[ There's a small bit of relief at the fact that he smiles at her, instead of fixing her with the glare she probably deserves. He had looked the same as he had the other day, but now that she's closer and not staring at him from the other side of the gym, it's easier to see the dark shadows under his eyes and the stiffness in his movements.
She steps into the space he makes for her easily, the last few days having reinstated the easy way they used to move around each other. Her shoulder is nearly touching his as she reaches for the nearest item of clothing and checks the tag for the size.
She glances over at him, her eyes lingering on his face with barely concealed concern. ] How are you feeling?
[Steve has no reason to scowl at her or be dismissive. It's actually comforting to have her standing by his side given what they've both been through this passed week. He remains silent as both their hands fumble through the pile of clothes, their fingers bumping into each other's on occasion.
He should have known she would ask how he was doing. That was the big question everyone seemed to be asking, right? He nods his head in response.]
Good. I'm good. How bout you?
[He isn't being truthful but he knows that Nancy has had a lot on her shoulders, she still does and he isn't about to add to her stress.]
[ Nancy furrows her brow at the t-shirt she's folding at his answer. She'd know he was lying even if she hadn't seen the physical manifestations of their Spring Break from hell.
Considering that their hometown was an official disaster area, their friends were in the hospital with life threatening injuries and they'd barely made it out with their own lives, it's hard to imagine that anyone could be good right now.
A week ago she would've left it and let him have his space. But things had shifted in the last few days. She's realized how much she's missed having Steve around. Knows that she wouldn't have been able to hold it together without him over the last week and now she decides she can't let it go at that anymore.
She lowers the shirt and looks at him, concern shifting into something more firm. ] And the bites?
[Steve bites back a sigh at the tone of Nancy's voice and continues to sort through the mess of donations. He doesn't want to talk about his injuries or how he might not be alright himself. He doesn't want to cloud her head with worry that he could be placed in the hospital too.
They both can't afford that. The two of them have to remain standing for the sake of everyone else or if the threat of Vecna returns. ]
A little sore sometimes.
[All the damn time.
He can feel her eyes literally burning through him with both concern and frustration. Typical Nancy Wheeler for you.]
[ Once upon a time she would've rolled her eyes at him and called him an idiot. Now she just takes a deep breath and turns towards him, putting a hand on her hip and staring him down.
The more he says he's "fine" the more she's getting the feeling he really isn't. She still remembers the way he'd sagged against Skull Rock after they'd gotten him away from the bats. The way he'd pretended like they'd done him a favor by going after him. As if she'd had any choice at all. As if she'd ever have any regrets about going after him.
It's funny how quickly she's gone to worrying that he might be upset with her to being over him brushing her off. She blames the last few days for her lack of patience. Vecna's vision for an overwhelming sense of urgency. The defeated and exhausted look on his face for her not being smart enough to get them all out okay.
She snags his elbow and pulls him towards the boy's locker room. ] Come on.
[Let it be known that Nancy Wheeler is tiny but damn is she a force of nature. Steve glances over his shoulder as she places her hands along her petite, slender hips and fixes him with another look. He knows that look a little too well but he doesn't have the energy to argue. There is also the fear that if they begin fighting now that by the end of it she would want nothing to do with him.
He can't afford to lose her again. Not that she's his but they had finally reconnect. It hadn't been under the greatest circumstances but the terror that lurked under Hawkins had pulled them back together. He blinks as she takes his elbow and begins to tug him towards the boy's locker room.]
Would you stop, please?
[He mutters lowly as she pulls him along with every ounce of determination in her small body. He genuinely feels she's overreacting and the bites he's endured aren't all that serious, just irritated. ]
[ She's not mad, even if her mouth is tight around the edges. She's just too tired to stand there and watch Steve suffer because he's too stubborn to acknowledge that he's not okay. That and the more he protests, the more she's worried about what she's going to find. If he was really okay, he'd probably be joking about it. The self deprecating kind that he does to put everyone else at ease.
But he's not doing that.
She pushes the door open to the deserted locker room and leads him over to the first bench where she finally let's go of his arm. Not that her grip had been that forceful. She sighs, her expression softening a little. ] Just... put my mind at ease, okay?
[The walk to the abandoned boy's locker room seemed much further than Steve remembered. He isn't out of shape by any means but the walk has left him feeling both exhausted and a little light headed. He can feel the beads of sweat forming along his brow, leaving his hair a bit damp. A hand goes out to brace himself as he slowly sits, not allowing his expression to show any form of discomfort.
Steve catches a glance at Nancy's face and het expression is just as exhausted as he feels. She has him at please.
