The Dive, Part 5

3rd Person's POV

There was something about the two of them, it took them back to being in middle school. It took them back to a time when things were simpler.

With the newfound warmth his hand provided her, she walked with him in a comfortable silence.

They walked past a final few trees only to come across lover's lake.

"I don't see a gate," Valerie frowned, as she scanned the area, "and I certainly don't see our incompetent friends either."

"Would you quit staring at me?" She looked at him, finally noticing his gaze on her. He'd actually been quiet since they got here.

"You know, I've seen two people die so far, right in front of me. I didn't do shit about it. I kept running away. You were this close to being the third,"

"Eddie-"

"so I'm sorry if it bothers you," He follows their connected hands, tugging himself closer to her, "but don't expect me to be taking my eyes off of you anytime soon. I barely just got you back."

"When have you ever been sorry about bothering me?"

"That's not fair." He grabbed one of her braids, twirling it around his fingers.

"What's... not?"

Valerie cursed internally.

Now where was this nervousness coming from?

"You're kinda hot when you get angry."

It was downright unfair, the way goosebumps appeared on the skin his fingers traced over; as he went from playing with her hair, to her neck, and finally cupping her jaw.

And if Eddie knew this was the way to catch her off guard, he would have done so a long time ago. Those beautiful eyes of hers were wide open, he managed to make her tongue tied for once.

He was getting back at her, for all the times she made him feel this way. And she didn't even have to do anything.

Her heart was beating so fucking fast; why was he coming closer? Why was he leaning down? Why was he focused solely towards her parted lips? Why did he look at her like that.

She couldn't help it, it made her look at his too. He had the audacity to smirk at her, and she knew, she was so fucked.

But there was still that small, stubborn part inside of her, refusing to give in.

She slowly raised her arm and put it against his chest, in hopes of pushing him away. Instead it just stayed there. The pathetic attempt melted away as fast as it came, when she felt the heat seeping through his t-shirt and onto her hand.

Flashes of waking up on that very chest crossed her mind, as if it wasn't bad enough already.

He was close enough to feel the shaky breath she just let out. He wanted to be closer.

He wanted to feel her lips again, preferably with his own this time. But he was dying to run his thumb over them first, reminiscent of the night he first felt them. And he was just about to.

"See I told you it would lead to lover's lake!"

She pushed him away so hard, and so fast it made him stumble back.

Valerie wanted to drown herself in the lake and never come back.

Eddie wanted nothing more than to squeeze the life out of Steve Harrington.

"Hey guys!" Dustin waved at them, the rest of the crew behind him, "I don't think I've seen you in braids since you were in.... middle school?"

"Yeah I was, um, feeling nostalgic." Valerie muttered. She refused to even look at Eddie.

"Why are you out of breath?" Robin asked.

"I witnessed a murder, ran away from the crime scene, almost got murdered myself and also, it was a long fucking walk here alright?" Valerie crossed her arms over her chest.

"Okay, jeez." Robin out her arms up in surrender.

"There's a gate in lover's lake?" Max got to the point.

"Whenever the demogorgon attacked, it always left an opening. Maybe Vecna's the same way." Nancy shrugged her shoulders.

"Yeah, only one way to find out." Steve said.

They got the boat from Rick's shed and carried it to the edge of the lake.

Robin, with the support of Eddie and Steve's shoulders, got into the boat first. Eddie got in next.

"Wheeler." He extended his hand to Nancy, who took it muttering a small 'thanks'.

Was that, a teeny tiny, perhaps, pang of jealousy? That Valerie just felt? Nah.

He offered his hand to Valerie, she of course didn't take it. She got in by herself.

Dustin was about to get in next, but Valerie and Eddie both stopped him in his tracks.

"Where do you think you're going?" Valerie raised an eyebrow.

"Are you trying to sink us? This thing holds four people tops, okay?" Eddie said.

"It's better this way. You guys stay here with Max. Keep an eye out for trouble." Nancy tried convincing him.

"You keep an eye out." Dustin squinted his eyes at her, "It's my goddamn theory."

