#The thing of keeping track of what you need from your grocery list can be accomplished by

[audacityinblack]

or i

[tgirlwithreverb]

I saw that post about what to do if you're homeless again (the one that starts by telling you to spend all of your money on motel rooms lmao) anyway, here's a few thoughts, specifically for trans girls, cuz I don't really care otherwise tbh:

1) plan ahead, most trans girls are in precarious housing situations, you will have a much easier time when it falls apart if you already have a pack with most of the gear you need in it. Also, if you find yourself in a situation where you cant make rent, dont pay part of it, spend that money on gear, pocket the rest and leave, youll have a much nicer time. Look up your local eviction laws, you have plenty of time. (Gear list at the end)

2) travel! If you're in Arizona in May, leave. it's about to be hot as hell. If you're in Michigan in October, leave. It's about to be cold as hell. If you're in a big city, leave. It's way easier to be homeless pretty much anywhere else. Amtrak is cheaper and more comfortable than greyhound, hitchhiking is free and easy, if you're alone it's not that much slower than the previous two, and it's more fun, and sometimes people buy you food or whatever or give you money. I promise it's not scary and you're entirely capable of doing it, no matter who you are. 95+% of people who will pick you up are very nice. All you have to do is take the bus out of town, as far down the highway you can, to an exit with a truck stop if possible, then just stand on the side of the road with your thumb out until someone picks you up. You can stand at the bottom of the ramp(on the highway) near where the merge lane ends or at the top of the ramp(where there's usually a traffic light), the former is more likely to lead to cop interactions but will maybe get you a ride faster, check on hitchwiki for how the cops are in the area. don't be afraid to take a commuter bus or Amtrak to get out of a shitty cop area

3) skip shelters if you can (they are very occasionally a decent place to get stuff from) and encampments, good places to sleep include the trees near railroad tracks or highways, wooded areas behind shopping centers, sections of parks without paths, overgrown empty lots. Hang a tarp above you if there's an appreciable chance of rain, there's tons of YouTube tutorials on how to do this, maybe I'll make a post about what I usually do some day. There are many habits more fun than motel rooms, save your money for them lmao.

4) get on food stamps. This is easier in some places than others, but it makes the whole thing a lot easier. Just tell them you're homeless, if they don't give you a card the same day, you can probably ask to pick it up from that office, alternatively some drop in centers/day shelters can receive mail for you, or you can have it sent to general delivery(USPS service, look it up)

7) libraries are great for charging your phone and using wifi, but also keep an eye out, plenty of random outlets on the outsides of buildings are also powered

5) dumpster. sidewalk trash cans, Aldi, Einstein's, trader Joe's, pizza places, etc. You need to develop a bit of a sense for it but it's an easy way to get cooked food or travelling food or expensive food without spending resources. Also it's fun.

6) water is free, go into the bathroom of any gas station or grocery store in America(offer not valid in most big cities or on the west coast, but in that case just go to the library) and fill up your water bottle

8) hygiene notes: truckers get free showers from chain truck stops(loves, pilot/flying j) go there and ask them. convenient if you're hitchhiking, also you don't need to shower 3 times a day, really, you'll survive. Ditto with deodorant. Take care of your teeth though. Take your socks off every. day. Change them consistently. Safety razors give a good shave, work well without adequate water pressure, and the replacement blades are very stealable, they're kind of heavy though. Walmart makes these electric razors for women that take AA batteries and are pretty light but give a worse shave, also they kinda go through batteries, pick whatever works for you(cartridge razors suck)

9) traveling food notes: peanut butter is great, tortillas and bagels travel pretty well, tuna packets are pretty good protein for traveling(the ones with rice and beans or whatever are nice since theyre often the same price as the regular), condiment packets are free, hot sauce makes everything better, and mayo goes well with tuna and has a bunch of calories in it, salad dressing packets are free from truck stops and work well turning the Walmart shredded vegetable packages (labeled for making into slaw, next to the bagged salads) into a salad with real vegetables(not iceberg lettuce) in it or mixing in with tuna packets for even more calories than mayo

Gear world:

Necessary items(in order of importance): a gallon of water carrying capacity(an Arizona jug or other twist top jug is conventional, but a bladder+arizona bottles also works), a tarp(larger than 6'x9', not brightly colored), a hank of parachord, a sleeping bag (20° rated, synthetic insulation), a backpack with a padded hip belt(at least 50L, no more than 75), rain gear(a rain poncho might cover your pack too, a rain jacket can help with wind when its cold, a trash bag inside or outside your pack can keep it dry, a plan to watch the weather and not get caught also works), a z-fold foam sleeping pad, three pairs of socks, two pairs of underwear (at least one pair of boxer breifs strongly recommended if you arent incredibly skinny), a decent pair of shoes with good arch support, a functional jacket(skip if you got a rain jacket before), a base layer(wool or poly, absolutely no cotton)

Convenient items: a sleeping bag liner(cotton free, keeps you warm in winter and cool in summer), gallon zip locks to pack your stuff in(helps keep it dry and organized), no more than one change of clothes(as light as possible), a multi-tool(can opener, pliers, wire cutter), lighter(burning rope ends etc), spoon, floss and needles for patching

[planetnini]

LOVE TO KEEP ME WARM !

࿔･ﾟ*࿐ for the first time ever satoru is left puzzled just by a simple question from tsumiki, but he knows just how to prove his love for you + gn!reader. fluff with some angst— use of nicknames (baby, sweetheart), found family trope <3, girl dad satoru agenda, he is a bit insecure but it gets resolved, cutest fucking declaration of love ever, surprises! snow shenanigans, mistletoe kiss, satoru is the best boyfie ever i love him (5.8k words)

notes. this is a gift!!!! so it will cater to the interests and personality of my person but everything else is very vague :) merry new years secret santa thing @scarameows-world !!!! very late by the time this gets published but whtever.. i'm the reindeer that's been up in your inbox <3 we had alot of good talks and i hope we can stay in touch after this :") now here's a cute little fic i made for you about the one and only gojo satoru. title is inspired by this song

gojo satoru is a man whose proficiency knows no bounds. he is a force to be reckoned with ushering a new era of powerful sorcerers and curses due to his possession of both the six eyes and limitless technique. he could do almost anything as one might expect and everything came naturally to him. he never had any doubts about himself, but then came along you. 

satoru was a natural when it came to flirting, but he was not accustomed to the rejection he faced in his early days when you would ‘let him down easy’– it was nothing short of disastrous, always ending in banter between you two. yet somehow you had your wicked ways of making him chase even though all you two did was flirt. after several attempts to woo you and you finally stepping up, one thing led to another now here you were, co-parenting two kids with the man you once swore you’d never be with. satoru was 100% sure that he would be yours for infinity, but it wavered on this particular day. 

satoru was on a little errand run with tsumiki whom he had entrusted with pushing the trolley around as he scanned the list you had made for tonight’s dinner and activity. she was a young and incredibly happy girl who was much friendlier than her brother, megumi. when satoru adopted the two, tsumiki had taken a liking to him immediately whilst megumi took a liking towards you so he had taken her on the trip. it had been going well, with them doing the final grocery run after spending what felt like hours picking out the perfect wreath for the front door, however tsumiki’s question stopped him right in his tracks.

“do you love y/n?” she asked, a little curious look decorating her features.

“that’s a silly question. of course i do!” he uttered, scanning the wreaths with his eyes picking out the perfect one because quite frankly, he didn’t know how to react. 

people naturally assume that growing up from a family who viewed him as an ornament and coddled him that he would be a closed book or lacking in social skills but his first few years at jujutsu tech proved everyone wrong: he was not just a pretty face who could get away with just that. in the end, his love for others was his weakness and tsumiki had brought up something that satoru had failed to anticipate. what did she see that satoru couldn’t and was that even possible?

she took the wreath from his hands and put it into the trolley bringing him back to the present, “how do you know you love y/n?” she paused, and tsumiki must be sadistic for making him suffer like this, “what does it feel like?” she asked, looking up at him.

satoru looked down at the child, surprised by her questions. he paused for a moment, considering how to articulate such an answer to a complex question. was it that hard to believe that gojo satoru was capable of loving someone?

while satoru would never admit it at the start, he needed megumi and tsumiki more than they needed him. after suguru’s defect, they especially reminded him that sometimes blood wasn’t all that important when it came to the people you loved. he loved them but in a completely different way than he loved you. a love so unequivocal that it was impossible for people not to know how truly and deeply in love satoru was with you, so he wasn’t sure where he went wrong but perhaps it wasn’t enough.

“well,” he began a thoughtful look on his face, “loving someone is different to everyone. i guess i can’t really explain it other than a warm, fuzzy feeling inside and it makes you feel like everything is right…” he replied, her eyes lighting up with understanding, “you care for their happiness the most, that you’d even share your favourite candy.” he chuckled with a playful glint in his eyes, trying not to sound too sentimental.

“so you feel warm and fuzzy when you see y/n?” she looked up curiously at satoru.

he chuckled, ruffling the child's hair, "yeah, exactly. now come on, let’s finish this quickly so we can go home. get something for yourself and your brother.” he winked to which tsumiki nodded eagerly, seemingly satisfied with his answer as she rushed down the aisle finding something to bring home.

the atmosphere between satoru and the girl was no longer tense but satoru’s mind was swirling. he was reflecting on the innocence of the question as he took control of the trolley now, finished with his chores for the day. he even went as far as buying you something too but tsumiki had inadvertently planted a seed of doubt in his mind and now satoru was spiralling. did he love you enough? was his warm and fuzzy feelings strong and genuine, or was it something he convinced himself of after everything that went down? the simplicity of her question left satoru questioning himself and for the first time in forever, he is unsure of his relationship with you.

“i thought i told you that they can’t stay up late.” you spoke while washing the dishes. satoru could only lightly chuckle as he rinsed the plate, putting it on the drying rack. he knew you only meant well but he enjoyed seeing you like this more than he had expected: seeing you so worried and being such a caring person towards them. it was not like he had forced you to take care of them, it was through your own volition that you practically raised them.

“come on…” he drawled a little pout on his lips, “they said they didn’t want to decorate the tree without you tomorrow.” he reasoned, knowing that the two children in the living room were your true weakness and that just as much as you do for them, they’d do for you too. the way a simple sentence morphed your furrowed brows into a look of gratitude proved his point.

“do they actually want to decorate the tree with me or is it only because you bought them sweets today?” you accused.

“they’re much older now,” he reassured with a tone you doubt has any good intentions, “besides, i think it’s fair if we stop their ban on sweets, don’t you?” he asked with a simple hip nudge and you roll your eyes at the gesture.

he was happy with this, with how things were going in your life right now, in fact he couldn’t get enough of it. his request was simple, but you wasted no time immediately retaliating, “you just want to freely eat your sweets and use them as an excuse.” 

“what little faith you have in me!” he gasped and you have to stifle a laugh, “plus, they’re kinda scary when they don't get their way.” he joked, leaning back on the counter with his arms crossed to get a better view of you who had just finished washing and drying your hands after dinner. 

“how the higher-ups trust someone like you on those missions, i have no idea. i wonder how they would react if they found out you can’t handle two children.” you said, flashing him a smile. mentioning the higher-ups in the conversation made satoru’s blood boil but it had been tamed when he caught that little shake of your head combined with your smile. he had been contemplating the nature and depth of his feelings for you but tonight had proved that it was all a fluke– just seeing you was enough to remind him that nothing about loving you could ever be doubted, because loving you was as natural as breathing.

satoru leaned down to meet your eyes as you turned to face him, “sweetheart, if you want me home instead of on missions, you could just say so.” he smirked– a signature gojo satoru look that you couldn’t tell if you loved or hated.

you narrowed your eyes at him, “i hope you get put on more missions.” 

“you wound me.” he grunted, a hand over his heart feigning hurt but you knew that he was joking.

“you can take it.” you hummed, eyebrows scrunching as he stared down at you lovingly with a smile etched across his face.

there have been so many moments between you, satoru and the kids that blossomed with joy– something that felt lost in a world rife of evil– but you forget that you’re both still fairly young, thwarted into roles of guardians. you loved satoru since you were teens and seeing that this was your first relationship ever, it is only normal to feel insecure, and normal that you have doubts that satoru could ever truly love you.

while staring at satoru your mind can’t help but swirl with thoughts and he catches on immediately, perceptive as ever due to his six eyes and well, being gojo satoru. he sees it in your contemplative sighs that he had been hearing throughout the week, in your crafted smile, the way your shoulders are tensed and your jaw clenched: he knows you’re feeling some way right now because even your eyes don’t have their usual spark. your name rolls off his tongue so naturally, as if he was born to say it, as he reaches up to brush his hand across your cheek.

“what’s on your mind?” he questioned with a tilt of his head, thumb caressing your cheek. to him, the signs are as clear as day that you were troubled with thoughts of something and he wouldn’t rest until he found out what was going on in that beautiful mind of yours.

that warm fuzzy feeling intensified, secret moments between the two of you that the young girl was unaware of. it’s times like this you’re grateful that satoru is so in touch with how you felt most times and you can’t help the relief that settles in your heart when you realise you were so lucky to have him in your life, “it’s nothing,” you shook your head with a smile plastered on your face, “just… thank you for everything you did the other day,” you said, genuinely appreciative of his contribution to megumi’s birthday dinner, “i know you don’t think that he likes you but he really does look up to you.” you admitted.

“my charms aren’t all that bad.” he hummed, a proud nod as you snorted at his holier-than-thou tone.

your eyes closed at the soft contact of his lips on the crown of your head, warmth spreading all throughout your body during the cold winter month. you crave him and his touch, and you’re lucky that he hasn’t been put on any missions, specifically requested (he threatened the higher-ups knowing his status) to stay home with you and the others for just a couple of weeks. a small sigh left his lips as he started moving his hands away from your face up over his blindfold, the loss of contact made you pout slightly. your hand came over his, stopping him with a simple action, “are you sure you want them off?” you whispered, your voice dripping with concern.

“i want to see you.” he said, without an ounce of hesitation in his response. 

“i don’t like the migraines it gives you when you have them off.” you retaliated as you shook your head resolutely. he wants to listen to you, seeing how much you cared for him and laid your heart out for him. the love you had for him was overflowing and he did not know how he got so lucky.

“i can take it,” he insisted, voice a mix of both amusement and affection, “besides, i’ll endure any and all amounts of pain just for you.”

“after that declaration, i better not hear a complaint out of you.” you said, smiling up at him as you begin to unwrap the blindfold yourself. your delicate fingers moved the bandages around his head, undoing the white bandages. the gesture made satoru relax in your touch as you pulled them away from his face. being able to let his guard down after suguru had been difficult but you were a rare (and lucky) case.

once the bandages are undone, you can see that he’s wincing and squinting, probably due to the oversensitivity. adjusting to his surroundings, you brush his cheek with your thumb and his eyes flutter open to have a look at you, “hi beautiful.” he breathes out, utterly captivated by you.

you mirrored his look, squinting as you leaned forward with a smile wanting nothing more than to kiss him until– 

“what’s taking so long?” tsumiki yelled, surprising you and making the two of you jump from your spot. if satoru was masking his pain before, he wasn’t doing so now as he screwed his eyes shut and you feel extra protective of satoru now that his blindfold was off. he was extra sensitive to loud surroundings so when she came in shouting the two of you with his guard fully down, you knew satoru probably was still adjusting to having his blindfold off with the kids.

“did your brother put you up to this?” you asked.

“we were just wondering where you two were.” she replied bashfully.

“i told you they were kissing.” megumi groaned from behind her and if you weren’t embarrassed before, you wanted to dig your grave now that he had said it out loud.

“actually, we were rudely interrupted.” satoru complained, narrowing his eyes at megumi. living with them, you know how much megumi truly looked up to satoru but moments like this question why they were always at each other’s neck

megumi rolled his eyes, “have some manners you two,” you ordered, making tsumiki chuckle a bit, “i’m sorry for making you guys wait so long.” you apologised and you see megumi nod slightly at you.

“are you two in cahoots?” satoru whispered in your ear but you pushed him away jokingly. megumi was first to leave the room and tsumiki followed suit, but before satoru joined the two, you reached out grabbing his hand, “i know you said no presents this year, but-” you said, handing him a wrapped rectangular box.

“you said no presents for christmas.” he blurted out, confusion taking over his features.

“well, i sometimes doubt if you ever listen to me,” you looked up at him and you would be right because satoru had bought and wrapped your gift already, “just think of it as a very belated birthday present then.” you smiled at him, anticipating his reaction to your gift.

he opened the box carefully and he could see an engraving on a case, and his heart sunk. he knew he was in love with you, but was it possible to love you even more than he already had? he picked up the case and took out the special glasses he wore when he went out instead of the usual blindfold.

“i remember you said you needed new ones after they broke.”

“correction, when megumi broke my other ones.” he corrected. you rolled your eyes at him, and give him a light peck on the cheek, “thank you.” he spoke before you could make your way to help the children. 

“don’t break them again, i’m not made of money satoru.” you warned and situated yourself on the floor, sitting cross legged as you peered over at what the two had been up to when you and satoru were in the kitchen. tsumiki was unboxing some tinsel and megumi was taking care of the ornaments. to be honest, you weren’t sure when you became one of those families who went full out for christmas. the only things you ever really did was presents or stockings and having dinner together. you were overlooking the process, not really helping, or rather not knowing how to as you had never really had a tree let alone decorate one. 

“you’re not going to help?” tsumiki questioned, with a tilt of her head as she began to decorate the tree.

all the attention is turned to you now as you shake your head untangling some of the lights for the tree, “i mean, i’ve never really celebrated christmas with a tree and it’s for you guys right?”

“that’s sick and twisted!” satoru gasped, slumping down right next to you with his new sunglasses, “so you mean you’ve never had a christmas tree?” he exclaimed, and quite frankly you don’t really see the big deal.

“i wasn’t blessed with being born into a family like yours.” you teased and he took serious offence to that, not because he was offended by your comment but more so your nonchalance. 

“well, anything you want to do for christmas?” megumi asked, putting some of the ornaments on the tree. he always had an artistic perspective and you were glad he was putting so much thought into where each one went.

“i’m not going to be home until late at night, but i guess i’ve always wanted it to snow big enough that i could build a snowman.” you shrugged, looking at the kids.

“that’s impossible.” megumi groaned.

“how are we going to get it to snow?” she exclaimed.

“exactly. it’s alright,” you reassured as you stood up from your spot, “as long as i’ve got you guys, that’s all i could ask for.” you winked at them as you helped them get to the higher spots of the tree. satoru sits there watching as you now start to help the two decorate the tree and decide to help out. you are too distracted to see that his mind is swirling with ideas– he is determined to make your christmas a little more special and he has some ideas up his sleeve that he can’t wait to use.

you feel the exhaustion of staying up late last night settle deep into your bones when you’re on your way home from the mission. it wasn’t like you didn’t get enough sleep, you got just the perfect amount but not being home today to celebrate with the kids and satoru kind of made your heart sink. it had always been the four of you the entire day and sometimes occasionally with the others but being away from home, away from them had taken a big toll on your heart.

you wiped at your eyes with a yawn as you began making your way down the path to your house. the cool winter night was in full swing, trees moving slightly in the small rush of wind that passed by along with the small sprinkles of snow.  you took a deep breath and rubbed over your arms as you looked up at the sky. you weren’t lying when you said you wanted snow, it had always been a dream of yours to see falling snow, and enough that it might be enough to build a snowman, it was just something that hadn’t happened in a long time. 

you reached the house but the eerily quietness and lack of light concerned you, were they watching a movie or something or did they go out and not tell you beforehand? you brushed off your worries, unlocking the door walking into an empty house. the whole room was dark, nothing could be heard and your heart was stuck in your chest, stopping at just the mere thought of not being completely alone right now. 

you could hear some whispers and instinctively your hand went up, charging up your cursed technique as you hear some shuffling until an array of fairy lights went off above you, decorated meticulously going up the stairs and some nice garlands all around, warm lighting and while you’re staring at the lights, you don’t notice the three standing right in front of you.

“welcome home.” they shouted, and you swear you had felt that much relief in your entire life.

“i could’ve hurt you guys!” you exclaimed, a hand over your heart. the soft vinyl record you distinctly remember shoko gifting you after seeing you eye it last christmas playing from the living room, and you couldn’t help but smile.

“well that defeats the whole point of a surprise if i told you, right guys?” he said, and it is only now you realise that he has a santa hat on with the other two in ugly sweaters. you know megumi would be less than happy to be dressed in this right now but you assume he did so for you and couldn’t help the way the corner of your lips curved up at the sight. this… this is what you loved about your little family, and you knew it was wrong to call it a family– the two kids aren’t yours, and you’re not married to satoru but this moment, combined with the cute late night you shared with them just the night prior confirmed that you were all closer than that and how much they loved you.

“you did not need to do this for me,” you sighed, a little overwhelmed by how well decorated everything was. you hadn’t even noticed the holly, the bells, candles, and a bunch of other festive decorations– they really went all out. you wonder just how they pulled it all together but then you remembered that satoru would stop at nothing when it came to his gestures, “and you definitely did not need to drag them into this.” you added, kneeling down in front of them so that you could hug tsumiki and as you stood up you looked at megumi and ruffled his hair despite how much you know he hated when satoru did it, when you did it, you weren’t met with the same grumpy huff.

satoru gasped, “hey, these two were asking if you’d like them and i pointed them in one direction okay?” he defended but as you looked down at the two they were shaking their heads as if to refute his words, “don’t listen to them. they did it because they love you just as much as i do.”

respectfully, you hated satoru but not in a way that was malicious but for always making you feel like the luckiest person on earth. for being friends with you back then when it seemed like the world wasn’t on your side, for allowing you to stay in his life after losing his friend, for letting you take care of two of the most beautiful children ever. he was one of the sweetest people you ever knew and you doubt any gift or gesture would be enough to make up for the man that he is. without realising you had tears stream down your face, and you bring your hand up over your face to cover it. you weren’t usually the type to cry over something so trivial but here you were.

“i can’t believe you made y/n cry on christmas.” megumi complained, trying to lighten the mood as tsumiki’s mouth dropped.

"y/n's fine!" satoru reassured and you can’t help but laugh as you wiped away some of the tears. before you could speak satoru went over to you, engulfing you in a hug, “you better not apologise for crying. there’s nothing you need to be sorry for.” he reassured, rubbing circles on your back. you nod profusely, trying to keep yourself calm in front of the others (not that they’d never seen you cry before) before pulling away from the hug. you stared into his cerulean eyes, out and free from their usual blindfold or glasses, “it’s nice to see you my love.” he whispered, meant only for your ears. 

you chuckled, pressing your lips into his cheek before turning around, “how about we open some gifts? how does that sound?” you smiled and their eyes lit up, brighter than the lights all inside the house and they scattered off like little mice to the living room where the tree was, with quite a few presents under the tree (courtesy of satoru’s money but joint in terms of thinking of what to get them) and you followed behind. satoru threw his arm over your shoulder as you took a seat on the couch as they got ready to unwrap their gifts.

“are you hungry?” he asked softly as they started unwrapping their gifts, the one in the penguin wrapping paper which satoru had wrapped up himself.

“i had something to eat on the way back.” you reassured and he nodded.

the two had spent quite a while opening satoru’s gifts. you noticed that the presents were some things the two children had mentioned once a very long time ago and were quite surprised that satoru had hand picked these gifts himself without asking you for help. you knew that he noticed every little detail about the people in his life but it made you wonder if he got you a gift after you said not to. you wouldn’t be mad if he didn’t get you one and vice versa.

“i got you that one.” you spoke, trying to contain your excitement as megumi picked up your gift, wrapped in some candy cane paper. you watched as he unwrapped it, revealing a digital camera and you hear tsumiki exclaim, excited for her gift now.

“a camera?”

you sat up, moving away from satoru as you leaned forward, “i know there aren’t that many pictures of you guys around the house so i got you that so we could start printing some out and putting them up.” 

megumi couldn’t hold in his gratitude any longer bringing you in for a hug, “thank you y/n.” he said, and you hugged him back, kissing him on the cheek. satoru was going to make a comment about how he also wanted a hug after all the gifts he gave but it was a special moment shared between the two of you and he was not going to ruin the moment.

as megumi was setting up his camera with satoru’s help, you turned to tsumiki and watched as she unwrapped her own gift, she looked up from the box to you with shock all over her face, “y/n…” she whispered, voice cracking, “i can’t take this.” she said, handing you back the box.

“hey.. it's okay,” you reassured, lightly pushing the box back in her direction, “it’s a gift tsumiki.” 

you watched her pull out the necklace, the stunning small heart shaped engraved with her initial on it but that wasn’t all you got her. after observing the necklace and helping her put it on, she opened a box that contained a letter, telling her of how much you adored her with special keepsakes from some memories you shared throughout the year. you have never seen her so happy and when she hugged you, you catch the stare that satoru is giving you– absolutely entranced by how much you loved them. a simple flash takes you off guard as megumi takes his first picture on the camera.

“how about you guys get your coats, i have something to give y/n.” satoru stated and they ran off with excitement in their bones at his plan. he had filled them in but they weren't convinced he could pull it off.

“talk about a successful night.” you chuckled, picking up the wrapping paper and throwing it in the bag that satoru was holding. 

“get changed.” he spoke, taking the bag from you and now it’s your turn to be surprised again.

“what? where are we going?”

after getting changed, suspicion arising from his sudden ask of getting changed. you walk out of your room seeing everyone in their coats, scarves, and you watch as the children begin to walk out first leaving the two of you alone. 

“what are you up to satoru?” you questioned, furrowing your brows. 

“since you thought you could cheat your way around buying me a gift,” he replied honestly, which took you off guard, “i thought it was only fair if i got you some things as well.” there was a small box in his hand, and you took it from his hand. you held your breath as you unwrapped the paper to see a box tied with a ribbon. you opened the box, revealing nothing but a sheet of paper.

you definitely weren’t the ungrateful type but you were expecting something else like maybe a ring, a necklace or something else but as you examined the paper you looked up at him with your mouth wide open. it was a receipt of something you had been eyeing for a couple months but nothing you could excuse spending money on. you had been an avid lover since you were young and it was always your dream to have one of these.

“satoru.” you said, honestly starstruck at his gift.

“you have been eyeing that for so long,” he reasoned with a simple nudge of the shoulder, "merry christmas."

“i can’t accept this.” you shook your head, giving it back to him but you know it is relentless to deny his gifts especially after you pulled your little secret gift on him the other day.

satoru gave you a stare and pursed his lip, “you are keeping it. end of discussion.” he smiled as he started to wrap a scarf around you. satoru had always looked good in winter clothing, a scarf tucked around his neck and due to his infinity, he was never cold but still dressed to the occasion with his designer brands. he was so handsome…

“and since you’re not saying anything i'm assuming you don't like it?” he taunted. you told your brain to make a coherent sentence or at least move so you don’t make a fool of yourself just looking at the gift. you stared up at him, you used your free hand to push the scarf down from the bottom half of your face, "you know i thought you weren't going to get me anything?"

satoru had never stopped at any words faster than he had those, "what?" he answered with a shaky voice.

you scoffed holding his hand in yours, looking anywhere but into his eyes, "i thought you might do a whole 'i'm your gift' thing," you admitted, a little ashamed you had such little faith in him, "i guess you do love me."

"y/n..." he uttered, "if i have ever made you doubt i love you then i have failed as your boyfriend," he spoke and you could feel your whole body warm at his words. "you are everything to me even if you and megumi are in cahoots and pray on my downfall." he said and you shoved him. he winced lightly at the push and smiled as he pulled you close to him once more, eyes moving down to your lips then back up to your eyes.

“that was really sweet of you.” you uttered, looking up at him.

“sweet enough for a kiss?”

“unless you make it snow, i’m not kissing you.” 

“i think i deserve just one…” he teased as he leaned closer to you.

a hand suddenly grabbed yours, tsumiki's gloved one, and once again stealing that moment between you and satoru, "y/n! didn't you hear me?" she gasped as you saw the wet snow on her coat go from crystal into a wet drop.

"what happened? is megumi okay? are you okay?" you asked, hand brushing over her face as if to check for any injuries.

"it's snowing!" she exclaimed as she made her way back out.

you looked over at satoru baffled but you could just see him smile at you mischievously and you run out and to your surprise, the snow is pouring down from the sky and you now know that your christmas wish has been satisfied. looking up at the sky, you put your hand out as the snow falls into your hand and you chuckle even though you are freezing your ass off.

the children began throwing snowballs at each other and one hits you at the back of the head and you turn to see all three of them standing there staring at you. they all point at gojo before you decide to pick up some snow for yourself throwing it at him back, thankful his infinity was still down.

you truly appreciate satoru doing his best to make you happy because it was all you ever wanted. he got a snowball in the face before falling down on the floor, and all of you chuckled at him landing on his back as he began to sit up, snow covering his whole back side and all in his hair.

you knelt in the snow and began to make the snowman you've always wanted to during christmas with the help of the two and when you're done you notice him standing at the front porch just staring as tsumiki started doing snow angels and megumi's two wolf shikigami joining him in the snow. you don't know when he let them out but you just smiled as you approached satoru, "what are you doing here?"

"just admiring you," he complimented and you shake your head, "did i do okay?"

you stare at him in bewilderment before moving to press a kiss to his cheek, "you did well satoru. more than that if possible."

he smiled cheekily and you move your hand to drag him back into the snow, "come on..." you hummed as you tried to pull him away from the front porch but he refused to move and you stare at him with a tilt of the head, "what's wrong?"

"you said you would kiss me if i made it snow.” he recalled, hand on his chin as he tried to refresh your memory.

“how the hell did you manage to make it snow?” you snickered but he didn’t look like he was joking. you don’t know how he managed, he would never say but you shook your head, “sorry babe, i don’t think you can control the weather… it is quite unpredictable.” you shrugged, giving him a fake guilty look.

“it’s a christmas miracle!” he yelped with his smile that you know and have grown to adore so much and you follow his gaze to the mistletoe above your head, "you know the rules." he seethed trying to seem nonchalant.

"you're an idiot," you laughed before holding his face in your hands, tiptoeing a bit before pressing your lips to his. you pulled away and brushed his lips with your thumb a little, "i love you satoru, always."

he could only pull you back in for another kiss, smiling as he did so as the kids exclaimed in disgust and horror at the sight. "i love you y/n. here's to many more years with you." he whispered when he pulled away. it was a christmas you will never forget and one that tsumiki and megumi will also never forget, dramatically reminding you that they were traumatised from your little kiss.

tags! @stsgluver @sukxma (thank you for hosting the event)

i hope you love this lynne, i apologise it's not my best work and i'm sorry it took so long. i love you, i hope you're doing well

[violentdelightsandviolentends]

A fluffy/ mild angsty valentines fic with Bucky where reader gets HIM flowers ( because of the whole guys don’t get flowers thing :((( ) maybe there’s some mutual pining and sweet confession? Like she gets the flowers for him because he makes some joke about not having had a valentine for nearly a century and she’s just like “absolutely not will not allow that >:(“ but he thinks it’s just a joke at first :(

Anyway thanks! Love you!

Bloom.

bucky barnes x female reader

warnings - none

valentines masterlist. inbox. masterlist.

“Are we almost done?”

Bucky looks so miserable, you can’t help but laugh.

“Yeah, we are. We just need flowers, and then we have everything on the list.”

He grabs the shopping cart and pushes it across the grocery store, determinedly marching in the right direction. You’re practically running to keep up with him.

“Which ones?”

You look at all the flowers, touching some of the petals gently as you decide.

“I’m not sure. What’s your favourite kind of flower, Buck?”

He looks at you with a blank expression.

“I don’t have one.”

“What?”

Now it’s your turn to look blankly at him.

“I’ve never been bought flowers. Why would I have a favourite type?”

You frown at him. The idea of Bucky never receiving flowers makes you much sadder than it should, but you’re trying to play it cool.

“Oh. Well… which of these do you like the look of the most? They’re going to go in the middle of the table in the kitchen, so they need to be bright. Give the room some colour.”

He circles the flower display a few times, looking around carefully. Eventually, he picks up a bouquet of tulips, all pinks and oranges and yellows.

“I like these.”

You smile softly, nodding your head.

“Good choice.”

You’re somewhat distracted as the two of you check out. You put the tulips in the bag carefully, glancing at Bucky every so often. He catches you looking, and can’t help but wonder what’s going on in that pretty little head of yours.

✵  ✵    ·　 ✵ 　　 *  · ✵

You’ve been standing outside Bucky’s door for the better part of fifteen minutes.

He knows.

He heard your footsteps, can hear your chest heaving, lungs working overtime. He’s just waiting for you to make your own decision.

Eventually, you do. After thirty minutes, you decide to just do it. You’ve got nothing to lose.

You knock.

Bucky swings open the door as if he’s been waiting for you, standing patiently on the other side.

“Breathe, honey.”

You didn’t even realise you’d been holding your breath. You exhale, never breaking eye contact with the man in front of you.

“Hi, Buck.”

“Hi, you.”

“I got you something.”

“You did?”

You grab the bouquet from where you’ve leant it against the wall, holding it out to him.

He stops in his tracks, brows furrowed in confusion.

“They’re… for me?”

“Yeah.”

“Why?”

You inhale deeply, willing yourself to find some temporary courage.

“Because tomorrow is Valentine’s Day. And no one has ever bought you flowers.”

He’s smiling now, soft and knowing.

“You’re the kindest person I’ve ever met.”

He says it so sincerely, so genuinely, that it makes you want to cry. You hand the flowers to him, grinning as he admires them up close.

“They’re beautiful. You’re beautiful.”

That takes you by surprise.

You and Bucky have always had a careful, consistent friendship. Ever since he first barrelled into your life, you’ve thrown tender smiles his way, nodding your head in acknowledgement every time he passed you in the hallways. He warmed to you, slowly but surely. Your kindness, your generosity, your genuineness - you’ve charmed him delicately, somewhat accidentally.

You’ve also been in love with him since day one.

You never thought to mention it - he’s healing, learning, growing as he goes, and you don’t want to halt his progress. So, you’ve pined from a distance, gently and quietly.

“Buck… will you be my valentine?”

He beams at you, the most luminescent smile you’ve ever seen from him.

“Oh, sweetheart. I’ve been working up the courage to ask you that every year since I met you. Knew you’d beat me to it.”

You laugh, stepping in closer to him. He puts the flowers down carefully, reaching out to cup your face in his hands.

“Can I kiss you, my valentine?”

You nod, already leaning in. He presses his lips to yours, and he swears he feels flowers bloom in his ribcage, bright and alive.

[theorphicangel]

𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐧𝐨 𝐜𝐢𝐫𝐜𝐮𝐦𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬. | 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐮𝐞𝐥 𝐨’𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚 𝐱 𝐟𝐞𝐦!𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

Tags: enemies to lovers, college au, smut, 18+, slow burn,

synopsis: It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single, brooding man in possession of a good future in genetics, must be in want of a girlfriend.

Or at least a fake one to get his family off his back.

(college au & fake dating trope ft my favourite grumpy man who doesn't fall first but ends up falling harder. ouch.)

Chapter two: low expectations.

taglist: @oharasfilipinawife @palesatan @yougavemeyourheartyouknow @amelialysm @crimin4llyins4ne

A/N: sorry for the late update, but imma catch you guys up 🫡

previous chapter | next chapter

Over the next few days you manage to get your pre-reading all done and dusted.

You can’t help but already feel exhausted by the amount of things that you have to juggle at university.

Just as soon as you were completed with one task, you groaned at the thought of your long list of remaining errands. Bills, assignments, grocery shopping and your shifts at the cafe were all piled on top of you constantly, not to mention your attempt to attend your lectures and classes, double checking that they were the right ones.

But the most stressful by far was trying to avoid your mother’s calls, which occurs at least twice a day. As of recently, you had thought that you were safe, coming up with excuses left, right and center.

At least that was before you had seen a missed call from your dad this morning.

That’s how you know that you’re really in the shits.

You’re gonna have to come up with something. And in quick timing.

But for now, you’re going to have to sideline your personal dilemmas.

With your new job at the cafe, you have no choice but to remain consistent with your routine, that is of course, if you want your new job to last.

After weeks of rejection or rather, the lack of replies, you had managed to secure a job at your roommate’s favorite cafe spot.

And by secure you mean that you had sort of lied about having experience in a cafe previously.

You didn’t entirely lie…just exaggerated the truth a little bit.

This was one of the only jobs that had replied to you out of a whole stockpile and you weren’t going to let it go to waste. Not under any circumstances.

You did have the experience of watching and observing what your classmate did at her family owned cafe whilst you were on the till for a few minutes.

But nonetheless, what’s so hard about making coffee? Anyone can do this shit. It’s okay if you’re learning on the job, doesn’t everyone? Currently, you succeed in trying to rotate between keeping track of orders and making drinks as well as trying not to get in MJ’s way too much.

But you were handling it to the best of your abilities. Even if that did mean messing up a few of your customers' orders every once in a while. MJ had said nothing about it so far which means that you're in the green light.

For now.

“You really should be getting some sleep, don’t let your first year knock you out before midterms.” She acknowledges, elbowing you slightly.

“I kno–” you barely finish your sentence, another yawn coming out of nowhere.

“See?” She hums, finishing off an order for the previous customer. “You need some beauty sleep.”

She’s referring to your bruised under eye bags that have started to appear. Ultimately, the results of you staying up till midnight yesterday to finish off an assignment. You had only managed to get a few hours of sleep before waking up in time for your 6am shift.

“I also need money, but we can’t have it all can we MJ?” you note, keeping your tone light before you move on to serve another customer.

You’ve only been on shift for a couple of hours but you think you’re coping well so far. MJ forewarned you about the morning lecture rush hour. You guessed that it was soon by glancing at the old clock hung up on the wall, indicating that it was just after 8:30 am. Students continued to spill in and out of the cafe, the bell above the front door continuously ringing in your ears.

A small line had begun to queue up and you swiftly moved through them with ease. As your next customer came up to the counter, your face lit up at the sight of a familiar face.

“Oh hey stranger–” you begin, recognising the same grueling face that you had seen last week bore into you. But you barely get a chance to finish your sentences before he cuts you off sharply.

“Coffee. Black.”

Your mouth forms an ‘o’ as you tap his order into the machine, immediately sensing his disgruntled aura. By the expression on his face, you can tell that he doesn’t seem up for teasing.

He seems…frustrated? Or maybe even upset?

“Name?”

“Miguel.”

You can’t tell whether he’s cranky because it’s 8am in the morning or rather that you failed to notice this the last time you saw him. Either way, it makes you a little dazed. Perhaps he wasn’t a morning person. You understood that because you were the complete same. Taking his name, you brush him off instead hoping that your coffee will cheer him up.

You inform him of the price and he swipes his card without a second glance. He leaves to take a seat in one of the corners of the cafe which just so happens to be the only part of the cafe that wasn’t so overwhelmed with customers.

It’s not long before you head over there yourself with his order.

“Here’s your black coffee.” you say, setting it down in front of him. Hastily, you’re about to run off to prepare your next order before his words stop you.

“I ordered a black coffee. Not a latte.”

You turn around abruptly, realizing your full mistake. “Oh shit, I’m sorry—”

“Are you new here or just incapable of making a simple cup of black coffee?” Miguel interrupts, his tone laced with vexation.

“Who do you think you’re–”

Your outrage comes to a halt by the sound of your name being called by MJ. You glance over your shoulder and notice her point towards an ever growing queue of customers. Shit, you don’t have time to cuss him out.

Taking a deep breath, you make the decision to be the bigger person, after all it’s like what your manager Steve said…

‘ The customer is always right.’

“I’ll bring it over for you, m’sorry.” you apologize again, rubbing at your forehead, suddenly overwhelmed with the pressure. With sweat beading at your brows, you look over to see a small queue beginning in front of the till again.

