Chapter Text
Steve feels like death.
It’s nothing new, he knows it.
But it’s worse now with so many eyes on him.
Well…there aren’t really that many eyes on him. Nancy and Jonathan were both preoccupied.
Which means just Dustin is left.
He wasn’t really looking at him anyway, much less paying any attention to him.
Every step hurt, and he was certain he got some pretty nasty injuries in the crash. At least he had half the mind to protect Dustin, even if his arm definitely got slammed into.
It’s fine. Just an arm. Not even his dominant one.
It wasn’t all that easy to hide, but with Dustin avoiding him, he somehow managed.
He wished someone noticed, though. Not that he’d admit it.
He kept himself behind the pack, easier to manage his own pace plus keep an eye on everyone. He had no easy way to fight, but he knew Nancy at least could walk anyone down. Anything, too, for that matter.
They were making their way down to the Lab, against all asked orders of Hopper. The others thought it would be good to get ahead, to be there in case they’re needed sooner.
And god, did Steve wish his Beemer didn’t get totaled. Especially since they can’t track the Demogorgon anymore.
But at least they had a place to go, to at least be of help.
Steve doesn’t know how long it takes, walking on autopilot as his legs scream in pain. He needs to sit down, take a breath, something.
But he doesn’t have that time, not now.
At least he didn’t hit his head this time.
He just slammed his whole body into the dashboard and his car into a flesh wall.
At least he’s alive.
Jonathan surprisingly hangs back once they get to the Lab, handing him a weapon. His nail bat.
Must’ve grabbed it from his trunk.
He doesn’t seem to notice he’s injured, but he still sticks next to him, offering himself as a crutch.
Steve nearly melts against him as he’s grabbed by the waist, his arm forced around Jonathan’s shoulders.
There’s a look between them. Understanding, maybe. At least not to tell Henderson.
Jonathan keeps him steady, even if he mentally insists he doesn’t need it.
Even though he definitely does.
At least he can swing with one good arm, right?
Once they’re close enough, Steve peels himself away from Jonathan and makes his way to the front of the pack, sneaking in front of Nancy.
“I’m going in first, no questions asked.”
Bruises already started to form where he slammed into his steering wheel. He can see Jonathan’s eyes on him. He knows.
Dustin yells, telling Steve to stay back. But Nancy quiets him, saying similar things to him that Dustin had, but calmer.
“I said no questions asked. I got this.”
He does not have this.
But he walks in anyway, chased by everyone else.
Steve’s right arm is limp at his side, his left holding and swinging his bat, as he practically makes himself bait to get the attention of whatever being is in the room.
He’s certain something is in there.
And he’s right.
His bad arm is caught by…something. It’s like a tentacle. Steve’s never seen it before, but it doesn’t take long for him to swing at it. His shot isn’t the easiest, nails cutting at his arm. At least he barely feels it.
Nancy’s bolting to a cell, that’s open and where the thing that’s trying to tear Steve’s arm off is being held. It doesn’t take her long to get it off him. Though her excellent marksmanship helps.
Steve instinctively tries to hide the blood pooling from the wounds the nails left, and the bruise already starting to form.
Jonathan tosses his jacket at him and he throws it on, offering a small smile in thanks.
He knows Jonathan doesn’t agree with him hiding his state, but they can deal with it when they’re Rightside Up again. It’s not gonna kill him.
At least he hopes.
Nancy takes Steve’s place at the front of the pack, Dustin and Jonathan right behind Steve. Dustin isn’t paying any attention to Steve, but Jonathan is staring.
Steve can feel Jonathan’s eyes on him. He knows.
He’s still hiding his injuries.
He hopes it’s working.
The moment Steve sees the demogorgon, the same one they’d been tracking, he shoves Nancy back.
As injured as he is, he’s going to protect them.
Even if he knows they all can protect themselves.
Hands pull him back by his — well, Jonathan’s — jacket, and he hits the floor immediately.
Nancy runs in front of him and Steve can’t even tell what happened. But falling hurt, and now his ears were hurting.
Dustin was yelling.
Begging him not to run.
“Henderson, I have to, I have to keep you guys safe.”
“Bullshit!”
Steve’s good hand covers his ear as he flinches.
Bad word choice, Henderson.
“Look, I’m sorry, I know you hate that word but it’s true! It’s bullshit! We all can protect ourselves! Especially Nancy, I mean, look at her! She saved you once already today, don’t get yourself in worse shape.”
Steve’s hand goes up to his arm, not that he can really feel much with it, but he knows it’s bleeding. He doesn’t even look at it, though, focused on Dustin, who’s crying.
“Henderson. I know, but I don’t want anyone, especially you, getting hurt.”
“I can take it! This isn’t our first go, you know…Plus…I can’t lose you.”
