#The slanderification of one William Hargrove

[starlightshadowsworld]

I know that Steve loses his crown but I love playing with the concept that he doesn't.

That King Steve doesn't fall despite fundamentally changing.

If anything Steve becomes more likable.

A nerd walks into him and drops his books and is frantically apologising.

Steve simply kneels down, picks the books up and and hands em over to the dumbfounded kid.

He walks away before they can get a word out.

Steve continues to hang around with Nancy but he also bumps shoulders with Jonathan.

He pulls silly poses for photos and is seen listening intently when the other rambles.

He's completely lost but there's not a shred of annoyance on his face.

Steve remains on the swim and basketball teams, he brings snacks and give tips to those struggling.

Even offering to practice with them before games/ swim meets if they want.

They improve and are suprised when he doesn't ask for anything in return.

A game finishes late and Steve offers to drive some of the girls back. Nancy always goes with him when he does.

It becomes a routine.

He doesn't throw parties anymore but he's let kids who've partied to hard to crash in his guest room.

He once practically dragged one of his team mates back with him, hand on hip insisting they couldn't be in school in this state.

And Steve doesn't care for his popularity. He's doing these things because they feel right to him.

He wants to change, to be better than he was and he is.

And than Billy shows up to take his crown.

With Tommy and Carol backing him.

Steve doesn't pay him any mind, he doesn't care about his so called crown.

So Billy's basically won.

Except he hasn't.

Because everyone follows Steve's lead.

This is Steve Harrington, this is the guy who broke Jonathan Byers's camera and got his ass handed him.

The same guy who Jonathan has clearly forgiven and are more often than not arguing over top 40 hits in the cafeteria.

Nancy dumped him and she's still a close and good friend of his.

This is Steve who applauds when Eddie's making his lunch time call outs.

Getting a thrilled dramatic bow from the self appointed jester.

The guy who is seen time after time herding middle schoolers around like a stressed out mother of 7.

If Steve is looking at the new guy with contempt, rolling his eyes in an effort to look unbothered but is clearly holding back rage.

... Yeah everyone takes a hard left on that one.

And they're proven right.

Billy may act charismatic but he's an absolute asshole to anyone who he views a beneath him.

And anyone on the basketball team can tell you he plays dirty.

And he absolutely has it out for Steve.

Pushing him down, knocking him into his locker.

But through it all Steve doesn't fight back.

He gets bitchy about it but he never takes the bait.

And stops anyone else from trying to get between them.

Eddie once was snout to deliver the absolute verbal equivalent of a throat punch to Billy on his lunch time rants after the guy started talking shit to Steve.

Steve made eye contact with him and shook his head, eyes pleading Eddie not to.

Eddie made a show of huffing, he tried not to worry about the sheer relief on Steve's face.

It all goes to shit when Steve ends up stumbling into school one morning.

Looking beat to hell and back.

And with Jonathan shooting him worried looks, everyone knows it wasn't a round 2 between them.

Nancy looks pissed which is absolutely terrifying.

No one puts the pieces together until Billy trips Steve over in the hall.

"You forgot to plant your feet, amigo."

He walks off with a smirk.

But Steve doesn't get up.

Jonathan drops to his knees, beside him. "Steve? Steve! Hey, hey you good with me bud." Lightly shaking him.

Nancy was right behind him, getting a pen torch from her bag. "Did he hit his head again...."

Both exchanged worry looks.

"Ugh..." Said Steve, shutting his eyes at the bright light.

"Steve" said Nancy, relieved. Jonathan sighing softly.

"Nance... Jonathan?..." Asked Steve, squinting at them. "Why am I on the floor?"

"Billy tripped you, you fell." Explained Jonathan.

"I did? Why am I on the floor?" His confusion was worrying them and the small crowd around them.

"Yeah... I'll get the nurse.." Said Eddie, speed walking away.

"Steve you have a concussion, why did you come here today?" Asked Nancy, confused. Steve hummed for a few months, snapping his fingers when it figuratively hit him.

"Didn't wanna miss the debate teams match." He said with a nod, before frowning in pain.

"Wait... What?" Asked one of the members, who was also part of the basketball team.

"Yeah, yeah Gavin looked nervous so I wanted to come and see him. I was gonna bake cookies but than, Billy kicked my arse and the egg broke." He added.

"The egg?" Asked Jonathan, completely lost.

"The egg, when you have that project to keep the egg safe and not break it. It's me, I'm the egg." Replied Steve, sagely even though no one knew what he was on about.

Except Robin who snorted.

"Oh man you are such a dingus."

Eddie returns, Agnes the 80 something nurse takes one look at Steve and sighs, hands on hips.

"Harrington."

Steve eeps, trying to hide behind Nancy who is both amused and concerned.

"She's going to kill me Nance."

"Harrington, I'm not going to kill you get to my office now."

"She is, she said if I end up there one more time in dead. I'm already a broken egg, I can't be dead I'll miss debate."

Gavin, touched kneels beside Steve "its okay, hey the sooner you go the sooner you your back?"

Steve considers this and allows Jonathan and Nancy too lead him away without another word.

Billy didnt get in trouble as none of the teachers saw what happened but a couple days later, he was storming out of gym holding his shampoo.

And his blonde mane was bright pink.

Shame no one saw who do it and no one got caught.

And if they rescheduled the debate match and Steve was sat watching in the front row, no one mentioned it.