Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The air hangs thick and low. The house smells damp and dry at the same time, wood rotting underneath the wallpaper and creaking as they push further in. It was the first time Eddie saw the place from the inside. 

Steve hates that they're putting their plan on hold, even if it was only for a day. They’d gone over it plenty of times, but Nancy still had a gut feeling that something was off about it. 

“It seems too.. I don’t know,” She said, a frustrated, worried pout on her face as she brought her knuckles to her lips, elbow resting on her other wrist. Nervous. “There's something missing. It feels too straightforward - too simple.”

Normally she was very certain. Perhaps seeing into the future was enough to shake her into uncertainty.

“Maybe we should give it another day,” Lucas suggested. “To-To really, uh.. solidify it?”

He glanced around for approval, his hands opening and closing during the silence as everyone stayed quiet, chewing on that thought. Max, to Steve’s surprise, murmured a quiet agreement while Dustin shifted on his feet wordlessly. Lucas dropped his hands to his sides, though they kept flexing anxiously.

Nancy, who had been pacing a hole into the floor, spoke again. She already sounded much more grounded than before. “Yeah. We should. Gives us time to work out a backup.. in case things go wrong.” 

Because they always do.

So now Steve and Lucas were back at the Creel house to show Eddie around and where Vecna’s Hotspot was tucked away in the attic. The rest were back with Robin and Nancy, fine-tuning the plan and extra preparations (God help their bank accounts). Max had mentioned it may be a good idea to get everyone’s most important song as Vecna-Repellent, and Dustin argued it may be a good idea to show Eddie the house. Eddie, as much as he is secretly pumped to visit such a creepy abandoned shithole, argued that this was literally his first time dealing with cross dimensional bad guys. In real life, anyways. What insight could he have?

Still, he relented. The girls (and Dustin) were on cassette duty, scrounging for portable players for each person (they found one already inside of their stolen home-on-wheels) and finding tapes of whatever song would get their asses running up that hill. Returning home wasn't exactly an option given the… vehicle situation, so they'd dropped Steve’s merry little trio off at the house and hauled ass out of Hawkins. At least for a few hours. Give or take.

God knows what Vecna or Henry or One would do between now and tomorrow. Sure, Max had Kate Bush blasting in her ears as much as possible, but what if Vecna swaps targets? Surely the guy would get impatient. Maybe he’d move on and grab someone else while they weren’t looking. The thought of it made Steve nauseous. He just wanted to kill the bastard and get these kids home . 

Steve was fine with Lucas sticking with the others. After all, that’s his sister and his best friends. Steve and Eddie are grown, if anything weird happens it's better them than the kids. In fact, it kinda shocked him when Lucas changed his mind last minute and clambered out of the Winnebago with the extra cassette-player and a few tapes shoved haphazardly into a plastic bag. Steve looked at it skeptically. He doubted anything in there would help either of them in the worst case scenario, but he can't blame the kid for trying.

“Why the change of heart?” Steve asked, pushing the door open. Eddie shoved past (rudely) and into the foyer, twirling around to get a good look. The engine behind them faded out faster than the legal speed limit. God, don't let them get pulled over.

“I uh..” Lucas hesitated. He looked guilty. Nervous. His eyes shifted to Eddie, who was now exploring further and out of sight with his flashlight waving about. “I just… I skipped the last Hellfire meeting for the game. It was really important to him and the rest of the club.”

“Plus he’s… he’s never been on good terms with the basketball team.” Lucas kept talking. Steve winced, trying not to think too hard about that. “They hate him, he hates them… doesn't help that Jason’s trying to hunt him down.” Doesn’t help that I was part of that, he doesn't say (but Steve knows it's there).

“Woah, woah, first off,” Steve interrupted. “It was the Championship game ! Dude, you killed it back there. First game to even go that far in, like, years, man-”

“I betrayed him,” Lucas continued, interrupting Steve’s interruption. “I aligned with the enemy! His enemy! It's just cruel, man-”

“Hey,” Steve interrupted a second time. “You didn't know. Hell, I was skeptical, too, I thought he went off the deep end and Dustin was fuckin’ insane for wanting to find Eddie.”

