𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐲

eighteen. COMPASS.

   

     RHYS SOMEHOW ended up walking with Lucas and Max as Eddie went ahead to walk in the front with Dustin. He can feel the two teens gaze at him often so he looked between them. "I'm Rhys Campbell." He tells them suddenly, holding out his hand towards Lucas who nods. "Lucas Sinclair." He says but honestly Rhys will probably forget his last name.

"Cool... are you two dating?" He pointed between them so suddenly Max walks a little bit away from Lucas, closer to Rhys. "No." She says right away and he feels bad for asking judging by the look on Lucas' face. "Oh. Sorry." He looked ahead of them as the Sinclair boy glanced over at him. "Are... you and Eddie together?" He asked and his face got red. Why does he always get flustered when people ask? "Uh, yeah." Is all he says and Max nods.

"Tubular. Right, Lucas?" She glanced over at the boy who's staring at the back of Eddie's head before his eyes avert from the Hellfire club leader, quickly nodding. "Totally tubular." He nods, smiling faintly as he looks at Rhys who just glanced away. "Okay... you two are weird." He chuckled awkwardly, walking further ahead of them so he'd catch up with Eddie and Dustin. "Hey," he slips his hand into the Munson's as the Henderson glanced back.

"I thought you two were just friends." He said as he quickly diverts his attention back to his compass. "We were. But now we're boyfriends." Eddie says and Dustin just smiled, happy for his friend. "Cool." He replied and Rhys raised his brows slightly. So, everyone was just chill with it? As Steve had said they would be... He kind of underestimated them but he supposed Eddie chose the right people to hang out with. Nerds and freaks like him. Like them.

Dustin ran ahead of them now, so Eddie and Rhys had to run to catch up, "Dustin? Can you slow down? Dustin?" Eddie called out, his hand in Rhys' as they rushed after him with Lucas and Max right behind with Steve following behind along with Robin and Nancy. "I think we're getting close." Dustin called out over his shoulder but Rhys and Eddie quickly reached out, grabbing onto his backpack as he was about to walk in Lover's Lake.

"Watch your step, big guy." Eddie says as the others join them. "Oh, man. You gotta be shitting me." Steve says as they all stand together at the edge of Lover's Lake. "Yeah. I thought these woods were familiar." Eddie says. "Lover's Lake." Robin spoke up. "This is confounding." Dustin sounded fascinated. "There's a gate in Lover's Lake?" Max asked. "Whenever the demogorgon attacked, it always left an opening." Nancy spoke up, catching their attention and making Rhys look at her.

"Maybe Vecna's the same way." She turns her head to look at the blond who just smiled faintly, staring at her. She is hot. "Yeah, only one way to find out." Steve says as Eddie tugs onto Rhys' arm so the other quickly looks at him, nodding. "Oh, yeah, my boat." He says.

They hid it not fat from here, ripping off thr tarp. Rhys and Steve lower the boat into the water. "Easy. I said easy, man." The Harrington scolds him. "Sorry, jeez," the blond murmured quietly as Steve held out his hand to Robin. "Yeah, I'm just gonna do that." She puts her hands to both Steve and Rhys' heads. "Thank you." She says and Rhys got on next, turning to hold out his hand for Eddie who got on the boat, "thanks," he murmured and Rhys smiles. "No problem, Eds." He whispers back before turning towards Nancy, holding out his hand for her as well. "Wheeler," he says and Nancy took his hand. "Thanks." She steps into the boat.

He watched her as she took a seat by Robin before looking back and stopping Dustin in his tracks. "Woah, woah, woah. Trying to sink us?" He puts his hand out to stop the boy. "This thing holds four people, tops." He pointed to his boat. "It's better this way, okay? You guys stay here with Max." Nancy spoke up from where she sat with Robin. "Keep an eye out for trouble." She added after as Eddie sat by her. "You keep an eye out." Dustin says.

She makes a face he then mocks. "It's my goddamn theory." He says and Robin leans to the side. "You heard Nance." She says. "Who put her in charge?" Dustin says in a slightly squeaky voice, pointing at Nancy. "I did." The girl spoke as Rhys held out his hand. "Compass." He says and the boy begrudgingly gave it over. "Hey, here you go." Steve tosses Dustin's backpack at the boy before pushing out the boat and jumping in next to Rhys.

"You said four!"

"Sorry." Steve whispers, waving at him before turning away as Robin and Eddie row the boat. "Bedtime at nine, kiddos!" Robin calls out to them before handing the oar to Steve, standing up. She waves, "miss you already!" She says and Rhys chuckles, watching the compass in his hands. "So, uh... what's a Demogorgon?" He glanced up at Nancy.

"Nine foot tall monster with a face that opens up." Steve answered so casually. "Right..." Rhys said before turning his focus back to the compass. "Woah, okay, slow down. I think this is it." He said and held it out between him and the others as Eddie and Robin stop the boat. "Woah." Steve says when he sees the compass' needle spinning all around.

"Guys, what's going on?" The radio went off as they look at the compass so Robin reached for it. "Come on, talk to me." Dustin says and Robin raised the radio. "Uh, Dustin, your compass has gone from wonky to wonky with a capital aah!" She says into the radio as Steve now stares taking off his shoe, then his sock. "Uh, what are you doing?" Rhys looks at him. "Somebody's gotta go down there and check this thing out." He says and Rhys furrows his brows. "Unless one of you four can top being a Hawkins High swim co-captain and a certified lifeguard for three years, then..." He tells them.

"I sort of can," Rhys raised a hand, "I wasn't captain but I was on the swim team." He says and Steve looks at him. "It's gotta be me. You're new, dude. No complaints, alright?" He says before getting up. "Hey, I'm not complaining. I do not wanna go down there." Eddie spoke up and took out stuff from a plastic bag as Rhys glanced up, Steve was taking off his sweater. He quickly diverts his gaze, looking at the three across him to see Nancy staring.

And Robin looking at Nancy staring, smiling as Eddie puts the flashlight into the plastic bag. "Hey." Eddie now says, holding out the flashlight. "Good luck." He tells Steve who took it. "Thanks." He turns back as Eddie put a cigarette between his lips and Steve tossed his shirt to Eddie making Rhys furrow his brows. "Pass me one," he held out his hand to Eddie. But Robin took it from Eddie and his mouth, "gross." She tossed both into the water.

"Steve?" Nancy says suddenly before the boy was gonna jump. "Be careful." She says and Rhys squints his eyes, glancing between them. Steve just nods, turning away before diving in. "Okay." Rhys sighs, crossing his arms and glancing at the other four.

authors note i was gonna write rhys going in but i don't think nancy, robin or steve would be like "yeah, totally, new guy who has no experience with the upside down"