"You heard Nance." Robin said.

"Who put her in charge?"

"I did." Valerie said.

Steve handed his bag to Dustin, pushed the boat into the water and jumped in last minute.

"You said four!" Dustin looked at them in disbelief.

"Sorry." Steve whispered.

"Bedtime at nine kiddos." Robin yelled at them, successfully receiving a middle finger in the process, "Miss you already!"

Midway through, they stopped paddling.

"Whoa." Steve said, looking at the compass.

"Guys, what's going on? Come on, talk to me?" Dustin spoke through the walkie.

Robin picked it up, "Dustin, your compass has gone from wonky to wonky with a capital 'aah!'"

"What are you doing Steve?" Valerie groaned, already knowing it would result in trouble.

"Somebody's gotta go down and check this out. Unless one of you three can top being a Hawkins High swim co-captain, and a certified lifeguard-"

"Okay we get it, just, go for it." Valerie interrupted him.

"Wow, no complaints? No one's gonna try and stop me?"

Robin and Valerie shook their heads.

"Hey, I'm not complaining. I do not wanna go down there." Eddie said, taking a look at the water.

Steve stood at the edge of the boat, taking his shirt off.

Valerie and Robin could very clearly see Nancy ogling at Steve, they shared an amused smile.

"Here," Eddie wrapped a flashlight in a plastic bag and handed it to Steve, "good luck."

"Thanks." Steve nodded.

Eddie lit a cigarette and held it up to his lips.

It made Valerie mad, was he trying to hint at something?

Robin swatted it away, "Ew, gross."

It made Valerie smile. She loved Robin sometimes.

"Steve, be careful." Meanwhile Nancy and Steve were in a world of their own.

With that he jumped into the water.

"Where we at, Nance?" Valerie asked after a while.

"Closing in on a minute."

"Okay." Robin exclaimed.

Steve surfaced a couple seconds after, with a huge splash.

"Oh, Christ!" Robin screamed out.

"I found it." Steve panted.

"You did?" Valerie asked.

"Yeah." He nodded.

"Dustin you're a goddamn Einstein." Robin spoke into the walkie, "Steve found the gate."

"It's pretty wild." Steve rested his hands over the edge of the boat, "It's more of a snack-size gate than the mama gate, but still, it's pretty damn big."

Steve was suddenly pulled underwater for a second, before he resurfaced. Before anyone had time to say anything he was pulled down again.

"Steve!"

"Fuck!"

"No, no, no!"

They all rushed to the edge all at once, but could find no sign of Steve.

"What the hell was that man?" Eddie yelled.

"What the fuck happened, for fuck's sake." Valerie clutched her hair in frustration.

"Jesus!" Eddie screamed.

Nancy leaned over the surface.

"Wait, wait, wait, you're not going in there are you?" Eddie asked.

"Just wait here." Nancy replied and jumped in, not wasting a second.

"Nancy!" Robin screamed after her.

"Goddamn it!" Eddie groaned, "No, no, she said to wait!"

"Yeah I heard her." Robin said.

"Valerie, fucking say something!" Eddie looked to her.

Valerie looked at Robin and nodded.

"What?"

While Eddie was screaming and losing his mind, Robin jumped in too.

Valerie took off her jacket.

"Nope. Absolutely not, you're not going anywhere," Eddie grabbed her wrist, "Val, y-"

One glare from her made him change his approach.

"Valerie, please. I think you've been through enough for one day."

"I'll be the judge of that." She snatched her wrist away from him.

"Oh really?" He put his hand on his hips, "You don't even know how to swim."

Valerie paused, "I'll just... drown to the bottom. Shut up."

"Are you diving for Steve, or are you only diving to get away from me? Because I promise I'll be so quiet you'll forget I'm even- god fucking dammit."

He kicked the edge from where Valerie leaped off, "This is so stupid. This is so so stupid. Shit. Shit."

He took a few deep breaths and sighed, before deciding to jump in as well.

"Damn you, Henderson."

[A/N: You all better appreciate me for this chapter. I am sacrificing my sleep for this shit. Anyways, ly.]