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thestrangestthing89 · 10 months ago

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Reasons I think Byler is getting together early... 1) Everyone thought byler would get together at the end of S4 because there was so much build up and tension between the two. It made sense with the story to fit that at the end of the season, so much so, that people were anticipating it. 2) The constant interruptions, mainly by Jonathan. They don't need to be interrupted if nothing is happening. Both scenes in Lenora that get interrupted were flirty scenes with a lot of tension. If Jonathan hadn't interrupted this, what would have happened? There is a strong implication that something would have. Otherwise, why bother doing it. There are several other conversations that get interrupted, like the one on top of the car, where things were getting personal and they were on the edge of saying something. They are close to saying what they want to say and being honest. 3) The original plan of Jonathan's that Will and Mike agree to, is to go back to Hawkins and help their friends. It wasn't to find El. When Mike realizes this he goes to have his second talk with Will (the one where Will is kneeling on the floor). He stresses they are a team. If their original plan was to go on a less stressful road trip back to Hawkins, what would have been happening with them? Because that letter El left Mike was a break up letter that Mike is moving on from. (I don't know anyone who would have thought they were still together with someone after being told they weren't going to see that person again for months, possibly years, and weren't going to be able to communicate with them during that time. Who would be waiting around indefinitely? Mike was moving on the second he threw that note out.) 4) The audience needs to start rooting for Mike again and he needs a redemption. Will brings out the best in Mike and he knows him best. So I'm not surprised we have hints that they are filming a lot together. Getting to see the side of Mike who is in a healthy romantic relationship is an important part of his character arc. Especially given how much this show likes to compare Will and El. We need to actually see him with Will to know that this is better for him. Without seeing this side to Mike, there isn't as much of a chance for the audience to reconnect with him because we would still not get to see him when he's at his best. 5) Will's character arc has been about embracing his sexuality and using that as a source of empowerment. A thing that doesn't have the same impact if he doesn't actually get to act on his identity/sexuality until the very end. Seeing both Mike and Will be confident and comfortable with themselves would provide closure to both of their arcs. 6) Other character arcs relate to byler getting together - mainly Jonathan. Jonathan is struggling to find himself and feels very strongly about protecting his family. He feels responsible for them and doesn't want to leave them. Part of this is because they moved away from Hawkins (where their friends and support are) and part of it is the loss of Hopper, who has been helping protect them all. Hopper returning helps a lot. But there is also the added component of Will being gay that I think would still make it harder for Jonathan to want to get his own life if he isn't sure how Hopper would respond to this. Plus, I don't see him leaving Will if Will feels sad and alone and is still having problems with Mike/El. El's character arc also plays into this because her independence has to do with her and Mike breaking up. A thing I suspect already happened by the end of S4. But El really hasn't seen what a healthy romantic relationship even looks like at this point. Byler could be a good example of that for her. Not to mention would be a good reason for Mike and El to clearly end things with each other. El has had trouble separating herself from Mike and uses him as a safety net/backup caretaker when Hopper isn't there. It's not good for her. Knowing that Mike wants to be with someone else could push her to stop being so fixated on him and learn to rely on herself instead.

7) I suspect that one of the main themes of the show is going to be how love saves the world - in opposition to how El's anger has saved them (and not been affective at saving them). Byler being the key to this, and Mike being the heart. There needs to be more interaction with their relationship. Will is the main character and the hero of this story. If his romance is saving the world, we need to see it. And Will deserves to have this whole story play out and not just have it be quick at the end. 8) Just because a lot of other shows have the main couple get together at the end, doesn't mean this one has to do the same. They have inverted plenty of tropes already, this could be another one. Plus, all of the other endgame couples are already together (or mostly together). Byler not getting to have a relationship that we see sticks out as them not wanting to show the gay couple specifically. Which I don't get the impression is an attitude they have. 9) The outfits we have seen Mike and Will wear so far in S5 have been a lot of blue, yellow, and green. They match. Couples on tv shows usually match and they have for several seasons now. But the green is an interesting addition. We have seen blue be associated with Mike and yellow with Will and now we are seeing them wear their own colors along with the other persons. The green (a mix of those 2 colors) suggests that they are already together. 10) I don't think they are going to push this as a love triangle. The time to do that would have been S4 when there actually was one. We got Will pining for Mike, Will standing between Mike and El, tension with Mike and Will, El being confused by some of Mike and Will's interactions. There was something going on with the three of them this season. But the promo/posters didn't suggest this. We know mileven is either over or almost over so there is no point pretending like this is ambiguous. Especially when most of the audience is rooting for Will/byler.

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cheynovak · 10 months ago

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Brotherly Betrayal Part 2

Dean Winchester x Y/N x Sam Winchester

Warnings: cheating, angst, hurt, ...

Side note: English isn’t my first language.

This part is just pure pain and angst

*Does not follow The SPN storyline *

Recap part 1:

Sam didn’t seek for a new romance but when he met Y/N she seemed to have everything he wanted in a girl. After introducing her to his brother they recognise immediately each other from a spicy night together years ago.

After a year of fantasising about each other, one night they couldn’t resist the lust anymore, and give in. Y/N decided to leave Sam, Dean can’t stand to see his little brother heart broken.

The air hung heavy with silence, broken only by the soft hum of baby’s engine and the rhythmic tapping of Dean's fingers on the steering wheel. Sam sat slumped in the passenger seat, his eyes fixed on the road ahead, but his mind lost in the labyrinth of his thoughts.

It had been a month since Y/N, had shattered his world with these simple words: "I'm sorry, Sam, it’s best we go our separate ways." The pain was still fresh, like an open wound that refused to heal. He had tried to make sense of it all, to find some semblance of closure, why would she say she cheated, with who did she spend the night.

But the questions lingered like ghosts in the shadows.

Dean glanced at his brother, his heart heavy with concern. He knew Sam was hurting, "Sam," Dean began cautiously, "you know you can talk to me, right? Whatever's on your mind, I'm here for you."

