Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“I’m terrible at this,” Steve groaned, flopping his chin down to his chest. Eddie chuckled softly in front of him, easing the guitar out of his lap. Two weeks of this and he still couldn’t play a thing. “I’m absolutely hopeless.”

“No, you’re not. It just takes time,” Eddie assured him, strumming lightly on his own guitar, just to show off his skills. Steve watched his fingers pluck the strings, getting lost in the sight of them working so deftly. It was soothing and helped take his mind off of all the other things that were cluttering it up.

It had been a month since the fight against Vecna. Things had mostly calmed down and everyone was on the road to recovery. Max still had her arm in a cast, but she didn’t let it slow her down in the slightest. She was back on her skateboard a week after everything and had a spark back in her eyes that she’d lost a while back. Lucas was by her side the whole time, helping her to the point of fond annoyance and accepting her ministrations when it came to his own cuts and bruises. Jason was lucky he was in jail for assault, because everyone in their group was aching to beat down on the little prick. But the Sinclair family didn’t mess around and he was going to face real consequences.

Eddie had been in the hospital for a whole week to recover from his massive blood loss. Steve still relived the moment he’d found Dustin crying over Eddie’s body after the evil was vanquished in his nightmares. He’d thought Eddie was dead too, but he picked up his body anyways, since leaving him there was never an option. And when they’d finally gotten back to the other side and Eddie sucked in the tiniest breath, they raced him to the hospital and got him help.

Eddie’s name had been cleared, thanks in part to a back from the dead Hopper. Evidently he had some important information about Russian prisons that was worth giving him anything he wanted, which included protecting the newest member of their ragtag group. Some people in town were still gave him a wide berth, but Eddie didn’t seem to mind. Steve thought he might’ve even enjoyed the notoriety, now that no one thought he was a killer anymore and he was just “that strange boy” again.

It was nice having everyone back together, with everyone living in Hawkins again. It felt like they had a chance for things to get to some sort of normal. And with summer quickly approaching, it was the perfect time to restrengthen their bonds. Steve and Robin still had jobs, but they usually had visitors at work a few times a day. It helped make the day go by faster. And one of those visits had been what started his thing with Eddie.

Eddie had come in one night a few hours before closing on a random Tuesday. Steve was working alone, since Robin had school the next day. Eddie did as well, but that didn’t seem to bother him. The teachers were letting him skate by, either due to sympathy from his plight or wanting him gone from the school. Eddie didn’t care, since it was leading him on the fast track to finally graduating.

Steve had given him a few movie suggestions, since he didn’t really know what else to say to the guy. They’d only ever had brief conversations and usually with other people around, so they weren’t really friends. But Eddie had stuck around and the conversation started flowing easier, from music, to movies, to life in general. Before Steve knew it, he’d kept the open sign on on the outside of the shop for an hour past closing.

And that was the start of Steve and Eddie spending almost every day together. From hanging out after school, to during work, to weekend movie nights, and weeknight D&D campaigns. If one of them was somewhere, it was safe to say the other one was too. Steve was starting to consider Eddie one of his best friends.

Eddie had brought one of his guitars over to the video store one night, strumming along to whatever song was playing over the speakers. Steve had been amazed by it, complimenting the other boy on his talent. So when Eddie offered to give him private lessons, Steve jumped at the chance. Playing guitar sounded fun, but it wasn’t exactly the reason he’d said yes so quickly. It was more about having an excuse to get Eddie alone more often. Hanging with everyone was great, but getting to be one on one with Eddie was even better.

Steve wasn’t sure when his thoughts about Eddie started shifting from something friendly to something more intense. Eddie was an easy guy to become infatuated with, from his natural charisma and charm. At first, Steve chalked it up to that. There was no reason to consider it was something else, since he’d never felt a certain way about another boy before. All of his fantasies had involved women and so had all of his experiences. But then fingers with thick rings and denim covered tattooed skin started worming its way in.

It was probably just his mind playing tricks on him though. The same thing had happened with Robin, but what they had was definitely not romantic. Maybe he was just so excited to have a friend his own age that he took things too far. That he was so desperate for that connection that he tried to build it up to more than it was. But there were also flashes from Eddie that made it seem like he reciprocated. That had never happened with Robin.

There were times when Eddie adjusted Steve’s fingers on the strings of the guitar and his face turned red. Or when Steve would catch Eddie looking at him just a few seconds longer than normal. And Eddie always seemed to choose the spot closest to him on the couch, with some part of their bodies brushing against each other. Nothing too odd, until you put it all together. But Steve wasn’t the smartest guy, so what he was adding up may not have been accurate.

Either way, Steve couldn’t do anything about it. He was too afraid to ruin what they had by taking a chance for something more. Even if Eddie felt the same way about him, that probably wouldn’t last. Steve was a great friend, but a terrible boyfriend. He hadn’t been with anyone since Nancy and his full shift into being a better person, but what if that didn’t matter? What if he was fundamentally a bad partner, regardless of how hard he tried to be good?

Steve thought he’d been good after he and Nancy made up, but she still hadn’t loved him. Saying that he was incapable of being loved sounded so dramatic, but maybe there was truth to it. He believed that Robin loved him, but as a friend. And maybe he and Eddie could get to that place too, but Steve couldn’t try to take it further. He couldn’t deal with losing anything else.

“How about we take a break for a bit and watch the movie I rented? It’s due back in a few days and I wouldn’t want to get a late fee,” Eddie suggested with a smirk.

“I’m pretty sure you could get away with it,” Steve scoffed, rolling his eyes. Eddie hadn’t even paid for a rental in weeks. Just one of the perks of the job and having a manager who didn’t give a shit, as long as things ran as they should. Steve pointedly stared at the arm of his couch as Eddie bent over to slide the tape into the machine. He didn’t look up until Eddie was back by his side, partially on his cushion.

“I’ve been dying to see this movie for so long. I didn’t get a chance when it was in theaters,” Eddie said excitedly, grabbing one of the bags of chips they’d set out earlier.

“Mhm,” Steve mumbled, trying not to jolt at the feel of Eddie’s arm brushing against his. That was a typical friend reaction, right? Steve tried to get lost in the movie, anything to distract himself from his close proximity to Eddie. It wasn’t working, since he wasn’t very interested in horror. At least, not anymore. Not after everything they’d been through. But that was why Eddie loved them so much. He said it was research.

“Aw see, that’s where they went wrong!” Eddie groaned as they watched the presumed dead killer come back to life to attack the main character. “You can’t just stab once and think everything is over. Evisceration is key. Decapitation if possible. Blowing them up completely is ideal.”

“You’ve put a lot of thought into this, haven’t you?” Steve snorted, shoving a handful of chips in his mouth.

“Of course I have. According to you lot, there is some sort of supernatural crisis every year. I’m just trying to stay prepared,” Eddie huffed, staring at him pointedly. His eyes softened with a gleam of humor as he glanced further down. Before Steve could decipher what that look meant, Eddie was reaching over and brushing crumbs off the front of his shirt. The tiny graze of his fingertips sent a shiver down Steve’s spine that he knew Eddie noticed. His gaze turned serious as he pulled his hand back and tipped his head to the side.

Steve was frozen in his spot, unable to even breathe. What if Eddie figured out what Steve was thinking and hated him? He didn’t think that would be the case, since Eddie was a good guy, but that fear was always there. Robin coming out to him had been a big deal. Steve didn’t even know if he had anything to come out about. He didn’t know anything except Eddie was right there and Steve was right there and everything felt right and overwhelming and terrifying. And then Eddie was leaning forward and Steve jerked away. He was such an idiot.

“I’m sorry,” Steve mumbled, scrunching his eyebrows in frustration.

“Was I reading this wrong?” Eddie asked, leaning back with a nervous smile on his face.

“No. I mean, yes. I mean… I don’t know,” Steve stammered. “I’ve never done this before.”

“Do you have a problem with it?” Eddie asked hesitantly, visibly shutting down in front of him.

