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˚⋆ ┊ ADVENTURES IN BABYSITTING ┊ ⋆˚
☆⋅⋆ ─ act i. don't you want me, baby?

CHAPTER ELEVEN - babysitting blues
( episode six ; the spy )

❀

⠀ ⠀ PEYTON FOUND HERSELF UNUSUALLY UPSET UPON DISCOVERING Steve's BMW was one hell of a smooth drive. This was, however, no surprise considering its novelty. What was surprising, was that Steve's cassette collection didn't entirely suck. With Queen blaring from the speakers, Peyton's heavy boot weighed down the accelerator as they raced through the dimly lit country roads.

"Wait a sec," began Steve, already bewildered at the idea of being suddenly hauled back into the world of the supernatural "How big?" the Henderson kid sighed, poking his head between the drivers and passengers seat so unceremoniously it caused Peyton to swerve.

"Careful, man!"

"You wanna kill us all?" the elder teens yelled atop of each other, although blatantly ignored by the unbothered 13-year-old, his peers exchanging anxiety-ridden looks as they gripped their seatbelts for dear life.

"First it was like that," began Dustin, fingers held barely two inches apart, "Now he's like this," arms suddenly spread, Peyton found herself once against swatting him away when he accidentally blocked her view of the road.

"Okay, we get it, sit down!" launching himself backward with a huff, Steve and Peyton exchanged a look that, for once, was one of mutual annoyance at someone else's behavior rather than each other's.

"I swear to God, man," Steve shook his head suspiciously, glancing at the boys through the rearview mirror, "It's just some little lizard, okay?"

"It's not a lizard!" insisted Dustin, increasingly annoyed at their lack of faith in his story.

"How do you know?" questioned Steve; at this point, Peyton was growing suspicious of whether he truly had that many questions or if he simply enjoyed bugging the Henderson boy.

"How do I know if it's not?"

"How do you know it's not just a lizard?"

"Because his face opened up and he ate my cat!" anger getting the better of him, Dustin hadn't realized what he'd done until the words left his mouth. Sure, Steve finally believed him. But it meant a life-changing detail had been suddenly revealed to a certain Harrington sister.

"What?" the first time she'd piped up in what felt like hours, Peyton stared through the rearview mirror with wide eyes at the clueless young girl sitting behind her brother.

Suddenly dawning on them that Sidney was the only person in the car that had no idea about the Upside Down and the monstrous things that came with it, a look of sympathy met Steve's saddened eyes. And she was tempted to ask if he wanted to take her someplace safe but, knowing her Harrington genes, she wouldn't leave them without a fight.

It wasn't like they could just take her home either. Steve's parents, once again, had left him with the sole responsibility of taking care of his sister. Which was in no way surprising. Everybody knew that Steve had practically raised Sidney himself for most of her life anyway.

Something Peyton could relate to. Which was an odd feeling. Another thing to add to the (unfortunately) growing list of things she and Steve happened to have in common.

Although, unlike him, she placed no blame on her father for the responsibilities passed to her. He did anything and everything he could for his kids the second his wife left. Even after years of custody battles. Years of being tossed back and forth from the suburbs to the trailer park only for her to abandon them at the last second. It made her blood boil with just the thought of it.

But that was neither here nor there.

Peyton could let her mind wander over newfound similarities of the boy she once hated with every fiber of her being all she liked. But that wouldn't change the fact that his sister was now unwillingly part of the fight.

Uncomfortable silence settling over the car, Peyton opted simply to turn the volume right up, allowing Queen to continue blasting through the speakers without anyone needing to answer such a dangerous, one-word question.

⠀ ⠀The group were truly plunged into darkness, the early nightfall of November mocking them as the car slowly stopped just outside the Henderson's driveway. Music came to an abrupt end when Peyton turned the key, she and Steve only exchanged brief concerned glances before being the first to leap out of the car. Steve lead Dustin and Parker around to the trunk whilst Peyton hung back with Sidney. She watched as the Harrington boy, ever the show-off, made a point of examining the bat, twirling it in his hand before swinging it up to rest on his shoulder.

