18 | Loverboy

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•••

LEVI GLANCED DOWN as he sat on the couch with Dustin by him, who was holding a washcloth, wiping the dirt off of Twelve's face as Mike and El were doing the same in the bathroom and Five was sat at the table with a large book in his hands reading something about science.

"You're okay, right?" Dustin asked softly, placing the cloth down as he finished.

Levi looked at the boy through his lashes, nodding slightly. "Yes."

Five looked up from the book he found, glancing between the two boys, shaking his head. "Just kiss already," he mumbled under his breath.

Dustin heard him and cleared his throat, blushing as Levi just looks at the two confused, but just starts playing with his plushies.

They all sat in silence, Levi playing, Five reading, and Dustin staring into space thinking about Five's words.

All their heads snapped up as they hear Lucas' voice come through Mike's radio on the table next to Five.

Five looked at Dustin with a stern look and Dustin hurriedly got up from the couch and ran to the bathroom to alert El and Mike.

Levi got up from the couch, stuffing Ben and Klaus in the discarded backpack that Levi was getting annoyed at, putting it on, before walking over the table just as Mike and Eleven showed up with Dustin behind them.

"Do you remember how Lucas said he was looking for the gate? I think he found it." Dustin said, handing the walkie-talkie to Mike.

Mike took the radio, lifting it up to his ear, listening to the indistinct voice of Lucas. "What's he saying?"

"I don't know, he's way out of range." Dustin sighed.

Levi zoned out of the conversation, hearing a slight buzzing in the back of his head, he flinched as Mike and Dustin ran past him up the stairs.

They're coming...

Twelve's breath hitched hearing those words, gazing towards Five and El who looked at him in concern. "They're coming."

Five and Eleven grabbed Twelve as Mike and Dustin ran down the stairs, shouting at them to go out the back door.

They all ran out the basement door, Dustin and Levi hopping on one bike, Mike and El on the other. Five teleported, keeping up with the group as the bad men followed behind them quickly.

Dustin was talking through his headpiece at Lucas, when he suddenly shouted, "Copy. Elm and Cherry!"

Five hurriedly teleported to the street waiting for the group. Back with the group, Levi's heart was beating out of his chest as he heard the multiple vans filled with Bad Men following them, so close, the buzzing sound never leaving his ears.

They turn down a driveway leading to a park where two little girls were playing, "Out of the way!" Dustin shouted, the girls separated letting the group drive by looking at them in shock.

They finally made it to the road where they saw Five standing while Lucas pulled up next to him. "Where are they?" Lucas questioned.

"I think we lost them," Dustin stated but the screeching of tires said otherwise as the badmen turned down the road.

Lucas looked towards Five shouting, "Get on!" Five quickly hopped on and they started pedaling quickly, the three vans close behind them.

Mike, Lucas, and Dustin started shouting profanities when a van appeared in front of them while Five shares a look with Levi and Eleven.

Eleven and Twelve concentrated on the vehicle in front of them, glaring at it before time slowed down and the van flipped through the air above their heads causing the group to look up but what surprised them was when the car blew up in the air, a shield barrier around it making sure the heat doesn't hit the kids before the car dropped behind them in front of the other vans causing them to stop.

Five smirked as the boys looked at each other, glancing at Levi and Eleven with shocked faces, eyes full of amazement.

They all rode in silence until they made it to the junkyard, Mike helped El off the bike sitting her down on the ground as she closed her eyes feeling exhausted, while Five did the same to Levi as Twelve felt his muscles start to become sore and burn.

"Holy...holy shit! Did...did you see what they did to that van?" Dustin breathed out, his eyes wide.

"No, Dustin. We missed it." Mike smiled sarcastically.

Dustin stuttered, "T-that was--"

"Awesome. It was awesome." Lucas cut the boy off, walking over to Five, El, and Levi, crouching down. "Everything I said about being a traitor and stuff...I was wrong. I'm sorry." Lucas smiled, placing a hand on El's back.

"Friends...don't lie. I'm sorry too." Eleven shared a soft smile with the boy.

"Me too." Mike cut in, holding his hand out for a shake, Lucas got up from the ground, looking at the boy's hand before shaking it firmly.