“Of course not!” Steve insisted quickly. “I’ve just never done this before.” He sounded lame, but it felt like the best excuse. It was true, but not the whole truth. Steve couldn’t say that he was afraid of ruining what they had by disappointing Eddie if they went further. That Eddie deserved someone who would dive in with him completely.

“I never thought I’d have more experience in anything over Steve Harrington,” Eddie joked, but Steve could tell he was just deflecting. Steve had been so worried about messing up, but he’d still done it anyway. And now he didn’t even get the enjoyment of a relationship, no matter how brief it would’ve been.

“I’m sure you could best me in a lot of categories,” Steve muttered, running his hand through his hair. When you got down to it, there was nothing truly impressive about Steve at all. Every accolade he’d received had been handed to him instead of earned. One day, everyone would realize it and stop wasting their time on him. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry. It’s fine,” Eddie sighed, twisting the rings on his fingers. He only did that when he was anxious. Steve was making him anxious. Steve was the worst. “I should’ve asked before trying to attack you with my lips.”

“It wasn’t an attack. And it’s not you, it’s me.” Eddie gave him a look, since that was the oldest line in the book. It usually meant it was definitely the other person. “I mean, it’s everything. I’m still trying to get my footing back after Vecna. It usually takes me a while to bounce back after these types of things.”

“Right. I get it,” Eddie replied, full of understanding. Of course he would get it, if Steve stopped skirting around the issues and started being honest.

“I’ve really enjoyed hanging out with you though. It’s made everything a lot better,” Steve admitted softly. Having someone help fill the space in his empty house was different and nice. Everyone else had families and lives to go back to and Eddie had his uncle, but it wasn’t the same. And Eddie never hesitated to ask Steve if he wanted to join in on what he was doing, even if it wasn’t something Steve typically did. Of course he was falling for the guy. He was just so good.

“I guess I enjoy hanging with you too, even though you are completely hopeless with a guitar,” Eddie teased, nudging him with his shoulder.

“Hey!” Steve whined, shoving him playfully back. They jostled each other for a few seconds, before settling back into their previous positions, with Eddie a tiny bit further away. There were no parts of them touching anymore and Steve could feel the distance, but he didn’t say anything. He was lucky enough to have Eddie stick around, even after almost wrecking everything.

Eddie went back to his movie commentary and Steve added input here and there, but his heart wasn’t in it. All he could think about was how much of an idiot he was. But he’d still made the right choice, since Eddie deserved someone who wasn’t such a coward. Eddie had told him once that he wasn’t a hero because he ran from danger, but he’d proved himself in that regard. Steve was the one who ran away. And one day, he was going to end up all alone.

Chapter Text

The little chime that sounded whenever anyone opened the door to the video store made Steve’s heart flutter. He flicked his eyes over as casually as possible from where he was organizing tapes, but he was only met with the sight of disappointment. It had been two days since Steve and Eddie’s near kiss and the other boy hadn’t been by to see him since. They were going to see each other later at the Byers house for some sort of game, but it wasn’t the same. Steve had screwed everything up.

He didn’t blame Eddie for keeping his distance. Eddie probably thought he was doing what Steve wanted him to, even though that couldn’t be further from the truth. Steve wanted to go back to how things were before that stupid mistake, when Eddie would follow him around through the aisles and comment on all the movies for rent. Or mess up the display Steve had just fixed, only to help him make it look even better. Robin was with him, but it just wasn’t the same.

His shift was dragging on even slower than usual. Before, he’d be able to distract himself by watching one of the movies they played on the display TV, but management had gotten frustrated by people loitering to watch instead of renting for themselves. So they’d switched to just playing music over the speakers. It wouldn’t have been too bad, if they had control over what was played, but they didn’t. So Steve was stuck listening to pop music constantly. It wouldn’t have really bothered him before, but he was leaning more toward rock these days.

Turn around. Every now and then, I get a little bit lonely and you're never coming 'round.

God, if this wasn’t a fitting song for them to be playing right now. He’d almost suspect that someone was messing with him, if anyone actually knew how much he’d screwed up. Luckily his shame was his own and he was pretty sure Eddie wouldn’t tell anyone.

Turn around. Every now and then, I get a little bit tired of listening to the sound of my tears.

Steve hadn’t exactly cried, but he didn’t think he could anymore. After the terror of Vecna and everything that had happened, something broke in him. He didn’t get to blubber about the unimportant things he had going on in his life. Everyone else had been through so much and they were powering through, so he could do the same.

Turn around. Every now and then, I get a little bit nervous that the best of all the years have gone by.

That was a scary thought, since his life so far hadn’t been too great. He had his asshole era, followed by what he thought was a good stretch of time with Nancy. Since that turned out to be bullshit, it kind of soured the memories for him. Times with the kids and Robin were great, but he knew they would eventually grow apart as they got older and started their lives. Steve would still be here, living as the guy who peaked in high school, even though it wasn’t a peak at all.

Turn around. Every now and then, I get a little bit terrified and then I see the look in your eyes.

Eddie had that look in his eyes for him. Even after spending time with Steve and getting a glimpse of the real him. Instead of running for the hills or keeping him at arm’s length, Eddie still saw something of value in him. But Steve had to ruin it, just like he did everything else. He may have fought monsters, but he was a coward.

“Turn around, bright eyes. Every now and then I fall apart.”

“Are you singing?” Steve jumped like the Mind Flayer was breathing down his neck, knocking a few tapes to the floor. He jerked his head around, finding Robin staring at him with wide eyes. Had he been singing? He didn’t sing. And definitely not songs like this.

“What? No. What?” Steve denied, stooping down to pick up his mess. Just once, he needed Robin to accept his answer and not press. A little bit of amnesia to forget the last two minutes of their lives. But when did he ever get what he wanted?

“I totally heard you. Bonnie Tyler? Really?” Robin snickered, crossing her arms. He was never going to live this down. “Not really your vibe.”

“No, it’s not.”

“Was it just an earworm thing?”

“A what?”

“Like, a song that gets stuck in your head and you can’t get it out.”

“I guess,” Steve mumbled, hoping that was enough to make Robin drop it. It wasn’t.

“I don’t believe you. There is definitely something else going on,” Robin declared, looking him over with a critical eye. Steve tried not to squirm under the scrutiny, but Robin had always been able to see through his facade. Once she knew he wasn’t just the guy he pretended to be in high school, she’d honed in on the real person underneath. “Who were you singing about?”

“No one!”

“Is it Nancy? Steve,” Robin sighed, sounding frustratingly understanding. Like he needed pity for being caught up on his ex who’d broken his heart. He wasn’t, no matter what he said to her during this ordeal. Steve had pictured her being next to him while he raised his gaggle of kids at one point, but not anymore. That ship had sailed, but once upon a time it had been true. Sue him for trying to be honest during a possibly life ending crisis.

“It’s not Nancy,” Steve grumbled.

“So it’s someone else, right?” Robin pressed.

“Robin,” Steve whined. He sounded so pitiful.

“I know it wasn’t me.”

“Robin.”

“Steve.”

“Robin.”

“Steve.”

“Come on.”

“You know I can do this all day.” She really could.

“Itseddie,” Steve rushed out under his breath.

“Huh?”

“It’s Eddie!” Steve exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air in exasperation. Robin’s jaw dropped a little as she stared at Steve. Now that she’d finally stop talking, he was desperate to hear what she had to say. Maybe she’d say something that would make everything make sense.

“Eddie Munson?”

“Yeah.”

“Munson comma Eddie?”

“Robin.”

“Just, give me a minute,” Robin said, blinking rapidly as she turned her gaze toward the ceiling. Steve glanced around the store, glad that there was a lull and no customers were there. The idea of someone else hearing their conversation was mortifying. “Start from the beginning. I’m withholding judgment until I hear the whole story.” And for some reason, Steve told her. From the video store visits, to their movie nights, to the guitar lessons. He told her about being able to talk to him in a way he couldn’t with anyone else. She looked a little hurt at that part, but brushed it off. And then he told her about his feelings shifting into something different, but impossible.