“But the basketball team-”

“You said it yourself, you got sick of all the- the- the the-” Steve gesticulated vaguely with his hands as the words awkwardly halted. “The teasing, the bullying, you're a little nerdy guy which is prime target for douchebags like that. I understand wanting to get away from that, y’know?”

Lucas looked at the ground. Steve knew there was more to it, but he also knew it wasn't something he could fully understand. “You’re alright, man. High school is tough. Gotta make tough decisions like that every now and then.”

“I know it’s... It feels dumb to worry about that,” Lucas said. “Now that we’re dealing with Vecna but.. I wanted to, I’unno, smooth things back over? Before anything major happens and.. I don't have another chance to.”

“I don't think he’ll hold it against you,” Steve replied, craning his neck trying to see where the hell Eddie went. Not even five minutes and I’ve lost him. “You won, they won, no biggie. Besides… He doesn't seem like he's a grudge kinda guy. At least with a one time offense over balls in baskets and Dingus and Dragons. ”

“ Dungeons and Dragons.” Lucas corrected. He paused, then furrowed his brows. “You said that on purpose.”

“Maybe,” Steve gave a smirk, knocking his elbow against Lucas lightly. The boy laughed a little. 

“You don't know Eddie, though. How can you be sure?”

“I can’t,” Steve admitted. He caught sight of Eddie through an archway, startling the guy with the flashlight. Eddie flipped him the bird. “But he was pretty quick to accept I wasn't that bad even after my..” Steve cleared his throat with a grimace. “ Reputation . So..”

Lucas thought about that for a moment, lingering in place. Steve stopped too. “Still gonna talk to him, though.”

“Wouldn’t hurt,” Steve nodded, patting the kid’s shoulder, sending him off. Jesus, he’s getting tall. 

He watched as Lucas (nervously) approached Eddie. They started talking lowly, though Steve felt weird just staring at them and he began pulling away to give them some privacy, climbing up the creepy ass staircase.

It went by quick and easy, based on the weight missing from Lucas’s shoulders as the kid shuffled past him. They spared a glance to one another. 

All good? Steve arched his eyebrows.

Yeah, Lucas gave a thumbs up and a grin. 

Told ya, Steve returned the gesture.

The boy hurried in front of him. Eddie on the other hand finally caught up, still waving that light around. “Areeee we looking for anything specific.”

“Not really,” Steve answered. “Just another sweep in case we missed anything noteworthy the first time.” And to just kill some fucking time, seeing as we don't have a car.

Eddie hummed low in his throat. A metallic jiggling sound got Steve to turn. That door looks familiar.

“Hey. Careful with spiders, dude,” Steve warned. “The webs, man, you don't see ‘em until you're in ‘em.”

“Speaking from experience, Harrington?”

Steve grimaced. “Robin’s still convinced its ugly little babies are hiding in my hair. Nesting.”

“Hmm.” Eddie made a sour face himself, staring at the handle. He pulled his hand away, flexing his fingers in mild disgust. “That’s…” Steve can see whatever witty comeback Eddie had dying and suffocating as the cogs turn in the guy’s brain. He snorted.

“Don’t laugh at me,” Eddie scoffed lightly. He leaned forward and smacked Steve’s arm. “Believe it or not, me and spiders…” He tutted. “Do not get along.”

“I don't think anyone is friends with a spider.” 

A beat.

“Well,”

Eddie looked at him funny, brows quirked.

“The uh… the Meatflayer -”

“-The WHAT.”

“-was kinda spider shaped… with its billions of legs.”

“ Meatflayer?! ” Eddie echoed. “What the fuck is the Meatflayer ?!”

“Like- Like the Mindflayer,” Steve went on, using his hands for emphasis as if Eddie would have the slightest clue what the everloving shit he’s talking about. “But made of… people.”

The look on Eddie’s face was priceless. 

“It was horrifying in person. Made of half of the fuckin population of Hawkins.”

