𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐘 - the drugged duo

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 𝐒𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐄𝐓, 𝐃𝐔𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐍 𝐀𝐍𝐃 Erica had struggled — but managed — to wrangle both a stumbling Steve and a fidgeting Robin inside of the elevator that had plummeted them into a Russian hellscape. The two teenagers hadn't stopped giggling among themselves; they were like a couple of school children chortling on the playground.

 Still, Scarlet wasn't exactly impressed to be back inside the elevator that had sent her rocking on the floor while her heart pounded in protest... hopefully this time things would go smoothly, though Scarlet was certain that was wishful thinking. Nothing in Hawkins ever went smoothly, did it?

 The answer to that was a resounding no. Scarlet had already pondered just what could go wrong; perhaps the Russians would be up top waiting for them. Maybe Steve and Robin would begin frothing at the mouth and subsequently choke... though... at least they'd stop giggling. So really, that last one wasn't entirely bad? A silver lining, if you will.

 Scarlet bumped Dustin's side, eying the keycard he'd swiped, "Ready to get out of here?"

 Dustin only grimaced, watching as Robin tried to stumble to her feet with all the grace of a newborn deer... she soon toppled over, her boney elbow poking into Steve's stomach, causing the boy to choke and splutter.

 Dustin couldn't think of anything better, so he nodded, swiped the keycard and, thankfully, off the elevator went. It wasn't nearly as horrific as the first time — no plummeting to certain death, no walls that seemed to reach out for Scarlet, growing closer and closer... no, it was somewhat bearable.

 Steve and Robin were a distraction, not entirely welcomed, but neither unwelcomed. They were loud and raucous; Steve had hopped atop an old cart used to transport the boxes of green goo, his arms were flung to the side, legs positioned as though he was surfing while Robin cheered him on, holding up nine of her fingers as her rating out of ten. Then, there was a jolt and Steve crashed to the ground.

 "Would it be terrible of me to knock them out?" Scarlet whispered, eyes unmoving as she watched Robin summon all of her strength to pull Steve to his feet. She failed and was soon by his side in a heap of freckled limbs.

 Dustin shook his head, "I wouldn't judge you."

 "Me neither." Erica added, then she pondered, "Actually, I don't want to carry their asses when we're out of here."

 "Fair point."

 "Yeah." Scarlet sighed, fingers smoothing out the throbbing sensation building in the forefront of her head, "They were drugged with something... something that would 'help them talk' Apparently."

 Scarlet, truthfully, hadn't the need to point out that drugs were swimming through their systems, for it was already glaringly obvious; Steve might have been lacking just a little in the brain cell department, but his usual self wouldn't have taken to climbing atop stacks of boxes all the while declaring himself king of the castle.

 "As if Steve wasn't enough of a dumbass sober." Dustin had muttered it to himself more than anything, yet still received two hums of affirmation from his companions.

 For a moment, there was finally room to breathe. There were no Russians, no weapons, nothing to threaten them. Scarlet let herself lean against the cool metal wall, savouring the chill sent up her spine; her wrists still hurt, raw skin so very pink from the rope that had been bound around them. Her skull still ached from the profuse clobbering against her head... but she could breathe.

 She made it, they had all made it.

 In the midst of silence, Steve miss-stepped and toppled from his tower of boxes.

 "Ha!" Robin cried, hands clutching at her aching stomach, "Who's the king now?!"

 Dustin blinked, "No," he contorted his gaze to Scarlet who had an immaculate view of his twitching eye, "You deal with him."

 Why it fell to her, she had absolutely no idea. Surely she deserved a break, but with Dustin's twitching eyes and steadily growing frown paired with Erica's rattling beads as she shook her head in protest and utter disgust... Scarlet was the only option. So, with a hearty sigh, she made her way to Steve's side as he cradled whatever new bruise he'd managed to garner.

 "You okay?" She crouched by his side, grimacing at the blood smeared on his chin and cheeks, the blue stains around his eyes... the cuts all over his flesh. He was in a sorry state, and yet he still grinned through a pain-filled haze.

 His hand brushed through the air, "I'm super! Did you see my surfing? I. Am. A. Pro."

 "I did see. Very nice." Her words were slow, enunciated as though speaking to a very small child... even then, Scarlet was sure Steve was simply goggling rather than listening.

 His face was steadily growing further flustered; pink cheeks were almost scorching and Scarlet couldn't have been sure whether it was her — like it usually was — or the drugs coursing through his system... she set the back of her hand against his forehead, drawing away with a grimace as she felt the boiling sweat brewing on his skin.

 "He's burning up..." She said, sparing a look at Robin who had only been lazily blinking as though stars littered the ceiling. Her face was usually rather pale, her freckles a stark contrast... now she too was as bright as a tomato, her eyes flecked with crimson lines, "Robin looks no better."

 "No," Steve babbled, sounding as though he'd chugged his own body weight in gross and yeasty beer. His fingers darted out, clammy palms sailing through the air before he flicked her nose, "You're burning up... Get it? 'Cause you're hot?"

