---

     "WE MISSED YOU," Lucas said as he, Miles, Dustin, and El all stood huddled together in a group hug.

     "I missed you too."

     After Mike and El's reunion, it was revealed that Hopper had been keeping her away the entire time. Mike, of course, was livid. The man took the younger boy into the other room to try to explain but based on the faint yelling that could be heard, it wasn't going very smoothly.

     "We talked about you pretty much every day," Dustin said as they pulled apart.

     El gave Dustin a look, her eyebrows furrowing as she reached forward, sticking her fingers in the boy's mouth, "Teeth."

     Dustin gave a confused look, "What?"

     "You have teeth."

     Everyone laughed. "Oh, you like there's pearls?" Dustin said before purring, taking El by surprise.

     The girl turned to Miles, "And you... look the same."

     The boy only shrugged, smiling.

     "Eleven?" Max came forward, "Hey, um... I'm Max. I've heard a lot about you." She said extending her hand.

     El looked her in the eye and proceeded to walk right by her to hug Joyce. Miles put a hand on the other girl's shoulder, "She's kind of shy." He excused.

---

     OBJECTS CLANGED TOGETHER AS THEY WERE THROWN OUT OF THE FRIDGE BY DUSTIN IN ORDER TO MAKE ROOM FOR THE DEAD DEMO-DOG. Steve and Miles stood with the same shocked expression, Steve holding the creatures corpse as he gaped at the boy.

     "Is this really necessary?" The teen asked.

     "Yeah," Miles said, "I don't think Ms. Byers will appreciate all her groceries laying on the floor when she gets home with Will." Joyce, Jonathan, and Nancy took Will to Hopper's cabin so they'd have a place he wouldn't recognize while they attempted to 'burn' the mind flayer out of him, Hopper went with El to go close the gate in Hawkins lab, leaving Steve and all the other kids at Joyce's.

     "It is completely necessary." Dustin stated with annoyance, "This is a groundbreaking scientific discovery. We can't just bury it like some common mammal, okay? It's not a dog."

     "All right, all right, all right." Steve huffed, shaking his head as he readjusted his hold on the creature before moving to put it in the fridge, "But you're explaining this to Mrs. Byers, all right?" He huffed as he struggled to get it in the fridge, "Christ. Help me out."

     Miles stood with a slightly terrified expression at the mere thought of coming even close to the thing.

     "What am I supposed to do?" Dustin questioned.

     "Get the door, man."

     Dustin moved, grabbing the handle as Steve slowly moved out of the way while still holding it inside the fridge. "All right, I got the door."

     "Ew, Jesus-" Steve grimaced as he hurried to stuff it in the fridge.

     "God."

     "Ew." Miles grimaced, still making no effort to help.

     They moved quickly, slamming the door as they finally got the creature inside. Lucas's voice could be heard from the living room, "Mike, would you just stop already?"

     "You weren't in there, okay, Lucas?" Mike huffed. "That lab is swarming with hundreds of those dogs."

     Miles and Dustin moved, heading towards the living room. "Demo-dogs!" Dustin quickly corrected.

     "The chief will take care of her." Lucas reasoned.

     "Like she needs protection." Max said with raised eyebrows.

     "Listen dude," Steve stepped into the room, "A coach calls a play in a game, bottom line, you exicure it. All right?"

     "Okay, first of all, "Mike began pointedly, "This isn't some stupid sports game.. And second, we're not even in the game, we're on the bench."

      "Right, so my point is..." Steve stammered, looking around for a moment, "Right, yeah, so we're on the bench, so, uh, there's nothing we can do."

     "That's not entirely true." Dustin chimed in. "I mean, those demo-dogs, they have a hive mind. When they ran away from the bus, they were called away."

     Lucas's face lit up, "So if we get their attention..."

     "Maybe we can draw them from the lab." Max finished.

     "Clear a path to the gate." Mike added.

     Miles smiled, "Dustin, you're a genius!"

     Steve nodded sarcastically, "Yeah, and then we all die."

     Dustin nodded, "Well that's one point of view."

     Miles frowned, "Why can't we just stay positive?"

     Steve shook his head, "No, that's not a point of view, man. It's a fact."