The group was huddled in a circle while Lucas explained exactly what he saw outside the lab, Levi wasn't really paying attention neither was Five, they both already knew how everything worked at the lab so they just sat there listening, Levi in his own world, silently wondering what this buzzing in his head was.

"--military. My dad told me before." Levi heard Mike say as he tuned into the conversation.

"Mike's right. There are soldiers out front." Lucas nods.

"Do they make, like, light bulbs or something?" Dustin questions causing Five to look at him weirdly.

"No, weapons to fight the Russians, and commies and stuff." Mike stated.

"Weapons." Lucas breathed out looking towards Five, Eleven, and Levi with wide eyes full of realization.

Dustin gasped, "Oh, Jesus, this is bad."

"Really bad. This place is like a fortress."

"Well, what do we do?" Dustin questioned, looking between the two.

"I don't know, but we can't go home. We're fugitives now." Mike stated.

Levi's and Five's brows furrowed, glancing at each other as they hear the humming of a vehicle approaching, Dustin catches their looks at looks up seeing a helicopter coming their way.

"G-guys?"

Everyone looks at the sky watching the helicopter come closer before Lucas, Mike and Dustin stuff their bikes under the abandoned bus and before they all pushed each other into the bus, running to the back and they all drop to the ground panting as they hear the helicopter hovering in the sky above them.

"Mental." Dustin exhaled, looking up at the ceiling as Five smacks him in the back of the head.

They have been sitting in the bus for a while now in silence, just the normal inaudible whispering coming from Levi who as to pass the time was playing with Ben and Klaus.

Sometimes Twelve will hand Dustin, Klaus and they would play together until Dustin asked Mike what they would do and stopped playing, only to be sucked back in when Levi would give him puppy dog eyes making Dustin melt.

They could all still hear the helicopter hovering in the sky which annoyed Levi to no end. And he had asked the group if he could just blow it up but they kept saying no already knowing Twelve was still sore from doing it to the van earlier.

Dustin handed Klaus back to Levi before smiling softly at the blue-eyed boy, Levi was about to ask him to continue playing but as soon as he opened his mouth a voice on Mike's radio interrupted him.

"Mike, are you there? Mike?"

They all look at each other confused, "Hear that?" Levi whispered.

"Mike, it's me, Nancy."

Mike hurriedly grabbed his radio out of his bag as everyone crowded in a circle looking at the radio.

"Mike, we need you to answer."

"Is that your sister?" Lucas asked, looking at MIke confused.

"This is an emergency, Mike. Do you copy? Mike, do you copy?"

"Okay, this is really weird." Dustin mumbled, glancing at Levi who just looked confused but had a smile on his face.

Lucas went to grab the radio but Mike slapped his hand away. "Don't answer."

"She said it was an emergency!"

"What if it's a trick?"

"It's your sister!"

"What if the bad people kidnapped her? What if they're forcing her to say this?"

"I need you to answer."

"It's like Lando Calrissian. Don't answer." Dustin shook his head as Levi looked up at him with a tilted head.

"Listen, kid, this is chief Hopper. If you're there, pick up."

Levi jumped as the soft voice known as Nancy changed to a rougher voice known as 'Chief' whatever that is.

"We know you're in trouble and we know about the boy and girl."

"Why is she with the chief?" Lucas questioned.

"How the hell does he know about..." Dustin trailed off and they all turned to Levi and El, but that confused them because did Hopper not know about Five?

"We can protect you, we can help you, but you gotta pick up. Are you there? Do you copy? Over."

Mike looked around the bus before his eyes landed on Five who had a contemplating look on his face before Five nodded at the slightly younger boy. Five felt as if he could trust this Hopper guy, and Five really hopes it's worth taking the risk.

Mike nodded back before replying to the radio. "Yeah, I copy. It's Mike. I'm here...We're here."

It's been a while since the call, Five and Levi were talking as everyone watched Dustin pace with a worried expression.

"Would you stop pacing!" Mike exclaimed, looking up at the boy from his seat.

"It's been way too long. Do you know what? Maybe you're right. Maybe this is all a trap and the bad men are coming to get us right now!" Dustin panicked, waving his arms around, ignoring the concerned look Levi was throwing him.