He's a bit hesitant at first, fingers gripping along the bottom of his shirt. After a minute he sucks in a breathe before he tugs it off his form with a hiss. His wounds now exposed in the open. The broken skin around the bites are a bright red, a clear indication that the skin is highly irritated. The marks left behind hadn't closed, not a one.
They didn't appear to be healing properly or at all. ]
[ She gives him a small, encouraging smile when he moves to pull off his shirt. It fades into shock when she sees the wounds. They aren't as bad as that first time, but they don't look much better. She inhales sharply, her eyes flicking to his face. ] Oh, Steve.
[ She can't imagine what they must feel like, but they look angry and terrible. Somehow his whisper of denial makes it even worse. She knits her brow and kneels in front of him, putting a hand on his knee. ] No, it isn't. Have you had one of the doctors look at it?
[It's obvious that Steve has been neglecting his own well being because all of his time and effort has been placed into everyone else's. He had took the responsibility of keeping everyone safe on himself years ago, he wasn't about to slow down due to some stupid bites.
Stupid bites that felt like they were burning his insides and flesh.
He winces slightly at her sharp inhale, guilt already sinking in as he hears the worry linger within her soft voice. This is exactly what Steve didn't want, another concern weighing heavily on Nancy's shoulders.
He shifts slightly at her touch and his gaze pulls away from her pretty face. He can't handle the look of distress in her eyes.]
[ Guilt settles low in her belly as he looks away. She should've known that Steve would put everything and everyone first. That he'd refuse to let anything, even something this big stop him from being the protector of the party. She'd spent the last two days trying to reconnect with Jonathan and helping at the cabin. She should've checked in with him.
The wounds weren't even covered. Was it because he couldn't wrap them himself? Why hadn't he asked Robin for help? She presses her lips together, resolve strengthening inside her. Her voice is soft but made of steel as she squeezes his knee and straightens up. ]
I'm going to wrap these up for you and then we're going to the hospital.
[Steve didn't want to worry anyone with his own problems. They had all been through so much, each of them drowning themselves in work to help avoid the trauma Vecna has left them to deal with. Steve couldn't admit it outloud but he had piled so much on himself the day Jonathan had came back to town. The image of Nancy rushing to be in his arms still lingered deep within Steve's mind.
It was on constant replay.
How in the hell can he even begin to admit how much that had bothered him? Still bothers him. He's not going to make Nancy feel guilty just because his feelings won't fade.
He's grabbing her wrist gently at the mention of the hospital.]
Steve... [ She frowns at him, not wanting to completely bulldoze him into something he doesn't want, but also seriously concerned. She's not a professional. All she knows about first aid she learned in health class and from reading a few books. She swallows at the feel of his fingers still on her wrist.] At least let me get one of the volunteer nurses out there to look at it. What if you need antibiotics?
[ It's concerning that they don't look like they're healing at all. What if there's something in the Upside Down that regular medicine won't work on? What if there's nothing she can do for him? The thought makes her chest tighten and she steps forward, reaching out to push his hair back of his sweaty forehead gently.] I promise not to hold a gun to your head, I just want to make sure you're okay.
It's the pleading within her force that has Steve turning his head from her in shame. He knows neglecting his own injuries had been selfish and foolish. By doing so could have jeopardized his own life, possibly has but Steve wasn't about to place himself first when others around him needed him.
Where would they be if something awful happened to him? He hadn't even thought about that or maybe he had but ignored it.
He runs both his hands down his damp face in frustration and embarrassment. He can't argue that the wounds have grown more severe over the past few days and he's in need of medical attention. There is also no arguing with Nancy Wheeler.
He learned that the hard way.
He slumps over in defeat, biting back a soft noise at the sensation of her fingers threading through his damp hair.]
Thank you. [ She half whispers it, her hand moving through his hair in another stroke. She just wants to make him feel better. Wants to be able to do something other than just standing by and watching him suffer. ]
[ She scratches the crown of his head lightly with her fingernails, the way she knows he used to like. ] I promise to make it as painless as possible. You'll be back to folding clothes in no time.
[Maybe Steve is supposed to suffer? His injuries could be some form of a twisted punishment for the person he once was, the total asshole. It could just be a horrible reminder that the Upside Down is still alive and thriving. In the end does it even matter?
Nancy's fingernails are sending chills vibrating up his spine and along the back of his neck. Shit, he always loved when she would do this. It both relaxed and turned him on. He forces himself to pull back from her touch for both their sake. He has to fight the temptation to wrap his arms around her waist like he used too or nuzzle his face against her abdomen.]
[ He pulls back and she realizes that she's crossed a line. She presses her lips together, more in consternation at herself than anything else, and drops her hand to her side.
