𝐁𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐕𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚 - 𝐒.𝐇 (𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬)

𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐁𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐩𝐭. 𝐭𝐰𝐨

Nancy found it strange when she saw Steve and Lea walking to the laundry room with her bed sheets. They stopped in the middle of the hallway where she stood with a confused look on her face.

"Period." Lea shrugged and nodded towards the bedsheets in her arms. "Sorry." She smiled and continued walking. Steve smiled awkwardly at her and followed his girlfriend.

She sighed and rolled her eyes when she realized what was really going on and grimaced.

That night, Steve and Lea slept in the basement on the couch next to Dustin who teased them relentlessly because of how long they were gone.

The next morning, Lea sat in between Lucas and Dustin on the couch watching her boyfriend pace in front of her while reading the articles that the girls had found the night before.

"Okay, be honest. Uh... you guys understand any of this?" He asked.

"No," Lucas answered quickly.

Lea sighed and sat back while Dustin answered. "Pretty straightforward." He told the older boy.

Steve stopped pacing and looked at him. "Oh, pretty straightforward, really?"

"What's confusing to you?" He asked. "So far everyone Vecna has cursed had died, except for this old Victor Creel dude Nancy found. He's the only known survivor. If anyone knows how to beat this curse, it's him."

Steve placed his hand on his hip. "Yeah, that's assuming that he was cursed, Henderson, which we don't even know." He rubbed his forehead. "How can Vecna have existed in the '50s? It doesn't make sense."

Lea sat forward. "We'll, we don't know that El created the Upside Down. All we really know is that she opened the gate." She nodded. Steve looked up at her. "The Upside down has probably existed for hundreds- thousands of years." She shrugged.

Dustin nodded along. "I wouldn't be surprised if it predated dinosaurs." Steve furrowed his eyebrows and waved his hands.

"Wha- dinosaurs? What are we-"

"Okay." Lucas started. "But if a gate didn't exist in the 50s, how did Vecna get through."

"We'll-" Lea was cut off.

"Oh, and how's he getting through now?" Steve pointed at Lucas.

"Maybe-"

"And why now?" Lucas asked.

Dustin rolled his eyes at the cocky attitude Steve had as he asked questions. "And why then? Just pops out in the 50s, kills one family and he's like 'I'm good.' and poof he just disappears. Just... gone?" Steve wiggled his fingers making the corners of his girlfriend's mouth turn up a bit. "Only to return 30 years later and start killing random teens?" He looked back down at the paper. "No, I don't buy it." He shook his head. "Straightforward, my ass. Honestly, Henderson, a little humility now and then, wouldn't hurt you."

The blonde girl glared at Steve as Dustin apologized quietly. He shrugged and sat down in the recliner. She didn't sleep the night before so she laid her head on Dustin's shoulder and sighed. "Don't be sorry, Dusty. His panties are in a twist today." She said with a smirk, glancing at him and winking.

The Harrington boy rolled his eyes but smiled nonetheless. Lea lifted her head from his shoulder when he leaned over to look at Max who was sitting at the desk writing. "Any idea why she's writing?" He asked. "Did she sleep?"

Lucas looked at him. "I mean, would you?" He asked.

The door to the basement opened and Robin and Nancy came down with smiles on their faces. Lea smiled too, not knowing why.