“Steve,” Lucas groaned from a distance. Eddie was still speechless. “Don’t…”

“The Starcourt Mall Fire? Wasn't just a fire. All the people that..” Steve trailed off, resorting to making weird faces and hand movements to avoid directly grossing Eddie out even further. “...Y’know……..”

“Dude,” Lucas said again, making a fake gagging noise. 

“That is.” Eddie is once again speechless. “.................the worst thing you have said to my face. How are you just saying that like it's normal? ” Something in his eyes shifted. “Are you okay?”

Steve gawked at him. Something about Eddie’s concern made his stomach flip. None of this was normal by any means, they just weren't used to talking about it to someone who wasn’t there to see it. “This is my fourth year of this bullshit, man, you get used to it.”

“You shouldn’t have to.” Eddie sounds so serious it makes Steve want to vomit. “None of you should.”

Steve only shrugs, pushing that emotional nausea somewhere he won't reach it again. They keep exploring in silence, catching up with Lucas. The kid’s not really hiding his emotional nausea as well as Steve is, shoulders stiff and rigid. Eddie lags behind all three of them, travelling in silence (he stopped trying to enter closed doors after the spider comment) until they reached the landing of the attic stairwell.

“So,” Lucas broke the silence. He sets the cassette bag down on the dusty, gross, probably-infested-with-something floor. “The original plan was me and Max up there, Erica across from us in the park.”

“Gonna be honest, Sinclair,” Eddie said. “Don’t like the thought of you three being unsupervised.” He smacked Steve on the arm. “That’s your job, buddy,” Eddie teased. Steve just rolled his eyes.

“Guess that’s on the ‘to-fix’ list,” Lucas laughed dryly. 

Steve crossed his arms over his chest, blowing out a breath and glancing out the window. His leg bounced over and over, jiggling the beam from his flashlight. The ratio of not-so-kids to almost-adults red was concerning, to say the least. Even split, sure, but who was gonna make sure Lucas, Erica, and Max didn’t get hurt? Steve could complain all he wanted about being the babysitter but when real danger is concerned, he'll go with those kids no questions asked. Unfortunately, that came at a price of making all the damn teams unbalanced. This plan was gonna need a lot of work but they had so little time…

Something grabbed his shoulders. Before it could shake him around, Steve’s attention was right on it. “What?”

“Sinclair asked you a question, big guy,” Eddie sneered, though a wrinkle in his brow suggested worry. 

“...What?”

“Do any of these look promising?” Lucas repeated, holding up a few tapes from the Winnebago that he thought Steve may enjoy, at least.

Steve moved closer to get a better look. “Hmm…”

Johnny Cash. Buddy Holly. Elvis. Steve glanced at the rest of the tapes left in the bag. He didn't recognize any of the remaining names. “Jeez, I can tell how fuckin’ old these people are by their music.”

Lucas shrugged. “Best we got until we meet back up with the rest.”

“What even is your favorite song?” Eddie asked, playing with his curls restlessly. 

“Well,” Steve rubbed his neck sheepishly. “It's not my favorite song, but it's, like.. it means something.”

“Yeah, Robin said the songs don't have to be favorites,” Lucas nodded.

“Is it something totally embarrassing,” Eddie deadpanned. “Like... Something career ruining for King Steve? Is it Cyndi Lauper?”

“Bonnie Tyler,” Steve answered instead. “ Total Eclipse of the Heart. ”

Eddie snorted so hard Steve thought he was going to start choking. Steve heard Lucas hold back a giggle, too. “Do- Do you have a story behind that one? Pray tell!”

“Ah, geez, so, like,” Steve started, hands on his hips. “Last year with the whole Starcourt thing, Rob and I were high off our asses - we got drugged by Russians under the mall-” Eddie’s eyes widened in what the fuck . “We were hurling our guts out in the bathroom and just.. kinda started talking. Coming down from the high, trying to process what the hell just happened… and the song just kinda came up.”

He paused. They gave him a look to continue.

“Remember Tammy Thompson?” He asked, getting a loud GROAN from Lucas. “She sounds like a muppet! I told Robin- I told Robin that Tammy Thompson sounds like a muppet giving birth!”

