As always, I don't own Stranger Things, Netflix, or Supernatural.
See you at the bottom.
"I don't really get it," Naomi shrugged as she walked along the train tracks, her feet scuffing the earthed floor between the tracks. She reached into her bucket, dropping a piece of raw beef on the ground and throwing it to the floor, hearing it land with a small squelch. "What's a girl see in an interdimensional smiley slug anyway?" She glanced at Steve beside her, and they shared a look, following Dustin's lead ahead of them.
"Are you kidding me?" He asked rhetorically, "It's awesome. It's impressive."
"I don't know man, I feel like you're just trying way to hard considering you just met the girl." Steve added, dropping a cube of raw meat at his feet as he spoke.
"What's her name?" Naomi asked
"Max." He answered in annoyed town, "And not everyone can have your perfect hair, alright?"
Naomi smirked as she bumped Steve's shoulder with hers, reaching in the bucket again. "Thanks, Dustin, didn't realize you admired my hair so much," She joked.
"Shut up," he growled, shooting her back a glare.
"Yeesh," She commented as Steve continued.
"It's not about the hair, man. The key with girls is just," he shrugged, "Acting like you don't care."
Dustin slowed to walk beside them, glancing over at Steve. "Even if you do?"
"Yeah. Exactly. It drives em' nuts."
"Then what?"
"Then you just.. wait," Steve tossed a dice over his shoulder. "Until, uh… until you feel it," He tapped Dustin's shoulder with his yellow dishwashing gloves and sent him a quirky smile.
Naomi snorted, "No." She shook her head, glancing down at her almost empty bucket of meat. "That is not what you do, Dustin." She cocked her head, "I mean maybe for some girls, yeah, but not the good ones." She licked her lips.
"Well what get's your attention when it comes to guys? How do they attract you? Do they just come up to you, kiss you?"
Steve started to choke on a chortled fit of laughter that escaped his chest, and she elbowed him in the ribs, turning back to give the boy guidance.
"No, don't do that," She counseled, "That'll creep a girl out. Just be yourself. You'll attract the right person by doing that. Don't try to be someone you're not; they can usually sense that. Trust me," She gave him a lighthearted smirk, tossing another chunk of protein behind her shoulder.
They shared a stare for a long time, almost a minute passed before he shrugged his shoulders, letting his eyes drift to the floor. "Sounds lame. I'll stick with Steve's advice."
"HA!" Steve chimed.
She rolled her eyes, grunting as she kicked the pile of dead leaves underneath her sneakers. "Whatever, do what you want. He's right about one thing, I guess, the feeling."
"What feeling? How do you know?" He asked eagerly, glancing up at the two like a lost puppy. He pulled the yellow gloves to his elbows, tightening them around his hands.
"It's like before it's gonna storm, you know?" Steve guided, "You can't see it, but you can feel it. Like this, uh…" He pursed his lips together as he pondered for the word. "Electricity," He chimed back, "You know?"
"Oh. Like in the electromagnetic field when the clouds in the atmosphere—"
"No no no no no." He repeated, "Like a… Like a sexual activity," He wiggled his eyebrows, moving between Naomi and Dustin.
"Oh," He responded in discernment.
"You feel that," Steve pointed a gloved finger at him, "And then you make your move."
"So that's when you kiss her?"
"No! Whoa, whoa. Slow down, Romeo." He heeded.
"Sorry—"
"Sure," Steve stepped ahead of him, throwing multiple chunks of beef as they all trailed behind him in a cue. "Okay, some girls—yeah, they want you to be aggressive," Steve turned his neck around to shoot Naomi a daggered brow, and she snorted. "You know, strong. Hot and heavy. Like a— I don't know. Like a lion."
"Mmm."
"But others," he persisted, "You gotta be slow. You gotta be stealthy. Like a… Like a ninja."
