Dark Red. | Steve Harrington x Reader

Chapter 16.

Y/n had went back to blasting her song, having grown tired by Steve's relentless nagging about being careless in her acts of not listening to her music because she never knew if Vecna might 'possess' her as Steve had put it. So, to ease the older boy's worries — she of course obliged.

As the two walked into a room, Y/n's tape deck clicked open, telling Y/n she'd have to rewind the tape once more.

"I wish we had a longer loop." Steve told Y/n, watching as she fiddled with her Walkman.

Y/n shrugged as she pursed her lips, "Five minutes and twenty-six seconds isn't that bad."

"I do think there are bigger concerns, though." Y/n told Steve, "Like, what if by listening to this song over and over again, I get sick of it? Or, suddenly it's just not my favorite song anymore? Will it still work? Or, will Journey, like, lose their magical powers or something?" Y/n loudly wondered, a pondering look on her face.

Steve scoffed a laugh, "Journey? — I don't think they ever will."

"You listen to Journey, pretty boy? You, Steve 'The Hair' Harrington?" Y/n dramatically said, disbelief etched onto her face and in her tone.

"Uh, yeah! I mean, I've only been listening to it because someone likes to leave their shit in my car. But that band literally just saved your life so, obviously I'm going to be listening to them more." Steve told the girl, smiling.

Y/n looked at Steve with a glint in her eyes — like adoration.

This boy had just become a thousand times more cuter in her eyes. He'd really be the death of her.

"Besides, we're hot on this Vecna creep's trail. We're gonna find Vecna and kill him before he even thinks about taking you or Max away from us again, alright?" Steve told Y/n, caressing the girls upper arm.

Y/n nodded in response, giving the boy a small grin.

"In fact, I bet if we hit this baby in the right combo —we might just open a door to his secret lair." Steve jokingly said, walking towards an old dusty piano.

Steve then began fumbling with the keys, making a horrible sound but Y/n found herself smiling more as she made her way to stand beside the older boy.

"Voilà." Steve said, laughing.

Y/n shook her head in endearment, "You're such a dork, Harrington."

"You know, I — I thought you were becoming a loser. Especially after we defeated the Mind Flayer." Y/n clicked her tongue, "Losing your spark, Harrington. No wonder you always go for the ditzy blondes."

"Excuse me?" Steve placed his hand over his chest in a offensive manner, "First of all, I am not a loser. Second of all, only the goddamn ditzy blondes want to go out with me, alright? But, I am not losing my spark. Just watch, Henderson. I'll show you I haven't lost it when I do get a girl — I'll shove it in your face."

"Who's the loser now, huh? You're the loser, Henderson."

Y/n snorted loudly, throwing her head back. She always loved when Steve got so offended and dramatic. It just made him a thousand times more cuter in her eyes.

Steve watched fondly as the girl snorted and laughed— not realizing just how much he truly missed hearing it.

"I've really missed that." Steve said, a faraway look in his eyes.

"Missed, what?" Y/n questioned, finally calming down.

"Your laugh." Steve elaborated, looking into the Y/h/c haired girl's eyes — noticing how her pupils dilated a bit.

Y/n looked at Steve with furrowed brows, about to say something but was interrupted by her tape deck clicking, "All done."

"Work your magic, Journey." Y/n said, smiling at Steve. Y/n then placed her headphones over her head when suddenly, she noticed from the corner of her eye, the lamp light was flickering.

Y/n quickly placed her headphones back around her neck as she walked towards the flickering lamp. "I promise I'm gonna stop asking this, but, you're seeing this, right?" Y/n asked Steve, eyes sticking onto the flickering lamp.

"Yeah." Steve meekly replied from behind Y/n.

Y/n reached her hand out towards the lamp only for it it to crackle and flicker off.

Another lamp was then turned on from behind them, grabbing Steve's attention, "Look."

As the two walked out of the room, many more lamps began flickering. Steve and Y/n looked at each other, confused and worried.

•

The group watched as the chandelier's lights began to flicker. "It's like the Christmas lights." Nancy whispered.

Robin leaned closer towards Nancy, "The Christmas lights?"

Y/n turned her face before her eyes finally looked away from the chandelier to then settle onto Robin, "So, basically when Will was in the upside-down, the lights in uh, Joyce's home began to — to like come to life or something."

"Vecna's here. In this house." Lucas concluded.

"Just on the other side." Max added.

Suddenly, the chandelier died down.

"I think he just left the room." Robin stated.

Y/n's eyes flickered around the room, "Did he hear us?"

"Can he see us?" Steve questioned, looking at Y/n. "Y/n, Max. Headphones." Dustin quickly said as Y/n and Max obliged, putting their headphones back on.

"Wait, wait. Everyone, turn off your flashlights and spread out." Nancy ordered, turning off her own flashlight before walking away.

"Wait, we're not gonna be able to see if we turn off our flash—" Y/n interrupted Steve by grabbing his flashlight and turning it off, silently telling him to go with a wave of her hand before walking away — not before turning around and throwing the flashlight back to Steve.

"—lights. Okay, totally fine. Jesus Christ." Steve breathed out as he watched Y/n walk away before sighing heavily and walking away himself.

Soon the group heard the yells of Robin, "I got him! I Got him!"

Robin's light flickered before dying out, "Well, I — I had him."

Steve's flashlight then began to flicker, "Oh. Woah, Woah. Oh, I think he's moving. He's moving. He's moving."

The others began following Steve as he followed to where his flashlight flickered. Soon, the light died down, "Shit. I lost him."

Y/n narrowed her brows before shaking her head and pushing past Steve, "No, you didn't."

Y/n opened up a door, a bright light emitting from inside the room. The teens all walked up the stairs leading up to the attic.

"It's an attic — of course it's an attic." Robin said nervously.

"Hold up, guys. What if he's leading us into a trap?" Dustin suddenly asked, the others proceeded to walk — ignoring Dustin.

"Guys? Guys!"

The group finally made it into the attic, a single light bulb flickering.

Dustin's flashlight soon started to flicker, "Flashlights."

Everyone's flashlights began to flicker as they surrounded the single light bulb.

"Okay, what's happening?" Steve asked nervously.

Y/n furrowed her brows in confusion as she watched what was happening before her eyes, she was amazed by it in all honesty. It was like some misty glow of some sorts.