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motherofpirates · 10 hours ago

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Nancy walked into the gym with a box in her arms, trying not to think about the fact that they had failed. Their town was split open, Vecna was on the loose, and Eddie was dead. So were Fred, Chrissy, and Patrick. Poor Max. . .She had been at the hospital with Jonathan and the sight of her broken body. . .Nancy blinked back tears. At least Jonathan was here.

"Are you sure about this?" Nancy asked Jonathan.

"Will's with El, Mike, and Lucas at the hospital," Jonathan said. "I wanted to see if anyone needed help here."

"Aren't you tired?" Nancy asked.

"I slept in the van on the way here," Jonathan shrugged.

Well, two out of three wasn't so bad. She got him to take a shower and eat something. She was worried about him, though. There was only so much that weed could do and Argyle had smoked half of that. Jonathan had gotten shot at and nearly died with their brothers but then again they nearly died, too. She liked Argyle, and she could see why Jonathan was friends with him. Between the two of them, they had enough anxiety to power an entire city but it's just that. Even though Argyle was pure sunshine and Jonathan was more like a raincloud, they made their friendship work. Nancy knew it was because of Argyle's heart, the same one that got them safely back to Hawkins. Nancy was grateful to him for that and to Jonathan, too, for keeping her brother safe.

"Are you really sure?" Nancy asked.

"I want to check on Steve," Jonathan said softly.

Nancy wasn't sure how Jonathan felt about him especially when she told him what Steve told her. There was a flutter in her chest at the thought. She hoped there was room in the RV for Jonathan, too. Jonathan looked at her hopefully. . .was it hope dashed with concern? She didn't tell him exactly how bad it was. . .but then again, she wasn't sure. There hadn't been much light in the Upside Down. Nancy scanned the gym, hoping to catch sight of Steve. She didn't see him but she did see Robin talking with a redheaded girl.

"Oh, there's Robin," Nancy said. "Let's go ask - "

"Give her a minute," Jonathan muttered.

"Why would I - oh. . .Oh!" Nancy exclaimed softly.

Nancy studied the way that Robin looked at the redhead. She looked so in awe of her. . .so smitten, like she couldn't believe she was real. Nancy smiled. She really didn't have anything to worry about. They didn't have anything to worry about. Nancy wondered if it was just women for Robin or if she was like her and Jonathan. They watched the redhead move into the back and that's when they chose to approach Robin.

"Oh, hey, Nance, I didn't see you come in," Robin said, looking startled.

"Yeah, I think you were busy," Nancy said, amused for a moment. "Have you seen Steve?"

"He's around here somewhere," Robin frowned. "Last time I saw him, he was folding clothes."

"He's not there," Jonathan said, looking over his shoulder.

"Maybe he's in the restroom," Robin said.

"We just want to see how he's doing, make sure he's not overdoing it," Nancy said.

"He insisted that he's doing fine," Robin said.

"And you believe him?" Jonathan asked.

"Of course not," Robin scoffed. "But if I push the idiot even more, he'd try and over do it. The best route is to be casual about your concern and then leave it before tricking him into taking care of himself."

"And how is that plan going?" Nancy asked.

"Not good. He saw right through me," Robin frowned. "I have another plan but I don't want to do it unless I really have to."

"What is it?" Jonathan frowned.

"Sedate his stubborn ass," Robin said.

"I'm going to drop this box off, then we're going to go look for him," Nancy said.

Nancy dropped off the box and passed by Argyle helping the redhead girl with a box of food.

"Hey, have you seen Steve?" Jonathan asked Argyle.

"Oh, yeah, bathroom. I think the dude really had to go," Argyle said.

Nancy shared a look with Jonathan before heading towards the bathroom. They could hear the groaning before they even entered. It sounded painful. They could hear Steve's cries coming from the handicapped stall and could see his legs peaking out from under the door. Nancy wrapped on the door with her knuckles.

"Steve?" Nancy asked.

"Uh, yeah, occupied," his voice came out in a strangled groan and he paused. "Wait, Nancy? This is the men's room."

