⁴𝐒𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐄𝐃, 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧 ✔

011-the creel house

SLEEP DIDN'T COME EASY THAT NIGHT. 

After getting Max back in the car, Steve drove them straight back to the Wheeler household. The car was effortlessly silent, but talking felt horribly wrong. The sunset was turning the sky a light pink color, and by the time they got back home, it was night. Carla was glad the day was coming to an end—she was sick of it. 

Robin and Nancy had been there, anxious after Dustin bombarded them during Max's almost death. At Pennhurst, they had discovered that music was the key to getting rid of Vecna—by listening to your favorite song, one could could be connected to the real world. It's why Max had only returned after hearing Kate Bush's voice instead of the panicked calls of her friends. 

Carla doesn't know if she has a favorite song. Perfect. 

From there, the group spread out around the basement and found somewhere to try and fall into slumber. The only fault of the Wheeler basement is that there's only a single couch and rocking chair to rest in, so majority end up hunched and curled in uncomfortable positions. Max gets the couch, even if she's the one who's doing the least amount of sleeping. 

Steve argued over it, but Carla ended up on the floor, head against the rocking chair which she let him sleep in. It's rather uncomfortable, but the Wheeler doesn't plan on sleeping anyways—she knew her boyfriend would, which is why she ends up letting him sit in it. 

Little does she know, Steve was up longer than her. 

His eyes are closed for a good hour, but he finds himself unable to sleep. His mind is plagued with the idea that maybe Carla was next—Vecna had struck on the Mayfield, who'd only been cursed for a few days. Truly, Carla's been cursed for years. Tortured by the Upside Down every year in some shape and form, especially the previous summer. When was Vecna going to end it all for her?

Steve keeps his eyes closed until he hears his girlfriends breath even out below him and when finally opens them, he looks down to see her sleeping—for the first time in forever, it felt like. The Harrington thinks she looks more innocent in slumber. Younger. The pain in her eyes is hidden away. He can still see the bags underneath them though, weighing them down.  The weariness etched into her features. Adding a maturity she doesn't deserve.

He shifts in the rocking chair, still staring down at her. She'd insisted on the floor, leaning her head against the chair he now sat in, and though he'd tried to argue, Carla had won. Typical. She was always selfless, putting him first even when she was the one who needed rest. It's because of this selflessness that he can't sleep.

Steve knows she'll do anything to protect Max. It scares him. 

There's a slight shift from below and the Harrington glances forward to see Nancy sitting upwards, lips pursed nervously, as they always are.

Just like her ex, Nancy finds herself unable to sleep, too. She'd been laying down in front of her sister, but ultimately, she ends up sitting upright and looking ahead at the girl and her boyfriend. Worried, just like Steve. 

In the short time that she'd been with the Harrington, Nancy had gotten to see a side of him Hawkins didn't. His cocky facade sometimes broke around her, and she saw the dorky and attentive boy underneath. The caring one. 

She knows Carla sees more of it than she ever did. Just by the way he's looking at her now, with so much worry in his doe eyes. He cares. 

Nancy makes eye contact with the boy and quietly murmurs, "You know, just because we're exes doesn't mean we can't talk."