Although grateful he'd used it to save her life, Peyton couldn't help but feel jealous to see him wielding the weapon she'd made. After all, she was the one that had spent almost an hour hammering each nail through stubborn wood. Yet still, she allowed him to keep it, instead opting for her makeshift flame thrower. Aka, her zippo and an almost empty can of Farrah Fawcett hairspray (that she assumed was Nancy's), discovered in the glove compartment of Steve's car. Earning a short-lived glare from the Harrington boy, Peyton shot back a quizzical glower, although deciding not to instigate a needless argument yet again.

With the eldest leading the way, and Sidney sandwiched between the middle-schoolers, the unlikely five made their way toward the double chain-locked storm cellar doors. Evans girl aiming her flashlight at the chipped red paint, the group fell silent as they awaited a familiar growl.

But nothing happened.

Frowning suspiciously, Steve looked the door up and down, although still yet to make an attempt at opening the thing, "I don't hear shit," he insisted, although Dustin was quick to protest

"He's in there," he insisted, Parker gave a rather worried yet supportive nod as he maintained a vast distance between him and the cellar door. Slowly, Steve lowered his bat enough to let the edge clang against the metal, hoping to at least startle the beast.

But once again, nothing happened.

Anger growing, he raised the bat to slam against the iron doors, loud crash echoing through the woods but still no beast inside made a sound. Even Peyton had started to doubt the boys at this point, now aiming the flashlight at their squinting faces to get a read on whether this was an elaborate joke of some kind.

"All right, listen, kid," Steve beat her to it when it came to accusations, bat lowered carelessly as he continued, "I swear, if this is some sort of Halloween prank, you're dead,"

"It's not!"

"All right?"

"It's not a prank!" hand raised to block the beam, Parker glanced to where Dustin opted simply to mostly close his eyes.

"Get it out of my face," he waved a hand, brow raised as Peyton lowered the light with a rather dramatic roll of the eyes, "You think we hate you that much?" questioned the Henderson boy, now addressing Steve. Although Parker, much like his sister, couldn't stop his mouth from running faster than his mind.

"I do," nonchalant shrug was enough for Steve to know the boy wasn't lying. Accompanied by appreciative smirks from both of their sisters.

"Thanks," he nodded with aggressive sarcasm, "Very much, thank you," silencing him with a beam to the eye, Steve winced in surprise but had little time to complain when Peyton stared past him at the Henderson boy.

"You got a key for this thing?" tossing the key in the air, Peyton tried her best to hide her shock by catching the thing one-handedly before promptly kneeling before the locked cellar. With much more care to stay quiet than Steve, Peyton pulled the chain trying her best not to let the metal clash. Trying to get a good look before volunteering herself as the first person to go down there, Peyton shone the light around as much as she could, although she knew the cellar went much deeper than the eye could see.

"He must be further down there," murmured Dustin, now beginning to sound rather anxious, "We'll... stay up here in case he tries to... escape," heads turning slowly and simultaneously, Peyton and Steve glared up at the young teens when they clocked just what the boys were insinuating. And so, the two found themselves facing each other, puzzled expressions failed attempts to read the other's mind.

But before either of them had a chance to say anything, Steve was suddenly (and rather harshly) tugged to one side by his younger sister who made no effort to go unheard by her fellow teens, "You can't just leave me up here with them!"

Parker was quick to frown, nose scrunched in feigned offense when it was clear to see he couldn't care less what the Harrington girl thought of him, "Ouch?" he smirked, a vast contrast with Dustin's blatant attempts to mask his genuine desire to befriend her. After shooting the boys a quick glare, Steve leaned toward his sister, more sympathetic than upset when he realized it wasn't the who she was being left with. It was simply the... being left.

"You wanna go down there?"

"No, but-"

"Then just stay put, Sid,"

"Yeah," repeated Peyton mockingly, "Stay put, Sid," exasperation once directed at his sister now undoubtedly pointed at Peyton, the elder blonde simply puckered her lips tauntingly. Steve looked as though he was fighting the urge to physically swat the kiss the Evans girl had blown his way. That or catch it and keep it in his pocket. Either way, Peyton had no desire to question the odd expression that had fallen upon his seemingly permanently befuddled face, "Let's go,"

"Woah, what are you doing?" Steve somehow found himself standing in her way, bat now swaying by his feet. Peyton's confusion quickly turned to exasperation as the hot-headed blonde glowered.

