revivalproject | +1 Babysitter

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+1 Babysitter

WHO: Steve Harrington
WHERE: Wandering in town and at the diner
WHAT: A Babysitter named Steve enters the chat
WHEN: Post sports day. He'll be devastated he missed it
WARNINGS: S4 Stranger Things spoilers but nothing else.

[Welcome to Even Stranger Things]

Steve still wasn't entirely sure what had happened to him. One second he was asleep in the hellscape that was now Hawkins, and then he was in some sort of alien city? The floating orb thing had explained it to him, kind of, but he didn't know if he could trust that information. After all, why would a group of aliens looking to hurt them just outright say that? It would be stupid. So who fucking knew what this whole thing was about.

Not to mentioned they were all kidnapped. That didn't seem like great behavior, all considered. Definitely not a super first impression.

But it didn't seem like he had a lot of say on it. He was here now and it was up to him to make the best of it. At least he had his bat. Steve rested it against his shoulder as he walked around the area, just getting the layout. Not that he was absorbing all that much, of course. He kept stopping short, seeing some sort of weird animal or strange looking building. Finally though, after his wandering, he saw something that looked more familiar. Someone to talk to, maybe. Another hostage?

"Hey! Wait up!" Steve runs to catch up. "Hey, I'm new here. Are you...uh. Kidnapped too?"

[Boy's Gotta Eat]

It's been a long few days of trying to get his bearings and settling in. Steve finally stopped bringing his nailbat with him but that didn't mean his guard is down. He'd had enough moments of thinking things were fine only to have a monster pop out of nowhere to ever be truly relaxed. Besides, he is still a hostage, nevermind that the aliens are pink and sort of adorable in an oblivious, Eleven sort of way. Have to stay on his toes.

And that means he really needs to get some food.

Steve saw the diner on the map and ventures out early in the morning. He isn't sure how he is going to pay or what sort of food will be in there, but he's finished the protein bars he'd gotten from the replicator and is starving. Beggars can't be choosers.

"Hello?" He walks inside and looks around. "Uh. Here for the food? As long as it's not like, alien worms or something like that?" Although he's hungry enough that it maybe wouldn't matter.

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Okay, that is not the response Steve wanted. There's more than one? Fuck.

"Uh. The Upside Down? With big...monster things and faces like flowers? Just really ugly, teeth-covered flowers?"

He's met with a blank look until he mentions the flowers with...teeth and Billy's able to shake his head.

"Haven't been to that one. Doesn't sound fun. Seriously though, does it hurt? I can get you meds, maybe clean it up a bit? It looks...kind of familiar, actually. "

"Familiar?" Steve looks down at himself and then has a thought. "EDDIE! Yeah, you must be the guy that patched up my friend!" Steve's face breaks into a grin as he slaps Billy on the shoulder, hard. "The magic one? Dude, you saved his life. Back at home, he was dead. Bled out all over the place. It was horrible. Seriously, you're amazing. I can't owe you enough."

Owwwww. Jeez. Billy winces and laughs a little, not holding it against the guy given, well...everything he says after that. He looks sympathetic, and almost a bit guilty hearing his suspicions confirmed about the literal bloody mess he'd managed to save. Means if he ever does get to go back...well....

"I'm glad I could uh-...and I'm sorry for your loss," Billy mumbles a bit awkwardly, "That's...rough. Beyond rough."

Steve swallows hard, remembering his loss acutely. It was just a week ago for him that he'd seen Eddie's bloody body on the ground, Dustin crying over it. Just a few days ago that Eddie was a memory instead of someone he could reach out and slap on the shoulder. Part of him wants to run off right now and find him, twitchy with the idea that this was all somehow temporary. Borrowed time.

"He's here now. He's here and you patched him up real good so..." He clears his throat instead of ending the sentence.

Billy nods, and tries to offer a reassuring smile. Hell, he's been here for literal years. Steve's friend might avoid his ultimate fate for...a long time.

"...I can patch you up too, if you'll let me. You don't look as bad, but you do keep dodging when I mention it being sore..."

Okay, the guy is smart. Steve smirks a little before shrugging his shoulders. "Yeah, I guess I might have taken the stitches out a little early on some of them. And there's this one," he gestures vaguely at his right side, "that isn't actually healing anymore. At least not quickly."

Back home he was ignoring it because there was too much to do and not enough time to worry about the world and his bleeding side. But here? Yeah, he can get a bandage.

Sometimes. At least when it comes to avoidance. He shares a knowing smile. "You taking any pain medication? Anything for infections?" he askes, very much expecting a negative answer.

"Uh..." They both know the answer to that one. "Maybe like a week ago? Not since...Well. I guess not since a few days before I was kidnapped. It looked alright, pretty much and the fevers were gone..."