     Mike gasped, "I got it!" He moved into the kitchen, the rest of the group following close behind. He pointed at a spot on the map, the same spot Bob had found only yesterday, "This is where the chief dug his hole. So this is our way into the tunnel so..." He moved to a different point on the map, "Here, right here. This is like a hub. So you got all the tunnels feeding in here. Maybe if we set this on fire-"

     "Oh, yeah. That's a no." Steve quickly tried to shut the plan down but they paid him no mind.

     "The mind flayer would call away his army." Dustin said.

     "They'd all come to stop us." Lucas finished.

     "Hey-" Steve tried to cut in.

     "We circle back to the exit." Mike continued with their plan.

     "Guys-"

     "By the time they realize we're gone-"

     Max nodded her head, "El would be at the gate."

     "Hey. Hey! Hey!" Steve clapped, grabbing all of their attention, startling Miles. "This is not happening."

     "But-"

     "No, no, no, no, no. No buts. I promised I'd keep you shitheads safe, and that's exactly what I plan on doing." All of them but Miles threw their heads back in annoyance. "We're staying here. On the bench. And we're waiting for the starting team to do their job. Does everybody understand that?"

     Miles shook his head, "No."

     "This isn't some stupid sports game," Mike repeated angrily.

     "I said, does everybody understand that?" Steve questioned. "I need a yes."

     Miles shook his head again, "No."

     Steve looked at the boy with a deadpanned expression about to say something but was cut off by the sound of an engine revving outside. Max hurried to look out the window, the others following behind, "It's my brother." She shook her head, "He can't know I'm here. He'll kill me. He'll kill us."

     Billy's tires screeched as he came to an abrupt stop. Steve went outside, the kids watched the encounter at a distance, not wanting to be spotted through the window. Billy pushed Steve to the ground, kicking him harshly in the stomach before stomping towards the front door of the Byers' home. 

     He burst through the door, "Well, well, well." He paused, slamming the door causing Miles to jump slightly, "Lukas Sinclair. What a surprise." He looked at his step sister, "I thought I told you to stay away from him, Max."

     "Billy, go away." The Gil all but begged.

     "You disobeyed me." Billy said lowly. "And you know what happens when you disobey me." An image of Fred Murphy flashed in Miles's mind, making the boy fearful for what would happen next, he looked at Max in concern.

     "Billy..."

     "I break things." He suddenly turned, grabbing Lucas by the collar and slamming him into a shelf. Voices overlapped each other as all the kids pleaded with Billy to let him go. "Since Maxine won't listen to me, maybe you will. You stay away from her." He slammed him against the shelf again, raising his voice, "Stay away from her! You hear me?"

     "I said get off of me!" Lucas yelled, kneeing Billy in the crotch.

     He grunted in pain, stumbling away from the boy, looking up with nothing but anger in his eyes, "So dead, Sinclair. You're dead."

     Steve came up from behind Billy, pulling him back by his shoulder. "No. You are." The boy said before reading back and punching him in the face. 

     Dustin laughed while Miles and Mike just gaped at the scene, Max called out, "Steve!"

     Lucas ran back to the group, all of them pulling him into a hug and away from Billy. The teen stood up, laughing maniacally, "Looks like you got some fire in you after all, huh? I've been waiting to meet this king Steve everybody's been telling me so much about."

     Steve looked the other boy in the eye, speaking lowly, "Get out." He pushed him back with two fingers against his chest. A moment passed before Billy suddenly swung at Steve, the boy ducking to dodge it, popping back to land a punch on the other's face.

     "Yes, kick his ass, Steve!" Dustin cheered.

     "Get him!" Mike encouraged.

      Steve landed another punch. "Murder the son of a bitch!" Another punch. "Now! Now!"

     "Get that shithead!"

     "Kick his ass, Steve!"

     Billy was slumped against the kitchen sink, Steve had though he had won before Billy reached over, grabbing a plate and smashing it over the boy's head. "Steve!" Lucas, Max, and Miles all called in concern.

     Steve stumbled away, holding his head. "Holy shit." Said Mike.

     Billy punched him again, causing the boy to stumble into the living room. He grabbed Steve by his jacket, "No one tells me what to do." He head-butted the other, knocking him to the floor. "Whoo! Get up!" He walked over picking him up as all the kids yelled in concern.

     "You're gonna kill him!"

     He kept laying punch after punch, everyone screaming, begging him to stop. Max walked to the cabinet with determination, picking up one of the syringes they'd saved for Will before marching over to Billy, planting the syringe in the boy's neck, pushing down to inject the morphine.

