#goldenglowss

[harringtown]

days like today are the antidote

requested by @goldenglowss​ 

Summary: Steve & the reader take the kids Christmas Tree shopping (aka pure holiday fluff) 

Pairing: Steve Harrington x Reader

Word Count: 1k

Warnings: none!

i spent...way too long researching the cost of christmas trees in the 80s for this

-

It was far too cold to be outside. Cold, as in just a hair away from freezing; as in five layers of clothing and you’re still cold; as in why the hell did you agree to Christmas tree shopping, in Indiana, in December?

It wasn’t your boyfriend’s fault, technically. Steve had taken his role as babysitter seriously - a little too seriously - and promised to give the kids the best Christmas possible. They’d lost a lot this year, and it wasn’t often that El and Will were in town. Which was why, when Dustin asked Steve to take them tree shopping - to be placed in Mike’s basement, the ‘home base’ the kids had really committed to - he said yes.

All it really took to convince you was a little pout and puppy dog eyes - something a nineteen-year-old shouldn’t be good at. Which is how you ended up on the Barker’s farm in 34-degree weather, traipsing through the snow and into a barn filled with variously sized trees. You neglected to point out that they would just shed everywhere and die; it didn’t really fit the holiday mood.

“Remember we’re trying not to break the bank here, guys!” Steve said as they entered the barn, shedding their outer coats on one of many coat hangers near the entrance. The kids dug in their pockets, coming up with coins and crumpled dollar bills. They piled them into Steve’s hand, who arched a brow.

“Our contribution,” Dustin said with a grin.

“Eleven dollars and forty-seven cents,” said Will.

“That’s you,” Mike said to El, taking her hand and bumping her shoulder with his. She smiled shyly; the two were still adorably nervous around each other.

“Guys, all the big ones are gonna be gone!” Dustin urged, and he, Mike, and El grinned at each other and headed in the direction of the biggest trees - which were, for the record, in no danger of running out.

“We’re coming!” Lucas said, following after them, along with Max and Will.

“Not too big! Nobody here has a truck to cart that shit!” Steve called. You snorted a laugh and he turned to you, giving you a goofy grin.

“Your lips are blue,” he said, coming to stand in front of you and taking your hands. At their temperature, he made a face and flinched like they were icy cold - which was likely close to the truth. He brought your hands up to his mouth and blew warm air into them.

“If I freeze to death, it’ll be your fault,” you said. He smiled and dropped a kiss to your knuckles before lowering your hands. He didn’t let go, though, threading your fingers together and squeezing.

“I know a few ways to warm you up,” he said. You arched your brows and let him tug you close, dropping your hands and slipping his arms around your waist. His warm mouth met your cold one, lips parting with a sigh. You’d just sunk into him when someone called his name.

“If you’re done making out, Max found one!” Dustin said, ducking out from an aisle of trees. Steve pulled away and you shifted in his arms to see Dustin, rolling your eyes.

“Like you’ve never made out with Suzie,” he said.

“Kissing someone is different than trying to eat their face off,” Dustin said, lips puckering. Steve groaned, ducking his face into your back. You grinned and twisted, hands moving to his shoulders.

“Want to gnaw on my face one more time before we go see the tree?” You asked your boyfriend with a quirked brow. He leaned to catch Dustin’s eye, and said, “Be there as soon as I’m done eating!” Before bending down and gently biting your neck. You shrieked and laughed, pushing him away.

“You guys are disgusting,” Dustin exclaimed, face scrunched up like he’d bitten into something sour, and disappeared back down the aisle.

“If he thinks that was making out, he should see what happens behind closed doors,” you said, untangling yourself from Steve’s arms and taking his hand. He snorted.

“He absolutely should not see that.”

You grinned and tugged him in the direction the younger boy had gone, making your way through the pine-scented barn to where the kids had gathered around a big - big, as in, no way it’s fitting in Steve’s car; as in, no way it’s fitting in Mike’s basement; as in, no fucking way they can afford it - tree.

“Oh, not a chance,” Steve said as you reached it. The boys grumbled in protest.

“Come on! It’s not even that big!” Max said with a frown, crossing her arms against her chest. El mirrored her, the two creating a line of defense you really didn’t want to push through. Two stubborn fourteen-year-olds? Far scarier than a Demogorgon.

“Unless you have,” Steve ducked to read a slip of paper tied to one of the branches with the price tag scrawled on it, “$80, it’s not happening.”

“Will that even fit in your basement, Mike?” You asked. He frowned.

“We can just trim the top,” Lucas suggested.

“Or we could buy a smaller, less expensive tree. Just a thought,” Steve said sarcastically.

“Small trees are boring!” Said Max.

“I said smaller, not small. As in, not twenty feet tall,” Steve said.

“Come on,” Dustin protested.

“Nope,” Steve said, dropping your hand to cross his arms and shake his head, putting down the proverbial foot. The kids frowned and grumbled.

“Fine,” Max said, “we’ll find a small tree.”

“That would be great,” Steve retorted. You resisted the urge to smile, succeeding until the kids had meandered to the next aisle of trees; still massive, but more reasonable.

“Babysitter of the year,” you said. Steve laughed softly and slung an arm around your shoulder and you leaned into him, pressing a kiss to his jaw.

“Unpaid babysitter,” he corrected with a smug grin and nudged you in the direction of the kids.

“Let’s go break that bank,” he said.

You knew the two of you would inevitably be leaving with a tree that was too big and too expensive; Steve would give in, as he always did with the kids. They were his soft spot. And after everything that happened that summer, you couldn’t blame him for wanting to treat them.

What was a little splurge after so much heartache, so much bloodshed? It was the holidays, after all.

[flowersbloomm]

@goldenglowss @novitiskis :)

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