Robin watched Steve as he worked on his lyrics, "you keep working on that song, are you ever going to finish it?"

Steve smiled, nodding softly. "I'll finish it Robin I swear it. I know my mother was a muse but, I don't feel any inspiration right now… do you?"

Robin crossed her arms, there was little inspiration for many. There was too much devastation going on in their world. There was more darkness than light, more evil than good. Steve was trying to write a song to put things back together, but it certainly wasn't easy. He was trying to find a reason to be happy again.

He had a few friends, and those who cared about him greatly but there was something missing.

Robin and Steve were walking side by side through the woods when they came across a group of familiar faces, as Steve laid his eyes upon one of them however his heart burst and his inspiration looked him right back.

"Harrington?"

"Munson, I see you and my young companion are friends." Steve looked towards Dustin. Dustin smiled and waved happily at him. El looked up with a soft smile, many people knew she was part of the reason the world was this way.

Vecna was awaiting her return, they were siblings of sorts but they lived very different lives. Many people had joined Vecna in the upside down. Many people believed it was a better safer place, they worked for food and safety but Vecna was angry. He wanted everyone to join him.

"Eddie, could we talk for a moment?" Steve asked growing closer, Robin was close behind him but stayed back knowing she wasn't going to be able to help be a wing woman until later. Eddie narrowed his eyes but nodded, stepping back into the woods with Steve.

"What is it you want? I have mouths to feed with those kids, I starve so they can eat. Have you ever lived the way I live?"

Steve looked him up and down, food was hard to come by nowadays. Hell a lot of things were hard to come by but all he wanted was to hold Eddie. To keep him fed and keep him warm. "I could help you, I want to help you and you could help me."

"How could I help you?" Eddie asked, narrowing his eyes. He wanted to believe Steve, wanted to be with Steve but they lived very different lives. Steve was the child of a muse and a prince. Eddie didn't even have half the life he did and Steve was struggling in this world too. Food was hard to come by, but Steve had himself to worry about.

"I'm writing a song, a song to put the world back to how it was. You, well when I saw you my world was set right again. I saw the lyrics coming into place, I just need some help. I need you to help me."

"How can I help you write your song?" Eddie mused watching him carefully.

Steve took Eddie's hands in his own and inched himself closer to the boys face. "You can marry me."

"Are you always this forward big boy?" Eddie asked curiously, stepping closer to him. Robin shrugged to him with a soft nod, Eddie smiled and looked Steve in the eyes. "How can I marry you, where would we find a ring.. Where would we find a place to live?"

"I'll keep you sheltered, I'll keep you warm, I'll keep you fed."

Eddie smiled softly, he really liked the idea. He hoped he could keep their vows, he had been thinking about what it was like to have a warm meal again, to have someone to keep him warm. Steve smiled and brought their lips together. Eddie couldn't help but love him, the idea of having their world back to normal again was something he couldn't pass up. The idea that Steve saw him as the key to bringing light back to them was everything. Eddie kissed him back lovingly. Robin smiled watching them carefully, she was glad to see Steve find his own muse. To have his inspiration back.

Steve and Eddie returned to the group hand in hand. Dustin narrowed his eyes at Steve. "You're taking him from us?"

"No, you're welcome to see him whenever you'd like, but he's mine now."

Eddie blushed a bit, he had hope in Steve's song. Had hope he would love him and care for him. They would be wed, and he could not wait to see what his song would do to save him.

"Robin, will you wed us?" Steve asked, smiling at her. Robin nodded, accepting his request. It was simple and good. Steve made Eddie a flower crown as a wedding band for now. He would prove he could provide for them. They were wed under the red sun, heat bearing down on them but it was enough for them.

It was enough for Steve.

The two worked together to try and write his song, but Steve wanted to work alone for a moment.

Eddie sat back working on a fire and finding food, to him that was the most important part. He needed the food, he needed to provide too. Steve was working on the song and he was working on the fire. "You'll come back to me won't you?" Eddie asked softly as Steve headed off towards the woods to think.

"I will always come back for you," Steve promised, kissing him lovingly cupping his cheeks in his hands. "I will always come back for you Eddie."

Eddie blushed softly and kissed him back, he needed to be strong for Steve. As he looked for berries or anything to hunt he heard a storm rolling in, dark clouds and red lightning. He was worried, that meant one thing.

El had returned early with Vecna for the months she had promised to spend with him before she returned to the overworld to take care of her friends. Eddie hid away from the storm trying to protect himself from the red lightning that was taking over. He knew what came out in the storms, creatures of Vecna's armies.

That was when he saw a man coming out of the woods, no not a man.

A demon.

Vecna smiled looking him over. "Where is he? If you are his muse why did he leave you alone to work, shouldn't his muse be with him?" Eddie shivered as he inched closer. "El has told me you've kept her safe. I think she needs a friend with her while she sits by my side." A flash of lightning startled Eddie and he fell back against the trees. "Join me in the upside down Eddie and I will protect you, keep you warm. Keep you fed. He promised you things he has not provided. You have to trust your gut Eddie. Why wait and hope he can protect you when you could come with me, and you know I'll be able to keep you safe."