She knows they should talk about the last few days. She knows she's not the only one that felt the old sparks between them. Robin had basically told her as much, but things were complicated. They were always complicated.
But she knows she can't take him not wanting her to touch him or him not wanting to tell her if he's hurting. She sits on the bench beside him.] I'm really worried about you. [ She doesn't like admitting it because then it means that there's a reason to be worried. ] I need to know you're going to be taken care of, okay?
[It's not that Steve doesn't want to be touched by her, it's not that he doesn't appreciate her comfort but he can't allow himself to need it. That would be crossing a line on his part and he certainly didn't want to place Nancy in that position. Especially now that they're actually on speaking terms again.
And like Nancy, Steve believes they both need to sit down and have a serious heart to heart about everything but unfortunately the cards have never fallen that way between the two. Steve has no idea how Nancy feels towards him and maybe that's for the best? She seemed content upon Jonathan's return and Steve pulled himself back for good reason.
He wasn't a man that cheated and he would never lower himself to such a level.
But that doesn't numb the sudden guilt and ache when she joins him on the bench and expresses her concern for him. It's a bit ironic that she seems genuinely worried about his well being now given the many times he's been injured in the past and she's not been bothered. ]
I promise I'll be fine, Nancy. I always am aren't I? This time was just a bit more serious is all.
[ He's right. It's far from the first time Steve's gotten himself hurt. He'd gotten himself tortured by Russians last Summer, which was something that she can't believe she let herself forget even for a moment. But this feels different. It's not just a bit more serious.
She looks over at him and shakes her head lightly.] Steve, don't pretend like it's not a big deal. You almost died. [ Her brow furrows slighly as if the thought hurts her. ] I know you're tough. Strong. But this time you need to let me help you, the way you help us.
[ She takes a deep breath. ] If it had been Dustin instead of you that was bitten, don't tell me you'd be okay with letting him handle it on his own.
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She steps into the space he makes for her easily, the last few days having reinstated the easy way they used to move around each other. Her shoulder is nearly touching his as she reaches for the nearest item of clothing and checks the tag for the size.
She glances over at him, her eyes lingering on his face with barely concealed concern. ] How are you feeling?
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He should have known she would ask how he was doing. That was the big question everyone seemed to be asking, right? He nods his head in response.]
Good. I'm good. How bout you?
[He isn't being truthful but he knows that Nancy has had a lot on her shoulders, she still does and he isn't about to add to her stress.]
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Considering that their hometown was an official disaster area, their friends were in the hospital with life threatening injuries and they'd barely made it out with their own lives, it's hard to imagine that anyone could be good right now.
A week ago she would've left it and let him have his space. But things had shifted in the last few days. She's realized how much she's missed having Steve around. Knows that she wouldn't have been able to hold it together without him over the last week and now she decides she can't let it go at that anymore.
She lowers the shirt and looks at him, concern shifting into something more firm. ] And the bites?
This girl!
They both can't afford that. The two of them have to remain standing for the sake of everyone else or if the threat of Vecna returns. ]
A little sore sometimes.
[All the damn time.
He can feel her eyes literally burning through him with both concern and frustration. Typical Nancy Wheeler for you.]
Nance it's fine. I'm fine.
This boy!!
The more he says he's "fine" the more she's getting the feeling he really isn't. She still remembers the way he'd sagged against Skull Rock after they'd gotten him away from the bats. The way he'd pretended like they'd done him a favor by going after him. As if she'd had any choice at all. As if she'd ever have any regrets about going after him.
It's funny how quickly she's gone to worrying that he might be upset with her to being over him brushing her off. She blames the last few days for her lack of patience. Vecna's vision for an overwhelming sense of urgency. The defeated and exhausted look on his face for her not being smart enough to get them all out okay.
She snags his elbow and pulls him towards the boy's locker room. ] Come on.
He's a mess!
He can't afford to lose her again. Not that she's his but they had finally reconnect. It hadn't been under the greatest circumstances but the terror that lurked under Hawkins had pulled them back together. He blinks as she takes his elbow and begins to tug him towards the boy's locker room.]
Would you stop, please?
[He mutters lowly as she pulls him along with every ounce of determination in her small body. He genuinely feels she's overreacting and the bites he's endured aren't all that serious, just irritated. ]
Come on, they need us out there.
Re: He's a mess!
[ She's not mad, even if her mouth is tight around the edges. She's just too tired to stand there and watch Steve suffer because he's too stubborn to acknowledge that he's not okay. That and the more he protests, the more she's worried about what she's going to find. If he was really okay, he'd probably be joking about it. The self deprecating kind that he does to put everyone else at ease.
But he's not doing that.
