mila ˖ ݁♬⋆.˚𝄞.

You were always the first to help a friend. If they said jump, you jumped. If they told you that they were going to rob a bank, you'd show up in getaway car. Once someone was a friend to you, that loyalty knew no bounds — even when said friendship had undergone the wear and tear of time. Some called it a virtue.

At this moment? You thought it a vice.

As as annoyed as you were at Steve's past insolence, you didn't hesitate for a moment when plunging into the Upside Down headfirst to rescue him. You weren't the strongest or most fearsome fighter by any means, but that didn't stop you.

You had absolutely no clue what lurked in those murky depths.

A sinister foe you were ill-equipped to face, having nothing but your wits and sheer force of will about you? Certainly. Impending doom? Most definitely. A portal to the Upside Down? That was a given. No natural phenomena that occurred in Lover's Lake could account for Steve's disappearance. The big bad bass fish didn't swallow him up. He wasn't dragged downwards by a nonexistent riptide.

No, whatever had gotten Steve, it wasn't of this world. That was the one thing you were most certain of.

The look in his eyes sent another ice cold surge of panic through your veins. Hopeful one second, excited even— because you had smiled at him when he found the gate. It was sign that maybe, just maybe, you two were on the mend. It was a sign that he'd earned your admiration, your respect, a small gesture of approval. The next second, those hopeful eyes turned wide with fear. The whites overwhelmed his warm brown irises, and his hand gripped yours.

And then, he was gone.

You gasped for air when you broke through the slimy barrier, hands frantically grasping at anything to pull yourself up with. Vines screeched and convulsed beneath your iron grip, the sounds of squelching intermingling with your loud groan as you managed to get yourself onto flat land.

Your body rejected every aspect of the Upside Down. This was, you realized, your first time truly venturing into it. Against your will, you entered a deep coughing fit. Arms hugging your abdomen, you placed one foot down firmly, then another. Finally, you pushed yourself up.

"Steve? Steve?!" You yelled, voice raspy and choked by endless hacking. When your lungs finally gave you a break, your eyes adjusting to the dark atmosphere, you found him.

Steve laid on the ground, frantically trying to squirm out of the grasp of the slithering vines. Loud, piercing squeaks overwhelmed you. When you looked upwards to the dark and sickly sky, your heart dropped to your stomach.

Bats. A horde of them, and the were heading straight for Steve. You stood, frozen. You tried to move, to call for help, but your feet were seemingly glued to the ground. It was then that you noticed you were breathing funny.

Oh god, not now. Please, not now.

Your lungs couldn't allow you to take a full breath. Instead, you let out broken gasps as you watched the distant specks grow closer. Now, the sky was turning a sinister red hue. The air was foggy and thick, electrical storms crackling to life over your head.

Steve is going to die down here, a voice said.

He is going to die, and it is all your fault. It's all your fault, because you can't even go to him and help him. Poor, stupid, helpless little Y/N Mayfield. Why did you think you could be a hero? Why did you follow him down here? You can't save anyone. You can't save Steve, and you can't save yourself.

"Shut up, please. Just shut up!" You wailed, hands moving to cover your ears as the voice grew louder, more forceful. Your eyes squeezed shut. But no matter how hard you tried, you couldn't block it out. You couldn't run from it.

Did you really think you could avoid this? You couldn't run from this any better than you could run from Billy's death. Oh, but try you will. All you ever do is run. You ran from Maxine, left her alone to deal with it all. You left her to die.

Now, the voice changed. Your eyes shot open, breath catching in your chest. It wasn't the deep and sinister drawl of Vecna anymore. No, this voice was a girl's. Your sister's. Low and behold, she stood before you. Her eyes were reddening, arms crossed over her chest.

What kind of sister does that, huh? You left me. You're a terrible sister. I hate you!

"No, Max, please. You know I didn't— I never meant to hurt you! To leave you! I went to college, I tried to reach out, but you never—" You tried, your voice breaking when she laughed bitterly.

I'm glad it's going to be you. No one will miss you. I won't. You were never there anyways. I don't need you.

Sobs overtook you, and you fell to your knees. You screamed, hoping that anyone could hear you, hoping that someone could save you from this. You hugged your knees to your chest, your body trembling as you repeatedly yelled, "Go away! Go away, go away!"

This continued for what felt like an eternity. Max had bent to your level now, spitting insults in your ear as you cried and screamed. She mocked you, laughing at your despair.

Finally, there was quiet. And then, another shout.

"Mayfield, Mayfield!" Someone yelled. A familiar voice, but you couldn't trust it. Nothing was real. You were in another trance. It was muffled at first, but eventually grew louder.

"Snap out of it, Y/N!" Another voice. This one was more clear, a girl. Nancy Wheeler.

You jolted, now looking up at her with wide eyes and tear stained cheeks. The sky was that dark hue again, and there were some dead bats on the ground. You were back in reality. Or, at least, the Upside Down's version of it.

Nancy Wheeler was crouched down to your level. Behind her, Robin and Eddie stood. They balanced Steve between them, who was holding on for support. He was bloodied, beaten, but alive. You exhaled a shaky breath of relief.

But then, you saw their faces. Pale as sheet, eyes wide. Like they'd seen a ghost. They might as well have, because that was what you would be soon. Your hand moved to touch your face, and when it withdrew, there was blood coating your fingers.

Damn it.

They looked frightened for you. Everyone knew enough about Vecna's curse to know what your symptoms meant. You thought the pitying looks would be the worst, but they were far from it. Because Steve Harrington didn't just look scared, he looked downright betrayed.

"How long?" He asked, his voice wavering. Whether it was from the pain of his injuries or the sting of your lies, you were uncertain.

"Steve—" You attempted weakly, but he wouldn't let you finish whatever excuse you were conjuring up.

"How goddamn long, Y/N? How long have you known?!" He snapped.

"I've known since the day we rescued Max, okay?! Since the day Vecna made me the offer!"

Now, even Nancy let out a shaky breath of disbelief. In fact, they all seemed rather upset with you. In truth, you hadn't thought this far ahead. Foolishly, you'd thought no one would care all that much. You'd thought that you'd be dead before this, that you could keep it hidden until your gory execution date.

Now, they were all talking over eachother.

"Jesus, that was days ago! What the hell were you thinking, not telling us?!" Nancy scolded you, eyes wide with disbelief.

"We could've gotten another Walkman! Gotten music for you! What are we gonna do when he comes back now?" Robin rambled.

"Hang on..." Steve said under his breath.

"Did you see what he did to those kids? Why aren't you more scared, Mayfield?" Eddie said.

"Hang on," Steve repeated, a little louder this time.

"Oh god, does Max even know—"

"Hang on!" Steve finally yelled, his voice cutting over everyone's now. You felt your body cowering in on itself.

He rubbed the bridge of his nose, cursing under his breath, before continuing.

"You said that you've known since he 'made you an offer'. What offer?"