MJ throws you a hurried glance, a look which you know means ‘hurry the fuck up and make these orders.’

You end up taking longer than five minutes to return back to him, run ragged with the new orders of coffees, teas, lattes, macchiatos and hot chocolates that continue to pile up.

“Here you go, sorry about that.” You place his new and correct drink in front of him.

“No worries.”

You’re almost taken aback by his response. First he snaps at you and now he’s telling you not to worry about it? God, he was so confusing.

“Enjoy.”

You think that you hear a mutter of ‘thanks’ leave his mouth but you don’t turn back to hear his words clearly. Yet… you can’t exactly keep away.

For some reason your brain keeps lingering towards a burning question which has rattled your mind all through the past week. Giving in to your temptations, you end up turning around and prompt Miguel with another question.

“How did you know ‘Pride and Prejudice’ was set in the 19th century?”

“Huh?” He glances up from his phone, his thumb paused in his mindless scrolling.

“Last time, when I saw you in the library. You knew it was set in the 19th century.”

“I didn’t.'' Miguel huffs, and your eyes can help but notice the size of his biceps. You estimate that they’re bigger than your fucking hands. “It was an estimated guess.”

“Really? You don’t seem too-”

“Listen.” Miguel quips, his sharp tone suddenly returning, causing your voice to trail off midway through your sentence. His fingers pinch the bridge of his nose as he speaks. “I’m going to try and say this in the nicest way possible, but I’m really not in the mood for some crap about your literature degree, okay? I really couldn’t care less.”

Ouch.

Your expression drops and you’re immediately aware of the distance between the two of you.

He’s right. You barely know him. He’s just a guy who just so happened to be there at one of the most embarrassing moments of your life. “Right, sorry.”

You’re about to leave his table before he stops you…again.

“Y’know I ought to tell your manager that you messed up my order.” Miguel begins, continuing to scroll on his phone, not bothering to even look up at you. “This is a very reputable cafe and if you start slacking on the job then…”

“Then what?” You question. “Are you trying to threaten me with a bad review?”

“I wouldn’t necessarily say threaten is the right word but…now that you say that perhaps I should write one.”

Your stomach drops at his words. “Oh, you fucking wouldn’t.”

He smirks, still peering down at his phone. “Maybe I would.”

“Bet.”

“Don’t start betting on things that you’ll end up regretting, nena.”

Your brow raises at his phrase which you don’t entirely understand but you really don’t have time to question it. Your patience is running out as well as your time to get back on track with the orders.

As you walk away from his table, his words seem to settle into your skin.

He wouldn’t? Would he? No… he hasn’t got the balls to. What kind of person has that amount of free time on their hands to write a bad review? At least he had gotten his coffee in the end, you were in your right mind not to spill it all over him on purpose.

“He’s a dick, he’s a dick, he’s a total dick.” You mutter under your breath, making your way back to your station. But you should’ve guessed that from your conversation with him in the library, recalling his mocking tone of your embarrassment.

You should’ve kept your expectations low if you ever thought that you were going to be friends with him.

“What did you say?” MJ queries, hearing your mumbles as you join her.

You nod towards Miguel, still sitting in the far corner scrolling mindlessly on his phone.

“He’s an evil, brooding…” You fail to think of an appropriate ending.

“Dick?” MJ ends.

“Correct.” you say. You promise to yourself that from this moment onwards you are refraining from looking over at that corner.

You find that time passes quickly during your shift and once the rush hour of students finally dies down, you and MJ get the chance to finally take a break.

“Fucking hell, I never want to do that again.” She murmurs wiping down the surfaces near the coffee machines for any spilt substances.

“Ditto that.” you murmur, grabbing a cloth to wipe down some empty tables.

Learning that MJ was a performing arts student made you more than happy to get along well with her. She was in her second year, yet in a sea of sickening STEM students here you had real proof that you weren’t the only humanities student.

Take that Miguel.

/

Currently eating dinner alone in your apartment, you reminisce on your day in silence, your roommate out at her weekly computer coding club. You think that it was safe to say that it was a good day today, despite all the stresses at work.

Speaking of work, you recall the conversation from this morning.

You don’t want to give this Miguel guy too much credit but you’d be lying if you said that his threat earlier didn’t scare the shit out of you for the remainder of your day.

Even MJ had to ask if you were alright when it got to the end of your shift and you had brushed it off, blaming it on your exhaustion.

He was totally bluffing….right? I mean, he doesn’t even know you.

You bite down on your metallic fork, anxiety rapidly filling you within.

No, you can’t help it. You have to check.

Chewing on your fingernails, you type in the name of the cafe that you work out and head over to the reviews section on Google.

Scrolling down to find the latest reviews, your stomach practically drops at one comment, under the simple username of: @miguelohara20.

‘New barista lacked the ability to do her job. Couldn’t pay attention to even get my order right. Talks way too much unprovoked, to the point where you might as well save some money and make the damn coffee yourself.’

The fucking nerve of this guy causes so much anger within you that your fork practically falls from your other hand as you immediately go to text MJ. You send her a screenshot before typing with fury.

- ‘Did you see this? This was that guy that I was complaining about earlier: the rude, evil, brooding STEM one.’

Sent: 7:34pm

It’s not long before you receive a reply from MJ and it’s one that makes your stomach drop.

- ‘Yeah I did :/ Steve texted me about it actually.

Received: 7:36pm

MJ sends through another text, a few seconds later.

- ‘He wants a meeting with you on ‘customer etiquette’ !!

Received 7:36pm

Dropping your phone on the table, you let out a groan, holding your head in your hands. Now, this day went from ‘good’ to being the second worst day of your life, now with your job on the line.

Yeah…you think you fucking hate Miguel now.

reblogs are much appreciated!

lmk if you would like to join the taglist!

[kaliforniahigh]

MEDUSA - Part Seven.

I'm soo excited for you guy to read this one!!! Our lovebirds finally did it!!! I hope I made them justice. They're just so sweet to each other :') Check out the song mentioned in the story, it is beautiful and it fits the moment so nicely. I proofread, but there can still be some mistakes.

Warnings: smut, unprotected p in v (wrap it before you tap it pls!), fingering, oral (female receiving), jealousy, talks of guns.

WC: 5.6k

Summary: Y/N is a private dancer at a Gentleman's Club called Medusa. Noah Sebastian is a crime boss. Their paths cross when one night, Noah pays for one of her dances and they can't seem to be apart from each other.

Series Masterlist

You woke up in the morning, the curtains were closed, so very little light was coming into the room. It took you a second to register that you weren't home and to remember that last night Noah drove you to this safehouse.

You don't remember actually going to your room last night, so you figured you fell asleep on the couch and Noah was kind enough to move you to your bed. You made a mental note to thank him later.

Stretching your limbs, you make your way of bed and into the corridor, the smell of coffee invading your senses and making your mouth water, but you needed to brush your teeth first. Last night you noticed this house had everything needed to live in it. Including shampoo, conditioner and toothbrushes, like the one you were tearing from the package.

Washing your face as best as you can with only water, you reminded yourself to ask Noah if it was possible for someone to retrieve things from your house. Your work bag had your essentials, but you were going to need more, specially if you didn't know how long you were staying here.

Leaving the bathroom and making your way to the kitchen, stomach rumbling and eager for something to eat, you were obligated to stop in your tracks as you were met with Noah's shirtless back. The tattoo inked on his skin was beautiful, colorful and it suited him well. It filled his broad back nicely.

Deciding that standing there without saying anything was too awkward, you decided to make yourself present. "Good morning. What time is it?", you asked, realizing you never looked at the time before leaving your room.

He turned around to greet you as well, and you did everything to maintain your eyes on his, finding it difficult to not let it wander over his torso and stomach. "It's just past 8am. I thought you were going to wake up later. You seemed pretty tired last night", he turned back to what seemed to be some scrambled eggs on the kitchen stove.

"I was. I just can't seem to sleep in too late. I've always been an early riser", you sat down on the same chair as last night, claiming your spot for the remainder of your time here.

He brought the pan to the table and then grabbed two plates with two toasts on each. You got up and went over to the coffee maker, grabbing the coffee pot along with two mugs from the cupboard.

You both set down to eat breakfast. "I'm gonna have to leave for a while, take care of some things in the city, but I'll try to be back soon", he said and took a bite of his toast.

"It's ok, I'll be fine here. Take as long as you need", you didn't want to keep him away from things he needed to do.

"I'll need you to make a list of things you'll need from your house. I'll have someone pick up the groceries and drop by your place to get your things", your eyes lit up at this and he laughed lightly at your reaction.

"I was gonna ask you today if someone could do that", you admitted, finishing your breakfast and washing the plate in the sink, despite Noah's protests. "If I'm gonna be here, you'll have to let me do things. Now, where can I get a piece of paper and a pen to get started on that list?"

He made a sound of resignation and pointed towards a little table beside the couch. You got what you needed and sat down again to write everything down. You tried to keep the list light, adding only what you needed the most.

Noah finished his own breakfast and went over to his room to get ready to leave. Putting on his coat over his holster to hide the gun he kept there, and patting his pockets to make sure he had everything he needed.

You gave him your list as soon as he came back. "I won't take long. Make yourself at home", he told you, making his way to the door and grabbing his car keys along the way.

"Hey", you called out to him, making turn around to look at you. "I noticed your door opens with your fingerprint. Can you register mine, just in case I want to get some fresh air outside?", you asked him.

"Of course. Just give me a second", he went outside and called for someone named Max, telling him to come over and get your fingerprint.

"Hi, ma'am", he greeted you with a smile. His height was similar to Noah's, only a little bit shorter, but the similarities stopped there. Max had a buzzcut, but you could see his blond hair coming through. It made his blues eye stand out even more.

You aknowledged him with a nod, as you saw him mess with something on his cellphone. "Can you give me your index finger, please?", he asked after a few seconds, and you extended your index finger toward him.

His hands completely encompassed yours, and you thought if this was really necessary. You could place your own finger on the reader by yourself. But you let him do his thing anyways, thinking that he was just trying to be kind.

You could sense Noah watching the interaction from behind the two of you. The door lock made a sound and something green flashed where you had your finger. Max finally let go of your hand. "All set, you're free to come in and out now", he flashed you another smile, you were going to thank him, when Noah spoke up "You can go back to your post now, Max", the man nodded and walked away.

"I think I'll sit outside for a little bit. It's a nice day today", you said as you observed the sun shining above you.

"Just don't stray too far, ok? I would prefer if you stayed on the porch so the security guards can keep an eye on you"

"Understood", you made a serious face and nodded firmly, trying to make a little fun about how worried he always seemed to be about you.

"Yeah, whatever. I'll go now, you've kept me for too long already", you could see a little smile on his face as he turned around to head over to his car. You saw him stop on the way there and mutter something to Max, before getting in his car and leaving through the gate.

As Noah drove through the woods, he thought about how he could barely sleep during the night. He was grateful you seemed to be taking this like a champ and he felt better with you being at the safehouse. But he couldn't shake the thought that someone walked up to his doorsteps and left him that envelope without anyone noticing.

He needed to come up with a solution, and fast. You couldn't live there forever and one day, you had to go back to your normal life. The rest of the drive went by smoothly, his brain never shutting off for even a second, hyper-aware of his surroundings.

He gave the boys a heads-up to wait for him at his house, so he found everyone already sat around the table, their heads turned towards him as soon as he entered. Jolly was the first to speak up "what was in that envelope, man? You left right after I handed it to you"

"It was a death threat from our favorite group of people", he decided not to beat around the bush.

"So you decided to leave and deal with it on your own?", Nicholas asked him, a hint of annoyance in his tone.

"There's more to it", he paused, the boys are not gonna like what he's saying next. "Y/N received one as well, in her workplace, last night", he observed everyone's expressions, their eyebrows shooting up.

"Y/N from the club?", Jolly wanted to confirm, Noah nodded.

"She called me right after I got the envelope. I think we got them around the same time, so it's possible there were two people delivering them. She called me in a panic, so I took her to the safehouse in the woods. That's why I left last night", he gave Nicholas the side-eye, addressing his hurried exit.

"Yeah, you did the right thing", the man aknowledged.

"But it gets worse", Noah rubbed his forehead. "They know that we know that they are planning to attack us. And they know that Y/N is the one who told us", collective grunts were heard around the room, along with exasperated sighs.

"Man, this is not a good situation. We could've planned ahead, but now that they know, they could attack us anytime, since they know that they don't have the advantage anymore", Jolly stated what they were all thinking.

"Yes, but that's what I've been pondering about last night. They can't attack us if we attack them first", Noah suggested.

"Yeah, but we gotta wait for the big shipment to come through. And we're not even sure it's going to be a smooth delivery now", Nicholas observed.

"I don't think they're going to attack us there anymore, they've lost their element of surprise" Jolly contered.

"Folio, I need you to check on the database and see if they have any shipments coming in before ours", Noah instructed. Folio started typing on his laptop in front of him. "Seems like it, they have a shipment coming one day before ours", the younger boy informed. Noah was thankful everyday for a technical analyst on his team.

"So that confirms our previous theory. They had more guns coming so they could strike on us the day after, when our guns arrived", Jolly pointed out and everyone nodded.

"And now we know when we need to strike. Their shipments are smaller than ours, they have less men. It's the perfect opportunity for us", Noah could sense everyone's apprehension. "I don't like this anymore than you guys do. I wish we could go on without having to do this. But we need to remind ourselves that these men were planning on taking us out and taking our place", he reasoned.

"I agree with you man. You're not wrong. But we gotta prepare quickly, we don't have much time", Nicholas said and Noah agreed.

"We'll start today. We'll be ready. We've done this plenty of times during our younger years", and Noah was right. Before they were in this position, they participared in many raids. "Folio, start studying the map of the port, so we can decide what positions to take. The rest of us will start assemblying and loading the guns we'll need", everyone nodded and started to file out of the room, Nicholas the only one remaining.

He waited until everyone left to start talking. "You know she cares about you to some degree, right?", Noah knew he was talking about you. "She could've just left us in the dark, but she decided to tell us and now she's in this delicate position"

"I shouldn't have gone to her house that night, let alone give her my number", Noah didn't have the energy to look into his best friend's eyes at the moment.

"You could argue that. But from what I've seen and heard that night, she would hardly do anything she doesn't wanna do. So the decision she made was a conscious one", Nicholas always seemed to be capable of knocking some sense into Noah. "I'm just telling you this because I know you're beating yourself up over this, It's not your fault. Besides, she works at Medusa, I'm pretty sure she knows somewhat what this bussiness entails", Noah looked at Nicholas this time and found simpathy in his eyes.

"Thank you, Nick", his gratefulness was sincere, his friend didn't need to take the time to do this, but he chose to anyway. It is rare they got some reassurance and simpathy in this job, but they never lost their empathy towards each other. Noah guesses that's why they're such a tight-knit group. And that's how he knows they'll get through this.

It was nearing 4pm now, the wind was getting colder and you have run out of thing to do here. You made yourself another cup of coffee and spent a couple of hours outside, hearing the birds chirp and wind blowing through the trees. Then you made yourself some lunch, explored the house and ultimately, took a nap on the couch.

It wasn't lost on you the fact that Noah left in the morning and hasn't come back yet. You know you said he could take as long as he needed, but the uneasy feeling didn't leave your stomach for the entire day.

You were in here, protected by a bunch of men with guns, and he was out there. You tried to remind yourself that he was used to this. But you also remembered that you weren't the only one receiving death threats. But you trusted him, and hoped he was as serious about keeping himself safe as he is about keeping you safe.

A little later you heard the gate open and a car driving in. You guessed he was home after all. Making your way outside, your suspicions were confimed, as you saw him killing the engine and getting out of the car.

You don't know what you were thinking, but as soon as he was standing in front of you, you took him in your arms and embraced him, a muffled "hi" leaving your lips into his chest. It took a second for him to register what was happening, but when he did, he circled his arms around your middle, and rested his chin on your head.

You parted after a few seconds but his arms didn't leave your waist. You put your hands on his sholders and inconspicuously tried to pat his arms, looking for any signs that he might not be well. You failed because he amusedly laughed at your actions.

"I'm fine. I just went to my house to talk to the boys", he tried to ease your mind. You got a good look at his face and noticed that his eyes were droopy with tiredness. He needed some rest.

He turned around you with both of his hands and led you into the house. "The groceries should be here soon, along with your things. I just need to take a shower and then I'll fix us something for dinner", you put you right hand up and stopped him right there.

"No, no. I'm taking care of dinner tonight. You'll take a shower and then you'll sit on the couch and wait", now it was his turn to put his hands up, an amused look on his face.

"Ok, then. I won't fight you", he stepped around you with a false look of fear on his face. You rolled your eyes but laughed nonetheless.

Noah was about to get in his room when a knock sounded on the door. "Oh, it should be the groceries you mentioned. I'll get it", you called out, but he decided to observe from his door.

You were greeted with Max's smile on the other side of the door, two bags in his hands.

"A special delivery for the lady", he said as he handed you one bag at a time. You saw him looking behind you, noticing Noah there and the atmosphere in the room suddently shifted. Max's smile now more like a grimace. You looked behind you as well and Noah's look was unreadable, but you could see he wasn't happy.

"Didn't I tell you I wanted Caleb to deliver the stuff?", he asked in a clipped tone.

"I know. I'm sorry, sir. He was busy and asked me to do it", Max's smile crumpled completely.

"No, he wasn't. Because I made sure he was free", Noah retorted, angry that he caught him in a lie.

"I'm sorry. It won't happen again". You felt uncomfortable in the middle of the two.

"No, it won't. You're dismissed". Max left without saying goodbye and you closed the door behind him, muttering an "ok" under your breath. You had whiplash from the moment you shared with Noah just minutes ago.

When you turned around he had already gotten into his room. You decide you're going to ask him about this later. Or maybe you won't.

While he was in the shower you arranged your things in your room and went to put the groceries away, deciding you were cooking some pasta for dinner. You set aside everything you needed and began to work on the tomato sauce.

It was already dark outside, so the lights were on, casting a beautiful glow on the walls made of wood. The atmosphere was serene and calm inside as you worked around the kitchen. Taking longer than usual because you had to figure out where everything is.

"Ok, give me something to do", Noah walked into the room and stood beside you, hips leaning on the counter. He changed and was now wearing a hoodie and sweatpants. Your mind started to reel about how domestic this all felt. You cooking for him and him being all comfortable around you.

"I think I put away a bottle of red wine. You can crack that open for us", you decided to throw all caution to the wind at this moment.

"Oh yeah. I put that on the list", he tried to act all nonchalant but you knew he did this in purpose.

"Must have been, you're the one who wrote it", you threw back at him, a smirk on your face.

You heard the bottle pop and the clinks of two glasses as he filled them about halfway. He handed one to you and said "a special delivery for the lady", you recalled the words from Max earlier, you stopped stirring the sauce and looked at him woth both eyebrows raised. He had a smug look on his face.

"What? Max seems to have taken a liking to you", it all clicked in your brain when he said this.

"Aaaah, now I know what that was all about", you nodded you head in understanding.

"What?", he sipped on his wine, not able to control the smile spreading on his lips.

"You were jealous", he scoffed in indigination at your words.

"I just thought it was innapropriate that he was flirting with you", he shrugged his shoulders.

"How was it innappropriate?", you asked, curious about what his answer is going to be.

"Because he is here working", you guess you couldn't argue with that, the man was on his job after all. You let a few seconds go by before you spoke again.

"He was not my type so I didn't bother reciprocating the flirting", you looked over at him to gauge his reaction, he didn't let much show so you went on, diverting your gaze because you weren't sure you could say this looking at his eyes. "His hair is too short, his eyes too bright and arms a little bare. If you know what I mean"

Noah hummed in acknowledgment, and said "yeah, I think I know what you mean"

The conversation stilled as you prepared the pasta, putting a pan with water to boil on the stove and Noah set the table.

A few minutes later, dinner was ready and you two sat down to eat.

"So, besides being a nurse, you're a chef as well?", you laughed at his remark. I wasn't lost on you that he didn't call you a dancer or a stripper, but a nurse.

"Please, it's pasta and tomato sauce. Anyone could do it", you brushed it off.

"Probably, but it wouldn't taste as good", you decided you were just going to take his compliment.

A comfortable silence fell over you, like everytime you eat a meal together. When you're both finished he takes both of your plates to the sink and tells you he'll worry about it later.

"Give me a second. I'll be right back", he told you as he went to his room. He left the door open and you heard a rummaging sound, and you wondered what he was doing in there. A few minutes later he comes out with a record player balancing in one arm and a vinyl on his other hand. You gasped. You missed listening to music, service here wasn't good, so your cellphone didn't load most of your songs.

He sat the record player down beside the TV and put the vinyl in, setting the needle in place. You recognized the familiar tune of Easy by the Commodores playing.

He stood from his position and made his way over to you, extending his hand.

"I really don't know how to dance like this", and you were really bad at slow dancing, your feet always tripped over of each other. You were more well-versed in another kind of dancing.

"C'mon, it's just swaying. How hard can it be?", he argued. You decided you were gonna let yourself have this. So you took his hand and stood up. Interlacing your fingers behind his neck, you felt his hands rest on your waist. Not too low and not too high.

He noticed you were letting out a few giggles, he could feel your body shaking a little in his hold. He looked down at you. "Am I really that bad?", you fully laughed now.

"You're really not. It's just funny because you're so tall and I'm totally not", you told him the reason of your giggles.

"I have a solution. Here, put your feet on top of mine and I'll take care of swawing us back and forth"

"What? I'm gonna crush your feet"

"No, you're not. C'mon, just do it. It'll be easier", he insisted and you relented, resting your feet on top of his. It was easier now to entertwine your hands behind his neck. But you noticed you were more pressed into him now, feeling the entirety of his body on you.

He felt firm against you, and your face was closer to his chest as you inhaled his scent, a mixture of his perfume, softener and something inexplicably him. It filled you lungs and went straight to your head. You could say it started to cloud your judgment, but it was already clouded when you fist danced for him.

His hands that were still, started to run up and down your sides, warming your skin through your clothes, and you felt his breath on top of your head, where he was resting his cheek. The moment was calm and peaceful, and his steady heartbeat in your ears proved you that.

You moved your hands to rest on each side if his neck, twirling a strand of hair in your fingers. You stood on your tiptoes and nuzzled your head on his exposed, tattoed neck. You felt him take a deep breath and his skin filled with goosebumps. You went one step ahead and started to ghost your lips over his skin.

"Y/N", his voice was low and just a little bit broken, you hummed in response. His hands traveled lower and settled on the hem of your long sleeved t-shirt, you nodded in consent and felt his large and warm palms make their way underneath, splaying themselves over you, his thumb sligthly tracing the underside of your bra.

"You feel so good", he mumbled in your hair. You detached your lips from his neck to lean back and look at him in the eyes. They were clouded over with lust, but you sensed he was holding back for your sake.

"Noah, kiss me, please. I wanna feel your lips on mine", you whispered, only for himself to hear. One of his hands made their way to rest on the back of your neck. Leaning in, he first kissed one side of your lips, then the other, before pressing them firmly on yours. His hand with a tight hold on your waist.

You deepened the kiss, moving your head to the side, your lips slotting together perfectly. Pulling you tigheter against him, he took advantage of your little gasp to slip his tongue inside your mouth.

Your heavy breaths mingled with each other. Your hands wanted to explore, so you started to run them over the expanse of his chest, slipping under his hoodie and feeling his stomach under your hands.

You had to part your lips due to the intensity of the kiss, catching your breaths. The song was long over and the only thing you could hear was your heart beating in your ribcage.

"Take me to your bedroom", you whispered over his lips.

"You're sure you wanna do this?", he asked you, looking you in the eye, looking for answers.

"Please, I wanna feel you. I need to feel you". In an instant, his hands rested on the back of your thighs, picking you up as you laced your legs around his waist. You let out a yelp, but hid your face on his neck. You felt him giggle at your reaction, and patted your bum a couple of times.

He sat you down on his bed, kneeling in front of you. He stopped for a minute, hands resting on your thighs, just looking at you with his beautiful eyes.

"You're just gonna look at me?", your voice was low, afraid to break the bubble you were both under if you spoke too loud.

"Guess so, I can't seem to stop admiring you", he nuzzled his head on your thighs, leaving little kisses over your pants.

"I'm gonna need you to do more than that", he hummed, hands slipping under your shirt once more, this time he started to pull it up, removing it all together with your help. He pushed you gently to lay on the bed, your arms extended on both of your sides, a content look on your face.

"You look so good all laid out for me like this", he hummed, starting to kiss his way up your stomach, the top of your breasts and all over your neck. You let out soft sighs of appreciation, as he slipped off the straps of your bra to kiss your shoulder. "Take it off", you murmured to him. One of his hands going behind your back to mess with the clasp, undoing it and letting the piece of clothing fall, throwing it unceremoniously to the side.

Both of his hands squeezed your breasts, reveling on the feeling of them under his palms. But he soon replaced them with his mouth, sucking and biting to his heart's content as you threw your head back. When he was satisfied with his ministrations, he moved you up the bed, your head resting on the pillows and his body slotting between yours.

"I think we're a little imbalanced here", you referred to his fully clothed body, making it your goal to grip the hem of his hoodie and slip it off of him.

You wanted to take your time exploring his body, running your fingertips over the lines of his tattoos, kissing over his torso and chest. Looking up at him through your lashes, seeing a look that told you he was never loved on like this before. If it was up to you, he would always be loved like this. It's what he deserves.

He gripped the back of your head and kissed you with passion, your tongues fighting for dominance, even though you didn't put up much of a fight. You let him kiss you just how he wanted. He slipped his hand under your leggings to grasp your ass, making your hips grind, a groan leaving both of your lips in unison.

Sliding it downwards, he started to remove your pants, along with your underwear. As soon as they were off, he kissed his way from your calf to your thighs, finally landing where you needed him the most.

He could tell you were holding your breath in anticipation. "Relax for me, baby girl. This is gonna feel really good", you let out the long breath you were holding in, and felt the first licks of his tongue. Gasping out loud from the sensation he provided.

He started out slow, moving his tongue in circles as he sped up his movements. When he felt you were wet enough, he tentatively placed the tip of his middle finger on your entrance, and he felt your body come down a little, urging him to slip it inside you.

When he finally did it, you moaned out loud at the sensation, using his hair as an anchor and gripping it tightly. He groaned at the feeling. "I'll slip another one in, is that ok?", he asked you, as he moved his hand at a slow pace, inside and out.

"Yes, yes, please", you pleaded and suddently you felt so full, you couldn't help but grind down on his hand. "I'm not lasting much longer", your voice was strained, you were trying to hold your orgasm at bay so you could savor the moment for a bit longer.

"It's ok, you can let go. Make a mess on my fingers, baby. I want you to", he was looking up at you, he needed to see what you looked like coming undone for him. Seconds later, your body started to writhe on the bed, he felt you clench around his fingers. Nothing leaving your lips but broken moans and gasps for air. He worked his fingers for a while longer, before pulling them out and licking them clean. You've never seen something so sinful in your life.

He laid beside you, giving you a minute to catch your breath. "Thank you", you said in a worn voice.

"You don't have to thank me", he lazily brushed his fingers over your stomach, creating random patterns.

"I feel like I do", you admitted. "Not only for this, but for everything. The way you take care of me, the way you worry about me. This all feels a little foreign to me"

He grabbed you by the chin and turned you to look at him. "I know you're grateful. And you better get used to me taking care of you", you kissed him before he could make you feel anymore emotional.

Feeling rested enough, you climbed over his lap, straddling his hips. He still had his sweatpants on, but you could feel him beneath you. Making your way down, you slipped it off of him, making quick work of his boxers as well.

As you were about to grasp him in your hands, he stopped you. "We'll have time for that some other day. Right now I just really need to be inside of you", his hands made their way up to squeeze your breasts, not believing he had you on top of him like this.

You lifted yourself to accomodate him between your legs as you started to slide down. The burn felt so good that you couldn't keep yourself upright anymore, instead, you collapsed on his chest.

"Don't worry, I got you. Lay down on me", he said as he slipped all the way in, stopping for a second before you started to move your hips back and forth. He squeezed your waist tight, stopping your movements.

"Wait a second. I just need a second", he said, breathless, and you chuckled. "You find this funny? Not even three seconds inside of you and I'm almost bursting already", he held no real annoyance in his voice, just finding the situation humourous.

"It is a little funny", you didn't have time to chuckle again when his hips slammed into you with force, silencing you efficiently. He kept his pace as you sat up, tits bouncing with every stroke of his hips. You started to move on your own accord, and he let you do your thing, hips moving in circles over his.

"Yeah, like that. Do that again", he threw his head back, exposing his beautiful neck for you to kiss and bite. You felt his legs shudder and you knew he was close, and you kept up your pace.

"I'm so close. Cum with me, baby", he whispered in your ear, as his hand slipped between your bodies. You could feel yourself letting go, hips stilling and body squirming on top of his. Not long after, Noah found his own release, hips arching upwards as he gripped your ass tight, keeping you both connected as closely as possible, grunts of pleasure filling your ears.

You felt your body relax as you let yourself rest on top of him, feeling all of his body on yours, naked and sweaty. He landed his hand on your hair, stroking softly and whispering how well you did for him.

Finally untangling from each other, you laid beside him, eyes wanting to flutter shut, but you were not ready to stop looking at him yet. You grabbed one of his hand and started to inspect it, fingers grazing over his knuckles.

"What's on your mind?", he asked, a hint of worry making itself known in his voice.

"Just how big your hands are", you said, pulling his hands up and comparing it to yours, "look", you told him in amusement.

He laughed a belly laugh and you smiled, looking at the way his eyes crinkled. He was one of those people who smiled with their eyes. Removing his hand from yours, he enveloped you in his arms, pulling you against him, giving you a soft peck on your lips.

"We need to take a shower", you noted, but made no movement to get up from the bed. Instead, you nuzzled your head further on his neck.

"I know, let's just stay like this for a second", he grabbed the comforter that sat at the end of the bed and pulled it over the both of you.

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[theladybarnes]

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ AND YOU SAW ME

▸ summary: Steve Harrington had hoped that he managed to fix his life after the events of last year. But he’s quick to learn that enemies aren’t always just regular school bullies. But also the troubling thoughts in ones head. Can he maintain his cool and help keep everyone safe? ▸ word count: 42.5k          ▸ warnings: angst, violence, semi-fluff, slight canon divergence, self hating, self pitying, smut and a dumb blonde bully

STEVE HARRINGTON POV from DON’T YOU WANT ME, BABY?

After the events of last year, Steve Harrington really thought he was on the right track to getting his life back to normal. He’s got his girl, it’s Senior year, and there’s no more creatures coming out from the walls of the Byers house. So why couldn’t he shake off the feeling that trouble was on its way?

The halls of Hawkins High School had been bustling with excitement the few days before Halloween. 

 With whispered plans of dates, hangouts, and even trick or treating. It was like everyone had an idea of what they wanted to do this year and Steve was slowly falling into the same emotions as the others. Especially when there was word of parties beginning to form. One of them in particular called out to Steve immediately.

 How could it not? He heard about it from the source themselves.

 “I don’t know. This party is slowly turning into a disaster.”

 “We’re literally so close to finishing up plans.”

 “But this is pretty last minute..”

 “So that just means we do things until we’re at our very last minute!” 

 Steve couldn’t help but stare over at you from his locker. Unable to tear his eyes away from the minute you excitedly came over to talk about some plans you two had talked about the night before. Apparently there was a party in the works. But Tina appeared to be more uneasy about the idea. You on the other hand leaned casually against her locker, an amused smirk on your face as she went on her ramblings. 

 You easily list out everything you guys needed to do left as if it were a simple grocery list. Making Steve wonder if there was anything you couldn’t do. How could you just appear to be so normal? Like nothing bad hasn’t happened to you? Wasn’t it only about a year ago that the two of you had been fighting for your lives against a faceless monster? How did you move on so quickly? 

 There were some nights where Steve would wake up with nightmares, unable to sleep due to the sounds of that monster playing in his mind. His eyes found your face again. 

 The smile on your face, though as dazzling as ever, was almost genuine. Steve had learned not too long ago that you were one to keep a pretty good poker face. No matter what was thrown at you, there would be hardly a sign of its effects on your face. Making each and every interaction have to be analyzed thoroughly. Not that he had that many to go based off of.

 Since the fight, all you’ve ever allowed him was a minute or two of your time. Mostly just to tell him to leave you alone or insult him. Things he could take in stride, honestly. He knows he messed up with you. Hell, he’s messed up with everyone. But you were the only one who kept up your grudge. Not yet able to forgive him. He hoped to fix that this year but so far he was failing.

 The sound of Tina’s laugh brought back his focus. You must have said something to make the other girl laugh. Her smile widened as she tried to control herself. You on the other hand, have your smile wide, but not reaching your eyes. The starry eyes he had been so entranced by the previous year had gone away too. He was beginning to think he might have jumped to assumptions too quickly about your well being. 

 “All right, So I’m covering snacks and you’re covering up the beer situation. All we need left is music.” Tina sighed, leaning against her locker. “Which will probably be the hardest. I don’t even know who has good music taste around here that’ll last a whole party.” She already looked a little defeated, but your composure remained relaxed. 

 Did anything ever make you crack?

 “Music is easy!” you clapped. “I talked to Kelly Lopez in Chem, and she told me there was this rad party from last year that had a guy. He’s in your grade I think.” You scratched at your head before snapping your fingers. “McCorklin?..Yeah, Danny McCorklin.”

 “Do you mean David McCorkle?” Steve asked out loud. Not realizing he’s just shown he was listening in on the two of you. 

 Instantly the two of you girls snapped your heads in his direction. You had a small shock on your face before you realized just who happened to butt in the conversation. It’s only a second for your face to sour up at him. “Wow, eavesdrop much?”

 Tina snorted a bit at that, amused easily by your attack before nudging at your shoulder. “He’s right though. It is David.”

 Steve cleared his throat, giving a small shrug as he took a step towards you guys. “Sorry, Trouble. Just heard you butchering the poor kid’s name.” he teased, wanting to ease you up. But you only narrowed your eyes, crossing your arms over your chest when Tina burst into a fit of giggles. 

 “Whatever.” you scoffed, turning your attention back to your friend. “Please ignore the giant wall of hair.” Tina raised a brow at Steve before she turned back to face you. “Kelly said that David has played at other people’s houses before. All you’d need to do is talk to him. See if he’s interested in coming and maybe bring his music.”

 Steve couldn’t help himself and step closer again, holding his hand up defensively at you. “What Kelly has failed to mention to sweet Trouble here, is that David hates being asked last minute to people’s parties. He’s got super strict parents and they totally rag on him for going out late.” 

 Moving to rest his elbow on your shoulder, he pointed down the hall. “He does, however, have a little sister named Margot. She’s a perky little Sophomore itching to hang out with his friends. Invite her and he’ll be forced to watch out for her.”

 The two of you glanced in the direction to where a mousy brunette girl was at her locker, packing away her books.

 “Harrington, you’re a genius.” Tina clapped, before ditching the two of you to quickly dash after the younger girl. It was only one second into the conversation that the girl’s face lit up.

 You slowly brought your hand up and shoved Steve’s elbow off your shoulder. “Are you serious?” you hissed. turning to glare up at him. He couldn’t help but think you looked pretty despite the anger towards him. 

 “What?” he asked, unsure why his helpful advice was calling for this reaction. “It was a sure way to get him to play! I-I was just trying to help.”

 You laughed sarcastically, shaking your head at Steve that he’s worried just what kind of mess he got into opening his mouth again. “As per usual, your help does nothing to actually do things in my favor, your highness.” 

 He pursed his lips, wanting to point out that there is at least one time where he did help out and things turned out good. But now wasn’t really the right time for that. “Wanna drop me a hint?” he asked hesitantly. 

 Sighing, you wiped a hand over your forehead before answering him. “I already went out of my way to ask David myself this morning when I got to school.”

 “If you already asked him then why did you–”

 You held up a hand and pointed over to Tina down the hall. “I wanted Tina to ask him because David confessed to me that he’s had a crush on her since last year and would love to play at her house. But, he was hoping if I could help get her to talk to him since he’s a little shy.”

 Steve gasped softly, not realizing how much he actually made things worse in his small effort of helping you out. 

 “Shit. I’m sor–”

 “Save it, Harrington.” you cut him off. “It’s not like you even knew anyway.” 

 For a second he thought you might be showing a bit of kindness. But from the way your frown slowly turned into a smirk, he knew there was something else on the end of your tongue.

 “I mean, how could you know? The world only revolves around you, right?”

 He sighed defeatedly knowing that this was usually the part where things got cut short. And just like before, you give him the similar look you only wore when you tried to distance yourself again. 

 “Hey, look, Trouble..”

 “It’s a costume party.” you interrupted, “So if you wanted to work on getting an outfit together, you should start on it, Bozo. Before the red noses are sold out.” 

 He stayed quiet watching now as you finally took your leave towards where Tina had gone. “Bozo..” he repeated before realizing what your suggestion meant. “Clown.” he mumbled to himself, turning towards the opposite direction. He was going to make his way over to find Nancy when he suddenly realized. 

 Did you just invite him to the party?

 THREE DAYS LATER, OCTOBER 30TH

 Steve had been working really hard that week. Not only did he make up a costume idea last minute with Nancy (Whom he had to convince to go to the party). But since he was a Senior, he had extra work he needed to sort through. Like college applications. The particular essay he spent the night on before, was proving to be the hardest thing so far. 

 It’s not good. He knows it. Just from reading it himself, he knows there's something off with. 

 It has him nearly distracted all morning. Even when picking up Nancy for school, he was half paying attention to whatever show she heard about. Driving to school purely on memory. Maybe he should ask if he could spend an extra hour in study hall toda—

 “Steve, watch out!”

 His foot instinctively pressed down on the break, making the car jerk for a moment in time to see the front end of a bike almost coming down to collide with him. Hitting the horn, he watched as the rider braked just in time and nearly fell off their bike to avoid the collision. 

 The rider turned their head to the car, making the two of them gasp at the sight of you. 

 “Whoa, didn’t see you coming there, Trouble.” Steve said calmly, despite the racing of his heart. He poked his head out of the window to look you over. 

 “I’m not surprised.” you scowled at him, fixing your footing. “Probably had all that hair on your face.” He feels deflated by your response. You won’t even give him eye contact. “Next time check your mirrors for others and not just for your face.”

 “That’s not what happened.” he tried, feeling his stomach turn a bit. You lean down a bit and peek inside the car to cast a glance over at Nancy.

 “Nevermind, I can see you were distracted by something else.”

 “Wait!” He called, wanting to explain that again your hate shouldn’t be on Nancy. Not when it was his fault. But you’re already riding off, heading towards the front of the school. A car beeped their horn behind him, reminding him to move on. 

 He quickly turned the car towards the parking lot, casually glancing at Nancy. Her attention was over her shoulder, looking onto where you rode over to Jonathan. It added onto the already building guilt in his stomach. Nancy was still dealing with the repercussions of dating him. 

 “Sorry.” he mumbled softly, trying to ignore his girlfriend’s sad gaze.

 “It’s okay, I get it.” she replied softly. Her hand reached out for his arm momentarily, giving it a light squeeze before her attention drifted down to the folder between them. He had just parked the car when he noticed her slowly pulling his admissions essay out. 

 “Fair warning, it’s shit.” he chuckled a bit, trying not to sound too bitter about the truth.

 “Hey, don’t say that!” Nancy chided lightly, giving Steve a small smile. “I’m sure it’s great. Can I read it?”

