"Okay, yeah."
I nodded at Dustin who was loading the trunk with goggles and bandanas for everyone; protective gear. We also had rope, flashlights, gasoline, and a gas tank with a hose attached.
"Someone grab Steve's backpack!" I yelled into the house where Max and Lucas still were. "And the bat!"
We weren't going into this with a set plan, our only intention being that we were going to set that tunnel on fire.
"Where do I put the gasoline?" Mike asked me from the backseat where we had already shoved a still-unconscious Steve. We had run out of space in the trunk to put it.
"I don't know," I shrugged. "On your lap?"
Mike grumbled something and shut his door as Dustin walked around to the other side and got in.
"Got it!" Lucas shouted, running out with Steve's backpack. The bat was safely inside and I thanked him quickly, sliding my lighter from earlier inside. I placed it into the trunk and closed it as Max ran outside, too, a map and ice pack in her hand.
"Perfect," I told her, walking to the driver's door and getting in. Lucas and Max squeezed in the passenger seat together with the map on their laps. She handed me the ice pack, and I leaned back to give it to Dustin. "Hold this to his head. Chances are, when he wakes up, he's gonna have a massive headache."
"I still say we leave him here," Mike complained. Steve was practically on top of the two with his head on Dustin's shoulder.
"We're not leaving anyone behind," Dustin told him.
"All I'm saying is," Mike continued. "When he wakes up, he's gonna be pissed."
"Well, we'll just have to deal with that when we get there, won't we?" I turned back to the wheel and put the key into the ignition, the car revving to life. It was a beautiful car, nicer than Steve's, and I quickly glanced at everyone before pulling out. "Everyone good?"
They all nodded, so I put the car into reverse and steered it to face the driveway. I then put it back into drive and we were off to Hopper's tunnel.
"Right on Dale," Lucas told me as I got onto the main road. The car was mainly silent, the only disturbance being the gentle humming of the engine and the sloshing of the gas in the container.
I swung a right on Dale Street, as Lucas instructed, and drove quicker down the street. This late, no one was on the roads anymore, so it didn't matter my speed.
"(Y/n)?" I heard from the backseat, making me look up into the rear view mirror to look at Steve who had just woken up.
"I'm right here," I said, concern coursing through my veins when he groaned.
"No, don't touch it," Dustin said, catching Steve's wrist when he tried to touch the spot where the ice pack met his head. "Hey, buddy..."
Dustin began shushing him, even though he wasn't saying anything, and I narrowed my eyes at him through the mirror.
"What?" Dustin defended. "It's comforting."
"Dustin-"
"It's okay, you put up a good fight," Dustin turned his attention back to Steve. "He kicked your ass, but you put up a fight. You're okay."
"Okay, you're gonna keep straight for a half a mile," Lucas told me.
"Then make a left on Mount Sinai," Max nodded.
"What's going on?" Steve asked. His voice was strained and tired, and for some reason I couldn't focus properly on anything else but him. I looked back and touched one of my hands on his knee.
"Uh, just stay calm," I said, cringing as I looked back to the road. "We're going on a small excursion..."
"A what?" Steve said. I heard him trying to move around but kept my hand firmly on his knee to keep him still.
"Just relax," Dustin said.
"Where are we going?" I could hear the panic in Steve's voice. "Oh, my God. I thought I said we were staying on the bench!"
"They were gonna leave you behind," Dustin continued, adjusting the ice pack. "But I promised that you'd be cool, okay?"
I pressed on the gas and the car lurched slowly, making Steve groan.
"Whoa!" He cried. "Stop the car. Slow down."
"I told you he'd freak out!" Mike said.
"Stop the car!"
"Everybody shut up!" I said, taking my hand away and putting it back on the wheel.
"That's Mount Sinai," Lucas pointed to a road ahead. "Make a left."
I did as he said and turned left, speeding down the street.
"I'm gonna be sick," Steve said from the back.
"Steve, chill!" I told him.
"This is such a bad idea-"
Everyone groaned. "Steve. Chill!"
Steve finally shut up as I turned down another road and rolled onto the plot of land where Hopper dug the hole. I stopped right in front of it and looked at everyone.
"Let's go."
We all climbed out of the car, minus Steve who struggled with moving from the seat. Lucas was the first to the trunk, then Dustin, and they handed us our goggles and bandanas which we tied around our mouths. Steve fell out of the car onto his hands and knees with a grunt.
