Richie watched in pure amusement as Dustin threw item after item out of the fridge. The curly haired boy sighed, and stepped back, turning to look at the senior standing behind him.
"Alright, it should fit now," he told Steve pointing to the empty refrigerator. Richie grinned.
"That's what she said," he said loudly, letting out a laugh. Steve turned to him, looking absolutely done with life.
"Not the time," he shook his head. He glanced down on at the dead demodog in his arms, and then to Dustin. "Is this really necessary?"
"Yes, it is, okay?" Dustin exclaimed, gesturing to the corpse. "This is a ground-breaking scientific discovery. We can't just bury it like some common mammal, okay? It's not a dog."
"Wait," Richie interuppted, holding up a finger. He eyed Dustin, pointing at him. "Aren't you the one calling these things demo- dogs?"
"Not the point," Dustin said, rolling his eyes. "Just put it in."
Richie snickered, trying his hardest not to comment. Because that was also what she said.
"Alright, alright, alright," Steve mumbled, nodding at Dustin to move out of the way. "But you're explaining this to Mrs. Byers, alright?"
He lugged the animal, monster, whatever, into the fridge, trying his hardest to shove it in. He only succeeded in slamming the damn things head into the top of the fridge.
"Chist," he grunted, turning slightly towards them. "Help me out."
"What am I supposed to do?" Dustin asked.
"Get the door, man, get the door."
"Alright," Dustin said, stepping up to hold the door back so it didn't swing close. "I got the door."
"You," Steve said, looking at Richie. "Not-Mike, shove it's head in there." Richie only crossed his arms, wearing a defiant look.
"Not until you call me by my real name," he said, shrugging simply. Steve glared, struggling a bit more with the demodog. For a moment, Richie thought the guy would settle for no help at all, until he cursed loudly.
"Dammit, Richie!" he hissed. Richie smiled, stepping forward to carefully tuck the demodogs head inside the fridge. He face screwed into disgust.
"That's fucking disgusting," he said, pulling his hands back and wincing as a trail of slime followed.
"Ew. Jesus," Steve said pushing it all the way in.
"God," Dustin muttered, quickly helping Steve shove the door closed. Richie wiped his hands on jeans, giving a low whistle.
"That's nastier then Eddie's mom on Halloween," he said, drawing in Dustin and Steve's attention.
"Who?" Steve asked.
"Old friend," Richie dismissed, moving into the other room. Max was kneeling on the floor, holding a dustpan for Lucas, so he could sweep up the glass. Mike was pacing, which Richie could clearly interpret was annoying Lucas.
The Sinclair boy stopped sweeping, prompting Max to look up at him, and follow his gaze to Mike. "Mike," Lucas started," would you just stop already?"
Mike spun to look at him," You weren't in there, okay, Lucas? That lab is swarming with hundreds of those dogs."
Richie turned as Dustin shouted from the kitchen," Demodogs!" He turned back to Lucas and nodded.
"He's right," he agreed, shrugging.
"The chief will take care of her," Lucas insisted, holding up his hands.
"Like she needs protection," Max muttered from the floor. Richie pointed at her.
"Skater's got a point. We survived without powers just fine," Richie said. "If she's as badass as you guys say she is, she'll be fine."
"Oh, trust me," Ross said, walking into the room," she's more than badass." The girl was now wearing what looked like some of Will's clothes. Jeans that were a bit too short, faded converse, a striped long sleeve shirt, and a jacket over top. Richie was glad. He wasn't sure how much longer he'd be able stand looking at the bloody hospital gown she'd been wearing.
"Listen, dude," Steve spoke up, walking in from the kitchen, a rag in his hands. "A coach calls a play in a game, bottom line, you execute it. Alright?"
"Okay, first of all, this isn't some stupid sports game," Mike snapped back. "And second, we're not even in the game. We're on the bench."
"Right!" Steve exclaimed. "So my point is..." He paused. They all looked on to him, waiting for him to continue.