"I figured. Look, I'm sure your friend'll want you at the top of your game, so- if you aren't busy, I can swing you by the hospital, get you set up? Traditional or magic variety, whatever you're comfortable with," he adds with a small smile.

Steve claps his hands happily. "As long as your magic doesn't suck out my eyes or make me relive my worst memories, abracadabra this shit!"

Definitely sounded better than a slow healing process with sore sides. He's sort of tired with that whole thing. Except...

"You don't...move super fast too, do you? That was sort of intense. Another guy did that. I'd rather stay under 90mph..."

"..." Well damn, what the hell have you been through back home. Billy looks a little uncertain if Steve's joking, giving a flustered laugh and shaking his head. "...not something I'd ever want to do," he promises.

"Ohh, uh- no. But that's my brother," Billy grins, "I do fly. And uh...teleport. But I also walk," he shrugs and laughs.

"Walking sounds great. Maybe another day for flying."

He starts off and sinks his hands into his pockets

"So. Uh. Mutants? Tommy was telling me a little bit about all that stuff with your world. Cool that both you and your brother got powers. I bet it would have sucked if it was just one of you and the other felt left out of the...uh..." He forgot that the whole powers thing was a fraught issue. "...Bigotry?"

"Heh," Billy gives a small laugh, not bothered by the slightly awkward turn, "Uh, well we actually didn't grow up together. So...no hurt feelings at least. We only learned about each other after the fact. It's complicated. But uh...yeah, it's got it's pros and cons. No mutants in your world then?"

"Oh." That's a bummer. Probably some shitty reason behind it, too. Siblings don't usually get split apart for less unless it's The Parent Trap (which is objectively fucking stupid if you think about it for more than a second, Robin). "Yeah, no mutants in my world unless they like, got covered in nuclear waste or something. And even then I think the only power would be Super Cancer."

"Hey, we have the Parent Trap in common!" Billy notes, always surprised what threads worlds seem to have in common despite other huge changes.

"I'd say it must make things simpler, but uh...I think you're pretty good evidence that's not true." Covered in bites from a hell dimension.

"Huh?" He moves a little wrong and the bites on his sides give a sharp twinge. "Ah. Right. Well, that is really mostly just the Upside Down. Which is...I guess like, a weird tentacle-y place with gross animals and this huge, meaty dude with a huge hand." Summary in a Sentence from Steve.

"Before that happened, things were pretty normal. All I was worrying about was girls and maybe getting into college." He snorts. It seems like lifetimes ago now.

"...sounds fun," Billy makes a face as they stroll, keeping a watchful eye on Steve. "You're sure you're okay to walk?" he checks.

"I remember when things were 'normal'...ish. Where were you planning to go?"

"Yeah, I am good." He's always good. It's a terminal disease of his.

Steve snorts derisively. "Wherever I was accepted, man. I wasn't exactly a brainiac, back home. Not like I got much smarter here or anything. Just, yeah. The essay part was super hard. And then my GPA was good if we followed golf scoring. So. Yeah. I wasn't picky."

Billy's doubtful, but he doesn't push.

"Well, I mean- there's still time," he offers, "If college is even what you want, you can do it whenever. There's no hard and fast rule about when you need to do these things. ...Unless there is in your world, in which case, I'm sorry," he jokes.

Steve shrugs. "I don't know. My job back home isn't glamorous or anything, but I like it and I work with my best friend. She'll go to college, sure, but by that point either the world will be over or I will be ready to leave myself. Or dead."

He doesn't seem too bothered by the ways that dice can roll. At this point it's too exhausting to, honestly. Being here is almost a vacation from that constant stress.

"I don't think schooling is for me."

"If you like it that's what matters, right?" He looks concerned though with what follows and how casually this guy seems to expect his own death and/or the end of the world. Not that Billy hasn't had times where he could relate, but still. He feels for the guy. "...I hope it's the option where you live then."

"It's not for everyone," Billy agrees, "I never went." Which...may not be what someone hopes to hear from their doctor.

"Tell that to my dad."

Steve snorts for a second before realizing he hadn't really meant to share that with someone he just met. Converting, he forces a short laugh and flaps a hand dismissively.

"I'll land on my feet. Although, dude, I am not sure that a guy with magic powers saying he made it without school is the relatable fact you think it is." Steve is smiling though, teasing.

Oh, he notices that quick change, frowning faintly, but he's not going to push a guy he literally just met into exposing his Daddy Issues. That's a least a third meeting situation.

He laughs, palming the back of his neck. "Truuuue," he admits a bit bashfully.

Steve feels painfully ordinary so far. "So you've got magic, your brother is fast, there's another kid around here with a zappy rat, and someone said a legit like robot runs the bar." Steve thinks about his bat and the fights he's lost and wonders not for the first time why he's here.

"Is everyone kind of like...special or whatever?"

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