“He tried to kiss me, but I pulled away,” Steve said, finishing his story with an embarrassed groan. Had he ever been good with relationship stuff? He always claimed to be, but recent events and Robin’s board at Scoops Ahoy said differently. “I’m such an idiot.”

“Wow, I guess we should start our own gay club in Hawkins,” Robin laughed.

“But I’m not gay!” Steve denied. “I still like girls!”

“And?”

“And that means I’m straight. I like girls, so I’m straight.”

“But you also like Eddie. And Eddie is definitely not a girl.”

“So maybe I’m just confused.” Steve was very confused.

“Or maybe you’re bi.”

“Bi?”

“Bisexual. Public school has really failed our generation, hasn’t it?”

“I know what bisexual means,” Steve grunted. Mostly.

“And do you think you could fit that description?”

“No!”

“Why not?”

“Because it’s not like I’m walking down the street and checking out guys’ butts. I like boobs. We’ve had this conversation. We both like boobs and we both like girls.”

“But you also like Eddie,” Robin said again. “Just because I like girls, doesn’t mean I like every girl. And you don’t have to like every guy.”

“Doesn’t it make more sense that I’m just confused? That I’m just reading too much into my friendship with Eddie and making it into something it’s not?”

“It’s possible,” Robin conceded. “But it’s also possible that Eddie is just the catalyst to your bisexual awakening.”

“I hate this,” Steve moaned, throwing his head back in despair. “Can you be bisexual and fall in love with me? Then we can get married and make everything so much easier.”

“Unfortunately, that’s not how this works,” Robin sighed, setting a hand on his shoulder. “You can’t help who you fall in love with.”

“Wait, love? Who said anything about love?” Steve spluttered. He hadn’t said that word about Eddie, had he? That would be way too pathetic.

“Steve, you were singing Total Eclipse of the Heart while thinking about Eddie. That is a definite crush with a clear trajectory toward love.”

“What am I gonna do?” Steve whined, slumping against the display case behind him. “Even if what you’re saying is true, I already ruined things with Eddie when I pushed him away.”

“I’m sure that’s not true. Eddie’s a good guy and he’ll listen if you talk to him. And even if this doesn’t turn into anything and you stay just friends, isn’t it better than not knowing?”

“Maybe,” Steve mumbled. Was the unknown worse than failure?

“Being honest with you in that mall bathroom was one of the best things I’ve ever done,” Robin said sincerely. “Maybe it was fueled by drugs and I might not have had the courage without them at that point, but I’m still glad I told you. Sometimes you have to take the risks if you want to get the rewards.”

“But would I really be a reward to Eddie?” Steve wondered. He was rarely ever good enough for anyone. If he truly liked Eddie, shouldn’t he want him to be with someone better?

“That’s for Eddie to decide. But do you want to know what I think?”

“I have a feeling you’ll tell me either way.”

“I think you would make an amazing boyfriend. If you’re even half as good at that as you are a friend, whoever you end up with is going to be really lucky.” Steve didn’t know what to say to that. Once again, he wished he could fall romantically in love with Robin. He knew now that what they shared was different, but there was no denying she was a great girl. And while he didn’t really consider himself to be all that she was saying, he did value her opinion. If someone like her thought good things about someone like him, maybe there was still hope for him.

“I’ll think about it, I guess,” Steve sighed. He needed to come up with some sort of plan on how to deal with Eddie, since they were going to be seeing each other later. He definitely wasn’t ready to talk about everything like he had with Robin, but he at least needed to get them to a place where it wouldn’t be awkward. Dustin would definitely call them out if they started being weird and he was even more tenacious than Robin. “Can you not say anything about this to anyone? I mean, I know you wouldn’t share anything I told you in confidence, but could you avoid questioning Eddie? Even if you think you’re being vague about it?”

“Fine, fine. But if you change your mind, I’m sure I could find out some helpful information. You remember how good I am at decoding secret messages.”

“No, not really. I think the concussion knocked those memories out of me,” Steve smirked.

“See, there’s the Steve I know! Joking about trauma instead of singing sad pop songs to himself.”

“Neither version sounds very healthy.”

“Nope. But we live in a world with monsters, so we take what we can get.”

“You’re right about that,” Steve admitted. Maybe his infatuation had started with Eddie because he was a safe person inside their small bubble. Anyone else he dated would have to be lied to for the rest of their lives or until they were put in danger by the whole mess cropping up again.

The bell above the door chimed and Robin sighed, offering to go handle the customer. Steve went back to what he was doing before, purposefully tuning out whatever song was playing. He didn’t need to get caught up in some message his brain could make up about the lyrics. What he was dealing with was real and he needed something to say to Eddie when they saw each other that night. If he was brave enough to fight monsters, he was brave enough to do this.

Chapter Text

Steve was not brave enough. If he embodied his nail filled baseball bat before, now he was nothing more than a wiffle ball bat. A pale impersonation of what he should’ve been. He was supposed to get stronger as he got older and in some ways he had, but apparently not when it came to matters of the heart.

It had been a week since his talk with Robin at the video store. He’d seen Eddie a few times and while the other man was still his amazing self, the air between them was different. Steve never thought he’d be the type of person to notice something like that, since it sounded like something out of a girly love novel, but here he was. He didn’t know who he was at all anymore.

During one of his shifts with Robin, he peppered her with questions about how she realized she was gay. Robin took it all in stride, answering with full transparency. There wasn’t some moment where the sky opened up and birds started singing when she saw a girl she liked and just knew. It was a gradual thing, where she realized she didn’t really feel what other girls her age said they were feeling. And then she started feeling those things about a few girls she knew.

Steve still insisted he liked girls, but now that he’d lifted his blinders a bit in regards to guys, maybe they weren’t so bad either. The idea of a strong pair of arms holding him tight wasn’t the worst. Or the scratch of stubble on his skin. But he still was nowhere near having the urge to check out a guy walking past him on the street or flirting with a male customer at the video store.

Was it possible to just fall for a person, even if they weren’t your usual type? In a world with an upside down and telekinetic children, why wouldn’t it be? Why couldn’t he just lay this all out to Eddie and hear what he thought? Why did it have to be so hard? Why couldn’t he do the same like he had with any other girl he wanted to date?

Because it wasn’t the same with Eddie, and Steve knew that deep down. Their relationship had started off different from any other one Steve had experienced. With Nancy, Steve thought she was cute and based everything off that in the beginning. It obviously grew to more over time, at least on his end, but at the start it was just his libido leading him.

With Eddie, it was the complete opposite. They’d gotten to know each other with no expectations for more. Steve was able to be open with him, since he didn’t feel the need to play the role of boyfriend. And as the days and weeks went by, those romantic feelings developed naturally. That had to mean something, right? That Steve had realized these feelings without trying? If he could just explain all this to Eddie, maybe it could lead to something more.

“Oh. Hey.” Steve jumped in surprise at the sound of Eddie’s voice. He was standing in the doorway of the kitchen, looking a bit hesitant to fully come inside the room. Normally, he’d make himself at home and take whatever was on offer, but Steve’s awkwardness ruined everything. “I was just gonna get a drink.”

“Uh- help yourself,” Steve replied, clearing his throat. He’d invited all the kids and older teens over to his house to hang out for an end of the school year party. The official end was still a bit away, but Steve wanted the chance to have one more time where they would all be together, before some of them went their separate ways. Steve wasn’t going anywhere, since he didn’t have much of a future, but the others had college and camps and real jobs to look forward to. Maybe that was a good enough reason to keep his feelings from Eddie. No use holding him back.

“The children requested I play them some songs, so I need to hydrate,” Eddie said casually, walking to the refrigerator like nothing was amiss. “You could join me if you want. Make it a duet.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Steve mumbled, staring down at the countertop in front of him.

“Right,” Eddie huffed.

“No, I mean, I’m nowhere near on your level,” Steve said quickly, not wanting Eddie to take his refusal as a slight. “I’d just drag you down.”