"Right, yeah, we're on the bench, so, uh, there's nothing we can do." He threw the dish rag over his shoulder.
"That's not entirely true," Dustin said from behind him. "I mean, these demo-dogs, they have a hive mind. When they ran away from the bus, they were called away."
"So if we get their attention," Lucas continued.
"Maybe we can draw them away from the lab," Max added, looking up.
"And clear a path to the gate," Mike said.
"So El and Hopper would be able to get through," Ross nodded.
"And then she could kick this things ass," Richie finished.
"Yeah, and then we all die," Steve exclaimed, crossing his arm. "And stop doing that, all of you."
"Doing what?" Ross asked.
"Finishing eachother's sentences," Steve said.
"That's one point of view," Dustin said, ignoring Steve's last comment.
"No, that's not a point of view, man," Steve argued. "That's a fact."
"Says what proof?" Ross asked.
"Says your dead bodies," Steve remarked. Mike moved from his spot, slipping past Steve.
"I got it," he said, prompting them all to follow him. He went to the hall, and knelt down in front of one of Will's drawings, tapping it. "This is where the chief dug his hole. This is our way to the tunnel." He got up again, and led them to another picture.
"So here, right here," Mike said, stepping onto a big patch of drawings on the floor. "This is like a hub. So you got all the tunnels feeding in here. Maybe if we set this on fire-"
"Oh, yeah?" Steve interuppted. "That's a no."
"The mind flayer would call away his army," Dustin continued, ignoring Steve.
"They'd all come to stop us," Lucas exclaimed.
"Hey!" Steve said.
"We'd circle back to the exit," Ross said.
"Guys!"
"By the time they realize we're gone," Mike said.
"El would be at the gate," Max nodded.
"Hey!"
"Destorying the watcha-ma-call-it," Richie said.
"Hey, hey, hey!" Steve shouted, clapping to get their attention. "This is not happening."
"But-" Mike started, only for Steve to cut him off.
"No, no, no, no, no," the senior rushed, shaking his head. "No buts. I promised I'd keep you shitheads safe, and that's exactly what I plan on doing."
Richie realized that with the towel over his shoulder, and his hands on his hips, he looked stunningly like a mother scolding her kids.
"We're staying here, on the bench," Steve continued, pointing at the ground. "And we're waiting for the starting team to do their job. Does everybody understand that?"
"Calm your shit, soccer mom," Richie remarked.
"This isn't some stupid game," Mike added from the floor.
"I said does everybody understand?" Steve asked again, pulling the rag from his shoulder and jerking it in their direction. Ross huffed, glaring. "I need a yes."
Ross opened her mouth, probably to tell Steve no, Richie presumed, but before a word could leave her mouth, they heard the sound of a revving engine. Max hurried into the living room, jumping onto the couch to look out the window, everyone following close behind.
"It's my brother," she told them, shaking her head. "He can't know I'm here. He'll kill me. He'll kill us." Richie had no idea who Max's brother was, but judging from everyone else's reaction, he was bad news. They heard tires screech to a stop, and Steve handed Dustin his towel, and walked out the door.
Immediately they all rushed to the couch, piling on it to see out the window. They couldn't hear what was said, but could practically feel the tension as Steve stood face to face with Max's brother.
"Wow," Richie breathed out. "He looks like an asshole."
"You have no idea," Max breathed out. Suddenly, Steve whipped his head around as the other teenager pointed to the window. Everyone turned and slumped on the couch, save for Richie and Ross, who continued to watch with bated breath.
"Shit!" Dustin exclaimed. "Did he see us?"
"Fuck," Ross said, pressing closer to Richie to get a better look. "He just pushed Steve." They watched as he leaned over Steve's form, said something, and then firmly kicked him where it hurts.
"Oh shit, he just kicked him in the dick!" Richie shouted, jumping off the couch and pulling Ross from the window. All six of them back into the hall, just as Max's brother slammed the door open.
"Well, well, well," he said, slamming the door behind him. "Lucas Sinclair. What a surprise."