 If Scarlet's head didn't feel as though someone had taken a mallet to it... or if she didn't feel the need to seal Steve and Robin's lips with layers upon layers of duct tape just for a sliver of silence, Scarlet might have responded with a witty comment. She might have made fun of him until he choked on his own tongue and erupted an even deeper pink.

 "The drugs must be getting to him," Dustin said, rather unhelpfully.

 Steve flicked her nose once more, and Scarlet's head slowly craned Dustin's way, her voice devoid of emotion, "Oh, really?"

 Only then did Steve seem to register Dustin's words. His limbs scrambled, yet he couldn't quite manage to sit up straight. He pointed at Dustin, brows curling together as though Dustin had truly said something blasphemous, "I told you, dad. I don't do drugs... it's only marijuana."

 Dustin trailed over with a scowl, swiftly slapping Steve's fingers away, "This isn't funny, okay? Are you gonna die on us?"

 Robin appeared from the little tower of boxes she'd been stacking, just her eyes were visible, eyebrows jostling upon her forehead, "We all die, my strange little child friend," Her voice had an almost whimsical edge as she flicked a strand of sweat-slicked hair from her lashes, "It's just a matter of how... and when."

 The elevator was left in a bewildered silence as the three sober occupants shared a look. Robin's toothy grin was revealed to them and Steve soon copied her look... Scarlet's patience was wearing thin, they just needed to get out and flush as much water as they could through their systems... hopefully, that would bring them back.

 A carefully crafted breath tumbled from Scarlet's lips; not sharp enough to convey her desire to smack the pair of them around the chops, nor quiet enough to display her absolute fatigue — she needed to keep herself together, if only for a little longer.

 "They're going to be looking for us when we get out, okay?" Scarlet dragged out, her tongue as heavy as a bag of bricks, "So you —" Her finger pointed Steve's way and he quickly rose his hands in surrender, then it was Robin's turn, "— And you better stay close. Got it?"

 "Ooh... can we make a pit stop at the food court?" Steve pleaded, his hands landing upon Scarlet's cheeks, squeezing them until her lips puckered like a poor little fish scrambling to swim as far away as possible. He chose to ignore the blank stare she gave him, his own eyes sparkling at the thought of a cheese burger or a slice of cheesy pizza.

 "I'd kill for a hotdog on a stick." Robin chirped, her eyes widening as though her high had struck all over again.

 Steve snapped his fingers, freeing Scarlet as he pointed at Robin with lips agape, "Oh, yeah!"

 "Fine!" Scarlet snapped, her hands clasped together before her lips, "Fine... I'll get you something if, and only if, you both stay close —" Steve moved to part his lips once again, only to have Scarlet's fingers seal them shut, "And stay silent, yeah?"

 Dustin plucked the hat from his head, dusting off the yellow embroidery while swiping curls from his forehead. He waited a few heartbeats, just to see if Steve would abide by Scarlet's wishes as she slowly but surely pried her hand from his face... gentle as she went, all to avoid those nasty scrapes and bruises.

 Strangely enough — though Dustin was very much thankful — Steve Harrington was utterly silent as he blinked through his haze, eyes glistening as he took Scarlet in... but that was nothing new.

 Dustin took a step, "Is your car close?"

 "Uh-oh!" Steve peeped. He took his chance to grab ahold of Scarlet's hovering fingers, threading his own through without a care in the world. Had he been sober, there was no way his cheeks would have been free from blistering heat. With his free hand, he opened his pocket... a little ball of dust tumbled pitifully to the ground, "Car's off the board, they took our keys."

 With a frown, Scarlet trailed the tips of her fingers over the pockets of her shorts. The little patches she'd sewn on had certainly seen better days... the little cherry was peeling off, and threads had snapped and thinned. But Steve was right. Her keys, and the little squirrel keychain Steve had won in the arcade, were gone. They had been in her right pocket along with her strawberry gum and cherry chapstick... At least her gum and chapstick remained.

 "Bummer, right?" Steve chuckled, slumping further towards the ground. He and Robin were so blissfully unaware of their situation, unable to see past the fog before them — they'd forgotten about everything. Why they were running, where they were... hell, Scarlet wouldn't have been surprised if Steve thought he was simply dreaming and counting sheep prancing around his empty little head.

 How she wished it was all just a terrible nightmare... but it wasn't. The Russians within Hawkins were very real. The guns they carried were very real. The Gate they were attempting to pry open was horrifically real.

 If only she could pass out on her plush stack of pillows, and wake up the next day without anything to worry about. It was a childish whim... but anything was preferable to their current situation.

 Especially since Steve was treading the dangerously thin line between being endearing, and absolutely irritating. His fingers had sought Scarlet once more, pointers prodding her rounded cheeks.

 "Hey," He grinned, poking once more.

 "What, Steve?"

 "Show me your woo-woo magic!"

