𝗨𝗚𝗟𝗬 // 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗼𝗻

047

"This is confounding."

We stand in front of lovers lake, opposite to Eddie's pseudo safe house. Fire flies dance around us, glittering light in the water as if luring us in, as if the bugs around us were secretly sirens.

"Lovers lake?" I let out, confused, "there's a gate in lovers lake?"

"Ah lovers lake, we meet again." Steve makes a joke to ease the tension, before winking in my direction, which I respond to with a flirty shove of the shoulder.

"When the demegorgan attacked, it always left an opening," Nancy starts, "maybe vecna is the same way."

As we move as a group further closer to the lake I can't help myself saying what's been on my mind for what feels like weeks now, "so like do they all have d&d names or...?"

Only Eddie snorts.

"And do they know? Like what if we get to this wizard guy and he's like who the fuck is vecna?" The metalhead agrees and we laugh as the rest of the group completely ignores us, rolling their eyes simultaneously as they open up the tarp of a boat at the edge of the water.

"They're a tough crowd, you'll learn." Eddie laughs at my wisdom.

"Or Edward just isn't that funny," Steve replies through gritted teeth as he picks up the boat, ready to place it in the water. The long haired boy in question moves to the other side to try help, my boyfriend suddenly growing frustrated, "I don't need your help Munson."

But Eddie's already helping the boat be placed in the water, a bit too roughly causing Steve to once again pipe up, "geez be careful, easy!" Eddie ignores him, "I said easy man!"

"Sorry, god."

"Testosterone.." I laugh and whisper to Robin, who doesn't say a word, doesn't even look at me.
I hear a clock chime.

The eldest of us walk forward, and as I'm about to step on the boat I look up to see both Steve and Eddie extending their hands to help me aboard.

The men notice as I do, and stare at each other like predators hunting prey, glaring and cold before they pounce. Steve looks like he might kill him, Eddie looks more amused.

"Ha.." I end up taking both of their hands to get on the boat, I need all the stability I can get, "there ya go."

When Robin gets on behind me she is forced to lean on their heads that are turned my way, still watching me board. "Yeah thanks for the help gentlemen." Her sarcasm isn't lost on Steve, who flicks some water at her.

Dustin tries to board and Eddie stops him, "come on man you tryna sink us? This thing barely holds four people let alone five."

The younger boy tugs at his hat, annoyed clearly as Nancy steps forward, "look, you need to keep an eye on max, and we've got Ruby so.. all people are covered."

Logically it made sense, but Dustin still tried to protest until Steve pushed off the boat with the oar and we were already in the lake, "oooops!"

The smaller kid flips him off, Steve doesn't hesitate to return the gesture.

"You're flipping off a kid Steve." I remind him, but he doesn't seem to care, "that's not just a kid Ruby that's a monster!" The noise that exits my mouth as I chuckle is the real monster, causing Steve to burst into laughter himself.

"Okayyy lovebirds can we continue to row please?" The brunette boy opposite us interrupts, tearing his eyes away from where he could be looking at us, as if avoiding something disgusting.

"Yeah yeah.." the king of Hawkins teeth are gritted, but he rows anyways and soon we're in the middle of the lake, "okay slow down!" The wheeler girl states hurriedly, "we're here."