Delirium

Chapter Twenty-Five: The Elevator

Liv sighed as she looked up the length of the ladder. She had already climbed the damn thing too many times to count. It's like they knew she was scared of heights so they chose that place to make her the most uncomfortable.

The only difference was this time Steve had his hand on the small of her back, rubbing soft circles along her spine to try and soothe her. "You didn't faint this time," he congratulated her in the same fashion that Dustin had earlier that day.

"If the standard of good behavior is me not passing out then the bar is incredibly low." She looked at him. Despite having been on the roof for thirty minutes, her heart had not slowed down. She didn't think it was the height anymore. She figured it had more to do with Erica being lost in the vents somewhere.

Not lost. She has a map.

"You know," Liv whispered as Robin and Dustin were preoccupied keeping a lookout. "We should be back at my apartment by now."

He sighed and leaned against her shoulder. "I know. I keep thinking about earlier and how we promised to pick up where we left off after work." He looked around the dark roof. The night sky darkened his eyes until all the green flushed out of them, leaving them two endless black pits. Still, she wouldn't mind staring into them and losing herself. "This isn't exactly what I had in mind for a romantic evening."

She smiled and leaned into him. "Let's figure out what the Russians are hiding in our mall, then we can go back to my place and celebrate. Hell, you can even spend the night if you want. Who knows how late it'll be after our-uh-" her cheeks heated as she glanced over at Dustin and Robin to ensure they weren't listening. "-festivities are over."

"Oh, if I have anything to say about it, that'll take a few hours."

The heat soaked into her cheeks fully, staining them a cherry red she was sure would never fully go away. "Oh." She squeaked.

He grinned cheekily, obviously enjoying the added pigment to her cheeks. Under the ruse of night, he bent down and let his lips brush against her jawline. "You're not as confident when it's you being teased." His hot breath fanned down the side of her neck. She swallowed to try and keep her composure as he kissed the edge of her jaw. He trailed his lips across her jawline until they lined up with hers. She let out a breath as she felt the heat of his lips against hers.

"The guard is gone," Dustin whispered.

Steve pulled away, leaving her aching for the press of his lips against hers. She had never been so desperate for anything more in her life.

Still, they were on a mission, so she straightened up and looked over at Robin and Dustin. "Radio Erica, then." She whispered so they couldn't hear the waver to her voice, but Steve snickered quietly as he heard it.

Robin held up the walkie-talkie. "Erica, do you copy?"

"Mhm. I copy. You nerds in position or what?"

Liv sighed, feeling her mood deplete at Erica's incredible annoyance. "Nerds? Really?"

"I know, it's like she doesn't even know that we are two of the coolest people in Hawkins," Steve whispered back.

She rose her eyebrows as she looked at him. "We?" She motioned between the two of them. "Sorry to disappoint, Pretty Boy, but Dustin and I hold that title."

He gaped at her. His eyes dropped to her neck as though he thought about bringing it up, but thought better. "Third coolest?" He tried again.

She sucked in a breath through her teeth. "I don't know... There's always Robin-" she motioned toward the new addition to their team. "She was the one to crack the code, and she thought of the blueprints. She's a bonafide genius all on her own... she might be with us."