“Drag me down?” Eddie questioned incredulously. Steve glanced up at him, finding Eddie staring at him with a disappointed look in his eyes. He wasn’t sure how to read it. Steve understood disappointment, since he did that a lot, but he wasn’t sure exactly what was the cause this time. It probably didn’t really matter.

“Your performance.” Your life. Eddie was finally graduating and free to do whatever he wanted in life. Steve would just be a speedbump. At best he would be someone Eddie had fun with until he got bored and realized there was nothing more to him. At worst they would get tangled up in each other and Steve would waste Eddie’s time. Maybe it was better to skip all the bullshit.

“I’d like to think I’m a good enough partner to overcome a few hiccups.”

“I’m sure you are. But some hiccups aren’t worth the effort.”

“Steve-”

“What’s taking so long?” Dustin asked, bursting into the room. “Did you have to make and bottle the drink yourself?”

“Hold your horses, kid,” Eddie mumbled, never taking his eyes off of Steve. When it was obvious Steve wasn’t going to say anything else, Eddie deflated a bit. It was better this way. “Lead the way, Dustin.” Eddie followed after Dustin as the boy excitedly rambled about their next Dungeons and Dragons campaign. Steve took a few more seconds to gather himself before he joined everyone, needing to put his game face back on.

This was fine. No one needed his drama. What if he and Eddie did date and it ended badly? Would Dustin be forced to choose between them, like some dramatic custody agreement? Steve didn’t want to put the kid in that situation. And he really didn’t want to find out who he’d choose. His track record in that regard was pretty abysmal.

Steve walked back into his living room, hanging back against the wall. Eddie was strumming on his guitar, captivating everyone there. Steve looked around at them all with a sad smile on his face. Nancy and Jonathan were curled up on a couch together, still in that blissful reunited stage. El and Mike were the same, and so were Max and Lucas. They were all so happy, together with the people they cared about. Steve was happy for them, but he still felt that emptiness inside.

He glanced over at Robin, finding her staring at him with a questioning look on her face. Steve shook his head and shrugged, telling her everything she needed to know. Robin’s face fell and Steve could feel the waves of sympathy rolling off of her. She was a good friend. Steve had so many good friends that he probably didn’t even deserve. That was enough.

He slipped back out of the room when no one was looking, wandering off toward the kitchen again. So much for spending time with everyone. He didn’t know when he’d started to feel like an outsider to the group, but he did now. Probably because everyone was changing and Steve just stayed the same. Maybe his parents were right about him needing to grow up and get serious about his future.

“Throwing another party, I see.”

“Dad?” Steve spluttered out, freezing at the sight of his dad standing in the kitchen, nursing a glass of scotch. His mom was sitting a few feet away from him, swirling a glass of wine. “Mom? Wha- what are you doing here?”

“In our own house?” his dad questioned, looking at him like he was an idiot. He knew that look very well.

“I just didn’t know you were coming. I would’ve-”

“Tried to hide all the things you didn’t want us to know about?” his dad smirked.

“I only have a few friends over. We aren’t drinking or anything,” Steve defended. He would never have alcohol with the kids around. And it wasn’t like they were trashing the place.

“Trying to convince me that you learned your lesson from the last time? You’ve never learned a lesson in your life,” his dad sneered, taking another big gulp of his drink.

“What?” Steve mumbled, looking between his parents in confusion. His mom hadn’t looked up at him once since he’d seen her, concentrating solely on the drink in front of her. That was usually the way it went. His dad would do the berating, then storm off to his study when he decided he was done. His mom would quietly follow, never uttering a word against her husband.

“Barb ring any bells?”

“How- you know about that?” Steve asked in shock. No one outside of their group knew what really happened to Barb. And his parents had never mentioned it to him before. “That wasn’t-”

“Wasn’t your fault? Really?” his dad taunted. “Of course it was. You just never want to take responsibility for your actions. Because if you did, you’d have to admit how worthless you are.”

“Dad.” Steve always knew that’s how his parents felt about him, but hearing them say it out loud was different. It was too much for him to handle.

“Biggest disappointment of my life. Why do you think we’re never here? Work?” his dad laughed harshly. “It’s so we can get away from you. Because anywhere is better as long as you aren’t there.” Steve sucked in a sharp breath, feeling his eyes well up with tears. Why was this happening? What had he done to deserve this?

He backed up, needing to get out of this room and away from his parents. Maybe that was a cowardly move, but he already felt like less than nothing, so what did it matter? His parents would never say things like this in front of other people, since they had a reputation to uphold. If Steve could just get back to where the others were, he could escape their vitriol. He turned around, ready to rush out of the kitchen.

“Oh shit.” Were those vines?

Chapter Text

“No. No, no, no,” Steve whispered, slamming his eyes shut and shaking his head. This wasn’t real. They’d won. They’d defeated Vecna. They were finished with the upside down stuff for good. The only things they had to worry about now were school and work and life and Steve’s stupid crush on Eddie. Normal things. Not this anymore.

“Running away from the consequences of your actions again?” Steve was going to throw up. He turned back around to face the newest nightmare, biting back a sob at the sight of Barb standing on the other side of his kitchen. She looked just like she had the night of his party. The night she disappeared.

“This isn’t real,” Steve denied shakily. He hadn’t seen any clocks. He hadn’t heard any chimes. He hadn’t experienced anything that Max described. Then again, Nancy hadn’t either prior to her brush with the monster, so maybe the rules didn’t apply anymore. All bets were off when you were supposed to be dead.

“What happened to me was real. Every slash. Every bite,” Barb taunted, stepping around from behind the counter that separated them. Steve gagged as the lower half of her body came into view. It was decayed, looking straight out of the world that still made Steve wake up in a cold sweat most nights. He could practically smell the rot and blood. “I was screaming and begging for help. You could’ve saved me.”

“I didn’t hear. I didn’t know.”

“You didn’t care. You only cared about yourself. Getting what you wanted.”

“That’s not true!” Steve argued. If he’d known she was in danger, he would’ve done anything to try and save her. He’d proved that so many times over these past few years. Even when he was his worst self, he still would’ve fought.

“That’s not true? Pretty rich, coming from a liar,” Barb smirked, taking another step toward him. Steve reflexively stepped back as well.

“I’m not,” Steve whispered.

“What about when you sat across from my parents at their dinner table, pretending you didn’t know what happened to me. Pretending you didn’t know I looked like this!” Barb hissed, her whole body becoming decayed in the blink of an eye. Steve shouted, falling backward and banging against the wall of his kitchen.

“We couldn’t! The government would’ve come after us. And no one would’ve believed the truth,” Steve protested, feeling along the wall to see if there was any sort of opening. There was nothing and he was trapped.

“The truth. You wanna hear the truth?” Barb asked, before shifting again. “I would love to tell you the truth.”

“Dammit.”

“I know you still like to tell yourself that what I said in that bathroom was a result of the alcohol, but it wasn’t. It was all me.”

“You’re not Nancy. You’re not.”

“How could you have ever thought I loved you? Ignoring the fact that I’m way too smart for an idiot like you,” Nancy laughed mockingly. Not Nancy, Vecna. Why was it so hard to remember that? “I only spent time with you because I was bored. Because I wanted to feel what it was like to be popular. You were only an experiment, Steve. A time I could look back on and laugh about when I’m older. When I’m living an amazing life and you’re still making minimum wage.”

“Nancy wouldn’t do that. She’s not cruel, like you,” Steve denied. They were friends now, even if their romantic relationship didn’t work out. Nancy wouldn’t find amusement in his failures.

“The truth can be cruel sometimes. That doesn’t make it less of a fact,” Nancy taunted, creeping closer. “And here’s another one. The only reason we keep you around is to take the hits for us. So you can put yourself in the line of fire. You’re a glorified human shield.”