You mentally cursed yourself. Of course you'd said that. You could try backtracking, but how? The word choice was quite damning. And you were so tired. You were tired of lying to everyone, tired of handling it all on your own.

Tears welled in your eyes, your throat burning. When you spoke, your voice was hardly above a whisper.

"He made me an offer, to make an exchange for Max's life. If I let myself be taken by him as his next victim, he told me he'd leave her alone."

Steve tensed, his eyes narrowing and brows furrowing. He blinked a few times, and it took you a moment to realize that he was trying not to cry.

"Well, you told him no, right? You told him to go to hell, because we have a plan to save Max. Right?" He babbled out.

Your silence was enough to answer the question.

"Oh, Y/N. You didn't," Nancy mumbled. She sat on the ground in front of you now, arms moving to hug you close. It was then that every emotion you'd spent the last two days bottling up came tumbling out. Oh, how you cried. The sobs were guttural, the retching and hiccupping that left your lips only amplifying your anguish.

"We haven't figured anything out! The music may help, but Vecna has only left her alone because he's changed targets," you wept.

"Don't say that. We're close, I know it. We'll figure this out," Nancy whispered, her hand combing through your hair soothingly.

"I had to do it. I had to. I couldn't just do nothing."

"I know," she mumbled.

Awkward as she was, Robin's gangly limbs found themselves wrapping around you as well.

"You're not alone anymore, you know that? We know now, and we're gonna make a plan. We always do," Robin tried her hand at reassuring you, but you heard the waver in her voice.

Eddie hovered to the side, looking worried in his own right. His brows furrowed at the way Steve closed himself off from the situation, and he gave him a sharp nudge to say something.

Steve looked at him, brows scrunched together in distaste, then down at you. For a moment, his gaze softened. When your eyes met his, he tore his gaze away with a sharp exhale and stormed off.

If it was possible for your heart to break anymore, you were certain it did now. You couldn't blame him. You'd lied to him for days, right to his face. And this wasn't some petty squabble over being stood up, it was life or death. He had every right to hate you, to ignore you.

Noticing your saddened eyes following his brooding form, Nancy sighed deeply.

"He'll come around. Give him a minute. Can you walk?" She'd asked softly.

With a nod, you shakily stood, and the group followed after him.

The summer of '85 brought an unforgiving heat. The sun beat down on you in a sweltering beam, the kind that made you feel like you were roasting from the inside out.

Still, you endured it. You had things to do— more specifically, boxes to load onto the moving truck. This had been the day you'd dreamed of ever since you were a little girl. A stereo blaring music, your little sister and mother by your side to help pack away the last of your things. Today marked the beginning of your freedom. Finally, you were getting the hell out of this hellish town. Hawkins had been dreadfully boring from the moment you moved here. That was the one thing you and your stepbrother Billy could agree on.

Momentarily distracted, your eyes found your window as you wiped your sweaty brow. You remembered climbing out of your window with Billy late at night to sit on the roof and sneak a cigarette. You'd never been a smoker. That was something you only ever did with him.

The two of you didn't have deep conversations. You didn't have deep sibling bonding moments or fond memories of laughter to look back on. In fact, most of your late night escapades consisted of no talking at all. He'd sit down beside you, wordlessly hand you a cigarette. You'd place it between your lips, let him light it, and take a deep inhale. More often than not, you coughed out the smoke. That always elicited the closest thing you'd ever seen to a genuine laugh from him. After you'd smoked your cigarettes, he'd climb back inside without another word.

You remembered one night being different than the others, though.

"You know, you didn't have to yell at her," you'd said to him that night, handing him an icepack when you'd found him on the roof like expected. It was the night he'd had his fight with Steve 'The Hair' Harrington. You'd seen how he'd screamed at Max, how he'd been so cruel to Lucas. It made your stomach churn.

"Didn't have to push that kid either. He didn't do anything wrong," you added quietly, plucking a cigarette from the pack he reluctantly extended.

He let out a low, breathless scoff.

"I told him to stay away from her, and he didn't listen."

"Oh, really? And you care so much about Max now?" You retorted with an amused glance, words slightly muffled by the cigarette now placed between your lips. Your brows raised, motioning for him to light it.

He rolled his eyes, but complied.

"He's trouble," Billy mumbled under his breath.

You exhaled a cloud of smoke. Your lungs burned to cough, but you managed to stifle it by clearing your throat.

"He's thirteen and plays Dungeons and Dragons."

"What the hell is..." he started, but trailed off with a huff of his own. "Never mind. I don't wanna know."

You laughed softly. After that, it was quiet.

"I'm just saying, you don't have to be so hard on her all the time. She's just a kid. You really have to yell at someone? Fine. You can yell at me all you like. I can take it," you said.

Billy didn't say anything, but you knew he was listening. You could tell by the way his eyes avoided yours. It was the kind of thing he always did when he was being told something that was uncomfortable, but he knew was right.

"Can you apologize to her? Please? It... it would mean a lot to her. I know it would," you pleaded with him, a hand finding his shoulder to make him meet your gaze.

He stared at you, brows furrowing before he left out a huff.

"Yeah. Okay, whatever," he relented. You smiled in triumph, and he shook his head.

You watched as he brought his own cigarette to his lips. Here, in the faint moonlight and quiet nighttime air of Hawkins, Billy looked the most at peace. He wasn't out finding girls to hookup with, he wasn't drinking, he wasn't screaming. He just... was. There was a serenity on his features you'd rarely witnessed. Billy wasn't thoughtless, the opposite; he seemed to be rather lost in his thoughts. Still, he wasn't acting on whatever he was thinking. He simply allowed himself to relax, and contemplate.

Nights like this were the most dangerous. They gave you hope— hope that maybe he really was a good guy, that he was just going through a lot of shit. It gave you hope that he really could be the brother you and Max had always wished for, the kind of brother that you had always needed.

When he finished his cigarette, he flicked the burnt out butt into the yard and began to crawl back into the house through the window. After pulling himself through, he paused.

Lingering for a brief beat, he muttered, "Sorry."

You thought you'd hallucinated it, eyes wide. You spun around to face him, to say something, anything to take advantage of this second of vulnerability, but he was gone.

Hope was foolish, and it was irresponsible, and it always led to disappointment.

He never did apologize to Max.

"Hello, earth to Y/N?" A voice called.

Speak of the devil.

You were pulled back to reality from you momentary wandering, your eyes flickering to the hand waving in your face. You smiled, seeing Max in her striped shirt and cargo shorts, her red hair braided in two.

"Look at you. You braid that yourself, Maxine?" You teased, lightly tugging on one of the braids.

She laughed, swatting your hand away. "Shut up and tell me if it looks good!"

Your brows furrowed in focus, and you pretended to squint your eyes and scruntinize them.

"It's a little loose. I'm not sure you sectioned the two sides evenly..." you trailed off the critiques before bursting into laughter at her fallen small.

"I'm kidding! It looks great. You're a natural," you added, pulling her into a tight hug. She whined, pretending like she hated it and squirmed in your arms.

