#v. and if you never bleed you're never gonna grow | stranger things

[handsbloodied]

"Steve Harrington sit your ass down and listen for five seconds, please!" Judith didn't really know where she was going with that but getting his attention was the first step. "I swear to God I always thought it would be Riley that would give me grey hair but apparently it's going to be you."

@antihcroes | liked!

[handsbloodied]

Judith paused a moment, looking at Steve. "Hey," she dopped her tone, eyes softening, "Steve you're not an idiot, okay? Look, truth is I've gotten kinda used to you hanging around. And I like that you're there for my sister. It means a lot that she has someone like you on her side." She admitted. "Oh Em and I got this for sure but it's nice that we don't have to worry about that right now. You know, you're a good guy Harrington, I'm glad you weren't just another popular jock, you know after awhile." Judith couldn't help but laugh at the face he made. "Steve they're your kids they'll make fun of you when they find out you dye your hair."

"Yeah, I know." Steve replied, and he kept his tone light, giving a playful little roll of his eyes. He'd never admit just how much that affected him though, and he knew she was just kidding anyways. "Aw come on, you wouldn't be completely alone. You'd have Em, and possibly Nancy ..." His ex wasn't exactly apart of their little group, far too busy doing her own thing, but he knew she'd help if needed. "But you got a point there, I guess that's why you need me. Who else will take her off your hands?" He was joking again though, wide grin on his face. "Hm, really, you think so? Maybe I'll just keep it that way then." He made a little face though at the comment about the kids. "Or maybe not, to keep them from being insufferable. I'll have to dye it."

[handsbloodied]

@antihcroes sent: "it's not as bad as it looks..." (from steve?)

"Steve you look like shit how the hell is that not as bad as it looks?" She asked, practically pulling him inside. "Jesus have you ever actually won a fight you've been in?" Judith sighed, going to grab him an ice pack. "Why did you come here instead of going to the hospital? Steve who did this to you?" Maybe don't ask so many questions at once and let him answer one. "Just, lie down I don't want you to pass out on me.

[handsbloodied]

tag drop part one (jude's tags and verses)

[handsbloodied]

"Yeah well they were right." She rolled her eyes with another small laugh. "Good because if I was left alone to handle Robin and all the kids I'd go crazy." Judith laughed. "I can barely handle my sister somedays." She rolled her eyes. "You'd look good with like one stripe of grey hair right down the middle, like a distinguished old man." Judith grinned. "Oh yeah they totally would, they'd make sure everyone knew too."

"So I've been told, by many." Steve replied, with a little smile, little shake of his head. "Aw, such kind words, Jude. I'm touched." He placed a hand over his heart, feigning being honored. Though his expression turned more, soft, serious, as he spoke again. "But I will. Try that is. Promise." He gave a slight nod as if to confirm this before he was back to joking around again, letting the mood turn light once more. He gave a little laugh, another little nod. "Honestly, you're not wrong there. Somehow I feel like the shitheads will be proud of that. Well, some of them at least."

[handsbloodied]

"You're an idiot." She couldn't help but laugh as he pointed at her. "All I ask is that you try. Frankly I've grown used to you hanging around and it would be super shitty if suddenly I didn't have another person to drive me nuts." Although she never would have thought she'd actually like having people annoy her. "Please you'll be lucky if you're not completely grey by the time you're thirty." She laughed, doing her best to lighten the mood a little.

Steve gave a little snap of his fingers, pointing at her. "Yeah, resilient, that's it." He gave a little nod, though her next words have him growing a little more serious, almost somber. His eyes flicked down to his lap for a second, before back up at her. "I know, I know, okay? And I'm going to ... try really hard not to get myself killed." A pause. "But I'm not going to promise to stop playing hero or whatever. Someone's gotta keep everyone safe, and I seem to be pretty damn good at it." He gave a little shrug, lips quirking as he looked down again.

He tried to shift the mood, focusing on the other part of their conversation now. "Hm whatever you say ... all my grey hairs will be named after each of the little shits, Riley's included in that. Maybe a few for Robin too." A little laugh escaped. "And don't worry, Jude, I wasn't asking you to."

[handsbloodied]

"The word you're looking for is resilient." She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Resilient doesn't mean invincible Steve. What the hell are we supposed to do if you die? What am I gonna tell Emma? Or Riley?" She always worried, that was her thing. "Steve I'm not asking for a lot, okay? Just don't be an idiot." She shrugged. "Or at least don't be an idiot who gets himself killed."

"Oh yeah I'm naming my first grey hair Riley and my second one Steve." Judith nodded with a small laugh before making a face. "Okay that's more something for someone else who is not me to comment on because I'll vomit." She teased.