“No. That’s- that’s not-”

“We don’t care if you get hurt. Tell me, where did you go every time after the fight was over? When the dust settled and the day was saved, while you were bruised and bloody? Did anyone open their home to you? Did anyone make sure you got checked out? Did anyone even offer you a ride?” Nancy challenged, her voice getting more gleeful as each word cut more and more into Steve’s soul. “When you care about someone, you make sure they are okay. No one cares about you.”

“They do! They do care about me!”

“Do I?”

“Shit.”

“You had to know this one was coming, Stevie Boy,” Eddie smirked, cocking his head to the side. “I know you’re not the sharpest pick in the pack, but come on.”

“It doesn’t matter who you turn into, because it’s not real.”

“You really think I could feel anything for you? You and me together makes you and Nancy look like soulmates.”

“Stop it.”

“You are impossible to love. Even your own parents can’t stand you. So how could you ever think I would choose you?”

“I said stop it!” Steve shouted, darting to the side and pounding on the walls. There had to be a way out. Max found a way, so he could too. “Guys! Wake me up! Come on!” A vine suddenly whipped out and wrapped around his wrist, trapping him where he stood. It spun him around, putting him face to face with Vecna in his true form. Now even decayed Barb didn’t seem so bad.

“You really think someone will help you?” Vecna sneered, staring at him with soulless eyes.

“My friends,” Steve growled, clinging onto the defiance that he was desperate to hang onto. He wasn’t going to give Vecna the satisfaction of his fear.

“Oh, Steve,” Vecna replied, raising one of his hands to hover above Steve’s face. “They don’t even know you’re gone.”

*

Eddie set down his guitar after his song was finished, tuning out the sounds of the kids arguing about what he should play next. Typically he relished these moments, feeling part of a group in a way he’d always dreamed of. He had similar moments with his band and with his D&D group, but this was different. They all shared a bond that no one else could relate to. And while it was great, right now there was something missing. Someone.

Trying to kiss Steve hadn’t been on his agenda. Something he fantasized about, sure, but he never thought he’d actually try to do it. Steve was straight and Eddie wasn’t out, so there would be nothing to gain from it. Being Steve’s friend was enough, which was a crazy development in and of itself. The Harrington from years past in school was nothing like how the man actually was. And on a base level, Eddie could relate. So many people thought they knew who he was, just by looking at his clothes and his hair, but he was more than public perception. And maybe that’s why they had bonded so quickly.

At first, hanging out with Steve was just another way to pass the time. His bandmates were steering clear of him in public, mostly due to family pressure. Eddie couldn’t blame them, since his reputation had been severely tarnished. They still spoke in secret at school, but it wasn’t the same. And Eddie was finding he didn’t mourn the loss as much as he thought, since he had his new friends now.

Robin was spunky and amazing. Nancy had more layers to her than her goody goody persona at school would’ve made you assume. And the kids were as great as ever. More mature than they should’ve had to be, but still with a youthful excitement that made you want to make the world a better place for them. And then there was Steve.

Eddie knew his opinion of Steve had been wrong during the whole Vecna crisis. He was always ready at the drop of a hat to fight for the people he cared about. Jumping into that lake so the others didn’t have to, even if that soon became a moot point. Always ready to give the kids a pep talk, even when he was scared out of his mind.

Part of him did think that Steve would be different after everything was over. He was, in regards to not having to fight something every second, but other than that, he was the same good guy. He didn’t act like he was too cool for them now that the danger was gone. Steve was driving the kids places, inviting them all over to his house, watching them play games he had no interest in. Steve was officially a good guy in Eddie’s book. But then it started to change into something more.

Eddie had always known that Steve was a good looking guy. He had eyes. Even when Steve’s hair had been styled to within an inch of its life and he dressed like a prep personified, he still looked good. But now that he wasn’t putting on a show for people, Steve looked even better. The Steve who let his guard down was gorgeous. But it wasn’t just looks.

Steve was funny. Not when he was trying to be, but when he wasn’t. And while he may not have been book smart, he had depth to him. When you got to see the real Steve, it was a gift. Eddie had been lucky enough to receive that gift, but then he had to go and ruin it.

He wasn’t mad at Steve for pulling away. Kissing someone before you even went on a first date was only something that happened in movies. But Eddie had just been so caught up in the moment that he lost his brains for a second. And that one second changed everything.

Since he was a coward, Eddie was trying to forget what happened at all costs. He tried to act normal around Steve, but it was hard. So avoidance was his best defense. Eddie could tell that Steve noticed, but he was too polite to call him out on it. He figured that Steve wanted to pretend as well and go back to some sort of coexisting scenario, since going back to hanging out all the time probably wasn’t going to be in the cards.

That was until their little interaction in the kitchen earlier. Hearing Steve put himself down had opened Eddie’s eyes a bit. Steve wasn’t avoiding him because he was trying to spare Eddie’s feelings. He was doing it because he thought he deserved it. Because he thought Eddie regretted what happened because of him, not because it was a miscalculation. Because Steve thought he’d ruined things with Eddie.

He couldn’t let that stand. Even if they never were anything more than friends, Eddie needed to make sure Steve knew how much he cared about him and wanted him in his life, no matter how that looked. And maybe now wasn’t the best time for this conversation, since everyone else was around, but Eddie couldn’t wait. The next second was never guaranteed, especially in their lives.

“I’m going to get a drink. Finalize the set list by the time I come back,” Eddie directed, getting up and walking in the direction he’d last seen Steve without waiting for a response. He needed to do this before he talked himself out of it or got roped into doing something else.

Steve was standing at the kitchen counter when Eddie found him, facing away. Eddie hovered in the doorway a few seconds, waiting to see if he would turn around. He even made a little noise, but to no avail. Steve was either lost in his own head or ignoring him. Eddie was going to have to make the first move.

“Hey, can we talk?” Eddie asked, shifting his weight from one foot to another. It shouldn’t have been this awkward. If they could fight upside down bats together, talking should be easy. “I know I’ve kind of been avoiding you and I’m sorry about that. I was hoping we could hash this thing out and go back to normal.”

Eddie still got no reaction from Steve. His knee jerk reaction was to be annoyed and leave. If Steve was just gonna ignore him, why should he bother? But Steve wasn’t nasty like that. Even if he didn’t want to talk, he wouldn’t outright ignore him. They’d been through too much and Steve was too good of a guy. Something was up.

Eddie walked up to Steve, ready to figure out what was going on either way. When he finally got a look at him, he wished Steve was just giving him the silent treatment. Anything would’ve been better than this.

“Oh no,” Eddie gasped, staring into Steve’s milky, blank eyes. This couldn’t be happening. They’d won. This was over. But the truth was right there, no matter how much he didn’t want it to be. Vecna was back. “Steve!”

Chapter Text

“What’s going on?!” Robin yelled, bursting into the room with the rest of the kids hot on her heels. They’d been through enough to recognize Eddie’s tone of voice meant something was seriously wrong. And Eddie didn’t think it could get more wrong than this. “Oh my God.”

“Steve! Steve!” Eddie pleaded, shaking the man by the shoulders. He couldn’t see this again. Watching as Chrissy was bent and broken in front of him was already too much to bear, but this would absolutely destroy him.

“What the hell? We killed him! Our plan worked. This can’t be happening!” Dustin shouted, bullying his way to Eddie’s side.

“Max, get your tape,” Lucas whispered in horror. The girl darted off, going to grab the thing that had kept her safe during their last brush with this monster. Steve had dipped into his parents' funds to replace her destroyed cassette player, plus extras for the rest of the kids. Just as a precaution he'd said, with a cheeky grin. But it was more for his peace of mind than anything. He cared about them all so much, but hadn't even thought to get one for himself, the selfless bastard.

“What's his favorite song?” Jonathan asked frantically. Most sets of eyes turned to Nancy, which made sense. They'd dated for a long time, so it made sense for her to know. But the pale, wide eyed look on her face didn't put Eddie at ease.