"Guys," Steve said standing up and collapsing against the side of the car. I took my bag from Lucas and swung it over my shoulders, placing the lighter that had been in Steve's bag into mine. "Oh, no, guys!"
We ignored Steve and got everything we needed. Mike took the rope and gasoline and went to the front of the car.
"Hey, where do you think you're going?" Steve said to Mike. He kept walking and began tying the rope to the grate. "What are you, deaf? Hello!?"
Lucas got the gasoline hose and tank on his back and I helped him secure it.
"We are not going down there right now! I made myself clear!"
Lucas walked to the others and Dustin helped me tie the back of my bandana. I then grabbed the lighter from the bag and put it in my pocket.
"Hey, there's no chance we're going to that hole, all right?"
Dustin walked away to the front with some more gasoline in his hands.
"This ends right now!" Steve yelled, walking to the trunk and throwing the bandana we'd bought for him onto the ground.
"Steve!" I yelled, making him stop. He leaned back against the car, eyes glued to me, and I stepped in front of him. "I get that you're upset, and I'm sorry that I went against your word, but the bottom line is, our friends and family are out there needing help. Our duty is to provide that help."
Steve's gaze dropped and I reached into the trunk to grab his bag. I thrusted it into his chest and he held onto it, one of his hands overlapping mine.
"Listen. You promised Nance that we would keep those kids safe. So, stupid plan or not, that's what we're going to do."
"You think I'm doing this for Nancy?" Steve said, a small smile quirking onto his lips before fading.
I stared at him. "You're... Not?"
"You really haven't been paying attention today, have you?" I kept staring at him and dropped my hand back to my side. "(Y/n), if I was only doing this for Nancy, I'd be long gone."
"What do you mean?" I asked, my voice catching.
"I mean, those kids are growing on me," Steve said with a swallow, his gaze shifting from me again. "And, you know, you."
My lips curled into a smile as butterflies filled my stomach. "You're not so bad yourself."
Steve's bruised eyes flickered down to mine, a shit-eating grin slapped across his face. Just as he was about to say something else, Dustin's shout made us spring apart.
"(Y/n)! Steve! Let's go!"
With one last look, I slammed the trunk and we headed toward the kids.
~~~
Steve was the last one to drop down into the tunnel via the rope tied to the front of the car. I had been the first one in to make sure it was safe before I helped the kids down, one by one. We all wore our protective gear to keep the strange particles floating in the air out of our bodies.
I had never actually been in the Upside Down before. The closest I had gotten was in the lab with Nancy and Jonathan, and even still, it was so much worse than I'd expected. It was cold and damp and dry all at the same time and sent shivers up my back.
We were all spread out slightly around the area, but none of us were going too far yet.
"Yeah," Mike called to us from a bit up the tunnel, shining his flashlight onto his makeshift map of the tunnels. "I'm pretty sure it's this way."
"You're pretty sure, or you're certain?" Dustin yelled back. The tunnels were full of echoes and made it hard to hear one another without raising your voice.
"I'm 100% sure," Mike told him. "Just follow me and you'll know."
Mike turned around and began walking away, but Steve caught up to him and grabbed his arm.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Steve said. "Hey, hey, I don't think so."
"What?" Mike said.
"Any of you little shits die down here," Steve said, shining his light at everyone but me. "(Y/n) and I get the blame. Got it, dipshits?"
The kids all turned to me, looking for some sanity, but I simply held my hands up in surrender. "Steve's right. Just... Everyone stay close, okay?"
Steve nodded and snatched the map from Mike. "From here on out, I'm leading the way. Come on, let's go."
He began walking, all of us in a trail after him. I stayed at the back with Dustin, with Max and Lucas in front of us. The tunnel ground was uneven, like tree roots growing into a path except they were slippery vines. As we went farther in, it began getting colder, meaning we were getting lower underground.
After a few minutes of winding through the tunnels, we reached a room-like place that was bigger than the rest of the tunnels. The walls and ceiling were lined with more root-like strands, intertwined with slime and strange engravings.
"Holy shit," I said, shining my light around the room and slowing down.
"What is this place?" Max said, subconsciously inching herself closer to Lucas.
"Guys, come on," Steve pushed, making us all walk again. "Keep moving."
Everyone began moving again, so I followed, but was quickly stopped when I bumped into Dustin who was standing still.
"What's wrong?" I asked him. Everyone had left to the next tunnel, leaving only us.
