[CALIBRATIONS] Holding hands as the walls come tumbling down...

[farrahfawcetts]

WHO: Steve Harrington
WHERE: Steve's Room
WHAT: Calibrations!
WHEN: 6/10-7/10
WARNINGS: Child abandonment, violence, and drugging


When you awaken, the first thing you notice is that the 'room' you are in is pretty small. Really fucking small. Because it's not a room as you might imagine it, but instead a car. You sit beside Steve as he drives, eyes on the road and expression grim. Outside the road is long and abandoned and dark. No lights except for the distant stars and the distant crack of lightning. He isn't driving toward that. He doesn't seem to be driving toward anything. His hands tighten against the wheel as he looks over and notices you there.

"Where to?"

And just like that the glovebox opens and out comes an old map of Hawkins. There are four circled areas: Starcourt Mall, Nancy's House, Will's House, and Home. He reaches for the radio and turns it up a little. The song is Tears for Fears, Everybody Wants to Rule the World. He hums as he drives along silently, waiting for your call.

Comments

[the_freak]

Oh- Eddie looks around the car with a surprised grin at first, glad to be back on wheels even if he's not behind the steering wheel, and the company's not bad either (though that look on his face it a bit concerning). But the lightening out in the distance draws Eddie's attention.

"Tears for Fears, Stevie?" he teases lightly, flashing him a smirk as he looks over the map. "These the only options? Ooh- If I pick the mall do I get to see you in that little sailor get up?"

[farrahfawcetts]

Steve doesn't entirely seem to realize that it's Eddie beside him at first. It takes a long moment for the look on his face to dissolve away into a gentle smile. It's still a bit absent -A bit robotic- but his posture relaxes in the face of a friend.

"It's a good band. This would have been my Vecna song," he explains with a shrug. At the mention of the mall, his smile grows. "Yeah. Yeah, you will. But no teasing, man. It was required."

[the_freak]

"Good to know," Eddie files that away for later, and despite rolling his eyes his fingers still twitch and jump along with the melody.

"Nah, nah, I would never," he says with a too wide grin, "I'm sure it's adorable. You up for some ice cream?"

[farrahfawcetts]

Steve snorts a laugh and turns the wheel to head off toward the mall. "I am sort of surprised we didn't run into each other there. I feel like half of Hawkins came to see the fallen king. Seems like it would have been right up your alley at the time."

He doesn't drive for long. In fact, he doesn't even seem to be driving toward anything at all since the road looks the same. But eventually, there is a light ahead. There is a bright, bright light that takes up the entire windshield. Blinding as it floods the cabin and whites out everything around it. And, once it starts to fade, they are no longer in the car at all. Eddie is standing in a bathroom.

[the_freak]

"...I might've snuck a peek," he admits, "Once or twice. I didn't wanna gawk or anything." Only he so did.

He squints in that bright light, and blinks in brief confusion as he finds himself inside...the Starcourt bathroom?

[farrahfawcetts]

Steve watches the memory of him and Robin play out. He can remember the feeling of exposure when he told her that he was falling for her. The hope that she felt the same way and then the knowledge that she never would. Not the same way.

And then them both recalibrating for a different kind of relationship. A friendship that was stronger and better than any he'd ever had in his life. His heart had been broken, sure, but it was something he could deal with. Something that would mend with time. Robin was better--so much better-- as his best friend. But still...

Steve smiles, the bathroom not fading as Dustin comes in and scolds them. He smiles watching his past self and Robin laugh and then all the people in the memory just fade away. Steve turns to Eddie in the now empty room and exhales a soft sigh. "Sorry the uniform was ruined by all that blood. Hope that didn't wreck the fantasy for you."

[the_freak]

Jesus, the fuck happened to them? Eddie looks to the other Steve in concern after seeing the state of him, covered in blood, eye practically swollen shut. They're clearly on something, and Eddie watches the exchange- the confession, half wincing at the obvious (to him) outcome.

"You really are bad at clocking people, aren't you Harrington?" he teases softly, and shakes his head, "Yeah, maybe not the look I was picturing. The fuck kind of trouble you guys get into there, mm? You are due for a seriously boring retirement, you know that?"

CW: Torture/Drugging

[farrahfawcetts]

"Yeah, I'm getting that," he says with a snort. When Eddie asks what kind of trouble they got into, the bathroom memory shimmers. The walls melt away into a dark, sterile looking room. Metal on every wall and large lights dangling from the ceiling. There is a set of chairs in the center with restraints hanging off them. On a table are medical tools: a bone saw and pliers. The room is silent then except for the distant sound of echoing alarms.

Steve's smile fades as he looks at the chairs before slowly walking over and sitting in one. He stares out a bit, wounds starting to appear on his face. A memory half blossoming.