“I don’t know. We just listened to whatever was on the radio,” Nancy confessed, sounding so full of guilt. Eddie felt just as guilty. When he and Steve would hang out, they listened to a lot of music, especially once they started with the guitar lessons. But Eddie had insisted they listen to the music he liked. Eddie was so eager for Steve to like the same things he did that he didn’t stop to figure out what Steve liked. But the other man never complained, amiably going along with what everyone else wanted. And now that selflessness was going to get him killed.

“We gotta go to his room and look for tapes!” Dustin insisted, shoving Mike and Will in that direction.

“Wait! I think I know what his favorite song is,” Robin said suddenly, biting her lip anxiously. “But I’m not sure.”

“What is it?” Nancy asked, freezing everyone in their places.

“Well, the other day while we were at the video store, this song came on and I didn’t even know he liked it, but Steve was singing along. And I’m not even sure if he particularly liked it or if it was just because it was on,” Robin stammered, rambling on in that way she had when she was extra nervous. Eddie usually found it endearing, but now he wanted to shake her shoulders like he had Steve’s to force the words out. “Or maybe it was just the lyrics because of how he was feeling at the time. Or-”

“Spit it out, Buckley!” Eddie snapped. He’d feel guilty about that later, once everyone was alive and conscious on the right side of Hawkins.

“Total Eclipse of the Heart!” Robin exclaimed.

“By Bonnie Tyler?” Nancy asked in bewilderment.

“You had to be there,” Robin shrugged.

“It’s the best option we’ve got,” Eddie declared, turning to Dustin. This had worked for him before, so this had to work now. He wasn’t great with a weapon, but that didn’t mean he didn’t have any tools. “Bring me my guitar.”

*

Steve cried out as his back hit the wall and he fell to the floor. He thought he was done for when Vecna put his hand over his face. When Max described what happened to her, that’s what he’d done right before he started with the bone snapping. Luckily it didn’t go further than that for her, but Steve was sure that would be his fate. But for some reason, Vecna decided he wasn’t done playing with him yet. And while Steve appreciated still being alive, it didn’t mean what he was going through was pleasant.

Steve’s kitchen had disappeared and now he was in Vecna’s lair, surrounded by broken buildings and gloom. He tried to crawl to a spot that looked less alive, but it seemed impossible. Everything seemed to be pulsating with Vecna’s power. If he made it out of this, he was going to insist on therapy for himself and Max. You couldn’t spend a considerable amount of time alone in this place and come out normal.

“Have you given up yet?” Vecna asked, materializing out of what seemed like thin air. Disgusting upside down air.

“Never!” Steve spat, finally dragging himself to his feet. Staying on the ground made him too vulnerable, even though being upright didn’t make much difference. Vecna could use his powers at any second to subdue him, no matter his position.

“Everyone does eventually. There’s only so much fight in a person.”

“Nancy didn’t give up. Neither did Max,” Steve argued. They’d survived their encounters with Vecna and he would too.

“Nancy was just a messenger. And young Max has only been granted a brief reprieve. She’ll be back where she belongs when I decide to bring her back.”

“You’re never gonna touch any of them again,” Steve snarled, launching himself at the monster. He didn’t have a weapon and his fighting skills were shit, but you didn’t get away with threatening one of his kids. Not while he was still breathing. He swung wildly, punching and kicking at anything he could reach. Vecna stood there, chuckling quietly as if this had less than no effect on him. That pissed Steve off even more.

He grabbed at Vecna’s weird neck, pulling one of the vine-like chunks. It detached with a sick squelching noise, wriggling around in Steve’s hand before he dropped it in disgust. He expected it to slither away to join the other vines writhing around him or crawl up Vecna’s body and reattach like a scene out of a crazy sci-fi flick Eddie had made him watch, but that didn’t happen. Steve and Vecna both watched with different types of fascination as the piece shriveled up, before disintegrating into a harmless pile of dust.

“Holy shit,” Steve whispered, feeling the first bit of hope bloom in his chest. That hadn’t happened with Vecna before, had it? When Max did the same to him when she had first been under his spell, it had helped her get away, but hadn’t done much damage. And when they’d thrown everything they had at him, with their fire and weapons, it had barely made an impact. They’d all thought everything put together had taken him out for good, but obviously it hadn’t. But had it done more than he thought? “You’re weak.”

“I have no weakness,” Vecna growled, pushing Steve back with still considerable strength. His back hit a pillar hard enough to crack it, but he kept his feet under him and barely felt the blow. The adrenaline fueled by believing he had a chance was giving him a second wind.

“That’s why you haven’t killed me yet, isn’t it? And why you haven’t gone after anyone else. You can’t,” Steve spat, glancing around for anything he could use as a weapon. Vecna was still powerful enough to control their surroundings, but maybe that was taking up more of his energy. Maybe if Steve held out long enough and got in a lucky strike, he’d be able to turn the tides in his favor.

“You think you have things figured out, don’t you? As if you’re the smart one? As if you can make a plan,” Vecna scoffed, morphing into Nancy mid diatribe. But Steve was hip to the game by now. He wasn’t going to let the sight of someone he cared about distract him from what was really going on. The mind games were over.

“Not having a plan is kind of my deal. Always keep them guessing,” Steve smirked, reaching behind himself and grabbing a piece of the pillar that had splintered off when his back hit it. He threw it at Nancy/Vecna’s face, hitting him with a glancing blow. Steve darted away as Vecna shifted back into his true form in anger. If he stayed quick and found ways to keep chipping away at him, he might be able to come away on top.

Steve leapt over a vine that shot out at his ankle, keeping his eyes open for anything he could use against the monster. It was hard when pretty much everything was created by said monster. Sure, they were in the gross, paused in time Hawkins, but Vecna had the power to transport them to anywhere he wanted. Maybe he wasn’t at full strength, but he’d been able to shift from Steve’s kitchen to this new arena in the blink of an eye, so maybe that aspect hadn’t been as affected.

It was possible that all of this was draining Vecna’s powers, but he couldn’t be sure. Had he waited this long to come after one of them because he had to build his strength back up? It would’ve made more sense to come after Steve when he was really alone, not in a room away from the bulk of their group. If he could figure out a way to escape, would they be able to come back and finish him off for good before he restarted his reign of terror again? Steve couldn’t be the first new sacrifice on Vecna’s quest to destroy everything. If he was going to go down once and for all, it wouldn’t be as someone’s pawn. He couldn’t let his friends get hurt.

There was some sort of pile ahead of him in the distance, so Steve ran toward it, for lack of any other better idea. He hoped it wasn’t a bunch of dead bodies, but he’d use a bone as a weapon if he needed to. It would be a sad replacement for his trusty bat, but beggars couldn’t be choosers. Dustin had once saved their skins with a Three Musketeers bar.

Steve skidded to a stop in front of his target, letting out a sigh of relief when he found it was just some slightly singed wood. Why it was there, he didn’t know, but he wouldn’t complain. He grabbed the biggest piece he could get his hands around, then felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up. Without looking back, he swung the piece of wood as hard as he could, yelling out in triumph as he connected with solid mass.

He didn’t stop, swinging over and over as Vecna swayed in front of him. Vecna didn’t go all the way down, but Steve felt another surge of energy flow through him. He felt like he could do this forever. Like he was channeling the kids after they’d binged on chocolate pudding and cola. Like he was hitting the version of himself that he used to be, who wasted so much time trying to be cool and being a dick, instead of realizing being a good person was the coolest thing you could do. Like he was hitting the version of himself that was too much of a coward to tell Eddie how he really felt.

There was going to be no more running away after this. How boring was it to be afraid of being honest when they’d all lived through shit like this? Even if things didn’t work out exactly the way he wanted, it would be worth it. His heart had been crushed by Nancy, but he wouldn’t change the time he got to spend with her. When he survived this, he was gonna be brave. And not just when he was fighting for his life.

Steve was just about to land the hit that would finally take Vecna off his feet when a vine wrapped around his makeshift weapon and wrenched it from his grasp. He didn’t even have time to feel the slivers that slid into his palms before another vine wrapped around his throat and yanked him off his feet, dragging him across the ground like the bats had the first time he entered the upside down. It wasn’t an experience he ever wanted to repeat, but Steve rarely got what he wanted.