"What the hell...?" Dustin whispered, looking up. I followed his gaze to see something on the top of the tunnel pulsing like a heart. It was glowing slightly, just enough so you could see veins inside.
"What is that?" I said.
"I don't-"
Dustin's answer was cut off by the thing shrinking into itself before shooting white particles at us - the same ones that were floating around the tunnels.
"Shit!" Dustin screamed, jumping back into me and knocking me to the ground. My vision filled with white and my ears filled with my brother's screams. I waved my hands in front of my face desperately trying to get the white to go away.
"Help!" Dustin yelled for the others as my vision cleared. "Help! HELP!"
"Dustin!" I called, crawling over to him as Steve, Mike, Lucas and Max all came back around the corner. "Dustin, are you okay!?"
"What happened?" Steve yelled as Dustin continued to scream bloody murder. He was bent over on his hands and knees, lowering his bandana from his face.
"It's in my mouth!" Dustin screamed. I sat beside him, patting his back roughly to help him cough the white stuff back up. "Some got in my mouth! Shit!"
He began coughing and then spit onto the ground before kneeling back and looking at everyone's scared faces.
"...I'm okay."
"Jesus, Dustin," I breathed, standing up and dusting myself off.
"You serious?" Max said.
"Very funny, man," Steve rolled his eyes. "Nice. Very nice."
"Jesus, what an idiot," Lucas shook his head. I helped Dustin back to his feet and we followed everyone back down the tunnels, an occasional cough coming from him.
The tunnels began getting visibly steeper and darker, and the floating particles became thicker.
"All right, Wheeler," Steve said from the front, coming to a stop. "I think we found your hub."
In front of us stood a large cave where all of the tunnels connected, just like in Will's drawing. It was filled with animal carcasses and reeked of rotting meat.
"Let's drench it," Mike instructed. We all spread out and began pouring gasoline all over the room. Lucas used the hose to spray the areas that we couldn't get to like the ceilings and upper walls.
After a minute, the room stopped smelling like meat and started smelling like gas, and everyone's containers began running out.
Eventually, gasoline pooled on the floors and dripped from the walls, meaning it was time.
"All right, you guys ready?" Steve asked when we were all back at the tunnel entrance, ready to get out. I held the lighter in my hand, ready to throw it into the hub on his signal. We knew we would only have a short time between the flame catching and the Demo-dogs arriving, so we had to be quick.
"Yeah," Mike said.
"Ready," Lucas said.
"Ready," Max nodded.
"Light her up," Dustin told me. I looked at Steve who shook his head like he didn't believe what was happening.
"God, (Y/n)," Steve said with a small groan. "We are in such deep shit."
I chuckled. "Oh, don't worry. I've been in shit since I let a strange girl with powers into Mike's house."
With that, I opened the lighter and lit it. I looked to Steve, who nodded at me, and I launched it into the dark.
It was like slow motion as the lighter landed and the room went up. An awful shrieking sound came from the vines along the floor as they stood up and waved back and forth, trying to put out the fire.
The flames jumped up at the five of us making us all lean back from the heat and watch what we'd done with wide eyes.
"Go, go, go!" Steve suddenly yelled, snapping all of us out of our shocked daze. I stood from my crouch and we all ran back through the tunnels.
"Let's go!" I yelled at everyone. I took the rear to make sure all the kids got out unharmed as Steve made his way to the front.
"Oh, my God!" Dustin yelled. "Oh, my God!"
Steve ran up in front of the kids, trying to figure out which way to go.
"This way, this way!" He yelled, turning. Dustin, Lucas and Max all went after him, but Mike and I were held back when Mike tripped. He went to get up, but his foot was caught in a vine.
"Help!" Mike yelled.
"Shit!" I yelled, crouching down to help him by pulling on his arm. "Steve!"
"Hold on!" Steve's voice came as he and the others ran back. Lucas joined me at Mike's head to clutch his other arm and we started to pull.
"Steve, pull him out!" Dustin said.
"Everybody back!" Steve said, taking his bat and slamming it against the vine, trying to get it to let go. He hit it a few times until it split in half and Lucas and I were able to pull Mike to his feet.
"You good?" Lucas said. Mike nodded and I hugged him quickly.
"Guys, we gotta go!" Steve said. As we turned to leave, we were stopped by a growl. Dustin pushed in front of us as he came face to face with a Demo-dog - one with a yellow pattern on his butt.