     Billy stood slowly, pulling the syringe out of his neck, looking at it with fluttering eyelids, "The hell is this? You little shit, what did you do?" He fell back onto the floor with a thud. He began to laugh.

     Max picked up Steve's baseball bat with the nails, holding it over he shoulder, "From here on out, you leave me and my friends alone. Do you understand?"

     "Screw you."

     Max slammed the bat down into the floor between Billy's legs, Miles jumped, though looked at the girl in awe. "I said do you understand? Say it! SAY IT!" She screamed at her step brother.

     "I understand." He mumbled.

     "What?"

     "I understand." He said before falling unconscious.

     Max walked over, plucking the boy's keys off his belt loop. She turned to the boys, "Let's get out of here."

---

     "EVERYBODY SHUT UP, I'M TRYING TO FOCUS!" Max screamed as the sped down the road. Lucas was in the passenger seat, leaving Mike, Miles, Dustin, and Steve in the back, Steve practically in the younger boy's lap with the other two on either side.

     "Oh, wait! That's Mount Sinai!" Lucas shouted urgently, "Make a left!"

     "What?"

     "Make a left!"

      Max swerved, knocking over multiple mailboxes as everyone in the car screamed. After another minute or two of terrified screams, the screeched to a halt in front of the the hole they'd originally saved Hopper from.

     "Hello!" Steve yelled.

     "Whoa!" Dustin laughed.

     "Incredible." Mike gaped.

     "I told you." Max said plainly, "Zoomer."

     All the kids jumped out of the car, pulling out goggles and bandanas from the back of the car and putting them on. "Guys." Steve groaned trying to get their attention, they all ignored him. "Oh, no guys." Mike grabbed the rope and the gasoline and began walking towards the hole. "Hey, where do you think you're going?" The boy only ignored him. "What are you, deaf? Hello?" The others followed Mike. "We are not going down there right now. I made myself clear. Hey, there's no chance you are going to that hole, alright? This ends right now!"

     "STEVE!" Dustin yelled, getting his attention, "Steve, you're upset, I get it. But the bottom line is, a party member requires assistance, and it is our duty to provide that assistance. Now, I know you promised Nance you would keep us safe." He handed the teen a bag, his nailed bat sticking out the top, "So keep us safe."

     The boy sighed, taking the bag.

     Miles was the last one down, Steve helping him since Dustin had discretely warned him of the boys lack of upper body strength... or any body strength for that matter.

     Mike shined a flashlight down on his makeshift map, "Yeah, I'm pretty sure it's this way."

     "You're pretty sure?" Dustin questioned, "Are you certain?"

     "I'm 100% sure, just follow me and you'll know!"

     "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hey, hey, hey!" Steve shouted. "I don't think so."

     "What?"

     "Any of you little shits die down here, I'm getting the blame. Got it dipshit?" He said, "From here on out, I'm leading the way." He turned, shining his flashlight directly in Miles's eyes, not even noticing the boy.He turned, walking down the tunnel, "Come on. Hey, a little hustle!"

     "God." Lucas grimaced as they all looked around.

     "What is this place?" Max questioned.

     Miles lagged behind with Dustin, stopping when the boy did. He followed the other boys eye line to look at the ceiling. 

     "What the hell?" Dustin said.

     "Ew." Miles nearly gagged at the sight of a large pulsating pore. Suddenly the pore spit out a bunch of small particles on both the boys' faces. They both screamed, "Oh my god!"

     "Shit!"

     They fell to the floor, frantically trying to brush the particles off of them. "Help! Help! Help!" They both screamed for the rest of the group. They got up, running towards where the group had gone, Dustin falling over just as the group reached them. While Miles had stopped, Dustin continued to scream.

     "Dustin! Miles!" They called for them.

     Steve pushed his way to the front of the group, "What happened?" He asked with concern.

     "It's in my mouth!" Dustin shouted in a panic, making Miles aware of the bits that had gotten in his, turning to spit them out, "Some got in my mouth! Shit!" He coughed and spit for another few moments, he turned, breathing heavily but speaking calmly, "I'm okay."

     "You serious?" Max huffed.

     "Very funny, man." Steve said unimpressed.

     "Miles?" Max questioned, "You good?"

     The boy quickly turned back around, laughing nervously, "Yeah, yeah, I'm good. All good. That scared me." He huffed. "I mean, you guys should've seen it!" The group rolled their eyes, turning around to keep walking. "That thing just spit all over us!" He stood there for a moment, watching them as they walked, "Sorry!" He called, sighing as he helped Dustin up, both of them following the rest of the group.

