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foreverromanticising · 2 years ago

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WHEN WE ARE TOGETHER.

steve harrington.

[a lot of words idk you can count them, friends in love, sad steve, cows and yellow sweaters]

inspired by when we are together by the 1975, squint and you’ll see the ‘the only time i feel i might get better is when we are together’ line (listen to the song as u listen pls ily u wont regret it)

Steve Harrington had struggled with a myriad of things throughout the course of his life - from simple things like minor arguments with his friends and parents to more extreme like quite literally battling otherworldly monsters. He had been through it all, he had practically raised himself, and nothing ever seemed to get better.

The boy lived in a constant state of survival mode, nothing was ever easy enough in his life that he could relax for more than ten minutes at a time. Even sleeping, the only time he was guaranteed to relax slightly and take a deep breath, became more and more difficult as Steve grew older.

Nothing shocked him anymore; no amount of demodogs, evil old men trying to figure out who he worked for, or blood and gore even phased the boy. He had accepted that this was his life.

More often than not, he would return home with a bruised eye or his knuckles cut into pieces so he was pretty much used to anything that was thrown his way.

You watched it all from afar, not knowing Steve well enough to figure why he was always injured in some way or if you were even in a position to question him on it.

During your junior year and his senior year, you started a new job at Hawkins’ local diner with the intention of beginning your savings for the future. As expected, the pay wasn’t the best but you were never too bothered by it because it was merely a part time, weekend job.

However, the tips certainly made up for it from your usual and favourite customers. Especially, the tips that Steve Harrington left for you.

It was never something you questioned - you were never really in a place to - so after a few months of this same routine, every Sunday evening once it hit 5pm, because Steve was sure to waltz in some time soon, you put his same order through to the chefs: some chicken sandwich and a lemonade, without fail.

When he first started appearing, you never spoke to him more so than just merely taking his order and moving on. But, as time moved on, small talk turned into conversations that were just below surface level. Of course, you knew Steve from school, everyone knew him, but he never knew you.

And, god, he beat himself up for it everyday.

He recognised you, probably just from passing periods and lunch, but he didn’t know your name. Not until his Sunday nights went from more than you taking his order to you sitting down with him as he ate.

Neither of you were quite sure how it happened or why it happened, but you both liked it. Whether you could only sit for ten minutes or the whole hour, the conversation just seemed to flow despite the two of you never speaking outside of the diner.

Yet, you still didn’t know why Steve kept up such a routine. However, you could only be kept in the dark for so long, the question always on the tip of your tongue whenever you sat down with him. It only took so long until the question was inevitably asked.

“My parents aren’t home a ton… or, like, at all,” Steve shrugged his shoulders, like this was the most normal thing in the world - which it was, to him - and spoke through a mouthful of food. “I can’t cook much, ramen and cereal most of the time, so I’m sorta guaranteed a good meal here.”

It was more than just his parents never really being home, he knew that, but he didn’t want to unload all of his life struggles onto you. His parents were always at a conference or on a business trip somewhere - maybe even a vacation they just didn’t want to take Steve on - so they would leave a couple hundred bills by the front door and a kiss to his cheek before they were off for god knew how long.

Just because Steve was used to it didn’t mean that it didn’t hurt; he hated spending his birthday alone, he hated spending the holidays alone, and he hated watching his so called act like this was normal just because they could use his empty house for a party whenever they felt like it.

His life was lonely; even more so now because of his break up with Nancy and how that had led to losing any friends his own age. Of course, he loved Dustin and all of his friends, but sometimes he just wanted someone, his age, to talk to about his life.

Not that you knew, but your chats with Steve at the diner were the best part of the boy’s week. The two of you could speak about the most meaningless crap but he would still make the effort to sit on your side of the diner, just to make sure you would be the one to serve him.

Your heart ached at the boy’s confession for it was something you never would’ve guessed. He was Steve Harrington; King of Hawkins High; the boy who had it all. But that was clearly some stereotype that flooded through high school, holding absolutely zero truth.

“I could name a handful more restaurants with better food.” You laughed it off because whilst the diner paid you, you wouldn’t exactly wish to eat there every week.

“Yeah, but do those restaurants have pretty girls that are willing to sit with me for the night?” A smile played on his lips, his eyes filled with nothing but flirt for you. “‘Cause I don’t think they do.”

You thought this was just Steve being who he was, a usual flirt, but as you got to know him you soon realised that wasn’t entirely the case. Around the same time the boy started visiting the diner was the time he had broke up with Nancy and fallen out with most - if not all of his friends.

He just wanted someone to keep him company, and who were you to say no to Steve Harrington?

So, spending Sunday evenings together developed into sitting together at lunch to Saturday movie nights with him to late night progressing into early morning phone calls. Your friendship developed far quicker than you ever anticipated; Steve was just easy to talk to.

He listened and was always there for you, just as you were always there for him, he was far smarter than you were, and never failed to lighten your mood or make you laugh.The list went on and on, each reason further solidifying your unexpected friendship.

You grew so close that once Steve got a job in Scoops Ahoy, meaning you would be spending less time together, you applied to the book store across from him in Starcourt. Luckily enough, you landed the job, the pay was better than the last, and at least this time you would actually enjoy what you were doing for work.

During your breaks, you would stride over to Scoops to take advantage of Steve’s free ice cream privileges- and maybe just so you could spend any extra time you could with the boy. You slipped around the counter, saying hey to Robin as you passed, and pulling up a chair right beside Steve’s in the break room.

Over the months you had known each other, your hormones had spurred as your friendship developed; touches started lingering just that little longer, seats were always pushed too close together so you could feel the heat from him, and Steve’s clothes seemed to push their way into your wardrobe more than your own.

“How’s work been, pretty girl?” Already, Steve had a little tub of your favourite ice cream waiting for you on the table in front of him. A strange wave of deja vu seemed to wash over you as it felt like you had been here before.

“Slow,” You shrugged your shoulders without much to report back on considering you had had maybe five customers that day and it was already nearing three in the afternoon. “Seems like nobody reads anymore.”

“The amount you read makes up for the rest of Hawkins.” Steve used his plastic spoon to take some of your ice cream, speaking with this mouth full.

“Yeah, but it’d still be nice to have some customers that weren’t old women or my english teacher.” From where you worked, you could see across the mall into Scoops and the never ending line of girls that seemed to pile in to flirt with Steve whilst you had to sit back and watch.

“No, you don’t,” He shook his head to disagree with you. “This place is full with people from high school, talking about their colleges and real futures, and I just gotta pretend I’m fine with the fact my life is falling apart.”

This seemed to be how your conversations went as of recently, always taking a self deprecating turn on Steve’s part. But he always played it off with a laugh, his words and actions entirely contradicting each other.

“Steve, stop that,” You quickly scolded him for the negative words that left his lips because you hated when he spoke badly of himself for he was so much more than what his job was. “You aren’t your job, and look on the bright side, at least you get to talk to people your age at your job.”

“What? You want to talk to hot guys at your job, is that it?” Steve had his fair share of girls coming into Scoops, twirling their hair and leaning just that bit too close over the counter, but he never led them on any further than just a smile and a wink. “I thought you coming over here with me was enough, didn’t know you were looking for anyone else.” And, as always, the infamous Steve Harrington smirk played on his lips as he spoke.

You weren’t sure when your friendship developed into whatever it was; him flirting with you or you flirting with him, it didn’t really matter. You were both older now - Steve recently eighteen and you just about to turn eighteen - a anyone could see that Steve Harrington was a pretty boy but you would argue that no one appreciated him like you did as you grew up.

More often than not, he would lay on the end of your bed, exasperated, as he complained about yet another failed date. You could never quite understand why he had so many unsuccessful attempts but it seemed to be a running theme with him.

It was a flirty comment, hands wandering along your waist, pulling you to sit on his lap- nothing but a bit of fun, that was all you thought of it. Waking up in the same bed wasn’t the same as it used to be, limbs intertwined and bodies pressed too close together.

Everything had just progressed so quickly in the space of a year. Your friendship always walking on the thin tissue, both of you wondering when you would plunge through into something more.

Because surely it had to mean something more to Steve? Just as it did to you? There was no way the constant touching, the way he smiled at you and pushed your stray hairs behind your ear, his eyes lingering those extra seconds whenever you wore those shorts that sat high on your thighs- there was no way that all meant nothing.

“Steve! Your turn!” Robin’s voice pulled you from your thoughts, her running into the break room even more so as you stared down at your half melted ice cream. “There’s, like, an entire school of children and I’m not dealing with giving each of them free samples.” She slumped down in Steve’s chair as soon as he reluctantly stood up.

“I’ll see you later, yeah? Want to come ‘round mine?” He spoke as he walked out of the room, his hand skirting over your shoulders only encouraging you to follow him and you happily obliged.

“Can we just go straight after work? I don’t wanna go home just to go to yours.” You stood to the side of the counter, taking in the supposed ‘school’ of children that Robin had ran away from- there were five children with their parents.

“Yeah ‘course, whatever you want,” Steve nodded his head but tried to take everyone’s orders as quickly as he could, waving them all goodbye within a few minutes. “I’ll come get you when my shift’s over.” He pressed a quick kiss to your forehead before you could head back to the bookstore, and you could quite literally feel the smile on his lips.

The hours until the end of yours and Steve’s shifts passed by excruciatingly slow, waiting until you both could close and just go home. But, eventually, the time did come when Steve sauntered over, scoops hat ripped off of his head, and spinning his car keys around his fingertips.

“You ready to go, sweetheart?” He stood just outside of the store, the shutters halfway down as you ran out with a bundle of books in your arms and tried to avoid getting stuck under the shutters. “God, I think your bookshelf is gonna collapse one of these days.”

“I know, I think I need to get another one.” You knew Steve was just joking but you were being entirely serious with him.

You’d barely taken five steps away from the store before Steve was slipping his hands under the stack of books in your arms, sliding the books into his own arms without saying anything. He asked you about each of the books in his arms, not understanding the stories the same way you probably would but he always tried to make an effort to be interested in what you liked. The back and forth conversation lasted until you reached his maroon BMW, when he placed all of your books carefully into the backseats.

“Are you tired or do you wanna get something to eat? My treat.” Steve started the car and drove out of the Starcourt mall, the warm summer air flowed through the car and it felt like a relief after you both spent the whole day in the air conditioned mall.

“No, I think I just want to go home,” You shook your head, wanting nothing more than to pull off your uniform and grab one of Steve’s sweaters instead. “Unless you want to get something but you might want to get changed first.”

Even though it had been a few weeks of Steve working at scoops, his uniform never really got old. He didn’t seem to have any that deep of a hatred like you thought he would, but there was no denying his distaste for the hat that supposedly hid his best feature.

“Shit, yeah,” He laughed, forgetting he was even in those tight blue shorts and sailor’s shirt. “We’ll just go home, see what I can cook.”

And soon enough, you were back in Steve’s bed, wrapped up in his clothes, just the way you had wanted the night to end. He didn’t cook anything, there was no point in the boy trying - you both knew that - so you had reverted to ordering takeout instead.

You hadn’t even asked for his yellow sweater once the two of you trudged up the stairs after dinner more than Steve simply dug it out of his wardrobe for you.

“You can keep that, y’know,” Steve spoke once you stepped out of his bathroom, making your way over to the other side of his bed. “I never wear it and you like it more than me anyway.”

Of course, you were in no place to turn Steve’s offer down and from then on out, you wore that sweater probably more than you should’ve.

So, when Steve woke you up one morning with a phone call, seemingly much more awake than you were, and asked if you would run some errands with him, you grabbed your - his - sweater and were on your way. The sweater had lost the cedar, vanilla, bergamot, and Steve smell but you still wore it every chance you could.

It was a miserable day for Hawkins, the rain pelting off of Steve’s car and the clouded, dark skies made it feel like the day was never ending. Although, you weren’t sure you would be in any position to complain if the day never actually came to an end.

“I think it’s cute when all the cows lie down together, like they all just decide it’s time to nap or something.” Steve drove past a farm filled with cows on his way to the next store he needed, your attention caught as you stared out of the window.

“I think it’s actually something to do with the weather, not ‘cause they’re all tired so-” Steve decided to just bite his tongue then and there, not wishing to burst your bubble once you turned around to face him. Your cheeks pushed up to your eyes because of your smile, grinning ear to ear, and in no way was Steve going to tell you cows lay down because of the rain and not because they wanted to nap together. “Yeah, it’s cute, isn’t it?”

“So, what’s with all the errands? What’re you planning, Stevie?” You didn’t question Steve when he pulled you out of bed far too early for your liking, not when you had already been in three supermarkets, but you did once you read the ‘You are now leaving Indiana, Thank you for visiting!’ sign.

“My parents are coming back tomorrow,” He said the words like they were nothing, without following them up with anything and simply letting them simmer in the air. “I need to stock the fridge, learn to cook, deep clean the entire house and the pool, pretend I’ve got more than two friends my age, somehow get into a relationship-”

“Woah, hey, take a breather,” Steve was working himself up into a flurry, and you had seen this happen before whenever his parents visited; panicking over every little aspect about his life. “You don’t need to panic, I’ll help with whatever you need.”

“Really?” He turned to look at you with nothing but love in his eyes, feeling like a weight had been lifted off of his shoulders as you nodded.

You were more than happy to help Steve for you knew just how anxious he became whenever his parents came home, even if it was just for a day or two. Your offer didn’t go under appreciated by Steve as you spent the next day trying to learn how to make a roast dinner from scratch whilst he ran around cleaning every crack and corner of his parents’ house.

“You didn’t tell me you could cook.” Steve hummed as he stood behind you in his kitchen, his chin near enough resting on your shoulder and his lips so close to your skin that you could feel his breath on your neck.

“I can’t, I’m following a recipe.” You turned your head barely by an inch and if Steve even dared to move his then your lips would press together- and you were praying to god that he couldn’t hear the heartbeat sounding through your pulse.

“Still better than anything I could do-” Steve huffed out a laugh and you felt his arms against your back, his fingertips grazing your waist but all of a sudden he jumped away.

The front door opened, the sound of suitcases being dragged inside could be heard through the house, and Steve’s mother started shouting ‘Stevie, my boy!’ once she was inside. Any sort of emotion that was on Steve’s face only a moment ago had been washed away as he grabbed your hand and pulled you along with him before he walked out of the kitchen to meet his parents.

“I missed you, Steve,” His mother immediately wrapped his arms around Steve causing him to drop your hand and be pulled off away by his mother. “Did you miss me?”

“Oh, yeah, loads.” Steve nodded his head with a tight lipped smile. He chose not to say anything considering he knew that if his mother missed him that much then she wouldn’t have left in the first place.

His father had skirted away somewhere upstairs after murmuring a hello to his son, leaving the three of you to stand in the threshold of the house.

“And who is this, Stevie? You have to introduce us.” His mother held out her hand for you to shake and you accepted as Steve introduced you. “You’re so pretty, dear, you could have absolutely anyone and you’re with my Steve?”

It was supposed to sound like a compliment to you but in the process she dragged her own son down and didn’t even seem to care. Neither you nor Steve seemed to care or correct her on the assumption that you were together.

“Well, we gotta run to the store and grab something for dinner but we won’t be long- tell dad I said hi.” And before his mother could even process what Steve had said, he had taken your hand again and pulled you out of his house, car key in hand.

Before you knew it, you were pushing a shopping cart through a supermarket, grabbing random groceries, really just so Steve could procrastinate going back home. You didn’t really need to speak about the brief interaction between a Steve and his parents, just seeing him instantly tense up around them was everything you needed to know.

“Am I shitty person if I just wanted them to stay away?” Steve broke the silence that you had been walking around the store in, his voice quieter than you had ever heard it before. His vulnerabilities were on a plate being shown to you and he didn’t have a care in the world. “Like, I hate when they just come back and act like everything is fine, like their money is gonna make up for everything- ‘cause I feel really fucking shitty.”

“I don’t think you’re a shitty person, Steve.” You shook your head, not letting Steve talk about himself in such a way - as you always done - especially considering what he had gone through to feel that way.

“My parents think I’m a shitty son.” He grabbed a box of sprite and placed it in the cart.

“Maybe ‘cause they’re shitty parents.” You knew they were his parents and that they probably loved him deep down - really deep down - but there was no denying how they treated their son was nothing but disgraceful.

“You’re too nice to me, sweetheart.” Steve caged his arms around you, holding onto the cart as well, your bodies pressed together as you pushed the cart through the store.

You would never say it out loud to your boy but you weren’t sure enough people were nice to him.

“Okay, and? Shoot me for it.” You turned your head to look up at him, your faces so close that you were reminiscent of how you were stood in his kitchen only hours prior.

And, no, he didn’t shoot you for it- how could he ever? But within a split seconds, his lips were pressed to yours and one of his hands cradled your face like he was scared that if he let go then you would disappear. As if you would even dare disappear from him when all you had ever wanted was for him to take the leap, to plunge through, and just kiss you already.

It had been too long of a wait but you would do it all over again to have your breath stolen with a kiss from your boy. You had spent to long pondering the ‘what ifs’ and ‘what could happens’ every time a hug lasted a beat too long or he left a kiss to your hair, but it seemed to all be for the right reasons because his kiss washed away any of the insecurities you held.

“Sorry, I just couldn’t not kiss you there.” Steve took a deep breath as he stepped back, accepting the fact he had probably destroyed a friendship, but he couldn’t even fight the smile on his face.

His smile that only grew in size when you ignored the cart full of groceries and pushed up onto your toes to hold his face and kiss him back. You weren’t sure what had randomly spurred Steve to kiss you but you wouldn’t ever complain.

“Can we just go home? I don’t even want any of these groceries.” He pulled away from you, well aware of the fact you two were stood in a very public place in your very small town.

“You want to come to my place, instead? We don’t have to go back to yours.” You weren’t quite sure what home was for you or Steve because you said it whenever you were going to each other’s houses, but it seemed to make sense.

“Yeah, please,” Steve nodded his head and intertwined your fingers, leading you out of the store and towards his car. “I think I’m just gonna pretend my parents aren’t hear until they leave for fucking Michigan or Massachusetts, wherever they’re going.”

“You can stay at mine, your clothes are all there anyway.” There was no denying your wardrobe was filled with half of Steve’s anyway, even as his yellow sweater adorned your body anyway.

The car ride back from the grocery store was better than the one going; the air wasn’t as thick and you both sat with lovesick, cheesy smiles on your face. Steve’s hand held your thigh as he drove, your head turned to look out of the window as always.

“The cows are lying down again.” You pointed to the crowd of cows all laying down together as you always found yourself rather amused by them.

“Yeah, they’re probably tired by now- it’s getting late.” Steve humoured you, simply agreeing as he looked to see all of the cows laying down together because you talking about cows in his sweater was possibly the only thing that made him feel better when everything else in his life was crappy.

#joe keery #steve harrington #steve harrington imagine #steve stranger things #stranger things blurb #steve harrington fic #steve harrington x fem #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington x you #stranger things #the 1975 #when we are together #joe keery one shot #joe keery blurb #joe keery imagine

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harringtons-cupid · 2 years ago

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DJO would write you a song but not tell you that it was for you, until you were stood in the crowd.... Listening to the words flow out of his mouth, his eyes flickering between you and being closed.

He would sing the words "I love you" through his lyrics, maybe even write you a little message that was a private thing between you both.

You would always travel with him, he would never feel confident without you. His nerves would pile on top of each other until he knew that you were standing in the crowd.

You would be the first person who he would go to about his songs, even if you knew nothing about lyrics. Your reassurance would be the first advice he needed to progress through the songs.

There would very limited models, you would be the most important person in his videos. He would argue and argue that you were the only woman necessary, finally loosing to the fact that they needed "more than your silly little girlfriend" he would walk off in anger until you received an apology.

