XXV.   meetings in parking lots.

Nolan could handle a lot. Since being in Hawkins and enduring all the shit he had, there wasn't a lot that surprised him anymore about the town. But this? Yeah, this took the cake. "RUSSIANS?"

Steve and Dustin cringed. "Yeah." The kid nodded.

He put his palms together and pointed at him. "You used the device you made at camp to talk to your girlfriend for and somehow came in contact with Russian communicators?" He questioned slowly, taking in the information.

The pair looked at each other again and Dustin nodded while humming. "Yeah, yeah. That's about right."

Nolan sighed heavily and rubbed his face.

"Okay, okay, I know it's a lot, but, we're trying to communicate this tape and it's pretty much next to impossible." Steve explained and showed him the translation book along with the tape.

He rubbed jaw while in thought. Nolan looked behind him at the Russian alphabet written on the wipe board. "And that's the Russian alphabet."

"Correct." Dustin answered.

"And what does Robin know?"

"She's been trying but Russian's unfortunately one of the many languages she doesn't understand." Said Steve and grumbled slightly. He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms.

Again, Nolan hummed. "Okay. Russians. Cool." He spoke and sat his hands on his hips. "Can you, uh, play the tape?"

"Y-Yeah." Dustin answered and quickly played the tape for him.

He listened carefully to the Russian communicator. Nolan closed his eyes. "Play it again, please." He ordered. The kid played the tape again and the foreign language started over. He racked his brain and thought hard. After a third time of asking to replay the tape, it clicked. "The week is long."

Pause. "Wait, what?" Asked Dustin.

"T-T-The week is long." He answered and waved his hand at the tape. "That's the translation."

Steve's eyes went wide. "Wait, you speak Russian?"

"I read in the paper one year about a woman who smuggled documents from her job that revealed Russian attempts to interfere with the presidential election. I-I-I kinda went a little crazy learning about the Russian government and ended up learning some of the language in the process." He explained and rubbed his face again.

Once again, Dustin and Steve looked at each other. "He makes it sound so casual." The kid muttered with amazement.

"My boyfriend knows Russian." Muttered Steve, his jaw still dropped.

"ROBIN!" Yelled Dustin and he quickly went to get her.

Nolan looked at Steve again who was staring at him in amazement. "What?" He uttered.

"You just got like, ten times hotter." His partner responded and got a look in his eyes.

He recognized that look and Nolan went red, even though he was already red faced from feeling stressed. He smiled.

Robin rushed into the break room with Dustin. She pointed at Steve. "You, out." She demanded.

His jaw dropped again. "What?"

"Unless you can magically start speaking Russian, then go!" She said again and pointed to the door.

Steve looked between them all, waiting for an objection, but he didn't get one. Dustin whistled under his breath. He looked at Nolan but all he did was shrug. Steve pouted and reluctantly stood from the chair.

Nolan secretly winked at him as he left the break room. Robin turned to him. "Okay, you and me. Let's figure this shit out." She declared.

Again, Nolan wondered how the hell he got stuck in these situations.

An hour seemed to pass by and Nolan was still in the break room with Dustin and Robin. His stress levels were increasing more and more. Dustin played the tape again, Robin paced back and forth, and he sat with his hands on his face. When the tape spoke a chunk of the language he understood, Nolan quickly put his hands down. "Silver cat." He announced.

They looked his way with wide eyes. "What?" Asked Dustin.

"Silver cat. I understand that part!" He exclaimed.

"Okay! Okay!" He said and quickly got up to right it down on the board.

Robin took his seat. "Is that all?" She questioned and grabbed the tape.

"I-I'm not sure. Play it again."

She pressed play and two leaned in closer. Nola closed his eyes and concentrated. She tapped her nails roughly against the table. She replayed the part he understood once, and then a second time, until— "FEEDS!" Robin shouted. "The silver cat feeds!"

"Yes!" Both Nolan and Dustin shouted back and the kid quickly went to write on the board. "Holy shit, you're doing great."

