vibe check

[the next day] 

"Hey, [N/N]. Where's the cereal? I know you had it last, you glutton." 

... 

... 

"[N/N]? Are you seriously still asleep?" 

... 

... 

"Are you just ignoring me, asshole?" 

Eddie raised a brow when he got no response- hell, not even a groan. 

[M/N] was a heavy sleeper. After years of waking up to the faintest sounds, he’d somehow grown comfortable enough to sleep straight through Eddie’s horrendous snoring. Eddie hadn’t expected an answer out of him, but it was still surprising that [M/N] hadn’t stirred at all. Eddie leaned his head out from the kitchenette, squinting toward the pullout bed. All he saw was a lump under the blankets. It was boiling inside the trailer. Every window was open, and several fans were running, pushing the hot summer air around. Sure, [M/N]’s body temperature ran abnormally cold, but there was no way anyone could survive under that many layers right now. 

"[N/N]? You alive under there?" he shut the cabinet he’d been digging through and stepped out of the kitchenette, walking over to the pullout bed where [M/N] lay. Standing over him, Eddie poked the lump and it earned him a weak groan. 

Good. Still alive. 

Eddie tapped his foot against the carpet for a moment before finally grabbing the blankets and tugging them down. All he could see at first was [M/N]’s hair, his face buried into the pillows. Eddie sighed and reached forward to shake his shoulder- but his hand brushed across the exposed skin of [M/N]’s neck. He froze- his skin was slick with sweat. Not the normal kind you’d expect from someone overheating in the middle of summer. This was different, it was cold- a cold sweat. Eddie quickly pushed the hair away from [M/N]’s face, and his eyes widened. [M/N]’s face was flushed bright red. His breathing came in soft, uneven pants as sweat beaded along his forehead and temples. 

"Jesus-" Eddie yanked the blankets further down and saw the way [M/N] had curled in on himself, eyes squeezed tightly shut, his hands clutching at his chest "W-Wayne! Get in here!" Eddie shouted. 

"What's all this shouting about?" Wayne calls, exiting the bathroom in confusion "Is [M/N] still asleep?" he raised a brow when he saw the panic on Eddie's face as he pointed down to [M/N]'s unconscious body. 

"It's [M/N]! I think he's sick." Wayne's eyes widened as he quickly came over to where [M/N] was, grimacing at the sight of his boy curled up into a ball and shivering as if it wasn't summer. 

"[M/N]." he starts, kneeling down while snapping his fingers to get his attention "Boy, are you alright?" he presses the back of his hand against [M/N]'s forehead and winced when it felt like he touched a hot iron. 

"I haven't seen him like this since... well, since he was a kid!" Eddie exclaims but quickly shushes himself when [M/N] whined, trying to burying his face in his pillow "God, he came back in the dead of the night during the worst of that storm. Maybe that's why he's sick." Wayne's frown deepened as he reached for [M/N]'s face, cupping his cheeks and lifting his head up and noticing how he couldn't even lift his head. 

"Boy, why were you driving around at night? You know I don't like you driving around when it rains." [M/N] gasped as he tried to open his eyes, struggling to keep them open before giving up and squeezing them shut and leaning into Wayne's hands. 

"I-I... I didn't mean too..." he starts, already slurring his words as his chest heaves "I was just- I just-" Wayne and Eddie's eyes widened when they saw his face start to turn pale as his breathing quickened, the telltale signs that he was going to throw up. 

"E-Eddie- Eddie!" the boy was already scrambling for something, tossing things around just as [M/N]'s face turned green. When he managed to find something, [M/N] quickly snatched it from his hands and threw up about as violently as he did back at the mall. Eddie could never really handle the sight of [M/N] vomiting- let alone the smell, so he stepped out of the trailer to get some fresh air "What did you eat?" [M/N] shook his head as Wayne took the bucket from his hands and placed it on the floor just as [M/N] collapsed back onto his bed, whimpering softly as the pain overwhelmed him. 

"Nothing! I ate nothing...!" Wayne narrowed his eyes on the way [M/N] emphasized himself, tilting his head a little. 

"Venom?" he whispered softly, a low grumble came from [M/N]'s chest as the symbiote emerged "What did you two eat?" Venom shook his head. 

"We ate Russian soldiers." Wayne squinted his eyes, what? "We found Russian soldiers at the Starcourt Mall and we ate them. But that was not the cause of [M/N] falling ill." Wayne was going to ignore the fact that there were currently Russian soldiers in Hawkins Indiana, he was more concerned for [M/N] at the moment. 

"Okay, then what was it?" 

"Do you remember when [M/N] had an "episode" a few days okay?" Wayne nodded his head, of course he did "We believe that these Russian soldiers possibly opened another gate, but we do not understand why [M/N] is reacting so violently. Not just migraines or nosebleeds, but also extremely bad nausea." 

"Should... should I be worried?" Venom grumbled softly, glancing back to where [M/N] was deathly pale and was now clutching his stomach. 

"I believe you should get him checked out. Whatever those Russians did, it is bad. I've never seen [M/N] react as badly as he is now, and I worry for him." seeing the symbiote be genuinely worried for [M/N] was rare, it went so far as to Venom nudging his head gently against [M/N]'s face "I am able to heal broken bones, cure diseases and flush out harmful substances from his body. But whatever this is- I am at my limit." 

"And you think human medicine could help when you could not?" 

"Something is better than nothing, no matter how miniscule." Wayne rubbed the back of his neck before glancing back down at [M/N] who was writhing in pain. 

"... mm, he's not going to like this." Venom laughed. 

"He's going to have to suck it up." Wayne pursed his lips when Venom snickered as he retreated back into [M/N], he shook his head and gently brushed the hair out of [M/N]'s face. 

"[M/N]..." Wayne spoke softly, his knuckles brushing gently against his temple as he waited for some kind of response. "Son?" he tried instead, and that seemed to do the trick. [M/N]’s eyes fluttered open, glassy and unfocused. Wayne frowned when he saw them reddening, tears already pooling as he tried to hold them back. 

"W-Wayne..." he breathed. Wayne exhaled slowly. 

"I hate to say this, boy… but we need to take you to the hospital." panic flooded [M/N]’s face as he shook his head, ignoring the way the motion made his migraine spike. His breathing hitched, uneven and sharp, as his trembling hands shot up to grab Wayne’s wrists. 

"No… no, no, no- please." he choked out "No hospital, I beg you. I hate the hospital!" the tears spilled over now, running hot down his flushed face as his grip tightened "I hate the white rooms- the people in white! Don’t take me back to the labs!" his voice cracked, breaking apart as his panic spiraled "I’m sorry for lying- I promise I won’t lie again, just please don’t take me back, please-" Wayne’s chest tightened. 

This wasn’t just fear. It was something deeper- something ingrained. [M/N]’s fever, mixed with sheer panic, had twisted his thoughts until there was no difference between a hospital and the place that hurt him. And Wayne… Wayne couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen him like this- so terrified, so small. For a moment, he didn’t move. Just sat there, letting the boy hold on to him like he was the only thing keeping him grounded. Wayne took a steady breath before gently prying [M/N]’s hands from his wrists. He didn’t give him time to pull away- just slid his hands to his shoulders, guiding him upright and pulling him into a firm embrace. [M/N] kept crying, but this time it was muffled against Wayne’s shoulder, his fingers weakly twisting into the back of his flannel. 

"I know, son… I know." Wayne’s voice was low and steady as his hand moved in slow circles across his back "I wouldn’t be suggesting the hospital if we had any other choice." he paused, choosing his words carefully "But Venom said we don’t. He’s struggling to keep whatever’s making you sick under control… and it sounds like he’s hitting his limit." [M/N] let out a soft, broken whimper. 

"B-But hospitals… they remind me of the labs…" he whispered. Wayne nodded, even though he couldn’t see it. 

"I know they do." his hand pressed more firmly between [M/N]’s shoulders, grounding him "That’s why we’re not having you admitted. We’re not leaving you there. We’re just going in for a checkup, that’s all. I promise." [M/N] sniffled, his grip tightening for a moment like he wanted to argue- but the words never came "We don’t know what’s wrong," Wayne continued gently. "And if Venom can’t figure it out, then we need someone who might. Just a doctor. Just long enough to help you feel better." for a second, [M/N] held on tighter then the tension drained out of him and he sagged against Wayne. 

"... okay." Wayne let out a quiet breath of relief, one hand coming up to pat his head. 

"Atta boy." he pulled back slightly, his chest tightening at the sight of him- pale, flushed, eyes glassy as he wiped at his face. For a moment, Wayne didn’t see the teenager in front of him- just a scared kid trying to hold himself together "I promise we won’t stay long. Just enough for them to tell us how to help you." [M/N]’s shoulders trembled, his bottom lip quivering- but he nodded. Eddie stepped into the trailer just as things had started to settle. [M/N] had calmed down, though he still looked like he might collapse at any second, barely managing to sit upright as Wayne slipped a thermometer into his mouth. 

"So, what’s the plan?" Eddie asked, crossing his arms as he leaned in over Wayne’s shoulder to check the reading and he winced "Jesus… that’s, what, a hundred?" [M/N] had always been prone to getting sick when he was younger- but when it hit, it hit hard. 

"We’re going to the hospital." Wayne said, pulling the thermometer out and setting it aside "We won’t be long. Just enough to figure out what’s wrong and how to treat it properly." Eddie blinked, then let out a short laugh, dragging a hand through his hair. 

"You actually convinced him to go?" he said, glancing at [M/N] "You remember how hard it used to be to get him there when he was a kid?" he snorted, and [M/N]’s face flushed red- whether from the fever or embarrassment, it was hard to tell "Man, we practically had to drag you in kicking and screaming." Eddie added with a crooked grin. [M/N] groaned faintly, turning his face away. Those “sick days” had never really been normal- not when his body had been going through withdrawal, struggling to adjust to a completely different diet. It had been rough back then. 

And judging by how he looked now? 

This wasn’t much better. 

"I can come with. He's always more comfortable when he isn't alone, and I know you're going to be doing the talking while he's all docile." Wayne rubbed the back of his neck. 

"You don't mind? I wouldn't want to take time out of your day." Eddie made a noise, waving his hand to dismiss Wayne's words. 

"Psh, it's nothing. Besides, it's either that or you have to suffer alone with this guppy's bitching and whining." he let out an oof when [M/N] threw a pillow at him, it was less forceful than usual due to his lack in strength and energy "What? It's true!" Eddie picked the fallen pillow and threw it back at [M/N], Wayne shook his head with a laugh. 

"He's right. Though, you'd probably be whining more than bitching." Eddie snapped his fingers when [M/N] did, in fact, whine. 

Wayne left [M/N] in Eddie’s care to empty the bucket of vomit, so while he was gone, Eddie did what he could to clean him up. He wiped the sweat from his skin and grabbed some fresh clothes, stepping away briefly to gather a few more things. When he came back, [M/N] had managed to sit up at the edge of the bed, though just barely. His head kept dipping forward, his body swaying like he couldn’t hold himself upright for more than a few seconds. 

Eddie paused for a moment. It felt like déjà vu. Like he was taking care of the same kid from years ago- the one who wouldn’t meet his eyes, who flinched at sudden movement, who looked like the world was just a little too much. 

"I can dress myself…" [M/N] muttered weakly. 

"Yeah, I can see that." Eddie snorted, already pulling his sweat-soaked shirt over his head and tossing it into the corner. [M/N] didn’t argue after that. Instead, he just raised his arms without a word, making it easier. Eddie huffed softly but didn’t comment. He helped him into a clean shirt, deciding to leave him in his sweatpants instead of bothering with jeans. Comfort over anything else right now. By the time Wayne came back, already slipping on his jacket and grabbing his keys, Eddie had moved on to gathering a few other things. He picked up [M/N]’s walkman and flipped through his tapes before selecting one. Eddie moved back to his side and helped him to his feet, steadying him when he wobbled, then gently set the headphones over his ears. A soft click, and the tape started to play- Frank Sinatra filling the silence with something slow and soothing. 

[M/N] tended to stick to classical or softer music, but Sinatra was one of the few he always came back to. 

Eddie adjusted the headphones slightly, making sure they sat right. 

"Figure you could use something to drown the world out." he said quietly, chuckling softly when [M/N] leaned into his side. 

The drive to the hospital was miserable- well, for [M/N] it was. He kept shifting between resting his head against the cool window and leaning heavily into Eddie, groaning and whining about the pain. "That's Life" played softly through his headphones, which felt pretty fucking ironic. At this point, just put a bullet in his head and end his misery- though Wayne would probably be pretty damn sad if he died. It didn’t help that whatever Venom was doing beneath his skin to ease the pain only seemed to make everything feel more intense. Eddie let out a grunt when [M/N] suddenly grabbed his hand, his grip so tight it felt like bone might snap. 

"Jesus- trying to break my hand?" he joked. Wayne shot him a look, but [M/N] only let out a shaky breath, his grip loosening slightly. 

By the time they reached the hospital, Eddie had to drag [M/N] out of the truck- not because he didn’t want to walk, but because he couldn’t. His legs just wouldn’t hold him up. Eddie liked to think he was strong- he hauled amps and speakers around for gigs at the Hideout- but [M/N] was a different story. The guy was heavy as hell. Eddie was panting by the time they reached reception, ignoring the looks from the people waiting as he stood behind Wayne. [M/N] was draped over his back, technically standing but leaning most of his weight onto him. His face was buried in Eddie’s hair, fingers weakly clutching at his shirt. 

"The whole Munson family! Boy, it’s been a while." the nurse, Doris, smiled as she looked at the three of them "Last time I saw you folks, your youngest was barely taller than this desk." she added with a soft chuckle- though it faded quickly at the look on Wayne’s face. 

"He’s the reason we’re here." Wayne said, gesturing behind him. Doris leaned to the side, peering at [M/N]. Her brows lifted- then her expression dropped into concern when Eddie pulled [M/N]’s head back just enough to show his face "He’s been like this since last night. We’re not sure if it’s something he ate or something he picked up." Wayne explained, she shook her head immediately. 

"That just won’t do. I’ll have him seen right away." Eddie scoffed quietly as she started flipping through charts, clearly trying to find an available doctor as fast as possible. 

"Jesus… it’s like they’re not even trying to hide that you’re their favorite." [M/N] made a weak sound, lifting his hand like he was going to flip Eddie off- but it barely made it halfway before dropping back to his side. 

After years of hospital visits, most of the nurses- and a few doctors- had grown fond of him. They remembered the scared little kid who used to hide behind Wayne’s legs at the mere sight of a doctor, skittish as a stray animal. And now? Now he was a grown teenager… who still hated doctors. And needles. Of course, some of the staff who had been there the night he was first brought in still remembered the truth- that [M/N] wasn’t Wayne’s biological son. Just a kid Wayne had accidentally hit with his truck on his way to work. But they also remembered something else. They remembered the way Wayne showed up every single day afterward. The way he sat with him, talked to him, waited for him to trust again. 

That wasn’t something anyone forgot. 

"If you could take a seat, I'll have a doctor come out to see you soon." Eddie and Wayne helped [M/N] into a seat before collapsing on either side of him. Wayne would occasionally press his hand to [M/N]'s forehead to see if his temperature settled, well, it was better than back at the trailer. Thanks to the cool AC of the hospital it was lowering [M/N]'s temperature, slowly but surely. Was this why the kid was always at the ice cream shop? He remembered on some occasions Venom  mentioning that they like the cold and heat hurts them- him specifically. 

"Are you feeling better?" [M/N]'s head tipped back, eyes staring up at white ceiling above him. 

"My head feels like it's going to explode..." Eddie gently pats his shoulder. 

"That bad, huh? Does your stomach hurt?"  

"Not in the sense that I want to throw up." he takes a deep breath, closing his eyes to settle the unease he was feeling "I'm hungry but I know if I eat something I'm just going to throw it all back up." Eddie rubs his back this time.  

"Maybe when we get back home Wayne can make you some soup." both [M/N] and Wayne give Eddie a look. 

"Thanks for offering up Wayne's help, Eddie." he bowed his head. 

"No problem. Love giving my support from a distance."  

"I hate you." 

"Love you too, cous." [M/N] just shook his head. 

They didn't have to wait long- perks of being liked by the staff and being somewhat of a regular- [M/N] was settled into a room. Wayne and Eddie were told to wait outside first while the doctors ran their tests, and [M/N] could feel his unease grow without either of them by his side. 

The hospital room felt too bright. 

Everything was white- walls, sheets, the curtains half-drawn around the bed. The sharp scent of antiseptic clung to the air, making it hard to breathe, or maybe that was just him. [M/N] lay back against the stiff mattress, jaw clenched as another wave of pain rolled through him. It wasn’t as violent as before, but it lingered- deep, aching, like something under his skin didn’t sit right. Machines hummed quietly around him. A nurse adjusted the cuff around his arm, the velcro scratching faintly against his skin before it tightened. 

"Try to stay still for me." she said gently. He didn’t respond, he kept his eyes stayed fixed on the ceiling. 

Stay still. 

Yeah. Sure. 

Another nurse stood at his other side, tying off a band around his arm. [M/N]’s fingers twitched as she tapped lightly against the inside of his elbow, searching for a vein. 

"You’re a bit dehydrated." she murmured "This might pinch." he almost laughed at that. Pinch? His hand closed into a fist when he felt the needle slide in. He didn’t flinch because of the pain, but rather the memory of being poked and prodded at like a fucking guinea pig. Dark red filled the vial quickly, one after another as they swapped tubes with practiced ease. 

"Heart rate’s still elevated." someone said from near the monitor. 

"Temperature’s high too. One hundred point three." 

Figures. 

[M/N] swallowed thickly, his throat dry. His chest rose a little faster than normal, but he forced himself to keep it steady. To look normal. 

To be normal. 

"You feeling dizzy at all?" the nurse asked. 

"…no." he muttered, even though the room felt like it tilted slightly. 

A lie. A bad one. 

They didn’t call him out on it. 

The blood draw finished, cotton pressed to his arm before it was taped down. The cuff loosened, and the nurse gave him a small nod before stepping away. 

"Alright, we’re going to run a few more checks." another voice said- older, calmer. A doctor. 

[M/N] didn’t look at him. 

A cold stethoscope pressed against his chest, then moved- slow, methodical. 

"Deep breath." he inhaled. It hit halfway through. His chest stuttered, breath catching as a sharp pain flickered through him. Not enough to make a sound—but enough that his fingers curled slightly into the sheets. Venom stirred from beneath his skin. 

We do not like this place. 

You suggested this. 

[M/N] exhaled slowly through his nose. 

"I’m going to check your reflexes." the doctor continued, like nothing was wrong. A small hammer tapped just below his knee. His leg jerked automatically. Again. Other side. The doctor nodded then pulled something from his coat. A light flashed briefly in his eyes “Follow my finger.” [M/N] did- left, right, up- though his focus wavered for a split second before snapping back "Any headaches?" the doctor asked. 

"…yeah." 

"On a scale of one to ten?" he paused. 

"…six." 

Another lie. 

The doctor hummed softly, jotting something down. 

"Alright. We’re going to start you on some fluids and medication to help with the fever and pain. We’ll keep you here for observation while we wait on your labs." 

Observation. 

[M/N]’s jaw tightened. 

"No-" he started, voice rough. The doctor glanced at him. 

"Just for a few hours." he clarified "We’re not admitting you overnight unless something changes." a pause. [M/N] swallowed, then gave a stiff nod. 

"…fine." The IV was inserted shortly after. Another needle, another tube. Cool fluid began to drip into his system, spreading slowly through his arm. 

It felt… strange. 

Venom shifted again, quieter this time. 

It is… tolerable. 

[M/N] let his head fall back against the pillow, eyes closing briefly. 

Footsteps. The soft rustle of curtains. 

Then silence. 

Time passed- he wasn’t sure how much. Long enough for the edge of the pain to dull slightly. Long enough for the fever to stop clawing quite so hard at his body. The door creaked open and [M/N]’s eyes flickered toward it just as two familiar figures stepped inside. Wayne first with Eddie right behind him and they both stopped short at the sight of him. [M/N] pushed himself up a little straighter in the bed, like that would somehow make this look less… bad. 

"Hey." he muttered out weakly. Wayne didn’t say anything at first. His eyes moved over [M/N] carefully- taking in the IV, the monitor, the pale look on his face. Eddie, for once, didn’t have anything smart to say either. 

"…you look like shit, man." he finally muttered, quieter than usual. [M/N] huffed faintly. 

"Yeah. Thanks." Wayne stepped closer, resting a hand lightly against the bed rail. 

"They run their tests?" he asked. [M/N] nodded once. 

"Yeah. Blood stuff. Reflexes. The usual." he shrugged one shoulder "Said they’re keeping me for a few hours." Wayne exhaled slowly, some of the tension in his shoulders easing at that. 

"Alright. That’s alright." Eddie dragged a chair over, dropping into it with a soft scrape against the floor. He leaned forward, elbows on his knees, studying [M/N] a little too closely. 

"Did they... say anything?" [M/N] shook his head as he fell back onto the bed. 

"No. They just did their tests then disappeared." he pinched the bridge of his nose "I'm sure it's nothing... too bad." now it was Wayne's turn to rub his forehead. 

"That ain't helping your case, boy." [M/N] let out a sigh and decided to keep his mouth shut- he'd probably be digging himself an even bigger grave if he said anything else. 

The wait for his results felt too long and [M/N] was beginning to feel restless. [M/N] moved so he sat on the edge of the hospital bed, shoulders slumped, one hand gripping the thin mattress beneath him like it was the only thing keeping him grounded. His skin still glistened with a cold sweat, his shirt clinging uncomfortably to his back. Every now and then, a tremor ran through him- subtle, but there. Wayne stood close by, arms crossed tight over his chest, watching him like he might drop at any second. Eddie had gotten up and now lingered near the foot of the bed, pacing in short bursts before stopping again, dragging a hand through his hair. 

A knock came at the door before it opened. 

The doctor stepped in, clipboard in hand, expression calm but focused. 

"Alright." he said, glancing between them before settling on [M/N] "I’ve had a look at your vitals and your initial results." [M/N] didn’t look up, his fingers flexed slightly against the mattress. Wayne stepped forward. 

"What’s wrong with him?" the doctor exhaled softly, flipping a page on the clipboard. 

"His temperature was elevated when he came in- just over a hundred. Heart rate’s high, breathing’s a little irregular. He’s also showing signs of systemic stress- full-body pain, sensitivity, that kind of thing." Eddie frowned. 

"Yeah, no kidding. He looked like he was dying." Wayne shot him a look, but the doctor just nodded slightly. 

"I understand. And I won’t downplay it- it’s serious. But right now, we don’t have a clear cause." [M/N]’s jaw tightened faintly. 

"What do you mean, no cause?" Wayne pressed. 

"It means," the doctor said evenly "his symptoms don’t point cleanly to one condition. It could be an aggressive infection, possibly viral. It could also be a reaction to something environmental- chemical exposure, maybe." at that, [M/N]’s fingers twitched. Eddie noticed. 

"…Chemical?" the doctor gave a small shrug. 

"It’s a possibility. Especially if he’s been somewhere industrial, or around unfamiliar substances." Wayne glanced at [M/N]. 

"Boy…?" [M/N] shook his head faintly. 

"I’m fine." he muttered, though his voice was rough. The doctor didn’t look convinced. 

"There’s also something else." he added "Some of his symptoms suggest neurological involvement. His body’s overreacting- pain signals, temperature regulation. It’s like his system’s stuck in overdrive." Eddie blinked in confusion. 

"So… what, his body’s just freaking out for no reason?" 

"Not for no reason." the doctor corrected "For a reason we haven’t identified yet." [M/N] let out a quiet, strained breath, one hand coming up to press against his temple. Venom’s voice flickered faintly in the back of his mind- tense, watchful. Wayne noticed the movement immediately. 

"You alright?" [M/N] nodded, though it was delayed. 

"Yeah." the doctor stepped a little closer, tone softening. 

"Right now, our priority is stabilizing him." he said "We’ve given him fluids, something to bring the fever down, and something mild for the pain. I’d like to keep him here for observation- at least overnight." [M/N]’s head snapped up. 

"No." Wayne frowned. 

"Son-" he shook his head. 

"I’m not staying here." [M/N] said, more firmly this time. His breathing picked up again, shoulders tensing "You said only for a few hours- and you promised I wouldn't admitted." Eddie glanced between them. 

"[M/N]…" the doctor raised a hand slightly, calm but steady. 

"I understand hospitals can be uncomfortable, but given the severity of your symptoms-" 

"I said I’m fine." [M/N] snapped, a bit sharper than he meant to. Silence fell for a moment. Wayne studied him, then looked back at the doctor. 

"He don’t do well in places like this." the doctor nodded slowly, taking that in. 

"… Alright,” he said after a pause "I won’t force admission. But I’m not comfortable sending him home without precautions." he flipped his clipboard closed. "You’ll need to monitor him closely. If his fever spikes again, if his breathing worsens, if he becomes disoriented- you bring him back immediately. No waiting." Wayne nodded his head as the doctor continued "We’ll send you home with medication- something to manage the fever and pain. He needs rest, fluids, and as little stress as possible." Eddie huffed quietly. 

"Yeah, good luck with that." [M/N] flipped him off as the doctor gave a faint, tired smile. The doctor gave them all one final look then nodded once before turning and stepping out of the room. The door clicked shut and a silence lingered for a beat. Eddie exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck "Well… that was reassuring. We don’t know what’s wrong with you, but it’s bad. Great." Wayne didn’t respond, he was still watching [M/N]. 

"…You sure you’re alright?" he asked quietly. [M/N] swallowed, gaze dropping back to his hands. 

"Yeah." he muttered, but his fingers were still trembling. 

And somewhere deep inside, something still burned. 

About another half hour passes as a few nurses came back into the room to do a couple more tests on him with Wayne and Eddie present this time. [M/N] held Wayne's hand this time as he hid his face in the older man's shoulder, while Eddie comforted him by pressing his hand against [M/N]'s back, rubbing up and down as the nurses injected him with meds that would bring down his fever. Sure, the needle wasn't piercing his skin and was instead getting injected into the IV line, but just the mere sight of it sent him spiraling back down trauma lane. 

When he was stable enough they removed the IV line and helped him to his feet, he was sat out on one of the chairs as Wayne did the paperwork while Eddie went to take a leak. He had a cup of water in his head, head tipped back and pressed against the wall behind him as he waited for either two to come back so they could leave. He could faintly hear a pair of shoes approaching him, or maybe it was someone that just wanted to sit down and the only spare seat was beside him. 

"[M/N]?" he lowered his gaze and he was met with Nancy "What happened to you?" she asked gently, her hand gently brushing against his face. 

"Wheeler? Feel like I'm seeing you more and more often." he joked softly, eyes fluttering shut at the feeling of her cool touch "Ah, just a virus or something. Nothing too bad." she gave him a look. 

"Nothing too bad? You look like you're dying!" you gave a laugh as his head tipped back, weakly raising his hand to take a sip of his water. Nancy noticed his struggle and helped him bring it to his lips, he silently thanked her as he lowered it back down. 

"I promise you, this isn't the worst I've been." she shook her head. 

"That's not reassuring." he then tilted his head at her. 

"What about you? Why are you here?" she let out a sigh as she slumped into the seat beside him, caressing her forehead. 

"Last night, I... I paid a visit to Ms Driscoll." he raised a brow, the widowed old lady? "Jonathan and I went to visit her yesterday and we found her, um, eating fertilizer." he retched at that, pressing a hand to his mouth. 

"What?" she nodded. 

"They believe she had a psychological break." 

"Psychological?"  

"Mm. They think that after the loss of her husband and years of being alone finally got to her. She was like... a rapid animal." 

"And you found her like that yesterday?" 

"It all happened so fast. I came to visit her last night and I saw the aftermath before being told to leave. So, here I am while pretending to be her family just so the nurses would let me see her." at the mention of that [M/N] let out a weak laugh, messing with his hair as he glanced down the hall. There, he saw Wayne chatting with nurse Doris about which prescriptions he had to take then snorted softly at the face Nancy made "I don't think that nurse likes me that much." 

"Eh, she's like that but she's really nice." she scoffed softly as she leaned back into her seat. 

"To you, maybe. Not me though." he shook his head. 

"Perhaps she can smell the bullshit on you." he smiled when that managed to get a laugh out of her. 

"You're so funny, Munson." he winks at her. 

"I try my best." she blinked when a hand was suddenly pressed down on top of [M/N]'s head, which caused them both to look up and see Wayne had finished his conversation with Doris and was now standing in front of him, a bag of what they believed was medication for [M/N] "Oh, are we leaving now?" [M/N] asked, humming softly when Wayne's hand shifted to his shoulder to give it a light squeeze. 

"Yes, we're going home now." Nancy takes the now empty cup from his hands then stands up to help [M/N] to his feet, hands on his back as he leaned against Wayne so he wouldn't fall face first into the floor "Thank you for keeping my boy company, little lady." she gave a small laugh as she rubbed the back of her neck. 

"It was nothing, Mister Munson. He looked like he needed it." she watched as Wayne brushed [M/N]'s hair back, whispering in his ear that earned him a whine from the younger man "Is he going to be alright? He looks like he's in pain." the older man sighed softly as he kept a hand on [M/N]'s back to comfort him. 

"My boy will be alright. A little virus won't keep him down." she jumped slightly when Eddie appeared behind her, giving Nancy a small grin when he passed to stand beside his cousin. 

"Hey, Wheeler! Wasn't expecting to see you here." his hand rubs up and down [M/N]'s arm as he looked at Wayne "Are we off?" this earned him a nod. 

"Mm. You came back just on time." Eddie clapped his hands as he grabbed [M/N] this time and pulled him into him. 

"Did you hear that, you big baby? Let's lug your ass back to the truck." [M/N] groaned when Eddie started dragging him off but he did make sure to bid Nancy a farewell, weakly raising his hand before it dropped back down to his side as he and Eddie disappeared round the corner. She looked back up at Wayne and saw, despite concern and exhausted a father might have when his son fell gravely ill, a face full of fondness for his son and nephew. 

"You must love your boys a lot, Mister Munson." she said without meaning to. Wayne blinked at the statement then chuckled softly. 

"I do. Very much so." he takes a breath to collect himself and nodded his head to her "I hope you have a good rest of your day, young lady." 

"And I hope [M/N] gets better." he smiles then nods once more. With that, he turned and finally disappeared down the hall. 

The drive back to the trailer park was much less painful for [M/N]-the medication they gave him eased the pain so his head wasn't constantly in pain and he could actually take a deep breath without the need to throw up. Now that it was further into the day it was hotter and the sun was above their heads, making that his new problem. So Eddie was greatly entertained when the sun shun down on his face and he actually hissed, using his hand to shield his eyes from the suns rays. 

"Okay, Dracula, chill out." Eddie joked as he reached over to pluck Wayne's hat from his head and plop it onto [M/N]'s instead, twisting it until the brim blocked out most of the sun "That better?" [M/N] groaned as he curled in on himself, grabbing the brim and pulling it down to cover his eyes. They had briefly stopped at the supermarket so Wayne could get some ingredients to make food [M/N] could swallow and keep down-nothing too overly greasy. So basically nothing Venom was going to be satisfied with. 

"I won't be long. I'm going to get a few things than I'll come straight back." Eddie nodded as he leaned against the truck while [M/N] stayed in the truck, body swaying back and forth and eyes closed because it was still bright. Eddie couldn't help but snicker when Wayne shook his head, [M/N] looked like he was having a bad trip. 

"I'll keep an eye on him. Promise he won't keel over while you're gone." Eddie just about loses it when [M/N] flipped him off. He slumped back into the seat as he tugged his headphones back over his ears, taking a deep breath as "The Impossible Dream (The Quest)" started playing this time. The opening to the song easing the tension off his shoulders, even when it started picking up laterer-Frank Sinatra's voice always had a calming affect on him. He was lucky Venom didn't sneak in one of his own tapes, he didn't know if his head could handle listening to Madonna or anything pop related when it already felt like a concert was raging in his head. 

"I want to listen to Blondie." [M/N] sighs, squeezing his temples. 

"I don't wanna." he murmurs softly, opening his eyes to peek at where Eddie was. He spotted him in the sideview mirror, he had stepped away from the truck to smoke a cigarette. He appreciated that because the last thing he needed was the smoke to drift into the truck while he was trying not to throw up "I want to relax." 

"You always listen to boring music." 

"Well fuck you. I never shit on your music taste." 

"You complain." 

"Yes. Complain and shit on is completely different." the clash of Venom's voice was making it very difficult to focus on the music, he squeezes his temples in mild frustration "I don't even have any of your tapes on me." he deadpanned when he felt Venom pout. What are you, a child? Well, maybe he was. He was forced into [M/N]'s body about eight years ago, so technically he was eight. 

"You never let me listen to my music." [M/N] rolls his eyes, well he sounds like a damn child. He tugged the headphones off his head and looked at his reflection through the rearview mirror, seeing Venom looking back at him instead of his reflection "It's always your music." 

"Yes, because if you don't remember, music with pitches a little too high hurts us." he rubs his forehead when he felt a sharp pain in his temple "I don't feel like listening to something that'll make my head hurt even more." 

"Pussy." [M/N] pressed his lips into a thin line, fuck you too buddy. He was about to put his headphones back on when that sharp pain became too painful to ignore. At first he thought it was just Venom being spiteful, he did tend to do that when things didn't go his way. His head tipped forward and that's when he noticed that his nose started bleeding-blood dripping onto his sweats as he raised his hand to touch the steady trickle of red liquid. What the fuck? He was fortunate enough that it didn't trigger his nausea but it made the pain in his head worse "One is near." his body froze, a sudden chill running down his spine as he looked at his reflection again. 

"What?" Venom didn't blink as he stared right back. 

"One is near." Venom shifts his gaze to look out the window "And it is close." 

[with eddie] 

Eddie had stepped away just to have a quick smoke. 

Being in that hospital for several hours-seeing [M/N] hooked up to monitors with fluid and medication pumping into him while he cowered into Wayne's shoulder, it did something to him. Eddie hated hospitals just as much as [M/N] did, it brought nothing but bad memories each time he'd gone. From [M/N]'s condition coming and going periodically, to watching his own mother's deteriorating form as whatever illness claimed her life. He didn't like seeing him laying in that hospital bed because all he could see was his own mother that was taken too early into his life that he can barely remember what she looked like. Wayne tells him that he has her hair and face, and sometimes it's a little comforting to hear-that he has a piece of her with him. Then other times he can't look in the mirror because all he sees looking back at him is the woman he can barely remember. 

He's never really spoken about his mother to [M/N], not really. He only learned tid bits from Wayne-like how he got his love and talent for music from her. How she used to sing songs she made up from the top of her head to him. How she would sing him to sleep when nights with his father got especially bad. [M/N] knew about his father, Al Munson, and how big of a screw up he was. Eddie spoke plenty about him because he swore he wouldn't wind up like him- like the father that up and abandoned him at his uncle's doorstep who stepped up and became the father he needed. 

But his mind drifted back to [M/N] and he realized that he... didn't really know much about his past. Before him, before his uncle. Before the fateful night when Wayne struck him down with his truck. He remembered when Wayne came home distraught and near tears, muttering how he ran some kid down but he lived with nothing but a couple bruises on his already weakened body. He was all skin and bones-traumatized from whatever he experienced before waking up in a hospital that intensified his fear of hospitals and doctors. He never pushed [M/N] to tell him about his past-Wayne told him that he was hurt real bad by some people and he knew better than to push someone who didn't even want to remember his past. 

"Jesus christ..." he muttered to himself, struggling to keep his cigarette from slipping between his trembling fingers. He was far enough from the truck that the smoke would drift in and trigger his nausea, but he was close enough he could still see him in case something happened. He glanced down at his cigarette and sighed when it was just about finished, so he took one last drag from it before flicking it to the ground then stubbing it out with his boot. He lifted his gaze from the gravel then froze when he noticed [M/N]'s head bow slightly and a faint trickle of blood ran down his nose-from where he was, he could just recognize that dazed look on [M/N]'s face. The telltale signs that he was just about to pass out. He quickly made his way back over to the truck, hoping and praying that [M/N] didn't smash his face against the dashboard and make his nosebleed even worse, only to be stopped when someone stepped in front of him. 

"Munson." he glanced up at stranger and he furrowed his brows when he recognized the guy. Well, barely. It was someone from the popular crowd-not [M/N]'s crowd- someone that didn't really like him but wasn't downright hostile like Hargrove and Carver. He tries to step out him, only for the guy to get in his way each time. 

"Um, do you need something?" he asks softly, trying not to stir the pot in case things physical. The last thing he needed was for him to get a broken nose all because someone from school didn't like him. He stared up at him again and he furrowed his brows when he realized that there was just something... wrong with him. He didn't look like he was all there-like there was a haze in his eyes. It reminded him of the times when he got really high and his mind would float out of his body and he was incapable of doing anything except lay in pure bliss. But this wasn't bliss, it was something else entirely. It made him nervous-really nervous. 

"Do you have a minute, Munson?" he asks, though it felt more like a demand. Like he didn't have a choice in the matter, but Eddie shook his head as he tried to step around him again. 

"No, actually. I don't have a minute. So, if you'll excuse me-" the instance he brushed past him that guy grabbed his forearm and pulled him back, and it wasn't -gentle. These guys were never gentle, but the grip he had on him was ridiculous. It was similar to when he pissed Hopper off- when was the guy not pissed off? That's besides the point. The point was that he had his arm in an iron grip and each time he tried twisting or yanking his arm free, his hold only got tighter "Wha- hey!"  

"I'm trying to talk to you, Munson." even the way he spoke felt eerie. It was like someone else was speaking through him. The voice sounded unnatural. Dead. 

"Well, you think you can talk to me with a looser grip?" Eddie winced when the hold tightened again. "What are you trying to do, break my arm? Let go of me!" he grabbed at the guy's wrist, trying to loosen his grip or at least ease the pain beginning to build where he was being held. 

"Don't make this harder than this needs to be." Eddie felt panic settle in at his words because what did that mean? This didn't feel like the usual harassment he faced against his high school bullies. This felt different and unnerving-like if he didn't get away from him now he wasn't getting away at all. He gasped, eyes wide, when another hand when another hand suddenly appeared and clamped down on his aggressor's wrist. It was [M/N]. There was a faint smear of blood beneath his nose where he'd clearly tried-and failed-to wipe it away completely. His grip was tight, but his expression was worse. The brim of his hat cast his eyes in shadow, making the look on his face seem almost animalistic as he stared the other boy down. 

"Get your fucking hands off him." he downright snarled at him. [M/N] had to thank Venom for taking control of his body because he was sure that if he hadn't he'd drop dead. The guy standing in front of him had that same presence those dogs back at the junkyard and lab had, so what did that mean? It didn't make sense in their head. It was a little unnerving for them because it felt like there was nothing standing in front of them despite there clearly being a person right in front of them-it was like there was nothing but a husk of a person. 

"And what will you do if I don't?" [M/N] doesn't answer him. Instead, he tightens his grip on him and doesn't stop until he hears his bones start to crack. It was like something snapped back into place, like he was brought back to consciousness, because he let out a yelp of pain and immediately let Eddie go. Eddie was quick to jump away as he rubbed at his bruising skin, [M/N] in turn let him go but kept a close eye on him in case he thought about grabbing for Eddie again "What the- what the hell man?!"  

"Is that what I should be saying to you?" he flexed his fingers, hands closing into a tight fist-ready to knock this guy on his ass. He watches the guy cower under his gaze before slowly backing away. [M/N] doesn't take his eyes off him until he was finally out of sight-until Venom could no longer sense there was any danger imminent. Eddie glanced up at [M/N] then let out a whoa when he noticed his knees buckle, he was quick to catch him before he fell face first into the gravel "A-Are you alright, Eddie?" he sighed weakly as he reached up to wipe away the traces of blood from [M/N]'s face. 

"You're asking if I'm alright when you're clearly dying?" this earned him a weak laugh as he starts leading him back towards the truck. 

"What was that guy's problem?" Eddie shook his head as he glanced back down at his arm, watching the bruise blossom over his pale skin. 

"Fuck if I know. He was acting so weird." he started as he helped him into the truck, grabbing some rags from the bed of the truck to wipe at the sweat beading down [M/N]'s face "It was short, but it felt like I wasn't even talking to a person. Like he wasn't all there." he tilted his head slightly. 

"What do you mean?" Eddie tousled his hair as he shrugged his shoulders. 

"I don't know. I was kind of... worried. Honestly, if you didn't step in, I was worried what he would have done." he let out a breath as he rested against the truck beside the open door "Everybody in this town doesn't like me-they probably wouldn't bat an eye if I disappeared." [M/N] frowned as he leaned out to look at him, pulling the brim down to block the sun from his eyes. 

"I would." he said firmly, he then reached his hand out for Eddie despite the effort it took to keep it from shaking "Wayne and I will always be your number one defenders. You know that, right?" Eddie glanced back down at the dark bruise on his forearm then back towards [M/N]'s hand that was still stretched out towards him, he took a breath before he reached over and took his hand with a sheepish smile. 

"Yeah, I know that. Sorry I forgot." this earned him a tired but honest smile "But we're not gonna mention this to Wayne, right?" [M/N] tilted his head. 

"Mention what to him?" they shook hands with a nod-good. When Wayne returned with two bags of groceries, he was met with Eddie slowly turning red in the face since he slipped on his jacket. He wants to question why but both he and [M/N] seemed adamant on not answering, just averting his eyes and casually chatting about how color was slowly returning to [M/N]'s face. They'll deal with that growing bruise when they get back to the trailer and [M/N] wasn't close to painting the sidewalk green. 

When they did return to the trailer, Eddie was quick to rush [M/N] into the bathroom to take a shower while he cleaned up the living room and Wayne made him something to eat. Well, that's a first. Usually it was a battle to get Eddie to do anything regarding chores, but at least he wasn't making Wayne do everything while [M/N] was reduced to nothing but a sick mess. Before [M/N] stepped into the shower, he was staring rather intently at his reflection through the small mirror in the bathroom. Looking down at his body, he frowned at the sight of all the scars he kept hidden thanks to Venom's influence on his body-capable of manipulating his body at a cellular level so that his scars weren't visible. Back before Venom could heal any wound inflicted to his body, let alone hide them, all he could do was seal his wounds and leave a scar in its wake. And now that Venom was working overtime from keeping his body from collapsing, he couldn't keep up the facade any longer. He was just lucky he managed to keep it up while the doctors and nurses were doing their examinations, but now they were on full display. 

He took a breath as he caressed his neck, his hand gliding along the jagged and uneven skin from years of wearing a shock collar. He could feel the indents from where the contact points dug into his skin, delivering shock after shock after shock whenever he was disobedient. Well, it was his fault. He always made it difficult for the scientists and the soldiers but what did they expect? He was a bloody child-he was scared of everything and he didn't want to do the things they made him do. His hands gently stroke at his throat when he felt his stomach churn, the memory of being forced to eat flesh and raw meat from bodies that were either fresh or rotting. He hasn't eaten a body since they were caught by Wayne all those years ago, but sometimes he can still taste- 

"Hey, [N/N]!" he gasped, whipping his head around but relaxed slightly when he saw they locked the door "You didn't die in there, did you?" he sighed as he tousled his hair. 

"No. I'm fine, Eddie." he hears a soft tap against the door. 

"Okay, good. Your beds ready for you when you get out. Wayne's also made you some tea, so have a quick shower, yeah?" he takes a breath as he nods his head, not that Eddie could see. 

"Yeah, okay. Thanks!" he hears Eddie's footsteps disappear back down the hallway and he looks back at his reflection, his hands sliding down his body and grimacing at every uneven and jagged line of skin over his torso. They treated him like an animal, and sometimes he felt like one when they fed him scraps just to keep him alive. He never really told Wayne about that part of his past, nor about the copious amounts of scars all over his body-he didn't want him looking at him with more pity than he already does whenever he did speak about his past. He didn't want it, and he certainly didn't need it. After taking another deep breath he finally stepped into the shower, sighing in relief at the feeling of the cold water bringing down his overheated body temperature. 

"This feels nice." [M/N] hums, it does. Not wanting to run up the water bill, he washed off the sweat and grime from his body before finally stepping out and changing into comfortable clothes. He did his best to hide every inch of his body despite the clear discomfort he was going to suffer because of the summer heat, but it was either that or have them questioning why his body was so damaged. Eddie snorted when he saw [M/N] slink out of the bathroom and fell face first into his bed, quickly wrapping his blankets around himself until he was cocooned into a burrito. Eddie was nice enough to help him take his needed medication then wash it down with tea before Wayne took his place beside him and fed [M/N] spoonful after spoonful of soup, occasionally coaxing him to take another spoonful when he would whine about his stomach hurting. 

"Come on, just one more." he grimaced as he sunk further into his blankets. 

"Mmm... I'm full though." Wayne let out a sigh as he gently caressed [M/N]'s forehead with his knuckles. 

"I know, but I need you to take just one more bite, okay? Just one more and we'll be done, I promise." he watched [M/N]'s eyes flicker between the spoon and Wayne's face, his face scrunching up in pain "Just one more, please." [M/N] look at Wayne before taking a deep breath, pinching his nose due to the rather pungent aroma the soup was giving off and opened his mouth. He visibly shuddered, slapping his hand over his mouth as he swallowed when he felt his stomach churn-threatening to throw up everything he managed to swallowed down. Eddie took the bowl from Wayne and handed over a glass of water, finishing what was left as he turned towards the kitchenette just as Wayne tipped [M/N]'s head back to help him drink the water "Good, good. Wash it all down. Atta boy." he places the glass down and gently rubs [M/N]'s back through the layers of blankets. 

"Need anymore water, [N/N]?" Eddie calls out, fixing himself a plate of soup. All he got was a groan as [M/N] wiped at his face. 

"Maybe later..." his voice slurred a bit, feeling drowsy after a shower, tea and soup. A deadly combination, that is. Wayne quietly thanks Eddie for filling up another glass and taking the empty one to the sink, setting it down on the coffee table as he lays [M/N] back down so he could relax. Eddie watches as Wayne caresses [M/N]'s forehead again, murmuring something soft enough that the younger boy sheds a tear that is wiped away just as gently at before. It takes some time for his breathing to even out and he finally falls asleep-his breathing hitching every now and then as his body fights whatever virus or illness he picked up. 

"Man," Eddie breathed out, hands on his hips as he shook his head "I can't remember the last time I've seen him this... weak." Wayne doesn't say anything at first, instead he strokes the back of his knuckles against [M/N]'s cheek. 

"Poor boy would rather keep all his grievances to himself than "burden us", remember?" Eddie's shoulders slumped as he rubbed the back of his head, the distant promise he swore to the boy about not telling Wayne that he threw up violently at the mall "There's so much going on in his head that I sometimes wish he would share it with me-or with you." Eddie shuffles his feet as he looks over [M/N]'s unconscious body. 

"... there's so much of his past that's still a mystery to me." he spoke softly "I met the kid when he was twelve, but I don't know anything past that. He was so broken and traumatized that it felt wrong to ask." Wayne recalls his own memory-knowing about [M/N]'s past as an experiment, being known as nothing more than a number. But even still, [M/N] never shared anything about his life before the labs-like he was ashamed of it. 

"Maybe he'll tell us eventually. But for now... we should make do with what we have now." Eddie nodded his head slowly as he reached over, his fingers gently curling around the few strands peaking through the blankets before pulling his hand back. He and Wayne quietly ate as [M/N] slept, occasionally tossing and turning but not waking up. They'd take turns whenever he made a noise just to check up on him but them being in his presence seemed to put him at ease-nothing more than their touch was enough to settle him. Hours later, Wayne had unfortunately left for work. Eddie watched from the doorway as Wayne leaned over [M/N]'s sleeping form, whispering something softly before pressing a kiss to the top of his head. [M/N] stirred at the contact. His eyes cracked open just enough to follow Wayne's retreating figure, unfocused and heavy with sleep. He mumbled something incoherent, words slurring together as exhaustion dragged him back under "Go back to sleep, son." he said with a chuckle, a gentle hand brushed through [M/N]'s hair before he straightened up. [M/N] made a small noise of protest but ultimately obeyed, sinking deeper into the blankets. 

"I'll take care of him." 

"You always do." Eddie smiled faintly at that before watching him head out. A few moments later, Eddie heard the familiar rumble of Wayne's truck starting up outside, followed by the sound of it pulling away down the street. The trailer felt quieter afterward-not silent, just different. Eddie wandered over to the bed and grabbed [M/N]'s Walkman along with the small stack of cassette tapes sitting on the bedside table. He sorted through them one by one. 

The Smiths. 

Paul Anka. 

Joy Division. 

Kate Bush. 

A few mixtapes. 

"Christ, your music taste is always so depressing." Eddie muttered affectionately. After a moment, he settled on The Smiths. Specifically, Hatful of Hollow. He slipped the tape into the Walkman, adjusted the volume until it was low enough not to wake him, then carefully placed the headphones over [M/N]'s ears. The soft crackle of the cassette filled the room. Eddie sat down on the edge of the bed and watched. [M/N] took a shaky breath, then another- the tension in his face slowly eased as the music played. His shoulders relaxed as his grip on the blankets loosened. For the first time all day, he actually looked comfortable, so Eddie leaned back in the chair beside the bed and crossed his arms.  

Eddie spent the rest of the evening keeping himself occupied. He read through one of his books, scribbled ideas for future campaigns into a notebook, and occasionally worked on song lyrics whenever inspiration struck. Every so often, he'd glance over at [M/N] to make sure he was still sleeping comfortably. The trailer remained quiet for the most part, save for the occasional turning of pages, the scratching of a pencil, and the soft music still drifting from the Walkman. The only time Eddie disturbed him was to make him drink some water and take his medicine. 

That had been easier said than done. 

[M/N] had barely opened his eyes, squinting up at Eddie with a look of utter betrayal as he was gently hauled into a sitting position. 

"Drink." 

"No." 

"Drink." 

"I'll do it later." 

"You said that hours ago." [M/N] groaned dramatically and attempted to sink back into the pillows but Eddie grabbed the back of his shirt before he could "Not happening." after several minutes of grumbling, complaining, and weak attempts at negotiation, [M/N] finally accepted the water and medicine. The moment he swallowed them, he collapsed back into bed like a man who'd just completed a great and terrible ordeal. 

"Happy?" he slurred out weakly as Eddie took back the now empty glass. 

"You are such a baby when you're sick." [M/N] responded by lifting his hand and flipping him off without even opening his eyes "Yeah, yeah. Love you too." 

Within minutes, [M/N] had drifted back to sleep. 

And so Eddie returned to his book, occasionally glancing over the top of the pages just to make sure his breathing remained steady. 

Because despite how annoying [M/N] could be, seeing him resting peacefully was a hell of a lot better than watching him suffer. 

Eventually, Eddie fell asleep. Once his breathing evened out and his snores filled the room, Venom slowly slinked out from beneath [M/N]'s skin. He hovered above the bed for a moment before drifting over to loom above Eddie. Tilting his head, Venom listened closely. The human was snoring. Loudly. Carefully, he nudged his head against Eddie's. The only response he received was some sort of strange noise that didn't sound remotely human. 

Good. 

He was dead asleep. 

For good measure, Venom grabbed the blanket that had slipped off Eddie and pulled it back over him, tucking him in. 

Satisfied, he returned to [M/N]'s side and gently nuzzled his cheek. 

"[M/N]... [M/N]..." a groan escaped him. Venom smiled softly as [M/N] attempted to bury his face deeper into the blankets "I hunger, [M/N]. I wish to feast." that only earned him another groan. 

"Can't you let me sleep...?" [M/N] mumbled. Venom nudged his face again. 

"Perhaps if I eat, you will feel better." his grin widened when [M/N] paused and cracked an eye open, staring up at the white teeth hovering above him "It always makes you feel better." Venom waited patiently, pulling back to hover above the bed. [M/N] took a slow breath, clearly debating whether he could ignore the request and go back to sleep. Eventually, however, he relented. 

"Fine. But I want to be asleep." 

"I can render you unconscious throughout the entire hunt." normally, [M/N] preferred to stay awake. He liked making sure Venom didn't get carried away and eat something that wasn't on the menu. Tonight, however, he was too exhausted and too weak to care. He simply huffed and pulled the blankets tighter around himself. 

"I would appreciate that very much..." [M/N] let out a tired breath as the familiar embrace of Venom slowly spread across his body. Even then, Venom carefully draped himself over the blankets as well, making sure [M/N] remained warm and comfortable. As he slowly manipulated the biochemicals within [M/N]'s body, preparing him for sleep, Venom gently patted his chest where he could feel [M/N] curling up inside him "Thank you for asking, Venom." Venom nodded. 

"Of course. We have been through a great deal together. I would not take advantage of you while you are in this weakened state." a low purr rumbled through his chest when he heard [M/N] hum softly in response, curling deeper into the warmth of their shared consciousness. 

Within moments, [M/N]'s breathing slowed. 

And Venom stayed beside him until he was certain he was asleep. 

When he was certain he wouldn't wake up, he finally set out to begin his hunt. 

[the morning] 

Eddie woke with a start, a strange wet noise escaping him when something suddenly jolted him awake. His hair was a complete mess, sticking out in every direction, and he could feel drool dribbling down the corner of his mouth. Disgusting. Slowly, he turned his head from where he'd fallen asleep on Wayne's bed and wiped at his face before blinking the sleep from his eyes. Then he sat upright-scratch that-he shot upright when he spotted [M/N]'s bed empty. He looked around in a panic, wondering where he could have disappeared to. Eddie scrambled to his feet, or at least, he tried to. His feet got tangled in the blanket wrapped around his legs, and before he could catch himself, he pitched forward. A sound somewhere between a shriek and a squawk tore from his throat. 

Then- 

THUD. 

He hit the floor hard enough to rattle the trailer. And that's when he heard it-a soft gasp sounded nearby. Groaning, Eddie lifted his head and who does he see standing a few feet away? [M/N]. Still wrapped head-to-toe in blankets like some sort of sickly burrito and he stood frozen in the hallway entrance. Judging by the direction he was coming from, he'd probably just returned from the bathroom. For a moment neither of them said anything, [M/N] stared down at him a little amused as Eddie stared up from where he was sprawled across the floor. 

"...you good?" [M/N] finally asked. Eddie blinked then let his head drop back against the carpet with a defeated sigh. 

"Peachy." Eddie sighed when [M/N] laugh tiredly "You gonna give me a hand?" he narrowed his eyes on him when [M/N] readjusted the blankets over his shoulders, shuffling over to loom over him. 

"You look pretty cozy down there. You sure you want me to help you up?" Eddie rolled his eyes, pushing his hair back with a huff. 

"Haha, very funny. Now give me a bloody hand." he laughed softly but finally helped, slipping a hand free and holding it out to Eddie. He let out a strained noise as he pulled Eddie to his feet, shaking then flexing his hand then adjusted his blankets once more. Eddie stretched his arms over his head then glanced at [M/N], raising a brow when he noticed that he looked better "How are you feeling? You've got a bit more color to you." Venom was right, he always did feel better whenever he fed. He wasn't sure just how many people he ate and he wasn't going to question it, he just knew he felt better. He wasn't feeling entirely like himself just yet, but at least he didn't feel like he was dying. So, he smiles at Eddie. 

"Do I? Well, I don't feel as pathetic as I did yesterday." Eddie snorts. 

"You were very pathetic." he deadpans when Eddie laughed, rolling his eyes. 

"Thanks. I appreciate the honesty." 

"Glad I could be of assistance." Wayne wasn't home just yet and Eddie could only blame [M/N] for waking him up so early into the morning-not like he intended to wake the poor bastard up-but sure, blame the sick guy for your troubles. Eddie helps [M/N] back to bed but doesn't lie him down, he instead grabs his medicine and some water. After taking them and washing it down with the water, he grabs the thermometer and slipped it into mouth. After a couple seconds, he pulls it out and hums softly as he reads the results "Your temperature seems to have gone down. At least it's in the double digits this time." he laughs softly when [M/N] weakly lifted his fist up. 

"Yipee..." he shook his head. 

"Dork." Eddie starts cleaning up Wayne's bed so when he did come home he could just crash without a second thought, though, he did have a little shadow following his every movement. [M/N] was glued to his back as he shuffled close behind him, fingers curled around the hem of his shirt and practically leaning most of his weight into his back "Come on, dude. I'm trying to clean up." 

"Tragedy." 

"Do you want me when to turn on the T.V so you can watch cartoons?" [M/N] leaned back, making a face at the suggestion. 

"What am I? A child?" with a huff, Eddie places his hands on his hips. 

"You sure as hell act like one." that's exactly what Wayne said-like uncle like nephew. Eddie does force [M/N] back onto his bed and turned the T.V, cheekily turning on the channel for cartoons then laughed when the remote was snatched from his hands, raising them defensively when he changed the channel. [M/N] settled for the news, much to Eddie's dismay, and perked up slightly. 

"Oh, right. The Fun Fair. I forgot that was happening today." Eddie whipped his head around towards the T.V. 

"Damn, today? Shit." [M/N] blinked as he watched Eddie start making coffee, pulling out two mugs for himself and Wayne, giving [M/N] a stern look when he heard him whine "I completely forgot about the Fun Fair. It must have slipped my mind with how sick you've gotten this week." 

"Right. You still planning on going?" Eddie rubbed the back of his neck. 

"I did want to go but..." his words trail off as he looked back at him, so [M/N] waved his hand to dismiss his concern. 

"You can go, Eddie. Go have fun with your friends." 

"But what about you? Sure you're better now, but what if you have an episode and neither me or Wayne aren't here? Hell, recently you've been having your episodes around Harrington and you're sure as hell ain't leaving this trailer just to go see him in those sailor shorts." [M/N] couldn't but laugh softly, a soft flush spreading across his cheeks at the mere mention of Steve that he wasn't entirely sure why he reacted the way he did. 

"Relax. I'm sure Steve is happy he didn't see my dumbass for one day. Maybe I should pay him a visit." Eddie rolled his eyes. 

"Maybe you're not on the verge of dying anymore, but I don't want you passing out on your bike. And if whatever mystery illness you've got doesn't finish the job, the summer heat probably will." [M/N] sighed dramatically. 

"Well, look at you being all responsible." 

"I know, right?" Eddie groaned "I said it once and I'll say it again-I hate being the responsible one. That's your job." for a moment they stared at each other, then both burst into laughter. The laughter quickly died when [M/N] doubled over coughing and Eddie's smile disappeared instantly "Easy, easy." he was already pouring another glass of water before the coughing fit had fully stopped. [M/N] accepted it with a grateful nod and slowly drank, allowing the cool water to soothe his irritated throat. 

"Thanks." 

"Don't mention it." Eddie returned to making coffee while [M/N] settled back against the pillows, cocooned in enough blankets to survive a blizzard despite the summer heat. Before long, the familiar sound of Wayne's truck pulling into the driveway echoed from outside, both of them perked up. A moment later, the front door opened. Wayne stepped into the trailer with a groan, rolling one shoulder to ease the tension from a long shift. The exhaustion on his face visibly softened when he spotted both Eddie and [M/N] "And the old man survives another grueling night." [M/N] raised a hand. 

"Welcome home, Wayne." Wayne let out a quiet breath as he toed off his work boots, shrugged off his jacket, and removed his hat to hang by the door. Eddie handed him a mug of coffee. 

"Thanks, son." Wayne reached over and ruffled Eddie's hair and immediately smacked his hand away. 

"Quit it." Wayne laughed gruffly and took a sip of his coffee before making his way over to [M/N], causing the boy to tip his head back to meet his gaze. Without a word, Wayne pressed the back of his hand against his forehead. His expression immediately eased "His temperature's gone down." Eddie reported from the kitchenette before taking a long sip from his own mug "And he slept through the night without waking up." Wayne nodded. 

"That's good." he pulled his hand away and gently cupped [M/N]'s face instead "And how do you feel?" [M/N] leaned into the touch instinctively. 

"I'm feeling better." he admitted "Not one hundred percent yet, but definitely better." Wayne studied him for a moment before nodding again. 

"Good." the relief in his voice was impossible to miss. 

"I'm sorry for worrying you." Wayne shook his head immediately. 

"Don't apologize for being sick." 

"Still." 

"No." the firmness in Wayne's voice left no room for argument. [M/N] huffed softly but didn't push the matter, Wayne's thumb brushed against his cheek "You focus on getting better. That's all we're worried about." he couldn't stop the soft chuckle bubbling out of his chest when he saw [M/N] pout, his thumb brushing against his cheek again. 

"Okay." Wayne smiled, this time placing his hand on his head. 

"Good." Wayne repeated, ruffling his hair. On that note, Eddie began rummaging through the cabinets in search of food while Wayne settled into a chair at their small kitchen table. [M/N] took a deep breath and sank further into the mattress, trying to get comfortable when Venom's voice echoed through his mind. 

"[M/N]. There is something I must tell you." he hummed softly to let Venom know he was listening "When I went out to hunt, I returned to the mall so we could feast upon the Russian soldiers." [M/N] nodded slightly. 

"Mm hmm." 

"We noticed that the spotted human's vehicle was still on the premises." [M/N]'s eyes immediately opened. What? "It did not appear to have moved since the last time we saw him and the other three." [M/N] glanced across the trailer. Eddie was currently pouring an absurd amount of cereal into a bowl while Wayne sat reading the newspaper and sipping his coffee. Slowly, [M/N] turned onto his side and pulled the blankets tighter around himself. 

"Couldn't it be because they stayed late?" 

"It was three in the morning, [M/N]. I do not believe they were staying that late." [M/N] frowned "And I'd like to reiterate that it did not seem as though the vehicle had moved. It was parked in the exact same location where we last saw it." that immediately put him on edge. Steve's car being at Starcourt after midnight was one thing, but Steve's car still being there at three in the morning? That was another. [M/N]'s fingers tightened around the blanket. 

"Did you see them?" 

"No." 

"Any signs of them?" Venom was silent for a moment. 

"None." [M/N]'s stomach twisted, because Steve was an idiot, and Robin was an idiot, and Dustin was definitely an idiot-Erica? Well, he didn't want to test his luck on that one since they all roped her into it. But, if the four of them had gotten themselves into trouble... he squeezed his eyes shut. 

Please don't let them be that stupid. 

"They are absolutely that stupid." [M/N] groaned and buried his face into his pillow. 

Unfortunately, Venom had a point. 

When [M/N] got up to eat with them, Wayne noticed how quiet he was. I mean, at first he thought he was quiet because he was still in pain but this... this was different. He was slowly eating but his mind was elsewhere, probably talking to Venom about something that they couldn't discuss out loud. He trusted his boy-genuinely, he did. Though, there were a great many times when [M/N] lied to him in efforts to hide the greater dangers he was in. He played them off, told him that it was nothing for him to worry about. Then the next thing he knew [M/N] was either bleeding, throwing up, passing out or all three in that order. He glanced at his boy, his son, and he couldn't help but worry that he was going to do something reckless. 

[M/N] himself was questioning whether or not he should ignore Venom's observation because-what exactly did that mean? Steve's car was still in the parking lot and it has been there since the night he and Venom fled? Did that mean that room lead to some sort of Russian Facility? He and Venom had already theorized that it must have been built similarly to the one in Hawkins-that it was nothing more than a hidden entrance to an underground facility though they weren't confident on the scale of it. It must be big if they were using the Lynx Transportation trucks to import stuff in or export stuff out, perhaps they should check one of those boxes? Ah, but that would require leaving the trailer. Then that would require them waiting for Eddie and Wayne to leave then sneaking out and returning before Eddie gets back from the Fun Fair. 

Such a tough decision. 

"Boy, eat your food." [M/N] blinked and looked up at Wayne then back down at his bowl of cereal that he barely touched "Something on your mind?" his finger taps against his spoon as he thought of a response. 

"Um, uh-I just..." he glanced over to see where Eddie had gone, spotting him slipping into the bathroom, then lowered his voice "Please don't be mad." Wayne narrowed his eyes at him. 

"What did you two do?" [M/N] pushed his bowl away and wiped a hand down his face. 

"So, you know how we mentioned there were Russians at the mall?" Wayne slowly nodded, clearly curious about where this was going "The night before I collapsed, we... we were technically going to sneak into a room the Russian soldiers were guarding." 

"[M/N]!" He raised his hands. 

"I know, I know. I didn't really want to go in there because I wasn't sure what we were gonna find, but that's not the point." 

"What is the point?" 

"The point is that while Venom was hunting last night, he found Steve's car in the exact same spot it was the night before." Wayne raised a brow. 

"What does that mean?" [M/N] messed with his hair. 

"It means they never left the mall. It means they were still there while I was in the hospital dying from God knows what." he squeezed the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath "I don't know what they found, but I'm... I'm worried about them. We were supposed to be with them, and even if I didn't want to go in there with them, I still feel bad that we kind of abandoned them." Venom appeared over his shoulder, tilting his head. 

"It is not as if we planned to abandon them. Remember, you nearly collapsed and we could not afford for them to find you like that." [M/N] sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. 

"I get it, but still." his hand slipped from his neck to his forehead "I'm worried something happened to them." Wayne nodded slowly. 

"Alright, but... who is they?" he narrowed his eyes at [M/N] "You mentioned Steve, and you're saying we when you're referring to yourself and Venom, but who is they?" [M/N] swallowed thickly and averted his gaze, hoping-now praying-for Eddie to come back from the bathroom so he wouldn't have to explain this alone "[M/N], who else is with that Harrington boy for you to be this worried?" 

"Oh, uh-nobody you should be concerned about!" he laughed awkwardly "Just three other people, that's all." 

"And those three others are who exactly?" when Wayne's gaze shifted from [M/N] to Venom, the symbiote visibly shrank back and slowly sank beneath [M/N]'s skin, avoiding the wrath of their guardian. 

"Leave me out of this." 

Coward. 

[M/N] was worried. Genuinely worried. About Steve, Robin, Dustin, and Erica. But it had completely slipped his mind that, for one, Dustin and Erica were children. Well-Steve and Robin were technically kids too, and if those Russians were anywhere near as bad as the Americans, they certainly wouldn't care about that. Honestly, for all he knew, they could be dead. And here he was, saved only because something in his body forced him to flee. 

Talk about timing. 

"Boy, you better tell me the truth." Wayne reached over and took his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze to reassure him "No more secrets. Please." Wayne was always too good at wearing him down, breaking through his resolve until he almost cracked—almost told him there was a fourteen year old and, what, a ten year old probably in the clutches of Russian soldiers. Guilt twisted in his chest as his eyes finally met Wayne's. 

"I... I just-" 

"Phew!" both of them flinched when Eddie all but announced his return, slamming the bathroom door shut behind him like he'd just conquered the toilet "I don't know if I had constipation or something, but that was a real doozy." [M/N] immediately scrunched his face in disgust, even going so far as to pinch his nose as he pulled his hand back from Wayne's. 

"You're disgusting, Eddie." he grimaced even harder when Eddie reached over and touched him with his still damp hands, then wiped them on his shirt "Disgusting." 

"You're lucky I washed them at all." 

"Eddie!" Eddie only grinned, completely unaware of how perfectly he'd interrupted the conversation [M/N] had been desperate to avoid. Wayne watched [M/N] try to shove Eddie away, catching the quick glance he spared him before immediately looking elsewhere, clearly seizing the chance to end the topic then and there. And Wayne understood why. [M/N] was scared. Scared of how Wayne might react if he learned that he had knowingly let two kids who weren't even in high school get tangled up in something dangerous enough to get them killed. He was just really, really hoping they were okay. 

With Eddie back, Wayne knew the conversation had come to a stop. He wasn't about to drag it up again in front of him, and [M/N] sure as hell wasn't planning on dragging Eddie into whatever mess this was. Still, that uneasy feeling didn't leave Wayne. He was worried-worried that [M/N] was going to do something behind both his and Eddie's backs. And as much as it pained him to admit it, he knew that boy did far too much without ever telling him. 

Even after all the promises. 

Even after swearing he wouldn't keep things to himself anymore. 

That he wouldn't go off and handle things alone. 

Wayne knew him too well. 

He knew [M/N] wasn't being entirely honest. 

He was especially worried because [M/N] was a flight risk. Knowing Eddie was going to be out with his friends at the Fun Fair and that he himself had the night shift at the plant, Wayne had a strong feeling [M/N] was going to try something once neither of them were home. He didn't know who else could be in trouble besides that Harrington boy, but whoever it was had [M/N] worried sick. 

Speaking of which, when Wayne finally crashed in his bed and Eddie retreated to his room, [M/N] found himself debating what he should do. His eyes kept drifting to the walkie-talkie, waiting for it to crackle to life. He was waiting for-I don't know-something. Anything. Dustin complaining about Steve whining again, Robin rambling about the Russian code, or maybe even Erica cursing them all for dragging her into this mess. 

But there was nothing. 

Just crackling static. 

Or eerie silence. 

He'd kept out of that business since '83, only ever playing minor roles-dealing with the agents or those feral little bastards. But this? This was different. He had indirectly gotten involved with Steve and that Henderson kid, helping them decode the Russian message with Robin and later recruiting Erica to infiltrate that room. He knew the risks-he knew exactly how deep this could drag them, and yet he still helped. Now he was sitting in the safety of his home while those four were God knows where, with God knows what happening to them. 

So could he live with himself if they got hurt... or worse? 

"What should we do?" [M/N] closed his eyes at the sound of Venom's voice "You are worried that something happened to the spotted one, as well as the others." he sighed. 

"We don't know what happened to them. We haven't heard a word from them. And even if I was at the hospital for a couple of hours, we still didn't hear anything through the radio Henderson gave us when we got back." his gaze shifted to the walkie-talkie again. This time, he finally reached over and picked it up "We couldn't have predicted I'd have an episode right before we stepped into that room, but I still feel responsible." his thumb hovered over the button that would let him talk to the others, pressing lightly against it but not enough to activate it. 

"Then don't you think we should check on them?" 

"Of course, but..." his eyes drifted toward Wayne, still asleep in the other bed. 

"It would mean going behind his and Eddie's backs. We haven't told him whose safety might be in danger, and you do not wish to lie to him, so you believe not telling him at all is the better option." [M/N] felt a tendril brush gently against his face "What you want to do goes against what you promised him. And you are having a hard time deciding between what you should do and what you want to do." 

"... stop being so good at giving me advice." he could practically feel the smug bastard smirk. 

"Stop needing so much of it. Or at least listen to the good advice you're given." he felt the smirk widen when he rolled his eyes. 

"Shut up." the tendril that had been caressing his cheek slipped back beneath his skin, leaving him alone with his thoughts. His body flopped back onto the bed, his gaze fixed on the ceiling. His finger tapped against the walkie-talkie resting on his chest, his thumb once again pressing lightly against the button-not enough to activate it and speak to them. Because what was he supposed to say? Oh, sorry I wasn't with you guys when you went into the room. Hope you aren't dead. 

Real nice. 

The silence stretched on for another minute, then another. [M/N] stared at the walkie-talkie on his chest until the plastic edges blurred. His thumb kept brushing the button, hovering there, backing off, coming back again. He felt ridiculous. Maybe they were fine. Maybe Dustin had it turned down, o-or maybe Robin had taken it from him because he was being annoying, or maybe Steve was just ignoring him to be a dick. That sounded like something that prick would do. He let out a breath through his nose as he shook his head and finally sat up. 

"Fine. Fine." with a small grimace, he lifted the walkie-talkie to his mouth and pressed the button "Uh... Henderson? Robin? Steve? You guys there?" his voice came out quieter than he expected when he spoke before releasing the button, waiting for an answer. Something-anything. But... nothing, just a burst of static crackling through the speaker. [M/N] frowned and tried again "Come on, answer the damn radio." he sat up a little straighter, glancing toward Wayne's bed before lowering his voice again "Look, I know I bailed, and I'm sorry about that, but if you guys are still at the mall, say something." 

More static. 

No Dustin complaining. 

No Robin snapping at Steve. 

No Steve making some stupid comment. 

[M/N]'s grip tightened around the radio. 

"Erica?" he tried next, like she would somehow be more likely to answer "You can call me an idiot later, just... answer." and yet, he still got nothing. He swallowed thickly as a cold knot twisted in his stomach. He pulled the walkie-talkie away and stared at it like it had personally offended him, his hand tightening around it "Maybe the signal's bad." he murmured. 

"Or perhaps," Venom said from somewhere deep in his mind "they cannot answer." 

"No." he spoke but the word came out weak. He pressed the button again, this time a little harder "Steve." his voice dropped on the name. If anyone was going to answer, it should have been Steve. Steve would've answered just to prove he was fine. Steve would've answered to tell him to stop panicking. Steve would've answered because Steve liked acting like he had everything under control even when he absolutely didn't "Steve, if you're there, answer me." he let out a shaky breath when he still didn't get an answer. He took a deep breath as he lowered his head, pressing the walkie-talkie against his forehead as he wished he'd hear just something. 

Goddammit. 

"Hey, [N/N]!" he gasped softly at the sound of Eddie's voice booming through the trailer, loud enough to stir Wayne from his sleep. [M/N] shoved the radio under his pillow just as Eddie came into view, now wearing an outfit that was very Eddie and only slightly suited for the July heat. "How do I look?" 

"... don't you own any shorts?" Eddie threw his head back. 

"That's not what I asked." 

"You trying to impress someone?" 

"[N/N]!" he raised his hands defensively, letting out a short laugh. "Answer the bloody question." 

"Well, it's very... you." Eddie nodded, pumping his fist. 

"Good. Very good." Wayne let out a yawn as he and [M/N] watched Eddie readjust his rings. 

"The boys will be around soon. Planning to mess around for a bit before heading out." [M/N] raised a brow. 

"And by 'mess around,' you mean drink and get high?" Eddie snapped his fingers. 

"You know me so well." 

"Ever thought about, I don't know, doing things sober?" 

"Sobriety is overrated." [M/N] rolled his eyes when Eddie pointed at him "You should try it sometime. I mean, I know you can drink like you've got the liver for it, but you should seriously try getting high for once. It'll do wonders for you." 

"I'll have you know that I do have the liver for it." he caresses his side, a memory of Venom eating his liver and regenerating it so he wouldn't die "It's the reason why you've never seen me drunk, bitch."  

"Uh huh." 

After calling up Gareth and the others, Eddie spent the time leading up to their arrival doing exactly what he said he would-drinking and getting high. [M/N] could only shake his head as Eddie, after cracking open two beers and promising to make the old man a sandwich, somehow managed to rope Wayne into it too. Drinking this early in the day. Then again, like they say, it’s five o’clock somewhere. Not that [M/N] had much room to judge-he’d spent most of the summer surviving on little more than ice cream and human bodies. He shudders when Venom started thinking of human flavored ice cream-urgh, disgusting. When his boys finally showed up, of course they came in hooting and hollering, only to quickly quiet down when they realized Wayne and [M/N] were present. 

"Whoa, [M/N]!" Frank started, pushing Gareth and Grant aside to get a better look at him "When Eddie said you looked like shit, I didn't expect it to actually be true." 

"Dude, shut up! You know he's got something that's been messing with his body since he was a kid." Grant scolded, glaring at him after elbowing him in the side. 

"Both of you, shut it," Gareth hissed before giving [M/N] an apologetic smile "We hope you get better, [M/N]. You're always one to bounce back whenever your body decides to kill you." that earned a laugh from [M/N], Eddie, and Wayne. Gareth looked oddly proud of himself for making all three Munson's laugh. Talk about scoring points. 

"You sure you're alright missing out?" Grant asked "I mean, everyone's been hyping up this event." 

"Yeah. It's like the most fun thing that's happened in this town-well, second to the mall being built." the mention of the mall made all three boys share a look before turning back to [M/N] with matching smirks and wiggling eyebrows. 

"Or..." Frank started, drawing the word out "are you skipping it just to go see Harrington?" [M/N] rolled his eyes. 

"What are you, children?" they only snickered harder when he flipped them off "I've seen him plenty of times." 

"And yet you still go visit him." 

"For the free ice cream, of course. And the AC." the skeptical looks he got in return made him glare at them, which was enough for Eddie to finally raise a hand. 

"Okay, that's enough. No making fun of the poor sick boy." [M/N] huffed when Eddie came over and gently patted his head, his hand ruffling his hair before moving down to cup his face "You want anything while I'm gone?" Eddie asked. "Can't promise I can get you junk food, though." [M/N] thought for a moment, Eddie's thumb brushing against his cheek. 