If you didn't like something, he would ignore everything else. He adored you and took your opinions seriously. He would never kiss anyone but you.

He would record your voice that would be added into his songs, your face through the glass at the recording booth but the only thing that got him through tricky days.

Once referencing your influence that of Jim Morrison and Pamela Courson

He would hum his songs around the house, serenading you with the songs about you. Dancing with you in the kitchen, scratching DJO into your skin during sex.

#DJO #joe keery #decide #djo decide #djo time #djo music #djo imagine #djo x you #joe keery x reader #joe keery x fem!reader #joe keery x you #joe keery x y/n #djo blurb #joe keery blurb #i want your video

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cherrycocaineee · 2 years ago

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30. Steve Harrington - Drive Thru Movies

* Warning: doesn’t really follow the series, Steve works at Scoops Ahoy *

Synopsis: The last few weeks have been terrible for Brooklyn; her boyfriend cheated on her, her parents were getting a divorce, and she’s got exams out the ass. Deciding to get an afternoon pickup, she goes to Scoops Aho where she runs into Steve Harringon who notices that she’s going through a hard time.

* Brooklyn’s p.o.v *

The steady ticking from the clock hands echoed rhythmically mixed effortlessly with the clicking of my ballpoint pen. There was an engraved circle on the pad of my thumb from how hard I was pressing the shiny, clicky part of the pin. It wouldn’t surprise me if I looked in a mirror and noticed a small tear on my bottom lip caused by my teeth digging harshly into the flesh. Positioned perfectly on the desk was an assortment of notebooks, sheets of papers, pens, highlighters, and my French textbook. My vision was starting to blur and I knew I had been staring too long without a single break, but how could I? Tomorrow was one of my seven exams, and even though I wasn’t necessarily worried, studying kept all of my other thoughts tucked away. How could I take my exam when my mind was filled with images of my EX boyfriend sucking lips and grabbing ass on some big, blonde, bimbo? Just the thought of it now sent waves of steaming, hot tears to assault my eyes. Huffing quietly, I tossed my pen onto the pages of my almost filled note page then leaned back in my chair.

A soft knock came from my bedroom door before my mom poked her head inside, keeping her hand firmly on the side of the wooden door. Her warm, honey brown eyes watched me worriedly.

“How’s the studying going, love?” She questioned.

“Fine, I guess,” I hummed.

My voice was hoarse and tired from my previous fit; for the last three days I’d been buried in my plush white covers crying and screaming nonstop.

She smiles sympathetically at me; no doubt her mind is trying to find the right way to comfort me after a terrible relationship experience. There wasn’t anything she could say or do but leave me to sulk in my own self pity while clinging to my studies to forget. And it wasn’t just the cheating and recent breakup that was running through my awfully exhausted mine, no, it was the horrific divorce my mother and father were going through as well. The constant bickering as they tried to figure out the custody exchange; both of my parents wanted me but neither could decide who I would be going with. Mom didn’t want me to leave Hawkins with my dad, and my dad thought there was more out there than just some small town that mom grew up in. However, neither of them asked me. Fair, considering I would have chosen to stay and that would have pissed my dad off. He had a habit of shit talking anyone who went against him, and I guess that it was the nail in the coffin for her.

“Why don’t you take a little break?” She pressed, finally stepping into my bedroom completely.

“And do what?” I retorted, pulling my knees against my chest.

“Anything. You’ve been in your bedroom for a while now. Go get some fresh air.”

Part of me agreed with her while another part of me wanted her to leave me alone. Judging by the look on her face, she was practically begging me to not fight her on this. And to be honest, if I had to stare at these pieces of papers a moment longer I was sure I’d go blind.

“I guess I could go for a change of scenery and maybe a snack,” I stated thoughtfully.

A bright smile stretched out across her face as she approached me, pressing a loving kiss to the top of my head. As she was heading out my bedroom door, she told me to be safe and be home when the street lights came on. I doubted I’d be out that long. When the door clicked behind her, I dragged myself out of the comfort of my chair and headed towards my cracked closet to fish out something more flattering than three day worn sweatpants. I even got a glimpse of myself in my mirror that was hanging on the back of my closet door then decided that I should probably attempt to comb the nest assembling in my natural red hair.

Once I was finished getting dressed and combing my hair, a task that took longer than I wanted, I grabbed my bag and keys then headed out into the rest of my house. I could hear my mom doing the dishes in the kitchen, humming quietly to a tune that was playing on the staticky radio that I wish she’d replace.

“I’m leaving, mom,” I said, standing in the doorway.

Her kind eyes found my tired eyes once again as she dried her palms and strolled over to me. She wrapped her arms around me and pressed another loving kiss to the top of my neatly brushed hair.

“Have a wonderful time, honey,” she chirped, probably mentally patting herself on her back for pushing me to leave my room.

“I will.”

She pulled away from me and I headed out the front door, closing it quietly behind me.

I chose to go to the mall, deciding a little look around would do me some good plus there were some good restaurants inside. For the next thirty minutes, I made my way through the mall, window shopping at each passing store before making it to the food court. It wasn’t as crowded as I thought it would be, which was surprising since you could always count on horny teenagers flocking around ready to spend their daily allowance or paycheck. I say “horny” because I’ve been ambushed several times in this exact mall by teens getting busy in bathrooms, changing rooms, or photo booths. I made a mental note to never use the photo booth since I doubted that anyone ever took the chance to clean it.

My eyes scanned the food court thoughtfully until I finally decided that I’d just have a scoop of ice cream on a waffle cone. It was a simple sweet treat that I could finish on my way back home. Shuffling forward, I made my way to the almost empty Scoops Ahoy; there wasn’t even a worker standing behind the counter ready to serve any walk in customer that did come by. That should have been enough to deter me away from the ice cream shop, trudge my way home, and say I tried but I didn’t. Instead, I walked closer until I was finally standing at the ghosted counter. There was a silver counter bell and I reached over, hitting the top of it lightly; a harsh ring dragging through the air. The colorful painted pull-open window shutters were practically thrown open revealing a guy with dark brown hair styled to the right of his perfectly flawless face almost covering his eyebrows. I recognized him immediately, Steve Harrington, as he frequently hung out with a group of kids you knew from school, the only one you being close to was Dustin Henderson.

“Ahoy,” he chatted up, his voice smooth and attractive, “welcome to Scoops Ahoy. What can I get you today?”

Finally his dark eyes swept up to meet my own brown eyes, widing ever so slightly as he took in my face.

“Oh hey,” he said kindly, “you’re Dustin’s friend, right? Brooklyn?”

I was surprised he even knew my name.

“Y-yeah,” I finally answered, my voice quiet as a mouse, “you’re, uh, Steve Harrington, right?”

“The one and only,” a laugh left his lips causing me to giggle too.

He gestured to all of the ice cream sitting out.

“What will you have?”

“Uhm, what would you recommend actually?” I quizzed.

“Well, the Butterscotch is my favorite but people seem to really enjoy the cookie dough one.”

And to my surprise, I went for the butterscotch flavor. I wasn’t the type of person to take risks when it came to foods I ate, but for some reason I thought it might be a good opportunity. While Steve was packing a scoop of butterscotch ice cream into a waffle cone, I sat down on one of the several red-seated stools.

“Should I keep you company?” Steve questioned as he passed the cone to me, “or would you prefer to be alone?”

“I-I’m sorry?” The question completely caught me off guard.

“You just look like you’re going through a lot. I mean, the dark purple bags under your eyes give it away mostly.”

I nibbled on my bottom lip, wincing inwardly at the pain that ran through the skin because of how hard I’d been biting it back inside my room. There were prickling tears starting to assault my eyelids once again, and I tried desperately to push them away so Steve Harrington wouldn’t see me burst into tears becoming a complete blubbering mess. However, I guess I didn’t do a good job because he noticed immediately.

“Hey, you okay?” His voice was comforting and welcoming, almost warm.

“I-I gotta go,” I croaked.

But before I could walk away, Steve hopped over the counter and grabbed my shoulder soothingly.

“We can talk about it. It really seems to be bothering you. I can hide you in the back if you don’t want to cry out here.”

“Won’t…won’t you get in trouble for letting a customer back there?”

Steve shrugged his broad shoulders, smiling sheepishly. I sniffled lightly, a quiet laugh leaving my lips at his attempt to make me feel better even if it was something as simple as just talking to me and making me laugh. Finally, I agreed to go to the back with him and he led me back there, stretching his arms out in a welcoming gesture.

“Welcome to the back of Scoops Ahoy,” he bellowed out.

Once again, I laughed softly. Steve picked up a bowl and held it out to me, his eyes shifting to the now melting ice cream that was starting to run down my hand. I dropped the sticky treat into the paper bowl and glanced around for something to wipe my hand, taking a single napkin and wiping away the small amount of ice cream off my shaking hand. I thanked him while taking the bowl from his hand. I sat down on a dark blue cooler, crossing my leg over the other in an attempt to prevent them from shaking; it was a normal habit I did when my nerves were all bundled. Steve sat across from me, and I immediately felt bad that he was sitting on the floor.

“So what’s up?” He questioned, placing his wrists on his knees while staring at you.

“It’s just been a rough couple of months,” I muttered, cradling the bowl in my hands, “I’m so swamped with exams that it feels like I’m…like I’m metaphorically drowning. Then to top it all off, my boyfriend cheats on me with some high class blonde and apparently he’s been doing it the entire time we’ve been together. And finally, the hopeless ending to my parents miserable marriage as they fight during an unpleasant divorce.”

At the end of my sentence, I feel like I’d just exploded all over the place. I huffed, my cheeks blowing out nothing but hot air. Steve was watching me intently as a million thoughts probably buzzed through his head like a race car.

“I’m sorry. I just unloaded months of emotional trauma onto you and I barely know you.”

“You don’t have to apologize,” he smiled, “I actually welcome this type of normal problem compared to what I normally deal with.”

He must have noticed me get quiet because then he added…

“I also know what it’s like to have a dysfunctional family and be blinded by someone I was in love with.”

“Who broke your heart?” I questioned, wanting to take the heat off of me.

“Nancy Wheeler.”

I’d heard about her. She was supposed to be the sweet girl even outside of high school. Smart, independent, and a complete show stopper. But I’d never had the opportunity to meet her, the two of us not in each other’s social settings ever. She was more of a popular, smart girl whereas I sat on the side lines more often than I’d like to admit.

“Yours?” Steve asked.

“Elliot Sterling,” I answered.

Steve’s nose scrunched and I giggled at how cute he looked when he did it; small wrinkles evident on the side of his nose as well as on his forehead.

“Sterling?” He seemed to mimic his last name as if to see if he’d heard me right, “seriously? He’s a sleaze ball. You could definitely do better, honestly.”

I smiled timidly while moving my eyes down to stare at the melted soup in my paper bowl. I was going to have to tip generously since I let this ice cream go to waste. With a hushed sigh, I placed the paper bowl on the stainless steel counter.

“I guess you’re right about Elliot,” I said, sadly, “he was my first boyfriend, maybe I just didn’t want to let myself believe the first person I fell for could be such an…”

I couldn’t even finish my sentence before more tears came swelling down my cold cheek. Steve was quick to reach for another napkin and handed it to me. I thanked him, choking back a brutal sob that could escape if I didn’t force it down. As I was wiping away the hot tears on my face, Steve started talking.

“Maybe you just need something to take your mind off of everything,” he suggested.

“That’s why I’ve been studying like crazy for the last three days,” I replied, crumbling the napkin in my hands.

“Ah that won’t help. How about I take you to a drive thru movie? Eat some stale popcorn, melted candies, and almost flat soda while enjoying whatever shitty movie they’ve got going tonight.”

“You make it sound so terrible,” I sniffled.

“That’s what makes it fun,” he winked.

I couldn’t help but laugh at his comment.

Steve sat there patiently waiting for me to give him an answer. Honestly going to the movies to take my mind off of all the things wrong in my life currently sounded a lot better than going home to sulk and bury myself into my books. But what was this really? If it was a pity going out kind of thing, I didn’t want to be pitied. That would be the worst thing to happen to me right now.

“What do you say?” Steve asked; I must have taken too long to answer.

“Oh, um, sure. It sounds like fun.”

He seemed nice so I figured I’d give him the benefit of the doubt; it didn’t seem right to just throw the opportunity away.

“Great. Just jot down where you live, and I’ll pick you up around six o’clock.”

As I nodded my head, the soft strands bouncing against my shoulder, Steve handed me a slip of paper and a black ballpoint pen; it was similar to my own pen. I scribbled my address across the smooth page then slid it over to him. He folded it neatly in his hand before stuffing the paper into his pocket, a large grin stretched out across his face as he did so.

“Thank you,” I said, standing to my feet while fishing out a twenty dollar bill from my bag for his tip, “really. I guess I just needed to talk about it all.”

“No problem,” he said.

He looked like he wanted to refuse the twenty dollars but I wasn’t going to take no for an answer, so instead, I shoved the money into his pocket where paper was waiting and walked away.

“See you tonight,” I called, leaving him standing there.

Six o’clock came faster than anything I’ve ever experienced before. I didn’t really think it was anything other than him trying to be nice, but I did want to look nice. Going back to some worn sweats and a stained, oversized t-shirt just didn’t seem like the right play. Instead, I opted for a pair of faded blue skinny jeans with a single rip in my right knee, a bright red, tight tank top that I’d tucked into my pants, some white shoes, and a comfy, beige cardigan to keep me warm for the evening. I didn’t do anything fancy for my hair or makeup either; just brushed out the growing tangles, added a thin layer of mascara to my eyelashes, and some lip gloss so my lips didn’t look chapped and chewed on.

When it was five minutes until six, I had finished getting dressed for the evening. I hadn’t told my mom about Steve Harrington asking me to go to the movies with him tonight, so I wasn’t surprised when she knocked on my door, opened it, and looked at me with curiosity in her eyes.

“There��s a boy outside asking for you?” It was more of a question than a statement.

“Oh,” I said, “his name is Steve Harrington, he asked me to the movies tonight.”

“Really?” She became more chipper rather than suspicious, “and is this a date?”

“No mom. He just asked me if I’d like to go to the movies because I was having a hard month.”

“Well, how do you know this boy?”

“He’s friends with Dustin Henderson.”

She made a gasping sound before clapping her hands together. She loved Dustin; he was like the son she’s always wanted. Which worked out perfectly because he was like the little brother I’d always wanted. Letting me finish what I was doing, she made her way back downstairs so she wasn’t keeping our guest waiting. Not long after she left did I come down from my room. Steve wasn’t wearing anything too fancy either, settling more for comfortable attire such as a pair of blue jeans, some worn out converse, and a yellow oversized sweatshirt. My mom was talking to him when I made it down the steps, and when they heard the small patter of my shoes at the bottom they looked at me. Steve smiled.

“Hey,” he greeted.

“Hey,” I greeted back, clamping my hands in front of me.

For as long as I could remember my hands shake uncontrollably when I felt overwhelmed.

My mom walked over to her purse that sat on the couch.

“Let me give you some money, Brook,” she said, digging through her purse, “so you can buy snacks and such.”

“Oh,” Steve chimed in, “that won’t be necessary, I’ll take care of everything tonight.”

She removed her hands from her purse, “that’s very kind of you, Steve.”

“Thank you,” I said.

“You’re welcome.”

Steve and I waved goodbye to my mother as we headed out the front door. Sitting on the street, parallel parked in front of my house, was a car. I wasn’t a car person, so I couldn’t tell what type it was but I did want to show some interest just in case he was into cars. Guys were like that right? Wanting to show off their toys whether it was a car, music collection, etc.

“Silly question,” I stated as he opened the passenger door for me, “but what kind of car is this?”

“It’s a 1983 BMW,” he answered, “nice isn’t she?”

It was a really nice car, much nicer than anything I’ve ever seen.

“It really is,” I assured.

Once the two of us were inside the car, Steve put the key in the ignition and started her up. The soft humming purr coming from the engine brought the car to life; Steve reached his hand over and put the car in drive. The drive up there was relaxing, Steve asked me about school and I asked him about the things he was doing since he’d been out of school. I wasn’t sure how, but the conversation quickly turned to me asking about his parents and him telling me. They were your typical busy parents who worked all the time, Steve was a second thought to them barely even calling to check on him while they were away on alone vacations or business trips. When they were home, Steve tried to avoid the place as often as possible, only going home to sleep but being out of there before his parents even woke up. Sometimes he’d be there but his parents wouldn’t be. He tried to pretend it didn’t bother him but judging by the way his calloused hands gripped the steering wheel causing his knuckles to turn white.

“I’m sorry,” I apologized, “I can’t imagine what it’s like but if you ever need anything, I’m always here.”

“Thank you, Brooklyn,” he said, his hands relaxing.

“You can call me Brook.”

The drive thru movie theater was surprisingly packed when Steve and I arrived. Fortunately he was able to find a parking spot after paying who I assumed was the manager of the area. At our parking spot, Steve rolled his windows down just a bit, enough to let the cool area through so neither of us felt suffocated.

“I’ll go get snacks,” Steve informed, “you can wait here if you’d like. Or you can come with.”

“Sure,” I smiled, “I’ll give you a hand, it’s the least I can do.”

Shoving his keys in his pocket, the two of us left the car and headed over to the concession stands that were serving tons of different foods, most of them greasy and salty. Steve and I got into line, which thankfully wasn’t too long. I skimmed the menu; there was popcorn, bubbly sodas, nachos, a wide variety of candies, hot dogs, and surprisingly burgers. Steve looked at me.

“You can get whatever you’d like,” he said, “my treat. We can even share some nachos if you’d like.”

“That actually sounds nice. We can share some popcorn too.”

He agreed. When it was our turn to order, Steve did all of it for me which I liked. Elliot never ordered for me or offered to do so, hell, I wasn’t even sure if he knew what I liked. In the end, we got a large popcorn, a good amount of nachos fixed with gooey, warm cheese, chili, sour cream, and a side of jalapenos in case one of us was into it, and two drinks, both of them just plain coke. I carried the drinks while he carried the food items.

“What movie are they playing?” I questioned, realizing I hadn’t the faintest clue of what we were viewing tonight.

“The Goonies,” he said, “it’s a classic, honestly.”

Throughout most of the movie, we remained quiet pretty entertained by the storyline. This was a movie I hadn’t seen before and I mentally added it to my favorite movies. Half way through and Steve seemed chatty which I didn’t mind. Talking to Steve was like reading a good book that you never got tired of or any other euphoric thing that caused endorphins to be released.

“How long have you known Dustin for?” He inquired.

“Not for long,” I muttered, “only when he and his friends started going to high school, otherwise I didn’t know who they were. But we created such a bond, it was almost an instant connection, like a little brother I never knew I wanted until I had it.”

“I felt the same way when I met the kid,” Steve chuckled, shoving a small handful of cold popcorn in his mouth, “guess he just has that ability to make friends with pretty much anyone if he puts his mind to it.”

“You might be right.”

“Do you have any other friends in school?”

“Not really,” I started playing with the hem of my beige cardigan, “before Dustin I guess I spent a lot of time with Elliot and his friends, though they weren’t really my friends.”

I kept my eyes complacent on the task at hand but I could feel Steve staring at me so I continued.

“They never really seemed to enjoy my company very much. They either ignored my presence or picked on me because of how smart I was. I’m inexperienced in pretty much any normal thing known to man; drinking, drugs, sex. Naturally, Elliot decided that he didn’t want some girl who hadn’t even had her first kiss yet so he moved on and his friends started picking up the bullying. I’m just thankful that Dustin is kind and welcoming.”

“They still bother you?”

“Well we’ve only been broken up for a little while, so the bullying is still ongoing and I expect it to last for months until they grow bored.”

“Well they’re a bunch of dicks,” he muttered, “so what if you’re a bit inexperienced in normal activities? You seem great.”

I laughed a little, however, I was sure it came out more of a scoff than anything else.