 With a sigh that wracked her entire body, Scarlet slumped to the ground. Her chin was planted within one of her palms while she allowed the other to bring a small spark of crimson to life; if it kept him quiet, she'd happily torch the damned elevator.

 Steve was enthralled, eyes as wide as saucers, "Yay!"

 It was going to be a very long ride.

 "Steve would you stop it!" Scarlet's voice ricocheted like a bullet around the elevator. After a long and gruelling twenty minutes, they'd finally reached the surface and watched as the doors rolled open to reveal the twilight painted over the horizon.

 A delightfully cool breeze had flooded the room, wrapping them in an ice-cold chill that was more than appreciated. Their fatigue vanished for a short while, freedom invigorating their bones.

 But while Dustin and Erica had managed to drag Robin outside, now watching as she spun on the tips of her toes as she grinned at the twinkling stars... Steve had deemed it necessary to cling to Scarlet like a child with a blanket.

 His arms encircled all the way around her, his face stuffed into her neck as he giggled upon her skin. It was cute, sure, Scarlet was very enamoured with him... but while she wanted to shiver at the sensation upon her flesh — a sensation so very unfamiliar — they had to get out of there.

 He pulled back, an iron grip still clutching at her shirt while a pout pulled at his lips, "Why?"

 "We have Russians after us!"

 "I don't see any."

 "Steve I swear to —"

 "Okay." He interrupted with a smile that was nothing if not mischievous. His lips curled higher as he took a slow step back, ignoring the way his legs tangled and threatened to send him back to the ground, "I'll go."

 "Thank —"

 "— If... you agree to go on a date with moi." He flourished his hand, wriggling fingers planted atop his heart, tangling with his bloodied ascot. His goofy grin was adorable, really, and Scarlet felt her stomach being utterly infested with sparks.

 But she hasn't decided yet. Scarlet hadn't decided whether it was worth it; whether she could happily say yes because she knew Steve liked her, she'd always known... but could she risk the potential heartbreak? Neither of them would survive it.

 Scarlet couldn't bare the thought of a divide coming between them; Steve loved with every ounce of his being, and he fell so hard that picking the pieces back up was a job that would take the rest of eternity to finish. He was... fragile, and Scarlet? She was scared.

 Not to mention the very fact that Steve likely had absolutely no idea what he was saying right now. So, for a while, she still had time to think things over... because she couldn't keep it up. Scarlet couldn't just keep letting Steve fall further and further without an answer, it wasn't fair.

 "Ask me when you're sober." Was all she murmured before pinching his ear between two fingers as she dragged him along towards the parking lot. He cried out, swatting her arms, her waist, whatever he could... then, as soon as a gust of frigid and fresh air smacked him right around his bruised cheeks, he dashed forwards.

 Robin still whirled in place, standing on the very tips of her toes as she let her lips fall open. She prodded her tongue out, speaking around it, "Steve!" It came out gurgled, hardly discernible, "Can you taste the air?!"

 Steve bobbed his head, spreading his arms wide as he let the cold air wrap around his skin, leaving goosebumps in its wake. He copied her, poking his tongue through his sore lips; the chill was savoured after inhaling nothing but warm and damp air in the tunnels.

 "I taste it!" He chortled, falling into Robin's side, "I taste it!"

 Scarlet let herself enjoy the moment, if only for a short while; after everything they'd all just been through, it was nice to see the both of them spinning and laughing together... even if she knew it was the drug's influence. Still, she snorted as Steve stumbled and Robin tripped; soon enough they'd feel the drugs fade from their systems... they'd be forced to remember the strikes at their guts and the pain on their skin.

 Scarlet wished the moment could have been stretched just a little  bit longer, just so that those dopey little smiles could last even a second more... but then the gates before them buzzed and began to screech open. Two Russian guards were waiting behind with guns at the ready... they surged forth.

 "Shit! Come on!" Dustin shouted, his feet already moving. His sneakers stomped on the ground, gravel crunching beneath the soles as he snatched up Steve's arm, directing Erica towards Robin. "There! Through the door!"

 Scarlet kept behind them, hands at her sides and ready to be swamped with power. Erica and Robin fled through the door first, swiftly followed by Dustin and Steve who kept tossing his eyes over towards Scarlet. She soon pushed through, slamming the door shut before she curled her fingers around the handle... a jolt of crimson trailed over the metal, disappearing towards the latch and deadbolt — she crushed them both.

 If the Russians wanted to get in, they'd have to waste their time and kick the damn door in.

 "What do we do?" Erica cried as she tugged on Robin's arm with all her might, stopping the teenager from disappearing through a random door in the mall; the last thing they needed was to lose each other again.

 "I've got a plan." Was all Dustin supplied them with before his feet started trudging forth once more, leaving the others with no choice but to blindly follow.

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25-04-2020

edited version: 06/11/2022

:·ﾟ★ HAPPY STRANGER THINGS DAY, BESTIES!!!

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