dark waters - steve harrington x reader
WARNING: Spoilers for episodes 4 and 6.
Plot: When Steve gets pulled under the water, Y/N gets pulled in with him. || Requested by @albeeox Pairing: Steve Harrington x Female!Reader Warnings: Mentions of being deep underwater for a long time, the possibility for things to grab you without noticing, and running out of oxygen/drowning. If you have aquaphobia, thalassophobia, or any other water/drowning related fear, then this is NOT the fic for you! Also mentions of passing out and almost dying. As always, if I miss any triggers, please let me know. Notes: Aside from the addition of reader, I changed things/dialogue around a little mostly cause I was too busy freaking out about Steve as I watched the episode to remember it all, lmao.
Once again, not beta’d, so any mistakes are my own.
“Dustin said the gate’s likely down there.” Robin announces. Steve gets up, starting to take his top off before the group even says anything else.
“Steve! What the fuck are you doing?!” Y/N gasps, trying to stand up and stop Steve as the boat rocks. Typical Steve, trying to charge into things before thinking about it. It’s brave of him, she won’t deny that...but she also won’t deny that it’s a pretty dumb idea sometimes. Sighing, Steve turns back to her, his bare chest on full display. Y/N tries her best to keep her eyes on Steve’s face, but still can’t help herself from sneaking a peek. After all, Steve is her boyfriend.
“I was a lifeguard and a swimmer, remember? If anyone should check this out, it should be me.” Worry fills Y/N’s body then. No. They almost lost Max. What if they lose Steve too? Noticing the worry on her face, Steve sighs. “I’ll be back soon, alright? I promise. I’ll be okay.” He whispers, squeezing her hand. Y/N can tell from Steve’s eyes he’s not even sure that’s true. Because that’s what their life is now. Fighting supernatural monsters and hoping they make it back safely. This time is no different. Before Y/N can say anything else, Steve bends down, softly kissing her lips. Y/N’s eyes widen. Steve’s hands wrap around her shoulders, and he pulls her close as Y/N kisses him back, savouring it as if it’s the last time she’ll ever kiss him.
Because deep down, Y/N knows this could be the last time she ever sees Steve. And that thought scares her more than anything. Even more than this creep Vecna.
Despite how cold Steve’s shirtless body is, she can still feel an inner warmth radiating from him as he holds her close. And even though she still thinks he’s being kind of stupid by going to find the gate by himself, that’s what Steve Harrington is. He’s warm, he’s brave, and he’s going to help save the world once again. Steve’s warm embrace makes Y/N feel more comfortable, and her anxieties start to fade away, if only a little. Sometimes, Y/N swears she could stay in Steve’s embrace forever, safe from the weight of the world and the monsters trying to destroy it. When Steve pulls apart from her, Y/N comes crashing back down to earth, and she realises that she can’t stay there forever. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.” Steve presses a kiss to her forehead and jumps off the boat into the dark waters below. Hopefully, he’s right.
A silence falls on the others in the boat as Y/N peers down into the water, trying to see if she can somehow spot Steve in the water below. Her leg bounces anxiously as her eyes scan the water, trying to spot either Steve, or the glow of the gate. She can’t see anything, and her anxiety continues to grow.
“He’s gonna be alright Y/N.” Nancy reassures her, and Y/N can hear Robin and Eddie agreeing with her. Nancy wraps an arm around Y/N’s shoulders. As she glances over at her, Y/N can see the fear on Nancy’s face. Even though they broke up, Y/N knows that Nancy still has a lot of love in her heart for Steve. And although Y/N would be lying if she said she wasn’t worried about Steve going back to Nancy, she can’t blame Nancy for feeling that way. You never forget your first love.
“Yeah! I hardly know him, but he seems really brave. Stupid, but brave…shit sorry, that’s not helping, is it?” Eddie hisses. Y/N turns to Eddie, giving him a smile. Even if Eddie doesn’t think he’s helping, she still appreciates the support. The group stays huddled together on the boat, waiting for Steve to return. Suddenly, the water around the boat ripples, and Steve’s head pops up. Y/N breathes an enormous sigh of relief.