But eventually, she relaxed into the hug and reciprocated. Your heart clenched in your chest when you heard a faint but audible sniffle against your chest.

"Hey," you whispered, eyes glancing upward. Your mother was rifling through the outdoor fridge— no doubt for another beer. She'd taken a liking to the beverage ever since Billy's father left.

"What's wrong?" You asked, one hand smoothing over stray hairs on her head, the other wrapped around her shoulders.

"It's just... did you really have to pick the farthest away college you got accepted to?"

You frowned.

"Max..." you mumbled, but she continued nonetheless.

"And you have to leave right now? Billy just died. El is gone. Who am I gonna talk to? Who is gonna help me deal with mom? Whose gonna drive me to school, help me get ready for dates, talk to me about high school—" she rattled on until she broke down into tears, and you sighed deeply.

"Oh, Max," you whispered. "I know this is hard. It's unbearable for me too. And if I could, I would never leave here. I just..." you trailed off, because what could you say to her? You have to leave because you can't stand Hawkins, because everything reminds you of him? You have to leave because there's nothing left for you here?

Everything sounded so selfish.

"I'm never gonna leave you. Not really. I will always be here for you. Always. One phone call away, and I'll take the first flight back."

You tilted her head up to look at you now, your brows furrowed as your own eyes welled with tears.

"I'm not going anywhere. Not really. You have me for life. Nothing bad will ever happen to you, not while I'm around. I'll always be there to pester you to do your homework or talk you into getting back together with Lucas," you promised her softly.

At this, she laughed weakly. That made you smile despite your misty eyes.

"Promise?"

"I promise. I will never, ever leave you."

You all were royally screwed.

At least, you'd thought that at first. The trip to the Upside Down's twisted version of the Wheeler house for guns had been a bust; apparently, the dimension was stuck in some distorted freeze frame of the past.

Now, Nancy, Robin, and Eddie were making contact via the lights with the kids above. You'd asked them kindly to not mention the new development in your condition. If Max was going to find out, it needed to be from you.

Steve sat alone in the hallway, silently brooding. You stared at him from the doorway, eyes filled with an unspoken yearning to bridge the gap that had grown between the two of you. But how could you? The damage your lie had done felt irreparable. All you could do now was bask in all of the carnage your self destruction had left behind.

You saw an opening when he winced. Your eyes found his bandage, which clearly needed to be replaced. His blood had soaked straight through it.

Of course, there weren't exactly infirmaries in the Upside Down.

Without a second thought, you took off your sweater. Now just adorning the tank top you wore beneath it, you started towards Steve.

You didn't speak at first, merely sitting on your knees in front of him to begin taking off the soiled fabric of Nancy's shirt.

"I don't need your help," he bit out.

It stung, hearing him take this tone, but you persisted and ignored him.

"Did you hear me? I said—"

"Oh, would you just shut up and let me take care of you?" You shot back softly. Your tone was not unkind, but it was firm. Your eyes, which now met his, left no room for argument. With a sharp exhale of defeat, his head fell back against the wall.

As you wrapped your sweater around his abdomen, you felt yourself grow sick at the sight of him so wounded. You couldn't help but feel like it was all your fault, just like the voice had told you. You hated yourself for not having gotten to him sooner.

"I am sorry I did not tell you. I thought I was doing the right thing," you tried weakly.

He scoffed, his head tilting down to look at you.

"Really? You thought silently sentencing yourself to death, like some martyr, was the right thing?"

"I was doing what was best for my sister," you retorted defensively.

Steve only shook his head, now growing impatient with your excuses.

"Now that is bullshit. We had it under control!"

"You don't know that! El is gone, and she doesn't have her powers."

"We didn't need her! We had the music!"

You laughed bitterly, your face flushed as your voices began to raise.

"Do you even hear yourself? Steve, you haven't seen this Vecna guy. I have. Kate Bush was not going to save my little sister."

His expression mirrored yours, and with a grunt, he sat up.

"It was risky, but this is riskier!"

"I had it handled! I was saving Max! I don't need you or anyone else rescuing me."

His brown eyes were sharply glaring now, and his face held such tension. It was as though he was on the brink of exploding. You'd never seen him so angry before.

"You didn't have anything handled! I mean Jesus, Mayfield, you weren't even trying to save yourself! You just gave up and were going to let him kill you!" He fired back vehemently. His voice had elevated; it wasn't quite a yell, but it wasn't far from it.

"It's better off me than her!"

There it was. The ugly truth you had refused to say out loud. Because the truth was, you didn't really care what happened to you. You hadn't cared for a long time. Ever since Billy's death, you'd begun experiencing a sort of numbness and guilt for failing to save him. It was suffocating. It was all-consuming.

You couldn't let that happen again. Not another sibling, not your Max.

Steve's face faltered, his eyes letting up their piercing judgement.

You couldn't see them, but you were certain Nancy and Robin were listening in from the other room. Eddie, too. That made your face turn a darker shade of red with humiliation.

"You can't mean that," he said quietly.

Your hands fidgeted in your lap now, and you bit the inside of your cheek. Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't Cry.

You felt the liquid dripping down your cheeks before you could stop it. Finally, you spoke in a meek voice.

"Look, I'm sorry I lied to you, but it's true. If I lived, and she died, I'd have nothing. She's the most important person in my life. I love her more than I love myself. And so many people love her, and need her, even if she can't see it."

His brows furrowed, and he now shifted to sit beside you. As a gesture of comfort, his hand found yours and gripped it tightly. It made the hurt in your chest subside briefly.

"What about you?"

You let out a shaky laugh, your free hand wiping your tears away quickly.

"Nobody needs me," you responded with an unsteady smile. The kind that couldn't quite stay still no matter how much you willed it to do so.

That made his fingers interlace with yours, giving your hand another squeeze. He seemed to hesitate, caught between saying what he wanted and holding it back.

Eventually, the part of him that wanted to speak won.

"I do. I need you," he started quietly. Your eyes widened, and your gaze shifted to meet his. He continued.

"Max needs you. Your mom. Lucas, Dustin, Mike, El, Will, Nancy, Robin, hell, even Eddie," he breathed out, now laughing himself. You shook your head, opening your mouth to protest, but he beat you to it.

"The day I stood you up, when I was supposed to have that date... It wasn't because I didn't want to. I was scared," he admitted. Now, his voice was shaking.

"Steve—"

"—and that's no excuse. God, I know it isn't. I just found out where you were going to college, and I panicked. Because how on Earth could I possibly deserve a girl like you? A girl that goes off to some prestigious school to do great things while I was stuck scooping ice cream in Hawkins. It was so stupid," he stopped to take a breath, and it was only then that you noticed the way his eyes seemed to pool with tears.

"It's the shittiest thing I've ever done, to make you feel like you weren't wanted or needed, when that couldn't be further than the truth. When all this time, you are the only girl I have wanted, and I've been too much of an idiot to say it."