 He can tell by the smile on her face that Nancy’s trying her hardest to shift the mood. Especially when she’s sad enough with the anniversary of Barb coming up, so Steve smiled back. Nodding his head for her to go ahead and take a look at the paper. But it’s not long until he can see the furrow in her brow begin to form. Not even Nancy’s hopeful attitude can change the reception his paper was going to receive.

 He kept his gaze out towards the parking lot, trying his best not to let it get to him. But he can’t stop the words from coming out. And it’s like a vicious little monster building up inside his chest. All the things his Dad liked to yell at him for were starting to sound more right than he had hoped.

 Nancy does her best to try and help. Even going as far to pull out a pen and correct certain points in his paper that she was not following. But even if she handed him the whole essay full of attempts of her reorganizing, he knows that it won’t be enough. 

 He wanted to get some help from Nancy. At least with some sort of help from her, he might be able to put something together. But she’s quick to remind him about meeting with Barb’s parents for dinner that night. Something he shamefully hated doing. Not because the Hollands weren’t nice people, but because they were a horrible reminder of that night. No matter what he could do for the couple, whether it be to drop by for a hello, or attend one of their long dinners. There was nothing he nor Nancy could do to bring her back or explain what had truly happened to Barb. 

 So why couldn’t Nancy accept that instead of continuing this painful reminder with these dinners? How could she continue to endure their painful conversations of searching knowing that there was nothing either one of them could do to find her? She caught on quickly to Steve’s feelings and pushed for him to stay home to work on the essay. Insisting that it was okay. But there’s a sadness in her voice that chews at Steve and it’s enough that he’ll push down any other opinion in mind.

 “No, no, no. What’s the point?” he asked, crumbling up his only copy. A foolish thing to do. Especially in front of his already stressed girlfriend. But he can’t help it. He feels trapped in a path that’s not meant for him. But how can he get out of it when all his efforts seemed so..hopeless? Maybe he’d have to take up the offers his Dad always gave him. Follow his footsteps..

 “Hey, calm down.” Nancy frowned, looking taken back.

 “I’m calm. I’m calm.” he said, lying a little bit. “I’m just being honest. You know, I mean..I’ll end up working for my dad anyway.” he admitted, feeling the words sound heavy despite the truth behind them.

 “That’s not true.”

 “I don’t know, Nance.” He said, trying to convince himself what he’s relaying to her. “Is that such a bad thing? There’s insurance and benefits and all that adult stuff.”

 Her brows raised up when she looked away from him. He’s worried for a second she might be upset with everything, but he wants this scenario to sound more enticing. To sound like something she’ll be interested in the future. Their future..

 “If I took it, you know, I could be around for your Senior year.” he added, trying to lighten up the mood again. She looked over at him incredulously, like he shouldn’t even say something like that. But he wanted her to know it was serious to him. To watch out for her, make sure she was okay without him in the halls. 

 She didn’t have Barb around anymore and could use someone who understood everything she’s been through. 

 “Steve..” she started, but he couldn’t help but interject. 

 “Just to look after you a little bit. Make sure you don’t forget about this pretty face.” 

 She’s chuckling. That’s good. Hopefully amused now by what he was saying. But while he’s happy to see her crack a smile, he can’t stop from wanting her to understand that underneath the goofiness in his words, there’s a real truth in there. 

 “Nance, I’m serious.”

 She glanced back with a look he couldn’t quite place. Was it acceptance? Happiness? Or overwhelmed by everything he just threw onto her. Without thinking, he leaned to press a gentle kiss to her lips. Hoping that he’s able to put in a little emotion into that for her.

 Her face was shy when he pulled back. Something he was always curious about whenever they kissed these days. She wasn’t usually one for PDA but Steve felt such a heaviness in his heart for her, he had to find ways to pour it out.

 “I love you.” he reminded her, needing her to hear it at this moment.

 Her lips curved into a small but genuine smile. “I love you, too.”

 A loud car engine revved loudly outside the car. Cutting into the conversation and causing the two of them to break eye contact in order to peer out the windows. Opening up the door, Steve and Nancy both climbed out of their seats to find where the source of the noise pollution was. Racing into the parking lot was a pretty cool looking blue Camaro. A car that Steve would usually find nice if it weren’t for the screeching from its driver.

 In the back of the car was a noticeable blue and yellow California license plate. Very odd.

 The first person Steve saw come out of the car was a fiery redhead skating her way towards the middle school. A scowl etched on her pale face. Whatever was going on with her was pretty rough if that’s how she looked starting her mornings. 

 Not long after, a boy that looked around his age closed the door to his car out with a similar look to the girl’s on his face. Seemed like the car ride wasn’t fun for either rider. It’s not until Steve notices that he’s putting out a cigarette that he realized this kid was new.

 “Who is that?” Nancy asked aloud, watching as he made his way over towards the entrance of the school. All around him students began to gawk and stare as the boy strode confidently past everyone. It’s not until he neared the doors to the school that he stopped suddenly. His gaze stayed focused on you while you spoke animatedly to Jonathan. He watched curiously, head titling a bit as he slowly began to walk again.

 Why the hell was he watching you like that? Steve thought to himself. It was totally weird. But before he could voice that concern out, the boy suddenly yelled out to you.

 “HEY, HENDERSON!”

 Wait, how the hell does he know your name?

 Before Steve could register anything else, he watched as this boy approached you, wrapping his arms around you and pressed you closely to his front. The look in your eyes is a mixture of shock and..fear. 

 But that couldn’t be right. You weren’t afraid of anyone. 

 The blonde slowly pinched at your chin, tilting your gaze up towards him before he swooped in and pressed his lips roughly against yours. 

 A fire flushed over Steve’s face. A feeling he hasn’t felt in quite a while. Who the hell was this guy and why did he just kiss you like that in front of the whole school? From his spot he could see as you struggled against the guy’s hold, pulling back from the kiss with a frown on your face. 

 “She’s upset.” Nancy gasped softly. He squeezed against the side of his car door, unsure if he should make a move over or not. 

 Your eyes glance around you at the sudden audience you probably weren’t expecting. Soon enough landing on where the two of them stood. Your eyes widen at that and you’re quickly pushing out of the boy’s grip. Jonathan thankfully seemed to catch onto your discomfort and quickly stepped in as a barrier. 

 Before the new guy could do anything else, you pulled Jonathan close and turned to enter inside the school. Almost like you were running away.

 “Okay, that was seriously weird. Who is that?” Nancy said, turning to look at Steve. He quickly covered up the shock on his face. He doesn’t know why he’s so suddenly upset by it, but doesn’t want Nancy to see it. But really, from the look on her face, he thought she might be on the same boat as he is.

 “I don’t know..but I’m gonna find out.”

  Unfortunately, it wouldn’t be until the next day that Steve managed to find you by your locker. 

 The entire day before had been an ultimate failure and the only thing he managed to do right at the end of it was entertain the Hollands during dinner while Nancy wandered off in their house. After hearing the news of their plans to sell their home in hopes of using the money to increase their efforts in finding their daughter, Nancy had become distant and upset. Making the car ride home somewhat painful as Steve tried to cheer her up.

 But it’s a new day and he’s hoping that the Halloween spirit will perk everyone up again. Who doesn’t love Halloween?

 Turning down the hall to your locker, he noticed that you’re practically covering your whole upper body with how deep you were inside. Making sure to conceal most of yourself from anyone passing by. 

 “Who are we hiding from today?” 

 There’s a stiffness in your body when you hear his voice. Making Steve hope that he didn’t just scare you while trying to check up on you. “I’m not hiding.” You muttered, still deep within the metal locker. “I’m looking for something.”  

 He found it amusing that you were attempting to lie about it when it was clear to him and anyone passing by really, just how badly you were trying to hide yourself. The teasing words couldn’t help but slip out as he playfully tapped against the metal door. “And that requires you to practically climb inside?” 

 “What do you want, Harrington?” you asked after finally coming out with a book in your hands. There’s a small glare on your face that had him running his hand through his hair nervously.

 Honestly, there wasn’t a good answer in his mind. How could he explain to you that something in his gut twisted at whatever he saw yesterday? But in a completely normal way because he cares about you like a friend. 

 And not for some other reason. 

 The only thing his mind could comprehend was one thing. And that was he did not like that look of fear he had seen on your face. “I just wanted to see if you’re okay.”

 “Why wouldn’t I be okay?” 

 “Well to start, that random new guy just walked right up to you and kissed you in front of everyone.”

 “He’s not random. I know him.” You shrugged nonchalantly. Like you didn’t practically peel yourself off from the guy’s grip. Even Nancy from right beside him could tell you were upset. So it wasn’t like Steve had gone crazy. Gently, he reached out and pulled you over to rest against the locker door. 

 “Who is he?”

 “It’s Billy. Okay? Can I go now?” you huffed, obviously wanting to end the conversation. But that didn’t phase the boy at all, what was psyching him out was the fact that your eyes were continuously checking over his shoulder. Like you were waiting for a sneak attack.

 “Am I supposed to know who that is?” he pressed, needing more info.

 “Billy is..my ex from back home.”

 EX?

 “The same ex from your story? That ex?” he asked, still perplexed. So many thoughts ran through Steve’s mind at that moment. How the hell did your ex from California make his way here in Hawkins? Did that mean you were going to get back together? Was that even what you wanted? Something about that very idea seemed to hurt his chest again.

 “Yes, Steve.” you sighed. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I should be heading to class.”

 The tiredness in your voice was blaring red alert. It wasn’t unusual for you to cut the talk short, but he can’t help but think back to the look of fear he had seen on your face. He had to push his luck press a little bit more. “Are you okay? Do you want me to get this guy off your back?” He reached out towards you. Suddenly needing to just..physically feel if you’re okay. Only the tip of his fingers had barely brushed over your soft skin before you pulled your arm away from him. As if he had some sort of disease.

 “Stand down, your highness. I don’t need you to come to my aid.”

 “Then why do you keep checking over my shoulder every few seconds?” he asked, hoping to stump your usual stubbornness. With anyone else Steve might be done with it and move on. But there’s always been something about you that had Steve making a fool of himself.  Like right now, with his horrible timing..

 “Since when should you of all people be concerned of my well being?” 

 “I’m just trying to help..”

 “Yeah? Because the last time you listened to my problems, that didn’t blow up in my face?”

 And there it was. 

 The usual fact that helped give you the winning words to finally end the conversation. He knew better than to press on after that. It would only make things worse. 

 What he didn’t know was how much he might have pressed a little too much today. Making you turn quickly from your exit to point a finger at him. “And stop talking to me like we’re friends. I don’t want people to get the wrong impression.” 

 He could only watch as you turned back in the direction from before, making your dash down the school hallway. Sighing, he tore himself away from your locker, giving one last glance at your backside before he left to join Nancy at study hall. Hopeful for the time alone with his girlfriend to help lighten his mood.

  The day doesn’t go on any better for Steve. After talking with Nancy in study hall, he’s sure that whatever is going on with her is deeper than he thought. 

 The very idea of spilling the truth to the Hollands terrified him. Not only for his sake but..everyone’s. Just how many of your guys’ lives would be turned for the worse from spilling one bit of the truth? He wished he could change things. Help give the couple some sort of relief. But not at the chance of hurting his family, or anyone else trapped in this. 

 It was too big a risk. How could someone as smart as Nancy not understand that? Why was she only seeing things with such a small perspective?

 He wanted to be like you. To move on so carefully and effortlessly that you’re going as far to help make a party for everyone to enjoy. And more than anything, he wished he could talk to you about it. Jonathan, while okay with him, was not a close friend. Nancy was going through her own mix of problems. But you? You were there too. But he’s unfortunately burned that bridge. He can’t talk to the only other person who would understand and maybe even help.

 “Your costume came out great.” Nancy muttered as she slid out of the car. 

 The trip to Tina’s had been a lot shorter than Steve had hoped. He wanted to try and check up on Nancy just once more in hopes to pick up her mood again. But when he had rolled up to her house, she had been already waiting outside at the end of her driveway. The same somber look on her face.

 “Thanks.” he said shyly, not quite expecting a nice remark after that afternoon. “You look beautiful as always. I think you matched your look best.” he noted, reaching out to pinch lightly at the hem of her sweater. She returned him with another muttered reply before looking towards the house. Somewhat distant from the conversation.

 That’s what it’s been like all day since the library and something in the pit of Steve’s stomach told him he should dive into that. Try to find out what he can do to fix it. But with Nancy’s offstandish reaction to his attempts of cheering her up, he’s a little bit lost at what to do. 

 The sound of Mötley Crüe blasting gave a comforting white noise to the lack of conversation between the two as they walked up towards the doors. One step inside and Steve felt a little relieved to see a normal party. Maybe this is what they needed. Just one night of doing nothing but stupid teenager stuff, right?

 He’d barely been in the doorway for a minute before he heard a familiar voice.

 “Got ourselves a new Keg King, Harrington.” Taunted Tommy. His former best friend. It’s been almost a whole year since Steve cut ties with the boy. While he was happy to no longer have to deal with Tommy Hagan or his crap. It didn’t stop him from feeling odd at how fast he switched from friend to foe. 

 “Yeah, that’s right. Eat it Harrington!” yelled Cody Conners from Basketball. Another friend he lost when dropping his former crew. 

 Between the two of them was Billy Hargrove. A name he had learned to hate within the school day. Aside from his connection to you, something about this guy brought a bad taste to Steve’s mouth. Even now, the unsavory sight of Billy drenched in what smelled like beer was unsettling as he stared off at Steve silently. 

 Nancy casually moved past the boys, ignoring the building tension between them as she made her way over to the kitchen. Leaving Steve alone to think of a clever way to get these guys off his back. But just as the thought came to mind, the front door behind him opened up roughly against him.

 “Oh God.” said a familiar voice. 

 Wedging their way through the front door and between both boys was you. He tore his gaze away from Billy’s deathly stare to take a look at what you were wearing. It was a self made devil costume. All red with a plastic pair of devil horns adorned on the top of your head. Steve couldn’t help himself as he stared wide eyed at the sight of you.

 It was probably the hottest thing anyone at this party could ever put together. The rim of your eyes were covered in dark kohl makeup, making your naturally cool stare look even more intimidating. Your usual free hair was slicked back against your head, almost like those models from the ads on tv. Then there were your lips. Sinfully covered in a red so captivating that Steve began to wonder if he had a thing for a color. 

 “Nice costume,” he said simply. The complete opposite of his thoughts. “Red suits you.”

 “It’s not a costume if she really is the devil.” Tommy sniggered. Most likely trying to gain approval from the latest ass he’s been kissing. But from the stoic glare on Billy’s face, it looked like he wasn’t amused with Tommy’s lame attempt to get under your skin.

 “I love when she’s dressed up hot and horny.” Billy smirked, looking over at you. There was a hunger to his eyes that had Steve feeling his chest tighten. This guy surely didn’t think he could just talk to you like that, right? He sucked in a sharp breath, ready to tell this guy off when you slowly stepped in between.

 “I’m still nauseous from your pick up lines from today, Billy. Maybe take another lap around the room before you try to come at me again.” The three boys almost looked shocked by your reaction. Probably not having seen that coming. “Or drop dead, either one!”

 With a quick pat to Billy’s glossy chest, you jet off into the party with a little bounce to your step. 

 Steve can’t help but smile at your tenacity. Admiring how you managed to return back to keeping anything thrown at you off your back. There’s a moment when you glanced over your shoulder, briefly making eye contact with Steve. 

 On your face was a small playful smile.

 He really hopes you have a good time tonight.

  “What is wrong with her?”

 Steve had been wiping off a bit of sweat from his forehead when he heard the sounds of one of the girls behind him. He turned around quickly, catching as Nancy yet again was over at the punch bowl. Something she had been doing all night long. 

 For some reason, Nancy was more upset than she let on. Her earlier jab at pretending to be stupid teenagers had stung a bit. But after she had a couple of drinks, he figured she had loosened up to the idea. Especially when they were dancing for so long after that. There was a moment when he caught you staring at the two of them curiously, making him nervous as to what caught your attention. But then you went on with your night and things seemed normal again.

 But now..now things have turned different. Nancy kept returning back to his side with a new cup every time he looked away. Steve was wondering just how much she’s actually had. She wasn’t a light weight, but she was definitely throwing back some harder stuff. Chasing after her, he quickly tried to put an end to her drinking. 

 The two of them look like a couple of kids fighting over a tv remote at the moment. Steve is trying his hardest to keep this drink out of her hands. But Nancy is already so drunk and so upset that he’s worried what will actually happen if he takes it away. But better to have her mad that get sick. 

 “Nance, put it down.” he argued, trying to keep the liquid from sloshing around.

 “Steve, stop!”

 “Stop. STOP.” 

 His fingers slipped around her slick hands and suddenly the cup flew back against her shirt. Spreading the dark red liquid across her bright white shirt. Everyone around them gasped as they took in the sight.

 “What the hell?” Nancy asked softly, giving Steve a glare before she swiftly left the living room. Heading upstairs towards the bathrooms. He’s not far after her, needing to help fix whatever the problem was there and now.

His hands covered up his face as he sat in the driver’s seat of his car. Trying to keep control of his overwhelming emotions. But every time he thought he gained back his breath, Nancy’s words echoed in his mind. Every word felt like a slap to his face. And he can’t help but hit his hand at the steering wheel in frustration.

 “You’re pretending like everything's okay.” 

 SLAP

 “You know, like we didn’t kill Barb.”

 SLAP

 “Like, we’re in love and we’re partying.”

 SLAP

 “This is bullshit.”

 SLAP

 “You’re bullshit.”

 He slapped once more before feeling a harsh pain go up the side of his arm. “Shit.” he hissed, looking at the palm of his hand. It was harsh and red, but for some reason not as painful as the beat in his chest.

 How could Nancy think that way? How could she say they were just pretending to be in love?..Didn’t she feel it with him? Didn’t she love him? How could she say it all this time and not even mean it?

 “You’re bullshit.” 

 The tears pricked the corner of his eyes and he quickly wiped them off. Not needing anyone at this party to get the chance to see him in such a pathetic state. He’s beyond upset, and he knows better than to go back in there. But at the same time, he realized he just left a drunken Nancy at the party alone.

 As if things weren’t bad enough, before he could even think about stepping out of his car to go back, he’s seeing the last thing he needed to see right now.

 Nancy, who didn’t look good at all, was holding onto Jonathan Byers. Someone he didn’t even know would be caught dead at a party like this. The boy was looking down at Nancy with such concern as he led her down the driveway. Talking gentle care with her as he walked the two of them over to his beat up car. 

 A part of Steve wanted to be upset with Jonathan. Because again, this was beginning to feel like last year. Only it would turn out that Steve was still the bad guy in this situation. Having been the one who left his girlfriend. Of course it would be easy for a good guy like Jonathan to step in and be the good hero. 

 So he sat pathetically in his car, letting the girl he loves be taken home by someone else who wasn’t bullshit. 

 He wondered for a moment if things would turn out differently had he just done what Nancy wanted to do. Let the Hollands in on the secret and possibly hurt the lives of those involved in this upside down mess. But even with all that, would all he thought was good in his life still be pretend?

 Steve quickly started up his car. Trying to ignore the ache in his chest so that he could go home and try to sleep away some of the hurt. He glanced over at the road, noting how some kids were beginning to walk away from the party and down the street. Possibly walking off the alcohol they’ve consumed. But it isn’t until he noticed a familiar red figure that he found himself pulling along the road side. 

 “Do you have any idea how dangerous it is for a girl like you to be walking around this late at night?”

 The sound of his stern voice caught you off guard. Making you stop walking for a moment. But you don’t reply. Instead, you keep walking, as if you didn’t hear him at all. He quickly shook his head and pressed down on the gas lightly to keep the car moving to follow after you. One glance at your feet and he can’t help but wince at the height of your heels.

 “Come on, Trouble. We both know walking in those kinda shoes can’t be comfortable.”

 Again you kept your gaze forward. Stubborn enough to possibly ignore the pain if it meant to keep up your usual avoidance. He glanced down the roadway knowing the familiar hills you’d been coming up to eventually.

 “It’s only gonna get more muddy from here, might ruin them.”

 That seemed to do it for you, making you quickly turn around and head over to the car. With a tug to the door, you entered his car. Hitting Steve with a small waft of whatever strong perfume you had been wearing tonight. When you slammed the door closed, you reached over for the seat belt. Struggling a bit as you attempted to lock yourself in.

 “Are you okay?” he asked worriedly. He peeked closer at your hands watching as it fumbled once more. “Henderson, are you drunk?”

 “No.” you drawled out. “I’m A-OK.” 

 He let out a heavy sigh. Wondering how everyone around him managed to get this drunk. One more glance to you and he noticed just how much goosebumps had risen up on your arms. So, he set the car in park and quickly shed off his jacket. It brought a small shiver up his spine to lose such warmth so fast, but he brushed it off to hand the jacket over to you. “Put it on before you freeze to death.”

 “So bossy!” you whined.

 “It’s for your benefit, Trouble. Just do it.”

 He watched as you pulled the fabric over you like a blanket. Bringing it up to your neck before you glanced over at him. “Happy?” you asked sarcastically.

 “Ecstatic,” he grumbled. Hating how you were upset with him for making sure you were okay. “Now, can I please take you home?”

 “Off we go Jeeves!” you yelled and he couldn’t help but roll his eyes. Your drunken state sure did like to try and annoy him. Or maybe it was his already bad mood ruining your playfulness. Right now he couldn’t tell. He instead focused on the road he drove the way over to your house.

 “You look like you’ve been crying.”

 He scoffed softly. No way could you have noticed that. 

 “Have not.”

 “Have too. Your eyes are red.”

 “They’re irritated. I have allergies.”

 “To what, your tears?”

 He stayed quiet. Unsure how to get around your cleverness. Even while drunk your keen observation skills were doing wonders against his distressed state. And though he wanted to keep quiet and avoid slipping out any of his current feelings, he can’t do that if it meant ignoring you. “How was your night?” he asked, in a poor attempt to change the subject.

 “It was shit. Boys suck.”

 “Hmm, girls suck too.” he said quickly. Unable to fully filter out his bitter mood. “Happy Halloween, eh?” While he’s disappointed that you didn’t have any sort of good night yourself, he’s somewhat relieved that he’s not alone in this

 There was another beat of silence that fell between the two of you, and he was slightly worried he might have made you upset when you suddenly spoke up again.“You know, this party was supposed to be different.” you sighed.

 “Was it?”

 “Yeah, it was kind of supposed to make up for last fall.”

 Last fall had been around the time you came to live here. It was also the time he met you and somehow ruined all his chances at any sort of friendship because of his mistake. More bullshit, he figured. 

 “I mean, let’s be real. I didn’t come to move here and deal with school drama and monsters. And since we got rid of that, I figured that someone as smart as me could work my way around the school bit.”

 Your house approached faster than he thought. Making him hate how fast he arrived in your driveway. This was the first in so long that the two of you were actually talking. And he selfishly didn’t want to end it soon even if he wanted just to go home not too long ago.

 “And how’s that going?” He asked, turning off the car engine. He’s hopeful that you’ll go on in your running thoughts.

 “Very crappy.” you chuckled. The sheer honesty even made him laugh a little. “I don’t know but I feel like things aren’t ever going to be normal for me again. I mean, whatever happened to being just a stupid teenager? When did all this other mess like a love life come in to make it harder?”

 “It’s all bullshit.” he said softly. “All of it.”

 You snorted at his words, not understanding the sting that lingered behind them. “Glad to know we’re all bullshitters.” 

 Suddenly you’re leaning into him, reaching out gently to wipe off some of the remnants of his shame from the side of his face. It was so sweet and caring. Making Steve shudder from the affectionate touch. Something about it coming from you had his heart racing. He pulled his hand up from his lap to place over yours. Noting the softness of your hands.

 “Thanks for the ride, Steve.” you whispered softly. As fast as he could blink, you were leaning in again to press a kiss to his cheek. Leaving such a fire to his skin, he was sure you’d notice how red he was in the face. But you don’t mention it. “I hope your allergies let up soon.” 

 He dropped his hand from yours, watching as you exited the car. Only fumbling a few times over yourself before you managed to get out. The cool air from outside didn’t even bother him as he watched you pull the jacket off from you. Unknowingly distracting him getting out a goodbye. It’s when you were about to close the door that he called out for your name. Feeling an overwhelming urge to help make your night better in some kind of way. 

 “I’m sorry about last year,” he said suddenly. “I can’t say it enough, but I really do regret hurting you and all.”

 You looked only a little taken back, nodding your head slowly with a small sad smile. He sighed to himself, allowing you to finally close the door so that he could pull out of the driveway. He waved off at you before turning his car and going, looking back now and then at your figure receding. 

 It was weird for Steve. He hasn’t ever really felt so torn up in his emotions in a while. Feeling the need to sink into his sadness one second, and then needing to make sure you didn’t fall into yours the other. Last Halloween he spent wasted with Tommy, watching as Carol and some girl he had hooked up with played ding dong ditch at Mr. Clark’s house. 

 But that was last year, and now he was heading home with a broken heart and confused feelings.

Surprisingly Steve was up earlier than he had expected to be that morning. 

 The night before still haunted him despite sobering up enough before bed. And even after he was tucked in and done thinking about Nancy, he couldn’t stop himself from going back to you. Like a horrible pendulum, he was stuck either thinking about Nancy’s words or yours. 

 It was throwing him in such a wack that he hadn’t noticed how much he had gone his day stuck in autopilot. Getting his breakfast silently, driving his car to school, and heading to class. No one seemed to pay him any mind. That is until he was stopped at his locker. 

 “Steve!” called out a friendly voice. 

 He didn’t peek up from the inside of the metal box, aimlessly putting books in different places as he ignored whoever was calling out to him. But instead of taking the hint, the person ended up coming closer. 

 “Hello? Earth to Harrington?”

 Slamming his locker closed, he watched as Tina and her friend Vicki jumped in place before they rubbed at their temples. Not expecting that sort of noisy response. He shot the two of them with a tight lipped smile. “What’s up?” he asked half heartedly. 

 “Did you enjoy yourself at the party last night?” Tina asked, gaining some sort of composer.

 “Yeah,” Steve said sarcastically. “Had a real blast.”

 He only gave them a quick nod before he turned on his heels to head off to class. Leaving the other two girls to stagger as they followed after him. “I noticed that you didn’t leave with Nancy.” Tina said, catching up to walk along his side. “It looked like she left with Jonathan Byers.”

 “Are you telling me or asking me?” Steve muttered, trying to pick up his speed down the hall.

 “I’m telling you.” she clarified a second after. “What I’m asking you is if you really left the party to take poor little Henderson home?”

 He couldn’t help but think back to what the girl was telling him. Just how many people noticed what went down last night? How many today were talking about the fact that Nancy went home with someone else. He didn’t even call to see if she made it home..what would they think now that they didn’t even show up to school together?

 “Hello?” Vicki called out this time. 

 “Steve,” Tina started more sternly. “Look, we get that you might be a little fuzzy on the details considering the punch everyone drank last night..” Vicki and her shared a humorous laugh together before glancing back at the boy. “My only concern is if you hooked up with my friend or not.”

 “I mean, it’d be expected considering Wheeler probably hooked up with Byers. But still be pretty grimey of you.” added Vicki, causing Steve’s mind to go in a funky haze again.

 He didn’t spare a glance at them, merely shrugging his shoulders before he pushed past the two. Trying to do anything but think of the idea of Nancy and Jonathan hooking up. 

 “You’re bullshit.”

 “You’re bullshit.”

 “You’re bullshit.”

 The shrill sounds of Coach Troy’s whistle did not help with the building headache in Steve’s mind. While he had hoped that a good game of basketball in gym class would brighten up his mood, he couldn’t stop the cloudiness from raining on his mind..and performance. 

 “COME ON, HARRINGTON.” Drew Nelson, his teammate for the day, was on his ass for some reason, making Steve even more irritable.

 Billy, who of course had to be in his gym class, was playing flawlessly. As if he lived and breathed basketball. For someone who had reeked of beer the way he did the night before, Steve would have thought he’d be somewhere with his head in the trash. But here he was, shirtless, and looking at Steve as if he were his next target.

 At one point the game turned into a bit of a one on one, making Steve’s nerves on edge as he carefully dribbled the ball. There’s a second where he tried to go past Billy that ended with the two colliding against each other. Both not budging from their spot.

 “Harrington, right?” Billy said, acknowledging Steve for the first time since he came. “I heard you used to run this school. That true?” The question was rhetorical. Something to get under Steve’s skin. Whether it be for the game or Billy’s own satisfaction, Steve did not know. “King Steve, they used to call you, huh?..Then you turned bitch.”

 “Hey, maybe you should just shut up and just play the game.” Steve said, not wanting to even talk to this guy. But his offhanded reply only seemed to make Billy more amused, using his footing to trip Steve over so that he could steal the ball. 

 Steve scrambled getting up, watching as Billy effortlessly shot a dunk into the next, causing his teammates to erupt into happy cheers. He had been pushing back the hair away from his eyes when he heard the sound of Coach Troy’s whistle. 

 “Hey! Girls are out on the field today!”

 Before he could turn and find out who the man was yelling at, the sound of another voice suddenly came up from behind him.

 “What the hell is your problem, Harrington?” 

 His back was shoved harshly. Causing him to trip forward a bit before he was able to catch his footing. Wiping a hand over his sweaty face, he turned around and realized that the person who nearly pushed him over was you. His eyes widened at the sight of your blazing anger as you took a step forward. 

 “The hell is wrong with you?! Don’t you see I’m in the middle of a game?” 

 He caught eyes with one of the kids and opened his hands out for the ball. What kind of warpath were you on that you’d come into a class that wasn’t yours just to yell at him? He waved the ball in your face, hoping to snap you out of your daze but that only seemed to aggravate you further. Making you reach out and snatch the ball from his hands. 

 “I don’t care about the dumb game. I want to know why you’re not stopping people from assuming that we did anything but drive home yesterday!”

 “Wait, what?” he scoffed. Trying to think about what you were saying. The only person that asked him about it was your friend. Why the hell would you care about something trivial as a rumor? “I didn’t think I had to.”

 “You didn’t think that people were going to assume that you and I leaving a party early wouldn’t come off as something else?”

 “No! Why the hell would anyone assume that?” You hated him, everyone knew that.

 “They assume shit like that when you keep your mouth shut instead of clearing the air, genius!”

 He tried to think over his answer with Tina today. Wondering how his mouth got him in trouble yet again, but it would seem his lack of speaking had done worse than he thought. From the side he could see a curious Billy step towards the two of you. 

 “What’s the problem, babydoll?” he cooed at you, trying to either get on your good side or at least appear like it. Either way, Steve couldn’t help but frown at it. 

 “Not now, Billy.” you said not even giving him a glance. Missing out on the frustration that easily slipped over his usual mocking exterior. You took a step closer, trying to get his attention and Steve suddenly became aware of just how many of his peers were suddenly watching this drama unfold right now. 

 “Can we do this, maybe not in the middle of class?”

 “I would, except over at my class, I’m being told lies about myself!”

 You’ve pushed enough that he found himself pressed against the gym wall. Making him lower his gaze from the other students that are probably thinking how pathetic he must look. At any other time this would most likely make him want to take out his frustrations. Ask why the hell everyone seemed to be on his ass today.

 “Steve, people are gonna think I helped you cheat on Nancy..”

 “You didn’t!” he said quickly, snapping his gaze back at you. The thoughts from before quickly faded away the second he finally saw your hurt look. “I would never and you wouldn’t either.” 

 He can’t stand the idea of his dumb mouth making things worse for you again. Without thinking he began to reach out for you, wanting to reassure you. But with the rumor that was currently bothering you, it would be best to give some space. So he dropped his hands to his sides, watching as you took a step back too. 

 “Make sure they know that then.” you warned softly. 

 Turning around, you make for your exit. Only being stopped by Billy who leaned in to angrily ask you a whispered question. It must have really got under your skin because the next thing he saw was you pulling back from his grip and pointing a finger at the man. “Stop fucking my friends!”

 He blew out a huff of air, removing himself from the wall and back towards the court. Ready to just get on with the rest of class before he and the other boys witnessed you shoved the basketball to hit Drew against the groin. 

 “Take five, boys.” Coach Troy called out as some of the boys gathered around the groaning boy. 

 “Steve?”

 He picked his head up in time to catch Nancy near the gym entrance. It would look like interruptions weren’t done just yet.

  “What happened before I came in?” Nancy asked as she led the two of them towards the back of the gym. 

 “Trouble happened.” he shrugged. Not really sure how to even talk to Nancy casually. But the more she looked up at him with a questionable look, the more he felt himself grow frustrated. “What are you doing here?” he asked finally. 

 “What do you think?” she asked, growing upset. “Where were you this morning? I missed first period.”

 That’s what she was upset about? First period?

 The bitterness hit over his tongue and he couldn’t help the sarcasm as it came out. “I figured Jonathan would take you.”

 “Wha..What are you talking about?” she asked, as if he pulled that answer out of nowhere. He can’t help but scoff in return. Unable to push back the venom that was building up inside of him.

 “Jesus, you really can’t handle your alcohol.” He started. “You remember going to Tina’s party last night, right?”

 “Yes.”

 “And then what?”

 “I remember dancing, and spilling some punch. You got mad at me because I was drunk..and then you took me home.”

 He scoffed again. Shocked that not only could she not remember anything correctly from that night. But turn it around so that it was just his fault. “No, see, that’s where your mind gets a little bit fuzzy.” He wrapped the towel around the back of his neck, trying to approach this without blowing up. “That was your other boyfriend. That was..that was Jonathan.”

 “I don’t understand..”

 “It’s pretty simple, Nancy. You were just telling it like it is.” he muttered. Feeling her words begin to echo in his mind again.

 “What?”

 “Uh..apparently, uh, we killed Barb and I don’t care, ‘cause I’m bullshit, and our whole..our whole relationship is bullshit, and..I mean, pretty much everything is just bullshit, bullshit, bullshit.” he finished. Finding it worst to list it all out for her. But there was no going back now. “Oh, yeah! Also, you don’t love me.”

 “I was drunk, Steve! I don’t remember any of that.” Nancy exclaimed, looking wide up at Steve. There was a bit of a panic in the tone of her voice. Giving Steve a small bit of..hope. But still, it all hurt too much for Steve to just ignore easily.

 “So that makes everything that you said..it’s what? Just bullshit, too?”

 “Yes!”

 “Well, then tell me.” he pleaded, feeling his chest only begin to ache again.

 “Tell you what?”

 “You love me.” 

 Nancy could only stare up at shock. Almost like he asked her an unthinkable question. “..Really?” she gaped.

 The doors to the gym burst open. Causing a pause in their conversation as Drew came through the walkway. “Harrington!” he yelled, waving his arms up. “Dude, we need you, man. That douchebag’s killing us. Let’s go!” 

 “All right!” he called out, irritated by the interruption. 

 “COME ON!”

 But Steve ignored him, only looking down at Nancy as he painfully waited for her to give the answer that he could easily say right here and right now if she asked. Even when she mustered up the courage to look back at him, he could only see that despite being in front of him. She was so far away from his reach. 

 Say it. Please. Just say it.

  He took a step away, taking the last bit of dignity that he had left to go back inside. This conversation wasn’t leading anywhere and he really needed to be alone right now. But not without leaving her with some parting words. 

 “I think that you’re bullshit.”

  Steve pretty much bailed out on school after those confrontations. His mind nor his heart could handle the idea of dealing with the rest of the school day. Instead of dealing with anyone else who had something to say, he managed to fool the school nurse enough to send him home early. Allowing him to stay locked up in his room, blasting music loud enough to drown out the thoughts that ran through his head.

 But the next day isn’t any better. 

 With every hall he walked down, he managed to catch the eyes of every student. And not in the way that he used to. With some, it was sympathy. Probably hearing worse things than the day before. He decided he’d try and ignore them. Moving on with the day so that he could simply get on with this horrible week.

 Unfortunately, despite ignoring the other students. He couldn’t ignore his stupid gym class. Meaning he’d have to deal with Billy once again.

 And boy did that class prove to be worthless. Instead of getting back in his groove. He only seemed to falter again. Failing to knock Billy down a peg. It was such a shit show that Billy even mocked him further by ending the game with some parting advice. Which was a whole different type of mind game that Steve couldn’t comprehend. 

 Things only turned more confusing when Steve hit the showers. He was just about finishing up when Billy and Tommy slithered into the showers. An amused smirk tugged at Billy’s lips as he casually washed up beside Steve. Like they were friends.

 “Don’t sweat it, Harrington.” he spoke suddenly. “Today’s just not your day, man.” 

 “Yeah. Not your week.” Tommy added with a familiar taunting chuckle. “You and the princess break up for one day, and she’s already running off with the freak’s brother.”

 Steve stayed quiet. Unsure if what he heard was right. Nancy ran off with Jonathan? Just like that?

 “Oh, shit. You don’t know.” Tommy grinned. “Jonathan and the princess skipped yesterday. Still haven’t shown. But that must just be a coincidence, right?”

 He pulled away from the shower, his annoying familiar cackle following after him as he left to go off and change. 

 “Don’t take it too hard, man.” Billy said calmly. “A pretty boy like you has got nothing to worry about. Plenty of bitches in the sea.” He made it a point to reach out and shut the water off, cutting off the stream from rinsing off the shampoo from his hair. Making it so that his words were clear enough to hear.

 “Am I right?” he asked, giving his shoulder a clap. He turned to walk away from the stalls, staring ahead as he left with parting words. 

 “I’ll be sure to leave you some.”

  “Did you hear about Nancy and that Byers kid? I heard they’ve run off to get married because they’ve been secretly in love or something.”

 “No, I heard she ran off with Jonathan Byers because she found out that Henderson girl got her nails into Harrington. They’re like totally an item now.”

 “No way is she dating Steve! She’s dating Billy Hargrove. That new kid. They kissed the other day didn’t they?”

 “Oh right! That makes better sense. New hot girl, new hot guy. Of course they’d end up together.” 

 Steve bolted past the trio of girls blocking the doorway into the cafeteria. Words like that have been spreading around all day and if he had to listen to another group of people talking about him and the people he knew, he’d go insane.

 In the center of all the chaos he found you, at a lunch table alone. An odd sight really considering you haven’t been left alone since you moved here. But from where he stood he could tell that you kept up your regular composer. He quickly rushed over, pulling out a chair to sit across from you. 

 “We need to talk.”

 “Don’t really see what we have to talk about.” you mused, keeping your gaze down at the magazine before you. While he’s usually impressed by your tact, he’s somewhat bothered that today of all days you’re not at least a little bit worried.

 “Would the fact that everyone keeps talking about us not be good enough reason?” 

 “Nope.” You said, still the same tone. Only now you were frowning down at whatever you were reading.. “Damn, I got Tom Cruise. I wanted Michael J. Fox.”

 Growing frustrated, he reached out and took the magazine away from your line of sight. 

 “Give that back, Steve! I have to find out if Tom Cruise likes what I do!” 

 He couldn’t help but throw you a look before he placed it down on the chair beside him. “You can figure all that out later. We gotta get these rumors under control.” If he doesn’t get at least some sort of help, he’s not sure what he’ll do by the end of the day.

 “Us sitting together is just gonna make things worse.” you pointed out, stabbing at your food. 

 “That’s what I’m talking about! We should be able to do things like sit next to each other without it meaning anything.” It’s never been a problem all this time but just one damn party and it’s like life is turning upside down. 

 “Well, get Nancy to help clear some of the air. She’s a part of this as much as we are.” 

 He couldn’t control the mixed emotions on his face. Reaching out quickly to snatch a piece of your pizza to stuff in his mouth. If he got to talking about it right now, he’s worried just what might spill out.  “We can’t go to Nancy right now.” he chewed harshly. 

