Once More, With Strangeness

Chapter 21

 Becca pushed through the gate, once again willingly walking into her worst nightmare. Jesus, she was past the point of being ready to be done with this Upside Down bullshit. She never thought something would make her miss a run-of-the mill vampire or werewolf. She knew what to do in those situations. She felt completely unprepared every time they came in there, and she hated it.

"Son of a bitch!" she heard Eddie grumble and turned to see him swatting at the membrane that hung in ribbons after Dustin had slashed the gate open. "On top of being dark and terrifying, this place is disgusting."

"You took the words right out of my mouth," Steve groaned as he came through. Stopping, he attempted to wipe goo off his shirt that had clung to him upon entry. "Well, this shirt is a goner. Damn, it's one of my favorites."

"If it's one of your favorites, then why in the hell would you wear it to this place?" Eddie asked.

"I didn't exactly stop to think about my outfit when Dustin's life might be at stake," Steve snapped.

"Now, now boys," Becca mused, "no fighting or I am going to have to put you in a time-out. There's plenty of Upside Down for me to find a place for each of you."

"Are they arguing again?" Robin huffed as she entered. "I swear, you two are like an old married couple sometimes."

"Ugh, take that back," Steve ordered.

"She's not wrong," laughed Ivy, coming to stand at Robin's side.

"Honestly, if you weren't with Becca and you weren't still pining over Nancy, I would think you were secretly in love," Robin said with a smile.

"I am not pining over Nancy," Steve argued.

"That's the part you focus on," Eddie questioned in disbelief. "Maybe you do have a thing for me, Harrington. I mean, I understand. I am quite breathtaking to look at but I am spoken for."

Becca burst out laughing as Malcolm and the others began to come through. He paused, considering the situation and simply sighed, rolling his eyes skyward as he shook his head. She knew he found it insane that they were laughing at a time like this, but it actually helped Becca. Everything was so damn stressful all the time lately. Was it so wrong to find a little gaiety in all the madness?

"What could possibly be so funny at a time like this?" he asked.

"Steve and Eddie's intense secret desire for one another," Ivy answered, giggling.

"What?" Mike asked in confusion. "I thought...but Eddie is with Becca...wait, what did I miss?"

Laughter bubbled forth from Becca again and she bent over, hands on her knees, unable to catch her breath. Robin and Ivy laughed loudly too. Eddie and Steve did not look amused and the others just looked confused but that only made the situation even more funny.

"So happy that you're finding this so funny," Eddie grumbled. "If I liked guys, which I don't, I could do so much better than Harrington."

"Hey!" Steve protested. "I am a catch, man. You'd be lucky to get a piece of this."

"Oh my god," Robin laughed. "Are you seriously offended that you're not his type?"

"I'm everybody's type," Steve scoffed.

"Not mine," Becca said with a shrug.

Eddie walked over, slinging his arm around her shoulder, "That's right. I'm her type."

"Yeah, only because she likes her men without a pulse," Steve said, rolling his eyes.

"Nice," Robin sighed, rolling her eyes.