Your lips parted, but no words came out. In truth, you were utterly stunned. You honestly should've expected something along those lines being the reason he stood you up. After all, Steve wasn't a bad guy. So why had you assumed the worst of him? Why hadn't you called?

You felt like an idiot.

You were staring wordlessly at his confession, which seemed to rapidly deflate Steve's fleeting burst of confidence.

"Sorry, I guess I shouldn't have—"

"I can't believe you've felt that way. All this time, and you didn't tell me," you whispered.

At this, he stopped in his tracks. He blinked, but he didn't speak.

"I thought you didn't care."

"I care so much it hurts."

You tried to look away, feeling your face burning, but he wouldn't allow it. He mumbled your name, which pulled your attention back to his face.

Steve looked utterly unraveled. He looked at you like you were the most precious thing in the world, and that made you feel dizzy. In that moment, everything about the current reality fell away.

"You have rotten timing. I'm going to die tomorrow, you know," you whispered.

He didn't laugh. Instead, his hands moved to hold your face. His touch was delicate, like you were a fine porcelain he was afraid of dropping.

"That's not going to happen. You're going to be fine. Max is, too. I promise."

"Don't make promises you can't keep."

He was closer now. You could feel his breath mingling with yours, and it sent butterflies fluttering rapidly throughout your body. Was this what it felt like to fall in love? To be loved? You never wanted this feeling to end.

"I never make promises I can't keep. I promise you, Mayfield, I will keep you safe," he asserted, before lightheartedly adding, "I still have a date to take you on, remember?"

A broken laugh left you. Before you could let yourself chicken out, you let yourself lean forward. Your lips brushed his, hesitant. Testing the waters. Steve responded by promptly closing the distance, allowing himself to fully meet your kiss.

It was everything you'd hoped for and yet nothing like you expected, all at the same time. His lips were soft, the kiss gentle and innocent. When you parted, your faces pink.

You'd have half a mind to go in for another, but you were interrupted by the call of Eddie.

"Alright, lovebirds! We think we found a way out!"

a/n: thanks to everyone for being so patient with me! as always, thanks for reading and ily all.

"Not to be a wimp, but can I sit in the car for this visit? ‘Cause this is gonna totally and royally suck," Robin asked, breaking the silence inside the car.

You were exhausted. You'd spent the entire night exploring the Creel house and deliberating over your findings with Steve and Nancy while the kids slept. Good news? You'd figured out where Vecna was committing his murderous rampage from. Bad news? It was in the Upside Down, the one location that was currently entirely inaccessible thanks to Hopper's sacrifice last year. No one could open the gate, and even if they could, why would they? It seemed like a recipe for disaster, and it would cause more problems than it would solve.

Under different circumstances, you would've been panicked by the news. After all, if you couldn't reach Vecna, how could you stop him before he killed your little sister? Now, after having struck a bargain with the sorcerer himself, you were less worried about it. Still, you allowed yourself to look frightened in the backseat. Otherwise, your calmness would raise suspicion.

God, your head was throbbing. It felt like someone had taken a club and had been bashing you over the head repeatedly for the last twelve hours. Is this what Max had been feeling over the past week? It was torturous. You hoped that, maybe with the deal you'd made, Vecna had left Max alone.

Steve was driving, but you could see him peeking at you through the rearview mirror while Robin rambled about how shitty of a situation they were in, and how they didn't know how to tell Eddie that the probability of clearing his name had just shrank to a near zero chance.

His brows scrunched together, his eyes narrowing. When you tried to follow his gaze, you saw nothing. That is, until blood dripped from your nose and onto your jeans.

You groaned deeply, wiping it away onto your sleeve. At this rate, you'd have to throw away this sweater. For good measure, you rolled your sleeves up to conceal the blood-soaked fabric.

Your symptoms just served as a reminder of your impending doom, which was now forty eight hours away. In two days, you'd be dead. While the thought should've terrified you (and did), it also gave you a certain sense of reassurance. If nothing else, Max would be okay. You will have saved her. That could be enough for you, right?

"Oh, shit," you breathed out shakily, eyes wide as the car approached Reefer Rick's. Instead of seeing the serene and relatively private lake house, you were greeted by a swarm of cop cars and news reporters.

Steve pulled the car over and you all jumped out, lingering off to the side to listen in to a cop speak with a news anchor.

"...reporting a homicide here on the lake. Officer Callahan here and myself arrived first on the scene. We made our way to the shore of Lover's Lake, and it was there that we found the victim, Patrick McKinney..."

Your eyes widened, and you exchanged a glance with Max. You knew that this was not good news in the slightest. Not only was Eddie's hiding place now uninhabitable and he was MIA, but with people growing more and more terrified in the wake of gruesome killings, you knew it was only a matter of time before Eddie's name was released to the public.

"...we have also identified a person of interest. Eddie Munson," the chief announced, holding up a photo of Eddie to the camera.

Your heart sank for him. You heard Steve exhale behind you, his eyes glued to the scene like the rest of you.

"This is not good. This is really not good," he mumbled.

Just as the police briefing concluded, the walkie-talkie crackled to life.

"Dustin, can you hear me? Wheeler?" Eddie's voice asked.

Dustin scrambled to grab it and yank the antenna up.

"Eddie, holy shit. Are you okay?" He whispered into the radio.

There was a pause, and then: "Nah, man. Pretty... pretty goddamn far from okay."

"Where is he?" Robin asked quietly.

"Where are you?" Dustin asked after pressing the button.

"Skull Rock. Do you know it?"

Steve tapped Dustin's shoulder with a nod.

"Yeah. That's near Cornwallis and Garrett, I know where that is," Steve said before jogging to the car. You all followed him, determined to find Eddie before anyone else could.

"Ahoy, ladies! This is your captain speaking, and I'm here to take you on a flavor journey. What'll it be? USS Butterscotch? Wild Cherry? Banana Split?" Steve announced with his usual charismatic grin after spinning around and tossing his work-issued sailor hat off.

You couldn't help but giggle at the stunt, your eyes sparkling with amusement. When Steve realized it was you and Max, he groaned.

"Sorry, I thought you were—"

"The ladies? Yeah, we've watched you do that routine on every girl that's come through here," Max interjected, rolling her eyes.

"Unsuccessfully, might I add. You are 0 for six, dingus," Robin called from the back.

You bit your lip to stifle another laugh, taking pity on Steve as you watched his face turn pink.

"Keep trying, Harrington. One has to work out eventually. That's just math," you attempted cheerfully, giving him your best award-winning smile before looking down at the ice cream with Max.

"Don't patronize me. It's this stupid ass uniform, it's totally killing my vibe," Steve huffed, his usual shit-eating grin now a deep frown as he ran a hand through his hair.

"I think it's a lot more than that," Max mumbled.

"I could refuse service to you, you know," he shot back, now glaring at your red headed counterpart.

A pout formed on your lips, and you scrunched your nose at him in mocking distaste.

