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"Yeah, just give us a minute." Scout nodded from the RV, encouraging the others to leave her. After everyone got out, she'd noticed Tate lingering behind more then usual. With a shut to the doors, she walked back to where he stayed sitting. Tate had his hands locked behind his neck, his face forcing itself to look down at the floor. Scout kneeled down infront of him, more on his level. "Hey."
He didn't answer her, his eyes meeting hers though. Scout took his hands. "Talk to me."
"I don't wanna do this." he whispered to her, like he was scared to say it too loudly.
"We don't have to." she lied, they did have do. But, he didn't have to. They could figure something else out, something mediocre that would likely be nothing compared to his plan.
"Yeah, we do." Tate corrected her, shutting his eyes. "I'm gonna fuck it up so bad."
"You're not." Scout shook her head. "There's nothing to fuck up. Whatever you do, whatever you can do, you'll still be trying. That's all we're aiming for right now."
"Yeah, with Max's life on the line." he sat up fully, his eyes were wide and glossed with pure panic. "I can't go-"
He stopped, Scout stood up to sit next to him. She took his head and turned it to her, keeping her hands there to help ground him. Tate exhaled. "I can't go back there, Scout. I was there almost an entire year, you don't understand what that felt like."
"I know, and i'm so sorry that I don't." Scout knew that if she did understand, she could help take some of his fear and pain away. She moved in closer, hands still on either side of his face. "Tate, all you have to do is say you want to stay here and you can. Non of us are gonna force you to do something you don't want to, especially not me."
Tate looked down, playing a staring contest game with the necklace around Scouts neck. "I know, i'm just..."
He'd never say he was scared out loud, but he didn't have to, she'd just know. Scout nodded. "I know. But i'm gonna be there for you the entire time. Right by your side, nothing is gonna happen like last time."
Scout didn't tell him how terrified she was, too. Last time they had there final war, she lost him. She could still feel how that felt, right in her chest. Even with him back with her, she still felt it. Scout dropped one of her hands to hold his. Tate held it back. "When Vecna had you, I think I felt more scared then I ever did in the Upside Down."
Scout blinked. "Really?"
"I just kept thinking about if I lost you, how my life would go." Tate explained his inner thoughts to her. "And I just couldn't. It was just a blank box, and that terrified me."
Scout brought his hand up to kiss his knuckles. "This time, neither of us are going anywhere. You've got this, completely. I mean, Vecna is scared of you. That's, like, next level royalty in D&D."