"Dart," Dustin said. Dart growled and chittered, his flower mouth opening and closing.
We all started talking at once as Dustin stepped forward, but he simply put his hand back to shush us.
"Dustin, come back here!" I said, my voice wavering.
"Come on, man, listen to your sister!'
"Dustin-"
"Trust me," Dustin told us, never taking his eyes off of his old pet. "Please."
He walked forward at the same time Dart did as we all stood still, too scared to move. Tears began filling my eyes from the thought of my brother being hurt, but I did as he asked. I trusted him.
"Hey," Dustin said to Dart. He crouched down in front of him, raising his goggles from his eyes."It's me, it's me. It's just your friend - it's Dustin. It's Dustin, all right?"
My breathing became shaky as Dart moved closer.
"You remember me?" Dart chittered. "Will you let us pass?"
The flower face opened with a loud snarl that revealed hundreds of small teeth. I jumped back into Steve whose hand were around his bat, ready to swing if something went wrong.
"Okay, okay," Dustin said calmly as if he deserved that. Dart's face closed again. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry about the storm cellar. That was a pretty douchey thing to do."
Dart's face tilted up to look at me and he chittered loudly, making Dustin clear his throat.
"Oh, um, yeah," I stuttered, my eyes wide. "Sorry."
The Demo-dog then turned back to Dustin who was sliding his bag from his shoulders. "Hungry?"
"He's insane," Lucas whispered.
"Don't," Mike snapped.
"Shut up," I hissed. Steve and Max both shushed him.
Dustin pulled a chocolate bar out of his bag to show.
"I've got our favourite. See? Nougat."
He quickly unwrapped it and showed the bar to Dart.
"Look at that. Yummy. Here, all right?" Dustin placed it onto the ground in front of Dart who sniffed it before he began to eat. "Eat up, buddy. Come on. Come on."
While Dart ate, Dustin waved his hand at us, signalling us to move. One by one, we snuck around the two to the next tunnel as quietly as we could, careful not to disturb the eating Demogorgon.
"There's plenty - I got more," Dustin said to him when he finished the first and gave him a second.
When we were all successfully at the other side, Dustin stood up and walked toward us with one last look at Dart.
"Goodbye, buddy."
Dustin lowered his goggles and raised his bandana and nodded.
"Let's go," Steve whispered, so we rushed down the tunnel.
Steve navigated us back the way we came with me on the rear again to make sure everyone was together.
"This way!" Steve yelled as we rounded another corner. As we did, the tunnel suddenly shook and made us all lose balance.
"Whoa!" Mike yelled, falling back into Lucas who fell into Max. I caught Dustin's arm as he toppled back into me and leaned against the wall to keep us from going down, too.
When the shaking stopped, there was a loud roar from where we had just come.
"What was that?" Max asked. There was another roar and I spun back, holding my flashlight in front of me.
"They're coming," I said. "Run. RUN!"
I was the first to start and ushered Dustin in front of me.
"Go, go!" Dustin yelled. "Move, Mike!"
We were all practically on top of each other as we ran, our fear pushing us to go faster than before.
"There, there!" Lucas pointed in front of us, only a little farther down the tunnel, where a hanging rope could be seen.
"Come on!" Mike yelled. "Let's go!"
"Go, go, go!" Steve screamed hysterically. "Come on!"
He was the first to the rope and lifted Max up so she could climb up to the surface. I ran to his side and helped push her up the hole.
Next was Lucas whose flashlight was in his mouth to free up his hands.
"Climb!" I yelled, boosting his legs while Steve held his torso. From the top, Max pulled on his arm to get him up to her. It was easier to get Mike up from there because both Max and Lucas were pulling him.
Finally was Dustin who practically flew up from everyone's help.
"Your turn," Steve said to me when all the kids were up.
I was about to grab the rope when the roaring started back up again, closer than ever, and I knew that there was no time.
"Here," Steve said, pulling out his bat and holding it out in front of us. I stood beside him, shoulder to his as I stared out into the dark tunnel.
"(Y/n)!" I heard my name being called by all the kids from above us. "Steve! Come on!"
Their yelling pierced through the air and almost drowned out the roaring of the Demo-dogs, but was overtaken when the first one rounded the corner.
Before I had time to react, Steve had moved so that he was no longer clutching the bat, but clutching me. His arms wrapped around me tightly as he held me to his chest, his grip so firm that I was barely able to put my arms around him, as well.