Richie raised his eyebrows, unsure what Lucas had to do with anything. Obviously, he'd done something to piss the man off. He approached them, causing them all to back up.
"I thought I told you to stay away from him, Max," he said, sliding his sister a look.
"Billy, go away," Max said. Richie noticed how her voice had lost all of it's confidence. She took a step back.
"You disobeyed me," Billy muttered. "And you know what happens when you disobey me."
"Billy-"
"I break things."
He snapped into action, grabbing Lucas by the collar of his shirt and practically carrying him across the room to slam him into a wall.
"Billy! Stop!" Max yelled. Ross raced forward as everyone else yelled, only to stop as Billy held a hand out behind him, not even turning to look at her.
"Maybe since Maxine won't listen to me, you will. Stay away from her," Billy told Lucas. He slammed him agaisnt the wall again. "Stay away from her! You hear me?"
"I said get off of me!" Lucas yelled, kneeing Billy in the balls. The man stumbled back, grunting.
"You're so dead, Sinclair! You're dead!" He shouted, moving to advance.
"Hey, you racist piece of shit!" Ross yelled, prompting Billy's attention. He turned to her, as she held up a wooden rod they'd pulled from the junk pile earlier. "Back the fuck off."
Richie had to admire her courage. He had never been able to encounter his bullies, at least not without his friends by his side. She didn't even back down as Billy took a few threatening steps towards her.
"You're the little shit who dented my car," he said, pointing a finger at her.
"And you're the douche bag who won't leave Max and Lucas alone," Ross bit back, pulling the wooden rod back like a bat. Richie itched to do something, but he just stood there, watching it all go down.
Billy jumped forward, and Ross swung. But he just ducked out of the way, predicting her move, and snatched the rod from her hands. Swiftly, he broke it over his knee, and tossed it at her feet.
"You're dead, too." Before he could take another step forward, however, Steve was there, grabbing his arm and spinning him around.
"No," Steve said. "You are!" And he punched him in the face.
Richie and Dustin laughed as Billy stumbled to the side.
"Steve!" Max exclaimed. Lucas rushed back over to them, and Mike enveloped him in a hug, pulling him behind them. Ross however just backed up into the table, startled as Billy just stood up again, laughing loudly.
"Looks like you got some fire in your after all, huh?" Billy yelled, grinning from ear to ear. He leaned forward, spreading his hands, nearly hitting Ross in the side of the head. She jumped onto the table and slid back, out of the way of his arms. "I've been waiting to meet this King Steve everybody's been telling me so much about."
"Get out," was all Steve said, placing a hand on Billy's chest and pushing him back slowly. Billy licked his lip, and stared for a moment.
Then he swung. Steve ducked, putting his momentum into his next swing, hitting Billy so hard he fell into the table. Ross slid off of it, and retreated back to Richie and the others.
"Yes! Kick his ass, Steve!" Dustin cheered.
"Get him!" Mike yelled, as Steve punched Billy again.
Mike and Dustin, yelled and shouted, telling Billy to eat shit, and telling Steve to kick his ass. Steve punched again, and again, knocking Billy into the kitchen counter.
Billy leaned his head back and let out something between a groan and a laugh. "Kill the son of a bitch!" Dustin yelled.
They didn't notice the plate until it was shattering over Steve's head.
"Shit!" Richie exclaimed.
"Billy!" Max yelled.
"Holy shit," Mike breathed out as Steve stumbed back. Billy advanced on him.
Dustin dropped to the floor as Billy nearly hit him while punching Steve, sending them both bumping into the bookshelf.
"Quit the shit!" Ross shouted, taking a step forward. "Stop!" Steve stumbled into the next room, and Billy shoved a few things off the shelf, following as well. He grabbed Steve, holding him up.
"No one tells me what to do," Billy hissed. Then he head butted Steve so hard, he fell to the ground and rolled a few feet.
They all followed the fight, standing in the next room. Ross looked ready to go in and fight, too, but Richie couldn't tell if she was serious about it, or was just always like that. He grabbed her elbow, for good measure.