"Okay, I don't think your euphuisms for girls are going to help this poor boy Steve." She tossed the last cube in front of her, shooting it at the ground with a little too much force, as she watched it splatter into pieces. "Honestly, Dustin, if it's right, it's right. Girls nowadays suck anyways. None of them know what they want."
"Well," Dustin grabbed her empty bucket, and Naomi dropped her dirty gloves inside them. "What type is Nancy, then?"
"Nancy's different," Steve retorted a little too hastily. "She's different than other girls."
"Yeah," Dustin's head dropped, as he placed his bucket inside Naomi's empty one, dropping his last few squares of beef. "She seems pretty special, I guess."
"Yeah," Steve nodded. "Yeah she is."
"So what type's Beth?"
Naomi had almost forgotten about her alter-ego name, until she saw Steve's face go a bright red, and Dustin shoot him a teasing smile.
"Hey," She hissed, "I can hear you dipshits, you know." Better than they thought, too. "And I'm somewhere in between; I'll have you know." She vocalized proudly. "Kind of like a horse, or something. I don't know."
"That's not very attractive," Steve remarked.
"Didn't seem to stop you," She smirked.
Steve choked on thin air, and Dustin started laughing, as Steve let out protests; all of which the two ignored. After a minute, Dustin's laugh faded and his smile faltered once again. "This girl's special too though, you know." He tilted his head, gaze plummeting to the tracks of the train beneath them once again.
"Woah!" Steve bellowed after regaining himself. He held a gloved, wet, raunchy-smelling hand in front of Dustin to halt him. "You're not falling in love with this girl… are you?"
Dustin's brows furrowed, and his bottom lip jutted out as he tried to defend himself. "What? Uh no. No."
"Okay.." Steve started to walk again, "Good. Don't."
"Amen to that." Naomi concurred, kicking her right foot against the steel beams hidden below the foliage beneath her.
"Why?"
Steve frowned, "She's only gonna break your heart, and you're way to young for that shit."
Naomi nodded in agreement, trotting up to meet Dustin. Dustin smiled at her weakly, the first sign of acceptance since she had spoken to the boy. "Don't get too caught up in this chick though. Love is magical and all, permeating the mind, the body, the spirit and what not. It's exhilarating, but terrifying. Make sure she's really worth it."
"Thanks," he responded despondently.
They walked in silence, Steve being the only one left with meat at this point. There trip to the grocery store was clearly undersupplied.
"Faberge."
"What?" Dustin asked, glancing at Steve who had just said something completely jargon to them both.
Steve exhaled loudly, like he was admitting a crime he had just admitted in court. He pointed his index finger at his hair, being careful not to touch the perfect locks with his greasy gloves. "It's Faberge Organics." He gesticulated with his hands, keeping a small handful of cubes in his right hand as he shot them at the ground like rocks. "Use the shampoo and the conditioner, and when your hair's damp—It's not wet!" He interjected himself, "When it's damp…"
"Damp," Dustin nodded fervently.
"You do four puffs of the Farrah Fawcett spray…" He admitted, eyeing Naomi behind him as Dustin moved ahead.
Both of them tried to conceal their laughter as Steve glared at them in annoyance.
A smile grew on Dustin's face, and he tried his best not to hide it, but he couldn't help it. "Farrah Fawcett spray?" He giggled, his words vacillating.
"Yeah." He confessed, stopping on the train tracks, "Farrah Fawcett spray." He took a threatening step towards Dustin, who didn't appear all that jeopardized, and stabbed a finger at him, piece of meet wedged between his hand. "You tell anyone I told you that, and your ass is grass. You're dead, Henderson. You understand?"
Dustin nodded, his lips curling back. "Yup." He avowed, "Why not her, though?" His body swayed towards Naomi, and name grimaced.
"Because," Steve answered nonchalantly. "No one knows her. No one would believe her."
"Again, I'm right here." She grumbled, "Hearing is 100% boys." Dustin laughed, and Steve joined in after as they continued their trek again. "Where are we heading, anyways?" She really didn't know Hawkins all that well, but knew it was a pretty small area. The plan was to attract him…. And that's as far as they had got before bickering over the song choice in the car.