 “Well no, I know she’s not here today. But tomorrow..”

 “No, we can’t go to Nancy right now because..she and I are fighting.” 

 “Okay, so make up with her.”

 “It’s not that easy, trouble.” he sighed, wishing it could be just that. 

 “Well why the hell not? You guys are practically making out in the hallway these days. Just bring her flowers and make up already.” There’s somewhat of a tone in your words that made Steve a little curious. 

 Was that jealousy? Could you possibly—

 No. Nope. He’s not gonna go down that rabbit hole again. Despite his troubling thoughts and the conversation turning slightly annoying, he tried his best to calm down and explain it better. 

 “I can’t just make up with her because she thinks we killed Barb.” 

 Your eyes widened a bit and you quickly pushed away your tray, leaning in closer towards him to conceal the conversation better. “What the hell do you mean? Is this why you were crying the other night?!”

 “I was not crying…but yes. Among other things.” he sighed defeatedly. 

 “Like what?”

 It’s hard to dive into everything, but considering you’re one of the few people that he can trust. He figured it wouldn’t be so bad to clue you in on a few important key points. 

 “..and apparently, we were never in love, I’m bullshit, and now she’s run off with Jonathan out of town.”

 “Shit.” You said, leaning back against your seat. The two of you have a bit of a stare off and he’s wondering what might come out from you next. Would you mock him? Tell him it was deserved? Did he just make a mistake on opening up about this? 

 He’s given you every reason to hate him still. Treat him like all the other assholes in this school. But a small part of him was scared to hear those kinds of words from you again. Fearing that it might just hurt a little bit more than the last time. 

 But you don’t do that. Instead, you’re reaching over to place your hand on top of his. “I’m sorry,” you said softly. The tips of his fingers twitched under the softness of your warm hands. “It’s not your fault..I hope you know that.”

 His eyes didn’t know where to look. The sincerity in your eyes or the way your hand is slowly inching to be inside his. Turning his palm over, he watched in silent awe as you slipped your fingers between his. It felt nice. He couldn’t help but give it a light squeeze as he muttered a shy response. “Thanks.”

 It’s a beat of a second that the two of you are just sitting there. Subtly holding hands over the table, where anyone could see and make things worse for the current rumors you shared. But Steve didn’t seem to care. Because for once, it felt like someone actually gave a shit about how he felt. 

 “I know I’m probably the last person you think would suggest this. But maybe we can find a way to figure out where Nancy and Jonathan are. Help figure out what mess they’ve gotten into-”

 “You know Harrington. When I mentioned leaving behind some girls for you, I wouldn’t have expected you to go after my girl of all people.” He watched as Billy pulled a chair out beside you, screeching the metal against the floor before he plopped down. He shot a white toothy smile over at Steve briefly before he glanced back at you. Draping his arm over your shoulder in an attempt to hug you close.  

 He’s so distracted by the look of hatred on your face, that he didn’t even realize he had dropped your hand in the process.

 “Okay, first off. I am not your girl. Second, what the hell are you on about, Billy?” 

 “Lover boy here is obviously having some relationship problems as we’ve discussed.”

 Discussed?

 Steve’s eyes glanced over to you questionably. Wondering just when the two of you had talked enough to have him be the main topic of discussion. Didn’t you hate Billy that you were trying to avoid him at any chance?

 “I thought I gave him some humbling advice but he clearly ran off with it.” 

 “God, do you ever stop talking?” Steve muttered in disbelief. Unsure where the hell this guy pulled all this crap out of. 

 “No, he lacks the capacity to have any sort of tact.” you responded, sounding just as tired as Steve felt. 

 “Others would say I’m just brutally honest.” Billy shrugged. The two of you could only scoff at that. Still taken back by this asshole. 

 He watched as you scooted your chair away, trying not to be as close to Billy. “What asinine advice did you give Steve?”

 “Easy, I told him there was plenty of girls–”

 “Not the word I remember hearing.” he said, watching as the small interruption managed to get under Billy’s skin a bit. 

 “That he should move on and find some other bitch to help him forget Wheeler.” His poor choice of words earned him a look of disgust from you. Making Steve feel a little bit smug that of all the people Billy managed to get under his thumb, you didn’t seem to be one of them.  “And like I mentioned before, I didn’t think he’d do that with you of all people.”

 He glanced over at Steve with his last words, raising his brow just a smidge enough that Steve can’t help but feel something bubble up in his chest. “Who she talks to is none of your business.” There’s a slightly shocked look on both of your faces. But he ignored that to keep telling off Billy. “From what she’s told me, she dumped you last year, leaving you a mess back in California.” 

 “Oh is that what she said?” Billy chuckled, leaning in towards the table. Something waved over Steve’s body. He’s never felt so confrontational with a person before. And he’s not sure if it’s because Billy is that big of an asshole or if it’s because he’s an asshole who thinks he owns you. “What else do you suddenly know about her?”

 “I know she’s obviously grossed out by you and yet all you’ve done since you’ve gotten here is invade her space, man. It’s like you aren’t getting the hint.” Steve countered, mimicking Billy as he leaned in closer. 

 “Really! You of all people are able to grasp hints all of a sudden!”

 “Believe me, I’m not the only one seeing the signs. She’s practically crawling away from you every time you’re by her.” The anger was building up and he knew he should shut up. But this angry little monster that’s been on his shoulders this week is growing bigger with every reply back from Billy. 

 “And just how many times are you watching whenever I talk with her? She’s my girlfriend!”

 Motherfu–

 “She’s not!”

 “ENOUGH!” you yelled suddenly as you pushed out of your chair. All around students paused in their lunch to stare over at the sudden eruption from the table. From the glare on your face, Steve knew was in trouble. “I’ve about had it with you two!”

 Scratch that, he’s in deep shit.

 “For the last and final time, Billy. I am NOT your girlfriend. You’re an egotistical man-whore who needs a god damn reality check! Leave me the hell alone!” Steve glanced over to the blonde, noting that he was not only taken back by your outburst but also a little bit..afraid? Did he too face your wrath back at home?

 He nearly jumped in his seat when your fiery eyes turned to look at him next. But unlike Billy, he’s used to this fire by now, and he’s more than ready to accept what you throw at him. But the longer you look at him, the more he could tell there was something you were holding back on.

“We’re not friends.” you said, making his chest hurt just a little bit at the reminder. “I don’t need you to defend me and I definitely don’t need you to speak for me.”

 “Shows over, assholes!” you yelled over to the gawking student body. They’re quick to avert their gazes after that, probably having seen enough of what your target practice can do. 

 Both the boys sat there, silent as you gathered up your things and pushed in your chair. It wasn’t until Steve held up the magazine for you that he saw you pause. If only for a second before you grabbed it.

 “Nice one, Harrington!” Billy jeered with a slap to the table. He quickly got up from his chair and made his way towards another table before Steve could get the chance to say anything back. All he could do was sit back and watch as you made your way out of the cafeteria.

 There was still the problem he had in his hands and he only hoped that the rest of the school day would cool you off enough so that he could convince you to help him again.

  Steve felt almost eerily like how he did Halloween night. Hands gripped tightly to the steering wheel as he watched you and Billy from the parking lot. He had hoped that he’d be able to offer you a ride with an apology and that would be good enough to get you to help him with Nancy. But all he could focus on right now was the sight of Billy cupping at your jaw, leaning closer to your lips. There was an off look to your face, but your eyes slipped close, like you’re waiting for a kiss. 

 For a moment Billy turned his head, obstructing Steve’s view before he suddenly let you go. For some reason Steve couldn’t help but press on the gas pedal, feeling the need to drive the hell out of the school, out of town, anywhere that wasn’t here.

 The two of you turned your gazes towards his direction and he can’t help but scoff at the sight of shock on your face. Without another thought, he put the car in drive and set off to head off the parking lot. Ready just to end the stupid day.

  “And you’re sure this will help me out?”

 Mr. Chen, the town’s florist, looked over at Steve questionably. The boy had come in just a half hour ago, asking for help on getting flowers to help mend things up with Nancy. Using the partial advice you had given him at lunch the day before. 

 Immediately the man stalked over and offered Steve a variety of choices. Lilies, orchids, tulips, and so many that Steve couldn’t decide on. It wasn’t until he told the man that all he had was ten bucks that the man stalked off to the backroom and came out with a small bouquet of roses. 

 “I’ve been in this town longer than you’ve been alive, boy. Give her these. Suck it up and say you’re sorry.”

 With that he waved off Steve, wishing him luck before escorting him out of his shop. On the drive there he thought long and hard what he could say. For sure he knew he felt bad about just leaving her at the party. And maybe for calling her bullshit. But it wasn’t as if he pulled those out of nowhere. 

 He arrived sooner to the Wheeler house than he had hoped. Unsure of what to do still as he climbed out of his car. Holding tightly to the roses as he attempted to practice what he’d say when Nancy came to the door. 

 “Listen..I’ve been thinking. I love you. I’m sorry.” He sighed. The words tasted bitter on his tongue. “I’m sorry? What the hell am I sorry for?” he thought out loud. 

 He’s about to make his way down the long driveway when he suddenly heard the voice of someone else.

 “Steve!”

 Dustin, your cousin and Mike’s friend, cut across the lawn as he approached him. “Are those for Mr. or Mrs. Wheeler?” 

 “No.” Steve responded, confused.

 “Good.” Without another word, he quickly snatched the flowers from his hand and made his way back up the driveway. Leaving Steve to scramble after him.

 “Hey. What the hell? HEY.”

 “Nancy isn’t home.” he clarified quickly. 

 “Where is she?” he asked, confusion only growing more. If she wasn’t at school yesterday and not at her house today. Then where the hell was she?

 “Doesn’t matter. We have bigger problems than your love life.”

 Great, so this kid all of a sudden can easily read just how much trouble Steve was going through right now. 

 “Do you still have that bat?”

 Wait, he can’t mean.. “Bat? What bat?” Steve asked, cautiously. 

 “The one with the nails.”

 “Why?”

 “I’ll explain it on the way.”

 “Now?”

 “NOW!”

 Steve couldn’t help but run back towards his car. Oddly enough, your cousin acted very similarly in terms of bossing him around. But like with you, Steve couldn’t help but listen to his gut and follow what was being asked of him. At least for now.

  “Damn it.” Cursed Dustin. 

 Steve, who had been making the drive over to your house after getting the bat from his house, couldn’t help but glance over at the kid again. The ‘explanation’ that was promised to him was a quick short plea for Steve to help get rid of something that he had managed to trap in his basement. When asked what, Dustin said again that he’d explain when they got to the house.

 “What’s up?” he asked finally. 

 “It’s dark. The stupid sun went down.” muttered the boy miserably. He ducked his head a bit to scan out the window again. Steve couldn’t help but chuckle a bit about it. 

 “You scared of the dark or something?” he teased. Dustin turned his head quickly to scowl over at Steve before he quickly shook his. 

 “In case you didn’t remember, the task I need your helping hand in, is to go inside the house’s storm cellar. Meaning shitty lighting, genius.”

 Though Steve should be offended by the tone used by Dustin, he oddly found it a little entertaining. Wondering how a kid could sound so much like an adult. “Don’t sweat it,” Steve shrugged. “Just give me a good flashlight and I’ll take out this wild raccoon.”

 “Uh it’s definitely not a raccoon.”

 “Possum?”

 “Nope.”

 “Skunk?”

 “Think more scales.” Dustin chuckled, seemingly amused by Steve’s guesses. 

 “A lizard?”

 “No, not a liza- Are you kidding me?”

 Steve’s eyes followed towards the direction Dustin had turned to, watching as a cyclist had emerged onto the road. He was about to ask what the big deal was until he noticed the familiar backside. 

 “Always with impeccable timing.” Dustin grumbled as he pressed down on the window. He quickly stuck his head out and began to yell out your name. For a second your bike wavered before you began to pull to the side. Your face turned towards the direction of the car and Steve slowly approached, setting down the brake once he had gotten close enough. 

 The boy climbed out of the car, hanging at the side of the door as he called out to you once more. For a moment you looked over, confused clear on your face before you eyed over at the car. That’s when it seemed to hit you. Making you storm closer towards the door with your bike in hand.  

“What the hell are you doing with Steve Harrington?” you asked, in complete disbelief. Taking that as his signal, Steve moved to get out of his car. Leaning onto the roof slightly as he took in the sight of you. Not only were you visibly confused, but from the way your brows were furrowed, he figured it wouldn’t be long for you to get angry. 

 “Could have ran you off the road there, Trouble.” he sighed, unable to fight his curiosity. “Why the hell are you biking out so late anyway?”

 “She was probably looking for her boyfriend.” Dustin answered with the same annoyed tone he had before. “Complained all last night about how he wouldn’t return her calls and went as far to look for him today. Which, by the way, thanks for getting back to me.”

 “Boyfriend?!” said the two of you. 

 Steve couldn’t believe it. Not only were you kissing Billy but now he’s back to being your boyfriend? The questions began to quickly burst from inside of Steve as he turned to look at Dustin. The only honest person he’s spoken to in days it’d seem. 

 “She’s been trying to call Hargrove?”

 “Hargrove? Who the hell is that? I meant Jonathan.”

 “BYERS?” Steve yelled, looking back at you momentarily. How the hell could Jonathan be off with Nancy but be also dating you? When the hell did that even happen? How the hell did that even happen? “Since when is she dating Jonathan Byers?!”

 “I don’t know, probably Christmas?”

 “Excuse me.” you said in between the two of them.

 How could you be dating Jonathan since last year and Steve not even see? The two of you hung out a lot. But there was never any hand holding. No kissing. You were just kissing Billy! “Christmas?! What about Billy?”

 “I seriously have no idea who that is.”

 “The guy that kissed her at school. Her ex.”

 “A guy kissed her at school?!”

 “Guys..” he heard you sigh. But by now Steve’s questions were pouring out in a flood and he wasn’t able to keep up with Dustin’s simple answers. As far as the kid knew, the two of you were a hot item for almost a year. 

 “WILL YOU GUYS SHUT UP!?”

 The anger in your voice put a shiver down Steve’s back. How the hell was he about to be reamed by you for a second day in a row?

 “I am not or will not ever date Jonathan Byers. He is my friend, and nothing else.” Your eyes found him next and he forced himself to hold his gaze with you when you pointed over at him. “I am also NOT dating Billy.”

 “Yeah?” he asked as he ran his now sweaty hand through his hair. “So what was that I saw at school yesterday? First you tell us off in front of everyone at lunch and next thing I see after school is you two about to kiss.”

 He can’t control the bitterness in his words. Whatever happened, whatever he saw? He didn’t like it. But the moment his accusations came out was unfortunately the moment he realized he had messed up. And the words that followed next didn’t help. 

 “Yeah, well, Billy likes to take whatever he wants. Regardless if the other person is willing.” you shrugged simply, despite your eyes saying something else. “It’s not like it’s any of your business anyway, right?”

 Take whatever he wanted? Has he done this to you before?

 Steve felt a sudden burst of shame wash over him. He quickly tried to remember how things looked the other day. It was like what he had told Billy at lunch. 

 “..all you’ve done since you’ve gotten here is invade her space, man. It’s like you aren’t getting the hint.”

 Maybe he didn’t get the hint after all.

 Dustin cleared his throat, bringing himself back into the conversation and the focus back on what he needed help with. “Look, there’s not a lot of time. But you need to get in the car.”

 “Why? I can just bike home.” 

 The boy ignored you momentarily, grabbing at the handlebars of your bike before he called for Steve to follow him to the trunk. He quickly joined him at the back, popping up the trunk door as he helped place the bike in the leftover space. From the side he could see as your eyes found the weapon. 

 “Dustin..” you groaned. “What the hell is going on?”

 Dustin looked nervous as he picked at his zipper before he glanced over at Steve. Silently shooting him pleading looks. But Steve ignored him momentarily, grunting a bit as he struggled to get the bike in the back. “No clue.” he honestly said to you. 

 The smaller boy stalked over to the backside, extending his hand for you to step. “Get in, I’ll explain on the way home.”

  He couldn’t help but check his mirror to catch a glimpse of you. It’s only been about a minute since the three of you got back inside his car and he’s suddenly racked with so many emotions. Not only were you still upset from lunch, but apparently the whole Billy encounter was something that was forced on you.

 And all he did was accuse you of something else. Like an asshole. 

 “What’s with the flowers?” you asked from the back, looking down at the seat next to you. 

 “Ah, just something Steve was trying to give Nancy.” Dustin said offhandedly. “She wasn’t even home.”

 He peeked again at his rear view mirror. Watching as you pulled a single rose from the bouquet. You took a quick sniff and gave the flower a small smile. While he stared off at the road again, he couldn’t help but wonder; have you ever been given flowers? 

 “All right, punk.” you sighed to Dustin. “Spill.”

 Dustin pursed his lips a bit before he began to dive into the details. If Steve hadn’t gone through what he did last year, he would have thought Dustin’s story was just one of an imaginative kid. But knowing Hawkins, and his luck this week, it was all probably true. 

 The more he seemed to go on, the more you grew even more irritated. If possible. Eventually there’s some back and forth about a cat and suddenly Steve had to stop the two of you from fighting. Or more so stop you from fighting. 

 Steve couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy at the relationship you two shared. You weren’t siblings, nor even related by blood. But there was already such a bond between the two of you. Something he was sure you guys weren’t even aware of. 

 Dustin for some reason, acted as if you frustrated him, but at the same time would volunteer Steve to go down the cellar alone where the two of you could keep safe upstairs. And while you seemed to want to kill him a moment ago, you were fiercely tugging him close to your side. 

 He’s never had anyone like that in his life. And he wondered for a moment, what that would be like for once. 

 It’s hours later and the three of you are trudging back. All tired from not only trying to figure out where the tunnel that Dart, as Dustin named it, had escaped. But also the overall emotions from the day. 

 The two of you stepped before Steve, leaving him a bit hesitant at the doorway before Dustin turned to look back at him curiously. “Well c’mon.” he yawned, returning back at the door. “We gotta make up plans.” 

 Taking that as his welcome in, Steve stepped through the threshold. Taking in the house that he’s come to twice now, but never having seen inside. 

 There’s a couple pictures around the place. Mostly of Dustin and his mother. But there are a few that Steve couldn’t help walk over to. It was one of Dustin, looking even more younger than Steve thought possible, and of a plain looking girl. He was about to set it down until he looked back once more. The smile on her face..it was you.

 “Hmm, back when she was too small to have all that attitude.” Dustin muttered as came to Steve after locking up. “Back when she was cooler.” 

 Steve glanced between the photo and the sight of you reading a note over at the dining room table. He wondered what it must have been like knowing you then. 

 “Aunt Claudia must still be out.” you yawned, missing out on Steve’s gawking as you shed off your jacket. “We’ll have a good hour or two to plan things out.” 

 Immediately it’s back to work and the three of you moved into the living room to quickly think out ways you could check the area. But after thinking it over, drawing Dart back to a secluded spot might be the better idea than attempting to scour the whole woods that surrounded the area. 

 It was a little bit later that you had gone off to the kitchen to check out supplies. Steve took it upon himself to read over a magazine that had been left on the table. It was the one he took from you the other day. Flipping through the pages, he found the stupid quiz you had been focused on.

 Reading over the results, he couldn’t help but scoff to himself at how vague everything seemed. How any girl could fall for this type of thing was beyond him. 

 “I’m gonna need your help.” you sighed from the kitchen. Steve snapped his head up, following to where you were looking to notice that Dustin behind him had nodded off while he wasn’t looking. 

 “Shit, I thought he was strangely quiet.” 

 “Yeah, it’s the only time we’ll ever get this kinda silence.” you said at a glance to your watch. “He must have been tired from getting Dart out of the house.” 

 Setting the magazine down, Steve quickly got up from the floor. Moving to help get the poor kid somewhere he could rest without breaking his neck. There had been so many times growing up Steve had found himself waking up in the middle of the night, having knocked out on the couch while waiting for his Dad to get home. The stiffness lingered on for days sometimes. 

 Dustin deliriously called out for you, unaware that his house guest was still here. So Steve gently shushed him, moving him down the hall where you pointed over to. The inside of Dustin’s room seemed typical for the type of boy he was. Walls covered with movies and comics that the boy liked. It was nice to see a personality outside of the smart quips he usually gave to Steve.

 “Goodnight, buddy.” he said softly before he allowed the kid to fall onto the bed. You carefully threw his blanket over him before following out after Steve. For some reason, being left alone with you at the moment felt almost nerve wrecking.

 “I guess it’s getting pretty late.” Steve said tired, glancing at his watch to note the time. “I could drive home and come back in a couple of hours.”

 “Well, we got a ton of stuff to do tomorrow. Probably need to head to the market early for all the supplies.” You said, eyes carefully watching him. He nodded his head in agreement. It would be better to get a head start as early as possible. And while he dreaded the idea, he figured there was at least another option for him to get some rest.

 “I guess I can sleep in the car.”

 “Or,” you drawled out. “You can just spend the night here.” 

 Wait what did you just say?

 “Here?” He stuttered a bit. Still in complete disbelief that you’d even suggest that. “I can’t spend the night here..”

 “Why not?” There was such an amusement to your tone. As if you hadn’t just been giving him nothing but the cold shoulder today. Waving your hand, you urged him to follow after you to the door just a little past Dustin’s. It’s your room. Steve’s not even sure he could even grasp the idea of coming in there. Opening the door, you looked back at him, continuing to wave for him to come forward. “It’s literally just to sleep for a couple of hours before we start everything.”

 While there’s an honest reassurance in your voice, he’s still not sure he could wrap his head around all this. “Yeah,” He said, taking one step inside. “But I’m a guy and I can’t just stay over.”

 You gave him a little look before he entered further, taking in the sight of your room. It’s colorful, and completely what he expected from your personality. All around were different magazines, books, and something that looked like a journal. There’s a strong scent of your perfume and he wondered if you might find it creepy if he asked what it was. He chose distraction instead and busied himself by looking over at your jewelry collection. 

 “You mean to tell me you haven’t spent the night over at a girl’s house?” You asked with a smirk on your face. Heat flushed over Steve’s face because honestly, no, he hasn’t. The real honest answer would be that girls mostly spent the night at his place. Where he could be in charge of who stayed and left him. But a part of him isn’t really ready to dive into that. “It’s not like a sleepover, Steve. You’re just sleeping over.” 

 “God, you’re still trouble.” he said, saying his thoughts out loud. It was like you were looking to make him break down at this point. 

 You disappeared into the closet for a moment, giving Steve the chance to peek over at your bedside table. There was a photo of you along with a trio of girls. All dressed up and grinning ear to ear in the photo. While all your friends held a certain beauty to them, you stood out the most. Posing in such a way that held confidence. If he looked close enough, he could almost see that sparkle that used to be in your eyes. 

 “All right, I don’t really have a sleeping bag so unless you want to break your back on the floor, we’re gonna have to share the bed.” 

 His eyes widened. Did you really just suggest what he thinks you did? 

 “The bed? Like you and me? On there?” he glanced over at the bed. It roughly had to be a full size. Possibly Queen if he wished hard enough. How the hell were you guys gonna be able to split that without it being weird. 

 But you’re so calm. As if you offer this for anyone that has to spend the night. 

 “We can use my other pillow as a wall between us. It’ll be like when you took naps in Kindergarten.” 

 “Yeah, well I could never really nap then anyway.” He muttered, feeling a little bit defeated in trying to reason with you here. “Isn’t this weird though? You hate me.”  

 “I hated Billy and did worse with him in the sheets.”

 The idea of Billy and you in bed brought a sourness to his face. For some reason. But regardless of what his mind was screaming at him to do. He still shed off his jacket and pushed off his shoes. “I can’t believe I’m doing this.” he mumbled under his breath before he glanced at you again. “So I usually like sleeping by the window..”

 “Just get in, your highness.”

 Not wanting to be told twice, he quickly climbed into the bed. Admiring just for a second its softness before he moved the farthest he could go. You had taken off your own jacket, hanging it just on the bedside chair before chucking over the spare blanket you had brought out. It smelled like freshly washed linens and he sincerely hoped that would mask the overwhelming smell of your perfume that currently drove him crazy. 

 It only got worse when you climbed in yourself, adjusting the pillow in between the two of you before you settled into a comfortable sleeping position. But sleep felt like the farthest thing on Steve’s mind right now. All he could focus on was the fact that he was with you, in your bed, in the middle of night. 

 And all you two were gonna do was sleep. 

 He should stop. Just sleep and forget about this awkward night so that tomorrow you guys could find this baby demogorgon and deal with it quickly. 

 But every time Steve attempted to close his eyes, he couldn’t help but think back to how you had looked at him earlier in the night. 

 “Yeah, well, Billy likes to take whatever he wants. Regardless if the other person is willing.”

 How could he have just so easily thought so badly of you? Why did his stupid anger about the fight with Nancy have to come out and attack you of all people? The guilt had started to build up, and while he wished he could push it down to focus on everything else, he couldn’t. 

 Lifting his head up, he checked over the pillow in hopes that you were still awake too. 

 To his surprise, you were already looking over at him curiously. He took that as a sign to go forward with his thoughts. “I’m sorry about before.” he said softly, the small bit of light from outside shined brightly enough that he was able to see it cast over the bit of face that peeked up from your blanket. It was slightly distracting. “I sort of accused you of doing something with Billy..I should have known it was just him being a dick..”

 For a moment, he had become worried about your silence. But you slowly turned on your side, facing him better. There’s a questionable look on your face, but Steve held his breath to hear you out. “It’s alright.” you said eventually. “He kind of makes everyone angry when they talk about him.”

 “Which is what’s so confusing.” He said, thinking it over. It was annoying to think you put up with the man’s dramatics for so long.

 “What do you mean?”

 It was his turn to curl on his side now, needing to face you better. Using his elbow to lift himself up a bit so that he could peer down at you. For some reason, the subject has you looking so..small. His mind fought between reaching out to comfort you, and getting answers to the questions that’s racked his head this whole week.

 “How the hell could a girl like you date that asshole?” 

 He feared he might have stepped too far. Making you uncharacteristically quiet before you shrugged up at him. “Because I was an asshole.”

 “What?” he asked in disbelief. “You’re not an asshole.”

 “No, but if I remember clearly, you did think I was a bitch once.” 

 His jaw slacked a bit and he attempted to stutter out an apology. That dreadful day where he had messed up in more ways than one brought out so many things he wished you both could forget. You’re already shaking your head, stopping him from speaking up.

 “I can admit it. I don’t think I was a good person until the accident.” 

 There was almost a sad, distant look in your eyes when you looked down at your hands. Making Steve grip hard at the blanket over him to stop himself reaching out. Seeing you in any way sad hurt his chest. But this moment felt different. 

 He shouldn’t feel different.

 “I used to be such a bitch..worse than anything you’ve seen so far. And the sad part is I don’t even know why.” You said with a laugh forced in. “It’s not like I needed to be. My parents weren’t negligent or mean. But when I was with Billy, I felt like I was a part of a role. That I was someone special because I was dating the most wanted guy at school. None of my friends even cared about things like that. So why did I?”

 You mistook his silence for something else and quickly closed up again. A panic coursed through Steve.

 “Mistakes happen and I’m over sharing.” you finished with a pull to your blanket. A large part of it covered your face a bit. “We should probably go to sleep.”

 “I was wrong.” Steve said, finally breaking his silence. “You were never a bitch. If anything, I was the asshole.” His mind raced back to last year. And how different you made his life. Which, he of course, ruined that. Going so badly that he made you think he actually thought the worst of you. A painful regret that he still felt haunted by. “I think you’re actually the coolest person to ever step foot in Hawkins. And if my big dumb mouth made you think otherwise for even a second I’m sorry.”

 When you don’t fight against his words, he used the small bit of courage he had left tonight to continue.

 “I’m not the best with words. I think you out of everyone would know that. But I just want you to know that I’m sorry. For all that shit. And if tomorrow is the only time we hang out again after everything, then I understand.” 

 Looking back at you only made his chest tighten. The sight of your teary eyes putting his emotions in the ringer. How could he make things right with you? His weak words can only go so far and he’s sure that a smart girl like you wouldn’t care. You shouldn’t. But Steve is a little selfish and he’ll use the moment to his advantage. Like right now, when he reached his hand out to cup the side of your face. The pad of his thumb rubbed off a fallen tear from your soft cheek. “Those damn allergies, right?” 

 “Steve..” 

 There was such a pleading to his name when you spoke. Making his chest ache again in a way that he hasn’t felt in a while. But he can’t focus on that right now. Neither of you can. 

 He quickly shook his head. You didn’t need to dive into his words and he couldn’t fall towards yours. Not when you were both clearly upset about things neither of you could control. “Goodnight, Trouble.” he urged, gently pushing you to lie down.

 He watched in silence as you turned over, giving him your back. A part of him wished he had let you continue talking. See what just might come out. But another, more silent winning part didn’t. Not when he was unsure what you might bring up. All that’s left is to force himself to sleep. Thinking only for a moment about the way you said his name. 

It wasn’t the right time to get up when Steve stirred awake. It was the sudden temperature that surrounded his face. How was it that his pillows were so warm today? And when did his Mom change the fabric softener to something so incredibly sweet? Like fruity but..with a hint of something that made Steve take a deep breath. Just when he was about to fall back into sleep, he felt the pillow in his arms expand. No, not expand..breathe. 

 Wait pillows don’t breathe. 

 Steve’s eyes instantly snapped open. Giving full sight of the compromising position you were both in.

 Somehow, during the few hours of the night, the barrier that you had meticulously put had been pushed off. Allowing the sleeping Steve to slither his way in and grab hold of your body. The sides of his face were not warmed up by his pillows, but by the crook of your neck. Making him realize why he was so engulfed in such a sweet scent. 

 His arm was wrapped around you. Tugged close enough so that your back was pressed to the front of his chest. Warming his body from the earlier hour’s cold air. 

 How the hell could he let this happen? Why would his sleeping hands just wander off and do something like this? And more importantly, why the hell did you smell so good?

 He peered back from your neck. Careful not to wake you up in the process. 

 With the low light coming in through the crack in the curtain, Steve was able to get a pretty good look at your face. It was strange to see your usual stoic face look so..calm. There’s a certain peaceful look to your face. Or maybe it is just your usual look and he’s missed out on seeing it considering most days you frowned at him. 

 But it’s nice.

 There’s so many nice things about you and he hates that it’s only in a moment that’s as wrong as this that he’s able to soak it in. 

 He shouldn’t stay like this. He should remove himself from around you and turn around. He’s in love with Nancy for Christ’s sake. And yet, he’s unable to remove his gaze from the soft features of your face. From the way your lips pout each time you blow out a bit of air, the way your cheek is rounded from pressing against the pillow, and especially the way your hands were placed above his. Like you were reaching out for him..

 This is sick. You hate his guts. 

 He shouldn’t be over analyzing the way you cuddled unconsciously and instead focus on getting himself back to sleep. It wasn’t right to you, Nancy, and even himself. Because whatever this was..it was definitely messing with his mind. 

 Gently, he slipped his hands off from the expanse of your waist. Letting your hands slip down over yourself again. Using the small inch room he had, he bent down to pick up the blanket and carefully pulled it over your body. Earning a content hum to come from you once you gained back a bit of warmth that his body had been currently providing.

 With his arms free, he squinted over at his watch. Thankful that it was still early within the night that he could get a couple more hours of sleep. If he was able to at this point.

 Adjusting himself, he ignored the things in his mind to try and find a comfortable position on his back. Trying to focus on the sleep he’d seriously need and not the way he felt cold since letting you go. He peeked down once more to look at your sleeping form. You were still asleep, body covered up perfectly without any part of him over you. 

 He kept his gaze on you, allowing himself the sight of watching you until his eyes had begun to grow heavy again. Tomorrow would probably be the last day you’d want anything to do with him, he reminded himself. So for these few seconds, he’d enjoy your close company quietly. 

 “Dude, you know you’re drooling right?”

 Steve let out a loud snort as he shot up from the bed. Scrambling to cover up his body with the blanket that had been thrown over him. “Huh? What?” he gaped. Blinking hard to his surroundings. He thought you would be beside him for the early wake up call, but he found instead a sleepy looking Dustin who stood just beside your bed. 

 “Did she really let you crash here?” he chuckled a bit while rubbing his eyes. “I bet the couch wasn’t comfortable for her.”

 For a moment Steve was about to correct the poor kid, but decided against it when he remembered that this whole time he thought you were dating Jonathan. Climbing out of the bed, he stretched his tired body and looked around the room. It looked a little too bright for the time they were supposed to start working.

 Turning his wrist over, he looked at the time and frowned a bit at how late it was. “Shit, we’re behind on things.” Steve muttered before he looked at Dustin. The boy looked over at his wrist before turning to exit the room. Following him, Steve stepped in just in time to catch the sight of you cutting up various cold cuts of meats at the counter. 

 “Why the hell didn’t you wake us up?” Dustin called out to you.

 The sudden question caused you to jump a bit. Nearly dropping the knife before you glanced in their direction. Steve noticed that you were definitely more freshened up than the two of them who were still in clothes from the day before. 

 “You guys were pretty beat up yesterday. And since I’m an early riser, I figured I’d get most of the petty work done.” you replied as you kept your focus back on cutting the red chunky pieces. 

 Dustin moved to your side looking down at your work before he glanced back at you. Confusion clear on his face. “Did you just say you’re an early riser? Seriously? You?”

 “I get up early.”

 “You get up with minutes to spare most days!”

 Steve walked up behind you, peering over at your work. The sight of the meat so early in the morning turned his stomach a bit. Making him extremely thankful that you took the task of cutting it up for the two of them while they were sleeping. He was curious about just how early you actually got up to get so much done. Not to mention how you did it without them knowing. 

 “How’d you even get all this stuff anyway?” He yawned over from the counter. You reached into your back pocket and fished out a pair of car keys. Wait a second.. 

 “Really? You took my car?”

 “She drove like a beauty.”

 He rolled his eyes, stuffing the keys back in his pocket. While he’s sure that you didn’t crash his car, he’s a little bit annoyed that you got his car without him even knowing. “She better still drive that way when we go out today.” 

 “Don’t get so worked up, your highness. Excuse me for wanting to give the two of you an extra hour of sleep.”

 “Hell, I’m thankful for it.” Dustin cut in thankfully. “Oh sweet, pop-tarts.”

 There’s something different about you today. Something that had you on edge more than usual and Steve couldn’t figure out why. Did you regret opening up to him last night? Had he pushed you too far in an attempt to get his answers? He thought about how it felt to see you so calm this morning and how it’s slowly fading back to being annoyed with him.

 “So you think we’re ready to go? Or can I have a shower first?” Dustin interrupted again, making you turn around and frown at him.  

 “Don’t be gross,” you said to him.  A bit of distaste in your voice. “But to answer you, I’m actually done. So we can head out now if you’re ready to go.” 

 “Sweet, Let’s get going.”

 “Ugh, if you’re not gonna be able to shower you should at least brush your teeth.” You groaned as you picked up Dustin’s trash. “I don’t wanna have to deal with your rank breath all day.” 

 Dustin looked over at Steve with a shocked look. “Do you hear the way she talks to me? Loving family, huh?” He said, trying to seek out a possible reassurance from him. But all Steve could do was give him a small smile and shrug. Unsure if he wanted to get in the middle of the two.

 “Just hurry up, dude.”

 The boy waved the two teens off before he stalked off down the hall. Leaving the two of you alone. Something Steve didn’t know he was secretly fearing until now. How were the two of you supposed to talk after everything? Were you going to close off again? What if you didn’t and he said the wrong thing today?

 Last night had worked out in his favor. But lord knows that Steve wasn’t the best at keeping his cool around you. It was like he was meant to be the most uncool person you’d ever interact with. Which was definitely not okay in Steve’s book. He wasn’t that guy. He was the guy that had girls swooning and falling for him. But that wasn’t what he wanted for you. 

 Had he really gone all these years without figuring out how to be just friends with a girl? Carol was his friend for a long time. But she was also there because of Tommy..

 “So about last night..” you started. Making Steve panic at how was going to go about things. 

 “Do you have any water?” he said quickly, needing a brief subject change.

 “The glasses are in there.” you replied confused. Giving him the chance to turn around and gather his emotions as he tried to focus on anything other than your curious face. But it’s not a long enough pause to get his words together because you’re speaking up again seconds later.

 “So..last night.” you chuckled. “Sorry for dropping so much emotional baggage on you.” From the corner of his eyes he could see as you struggled with getting the words out. Maybe you were embarrassed by it all and regret sharing in the first place. Great, now he was worried he made you feel bad about speaking at all. “I-I know I’m not the easiest person to talk to when pissed off. And I’ve been such a bitch lately—“

 “You haven’t.” He interrupted quickly. Not wanting you to think even for a second that you were a bitch. Especially when you’ve been dealing with your asshole ex on top of everything else. “And last night can be just last night if you want it to be.” he added, hoping it’d bring you a bit of ease.

 “What?” you asked, confusion back on your face. 

 “I mean, you were obviously upset about Billy and I was there for you to vent it out to. And like I said later on, it doesn’t have to be more than just hanging out today fighting a cat eating monster.”

 He’s attempting to keep cool about this. Not wanting to sound too eager or too offish in case it made you upset. Maybe girls like you need neutrality to keep your emotions together. It was hard to figure out sometimes. 

 “..Okay?” you said slowly. “Sounds good then..”

 While your answer wasn’t as pleased as he had hoped. He was glad it wasn’t making things worse as well. Remembering his cup before him, he quickly downed the liquid. Setting it down in the sink before he glanced back at you. 

 “Uh here,” you spoke up again, reaching for something in the grocery bag. He took a small step towards you and stared down at the new toothbrush in your hand. “Thought you might want this since you can’t exactly head home right away.”

 The gesture was so nice and very much the opposite sort of thing you’d do towards him as of late. It’s throwing off Steve more than he’d like to admit but he managed to keep up his calm demeanor when he reached out to take it from you. “Thanks,” he muttered, trying to ignore the warmth he felt from the heat of your skin. “I’ll just uh, go get to it.”

 Without another glance back, he rushed out of the kitchen. Needing to distance himself from you and your kind gestures. If last night wasn’t already messing with him, then today was definitely going to make things worse.

 “And uhh what about her?” 

 Steve felt stumped with Dustin’s question. All morning the two of them had been going back and forth. Talking about just about everything. Meanwhile, you had been in front of them, leading the long walk to where the junkyard was. It had been quiet between the two of you since this morning. And Steve felt a twist in his stomach at the idea of possibly having made things worse for you.

 But now his thoughts were plagued with a new thought. 

 What kind of girl were you?

 For so long he thought he had it down with girls. Flirt with them, make them laugh, then see how they’d react and go from there. But that was all shot out the window when you came into town. You weren’t a girl who needed a man with confidence, and you definitely weren’t into someone who’d go for the slow approach. There was such a mystery to you and so many times did Steve find himself craving to figure out what it was.

 “..I’m still trying to figure that out.” he replied honestly. 

 From where the two boys stood he could see that you were tensed up a bit. Did you listen in on their conversation? Did you want to hear his answer too?

 “But this girl’s special, too, you know. It’s just like, something about her.”

 “Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hey, hey, hey.” 

 “What?”

 “You’re not falling in love with this girl, are you?”

 “Uh no, NO.”

 “Okay, good. Don’t!”

 “I won’t.”

 “She’s only gonna break your heart, and you’re way too young for that shit.”

 A quietness fell in their conversation and Steve winced a bit at how dejected the kid looked. He was obviously not given this type of advice on the regular. And he doubts you and Dustin had this kind of heart to heart about love lives. Especially considering that you two fought like babies.

 The kid had the personality, he just needed to know how to use his confidence correctly. 

 “Fabergé.” he muttered.