"Looking for Dustin's lizard," brow raised, her tone made it seem as though he'd asked if she knew what one plus one equaled. But rather than hit her with his usual sarcastic rejoinder, Steve spoke with a level of seriousness she'd never seen directed at her before.

"You're not going down there first," Peyton frowned in confusion, taken aback by the unwarranted instruction. Not once had Steve dared to tell her what to do. Not in any way that he'd actually expected her to do it. And if he'd intended to do so he'd at least have the decency to phrase his demand as a question. By now, utter confusion truly had become a first-place contender, forever battling with her permanent state of anger.

Because it wasn't like he cared if something happened to her.

"What, cause I'm a girl?" more of a lighthearted joke than anything, Steve began scrambling for words that wouldn't make him sound like he was being any kind of protective.

"No, I- I didn't-" Dustin and Parker were quick to exchange confused looks at the usually confident young man's sudden loss for words, "That's- no, that's not what I-"

"Great," about to shove her way past, Steve suddenly gripped her shoulder, ignoring the way Parker's amusement instantly turned into protective anger.

Still, the Harrington boy seemed rather adamant. Stood up straight with the bat gripped tightly over his shoulder, his hold loosened and his voice only just above a whisper, "Peyton," all thoughts once clouding her mind came to an astounding halt upon hearing the soft tones used to say her name. Which, in turn, begged the question why the hell was she getting butterflies when Steve Harrington said her name?

On any normal day, even the slight hint of a smirk was too much for Peyton's temper to handle. Yet, surprisingly, she'd yet to consider pushing him down the damn stairs. And when those questions entered her momentarily clear mind, it took everything in the poker-faced blonde to remain that way.

"Seriously?" unsure why his quest to be the town hero suddenly concerned her, Peyton gave in, ultimately deciding she no longer wanted to stare at Steve's stupid face, and that dying at the hands of the Demogorgon was no worse than listening to him talk. She needn't say that aloud though, a simple side glance speaking louder than any insult ever could, "Oh my god..." she muttered, unintentionally harsh shove delivered to the Harrington boy's back that earned a blatantly involuntary grunt before she cautiously followed him into the cellar.

Peyton's anxiety only grew with every downward step, trying her best to steady her shaking hand because god forbid she show an ounce of fear when shining her light around. Much to her surprise, Steve was still close in front.

Maybe he did feel bad forcing her behind after all.

Shining the beam around in anticipation for something to jump out, all animosity Peyton and Steve once had toward each other was seemingly left above ground. The Harrington boy's discovery of a single light bulb swinging from the ceiling did little to illuminate their investigation. It did, however, make clear the disgusting sight Peyton had almost leaned on.

"Steve..." she trailed off, voice barely a whisper yet loud enough in the overwhelming silence for the Harrington boy to hear. Quick to approach the Evans girl who had since frozen in place, Steve peered over her shoulder to get a better look at her discovery.

It was some kind of reptile shedding. Only much bigger than anything native to Hawkins. And when Steve used the end of his bat to lift it, whatever gunk it had used to slide out of its old skin dripped onto the floor like mucus.

It had grown... again.

And was, no doubt, now much larger and harder to catch than the tiny thing Dustin had probably hidden in his hat to get out of the school without anyone noticing.

One thing it wasn't, however, was present. Since they were being hunted nowhere to be found, confidence that the beast had somehow escaped the storm cellar only grew when Peyton felt a sudden breeze against her legs. A breeze that not only came from below her, but from the opposite direction of the cellar doors entirely. Puzzled expression shot in Steve's direction, it was clear he'd noticed it too. And, slowly, the two crouched until they came face to face with the monster's means of escape.

It seemed that, in growing larger, the thing was much, much stronger now too. Strong enough to bust its way through the concrete walls. And dig a tunnel to the outside world.

"Guys?" both jolting in shock, and somehow shuffling closer, Steve and Peyton were quick to realize that they weren't in any danger. But their relief was short-lived. Because if the thing wasn't in there with them, it was out in the world with everyone else, "Guys, what's going on down there?" Dustin's plea was filled with anxiousness. And it soon dawned on them that their sudden silence might allow the younger teen's imagination to run wild and assume the worst.