"I love him." Eddie said with a whine, but his stomach did growl. He was shaking from the cold of the storm. "I love Steve."

"You can still love him and come with me, you can keep yourself alive for him. He's left you out in this storm to work on his song, I will keep you for him."

Eddie thought for a moment, while he thought Robin was walking through the woods, she stopped and watched him from the side of a tree. She would not step in, this was not her choice to make. "For Steve.. I want to stay alive for him. I love him. Maybe he will write his song faster if I'm not around to bother him."

Vecna sneered and three bat-like creatures came closer to Eddie. Eddie's eyes grew wide. "What are those…"

"Your ticket to the upside down."

"Are they going to kill me?" Eddie squeaked, shaking. He couldn't run, there was nowhere to go.

"They're going to free you." Vecna laughed as the bats came down to attack him.

"Steve!" Eddie screamed as the creatures flocked to him sucking on his blood, biting him and finally killing him. Robin shook her head in sadness, Eddie didn't know freedom came at such a dangerous cost. She continued to walk through the woods when she was nearly run over by Steve.

"Eddie, Eddie where is he?" Steve asked concern flowing off of him. "Where is he?"

"What do you care, you left him alone. Your muse as you called him." Robin asked, crossing her arms. "If you really cared, why did you leave him be?"

Steve gulped and frowned. "Where is he?"

"Upside down." Robin remarked, looking him over sadly. "There is a way to follow him, you know. There is. Would you be willing to follow him through to the darkness? It won't be an easy trip."

"Yes, I'd follow him anywhere. I love him, I know he wouldn't have done this without a reason. Or.. or he was forced into it Robin, I need to save him. How do I get there without.. Without dying?"

"There is a way, fitting really. Through Lovers Lake. You've got to just keep going. Would you do that for Eddie? Would you be willing to trek through death for him? Trek through the darkness?"

"I would do anything for him," Steve replied, adjusting his lute on his back. "I should have never left his side, this is my fault."

Robin took his hand in her own. "I can lead you to the gate of Lovers Lake, but I cannot get you any further."

"You've always been there to help me." Steve said smiling. "You're a good friend Robin."

"Be a better lover." Robin said softly as she dragged him towards the lake. "I can't help you save him, but you need to remember this is your job as his. You need to do whatever you can to save him."

Steve nodded, he worked the boat out onto the lake and rowed. Robin pointed into the lake. "There, through the gate. Walk until you come across his home, its broken but you must keep going till you make it there. Stop when you reach the clock."

Steve hugged her before diving into the lake, he swam down and down until he pulled himself through the supposed gate. He landed awkwardly but within the upside down. It was clear to him then that all the ideas of it being a good and safe place were nothing but lies. Steve trudged through the evil, he needed to find his lover. His muse.

Eddie was watching the sky, it was worse than the right side up. He was 'caged'. He was to be El's friend in the upside down which he was at least thankful for, he could still feel the bites from the creatures Vecna used to kill him. However the bites were not really there. Just phantom trauma from his earthly death.

"El…" Eddie whispered, sitting beside her. "Steve.. Is.. is he ever going to see me again?"

"I don't know.. I'm sorry." She replied. Vecna was 'feeding' taking the souls of people who wanted a better life. Eddie shook as he watched a twisted corpse of a friend within the vines. He recognized another friend, someone they'd lost a few years ago, but he had been one of the lucky ones. Actually working for Vecna as a guard dog.

"It's worse here, you didn't tell us."

"I was told I couldn't tell, I know friends don't lie… but he said he would kill you all." El replied, patting his shoulder. "I'm sorry."

Billy paced in front of them, they were his to protect, he couldn't let anyone pass.

Steve continued to make his way towards the crypt Vecna called home, as he worked his way through he saw the tall vine-like structures that entrapped the souls of those who believed Vecna would save them and raise them up. Steve's quick pace became a run, he feared one of them was Eddie.

As he continued to run closer to the house he saw the floating clock. He stopped to watch it, but time here seemed to stop, there were no moving hands. That was when he saw Billy, his veins were black, his eyes dark. The friend in Billy they all had was replaced with the darkness from Vecna and the creatures of the upside down. Billy noticed him coming near and stood his ground.

Eddie looked up and his heart began to beat quickly. Steve had come back for him, he kept his promise. He reached out for him but El grabbed it. "Don't anger him."

"El, he is my husband. I love him."

"You've got to stay safe. This is safe."

"It's all a lie El, friends don't lie."

"He is like papa…" She muttered. "I just can't lose you."

Eddie hugged her softly, she adjusted his flower crown and smiled. "I will try and save you." She promised. Eddie smiled thankful for her, he stayed still for the time being but knew when he got the chance he would run to Steve.

Billy didn't budge as Steve made his way closer. "Don't take a step closer." He growled, crossing his arms. "Eddie belongs to Vecna and El. I am to protect what belongs to them."

"Billy it's me." Steve whined holding his arms out to show he was no threat.