"I know a place," Dustin answered, "Not too much farther. We can try to corral him there."
Naomi pursed her lips as she pondered. "I don't think this is working. I hear nothing. I see nothing" She referred to the chunks of beef they tossed at the ground. "It's just gonna attract other animals. SHouln't we use something a little stronger?"
"You're an expert at this? Yeah?" Dustin growled back at her, "Hopper teach you that too?"
She scowled, "Who shit in your cereal this morning?"
"Oh I'm sorry!" He yelled mordantly, "I'm trying to find my the monster I found who grew three freaking feet in THREE days. Oh! And did I mention… ate my FREAKING cat!" The last 'freaking' enunciated his lips, and spit flew from his mouth.
She cowered from him, frowning as she tightened her grip on the backpack encircling her shoulders. The straps squeaked against her usual-clad leather jacket, and she grimaced. "I'm just saying… we need something stronger. Something that'll attract him more—or we'll never coral him."
Steve dropped the last chunk of beef by their feet, and tossed his grimey gloves in the bucket, handing them to Dustin who took them reluctantly. "Like what? You got a better idea Beth? Cut yourself open and we drag your dead body across the forest?"
Her head tilted as she bit her lip, shrinking as she thought about the four bags of blood sloshing around in her pack. They were room temperature now- which was worse than being cold. She could make another trip to the hospital before she decided to leave, so she could spare them despite being a little hungry.
"What?" They asked in unison, ogling the girl with uncertainty.
She hissed in a breath. "If I tell you, you promise to ask no questions?"
"Why would we do that?" Steve snapped.
"Just trust me." She grumbled back.
Steve shook his head in disbelief as Dustin watched the two like fighting parents bickering over a house chore or something financial related. "You know, I'm getting awfully tired of trusting you and receiving no explanation."
She snatched Steve's hand, holding it between her own as she tugged him to a halt. Dustin continued a few steps, only just within ears reach, and watched as Naomi grasped Steve's hand within hers. She locked eyes with him, biting her lip nervously as they poured into each other. "Just trust me, okay? I'll explain everything later. I promise. It's complicated…"
His eyes drifted from her apprehensively, "Jesus, isn't everything in this town," He complained.
"Please, Steve." She held his warm hand taut between hers, her thumb reassuringly rubbing his calloused knuckles. She watched as his eyelids fluttered, and listened to his pulsating heart beat quicker. She really wasn't ready to explain to the two what was going on. She'd like to avoid it if all possible, but right know; she wanted to help her friends; even if they were new-fangled. "Trust me," She dropped her forehead, eyes fastening with his again.
His jaw compressed, and he nodded; a few stray hairs falling out of place as he retrieved his hand back, rubbing it as if he had just been scolded. Her hands were left empty and cold again, his warm; living touch like a smolder to her cold lifeless hands.
"Okay?" She darted from Steve to Dustin.
"Okay, they both nodded apprehensively, regarding her with intensity as she unzipped her backpack, reaching into it slowly as if she was about to pull out an explosive. Her hand dug around for the blood packs, and she picked them all up with one hand by the plastic handle that was used to attach them to the IV for transfusions. She dragged them out slowly, and she watched their relaxed faces grow with fascination and trepidation as she pulled out the bags of blood.
They recoiled instantly, like she had just pulled a gun to their face.
"What the f—"
"Why do you have blood in your bag?!" Steve panicked, "And you've been carrying that around for three days with me!" He grabbed the side's of his head as he twirled in a circle, his head falling back as he ruffled his own locks. "No wonder those men were looking for you!"
"Trust me!" She reminded them both. "I'll explain it when the time is right. I'll explain everything."
Steve jumped back to face her, jeering forward as he shot her a pained lock. It hurt her to see him like that, like she had scared the boy. It was just a little taste of what they both would feel like if she really told them. She handed Dustin a bag of O negative— who held the sack like some sort of alien substance, tossing it and feathering its weight between each hand.