"They drugged us to interrogate us. Me and Robin. Roughed us up a bit too. I just wanted to protect her... Luckily they focused on me." He snorts another laugh and shakes his head. "If retirement is in the cards, man... Boring sounds really, really fucking good. But I don't know if that's gonna be ending." He looks back at the pliers and then at Eddie.

"You can see it, if you want..."

[the_freak]

This is some serious shit. Eddie looks around with a frown, which only grows when he sees the tools, going a bit pale and looking to Steve. His brow furrows at the sight of those wounds appearing, and he's not sure he want to see. He eyes the pliers anxiously before reaching out to tap it.

And honest to god Russians are questioning Steve and Robin. Are threatening them. Are using those pliers to- Eddie flinches and looks away. It's tempered somewhat by how high the pair are, and Steve laughing in the face of his would be torturers makes Eddie grin a confused smile.

"Jesus- Henderson now- and little Sinclair?? Is everyone in on this shit except me? Monsters and Russians roaming Hawkins for Christ knows how long-"

[doubled_speed]

A car? Really? Tommy already looks annoyed. Vehicles and him? Not really friends.

"Which is closest?" he asks as he looks at the map. He needs out quickest thanks.

[farrahfawcetts]

Steve looks over at the guy and something pings recognition. "You're the guy who saved me from the mega-squito. The fast one."

He glances at the map and then at the lightning out in the distance.

"I think they're all the same distance, honestly. This isn't really a road or whatever. It's one of those synonyms? Metaphones?"

[doubled_speed]

"Metaphors," tommy says with a clear edge of annoyance. It's not a hard word dude. Seriously, what the hell?

"Then the largest," he says, because he's definitely overwhelmed in the small car. He's making a mistake, he doesn't know it. He touches the mall on the map.

CW: Drugging

[farrahfawcetts]

Steve glances at Tommy and then turns the wheel needlessly to get it onto the path for the mall. The road is dark enough that the distant flickers of flame can be seen even in the distance. Steve drives straight for it without any sign of fear.

"I'm an idiot," he says plainly as the fire gets closer and preternaturally bright. "Clearly. 'Metaphors' or whatever the shit. But I'm a good friend, I think." The light from the fire fills the cabin and whites out everything around them. When it clears, Tommy is in a bathroom and Steve and a strange girl are sitting on the floor before him. The Steve who drove Tommy here is standing behind him, watching too.

He smiles, just a little.

Dw, notifs help (I'm traveling, sans headphones, it has no cc, could scene be summarized?)

[doubled_speed]

Dude, really?

"Are we in a bathroom?" Dream-Tommy asks Dream-Steve. "Dude, weird memory place. Please tell me this isn't going to be you getting off or something."

[farrahfawcetts]

It's not. Instead it is Steve and Robin, his friend, on the floor clearly coming off of being drugged. They are stuck being honest and asking questions in the most extreme version of truth or truth game ever played. Steve, under the influence, admits to having feelings for someone. Someone who is clearly Robin. Robin who looks like she's getting more and more miserable with each word.

The reason why is clear a second later.

She comes out. Slowly and without the words. She lays out the feelings she had for Tammy Thompson, not Steve. And Steve, first confused that she's talking about a girl, finally gets it. Gets that, once again, his love is being rejected.

Or. Not rejected, maybe. Perhaps just...converted into another thing.

He teases her. There is no disgust. No disbelief. Just mocking of Robin's taste in women and laughter as he takes the hit on the chin and starts the process of changing his affection into friendship. Robin, relieved, laughs too. The two of them laugh and Tommy gets to watch the best friendship of Steve's life form on a dirty bathroom floor.

As the memory fades away, Steve is still smiling.

"Sorry to disappoint. Next one will be me getting off..."

[doubled_speed]

Tommy snorts in amusement as the memory fades.

"Reminds me of Cassie, but a lot more high. What was up with that? I mean, how did you not guess that she was a lesbian?"

She was clearly so upset over being hit on then.

[farrahfawcetts]

Steve rolls his eyes. "It's the 80's in Hawkins. It's not like here where everyone has some boyfriend or another. Gay people don't wanna get bashed so they keep it quiet. I just...didn't even think about it."

He shrugs a shoulder. "I'd also been tortured for awhile and drugged by Russians so, whatever. Not my best moment for figuring shit out."

[quark_assassin]

"...What the fuck?"

Dustin twists to look over his shoulder, eyes darting around to drink in the interior of the car and the landscape around and behind them. There's not much to see, what with how dark it is, flashes of the abandoned road illuminated only by the occasional lightning strike. He's not a big fan of the fact that he can't remember getting in the car, or that he doesn't know who the driver is. He feels like he should, though. The guy's vaguely familiar, in the sort of way that makes Dustin infuriated that his memory-related abilities are being suppressed.