"Hmm, maybe something small. Like a prize from one of those games." Eddie laughed, then grabbed both his cheeks this time, making [M/N] grunt when his fingers dug into his skin. 

"Well, don't complain when I win nothing. Hell, you'll be lucky if I get you something as measly as a keychain." Wayne shook his head when [M/N] smacked Eddie's hand away, which quickly devolved into the two of them slapping at each other and tugging at each other's hair and cheeks "Wayne! Your son is bullying me!" [M/N] scoffed, yanking on Eddie's hair to pull him away. 

"He's bullying a cripple!" 

"You're not a cripple!" 

"With how fucked up my body is, I may as well be!" seriously, with how these two acted, no one would ever guess they weren't brothers-biologically related, even. Having had enough, Wayne stood up and grabbed them both by the ears, squeezing hard enough that they immediately let go of each other and scrambled to grab at his wrists in a desperate attempt to ease the pain. 

"Both of you, quit it." Wayne shook his head when [M/N] curled up on the bed, whimpering softly as he clutched his ear, while Eddie pouted and whined beside him "Quit your crying, boy. It ain't gonna make a difference." Eddie snorted, but quickly looked away when Wayne fixed him with a sharp look. It was always so funny to watch the Munson family interact the way that they do-it was clear that Wayne genuinely loved his boys, even when they did his head in "Will you be back later, or will you crash at one of your friend's places?" Eddie fixed his hair then glanced back at the trio, who were currently chuckling and snickering. 

"Eh, I'll see where the night takes me. Promise I won't end up dead in a ditch." he reached over and ruffled [M/N]'s still messy hair, jumping back with a laugh when he tried smacking him again "I'll call if I wind up back at... someone's house." the trio nod behind him. 

"Sounds accurate." they step out of the trailer as Eddie backs away, waving his hand goodbye as [M/N] sat up and attempts to fix his hair. 

"Try not to miss me too much." 

"You make it hard when you always do the dumbest shit." he ducked when Eddie threw something at him, laughing as he used a pillow to block the second object Eddie chucked his way. They flipped each other off one last time before Eddie finally turned and left, the trailer door shutting behind him as he shouted something at his friends. Probably about what they were going to do first when they got to the fair. [M/N] sank back down into his bed, hugging his pillow to his chest. Wayne rubbed the back of his head and looked over at him, watching as he pulled the walkie-talkie out from under his pillow and fiddled with the dials. 

"You thinking about doing something stupid?" Wayne tilted his head when [M/N] didn't answer immediately-didn't deflect or try to change the subject. He just sat there, lost in his thoughts "Son?" [M/N] still didn't turn to face him. His gaze remained fixed on the radio, which continued to buzz with inactivity. Instead, Wayne watched as Venom emerged from [M/N]'s back, while [M/N]'s attention stayed locked on the device in his hands. 

"We might be stepping out later." Wayne's eyes widened. He immediately shook his head and pushed himself to his feet, mouth opening to protest, only to stop when Venom's grin widened "We do not wish to go against your wishes, Wayne-nor do we wish to make you even more concerned for his condition-but this is something we cannot ignore." the older man stared at the boy who had yet to look at him, shoulders slumping as he let out a sigh. 

"Can I know if you'll be home?" the tapping ceased and there was a moment of silence, [M/N] let out a breath before he finally turned to look at Wayne.  

"... I will." he slowly pushed himself up, hand still clutching the walkie-talkie "I just... I have to make sure they're okay." 

Wayne knew [M/N] was selfish, especially when it came to his own life. The only people he'd ever willingly risk himself for were Wayne and Eddie, promising to keep them safe whenever his past came back around and dragged them into it directly. If it didn't involve them, [M/N] usually kept his role minimal. Maybe it was because he and Venom felt indebted to him-maybe it was because he was the only one who knew their secret. So why was he suddenly going out of his way for this group of people he still hadn't named? He hadn't outright said they were in immediate danger, but after mentioning that they could be in the hands of Russian soldiers, Wayne could tell [M/N]'s concern was beginning to outweigh his instinct for self-preservation. 

"You must be very worried for that Harrington boy." Wayne raised a brow when [M/N] flinched-and was he... blushing? 

"What? Psh, no! I mean-yeah, I am worried about him, but, like... I'm worried about all of them." 

"Then, would you be this concerned if this were any other group and Steve wasn't involved?" his eye twitched. 

"I mean, not really. If it weren't for Steve, I probably wouldn't have even met the other three." Robin, maybe. They were in the same year, so they probably would've crossed paths in high school eventually, but he wouldn't have had any reason to actually talk to her. He knew of Dustin, but that was only because of Steve. And Erica? He wasn't even going to touch that, considering she was Lucas Sinclair's little sister... who Steve also happened to know. His shoulders slumped as he rubbed his forehead, dragging a hand down his face before squeezing at his chin. 

"So, again, would you even think of going to "check on them" if Steve Harrington wasn't involved?" he bit his lip and looked away, because honestly... he really wouldn't. 

He couldn't quite explain what made Steve so different. He was just another person in his life, someone he saw nearly every day. But Steve wasn't Roddy. He wasn't his best friend, someone [M/N] saw as a brother-not quite on the same level as Eddie, but a brother all the same. Steve was someone he could be vulnerable with, someone he trusted enough to tell some of his biggest insecurities to-things not even Roddy knew, and he knew a lot. Sure, his favorite part of the day was going to Scoops Ahoy just to see Steve, but that was only because watching him fail spectacularly at trying to swoon girls was hilarious. Not because he actually wanted to spend time with him-that would be ridiculous. And sure, he liked talking to Steve, because when Steve wasn't pretending to be someone he wasn't, he was genuinely a good person. 

Steve was empathetic and understanding in a way that made [M/N] want to open up to him. It felt nice to talk about his feelings when, for the longest time, the only person he really had was Wayne. He never told Steve anything too damning, but having someone who would listen was more than enough. And his sense of humor? Hilarious-though maybe that was because [M/N] had the same kind of dry humor. Still, he wasn’t sure he’d ever laughed as hard with anyone who wasn’t Steve. And of course, [M/N] wasn’t going to lie-Steve was ridiculously handsome. Though since he started working at Scoops, he looked more... cute? That uniform looked unfair on him, showing off those legs of his. He complained about the sailor hat ruining his hair, but honestly? It somehow made it look fluffier than it ever had in high school. And those lips? Was he using some kind of lip gloss or something? Because why the hell did they look so damn plump-why the fuck was he thinking about Steve Harrington’s lips?! 

"Son?" [M/N]'s breath hitched, his face erupting into a bright shade of red because-oh shit. 

"No... no...!" he strangled out, the walkie-talkie slipping from his fingers as he cradled his head in his hands "Oh fuck, oh shit. Oh man, this is the worst!" Wayne raised an eyebrow. 

"Come to a conclusion about something? Or rather, about yourself?" [M/N] scowled up at him, though the flush on his face didn't help his case. 

"I am very well aware of myself, thank you very much. It's just... him?" He shook his head and looked up at the ceiling "If Eddie were here, he'd be severely disappointed in me." Wayne chuckled and shook his head. 

"If it makes you feel any better, I'm not against you liking that Harrington boy." he said softly as he took a seat at the edge of [M/N]'s bed "If anything, I think that boy's really good for you." that made [M/N] lower his gaze from the ceiling. 

"Really?" Wayne nodded. 

"Of course. You talk about him nonstop, and here I thought I wouldn't be hearing about him anymore once you two became friends. Should've realized the topic would just change from wanting to kill him to talking about how he laughed at one of your jokes." the red in [M/N]'s face burned even brighter at the realization that all he ever seemed to talk about was Steve this and Steve that. Honestly, just put a bullet through his skull already "But he also looks after you whenever you have an episode. I don't think I've had to worry too much about your condition when he's the one helping you through it. I can trust him with you when you're at your lowest-your weakest." the blush on [M/N]'s face softened, though he didn't look any less bashful. 

"So you... like him?" that earned him an eye roll followed by a soft laugh. 

"Yes, and I'm sure Venom likes him too." [M/N] let out a grunt when Venom emerged from his back and pressed against his cheek. 

"I do. Very much." he purred, his grin widening "He feeds us food and spoils us with ice cream. He does get mad when we eat from their walk-in fridge, but he doesn't stay mad at us for very long. So I am sure he likes us too." 

"Venom, shut up." 

"I will not. You think about him all the time, and sometimes I believe you forget that we share the same mind. I know what you're thinking all the time-from the unpleasant thoughts to the more provoca-" [M/N] quickly slammed a hand over Venom's mouth, the red in his cheeks burning bright all over again. 

"Okay, that's enough. Stop talking." he glared at the symbiote as Venom slipped from his grip and submerged himself back beneath his skin. [M/N]'s eyes dropped to his lap, avoiding the smirk on Wayne's face "Please forget everything he just said." 

"So, let me get this straight." he couldn't help but snort a little at the joke, earning a groan from the boy beside him "You're willing to risk yourself, despite how weak your body still is, because you want to check up on the boy that's caught your fancy?" [M/N] let out a noise as he dragged a hand down his face. 

"Well... yes? I mean, he may be the main reason I want to go, but that doesn't mean I'm not worried about the others. I am, I am-I just..." he let out a shallow breath "If they're hurt-if he's hurt... I'd want to know." Wayne stared at him for a moment, letting the words sink in, before finally pushing himself to his feet and ruffling [M/N]'s hair. That earned him a disgruntled noise, but [M/N] didn't brush Wayne's hand away. He just let him mess up his hair. 

"Feel better saying it out loud, boy?" [M/N] shrugged. 

"Kind of." Wayne let his hand linger in [M/N]'s hair for a moment before finally pulling away. He watched as [M/N] ran a hand through the ruffled mess, not really fixing it so much as threading his fingers through the strands until his hand came to rest at the back of his neck "So, are you gonna let me walk out that door without chasing after me and dragging me back by my ear?" [M/N] asked, glancing up at him nervously. 

"As much as I'd rather you stay in this trailer and let your body recover, I know just how stubborn you can be." Wayne sighed, placing a hand on his hip and the other over his chest "If you hadn't just confessed all this, you probably would've waited until I was gone and broken your old man's heart by sneaking out to go looking for your lover." he laughed when [M/N] shoved him, his face tinged a soft shade of pink. 

"Okay, Wayne, shut up!" [M/N] dragged a hand down his face again "And don't call him that. You don't even know if he likes guys. I mean, he's only ever dated women." 

"Well, it's understandable that someone might hide an attraction to the same sex in a town like this. Because, as Eddie once put it, everyone in this town is close-minded and would rather fold to conformity than do what they really want." he tilts his head to look at [M/N] "There's always a chance that he could be attracted to you." [M/N]'s shoulders slumped as his fingers pinched a strand of his hair between his fingers. 

"Wistful thinking." he flicked his hair back just as Wayne patted his shoulder. 

"Just... don't lose hope. I'm sure that boy's got some kind of affection for you, otherwise why else would he put up with your dramatic ass?" [M/N] frowned. 

"Uh, rude." 

"But true." Wayne finally stepped away and headed into the kitchenette to grab himself a beer. [M/N] watched him closely as the older man settled into his chair and turned on the TV-guess he wanted to catch the game before he had to go to work. [M/N] kept an eye on him for a second before pushing himself to his feet, his arms shaking slightly as his legs trembled from sitting folded up for so long. Wayne heard him shuffling around the trailer, disappearing into the bathroom for a quick shower, then reappearing a little while later in fresh clothes with damp hair. He glanced over briefly and saw [M/N] taking his medicine, washing it down with a glass of water. When Wayne looked back at the TV, [M/N] approached where he was lounging in his chair. He stood beside him in silence for a moment before bending down and wrapping his arms around his shoulders. 

"I'll be back." Wayne relaxed as he brought a hand up to pat his back. 

"Be safe you two." Venom rumbled in his chest as he grinned. 

"We will." after a moment he finally pulled away, patting Wayne's shoulder until he finally stepped away from the older man so he could watch his game. He pulled on his gloves and jacket, grabbing his helmet from where he leaves it hanging by the door but just before he stepped out, he turned to where the walkie-talkie was on his bed and grabbed that too. He nods his head to Wayne as a final goodbye, taking a deep breath when he stepped outside into the July heat. Man, he's already having so many regrets-maybe he could just- 

"Don't." he sighed-right, right. He glances down at his watch, hooking the walkie-talkie to his waist and noted that it was late afternoon. If he took the back way he was sure he could get there faster than going through town, that also meant he could dodge all the traffic lights and speed down the empty roads while also avoiding police. But he was sure that the majority of the Hawkins Police department would be at the Fun Fair going on, he just really hoped Sheriff Hopper wasn't patrolling those roads since he frequented those areas.  

God he hoped he wasn't around-the last thing he needed was to get arrested. 

[starcourt mall] 

[M/N] just about crashed into a parked car by the time he pulled up to the mall after speeding down the streets, clutching down on his breaks hard enough that his back wheel lifted off the ground before dropping back down when he came to a complete halt. He quickly parked his bike and tore off his helmet, apologizing to people as he pushed past them so he could search for Steve's car and when he found it he saw that it was ticketed. He tore it off and noted that the time stamped on the ticket read that his car indeed had not moved since the last time he was here, he crumpled up the ticket and threw it away as he stalked back over to the mall entrance. 

He winces as the loud noises of people and stores overwhelm his senses to the point he was tempted to put his helmet on the block it out, though he did decide against it because he didn't want to look suspicious and be kicked out. That and it was also hot as fuck despite the sun beginning to fall from the sky. He makes his way over the Scoops Ahoy and visibly settles when he saw that the store was open but when he entered his shoulders slumped when he saw neither Steve or Robin behind the counter but some older gentlemen who looked very annoyed. 

"Um, hi. Good afternoon, er, sir?" he greeted politely as he approached the counter, swallowing thickly when he glared at him "I don't suppose you've seen, um, Steve Harrington or Robin Buckley." he held up his hands when the man pointed his ice cream scooper at him as if he were holding a knife instead. 

"No, I haven't! Those two kids were supposed to work yesterday and today, and neither showed up for their shift!" he started to sweat a little when he lowered his scooper to pinch the bridge of his nose "I swear to god, if those two flanked out just to fool around, they're both fired!" he couldn't help but make a face at the implications of that sentence-because, what? Sure, Steve was known for fooling around with any girl that so happened to breathe in his general direction-emphasis on the was-but now he barely got so much as a conversation before they're telling him they're not interested. Talk about a fall from grace. And don't get him started on Robin. That girl has put up with enough of Steve's bullshit since high school and now having to work with the former King himself? She's told him many times that she'd rather nosedive off the roof of the mall than to go on a date with a guy who could be carrying several sexual diseases with how much sex he's had. Honestly, fair.  

"So you haven't seen them... at all?" 

"No. So if you happen to find them, you tell them they're on thin ice. I'll make sure they're on different rosters so they don't think of getting freaky in the walk in fridge." he sighed, taking his sailor hat off just to run a hand through his hair "Don't ask me how many times I've found my staff in there thinking that fridge is sound proof." 

"I didn't ask and yet you still told me." he then tapped his hand on the counter, slowly backing away while trying to catch a glimpse into the breakroom through the barely open window behind him "Well, uh-I'll tell them about your warning if I find them." 

"You do that." he now stood outside Scoops Ahoy with a disgruntled look on his face. He wanted to go through their breakroom to check on their stuff but now he either had to sneak in there or leave it be. He doesn't think he has time for what ifs so he decides to abandon that idea and go through the employee walkway-perhaps he was hoping to run into some Russian soldiers just to question them about the room if Venom didn't eat them first. They did need to gain access to the room because one, he couldn't fit through the vents, and two, he couldn't pry open the door unless he wanted those soldiers to suspect that it's been tampered with. He wasn't tech savvy so he couldn't hack that console to bypass the security and open the door, and he wasn't entirely sure how the lock worked for Venom to seep through the cracks in the door and open it from the other side.  

Thankfully, he snuck into the employee only walkway with no problems and hoped that no actual employee from any of the stores came out as he was running through. He perked up when he heard voices down the hall so he slowed down and pressed himself against the wall, listening as the voices got closer. He felt a his chest rumble when they recognized the Russian words being spoken-well, at least they found their way into the room. Though it did entirely depend if they had a keycard on them, so hopefully they did. When they stepped out, he quickly apprehended them before they could fire any rounds and alert mall security or any staff that so happened to be close, using Venom to suspend them in the air. Venom's tendrils searched through their pockets before finding the needed keycard to unlock the room, much to their delight. 

"Что ж, большое спасибо вам за это." he spoke, taking the keycard from the Venom's tendril and slipping it into his pocket "Скажи-ка, не мог бы ты подсказать, что именно стоит осмотреть в той комнате?" he tipped his head to the side, cooing softly as the appendages that kept them suspended slowly curled around them like a snake. 

"М-мы... Мы никогда не будем разговаривать, американец!" 

"Даже если ты умрешь? Ты уверен, что не хочешь мне рассказать?" he made a face when they spat at his feet. 

"Мы с радостью унесём это с собой в могилу, чудовище." his gaze hardened on them as Venom takes shape over his shoulder, he could feel the soldiers start to thrash and struggle in their hold but that only made his grip tighter. 

"Дело ваше. Venom." the soldiers shrank when Venom formed over his body and his hulking form loomed over them, his tongue flicking out and dragging across one of their faces. 

"до свидания." Venom had eaten those soldiers whole as to not waste anymore time, though he did whine softly as he did not get to relish in their flavor. Dude could be such a food critic sometimes. They made it to the rooftop and peeked over the ledge to check if the coast was clear, and when they saw no other soldier was lingering around the docking bay, he jumped off the roof and landed with a heavy thud. He approached the door and pressed his ear against it to see if he could hear anything that would warrant in him tearing it open, but when he was greeted with silence, he pushed off the door and pulled out the keycard. He took a breath as he raised the keycard to the panel and when the light flashed green with a ping, he watched the door open to reveal... an ordinary room? His eyes flicked across the room in confusion as he tried to find what was off about it-why a room would need a keycard with armed guards in front of it-but there was nothing. 

"There's nothing in here." he murmured as his eyes scanned over the Kaufman Shoes and Imperial Panda boxes, though he did notice that a few of them were knocked over "There's nothing special about this room at all." 

"Sure, but they were definitely here." Venom said as he formed over his shoulder, stretching over to a fallen cart and some boxes "And I believe the spotted human was hurt." he added as he noticed a little patch of blood on the ground, which made [M/N]'s eyes widen. 

"Hurt? Steve was hurt?" he dropped to one knee and winced at the sight of the blood. It wasn’t enough to send him into a panic, but it was still worrying. Steve had been bleeding "But what could've happened to make him bleed? Where did they go?" he watched as Venom leaned closer to inspect it, only to jump when the symbiote’s tongue flicked out of his mouth and lapped up some of the blood "Wha-dude! What are you doing?" 

"I am trying to determine how old the blood is." he flushed a little when Venom purred a little as he continued to lap up the blood "His blood is quite sweet." 

"Venom." he grumbles under his breath. 

"No, I mean that in a concerning way." 

"What do you mean?" Venom pulled away and settled over his shoulder, tilting his head in thought. 

"There seems to be something circulating in his blood. Some kind of chemical. A drug, perhaps?" [M/N]'s brows furrowed A drug? Did Steve take something? Had someone drugged him? Had they all been drugged? "I cannot determine exactly what kind of drug it is, but I do not believe the dose is immediately fatal. It has altered his mind and slowed his body. He is intoxicated, but not by alcohol. He will be confused, uncoordinated, and unable to properly protect himself."  

Venom glanced up at [M/N] and watched his expression twist with anger and guilt. [M/N] couldn't stop thinking that if he hadn't collapsed that night, before they had all entered this room, then Steve and the others might never have ended up in this situation. If he had been stronger, if he had kept going, perhaps he could have protected them. Venom felt his turmoil and heard every thought turning the blame inward. Before [M/N] could sink any deeper into it, the symbiote leaned closer and gently nuzzled against his cheek. 

"You cannot blame yourself, [M/N]. We could not have predicted this." he huffed softly when he saw [M/N]'s eyes glisten with tears. 

"But he's hurt somewhere. He's bleeding and drugged out somewhere and we don't know where he or the others are." his hand closed into a tight fist "I'm worried." he turned his head as Venom shifted to hover right in front of him. 

"Then let us go find them. His blood is still fresh, so they were here recently." they both look back towards the mall "They couldn't have gone far." 

"Think you can find them?"  

"It will be difficult. We remember his scent, but we might get overwhelmed with the crowd in the mall." [M/N] nods his head as he stepped out of the room, the doors sliding closed behind him as they made their way back towards the mall. 

"All we need to do is spot two people in blue sailor uniforms. How hard can that be?" 

It was, in fact, pretty hard. 

Despite it being the Fourth of July, the mall was still packed with people, which made it even harder to find two teenagers in sailor uniforms-both possibly drugged out of their minds-and two children. One of them was carrying a My Little Pony backpack, while the other wore a hat from some science camp. [M/N] felt like he had been wandering around the mall for hours, searching for even the smallest glimpse of one of them, but it was like looking for a needle in a haystack. They could be anywhere, so every so often, he circled back toward Scoops Ahoy in the hope of spotting them through the narrow crack in the window. Each time, however, the room looked completely undisturbed, and [M/N] was fairly certain the guy working behind the counter was starting to get sick of seeing him. 

Venom was having just as much trouble. The mall was crowded with too many people and too many overlapping scents, making it difficult for him to isolate Steve's from the rest. Steve, as Venom had described him, smelled like a strange mixture of different things: ice cream, burnt sugar, the chemicals from his Farrah Fawcett hairspray, and the combined scent of sweat and cologne. They had spent enough time around Steve to know that he had a rather distinct aroma. Venom would-at times-pick up something that smelt remotely like him, but they would instead run into a woman who was doused in Farrach Fawcett fumes or a child whose face was covered in chocolate ice cream. 

Mm, choc-stop it.  

By the time they were on the second floor overlooking the first, [M/N] had gone through every store and had done several laps around the mall, and he couldn't find any of them. Not Steve, not Robin, not Dustin and certainly not Erica... he kind of didn't want to find her first because he was scared that little girl would bite his ankles. He sighed tiredly as he leaned against the railing, his helmet hanging loosely from his fingers as he stared down at the water fountain on the first floor. The swarm of people had decimated and it wasn't as overcrowded as it was about an hour ago, but he still couldn't spot them from where he was. Maybe he should just try the walkie-talkie-since he's closer, perhaps it'll work this time. He was in the motion of grabbing it when he heard voices and laughter, he didn't think much of it until he listened closely and recognized the laughter.  

He turned around, and his eyes widened when he spotted the two of them standing beneath the skylight, staring up at the stars like it was the most fascinating thing they had ever seen. They were even giggling—like children. Relief hit him hard at finally finding them. Dustin and Erica were still nowhere to be seen, but that was a problem for later. Right now, he had found the two most likely to be drugged out of their minds. 

"Steve! Robin! Oh, thank god! I've been looking everywhere for you two." he said as he hurried toward them. Steve had his back turned, so [M/N] couldn’t see his face yet. "I'm really sorry for flaking on you guys. I didn't mean to, I just-I wasn't feeling well, and I didn't want to get in the way. I really hope you guys aren't too mad at me, but I'll understand if you are." when he finally reached them, he grabbed Steve by the shoulder. The moment Steve turned around, [M/N] froze at the sight of him. 

"Wha...?" as Steve’s eyes adjusted and he realized who was standing in front of him, his whole face lit up "[N/N]!" he was taken aback because, [N/N]? Steve just called him [N/N]? Only Eddie ever called him that, so hearing that nickname come out of Steve Harrington's mouth was a little mindboggling. He let out a grunt when Steve stumbled straight into his arms, causing him to drop his helmet to the ground just to steady him while Steve’s hands bunched into the fabric of his jacket. His breath caught when Steve’s grip slid up his back and he buried his face into [M/N]’s neck, almost like he was trying to crawl under his skin. 

"Steve? What are you-hey!" he tried to push him back enough to get a better look at his face, but Steve only curled tighter against him, his hold increasing as if pulling him away would physically hurt. 

"No." [M/N] blinked. 

"No?" every time he tried to angle his head to see him, Steve only pressed his face deeper into the crook of his neck. It wasn’t until [M/N] managed to slide a hand up to the side of Steve’s neck, his thumb brushing along his jaw, that Steve finally pulled back-just enough to lean his face into the palm of [M/N]’s hand. The closer look made [M/N]’s own expression fall. His eyes were bloodshot, his left eye swollen badly enough that he could barely keep it open. His lip was split, and his hair was flatter than usual, like someone had grabbed at it too many times. If [M/N] hadn’t been holding him upright, he was fairly certain Steve would already be on the floor. A sharp mix of anguish and rage rose in his chest, but then Steve started giggling. [M/N] blinked, stunned, as Steve’s chest rose and fell with soft laughter while he nuzzled into his hand. 

"Have I ever told you how much I like your hands?" [M/N] flinched when Steve’s hand slowly slid up his side. Then Steve’s fingers brushed over the back of his hand, and he hummed softly as he pressed [M/N]’s palm closer to his cheek "They look so warm and nice to hold. You take good care of them." [M/N] couldn’t stop the heat rising to his cheeks when Steve tried to bury his face in his palm instead. 

"H-Hey, careful. I don’t want to hurt you..." he murmured weakly, trying to pull his hand back so he wouldn’t accidentally brush against the cut on Steve’s lip, all while ignoring the little whine Steve let out at the loss "You’re not thinking clearly." Steve shook his head. 

"Nuh uh, I think about it all the time. Right, Robin?" the girl he had completely forgotten about, too caught up in Steve’s drugged-up affection, let out a laugh as she stumbled into his back. 

"He does! He blabbers about you all the time!" she drawled, looping her arms around his shoulders so she could cling to him "He complains about how attractive you are, how cool you are, how funny you are... it gets so annoying sometimes." [M/N] had to wrap an arm around Robin’s waist when he felt her start to slip, which meant he couldn’t defend himself from Steve’s wandering hands due to his other hand keeping Steve upright. 

"Yup! I honestly thought I was just jealous of all that, a-and maybe I am, but I really like everything about you!" Steve slurred, which did absolutely nothing good for [M/N]’s heart. Steve’s hands came up to cup his face, his eyes droopy as he stared into his. "You’ve got, like, really intense eyes. Has anyone ever told you that? They’re always... so full of emotion. Like right now." Steve giggled again as his finger gently prodded beneath [M/N]’s eye. Robin joined in on the poking when she noticed the way [M/N]’s face had turned red all the way to the tips of his ears. 

"Aw, he’s embarrassed! Harrington made the mighty [M/N] Munson flustered!" she slurred, resting her cheek against his shoulder "I didn’t think anything could get under your skin, [M/N]." Steve laughed as he wrapped his arms around him again, his hands fisting the fabric of his jacket again. 

"It’s [N/N], Robin. You know, because it’s cute. Just like him." 

"Yeah, he is cute when he isn’t being a jackass." [M/N] let out a strangled noise when they both started calling him [N/N]-he wasn’t used to anyone but Eddie calling him that. 

"Guys, please..." he was certain they would have continued their onslaught of teasing if he hadn't noticed the way they both froze, he looked between the two of them then immediately recognized the signs of regurgitation. 

"[N/N], my stomach hurts..." his eyes widened when they started dry heaving so he quickly picked them up, bending down to loop his arm around Steve's waist to throw him over his shoulder. As for Robin, he looped his arm around her waist but tucked her under his arm "I think I'm gonna hurl..." Steve almost did but managed to clamp his hand over his mouth before he could. 

"Don't! Just hold it in!" he heard them both let out pained noises as he quickly turned on his heel, abandoning his helmet in favor of getting them both quickly to the bathroom to empty their stomachs. He found the bathrooms and didn't stop to check if it was the men's or the women's-he just kicked the doors opened and prayed that there was nobody inside. The instance he set the two down, they scrambled for an empty stall before collapsing to their knees and vomiting into the toilet bowl. He couldn't help but grimace as he looked between the two open stalls, watching them hold onto the toilet lids as they tried to catch their breath, only for another wave of nausea hit them and they were throwing up again "And for once it's not me..." he murmured under his breath as he pressed his fingers to his lips. 

He looked into Robin's stall and noticed the way her hair was falling over her face so he stepped in behind her, dropping to his knees and pulling her hair back with both of his hands. Her teary eyes flickered over to him and saw the way he gave a sheepish grin followed by a shrug-she appreciated it because she did not want vomit in her hair. He bunched her hair together and held it in one hand while his other gently rubbed up and down her back, occasionally coming up to squeeze her shoulder. It was only when she started to slow down did he hear the weak little cry coming from the other stall, followed by the soft patter of something hitting the tiled floor. 

"[N/N]..." Steve's voice whined out. He sighed but slowly stood to his feet, patting Robin's back a final time before stepping back and peeking his head into Steve's stall. He let out a huff, leaning against the stall wall as he crossed his arms, because the sight of Steve Harrington looking up at him all teary eyed and flushed did something to him-be still my beating heart "My throat hurts..." he mumbled as he tried to wipe the saliva dribbling past the corner of his lips, only to wince when he accidentally brushed against his cut lip. 

"Careful, Steve. Wouldn't want to ruin that pretty face of yours even more, hmm?" he ignored the rush of heat spreading across Steve's cheeks as he tugged up his sleeve to carefully wipe away the drool himself, his other hand gently cupping Steve's face to keep his head from falling back. 

"You think I'm pretty...?" Steve spoke softly as his eyes watched [M/N] closely, still a little hazy but more focused than before. 

"I call you pretty all the time. What? Never believed me the first time I called you pretty boy?" 

"Mm, always thought you were making fun of me..." Steve let out a breath as he fully let his head rest in the palm of [M/N]'s hand, trusting him that he wouldn't let go "Could never tell when you were being honest with me or not. You're always so... impossible to read. You could be playing with my feelings right now and I wouldn't even know it." his hand twitched as his face dampened. He kept his one hand holding Steve's face while the other came up and gently brushed his hair out of his face. 

"I didn't mean to do that. I don't mean to play with your feelings." the hand in his hair drifted down until both of his hands were cupping Steve's face, forcing him to look at him "I like you, Steve. You've become someone I feel genuine... concern for when I find your face beaten black and blue." Steve's eyes shun with a flicker of something he couldn't quite place. Disbelief? Affection? Relief, maybe? 

"Really?" he whispered out, like hearing the confirmation from [M/N] would make something settle in his chest. 

"Yes, really. Jesus-I've been riddled with guilt since I realized you guys had never left the mall. And again, I am so sorry I bailed. I didn't want to, but my body-well, you know how fucked up I am." he gives a weak laugh before looking back at Steve, his thumbs brushing gingerly against Steve's cheeks "I have been looking for you guys for hours, and when I did find you two, your face is all mangled. Again! You ever gonna go a year without someone bruising that face of yours?" Steve gave a weak laugh as his own hands came up to grip onto his wrists. 

"Maybe. But I do enjoy you looking after me-it's the least you could do with how much I've taken care of you." [M/N] looked at him before the two of them burst into laughter. 

"Oh? Is there a debt that I need to repay, Harrington?" he let out a sort of giggle. 

"If this is how you're gonna be treating me, then yeah. I'll come to you whenever I feel out of it." he hummed softly, eyes fluttering close to relish in the cool touch of his hands "At least you'd take care of me." 

"Got no one else, Harrington?" he felt him shake his head, though it felt more like him nuzzling into his hands again. 

"No. My parents are never around, and I've got no friends my age. All I've got is me, myself, and I." he opened his eyes as he looked at [M/N] "You're the only person who hangs out with me everyday." [M/N] saw the sad look on his face again as he confessed how lonely he was-he had a rough idea, but it was almost depressing to hear that he was the only person that he saw regularly. 

"Do you... really enjoy me showing up everyday?" Steve nods. 

"I do. I really, really do." he let out a breath as his hands slid from [M/N]'s wrists to his elbows, his chest heaving as he stared up at him "I enjoy seeing you walk through the doors. I like listening to you talk about your day. I love knowing that it's me that can get you to smile in that way that sounds real. I just love everything about you." [M/N] couldn't help but let out a breath when he saw Steve leaning in closer. 

"Steve, I-" he pulled and saw how Steve's face turned pale again before he quickly pushed [M/N] back, lurching over the toilet bowl and throwing up another wave of vomit into it. [M/N], who was now pressed against the stall wall, was panting heavily at what almost just happened. But slowly, horror dawned on him at what he almost let happen. Was he taking advantage of Steve? He can't be in his right mind if he almost just... he shook his head as he wiped a hand down his face, glancing back at Steve and seeing him quiver as he emptied his stomach. The pain all too familiar with him, so he reached over and gently rubbed his back "It's okay, Steve." this time he let out a pained groan as he spat out the bile and saliva that pooled up in his mouth. 

"My head hurts, and my mouth taste disgusting..." [M/N] pressed his lips together as he leaned over him, reaching over and gently brushing Steve's hair back with his knuckles. 

"I'm sorry I can't help relieve that pain. I could get you guys some water, yeah? It usually helps-take it from a guy that throws up regularly." he smiled when he heard them both let out a weak laugh "Let me get you guys something to drink. I'll be as quick as I can." he pulls his hand back and pushes himself to his feet, he's turning and just about to exit the stall when he felt Steve's hand grab his wrist. He looked over his shoulder and saw Steve staring up at him again, wiping his face of drool and sick as his grip tightened. 

"You'll... you'll come back, right?" he tugged on his arm, [M/N] had to lean down when Steve kept a tight grip on him "You won't disappear again, will you?" he took a deep breath as he lowered himself onto one knee, lifting his hand to rest down on Steve's. 

"I'll come right back, I promise." he gives his hand a light squeeze "I promise." he repeats. Steve stares at him like he was trying to find truth to his words, but as he stated before, he could never really tell what was going on in his head. So with a reluctant breath, his hand loosened until he lowered it to his lap. 

"Don't be too long." [M/N] gave a smile, his hand reached for Steve's face again before ultimately pulling back. 

"I'll try." Steve watched [M/N] stand to his feet, brushing off imaginary dirt from his pants then turned on his heel and walked out of the stall. Though, he wasn't sure if it was the haze of the drugs the Russian's injected into him or not, but was he blushing? He couldn't tell if he actually saw [M/N] blushing-perhaps it was just the lighting play with his mind, or maybe it was the raging concussion thrumming in his brain? God, he really hoped [M/N] came back quickly, he really needed that water and... him. 

What is he even thinking? Was his mind really that loose that he... wanted him? I mean, he was clinging pretty badly to the guy when he first found them, and the way he was whining? Oh, fuck-just kill him. He kind of hoped [M/N] didn't come back, because now that he was sobering up, he wasn't sure how he was going to face him. He could just feign ignorance-pretend it never happened at all. [M/N] would probably prefer that, the guy never seems all too eager to share anything when it comes to his feelings. He only ever got the real him when he was at his most vulnerable, and even still, he always seemed reluctant to share his grievances. He groaned as he clutched his head, his emotions kicking into overdrive and just confusing him.  

"The ceiling stopped spinning for me." he glanced to his right at the sound of Robin's voice, her voice small and weakly amused "Is it still spinning for you?" he took a breath as he looked up at the ceiling, his head pressing against the tiled wall behind him. 

"Holy shit, no." he rubbed his face as he took a deep breath "You think we puked it all up?" 

"Maybe. Ask me something. Interrogate me." she added, faking a Russian accent just for the fun of it, which was enough to inflict a small chuckle from him. 

"Okay. Interrogate you. Sure. Um..." there was a moment of silence as he thought of something, he then grinned and looked back towards the wall separating them "When was the last time you peed your pants?" 

"Today." the immediate response made him pause. 

"What?" 

"When the Russian doctor took out the bone saw." Steve continued to stare at the wall before bursting into laughter. 

"Oh my god." Robin giggled, laying flat on her back as her legs sat against her stall wall. 

"It was just a little bit though." Steve shook his head at her admission. 

"Yeah, it's still in her system." they continued to laugh until another groan sounded out through the bathroom. 

"Oh... alright, my turn." she took her time as she thought of something to say, stewing over anything that came to mind before finally speaking up "Have you... ever been in love?" this innocent question made Steve hesitate and for a moment, his expression flickered with a dozen of thoughts before settling with one. 

"Yep. Nancy Wheeler. First semester year." he then raised his hands, making a finger gun, and pointing it towards his heart "Bang." he then made the gunshot sound, chuckling as he slumped against the wall. Robin groans from her stall, long and drawled out. 

"Oh my god, she's such a priss." Steve laughed under his breath. 

"Hmm. Turns out, not really." 

"Are you still in love with Nancy?" 

"No." 

"Why not?" 

"Because she found someone better for her." his voice softened as he stared down at his hands "Because I need to find someone better for me. It's crazy. Ever since Dustin got home, he's been saying, 'You know, you gotta find your Susie. You gotta find your Susie.'. And even Munson has been giving me relationship advice." she furrowed her brows in confusion. 

"Wait, who's Susie?" 

"It's some girl from camp, I guess. His girlfriend." he sighed as he pinched his nose "To be honest with you, I'm not one hundred percent sure she's even real. But that's not-that's not really the point. And [M/N] keeps telling me to just be honest and be myself, which is rich coming from him of all people. Don't you agree?" she laughed softly when he started complaining about him. 

"[M/N]? What happened to [N/N], hmm? You were pretty insistent that's what we should call him." she couldn't see him because of the wall, but telling how his breath hitched when she brought that up, she could tell that he was flustered. 

"Shut up, Buckley." his head thumped against the wall against as he screwed his eyes shut "God, I was such an idiot back in high school. Maybe if I wasn't friends with Tommy H. and Carol Perkins, I wouldn't be clinging to the guy who once threatened my entire bloodline. Maybe if I had been friends with him instead, I could've been a better person. I mean, look at me now. I've got no friends my age, I hang out with a bunch of middle school kids, my ex is dating the guy that kicked my ass and every girl I talk to wants nothing to do with me." 

"And your point is?" 

"My point is that... [M/N] brought out a part of me that I didn't even know I was hiding." he messed with his hair as he let out a sigh "As of lately, all I've been thinking about is him and it's been-I don't know, driving me crazy. When I saw you two being all chummy and touchy I just... I felt angry, for some reason. At him? At you? God, it's stupid. I felt jealous over him being so close to you-I've been so jealous of him getting close to other girls too, and I just... I don't like." he rambled on for longer than he would have liked but waited for Robin to call him stupid or a dingus, as she did so often, but all he got was silence "Robin? Robin, did you OD in there?" he asked, knocking his fist against the wall twice. 

"No. I am... still alive." she answered. Steve huffed and dropped to the floor, grabbing the underside of the stall and slid under into her stall, ignoring the grime and god knows what coating the floor "The floor's disgusting." she murmured in mild disgust as he pulled himself up and leaned against the wall opposite to her. 

"Yeah, well, I already got a bunch of blood and puke on my shirt, so..." he threw his hands up as he shrugged his shoulders, his grin tired but there. Robin chuckled, her laughing echoing off the bathroom walls as she stared at him "I sound stupid, don't I? Rambling about a guy who probably doesn't even think about me as much as I think about him." Robin took a breath, her head tipping to the side as she watched Steve closely. 

"Steve..." 

"God, he probably fucked off after that pathetic display. He probably won't even want to see me again-he probably thinks I'm weird." Robin huffed out a laugh as she watched Steve have a mid life crisis. 

"If he thought you were weird, he wouldn't have put up with you the way that he did." she bit her lip as she looked out the stall to where [M/N] had disappeared "Do you... really not notice, Steve?" he lifted his head and looked up at her. 

"Notice what?" her gazed softened a bit. 

"The way he looks at you." he scoffed. 

"What, like an idiot?" she laughed. 

"Well, that too, but no." she took a breath, nervous about stepping over a line that he wasn't sure existed "No, he looks at you as if you're the sun." this made him pause as he slowly registered her words, he then raised his eyes and looked at her confused. 

"What... does that mean?" she rubbed her face as she tried to think of the words to explain. 

"I've never really seen Munson interested in anything or anyone that wasn't his dad, his cousin. his bike or baseball. There's this sort of... light in his eye that sparkles whenever he's around any of them." her eyes flicker up towards him as she continued to speak, watching his face in case she saw anything negative so much as twitch "And you know what they all have in common?" he furrows his brows. 

"What?" 

"He loves them. You know how much he loves his dad and Eddie-not to mention that he calls his bike his baby, and how much he loves playing baseball." she runs a hand through her hair "So imagine the way he looks at you like he adores you. And even now, the way he was looking at you when he saw your face beat to shit? He looked ready to find those Russians that did it and murder them." Steve shook his head. 

"You don't know what you're talking about, Buckley. He doesn't-he wouldn't-" 

"I know more than you think." he looked at her confused, shaking his head as he hadn't quite connected the dots yet. 

"I don't-what do you-" the longer he stared at her the more he saw the way her eyes softened in a terrified way-her eyes red and brimming with tears that weren't from the drugs this time. 

"Steve..." she whispered weakly, her voice barely above a whisper. 

"Yeah?" she looked at him with expectant eyes, begging for him to understand the truth of her words. So, he slowly started putting things together. 

He had never really noticed the way [M/N] looked at him. Maybe it was because Steve had gotten used to it. 

[M/N] always came to Scoops Ahoy with the excuse of free ice cream and the air conditioning, but he never just ate and left. He always stuck around until the very end, always found some excuse to stay long enough to have at least one conversation with Steve-even if that conversation mostly consisted of [M/N] making fun of him. 

Maybe Steve had noticed. Maybe he'd just never let himself think too hard about it. Maybe thinking about it scared him. 

Was he really jealous whenever [M/N] got close to Robin or talked to those other girls? Not because [M/N] was holding Robin-not because he looked at her softly or treaed her sweetly. Steve wasn't angry at [M/N] for doing any of that, he was angry because the attention wasn't on him. Because he wanted [M/N] to hold him like that, he wanted [M/N] to look at him like that. 

Sweetly. Fondly. Like there was something about Steve worth lingering over. 

Maybe that was why it had felt so good when he'd stumbled into [M/N]'s arms earlier, why he'd refused to let him go, why his entire body seemed to relax the second [M/N]'s hands were on him, why he'd leaned into the warmth of his palm without even thinking about it. 

Because he wanted it. 

He wanted [M/N]. 

Because he... 

Because he... 

"Oh..." 

"Oh..." Robin nodded as she echoed his words, she watched as the same heat from before rose to his cheeks when she could tell his thoughts started getting flooded with thoughts of [M/N] Munson, though she couldn't help but be a tease "So, what are you thinking about?" he just slapped a hand against his face before slowly dragging it down. 

"So many missed signals." she couldn't help but laugh. 

"Don't worry, I don't even think he was aware he was doing it half the time. I think he was just as unaware of his feelings as you were." Steve nodded his head and gave a little smile. 

"That makes me feel a little better." a silence settled over them as Steve took in the new information of himself, he then picked at the dirt in his nails before speaking up again "So, um, what about you? Who did you..." he shrugged his shoulders as if to say that he was fine if she didn't tell him about who was on her mind-just because he finally realized that there was something brewing between himself and [M/N], it didn't mean Robin had to share the deepest part of herself. She finally looked away from Steve, her finger tapping against her knee as she thought for a moment. 

"... do you remember what I said about Mrs. Clicks class? About me being jealous, and, like obsessed?" he tilted his head but nodded. 

"Yeah." 

"It isn't because I had a crush on you." she took a deep breath "It's because... she wouldn't stop staring at you." 

"Mrs. Click?" she chuckled. 

"Tammy Thompson." her back slumped back against the wall "I wanted her to look at me. But... she couldn’t pull her eyes away from you and your stupid hair. And I didn’t understand, because you would get bagel crumbs all over the floor. And you asked dumb questions. And you were a douchebag. And... and you didn’t even like her and... I would go home and just scream into my pillow." as she spoke she could feel her eyes stinging with unshed tears, angry and upset that the girl she liked would never, ever give her the time of day. Unlike Steve, who's come to terms that there was a guy he had feelings for who just might feel the same about him. 

"So... Tammy Thompson, huh?" he nodded his head as he tried to wrap his head around the attraction "You know, she’s cute and all, but... I mean, she’s a total dud." her eyes widened at his words as she shakes her head, getting defensive of her crush. 

"She is not." 

"Yes, she is." he laughs softly, not mockingly "Yes, she is. She wants to be, like, a singer. She wants to move to, like, Nashville and shit." 

"She has dreams." she tries to defend but can't help the smile from spreading across her face. 

"She can’t even hold a tune. She’s practically tone-deaf. Have you heard her?" she rolled her eyes then shoved his leg. 

"Oh? You're gonna criticize my crush on Tammy Thompson like yours on Munson isn't just as bad?" her head tips back again when she laughed "I never thought of you as the type to be into tall and brooding." 

"[M/N] doesn't brood, he just gets lost in his thoughts sometimes." 

"That's exactly what brooding is!" they're both laughing this time as they actively made fun of each other's crushes-Steve calling Tammy a Muppet giving birth while singing "Total Eclipse of the Heart" terribly-Robin in turn tries to mimic the way [M/N] talks and attempts to flirt with Steve but can barely get the words out before they're both bursting out into laughter "You're taking your sudden attraction to men rather well, Steve. I thought you'd be freaking out." the next laugh that came out of him sounded shaky. 

"Oh, no. I think some of the drugs are still left in my system, so I don't think I'm crashing as hard as I think I should." he lifted a shaky hand and squeezed his forehead "I-I'm... I'm actually pretty scared. Like I know I have some sort of attraction towards guys, b-but I still like girls. I don't imagine [M/N] as a girl when I think of him and when I want to do stuff with him. I want to look at him without feeling like it's wrong. I want to hold his hand and not feel ashamed. I want to just..." he doesn't finish his sentence when his hand covered his mouth but she got the idea. 

"I get it, Steve. I really do. But..." she offered her hand to him with a reassuring smile "at least you aren't alone." he stared at her hand for a moment before finally taking her hand. 

"Thanks Robin." she winked at him. 

"No problem, dingus." he rolled his eyes but squeezed her hand to let her know he appreciated it. Well, that was until she decided to ruin the moment "But still, [M/N]? Really?" he stared at her before snatching his hand back while shoving her back. 

"Oh, fuck off! Tammy Thompson is ever worse than [M/N]!" 

"Just because you slept with her doesn't mean it's true!" 

"I haven't slept with [M/N] but I know he's better!" 

"And how would you know that unless you've slept with him?!" 

"Intuition!" by the time Dustin and Erica found the two they were no longer speaking about their crushes and were just laughing, only acknowledging the two when Dustin spoke up. 

"Okay. What the hell?" they look at each other again before dissolving into another fit of laughter. Dustin shook his head as he approached the two while Erica hung by the entrance, acting as the lookout so they wouldn't get locked in the bathroom if the Russians somehow found them "Please tell me you guys are back to normal? I don't think I can handle another disappearing act with the amount of stress you guys have given me." Steve scoffed as he leaned back against the stall. 

"Now you know how I feel looking after you little shits." Dustin chooses to ignore that. 

"If you nerds are done, I think it's best if we get out of here." Erica told them as she peeked out the door to check if they were possibly followed "I don't want to be here if one of those Russian guys or some poor idiot decides to walk in here. So, if you idiots are done being idiots, let's go." Steve immediately shook his head, inflicting a small groan when it felt like his brain rattled in his skull. 

"We can't. [M/N] isn't back yet." Dustin raised a brow. 

"[M/N]? He was here?" 

"Yes, so we need to wait for him." Erica shook her head. 

"I don't think that's smart. Those Russians don't know about him being associated with us, so I think it would be better if we don't get him involved with this."  

"B-But-we can't. He might think we abandoned him." 

"Then would you rather we put his life in danger just because you didn't want to leave him out of it?" he paused at her words as he took in the new perspective. On one hand, he wanted [M/N] to come back and take care of him like he promised-on the other, he couldn't stand the thought of [M/N] getting caught up in this Upside Down bullshit just because he wanted to be safe in his arms again.  

"I... I just-" his breath hitched when Robin took his hand. 

"Steve, I think it's for the best." she pats his knee this time "It's for the best." she repeats and watched his face crumble before nodding. 

"Alright. Let's... let's go." after a moment Dustin helped them both to their feet, giving them some time for them to regain some motor functions before tugging them towards the bathroom door, the four of them peeking out to check if there was anybody that looked even remotely like a Russian soldier, and when they saw that the coast was clear they made their move. Steve, however, hesitated for just a split second as he scanned the mall for any sign of [M/N]. Maybe he'll appear just rounding the corner with water in hand, just like he promised. Or maybe he'll hear his footsteps from behind rushing up to them, apologizing for taking so long. But neither scenario happened and he was left feeling depraved of seeing the guy who had apparently captured his heart, and that hurt more than he'd like to admit. So despite his reluctance to leave and the gentle tug on his arm by Robin, he finally moved his legs and left with an ache in his heart. 

What none of them realized was that [M/N] had appeared ages ago-he had appeared the moment Steve and Robin started talking about himself and Tammy Thompson. The instance he heard Steve's heartfelt confession followed by Robin's own, he didn't have it in him to interrupt their moment. He felt his face burn red just hearing them Steve talk about how he was better than Tammy Thompson-it did inflate his ego and that bar wasn't particularly high-but just Steve talking about all the stuff he wanted to do without feeling ashamed, it made his own heart stutter. Then Wayne's own words echoed in his head, how Steve could be attracted to him and now that he had the confirmation that it was true, what was stopping him? 

A lot, actually. 

There was a reason he remained single and that wasn't because his sexual attraction towards men hindered his attractive towards women-honestly, both tasted the same to him and he didn't really care. What he did care about was not being completely truthful with his potential partner. He didn't have it in him to be in a romantic relationship with someone and not giving them his whole heart because of the deepest and darkest secret that plagued his body and mind. It wasn't that he was ashamed of Venom, he genuinely loved the symbiote because he was the only form of partnership he had where he could be himself-Wayne being the only human exception. So he accepted the fact that he'd be alone if it meant he didn't deceive the love of his life. 

But Steve... Steve was different. He already knew the truth about the other world and the monsters that lurked in the dark, he was already aware that this town wasn't normal and that people with inhuman abilities existed and that he was one of them-not that Steve knew that part. So maybe if he decided to give his heart to him-if he decided to give up the most vulnerable part of himself to the man that already knew just how broken he was, maybe he'd get to experience what love really felt like. God, he felt like those women in all those sappy romance novels Venom liked to read. 

He had hesitated and nearly stepped in until he heard footsteps rushing towards him, so he quickly stepped away and hid behind a wall just as Dustin and Erica appeared. The brief conversation of Erica telling them they should leave and how Steve said that they were waiting for him to come back, that nearly broke his composure and step in once more but held back when Erica spoke about how they shouldn't involve him-how the Russians were only aware of them and not [M/N] and they would be better off not involving him and potentially putting his life at risk. He heard the hesitation in Steve's voice, how they couldn't just leave because [M/N] was coming back-he promised he would. But in the end, he was won over because he wanted [M/N] to be safe an uninvolved with the nightmare that came from living in this shitty town. 

So, as Steve and the rest of the group disappeared from the bathroom, [M/N] peeked out from the corner of the wall he was hiding behind and watched them go. He wanted to go after them, he wanted to fulfill his promise to Steve of his return but the cowardice that plagued his mind stopped him from reaching out. It always got him in the end and prevented him from helping. He knew deep inside of him that he loved Steve, but he didn't love him enough that he'd give up everything like he would for Wayne and Eddie. Maybe he would someday, but that day wasn't today. 

"Are we going home now?" Venom asked deep in his head. He watched as [M/N] remained rooted to his spot, his hands curling around the water bottles he bought before eventually dropping to his sides. 

"Yeah, let's go home." his shoulders slumped as he finally left, sparing one final glance in the direction Steve and the others disappeared to. When he stepped outside of the mall he stared up at the night sky, watching the stars twinkle in the night sky. There was still plenty of people around but it was much quieter outside the mall, allowing him to finally take in the much needed breath after hours of noise overwhelming him. He doesn't leave for his bike, he instead turns towards Steve's car and walks towards it. He sets down the two water bottles on the hood of his car then hesitated for a moment until unclipping the walkie-talkie from his belt, turning it over in his hand then setting it down flat beside them.  

"You don't want to keep it in case they call again?" he shrugged. 

"Eh. They don't want me even more involved than I already am. Might as well give this back to them since I won't be needing it anymore." his hand pressed down against the hood before he pushed off against it and made his way towards his bike. 

"Are you upset that you lost your chance to be honest with them? With him?" he paused just in front of his bike as Venom's words rattled something in his head, because he did lose his chance. He lost his chance to come clean to the only group that would understand what was wrong with him. Maybe they'd be freaked out because he was connected to the thing they fought the previous year, but they'd understand in the end. He could still turn around and find Steve and the others again, to be out with the biggest secret he's been hiding for so many years, but... he just didn't have it in him "Pussy." he closed his eyes. 

"I know, Venom. I know." he picked up his helmet, hesitating for one final time but eventually he lowered his head and put his helmet on.  

The drive back to the trailer park was calming in a way-just feeling the cold wind blow past him as he sped down the empty roads, only on a few occasions would a car drive in the opposite lane and towards the mall or just the general direction he came from. He drove through the town, past the Forest Hills Park, away from the Hawkins National Laboratory and towards the trailer park before finally pulling up to their trailer. As expected, Wayne's truck was gone and Eddie's van was fortunately nowhere in sight-he wasn't home yet. He switched his bike off but he didn't hop off just yet, he instead slipped his helmet off and stared up at the sky again.  

The stars and the moon were the first thing he saw when he escaped the lab, that light in the sky he almost forgot about when he was locked up. The sun was always too blazing and hot for him to really like so that's why he favored the moon instead. He could lay out at night and stare up at the star lit sky for hours but right now he was exhausted and he wanted nothing more than to collapse onto his bed before Eddie got home, so finally, he stepped off his bike and pushed it out of the way so Eddie wouldn't accidentally ram into it when he got home. When he stepped into the trailer he didn't bother flicking on the lights, he simply dumped his stuff on the floor beside his bed, that Wayne luckily didn't fold back into the couch, but he did make it and set a glass of water and his medicine on the bedside table. God, did he love that man. 

After taking it, he simply collapsed onto the sheets then pulled them around him as the weight of the day came crashing down on him. The realization that the feelings inside of him whenever he was around Steve was because he felt some sort of attraction towards him that wasn't just friendship, but in actuality, it was love. And then finding the same man that made him feel like he could experience what love truly felt like, broken and bleeding and confused because he had abandoned him, even if it was unintentional. And then it turned out the same man, even though he was confused and never thought he could feel such feelings for a man, felt the same way about him. And yet, even when he learned the truth that maybe he could actually fall in love with someone without being burdened with the truth he carried for so many years, he didn't take it. And maybe he was going to regret not taking that one little leap-that one little opening to be completely honest for once-and be burdened with that as well. 

He just wished he could be honest. 

[the next day] 

"Dustin to [M/N], do you copy?" 

... 

... 

"I repeat, do you copy [M/N]?" 

... 

... 

"[M/N]. [M/N]. [M/N]. [M/N]. [M/N]-" 

"Oh my god, what?" [M/N] was already regretting taking that stupid walkie-talkie. The damn thing had been going off all morning, and he hadn’t bothered to get up and turn it off. Maybe that was partially his fault, but still- come on. Blindly, he reached around for it. His hand smacked against the bedside table a few times before he finally grabbed it "What do you want, Henderson?" 

"See? I told you he was still asleep, you butthead." [M/N] furrowed his brows when he heard Steve’s voice. 

"Yeah, but this is urgent, Steve." 

"It really isn't, actually. It's just boring." [M/N] sighed and rolled onto his back. 

"What do you want?" he repeated, stretching his arms overhead. A groan escaped him when his back cracked loudly "This better be something actually important, or I'm going back to sleep." he heard a small hey and assumed Steve had snatched the walkie-talkie from Dustin. 

"Dustin has us staking out the mall for ‘evil Russian dudes,’ when really we're just sitting behind a bush people-watching." 

"This is really important, Steve!" Dustin shouted somewhere in the background "We could possibly spot someone suspicious and they could lead us to a super secret Russian base!" [M/N] rubbed his face tiredly. 

"And where's Robin? Don't tell me you left her to manage the shop without you." there was a brief moment of silence. If not for the faint background noise, he might’ve thought the connection had cut out "Harrington, that's a douchey thing to do." 

"Well, it was either that or Henderson's constant bitching." [M/N] inhaled deeply, already feeling a headache forming. 

"That still doesn't explain why you contacted me." there was some shuffling over the radio, and he guessed Dustin had snatched it back from Steve. 

"We need you to help us on our stakeout, [M/N]! We need the extra eyes, and Steve says you play baseball- mainly as a pitcher. A pitcher is highly observant, which means you're great at analyzing hitters, making in-game adjustments, and executing strategies. We could definitely use that." [M/N] narrowed his eyes. 

"... I'm going back to sleep." he raised his hand to twist the dial off but winced when Dustin spoke again. 

"Come on, [M/N]! You're part of the team, and we need everyone! And Steve hasn't been helping- he's just been watching girls and complaining about being single." that earned a snort from [M/N]. He heard another indignant hey from Steve in the background. 

"Well, that sounds like him." [M/N] said, still unconvinced. Dustin groaned loudly over the radio. 

"Aw, come on! Please. I could really use some actual help." [M/N] heard faint tapping- probably Dustin drumming his finger against the walkie-talkie while trying to think of another argument "If you come, I'll buy you food." [M/N] immediately sat up. 

"I am convinced." 

"... I- seriously?" 

"Where there is food, especially free food, there is I." he snorted and kicked his blankets off, walking over to his dresser to find something to wear "I live in poverty, kiddo. I'll take any free food I don't have to pay for." 

"So that means you'll be here?" 

"Yes, you convinced me, Dustin. Try to survive Steve's constant bitching." 

"I will." [M/N] laughed when he heard them start bickering again before the radio finally fell silent. He glanced at it, chuckling softly, and tossed it onto the dresser while searching properly for clothes. By the time Eddie came out of his room, [M/N] was pulling on a shirt before dropping onto the couch to lace up his shoes. Eddie noticed the walkie-talkie sitting on the dresser and pointed at it. 

"Where'd you get that from?" 

"A kid gave it to me." Eddie pursed his lips and nodded slowly. 

"Uh-huh." 

"And he told me to come help him stalk people at the mall with Steve Harrington." Eddie tilted his head, squinting at him in confusion. 

"Uh... huh?" [M/N] shrugged. 

"Not something I thought I'd be doing today, but he promised me food." Eddie looked even more confused. 

"So you're gonna help him stalk people at the mall... for food?" [M/N] nodded as he tightened the laces on his shoes. He stood up, grabbed his keys and his jacket, and slung them on. 

"I am a slut for food." Eddie scoffed out a laugh, shaking his head. 

"Okay, slut. Have fun stalking people." [M/N] winked, sticking his tongue out while kicking his leg back as he headed for the door. 

"See you later, whore." he laughed as he darted out of the trailer just as Eddie threw something at him. He had no idea what it was, but he managed to grab his helmet before it could hit him. He thought about going back for the walkie-talkie but shook his head, he wasn't going anywhere far and he was too lazy to go back for it. As he drove to Starcourt, he glanced up at the sky and frowned when he saw dark clouds instead of clear blue skies. Was it going to rain? Damn, it was going to a pain in the ass driving back in the rain. That and Wayne didn't like when he drove in the rain. 

"Perhaps we should have grabbed a better jacket." 

"Mm, too late now. We're just gonna have to suffer." he could just feel Venom frown, that made him laugh as he revved his bike and drove down the empty street. He arrived at the mall and huffed at the sight of all the parked cars with people still arriving, luckily for him he didn't need to find a lousy spot and could just park his bike at the front. There were very few at Hawkins who owned a motorcycle so parking his bike wasn't a hassle either, one of the many perks. He glanced back up at the sky and sighed when the clouds darkened a little more, looks like a storm was brewing- hooray. 

He yawned as he stepped into the mall, tapping his finger idly against his helmet while heading toward Scoops Ahoy. That was the most likely place the two of them would be. He slowed, however, when he spotted a ridiculous blue uniform crouched behind a bush. Not exactly inconspicuous. [M/N] shook his head and quietly changed course, creeping up behind them. Neither of them seemed to notice him approaching, though he did raise a brow when he overheard what they were talking about. 

Girls. Again. 

"Anna Jacobi's talking with that meathead Mark Lewinsky!" Steve whispered, spying on the couple through a pair of binoculars- completely forgetting their supposed mission of watching for “evil Russians.” Dustin threw his hands up in exasperation. 

"Dude, you are the worst spy in history, you know that?" tell me about it, [M/N] thought, rolling his eyes. Dustin reached over and grabbed the binoculars. The strap got caught around Steve’s neck, and for a moment the two of them wrestled over it like children. Honestly, it was kind of amusing. The rubber eyepiece smacked Steve in the face as he tried to yank them back. 

"Stop- hey!" 

"Give me those." Dustin demanded, finally pulling the strap free from Steve’s neck "Besides, I don’t even get why you're looking at girls anyway. You have the perfect one right in front of you." Steve made a noise somewhere between a groan and a gag. 

"Seriously, if you say Robin again-" 

"Robin." 

"No, don't-" 

"Robin, Robin, Robin-" 

"No, stop. No, no, no." Steve shook his head every time Dustin repeated the name, rejecting the idea outright "No, man. She's not my type. She's not even... in the ballpark of what my type is, alright?" Dustin raised a brow. 

"What's your type again? Not awesome?" Steve shot him a sarcastic look. 

"Thank you." 

"Hmm." 

"For your information, she's still in school. And she's weird." Steve continued, making a face "She's a weirdo. And she's hyper. I don't like that she's hyper. And she did drama. That's a bad look. And she's in band?" he shook his head firmly. 

"No." [M/N] couldn't help the incredulous look that spread across his face as he tilted his head at Steve. 

"Now that you're out of high school- so technically you're an adult- it's time to move on from primitive constructs like popularity." 

"Yeah, you loser." both Steve and Dustin yelped. Steve’s arm flew back instinctively, and he accidentally backhanded [M/N] square in the face. [M/N] yelped too, his head snapping to the side as his helmet clattered to the ground. He grabbed his face immediately "Wha- ow! What the fuck, dude?!" 

"Hey, shh!" Steve grabbed him by the collar and yanked him down behind the bush. Before [M/N] could protest further, Steve clapped a hand over his mouth, muffling his swearing while Dustin hurriedly looked around "Did anyone see him?" Dustin scanned the area carefully, checking for anyone staring at them- or worse, anyone suspicious. 

"No... no, we're all clear." Steve let out a relieved breath and looked down at [M/N], who was now gripping his wrist and glaring daggers up at him. 

"Oh. Sorry." he slowly removed his hand. [M/N] sucked in a deep breath of air before immediately returning to clutching his face. 

"Again- ow." Steve raised his hands defensively. 

"You came out of nowhere, man. For someone as big as you are, you're a surprisingly quiet person." [M/N] huffed, rolling his eyes. 

"Sure. But I agree with Henderson. You gotta stop thinking with your dick and start thinking with your heart." [M/N] shook his head as he exhaled "Instead of dating someone you think is gonna make you cooler, why not date someone you actually enjoy being around?" Dustin nodded enthusiastically. 

"Like me and Susie." Ah, so that was the name of his girlfriend. Steve groaned. 

"Oh, Susie. Yeah. You mean 'hotter than Phoebe Cates' Susie? Yeah, that Susie." he crossed his arms "And, uh, let's think about it. How exactly did you score that beautiful girlfriend?" Dustin immediately pointed at [M/N]. 

"Him, actually. His advice helped, remember?" [M/N] blinked once in mild surprise "So maybe you should take a page out of his book," Dustin continued smugly "and you might actually find someone who wants to be with you." Steve stubbornly avoided looking at [M/N], because he already knew the idiot had the biggest, most obnoxiously smug expression imaginable. Sure enough, [M/N] pointed to himself. 

"Yeah, bitch. Me." Dustin snickered as [M/N] leaned back against the bench. "I'm the king now, Harrington." 

He winked. 

Steve made a face at him, which [M/N] completely ignored as the other two returned to spying on the many residents of Hawkins wandering through Starcourt Mall. Since [M/N] had his back to the rest of the mall, the only thing in front of him was the row of food stalls. His gaze lingered on one in particular. Imperial Panda, a Chinese restaurant. He straightened slightly, staring at it as his fingers idly rolled against the edge of the bench. The Russian message replayed itself in his head. 

"A trip to China sounds nice..." what was the next part again? He closed his eyes, concentrating. 

"If you tread lightly." right. That was it, thank you. 

"Tread... tread..." he murmured under his breath "What could tread mean?" 

"Over there. The shoe store." [M/N] followed the subtle pull as Venom guided his attention toward Kaufman Shoes. He nodded slowly. Alright. That explained the second half of the message. Now what about the first? 

The silver cat feeds when blue meets yellow in the west. 

His eyes scanned the mall again. No store called Silver Cat or anything similar. So maybe it wasn’t a store. He searched for blue and yellow instead. Was it the lights? The paint on the walls? A specific shop? His gaze drifted upward. The mall clock. The hour and minute hands were painted blue and yellow. [M/N]'s eyes sharpened. 

"... west." his gaze slowly shifted to where both hands would meet on the clock "Nine o’clock." 

"We figured it out." That we did. [M/N] opened his mouth to share what he’d discovered, but Dustin suddenly leaned forward. 

"Hey, hey, hey! Target acquired." Steve’s head snapped toward him. 

"Where?" 

"Ten o’clock. Sam Goody’s." 

"Give me those." Steve made grabby hands until Dustin reluctantly handed over the binoculars. Steve lifted them to his eyes. 

"Shit. Duffle bag." [M/N] didn’t need the stupid binoculars- or even his enhanced senses- to spot the guy. He stuck out like a sore thumb against the neon-lit mall: long blond hair, dark sunglasses indoors, and dressed completely in black. Honestly, the outfit almost reminded him of Eddie. But Eddie wouldn’t be caught dead carrying a duffle bag like that. 

"... You guys can't seriously think that guy is an evil Russian." [M/N] said, trying to reason with them "They wouldn't be wearing something that obvious." both Steve and Dustin shook their heads. 

"No way." Dustin said firmly "It's him. For sure." [M/N] blinked as the two of them suddenly scrambled to their feet and hurried after the guy. He sighed and followed them- doubling back briefly to grab his helmet before continuing after them. They tailed the man up the escalator, and [M/N] had to quickly catch Dustin by the back of his shirt when he nearly tipped over backwards. 

"Um, while I'm sure following this guy is important, I actually figured out-" 

"Slow down." Dustin hissed. Steve was already charging ahead of them. 

"Uh, guys-" 

"We're losing him!" 

"You're getting too close-" [M/N] pressed his lips together when Steve shoulder-checked some random guy hard enough that they both nearly went down. Steve hurried off without a second thought. [M/N] stopped long enough to help the poor guy back to his feet. 

"Sorry about that." he muttered before jogging after them again. By the time he caught up, the supposed Russian had paused mid-step, clearly noticing the commotion Steve had caused. 

Great. 

Dustin immediately ducked toward a payphone while Steve awkwardly turned and pressed his face against the window of a nearby store like he was suddenly fascinated by the display. [M/N], on the other hand, simply walked in the opposite direction and waited. Why did he even bother? When the man eventually started walking again, [M/N] didn’t rush after him. He just watched Steve and Dustin scramble after their “target” like they’d somehow uncover the entrance to a secret Russian base if they didn’t lose him. 

He tapped his foot against the floor for a few seconds before eventually following after them at a much more relaxed pace. No need to rush. He already had a feeling this was going to be pointless. By the time he caught up again, he found Steve and Dustin crouched behind a pillar. [M/N] didn’t even bother hiding. He simply followed their line of sight and spotted the so-called Russian standing inside a Jazzercise studio, surrounded by women in brightly colored jumpsuits while Jitterbug blasted through the stereo. 

"… wow." [M/N] murmured. He looked over at the two of them, shaking his head at Steve’s completely gobsmacked expression and Dustin’s confused one "Evil Russian, huh?" they kept staring- gawking, really- so [M/N] sighed. He shoved his arm through the strap of his helmet and reached out, grabbing both of them by the backs of their shirts before dragging them away from the studio. 

"Whoa, hey-" 

"You’re choking me-" 

"And you wasted our time on this pointless garbage." [M/N] muttered. He didn’t release them until they were back on the ground floor and heading toward Scoops Ahoy "I hope you’re ready to explain to Buckley about your recent failure." he added, giving them both a shove forward. 

"Hey, hey! No need to be so rough." Steve protested. 

"Would you rather I drag you by your ears like a disappointed mother?" both of them huffed but didn’t argue further as they continued toward Scoops. Steve suddenly perked up when he spotted Robin sprinting toward them. 

"Yo, Robin, you are not going to believe who Dustin thought was a Russian." Dustin scoffed while [M/N] squinted at Steve. 

"You did too." 

"No I did not-" [M/N] stepped aside just in time as Robin blew straight past all three of them. She hurried toward the center of the mall and climbed onto a bench to get a better view of the surrounding stores. 

"What is she doing?" Steve asked. [M/N] shrugged as they slowly approached. Robin spun in place, muttering under her breath as her eyes darted around the mall. Then [M/N] straightened slightly when he noticed her gaze land on the same three locations he had already figured out. By the time he reached the bench, Steve and Dustin were right behind him, slightly out of breath. 

"I cracked it." Robin announced triumphantly. 

"Cracked what?" Steve asked and she giggled. 

"I cracked the code." [M/N] brightened immediately, pointing toward the mall clock. 

"When blue meets yellow in the west…" Robin grinned and pointed toward Imperial Panda. 

"A trip to China sounds nice…" then, almost in perfect sync, they both pointed toward Kaufman Shoes. 

"If you tread lightly!" they both burst into laughter. Robin hopped down from the bench, and [M/N] instinctively caught her- his hands wrapping around her waist as he steadied her landing. Without thinking, he spun her once before setting her down. She cheered, throwing her arms up before sliding them down to rest on his shoulders as he lowered her back to the floor. They were still grinning at each other when Steve loudly cleared his throat. 

Both of them turned. 

Steve stood there with his arms crossed, his foot tapping impatiently against the marble floor. Dustin looked up at him in confusion, clearly not understanding why Steve suddenly looked so irritated. Then Dustin glanced back at [M/N] and Robin. He noticed the way they were still holding onto each other- [M/N]’s hands resting on Robin’s waist, Robin’s hands lingering on his shoulders. 

Dustin’s eyes flicked between them. 

Slowly. 

Like a kid piecing together a puzzle. 

Then he smirked. 

"Would be nice if you could clue us in." Steve said through clenched teeth, [M/N] raised a brow as he looked him up and down before chuckling. He removed his hands from Robin's waist but slipped his arm around her shoulder, her own now moving to his waist as they held each other close. 

"While you two were squabbling about supposed Russian spies, Buckley and I happened to solve the Russian code together." she nodded her head. 

"The clues were all around us- in plain sight." he nodded this time. 

"Exactly. Though I couldn't figure out the silver cat part." she waved her hand. 

"That's what helped me figure it out. Our delivery services are Lynx Transportation, and their logo is the image of a silver lynx." [M/N]'s eyebrows lifted. 

"A silver cat." she snapped her fingers. 

"Exactly that. And whatever is happening is going to happen at..." she glanced back towards the clock and saw where both hands would meet at the west. 

"Nine o'clock." he finished. She looked up at him then held her fist out to him, to which he grinned and bumped his fist against hers until they started laughing again. Dustin glanced back up at Steve and his smirked widened when he saw how he was glaring at [M/N], he must be feeling jealous with the way he was making Robin smile and laugh- that he was holding her close. Wishing that were him. 

Jealously looked ugly on him. 

"Henderson!" the boy jumped when [M/N] suddenly shouted his name, pointing at him like he had wronged him in some way "I was promised food for participating. Where is my reward?" Dustin made a guilty expression as he looked up at Steve, to which Steve shook his head. 

"Oh, don't look at me. You promised to buy him food, not me." when Dustin met [M/N]'s gaze again he gave him a sheepish look, shrugging his shoulders. 

"Sorry, [M/N]." they all stare at [M/N] when he made what sounded like a wounded noise as he clutched his chest like he was having a heart attack. 

"I have been lied to." he croaked out as he slowly slid to his knees, Robin narrowed her eyes on him when he clutched his head with one hand while his other slapped against the marble floor "I am going to starve here. Tell my old man and cousin that I love them..." Robin rolled her eyes as she kicked him. 

"Here. Have this, you dope." he sniffled as he looked up and saw her handing him a pack of gum "It's all I've got on me, so get up off the floor." he wiped at the nonexistent tears and took it from her. 

"I have been graced by your mercy, Miss Buckley." now both she and Steve roll their eyes, he was Eddie's cousin alright. 

"I said get off the floor, Munson." he does but he lingers by Robin's side as they walk back to Scoops Ahoy, taking a piece of gum from the pack and handing it to Robin as a silent thanks- to which she takes since it was hers. 

"I will never forget this moment. Your generosity, and your betrayal." Dustin held his hands up when [M/N] pointed at him "Not only for wasting my time, but because you lied about food." 

"Dude, what is with you and food? It's like you're always hungry." [M/N] pulled his finger back, using that hand to pull a piece from the pack then plop it into his mouth. 

"I am always hungry. I've got quite the gluttonous appetite when I can stomach food." Steve nods. 

"He really does. It's kind of disgusting, actually." 

"And yet you still feed me." 

"Yeah, and at this point I might just let you starve." [M/N] let out a whine, pressing a hand to his stomach as he chewed on his gum. 

"Your words wound me, Harrington." 

"You'll survive." 

Later, the group were back in the Scoops Ahoy breakroom discussing what they were going to do later that night. Like [M/N] and Robin deduced, they concluded that something was going to go down at the loading docks sometime around nine that involved the Lynx Transportations bringing in stock for Imperial Panda and Kaufman Shoes. If evil Russians were really disguising themselves as a transportation company then the main question was what were they really transporting? 

"So here's the plan." Dustin starts, pacing back and forth in front of the whiteboard while Steve, Robin and [M/N] sat at the table watching him "We know something is going to go down sometime around nine thanks to Robin and [M/N] figuring out the code." Steve huffed when he saw Robin bow her head while [M/N] gave a two fingered salute. 

"You're welcome." Dustin nodded his head. 

"Yes, thank you. Anyways, tonight we stay past closing and scope out the loading docks. Maybe we could catch a glimpse at what they're transporting." Steve nods his head. 

"Yeah, yeah that makes sense." 

"They're probably going to bring stuff in or out in packages disguised as Imperial Panda and Kaufman Shoes deliveries." Robin suggests. 

"Exactly. So are we all in?" Steve nods. 

"Yup, wouldn't miss it." 

"I'm already in too deep, would be dumb of me to say no." they then look towards [M/N], who hadn't said anything that entire time. He doesn't glance at them as he blew a bubble before biting into to make it pop. 

"Yeah, hard pass." they look at him in shock. 

"Pass? What do you mean pass?" he shrugged. 

"It means no thanks." he sighed as he sat up straight "If you can't hear what's going on outside, it's currently raining like a motherfucker. My old man doesn't like me driving in the rain, and neither do I. It's a bitch and I can't see much through my helmet when the weather is really bad. So as fun as staying in a mall past closing, I'm going to have to sit this one out." Steve couldn't help but scoff a little as he looked at [M/N] a little incredulously, even Robin was shocked that he was backing out of this. 

"Seriously? You're afraid- of what? A little ligh-" as if on cue, the sound of a loud boom echoed through the mall as lightning flashed. Steve looked towards [M/N] and his eyes widened slightly when he saw him flinch, his head twisting as his hands flexed- ready to clamp around his ears to stop the ringing but he managed to keep them down. 

"... yes, actually. I am afraid of lightning." he and Venom weren't afraid of lightning, they were sensitive to the sound that lightning makes when it strikes. On a few rare occasions when [M/N] was still a kid and still adjusting to Venom, the sound of lightning was so strong that it would tear them apart momentarily. It was not fun. 

"Oh, um- sorry, I guess." he shrugged. 

"It's all good. We're all afraid of something, aren't we?" he gave another little shrug as he grabbed his helmet "Have fun out in the rain. Let me know if you find anything interesting." Dustin couldn't help but shake his head. 