The ride wasn’t long, but it didn’t need to be. And it was punctuated by his battered back slamming against another pillar. Steve grabbed at the vine around his neck, trying to catch his breath as Vecna stalked toward him again. It didn’t look like Steve’s wailing had done much to him at all.

“I think I’m done having fun with you,” Vecna growled, flicking his hand out and summoning more vines to fully subdue Steve. He choked back a sob as his limbs were pulled taut and Vecna took his time to finish his approach. It wasn’t supposed to end like this. He’d become a better person. He had a group of people he cared about and who cared about him. He had some things and someone to be excited about, but now it was too late. Steve was never gonna get the chance to become the person he was meant to be.

“Screw you!” Steve spat, using the last of his strength to glare at the monster as his hand rose to hover over him. If he was gonna die, he wasn’t gonna let Vecna see him break. Steve closed his eyes, trying to fill his last moments with better memories. Of the kids piled in his car, on the way to the arcade to bleed him dry. Of Robin and him ignoring their tasks at work to laugh about some inside joke they could barely remember the details of anymore. Of Eddie strumming his guitar on the other end of the couch next to him, singing something under his breath. What he wouldn’t give to hear that one more time.

“Turn around. Every now and then, I get a little bit lonely and you’re never coming ‘round.”

Was that Eddie singing?

*

“This is not my genre,” Eddie mumbled under his breath as he let his fingers glide along the strings of his guitar. Steve had been impressed by his ability to follow the chords of a song he was listening to, but that was easy. Once you heard the rhythm and got a feel for it, getting at least the verse down was a piece of cake. But now he needed to pull off the second most important performance of his life, with a song he barely even knew.

“You can do this. I know you can,” Dustin said in support, visibly trying to keep his panic at bay. Eddie knew how much everyone in the room loved Steve. And they’d all dealt with so much pain in loss in their short lives. He didn’t think they’d be able to survive this one.

“I’m gonna need everyone on this. Steve needs everyone,” Eddie said firmly, blowing out a few sharp breaths before he moved his fingers into what he hoped were the right position. He hoped the exact right note didn’t matter that much, but he was going to give it his best go.

“Turn around. Every now and then I get a little bit lonely and you’re never coming ‘round,” everyone sang, albeit a little stilted. El was about two words behind everyone else, but she was still catching up on the outside world and Bonnie Tyler ballads probably weren’t that high on the list. “Turn around. Every now and then I get a little bit tired of listening to the sound of my tears.”

“I think it’s working!” Lucas exclaimed, pointing at Steve’s eyelids that had begun to flutter slightly. His irises were still that terrifying milky color that Eddie could barely stand to look at. Usually he thought everything about Steve was gorgeous and he desperately wanted to tell him that. As soon as they got him out of this, he would.

“Keep going,” Eddie demanded, never losing the beat. He wasn’t going to let himself get too excited. He wouldn’t let himself breathe again until Steve was fully back with him. Having hope, then having it get ripped away would crush him. And he was glad he had those sensibilities when Steve started floating.

*

Steve started getting choked up as he listened to everyone sing for him. A window into his world opened up in the distance and he saw all of his friends standing around him, with Eddie in the middle of it all. He wasn’t alone, like Vecna tried to convince him he was. They were fighting for him, not leaving him to take the hits in their place. They cared about him, just like he cared about them.

Steve started to struggle again in earnest, now that he had hope. Now that he knew he wasn’t dying alone in a room while everyone else was none the wiser. The vines were holding his body tightly, but he still fought with everything he had. There had to be some give eventually.

“Shit, shit, shit,” Steve muttered as he watched his body start floating. That was like, the last step before bone-breaking and death. Half of the kids started screaming and the window started to shrink, since they were drowning out the music, but Eddie started singing louder, bursting it back open. Would Vecna take his sight before the worst started? He didn’t want to witness his death, but he really didn’t want to watch everyone else witness it either.

How had Max gotten out of this before? She hadn’t liked to talk about it much, even after they thought it was all over. But she’d let bits and pieces slip sometimes, especially when she was a little loopy from painkillers in the hospital. How she’d heard her favorite song playing and heard them pleading for her. How she’d thought about how much she had to live for, even though those months after Billy’s death had taken her mind to the darkest place it had ever been. Those bright moments, no matter how fleeting, making every bad moment worth it. This wasn’t the end. Steve wasn’t finished yet.

And when his left arm snapped, he still didn’t give up.

*

Eddie tuned out the screaming as Steve’s body started to float in front of him. Stupid fancy houses with their stupid high ceilings. Steve’s feet were just out of reach, if they even had the ability to pull him down while he was in Vecna’s grasp. Eddie had to focus on what he could do, which was sing. He didn’t really know if it was working, but he wouldn’t stop.

“Turn around. Every now and then, I get a little bit restless and I dream of something wild. Turn around. Every now and then, I get a little bit helpless and I’m lying like a child in your arms,” Eddie sang, not sure why and how he knew all these lyrics, but grateful that they were flowing through him. “Turn around. Every now and then, I get a little bit angry and I know I’ve got to get out and cry. Turn around. Every now and then, I get a little bit terrified, but then I see the look in your eyes.”

“Max, your headphones!” Lucas warned, holding them out from where she’d tossed them to the side.

“Steve needs me,” Max whispered, looking as pale as Eddie had ever seen. Watching someone else go through what she had couldn’t have been fun, especially with how close she’d been to dying. But at least none of Steve’s limbs had-

“Shit!”

*

Steve wasn’t sure what caused Vecna’s grip on him to loosen. If it was the energy he used to snap Steve’s arm, or thinking Steve wouldn’t be able to fight once he started, or the absolute feelings of love he could feel pouring into him from his friends. Maybe it was a combination of all three, but those details didn’t matter. All that mattered was a second after his left arm snapped, his right arm was free. And he didn’t hesitate.

Steve shot his hand forward, gouging his fingers into Vecna’s evil, glazed eyes. The monster roared as Steve dug in further, not satisfied until he heard the wet squelch and felt viscous fluid cover his hand. Vecna jerked away, stumbling back a few feet as the rest of Steve’s body was finally freed from its over-stretched position.

He cradled his broken arm to his chest as he watched Vecna shake his head, almost like he was trying to regrow his eyes just from the force of his movements. But just like the little chunk of neck he’d pulled out earlier, nothing replaced what was now gone. And the moisture on his fingers rapidly dried to dust.

“Didn’t see that coming, did ya?” Steve smirked, diving to the side as Vecna lunged toward him. He cried out when he landed on his broken arm, then rolled as a giant rock fell down from the sky and hit the ground where he’d just been laying. Even if Vecna couldn’t see, he still had enough power to kill him. And Steve’s wheezy, pain-filled breathing was definitely giving away his position. He needed to get back to his world.

Steve painfully dragged himself back to his feet, dodging another close hit from Vecna. He sprinted toward the opening, feeling tears well up in his eyes at how close he was to freedom. There was still singing coming through, along with Eddie’s steady guitar playing. He was so close, he could almost taste it.

But then, he stopped. Steve looked at the crying faces of the people he cared about the most, staring at his body in terror and despair. If he left now, it would only be a matter of time before Vecna did this again. Steve couldn’t let this happen to anyone else.

“Turn around, bright eyes. Every now and then, I fall apart.”

Steve turned around, steeling himself for the most difficult fight of his life. Even down one arm, he knew he could do this. At the end of the day, when all the chips were down and there was nothing left to do but win or lose, Steve had always managed to find his way out on top. It wasn’t always pretty, but survival rarely was. Steve was a survivor.

“Turn around, bright eyes. Every now and then, I fall apart.”

Eddie’s words, along with his singing, were ringing in Steve’s head. All those days ago, although now it felt like months, when they’d been watching that trashy horror movie. The killers always came back, unless you found a way to stop them for good.