"You wound me. I thought we had something special," you teased lightly, settling your elbows atop the glass ice cream counter and dramatically batting your eyelashes at him.

The corners of his mouth quirked up in a faint smirk, and he shook his head.

"Yeah, whatever. Just order already, would you? I'm running a business here, not a social club."

"Aye, aye, captain," you playfully saluted him. He rolled his eyes, but secretly enjoyed the banter. Talking to you was a welcome change of tune from his usual pursuits of conversation with female patrons. They'd always laugh at his attempts to woo them, whispering gossip in front of him. To them, Steve was just another cute jock that flunked out of school. You, however, seemed to take no interest in that narrative. No, you saw him. You really, truly saw him— and that was what had always drawn him to you.

You and Max deliberated amongst each other for a moment before finally settling on what you wanted. All the while, you failed to notice the way Steve seemed to look at you only. His stare was full of unspoken intent and fueled by longing.

He hadn't seen you around much since graduation. He didn't even know what your plans were for the fall. In truth, he'd wanted to talk to you for a while ever since the Snow Ball, but he hadn't worked up the nerve. And, after getting rejected from every college he applied to, he couldn't bring himself to face you. How do you ask the biggest overachiever you know on a date when you sling ice cream for a living?

"Okay, I think... we'll get one scoop of strawberry, and another of vanilla," you said, moving to get your wallet out.

A flicker of realization crossed his eyes once he saw you reaching for your wallet, and he acted entirely on instinct.

"Oh, don't do that. It's, uh, on the house," he said, waving your hand away before reaching for his scooper.

You stared at him briefly before raising your brows.

"That's really kind of you, but—" you started, before Max quickly butt in.

"—well, if he's offering, we'll never turn down free ice cream," she said with a wicked grin.

You rolled your eyes, elbowing her before looking back up at Steve.

"Ignore her. You don't have to do that. I've got enough money to pay."

"I know I don't have to. I just want to," he said, giving you an affectionate smirk. When you still weren't convinced, he added: "I'm not taking no for an answer."

You sighed before returning his smile and taking the two freshly scooped ice cream cones from his hands.

"Thank you," you said quietly. Max wasted no time digging in, her eyes drawn to the Gap across the mall.

"Oh, Y/N! We have to go in there!" She gasped, her eyes lighting up like a kid in a candy store.

"You go on, I'll be there in a sec," you responded, giving her hair a playful ruffle before turning to back to Steve. Scoops Ahoy wasn't that busy today, so there wasn't any harm in lingering to chat for a bit, right?

"You know... you'd get more girls if you stopped trying to be someone else," you said quietly, one hand holding your ice cream and the other fidgeting with the bottom of your shirt. His interest was piqued now, his forehead creasing as he waited for you to continue.

"If you stopped pretending, I mean. Stop saying all these elaborate things and putting on exaggerated fronts impress people. Girls like authenticity."

"You think so? I find it hard to believe the ladies would dig Steve Harrington, college reject that makes three bucks an hour and has no future," he retorted, giving you a half hearted smile at his self deprecating joke.

Your lips pursed together in a frown.

"Maybe not, but I think plenty of 'the ladies' would dig the Steve Harrington I know. Funny, kind, selfless, great with kids... easy on the eyes," you said. Your own face began to heat up when you saw his eyes widen.

"And spare me the 'I have no future' story. That's bullshit. Your future is just as bright as mine or anyone else's."

He was staring at you now, his mouth open agape. You'd rendered him speechless. You mentally cursed, feeling like you'd gone to far and made a complete and utter fool of yourself. Your eyes fell to your now melting ice cream, and you anxiously ate some of it in the quiet.

While your gaze was distracted and downcast, Robin had come from the back and given Steve a sharp nudge.

'Ask her out,' she mouthed to him. His face turned red, and he started to shake his head. The two bickered silently, with her nudging him closer and closer to the counter. You looked up at him once more, eyes going round when you noticed the exchange between him and his coworker. You recognized her from the band in high school as a girl named Robin. A deep exhale left your lips, your free hand moving to toy with the ends of your hair as you scrambled to find an excuse.

"I'm sorry, was that too much? Sometimes I just rattle on and on if people don't stop me," you rambled.

"No, no! God, don't apologize. I like it," he blurted out, facing you once more after shooing Robin away.

You blinked.

"You do?"

"Yeah, I do. I like talking to you, and listening to you talk, I mean."

You let out a low hum, your nerves beginning to settle as your smile returned. Still, you weren't sure what to say to him. You never were good at this sort of thing. Dating wasn't ever the top of your priorities.

Sure, you'd had options. It wasn't like you were hopeless or anything. You were a pretty girl, high achieving and driven. Your ambition always got in the way of romance, though. You'd been far too focused on whatever after school extracurricular you had or college applications to ever give dating a second thought.

Steve, however, had plenty of experience. Feeling emboldened by your praise and noticing your reluctance to continue, he took the lead.

"Would you, maybe... wanna catch a movie Friday night?"

You were certain your eyes must've been the size of the moon and your face was the color of a stoplight by now, your lips parted in awe.

"You mean, like, a date?"

"Yeah."

You stayed quiet, thinking it over. Just as you were preparing yourself to say yes, your obligations for Friday night dawned on you. Thoughts of your mother's warnings and your step father's anger driven tangents filled your mind. You let out a low groan, running a hand through your hair.

"I can't. My parents are making me stay home to watch Max."

He froze, taken aback by your excuse.

"She's fourteen."

"Yeah, I know. It's stupid, but ever since she snuck out that night last year, they're all paranoid and shit. Billy has plans, so I'm on babysitter duty Friday. I'm sorry," you exhaled, a disappointed overtaking your features once again.

Steve couldn't have that.

"Well, you said it yourself. I'm great with kids. I could come to your place, and we could watch a movie there. Max could even join us, if you'd like."

If you could've melted on the spot, you would've. His eyes conveyed an honest sincerity in his words, and they made your heart race in your chest. He wasn't just offering to spend time with you, he was offering to even include your sister if it made you more comfortable.

Your eyes lit up, and you smiled hesitantly before responding.

"Okay," you answered softly.

"Okay?"

"Yeah, okay. It's a date," you laughed.

A beat passed before he echoed your laughter, nodding.

"I'll, uh, see you then," he said with a wave, caught in a daze. Had that really just happened? Had he just gotten a date with you?

Somewhere in the back of Scoops Ahoy, he could hear Robin faintly yell "Score! Ladies: six, Harrington: one!"

"Dude, I'm telling you, you're taking us the wrong way," Steve groaned. The group had been trudging through the woods for what felt like hours, and the sun had began to set. Lucas was swatting bugs out of his face while Max stared ahead, singing Kate Bush under her breath to pass the time.

"It's north. I'm positive. I checked the map," Dustin retorted absentmindedly, eyes fixated on his compass.

"You do realize Skull Rock, it's a super popular make out spot?"

"Yeah, so?"

"Yeah, well, it wasn't popular until I made it popular. Alright? I practically invented it."