     After a while longer they slowed to a stop, "All right, Wheeler." Steve said pointing his flashlight all around, "I think we found your hub." They all took a moment to look around. In the hub all the tunnels met together, one large mass at the center.

     They all went around, pouring gas over everything. When they were done, they all crouched together, Steve pulled out a Zippo. "All right, you guys ready?" He asked.

     "Ready." They all said.

     Dustin nodded, "Light her up."

     The teen flipped the lighter open, "I am in such deep shit."

     Steve lit it on fire and they all stood, turning to get the hell out of there. Once again, Miles was at the back, but instead of being accompanied by Dustin this time, it was Mike. The boy's muscles strained as he ran as fast as he possibly could, which- let's face it-, is not very fast. Mike fell, yelling out, "Help! Help! Help! Help!"

     Miles quickly turned around, arriving just before the rest of the group. A vine ran up and around Mike's ankle, trying to pull him away. He thought frantically of how to help him.

     Steve yelled from the back, "Hold on!" Voices overlapped as the kids yelled over each other. They all grabbed on to Mike and began to pull. "Everybody back! Everybody back!" Steve ran to the front, slamming his bat down on the tendrils attached to Mike's leg. He kept hitting it until it was cut, freeing Mike from its grasp.

     All of them checked on Mike, the boy nodding in assurance that he was okay.

     "Guys, we gotta go!" Steve told them. They all turned around, coming face to face with a demo-dog.

     Dustin stood at the front of the group, "Dart." The boy stepped forward, everyone whispering harshly at the boy to stop what he was doing. Dustin only waved them off, "Shh. Stop. Trust me, please." He took a few steps forward, as did Dart. "Hey. It's me, it's me. It's your friend, it's Dustin." He calmed, crouching in front of the creature, "It's Dustin. Do you remember me?" He questioned, the creature slowly moving closer to the boy, putting everyone behind him on edge. 

     "Will you let us pass?" Dustin asked, the creature only roared in response, opening its razor sharp teeth-lined flower pedal mouth. The boy barely flinched, "Okay, okay, I'm sorry. I'm sorry about the storm cellar." Dart closed it's mouth. "that was a pretty douchey thing to do. You hungry? Yeah?" He said slowly taking off his backpack.

     Lucas looked at the scene with wide eyes, "He's insane."

     "Don't." Mike hissed.

     Dustin reached into his backpack, pulling out a candy bar, "I've got our favorite, see? Nougat." H said holding the 3 Musketeers bar in front of him. He opened the candy as Dart came closer, "Look at that. Yummy. Here, all right?" He sat the unwrapped candy on the ground, "Eat up, buddy. Come on. Come on."

     Dart began eating the candy as Dustin gestured and everyone began to pass, miles staying as far away from the creature as physically possible without touching the wall.

     "There's plenty. I've got more." Dustin told Dart. The boy stood, walking over to the rest of the group, taking one last sad glance towards Dart, "Goodbye, buddy."

      Miles walked up, putting an arm over Dustin's shoulder in comfort, "It's alright. Come on, dude."

     Dustin nodded, putting his bandana back over his mouth before they all continued on their path, they all took off running.

     They were nearing the hole when the tunnels began to shake, knocking everyone down. Miles hissed as he felt something sharp penetrate the skin of his leg.

     A loud roar caused everyone's heads to spring up. "What was that?" Max asked as everyone but Miles got up. The boy turned over, whimpering slightly at the sight of something sharp, about 2 inches wide sticking out of his thigh.

     "They're coming." Mike said.

     Miles head quickly snapped in Mikes direction before looking back at his leg. He did his best to stand, trying not to put weight on his injured leg.

     "Miles?" Lucas questioned, catching the rest of the groups attention.

     "Oh shit." Dustin said looking at the boy's leg in slight disgust causing Steve to hurry over to Miles.

     "What?" He questioned panickedly, grabbing Miles by the shoulders, "What's wrong?"

     The boy shook his head with a grimace as he looked down at his injury, feeling slightly light-headed, "My leg."

      Steve looked down to his leg. "Oh god." He grimaced.

     "It's okay. It's okay." Miles waved off, reaching down. He hesitated for a moment before firmly gripping piece of whatever it was, Miles didn't know, closing his eyes and turning his head away.

