb shaking his head quickly. "What? Why not?" Steve asked, Seb gulping. "Don't like it." He let out, Steve surprised. "You haven't even had a bite-" The two were interrupted when Dustin slid Seb's sundae towards himself, Seb leaning back in the booth. "Do you really get to eat as much of this as you want?" Dustin asked Steve, the boy shrugging. "Yeah. I mean, sure. It's not really a good idea for me, though. I gotta keep in shape for the ladies." Steve shrugged, Seb turning to him. "You can change shapes?" He let out, Steve shaking his head. "Like, not get fat." He corrected, Dustin nodding.
"How is that working out for you?" Seb looked towards Robin, the girl cleaning the booth next to theirs. "Ignore her." Steve whispered to Seb, the boy waving at her happily. Nodding, Robin awkwardly smiled back as Dustin pointed his spoon at her. "She seems cool." He informed, Seb nodding. "She's not." Steve quickly corrected, humming. "So, where's the other knuckleheads?" Steve asked, never seeing Seb and El apart. I mean, he hardly saw them both anyways- "They all ditched me and Seb yesterday." Dustin nodded, Steve surprised. "No." He let out, Dustin continuing. "My first day back. Can you believe that shit?" Dustin spoke, his tone raising as Seb kept quiet. "Woah, seriously?" He spoke, Dustin halfway through eating Seb's ice cream sundae. "I swear to God. Mm." Dustin let out.
"They're gonna regret it, though, big time, when they don't get to share our glory." Dustin spoke, Seb smiling. Dustin told Seb all the way here about how they were going to be very famous and rich ever since what they heard on Cerebro. "Glory? What glory?" Steve looked in between the two boys, Dustin leaning over Seb lightly. "So, last night, we're trying to get in contact with Suzie-" "Oh." Steve grinned, Seb confused. "And, uh..." Seb leant back awkwardly as Dustin practically laid over him to get to Steve's ear. "We intercepted a secret Russian communication." Dustin whispered, Steve not hearing him. "What?" Steve asked, Seb having to lean back again. Repeating himself, Steve still didn't hear him. "What are you saying, dude? Speak up-" "Me and Dustin interrupted a secret Russian message!" Seb raised his voice to help Steve hear them clearer. Dustin's eyes widened, looking to see everyone looking at them.
"Got that-" Seb mouth was covered by Dustin's hand, Steve's eyes widened. "Sugar rush." Dustin laughed, Steve nodding as everyone went back to themselves. "What does that mean?" Steve asked as Seb still had his mouth covered. "It means, Steve, me you and Seb could be heroes. Right?- Sorry." Seb smiled tightly once Dustin took his hand off of the boy's mouth, Steve intrigued. "True American heroes." Dustin continued. "Huh?" Steve nodded, liking the sound of being a 'True American hero'. "American heroes," Steve spoke with a grin, Dustin nodding too. "Just think, you could have all the ladies you want and more." Dustin spoke, Seb cringing lightly. He didn't want ladies out of this. He wanted to know what the Russians were saying to each other. Considering he was 'made' to be a weapon against them. "I like more." Steve spoke, imagining being rich and famous.
"Mm-hm." Dustin spoke, the two nodding together as Seb rubbed his eye. "What's the catch?" Steve asked, interrupting the silence. "No catch, we just need your help." Dustin spoke, Steve looking back at Seb and Dustin. "With what?" He asked quickly, Dustin opening Seb backpack. Bringing out a small book, he held it up ahead of the older teen.
"Translation."
––––––☆––––––
"STEVE!" SEB LOOKED TO THE TRANSLUCENT GLASS IN THE BACK OF THE SHOP, HEARING ROBIN CALL FOR STEVE. The boy in question was eating a banana, pacing the room as Dustin played the tape over and over again. He didn't hear Robin calling for him, too busy focusing on the repeating voice. A song played in the background of the tape, Seb nodding his head to the beat. "So, what do you think?" Dustin asked Steve, turning off the tape. "It sounded familiar." Steve spoke, Dustin confused. "What?" Dustin spoke, Steve nodding. "The music. The music right there at the end." Steve spoke, Dustin leaning forward in his seat. "Why are you listening to the music, Steve?" The boy asked irritably. This was a Russian message and Steve was focusing on insignificant music. "Listen to the Russian. We're translating Russian!"
"I'm trying to listen to the Russian," Steve started, Seb letting the words run through his head. "A trip to China sounds nice if..." He let himself mutter. In the lab, Dr Brenner had his test subjects learn Russian, Seb now realising that the language was Russian and he could translate it. Well, some of it. "Alright, babysitting time is over." Seb was interrupted as Robin burst through the door of the back room. "You need to get in there." She spoke, Steve stepping back. "Hey, my board." Seb looked to see the 'Russian alphabet' on Robin's board. "That was important data, shit birds." Robin spat, Seb raising a hand. "I'm sorry about your board but we're doing something more important than that." He let out sincerely, Steve chucking his banana peel in the bin behind him. "Oh yeah?" Robin asked, moving towards the metal table.
"Yeah." Dustin confirmed, Robin humming. "How do you guys know these Russians are up to no good anyways?" She asked, Steve and Dustin staying quiet in shock. How did she know? They never told her. "How do you know about the Russians?" Seb asked, Dustin and Steve staring at one another having some sort of eye fight. "I hear everything. After you blurted it out to everyone in Scoops Ahoy, I knew." Robin pointed her scooper at Seb, him confused. "Steve couldn't hear us-" "You guys are very loud." Robin interrupted obliviously, Seb gulping awkwardly. "You think you have evil Russians plotting against our country, on tape, and you're trying to translate, but haven't figured out a word because you didn't realize the Russians use a completely different alphabet." Robin let out, Seb raising his hand again.
"I figured out a sentence."
Both Steve and Dustin looked to the boy, the latter's mouth wide. "You did!?" He let out, Seb turning to Dustin obliviously. "Yeah. Near the end of it." Seb nodded, a smile on his face as Robin sighed. "Why did you not tell us?" Steve asked gently, Seb shrugging. "You guys looked concentrated and I didn't want to interrupt and be rude." Seb spoke, Robin eyeing the tape. Steve looked to her, quickly snatching it away when she tried to grab it. "Whoa! What do you think you're doing?" Steve asked, Robin huffing.
"I wanna hear it."
---------------------------------------------
Another chapter whoop whoop :)
Just realised how much I like writing this book so like, there'll be a lot of updates...
[2184 words!]
Hope you enjoyed!
Byeee!