“Honestly, I think I’m pretty whiny and a bit of a crybaby. I mean when I finally met you, I was a crying mess.”

“Hey, sometimes people just need a good cry. Plus it wasn’t that bad, you’re kind of cute when you cry. Your nose gets a little red and your cheeks turn a bit pink.”

A small burn spread across my cheek as I started blushing. I didn’t remember the last time someone called me cute, but I tried to hide how it made me all flustered. He didn’t make it easy though, ducking his head ever so slightly to get a glance at my shamefully embarrassed face. There was a plastered grin on his face as he realized how his words got to me.

“How old are you anyway?” Steve questioned, taking another handful of popcorn.

“Sixteen,” I replied.

“You’re kind of small for your age,” he tapped his chin.

“I get that a lot. Some people say it’s cute, others say it’s weird. It’ll be great for when I’m in my thirties but probably a hassle when trying to buy anything that requires an ID.”

The two of you shared a heart filled laugh that bounced off every single surface of Steve’s BMW. I picked up my drink and took a small sip to clear my throat. I figured since we were asking questions that it would be okay for me to ask questions too.

“What was it like dating Nancy Wheeler?” I asked.

The question seemed to catch him off guard but he answered anyway.

“It was nice at first,” he was honest, “and I thought we’d last for a long time because I really did like her but she thought everything, especially our relationship, was nothing more than bullshit.”

My eyebrows knitted together confused. From what I’d heard, Nancy was head over heels in love with Steve so what made her change her mind.

“Next thing I know,” he huffed, “she’s with Jonathan Byers.”

Now it was his turn to look away solemnly as he relived the awful events of his break up. I wanted to make him feel better, like he’d been doing with me.

“Well, if it makes you feel any better,” I muttered, smiling sweetly, “she’s crazy for breaking up with you. You’re kind, selfless.”

“I wasn’t always like this.”

“Maybe but if she broke up with you before even giving you a chance to change, then that’s on her.”

“I did defend her when Byers was caught taking photos of her from outside my bedroom window while she was undressing.”

My eyes widened.

“And she chose him over you?”

Steve nodded, his eyes reflecting disbelief as well, “crazy, I know.”

Again, we laughed. It was nice to try and laugh about all of the unfortunate things going on in both our lives. I never thought I’d connect with someone else after what happened between Elliot and I, even if it was in a friendly manner rather than a romantic one, but it was nice and endearing to laugh rather than cry.

Eventually the movie was over, we’d missed the second half of the film because we were too busy talking. He mentioned introducing me to his coworker and friend, Robin, and even the other kids that he hung out with alongside Dustin. It sounded like a great opportunity to make a few friends for myself.

As the credits rolled on the reflected screen, people started to pull out of their spots and head home or wherever they needed to be tonight. On the tiny clock sitting on Steve’s dash, the time read that it was fifteen minutes past eight. The movie didn’t seem that long, really, but I guess I didn’t take into account how long it took for the two of us to leave my house, park, and gather snacks as the movie began.

Reaching over, Steve shoved his key back into the ignition and started the car up; a quiet rumble abruptly brought the engine to life. Steve then rolled up the windows and let the heater kick in, it was much colder than I realized. I brought my petite hands up to the heater and let them warm up. The entire way home, we listened to the steady rhythm of the radio playing a song that reminded me of a slow dance song. Maybe I could remember it when I got home and see if my mom knew it; it might make her happy to relive some of her best moments when she was younger and filled with a different type of happiness she had before being a mother.

Steve pulled up beside my house and turned to me.

“I can walk you to the front door, if you’d like,” he offered.

“That would be nice,” I hummed.

The two of us got out of the car and headed towards my house. Our shoes prodded the sidewalk with each step, the light echoes of our steps filling the comfortable silence. At the door, Steve turned to me and handed me a slip of paper. There was a number scribbled on it in black ink.

“My number,” he said, “call it when you get inside and leave a message so I know which number belongs to you. Maybe we can hang out again.”

“I’d like that.”

Telling me goodnight and waving goodbye, Steve headed back to his car. And he didn’t drive away until I was safely inside. I could see his headlights burst through the windows and curtains of my living room before they were completely gone. And because I enjoyed spending the night with Steve Harrington, I did as he said and called his number, leaving a message for him to hear when he got home.

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allfandomxreader · 2 years ago

Text

Back to You | 4

Pairings: Steve Harrington x Fem!Reader

Summary: Eight months ago, you swore you would never step foot in Hawkins again. When Robin begs for you to come home for spring break, you find yourself agreeing despite better judgment. You’ve missed everyone, you could endure one more week in Hawkins if that means you can see your friends again.

Words: 12.9k

Part: 4/9

Warnings: Language, alluded depression and anxiety, Billy, pls let me know if I missed any

A/N: ALMOST 30 PAGES LATER AND SHE’S FINALLY DONE. Thank you for bearing with me as I write this, I know I take forever to post. Feedback is always appreciated and adored <3

Series Masterlist // Main Masterlist

By the end of summer 1985, everything had fallen into place. The grass was greener, the birds sang louder, and even the sun seemed to shine brighter. You couldn’t help but smile to yourself as you drove through the winding backroads toward the Harrington residence. You were happy. You couldn’t remember the last time you felt so at ease, giddy even. You thought that feeling had been lost forever.

You felt guilty, of course. The constant reminder of the Mind Flayer’s destruction was everywhere. It was in the morning news, articles in the paper, and the fresh mounds in the graveyard. Your wounds from Starcourt had only just started to heal and the hole in your chest from the loss of Hopper and Heather hadn’t disappeared, not that it ever would. It felt wrong to be so happy as you watched your small town begin to rebuild. You started avoiding the main roads entirely, still unable to face the aftermath fully. The memories of Starcourt were still fresh in your mind.

You wanted to make the most of your last summer before adulthood. You worked at the community pool for extra cash and would visit Steve on break or after your shift ended. You bonded with Robin over scoops of ice cream and teasing Steve, making your own subcategories on her whiteboard. And once Dustin returned from camp you had to make sure he got home and was fed on the nights Claudia worked late. You had been there to help decipher the Russian code with your group of misfit friends, laughing and joking, blissfully unaware of what would transpire in the following days. You didn’t think it’d lead to getting trapped in an elevator and tortured beneath the floorboards of Steve’s summer job. You thought that your future and dreams would die along with you in the underground fortress. Selfishly, you didn’t want to die a hero, you didn’t want to die at all.

Unwillingly, you made peace with death between four concrete walls, back pressed against the love of your life. You didn’t think you’d get the chance to see him one last time or give a proper goodbye. The universe always seemed to put you and Steve together when the world was falling apart, and for that, you’d forever be grateful.

Life had a different plan for you that night. You escaped in a drug-induced daze and told Robin the truth about everything, starting with Will’s disappearance, on cold bathroom tile. You and Steve both knew that the night’s events were tied to the Upside Down, you just weren’t sure how. You should’ve known sooner, the mall was built entirely too fast and there was no way Hawkins, a town of barely ten thousand people, could afford a three-story shopping center. It was the perfect headquarters after the lab had been shut down and it would have gone undetected if your group of five hadn’t screwed up their agenda. Even so, you weren’t prepared to see the Mind Flayer in the flesh, mere yards ahead of you. The screams, the horror in Robin’s eyes, and Steve, beaten and bloody, still haunted your dreams. That night, you swore off fireworks for the rest of your life.

You turned the radio up louder to drown out your thoughts. You had come so far and had gotten so close to where you wanted to be. You only had two weeks left in your hometown, then you’d be miles away settling into your new apartment while starting fall classes. The taste of freedom was hot on your tongue. You couldn’t risk dwelling in the past any longer. You survived. You had something to live for again, a childhood dream you could finally make into reality. You were going to move so far away that the monsters and Russians couldn’t find you. There, you’d be able to create a life full of love and meaning. You planned to reinvent yourself, to become a person you were proud to be. You were so ready to finally be at peace, to leave the years of torment and pain behind you and trade it for normalcy.

Steve’s car was the only one parked in his family’s driveway. His parents extended their vacation in Hawaii for another two weeks. They promised to be there to send the two of you off with a housewarming gift, but you weren’t holding your breath. It pained your heart for Steve’s sake, they had a knack for putting anything they could before their son. When he relayed the news, he said it’d be better for them to not be there at all. You knew he’d be disappointed if they weren’t, even if he’d never admit that out loud. He reminded you repeatedly that it didn’t faze him, that he’d become accustomed to their absence since he was twelve. You never pushed the topic, but you saw how sadness consumed him whenever he spoke of his parents.

You practically skipped to the front steps once your car was in park. You let yourself in with the spare key and threw your purse to the ground, not bothering to hang it on your designated hook. “Steve?” You called, but there was no answer. You heard the faintest sound of music from upstairs and your footsteps followed. “Steve?” You said and knocked on his bedroom door before you let yourself in. “Hey, I was calling for you.” You said softly as you entered. He sat hunched over his desk, head in his hands.

“Oh, sorry, I didn’t even hear.” He shook his head as if he was in a daze. He didn’t stand from his seat to greet you the way he normally did, he didn’t smile, he didn’t even look at you. You took steps toward him and wrapped your arms around his bare shoulders. You could smell his shampoo and aftershave as you buried your head into the crook of his neck. He leaned into your touch and pressed his lips to your arm. Your skin was still warm and kissed by the sun despite quitting your job three weeks back.

“I have good news,” you whispered. You pulled away momentarily and let a crisp envelope fall into his view. “I got a letter from our apartment complex. We finally got our placement. We’re on the fourth floor, hopefully we have a decent view.” You chuckled. You felt his muscles tense at your words. You stand fully and take back the envelope, shoving it into the back pocket of your denim shorts. “I could write them back and see if there’s another one available or we could try to switch when we get there if it doesn’t get there before move-in day.” You scrambled to find a solution to an unknown problem. You knew how stressful moving could be on top of having no support from his family. You would do anything to make him happy, to make sure he knew that you were in his corner.

He reached toward the radio and powered it off with a sigh. “It’s not that, I’m sure it’s great.” He finally stood and raked a hand through his hair.

“Then what is it?” You asked, eyes following his movement as he paced the room. Only then did you notice the cleanliness of it all. His basketball trophies were still displayed proudly on his shelf, his clothes hung neatly in his closet, and his were knickknacks in their rightful spot on his dresser. Everything was untouched. “Why haven’t you started packing yet?” He ignored your question, frozen in the middle of his room, eyes trained ahead on his plaid wallpaper. A knot formed in your stomach at his silence. “Steve?”

“I’m not going.” He said finally. It felt as though time ceased to exist altogether. Your body wilted at his words. You grabbed ahold of his chair just to keep yourself from collapsing.

“What?” You sputtered. All the air in your body seemed to escape at once, you felt like you couldn’t breathe. It was like the walls were closing in and getting closer by the moment until you were suffocating.

“I said I’m not—”

“I heard you the first time.” You screwed your eyes shut and threw a hand into the air to halt his sentence. “What do you mean you’re not going?” You asked and finally willed yourself to look him in the eye.

“I just—I can’t go,” he shook his head. “I’m sorry.”

“You don’t get that,” you snapped, “you can’t just stand there and give me some vague, bullshit answer. We’ve been talking about this for months and now two weeks before we’re supposed to leave, you’re suddenly not going? Your name’s on the goddamn lease, Steve!” Your heart and thoughts raced; anger quickly pulsed through your veins.

“After everything that’s happened, I can’t just leave my friends—our friends. Or my parents, which I know you don’t understand because they’re a piece of shit but—”

“No, stop talking.” You shook your head unable to let him continue. “You asked to come, Steve. I knew it was unfair to expect you to drop and leave everything behind for me. I said that from the very beginning, so don’t make this my fault.” Your lip started to tremble, and tears burned at the brim of your eyes, but you refused to let them fall. “I gave so many outs, so many opportunities to change your mind or walk away and each time you said no. That you loved me, that you wanted to follow me anywhere.”

“That’s what I thought I wanted.” He sighed. He looked defeated, like he didn’t have the energy to even put up a fight.

“So, what, this entire time you just thought you wanted to be with me?”

“No, that’s not what I meant at all.” He shook his head. “Everything just started getting real and you were so excited I didn’t want to ruin anything for you.”

“Yeah, well,” you scoffed rolling your eyes, “mission accomplished.”

“I’ve been thinking about it for a while, and—listen. I mean we signed a lease a few days after graduation, and then the whole world went to shit so maybe we just need to take a second and figure some shit out before we move thousands of miles away.” He rambled. You could only laugh.

“What is there to figure out, Steve? I’ve talked about leaving since I was ten years old, ten!” You barked. “This has always been my plan, you knew for years that I wasn’t staying after high school, stop acting like you were blindsided and didn’t have a choice!” Your chest heaved as you screamed. “Was I supposed to just give up my scholarship too because the Upside Down came back? Because we had to be heroes again? Our lives can’t just be put on hold because of this fucking town.”

“I don’t know,” he said softly. The two of you stood in silence taking each other in. You crossed your arms over your chest as if they could hold you together. You could feel pieces of your heart breaking as you looked at him.

“How long have you known?” You asked but you didn’t know if you wanted the answer.

“What?”

“You said you’ve been thinking about it for a while,” you said softly, “how long have you known you weren’t coming?”

“Jesus, I don’t know,” he pinched the bridge of his nose, “a few weeks maybe.”

“I few weeks,” you repeated, shaking your head. You looked out the window trying to look anywhere but at him. “Is that why I paid your portion of the deposit? Because you didn’t know if you’d be going?” You look back at him again, pleading for him to give a different answer than what you already knew. He opened his mouth to speak but no words could come. “You fucking asshole.” You seethed.

“Maybe it’s not too late to get a roommate or find another place.” He offered as an attempt to clean up the mess he created.

“Yeah, I’ll post flyers all over the city. Roommate wanted but we have to share a bed!” You press your palms to your forehead. You were spiraling into panic. You couldn’t share a one-bedroom apartment with a stranger, not anyone besides Steve. The likelihood of breaking your lease was non-existent. You only had enough money saved for two months' rent, with Steve out of the picture, that was down to one. You couldn’t afford to pay for twelve months upfront.

“Y/N, I—” He took a step forward and reached out a hand.

“Don’t.” You warned, stopping him in his tracks. “How could you do this to me?” Your tears fell then, you didn’t try to stop them, you had no energy left. When he said nothing, you stepped past him and out of his room. He didn’t try to stop you.

You drove through the town in a rage. You screamed and cried as you navigated the turns and stop signs by muscle memory and blurry vision. You spotted a familiar car as you neared the school’s parking lot. Without thinking, you pulled beside it, threw open the entrance doors, and marched through halls you never thought you’d be in again.

“Can we talk?” You choked out. Ms. Kelley looked up from her desk in surprise, the papers she was holding fluttered out of her hands as she took you in. She rushed to greet you and gently guided you to take a seat without uttering a word.

You had been dodging her since junior year. Your teachers had notified her of your poor grades and attitude change before Christmas break. You couldn’t be honest about your life outside of the school grounds, that you and three other students had to protect a group of middle schoolers from a Demogorgon, or how you knew a girl with superpowers. So, you lied and promised to be better the following semester. You often wondered if Nancy, Johnathon, and Steve were ever pulled into her office, but you never had the chance to figure that out.

Even then, you couldn’t be honest, not about everything. But you could talk to her about Steve, and you did. You told her about his sudden abandonment and how you were stuck with an apartment you couldn’t afford on your own. She listened for well over an hour and spoke only when necessary. Then, she wrote a letter of recommendation and printed them out by the dozens. She told you where to look for jobs and how to find them in newspaper ads. She even scribbled down a list of publishing companies that could review your stories to print.

Only after your tears had dried and you could speak without gasping for air did she let you leave her office. She stood from her chair and walked with you toward the school’s exit. She hugged you by the door and wished you good luck before she sent you on your way. She watched you walk back to your car and only disappeared when you started the engine.

As you drove home the world lost all its color. The grass was no longer greener, the birds stopped singing, and the sun dimmed before your eyes. Everything that was in place was laid scattered around you. You didn’t think you’d be able to pick up the pieces. Steve Harrington, your best friend, ruined everything in a matter of moments, in less than five words.

The memories of eight months ago come rushing back as you sit in Ms. Kelley’s office. It looks the same as it did the day you left it. Her desk is still tidy, the plants are healthy and watered, and the books on her shelf remain untouched. A heavy silence fills the air, one none of you know how to break.

Dustin leans against Ms. Kelley’s desk unable to look anywhere but the floor. Steve looks out the window tapping his foot as he scours for any sign of Nancy and Robin. You and Max sit beside each other, she hasn’t let go of your hand. She’s barely said a word since you pulled her from the floor.

You watch the clock tick slowly, something you did every time you were forced into the room. If you tried hard enough, you’re sure you could hear Ms. Kelley’s voice nagging at you to look at her, to talk. Back then, this was your escape. The seconds would turn into minutes, minutes into an hour, and your time with her was up. You used the time to come up with a lie believable enough for her to not question.

Now, you use it to focus on your breathing. You think back to eight months ago, sitting in the same chair, pouring your heart out to someone forced to listen about Steve Harrington. It causes bile to rise in your throat. You can’t even look at him, convinced that if you do, you’ll vomit all over the rug.

Suddenly, the doors of the school are thrown open. You can hear the heels of Nancy’s shoes clicking against the tile and the squeaks of Robin’s sneakers as they run toward you. “Finally,” Steve mumbles. Max stands and you follow her lead before everyone crowds by the door.

“We came as fast as we could,” Nancy says gasping for air as she reaches you. “What happened?” All eyes turn to Max.

“I saw a grandfather clock,” she whispers, eyes trained on her shoes. “It was coming out of the wall down there.” She explains vaguely gesturing outside of the room. The five of you share a glance, not quite understanding her confession.

“Do you think you can show us?” You ask softly. She nods and pushes her way through the doorway. Everyone walks in silence behind Max, your footsteps echoing throughout the halls. Each of you directs flashlights toward the wall and down the corridor. A chill runs down your spine as you approach the spot. You aren’t sure what you’ll see, you don’t know if what Max saw was real or imaginary, or what will be waiting there for you when you get there.

Five beams of light are pointed at the end of the hallway, there’s nothing there, a dead end. All of you look at Max, not daring to say a word as she takes in the scene. “It was here, right here.” She says, unable to look away from the cement wall.

“A grandfather clock?” Nancy is the first to break the silence. Max nods at her question, an answer she couldn’t form with words.

“It was so real. And then, when I got closer, suddenly I just…” She trails off, “I woke up.” You gulp, remembering the way she jerked back to reality only minutes ago as if she was waking from a nightmare. The way her eyes were full of terror, how she clung to you as if she were to let go, she too would disappear.

“It was like she was in a trance or something.” Dustin describes, filling in the holes for Nancy and Robin. “Exactly what Eddie said happened to Chrissy.” Everyone’s silent for a beat, taking in the new information. Of course, you heard what Eddie had said yesterday, that’s the kind of information someone would remember forever. You hadn’t connected it to what Max experienced. You aren’t sure if that’s because there have been too many things fighting for your attention or if you just didn’t want to believe that Max is somehow connected to Vecna.

Max spins to the group, squinting through the light. She takes a shaky breath before speaking. “That’s not even the bad part.” When her eyes meet yours, your heart shatters, you don’t know how much worse any of this could get. Max nods her head back toward Ms. Kelley’s office and beckons the group to follow.

“What do you think it is?” Steve whispers to you once Max is out of earshot.

“At this point, it could be anything.” You shrug. You aren’t allowing your thoughts to run wild, to think the worst. It could be something with a simple solution, something solvable. “Let’s just not worry until we have to.” when you look at him, you already see the panic spreading through his eyes. You try your hardest to look calm for Steve’s sake. Even though he doesn’t deserve it after everything he’s done, for some unknown reason you’re still trying to protect him, to be the one to hold the both of you together. You especially couldn’t afford to fall apart, not in front of him or the two kids that look up to you.

