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It felt like hours had passed in a fog. His mind was being twisted and redefined in ways Steve could sense but not grasp. Then came the images and sounds. Robin spat at Steve’s feet in disgust. Dustin shoved Steve back. Nancy ignored him with a sneer. All because they knew the truth about him. Something seemed wrong with the idea, like a puzzle piece not fitting with any of the others. But it was too heavy in there, the air too thick, for Steve to figure it out.
“See, Steven? This is how people will react. You cannot escape the truth.” Vecna’s voice boomed in Steve’s head.
Steve woke up from the vision as Vecna released him. He shot up from the couch and ran into the bathroom, nauseous. He couldn’t accept the vision as real, but it felt entirely possible. Steve looked at his haggard face in the mirror and made a decision. It was the only way.
Steve called the group into the room. And by everyone, he meant everyone. It had to do with Vecna, after all.
“Thank you for coming here today, guys. I really just need to get something off my chest so that Vecna doesn’t use my fears against me.”
Some people looked on in curiosity. Kali in the corner was shuffling her feet and looking towards the door.
“Go ahead, we’re all here for you,” said Robin, who was seated near Steve.
“Thanks,” said Steve. He took in a deep breath. “The truth is, I don’t like boys. I mean, I don’t hate boys, for the most part. There are a few cool ones. I like…”
Steve looked at the floor. “...don’t know how to say this part. But I always wanted to be popular, the guy people looked up to. In my vision, people realize that I was never that great once they learn I’m not like them. A guy’s looks can only carry him so far.”
Some people were nodding in understanding. A few were disinterested, like Mr. Clarke and Kali, but Steve pressed on, tears spilling from his eyes. It was really bright in there and sun was angled directly in his eyes, so he pulled down on his voluminous bangs to shield them.
“Vecna showed me people reacting to me in disgust if they knew. Like I’m no longer attractive or lovable or something, and then how would I find someone to raise six kids with one day? If I don’t have six kids, what is my life really about?”
Dustin squinted at Steve. “Why is this important?”
“The point is, there was this girl I had a crush on.” Steve meaningfully gazed at Robin, who swallowed, guilt shadowing her face. Steve sighed. “And I know that she’s not like me. She’s just my Nancy. Thing is, it was never about her. It was about me. And how I need to be myself. And accept myself for being myself.”
Steve sat up straighter and swept his hair back. Everyone was silent excepting a cough here or there.
“Anyways, now that you all know I don’t like boys, I hope you can still think I’m a pretty awesome guy,” said Steve.
“Of course,” said Jonathon, tentatively embracing Steve in a hug.
“What did I just say about not liking boys?” asked Steve.
“Sorry,” said Jonathon.
“Um, I support you, Steve. I’m just wondering, though, if you’re okay with answering,” said Robin, giving Steve a pat on the back.
“Of course, anything,” said Steve.
“Why did you mention Nancy?” she asked.
“Well, Nancy is more like a metaphor. Like a love, sorry, silly little crush that I’ve been harboring deep in my heart for years but that was not meant to work out. So the girl I liked is just like that,” said Steve.
“I’m confused,” said Nancy from the back of the room. Steve honestly had not even seen her back there among everyone else.
“And me,” said Will.
“And me,” said El.
“And me,” said Max.
“And me,” said Lucas.
“And me,” said Murray.
“And me,” said Mike.
“Thanks for telling us this, Steve,” said Joyce with a gentle smile.
“Don’t you want to know who ‘my Nancy’ is in this scenario?” asked Steve. “Anyone?”
Nancy scoffed. “‘My Nancy’...”
“It’s Robin. Everyone knows it’s Robin,” said Dustin.
Robin’s eyes were wide as the attention of the room fell on her.
“I know this is kind of awkward, but we can still be friends, right?” Steve asked Robin.
“No thanks,” said Robin, quickly. Steve stared at her in disbelief and when noticed the expression on his face, she coughed. “I mean, sure. Best friends. Just don’t bring this up again when we already went over it.”
“I have a question,” said Mike, hand half-raised.
“Go ahead,” said Steve, nodding.
“What did you mean when you said she wasn’t like you?” asked Mike.
“That, you know, um-” stuttered Steve.
“How about that Vecna fight, huh?” Robin said with volume. “Let’s get to that.”
“I just wanted to know,” said Mike, throwing up his hands. “Do I not get to know anything?”
“Let’s go!” Robin clapped her hands together.
“Yes, finally!” said Kali, flicking a knife.
Mr. Clarke started awake. “What’s happening?”
“Some kid named Steve doesn’t like boys,” said Murray with a laugh.
“Why is this not surprising to anyone? Isn’t being s- not liking boys like a big deal?” asked Steve.
“No?” contributed several voices.
“You dated several girls in the past and no one batted an eye,” said Nancy.
“Wait…” Steve let his hand drag down from his forehead to his chin as his head began to clear. “Wait, but Vecna showed me- wait-”
“He gave you a vision, right? I’m guessing you then confused it for reality,” said Jonathon as gently as possible.
“Yeah, I guess everyone in my vision was gay and that was normal,” said Steve.
“Who says it’s not normal?” asked Jonathon.
“You know what I mean. It was more common. Wow. Okay. I’m so sorry that I wasted everyone’s time,” said Steve.
“It’s okay,” said Robin. “Now you know Vecna can’t use the vision against you later. That’s important.”
“I mean what good would it do Vecna to do that? I don’t have superpowers. Like maybe if I were El or Will it would actually be useful to trick me so I can’t use those powers against him,” said Steve.
Everyone moved on from the conversation to prepare for the fight, leaving Steve with Robin.
“Good point. I don’t really know. Even if he targeted one of them, he honestly seems like he’d forget to use their visions against them,” said Robin with a shrug. “But it’s okay. Don’t worry about your love life. You’ll find someone because lots of people are like you. You know, straight.”
“Thanks, I uh, do know that, even though my head kind of hurts thinking about it,” said Steve. “You know something? What if Vecna showed me that vision because I still haven’t gotten over Nancy? And in my subconscious I’m trying to convince myself that I have.”
“I thought you liked me?” asked Robin.
“Oh. I guess I don’t really like you like that anymore. Or Nancy. That vision really did a number on me. I need to take a rest,” said Steve.
“Just don’t do something like fall off the tower because you’re too groggy,” said Robin.
“Don’t even joke about that,” said Steve, face growing pale. Vecna had shown that very thing happening in his vision, and in that vision, no one was there to catch him as he fell.
“Calm down, Steve. We’ve all got each other’s backs,” said Robin.
Steve decided to relax. And shove the embarrassing press conference conversation to the back of his memory to never be thought about again.