Flipped: A Steve Harrington Enemies to Lovers

Papa (Part 2)

"Y/N, just stay with me. Just stay with me, okay?!"

You don't even register the light slaps Steve lands against your cheek. You don't notice the way he shakes you by your shoulders. Who even knows where you are right now? As you twitch and flutter your eyes with a disquieting silence.

Soon, the desperate Steve can hardly contain the venom within, as he whips his head up to the gate's opening to scream, "WHATEVER YOU GUYS ARE DOING, HURRY UP!"

Peeping her worried little head through the threshold, Erica tears herself away and down the hall of Eddie's trailer, through the door and into his bedroom.

"Steve says you need to hurry!" She calls to the others in urgency.

Blood thrums in Dustin's ears like white noise. "We're trying!" He responds, equally panicked as he rifles through the chaos of Eddie's cassettes - Lucas' idea. If music saved Max's life, it could be the one to save yours. Dear God, it better save your life because what would Dustin do, if anything were ever to happen to you? His first love, in the most innocent, brotherly way.

Hearing their frightened pleas from the other side, Steve roars, "TRYING ISN'T GOOD ENOUGH!" Then, snapping his attention back to you, and seeing you're still in Vecna's clutches, he shouts again, "I WILL NOT WATCH HER DIE!"

Stinging tears prick his dark, glassy eyes and he clenches his teeth together. He can do nothing. And that feeling of helplessness squeezes his lungs to the point where he can't breathe. He questions, no, tortures himself over what to do.

Does he leave you and help the others find the right music?

Or if it's completely useless, does he stay by your side in what could be your final moments? Just so you won't be alone?

At this frightening thought, a tear bursts down Steve's cheek like a fat, wet dot.

Back in Eddie's room, a frantically weeping Robin throws a tape from her sweaty hand to snatch at another.

With a hammering chest, she demands, "What is all this shit?"

"What are you looking for?" Eddie, scared shitless for you, questions with a bite to his bark.

"Madonna, Blondie, Bowie, Beatles," Robin cries. "Music! We need music!"

Grappling a cassette with such anger his knuckles turn white, Eddie shakes it at them and growls in defence.

"THIS! IS! MUSIC!" He bellows.

After, he's thundering down the hall to Steve to toss him a tape.

"What the fuck is this?!" Steve pinches the plastic case with a face twisted in disgust.

"Uh, Fleetwood Mac, obviously," Eddie breathes. "I'm doin' my best here, man."

"No, no, no, no. This won't work - it's gotta be her favourite."

"Yeah, duh, why do you think I brought you this? She loves Fleetwood Mac!"

"No, this is all wrong!"

"Dude, just try it."

"It won't work!" Steve barks. Firm. Resolute. "We need Ben E. King!"

Eddie scoffs as if this is the most ridiculous thing he's heard his whole life - badass Y/N's favourite song is really by... "Ben E. King? You're not serious? Look, I've got some Sabbath she always likes?" He cocks his thumb.

"YOU'RE NOT LISTENING!" Steve stresses, this time actually prying himself from your side to point at Eddie with a furious, accusatory finger. "Her favourite song is Stand By Me by Ben E. King and I know this because I'm her fucking soulmate!"