Work Text:
~ A Shot in the Dark ~
The enormous bat shrieked above Steve’s head – it’s cry mixing with the cries of the others shouting from behind him. He didn’t have time to look back. He had told them all to stay where they were. Why couldn’t anyone ever listen to him?
Steve heaved a breath, forcing air into his lungs and ran faster. Another gun shot rang out, closer this time. He flinched as he pushed through denser forest, feeling brambles rip into his arms. It was a small price to pay to get to the girls. To make sure they were safe. That’s all he ever wanted for everybody. He raced through a small clearing and leapt over the rotted root of a tree that lay crudely in the road.
There was a line of trees ahead, dense and obscured by sudden thick fog. His feet pounded against the earth. Steve could hear the bat’s huge wings cut through the air above his head.
He ran, stammering through the tree line.
Another shot rang out, so loudly his ears started to ring.
And then everything went white.
And Steve went down.
“No!” Eddie screamed. “No no no no!!!” He rushed to Steve’s side with Dustin and Erica fast in his heels.
Eddie fell hard onto his knees and pulled Steve into his lap. His friend looked up at him, wide-eyed and blinking frantically.
“Holy shit!” Dustin said, crouching down to examine him. “Steve, are you hit?”
Robin and Nancy stammered over, the look of utter shock and horror painted on their faces.
Steve kept his eyes fixed on Eddie’s face and the way his mouth gaped as he tried to catch his breath. He was moved by a strange and unfathomable thought that if he survived this nightmarish hellscape he’d take Eddie out on a date. A real date. In fact, he’d never been so sure of something in his life, and he didn’t give a fuck what anyone thought.
“My shoulder.” Steve choked out absently. Eddie looked down at his blood-soaked sleeve. He covered it with his hand and put pressure on the wound.
Nancy stood staring, her eyes burning with tears. “St-steve?” She dropped her revolver like it suddenly burned her. It hit the ground with a thud.
Robin crouched beside them, her shoulder knocking Dustin aside. He scowled at her but didn’t argue. There was a look of determination that crossed her features. She took a measured breath. Eddie gave her some room but continued to apply pressure to the bullet wound. Her gaze trailed over to his blood stained hand.
“Let me see it.” Robin said. Eddie shot her a distressed look but slid his hand away just enough so she could see where the bullet had pierced a hole straight through the soft tissue of Steve’s shoulder. She frowned softly but then gave Steve a reassuring smile.
“Well buddy the good news is . . . you’ve definitely been through worse than this.” Robin said. “Remember the Russians?”
Steve rolled his eyes. “And what’s the bad news?”
She crinkled her nose. “That even though you think getting shot makes you some sort of badass, it doesn’t.” She emphasized. “You still suck for making your best friend worry.”
He chuckled but it cut off as a shot of pain travelled down his arm. “Hurts like hell though.” He rasped. “But hey, we found you guys, so that must count for something right?”
“Yeah.” Robin held back a sob. A single tear rolled down her cheek. “You found us.” She gave his hand a reassuring squeeze.
Dustin crawled over to Steve’s side and pulled off the flannel shirt he had wrapped around his waist. “We have to make a tourniquet.” He explained and got to work ripping the fabric with some urgency. He started handing some of them to Nancy.
She blinked sharply. The action jostling her out of her shocked state.
“Okay, help me up.” Steve said to Eddie. “Get me off this filthy ground.”
“Nah man.” Eddie applied more pressure to the wound, but it was more an effort to hold him down. “You need to stay still.”
Steve glared at him. “We’re sitting ducks out here dude! That thing is still out there. It might come back.” He tried to push up onto his hands, but Eddie held him firmly.
Robin raised her hand to stop him. “Easy Steve. You’ll lose more blood the more you move around and not to mention wasting your energy by arguing.”
He shot her defiant look.
“Plus, I don’t hear it anymore.” Erica chimed in, gazing up at the sky.
“Yeah, Nancy hit it at least once, so it’s injured.” Robin explained.
Steve took a deep breath. His gaze met Nancy’s. There were dirt trails running down her face from her tears. She looked anguished.
“Well, you finally did it huh?” Steve said earnestly.
She furrowed her brow.
“You finally shot me.” He chuckled.
Her lips pressed together and she choked down a sob. “I’m so sorry Steve.” She whispered.
“Ah, don’t be.” Steve smiled then sucked a sharp breath when Dustin tightened the tourniquet. “I probably had it comin anyway.” He said through gritted teeth.
“You got lucky Steve. The bullet went straight through.” Dustin dusted off his hands. “This should help stop the bleeding.” He nodded towards Steve’s shoulder and the group’s handy work. “Do you feel okay enough to stand? Like you said, we probably should get out of plain sight.”
Steve nodded emphatically. “Yes! Please get me off this floor.”
The group helped him to his feet and Eddie held him around his waist. Steve wobbled a bit but gained his footing and they made their way out of the clearing. They found shelter in a small alcove between a big bounder that rested against a large tree. It was just enough coverage to stay out of sight for a little while.
His shoulder burned, but based on the blood stains of the fabric, the bleeding had slowed. Eddie stayed close to his side, and the warmth of his body filled Steve with a sense of safety, which is an unfamiliar feeling for him.
The group stood in silence for a long moment, taking minute to collect themselves.
Then Steve broke the silence. “We had been heading to Eddie’s.”
Nancy turned her head, followed by Robin.
“Henderson has a theory that . . .”
“That every murder site has a gate.” Nancy cut him off.
Dustin straightens, suddenly on alert. Steve stares at her.
“It was our theory too.” Nancy glanced over at Robin, who nodded her head in agreement. “That’s where we’d been. At the trailer park.” She explained.