     "No!" Lucas, Mike, and Dustin all shouted in unison, but were too late.

     Miles yelled out as he tore it out of his leg, "Holy shit!"

     The boy was about to look down but Dustin hurried over, pushing the boys head so that he didn't look at it, taking off his bandana before he began tying it around the boy's wound. 

     Their heads all snapped up once again, hearing another deafening roar. "Run! RUN!" Mike screamed and they all obeyed. Dustin and Steve grabbed ahold of Miles, practically dragging him as they all ran trough the tunnels.

     They made it to the hole, everyone screaming as Steve helped everyone up one by one. First Max, then Lucas, then Mike but just as he was about to help Dustin up they were interrupted by the sound of rumbling, signaling that they were coming.

     Time seemed to slow as the creatures rounded the corner, all the kids above yelling their names as Steve held his bat over his shoulder and Miles and Dustin cowered into each other.

     They tore themselves away from one another as the demo-dogs passed, not even sparing each of them a glance. Steve held onto each of the boys as the creatures bumped into their legs, they all looked after them in wonder.

     "Eleven."

---

     IT HAD BEEN A MONTH SINCE ELEVEN CLOSED THE GATE. Everyone was okay and Miles's leg healed quite nicely, he limped for almost two weeks but that was only because, in panic, Dustin had accidentally convinced him that if he put too much pressure on it it would somehow get infected and they'd have to amputate it. 

     Miles stood in front of his full length mirror, putting his finishing touches on his outfit for the Snowball. He was wearing a brown suit with a white button up underneath. He heard a horn from outside and quickly grabbed his brown tie, quickly clipping it on, hoping it looked real.

     He ran out of his room, slowing as he approached the living room. His father laid passed out on the couch, just as he did that right in October, and just like that night in October, Miles walked over, turning off the TV before covering his father in a blanket.

     He quickly stood in front of his dad, his back to the man as he pretended to be him, "Wow, son! You look great!"

     He jumped turning around to face Fred, he waved his hand, "Oh, stop."

     He jumped back to his last position, picking his dad's deep voice, "No, really son, you look great. I'm so proud of you."

     He moved, smiling, "Thanks, dad." 

     He heard the horn beep again outside his house, quickly jumping back to his other position, "Have fun, kiddo!"

     He smiled as he ran towards the door, "I will!"

     He ran out the front door, locking it behind him as ran to the car, hopping in the back seat behind Dustin.

     "Murphy!" Steve exclaimed with a smile.

     Miles smiled widely back at the older boy, looking at Dustin, "Woah." He huffed in slight awe, "Cool hair."

     Dustin grinned as Steve looked at the boy, "See? Awesome."

     10 minutes later the car came to a stop in front of Hawkins Middle, Steve putting the vehicle in park before turning to the boys, "All right guys, here we are." He looked to Dustin, "So remember, once you get in there..."

     Dustin looked to the teen, nodding, "Pretend like I don't care."

     "You don't care."

     "I don't care."

     "There you go. You're learning, my friend. You're learning." He sighed, looking to Miles, "And what did I tell you? If anyone gives you any shit..."

     The boy rolled his eyes, "I'm not doing that."

     Steve groaned, "Ugh, come on."

     Miles shook his head laughing, "No!"

     The car grew silent for a moment before Dustin pulled down the mirror, Miles quickly moved to look in it along with Dustin, trying to tame the cowlick he had at the back of his head. Dustin looked at his dramatic hair with unease.

     "Hey." Steve scolded. 

     "What?" Dustin questioned.

     "Come on, you look great, okay? You look... you look great." He turned to Miles, "You too. Okay?" He said turning back to Dustin, "Now you're gonna go in there..."

     "Yeah."

     "Look like a million bucks."

     "Yeah." Dustin said with more enthusiasm.

     "And you're gonna slam em' dead."

     "Like a lion." Dustin nodded before purring.

     Steve grimaced, "Yeah, don't do that, okay?"

     "Okay."

     Steve held his hand out and Dustin grabbed it, "Good luck." As Dustin got out of the car, Miles lingers back. "What's wrong?" Steve questions.

     The boy shakes his head, "Nothing... just nervous." 

If Miles were telling the truth, he didn't want to be there. Not at all. He felt like he didn't belong. He didn't want to be reminded of all the things he thought he'd never have. Because he knew what he wanted and he thought he'd never have it.