Lucas laughed very sharply and loudly. “Oh my god, yeah! When she sang the Star Spangled Banner at the game!”

“Exactly, exactly, ” 

“Were you making fun of her in the bathroom?” Eddie asked, fighting off a grin.

“I mean, yeah, have you heard her?” Steve laughed. "We made Muppet Tammy impressions sitting on the fuckin' bathroom floor before Dustin and Erica found us again."

“Do the voice. Do it right now, I wanna hear it,” Lucas begged. "Please,"

“No. Absolutely not.” 

“You're holding out on us, Harrington!” Eddie insisted, cackling loudly. He ruffled Steve's hair.

“I’m not singing in a muppet voice! That's for Robin only,” Steve insisted firmly, though still grinning. He tried to fix his (for once, pretty gross) hair after swatting Eddie away. “Wait- wait Lucas do you think Dustin’s is Neverending- ”

The house groaned and creaked. The three of them immediately went dead silent. Someone else was here.

They looked between each other, slowly clicking their flashlights off. The only light left was the gray daylight streaming through the windows.

Steve shuffled towards the nearest one, peering out. Lucky for him, it was one pointing towards the front yard.

Unlucky for them, a car parked was in the distance. One that wasn't there when they showed up.

Chapter Text

“ Oh, shit ,” Steve jumped at Lucas’s voice. “ Jason .”

“Ffffuck what is he doing here?!” Eddie whisper-screamed.

They had to act fast. The floorboards creaked downstairs, Jason and whoever-else’s voices still unintelligible but they knew Jason and his buddies were looking for them. Steve brought his pointer finger to his lips, then urged Eddie and Lucas up the stairs. He patted the walkie hooked to Eddie’s belt. Warn them.

Eddie looked down, then at Lucas. then back at Steve, nodding nervously. He pushed the kid up the stairs ahead of him, visibly grimacing at the sound of the stairs groaning. Steve looked back behind him, exhaling sharply and going closer to the other set of stairs. 

“I know you’re in here, freak ,” Jason spat, his footsteps getting closer. They were gonna meet in the middle at this rate.

A bright light blasted right into Steve’s eyes, raising his arm to protect himself. “Watch where you’re swinging that thing, man.”

“Harrington,” Jason gawked. He was the last person he expected to see. “...The hell are you doing here?”

“Should ask you the same,” Steve lowered his arm when the light wasn't blinding him anymore. “Isn't your mom worried about you, kid?”

Jason didn’t like that. His buddy (Andy?) caught up with him and stared at Steve like he had three heads. “Little birdie told me Eddie Munson was seen here.”

“Are you looking for him, too?” Andy asked, a little too hopeful.

Steve should've thought out a plan. “No, I just like breaking and entering.”

Jason wasn't stupid. He saw right through it. “You’re stalling. Where is he.”

“What makes you think I know?”

“Don’t lie to me, man,” Jason said. The stairs cried out under the weight of his feet. Steve finally noticed the handgun holstered to his belt. Uh oh. “This is for everybody’s own good. You know he killed them, how do you know he won't turn on you?”

Steve held his ground, adjusting his grip on his flashlight. He should've grabbed something heavier. Like a lamp. 

“Tell me.” Jason was getting closer. “Where is he.”

Steve took a step back.

“Y’know, Steve,” Oh, we’re first name basis again? “I looked up to you, man.”

“Flattery won't work on me.” Steve kept adjusting his grip on the light.

“But then you got quiet.” Jason cocked his head. “You space out. You stopped hanging out with Tommy Hagan, you let Billy push you around, you look haunted , man,”

Steve wasn't a fan of how.. genuinely concerned Jason sounded. That same nausea from earlier clawed at his stomach again.

“How long has Munson been beating you down?”

“What?” Steve gaped. “Dude, what are you talking about?”

“Chrissy, Patrick, they- they spaced out, they went quiet ,” To be honest, Steve couldn't really blame him for this. Jason didn't know. How could he? 

Jason planted a hand on Steve’s shoulder. Steve smacked him away a little too hard, earning a hiss in response, but Jason didn't back off. Andy was standing silently a few steps behind him.