Sam sighed heavily, his shoulders slumping even further. "I appreciate it, Dean, I really do. But I don't even know where to begin. It's like... I thought we were happy, you know?”

Dean nodded sympathetically, his grip tightening on the wheel. He had seen Sam at his lowest, had watched him weather the storms of heartbreak before. But this time felt different. Probably because Dean felt guilty.

"Did she say why she ended things?" Dean asked gently, afraid, his voice barely above a whisper.

Sam shook his head, his jaw clenched in frustration. "No, not really. Just... that she hadn’t been faithful, and that said she needed space, needed time to figure things out. But I can't help but wonder... was it something I did? Something I said?"

Dean watched the road ahead, the headlights cutting through the darkness like a beacon in the night. "I know this is tough, but you got to believe me when I say it wasn't your fault. Y/N's a great girl, but sometimes people just... drift apart. It doesn't mean you did anything wrong."

Sam nodded slowly, his gaze fixed on the passing scenery outside the window. "I know you're trying to help, Dean. And I appreciate it, I really do. But I can't shake this feeling, you know? Like there's something I'm missing, something she's not telling me."

Dean's heart clenched at the pain in his brother's voice, the anguish that echoed in every word. He wanted to tell Sam the truth, wanted to confess the role he had played in Y/N's betrayal. But the guilt weighed heavy on his conscience, a burden he wasn't sure he could bear.

"Sam," Dean said carefully, choosing his words with utmost caution, "did Y/N ever mention... not being happy? Like, was there something she felt was missing in your relationship?"

Sam furrowed his brow, his mind racing to recall the countless conversations he had shared with Y/N over the past year. "I mean, she mentioned just... you know, normal relationship stuff."

"I need you to listen to me, okay? And I need you to believe me when I say... Y/N wasn't entirely honest with you." Sam's eyes widened in surprise, his gaze snapping to meet Dean's in the dim light of the car. "What do you mean? What did she say?"

Dean hesitated, rubbing his neck. But he knew there was no turning back now, knew that the truth would set them free, no matter how painful it might be. ”I eh, heard her talking to Charlie before.

His voice filled with remorse, "Y/N... she missed the intimacy, man. And when you couldn't give her what she needed, I guess, she... found it somewhere else. I'm sorry, Sam," Dean said quietly, his voice heavy with guilt, "I should've told you sooner.”

The Impala rolled to a stop in front of a motel, its neon sign flickering feebly against the backdrop of the night sky. Sam stepped out of the car, his footsteps heavy with exhaustion and resignation. He trudged towards the motel room, his mind still reeling from the revelations of the past hour.

Dean lingered by the trunk of the car, his eyes fixed on the dimly lit window of the motel room across the parking lot. He knew what he had to do. As Sam disappeared into the shadows of the motel, Dean reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone.

He scrolled through the contacts until he found Y/N's number, his thumb hovering uncertainly over the call button.

"Hello?" "Y/N," Dean said evenly, his voice steady despite the turmoil raging within him, "we need to talk."

There was a moment of tense silence on the other end of the line, the static crackling like electricity between them. Then, finally, Y/N spoke, her voice soft and hesitant. "Dean...What... Why are you calling me?" she asked, her words tinged with uncertainty.

"I want you to do the right thing," Dean said firmly, his grip tightening on the phone. "I want you to give my brother another chance."

Y/N's breath caught in her throat, the weight of Dean's words hanging heavy in the air between them. "Dean, I... I don't know if that's possible. Things became too complicated."

Dean clenched his jaw, his frustration bubbling to the surface like a volcano on the verge of eruption. "Complicated or not, Y/N, you owe it to Sam to try. He loves you, damn it. And he deserves better than to be left wondering what went wrong."

“Don’t blame me for everything Dean! Last I checked you were there with me.” He knew she was right, he knew that his own actions had played a role.

"I know," Dean said softly, his voice heavy with remorse. "I know I messed up, Y/N. I should've never let things go as far as it did. But that doesn't change the fact that Sam deserves better than to be left in the dark."

“If you really believe he needs the truth, you tell him you slept with his girl, I think he is hurt enough. ” she hangs up the phone. For a moment, Dean was frozen in place, she was right, he didn’t have the guts to tell him. Little did Sam nor Y/N knew Dean chose this motel, the one close to Y/N’s workplace.

The morning sun cast a warm glow over the diner, its cheery facade belying the tension that hung heavy in the air. Sam and Dean sat at a booth near the window, their plates untouched as they waited for the waiter, seeing how Y/N emerged from the kitchen.

Dean glanced up as he saw her approach, his heart skipping a beat at the sight of her. She looked tired, her eyes red-rimmed and weary, but there was a steely determination in her gaze that he couldn't help but admire.

Y/N hesitated as she reached their table, her hands trembling slightly as she clutched her notepad to her chest. "What can I get for you guys?" she asked, her voice strained but polite.

Sam glanced up at her, surprised but his gaze searching her face for, hoping she would meet his eyes. "Just coffee, thanks," he said quietly, his voice tinged with sadness.

Y/N nodded, her movements jerky as she scribbled their order on her pad. "Coming right up," she said, her voice barely above a whisper as she hurried back towards the kitchen.

Dean watched her go, his heart heavy with guilt and regret. He knew he had put her in an impossible position, had forced her to confront the consequences of their actions head-on. As Y/N returned with their coffee, Sam watched Y/N closely, his heart heavy with longing and uncertainty. "Y/N," Sam said softly, his voice tinged with desperation, "can we talk? Please?"

Y/N's eyes flickered with apprehension, her gaze darting nervously between Sam and Dean as she searched for a way out. "Sam, I... I can't," she said hesitantly, her voice trembling with emotion. "I'm at work, and I just... I can't do this right now."

As Y/N disappeared back into the kitchen, Sam was left alone with his thoughts.

After her shift she walked to the nearest motel, knowing the brothers would be staying there. She saw how Sam walked out the door. Knowing him, going for a walk to ease his mind.