"It's not a trap. Why would the Chief set us up? Nancy, maybe. But the chief?" Lucas tried to reason, while Mike let out an offended 'Hey'.

"Lando Calrissian." Dustin pointed at Lucas, raising his brows.

Again with that word...what is that? Levi thought.

I don't know! why are you asking me?

"Would you shut up about Lando!" Lucas shouted, glaring at the boy.

"I don't feel good about this. I don't feel good about this!" Dustin yelled.

"When do you feel good about anything?!"

"Would you two shut up before I leave your asses behind." Five grumbled, rolling his eyes, glancing at Levi who looks at him hurt, Five cupped his cheek, "Except you, T."

Levi chuckled, scrunching his nose, pulling Five's hand off as Dustin glares at Five feeling a burning feeling in his stomach.

They all look to the front of the bus as they hear multiple vehicles approaching, they all share a look, running to the front and looking out the windshield, panicking as they see none of the cars belong to Hopper.

"Shit!"

They all run into the back, dropping to the ground, Levi grabbing Dustin's hand out of panic.

"Lando." Dustin muttered, squeezing Levi's hand in reassurance.

"You think they saw us?" Lucas questioned from his place on the ground by Five.

"Both of you, shut up." Mike stated.

They all listen as the bad men get out of their cars while Levi, as quietly as possible puts Ben and Klaus back in his bag, listening to the footsteps come closer causing him to whimper quietly, hurriedly holding the bag to his chest and scooting closer to Dustin who rubs the boy's tattooed wrist, trying to calm him as El and Five look towards Levi concerned.

They all listen in panic as the bus door opens, followed by grunts and punches causing the group to look at each other confused. They all stood up as the door opens all the way and revealed who Levi guesses was Chief Hopper, looking them over.

"All right, let's go." Hopper panted, looking over the kids, growing slightly confused at Five but brushed it off. When no one moved he shouted. "LET'S GO!"

Everyone grabbed their stuff and hurriedly following behind the older man, squishing into the police truck.

•••

It was now dark when they arrived at the Byers home, Dustin helped Levi out of the truck, Levi still feeling slightly sore but growing some strength back.

"Mike. Oh, my god, Mike!" A soft voice caught Levi's attention, causing him to turn around as he watched the pretty girl, Nancy run up to an uncomfortable Mike, hugging him.

Everyone watched the awkward reunion as Levi looked at the other people he has yet to meet, the teenage boy in dark clothes, and the older woman who was probably Will's mother.

But they didn't matter to the blue-eyed boy, his focus was on Nancy, he was standing a few feet away. From her. He was in awe, it was like a fangirl meeting their idle for the first time.

Levi shook his thoughts away and followed everyone inside as Mike immediately starts explaining the upside-down to them in Mr. Clarke's words.

"So in this example, we're the acrobat. Will and Barbara, and the monster are this flea. And this is the upside-down, where Will is hiding. Mr. Clarke said the only way to get there is through a rip of time and space."

"A gate." Dustin continued.

"That we tracked to Hawkins Lab." Lucas stated.

"With our compasses," Dustin added, but only gained confused looks other than the party of course. "Okay, so the gate has a really strong electromagnetic field, and that could change the direction of a compass needle."

"Is this gate underground?" Hopper looked at the kids.

"Yes." Twelve whimpered, Five handing Ben to the boy, causing Levi to squeeze the octopus three times.

"Near a large water tank?"

"Yes." Eleven whispered.

"H-how do you know all that?" Dustin questioned the older man, looking towards Levi worryingly.

"He's seen it." Mike breathed out in realization.

Levi, El, and Five look towards Hopper who looks back at them with an unreadable expression before they turn to Joyce as the lady starts talking.

"Is there any way you could...that you could reach Will? That you could talk to him in this--"

"The upside down." The three say simultaneously.

"Down. Yeah."

Five looked at the lady fondly, Joyce reminded him of his mother, well what he remembered of his mother. "These two can, but my powers are useless to you."

Levi grabbed Five's hand, knowing that Five wished he could do more.

"My friend Barbara. Can you find her too?" Nancy asked Levi and Eleven.

Levi remembered the picture of Nancy and the redhead, he knew something bad was gonna happen to the redhead, he wished he could have stopped it.

