Chapter Text
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Steve has noticed that he's been having headaches and such lately but he knew he didn't have to worry, why would Vecna go after him anyway?
He's just having worse headaches, and nightmares slightly more often, and…nosebleeds…but I mean who doesn't get them once in a while right? And I mean with all the brain damage he probably has he really shouldn't be surprised if it's finally catching up to him…and I mean he's sorta been seeing things, but it's probably, most definitely, slack of sleep.
…
Steve knew better, he knew he knew better. He just didn't want to accept what was happening to him.
No. nope. It wasn't happening. Vecna was not after him, He's just being dramatic, it's not that big of a deal. Why would he even..
Chime
What-
“Steve!”
Steve was pulled out of his thoughts with the snapping of fingers in his line of sight. He looked at Dustin who had an irritated face.
It was normal for Steve to space out sometimes. Dusitn wasn't that worried. But he'd been kinda..off the past few days.
Steve tried to focus on the task at hand through the painful throbbing behind his eyes.
Make a plan with the group and kill this guy.
Dustin started to talk and explain to Eddie what they had found, When Steve heard a chime behind him.
Chime
Chime
The pain was then just too much, it exploded in fireworks across Steve's vision.
He groaned quietly.
Robin glanced over at him
She’d noticed Steve hasn't been his usual ‘Stevie’ self lately. He looked…sick.
“You okay?’ Robin asked, putting a hand on Steve's shoulder.
He looked at her with dazed eyes “y-yeah. I'm okay , Robs. I just..” He swallowed thickly “I just need some fresh air. Okay?”
Steve made his way to the door while the others were still occupied
“Oh..okay.”
…
She was getting scared.
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Steve stepped outside into the chill of the spring night.
He slumped forward with a grunt, head in his hands. A drop of blood falling on the ground in front of him.
He felt dizzy he-
Chime
Chime
Chime
His vision swimmed and distorted
Steve snapped up
Why was it so dark all of the sudden?
Why-?
He was then thrust into what looked to be a scene of his house
“W-woah!” He practically fell over catching himself as he almost fell into the pool.
The pool.
The same pool where Barbara Holland had died in.
The same death he was to blame for.
He hadn’t even gone near it since then..
He was then pushed in with a wet “splat!” on the hard concrete floor.
The feeling was disgusting, the feeling of wetness all over. It wasn't just the “water” left over, it was the air itself. It was wet and drowning. He just felt icky breathing.
He was face down on the concrete when he heard “Why didn't you save me…?” quietly float through the air.
He flipped over and held himself up with his arms looking up at what he just hoped was not-
He almost threw up.
Barbara.
Barbara Holland.
She was standing right above him.
Her body, torn and bloody. It was covered in that disgusting slime and wetness, the same that took up the air.
She had slugs swiggle out of her mouth as she opened it to talk.
Water dripped down her chin to the ground as she opened.
“Why did you leave me out here…?” Her voice was garbled and almost intangible. It sounded like she was drowning, choking on her own blood and pool water.
He couldn't breathe, he couldn't move, he couldn't
“WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME ALONE?!”
Steve whimpered as tears started to form in the lines of his eyes
“I-I dont- Im sorry. Im s-so-”
“SORRY ISN'T ENOUGH!” She shouted as the whole world seemed to shake and change just as her voice did.
Deeper, concentrated.
He was now in his old house, his old living room.
The darkness was..gone?
All that was left was the soft glow from the yellow shaded lamp in the dining room.
He sat across from his father with his mother next to him.
He knew this day. One of many.
“Steven,” His father said in a monotone voice
“Y-yes?”
Why did he answer? He didn't do that! His vocal cords just decided to move on their own, reenacting the moment.
“Dont stutter Steven.” His mother had urged, giving him a look.
“Steven,” His father continued “Why have I gotten word about you getting sent to the principals office this morning? ”He sipped his swirling bourbon with a blank face.
“I..uhm,” He paused, he didn't want to say it. But his body forces him to spit it out.
“I'm failing some classes.”
His father left out a sigh from his nose and took a long drink.
Steve could tell what was about to happen. His father barely ever raised a hand on him but failing at the only thing they expected from him well, lets just say it's not good.
“How many times have we told you to study?” His father said through slowly rising anger and gritted teeth.
His mother stayed quiet. She always did.
“I-I did! I-”
“Stuttering Steven!” His father interrupted, slamming his cup down on the table.
He snapped his jaw closed, he just looked down at his now unfinished plate of food.
His Father took a deep breath and stood up, chair scraping the expensive flooring.
Steve's heart started to race faster and faster as his father got closer.
He made it over to Steve and pulled him by his collar slamming him against the wall
His mother gasped
“All we ever asked of you was to succeed one way or another. First it was swimming, then it was basketball, now, now you cant even pass fucking high school chemistry!”
Steve looked at his father with frantic eyes scanning for any sort of let up
But he knew how this played out. He's lived it after all.
His father pulled back and took a swing at him landing hard.
He could feel blood trickle down to his lip
His father wouldn't let up, he kept hitting, and hitting, and hitting.