 “What?”

 Pointing up to his hair, Steve kept walking as he revealed one of his most hidden secrets. “It’s Fabergé Organics. Use the shampoo and conditioner, and when your hair’s damp..it’s not wet, okay? When it’s damp..”

 “Okay, damp..”

 “You do four puffs of the Farrah Fawcett spray.”

 “..Farrah Fawcett spray?”

 “Yeah, Farrah Fawcett.” he said slowly. “You tell anyone I just told you that and your ass is grass.” he pointed a meaty gloved finger at the boy, trying not to feel the slight embarrassment from Dustin’s teasing tone. “You’re dead, Henderson. Do you understand?”

 “Yup,” Dustin replied calmly.

 Sighing, Steve nodded his head, hopeful that he could trust the kid with something like this

 “Move your ass, your highness.” you called out from down the track line. Steve couldn’t help but glance over at you slightly annoyed. The two of you really knew how to get under his skin. But oddly enough, it wasn’t something he could find himself really hating. 

 “Farrah Fawcett, really?”

 “I mean, she’s hot.”

 “Yeah..”

 Their conversation goes back to normal after the life lesson. And Steve’s pleased to see that you’ve decided to walk beside them now. Not really talking, but seemingly wanting to be by them. There’s a moment when Dustin is rambling on about some movie that he thinks Steve should watch, making Steve realize how comfortable he felt. Right there, talking to Dustin about movies and you nearby. 

 For two people that were obviously smarter than him. You both made Steve feel so effortlessly comfortable. There were occasional moments where the two of you would correct him or things like that, which was annoying, but it was never something mean. It was comforting enough that Steve felt he could talk freely. Especially with Dustin who seemed to hang on his every word. 

 How could someone who was as smart as Dustin was, be so excited to hear what Steve had to say?

 He had been so trapped in his thoughts and keeping up with the conversation that Steve never noticed how long you had been watching him. Only noting that there was a curious look in your eyes. So, he shot you a small smile, hoping to ease your curiosity. 

 And to his surprise, you smiled back.

  “You say that like you’ve shared the same experience.” 

“Maybe I have. But I think I’m not the only one.” 

 God is he fucked.

 How did he start off the morning, trying to make things neutral between the two of you, only to open his big dumb mouth and say something that felt like it was something else? You were too smart to not be able to read into the words he was saying.

 Hell, if anything else, that kiss last year was enough to show that Steve did feel something for you. But that was in the past. He loved Nancy. Whatever was said today was only about last year. Right? So why the hell did he feel like he just put his foot in his mouth?

 “What are you doing?”

 Steve jumped a bit at the sound of Max’s voice. Not even noticing that the girl had come up to his side. “Nothing.” he coughed, gripping onto the sheet of metal he had been looking for. You were going to cover up the side of the bus with a lining of metal and would definitely need more than what the two other boys brought you.

 “Why are you staring at her like that?” Max asked next, raising a brow at Steve.

 “I’m not staring at her, I was..lost in thought.” 

 The girl snorted a bit, following where Steve’s eyeline went. And unfortunately, it landed on you. “So your thoughts had to do with my friend over there? Pretty creepy.” she mused softly, turning to gather up another piece of metal. 

 “It’s not like that. I wasn’t–”

 “It’s not like what?”

 “I wasn’t looking at her in thought.” he stuttered, looking down at the young girl with a frown. It was a bit weird how easily this girl got under his skin. “I was in thought and happened to be looking in the direction that she’s standing.” 

 He looked down at Max and noticed that the amusement on her face had turned into full blown smugness. “Okay.” she drawled out, passing him another piece of metal. “If you say so.” Without another word to him, she passed him another sheet of metal, clapped her hands of any dirt and made a beeline down the hill towards you.

 Could this day get any weirder?

  The night eventually creeped its way in, meaning that not only were they to wait out for their plan to work, but they had to wait in the small capacity of the bus. 

 He glanced over the junkyard, taking one last look at the calm before the chaos that was sure to come. He wondered what the others were doing and if they were okay. Were the other last two kids with their siblings? Were they safe at the lab? Was Nancy okay? Did she check in at his house wondering where he was?

 The worst started to come into mind. What if something happened to her and she couldn’t call for help? Then he thought of something even worse than that; what if she didn’t want to call for help?

 Needing to distract himself from that, he finished setting up the gas line to the bus entrance when he closed up the doors. In the corner, he noticed right away that you were sorting through the various bits of trash inside. A worried look on your face. 

 His hand reached out to you. Stopping you from getting any more anxious in front of the kids. 

 “What’s wrong?” 

 “What if..what if this isn’t enough?” Your voice is soft, heavy with worry and vulnerability. A side of you that he only saw the night before and the day you spilled your secret to him. “They’re kids, Steve. What if something really bad comes?”

 “Then we take care of it like last time.”

 “Like last time?! Steve, the four of us could hardly get that thing down. I stabbed it and it barely broke through the skin! Nancy had a gun!”

 The tone of your panic is too loud for his taste and he quickly hushed you over. Needing you to keep cool with him. “Lower your voice!” he hissed, shushing you momentarily before showing you towards the doors. “Look, the plan is foolproof. Okay? These guys..won’t even have to leave the bus.” 

 There was a time once where you were able to get some sort of comfort from him. Back when he had your trust. He’d give anything just to have a normal conversation with you, but he’ll take on trying to calm you down instead. 

 “I’m sorry..I’m just nervous since it’s just us.”

 It’s odd for him to feel slightly comforted at the fact that you see the two of you as a team. But you’re right, it is just the two of you and he knows what you guys are capable of.

 “C’mon, trouble. With my bat and your–” Oh god this crow bar is shit. “With my bat, we have nothing to worry about.”

 That answer didn’t really seem to comfort you fully and you’re slowly looking over him with a worrisome expression. 

 “What about if your bat isn’t enough? You could get hurt.”

 “Oh,” he breathed. Surprised that he was able to say anything after that. It sounded like you were actually concerned about him. But that couldn’t be it. Could it? There was something about the way you keep looking at him today that has him feeling..everything that he shouldn’t. He’s not sure how he can keep acting normal about you and your pondering faces.“Don’t worry about me. Nothing’s gotten me yet.”

 That settled you for a short while. Giving the two of you a chance to sit back and rest with the others for Dart to come and fall for the trap. Max was beside you, murmuring small conversations to you now and then. All while Dustin paced back and forth.

 Like him, the kid was seemingly going through the same kind of mix of emotions. Mainly, with girls. Max was the one he had been referring to earlier in the day, and he could see why Dustin might be interested in a girl like that. 

 Fiery personality, witty quips, and smart. It was words he’d easily use to describe you. But there was one big difference in all this. Dustin wanted to impress Max to date her. And Steve, well, he wanted to date– No, wait he didn’t want to date. He wanted to be friends with you. 

 That’s all. 

 “..Shit. Don’t be an idiot. Okay? It wasn’t a bear. Why are you even here if you don’t believe us?..Just go home.” 

 Steve’s attention snapped over to Dustin as he gave a harsh reply to Max. There was definitely some effort from the boy in terms of not caring. But he wasn’t sure he should have added the insult. And from Max’s reaction, she didn’t seem too pleased with it either. Ditching the three of you in favor of joining Lucas on the roof. 

 It wasn’t the best move for Dustin, but Steve thought it was good enough for a first try around. “That’s good. Just show her you don’t care.” he encouraged.

 “I don’t.”

 Steve was pleased. Knowing that with proper instruction and encouragement, Dustin could easily change his life from heartache to heartthrob.

 “You both are seriously idiots.” you said, coming into the conversation finally. Steve watched over carefully, seeing as your stunned look from before changed to annoyance. “How you’ve gotten any date is beyond me.”

 “What are you talking about?” Steve scoffed, a little insulted by your dislike. He’s capable of getting tons of girls. Especially with his methods. “The kid did great.” he insisted a second later.

 “Really?” you huffed. “Calling Max an idiot and making her feel bad. That’s great to you?”

 “They’re kids. They’re used to jabbing. The girl’s tough. She’ll probably get over it by the time she comes back down.” he replied quickly. 

 “And what if she’s not? Your shitty advice could have led her away.”

 Steve nearly gasped at your words. His advice, although a bit extreme, was solid. Glancing over at Dustin, he raised a brow, hopeful for the kid to come into his defense. But all the boy could do was stare between the two of them.  

 “Look, my methods have worked before. So I don’t know what you’re freaking out about.” he said simply. “Just let the dude work it out for himself and see what happens.”

 You huff about wanting to check on his past girlfriends while moving to kneel at the seat next to him. Without really thinking he couldn’t help but stare over at you. Going over all the ideas that he did to his past girlfriends and rethinking things over. 

 “Tell me, Trouble. What do you suggest then?” He asked, needing to see what gained your approval. As far as he knows Billy was your longest relationship and Steve didn’t think Billy of all people even knew how to court a girl. 

 “What do you mean?” You said back, not giving him your full attention yet. 

 “You think you have this all figured out. How would you have told him to do it?”

 You took a deep breath and adjusted around in the seat until you were beside him. Letting Steve have the chance to feel the brush of your arm on his. It’s annoying how much that stayed on his mind while you replied to him. 

 “Simple. I’d suggest he’d go about this the normal way.”

 “Which is?” 

 There was a beat of silence after that and Steve quickly fiddled with the lighter in his hands, hoping he could distract himself from overthinking. 

 “Girls just want it simple. They want someone who’s honest, loyal, and nice. They’re not gonna want a guy who’s gonna play mind games with them.”

 The very mention of mind games has Steve frowning slightly. He’s been in the biggest mind game of his life with Nancy for the past two days and you’re sitting here trying to tell him it’s the other way around. 

“Girls constantly play mind games,” he said quickly. “You guys perfected it.”

 That doesn’t stump you at all. You raise a brow, looking at him with a tired look. “Maybe the immature ones. But really, most girls are like Max, who expect people to be real. And if your past girlfriends aren’t like that, then you’re in the wrong dating pool.”

 What the hell is she on about? He thought, falling into a mess of questions in his mind. There were many past relationships that came into mind, but one outstanding question could not stop echoing in his mind.

 “And what about you?”

 “What about me?” 

 Licking his lips, he looked over at you carefully. “Are you like Max? Looking for honesty?”

 Right away he can tell you’re a little taken back to have it turned on you. Which he’s slightly proud of himself for. But there’s a small part of him worried about hearing what kind of answer you might have for him. 

 “I’m not looking for any guy at the moment..”

 “But what if you were? What kind of guy?”

 “..I just want someone who actually likes me for once.” 

 In just ten simple words, he feels like his world has turned upside down. How could you feel like there hasn’t been anyone out there who’s truly liked you ever? He wants to believe that it’s impossible for that to be true. But there’s no time left for him to think it over. Because Dart has suddenly arrived into the junkyard and all their focus has to go in keeping to the plan. 

 But it’s hard, and he finds that he’s distracted with how aware he is suddenly of you and all the kids being here with just his bat as the only weapon. With just Dart, it shouldn’t be so bad, but there’s no telling if everything was going to go correctly. 

 Beside him, he can hear the sound of your shaking breath. Reaching a hand out, he hoped that with him near you’d have some small sense of comfort to what was going on. 

 Up on the roof, Lucas called out to where Dart was. And thankfully it’s on the right path towards the center pile of meat that you guys poured out. Only for a moment can Steve feel the knot in his back loosen. But that’s all thought too soon and the sight of the monster sniffing around the meat instead of eating it, has Steve glaring out the window. 

 “He’s not taking the bait. Why is he not taking the bait?” he asked frustratedly. 

 “It’s like he’s waiting for something.” you said under your breath. 

 “Maybe he’s not hungry?” Dustin said, trying to be hopeful. But something about Dart being hungry clicked in Steve’s mind. If this thing was growing, it was bound to start hunting. And like all those terrible animal documentaries he saw in Science class, they were bound to want their food fresh.

 “Maybe he’s sick of cow.” Steve said suddenly, getting an idea.

 “Sick of cow?” He heard you scoff. But he was too busy trying to think of how he’d run out this play to dive into explaining everything. All he did was squeeze at your soft hand once more before letting go. 

 “Steve?” you said in the smallest voice. 

 He shuddered a bit. Not quite prepared for the worry in your tone.  Dustin was next to turn back and look at you, face mirroring yours perfectly. 

 “Steve, what are you doing?” he asked when he had made his way over to the door. It caused him to stop in place and turn around, holding up the lighter. 

 Just get ready.” he ordered before tossing it to the younger boy. His eyes met yours only for a second before he tore himself away. Afraid you might actually talk him out of this crazy idea. 

 The moment he stepped out the bus, he felt that this is where shit was going to go wrong. It was too quiet and too tense for just the small creature he’d be taking on. But even with the hair on the back of his neck rising, and the thought of everyone on the bus watching him, he still stepped forward. 

 It’s a second or two of calling out to Dart. Grip on the bat tight and ready to swing away at the beast. That’s when shit finally hits the fan and suddenly Lucas is screaming at him from the bus. From the sides, more creatures that looked like Dart started to appear. 

 He was being surrounded. He was going to die by ambush. 

 Just when he was sending out a prayer you’d get the kids to look away, he heard the sound of a heavy breath behind him. Glancing over, he’s nearly sent into a heart attack at the sight of you and that stupid, rusty, crowbar. 

 “You’ve gotta be kidding me!” he shouted. Upset and worried at seeing you try to take on some of the creatures. He needed you back in the bus where he would know you were safe with the kids. Not here trying to get yourself killed. 

 “I’ve got your back, just get your ass back over to the bus!” you shouted back, not looking at the worry you’ve suddenly filled Steve with. From behind, he could hear the screech of the bus doors open as Dustin called out to the two of you.

 “Guys! Abort! Abort!”

 That triggered off the dogs and it’s a vicious fight to get the two of you back over to the bus. 

 All around Steve felt the knot in his stomach grow bigger. With every swing to a creature, his eyes glanced to the bus. You weren’t keeping up with him in order to protect him. Failing to keep watch of yourself. 

 Rushing to your side, he watched as you used the sharp end of the crowbar to jab the face of one of the dogs. Causing the creature to recoil in pain and give Steve the chance to grab hold of you. 

 “Are you out of your mind?” he growled. 

 “I couldn’t just leave you alone!”

 The two of you heed the warning from Dustin and dash the rest of the way in. Steve only had a second past the threshold of the bus doors before the demodogs attacked the bus.

 “They’re gonna break through!” you yelled. 

 He reached past you to grab onto one of the metal paneling, using it as an extra barrier to the bus doors. But before he could secure it better, the bus is hit hard by one of the creatures, forcing it to dip on itself and make everyone lose their footing.

 You fall down to the door, hitting against the metal roughly. Steve’s worried you might have hit your head when suddenly a claw punched through the metal, swiping at your arm. The kids let out a panicked cry and you let out a yelp at the attack. 

 After that he sees red. 

 Slamming his bat down on any creature that broke its claw through. Amid his swinging, the sounds of Max’s scream caught the attention of the two of you. Quickly, you reached over to place down another sheet of metal. Holding it back safely enough before you looked over at him. 

 “Go help them! I’m fine!” you insisted. 

 A part of him didn’t like the slight panic on your tone, but went ahead to the kids anyway. 

 “Out of the way! Out of the way!” he ordered. “You want some? Come get this!”

 The creature let out a snarl to him, making it look like he was about to dive in when it suddenly was cut off. All around the roof was cleared off of the demodogs as if they were being forced into a retreat. 

 The group slowly scrambled back together. Making their way over to the bus doors. 

 Steve is the first one to make the move to step outside. Looking around the place for any sort of sneak attack that could happen. He can hear the murmured reactions of all the kids. But Steve knew by the look of things that things weren’t as they seemed.

 “Steve scared ‘em off?”

 “No. No way. They’re going somewhere.” Where though, was the question in mind. 

  It’s later on in the night and Steve can’t stop this knot that’s formed in his stomach. The group has long gone left the junkyard and down the hilltop. With the demodogs surely on their way to the lab, there was no telling what danger they’d be approaching. 

 Sure the coats sitting up in the lab probably had some high level security personnel. But were they strong enough? 

 There’s also the fact that you keep lagging behind in the group. Keeping yourself distant. He couldn’t help but frown over at you. Were you quiet because he had failed to keep you out of harm? Were you upset for him being mad that you came out of the bus to help when he didn’t need it?

 Dustin is calling out to you. Yelling your name slightly worriedly but you quickly shush him. Pulling him to your side. Leaning in close to keep whatever conversation between the two of you a secret. 

 Eventually he’s pulling away from you, a frown on his face as he nodded his head. You urge him off and finally notice that Steve has been watching you. But instead of approaching you about it, he left you off to yourself, leading the kids out of the treelines. 

 That’s when the group ran into Nancy..with Jonathan. 

  Steve kept his gaze forward. Fixating on the flashlight on his hands and not at the fact that once the lights in the lab came back on Nancy and Jonathan took off in his car. Leaving Steve and the rest of you behind. 

 Was everything that’s been rumored these past few days true?

 Was Nancy with Jonathan now? Did she like him? Did she love– No, he wouldn’t think about that. He couldn’t. He should focus on something else. There was always later for answers. Nancy and Jonathan both had brothers that could be up in that lab. It made sense they’d go off together. 

 Even if it meant he couldn’t be there to protect her. 

 The scuffing of shoes perked in his ears and he noticed that you’re still pacing before. Worried eyes glancing back to the lab before turning to go back to walking. It’s weird. Tonight he’s seen more sides of you than ever. The worried, the insecure, the unsure. It’s all nice as much as it’s worrisome to himself. He wants to help you but is not quite sure if you’d take the help right now. So he’d settle for distracting you. 

 “I’ve never seen you this nervous before.” he pointed out calmly, staying still in place with the flashlight in hand. 

 “Who says I’m nervous?” 

 It’s amusing to see that you’re so stubborn at trying to keep your presence as calm and collective when clearly you are not. 

 “Well, the hole in the ground your feet are making is a start.” he shrugged, trying to keep things light. “There’s also the fact that you’ve been frowning since they took off.”

 You let out a huff, seeming to think it over with a nod before you walked over to lean against the glass of the security box. The smile is forced, but more so in a playful way.

 “There.” you said. “No more pacing and no more frowning. Better?”

 He can’t help but chuckle at that, glad to see that you’re taking the playing along. The smile on your face grew wider and he felt for the first time in the night that he’s feeling a little bit of the knot in his stomach loosen up.

 “Much better.” 

 It’s a little bit chaotic after the brief interaction with you, and the rest of you are surprised to find the Chief coming in with a van after the car that had Jonathan and Nancy zoomed by.

 The group quickly climbed inside the van. Piling into until Steve let the Chief know he could drive off. Leaving behind the sounds of the creatures loud screams.

  It’s another year of Steve finding himself inside the Byers home. As if the night wasn’t hard enough with the demodogs, now Steve’s vision is attacked with the sight of you and Nancy at Jonathan’s side. 

 He’s jealous. He can admit to that.

 Not only does Jonathan have you by his side comforting him. But Nancy too. The two of you haven’t left his side since the group entered inside the house. Not that he can say anything otherwise. Will was definitely not well, and it made sense that all of you close to him were worried. 

 But the sight of it all had his..allergies acting up again. 

 “When did you get hurt?” 

 “She’s hurt?”

 Steve was immediately pulled out of wallowing away in his self pity when he heard the sound of everyone’s sudden concern. How could he have forgotten that you were injured before. There was a scratch and blood that he saw, but after Dustin tended to it, he figured it must have been a minor cut. 

 You seemed to be stumbling into trying to ease the injury. Playing off the whole story like it was some sitcom when in reality, the demodogs had nearly gotten you. He wonders if anyone else is able to catch on to how uncomfortable you are to have this kind of attention on you. 

 “I can, uh, help her.” he blurted out without thinking.

 The three of you are taken back by his offer. Probably not expecting him to intervene with any kind of help considering that the four of you didn’t have the best relationship with each other. Jonathan raised a brow at Steve. Possibly trying to get a read on him before his gaze turned to you. All you did was shrugged in confusion.

 “You okay with that?” he asked softly. 

 Steve can’t help but feel slightly embarrassed at the fact that his effort to be helpful in this situation is taken with such heavy caution. Yes, the three of you would have reason the year before to have a lack of trust towards him. But he thinks he’s proven enough for you guys to know he’s serious with things now. Thankfully you don’t let the awkwardness linger much further. 

 “Uh yeah,” you said pointing down the hall with your thumb. “Still got that kit in the bathroom?”

 “Yeah, there should be stuff there you can use.”

 You nod for Steve to follow you and he’s happy to have some space away from the two other teens and instead go back to the comfort of your company. While he’s had problems with getting you to forgive him, it was at least the most honest. Something he couldn’t have exactly with Nancy at the moment. 

 In the bathroom, you’re leaning against the sink. Allowing Steve to be in a closer proximity to your wound. “Let me know if I hurt you.” he mumbled as he carefully started to undo the knot. There’s unfortunately very little light in the bathroom and he found himself leaning in closer than he planned. Almost feeling the heat of your body through the layers of clothing.

 “Okay, I got this undone but I need to help clean it properly. You gotta get rid of the jacket.” For some reason that pulled an adorable pout on your face and he had to hide his amusement as he dropped the dingy bloody thing into the trash can.

 The cut itself is practically healed with how long it’s been kept with a bandage. But he can see why it was bleeding so bad in the first place. The lines were pretty gnarly, and he’s surprised that you’ve gone so long without taking anything for the pain you must have. Running some clean water, he rubbed gently at the back of your arm, making sure to give a comforting touch to compete with the tugging he was about to give to your wound.

 A pang of guilt hit him as he dabbed over the red skin. This shouldn’t have happened to you. All you wanted to do was protect the kids and because he didn’t make sure it was as safe as you wanted, you ended up hurt. You’d have a whole new reason to hate him tomorrow. If you wanted to, that is. At this point, your mood towards him has been pretty back and forth. 

 “Be honest,” you said softly, gaining his attention. “Is it bad? Will I have to wear sweaters for the rest of my life?”

 The light hearted attempt at conversation has him laughing a bit. Even when you were unaware of the troubles in his mind, you somehow managed to get him out of it. Moving your arm up, he showed you the now cleaned cuts. There’s a small realization to your eyes and he’s happy to see you’re taking this in a better way than he would have. 

 “It’s so bad.” you said, sarcastically slapping a palm over your face. The dramatics are kind of amusing to him. If he didn’t know any better, he’d say that the two of you were getting along. So with that small hope, he volleyed off your joke.

 “It’s disgusting.” he snorted. “They’ll have to chop it off for sure.”

 The laugh you let out is sort of melodious to his ears. Not because it was pretty, it was pretty cackley. But because it’s so genuine. It has him feeling almost giddy inside at the idea of making you feel better enough that you’re laughing with him and not at him. He couldn’t help but join in a bit while he attempted to finish up his patch work. 

 From the corner of his eye he can tell you’re watching him closely. Will this be when you remember that you still hate him? Can he handle going back to that kind of animosity again? But before he can try and think of a way to continue the good mood between you two, you’re reaching a hand up to brush against his brows. Affectionately trying to ease the frown on his face. 

 He let his eyes slip close. Trying to bask in the moment of being comforted by you and just forget for one second that he’s fixing up your arm in the Byers’ bathroom. The pad of your fingers is soft and he’s wondering how it’d feel to be really comforted by someone like you. 

 Not that he’d deserve it..or should want it. 

 Reaching up, he pulled at your arm to move your hand to rest against his. Keeping you from making him impulsively reach out for more of your touch. You must think he’s upset because the next thing he knew, you were apologizing. 

 “I’m sorry,” you said quickly. “About what happened back there. I know it was stupid of me and you’re probably mad about it.”

 For a moment he couldn’t say anything but look at you. How could you think he was upset at you? Sure, it was terrifying to see you out in that junkyard. But the main focus was just getting you inside. He wanted you safe. All he wanted was for you to feel safe..

 You reached out to weave your fingers with his. Causing a fire to form in his hands. Why were you always so warm? It was almost like his body was hyper aware of the new touch. He couldn’t help but flash back to this morning where he found himself tangled with you. 

 “You were just trying to keep us safe..but something about you out there alone. It didn’t sit right with me.”

 “I would have been fine.” he replied softly, giving you a look. You should know by now that he’d always find a way around things. But why were you so suddenly concerned over him? You shouldn’t be. And yet, his reply has you ducking her head down shyly. Like he pointed out something he wasn’t supposed to be aware about. 

 “Maybe I didn’t want to take that chance.”

 The two of you shuffled a bit, trying to ease around each other without pulling away. In fact, he’s managed to wedge himself close enough that you’re standing before him now. 

 Why couldn’t you take that chance? Why’d you risk getting yourself hurt to just make sure that he didn’t? It didn't make any sense. You still hated him, right?

 “..You wouldn’t have felt that way two days ago.” he pointed out.

 There’s a quick pause before you nod your head in agreement. So if you were aware of those previous feelings and know that what was being said right now completely contradicted all that. Then why say anything like this? What were you truly feeling?

 And why couldn’t he just ask you that?

  “Feelings change.”

 Something tugged at his chest and he impulsively couldn’t stop the words from falling past his lips. The curiosity getting the best out of him apparently. “Yeah? Just like that?” he asked, reaching out to cradle at your neck.

 He shouldn’t be doing this. He shouldn’t be needing this as much as he does right now. But something about the way you’re looking at him tonight as him rethinking all his words today. Wondering just what and when did things change for you. And if it were changing for him too.

 “It can happen for someone as quick as a day.” you said, repeating his very words to him. 

 He’s torn between diving into the depth of what your words mean, and taking action to what he thinks they mean. For just this moment, nothing past this small bathroom seemed to matter. In his head, he’s aware that not only do not hate him, but that your feelings have changed entirely. 

 And with the way you’re looking at his lips, he has an idea of what you might mean. 

 All he’d have to do is kiss you now. Give into the curiosity that you both have and settle once and for all if the feelings between you have really changed. 

 Just kiss her. 

 Kiss her now.

 Forget about everything and–

 The sudden voices from Dustin and his friends cut through the moment. Making both of you jump away from each other and give some space between the two of you. The interruption from your cousin might have ruined the moment, but it gave Steve a second to realize what he almost did. 

 How could he have so easily swayed to wanting to kiss you after being torn up about seeing Nancy with Jonathan moments ago? This was sick. He was sick! It shouldn't be so easy to think about kissing you when just a day ago he was begging for Nancy to tell him that she loves him. 

 This wasn’t fair to you. This wasn’t fair to Nancy. And it definitely wasn’t fair to himself.

 “Thanks for the patch up.” you said softly, pressing a kiss to his cheek. The action caught him off guard and he found that he was too stunned to get a reply out to you before you left without another word. 

 Now Steve was left to his rambling thoughts, and the feeling of your warm lips still over his skin.

  Things don’t get any clearer after that. Eventually the kids put together some sort of idea of just what everyone could be dealing with. It wasn’t just the demodogs, but something bigger, something smarter. 

 Dustin had brought out a book from Will’s room. Something from their D&D games that Steve honestly had no idea what that stood for. But as Dustin turned the pages to the book, he pointed out the main culprit for who they thought was in charge. 

 The mind flayer. 

 Apparently a monster so grand and powerful that he might just be able to take over Hawkins in a Nazi like way with the help of the demodogs and whatever possession he had with Will. So basically the end of the world.

 Or a regular weekend in Hawkins, he figured. 

 The topic of an upcoming attack has the entire kitchen filled with a tension that Steve thinks is almost unbearable. He glanced over towards Jonathan and Nancy. Noting their more composed positions on the matter. Nancy is more than ready to fight, asking questions in her mind. That’s when the Chief seemingly took in a more sarcastic interest.

 “Great, so how do you kill this thing? Shoot it with fireballs or something?”

 “No. No, no fire–no fireballs.” Dustin chuckled, unaware of the adult’s disinterest. “Uh, you summon an undead army, uh, because..because zombies, you know, they don’t have brains. And the mind flayer, it..it likes brains.”

 The Chief gave the kid a look that was a mixture of being completely done and angry.

 “It’s just a game.” Dustin added quickly. “It’s a game..”

 “What the hell are we doing here?” Hopper cried out tiredly. Steve rolled his eyes, not wanting to add any fuel to the fire. But apparently you did since you took a step forward, eyes glaring over at the older man. 

 “I don’t know about you, Hopper. But some of us have been trying to figure out how to fight against these things all damn day! We even set up a base to lure it in!” Everyone stared in shock. 

Not any one of those kids there thought about ever talking back to the Chief of police that way. Let alone tell the guy off. Of course you’d be the one to be so bluntly truthful to your thoughts. “I think things might be a little bit more helpful if you weren’t so damn sarcastic with these kids!”

 If Hopper’s glare scared you in the slightest, you didn’t dare show it. Steve couldn’t help but admire your gumption. Albeit reckless considering who you were speaking with but still pretty damn cool. And hot.

 “You don’t know what the hell we just went through, kid. What we had to do. So quit acting like you do!”

 “I think I’ve got a pretty damn good idea!” you laughed, pointing to the cut on your arm. “But at least I know better than to waste everyone’s time by being a sarcastic assho-”

 Steve couldn’t help himself and reached around to cover your mouth. Just because he was able to take your sharp words with pride, didn’t mean everyone else could. Especially the very irritable man with the access to handcuffs.

 “You do realize he’s still Chief of Police, right?” he muttered low. 

 ““He could be the goddamn President for all I care! That doesn’t give him a right to mock the only people around here trying to help!”

 After that spark of anger, it seemed to set off the other kids. Making each one of them spew out their concerns and ideas to a very tired Hopper. Steve thinks the worst is gonna happen with no help, no plans, and no weapons. But that went away when Joyce Byers emerged from her room finally. 

 There’s a painful desperation in her voice as she told Hopper about wanting to kill whatever was inside Will. And it looked like the Chief was going to shut her down until Mike spoke up. Leading the group to observe a sleeping Will closely. 

 “If anyone knows how to destroy this thing, it’s Will. He’s connected to it. He’ll know its weakness.”

  “I thought we couldn’t trust him anymore.” Max pointed out. “That he’s a spy for the mind flayer now.”

  “Yeah, but he can’t spy if he doesn’t know where he is.”

  After that, a plan is quickly thought up. 

 Everyone is forced into different tasks, pairing off groups of three and two to gather up supplies and set up the shed in the back. Steve found himself doing the latter with Nancy. Something he was hesitant about. Especially when he found out you’d be coming in with the supplies. 

 Today had already been pretty confusing. But working closely with the two of you seemed to make him nervous, honestly. Nancy was helping close by, picking up the nails and such to hand over to Steve. 

 He couldn’t help but find it funny that he was now doing the same thing you had done earlier to the bus. Making him smile a bit at the memory until Nancy spoke up. 

 “What you did, um, helping the kids. That was..really cool.”

 “Yeah.” Steve replied coolly, trying not to read too much into her words at the moment. “Those little shits are real trouble, you know?”

 “Believe me, I know.” she chuckled.

 It’s a nice calming moment and he’s thankful that’s the main start of their conversation. Unfortunately, he might be the only one who was thinking that. Because the next thing he heard was the sound of your voice entering the room.

 For some reason, you’re upset. More upset than he’d ever thought you’d be. And for once the main focus of your anger isn’t necessarily him. But to Nancy. 

 Too quickly are the vicious words coming out of your mouth. He’s sad to say he’s stumbling over easing up the situation. It isn’t until he attempted to reach out for your hand, and get you to calm down that he realized he might join Nancy in your verbal assault. 

 “God,” you said, getting out of his grip. “You two really are something else.”

 The judgment in your words didn’t feel good, and he’s mildly aware that while their conversation was innocent. The situation between them is far from being settled any time soon. But that shouldn’t be any of your concern. So why were you so angry, and why did that bother him so much?

 “Continue to enjoy the bullshit, Steve.”

 The words hit him harder than he expected. And he finds himself momentarily transported back to how he felt that night at the party. A phantom like pain going right to his hand as if he just hit it on the steering wheel.

 “Steve..” Nancy said softly. But all he did was hold up his hand, not quite done with you just yet. 

 “I’m sorry.” he said leaving her side. With a few strides he arrived at your side and grabbed onto your arm before you could step into the house. “Do you want to tell me what the hell that was about?” he asked you, eyes worriedly looking down at you.

 “Let me go!” you whined, going as far to slap at his hand. It’s childlike and very much the opposite of the fiery girl he saw just moments ago. Instead of listening, he moved to grabbing you by the shoulders. Keeping you standing before him so he could get some answers.

 “Relax.” he insisted. “Why are you so upset?” 

 “Because, Steve! What she did to you wasn’t okay and you’re just talking with her casually? Like nothing happened?”

 He couldn’t understand where you got that idea from. If anything they were more awkward with each other than before. “She was just thanking me for helping with the kids. We’ve barely spoken all night.” he reasoned, trying to put together where they seemed to go back to things normally. 

 “She’s barely given you the time of day since that party! And up until tonight, she didn’t even bother to know where you were and if you were okay.”

 The reality of his worries coming into light hurt a lot coming from you than if he heard it from Nancy herself. You were the most blunt and truthful person that he knew right now. And it wasn’t like you gained any benefit by hurting his feelings at this moment. 

 That still didn’t stop the pain hitting over him.

 “Look, I’m sorry.” you sighed, sounding genuinely apologetic. “I know that..I’m being harsh. I don’t mean to make things worse. But I just don’t want—can’t see you get hurt again.”

 He breathed heavily through his nose. As if he could blow out the ache from his lungs. But despite your honesty and apologies. There’s still something he’s desperate to know. 

 Why the hell did this matter to you so much?

 “I don’t see why you even care. I don’t. It’s over with..”

 “Because, Steve.” You said, moving in closer towards him. “Believe it or not but someone actually gives a shit about you for once.”

 There’s a pain in your voice that’s oddly matching his. Where were these feelings coming from? You shouldn’t feel this way about him at all. This was not your problem to deal with. The only thing you should be worried about is making sure you and the rest are safe. Not his feelings..they didn’t matter. Right?

 Closing up the last bit of distance, he stepped closer to you, looking down at you worriedly. 

 “You shouldn’t care,” he sighed. “We’re not friends..you’ve told me that so many times.”

 There was something about the way you were looking up at him that was drawing him in closer. Was it the heat from your body? The softness in your words? Or was it just you?

 “I know.” you sighed back to him. Looking just as torn up as he felt. 

 Without saying anything else you reached out to him, placing a hand down on his chest. The close contact has his heart beating erratically. Enough so that he’s sure you can feel it. He leaned his head down, getting closer to yours until finally; your lips met. 

 It was safe to say that his entire body is ignited once the two of you start to kiss. Like the last time you two shared a kiss, he can feel the entire world disappear. His senses are all heightened just to focus on you. The softness of your cheek in his hand, the sweet smell of your perfume, the sound of your breath against his, and the taste of your lips with remnants of some sweet lip gloss you had been wearing. 

 This was all a sensory overload for Steve but he doesn’t dare let go of it just yet. A secret part of him must have been yearning for this all day because he found himself pulling you in tighter. Making sure you felt him in the same way he could feel you. 

  Unfortunately, you’re the first to pull back and he has to stop himself from chasing after your lips. But with some air finally getting to his brain, he has the chance to remember that the two of you weren’t kissing at the privacy of your front door step. No, you were in the Byers backyard, preparing to save Will. 

 Your eyes don’t meet Steve’s and he can’t help but reach out to get you to look at him. Raising only a questioning brow at you as he waited for your answer to what just happened right now. 

 “We’re not friends.” you repeated. “But maybe because I want to be more than that..”

 And with that, you backed away from Steve. Turning around quickly to enter inside the house without so much as a glance back to the chaos you’ve left in Steve’s mind. 

 How long have you felt that way? What did he do to change your mind? And most importantly, what can he do to get you to kiss him like that again?

 As much as he’d like to stand there for hours going over that whole conversation, there was still work to do. So he turned on his heel and entered the shed again. Nancy, who was folding up the tarp slowly, did not meet his eyes. 

 A pang of guilt hit him when he realized that she possibly witnessed the whole thing.

 “Nancy?” he called out softly. Her gaze snapped up to him, but instead of a look of heartbreak like he expected, he was met with her curious gaze. “About what just happened. I uh–”

 “Hey, you guys are slowing down.” Mike huffed as he came into the shed. “You need to pick up the pace.”

 He stole a glance at Nancy, watching as she nodded her head to Mike before handing the tarp over to the kid and making her exit. The inevitable conversation would just have to happen at a later time. 

  Despite the drama and setting up everything. The two of you managed to avoid Steve. Leaving him to figure out nothing but how to make sure the shed was perfectly wrapped up. Something he didn’t have too much of a problem with considering it was probably the more important matter to take care of.

 But eventually the rest of you are forced back inside the Byers house while Hopper, Joyce, Jonathan and Mike are attempting to get Will to snap back. 

 Steve decided to keep himself busy with the bat. Using old methods of stretching back from when he was on the baseball team. But like usual lately, he can’t help but turn his attention on you. 

 Especially now that he’s seeing you on your softer side as you quietly spoke with Dustin. Letting him know what you really think of him and his actions today. It’s not like he needed the boost, the kid probably knows he’s doing the right thing. But something about Dustin’s reaction to you telling him brought out a shyness he didn’t think the kid would have. 

 “We’re Hendersons. No one gets to mess with us.”

  “Hell yeah,” Dustin said back to you. “No one.” 

 There was a sense of unity between the two of you. Even if you both have tried to kill each other the day before, and bickered on the path to the junkyard, there was still something strong that Steve longed for. 

 He must have been staring too long because before he can look away, you’re meeting his eyes. And for some reason he can’t help but smile. But that quickly dropped the second the lights in the house began to flicker. 

 The group of you rushed over towards the windows, observing the shed quietly as you waited to see if anything had changed since you guys last checked. Something in the pit of Steve’s stomach began to turn at the lights. All he could remember was the year in this very house when the flickering lights meant the monster would be emerging in the house. But considering how calm you and Nancy are, he holds back from speaking about that. 

 Eventually the flickering stopped and the members from the shed came back to the house. Hopper quickly came to the conclusion that while cannot speak for himself, he’s using morse code as a method to communicate. 

 The groups separated again after that. The kids left inside surrounding the table while they teamed up to decipher it.  up with some theory about Will speaking through morse code. Steve hoped that one of his friends here would be able to decipher it. 

 The message ends up coming quicker than they thought and soon enough everyone is around the paper, reading the message aloud. 

 “CLOSE GATE.”

 The phone sprung to life, screaming out its bell and setting the group into a small panic. Dustin and Nancy both fight with the phone before it’s ultimately smashed down into the kitchen floor. For a second all of you are quiet, almost afraid to make another noise before Max spoke up. 

 “Do you think he heard that?”

 Steve wanted to think about it as positively as he could. “It’s just a phone,” he pointed out. “It could be anywhere. Right?”

 A loud screech echoed in the distance. Giving Steve the absolute worst answer he could have gotten.

 It’s a bit chaotic after that and the others are all scrambling together in the house. The kids rounded up together in the back of the room while the adults worked to make a barrier with the teens. He’s about to enter the living room when he noticed you dashing down the hall. 

 “Hey, come on, we need you out here.” Steve said entering inside. There’s a look on your face that reminded him of being back on the bus. You’re struggling to find a weapon and he’s sure you’re preparing to fight even with your bad arm. 

 “I-I can’t. I don’t have anything to fight with.” you said quickly. “Why the hell did Jonathan take up photography? I need a weapon not a goddamn film strip!”

 He reached out for your hand, feeling the warmth from your fingertips spread over him as he led you towards the living room. “Just watch the kids, I got you.” he urged, hoping that this time you’ll believe him and won’t get hurt. 