The sharp rap on the door jolted Dean from his thoughts. He swung the door open, expecting to see Sam standing on the other side, but instead found himself face-to-face with Y/N, her expression stormy and her eyes ablaze with anger.

"Y/N," Dean said, taken aback by her sudden appearance, "what are you doing here?"

Y/N's jaw clenched in frustration, her fists balled at her sides as she glared at Dean with unbridled fury. "I can't believe you guys would show up at my work like that," she spat, her voice dripping with disdain.

"You can't just barge in here and expect me to drop everything just for your needs," she snapped, her voice rising with each word. "I have a job to do, Dean.” "I know I messed up, Y/N," Dean said softly, his voice tinged with remorse. "And I'm sorry for that. But we need to talk. You and Sam need to. We need to clear the air, to put an end to his pain and uncertainty."

"Okay, you want to talk.” She said still angry “Let's talk." Y/N crossed her arms. “Tell me Dean, the real reason you showed up uninvited after me telling you to let me be.”

"The real reason?" Dean repeated, his voice steady despite the turmoil raging within him. "The real reason is because we care about you, Y/N. We care about what happens to you, and I couldn't just stand by and watch you push Sammy away."

Y/N's eyes narrowed at Dean's response, her arms still crossed tightly over her chest. "Is that so?" she said sceptically, her voice laced with bitterness. "Or is it because you couldn't stand the thought of me moving on without you?"

Dean winced at the accusation, the sting of her words cutting through him like a knife. "Y/N, it's not like that," he protested, “I-I’m trying to make things right."

"And I appreciate that. But it's not that simple. It's not just about saying sorry and expecting everything to go back to the way it was, you don't get to barge into my life and expect me to welcome you with open arms after everything that's happened."

Y/N took a deep breath “Look me in the eyes, Dean. And tell me you want me to get back together with Sam. Tell me you’re here for his feelings instead of your own.” Her eyes stared in his.

With a heavy sigh, he met her gaze, his eyes filled with a mixture of vulnerability and determination. "Y/N," Dean began, his voice soft but resolute, "that night... it meant something to me. More than I can put into words."

"I'm falling for you," Dean admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. Dean reached out, his hand trembling slightly as he gently cupped Y/N's cheek. "But Sam will always be my brother, Y/N, I will always put him first." he said sincerely.

Y/N's eyes brimmed with tears "Dean" she whispered shaking her head, her voice barely audible over the pounding of her heart. “Shh.” his thumb tracing circles on her cheek as he leaned in closer. "You don't have to say anything" he said gently.

"Y/N," Dean said softly, his voice thick with emotion, “I will push my own feelings away. Just... just give Sammy another chance.” Y/N reached out, her hand trembling as she gently brushed her fingers against Dean's hand on her face. "Dean, I ran away not because of what happened between us that night," she confessed,

Her voice barely above a whisper. "I ran away because... because I'm falling for you, too." Dean's heart skipped a beat at her words, the realization dawning on him that their feelings for each other ran deeper than either of them had dared to admit.

His head leaning in until it was just inches away from Y/N's. With a soft exhale, he let his forehead rest against hers, their breath mingling in the small space between them.

"Y/N, I..." Dean began, his voice faltering as he struggled to find the right words. Her eyes brimmed with tears, her heart breaking at the pain in Dean's voice.

Y/N's fingers found their way to Dean's cheek, her touch gentle and reassuring as she caressed his stubbled jawline. Dean closed his eyes, allowing himself to bask in the warmth of her touch, the closeness of her presence.

"Dean, please," she pleaded, her voice tinged with desperation. "I don't want to hurt Sam any more than I already have. But I can't ignore what happened between us. ”

Dean's heart plummeted like a stone in his chest as he felt a cold wave of panic wash over him. Slowly, he pulled away from Y/N, his gaze shifting towards the doorway where his brother stood, his expression unreadable.

Sam's eyes flickered between Dean and Y/N, his jaw clenched in a tight line as he took in the scene before him. For a moment, silence hung heavy in the air, broken only by the sound of their ragged breaths echoing in the small space.

"Sam," Dean began, his voice trembling with apprehension, "I... we can explain."

Sam's eyes betraying the storm of emotions raging within him. He took a step into the room, his gaze never leaving Dean's as he spoke, his voice low and steely.

"I think I've heard enough," Sam said quietly, his words like a dagger to Dean's heart. "I'll leave you two alone." With a heavy heart, Sam turned on his heel and disappeared from the room, leaving Dean and Y/N alone in the wake of his departure.

"Sam, wait!" Y/N called out, her voice thick with emotion. Sam paused in his tracks, his back still turned towards her. Sam, please," Y/N pleaded, her voice trembling with urgency. "Let me explain."

Sam turned to face her, his eyes weary but filled with a flicker of hope. "Explain what, Y/N?" he asked quietly, “How you forget to mention you slept with my brother? That's worse than being cheated on.”

"I'm sorry, Sam," she said softly, tears glistening in her eyes. "Sam, I..." Y/N began, her voice catching in her throat as she struggled to find the right words. "I didn't mean for it to happen. It was a mistake, a moment of weakness."

Sam's expression hardened, his jaw clenched in frustration. "A mistake?" he repeated, his voice tinged with bitterness. "You call sleeping with my brother a mistake? But you just confessed you’re love for him!" He points at their room.

Y/N winced at the harshness in Sam's tone, the guilt and remorse swirling within her like a tempest. "Sam, I'm sorry," she whispered, tears welling in her eyes. "I never meant to hurt you. I never meant for any of this to happen."

Sam's gaze softened slightly at the sight of Y/N's tears, his own heart heavy with conflicting emotions. "Y/N," he said softly, his voice tinged with sadness, "I don't know what to do. I don't know how to feel."

Y/N reached out, her hand trembling as she gently trying to grab Sam's arm, but he pulled away "Sam, please," she pleaded, her voice filled with desperation. "Please don't shut Dean out. Please give me and him a chance to make things right."