"Right, like I've never been in the men's room before," Nancy snorted.

"Yeah, right. . .uh, I'm a little busy at the moment, I'll be with you in a minute," Steve said and let out a sob.

Nancy rolled her eyes and pulled a bobby pin out of her hair. She slid it in between the cracks and jimmied it until she could slide the lock back. She pushed the door open. Steve was curled up on the floor, clutching his stomach and crying.

"Oh, Steve," Nancy said softly.

"I think I over did it," Steve said. "Everything hurts."

"Argyle parked out back, let's get him into the van," Jonathan said as he knelt down next to Steve.

Nancy popped her head out of the bathroom and nearly jumped when she came face to face with a nervous Robin. Argyle stood behind her with the redheaded girl.

"Is the idiot in there?" Robin asked.

"Yeah, Argyle, can we use your van?" Nancy asked.

"No problemo," Argyle said.

Nancy and Jonathan got Steve up off the floor. With the help of the others, they slipped out of the back and towards Argyle's van.

"This really isn't necessary," Steve said. "I'm fine."

"Can someone get some bandages and antibiotics?" Nancy asked, ignoring Steve.

"I'm on it," Argyle said, tossing Nancy his keys.

"Seriously," Steve groaned. "I'm good."

"You look like shit," Jonathan said.

"Thanks," Steve scoffed.

"That's not what I meant, you always look good - " Jonathan started to say.

"I do?" Steve smirked.

"You know what I mean," Jonathan muttered.

"Yeah, you think I look good," Steve said, smirking.

"You don't look so good now, asshole," Jonathan said.

Jonathan and Nancy helped Steve into the back of the van while Robin hovered with the redheaded girl looking at Robin in concern.

"Steve, you dingus, why do you do this to yourself?" Robin asked, tearfully.

"Do what? I'm fine," Steve said. "I'm okay."

"Stop saying that!" Nancy snapped.

"You're angry," Steve said in surprised.

"Dustin's already lost Eddie, man, how do you think he's going to feel if you died because you were two stupid to admit that you needed help?" Jonathan asked.

Jonathan looked guilty for a moment as Steve looked like he had been slapped in the face. It needed to be said, though. Steve's shoulders slumped.

"If I die, he dies," Steve said, frowning. "He told me that in Starcourt. . .okay. . .okay."

"Take off your shirt," Nancy said.

"I can't lift my arms," Steve groaned. "I was doing so well earlier. . .I think I've been running on adrenaline for the past couple of days."

"Yeah, we all have," Jonathan said.

Nancy and Jonathan carefully helped him take off his shirt. Nancy hated hearing his cries of pain. She hated seeing him like this, and she knew Jonathan did, too. It got worse when they finished taking off his shirt and saw his wounds. He only had bandages around his middle.

"It was the only place I could easily wrap," Steve admitted.

"Oh, my god, Steve," Robin gasped.

The road rash was bad. Nancy could see where the skin had been torn off. It had been too dark to see the wounds but she should have seen that it was really bad.

"What happened?" The redheaded girl gasped. "Did you get hurt in the earthquake?"

"Yeah, I did," Steve winced.

"Oh, this is Vickie, Vickie this is - ,"

"Nancy Wheeler and Jonathan Byers, they were popular before their friend and brother went missing," Vickie said.

"We were?!" Nancy and Jonathan asked.

"Yeah, when idiots weren't talking about how creepy you were, people would say such nice things about you. I like to think those people were smart," Vickie said and then she blushed. "Sorry, I tend to ramble and put my foot in my mouth."

"Did you guys not know that people knew who you were?" Steve asked.

"Obviously," Nancy blushed. "But that doesn't matter right now. . ."

"Where's Argyle with those bandages and medicine?" Jonathan muttered.

"I'm a little surprised," Steve winced, as he gazed at Jonathan. "I didn't think you cared."

Jonathan sighed and looked at him softly. He raised his hands and paused before placing them on either side of Steve's face.

