𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐲

vi. talk to me.

     

     ON THE way to this Ms. Kelley, school counselor place, James kept glancing over at Max who has her Walkman headphones on. "What are you listening to?" He asked and she turns her head to look at him. "Hm?" She slips off one side. "What are you listening to?" He repeated his question as Steve glanced at the two through the rearview mirror.

"Just... this song, you'll probably think it's dumb." She pressed play again and he held one side of the walkman headphones to her hear. And if only I could, I'd make a deal with God and I'd get him to swap our places. His heart clenched and he felt a lump in his throat. But smiled, "Kate Bush... good taste." He nods, handing it back over but Steve could see the look in his eyes and Max can sense his feelings over the song too, she knows how he feels.

James looked to the front and even made eye contact with Steve for a couple of moments. "Right here." Dustin pointed and Steve pulled over, parking the car. "It won't take long. I think..." Max said, putting her Walkman between her and James which she glanced at. "Have a listen if you feel like it..." She smiles and he nods before she hops out of the car.

Steve, Dustin and James now watch as Max headed inside with Ms. Kelley. "She's in." Steve tells Dustin and James. "I'm missing collarbones, not eyes." Dustin tells him and James chuckles, but covers it up with a forced cough. "So, we gonna talk about it?" Dustin said suddenly and James glanced at him, thinking that it was about Steve and him.

"Uh, sorry? Talk about what?" Steve looks back at Dustin. "Your temporary insanity earlier when you basically threw yourself at Nance?" He says and James knows what Dustin's doing again, so he doesn't entertain this with his reaction Dustin is clearly expecting as he stared at the house belonging to Ms. Kelley.

"That's not what happened." Steve said, glancing at James quickly as he spoke. "Pretty sure that's what happened. It was pretty public. There were a lot of witnesses." The Henderson says as the Harrington glanced at the Hopper in the back seat again. "You implying I still have a thing for Nance?" Steve asked. "I'm stating. And, as it relates to your steadfast refusal to get back together with James," Dustin pointed at the man in the backseat who immediately looked at him, "it's pretty much the only logical explanation." He added afterwards.

"That's not the only one." Steve said and literally looked at James in the eyes before looking at Dustin. "And as for Nance, I was just trying to protect a friend." He explains, "a friend." He firmly said, looking at James who just squinted his eyes. "Okay." Dustin says.

His voice is smug and he has a smile on his face again. "Don't wanna find her with her eyes sucked out of her skull by this Vecna creep." Steve says and James sighs, patting his pocket to confirm which side his cigarettes are on as Dustin chuckles. "You're bright red in the face right now." The boy mused.

"I'm gonna smoke." James got out of the vehicle pretty quickly, standing at the back of the car. After a couple seconds of standing, Steve hopped out of the car and looked at James, sighing when he saw the look on the Hopper's face. "Um... is everything okay with you? Dustin, uh, sort of mentioned... you smelled like booze." He says, just standing there as Dustin peered at them through the windows so James sent the boy a look.

"Yeah... just... had a couple of drinks." He looked back at Steve, letting out a small sigh as the Harrington leans against his car, crossing his arms. "You know... you can talk to me, right?" He said and James just glanced away. "Please just talk to me. I'm right here." Steve gestured to himself and James looks up.

He contemplates telling Steve. Those shitty headaches he gets, the stupid nosebleeds that remind him of El, the dumb dreams that rack his mind with anxiety. But then he remembers those little moments with Steve and Nancy, their looks at one another and their waves and the very fact that Steve would drop whatever he was doing just to stick by Nancy's side.