“Great!” Eddie declared. The sudden sound of his voice startled Steve. “Now that we’ve sorted that theory out, shouldn’t we get the hell out of here?” He placed his hand at the crook of Steve’s elbow. “Stevie here needs medical attention.”
“Stevie?” Dustin made a face.
“I agree!” Erica interrupted. “I’ve been gone too long and when my mom finds out all of you were to blame,” she pointed a finger at them. “She’s gonna slit your throats.”
“Jesus.” Steve muttered.
“She’s right. It’s time to tell this place to kick rocks. The gate, it’s like some sort of portal right?” He turned to ask Dustin “That’s how you guys got here. Can’t we just go back and . . .”
Dustin raised his hand. “It’s complicated.
Eddie shrugged. “Okay . . . so start talking.”
Steve’s gaze trailed over to Nancy. She had fallen silent and there was a faraway look in her eyes.
“Something’s wrong, isn’t it?” Steve asked. Her eyes flicked over to meet his.
Dustin blinked. “What is it?” His gaze slid back and forth to Steve and Nancy.
Nancy looked down at the floor and took a deep breath.
“It’s Vecna.” Robin blurted. “Back at Eddie’s trailer he . . . he got into Nancy’s head.”
Nancy’s gave her a sharp glare.
“I’m sorry.” Robin uttered. ruefully lowering her head.
Her shameful expression tugged at Nancy’s heart. “Don’t be sorry.” She placed her hand on her shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “It’s okay.”
She took another deep breath to fortify her nerves. “We need to talk. But not here.”
The sounds of creatures in the vile woods surrounding around them had quieted. Only the sound of chirping crickets echoed through the expanse. With the urgency to get Steve to shelter looming over them, the gang felt safe enough to start their trek to the trailer park.
Eddie’s heart lurched in his chest when they reached the edge of the forest that looked out over the Forest Hills Trailer Park. Every trailer was snarled with vines and filthy decay.
“Shit.” Eddie mumbled as he took it all in.
“You okay?” Steve asked as he stepped up beside him.
“Never better.” Eddie glanced over, the corners of his mouth curling into a soft smile. He reached down and took Steve’s hand.
Steve’s heart skittered against his ribs.
“You’re the one I’m worried about.” Eddie gave a quick glance at Steve’s shoulder. The fabric didn’t show any signs of fresh blood, so Eddie was hopeful it was a good sign. “How’s your pain?” He asked.
“I’ve had worse.” Steve shrugged.
“How’s your pain Harrington?” Eddie punctuated. He released Steve’s hand and gave him a stern look.
“It hurts.” Steve relented. “But not as bad as before.”
Eddie nodded just as Nancy walked up beside them.
“We can sit under those park benches.” Nancy pointed to the benches near the playground. “It’s enough cover from anything that could be coming.”
“But can’t we just go to the . . .” Eddie turned toward his trailer.
“I don’t think so.” She cut in. “They’re things you should know. We need to make a plan.” Her tone was serious enough that Steve found himself giving her a firm nod.
And he led them to the playground.
Nancy took the group through the grim details where Vecna violated her mind. As she told them everything the group leaned closer with each passing detail.
“There was a giant creature, with a gaping mouth. And this . . . creature wasn’t alone. There were hundreds of monsters. An army. They were coming into Hawkins. Into our homes.” She turned her head. Her eyes burned with unshed tears.
“Okay, but – he’s just trying to scare you Nance. I mean . . . that’s not real.” Steve said.
“Not yet.” She warned. “He showed me more gates.” She paused, swallowing thickly. Robin scooted closer to her on the bench and placed a supportive hand on Nancy’s leg. “These gates, the look like what we saw in Eddie’s trailer.” She glanced over her shoulder. “But they didn’t stop growing. They got bigger and bigger until it ripped a huge one right in the middle of Hawkins.”
The group stared at her for a moment and then Eddie dragged his hands down his face. “Jesus Christ.” He muttered. Steve rested his hand on Eddie’s lower back.
“But what does it all mean?” Dustin spread his hands over the table in deep thought.
“It’s doesn’t mean anything.” Steve frowned. “He’s just messing with Nancy’s mind.”
“That’s not true.” Robin said.
Steve blinked at her.
“We know that he’s trying to get to Max.” Robin explained. “He’s been in her mind. What’s to say that he . . .”
“That he’s not trying to use Max to create a monster gate!” Dustin snapped his finger and pointed at her.
Nancy nodded. “Max is in more danger than we thought. Where is she?”
“Back at home with Lucas.” Erica replied. “He won’t let her out of his sight.”
“But we need to hurry.” Dustin frowned. “The reason Erica and I came here was because the last time Vecna affected her mind she . . .” he scowled. “He almost got her.”
“We found a way to protect her though.” Erica glanced at the others.
“How.” Steve asked.
“Music.” Erica replied.
“Her favorite song. If she keeps playing it, he can get into her mind.” Dustin added.
Eddie’s brows raised. “Well shit – if you need protection I’ve got plenty of that in the trailer. He huffed a chuckle.
Steve didn’t want to listen to anymore. He needed to do what he’d always done. Protect his friends. Protect his family. He suddenly shot to his feet. Eddie blinked up at him.
“We need to get the fuck out of here.” Steve declared. “Now.”
“But you’re injured.” Robin said.
He shrugged off her comment. “Like you said – I’ve had worse.”
“But it’s complicated Steve.” Dustin cautioned. “You can’t just leap through the gate.”
Steve turned on his heels, ignoring him and started for Eddie’s trailer. The others sat gaping at Steve’s back as he walked away. Except for Eddie.
Without hesitation he stood up and followed Steve to his trailer.