“Okay, not until we have to.” He nods in agreement. He holds the door open for you as you return to the office. You don’t bother thanking him as you step through and follow Dustin to stand in front of Max. She waits patiently as everyone enters, silently scanning the two files that lay before her.

“Fred and Chrissy, they both came to Ms. Kelley for help.” She slides the papers toward the five of you. You glance at the words still unable to find a connection, so you wait for Max to continue. “Uh, they were both having headaches, bad headaches that just wouldn't go away. And then,” she takes a breath, “then the nightmares. Trouble sleeping. They’d wake up in a cold sweat. And then they started seeing things.” Your stomach dropped then. You know the time to worry is quickly approaching. “Bad things, from their past. And these visions they just—they kept on getting worse and worse until eventually—” She sucks in a breath, quickly blinking away tears. “Everything ended.”

“Vecna’s curse,” Robin says, finally looking away from the pages and to Max.

“Chrissy’s headaches started a week ago. Fred, six days ago. I’ve been having them for five days.” Steve’s hand wipes his chin, covering his lips in thought at her revelation. You have to tear your eyes away from her to keep yourself together. “I don’t know how long I have. All I know is that for Fred and Chrissy, they both died less than 24 hours after their first vision. And I just saw that goddamn clock, so.” She lets her tears fall freely now. “Looks like I’m gonna die tomorrow.” She finishes.

Nobody has the chance to get a word in before the school doors are wrenched open. Your body jolts as goosebumps spread across your arms. Everyone’s heads whip toward the sound frozen in their spots. Steve glances behind him, eyes lingering on yours as he begins to move.

“Stay here.” He walks back toward the door and yanks a lamp from its socket. He moves his hands around the metal getting familiar with the object in case it needs to be used as a weapon. He passes through the door on quiet feet, careful not to give away your hiding place to the intruder.

“Come on,” you say, nodding after Steve. Four pairs of shoes shuffle behind you and back into the hallway. You half expected Steve to turn around and roll his eyes, annoyed that none of you listened to his command, but he never does. His shoulders are tense as he moves down the hall. He clutches the lamp so tight you can see the whites of his knuckles. Your eyes flutter closed for a split second, a silent plea for there not to be a fight coming your way. You squeeze your flashlight tighter just in case. Steve winds the lamp as if it were a baseball bat as you hear footsteps come closer.

The corridor turns into chaos as everyone begins to yell once Lucas rounds the corner. Steve shakes the lamp ready to swing as he screams at Lucas. Lucas screams, startled by the sight of you, and holds his arms out in defense.

“It’s me!” He yells, gasping for air.

“Lucas?” Nancy pipes, stepping closer to the two boys.

“It’s me.” He says again. His hands fall to his knees as he doubles over trying to catch his breath.

“Jesus, what is wrong with you, Sinclair?” Steve’s panic is evident by the way he screams at the young boy.

“I’m sorry,” Lucas says.

“I could’ve taken you out with this lamp!” Steve yells. He shakes the lamp again sending the sound of clanking metal throughout the hall.

“Sorry guys,” Lucas sighs clutching his stomach. “I was,” he breathes, “I was biking for eight miles.” He holds a finger in the air to your group. “Give me one second, shit.” The six of you share a glance at Lucas’ urgency. “We’ve got a code red.” He says to no one in particular.

“What?” Steve snaps. Lucas ignores Steve and hobbles past him, directing his attention to Dustin. “Dustin, I’ve been with Jason, Patrick, and Andy, and they’ve gone totally off the rails. They’re trying to capture Eddie, and they think you know where he is.” Dustin’s face scrunches in confusion the faster Lucas speaks. “You’re in terrible danger.”

“Alright,” Dustin sighs, “yeah, that definitely sucks, but we’ve got bigger problems than Jason right now.” Dustin turns to look at Max and Lucas’ eyes are quick to follow. She can’t bring herself to look at him, at anyone.

“Look, as much as you need to get caught up, we should probably get going.” Nancy begins. “You all can just stay at my house, and we’ll come up with a plan. Sound good?” Nancy looks at each of you as everyone nods in agreement, nobody puts up a fight against her suggestion.

Your group, which now consists of seven, trails back to Nancy and Steve’s parked cars. You take a step toward Nancy’s before Max pulls on your arm. “Please don’t leave me.” She begs, just loud enough for you to hear. You nod at her request and pull open Steve’s door for her to slide in.

“Yeah no, not a chance, Henderson.” Steve barks as Dustin reaches for the passenger-side handle. “Back seat.” Steve orders as Dustin rolls his eyes.

“You’re serious right now?” Dustin asks, refusing to move.

“Deadly,” Steve says with his jaw set firm. With an eye roll, Dustin obliges and gets into the back muttering swearwords to himself.

“Do you mind?” Lucas asks shyly glancing between you and Steve and then at Max.

“You okay with that?” You ask Max, waiting for her approval.

“Yeah, whatever.” She grumbles before Lucas makes his way in. Before you even shut the door you can hear Dustin’s voice filling in Lucas on everything he’s missed. You almost ram into Steve when you turn, not realizing he hasn’t gotten into his own car yet. Your heart quickens at his proximity. You can smell his shampoo and aftershave, the scent that was once comforting now makes you nauseous. He smells the same as he did the last time you spoke.

“Is it time to worry yet?” He questions. His eyes scan your features, worry already taking hold of him.

“Yeah, I’d say so.” Is all you can say.

Nancy’s house is just as warm and inviting as you remember it to be. You walk in behind her making sure to wipe your feet as you enter. Faint sounds from the living room tv can be heard where you stand, waiting for the others to pile inside. The aromas from their leftover dinner waft toward you as you move further away from the doorway to make room. Everything about this feels like home, the warmth, the late-night show, the smells. You once had this, a place that felt like a home rather than a building. You don’t remember when that changed, it happened so suddenly. Standing here, amid hushed voices and bright light, you’re envious of Nancy, a feeling that’s been foreign to you since her and Steve’s breakup.

“Nancy?” Mrs. Wheeler calls from the kitchen before she appears. She looks startled when her eyes land on the seven of you, which you can’t blame her for. “Oh, hi, welcome!” She cheers, the look of surprise vanishing just as fast as it came.

“Hi, Mrs. Wheeler.” You all say quietly.

“They’re all staying here tonight,” Nancy says, earning her mother’s full attention. “Feels safer to all be together with everything that’s going on.” She explains. Karen’s lips stretch into a grin.

“I think that’s a lovely idea. Are any of you hungry? I’m sure we have enough leftovers for everyone.” She looks over everyone’s faces as you shake your heads, her eyes lingering on you and Steve for a moment too long.

“We’ve had a long day. I think we’re just ready to crash.” Nancy says, taking her mother’s attention off you. Karen nods before walking toward a coat closet, pulling out blankets to hand to everyone.

“There’s extra downstairs in case you get too cold.” She says as she passes one to you.

“Thank you, Mrs. Wheeler.” You say, with a shyness creeping into your voice. You feel exposed when she looks at you. You’ve never slept over at Nancy’s house, the interactions within her home were strictly for The Party. You can only imagine what Karen’s thinking as she looks between Nancy, Steve, and you. Anyone would say it’s a strange trio to see.

Downstairs, you step away from the group that’s seated on the couch and chairs and to the phone. You punch in your mother’s number and twirl the cord between your fingertips waiting for her to answer.

“Hello?” Her voice sounds groggy through the line.

“Hi, mom, sorry it’s late.” You say, preparing to hear her complaints about the time.

“It’s okay, where are you?” You can hear her yawn despite her trying to hide it.

“The Wheelers, everyone’s staying here tonight.”

“Who’s everyone?” She asks trying to pry. You look at Steve. You know the real question she’s asking.

“Everyone I always hang out with, I don’t know.”

“Is Steve there?” She practically sings.

“Like I said, everyone’s here.” Steve catches your eye from where he sits and offers a small smile. You look away, ignoring him completely. “Anyway, I was just calling to tell you where I was. We just feel safer being together after the murders.”

“Better chance of survival,” she agrees making you chuckle. “Well, be safe. And don’t forget about your mom, I miss you. I want to see you at least one day while I have you back.” She sighs. “And say hi to Steve for me!”

“Yeah, I won’t be doing that. But I will promise to be safe, and I’ll see you soon.” After the two of you bid your farewells, you hang the phone back onto its rightful place on the wall. You walk back to the seating area. There isn’t much room with Dustin and Robin seated in the two chairs and Steve, Lucas, and Max together on the couch. Steve scoots toward the center, giving you just enough room to squeeze in. You ignore the gesture, finding a spot on the floor next to Robin’s feet instead.

“We’ve come up with nothing.” Nancy sighs. “For now, at least. I really think our best option is to go to Pennhurst tomorrow and talk to Victor.”

“And do what in the meantime? We can’t just sit here. Max is in real danger and we’re already running out of time.” Lucas’ voice grows louder with every word he speaks.

“Then we do our research,” Nancy concludes, “Robin and I brought back every article we could find about Victor and his family. There has to be something in there that’s a lead.” She gestures toward the papers laid out on the coffee table. Lucas rubs his hands over his face in frustration. “We’re going to figure this out, I promise.” Nancy looks at Max with sincerity in her eyes. “But for now, we need rest. Try to get some sleep, all of you.” She demands as she spins on her heel and disappears up the stairs.

The rest of you disperse to find your respective blanket pallets and pillows on the floor. Max stretches out on the couch, eyes finding the ceiling. She’s biting her lip and messing with her fingers anxiously as you approach. “Brought you an extra blanket.” You offer, holding it out for her to take.

“Thanks,” she whispers, taking the fabric from your grasp. “Will you sleep next to me tonight?” Her voice is so quiet you almost didn’t catch the phrase.

“Of course, whatever you need.” You say with a soft smile. You retrieve your belongings and settle between the couch and coffee table, pulling the blanket to your chin. You bury your head deep into the pillow, wishing for sleep to come.

After a few minutes, you can hear snores escaping from Dustin and Lucas. Robin’s come shortly after. You sigh, unable to join them in their slumber. You don’t feel the slightest bit tired, your mind drowning in thoughts about the curse and Max, Eddie who probably needs food by now, and Steve, whom you can’t get away from. Finally, you think of yourself.

You didn’t tell anyone that you talked to Ms. Kelly all those months ago. Now, part of you wished you told Max, maybe it would've helped. To know that at one point you needed help and sought after the school counselor. Even so, you’re relieved she didn’t see your file, you don’t want to explain the reasoning behind your visit, to admit that Steve Harrington was more detrimental than the Upside Down.

Your therapist back home knew all about Steve and the alternate dimension. Owens flew out a psychiatrist as soon as he heard about your departure, he even covered the bills. He knew you wouldn’t be able to afford it on your own. He knew that trauma would follow you anywhere, that it wouldn’t be contained within the city limits of Hawkins. Dr. Abrams kept you sane while you were away. She taught you how to cope and talk yourself through panic attacks, the meds she prescribed helped with that too. You wish you listened to her last week when she advised you not to come home. You know he set up doctors here too, everyone was assigned to one. You wonder if Steve ever went and if he spoke about you the way you did him.

You sat up only when Max’s breathing started to slow. Darkness smothers you as you look around the room. It’s almost peaceful looking at your group of friends, all of them lost in dreams. You wish everyone was together under different circumstances.

“Can’t sleep either?” Steve asks from across the room. Even though he’s whispering, it still sounds too loud. You shake your head when you look at him. A small smile tugs at his lips as he jerks his head. “Come on.” Both of you quietly stand, stepping over bodies as you make your way to the stairwell.

Neither of you speaks after you sit, you’re not sure how to even start a conversation with him anymore. It feels comfortable though, there’s no awkwardness or tension. You don’t yank your legs away when your knees touch. It feels almost like it used to. You’d be lying if you said you don’t miss this.

“What’s going on in that head of yours?” He asks softly, bumping his shoulder against yours.

“This whole thing is just so scary,” you say, “I mean headaches, past trauma, nightmares? We all have that. Any one of us could be next. And how do we know if that’s just what we’re used to or this Vecna guy?” Steve listens intently as you ramble. “If something happens to any of those kids or Nancy and Robin, or—” you stop yourself before his name tumbles into the air. “We’ve just lost so many people. I can’t bear to lose any more.”

“I know, but we’ll figure it out. We always do.” He tries his best to smile but it’s not convincing. “Are you still having nightmares?” he asks softly like he doesn’t want to know the answer.

“They come and go. None recently, I guess that’s comforting.” you shrug. You don’t tell him that he dies in every single one. “And you? Do you still get them?”

“Sometimes, they’re not nearly as bad as they used to be.” You remember those nights. Occasionally, you’d get a call in the early hours of the morning from him, begging you to come over so he wouldn’t be alone. On the evenings you stayed, he’d wake up screaming, thrashing the air. He would sweat, tremble, yell, and cry. And you would hold him until the monsters of his nightmares were at bay.

“That’s good,” you whisper, looking away.

“Is there something else bothering you? I mean besides like, everything happening and…” He trails off, “and me?”

“It’s not just all of that.” You sigh, shaking your head. “The only connection that Fred and Chrissy have to one another is Ms. Kelley.” Steve nods his head urging you to continue. “My file’s in there too.” His face crumbles when you look at him, he flinches as if he’s about to reach out for you, to wrap you in his arms like he would’ve done eight months ago. He doesn’t move any further, his hands are pressed firmly on his thighs. You’re not sure if you’re disappointed or not. “So, I could be next, or I don’t know,” your words trail off, unable to let yourself continue, you don’t know what else is left to say. “Anyways, can we talk about something else, please?” You both look away from one another, allowing an awkward silence to settle.

“I’ve read all your writings.” He admits with a bashful smile.

“You read my stories?” You couldn’t hide your surprise. Part of you is embarrassed. You had never expected Steve to read anything you got published, he doesn’t even read. You poured your heart out into each page. You wrote things you never wanted him to see. You told your emotions, telling the raw and honest version of what happened.

“Yeah, of course, I have them all cut out in a little scrapbook thingy.” You can’t help but laugh. “I thought you wrote my character a little pretentious though.” He shrugs with a goofy grin.

“I did not write about you Steve, get over yourself.”

“Uh, yes you did,” he scoffs, “Sam Hemmington?”

“Okay, so maybe I might have embellished a little bit.” You giggle.

“Seriously though, I liked how you wrote the characters. I could tell who everyone was even if their names were changed. You captured everyone’s personality so spot on.”

“Thanks,” you smile.

“And your stories about us? You wrote them like we were magic.” His eyes twinkle when he looks at you like he’s still in awe.

“We were, to me at least.” You shrug. “All fairytales must have an end though.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right.” He sighs.

“I’m sorry, I should’ve called and asked if it was okay before it got published. It was your life too.”

“It’s okay, I would’ve said yes.” He says with a smile. “It would’ve been nice to hear from you though.” You stay silent, unable to think of a response. “I’ve really missed you. I know that’s probably the last thing you wanna hear from me, but it feels good to have you back.” His words cause heat to spread throughout your body in anger. As if it were your fault for not keeping in touch.

“I’m not staying so don’t get used to it.” You snap.

“I know, I know.” He raises his hands in defense. “I’m really proud of you, I’m glad it’s all worked out.” There’s a beat of awkward silence, one you don’t know how to fill. You’re afraid that if you do, it’ll start another fight. “How’s the apartment? Does it have a nice view?” you scoff at his question. “What?”

“You are unbelievable,” you say rolling your eyes.

“Y/N, I know I hurt you—”

“You didn’t just hurt me, Steve. You ruined me. And then you never called or sent me letters after everything happened. Don’t tell me that you missed me and you’re happy I’m here because it’s bullshit.” Steve gulps, you almost feel guilty for using the word but you’re too angry to care. “And you definitely don’t get to ask about the view of my home that you trapped me in.” You stand from the step, ready to abandon him without another word. “You fucked me over and never said sorry. You know, I had to work three jobs just to be able to survive. My mom took a different job so she could send me money, so I’d be able to eat. I almost lost my scholarship and could’ve been put on academic probation because I never had time to study because I worked so much. So don’t sit there and say that you’re proud of me and you’re happy it all worked out because it’s your fault it almost didn’t.”

Hot tears pool in your eyes as you turn away and vanish into the darkness before Steve can see. You retrace your steps back to your corner of solitude and quietly lay down, careful not to wake Max. You’re exhausted, from more than just the long day. You’re tired of saving the world, of being sad, of the limbo that is you and Steve Harrington. You feel like an acrobat, teetering between remembrance and forgiveness while everyone else watches you suffer along the tightrope from below. You wonder if he feels the same, if he hurts just as much as you do.

The following morning you sit in the chair across from Lucas and Dustin, flipping through magazines and newspaper clippings. You stifle a yawn as you toss an article back onto the coffee table, only to replace it with another. Nancy and Robin left a few hours ago, mumbling something about going to the school’s newspaper room. It sounded like the beginning of a plan, which is better than what the four of you have come up with so far.

Steve groans from across the room. “Okay, be honest, uh,” he squints as if that’d help him understand the page. “You guys understand any of this?”

“No,” Lucas sighs, mimicking Steve’s expression.

“Pretty straightforward.” Dustin quips, gaining your attention.

“Oh, straightforward, really?” Steve’s voice drips with sarcasm and he blankly stares at the young boy.

“Well, what’s confusing to you?” Dustin asks, leaning forward. “So far, everyone Vecna has cursed has died, except for this old Victor Creel dude Nancy found. He’s the only known survivor. If anyone knows how to beat this curse, it’s him.”

“Yeah, that’s assuming he was cursed, Henderson, which we don’t even know,” Steve says looking back down at the papers in his hands. “How can Vecna have existed in the ‘50s? It doesn’t make sense.”

“As far as we know, Eleven didn’t create the Upside Down. She opened a gate to it. The Upside Down has probably been around for thousands of years –millions. I wouldn’t be surprised if it predated the dinosaurs.”

“I don’t know about that,” you mumble.

“Dinosaurs? What are we—” Steve shakes his head, brows furrowed.

“Okay, okay, but if a gate didn’t exist in the ‘50s, how did Vecna get through?” Lucas asks no one in particular.

“Oh, and how’s he getting through now.” Steve points at Dustin who rolls his eyes.

“And why now?” Lucas continues.

“And why then? Just pops out in the ‘50s, kills one family, and then he’s like, ‘eh, I’m good.’ And poof, he just disappears. Just gone? Only to return 30 years later and start killing some random teens? No, I don’t buy it.” Steve rambles. “Straightforward my ass. You know, honestly, Henderson, a little humility every now and then, it wouldn’t hurt you.”

“Sorry.” Dustin sighs. Steve plops into the chair beside you, the annoyance hasn’t left his features. Dustin’s eyes go distant, trained somewhere behind you and you follow his gaze. Max still sits hunched over the desk. She’s been scribbling since you awoke this morning. You decided it was best not to bother her.

“Any idea what she’s writing?” Dustin asks. Steve turns his head at the question. “Did she sleep?”

“I mean, would you?” Lucas asks.

The door opens from the top of the stairs. You stand, listening to Nancy’s boots click all the way to the bottom step until she comes into view. “Okay so,” she pants, waiting for Robin to stand beside her. “We have a plan.” They both smirk as they join the rest of you in the seating area. Nancy hands Steve two brown files and he passes one to you.

“Thanks to Nancy’s newspaper minions we are now rockstar psychology students at the University of Notre Dame,” Robin explains as you flip through the paperwork.

“I’m now Ruth,” Nancy says.

“And I’m Rose.” Robin finishes.

“Ruth?” Steve raises his eyebrows toward Nancy, she only smiles in response.

