STARCROSSED ▷ steve harrington

09. the nina project

It was definitely awkward. The large gap in between them had Robin shooting them a confused look the whole night, and Jackie wanted nothing more than to feel Steve's arm wrap around her shoulders while they focused on the movie. But she wouldn't say anything, she couldn't. He didn't deserve to be pulled back into the mess that she was.

And, much to the opposite of what Steve's plans were, Jackie dozed off halfway through the movie again. The side of the couch she was on was incredibly uncomfortable, and even in her sleep Jackie still felt restless. Until she felt something warm drop onto her calf somewhere through the night, and she had been out like a light since.

When she woke the next morning, it was because Nancy had shaken her awake. Jackie blinked a few times, going to push herself up, but realized that the force she'd felt over the night had been Steve. His head was resting right below her knee, cheek planted on the arm he had brought up to his face sometime during the night, and his legs were thrown over the arm of the couch.

She swallowed, frozen in her spot. She'd always forgot how peaceful he looked when he slept. Then, Nancy turned and woke him, too. Jackie didn't know if she was relieved or annoyed.

"What's going on?" He asked, combing a hand through his hair as he sat up and stretched. The edge of his shirt rolled up when he lifted his arms into the air, and Jackie forcefully looked the other way.

"We've got a new lead."

𑁍

Victor Creel's house was exactly what Jackie had been expecting. Boarded up and creepy. She had to stop herself from shivering at the eerie-ness of it.

The seven of them walked up to the deck in silence. Steve paused at the front steps. "Yeah. That's not creepy. What exactly are we looking for in this shithole?"

"We're not sure," Nancy told him from the side of the door she was standing at. Her and Steve were busy pulling out the nails to the board that was blocking the entrance. "We just know this house is important to Vecna."

"Because Max saw it in Vecna's red soul mind world?"

"Basically."

"Great," he muttered, tone dripping in sarcasm.

"Maybe it holds a clue to where Vecna is," Dustin suggested. "Why he's back. Why he killed the Creels. And how to stop him before he comes back for Max."

"We don't think he's in here, do we?" Lucas asked. Jackie shared a weary look with her sister.

"Guess we'll find out."

Jackie stepped to the side, watching the plank fall onto the ground. She was surprised to see the beautiful stained glass that had been hidden beneath, she hadn't been expecting anything of the house to be somewhat decent. Though it was faded to the extreme, the design still caught her eye.

Steve tried the door handle, but it didn't budge. "It's locked."

"This shit would be so much easier with El," Jackie sighed. "Or if one of us had powers, too."

Steve quirked a brow. "Should I knock, see if anyone's home?"

"No need," Robin answered, and they turned to see her holding a brick. She smirked. "I found a key."

The said beautiful stained glass had a very big hole in it not a moment later. Steve reached inside to unlock the door, before he pushed it open. The interior of the house was much freakier than the exterior, Jackie straightened as she took a glance around.

All of the furniture was still there, Jackie noticed. And even though it had clearly been abandoned for decades, the realization still rubbed her the wrong way. Because furniture usually meant the place was occupied.