He’s back, and he’s safe. They’re going to be okay.
“We were right! T-There’s a gate, and-” Steve’s cut off as he disappears under the water again.
“Steve!” Y/N gasps. Almost immediately, his head pops back up.
“There’s something here! It’s got my leg, it’s-” He disappears again. When his head reappears, Y/N springs forward, reaching out for Steve before he can disappear again, despite the pleas of everyone else. To Y/N, they all sound like background noise. All she cares about is keeping Steve safe, just like keeps her safe every day. Y/N grabs Steve’s hand, trying with all her might to pull him out of the water and back onto the boat. Y/N braces her feet, trying to stand as strong and sturdy as a rock. However, whatever has Steve is stronger than them both, and it starts pulling them both back towards the water. Despite her efforts not to, Y/N’s feet start to move.
“Shit!” She hisses.
“Guys, come on! Help her pull!” Robin yells. But whatever’s got Steve is too fast. It pulls Steve back under, too quickly for Y/N to let go. And so, Y/N’s pulled off the boat too. She takes a deep breath, holding it as she disappears under the water with Steve, trying to give them both the best chance for survival. In the chaos and yelling voices, she recognises Steve reaching out for her, wrapping his arms around her body. He’s keeping her safe, even now.
As their bodies sink rapidly, Steve and Y/N hold onto each other, each gripping the others body like they’re a lifeline. Y/N tries her best to keep her grip on Steve, despite him being pulled down quicker than she can handle. Kicking her legs, she pulls Steve back to safety as hard as she can. As she strains, she feels Steve slipping from her grasp more and more. Reaching out into the darkness, she grabs Steve’s hand once more, continuing to try and pull them both back to the surface. Y/N can sense the creature, or whatever’s holding Steve, is getting angry, as its pulls grow stronger, yanking both her and Steve deeper and deeper into the lake.
The water grows darker the more they sink, and soon Y/N is straining to see most of her arms and legs, let alone Steve. Even though her eyes are burning and she can barely see, she holds onto the one constant she has: Steve’s hand. She pulls and strains with all her might against whatever is holding onto him, trying her best to save the boy who’s saved her too many times to count. Her legs kick furiously, and Y/N pulls so hard that she doesn’t even care that her arms are aching, or that she’s getting increasingly more tired. If her uncomfortableness and pain will save Steve, then she just has to deal with it.
But despite Y/N’s efforts, the thing still holding Steve is too strong for her, and he starts to slip out of her grasp once more. Y/N tries her best to hold on tight, but she can’t. With one last pull by the thing holding Steve, she loses her grasp on his hand, and he disappears into the depths below.
“Steve!” she screams, her voice coming out as silent bubbles as the last of her saved breath is released. Y/N’s throat burns as she screams and as the lake water rushes into her mouth. Y/N doesn’t care about that, though. Her mind races.
She let him go.
That thing could have taken Steve anywhere, and it’s all her fault.
Because she let him go.
What if he dies? What if she never sees him again?
No. That can’t happen, and she won’t let it happen. Overrun with guilt and a desire to save her boyfriend, Y/N starts to swim in the direction that Steve went.
Her legs kick rapidly as she pushes herself through the water, using up the last of her adrenaline and swimming the fastest she ever has in her life. Y/N can feel her legs and arms burning, but she doesn’t care. Steve is the most important person in her life, and she’ll find him, even if she dies trying. As Y/N continues to swim, the water gets darker. With it, her anxiety grows. If something was to reach out and grab her just like it did with Steve, she wouldn’t notice. Despite this, she soldiers on, even though she knows that her body and mind just want to go to sleep, and that soon she’ll run out of time. Things brush against her arms and legs, things she can’t identify. It’s scary, but her love for Steve overrides everything. Y/N can feel herself getting more tired, and her lack of oxygen is catching up to her, but she still keeps swimming…although her pace is starting to waver, and she can see dark spots in her vision. Ones that she knows aren’t because of the darkness of the water. By the time she sees the familiar red glow of a gate emanating from the bottom of the lake, Y/N is exhausted. With one last push, she swims towards it.
