𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐲

xii. good enough.

JAMES WAS sitting on top of one of the tables in the room when Robin came to stand by him. "So... have you and Steve come up with an idea? Because you two dinguses together probably couldn't even come up with even one." She said and he squints his eyes at her. "No, Robin. We didn't." He said mostly because he and Steve were up on the roof of the elevator shaft, making out.

They even felt each other up for a while, well before they got into a little fight, it was going bad at first but then James said he was tired and so was Steve so they went down to join the others who were sleeping. And now, Dustin was up there, trying to contact someone, anyone from the mall. He watched Steve climb up through the hatch.

Robin looked directly behind James as they now stood at the button pannel and she grimaced. "What?" He whispered and looked over to see someone was taking a piss on the wall. "Can you redirect your stream please?" She called out and James rolled his eyes. It was obviously Steve, he turned the other way, making them look away in disgust. They were about to continue to get the door open when they looked over at the sound of a clanking of metal. Erica was holding one of the bottles filled with the green liquid.

"Hey, hey!" James ran over. "Be careful!" Robin said as James took the bottle from her. "We don't even know what this is." James said, pointing to it. "Exactly. It could be useful." Erica said and James furrowed his brows together. "Useful how?" Robin asked as she crossed her arms.

"We can survive down here a long time without food, but if the human body doesn't get water, it will die." She said and James leaned over to be at her level. "Hate to break it to you, kid, but this isn't water." He said the last bit with gritted teeth and she just glanced down at the bottle.

"No, but it's a liquid." She said and he sighs, standing up straight. "And if it comes down to me drinking that shit or dying of thirst, I drink." She said with a smile and Robin scoffs as James just walked away, over to where her backpack was to put it back inside. He turned around to see Robin pressing her ear against the wall. "We've got company." She told Steve and Dustin as she climbed up. James lifts up Erica up the hatch.

He quickly grabbed Erica's backpack and helmet, tossing it up to them before moving the boxes back onto shelves and the tables and carts before he looked up and saw Steve reaching down to him. "Come on, you weigh like nothing," he said with both arms extended out and James jumped up, grabbing the edges of the hatch. "I know, trust me," he said as he lifted himself up. Steve helped him by grabbing him and pulling him to the side before closing the hatch door.

They all sat around together, Steve shushing them as James looked down into the room where he saw two Russian men enter, one of them smoking a cigarette making him wish he had his pack on him but sadly he left his in the car. He stared at the cigarette dangling off the man's lips as he spoke with the other man. He gulped softly. "J." Steve mumbled and put a hand to his back gently.

They watched the men unload the boxes from the room and then Steve looked at Erica, noticing she still had the bottle of that green liquid. She glanced down at it and looked back up. As the men were leaving, Steve saw that as their chance, the door was closing and he jumped down, sliding across the floor and putting the container in the way to keep the door open. He stood up and made James go first, before gesturing for them next.

"Go, go, go!" Steve says to Erica who James helped as she shouts, "I'm going!" Erica was pulled up to her feet by James as he went to Dustin next, pulling him out and then Robin next who quickly stood up and joined Dustin and Robin. Steve crawled through next, on his back sideways as he looked at the vial as it made noises that it was breaking. And it was, a crack was along the side.

"Stevie," James sighed and pulled him out right when the door clamped down, breaking the vial completely. Steve stared up at James with a grin. "You saved me!" He said before turning to look at where the bottle had burst open, and the green liquid splashed all over. "Jesus Christ..." Steve said as they all watched the liquid literally melt into the floor. Robin looks at Erica.

"You still wanna drink that?" She asked making the ten year old girl give her a look of irritation. "Holy mother of God." Dustin said and they all turn around to see what he was talking about. And what he was talking about was a long tunnel, a tunnel so long they can't see the end of it. It was like a hotel hallway but if they made hotels so long. James stared with his eyebrows raised.

"Well... hope you guys are in good shape." Steve said and James just let out a deep breath. "Looking at you, roast beef." He pats Dustin's chest as he walked by him. James followed him and they walked into the tunnel as Dustin, Erica and Robin just all stood there. "Let's go, come on," James waved them over and turned back around.

They were at a good distance when James spoke, "so... about last night," he said and Steve glanced at him. "I didn't mean what I said... about the college situation. I-I don't know why I said that." He said as he looked at Steve. "It seemed like you meant it." Steve shrugged, looking down. "And hey, it's whatever, you're right, I'm never gonna be good enough for your college or any for that matter." He said and James was gonna say something but Dustin had jogged to catch up with them.

"What are you two talking about?"

"Girls." James.

"Work." Steve.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

   

   

authors note me: angst for fun maybe
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