 He turned to face the windows and doorway when you tugged down at the sleeve of his jacket.

 “Be careful.” you warned. 

 The same warmth he felt moments before bloomed over his chest. Even without physical touch, it felt like you were protecting him with your words alone and he had to hold back the pleasing smile that the feeling brought. He chose to nod instead. 

 “Where are they?” called out Max.

 All around the house began to make various thuds and creaks. Making the group turn slightly panicked at which direction the assault would be coming from.

 “What are they doing?” Nancy asked from beside him. 

 “They’re scaling the house for another ambush.” He heard you reply. 

 He really hoped that you were wrong and that there’d be possibly just one of those dogs outside. Otherwise they were gonna need a lot more bullets to take some of these guys down. 

 The noises around the house are getting louder and all over the place. No one could pinpoint which direction it was coming from. But just as Steve was ready for the worst, the creature outside let out a loud whimper. 

 “What the hell was that?” you hissed behind him. 

 The answer was a demodog as it was launched into the front window of the house. All of you screamed and fell back towards the wall. Keeping a distance from the creature’s body. It laid there motionless but the sight of it was enough to keep everyone tensed up.

 Hopper was the first one to take small steps before it. 

 “Holy shit.” Dustin muttered.

 “Is it dead?” Max asked next. 

 Hopper gave the creature a tap with his foot, keeping the shotgun on him. It was definitely dead, but if not by anyone in the room, then how the hell did it die?

 The front door of the house creaked, setting everyone back on edge as they readied their weapons. But what came in next confused Steve. Because instead of another monster like he figured, in walked a small little girl with a bloody nose. 

 “So, she’s from the upside down?” Steve asked again.

 Nancy, who had led him to the backyard gave him another weird look. “I told you before. She’s not from there. She just knows how to access it.”

 Steve frowned down at the pile of things before him.

 Immediately after the little girl or El as you introduced her as, came into the room, things seemed to shift into a more hopeful light. There was a way to close up whatever connection the mind flayer had on Will and that relied on the strange girl that seemed to bring out emotions from all of you except Steve and Max. 

 “And she was here last year?”

 “Yes.”

 “Where the hell was she when we were fighting that thing in the house last time?” he frowned, tossing a box of hangers behind him. 

 “She was at the school with the other kids..kinda saved them from the demogorgon before sending it back to the upside down.” 

 It’s hard for Steve to wrap his mind around, but he appreciated the brief story anyway. 

 Glancing over at Nancy, he can’t help but note that the frown was back on her face. She’s been off with him again, just like the past month. But there wasn’t any excuse about Barb, nor was it anything that Steve had done. He can tell by now. She’s worried. And while he wished it was because of what she might have seen or heard before. He knows that her concern at the moment was not about him. 

 And while that hurt Steve deep down, he still cared about Nancy. Hell, he’s pretty sure he still loves her. But if keeping her here was going to hurt her like this, then he’d suck up whatever emotions he had and help her out.

 “You should go with him.” Steve said before he could change his mind. 

 “What?” she asked, slightly taken back.

 “With Jonathan.”

 “No,” she scoffed. “I’m not just gonna leave Mike.” 

 Steve looked up at her, wondering if your words might have hit her more than you thought. Or if this was another worry that she might have had on her mind. Either way, Steve knew that she’d never leave if he didn’t reassure her. 

 “No one’s leaving anyone.” 

 Getting up, he carefully helped pull away some of the storage items to help Nancy look for the heaters they were asked to retrieve. 

 “I may be a pretty shitty boyfriend, but turns out I’m actually a pretty damn good babysitter.” he said picking up the item they needed. Though his words were said clear and confidently, Steve found that he almost feared meeting her gaze.

 Nancy was the girl he wanted for so long now. And while he’s used to being a winner, he can tell that this time he’d have to admit defeat fully. He wasn’t the boyfriend she wanted or deserved..and he’d have to deal with that. 

 Even if it meant feeling this shitty.

 “Steve..” Her words sounded almost genuinely concerned. Like she wanted to try and fix things. But like their relationship; their time was up. 

 “It’s okay, Nance.” he said looking at her. “It’s okay.”

 Not being able to keep hold of eye contact anymore, he turned away. Making his way towards the pile again. Just when he had hoped that Nancy would go inside and give him a final moment to mourn their relationship, she took a step over and placed her hand on his arm.

 Her grip is cold. Whether it be from weather or because of how it felt to be beside her now. 

 “I’m–..” The words couldn’t seem to form in her mouth and Steve felt like dying at the idea that he wasn’t going to get the closure he wanted. But her struggle to say anything was starting to become worse than the silence so he gently removed her hand from his side with a pat to the back of her hand. 

 “It’s okay..for you too.” she said after a minute. He stayed quiet. Unsure of how to react to what she was implying. But he nodded his head anyway. 

 The two worked quietly after that, only wishing each other luck once they made it back to the front door of the house. He caught you and Jonathan heatedly talking at the back of his car. A disgruntled look on your face before you noticed him at the doorway.

 He wondered if it really was okay for him too. 

  “Science needs this.” Dustin clapped as he led Steve over to the kitchen. 

 The group had been split apart, by your demands, to help clean up the Byers house. Dustin had only taken one second to call out Steve as his partner when you asked for the disposal of the demodog. 

 Steve carried the monster to the fridge, watching as the younger boy cleared out its contents onto the floor. Sort of counteracting against the cleaning up you wanted them to do. With the final bit of food on the floor he turned around to finally face Steve. 

 “All right,” he said. “It should fit now.”

 “Is this really necessary?” Steve asked, feeling the monster's dead weight start to cramp up his arms a bit. 

 You were quick to rush over once you finally noticed the state of the kitchen. You held up your hands, stopping Steve from coming forward. “I told you two ten minutes ago to get rid of that thing in the backyard and you think to put it in the goddamn fridge? Look at this mess!”

 “It wasn’t my idea.” Steve tried to explain to you. “The kid wouldn’t let me leave the house.”

 “Hold on!” Dustin squeaked, while he shoved you away from the path. “Yes, this is necessary. This is a ground-breaking scientific discovery. We can’t just bury it like some common mammal, okay? It’s not a dog.”

 “But you literally call them demo-dogs!” you cried. Sensing another one of your guys’ regular back and forth arguments, Steve decided to just give in to what Dustin wanted as he stepped forward with the creature. 

 “All right, all right, all right.” He said quickly. Trying not to gag at the sight of the congealed drool that started to seep out from the creature’s mouth. “He’s gonna be the one to explain this to Mrs. Byers then.”

 There’s a struggle between the both of them trying to get the creature in the fridge and several moments Steve’s sure he’s gotten drool over him somewhere. But eventually it’s sealed in the fridge and Steve couldn’t help as he gave Dustin a small affectionate head rub before he turned back to glance at the mess.

 That’s when he caught sight of you quietly observing the two of them.

 “What are you smiling at?” He asked curiously.

 “What?” you laughed. Almost unaware that you had been caught in the act. You covered up a part of the smile with your hand. “Nothing.”

 He took a step closer, looking down at you carefully. “Nothing? You mean you weren’t amused watching the two of us struggle?” 

 “I wasn’t.” you said, still attempting to keep up this act of coyness. 

 He finds it odd how easily he could feel comfortable around you again. Not only did he just sort of break up with Nancy officially, but the two of you just shared a kiss not even two hours ago. Making this whole interaction be even more confusing. 

 Still, like a moth to a flame, he was being drawn in by you. 

 “Why do I feel like you’re lying?” he hummed, watching as you angled your head up towards him. It reminded him of how close you were to him outside and how much he’d like to feel that kiss again. Instinctively his hand reached out to cup at your face again. But just before he could feel the softness of your skin again, Dustin called out to him. Making the two of you step away from each other. 

 When he moved to wash his hands, he couldn’t help but turn back to watch you make a quiet leave. It wasn’t long into his hand washing that he heard the starting sounds of the kids arguing. Making him quickly clean off so that he could shut things down. 

 “Mike, would you just stop already?”

 “You weren’t in there, okay, Lucas? That lab is swarming with hundreds of those dogs.”

 “Demo-dogs!” Dustin called out from the kitchen.

 “The chief will take care of her.” Lucas tried, ignoring Dustin’s interruption.

 “Like she needs protection.” Max muttered. 

 “Listen, dude, a coach calls a play in a game, bottom line, you execute it. All right?” Steve chimed in, drying his hands in a dish towel. Mike merely looked at him with a frown on his face, something Steve was used to from being around the Wheelers for the past year. 

 “Okay, first of all, this isn’t some stupid sports game. And second, we’re not even in the game. We’re on the bench.”

 “Ri-, wel-, SO my point is..” 

 All eyes turned to focus on Steve and he found himself stammering to get to the original point he wanted to make. “Right, yeah, we’re on the bench, so, uh, there’s nothing we can do.” He thinks he’s managed to stump the kids enough. But he’s unfortunately working with a group of gifted kids who feed off crazy ideas to each other and soon enough they’re forming up a plan on their own. 

 Mike took the lead in ignoring Steve’s interjections and led the others around the house, showing the maps that had been drawn out by Will apparently as he explained the aspects of destroying the main hub. A plan that might have been useful if it didn’t involve the demodogs coming after them and their lack of arsenal and adults to help. 

 Down the hall he can see you observing them carefully. Making Steve wish you’d speak up and help round up these kids. But you’re listening to every word carefully, it would seem. But Steve wasn’t the only one who caught on to your quietness. 

 “You’re being uncharacteristically quiet.” Dustin said to you. “Do you think we should help El?”

 “Of course she does. That’s the only reason she hasn’t said anything, right?” Mike insisted. Steve glanced over at the boy’s expecting face and couldn’t help but mirror it to you. Surely, you of all people wouldn’t want to do something crazy like this. Especially not after everything that happened at the junkyard. 

“Way to put the focus on me, Dustin.” you muttered softly. 

 “Come on, trouble. I know you don’t want to face those monsters again.” Steve said, knowing you’d have a hard time telling these kids no. 

 “He’s right.” you sighed to everyone. “I don’t want to see those monsters again. I’m sort of worried that other parts of me will get scratched up if I do.”

 Steve felt a little bit of relief at your words. Finally someone that would listen to him tonight. But too soon is he adding his small victory, because as you got up for your spot on the wall, he noticed a look of determination on your face. 

 “But I really don’t want El to have to face those things by herself. She saved our asses last year and again tonight. The least we could do is help give her some relief.”

 You tried to get a look at him but Steve waved you off. Fed up with everyone in the house suddenly deciding to play the hero when all they were supposed to do was stay here and be safe. “This is not happening.” 

 “But–”

 “No, no, no, no, no.” He cut in, not caring how much it’d upset everyone else. If someone needed to be in charge, he’d take that role. Especially considering his babysitting partner was suddenly turning sides. “No buts. I promised I’d keep you shitheads safe, and that’s exactly what I plan on doing. We’re staying here. On the bench. And we’re waiting for the starting team to do their job. Does everybody understand?”

 “This isn’t a stupid sports game!”

 “I said, does everybody understand that?” Steve repeated, pointing over at Mike especially before looking at all the kids, and even you. “I need a yes.”

 The familiar sound of a car’s engine revving cut into the conversation. There’s instantly a reaction from you and Max before the two of you bolted over to the front window. Peeking out through the curtains. 

 “It’s my brother.” Max said, sounding a little afraid. “H-he can’t know I’m here. He’ll kill me. He’ll kill us.”

 Brother? Who the hell was her brother and why did he scare the one kid with the biggest attitude here? Taking a step, he peeked out from above your head to see that it’s Billy’s car. And suddenly, the image of Max storming away from his car on their first day here came into mind. 

 “I won’t let him.” he heard you reassure her. 

So this asshole was not only someone who bothered you, but Max too? Before Steve could even think about what he wanted to do, he was already making his way out the house. Closing up the front door softly as he looked down the driveway. 

 Billy slowly emerged from his car. A puff of smoke came out with him as he looked over to the house. An amused look on his face. “Am I dreaming, or is that you, Harrington?”

 “Yeah, it’s me. Don’t cream your pants.” 

 Despite the anger and annoyance he had towards Billy, there wouldn’t be any good in fighting with the guy right now. Not with how many kids were in the house. He knew to keep calm and approach this as casually as he could.  

 “What are you doing here, amigo?” Billy said as he strode over. 

 “I could ask you the same thing..amigo.”

 Billy looked over at him innocently. Lit cigarette hanging loosely at the edge of his lips. “Looking for my stepsister.” he said simply. “A little birdie told me she was here.”

 “Huh, that’s weird.” Steve replied nonchalantly. “I don’t know her.” he lied. 

 It was probably better off playing that Max wasn’t here at all rather than trying to place her at someplace else. But with Billy, Steve wasn’t sure how easily this guy could be tricked.

 “Small? Redhead? Bit of a bitch?”

 A small flush of anger went over him at Billy’s words. Max, while a bit heavy on her sarcasm and attitude, was just a kid. Why the hell did he have to talk about her like this to someone he didn’t even know? Even when you or Nancy complained about the other kids, it was never with such genuine dislike. 

 Speaking of you, it would appear you decided to throw yourself into the mix of things. 

 “Bit of a bitch? Must be talking about me.” you said easily coming into view. Though Steve did not want you anywhere near Billy, he still took a step back when he felt you push your way between them. 

 Billy’s interest grew even more when he realized it was you before him. “Babydoll, what the hell are you doing here?”

 “Well, in case you can’t tell, this is my friend’s house. I’m hanging out with him.”

 Billy’s eyes flickered over to Steve briefly. “And Harrington?”

“And Steve.”

 “I’m surprised. I figured after our little show the other day, he’d learn to back off.” The memory of Billy pushing into your personal space came into mind. Bringing back a tense anger when he remembered it wasn’t wanted from your end at all. 

 “Your little show didn’t mean shit to me.” Steve said coolly, not wanting to give Billy the satisfaction. 

 “Look, Steve’s here because he’s finally caught up with his girlfriend.” You waved off, trying to sound like the night was another typical weekend. But that only made Steve more anxious with where you were leading the conversation to. “So what are you doing here? I’m sure you didn’t come to hang out with everyone.”

 “I’m here because Max decided to run away again. Neil sent me to drag her in.” 

 There wasn’t much need for a clue as to who this Neil guy was, it was presumably their Father. But that didn’t mean Steve didn’t catch your subtle reaction to it before your composure came back up. 

 “Max ran away again? She’s getting better.” 

 Jesus, Max. Again? What kinda running streak do you have? He thought. 

 “Yeah, and because of that bitch, my plans for tonight are tanked.” he huffed. “So, have you seen her?”

 From the corner of his eye, Steve easily saw how the way Billy talked about Max was upsetting you too. And while you were able to keep up a front to Billy, he could see the slight tick it brought in your jaw. Why were you even bothering with this guy?

 “I haven’t.” you shrugged, glancing over at him. “But,” you continued, looking back to the other boy. “I can help you find her if you’re up for it.”

 “Really?” Billy asked, a little surprised. “Suddenly you’re up for spending the night helping me?”

 For some reason, you attempted to sway Billy into believing your words with a little trick of seduction. Something Steve would think was hot any other time if it weren’t to the biggest asshole in town. Billy seemed to easily fall for it as he licked over his lips slowly. 

 “That’s exactly what I’m up for.” you smiled, blowing out some smoke.  “Besides, Max will be more willing to go home if I’m helping you find her. We can catch up along the way.”

 “Let’s go then.”

Suddenly Billy is pulling you away from Steve’s side and everything from this past week came into Steve’s mind. 

 "..Billy. I am NOT your girlfriend. You’re an egotistical man-whore who needs a god damn reality check! Leave me the hell alone!" “..Yeah, well, Billy likes to take whatever he wants. Regardless if the other person is willing.”

"..when I was with Billy, I felt like I was a part of a role. That I was someone special because I was dating the most wanted guy at school. None of my friends even cared about things like that. So why did I?”

“..I just want someone who actually likes me for once.”

 Without another wasted second hesitating, Steve reached out for your hand. Stopping you from following after Billy. Quickly, he pulled you out from the other boy’s grip and brought you close enough so that he could stand in front of you. Blocking you from Billy. 

 “What the hell is going on, Henderson? Are we leaving or what?” Billy asked. Though his tone wasn’t angry, there was a glint in Billy’s eyes that let Steve know he had struck some sort of nerve. 

 “You don’t need to go with him. You can stay here.” he said back to you. 

 He can’t fully see your reaction, but there’s the small warmth of your hand on his back that meant you were still with him. “Steve, come on, I can get him out here.” In a way Steve knew you were right. Hell, it’d probably make so many things easier for him if it meant getting this asshole out of here. 

 But he wasn’t going to let you endure the night of Billy and his unhinged antics just because he couldn’t get the hint. “And let you deal with him again? D’ya think I’m gonna be able to stomach that, huh?” he asked worriedly. “The second you leave with him, I’m gonna go crazy. I can’t let you put yourself through anything with him.”

 He doesn’t have time to focus on the stunned look on your face. Billy is already clearing his throat to get the attention back onto him. 

 “I’m not gonna play into whatever weird shit this is. So have you seen the bitch or what, Harrington?”

 “Look, it doesn’t ring a bell for me and trouble here hasn’t seen her either. Sorry, buddy.”

 Something clicked with Billy suddenly, making him wave his hand up in the air angrily. The hand on his back moved to his arm and Steve felt as you held onto him nervously now. 

 “You know,” he sighed.  “I don’t know, this..this whole situation, Harrington, I don’t know.” He looked behind Steve to where you were briefly. “It’s giving me the heebie-jeebies.”

Something was definitely up and Steve could feel the tension between the three of you rise up. Making the hair on his arms stand up. “Oh yeah? Why’s that?” Steve asked calmly. 

 Billy got close enough to the two of you that he felt his body angle away from the boy, only to still have his face close enough that he’s able to smell the heavy cologne that Billy bathed himself in. 

 “My thirteen-year old sister goes missing all day, you won’t let little babydoll here come with me, and then, I find them here with you, in a stranger’s house. And you lie to me about it.”

 Steve tried to laugh off his accusation, hoping to sound as casual about this whole thing that Billy would get bored. “Man, were you dropped too much as a child, or what?” Steve scoffed, fighting to keep the calmness in his voice as well as keep up a strong enough front that wouldn’t let Billy think he was afraid of him. “I don’t know what you don’t understand about what I just said. She’s not here.”

 “Then who is that?” he asked, pointing to the house.

 A glance over to the windows of the house and Steve winced at the sight of the kids lamely ducking away from the gaze of Billy from the driveway. Son of a bitch..

 “Shit.” you hissed. 

  “Listen,” Steve started, trying to think of a way he could ease up the situation. But before he could finish his sentence was sent flying back with a single shove from Billy. You thankfully don't stick around and quickly made a run towards the house to the kids. Hopefully getting them the hell out of there. 

 “I told you to plant your feet.” Billy reminded Steve before he shoved down hard on Steve’s chest with the bottom of his foot. 

 Though the air isn’t completely knocked out of his lungs, Steve still felt the impact send a pain over his body. Making it hard for him to gain back his breath and get off the floor. It’s not until the sound of all of you screaming inside the house that Steve shook off the pain to dash in. 

 He rushed in to find Dustin and Mike attempting to keep you up. There was  a bit of blood coming from the side of your head and Steve couldn't help himself as he reached out to cup at your cheek. Noting how hurt you look. It has him seeing red. “Hold onto her, guys.” he said quickly before striding into the kitchen.

 Billy has gone as far as to hold up Lucas against one of the china cabinets. Tussling the kid against the wood as he muttered threats over to him. The boy doesn’t allow this to happen long enough as he yelled for Billy to get off of him before kneeing him in the groin. 

 The blonde staggered back, hands on his knees as he quickly gained back his composure. “So dead, Sinclair! You’re dead!”

 Reaching out, Steve grabbed Billy by the arm, pushing him back before he wound up his fist. 

 “No, you are.” And with that, the inevitable fight began. 

 All around were different voices reacting to the two of them. While Steve tried to focus on keeping up his guard to Billy, the sight of the boy’s bloody mouth spewing out in laughter threw him off a bit.  

 “Looks like you got some fire in you after all, huh?” he yelled out. “I’ve been waiting to meet this King Steve everybody’s been telling me so much about.”

 “Get out.” He ordered, not falling for Billy’s taunting antics. But all that did was trigger Billy to begin his own assault of punches. But Steve’s still quick, and he managed to dodge them while he returned the hit. 

 Still, every hit is met with a bloody grin, or laugh. And though Steve had him pressed against the kitchen sink it’s Billy who would have the upper hand once he reached over to smash a plate against the side of his head. 

 The sting of the glass breaking against his skull is bad. And he can’t get his vision to focus on the room, giving Billy the chance to send him flying back against the built in bookcase. Around him the kids are scrambling around, trying to keep you and themselves away from the fight. 

 He’s backed up into the living room. Struggling to keep his eyes open as much as pick himself up. Billy easily grabbed hold of his arms, pulling him close enough that he could give Steve one more annoying quip. “No one tells me what to do.” 

 With a punch to his stomach, Steve was sent flying back to the floor. Scooting across the papers until he’s curled up on his side. In the midst of it all he can hear you yell out for Billy to leave him alone. 

 “I’m gonna beat the shit out of your little boyfriend!” he yelled back at you. “See if you still like him then!”

 And as if he promised then and there, Billy proceeded to beat the shit out of Steve. Throwing punch after punch until Steve couldn’t keep up anymore. The darkness faded in and all he could hear was the sound of you and the kids yelling out for Billy to stop. 

 “Steve?” said a familiar soft voice.

 “Is he up yet or not?” asked another voice. He knew that one too. The feeling of lips pressed gently against his suddenly woke him up. 

 Sitting up, Steve was met with the sight of you at his side. You’re in your devil costume from the other night, and you’re smiling down at him. “There he is.” you cooed, leaning in to brush his hair away from his face. “He’s awake now.”

 Nancy popped over your shoulder, looking down at Steve curiously before she too smiled. “I thought he’d never get up.” Glancing over, Steve noticed she was in her stained costume from the other night. 

 “Give him a break, he probably has a concussion right now.” you chided, moving to rest your hand lightly on his chest. “Guy took a hit for me.”

 “Did he deserve it this time?” Nancy asked as she stepped away from the bed. “Can’t say he hasn’t before.”

 “No!” You said throwing a frown over at the girl before peering your gaze below again. “You did great, your highness. Real heroic shit.” 

 “He lost.” chuckled Nancy. “Heroes don’t lose.”

 “Well that’s because Billy cheated.”

 “With what a brick?”

 “No, kitchen plate actually.”

 Nancy tutted at that before moving to sit at Steve’s other side. Finally the boy had the chance to realize that he was in fact dreaming suddenly. “What’s going on?” he coughed out, struggling to clear up his throat.

 “Nothing’s going on.” you answered him. “We were just waiting for you to wake up so you could pick which one of us you like.” 

 “Yeah, we were actually curious about your answer.” Nancy smirked curling her legs to shuffle closer to his side. “I’ve been thinking about it and I think if you wait until the mess with the demogorgons is done, you might be able to fight for me.”

 “And I’ve been thinking that after spending the day with me you might be able to get me. Especially with how hot you looked sticking up for the kids and all that.” you said kneeling beside him. 

 “That does sound kinda hot.” Nancy chimed in. “Do you remember how he looked fighting that demogorgon in Jonathan’s house?”

 “Yes!” you gasped. “When he did that little bat swing? So hot!” 

 The two of you start to giggle playfully and Steve can’t help but feel confused. Sitting up now so that he could look between the two of you. “Have I gone crazy? We’re supposed to be getting rid of the mind flayer.”

 “We are.” Nancy nodded.

 “And you and I are supposed to keep the kids safe..we’re fighting Billy right now!”

 “Well, some of us are fighting Billy. You’re actually out cold.” you pouted, reaching over to pinch at his cheek. “Quite unfortunate, they could really use your help right now.” 

 “Then we have to go!” Steve urged, pushing the two of you out of the bed. You both moved to stand in the middle of his room, looking at him oddly while he struggled to stand up. “What are you two just standing there for, we need to leave!” he urged. 

 “We already told you Steve. We’re only here because we wanna know which one of us you’re picking.” Nancy reminded him. 

 “Yeah, we deserve to know.” you nodded. Steve shook his head, wondering just what the hell was going on in his head to have you two acting like this. 

 “That’s not important right now,” he said simply. “The kids need me.”

 “And what about us?” Nancy pouted, stepping forward to cup at his cheek. “Don’t you think we need you too? Don’t you want me Steve? Don’t you love me Steve?”

 Steve felt his jaw slacked at the sight of his mind’s version of Nancy begging for him. It’s been so long since he’s ever heard that kind of sincerity from her and it’s pathetic that the only time he’d get it was right now. 

 “What about me?” you cut in, moving to snake your hands around his neck. “I see you when no one else does.” you said softly. “I make you feel every emotion..not just heartbreak.”

 Nancy frowned over at you, crossing her arms over her chest. “I’ve only broken his heart once. Wasn’t it you who humiliated him in front of the school?”

 “Just our lunch period.”

 “Don’t forget gym class.”

“Shit.” 

 Shaking his head, Steve pulled your arms off him. Looking over at the two of you with a glare. “This isn’t the time for any of that. Dustin and the others..they need me. You need me.” A small frown flickered over your face at that before you suddenly looked over at him carefully. 

 “He sure is whiney isn’t he?” you spat, recoiling away from his side. Nancy slowly turned the same, shaking her head disappointedly at Steve as she did the same.

 “He is. That’s probably why I’ve moved on from him. Jonathan is totally more put together.” 

 “Isn’t he? He’s just the best friend a girl can have.” you grinned, not even noticing that Steve’s face crumbled. “We should go and hang out with him! He’ll at least be better than this bozo.”

 Nancy linked her arms with yours, giving you a wink before she led the two of you towards the bedroom door, pushing Steve aside so that you guys could leave. Steve sputtered out, unsure what kind of bizarre nightmare he fell into. Following you guys out, he called out to the both of you. Calling each name.

 It was only you who looked back, giving him a small smile before fading out into the darkness of the night. Steve tried to follow but no matter how hard he tried to move, tried to call out, he was met with nothing. 

 Nothing until he felt a sudden cold press to his forehead. 

 The walls of the room began to melt and the pain in his face began to grow stronger. An almost blinding pain burst over his nose, eyes, and head. He found himself crumpling backwards into a sitting position and the space around him getting smaller and smaller.

 His eyes blinked hard and he found that he was having a harder time getting them open. But when he did, he found himself looking at a distorted face. It looked familiar. “Nancy?” he asked, not sure if it was the actual girl or his dream again. 

 His vision focused and he’s suddenly looking at a disturbed Mike. His hand reached up to brush away some of the crust that’s blurring his vision but is quickly stopped by another hand.. 

 “No, don’t touch it.” said the voice gently.

 Turning to his right, he noticed Dustin as the mysterious other hand. “Hey buddy,” he said, shushing him. “ It’s okay. You put up a good fight. He kicked your ass, but you put up a fight. You’re okay.”

 He’s reminded of his dream and being woken up by the other pair of Wheeler and Henderson duo and can’t help but wince away from the kid. Groaning a bit, he tried not to focus on the pain in his face and attempted to get up from his cramped seat. 

 “Dustin, you better calm him down.” He heard you warn from somewhere before him. The sound of a loud engine began to perk up in his ears and peeked his eyes open again to see Lucas sitting in your lap, reading a map in his hands with a flashlight. 

 “Okay, you’re gonna keep straight for a half a mile, then make a left on Mount Sinai.” Lucas instructed to his left. Glancing in that direction, he found Max sitting in what looked like a driver’s seat..but that couldn’t be right. 

 “What’s going on?” Steve called out as his body began to fill up with panic. Max looked over her shoulder, meeting Steve’s eyes with wide worried ones of her own. 

 “Eyes on the road, Red.” you instructed Max. Why the hell were you instructing the girl to do anything was beyond Steve, but he couldn’t even see your face properly. Let alone figure out why you weren’t driving. 

 You’re. Not. Driving. He thought. 

 “Oh my God!” Steve cried out squirming out from his spot. He had to put a stop to this. He had to get out of this damn car. NOW.

 “Just relax.” Dustin tried. “She’s driven before.”

 “Yeah, in a parking lot with your cousin!” Mike added, sounding annoyed.

 “That counts!” Dustin countered before looking back to Steve. “They were gonna leave you behind.”

 “Oh, my God.”

 “I promised that you’d be cool, okay?”

 The speed picked up in the car and Steve felt the entire thing move at a speed that’s dangerously too high .“Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. What’s going on?!” he called out, ignoring Dustin. But the girl in front ignored Steve’s plea and suddenly pressed down on the gas even harder.

 “SHIT MAX, SLOW DOWN!” you gasped, confirming Steve’s worry. 

  “Oh, my GOD. No! Whoa! Stop the car. Slow down.” He thought he might get sick but he’s not even sure he’ll even have the chance to vomit with how fast everything was moving.

“I told you he’d freak out!” Mike yelled out to the others.

 “STOP THE CAR!”

 “Everybody shut up! I’m trying to focus!” Max said to the others, sounding just as scared as Steve felt right now. Lucas beside her started to squeak, pointing over to the map. 

 “Oh, wait, that’s Mount Sinai! Make a left!”

 “What?”

 “MAKE A LEFT!”

 The car roughly turned left, crashing into a mailbox of some house. The entire group in the car screamed out in a panic. Steve reached out for Dustin, holding onto the boy’s body while the car continued to turn roughly towards its destination. 

 Just what the hell did he wake up to?

By some miracle the car arrived safely to the field they had been discussing before. And while Steve was upset at the fact that they were even there in the first place, he was more than happy for the car to come to its abrupt stop. 

 One by one the rest of you piled out. Steve was barely able to hold onto the car door as the others moved to grab items from the trunk of the car. His head was still in so much pain, but thankfully he found that his vision was coming back to normal finally. 

 Just in time to watch as the kids continued on with their plans without him. 

 “Hey, where do you think you’re going?” he called out to Mike. Watching as he moved to the front of the car. “What are you deaf?! HELLO?”

 Next was Max, ignoring Steve as she followed to where Mike was squatting. “We are NOT going down there right now. I made myself clear!” There’s more silence and he’s painfully aware of how much he’s losing this battle right now.  “Hey, there’s no CHANCE we’re going to that hole, all right?”

 Lucas didn’t even give him the pleasure of walking past him as he went the farthest path to the others and avoided Steve completely. Having enough, he rushed over to where you two were and snatched the materials out of Dustin’s hands. 

 “THIS ENDS RIGHT NOW!”

“Steve!” Dustin yelled. “You’re upset, I get it. But the bottom line is, a party member requires assistance, and it is our duty to provide that assistance.”

 Beside him you’re sympathetically laying a hand on his shoulder. Nodding your head in agreement before you shot Steve a small shrug. 

 “Now, I know you promised Nance that you would keep us safe.” he said, reaching down for his bat and backpack “So, keep us safe.”

 Steve shook his head and looked down at the items before him. Wondering just how the hell this night was turning from helping get rid of a pest in Dustin’s shed to helping keep some girl with powers safe from the demodogs.

 Glancing towards you, he raised a brow, wondering what your speech would be like. But all you do is look at him with your worried eyes and quietly plead with him. “Please?” you asked softly. 

 A warmth spread into his chest and he begrudgingly reached out for the materials. Sighing in defeat. That brought out a pleased grin on Dustin’s face and he walked off, mask ready as he joined the other three waiting by the front of the car. 

 You stayed behind. He wasn’t sure what you’d do next, but when you reached out to cup at his sore cheek, he was more than happy to accept the kind touch. Placing his hand on yours to bask in the softness. That is, until he noticed the bruise on your eye.

 “Your eye..” He gasped. It was dark and swollen. When the hell did Billy get his hands on you and how the hell can he kill him for leaving a mark on you?

 “It’ll heal.” 

  “I’m so sorry. I never wanted you to get hurt. I-”

 The words were cut off when you leaned in to press a kiss to his cheek. Bringing his mind back to the comforts of how he felt in the backyard again.  “It’s okay. Let’s go tough guy.” you reassured him before walking away. 

 He doesn’t think he’ll ever react normally to that. 

 Eventually they explained well enough just what they were going to do next, and while he wished he could convince everyone to leave. He knows that’s useless. He’s in on this shit as much as you guys now.

 But now he’s managed to at least fight his way to leading the group and making sure they get to the hub safely and quickly as possible. Hopefully with no run-ins with any monsters or crazy brothers.

The stench of gasoline is heavy on Steve’s nose. Even with the heavy handkerchief around his face, he’s still struggling to breath in any clear air. But with the amount of upside down seeping in through the tunnels, he’d risk the dangers of smelling in so much gas than to breath whatever vapors were in this place. 

 “Alright, you guys ready?” Steve asked when he came over to your side. The spot had a perfect view of the hub. Reaching inside his pocket, he pulled out the lighter he had been carrying around today. 

 “Light her up.” Dustin ordered behind him. 

 He hesitantly looked around for just one moment. This whole place is about to light up and he’s sure that something bad will follow it next.  “I’m in such deep shit.” 

 With that, he leaned back his arm and threw the lighter into the dark depths of the hub. Instantly, the ground caught fire and the place began to light up all around them. There was a startling screeching noise that began to cry out as the hive mind reacted to the sudden attack. 

 “Uh, guys? The fire is getting pretty big!” you warned, getting up from the floor. Everyone else followed quickly after that, trying to get out of the place now that the smoke was beginning to catch up. 

 Steve continued to take the lead in getting everyone else out, barking out directions on which way to go. He thought that they were having a pretty good pace when you’re suddenly screaming out his name. It nearly tripped him up but he turned around and dashed over towards you before realizing it was Mike you were screaming his name for. 

 Smashing at the vine that had tangled itself around Mike’s leg, he kept up with his attack until the rest of you were able to pull him up from the floor. That’s when he heard the growling. 

 Behind Dustin was a single lone demodog. Sneaking its way towards the group. From the side, he could tell how tense you had become. Calling out to your cousin and trying to reach out for him. But Dustin simply pushed you away, insisting that it was Dart. 

 How he could tell was beyond Steve, but if you kept up with your nervous calling, you’d definitely anger the thing a lot more than Dustin’s sweet talk would. 

 “Dustin..” you tried, attempting to step forward. Steve quickly wrapped a hand around your good arm, keeping you in place. 

 “If you go after him, it’ll react.” he whispered to you, trying to warn you of the severity. But even with the warning and Dustin’s words, the beast still flared open its mouth to the boy. Making Steve’s heart drop. He thinks the kid is crazy for trying to reason with the creature, but he’s not about to mess up the chance of it working by letting any of you big mouths ruin it. 

 “He’s insane!” Lucas whispered.

 “Don’t.” Mike warned, trying to shush the others as well.

 “Shut up!” Steve hissed. “And stop pinching me!” he said to you, moving his hand up higher from your sharp attack. But you only squirmed even more.

 “He’s literally giving the damn thing food!”

 “SHH.”

 It’s eventually food that finally won them the safe passage. Dustin pulled the candy out from his own bag as he offered the sweets to the creature. Once he noticed that the demodog was fully distracted, he signaled for the others to go ahead. 

 “Eat up, buddy. Come on. Come on.”

 One by one the rest of you move past the two. Steve didn’t even give you the chance to plead with him as he practically dragged you away. From the distance, he watched as Dustin rose up from the ground, giving one last glance to his friend before leaving. 

 “Goodbye, buddy.”

 While Steve wished he could comfort his friend, the sounds of more demodogs in the distance was enough for him to push back feelings. 

 “They’re coming.” Mike called out, shining a light towards the tunnels. “RUN! RUN!”

 Sounds of snarls and roars were surrounding the walls of the tunnels. With every step on the unleveled ground, Steve thought that this was when all would fail. But he couldn’t give up, not when he had the kids so close to their freedom. 

 “Over here!” he yelled, when he saw the loose bit of rope dangling from the top of the roof. 

 He yelled for the others to hurry, waving them down to meet at his side. When you were close enough, he grabbed onto your body, lifting you up from the ground high enough that you could latch onto the rope. When he saw that you were sturdy enough to climb up, he reached out for the next person. 

 You were quick to help out on the other side, reaching for each kid’s arm and pulling them up with a small grunt. It isn’t until he’s about to reach over for Dustin and send him up to you that he heard something in the distance. 

 “Come on, guys! Climb up!” you yelled from above. 

 But the sounds of heavy footsteps coming closer, made him think they might just be too late. All of you called out to the two of them, reaching your hands out towards them while Steve got into a defensive position. 

 “Oh shit.” Steve hissed, pushing Dustin to get behind him.  There was no telling how many he’d actually be able to fight off. He didn’t want to think about that. All he wanted to do was focus on making every hit count. 

 Around the corner, a herd of demodogs finally made their appearance. Charging over towards the two at such a speed that would surely knock them down. And when Steve was just about to swing, they suddenly ran right past them. 

 The creature simply avoided their roadblock and dashed around them. Going roughly towards some source while pushing Steve closer to Dustin. The boy stumbled a bit into his arms and he simply held onto him as the rest of the herd went by. 

 Steve’s so lost in the confusion of not having to fight that he jumped at the sudden urgency in your voice. 

 “MOVE YOUR ASSES!”

 Quickly, he helped lift Dustin up to the rope. Waiting until he was safely pulled in by you before making the climb himself. With every tug, he felt like his lungs were on fire, but eventually he’s on the ground again and the cold crisp air is burning through his nose. 

 Suddenly, he’s engulfed in a tight hug from you. Making him sway a bit before he’s able to balance himself. Your arms are around his neck and he can feel the warmth of your breath against his ear. 

 “You were going to fight them.” you said to him. “You stupid, stupid, stupid, idiot. You were gonna take them all on.”

 Your words threw him off for a moment, making him worried he might have made you that upset again. But from the way you kept your arms around him, he understood that they were from a different place now. 

 He basked in the moment, allowing himself the small pleasure of soaking your comfort in before he spoke up finally. “Yeah, I know,” he chuckled. “I had to.”

From the corner of his eyes, he can see Mike awkwardly cut the moment short with a cough, Giving him a weird look that had Steve breaking up the moment. Together, the rest of you made it over to the car. Just in time to catch as the lights began to change. 

 Everyone watched in awe as it turned from blinking to a steady beam. Eventually turning brighter and brighter until all of you had to cover your eyes. But just as fast as it began to shine, it suddenly died down. Going back to its regular glow. 

  “What was that?” Max asked

  “It was Eleven.” Mike replied to her. “She did it.”

 “Come on.” Steve said quickly. “The others are probably wondering where the hell we are.” he said, pointing to the car with his thumb. “Let’s get going.”

 The tired kids groaned out to him but you for once nodded along to his plea. “You heard your Mother, kids.” Without looking back, you led all the kids towards the car, making Steve happy to be heading away from danger. It wasn’t until he was about to open the car door that he realized your joke.

 “Hey! Why the hell am I the Mom?” he frowned over at you. 

 “Because you nag at us like a Mother.” Max chuckled as she climbed in to sit on your lap. Steve grumbled to himself, mimicking Max’s ridiculous reply as he got into the driver’s seat. 

 “I’m the man.” he mumbled, turning on the engine to the car. From the seat over, he could hear the sound of your giggling, making him only slightly less annoyed. 

 “Whatever you say, your highness. Let’s get the hell out of here.”

 Finally a plan he could agree on.

 Steve couldn’t help but contemplate what would happen the next day as he drove over towards Max’s house. 

 The group had come together to form up ideas and alibis for tonight after everyone returned to the Byers’ house. And while Steve was ready to pass out for the rest of the month, he still had one more task for the night. Taking you home.