"B-But, you can't just leave." 

"Uh, yeah I can." he points at Dustin "You lied to me to get me here, Henderson. Still a little peeved about that, so I'm going to go home and eat something then go to bed. I'll keep that radio on if you need anything, but don't expect me to fall for the same promise twice." he does the "I'm watching you" gesture and Dustin raised his hands defensively. 

"I said I was sorry." his gaze lingered a second longer on the boy before he finally dropped his hand. 

"Have a good night, guys." he saluted them goodbye before finally leaving. 

The mall was practically closed and empty by the time [M/N] walked out of Scoops Ahoy, the exception being the few employees closing up shop for the day. When he stepped outside he scowled at the downpour, shoulders slumping when realized that he caught the worst of the storm. Damn, it was going to be bitch driving back to the trailer park. 

"[M/N]." Venom spoke up as [M/N] slipped his helmet on, cringing when he sat down on his bike as the rain water that was collected on his seat seeped into his pants. He shouldn't have worn denim today, but it was either that or leather and there was no way in hell he was going to wear leather in summer- that was Eddie's thing, the fucking psycho. 

"What?" he answered as he started his bike, flipping on his headlight as he got ready to leave. 

"Can we eat?" [M/N] sighed. 

"We are, we are. Just let me get home first, okay? I'll feed you then." he heard a rumble deep in his chest as Venom smirked. 

"You know that's not what I meant." [M/N] pauses as he slowly lifts his gaze, the rain crashing down on him like a cold shower. His face twitched as his head jerked when another flash of lightning flashed across the sky, wincing as thunder boomed and echoed in his skull "We'll make sure they don't see us, [M/N]. We promise to hunt them like we did at the junkyard." 

"Venom-" 

"We won't get this opportunity again, [M/N]. Those scientists and soldiers have left the lab and it has been abandoned for a long time. If we hunt those wearing the silver cat logo, we could be satisfied for months to come." his jaw is tight when he feels Venom shift beneath his skin "Come on, you know you want too. They've disturbed our summer, the least they can do is reap what they sow." [M/N] sat there for a moment, letting the rain soak into his clothes at the possibility of properly feeding Venom. This wouldn't be the first time he let Venom out while being so close to people that weren't soldiers, so it should be fine... right? Venom smirked when he heard [M/N] exhale, closing his eyes as he twisted his head again. 

"... fine, but we're moving my bike in case those three come out while we're still hunting." he could just feel Venom licking his lips as he took over [M/N]'s arms, his black sludge like appendages gripping the handlebars and accelerating out of the parking lot to return later. 

[later in the night] 

The trio waited until the mall was empty and quiet- hours later when [M/N] had left to avoid the worst of the storm and there was nobody but them and the Russians that would arrive at the loading dock, if Robin and [M/N]'s theory was correct. The downpour was brutal, soaking the three as they huddled together on the rooftop and observed the two heavily armed guards as a truck with the Lynx Transportation logo backed into the loading dock. 

"Look for Imperial Panda and Kaufman Shoes." Robin instructs as she watched two Lynx Transportation workers jump out of their truck and open the back to start unloading cargo. Dustin, who had the binoculars, pressed them to his eyes as he scanned the area while squinting through the lenses as droplets of rain obscured his view. 

"They're with that whistling guy." he starts as he points towards the worker approaching a door "Ten o'clock." they all turn, spotting a man in a yellow raincoat with boxes stamped with the Imperial Panda printed on them. 

"What do you think is in there?" Steve asked, raising his voice so he could be heard over the storm. 

"Guns. Bombs." Dustin suggested. 

"Chemical weapons." 

"Whatever it is, they're armed to the teeth." Steve made a face as he wiped a hand down his face, shaking his head. 

"Great, just great." he almost wished [M/N] was still around, he'd feel an ounce of comfort during this tense situation if he heard one of his witty remarks to lighten the mood. Can't believe he was thinking about that- he'll never let that bastard know. Anyways- a Russian guard closest to the door pulled out a keycard and slotted it through an access panel. It switched from yellow to green and the door unlocked and swung open, allowing the worker to transport their dolly cart stacked with boxes into the room. 

"Hey, what's in there?" Robin asked, squinting her eyes in an attempt to see into the room but the distance and the rain made it hard. Dustin adjusted his binoculars as he peered into the room. 

"Just... more boxes." Steve furrowed his brows as he began reaching for the binoculars. 

"Let me check it out." 

"No, I'm still looking." Dustin protests, pulling the binoculars away. 

"Lemme see it." 

"Hang on-" 

*CLANG* 

Perhaps it was due to the rain making it hard to grip onto the binoculars, maybe it was due to their idiocy, but the binoculars hit the metal roof- loudly. The sound echoed off the rooftop that couldn't be disguised by the rain or excused as thunder. Every guard pillow froze, heads whipping upwards. The three of them froze then stared at each other in pure panic. Then quickly dropped, pressing themselves as low as they could so they wouldn't be spotted. Maybe because it was the fear of being caught or just a spur of the moment, Steve was holding Robin's hand tightly but when he realized what he was doing he quickly let go. 

Panic filled them again when they heard Russian words being shouted from below, a beam of light flashing above them from the torches strapped to their guns. What followed was rushed footsteps as they realized that the men below were probably going to check what the noise was. 

"We gotta get out of here." Steve whispered loud enough so the other two could hear them. 

"Don't have to tell me twice." Robin said as they quickly moved, keeping low so they wouldn’t be spotted. They scrambled toward the stairwell entrance and rushed down as fast as they could, rain dripping from their soaked clothes. Dustin nearly slipped, but Steve caught him before he could fall. They made a break for it when they hit the hallway- only to skid to a stop when they heard hurried footsteps followed by shouting. 

"Wait, wait, wait! Back up!" Steve grabbed both Robin and Dustin, pressing them against the wall. He stretched an arm across them protectively and peeked around the corner. He ducked back immediately when gunshots rang out. His other hand fisted in Dustin’s shirt as the shouting turned into screaming- cut through by a deep, guttural growl that echoed down the hallway. 

"Не стой на месте- стреляй!" 

"Слишком быстро!" 

Steve winced, his grip tightening until his knuckles went white as more gunshots rang out. Robin clapped a hand over her mouth when one of the guards’ screams was abruptly cut short by a heavy thud. The second guard was thrown down the hallway, his body slamming against the wall just opposite them before crumpling to the ground. Steve began inching them backward, keeping them hidden in the shadows. The guard lifted his head weakly, staring down the hallway he’d been thrown from. 

"Пожалуйста… пожалуйста!" 

Steve was quick enough to cover Dustin’s eyes just as a black claw came down and crushed the man’s skull. He didn’t move. Couldn’t. His hands trembled as a hulking figure stepped into view. He had to tilt his head just to take it all in. The appendage retracted back into the creature as it loomed over the body, its elongated tongue dragging through the blood before it let out a low growl and grabbed what remained. Steve swallowed hard, his grip on Dustin tightening as he kept his eyes covered. 

What he and Robin saw next made his stomach churn. 

The creature’s limbs coiled around the body, lifting it. Its jaw unhinged unnaturally wide as it squeezed, blood pouring down into its waiting mouth. It let out a sick, almost pleased sound as it drank, savoring every drop before snapping its jaw shut with a sickening crack. It kept going. Bite after bite, until there was nothing left. Only a discarded weapon clattered onto the floor. Its tongue slid over its teeth, licking away the blood as its lifeless eyes scanned the hallway. 

Then- 

It started turning toward them. 

No, no, no. 

Don’t see them. 

Please don’t- 

Steve nearly gasped when the creature suddenly snapped its head back toward the direction it came from. More shouting echoed down the hall, followed by gunfire. The thing let out a deafening roar before charging back the way it came. 

Silence followed. 

Steve let out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding. Only then did he release them. Robin clung to his sleeve, her grip tight and shaking. He didn’t pull away- couldn’t. Dustin hadn’t seen anything, but he’d heard enough. His small frame trembled beside him. Steve swallowed thickly and forced himself to glance down the hallway. Blood smeared the floor, bullet holes riddled the walls and claw marks gouged deep into the concrete. 

"Can..." Robin’s voice wavered as she clutched his shoulders, pressing her face into his back "Can we go home now?" Dustin nodded quickly. 

"Please." Steve took a shaky breath, his chest still tight. 

"Yeah... yeah, okay." his voice came out rough "Let’s get the fuck out of here." 

For once- 

They were lucky [M/N] wasn’t there to see it. 

[the next day] 

"Well you guys look like shit." 

[M/N] snorted as he stepped into the Scoops Ahoy breakroom, refreshed and feeling far better than he had the day before. He paused when he found the trio staring at him like they’d just seen a ghost. Thanks to the Russians they’d eaten the night prior, he felt completely rejuvenated. After losing their steady supply of Hawkins Lab soldiers and scientists, [M/N] had been forced to rely on small amounts of cattle and wild animals to keep Venom satisfied. Before the events of ’83, they had gone three to four years without consuming human flesh after being forced to rely on it for three years. [M/N] wasn’t happy about falling back into that habit to keep Venom under control- but he couldn’t deny how refreshing it felt when Venom was properly fed. It was… exhilarating. 

"What?" he asked, questioning why they were staring at him as if he killed their parents. 

"Well at least someone looks well rested." [M/N] gave a little scoff as he leaned against the table, raising a brow at Steve and Robin. 

"Are you just upset because I left last night?" he gave a little laugh as he reached over and tousled Steve's hair, going so far as to twirling a strand around his finger "Thought you'd be happy I wasn't there- so I wouldn't see your perfect hair all wet and ruined." Steve promptly smacks [M/N]'s hand back, he laughed softly and briefly turned his back to look at Dustin, not noticing the way Steve grabbed the same strand [M/N] played with and pressed it between his two fingers. 

"You missed a lot, [M/N]. Like, a lot." he gave a laugh as he sat on the counter, crossing his arms and giving the young boy his attention. 

"Lay it on me." and he does, from the armed Russian guards to a backroom filled with boxes stamped with the Imperial Panda logo. The one detail they left out was the giant, black, sludge monster that ate said Russian guards and scared the absolute shit out of them. Robin and [M/N] are completely unaware of the Upside Down and all the shit that happened since 83', and Robin only witnessed that monster and nothing else. They thought it would be wiser not to bring it up with [M/N], though Steve was convinced if they did [M/N] would think they were full of shit. Maybe he'd take Robin's word for it because she was someone that didn't bullshit her words, mostly because she seemed terrible at it "So you've concluded that something inside this room must be important due to the constant surveillance of these Russian guards?" Dustin nods his head and starts pacing. 

"Yes. But to get into this room, we need a keycard. That keycard opens the door, but unfortunately, the Russian with this keycard also has a massive gun. Whatever's in this box, the really don't want anyone finding it." Robin sighed as she bounced her knee under the table. 

"There's gotta be a way in." she muttered softly, trying to think of a way to get into the room without being used as target practice. Steve, who was slouched back in his chair while spinning his sailor hat around his finger, gave a little shrug as he blew into it to reshape it back to normal. 

"Well, you know... I could just take him out." this comment caused them all to look at him, [M/N] even raising a brow. 

"Take who out?" 

"The Russian guard." now Robin raised a brow, [M/N] furrowing his in confusion. The silence that followed was loud "What? I sneak up behind him, knock him out, steal the keycard. Easy." easy, he said. Dustin had stopped pacing and now joined [M/N] and Robin to stare at him incredulously. 

"Did you not hear the part about the massive gun?" Steve rolled his eyes. 

"Yes, Dustin, I did. That's why I would be sneaking."  

"Well, please, be honest, have you actually... won a fight?" [M/N] snorted then tried, and failed, to hide it behind his hand. Steve took full offense to both Dustin's question and [M/N]'s muffled laughter. 

"Okay, that was one time-" Dustin raised two fingers. 

"Twice, actually. Jonathan, the year prior?" Steve shook his head. 

"Listen, that doesn't count."  

"Why wouldn't that count? Because it looked like he beat the shit out of you." [M/N] finally burst out laughing, remembering the day he found Steve cleaning graffiti off the theatre sign. Steve scowled and turned his glare toward him, while [M/N] wiped a tear from his eye and pointed at him. 

"Fuck, I remember that! And not even last year, when Hargrove apparently messed you up bad." he placed his hands on his hips, shaking his head "Kind of wish I was there- would’ve given me an excuse to beat that douche’s ass. Always gave Eddie trouble." he muttered the last part, his hand curling into a tight fist as he remembered how Billy used to harass Eddie for free drugs. The one time [M/N] answered the door instead, the look on Billy’s face had been priceless. 

"Well, if you're so strong, be my guest!" Steve shot back, falling into his seat "You're always boasting about how strong you are- why don't you prove it?" [M/N] blinked at him, then a slow smirk spread across his lips, his eyes glinting with mischief. 

"Oh, is that how it is? I’d be more than happy to oblige your request, your majesty." they all watched as he stood up straight, shrugging off his jacket and tossing it onto the counter before flexing his arms. His muscles tensed and bulged, his skin glistening faintly with sweat. Robin, who would usually scrunch her face in open disgust when any guy flexed like it was the greatest thing he had to offer, couldn’t help but raise a brow at the sheer size of him "I'm pretty sure I could choke you out with my bicep alone, Harrington." Dustin clapped his hands in awe. 

"Wow! Maybe we should just let you loose! You’d probably do a better job than Steve, honestly." [M/N]’s smirk widened as he wiggled his eyebrows at Steve, still flexing. Steve had always been aware of how ripped [M/N] was- they’d shared a few P.E. classes, and he’d seen him play baseball. There was no way to ignore it. Seriously, what the fuck did his dad and Eddie feed this guy for him to be so… chiseled? 

"Jealous, Harrington?" truth be told, it was all thanks to Venom. The way Venom processed food- burning through it fast, feeding him at a level that didn’t feel normal- meant he bulked up faster than anyone else. Add baseball on top of that, all the running, swinging, throwing… yeah, he was probably one of the most built guys his age. Maybe Billy was the only one who came close. 

"Yeah, no." Steve shot back, crossing his arms "Let him go take out the Russian guard with the massive gun. I’ll just sit on the roof and watch him get riddled with bullets." he tried, and failed not to look at [M/N]’s arms. He had to glance away when [M/N] suddenly leaned forward against the table, tilting his head so Steve had no choice but to look at him. 

"Hey, you asked for this, Steve. Don’t go getting shy on me now." his voice dipped just enough to make Steve’s face flush, though he held his ground, narrowing his eyes "And besides, I’ll use your plan. Sneak up behind him, knock him out, steal the keycard. Foolproof." he even threw in a wink. 

"You fucking little-" Steve cut himself off when [M/N] was suddenly yanked backward, a surprised yelp escaping him. Steve snorted. Robin, clearly done with their nonsense and apparently having figured something out, had grabbed [M/N] by the back of his belt and pulled him toward her. Now she was holding him by the belt buckle, her bag and helmet in her other hand as she looked up at him. 

"I think I figured something out, so if you’re done with whatever this is with Harrington, we gotta skedaddle." and just like that, she started dragging him. 

"Whoa, whoa, hey! Careful, Buckley. I don’t remember agreeing to this." he protested as she hauled him along, Steve and Dustin trailing behind. She finally let him go once they passed the front counter, immediately reaching into the Scoops Ahoy tip jar and grabbing a couple bills. 

"Robin- Robin- hey! What the hell are you doing?!" Steve demanded. 

"I need cash!" she shot back, then glanced at [M/N], holding up a ten "You give me a ride, I’ll pay you?" [M/N] gasped dramatically, pressing a hand to his chest. 

"Do you think my services can be bought with your mere pity coin? You insult me, Miss Buckley." Robin inhaled sharply, already over it "If you need my assistance," he continued, tutting "you must offer something of value." she pinched the bridge of her nose then dug through her bag. When she found what she was looking for, she held it out. 

"If I give you these Twizzlers, will you-" she didn’t even finish the sentence before his mouth snapped over the packet, ripping it straight from her hand. She stared up at him, stunned, as he tore the plastic open and immediately started chewing. 

"Okay. Where are we going?" Robin just blinked at him. 

"... what is wrong with you?" he shrugged, chewing lazily. 

"I’ve said it before. I’ll do just about anything if food’s involved." if she wasn’t already judging him, she definitely was now "So, where are we going?" he asked again, grabbing another Twizzler and chewing on it. 

"I’ll tell you on the way- now come on!" Robin bolted out of the store. [M/N] blinked, then quickly doubled back, vaulting through the open window to grab his helmet and jacket off the counter before sprinting after her. 

"Where- where are you going?!" Steve called out. [M/N] turned around mid-run and shrugged. 

"I have literally no idea!" he barked out a laugh before turning back to catch up to Robin. Steve’s hands dropped to his sides as he watched them disappear out of the mall entrance. Dustin leaned forward, peering up at Steve’s face, a smirk slowly forming when he saw the scowl. 

"That look doesn’t suit you." he drawled. Steve blinked, glancing down at him. 

"Wha- what do you mean?" Dustin’s smirk widened. 

"That, my friend, is the look of jealousy." Steve stared at him for a second before scoffing, crossing his arms. 

"Me? Jealous of [M/N]? Psh, you’re crazy, Henderson. Crazy!" he shoved Dustin out from behind the counter, putting some distance between them "And what is there to be jealous of, huh?" Dustin shrugged. 

"Well, I don’t know. Maybe because he’s infinitely cooler than you. He drives a motorcycle- you don’t. He gives actually good advice- you don’t. He’s pretty damn funny and really smart… which you’re not." Steve rolled his eyes so hard it felt like they might fall out of his head. 

"Wow, cool. If you like Munson so much, why don’t you ask him to be your new best friend? I’m sure he’d love to take you off my hands." Dustin ignored that completely. 

"And it seems like Robin likes him too." that made Steve freeze "Do you see how they interact? Jesus, Steve, if you don’t do something, she’s gonna get whisked away by a motorcycle-riding, food-loving, Russian-translating badass!" 

"Shut up, Henderson!" Steve snapped "I don’t need you to tell me how great [M/N] is- I already know that!" he ran a hand through his hair, frustration written all over his face "You start high school later this year- you’ll be a freshman while he’s a senior. You’ll hear it all then. How smart he is, how girls trip over themselves for him, how he’s the star baseball player and probably gonna be captain since the current one’s graduating." 

Of course Steve Harrington had some lingering jealousy toward [M/N]. Back when he was still known as the King of Hawkins High, [M/N] Munson had been the only person who could truly rival him for that crown- aside from Billy, of course. [M/N] was so different from him. He wasn’t constantly sleeping around, he didn’t put people down, and he definitely didn’t have the wealth Steve and his old friends had. In fact, he was the complete opposite. He wasn’t nearly as privileged, having grown up in the trailer park, and he carried himself with a kind of quiet humility. 

Sure, he could be cocky- arrogant, even- but he never flaunted his achievements or rubbed them in people’s faces. He was a gentleman, especially with girls. Even when they pushed his boundaries, he never snapped or got rude; he’d turn them down as politely as he could and move on. And then there was his intelligence. [M/N] was freakishly smart- the only real academic rival to Nancy Wheeler herself. Steve was certain that by the time [M/N] graduated, he’d have dozens of college applications lined up for him, both for his athletic ability and his grades. 

"Don’t tell me he’s great when I’m already fully aware of it, okay?" Steve rubbed his forehead, grateful he was standing near the ice cream freezer- the cool air helping him calm down "I am well aware of how cool he is, alright? Robin must love him. I mean, have you seen him? She was probably fanning herself when he started flexing, or laughing at all his stupid jokes because he’s so funny. Him and his stupid smile, his stupid laugh, and his very stupid face!" Dustin tilted his head, narrowing his eyes at Steve. 

"What is happening here?" Steve blinked at him, confused "Are you insulting him or complimenting him?" 

"Wha- I'm- clearly I'm insulting him!" Dustin nodded his head slowly. 

"Sure, buddy. Sure." Steve gave an exasperated look towards the younger boy when he turned on his heel and walked back into the breakroom "Let's just hope [M/N] and Robin are having a better time than we are." 

[with [M/N] and robin] 

"Robin! Robin! My waist! Hold onto my waist, not my fucking neck!" 

"You're going too fast!" 

"Well maybe if you weren't yanking me back, I wouldn't be gripping onto the fucking throttle!" he had to practically pry her hands off his neck and move them down to his waist when her hands slipped from his neck to grip onto the back of his jacket, nearly falling off the back of his bike in the process. He sighed when they were at a redlight and he was able to take a breather "Can you tell me where we're going now? You just told me to drive in the direction of the town, but that doesn't help." he let out a grunt when she smacked the back of his helmet. 

"The county recorder's office! There's something that might help us get into that room." [M/N] raised a brow, looking up at Robin. 

"Why do we need to go there?" 

"You'll know when we get there." 

"And you can't just tell me?" he asks, letting out a grunt when she smacked his helmet again. 

"Where's the fun in that?" he sighed then smirked when the lights turned green, revving his engine and letting his bike tip backwards just to scare her. He laughed when she luckily grabbed his shoulders this time before driving down the road towards town, ignoring her threats to strangle him again. He weaved past cars with practiced ease, not much traffic when most of the town was at the mall. Robin let out a shriek when he swerved past another car before sliding into a parking spot right outside the building. 

"There you go. Hop to it!" he raised his hands defensively when she was ready to smack him again, taking her helmet off and throwing it into his lap.  

"You ass." he laughed when she flipped him off before jogging into the recorder's office. He took his own helmet off, blowing his hair back and wiping the sweat from his forehead from how stuffy it got in his helmet. 

"You could wear me as a helmet, [M/N]." this suggestion made him roll his eyes. 

"Sure, but you're not exactly solid, Venom." he says as he pulls out the packet of twizzlers from his jacket, slipping one under his sleeve so Venom could have one while he eats another "If anyone looks just a little too closely, they'd question where I'd gotten a warping helmet from." he chuckles inside his head. 

"Say it was custom made." 

"Uh huh." he leans back on his bike as he waits for Robin to finish whatever she was doing, mindlessly drumming his fingers on Robin's helmet while chewing on the licorice. He grumbles under his breath when he finished the last of the twizzlers, quietly sulking for finishing them too quickly. He wondered if he could grab something from the general store real quick before Robin would be back, he was in the middle of sitting up when he heard arguing so he turned his head and raised a brow when he saw Jonathan and Nancy walking out of the Hawkins Post with boxes in their hands. 

"They do not look happy." he hummed. 

"Not at all." he perked up when Nancy spotted him and he greeted her with a smile, raising a hand to wave. He tilted his head to the side when he noticed how she was at the verge of tears- frustrated tears "Hey, Wheeler! You good?" he called out from across the street, raising a brow when Jonathan turned around and he looked a little irritated. 

"Munson? What are you doing here?" Jonathan calls out, he gives a shrug. 

"Fuck if I know. Buckley needed to come here." Jonathan and Nancy share a look. 

"Buckley?" he waves his hand. 

"Steve's coworker. You don't need to worry about what we're doing here." he then looks between the two of them and the boxes they were holding "What about you two? Why the long faces?" Nancy looked away, instead opening the back door and shoving the box in her hand onto the seat as Jonathan ran a hand through his hair. 

"We, um... we got fired!" he blinked, taking a moment to process the news. 

"Oh. That sounds... that sounds pretty shit, actually." Jonathan rolls his eyes at [M/N]'s choice of words like- yeah, no shit "Sorry for the loss in income, man! Employment is totally overrated anyways! The economy is a scam!" Nancy couldn't help but huff out a laugh. 

"You're starting to sound like your cousin, [M/N]." he laughs. 

"I take that as a compliment, Nancy! Thanks." she shakes her head "I'm sure things will get better, or you'll find better jobs. Your first job is never the one you end up doing for life." Jonathan couldn't help but scoff a little. 

"You don't even have a job! How would you know?" he opened his mouth to reply, stopped himself in thought before nodding. 

"That's... true. But, what's so wrong about looking on the brighter side of things?" 

"You're unnaturally positive, Munson." he just smiled at them. 

"Hopefully it rubs off on you." the couple were surprised when he was suddenly smacked behind the head, no helmet to soften the blow "Wha- hey!" he sighed when Robin returned, slipping onto his bike and reaching around from behind him to grab her helmet from his lap. 

"I got what we needed. Let's skedaddle on outta here!" she exclaimed, hands on his shoulders as she bounced on his bike. Nancy and Jonathan glance at each other at the sight of a girl in the Scoops Ahoy uniform shake [M/N] and he just let her, instead just giving the two a final wave before putting his helmet on. They watch as he started his bike, revving the throttle a couple times before driving out of there, Robin clinging to his back at the sudden lurch. He's driving back to the mall when he thought back to when he came to Scoops Ahoy, faintly remembering the grave looks on their faces. 

"Hey, Robin!" he shouts over the wind, when he saw through the sideview mirror that she tilted her head to let him know that she was listening, he spoke up "Can I ask you something?!"  

"What is it?!" he perked up when they came to a red light, he turned back towards her and flipped his visor up. 

"Why did you guys look like shit this morning?" he asks "I don't really believe you guys seeing some Russian guards with guns and boxes is what freaked you out. So what really happened?" he raised a brow by the way she noticeable paled just thinking about what she saw, he turned back when he felt the grip on his shoulders tightened "Robin? Are you good?" his hand reached back to gently press against her back, now noticing how her body started to tremble. 

"We, um..." she let out shuddered breath "we saw something last night." 

"Okay. What did you see?" there was a moment of silence but [M/N] didn't rush her, he waited patiently until she was ready. 

"We saw a monster." he paused, a flicker of worry in his eyes. 

"A... monster?" she nodded her head. 

"We didn’t tell you this morning because Steve was convinced you wouldn’t believe us." she sighed, rubbing her forehead "It was… big. Like, ridiculously big. Its body was made of this- black goo. And the sounds it made… they were guttural, like some wild animal." she faltered, pressing a hand to her lips as nausea hit her “It… it ate those Russian guards.” 

... 

... 

They saw us. 

[M/N]. 

They saw us, and we scared them. 

[M/N], calm down. 

They saw us hunt, Venom. 

I know. 

They saw us eat someone. 

I know, but calm down. 

"[M/N]?" Robin leaned over when [M/N] fell silent, tapping her hand against his shoulder "[M/N]? What's wrong?" she leaned even closer then lurched back when she heard him let out a sort of snort. 

"A monster, huh?" he gave a short laugh "I guess I'm gonna have to see it to believe it, Buckley." she scoffed at his words and shoved him- of course he didn't believe her. Steve was right for once. She, however, couldn't see the panic on his face due to his helmet- how he was having a literal panic attack that was being suppressed by Venom, how tight his grip on his throttle was that he almost crushed it. She couldn't tell that he was on the verge of a breakdown, but he kept up the act like what she said was the funniest thing in the world. 

"Urgh, whatever. This is the last time I'll ever tell you anything serious, Munson." he shrugged. 

"Whatever you say, Buckley." she shook her head as [M/N] drove down the street towards Starcourt, shoulders tense and jaw clenched. When they returned, she jumped off his bike and unclipped her helmet, turning around to wait for him as he parked his bike "Go on ahead, Buckley. I'll catch up." she raised a brow. 

"You sure?" he nodded his head, face still hidden beneath his helmet. 

"Yeah. Try not to have too much fun without me." she shook her head. 

"Sure, as if hanging out with a child and Harrington is fun." he gave his own little wave when she finally jogged away. 

[M/N] kept his cool when he parked his bike, he kept his cool when he took his helmet off and walked into the mall. But he did not immediately walk towards Scoops Ahoy, he instead turned and entered the employees only back hallway that connected all the stores together. He had been going through there himself for for some time while keeping track on who goes through, so he knew he was going to have a moment to himself. So after finding a corner where no one could spot him until they were at the end of the hall, he slammed his fist into the wall hard enough it cracked. 

"They saw us, Venom." he whispered, nails clawing at the wall and leaving a mark in its wake "They saw us, and they were scared. We scared them, Venom." 

"We did. But they don't know that it was you beneath. All they saw was me." 

"But if they ever learn that it is me underneath, they'll be scared of me too." 

"They won't know it is you if we don't speak about it." 

"But what if they see us while we're distracted? It happened once, why not again?" 

"We'll be more careful this time, [M/N]." 

"We've been careful, Venom. We didn't notice them, Venom." he felt his stomach churn, the nausea building up in his stomach like clockwork. 

"But we will next time." 

"Next time? There shouldn't be a next time!" he squeezed his eyes shut, pressing a hand to his stomach "There can't be a next time." 

"We can not guarantee that there won't be a next time." he shuddered when Venom finally materialized, hovering over his shoulder "Either you tell them the truth, or live in constant fear that they won't accept us." 

"But I don't know how well they're going to take it." 

"Wayne accepted us when he caught us eating a dog. Why don't you think they won't be the same?" 

"Because they've actually seen the horrors of the other world." 

"That... is a strong argument." [M/N] pressed a hand to his forehead as Venom moved so he had no choice but to look at him "You believe you can hide us from them forever, but you don't do well when things start to build up inside of you. Eventually, you will have to tell them the truth." 

"I don't have to tell them anything." 

"Believe what you want, but keeping this from them will harm your relationship with them more than you think. We haven't even told Eddie, and we've been living under the same roof for years. How do you think he'll react that we kept something this huge from him?" [M/N] bit his lip, that one got to him. He kept promising himself that he was going to tell Eddie- he'll get to it, he will tell him someday. But someday never came, he could never bring himself to tell Eddie because- what was he going to say? Like, hey! I've got this interdimensional sludge monster inside of me who needs to eat flesh and brains in order to survive and so it doesn't eat me! Maybe they could reword it, but come on. 

"We... I-I will." 

"When? Because it certainly isn't happening any time soon." Venom sighed then nudged his head against [M/N]'s "I don't mean to rush you, or upset you, but there are solutions to this turmoil. Not good or easy ones, but ripping off the bandaid is better than leaving it to rot." [M/N] stared at him for a long time, his shoulders sagging as a long breath left his lips. 

"I really hate how well you've gotten at giving advice, Venom." this earned him a laugh. 

"Thank you." he nudged [M/N]'s head again, nuzzling into his cheek as a sort of apology "We didn't mean to be spotted, [M/N]. I'm sorry I didn't see them." [M/N] shook his head. 

"No. What upsets me is how... scared they looked." he frowned "If I ever told them, I didn't want them to be scared of you." Venom blinked at his words. 

"Oh... I see." so he wasn't just thinking about himself, huh? He was thinking about us. Their heads shot up when they heard hushed voices as well as rushed footsteps, they back into the shadows just as a of four individuals appeared. What caught his attention wasn't the fact they were wearing all black, maybe it was because they were carrying firearms, or because they were speaking entirely in Russian. 

"Мы немного отстаём от графика, сэр." 

"Мы бы не оказались в такой ситуации, если бы не нападение прошлой ночью." 

"Вы говорите так, будто мы это и планировали." the one who spoke first let out a heavy sigh, shaking his head with stress. 

"Вы считаете, что это были американцы, сэр?" 

"Вполне возможно. Они проводят собственные эксперименты с участием людей." he said, pacing a back and forth Они могли бы прислать кого-нибудь, чтобы разобраться с ситуацией." 

"Но как им это удалось?" 

"Чистая, глупая случайность." the four of them gasp at the new voice, turning their heads at the sight of [M/N] stepping out from where he was hiding at staring at them with a calm look that unsettled them "Зачем ты сюда пришла? Зачем ты испортила мне летние каникулы?" he let out a sigh, running a hand through his hair when they pointed their guns at him. 

"Не двигайтесь!" 

"Не двигайтесь!" he shook his head. 

"Тебе никогда не следовало уезжать из России." one was ready to shoot when black sludge covered [M/N]'s arm, closing around the Russian man's head as he stared coldly at the rest as the man struggled "Теперь вы умрёте на американской земле ни за что." what followed after was the gruesome sound of bloodcurdling screams, bones snapping, flesh tearing and blood splattering across the clean white walls. He stared down at the blood pooling at his feet, face twisting with indignation that his afternoon was ruined. He leaned against the wall, muttering under his breath as Venom licked up the blood. 

"Perhaps we should find a mop." 

"And get questioned by the janitor why his bucket is full of red water?" he said, raising a brow at him then pointed back down "Keep licking." Venom sighed. 

"I was going to do that regardless if you told me too or not." 

"Mm hmm. Perhaps stop being such a sloppy eater." Venom let out a huff. 

"We're both sloppy eaters." [M/N] pursed his lips. 

"... touché." it took a couple minutes for Venom to clean up all the blood but he managed, he picked up their weapons and discarded them before finally leaving. Stepping back into the mall after eating those Russian men made him feel... strange. Here all these normal people were, living their normal, mundane lives- then there he was, trying to live normally but he keeps getting dragged back into this stupid nonsense. These people don't even realize that they're walking past someone who's killed more people than he's been alive, it's honestly a little sad. He entered Scoops Ahoy then raised a brow when he didn't see anyone behind the counter but he did hear shouting from inside the breakroom, he ignored the confused stares from the other patrons who also heard the shouting, pushing open the door before stopping at the sight before him. 

"Not my feet, dumbass- push my ass!" 

"... what?" 

"Touch my ass, I don't care!" Robin noticed his presence and looked over at him, snorting at the sight of him twisting his head in confusion as Dustin was hanging out of the vent and Steve attempting to push him in further but failing because- surprise, surprise! The kid was too big for him to slide in smoothly. 

"What the fuck did I miss?" Steve flinched and nearly fell off the step ladder he was on as Dustin momentarily froze, Robin burst out into a fit of laughter "No, seriously. What did I miss?" she came up to him, waving her hand to dismiss his concern and grabbed him by the arm to lead him over to the table. 

"Don't worry about it, come take a look." Steve watched as they stood shoulder to shoulder, her pointing and explaining on the blueprints of Starcourt on how they were going to get into that room. He didn't understand that simmering feeling in his chest as he watched [M/N] lean down to hear her voice as he stared at the blueprints, nodding slowly as he took in her words. He didn't realize he was gripping Dustin's leg until he was kicked in the side, causing him to let out a grunt but release Dustin's leg. 

"Dude! What the heck?"  

"You're hurting me, dude!" [M/N] and Robin raised their heads when they heard arguing again. 

"How long have they been doing this?"  

"Maybe, like, a couple minutes?" she then tilted her head "What took you so long, by the way?" she watched him lick his lips. 

"Oh, you know- I just got something to eat." she sighed, letting her head her tip back. 

"Of course you did, you pig." he snickered at her, eyes a little dead. He then looked back to where Steve was staring at them both, Dustin still hanging out of the vent, and stared at the brunette in mild curiosity "I think you're gonna have to give up on that, kiddo. There's no way you can make it to that room if you can barely fit through that small vent." he laughed when he saw Dustin kick his legs, Steve have to lean back then grab his legs again so he wouldn't get kicked in the face. 

"No, I can fit!" [M/N] shook his head. 

"Sure you can." he managed to grab Dustin by his legs, wrangling the kid out even as he fought to stay inside "Listen. Unless you know someone who's... about the size of a preschooler, I highly doubt you're getting into that room any time soon." he now held Dustin by his hips, giving the kid an amused grin as he huffed at him. 

"Just say I'm fat and move on from it." [M/N] tilted his head. 

"Mmkay, you're fat." he was ready to drop Dustin when he tried swatting at him, that was when they heard a sharp ring from the bell on the front counter. Looking through the open window, [M/N] pursed his lips at the sight of an angry little middle schooler- arms cross and impatiently tapping her foot on the floor. He looked at the other three, noticing how they all shared the same expression... realization soon dawned on him "No. No way." Robin nodded. 

"Yes way." 

[M/N] stood behind the counter as the two adult employees and Dustin were attempting to bribe this little girl into climbing through the vents to enter a room usually guarded by Russian guards carrying firearms- he didn't want to be associated with them because if Wayne were to ever find out they were trying to put a young girl in danger, he'd kick his ass. No. He'd actually give [M/N] the most disappointed look ever and give him the most stern talking to ever. That was far worse than getting his ass beaten. The upside was that they were bribing her with elaborate ice cream floats and when she didn't like any of them, Steve would grumpily take it back and give it to [M/N] instead. 

Like right now. 

"Here." he giggled as he took it from Steve, humming to himself as he started eating it gleefully. 

"So," he started, scooping a big spoonful into his mouth "how's it going?" 

"Absolutely terrific." he said through gritted teeth, grabbing another cup for the ice cream sundae he had to make "No matter what we try to bargain, there's no winning her over." he huffed then glanced over at [M/N], pausing when he saw him grab a cherry by the stem. 

"What have you negotiated with so far?" he asked without looking at Steve, instead he closed his lips around the cherry and pulled the stem out and chewed "Like I've said to y'all, you can't negotiate with someone unless you have something of value. There can't be much to win this little girl- what's her name?" he asked, finally looking at Steve. 

"Oh, um, uh- Erica. Erica Sinclair." he nods then went back to eating. 

"Well, figure out what this Erica girl likes. Talk her up, but not too much. You don't wanna butter her up- she might think you're just a sucker and desperate. To which, you all are." he then shrugs, shaking his head as he licked his lips "Clearly you guys need her more than she needs you, so just agree to all her demands and I'm sure you'll be able to convince her.... eventually." Steve sighed. 

"What could her demands possibly be?" [M/N] smirked softly and pointed down to his sundae. 

"Free ice cream." he raised a brow. 

"For how long?" he shrugged as he grabbed the chocolate sauce from Steve's hands and squeezed enough onto his that it would make a diabetic cry, he snickered when Steve snatched it back just as he took another spoonful and put it into his mouth "How long?" 

"However long she wants. Either for a couple months, to a few years- hell! She could ask for life. And you have to agree to it if you want to get into the room." Steve let out a groan, letting his head tip backwards. 

"For life?" [M/N] gave him a look. 

"Do you want to get into that room or not?" his face softened when Steve gave him this almost puppy dog expression. 

"Yes." it almost sounded like a whine, [M/N] ignored that as he looked back down at his sundae. 

"Well, give her that offer and see if she takes it." he snapped his fingers before Steve returned to the table "Oh, before you go back to the table, check this out." Steve raised a brow as [M/N] grabbed another cherry- two connected by the same stem. He swallowed thickly when [M/N] stuck his tongue out, which was, for some reason, unnaturally long, then brought both cherries into his mouth. He watched as [M/N] chewed, his throat bobbing when he swallowed- yet his mouth kept moving. After a moment, [M/N] opened his mouth again and stuck his tongue out, revealing the stem tied into a small heart "Ta-dah! Neat trick, huh?" Steve just stared down at the knotted heart on his tongue, trying to avoid the way [M/N] was wiggling his eyebrows at him. 

"Why?" he gave a little laugh with a shrug of his shoulders, spitting the stem out of his mouth and into the bin under the counter. 

"Cause I can." Steve finally looked at him, shaking his head with a short laugh. 

"You're weird." he snapped his fingers again. 

"Thank you." he twiddled his fingers at Steve when he walked off with the new concoction that Erica would hopefully like. He continued to watch the trio to get schooled by this little girl, taking spoonful after spoonful of ice cream and occasionally taking scoops from the tub itself when Venom wanted some. He noticed that Steve was attempting to bring up the offer of free ice cream but was getting bulldozered by Dustin and his dumb suggestions, so he rolled his eyes with a sigh and approached the table "I have been watching this dumpster fire of a conversation and I can see that it is going absolutely nowhere, I thought I might just give it a shot." she scoffed as she looked him up and down, slowly raising a brow as she took him in. 

"I don't trust anybody who smirks as much as you do. That's suspicious behavior." he chuckled as he dragged his tongue along his spoon before pointing it at her. 

"Well, I'm sure you're gonna love what I'll have to offer." he scoops some ice cream onto his spoon but doesn't eat it straight away "In our perfect little country, we run on the system of capitalism. I'm sure a smart girl like you knows what that means, right?" she huffed as she watched him eat his ice cream, she in turn ate some of hers. 

"Yeah, but what's your point?" he hummed. 

"Well, I'm sure these three stooges have something that your heart desires- something that would entice you into putting your safety at risk. As free as this country is, your services will be heavily rewarded." she narrowed her eyes on him. 

"What could they possibly offer that would entice me?" he smirked, the same one she called suspicious as he leaned down. 

"Well, I've been doing them a lot of favors for the past couple of days." she nodded slowly, wondering where he was going with his point "And I've got a pretty big appetite. So as thanks for all my help, they've been giving me free ice cream." it wasn't the truth but it wasn't a lie either, he was just eating their stock and they didn't get paid enough to stop his fatass from eating it all "You see where I'm going with this?" her eyes narrowed- she had noticed [M/N] eating the ice without paying for it- she crosses her arms as she looks up at him, interested. 

"Go on." his hand pushes her ice cream closer to her. 

"All the ice cream you could eat. Rocky road, Tutti Fruitti, Butter Pecan, or..." he eyes the flavor she had been eating and tilted his head "USS Butterscotch." his smirk widens when he clearly had her, telling how she was tilting her head, weighing her options. 

"... for how long?" he rolled his fingers along the table. 

"Hmm, how about... for life?" Steve pinched the bridge of his nose while Robin slammed her hands on the table. 

"For life?! You don't have the power to-" he quickly slammed his heel down on her foot, wincing himself because he knew he was going to suffer her wrath after this. He then gave her a look, warning her to just shut her trap and to roll with it if they wanted to get into that godforsaken room "I-I mean, yeah! For life!" Steve nodded his head, holding back his laughter. 

"Mm hmm, for life." [M/N] then turned back to Erica, a wolfish grin on his face. 

"So what do you say, Erica? We got a deal?" he held his hand out to her "For climbing through that dingy vent and getting into that room, you get to eat ice cream for free- for life!" she stared at his hand then back up at him, slowly but surely her own face matched his before taking his hand and shaking it firmly. 

"You got yourself a deal." he squeezed her hand. 

"Pleasure doing business with you." he winks at her and she grinned before looking at the other three, who watched in disbelief. 

"Finally, you've got someone who can speak my language." she pats his hand then looked up at him "You think you can show me more of my options?" he let out a gasp, pressing a hand to his chest before doing a dramatic bow. 

"Why, it would be my pleasure." he helped her out of her seat and walked towards the back room, Steve and Robin shook their heads while Dustin gave a short laugh of disbelief. 

"He doesn't even work here." 

[hours later] 

"This is such a bad idea." [M/N] murmured from his spot on the roof, leaning against the edge while eating a chocolate bar "I swear, this is going to get us in so much trouble." Steve, Robin and Dustin glance towards [M/N], who moved and was now casually sitting on the edge of the building without a care in the world. At least they were attempting to remain out of sight while he was sitting out all exposed. He was in the middle of taking another bite from his chocolate bar when Dustin snatched it out of his grasp, inflicting a whine from him "Hey, that's mine." he tried to reach for it then shouted when Dustin threw it off the roof. 

"Can you please take this operation seriously?" he had the biggest look of betrayal on his face that it had Steve stifling his laughter. 

"You fucker- even after all I've done for you." he pressed a hand to his chest, shaking his head "I hope you know when we get down there, I'm just gonna eat it anyways." Robin gagged. 

"I hope the ants get to it so when you do eat it, your stomach will be infested with insects." 

"Don't worry, my stomach will break down those ants before they can even eat their way out." now they all look at him in disgust, he just shook his head and looked up towards the stars while the others look down at the door that separated them from the room they are just so desperate to get into. Not him, no, he'd rather be at home asleep but here he was. 

"Can we go get food after this?" Venom asked in his head. 

Sure. I hope this doesn't last too long. 

"Erica, do you copy?" Robin asked through the walkie talkie, they all look towards her when Erica answered. 

"Mm hmm. I copy. You nerds in position or what?" 

"Yeah, we're in position. It's all quiet here, so you've got the green light." 

"Greenlight, got it. Commencing operation child endangerment." this comment made [M/N] laugh. 

"Hah! I love that."  

"Can we maybe not call it that?" Robin pleaded. 

"See you on the other side, nerds." [M/N] raised a finger. 

"I would like to preface that I am, in fact, not a nerd." Steve perks up next. 

"I second that." both Dustin and Robin give the two a look, to which they both shrug "Also technically, you are a nerd, Munson. You are academically gifted like Nancy is." [M/N] rolled his eyes with a scoff. 

"Sure, but you don't see me getting hard over numbers and fantasy. That's my cousin, and we both know it." [M/N] had to grip onto the ledge when Steve nearly shoved him off, which caused him to turn around and smack him. Robin shook her head when the two of them started hitting each other- idiots. Dustin and Robin ignored them when Steve yanked [M/N] off the ledge and they started tussling on the floor, at this point [M/N] had Steve in a headlock with his other hand grabbing fistful of his precious hair. Steve, in turn, was gripping the forearm locked around his neck with his teeth sinking into his skin. 

"Let go of my hair!" 

"Then stop biting me!" 

Children. 

"Alright nerds, I'm there." at Erica's announcement, [M/N] and Steve's movements froze up before he quickly released him, this allowed Steve to scramble over to the walkie talkie so he, Robin and Dustin could hear an update on the situation. [M/N] remained where he was, his eyes trailing down to the indents of where Steve had bit him. 

"Do you see anything?" 

"Yeah, I see those borings boxes you're so excited about." 

"Any guards?" 

"Negative." 

"Booby traps?" she glared back at [M/N] when he snorted, muttering booby under his breath as his fingers gently caressed his arm. 

"If I could see them, they'd be pretty shit traps, wouldn't they?" that comment made [M/N] laugh this time, Robin shook her head as she gritted her teeth. 

"Thank you for that." a loud clank followed next, echoing through the walkie talkie as Erica probably kicked the vent grate open so she could get into the room. 

"I'm in." Steve let out a groan, burying his face into his hands then running his fingers through his hair that [M/N] messed up, muttering under his breath as he slowly realized the situation they were in was just ridiculous. A couple seconds later, the doors down below slid open and out stepped Erica, hands on her hips with a triumphant look on her face "Free ice cream- for life!" she shouted, voice ringing out to the empty docking bay. [M/N] laughed as he raised his fist then snapped his fingers, pointing at her from the rooftop. 

"For life!" Steve and Robin look at him. 

"Again- you don't work at Scoops Ahoy." he just shrugged and smacked Robin in the arm. 

"Yeah, but it was me that convinced her to do this." he pats himself on the shoulder "I'd say that deserves a pat on the back." they roll their eyes. 

"Sure." he was instead smacked on the back by all three of them as they stood up, leaving him there pouting and now rubbing his back. [M/N] was obviously the last one down the stairs, Dustin leading the pack followed by Robin then Steve. He had his hands in his pockets as he followed after them, not particularly too keen on learning what was in that room. If these Russians were responsible for opening a gate and why his body has been acting the way it has been, he was sure that that room was a way to get into some secret base- the lab in Hawkins had their own underground facility where the gate was as well as their program from bioengineering children into weapons. He wasn't entirely sure what the scale of this base was, but he was certain that- 

*WHEEZE* 

[M/N] missed the last step and nearly went down, barely catching himself as he slammed a hand against the wall. His other hand flew to his mouth as a choked breath forced its way out of him. Venom was saying something- he could hear it faintly in the back of his mind- but none of it registered. All he could feel was pain. Not just in his head. Not just in his stomach. 

Everywhere. 

It burned through him, sharp and relentless, like his nerves had been set on fire. His throat tightened as he struggled to breathe, pressing his forehead against the wall as his body overheated. It felt like he was being cooked from the inside out- like he’d been thrown into a sauna, heat suffocating and inescapable. His chest rose and fell too fast, breaths coming out shallow and uneven. His fingers clawed weakly at the wall, nails scraping against the surface as the pain only worsened. It didn’t stop. It didn’t ease. It just kept building. A broken sound slipped from his throat as his strength gave out, his body sliding down until his knees hit the floor. 

What was wrong with him? 

What was happening? 

Was he sick? 

"You are not sick." Venom’s voice finally cut through the haze, clearer now, though it did nothing to dull the agony tearing through him "Whatever is happening to you, it has something to do with what those Russians have done." [M/N] squeezed his eyes shut, a strained noise escaping him as his hands came up to cradle his head. His breathing only worsened, turning ragged. 

“Is it the original?” he managed, voice barely there. 

"I do not know. It could possibly be the answer, but that does not explain why you are reacting this severely." [M/N]’s body trembled, sweat clinging to his skin as his chest heaved "We must leave. I cannot manage this pain while we remain out in the open." he looked down at his hands and tensed at the sight of blackened veins- something Venom didn’t do unless he was trying to protect him. He knew he had to leave. He knew that if Steve or Robin came back for him, he wouldn’t be able to explain this away. 

He couldn’t hide it. 

He couldn’t- another wave of pain tore through him, so intense it knocked him flat onto his back. His body writhed as a broken sound escaped him. 

"Nngh- Venom!" 

"We know, we know!" Venom surged forward, taking control. In an instant, he forced [M/N]’s body to move, fleeing the scene. They climbed back up to the roof and disappeared into the night, heading straight for the trailer park. By the time Venom slipped away, retreating with [M/N] inside his body as they reached the stairs, Steve had circled back. 

"Hey, [M/N]! Did you get lost or something?" He paused when there was no answer, shaking his head "Don't tell me you fell down the stairs and cracked your skull open. I wouldn't know how to explain that to your... dad?" his voice trailed off as he rounded the corner. [M/N] wasn’t there. Steve frowned, stepping further down the hall, scanning for any sign of him. Nothing. He glanced back up the stairs, but came up empty. 

"Did you find him?" Robin called out. 

"No, he's... he's gone." 

"Gone?!" Dustin’s voice echoed. Steve’s brows furrowed as he looked around again, trying to find anything- any trace- but there was nothing. 

[summer of 85] 

"Come on, Eddie. Sure you didn't pass this year, but don't let that be the reason why you can't enjoy your summer break!" 

"Hearing you say it out loud doesn't help, [M/N]!" 

"I'm not saying it to be mean, Eddie. I just- jesus, come on man! There's no need to be so down in the dumps." 

"You're only just saying that because you're cruising through school with ease while I'm barely scraping by!" 

"No it's not and you know it!" 

Eddie tried, he really, really tried, not to get upset when he failed to graduate again while [M/N] continued to be praised left and right for doing what felt like the bare minimum. But it was hard when all he heard echoing through the hallways was [M/N]’s name. What stung even more was hearing people call him the more competent Munson, someone a dad could actually be proud of. The humiliation only deepened when it sank in that he and [M/N] would now be seniors together, that they’d end up sharing a few classes. He tried to rationalize it, told himself that failing might not be the worst thing. He had said he wanted to stay until [M/N] graduated so they could leave together, but this wasn’t what he’d meant. He’d wanted to graduate first, get a real job, save some money, and then, when [M/N] finished school, the three of them would get the hell out of this hick town for good. 

Instead, he’d failed twice. Now he was a super senior, while [M/N] stood as the perfect golden child in the eyes of Hawkins. And the worst part? [M/N] wasn’t doing any of it on purpose. He wasn’t cruel or smug or rubbing it in Eddie’s face. He was just… naturally good at everything, which somehow made it hurt more. He was smart, athletic, charismatic, kind, attractive, effortlessly loved by everyone around him. There was nothing wrong with him, and that was what made it unbearable. Because [M/N] never flaunted it. Never acted superior. Never treated Eddie like he was lesser. He was humble, and now here he was trying to help but in his mind it was only making him feel worse for harboring such jealously. 

"Maybe I can help you study so we can graduate together in '86! Make it easier." 

"I don't need your pity, [M/N]." 

"For gods sake, it isn't pity! I just want to help you, Eddie." 

"Well I don't want your help, okay? Just leave it at that!" 

"But- But Eddie-" [M/N] winced as the door slammed shut. Moments later, the sharp squeal of tires tore through the trailer park as Eddie peeled out onto the gravel, disappearing down the road. His shoulders slumped as he fell back onto the couch, cradling his head as he tried to calm himself down from either losing his temper or crying. Wayne had already left for work so he was all alone with his emotions and right now they were spiraling because he just couldn't understand what has Eddie so upset because- yeah, it is embarrassing to have failed two years in a row- 

"You are not helping your case, [M/N]." he groaned as he slumped back on the couch just as Venom appeared. 

"But I don't get it. He wants to pass but he himself isn't putting in the effort to pass his classes. I want to help him, but he isn't letting me. This isn't like Eddie." 

"Eddie already did not like your help, remember? Whenever those jocks from the basketball team would harass him and his friends and you'd attempt to step in, he'd scold you for doing such a thing. He can, and I quote, "fight his own battles", remember?" he rubs the back of his neck. 

"B-But I care about him, doesn't he know that? We had a heart to heart and everything! I don't understand what's going on." 

"Perhaps you should bring this up with Wayne? He's better at conveying words than the both of you." he nodded his head. 

"Yeah, I'd probably say they wrong thing and make things worse." 

"You already did." he shot upright the second Venom slipped back beneath his skin, the sudden banging at the front door snapping him to attention. Knocking was generous, it sounded more like someone was trying to beat the door off its hinges. 

"Hey, Munson! You ready, man?" he lifted his head with a quiet groan. Right. He’d completely forgotten, arguing with Eddie had wiped it from his mind. He was supposed to be going out tonight. Tugging his jacket on, he crossed the trailer and pulled the door open. One of his friends stood on the step, grinning, while the rest were gathered around a parked nearby, most of them piled into the bed, laughing and shoving each other like idiots. 

"Come on, dude! We wanna make fun of Harrington again." 

"Yeah, and some of us have a movie to catch." he pinches the bridge of his nose to collect himself before grinning and stepping out of the trailer, closing the door behind him and checking that he locked it. The last thing he needed was Wayne reprimanding him for not locking up when, in fact, it was usually Eddie that forgot to lock the trailer. He's laughing as he jogged up to the truck then jumped into the bed with the others, a few of them hitting either the top of side of it for whoever was driving to start driving. 

Starcourt Mall, the latest and greatest waste of taxpayer money this stupid town could afford. Still, it was the newest form of entertainment Hawkins had to offer, and the residents flocked to it like moths to a flame. Neon lights buzzed overhead, teenagers traveled in loud, roaming packs, and the sheer scale of it all was overwhelming the first time he stepped inside. Even Venom was in awe, quietly taking in everything at once. Their first stop was the food court. There were stalls packed with foods Venom had never tried before, and he wanted all of it. Every smell set him off, curiosity turning quickly into hunger. But the last thing [M/N] needed was the little money he’d managed to save disappearing just to satisfy Venom’s craving for snacks. 

Speaking of which- after that shitshow the year prior, a news article exposing a watered down version of what had been going on at the Hawkins Lab caused the remaining scientists and soldiers to pack up and leave. Which also meant their steady supply of "food" was gone. He’d been forced to rely on animals again, not that it was particularly difficult, but it was definitely a blow to Venom’s appetite. So the lab had been abandoned and empty since then but occasionally they'd return to the lab just to ensure the lab stayed abandoned, the last thing they needed was for some dumbass to open up a gate again. 

Anyways- 

"Dude, hurry up!" 

"I'm trying! The parking lot is a nightmare!" 

"We'll just go in!" 

"Yeah, find us later." 

"Y'all are assholes!" 

They all laughed as they pulled up to Starcourt and piled out of the truck. [M/N] hopped down from the truck bed, offering a sheepish shrug before heading inside with the others while their friend circled off to find a parking spot. He was definitely going to kill them later, but that was later. Right now, they were here to have fun. A few of them had already split off to catch their movie, while the rest drifted toward their favorite source of entertainment. The bell above the door rang as they stepped into the store, making their way to the side counter where they leaned and waited expectantly. Steve exhaled after handing off a customer’s order, then turned his head, only to find [M/N] and his group sprawled along the counter, grinning and smirking at him. 

"Hey Steve~" they purred, snickering when he rolled his eyes and shot them a look. There was no real bite behind it though and they knew it. They laughed as he grabbed several cups and started scooping, already knowing their orders by heart from how often they came in just to bother him. Cash was slid across the counter, and Steve didn’t even bother counting it. They always paid in full, and if there was extra, they never asked for change, letting him keep it as a tip. 

"Thanks Harrington." 

"Have we told you how much we love you?" 

"I honestly rather you didn't." he hands [M/N]'s cup last, the latter perking up when he approached "Two scoops of double chocolate fudge drizzled with chocolate syrup and chocolate sprinkles." [M/N] hears Venom hum beneath his skin as he takes the cup from Steve, fishing through his pocket for a ten dollar bill and slapping it down into his open palm. 

"Thanks, pretty boy." he scoffed as he watched [M/N] eat it. 

"Dude, how can you eat all that? That's just pure sugar." he licked his lips as Venom purred, already asking for more due to him momentarily stopping to answer Steve. 

"I like chocolate, it's like an addiction man." he says as he takes another spoonful to satisfy Venom "You always know how to make it right." he adds with a wink, the grin on his face stretching wider when Steve just rolled his eyes with a laugh. 

"Sure. I'm pretty sure you could get this at any other ice cream parlor." [M/N] gasped, pressing a hand to his chest as if he was clutching his pearls. 

"Are you asking me to... cheat on you? Steve, I am a man of principle. I would never do such a thing." he wipes at the nonexistent tears as he takes another bite of his ice cream "I don't think Scoops Ahoy would want to lose a regular customer like myself." 

"Right, how would we fare losing such a loyal customer?" he snapped his fingers at Steve. 

"Exactly." they both perk up when they heard insistent ringing from the bell at the counter, [M/N] and his friends chuckle when they saw a gaggle of kids ringing the bell and Robin Buckley, Steve's coworker, looked rather annoyed. 

"Hey dingus, your children are here!" he sighed as he stared at them, raising a brow. 

"Again? Seriously?" the leader of the kids, Nancy Wheeler's younger brother, just rung the bell a final time. He watched in amusement as Steve led them to the backroom of the shop to which he could only guess was a walkway that connected the entirety of Starcourt together. He recognized those kids, of course he recognized them, they were the same kids that were involved in the events last year. That Byers boy looked better, well, at least he didn't look dead to the world after all he's been through. It didn't take long for Steve to return, looking more exhausted each time those kids came and pestered him. 

"How come I don't get special treatment like that?" Steve pinched the bridge of his noise. 

"Special treatment? Please, I'd have them banned if I could." he snorted. 

"At least let me hang in the breakroom." 

"And let you eat all the ice cream in the freezer? No, thanks. I don't want to be fired." [M/N] hummed softly as he leans against the counter once more. 

"Just say you want to keep looking at my beautiful face, there's no shame in it." he was promptly smacked across the head as Steve walked away to tend to more customers, he grinned as he called after him "You didn't deny I have a beautiful face!" he ducked when Steve threw an empty cup at him. His friends had left long ago but he didn't mind, he always came to Starcourt just to bother Steve, if not he was sneaking into the cinema or eating food. On rare occasion when Scoops Ahoy was dead Steve would give him free ice cream, which was always a delight for Venom. Another delight was Miss Robin Buckley herself, he never personally interacted with her in school since they were in completely different social circles, but she was an alright girl. They both like to tag team Steve, Robin openly insulting him for his failed attempts at swooning the female patrons while [M/N] teased him for his attire and how that was the reason for each failed attempt. 

"With how often you come by, Munson, you might as well start working here." Robin mused as she swatted his hand away when he made grabby hands for the bottle of chocolate syrup. 

"If I did, you'd probably catch me eating out of the fridge." 

"You'd do that if you worked here regardless." 

"I would." he snickered when he managed to snatch it from behind her and drizzle it over what was left of his treat, raising his free hand in surrender when she took it back again, this time keeping it well out of his reach. 

Steve glanced toward [M/N] and couldn’t help the small scowl that tugged at his lips. The same girls he had tried charming only moments ago brushed off his advances without a second thought, drifting instead toward [M/N] like moths to a flame. One smile, just one, and they were hooked, hanging on his every word. He remembered when it used to be that easy for him. When a grin and a little confidence were all it took. He also remembered how uncomfortable [M/N] got when girls threw themselves at him. How he always turned them down gently, careful with his words, never wanting to hurt them, even if he’d only known them for less than a day. 

Still, it stung. 

*flicker* 

[M/N] hummed softly when the lights above flickered once, then twice, until the entire mall was plunged into darkness. It wasn't just the lights, everything running on electricity seemed to have died. He winced when the girls that were bothering him shrieked in fear, clinging to him and he had to reel himself in to not throw them off. Their perfume was overwhelming and Venom was already irritated since their needless chattered meant [M/N] couldn't eat his ice cream, which was a crime in itself. 

"That's weird." Steve muttered, walking over to the light switch on the mall and started flicking it up and down. Both Robin and [M/N] watched in disbelief and amusement when nothing happened, which was obvious. 

"That's not gonna work, dingus." 

"Oh, really?" he then started flicking it faster. 

"Yeah, really." she rolled her eyes when he didn't listen "Harrington-" 

"No, no. Don't discourage him." [M/N] starts, removing the hands of one of the girls clinging to his bicep "With will power alone, it might work." Robin chuckled while Steve laughed sarcastically. 

"Ah hah, you're hilarious." 

"So I've been told." after another minute of nervous murmuring and Steve's insistent flipping the lights and all the power within the mall turned back on, he looked back towards Robin and [M/N] with a smug expression. 

"Let there be light." [M/N] scoffed as he brushed the last hand off him and took another spoonful of ice cream. 

"That was dumb luck." 

"Correction, it was the lucky charm of Steve Harrington." [M/N] rolled his eyes as he stirred what was left of his ice cream in his little cup. 

"Sure, keep telling yourself that buddy." Steve shook his head and looked back at [M/N], ready to throw a quip his way, until he caught that familiar haze clouding his eyes, followed by the faintest trickle of blood. [M/N] noticed the flicker of concern on Steve’s face and instinctively lifted a hand to his nose. When he lowered his gaze, a thin line of red slipped free, a droplet falling softly onto the counter between them "Oh." 

"Shit, Munson." Steve caught him by the arms over the counter just as his head tipped back. Robin, startled by the sudden blood, quickly slid into Steve’s place so he could hurry around the counter and guide [M/N] into the back room. Steve grabbed a handful of tissues and passed them over, and Munson muttered a faint thanks as he pressed them to his nose, trying to slow the steady drip. By the time Steve returned, [M/N] had his nose plugged and was leaning forward, close to pressing his forehead against the cool surface of the table "Haven’t seen you like this since fall." Steve said quietly, setting a couple of painkillers and a glass of water in front of him then helping him down onto a seat. 

"Yeah, but at least it's not as bad." he shrugged sheepishly at the pointed look Steve gave him, he sighed when he pointed at the painkillers and he took them without question. 

"That's, what? The third time that's happened in public?" [M/N] let out a breath after downing the glass of water, raising two fingers. 

"Technically this is the second time. The one at the party was between us. No one else saw, but you." Steve pinched the bridge of his nose. 

"Munson." 

"Harrington." they both stare at each other, neither breaking eye contact until [M/N] sighed softly, looking away "Thanks, for helping me again." this earned him a shrug. 

"Your dad asked me to keep an eye on you." he flinched when Steve shoved his finger in his face "You are going to to tell your dad about this, right? You remember the last time you tried brushing this off." he smacked his hand out of his face and slumped back in his seat. 

"I know, I know. He was already disappointed when I lied to him about the party. And I don't want him to worry about me. He's already concerned enough about my condition." he raised a brow when Steve pressed a hand to his shoulder. 

"Dude, every time this happens, it’s around me." Steve’s brow furrowed, confusion creeping into his expression "I’m sorry if I’m somehow triggering your migraines." [M/N] stared at him, incredulous, eyes slowly dragging up and down Steve’s face, then he burst into laughter. Steve flushed instantly, ears burning red as [M/N] clutched his head, the pain still throbbing behind his eyes. He lowered his forehead to the table, one hand slamming lightly against the surface as he wheezed. 

"You’re funny…" he managed between breaths. 

"Come on, man! I’m being serious!" Steve protested, grabbing his shoulders in mild frustration. [M/N] gently pushed him back, pressing a hand to his chest as he tried to steady his breathing. He almost smiled at how Steve’s face had turned the color of a Christmas light. 

"Steve, as much as you love yourself, ego the size of the sun and all, thinking you’re the trigger for my migraines is a new low." he said, shaking his head. Steve groaned, tossing his head back and pulling off his little sailor hat so he could rake a hand through his hair. 

"But what are the odds that every time it happens I’m around?" 

"Like you said," [M/N] replied with a shrug "it’s a coincidence. I’m just lucky it’s you and not someone else." he rubbed the back of his neck, voice softening "Eddie always freaks out when this happens. The first time, he nearly dragged me to the hospital. I really hate hospitals." 

"Well… at least he cares." Steve muttered. 

"He does, and I appreciate it." [M/N] said, glancing back at him "But you’re more level-headed. I’m grateful you stay calm- well, as calm as you can." he pulled the tissue out of his nose, sniffing lightly as he rubbed the bridge between his eyes "So, again… thanks for helping me. And no, you’re not what triggers my migraines. Trust me on that." Steve studied him for a moment, the worry in his eyes easing just a little, though he still hovered nearby, just in case. 

"Well, if you say so." he winks. 

"I know so." he grins cheekily "I'm good for now, the AC is helping me cool down. Go back and help Buckley, I know you're only in here just to get out of doing your job." his shoulders slumped in dismay, glancing towards the door then back at him. 

"Do I have too?" he laughed as he kicked at Steve's legs. 

"Go, you child. I'll be fine." 

"Well, alright. But if I catch you eating the ice cream I'm kicking your ass!" he laughs as Steve puts his sailor hat back on his head and jogs out of the room, the instant he's out of sight [M/N] slumps into the back of his chair and squeezes the bridge of his nose. 

"I just can't catch a break, can I?" he murmured to himself then turned his head when Venom slithered out of him. 

"No, no we cannot." he closes his eyes "Can we eat the ice cream in the freezer?" he inhaled deeply, he opened his eyes and looked towards the door and the closed window and saw both Steve and Robin were distracted with their jobs to notice. 

"... yeah, go for it." he grinned. 

"Yay." he just about flies out of his seat with how fast Venom flew towards the freezer. 

"Better hope there's no cameras in here or we're eating the security guard." 

"Sounds like a win win situation to me." he rolled his eyes but let Venom devour the ice cream. By the time Steve comes back and checks on the freezer to see most of the chocolate ice cream was gone, [M/N] had to fight him off with said chair while apologizing that it was sudden cravings. Venom laughed in the back of his head when Steve threw his ice cream scooper at [M/N] and it nailed him in the side of his head. 

Small victory. 

[the next day] 

Eddie woke to the summer heat practically boiling him alive in his room, muffled voices drifting through the walls, probably Wayne and [M/N]. Those two were always early risers. He groaned and tried to bury his face deeper into his pillow, but the heat made it impossible to get comfortable, eventually forcing him out of bed. Rubbing his face, he slipped out from the sheets, his mind sluggishly trying to remember what he had planned for the day. If he recalled correctly, he was supposed to meet up with Gareth and the others, band practice, a quick debrief about their next campaign, maybe even a stop by Starcourt just to unwind. 

Did he have errands to run? Nah. That was usually [M/N]’s job. He yawned, grabbing a shirt from his dresser and pulling it over his head, scratching absently at his stomach. As he moved toward his door, he slowed, pausing when the sound of Wayne and [M/N]’s conversation became clearer on the other side. 

"You had another episode?" Eddie's eyes widened, an episode? He had an episode? He pressed his ear against the door, waiting for them to keep talking. 

"Yeah, but I'm fine. It wasn't as bad as the one from last year." 

"Maybe that's because you didn't take a baseball to the nose." that comment made Eddie snort. 

"That was just a miscalculation." he hears Wayne take a deep breath. 

"I'm just glad that you told me and didn't keep it to yourself." now it was [M/N]'s turn to let out a breath, ruffling his hair. 

"That was one time, Wayne. And Steve kind of threatened me to tell you." Wayne blinked. 

"Harrington? That boy was there again?" [M/N] nods sheepishly. 

"Yeah. I was bothering him at his job when it happened, he brought me into their breakroom and let me rest there." there was a moment of silence before [M/N] chuckled softly "Steve thought he was what triggered my "migraines", and apologized. I laughed in his face, but it was kind of cute." Wayne couldn't help but laugh at that. 

"Sure, but I'm glad he's keeping to his promise on looking after you." 

"I'm not a child, Wayne." 

"Well you sure as hell act like one." 

"Psh, rude." he hears something shuffle and he assumes it's Wayne ruffling his hair followed by [M/N]'s protests "Come on, man. I just brushed my hair!" 

"Well brush it again, it needs it." 

"Why are you insulting me so early in the morning?" 

He took a step back, fingers drumming against his arm as he debated whether he should wait for [M/N] to leave before stepping out. The events of last night still played over and over in his head, their argument, the way it spiraled. Guilt settled heavy in his chest as he remembered yelling at [M/N] like that. He had only wanted to help, yet he kept lashing out, over and over. It wasn’t fair to him. Running wouldn’t change anything, even if part of him wanted to. He would have to face [M/N] sooner or later, they lived under the same bloody roof, after all. There was no point in hiding. 

Wayne and [M/N]'s conversation was cut short when Eddie stepped out of his room, [M/N] couldn't help but lower his head and turn back to his plate of food. Wayne raised a brow at the silence that followed and eyed [M/N] suspiciously, silently asking what was wrong. He shook his head and stabbed at the bacon on his plate, jabbing three strips then shoveling it into his mouth, ignoring how the grease dripped down his chin. 

"Did I... miss something?" 

"No!" Eddie and [M/N] immediately snap, they look at each other then look away just as quickly "We just had a... disagreement." [M/N] couldn't help but glower but nodded his head. 

"Yeah, a disagreement." [M/N] wiped grease off his chin with the back of his hand and starts pushing at his eggs instead of eating them, Wayne noticed the odd behavior and placed a hand on his shoulder. 

"You alright, son? You're playing with your food." he bit his lip as he looked up at Eddie before putting his fork down and standing up. 

"I lost my appetite." both he and Eddie's eyes widened, lost his appetite? He never lost his appetite. Hell, the last time he did was when he was still struggling to keep his stomach from throwing stuff up. Wayne looked at Eddie as [M/N] grabbed his jacket from the coat rack and his helmet, he gave Eddie a pointed look before leaving. They hear the engine of [M/N]'s bike roar to life before it disappeared down the gravel path, Eddie then flinched when Wayne gave Eddie a stern look. 

"What happened?" 

"What do you mean what happened?" 

"Something clearly happened if [M/N] isn't eating. I mean, look!" they both look down at [M/N]'s plate and saw most of his food was still there "Something bad happened and both of you are keeping it from me." 

"I-I'm- w-we're not-" Wayne raised his hand as he picked up [M/N]'s plate. 

"You two have clearly said something to each other and hurt one another's feelings. You two will sort it out because I don't want [M/N] starving himself like he did when he was a kid." Eddie sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck. 

"How do you know it wasn't his fault?" 

"I never said it was your fault. I said you both need to sort it out, but now you're making me think that it was your fault." Eddie raised his hands, quickly averting his gaze. 

"No, no! Both our faults. Uh huh, both! Both." Wayne narrowed his eyes then shook his head. 

"I don't want you boys fighting." Eddie grabs a strand of his hair and wraps it around his finger as he looks down at the floor. 

"I don't either, I just..." he exhales, the words getting stuck in his throat. 

"Just, please, sort it out." with that he leaves Eddie to his thoughts, to which he bites the inside of his cheek as he thinks of what to say to [M/N] when he came home. Maybe he should just go find him? He knows where he's going to be, it isn't a surprise anymore since he's there everyday. 

[starcourt] 

Steve was a little surprised as he and Robin worked their shift. Why? Because he hadn’t seen [M/N] yet. [M/N] showed up at the most random times of day, sometimes with his friends, more often alone, and always ordered the same thing. And on the rare occasions he didn’t step into Scoops Ahoy, he’d still pass by the parlor, lingering just long enough for Steve to notice him, greet him, and then walk off like that was all he came for. Hah. The first time [M/N] came to Starcourt and spotted him in this stupid uniform, he had paused… walked back… did a full double take, and then burst out laughing. 

Worst day of Steve’s life. 

But anyways- 

"I haven't seen Munson in awhile." he spoke as he handed a customer their ice cream, Robin let out a sigh as she leaned against the display. 

"We literally saw him last night." 

"Yeah, but- you know how often he shows up. I'm surprised we have seem him yet, not even a glimpse." Robin snorted when she noticed him looking out of the store to try and spot him. 

"It sounds to me that you're eager to see him. What? You miss him that much?" Steve scoffed as he cleans his ice cream scooper. 

"Please, he ate about nearly half the ice cream in the freezer. I should bloody charge him for the loss in stock." she laughed as she pushed herself up. 

"Sure, but we're lucky we just got more stock." she then shoves him towards the door to the backroom "Go double check we have chocolate ice cream. You know that it's his favorite." he huffed as he brushed his shoulders. 

"I will. But not because you told me to." she rolled her eyes and forced a tired smile at the next customer. Steve shook his head as he pushed open the door to the back room then froze. [M/N] was sitting at the table with a tub of ice cream, calmly eating straight out of it. He only stopped when he met Steve’s gaze, pausing mid-bite with the spoon at his lips before slowly closing his mouth around it, guilt flickering across his face. Steve’s jaw nearly hit the floor as [M/N] stared back at him. After a beat, [M/N] made a face and let out a sheepish laugh. 

"Hey…" he croaked, voice rough, while Steve stared in pure disbelief as he calmly scooped up another spoonful of ice cream. 

"Wha- what- what are you- how did you- stop eating the inventory!" [M/N] made a muffled noise of protest when Steve rushed forward, yanking the spoon out of his mouth and snatching the tub away. He wiped at his lips, sticky with melted ice cream and saliva, then slumped back in his chair with a tired sigh "How long have you been here?" Steve demanded, snapping the lid back onto the tub like it had personally offended him. 

"Um…" [M/N] tilted his head, thinking "That tub was full, so maybe… half an hour-ish?" he shrugged casually. Steve groaned, dragging a hand down his face. 

"Dude, come on. When did you even get in here?" Another shrug. 

"I got here about an hour ago. I was just… wandering around. Then I slipped into the breakroom through the back door." Steve’s eyes snapped toward the rear entrance, the same one he usually ushered the kids through, and sure enough, it was slightly ajar. When he looked back, [M/N] was grinning at him like this was the funniest thing in the world. 

"Okay, fine," Steve muttered, exhaling sharply "But like I said, you have to stop eating the inventory." he hissed under his breath when [M/N] immediately reached for the tub again, sliding it just out of reach "At this point, I’m gonna charge you for the loss in stock." [M/N] laughed, throwing his head back as he leaned against the table. 

"You wouldn’t. You love me too much to do that." his voice dipped into a teasing purr, followed by a slow wink. Steve narrowed his eyes at him, holding the stare, but after a moment, he sighed and slid the tub back across the table anyway, pretending not to notice how [M/N]’s face lit up the second it was returned. 

"Love is a bit of a stretch," Steve said, dropping the spoon back into the ice cream once the lid was peeled off. [M/N] just grinned, immediately digging in again. 

"But you tolerate me enough, eh? Eh?" his grin widened when Steve rolled his eyes and sat across from him, absentmindedly picking up [M/N]’s helmet and flipping the visor up and down, the soft click-click filling the quiet between them. 

"Okay, sure," Steve admitted, then his expression shifted slightly "But what are you doing back here? You always come through the front. This is the first time you’ve done this." [M/N] froze, just for a second, spoon hovering halfway to his mouth. He lowered the spoon as he pursed his lips, picking his next choice of words carefully. 

"Well, I- uh, um…" he inhaled slowly, steadying himself "Eddie and I… we’re currently upset with each other." Steve raised a brow. 

"Upset…?" he echoed. [M/N] pinched the bridge of his nose, then lifted both hands in surrender. 

"You can’t tell anyone this, Steve. This stays between us, okay?" Steve nodded immediately. 

"Yeah, yeah, totally. I told you all my sad stuff about Nancy and you kept it quiet. I can keep a secret. Promise." [M/N] let out a nervous laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. 

"Right… okay. Well- you already know Eddie’s failed his final year twice, yeah?" Steve nodded. Eddie was supposed to graduate before him, they might’ve even graduated the same year if Eddie hadn’t failed again "Okay, good. So you know we’re both seniors now, right?" 

"Yeah…?" [M/N] exhaled slowly, eyes dropping to the table. 