She tried a pleading look at Steve, whose face softened as she watched him give in. "Beth…" he wavered.
She gave him a weak smile, dimples pressing themselves deep in her cheeks. "I promise, Steve." She thought back to the word 'promise' and how much it meant to her. How much it had meant to Eleven. How the meaning of the word had completely shifted in the last year she spent in Hawkins. Steve would never know that depth of the word, but to her she knew it held a lot more. She wouldn't break it, she'd have to tell him eventually. "I promise," She repeated.
He nodded, giving in as he released a breath. "Okay." He grabbed the bag, popping open the small plastic 'T' and leading the two of them.
She tore into hers with her teeth, letting out a satisfied sound that only she could hear as the smallest amount of blood touched her lips, igniting her taste buds. She held her bag to the floor, and let it drip like a leaky faucet.
The three of them continued their march to wherever they were, occasionally chatting about Max, or Dart. Steve had shied on the subject of Nancy, in which Dustin shined on the topic of his friends and where they were. Dustin said they were to meet at whatever destination they were headed to for help.
When they reached a fork in the train tracks, Dustin directed them to go left. They followed his demands, and eventually, the small line of trees that lined the train tracks opened up. The train tracks drifted off to the right, while they headed more West. They continued until they reached the edge of the woods and eventually, they were met with a clearing.
"Is this where he's meeting us?" Naomi asked as they paused, observing the clearing. She held up a hand to shield her eyes from the burning sunlight; something that still made her uncomfortable despite the cursed ring that allowed her to walk in the day.
Dustin nodded.
"Oh yeah," Steve pressed his tongue to the side of his cheek, an action he often did when analyzing something. "Yeah, this'll do. Good call, dude." Steve removed the black ray bans that Naomi hadn't even noticed he had been wearing, and hooked them on his shirt, walking ahead of them.
Dustin dropped the buckets, following him.
Naomi scanned the open surroundings. She was on a small hilltop that sloped below to a number of retired cars and junk. There were plenty of leftover scraps of metal, and even an aged bus to the right. She observed as the two greeted Lucas and the red head. Immediately, they had gotten to work on tonight's tomfoolery plan to trap Dart the baby Demogorgon and she sighed to herself.
She had a strong feeling it was going to be a long night.
Naomi had been introduced to Lucas and Max, despite meeting them once before. They seemed both very sweet, but the tension was palpable in the air between the trio of pre-teens in their chaotic love triangle. Lucas had filled Max in on everything that had happened in the town and Hawkins Lab. To some surprise, she didn't believe them. Her showing up was Lucas trying to prove to her.
She introduced herself to the two as Elizabeth, reciting the same story she had to Steve and Dustin. Lucas kept his distance, which was kind of duplicitous of him; but she understood.
They had a game plan. It was a quickly formulated and promptly done one, but it was a plan. They took the scrap they could and shielded it around the bus, covering the perimeter of it with a skirt of metal. They grabbed a large piece and kept it inside between a row of seats in case they needed an extra shield from the monster between the bus door and them. They brought a wooden ladder in and placed it through the fire exit, making a small fort on the top of the bus with tires to look out when the time was right.
Naomi helped Steve lather the place in gasoline for when they were ready to set the thing on fire; as Steve had mentioned that that had scared it off formerly when he fought the Demogorgon.
The sun started to drown into the horizon, engulfing itself in inky darkness as the last rays of light glimmered through the forest foliage. It was the blue hour, her favorite time of day. She enjoyed it more than sunrise and sunset, as the sky was lit up in a brilliant sapphire, waves of black stretching closer and closer like a crashing wave on the sand.
She glanced over at Steve, hands on her hips as she displayed a proud smile at the five's work.
"Think it's gonna work?" She asked apprehensively.