You rolled your eyes at that, no longer allowing yourself to look in Steve's direction. Dustin pretended to vomit, gagging as he straightened his map again.

"Gross," you mumbled under your breath. It was true, you were thoroughly disgusted. Your distaste for Steve's romantic escapades just had a different source than Dustin's.

You'd never been good at hiding your face, and the discomfort etched into your furrowed brows and avoidant eyes wasn't lost on him. He cleared his throat, throwing his hands up in the air.

"We're heading in the wrong direction," he announced, turning opposite to Dustin and beginning to walk away from the group.

"Steve. Where are you going? Steve!" Dustin yelled, voicing raising an octave.

"Stop whining! Let's go. Trust me."

As the group walked on the newly appointed route, you watched Lucas and Max walking together and chatting. It made you smile, seeing that he could still make her laugh even on a dark day like this. You felt bad for him, and you wondered if he'd been close with the Patrick guy that had just passed. You knew, though, that if anyone could comfort him, it was Max. They'd always had that effect on each other.

You hardly noticed Steve slowing down to walk beside you until you heard his voice.

"I'm not usually one for rekindling old flames, but those two make me think it's possible," he said quietly, nodding his head in the direction of your sister and Lucas.

You gave him an unenthusiastic smile, though your gaze did soften at the sight.

"Really? I figured you were all for it. With Nance and all."

He scoffed, shaking his head.

"When are people gonna let that go? Yes, I loved Nancy. She's a special girl, but she's not the only special girl," he said through a sharp exhale.

You stayed quiet, fingers gently fidgeting with your rolled up sweater sleeve.

"Yeah, I guess it's easy to move on when you're with another girl every other day," you said under your breath, the words bitter. You hadn't meant them to come out, really; once you'd said them, your heart ached in your chest at the way he winced.

"Guess so."

Robin was listening in. She had to have been. Her wide eyed stare and cringing at the thickly tense atmosphere wasn't exactly subtle. When you turned your eyes back to the ground, kicking at stones while you walked, Robin gave Steve a sharp nudge before jogging ahead to walk with Nancy.

Steve blew out a honed breath before trying to initiate conversation once again.

"The truth is, those girls are... distractions. Keeps me from thinking about the one girl I haven't been able to take out on a nice date like she deserves yet."

You raised a brow at him, now tilting your chin up. You didn't say anything, though. You were, for once, hearing him out.

He smiled slightly. You were usually so headstrong and defensive, so determined to get the last word. You and Max had that in common. It was rare to see you so willingly listening.

"You know, when this is all over and assuming we haven't died an agonizing death, I'd really like go out with you sometime. A movie or something, maybe. Whatever you want," he offered, his voice a little unsteady and face stained pink. His brown eyes held a softness reserved only for you, and you felt your heartbeat speed up.

Of course he'd ask you that now. You'd finally heard what you'd always wanted to from Steve, but it was too late. You were dead. Soon to be, anyways, and nothing was going to change that.

Besides, you remembered what happened the last time he tried to take you out. You'd been so happy that night, giggling and gossiping with Max as you got ready for Steve to come over after he'd asked you out at the ice cream place.

It hadn't been like either of you planned. After Billy died and the two of you narrowly survived a Russian kidnapping, it was expected that the date was pushed back a few weeks. It was the summer after you'd graduated, and there wasn't a huge crunch for time. But eventually, when you'd managed to pull yourself together enough to feel excited about things like boys again, you'd called and asked Steve to come over for that movie date.

You'd worn your favorite top and taken extra care of your appearance, even borrowing your mother's lipstick and perfume. Max was playing music to hype you up, even trying to get you to let her braid your hair.

"Max, no! It'll make me look like a kid."

"No fair! You always braid my hair for school!"

"Because you are a kid, Max. Besides, you don't even know how to braid it yourself."

"I've been practicing! Come on, it'll look pretty on you. Besides, it'll keep your hair out of your face so he can kiss you all over—"

"Shut up!" You'd yelled at her through a fit of laughter, your face turning bright red.

Eventually, though, you'd reluctantly agreed. Max had been right. She had been practicing, and it did make you look quite pretty. You smiled at your reflection and checked a few times before going to your living room. You lingered on the couch, staring out the window. And you waited. You waited for one hour, then two, then three. You waited so long that Max had come back from her own date with Lucas.

By the time she'd come through the door, she knew immediately from your tear stained cheeks and quivering lips what had happened.

He never showed up.

Your brows furrowed now, your walls rebuilding just as swiftly as he'd broken them down last summer.

"We've already tried that, remember?"

He tensed at your embittered tone, and he begrudgingly nodded.

"Right. I forgot," he murmured.

You sighed, motioning ahead.

"Looks like you were right about Skull Rock. At least you remember your other dates," you announced, now speeding up to put some distance between you two. It was better this way. There wasn't any use in fixing things now.

Upon finally arriving at Skull Rock, Eddie was in no better a state than was to be expected. His brown eyes somehow looked more frightened than before, his hands fidgeting where he sat underneath a cove.

"When I got to the shore, I tried calling you guys, but, uh... My walkie was busted, man. Drenched," he started, his voice hoarse and breathy, "So, uh, I did the thing that I do now, apparently. I ran."

A dry chuckle left him, but the humor didn't meet his eyes.

"Do you know what time this was? The attack?" You asked, interjecting into the conversation. It was the first you'd spoken to the group since this morning. Your mind had been occupied, and you didn't trust yourself not to spill your guts to your friends about what you'd done. The closer you got to doomsday, the more panic began to settle in your chest.

"Yeah, no, I... I know exactly what time it was. My walkie wasn't the only thing that got soaked. 9:27," Eddie nodded, scrambling to show his watch to you.

You stared at it, taking a moment to think before whispering, "Same time our flashlights went kablooey."

"Which means what, exactly?" Steve asked, glancing over at you.

"That that surge of energy was Vecna attacking Patrick," you answered softly. So, that's what everyone here would see when you met your gruesome fate. You'd hoped there would be a moment you could find to split off from the group and go somewhere secluded. Alone. If you were going to die, your body raised in the air to be disfigured and mangled... you didn't want anyone to see that. Especially not Max. You hoped that, at least, all they'd see was the supernatural flashing lights. You hoped that could be your final goodbye.

"Well, we're one step closer. We know how Vecna attacks," Robin announced, pulling you from your thoughts.

"And where he attacks from," Lucas continued.

"So now we just need to sneak into his lair in the Upside Down and drive a stake through his heart. If he has a heart," Steve said.

Your brows scrunched together once more, your expression unamused.

"A stake? Is he like a vampire?"

Steve huffed.

"It was a metaphor."

"A bullet should work on him, right?" Nancy chimed in, because of course she would say that.

"I don't think bullets will do it. They never killed the Demos," you sighed.

"I say we chop his head off," Max said.

You gave her a faint smile, nodding.

"All of the above," you started, "but we can't do any of that 'til we find a way into the Upside Down."