 But even with that simple thing left to do. He couldn’t help but worry about what was going to happen next. 

 Things with you were definitely different now. There was no way he could go back to having you hate him again, and he’s sure after all the conversations, the kiss, and even the fight, that you felt the same way. 

 The light turned red again as he approached the intersection. Giving him another minute of lagging behind you to think about what he wanted to say. 

 But what did he want? Not even in his dreams could he figure out what it was that he truly wanted. 

 Up until tonight, Nancy was the girl of his dreams. The girl he loved. But how could he be in love with someone who felt like they were pretending to be in love? How could he hold onto a dream of a relationship that was so easily forgotten in a quest to find out answers for her friend?

 How could she look at Jonathan the way she did and not even spare a glance to Steve?

 And on top of that turmoil of thoughts towards Nancy. He couldn't help but feel guilty that in all his mess, you were still there. Waiting for someone to finally like you for you once, and all Steve could give you were the broken pieces of his heart. 

 Down the line of the road, he could make out the muffled sounds of you arguing with the person in front of you. Not even waiting, Steve pressed down on the car horn, putting a stop to that interaction before he made an exit from the car. 

 Billy stepped back when Steve approached you, making sure you were behind him again in case the jerk tried to do anything again. “God, you just won’t quit.” he scoffed, unable to comprehend where Billy got the nerve from. 

 For a moment, it looked like Billy was going to react to his words. But he didn’t. Instead, he backed off, holding his hands up as he stepped away from you two. 

 “Have fun with my leftovers, Harrington.” he said, moving towards his house, only looking back one more time to glance at you. “Remember what I said, babydoll. Remember.”

 While Steve is curious as to what the hell that was all about, he ignored the inquiry in order to check on you. Noting the look of distress still evident on your face. “Are you okay?” he asked softly, pulling you into his arms in hopes of warming you up. 

 He wanted to think you’d speak up and snap back to your usual self. But even you need a moment to gain back your strength it would seem. 

“Can we just leave? I want to go home.” you whimpered.. “I just want to go home.”

 The sadness in your voice tugged heavy on Steve’s heart and he quickly leaned in towards you. “Yeah, honey.” he sighed, pressing a kiss to your forehead. “Let’s get you home.”

  The drive over to your house is quiet. 

 There wasn’t much Steve could say to change how you felt at the moment. And he understood it was coming from having to deal with Billy again so soon after everything. This whole night, actually, this whole week, Billy has done nothing but make your life hell. And the one time Steve could have protected you from it, he failed.

 The guilt felt overwhelming. He wasn’t sure just what he could say to make it up to yo–

 “I’m sorry,” you blurted out suddenly. “I feel like I’ve been the reason you’ve been getting hurt all day.”

 He can’t help but be a little bit amused by your words. Not even sure how the universe would have it that you felt the same way. “It’s funny, I was gonna say the same thing.”

 “Steve, all you’ve done tonight is stick up for me. For all of us..you’re the only reason why everyone is safe.”

 Safe. He thought. How could you think he kept any of you safe when you got hurt? Have you even seen your eye yet?  “If I had fought better..”

 “He hit you with a glass plate. I don’t think that’s necessarily skill.”

 “If I had fought better,” he repeated. “You wouldn’t have had to come in and help me.” He reached out to cup at the side of your face. Hating the sight of his failure shown on your pretty face. “This shouldn’t have happened to you.”

 “Then put the blame on the asshole that did it. Not yourself.”

 There was something about the way you wouldn’t let Steve feel so low about what happened tonight that had him feeling something. How could you care to make him feel better? Even earlier in the night, when you got mad at Nancy. It was for his sake then too. He didn’t deserve them and he definitely didn’t deserve it now. Right? 

 So why didn’t he push that notion onto you. Why was he allowing this selfish part of him to bask in the way you were trying to cheer him up? His eyes slipped close as he let out a small tired chuckle. “You aren’t going to let me win this are you?”

 “Nope.”you smiled. “And you better get used to it for the future. Because I’m pretty good at always being right.”

 “Future?” He asked, surprised he’d even get tomorrow with you. “So there’s a future between the two of us?”

 “Do you.. maybe like the sound of that?” 

 How the hell could he not? A future with you, any kind, was worth getting beat up for. But there was still something he needed to know more of. Something that’s been on the back of his mind since it’s happened.  “That depends.” He said finally. 

  “On what?” 

  “If your feelings have changed since we kissed.”

 You turned shy at the question. As if you weren’t prepared at all for Steve to bring that up. He should see that as a different kind of sign, but he ignored it. He didn’t want to listen to the logic in his head. He wanted to pull you in closer and enjoy the moment with you.

 “I haven’t stopped thinking about that kiss.” He admitted. 

 “I just forced myself on you. It wasn’t right to kiss you like that.” You said honestly. “But I’d be lying if I didn’t admit it was on the back of my mind.”

He couldn't of any other moment where he wanted someone to kiss him this badly. All he knew was at this moment, he'd give anything to feel your lips against his his again. If you'd allow him to. "Then how should you have kissed me?” he asked carefully.

You looked back at him and he found that he’s focused so intently on you that nothing else seemed to matter. Nothing but the sound of your breathing and the beat of his heart. Slowly, you reached your hands up from your lap to crawl on the front of his chest. 

 “I would have given you time to notice what I’m doing by moving my hands here.”

 The tip of your nails scratched at the nape of his neck, making Steve’s body flush in an instant heat. “And then?” he shuddered, needing more. 

 “I would have leaned in close,” you said, angling your head to his. The tip of his nose brushed against yours and your lips hovered just beside his. “Like this.” 

 “And t-then?”

“I’d ask you to kiss me.”

 This is the part where he should stop. Where he should let you go and remind himself that there’s another whole mess of emotions that he has to deal with beside the horny one that was starting to stir up inside him. But the longer he looked into your eyes, the more he realized that he didn’t want to think about what he should do and instead chose what he wanted to do. 

 “So ask it.” He insisted, “Ask me now.”

  “Kiss me?” 

 That was all he needed to hear before he took his chance to crash his lips onto yours. The pain and soreness of his face was ignored easily when he tasted the subtle taste of you on your lips. Bringing back to multiple memories. The kiss on your doorstep, the kiss from tonight, even the kiss to his cheek. 

 One simple touch to you has him addicted and he found that he needed all you now or else he thinks he might explode. The desire that’s been building up between the two of you for the past day was far too much to handle and he’s selfishly taking the chance to give you all of him. Even if all of him was just a shell of a man you once knew.

 Things heat up quickly and the two of you are together on his seat. He can take in the sight of your beauty even better. 

 Lips changing kisses from simple peck into heavy panting open mouth kisses that have the air leaving Steve’s brain. 

 He never planned for things to get this far. Hell, he never dreamed that he’d ever get this far with you. But eventually you’re allowing him to touch your body. Explore the places that he’s never known he needed to touch until right now. 

 But you want him to. You need him.  With the way your breath had gotten heavier and the frantic way you pushed his hand into your pants, he can feel how you need him. And he’s more than happy to give in to you. Using the pad of his thumb to swirl over the sensitive bud of your pussy until you’re crying out in pleasure. 

 You fall over him as you curl into your orgasm. He can’t help but find it all too beautiful. The soft moans coming from you as you come down your high. “You make the prettiest sounds.” he commented absentmindedly. 

 Taking the chance to calm down, you reached between the two of you to take him in your hands. Giving his aching cock the attention it’s been dying for since you sprung it free from the confines of his jeans. 

 Instantly he’s moaning at your touch. Either he’s too sensitive right now, or something about your touch has him getting closer to his orgasm that he wanted. That and the musky scent of your pussy is driving him crazy. He wished for a better place to fully taste you, but there wasn’t time for that right now. Because he had only one plan next. To feel every part of you.

 So with your help he slowly eased the head of his cock into your pussy. Just like your touch, your pussy wrapped around him in such a way he’s taken back to how it felt like to first kiss you. How was everything about you this intense? How was he supposed to wake up tomorrow without this feeling again?

 Leaning up, he pressed kisses against your neck, watching as the light affection helped you as you adjusted to the size of him inside you. “You’re so tight.” he gritted, using his hands to grip at your hips so that he could fully push inside you. “God, you’re so tight.”

 There’s a beat of silence, and he waited until you were calm again before he reached out to you. “Are you still with me?” he asked softly, not quite ready to hear if you suddenly changed your mind. But you look back at him, smile on your face as you nod your head.

 “I’m with you.”

 That’s all he needed to hear before he was back to kissing you. Distracting you with the taste of his lips while began to thrust up into you. It hasn’t been long since he’s last had sex. But it’s been long since he’s felt this new and electric. The feeling of your body wrapped closely to his, the hot breaths from your mouth fanning his skin, and the moans falling past your lips. All so new and exhilarating to Steve. 

 He doesn’t think he’ll ever get it like this again. 

 “Fuck, Baby. You’re taking me so good. So damn good.” he groaned, needing to praise you. “Taking all of me.”

 Your hips rolled to the praise. As if you needed the encouragement to drive even harder towards your orgasm. The sensation shivered over Steve and he thrusted harder towards you, hearing the sounds of your slick slapping against his cock with every thrust met to your pussy. 

 “Fuck, Steve. I’m so close.” you whimpered.

 “Me too, honey. Fuck, keep doing that.”

 Your hands wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer to you and giving him just the right angle to hit up into your core that he could feel just about all of you. He has to bite down your shoulder to keep himself from letting go just yet. Not when he can feel you’re close. 

 Using his thumb, he began to rub at your clit again. Feeling the way it made your body tightened on top of him. The walls of your pussy gripped tightly against Steve’s cock. Making each and every thrust tug just the right way on him. You let out a loud moan, throwing your head back in pleasure as you finally let go around him. 

 Steve wasn’t long to follow after you, feeling the way his cock shot out his cum into your body. Each thrust after was chasing the remnants of his orgasm and he chanted out your name. Almost like a thank you prayer while he started to come down from his high. 

 The car’s movements came to a stop and Steve carefully reached between you to pull himself out so that you could rest easily on top of him. The sight of you cuddling into his chest does something to him and he finds he’s soothing you down. Making sure your body relaxes against him from the small workout. 

 “You’re bullshit.” said a voice in his head. 

 He tried to ignore the voice in his head. Squeezing his eyes shut to focus on your content hums. But again the voice spoke up. Almost yelling at him.

 “YOU’RE BULLSHIT.”

 Like cold water to the face, Steve slowly began to realize what he had done. 

 How the hell could he do this to you? He was just aching and pinning for Nancy this whole week and all of a sudden he’s sleeping with you? As if you were some rebound that was supposed to cheer him up? 

 Yes, the signs were there from you. He knows you wanted this too but did you deserve this? To be the girl he gave himself too all because Nancy didn’t pick him? Did he even want that? Why would he push for you to ask him to kiss you? He shouldn’t be kissing anyone let alone fucking them in their driveway.

 Fuck, you were just talking about a future of a sort with him. Would you want anything with him now that you realized he had slept with you while still in love with someone else?

 “I can’t believe we just did that..” you said softly, shyly looking up at him.

 God he’s in such deep shit. 

 “Steve? Are you oka-”

 “We shouldn’t have done this,” he interrupted, not able to hear your concern for him anymore. 

  “..What?”

Carefully, he sat up in his seat. Pushing you back a bit so that you were able to sit up on your own. “I shouldn’t have done this..especially to you.” he clarified.

 “I don’t..I don’t understand..you didn’t want this?” 

 The pain in your voice has his heart breaking even more tonight. There was nothing he could do to fix this. He literally felt like everything around him was falling apart but he couldn’t stop it. He can’t change it. 

 You quickly remove yourself from sitting on his lap. Getting back in your seat to get dressed again. Steve pushed himself back into his jeans. Disgusted with the sight of his pleasure still coated on the front of his pants while he buttoned up. 

 “I’m sorry. I’m just..I’m not good right now.”

 “So you just use me-”

 “I’m not using you. Please,” he pleaded, fearing that he’s done the worst again. The look on your face is the worst thing he’s seen in days. It’s completely wrecked. Heart broken. Worse than anything he’s seen and it’s all because he’s just fucked up beyond repair.  “God, this is so messed up. I promise..just..” Reaching for your hand, he tried to give you a reassuring squeeze. Feeling like he was only giving you a panicked grip before he let go to hold onto the wheel. “Tonight was a lot..I just..need to get home and..think.”

 He’s waiting for you to yell at him. Tear him to shreds for having done such an awful thing just now. But you don’t. Instead of sounding like the fierce girl from before, you’re croaking out your words. Hitting him in the heart in a completely different way.

 “Have fun with your thinking.” you said, grabbing your jacket and dashing out of his car. He can’t look up from the wheel. All he can think about is the fact that he’s probably messed up something really good. 

  ONE MONTH LATER

 It’s a crazy few days after that night. 

 Steve attempted to fix things. The first thing he did was fix what he could with Nancy. Giving her gifts back and wishing her luck with things. The girl returned the sentiments, but also invited him to be a part of the service for Barb. With things finally coming into light about the lab, the Hollands were actually able to put their daughter to rest. 

 Something Steve was ready to do as well. 

The funeral was on too bright of a day, he thought. Too bright for the Hollands and Nancy to say goodbye to someone they loved dearly. And while Steve knew the focus shouldn’t be on him right now, he couldn’t help but feel his guilt finally hit him. 

 I’m sorry. He thought. Looking over at Barb’s casket. I’m sorry for everything.

 He’s surprised to feel it’s your hand wrapping around his that day. Neither one of you says anything to each other. You don’t need to today. Not when the only thing you guys needed to do was be there for each other.

 But when it was over, you quickly pulled away from his side. Leaving Steve to watch as you joined after your friends. There’d be another day to try and fix things with you. Today, he’d leave you be.

 The days continued on and he found that he was unable to face you just yet. An apology sat on the tip of his tongue. But every attempted phone call ended with Steve feeling sick. He couldn’t get the sight of your sad face from his mind. 

 There was a moment when he thought he’d never get his chance to fix things. But it would turn out that one phone call with Dustin asking for a ride to the snowball dance that would present Steve with one window of opportunity. 

 After a hopeful pep talk with Dustin, Steve watched as his new friend entered the middle school doors. Looking around nervously before entering the gymnasium. In the back Steve caught a glimpse of Nancy inside. Her curls piled up on the top of her head, and her smile bright as she handed the younger grades cups of punch. 

 The sight of the girl still stung to his chest, but he found that it was no longer drowning as it was before. Another sign of what he had to do. 

 Driving past the row of cars by the gym, Steve drove over towards the parking lot. Ready to camp out for the rest of the dance when he noticed a familiar figure emerging from their car. 

 Of course it’s you. And you’re dressed up in the coat he figured you threw away last Christmas. It’s a big enough sign for Steve to attempt what he wanted to do. So, without waiting any longer, he got out of his car. Tugging his jacket on before he moved to stand by your side.

 “You look a little underdressed for the dance.” He said as casually as he could. 

 “I’m afraid I’m just the driver tonight. No chaperoning for me.”

 He watched as you made some room on the front of the car, giving him just enough space to climb on with you. The heat of your body is strong, and he found that he’s inched as close as he can to feel it better. It was now or never with you. So he carefully took a slow breath and spoke up.  

 “I tried calling..” he said carefully “And I mean, really tried.” You looked over at him and he kept his gaze forward so as to not lose his train of thought. “I had the phone in my hand, ready to dial. But every time I thought to call, I just couldn’t help but remember the look on your face.”

 “If you wanted to call to remind me how you feel, I’m glad you didn’t.” you scoffed. He could practically hear as you built the walls around yourself.

 “Don’t do that.” Steve sighed. “Don’t shut me out just yet. I’m sorry. I just- I just wanna explain myself better than how I did.”

 “I get the picture pretty clear, Steve. You regret sleeping with me and don’t want to do anything with me because you still love Nancy.” You’re quickly climbing off the car. Shutting down everything that might hurt your feelings. “I won’t tell anyone about us.” 

 He hated how badly he was already making this. Groaning into his hands, he quickly followed you off the car and moved so that he could stand before you. “That’s the thing. I don’t regret it. None of it. Not the sex, not the kiss, not the day, not even the night before. I wanted all of that.” He still does. But he knows better now. He knows it’s not worth messing things up with you again. “My only regret is that I didn’t give us a good time to recover from the other shit we just went through. Well, that and also hurting you again.”

 You’re frowning at him in confusion. But he’s happy to see you’re still hearing him out. 

 “But you said we shouldn’t have..that you shouldn’t have done it..how am I supposed to take that?”

 “Take it as me being a big idiot?” he said honestly, moving his hand around so that he could cup at your warm cheek.“I’m so sorry, Trouble. I hurt you again and I can’t beat myself enough for that.” He kept his gaze on you, hoping that you’d hear his truth and understand him, “And I know you should hate me, but I’m selfish with you and can’t let you go again. I’m just-..I’m just a guy who doesn’t know what girl would truly like him, let alone a girl like you.”

 “But I do like you..”

 He let out the breath he had been holding in. You still like him. Even after everything that’s happened. “I know,” he said sadly. The pad of his thumb brushed against your cheek and he watched in silent awe as you rubbed into his palm. “I like you too. But maybe we don’t really know. Maybe we both need some time before we figure out all that?” 

 “Time?” you asked softly.

Sensing that your worries must be getting the best of you right now, he leaned down to press a reassuring kiss to your forehead.  “I can hear you overthinking. I just want you to have time to figure out if what you feel is real, or just the heat of the moment.” 

 The music from the snowball dance began to come out from the gym doors, giving you two a bit of background noise while you figured things out. 

 “Do you need time?” 

 If he was being honest with himself, he’d say how he doesn’t need a second to be with you. But knowing that there were still going to be moments like tonight where he’d look at Nancy and feel some sort of pain, he’d have to change up his needs.

 “No. But I probably should take some time too.”

 Moving both your arms and his, he changed up the position so that the two of you were slowly swaying to the beat of the music. You took the chance to rest your head against Steve’s chest. Making him relax as you comfortably rested against him. 

 “So what happens now?” he heard you whisper. 

 This was it. This was his one chance to finally do right by you and give you the one thing you deserved right now.  “Friends,” he finally decided.  “I’d like us to be friends finally. If you can forgive me and my shitty timing.”

 He didn’t rush you as you contemplated what you wanted to do. Anything decision you’d make and he’d respect it. Even if it meant going against everything he was trying to do. He’d give you whatever it was you needed. 

 It was finally once the song ended that you pulled yourself back to look up at him. The warmth in your eyes is there and he’s pleasantly happy to see that familiar sparkle once more. It has his heart racing again and he can’t help but smile down at you. 

 “Okay, let’s try friends.”

 Something inside Steve took control and he couldn’t stop himself from leaning down and sealing the deal with a kiss to your lips. It’s like being back to a place of comfort and he’s happy to feel as you carefully pressed back against him. 

 “Sorry.” he muttered, slightly embarrassed with you once the two of you realized what happened. 

 “Let’s just keep dancing.” you suggested. Not even realizing the double meaning behind the word. But like before, he’d leave you be. Knowing that it was going to be something you two would come across later on in time. 

  “Yeah,” Steve agreed, wrapping his arms tighter around you. “Just keep dancing..”

 A BIT LATER ON

The sounds of A-Ha’s Take On Me slowly echoed out from the gym doors. The snowball’s DJ had been keeping all the music upbeat and lively the whole night. And you and Steve took the chance to enjoy the free sound while you both entertained yourselves. 

 “Take on me”

 “(Take on me)”

 “Take me on”

 “(Take on me)”

 “I'll be gone. In a day or two!” 

 Steve couldn’t help but pull back to look over at you. Eyes wide as he noticed the slightly pitchy ending to your note. “Trouble, are you tone deaf?” He laughed, still swaying you. 

 You let out a dramatic gasp. “I am not!” you giggled. “It’s just a really high note!”

 “Oh man, you can do everything but sing.” He lied, knowing you could do and be anything you wanted. “Wait until I tell Dustin.” 

 You point a finger over at him. Trying to look intimidating but really you look just cute in Steve’s eyes. “You better not. Or else I’ll mess up that pretty face of yours.” 

 “So you think it’s a pretty face?” 

 “..You’re terrible.”

 “You think I’m pretty!” he sang, watching as you attempted to pull away from his arms. But he quickly changed it to wrapping around you so that you were pressed against his front. “Tell me what’s my prettiest feature. My hair? It’s my hair right?”

 “I’m not even diving into that.” you laughed while shaking your head.

 “My lips?”

 “You wish.”

 “Lashes?”

 “You’ll never get an answer from me..”

 “Oh come on,” he laughed. “Just throw me a bone here.” 

 There’s a second where you seem to go quietly to your thoughts, and Steve’s worried he might have pushed the joke too far, but you slowly reach a hand up to cup at his cheek. The pad of your thumb grazing gently at his jawline while your eyes glanced up to his. 

 “Your eyes..” you whispered. “I think you have very pretty eyes..”

 He didn’t expect for your answer to make him feel so shaken up but he found that he’s shuddering from your truth anyway. “T-thanks.” he muttered, stumbling to come back to being confident like he was moments ago.

 “This is the part where you tell me I have pretty eyes too.” you smirked, making him let out a breathy laugh. Only you would manage to make the conversation light again. 

 “You’re pretty,” he said easily. Beautiful would be a better word, but friends, albeit new ones, don’t talk that way. “Prettiest girl in town.”

 “Oh, I forgot you lay it on thick, Harrington.” you laughed as you looked away from him. Something on your face reminded him back when you two first met and he flirted with you. It wasn’t easy to make you flustered and yet that’s how you were right now.

 He’s about to speak up when the sounds of footsteps cut in.

 “What the hell are you guys doing?”

 Looking behind him, the two of you saw Max, Dustin, and Lucas all stood before your Aunt’s car. The girl had a knowing smirk on her lips while the two boys had slight frowns on their faces. “Dustin,” he coughed, letting you go slowly. “Why aren’t you guys inside?”

 “Why?” snorted the shorter boy. “How about because the dance is over? We thought you guys would come in and get us ten minutes ago. Why the hell were you two dancing with no music on?”

 How long has it been since the music stopped? He didn’t notice. Not when he was talking with you. 

 “We were goofing around.” you explained easily, giving Steve a pat on the arm. “Plus, we never said we’d grab you kids. We’re off babysitting duty tonight, dork.”

 “Such a loving cousin.” Dustin groaned, pushing past everyone to go over towards the passenger door. “But whatever. Do you think we can give Lucas a ride home?”

 “Whoa, hey, I thought you were riding with me?” Steve frowned looking over the three of them. 

 “Well if she’s still around, might as well take me home, right?” Dustin shrugged before nodding over at you. “Well? Can we?”

 You frowned at your cousin before glancing back at Steve. “Mind taking Max for me?” There’s a small pout in your request and he found it a little hard not to be distracted. Even if three other pairs of eyes were watching him intently. 

 “Yeah,” he said eventually. “I can take her.” Looking over at the girl beside him, he nodded towards his car. “Maybe I’ll give her a better driving lesson than you.”

 The other kids frowned at that while you let out another laugh. Very amused by his words. “You’re still terrible.” you chuckled, making your way over to the driver’s seat. “But thanks. I’ll see you tomorrow? Make it up to you with a milkshake?”

 “You got a deal, Trouble.” he winked. 

 You waved goodbye to him, staring at him for a moment longer before getting into your car. The other two boys called out a goodbye to Max before waving over at Steve. Dustin said he’d tell Steve all about what happened when he gets the chance. 

 Alongside Max, Steve watched as your car roared to life, filling the air up with the sound of your engine and soft pattering of music you had been playing. He kept his gaze over at you until the car was driving down the road towards the front of the school. 

 Max gently elbowed his side, giving him a knowing look.  

 “You’ve got it bad, don’t you?” she asked, smugness heavy in her tone. But Steve was too happy, too content, with how the night went to be embarrassed by her teasing. And considering everything that’s happened, he didn’t hesitate to give her a reply while he opened up the car door for her.

 “You have no idea.”

A/N: If you’ve made this far, god bless you!! this took about 4 months to finally put together. I’ve been working on it since July and have been going back and forth on it.  I’m very to be finished with it and hope you guys enjoy the inside of my poor Steve’s mind. I’m not really sure how much canon Steve would think this way, but I hope I tuned in to a little of what he might sound like. Thank you guys so much for the support. As always, I appreciate every like and comment!

[cowboylor]

cabin fever

the studio begins to feel small with george and matty. 

wc: 4k

warnings: (18+) smut, oral (m. receiving), unprotected sex, threesome, voyeurism, degradation, thigh riding, teasing, smoking, consensual workplace relations? (matty and reader have an implied situationship)

note: this is only what i can describe as a doozy

You’ve asked Matty three times already if he wanted you to go on another coffee run and he’s dismissively waved you off with a grumble each time. This leaves you with no choice but to perch on the edge of the couch, picking your nails and listening to the same demo blast through the speakers for the past three hours. 

Matty’s brow furrows. “Play it back.”

George sighs but relents by pressing the playback button.

He runs his hands over his face, muttering, “’s not like it changed from the last ten times we’ve listened to it.” 

Huffing, you shift in your seat. 

You’re past trying to get comfortable and past the hopeful idea you could rest your eyes until they’ve finished editing. The repeated track gives you a headache and only reinstates the thought that you really don’t know what else Matty needs you here for.

Sparing him a glance, you watch him mouth along to both lyrics and rhythm, tapping his fingers against the desk as he searches for anything he dislikes about the track.

You lean back. This day really should be over.

Daydreaming about a shower and your freshly-washed duvet cover has been the only thing keeping you sane throughout the day. Your errand running has proved to be your least favorite thing about being his assistant but the most needed thing when it came to perfectionist musicians. 

You glance outside the hallway to see the darkening window. You have to be the only three left in the studio. Every other member of their congregation has gone home by now.

Matty and George have a hushed conversation five feet away from you. Their secrecy has you rolling your eyes.

You pick and rub your eyes.

“I think we’re in for it,” George says finally, fidgeting with one of the many buttons across the set up until the song is paused. 

You perk up. “I’ll get coffee.”

“Don’t need you to get coffee,” Matty huffs at your constant insistence. You’re moving to grab your keys and bag anyway when he turns his chair to look at you. “I need you here.”

You meet his stare blankly, clutching your keys in your hand as he scolds you. George turns to eye both of of you, then shoots you a pointed look as if to say Don’t push it. 

“Why?” You groan.

Matty lights a cigarette and waves it in his hand for effect. “Unbiased opinion, secondary source, untrained ear–” You don’t give him the smile he’s looking for. “–my muse.”

You chuckle sardonically, repeating his words syllable by syllable, “My muse.”

He exhales smoke, the corners of his mouth quirking upwards as you also fight off an amused grin. He looks handsome like this; with his under eyes slightly drawn out and his hair free of gel. You would’ve told him so if not George being in the room.

“Exactly, love.” He nods.

You want to argue that you can’t be his muse or unbiased opinion; you work for him. Your paychecks have his full legal name scribbled at the bottom of the slip. You get him coffee and equipment and pick up his dry cleaning on days he just wants to spite you. But you don't say this–you just watch him watch you.

Turning back, George shakes his head. “Christ.” 

You sigh as they both become preoccupied with the soundboard again. In metaphorically defeat, you drop your purse back on the couch.

+

The untrustworthy coffee machine is your safe haven. You would rather venture into the break room of the studio, under the flickering lights and all, than sit in solitude and listen to Matty and George mess about for another minute. Dragging your feet to the counter, you begin to make a pot. If anything, the coffee-making is for your sanity.

While flicking on the power button, you go over grocery lists, bills, and the dinner reservation you need to cancel for Matty tomorrow.

You watch the dingy pot begin to fill right as the door to the break room creaks open. 

You whip around to see George.

You raise your brow at his uncharacteristic leave. “Hi?”

He wanders into the break room like he’s unsure of himself. His grey sweats hang from his hips and you can make out a flash of skin from when he stretches his arms and his hoodie rides up because of it.

Your face warms.

George looks good. George looks really good. 

“I was going to piss,” He says like he's explaining his departure from the studio. “Then I saw you.” 

“Ah,” You rub your hands over your eyes in a half-hearted attempt to stop your gaze from wandering down to his waistband. “Piss break.”

He laughs and then glances at the brewing pot. His brow furrows: “Fulfilling your unsolicited desire to get coffee?”

“Can’t help it,” You mutter, agitated and sore. “It’s like I have fucking cabin fever or something.”

He nods but then eyes you carefully. You suddenly grow self-conscious over your appearance. Your makeup is bound to be smeared by your constant rubbing and you would say you’re in desperate need of an everything shower, but his eyes still skirt over you slowly–like he’s unapologetically checking you out.

Then he glances at his watch and you can breathe again. 

“Maybe you should go home,” He says sympathetically in a way that has you shaking your head. Then in reference to Matty adds, “He’ll get over it.” 

“Not at this point,” You huff a laugh, craning your neck to stare up at him directly. “I’m no quitter, George.”

A brief pause.

His eyes give you the up-down again. “I believe it.” 

Coffee filters loudly to make up the silence between the two of you. 

“Well,” You say, switching off the machine and gathering three cups in hopes of looking busy. “I hope you have a great piss.”

He chuckles wryly. “I’ll try my best.” 

You shake your head when he leaves, pouring questionable brew into styrofoam cups and muttering a string of “Fuck me”’s.

+

The coffee was left untouched by Matty and you know he’s purposefully ignoring it just to irritate you. George takes occasional sips from the small cup if only to humor you. 

Your eyes are closed by this point; listening to every word, pitch, and musical texture there is drone from the speakers of this godforsaken studio. 

“Shit,” Matty curses after the demo nears an end. “Let’s scrap it–Deal with it later.”

“Later is now.” George bites back. 

You hear a click and the track falls silent.

“Then, fuck,” Matty’s frustrated laugh rings out. “I don’t know. Maybe we need to try something new.”

For a moment, there’s silence in the room. Pure, unfiltered silence that makes your chest swell with satisfaction and gives your budding headache momentarily relief.

Wait. 

Your brow quirks up in confusion. Raising your head from the cushion you open your eyes slowly. When you see the joints in their hands, you roll your eyes so far back it aches.

“You’re joking,” You mumble, tucking your knees to your chest as you nestle further into the couch. “I’ll never get to leave.” 

“It’s called the creative process, love,” Matty quips without turning around. 

George stretches to pass you the poorly rolled blunt. “Don’t want you to feel left out.”

You accept it begrudgingly, pouting at his slightly facetious expression until he swivels back to the soundboard and you’re left blinking dully at their backs. You lightly suck air through it and then rest your head on the back cushion. 

The demo is being played over again and they bicker when it comes to the last section of notes. 

Another puff. You’re going stir-crazy. 

You watch the clock on the wall until your eyes burn and the ticking begins to sound like the song that’s being blasted through the speakers. 

“The hell am I doing,” You mumble to yourself. You brush your wrinkled clothes down and fix your hair before clearing your throat. “Can I do something other than watch you roll joints and bicker? Be helpful?”

They turn to eye you carefully, finally acknowledging your frustration. 

The corners of Matty’s mouth fight to twist into a smile and you glower at him–always taking the piss out of you when you get like this.  

“What?” You snap.

“Wanna be helpful?” Matty asks.  

George glances over, saying his name as a warning for whatever he might say next. Matty doesn’t acknowledge it, still looking you up and down with a familiar glint in his eye. 

He chuckles, “I know how you can be helpful.”

You grow silent, eyes narrowing and flicking between the two, feeling like you’re being left out on a joke.  

George sighs and shakes his head. “God, you’re a twat.”

“How?” You question, still mildly confused about what exactly he’s implying.

Because he couldn’t be implying that. And if he even is, you’ve never done anything in the studio. With someone like George there. You’re disbelieving; you want to draw it out of him, make him say it. “How can I?”

Matty taps his right thigh. “Take a seat.”

He absolutely could be implying that.

Your jaw hangs open for a second. 

But then, wanting to spite and wipe the shit-eating grin off his face, you wander over to him. Plunking down on his thigh, Matty spins you back into his chair, pressing you against the desk and his chest while he goes back to fiddling with buttons like this isn’t out of the ordinary.

Straddling your employer’s thigh definitely violates all codes of ethics. But none of them feel as entertaining as sitting in Matty's lap.

You try to share a look with George from beside you but he avoids your eyes, instead muttering, “Let’s get back to it, then.”

+

You’re flushed against Matty by the time they’ve moved on from the last demo. Now, they’ve moved onto the particulars and you’re growing a different type of frustrated. 

When Matty talks his breath courses down your neck and makes you feel warm in every way possible. You’re fighting the urge to nestle into him, bury yourself in his neck and be closer to him–until your face grows unbearably warm and you become embarrassed about how just sitting on his lap is drives to this point.

Because this is all a game to him. And you play into it perfectly every time he beckons you.

But George–

George can’t even look at you while you’re on top of Matty; avoiding your eyes altogether and talking brashly to his bandmate like you’re not even there. And you can’t help but subconsciously long for his attention again. Whatever that looked like before–however he was looking at you in the break room.

Matty brushes his hand behind your neck before tsking: “It’s rude to stare, you know.”

You avert your eyes from George.

“While you’re in my lap, too,” He scolds quietly.

He chuckles at the reaction, making shivers travel down your body. 

You shift on his thigh, your body growing intolerant of the compromising position he has you in. You grab onto his arm that holds you at the waist, dragging your nails across his forearm. 

“I’m still your favorite,” His lips find the crest of your ear again to murmur. “Right, babe?”

You bite your lip to silence a whine as his fingers toy with the hem of your skirt. Watching his fingers go lower until your mind starts to cloud.

“You–” You breathe out sharply, brow furrowing as you struggle to not yell at him. “–were never my favorite.”

His laugh even sends chills down your spine and you lean into him, pressing yourself against him in an effort to get any relief for the pooling heat in your stomach. 

“Stop fucking around,” George mumbles more to Matty than to you.

You watch him fiddle with the amp set up beside the desk; you can’t tell if he’s actually unhappy with the sound system they’ve been using for the past ten hours with no complaint or if he’s looking for any reason not to look at you. 

“I’m completely present,” Matty insists, removing his arm from your waist to make an example of being hands-free. “But she can’t help it; I think she has a crush on you.”

You sit up straight at the accusation but find that you have no reason to be embarrassed because Matty’s right–you are in another man’s lap. He toys with the tip of your chin as you do your best to sneer at him.

George glances at you quickly and your cheeks burn. 

“Matt,” He sighs. “Don’t be a dick.”

“’m serious,” Matty defends, looking at your poker face expression you hope comes across as disinterested. You may be sitting in his lap but you’re unbothered by all of it. You’re cool, you’re collected, and you definitely won’t give him the reaction he’s looking for– “Bet she thinks about you fucking her all the time.”

Fuck him. Absolutely fuck him. 

You shift your hips at the thought and roll them against his thigh. His expression remains the same. If not for a sly smirk at your physical reaction because it was a reaction nonetheless.

“Is it true? Think of our George like that?” He teases, tapping a finger against your thigh. “That's so naughty.” 

Heat spreads between your legs and the tips of George's ears turn crimson. 

But now, you can’t help but picture what George would look like when he’s in you. How he would sound, where he would put his hands while he's fucking you. And soon you’re moving against Matty in a way that you wouldn’t have fathomed an hour ago.

“Thoughts?”

Fuck me. Fuck me. Fuck me.

You blink at Matty. “About what?”

“The song,” He says.

You pause, staring at George and his slightly more readable expression as his eyes wander down to your thighs and the way they’re glued to Matty’s. Watching carefully as Matty slips his hand into your skirt to swipe his finger under the elastic band.  

“It’s nice, yeah,” You reply, gasping sharply when Matty prods at your folds. Your eyes flick back to George and he's not looking away this time. You whine when his finger teases over your clit. Arching back into Matty, you mumble through half-lids, “I fucking love it.”

His finger circles in ragged motions, making you jerk into him at an unrhythmic pace that has you uncomfortably screwing your eyes shut in frustration and grabbing him by the arm: “Matty.”

He smirks, knowingly. “Yeah, babe?”

“You're–” You sigh. “You're trying to be annoying.”

He barks a laugh at this, slipping his hand out of your underwear to give you a gentle slap on the thigh.

“Bein' so ungrateful.”

You mewl at the loss of friction but are too proud to beg for it. Your eyes wander back to George and his stiffened stature as he watches you with a slack jaw.

“Grab me that mic, yeah?” Matty says to you as your gaze lowers to George's lap. Sighing, he grabs your chin to redirect your line of sight. “Right over there.”

Right over there happens to be on the other side where George sits. Without thinking too much about it, you’re getting up from Matty's lap and leaning over George to reach it.

You don’t so much apologize for the reach before looking up at him.

“Need anything?” You prod.

His eyes run over you; his gaze dropping down to your disheveled skirt before traveling up to your blown-out expression. You plead with him through your eyes, glancing down to his lap to stare at the bulge in his sweatpants.

“Fuck it,” George exhales, pausing the track with one hand and beckoning you with the other. “C'mere.”

He holds your hand while guiding you on top to straddle him, mumbling in your ear something along the lines of you being a ‘minx’ as you settle in his lap. While your hands go straight to the neckline of his jumper, his go straight to your cunt.

Slipping his fingers past the material, you gasp into his shoulder, breathing out a pitchy ‘oh god’ as he’s quick to work against you.

“Good?” He says, making tight circles around your clit. Then to tease his bandmate, chides, “Better?”

Matty rolls his eyes. "Oh, fuck off."

Numbly, you nod into him, rolling against his fingers as he nips at your neck. Your fingers etch into his neckline, clutching the material like you're desperate to cling to him as he prods at your bundle of nerves.

“Are you going to fuck me?” You ask brashly, through ragged breaths.

You're tired of waiting; you've made it clear for the past three hours.

His chuckle is low against your ear. “Would you like that, sweet girl?”

You assure him you would through hurried moans and shifting your hips against him as he pulls the thin fabric of your underwear to the side. Letting him kiss down the side of your neck, you turn to look at Matty.

He stares at you through parted lips as he watches you get off with his best mate. He gives you a wink before he fishes for some packing paper.

“This alright?” George asks, guiding the tip of his cock into you.

“Yeah,” Your lips are on the cusp of his ear as he does, splitting in two when he pokes at your entrance. “Yes, yes.”

Matty busies himself by rolling another joint, only peering up to watch you sink onto George’s cock. 

A loud moan rips through you, prompting Matty to quip: “Everything alright, love?”

“Fuck off,” You repeat his words back to him through gritted teeth.

He chuckles. “Ever the professional.”

You don't care for his banter right now. Your mind is cloudy and the only thing you can focus on is George's grip on you as the way he raises your hips up to fuck into you.

“You’re huge,” You whine into his ear without thinking too much about it. 

His fingers dig into your waist as you wrap your arms around him. 

“'Told me you weren't a quitter," He mumbles though you can practically hear the smirk threatening to break on his face.

You watch your cunt spread around his cock, over and over again until everything feels white-hot and is searing through your body.

He stills his hands, making you hiss as you let him stretch you out fully. You begin to protest the lack of movement, shifting your hips forward until you whimper at the intensity of it all. Ignoring it, you lift your hips off him again. If George wants you to ride him you will.

But then he slaps your thigh. “Bend over.”

He wraps his arm around you to situate you as you look around the studio. Looking for a place where you could bend over in a practical manner. You furrow your brow, a choked sob buried in your throat as the ache between your legs grows more intense with every passing second of no one touching you.

"Need to be told everything?" George teases, turning you around to push your lower back down into the desk. Bend over meaning here, you think as you rest your burning cheek against the counter. He pushes his hips back into you with a groan. "Bein' so patient."

Patient, patient, patient.