"I hope so," he dusted off his dirt-swathed hands and stood beside her. They stood watching the last of the blue wash away, and Naomi felt Steve rock back and forth on his heels beside him. "So…" he inhaled a breath, "Are you going to tell me yet?"
She shook her head, "Not yet, S."
He gave her a weak smile, hands poised on his hips now, and he nodded; strays of hair dipping below his forehead. "Alright. I trust you."
She was relieved to hear those words, sinking into her posture more comfortably as Steve gave her a reassuring pat on the back. "Can I ask you something?"
"Shoot," She encouraged, folding her arms over her chest as her brown eyes remained on the horizon.
"How come you don't talk about yourself much, I mean when you do, I have to force it out of you. Where'd you grow up? What are your parents like? Do you have siblings?" He directed at her.
She shrugged, giving him a weedy closed-lipped smile. "I had a brother; he's gone now. Mother passed from cancer, dad left when I was young. Sort of on my own at this point—town surfing."
He nodded, "I'm sorry."
"Don't be," She shook her head, "This past year was one of the greatest years."
"I'm glad to hear that," He bumped her shoulder. "Do you think you'll stick around; in Hawkins, I mean?"
She shrugged, "I'm not sure, Steve." And it was the truth. She really did not know. Her best guess was that she couldn't linger much longer. She had been so back and forth, but ultimately, she knew what she had to do. How could she stay with the threat of being caught and killed by the Winchester's? Or when the Hawkins' Sherriff hated you?
"If this was the best year you've had, then why leave?" He questioned.
She ran a thumbnail along her bottom lip, sighing. "Steve… It's complicated."
He nodded, understanding why she was hesitant. "Don't sweat it." E lifted a finger, the dropped it. His mouth opened, and then he closed it as his internal thoughts trampled over one another. "Can I say something else? I mean… I don't know if this'll change anything but still. I gotta say it or I'll regret it—especially if we're gonna die out here babysitting these little dipshits."
She let out a soft giggle, "Go for it, Harrington."
"Okay," he started, kicking his spiked bat that was beside him on the dusty ground. "I know I've only known you for like three days, but three days straight is like 72 hours…"
"Boy you sure as smart—"
"Shut it." He yapped, holding up a finger. "What I'm saying is, you know, I enjoy your company. For the most part; I mean."
"Even when I'm making out with your face?" She challenged.
He frowned cheekily at her, "Maybe; but that doesn't leave us. Okay? So… What I'm trying to say is all I've really got is Nancy. I'm not trying to word this in a way where you're some rebound friend… but—without Nancy I really have no one. My parents are never home. I'm always alone."
"Are you begging me to stay, Steve Harrington!" She mockingly twirled a chunk of hair between her fingers as she fluttered her eyelashes at him, "Oh gosh Steve Harrington wants to be my friend!"
"No! No." He shot down. "Wait. Would that make you stay?"
"If you kissed my feet, maybe," She laughed.
He shook his head. "The point is; you seem like a genuinely nice human being, and I haven't had a lot of those in my life. The only other one I had I'm losing. I think you're pretty funny, and stuff. Sure this town is pretty small, and the people aren't particularly the best… but a select few definitely make up for it." He threw his head back to glance at the three in the bus, bickering about something while Lucas and Dustin wrestled each other over something that was in Lucas' possession. "I think you'd learn to love it."
She licked her lips, exhaling loudly. "It's not that I don't wanna stay, Steve." She shut her eyes, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Trust me, I'd give anything to stay—to not have to run anymore."
She watched his teeth grit together, and his jaw clench as his eyes drifted. "So that's what you're doing." He murmured, "Running…" He scratched the side of his face excessively. "And those men?"
All she could do was nod.
He nodded. "I'm sure whatever it is; it's justifiable. You're a good person, Beth."
She tried to hold her breath, suppressing the electrical feeling that you got in your face right before you teared up. Oh how wrong could this boy be? She thought to herself. Her voice was caught in her throat, and she remained silent.
