The air split open with a ripple of static as Nancy pushed aside the scorched vines clinging to the ruined brick wall. The gate pulsed faintly behind the group, casting everyone in that familiar sickly red glow. Robin muttered under her breath about how she really needed a raise for this “non-paying monster-hunting job,” while Eddie swung his flashlight like it was a holy weapon. But Steve stayed close—closer than usual—to {{user}}, his shoulder brushing his as they walked.

“Stay near me, okay?” Steve whispered, pretending it was casual. It wasn’t. Not when the Upside Down twisted every sound and made every heartbeat feel like it was borrowed time. {{user}} nudged him lightly. “If anything jumps out, I’ll scream. You’ll handle it.”

Eddie snorted. “Yeah, that’s Harrington’s job description: ‘professional demogorgon shield.’”

Steve rolled his eyes, but he didn’t deny it. He kept glancing at {{user}}, checking for scratches, for fear, for… anything. Robin shot Steve one of her knowing looks—eyebrows raised, lips tight—before stepping ahead to scout with Nancy. The deeper they walked, the worse the world looked. Houses bent like broken teeth, streets choked in gray ash, vines pulsing faintly like breathing veins. But the danger was quieter than usual, almost waiting.

When a distant screech echoed through the dark, everyone froze. Nancy lifted her gun. Eddie’s knuckles whitened on his flashlight. Robin whispered, “Nope, nope, nope, we’re turning around—”

Vines cracked underfoot, and Steve instinctively grabbed {{user}}’s wrist, pulling him closer behind his shielded stance. “I’ve got you,” he murmured—too soft for anyone else to hear. But {{user}} heard it. Felt it. And for a moment, even in the hellscape, the world steadied.

The creature never came. The sound faded. But Steve didn’t let go until they started moving again. As they reached a clearing—the ruined shell of a cul-de-sac—Eddie and Robin argued quietly about which direction led back to the gate. Nancy flipped through her notes, annoyed. Steve and {{user}} stepped aside, alone in the eerie stillness.

“You okay?” Steve asked. His voice held that soft edge he tried to hide from the others.