The age old story of two best friends falling in love...
... Only, one's a lab experiment with an entire Upside Down hunting her down, and the other won't leave her side, no matter how hard she tries.
steve harrington x fem oc / season 2 o...
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chapter fifteen ruby's world
🖤
RUBY BRENNER IS MANY THINGS. SUPER hot (... duh), a feisty journalist (how else did she get head of the school newspaper?), and, above all else (because, deep down, this is the most important part of her being) a defender against the Upside Down. Specifically, the creatures that reside there. So, when she watches Dustin load one demodog carcass into the Byers' refrigerator, she raises an eyebrow.
"Why... would you do that?" she says.
"It's not to eat," says Dustin, just as Steve helps him shove the demodog into place. "It's for science."
Ruby's apprehensive.
It's been a couple hours now, and they've set up an interrogation room for Will, in some shed outside the Byers' house. Now, they're waiting for him to reveal something (anything) to them. Ruby keeps on thinking if she should try and do something herself, but she worries that if that kid is connected to the mind flayer, and it senses Ruby, something worse will happen. Is it bad, that she's scared, when her helping could improve things? ... She isn't sure.
"You know, Henderson, I think Sinclair just said he needed you," says Steve, glancing at Dustin. He gives him a look, and Ruby frowns, because clearly Lucas said shit.
But, something dawns on Dustin, who goes, "Ohhhh. Yes! I will go now." He winks at Ruby, which she finds weird, and walks past her, leaving herself and Steve in the kitchen.
The last time they were alone, they said they liked each other. Well, OK, they said they would go into a burning building for each other, which translates to wanting to die for one another, an intense declaration even for them. But they've always been like that. Aggressively best friends, so over the top with their affections and protectiveness. Ruby used to use her powers so he could win fights, Steve got mad when any guy was an ass to her. She remembers last year, when Jonathan took that photo of her half-naked, and Steve wanted to kill him. So... They've always been intense. Ruby wonders if that was this supposed attraction between the two. Aggressively friends because they felt something stronger.
"They're not so bad, you know," he says to her, referring to the kids. Ruby nods, somehow agreeing with him. "So."
"So," she says.
They're silent for a moment. Ruby leans against the kitchen table, and watches him slowly move closer.
"Do you feel that?" says Ruby, and she starts to smirk. "The electricity."
Steve rolls his eyes. "You're such an ass."
"Yeah, best ass in class," she says.
"So what does that make me? If I'm so hot—"
Ruby starts laughing. They're meant to be keeping their voices down, though, in case Will the Spy hears them, so she quickly covers her mouth with her hand.