You groan into the desk. You don’t want to be patient anymore.

“Shit.” You hiss as you feel your walls tug onto him greedily. "Please, please, please."

Matty's laugh ringing out makes you tilt your gaze over to him. Smoking surrounds him as he toys with one button on the soundboard (perhaps mockingly) by rolling it on the tip of his finger.

You whine, dipping your head down again as George's hips snap against yours roughly.

Matty whistles, lowly. "Soundin' a little pathetic, love."

The edge of the table is malleable in your grip. You gape at Matty who looks at you with interest. You plead for him with your eyes.

“Matty.”

“Yeah, babe?”

Your nails dig into the wood. “Need you.”

He hums like he's considering. "Need me?"

You don't respond; instead, you chant a chorus of 'please' to George as he grazes that one spot inside you. It makes your eyes roll back and gasp into your hand until you're blinking repeatedly in an effort to see straight.

Only then, Matty's convinced.

He makes a show out of unbuttoning his pants and pushing down the elastic band of his boxers but you can barely see straight as you bobble forward. 

You can make out him pulling out his cock, stroking himself a few times while peering down at your submissive state. You think he’s going to make you beg for him and you almost sigh in frustration at the thought because you really don’t have the energy for that right now. 

But he just grins at you and says, “Open up.”

And you do. 

When he juts his hips into your mouth, you’re steadying yourself with one hand and you’re feeling up his thigh with the other. He busies himself with your hair, tugging it forward roughly until your lips reach the base of his cock.

"My girl," Matty sighs as you hallow your cheeks around him. "My girl is so helpful–isn't she?"

George's hand presses down to your middle back–maybe in agreement with what Matty said–as your name falls from his lips.

"Gonna let me come in your mouth?" Matty muses while gathering a fist of your hair in his hand. His hips stutter, jerking back when he feels you moan around him. "Fuck, you always take it so well."

Your lips grow numb just as you feel your body build to a climax. You know George is close with the way he's grabbing at your hips as he plows into you. Your stomach coils as you push your hips into him–wanting him to finish, wanting Matty to finish as you work against them.

Matty's grip on your hair lifts you up so you can see him. His teasing smirk is vacant, just watching your expression as his mouth forms an o shape and he's bringing you roughly down on his cock until he's coming in your mouth.

Swollen and raw, you swallow (because you always do).

When you come you're arching into George and then pulling your hips away from him as you grapple with the sensitivity bundling in your core. His hand falls between your legs as you jerk against him.

His thrusts turn sloppy, lazily bucking into you until he's flushed against your ass and spilling into you. You breathe his name repeatedly as your body comes down; pushing up from the desk you move to stand, leaning back against George.

And then his hand disappears from in between your legs and he's pulling up your panties that stretched around your thighs. You let him mess with your skirt until he's pulling it down your ass and brushing down the material like he's concerned with making you appear decent.

Amused and out of breath, you stare at him as he fumbles with the material of his sweats. Shifting your gaze, you watch Matty–whose hair is even more disheveled now–tuck himself back into his pants.

His eyes catch yours and you expect him to beckon you back to him with the wave of his hand. Matty gives you a lopsided smile and your heart twinges.

"One more thing, babe," He says, fiddling with the buttons of his trousers.

You realize George's come is soaking through your underwear and running down your inner thigh when you start to wander over to Matty.

Squeezing your legs together, you burn hot.

"Coffee," Matty finally says and you blankly stare at him. He grins, and you can't find it in yourself to despise him for it. Not ever. "Hot coffee would be great right now."

[viaoverthemoon]

Three Assholes

Leon Kennedy x Fem!Reader

Summary: You were sure this grocery trip would be like any other. But of course, everything goes awry.

Tw: Harassment, fear, slight panic, ugh men, hurt/comfort

Please be careful reading this if you're easily triggered by these things and still want to read.

READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!

Enjoy!

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"Okay, baby please don't let us forget anything on that list..."

Your boyfriend, Leon, scoffs. "How are we gonna forget if I have the list right here- Ah, shit. Where'd it go?"

You sigh and bring a hand to your forehead as Leon feels his pockets before whipping around in a circle. He then spots the paper on the ground and swipes it up, offering an embarrassed smile. "Don't worry, angel. I've got it."

You smile at him, shaking your head as you push the cart forward.

For a while, everything goes normally. He helps you stay on track when you begin to stray to miscellaneous things. And you help him in remembering the things you'd both put on the list.

Until the last item was located all the way across the Supermart, while another was closer by.

Leon plucks the paper from your fingers. "I'll go and get the far one. You get the closer one."

He's already backing away but you're unsure. "Are you sure you can handle it, Lee?"

He eyes you over his shoulder. "I've got the list, don't I?"

And with that, he's gone.

You move on, rolling the cart to the aisle that held what you needed.

You stroll down until the heavy item catches your eye. You pick it up, smiling in triumph, before crouching down to put it at the bottom of the cart.

Suddenly a low whistle catches your attention.

You instantly turn around and are met with three men. They each smirk at you, eyeing you up and down.

A chill rolls down your spine and you circle around the cart to get back to the handle. One of them calls out to you. "Damn, ma. You real fine-"

You immediately cut him off, pulling the cart back. "Sorry, I'm taken."

You turn the cart around, walking in the opposite direction as your heart pounds so loud you hear it in your ears.

You walk into an open area of the store, breathing out a sigh of relief.

A piece of clothing catches your eye and you're pulled in by it.

You admire each sweater for a few minutes, until that same chill runs down your spine again.

You take a peek over your shoulder, sweat blooming on your brow.

They're following you.

You swivel the cart, moving in another direction. And then another. And another.

You peek.

Still. There.

Panic.

Your breathing accelerates.

Still keeping a steady pace, you pull out your phone and dial Leon's number. He picks up instantly. "I told you I could do it on my own-"

"Leon."

He goes silent.

"(Y/N)? What's wrong?" His tone abandoned its playfulness, now slightly panicked and serious.

You try not to show fear, steadying your breathing and whispering into the phone. "Where are you?"

"At the back of the store- What's. Wrong."

You hear the footsteps behind you getting louder and whimper. "They're following me..."

He curses and you hear the sound of rustling through the phone. "Who? Who's following you (Y/N)?"

One of them laughs and you flinch. "I-I don't know! There's- Three. Three guys- Just, get over here, please..."

You turn into an aisle and stop short, one of the men standing in front of your cart. You turn to go back, but the other two are there, blocking your path.

Your hands shake, nearly dropping the phone. "Leon..."

One of them steps forward, the same one that spoke earlier. "Hey, dumplin'. We were being real kind before..." He steps closer and you back up against the cart.

Where the hell is everyone?!

The man smirks at you. "Me and my buddies didn't really appreciate how you cut me off earlier-"

He cuts himself off this time, slightly choking as a large hand holds him by the back of his neck. "Well, it's a good thing neither of us care about what you, or your crew, appreciate."

You breathe a sigh of relief.

Leon tosses the guy back, stepping toward you and placing a hand on the small of your back. "Are you alright?"

You nod, catching your breath and trying to stop the shaking in your hands.

A crowd has begun to form, whispering among themselves with pitying looks on their faces.

The shortest one steps forward, holding out his hands. "Hey man, we don't want any trouble-"

Leon steps forward, towering over him. "Well then step away because if you're not out of my sight in the next 5 seconds, trouble is exactly what you're gonna get, asshole."

Your boyfriend isn't huge, but he definitely isn't small either. He towers over each of the guys by at least a head. His shirt tightens over his muscles, showing off just how much he works on his physique.

His glare nearly burns a hole in their backs as all three of the men scamper away like dogs with their tails between their legs.

The crowd begins to dissipate as quickly as it came, noises of approval and disgust slowly fading away with it.

Leon turns to you, cupping your cheeks and checking over your face and body for any signs of injury. "Fuck, I'm so sorry it took me so long. I should've never left you in the first place- Are you sure you're alright princess-"

You stop his rambling, gently placing your fingers over his lips. You smile gently as you proceed to wrap your arms around his waist.

He freezes for a second, before slowly hugging you back.

"Thank you, Leon."

He shakes his head. "There's no need to thank me." He inhales the smell of your hair. "Jesus I was so worried..."

You pull away, looking to your cart and grimacing. "Next time, we should shorten our list..."

He chuckles, brushing the hair from your face. "I'm just glad you're okay..."

The rest of the trip ends peacefully.

Leon stays by your side every second, glaring at any guy who looks at you for longer than a second.

You're glad you have him.

☆*: .｡.☆*: .｡.☆*: .｡.☆*: .｡.☆*: .｡.☆*: .｡.☆*: .｡.☆*: .｡.☆*: .｡.

If you ever feel unsafe, don't be afraid to reach out for help! Whether that be from a stranger, or calling someone you know on the phone. This is for boys, girls, and everyone in-between!

You're all beautiful people and I'd hate if anything happened to any of you :(

Be careful out there pls! &lt;3

-Via 💕

[whereianonymouslypostfics]

Bickering 

Pairing: Wanda Maximoff x reader

Word count: ~1.6k

Summary: Doing one of your favorite activities with your favorite person should be fun, right?

A/N: This is the cat fluff fic. Very loosely related to Fletcher. We’ll see more of her later. 

Warnings: Fluff and minor conflict.

“No, Y/n we’re not getting that.”

You and Wanda are grocery shopping for your weekly dinner with family tonight, and she’s starting to regret coming with you on this trip. Wanda loves spending time with you, but sometimes she realizes that she’s not needed for a particular situation, and sometimes it’s even better if she’s not there.

You would argue otherwise for most things, but grocery shopping is something you enjoy doing in solitude. You’re just used to it that way because Wanda rarely goes out in public with you to do something as mundane as this, so when she tags along, you’re always a little thrown. Not to mention, you aren’t able to sneak as many sweets and junk food when your wife is watching you.

“Come on, Wands! I need some chocolate to keep at work.”

As well as at home and in your car, but you don’t say this out loud. Even though you’re sure that Wanda knows this you would be lying if you said you thought this was an argument you could win tonight. You’re proven right when Wanda reminds you that she’s just as stubborn as you when it matters, and you sigh in defeat as you throw your hands up.

“That’s not what the dentist said, Y/n.”

You knew this was going to come back to bite you at some point. You would admit that you ate a lot of sugar, but you also took really good care of your teeth. You’d gone years without getting a cavity, but this last visit had broken your record and given your wife fuel to try and get you to eat healthier.

“One cavity! I had one cavity, and it was the first in five years.”

“Three years, detka.”

You sigh and roll your eyes in defeat as you put the bag of chocolate back on the shelf with a little more force than strictly necessary. You go to grab the cart and you start to push it toward the end of the aisle, and away from temptation.

“Fine, no chocolate, but I’m making a cheesecake for dinner tonight.”

Wanda knows that this is the best compromise she’s going to get for now. She also knows that you’ll likely just buy yourself chocolate at a later date when she isn’t with you, but she’s not going to think about that right now.

“Alright. As long as you don’t eat too much of it. I’m not staying up until 2 when your sugar high peaks.”

You roll your eyes at this but you can’t help but laugh at the memory. You’d been having a movie marathon sleepover with Yelena and you’d eaten so much sugar that you’d been running around the house at 2am. Wanda had not been pleased and you’d actually slept on the couch that night.

“Fair enough.”

Wanda smiles at you as she hurries to catch up and help you gather the rest of the items on the list. You’re almost done shopping for dinner and you just have a few other household items that you need to replenish. You stifle a yawn as you turn down the aisle with the trash bags, laundry detergent and dog food. You realize your mistake immediately when you see Wanda’s face light up at the sight of the cat treats.

“Wands…”

You watch in horror as your wife grabs three bags of cat treats and puts them in the cart. You stop in your tracks as you shoot your wife a look that she misses completely.

“Hmm?”

“You’re not getting all of those.”

Wanda looks to you with a frown before she realizes that you’re serious. She wants to roll her eyes and huff in frustration at your insistence that she’s fattening up her cat. Sure, she spoils her sometimes with a lot of treats and cuddles, but you spoil Boone as well. She figures it’s only fair that Fletcher gets the same treatment.

“Why not? They’re small. I won’t give her too many.”

That’s a lie and you both know it, but you don’t even bother saying this before you try your hand at negotiating. Wanda can be reasonable when she has to be. However, when her loved ones are involved, she can lose sight of what it means to be reasonable very quickly.

“At least get greenies so she can clean her gross teeth as she gets fat.”

Wanda stops short of grabbing the treat bags as she shoots you an offended look. She abandons them again, leaving you to replace them with dental treats as she puts a hand on her hip.

“Her teeth are not gross, and she’s not fat! Don’t be mean to her.”

You can’t help but laugh at this because God your wife will defend her cat to the ends of the Earth. You sometimes think she likes her more than she likes you, but that’s not something you’re going to bring up now. You’d rather counter her argument with facts that she can’t dispute, but there are times where that doesn’t actually make much of a difference with Wanda. This unfortunately is one of those times.

“I cleaned her teeth last month, Wands. They were pretty gross.”

Wanda doesn’t like this and she’s about to argue, but you cut her off as you address the second part of her argument.

“She’s also a solid 6/9, so she definitely could lose some weight.”

“6/9! That’s not true, she’s just fluffy.”

You don’t know how you ended up having an argument about your cat in the middle of the grocery store with your mobster wife, but this isn’t how you imagined your Sunday going when you woke up this morning. Still, you smile slightly because you wouldn’t have it any other way, even if you did end up annoying Wanda a bit with the truth. You’d had the discussion before, and Wanda had been resistant then as well, but you really didn’t want Fletcher to be fat. She could be a 6 out of 9, 4 and 5 were ideal, but you didn’t want her heavier. As you’d told Wanda, it just made getting around harder and she could have more health issues in the future because of it. This is the part that had made Wanda commit to at least trying to feed her less.

She refused to believe that her cat wouldn’t live to be 25.

However, that was a conversation for another day.

“She is fluffy, my love, but she’s also a big girl. We just need to watch it, and maybe feed her a little less.”

Wanda frowns at this but she doesn’t respond immediately. She knows that you’re right. She just loves to feed her adorable cat treats as she plays with her and teaches her tricks. She had laughed at your idea of getting her an exercise wheel, but maybe it wouldn’t be a horrible idea.

“Alright, doctor. If you say so.”

You smile and grab your wife’s hand as you head toward the check out. You’re exhausted and need to take a nap before you start cooking later.

“This was fun.”

You laugh at this as you roll up to the first line you see. There is a couple in front of you so just turn to your wife with a dubious look.

“Was it? I feel like we argued the whole time.”

Wanda smiles at this as she shrugs slightly. Sure, you two argued, but there were no hard feelings. She knew that Fletcher was fat and that she needed to exercise her more or feed her less. You also knew, cavities or not, that you shouldn’t eat so much chocolate. You smile when Wanda says this and you nod in defeat as you kiss her cheek and rest your head on her shoulder.

“That’s fair, and I still end up getting cheesecake and Fletcher gets her damn treats.”

Wanda just laughs as she starts to unload your groceries onto the belt with a sigh.

“It’s all about compromise I suppose.”

You nod in agreement as you help her finish up before shooting her a smile. She’s not sure what you’re going to say, but she doesn’t expect the abrupt topic change. She has to stop herself from groaning loudly as you greet the cashier.

“Now we just have to figure out how to tell that to your brother later.”

Wanda doesn’t want to think about how drunk her brother got at their last dinner together. It happened to coincide with their decision to tell their family that they were trying to have a baby, and things became chaotic. Pietro had been insistent on offering his services and Wanda had nearly thrown him out on his ass he’d gotten so out of hand. You blamed the expensive liquor and the good news, but Wanda just blamed her brother for being an idiot.

She sighs as she shakes her head with a frown. You can’t help but laugh at what she says, but you don’t dare argue when you have no idea what to expect from your brother-in-law.

“That’s a problem for another time, Y/n, but let me tell you if he brings that up again, I’m throwing him out.”

You kiss your wife’s cheek as you grab the full cart and head for the door. You just nod in agreement because honestly you can’t have that conversation again. Wanda had been mad for hours after Pietro left, and that hadn’t made you happy at all.

“Whatever you want, dear.”

Wanda rolls her eyes but just grabs onto your arm as you lead her to the car.

Masterlist

[notfinancialadvice]

It's been awhile, but I have a new thought for folks starting out investing

This blog is called "not financial advice" so this is not financial advice. Nothing on this blog is.

And.

I am working on a large-scale D&D-style banking system for a private client (my job is weird). This is putting me in touch with a lot of people in very expensive suits and it I keep pinging them:

"Let's say someone has $100 to start investing, what should they do. Like, literally $100. With $0.00 added after."

I've cobbled together some thoughts (not advice don't sue me) and cut out the bullshit and sales pitches.

Start a high-yield savings account in an FDIC insured bank. As of this writing (April 27, 2023, United States-based), it'll be somewhere between 3.5 - 4.25% APY (annual percent yield -- i.e. interest)

Go with a bank that is FDIC insured. Banks pay for this, you do not. Here are smart people talking about what FDIC is.

The percentage difference listed above is 0.75%. Moving money is a bitch, is it worth chasing 0.75%? That depends on your situation, time, etc. Here are smart people who built a calculator to help you figure it out if it's worth it to you.

Touch it as little as possible.

Start a spreadsheet that tracks your finances.

In the cell that lists the amount of this balance, give it a name. Something fun, something that speaks to you. I did this as an experiment + to participate, mine is "Slime Research Adventurer Destruction Fund".

Write a prospectus (fancy word for "this is what the goal for this cash is to do").

Slime Research Adventurer Destruction Fund prospectus: Follow the path of high-yield savings rates at {bank}. Review quarterly if other banks have a substantially better rate (+1.5%).

The entire point is to break the idea of "them not me" and "today vs. someday" and "I cannot begin to build wealth vs. someone else can."

A $100 savings INVESTMENT IN A SAVINGS ACCOUNT with a rate of 3.5-4.25% will give you interest of $3.50-4.25 at the end of the first year, then continue on growing onwards.

That is your return.

Is it as high as investing in the market? No.

Is it safer? Holy fuck yes.

When you invest in stocks, bonds, etc. you are looking for a return. This is your return.

This is not a grindset mindset work 24/7 chunk of advice. This is not a reality-disillusionment "I am struggling I need to work harder."

You need to be knowledgable about how things can work for you so you can leverage what you have, where you are, when you have it, as you can.

A high-yield savings account is not going to make you rich.

It probably won't make a difference in an emergency.

It will absolutely make a difference in non-emergency times, over a period of time.

Slime Research Adventurer Destruction Fund Destroying Adventurers.

That last point is where I'm coming to.

If you don't have enough cash to invest and/or you're not comfortable investing, that's fine.

Give your savings account a name that speaks to you. This is your investment. Your savings account = your investment account.

There is no moral or ethical difference between "I have cash shoved into a savings account" and "I have cash shoved into the stock market."

The only difference is potential risk, growth, and fees (never pay for a savings account), liquidity ("how quickly can I convert this thing into cash to buy an apple at the grocery store, pay a bill, etc.").

Make money less scary via weird names and fun graphics.

Go to a piccrew site and make a catgirl with pink and blue hair.

Name your fund "Catgirlsnax Fundsies".

Make. Money. Management. Less. Scary. By. Taking. Control. Via your own. Desires. Goals. Weird quirks.

Here is to hoping these gifs are not from horrible shows I don't know anime I know money and business and monsters.

If they are then I apologize for it.

I've read the notes on my blog and a lot of you like anime. I'm hoping these resonate.

[nerdieforpedro]

Christmas List

Robbie Reyes (Ghost Rider - AOS) x female reader

Fanfiction rating: All ages

(My entire blog though is 18+)

Masterlist

Summary: You make lists for many of the things you do. Robbie found one of your lists and it made him think about his relationship with you.

Notes: I watched all ten of Gabriel Luna's Ghost Rider episodes. I wanted to write something that was fluffy. I still have a little fluff in me. Might even be able to write more.

Warnings: None, all fluff (Scout’s honor)

Word count: 671 (Drabble 🤭)

Robbie sat at the kitchen table staring at a list you’d left. You were big on them, making them for shopping, tasks at work, keeping track of tasks around the house, all sorts of things. He didn’t expect that before you went out shopping for groceries you’d started another list, a more personal one:

Mention that Christmas is in a few weeks - done

Put up some decorations, not too many to start - done for now haven’t settled on a tree yet

Find ugly sweater from last year - found it need a new one too small

See if I can convince Robbie to wear a Christmas sweater - wore it under his jacket so a win?

Maybe can get him to wear a cute hat with a bell 

Find a little red dress with whatever that white fuzz stuff fringe maybe - ask Anna 

Buy Robbie some red boxers for fun - even if he doesn’t wear them it will still make me giggle.

Bake cookies with Robbie - neither of us should burn them maybe

Ask him about visiting my family - we’ll visit Gabe and his girlfriend first. Might be too early to ask.

Reyes chuckled to himself softly reading over the things you wanted to buy for him but also do with him. Your list was primarily centered on him and while that did warm his heart, he wondered why you’d only had one ask of him. 

Visiting your family.

Robbie and Gabe’s parents were gone from this world long ago and hadn’t told you about his uncle and all that happened with him. From the look on your face, you suspected more but didn’t push it. Gabe had changed the subject to making fun of Robbie never wearing sandals on account of his messed up feet which led to a roar of laughter from the table but he knew you hadn’t forgotten. He wondered what else you held back on because you were good at reading emotions he thought he hid.

When you came through the door with both hands full of groceries, you smiled and kissed his cheek. After setting them down on the table you paused after hearing a small chime. Robbie was wearing a red elf hat with a bell attached at the end with the red sweater you’d bought him - no jacket over it.

“Hey Chica, I found a good hat, though I’m not sold on those boxers.” He grinned and heat came to your cheeks. He’s seen your list. After putting away all the groceries, the both of you sat down as you sipped some egg nog. You’d gone and put on your own green sweater that had snowflakes on it. Laughs were had as he bobbed his head around making it jingle more.

“Did you read the entire thing?” You asked after taking another sip of your egg nog and licking your top lip.

“Yeah I did. You could have just asked me, I’d love to visit Gabe and his girl.” He leaned forward on the table, titling his head, but difficult to take seriously because he softly chimed. 

“I wasn’t sure how to ask. You didn’t even want me to tell them about you until a few months ago, after I had moved in. I already let them know my address change but they didn’t know why Robbie. I…” Trailing off, you looked away before reaching across and taking ahold of his hand, your thumb tracing his knuckles.

“I love you and I’m proud on you. I know you’re not always because of the darkness in you but you’re more than that. You’re my Robbie. I wanna show you off.” Your grip strengthened with the wide smile you gave him.

Pensive, Robbie stood and walked around the table, placing an arm across your shoulders. “Chica wants to show me off huh? Alright. We’ll see Gabe and then head to your family. You are always telling me about your Mom’s sweet potato bake. I'll get to taste it in person.” He pecks your cheek and holds you tight.

A promise of a new Christmas tradition.

Tag list: @musings-of-a-rose @ramblers-lets-get-ramblin @trulybetty @legendary-pink-dot @morallyinept @undercoverpena @laurfilijames @linzels-blog @frenchiereading @secretelephanttattoo @for-a-longlongtime @rhoorl @fhatbhabie @megamindsecretlair @saturn-rings-writes @pamasaur @grogusmum @sp00kymulderr @theywhowriteandknowthings @maggiemayhemnj @magpiepills @yorksgirl @fhatbhabie

[thatfreshi]

Hi there! I saw the post about the requests! If you don't mind, Imma dump the three ideas I have here in one ask so I don't spam you. Apologies if there's not enough info in them or are too jumbled to understand! I'm not great at sending requests.

A Dragonborn tav who wishes to cuddle with Astarion/Rest their head against him, but can't due to horn/spike placement. Frustration on tav's end and, after some confusion, an emense amount of teasing on Astarion's. Maybe they find out some way to have resting on Astarion better.

Astarion helping out Tav after Tav had a medical surgery thing. They're just in pain for the first few days and Astarion just helps them out. (Mostly just want some personal comfort for my own recent surgery. I'm in pain.)

Dragonborn Tav doing some Dragonborn courting rituals to get Astarion's attention. Maybe even trying to research Eleven courting rituals to do so.

Went ahead and went with the second ask in this list. If you still want the others you can send them again! I prefer separate requests because it's easier for me to keep track of, but I appreciate that you have so many ideas for me :)

TW - broken bones

Recommended Song: Lovers Rock - TV Girl

Living a normal life comes with far too many responsibilities. Sure, killing goblins and avoiding shadows is stressful, but buying groceries? Doing dishes? It seems like there's something every single damn day, especially when you're renovating a house.

Now, Astarion loves priding himself on being a great bargainer, making a sweet deal out of any situation, and he figured a place with good bones like this would be a steal if he could cut the price a little. Was he wrong? Of course not, he has a habit of being right almost always, which can be frustrating. However, the two of you bit off far more than you could chew, especially when it came to the staircase that was practically falling apart. Mind you, neither you or Astarion are renovators, but both of you are far too stubborn for your own good.

"I'm sure we could get someone to fix it, right? Just needs some extra support."

You raise a brow at him.

"And spend more money? No way, we should just do it ourselves. I'm sure one of our friends has some extra wood lying around."

That's when you make the mistake of going up a couple steps to see just how bad the damage is. Apparently this place used to house a group of rowdy adventurers who couldn't help but destroy everything in their path. When you fall asleep on the floor every night, guess it doesn't really matter if you can't get up to any of the bedrooms. As you're analyzing the stairs, there's a crack beneath your feet, which you ignore.

"Darling, perhaps you should just take a look from down here?"

When you go to turn and tell him you'll be fine, your leg takes a plunge through the wood, subsequently fracturing several bones in your foot.

"Gods, damn it!"

You manage to cry out, trying to pull yourself out of the tattered floor. Astarion helps you, helping you get back down to the first floor, trying to make sure he doesn't face a similar fate.

"I guess a trip to Shadowheart's is in order."

You shake your head.

"Nope, her and Halsin are on that healer's retreat, remember? In Waterdeep?"

"Shit, I suppose you're right dove. When are they getting back?"

You sigh.

"Tonight, sadly."

It was currently far too early in the morning, as the two of you wanted to get a head start on your fixer-upper today.

"Alright, we'll just have to go see someone in town I suppose."

"Aster, we do not have the money for that right now. We've already budgeted everything for the house, I can't go see some uppity Baldurian doctor who's going to charge us far more gold than they're worth."

"Well, what do you suggest we do then?"

"Wait til Shadowheart and Halsin get back? I mean it's really all we can do."

"Gods Tav, we had so much planned today. Those tieflings are coming by to tile the kitchen at noon! And you know I am not good at being nice to strangers."

"Well my love, looks like you're going to have to learn, because I cannot walk on this thing."

You groan in pain, trying to flex your foot, feeling all the little spots your bones broke.

"To the bed we go then."

Astarion wraps you up in his arms, taking you to what in a couple of weeks is supposed to be the study. For now though, it's a makeshift bedroom. He gently lies you on the bed, getting a pillow for under your foot. Then, he thinks about how he truly does not like being broke, but the both of you didn't want to impose on any of your friends, staying at their place for any longer than you had to. Gale offered, but the thought of being all cramped up in his new tower was suffocating.

"Are you okay Aster?"

Your voice wakes him from his thoughts.

"Yes my dear, just thinking about our raggedy circumstances."

"It'll be nice when it's done, and when my foot's not broke."

The two of you chuckle.

"As much as I love living with you, I didn't think domestic life was quite this, complex."

He moves to lie down next to you, careful not to move your wounded foot.

"You still want this though, right?"

"Of course, a nice house to ourselves? A space just for us? I can't imagine a better investment. Just not quite used to all the contractors and market visits and drunken nights yet, all the normal things, the things I would've done so much sooner if..."

Astarion shakes his head, as if trying to get the thoughts out of his mind.

"Never mind all that, I should get you some tea."

Before you can tell him that it's alright, that you want to hear what he has to say, he's gone to the kitchen. Instead you just lay on the bed, thinking of just how lucky the two of you are. Two troubled souls set up for failure, and yet here you are. You laugh a little, thinking about how lucky you are with a shattered foot.

"Here we are my darling, a hot brew just for you."

He helps you sit up, making sure you keep your leg elevated.

"Easy my dove, don't want to break anything else do we?"

The hours pass by as the two of you wait for the tilers to come, talking about all the projects you were going to start today. It's nice, having a project, something to strive towards that isn't murdering someone or working through some major trauma. Just the two of you drinking tea in some old house, sitting on a bed that you'll have to break down and bring upstairs, and then put back together. While Astarion very easily could have left you to your devices and gotten started on all your little plans, he stayed by your side, talking about everything and nothing.

"This is just the beginning."

You say, suddenly breaking a natural silence.

"What is?"

"This. We get to start over. This is the beginning of us starting over."

He smiles at your whimsical view of things.

"I suppose you're right."

[gaelic-symphony]

hi!! :)

i hope this isn't weird, but i love reading your posts about judaism to learn more from it. i don't follow any religion but i love getting to know them from people who do

and if you don't mind me asking, what are your favourite things about it? <3

i hope i have expressed myself well and you don't mind this 🫶🏼

I actually love this ask, and I'm so glad you sent it! There are so many things I love about Judaism, it would take me forever to come up with a list of them, but here are a few of my favorites:

I love our everyday rituals. I love keeping kosher and going to the kosher supermarket. I love that every time I eat or go grocery shopping, I'm affirming my connection to my people and my ancestors. I love that we have blessings for the most mundane human activities like washing our hands. I love ending every week with Shabbat. I love how it gives us a day to rest and reflect and be thankful before we start a new week, and I love having the weekly marker of Shabbat to track the passage of time. I love that you don't have to subscribe to any particular version of Jewish theology or believe that we do these things because Hashem commanded us in order to participate fully in these rituals. You can do them just because you find meaning in them. You can do them just because you're proud to be Jewish and follow the traditions of your ancestors.

I love our holidays. So many of them commemorate our survival against those who tried to wipe us out: Purim, Chanukah, Passover. Every year, we tell the story of our peoples' perseverance. We reflect on the strength and courage of generations of Jews before us that allowed our continued survival into the present day. Other holidays are seasonal markers of time. Tu B'Shvat is a little over a week away, and it's our "new year for trees," the time of year when the earliest trees start to bloom in the Land of Israel. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur mark the end of the old year and beginning of a new one, and give us the chance to leave our mistakes of the past year behind and learn from them moving forward as we start fresh with a brand new year. Sukkot is a traditional celebration of the annual harvest. And other holidays, we're just so happy to be Jewish that we need to throw a party about it! Shavuot celebrates the Israelites receiving the Torah from Hashem at Mount Sinai, and then we celebrate the Torah again on Simchat Torah, when we read the very last verses of the book of Dvarim and start all over again with Bereshit.

I love our music. Our daily prayers are set to music, with special nusach (melodies) for Shabbat and holidays. When we read from the Torah or the books of the prophets, we chant the words to the same melodies our ancestors have done for centuries. We sing as a way to connect with each other and with Hashem. We sing the psalms of King David, and we sing wordless melodies we call niggunim. We've developed our own styles of secular, non-liturgical music and dance: klezmer and canciones, the horah and the Yemenite step, and many, many more!

I love our scholarship. Our scholarly tradition is one of questioning and arguing, neither of which are viewed negatively in Jewish tradition! We love to ask ourselves "what if" and "why," and the point isn't so much finding a singular answer as it is the process of engaging with the text. Does it really matter as a real-world issue whether there are any Pokemon that would be kosher to eat? Of course not! But that's exactly the type of thing we love to argue over, and if the ancient rabbinic sages like Hillel and Akiva and Rashi and Maimonides were alive today, I guarantee you they would have opinions on the matter.

I love our joy. There is so much joy that comes with being Jewish, a joy we feel just for being alive against all odds. Most of our prayers are not asking Hashem for the things we want, but thanking Hashem for the things we have. We have a brachah we say specifically to thank Hashem for the opportunity to fix what is broken in this world. Our history has rarely been a happy one, but we have always found reasons to rejoice. We danced and sang and celebrated our holidays and life events even in the Warsaw Ghetto. This past December, during one of the saddest, heaviest, and scariest times for our people since the Shoah, Jews all over the world celebrated Chanukah like we always do. In the midst of our mourning, we found joy. Literally and figuratively, we came together as a tribe to create light in the darkness.

[dilatorywriting]

Reaper!Rook brainrot anon here - I'm back for a little extra >0<

(edit, as I polish this off: I think this turned out longer than the original agddjdkk I'm sorry ;v; I don't really have any fic intention behind any of this. Just pure, unfiltered brainrot that I wanted to share)

One of the things that keeps sticking in my head is how Reaper!Rook (a literal death entity/incarnation) helps you do domestic things, because he thinks it's charming and fun. But Rook is very very not normal and the dissonance it creates is something to behold.

Like for example, Rook knows, down to the approximate 10g how much flour you have left. He's also just generally memorized the exact contents of your pantry even though he's only been in there on a handful of occasions, and for a couple minutes at a time, at that. And once you explain certain recipes to him, he's able to calculate how much more you need of a certain ingredient at what seems to be a moments notice. The villagers (Ace, in particular) find this deeply unsettling, but you fail to see the problem, really. If Rook can remember your entire pantry, then that means you just have to bring him with you when you go to the market, and no longer have to keep track of a grocery list. Where is the downside, Ace? Where is it??

The villagers are watching this, watching Rook, walk behind you, with a 20 kg flour bag on one shoulder, as you smile and chat away together, with a sort of horrified fascination. This Rook and the Rook that brings dead bodies to their doorsteps at 3am does not quite compute. Until they stare a little too long and oop now Rook's looking them right in the eye and there's that supernatural, bone rattling chill deep in their spine and scenes from their life are flashing before their eyes and okay it's time to look away now-

Rook also lives with you now. From the moment you decided to "lie" to your family and Duchess Rosehearts about marrying him, Rook moved in. He was there, actually, when you read the 'proposal' letter, and when he'd asked you what you intended to do about it, it's a pity you didn't look over at him when you'd replied "I suppose I'll just tell them I'm marrying you. " If you had, you'd have seen a moment of genuine, near innocent, surprise flit over his face. It was gone the next moment, and as you'd watched your response letter disappear in a puff of magic smoke, he'd started one of his long soliloquies about the beauty of human nature and how he supposes this means he gets to study it up close now, since he should move in with you if this was to be made believable. And honestly, you couldn't really find it in you to argue with him. You did just rope him into this without really asking him and besides, it's not like you minded Rook's company.

The only thing that does take a little getting used to, is that you now apparently also sell murder at your little bakery. Rook had never had an address before, at least not one that anyone knew. He just showed up when it suited him. But now? Now that word got around that he was here (with you, his fiance, rumor had it) you occasionally got the odd, shuffling merchant who wandered in, eyes darting all over the place, with a single letter for Rook gripped in their fist. Fortunately, none of this seems to bring you any trouble. Either directly or indirectly because of Rook. No-one is going to bother your bakery; either because they dont dare to or because Rook makes it so they literally can't.

Someone from the Rosehearts family does, eventually, come down to your little bakery to ah, verify, your claim. It's Riddle, because of course Duchess Rosehearts wouldn't do something like this herself. Riddle is the more interested in your strawberry tarts than, literally anything else in the vicinity, but when he sees Rook pop out of the backroom you're immediately privy to the way his eyes widen and his face goes pale. The face of one of his servants, Cater, is the more entertaining spectacle, however, and you can't quite explain why you feel so satisfied viewing it. You send them home with tarts, nearly smirking to yourself.

There's serveral people, actually, who try to get you alone and explain that this marriage business may not be the best idea. It's amusing how they walk around saying Rook's name, and even more amusing that these are also the exact same people who'd consistently comment on your lacking marriage status before all of this. Each new person just further convinces you that you should absolutely definitely marry Rook, actually. You'd never really asked Rook to elaborate on if he had any Reaper friends (he'd just winked at you, when you'd asked if there were more like him, once), but you really hope he does so that you can invite them all to the wedding and have them sit next to these people, and you'd get to watch them all squirm in their seats. You don't really dwell on it too long though, because the thought of actually going through with it, the thought of marrying Rook, makes your heart race. You're not sure why - maybe constantly pushing down your feelings ever since you were little really was bad for you after all.

(And yeah! I don't really have anything else beyond... all of this. Just, a largely unbothered, apathetic, MC who ends up going full protective-partner-mode over Reaper!Rook, who scares everyone, but is also very charmingly odd and endering. And just. Rook.)

Holy hell in a hand basket this is so beyond glorious it’s melted my brain to goo. And aaaah of course I’m curled up in bed rn with such bad brain fog from cold meds that I can hardly write out my name legibly, let alone a story. But this is so, so amazing I want to eat it. I want to write an ethereal, reaper, Rook and I’m going to be thinking about this for days oh my goodness. I want to write all this so bad aaaaahhhhqlfbwofbeb maybe after a nap I’ll be a bit more coherent and can attempt because this is AMAZING and deserves Full Focus Brain

[ohyespotatous]

kak share with us the basics of meal prepping please… also are u doing it daily or weekly?

Hi Nelyaaa! 💗 Do you cook/like cooking? I’m honestly not good at cooking and am still learning how to meal prep because my mom moved out of town recently because of her work—and it used to be my mom who cooked at home 😅. When she visits, I’d help my mom grocery shop and meal prep for a week. I just started doing it by myself this month. Still, I’m not a pro, but I’ll show you how I meal prep :) 

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Main activities: planning • shopping • prepping • storing

Firstly, ask yourself these before meal prepping: • How much time do you have to cook every day? This will lead to the next questions: • How many meals do you want to make? • What to make?

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If you have 15-30 minutes a day, the things you need to prep probably are:

• Cut and washed raw veggies (you could combine and pack them into portions based on the menu or store each cut veggie separately) • Seasoned proteins (marinated or braised) • Premade sauces or sambal.

If you have less than 15 minutes, you could try:

• Blanch and freeze veggies so they take less time to cook the next time you want to eat them • Precook and freeze soups/stews. Separate the veggies and meat. • Precook side dishes • Premake easy-to-cook frozen foods (chicken/tofu nuggets, frozen burrito/kebabs, seasoned chicken, etc.) • I don’t do this, but some people precook their rice. It lasts for three days. (For me, if I ever store my rice in the fridge, it will mostly end up as fried rice, haha.) 

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< Meal Prep Step by Step 🥗>

1. Planning & grocery shopping 🛒

You can make a table like this one by Doobydobap to make your planning easier.

Check everything you currently have, including condiments and everything in the fridge. List items you can use for the week

List the meals you want to make for the week. You can check out some recipes online for inspiration.

List the rest of the ingredients you need

Go grocery shopping

2. Prepping 🔪🍳

Clean and chop the veggies and proteins to the right size for your menu. To avoid cross-contamination, do the veggies/plant-based ingredients first, and then clean your cutting board before chopping meat/poultry.

Make premix sauces

The rest depends on your menu. You might want to quickly blanch your veggies, pre-season/marinate your food, braise chicken, or precook your side dish.

Let them cool before storing them in the fridge. 

3. Storing ❄

Store raw veggies in the crisper. To maintain freshness, dry them well before storing them in airtight containers or zipper bags. You could line the container with paper towels to absorb moisture from the produce. Make sure to keep track of how long each type of vegetable stays fresh.

Cooked proteins, soups, or stews can be stored in the freezer to extend shelf life, and they should be thawed in the chiller the night before use.

Store soup/stew ingredients with different textures (like meat and veggies) separately.

You can store precooked side dishes on the middle shelf for 3 days or in the freezer for longer.

I think that’s everything I can share for now. I hope it’s helpful. Stay healthy, Nelya (and everyone else reading)!! <3