He'll just have to solve that particular problem the old fashioned way. "Who the hell are you?" Dustin greets in return, swiveling back to face Steve with narrowed, accusing eyes, like the fact that he's here is somehow his fault.

[farrahfawcetts]

Steve looks at the person in the passenger seat and tries to place him. He can't. It's either because of whatever the fuck this whole memory crap is or because they haven't really met. He isn't able to figure it out and is too distracted to really care.

"Steve Harrington," he answers. "From Hawkins. It's in Indiana." He has no idea if the guy knows Earth the way he does but it is the only reference he has.

"Looks like you're the next person I get to ferry around my town and brain. What's your name?"

[quark_assassin]

Dustin's eyes squint further. Doesn't recognize the name, does recognize the place. At least, he knows what his version of Indiana is. That doesn't make Dustin any less suspicious about this whole situation they're in, or the sort of crazy bullshit they're likely to get into as Steve drives them further into the surrounding storm.

"Brilliant," he mutters to himself. Then, quickly realizing that this could be interpreted as an answer to Steve's question, Dustin raises his voice to follow up. "--Dustin. Um--"

He winces a little. Qualifying details about himself are generally kept on a need-to-know basis, but Dustin is well aware that everyone currently stuck in this underground hellhole will learn way more about him than he's comfortable with anyway, so. What's the risk? Both of them could wake up and not even remember having this dream at all.

Dustin sighs in resignation and sets his face. "--Silver. Greywater, Maine."

[farrahfawcetts]

Steve's head spins around at the mention of the name. No longer apathetic, he barks a laugh. "I have a friend back home named Dustin. I never met anyone with that name before him and here there's two! That's hilarious. I promise I won't forget it."

He looks back at the road even though there's no reason to.

"And Maine. Huh. I've never been but I figure it's pretty small town too, right? Just with lobsters instead of...uh..." What did Indiana have, really? "Hicks? Man, outside of the monsters and shit, I don't know if Hawkins has anything. Our main export is trauma at this point."

[quark_assassin]

Dustin's eyebrows arc. He doesn't remember Eddie's reaction to hearing his name - not right now, anyway - but if he did, this would raise all kinds of interesting questions. As it is currently, it's just a coincidence that Dustin doesn't seem to find nearly as entertaining as Steve does.

The conversation moves on. "Man, don't even talk to me about motherfucking lobsters," Dustin mutters with a passionate bitterness that is probably unwarranted, mostly to himself. "Nasty fuckin' ocean spiders. Taste like curdled saltwater and butter. I'd take the trauma and..."

He pauses, takes another considering glance at the flashes of swirling storm visible through the windshield.

"...What kind of monsters?"

[farrahfawcetts]

Steve looks out at the lightning and redness in the sky. "I can show you," he says. "But it's not pretty. None of it is pretty..."

His hands tighten on the wheel.

"Back home there is this...hellscape. The Upside Down. Monsters with like. Faces peeled open. Flowery but ugly as shit. And just. Fucking horrible. Almost killed me a few time. Actually did kill...too many people, man. Too many."

[quark_assassin]

Show me? Dustin glances at Steve first with curiosity, then alarm - he's not sure he wants to see any of this. The haunted look in Steve's eyes as he goes into detail does not inspire confidence. Sure, investigating the paranormal is something Dustin had started to do back home, and he'd been anticipating running into creatures much more unpleasant-looking and dangerous than the ones Steve has described, but there's something different about just traipsing into someone's brain and having them lay out their own memories of the things. Like all the other memories he's stumbled into, it feels personal.

"...Yeah," Dustin murmurs, shifting uncomfortably in his seat as he wrenches his eyes away, pretending to study the map instead. "They'll do that. We don't have to go there, if you don't want to."

[farrahfawcetts]

"Not up to me, really..." And he sounds almost apologetic about it as he looks straight ahead and presses the gas pedal down a bit harder. The sound of a storm is all around them, now, louder than before. The sky takes on the hue of a forest fire and there are even what looks like pieces of floating ash falling from the sky. Or is it snow? Whatever it is, it definitely isn't natural.

Distantly there is the roar of some animalistic screaming. In the sky, if Dustin looks up, there are enormous, bat-like creatures circling like vultures. At the side of the road, woods reach toward the car and in the darkness shapes move. Hulking figures with unnatural movements, smaller animals like wolves racing alongside the car with small growls.

Steve swallows hard.

"I can show you more. I can show you... A lot of it. Or I can turn around now that you've gotten a better picture. But the call has to be yours. I lived it, man. It can't hurt me again..."