She quickly smiled at him. "Thanks!"

The pair stood from their seats and went to tell Steve. Robin slid open the glass doors and they peeked their heads out. "Steve, we got another translation!" Nolan beamed.

Steve's eyes went wide. "Seriously?"

He quickly nodded. "Yeah, thanks to this one." He said and put his hand on Robin's shoulder, slightly rocking it.

It made her smile. "The silver cat feeds." She recited in a Russian accent.

Steve's face fell slightly. "What the hell does that mean?"

She and Nolan looked at each other. "Uhh, don't know actually." He responded, not having a clue. When he saw Max and Eleven come into the shop, that's when he remembered he forgot to go and find them. He groaned. "Crap."

"Nolan, there you are! I've been looking everywhere for you!" Max exclaimed when they reached the counter.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" He quickly said and rushed out of the break room to go up front. "I lost track of time."

"Why are you here?" Asked Eleven.

"I, uh. . ." Nolan paused and glanced at Steve, who glanced at Robin. "We were talking about The Goonies! Y'know? That new movie coming out?" He quickly his Steve on the arm. "Steve's been wanting to go see it, right?"

His boyfriend quickly nodded his head. "Yeah! Yeah. Absolutely." He rushed his words.

Before either of the girls could speak, Nolan quickly moved on. "So, how was shopping?" He asked and eyed their new clothes. "Please don't tell me I'm broke."

Max laughed and held out his card. "It was great. Hit $250 exactly."

He took the card and sighed with relief. "Thank god."

"Are you ready to go? It's getting dark soon?"

He checked his watch and saw what time it was. He cursed in his head but he couldn't leave now. He also couldn't tell them that he was currently translating a Russian message. "Uhhh," he started again. "I gotta stay back and help Steve with something for a while." He told them. He took out his card again. "I'll buy you guys some ice cream. Just take the bus home."

"Can we get whatever we want?" Max asked and raised her eyebrow.

"Sprinkles?" Uttered Eleven.

It was hard enough resisting his sister when she gave him puppy eyes, but now he had both of them doing it. He was sure that Max taught her how to do it. Nolan sighed. "Jesus Christ. Okay, yes, whatever you want."

The both of them smiled widely and told Steve what they wanted. He backed up and Robin looked at him with a smile. "Aww, you're such a good brother."

"More like a doormat." He grumbled and crossed his arms.

After getting their ice cream and he paid for it, Max said goodbye to her brother and her and Eleven ran out of the ice cream shop. "Alright, back to work." Robin announced and closed the glass doors.

Nolan sighed again. "I really hope this new job pays well." He uttered and stiffed his card back into his wallet.

Steve chuckled.

"I think I need some ice cream." He spoke and walked forward, looking at the ice cream in the case.

"What are you in the mood for?" His partner asked and stood very close to his side. Steve looked down at his hand and brushed his fingers against his.

Nolan glanced at their hands and breathed out a smile. "The sweetest thing you've got." He answered flirtatiously and wrapped his fingers around his.

Steve inhaled a nervous breath. "Are you. . . flirting with me, Nolan Reid Mayfield?" He questioned and titled his head.

His smile widened. "Maybe. Is it working?"

His smile lines caused Steve's stomach to twist painfully. He eyed the way his muscles looked in the white T shirt he was wearing and how longer his red hair was. How curly it was. He suddenly got the urge to run his hands through it. But then he quickly remembered where he was. "Uh—" he snapped out of it and quickly backed up from him, their hands disconnecting. "—Obviously it's working."

Nolan's lips burned downward. "Right." He looked at the ice cream again. "I'll just take chocolate." He pointed at it. He took out his card. "Without the kiss this time." He added with a cheeky grin.

He walked around the counter to pay. Steve's jaw dropped slightly at the remark. He turned and faced him. "You don't have to pay for it. I got it."

"Nope. I can pay for it myself." Nolan denied.