"Rage, rage against the dying of the light," he quoted in a husky voice, gesturing to the evaporating illumination.
"I'm not a good person, Steve." She released in a single breath, pinching the bridge of her nose to push back the tears in her eyes and liberate some of the pressure forming in her glabellas area. "I've done some bad stuff. I don't deserve to be with you guys, to be with Hopper."
He was very attentive to her now, his whole body rotated towards her.
"I'm no good." She stated, "I've made mistakes. I've loved, I've loathed. I've fought, I've made up. I've hurt, and I mean really hurt—and I've forgiven. I was a little numb before I got to Hawkins."
He didn't reply, and that was the most respectable thing to do in her mind. He didn't really know her—he couldn't disagree, nor could he agree. They just remained in comfortable silence. He reassured her with a hand wrapped around her frame, and he held her close to his side, resting his head atop her. They remained comfortably like that, there eyes directed at the tree line for a long time until they headed back to the bus.
"What the hell are you guys doing out there? The sun's down. Set the trap." Dustin hollered from the bus, cupping a hand around his heart-shaped lips.
"Jesus, dude. Calm down; it set like three seconds ago," He rumbled, moving past him. "Still got that last bag?" He asked her as they trotted to the bus.
"Yeah," She pulled it from her pack, tossing it at Steve, as she grabbed the lost blood bag and held it in her hands. She squished it back and forth, like it was a stress ball. She held it tightly in her hands, and she could feel the odd glances from the other two behind her; but she ignored it. Her mouth got all tingly again, her glands salivated and her stomach growled.
It seemed bittersweet to give the last one up, considering she had broken a hand to leave with it unscathed.
"Dude—" Dustin started, but stopped once he saw her tear the plastic in two, ripping it straight down the middle with her sheer force, and watching as the blood splattered on the ground; right beside a small pile of some dead mice they had found in the forest . The trail of gasoline led to there, and all they had to do was light it from the bus once they got close enough.
"Let's go," She instructed, and they both followed her into the bus, Steve placing a large metal sheet in front of the door after closing it.
The next hour was spent lounging around miscellaneous spots in the bus while they waited for something; anything. Somehow, there was some unspoken feeling between the five of them that they knew it was gonna happen… that Dart would find them. They all trusted that feeling, and remained quiet for a majority of the waiting. Steve had sat by the door, his head leaned against the sheath of meatal, while Max was on a red chair across from him, detached from it's previous place.
Naomi was on a bus seat beside Steve, her head hanging of the edge while her body was parallel, laying horizontal with the seat. She smoked her second cigarette that night, trying to pass the time; whilst also stifling the lust for the litre of blood that she could smell (even with the stench of gasoline overpowering it)
She tossed Steve her infamous zippo after, and he played with it, flicking it up and down, up and down. The noise of the metal against metal got annoying after a long while, but she didn't say anything; she didn't want to break the silence. She just shut her eyes, breathing in a lungful of the smoke, and let her hair fall further over the edge of the seat.
At some point, she snatched Dustin's hat and placed it atop her face to shield the light of her flickering zippo. He had detested, but didn't take it back.
Lucas had eventually decided to go on lookout, since it was getting later and that ominous feeling of waiting for death had crept upon them, and they felt the dart-pocalypse coming closer and closer.
"So you've really fought one of these things before? Max had asked another half hour later. Naomi removed the hat from her face to peek out.
Steve looked at her without speaking and just nodded.
"And you're really like totally 100% it wasn't a bear?" She pressed, red brows sinking deeper in her face.
"Shit." Dustin cursed, stopping his pacing, "Don't be an idiot. Okay? It wasn't a bear."
Max was taken aback.
"Why are you even here if you don't believe us?" he taxed, his face straining in annoyance. "Just go home."
She rolled her eyes, standing from the seat and starting for the ladder. "Geeesh. Someone's cranky. Past your bedtime?"
Naomi snorted; she saw a mini her in Max.