"Hey, uh, Henderson's not, uh, cursed, is he?" Eddie interrupted.

"Cursed? No, no. He's fine," Steve responded, looking over Eddie's shoulder at Dustin. The boy was pacing in circles, staring at his compass and mumbling under his breath.

"Mental? Absolutely."

"Boom!" Dustin yelled. You all flinched, eyes widening slightly.

"Bada... bada... boom. I was right. Skull Rock was north."

"Seriously? You're serious?" Steve asked, an exaggerated groan of frustration leaving him.

"Mm-hmm," Dustin answered with a cocky grin.

"This is Skull Rock. Okay?"

"Mm-hmm."

"You're totally, absolutely, 100% wrong. Right now."

"Yes. And...no," Dustin responded mysteriously.

"Oh my God," you mumbled, running a hand through your hair. Was this really how you were spending your last days alive? Listening to these two bicker? It could be worse, you supposed.

"This worked correctly when we left the Wheelers'."

"Correct."

"But it started to slip the further east we went. Now it's way off. When I was leading us here, I wasn't wrong. The compass was."

"So you're using faulty equipment."

"Except it isn't faulty. Lucas, remember what can affect a compass?"

Lucas' eyes widened in realization. Yours mirrored his, because you were very quickly picking up on where Dustin was going with this.

"An electromagnetic field," Lucas responded.

"Sorry. I must've skipped that class," Steve responded lamely.

"In the presence of a stronger electromagnetic field, the needle will deflect towards that power. So either there's some super big magnet around here, or..." Dustin trailed off.

"There's a gate," you finished breathlessly. Holy shit. Maybe you weren't doomed after all? Was there a chance you could really pull this mission-impossible plan off? No, it wasn't possible. It didn't make any sense.

You shook your head, rubbing the bridge of your nose.

"But we're nowhere near the lab," you tried weakly.

"But what if, somehow, there's another gate? A gate that we don't know about. It'd have to be smaller. Way less powerful."

"Snack-size gate. How? Why?" You fired back.

"No idea. All I know is that something is causing this disturbance, and the last time we've seen anything like it, it was a gate. And I hope it is because then we'd have a way to Vecna. And a shot at freeing Max from this curse."

When Dustin said that, your entire body froze in place. Your eyes were wide, stinging with tears as you locked eyes with your sister. In an instant, you were snatching the compass from Dustin's hand to see where it pointed.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, where are you going? Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey. Eddie's still a wanted man. We can't just go hike in the woods," Steve asked, swiftly grabbing your hand to steady you with concerned eyes.

"This little steel capsule might be the key to saving both Max and Eddie," you whispered, "we have to go. We have to try to find the gate."

You looked back over at Eddie, eyes searching his. When he inevitably exhaled, you gave him a shaky smile.

"Get your stuff. Let's go."

Steve Harrington wasn't afraid of anything.

He wasn't afraid of any life threatening danger. He'd saved the world three times now. He'd faced monsters from another realm, faced off against guys like Billy, and even infiltrated a Russian base and lived to see another day.

He wasn't afraid of girls, either. He'd taken just about every girl in Hawkins at this point, and he had a roster a mile long of ladies who he could call up at any point to spend his Friday nights with. Saving the world and wooing women were things that Steve Harrington excelled at.

So, there was no logical reason as to why he'd changed shirts three times now. There was no explanation as to why his palms felt sweaty, and why he was pacing his room now.

"This is stupid. I look stupid," Steve said quickly, throwing his hands into the air as he fell back onto the bed beside Dustin.

"Don't give me that bullshit, man. You look great!" The curly haired teenager retorted, slapping a hand onto his back.

"What's got you this worked up? You're Steve Harrington, King of Hawkins High."

"Uh, no, I was King of Hawkins High. Now, I'm Steve Harrington, Family Video salesman."

"Whatever. You're still experienced with the ladies. Plus, Y/N worked at Family Video too a few years back! You already have something in common."

"Yeah, that's about all we have in common," Steve said under his breath.

"Not true. You've saved the world together tons of times. If that doesn't bring two people together, I don't know what does," Dustin added optimistically. When he could see that he wasn't helping, he sighed.

"What's this really about? You've wanted to go out with Max's sister for as long as I can remember. I haven't seen you this serious about a girl since Nancy."

"Exactly, and look how that ended! Mayfield is different, just like Nance. I don't wanna screw it up again," he lamented, groaning into his hands.

Dustin hummed.

"So, don't screw it up. Go on this date, take this risk, and let yourself enjoy this. You've earned it. Besides, we both know she's crazy about you."

Steve smiled; his lips formed a genuine, boyish grin at the thought of you. He thought of the way you laughed at his jokes, the way you looked at him like he was something special. He thought of all the times you'd both saved each other. He thought of how he'd held you and your sister in the mall after witnessing Billy's death. You'd both been through so much. You deserved a nice date, and so did he. You deserved to just be normal for one night.

So, he nodded and sat up.

"What would I do without you, huh, Henderson?"

"Probably still be the same douchebag from High School."

Steve laughed, now standing to adjust his appearance in the mirror.

"Yeah, probably."

His hands raked through his hair, and Dustin accompanied him in the drive to your house. You lived right down the street from Henderson, so he'd decided to just take his bike home after Steve went inside.

As Steve put the car in park, he let out a shaky breath.

"You've got this."

"I got this."

"You're Steve Harrington. The chicks dig you. Especially city chicks."

Steve's brows furrowed and he laughed. "I'd hardly call Mayfield a city chick."

Dustin grinned, eyes lighting up.

"She didn't tell you? Y/N got into NYU! She's gonna be living it up in the city."

Steve Harrington wasn't afraid of anything, but something suspiciously close to fear clawed at his chest in that moment. He should've been thrilled for you. You were brilliant. Of course you were going to a fancy college like NYU. Yet, the thought of you leaving Hawkins made him feel sick to his stomach. The thought of you leaving him.

Still, he smiled at Dustin.

"Yeah, no, of course she told me. That's great."

"You really grew up, huh? Look at you, dating a nerd," Dustin teased. He laughed as Steve ruffled his hair and got out of the car.

"Good luck! Have fun, but not too much fun!" He called over his shoulder before starting off on his bike.

Steve was left alone with his thoughts now, lingering in his car. He had too much time to think. He was early. He could see you pacing your living room, watched you dancing and laughing with Max moments before. You were so happy. You weren't just happy, you were bound for the stars. You were going to do so much good in the world, and he knew that all he would do was hold you back. You'd be in New York, making something of yourself, and he'd be... here. Selling videos in Hawkins.

He couldn't bear the thought of letting you down or hurting you, but he also couldn't bear thinking he was holding you back. The burning sensation in his throat intensified. Steve was stuck in his head now, thinking of all the ways he was inadequate compared to you. He blinked a few times, trying to calm himself down and will himself to just get out of the car.

But he couldn't.