With a brief motion to let Steve know he should stay exactly where he was, Peyton made her way to the bottom of the stairs. Apparently with too much haste, because the second she shone her light up on them, all three yelped in fear, gripping each other in a way that had Peyton smirking in amusement.

"Get down here," she nodded with urgency, barely looking back to check as she heard them rush down the concrete steps.

Steve had yet to move from his stop before the tunnel, waiting with the beast's skin dripping from the bat.

"Oh, shit..." slow, cautious steps made their way toward him, although Dustin's first exclamation was clearly aimed simply at the molt on the bat. Silently, Steve motioned downward with the bat, spikes poking through the slimy skin to scrape at falling dirt, "Oh, shit!" with much more emphasis the second time, Parker and Sidney stayed behind when Steve, Dustin and Peyton found themselves crouching before the gaping hole in the wall, bright beam shining down the path in hopes it hadn't yet reached the outside world, "No way!" Dustin's concerned exclamation remained a whisper so entirely enthralled by the twisting tunnel he'd yet to notice the genuine fear Peyton and Steve stared at one another with.

This thing was no lizard.

And they had to find it before it killed something... or someone else.

❀

⠀ ⠀ MORNING SUN DOING LITTLE TO WARM THEM THROUGH the cool November air, Peyton, Dustin, Parker, Sidney and Steve had spent much of the rest of the evening gathering supplies (predominantly sliced meat gathered in buckets to become their bait) before Steve, somehow the most responsible, insisted they try and get some form of sleep.

They knew that, as much of an emergency this was, charging into the woods at night, completely unprepared, would get them a fate similar to poor old mews. Admittedly, they could have come to a better conclusion than sneaking through Dustin's bedroom window and sleeping on the floor. But it seemed a better idea to stick to what little safety in the numbers they had rather than risk separating and losing contact as they had with everyone else that knew of Hawkin's secrets.

In a rather unusual turn of events, Steve hardly spoke to the Evans girl the entire night. They'd spent so long taking every chance they had to argue about the stupidest things that their newfound, somewhat comfortable silence was a welcome change. Other than strategy and keeping their little siblings alive, the elder teens had little to say.

So when the slightest hint of orange sunlight peaked through the gaps in the clouds, Peyton wasted no time in waking the slumbering eighth graders, already anxious for the day ahead. Mostly in silence, the team of teens gathered what little supplies they had and carried them together to Steve's car.

Despite the drop in temperature, Peyton had tied her hair back, with the sleeves of her jacket rolled up to display the bright yellow rubber shielding her hands from the cold. And from having to touch the raw meat she'd spent an absurd amount of time chopping up for them. For a great majority of the car ride; the only sound was the low hum of the engine accompanied by whatever cassette Peyton had managed to find in the glove compartment.

The kids were the first to get out when Steve suddenly came to a halt. It was honestly confusing, how he'd suddenly decided to stop spending his life irritating her although Peyton suspected his sister's involvement in their somewhat life-threatening mission to be a likely cause. Inhaling sharply, she'd quickly gained Steve's attention, yet suddenly she found herself regretting her attempt to speak at all. Instead, she opted for an awkward smile, arms reaching up to tighten her ponytail before hastily leaving the cluttered vehicle.

Much to the surprise of the rest of Hawkins' population, the woods had yet to become a place that caused Peyton to feel any kind of unease. It wasn't like she had shit to do, growing up in the 70s in the middle of nowhere Indiana. Moving back and forth from her mom's to her dad's meant that, for a long time, the only place with any kind of permanence to her was the woods. She knew them like the back of her hand. It's what got her roped in for the search for Will in the first place.

And look where that got her.

Monster hunting with Steve Harrington on a Sunday morning.

"Lucas is gonna meet us there," Dustin's sudden vocalization snapped Peyton from a daydream she'd hardly realized she was in. Standing beside the open trunk of Steve's car, she'd yet to get her bucket as she turned to peer at the Henderson boy over her shoulder.

"Hmm?" murmured Peyton, only half sure she'd heard him right.