"Eddie’s… embarrassed. About that." 

"Embarrassed? What’s there to be embarrassed about?" [M/N] let out a frustrated sigh, though it wasn’t directed at Steve, it was at the situation itself. 

"I think it’s valid for Eddie to be embarrassed for failing twice, but he’s not making things any easier for himself. I tried to tell him that now that we’re in the same year, I can help him with his studies. We could graduate together, you know?" 

"Yeah, but I can guess Eddie doesn’t agree with that." Steve said. He blinked in surprise when [M/N] threw his head back, fists slamming onto the table hard enough to make his helmet and the tub of ice cream bounce. 

"No, he doesn’t! He thinks I’m pitying him! I just want to help, but he won’t let me!" when he lowered his head, Steve could see his face was tight with anger, and underneath it, guilt "He’s not listening to me. He doesn’t want to hear what I have to say. God, I know how stubborn he is, but it’s just… frustrating!" he took a slow breath, trying to steady himself, dragging a hand down his face. 

"And this morning...?" 

"My old man, he… he noticed the tension between Eddie and me, and Eddie told him it was just a disagreement." he bit his lip, struggling to keep his temper in check "But he knows that’s bullshit, because I lost my appetite. I lose my appetite when I'm angry, but I also get hungry when I’m upset, and now I’m just- a mix of angry and upset." Steve slowly nods as he gestures to the ice cream. 

"And that's why you're here, eating our inventory like it's your fridge." [M/N] exhaled, offering Steve a sheepish, apologetic look. 

"I’m sorry, really. I didn’t mean to- it’s just… it’s confusing. Eddie isn’t usually like this. He’s normally really understanding." he rubbed the back of his neck, eyes drifting down to the table "I don’t know why he’s so embarrassed about this when he’s never cared about what people think." for the briefest moment, Steve caught the flicker of something softer in his expression, hurt "Is it… is it me?" he jumped when Steve suddenly slammed his hands on the table, the sharp sound making him flinch. 

"It isn’t you, [M/N]." Steve said firmly. [M/N] blinked, his gaze lowering. 

"How do you know that, Steve?" he scoffed and gestured at him. 

"Because you’re… you!" [M/N] raised a brow, unimpressed, which made Steve sigh in frustration "You’re one of the nicest, most thoughtful, generous person I know!" that only earned him an eye roll. 

"Then you don’t know a lot of people." Steve snapped his fingers. 

"That… is also true, but-" [M/N] flinched when Steve reached over and patted his hand, offering him a genuine, reassuring smile "You’re a very forgiving person. I mean, you’re friends with me, aren’t you? I know your friends aren’t really my friends, but you still choose to hang out with me. You’re understanding, you’re empathetic, and you just want to help people. Even when Will Byers went missing, you were ready to jump in and help look for him like everyone else." [M/N] made a slight face, because that last part wasn’t exactly true. 

"But, Steve-" he started, only to lean back when Steve raised a finger. 

"No buts!" Steve insisted, though his expression softened as he looked at [M/N], his hand now resting gently over his "I don’t know what’s going on in Eddie’s head, and I don’t know why he’s being a total butthead right now, but I do know it’s not your fault. You wouldn’t intentionally hurt his feelings, because that’s just not who you are. Yeah, you make fun of me sometimes, but I know you’re just teasing- you’re not trying to be a jerk or actually hurt me." Steve gave his hand a small squeeze, his voice quieter but certain "You’re a good person, [M/N]." Steve watched as certain emotions flickered across his face as his eyes lowered back towards the table, he tilts his head to the side as he tried to read his face as several thoughts crossed [M/N]'s mind. 

He's wrong. 

I'm not a good person. 

I'm a liar. 

A big, fat li- 

"Now, if you’re done sulking, finish the damn ice cream." he blinked up at Steve, a cheeky grin spreading across his face "You’ve already contaminated it, and it’s melting." he let out a wet laugh, squeezed his nose, then smirked at him. 

"I knew you loved me." Steve pulled his hand back as he shoved [M/N]'s head gently. 

"Shut up before I change my mind." [M/N] snickered, tugging the tub back toward himself and taking a few more bites. He glanced up at Steve, catching his eyes. 

"Thanks, Steve… I really appreciated that." a faint flush crept across his cheeks, and he looked suddenly bashful. 

"Oh, nah. It’s the least I could do after you helped me last year. Just… don’t get a nosebleed, alright?" Steve teased. 

"I’ll try. They’re random, remember?" 

"Random, my ass. I know you said I’m not what triggers your migraines, but come on!" they both laughed at the absurdity of it. A few more spoonfuls later, the door to the breakroom slammed open, revealing an annoyed Robin Buckley mid-outburst. She froze when she spotted [M/N], who stared wide-eyed, slowly pulling his spoon from his mouth. 

"Hey, Buckley…" he managed nervously. 

"Of course you’re here… and eating the inventory… again!" Robin exclaimed, arms crossed. 

"Sorry. Steve was helping me while I had a meltdown. He’s all yours now." 

"Wha- hey!" he kicked Steve’s chair from under the table. 

"I distracted you from your job. Go earn your keep!" 

"Yeah, and since you left me alone, I’m taking my break." Robin starts as she slid into Steve’s seat, grabbing a spoon and digging into the same tub "Now hop to it, you’ve got customers waiting." Steve shook his head, sharing a conspiratorial look with [M/N] as they both dug in. 

"Unbelievable." he muttered as he walked out, leaving Robin and [M/N] alone. 

"I'm sorry for taking him away from work, Robin." she sighed, her shoulders dropping. 

"Maybe a warning next time? It gets really busy around now, and when he randomly disappears it’s hard to keep up with the crowd." he chuckled nervously. 

"Yeah, sorry about that. I just didn’t expect… never mind." she narrowed her eyes at him, then rolled them. 

"Whatever, just stop taking up space in his head." 

"Huh? What do you mean by that?" she snorted and pointed her thumb toward where Steve was. 

"He was waiting for you. Kept trying to spot you through the crowd." That made him glance toward the window separating the breakroom from the shop floor. Through the glass, he could make out Steve’s faint silhouette. He snorted softly. 

"Aw, he wanted to see me." Robin pointed into her mouth and pretended to gag. 

"Gross." He laughed and took another spoonful of ice cream. They had just finished the tub when Robin suddenly grabbed a whiteboard, mischief clear in her eyes. He leaned back curiously as she flipped it around, revealing what looked like a scoreboard. He caught a glimpse of the words "YOU RULE / YOU SUCK", with five tallies already under "YOU SUCK". He tilted his head in confusion. 

"What’s that?" he asked. 

"Give it a sec." she snickered. He watched as Steve tried, and failed, to charm a group of girls. When they turned away uninterested, Robin dramatically revealed the board and added another tally under "YOU SUCK" side "And another one bites the dust!" he laughed and stepped beside her. 

"I can only assume what this board means, but care to explain it out loud for the class?" Steve threw his hands up. 

"Robin’s been keeping track of my failed flirting attempts." 

"Failed confirmed attempts." Robin corrected smugly. He winced, glancing between the board and Steve. 

"Six? Yeesh… sounds rough, buddy." 

"Yeah, yeah, I can count." Steve muttered, rolling his eyes. 

"You know that means you suck, right?" Robin added. He burst out laughing while Steve deadpanned at them. 

"Yep. I can read too." Robin tilted her head. 

"Since when?" he stared at both of them incredulously as they laughed together. Then [M/N] leaned against the windowsill, raising a brow. 

"What happened?" 

"It’s this stupid hat," Steve groaned, gesturing to the sailor cap "I’m telling you, it is totally ruining my best feature." 

"Yeah, company policy is a total drag." Robin drawled, tapping the whiteboard with her marker "You know, this might sound crazy, but have you considered… telling the truth?" he snapped his fingers and pointed at her. 

"Words of wisdom right there, Harrington." Steve threw his head back. 

"Oh, you mean telling them I couldn’t even get into Tech, and my douchebag dad’s trying to teach me a lesson by making me work a three-dollar-an-hour job with no future? That truth?" [M/N] shrugged lightly. 

"Not all of us come from wealthy families, Steve. You just gotta make do with what you have, you know? Suffer like the rest of us poor folk." he joked, though there was a hint of truth behind it. Even before Wayne took him in, he had been homeless, scraping by with nothing, lucky just to still be alive. He pushed the memory down, closed his eyes briefly, then smiled at Steve "Don’t you remember what I told you, and that kid? Girls like a guy who can communicate. Which also means honesty. Yeah? Uh huh?" Robin now points at him. 

"Words of wisdom." she repeated, and Steve just shook his head as they high-fived. He couldn’t win against these two, [M/N] alone was enough, but [M/N] and Robin together? Game over "Hey, twelve o’clock." she said, pointing over Steve’s shoulder. [M/N] glanced past him and spotted a redheaded girl walking in with a group of her friends. 

"Oh, shit. Oh, shit. Okay… uh-" Steve turned back to them, both of them equally amused as he tried to pull himself together "I’m going in, okay?" [M/N] raised his fist. 

"Good luck." Steve nodded, then paused. 

"And you know what?" [M/N] blinked as Steve tore off his sailor hat and tossed it toward them. He caught it easily while Steve continued "Screw company policy." Robin rolled her eyes. 

"Oh my god, you’re a whole new man." she mocked. 

"But the sailor hat makes you look cute." [M/N] cooed, plopping the hat onto his own head. Steve gave them a playful shake of his shoulders, then turned back toward the girls with renewed confidence. 

"Ahoy, ladies!" [M/N] deadpanned as he watched Steve lean casually against the counter. The redhead visibly tensed at his sudden enthusiasm. "Didn’t see you there! Would you like to set sail on this ocean of flavor with me? I’ll be your captain- Steve Harrington." 

[M/N] continued watching as Steve somehow managed to make an even bigger fool of himself. Beside him, Robin slowly raised the whiteboard, ready to add another mark, but [M/N] snatched the marker from her hand and drew a line under "YOU SUCK" himself. She snickered up at him, clearly pleased, before finally lowering the board. Just then, the group of girls looked past Steve, straight at [M/N], who had been in the middle of quietly backing away. He froze. Steve noticed the shift in their attention and followed their gaze. When he saw [M/N] lift his head, he winked at the girls. Instantly, their focus shifted, soft laughter bubbling between them as a few exchanged glances, clearly more interested now. Steve’s smile faltered for a split second before he recovered, though the twitch at the corner of his mouth gave him away. 

"See," he starts as he looks towards Robin while pointing at the hat "makes you look cute." he winks again and she scoffed. 

"Sure, whatever you say." he shrugs. 

[meanwhile] 

"Hey, Hughes!" Rodney Hughes, [M/N]'s first real friend and the one who got along best with Eddie, was hanging out with the rest of his group when his name was called. He perked up, glancing over, brow lifting when he spotted [M/N]'s cousin approaching with his friends. 

"Yo, Eddie. What's up, man?" Roddy took a bite of the churro in his hand as Eddie walked over. His friends greeted him casually before slipping right back into their conversation about the movie premiering later that week and how they had to see it. [M/N]'s friends weren't exactly friends with Eddie and his group, but they were cordial rather than hostile, mostly because he was [M/N]'s cousin. At the very least, they didn't pick on him like the popular kids usually did, so that was something. 

"Is [M/N] here with you? I saw his bike out front, but I don't see him." Eddie asked. Roddy opened his mouth to answer, but paused when laughter sounded behind him. One of their friends snorted, lifting his head. 

"Dude, we literally just got here. Your cousin ain't with us." another chimed in with a smirk. 

"Mm. And if he isn't with us, he's with you know who~" they all laughed like it was some inside joke everyone but Eddie understood. 

"Who?" Eddie frowned. 

"Who else?" someone said, nodding toward Scoops Ahoy, the one place [M/N] had been frequenting ever since it opened "He's probably been there for hours." 

"Hey, at least we get free ice cream when the store's dead." 

"Or a discount." 

"By association." Eddie glanced toward the ice cream parlor and scowled when it clicked that [M/N] was probably with Steve Harrington of all people. Roddy sighed, hands settling on his hips. 

"I feel like I'm being replaced. I've been his friend since middle school, and now he's hanging out with Harrington more and more." he tapped his fingers against his side "I don't know when it started, but all he ever talks about lately is Steve." 

"Most of the time he's making fun of him." one friend pointed out. 

"It's more teasing than insulting." 

"Yeah, like he's trying not to hurt his feelings." 

"Kinda miss when he used to actively threaten to end his bloodline." they laughed again, and Roddy shook his head before looking back at Eddie. 

"So why are you looking for [M/N]? His dad need him for something?" Eddie rubbed the back of his neck and shook his head. 

"Nah. Just need to talk to him about something." Roddy tilted his head, glancing at Eddie's friends for clarification, but they only shrugged, just as clueless. 

"And you couldn't talk to him at home?" 

"Well... he left before I could." Roddy hummed. 

"Must be real important if it can't wait." he jerked his head toward Scoops Ahoy "Well, you know where he is. Tell his bitch ass we're here too. Though I doubt he'd leave, the AC in there is heavenly. We're dying out here." 

"Maybe we could go in." 

"Nah. We're not [M/N]. Pretty sure Harrington would kick us out." 

"Not fair, man." Roddy waved Eddie off and rejoined his friends, while Eddie moved toward the parlor like a man on a mission, his own friends trailing behind him, still confused. 

"Hughes is right, Eddie." Gareth said "Is whatever you need to tell him really that important? Couldn't it wait until he got home?" Eddie shook his head. 

"Nothing's wrong. It's just... important." Gareth exchanged a look with the others and sighed. 

"Sure, Eddie. Sure." Eddie suddenly froze when he heard [M/N]'s laughter from inside the store. He looked up, and stopped dead in his tracks at the scene in front of him. There, he spotted [M/N] leaning casually against the windowsill, blowing a dramatic kiss toward the group of girls Steve had just failed to charm. He wiggled his fingers at them as they giggled at the attention before hurrying off, and only then did he glance back at Steve, a smug smirk stretching across his face as his eyebrows bounced suggestively. 

"I’d like to reiterate that you, in fact, suck." he declared, cackling when Steve yanked the sailor hat off his head and flung it toward the breakroom behind him "Hey, not my fault it looks better on me." he added with a teasing coo, winking at Steve this time. 

"You can go ahead and shut your damn mouth." [M/N] only snickered, running a hand through his hair and flicking it back when Robin jabbed her elbow into his side. 

"I’ll have you know, it’s part of the Munson charm." Steve nodded slowly, completely unconvinced. 

"Uh huh. Munson charm. Sure." 

"Well, your Harrington charm hasn’t been very effective." Robin chimed in. She leaned over, grabbed [M/N] by the face, and squished his cheeks together "I mean, look at this face. Isn’t he adorable?" [M/N] fluttered his lashes exaggeratedly at Steve, only to burst into laughter when Steve stared back at him with pure disdain. 

"I loathe your existence." Steve muttered, shoving [M/N]’s head away as both he and Robin laughed. But when Robin finally left his side and slipped back behind the counter beside Steve, that was when Eddie truly noticed it- the way [M/N] softened. The tension melted from his posture, his expression easing into something quieter, warmer, as his gaze lingered on Steve just a moment too long. Eddie wasn’t even sure [M/N] realized the way he was looking at him, like one of those girls in cheesy romance movies gazing at the- no. 

No way. 

[M/N] blinked when hurried footsteps caught his attention. He turned toward the entrance and spotted Eddie’s friends standing there. Was Eddie here too? He wasn’t sure he was ready to see him yet. Pushing the thought aside, he lifted a hand and gave them a friendly wave, offering a small smile. He paused when he noticed the three of them exchange a look before awkwardly waving back. They didn’t come inside. Instead, they turned and left. [M/N] frowned slightly, lowering his hand. Was it just coincidence that he saw them? Was Eddie even here? He leaned forward, trying to catch a glimpse of the brunette, when a sudden wave of nausea crashed over him. His expression tightened as he pressed a hand to his lips, breathing slowly through his nose. He hadn’t felt like this in a long time- not since the last time he saw Doctor Brenner. But he’d heard the reports. Brenner was supposed to be dead. 

So why the hell was he- 

"Hey, Munson." [M/N] jolted when Steve clapped his hands right in front of his face, forcing him to straighten up and look at him "If you're gonna hang around back there," Steve said, jerking a thumb toward the counter "you might as well grab a uniform and start scooping ice cream with us." there was a brief pause then [M/N] burst out laughing, throwing his head back while swallowing down what was threatening to come back up. 

"You're funny, Harrington. You won’t catch me dead in that uniform." he leaned forward, resting his chin on his knuckles, eyes glinting with amusement "Besides, it looks better on you than it ever would on me." Steve rolled his eyes dramatically. 

"I'm starting to regret being friends with you." 

"Hah. You don’t mean that. You love me too much." Steve turned away with a tired sigh. 

"You keep saying that like it’s magically gonna come true." 

"Well, you haven’t denied it yet, pretty boy. It’s only a matter of time." [M/N] ducked as Steve hurled an empty ice cream cup at his head. Robin passed by at that exact moment, shaking her head in disbelief. 

"You two are so annoying it’s actually gross." [M/N] chuckled. 

"Don’t worry, Buckley, I love you too." Robin gagged loudly, then shoved him back through the service window into the breakroom and slammed it shut. He laughed under his breath, shaking his head as he retreated further inside. After a moment, he slipped out of the breakroom, leaving his helmet behind since he planned to return. He moved quietly through the back hallway, technically employees only, but if those kids could sneak through here whenever they wanted, then he sure as hell could too. It didn’t take long before he came back, arms full of bags of food, pushing the door open with his shoulder as he reentered the breakroom like he owned the place. Maybe he was just hungry, right? That's why he felt nauseous. By the time Steve and Robin came in for their last break, they stopped short at the sight of the table completely covered in food. [M/N] sat in the middle of it all, casually munching on nachos. He looked up, smiled, and nudged a corndog toward them. 

"... you know, I’m not even mad about this." Robin immediately dropped into a chair and grabbed some food "If you’re gonna buy enough for all of us, you can stay as long as you want." [M/N] laughed. 

"I have a big appetite when I’m hungry." Steve sighed as he sat down, picking up one of the burritos "I could probably eat all of this myself, but I was feeling charitable. Especially since I did eat your stock earlier." he shook his head faintly when he heard Venom chuckle in the back of his mind. 

"At least you didn’t steal our lunch." Steve added. 

"If I did, it probably wouldn’t have been enough." that made both Steve and Robin pause mid-bite, slowly turning their heads toward the spot where they had left their lunches earlier, [M/N] blinked at them "What? I didn’t eat them." he sighed when they momentarily left to check on their food and when they saw it was still there, he flipped them both off. Guess he deserved that, though. He can't be trusted around food that he can stomach. 

[hours later] 

Steve hadn’t expected [M/N] to stay as long as he did. He figured he would leave after an hour or so, but he didn’t. He stuck around until the mall was closing for the night. Maybe it was because of the AC; Scoops Ahoy was cooler than the rest of the mall thanks to the built-in freezer for the ice cream. Not that it mattered much. Robin had already left, leaving Steve to close up alone. So when he stepped back into the breakroom, he nearly jumped out of his skin at the sight of [M/N] still there, leaning back in his chair, feet propped up on the table, surrounded by a few leftover food wrappers. 

"Jesus!" Steve raked a hand through his hair as he stared at him. "You should put a bell on yourself or something." [M/N] only grinned, shrugging lazily. 

"I'm quiet on my feet. And I'm a little hurt you forgot I was here." Steve huffed and stepped closer, narrowing his eyes at the cheeky look aimed up at him before shoving [M/N]'s legs off the table "Hey! Rude." 

"Keep your feet off the table. We eat off that, man." Steve said, rolling his eyes as he moved to his locker and grabbed his things. [M/N] pushed himself up, now leaning against the table as he watched him "Why are you still here? Thought you'd be gone hours ago." he shrugged, picking up his helmet and resting it in his lap. 

"Didn't have anything better to do. Besides, it's nice and cool here. I like the cold." Steve slung his bag over his shoulder, unimpressed. 

"Uh huh." [M/N]'s lips curled faintly. 

"Okay, fine. I also enjoyed messing with you. Bonus." 

"Sure," Steve replied dryly. Then his gaze sharpened "And it's not because you're avoiding going home, where Eddie is probably waiting to talk to you?" [M/N]'s eyes widened slightly before his shoulders sank. His finger began tapping against the visor of his helmet, slow, distracted. Almost sulking. 

"No..." Steve didn’t look convinced. 

"Look," he said more gently, stepping a little closer "I know you once said Eddie can hold a grudge like no other, but you're probably the exception. You're his cousin- honestly, you two are more like brothers. That’s gotta mean something. To both of you." [M/N] lifted his head, meeting Steve’s eyes, and saw the softness there, steady, reassuring "I'm sure you'll work it out. You're family." his eyes widened softly before he looked away, if only you knew how wrong you are, but- 

"Yeah, I guess you're right." he huffed when Steve snapped his fingers and pointed at him. 

"That I am." 

"Uh huh." he sat up when Steve pulled his keys from his pocket and started twirling them around his fingers. 

"Well we better get out of here. I don't want to be locked alone in the mall with you of all people." [M/N] snickered as he followed after Steve, swinging his helmet back and forth. 

"You won't have to worry about me eating you. The mall is full of food enough to satisfy me." Steve laughed as he looked at him. 

"What is with you and food?" he shrugged. 

"I have a bit of a long history regarding it." Steve raised a brow. 

"Does it have to do with something with your condition?" he asks while gesturing to his face "Your parasite?" he has to bite back a grimace when Venom snarled in the back of his mind, he let out a stiff laugh as he rubbed his forehead. 

"Something like that." he then gives a weak laugh "I had a bad relationship when it came to food." 

"Bad relationship?" he waved his hand to dismiss his concern. 

"It's all in the past- like my migraines, it's more manageable." Steve let out a breath. 

"You're just full of complications, aren't you?" [M/N] laughed softly. 

"You have no idea." they kept walking, Steve doing most of the talking while [M/N] only half-listened, offering the occasional response. Then the nausea hit him again- harder this time, rolling through his stomach without warning. Steve wouldn’t have noticed [M/N] lagging behind if he hadn’t asked him a question. When no answer came, he glanced back, only to freeze at the sight of the pained look on [M/N]’s face. 

"Munson? You good?" [M/N] didn’t seem to hear him. His breathing turned uneven as he suddenly doubled over, dry heaving. The color drained from his face. He slapped a hand over his mouth before stumbling toward a nearby bush, dropping to his knees as he began to vomit violently "Oh my god, [M/N]!" Steve rushed to his side, wincing but staying close. He placed a steady hand on [M/N]’s back, rubbing slowly up and down in an attempt to soothe him as his body shook with each wave. Steve stayed there, silent but present, letting him get it out while keeping him from tipping forward. When the worst of it finally passed, [M/N] stayed hunched over, breathing hard. His eyes drifted to the mess beneath him, half-digested food and bile soaking into the dirt, and his stomach twisted again. He swallowed it down, clamping a hand over his mouth before spitting thick saliva onto the ground, chest rising and falling in ragged breaths. 

"[M/N], I-" [M/N] suddenly grabbed Steve by the front of his shirt, fingers tight despite the tremor in them. He glared up at him, weak but sharp. 

"If you… fucking blame yourself for this… I swear I’ll throw up on your shoes next." he rasped, sneering faintly before releasing him and spitting into the dirt again. Steve scoffed then gestured between him and the vomit. 

"Okay, then what the hell was that?! That wasn't a migraine, or a nosebleed! You just projectile vomited!" 

"You want me to be honest?" he starts as he throws himself back, sitting on the floor and looking up at Steve "I have no fucking clue..." Steve looked skeptical- concerned, but skeptical. 

"Are you being for real?" [M/N] let out a sigh as he squeezed his temple. 

"Sort of? Look, I just told you I had a bad relationship with food, right?" Steve nodded "Well, I have- uh... somewhat of an... eating disorder." he raised a brow. 

"Eating disorder?" [M/N] nodded weakly. 

"Please don't tell anyone. Only Eddie and my old man know about it, alright?" he sighed "I won't go into full detail, but I had a hard time stomaching food when I was younger. I still struggle to eat food at times. Sometimes I can eat a lot and other times I don't eat at all. It's complicated." Steve nodded softly and crouched beside him again, resting a steady hand against his back in quiet support. 

"And right now?" [M/N] swallowed, shoulders rising slightly in a helpless shrug. 

"I-I don’t know. The last time I threw up like that was when..." Steve leaned closer. 

"When...?" he hesitated, throat tight. 

"You could say I had a… panic attack. I saw someone who hurt me, and I freaked out." 

"Hurt you?" Steve asked gently but [M/N] looked at him weakly, his expression pleading. 

"Steve, please." he drew in a slow breath, meeting Steve’s eyes "You’re not what makes my body react like this, alright? Not my migraines, not the nosebleeds, and definitely not this. It’s not you. It’s just… bad timing." Steve swallowed, staring at him for a long moment before finally releasing a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding 

"Okay… alright. But are you okay?" [M/N] held his gaze, then let out a weak, tired chuckle. 

"Honestly? Not really. I had a shit morning, and now I’m having an equally shitty night. I just wanna go home." Steve frowned. 

"Are you even able to drive your bike? You don’t look so great." [M/N] scoffed and shoved weakly at Steve’s shoulder. 

"I look awesome. Check it." he pushed himself to his feet, but the moment he stood, the world tilted. His body swayed, dehydration dragging him down, and his knees nearly buckled beneath him. He would have collapsed if Steve hadn’t shot up with him, grabbing his arms and steadying him. 

"Munson, no." Steve said firmly. [M/N] tipped his head back, immediately regretting it as his balance faltered again "There’s no way I’m letting you drive home on that death trap when you can’t even hold your head up." [M/N] huffed, trying to pull away, but his body trembled too badly to fight. 

"And there’s no way in hell I’m leaving my bike here, Harrington. It could get stolen- or worse, impounded. I worked too hard on my baby, and I definitely don’t have the money to get it out if that happens." Steve tightened his grip when [M/N] tried again to free himself and failed. His hands were shaking now, strength draining fast. 

"If you even try," Steve warned, voice hardening "I’ll tell on you." [M/N] froze, jaw dropping as he stared at him in pure betrayal. 

"You wouldn’t dare." Steve’s expression didn’t change. 

"Try me." the two of them stared at each other, neither willing to look away. That was, until [M/N] finally gritted his teeth and glanced aside. He really couldn’t let Wayne know. He had promised he would tell him whenever he had a bad reaction, but he couldn’t do that now, not right after the nosebleed the night before. Wayne would be beside himself with worry, and [M/N] didn’t have the energy to deal with that. His shoulders slumped, and he looked back up at Steve with a weak, tired gaze. 

"Fine, you win." he scoffed when Steve smiled triumphantly and patted his shoulder. 

"See? Was that so hard?" [M/N] smacked his hand away, though he still allowed Steve to keep hold of his other arm. His body hadn’t stopped shaking, and without the support he’d probably end up face-first on the ground. 

"Don’t rub it in, Harrington. I'm still gonna be fucking pissed if my bike ain’t here in the morning." 

"Yeah, yeah. I get it. I'll come get you in the morning, you baby." [M/N] thrusts a finger in his face. 

"How would you feel if you had to abandon your precious Beamer? I know you treat your car with the same amount of love I treat my bike. We'll see which one of us is being a baby when that day comes." he yelped when Steve let him go but caught him before he could fall over, Steve laughed as [M/N] glared at him "Not cool." 

"Then remember who's keeping you from eating shit." he pouted. 

They were standing outside now. Well- Steve was. He tapped his foot impatiently against the pavement while [M/N] clung to his bike like it was a dying loved one, quietly crying and apologizing to it, mumbling about how "he'll be back" and everything would be okay. Steve checked his watch. Five minutes had already passed. With a tired sigh, he reached down, grabbed [M/N] by the back of his jacket, and started dragging him toward his car as he continued to sniffle and protest under his breath. By the time Steve finally managed to wrestle him into the passenger seat, [M/N] was still weeping softly, clutching his helmet tightly to his chest like a lifeline. 

"You good?" Steve asked, unable to stop a small chuckle when [M/N] pawed weakly at the window, staring longingly at his bike. 

"No..." he whimpered. Steve sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. 

"If I buy you breakfast in the morning, will that make you feel better?" [M/N] slowly turned his head to look at him. 

"... maybe." Steve huffed out a quiet laugh and finally started the car. 

"Alright. You better be awake by the time I pull up to your place, [M/N]." 

[munson trailer] 

No way. 

No way. 

Eddie paced back and forth inside the trailer, arms crossed tight over his chest, his finger tapping restlessly against his bicep. His thoughts raced, circling the same image over and over, the way [M/N] had looked at Steve. How could he forget it? He had never seen that expression on [M/N] before. He had seen him sad. He had seen him angry. He had seen him completely shut down. But this… this was different. New. He had seen [M/N] soft before- quiet, gentle moments, like when he crouched down to pet the local stray cats, thinking no one was watching. But what Eddie saw tonight wasn’t just softness. It was something deeper. 

[M/N] had never shown any real interest in dating. Hell, Eddie was ninety percent sure he was gay, considering how uncomfortable he always got when girls threw themselves at him. Which, honestly, was understandable. But that wasn’t the point- the point was the way he had been looking at Steve. Like Steve hung the damn moon. Like he was the very reason [M/N] was still breathing. It was the same look girls used to give Steve back in high school, when they thought they had a real shot with King Steve Harrington. But it wasn’t desire. He wasn’t looking at Steve like he wanted his body. It was something else- something Eddie didn’t want to believe. And the worst part? He wasn’t even sure [M/N] realized it himself. 

He exhales deeply, dragging both hands through his hair before tugging at the strands in frustration. There was just no way, no possible way, that [M/N] had a crush on Steve. They were friends at best. Close friends, maybe, but still just friends. Roddy was [M/N]’s best friend, and aside from Wayne, he probably knew [M/N] better than anyone. Maybe Roddy and the others had already noticed it- maybe they were aware that, somewhere along the way, [M/N] had started developing feelings for Steve without even realizing it himself. The way they had acted back at the mall… it had felt like they knew something he didn’t. 

But, Steve... really? 

Of all people, it just had to be Steve Harrington. 

His head snapped up at the sound of tires crunching over the gravel outside the trailer. Who the hell could that be? It couldn’t be [M/N]- that engine sounded way heavier than his bike. And there was no way he would come home in a car, because that would mean he’d left his bike somewhere, abandoned and alone. [M/N] loved that thing the same way he loved his guitar. Eddie crept toward the window and peeked through the blinds. His eyes widened when he spotted that stupid maroon-red BMW parked outside- and stepping out from the passenger side was…? 

"Will you be alright, [M/N]?" Steve called as [M/N] stepped out of the car, his helmet still clutched in one hand while he shut the door with the other. 

"I'm fine, Steve. I'm not gonna keel over." he muttered, leaning his weight against the side of the car. Steve only smirked at him, clearly unconvinced. 

"Right. Like you didn’t just leave a massive puddle of vomit back at the mall for some poor janitor to clean up in the morning." [M/N] let out a dry, sarcastic laugh, dragging a hand down his face. 

"Keep bringing that up and the next time I feel like puking, it’s gonna be all over the backseat of your car." 

"I will literally run you over before you get that chance." Steve shot back instantly. Despite everything, they both laughed, tired, worn-out laughter that carried the weight of the long day. Steve shook his head, the corner of his mouth still lifted in a faint smile "I’ll come get you around seven. That work for you?" [M/N] nodded. 

"The earlier the better." he suddenly leaned forward, jabbing a finger through the open window and fixing Steve with a serious, warning look "Mark my words, Steve Harrington. If my bike is not there in the morning, I am stealing your tires and throwing them into the quarry." Steve barked out a laugh. 

"Yeah, yeah, okay, you big baby. I’ll make sure you’re fed before we even step foot back in that mall." a faint, tired smirk tugged at [M/N]’s lips. 

"You’re gonna regret saying that, Steve. I will personally make your wallet cry." Steve only shook his head again, amused. 

"Goodnight, [M/N]." Steve’s voice was soft, and for a moment [M/N] just stood there, his gaze lingering on him before he stepped back and lightly smacked the roof of the car. 

"Goodnight, Steve." he watched as Steve pulled away, the BMW rumbling down the gravel road until the red taillights vanished into the dark. Only then did [M/N] let out a slow breath, his fingers idly tapping against the smooth surface of his helmet. Turning, he made his way up the porch toward the trailer door, running a tired hand through his hair. At least the pounding in his head hadn’t followed him home. No migraine, no splitting pain behind his eyes, just quiet. Maybe Steve was his good luck charm. The agony that usually came after every nosebleed, every migraine, always seemed to fade faster when Steve was around. He huffed softly to himself. Yeah… if he ever said that out loud, Steve would never let him live it down. 

"You are a loser." he exhaled through his nose and closed his eyes when he heard Venom’s voice echo in the back of his mind "You spend much of our time with that spotted human, [M/N]." he rolled his eyes, raising a hand as he reached for the door. 

"I do not." 

"You do. We have eaten nothing but ice cream this entire week. Not that I am complaining. And now we are going to be treated to breakfast by him. We are spoiled." [M/N] shook his head as he opened the door and stepped into the trailer, closing it behind him while blindly searching for the light switch "It is good that we have befriended him. We have grown very fond of him." he chuckled softly as the light finally flicked on. 

"Shut u-" 

"[M/N]." he let out an unholy scream at the sudden voice and hurled his helmet toward the sound, clutching his chest as a loud crash followed- along with a pained shout. He looked over and gasped in panic when he realized it was Eddie. 

"Jesus Christ, Eddie! Fuck, you scared the shit outta me!" he ignores Venom's laughter in his head as he slaps his hands on his knees, chest heaving as he doubled over "Why the fuck are you standing in the dark, man? Trying to give me a heart attack?" Eddie groans from where [M/N]'s helmet hit him, remembering next time to not lurk in the dark while waiting for him. 

"No, but maybe next time don't throw a missile at me." [M/N] scoffed as he slowly calmed his breathing. 

"What are you even doing? Shouldn't you be asleep?" he asked as he slinked over to the couch and collapsed onto it. Eddie sighed, dragging a hand down his face before glancing at the discarded helmet on the floor. 

"I was waiting for you, genius. Didn’t think you’d come in screaming like a banshee and try to knock me unconscious." he starts as he knelt down to pick up the helmet, setting it down on the table beside him "I also didn't expect you to come home with Harrington of all people." 

"Yeah, me neither. He was very insistent on the matter after I- um..." Eddie tilted his head when [M/N] trailed off. 

"After you... what?" he watched as a pained expression warped onto his face as he looked up at Eddie. 

"Please... don't tell Wayne. I... threw up, pretty badly." Eddie's eyes widened, his body straightening up. 

"What?" his body slumped back into the couch. 

"Steve and I were leaving the mall when I felt so sick- so nauseous. I couldn't even swallow it down and I threw up pretty violently into a bush." Eddie's hand flew to his mouth. 

"Seriously? What caused it?" [M/N] shook his head, shrugging his shoulders. 

"I-I don't know. I just felt wrong. Maybe I just ate too much junk food." 

"But did you feel fine throughout the day? You eat all sorts of weird shit but you easily stomach it. Like a pregnant woman having sudden food cravings." [M/N] gave Eddie an incredulous look, not believing Eddie just compared him to a pregnant woman. 

"You did not just say that." he gave him a sheepish look. 

"Sorry, I say weird shit when I'm nervous." [M/N] rolls his eyes. 

"I am aware, but come on." he exhaled slowly as he fell back into the couch, pressing a hand to his forehead as the previous night and that morning's interaction caused a migraine to flare up. He hears Eddie shuffling and thinks he's going to slink back to his room only to hear cupboards opening and the faucet running, when he looked up, he saw Eddie handing him a glass and some painkillers. He stared up at him for a moment before taking it, the gesture reminding him of when he was a kid still getting used to having someone look after him. Eddie takes a seat beside him as [M/N] swallows the painkillers and washes it down with water, he let out a breath as he placed the glass down. 

... 

... 

"I'm sorry." they both froze, having spoken at the exact same time. Eddie blinked, brows furrowing "Why are you apologizing?" [M/N] let out a quiet sigh, rubbing the back of his neck as he tried to find the right words. 

"I'm sorry if I made you feel… incompetent." he drew in a slow breath before meeting Eddie’s eyes "I don’t think you’re stupid. I think you’re actually really smart- just in your own field. And I want to help you pass, Eddie. The way you’ve helped me since I was a kid. But I can’t do that if you won’t let me. I don’t understand why you’re making this so difficult." Eddie scoffed- not cruelly, but defensively, shifting where he sat. 

"I-I'm not making it difficult-" 

"Yes, you are, Eddie." [M/N] cut in, not harsh, just firm "You say you want to pass, but you’re not helping yourself. You keep putting off assignments because of your campaigns. You brush me off when I offer to help tutor you so you can practice with your band. I’m offering because I want to, not because I pity you." his voice softened slightly "But every time I try, you look at me like I’m trying to make you feel small. I’m not, Eddie. I’m really not." Eddie swallowed thickly, doing his best to avoid [M/N]’s gaze. The way [M/N] was looking at him- open, worried, almost hurt, made his chest twist. He looked like a kicked puppy. 

"I’m not- I just-" Eddie stumbled over his words, unable to find the right ones without sounding like a complete asshole. 

"I just wanna help." [M/N] said quietly "Why won’t you let me help you? We’re brothers, right? That’s what we do." his voice softened, almost hesitant. Eddie took a slow breath and pinched the bridge of his nose. 

"Yeah. We are. And it’s unfair of me to treat you the way I have been." [M/N] perked up slightly at that, hope flickering across his face "I get that you want to help, and I appreciate that you do, but-" [M/N] deflated almost immediately. 

"But- but what?" Eddie dragged both hands down his face before threading them through his hair in frustration. 

"But I’m sorry. I’m sorry I’ve been making you feel like you have to help me." he let out a shaky breath "You’re right. I’m doing this to myself. Every year I tell myself I’m gonna pass. Every year I swear I’ll put in the effort. And every year… I don’t. And then I fail." his voice dropped, rough around the edges "And sometimes I just feel so… dumb. Because you make it look easy. You pass every class without breaking a sweat, and I feel stupid for being jealous of you." [M/N]’s eyes widened, hands lifting instinctively as he shook his head, rising to his feet. 

"W-What? I swear, I don’t-" Eddie stood abruptly and grabbed him gently by the shoulders. 

"I know. I know, [M/N]. I know you don’t mean it. And I know you would never try to make me feel that way. That’s the worst part." his grip loosened as his shoulders slumped "I hate myself for feeling like that in the first place." he sank back down onto the couch, tugging [M/N] down with him "I feel like shit for being mad at you because I..." [M/N] tilted his head slightly. 

"Because you…?" Eddie let out a frustrated groan, dragging a hand down his face. 

"I just- I’m just…" he shook his head "I’m just a screw-up, okay? Everyone keeps telling me that. I act like it doesn’t get to me, but sometimes… sometimes it does. And they use you as an example." 

"Me?" 

"Yes, you." Eddie pressed a hand to his forehead, eyes squeezing shut for a second "It gets so damn frustrating hearing it, [M/N]. How you’re the star baseball player. The guy everybody loves. The new "King of Hawkins" now that Harrington’s out of the spotlight. I just-" he exhaled sharply "I don’t want to hear it anymore." there was a long stretch of silence. Eddie finally glanced over, and his eyes widened when he saw [M/N]’s had gone glassy with tears. 

"I-I don’t- I didn’t mean…" [M/N]’s lip trembled as the realization settled in. His achievements, the praise, the comparisons- he hadn’t seen what it was doing "I didn’t know. I-I just-" 

"I know you didn’t mean it." Eddie said quickly "You’re humble about everything. That’s part of the problem. You’re just… good at everything. And it’s embarrassing to ask you for help." [M/N] sniffled, blinking rapidly to keep the tears from falling. He shouldn’t be the one upset. This was Eddie’s moment. He didn’t want to hijack it just because guilt was clawing at his chest. 

"I’m so sorry, Eddie. I-I didn’t know." Eddie shook his head. 

"No, no. I’m sorry. I should’ve said something instead of bottling it up and then snapping at you. That wasn’t fair. You didn’t deserve that." 

"It wasn’t." [M/N] admitted softly as he wiped at a tear "But I’m still sorry I didn’t notice sooner." he straightened slightly, scrubbing at his eyes "You’ll tell me if it gets that bad again, right? We’ve only got one more year. I don’t want to have this conversation again because we let things build up instead of just talking." Eddie stared at him for a moment before looking down, shoulders slumping. 

"I don’t either." 

"G-Good." [M/N] nodded "I don’t want to say something mean just to make a point. And the last thing I want is to drag Wayne into this." Eddie winced. 

"Yeah. I don’t need him giving us that disappointed look." they both shook their heads. Eddie ran a hand through his hair and took a steadying breath "I’m sorry again. For feeling like that. I won’t let it get between us." [M/N] brightened a little and nodded. 

"Yeah. Same." he hesitated, then looked back at him. 

"So… you really won’t accept my help? I’m not offering because I feel obligated. I’m offering because I want to. There’s a difference." Eddie held his gaze for a few seconds before shaking his head. 

"I’ll graduate through my own blood, sweat, and tears." he said with a crooked smile. Then he rubbed the back of his neck "But if I get desperate? I’ll come to you." that earned a genuine smile from [M/N], who bumped his fist lightly against Eddie’s arm. 

"I’ll be waiting. I wanna walk that stage with you, Eddie. It’ll be the biggest "fuck you" to Principal Higgins." Eddie grinned at that. 

"Now that? That I can get behind." they both laughed, the earlier tension dissolving as if they hadn’t just unpacked something heavy and raw. 

"I don’t want us on bad terms." [M/N] added more quietly "I care about you. A lot. And if stepping back is what you need, I will. I’ll care from a distance if I have to." Eddie chuckled softly, shaking his head. 

"Whatever you say." Eddie paused for a second, then glanced back at him "Also, you owe me big time for not telling Wayne about what happened tonight." [M/N] raised a brow. 

"About our talk?" 

"No. About you throwing up." [M/N] groaned and threw his head back dramatically. 

"Oh my god. Seriously?" 

"Yep. Be ready to clean my room for a month." he groaned even louder 

"You’re disgusting, Eddie. I swear to god, if I see even more stains on that mattress than last time, I’m burning it." Eddie only shrugged and leaned back further into the couch, looking far too pleased with himself. 

"Guess you’ll have to wait and find out." he snorted at the horrified expression on [M/N]’s face. 

"I am not amused." [M/N] muttered flatly. Eddie laughed harder, and even though [M/N] rolled his eyes, he couldn’t quite stop the smile tugging at his lips. 

[the morning] 

"Son, that Harrington boy is waiting outside." Wayne shook his head as [M/N]’s head snapped up from inside his dresser drawer, where he’d been digging for a clean shirt. His hair was a mess, and his toothbrush still hung from the corner of his mouth. 

"Wha-" Wayne glanced out the window again, spotting the familiar maroon BMW idling outside the trailer. 

"I said that Harrington boy is outside. Looks like he’s been waiting about ten minutes." [M/N]’s eyes widened. He looked at the clock. Six forty in the morning. If Wayne had only just noticed him, that meant Steve had probably pulled up around six thirty. Maybe earlier. 

"Fucking- shit!" he rushed back into the bathroom, spitting toothpaste into the sink and rinsing his mouth in record time. When he came barreling back out, he yanked on his shirt, grabbed his jacket, and hopped around trying to shove his socks and shoes on at the same time. He lost his balance halfway through and went down with a loud thud. Wayne raised a brow. 

"What’s he even doing here? And where’s your bike?" 

"It doesn’t matter- don’t worry about it." [M/N] muttered, still sprawled on the floor for a second before scrambling upright. He didn’t even bother tying his laces. Grabbing his helmet, he kicked the door open, grimacing when his shoe flew off and landed on the hood of Steve's car. 

"[M/N]-" he nearly wiped out on the porch steps, catching himself at the last second before glancing back at Wayne. 

"Don’t worry about it, honest! It’s fine. I was just… tired, that’s all. Steve didn’t want me falling asleep on my bike, so he drove me home." Wayne stepped into the doorway, leaning against the frame, arms crossed. 

"And he convinced you to leave it where, exactly?" [M/N] didn’t answer, he was already bolting toward Steve’s car. Steve nearly jumped out of his skin when [M/N] suddenly flung himself across the hood to grab the shoe he’d dropped, the BMW dipping noticeably under his weight. He slid off awkwardly, hit the ground with a grunt, then scrambled back up like nothing had happened. He jammed his foot into the shoe, snatched up his fallen helmet, and yanked the passenger door open. 

"Don’t worry about it, don’t worry about it!" he called back breathlessly. Steve blinked as [M/N] practically threw himself into the passenger seat, the car bouncing slightly under his weight. He hadn’t realized just how solid the guy was until that exact moment "Drive, Harrington. Before he starts interrogating us." Steve just shook his head, rolling down the window instead and calling out with an easy grin, 

"Morning, Mister Munson! Don’t mind me stealing your son this early." Wayne leaned casually against the doorway, clearly amused. 

"Mornin’ to you too, Harrington. And just call me Wayne. You’ve looked after my boy enough to earn that right." Steve’s grin widened, and he shot [M/N] a smug look. [M/N] groaned and let his head thunk back against the headrest "Hope you kids have fun." Wayne added. 

"We will!" Steve called cheerfully. 

"Just hurry up and go." [M/N] muttered, louder this time. 

"I’m going, I’m going." Steve finally pulled away from the trailer park. [M/N] let out a relieved breath but immediately smacked Steve’s arm "Dude! I’m driving- and keep your feet off the dash!" [M/N] ignored him, propping his feet up anyway so he could hurriedly tie his shoes. 

"Why’d you come so early?" he asked "You said seven. It’s barely six fifty." Steve shrugged as he drove down the street. 

"I don't know. I was ready and thought instead of waiting just to come get you. I forgot just how close the trailer park is to my house." [M/N] eyed him then shook his head. 

"Still doesn’t explain why you were here half an hour early. Why? Were you that eager to see me?" Steve rolled his eyes when [M/N] fluttered his lashes dramatically and leaned into his personal space. Chuckling, Steve shoved his head away with one hand. 

"Yeah, right. I see you enough as it is." 

"That’s not what Buckley told me." Steve’s head snapped toward him and he slammed on the brakes a little harder than necessary. Good thing [M/N] had already taken his feet off the dash. 

"What did she tell you?" [M/N] pressed his lips together, shrugging innocently. 

"Wouldn’t you like to know." 

"Yes," Steve said flatly. "I would very much like to know." he waved a dismissive hand. 

"Don’t worry about it. It wasn’t anything bad." Steve narrowed his eyes at him "Trust, trust." [M/N] drawled, sinking lazily back into his seat. Steve let out a long, tired sigh and shook his head. 

"Why do I even put up with you?" [M/N] opened his mouth, fully prepared to answer, but Steve cut him off before he could "And don’t say it’s because I love you." that didn’t stop [M/N] from gasping dramatically, pressing a hand to his chest and the other to his cheek. 

"Took the words right out of my mouth." Steve rolled his eyes as [M/N] burst into laughter, though he had to fight the smile threatening to break across his own face. The second they pulled into the mall parking lot, Steve hadn’t even shifted the car fully into park before [M/N] threw the door open and bolted. 

"Jesus-" Steve stepped out just in time to see [M/N] rush to his bike and wrap both arms around it like it had just come back from war. He practically sagged against it, stroking the seat with exaggerated tenderness. 

"Oh, my baby." he sniffed dramatically "Daddy’s here. And he’s never gonna leave you again." Steve blinked. 

"Daddy?" [M/N] looked up at him with a scoff. 

"Please. Like I haven’t heard you call yourself daddy to your car before." Steve immediately raised a finger, mouth opening to argue, then slowly closed it. 

"I’m not answering that." [M/N] grinned smugly, still draped over his bike like it was the love of his life. A second later, he straightened and grabbed Steve by the shoulders, pulling him in until their foreheads nearly touched "Now, Harrington, I require sustenance." Steve’s face flushed slightly as he shoved him back. 

"Dude. Space." [M/N] only wiggled his eyebrows and wagged his tongue. 

"You promised to buy me breakfast. Time to uphold that promise." 

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Steve muttered, already heading toward the mall. "Just don’t go throwing up, okay?" [M/N] stopped in his tracks and stared at the back of his head. 

"Not cool, man. Not cool." Steve just snickered. 

As it turned out, Steve was already regretting the offer. When [M/N] could actually stomach food, he ate like he was feeding a family of five. Steve’s jaw nearly hit the table as he watched him demolish five stacks of pancakes, followed by eggs and several strips of bacon. It was almost impressive- it was also a little gross. Syrup dripped down [M/N]’s chin, and Steve physically looked away when he wiped it off with the back of his hand. [M/N] caught the look. 

"What?" 

"Don’t talk with your mouth full." Steve said, grimacing "It’s disgusting." [M/N] rolled his eyes but swallowed obediently. 

"There. Happy?" 

"Moderately. Just- eat slower. You’re gonna mess up your stomach." [M/N] laughed, pointing his fork at him. 

"I’d take that as a challenge if I hadn’t already thrown up last night." 

"Exactly my point." 

"Okay, mum." [M/N] teased "I’ll eat slower." and he did. The frantic shoveling turned into something more reasonable, and Steve visibly relaxed. [M/N] was starving. He hadn’t eaten the night before, and the faint taste of bile still lingered unpleasantly in his mouth. Venom, on the other hand, was absolutely thrilled, savoring every bite Steve unknowingly bought for the both of them "Thanks for breakfast, Harrington." [M/N] said casually, still chewing, just slower this time. Steve blinked at the sudden sincerity. 

"Oh. It’s nothing." [M/N] shrugged. 

"As someone whose weakness is food, in both good and bad ways, I appreciate it." he winked "If you ever need a favor, this is definitely the way to bribe me." Steve huffed a laugh. 

"Good to know. I’ll remember that next time I’m too lazy to do something." [M/N] snorted. 

"If it’s trivial, I might decline." 

"Then I’ll just threaten to tell your dad again." [M/N] flicked his fork at him, the handle bouncing off Steve’s forehead. 

"Threaten me again and I’m taking back my gratitude." despite the attack, Steve just laughed, rubbing his forehead. Soon they were both cracking up. By the time Robin Buckley came in for her shift, she wasn’t even surprised to see them. She did, however, raise a brow at the sight of them laughing together. 

"You’re here early." she said as she walked past, disappearing briefly to stash her bag before returning and fixing [M/N] with a judgmental look. 

"I just wanted to beat the rush." [M/N] lied smoothly, winking at her. Robin gagged, then turned to Steve. 

"Get back here before the actual rush starts." 

"Hey, I already set everything up." 

"Yeah. Because that’s your job." she shifted her attention to [M/N], who continued eating despite her stare "And what about you? Don’t you have somewhere to be?" [M/N] shrugged lazily. 

"I'm right where I want to be. Good food, great company, and amazing AC. There's no better place to be than here at Scoops Ahoy." Robin just narrowed her eyes, clearly unimpressed. 

"Uh huh." Robin’s gaze sharpened when Steve still hadn’t moved. He sighed dramatically, pushing himself to his feet and finally stepping away from [M/N]. 

"If you’re gonna linger, at least go sit in the breakroom." Steve said "Let actual customers have the table." [M/N] pressed a hand to his cheek and waved lazily. 

"You spoil me." Steve let out a dry, sarcastic laugh, but that didn’t stop [M/N] from gathering his things and slipping into the back. The moment he stepped into the breakroom, he let out a satisfied hum as the cooler air washed over him. It wasn’t even midday yet, and the heat was already creeping into the mall, clinging to his skin and making him feel restless. That was one of the many reasons he liked hanging around Scoops Ahoy, the air conditioning was a blessing. That, and the company. He liked being around Steve and Robin. The easy banter. The familiarity. The way it felt normal. Not that he’d ever admit it out loud. And if he did, it would be wrapped in teasing and sarcasm so no one could tell he meant it. 

"Do you think if we asked, he’d buy us lunch too?" [M/N] laughed as he dropped into one of the breakroom chairs. 

"I think that’s pushing our luck, don’t you?" Venom hummed thoughtfully in the back of his mind. 

"The spotted human likes us. I am certain he would feel generous enough to feed us again… especially if you were to have another sudden migraine." [M/N] scowled immediately. 

"Don’t you dare give me a migraine just because you’re hungry." 

"It was only a suggestion." 

"Yeah, a terrible one. You eating my liver is bad enough. Don’t start messing with my head too." Venom let out a quiet, amused rumble before retreating into silence, allowing him a moment of peace. [M/N] exhaled and leaned back in his chair, eyes drifting to his helmet sitting on the table. He stared at it absentmindedly, fingers tapping lightly against the surface as the noise of the shop carried faintly through the door. 

[moments later] 

"Hey, Munson! You’ve been awfully quiet back there. You’re not eating the inventory again, are you?" Steve called out as he pushed through the breakroom door, having been sent back by Robin to replace one of the ice cream tubs that had run dry. When he didn’t get a response, he frowned. He turned his head then stopped. [M/N] was slumped over the table, head resting on his folded arms, completely out cold. Steve raised a brow and stepped closer, hands settling on his hips as he leaned slightly to get a better look at his face. He didn’t think he’d ever seen him this relaxed before. 

[M/N] usually carried himself with an easy kind of confidence, not quite arrogance, unless he was feeling particularly cocky, but there was always a certainty to him. He was almost always smirking, smiling, or wearing that calm, unreadable expression that made it hard to tell what he was thinking. The only other time Steve had seen anything different was when something was wrong, when his body was fighting against him- when there was that brief flicker of strain he tried so hard to hide until it broke. He couldn’t help but lean in a little closer, watching the steady rise and fall of [M/N]’s shoulders as he breathed. A loose strand of hair had fallen over his eyes. Without really thinking about it, Steve reached out and brushed it away. When his fingers barely grazed [M/N]’s skin he flinched. 

"Jesus." he murmured, frowning "You’re like a block of ice." frowning deeper, he let his hand drift down to the back of [M/N]’s wrist where his sleeve had ridden up, only to confirm it. Cold. Not just cool from the AC- actually cold. He didn’t get to question it when [M/N]’s hand suddenly shot up and clamped around Steve’s wrist in an iron grip. 

"You better not be drawing on my face…" he mumbled groggily, eyes still closed. Steve startled. 

"What-" [M/N]’s eyes fluttered open, unfocused at first. They slowly shifted upward, and then widened in realization. 

"Oh. Steve!" he immediately released him "Sorry, I thought you were Eddie. That prick has drawn on my face when I've fallen asleep on him." Steve huffed, rubbing his wrist as he stepped back. [M/N] leaned back from the table, stretching his arms over his head with a long yawn like nothing had happened. 

"Quite the grip you’ve got, Munson." that earned him a sleepy chuckle. [M/N] rested his elbows on the table, propping his chin on his knuckles as he looked up at Steve. 

"When you’re a pitcher, you build serious grip strength." he said lazily "You should see my curveball." Steve snorted. 

"Yeah, sure." he turned away to grab the replacement tub of ice cream, finally doing what Robin had actually sent him back there for. He didn’t notice the way [M/N] briefly rubbed his wrist- the same spot where Steve’s fingers had brushed his skin. 

"I’ve watched your games." Steve continued "There’s really no need for you to show off any more than you already do." 

"Come on." [M/N] teased, a smirk tugging at his lips "I know you love it when I play. You’re probably the loudest one in the crowd." Steve scoffed from over his shoulder. 

"In your dreams." he snorted as he leaned against the table. 

"Bold of you to assume I dream about you." [M/N] lifted a brow, but paused when he heard Steve chuckle. When he looked over, Steve was already watching him, a slow smirk spreading across his face. 

"Please. With how often you come see me? I’d be surprised if you didn’t dream about me. Or at least think about me." [M/N] blinked, clearly not expecting that response. A faint flush crept up his neck before he could stop it. Steve’s smirk widened "What? Cat got your tongue?" [M/N] swallowed, suddenly very interested in the surface of the table. 

"Shut up." Steve laughed outright. 

"Wow. What a historic moment. [M/N] Munson- speechless. I should pat myself on the back for that one." [M/N] rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, slouching deeper into his chair. 

"Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up, Harrington." 

"What?" Steve shot back, still grinning "So you can dish it, but you can’t take it? If I’d known that’s all it took to shut you up, I would’ve started doing it a long time ago." [M/N] huffed, though the corner of his mouth twitched despite himself. 

"Don't be ridiculous." a comfortable silence settled between them as they continued to stare at each other. It was broken by the sharp, insistent ringing of the bell at the front counter. They both initially assumed it was Steve’s usual group of kids coming to bother him again, but only a single voice carried through as it spoke to Robin. [M/N] faintly recognized it and glanced back at Steve. He blinked when he saw excitement flash across Steve’s face. Before he could even ask what was going on, Steve had already bolted for the door. He threw it open, and the wide grin already on his face stretched even wider. 

"Henderson!" [M/N] raised a brow. Henderson? Was that the name of the kid he’d met on the train tracks? He pushed himself to his feet just as Steve rushed out of the breakroom. Curious, [M/N] leaned toward the doorway and peeked out, just in time to see Steve practically bouncing on the spot "Henderson! He’s back!" Steve cheered, the boy laughed, pointing at him with a wide grin. 

"You got the job!" 

"I got the job!" [M/N] raised a brow again as Steve mimed playing a trumpet while hurrying around the counter to meet Henderson. The two immediately launched into what could only be described as an absurdly complicated handshake routine. [M/N] and Robin slowly looked at each other, their expressions practically screaming, Can you believe this? The handshake somehow evolved into fist bumps, spins, and then, apparently, lightsabers, judging by the way they both pretended to draw weapons from their hips like characters from that space movie franchise Eddie had been obsessing over lately. The kid "slashed" Steve across the stomach. Steve staggered back dramatically, clutching his middle as if mortally wounded before pretending his guts were spilling all over the floor. Robin folded her arms, watching the entire spectacle with visible judgment. 

"How many children are you friends with?" she asked flatly. [M/N] snorted loudly from the doorway. 

"Nerd!" he shouted, then he burst out laughing. Steve froze before realization dawned on him, his grin flickered before it disappeared entirely as [M/N] continued to laugh with Robin joining in, not as enthusiastically but she wasn't against laughing at Steve. He felt his shoulders slump as the two laughed at him, wiping his face then gesturing to them while giving Dustin a aren't they sweet? expression. [M/N], who had finally managed to get his laughter under control, tilted his head curiously at the kid. He lifted a hand and gave him a lazy wave "Hey, kiddo. Been a while." Dustin’s entire face lit up like someone had just flipped on a spotlight inside him. 

"It’s you!" [M/N] blinked in mild surprise just as Dustin rushed forward. The kid brushed right past Steve, who looked offended, without even slowing down and grabbed [M/N]’s hand like they were long-lost buddies finally reunited. [M/N] barked out a short laugh at the sudden enthusiasm. 

"Hey, now." he said, raising his free hand defensively "We only met once, and you’re looking at me like we’re best friends." Dustin only beamed brighter. 

"We might as well be!" [M/N] chuckled, amused by the kid’s energy. 

"Oh yeah?" 

"Yeah!" Dustin said eagerly "It’s thanks to you that I got a girlfriend!" [M/N]'s jaw dropped as he looked towards Steve, who's face was a mixture of hurt and shock. 

"Girlfriend?" later, he found himself dragged over to a booth while Steve went behind the counter to make the kid a banana split. [M/N] blinked when the boy pulled his hand back- only to thrust it forward again, clearly initiating a handshake. 

"I’d like to officially introduce myself! My name is Dustin Henderson. Pleased to make your acquaintance." [M/N] couldn’t help but snort, but he took Dustin’s hand anyway, giving it a firm shake. 

"[M/N]. [M/N] Munson." he felt like he was going to be blinded by how brightly the kid was smiling. Pulling his hand back, he leaned against the table "So what’s this about you getting a girlfriend? And how exactly did I play a part in it?" 

"How did you play a part?" Dustin exclaimed "Hell, all I could think about were the things you said! About how girls like when you communicate with them- how they like seeing that you care, that you feel, that you respect them." he clasped his hands together, clearly excited "And when I met her… gosh, it really felt like fireworks went off in my head. I just felt so warm and fuzzy." [M/N] laughed softly, resting his face on his knuckles. 

"Aw, young love. I’m happy to hear I’ve become a love guru." he cooed, then he wiggled his shoulders playfully "But did it feel like- you know what?" Dustin raised an eyebrow. 

"Like what? Butterflies?" [M/N] shook his head and motioned for Dustin to lean closer. When the kid did, [M/N] glanced toward Steve behind the counter before whispering: 

"The sexual electri-ack!" an elbow smacked the back of his head. Steve had apparently appeared out of nowhere. He scowled down at [M/N], his face faintly pink with embarrassment. 

"You better shut your damn mouth, Munson." he hissed, setting Dustin’s banana split on the table. [M/N] only snickered, rubbing the back of his head. 

"You said it! I’m just curious if it did." [M/N] stuck his tongue out when Steve flipped him off, but they both turned their attention back to Dustin, who was happily digging into the sweet treat Steve had made for him "So, tell us more about this girl." [M/N] asked, leaning forward a little. Dustin clapped his hands, quickly wiping ice cream from his lips. 

"Oh! She’s, like, super hot. Like- hotter than Phoebe Cates." Steve’s eyes widened immediately as he shook his head. 

"No. No way. Hotter than Phoebe Cates? No." [M/N] only raised a brow, who? Was that someone he should know? Dustin only nodded confidently. 

"Mm-hmm. Brilliant too. And she doesn’t even care that my real pearls are still coming in. She says kissing is better without teeth." [M/N] grimaced while Steve slowly nodded. 

"Wow… that sounds… sweet?" 

"Yeah- yeah! That’s great. Proud of you, man. That’s… that’s kinda romantic. That’s like… wow." when Dustin looked back down at his ice cream, the two of them shared a glance that clearly said yikes. Sure, [M/N] had never kissed anyone before, but he was pretty certain kissing someone without teeth sounded… gross. Still, he kept that thought to himself. No need to crush the kid’s heart. Dustin shoveled another bite into his mouth before looking back up at Steve. 

"Do you really just eat as much as you want?" Steve glanced at the banana split, then shrugged. 

"Yeah. I mean, sure. Not really a good idea for me, though. You know- I gotta keep in shape for the ladies." 

"Yeah, and how’s that working out for you?" Robin’s voice called from the front. [M/N] snickered softly. 

"She’s right. The kid’s got better game than you, Harrington." Dustin snorted just as Steve kicked [M/N] under the table. This caused [M/N]'s to slam his knee into the underside of the table, soon the two of them started kicking at each other like children. 

"She seems cool." Dustin said, nodding toward Robin. Steve stopped kicking, which gave [M/N] the perfect chance to land one more hit. 

"Ow- dude!" Steve grabbed his knee "Also, she’s not." he rubbed the sore spot before glancing around the shop "So, uh… where are the other knuckleheads?" he must’ve meant the other four kids who kept showing up to bother him. 

"They ditched me yesterday." Steve frowned. 

"No." 

"My first day back. Can you believe that shit?" 

"Whoa. Seriously?" Steve asked. 

"I swear to god." the boy confirmed. Steve looked just as offended on Dustin’s behalf. [M/N] frowned and reached over, patting Dustin on the head. 

"Oh, sorry to hear that." Dustin waved them off, lifting his spoon again. 

"Yeah, but they’re gonna regret it. Big time. When they don’t get a share in my glory." 

"Glory?" [M/N] raised a brow, glancing at Steve, who looked just as confused. Dustin looked around the shop first- Robin, who already looked exhausted with the day, and a few parents with their kids. No one seemed close enough to overhear. Still, his eyes flicked back up to [M/N]. 

"How good are you at keeping secrets?" pretty good, actually. I’ve kept the fact that I’m an experiment under wraps since I was twelve years old, and only one person knows. I’d say I’m an expert. That was what he would say- if he were insane. Instead, he just shrugged. 

"Depends." Dustin narrowed his eyes at him for a moment, then shook his head. 

"Okay." [M/N] only grinned. Dustin gestured for them to lean closer. When they did, he covered his mouth and whispered so quietly that the words barely existed at all. Even with his heightened senses, [M/N] didn’t catch a single thing. Maybe Steve di- 

“What?” Steve said, clearly having heard nothing. Dustin clicked his tongue, staring at them in annoyance before repeating himself, a little louder but still whispering. 

"I intercepted a secret Russian communication." [M/N] stilled when he heard it that time. Steve, who still hadn’t heard him properly, groaned. 

"Just speak louder." Dustin rolled his neck in irritation before blurting it out. 

"I intercepted a secret Russian communication!" every customer in the shop immediately turned to stare. [M/N] hadn’t reacted at all, simply staring down at Dustin, while Steve ducked his head in embarrassment. He shot Dustin a look before reaching across the table and grabbing [M/N] by the shoulder, yanking him down closer. 

"Jeez, shush!" Steve hissed "Yeah, okay. That’s what I thought you said." he took a breath, waiting for the attention to drift away before lifting his head again "What- what does that mean?” Dustin sat up proudly. 

"It means, Steve- [M/N]- we could be heroes." he puffed up his chest. "True American heroes." [M/N] clenched his jaw, swallowing thickly. 

"How do you know it’s Russian?" he said slowly- cautiously "Maybe you mistook it for Portuguese. I heard they sound similar." Dustin shook his head immediately. 

"Nuh uh." 

"And how are you so sure?" 

"Because I know what Russian sounds like, [M/N]." that made the older boy look away. He rubbed his arms absently, shoulders tensing as Dustin and Steve continued talking. Their voices faded into the background while his breathing grew a little uneven. 

Russian. 

The word dragged memories up from the depths of his mind- memories he preferred to keep buried. The lab. Unlike the other experiments, he hadn’t been created to spy or slip into people’s minds. He had been engineered for something else entirely. A weapon. A super soldier meant to hunt down enemy nations for the American government. Where others could infiltrate the minds of Russian generals and soldiers, he had been designed for brute force- to break bones, tear through enemies, and leave nothing behind but proof of American dominance. You could see how well that plan had worked out for them. Considering he’d escaped. 

Just remembering it made his stomach churn. 

"[M/N]?" he snapped out of it at the sound of his name. 

"Uh- huh?" he blinked, realizing both Dustin and Steve were staring at him with concern "W-What were we talking about again? I kind of… zoned out." Steve tilted his head, trying to get a better look at his face. 

"You good? Are you feeling nauseous again?" [M/N] looked down and realized he was clutching his stomach, his body trembling slightly "See? You shouldn’t have eaten as much as you did this morning." Steve exclaimed, pointing at him accusingly 

"Steve." 

"Just don’t projectile vomit on Henderson." 

"Steve!" [M/N] groaned, slapping his hands over his face. The nausea had already faded, replaced by pure annoyance. "Just- I'm fine." Steve raised a brow, not entirely convinced. 

"You sure?" 

"Yes, mum, I’m fine. Jesus." Dustin looked between the two of them, thoroughly confused. 

"What’s… going on here?" he asked curiously. Before [M/N] could brush it off and change the subject, Steve opened his big mouth. 

"[M/N]’s body has a lot of complications, and one of them is randomly throwing up sometimes." [M/N]’s jaw dropped in disbelief. Without hesitation, he lifted his foot and slammed it down on top of Steve’s. 

Hard. 

"Do you have to air out my dirty laundry to a twelve-year-old?" he snapped, glaring at him. Dustin raised a hand. 

"Um, I’m turning fourteen." [M/N] ignored him completely, twisting his foot deeper into Steve’s. 

"I’m insecure about my conditions, Steve. I trusted you to keep that between us, Steve." he pressed down harder. Steve’s body folded forward over the table as he bit down on his fist, muffling the sound of pain. 

"O-Okay- okay! I’m sor- I'm sorry!" [M/N] held the glare for another second before finally lifting his foot. He slumped back against the booth seat, arms crossing over his chest. Steve immediately grabbed his injured foot, cradling it as he looked up at [M/N] with watery eyes "Did you have to do that?" [M/N] shot him a flat look. 

"Want me to reveal one of your insecurities? I know a lot of them." Steve instantly zipped his mouth shut. [M/N] rolled his eyes and finally looked down at Dustin "What were you two talking about? I wasn’t listening, if you didn’t notice." Dustin stared at them both for a moment, clearly trying to process what he had just witnessed. Eventually he shook himself out of it. 

"Well, um… I was hoping you guys could help me." [M/N] raised a brow. 

"Help? With what?" Dustin pulled his backpack into his lap and began digging through it. After a moment he pulled out a book and dropped it on the table in front of them. 

"Translation." [M/N]’s brow rose even higher as he eyed the Russian translation book. A little while later, he found himself back in the breakroom, seated at the table again. His eyes scanned across the page while Dustin pulled out a handheld cassette player. The boy slid in a tape and pressed play. [M/N]’s ears perked up immediately as Steve paced at the end of the table, casually eating a banana. 

A distorted voice crackled from the speaker. 

"Неделя длинная. Серебристый кот кормится там, где на западе встречаются синий и желтый цвета. Поездка в Китай звучит заманчиво, если ходить по ней осторожно." 

[M/N] furrowed his brows, listening closely while Dustin replayed the tape again and again. Slowly, all those months of learning Russian kicked in like a neglected muscle finally being used. He spoke quietly under his breath, mumbling as the words pieced themselves together behind the book. 

"The week is long. The silver cat feeds when blue meets yellow in the west. A trip to China sounds nice if you tread lightly." 

He exhaled slowly, trying to make sense of it. Because if this really was a Russian message… what the hell did it mean? Silver cat? Blue meets yellow? A trip to China? Why would the Russians want to go to China? 

"Can I ask how you got this, Henderson?" [M/N] asked, lowering the book while the tape continued to play and Steve kept pacing. 

"Oh!" Dustin perked up "I built this machine- the Cerebro, as I’m calling it- that can communicate across really long distances! I made it so I can talk to my girlfriend. She lives all the way out in Utah." [M/N] let out a low whistle, genuinely impressed. 

"Wow. That’s actually pretty sweet. And this Cerebro managed to intercept this?" Dustin nodded matter-of-factly. 

"Uh-huh. Pretty cool, right?" [M/N] nodded slowly, though skepticism still lingered. A device meant to communicate across states picking up signals from an entirely different continent seemed… unlikely. Was he sure it came from Russia? He blinked when Dustin suddenly stopped the tape and looked up at Steve "So… what do you guys think?" 

"Sounded familiar." [M/N] looked up sharply at Steve, startled. 

Did he… understand that? 

"What?" Steve sniffed and chewed his banana, pointing toward the recorder. 

"The music. The music right there at the end." [M/N]’s head whipped back toward the cassette player. There was music? He’d been listening so closely to the Russian that he hadn’t noticed anything else. Dustin groaned, throwing his hands up in frustration. 

"Why are you listening to the music, Steve? Listen to the Russian! We’re trying to translate the Russian!" 

"I am trying to listen to the Russian." Steve shot back "But there’s music playing over it!" [M/N] closed his eyes briefly, their pointless bickering filling the room. Before the argument could escalate into something even stupider, the breakroom door suddenly burst open. 

"Alright, babysitting time is over. You need to get in there." Robin stepped in, arms crossed. Steve immediately slinked over to Dustin’s side while Robin took his place at the end of the table. Her eyes moved to the whiteboard- her whiteboard, and she froze "What the- hey! My board!" she stared in horror at the surface, which had been wiped clean and replaced with crooked Russian letters "That was important data, you shitbirds!" she shouted, pointing accusingly at Dustin. 

"I guarantee what we’re doing is way more important than your data." 

"Yeah?" Robin crossed her arms "And how do you even know these Russians are up to no good, anyway?" [M/N] wasn’t surprised she knew. The breakroom wasn’t exactly soundproof, and they definitely hadn’t been quiet. Steve and Dustin, however, looked horrified as they exchanged panicked glances. 

"How’d she know about the Russians?" 

"I don’t know-" [M/N] sighed. 

"We weren’t exactly being subtle, you morons. You were literally shouting about "the Russians", remember?" Robin scoffed. 

"He’s right. I could hear you." she took a breath, her eyes flicking between Dustin and Steve "So let me get this straight. You think you’ve got evil Russians plotting against our country on tape, and you’re trying to translate it…" her eyebrow lifted "… but you haven’t figured out a single word because you didn’t realize Russian uses a completely different alphabet than English." [M/N] smacks his lips as he looks up at her. 

"Sounds about right." Robin looked at him. 

"And why are you here exactly?" he shrugged with a cheeky grin. 

"Just here for the ride." she huffed, and all their eyes dropped to the cassette player. [M/N] jumped in his seat when she suddenly lunged for it. Steve let out something that sounded like a yelp as he quickly snatched it out of her reach. 

"Oh no, you don't-" 

"I wanna hear it." she announced, plopping down in the chair beside [M/N]. Steve narrowed his eyes at her. 

"Why?" 

"Because maybe I could help." she smirked and tapped her finger against her temple "I'm fluent in four languages, you know." Dustin perked up instantly. 

"Russian?" her smirk widened before she said. 

"Ou-yay are-yay umb-day." Dustin and Steve gawked at her, clearly impressed. 

"Holy shit!" 

"Wait, was that-" [M/N] snorted and shook his head as he looked between them. 

"First of all, that was pig latin." he said, laughing softly when their faces immediately fell. It went so far as Steve smacking Dustin upside the head and calling him an idiot "And second of all, she just called you dumb." now it was Robin’s turn to laugh. 

"That I did." neither of them looked at each other as they raised their fists and bumped them together, wearing matching smug expressions "Okay, okay, seriously," Robin said, straightening in her chair "I am fluent in Spanish, French, and Italian. And I’ve been in band practice for twelve years. My ears are little geniuses, trust me." Steve narrowed his eyes at her, clearly skeptical of this sudden revelation. 

"Uh huh..." her shoulders slumped. 

"Come on-" [M/N] shook his head and reached over, snatching the cassette player from Steve’s hands before he could pull it away. 

"Wha- hey!" [M/N] held it out of Steve’s reach and waved it lightly. 

"We might as well give it a try. We're not gonna get any closer to an answer if we can't even solve one sentence." 

"Yeah, but-" 

"Steve. You've barely paid attention in Spanish class, let alone English. Let the girl fluent in four languages have a go at it and take over scooping ice cream." Robin perked up immediately when [M/N] handed the cassette player to her, grinning from ear to ear as she took it. In return, she handed [M/N] her ice cream scooper. [M/N] then held the scooper out to Steve, slowly raising an eyebrow as he waved it toward him. Steve let out a long, defeated sigh. 

"Fine." 

[hours later] 

"Urgh, it feels like I'm back in school..." [M/N] groaned. His head hung off the back of his chair while his legs were propped up on the table. Robin paced back and forth across the breakroom, focused and restless, while Dustin replayed the first sentence over and over. Robin muttered the Russian word for "long" under her breath, snapping her fingers every few seconds before suddenly pointing at Dustin. 

"Wait, that last part- play it one more time." Dustin nodded quickly and rewound the tape, letting the sentence play again. Robin listened carefully, nodding along before snapping her fingers again when the word hovered just out of reach "Okay, that word, um... it's pronounced-" she snapped her fingers again, trying to pull it from memory. [M/N] raised a finger without even lifting his gaze from the ceiling. 

"Diy-nna-ya." Robin clapped her hands and pointed at him. 

"Yes! Diy-nna-ya!" Dustin echoed the word quietly while grabbing the Russian translation book "Which is spelled... D..." Robin waved her hands impatiently before pointing toward the whiteboard. Dustin practically launched himself from his chair and rushed over to it, scanning the alphabet chart. 

"The- the chair! The chair-looking thingy!" Robin nodded. 

"Yeah, that one." she scribbled it down. 

The process repeated itself over and over like a strange little cycle. Slowly, piece by piece, they worked through the sentence- one word at a time. [M/N] already knew the full translation, but he only stepped in when Robin couldn’t quite get a word out. Sometimes he even deliberately gave the wrong pronunciation just to throw them off. The last thing he wanted was for them to dig too deeply into something that could eventually come back to bite them. 

Unfortunately for him, Robin was too sharp for that. Every time he tried to derail them, she caught it immediately and corrected him. Eventually, he gave up. No matter how much he slowed them down, she was going to figure it out eventually. Once they finally finished translating the first sentence, Robin grinned and hurried over to the small sliding window that connected the breakroom to the front counter. She slid it open and Steve looked up from the counter, holding two ice cream cones. 