She pushes the door open to the deserted locker room and leads him over to the first bench where she finally let's go of his arm. Not that her grip had been that forceful. She sighs, her expression softening a little. ] Just... put my mind at ease, okay?
Please?
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Steve catches a glance at Nancy's face and het expression is just as exhausted as he feels. She has him at please.
He's a bit hesitant at first, fingers gripping along the bottom of his shirt. After a minute he sucks in a breathe before he tugs it off his form with a hiss. His wounds now exposed in the open. The broken skin around the bites are a bright red, a clear indication that the skin is highly irritated. The marks left behind hadn't closed, not a one.
They didn't appear to be healing properly or at all. ]
It's fine....
[He whispers in a hushed voice]
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[ She can't imagine what they must feel like, but they look angry and terrible. Somehow his whisper of denial makes it even worse. She knits her brow and kneels in front of him, putting a hand on his knee. ] No, it isn't. Have you had one of the doctors look at it?
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Stupid bites that felt like they were burning his insides and flesh.
He winces slightly at her sharp inhale, guilt already sinking in as he hears the worry linger within her soft voice. This is exactly what Steve didn't want, another concern weighing heavily on Nancy's shoulders.
He shifts slightly at her touch and his gaze pulls away from her pretty face. He can't handle the look of distress in her eyes.]
No.
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The wounds weren't even covered. Was it because he couldn't wrap them himself? Why hadn't he asked Robin for help? She presses her lips together, resolve strengthening inside her. Her voice is soft but made of steel as she squeezes his knee and straightens up. ]
I'm going to wrap these up for you and then we're going to the hospital.
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It was on constant replay.
How in the hell can he even begin to admit how much that had bothered him? Still bothers him. He's not going to make Nancy feel guilty just because his feelings won't fade.
He's grabbing her wrist gently at the mention of the hospital.]
No hospital.
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[ It's concerning that they don't look like they're healing at all. What if there's something in the Upside Down that regular medicine won't work on? What if there's nothing she can do for him? The thought makes her chest tighten and she steps forward, reaching out to push his hair back of his sweaty forehead gently.] I promise not to hold a gun to your head, I just want to make sure you're okay.
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It's the pleading within her force that has Steve turning his head from her in shame. He knows neglecting his own injuries had been selfish and foolish. By doing so could have jeopardized his own life, possibly has but Steve wasn't about to place himself first when others around him needed him.
Where would they be if something awful happened to him? He hadn't even thought about that or maybe he had but ignored it.
He runs both his hands down his damp face in frustration and embarrassment. He can't argue that the wounds have grown more severe over the past few days and he's in need of medical attention. There is also no arguing with Nancy Wheeler.
He learned that the hard way.
He slumps over in defeat, biting back a soft noise at the sensation of her fingers threading through his damp hair.]
Alright.
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[ She scratches the crown of his head lightly with her fingernails, the way she knows he used to like. ] I promise to make it as painless as possible. You'll be back to folding clothes in no time.
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Nancy's fingernails are sending chills vibrating up his spine and along the back of his neck. Shit, he always loved when she would do this. It both relaxed and turned him on. He forces himself to pull back from her touch for both their sake. He has to fight the temptation to wrap his arms around her waist like he used too or nuzzle his face against her abdomen.]
Yeah.
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She knows they should talk about the last few days. She knows she's not the only one that felt the old sparks between them. Robin had basically told her as much, but things were complicated. They were always complicated.
But she knows she can't take him not wanting her to touch him or him not wanting to tell her if he's hurting. She sits on the bench beside him.] I'm really worried about you. [ She doesn't like admitting it because then it means that there's a reason to be worried. ] I need to know you're going to be taken care of, okay?
Even if you don't want it to be me.
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And like Nancy, Steve believes they both need to sit down and have a serious heart to heart about everything but unfortunately the cards have never fallen that way between the two. Steve has no idea how Nancy feels towards him and maybe that's for the best? She seemed content upon Jonathan's return and Steve pulled himself back for good reason.
He wasn't a man that cheated and he would never lower himself to such a level.
But that doesn't numb the sudden guilt and ache when she joins him on the bench and expresses her concern for him. It's a bit ironic that she seems genuinely worried about his well being now given the many times he's been injured in the past and she's not been bothered. ]
I promise I'll be fine, Nancy. I always am aren't I? This time was just a bit more serious is all.
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She looks over at him and shakes her head lightly.] Steve, don't pretend like it's not a big deal. You almost died. [ Her brow furrows slighly as if the thought hurts her. ] I know you're tough. Strong. But this time you need to let me help you, the way you help us.
[ She takes a deep breath. ] If it had been Dustin instead of you that was bitten, don't tell me you'd be okay with letting him handle it on his own.