“Rose?” You look at Robin who shrugs as you pass the file on. Nancy must’ve been in charge of the name picking, you know that wouldn’t be Robin’s first choice.

“Nice GPA,” Dustin nods in approval when he looks up of from the faux documents.

“Thanks,” Nancy grins. “So, we called the Pennhurst Asylum, told them we’d like to speak with Victor Creel for a thesis we’re co-writing on paranoid schizophrenics—”

“To which they said no.” Robin interrupts.

“But we landed a three o’clock with the director.” Nancy continues.

“Now all we have to do is charm him and convince him to let us talk to Victor,” Robin explains.

“And then maybe we can rid Max of this curse.” Nancy finds Max in the back corner of the basement, her back still turned, hands still scribbling. Sadness ghosts her face as she takes in the scene.

“Yeah, uh, about that.” Steve begins. “We’ve been doing our Victor Creel homework, and uh, we got some questions.”

“Lots of questions.” Lucas agrees.

“So do we. Hopefully, Victor has the answers.” Nancy says.

“Wait, wait, wait a second,” Steve looks at you then. The two of you haven’t spoken since last night. He looks away quickly, directing his attention back to Robin and Nancy. “Uh, where’s ours?” Nancy cringes slightly at Steve’s question, you already know he won’t like the answer.

“You guys are staying with the kids.” She says coming to a stand and moving toward the stairs.

“No, absolutely not.” Steve raises his voice, quick to follow her lead. You glance at Robin momentarily before the two of you trail behind them.

“I don’t know what to tell you, Steve, there isn’t a file for you. You have to stay here.” Nancy says in the foyer, starting to climb the second set of steps.

“This is unbelievable,” Steve complains, “Nancy, you’re outta your mind if you think I’m babysitting again.” He says following her into her room.

“Okay, first of all, they’re not babies anymore. And Max is in real danger, she needs people around her.” Nancy snaps.

“I know. But why does it always have to be me?” Steve says. You roll your eyes as you follow Robin into the room. Typical Steve, only thinking about himself, the world is only ever against him. “I mean us.” He tries to correct but it’s already too late.

“Oh my god, you have a Tom Cruise poster,” Robin exclaims, racing toward the wall. “You have a Tom Cruise poster.” She taunts, smirking at Nancy.

“That’s old –it’s just,” Nancy defends shuffling through clothes hangers. “Can you please not touch anything?” Robin only smirks.

“I just can’t do anything here, Nance.” Your skin crawls hearing her nickname on his tongue. “Maybe I can be helpful with this asylum director dude. I don’t know. I could turn on my—my charm.” He snaps his fingers together.

“Please,” you scoff, rolling your eyes. You kick Robin’s shoe, warning her not to keep rummaging through Nancy’s things.

“Not the kind of charm we need,” Nancy responds, trying her hardest to soften the blow.

“Ouch.” Steve says, pointing at the two of you.

“No, I just,” Nancy begins, struggling to find her words. “Look, I did a little digging last night, and it turns out this Dr. Hatch is a distinguished fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and a Harvard visiting scholar, okay? This is a lifelong student of the world. And if we’re gonna win him over, we’re gonna have to convince him that we are too. That like him, we are true academic scholars.” She finishes, reaching back for hangers.

“Holy shit there’s a little ballerina in here.” Robin giggles showing the jewelry box to the room.

“Academic scholar,” Steve purses his lips as he looks at his best friend, face riddled with judgment. “She’s giving you an academic scholar vibe? Yeah.” Robin rolls her eyes at his words, flipping the box shut.

“No, but,” Nancy begins, pulling a pink blouse from her wardrobe. “She will.”

“Jesus Christ,” you chuckle, taking in the frills and pearl buttons. “Yeah, I’m good staying here.”

“Oh, please, tell me you’re joking.” Robin groans, dread creeping into her features as she looks at the attire. Nancy forces a smile as she holds out the hanger which Robin reluctantly takes.

You and Steve turn to excuse yourself from the room and return to the basement. The tension between the two of you is thick as you descend the steps. “Look, about last night,” Steve begins, pausing on the staircase.

“We don’t need to talk about it.” You cut him off, attempting to smile but he sees right through forced niceties. You aren’t ready to have another heart-to-heart with him, not after how your last conversation ended, not in Nancy Wheeler’s house, not with other pressing matters.

“Y/N?” You hear your name from behind. Both you and Steve turn to Nancy. “Could I steal you for a sec?” She asks cautiously. You nod, pushing yourself against the rail for Steve to pass, ignoring his gaze as he disappears to the basement.

“What happened last night?” She whispers, taking steps towards you.

“Nothing,” you shake your head. “What’s up?”

“Right,” she smiles, regaining her composure. “I just wanted to say that I wanted you to come with me today. But as soon as I even said the idea, Robin was adamant that she went with.”

“Sounds like her,” you smile.

“And the more I thought about it the more it made sense for you to stay with Max because she clearly feels safest around you and—”

“Hey, it’s okay. I really don’t mind. I’m happy to babysit.” You laugh, mocking Steve from moments ago.

“One more thing,” she whispers, suddenly serious, grabbing ahold of your wrist and pulling you close. “If anything goes south, I keep guns in my closet. They’re in the white shoe box. A Makarov and a revolver.”

“Okay, yeah, got it.” You give a curt nod as she lets you go. “A Makarov?” You raise your brows. You knew about the revolver. A few months after Will returned, Mike told you she still slept with it under her pillow.

“Stole it from the Russians,” she shrugs with a smirk.

“Of course, you did.” You laugh.

“Nancy, I can’t breathe in this thing!” Robin screams from Nancy’s room. Nancy’s eyelids flutter closed as she sucks in a breath.

“Good luck with that.” You offer a salute before making it back to the basement.

An hour has passed, and you still haven’t found a solid lead. Your mind had become scrambled thirty minutes ago with the same repetitive information. The entirety of Hawkins has been convinced for decades that Victor’s guilty. The town was in an uproar that he was sent to a mental hospital rather than the state prison, claiming he fabricated his story as an easy way out.

You flick through the photos from the day they brought him to Pennhurst. Mobs of people swarmed the police car, holding signs protesting his sentencing. “Victor Creel: The real demon” and the names of his family were painted on the crowd’s posters. You could see his fear, frozen in time as he was swarmed by strangers and taken inside in handcuffs.

“I can’t look at these anymore.” You whisper, throwing the pictures back to the table and wiping your eyes to rid the memory.

“You okay?” Dustin whispers beside you, placing his own article down.

“Yeah, fine.” You nod but you don’t think he’s convinced. Guilt festers in your stomach when your eyes reach Max. It doesn’t feel right for anyone to be checking on you, you aren’t sure if anyone’s even checked on her yet. Nobody knows what to say or how to act around her. Everyone’s been walking on eggshells.

“I know you guys are staring at me.” She says finally. It’s the first time she’s spoken since yesterday.

“What, sorry?” Steve says, throwing the ball you gave him earlier when you grew tired of his pacing. “Just hanging out.”

“You said you needed something?” Lucas’ voice changes pitch, something that always happened when he needed to lie. He reaches for a magazine and holds it centered between the two of you.

“How you guys think your eyes boring into the back of my head is protecting me from Vecna, I don’t know.” She huffs. You hear shuffling as she collects the pages she’s been working on before making her way to the group.

“Look,” you nudge Lucas. You point to an ad, pretending to be fixated. Lucas nods as if it’s interesting. The four of you refuse to look up when she comes to a stop. You can practically feel her eyes roll. She sees right through your acting.

“You can look at me now.”

“Thank you,” Dustin says.

“Sorry.” You all mumble in unison.

“For you,” she sighs, holding out an envelope for Dustin to take, shaking it harder when he doesn’t reach for it. “For you,” Steve takes his with a sad smile, “and uh, for you two.” She can’t bring herself to look at either you or Lucas. “Oh, and um, give this to Mike, El, and Will. If you can ever get ahold of them.” She says handing three more letters to Lucas. You trace your fingertips over her penmanship as Steve and Dustin begin to open theirs. “What are you doing? No, don’t. That’s not for now. Don’t open it now.”

“Oh, okay.” Dustin shrugs. “I’m sorry, what is this?”

“It’s um,” she says, finding her shoes more interesting that the four pairs of eyes on her. “It’s a fail-safe. For after. You know, if things –if they don’t work out.” The envelope nearly slips from your hands at her words. Over the past eight months, you’ve received countless letters from Max. Most of them were all filled with nonsense and old stories you remembered while writing, but they were your favorite. They’d come like clockwork every Tuesday. You don’t want this to be the last one, you won’t let it be.

“Wait, whoa, Max,” Lucas begins. Everyone shifts uncomfortably on the couch. “Things are gonna work out—”

“No! No, I don’t need you to reassure me right now and tell me that it’s all gonna work out because people have been telling me that my entire life and it’s almost never true.” She pauses. “It’s never true. I mean, of course this asshole curses me. I should’ve seen that one coming.” She takes a breath, leaving the four of you to look at each other as she reaches for Dustin’s walkie. “If we go to East Hawkins, will this still reach Pennhurst?”

“Of course,” Dustin nods.

“Wait, why are we talking about East Hawkins?” Steve asks. Max looks at you as if asking permission to leave. You nod, already moving to stand as the boys look at Steve to answer. “No. No. No!” The two of you ignore Steve, already making your way to his car. “Y/N, Ma—wait!” He calls after the two of you, racing up the stairs. “Max, Max. Seriously, I’m not joking, okay? We’re not driving you anywhere.” He says following the two of you out of the garage.

“Speak for yourself, Steve. I’ll take her.” You bite back.

“Steve, if you think that I’m going to spend what is likely the last day of my life in the armpit that is Mike Wheeler's basement, then you’re out of your mind. So, either take me where I need to go, or you’re going to have to tie me down, which is technically kidnapping of a minor. And if I live to see another day, Steve, I swear to God, I will prosecute.” She snaps trying to yank the car door open. “Open the door.” She demands.

“Uh, no,” he rolls his eyes.

“I know a good lawyer.”

“Just give me the keys and stay here.” You hold out your hand towards him.

“I’ve about had it with you, Y/N!” He yells, directing his attention toward you. “All you have done is argue and go against everything I’ve said. I know you hate me and want to do anything you can to defy me, but all I have ever done is try to keep these kids safe, you can’t deny that. So let me do what I do best and keep them safe.” He seethes.

“Oh, for fucks sake Steve,” you roll your eyes. “Cut the bullshit, all you have done the last two days is try to get away from them. Don’t act like their hero now.” You gesture to the three young kids. Dustin’s face falls as he looks between you and Steve. “I know this may come as a shock, but not everything is about you or us. This is about Max, who is no safer here than in East Hawkins. I want to believe like everyone else that we’ll figure this out, I really, really do, but we might not be that lucky this time.” Your voice catches in your throat as you look at her. “We have nothing right now, we have no leads, no idea how to break this curse so this might be it. This could be her very last day so God forbid I will bend over backwards to make sure she gets what she wants.” The three of them stand in silence, sadness in their eyes when they look at you. Everyone was thinking it, you just had to be the one to say it out loud. “If you want to stay, then stay. Just let us go.” You beg softly, offering a reassuring smile to Max.

“Okay,” Steve sighs, “Okay, come on get in the car.”

“Thank you,” you mouth, reluctantly walking to the passenger side.

“Henderson, that super walkie of yours better reach Pennhurst,” Steve says, slamming the door shut and starting the engine.

The entire drive is silent as he navigates the turns to her home. Dustin sits between Max and Lucas picking at his thumbs, a frown tugging on his lips. You regret what you said about Steve and the kids, especially in front of Dustin. You know how much Dustin idolizes him, you never wanted to taint the image of Steve for his sake. You wish Steve recognized that more, you wish he didn’t take that for granted.

Lucas turns his letter over in his hands, sighing as he glances her way. You know how much he has to say, what he wants to say, but can’t bring himself to. Max stares at the trees as they pass with distant eyes, you wish you could do more to help.

“Alright this better be fast, Mayfield.” Steve says putting the car in park.

“Twenty seconds,” she assures, before jogging inside. Steve turns to Dustin, nodding toward the walkie in his hands.

“That thing’s got batteries in it, right?” he asks.

“I’m not even answering that question.” Dustin says, shaking his head. The two stare at each other for a moment before Steve rolls his eyes and faces forward. “Yes, it has batteries.”

“Yeah, I got it.” Steve raises his hand slightly to silence the teen. You groan at their bickering, pushing your door open and slamming it shut. You lean against the metal taking in your surroundings. The trailer park is quiet, too quiet for your liking even though you haven’t spent much time here. Max always preferred your house to her own. You left shortly after she moved, you only picked her up here a handful of times here, but there had always been noise. Children played on the small playground, neighbors would have barbeques, and people would walk their dogs. Now, it’s deserted. The news of the murders has made everyone shut themselves behind locked doors.

You look at Eddie’s trailer. You know it’s only a matter of time before his name is released to the public, you’re relieved the neighbors haven’t made assumptions. His van has been missing and the tire tracks that rip through the earth don’t paint the prettiest of pictures for him. Eddie’s the kid parents warn their children about, he’s the troublemaker, the druggie who doesn’t have a future. Even so, nobody believes he’s capable of murder, not yet at least.

You shudder thinking how different this place will look if the news breaks. You can picture it now, swarms of people, smashed windows, broken caution tape blowing in the wind, and “MURDERER” spraypainted across the side of his home in red. You’re determined to clear his name before it gets to that point.

“She’s been in there awhile,” Dustin murmurs, pulling you away from your thoughts.

“She’s fine, just give her a second,” Lucas warns, squinting his eyes to see through the curtains. He drums his fingers against Steve’s car, anxiously waiting for her return.

Max rounds the side of her trailer, yanking her backpack strap tighter on her shoulder. She crosses the yard with hast, panting by the time she reaches the rest of you.

“Hey, that was longer than twenty seconds.” Steve gripes. “Hey, whoa, whoa, whoa. You alright?” Steve asks as she opens the car door.

“I’m fine, just drive.” She snaps.

“Max?” You ask, but she’s too busy throwing herself inside.

“Did something happen?” Dustin tries.

“Can we please just go?” She begs. Your door isn’t even fully shut before Steve peels out of her driveway and back onto the main road.

Max points out directions taking you further and further away from the heart of Hawkins. You and Steve glance at the kids every few seconds. There still hasn’t been any news from Robin and Nancy. Over the years, the squawking and the static from the kids’ radios slowly drove you insane. Now, you’d give anything to hear it cut through the silence. You bounce your leg, unable to contain your nerves any longer.

Steve’s head turns slightly, your movement gaining his attention before his eyes go back to the road. He lifts his hand from the steering wheel, moving towards you out of habit. He’d always reach for you the moment you got antsy. His touch calmed you, it gave you a sense of safety when the world was falling apart. You watch him carefully, holding your breath as his hand moves closer. He halts, abruptly shifting his hand away from you and to the rearview, fiddling with it until he seems satisfied. You look away, pretending not to notice.

“Turn here.” Max instructs.

“Here?” Dustin asks, to which she only nods. Steve doesn’t ask questions as he turns into the cemetery.

Billy Hargrove’s funeral was one week after Starcourt. You were planning on skipping it entirely. You hated Billy from the moment he stepped into town. You didn’t understand the obsession everyone had with him. Every guy wanted to be him, and every girl wanted to sleep with him. He was the town’s shiny new toy. He made your skin crawl any time he looked your way.

You never had a real conversation with Billy, which you were thankful for. His taunting Steve on the basketball court extended to you by association, he only ever referred to you as “Steve’s Girl” in the hallways despite everyone reminding him that you and Steve were only friends. You weren’t sure if he even knew your name. You think he only did it to get under Steve’s skin more.

The night at the Byers made Billy keep his distance. Even last summer, when you were forced to work shifts together at the pool, he couldn’t look you in the eye. When you’d pass each other by the lifeguard tower or at the concession stand, he’d keep his head down. After what he said to Lucas and after what he did to Steve, Billy knew better than to speak to you.

The day of his memorial was a blur, much like everything else was during those two weeks. You remember bringing flowers for Susan and Max to show your condolences the morning of the service. Max had called you to come, her mother was too deep in mourning to get herself ready, let alone her daughter.

It was the only time you’ve ever stepped foot into the Hargrove-Mayfield residence. The house was heavy as Max led you down the hall and to her bedroom. You braided her hair and pinned a broach your mother lent you to the top of her dress. It was the worst you had ever seen her. Max’s eyes were void of any emotion and she talked robotically only when spoken to. She shrunk into a shell and all you could do was watch and hold her hand as Billy was lowered beneath the ground.

Lucas scrambles to let himself out of the car to run after her. You can vaguely hear their voices over the rumbling of Steve’s engine. Lucas pleads with Max as she tries to push him away. You look out the window and to the trees, it felt like an intimate moment none of you should witness.

“What are we even doing here?” Dustin asks from the back, looking at the graveyard.

“She’s saying goodbye.” You say quietly.

“Why? She didn’t even like him.” Dustin scrunches his nose in disgust.

“He was her brother,” Steve shrugs.

“Stepbrother,” you correct.

“Right, I’m just saying he did sacrifice himself to save her, maybe she feels like she owes him.”

“That’s the funny thing about grief. No matter how much you hate someone, it doesn’t mean that a little part of you doesn’t love them.” You say with a sigh. You ignore Steve when he looks at you.

Dustin joins Lucas outside once he makes it back to the vehicle. Steve reaches for the keys and shoves them into his pocket but never opens his door to leave. “How do we know when to call it?” You ask.

“I don’t know,” he admits, looking at his watch. “Get her in ten minutes and go back to Nancy’s?”

“Yeah, that sounds good to me.” You nod, rubbing your hands on your jeans. “Talk about something,” you blurt, “To pass the time.” You want to avoid silence, you can’t take any more quiet.

“If it was your last day on Earth, what would you do?”

“Seriously?” you glance from him to Max who sits on her knees in the distance.

“Sorry, I panicked.” He cringes at his own words. You think about your apartment across state lines, your school, the library you always study in, and the bar where you meet your friends.

“It’s funny,” you chuckle, gaining his attention. “I’ve spent my entire life wanting to leave this place, and I’m so, so happy I did.” You look at Dustin, he wears a goofy grin as he talks to Lucas, no doubt trying to distract his best friend. Even though he’s becoming a man, he’s still the same little boy you’ve looked after your entire life. You look at Lucas, whose eyes are stern as he stares ahead at the girl he still loves. His face holds the same intensity you’ve seen time and time again while he’s protecting his friends. You look at Max, remembering the days when her smile lit up the room she was in. You think of Robin and the way she can talk until your ears bleed, but her voice still sounds like music. You think of Nance and the new friendship blooming between you.

You think of Will, the boy you went to hell and back for, and you’d do it again without a second thought. You think of El and how when she laughs for too long all she can do is snort. And Mike, who hugged you every time you entered a room until he was thirteen years old. You think about your mom, the woman who at the very least, was there when it mattered. You think about Hawkins, you think about your home.

“If it were truly my last day, I’d want to spend it here.” You admit finally. “I’d hug my mom. I’d hang out with everyone one last time,” you gesture vaguely to the kids outside Steve’s window. “All my favorite people.”

“Everyone?” he repeats, “Does that mean I’d be invited?”

Steve Harrington. The little boy who walked you home from the bus stop on your first day of kindergarten. The boy who held your hand all the way to the nurse’s office when you fell off the monkey bars in the first grade. The kid you spent your summers catching fireflies and making mudpies with. Your best friend who stole your Goldfish and told you the tooth fairy wasn’t real. The one who ditched you at a Halloween party and you still loved him anyway. Steve, who for some reason the universe always seemed to pair you with with the world was falling apart, maybe that’s why he made you believe soulmates were real and that he was made for you. The boy who you kissed so often you remember the taste of his lips eight months later. You think of the man in front of you, the one you didn’t think you could live life without.