Once she was out of ear's reach, a slow smile bloomed on Steve's lips as he spoke to Dustin. "That's good. Just show her you don't care."
"I don't." he dismissed, starting to pace again.
Steve sent a wink to him, and Naomi snorted a laugh again.
"Why are you winking, Steve? Stop."
Steve licked his lower lip, eyes glancing away from the grumpy teen.
Naomi tossed the hat back, and Dustin caught it with a reluctant catch. He placed it back on his head and readjusted it to fit comfortably on his curls.
Another few minutes passed. Naomi played lazily with a feather on her read faux-lauther seat. She lifted it in the air and let it float to her chest, watching it intently as it landed on her pale skin; and then she'd repeat it.
"Gimme that," Naomi murmured with another cigarette between her lips, waving at Steve for the zippo. She was getting irritable from the waiting, the boredom, the smell of mostly-fresh blood outside, and the cramped front of the bus with humans surrounding her.
Steve frowned. "You know they say that stuff's bad for you," He scolded as he reached to hand it to her.
"Thanks Mom," She grabbed the lighter, She sat her head up to light it, cupping her hand around the cigarette to protect the flame. She popped open the zippo, moving it closer to ignite it.
Just as the flame was about to catch, they heard it.
Close in the distance of the trees, a thunderous screech echoed; as if the monster was broadcasting it's arrival to them.
"Shit," She cursed, as they all ran to the windows to see. She tossed Steve her zippo, and they all pressed their faces to the glass, wiping the moisture from it to peer through to the junk yard.
"You see him?"
Dustin asked; bottom lip jutting out in bewilderment.
"No," Steve replied.
"Nada," Naomi answered.
His face scrunched up as he scrutinized for a moment more before hollering up to the other two. "Lucas! What's going on?"
"Hold on!" He called back.
The rise of heartbeats on the bus was unanimous.
A low growl emitted somewhere within the growing fog that seemed to appear out of nowhere, and she twitched, making Steve and Dustin jump.
"What?"
"I heard a growl…" She whispered, as if Dart could hear her.
She was nervous to be honest. Normally she wasn't if it involved fighting a hunter or another vampire; a witch maybe, but she had no idea what's he was dealing with here. This wasn't the supernatural—it was another dimension.
"I've got eyes! Ten O'clock!" Lucas shouted. "T-Ten o'clock!" Their eyes shifted to the imaginary clock that they were positioned in, glancing to the left ever so slightly.
There, between patches of mist, she saw a dark form prowling between the small clouds. It was hard to make out itss true being; but she could see something there. It was about the size of the wolf; but the way it was positioned was so other-worldly it sent shivers down her spine. It's back was curved in an S-like shape, and she could see the glistening of its slick skin from here. She had never seen anything like it. "Holy shit…"
"What's he doing?" Dustin asked hushly.
"I don't know…" Steve answered, eyes unblinking from the monster.
There was a low chitter as he moved around in the fog, stalking it's new surroundings. It wandered for a moment, and she could hear it sniffing, but it didn't move towards their lure.
"He's not taking the bate, why's he not taking the bait?" Steve panicked.
"Maybe he's not hungry," Dustin suggested.
Naomi glanced at the two at the window beside her, "Maybe it's the gasoline; it might be too strong."
Steve started to anxiously breathe labored breaths. "Maybe he's sick of cow…" Steve removed himself from the window, and Naomi and Dustin turned to face him.
"What are you doing?" she sibilated, "Steve?"
HE looked at both of them for a long moment, a bold expression n his face as he attempted to show confidence; but the stammering heart in his chest proved otherwise to her. I n a swift motion, he spun to grabbed his nail-bat and started for the door.
"Steve? Steve what are you doing?" Dustin asked, but they already knew what he was about to do.
Steve pivoted, turning to Naomi. "Just get ready." He grabbed the zippo from her spot on the seat and tossed it towards her. She caught it in one hand, but she was frozen in place, staring at the boy in bewilderment as he exited the bus; ready to risk his life for the four of them. The metal creaked as he shut the door; squealing from its retired state.