"I don't know if I can," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Sam," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper, "do you want me to leave, tell me what I need to do, what you need?"

Sam's gaze softened at her words, his heart aching with the pain of their fractured relationship. He reached out, his hand finding hers and squeezing it gently. Sam replied quietly, his voice tinged with sadness, "I don't want you to leave. But I need some time to think. And then I need to talk to Dean."

Dean and Y/N sat in silence on the end of the bed waiting for Sam to return.

When he walked in the room Y/N gave a soft hurt smile to Sam and left the room to take a walk in the cold night. Leaving the brothers, giving time to talk.

Sam's voice cut through the tense silence, his eyes fixed on Dean with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension. "Dean," he began, his voice steady but tinged with emotion, "I need you to promise you’ll be honest with me. I need you to tell me, everything Dean.”

“Starting with, why... why Y/N?"

Dean's heart clenched at the question, the weight of Sam's gaze bearing down on him. He took a deep breath. "I wish I could give you a simple answer. But the truth is... it's complicated."

Sam's brow furrowed in confusion, his expression a mixture of frustration and disbelief. "Complicated how?" he pressed, his tone tinged with urgency.” You know we had a... a night together years before you met her, right.”

Sam nodded. "And since the moment you introduced me to Y/N, she's been on my mind. Constantly. 24/7. I couldn’t stop thinking about that night Sammy." Dean scratched his neck not knowing is continuing was the right thing to do.

"When Charlie came over, I overheard Y/N talking about her sex life." Sam's eyes widened in surprise, his brow furrowing in confusion. "What do you mean?" he asked, his voice tinged with apprehension.

Dean hesitated, his mind racing as he struggled to find the right words. "Y/N mentioned how different we were. She compared the two of us." he explained carefully, "and how she wasn't really happy, now.”

He met his brother's gaze, his eyes filled with sincerity and remorse. “And then the three of us watched a movie together. And... and when Charlie left, we stayed for another movie and then... I kissed her.”

“Is that when...” Sam couldn’t finish that question. “No, she stopped it and took off. We were distant for a while.” Sam nodded, remembering the awkward tension in the bunker. “So, when?” Dean searched his face, trying to see if he really wanted to know.

“The night after the bar, you two went home early together, you fell asleep when Y/N dressed up all sexy for you..." Dean began, his voice faltering as he recounted the events of that fateful evening, "I got home earlier, Y/N was in the kitchen, upset, couldn’t sleep, still in the babydoll dress.”

Dean swallowed before continuing. “She was surprised to see I came home. I told her I didn’t sleep with that girl from the bar, I couldn’t, I thought of her all the time. And she said you fell asleep before... That's when it happened. Y/N and I... we... "

Dean couldn't finish his sentence “Just once, Sammy.” “Yeah,” he looked at the floor.” Because she left the day after.”

After a deep sigh Sam continued "I trusted you, Dean," his voice breaking with the weight of his betrayal. "I trusted both of you." Dean felt his heart shatter at the pain in Sam's voice, the guilt and remorse consuming him like a wildfire. "Sam, I'm sorry, I never meant to hurt you. I never meant for any of this to happen."

“But, you have to believe me she means more to me than just another one-night plaything. I wouldn’t have done it if it was just sex. I tried to fight it I really did. But I guess we had a little too much to drink to hold back.”

But Sam shook his head, his gaze filled with a mixture of anger and hurt. "I don't know if I can forgive you for this, Dean," he said quietly,

“I’m eh, going to go away for a while. I need time to think. I need you two to give me some space.” Sam said getting up ready to leave. “I’ll eh stay at Jody’s for a while.”

Dean nodded and watched his brother leave the room.

---

If you liked this, please check out my masterlist for other stories.

Tag list:

@yvonneeeee @suckitands33 @mostlymarvelgirl

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january-summers · 1 year ago

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No one look at me right now. I started thinking about how the new season is going to undo one of the most defining qualities of Epsilon as an individual if that really was Tex in the trailer. Because of all the iterations of Leonard Church - Director, Alpha, Epsilon – Epsilon was the only one who managed to Let Go of Allison, to stop chasing her ghost, to be able to grow past that grief.

And then I started thinking about the fact that Epsilon is different from the two other Churches because of that, but why?

Because it was just the point in the narrative for him to get over her?

Or because as much of an impact as Epsilon left on Washington, Washington left his own impact on the AI. Washington, who was pretty social before Epsilon, who shows an emotional growth and maturity as the seasons progress, who encourages Carolina to find a balance between moving on and forgetting completely when it comes to her grief over her own lost love, York, left even the barest hint of a road map for Epsilon to have personal growth outside of his predefined Churchness.

Or because Epsilon was Alpha once, and he was reconstructed in Alpha's image, but not Alpha's image of himself. Epsilon is reconstructed in Caboose's image of Alpha. Caboose, who saw the best in Alpha and eventually learned himself how to let Church go, who, when faced with the option of saying goodbye or saving Church, chose to say goodbye even though it hurt him so much because he understood he couldn't erase what had happened even if he brought Church back.

And I feel like it matters that even though Epsilon didn't originally 'remember' Tucker, it was his mental image of Tucker who called him out on how shitty and stalkery the 'follow her down through the layers' thing was. And not just because 'Tucker's the snarky judgemental one.'

And I do enjoy the 'do we have to call them canon?' later seasons, because they continued this theme of closure and grief with (Caboose and) Carolina, except like Epsilon, she managed to confront her grief and move on. She might still love York, but she's not going to chase his ghost to the detriment of others, and she might feel like she's failed in her duty to Wash by letting him walk into that bullet, but they're going to get through it all together. She faced the thing her father did, and she did better.

I just.

Carolina said herself “Dad died when Mum did.” And yeah the Director lost himself to grief when Allison died.

Alpha was within the Meta, with Beta, when the EMP went off killing all the AIs in the Meta's head.

Epsilon managed to start healing from that bullshit.