I shut my eyes and pressed my face into Steve's chest with my fingers gripping his jacket, feeling tingles all over when he bent down to bury his face into the crook of my shoulder. For a moment, I forgot about everything happening and was instead consumed by the smell of cologne, sweat and Farrah Faucet spray.
I was brought back to reality when the kids stopped yelling and, instead of feeling the teeth of the Demo-dogs sinking into my skin, I felt slimy bodies brushing against my legs.
Steve and I's grip on each other became more relaxed as we both looked up and saw the Demo-dogs not only running right past us, but ignoring us all together.
More and more came around the bend and rushed around us, making us almost lose our balance every time one touched our legs. One of Steve's arms shot out to hold himself up against the tunnel wall, but he kept his other securely around my waist as we watched them go with wide eyes.
After a few moments, the trail stopped and we were met with silence.
"Eleven," Mike said, and I knew what he meant. Eleven was closing the gate, and they were trying to stop her.
Steve sighed loudly and I panted beside him, not having realized I was holding my breath.
"Holy shit," I said, shaking my head and welcoming Steve's new embrace with an airy laugh.
"Yeah," Steve nodded against my hair, beginning to chuckle. "Holy Jesus shit."
We began laughing in relief and I let myself melt against his body, getting lost in the steady thump of his heart. Steve's hands trailed through my hair, sending shivers up my back for the second time since we'd arrived in the tunnel, but this time, for the right reason.
As we held each other, the nerves from the night subsiding, I finally let my mind acknowledge the thing I had been hiding from myself the past few days.
Yeah. I like Steve Harrington.
~~~
Max, Lucas, Mike and Dustin all helped Steve and I out of the tunnel, and we were met by tight hugs.
"You scared the shit out of me," Dustin scolded us, slapping Steve in the arm. Steve simply placed a hand on Dustin's shoulder and side-hugged him while I placed a kiss on the top of Max's head.
"Let's get out of here, yeah?" I said. Everyone nodded, accompanied by multiple "yes's" and "please."
We began up the dirt pile that led to the car, only to be met by the headlights growing suddenly brighter than they already had been.
"Whoa," Lucas said as I brought my arm up in front of my face to shield myself from the light.
After a moment, the light died back down to how it had been before, and I exchanged glances with my friends.
"What was that?" Max asked.
Lucas shrugged in response. "No idea."
"Let's just go home before it happens again," Dustin said. I nodded and we all made our way to the car where Steve and I forced the kids to squish into the back.
"You've got to be kidding!"
"We're never gonna fit!"
"Tell Dustin to move over!"
"You guys are the worst-"
"Shut up!" Steve and I told them all at the same time. They immediately stopped complaining and got into the back, but not without a few more grumbles.
"What are you doing?" I asked Steve when he opened the driver's door.
"Driving?" Steve responded, eyeing me.
"Steve, you just had the shit beaten out of you and probably have a concussion," I responded. "No chance I'm letting you drive."
"How come every time I try to drive, you stop me?"
"How come every time you try to drive, you're drunk or concussed?"
Steve stuck his tongue to the side of his cheek and looked away, shaking his head. "You're not giving up, are you?"
I grinned, remembering him saying those same words on Halloween. "You know me so well."
Steve huffed and moved aside so that I could get to the door. I got in and rolled down the window when Steve just stood there, looking at me.
"Are you getting in, or not?" I said, repeating my own words from that night. Steve smiled and walked around the car to the passenger. He got in and took the ice pack that Max held out for him, placing it back onto his head wound.
I gave him one last smile before driving away, back to the Wheeler's, ready to see everyone and end this nightmare.
The car was silent until Dusin spoke up.
"So, like, are you guys both our babysitters, now?"
I looked over to Steve whose brown eyes landed on mine, eager for his response.
"Yeah, Kid," Steve said, his eyes dancing. "We're both your babysitters, now."
My lips curled into a smile as I turned back to the road, butterflies fluttering in my stomach, and eyes watching as the sun began to peek overtop of the trees, chasing away the dark.
~~~
Hey, Lovelies!
First off, I would just like to thank you all for hitting 20k reads!! Although it's a small accomplishment, it's still an accomplishment!
I also realized, while writing this, that the cast says "come on" and "let's go" an excessive amount of times holy moly.
I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. One more until Season 3!
Until next time :)