"Nols—"

"Stevie." He interrupted him and looked into his eyes. Very subtly, the corners of his lips curled up again. "It's fine."

Steve knew very well he wasn't just talking about the ice cream. He sighed under his breath and charged him for the ice cream. "I'm sorry." He muttered apologetically.

Nolan's heart pinched but he moved on from it. "Chop, chop, sailor boy." He repeated Erica's earlier words with a half smirk. He laughed at the way his jaw dropped again and he quickly went back inside the break room.

"The week is long. The silver cat feeds when blue meets yellow in the west." The group of four recited the full translation while standing in front of the wipe board. Confusion hit them like a cement truck.

It was very late by the time they exited Scoops. The mall was closed and completely empty, leaving it an echoey quiet. Steve lowered the metal gate to the store. "I mean, it's just. . . It just can't be right."

"It's right." Robin contradicted.

"Honestly, I think it's great news." Said Dustin.

"How is this great news?" Steve vocalized and chuckled "I mean, so much for being American heroes. It's total nonsense."

"It's not nonsense!"

Nolan rubbed his tired eyes. "Okay, it's obvious a code. I mean, the silver cat feeds? People only talk like that in code." He declared.

"What do you mean a code?" His boyfriend asked while walking behind him.

"Like a super secret spy code." Dustin clarified.

Nolan motioned to him, obviously agreeing.

"That's a total stretch."

"I don't know, is it?" Asked Robin.

Steve's eyes widened. "You're buying into this?"

"Listen, just for kicks, let's entertain the possibility that it is a secret Russian transmission. What did you think they were gonna say, "Fire the warhead at noon"?"

Nolan titled his head side to side. "Would make it easier to understand."

"Exactly!" Said Dustin.

"And mine and Nolan's translation is correct. I know that for sure, so. . . the silver cat feeds. Why would anyone talk like that unless they were trying to mask the true meaning of their message?"

Nolan nodded along to everything she was saying. "Yes, absolutely. All of that."

She continued. "And why would anyone want to mask the true meaning of their message unless the message was somehow sensitive?"

"Exactly!" Exclaimed both him and Dustin. Nolan looked behind him at Steve. "More open minded now, sailor boy?"

Steve mocked him.

"So, I guess that confirmed your suspicion."

"Evil Russians." Dustin proclaimed.

"I'm telling you guys. There's three things that will possibly end the world someday," said Nolan and held his fingers up. "Monsters, the sun, or Russian spy's."

Steve narrowed his eyes. "You need to stop reading the newspaper."

"So how do we crack it?" Dustin moved on.

"Well, I guess we translate the rest and hopefully a pattern emerges." Robin suggested.

"A pattern. Right, like maybe silver cat is a meeting place?"

Nolan shook his head. "No, no, it's gotta be an organization of some sort. Y'know, like a company or something."

"Or a person." Added Robin.

Dustin held up a finger. "Or a weapon."

He gasped at that. "Like a silver gun?"

"It's probably gonna take a super genius to crack it, but. . ." Robin stopped walking and looked behind her. "Where's Steve?"

Nolan immediately turned his head around and saw Steve stopped in front of the mechanical horse, digging through his pockets. "Stevie, what are you doing?" He wondered.

"Uh, it's a quarter. I need—Do you have a quarter?" Steve asked them.

Robin laughed. "You sure you're tall enough for that ride?"

"Quarter!"

Nolan grabbed his wallet and dug through it. "Okay, okay, here." He spoke and held out a quarter.

Steve quickly took it and bent down, putting the coin into the slot. The music started to play and the horse rocked back and forth.

He couldn't help but snort. "Are you gettin' on or what?" He questioned and laughed along with Robin.

"Need help getting up, little Stevie?"

Nolan hit her shoulder and laughed harder.

Dustin chuckled as well and Steve quickly shushed them. "Would you just shut up and listen?" He grumbled.