Like, I'm pretty sure he reabsorbed the Epsi-Tex (Texsilon?) fragment he made when he did that, and that's where she went, but dude. Please. He was moving on, he had reached Acceptance.

Epsilon, who's entire identity is based on being someone else's memories, broke free from that in built script.

When Epsilon died, it wasn't chasing someone he had lost, or fixing the mistakes of his past, it was to save the people he had.

Don't get me wrong, I adore Tex, and I would love for Alpha|Church and Beta|Tex to have a happily ever after (they are way too dysfunctional for it to be considered healthy by normal standards but let them do them it's more entertaining that way) and I'm happy Epsilon's not dead anymore, but just let me lie here for a while having feels over the reasons why Epsilon|Church could do what Director and Alpha couldn't.

#red vs blue #rvb #“it's not that deep brah”#but let's pretend it is anyway #I'm back on my bullshit #epsilon #leonard church

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idyllicwillowtree · 2 years ago

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A Good Pair (of Skates) - Part 3

Genre: Steve Harrington x fem!reader, afab!reader, skater!reader

Summary: Steve’s in love with his childhood best friend and he does everything he can to keep his feelings a secret from you. A rollerskating injury might change that.

Word count: 4.4K

Warnings: swearing, friends to lovers, slow burn, injury, broken bones, mutual pining, mentions of drunk driving, surgery, anesthesia, medication, mentions of selling drugs, steve’s feeling very insecure

Author’s note: Please read part 1 and part 2 before reading this one or else it probably wouldn’t make much sense!

Thank you so much for reading my first story! I had so much fun writing it and I can’t wait to share more. Feel free to let me know if you have any feedback or comments, I love hearing from you!

Part 1 | Part 2 | main masterlist

Part 3

It had been eight whole months since you had broken your arm and Steve still hadn’t made a move on you yet. You two have had some close calls, but nobody was brave enough to cross that romantic threshold yet.

It was driving Robin and Eddie insane.

Steve assured them that he would ask you out eventually but in reality, he probably never will. He’s convinced that his whole self-worth would come crumbling down if you said no, it just didn’t seem worth it.

He even thought about distancing himself from you for a while. Steve figured he could get over you, he just needed time. But that plan crashed and burned the second you saw him and smiled. You hadn’t seen him for a week so you jumped into his arms and told him how much you had missed him. After that, he was too weak to leave you for that long ever again.

“You’ve fought actual monsters before, but you’re too scared to ask out a girl?” Dustin said with a teasing smile.

“Hey! I seem to recall a nervous little middle schooler who had similar problems,” Steve glanced away from the road to look at the curly haired boy.

“I wasn’t…okay, maybe I was a little nervous. But this is Y/N we're talking about, the sweetest person ever!”

“Exactly! That’s what makes the stakes so high. I don’t want to ruin the friendship and lose her forever.”

“Even if she did say no, you’d at least have the closure to move on.” Steve’s eyes widened, “but she’s not going to say no, so you don’t have to worry about it,” Dustin added.

“You don’t know that.”

“Sure I do! And the longer you wait the more likely it is that she’ll find someone else.”

Steve was actually counting on that. He’s hoping that if he could see you happy with someone, even though he knows it would break him, it would at least give him a good excuse to move on. Since the “avoiding you at all costs” plan didn’t work, he thought this one might.

Dustin eyed him suspiciously, “you don’t actually want that to happen, do you?”

Steve stayed silent, the car turning into the school parking lot. Once he stopped his BMW at the drop off area, Dustin turned to him.

“Steve, you’re a great guy. She’d be lucky to have you. Stop being stupid and go get her, she doesn’t deserve to just wait around for you.”

Before Steve could ask him what he meant by that, Dustin was already out of the car and heading towards Hawkins High.

“Yes ma’am, I understand. Unfortunately, we don’t get movies that are currently in theaters.”

“Oh, but my husband loves sports films. And I just think that Rob Lowe is so handsome,” the elderly woman reiterated for the third time.

“It would be nice if we had Youngblood, but like I said before-” Steve stopped as he heard the gentle purr of your Volkswagen Kleinbus outside. Robin rolled her eyes, already on her way to assist the woman once Steve inevitably abandons her to greet you.

He opened the glass doors and stood in the doorway. Steve watched as you ushered the younger kids out of your car and into the arcade next door. You gave Max a handful of quarters before turning towards Family Video, locking eyes with Steve.

You took a deep breath and approached him with a small smile. Steve noticed something was off, your smile not quite reaching your eyes. You were anxiously squeezing your left wrist and chewing on your bottom lip.

“Hey, Stevie.”

“Hey, doll. You okay?”

“I-I need to tell you guys something.”

“So, you guys know how I fell outside in the parking lot back in the summer?”

You were pacing slightly in front of Steve and Robin as they sat in the Family Video breakroom.

“When that drunk asshole almost ran you over? Yeah, I think I remember,” Steve said sarcastically.

Unfazed by his sarcastic tone, you continued to pace, “well, I went to the doctor–”

Steve stood, his chair legs squeaking against the floor, “is everything okay?”

“Y-yeah, yeah totally,” you stuttered, trying to calm Steve’s worry. You know he’s about to get even more worked up with what you were about to tell him, “well, sort of…”

“Okay…” Robin said expectantly.

You chewed your lip, “It turns out my left wrist wasn’t sprained… It’s been broken this whole time.”

Robin and Steve’s jaws dropped to the ground. The silence was tense as your eyes shifted from one friend to the other.

“It’s- you…broken?” Steve stammered.

“How are you even functioning?” Robin translated for him.

“Honestly, I have no idea. I mean it hurts a bit when I’m at work but I just figured a sprain takes a while to heal and I’d be fine after a bit. But then eight months went by and it still hurts.”

You work at a 50’s themed drive-in restaurant that makes the wait staff use roller skates when serving the customers. Those four weeks you worked while your right elbow was healing were stressful enough for Steve, but now he knows you’ve been doing it all with an untreated broken wrist too.