“You can trust me, Steve,” Jason’s voice was uncomfortably soft. He was compensating. Maybe it's the guilt. Steve knows, he gets it. The feeling of not being there for someone. “If I can stop that freak from taking someone else-”

“It has nothing to do with him.” Steve said firmly, gaze hardening. 

“I’m trying to fuckin’ help you, man!” Jason raised his voice, grabbing Steve by his shirt. “Something about you changed, Steve!”

“It has nothing to do with Eddie. ” Steve snapped, ripping Jason’s hand off of him. “And don’t fucking touch me, got it? Go home . Let the cops handle this.” 

“You’re working with him.” Steve forgot Andy was there. He and Jason both looked back at him.

“That’s why you’re here!” Andy continued, shoving himself past Jason and grabbing Steve. “He dragged you into this, didn’t he?”

“Get off of me-”

“You’re the last person anybody would expect.” 

Steve’s back slammed against the wall. He spared a glance to Jason. Jesus, he’s fucking pissed.

Pissed was an understatement. Even under the shadow of the house Jason’s face was bright red, screwing tightly in betrayal. Any respect he had for Steve was shattered and broken under his shoes. He was furious.

“The King and the Freak.” He spat, cornering Steve further into the wall. “I can’t believe you. You sick bastard!”

“Do your arms hurt from reaching so far?” Steve spat, squirming.

Jason opened his mouth, halting as the ceiling above them groaned. A static voice filled the silence, though it was quickly silenced. Fucking shit.

The boys were distracted. Steve slammed his knee into Andy’s gut and whacked the flashlight against his head, breaking free.

“HEY!” Jason barked, only to get shoved backward as Steve put some distance between them. Jason gave chase, but Andy went the other way. 

Shit! Shit shit shit shit! Steve turned back around and barreled into Jason. Carver was stronger than he looked, kicking and shoving and turning them around. A guttural, punched out sound was ripped from Steve’s throat as Jason’s elbow slammed into his lower torso, vision going white from the searing hot pain shooting through his body. It left him vulnerable for a second too long. Jason straddled him. A fist shot into Steve’s face ( of course it was on the fucking left side ) and his head slammed into the floor.

His head was throbbing. His tolerance for face-and-head injuries was getting worse by the year. He might as well be going blind or deaf with how much shit he’s endured. Jason’s voice felt far away. He was shaking Steve by his shirt collar and shouting at him as the house shook with heavy stomping above them. Steve’s hands made it to Jason’s shoulders, feebly gripping onto his green and white jacket.

Clenching his teeth and bracing for impact, Steve yanked Jason forward and knocked his head into the other teen’s nose. The move did its job, Jason fumbled backward with his hands covering his face and failing to stop the gush of blood. Steve’s head was reeling even more than before, but he kept pushing on and shoved Jason aside before scrambling to his feet. 

Lucas. Eddie. Footsteps thundered through the hallway. Steve blindly threw himself at Andy when he got to the attic, crashing into some dusty, gross, webbed furniture.

“Steve!” Lucas cried out, just as Eddie shouted “ SHIT!!”

Andy grabbed something off the floor, rearing back to hit but Steve grabbed his arm, struggling to pry the piece of wood from his hand. 

“ Sinclair .” Jason said distantly.

Steve rolled Andy onto his back, still fighting him for the wood.

“What did you do to them, Munson?” click. The gun.

Andy dropped it in favor of grabbing Steve by the head.

“Roping kids into your cult? Got Harrington to do your dirty work for you? Scout out fresh meat for you?”

“You’re fucking insane,” said Eddie, voice shaking.

Steve was rolled onto his back. Andy still held onto his head.

“What did you do to them. What did you do to Fred, to Patrick, to Chrissy.”

“I didn’t do anything to them,” Eddie sounded terrified. Scared out of his mind. “I swear on it, I didn't do anything to Chrissy! I don't even know who Fred is and I didn't hurt Patrick! You-You saw me in the fucking boat! You saw him floating , you think I can fucking do that?!”