"We've got our first sentence." she announced. 

"Oh, seriously?" Steve perked up, glancing toward the chaotic scene inside the breakroom and snorting softly when he saw [M/N] slouched in his chair like a half-dead zombie. 

"Yeah." [M/N]'s voice called lazily from his seat. He tipped his head back just enough for their eyes to meet "The week is long." Steve frowned. 

"Well, that's thrilling." [M/N] shrugged while Robin grinned wider. 

"I know," she said "but it's progress." Steve took a breath and turned back to the counter while Robin closed the window and motioned for Dustin to start the tape again. [M/N] wasn’t sure if it was the constant replay of the Russian words or the static buzzing faintly beneath them, but his head had started to throb. Slowly, steadily, a migraine began to build behind his eyes, the pressure becoming harder to ignore with each repetition. Dustin seemed to notice when he suddenly went quiet. He glanced over and saw [M/N] pinching the bridge of his nose, his expression tight with discomfort. 

"Are you okay, [M/N]?" [M/N] blinked and looked over at him. 

"Huh? What? No- I mean, I’m okay. Maybe just a little tired." Robin gave him a long look, scanning him from head to toe before pursing her lips. 

"Maybe you should get some air. I don’t want your nose suddenly bleeding like it did two nights ago. That freaked me out." [M/N] opened his mouth to protest, but she immediately shook her head "Don’t fight me on this. I’ll get Harrington to come collect your butt, and we both know you don’t want him hovering over you like a mother." [M/N]’s eye twitched. Why did everyone threaten him by tattling on him? 

"Fine." he sighed "You win, Buckley." he dropped his legs off the table and pushed himself to his feet while Robin watched with a triumphant smirk. 

"Don’t worry," she called after him "You can leave the translation to me, Munson!" he only waved dismissively as he pushed the door open. The cool air from the breakroom vanished instantly, replaced by the heavy Indiana heat that hit his skin like a wall. He winced as the warmth washed over him. 

Was it too late to just pass out on the floor and call it a day? 

"[M/N]?" he glanced over and saw Steve watching him from behind the counter, concern written all over his face "Are you okay?" [M/N] sighed and pressed his cool hand against his forehead, the touch helping ease the dull ache slightly. 

"I’m fine. Just need some air. All that nonsense was making my head hurt." 

"You’re not gonna pass out, are you?" Steve asked skeptically "I don’t want to hear over the intercom that they found someone unconscious and it’s you." [M/N] laughed softly. 

"No, Steve. I’m not gonna pass out. It’s not that bad, I swear." then he snorted and held his hand out toward him "You wanna hold my hand so I don’t fall on my way out?" Steve smacked his hand away immediately. 

"I’m good. Maybe drink some water before stepping out." 

"I will attempt to. Maybe I’ll just dunk my head in the fountain like I did back at Tina’s party." he skipped away before Steve could respond, laughing when he heard him start shouting from behind the counter. 

As [M/N] wove through the crowds in the mall, he rubbed at his temples. The noise was overwhelming- teenagers chatting and laughing, little kids screaming or crying, the constant hum of people moving around him. It was doing his head in. Maybe he should have just collapsed back in Scoops Ahoy. At least it was cool and quiet compared to the rest of the mall. Stepping outside didn’t help much either. The moment he pushed through the doors, the summer heat hit him full force without the mall’s air conditioning to soften it. A groan slipped from his lips as the sun beat down on him. 

"Let us return to the ice cream shop, [M/N]. I can feel my body melting." [M/N] grumbled and lifted a hand to shield his eyes from the glare. 

"You're inside me." Venom scoffed. 

"Fine, boil then. Jump in the fountain at this point." [M/N] pursed his lips, considering it. 

"That doesn’t sound like a bad idea." he hummed, though he quickly dismissed the thought. The last thing he needed was Steve finding him cooling off in the middle of the fountain "Maybe I should get some juice." he murmured. 

"Ooo, you should get a smoothie." 

"I’m not getting a chocolate smoothie." 

"... I wasn’t going to suggest that." [M/N] shook his head. He stood there for a few minutes, breathing slowly- deep inhale, long exhale, until the pounding in his head dulled enough that it wasn’t stabbing behind his eyes anymore. After a few minutes, [M/N] finally decided he’d had enough of standing around outside. He started moving again, heading back toward the mall entrance. What he hadn’t noticed was a group of kids nearby arguing among themselves. One of them stepped back suddenly, his elbow about to swing right into the back of the kid’s head. [M/N] only realized what was happening when Venom moved first. His arm shot out, palm pressing lightly against the kid’s back to stop them. 

"Whoa, careful ther-" he jerked his hand back when the kid suddenly jumped away from him like he’d been burned. The boy slapped a hand over the back of his neck and stared up at him in pure terror. [M/N] blinked, startled by the reaction. Then he slowly recognized the group- the same gaggle of kids that always hung around Steve. 

And the one he’d touched- 

Will Byers. 

The same kid who’d gone missing back in ’83. 

"Will?" 

"Will! Are you okay?" [M/N] flexed his hand awkwardly while watching Mike Wheeler and Lucas Sinclair rush to his side. Will trembled slightly, still staring up at [M/N] like he’d just witnessed something horrible. [M/N] raised both hands and took a small step back, unsure how to fix the situation without somehow making it worse. 

"I’m sorry." he said quickly "I didn’t mean to-" 

The words died in his throat. 

His gaze lifted from Will- 

And landed on her. 

The other experiment. 

His eyes widened slightly. A strange sensation crept up his spine as they locked eyes, like some invisible current snapping into place between them. Years of experimentation under the hands of Doctor Martin Brenner felt like they had suddenly tuned them both to the same frequency- two radios catching the same signal. His eye twitched faintly when he saw the look on her face. She felt it too- there was something familiar to her about him. A connection she couldn’t quite place yet- but one that was undeniably there. 

"She realizes something, [M/N]." Venom’s voice echoed inside his mind, steady and calm, quickly easing the panic rising in his chest "We have to go before she says something." [M/N] forced a nervous grin and pointed back toward the mall. 

"Well, I’m just gonna- sorry about your- yeah, yeah." before anyone could respond, he turned and jogged away. The last thing he needed was for that girl to open her mouth and say something that connected him to the lab. Sure, they had been experimented on for different reasons- but the connection to that other world was still there. 

He could feel it. 

And he was certain she could feel it too. 

... 

... 

"Munson, you can’t be serious!" Steve had gone looking for him after realizing he’d been gone for way too long. [M/N] couldn’t have left the mall- his helmet was still sitting in the breakroom, currently being used to prop up the Russian translation book. And for some reason, he was extremely serious about helmet safety. 

So Steve went searching. 

And eventually found him. 

At the fountain. 

With his head underwater. 

"Dude! You’re gonna get security called on you!" Steve rushed over and grabbed [M/N] by the shoulder, hauling his head up out of the fountain. Water splashed everywhere- some of it soaking straight into Steve’s uniform. 

"It was refreshing..." [M/N] coughed, spitting out some fountain water as he blinked and shook his head like a wet dog. More water splattered onto Steve, to which the latter just stared at him, dripping. 

"Dude..." 

Anyways- 

Steve, Robin, Dustin, and [M/N] had stayed at the mall until closing, trying to translate the Russian message- and somehow, they had actually managed to do it. 

Well… mostly. 

Robin had definitely been carrying the team with [M/N], who had been fading in and out of consciousness for most of the evening. Every now and then he’d mutter a word or two when she got stuck, while Dustin helped spell things out and scribble them on the board. Steve, meanwhile, had stayed at the front counter doing his job. Every so often he’d stick his head through the little window to ask about their progress- only to be further disappointed when the next translated sentence turned out to be just as boring as the first. 

"The week is long. The silver cat feeds when blue and yellow meet in the west." 

Robin still hadn’t finished the third sentence yet, but [M/N] was fairly certain she’d figure it out eventually- much to his dismay. Now the four of them were leaving Scoops Ahoy after closing. [M/N] waited behind Steve as he pulled the outer gate shut, tapping lightly against his helmet while Dustin and Robin had already started walking ahead. 

"I mean, that just can't be right." Steve said as he locked the gate. [M/N] gave him a small nod when Steve thanked him for waiting, and the two of them jogged to catch up with the others. 

"It's right." Robin insisted when they reached her and Dustin, slowing down so they were all walking together. 

"Honestly, I think it's great news," Dustin said, somehow looking smug. Steve narrowed his eyes at him and kicked a pebble across the floor. 

"How is this good news? I mean, so much for being American heroes. This is total nonsense." [M/N] shrugged. 

"Sure, but it could be a code." Dustin’s eyes lit up immediately. He snapped his fingers and pointed at [M/N] like he’d just said something brilliant. 

"What do you mean a code?" 

"A super-secret spy code." Steve looked skeptical. 

"That’s a total stretch." 

"I dunno… is it?" Robin interjected. Steve raised a brow at her. 

"You’re buying into this?" she huffed and adjusted the strap of the bag hanging over her shoulder. 

"Listen. Just for kicks, let’s entertain the possibility that this is a secret Russian transmission. What do you think it was going to say? ‘Fire the warhead at noon?’" [M/N] snorted while Dustin nodded enthusiastically. 

"Exactly." Robin then gestured toward [M/N]. 

"And our translation is correct- I know that for sure. The silver cat feeds. Why would anyone talk like that unless they were trying to mask the real meaning of their message?" [M/N] nodded, raising a finger. 

"Right? The structure of the sentence isn’t normal. The chances of it being a hidden message are pretty high." 

"And why would someone want to mask a sentence like that unless it was sensitive information?" Robin added. 

"Exactly!" Dustin exclaimed, bouncing excitedly on his feet. [M/N] chuckled when he noticed with Steve walking beside him, silently mouthing everything they were saying while making exaggerated faces. 

"So your suspicion was correct, Henderson." 

"Evil Russians." Dustin declared proudly. Robin laughed and glanced back at Steve and [M/N]. 

"I can’t believe I’m about to agree with this strange child, but yeah- totally. Evil Russians." 

"So how do we crack it?" [M/N] slowed down when he noticed Steve was no longer by his side. He turned and saw Steve standing in front of one of those little coin-operated horse rides meant for kids. Robin and Dustin kept walking ahead, already throwing out theories about the code. [M/N] jogged over to Steve, raising a brow as he started patting down his pockets. 

"What are you doing?" [M/N] asked curiously. His eyes drifted to the machine beside Steve- a small ride labeled Indiana Flyer. He tilted his head, then smirked "If you wanted to ride something so badly, you could've just asked." They both froze. Steve slowly looked back at him, to which [M/N]’s eyes squeezed shut as a faint blush crept across his face. 

"What?" he cleared his throat awkwardly. 

"H-Honestly, that came out wrong. I meant my bike, Harrington." Steve raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. 

"Sure about that?" [M/N] cleared his throat again, pressing a hand to his face in a futile attempt to hide his embarrassment. 

"Yes..." Steve just shook his head before digging through his pockets. From the way coins started clinking against the floor, [M/N] guessed he was looking for change. Up ahead, Robin and Dustin had noticed they’d stopped. 

"Hey, Steve! [M/N]!" neither of them answered as Steve crouched down, scrambling to collect the coins that had scattered across the tile floor "What are you doing?" Robin called. 

"Uh- it's a quarter- " Steve glanced up at [M/N] "I need- do you have a quarter?" [M/N] shrugged, patting down his pockets. 

"Nope." Robin laughed as she and Dustin jogged back toward them. 

"You sure you're tall enough for that ride?" 

"Quarter!" Steve snapped, holding his hand out toward her. Robin tossed one his way. Steve fumbled the catch, nearly dropping it, but managed to snatch it out of the air before quickly shoving it into the coin slot. The horse immediately jolted to life. It began rocking smoothly up and down as cheerful carnival music started playing. [M/N] faintly recognized the tune. 

"Daisy bell?" he questioned. 

"Need help getting up there, little Stevie?" Robin teased sweetly. Dustin burst out laughing, but Steve shushed them from where he crouched beside the machine. 

"Would you guys just shut up and listen?" Robin inhaled, clearly about to fire back but didn't as they all listened. The melody continued to chime through the small speaker. [M/N]’s expression slowly shifted, as did Dustin’s. 

Realization hit them both at the same time. 

"Holy shit." Dustin croaked. [M/N]’s face twitched as he stared at the stupid plastic horse bobbing up and down. Dustin dropped to his knees, throwing his backpack onto the floor and digging through it frantically "The music... the music at the end of the tape. It’s this song!" Robin frowned, confused. 

"I don't understand..." Dustin finally found the cassette player and quickly pressed play, skipping to the exact moment. The faint melody echoed out from the recorder- It matched perfectly. 

"The melody," [M/N] said quietly, one arm wrapping around his stomach as it began to churn again "it's the exact same one in the recording." Robin frowned. 

"Maybe they have horses like this in Russia?" 

"Indiana Flyer?" Steve said, pointing to the name on the machine before shaking his head "Yeah... I don't think so." [M/N] grimaced, because if Steve was right- then the nosebleeds, the migraines, the nausea... "It came from here." 

Then a gate was opened. 

With the new information in mind, they all hurried toward the mall exit. Steve was busy locking the last door behind them when he heard Dustin let out a small, awed sound. He turned around, already sighing when he realized what had caught the kid’s attention. 

[M/N]. 

He was straddling the lonely motorbike he’d been forced to abandon the night before after throwing up. The helmet was already on his head, and he was tugging on his gloves as Dustin hurried over to him. Steve followed close behind, knowing he’d be dropping Dustin off at home anyway. 

"Wow! You drive a motorbike?" [M/N]’s muffled laughter came from beneath the helmet. He reached up and flipped his visor open. 

"What? You think this helmet was just for show?" Robin snickered as she pulled her own bike free from the rack. 

"Nah, he probably thought it was for a scooter." [M/N] shook his head at her but laughed anyway. He kicked the stand back and balanced the bike on one leg before starting it with the other. The engine roared to life before settling into a smooth rumble. Everyone except Dustin immediately covered their ears. Dustin, on the other hand, looked absolutely thrilled. Steve and Robin were used to it by now- [M/N] rode that thing to school all the time. [M/N] was about to flip his visor back down when he noticed Dustin staring intently. Not at him- at the bike. More specifically, at the hand gripping the throttle. Dustin blinked when he realized he’d been caught staring. Before he could apologize, [M/N] slowly lifted his hand from the throttle and leaned back slightly. 

"Wanna have a go at it?" Dustin lit up instantly. 

"Really? Can I?" he shrugged and leaned back. 

"Go for it." Dustin grinned and rushed over. His hand hesitated for a moment before gripping the throttle and twisting it. The bike revved loudly and Dustin let out a delighted laugh and did it again. And again. After a few more revs, he finally stepped back, clearly satisfied. 

"You are, officially, awesome." [M/N] threw his head back and laughed before giving Dustin a playful wink. 

"Thanks. It’s such an honor." his gaze drifted up toward Steve, who was standing nearby with his arms crossed, looking unimpressed "Hope you don’t get jealous and think I’m gonna steal him, Harrington." Steve let out a dry, sarcastic laugh and flipped him off. [M/N], just as petty, lifted his own hand and returned the gesture before laughing again. 

"Oh! Before you leave..." [M/N] looked back toward Dustin and saw the kid slipping his backpack off again, rummaging through it. He raised a brow when Dustin pulled out a walkie-talkie and held it out to him "Here!" [M/N] looked between the device and Dustin before tilting his head. 

"And you're giving this to me, why?" Dustin rolled his eyes like the answer should have been obvious. 

"To contact you! You're obviously a crucial member of this team, and since you don't exactly work at Scoops Ahoy and just loiter around, I figured we might need a way to reach you immediately." [M/N] blinked, narrowing his eyes at the kid before shrugging. 

"You know there's something called a landline." 

"I don't know your number." He snorted. 

"Yeah, it's called looking through a phonebook and figuring it out." Dustin just stared at him, [M/N] shook his head and took it before stowing it away. 

"But I'll keep it, since you so generously gave it to me." 

Dustin stepped away when [M/N] nudged him back slightly. [M/N] stretched one leg out and twisted the throttle, spinning the bike into a tight donut that left dark tire marks on the pavement. Then he pulled the front wheel up into a quick wheelie before slamming it back down and speeding away from Starcourt Mall, leaving behind a trail of smoke and the fading echo of the engine. Dustin watched him disappear with wide eyes. 

"Yeah," he said in awe "he’s really cool." Steve just rolled his eyes. 

"Sure, whatever you say Henderson." Robin huffs. 

"Don't tell me you're jealous, Harrington." Steve scoffs. 

"Please, I'm not jealous." both Robin and Dustin look up at Steve, not believing a word he said "I'm not!" 

[october, 1984]

It almost been about a year since the disappearance of Will Byers, but after that hectic day, the young boy was found. It was said he was found by the Hawkins Lab, but [M/N] and Venom knew the truth, but he wasn't exactly sure how they were able to get him out of that other dimension. He didn't know, and he certainly didn't want to know, all that he did know was that the monster was no longer popping in and out of Hawkins and killing people. He couldn't feel its presence anymore so he didn't have episodes as frequently, and although Venom was sulking because he couldn't eat those agents and blame it on that monster, they were getting by. School wasn't any different, well, other than the fact that he and Steve weren't at each other's throat anymore. His group of friends were shocked to see [M/N] greet Steve rather cheerfully, going so far as to raising his hand to wave while smiling at the brunette, he laughed when even Steve looked startled with how friendly [M/N] was being with him. Since Steve was no longer friends with Tommy Hagan and Carol Perkins, or rather apart of their clique, Steve either hung around Jonathan and Nancy or his friend group. They were standoffish in the beginning but seeing how [M/N] wasn't strangling him they relaxed, but that didn't mean they fully forgave Steve for his wrongdoings.

Eddie was the most shocked that that [M/N] had become friends with King Steve Harrington, especially after all the stuff Steve and his lackies did to him over the years. [M/N] apologize to Eddie, of course he apologized because he himself never forgot what Steve did to his brother in name, but reassured Eddie that Steve had changed. Would he really become friends with the guy after being hostile with him for about a year? He was less angry with [M/N] and more upset that he "became friends with the enemy", to which the younger one of the two pinched the bridge of his nose in mild annoyance due to the double standards. [M/N] was technically a jock, he was apart of the popular crowd, but as Eddie has stated many times over and over again "you're different, you're nice". But people also change, because he sure as hell wasn't nice in the beginning. He was riddled with anxiety, he was a social outcast who preferred isolation over bonding with classmates.

"Come on, give the dude a break. He's changed for the better." he urges as he follows Eddie around the trailer, Wayne was watching rather amused because Eddie was ignoring [M/N]'s every word and attempt to apologize "He's not as much of an asshole as he was the year prior. Jonathan gave him the beat down he needed!"

"Still doesn't change what he did the year prior." [M/N] let out a groan as he dragged his hands down his face.

"Just give Steve a chance, Eddie. Nancy says he's a real sweetheart, a bit of a dumbass, but a sweetheart. She wouldn't date him if he remained an asshole."

"But she did date him when he was an asshole. Weren't you disappointed in her in the beginning?" [M/N] exhaled as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Well, yes, but come on!" his shoulders slumped when Eddie retreated into his room and started blasting heavy metal to drown out [M/N]'s voice, although he and Venom flinched when he volume reached a high pitch. Wayne chuckled softly as he approached him from behind, placing a hand on his shoulder and giving it a light squeeze.

"Give the boy time, [M/N]. He'll come around eventually, but you've got to admit, you became friends with his enemy since his freshmen year."

"And he was mine because I was "stealing his popularity". But I got over it."

"The difference between you and Eddie's freshmen year was that yours lasted about a year, for Eddie it was much longer. So he's got a lot more resentment for the boy than you did." [M/N] opened his mouth to protest but slowly closed it, he... had a point "But it's good that you believe he's changed. The last thing I need is to hear more complaints about Harrington, I had enough when it was just Eddie." this caused him to scratch his cheek, vaguely remembering how he used to complain about Steve.

"Sorry about that." Wayne then pats his arm.

"How's about you find something to clear your head? Like I said, I'm sure Eddie will come around... eventually." now Wayne sounded unsure which caused him to purse his lips, but he took his advice and went outside to work on his bike. It was really coming along now, he could actually start the engine without the muffler spitting out black smoke. The first time he did he got blasted in the face when he went to check, Venom laughed in their head when his entire face was covered in smog, he was not amused in the slightest. Roddy would come around to see the progress and was impressed when he'd see it run, the last time he saw the thing running he swore he saw flames burst, nearly set their garage on fire and his father got an earful from his mother.

Anyways-

It was during a nice autumn night when he finally got it to work. After replacing all the needed fluid to get the baby to run smoothly, replacing all the spark plugs and not to mention setting that damned chain in place without it snapping at his fingers, but he finally got it running. [M/N] rubbed his hands together, muttering a small prayer under his breath and even kissing the key before finding driving it into the ignition, taking another breath before finally twisting it. There was a moment of silence as [M/N] waited for something to happen, for the engine to explode, for smoke to erupt from the muffler, but nothing happened. The motorbike just rumbled to life and he had to contain his excitement after how late it had become, the last thing he needed was their neighbors shouting at him about how they were trying to sleep.

"We did it, Venom. Ooo, we actually did it." he's pumping his fist and biting his lip to contain his excitement, going so far as to falling to his knees and hitting the ground "Wait till I pull up to school on this bad boy!"

"I am sure you'll make everyone jealous." whether he was making fun of him or being serious, [M/N] didn't care because he was so happy. Maybe now he won't have to bother Eddie with rides to and back from school, or even going anywhere in general. He finally collects himself and reached to turn the bike off, but he paused just as Venom appeared over his shoulder "Why not take it for a spin?" his hand moved away from the key to glide across the seat.

"We can't..." he murmured.

"And why not? You got that flimsy card that allows you to operate vehicles without getting in trouble. There's nothing stopping you." he glanced back at the trailer where Eddie and Wayne were, sleeping or merely waiting up, then back at the bike still humming softly under his finger tips "Just take it on a test run. It wouldn't hurt you, would it?" he pursed his lips, his fingers now drumming against the seat.

"No..." he stood there for a moment, and the next he knew, he was flying down the rode and having the time of his life. Sure swinging around in the air, leaping from one area to another was just as fun, but now he could feel the wind through on his face and through his air without the need to hide. He's laughing as he revved the engine, going faster then he needed to down empty streets, even Venom was enjoying himself by sticking his tongue out, that being the first time he wasn't in control while going at incredible speeds. Sometimes when they were approaching impossible turns at the speed he was going, Venom would shoot out an appendage to a nearby sturdy structure to help him turn then slingshot them down the road and go even faster.

"This is very enjoyable, [M/N]! I understand now why you wanted to finish this bike!" [M/N] grins at the sound of Venom's voice shouting over the bike's engine "It's nice not being the one going fast!"

"I'm sure you can go faster than this, Venom! But this is very fun! We just got to be careful not to get caught by the Sheriff!" [M/N] already knew the police's routine, having gone out multiple times with Venom in control to feed him so they knew where the police were posted and avoided those spots just to continue their joy ride. They were riding around for what seemed like hours and made a little stop at lovers lake, inhaling the night air and thinking back to what happened a year prior. To think that there was a lab in Hawkins and they were completely aware about it, to think those scientists were foolish enough to open a gate despite knowing the dangers it would impose on themselves and the people of Hawkins. From the disappearance and reappearance of Will Byers, and most of all, the appearance of that little girl. He didn't know what number she was, but telling how she was able to flip a van going at speeds that was meant to run them down, he'd say she was a powerful telepath.

"I think they're still in Hawkins." Venom spoke.

"Really? Can you feel them?" he nods.

"Yes. It is faint, but I feel their presence. Perhaps it is because they are a child instead of one of those monsters that it isn't as powerful of a presence." he let out a breath as he leaned against the handle bars.

"Maybe it's a good thing. The last thing we need is another experiment running around Hawkins that would warrant unwanted attention on this already shitty town."

"A shitty town that we like." he chuckles.

"Like enough." this earned a laugh from his symbiote friend, he takes another deep breath before turning back towards the road "We should probably head back, I don't want Wayne to worry when he sees both us and the bike missing." he says as he starts turning the bike towards the road, flicking the headlights up and revving the engine.

"I'm sure he's already noticed, he doesn't rest easy until we're back inside the trailer." this comment caused him to pause, looking up in thought then grimacing as he imagines Wayne sitting in his chair and waiting patiently for them to walk through the door only to wait for hours until they do "I don't know why you keep thinking they, you're the one that's going to get in trouble." he shakes his head.

"Nah uh, we're getting in trouble. Because why didn't you stop me, huh? You're just as responsible." he snickers when he saw Venom narrow his eyes at him.

"... touché." and they were correct.

The moment they stepped into the trailer, they were greeted by the sight of Wayne standing in the living room with his arms crossed, one eyebrow arched in quiet disappointment. His fingers tapped slowly against his bicep, a silent, deadly rhythm that said "you’re in trouble" far louder than any yelling ever could. By the time morning rolled around and Eddie stumbled out of his room, hair a mess and eyes barely open, he froze mid-step. In front of him sat [M/N], sniffling pitifully on the couch while Wayne stood over him, holding a slipper like it was a weapon of divine justice. Eddie wished, prayed, he’d had a camera. Once Wayne explained what happened, Eddie immediately burst into laughter, doubling over and slapping his knee while [M/N]’s face crumpled as fresh tears welled up. The louder Eddie laughed, the more dramatic the sniffling became. Wayne raised the slipper again, and [M/N] yelped, throwing his hands over his head. But instead of smacking him, Wayne hurled it straight at Eddie, hitting him right in the chest.

"Don’t you go laughin'." Wayne scolded, jabbing a finger at him "You did the exact same damn thing when you brought home that van."

"Yeah, but-" Eddie wheezed between laughs, "I wasn’t- sniffly! Look at him!"

"M’sorry…" [M/N] muttered, shoulders shaking. A minute later, Wayne had managed to corral both idiots onto the couch. They sat side-by-side, heads down like scolded schoolkids, while Wayne stood before them tapping his foot on the floor in that same disappointed rhythm.

"You two better sit there and think about your actions." Wayne said sternly "Both of you."

Eddie didn't even do anything to warrant this but here he was.

Venom himself was laughing.

But that wasn’t the point. [M/N] had spent the rest of that day hunched over the bike, giving the old thing a long-overdue touch-up so it wouldn’t look like complete garbage when he rolled up to school on it. He scrubbed off rust, fixed the worst of the paint, and buffed the frame until it gleamed again. Whenever he needed to reach some cramped, impossible spot, Venom slipped out just enough to handle the job with ease. Long, dark tendrils working like extra hands before snapping back into place. By the end of the week, the bike was looking damn near brand new. Clean, polished, purring like it had been born yesterday instead of decades ago. And [M/N], standing back with his hands on his hips and a proud grin stretched across his face, knew one thing for certain:

He was going to have so much fun driving this baby to school.

[morning]

The morning air over Hawkins High carried that familiar crisp bite of early autumn, the kind that made exhaust smoke hang a little longer, the kind that signaled another monotonous day for the students already filing into the building. The parking lot was alive with idle chatter, the crunch of gravel under shoes, that was until they heard the rev of a blue Camaro as. Loud, showy, unapologetically cocky. Heads had already turned for him, whispers following in his wake about the "new guy from California" and his bad-boy swagger. He tossed his cigarette to the ground as he starts making his way towards the school but stumbled back when something fast blipped past him, the students nearest the lot turned in unison, their conversations dying out as all eyes tracked the blur that shot down the drive and whipped into the parking lot like a streak of silver lightning.

A sleek, vintage 1970 Ducati Scrambler 350 came to a stop right in front of the main steps. Its tires hissed against the asphalt, the engine rumbling low before cutting off entirely, leaving behind a stunned silence that seemed to hang in the air. Clad in a fitted but weathered leather jacket, the owner lifted his hands that were also covered in gloves and hooked on the edges of his helmet and slowly pulled it off. A tousled head of hair fell free, dark/light strands catching the light as he gave his head a sharp toss, shaking them loose. One stray lock fell right between his eyes, and with an exhale, he blew it away, a half-smirk tugging at his lips.

"Holy shit..."

"Dude..."

"Isn't that [M/N]?" Billy cocked a brow as the crowd that was previously whispering about him were now gawking at the [H/C] boy, to which said boy lowered his head to mess with his hair some more. He grinned as his group of friends rushed towards him when he slipped off it, crossing his arms across his chest as they looked over the bike.

"Finally finished it. Ain't she a beaut?" Roddy smacked his hand on his shoulder as his hand glided over the handle bars.

"Dude, and to think this piece of shit used to run on hopes a dreams. My dad is gonna flip when he sees what you did to it." he smirked as he took off his gloves and tossed them into his helmet "When did you finish it?"

"A couple nights ago, I just had to fix up the paint job and she was done. Perfect timing though, eh?" another one of his friends nodded as he held up a orange poster of sorts between his two fingers.

"Uh huh, Tina's apparently throwing a halloween party." [M/N] tries to take it to have a look but it was pulled away "And I think she wants to personally give you one, Munson." they all snicker when [M/N]'s face immediately turned uncomfortable.

"I swear if she corners me I'm gonna cry." he was smacked in the back by a few of them as they start pushing him into the school.

"Don't worry, we know how uncomfortable you get with girls who throw themselves at you." they're all laughing as he shakes his head at their banter, however, he looks back towards the parking lot when he felt an unfamiliar gaze on the back of his head. That's when he spotted him, the blonde who was wearing denim from head to toe. [M/N] looked him up and down, curious, maybe, but not impressed. Then he just… moved on. Billy didn't know whether he wanted to punch the guy or to strangle him, either worked in his opinion.

The day went by with people complimenting him on his bike and how well he managed to bring it to life, some girls were asking if he could give them a ride on it as well. How he got out of those situations were his friends grabbing him and pushing him away so he wouldn't have to decline to their faces, knowing that he didn't want to waste gas on driving them around. And true to their words, later that afternoon Tina came up to him to hand him an invite, batting her eyes up at him while tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I'll see you there, right?" he winked as he took it from her.

"Wouldn't miss it." she blushed as she bit her lip, but the instance he was out of view he couldn't help but sigh as he rubbed the back of his neck. Venom and he didn't do well with parties because a. it was pretty loud and he wasn't sure if Venom could handle it and b. being pressed against drunk and sweaty teens sounded like a nightmare that he'd love to decline, but... his gaze fell onto Eddie, who sneakily swiped one from Tina "Are you going to party, or..." Eddie grinned mischievously as he dangled his lunchbox between them.

"Gotta help Wayne earn some dough too." [M/N] ran a hand through his hair as he tucked the invite into his jacket.

"How about doing it legally? You're gonna get caught one of these days, Eddie." this earned him a laugh as Eddie smacked the back of his hand against his chest.

"I've been doing it long before we even met, kiddo. People can't say no to the need of getting high off their minds. It's the best feeling ever, you should try it some time." [M/N] just shook his head, knowing that any harmful substance would be rendered useless no thanks to Venom, so it would be a waste on him.

"No thanks, don't want to go through a bad trip just for a puff." Eddie just shrugged his shoulders.

"Suit yourself, but, will your friends be there?" he snickered when [M/N] kicked him in his legs, he scurries off before he could kick him harder.

"Fuck off, dude." nothing really eventful happened the rest of the day until baseball practice, his team was batting first and it was nearly time for them to switch over. He had already gone up to bat so he was adjusting his mitt when he felt that familiar gaze on the side of his head, he just chuckled as he made his way to the pitcher's position and tossed the baseball up and down as the rest of his and the opposing team got into position.

"The blonde one keeps staring at us." he just chuckled as he peeked over at Billy by the bleachers from under his cap, a smirk tugging onto his lips with how intense Billy's glare was.

"I am well aware of that." he muttered softly.

"He smells strange? Like smoke and fire and anger. We do not like him." [M/N] rolled his eyes as the first opposing batter got into position.

"Then stop inhaling him when he passes us."

"Let me eat him." he snorted as he saw the catcher hold up one finger, a fastball? Hmph, that's his specialty.

"We're not going to eat him, Venom. You can't suggest we eat everyone who we don't like." he could just feel the symbiote pout from within him.

"I grave flesh, [M/N]. I wish to eat." he shakes his head.

"Then we'll eat those agents at the lab, okay? That's the only human flesh you'll ever get to eat." he sighs when he feels Venom salivate this time, god, it was like trying to please a child. He blatantly looks towards Billy and smirks at the blonde, tipping his cap to him before standing up straight as he was getting ready to throw. Billy scowled at the disrespect as he planned to maybe run [M/N] down on his way home, but his gaze fell upon the opposing team. They looked uneasy, muttering to themselves, tightening their gloves. Some crossed their fingers, some murmured prayers under their breath.

"Come on, [M/N]!"

"Show us that killer pitch!" Billy scoffed, that sounds stupid.

PHWEEEEEET!

It happened so fast.

[M/N] was already in the motion before the whistle was even blown, but once it was, the ball left his hand like a bullet. Billy’s mouth dropped open as he watched the ball cut through the air at a speed that should have been impossible for a high school kid. His eyes widened in disbelief. How the hell? He takes a step back as the ball slammed into the catcher’s mitt, the force reverberating up the man’s arm. The leather popped, the thud echoed, and even from this distance, Billy could see the catcher flinch as he braced himself.

The crowd went wild, screaming, laughing, cheering. But to [M/N], it was all almost casual. His smirk widened slightly as he readied the next pitch, knowing exactly what was happening. Venom coiled eagerly in his mind, pushing him to extremes humans weren’t supposed to reach. The next pitch tore past the batter at a fraction of a second, the wood rattling violently against the ball as it flew back into the catcher’s mitt. Even the batter flinched, stepping back instinctively. Another cheer erupted from the crowd, almost hysterical in their awe.

"Come on, dude! Some of us want to play too!"

"Yeah, go easy on them!" he waved his hand in apology.

"My bad. I'll stop." the catcher let out a sigh of relief as he rolled his shoulder, he didn't know if his arm could handle another one of his destructive throws. He snickers as he hops on his foot while adjusting his cap, winking at the next batter that yeah, he was gonna go easy on you but no, he was still gonna be a pain in the ass while doing it. Practice ended with [M/N]'s team winning, obviously, because no one can ever get the hang of his pitches, so when they're playing against different schools their pitches are no where near on [M/N]'s level.

"Dude, seriously, what is your dad feeding you?"

"You're built like a tank!" in the back of his mind he's picturing all the people Venom has eaten, he unconsciously licks his lips before covering his mouth when his own thoughts of how disgusting human flesh was overlapped his mind. Sometimes it's a pain in the ass that he and Venom shared the same mind at times, sometimes he wanted to keep his thoughts private but of course no-

"Let us eat, [M/N]. You promised that we would!" he closed his eyes with an exhausted sigh.

"In a bit, okay? I still wanna ride on my bike." Venom pouts from within him.

"Mm, fine. Under the cover of night, we feast." he rolled his eyes.

"Sure." after changing out of his baseball uniform he grabbed his helmet and started making his way out of the building when he spotted Steve lingering around his bike, looking it up and down with slight awe while his fingers gently glided over the seat. He was reaching for the handle bars when he noticed a pair of legs on the other side of the bike and he jumped back, a startled yelp escaping his lips as he looked up and saw [M/N] looking at him with clear amusement "How's it hanging, Harrington?" he chuckled when Steve rubbed the back of neck, his cheeks flushing upon realizing he let out such an embarrassing sound.

"N-Nothing much. I was just- ahem, just admiring the bike, is all."

"She's a beaut, ain't she?" he asks as he pats the seat "Finally got her up and running and now she purrs like a kitten." Steve can't help but laugh at [M/N]'s terminology, this earned him a grin "What? It's true! You should have heard it the first time I started it. Sounded like a dying raccoon, it wasn't pretty."

"I can imagine." [M/N] chuckled as he ran a hand through his hair. Steve stepped back when he pulled his gloves on and swung a leg over his bike. Even after the engine started, Steve kept staring. [M/N] hummed, helmet resting in his lap.

"You’re looking at me like you wanna ride?" he teased. Steve’s eyes widened before he quickly backed up, waving his hands.

"O-Oh, no. As fun as that sounds, I’d rather not be on the back of that death trap with you of all people driving." [M/N] threw his head back laughing.

"Understandable. But the offer stands if you ever wanna feel the wind through that luscious hair of yours. It’s a nice feeling, actually." he reached out and brushed a bit of Steve’s hair aside, missing the way Steve’s breath hitched before slipping his helmet on. He flicked his visor up and winked, the grin under the helmet unseen "See you later, Steve." he flicked the visor down, revved the engine, and drove out of the lot, again missing the way Steve had tousled his hair. [M/N] inhaled deeply as he cruised down the surprisingly empty street, grinning at the thought of blitzing home and then focusing on feeding Venom. Since it was Halloween the next day, after some fun at Tina’s party, he and Venom planned to “trick or treat”-aka, rob kids of their candy.

He snickered at the thought, then perked up when he spotted a car ahead. He planned to overtake it but paused when he recognized it: that same sleek blue Camaro with a California license plate. His fingers tapped against the handlebars as he smirked, shifting gears to get fast enough to pull ahead. The blonde hadn't seemed to notice him yet until the young girl in the passenger seat spotted him and pointed him out, Billy turned his head and was a little startled to see [M/N] driving along side him. He cheekily waved his hand before getting ahead of the car and slamming his fist down on the hood, throwing his head back with a laugh when he saw the shocked look on both of their faces before driving away. He glanced down at his sideview mirror and smirked when he heard the roar of the engine followed by the car getting closer, he spared it a glance before shifting gears again and speeding down the road.

He wasn’t the least bit scared as Billy chased him down the road toward town, if anything, it was exhilarating. Venom murmured in the back of his mind about how cute it was that the blonde boy thought he could run them down, and honestly, it kind of was. Billy Hargrove was new to town, while he knew these streets like the back of his hand. And knowing the streets also meant knowing exactly where the police were stationed. He wove through turns with effortless precision while Billy struggled to keep up. Then he lifted his head, spotted his moment, and squeezed down hard on the brakes. His bike shrieked as it lifted onto the front wheel, balancing in a controlled, abrupt stop. Billy, having not expected [M/N] to stop so suddenly, swerved out of the way before he could hit him and blew right past the police cruiser. [M/N] smirked as he watched the red and blue lights flash as it gave chase and what started as a small chuckled erupted into laughter as he watched Billy get pulled over.

"Oh, that's hilarious!" he exclaims, throwing his head back again and smacking his hand against his helmet "Dumbass." he casually drove by and snickered to himself when he saw that he was getting a ticket, he perked up when he saw Officer Callahan wave his hand.

"Well, what a pleasant surprise, Munson. I see you finally got your bike up and running. Off to see the Hughes family." he flicks his visor up and winks while snapping his fingers.

"That I am. Hope you have a splendid afternoon, Officer Callahan." he clicks his tongue and while Callahan was distracted, he looked at Billy through the passenger side window and flipped him off before revving his bike and driving off. Man, it's fun missing with this guy. When he pulled up the the Hughes household, Roddy's family, he revved the engines loud enough that Roddy's father burst through he front door ready to shout at the delinquent but quieted down when he recognized the bike.

"Is that... no way." he breathed softly as he approached, his wife following close behind.

"What is it hon?" [M/N] grinned as he tore the helmet off and opened his arms up from his seat on top of the bike.

"Boom, baby!" he laughed as he peeled himself off the bike then let out a whoa when Eugene, Roddy's father, wrapped his arms around him and hoisted him up. He's laughing even louder when he heard him let out a groan because of both his and Venom's weight and quickly put him down, Trudy, Roddy's mother, giggled softly as she and [M/N] pat Eugene on the back.

"You had that coming, dear." they step back when he pushed his hands into his lower back and only stopped when he heard a crack, after recovering, he bounced over to the still running bike and gestured to it like a child on Christmas day.

"You did it, you fixed her up!"

"I sure did. Doesn't she sound pretty?" Eugene revved the engine and clapped at the sound, it didn't sound like it was dying.

"You did such a great job, son! Well done." he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly at the praise as well as Trudy patting his back.

"At least now you won't be hounding our son for rides anymore."

"And your real son still believes you're playing favorites." [M/N] snickered when Roddy pulled up to the curb with an irritated expression, he ignored the way his father was still gushing about the bike to approach his friend and mother "You've become the brother I never wanted." he shrugged his shoulders.

"Sorry dude. If it makes you feel better, I love you." Roddy stared at him before laughing and shoving him back.

"Shut the fuck up." they continue to chatter as they wait for his father to finish marveling over the bike when [M/N] heard a familiar engine in the distance. He raised his head and he made a face between surprise and amusement when he saw that blue Camaro pull up to the curb just a few houses down, Roddy and Trudy question why he suddenly started snickering and he just shakes his head and answers that it was nothing. When Billy eventually notices him, [M/N] cheekily waved his hand again and his grin widened when he saw the way his face flare up as he glared at him, crumpling what he expected was the ticket in his hand.

"I didn't know Hargrove was your neighbor." [M/N] comments as Billy flipped him off, he only winked in response to the gesture as the blonde scoffed and walked off after slamming his door closed.

"Neither did I. That guy's gonna be so annoying in the mornings." Roddy complained as he only thought about how loud his engine way, [M/N] in turn smirked.

Oh, man. He's really gonna have fun with this guy.

[night of the party]

And fun he did have.

The hours leading up to Tina's Halloween party was, mwah, chefs kiss.

It was a well known fact with Hawkins High that [M/N] was the runner up to be the new King of Hawkins with Steve Harrington inevitably graduating that year. He was well liked amongst his peers and teachers alike, from his charm and looks alone people could overlook that he was a Munson and trailer trash. He was academically gifted and the star pitcher of the baseball team, soon to be captain when their current one was to graduate the same year. He had a flawless reputation with seemingly nothing wrong with him, but that was so far from the truth.

Just simply existing within Billy's vicinity pissed him off and it was hilarious, and no matter where the blonde went he'd either see that smug prick waving at him or people were talking about him. Tommy Hagan, that weird rat boy that used to hang around Steve Harrington, told him everything he didn't really wanna know about [M/N]. It was stuff he had already learned about just by observing the guy and the conversations he overheard, but he just couldn't accept how... perfect, he was. There just had to be something wrong with him, just something. Even Tommy couldn't think of a flaw [M/N] had, as it was already mentioned, the only bad thing about him was that he was a Munson. He was Eddie Munson's younger cousin, the infamous drug dealer, D&D fanatic and biggest freak of Hawkins High. Eddie's uncle was [M/N]'s father and both he and Eddie couldn't be so different, like complete polar opposites.

"Eddie Munson is like the biggest freak in this school, the only good thing about him is the weed he sells. Pretty good shit, if you ask me. [M/N], on the other hand, he's like the perfect golden boy. Girls love him, guys wanna be him. He's the most popular kid in school, so if you wanna be the new king, you've gotta kick him off his high horses." Billy scoffed as he watched [M/N] from afar.

"Easier said than done."

"True, but I'm just saying."

"And I need you to shut the fuck up." Tommy raised his hands up defensively just as [M/N] and his friend group walked by, laughing and patting each other on the back as they went by. Billy's hand clenched into a tight fist when [M/N] spared him a look and winked before laughing when he saw the enraged look on the blonde's face, he was excited to mess with this guy during Tina's party.

And that brings us too...

"Dude, what are you wearing?" [M/N] glanced back at Eddie, raising a brow in mild confusion as the brunette entered the living room and saw him tying a cape around his shoulders. "Don't tell me you're doing a lazy costume." he just shrugged.

"It's better than nothing, no?" Eddie tapped his foot furiously before grabbing the strings of the cape and yanking him into his room. "H-Hey! What's the big idea?" [M/N] sputtered a few words as Eddie tossed something into his lap. He stared at it in confusion while Eddie rummaged through his room for the necessary items.

"If you give me a moment, I'll have you looking drop-dead gorgeous!" [M/N] scoffed, slapping the cover and turning it toward Eddie.

"Dude, what is this? Are you sure you're not trying to dress me up as KISS? I do not want to wear latex, man." Eddie let out a sigh.

"No, just, urgh- trust the process!" [M/N] grunted when Eddie threw black pants, a torn black shirt, and combat boots into his lap, instructing him to change as he searched for other stuff. He returned from the bathroom with makeup he usually used for gigs and the leather arm braces he wore for D&D campaigns, assuming [M/N] had changed into the clothes already. He was partially right, the pants were on, but [M/N] was still in the midst of putting on the shirt when Eddie barged in. "Ah, dude! Come on!" Eddie ignored him, tossing everything but the makeup onto the bed. Once [M/N] was dressed, Eddie sat him down on the edge of his bed and grabbed the makeup to start applying it.

He applied white face paint evenly over [M/N]'s entire face, including the eyelids, lips, and visible parts of his neck. Next came the black eyeliner, carefully outlining [M/N]'s eyes heavily and extending slightly past the eyelids. Eddie filled in the eye sockets with heavily blended black eyeshadow, painted the lips black, and extended the black lines slightly outward. Finally, he drew the vertical streaks down the cheeks under the eyes, starting thick at the top and tapering as they went down.

"Mm… perfect!" Eddie yanked him to his feet and dragged him straight into the bathroom. Before [M/N] could even glance at the mirror, Eddie turned on the tap, soaked his hands, and immediately buried them in [M/N]’s usually neat hair, scrubbing and mussing it until it stuck out in wild, uneven strands. Only when he was satisfied did he step back and gesture toward the mirror. [M/N] finally looked and blinked hard before glancing back at Eddie with a raised brow.

"Again, KISS?" Eddie groaned, throwing his head back as he smacked the back of his hand against [M/N]’s chest.

"No! It’s concept art by an artist from ’81, and I thought you’d look great!" [M/N] sighed, adjusting the leather braces on his forearms, then leaned closer to the mirror.

"…I’ve got to admit, I do look good." Eddie cheered, clapping loudly. [M/N] pointed at him with a warning look "But I swear to god, if I get made fun of, I’m kicking your ass at this party. Brothers in name be damned!" Eddie laughed, batting his hand away.

"Dude, trust me! You look hot. People are gonna lose their minds when you show up on that bike looking like that." [M/N] stared a moment longer before huffing and turning away.

"If you say so."

"I know so."

"Mm hmm." by the time Eddie was getting himself ready, [M/N] was already stepping outside and slipping onto his motorcycle. He reached for his helmet only for something to be tossed over his head. He grabbed it, pulled it off, and unfolded a long leather trench coat.

"Put that on to complete the look but leave it open. Makes you look badass." Eddie called as [M/N] was sliding it on when he stopped by his van and spun back around "Oh, and ditch the helmet! Ruins the look."

"But safety!"

"Fuck it for tonight! It’s the look, the look!" [M/N] groaned but tossed the helmet aside.

"Fine, fine! You win! If I get in an accident and suffer head trauma, it’s your fault!" Eddie only laughed, shrugging as he climbed into his van.[M/N] flipped him off before sighing and checking his reflection in his bike’s mirror "Do I look okay, Venom?"

"You look like a loser." he deadpanned.

"Why do I even bother with you…" he felt Venom smirk as he rolled his eyes and started the engine, drowning the symbiote’s laughter in the roar of the bike. The wind whipped through his hair, the ends of the trench coat snapping behind him as he sped toward Tina’s party.

And when he pulled up?

Yeah. Eddie was definitely right.

Everyone recognized the sound of his bike, the low growl cutting through Tina’s music and chatter like a warning shot. A few people perked up, already wearing matching grins, everyone loved when [M/N] showed up. But the second he rolled into the driveway and slipped off his bike, those grins faltered.

Because no one recognized this version of him.

[M/N] was usually clean, controlled, put together, hair neat, clothes straight, always looking like he stepped out of a catalog rather than a garage. But tonight? Tonight he looked like he’d walked straight out of a punk-rock fever dream. He swung his leg off the bike in one smooth motion, trench coat whipping behind him dramatically as if he timed it with the breeze. His usually perfect hair was a wild, tousled mess. The dark, stylized makeup sharpened his features into something intense, almost dangerous. The bracers on his forearms caught the party lights as he moved, picking up the glow like metal under stage lights.

"Holy shit…" and from inside his head, Venom purred, smug, satisfied, and far too entertained. [M/N] chuckled under his breath as his friends rushed toward him, eyes wide with a mix of surprise and admiration. Roddy was the first to reach him, smacking a hand against his back as he appraised him head to toe.

"Dude, what the fuck are you wearing? I thought you said you were dressing up as a vampire or something." Roddy exclaimed, eyes darting over the dark trench coat, torn black shirt, and combat boots, not forgetting the carefully smudged makeup that made his pale skin and dark eyes pop. [M/N] shrugged, casually brushing some of his wild hair back from his face.

"I tried, but Eddie scolded me and dressed me up in this. I feel a little ridiculous." Roddy froze for a moment before a wide grin spread across his face. Without warning, he slapped [M/N] lightly across the cheek and grabbed the collar of his trench coat, tugging him down into a mock bow.

"You can shut the fuck up. As your best friend, this is the best you've ever looked." he said, letting go but giving [M/N] an approving nod. The others circled around, nodding and echoing Roddy’s sentiment.

"Seriously, dude, Eddie outdid himself." one of them added, and a few others chimed in, complimenting everything from the layers of black clothing to the dramatic eyeliner. [M/N] could feel the faint heat of embarrassment creep up his neck, hidden only by the heavy collar of the trench coat. If it weren’t for the makeup, his flushed cheeks would have been impossible to miss. As they stepped inside the house, the attention only grew. People immediately flocked to him, gushing over his costume and the way he carried it, calling him cool, hot, and even sexy. A few bold kids asked outright who he was supposed to be, and he just shrugged, flashing a mischievous smile.

"You should ask my cousin." he replied casually, letting the mystery linger. He scanned the backyard and finally spotted Eddie leaning against the fence, casually selling to a group of seniors. Eddie’s eyes lit up the instant he saw the crowd surrounding [M/N]. He smirked knowingly, clearly pleased with the effect his styling had achieved. [M/N] rolled his eyes, shooting Eddie a mock glare, and in response, Eddie laughed loudly, tossing a playful middle finger in his direction.

"Enough about that already! We're here to drink, have fun, and to party!" a red cup was thrusted into his hands as the others thrust their cups up, he shook his head but followed their lead with a laugh as a crowd roared from outside the house.

Billy Hargrove had just finished the keg stand, completely demolishing Steve Harrington’s previous best record. The crowd erupted into cheers, Tommy practically hovering around Billy like a starstruck fan, hanging onto every word he said. Billy, chest heaving and face flushed, finally straightened up and let the cheers wash over him, but then his eyes locked with Steve’s across the room after entering the house. Steve’s jaw tightened, his arms crossed over his chest, glaring but not just at Billy. The heat of rivalry and the rush of competition filled the space between them. But before either could act, a louder roar of excitement drew both of their attention, slicing through the tension like a knife.

There, in the center of a makeshift ring of cheering students, was [M/N]. His black trench coat had been abandoned somewhere along the way for the party, sleeves rolled up, shirt slightly disheveled from the night’s chaos with noticeable sweat trailing down his exposed skin. His hands gripped the arms of a wrestler from the school’s team, and the student’s face contorted with effort… while [M/N] barely seemed to notice. Red plastic cups lined the floor beside him, some tipped over, some empty, some held triumphantly in his hand.

He slammed down the arm of his final opponent with a grin, raising a fist in victory as the surrounding students erupted into whoops and applause. Red cups flew into the air, laughter and drunken cheers blending into a cacophony that could have drowned out the music entirely. Steve blinked, mouth slightly open, utterly unable to process how [M/N] could dominate not just the wrestling team but also keep down the copious amounts of alcohol he had consumed.

“How are you not drunk, man?” Roddy asked, eyes wide. [M/N] just shrugged nonchalantly, tilting a cup to his lips before throwing it back with a practiced motion.

"I ain’t no wimp." he said, the faintest smirk tugging at his lips.

As the crowd continued to cheer and disperse around him, [M/N]’s gaze swept across the room and finally landed on the duo in question. Billy, smirking confidently, had that perfect posture of someone who felt untouchable, while Steve looked somewhere between annoyed and impressed, fists loosely curled at his sides. A slow, knowing grin spread across [M/N]’s face. He raised a red cup in a mocking salute toward Billy, letting the smugness linger just long enough to be noticed, and then waved at Steve, genuine happiness lighting up his features. Steve, caught off guard, raised a hand awkwardly, unsure whether to laugh, groan, or just retreat. Billy, on the other hand, frowned at the cocky gesture as he approached the two.

"Sup, city boy?" [M/N] drawled with a smirk aimed at Billy, then his expression immediately softened when he turned toward Steve "Hi, Harrington~" he cooed, wiggling his fingers at both of them. Roddy smacked his arm, earning a snicker from [M/N], while Steve coughed out a laugh at the sudden shift in tone. Rubbing the back of his neck, Steve gestured vaguely at [M/N]’s outfit.

"You look… different." at that, [M/N] lifted both arms and glanced down at himself.

"I know, right? But I look good, don’t I? People won’t shut up about it." As if summoned, someone passing by shouted.

"Love the costume, Munson! You look hot!" [M/N] smirked and pointed.

"See what I mean?" Steve huffed a laugh.

"Well, maybe it’s because you look like your cousin." [M/N] blinked, looked down at himself again, then let out a breathy laugh.

"You telling me Eddie looks hot?" he teased. Steve rolled his eyes with dramatic flair.

"Dude, just take the compliment." [M/N] snickered again before finally turning his full attention to Hargrove, whom he’d been ignoring the entire time.

"And what about you, Hargrove?" he asked, tilting his head "Hope you’re having a grand ol’ time here in Hawkins. I’m sure the local police are just loving you." Billy’s jaw tightened.

"Fuck you, Munson. I know you did that on purpose."

"Of course I did. You were dumb enough to chase me when you don’t even know these streets yet. Maybe next time you won’t go speeding after the first asshole who bumps your car." Steve watched as the two stepped in close, practically chest-to-chest now. Billy scowling up at [M/N]’s infuriatingly smug expression "You know, it’s kinda fun messing with someone again. I’m sure we’re gonna have a blast together, Hargrove." a crowd started forming the moment Billy grabbed a fistful of [M/N]’s shirt and yanked him down. [M/N] didn’t resist, he wanted to see what the blonde would do.

"You should be careful what you wish for, trailer trash." Billy growled. [M/N] laughed, leaning down until their faces were inches apart.

"It’s cute that you think you can threaten me. Hell, even Tommy Hagan is more creative than you." the crowd erupted as Billy raised his fist, and [M/N] leaned back with a manic grin, grabbing Billy’s wrist with one hand while bringing his own fist up, but Steve shoved Billy back before either of them could land a hit.

"Cool it, you two.” Steve snapped "This is a party. Remember?" the two don't spare Steve a glance as they glare at each other, Billy's full of venom with [M/N]'s full of arrogance. The blonde finally just let out a scoff before turning on his heel and lift the two alone, [M/N]'s shoulders shook as he laughed while straightening his shirt out.

"You didn't have to do that, Harrington. I had it under control." Steve scoffed as he placed his hands on his hips.

"Dude, I've been on the other end of your endless insults. You're infuriating when you need to be and on more than one occasion I've wanted to hit you too."

"Good to know I got under your skin." he rolled his eyes again but laughed softly and went back toward where he’d left Nancy. Seeing her there surprised him for half a second, but he still lifted a hand in a casual greeting before slipping away to rejoin his own group. Soon enough, he was sprawled across an overstuffed sofa, legs kicked up on a coffee table cluttered with snacks, empty beer cans, and crushed red cups. He’d shrugged Eddie’s coat back on purely so he wouldn’t lose it, but the sleeves hung loose around his arms, his body was heating up fast, and that was always a dangerous line. The last thing he needed was Venom getting irritated or hungry because of something as simple and stupid as his temperature rising.

"When are we going trick or treating?" he groaned, head tipping back far enough that some of his drink splashed out of the cup "I crave sweets, [M/N]."

"In a bit, okay? I promised we’d go." he murmured under his breath as he sipped from the cup, the music loud enough to hide the fact he was talking to himself "And by trick or treating, you mean stealing candy from children."

"Of course. Nothing is sweeter than stealing candy from children." he sighed and shook his head, muttering something Venom ignored as usual. Every so often, drunk partygoers drifted by to drop snacks onto his lap, chips, candy bars, whatever they were holding and he casually pocketed most of it for Venom later… and maybe Eddie, if he wanted something to munch on. Food itself was still complicated. He trusted what he and Wayne cooked together, and he tried to stomach school lunches when he could, but sometimes his throat just wouldn’t work, wouldn’t let him swallow. Snacks were easier, cheap, simple, nothing raw or bloody or triggering and Halloween candy always went down fine. Venom loved it. He tolerated it.

Sometimes it sucked that Venom could burn through anything that might affect him, neutralizing alcohol before it even had the chance to hit his system. Drinking at parties felt like throwing back cups of bitter water, no buzz, no warmth, nothing. And sometimes he wanted that feeling, wanted the fuzziness everyone else seemed to enjoy. Instead, here he was: stone-cold sober after… what, ten cups? Maybe more. He’d lost track. He crunched down on a pretzel from a half-stale packet someone had dumped in his lap, grimacing at the taste, when movement caught his eye. He stilled, pretzel hanging between his fingers.

Jonathan Byers.

He genuinely hadn’t expected the guy to show tonight, but there he was near the doorway, shoulders a little less tense than they used to be, eyes brighter, a soft but weak smile as he walked through the house scanning for what he most likely believed to be Nancy. Maybe it was the whole “his brother came back from the dead” miracle giving him some extra light. Or maybe it was the fact that he’d started warming up to people, Steve included. [M/N] watched him for a moment, head tipping slightly. He liked Jonathan well enough. They weren’t friends, not really, but they talked sometimes, usually when Nancy was around, or when Steve nudged him into conversation. A strange sort of acquaintanceship that wasn’t uncomfortable, just… quiet.

"Is that... Byers?" Roddy asked from beside him as they watched Jonathan get lost in the crowd, [M/N] nodded with a hum "Wow, I didn't expect him to show up. He doesn't seem like the party type."

"Hah, he's probably here for Wheeler."

"Why do you say that?"

"Didn't you hear about last year? Those two were seen together to the point Harrington got jealous."

"Yeah, then he got his shit rocked by Byers." this caused them to snicker softly, even [M/N] couldn't help but laugh since he saw the aftermath of what Jonathan did to Steve firsthand.

"He had it coming."

"That prick always had it coming. Still surprised that you became friends with him, Munson. You two hated each other." he shrugged his shoulders.

"He's a pretty good guy when he isn't being a douche. I still make fun of him, though."

"We noticed." they all laughed again, and when the group tipped their heads back to down their drinks, [M/N] lowered his cup only to find it completely empty. He groaned, staring into it like it had personally betrayed him, then pushed himself upright with a tired sigh.

"I’ll be back. Need a refill." he brushed pretzel crumbs off his lap and headed into the crowd, weaving through clusters of drunk teens swaying to the music. The air was thick with heat, sweat, and the sugary bite of spiked punch. When he finally reached the punch table, he blinked in mild disbelief. The bowl was nearly drained, someone had clearly gone feral on it "Might as well." he muttered, giving his head a shake before dunking his cup in. Liquid sloshed over the sides, the mixture more alcohol than fruit juice at this point. He lifted it to his lips and took a long drink, the burn hitting the back of his throat instantly. It should have been enough to make his head swim, to blur his thoughts, to soften the world around him.

But nothing happened.

No warmth. No buzz. No sway.

Venom burned through it the second it entered his system, leaving behind only the bitter aftertaste.

A blessing, and a curse.

He sighed, dunked his cup into the punch bowl one more time, then spun on his heel to head back to his friends. Maybe it was the noise, maybe it was the crush of bodies, but his senses were just blurred enough that he didn’t notice someone in his path until they slammed straight into him. The collision jolted his arm, and his drink splashed everywhere—across his shirt, down his pants, and all over the poor soul who bumped him. The smell of alcohol hit him instantly. He groaned, dragging a hand down his now-sticky chest.

"Dude, come on…" he grimaced at the syrupy residue clinging to Eddie’s borrowed clothes. "You just had to get it all over me, huh? Great. Now I smell like a damn brewery." annoyance twisted across his face as he looked up, only for it to melt the second he saw who it was.

Steve.

His brows lifted, the frustration fading instantly as he took in Steve’s wide-eyed, apologetic expression. Then his eyes narrowed, really looking at him. This wasn’t the confident, easygoing Harrington everyone knew. This Steve looked wrecked. His eyes were rimmed red, unfocused, like he’d been holding back tears for way too long. His shoulders slumped, his whole posture sagging in a way that screamed exhaustion and something worse, like he was seconds away from falling apart right there on the sticky hallway floor.

[M/N] lifted a hand, mouth opening to reassure him that it was fine, that it was just a shirt and he didn’t care, but Steve muttered a quiet, broken apology and brushed past him before he could get a word out. He shouldered through the crowd toward the front door, pinching the bridge of his nose in a desperate attempt to keep himself together. [M/N] stood frozen for a moment, torn. He glanced back toward his friends laughing on the couch… then toward Steve’s retreating figure disappearing into the night.

He sighed, the decision already made.

Steve slipped into his car and slammed the door shut. He dragged both hands through his hair, trying—failing—to calm the anger and anguish boiling in his chest. The tears he’d barely choked down still burned behind his eyes, Nancy’s words replaying in his mind like a broken record.

Bullshit. She said it was all bullshit.

He sucked in another shaky breath, fingers tightening around the steering wheel. The alcohol mixing with heartbreak was making his head spin, and he was sure if he didn’t get himself under control, he’d crash the car before he even made it down the street. But God, he wanted to leave. He wanted to get away from this stupid party he never should’ve come to in the first place. He pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to steady himself, then jolted at the sharp knock on the window. Turning, he found [M/N] waving at him.

"Steve! Open the door." [M/N] jiggled the handle to show it was locked. Steve frowned in confusion but reached over and unlocked the passenger side. Cool night air rushed in as [M/N] slid into the seat. Steve eyed him, bewildered, then stared back out through the windshield as his thoughts churned.

…

…

"What happened in there?" [M/N] asked carefully, watching him "You were all laughs the last time we talked."

"Maybe because I was in a good mood." Steve snapped. [M/N] lifted his hands in surrender, not rising to the bite.

"Okay, okay… do you want to tell me what’s wrong? You look like you’re about to cry."

"I’m not-I just-" Steve turned toward him, and the words snagged in his throat when he realized [M/N] wasn’t looking at him with pity. He looked… concerned. Steve let out a breath and slumped back in his seat. He brushed his hair back again and took a shaky breath "Nancy… she, uh…" [M/N] leaned in a little.

"Yes?"

"I... I don't even know why I'm talking to you about this." [M/N] shrugged and leaned back.

"Then don't. But I must say, keeping it all bottled up isn't healthy. It'll do more harm than good, trust me." the silence settled over them once more. Steve let his head fall back against the seat, breath shaking. For a long moment he said nothing, just stared through the windshield like he could will himself somewhere else, anywhere else. [M/N] waited. Not pushing, not prying. Just… there. Finally, Steve swallowed.

"She said…" his voice cracked, and he had to start again. "Nancy told me our relationship was bullshit." [M/N]'s eyes widened softly.

"Oh." Steve squeezed his eyes shut as he heard Nancy's slurring voice.

"She said that I was bullshit. That our love was bullshit." Steve scrubbed his hands down his face "And maybe she’s right. Maybe it was bullshit. I mean… look at me. I was an asshole. Last year, god, last year I was the king of assholes. What happened to her, with Barb… I didn’t help her. Not really. And now she’s finally saying it out loud." he tapped his fingers anxiously against the steering wheel, eyes glossy "Maybe I deserved it. Maybe I deserve all of this." [M/N] nodded slowly, taking it all in

"... yeah. You were an asshole." Steve’s head snapped toward him so fast the seat squeaked, eyes wide like he’d just been slapped. A disbelieving scoff left him.

"Wow. Thanks." [M/N] only chuckled, shaking his head.

"Relax. I didn’t say you are one. I said you were." he leaned back in his seat, arms loosely crossed "Look, man, you’re actually trying to change. Most jerks don’t. They stay jerks forever. They don’t admit they screwed up or hurt people. But you did. That’s gotta count for something, right? You’ve been helping people. You’ve been showing up. You’re trying to be better. Honestly? That’s more than a lot of people ever do." Steve’s throat bobbed, the tension in his shoulders loosening even if just a little as [M/N] continued "And Nancy… she’s going through her own mess. What happened with Barb? That wasn’t on you. It wasn’t on her. Her disappearance was… something none of us could’ve prepared for. She’s hurting. You’re hurting. Doesn’t mean everything between you was fake." [M/N] spoke softly as he gave Steve a genuine look, not a smirk or a grin, but small and soft smile. Steve stared at his hands for a long moment, voice small.

"You really think I’m not… just some jerk pretending to be better?" [M/N] nudged his shoulder with his own.

"If you were pretending? You wouldn’t be sitting here crying in your car instead of getting drunk and punching Hargrove in the face." a tiny laugh escaped Steve, wet, but real. [M/N] grinned and smacked Steve's shoulder with his hand this time "There it is! See? You’re not utterly hopeless." Steve wiped at his cheeks.

"…Thanks." he whispered "Really."

"Anytime, Harrington." [M/N] raised a brow when Steve’s expression shifted, his face falling as he lifted a hand and motioned toward him "What? Is there something on my face?" Steve hesitated, eyes widening a little.

"Your nose is… bleeding."

"Wha-?" [M/N] brought his fingers to his upper lip and pulled them back to find blood smeared across his skin. Before he could fully process it, the world tilted. Steve lurched forward in alarm as [M/N] swayed, nearly pitching forward.

"Whoa!" [M/N] caught himself against the dashboard, one hand bracing his weight while the other hovered beneath his nose, trying not to drip blood all over Steve’s car. He tipped his head back instinctively, but the moment he did, a sharp, throbbing pain cracked through his skull. He fumbled blindly for the door handle, vision blurring, and pushed the door open. The cold air hit him as he stumbled out of the car onto unsteady legs "Hey- [M/N]!" Steve’s voice pitched high with panic as he scrambled out after him.

[M/N] swayed hard, nearly dropping to his knees as his vision blurred. He caught himself on the hood, knuckles going white against the metal, his other hand still cupped beneath his nose as blood dripped fast between his fingers Steve rushed to his side, hands hovering like he wasn’t sure where to touch without making things worse.

"[M/N], hey- hey, sit down, you're gonna fall." the makeup Eddie had carefully painted onto his face was already melting, black and white streaks mixing with the blood running beneath his nose, smearing down to his jaw. Steve stared, wide-eyed, as [M/N] staggered backward. For a second he thought he was heading toward the house, and he reached out to catch him and [M/N] ignored him entirely. Instead, he veered toward a cooler sitting in the grass, the lid half-open and filled with cloudy water and half-melted ice. Without a word, he dropped to his knees, leaned forward, and dunked his entire head into the icy water "Jesus Christ-" Steve hovered behind him, hands outstretched, torn between pulling him up or letting him do whatever this was. The seconds dragged, each one tightening the knot of panic in Steve’s chest.

Then, suddenly-

[M/N] jerked upright with a gasp, throwing his head back, water splashing in a glittering arc. His soaked hair clung to his forehead; the black and white makeup now streaked down his face and neck in dripping, ghostly lines. Most of the blood had washed away, leaving only a faint tinge beneath his nose. He panted softly, running a hand through his hair before swiping at the remaining blood with the back of his hand.

"Munson, are you okay? What was that?" Steve tried to get a look at his face, but [M/N] had his back to him. He leaned to the side, only to flinch back when [M/N] let out a tired laugh and finally turned around, though he stayed seated on the ground, clearly still dizzy.

"Ah, the heat and alcohol finally caught up with me." he waved a hand dismissively when Steve’s worry didn’t budge "Don’t worry about me, Harrington. Nearly passing out from sudden nosebleeds and blood loss is kind of normal for me. You should’ve seen me last year." Steve remembered hearing [M/N]’s friends fussing about the topic and relaxed slightly.

"Okay, but that was so random."

"Like I said, heat and alcohol. I was already overheating in that house, and you saw how much I was drinking." Steve still looked unconvinced, but [M/N]’s easy dismissal eased him off the subject.

"Alright, fine." [M/N] snickered and reached into the cooler, grabbing a beer. Steve thought he was going to drink it, but instead he pressed the cold can to his forehead, wiping the dripping water from his face and unintentionally smearing off even more makeup "Sorry if I ruined the moment." Steve laughed and sat down beside him, the muffled music from the house buzzing faintly behind them.

"Eh, it was random, but I wouldn’t say it ruined the moment."

"At least I know you care about me, dude." Steve scoffed and shoved him, but [M/N]’s grin made him laugh.

"Well, we’re friends, aren’t we?" [M/N] froze for a beat, staring at him. Hearing Steve actually say it felt… different.

"Yeah… yeah, we’re friends, Harrington."

"I’m really glad you gave me a second chance, Munson. I was such a dick to you and your cousin. I said and did such horrible things I’m surprised you didn’t rock my shit when you had the chance." he dragged a hand down his face. "So having someone who genuinely wants to be my friend… I really appreciate it." [M/N] stared for a moment before huffing.

"Stop being so sappy, man." he snorted when Steve smacked his arm.

"Fine, asshole. I won’t be nice." they laughed together and then settled into a comfortable silence, ignoring the shouting from inside the house and the drunken teens passed out on the lawn. After a moment, Steve inhaled deeply and pushed himself to his feet, brushing off grass and dirt before turning toward [M/N] and offering a hand.

"I think I’m gonna head off now. I’ve calmed down enough that I think I can drive myself home." [M/N] dumped the beer back in the cooler and took his hand, Steve let out a grunt as he hauled him up, unprepared for the weight.

"Hey, I know I’m heavy, but do you have to make it obvious?"

"Maybe lose some weight."

"Hah! There’s the Harrington we all know and love." Steve rolled his eyes and watched [M/N] shake his head, droplets flicking from his hair before he settled his gaze on him.

"I’ll see you at school?"

"Yeah, I’ll see you then." [M/N] smiled as he watched Steve head back to his car. Steve waved once before pulling out of the driveway, never noticing the way [M/N]’s smile fell and his arm dropped to his side "It's happening again, isn't it?"

"Indeed. It seems those scientists have not learned from their mistakes." his jaw clenched as his hand closed into a tight fist.

"Why can't we have a normal year?" Venom laughs.

"That's asking for a lot, don't you think?" he glowers at the thought of having to go through the same bullshit "Now that you're no longer in a party mood, can we finally go trick or treating?" [M/N] closed his eyes, exhaling through his nose.

"... fine." he hears Venom cheer from inside his head.

...

...

"For real?" Eddie returns to the trailer, hours later, to find [M/N] passed out face first into the foldout bed surrounded by candy wrappers. When [M/N] said that he was heading off, he expected him to come straight home, he didn't expect to find him crashed out with copious amounts of candy... where did he even get it from? His eye twitched when [M/N] snored as his body twitched, so he rolled his eyes and swiped a chocolate bar before retreating to his room.

[days later]

"How long do you think we can last before the coach calls on us?"

"I think I can last. You're the athlete, remember?"

"Yeah, but still. I play baseball, not basketball."

"Same difference."

"No, it's not. It's like comparing DND to Monopoly."

"... you take that back."

"Make me."

A beat passed.

Then suddenly, Eddie and [M/N] were smacking at each other, clumsy and uncoordinated, hands batting away insults along with blows. It was rare for the two of them to share P.E., Eddie was two years [M/N]’s senior, but as Eddie liked to point out, [M/N] was an athlete. Moments ago they’d been lounging on the bleachers, doing their best to avoid getting called on by the coach. Now they were swatting at each other like children, completely forgetting their original goal. They only stop when they heard the sharp blow of a whistle followed by the squeaking of shoes against the gymnasium floor, Eddie got one last smack in before they turned their attention away from each other and towards the court.

"Does that Hargrove really have to play shirtless?" Eddie questioned "Who does he think he's showing off too?" [M/N] scoffed as he went back to lounging on the bleachers.

"Please, he's just one of those guys that like to "assert their dominance", or whatever."

"Like you?"

"Haha, very funny." Eddie snickered from beside [M/N] then went back to watching Billy dominate the court, and from what he could tell, that blonde was absolutely tearing through the court. But the main target of his aggression seemed to be, predictably, Steve Harrington.

"I still can't believe you're friends with Harrington."

"Me either. Last year I wanted to close my hands around his throat, now I'm giving him pep talks about his relationship issues."

"Seriously?" he nods, even he looked surprised.

"He looked... sad at Tina's party. And I don't know why I decided to help, I just couldn't let him go. It just made me think of all the times you've helped me out of own mind when things got hard."

"Yeah, but I've never had to give you relationship advice. All these girls flock around you and not one have come back to the trailer, to which I appreciate. I do not want to hear you getting it on, neither does Wayne." [M/N]'s face tinged a faint pink as he slapped Eddie's leg.

"Fuck you." now they were kicking each other but stopped when they heard a loud slam followed by a cry, looking over, they saw Billy standing over someone as they cradled their shoulder "Oh, he's gone and done it now." they watch how Billy laughed as he went over to his team, all of them raising their hands for a high five while cheering for him.

"What an asshole." now they were down a player, something the two of them slowly came to realize, but before they could hide away the coach called for them.

"Munson!" they both flinch, whipping their heads towards the court with everyone staring up at them "Get down here." there was a moment of silence before they pointed at each other.

"Me?" they asked in unison, but it was obvious who he was talking too.

"I think he's talking to you, Eddie." [M/N] says as he nudges Eddie's shoulder.

"No, you're mistaken. He's talking to you, [M/N]." the two of them start bickering as they shove at each other, the coach was getting visibly annoyed with the delay.

"I'm talking to you, [M/N]! Get down here!" Eddie smirked then snorted when he saw [M/N] raise his fist to his mouth, letting out a fake cough.

"I-I'm sorry, sir. I've got this n-nasty cough...!" he emphasizes his point by letting out a loud cough while attempting to hide his face, but suddenly a ball was thrown at them and out of instinct, Venom raised [M/N]'s arm to catch the ball without him even looking. They all look back to see that it was Billy who had thrown the ball but he didn't expect [M/N] to catch it, [M/N] stared at the ball in his hand then let out a disgruntled sigh as the coach tapped his foot on the ground impatiently "I'm coming, I'm coming." Eddie snickers as he watched [M/N] stand up, only to let out a grunt when [M/N] slammed the ball into his chest.

"Unnecessary...!" he just shrugged as he made his way down the bleachers, nearly falling over when Eddie threw the ball at the back of his head. He's now standing on the court with his hands in his pockets while the guy that was injured was hauled to his feet and taken to the infirmary, he's flipping Eddie off from where he was standing when he felt a firm smack to his back and saw that it was only Steve.

"I know basketballs not your thing, but I'm sure you won't do anything stupid to throw this game." [M/N] makes a face as Steve brushes past him to stand in front of Billy, who was wagging his tongue all cocky as they got into position.

"You know I'll let that slide due to the fact you're getting shit on!" he shrugged and ignored the way Steve glared at him, not liking that he aired that fact out. The whistle sounds out and everyone immediately starts moving, not [M/N], he just hung around unless the ball was passed to him then he'd toss it to someone else. Like Steve said, basketball isn't his thing. Sure, he liked winning just like anyone else, but he saw no point in putting any effort into a sport he didn't care about. Well, that was until he saw the way Billy was practically bullying Steve, man, it was sad.

"Harrington, right?" Billy droned out, tilting his head as he blocked Steve's path, movements sharp and predatory "I heard you used to run this school, that true? King Steve, they used to call you." he narrowed his eyes on the brunette when Steve didn't say anything, he kept dribbling the ball and tried to move past him "Then you turned bitch."

"Hey, maybe you should just shut up and play the game." Steve snapped. He tried to pivot, but Billy’s foot shot out, sending him crashing to the floor. [M/N]’s eye twitched as he watched Steve hit the ground with a solid thud. At least he hadn’t gotten hurt like the last guy who’d crossed that blonde prick. He didn’t want to get involved, there was no reason to, but Billy had already stolen the ball and was sprinting down the court. Billy went up for another layup. The moment he left the ground, [M/N] appeared. He smacked the ball clean out of Billy’s hand and slammed his shoulder into him, driving him to the floor.