Steve looked at your left wrist, you were still anxiously rubbing at it so he gripped it gently to release it from your hold. It looked the same as it usually does, no obvious swelling or bruising.

“Why don’t you have a cast?” Steve asked.

“Umm…I will after.” You said, trying to avoid eye contact.

Steve glanced over at Robin, checking to see if she was as confused as he was. “After what?”

“...surgery.”

“WHAT???” screeched Steve, causing Robin to jump slightly.

“Y-yeah, I need surgery,” you laughed awkwardly.

Steve was not amused, “it’s been broken for eight months and now you need surgery?! It was that goddamn doctor at the emergency room, wasn’t it? Let me call my dad, I’m sure he knows a good lawyer-”

“Steve,” you gripped his wrist with the hand he wasn’t already holding, “it wasn’t his fault.” You were surprised by his willingness to call his father and wanted to shut that idea down immediately. He never called him.

“What do you mean? Of course it was! He probably didn’t even look at your x-rays.”

“Well, that’s the thing. Apparently, fractures in the bone I broke don’t even show up on an x-ray until, like, 10 days later. So he was technically right, I guess.”

Your shoulders were slumped and you were avoiding eye contact. Steve realized his first reaction probably didn’t help you that much. He was quick to assign blame when he should’ve been comforting you.

You let out a quiet “oof” as Steve wrapped his arms around your waist and squeezed. You slithered your arms around his broad shoulders and let him hold you, breathing in his floral scented hair products.

“I’m sorry you’ve had to deal with this for so long, I had no idea,” Steve said, voice muffled by your hair.

That wasn’t completely true, he had some sort of idea that your wrist was still troubling you. You started doing everything with your right hand once your elbow healed up. Putting your seatbelt on, opening doors, and carrying shopping bags all became right-handed tasks. After a while, Steve thought he was reading into things a little too much. He felt a bit obsessive so he chose to ignore it, now he was hating himself even more for letting you go on like this. The guilt was already starting to eat away at his gut.

“It’s alright, Stevie. It’s not your fault,” you pressed your nose further into his neck. Steve could’ve sworn you read his mind.

“Dude, that sucks!”

Steve almost forgot Robin was here. He reluctantly let you go so you could receive a hug from her too.

“The good news is we can have a bunch of movie nights while I’m recovering, if you guys are down.”

“You’re not even going to be able to get Steve out of your house this time,” Robin said with a smirk. She remembered how insistent Steve was to take care of you when you were in a cast the first time. All the doting would’ve driven her insane but you were so patient with him and had even made sure he was taking care of himself at the same time.

“Shut it, Robin,” he hissed.

The day of the surgery approached faster than you would’ve wanted it to. It felt unnatural to willingly let a bunch of strangers force you to sleep while they cut you open and screw a piece of metal into your bone. The worst part was that Steve had to work today, you were hoping he’d be the one to take you to and from the hospital. You knew he’d make you feel relaxed and safe but you had to settle for Eddie instead.

“M’lady, your chariot awaits.” Eddie bowed dramatically at the waist and gestured towards his van. Despite it being 4 AM on a Saturday, he was still as hyper as usual. You would’ve laughed at his theatrics if your nerves weren’t overwhelming you so much.

The chill hit you immediately when you opened your front door, reminding you to get your coat. The phone in your house started ringing as you turned back inside, but you ignored it. It was probably just a telemarketer.

“Hang on, Eddie. I just need to grab my coat.”

Eddie followed you inside and looked around, “your folks home?”

“Nope, why do you think I need you to drive?”

He shrugged, “I dunno. Maybe you just wanted to hang out with your favorite person.” He smiled at you innocently.

“I already asked Steve, but he’s working this morning,” you deadpan.

“Ouch, sweetheart,” Eddie grabbed his chest, “I didn’t have to wake up at the ass crack of dawn to take care of your sorry ass.”

“I know, but you did, because you love me,” you said smugly. Finally, you found your coat right when the ringing of your phone had stopped. You walked up to Eddie and kissed him on the cheek, “thanks for your help today, Eds. I really do appreciate it.”

“Of course. C’mon, let's go.” Eddie wrapped a comforting arm around your shoulder and started steering you towards the door. He stopped when the phone rang through your home again, “you need to get that?”

“Nah, I’m sure it’s just someone selling something. Let’s go before I lose my nerve.”

As you approach Eddie’s van, you hear the distant slaps of shoes running across the sidewalk. Not paying it any mind, you assumed it was just an early morning jogger. That was until you heard your name.

Looking down the street, you spot Steve sprinting towards you and waving his arms frantically. He was wearing his flannel pajama bottoms, and a sweatshirt he must’ve thrown on last minute. His hair was sticking up at odd angles and as he got closer you could see the wrinkles from his pillow imprinted on his face. He was stunning.

“Hang on…give me…a minute,” Steve said through gasps of air.

Eddie’s eyebrow quirked up behind his bangs, “jeez, Harrington. Has it been that long since you’ve done cardio? You only live a few doors down.”

“Shutupmunson,” Steve managed to breathe out. His hands were on his hips, head tilted towards the sky. You couldn’t help but stare, Steve looked so beautiful, all flustered and tired. “I just needed to make sure I saw you before you left.”

“You did?”

“Yeah, I tried calling but you weren’t picking up so…I ran and, uh, now I’m here.” Steve said as he scratched the back of his neck.

Eddie’s eyes widened. Was this it? Was Steve finally going to confess? He wished there was a phone handy so he could call Robin, but in the meantime he’ll just wait in the van.

“Steve, you didn’t have to wake up so early. You need your beauty rest,” you said teasingly.

Steve had been going around in circles in his mind thinking about your upcoming surgery. It isn’t a risky procedure but you never know, things go wrong all the time. He just wouldn’t be able to live with himself if something happened to you and you didn’t know how much you were loved. Loved by him.

A last minute confession before you went under the knife seemed like the perfect romantic gesture. At least that’s what Robin told him.

“There’s- I should- I should say…”

“What is it, Stevie?”