     Steve sighed, "Hey look... I'll be in this parking lot for 30 minutes, okay? If you don't want to be here in 30 minutes, I'll take you home, how does that sound?"

     The boy nodded, giving Steve a tight-lipped smile as he climbed out of the car, "Thanks, Steve."

     When Miles found his friends they were all laughing as they teased Dustin about his hair, "Is there a bird nesting in there?" Lucas questioned reaching forward as he pretended to look through his hair.

     Dustin lightly pushed the boy away from him, what do you mean 'What's wrong with my hair?' There's no bird nesting in here, asshole! Okay?" He exclaimed in offense. The group all laughed and Miles couldn't help but crack a grin as he took his spot beside Will. "I worked hard." Dustin defended.

     Miles looked at Will smiling, "Hi."

     The boy smiled back, "Hi."

     The gym began to quiet as the next song came on; Time After Time by Cyndi Lauper. The group of friends smiled as Lucas very awkwardly asked Max to dance. Max laughed shaking her head, "So smooth, come on." She led Lucas to the dance floor.

     A moment later they were approached by a girl. "Hey, Zombie Boy." She called to Will catching their attention. "Do you want to dance?" She asked Will nervously. Miles looked down at the floor.

     "Um... I don't..." Will stammered looking at Miles. Mike nudged his arm, encouraging him to dance with the girl. "I mean- I mean, yeah. Yeah, sure."

     And soon it was three, Miles looked longingly at Will, Dustin at Max, and Mike at every couple, waiting for Eleven.

     Dustin straightened his jacket, taking a deep breath as he looked at a girl named Stacy, "Wish me luck, guys. I'm going in." He winked at Mike, the boy giving him a weirded-out look in return as he walked away.

     "Miles!" A girl called, he turned around to see Veronica, a girl in his grade he knew, but not well enough to be anything more than acquaintances. 

     He smiled kindly at the girl, "Hey, Veronica."

     The girl looked back at her group of friends who all stood giggling together before tuning back to Miles, "I was wondering... do you wanna dance?"

     The boy looked around nervously like he was looking for an escape exit, "Umm..." He looked at Mike who looked at him expectantly. He sighed, "No, I'm sorry." He apologized.

     The girl's entire demeanor changed as she rolled her eyes, "Of course Troy was right."

     She began walking away before Miles spoke up, "What?" He questioned with furrowed eyebrows.

     She rolled her eyes, "He told me what you are but I didn't believe him, clearly he was right."

      Miles gave another confused look, feeling like his throat was closing up, making it hard to speak, "What did he say?"

     "He said you were nothing but a fairy." She huffed, "I should've known he was right." Veronica said before walking away and back towards her friends.

     Miles looked down at the floor with a clenched jaw, trying not to cry. Mike had watched the whole scene, "Hey, don't listen to her." He told the boy. "Troy is an idiot anyway, he doesn't know what he's talking about."

     But he did and Miles knew it. He was all the things people said about him and he knew he didn't belong there. Not in that gym, he didn't feel like he belonged anywhere.

     Miles only shook his head, avoiding eye contact with his friend, "I'm just gonna go home."

     "But Miles-"

     He looked up, forcing his best smile, "Seeya, Mike. Have fun with El."

     The other boy continued to call out to him but Miles paid him no mind as he walked out of the building. He paused as he got just outside the building, tears falling from his eyes, he wiped them away aggressively. 

     He felt so out of place and alone, he wanted to curl up in a ball right there where he stood and disappear. He's never felt so out of place in his life and now he felt like everyone could see. Everyone looked at Miles Murphy and saw nothing but some weird freak, and not in the good way Jonathan had said.

     A few more tears fell down his face and he did his best to dry them with the sleeves of his suit before walking over to Steve's car.

     The teen jumped as Miles got in the car, gently closing the for behind him.

     "Ready to go home already?" He questioned before noticing the boy's tear-stained cheeks, "Hey, what's wrong? What kid do I have to beat the shit out of?"

     "Just- just take me home, Steve."

---

I am crying why do I do this to myself?

on the flip side I am very excited to start season 3 bc it is my fav season but that's probably only because we all had to obsess over it for 3 years.

it's gonna be a bit til the next update because I'm gonna try to rewrite a bit before starting season 3 and I'll need some time to process volume 2 tmr

vote and comment or you're gonna get flayed ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

~lee

06/30/2022