"At the junkyard," Dustin continued, his blatant statement accompanied by a raised brow. Lucky for him, he was on the very short list of people Peyton could put up with getting attitude from. With a quick chuckle, Peyton turned away to pick up her bucket, more relieved that someone had decided to strike up a conversation than she was at the news that yet another thirteen-year-old was added to the babysitting list.

"You got through to him?"

"Yeah, Erica switched off his walkie," explained the visibly irritated Henderson boy, his impatience only growing when Parker gave an understanding shrug.

"You were getting kinda persistent and annoying," unbeknownst to the others, Steve and Peyton exchanged an amused glance at how quickly Dustin reddened with rage, turning to his friend who could just about see the smoke billowing from his ears.

"This is a code red situation!" he snapped, tone apparently raising alongside his anger, "I'm allowed to be persistent and annoying!"

Smirk suddenly growing, Peyton ignored the knowing glance she received from Steve upon recognizing she was about to make some kind of sarcastic comment, "Does that mean every day is a code red situation?" Parker couldn't help but snicker, although Dustin looked less than amused.

"Funny," he nodded with narrowed eyes, "Real funny,"

Pushing past her giggling peers, it was clear that Sidney's lack of knowledge made her all the more impatient, gesturing toward the woods before promptly folding her arms across her chest, "Can we go now?" she asked, her older brother seemingly surprised at her sudden outburst.

"Yeah..." he nodded, brief look of anxiety shot Peyton's way when it became clear that only ten had it dawned on him that he'd soon have to explain the world beneath Hawkins to his blissfully ignorant sister.

⠀ ⠀With the unlikely group of five walking slowly down the middle of the train tracks, the fallen leaves were an unusually welcome reminder that the bridge between autumn and winter was Peyton's favorite time of year. Jacket weather, but not so cold you can't feel your fingers or your toes. She'd situated herself vastly ahead of the rest of the chattering teens, taking in her surrounding, every breath a sigh of relief when the cool air hit her lungs. But even so far in front, Steve's voice echoed through the woods loud enough for her to hear every single word. She found herself wondering if the demo-whatever was the one actually scaring off the wildlife, or if it was just the obnoxious Harrington boy.

"All right, so let me get this straight," he continued, unable to see Peyton's dramatic eye roll, "You kept something you knew was probably dangerous just to impress a girl who... who you just met?"

"All right, that's grossly oversimplifying things," argued Dustin.

"I don't think it is, man," Parker shrugged, earning a half-assed glare when Dustin looked over his shoulder at the unfazed Newby boy, "I feel like that's exactly what happened,"

"I mean, why would a girl like some nasty slug anyway?" questioned Steve, of course considering himself an expert at impressing the ladies.

"An interdimensional slug?" replied Dustin with a scoff, "Because it's awesome," Parker seemed unconvinced, turning to Sidney for some kind of confirmation considering she was the youngest teenage girl present, ignoring that she was, in fact, three years older than them. But the brunette only shrugged, apparently don't wanting to hurt Henderson boy's feelings.

Unlike her brother, who simply added, "Well, even if she thought it was cool, which she didn't, I- I just- I don't know. I just feel like you're trying too hard," Dustin frowned, clearly not enjoying the comments from Mr. Popularity because how could he possibly understand?

"Well, not everyone can have your perfect hair, all right?" he snapped, although rather than argue Steve seemed sympathetic, head tilted as he tossed more raw meat to the ground

"It's not about the hair, man," he insisted, glancing to one side as he watched his sister carefully decide to balance on the beam rather than walk between the tracks, "The key with girls is just. . . just acting like you don't care,"

"Even if you do?" Parker asked, his sudden addition to the conversation the final sigh Peyton shouldn't feel bad for standing between Steve and his crappy advice.

"Yeah, exactly. It drives them nuts," Steve peered over his shoulder upon hearing Peyton's failed attempt to mask her laughter, "What?"

"Nothing," lied the increasingly amused Evans girl with a nonchalant shrug, "just. . . have you ever considered that. . . you're whole pretending you don't give a shit shtick is the reason you can't keep a girl?" Steve stopped suddenly face to face with Peyton as he stared down with narrowed eyes. She seemed shocked at first, although quickly stood her ground, her smirk almost challenging although she knew better than to tease him further in front of their siblings.