Steve had eventually crumpled to the ground in defeat, his father grasped at his collar once again but this time it wasn't his father
This thing stood in front of him.
He barely noticed the scenery had changed and he was now pressed against a pillar as he stared at his face.
His bald, red, disgusting, face.
“Steven.”
His voice sent full body shivers down Steve's spine.
It was gruff and deep.
He was shivering now as vines slowly made their way up his body.
“It's time.”
“N-no. please-”
Vecna raised his hand to Steve's face and his blood ran cold.
Vines were still crawling up his body about reach his throat when-
What was that? A guitar riff? Wha-
Welcome to your life,
Wha-
There's no turning back.
Tears for Fears? Why-
Oh.
Steve remembered how music had helped Max.
Even while we sleep,
Did they find him?
Steve felt the vines loosen just in the slightest and he took that chance to kick the red creep in the stomach
We will find you.
The vines loosened significantly letting Steve fall to the ground as he picked up running.
A portal had opened.
He ran and he ran Vecna trying and failing to catch him as he recovered from the kick
Acting on your best behavior,
He was getting closer. He pleaded and prayed to just be fast enough.
Turn your back on mother nature,
He was mere inches from the portal and finally-
Everybody wants to rule the world.
He made it through.
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Nancy had noticed how Steve had been the last week.
He'd been oddly jittery and just off in general.
The gang had made it back to the boat house and started to explain things to Eddie when she noticed Steve making his way out the door.
She noticed Robin looking just as worried as her. Nancy walked over and asked quietly, “Is he okay?”
Robin looked at her with eyes swimming in concern “i..dont know. He's been weird recently.”
She had noticed too?
“Yeah…he has.” She pauses “Im gonna go check on him”
Robin glanced toward the door and sighed “I don't know. Maybe we should leave him alone for now?”
Nancy thought about it for a moment but she just felt in her gut that something was wrong.
“I’m going outside.”
She walked out to be met with Steve's back facing her just a few feet from the door.
“Hey Steve? You okay?’
No response.
That feeling in her gut just got heavier
“Steve?” She called again placing a hand on his shoulder
He was vibrating. His muscles tense.
Concern panged in her chest as she flipped him around.
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A scream.
The group ran out of the boathouse being met with the scene of steve and nancy.
Nancy was shaking Steve with enough force to probably give him(another) concussion.
When Dustin looked at Steve his eyes were glassy and white.
“Steve!”
Robin called, snapping them out of their shock.
She ran up and grabbed steve from nancy.
“No…not again.” Eddie whispered to himself
Dusitn just kept staring until Max interrupted.
“What's his favorite song?? Quick!”
What was his favorite song?
“Robin??” Max looked at her with wide eyes.
Max knew what was happening to him. The horrors he was experiencing.
“I-I don't know!”
What?
“Arent you like his best friend or something??” Nancy said voice cracking.
“I don't know!!” Robin practically yelled.
Dustin then interrupted the banter “Look in his car, there had to be something!”
Robin and Dustin sprinted down to the BMW and swung open the doors in a frantic search.
“Steve never plays any cassettes or anything! He just listens to the radio!”
The search continued.
“Guys! He's starting to float!!” Eddie shouts. The first thing he's said since this started.
He couldn't handle seeing this again. Please not again.
Dustin looked in the back when he found a single cassette under the front seat.
“Jackpot!” He said as he scrambles out of the car, Robin not far behind.
When they got close Max practically threw the walkman into Dustin's arms as he shoved the headphones onto Steve's head.
He just continued to float getting higher and higher.
“Steve!” They all shouted up at him to fight back, to resist him.
“Steve please!” Dustin was crying now.
Just then his eyes went back to normal and he fell down, Dustin barely able to catch him in time.
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It was dark. He felt hands on his body shifting him in their arms.
He heard upbeat music quietly going in the discarded walkmen, and he heard-
“St—v–e–!”
Dustin?
He fluttered his eyes open.
“Dustin..?” He whispered
“Steve!” Dustin squished him a crushing hug.
“W-woah dude!” He felt warm in his embrace. “Its okay…I’m okay.”
Dustin pulled back with a sniffle and a dorky smile helping steve up into a sitting position.
“You idiot!” Robin collapsed on top of him knocking his back on the ground with an ’oof’.
“Robs-”
Robin interrupted "Never do that again! …Dingus.” She trailed off and pushed her face into his neck tears still falling.
He sat up still hugging robin as she cried.
He looked over and saw the others,
Nancy, Eddie, Lucas, and Max.
Max looked relieved to say the least.
Eddie was still freaking out but was calming down with the help of the darker boy.
He saw Nancy and made eye contact with her. She smiled, genuine and just plain beautiful.
He hadn't seen that in a long time..directed at him at least.
Her smile faltered and she asked, “Why didn't you tell us..?”
Robin got off of him so he could explain. Her face, still wet with tears.
“I didn't think…I was actually being targeted. I just thought I was being dramatic..”
She looked at him with a hint of disappointment and maybe even pity. “You still should've told us.”
“I-I’m sorry.” He looked away in shame
Nancy crawled over to him and rested a hand on his forearm, another smile on her face.
“All that matters is you're okay.”
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