But alas, his nerves got the better of him.

“Uhh… good luck! I know you’re feeling nervous, but you’ve got this!” Steve’s voice raised a couple octaves higher.

“Thanks. I guess I am a little nervous,” you said with a shy smile.

“Come here,” Steve pulled you closer, holding your head to his chest and rubbing a comforting hand up and down your back. He felt as you squeezed him back, refusing to let go.

Eddie rolled his eyes. He had been watching from the rearview mirror, ready for the declaration of love, but of course, Steve chickened out. Again.

Robin dropped the stack of tapes on the counter that Steve was resting his head on. He jumped up at the sound and tried rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

“What the hell, Robin?” Steve mumbled.

“Eddie told me what you did. Or rather, what you didn’t do.”

Steve blinked at her. Robin was glaring at him with her arms crossed against her chest.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he deadpanned.

Robin huffed and walked off to return the tapes back to the shelf. Steve watched her go with a raised eyebrow.

“What? Now I’m getting the silent treatment?”

“Yup.”

Steve rolled his eyes at her lack of commitment, “the silent treatment? From Robin Buckley?”

Robin spun around to face him, “yes, Steve! Maybe I’m just annoyed that my friend is hopelessly devoted to someone who…” doesn’t have the nerve to ask her out. Robin trailed off, realizing half way through her point that she was about to tell Steve your secret.

“I’m not hopelessly devoted to her, okay? That seems a bit dramatic, even for you.”

Robin and Steve jumped as the glass door swung open, causing the bell on the door to rattle violently. Eddie came busting in, eyes wide and scanning the store for his friends.

“ROBIN, I can’t fucking take it anymore!”

“Eddie, don’t,” Robin warned, like he was a dog about to do something he knows he’s not supposed to do.

“What the hell, Eddie? Did you just ditch Y/N at the hospital?!” Steve interrupted.

“Seriously, Robin. It is causing me actual physical pain,” Eddie said, blatantly disregarding Steve’s question.

“I’m in the same boat, Eddie, but we promised.”

“I know, but-”

“EDDIE! Did you leave Y/N alone at the hospital?” Steve yelled, getting tired of being ignored.

“Yes,” Eddie said simply, “what are you gonna do about it, Steve?”

“I can’t- you were-...what??” Steve was deeply confused but mostly he was just pissed off. You were all alone at the hospital, probably in surgery now. If something were to go wrong, there wouldn’t be anyone there for you.

“Go do something about it, Harrington! If you leave now you should be able to get there before she wakes up.”

“B-but what about the store?”

“Why are you questioning it? Just go, Steve!” Robin yelled.

“Don’t worry, I’ll cover for you. Putting away tapes can’t be that difficult, can it?” Eddie said, directing the last part to Robin because Steve had already vaulted over the counter and was out the door.

“Surgery went very well. She should be waking up in the next few minutes,” a nurse said, leading him through the post-anesthesia recovery room. Steve was anxious to get to you, he felt bad that you were here alone, even though you weren’t conscious for most of it. He needs to see you with his own eyes before he can allow himself to relax even a little.

Steve took a deep breath as the nurse slid the privacy curtain to the side, revealing your sleeping form.

The only new thing about you was the thick plaster cast on your left hand that was tucked in a sling and elevated by a couple pillows. Steve smiled down at you, relieved to see your face again. You were sleeping so peacefully, deep and slow breaths expanding and contracting your chest. He didn’t hesitate to grab your uninjured hand to bring to his chest as he sat on the edge of your bed. The nurse left him alone so he leaned down to place a delicate kiss on your knuckles. His thick fingers brushed a wayward strand of hair away from your face before delicately grazing the back of his hand against your cheek.

Steve thought back to Robin and her insistence on getting him to admit his feelings to you. She seemed to think you liked him back but Steve never allowed her to get his hopes up. That never stopped him from dreaming about what he’d say to you, if the moment were to ever present itself.

I guess I could try it out to see how it sounds…

Steve glanced around the room to make sure no one was listening in on him. “Hey sugar… glad surgery went well,” Steve looked at the ceiling before puffing out a breath, feeling a bit silly all of a sudden, “look, I’ve been having difficulty telling you this because I didn’t want to ruin our friendship but…I don’t know, you’re just so amazing, and sweet, and caring and it’s just gotten harder and harder to pretend that I’m not completely in love with you anymore. You’re the greatest person in my life and you make me feel so secure and loved. I always find myself thinking about you and smiling from ear to ear and I just…I love you so much.”

Before Steve could think, you moved your hand out of his grip and face palmed him, pushing his head back.

“Get the fuck outta here,” you slurred. “Woah, is that your real hair?”

“O-oh, hey Y/N. How’re you feeling?” Steve said nervously. He’s hoping you’re too drugged up to have heard his little confession.

“Y’know, I rather you didn’t,” you said lazily, your hooded eyes not focusing on anything in particular.

Steve’s brows furrowed, “didn’t do what?”

“Love me.”

Steve paled. Any sliver of self-esteem Steve had was ripped from his grasp. He knew you could find someone better but a small part of him thought you liked him back. Those lingering gazes, soft touches, and the teasing from his friends were all just some sort of facade. Some sick joke at his expense. Of course this is how it ends.

“S-sorry,” Steve mumbled, trying to blink away the tears gathering in his eyes.

“I don't love you, ya idiot! Cause I love Steeeevie,” you sang. “I love Steve with all my heart, and more.”

Steve’s eyes widened and his cheeks flushed. What is happening?? “uh, I-I think you’re a bit confused, doll.”

“I thought you knew? You’re always teasing me ‘bout it,” you said, swatting at him lazily. “Y/N’s feeling real good right now, Eds. Like, reeeeal good. You should totally sell whatever they got me on, you’d make a fortune!”

Eddie looked so silly with his new Steve haircut. You made sure to tell him that a few more times.

“Ser’sly, Eddie you even smell like him. Did he tell you his Farrah Fawcett secret?” You tried leaning into him to get a better whiff of his hair but he was easily able to pin you back down to the bed.