"And that's entirely on me, I was a complete idiot," Jonathan said and stroked his cheekbones with his thumbs. "I was a bit of a coward who didn't want to let go of the image I had of you."

"I missed you," Steve whispered.

"I missed you, too," Jonathan said.

"Hey, Robin, maybe we should go and find Argyle. We should probably get some water for Steve, too," Vickie said.

"My best friend is hurt, and he needs me!" Robin shrieked.

Vickie pulled Robin off to the side and began whispering to her. Robin looked at them and then looked back at Vickie.

"What is she saying to her?" Steve asked. "Am I missing something?"

"It's not that weird for him to be friends with his ex-girlfriend's boyfriend!" Robin yelled and then Vickie whispered to her again. "I think I would know!"

"Okay, seriously, what is she saying?" Steve groaned.

"What?! That was a move?!" Robin yelled and then Vickie whispered to her again. "You know what, Steve? We're going to find Argyle and then we're going to find you some water. You're in good hands."

"I'm so confused," Steve said as he watched them leave.

"I can see why you two are friends," Nancy said in amusement.

Argyle came back a moment later with bandages, medicine, and water. One look from Jonathan, he was scurrying back in but not before reminding Jonathan of the weed that was left in the van. While Steve was sitting on the edge of the van, Jonathan unwrapped his bandages while Nancy began rubbing ointment onto his road rashes. It was taking everything in her not to cry. Steve couldn't hold it in. With each touch, a tear and whimper slipped out.

"Steve, man, I think you should think about smoking the weed," Jonathan said. "I don't know how much it will help but it's got to be better than this."

"I haven't smoked since before Starcourt," Steve muttered. "Since they. . ."

He had been eaten alive but Nancy realized that he had also been tortured and drugged without his consent. At the time, she had been focused on looking after Jonathan. . .spending as much time with him before he left. It wasn't like she hadn't tried to reach out to him before but she had been hurt, too. She hadn't tried as hard as she should have.

"I'm sorry, Steve," Nancy whispered, running a hand through his hair.

"What are you sorry for?" Steve asked.

"You were there for me every single day, every single dinner with Barb's parents and I hated the way that I let things fall apart the way that they did," Nancy said. "You didn't deserve that. You weren't a shitty boyfriend, and despite how much pain I was in, you didn't deserve to be treated like that. I was a shitty girlfriend."

"Nance," Steve started to say. "You weren't a shitty girlfriend -"

"It's my god given right as a human woman to take responsibility for the mistakes I made and apologize for them," Nancy said.

"I could have been a little more understanding about it," Steve said with a sigh.

"You were being realistic, Steve," Nancy sighed. "I was driven by grief and arrogance. . .you were thinking about what would happen to everyone else if it failed. I was willing to get justice for Barb no matter what the cost was even if it meant never seeing my family again and I put Jonathan in danger because of it. The only reason it worked out the way that it did was because of what happened to the lab afterwards. . .if it hadn't been for Jane, what's happening now would have happened back then. I'm lucky Jane came back. You're a lot smarter than people give you credit for. You're not just some dumb jock with a pretty face."

"Barb deserved justice, Nance," Steve said.

"Yeah, well, we're young, Steve, and I thought because we somehow won before. . .that I could do it all on my own," Nancy said. "The only reason we've won in the past is because somehow all of us had managed to fight it together. Even when we didn't know were fighting it together. . .I'm not the only one who lost someone back then either. Hopper lost Benny and I think sometimes, I forget how much he hated having to put aside his feelings to work with those people. . .he thought about the bigger picture and what was safe for this whole town. I was arrogant and stubborn - ,"

"It's what I love about you," Steve blurted out and ducked his head. "Hopper thought about the bigger picture but you thought about the people left behind. It doesn't make you a bad person. It makes you so good."

"Sounds like neither one of you was wrong. . .just a shitty situation," Jonathan said.

"Yeah," Steve said.

"I didn't help the situation either," Jonathan shrugged.

"Well, you and Nancy couldn't help how you felt about each other," Steve said.