“You’re a vessel for the Devil.”

“Wow, didn't know you thought so highly of me.” 

Impact. Ringing. Pain. “Steve!” Lucas. Where was Lucas? 

“SHUT IT, MUNSON.” Eddie audibly stumbled over something. An extra pair of foosteps shuffled in a panic.

Ah. 

Lucas is behind him.

“Let them go or I’m putting a bullet through all of your skulls.”

“And if I do?”

“You die either way, Munson.”

“Sounds- sounds like a pretty shit deal,” Steve’s amazed at how Eddie can play it off like this. He knows Eddie must be scared out of his mind. 

“How do you know it was Eddie?” Lucas piped up, trying to sound brave. 

Steve struggled against Andy. He scratched his nails against the other teen’s face. A kick in the gut, the same blinding pain rattling Steve through his core. A shattered gasp squeezes out of his lungs. He felt like he was suffocating.

“You’re gonna fucking kill him, Jesus! ” Eddie hissed. Out of his peripheral Steve saw Eddie moved, shuffling back again when Jason stepped forward. 

The pressure of Andy’s knee let up and Steve could breathe again.

“....Oh,” Andy stammered. Steve’s shirt was wet. Andy’s jeans were lightly stained red.

“What?” Jason replied sharply.

“What did you do?!” shouted Lucas.

Andy peeled away, shuffling back worriedly. Afraid. Steve’s chest heaved. Fucker broke open his bites.

“Harrington?” Steve doesn't know who said it, doesn’t care, he’s pulling himself to his feet despite the horrible, wet pain. He was going to hurl.

Eddie shuffled towards a lamp. Jason wasn't paying attention. Both he and Andy were staring Steve down as he wheezed. To be honest, he was definitely playing it up.

The cough was real. The dizziness was real. His brain was fucking jello at this point, wobbling around in his skull like slime.

And to think.. I was gonna go one year ,” Steve heaved. “Without getting my lights punched out.”

Nobody laughed. Not that he expected anything. 

Speaking of lights…

Jason was down for the count. Eddie weaponized an ancient table lamp against him, swinging it towards Andy threateningly while Lucas grabbed Jason’s pistol, pointing it towards Andy threateningly. 

Steve hobbled over to Eddie and Lucas. The walkie was on the floor. Steve almost threw up grabbing it. The three of them shuffled towards the stairs. Eddie discarded the lamp, hooking one arm around Steve’s torso and the other placed on his chest. They went down first, Lucas following with shaky hands. 

“Turn the safety on,” Eddie whispered. Lucas stared blankly at the pistol, searching. A tiny click. 

Lucas grabbed the bag of tapes, the discarded tape player, and stole the walkie off of Steve before hurrying to the ground floor and radioing back in to the others. 

“My brain’s gonna turn to soup,” Steve grumbled. Everything hurt.

Eddie’s arm squeezed him reassuringly. Which hurt. “ Ah - Sorry ,”

Lucas met them outside. “They’re almost here,”

Chapter Text

Steve was splayed along the back couch over Robin’s lap (was it a couch?) the whole ride. She and Eddie sat with him - Eddie on the floor rather than the couch - and took care of his injuries the best they could with a first aid kit and a half-melted ice pack. The Winnebago shifted and shook on the road, jostling his side and his brain with it.

“Hey, man, don’t pass out on us,” Eddie scolded.

“No promises,” Steve slurred out. He glanced up at Robin who only frowned, hands in his hair.

He could feel the kids staring. Dustin was pacing as best he could in a moving vehicle. Lucas’s foot audibly bounced against the floor. 

“Can you go a year without your face getting caved in?” Max asked. The usual sarcasm was there, but the worry was new.

“We’re fucked,” Steve said instead. “The plan is fucked. What if Carver goes back?”

“Shhhh,” Robin pinched his lips together. “Don't worry about it right now, you’ll speed up the deterioration of your remaining braincells.”

“God knows you’re gonna need the three that are left,” Eddie poked Steve in the shoulder lightheartedly.

The camper fell into silence after that.

They can’t waste any more time.

They need a new plan.