Kinky, you thought.

You probably just exposed Steve’s deepest secret but for some reason you didn’t care. All you could do now was laugh hysterically at Eddie’s attempt to look more like Steve.

Eddie seemed uncomfortable. Maybe embarrassed was the right word. You were probably being really loud, but you were on cloud nine with whatever drugs they’ve got you on so you weren’t worried about anything at the moment. Plus, Eddie dressed like Steve to make you feel better, and it worked. Your friends were so thoughtful.

“One time I braided Steve’s hair. It was soooooo soft, and it smelled like flowers. Pretty, pretty, flower boy.” Eddie was just staring at you owlishly, so you kept going, “I just always feel the need to smush his face onto my face, y’know? I love him so much! He makes me feel like– holy shit, what happened to my arm?”

Steve was a bit stumped.

On one hand he desperately wants to believe in your drug influenced love confession but he couldn’t help but feel a bit skeptical at the same time. He didn’t want to put you in an uncomfortable position if you didn’t actually mean it. He didn’t want to get his hopes up just for it to come crashing down. Again.

Steve drove you home and put you to bed where you immediately fell asleep. He sat by your bedside, contemplating his next steps. Overthinking everything, as usual.

Once his restlessness started to set in Steve made himself busy. He spent the next couple hours cooking meals you could save in the freezer and tidying up your house. It helped keep his mind busy so he wouldn’t go crazy thinking about what you had said in the hospital.

Eddie, Robin, and Max stopped by in the evening with your favorite takeout but you were still sleeping. Steve wasn’t hiding his huffy attitude towards Eddie, still mad he left you at the hospital. Eddie just ignored him and did his best to hide his smug smile.

“So, did you tell her?” Robin said.

“Robin,” hissed Steve, “not in front of the kid.”

“Oh, Steven. It’s so sad that you think I don’t already know,” Max said condescendingly.

Steve rubbed his face in embarrassment, “am I really that obvious?”

“Yes,” Robin, Eddie, and Max all said at the same time.

“Great, that’s just great” Steve grumbled as he leaned back in the armchair he was sitting on.

“I’m just surprised Y/N doesn’t see it,” Eddie added.

“What don’t I see?”

Everyone’s heads whipped towards the doorway of the living room where you were now standing. You still looked tired but you were standing on your own and not slurring your words anymore. You adjusted the arm resting in the sling with a slight wince, the strap digging into your neck. It had been a few hours since the surgery and you haven’t had any pain killers since.

You were trying to hide how uncomfortable you were but Steve saw right through it.

Steve stood to greet you, “hey doll, how’re you feeling? Let’s get some food and medicine in you,” he said, trying to change the subject.

“Okay, thanks Stevie,” you smiled but furrowed your brows at him, like you were trying to remember something. The adorable tilt of your head was making his knees weak as he escaped to the kitchen.

Steve brought you a pill, a glass of water, and some food to nibble on as you sat in his previously occupied chair. He kneeled next to you, offering the pill and then the water to wash it down.

“How’re you feeling, Y/N?” Robin said from her spot on the couch she was sharing with Max.

“Fine, I guess. I’ll be better once this medicine kicks in.”

“Well, you look like shit,” Max said bluntly.

“Thanks, Maxine,” you said sarcastically, “Geez Eddie, you letting just anyone in my house while I’m passed out, huh?” You chuckled before noticing everyone’s confused looks, “what? I’m just kidding.”

“Y/N, I didn’t take you home from the hospital. You don’t remember that?”

Over your shoulder, Steve’s eyes widened as he started waving his hands around, trying to get Eddie to shut up. Steve didn’t want to jog your memory, hoping you two could just live in blissful ignorance in hopes of saving you both from embarrassment.

“What? Yes you did. I woke up and you were…”

Steve watched in horror as your face dropped and your cheeks reddened in realization. Steve could practically see the memories coming back to you as your breathing started speeding up and your jaw kept opening and closing. It was all coming back to you and you were absolutely mortified.

“Wait, what’s happening?” Robin asked, observing the matching blushes on yours and Steve’s faces.

“NOTHING,” you and Steve said at the same time.

You finally looked at him, taking in his wide eyes and pink ears. You groaned in embarrassment before standing up quickly and slapping your hand to your forehead.

“Sorry, I’m gonna…I just need to, ugh sorry,” you were scrambling to come up with a good enough excuse to leave but it was just making you more flustered. “Steve, I’m sorry I didn’t– I didn’t mean to say, fuck, I mean maybe I did. I just…shit, shit, shit,” you started smacking yourself in the temple in an attempt to get your brain to work properly.

Steve observed you for a moment. This wasn’t the reaction of someone who regretted what they said because it wasn’t true. Your reaction showed Steve that you regretted it because you thought he didn’t feel the same way. Steve didn’t wait any longer, he couldn’t.

“Fuck it.”

Steve took one big step towards you and took your face in his hands. Before he could chicken out, he pressed a soft kiss to your lips. He felt your body stiffened on impact, but it felt too good to stop. He slotted his lips perfectly into yours as he took it all in. Reluctantly, Steve slowly pulled away as it hit him. He just kissed you.

Holding his breath, he hesitantly opened his eyes to apologize but he sees you unable to move. You keep your eyes closed for a few moments, letting your mind process what just happened. The moment it all clicked was when you finally looked back at him and grabbed his shirt collar to bring him back for a desperate kiss. Steve furrowed his brows as he kissed you more passionately, trying to savor the taste of you. It felt like you were having an out of body experience, although that could have been the drugs kicking in.

You both forgot about your friends that were still in the room until Max said “I’m gonna call Mike, he owes me ten bucks.”

“It’s a little weird watching our friends make out, isn’t it?” Robin turned to Eddie, expecting to exchange a long-suffering look with him.

Eddie sniffed hard before aggressively wiping at his eyes, “you kidding? It's beautiful.”

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saintspecial · 1 month ago

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