And then something grabs her leg, wrapping around it tightly. This must’ve been what grabbed Steve. Y/N tries to untangle her leg, but she’s too weak. Just as she grabs whatever has her leg, another wraps around her arm, and then another wraps round her other leg. She tries to swim away, hoping the force pulls her away from whatever this thing is, but she’s too tired, and whatever’s holding her is too strong. In all honesty, by this point Y/N's ready to go to sleep for a while.
“I’m sorry Steve.” She whispers. And then, Y/N’s eyes drift shut, and her body is pulled into the gate.
“Y/N, have you ever thought about getting outta here?” Steve asks. Y/N frowns.
“Out of work?” Steve laughs, the same laugh she’s heard so many times ever since she and Steve started dating. The same laugh that Y/N swears she falls in love with every time she hears it.
“I mean out of Hawkins.” Steve answers. Y/N sighs.
“Honestly, I’d love to leave this place when everything is over. I just don’t know if it will ever be over.” She sighs. Steve wraps his arms around her waist, pulling her back close to him. He presses a kiss to her temple, and Y/N can’t help a smile from crossing her lips.
“Y/N. I don’t know when, but this nightmare will end. We’ll get as far away from this place as possible. Maybe a road trip to California or Florida. Somewhere warm, where we can start fresh and spend almost everyday on the beach. We’ll have our own place, right on the beach, and you’ll wake up to this handsome face every day too.” He teases. “Sounds good, right?”
“Mmm…that sounds great. Like a dream come true.” Y/N murmurs. Steve spins her around, pressing a soft kiss to her lips.
“In that case, I promise I’ll make it happen for us Y/N.” He smiles.
Y/N knows she’s dreaming. She had that conversation with Steve months ago, even before Vecna showed up. But now, she wonders if her mind is just showing her the happy times before she slips away forever. The life they could’ve lived. The life that they should’ve had. And she didn’t even get to say goodbye to Steve properly.
Yet, as the dream fades, Y/N recognises other noises. “Y/N! Y/N! Please, wake up.” The same voice begs. Only this time, she recognises it. Steve. He’s alive. She’s alive.
Her eyes flutter open, and she sees Steve peering down at her. Once Steve realises she’s awake, a huge grin takes over his face, and he wipes his eyes. “Oh, thank god!” He exclaims..
“Steve…w-where are we?” Y/N murmurs. Steve quickly pulls her into his arms, squeezing her tightly.
“Wait, not so fast! She’s been out for a while, and you’re still hurt, Steve!” Robin calls, but Steve ignores her, continuing to hold onto Y/N. His body shakes, and Y/N can tell he’s crying softly.
“Robin? What are you doing…w-wait, you’re hurt?” Y/N asks, her voice still a weak murmur as she tries to come to terms with what happened.
“We’re in the upside down.” Steve explains. “Don’t worry about me. It’s nothing.” He shrugs. “The tentacle things brought us both here, and they tried attacking us while you were out. I got hurt a few times, but the others helped.” He gestures around the group, and Y/N sees Robin, Nancy and Eddie staring back at her, all looking just as relieved as Steve.
“Y/N, he fucking bit into a bat that was trying to kill you. It was so metal. Very Ozzy.” Eddie gushes.
“Very what?” Steve frowns, and Y/N can’t stop herself from giggling, although it makes her cough a little. “Hey, hey. Don’t strain yourself, alright? Don’t want you getting hurt.” Steve soothes, tightening his grip on her.
“It was metal what you did too, Y/N, don’t get me wrong!” Eddie grins. “You grabbed Steve and tried to pull him back onto the boat with no hesitation, even though that monster was trying to pull you both under.”
“Well, it sure did that.” Y/N scoffs, and Steve chuckles.
“Forgive me for sounding cheesy, but what you two did for each other? That’s true love material right there.” Eddie continues. Y/N and Steve look back at each other, smiling.
“I guess it is, huh?” Steve chuckles. His eyes are full of tears, gratitude…and love. He presses a kiss to Y/N’s lips once more. “I love you so much.” He whispers. “I’m never letting you go, and I’ll never let anything hurt you ever again.”