"Ooh!"

"That’s gotta hurt!" Billy hit the ground hard, the ball skidding out of bounds. He glared up at [M/N], growling at the nonchalant expression staring back down at him. [M/N] bent slightly, brushing off the shoulder he’d used to knock Billy down, then scoffed. He stepped over Billy without another glance and moved toward Steve. He looked down at him with the same bored expression, but instead of taunting, he held out a hand, flexing his fingers in a silent offer. After a moment, Steve took it. [M/N] hauled him to his feet and kept a firm grip on his arm, steadying him.

"You good, Harrington?" he lets out a breath as he rubs his shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm fine. That was a nice block, by the way." he grinned, shrugging his shoulder.

"I may not play basketball, but I’ve watched plenty with my old man." it was true. Since Eddie had never cared much for sports, Wayne had been thrilled when [M/N] showed interest as a kid. They’d watched countless games together, football and basketball especially, Wayne’s favorites "I know a thing or two."

"Should I be glad you never chose basketball as your main sport?" Steve asked.

"Maybe. But you haven’t seen nothing yet." he winked at Steve before moving into position, finally deciding to play seriously. Everyone watched as he stuck to Billy like a shadow. Every time the blonde thought he’d shaken him, he’d slam face-first into [M/N]’s chest and go down hard. Other times, [M/N] just messed with him, snatching the ball straight from Billy’s hands, faking a pass, and when Billy chased where he thought the ball had gone, [M/N] would casually toss it off the back of his head.

"You’re just being a prick, you know that?" Billy sneered, struggling to keep up with [M/N]’s movements. He only laughed, dribbling the ball with ease.

"Takes one to know one, prick. Have you looked in the mirror lately? Or is that ridiculous mullet somehow blinding you? Get a haircut." if looks could kill, he’d be dead on the spot, but he only laughed, dribbling the ball between his legs as Billy tried to steal it. Emphasis on tried. The moment Billy reached in, [M/N] drove his shoulder straight into his sternum, sending him sprawling to the floor. Laughing, he sprinted down the court, leapt into the air, and slammed the ball cleanly through the hoop. He threw his fist in the air as the gym cheered, laughing and soaking up all the praise. He noticed Steve approaching and wordlessly raised his hand. Steve couldn’t stop the grin spreading across his face as he slapped it.

"Show off." [M/N] shrugged, slinging an arm around Steve’s shoulders.

"Hey, someone had to get him off his high horse, and it sure as hell wasn’t you." Steve scoffed, shoving him off, though the smile on his face remained. That grin vanished, however, when the gym doors flew open. Nancy Wheeler stepped in. [M/N] raised a brow, glancing between the two, remembering Steve’s little breakdown in his car about their relationship being bullshit. He rocked on the heels of his feet, watching Steve hesitate, before pressing a hand to his back and nudging him forward "She’s clearly here for you."

"Wha- hey." Steve protested.

"Talk to her. I’ll hold down the fort for you." [M/N] shoved him forward one last time and winked. Steve shook his head.

"You’re ridiculous." He waved goodbye, then turned back to Billy, who was being helped to his feet by his friends. He tossed them off and glowered at [M/N] like a predator.

"Oh, ready for more, big boy?"

"I’ll make you eat your words!"

"Sure you will. It’s not like I’ve been wiping the floor with you this entire lesson, but go ahead, say whatever you want." [M/N] leaned down, sneering condescendingly "You should feel real lucky basketball isn’t the sport I decided to excel at, city boy. The only person you have to worry about is Harrington. So juggle these balls… and get fucked."

With that, he shoved the basketball into Billy’s chest and walked off.

Later...

"That fucking asshole!" Tommy flinched as Billy slammed his locker shut, his temper flaring. [M/N] was constantly fanning the flames, making everything worse. Billy had thought he’d be the one to give Steve Harrington a hard time, but that Munson bastard always had to be there, answering Steve’s every beck and call. It was like the instant Steve got upset, [M/N] was at his side, driving off anyone who dared challenge him. What was his deal, anyway? What had happened last year that completely flipped [M/N]’s attitude toward Steve? They’d apparently despised each other once, loathed each other enough that their friends had to step in before fists were thrown. And now… suddenly, they were all buddy-buddy, like [M/N] hadn’t wanted to throw Steve into a wall just for saying one word about his dad, or Eddie.

"Calm down, dude." one of them said. They flinched when Billy redirected his glare at them.

"Calm down? Fuck you! You’re not the one being looked down on by that prick. I just want to smash his fucking teeth in." Billy snarled, punching his locker "Who does he think he is?"

"He’s someone you can’t easily mess with." Tommy said, rubbing the back of his neck. He’d seen firsthand what an angry [M/N] was like. "You really don’t want to make him angry, Hargrove. You’re only getting a taste of what Harrington went through, and he barely crossed paths with Munson unless he was in a particular mood." Billy scoffed at the warning.

"You’re just being a pussy. What’s the worst he could do?" Tommy raised his hands defensively.

"I’m just saying—he’s violent when he needs to be." Billy scoffed again. How bad could this guy really be? Sure, [M/N] was well built, and sure it felt like running into a brick wall every time he got body-blocked, but still. No one had actually seen [M/N] fight. Maybe he was all bark and no bite, just like his cousin. His hands curled into fists when he stepped out and saw Steve and [M/N] sitting together, laughing, his humiliation clearly the punchline.

"You should’ve seen the look on his face when I told him to juggle these balls." Steve burst out laughing, trying to cover his face, but [M/N] caught his wrist and pulled it down.

"You didn’t." he said, incredulous.

"I did. It kind of just came out."

"Don’t you juggle balls?"

"I throw them, actually. Get it right, Harrington. You’re the one who juggles balls with Hargrove." he made a face as Steve pried his hand free.

"Dude, don’t put that image in my head."

"Then don’t think like that." [M/N] shot back. Steve shoved him, and [M/N] just laughed, brushing his hair back when it fell into his eyes. He raised a brow when he noticed Billy nearby and gave him a casual wave. Steve caught it and mirrored the gesture, and they both broke into laughter when Billy’s face flushed red. With [M/N]’s flawless reputation and too many eyes around, starting a fight wasn’t an option for Billy, not with his already notorious image. He bit his tongue and stalked away.

"Aw, look at him. Retreating with his tail tucked between his legs." Steve snorted.

"I see why you liked bullying the bully. It’s nice not being on the receiving end for once." [M/N] raised a brow.

"Being insulted by me, or in general?"

"By you." Steve scoffed "You could be really cruel sometimes."

"You deserved it. But… I’m sorry for saying some real nasty stuff." [M/N] spoke as he rubbed the back of his neck and Steve hadn’t expected that. He searched [M/N]’s face, unsure if it was genuine, but the sincerity was there. "You deserved it, but you also didn’t. So… I’m sorry if I said anything that, I don’t know, triggered you or something."

"It’s… it’s alright." he chuckled softly "I guess we both had something to apologize for."

"Yeah." [M/N] said, smiling. Someone called [M/N]’s name down the hall. He perked up, spotting his friends waving him over, shouting about practice "I guess I’ll see you around, Harrington." Steve waved him off, scoffing when [M/N] winked and ruffled his hair.

"Fuck off." [M/N] laughed, skipping away with his hands behind his back. He waved one last time before disappearing down the hall with his friends, Steve's hand hung in the air before dropping to his side. Who'd a thought Steve would come to like the company of the guy who once insulted his entire lineage? He tousles his hair as he debated going home but thought, fuck it, and he rushed out to the field where Hawkins Baseball team was.

[M/N] stood on the baseball field, tugging his helmet lower as he swung his bat a few times, waiting for his turn at the plate. His team was up first, and he was fifth in the lineup. So far, the first three batters had made it safely to first, second, and third base. The fourth had just stepped up, took two strikes, then finally connected, only to be thrown out at first. When it was his turn to bat, he rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck then stepped onto the plate and the few students who stayed behind to watch were already hollering. It wasn't even an official game, just practice, but students still came out to see him play. Girls were always so eager for his attention, cheering his name the loudest despite the repeated warnings from the coach, it was honestly annoying.

"Seriously, dude. Just get yourself a girlfriend so we won't have to hear the dying crows anymore." he scoffed, rolling his eyes as he readjusted his helmet once more.

"Just say you're jealous that no one is crying your name." he snickered when the catcher behind him kicked at the back of his knee.

"Die." he muttered, shaking his head as he snuck a glance toward the bleachers. A line of girls were waving frantically, all trying to catch his attention. He rolled his eyes and turned back toward the pitcher, then froze when something caught his eye. He did a double take, surprise widening his eyes. Steve was there, looking a little out of place. The moment their gazes met, Steve lit up and gave him a sheepish wave.

"Is that… Harrington?" someone murmured.

"He’s never shown up to our practices before."

"You think he’s here for the girls?" no one seemed to notice that Steve wasn’t looking at the crowd at all, his attention was fixed entirely on [M/N]. A strange bashfulness crept up on him. He hadn’t expected Steve to show up, not when he’d never come to a single practice before. He wasn’t sure if it was the lingering heat of the autumn afternoon or something else entirely, but his face felt warm all the same. Confused by his own reaction, he shook it off and looked back toward Steve. A burst of loud squealing erupted from the bleachers, making both the catcher and the umpire wince as they realized what had caused it, [M/N] lifting his hand in a wave.

"Dude, seriously?"

"You’re just doing that to be annoying." [M/N] only hummed as he lowered his hand, because in truth, he’d been waving at Steve. The way Steve lit up at the gesture made his own grin widen. He rolled his neck once, loosened his shoulders, and stepped into position, lifting his bat and settling into his stance.

"You ready, Munson? You done pleasing the crowd?" he chuckled.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm done." [M/N] could play just about any position on the field, but pitching was where he felt most at home, where he had the most fun. Even though this was only practice, the opposing pitcher stood stiff at the plate, jaw clenched, trying and failing not to look intimidated. Everyone had learned the hard way that facing [M/N], no matter the position, was usually a losing battle. Because of that, the expectation was always the same: one strike was all it took for him to send the ball flying. He inhaled deeply, tightening his grip on the bat and licking his lips as he got ready for the pitch, only for his face to twist in pain as a sharp, throbbing ache split through his skull. He tried to shake it off. The ball flew toward him, and he swung. The crowd fell silent when he missed. [M/N] never missed, and yet there he was, clutching his head as the ball settled snugly into the catcher’s glove.

"Munson, you good?" he slipped a hand under his helmet, pressing his fingers to his temples and groaning when that familiar, stabbing pressure flared again.

"No- no, yeah. I’m good. Just a… headache." they stared at him skeptically "You know how I get them sometimes."

"Yeah, but never like this. You missed the ball." he drew in a steadying breath, forcing the pounding in his head to dull enough that he wasn’t openly grimacing.

"I’m fine, I promise. Let’s go again." the crowd murmured, unsettled by the rare sight of [M/N] missing a swing, whispers rippling through the bleachers. Steve, however, leaned forward, recognition tightening his chest. He’d seen that look before, the same flash of pain at the party, right before [M/N]’s nose had started bleeding. Sure enough, as [M/N] set himself to swing again, a thin trickle of blood slid from his nose.

"Munson!" Steve shouted, but it was too late. The pain detonated behind his eyes, stealing his balance. He staggered forward, lifting a hand to his face as warm blood touched his lower lip. Shouts blurred together around him as he looked up just in time to see the ball leave the pitcher’s hand. There was no time to move. It struck him square in the nose, and he went down.

"Oh my god!"

"Munson!"

"[M/N]!" everyone rushed to his side as he lay sprawled on the ground, blood pouring freely from his nose. God, this was humiliating. He’d thought he was going to show off, prove something, and instead he was flat on his back with a splitting headache and a nosebleed that wouldn’t stop.

"We both know the reason for the migraine, [M/N]." he groaned, eyes sliding shut as shadows fell over him from the crowd gathered above. "A baseball to the face just made it worse." he pressed a hand to his forehead, squeezing his eyes tighter as he tried to drown out Venom.

"Shut up..." his helmet was tugged off, and someone gently but urgently patted his cheek, their voice panicked and thick with guilt.

"D-Dude, I’m so sorry for hitting you in the face! You’re not, like… brain damaged or anything, right?" he cracked his eyes open just in time to see the pitcher being shoved back by Roddy, who immediately crouched beside him.

"Dude! Don’t say shit like that! We’re lucky you didn’t hit him in the head!"

"He’s probably got a broken nose." [M/N] swatted the hand snapping fingers in front of his face away, then wiped at the blood still streaming down. The crowd instinctively backed up when he pushed himself upright, cradling his nose. Yeah, definitely broken.

"Hey, whoa- what are you-" gasps rippled through the group as he grabbed his nose and snapped it back into place. He groaned loudly, eyes rolling back for a moment as the bone cracked, then immediately went back to wiping at the blood, which slowed only briefly. His uniform was ruined, hands slick and trembling, his head swimming as if it might drag him back down to the ground at any second.

"I can… I can still play." he murmured as he tried to stand, only to immediately slump back down.

"Dude, no. The last thing we need is you getting a concussion if the ball hits you in the face again." he shook his head, bad move. Pain flared instantly, making him groan. "See! You're not okay."

"You don't know what you're talking about." He tried to get up again and nearly went right back down, only stopping when someone caught him and hauled him upright.

"If your excuse for the nosebleed is overheating again, I'm not buying it." he let out a weak laugh.

"Aw, I thought it'd work. Worked on you last time, Harrington." Steve had slung [M/N]’s arm over his shoulder, his own arm wrapped firmly around [M/N]’s torso, keeping him upright as he leaned heavily against him.

"You look like shit, like someone beat your ass." [M/N] chuckled.

"Oh, because you know all about what that's like, right?"

"Shut up before I drop your ass."

"I'd almost prefer it." He yelped when Steve loosened his grip just enough that he nearly crumpled, only for Steve to catch him again before he hit the ground. "Jerk."

"You asked for it." Steve rolled his eyes just as the coach approached, taking in [M/N]’s disheveled state before shaking his head.

"As much as it pains me to say this, you're benched." as much as [M/N] wanted to argue, to protest, he knew he couldn't perform the way he usually did with his head feeling like it was about to split in two "Clean yourself up. Like Harrington said, you look like shit." he groaned as Steve dragged him away to an outdoor water basin, he pressed a hand to [M/N]'s back as he kept his head under the faucet.

"What was that? That looked more violent than the one at the party." he watched how [M/N]'s shoulders raise and fall as he took a deep breath, his eyes fixed on the blood washing away and down the drain.

"I have some sort of... condition." Steve nodded.

"Uh huh." he drawled and expected him to elaborate, [M/N] made a face as he tried thinking of some excuse.

"The nosebleeds are new, but I've always had the migraines. I've had to visit the hospital a lot when I was young," which wasn't a lie, Wayne did take him to the hospital for check ups and other stuff "and the doctors told me I have a bit of a... parasite." Steve flinched when he saw [M/N] grimace, his head jerking to the side as he grimaced.

"Parasite?!" he groaned as he fell to his knees, clutching his head as Venom screamed "How dare you call us a parasite!"

"I didn't mean it..." he whispered, hopeful Steve didn't hear him.

"Apologize!"

"Stop."

"Apologize!" he almost curled in on himself when he felt Steve push him back, frowning when he saw his pained expression.

"Isn't a parasite, like, bad?" he shrugged, brushing back his wet hair.

"It's manageable. But on some occasions it gets... bad." he slowly nodded his head.

"Like now and the party?"

"Yeah, and also last year." he takes another breath, feeling the water trickle down his neck "I thought it got better, but it feels like it's gotten worse."

"Munson, how are you alive when there's something inside your body eating you?" he shrugged.

"I've got a special one." he then smacked his head when he felt Venom stir beneath his skin, the symbiote growling that [M/N] had yet to apologize for calling him such a derogatory name "Don't you worry that pretty little head of yours, Harrington. I've been managing this since I was nine years old, it's just the first time it's happened in public. I'd also appreciate it if you kept this between us. Only Eddie and my old man know about my condition, and I'd like to keep it that way."

"Yeah... yeah, totally. It's just a lot to take in." he chuckled.

"That's one way to put it." Steve helped him to his feet once more, and [M/N] splashed water over his face one last time before shaking his head, relieved that his brain didn’t rattle against his skull this time. Steve rubbed slow circles into his back as [M/N] threaded his fingers through his hair, pulling it away from his face.

Then he heard his name.

"[M/N]?" he turned, eyes widening when he spotted Wayne "Boy, what happened?" heat crept up his neck as Wayne approached, taking in the blood-stained uniform smeared with dirt and water, and [M/N]’s pale, unsteady frame.

"It's nothing, I promise." he says as Wayne started to fuss "I just collapsed, that's all."

"You also took a baseball to the face." [M/N] glared at Steve then winced when he saw Wayne's expression.

"That doesn't sound like nothing." he ruffles his hair as he averts his gaze.

"I'm fine now, aren't I? There's no need to worry." Wayne shook his head then looked towards Steve, his eyes scanning him up and down when he noticed splotches of blood from when [M/N] touched him.

"Thanks for keeping an eye on my son, Harrington. With how stubborn he is, he would have hidden this from me." the flush on his face worsened because there was truth behind those words, he didn't mention his collapse at the party because he didn't want Wayne to worry "I hope you can keep an eye on him if that's not too much trouble." [M/N] couldn't help but scoff.

"I'm not a child, I don't need to be looked after." he was promptly smacked across the back of his head, this action made Steve snort.

"Yeah, no, totally. What are friends for?" Wayne smiled softly and pats Steve on his shoulder.

"I appreciate it, son." he gave it a light squeeze before finally turning back towards [M/N], who was rubbing the back of his head "I already talked to your coach, we're going home." he pouted, kicking his feet into the ground.

"Okay." Steve covered his lips when he saw Wayne scold [M/N] before leaving, it was comical. [M/N] was taller, with a much bigger build than his dad, but seeing the way he hung his head as Wayne told him off for attempting to downplay what happened made him chuckle. His head perked up when [M/N] looked back at him, eyes hard for telling on him, but he didn't miss the way he raised his hand to bid him goodbye. [M/N] and Wayne sat in his truck as he drove them home, changed out of his uniform with his bike strapped to the bed of Wayne's truck as he drove in silence.

...

...

"Are you... mad?" he winced when he heard Wayne take a deep breath.

"I'm not mad, I'm just... disappointed." he slumped back in his seat, his arms wrapping around his body "I thought we weren't doing this anymore, [M/N]. I thought you weren't going to hide things like this from me." he tousled his hair.

"I know, it's just... I didn't think it was a big deal. I didn't think it was going to happen in public again."

"Again?" he winced, dammit.

"No- I mean- like last year." he looked away when he saw the look in Wayne's eyes through the rearview mirror.

"Venom." he scoffed when Venom slithered out of his back and grinned at Wayne "Tell me the truth, now." he snickered.

"[M/N] had a severe nosebleed and nearly collapsed at that Halloween party."

"Venom!"

"But he was lucky that it was only the spotted human from before that helped him, and that he only collapsed in a vehicle." when they were at a red light, Wayne leaned over and pinched [M/N] by his ear.

"Ow, ow, ow! Wayne, that hurts!" he cries, this only makes him pinch harder.

"Then you know how much it hurts that you're hiding something as critical as this, boy." he only lets go when the light turns green, he pouts as he cradles his ear while glaring at Venom for ratting him out. Wayne shakes his head, letting out a sharp breath "I should thank that Harrington boy for looking after you both times."

"Yeah. At least he's not the type to keep asking questions."

"[M/N]." he leaned away at Wayne's tone, he inhales sharply as he squeezes his temples "Is it happening again? Like last year?" [M/N] remained silent as he looked out the window.

"I... I'm not sure. That Byers boy is still around, but this one felt worse. It really hurt."

"Should I worry?" [M/N] and Venom share a look.

"We'll look around for anything for suspicious, just in case." Wayne nodded his head "I promised that I wouldn't let anything happen to you or Eddie. But if those scientists are messing with that gate again... I don't know what they're planning."

"Right. Do you think it's that main doctor? The one you're so scared of?" he heard [M/N] inhale sharply.

"No. I usually sneak into that lab to see what they're doing, but I haven't seen Doctor Brenner." he then scowls, shaking his head as he tried to forget about him "I hope it stays that way."

"If we do see him, we will eat him."

"As much as I don't want to eat anything rotten, I'll let this one slide." Venom grinned between them before slipping back under [M/N]'s skin where the rest of the ride home was spent in silence, [M/N] sniffed as he leaned against the window and watched as the scenery changed. Wayne occasionally glanced at him, noticing how he wrapped his arms around himself again. He could tell that whatever forced such a reaction out of his body really rattled him, since [M/N] always told him whenever he felt off it sensed danger. Whatever this was, it was something he really didn't want Wayne to know about.

"If something really bad is going to happen, you will tell me, right?" this question made [M/N] look at him.

"Of... of course." Wayne sighed at the hesitation.

"What I mean is that you won't try to deal with this on your own."

"But I won't be on my own. I've got Venom, we're a team." Wayne frowned, [M/N] let out a breath as he rubbed the back of his neck "I get it, I promise I'll tell you if something feels off the next time it happens."

"Can I trust that you will?" [M/N] closed his eyes then finally looked at Wayne.

"There's nothing more important to me than yours and Eddie's safety. I swear I will tell you if something bad is going to happen."

"Good. Thank you, son." there was a moment of silence when they pulled into the trailer park, [M/N] looked at Wayne as he hesitated to speak.

"I'm," Wayne glanced at [M/N] just as he pulled up to their trailer "I-I'm sorry... for not telling you. I just- I don't want you to worry about this stuff." Wayne inhaled deeply as he parked his truck and shut off the engine, now fully turning his attention towards his weeping son.

"You not telling me makes me worry more. I want you safe, and I want you okay. Alright?" he nodded meekly.

"Alright." Wayne frowned and reached over to gently cup and caress his cheek, holding him there when he saw his eyes turn glassy with tears.

"I love you, [M/N]. Don't you ever forget that, okay?" he sniffled and nodded weakly, pressing his hand against Wayne's much rougher one.

"Okay..." they stayed there for moment before finally stepping out of the truck, Wayne waits as [M/N] easily lifted his bike out of the bed and sets it down then joined him on the sofa outside. He closed his eyes and pressed a hand to his forehead, shaking his head lightly as he tried to focus on that feeling from before "The pain during practice and the party..." he starts, gaining Wayne's attention as he spoke.

"Yeah?"

"... it felt, different. When the monster would travel between here and the other world, my head would hurt and I'd get a nosebleed. I could sense when it appeared, but this was something else." he squeezed his temple when he could just faintly remember that awful pain "This one was more painful, it felt like my head was going to split into two. Whatever this is, it's not the same thing." Wayne placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Is there... anything I can do?" [M/N] thought for a moment.

"... you still have that hunting rifle?" he couldn't help but raise a brow "If I'm not around, I want you to have something to keep yourself safe."

"Oh..." he nods.

"Yeah, oh. When you're at the plant, please make sure you stay inside no matter what. I'll also make sure to keep the trailer locked up when I go out and see what the fuck is going." he rubbed his face in exhaustion "I really, really hope this isn't anything. I hope my body is overreacting." Wayne takes his hand and gave it a squeeze.

"As much as I'd hate to say it, me too." their heads shot up when they heard a screech, he let out a huff when he saw that it was Eddie, who kicked his door open and collapsed to the ground in a rush. His face was flushed red with exhaustion and worry as he exclaims [M/N]'s name, guess Roddy and his friends told Eddie about what happened.

"Did you really collapsed during practice?!" he sighed.

"Yes, Eddie. But I'm fi-" he was cut off when Eddie tackled him into the sofa, Wayne chuckled as he shuffled over to the other side to make room for Eddie "Dude, get off me! I'm fine." he deadpanned when Eddie took Wayne's previous spot, a serious look on his face.

"Did Harrington really look after you?" he let out an exasperated groan.

"Yes, Eddie. Why are you acting like this?" he leaned back, raising his hands up in defense when Eddie pointed at him.

"Out of everyone to help you, I expected it to be Hughes. But when someone from your team came to me after my campaign, saying you practically collapsed then took a ball to the face and it was dear ol' Steve "the Hair" Harrington that carried you off to get cleaned up. To say I was in shock would be an understatement." he ran a hand through his hair to calm himself "Usually it's me that looks after you, [M/N]. But I hear that Steve helped you out, makes a guy jealous." [M/N] could help but scoff a laugh.

"Jealous? Of what? Thought you'd be okay with not getting all bloody." he placed a hand on his shoulder.

"We're brothers, [M/N]. Me and you, you and me. My little brother, who's bigger than me physically but I know is just an even bigger cry baby." [M/N] opened his mouth at the words "cry baby", he wanted to deny that claim but Wayne gave him a look because not even moments earlier he was tearing up.

"... shut up." Eddie laughed when he saw more tears gather at his eyes, calling [M/N] brother always did that to him.

"I care, man. We both care." he nodded as he wiped at his face, thankful to hear those words time and time again. They all sat outside until the sun began to fall and Wayne had to go to work, he caressed [M/N]'s cheek then ruffled his head alongside Eddie's and told them both to be good "I'm always good." this caused them both to look at him.

"Mm." [M/N] hummed as he stood and walked into the trailer just as Eddie let out an offended gasp.

"How dare you? We had a moment." he shakes his head as he collapsed onto the sofa, since tomorrow was the weekend, he had plenty of time to search for whatever caused his body to freak out the way it did. But in the back of his mind he hoped, prayed, that he found nothing.

[morning]

"You good?" Eddie asked with a mouth full of cereal, this got him a whack behind the head from Wayne who scolded him to not speak with food in his mouth "Ow! But look at him, Wayne." [M/N] was slowly eating his cereal with a blank expression on his face, or was it confused.

"You okay, boy?" [M/N] blinked.

"... yeah." and that was all they got, which caused them both to share a worried expression. What had him so confused was due to the fact that he went out last night to search for what was going on. He searched through the town, the woods, the lab, everywhere he could go but found... nothing. Absolutely nothing. Maybe he wasn't looking hard enough, but what exactly was he looking for? Another monster? He was already aware that those stupid scientists had opened a gate, despite the disaster those results brought the year prior, but there was nothing he could do about that.

"What happened? Did you find anything?" Wayne asked as Eddie stepped outside for a smoke, leaving the two alone "Was it anything dangerous?" [M/N] shook his head.

"No, I didn't find anything." he pressed a hand to his face as he tried to think "I don't know if that scares me more than finding something."

"Maybe that's a good thing." he shrugged.

"Maybe, but my body wouldn't have reacted the way it did over "nothing". Something happened, but I can't find it." Venom appeared, his usual permanent grin looking a little grim.

"He is right. Our connection to the other world is weak, but I can sense something near. Not within our general vicinity, but around. It is unnerving."

"We will keep looking, but don't forget our warning." Wayne nodded as he went over to a cabinet, pushing aside a few things before pulling out the same hunting rifle he mentioned the day before to show that if anything bad happened he could protect himself and Ed- Wayne quickly slammed the cabinet door shut when Eddie happened to walk back in.

"Hey, guys? Have you seen the neighbours dog? Apparently it's missing."

"Missing? Like it ran away?" Eddie shrugged.

"I don't know. They let it out last night and it's been gone ever since." Wayne couldn't help but look over at [M/N], the memory of him and Venom eating a dog from years ago flashing in his head. [M/N] couldn't help but look offended that he had the audacity but then he started to wonder, did he eat a dog?

"No, we didn't." Venom said in his head, which reassured him.

"Maybe it'll turn up later." he then crosses his arms "Do they expect us to go looking for it?"

"Nah, but I think they do want us to keep an eye out just in case."

"Reasonable." [M/N] purses his lips, was this a coincidence? He didn't find anything last night, but was this a sign? The monster usually eats bigger things, humans or deer, anything with more meat on its bones, but it does eat anything and everything. Were they just not looking in the right area? But if the monster did eat a dog, why would it eat something so small? He taps his finger against his bicep as he thought, at least he had plenty of time to go search for the threat. And so he and Venom spent that day and night searching for whatever creature crossed over from that world into Hawkins, but now he was also looking for a dog that could already possibly be dead. He and Venom were so confused when they still couldn't find anything and it was already the next day. Like, seriously! Were they really not looking in the right place? Venom was especially mad because he could sense that there was something wrong but he couldn't pinpoint where, their insignificant connection to the main body had its perks but also many downfalls.

"Why are we not able to locate the threat? They are everywhere, but we can not see them!" [M/N] huffed out a breath as Venom complained, they were currently out by the train tracks but they were sitting in a tree with Venom searching the area but couldn't find anything "I am telling you, [M/N]. They are everywhere, but nowhere all at once." he just nodded his head, looking off into the distance.

"Mm hmm."

"Do not doubt me!" he just rolled his eyes and slipped off the tree branch and fell, Venom's claw appearing over his arm to dig into the bark and slow his descend. He dusts himself off and planned to check the junkyard but caught himself when he heard voices, so he retreated behind the tree and waited.

"The key with girls is just… just acting like you don’t care." his head snapped up as he recognized the voice, peeking out from behind the tree, his eyes widened when he saw that it was Steve alongside some middle schooler.

"We recognize that boy, [M/N]." he raised a brow, we did? "Indeed. He is the same child from the year prior, the one riding off with another experiment." he thought back to that day and could just barely remember, he was the boy wearing that baseball cap. But what was he and Steve of all people doing out here? He looked at their overall appearance and raised a brow when he saw them both carrying buckets of, they take a whift of the air and catch the smell of, beef?

"What are they doing?" he murmured as he watched them reach into their pockets and scatter the diced meat... what a waste.

"Let's eat em' when they pass." he thinks for a moment before nodding, why not? They hadn't yet passed the tree [M/N] was hiding behind but he started listening to their conversation, what were they talking about again? Something about girls?

"And then what?"

"You just wait until... uh," Steve trails off as he thinks for a bit, tossing handfuls of meat as he thinks of the correct words "until you feel it?" [M/N] raised a brow.

"Feel what?"

"It's like before it's gonna storm, you know? You can't see it, but you can feel it- like this, uh... electricity, you know?" the kid nods.

"Oh, like in the electromagnetic field when clouds in the atmosphere-" [M/N] furrowed his brows, what kind of comparison is that?

"No, no, no, no, no. Like a..." he searched for words again, his hands gesturing to nothing in particular "Like a sexual electricity." [M/N] couldn't help but close his eyes, what terrible advice. It went so far that he slapped a hand to his forehead as he shook his head, whatever he was telling this middle schooler, he hoped the kid didn't listen to it.

"Oh." yup, even this kid was confused.

"You feel that, and then you make your move."

"So that's when you kiss her?" Steve laughed under his breath, shaking his head.

"No. Whoa, whoa. Slow down, romeo." he said rather amused but there was a hint of seriousness caught in his tone "Sure, okay, some girls yeah, they want you to be aggressive. You know, strong, hot, and heavy like a... like a lion. But others you gotta be slow, you gotta be stealthy, like a... ninja." [M/N] leaned against the tree as he pinched the bridge of his nose, how did this guy ever get laid?

"What type is Nancy?" he cocked a brow, now this he wanted to hear.

"Nancy's different. She's different from other girls."

"Yeah, she seems pretty special, I guess." Steve nodded.

"Yeah. Yeah she is."

"But... this girl's special too, you know?" he continued "It's just, like, something about her." Steve stopped the kid when he realized what was going on.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hey, hey, hey-"

"What?"

"You're not falling in love with this girl, are you?" [M/N] narrowed his eyes when his voice was weirdly dead serious, the kid hesitated to answer.

"Uh, no. No." mm hmm, this kid was clearly in love with this mystery girl and he's just lying to himself.

"Okay, good. Don't." the kid nodded when Steve released him.

"I won't."

"She's gonna break your heart, and you're way too young for that shit." [M/N] shook his head, he was probably only saying that after the disaster back at Tina's Halloween party. But could he blame him? He saw just how much Steve loved Nancy, he yapped endlessly about it, so hearing that it was all bullshit must have hit him where it hurt the most. There was a moment of silence as they finally walked past the three [M/N] was hiding behind, he was about the step out when Steve spoke up again "Faberge." why was he bringing up hair products?

"What?" his thoughts exactly.

"It's Faberge Organics. Use the shampoo and the conditioner, and when your hair is damp- it's not wet, okay, when it's damp..."

"Damp." the kid echoed.

"... you do four puffs of the Farrah Fawcett spray." they both freeze when they heard something, they whip their heads around at where the noise came from and what started as high pitched wheezing turned into laughter when [M/N] fell out from where he was hiding clutching his sides. Steve's face flushed red when he realized that [M/N] must have heard everything as he rolled onto his back, his own face turning red from laughing so hard.

"Farrah Fawcett..." he laughed weakly as he pressed hand to his forehead, Steve scoffed as he dropped the bucket of meat and approached [M/N]'s collapsed body.

"What the hell are you doing out here, Munson?" Steve asks as he kicks [M/N], he continues to laugh but tries to calm himself down enough to talk.

"Farrah Fawcett..." Steve deadpans when [M/N] pointed at him then wheezed again as he rolled onto his side, after maybe another round of laughter [M/N] managed to calm himself down enough that he was able to pull himself up but still had to hold himself up by bracing his hand against the same tree he was hiding behind. Steve threw his hands up when he saw his shoulders shake, like he was about to start laughing again.

"Dude, seriously! What the fuck are you doing here?!" he runs a hand through his hair.

"I'm looking for a dog." he answered between snickers "Our neighbours dog has been missing for about two nights and they're worried. Eddie thought it would be a good idea too look for it, aka me, since I'm the more athletic one. Whatever that means." which wasn't a full lie, they were looking for a dog... it was just a side quest.

"A dog?" they asked nervously, he nods.

"Uh huh. Can I assume you're doing the same?" he asks as he points at the trail of meat "But by the looks of it, looks like you're searching for a wild animal? You got an exotic pet or something?" he raised a brow when the two of them shared a nervous look but they nodded quickly.

"Y-Yes, yes! Henderson here lost his, uh- cat!" [M/N] looked back at the meat.

"A bobcat?" Henderson, the kid, shook his head.

"No, it's an, uh- a-a serval! My mum's cat has been missing, a-and she really loves her cat so we're out looking for him. His name is Mews, such a cute cat." [M/N] nods.

"Well, I have read about how serval cats tend to escape a lot. Sucks for you." the two visibly relax that [M/N] bought their lie, but was it a lie? I mean, they were looking for an exotic pet and he did have a cat named Mews, it's just that... the exotic pet ate his cat "So what a coincidence that we're, uh, both looking for pets."

"Mm, small world." Steve glowers when [M/N] smirked at him "But again, Farrah Fawcett? No wonder I could smell it, you wear it like cologne." Steve scoffed.

"And how the hell do you know what it smells like?"

"I'm surrounded by girls who coat their hair in that shit. It's honestly suffocating." he lets out a cough to emphasize the point, he then looks at Dustin and placed a hand on his shoulder "And word of advice, forget everything this guy told you about girls." Steve looked offended.

"Wha-"

"Sexual electricity? Psh, that's the dumbest shit ever." Steve scoffed and shoved him back by the shoulder.

"Oh, yeah? If you're such an expert, why don't you give the kid some advice about how to get with girls?"

"Well, first of all, don't act like you don't care. Sure it would drive them crazy, but in a bad way. How would you feel if you poured your heart and soul out and a girl just shrugged it off? You'd feel like shit, right?" the kid thinks for a bit but nods, it would hurt "Girls like when you communicate with them. Girls like when you show them that you can care, that you feel, that you respect them."

"But what does it feel like? Like electricity? Like what Steve said?" now Steve was interested in this, mostly because he knows that [M/N] hasn't been in a relationship nor had a crush on anyone... from what he's heard.

"Well, uh... it's small, but you just know. A warmth in your chest when you hear their voice, a pull in the gut when you spot them across the room. Then when that feeling grows, your mood shifts around them. How a bad day immediately dulls the moment you're with them, or how your mind can't help but think about them." he runs a hand through his hair "When you know you like someone it feels- special. Like, fireworks going off in the back of your mind. Or you feel butterflies in your stomach. Everything else cease to matter because all you can think, see, feel is... them."

...

...

"Was that too much?" his eyes widened slightly when he saw that they were staring at him in shock, but Dustin's eyes shun like they were the wisest words he's ever heard.

"Fireworks... butterflies." he drawled as he looked away, probably thinking of that girl he was trying to impress. Steve looked at him like he didn't recognize him, impressed at his words.

"Okay, you said it better than I did."

"Really? I kind of pulled that out of my ass." Steve looked even more offended as he smacked [M/N]'s arm.

"For real? What the fuck, man." he chuckled as he raised his hands.

"I read romance novels. It's a guilty pleasure." Venom reads them more, as well as watching telenovelas, but he wasn't going to admit that "But is that how you felt with Wheeler? Was I on the money?" Steve huffed as he crossed his arms but he nodded his head.

"Yeah, yeah it did." [M/N] placed a hand on his arm.

"Sorry about her again, man. Hope you work things out, or you move on. Moving on is always healthier then clinging onto something that just wasn't meant to be." he winced at that "Sorry, that was wrong to say." he shook his head.

"No, no, I get it. I appreciate it, though." [M/N] chuckled and winked, he then tucked his hands into his pockets as he rocked back and forth on the heels of his feet.

"I should probably get going. That dog isn't going to find itself, now is it?" he then waves his hand towards Dustin "Hope you find your mother's cat, and good luck with your girl troubles." Steve and Dustin wave him goodbye, Dustin a little more enthusiastic.

"See you later, Munson."

"See you," he passes Steve but he doesn't miss the small snicker that escapes his lips "Farrah." he laughs as he sprints away before Steve could hit him.

"You're dead if you tell anyone, Munson! You here me? Dead!" [M/N] just laughed as he disappeared into the woods, Steve huffed as Dustin steps up to stand behind him.

"... that dogs dead, right?"

"Oh, totally." after he made sure he was a good distance away, he climbed up a tree and started watching them. Looking for an exotic pet? Yeah, he could smell bullshit from a mile away. All that meat made him feel nauseous, made him think back to when he was still in the lab and they had him eating raw meat. It just brought up bad memories, that didn't stop Venom from appearing over his shoulder and licking his lips.

"May we snack?" he sighed.

"Yeah, you deserve it for your efforts." when night fell the had finally reached the end of the meat trail, it started a pretty long distance away and Venom was eating up every little piece he found while dragging [M/N] behind him. They were sat up in a tree again as he held up what little bits of meat were left for Venom to chow down on as they watched Steve, Dustin and two other middle schoolers hide inside an abandoned bus. Venom was eyeing the pile of meat so badly he was drooling, [M/N] made a face of disgust when his tongue lulled out so he shoved what remaining meat he had into his mouth and shook his head "Chill out, just wait. We can't be seen."

"But I crave meat!"

"And you'll get it when they fuck off!" he exclaims in a hushed tone "I'm more curious as to what they're up too."

"Perhaps they are hunting the monster as well. I am sensing a presence, and there is many." he raised a brow.

"Like before?"

"Yes, but now their presence is more vivid, and they are honing in fast." at that he hears the boy on top of the bus cry out how he's spotted up, the mist surrounding the area made it hard to see anything but Venom made it easier. That's where he spotted a monster, but it wasn't a grown one that towered over the average man, it was an infant. It hasn't yet grown to its full size yet but they were just as deadly, it'd kill them faster than they could ever react "More are incoming, [M/N]. They will not survive." he crossed his arms, his fingers tapping against his bicep.

"We can't be seen, but I don't want them getting hurt." he quirked a brow when Venom moved in front of him.

"Then let us take them out before they reach their intended target." he looks back out towards the junkyard where he saw Steve step out of the bus to bait the monster forward, he then turned his gaze at the woods where he saw multiple dog like figures slowly approach.

"... all that matters is that we aren't seen." he repeats, Venom grins.

"Copy that." he spared the group one last look before Venom took over.

They stuck to the edges of the junkyard, moving fast, too fast for most of the creatures to react before Venom was on them. [M/N] grimaced every time Venom scooped one up, bit its head clean off, and discarded the body before moving on to the next. They couldn’t cover the entire junkyard without being seen, but they thinned the numbers enough that only a few slipped past them. Every so often, [M/N] glanced up toward the bus and caught sight of Steve holding his own, swinging a nail-studded bat and knocking monsters back with surprising efficiency. He had to admit, it was impressive.

When Steve retreated back into the bus, Venom grew bolder. They stepped farther into the junkyard, using the mist as cover. Tendrils burst from his back, skewering the creatures through their spines. Their whimpers cut short as Venom yanked them in and devoured them one by one. Unease crept in as their numbers dwindled. They had never eaten anything from the other world before. Would consuming their flesh strengthen Venom’s connection to the original? The last thing they needed was for it to become fully aware of them, though it probably already was. It saw through its army, after all. Maybe this was a mistake. They were exposing themselves just by being here. And it wasn’t like he even knew those kids, Steve had it under control-

A bloodcurdling scream tore through his thoughts.

He flinched, snapping his gaze back to the bus just in time to see one of the monsters scramble onto the roof, poised to drop down inside. He nervously bit at his lip. What could he do? He couldn’t help without exposing them. Venom, on the other hand, simply licked his lips, eyes flicking toward one of the headless dogs they’d discarded nearby. Before [M/N] could stop him, Venom grabbed it and hurled it with brutal force. The body slammed into the creature perched on the bus, knocking it clean off. Panic spiked when [M/N] saw movement inside the bus. Venom reacted instantly, diving behind an abandoned car just before they could be spotted.

"What the fuck was that?!" he hissed. Venom shrugged, utterly unbothered.

"Either that, or they become their next meal." [M/N] would’ve smacked his forehead if he could. Instead, Venom suddenly retracted back into his body. A sharp shiver ran down his spine as blood began to trickle from his nose. Around the junkyard, the remaining monsters lifted their heads in unison, all turning toward the same unseen point before filing out, vanishing as quickly as they’d appeared. He covered his nose as fear riddled through his body. Even with such an insignificant connection, they could still feel it, pressing, watching.

"That… was the original, wasn’t it?" beneath his skin, Venom trembled.

"Indeed, it was. Perhaps it was a mistake eating them." his expression hardened.

"You think?" he wiped the blood from his nose and scowled. "You better hope when we digest them from our stomachs there’s no trace of it left." he sucked in a sharp breath when he heard Steve and the others moving toward his hiding place. Acting fast, he slid onto his back and rolled away, ducking behind another heap of scrap just before he could be spotted. When he peeked out from his new position, he saw them heading in the same direction the creatures had fled.

Toward danger.

Why would they go that way? Were they idiots?

"… can we eat the meat now?" [M/N] closed his eyes.

"Haven’t you eaten enough?" he murmured as Venom surged out of his body and dragged him toward the pile of meat. For the next few minutes, he could do nothing but sit there while Venom slurped up every last piece, commenting idly on the flavor. [M/N] had to rip him away the moment the sharp scent of gasoline hit his nose. It didn’t stop Venom from finishing what was left, but now they had to keep their distance from even the smallest spark, fearing they’d go up in flames "You didn’t think the meat had a tangy flavor to it?"

"Meat is meat." he shook his head as they moved in the direction the creatures had fled. They didn’t need to sense where they’d gone, they already knew. They reached the edge of the woods that led toward the lab just as two vehicles peeled out from the grounds, driving off in a hurry. He barely spared them a glance, his attention fixed on the lab ahead, eerily quiet "Usually there are guards patrolling the perimeter, but there is no one."

"Perhaps they finally learnt that they shouldn’t mess with things they don’t understand." he inhaled deeply, and despite the distance, the air carried a pungent stench of blood "You don’t suppose those creatures tore through all those scientists, do you?"

"Shall we find out?" a dark glint flickered in his eyes.

"Yes, we shall. Maybe you’ll get to eat some more." Venom rumbled beneath his skin, eager at the thought, especially if the main course were the men in white coats. They didn’t waste another second. Launching from the branch they were perched on, they hit the gate and used it as a foothold, propelling themselves straight through a window. His shoulder smashed through the glass in a spray of shards as they burst inside. He swiped the glass from his shoulder as the scent of blood hit him all at once. Normally, it would’ve sent him reeling, gut wrenching as bile clawed its way up his throat, but after a year of eating flesh again, his reaction wasn’t nearly as violent.

"We have snuck down these halls for months undetected; it is the first time we have seen it this quiet." [M/N] nodded as he moved through the corridors, his hands gliding over jagged claw marks carved deep into the walls.

"It seems they did bite off more than they could chew." [M/N] murmured when he stumbled across a dead body. He nudged it lightly with his foot before turning it over, revealing a throat completely torn out. "Would be a shame to leave them here to waste, hmm?" Venom formed over [M/N]’s body, lips curling as he grabbed the corpse by the leg and lifted it effortlessly off the ground.

"With all this food, we won't have to eat for months."

"Then have your fill and be satisfied, because I don't think you'll be able to eat anymore humans after this." the symbiote practically salivated. Last year, he’d had plenty of agents to feast on, but a building full of dead scientists, along with those dog-like creatures? It was practically a buffet.

"Don't mind if I do."

Venom almost couldn’t get enough as they cleared the halls of bodies. They weren’t sure how long they’d been there, starting from the highest floor and working their way down. A few of the creatures crossed their path, but they were dealt with easily, their claws couldn’t pierce Venom’s liquid flesh to reach [M/N]. Still, he didn’t eat them right away; he didn’t want to spoil his appetite. He had to admit they didn’t taste very good, but food was food.

They were certain there were more bodies in the lower levels, but Venom could feel [M/N]’s fear, his lingering trauma tied to the lab they’d come from. They’d snuck into the lower levels many times before, Venom always forcing that fear down so [M/N] wouldn’t spiral. This time was no different. And besides, they weren’t stupid enough to go anywhere near the gate to the other world. They had finally reached the ground floor but there weren't nearly as many bodies as there were in the upper levels, no one had made it far enough to reach the lobby to escape. They were nearing the exit when Venom spotted a body, he licks at his bloodied teeth as he approached the body but paused when a flash of recognition flashed through their head.

"Wait." [M/N] suddenly spoke, Venom slowly sank back into his body as he stared closely at the man's face "... Mister Newby?"

"The radio guy?" [M/N] had crossed paths with Bob Newby a number of times with Wayne and sometimes Eddie, but he was well acquainted with him due to how friendly he was. He saddened as he knelt down, his hand hovering over his mauled body as if he could do something to help.

"But what's he doing here?"

"I heard he was seeing that Melvald's employee." he furrowed his brows.

"How do you know that?" he makes a face when Venom doesn't answer him, he's been in that store too and the only female employee he could think of was- "Miss Byers?"

"The mother of the boy who went missing." so they were here? Was that who they saw leave in a hurry? He looked back down at Bob and frowned, he was so close and yet... he looks away "I won't eat him, if it makes you feel better." [M/N] rolled his eyes but smiled softly.

"Thanks, I guess." his head snaps up when he heard footsteps followed by a flashlight, a few of Venom's tendrils burst out of his back and pull him out of sight just as two individuals step into the building. They peek out from their hiding spot and spot Sheriff Hopper alongside... the girl "So she really was still in town."

"Told you." he rolled his eyes, when they walked past their hiding spot, Hopper spared the area a glance but saw nothing and kept walking down the hall. When they finally disappeared the wall made from Venom's body disappeared and [M/N] stepped out, if that girl was here that could only mean one thing "They're going to attempt to close the gate."

"If that's the case, I think we should take our leave." Venom whines.

"Mm, it was nice while it lasted." he looked back at Bob's body one last time, a look of guilt flashing on his face, before finally turning away and leaving. It didn't take long for him to return to the trailer park and collapse onto the sofa, her felt a flicker of pain pang against his head as a trickle blood came from nose. Guess the original was sending out another distress signal, huh? Or maybe that girl was actually closing the gate... welp, none of that was any of his business.

"You're back!" he looked up and saw Eddie walking out of the trailer, hair tied back with a pencil behind his ear "Did you find the dog?" [M/N] sat there for a moment. Damn, he completely forgot about the dog. Not that it mattered, the poor thing was probably dead and it wasn't his fault this time.

"Nah, I think it's gone for good." Eddie laughed as he flopped down beside him.

"Figured, but at least the dog got its priorities straight. When I graduate, I'm getting the fuck outta dodge! I promise you, [M/N]. I'm gonna make it big, and I'm gonna come back here and flip all those naysayers off!" [M/N] laughed as he leaned more into the sofa.

"You gonna leave me all alone with Wayne? Maybe then he can have his room back." he snickered Eddie shoved him.

"Fuck off." they both laugh "I failed this year but maybe it was a good thing! I'll wait for you, [M/N]. I'll graduate next year, than wait for you to graduate so we can leave together and take Wayne with us."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah! I'm sure you'll make it big too, man. I can already picture it. You'll go to some Ivy League, join some top of the line baseball team and be the star player! You'll make Wayne proud." [M/N] flushed as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Then I can picture you and your friends playing at bars, having the time of your lives. Eventually, you get scouted by some big name company and you're performing on stages that AC/DC or Metallica had. People crying your name, screaming your lyrics." Eddie grinned.

"You don't imagine I'd go to college." [M/N] snorts.

"Fuck no. You'd either sleep through your lectures or don't show up at all. You said it yourself, you failed this year." he was smacked in the arm "But I know you'd make Wayne proud, too. He loves you, Eddie." now it was Eddie's turn to become flustered, twirling a stand of his hair around his finger.

"And he loves you too. You're his son, after all."

"At least you're his actual nephew."

"But we're brothers." Eddie grinned when he saw [M/N] grin sheepishly, he let out a grunt when Eddie wrapped his arm around his shoulder and pulled him close "I love you, man." he wrapped his own arm around Eddie and leaned into him.

[november, 1983]

[M/N] Munson, who was now fifteen years of age and in his first year of high school, Eddie being two years his senior in his junior year while he himself was a freshman. As many predicted, with three years in middle school he completely dominated the baseball season and was Hawkins star baseball player, throwing record breaking pitches and winning game after game for his school against rivalling schools that they couldn’t even dream of beating. Not only was he physically gifted but he was quite the genius in his academics, scoring within the top ten at the mid term and end of the year exams. He had to thank Wayne and Eddie for breaking him out of his shell because he was now more confident than he could ever imagine because he was very well liked by both populations of the school, including the teachers because unlike normal jocks, he was well mannered and very polite. Something he immediately noticed when he entered Hawkins High School, he could see and feel the difference between himself and Eddie. He didn’t want to say it out loud, especially not around Eddie, but he could see how many people did not like Eddie that much. The first time he saw the way the basketball jocks treated him and his friends with disdain angered him greatly, he wanted to say something to get them off of Eddie’s back but was told that he didn’t need to do something so drastic, he dealt with them since his freshmen year so he knew what he was doing, besides, it was embarrassing for him to interfere like that, his words.

“Aren’t you, like, embarrassed coming into school with me?” Eddie asked as he pulled up to the trailer in his van, one that he managed to salvage and put together on his own “You’re like super popular and you only just started. Can’t help but say I’m a little jealous.” [M/N] let out a laugh, throwing his head back then waving his hand to dismiss his worries.

“Embarrassed? Psh, why would I be embarrassed by you? I think you’re really cool, Eddie. I think you’re very brave with how you jump onto the lunch tables and perform your theatrics, I’m not nearly as confident as you to pull something like that off.” they exit his van and yet again another twinge of jealousy erupts through Eddie’s chest, from that twig that barely stood at his shoulder now stood head to head with him at the mere age of fifteen while he was seventeen years old “You’re the coolest person I know!”

“You’re just saying that because we’re practically cousins at this point.”

“Nah uh, you’re super duper cool, dude. Scouts honour.”

“You weren’t even a scout.”

“A guy can dream.”

“Why would you dream about that?” they’re laughing at this point while shoving at each other, [M/N] let out a gasp when he accidentally shoved Eddie to the ground and so the two of them stare at each other before bursting out into more fits of laughter. [M/N] was so happy whenever he heard Eddie call them actual cousins, when for a matter of fact that both of them knew that they weren’t even related, not even a little bit. To [M/N], even if it could possibly be one sided, he liked to think that they were almost like brothers “You didn’t happen to cross paths with Steve Harrington yet, right?” [M/N]’s head perked up at the mention.

“Harrington?” he spoke in curiosity as they entered the trailer, looking around for Wayne but concluded that he was chatting with a few of the neighbours before he had to go to the plant for his night shift “Isn’t he that basketball and swim team guy?” Eddie nods.

“Yeah huh, he’s the current King of Hawkins.” [M/N] couldn’t help but snort at that, snickering softly as he collapsed on the sofa.

"He sounds like more of a loser than you, Eddie.” he quickly looks away when Eddie whipped his head over to him, his wild hair that had gotten longer flying everywhere.

“So you’re agreeing with the fact that I’m a loser?”

“I never said that.” when Eddie began to ramble everything wrong with Steve Harrington, [M/N] began to think about the brunette himself. He did indeed cross paths with Steve Harrington, despite being a year younger than him they shared the same english class and he didn’t want to be rude but he had to admit that the dude was not that bright when it came down to the subject, he didn’t seem that bright in general. He wasn’t bad, but his work could do better, but that’s besides the point. This dude does the bear minimum and yet he’s still passing, but they also shared P.E together, both being the stars in their respected sports. Thanks to Venom, [M/N] had the perfect endurance and stamina to keep up with all sorts of sports so of course he was still ridiculously good at basketball as well but decided not to make it his main sports and stick with baseball instead. He didn’t voice his concerns but he noticed the way Steve looked at him in disdain, whether it be because he’s from the trailer park and he’s wealthy or the fact that his presence threatens his position as the King of Hawkins. He was well liked by majority of the population of the school and he doesn’t bully people either, he’s easy to talk to and very friendly. People were surprised he didn't have a girlfriend already, a lot of ladies are already lining up to offer themselves to be his girlfriend, but he always politely declines their advances, giving the excuse that he’d like to focus on his education first then pursue a relationship.

Speaking of which—

“Your words are very sweet, believe me, they are. But I think you’d be better off with someone that will pay attention to you with all their heart, and unfortunately, that guy is not me.” he gave the girl, who he barely knew for more than a week, an apologetic look and frowned softly when she cried as she ran off.

“Dude, give us some of the ladies. I’m desperate to get in a relationship man.” [M/N] rolled his eyes at his friend and lightly shoved him back.

“Take them, they barely know me and yet they’re wanting to be in a relationship with me. Do you know how frustrating it is to tell a new girl each week that I don’t want to be in a relationship with them?” he deadpans when they stare at him, he sighs softly and looked away as they began to ramble how lucky he has it. The reason he wants to be single is true, but there’s also the fact that Venom and him are inseparable and he didn’t want to bring someone into a relationship and hide the truth that he was a… freak.

“Well,” his head shot up at the sound of a new voice, looking up, he grimaced softly at the sight of the preppy boy Steve Harrington along with his gaggle of friends, Tommy Hagan and Carol Perkins “if you don’t want them, I’ll gladly take them out of your hands.” a bead of sweat formed on his cheek as he looked up at Steve from where he was leaning against the lockers.

“Hey, hey now, Harrington. That’s no way to speak about women, saying shit like that as if they’re objects. Is that why you’ve been struggling to keep a steady relationship with any of them.” he smirks softly when his words managed to irk him, he scoffed slightly and crossed his arms “They’re all yours for all I care, be the heartbreaker that doesn’t stick around for more than a quick fuck.” his friends snicker softly but quiet themselves under the heavy eyes of Steve Harrington, son of the famous Richard and Lauren Harrington, a well known business owner and lawyer who had better things to do then stick around in bumfuck nowhere Hawkins Indiana.

“You should really watch what you say, Munson.” Tommy sneers at him.

“Oh, can’t speak for yourself, Harrington? Gotta let your little bitch do it for you?” now his friends were laughing while Tommy’s pale cheeks flushed with embarrassment, he raised a brow when Tommy took a step forward with a snarl.

“Wanna say that again, trailer trash?” [M/N] huffed softly before pushing himself off the lockers and staring down at Tommy, noticing how he immediately backed off when he realised just how different in physique the two of them were and that he towered over the meek senior.

“Or what, Hagan? Whatchu gonna do about it, bitch?” before any more words could be exchanged [M/N]’s friend stepped forward and held his arm out in front of him before he could do anything they’d both regret, Steve doing the same thing to get Tommy to back down “Is that all you’ve got to say, Harrington. No other famous words to speak?”

“You’re just as obnoxious as your cousin.” [M/N] lights up.

“Really? Well that’s a damn compliment to me, so thanks.” he winks as he bares his teeth in a smile, going so far as to doing a dramatic bow, just like Eddie “To be complimented by his majesty, oh King Steve Harrington, what a blessed day this is. This peasant thanks you for your kind words.” Steve sneers at him, stepping forward until they were in each other’s space, [M/N] wasn’t the least bit intimidated and just stared down at Steve with an unbothered expression.

“You’re just as annoying too, perhaps stupidity runs in the Munson bloodline.” that might had irked him but he didn’t let it show, simply tilting his head while leaning forward and sneering down at him.

“Oh? Is that so? Then I guess running around acting like a whore runs in your family, huh? I heard through the grapevine neither your mother or father could satisfy themselves with each other.” his smirk turned smug when Steve’s face turned red, his own hand clenched into a fist when he saw Steve raise his but before anything could happen a hand was suddenly thrusted in between them and they were pushed apart “Wha—“

“And we’ll have none of that!” he furrowed his brows when he saw that it was none other than Eddie.

“Wha— what are you doing, Edd—“ he pulled a face when a finger was pressed to his lips, silencing him from saying another word.

“Shush, shush, shush, oh dear cousin of mine. We’ll have no more of those words, you hear me?” he deadpanned at Eddie, who turned back to look at Steve with an apologetic but fake smile on his face as he started pushing [M/N] away “I’m so sorry about him, Harrington, sometimes i just can’t control this kid. Gotta mind of his own, what can you do? We’ll just get going now, so sorry for the inconvenience.”

“Wait— no, Eddie! I’m not—“ Eddie doesn’t let him finish as he continued to shove him away, his own friends following with the rest of Hellfire.

“That’s right, you need your cousin to fight your own battles! You’re just as much as a coward as he is.” Eddie kicked [M/N] away when he knew that remark got a rise out of him, his face turning a shade of red from anger as a couple veins started to pop. He was never angry about people insulting or teasing him anymore, the anger now came from others insulting him or Wayne, and as flattering as that is, it’s definitely what’s going to get him killed one of these days.

“Eddie, what the hell? I didn’t need you to step in like that. I could have fucked him and that Tommy bitch up like eating breakfast.” Eddie let out a sigh, placing his hands on hips with a sigh and shake of his head.

“Yeah, I know, I just didn’t want you doing it. You know what Wayne thinks about you getting into fights, remember?” [M/N] gritted his teeth, crossing his arms and turning away “I hate being the responsible one, dude. That’s your thing, not mine, but you gotta stop. You can honestly fight anyone else, just not him. Whatever he does can easily be covered up with daddy’s money, you know?” [M/N] let out a long groan while throwing his head back.

“Yeah, yeah, I know. I just wanna show him where he can stick his fucking—“ Eddie raised his hands.

“I get it, I get it.” Eddie starts taking deep breaths and gestures for [M/N] to do the same, it takes him a couple seconds but [M/N] starts copying Eddie with the little breathing exercises until he’s completely calmed down “You good now?” he softly nods his head.

“Y-Yeah, I’m good, I’m okay.” Eddie nod and pats his arm.

“Good, cause now we gotta skedaddle on to class. Don’t wanna be late.”

“Dammit.”

“What are you worried about? You’re like a bonafide genius, you ain’t got nothing to worry about.” Eddie snickers softly when he heard both their friends grumble, muttering shit how it wasn’t fair, but [M/N] only sighed.

“Yeah, don’t make it easier though.”

“You can make it through the day.”

“Oh, right. You playing Hellfire later this afternoon?” Eddie grimaced when he remembered, slapping a hand onto his forehead and looked up at [M/N] with an apologetic look.

“Damn, that’s right. Sorry, think you can find a ride home?” he nod his head.

“Don’t worry about it, Roddy can drop me off.” he looks over at Roddy, the same boy he made friends with on his first day on the baseball field, and saw him smile while flashing a thumbs up “You can stay later if you want, I know how intense your campaigns can get, so I don’t want you to rush through them just to take me home. Perhaps I should learn how to drive so I can get home without relying on others anymore.”

“Or you can take the bus like everyone else.”

“I’d rather walk than get on a bus with the people attending this school.” another one of [M/N]’s friends slaps a hand on his back, snickering softly.

“He‘s got a point. Now come on, we really gotta go now.”

[later]

“Hey dude, I’ve been meaning to bring this up but my old man’s got this real old bike he’s been needing to get rid of and I think you’d like it. You’ve got a real love for motorcycles.” Roddy chuckled softly when he saw [M/N] whip his head over in his direction, eyes sparkling and face shining with anticipation “Okay, calm down, I haven’t even finished talking.”

“No, no, what I heard was you talking about how your dad wants to give me his motorbike. What model is it? How about make? Do you know which brand?” a book of promptly thrown at his face, it slid down and dropped to the floor and that same sparkle had yet to cease “What about year?” Roddy lets out a groan.

“Dude, why can’t you be this enthusiastic about girls?” he immediately deflates.

“Because a bike is something that I want and something that I can shape throughout the years.” he presses a hand to Roddy’s face before he could speak again, shaking his head with a stern look “Speak less.” he rolled his eyes and slapped his hand away.

“You can come take a look at it after school. My mum wants it gone, like, yesterday. It’s a little banged up, missing a couple parts and whatnot but with how good you’ve gotten at fixing up cars and shit, I think you can get it started again. Might not need your cousin to drop you off and take the bus anymore. Might be doing him a favour.” [M/N] frowned a little.

“I would like to burden him less. Let him stay out with his friends longer than to take me home.”

“You get a really cool bike out of it as well.” [M/N] perks up a little, Roddy smiles and smacks his arm, wrapping his arm around his shoulder and pulling him towards him “There’s the spirit, lets go, don’t wanna keep my dad waiting.” Roddy now wished he never brought it up because now he was acting as the third wheel between his own father and [M/N] as they were talking on and on and on about motorcycles and shit, especially the one that his dad was giving away. It was a 1970 Ducati Scrambler 350, sure it was a little worse for wear but with a little elbow grease, and an insane amount of luck, it too can shine like it did before.

“You’re really going to give it to me?” Roddy father nodded his head, beaming down at [M/N].

“Hell yeah. When my son told me about your love for bikes, I knew I should give it to you. Initially I was going to give it to my boy, but he wasn’t as enthusiastic about it as you are. It’s nice to share a passion with someone else, Roddy and I love baseball but I’m glad I can get along with one of his friends.” he nod his head.

“Agreed.”

“And I’m still here.” they both perk up at the sound of his voice, [M/N] becoming bashful for taking up so much of his time while completely ignoring his friend “And I have feelings.”

“Sorry.” Roddy’s father raised a brow when he patted [M/N]’s back roughly but the boy made little to no reaction, his back much sturdier than that for a sixteen year old “You’re Wayne’s boy, right? He talks about you all the time at the whenever I see him at the pub.”

“Really?” he nods his head.

“Uh huh, I mentioned giving you the bike after learning you were friends with my boy, and he looked delighted. I think he wants to work on it with you.” Roddy’s dad almost had to squint because of how bright [M/N]’s face got, yeah, just like Wayne said it would.

“Then, am I working on it here or…?”

“Don’t worry about it kid, I’ll strap it onto my trailer and drop it off at the trailer park.” [M/N] watches as Roddy and his dad move the motorbike onto a trailer and he starts becoming a little nervous again.

“You’re going through all the trouble for me? I don’t know what to say.”

“You sound like a damn girlfriend, shut up.”

“You shut up.” before they could start bickering Roddy’s mother appeared, she hummed softly at the two who immediately stopped rough housing and gave the older woman a bright and friendly smile.

“There you are Roddy, helping your father are you? It was so sweet of you both to give the hunk of chunk to your friend.” her words caused both [M/N] and Roddy’s father to gasp, she giggled softly at their reactions “Oh, I apologize, your prized motorcycle that you left in the garage to collect dust that you’re only know reluctantly giving away because I said so, hmm?” both boys look up at the older man and see him give his wife a sheepish look.

“Yes…” she sighed softly then looked at [M/N] with a warm gaze, almost reminded him of Wayne.

“I am happy my husband’s giving it away, but if you do manage to restore it to its former glory, I don’t suppose you could stop by and show it off a little.” he nodded.

“Of course, it did belong to you first.” he blushes softly when she reached forward to ruffle his hair, giggling at how bright his face got.

“You’re a sweetheart, I’m glad Roddy and you are friends. It’s almost like we’ve got another son.” said boy let out a sigh, pushing his mum over to where his dad was.

“Yeah, yeah, we get it. [M/N] is the favourite child despite not even being related, alright.” she laughs at the accusation before trotting over to her husband, who was chuckling at her words. He sighed and looked back over at [M/N], opening his mouth to speak before pausing and looking at [M/N] flustered expression as he ruffled his own hair “… dude, are you into older women?” he laughed when his face turned red from pink.

“That’s not it!” he then nervously pressed his fingers together “She’s just very nice, you have a nice mother.” he rolled his eyes.

“More like overbearing.”

“At least you know that your mother cares, no?” Roddy’s eyes flickered a little as he looked at his best friend, seeing the look of loss in his eyes as he stared at the happy couple in front of them “I’m almost jealous.” he knew better than to pry, despite being friends for a long time, there wasn’t much he knew about [M/N], he was secretive and not the talkative kind of guy.

“If you say so, loser.” Roddy’s mother chuckled when she saw the two of them on the floor wrestling with each other, though [M/N] was the one that ended up victorious. The next couple of weeks, leading up to late October and early November, Wayne and Eddie would find [M/N] working on the motorbike that was gifted to him early morning and straight after school. Of course he would take the occasional break but thanks to Venom he could work on it for however long he wants and not have to worry about overworking himself, but Wayne didn’t like that option all to much and would scold him about how necessary.

“Dude, you need a shower, you reek.” Eddie complained from within the living space when [M/N] came in, covered in sweat and oil, he laughed softly as he made his way over to the fridge for a drink.

“That’s a lot coming from you, Eddie.” the man gasped, hand to his chest.

“How DARE you, [M/N]. I’ll have you know I take care of my body quite perfectly, thank you very much.” he just rolled his eyes in response “Oh, while you’re there, could you get me a beer?” he rolled his eyes.

“Yeah, sure.” he opens the fridge and sees a couple cans left, most likely from both Wayne and Eddie drinking the majority of them, he chooses to drink what was left of the orange juice so he takes the glass jug along with a can and sets it on the counter, Eddie’s face scrunches up in frustration as he stared at his algebra homework and lets out exaggerated groan.

”[M/N], can you help me with this question? I know Wayne told me not to ask you for help, but I—“ he jumped from where he sat at the sound of glass shattering, he whipped his head around and gasped at the sight of [M/N]. With a dazed look on his face, [M/N] had dropped both the jug and glass he had in his hands that evidently led them to shatter upon impact on the ground. Eddie cautiously stood up and slowly approached him, not knowing if this was another one of [M/N]’s episodes that hadn’t occurred in a long time, or if it was the exhaustion from working too hard. His face paled when he saw his eye twitch followed by a trickle of blood from out of his nose, his body swaying while his eyes dulled “[M/N]? Hey, [M/—“ he was already approaching the younger boy when his body was swaying but he was quick to rush over when he finally lost his balance and collapsed to the ground with an alarming thud. [M/N] comes to later in the night, looking over at the clock hanging on the wall he notes that it was three in the morning, christ, the last time he looked at the time it was still eight, nine at best.

“That is because you fell unconscious, [M/N]. Eddie failed to catch you, but he was the one that brought you to your bed. He was panicking whether or not to take you to the hospital, you should be lucky that he did not.”

“W-Where is he now?” he murmured softly, head still a little groggy from the fall.

“He retired to his room. He did plan to stay by your side but I guess he must have fallen asleep by accident.” Venom stares at [M/N], the boys body now drenched in sweat and body as pale as a sheet of paper “I can only guess you felt it too, it being the reason for your collapse.” Venom’s eyes lingered on the now terrified boy, whose arms came up to cradled his body close. Whatever he felt, it was something that he had only felt when he was still undergoing the experiments within that godforsaken laboratory. He felt his stomach churn, slapping a hand over his mouth to stop himself from hurling whatever was left in his stomach, further dehydrating himself. Did someone open a gate? Was there a lab in Hawkins that he wasn’t aware about? Was… oh god, was Doctor Brenner here?

“What if he’s here, Venom? What if THEY now that I’M here?” Venom hummed.

“We both know that if they knew we were here they’d have both Wayne and Eddie killed for harbouring us.” he flinched at the news, a soft whimper escaping his lips at the thought of being the reason that the people who cared for him since he was twelve were to be killed just for raising him.

“W-What should we do? A gate is open, that is why we reacted like that.”

“Let us ignore it for now. Until things get out of hand, we should have no need to flee. I suggest we bring this up with Wayne, he should know.” [M/N] nods his head, yes, he should. Wayne was already in the know of Venom’s existence, aiding him with keeping his hunger under wraps and making sure Venom didn’t get too out of line. In turn for his acceptance [M/N] had opened up little by little about what happened to him, and so he knows about the scientists and about this alternate world where his para— I mean, Venom came from; his origin. By the time it was the morning, where Eddie had awoken and Wayne had returned from work, [M/N] framed his fainting to, yes, overworking himself with school and the motorcycle. He got a scolding from Wayne and worried cries from Eddie, but he took it all with a flustered smile, and when Eddie left he told the actual truth to Wayne.

“Are you two alright? Should you be going to school then, boy?” Venom grinned.

“Do not worry about us. If anything happens, I can handle them.”

“And by handling them, you mean killing them.” he grits his teeth “I do not wish to have any more blood stained on my hands, thank you very much.” Venom scoffs, now turning to him.

“That does not stop you from laying your hands on your peers, [M/N].” he immediately shoots Venom a look, he raised his hands to shush the symbiote, who snickers when he sees the look on Wayne’s face.

“What does he mean by that?” he’s already out the door before he has to explain himself, throwing himself into Eddie’s van and desperately pleading to him to drive. By the time they arrive at school, [M/N]’s splitting headache had calmed down a little for him to focus in class but during intervals he’d put his headset on and listen to his music. His friends knew that he did not want to be disturbed, telling how he was quite literally ignoring everyone in existence with a pained expression.

“What’s up with him?” a fellow baseball player asked, Roddy shrugged his shoulders.

“Said he fainted after working on his bike last night.” he shook his head “At this rate he’s gonna work himself to death, the moron. The coach is not going to be happy about this.” they shrug their shoulders.

“I don’t know man, I think he’ll be just fine. He’s usually able to pull himself together after a grueling game.”

“I suppose.” and by that he just lets Venom take control, he does that when he’s lazy. He had Venom controlling his body but he was still in control of his mind, so as Venom moved him around he was the one answering for them and doing the usual school shit. But right he wasn’t really all there, he just kept thinking of that nagging feeling of a gate possibly being open; he was terrified of the thought that something might be happening in Hawkins—

“Whoa!”

“Now he’s done it!” he hadn’t realised what happened until it was too late, bumping straight into someone and knocking everything they had onto the floor. The moment he collected himself he looked down to see who it was and gasped in shock, a look of guilt evident on his face.

“Oh, I’m so sorry.” kneeling down, he helped gather her books and hand them back to her, a bashful and embarrassed look on his face “I didn’t see you there, Nancy. My mind’s not all there, you know?” Nancy Wheeler, his academic rival since middle school where the two of them butted heads, but not in a bitter way, but a more playful and competitive way; good to have some competition around to keep things more interesting.

“It’s alright, [M/N]. You seemed a little distracted in class, you doing okay?” he folded his arms, his thumbs taping against his armpits.

“Just had a rough night, fainted.” she gasped.

“You fainted? Well, what are you doing in school? Shouldn’t you be at home resting?” he just laughed softly, waving his hand to dismiss her concern, but was flattered by it.

“Oh, pish posh, I’m fine. Little dazed every now and then, but what’s a good nap that can’t help?” she shakes her head, causing him to laugh softly, hand resting on the back of his head as she started to lecture him.

“If you don’t want to faint in the middle of school, much less during one of our lessons or even worse, during one of your games, I’d suggest taking things a little slower.” he sighed softly, nodding his head.

“Yeah, yeah. Just been feeling a little, I don’t know, jumpy?” by the time it was the end of school, nothing too eventful happened, well, if not for the police cars pulled up to the middle school. He was with a group of his friends as all the high school kids pondered what was going on, slowly word got around that a kid went missing; Will Byers, Jonathan Byers’ kid brother “Missing? Since when?” Roddy shrugged his shoulders.

“Beats me, some time last night?” he swallows thickly. No, it couldn’t possibly— nah, it was probably just a coincidence, right? That had to be it, it just had to. He shook his head and ignored the feeling gnawing in his gut, trying to think of anything else but the negative outcomes. During baseball practice he was a lot more, what’s the word? Ah, ruthless. The batters all noticed how his face scrunched up each time he got ready to pitch, not giving any of them a chance to hit the ball, instead throwing it straight into the catchers hands, or, whizzing right past them.

“What’s got him all riled up?” the coach asked one of the players on the opposing team, they shrugged in response to the question.

“Don’t know, he’s been a little off since last night. Said something about fainting?” they shrug again.

“Well whatever it is, I hope we get to see more of it during a game. He’s a fucking monster when he gets like this.” at the mention of that they see him ready to pitch the ball, he’s pulled his arm back and as he’s about to throw it the ball suddenly explodes in his hand. They all look in shock as he stands up straight, opening the palm of his hand to see that he had crushed the ball.

“Sorry coach!” he shouts as he hands the remains of the ball to the current ball boy, who handed him a new one.

“What’d I say? A fucking monster.” the practice ended with [M/N] dominating the entire field thanks to Venom's interference and he hadn't even broken a sweat, awkwardly laughing while apologizing to his fellow teammates when they glared at him for making them actually play "I'd like to see this kind of performance again, Munson!"

"R-Right, coach!" he was shoved off the court by Roddy before he could hold up the line "Sorry." he only shook his head.

"What's got you so worked up? I mean, seriously. I've never seen you this... jumpy, well, you haven't been this jumpy since middle school. Something happen?" he shakes his head, bringing his hand up to rub his arm.

"Nah, I'm good. Just... high school jitters?" he gave him a raised brow.

"Sure." his unease didn't settle even after practice because deep down, he knew that if Will Byers was actually missing, he knew exactly where he was. He was brought out of his thoughts where he was shoved from behind, nearly jumping out of his skin, he whipped his head around to see Eddie grinning rather goofily at him.

"Hey, dude! You ready to go home?" [M/N] swallowed thickly but nodded, Eddie raised a brow when he saw his unease "Hey, what's wrong? You doing alright?" he sighed softly while rubbing the back of his neck.

"Well... I'm just worried, about that Byers kid? I heard he's gone missing." Eddie waved his hand to dismiss his worry.

"Psh, the kid probably just got lost. We shouldn't have to worry." he says as he walks over to his van. [M/N] looks to the side as he jogs to keep up with him.

"B-But what if something did happen?"

"[M/N], nothing ever happens in Hawkins. From the years I've been here, the only interesting thing that did happen was my uncle hitting you with his truck." the younger of the two deadpanned at him, this caused him to laugh "Now cheer up, I heard Wayne's cooking his famous ribs for dinner." that sort of lifted his mood, though, it dampened immediately when they returned to the Munson trailer to see their guardian with a concerned look on his face.

"Boys, I don't want you going out late at night anymore." this caused them both gawk in shock "As soon as school is over, I want you to come straight home." Eddie was the first to snap out of his shock, approaching his uncle in protest.

"But I've got to practice with the guys! I can't cancel on them." he shakes head.

"If their parents know what's good for them, then they too will also ban them from going out." [M/N] approaches from behind Eddie, giving Wayne a look to explain himself, the older man let out a sigh as he ran his hand over his head "The Sheriff has asked us folks to help with a manhunt to search for Joyce's kid, Will. Apparently he's been missing since last night." their eyes widened.

"Holy..." he shakes his head "Was he abducted, or?" he gave a shrug.