Oh, that's what this was about. The type of lecture Steve really didn't want to hear, something he really didn't want to listen to. He let out a little sigh. "Okay, well first of all, I'd like to point out that it hasn't gotten me killed yet. I'm pretty ... resistant?" It came out sounding unsure and he instantly made a face, knowing that wasn't right. "Uh, no, that's not the word ... but anyways - the point is. I'm fine. I'll be fine." He paused, looking down a little. "You don't need to worry, no one does. Nothing's going to happen to me. I know what I'm doing." He looked back up now, giving a little roll of his eyes. "Sure I am." Though it came out playful, sarcastic. "And I don't think I'm Indiana Jones, by the way. I'm so much better looking."

[handsbloodied]

Judith was kind of impressed with herself when Steve actually listened and sat down. "Trying to act like a goddamn action hero is only gonna get you killed!" She huffed, running a hand through her hair. "Despite what you think you're not Indiana Jones!" How could you possibly know that he thinks he's Indiana Jones? Judith sighed. "We're not losing anyone else, so just... use your head okay? I don't want to have to break the news that you died. You're definitely close second by the way."

An offended look crossed Steve's face, a little scoff escaping, but begrudgingly he sat down - looking up at Judith with the same expression still on his face. "Fine, fine, okay, I'm sitting. What?" He came off as annoyed more than actually angry though. "And as someone who definitely already has grey hairs from Riley, I take offense to that. I am not that bad."

[handsbloodied]

"Well that's his loss. I much prefer not mega-asshole Steve." Judith admitted. "He's a good guy, who treats my best friend like a princess and is a surprisingly good part of my sister's life." She pointed out. "Look, do I hate that I have to send you to Emma looking like this? Yes I do. Am I glad that you at least tried to kick his ass for making comments? Yes I am." She loved the rest of the group, and was happy that Steve did stand up for them, even if it would've been easier, at least on his face, if he went back to his old ways, even for just one conversation. "Hey don't take away my one thing. I'm the girl with the First Aid kit here." She pouted. "This parts gonna suck though, I have to clean your wounds and it's gonna hurt like a bitch." A brief pause. "If you hit me, I'll hit you back Harrington."

Steve let out a little, almost sad-sounding, sigh. "He hasn't exactly been my biggest fan since I decided to, y'know, stop being a mega-asshole and ditched him and Carol for a much better group of people. Decided it'd be funny to make some comments about said people, I told him off and he didn't take too kindly to that." He gestured to his face as if to emphasize. "He always used to say I wouldn't be able to beat him in a fight, guess he was right." He gave a little shrug, with his less bruised shoulder this time, bringing the towel to wipe underneath his eye now. "And thanks, Jude, I'll keep that in mind. Usually I'm alright with taking care of this myself, I just didn't think I'd make it home like this. Or at least not without someone seeing me and calling the cops."

[handsbloodied]

Judith sat next to him and crossed her legs. "Tommy Hagan?" She repeated, eyes going wide for a minute. "Wow, what the hell did you do to him that he made you look like that?" She asked, turning to face him as she opened her small First Aid kit, grabbing a few supplies. "Look, Steve as much as I hate people just showing up looking like they could die on me, I'm glad that you felt like you could come to me." She admitted with a smile. "You're always welcome to come to me if you get into a fight and you can't go to the hospital."

Steve took the offered towel with a small 'thanks', though if he was being honest he was thanking her for a lot more than just the towel. He let out a long sigh as he began to carefully dab at the blood he could feel pooled on his bottom lip, wincing only a little. He should've known he wouldn't be able to get away with not telling her. "It was Tommy ... Hagan." He said quietly, looking away from her as he did. He was still kind of in shock that it had even happened, after all the two of them hadn't really spoke since junior year, and now this. "And yeah ... sorry about that, I'll try not to make this a regular occurence." Though with his track record that wasn't exactly a solid promise.

[handsbloodied]

"Yeah c'mon..." She pulled him along to the living room. "Okay fine, no hospital." Walking into the bathroom she grabbed a couple towels, the and painkillers before going back to the kitchen to grab a bag of frozen vegetables. Walking back into the living room, Judith raised an eyebrow as he talked. "You came to me, you're telling me who did this to you, whether they're gonna bother you again or not." Judith wasn't really asking this time as she held out one of the towels. "Here. I appreciate you not freaking out Emma, Robin or the kids but the next time you come over can you try not to look like your face met the pavement more times than the marching band in the Thanksgiving parade." She grimaced.

Steve went to open his mouth to answer her, but then she was asking a lot more questions and it was getting kind of hard to keep up. Especially with how his head felt. "Okay, whoa, that's a lot of questions. Uh, just give me a minute." He carefully took a seat, trying not to bleed on anything. "Hospital is a no-go, they ask too many questions and my parents would be pretty pissed if an unnecessary charge showed up on the insurance. Really don't need much more than some painkillers and a place to clean up anyways." He gave a shrug, though he couldn't hide the wince that came as he did so. "I came here 'cause Robin or Emma would freak out and the kids ... don't need to deal with this." He gave a vague gesture to himself. "And ... it doesn't matter who did it. I'll be fine and they're not gonna bother me again."