“Yeah, Steve. You’d be invited. I wouldn’t want to leave without saying goodbye. Not again.” You whisper. You tear your eyes away from him and back to Max. “How long’s it been?” you ask, clearing your throat.

“Uh,” he shakes his head as if he were coming back to reality. “Seven minutes.” You nod. Dustin taps on the glass ushering Steve to roll his window down.

“You two okay in there?” He asks, a mischievous grin stretching across his face.

“Yeah, how are you two holding up out there?” You lean over the console to get a better look at Lucas.

“She’s just sitting there,” Lucas mumbles.

“Give her a few more minutes, she’ll come back when she’s ready.” You try to sound reassuring. You share a look with Steve when another minute passes.

“So, are you guys like, friends again?” Dustin looks between the two of you.

“No,” you shake your head quickly. Dustin tries to hide his disappointment, but he’s never had a good poker face.

“Well, you guys are giving me whiplash.” He grumbles.

“I know, I’m sorry. I know this isn’t fair to you, we’re not trying to put you guys in the middle.” You say.

“God, it’s like my parents are getting divorced all over again.” He teases.

“Shut up, Henderson,” you roll your eyes, watching Steve’s fingers tap the side of his car.

“Alright, it’s been long enough.” Steve grumbles looking at his watch.

“How long now?” You ask, already unbuckling your seatbelt.

“Twelve minutes.”

“Yeah, call it.” You and Steve both throw open your doors and hop out of the car.

“Guys, just give her some time.” Lucas pleads.

“We have, alright Sinclair?” Steve snaps, marching through the grass. “We’re calling it. She wants to get a lawyer, she can.” You walk ahead of Steve quickly, avoiding tombstones with ease. “Max!” Steve calls for her from behind you.

“Time to head out kiddo,” you say coming to a pause beside her.

“Time to giddy up, yeah?” You look back at Steve, brows furrowed at his choice of words. He only shrugs in response.

“Oh my God, Steve.” You say in a panic, dropping to your knees.

“Max?” She sits frozen, eyes rolled to the back of her head. “Max,” Steve shakes her shoulder. She twitches her head but doesn’t wake up. “Max!”

“Oh my God, Max!” You scream. Dustin and Lucas come running, kneeling down beside Max.

“Holy shit,” Dustin’s eyes are wide as he takes her in.

“Max, you gotta get outta there! Can you hear me?” Lucas yells.

“Call Nancy and Robin!” Steve screams, grabbing ahold of Dustin’s jacket. “Go get ‘em! Call Nancy and Robin! Go!” Steve points toward the car, begging Dustin to move. Dustin scoots back kicking mud up with his shoes. He falls to the ground with a thud before racing back down the hill.

“Please, Max!” Lucas screams.

“Nancy? Robin? Do you copy? This is a code red. Do you copy?” you can hear Dustin’s screams from over your own.

“Max, honey, please you gotta wake up. Please, wake up.” You shake her shoulders harder. Your heart races, you can hear it drumming in your ears. This is it, you think. After all the years of torture, the years of suffering, and loss, this is finally it. The monsters, Vecna, the Upside Down, they’ve won. You thought it’d be like last summer and the winter before that, you all would win like you always did. You should’ve learned a long time ago that there’s no such thing as winning, not in this life at least.

“Guys!” Dustin screams, sliding back to his spot and spilling cassette tapes onto the ground.

“What is this?” Lucas yells.

“What’s her favorite song?” Dustin asks.

“Why?” Lucas demands.

“Robin said if she listens –it’s too much to explain right now. What’s her favorite song?”

“I-I-I don’t know!” Lucas screams.

“Kate! Kate Bush, ‘Running Up That Hill’!” You shout, sifting through the tapes through blurry vision. She played that song on repeat any time she was in your car. For her birthday, you burned her a mixtape with nothing else on it. She said it was the best gift she’d ever received.

“Which one?” Steve groans, throwing around the music.

“It’s right here! Got it!” Lucas fumbles with the plastic in his hand, pulling open the case and handing the cassette to Dustin.

“Give it to me.” Dustin shoves it into the player and places the headphones over her ears. “Now!” Lucas presses play and waits for something to happen. She remains still, twitching slightly when the music begins to play.

Slowly, she lifts from the ground. Her legs are limp as she floats upwards. All of you fall back, jaws dropping as your eyes follow her into the air. “Max!” You scream until your throat grows hoarse. The three of you stand in a circle beneath your friend.

You sob as you look at her dangling. Max Mayfield, the bravest girl you know. The girl who doesn’t need anyone and demands her independence be respected. The girl who has more skateboarding scars than skin on her body, the girl you took under your wing, who writes you letters every week and apologizes if she misses even one. The girl who likes peanut butter ice cream with chocolate syrup. The girl who you love like a sister, the girl you should’ve protected. The girl you never got to tell that you look up to her.

All at once, she begins to fall. “Steve, catch her!” you scream, but she’s coming down too fast.

“Max!” You all shout, rushing to her aid when she hits the ground. She screams, kicking up grass and mud as she moves across the hill. Lucas wraps his arms around her shoulders pulling her close. She balls his jacket into her fist as she holds onto him, gasping for hair.

“It’s okay,” he coos. “I thought we lost you.” He sobs. Steve puts his hands on Lucas’ shoulders, offering support in any way he could.

“I’m still, I’m still here.” She gasps. You aren’t sure if she’s comforting herself or everyone else. You wipe away your tears before she can see them, grabbing onto her ankle gently just to be sure she’s still here, that it isn’t a dream. “I’m still here,” she repeats, nodding to you when you meet her eyes.

The five of you huddle close as the sun goes down, crying, panting, and clinging to one another as if your life depends on it. You hold Dustin close to you, you can feel where his tears land on your shoulder through your sweater. When you look up, Steve’s already watching you.

“Are you okay?” he mouths. With tears in your eyes, you nod, reaching across the circle to hold his hand. He squeezes yours the moment they touch.

You don’t know why the universe always puts you and Steve together when the world is falling apart. You aren’t sure if that’s a sign from something above or if the two of you just have shit luck. Whatever the reason may be, you’ll be forever grateful. There’s no one else you’d rather be paired with.

Forever tags: @superfrankie111 // @rueinn // @lemonadeorange73 // @simplechicwithacrazedheart // @youshutthefuckupville // @captainpeggy40 // @alexdamereysmith // @llatpdnmm // @dummiesshort // @quaksonhehe

Steve Tags: @empathetic-vibrations // @loulouloueh // @soulmatecashton

Back to You Tags: @p-rspective // @gloryekaterina // @boomitsallie1 // @sundarksposts // @themyththelegendthenerd // @gengen64 // @frostandflamesfanfic // @m-rae23

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cerise-angel · 6 months ago

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+18 boyfriend!steve x fem!reader

steve's eyes follow every movement of your body, the soft bouncing of your boobs, and the way your mouth parts in a moan. its a little too much, and he closes his eyes, his fingers digging in the flesh of your hips, his own hips meeting yours halfway in a desperate attempt to finally reach his high. he is almost almost there, and he knows you are too. you bounce on top of him with more speed, less precision and he's gone. or almost. before the pure bliss of a shared orgasm can crash on you two, your legs give up, hurting too much to keep riding your boyfriend. steve's eyes shot open, a little mean, about to fuck up against you, until he sees the look in your face. ashamed and almost crying. "honey. honey what is it?" you fall out of his lap, rolling on your tummy, not being able to look him in the face. steve gets worried. "baby, baby please, whats wrong?" "did i hurt you?" "do you want to stop?" whimpering, you turn to face him, his hands cradling your face at the same moment. "my legs started to burn. cant keep up." you state, voice a little shaky. steve chuckles lightly, meanly, pulling you to lay on top of him. you kinda want to punch him. "poor baby, cant keep bouncing on my cock forever, huh?" you bite back a moan and a mean comment, since he pushed his throbbing cock inside you again. "its ok honey, i can do the work." he taunts you, hips bucking on yours. you moan and get up from his chest. "just like that baby, dont worry bout it." he sits up too, big hands pulling you against him, so your chests are pressed together. he nips at your mouth, eyes glued on yours. "let me do it for you." and you let him, hips fucking you up with purpose and speed. steve keeps kissing you. his hands squeeze your boobs, your hands grabbing his torso, his back, his shoulders. its not long before you turn into a moaning mess, and steve loves it. "cmon baby, bounce a little for me, yeah?" and you do, his hands helping you up and down at the length of his cock. steve's almost there, and so are you. "a little more cmon. wanna cum with you." he starts babbling and you speed up with him. you're getting him to cum even if your legs give up. "wanna cum with you. yes baby. just, fuck, just keep, keep up with me." when you cum with a high pitched moan, he cums right after, spjlling inside you, whimpering against your mouth. he lays dramatically back, pulling you to him. "cant keep up huh?" he says in a playful tone. "shut it harrington."

#steve harrington #joe keery #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington fic #steve harrington smut #steve harrington x you #steve harrington blurb #stranger things steve #stranger things fic #joe keery smut #totally not inspired by last night #anyways #stevie blurb

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keeryhours · 19 days ago

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zombie movies & first kisses - steve harrington

Steve Harrington x female Henderson! reader

Masterlist

Steve Harrington Masterlist

Summary:

Dustin thinks Steve and his sister would make a great couple. They’re both obsessed with each other, they just don’t know it. They just need a little push.

Just first date fluff :)

Warnings:

None, just Steve fluff, kissing, zombie movie references

Word Count: 3.3k

A/N:

Excited to get my first Steve story posted! Joe Keery holds my heart in every role. I hope you enjoy this little fluffy story! Requests are open.

—

“She does not like me.” Steve sighed, scooping the mint chocolate chip ice cream and placing it on the waffle cone. He handed the ice cream to the waiting customer with a forced smile.

“She totally does,” Dustin said with full confidence as he leaned against the counter, watching Steve work. “She has Mrs. Harrington doodled all over her notebooks. I’ve seen them in her room.”

Steve laughed. “For some reason I don’t believe you.”

“Why would I lie about that?” Dustin asked, throwing his hands in the air. “You think I haven’t snooped in her room to find all the embarrassing stuff she writes about?”

“It’s not that I doubt your level of nosiness,” Steve said, moving on to helping the next customer. “I just think you’re lying because you want me to embarrass myself by asking your sister out.”

“Oh my god,” Dustin groaned, getting frustrated with his older friend. “I am not trying to embarrass you. She likes you. You’re practically obsessed with her. You’re both obsessed with each other, really. But neither of you will make a move!”

Steve considered his words as he took another order. “You’re not messing with me? You actually think she’s into me?”

“Dude, I know she’s into you. Just ask her. She might pass out on the spot, but she’ll say yes when she wakes up.”

Steve laughed. “Okay, okay. Maybe when I’m not in this stupid uniform, though.”

Dustin asked Steve for a ride home after he and Robin got off work. Steve agreed, but took the time to change out of his Scoops Ahoy uniform and into a pair of jeans and a shirt with the first button undone before he left.

Steve’s mind was racing as he drove towards the Henderson house, his fingers drumming on the steering wheel nervously. Dustin didn’t miss it, watching his friend with a smile on his face.

When they pulled up outside of the house, Steve was relieved to see Dustin’s mom wasn’t home. She could be a little overbearing.

Steve walked with Dustin up to the front door of the house, following him inside as he let himself in.

You were lounging in the living room, dressed casually in a pair of jeans and a rainbow t shirt that clung to your body in just the right way. Steve gulped when he saw you, his heart rate picking up.

“Hey, sis,” Dustin greeted you, a big dumb grin on his face.

You looked up from the TV, a shy smile spreading across your lips as soon as you saw Steve. You worried all of a sudden that you should have picked a cuter outfit, should have done your makeup.

“Hey,” you greeted your brother. “Hi, Steve.”

Steve smiled at you, and you felt your heart flutter in your chest at the sight of it. He was just so cute, you could hardly handle being around him.

“I’m going to get started on my homework,” Dustin announced before scurrying out of the room before either of you had the chance to say anything. You briefly thought about how it was summer and he didn’t have any homework, but Dustin was always up to something weird so you just brushed it off.

Steve stood there awkwardly for a few minutes before he slowly walked closer. “Uh, how have you been?” he finally asked.

“Good,” you answered. “I’ve been working at the movie theater for the summer.”

“Oh, cool!” Steve said, and he seemed genuinely interested. “Do you, uh…like it?”

“Yeah, it’s pretty cool,” you said. It was pretty cool as far as jobs go, you got to see free movies whenever you wanted and your coworkers were fun. “How’s Scoops Ahoy?”

Steve felt embarrassed at the mere thought of you seeing him in his uniform. “Oh, it’s fine. Free ice cream, you know.”

“That does sound nice,” you said, smiling at him. “I’m glad you like it.”

“Yeah,” Steve said, smiling down at his feet. “Hey, uh, actually,” he began, his eyes moving back up to meet yours, “I wanted to ask you something?”

“What’s up?” you asked, looking at him curiously.

Steve looked nervous, which wasn’t something you had seen very much from him. “Um, I was just wondering, you know…if you’d want to go out with me this weekend?”

Your eyes went wide at his question. “Like- like a date?”

Steve smiled at that - you weren’t outright rejecting him, and you’re just so cute. “Yeah. I was thinking like a date.”

You blushed then, looking down for a minute before you met his gaze again. “Sure. Yeah, I’d love to.”

Steve’s smile grew. “Yeah? How about Friday night? At 7?”

“Sounds good,” you answered, butterflies in your stomach already.

“Well, I’ll see you then,” Steve said, the grin staying on his lips as he turned and walked back towards the front door. “Later!” he called as if both to you and Dustin, before he was out the door.

You waited a full minute after he left before you grabbed a pillow from the couch and pressed your face into it, screaming and kicking your feet.

Dustin came running into the living room.

“Did he do it???”

—

When Friday rolled around, you spent the entire day freaking out about the date. You started getting ready early in the day, starting with a shower, where you took the time to thoroughly shave, not missing a single spot. You dried your hair afterwards and spent ages styling it until it laid just right. You went with a more natural makeup look, which took a lot more time than it looks like. You finally dressed in a short brown skirt and white top.

Dustin was excited for your date with Steve, but even he was at his limit by the time you got ready. He was sick of you staring at yourself in the mirror and asking his opinion on a million different outfit combinations.

When the doorbell rang, you were still looking in the mirror, making last minute touches to your appearance. Dustin answered the door, a huge grin on his face.

Steve stood there, looking nervous and handsome. He wore a button down shirt and jeans, his hair styled perfectly. He held a bouquet of roses in his hand. Dustin just looked at him with that dopey smile on his face.

“Hey,” Steve greeted. “Is your sister ready?”

“Yeah,” Dustin answered, moving out of the way to let Steve inside. “She’s been done for at least an hour already but she won’t stop looking at herself in the mirror.”

Dustin yelled for you as he followed Steve into the living room. Your heart beat hard in your chest as you took one last look in the mirror before leaving your room.

Steve’s breath hitched in his throat when he saw you - you always had that kind of effect on him, but you looked especially beautiful tonight.

Steve told you so as you approached, and you smiled and blushed as you took the bouquet from his hand. Your fingers brushed against his as you took it, and it sent jolts of electricity through your whole body.

You brought the flowers to your nose, smelling them - they smelled lovely, fresh - before you said, “I should go get these in some water,” and scurried off to the kitchen.

Steve could hear the sound of water running moments later, and Dustin would not stop smiling at him like a crazy person. You were back before they knew it, smoothing down a piece of your hair as you walked.

“Ready to go?” Steve asked, holding out his arm for you.

You smiled as you linked your arm with his, and then the two of you were headed towards the door.

“You kids have fun! Don’t do anything too crazy!” Dustin called after you.

You rolled your eyes but laughed as you left the house. Steve smiled and shook his head, leading you towards his car parked against the road.

He opened the passenger door for you, and you smiled at him as you climbed in. You buckled your seatbelt as he walked around the front of the car, and you couldn’t help but admire just how handsome he was as he walked in front of you.

He climbed into the driver’s seat next to you, giving you a quick smile before he got himself buckled and started the car. He turned some music on, quiet enough that you could talk over it.

“So, where are we going?” you asked him as he pulled onto the road and began driving.

“I was thinking we could grab something to eat and see a movie? That is if you’re not tired of movies, working at the theater and all,” he said, suddenly second guessing his choice of a date.

“I don’t think I could ever get tired of movies,” you said, reassuring him. “I actually haven’t even seen one in a while.”

Steve smiled, your words making him feel better. “Well, good. I thought we’d see the movie first so we could talk about it over dinner.”

You smiled at the thought he’d put into this, the butterflies in your stomach going crazy. You resisted the urge to reach out and touch his hair.

The drive to the theater wasn’t long, its proximity to the house was a factor in you applying there in the first place since you didn’t have a car yet. Steve pulled into a parking spot, killing the engine and turning to you.

“We have options,” he said, before he began listing all the different movies playing.

“Day of the Dead!” you exclaimed when that option came out of his mouth. You didn’t need to hear any more. “I’ve been dying to see that one.”

Steve smiled. “Yeah? You’re into horror movies?”

“They’re my favorite,” you said, which made his smile grow wider.

“That’s cool,” he said genuinely, and then he was climbing out of the car, quickly jogging to your side to open your door before you could do it yourself. You couldn’t help but giggle at his effort. He was being so cute, a total gentleman.

“Plus I can hold you if you get scared,” he said, grin still on his lips as you took his hand and climbed out of the car. “Or you can hold me if I get scared.”

You laughed, which only made him smile bigger.

The two of you walked towards the ticket counter, and Steve bought and paid for your tickets. Your friend and coworker, Alice, was working the ticket counter, and she gave you a sly grin as she handed the tickets over.

“Have fun, you two,” she said, with an obvious double meaning to her words. You blushed, knowing there would be questions at work. Steve didn’t miss the teasing, either.

He encouraged you to pick whatever you wanted from concessions. You got a large popcorn to share, you each got a soda, and you both picked out your favorite candies. You weren’t sure if he was going to be paying, so you brought money with you, but Steve didn’t even hesitate to pay for everything himself.

Steve had the huge tub of popcorn and a million snacks balanced in his arms as you carried the two drinks to the theater. You were relieved that it wasn’t crowded, and you found two seats together towards the back that gave you privacy and had a great view of the screen.

You got settled next to each other, drinks in the cup holders and snacks distributed between you, and you realized just how close he was. His knee brushed against yours, the rough feeling of his jeans against your bare skin sending chills through your body.

The movie began, and you shared the popcorn, your hands brushing together whenever you’d reach for some at the same time. It would send a jolt through your body, and the way his eyes would dart to yours made your heart speed up.

You were loving the movie, it was just as good as you had hoped. About halfway through, Steve shifts closer to you, wrapping his arm around your shoulders. It’s the oldest trick in the book, but it makes you smile, and you shift further into his embrace, which makes him squeeze your shoulder.

You have an even better time watching the movie snuggled up against Steve’s side. You take in just how good he smells, something you had never thought about before, but of course he was perfect in every way.

By the end of the movie, your nerves had gone, comforted by the feeling of being pressed up against Steve. It felt right, like it was where you had always belonged.

“What did you think?” Steve asked as the credits rolled and the lights came back on in the theater. He gathered up the trash from your snacks.

“I loved it,” you answered honestly, standing as he did. “The special effects were so cool.”

“Definitely,” Steve agreed with you. “That part where they pulled that guy apart was crazy.”

The two of you left the theater, dropping your trash in the can on the way out. As you walked together out of the building, Steve reached down and grabbed your hand, intertwining your fingers. It surprised you, but you certainly didn’t mind, holding his hand back and smiling to yourself.

Steve opened the door for you again before he climbed in on his side. You had been chatting about the movie since it ended, both of you having enjoyed it a lot.