"We won't know until he's found." Eddie went out for a smoke to clear his head, leaving Wayne and [M/N] inside. Wayne goes to speak until he noticed the panicked look on his face, the look of guilt dawning in his eyes "Are you feeling alright, boy?" he squeezes his eyes closed, sucking in a breath between his teeth.

"I think... it's connected to when I fainted." Wayne took a step back, [M/N] lifted his trembling hands and pressed them against his head "I don't know why, but it can't be a coincidence that I felt a connection open from that world at the same time that kid disappeared." Wayne took a step forward, taking his hands and lowering them so he didn't hurt himself.

"Or, like you said, it could just be a coincidence." tears swelled up in his eyes as he looked at Wayne, trying so hard to hope that it was a coincidence but deep down knowing that it wasn't "Do you want to join me in search for Will?"

"Will they allow that?"

"Well, the more the merrier. And besides, with Venom, he might make things easier." at the mention of his name, the parasite within his body made an appearance.

"I will try to assist, but I am a little limited when I'm confined within this body." this caused him to roll his eyes.

"When we're alone, we can go out and try searching for him." Wayne smiles.

"All the help is appreciated." that being said, it was all for naught because they found absolutely no traces of the young boy, even when Venom was let out he wasn't able to find anything. It was almost as if he disappeared off the face of the earth.

"[M/N], you and I know where he could be."

"We don't know that."

"Oh, but we do. We can go and find him."

"But that leads them straight back to us."

"And you'll risk that boy's life over yours?"

"... as selfish as it is, yes."

"Wow, I didn't know you had it in you."

And that brings us to...

"Poor dude, looks like he didn't get any sleep last night." [M/N], who he was fighting off his own exhaustion after being awake until the morning, sniffled at the comment he heard from his friends. Wiping away the saliva, he saw that they were all looking over at where Jonathan was and saw him putting up "MISSING" flyers on the bulletin board "Maybe we should say something?" this got him an eyeroll.

"Like what? "Hey, I'm sorry that your brother's gone missing, I hope he isn't dead in a ditch". Yeah, like he wants to hear that." this earned him a smack on the head by [M/N], who gave him a warning look.

"Don't be like that. He's probably going through a lot, how would you feel if someone you knew went missing?" this caused the lot of them to sigh or look away "He and his mother must be going through a lot." Roddy pats his back.

"We get it, [M/N]. We'll think twice before making another insensitive joke, right guys?"

"Yeah, yeah."

"We're sorry." he looks back over to Jonathan and takes a step to approach him until he overhears a comment coming from Steve and his lackeys that just made his blood boil.

"Oh, god. That's depressing."

"Should we say something?" seeing Nancy was a little surprising, well, since she and Steve were an item he'd expect to see her lingering around but he was a little disappointed in her taste in men.

"I don't think he speaks." Tommy snorts.

"How much you wanna bet he killed him?" he was suddenly shoved into the locker he was leaning against and before he could push himself up to see who it was, he jumped when a fist came into contact with the locker door, inches away from his face. Looking up, they were all startled to see [M/N] glaring down at him and even his friends trailing behind him were shocked at his sudden outburst.

"What the fuck is wrong with you? How could you say something like that? His brother is missing and you suggest that he's the one that killed him? It goes to show that you're an only child, huh? You probably don't even know what it's like to be loved, so you crave validation from everyone else." Tommy didn't know what it was but there was something different about [M/N]. He seemed bigger and felt like he was trapped against the locker with an animal blocking his path, or his voice sounded deeper. It carried a weight to it and made him feel a sense of pressure that had him trembling with each word he spoke "Until his brother is found, I don't want to hear another fucking word out of your mouth involving the situation. Not. A. Peep."

"O-Okay, okay. Geez, it's just a joke."

"A joke is meant to be funny, and that wasn't funny." he flinched when [M/N] finally backed away and ripped his fist back, he looked at the three of them with disdain and gave Nancy and disappointed expression with a shake of his head before going over to where Jonathan was. They looked back to where his fist connected with the locker and broke out into a nervous sweat when they saw the dent, or rather, the hole he made.

"I knew he had a good arm, but damn." Steve says as his finger traces around it "I would not like to be punched by him." Carol snickers softly, albeit a little nervous, and probes at Tommy's side.

"I think it'd be best not to mess with him anymore, don't you think? You've had a lot of close calls, Tommy. If it weren't for his cousin, I think you'd be sent to the infirmary." Tommy scoffed when that earned a snicker from Steve and Nancy.

"Yeah, right. That trailer trash doesn't scare me."

"Sure, whatever you say, bud." Tommy just scowled at them. [M/N] shook his head after leaving the group as he approached Jonathan, he had yet to notice him until he felt a hand on his back, and when he turned his head he was met with [M/N]'s sympathetic smile.

"Hey, Byers. I heard about your brother, and I want you to know that I'm sure things will get better. I'm confident that your brother is somewhere safe... hopefully." he grimaced a little at the end "That didn't sound very nice, but you get what I mean." Jonathan looked up at [M/N]'s reassuring face and softened a little. Despite being in the popular crowd, [M/N] wasn't like the rest of those jerks like Steve and his friends, he was a genuinely nice guy who looked out for the outcasts like himself and his cousin. He did remember [M/N] back in middle school, how he was just a shy boy who was nothing but jitters and nerves. So as [M/N] spoke to him, even when his words sounded a little off, he knew that they actually came from a place of concern and that he genuinely meant what he said.

"Heh, thanks, Munson." his face brightened and he patted his shoulder.

"I'm sure they'll find him. Maybe not now, but eventually. Just don't give up hope."

"That means a lot to me, [M/N]." this earned him a wink from the taller man.

"Attention, faculty and students. At eight PM tonight, there will be an assembly on the football field in support of Will Byers and his family. All are encouraged to attend. Volunteer sign-ups for the search parties are still available in the office." [M/N] had just briefly looked away from Jonathan to listen to the announcement over the PA system and when he looked back at him he was walking away, his shoulders slumped in dismay.

"I feel bad for the guy." he muttered softly.

"You say that and yet you're doing nothing about it." he scowled but knew that Venom was right.

Nothing eventful happened at school other than baseball practice and when [M/N] returned home he told Wayne he was going to look for Will one last time just to make sure he really wasn't out there before coming home, he swore that he wouldn't stay out too late like he did with the previous night and so Wayne took his word for it and would ask Venom in the morning if he stayed true to his word. He was jumping through the trees through Mirkwood in search of any sign of where the boy could have disappeared or if anything else could or would have appeared, he nearly lost his footing when he heard the sound of a feminine scream so he quickly leaps in the direction it came from and grimaced when he realized that he stumbled upon the Harrington household where Steve was throwing his so-called party. Psh, it looked nothing more than a get-together with only his clique as well as Nancy and surprisingly Barb.

"And he's popular, huh?" he scoffs as he rolls his eyes "What a loser, Wheeler can do so much better."

"Are you going to continue stalking them or are we leaving?" he waves his hand to dismiss his words.

"We're leaving, we're leaving." he concludes that he couldn't find Will no matter how far or low he searched and that he wasn't going to be found no matter how hard he tried, he just wasn't there. He knew where he was but was he going to do anything about it? Probably not.

"And you've returned!" [M/N] deadpans when he entered the trailer and Eddie was awake surrounded by papers and his D&D board, he was probably working on another campaign for his club "Any luck?" he shook his head and collapsed onto the sofa.

"Nope. That kid has practically vanished into thin air." Eddie let out a breath and could just feel [M/N]'s guilt from where he was sitting, he stands to his feet and approaches the guy and gently places a hand on his back to comfort him.

"Can I ask why you're going so far to find this kid? I'm pretty sure you're not even close friends with Byers to go this far." [M/N] turns his head so that Eddie could see his face and saw that his face looked guilty but also shameful.

"I just-- I don't know... I feel useless just laying around when I can do something about it." he sits up and looks up at Eddie "We're not related but you and Wayne are the closest thing I've got to a family, and I think I'd go crazy if one of you were to disappear on me." Eddie felt his gaze weaken on him and he could just remember when [M/N] was just a young boy and they first met, how he was just a weak little thing that couldn't even meet his gaze.

"Why you little..." [M/N]'s eyes widened when Eddie locked his arm around his head and started digging his knuckles into his head "You just have to play with my heart strings, don't you?!" this only earned him a laugh followed by a strangled plea for him to stop.

"Eddie, that hurts! Quit it!" it didn't really but he enjoyed it nonetheless, Eddie goes to stop but felt how [M/N]'s grip on him weakened until he practically feel limp in his arms. He was quick to let him go and push him back to get a look at him and saw blood trickle down his nose, his body swaying like it did before and he was struggling to keep his eyes open.

"H-Hey! Oh, not again..." he grumbled and gently pushed [M/N] down so he could lay down, he rushes to get a wet cloth to clean the blood off his face then another and placed it on his forehead "This is the second time that this has happened this week, Wayne isn't going to like this." [M/N] shook his head.

"N-No, I'm fine..." he slurred as he tried to sit up but was pushed back down.

"Clearly. You've been overworking yourself, from your bike to looking for that kid. You need to take it easy, [M/N]." Eddie wiped away some more blood trickled out from his nose and saw the way he gritted his teeth "I don't think it's gonna be hard to convince Wayne, but I'm gonna suggest that you should stay home tomorrow." his eyes widened.

"No, no! I-I'm okay, honest." a groan left his lips and he presses a hand to his forehead when he got a headache.

"Uh huh, keep telling yourself that." Eddie leaves his side and [M/N] sinks into the sofa, the fingers pressed to his head now squeezing his temples.

"Another has been taken, [M/N]." he groans "These attacks are random. Whatever crawled out of that hellhole is nothing more than a wild animal." he rolls his eyes.

"I know, and the fact that it can travel between this world and the other is going to make it harder to catch. I can't sense it like those other experiments."

"We can travel between them, but you just don't want to."

"Of course I don't. If we're caught by the original, we're fucked. Though we are an entirely new entity, we are still somewhat linked to it, albeit weakly. It'll know of our presence the moment we step foot in its domain, and we can't exactly take it on." Venom hums.

"That... is true. But what are we going to do? If that thing is not stopped, more humans will die." he inhales deeply.

"... I don't know." Eddie returns not a second later with a glass of water and some painkillers, he downs them without much of a fuss to ease the brunette before telling him that he'll sleep it off. The pain didn't really last long, it's just whenever that monster attacks while travelling from that world to this one. He can feel when it strikes but he can't sense where, to him, it was unpredictable. The morning came and when Eddie told Wayne what happened he was promptly told to stay home and to just relax, Venom was laughing at him as Wayne scolded him for letting it get to this point.

"You've got to stop worrying about others and worry about yourself, boy." [M/N] laughed, throwing his head back when he did so.

"I worry about myself a lot, actually. How do you think I've survived this long?" he looks away when Wayne gave him a stern look, he exhales sharply and turns towards Eddie.

"Just because he's staying home, doesn't mean you are too."

"Aw, come on! [M/N] needs all the support he can get after collapsing twice, besides, I can help!" behind Wayne, [M/N] gaze hardened on him. He just wants to slack off and not do any school work, which is only going to do him more harm than good when he does go back to school "I care about [M/N] too, you know." he sweat drops when he saw the look on [M/N]'s face, he averts his gaze from the younger one.

"Those better be words of sincerity and not because you want to stay home, or I will be very upset with you." [M/N] lets out a grunt when Eddie was suddenly by his side, wrapping his arms around him and nuzzling his cheek against his.

"No, no! I'm being honest! I've been so worried about his wellbeing since I saw him collapse twice!" they just continue to stare at him before Wayne dropped his shoulders in defeat.

"Alright, you can stay home too." he pumps his fist in victory, this earned him a smack from [M/N] "So long as you're here, you won't be working on your bike." his eyes widened and he stood up to protest, only to stumble back when his head started to throb in pain.

"Just relax, dude. The last thing we need is you becoming lethargic or cracking your head open if neither of us is around." I can actually heal such a wound, but you don't know that.

"I'll let the school know that you two won't be attending today." [M/N] shook his head because the instant Wayne turned away Eddie pumped his fist once again, this earned him another smack, this time in the back of the head. Wayne returns to the sight of the two of them smacking and pulling each other's hair, they stopped when they heard him clear his throat "How's about we go out for breakfast, hmm?"

"Hell yeah!" [M/N] rubbed the back of his head.

"Alright, but I thought Benny's was closed." Eddie laughed as he stood to his feet, taking [M/N]'s hand and hoisting him to his feet.

"There are other places to eat." and that's where they found themselves in a diner. [M/N] had a big appetite thanks to Venom but was always mindful when the Munson Family decided to eat out, trying not to order a lot or anything too expensive that it would hurt Wayne's wallet, so he ordered food that was fulfilling enough that it would satisfy his stomach and Venom's hunger. Eddie's head perked up when the waitress came by and set down four drinks, he opens his mouth to question it but saw [M/N] take them both "Why do you always get two drinks?" one of the drinks was [D/F], which was for him, the other was hot chocolate, for Venom.

"Why not? If I don't like one drink, I'll drink that other or have it wash down the first." Eddie narrows his eyes as he tries to understand the logic. Wayne, who knew why he gets two drinks, just shakes his head while placing a hand on Eddie's shoulder "Thanks for the breakfast, Wayne. I really appreciate it."

"Heh, it's the least I could do. I wasn't there when you collapsed, and I've been worried since you keep brushing it off. I care about you, the both of you. If there's anything I can do to help, just let me know." whether he's referring to Eddie and him or Venom and him, he didn't know, but he was grateful that despite everything, Wayne was willing to help him no wha-- Eddie and Wayne snapped their heads up as [M/N] abruptly shot to his feet, his body trembling, breath hitching. His wide eyes locked onto something outside, his skin turning clammy as a cold sweat broke out. His stomach twisted violently, and before he could stop it, his hand flew to his mouth to stifle the urge to throw up "[M/N], are you--[M/N]!" they called after him, but he didn’t stop. Instead, he spun around and bolted toward the back of the diner, knocking over chairs in his desperate escape. He needed to get as far away as possible. Why was he reacting like this? Why had his face drained of color, his stomach twisting with nausea? Because outside, standing in plain sight, was a face he hadn’t seen in three years. A face he thought he’d escaped forever.

Doctor Martin Brenner.

He threw open the back doors to the diner and hunched over to empty his stomach, he plants his hands on his knees to steady himself but his mind was racing with a million questions. What was he doing here? Why was he in Hawkins? Is there a lab here in Hawkins? Did he see him? Oh, god, did he recognize him? What was he going to do now? Was he going to find him? Bring him back to the labs and torture him some more? Maybe separate Venom and him to place in some other poor sucker and leave him to die? Perhaps this was his karma for not trying to find Will. His head whipped back towards the diner when he heard a noise, could that be them? Was it them coming to get him? He decides not to stick around, despite being out in broad daylight, Venom quickly takes over and launches them into the air to get away from the potential threat that could bring them any harm.

"You must calm yourself, [M/N]."

"B-But it was the Doctor, he's here!"

"He is, but he is no threat. I do not believe he saw us, nor will he recognize us. We are not the same frail little boy we once were."

"But what if... what if he did? What will we do?"

"We can always leave. Try again somewhere else." his breath hitched at the suggestion, Venom touched down by the quarry before disappearing back inside of [M/N] but let his head circle around him "We can look after ourselves perfectly fine now."

"What about Wayne, and Eddie?"

"What about them?" Venom let out a sigh when [M/N] sat at the edge of the drop and looked down towards the water "We could have left years ago, put more distance between ourselves and the lab we escaped from three years ago, but we didn't. You wanted a sense of normality, you wanted to live rather than survive. But a life of simplicity? That is a luxury we can't seem to afford." [M/N] pursed his lips as his hand closed into a tight fist, his knuckles cracking under the pressure.

"I can't just... I can't just leave them, after everything."

"What choice do we have? If there is a lab here, then there must be a gate here too. It must be the reason why we keep feeling light headed." he takes a breath.

"Then let's find it." Venom cocked a brow.

"Are you sure?" he nods.

"I don't want to leave, Venom. We built a life here. We have friends, even a family where our father figure accepts us for what we are. If we figure out how the lab is hiding itself, we can make sure to avoid it." the symbiote hums.

"I guess you have a point. Let us find out where this lab is hiding." [M/N] let's Venom take over once more and now they search for where the lab could be located. If this lab was anything like the one they were confined too, it had to be hidden somewhere out in the woods. It was still broad daylight so they swung themselves up high and made sure to travel the high grounds, wouldn't want to startle any unsuspecting individual and case more of a panic.

Their best lead was the Hawkins National Laboratory. From what they’d gathered, it was one of several national labs established in the aftermath of the Second World War. It oversaw multiple subsidiaries, including Hawkins Power and Light. Still, both he and Venom had always gotten a bad feeling from the place. They’d warned Wayne time and again, if the power goes out, don’t call them. Ever. Now, standing at the fence that separated the lab’s property from the surrounding woods, that unease only deepened. Venom clung to the trees, slipping through shadows to avoid cameras or patrolling guards. For a company that claimed to handle power and lighting, they sure had a lot of firepower.

"How should we get in?"

"Hmm... we could always go in through the roof. Surely there are no guards up there."

"And if there are," the symbiote hissed, "we eat them!" he expected [M/N] to shut the idea down immediately but instead, he felt himself actually consider it.

"Maybe," [M/N] muttered "but I don’t exactly want to go through withdrawals. It's been three years since we ate a human. I’m not looking to relive that part of my life again." Venom only chuckled, licking his lips with a wet, eager sound.

"I’ll make sure you don’t taste their flesh or blood when we feast." [M/N] groaned. Venom only laughed as he swung them into the air, landing on the roof with ease. If any guards were alerted by their presence they were quickly dealt with before they could sound the alarm. By sticking to the shadows and hugging the corners to avoid detection from the building’s surveillance cameras, they made their way down to the lower levels of the laboratory with little effort. Venom could feel [M/N]’s unease grow with every step they took, haunted by vivid memories of the lab and the looming uncertainty of whether they'd live to see another day. Gently, he placed a hand on their chest and pressed down slightly. There he could feel their shared heartbeat begin to steady, a subtle reassurance that they weren’t alone.

"We’ll be in and out, I promise." [M/N] swallowed thickly from within Venom’s body.

"Okay…" the symbiote chuckled as they descended the elevator shaft toward the lower levels of the building.

"I do not wish to be here any more than you, [M/N]," Venom said, his voice low "I have no desire to be trapped again in a place where they tormented and tortured us in the name of science."

"Then let’s hope we don’t get caught because we'll lose everything if we do."

"I do not wish to lose our steady source of chocolate."

"You mean food?"

"Yes. And that." they slipped out of the elevator shaft into the vents, moving quickly and silently. Weaving past security and scientists alike, they made their way down to the building’s basement. If the strange thing they were sensing was correct, then a gate to the other world was open. They finally reached the control room, which thankfully was only occupied by a handful of people. Clinging to the ceiling, barely making a sound as they peered through the observation glass below they spotted monitors flickering with grainy surveillance footage, most of it focused on containment cells and energy readings. But one screen in particular caught [M/N]’s attention, an unstable rift pulsing with unnatural light. "There, that is the gate." [M/N] let out a breath as he watched it pulse, as if it were breathing.

"What have they done?"

"Is it ready?" [M/N] gasped at the all-too-familiar voice, even Venom felt a surge of panic ripple through their shared body. Doctor Brenner. Without hesitation, they slipped back into the vents they came through, moving quickly but silently. They didn’t leave though, no, they stayed close, just above the room, listening. "I asked if the body is ready." Brenner said coldly as he entered.

"Oh, um, it’s nearly ready, sir." one of the technicians stammered. "Just need to add a few more details before disposing of it at the quarry."

"Good. Hop to it. There are people getting too close to the truth, and with Eleven still out there doing who knows what, we need to hurry this up."

"Yes, sir." Venom, now fully merged into [M/N] to keep them silent and small in the vents, peeked over their shoulder with a wary eye on Brenner. Body? They couldn’t possibly-- [M/N] and Venom exchanged a silent, tense thought. Without another moment's hesitation, they slinked away from the grate and retraced their path through the shafts. They fled the building as fast as they had broken in, sprinting toward town, thoughts whirling faster the farther they got from the lab.

[moments later]

It had been hours since [M/N] ran out of the diner, and both Wayne and Eddie had been searching for him ever since. Wayne had tried to see what had frightened the boy so badly, but found nothing out of the ordinary. Their first stop was the trailer park, hoping he'd returned home to calm down. But when they didn’t find him there, they split up to cover more ground, Eddie combed through the woods while Wayne searched the town. Wayne couldn’t shake the image of [M/N]’s face. Pale, wide-eyed, trembling. He hadn’t seen the boy that shaken since he was a child, like he’d reverted back to that scared little kid who used to jump at shadows and sleep with the lights on. Whatever he saw… it really got to him.

"Where could those two have gone?" he muttered, sighing as he smacked his hand against the steering wheel. Things had just started getting better and now this? Dragging a hand down his face in frustration, he glanced out the side window. His foot slammed the brakes when he finally spotted [M/N], sitting alone on a bench. He rolled the window down, ready to shout his name, but paused as his breath caught in his throat at the sight of the boy’s state. Slumped, motionless… tired. Without another word, he parked the truck and climbed out, his steps slow and deliberate as he approached. Finally, he lowered himself onto the bench beside [M/N], the silence between them heavy with everything unspoken "Wanna talk about it, son?" they sat in silence for a couple of seconds until [M/N] pushed himself up, though he didn’t look at Wayne. His hand covered his eyes.

"…I saw someone from my past." Wayne took a slow breath.

"The men in white?" he gave a weak nod.

"Not just them… but the man who did this to me, to us." he hunched forward, hands outstretched as the black goop pooled into his palms "I saw him outside the diner, a-and I... I--I, I panicked."

"[M/N]--"

"I thought it'd be different this time, you know? I thought if I ever saw him again, I’d react differently. That I’d… be in control. But the second I saw him, I froze. It was like—like I was a kid again. Like I was back in that lab…" he trembled, the goop in his hands quivering with him "Back when they’d have the doctors cut me open just to see if my healing factor could save me from dying, and if it didn’t work the way they wanted, they’d starve me. They’d hope that when Venom started eating my organs, it would knock some sense into me because I was too valuable." the goop in his hands disappeared back into his hand as he dug his nails into his skin so hard his knuckles turned white.

"[M/N], you--"

"What makes it worse is that there’s a lab here, Wayne. In Hawkins! And they’ve opened a gate to that horrible world! Do you realize how bad that is? It’s like they want to end the world!" he was shouting by now until he paused to take a breath, grounding himself in the silence that followed. His hands were shaking as his palms were split open, bleeding, and he hadn't noticed "People are disappearing because of them… and they’re probably gonna cover it up. Call it some freak accident, or pin it on something else... and if they find out I’m here…" he finally looked at Wayne. His eyes were glassy, tears he hadn’t realized were there now trailing slowly down his cheeks as he stared at the man he’d grown to love. The man who’d become the father he never had.

"What?" Wayne asked gently.

"They’ll kill you. And Eddie." Wayne’s eyes widened at the severity in [M/N]’s voice “If I knew there was a fucking lab here, we never would’ve stayed. We--we put your lives at risk just by being here."

"You don’t know that, [M/N]." the boy shook his head, wiping his tears, smearing blood across his face without realizing.

"But I do. They’ve gotten rid of anyone who’s come too close to the truth. They’ve got the power, the recourses and they won’t hesitate to erase your existence as if you never existed." the tears mixed with the blood on his palms, staining his cheeks as he stood. The sight made Wayne’s heart ache. He hadn’t seen that look on the boy’s face since that night he found him, shaking and bloodied, crouched over and eating a dog while it was still alive "Maybe it’d be better if we left... to keep you and Eddie safe…" Wayne was on his feet in an instant, gripping [M/N]’s hand firmly.

"That is out of the question." he said sharply "I decided you were my responsibility the moment I hit you with my truck, and again the night you were at your worst. Don’t think some government bastards are gonna scare me off just for loving you like you were my own boy." [M/N] clenched his jaw, eyes stinging as he yanked his hand back.

"But what if Eddie gets hurt? He’s your real boy, not me. If we leave, you won’t lose anything!" his breathing hitched, and he turned away, shoulders shaking "Eddie will be safe, he’ll be out of harm’s way. You two can just… forget about us and move on w-with your lives." Wayne let out a slow, heavy breath as [M/N] struggled to speak, watching the boy lift shaky arms to wipe at the tears and the blood smearing his face, only making the mess worse. Without a word, Wayne stepped forward and gently took [M/N] by the arms, turning him around to face him. His rough hands steadied the boy, and when their eyes finally met, Wayne’s expression softened. The sight of [M/N]’s trembling lips, his tear-streaked cheeks, and the desperate attempt to hold himself together hit him like a punch to the chest.

"You listen to me." Wayne said, voice quieter now but no less firm. "I have raised you two for the past three years, and I know exactly what you are." he sniffled.

"What?"

"You are my sons, and nothing is going to change that." Wayne watched as [M/N] went through a range of emotions. His eyes brimmed again, wide and wet, and his breath hitched on a sob as his shoulders finally slumped. Wayne let out a sigh before reaching up and pulling [M/N] into a hug. The boy didn’t immediately return the gesture; instead, he let his body be held. "We’ll get through this. Just like before." he let out a soft huff when [M/N]’s arms finally wrapped weakly around him.

"I... will forever be grateful to you, Wayne. Y-You’ve done more for us than you’ll ever realize." he pulled away and wiped the tears off with the back of his hand. "I promise you, no harm will ever come to you or Eddie." Wayne shook his head.

"[M/N], no, I--" [M/N] took Wayne gently by the forearms.

"I'm serious, Wayne. If anything from my past ever threatens you or Eddie, we’ll make sure to protect you, just like you protect us. You're the reason we're alive, after all." the older man looked up at him for a moment before letting out a reluctant sigh.

"Alright, you win. Seems nothing I say is gonna convince you otherwise."

"Nope." Wayne waited as [M/N] wiped the blood off on his pants and used the hem of his shirt to clean his face up, they quietly walk back to Wayne's truck with [M/N] sniffling occasionally. He's starting the truck and readjusting his rearview mirror when he notices [M/N] looking at him, he cocked a brow and hummed "Are we really... not going to tell Eddie about us?" he spoke as Venom emerged from out of his shoulder.

"We believe if we keep this to ourselves and continue to keep Eddie in the dark, he won't take it well that we hid such a secret from him for so long." Wayne let out a sigh.

"I get that, but... you know Eddie. I don't want him giving an over the top reaction to you guys, overwhelming you with questions and whatnot." he smacks his hands against the wheel "And ultimately it's up to you guys to tell him, not me."

"Perhaps we should tell him soon. But now may not be the best of times." [M/N] nodded.

"With all the shit going on, I think if we tell him the truth he'll freak out."

"Indeed. Besides, we do not know if Eddie can keep a secret. He could absentmindedly reveal the truth."

"Give it time, you two. Eddie is many things, but he isn't a snitch."

"Like Venom said, absentmindedly."

"Give the boy a chance, I'm sure he'll be fine if you told him, but I won't push you to tell him." they both nod.

"Thanks, Wayne." by the time they returned to the trailer it was already dark out and Eddie's van was outside, guess he came back and was waiting for them to return. The moment he saw Wayne's headlights he kicked open the front door and sprinted out, [M/N] was stepping out of the truck when Eddie ran at him and tackled him to the ground, knocking the wind out of him as they went down.

"Eddie! Boy, what are you doing?" Wayne exclaims as he came around from the other side of the truck to check on the two, startled at the sight of how shaken Eddie looked.

"Thank god you're alright, [M/N]! I was so worried." [M/N], having collected himself, looked up at Eddie with a confused expression.

"I just ran off, Eddie, why are you so worked up?" Wayne helped them both to their feet as Eddie gave them both a worried look.

"You mean, you didn't hear?" they share a look.

"Hear what?"

"There was a body found in the quarry." their eyes widened in shock "I-I didn't hear the full details, but I was worried that it was you because I know you go there often. B-But if it wasn't you..."

"Oh, no..."

The news about Will Byers' body being found in the Sattler Quarry spread like wildfire. Some people were in disbelief, some mourned the loss and pitied the Byers family, while a few refused to believe it. But [M/N], he knew the truth. He knew that the body they pulled out wasn't really Will. He knew that whatever they pulled out was just a body constructed by Brenner to get people to believe that Will was dead. With him dead, nobody would go looking for him anymore. They'd quit and go on with their lives. But [M/N] knew. He knew the truth. And what? What was he going to do with that truth? If he told anyone, it's not like they'd believe him. And how did he, of all people, know that Will Byers, a kid he'd never met nor interacted with, was alive? How would he explain that to them? What a dilemma.

The next couple of days were a blur. From Will's funeral to the small memorial they held at the school, nothing particularly eventful happened. [M/N] went back to school but was on high alert now that he knew there was a lab located in Hawkins, heading home straight after school if he didn't have baseball practice. If it weren't for the fact that Venom was keeping him calm enough to avoid a mental breakdown during class, nobody seemed to notice anything off about him.

And that brings us to-

"Is that you, Harrington?" [M/N], who went out on a walk around town to clear his head, found himself at the Hawkins Theatre and there was Steve Harrington on a ladder cleaning the marquee "Finally got a job instead of relying on daddy's money?" upon hearing his voice, Steve flinched and looked down to see [M/N] smirking up at him.

"No, no, I'm just... cleaning up my mess." he cocked a brow and took a step back to see what exactly he was cleaning, Steve winced when he saw [M/N]'s face scrunch up before glaring up at him "H-Hey, I know this looks really bad! But I swear, I know what I did was pretty shitty of me and I-I'm gonna make it right! I swear." the longer he stared at Steve's face, eye swollen and face covered in blood, his face relaxed but he was still angry at the derogatory name he labeled Nancy.

"At least you got what you deserved, hmm?" he mocked as he gently kicked the ladder he was on, he snickered when Steve quickly grabbed the ladder to steady himself as fear flashed across his face.

"H-Hey!" he raised his hands.

"I'll stop. I'm curious on who beat the shit out of you. If it was Wheeler, I've got to give her props for not putting up with your shit anymore." Steve gave a nervous laugh as he went back to scrubbing off the red paint.

"Um, it was Jonathan, actually." he whistled.

"Byers? Wow! Didn't know he had it in him."

"Neither did I, though, I was asking for it."

"You probably shouldn't tell me, or else there will be a round two."

"Yeah, and I'm pretty sure your punches are stronger than his." he winked while raising his clenched fist.

"They are~" he all but cooed but laughed when Steve rolled his eyes, but he did catch the brunette chuckle. He decides to hang around, occasionally shaking the ladder to freak Steve out and having a laugh each time he yelled at him to quit it "I never would have expected the Steve Harrington to do something like this. Where is your posse by the way? I'm surprised to not see your shadow lingering around." he asked as he looked around to try and spoke Tommy and Carol but couldn't see them anywhere, not even in Steve's car that was parked not too far from where they were.

"Oh, I, uh..." he starts as he's climbing down the ladder, [M/N] was nice enough to steady it as he descended "I kind of... ditched them."

"Ditched them? As in, abandoned them on the side of the road? That's cold, Harrington." Steve pressed a hand to his forehead.

"Well, no but- uh, yeah. I'm no longer... friends, with them." he shrunk under [M/N]'s eyes as he stared at him in disbelief, he then looks him up and down in shock.

"Dude, who are you? The Steve Harrington I know would never leave the people who feed his ego." he scratched the back of his head.

"Well, maybe this Steve Harrington doesn't want to be that guy anymore." his arm drops to his side as he looks [M/N] in the eyes "I'm sorry for all the dumb crap I've said to you and your cousin. I was being a jerk and now I know it wasn't really cool, so if you want to hit me for my past transgressions, I won't even blame you." [M/N] pursed his lips as he looked him up and down again before raising his fist, Steve flinched and closed his eyes but only grunted softly when [M/N] just knocked his shoulder.

"Hmm, maybe I like this new Steve Harrington." he then holds his hand out to him "I hope we don't have to butt heads anymore, new Steve Harrington. The last thing I need is Eddie coming in between us each time I try to have a civilized conversation with you and he mistakes it for me trying to knock your lights out." Steve gave a weak smile as he took [M/N]'s hand and shook it firmly.

"Yeah, I should probably apologize to him as well." he gave a shrug as he took his hand back.

"He might not believe you. He might think you're doing it because someone dared you to. Eddie holds a grudge like no other, like seriously." he grimaced as he remembered the time he accidentally stepped on one of his mini figurines and Eddie wouldn't talk to him for two weeks straight, it was excruciating "Besides, who you should be apologizing to is Nancy. I think she needs it more than me and Eddie."

"Yeah, you're right." he snorted as he stuffed his hands into his pocket.

"I know I'm right. And I also think she's dumb if she takes you back."

"What?"

"Dude, come on. You only now just realized how much of an asshat you were during your time at high school and you think that's enough to erase years worth of acting like you're better than everyone because you've got rich parents who seem to have better things to do than parent their only kid? It's gonna take more than an apology to change their opinion of you, oh King Steve Harrington." [M/N] narrowed his eyes on Steve when he saw the way he bit his lip, he thought he was going to deny his words but he instead let out a sigh.

"You're right." he chuckled.

"And like I said, I know I'm right." they both stare at each other before bursting out into genuine laughter "Haha, you're pretty okay when you don't have someone whispering in your ear."

"You too. I can see why everybody at school likes you." he flicks his hair for dramatic flare.

"I try." they laugh again until he pumps his fist against Steve's shoulder again "I hope this nice guy attitude sticks. I'd like to be friends with this new and improved version of you, Steve Harrington." he admits and winks at him.

"Y-Yeah, yeah! For sure, Munson." he smiles at him.

"Then I guess I'll be seeing you." Steve gives a nod.

"See you at school?" he gave a shrug but nodded his head.

"Sure, but you better hope my friends don't try to beat you up when you try to come up to me to strike up a conversation." he rubs the back of his neck.

"I'll pray." [M/N] laughs before finally waving Steve goodbye and walking away with an extra skip in his step, he hummed softly to himself and was almost excited to see Steve again.

"How rare. No homicidal thoughts after an encounter with that spotted human." he clapped his hands.

"I know, right? Who knew he could actually change, maybe Nancy was a good match for him after all. Perhaps I should give her a high give as well as Jonathan."

"Or maybe all he needed was a clean smack cross the face to knock some sense into him." he snapped his fingers.

"Or that. Whatever it was, I'm glad to know that Steve is a pretty good dude. Nancy did say he was a sweet guy but I always found it hard to believe, with how much of an asshole he was and all that." they continued their walk in a comfortable silence but a few minutes in and they both sense that they were being followed.

"We are no longer alone, [M/N]. I guess we weren't as inconspicuous as we thought we were." Venom spoke, noticing the sneer on [M/N]'s face as a van and a few men in suits began to follow them while, his clenched his hand into a fist as he continued to walk "How shall we deal with them? Should we flee?" despite the initial fear he could feel through their bond, the unresolved rage seethed inside him.

"No, not this time." Venom could feel an immense joy take over him "We'll do it your way." Venom chuckled.

"I'm glad you're finally seeing things my way." he doesn't say anything and lets Venom take the lead. The two continue to casually stroll down the sidewalk, the men in suits tailing close behind. Then, they take a sharp turn into an alley, the men close behind, but the moment they enter, [M/N] is gone.

"Wha-- where did he go?!" they scour the area but it was as if he disappeared.

"Doctor Brenner is not going to be happy that we lost him."

"How do we even know he's the one carrying the symbiote? It's been three years since Number Five escaped, there's no way he's still alive."

"I agree. He would have had to kill a lot of people to feed that monster. And the only known disappearances that have happened so far is the kid, so it's highly unlikely that experiment is still around."

"But Doctor Brenner was certain he saw him a few days ago."

"But how was he sure it was actually him? There's no way he looks the same as he did three years ago."

"We'll find out when we catch the damn kid."

"But where the hell is he?!" the same agent jumped in surprised when something dripped onto their shoulder, raising their hand, they brought it to their shoulder but grimaced at the feeling of a wet and sticky substance "What the...?" they all felt a chill run up their spines at the sound of a low rumble as a shadow loomed above them, slowly lifting their heads, fear struck their beings at the sight of Venom hanging above them. His jaw unhinged as rows of sharp teeth glinted in the dim light of the alleyway, tongue coiling like a snake as slobber drooled onto them.

"Right above you." screams and gunshots filled the alleyway when Venom dropped down from above, jaws closing shut on their head and killing them instantly. Venom let out a moan of pleasure at the taste of blood and flesh invaded his tastebuds, having gone so long from eating humans that he was salivating that a whole feast was before him. They slaughter the humans left and right, their pleas drowning out and becoming background noise as they continued to dine on their flesh, whether they ate them whole or piece by piece, it didn't matter "Delicious! I have been famished for so long, this feast has been absolutely... divine." he said as he held one of the agents, who was miraculously conscious despite being smacked into a wall, above his mouth as he opened his mouth.

"N-No, please...! We weren't gonna hurt you..." their eyes widened when Venom momentarily stopped and closed his mouth, that was until his face opened up to reveal [M/N] with a tired expression but his eyes were dark as he glared at them.

"Liar. All you people do is lie." he sneered before letting Venom take control again, he grinned as he licked his lips.

"I should thank you, if you hadn't appeared, [M/N] never would have allowed me to eat human flesh." he chuckled as he opened his mouth again "Enough talk, I hunger for more." he ignored their begging and closed his jaws over their head, biting piece by piece of their body and enjoying the flavor because he wasn't sure he was going to get another treat like this. The alley fell into an eerie silence when there were no more humans to eat, blood splattered all over the walls and puddles pooled at their feet.

"I... I don't feel too good, Venom." the symbiote chuckled and pats their chest.

"Do not worry, [M/N], I'll will make you feel better. Just leave everything to me for now." Venom could feel [M/N] grow nauseous after having to stomach several humans but he manage to suppress his discomfort and ease his mind "Do you feel better?"

"If you can get out of the alley I'd appreciate it. It reeks of blood and trash, and that is not a good mix." Venom sniffs the surrounding air and grimaces.

"It is not." he quickly launches them into the air and lands on the rooftops, he planned to dissolve back into [M/N]'s body but paused when he spotted several Hawkins Power and Light vans "... can I still do it my way?" he stood in silence as he waited for [M/N]'s response, practically jumping while clapping his hands when he let out a sigh.

"Fine, but make sure you're not spotted by anyone."

"Hehe, no promises." [M/N] could only breathe a sigh of defeat as Venom swings off, the next couple of hours is spent with Venom hunting down the Hawkins Power and Light vans and killing the occupants inside, as well as a few agents that followed the vans in their cars. They made sure to only attack when they weren't in any residential areas or if they were out in public they made it look like an accident, like redirecting the vehicles to crash into each other than finishing the job if the initial crash didn't kill them.

"Be careful, Venom. The last thing we need is to be spotted by Brenner, he could be lurking in one of those cars." he warned as Venom munched on a leg.

"Wouldn't that be a treat then? We could kill him." that was tempting, but it'd give away their position that they were in Hawkins.

"We're exposing ourselves enough by killing those agents. We don't want to paint an even bigger target on our backs, okay?" Venom hummed.

"We do not want that." [M/N] shakes his head.

"No we do not." he then lets out a hum "Maybe we can put the blame on the thing that's been lurking in and out of Hawkins."

"He is already aware that we are within Hawkins. He will know that this is our doing." Venom chuckled when he heard [M/N] huff.

"Well, it's the thought that counts." Venom spits out a boot he accidentally swallowed before proceeding to follow another group of vans but stayed far enough, sensing or maybe smelling that scent that they couldn't erase from their minds no matter how hard they tried. They pause when they noticed that they were following a group of children, three kids riding bikes while a forth was behind the boy with black hair. Venom seeped back under his skin as he watched the children, his eyes specifically on the girl, soon his eyes widened when he watched a van that was driving straight for them get flipped and block the road so the other vans couldn't chase them anymore. He whistled, those telekinetic experiments were always crazy with their abilities, though he was the one and only symbiote experi-- he paused when that little girl managed to spot him, despite the distance. Neither looked away until the girl disappeared over the slope of the hill and off to god knows where, now he knows why the Doctor is acting so irrationally.

"So there was another experiment here." he nods.

"Uh huh, and one that he Doctor is desperately trying to get back." there was a moment of silence.

"... should we go after them?" [M/N] thinks for a second.

"... nah. Not our circus, not our monkeys." he dusts his hands together before turning away "Let's go home. We've done enough." he makes a face when he can practically feel Venom pout.

"But [M/N]..." he whines.

"We're done, Venom." this earned him a huff.

"Fine, let's go." they look back at Doctor one last time before finally leaving, heading back to the trailer park. He made sure to clean himself of any blood and grime that got himself, he didn't want Eddie questioning what happened, much less Wayne. By the time he got back the sun was beginning to fall but he hadn't entered the trailer, he instead collapsed onto the sofa outside as he tried to collect his thoughts. He could already feel his stomach churning just at the thought of eating human flesh again, despite having a completely different digestive system to venom, the times he was forced to eat flesh wasn't easy to forget. He could feel it building up in the back of his throat, covering his mouth with his hand while his arm clutched at his stomach.

"[M/N]?" he glanced over and saw that it was Eddie, before he could say anything Eddie disappeared back into the trailer before emerging with a glass of water in one hand and a beer in the other. [M/N] takes the glass and downs the water in less than a second, some trickling down the corner of his lips. He wipes it away before leaning back on the sofa with a little more peace of mind, closing his eyes to forget about how hectic his afternoon turned out after his short but nice conversation with Steve Harrington "You good, dude?" he takes a deep breath as he can still feel the unease in his stomach, hear the sound of bones crunching and the spill of blood on concrete. But as he looked towards Eddie, the same person who helped him through all his episodes, who was there when he cried after every bad dream, who had just as much of a fucked childhood as he did but still smiled through it all. Eddie was startled when [M/N] hugged him, he tried to pull him off to see what the matter was but stopped when he only tightened his grip.

"Yeah... yeah, I'm good." he whispered softly, Eddie stared at him for a moment longer then huffed out a laugh and hugged him back. After a moment of silence Eddie pats [M/N] on the back and leans back in the sofa, chuckling softly when he saw [M/N] sniffle.

"I know I already asked, and I know you already said you're good, but... you good?" [M/N] let out his own laugh.

"Yeah, I'm good. I just had a... chaotic, afternoon." Eddie laughed as he raised his beer.

“Long ago, two races ruled over Earth: HUMANS and MONSTERS.

One day, war broke out between the two races.

After a long battle, the humans were victorious.

They sealed the monsters underground with a spell.

Many years later...

MT. EBOTT, 201X

Legends say that those who climb the mountain never return.”

-

"Is there a reason I have been summoned here, Doctor? You don't usually call me down unless absolutely necessary." a ghastly voice spoke as he entered the lab that resided in the Hotlands, the doors closed behind him as he entered the building and approached the small prehistoric being dressed in a lab coat. Said doctor jumped in surprise at the voice, not expecting to hear him, and dropped her cup of ramen noodles "Oh, my apologies, Ms. Alphys." he let out a nervous laugh as he waved his hand to dismiss her concern, already cleaning up the mess as if it were a common occurrence.

"N-No, it's fi—fine! I-I forgot you were coming...!" the decapitated head he carried in his arms raised a brow, she scratched her cheek after wiping up the broth then motioned him to follow her towards the monitor that was currently displaying the camera feed within the lab "I-I detected an anomaly within th—the ruins, I thought it was nothi—nothing but decided to check the security cameras just to make sure, a-and..." she trailed off and pulled up the feed for Snowdin, and there in broad daylight, was a human.

"A human?" he said in disbelief, lifting his head to get a closer look at them. They were a yellow-skinned child with straight brown hair and choppy bangs. They're wearing a light blue long-sleeve shirt with two magenta stripes, light blue pants, and dark shoes "A child. Why is it always children?"

"Well, c-children are always curious, no?" he scoffed.

"And look where it ended them. Dead." her shoulders drooped at his words, he continued to watch the feed and watched closely how they got past the sentries stationed in Snowdin. He couldn't help but deadpan at the sight of the human either petting or playing with each and every guard, even the monsters who weren't guards were giving the human more trouble "And this is what happens when we hire dogs." Alphys gave a nervous laugh as she looked up at him.

"W-What will you do now, Grimm?" he hummed.

"I'll watch for now. Papyrus is the only one that'll give that human a hard time. If they get past him, Undyne will give them an even harder time if they make it to the Waterfalls." she twiddles her thumbs as she watched him toss his head up and down, the flames bursting from out of his neck flickering every now and then.

"A-And if they get past Undyne?"

"Well, I'm sure Mettaton is dying to debut that new body of his that you constructed." she swallowed nervously at the thought of having to encounter the human as well.

"A-And, if they get past Mettaton...?" she shrunk in on herself when an unsettling silence came over him, she opened her mouth to apologize but he gave a hearty laugh.

"Well, I guess I'm going to have to give it my all to not be swayed by their mercy. We need this seventh soul in order to shatter the barrier, and our King has already been through a lot collecting the last six. The least I can do as his Royal Knight is to claim the last one to relieve him of this burden."

"Then why don—don't you go after them i-immediately? Won't that be easier?" he shrugged his shoulders.

"Other than Undyne, I'm one of the strongest guards. I'll stand as their last obstacle before they have to go against Asgore, and if they beat me..." he paused briefly, his eyes going back to the screen that showed the human with Papyrus and his brother, Sans, chatting amongst themselves "then perhaps, that human is what we needed all along." she tilted her head, confused.

"Grimm?" his eyes watched the human carefully before he huffed softly.

"I'll go inform his majesty of this. Keep an eye on them Ms. Alphys, and update me on anything that would warrant my attention." she nodded her head.

"O-Of course, Grimm." he nodded his head to her before turning on his heel and leaving the labs, taking the stairs to the left of them so he could take the ferry to get to the Waterfalls. It was in the complete opposite direction to where New Home was but most of his lanterns resided in either Snowdin or the Waterfalls, he'd take his steed but even she dislikes traversing through the Hotlands because it "ruins my mane", whatever.

"Tra la la. The angel is coming..." he cocked a brow.

"Angel? Like in the prophecy?" he couldn't help but scoff. Everyone in the Underground knew the tale of the Delta Rune: the legend of an angel from the surface who would free the monsters from their eternal prison. But there were two interpretations of that freedom. One hopeful—where the angel would shatter the barrier and bring peace. And the other... darker. A newer reading that spoke of an Angel of Death, one who would 'free' the monsters by killing them all, severing them from the mortal realm entirely. "I don't suppose you think it's that human, hmm?"

"Tra la la..." Of course. What else did he expect? He stepped off the boat, bidding the River Person a polite farewell, and continued into the Waterfall. The soft echo of dripping water welcomed him as he made his way down the hall toward one of his lanterns, nodding to the few familiar faces he passed in the misty biome. Grimm had always preferred Waterfall. Snowdin was too cold, Hotland far too hot, and New Home? Overcrowded and a maze of stress. No, this quiet place—humid and dim and peaceful—was home. Easier for him. Easier for his horse.

He found one of his lanterns nestled in a quiet alcove, its pale blue flames flickering gently within the glass. As he stepped closer, the fire already crackling at his neck surged in response. In an instance, the flames consumed him, racing over his form until his body was no longer flesh, but fire. He vanished into the lantern, leaving nothing but a trace of frost behind him. Moments later, a burst of flame erupted from another lantern stationed just outside the grand doors of Asgore's throne room. His body reformed from the blaze, solid once more, embers fading off his shoulders. He held his head in one hand, brushing away the last wisps of vapor as he quickly patted out the frost that had froze a few locks of hair. A quiet sigh escaped him—lantern travel was efficient, but never exactly gentle. With one final sweep of his hand through his hair, he stepped forward and pushed open the heavy doors. Asgore’s throne room welcomed him with a warm, golden glow. The light filtered through the massive hall, reflecting off every polished surface—but its true source was the sea of golden flowers blooming across the chamber floor. His magnificent garden. Soft, radiant, and silent.

"Dum dee dum… Oh? Is someone there? Just a moment!" Grimm couldn't help but chuckle quietly at the sight before him—King Asgore, ruler of all monsters, the very soul he had devoted himself to, scrambling to finish watering the golden flowers at his feet. For all his strength, all his sorrow, he still tended to his garden like it was the most important thing in the world.

"It's just me, sire," he said softly, stepping further into the golden glow. He laughed when Asgore whipped his head around to look at him. Honestly, it was a miracle he didn’t snap his neck with how fast he turned. What really made his day, though, was the way Asgore's entire face lit up the moment their eyes met. The bright smile that spread across his face was enough to make the entire throne room feel warmer. Without a second thought, he tossed the watering can behind him—somewhere into the sea of flowers—and strode forward with open arms.

“Grimm! Welcome back, friend!” He barely had time to brace himself before Asgore scooped him into a bone-crushing hug. He let out a wheezing laugh as the air rushed from his lungs.

“We saw each other not even a couple hours ago,” he gasped, raising his head over Asgore's shoulder. Asgore chuckled, releasing him at last. His massive arms slipped back beneath the deep red cape draped over his shoulders, as though they’d never moved at all.

“We did,” he agreed warmly, “but it’s always a treat to see you.” He gave him a playful look. “And what did I say about formalities when we’re alone?” He gave a short laugh, already knowing the answer.

“That you don’t like them, and prefer I use your name—or a nickname, if I must.” He nodded, pleased.

“That’s right.” He turned, motioning toward a small side table already set near the window. “Now come. Let’s share a cup of tea, friend.”

Grimm and Asgore had shared countless cups of tea and quiet conversations. In a place like the Underground—where days blended together and not much ever changed—there was rarely news, yet somehow, they always found something new to talk about. They spoke so often that a small, well-worn pillow now sat on the table by default—placed just so, for Grimm to rest his head while sipping tea. It had become a familiar comfort, sparing him the effort of holding his head up through long talks and longer silences.

“So, what did Doctor Alphys need?” The cup paused at his lips. For a moment, Grimm simply stared over the rim, as if he’d forgotten why he was even there. Asgore watched him carefully, one brow raised. He lowered the cup slowly, letting it rest in his hands, a finger now tracing circles along the rim.

“I really don’t want to spoil your day, Asgore.”

“Nonsense,” he replied gently. “Surely what you have to share won’t sour my mood.” He swallowed thickly, waiting until Asgore set his own cup down before speaking.

“A human was spotted.” A beat. “In the Ruins.” Another pause. “And they’re in Snowdin now.” Grimm gave an awkward smile when he saw the way Asgore's face slowly fell.

"Are they now?"

"Yes, sir." Grimm was now speaking as his knight, not his friend. Asgore lowered his cup and let out a tired breath, the burden that he carried for monsterkind weighing heavy on his shoulders at what had to be done to this child in order to procure a future for his people. "I'm sorry if I've brought unwanted news, Asgore." He shook his head slowly.

"Not at all. It may not be what I wanted to hear... but it was going to happen one way or another." Grimm gave a slow nod.

"At the pace they're going, they should just be entering Waterfall. I'm sure they won’t get past Undyne—she’d rather die than lose to a feeble human child." He grimaced a beat too late. “Y-you get what I mean.” Asgore offered a small smile.

“So they got past the sentries?” Grimm let out a sharp huff.

“It’s what we get for hiring dogs. A little praise and a belly rub, and they’re in the palm of—well, anyone’s hand.” He rolled his wrist with a sigh, firelight briefly flickering at the seam where neck met shoulders. “Then there’s Papyrus. Strong, that one. He’s got the bones for it, and the drive. But, he’s soft-hearted. I admire it, honestly. His passion, his endless optimism. But it’s not the kind of edge you need when standing between a human and the future of monsterkind.”

“So it’s likely they got past him as well,” Asgore murmured, finishing the last of his tea. He set the cup down gently, then turned his eyes toward Grimm. “Can I expect you to take care of them?” His eyes widened—just slightly, and without hesitation, his body stood. Asgore couldn’t help but chuckle as he watched the odd, reverent display: Grimm’s body lowering into a kneel, one arm crossed over his chest in a traditional salute—while his head remained resting on the table, looking up at him with unwavering determination.

“I will ensure that this human does not pass me,” he said, voice even and resolute. “I will claim their soul… and present it to you, my King.” He let out a soft grunt as Asgore’s large hand came down gently on his head.

“There’s no need to pull that card, friend,” the king said with a tired smile. “You’re acting like you’re going to die.”

“I would happily lay down my life for you, Asgore.”

“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that,” Asgore replied, voice gentle but firm. Then, after a beat, he chuckled. “And stop watching those shows.” He couldn’t help but laugh when Grimm's hand clenched into a dramatic fist—not in anger, but out of sheer passion.

“But they’re so passionate!”

“Yes, yes,” Asgore said, shaking his head fondly. “Perhaps we could watch one together sometime, hmm?” Grimm’s face brightened immediately, his smile stretching from ear to ear as his body straightened with renewed energy.

“Really?” Asgore leaned back in his seat with a soft grunt of amusement.

“Why not? It’ll be something to look forward to… after all this is done.” He hadn’t thought Grimm’s expression could get any brighter, but somehow it did. With that promise sealed, Grimm scooped up his head and gave a sharp salute. Then, with a crisp turn on his heel, he made his way back toward the corridor.

“I’ll make sure to pick a good one, Asgore! You’re gonna love it!” he called out, voice echoing proudly. A loud kick sent the throne room doors swinging open, and with that final, theatrical exit, Grimm disappeared down the hall—leaving Asgore alone once more in the golden quiet of his throne room. Grimm always carried himself as a serious and composed figure—a reflection of his title as the Royal Knight. A man of fire and purpose, molded by duty. In public, he was calm, measured, a symbol of unwavering strength fit to stand at the king’s side, no matter the command. He never questioned Asgore. Never doubted him. Never hesitated. But moments like that—when he allowed himself to smile freely, to laugh, to hope of something as simple as watching a show with his friend—that was the real glimpse of the undead man beneath the metal and flame.

Returning to the lantern that had brought him to Asgore, Grimm held out his hand toward the flickering blue flame. He focused on a specific location within Waterfall—the last known place his steed had wandered off to. As before, the fire responded to his intent, flaring up until it engulfed his entire body in a swirl of crackling flame. In an instant, his form vanished into the lantern’s magic, transported to where he hoped his horse still was. That blasted horse. She had a tendency to roam where she pleased, sticking her nose into everything and anything. The last thing he needed was for her to be snooping around Undyne’s place again. He grimaced at the memory. Undyne had threatened to skewer the poor thing last time. “Dammit, where did she go this time…” he muttered, only to let out a surprised oh as something bumped into his legs. Looking down, he was relieved to see it was only Monster Kid.

“Oh! Sorry, Mister Grimm!” the child chirped, wobbling slightly as he regained his balance. Grimm offered a polite smile as he knelt down to help him back onto his feet. “It’s alright, just be careful. Wouldn’t want you falling into anything dangerous,” he said, ruffling MK’s scales with a hand. The kid laughed and spun in place, practically dancing around his boots. “I don’t suppose you’ve seen Winnie around, have you?” MK paused, tapping his chin in thought before perking up and pointing with his tail toward a far-off path.

“Uh-huh! Last time I saw her, she was at the glowing river!”

“The glowing river, huh? Thanks, MK.” He gave the boy a gentle pat on the back, guiding him away. “Run along now. I’ll pretend I didn’t see you if I run into your parents.”

“Got it, Mister Grimm.” The child scurried off, somehow managing not to trip over his own feet this time. With Winnie’s likely location discovered, Grimm made his way toward the bioluminescent river, the pale glow of the water lighting the path ahead. But when he arrived, there was no towering horse to be seen. No hoofprints. No glowing cracks. Nothing. He sighed, glancing around the misty grove.

“Where the hell is that blasted horse?”

“Why the long face, Grimm?” He exhaled slowly through his nose, already bracing himself, and turned his head to find Sans leaning casually against a telescope nearby. The grinning skeleton chuckled at the irritated look on Grimm's face. “Hay now, just askin’ a friend what’s got ‘em all worked up.” Grimm closed his eyes, willing his patience to hold.

“Hardy har, comedian.” he rolled his eyes upon hearing Sans' laugh.

"Okay, what's got you all worked up, pal?"

"I'm looking for Winnie, and MK told me this was the last place he saw her. I don't suppose you've seen her, have you? We've got work to do."

"Hmm? Work? Is this about the human that's been wandering around?"

"I know you know about them, Sans. There's no point in hiding it." he gave a laugh.

"I'm not hiding anything, but I'm keeping a real close eye on them just like you. So don't go losing your head over it." he laughed again when he saw Grimm purse his lips, clearly not pleased to be the punchline of his joke "Okay, I'll stop." he let out a sigh.

"I just want to find Winnie. I'd really appreciate it if you could just point in the direction she went in. If that human is in Waterfall, the last thing I want to see is her trampling the poor kid."

"Why? Do you want to land the finishing blow?"

"As easy as that'll make taking their soul, no." Sans looked up at Grimm curiously, noticing how his finger tapped against the side of his cheek "I honestly want to see how far they'll make it, but I'll make sure they won't get past me."

"How are you so certain that they'll get to New Home?" he gave a shrug.

"Have they collected any LOVE yet?" they both stand in silence at the question "I'll keep watching, but the instance they gain even a tiny bit of LOVE... well, I'll make sure they regret it." Sans hummed but shrugged his shoulders.

"Well, I won't stop you from doing your job." he then points off in a direction "And I'm pretty sure I saw your horse structing around near Undyne's." he snickered when he saw Grimm grimace.

"Ah, the last place I want her to be." his shoulders slump as he hopes that whatever Winne is doing over there is that she's merely bothering Napstablook, in which he'll have to apologize to the poor ghost due to her doing such a thing "Thanks for nothing, I guess." Sans saluted him.

"Happy to be helpful." he huffed and turned on his heel, making his way over to where he hoped Winnie wasn't. He saw the glow of her hoofprints imprinted in the ground but they led out of Undyne's property, he huffed, so she was gone again? What he did notice were a smaller pair of footprints leading from out of the dump to his left that went towards Napstablook's house then back out towards Gerson's little shop where the River Person were... as well as Winnie's hoofprints.

"Oh no." he makes haste, he's following the hoofprints closely but comes to a halt when he heard boisterous laughter come from the small cave "Not now, Gerson, I need to find Winnie." he couldn't fight the smile creeping onto his face when Gerson laughed again, his laughter echoing through the cave as he smiled at Grimm.

"Come now, I'm sure you can spare a few minutes with this old man." Gerson watched how Grimm kicked his feet before turning and entering his shop "I can assume you're looking for your nag?" he nods.

"And I can only assume you saw her."

"I could have, and I must say, you just missed her." he snickers when his hand instinctively lifted itself to smack himself in the forehead, though it simply swiped at the air above his neck.

"Argh, where is she even going? She never wanders off for this long, especially when I've told her to wait."

"She's actually been following the human around since they first stepped into Waterfall, keeping a close eye on 'em and MK whenever they cross paths." his eyes widened.

"Wait, seriously?!" he nods.

"Uh huh. The human just had this... way with her, unlike I've ever seen. She's usually pretty snippy with anyone, right? You said so yourself, she doesn't let many touch her. Mayhaps it's because the human is merely a youngin." he shook his head.

"That can't be it. All the other children that fell faced her wrath. I'm pretty sure she ran one down, it was not a pretty sight." Gerson winced himself, remembering the gruesome sight.

"I'll say. But this human is different, I just know it! This one is going to make it to the end." he raised a brow.

"And you just know that I'm not going to be the one to stop them?"

"I'm sure. Like I said, boy, this human is different. And I'm sure they're going to get past you too." now it was Grimm's turn to laugh.

"Haha, okay, sure! And who are you calling boy? We're about the same age, Gerson. It's not my fault I'm an undead, I practically don't age."

"It's a shame, really. I'll make sure to save you a seat when you do eventually bite the dust." he hummed softly.

"I hope that doesn't happen until a really long time, friend."

"I do too, I wouldn't want you to be lonely." they share a laugh "I shouldn't keep you here any longer, I'm sure you need to get Winnie before Undyne spots her and the human together."

"She'll probably think I'm helping them if that's the case. It was nice talking to you again, Gerson." he said as he started walking away.

"Oh, for the road!" Gerson shouts as he tossed him two crab apples, he could only guess one was for him and the other was for Winnie. He waves him goodbye then finally leaves, he pockets one of the crab apples for Winnie then munches on the one meant for him. He's following the trail of footsteps that slowly disappeared but Winnie's hoofprints were still there, did that mean she willingly let someone that wasn't him onto her back? Wow, maybe this human was different. He walked past many monsters that encountered the human and they spoke rather highly of them, it was strange to hear how the once prejudice monsters that were so quick to attack the human now speak positively about them.

"They were so polite, that human. They even asked to wash their hands."

"You should have seen them, sir, they have no muscle on their bones and yet they were trying to out flex me! It was almost hilarious."

"hOI!!! i'm tEMMIE!!" he shuffled away from the vibrating dog... thing, he could never really tell what exactly Temmie was. He lost both set of prints when he crossed through a water filled hallway that had a few echo flowers, the passing conversation spoke about a wish about wanting to leave the mountain they were buried under and to see the world outside.

"Heh... that's my dream too." he murmured to himself, he stood in silence before shaking his head and leaving the area. He had just entered the next area leading to the bridge towards the cave that would lead to the Hotlands when he finally spotted the small human, but Winnie was nowhere in sight. He takes a step but paused when MK appeared, he tilts his head to the side as he watched them talk until MK turned around and started to leave but tripped and fell.

"Yo, w-wait! Help! I tripped!"

"MK-" he takes a step forward, intending to help, but was suddenly yanked back that he almost dropped his head "Wha-"

"Don't interfere." he scowled when he realized who it was.

"Winnie! Where have you been?!" he hissed but let out a grunt when she pumped her head into his back, he cocked a brow in confusion until he saw her gesture forward.

"Undyne's here." they huddle against the wall to watch the spectacle, Undyne ready to charge at the human while MK clung to the pillar that caught his fall when he tripped. Undyne takes a few steps forward when the human moved towards her, or so that's what they thought, when they instead reached down and helped MK back onto the bridge. They then watch in shock as MK, the child who idolized Undyne, step in front of the human to stop her from coming any closer.

"Y... y... yo, dude... if... i-if you wanna hurt my friend... you're gonna have to get through me, first." she takes a few steps back, in disbelief after witnessing the human help MK and he himself defending them and calling them his friend, she finally turned around and left. After a moment of silence, MK turned back towards the human "She's gone. Phew, you really saved my skin. Guess being enemies was just a nice thought, haha. We'll just have to be friends instead." he huffed softly as he looked back at Winnie.

"Is this where you've been this entire time, Winnie?" she huffed.

"I originally was going to trample them, but how could I do such a thing when they offered me something I could not resist."

"... did they give you a crab apple?" he stared at her then scoffed when she deflated.

"They also brushed my mane." he took off the guard that covered her face and neck and saw that her mane was brushed smoothly, there was even a small braid.

"I can't believe you let them touch you."

"Me neither." he couldn't help but roll his eyes "But isn't it a good thing I didn't trample them, Grimm? I mean, they just saved MK and he even stood up to Undyne. That guppy has been terrorizing the poor kid since they stepped foot into Waterfall and MK had been unknowingly coming to their aid the entire time."

"And what about you? Were you helping them?" she sighed softly as her hooves kicked against the ground.

"Well, I've been giving them... rides, and what not."

"Did Undyne spot you with them?" she pouted.

"Not that... I'm aware of." at this point he was surprised he hadn't rolled his eyes into the back of his head, going so far as to letting out a dramatic sigh.

"Unbelievable. We're not suppose to be their friend, Winnie. We're suppose to take their soul!"

"I know, I know... but what if, we don't take their soul?"

"Are you serious, Winnie? We need their soul to get out of the Underground! We are so close to regaining our freedom that the life of one insignificant child should mean little to nothing!" she pouted softly as he started putting her head guard back on.

"Well, just... talk to them first, before doing anything."

"Talk? Wow, I'm curious on what happened between you and that human. You're never one to talk before battles, you're always hit first, talk later." he spoke as he tightened the buckles, when he was sure it was secure he took a step back then pulled out the crab apple Gerson gave him "So you're confident they can persuade Undyne?" she nods.

"I'm certain they can." he huffed as he grabbed her reins and pulled himself onto her back.

"Now I'm really curious on what happened between you two. What did they say to you that you're on their side? An apple and braiding your mane isn't enough to convince you to side with a human over monsterkind." she huffed as she trotted after the human but kept at a distance so neither them or Undyne would spot them.

"I bet you'll understand when you stand in their way." he snorted.

"Yeah, sure." she snorted softly but said nothing more as they watched Undyne, always the one to make things overdramatic and theatrical, stand above the mountain that led into Hotlands.

"Seven. Seven human souls, and King Asgore will become a god. Six. That's how many we have collected thus far. Understand? Through your seventh and final soul, this world will become transformed. First, however, as is customary for those who make it this far, I shall tell you the tragic tale of our people. It all started, long ago..." Grimm was a little astonished that Undyne was actually going to explain to the human how they were trapped in the Underground many centuries ago, though it didn't disappeared when Undyne changed her tune "No, you know what? SCREW IT! WHY SHOULD I TELL YOU THAT STORY WHEN YOU'RE ABOUT TO DIE?! NGAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!" he sweat dropped when she ripped her helmet off and glared down at the human.

"Now there's the Undyne we all know and love." Winnie nodded.

"You! You're standing in the way of everybody's hopes and dreams! Alphys's history books made me think humans were cool... with their giant robots and flowery swordswomen." Grimm squinted his eyes, giant robots and flowery swordswomen? He shook his head upon realizing that she was referring to the anime she and Alphys read and watch, I thought she would have told Undyne the truth by now. He shook his head again, he was giving Alphys too much credit "BUT YOU?! You're just a coward! Hiding behind that kid so you could run away from me again! And let's not forget your wimpy good-two-shoes-schtick! Oooh! I'm making such a difference by hugging random strangers! You know what would be more valuable to people? IF YOU WERE DEAD! That's right, human! Your continued existence is a crime! Your life is all that stands between us and our freedom! Right now, I can feel everyone's hearts pounding together! Everyone's been waiting their whole lives for this! But we're not nervous at all. When everyone puts their hearts together, they can't lose. Now, human! Let's end this, right here, right now. I'll show you how determined monsters can be. Step forward when you're ready! Fufufufu!" he couldn't help but chuckle as he watched the kid stand below her, completely unphased by her declaration.

"I've got to say, this kid's got guts." deciding not to bother, he gently kicks Winnie's side with his ankle while pulling back on the reins "Let's got back to Alphys's lab, we can watch the battle there." she let out a notable whine.

"You know I don't like going to the Hotlands."

"Yeah, but since I left you unsupervised you went and befriended the human. I should ask Alphys to pull up the footage to see what you two were doing." her ears pressed against her head.

"Okay, okay, I get it." he huffed.

"Yeah." he spared the human and Undyne one last look, seeing her leap off the cliff she was standing on and thrust her spear towards the human to engage in a battle against them, they finally turn and leave. Upon finding one of his lanterns, he allows the flame to engulf them both and transport them to one of his lanterns closest to the lab. He slides off Winnie's back but holds her reins as they enter the lab, there they both found Alphys gawking at the screen as she watched Undyne battle the human.

"Ah, she's just so cool~"

"She certainly is." Alphys shrieked at Grimm's voice.

"O-Oh, Grimm and, W-Winnie! You found her." he nodded.

"That I did, took awhile though since she decided to go off on her and have an adventure with the human."

"I-I did see that and was a little confused on w-what she was doing." he made a face as he looked at Winnie, who looked anywhere but at him.

"How's Undyne doing?" Alphys clapped.

"S-She's doing well! Their soul is green right now." Grimm and Winnie stand beside Alphys and watch Undyne battle the human.

"That human is ridiculously good at blocking Undyne's shots." he commented "How are they able to keep track with Undyne's reverse spears? That's one of her special attacks." as they continued to watch they witnessed how the human began predicting where Undyne's spears were coming from before she even summoned them, even though Winnie had already seen how skillful the human was from their countless battles against the monsters they encountered throughout Waterfall, she was still taken aback that they could hold their own against Undyne of all people. Even Alphys, who had been watching the human since they first step foot out of the Ruins, was stunned that the human was barely getting any damage sustained to their soul.

"Oh, they're running away!" Alphys shouts, seeing as their soul was no longer green, they turned tail and ran towards Hotlands, though Undyne was hot on their trail and caught up to them quickly and turned their soul green again. And just like before, Grimm would notice how the human would struggle a bit in the beginning until they somehow figured out Undyne's attack pattern and would block the incoming spears without much struggle.

'How are they doing that? How do they know the direction the spear is going to appear before Undyne even summons them?' the process repeats itself one more time to the point that even Undyne was getting frustrated that her spears weren't reaching the human, and the moment their soul was free the human ran off again and made quite the distance. Undyne was close to catching up to them again until the human's cellphone started ringing, the three of them were taken aback when the human literally stopped and even held their hand up for Undyne to stop so they could answer the phone.

"Hey, what's up!" Grimm couldn't help but sweat a little.

"Is that...?" Winnie sighs.

"Papyrus." Alphys let out a nervous laugh.

"I was thinking. You, me, and Undyne should all hang out sometime! I think you would make great pals!" Grimm and Winnie both share a look then let out a soft laugh while shaking their head, yeah, sure they would "Let's meet up at her place later!" and he hung up.

"That skeleton is such a riot sometimes." he said with a snicker, Papyrus was prone to making Grimm laugh more than Sans could. He let out a breath to calm himself when Undyne immediately started chasing the human the moment they put their phone away. The human had finally entered Hotland and was running across the bridge that would lead them to the Lab but had passed Sans, to which Undyne stopped chasing them to glare down at the skeleton when he was fast asleep in his sentry station.

"That guy just sleeps anywhere." Winnie comments "I swear I've caught him asleep in the river once, surprised he didn't drown." before the two could make anymore comments Alphys let out a gasp, they look back towards the monitor and their eyes widened when they saw that Undyne tried following but collapsed due to the intense heat and the fact that she was wearing her armor. Alphys nervously watched while Grimm narrowed his eyes on the human, watching and waiting to see what exactly they were going to do next. Were they going to leave Undyne to cook? Were they could take advantage of the fact that she's unable to do any- he was stunned to see that the human grabbed a cup of water from the nearby watercooler, carefully bringing it over to where Undyne laid barely conscious, and poured it over her.

"They... they saved her." Alphys whispered, Winnie smirked softly and looked over at Grimm, but she paused at the expression he was making. She saw the way his eye twitched as he watched Undyne look towards the human, whom she once was ready to kill in order to free monsterkind, with a near unreadable expression before turning around and walking back to Waterfall without another word "They beat Undyne." he growled under his breath.

"They did."

"What will you d-do now, Grimm?" she took a step back when he turned towards the front door to the lab that would lead to where the human was.

"I'll deal with the-" he let out a grunt when Winnie bit into his armor and yanked him back.

"Oh, no you don't!" she muffled out "You're going to be the last boss before they get to King Asgore, remember? That's always the plan if any human gets too far." Alphys nodded.

"A-And you did say if Undyne was... beaten, that M-Mettaton will be their next opponent." he let out groan.

"But they're right there! I could just slice their head clean off and we've got a fresh new soul!" a nicker escapes her when she let go of him to flick her tail into his face, to which he let out another grunt when it smacked onto his forehead.

"And you can kill them in the Final Corridor where you can let loose. But not here, not now." his eye twitched again until he rolled his eyes, letting out a groan before nodding his head.

"Alright, okay, I won't do anything." Alphys let out a sigh of relief.

"I-I was worried you were going to make a mess in my lab again." he laughed softly.

"Don't worry, if I was going to kill them, I was going to do it outside so no blood got on your floors." she sweat dropped.

"That doesn't necessarily make me f-feel any better." Winnie soon grabbed him by his armor again and started pulling him to the backdoor when she saw that the human started making their way towards the Lab.

"We'll be on our way now, Alphys! Talk to you later!" Winnie said, he let out a grunt as he tried yanking himself free from her grip.

"I'm coming, I'm coming! Don't drag me." Alphys giggled softly as she watched the two bicker, already used to their constant arguments as if they were siblings instead of partners. Grimm and Winnie were like a bonded pair, one never really seen without the other for an extended period of time, though Winnie was prone to wandering off while Grimm had to be the one to retrieve her. Maybe it was because they've been together for a long time, long before they were forced in the Underground and that they fought in the war together. Grimm was not a boss monster, but he was unlike the average monster that the way his body aged was different, and he had watched many of his companions fall thanks to the passing of time. But Winnie had remained by his side without her body wearing out, perhaps it's because Grimm is able to share his magic with her that she's still around, whatever it was, he wasn't sure what he'd do if he lost her.

"What are you thinking about?" he perked up at the sound of her voice as they walked deeper into the Hotlands in search for one of his lanterns.

"Nothing, just plotting." she sighed.

"Come on, give the human a chance. Don't immediately throttle them."

"I'll see how I feel in the moment." she groaned, throwing her head back.

"No." he shook his head.

"Wynona." she blinked, startled that he addressed her by her name instead of her nickname, her ears pressed into her head when she knew that he was being serious right now "I get that you've befriended the human, but we still have a duty to our people. They should come first before the human, got it? I can't go easy on them just because you like them." one of her ears flickered.

"B-But..." his expression softened.

"I can't spare this human, Wynona. The only way they'll ever get to Asgore is if they beat me."

"And even that's impossible. The only monster that could really do that was Gerson in his prime." he shrugged.

"Unlike the other monsters, I won't be as easily persuaded." her tail flicks from behind her as they walked in a comfortable silence.

"I get it... I'll try not to interfere when the time comes." he smiled softly and readjusted the way he was holding his head so he could hug Winnie, she pouted but draped her neck over his shoulder.

"I'm sorry it has to be this way. Usually I'd be happy that you'd go this far for a friend, but..." she nods.

"I know, I know." he pulled away and gently caressed her head.

"Just to be nice, I'll let you hang around the human for a bit longer." he chuckled when he saw her perk up "I'm returning to New Home, but I will stop by the MTT Resort just to see how far the human has progressed. I'm pretty sure Mettaton has used a few of my lanterns in that dine-in restaurant of his." he made a face as he remembered when Mettaton stole his lanterns from Waterfall, saying how they would make the restaurant look "beautiful darling", or whatever.

"Thank you Grimm, really." she said while rubbing against his side, he huffed and pat her back.

"Don't mention it. Now get outta here before I change my mind." she grins and quickly galloped away, he inhaled softly as he watched her go before turning on his heel and going in a direction where he could feel where one of his lanterns were. If he thought of the exact pathing the human will take to get from the labs to the resort, which would evidently lead them to New Home, it should take them a couple hours to reach the end. Since they were in Hotland where Mettaton resided, he didn't need to return to the lab to watch the human, he could simply go and watch the LIVE footage where he just knew Mettaton was using the human in his show "Heh, I can only imagine what he's gonna put that kid through." he shrugged as he found one of his lanterns, he looked back in the direction he came from before finally disappearing into the blue flame.

Upon returning to New Home, he informed Asgore on the human's whereabouts and their progress from the Ruins to Hotland. He was surprised to hear that Undyne had lost and that they had gotten so far, I mean, the furthest a human has ever gotten in the Underground was the Core. That kid was pretty crazy, carrying a gun around and everything, but even he didn't make it to New Home. Grimm never directly interfered when a human was spotted in the Underground, he only appeared when the lives of the monsters were threatened and he would deal with them himself. The last thing he needed was the monsters to panic because one measly human decided killing them was the way to go, I mean, it's honestly very valid since we're all trying to kill them too, but still.

Anways-

"So, Wynona is with them now?" Asgore asked, Grimm gave a shrug.

"She could be. I told her she could join the human, but she isn't that much of a fan of Hotland. She doesn't do well in hot climates, and add the armor to that factor and she's practically miserable." he snorted a laugh, tossing his head between his hands "It's why we hang around Waterfall." Asgore snapped his fingers and pointed at him.

"Not only that, but you have a sort of ice magic." he hummed.

