Surrender // Steve Harrington x Reader

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐑

THE UPSIDE-DOWN. SUMMER 1985.

The angered howl that rips from Henry's lungs is heightened by his unimaginable powers, the desolate Creel house trembling to its roots as you cower in the corner of the room, fearing his wrath. 

"Soon they will defeat the creature and for what?!" He roars, voice bordering on a deep growl as he sends a mental wave at the wall across from him, blistering and splitting the plaster until it crumbles away to dust, revealing the rows of wooden support beams beneath it. "All my work, destroyed! No matter how hard I try, she defeats me at every turn!" 

He was talking about Eleven. 

When the connection to the spider-like creature that Henry controlled had been renewed, so had his desires to retake your old world and conquer it with his army of demonic creatures - yourself included. That is, until his old enemy had resurfaced along with it to thwart his plans once more.

You'd been training to try and control your powers and, though you were better than ever, you were still sorely lacking in any real talent. What he saw in you as help you had no idea... You were loyal yes, but useless otherwise. 

He would never openly admit it, you knew that, but you could see it in the way his face would fall with each and every failed attempt to strengthen your powers instead of just control them. The way his mouth would twist with disdain, the way his eyes would go hollow of all emotion. It hurt you to your core to disappoint him; you just didn't know how to be of any real use.

With every day as well, you feared his wrath more and more. It was like you were waiting for the day he'd have enough of you and discard you as he did the others. Snap your bones and steal whatever useless power you possessed.

"The creature is gone?" You ask, weakly so as not to infuriate him further. You still didn't speak much out of habit, but even you couldn't hide your curiosity on the matter. The creature was powerful and brutal, it was a wonder they'd managed to expel it the first time let alone the second. 

Henry turns slowly to you, shoulders squared with repressed rage and eyes narrow slits conveying their fury to you. He was angered by your question, though not by who asked it and rather the truth it suggested.

"Not yet." He speaks through gritted and gnarled teeth, feet carrying him closer to your cowering form in the corner of the room, as if only now remembering your presence alongside him. When he reaches you, he bends a knee to lower himself to your level and you struggle to maintain eye contact with how intense his glare was. "You once told me you'd do anything for me, little one. Is that true, even now? Even through my failures?" His tone softens a fraction, manipulating you in a way you didn't pick up on. You'd simply been overcome with the need to make him feel better about what had happened, to make him happy again, so you nod instantly. "Yes, it's true. Always true, Henry."

A clawed digit extends towards you, stroking a grotesque line over your cheek though you only sensed love behind it in your foolish naivety. "Good. Because I have an idea."

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The gate pulses and glows before you both, illuminating the vessels exposed on Henry's form and how they writhe along his body. You could feel the telltale and acrid taste of bile on your tongue from where it rose in your throat in your fear. 

It had been so long since you'd been on the other side, since you'd been in the real world instead of this wasteland of a universe that the idea of being back there was terrifying you.

Not to mention being away from Henry once more, separated between worlds as you had been before. He was wordless the entire time he made you follow him here, despite the occasional and meek question you'd ask him along the way.