"I have to do my job, regardless. So I suggest you turn back before you end up like one of them." Billy pointed towards the rows of bodies that led to their chairs before Vecna's home. "He will be coming and he won't be happy."

Steve didn't budge, Eddie was his and he wouldn't be leaving without him. Billy and Steve watched one another but any fighting that could be done was stopped by Vecna returning from his feeding. "Who is this?" Vecna asked, he could tell he wasn't dead. "Ah, is this your singer?"

Eddie nodded looking towards Steve with desire and fear. "Please don't hurt him." Eddie begged.

"I suggest you leave, he's El's companion." Vecna watched Steve stand before them.

"I don't need a friend." El said, standing up carefully. She made her way towards Vecna. "He spent all this time coming to save him. Let him go, let them both go. He is alive. He came to the land of the dead for Eddie. Let them go."

Vecna looked down at El, despite all the bad she had done to him such as sending him to this place she had saved him. She gave him the power. "Fine, but."

"But?"

"You must tell me why you deserve to leave this place with him. Why do you desire to save his life."

"I love Eddie, Eddie is the stars to my night. The sun of my day. Eddie is my world, I promised him I would always come back to him and I won't be breaking that promise. I want to keep him warm when it is cold. I want to hold his hand when he grows scared. I want to shield him from the storms that ravage our skies. He is everything to me, the inspiration to my songs, the reason I want to bring the world back to normal."

Eddie was blushing profusely. Vecna looked down at El who was nodding at him, she took his hand in her own. Human and monster hand in hand for the sake of two lovers. "I will accept the answer you gave."

Eddie raced from the spot beside their fake thrones. Steve picked Eddie up and spun him around kissing him carefully. He held him close to his body, he was going to shield him from the evil of this world and the one above. "Thank you." Steve mouthed to El. El nodded to her friends. She would see them in a few months.

"Now, you may leave, however." Vecna smiled looking between the couple, Steve held Eddie tight to himself. "You cannot walk hand in hand, you must walk in a line. If you turn back before you reach the gate, well, Eddie returns to me as El's playmate while she is by my side. He will stand with Billy while she is gone. He won't be killed I can assure you of that, but the next time you will see Eddie will be when you too are dead."

Steve held Eddie's hand tightly. "This feels like a trap, a trick."

"It's only a test. If you truly deserve Eddie, you will keep walking. Now turn around. Start walking, Eddie will be right behind you."

Eddie felt Steve plant a kiss on his temple before he turned, he began to walk. He pulled his lute from his back hoping that Eddie would follow his music, as Vecna heard the tune he felt his darkness dissipating bit by bit. The tune reminded him of his childhood, the parts he loved and enjoyed, but he could not budge. He nearly had the whole world in his hands, but whatever Steve had been working on was saving the boy trapped inside the hideous creature he had become.

Note after note.

Eddie hugged El once more, kissing her forehead. "Thank you El, you're a real friend." El smiled and adjusted his flower crown one more time before pointing towards Steve's frame in the short distance. All Eddie had to do was follow.

Steve kept walking, and kept playing his music. "Eddie…" Steve spoke, but he heard no voice in return, he feared Vecna had lied to him, that he had kept Eddie while he walked. All they had to do was reach the gate, all they needed to do was keep going. "Eddie, I will always love you."

"I'm right behind you," Eddie shouted following him closely, a spark of lightning and some swooping bats startled Eddie but he kept following him. Steve chose him as his muse. Steve chose him as inspiration to save the world.

" Would he trick me ?" Steve questioned as he kept walking. " Would he keep my husband and send me away? Why can't I turn around ?"

Steve needed to know if he was there, he needed to know if he had lied to him, but how could he turn around when they were so close. As another flash of lighting hit the ground beside him he heard no screams and he knew Eddie feared the red storms, but he was in fact wrong. Eddie had cried out, but he just hadn't heard it due to the loud thunder that rolled.

He turned determined to go back and save Eddie, really save him and not leave him behind but their eyes met and his world came crashing down.

"Eddie… it.. I.. I thought he tricked me."

"I love you Steve." Eddie whispered as he felt himself fading away. Steve went to run back to Vecna's home but he shot upright in the boat looking Robin in the eyes.

"You didn't save him?"

"I… I messed up.. I love him so much but I… I lost him.. I didn't trust Vecna and I lost him.."

"He loves you," Robin assured him, "keep writing that song for him and maybe one day you'll save him." She cupped his cheeks. "Maybe one day you'll save him."

"I love him, and I will always come back for him… I should have never left his side."

"We make mistakes, some we can't turn back from, but we can keep going… keep going for those we love. Keep going for Eddie. He knows you love him, he knows you do."

"Robin, I messed up so bad.. He's there.. And I'm here."

"He's by your side, always will be. Even when you can't see him, he will always be there to love you. Every step you take, take it for him. Every lyric you sing and play, play it for him. He will know you are doing it for him, he will know as long as you continue."

Steve held his lyre in his hands, he would continue to work on his song to bring his lover back to him, to bring light back to their world. He only needed to remember his face, his voice, and his lips on his own.

Eddie was his muse and his inspiration and that would never change.