"I mean. . ." he began, eyes never leaving Peyton's although he continued addressing the kids, "If that doesn't work you could always, I don't know, save their life?" exasperated roll of the eyes saving her from staring into deep brown any longer.

"This again?" she groaned, although glad to be saved from her anger turning to affection, "What do you want, a gold star?"

"How about some gratitude?" smirked Steve, walking close behind the blonde who had yet to do any more than glance over her shoulder at him.

"Oh, you have got to be kidding me-"

"Yeah, three words," he nodded, looks of mixed amusement and exasperation exchanged between the younger teens unnoticed, "First one starts with a 'g'?"

Proud of the retort she'd yet to say, Peyton finally decided to let herself get a look at the smug Harrington boy, counting each word as she spoke, "Go. Fuck. Yourself?" Steve's smirk had no animosity behind it. In fact, he seemed genuinely impressed at the speed she came out with her insult.

"It was actually Gee Thanks, Steve," he grinned, "But, uh, bonus points for creativity," in a turn of events that shocked even herself, Peyton let a truly genuine chuckle escape her lips. One she couldn't even hide with her hand for fear of getting food poisoning, "Wow. . . Was that an actual laugh?"

The hot-headed blonde forced her smile to fade, although it was visibly a struggle, "You're so annoying," were the words she opted for, speeding ahead rather than listen to Steve's, in her opinion, useless love advice (evidently out of earshot). Steve's gaze lingered on her for a moment, which hadn't gone unnoticed by the younger teens he found himself surrounded by.

"That wasn't pretending not to care?" teased Sidney, pointing to Peyton with a knowing smirk. But Steve was quick to shut his sister down, head shaking with a rather sudden seriousness.

"Absolutely not," Breathing in to tease him further, Steve found himself saved from his sister's further questions when Dustin's anxieties got the better of him.

"What if saving her life isn't on the table?" worried the Henderson boy, receiving a half-amused half-sympathetic look from the elder Harrington.

"N-no, no," he shook his head, "I just said that to be annoying, man," chuckled Steve, "I mean, I'm sure it would work on most girls but..." Steve trailed off thoughtfully, brows knitted as he confused himself at the very idea that he'd somehow separated Peyton from the other girls at school.

"Peyton's not most girls?" suggested Sidney, much to the chagrin of her denial-insistent brother.

"Yeah..." he nodded with a rather suspicious glance at what his sister was getting at.

"Oh..." Dustin trailed off, his cluelessness met with fondness by the Harrington girl, "But you can't just pretend not to care forever,"

"No," agreed Steve, peering down thoughtfully, "You just wait until, uh... until you feel it,"

"Feel what?"

Every question had the Harrington realizing just how much these kids had to learn. He didn't exactly like teaching said lessons in front of his sister either. But then again he'd rather her learn from him than anybody else. He scrunched his nose in thought, his head tilted to one side "It's like before it's gonna storm, you know? You can't see it, but you can feel it, like this, uh..." lost for words once again, Steve's tongue smacked against his teeth as various thoughts entered his brain of how he could possibly describe such an abstract feeling. Then, it clicked, "electricity... you know?" Dustin nodded, too quick to assume he'd understood

"Oh, like in the electromagnetic field when the clouds in the atmosphere-"

"No, no, no, no, no. Like a- Like a sexual electricity," emphasized the older boy, both younger ones exchanging bewildered looks as the only girl amongst them grimaced in disgust.

"Oh,"

Tone of conversation evidently unchanged by the sound of wet meat squelching as it hit the ground, "You feel that, and then you make your move,"

"So that's when you kiss her?" pondered Dustin, eagerness getting the better of him.

"No, whoa, whoa," Steve's hands quickly raised in warning, knowing the consequences of making such an error, "Slow down, Romeo,"

"Sorry,"

Steve sighed, thinking over just how much he had to explain, "Sure, okay, some girls, yeah, they want you to be aggressive," it hadn't gone unnoticed the way the boys, even Parker, were so intently listening to Steve's supposed genius. He wasn't the king of Hawkins High for nothing, "You know, strong, hot and heavy, like a... I don't know, like a lion,"

"Mmm," vocalized Dustin, wanting to assure Steve of the mental note-taking going on throughout their conversation.