Steve began driving again. “What are you in the mood to eat? I had somewhere in mind, but if you want something specific, we could go anywhere…”

“I’m sure whatever you picked out is perfect,” you gripped his hand over the center console, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

He smiled back at you. He loved the way you always put him at ease, even when he was so nervous about impressing you.

Steve pulled into the parking lot of a steakhouse. Not too fancy, but not super casual either. Despite the theater snacks, you felt your stomach grumbling at the idea of getting something good to eat.

“They have all kinds of stuff here, if you’re not into steak,” Steve said quickly as he unbuckled his seatbelt.

“I’m a big fan of steak,” you laughed. You were already thinking about what you’d order.

You waited for Steve to come around this time because you knew he’d want to open your door for you. He helped you out again, and the two of you walked hand in hand into the restaurant.

The hostess greeted you both with a big smile. “Just 2?” she asked, which Steve confirmed. She led you to a booth, giving you both a menu.

“This place is nice,” you complimented as you opened up your menu, examining the many options.

“Yeah, I’ve been here with my parents a few times, it’s good,” he said, looking over his own menu before he looked at you again, smiling. “Never brought a girl here, though.”

Knowing you were the first girl he’d brought on a date here made you feel something. You didn’t consider yourself to be a jealous person, but you had been jealous when Steve dated Nancy. You didn’t love the idea of Steve with other girls, so the knowledge that this was new territory for him too made you smile.

Your waiter came by and took your drink orders. You looked over the menu for a while longer before you were satisfied you knew what you wanted.

You were in a deep discussion about the movie when the waiter came back to take your orders. You ordered a steak, of course, with fries. Steve ordered the same thing, shooting you a smirk.

“You look beautiful tonight, by the way,” Steve complimented when your plates were placed in front of you. “I think I already said that tonight, but I couldn’t tell you enough times.”

You blushed as you looked down at your food. “Thank you,” you said. “You look really handsome. I mean, you always do.”

Steve smiled bigger at that, beginning to cut up his steak. “I always do, huh?”

Your blush grew deeper. You didn’t mean to make it sound like you had been obsessed with him, even though you have.

“You always look beautiful,” he added softly.

That made your heart flutter in your chest. He had noticed you. You always thought he didn’t know you existed.

You ate together, talking about the movie, other movies you liked, how your summers had been going, all kinds of things. Steve made you laugh a lot. He was so naturally funny, and he’d really become more of himself since school ended. He didn’t care so much about being popular and impressing his friends and looking cool. He just cared about being authentic.

When dinner was over, Steve got the check before you even had a chance to see how much it was. You offered to pay half, but he shut you down quickly.

Back in the car, he drove with one hand, intertwining his free hand with yours over the center console. You sang along to music together on the way home, and you thought this may have been the best night of your life so far.

Steve pulled up outside your house, turning the car off.

“I really had an amazing time,” he said, turning to look at you. “You’re so great to spend time with.”

You smiled at him, your cheeks heating. “I had an amazing time too, Steve.”

Steve grinned at you. He placed a hand gently on your cheek, his thumb caressing the soft skin there.

“You’re the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen…” he mumbled, almost as if only to himself.

You didn’t know what to say to that. You didn’t think he could have possibly meant it, but his face and eyes show only sincerity. It makes your heart thump harder in your chest as you look into his eyes.

He leaned in, slowly, giving you ample time to push him away. You don’t, of course. You never realized how kissable his lips were until you were this close.

His lips pressed against yours, and they felt so soft. You practically melted into his kiss, your lips moving against his as you kissed him back eagerly. He led the kiss, being more experienced than you were, you gladly let him.

You could have kissed him all night, you think, but your mom was home now and she’d be coming out to check on you if you lingered in the car for too long.

Steve finally pulled away, looking at you with adoration in his eyes. His thumb traced over your lips, wet from his kisses.

“I want to see you again,” he said, his eyes finally moving from your lips back up to your eyes. “Soon.”

“I’d like that,” you said. You were surprised how weak your voice sounded, you cleared your throat.

“Are you free tomorrow?” he asked.

“Tomorrow?” you raised your eyebrows. “Uh…yeah. I’m off work tomorrow, too.”

Steve smiled. “Good. Me too. I’ll come pick you up at around 12, yeah?”

“Sounds good,” you smiled.

Steve opened your door for you one last time before he walked you to your front door. He leaned in and placed one more quick kiss to your lips. “See you tomorrow,” he said.

“See you tomorrow,” you echoed back to him, and then you let yourself into the house, giving him a little wave as he turned to walk back to his car.

You sighed as you entered the house, feeling like you’d been holding your breath all evening. You couldn’t wipe the dreamy grin off your face.

The living room lamp turning on and Dustin speaking nearly made you jump out of your skin.

“Tell me everything.”

#steve harrington #steve #stranger things #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington fluff #steve harrington imagine #steve harrington blurb #joe keery #keeryhours writes #steve harrington x you #steve harrington oneshot #steve harrington x fem!reader #steve stranger things #stranger things x reader #steve harrington x y/n #stranger things imagine

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usedtobecooler · 10 months ago

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gator tillman has you bent into a mating press, knees practically knocking your skull as he folds you in two, cock prodding you so deep with each relentless thrust you swear he’s in your damn guts.

“listen to ya, screamin’ and cryin’ for me like a good girl, eh?” gator grins from above you, the slaps of skin on skin practically drowning him out as he sinks into your tight heat over and over, “shit, m’i that good for ya, hon?”

“best fuck i ever had, daddy,” your voice cracks, pleading as the word tumbles from your mouth unexpectedly, but you’re so lost in the throes of it that you can’t find it in yourself to even feel embarrassed. you screw your eyes shut, a lump in your throat as you silently plead that he didn’t hear.

“holy— fuck, oh—“ gator’s voice is high pitched, pinched as he looks at you like he’s been wounded, thrusts shallowing as he furrows his brows momentarily, hands gripping desperately at your naked frame.

gator’s hips stutter, blunt fingernails digging into the fat of your thighs as he cums with a broken grunt. you watch in awe as his eyes roll into the back of his head, plump lips parting in a whiny moan as he rides out the last of his release.

you’d found what makes him tick. maybe before he even realised it himself, causing the unexpected reaction.

the next time, he’s prepared for what’s about to come out of your mouth, the way daddy rolls off of your tongue as he fucks you from behind, has you bent onto your elbows with your ass high in the air, face smushed into the pillow.

“that’s it, say it again,” gator groans, large, veiny hand slapping down on the meat of your ass as his hips punch forward, harder, faster, “what am i, hon? huh?”

“daddy, daddy, daddy,” you’re babbling, arching your back and keening into each rough thrust, desperate for more even as he splits you open, open, open.

gator runs his hand up the back of your skull, fingers splaying in your hair, gripping it tight to snap your head back, hard enough your neck pops with it. you’re letting out the filthiest, most disgusting noises, pleading at him with big, wet eyes.

“that’s right,” the grin is vicious, smug and satisfied, laced with sex and desire and the fiery passion in his eyes makes you fucking melt, “i’m your fuckin’ daddy.”

#gator tillman fic #gator tillman blurb #gator tillman smut #gator tillman x reader #gator tillman x you #gator tillman #my fanfic #mine #x reader #joe keery x reader #joe keery smut

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dearest-nell · 5 months ago

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here comes your man

s. harrington x f!reader, 2.1k

summary: you go to pick up your very drunk boyfriend from the bar after a well deserved night out warnings: alcohol consumption, swearing, reader uses she/her pronouns

a/n: i was half asleep when i wrote this so all i can say is my bad, and i hope my three am deleirum brings you some joy

Hey… you might wanna come pick up your Stevie-Boy. He’s a bit wrecked...

It was a phone call you had half expected, though you didn’t mind admitting that you wished it had not come at 3am on your Saturday night. Steve had been so excited for a night out with the boys – work seemed to be piling onto him more than usual, and more often than not you’d find him half asleep on the couch by 8pm, arm propped uncomfortably beneath his head and back twisting awkwardly. This night came along with the extra TLC you prescribed him this week, taking on a little extra responsibility around the house so he might relax even just for a moment. Steve was a caretaker by trade, and doing things for himself seemed to hark back to a time where he only did things for himself. It took a lot for him to rewire that belief in his brain – self care did not mean selfish, he was a good person.

You thought that the time out with his friends would remind him of that; how wonderful he was, how loved he was. He could be without responsibility for a night and simply enjoy himself. And enjoy himself he was… you hadn’t heard such an amused lilt to Eddie’s tone for a long time. You spent the drive over pondering just what kind of state your boyfriend might be in, your eyes heavy, body cooling with the iced air that blew through windows opened in an attempt to keep yourself awake. Eddie at least had sounded coherent, so you figured you would not be alone in the battle to try and haul your boyfriend into your beat up car.

Dressed for the comfort of your own home, it took one disgruntled look towards a stubborn bouncer to let you past without paying an entry fee. You wondered how often this happened – half asleep partners turning up moments before closing to take their inebriated darling home. The thought made you chuckle softly to yourself, body weaving through the stragglers of the night still dancing to a wrapping up DJ.

Eddie had told you they’d meet you by the lounges when you arrived, though Steve was nowhere to be seen as you approached your tired looking friend, his face pleased, if not a little weary.

“Where is he?” You questioned, letting Eddie lean down to wrap his arms around you tightly, his weight pressing heavier on you that you had expected under the influence of what you assumed had been many, many shots.

“At the bar. I thought he’d crashed half an hour ago, but he’s had a second wave.”

You felt the short burst of laughter bubble up, an unsurprised uh-huh leaving your lips at the notion, eyes drifting towards the thinning crowd collected for the last call. Eddie let you go with a shrug, stepping back to let you go.

“Alright, I’ll go get him. I’ll wave if I need you, ‘kay?” The nod you received was answer enough, and you set off leisurely towards your unsuspecting boyfriend.

Steve was half hunched over the bar, palm rolling an empty shot glass flatly across the sticky surface as he waited for an already busy bartender. You couldn’t see his face, but you could picture the expression with such clarity – eyes heavy, blinking slowly as they tracked blearily across the back of the bar, that sweet, contented smile plastered on his lips for no reason at all.

Following suit, you leaned yourself up against the bar beside him, elbows propping you up to rest your head in your palms.

“You getting another drink, handsome?”

Steve made a soft sort of mumbling sound, his head lulling to the side as he leaned away ever so slightly. “Mm, yeah… think so.”

You nodded, smiling at the way he swayed on his feet. “Oh, I see. You wanna have some water with me?”

Steve rubbed harshly at his face, eyes screwing shut tightly before blinking hazily at you. “No, thanks.”

His gaze turned away, his grip on the shot glass faltering for a moment, reflexes only just catching it before rolling over the edge. You reached slowly to pluck it from his hand, though he recoiled sluggishly at the contact, forcing your brow up into a curious arch.

“How about I take you home, then? Seems like they’re wrapping up.”

Steve sighed, hands running through his hair in that same familiar flustered motion you were so acquainted with. Ordinarily, Steve would have been bouncing out of his skin to see you, but right now, he seemed like he wanted to be anywhere else.

“Look, it’s nice of you to ask, but ’m taken. My girlfriend’s comin’ to get me.”

Oh, how sweet. You’d never seen Steve so far gone that he hadn’t recognised you, but now that you focused your own tired eyes, you could see that his own were barely open to begin with. Your smile widened, amusement settling over you at the sweetness of him.

“Really? You’re not even gonna look at me? Maybe I’m worth breaking the rules for.”

He scoffed at that, body straightening up as much as his addled state could allow, his feet stumbling beneath him to put another feet of distance between the two of you.

“I’m sure you are f’someone else, but ‘m not interested.” His tone was more clipped now, friendliness falling away in the hopes of deterring you. “Not another girl in the world for me but her.”

God, he was sweet, and more in love with you than you could have ever hoped for a person to be. Your heart ached, entirely overwhelmed with adoration for this man who was waiting for you.

“Well that’s very lovely.” You cooed, turning sideways to look at him, one arm dropping to your side while the other hand continued to prop your chin up, helping to hide that rosy blush that seemed to stain your cheeks. “I really think you should look at me, though, Stevie.”

You watched as the thought crossed his mind, a slow understanding that something about this interaction seemed out of place. It seemed to take another moment for reality to set in, his body turning and eyes widening comically as they came into focus.

“Honey!”

It had you in hysterics, the way his arm gave out from under him, narrowly avoiding his torso from smacking down against the bar top as he lurched towards you. Your arms extended out to catch him, meeting him halfway until his body was pressed tenderly against yours, eager hands creeping up to cup your cheeks, holding your face towards his so he might really look at you.

“You’re here!”

Your laughter rang out happily, eyes crinkled at the delight mirrored in his own.

“Yeah, baby, of course I am. Wanted to make sure you got home safe.”

If an iris could change shape, then you were certain you saw Steve’s melt into delicate hearts just at the thought of you coming out to take care of him. His thumbs ran adoring lines across your cheekbones, trembling slightly with restraint.

“S’good to me.” He mumbled, words drowning out within the still deafening music that surrounded you. “Missed you.”

You felt him slump against you ever so slightly, still conscious of weighing too heavily against you even in his inebriated state, though how he was holding himself up anymore was anyone’s guess. It was your sign to wave Eddie over, though, who without fuss looped a supporting arm around Steve’s back.

“You gonna let your girl take us home, then? I’m gonna pass out, man, I’m so wrecked.”

Steve’s brow furrowed, alarmed to have been so suddenly pulled back from you to lean on Eddie, and he reached out a hand in a needy sort of motion towards you. “I wanna dance with her before we go.”

Too sweet for his own wellbeing, you offered him a sympathetic look, slipping yourself under his other arm to help prop him up.

“We can dance at home just you and me, okay? In our pjs too — won’t that be nice. We just don’t wanna keep Eddie waiting too long; he’s all danced out.”

You watched the contemplative look cross his features, leaving him distracted enough for Eddie to start guiding the three of you towards the door without much fuss from Steve.

“Did you have fun though Ed? Really?” Steve asked, genuine concern threading through his tone as he addressed his friend who managed an affirming nod in response.

“Loads. We’ll all go out again soon, but I’ve gotta give you back to your sweetheart before she gets too jealous.”

Steve’s nod was so serious as he processed the words, entirely missing the small look of amusement shared between you and Eddie as you pulled yourselves from the establishment.

“Yeah.” He agreed, his head lulling sideways to rest on the crown of your own. “She needs me.”

It had sounded like a joke when he said it, but even you could sense the small severity behind the words, almost reassuring himself of the truth behind them. Of course you needed him.

“Yeah, she does.” You confirmed, kissing at his shoulder clumsily as you tried to focus on your steps, narrowly avoiding toppling the three of you right over uneven pavements underfoot. “I always need you, honey.”

You did not need to look at Steve to know that he was smiling — you felt it as you held him, felt it in his touch and the heat of his body carefully wrapped around yours. At least this night felt like a success in your eyes. Steve was happy, and you had done your part to make him so. He’d be awfully hungover tomorrow morning, but he’d be happy, and that was all that seemed to matter to you in the moment.

Eddie managed to hold Steve upright while you fiddled with the lock of your car door, the boy now contently distracted with regaling tales of the night to the man who had witnessed them first hand. Getting him into the car was easy enough, tucking him cautiously into the front seat, your body leaning over him to click his seatbelt into place, his hand lifting to rub at your lower back in thanks.

“You’re the best, y’know, baby? The real best. The best best.”

You paused to smile at him, head shaking in amusement before brushing your lips against his cheek, relishing in the way his hand gripped excitedly at you for the briefest of moments. “I could say the same about you, y’know.”

“Nuh uh.”

A groan sounded from outside the car, drawn out and exasperated beyond compare. “Jesus H Christ, I’m begging for someone to take me home. It’s so fucking late, guys.”

You pulled back with a laugh to witness Eddie’s petulance, your hand coming out to gesture to the back seat. “Then get in the car, dingus, and I’ll take you home.”

“Yeah, what she said!” Steve slurred from the front seat, the battle against his weariness now long lost, eyes closed and head resting heavily against its back, unable to hold itself up any longer.

Eddie clambered into the back with a half assed eye roll, splaying out across the work back seat until he, too, was one with the upholstery. “You guys aren’t gonna be gross and sayin’ i love you’s all the way home, are you?”

Steve’s eyes widened in horror. “Oh shit, I haven’t said I love you yet!”

The charming little frown that spread across his face was enough to melt you in your entirety, your hand reaching out to brush his check with affection, his nose nuzzling sweetly into the cup of your palm. “I’m not worried about it; I know you do.”

“Yeah, but I do love you. I was thinkin’ it the whole time, thinkin’ you’re so pretty n’ all. So pretty that I couldn't remember to say it.”

Eddie just huffed again in the back seat, his complaints overtly ignored despite the growing expletives.

“I love you too, Stevie. How about we get Eds home and get you some water, then we can be as sweet as we wanna be.”

Steve’s lips pressed into your palm, his kiss unhurried and uncoordinated as the alcohol hindered his usual grace, a mumbled m’kay tickling your skin as he spoke.

You looked up into the rearview mirror, dropping your hand to Steve’s knee for the boy to hold, keeping his neediness satiated for the time being as he grasped it between his own eagerly. “You hear that, Eds? You’re in the clear. Let’s get you boys home.”

A grumbled thank god and the creaks of the backseat window being clumsily wound down was enough incentive to start your travels, a pleased smile gracing your lips to know that Steve had been given exactly the night he deserved after all.

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ssweetleaf · 6 months ago

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picknick date with stevie at lovers lake turns a litte smutty <3

thank youuu bby <3

SMUT 18+ below

˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗

Such a nice evening, you thought.

A few simple touches, feeding each other little tidbits of food that Steve had so lovingly packed into a wicker basket— a soft, checkered blanket sat beneath you both, pink and white, matching prettily with the skirt you’d decided to wear.

And it was all so innocent, so lovely, until your precious Stevie picked up a gleaming cherry from its punnet, inching it slowly towards your mouth before pressing it against your lips.

The soft plush of your lips had his gaze flitting to your mouth, watching intently when your lips opened and puckered around the fruit, teeth piercing the flesh and taking a juicy bite.

It felt so slow. Intimate, you felt. Your lashes fluttering impishly when you gazed at him, a moment quickly turning into something hungry, even though your bellies were full.

Steve drew his hand back, the half bitten fruit staining his fingertips slightly, the pip showing out the middle— he watched you swallow, completely delirious, before swiping the cherry over your lips, staining them like his fingertips, leaving them glimmering and crimson-coloured, a good substitute for your favourite lipgloss, Steve had thought to himself.

His jeans tightened uncomfortably at the mere sight of you, his mind wandering to how lovely your pretty lips would look, stretched wide around his dick, staining his pale flesh with cherry juice and pooling his skin with drool.

“So pretty, honey,” he cooed, trailing his fingers against your lips, lightly grazing them against the seam while you opened your mouth up for him.

He smiled, eyes crinkling.

“So good,” he spoke, “didn’t even have to tell y’to open up, just knew what I wanted, huh?”

He pushed the pads of his fingers inside, pressing them against your tongue, and moaning softly at the way you suckled.

“My best girl.”

You whined at his praise, shuffling to your knees and letting him inch his two fingers deeper into your mouth, letting them just barely touch the back of your throat before pulling back— slowly thrusting them in and out, in and out.

“Gotta get a little practice in before you get the real thing, don’t ya, hon?” He cooed, watching you try to suppress a gag before letting it shudder over you, smiling sadistically at the way your throat clenched around his digits. “Know how difficult it is to fit my cock down your throat.”