"Yeah, but we could have done better handling how we got together," Jonathan said.

"Yeah, well, nobody's perfect," Steve said. "Look, I'm no longer mad about that because honestly, my heartbreak was nothing - well, not nothing - compared to the hell you two went through with Will and Barb. I could deal with it. Besides, life is too short to be holding onto all of that especially when I know that neither one of you meant to hurt me. . .and that's not the thing that's hurting me right now."

Steve groaned and leaned backwards into the van. He let out a cry of pain when his back hit the floor of the van. Nancy and Jonathan crawled in with him, closing the doors behind them.

"I don't know what I could do. . .it's too much, all of it," Nancy said, letting out a sniffle as she stroked his hair. "I can take care of you, though, like you took care of me. Let us help you, Steve."

Steve groaned and tried to roll over towards Nancy but he couldn't. He ended up rolling his face into Jonathan's lap. Jonathan ran his hands through Steve's hair.

"I don't want to push it on you if you really aren't ready. . .but Steve, it could really help you," Jonathan said. "I could help ease you into it."

"I think I'd do anything at this point," Steve groaned.

Jonathan shifted so that his back was to the driver's seat and he carefully moved Steve so he was lying in between his legs. Steve moved up so his head was tucked under Jonathan's head and his back was hovering slightly against Jonathan's chest. He draped his arms over his legs.

"The weed and the lighter is in the glove box," Jonathan told Nancy. "Can you reach it?"

Nancy reached over and grabbed the stuff before handing it to Jonathan. He took the joint in between his fingers and let Nancy light it. Jonathan raised it to Steve's face.

"Okay, I guess it's time for me to open up," Steve quipped.

"Yes, tell me your deepest darkest secrets," Jonathan joked.

"Well, my mom couldn't have anymore kids after me but she really wanted a girl so she spent the first five years of my life raising me as a girl. I spent the next few years of my life trying to overcompensate for the fact that I didn't know I was born male and that most girls weren't born with penises," Steve said and he paused when Nancy gaped at him. "What? Too much?"

"You never told me that," Nancy said.

"Yeah, well, it's not something I like to broadcast," Steve blushed. "I never told you what my name is short for. . .it's so embarrassing. Back pocket is my driver's license."

Nancy reached into his back pocket and fished out his wallet. She opened it to Steve's license.

"Stephanie?!" Nancy exclaimed.

"Jesus," Jonathan said. "How the hell did you handle it?"

"Badly," Steve groaned and took a puff of the joint from between Jonathan's fingers. "My father ended up taking over and I think he ended up overcorrecting. I struggled with my identity for a long time. I didn't know who I was especially when my parents decided to abandon the mess they left behind. I think that's how King Steve was born. In the long run, though, I sort of realized like my sexuality I didn't want to choose one or the other. I just decided to accept all parts of myself which includes the feminine and masculine aspects. . .they're a part of me and honestly, they don't really change who I am as a person. I'm just Steve. My parents brought me into this world, but they don't get to decide who I am."

"Wow," Nancy said.

"Sexy," Jonathan muttered.

"Robin bought me a lot of books when I told her and I did a lot of meditating with her parents. They're hippies," Steve said. "You know, the weed is helping. . .Thanks, Jonathan."

Jonathan ran his finger down the bridge of Steve's nose.

"I told you," he said. "And I'm glad you're feeling better."

Nancy watched Jonathan kiss Steve's sweaty forehead. Steve sighed and closed his eyes.

"Part of my dream is coming true," Steve said. "Well, it's no RV but you're both here. . ."

"You pictured both of us?" Nancy asked.

"I do," Steve swallowed thickly. "Sorry, I didn't say it before, I guess I chickened out."