"Whoo!" Billy shouted, seeming way too enthusiastic about a fist fight than any normal person. "Get up!"
He decended upon Steve, throwing punch after punch, ignoring their shouts to stop.
Then Max was shoving past Lucas and Richie, towards Billy and Steve. Richie reached out to stop her, but she was too quick. It was with shock, slight panic, and some weird sense of pride, that Richie watched Max come up behind Billy, and all but stab the needle into his neck.
They all gasped, falling silent as Billy grunted, and Max backed up.
Billy stood, swaying on the spot. He looked to Max, then to them, and then back to her. Reaching up, he pulled the needle from his neck, looking down on it, and taking a few steps forward.
"The hell is this?" he asked, taking a step forward for every step Max took back. "You little shit, what did you do?" He swayed on his feet again, before falling backwards to the floor.
"Shit," Mike muttered.
Richie let go of Ross's arm, adjusting his glasses. His mouth was dropped. He couldn't believe what had just happened.
Billy began to laugh, sounding nothing short of a maniac, and Max reached over to grab Steve's nail bat.
What the fuck is she gonna do with that?
She stood above Billy, bat poised to swing.
"From here on out, you leave me and my friends alone," she said in a low voice. "Do you understand?"
"Screw you," was Billy's response.
Max swung down, and Richie flinched as it embedded itself into the floor between his legs. Billy lifted his head to look.
She pulled it up from the floor, raising it again. "Say you understand!" she shouted, and Ross jumped. "Say it. Say it!"
Billy dropped his head, muttering something they couldn't hear.
"I understand," he said again, louder this time. His eyes slid shut.
Max dropped the bat, and walked to his side, pulling a pair of keys from his pocket. She dangled them in the air, turning to them.
"Let's get out of here."
There was no response, only shocked stares. Then Ross grinned, stepping forward.
"That was fucking awesome!" she exclaimed, walking forward. She held up a hand, stepping over Billy's fallen form. Max couldn't help but smirk, and highfive the other redhead.
"You heard the lady," Richie spoke up, stepping forward. He nudged Steve with his foot. "Let's get this fucker in the car and roll out."
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, ideas, or plot of Stranger Things or IT
candy95: Thanks for the review! Had me scared there for a sec, it said it wasn't a great. However, I'm gonna take a safe guess and assume that was a mistake(hopefully). And I'm glad you liked the interaction between Richie and El! I'd never been quite sure how to introduce the two, especially considering the fact that Richie and Mike look exactly alike. I'm still not entirely sure about that bit, but it makes me happy to know you liked it. I hope you enjoy this chapter!
JustCrazy: Thanks for the review, and the congrats on my art shows. The most recent ones went great! As for this chapter and the next two, I am very excited for everyone's reactions. But I'm even more excited for the Epilogue. I wrote it completely on a whim, because I was bored and wanted to try something different. I took a huge leap with it, because no one knows exactly how S3 will play out, but I'm hoping that I can make it work, and that everyone will like it. I hope you like this chapter!
LIsa: Luckily for you, the tunnel scene is just the next chapter! I hope you're looking forward to it, and that you enjoy this one!
A/N: Another week, another chapter. This is definetly one of my shorter chapters, but I really like where I left off at. I loved this scene in the episode, it was fantastic. Billy's character really intrigues me. I didn't like him much at first, but he grew on me, and I'm nearly hoping they redeem him like they did Steve. However, I know that Billy's a Grade A racist asshat with daddy issues, but I'd still like to see him over come it, mainly so I can see him use his anger for defending Max or something. I don't know, he's still a little bitch. On another, completely unrelated note: Anyone else see Infinity War? Like...wowo. It was great. Terrible, but great. Anyway, no spoilers here bc Thanos demands my, and your, silence. I'm a Marvel nerd, what can you do. Seriously recommend it, just like I seriously recommend reviewing. It's crazy encouraging to here your guys' thoughts. On that note, sorry for any writing mistakes, and I hope you enjoy!
- blockthewriter