Steve struggles to get to his feet, his facade easily slipping now that Dustin was in front of him, eyes boring into his skull.
Every inch of his lower body hurts, as does his chest. And he knows Dustin is seeing through his attempts to hide it.
Dustin grabs him and helps him stand. “This is why we need you to stay behind us.” He speaks with conviction, worry filling his expression.
“You know I’ve fought while drugged and concussed, right?”
“Yes, which was stupid. Stay back.”
Steve blinks. He knows he should but he never listens to anyone, really.
The second he hears a scream, he bolts, even if it causes him some of the worst pain he’s felt in ages.
“You stay there, Henderson!”
Thank god Dustin wasn’t unarmed.
Nancy is shooting at the demogorgon when Steve appears, and Steve can just tell she’s almost out of bullets. He swings at it the minute he’s out of the fire line, not doing much damage, but he’s trying.
Hes not letting anyone get hurt. He already saw Nancy bleeding. He can’t let someone else get hurt.
Even though it’s so obvious he has no place being in the direct line of fire like this.
It wasn’t easy with just one real functional hand either.
He’s working on autopilot anyway, throwing all his energy into the fight that he knows he’s losing, blood pouring from at least one hidden wound.
Eventually he’s shoved back, stumbling and not ing his vision fading in and out. The bat is taken from him and he’s soon being held up by Jonathan, dragged to a hiding spot with Nancy taking cover.
He fights Jonathan even though he knows he’s too weak, yelling for Dustin to get back.
He looks like him, strong and determined, with no plans of stopping until he either wins or dies.
Dustin lands the finishing blow with the bat before Nancy can run to get him.
He deflates, and rushes to Steve, dropping the bat next to his feet.
By then, Steve was resting against Jonathan, fading in and out. He didn’t realize he was bleeding from a wound that Nancy couldn’t even stand to look at. Dustin presses his jacket to the wound, and Jonathan presses his hand against the wounds that cover his upper right arm.
“We gotta get you outta here, there’s no way you’re dying on me, Steve. You hear me? I can’t lose you.”
Dustin had been crying already, but it stung more now, as he spoke, full of fear.
“I promise, Henderson.”
He doesn’t remember much after that.
Next he knows, they’re away from the lab and he’s laid up against a wall. His shirt and Jonathan’s jacket are off, and Nancy's bandaged him up most of the way, his arm wrapped up into a sling with said jacket.
Dustin catches that he’s awake and he shoves his way between Steve and Nancy, hugging Steve so tight he feels like he can’t breathe.
“Hey, hey…Henderson, hey…”
“You’re an idiot, Steve. I said you should stay back and you ran right into danger! You could’ve died!”
He’s sobbing. Steve is about to, too. He doesn’t let go of the kid, clutching him with his good arm as tight as he can manage.
“I know. But I’m here. I’m alive.”
“Yet you hid that you were injured! Jonathan had to tell us you have been since we got out of the car!”
Steve’s eyes flick up to see Jonathan staring at him, giving an apologetic look. Steve’s own is unreadable at the moment, but he’s thankful.
“To be fair I crashed a car and have a history of injuries with this shit.”
“Which is more reason to tell us, you meathead!”
Steve flinches a bit, but he knows Dustin doesn’t mean it.
“Tell us next time. Please. I don’t want to lose you…I don’t want you to die too.”
“If anything with him proves, he's indestructible.” Jonathan interrupts, which causes Steve to laugh. It makes his pain spike, but he’s fine. Absolutely fine.
“That doesn’t mean he’s immortal!” Dustin snaps back.
“True. But he’s not dying yet. And no one is moving until Hop and El get over here, they’re not too far out.”
Steve nods. Dustin does the same and hugs Steve tighter. Steve knows he’s trapped but doesn’t care in the slightest, especially given that he’d need help to get back on his feet anyway.
They stay there for who knows how long, up until El and Hopper make their appearance.
They’re both immediately worried, even with knowing what happened. It’s all a blur for Steve, who still hasn’t been let go of. Hopper eventually has to coax Dustin away, just to make sure Steve’s not going to die on them.
“He’s gonna need stitches, but the bandages should hold until we get somewhere safe.”
Hopper easily picks him up, not even letting him attempt walking.
Steve doesn’t have it in him to complain.
Dustin follows the two like a lost puppy, until they get to a vehicle. Everyone else is following as well, of course.
Nancy opts to stay back once Hopper says he is too, still hellbent on trying to figure all of this out, which Steve can’t blame either of them.
El opts to stay too, giving Steve a tight hug, making her promise that he will stay safe.
Jonathan promises to take care of Steve and Dustin, ushering Steve into the car carefully. He doesn’t even put up a fight.
Dustin follows immediately, holding Steve’s good hand, also making him promise he won’t die on him.
“I promise, Henderson. You’re not losing me.”