Instead, he found himself driving away to think. Wandering in the woods, eventually ending up drinking beer at Skull Rock. He never went back to your house, and he never mentioned it. How could he? How could he tell you that he was too afraid to love you? Too afraid for you to see who he really was and reject it?

When he saw you again, he played it off.

"Oh, right. Sorry, I meant to call. Robin called in sick and I had to take her shift. Raincheck?"

It killed him to see the way your eyes dimmed, but that was the way things had to be, he told himself. He was Steve Harrington, and you were Y/N Mayfield.

It would never work.

"Mayfield, can you slow down? Hello?!" Steve yelled. It was nightfall now, and after hours of following Dustin's compass eagerly, everyone was exhausted.

"I think we're getting close—" you called, only to gasp and nearly fall forward into a body of water. Steve caught your arm, keeping you dry and on land.

"Watch your step."

"Oh, man," Dustin mumbled, frustration evident in his voice.

Your eyes widened in panic. This couldn't possibly be it. You couldn't have just walked through the woods and wasted one of your last days alive searching for a dead end.

"No, no, no, no..." you trailed off, shaking your head.

"There— this has to be a mistake. Maybe something else is interrupting the compass! We're so close, I know it!" You rambled out, voice shaking as panic and desperation began to overwhelm your senses.

You were prepared to die for Max. You would. The number one priority was saving her. But the world still needed to be saved too, didn't it? It was useless to save Max and sacrifice yourself if the world would be ended moments later. You still needed to try and help them stop Vecna for as long as you could. You had a feeling that your death would somehow be an integral part of his plan, and you feared the consequences of it.

"You gotta be shitting me," Steve said.

"Yeah, I thought these woods looked familiar. Lover's Lake," Eddie breathed out. You'd all gone right back to where you'd started.

"This is... confounding," Dustin whispered.

"There's a gate in Lover's Lake?" Max asked, her brows knitting together in confusion.

"Whenever the Demogorgon attacked, it always left an opening. Maybe Vecna's the same way," a voice offered. Nancy. Relief flooded your expression. Her hypothesis made sense, and it would mean that the day wasn't a total bust.

"Yeah, only one way to find out," Steve retorted flatly.

Eddie ushered you all to a pier, where he uncovered a small wooden boat. The group crowded around it and stared as Eddie and Steve eased it into the banks.

You were the first to get into the boat. Steve seemed to want to stop you, his hand brushing your wrist. But when your eyes met his, he said nothing.

Eddie and Robin were next, and then Nancy. Dustin confidently marched forward, but was promptly halted by Eddie's hand to his forehead.

"Hey, hey, hey, you trying to sink us? This thing holds four people, tops, okay?" He said. Dustin opened his mouth to complain, but was interrupted by you.

"It's better this way, okay? Stay here with Max, and keep an eye out for trouble."

"You keep an eye out! It's my goddamn theory," Dustin shot back with his jaw dropped.

"You heard her," Steve said.

"Who put Mayfield in charge?"

"I did," Steve fired back with a warning glance.

"Compass?" Nancy asked Dustin with an outstretched hand, smiling when he groaned and handed it over.

Max looked up at you, and you could tell from her narrowed eyes and the pout on her lips that she didn't like this plan one bit. You smiled softly, putting a hand on your chest.

"I'll be back soon, okay? Promise."

She sighed and nodded, mirroring your hand placement.

Steve tossed a bag at Dustin before hopping in the boat at the last second, pushing it off off the shore in the process.

"You said four!" Dustin yelled.

"Sorry," Steve mouthed with a shrug and a wave.

"Bedtime at nine, kiddos!" Robin called.

"Miss you already!" You added, smiling and blowing a kiss at your younger sister as you all sailed off into the dark waters.

After some time of following the compass, the boat stalled in a spot that made the needle begin to spin frantically.

Robin grabbed the walkie, talking into it.

"Dustin, you compass has gone from wonky to wonky with a capital 'ahhh!'"

Steve began to undress, taking off his socks and standing to remove his shirt. Your eyes widened, and you were silently grateful the dark gave you some shield from revealing your flustered state.

"Steve, what the hell are you doing?!" You whispered, grabbing his arm to stop him.

"Somebody's gotta go down there and check this thing out. Unless one of you four can top being a Hawkins High swim co-captain and a certified lifeguard for three years... it's gotta be me. No complaints, okay?" He responded, meeting your eyes briefly before he got his shirt off and tossed it into the bottom of the boat.

"Hey, I'm not complaining. I do not wanna go down there," Eddie said with hands up in surrender.

"Yeah, wasn't talking to you, man," he mumbled.

Your eyes lingered on Steve's back, only looking away when you noticed Robin's grin from the corner of your eyes.

Eddie handed him a flashlight, looking up at him with a quiet, "good luck."

Just as Steve got ready to jump, you blurted out his name. He stumbled before turning to face you, his eyes wide.

Your expression mirrored his, and you fumbled for words before managing to say only this: "Be careful."

He gave you a reassuring smile and straightened up, as if you'd emboldened him with two simple words. After that, he was gone, plunging into the lake water.

Time seemed to tick by at the speed of a snail. You fidgeted, biting your lip so hard you could taste copper.

"How long has it been, Wheeler?"

"Closing in on a minute."

Shit.

Before you could overthink it, he came splashing to the surface. The four of you screamed out, startled by the sudden appearance.

"I found it," Steve panted out, arm moving to drape over the edge of the boat.

"You found it?" You echoed, eyes wide and a bright smile on your lips. Maybe there was hope, after all.

"Yeah, I found it. It's pretty wild. It's still a snack sized gate more than the mama gate, but still, it's pretty damn big—"

Steve was interrupted by being yanked downwards. The boat jerked to the side, causing you to yelp out. Steve surfaced once more in shock, but before anyone could say anything, he was pulled down once more.

"Steve!" you yelled, leaning over the edge to look down for him. It was so dark, the waters so murky, you couldn't see a damn thing. Panic swelled in your body, and you yelled for him again.

"Steve!" Nancy and Robin yelled in unision.

"What the hell was that, man?!"

"Nancy, really, what happened?" Robin asked, her voice breaking in fear.

You stared at the water in shock. You felt paralyzed for only a moment, but shortly thereafter acted entirely on instinct. You weren't thinking. But then again, you were dead, anyways. You didn't have anything to lose.

You stood abruptly, eliciting a chorus of protests.

"Jesus Christ, you're not going in there, right?" Eddie rambled out.

"Just wait here," you snapped, looking at the three of them before jumping in after Steve.

"No, Y/N!"

"Y/N!"

The water was far colder than you could've ever imagined, shocking your skin. It didn't deter you, however; you saw the glowing red gate and swam towards it with an unmatched determination to save him.

"Goddamn it!" Eddie screamed.

The two girls followed suit, leading him to scream another string of curses.

"Oh this is so stupid," he breathed out, before plunging into the water after you all.

a/n: thanks to everyone for being so patient with me! i'm doing better now. as always, thanks for reading and ily all.