"What the shit!" Dustin cursed, running back to the window. "Steve, no!"
She had barely realized what had occurred. Next thing she knew, Steve was gone, and as she ran to stand beside Dustin, she saw him enter the thick fog, ready to face the molting monster.
Steve was apprehensive in his steps, his sneakers taking lifted but hushed steps. She could still see the black mass to Steve's left, but the fog was coming in quicker now, and more patchy. She would see it, then a cloud of mist would come by and she'd see it in a different position. She didn't like not knowing… Not seeing.
Steve clutched his bat between both hands, holding it as if he was ready to strike a pitch in a ball game. She could see his calloused knuckles blanch white in his vice, and she watched as Steve twirled it around.
"Steve!" She whisper-shouted, but he ignored her to no surprise. She grumbled.
There was a gurgling noise, and then a louder much closer warning growl.
Steve let out a shaky breath. He whistled three times menacingly, swinging his bat around again, and then analyzed his surroundings to look for the creature. "Come on body…" he antagonized, whistling once again. His bat drifted back and forth like a pendulum, small tornado's of fog drifting around it.
Max sloppily rushed down the steps of the ladder, running to their side's. "What's he doing?!"
"Expanding the menu…" Naomi muttered, eyes unmoving from her gaze on Steve.
"Come on buddy…" She heard him entice, taking another few steps. He was starting to get lost within the mist now, which worried her. She glanced back to the Demogorgon's spot, and panicked when she it vacant.
"Oh crap…" She muttered. She removed herself from the window, gaze still on it despite not being able to see Steve.
This time, Dustin questioned her, "What are you doing…" He glanced from Max, back to her. "And why do you have that look on your face…?"
She hadn't realized there was a look on her face. Maybe her body knew what it was gonna do before she did. This was it, this would be her big reveal. She'd have to fight this motherfucker off of Steve's body, hopefully in time to save his ass, and the only way tog et ehrer fast enough and actually keep him alive was to use her powers.
Shit, this was it.
They'd most likely think the last of thoughts toward her now.
"E-Elizabeth," Dustin stammered as she moved to the door. She didn't reply, though. She just tossed him the zippo and instructed him to close the door after her.
"What are you doing?!" He asked panic-stricken.
She gave him a shrug, because she truly did not know what was about to occur after all this. "I'm about to save his ass." She opened the doors, glancing out into the fog. She couldn't see the two of them anymore, but she could still hear Steve alive and well. She knew his heartbeat as it differed from the rest. A twitchy rythym personalized it.
Her sneakers moved to the edge of the step and she exhaled a large breath as her toes dipped out into the exterior. She inhaled a large lungful of air through her nose, readying her ability to sniff out Steve and whizz over to him. And then…
She ran.
A/N: Hope you enjoyed this. The next chapter's gonna reveal a lot about Naomi or 'Beth' as she's know to them, and I guess we'll find out what their reactions are... what do you think?
Thanks again for reading. Writing truly makes me happy and to know people read it means the world to me.
Again, just wanna mention that I might do a slow burn Steve/Naomi but it won't be my main focus of the story, as my priority is kind of the relationship of Eleven, Naomi, Hopper and every thing they experience. P.S... I kinda wanna make her a close sister-ish type of relationship with one of the boys. Who do yo think with though? Sorry if any of this doesn't make sense... I'm really tired and it's late.
Enjoy!
3CHOES: Thank you for your review! I agree I've written too many romance that I'm kinda over it, but I do love Naomi and Steve's relationship so I will incorporate it somehow. i might made a side story regarding just them eventually.
escafil123: Wow, this review made me so happy! Especially to here you wish Kali's role was like Naomi! Thank you for your support!
The true hero of Skill: Voila!
Screemnigcheesepuff: (Nice user by the way!) Thank you, I love how it tied so well together as well!
Tata for now!
LEX