“Evisceration is key. Decapitation if possible. Blowing up completely is ideal,” Steve whispered, stooping down to pick up a broken piece of one of the boulders Vecna dropped. It had more heft to it than what Steve had been using as a weapon before. Hopefully it would have more impact as well.

“And I need you now tonight. And I need you more than ever.”

“Staying here was a mistake. One you won’t get to regret for much longer,” Vecna warned, standing at full height again.

“And if you only hold me tight, we’ll be holding on forever.”

“We’ll see about that,” Steve growled, sprinting full steam ahead toward the monster.

“Together, we can take it to the end of the line.”

Steve dodged the vines that shot out to ensnare him again, bashing the piece of boulder against the side of Vecna’s head. This time, the hit counted. Vecna still didn’t fall, but Steve could tell it dealt damage. He swung again, aiming for the spot in Vecna’s neck where he’d taken out a piece earlier. The monster shrieked, batting at him wildly as Steve finally got him down to his knees. Steve raised his weapon as high as he could above his head, before bringing it down on the center of the beast’s skull.

“Your love is like a shadow on me all of the time.”

Steve almost couldn’t believe what he was seeing. He stood frozen in shocked silence, staring down at the thing that had terrorized Hawkins for years now. Who was responsible for so much death and destruction. Steve had stopped him.

Vecna twitched and Steve snapped out of his daze, stomping on his throat. Steve yelled, bringing his foot down over and over, barely noticing the vines around him writhing as he damaged their host. He briefly wondered what would happen to him if Vecna died while Steve was still caught inside his mind prison, but he was happy to accept any fate, as long as the thing was really dead.

“I really need you tonight.”

Steve’s foot hit moist ground and he slipped backward, landing on his butt. He panted shakily and he looked over his handiwork. Vecna’s head was resting a few inches away from the rest of his body. That wasn’t good enough. Steve kicked it away, watching as it rolled a few feet before coming to rest against one of the pillars, facing him.

A burst of hysterical giggles bubbled out of Steve’s throat as he watched Vecna’s body slowly dry up and wither in front of him. By the time it turned to dust, he wasn’t sure if he was still laughing or sobbing, but it didn’t matter. He’d really done it. He’d vanquished the monster.

“Did you think it would be that easy?”

“Aw, come on!” Steve whined, too exhausted to care how pathetic he sounded. Vecna’s decapitated head had a smirk on it and Steve stared at it incredulously. “How are you even talking? You don’t even have a throat!”

“I can’t be beaten.”

“Everything can be beaten!” Steve snapped, racking his brain for what to do next. He could stomp Vecna’s head to dust too, although he thought what he’d already done would be enough. The dust could be temporary though, just waiting to be whipped up into a cloud and reformed into the monster again. What hadn’t they tried? “Wait a minute. Nightmare on Elm Street.”

“This is your nightmare.”

“A Nightmare on Elm Street rules,” Steve whispered, grinning at his eyeless, bodyless foe. He painfully pulled himself back to his feet, knowing that he wasn’t going to have the strength to do this much longer. This was his last hurrah before his body finally gave out.

“Forever’s gonna start tonight.”

Steve grabbed Vecna’s head by the back of his skull, ignoring how disgusting it felt to handle such a thing. But if his idea was going to work, they’d need it.

“Forever’s gonna start tonight.”

Eleven had fought Vecna in his mind world. He, Robin, and Nancy had fought Vecna in the upside down. Maybe they needed to take this fight to their world.

“Once upon a time, I was falling in love. Now I’m only falling apart.”

Steve used the last bit of energy he had to sprint to the opening that his friends had been able to keep waiting for him all this time. Vecna was still trying to play his mind games with him, saying anything he could to try to keep the upper hand. But it was easy to ignore something you were carrying like a football. And Steve’s ears were already honed on one thing.

“There’s nothing I can do. A total eclipse of the heart.”

*

Eddie barely heard the sound of a tiny gasp, and then Steve was falling. He landed in a crumpled heap at Eddie’s feet and every person in the room screamed in a mixture of shock, fear, and hope. Eddie tossed aside his guitar without a care, even though it was one of his most prized possessions. Nothing else mattered but Steve.

He dropped to his knees just as Robin and Nancy were working to lay Steve flat from where he was curled in on himself. Steve hadn’t made a sound since that first gasp and Eddie couldn’t tell if the other boy was even awake.

“Steve! Come on, Big Boy, open those eyes for me,” Eddie pleaded, gripping Steve’s shoulder as tightly as he dared. Steve jerked a little, before limply falling back to lay against Eddie’s legs. Eddie’s relief was short-lived when he caught a glimpse of what Steve’s body had been previously obscuring. “Jesus H. Christ!”

“What the hell!” Robin screeched, batting Vecna’s head off of where it was resting on Steve’s stomach. The kids all jumped back, watching in shock as the thing rolled to a stop in the middle of the kitchen floor. Eddie was about to pass out on the spot when Vecna’s head slowly started rising up, until he saw El with her hand in the air.

“I’ve got this,” El muttered, glaring at the piece of the boogeyman who’d haunted her whole life. She raised the head high above the group, almost all the way to the ceiling. Everyone was mesmerized as El let out her battle cry and exploded the head to pieces, splattering bits of Vecna on the wall and pretty much everything else in the room, including the people. Well, that was gonna be a bitch to clean.

“Once upon a time, I was falling in love,” a tired voice said from below him. Eddie’s head whipped down so fast that his neck cracked in protest. Steve was blinking sluggishly up at him with a small grin on his face. Eddie didn’t think he’d smiled bigger in his entire life. “Nothing I can do, total eclipse of the heart.”

“Steve,” Eddie whispered as his eyes filled with relieved tears. The room burst into chaos again, with everyone trying to crowd around to see Steve. Jonathan did his best to hold all the kids back, so they didn’t overwhelm him. Robin carefully helped shift Steve so his head was resting more comfortably in Eddie’s lap, while Nancy focused on stabilizing his broken arm.

“I heard you guys. You saved me,” Steve murmured, reaching out with his uninjured hand until Robin gripped it between hers tightly.

“Course we did,” Eddie huffed, running his fingers through Steve’s sweaty, yet still unfairly gorgeous hair. “But Bonnie Tyler? Really? We’ve got to get you a cooler favorite song.”

“It’s not my favorite song,” Steve mumbled, relaxing more under their tender ministrations. Eddie heard one of the kids in the background say that they’d called Hopper and he was on his way to take Steve to the hospital. That was good, since no one there was in a good enough state to drive.

“What do you mean? It worked, didn’t it?” Eddie questioned.

“It was you. I’d follow your voice anywhere,” Steve said seriously, sounding more alert than he had previously. Eddie’s fingers paused where they’d been rhythmically scratching along Steve’s scalp. He glanced up at Robin, who was shooting him a knowing and encouraging smile. Eddie moved his hand to cradle Steve’s cheek, raising an eyebrow as if to ask if what he was thinking was really what Steve meant. Steve gave him the barest of nods and Eddie took that as an affirmative. He bent down, swiping his lips against Steve’s briefly, before pressing them together a bit more firmly. The kiss couldn’t have lasted more than a second, but Eddie still felt butterflies in his stomach like he’d never felt before. And from the dreamy look on Steve’s face, he felt the same way.

The room fell into almost complete silence, but Eddie didn’t care. He wasn’t going to be afraid about what anyone else thought. The only thing that mattered was that he liked Steve and Steve liked him back. And they’d beat the odds to actually have a chance to do something about it.

“I guess I was wrong about Steve and Robin,” Dustin said suddenly, breaking the silence. It was like that was all everyone needed to go back to normal, with them resuming their efforts to get closer to their newly safe friend. Eddie didn’t move as everyone crowded around, bombarding Steve with their relieved chatter. Steve stared at everyone with a dazed smile on his face, accepting their fussing. The roles had been reversed and now he was being mother-henned. Steve deserved to be taken care of by everyone, even though Eddie wanted to be alone with him more than anything. But he could wait. They had all the time in the world now.