"I am more in my element when in Snowdin, but I'd rather Winnie not feel uncomfortable, that's why we live in Waterfall. Though the water does drip into my neck sometimes, the feeling is not pleasant." Asgore hummed as his hand waved above his neck where he felt the freezing temperatures of his blue flame that was so cold that it would have burned his hand. But Grimm had complete control over his magic, so the feeling of his hand passing through his flame was nothing more than a soothingly cool breeze.

"I get that feeling, sometimes it's quite uncomfortable when I get dirt in my fur."

"That's why you should wear gloves, Asgore. I'm surprised you haven't singed your fur with your fire magic." this caused the king to little out a nervous chuckle, scratching at his cheek in mild embarrasment.

"You and I both know that isn't true." this made Grimm snicker.

"I know, I just like bringing it up cause it's funny." he soon burst into a fit of laughter when Asgore reached over and smacked his arm.

"You and your jokes. Are you thinking of being a comedian or something?" he shrugged as his body leaned back.

"Should I? I seem to have a knack in making you laugh."

"Then wouldn't that make you a court jester?"

"Being your personal clown doesn't seem too bad in my opinion. At least I still get to be by your side." he said with a wink but Asgore ignored him with a chuckle.

"Anyways, why don't you check on the human? It has been a couple hours. Go see how much progress they made while you weren't looking." he saluted.

"As you wish, your majesty." he scampered away when Asgore threw a teaspoon at his back, his laughter echoing through the hall when it clattered to the floor. He found himself in MTT's resort dine-in restaurant and only found a few people inside, perhaps it was because you had to reserve quite literally everything if you wanted to dine there.

"Hey Grimm, here for the comedy show?" Oni asked as he passed his and Charles' table.

"No, though I did miss out on Mettaton's show." Charles' perked up.

"That's a shame. Each time his show was on air, there would be a human starring in each of them! How long has it been since we've last seen a human?"

"A long time ago."

"Yeah, well, anyways, apparently the human is somewhere nearby. I saw them and Sans' not to long ago at the table over there." he said and pointed to a table behind Oni.

"I see, and how long ago was this?" Oni hums.

"Maybe... a few minutes ago, but I think they went outside to talk to Catty and Bratty and they've been coming back inside to talk to Burgerpants."

"And Winnie? Have you seen her?" the receptionist clapped their fins.

"Oh, I'm pretty sure she's taking a nap in one of the rooms. She looked exhausted when she came in earlier." he huffed. Figured, after walking around Hotland wearing a hunk of metal would be exhausting, add on to whatever else she and the human were doing on their way to the MTT resort.

"Thank you, I'll be seeing you." they waved him goodbye as he walked out.

"Don't miss out on Mettaton's show! He said it's going to be a grand finale!" he waved his own hand.

"I'll be sure not to miss it." he greets a few more monsters as he made his way to the lobby so he could find out which room Winnie was in, little did he know, the moment he stepped into the lobby he felt something collide into his leg then stumble to the ground. The lobby fell into an eerie silence all you could hear was the crackling of Grimm's flame followed by the water from Mettaton's water fountain, why? Well, that was because the individual who walked into him was the very human that had been warned by every monster they encountered to avoid Asgore's most loyal knight, one of the most feared monsters during the war against the humans. The human had just entered the resort after setting up a double date between Catty, Bratty and Burgerpants and was going to report back to the fast food worker when they accidentally walked into something rather solid that they fell to the ground. Looking up at what they collided with, they were troubled by the sight of the daunting figure that was a headless suit of armor looking down at them.

*You feel as if the room got colder by the mere presence of the Ice Butcher.

A gasp leaves their lips when the suit of armor turned and they noticed the head held in his arms that was previously hidden, where was Winnie when they needed her? They look around and saw how all the monsters were now openly staring at them quite nervously, waiting to see what exactly was going to happen. They whip their head up when Grimm raised his arms and placed his head onto his neck, snuffing out the flames that crackled from underneath until they were silence when his head twisted into place. What they noticed when he put his head on was the fire from his neck burst out from his eye sockets and the ends of his hair started burning just slightly. He rolled his neck a couple times before finally kneeling down while slowly extending his hand towards the human, however, several thoughts went through his head the longer he stared.

'It would be easy. It would be so easy to wrap my hand around their neck and snap it. I could just take their soul and end our suffering right here, right now. But...' the human flinched when he instead offered his hand to help them, going so far as to offering them a kind and soft smile.

"Are you alright? I'm sorry that you fell, I didn't see you since you're so... pint sized." he said as he looked the human over properly, not realizing until that moment how small they were. How on earth have they been able to traverse through the Underground when they're literally not even half the size of every monster? The smallest monster he could think of would be Temmie, because even the children were at least taller than this human child. He furrowed his brows when they did take his much larger hand and he lifted them to their feet, they were about as light as a sheet of paper "Color me impressed to see that you've made it this far, human." unlike the other monsters, Grimm was the most human looking amongst the bunch if he wasn't carrying his head around nor wearing his armor. If it weren't for all the warnings they received, they would have believed that the smile he wore was real.

*You tell him the friends you made along the way has made the journey all the more easier.

"Friends? Now isn't that something. We're supposed to be killing you, and yet you've somehow befriended almost every monster you've encountered." the human nervously gripped the handle on the frying pan they picked up while in Hotland.

*You ask the monster if he was going to stop you.

"Oh, no. Your next opponent is Mettaton, I believe he'd be upset if I stepped in during his last show." they took a step back when his hand reached for them again but he instead booped their nose, a cheeky grin gracing his lips when he saw the way they started to tremble due to his icy touch "You won't be seeing me until you reach the Last Corridor. So before your fight against King Asgore, you'll have to deal with me."

*Despite the fear you feel for the knight that stands before you, you stand tall and look him in the eyes.

*You say that he's the least of your worries.

"Pft." he couldn't help but laugh at their words, going so far as to wiping away a stray tear "Oh, you're hilarious. Well, don't let me stop you from your journey, human. I'll be waiting for you." he stood up and stepped to the side, going so far as to gesturing to the doors that would lead them to the CORE. They watched him carefully as they walked away and only looked forward when the doors shut behind them, he chuckled again and shook his head.

"Are you alright, Grimm?" he looked down to see the Diamond Receptionist at his feet, he shrugged his shoulders as he grabbed his head and yanked it off his neck then held it by his hip.

"It's the human you should be asking that to. Though, I can't help but admire their determination and the way they held their own."

"We're more surprised you didn't kill them." he shrugged.

"Eh, wouldn't want Burgerpants to clean up the blood. And like I said, I believe Mettaton would be upset that I ruined his show." she couldn't help but giggle softly.

"I understand. I'm sure Mettaton will be broadcasting their battle soon, so why don't you take a seat and watch?"

"I will, I'm just here to collect Winnie." she perked up.

"Ah, yes. Then allow me to lead you to her room." he follows the small monster to a hallway of rooms and gestures to the one that Winnie was occupying, he thanks her and knocks on the door. He waits a couple seconds for her before proceeding to open the door, peeking in, he huffed at the sight of her passed out on the bed. He leans over her unconscious body before raising his hand and flicking her ear, he leaned back while raising his hands when she sprung up in surprise.

"Wha- huh?!" he waved his hand in front of her face when she settled down and saw that it was only him "Oh, hey." he gave her the peace sign.

"Get up, we got a show to watch." she stared at him in confusion.

"Huh?" he doesn't wait for her but instead flicks the light on while also leaving the door open, he chuckled when he heard a frustrated squeal followed by the galloping of her hooves. They now found themselves back in the resorts restaurant dining on what was available as he and the rest of the monsters watched Mettaton's show, he was munching on a starfait while Winnie was devouring a steak shaped like Mettaton's face... odd, pretty sure it's not that good to eat.

"Ooo, ooo! I think it's starting!"

"Turn it up!"

"Oh, look at the human!"

"They are so tiny." they all watch as the platform the human and Mettaton were standing on begins to rise up.

"Real drama!! Real action!! Real bloodshed!! On our new game show... Attack of the Killer Robot!!" he laughs to himself as he waves at the cameras that surrounded them. "Yes, I was the one who rearranged the CORE! I was the one who hired everyone to kill you! That, however, was a shortsighted plan. You know what would be a hundred times better? Killing you myself!!" The human fires these little yellow bullets from their phone in an attempt to beat Mettaton, but the bullets were just bouncing off of him.

"Dang, when's the last time someone had a gun in the Underground?"

"It was the last human that fell, wasn't it?"

"But they aren't necessarily using a gun, are they?"

"That worthless peashooter won't work on me, darling. Don't you understand what acting is?! Listen, darling. I've seen you fight. You're weak. If you continue forward, the Ice Butcher will take your soul. It is impossible for you to get past him, and I will make your death much more merciful than he will. And with your soul, Asgore will destroy humanity!" as he spoke, Mettaton summons boxes in an attempt to crush them, but the human either evades or shoots at them to make them disappear "But if I get your soul, I can stop Asgore's plan! I can save humanity from destruction!" everyone looks towards Grimm and sees him eating another Starfait.

"Would you let Mettaton take the soul?" he snorted.

"As if. I'd probably take it from him if he tries anything."

"Then using your soul, I'll cross through the barrier... Then I'll become the star I've always dreamed of being! Hundreds, thousands... No, millions of humans will watch me! Glitz, glamour! I'll finally have it all! So what if a few people die? That's show business, baby!" the human was momentarily distracted when a voice came from their phone, they couldn't make out their conversation but they all noticed the human point behind Mettaton "Oh? A mirror? Right, I have to look perfect for our grand finale!" Mettaton then proceeds to turn around, muttering how he couldn't see the mirror, this allowed the human to reach forward and flip the switch on his back. They all watch in shock when Mettaton's body exploded into smoke, some held their breath until a voice spoke through the smoke "Oh, yeah."

"She didn't." Winnie spoke as she gave her full attention to the T.V, Grimm snorted as he saw Mettaton's silhouette through the smoke.

"Oh yes, she did."

"I'll make your last living moments..." nearly everyone in the restaurant broke out into squeals and cheers to the point Grimm had to cover his ears, this was due to the fact when the smoke cleared Mettaton's new body was out on display for all to see "absolutely beautiful." Grimm couldn't help but whistle.

"She really outdid herself this time. He looks great."

"Oh, even the ice cold Grimm approves of Mettaton's new body!" he couldn't help but roll his eyes with a laugh.

"Sure, I approve." and just like Undyne's battle, he watched as the human struggled to keep up with Mettaton but gradually started picking up his attack patterns with the help of that little phone of theirs to shoot at Mettaton's exposed soul. He really had to commend the human with how skilled their dodging skills were since most of Mettaton's attacks aimed to overwhelm his opponents, if it weren't for that pellet shooter of theirs, he was sure they would have sustained a lot more damage. He did sweat a little in confusion when in two instances Mettaton either had a commercial break, while the other was a essay with the question of "what most do you love about Mettaton" and the answer they gave was hotfinenticute? What did that even mean? What was even more baffling was that it was accepted and they were awarded 360 points.

"I never would have taken Mettaton to be such a good fighter."

"He seems like the type of person to be worried if he messes up his hair in the middle of a battle."

"Well, there aren't many monsters in the Underground who have hair like that." they then look towards Grimm again and saw his rather long a luscious dark hair cascade off the table where his head rested, Mettaton was always jealous of his hair. An explosion from the screen caught their attention and they look towards it to see that as the human continued to fire shots at Mettaton's soul, they damaged it so much that it caused his arms to explode off his torso.

"A-Arms? Wh... who needs arms with legs like these? I'm still going to win!" Mettaton's movements became much slower and more desperate than before, how his attacks became less coordinated as he attempted to throw absolutely everything he had at the human. And yet, none of his attacks seem to slow or deter them from getting past him. That human was determined to beat Mettaton in order to get past him and to New Home, to Asgore "Haha, how inspriring. Well, darling, it's either me or you! But I think we both know who's going to win. Witness the true power of humanity's star!" with his soul exposed once more with two bombs circling around it, sparks of electricity swarmed out from it. Every shot was precise and did quite the damage to his soul, sometimes they would accidentally set off the two bombs but they'd either be able to dodge the blast or just get barely nicked by it.

"That human's really good at battles."

"Do you think he's going easy on them?" he narrowed his eyes as he watched closely, and similar to their battle against Undyne, he noticed how the human began moving as if they already knew where the attacks were coming. Sure they couldn't get their timing right when dodging a few of Mettaton's attacks, but he didn't miss the way they'd move in one direction before stopping and changing directions before Mettaton even summoned his next attack.

"Is Mettaton going to lose?" someone asked after the human managed to damage his soul enough that he lost his legs, Grimm looked across the room and saw them deflate a little.

"... I kind of hope he loses."

"What? How could you say that?"

"W-Well, because... if he wins, then that means he'll leave the Underground." a silence washes over them at the realization "There isn't anything else on TV, and Mettaton is one of the reasons I look forward to waking up in the morning."

"... I hope he loses too."

"Mettaton won't be happy to hear that." he protects his head when they start pleading with him not to tell, worried they might grab it and start shaking him violently.

"Ooh, look at these ratings!" everyone looked back towards the TV and saw that Mettaton's ratings had reached over ten thousand, quite impressive "These are the most viewers I've ever had! We've reached the view call-in milestone! One lucky viewer will have the chance to talk to me... before I leave the Underground forever! Let's see who calls in first!" everyone seemed to rush to pull out their phones to call Mettaton but were beaten by a lucky winner when Mettaton started speaking again "Hi, you're on TV! What do you have to say on this, our last show?" there was a moment of silence before the voice started speaking.

"Oh, hi... I really liked watching your show... my life is pretty boring... but, seeing you on the screen... brought excitement to my life." Grimm's expression softened when he recognized the voice on the other line "I can't tell, but... I guess this is the last episode...? I'll miss you... Mettaton... oh, I didn't mean to walk so long..."

"No, wait! Wait, Bl... h- they already hung up." Mettaton saddened that their conversation was cut short "I'll take another caller!"

"Mettaton, your show made us happy!"

"Mettaton, I don't know what I'll do without you."

"Mettaton, there's a Mettaton shaped hole in my Mettaton shaped heart." a few more calls repeated the same thing, how they were all going to miss him and how his show made them happy.

"So I guess everyone shared the same thought." he hummed softly to himself, the sound of his chair scraping against the floor caught their attention so they look up and saw him standing to his feet "It seems the human has won yet again, so we will be taking our leave."

"Best of luck to you, Grimm, Winnie." he nods.

"Wynona." she perked up, her ears flickering about "Let's go." she huffed softly.

"Coming." they bid the monsters goodbye before using the lanterns to travel back to New Home, they both enter the throne room and found Asgore tending to the flowers once more. He perks up once he spotted them but paused when he saw them lower their heads to greet him, he only let out a breath upon realizing they weren't here to talk.

"The human has gotten past Mettaton and is currently making their way here as we speak." Asgore saddened, knowing what was going to happen next.

"I see. I don't suppose you can go easy on them, could you? Try and make their death as merciful as you can?" Grimm hummed softly.

"I... don't think I can do that, sire."

"I know, but it was worth a shot." both he and Winnie stand up straight as he spoke.

"I will guarantee that the human's soul will be yours, King Asgore." the goat man sighed when Grimm started speaking formally to him, that there was nothing anyone could say to talk him out of taking the human's soul "I will make that human regret ever stepping foot in New Home."

"I'm sure you will." they bow once more before turning and making their way to the Final Corridor.

[with the human]

Upon travelling through the house that was similar to Toriel's in the Ruin's while being told the story of the first fallen human and the deceased son of the Royal Family, the human had collected a Heart Locket as well as a Worn Dagger. As most monsters they defeated on their journey, Mettaton and Alyphs warned them about the last knight they would have to face before coming toe to toe with the King himself. Grimm and Wynona, the dynamic duo where one is never seen without the other. They had already interacted with Wynona, or rather Winnie as many called her, and she was very pleasant to be around. Her rider, however, was not so very pleasant. As the most human looking monster, if you ignore how his face looked that of a Jack-O-Lantern and the fact he carried his head around, if they were looking at him from behind they'd most definitely mistaken him for a human. Other than Undyne, he also seemed to be the most hostile and threatening amongst all the monsters they've encountered. His mere presence brought the room into a chilling silence that had everyone turning to look at them, they were sure that when they took a breath they could see it.

The Ice Butcher could not be reasoned with like the others.

"So you finally made it." they gasped, raising their head at the sound of a familiar voice, because without even realizing it they arrived at the Final Corridor and was face to face with Sans "The end of your journey is at hand, in a few moments you will be faced with your last obstacle. Together... you will determine the future of this world. That's then, now... you will be judged. You will be judged for you every action. You will be judged for every EXP you've earned. What's EXP? It's an acronym. It stands for "execution points". A way of quantifying the pain you have inflicted on others. When you kill someone, your EXP increases. When you have enough EXP, your LOVE increases. LOVE, too, is an acronym. It stands for "level of violence". A way of measuring someone's capacity to hurt. The more you kill, the easier it becomes to distance yourself. The more you distance yourself, the less you will hurt. The more easily you can bring yourself to hurt others." Sans closed his eyes as he focused on the human in front of him before opening them, the already permanent smile on his face softening just a bit at the human "But you... you never gained any LOVE. 'Course, that doesn't mean you're completely innocent or naive. Just that you kept a certain tenderness in your heart. No matter the struggles or hardships you faced... you strived to do the right thing. You refused to hurt anyone. Even when you ran away, you did it with a smile. You never gained LOVE, but you gained love. Does that make sense? Maybe not. Now, you're about to face the greatest challenge of your entire journey."

*You ask Sans if he's talking about King Asgore, or the Ice Butcher.

"Heh, the Ice Butcher, huh? Well, both are equally challenging, but if I were you, I'd focus on defending against Grimm. He will not go easy on you just because you're a kid, if the previous humans had gotten as far as you did, I doubt they would have gotten past him. Don't let his youthful appearance fool you either, he's one of the oldest and most experienced monsters in the Underground. He'll cut your head off before you can even blink." they couldn't help but caress their neck, they can only imagine the possibility of their head flying.

*You ask Sans if he has any other advice before you have to fight him.

"Advice, hmm? Well, if you can tire him out, that would be your best bet in beating him." their shoulders slump, they doesn't sound very helpful "You're probably thinking that something like that is going to be impossible, huh? If you can get him off Winnie, then you'll have one less thing to worry about."

*You question if doing such a thing is even possible.

"Hmm, probably. But you might have a bit of an advantage, Winnie already seems to like you and that has caused some discourse between the two of them. Just get them to bicker and she'll probably buck him off just to be pity." they nod their head, something like that shouldn't be too hard, right? Sans kept his eye on the human as they sorted through their inventory to check if they had a few more Crab Apples in hopes they could possibly bribe Winnie, smart. His eyes snapped over to the blue lanterns when they started flicking followed by the subtle sound of trotting, he let out a breath as he tucked his hands in his pockets "Sorry to break it to you kid, but I'm afraid this is the end of our conversation." he frowned when he saw the way they started to tremble as the heavy footsteps started getting closer.

*You ask Sans if it is possible if you could flee like you did with Undyne.

"Heh, you could try, but there's no way you could outrun both Winnie and Grimm." he then gives them a two fingered salute "Good luck, kiddo. I'm rooting for you." and he disappeared from their sight like a ghost, they shuddered out a breath and flinched when they saw their breath in the air.

*The room drops in temperature as the Ice Butcher approaches.

"So, here we are at last, human." they take a step back when Grimm and Wynona come into view, stepping out from the shadows and making their presence known. He sat on Wynona's back as she trotted forward with his head attached to his neck but resting between his arm and hip was a helmet that he had yet to put on, in his other hand were the reins to Wynona's bridle that he lightly tugged on to get her to stop "I must commend you again, human, for making it this far. Most would have given up, but you didn't." Wynona snorted softly.

"But now, your actions here... will determine the fate of the entire world. If you refuse to fight..." she grimaced, her ears pressing against her head as she glanced up at Grimm "then we will take your soul and present it to King Asgore."

"To which he will use it to destroy humanity. But if you kill Asgore and go home..."

"Monsters will remain trapped underground."

"What will you do?" they say in unison, Grimm chuckled as he adjusted the hold on his helmet.

"You didn't get this far by dumb luck, did you? That's right, you have something called "determination". But unfortunately for you, determination alone won’t stop me from taking your soul." he lowered his head and slowly slid his helmet on. The moment it clicked into place, a burst of blue flames erupted from them both. Wynona’s mane and tail, along with the tufts at her hooves, blazed brightly, while a horsehair plume of fire burst from the back of Grimm’s helmet and settled neatly behind him. They expected to feel a heat comparable to Hotland but instead they felt goosebumps form along their arms when a cold even more bitter than Snowdin envelop the room, it had become so cold that it was near impossible to breathe without coughing. With his freed hand, he opened his palm, letting the fire from his helmet slither down his arm and pool into his grasp. His fingers curled into a fist, and when they opened again, an axe of roaring blue flame had formed in his hand.

"Show off..." Wynona murmured softly as she started approaching the human, her hooves leaving a trail of ice with each step she took.

"This is the end of the line for you, human." they let out a shuddered breath as Wynona lowered her body, blowing vapor from out of her nostrils while her hooves dug into he marble floor, getting ready to charge.

*The Headless Horsemen, Grimm and Wynona, stand in your way.

[FIGHT] ♡ [ACT] [ITEM] [MERCY]

♡ *Grimm

*Wynona

*Check ♡ *Talk

*Beg *Cry

*You attempt to-

The conversation was cut short because Grimm didn’t even wait for the human to finish their sentence. Wynona surged forward in a sudden dash, carrying him past his target, and in one swift motion, he sliced their head clean from their neck. He let out a cold breath as he threw his axe over his shoulder, watching as their head and body tumble to the floor, frost forming over the stumps so no blood spills over the marble floor.

"You didn't even give them a chance." he huffed.

"Of course I didn't, I said I wouldn't." he rolled his neck as he slid off of Wynona's back, he approached the soul that rose out of their body and knelt down before it "And with this final soul, we will-"

"I see. I don't suppose you can go easy on them, could you? Try and make their death as merciful as you can?" Grimm's head snapped up when he found himself back in the throne room kneeling before Asgore with Winnie by his side, his head in his hands instead of on his neck. Asgore tilted his head when he saw Grimm looking around in confusion, Winnie sensed his unease and gently nuzzled her head against his side.

"Are you alright, Grimm?" he blinked.

"U-Um, didn't we just have this conversation?" Winnie and Asgore share a look, this time they were confused.

"No...? You've just come from the resort."

"Yeah. It's our turn to deal with the human now." he frowned, but didn't I just kill human? Did he imagine that whole encounter just now out of pure excitement to claim the last soul? His face scrunches up when his head started to ache, Winnie frowned and rubbed her head against his side again "Are you sure you're alright? You're not one to get distracted."

"No... no, I'm good. Just had a crazy case of déjà vu." but was that really déjà vu? That felt way to real, he let out a sigh and ignored the throbbing in his head as he put his head on "Let's go get that human's soul."

"Hmm, if you say so." Winnie's tail flickered behind her but she lowered herself so Grimm could climb onto her back, he wraps her reins around his wrist and allows her to lead them out of the throne room and to the final corridor. And just like before, he found the human standing alone gripping onto a familiar looking blade while wearing a locket that belonged to the human from a distant past.

"So, here we are at last, human." they step out from the shadows and made their presence known, but the human didn't look as nervous as they did before, odd "I must commend you again, human, for making it this far. Most would have given up, but you didn't." Wynona snorted softly.

"But now, your actions here... will determine the fate of the entire world. If you refuse to fight..." Winnie grimaced, her ears pressing against her head as she glanced up at Grimm "then we will take your soul and present it to King Asgore."

"To which he will use it to destroy humanity. But if you kill Asgore and go home..."

"Monsters will remain trapped underground."

"What will you do?" they say in unison, Grimm chuckled as he adjusted the hold on his helmet.

"You didn't get this far by dumb luck, did you? That's right, you have something called "determination". But unfortunately for you, determination alone won’t stop me from taking your soul." if memory served him right, the moment he put his helmet on and allowed their shared magic to surround them, Winnie would charge forward so he could slice their head off. It was always impossible for their opponents to track their movements, they never knew what happened until their heads were rolling. So as he leaned over and swung his axe, intending to slice their head off, both his and Winnie's eyes widened in disbelief when the human ducked.

'I missed? I never miss!' the human gasped after ducking in order to dodge Grimm's swing, but even still, he barely missed them by a hair. They barely had enough time to take a breath when Grimm jumped off of Winnie's back, swinging his axe over his head and slamming it down on them, effectively killing them once more.

"Wow, I never thought I'd see the day where you'd miss." she grimaced when she saw the mangled mess that was of their human friend, she whined softly "But did you have to go that far?" he didn't answer as he stared intensely at the human's remains, still not accepting the fact that everything from before played out exactly as it did but not that instance. No, that human's head should have been cut off. It should have been impossible for them to dodge it like that, it would only be possible if they knew that's where he was going to swing it.

"I am... annoyed." he said as he raised his axe, blood dripping from the blade and dripping onto the floor "Like you said, I never miss." he throws his axe over his shoulder as he knelt down to the ground, raising his other hand to reach for the soul that was rising from their bod-

"I see. I don't suppose you can go easy on them, could you? Try and make their death as merciful as you can?" Grimm's head snapped up when he found himself in the throne yet again, the exact same scenario happening just as it did before for the third time. Asgore and Winnie noticing his confusion, asking him if he's alright but instead of asking if they had already had that conversation, he shook his head and answered Asgore's previous question. If what he thinks was happening is happening, he needed to test his theory one more time. Winnie was startled when he grabbed her reins and started pulling her out of the throne room, before she could even protest he threw himself onto her back and gently kicked at her side with his heel.

"What is up with you, Grimm? You're acting strange."

"It's nothing. I just need to test something."

"Test what?"

"It won't matter to you." she furrowed her brow in confusion but left him be. And yet again he found himself in the last corridor with Winnie stepping out of the shadows as they approached the lonely human, he sneered when he saw the way they looked at them with this confidence that was riddled with nerves. "So, here we are at last, human. I must commend you again, human, for making it this far. Most would have given up, but you didn't." he spoke with little to no emotions, already predicting the next line of dialogue after having repeated this scenario twice already.

"But now, your actions here... will determine the fate of the entire world. If you refuse to fight..." Winnie grimaced, her ears pressing against her head as she glanced up at him "then we will take your soul and present it to King Asgore."

"To which he will use it to destroy humanity. But if you kill Asgore and go home..."

"Monsters will remain trapped underground."

"What will you do?" they say in unison, he chuckled darkly as he adjusted the hold on his helmet.

"You didn't get this far by dumb luck, did you? That's right, you have something called "determination". But unfortunately for you, determination alone won’t stop me from taking your soul." he had a though as he placed his helmet on while summoning his axe, should he and Winnie go faster? Would they even be able to react in time if they did? But just like before, Winnie charged forward and when he attempted to slice their neck off, they ducked and avoided his blade. He leapt off of her back and intended to slam his blade down but they rolled out of the way even before it came down, before they could even right themself, he pressed his hand into the ground and a flurry of ice rushed towards the human and trapped them in a glacier like prison.

"Wow, I never thought I'd see the day where you'd miss." she grimaced when she saw the frozen mess that was of their human friend, she whined softly "But did you have to go that far?" he ignored her as he approached the human that was slowly succumbing to the ice that encased their body. He sneered at the sight of them and raised his axe once more and striking their frozen body, looking down upon their body that shattered into hundreds of pieces.

'So that's what you've been doing it, human.' he thought as he watched their soul rise from their body, but not even a second later, he was back in the throne room again as Asgore pleaded with him to show the human some mercy 'That's how you've survived so long in the Underground.'

"Fuck."

[with the human]

He's fast. He's too fast.

Sans wasn't kidding about being unable to outrun either of them, Wynona alone was fast but they didn't expect Grimm to be just as fast. Their biggest challenge before getting here would be a bounce between Papyrus, Muffet and Mettaton. They were able to get a grasp of their attack pattern a few deaths in and beat them, but Grimm was proving to be impossible. Unlike all the other monsters they've faced, where they've been able to [ATTACK] or [ACT] first, Grimm and Wynona attack them first. That instance where they tried talking to Grimm they were immediately met with the GAME OVER screen, not even realizing they had lost until they saw their soul shatter into pieces. Round two was the same, where they had just barely dodged his axe but was met with the same demise when it split them in two. And even the third time where they managed to dodge both his attacks they were swallowed by a block of ice in less than a second, he certainly earned his title as the Ice Butcher.

*The room drops in temperature as the Ice Butcher approaches.

What? Already? That was too quick, they usually had some time to prepare before Grimm and Wynona would appear but this was much faster than before. They raise their head at the sound of rushed footsteps, it didn't sound like Wynona's heavy steps or her armored hooves meeting the ground, they were heavy nonetheless and were coming straight for them. They saw a flicker of Grimm's flames through the shadows but were surprised when he seemed to have disappeared the moment he stepped into the light, their breath hitched when they saw a shadow cast over them.

"I now understand how you've been winning, human." they barely had enough time to jump out of the way when Grimm brought his axe down in an attempt to slice them in half, spikes of ice erupting from where his axe made contact "I am no longer blind to your abilities." he snarled as he ripped his axe out and started approaching them.

*You ask what he's talking about.

"You and I both know what I'm talking about." he snickered at the confusion on their face "I've killed you three times, have I not? And yet here we are again." their eyes widened in shock.

*You question how he's aware about that.

"I've always been well versed with the concept of death, after all, my very presence in human folklore was that of a harbinger of death." he glared at them "I noticed during your battle with Undyne and Mettaton that in the beginning you could barely keep up with their attacks, then all of a sudden you're predicting them before they even summon them. I couldn't figure out how you were getting a head of them, but I know now. They killed you, however many times they did until you figured out their attack patterns. But that tactic won't work on me, human."

*You ask what makes him so different from the other monsters.

"Because I won’t be so easily swayed like the others. I’ll keep killing you each time you come back, over and over, until you finally give up. I’ll be here, waiting, until you give up." they let out a shaky breath as the blue-flamed lanterns flared brighter with each of his steps. Ice and snow crept outward, slowly consuming the surroundings. "I’ll send you to your icy grave." he spoke as he lifted his blade from the ground, now holding his axe with both hands. In the blink of an eye he appeared right in front of the human, they couldn't do anything when he brought his axe down and cleaved them in half once more. He let out a breath as he lifted himself up, taking his helmet off and letting a few strands that weren't on fire fall over his shoulders just as he heard Winnie rush into the corridor.

"Grimm, why did you- wha... what happened?" she approached him and winced at the sight of the human's mangled body "Did you have to go that far?" he ignored her as he watched the human's blood start pooling around them but started to freeze when they made contact with his feet, he watched as their soul rose out of their body and just like the previous times he found himself back in the throne room.

Grimm and the human had long since lost track of how many times they’d been caught in this endless cycle of death. Each time the human tried, and failed, to learn his attack patterns, Grimm would switch tactics. He never gave them a chance to act first, he didn’t wait for their turn. The moment they returned, he struck, not even allowing them a word before the fight began. On their fifty-sixth attempt, they managed to survive long enough for him to unveil something other than his axe. They spotted a blue attack surge toward them, and instinct told them to stop moving. That was their mistake. The attack still struck their soul, drawing a pained grunt from them, and when they tried to move, their limbs dragged sluggishly, weighed down by the magic. This was one of Grimm’s unique techniques, born of his mastery over ice and snow. The spell was meant to deceive: tricking his opponents into freezing in place, only to slow their movements when it made contact. They suffered under this attack more than twenty times before finally learning to evade it. Yet even then, every time they adapted, Grimm unveiled something new.

He had to admit though, this was the most fun he’d had in centuries. Grimm couldn’t even remember the last time he’d been able to unleash his full arsenal. During the war, he’d always held back, careful not to let his magic spill over and harm his allies. Gerson had been one of the few who could truly keep up with him, someone who could even push him to the point of breaking a sweat. Now, though, the cycle gave him freedom. Every time the human fell, they returned at the exact same moment, body restored to a perfect state. Where Grimm should have been overexerting himself, hammering them with relentless attack after attack, the reset wiped all strain clean. And every time the human learned to endure one of his techniques, he found himself almost eager, thrilled, even, to unveil another. Sometimes he caught himself hoping they would adapt, just so he could reveal something new, or better yet, weave his attacks together into devastating combinations.

The human knew this would be their hardest battle yet. They couldn’t even properly interact with the [ACT] option, forced instead to survive by dodging and scraping by on the scraps their inventory could hold. Grimm gave them no time, no chance, to go on the offensive. On their eighty-seventh attempt, however, they finally managed to interact with the [ATTACK] option. Timing it perfectly, they struck the bar dead center. But the brief spark of triumph was crushed by a cruel reminder: Grimm was not like the others. Instead of standing there and taking the blow, he slipped out of the way with ease. In that moment of shock, he froze them solid in a block of ice. And yet, even this seemed to delight him. Grimm relished the fact that the human was improving, now even daring to strike back. In return, he met their attacks with effortless dodges, and sometimes, with the added cruelty of a perfect parry.

It was during their one hundred and twelfth attempt did Grimm start questioning them.

"Why do you keep coming back, human?" he asked after kicking them down, tilting his head to the side when they weakly pushed themself back onto their feet, going so far as to wiping their sweat drenched forehead "You know you're not going to win, and yet you keep trying. I haven't seem someone as stubborn as you since Undyne when she was about your age." the human took this chance to eat a few items from their [INVENTORY] to replenish their health when it depleted after tanking Grimm's ice attacks.

*You struggle to find the answer to his question, the cold and fatigue making it difficult to think of an answer.

"Wanting to go home can't just be your only goal, right? Most children would have given up a long time ago with the psychological damage countless deaths would do to them. You must have a different goal now." his fire flared up as he readies to launch another barrage of attacks yet waits to hear a definitive answer from the human, more curious than anything as to why this human could keep going despite suffering over a hundred deaths by his hands.

*Instead of answering, you ask him why he's so hellbent on keeping you here.

"Hah, isn’t it obvious? For you to leave the Underground, you’ll have to kill Asgore. And I can’t let that happen. The last thing we need is to lose another member of the royal family to you humans." whether intentional or not, the human caught the venom laced in his words.

If their memory served them right, the story the monsters had told them spoke of a tragedy long ago, when the former prince and his human friend had died, the entire monster race had been thrown into disarray. Unlike most monsters from that era, nearly all of whom had long since perished, Grimm was one of the unfortunate few still alive. He had witnessed the Dreemurr family’s downfall with his own eyes, once a picture of love and harmony, torn apart because of the humans. They had taken so much already, but when their precious son Asriel died alongside his human friend, it became the final straw. Grimm had stood there as Asgore, broken by grief, was forced to become a symbol of hope for his people, in the cruelest way imaginable.

So Grimm had come to hate humans with an unfathomable rage. It was the humans who stripped the monsters of their freedom, chaining them to this underground prison. It was the humans who took the life of their prince. It was the humans who dragged them all to the edge of hopelessness. He could never forgive them for the ruin they had caused. And so Grimm and the other monsters were willing to do the dirty work so that Asgore would not have to stain his own hands red, it was the least he could do for his grief stricken friend who had lost his entire family within one night.

"So I ask again, human, why are you still trying? You're never going to win against me, so why do you still bother to get up?" they sniffle to themself, wiping at the blood that dripped from their nose from falling on their face to dodge one of his attacks.

*You don't answer but instead ask a question of your own.

*You ask Grimm why he's willing to stay in this endless loop to keep them at bay.

"As I said, the last thing I need is for you to kill Asgore just so you can go home. We can't afford to lose him since the Queen disappeared, and I don't believe you can talk your way out of it either. One of you is going to have to die, and I'd much rather prefer it to be you." the fire from his lanterns erupted and surrounded the two of them "Enough, if you're not going to answer my question, then perish." they take a breath as they stand up straight despite the shake in their knees.

*You ask if shouldering this burden is worth it.

"Wha-" he blinked in surprise, his posture faltering at their question.

*You ask if staying here with them, just to keep them at bay, is worth it.

"I- of course."

*You tell him that being stuck here with them means that everyone else, too, is stuck in their own loop.

*But unlike him, who is aware each time, they are left unaware that they've been repeating the same moment hundreds of times.

*Are you willing to live with that just to keep one person alive?

"You…" His face twitched beneath the helmet, jaw clenched as his grip on the axe tightened. The flames around him surged higher, blazing in fury. "What do you know?! If I let you kill Asgore, we’ll be thrown into chaos once more! How could I allow that when our freedom is finally within reach?! You’d be doing us all a favor if you just died and surrendered your soul!" he slammed his foot against the ground, sending fire racing outward. The blaze spread across the floor, instantly freezing into solid ice. Reaching back, he seized the flames trailing from his helmet and tore his head free. What followed forced the human to clap their hands over their ears. A bloodcurdling scream, sharp and shrill like a banshee’s wail, erupted from Grimm’s throat. The sound shattered glass panes and ruptured their eardrums, leaving nothing but ringing agony. He takes their inability to move as his chance to finally kill them, he grimaced as he held his head loosely in his hand, startled that the human got under his skin.

Dammit.

From that moment on, Grimm’s strikes grew ruthless. He was no longer playing with them, he was actively trying to kill them. Every ounce of his arsenal was unleashed in relentless succession, and yet, no matter what he hurled at them, the human kept coming back. With each return, they grew sharper, learning how to dodge and minimize the damage. Little by little, they began surviving long enough to [ATTACK]. Still, Grimm never let their blows land, his speed kept him untouchable, and a single mistake on their part meant being cleaved clean in two. But after their one hundred and forty-eighth death, the human began to notice something. Subtle, almost imperceptible, yet undeniable. Grimm was starting to tire. They began to notice the cracks, how his breathing turned uneven whenever he pushed the pace of his attacks, or how his banshee’s scream no longer carried as long as it once had.

Sans was right, if you can tire him out, that would be your best bet in beating him.

"Why… why won’t you die?!" Grimm roared, his breath ragged as he swung in a wide, rotating slash aimed straight at the human’s soul. The magic to slow their movement should have doomed them, yet they endured, taking only half the damage and surviving the brutal arc of his attack. His voice cracked with fury and disbelief. "What are you trying to prove by coming back?!” the human let out a shaky breath of their own, pulling another item from their [INVENTORY] to heal the damage his attack had done.

*You tell him that you wish to go home.

*But you also tell him that you don't wish to hurt him nor Asgore just to achieve it.

"And you expect me to believe that just because you didn't hurt the other monsters to get here? The only way for you to go home is to kill Asgore, our king, my friend, and I'm not going to let that happen." he tore his head free once more, unleashing a shrill, piercing cry to stun them. Grimm’s jaw tightened when it only staggered them for a second before they shook it off, weaving through the deadly barrage of ice he hurled to impale them.

*You point out that his unresolved anger for what the human's did in the past is making him act irrational.

"Well of course it's unresolved, we don't exactly how a trained therapist down here in the Underground who would understand my issues."

*You tell him that you just want to help.

"I told you how you can help. Just give me your soul, and all of this will be resolved." he tells them as he puts his head back on, the fire from his helmet slowly consuming his head as his temper started to boil over "Why is it so hard for you to understand that there's nothing you can do to stop me? You can't kill me, and you can't convince me to stop. I won't let you be what stands in the way of the future for monsterkind." they let out a dry cough, constantly inhaling the cold air Grimm's magic was emitting always made it hard for them to breathe.

*You tell him that his actions, though noble, it is not what the Underground needs.

"Not… what it needs?" he growled, ripping his helmet off and tossing both it and his axe aside as he advanced on the human. They backed away in panic but slipped on the ice, forced to lie helplessly as he drew closer. Pressing themselves flat against the frozen floor, they froze when he slammed his foot down beside their head and leaned in until they were face to face. The fire fully engulfed his head, revealing a skull wreathed in flame and as he spoke, small bursts of fire escaped with every word "Not what it needs?! What would you know what we needed?! Please, enlighten me. Tell me what my people need. Tell me what you can do to help us. How can you, a mere human child, save us from our life of imprisonment?!" the more he raged the more his fire grew, it was so out of control that the frostbite already forming on their body became worse.

*You tell him, albeit it in the form of a weak whisper, that you truly don't want to hurt anyone.

*You tell him that you want to go home.

*But you also don't want to leave behind your friends.

"Well, that’s life for you, kid. We can’t all get what we want, can we? You can’t have both, human, you only get one choice, and sometimes it isn’t the one you want." he leaned back, gripping his temples as his fire flickering around him, voice dripping with venom "If only that human hadn’t died… if only the prince hadn’t found that child… none of this would be happening. We don’t need your help, because the last time we placed our faith in a human, it was your kind that stripped us of our hope." he soon reached down and clamped his hand around their throat, his ice cold touch freezing them as he strangled them.

*You tell him, with a voice you could barely muster, that you promise you'll give them hope once more.

"And I ask you again," he starts, tightening his grip around their throat and watched it crack under his hold "how will you do that? How can I believe you'll achieve something so impossible?" he flinched when he saw their hand reach for him, despite the pain they were suffering, their hand tapped gently against his and they smiled.

*You say that if you can make the most stubborn and bitter person in the Underground hesitate, then nothing is impossible.

He flinched at their words before slamming his hand into their head, effectively crushing their head. His breath came in ragged pants as their voice echoed in his mind. Hesitate? Was he… hesitating? No, there was no reason for him to hesitate. And yet… perhaps the endless cycle of death was finally wearing him down. Perhaps he really was beginning to miss Winnie, it had been so long since he’d last spoken to her. Every time he returned to that moment in the throne room, he ordered her not to follow, to stay by Asgore’s side while he dealt with the human. Each time she resisted, he grew harsher, more forceful in his demands. Maybe that was why he had snarled at her. Why his voice had risen in a way it never had before. Was he scaring her?

"Oh, Wynona..." he pressed his hand to his forehead, their blood smearing all over his pale skin. The roaring flames around him slowly started dying down as well as his own initial anger, his hair fell over his shoulders as he battled with the dilemma of continuing this cycle or... letting the human go. There were too many cons in letting the human past him, he just couldn't trust them not to take their last light of hope away. They have all been suffering for so many centuries that if he could just take their soul, everything will finally go their way... but-

"I see. I don't suppose you can go easy on them, could you? Try and make their death as merciful as you can?" Winnie pouted softly, knowing that Grimm would never grant something like that to a human, no less a child. She glanced up at him from where she was bowing but blinked when she saw the distant look on Grimm's face, even Asgore noticed this and he reached for him "Grimm, my friend, are you alright?" he stood in silence for just moment before letting out a tired exhale.

"I'm... tired." this earned him a confused look, they've barely done anything and he's tired. Winnie opened her mouth to question him but stopped when he lifted his head up and placed it on his neck, he then turned to her and gently rubbed up and down her muzzle "Wait for me here, won't you?"

"But-" the tired look in his eyes had her taking a breath "You... aren't going to do anything stupid, are you?" he chuckled weakly.

"I might." she huffed and answered by nuzzling her head against his.

"You better tell me what you did afterward." he returned her gesture of affection before patting her head.

"I will." he bows his head to Asgore before proceeding to make his way to the final corridor, and just like the previous attempts, the human stood their waiting for his arrival. They were surprised, however, when he didn't attack them right away but instead entered the hall with his helmet off and a conflicted look on his face "Human... will you truly spare Asgore? You won't... take him from us?" their eyes widened, were they finally able to get through to Grimm.

*You tell him that you swear that you fully intend to spare Asgore, that you do not wish to take his life to achieve your goal.

"But can I really trust you?" he pressed a hand to his face as he shook his head "How can I trust you to keep your word? Perhaps it was our fault for putting it all onto a child, but how can I put my faith in a human child again? How can I know that you'll hold up to your promise to help us?" he didn't know why he was starting to feel emotional, how his hair caught a light and started burning again as snow started falling, he blinked when he felt something against his leg so he looked down and saw the human placed a hand on his knee.

*You tell him that he can trust you.

*You are determined to give the monsters the ending they deserve.

"We deserve, huh?" the human took a step back when Grimm knelt down to look them in the eye, he reached forward and gently placed his hand on their head and this time they saw a genuine look in his eyes "I better now regret letting you go, human." he was startled when they human threw themself into his arms, his hands hovered over their body before finally wrapping around them and falling into an embrace. They sat like that for a few moments before Grimm finally let them go, he cleared his throat as he looked away but the human didn't miss the small hue of blue dusting his cheeks "Get out of here kid, before I change my mind." they giggle to themself as the skip past him.

*You tell him that he won't regret his decision.

"I... really hope I don't." he muttered to himself as he rubbed the back of his neck, it wasn't until moments later did Winnie come trotting into the hall with a look of disbelief on her face.

"You let the human through? You, of all people, spared a human?" he waved her off.

"If I told you what happened, you wouldn't believe me."

"Well I highly doubt that human beat you, there's neither of scratch of either of you. Nor is there any damage anywhere." she snickered softly, her tail swaying side to side "And you said they wouldn't be able to sway you with their words." he made a face.

"They more or less... taunted me into letting them pass."

"What?" he waved his hand once more "What do you think will happen between the human and Asgore? Do you think they'll be able to hold their own since they didn't fight you?" she didn't see that he made a face.

"I think they'll be fine. They made it this far, didn't they?" if they can survive his attacks, I'm sure they can survive against Asgore, unscathed if they really pushed it.

"But you're convinced that the human will spare Asgore? You wouldn't have let them through if that wasn't the case." he smoothed his hair down when he felt it start to burn again.

"I wouldn't say that I'm convinced, but I'm sure that human doesn't have any ill intentions." her ears flickered as she looked him up and down.

"Who are you? What the hell happened in that moment you were gone? I feel like you're an entirely different person." he shrugged.

"You could say I had a lot of time to reflect." she rolled her eyes.

"Sure." she then pumped her body into his "Well, why don't we go check on the human and Asgore?"

"You want to watch their battle?" she shook her head.

“No, we’ll just wait outside. I’m sure we can eavesdrop on their battle.” He rolled his eyes but agreed nonetheless, it wasn’t like they had anything better to do. They walked side by side toward the barrier, but paused when the hallway greeted them with an eerie silence. Was the battle already over? Surely not enough time had passed. He didn’t even realize he had broken into a jog until Winnie called out, urging him to slow down, insisting it was probably nothing. He clenched his jaw, ignoring her, and pushed forward at a quicker pace. Bursting into the chamber of the barrier, his eyes widened, there was no trace of the human, no Asgore, not even the souls. The barrier was still intact, so that could only mean tha-

"No..." he spoke out weakly.

"What? What? Where is Asgore?" she stopped when she saw him fall to his knees, peering over his shoulder, her eyes widened when she saw the pile of dust. She looked between it and Grimm and saw how his face twisted in anguish and rage, she opened her mouth to say something but took a step back when he slammed his fists into the ground and a flurry of ice exploded around them.

"That liar... that fucking liar!" he shouts as spikes formed from the ice, he threaded his fingers through his hair and started pulling at it "They said I could trust them... they said I wouldn't regret my decision, but Asgore is dead and it's all my fault!" he exclaims as he starts to cry, his magic was out of control to the point that his tears were turning to ice.

"You can't blame yourself, Grimm. You... you couldn't have known."

"But I did! I never should have let them past, because now... I've lost my best friend." he sobs as he buries his face into his hands "I've doomed us all. The souls are gone, Asgore is dead and that human got out scot free." Winnie looked down at Grimm as he wept silently, sniffling to softly before taking a seat beside him.

"What... do we do now?" he didn't answer immediately, instead, he looked at the pile of dust before him.

"... what can we do but give up." her eyes widened.

"G-Give up? But why?"

"We lost the souls so we're back at square one, and it takes centuries for humans to fall into the Underground. We can't break the barrier on our own, and our future is looking bleak. I don't know what to do anymore." he said as he slumped against her "What more can we do?"

"I... don't know." Grimm had lost that last bit of hope that human managed to light inside him now that Asgore was gone, at this rate, all the hard work the monsters did just to get those souls were going to be in vain. And what was he supposed to tell the public? That he let the human go because they swore they weren't going to kill the king? It was all his fault this happened in the first place. If only he hadn't given them a chance, if only he kept-

"But you're convinced that the human will spare Asgore? You wouldn't have let them through if that wasn't the case." Winnie blinked when she saw a fresh wave of tears drip down Grimm's face, she gently nudged his side in concern as she looked him up and down "Grimm? Are you-- why are you crying?" he gasped as he looked around in confusion, finding himself and Winnie in the final corridor once more. Before any words could be shared, he rushed past Winnie to get to the barrier room where Asgore and the human were, he practically kicked the throne room doors open and trampled over Asgore's golden flowers just to get to the human.

"You..." he snarled upon seeing the human at the end of the hallway, just outside the room that would lead to the barrier. He marched right up to them and proceeded to grab them by the collar of their shirt and slam them into the wall, the tears from before frozen on his face as his hair was set ablaze once more "You lied! You said you'd spare him! You said you'd help us, and what do I find? Him dead, and you gone! I never should have trusted you, I never should have..." his words got caught in his throat when he saw the human shake under his grip, he leaned down to look at their face and blinked in surprise when he saw that they were crying too.

*You tell him, through your tears, that you didn't kill him.

"If you didn't, then who did? There was no one else here but you."

*You tell him that you can't say who, but you didn't wish for him to die.

"Is that why you're back? Because of a guilty conscience?" at that moment Winnie entered the hall, she began to approach but stopped when he glared at her to stay back "Why did you come back? Do you think I'm going to trust you again after what you did? I can't trust you again, human." their hands slowly lift from their sides and gently grasp at his wrist.

*You tell him that things are going to be different.

"Please, elaborate. Tell me why I should let you go. Why should I put my faith in you again?"

*You tell him that you need to meet up with Papyrus so you can hangout with Undyne.

"Wha- Undyne?" he sputtered out in confusion "What does Undyne have to do with this?"

*You tell him, after a moment of silence, that you still need to be friend her.

...

...

"What?" maybe leaving the human will save him the headache, but even if she were to kill them, they'd just come back. Could he risk letting the human go after what happened with Asgore? Maybe it was better because now they have their eyes set on someone else, as cruel as that sounded, but what could he do? "You're really going to hang out with Undyne?" they weakly nod their head.

*You tell him that you promised Papyrus that you would.

"Hmm, of course you did." he murmured as he pinched the bridge of his nose, somewhat forgetting the phone call the human had with Papyrus while Undyne was chasing them into the Hotland. If what they said is true, that they really weren't the one that killed Asgo- no, who else could have done it? There's no other way to get into that room without having passed himself and Winnie, unless you're Sans' with his endless shortcuts. He exhaled deeply before finally putting the human down, he pinches the bridge of his nose and opened his mouth to say something but let out a grunt when he felt the human collide into him. His face fell when they proceeded to cry into his legs so he gently placed one hand on their head while the other pressed against their back, rubbing circles in a form of comfort. Winnie couldn't help but watch in astonishment as Grimm comforted the child he was previously threatening, he was like a totally different person.

*You tell him that you're sorry that you let Asgore die.

"Kid, I..." he grimaced before kneeling down to be eye to eye with them, they sniffled as they looked up at him "I'm sure you tried your best, and if you can survive me, then I'm sure you can get through anything without so much of a fuss. Don't make me regret trusting you again." an oof left his lips when they pulled him into a hug again, he sighed softly and gently pat their back and let them stay there for however long they needed. A couple seconds later and they finally let go of him but they rubbed at their eyes to wipe away the tears, sniffling softly to themself.

*You thank him for placing his trust in you again, and promise that he won't regret it.

"I better not, or I'll slice you in half again." he stands up straight and looks towards Winnie "Take them to Waterfall, they've got a date with a fish." she looks between him and the human in shock.

"B-But-- what did I just--" he gives her a stern look.

"Wynona." she blinked before letting out a sigh.

"Alright, alright. But you're telling me what's got you acting all mushy with that human." he picks the human up just as Winnie approach them both and placed them on her back, he ruffled their head and smiled softly when they laughed.

"Now get going, or else Papyrus will call you again." he ignores the look they give him, wondering how he knew about that. With that he was left alone once more with nothing but his thoughts to keep him company.

grimm acts as the sans of the pacifist and neutral route, where it is near impossible to beat him unless you tire him out and constantly talk to him using [act].

he isn't completely aware of game resets either, just that whenever he's around where frisk has died he will also reset to the moment in time before it happened.

he's much more aggressive and less willing to forgive if you've killed someone.

during genocide where you're about to kill sans, that's when he'll step in and protect him and you either fight one or both at the same time.

double trouble.

anyways-

for the rest of the game grimm and winnie act as a fast travel for frisk.

winnie off handedly mentions that grimm uses the lanterns they see around the underground to get around places quicker, like a shortcut.

so now, instead of going to the ferry man, they merely whisper to one of the lanterns and grimm will open a gateway for them to travel to wherever they need to go.

other than that, grimm plays a minimal role for the rest of the game, only popping on every now and then.

They made me this.

They made me a killer.

A cannibal.

A monster.

Number Five, formerly known as [M/N] who was picked up off the lonely streets and experimented on because no one would look for a nameless kid with nothing to him but his name and the clothes on his back. They told him that he should be grateful that he wasn’t living out on the streets, that he was out of the cold and the rain and the possibility that he could be murdered, but honestly? He would take that over being in this hellhole they called his home, sure he had nothing, but he rather have nothing than to be tortured all because these scientists needed a test subject for their stupid experiment. He was told that he wasn’t the first one they tried this experiment on, and he honestly wished that he wasn’t the last, as selfish as that was. He wished whatever they did to him killed him like the rest, but instead that got the results they wanted and he was perfectly bonded with this… thing.

They called it a symbiote.

He called it a parasite.

It now lived within him.

He honestly wished it killed him.

It living inside him was torture, it had an insatiable hunger for just about anything; blood and flesh seemed to be one of the biggest factors that could quell it, and so the scientists had something else to obsess over. They had him eat things from something small to something unreasonable, nothing cooked or prepared, straight up raw or grotesque. The worst had to be when one of their soldiers died to one of the monsters from that alternate world, he still remembered the way the dead soldier’s bones crushed against the incredible bite force of his jaw, or how his blood and shredded clothes was all that was left within his trembling hands. He was sick, he was going to throw up everything he had just scarfed down and they were going to punish him for something he couldn’t exactly control.

“If we’re able to duplicate this experiment, sir, we could have an entire army of super soldiers.” one of the many scientists informed, looking down at his clipboard while the man he was speaking to watched through the two way window to observe Subject No. Five. It was fascinating to see the way the symbiote they connected with the child was able to manifest itself a liquid like body and hover around the boy as if it were a shadow, they shared a psychic link with each other and were able to hear each other’s voices to communicate. This was unlike anything they’ve ever managed to do, the children that were able to move things with their minds was one thing, but connecting a monster with a human was just something else entirely.

“I am more surprised the boy managed to survive the connection, I would have thought he’d die in the process.” he murmured softly, watching as the thing moved from shoulder to shoulder to watch what the boy did to keep himself somewhat entertained.

“Well, that’s the thing, sir. Though I am not entirely sure what made them compatible, it seems like the symbiote has somewhat of a preference to what host it wants. When we tried on an adult man, both the parasite and host went feral until the body couldn’t handle it anymore and it killed the host from the inside out.” the scientist looked back towards No. Five and saw the way the same liquid made from the monster formed over his arm and created a claw of sorts, they back up a little when it extended and shot over to where they were standing and nearly shattered the glass “When it bonded with that child, it seemed like they had a similar hatred towards us humans.”

“Human in general?” he shook his head, watching as the pressure against the glass grew and formed a crack.

“No, just us. Since they share a mind, they seem to know which amongst us are friends and foe. Like with the other children, he doesn’t seem to lash out, but with the helpers and fellow scientists, well…” he didn’t need to finish that sentence, already knowing how that boy was able to rip some of the other scientists apart with his barehands alone.

“Do you believe he’ll ever come to obey us?” he shakes his head.

“Highly unlikely, sir. We grabbed him when he was older than the other children, where they were nurtured from birth. He already has a personality developed along with a mind of his own. Getting him to cooperate with us willingly is going to be more of a challenge.” he explained, the other hummed softly as the liquified arm gave up its attempts at smashing through the glass and returned to the boy, who stared at his hand then went back to what he was doing previously.

“Well, how hard is it to break a child?” he asked, the scientist opened his mouth the answer but paused when he noticed that it was a rhetorical question. He couldn’t help but swallow thickly at the gaze the man had in his eyes the longer he stared at the child, that boy was very resilient and he couldn’t help but marvel at how long that boy could forego the experiments without passing out. Well, maybe that was because he had help from the symbiote, healing any and all injuries inflicted onto him; his body could heal faster than a blade piercing through his skin “I want him prepped and ready for the next tests.”

“A-And that would be what, sir?” a cruel smirk graced his lips.

“What sort of weakness they have.”

The bond between the boy and the parasite gifted them with great endurance and strength, but like every hero and villain, they were bound to stumble upon a weakness. Fire seemed to be one, from a little flame to something bigger, the symbiote didn’t hesitate to retreat back into [M/N]’s body to hide from the smouldering flames that could melt him away. But what could be worse than the common flame? Well, sounds with high enough frequency’s is able to make the host lose control and the symbiote struggle to retain its physical form. The first time they trapped the boy within a room and blasted a pitch that gradually grew louder until neither one could handle it, the symbiote actually managed to separate himself from the host. However, the separation didn’t last long because neither could survive without the other. [M/N]’s body had unfortunately grown accustomed to the parasite that even his body weakened.

Of course the scientists found this discovery fascinating, so they found new ways of torture to gather more research for their stupid experiments. [M/N] couldn’t help but be impressed with himself with how long he’s been holding out, from being cut open from having his bones broken and feeling everything while being awake. They weren’t even kind enough to do it while he was unconscious or with anesthesia, not like it would work, drugs and alcohol seemed ineffective against him because of this son of a bitch. His body found comfort in his cold prison, the monster inside of him quelling from the cool air within their dark and confined room. Moments like these after endless hours of torture was where the two of them could really bond properly.

“I want to die.”

“I do not.”

“It doesn’t matter what you want.”

“It does when it is I keeping us alive.”

“I’d rather you didn’t.”

…

…

“I am hungry.”

“I’m hungry for actual food.”

“Like what?”

“A cheeseburger.”

“What is a cheeseburger?”

…

…

“What are we, parasite?”

“What do you mean, human?”

“Are we friends, or simply partners?”

“Well, you are merely my ride.”

“Oh.”

…

…

“Would you like to be “friends” human?”

“Well, it’s not like I have any.”

“You did not.”

“Thanks for rubbing it in.”

“You are welcome.”

The longer the two spent together, whether it be in the confinements of their room or in the lab being tortured and experimented on, their bond grew stronger and so did their power. [M/N] was growing a better control over the parasite and even trust to the point he would let him out of his body willingly, however, the more the two of them spent doing just about anything, the larger their hunger grew. This was [M/N]’s least favourite part of being bonded with this thing, that no matter how much he was fed his craving for more could not be satisfied. The lingering taste of human flesh and blood on his tongue often left him feeling sick, and though the parasite apologised for his need for human consumption, there wasn’t much he could do if he didn’t want his kidney’s to be next on the menu.

“No. Five’s progress has been developing smoothly, sir. He isn’t quite cooperative with us just yet, but at least he isn’t biting people’s heads off whenever they get too close.”

“That is good. Do you think he’ll be able to stand a chance against someone like those monsters?”

“I am confident he can take on no more than three at the time, sir. Within that body of his when they’re synchronised, he is able to withstand rounds from a shotgun. There isn’t much that can take them down, that body of theirs is durable despite its liquified state; also capable of shaping any piece of their body into whatever they want and extending in length.”

“Perfect, we’re getting closer and closer to the results we want.”

“And if we don’t reach them, sir?” the man let out a hum, eyes narrowing down on the boy that was seemingly talking to thin air but was actually sharing a conversation with the voice in his head.

“Then it’d be a shame to have to find another host to bond with the parasite.” the scientist couldn’t help but shake his head.

“That would be near impossible, sir! Those two have formed a perfect bond that finding a new host to match the compatibility of that child would take forever; the symbiote would die by the time we did find a host close enough for it to inhabit.”

“Well then we best hope things turn out the way we want, right?” the scientist couldn’t help but swallow thickly, not liking the way his words didn’t match the way his eyes were glaring at him, so he just hung his head and nodded.

Both [M/N] and the parasite noticed that the experiments were a lot more harsher, they looked like they were really aiming to kill him at this point. One time he remembered he was on the operating table and then next thing he knows he’s back in his room, the parasite told him how they stopped his heart and he was proclaimed dead for a couple seconds, it would have stayed like that if it weren’t for him interfering. They did shit like that before, but they never outright played with the concept of life and death like that before when they were undergoing experiments on him. He knew he was valuable, he knew they couldn’t afford to lose him, so what the fuck do they think they’re doing? Are they so desperate to get him to bend over to their every whim? How long could he push their patience before they did outright kill him and replace him with someone new.

“They are going to kill you, [M/N].” the parasite’s words couldn’t help but send a shiver down his spine, his fingers taping against his knee, his eyes staring at the wall from across him intensely.

“T-They— they wouldn’t. You’ll die without me.”

“They know that, but their patience runs thin.” [M/N]’s eyes tore away from the wall when he made himself manifest and float around him, that sharp toothed grin making him more nervous “It is only a matter of time before they run out of that patience.” he shakes his head once more.

“True, but even if they did manage to find you a new host, how will they know you’ll be a perfect match for them? All those tests and experiments will be for naught if we both die.” he brings his thumb to his lips, his teeth gnawing at his thumbnail “I didn’t hold out for this long just to be tossed out because I won’t listen to them.” he let out a soft grunt when he felt a soft knock against his head, looking over at the parasite, he saw that he bumped his own forehead against his to gain his attention.

“Then why are we still here?” those words caused a different sort of shiver to run down his spine.

“W-What do you mean?” that grin grew wider as he hovered a few inches from his face.

“We can leave.” [M/N] furrowed his brows before shaking his head, looking away from the parasite, pulling his knees to his chest and hugging them tightly.

“But where will we go? We have nowhere to go, and they’ll find us easily. We’re not exactly the most inconspicuous lot out there.” he sat in silence for a couple minutes until he felt the soft knocking on his head again, he didn’t turn his head but let out a soft hum to let him know that he was listening.

“Then, would you rather stay here and await your end like an animal in a slaughterhouse?” the parasite felt [M/N]’s anxiety rise so he draped himself along his back to comfort him, it almost felt like he was hugging him “We might not have somewhere to call home, but we will be free.”

“I’ll be all alone again…”

“But you are not alone, for you have me.” that alone caused [M/N]’s lip to tremble as he shed a couple tears, the parasite was kind enough to wipe away his tears as he wept. Later that night, the alarms were blaring and sounding off because [M/N] did, in fact, manage to escape. [M/N] and the parasite were having a hard time keeping together because of all the noise going on around them but they managed to make do, hell, [M/N] was even letting the parasite eat the soldiers that were trying to take them down as they made their escape. He let out a gasp when he busted down the door from inside the facility to the outside world, he nearly collapsed when he could finally smell the fresh air while the moonlight sky shun down on him. He almost basked underneath the rays of the moon but turned his head around when he saw the soldiers honing in, he didn’t hesitate to turn on his heels and speed off.

“Stop him!”

“Don’t let him get away!” [M/N] couldn’t afford to stop, because he knew the moment he was within their clutches again he wasn’t going to get another chance to escape. He knew that the moment he fell back into their hands, they were actually going to kill him this time.

“Pa— Parasite!” he called out, eyes widening he saw that the only thing standing in the way of his freedom was a barbed fence.

“Don’t call me that!” the voice shouted and took control of their body, crouching down and launching them in the air and over the fence. [M/N] let out a grunt as he landed before running off down the path of uncertainty, but he knew now that he was free, but he wasn’t off the hook just yet. The soldiers that were sent after him were brought to a panic when they lost sight of him within the forest he fled through, shouting out where he could have gone and how they could have lost him. The boy himself was hiding up at the very top of a tree, hugging it close to his chest as he panted out breaths of exhaustion. He didn’t dare look down nor move in fear that they could hear him and spot him, so he stayed as still as he could until he could no longer hear their voices. When it was absolutely silent he finally let his body relax, his head looked up at the starry night sky and he couldn’t help but laugh weakly as the twinkling stars greeted him.

“I never thought… I’d see this again.” he spoke softly, his face gleaming with hope.

“What are those lights in the sky, human?”

“Those are stars, parasite.”

“I told you not to call me that, human.” this caused him to roll his eyes.

“Well, you haven’t exactly given me a name to call you, now have you? I’ve been calling you parasite because that’s what you’ve been to me ever since we’ve been stuck together.” he shook his head when the parasite appeared before him “Well, what do you want to be called? We’re free now, so maybe a new name for you can be a fresh start.”

“Yes, I would very much like a name.” [M/N] raised a brow when he saw him look up in thought, thinking of any possible name “I have chosen a name most suited for me. I am Venom, and you are mine.” the para— no, Venom said with absolute pride. [M/N] stared at him before bursting out into laughter he didn’t know he was capable of producing.

“Venom? Is the best you can think of?”

“What is wrong with Venom? I believe it suits us very well. I called us Venom because of our shared bitter hatred towards the men in white, who have tortured us for a number of years for their twisted version of science.” this reason behind the name caused [M/N] to hum softly.

“Hmm, then it is a very cool name. I like it very much, Venom.” this caused Venom’s already permanent smile to grow bigger.

“I am pleased, [M/N].”

Now their next problem was the fact that since they have nowhere to go, had nowhere to retreat to and they couldn’t afford to stop moving, they had to make do on what to eat. [M/N] was forced to eat anything they set their eyes on, Venom was an even pickier eater now that their only source of food was no longer available. The unfortunate times he did have to eat an unsuspecting hiker, Venom would apologize when [M/N] would throw up the contents because he couldn’t never get used to the taste of flesh and blood on his tongue each time Venom feasted because he too had to eat. But this was something he would prefer then being stuck in that white room to be torn apart over and over and over again, he would rather develop a sort of eating disorder then to be stuck in that cycle of torture any day. He didn’t know how long he was on the run for, how far he had walked to put some distance between himself and that lab, but he knew he had crossed over several states to get where he was.

He let out an exhausted sigh when he found a clearing through the thick forest he traveled through, a road separating him from the forest on the other side. The darkness would be the only thing to cover him from any prying eyes that could possibly be lingering this late in the night, but would we be out this late anyways. He let out a huff and left his hiding spot between the trees and crossed the road to get to the other side, he must have been too exhausted to hear the noise coming from the right side of him because it didn’t dawn on him that he got hit until he was on the ground. Perhaps it was Venom that shielded him from the full impact from the vehicle that hit him but it still knocked the wind out of him and sent him flying a few meters away from the truck and landing on the ground with a thud, maybe it was the hunger and craving of food that caused his lack of reaction and why he didn’t bother to move, he just let his worn out body lay there.

Said owner of the truck didn’t even see the young boy until it was too late, he slammed his foot on the breaks the moment he laid eyes on the figure the darkness hid until his lights revealed him. He sat inside his running truck for a couple seconds before slowing it started settling in that he had actually hit someone, he quickly threw open his car door and rushed over to the person that laid motionless on the road. He felt guilt wash over him when he saw that it was a child, dirty and malnourished, looking as if he went through hell before he was hit by his truck. The state of this child made him think of his own kid so he didn’t think twice about picking him up as gently as he could, trying not to add any more pain to this already broken child, and hightailed it to the hospital. He did his best to keep his eyes on the road while occasionally sneaking quick glances at the unconscious boy in his passenger seat, grimacing every now and then whenever the boy would wince and whimper from just the smallest amount of movement.

“I’m sorry, boy. I’ll get you help, I promise. You’ll get the help you need.” to say the hospital workers were startled was an understatement, this was a town where everybody knew everyone so when they saw Wayne Munson burst through they doors with a bloodied child cradled in his arms “Please, you’ve got to help him.” a couple nurses took [M/N] from his arms and brought him to a room so they could see what exactly was wrong with him while a doctor spoke with Wayne.

“Where did you find him?” he gave the doctor a guilty look.

“I-I— I was on my way to work and he— he came out of nowhere. I didn’t see him out in the middle of the road and I accidentally hit him. Oh, god. He looked so bad, it was horrible. I don’t know if all that damage was from me or from whatever he went through for him to be out there this late at night.” the doctor let out a soft sigh, understanding what he went from the quick glance he got on the young boy “He looked so… small.”

“It was a good thing you brought him here, Wayne. I think if he was out there for a couple more days he might have died from starvation. He looked thin.” Wayne nodded his head.

“Yeah, I could feel his ribs.” a couple hours past, the doctor advising Wayne to get going since he still had a job to get too, he reluctantly left but promised to be back right after his shift to see if the boy will be alright. The few doctors and nurses who were getting [M/N]’s diagnosis were astonished to see that where they thought were open wounds and cuts were already healed over, as if they weren’t there to begin with, even places where scars should have formed weren’t visible.

“I’ve got to say, this has got to be the luckiest kid in the world.” the doctor, who was previously speaking with Wayne, raised a brow as he entered the room.

“What do you mean by that?” she let out a scoff, going back over to the unconscious child and pointing at his legs.

“If what Mister Munson told us is true, from how fast he was driving and with what little time he had to break, the force the kid should have had to face would have been enough to break his legs. But his legs are perfectly fine, as if there was nothing wrong with them. He’s maybe got a few scarps and bruises, and also the fact he’s malnourished and suffering a possible concussion, he’s perfectly fine.” he hummed at the brief analysis.

“Did you get anything else from Mister Munson? Maybe a name and origin? Maybe even his parent’s names?” a different nurse asked, the doctor shook his head.

“Nothing. We’re just going to have to wait until this young man wakes up.” and thanks to Venom it didn’t take all too long for [M/N] to wake up, it was when Wayne returned in the morning hours later did he come to find [M/N] awake. He noticed the few staff in the hospital rushing in and out of the room, panicked looks on their faces as they shared brief and rushed conversations with each other before leaving.

“W-What’s going on?” he asked a passing nurse.

“Y-You’re back, Mister Munson! Great.” she grabs him and starts leading him to the room where [M/N] was being held, he goes to question her but was caught off guard at the screaming. He peeks into the room and his eyes widened when he saw the young boy on the floor, curled up into a ball as he backed himself into a corner while screaming at the nurses that tried approaching him to get away from him “He’s been like this ever since he woke up, sir. We don’t know what’s causing this erratic behaviour.” [M/N] was having a panic attack, the moment he woke up and saw the white ceiling above him his mind immediately kicked into survival mode. His mind thought he was back in the lab, he thought they caught him last night and they dragged him right back to continuing testing on him. He couldn’t register that the people approaching him were only meant to help him, he couldn’t stop his body from falling off the bed and getting as far away from these strangers.

“P-Please, don’t hurt me! I don’t want you to hurt me, please!” he cried out, his head curling in on himself when he saw someone reach for his head. Watching this scene play out broke Wayne’s heart, watching this trembling child cry that he didn’t want to be hurt anymore, it really reminded him of the child he had back home. He’s seen this type of play may times so he knew how to help, he knew how to bring this child back down to reality. [M/N] was covering his head with his arms as he let his fear overwhelm him, he hadn’t realised the nurses backed off to make some space for someone else “P-Please, just leave me alone…!”

“It’s alright, young man.” the new voice started him, causing him to lower his arms briefly to get a look at the man who spoke those soft words. After years of torment, manipulation and pain, [M/N] learned how to get a good read on people and could tell the difference between nasty and vile people from the genuine and good people. This man, despite his rather gruff and slightly brusque expressions, get could tell he was a sincere kind of man and he relaxed a little “Do you… perhaps remember me?” Wayne felt foolish for asking that kind of question.

“Oh, he is the man who hit you with his truck. Should we eat him? He is the cause of your pain, he is the one that brought you here.” [M/N] lowered his arms a little more so they were now hugging his legs, his knees pressed against his chest. Wayne waited patiently for a response and when [M/N] shook his head, indicating that he didn’t know who he was, he gave him a soft expression.

“I am the one who, well, um— ahem, hit you last night.”

“Told you.” Wayne noticed [M/N]’s eyes glare off to the side, muttering something under his breath, before hesitantly looking back up at Wayne but his eyes evidently looked past him as he avoided eye contact.

“What were you doing out there so late into the night?” as if all the memories of last came crashing back down onto [M/N], the look of fear struck his face.

“I-I— I was— I was just…” he bottom lip started to tremble, tears beginning to form in his eyes “I was just—“ he shook his head, burying his face into his legs. He didn’t know what to say, he couldn’t put his thoughts into rational words, and even if he could, why’s it any of his business? Why didn’t he just leave him out in the middle of the road right where he found him? He wouldn’t be in this predicament if this old man just minded his damn business.

“It’s okay, take your time. There’s no need to rush.” he couldn’t help but tense up at that, he wasn’t allowed to take his time. He was constantly rushed to get tasks done, they never gave him time to go at his pace and he’d be punished when he didn’t finish things at the allotted time that was given.

“Do you have a name?” [M/N]’s head perked up at the question, his hand instinctively moving to his wrist where the number 005 was inked into his skin “My name is Wayne, and you are…?” he greets, placing his hand on his chest then gesturing to him.

“I-I’m…” he’s risking a lot by saying his name, well, it’s not like those scientist ever took the time to learn his name and he didn’t know if he had any records on who he was so… “[M/N].” his body started to become less tense when Wayne’s face softened, it almost felt welcoming.

Almost.

“Well, it’s very nice to meet you, [M/N].” the other occupants in the room take their leave when they see that Wayne had everything under control, seeing as how the child wasn’t screaming anymore and though he was giving short answers to Wayne’s questions, at least he was talking “I’ve got to ask again, but why were you out there?” [M/N] swallowed thickly.

“Do not tell him. He will not believe us. He will think we are crazy.” [M/N] knew that, he wasn’t that gullible to tell this stranger everything.

“They… hurt me. I couldn’t take it anymore…” that was more than enough, maybe then he’ll stop asking that question.

“Who hurt you?” [M/N] grits his teeth, why won’t he just drop it already?

“… the men in white.” that sentence caused Wayne to look back at the doctors, he spared [M/N] a look and noticed the way fear spiraled in his eyes as he kept them trained in on the doctor. Was that the reason why he was freaking out at the sight of all the doctors in the room? Because men dressed in white hurt him? “P-Please stop asking questions.” Wayne gave him an understanding look.

”Okay, alright. But I’ve just got one more.” [M/N] couldn’t help but groan “I know, but this one is important. Do you have a home to return too?” the questioned momentarily caused him to freeze up, his expression now saddened.

“… no.” with that he stopped talking completely, his face blank but he could just see the sadness lingering in the air surrounding him. [M/N] allowed Wayne to pick him up, despite how long it took him to allow him to touch him, and place him back in the hospital bed where he spent the rest of the day laying in silence.

Well…

“That old man needs to know how to stop asking unnecessary questions. Did he not notice how he was making us uncomfortable?” [M/N] swallowed thickly, raising his hand to caress his wrist once more “We can’t stay here for too long, [M/N]. We don’t know how much distance we put between us and that lab. They could be here since the moment you were unconscious. I can get us out of here.” this caused [M/N] to look over at the open window, he didn’t know what floor they were on but he knew they were up pretty high.

“It’s broad daylight, Venom. You can’t be out when the sun is up. We’ll get caught.”

“It’s not like we have a lot of options, [M/N]. Do you want to waste your time here and risk getting caught or trust me and get us out of here?” Venom growled softly when he felt [M/N] hesitate, his mind thinking back to the kind man.

“I-I…” Venom let out a sigh when [M/N] chose to stay and see where this option would take them, if things started to go south then Venom had full control of the situation, and if things looked better… lets not get their hopes up just yet. Venom and [M/N] shared the same questioning expressions whenever Wayne stopped by and visited [M/N], they didn’t question it when he came by to drop off food and share a few words with [M/N]. The young child would eat as much as he could but he’d eventually throw everything back up, [M/N] grimaced when he realised that his body had gotten used to the consistent diet of human flesh and blood that he couldn’t handle actual food. Now he couldn’t even enjoy the simplest things in life, like eating. And it’s not like he could tell them what he ate previously that got him to get this sort of a reaction, that would really get him in trouble.

“You know, I have a nephew.” [M/N] hummed at the news, Wayne and him playing a card game, one that he couldn’t seem to remember the name of but he could remember how to play. He thinks he’s winning, telling how Wayne was getting frustrated a little.