The Long Game━ (l. sinclair)

cleaning blood as a love language

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It wasn't the easiest of journeys, but they eventually made it to the Wheeler residence — or, the Upside Down-Wheeler residence. Auggie was now walking by himself, just forcing himself through the pain, because Nancy had taken the lead and opened the front door to her house.

Slowly, they all filed in. Steve shone his flashlight around the place, and it was all like the rest of the Upside Down — fucking weird. Those living vines were all around the place, and the same white particles hung in the air. The particles were so suffocating that Auggie wondered if, thirty years from now, he would be put in the same hospital with the other four harboring some, strange lung disease.

"Might be time to get a maid, Wheeler," Auggie joked at the state of disarray the Upside Down put her house in.

Nancy inhaled sharply, said, "Come on. I don't want to stay here longer than we have to."

She started up the stairs, presumably going up to her room. Steve, Robin, and Eddie began following after her, but Auggie looked up at the stairs like they were his greatest downfall.

"Yeah, I'm not making it up those," he said. "You guys go up without me."

Robin frowned. "Are you sure?"

"Of course," Auggie shrugged. He gestured towards his ankle, "It's not like I could contribute anything useful, anyways."

Steve's face immediately morphed into a frown. "I'm staying with you," he decided. "You guys go get the guns without us, okay?"

Nancy, Robin, and Eddie shared looks.

"Okay," Nancy sighed, and then she was climbing back up the stairs again.

Steve watched everyone head up to Nancy's room, but Auggie watched Steve, blinking with surprise.

"You didn't have to stay behind," Auggie muttered. "I really am fine, you know?"

Steve walked up to him with the flashlight, rolling his eyes sarcastically. "Oh, I believe you, Smiths. You just can't even walk up a flight of stairs."

Auggie's eyes narrowed, unamused.

"At least my stomach wasn't made a five-course meal," he tried gaining the upper hand.

But Steve winked at him — he winked. "Yeah, but I had this awesome nurse patch me up, you know?"

Auggie scoffed incredulously, hiding the fact he felt a particular swelling in his stomach.

"Oh, so that's all I am now to you, Harrington?" Auggie raised an eyebrow, only pretending to be offended. "I'm not even a doctor? Wow, I see how it is."

Steve shrugged, playing along with the bit. He said, "I won't praise you too much. You used a torn shirt."

"Better than duct tape," Auggie teased.

"Hey!" Steve protested. "I told you that in confidence!"

Auggie rolled his eyes, albeit fondly, waving a dismissive hand. "Yeah, yeah," he muttered.

And maybe Steve was planning on responding, or maybe even Auggie was planning on saying anything more; but, neither option would even happen. Out of nowhere, they heard a different voice join the duo.

It was Sam's voice.

It was indistinct and it was faint, but it was still Sam's voice.

"Um," Auggie's eyebrows furrowed, and he glanced towards the noise than back at Steve, "you hear that too, right?"