The three standing went silent and listened to the carousel music playing. Suddenly, Dustin's face fell into realization. "Holy shit." He uttered.

Robin and Nolan quickly looked at him. "What?"

"The music," he answered and took off his backpack. "The music!" He reached inside the bag and pulled out the tape.

"What about it?" Nolan quickly asked.

"Listen!" Dustin turned on the tape and the Russian speaker began talking. The background music on the tape played and it was the same song playing from the horse.

"Holy shit."

"I don't understand." Said Robin.

"It's the exact same song on the recording." Dustin told her.

"Maybe they have horses like this in Russia."

"Indiana Flyer? I don't. . . I don't think so." Steve denied. "This code, it. . . It didn't come from Russia. It came from here."

Nolan inhaled a sharp breath and ran his hands through his hair. "Oh, great. This is so great." He spoke sarcastically and threw his arms down.

The four of them exited the mall and Nolan made a beeline to his truck. His brain was jumbled with new information that could easily lead him to a panic attack. It was overwhelming. "Nolan!" He heard Steve call his name. The turned his head and saw him jogging after him. "Hey, Nolan."

"Hey." He said back and continued walking to his truck

Steve caught up to him and walked by his side. "Where are you parked?"

Nolan pointed to his left. "Over there."

"Oh, I'm over there." He responded and pointed to the right.

"C'mon, I'll walk you there." He offered and the pair started walking to the right.

It was quiet. There were barely any cars around and the only lights on were the street lights. It was always quiet in Hawkins. The kind of quiet that chilled your bones. Steve glanced at him. "Are you alright?" He broke the silence.

"I honestly don't know." Nolan answered. The car came into the view. "Every time I think I am, something new happens and I take ten steps back."

"Yeah, that's relatable." Steve nodded and took out his keys. "It's exhausting."

The couple stood by his car and Nolan leaned against the door. Steve stood in front of him and titled his head. "I know the Russians aren't the only thing that's bothering you."

He slipped out a chuckle. "That's a strange sentence to say."

The brunette gave him a pointed stare. "Nolan

Nolan sighed. "Can you just. . ." He paused and looked around them. There was nobody there. It was an empty parking lot and they were in the middle. ". . . Can you just kiss me? Please." He was almost begging for it.

Steve's eyes softened. Without question, he stepped forward and grabbed his face with his hand. He closed his eyes and pressed his lips to his, and he felt Nolan grab his face as well. It was a rough kiss and it felt like longing. It left a painful feeling in his stomach. Steve's hand brushed against his cheek to the back of his neck. "I'm sorry." He muttered against his mouth.

Nolan's hand brushed into his dark hair. "Stop apologizing for something you can't control." He muttered back."

Steve pulled away but kept his face in his hands. "But it hurts you." He expressed and scanned his freckled face. His blue eyes shined even in the dark.

"A lot of things hurt me, Steve. A lot." He responded with the slightest chuckle. "But you don't. You do the opposite. There's so much shit we both have to deal with already and now we have to deal with Russians possibly trying to kill us all, but you're keeping me held together." His thumbs brushed against his cheekbones and he slid his hands down to the sides of his neck, just below his jawline. "I just hate so much that I can't express this to you with people around."

Steve turned sad at that. "I know. I know that and I'm sor—" at the look he received, he paused and laughed. "My bad. I know how much it sucks but what we have is so great. I don't want it to be ruined by anyone. Fuck what anybody things about us. I know what I feel for you. Nobody's allowed to have a say in that besides us." He declared passionately. Steve took one of his hands and pressed it to Nolan's chest, right on his heart. He felt it beat under his palm. "You have me. Crowd or no crowd, I. . ." The words suddenly got caught in his throat. "You're everything to me, Nolan."

Growing a slow smile, Nolan nodded slightly and pulled him close again. Their forehead pressed together. "Believe me, Stevie. You're everything also."

Stevie you literally have the hottest boyfriend in the world and you won't even hold his hand smh

IM JOKING