Jonathan turned Steve's face so that he was looking up at him. They stared at each other for a minute, not saying a word. Jonathan leaned down and brushed his lips against Steve’s. Nancy watched Steve freeze for a moment before responding to the kiss. It was a sweet and gentle kiss that lasted for about a minute. It made Nancy's heart grow warm at the sight of it. . .the sight of them. She had several dreams about this, minus Steve being hurt. Some of them are sweet like this and some of them, of course, are a bit naughty. More importantly, though, Nancy loved the way they looked at each other. When Jonathan leaned back, Nancy moved forward and took his place, giving Steve a sweet kiss as well.

"I think the weed is making me sleepy," Steve said smiling.

"Lay down," Jonathan said, pointing to his lap.

Steve shuffled down and lay his head in Jonathan's lap. Nancy moved down to the other end of the van and pulled Steve's legs into her lap, rubbing his thigh while Jonathan ran his fingers through his hair.

"We'll take care of you," Nancy whispered.

It was something they could do, look after someone they loved and while the world was in chaos, for a moment, it felt like everything was okay if they could just help Steve through this pain. Maybe it wasn't just the weed that was making him sleepy but the lack of sleep over the last two days. If he had been in this much pain then it had to have been horrible trying to lie down and sleep, plus the nightmares. . .Nancy looked up at Jonathan and she could see he was thinking the same thing. It didn't take long for Steve to drift off to sleep, his loud snores filling the van. She wondered if it was the weed and the lack of sleep or maybe it was because Steve felt safe with them that made him fall asleep so quickly. Perhaps it was all of the above.

"There's still some left," Jonathan said. "Do you want try some?"

Nancy looked at it. It was symbolic, she supposed, of the government and how far it was willing to go to control people. Why was this illegal when it was clearly helping Steve?

"Yes, please," Nancy grinned. "I think I would make an excellent hippie, don't you think?"

"Yeah, sure," Jonathan snorted in amusement.

Nancy took the joint and took a drag. She proceeded to cough.

"Baby steps," she gasped.

Nancy could see herself though, in a long flower-y skirt, promoting peace instead of war. As much as she loved having a gun in her hand, she did enjoy taking down the Man without using one. She could see the twinkle in Jonathan's eyes and she wondered if he could see it, too. She'd love writing articles ranting against the establishment with Jonathan and Steve by her side. With Jonathan taking photos, and Steve breaking gender stereotypes. . .if Steve wanted to, he'd look good in a skirt especially if it was his choice and not someone else's. She wondered if that's why he loves wearing polos so much. . .was it the first choice that he made without his parents defining who he was? They did look good on him, and he seemed to like the way they made him feel. Or maybe because men and women alike wore them?

"Get out of the 60s and come back to the present, Nance," Jonathan teased her, and she glared mockingly at him.

"Free love, Jonathan," was all Nancy said.

After they got done smoking, Nancy and Jonathan curled up on either side of Steve. Their own lack of sleep had caught up with them and their eyelids were starting to get heavy.

"We'll just close our eyes for a minute," Jonathan said.

"Yeah, just for a minute," Nancy yawned.

Nancy's eyes fluttered closed and she drifted off to sleep. Her dreams were dark at first, filled with images of Barb and Fred with Vecna's laughter echoing in the darkness but then she was running. She ran towards a bright light and into a meadow. She was wearing a long flowery skirt and a tie-dye tank top. Nancy could feel the flowers in her hair, nestled there like a crown. She could see an RV at the end of the meadow and she ran towards it, bursting into the RV. Steve and Jonathan were sitting in the front seat, holding hands. They smiled at her and she watched as her two men kissed each other lovingly. Hers. Her life. Nancy closed and locked the door behind her. Vecna couldn't find her here. The dream quickly faded and Nancy was starting to wake up to the sound of voices outside the van.

"Oh, just let them sleep, knowing the three of them they haven't been sleeping well," Nancy heard Joyce's voice.

"Right on," Argyle said.

"Yeah, none of us have but yeah, if they can get some sleep, they should," Nancy heard Robin.

"I'll check on Steve after they wake up," Joyce said.

"We'll go back in and help," Vickie said.

Nancy threw her arm over her men and rested her head on top of Steve's. They were going to get through this together but first, they were going to sleep.

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