Levi cleared his throat, blushing, "Y-yes."

•••

Now they were all crowded around the kitchen table, static from Mike's radio filled the room as Eleven sat on a chair, Levi standing behind her, one hand intertwined with hers and the other holding Ben with Five and Dustin standing on both sides, Klaus in Dustin's hands, in Levi's words to 'Keep him safe' so Dustin went along with it.

Eleven closed her eyes as Levi's flashed white, causing Joyce to gasp slightly. And the two concentrated on the ringing in their heads, trying to connect into the upside-down, both knowing if they couldn't do this it would break the people's hearts.

But alas after a while Eleven and Twelve opened their eyes, sighing in defeat.

"I'm sorry," Eleven whispered tears filled her eyes.

Joyce shook her head. "W-what happened? What's wrong?"

"We can't find them." Levi whimpered, his voice breaking as he held back a sob, not used to feeling this...this uselessness.

Eleven walked away, towards the bathroom as everyone sat in the kitchen, Mike, Dustin, and Lucas explaining that El and Levi were still weak.

Twelve walked down the hall with Ben and Klaus in his hands, stopping at a door that said 'Will the Wise', Levi quietly pushed open the door, ignoring all the lamps that scattered the room, knowing Will was communicating with his mom.

Levi looked around the room in amazement, staring at the posters and admiring the drawings hung up, reminding him of the drawings in his old room at the lab the ones...Six drew, that thought made Levi look down, squeezing the plushies.

"Hey." A voice snapped the boy out of his thoughts, Levi looked up seeing Jonathan, Will's older brother, standing there with his hands in his pockets.

Levi looked up at the boy, feeling intimidated. "S-sorry." he mumbled, going to walk past the teen.

"No. It's okay. I just...wanted to thank you."

"Thank...m-me?"

"Yeah. For...you know...trying to help find Will." Jonathan smiled softly at the younger boy.

Levi blinked not knowing what to say.

Say, you're welcome...

"Y-you're...welcome?"

Suddenly a blue flash blinded the two and Five appeared, causing Jonathan to jump while Twelve was unfazed. "El wants to try the bath," he states, causing Levi to grow concerned, knowing most of the girl's nightmares are from using the bath.

•••

They were at the middle school, getting everything ready there since the school was the only place to have the large amount of salt they needed.

Five was with Jonathan and Hopper grabbing the large bags of salt, and for a scrawny boy he was doing great in his opinion... he lifted more than Jonathan at least. Eleven was with Joyce putting duct tape on goggles so El could wear them. Mike was helping Nancy grab and hook up hoses. Levi was with Dustin and Lucas, trying and failing at putting the Byers' pool up in the middle of the gym, while Ben and Klaus sat on one of the bleachers 'watching'.

Levi finally got his side to stand and slowly stepped away, his hands in front of him to catch it if it fell. Just as he stepped away, Dustin's side dropped causing Twelve's to as well causing the blue-eyed boy to groan.

After a long time, Dustin and Lucas got it standing up as Levi slowly removed the shield he had holding it up and the three cheered as the pool finally stood on its own. Mike brought the two hoses and set them in the pool as Nancy, from outside, turns on the water, twisting a turning the knobs as Lucas grabs a thermometer shouting if they need colder or hotter water.

Dustin ran to the cafeteria grabbing a carton of eggs before running back as Levi helped Jonathan and Hopper pour salt into the water, Dustin dumping an egg to see if it floats but it sunk down causing the boys to pour more salt.

After adding loads of salt, Dustin slowly put an egg in the water and they all shared a look of accomplishment as the egg floated.

Mike sets up his radio on a table by the pool as Levi watches Joyce help El put on the goggles and get ready to go into the water.

The boy couldn't help but feel nervous and he couldn't get this buzzing out of his head either.

Levi and Joyce helped El into the water, and El got down into the pool with her goggles and started floating as everyone sat around the pool, waiting anxiously.

Levi wondered if El needed help but his thoughts were interrupted when El reached a hand out whispering, "Connect."

Levi glanced around the confused group, intertwining his fingers with El's, his eyes glowing white, before closing them as they both focus on the static. Levi could feel the power he took

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