So Iām sorry if this formatting is weird or trying to tack this on here doesnāt work well, I havenāt done this before but this one shot was beautiful and it did things to me so when I had ideas and someone commented about Steveās perspective and @metal-dads said anyone else could take a shot, I decided to take mine lol I hope I didnāt butcher this and thank you so much for letting me post and be a part of this !
Steve and Robin hang back while Nancy takes the lead with her modified shotgun, firing away at Vecna.
Vecna is taking serious damage but heās not down for the count yet. The previous pellet rips through Vecna and stops him just before the window. As Nancyās pulling back to reload thereās a rush of anger and power that flows through him. Nancyās flung to the side and stopped to hang in the air, gasping for a breath and Robin soon joins her. From the middle, Steve watches in horror for 5 seconds. He gives himself only 5 seconds. Heās learned time is a luxury. So his eyes dart around for anything, any opening. Steve notices Vecna has nothing else to give, weakened and with both hands occupied heās still vulnerable to that window. Steve surges forward. He tackles Vecna at his middle and crashes through the glass, straight down to the ground below.
While Steve does have Vecna breaking his fall, itās not before Vecna brings his clawed hand to dig into Steveās side on the way down. When they land itās ugly and it knocks the wind out of Steve. Heās rolling off and yanking Vecnaās hand out with a scream heās not sure actually made sound. Things get blurry for Steve after this. He remembers Vecna stirring and then Steveās axe is back in his hand. He remembers a mix of red and black blood covering his hands before Robins soft and frightened face coming into view,
āSteveā¦? Are you-ā Steve collapses and heās flashing in and out now. But he remembers Nancy and Robin were moving him hurriedly for the trailer gate. He remembers it hurts and heās weak. He remembers Dustins voice on the walkie. He remembers being lifted and panicking from the pain. And finally, Steve remembers the smell that puts him at ease. The musk of old cigarettes and a little bit of mildew, thanks to Lovers Lake. Itās Eddie. Heās with Eddie. Steve no longer panics and then, Steveās out.
Nothing. Thereās absolutely nothing now. All of Steveās senses are gone and have been but heās aware now. Heās aware itās all just black for him in his mind. He thinks this is it. For minutes, hours, maybe even days. Until he hears it, he hears him.
āHey, Harrington. Glad youāre alive manā¦ā Steve hasnāt heard this voice much, more in the last week or so than ever before, but he would recognize it anywhere. Eddie. Heād smile if he could.
āDonāt be a hero.ā Thereās a beat. āHarrington if you wake up Iām gonna kick your ass.ā Heād laugh if he could now. Definitely Eddie. But Eddie leaves and everythingās dull again.
For a while, itās all he can do is to listen. Listen to them all.
āCome on dingus, I know youāre still in thereā¦right?ā Robin makes him want to laugh and breaks his heart in the same sentences usually.
āSteveā¦youāve gotta make it⦠there- there is no after without youā¦ā Dustin just plain breaks his heart. Heās the one that makes Steveās body scream to jolt awake the most. He wants to move, he wants to cry, he just wants to exist again. For them. Itās always been for them. But just like before, thereās nothing. Nothing but their voices.
āSteve?ā And another beat. Steve canāt hear everything, āā¦come on butthead, I woke up⦠itās your turn now.ā Max complains to him, but he can hear it. Steve hears the tears that form in her eyes in the way that her words break off and fade. He wants to fix it all. He tries. He does. But all he can do is listen for now.
Steve begins to accept this might be his new forever. Heās trapped in his own consciousness, forced to listen to his friends and hang on to his own replies. It only makes him feel better when the others feel better and their words turn more encouraging in their visits to Steve. The promises of the more dull and not other dimensional adventures he has awaiting, the gifts heāll be showered with, and one Steve wasnāt expecting, the feelings. Who knew you could fall for someone while youāre in a coma?
Steve now knows he can when he hears the words,
āIām gay. Very gay.ā Again that voice. And those words. Those words go straight to Steveās heart which flutters. Steve knows what that flutter means and he feels hopeful all of a sudden. Not only is his body responding internally now but his own newfound feelings might not have been so silly like he thought after all. Why else would Eddie confide over Steveās unconscious body? He can do this. With a boost of faith, Steve can remain here for as long as his body needs. But then Steveās done. Heās gotta make it back. He knows the sentiment is shared when the last thing he always hears from that voice, the one he truly believes is guiding him home is always a plea. A gentle demand for him to wake up.
āI havenāt seen Dustin smile in days, Harrington, wake upā¦ā Steve wants to frown. Dustin is always, Dustin. Heās all smiley, goofy, and radiant. Steve never wanted to be the reason thatās taken from him. So Steve tries something, anything. And all of a sudden a sensation hits his nose. Steve can smell again. He smells those old cigarettes thatās now mixed with some kind of cologne and a little bit of weed. It fades as Eddie leaves for the day but Steve still knows his smell and he wants to smile again. Slowly, Steve is making his way back. Heās making his way back to them.
He can feel now! Tonight, Steve can feel Eddieās hand against his. Itās only ever so slightly bigger than his own and rougher, much rougher with more callouses than Steve. But thereās a strike of electricity that sets Steveās blood ablaze and he just needs a push. One more little thing to make his heart want to complete the work his brain has started. Steve gets just that in the next words he hears,
āYou canāt just⦠give me these feelings and then skip out. Please.ā And Steve feels it then. He can feel his individual fingers wrapped in Eddieās and finally, fucking finally, his body is one with him again. He tightens his own grip and holds Eddieās hand back, squeezing weakly.
āSteve?ā Of course it could have been a muscle twitch. Steveās been out for far too long and he knows that now because Eddie doesnāt believe him. Steve wants to change that and so he squeezes again.
āSteve! Oh⦠shit. Hold on sweetheart Iām gonna get a nurse. Hold on.ā And as Eddie leaves the room in a hurry, Steve can finally feel himself smile again.
āSweetheart, huh?ā Steve thinks. āI could get used to thatā¦ā