"But others, you gotta be slow, you gotta be stealthy, like a-" sudden smile coming across his features, a distant and fond memory found its way into the Harrington's second simile, "like a ninja," with genuine curiosity, Parker leaned past Dustin to peer at Steve

"What type is Nancy?" slightly taken aback by the question, Steve hadn't considered the fact that his analogy could be applied to the girls who were important to him. Truthfully, Nancy wasn't either of those things. She was so much more complex than simply wanting to be kissed.

"Nancy's different," he concluded solemnly at the memory of who he'd lost, "She's different than the other girls," although she could see her brother trying to mask his hurt, Sidney couldn't help but continue to push for answers for the undeniable tension between him and the blonde walking, thankfully, out of ear-shot.

"The same way that Peyton's different?" a mixture of genuine and taunting, Steve's concerned glance in the aforementioned blonde's direction just in case she could hear was answer enough. He was hardly paying attention anymore, so thrown by being forced to talk about the two girls he wanted least to talk about.

"Yeah. . ." his inexplicable answer shocked him back into reality, suddenly dawning on him what he'd just agreed with, "What? No- I mean-" stammering mess, he realized his panicked denial was simply making matters worse. He prayed to god the kids were too short to see his cheeks redden as he felt embarrassment heat them, "Shut up!"

"She seems pretty special," piped Dustin, talking about Nancy this time, but with his sister's confusing remarks Steve wasn't even sure who he was talking about when he replied,

"Yeah, she is-"

"Who, Peyton or Nancy?" smirked Sidney, arms folded across her chest.

"Both, alright?" snapped Steve, wanting nothing more than to put to bed any idea his sister had that he and Peyton were anything more than reluctant babysitters, "In their own... their own ways, they're different, okay? From each other and everybody else," the younger Harrington's smile only grew.

"Interesting. . ." She recognized the look on his face. Because she knew him better than almost anyone on the planet. But, wanting to spare him his dignity, she kept quiet - for now.

"But this girl's special, too, you know," piped Dustin, only one of the three completely oblivious to the sheer panic every time Steve had to deny he had nothing but negative feelings for Peyton, "It's just, like, something about her,"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," smile turning to a frown, Steve stopped in his tracks, forcing Dustin to an abrupt halt as well, with the only one to actually continue on the path being Peyton, now most definitely out of earshot, "Hey, hey, hey,"

"What?" shrugged Dustin, reaching the peak of his confusion throughout this life lesson with Steve.

"You're not falling in love with this girl, are you?" Dustin froze, doing a poor job of masking what his answer should have been

"Uh, no. No," he insisted in a panic, so desperately wanting to stay on Steve's good side. Which the elder boy had half-noticed, considering his original question had been rather leading anyways.

"Okay, good," nodded Steve, pointing sternly at the less talkative teens, "Don't."

"I won't,"

"She's only gonna break your heart, and you're way too young for that shit," becoming all the more exasperated at her brother's insistence that all girls were heartbreakers, Sidney decided that holding her tongue for the sake of her saving her brother from embarrassment was no longer important to her.

"What about Peyton?" piped the smirking Harrington, earning herself yet another warning glare from her brother.

"What about Peyton?" repeated Steve, trying his best to display a genuine amount of confusion. But his sister was nothing if not persistent.

"What type of girl is she?"

"How should I know?" snapped Steve, his increase in tone anything but unnoticed by the younger teens. He glanced ahead at the girl that had become the topic of their conversation, so far ahead and completely oblivious to the relentless questioning he'd been undergoing. Leading the way once more, Sidney jogged to catch up and look him in the eye, although his view was more of a sideways glance.

The young Harrington shrugged, her tone sarcastic and smug as she pressed, "You act like you don't care about her all the time"

"That's different-"

"Different how?" piped Parker, deciding he too wanted to add fuel to the fire. Steve shook his head, he knew he didn't have to answer to a few stupid kids. He considered staying silent altogether. But ultimately realized that would probably only make matters worse.

"Different like. . ." losing his words halfway, Steve looked over his shoulder at the impatiently waiting boys, "Look it's complicated, okay? Maybe you'll get it when you're older,"

By now, Sidney was doing little to hide the fact she was taunting her brother, "So you do care about her?"

"No!"

