Why Him? || Steddie

Chapter 43

      "So you're telling me... that Dustin's alive after all this shit and you just know from a phone call?" Mike raised his eyebrow before leaning into the corner of the room and looking over at El. "Can you believe him? I mean come on! This could easily be a prank or a trap!"

      El softly shrugged at Mike's outburst. She'd been distancing herself from Mike the last few times that I'd seen her. Maybe they were just finally calming down with the whole...relationship thing. I mean they used to be all over each other and now they're on opposite sides of the room...that's not really something that a couple who was solid would do. At least, that's not what me and E-

     Are we a solid couple?

      I quickly shook my head out of it to look at the others around the Wheeler's basement. The whole gang was there minus Eddie and Dustin. It had been a minute since the last time that all of the people who knew what was going on in Hawkins were in one place...however there was this...new guy.

      I have no clue why he was here of all people. The man wasn't exactly the cookie cutter version of what our group would be. He had long almost black dark brown hair. I didn't realize that a guy would have longer hair than Eds did. El was currently braiding said man's hair as he was smiling at the group. "So uh...Dustin. Are we going to be saving this dude using El's freaky mind powers?"

     Was he high? Why was he talking like that? I shook my head again to try and regain focus. The mission to save Dustin. We needed to plan it...and fast.

     "I don't know... Maybe?" I sighed before sitting down on the chair behind me. "We can't know for sure if this thing is a trap like Mike said...So maybe we use her as our superpowered back up? I can't really think of another way that she could use her powers minus that at the moment...No offense, El."

    She softly shrugged again as she continued going down the stranger's long hair braiding the three braids that she had made while we talked. "None taken"

     Will stepped out of the corner where Mike was standing. It had been a while since I had seen him. He looked...so grown up now. "I think it might be him, though. I mean... when I was in the upside down I did the same thing. I tried to call my mom but I couldn't talk. I was too scared. I don't think this is a trap. I think it's real"

      Nancy slowly lifted her hand to draw everyone's attention to her. "I think it's real too...but if we're going back down there...we're bringing more than just an ore to fight off bats like last time."

     "What do you mean, last time? You went down there, Nancy?" Jonathan's eyebrows furrowed as he stared at Nancy with disbelief. "And I'm barely learning about this now? I've been here for weeks."

      Nancy slightly shrugged before turning to face Robin. "I mean it was more than just me. There was Robin, Steve and Eddie with me...and we made it out...so what would be the point of going over something that I was unscathed by?"

     Jonathan sighed before putting his face between the palms of his hands "Nancy...that was so dangerous."

     "The fighting can take a backseat. That's not why we're here." Max quickly placed her hand between Nancy and Jonathan's eye sight before sighing. "We're here to come up with a plan on how to fix a wrong. So... weapons. What do you have handy in your house?"

      Nancy held up her pointer finger before getting up from the couch and started to dig around causing a bit of unwanted noise. Where was she trying to get to?

      Nancy quickly lifted up the rug that had been revealed after she had moved a few things off top of it. There was nothing but the revealed wooden floorboards. The whole group gave her a confused look. Was there supposed to be something there?

     Nancy then speed walked over to a toy chest belonging to her younger sister and opening it. She started to throw stuffed animals across the room. Everyone was even more confused. She was making a mess. What was her plan here..?

    "Nancy...not to be rude but...I don't think it's time to be making a mess with dolls..." Lucas sighed before getting up and starting to pick the stuffed animals near his feet.

    "That's not what I- YES." Nancy quickly got up from her squat to show the current crowbar that was in her hands and walking over to the exposed floor boards. "You guys should really learn to trust me." She slowly started to bring the crowbar between the cracks of the wood before there was a loud snap as she smiled at us.

      As I got up from my chair I could finally see what Nancy was digging so hard for. There was quite an arsenal in her basement floor. It was impressive, but also sort of terrifying. I wonder if Mike... the current look on his face revealed everything that I needed to know. He didn't know about it.

     "Nancy! What the hell?" Mike hurried and tried to cover up the currently cracked floor. "Do Mom and Dad know about this?"

      Nancy shook her head as her eyebrows weaved together. "Mike...they don't have to know everything. I mean come on they don't know three fourths of our lives during these past few years. Why are you surprised that I would have something like this?"

    Mike sighed while taking a seat next to where Will was standing "My sister owns...so many guns"

     "These are only the basement one's, Michael. I have some in other places too... but that's besides the point. I think all of the older ones of the group should have one."

      The long haired stranger slowly lifted up his hand to point to himself in the corner of my eye as Nancy nodded quickly after. "Even you, Argyle."

     His eyes widened before looking at Jonathan "Did you hear that? I get to have a gun, dude!"

     Jonathan softly smiled back at, who I suppose was named Argyle, before nodding.

     "So we go down there with guns...then what..?" I sighed before looking over at Nancy.

     "Simple. We bring enough ammo to kill whatever thing tries to attack us."