#steve harrington x reader #steve harrington smut #steve harrington blurb #steve harrington imagine #steve harrington headcanon #steve harrington fic #stranger things smut #stranger things x reader #stranger things blurb #joe keery x reader #joe keery smut #joe keery blurb

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joekeeryswife · 8 months ago

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hello lovely could u please maybe do an insta au with joe? 💕💕

Instagram AU - j.k

a/n: hey loves! here is my first joe instagram au. short but sweet, enjoy 🫶🏼

ynyln: on set 🎬

View 53,472 comments

djo: 😝

↳ ynyln: 😚

mayahawke: featured 🤭

bowerjamie: 👹

milliebobbybrown: you’re so beautiful!

↳ ynyln: love you bby 🫶🏼

ynfan6102: WHEN IS STRANGER THINGS 5 COMING OUT

↳ ynyln: 🤷🏼‍♀️😚

strangerthingsfan321: SO EXCITED

ynfan0192: our queen has posted! 🤭

ynyln: that’s a wrap!

View 42,834 comments

djo: 🤭

josephquinn: people better not comment on me being in the girls bathroom 🙄

↳ ynfan546: @josephquinn why are you in the girls bathroom?

↳ ynyln: @ynfan546 IM CRYING

mayahawke: i can’t leave my bed, im so hungover 😵

↳ ynyln: i’m coming over honey✨

ynfan: no one gonna talk about the picture of her and Joe?

↳ djoandyn: I HOPE THEYRE DATING

ynfan253: Y/N AND JOE YES PLEASE

hellostranger665: JOE AND Y/N PLEASE DATE ALREADY

ynfan02: y/n looking as beautiful as ever 🥹

ynyln: soft launch i guess ☺️ @djo

View 102,372 comments

djo: my girl 😚

ynfan635: YES YES YES YES YES

djoandyn: OH MY GOD IM SO HAPPY

ynfan109: our girl is finally happy 🥹

josephquinn: finally 🙄

mayahawke: the post everyone has been waiting for 🙏🏼

djofan203: HELP WHY AM I CRYING🥹

ynfan012: joe you better not hurt our bby!

↳ djo: never 👎🏼

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worth-the-chaos · 11 months ago

Text

Adventures in Babysitting Masterlist (ongoing)

Series Summary: As Dustin’s babysitter, you encounter the perils of the Upside Down as you try desperately to rid Hawkins of the evil lurking just below the surface. However, you’re not alone; you have the gaggle of kids as well as the one and only Steve Harrington by your side as you risk your lives attempting to solve the mysteries of your once quiet rural town | steve harrington x fem!reader (message me to be added to the taglist!)

Chapter summaries and links below the cut!

SEASON 1

Part 1 - You haven’t been babysitting Dustin for very long. Underestimating his tendencies for rebellious behavior, you realize too late that he’s snuck out, with your dire search for the boy leading you to the last place you wanted to be: Steve Harrington’s house. | Word Count: 6.5k

SEASON 2

Part 2 - With the events of last fall in the past, you attempt to move on, still working on your academics and babysitting Dustin. You and Steve have drifted since your encounter with the otherworldly, but he begins to make more active efforts to talk to you, making sure you have an invite to Tina’s big Halloween party. | Word Count: 6.3k

Part 3 - Billy is still hitting on you, Steve’s still mad, and Dustin’s still a pain in the ass to babysit. When he tells you and Steve that there’s a massive problem of upside down proportions, the two of you have no choice but to drop everything to help the boy, reprising your roles as badasses who eradicate the supernatural in Hawkins. | Word Count: 7.0k

Part 4 - Looking for Dart isn’t easy, but it gives you and Steve a lot of time to have a heart to heart, as you slowly start to realize your feelings for one another. | Word Count: 6.5k

Part 5 - The situation with the demogorgons gets increasingly more dire, leading you to the Byers’ house to wrangle four kids that can’t listen to save their lives (literally) while everyone tries desperately to save Will and the world. | Word Count: 8.9k

SEASON 3

Part 6 - It’s summer, and you and Steve are working at Scoops Ahoy so that you can make money while Dustin is at summer camp. The lines between friends and something more continue to blur as your relationship with Steve gets more intimate, allowing doubt to creep in…and the Russians are invading Hawkins. | Word Count: 6.4k

Part 7 - You continue attempting to translate the code, commencing your operation to determine the nature of Russian involvement in Hawkins. Robin and Dustin continue their attempts to push the two of you together, tired of the mutual pining…oh and Erica has enough sass to probably take out an entire Russian army. | Word Count: 5.9k

Part 8 - Well, the five of you do get in that secret room, but the problem is you can’t quite find a way out. Tensions rise as you realize the gravity of the situation, the forced proximity revealing hard feelings between you and Steve. | Word Count: 7.2k

Part 9 - Held captive by the Russians, tensions rise and as you and Steve attempt to navigate communicating in a drugged up haze, your feelings for each other become even more apparent. | Word Count: 7.4k

Part 10 - The Russian invasion and the upside down begin to merge as you meet up with the rest of the crew. You are in the fight of your lives as you scramble to try to stop the monstrous creature from the upside down before it destroys you. | Word Count: 5.8k

SEASON 4

Part 11 - Steve and you are finally officially dating, the kids are finally in high school and no longer need any sort of official babysitting, and life is overall pretty damn good. You try to push aside the unease settling in your chest, but how long can you ignore it before it manifests into something much worse than you could possibly imagine? | Word Count: 6.7k

Part 12 - The evil that you thought you had gotten rid of is still very much lurking within Hawkins. You, your boyfriend, and your friends race against time to try and find Eddie before it’s too late. | Word Count: 6.5k

Part 13 - As you all attempt to connect the dots of the gruesome murders occurring around your small but sinister town, secrets start to spill when Steve realizes you’ve been keeping things from him. | Word Count: 7.2k

Part 14 - Nancy and Robin take a shot in the dark and Steve tries to protect you from the supernatural. When the darkness comes to get you, will his love be enough to protect you? | Word Count: 6.0k

Part 15 - Racing against the clock, you and your friends desperately attempt to connect the dots before it’s too late. Your efforts bring both progress and peril as you and your boyfriend dive headfirst into life-threatening scenarios in order to save each other. | Word Count: 8.8k

Part 16 - For all your encounters with the Upside Down you hadn’t had to deal with it directly. Now, in a fight in foreign territory, you and your friends must struggle to find your way back to the Hawkins that you are familiar with. | Word Count: 9.7k

Part 17 - After finding out more information about Vecna, you and your friends prepare for the worst, and tensions rise as you mentally prepare for the possibility of a future without you in it. | Word Count: 7.7k

Part 18 - You venture into the Upside Down once again in an attempt to find Vecna and stop him in his tracks before he can bring about the end of the world as you know it. With Steve and your friends by your side, you fight against time to get to Vecna before he can get to you. | Word Count: 7.2k

SEASON 5

Coming soon!

BLURBS

Steve takes care of your injuries | Word Count: 2.2k

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l0vergirlwrites · 5 months ago

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how do i know it’s true? ; steve harrington

synopsis: to steve, nothing involving the upside down could surprise him after everything him & the gang have gone through. until you get taken by vecna—the worst thing steve has ever witnessed.

warnings: swearing, mentions of trauma, blood & injuries, anxiety, possibility of dying, possession, general angst & vecna (yes, that creepy dude needs his own warning). but don’t worry, there’s fluff scattered in between.

note: this fic is inspired by the blue nile’s “the downtown lights” (let’s pretend it came out before season 3 plz) & phoebe bridgers’ “garden song”!

for a moment, everything was fine.

well, your definition of fine was watching your friends climb up a makeshift rope of bed sheets from the upside down gate in eddie’s trailer. you couldn’t help but let out a few laugh sat their reactions when they landed on the mattress eddie had placed beneath the gate as a landing pad.

this was your normal now; casually going in & out of dimensions to solve supernatural puzzles & attempt to save the day all while wondering if you were ever going to finish your algebra homework (you secretly knew you wouldn’t ever find the time).

steve, being the helpful man he’s known to be, was kneeled on the ground with his hands cupped so he could hoist each person up towards safety despite his abdomen aching in pain from bat bites. he truly was your hero.

when it came to be your turn to climb, you couldn’t help but run a hand through his hair.

“chivalry sure isn’t dead, huh?” you ruffled his locks of brown & amber, feeling your heart beat a second faster when he smiled & scrunched his nose cutely at your action.

“definitely not when it comes to you” he winked smoothly, feeling pride in his chest when you grinned wider at him.

“okay, time to hop on up miss”

gripping onto the rope of sheets, you felt a pit in your stomach start to build, but steve tapping the back of your jean covered thigh snapped you out of it.

“i gotcha, don’t worry” he assured with a determined look in his eyes.

like hell he was ever gonna drop you.

so with a nod of your head, you lifted your left foot onto steve’s cupped hands & felt him push you up.

but then everything went black.

at first, you thought your nervous system may of just forced you to shut your eyes in fear of going head first & falling upside down through the gate (you still could not fathom the physics that explained how it worked), but to no avail, all you saw was black.

soon enough, you couldn’t feel the rope.

you couldn’t hear steve or your friends talking.

you couldn’t feel steve.

now, you were starting to panic.

just as you were about to scream, you felt something sharp on your neck. a long nail dragging across your skin too softly to break the skin. the hairs on your arms stood up, goosebumps littered your body, & all you could do was freeze.

“i think you know why you’re here,” a chilling voice whispered into your right ear, making you cringe as you felt the creatures warm breath fan against your skin.

vecna had you trapped. fuck.

“you know, living with the guilt you’ve harboured for so long must be quite exhausting—isn’t it?”

no, no, no, no. this can’t be happening.

“knowing that if you had kept your mouth shut, your anger controlled, that maybe—just maybe, your father would still be alive”

in a flash you were transported back to that haunted day, back to that road trip that your father forced you to go on. you never had a good relationship with him to begin with, so being stuck in a small space for seven hours wasn’t your ideal way to spend a weekend.

it was a few months after your parents finally divorced after years of fighting, screaming, family dinners that were unsuccessful. your father had wanted to bond, to atone whatever trauma he had inflicted upon you as a young child from refusing marriage counselling (or counselling in general) to work on his behaviour.

but as expected, he was too prideful to admit he was ever in the wrong.

which leads you to that moment in the car.

he blamed you for whatever wrong turn he had made a couple miles back, & since you were the one holding the map, it began a screaming match that festered into a tug of war. you tried to get him to let go of your wrists, to let you lead you both out of the barren forest covered dirt roads so you could ge to wherever the hell he wanted to take you to, but he wouldn’t budge.

however, one wrong move changed it all.

it was when you elbowed him the eye accidentally, causing him to yell in agony & involuntarily push his right foot harder on the gas. he wasn’t paying attention to his speed, nor the way the steering wheel was turning.

one minute you were on a dirt road.

the next you were upside down on a rocky ditch that was at least thirty feet from where the dirt road was.

your vision was blurry with blood from a cut on your forehead. your right ankle aching & smushed tight between your car seat & the concaved passenger door.

your father, who hadn’t worn his seatbelt, was partially through the car’s windshield, body covered in glass & blood & you couldn’t tell if he was breathing.

you stayed like that for hours, with the car alarm blaring in your ears until a first ranger showed up as your saving grace.

but your father didn’t survive. & you still believed it was all your fault.

“wouldn’t it be nice if you could let it go? atone for what you did? stop the guilt from eating away at you?” vecna’s voice boomed in your ears.

you were paralyzed in fear, praying this moment would be over.

*~*~*~***~*~~*~*~**~*~*~~*

“you got a good grip, y/n/n?” steve asked after you stilled for a moment, left foot still in the palms of his hands, waiting to be boosting upwards.

you stayed silent. frozen.

steve called out your name again as your grip loosened on the rope & your body began tipping backwards. he quickly reacted, catching your limp body in time before your head smacked the ground.

his heart stopped when he saw your eyes rolling into the back of your head.

“no… no, no, no, no! fuck! please, please not you—not you” steve yelled, his hands cradling your face & occasionally slapping your cheeks gently with hopes you’d snap out of it—hoping vecna would let you out of his grasp so steve could make it better.

“steve? what’s going on down there?” robin yelled, her voice echoing into steve’s ears but his heart was constricting & his chest felt really heavy.

“he’s got her—he’s fucking got her & she’s not waking up!” steve yelled again, tears brimming his eyes in fear because he could lose you right now.

brushing your hair out of your face frantically, steve continued tapping your skin. “sweetheart, you gotta wake up. it’s steve—i’m right here. can you hear me? c’mon—come back to me, baby” he croaked as the minutes went on, drowning out the panicked voices in the gate above him.

“what do i do? what do i do—“

“steve! what’s her favourite song? we need her favourite song!” dustin yelled repeatedly, trying to wake steve up from his own panic mode.

it clicked—how could steve forget.

music.

“holy shit. that’s it. favourite song, favourite song…” steve began to feel hopeful, scouring his mind through a rolodex of memories until he found the one he was looking for.

“the downtown lights by the blue nile! the cassette’s in my glovebox! hurry!” he yelled with a heartbroken plea, his eyes not leaving your face. “c’mon, baby. wake up”.

steve didn’t care that he was crying now, but he wasn’t gonna give up on you. while the others were searching through the glove compartment of steve’s b&w & eddie’s stash of cassette tapes in case, steve just started to sing the song in hopes you’d hear him.

“sometimes i walk away, when all i really wanna do is love & hold you right…”

his voice was cracking with nerves, failing to stay completely steady as his chest hurt & his hands were trembling against your skin.

“there is just one thing i can say. nobody loves you this way,” he held back a sob, his heart clenching at how your eyes continued to roll back. “it’s all right. can’t you see, the downtown lights…”

~*~***~~~**~***~*~~***~**~*~

steve learned your favourite song early on when you started dating, around mid october after starcourt fell, where you invited steve over for a sleep over since your mom went out of town for a weekend.

he knew you hated sleeping in your house alone after the events of the summer, so he didn’t mind keeping you company. you both had sprawled out on your living room couch, coffee table filled with pizza, pop, & your favourite treat (which steve picked up on his way over as a surprise). the movie on the tv had become background noise by the time you both had finished eating, bodies turned to one another underneath the blanket you two shared.

“so, when am i gonna get a room tour, hmm?” steve asked as he brushed some hair away from your forehead, fingers tucking some starnes behind your left ear as you looked at him as if he had hung the moon.

“i’ll show you under one condition, harrington”

“i’m all ears” he said eagerly, scooting closer to you on the couch.

nervously, you raised your left index finger to your lips & tapped them, eyes flickering between steve’s brown ones & his pink lips. he watched you closely, getting an idea of what you wanted (which made his stomach roll with butterflies).

“ahhhh” he dragged with realization, “want me to kiss you? is that it?” he teased, making you feel smaller than you really were under his gaze.

but before you could turn away or back out, steve was cradling your cheek & bringing you closer to him. his breath fanned your skin, noses lightly brushing against the other.

“i really wanna kiss you too” he mumbled with a smile before leaning further to close the gap.

you hummed in delight when your lips pressed to his, fingers fisting the material of his sweatshirt because it felt so good. steve could hear his heartbeat loud in his ears as he continued to kiss you, his thumb brushing softly against your cheek to make you melt under his touch. the longer his lips meshed with yours, the more your body had moved to practically sit on top of his, chests just touching as your arms trailed up to wrap around his shoulders.

“steve” you breathed, pulling away with a pant but still staying close.

“was that too much?” he asked concerned, chest rising up & down as he looked at you with care.

it was you who kissed him next, one that lasted a few seconds before resting your forehead against his. “n-no—it was really nice” you exhaled with a smile, arms tightening around him when you felt his left hand resting on your lower back, rubbing up & down soothingly.

you both hasn’t realized that the movie was over & the channel had switched over to music videos. playing softly in the background was a song you had a deep spot in your heart for. turning towards the tv with a tiny gasp, you smiled harder when you saw that it was the blue nile.

“that’s my favourite song!” you whispered excitedly, turning back to steve when he tapped your cheek.

“what song is it?” he asked, not having too much knowledge about them.

“the downtown lights” you replied sheepishly.

“there is just one thing i can say. nobody loves you this way,” you hummed along to the lyrics with a small smile.

steve watched you, admiring how your face looked with the tv glow casting on your features. he thought you were just the best thing ever.

turning up the volume with the remote in his hand, steve listened intently to the lyrics, right foot tapping against the carpeted floor to the beat. “it’s really pretty—just like you” he said, smiling brightly when you chuckled at him.

“that’s so cliche, but thank you”

“cliche but true. & you’re welcome”

~**~*~~*~***~**~~**~**~

after he let the memory replay in his mind, the cassette tap for the band’s album “hats” landed by steve’s feet with a walkman & a headset.

“finally!” steve yelled more so to himself, brushing away a stray tear on his cheek to grab the items

first he put the headphones over your ears. then he attached the tape to the player & forwarded the tape to the song’s track number. turning the volume up, steve’s hands resumed their spot on your face to hold you, to coax out of whatever horrific trance you were in.

“hey, can you hear me? it’s steve, your steve. you gotta wake up, okay? you gotta come back to me” he begged, his hope growing thin as the seconds went on.

“everyone’s here—dustin, lucas, max, robin, nancy, eddie—we’re here. we want you back. we need you. i promise i won’t do anymore stupid impressions or be an idiot—i’ll be whatever you want me to be” steve continued to ramble, praying that you were listening, that you were coming home to him.

“i-i love you. & i can’t do this without you” he cried to you, not caring if any of his friends heard his love confession in the moment because you were still limp in his arms.

he could vaguely hear the yells of his friends trying to talk to you too, trying to lead you back to reality. but all steve could focus on were how your eyes continued rolling into the back of your head.

it wasn’t until the song was about to restart on a loop where steve felt your arms twitching, your chest raising up & down rapidly. before he could even blink your eyes returned back to normal, lips letting out panicked breaths as you scanned your surroundings, hands about to push steve’s away until you saw him.

“s-steve?” you asked wearily, voice feeling small & fragile after the return to hell you had just experienced. “w-what… i-i don’t understand…” you were at a loss for words, confused & scared.

“it’s me, honey—i’m right here. it’s okay now,” before he could finish, you were hiding in his chest, hands gripping the jean jacket he wore so tightly in fear that this was another trick. that maybe you weren’t safe & vecna still had you.

you sobbed hard, breaths becoming strained with each cry that tore through you. every time you closed your eyes, you were back there again—back in that god forsaken car with bloody vision & your father dead. back where vecna told you your worst fears.

“you’re safe. i’m here now. god, i was so worried—ohmygod” steve rambled assurances, cradling your head close like he was in disbelief too, making sure that you were really back in his arms.

surprisingly, the headset was still secured to your head, downtown lights continuing to play from the foamy speakers into your ears. the song calmed you down a bit, made you feel grounded. but it was steve’s touches, the smell of his cologne, & his soft whispers that called you home—back to reality.

“is this real?” your broken voice asked, needing to make sure it was really him.

so steve pulled your head back to hold your face in his hands. he smoothed the sweat, the baby hairs, the tears, & splotches of dirt off your skin, giving you the kindest look you’ve ever been given. “ yeah, i’m real. i’m not gonna hurt you. i gotcha, yeah? won’t let anything hurt you again, promise” he swore with honour, his own lip trembling when your eyes continued to well up with tears.

“god, i love you” he pressed his forehead to yours, exhaling a shaky breath when one of your hands pressed against his chest to feel his heartbeat.

that was the most intimate thing he’s ever felt.

“i love you too” you mumbled back to him, pulling him in for another bone crushing hug to say all the words you wanted to in the moment. steve got the message loud & clear.

#steve harrington oneshot #steve harrington fanfic #steve harrington is a sweetheart #steve harrington blurb #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington fluff #steve harrington imagine #steve stranger things #steve harrington #stranger things #stranger things fanfic #celebrities #joe kerry x reader #joe kerry #joe kerry imagine #joe keery djo #stranger things netflix

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