The only one genuinely puzzled, Dustin tilted his head, more looking for answers than an angered retort "You don't care about her? But you won't let her go into a cellar by herself?"

"Oh, I don't want her to die so I must be in love with her?" snapped Steve, filled instantly with regret upon choosing to throw the word 'love' into the mix. Silence fell, footsteps crunching over dried leaves still not loud enough to drown out his panicked thoughts. Sidney's smile only widened, her forced confusion a vast contrast to the genuinely puzzled expression painted on Dustin's face.

"Who said anything about being in love with her?" stopping in his tracks, Steve abruptly turned, Parker almost bumping into the rosy-cheeked teen.

"Okay, I hate all of you,"

Jolting in surprise upon the addition of the so-far unheard voice, Steve's embarrassment only grew when he realized Peyton had finally decided to check in on why they were so far behind.

"What are you doing?" was all she asked, hand buried deep in her bucket. Sidney's casual shrug had Peyton lead into a false sense of security.

Not even she could mask the utter disbelief upon hearing the Harrington girl's response of, "Oh, just talking about how you and Steve secretly wanna jump each other's bones-"

"Woah!" yelled Steve, wide eyes a vast contrast to Peyton's narrow, albeit confused, glare.

"What?"

"No, no, no, no!" panic and amusement clashed between the elder teens, the blonde dropping her arms as a half-forced chuckle escaped her lips.

"Never! Would I ever-"

Feeling the need to one-up her insult, Steve shot back, "There's not enough money in the world!"

"In his goddamn dreams!" retorted Peyton, sneering, ignoring the rating of her heart when she found her face once again inches from Steve's.

"Please! More like a waking nightmare!"

"Children, children!" Dustin yelled atop of squabbles and giggles, seemingly the only person with half a brain cell left. Argument dispersed by the reluctant thirteen-year-old, Peyton somehow found herself the bigger person between her and Steve, backing off before their sudden altercation escalated any further.

"You know what? I've had enough of this," ripping the glove from her hand and tossing it into the bucket, Peyton now had a hand free to gently grip Sidney by the shoulder, "Us ladies are gonna take another route so that the little boys can have all the gross talk they want,"

Steve's eyes narrowed, "Little boys, really?"

"And we'll meet you at the junkyard," she nodded, the younger girl all too eager to follow the idolized Evans girl. It was only then Steve realized the reality of her suggestion.

"What? No, that's-"

"Not safe?" pouted Peyton, mocking him, not a care in the world for his opinion now, "Boo-hoo," backing away from the tracks, Peyton let go of Sidney to begin scrambling up the shallow, leaf-covered slope.

"We're supposed to stick to the path!" most sensible, albeit nerdiest, sentence Steve had ever said, words were useless against the already set mind of a hot-headed blonde.

"Come on, Sid, let's go!"

Eyes darting to his sister, Steve gave a stern, almost fatherly point, other hand placed firmly on his hip, "No-" but the girl only gave a careless shrug, quick to pursue the speedy Evans girl "Sidney!"

The three boys left behind all stood in a line, gaze fixated on the backs of the girls abandoning them. Yet still, they carried on as they were supposed to.

Along the path.

Ultimately deciding, in silence somehow, that following after would cause more grief and upset than a brief separation.

hi im sorry but in my defense i managed to write this AND my assignments lol also double digits! this was another super dialogue heavy chapter cause the duffer brothers love making their characters have long ass conversations but ykw we love character development

my goal was to get s2 done before the new year but uhhh literally impossible for me rn i have exams to study for in january hahhaaa

if this is my last update of the year i just wanna be sappy n say ty for reading n enjoying my books I've been on and off on wp for a while but it was only the beginning of this year i actually made friends and joined the community (w the help of tiktok ofc)

anyway i hope this chapter made sense cause it was a mixture of peyton and steve's POV idk if that was confusing i tried to make it more neutral lol

also the way this is the last chapter before shit really hits the fan.. next one is exciting cause FINALLY i can write some fight scene things w the junkyard ambush hehehe the plans i have 🤭 peyton i'm sorry

(ps shoutout to anyone that noticed the reference to dress by taylor swift hehe)

merry christmas!

ty for reading and voting
and commenting it really does make my day!

<3